Shibori Girl

One Ringy-Dingy...

2011-08-25T20:41:00.007-04:00

I've been working solidly this past week with polymer clay after I sold several pieces while we were on vacation. Katie's Traveling Trunk Show strikes again - I just love how my work seems to sell itself.

To get back into the groove, I started pawing through the various canes I've made over the past two years. Some of them are pretty old so I thought I'd try making some little ring bowls to use them up. I've wanted to make these sweet little bowls for a long, long time so, armed with this tutorial, I got to work.

I made four the first day, and I have to ask, "Why is it, that each new thing I try is more fun than the LAST new thing I tried?"

I enjoyed the process of putting those four together, and today I added another seven to my stock.

Each one is unique.

In the process I've used up a few canes that have been hanging around since my early days of clay experimenting.

I'll be offering these little beauties for sale soon once I've built up some inventory. In the meantime, you can find me up to my eyeballs in patterns and color...

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Repurposing and Reusing

2011-07-24T14:05:00.015-04:00

When I was Shibori Girl (for real, that is), I had piles and piles of beautiful, streaky-patterned hand-dyed fabrics to transform into wearable art. Some were cotton, most were silk. The cottons were great fun because they could take some abuse in the dye process. I would dye them, color, over color, over color, until I went just a tad too far and they came out muddy. Then I'd pop them into the discharge dye bath to remove some of that color I worked so hard to put in. Here's a good example of that process:

my very favorite jacket modeled by my trainer, Maria

Absolute magic would occur. I had a basic idea, but didn't know exactly what the final result would be. I was always excited when I pulled a piece out of the pot.

I used a batch of my favorites, gold-and-purple-over-maroon cotton, to make some kimono-styled vests in a variety of sizes. I made three vests and, though they received positive reviews from customers in my booth, none sold. So they hang in the closet.

Fast-forward to today and my conundrum... My favorite handbag has no pockets. Silly, really, for someone who likes to be organized. Everything needs to be in its place. I dislike being one of those people who digs around in the bottom of their bag for a wallet, phone, or whatever, while impatient people wait in line behind them.

Today I took one of those pretty gold-purple-maroon vests and whacked it up to make myself a purse organizer. Kinda like the night before my wedding when I took scissors to the neckline of my dress because I didn't like it - but that's another story... My sewing skills are rusty, having lain dormant for years. After some false starts, I got a rhythm going, and now I have an organizer loaded with pockets.

I won't be keeping anyone waiting, foot a-tapping, while I reach for a wallet which is where it's supposed to be. The added bonus: I'll have the pleasure of seeing that wonderful shibori fabric every day.

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Passionate For Purple

2011-07-19T22:40:00.008-04:00

I promised pictures of the polymer clay pieces made from my first attempt at mokume gane. As I gathered them all together for their glamour shots in the light tent, I realized... that's a whole lot of purple going on there.

Each necklace is reversible, which I think is a great selling point - two necklaces for the nice (low) price of one.

I need to make two halves of each bead anyway, and it doesn't take that much more effort to make the second side slightly different than the first.

As with the brocade pattern I referenced in my last post, I didn't want to waste any of the trimmings from my round beads. I put together this great pin using those curvy leftovers. And, of course, MORE purple! I think it came out very well.

Of course, I finished out the session with swirlies made from the scraps!

While those pieces were baking, I took time to finish some more brocade design stuff. Earrings:

And another pin, this one is considerably smaller than the previous ones:

I'll be spending the next few days listing these in my shop so be sure to stop by often to check them out.

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Polymer Clay Play Time

2011-07-17T16:08:00.008-04:00

Since returning from Canada, I've been in the studio learning new surface design techniques with polymer clay. I've had this book for some time but needed a good stretch of designated quiet time to crack it open. My favorite technique so far: a brocade look using gold leaf and acrylic paint. I also tried my hand at mica shift, which is very cool...

There's a lot of work in the brocade technique, so I didn't want to waste any of it. I used the curvy trimmings from the bead to make this pretty fan pin.

I purchased a couple of really wonderful tutorials from Naftali Studios for making hollow lentil beads and crackle finishing. These are very well-designed tutorials with clear instructions and good photos. I followed the crackle finish tutorial and decided to use the instructions verbatim. My finished result looks just like her design. Once again, I made it reversible - two necklaces in one... I love that!

Because the bead is hollow, it's very lightweight and comfy to wear. Now to use the technique to make beads in my own design.

This weekend I did my first attempt at mokume gane. I just love it when I can take out my aggressions on an inanimate block of clay. My first successful sheet of mokume gane:

I've got a bunch of beads half done, so I'll be posting those images soon. I'll have some of these new pieces listed for sale in my Etsy shop this week. Until then, you can find me in my playroom.

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

The Blogosphere is a small place

2011-07-05T09:43:00.005-04:00

Last week Marble Man and I proved the Blogosphere can be a very small place when we met fellow blogger, Gabriela Delworth, in Toronto. Here we are hanging out with Alexander in her part of Toronto, Greektown.

We were in Toronto for a family wedding. When I heard where we would be going, I immediately thought of Gabriela and contacted her to see if she'd be interested in meeting IRL. We emailed back and forth for months as plans solidified. We finally settled on a plan: she would pick us up to take us to Greektown for lunch and a walking tour.

It was a hot day (by Toronto's standards anyway), so a visit to Dolce for some gelato seemed in order. It was worth every single calorie. "Mmm, Mmmm... GOOD!"

Gabriela is as lively and colorful as her blog. We talked, and laughed, then talked some more. Before we knew it, it was late afternoon and time to go home. I hope someday we will return to Toronto; I'd love to swing by the Harbourfront Center to take one of the classes she teaches there.

I hope you'll stop by Gabriela's blog for a visit. It's full of craft ideas, color, and marketing wisdom. Thanks Gabriela!

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

"Where The Wild Things Are"

2011-06-30T22:34:00.020-04:00

Marble Man and I took a vacation last week, and ended it with a very pleasant safari into The Wilds, a nature preserve in Southeastern Ohio.

We minded the signs, and kept ourselves out of reach of the natives.

I'd hoped we'd saddle up and ride some of these, but these guys don't work for their chow.

Bactrian Camels

This refuge is ah-MAZ-ing with 10,000 acres (the largest preserve in the country) and some very rare beasties. The Wilds is not run like a zoo; they aren't in it for money. They are all about research and conservancy.

Sable Antelope / White Rhinoceros

Not too long ago, rhinoceros in zoos were developing foot troubles, to the point of being unable to walk. After transferring some to The Wilds, where they got to walk on soft ground, the foot troubles disappeared.

Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros

Now, thanks to the hard work of the staff at The Wilds, rhinos in zoos have soft, padded surfaces on which to tread.

There are breeding programs for endangered species, some of which are mid-sized carnivores. Those these pretty kitties were lounging and being photogenic for our visit. Nothing fierce here...

Cheetahs

This little fella (called a Dhole) is very shy - we were told we were lucky they came out to show off for us at all.

Dhole

Mostly, they have endangered species, including the Pere David's Deer, which has been brought back from the brink and is being reintroduced in its native China.

Pere David's Deer

A small herd of wild horses clogged up the track, causing us to halt our trek. We were surrounded for quite a while - they were close enough to pat, but don't do it! They bite.

Prezwalski's Wild Horses

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this preserve, a little bit of Africa's Serengeti Plain right here in our heartland.

Zebras

The only thing I wasn't prepared for, was the rough ride in our open-air safari truck. We went over some ruts and bumps that made me feel like my upper and lower halves separated only to be reunited with some violence. If you visit, and I really hope you will, take some Ibuprofen or muscle relaxers BEFORE you climb on the bus!!

Persian Onagers

It was worth the discomfort - I can hardly wait to go back.

Scimitar-Horned Oryx

If you plan to visit, you might want to book your tours in advance, as it's a popular place. They have a new zip line tour (2 1/2 hours over 10 zip lines through the park), which just opened and is sold out for the first month already! We really wanted to do that...

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

"Lentil Soup"

2011-06-10T12:47:00.006-04:00

I went back to working on "swirlies", those big, gorgeous polymer clay lentil beads that I fell in love with last year.

Since my last post, I've been struggling with a couple of issues. The biggest is a nagging pain in my wrist. My first thought was to do what Marble Man calls "rub some dirt on it and walk it off". I went and bought a carpal tunnel splint at the local drug store, which helped, but the pain was still hanging around a couple weeks later. My doctor told me it's not carpal tunnel syndrome (Whew - my worst fear!) but tendinitis. He said it's OK to use it, just not to the point of discomfort.

The small, twiddly work I like so much will have to wait. Enter: Swirlies. They are so much fun, that I may need an intervention!

Just like when making lentil soup to eat, you throw a little of this and a little of that into the pot. With these beads, a little bit of monarch butterfly wing, flower petal and leaf cane slices, etc, you wind up with an interesting and spicy result.

~~~

The other issue which is bothering me is that when I look through my Etsy shop, it seems a bit like a split personality is running it. There's intricate bead work,

modern-looking clay pieces,

vintage inspired work, etc.

It looks like I can't decide what I want to do, when in reality, I just have lots of styles for lots of moods.

When I look at other shops, there's a sense of cohesion, a mature style with variations. Do I need to set up different shops for each style of work I do? What would you suggest?

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Polymer Clay Meets Silk Ribbon Embroidery...

2011-05-07T08:26:00.016-04:00

... Or how a long lost passion gains new life in my studio. When I was dyeing fabric and creating wearable art, I used silk ribbon embroidery to embellish a lot of my garments.

I loved doing it: pulling the ribbon through the fabric, laying it flat, forming the stitch, pulling it back through the fabric again. Then gently coaxing the loops and folds into shape... instant beauty. Repeat.

I had my Beauty Blinders on, so I didn't see the unthinkable coming my way - the accident that changed my creative life forever. Afterward, my hand stopped working the way it should. No more pulling ribbon through fabric. It wasn't fun anymore, wasn't worth the discomfort. I put the ribbons and big-eyed needles away.

Enter my new passion - polymer clay. I began this new journey in a big way: lots of color, big canes that took all my strength to reduce down. I'll get back to doing that later on, but now I want to work small... very small.

I just need the tiniest speck of clay to create something resembling that old silk ribbon embroidery.

Little malleable balls of color lined up on my table, patience, and some quiet time, are all I need to recapture the joy I felt as I formed that perfect stitch.

Magic happens if you wait for it...

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Memories, Keepsakes, and Talented Friends

2011-05-03T11:08:00.007-04:00

We've almost reached the 2nd anniversary of Pooch's passing. While we've enjoyed the freedom from caring for a terminally ill pet, we still miss him something awful. This upcoming anniversary coincides with a fun contest blog buddy and portrait painter, Enzie Shahmiri, was having on her Facebook page last month, titled "Dogs With Attitude". She needed to get some paintings done for a May showing, and asked for photos of dogs. If she chose a photo to paint, the photo's owner would win a prize.

Well, our little Pooch certainly had attitude! We used to refer to him as an 80 pound personality in a 12 pound body. So, I dug around in the photo box and came up with one to send. Enzie loved it and got to work on a painting. She captured his expression perfectly:

... that look he'd get when he was ripping the guts out of a fleece toy. If he could talk he would have been saying, "Oh, so you think you're going to get this away from me? HA!"

I had to have it. And now I do. It's even more charming "in the paint", so to speak.

"Love Them Bones", oil on linen, 6"x 6"

If you aren't familiar with Enzie's wonderful painting style, stop by her website to see what's on her easel. Her blog for Pet Portraits has lots of furry eye candy. There are also gardening, cooking, and Orientalist painting blogs. Where does she find the time? I'd like a sip of what's in her cup...

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Beginnings... and Surprise Endings

2011-04-27T12:48:00.008-04:00

Some folks have asked me to explain what inspires me at the beginning of a project. Is it a specific color? A particular bead? A "light bulb" moment in the shower? Well, my answer is "yes": all of the above, though the moment of inspiration varies from project to project.

This past week, I chose to use some mottled blue jade teardrops I bought at the last bead show. When I first saw them, my brain fritzed and short-circuited. They were beautiful - and a whole strand of them together, well, it was A Moment. I brought them home and didn't do anything with them, that is, until now. My plan was to make bead embroidered earrings. Oh, they would be spec-TAC-ular!

I finished the first one and it was apparent they were to big for earrings. I made the second, since the stone was already glued down.

When finished, I laid it next to the first piece, and realization hit me like a brick - these would be great strung together. Good thing I'd glued more of the jade stones down!

To soften the final piece, I wanted to make smaller elements to place between the jade medallions. I have some mother-of-pearl coin beads in a very soft blue. Perfect! I made a pretty round piece, and when I put it between the two jade elements, my reaction was, "Uh.... no."

Didn't really like the stark white seed beads in there and, again, too big.

I tried again, but kept it even simpler, and "Hazzah!" Just what I was looking for.

A few hours later, I had enough pieces to arrange the final layout.

Satisfied, I used freshwater pearls to attach everything together. The finished result, 18 hours after I started, is romantic, soft, and very elegant. Do you think it's too late to see if Kate Middleton might want it for her Big Day???

Oh, and don't worry... that medallion I decided not to use gets to shine in it's own piece as a simple pendant.

Today's The Day...

2011-04-19T09:47:00.012-04:00

Today's the day I decided to make time to crack open Marcia DeCoster's "Beaded Opulence" book. I've been itching to try the layered right angle weave that Marcia demos in the instructions for her Quetzal ring project.

But do I start with the beautiful one inch square shown in the final picture? NO! I chose to make a cuff bracelet: something with stylish structure, and far too many seed beads to count.

To begin, I beaded a piece 8 units wide by 60 units long (a unit being 4 beads stitched into a circle).

This bit of beading was nicely fluid, like a drapable piece of fabric. I began adding RAW layers, decreasing width of each. Each new layer added rigidity and weight to the final piece.

At the beginning of the project, I'd planned a total of three layers. But after finishing the third layer, there were beads left in my bowl and I just couldn't stop. I kept going until there were five layers of RAW and the piece had a pronounced domed structure.

When it comes to finishing, I really like the little feminine details that designer, Lisa Kan, gives her pieces. I pulled her book, "Bead Romantique" off my shelf to find instructions for encasing the ends of a bracelet in peyote stitch.

The final touch: add a single line of Czech fire polished crystals down the center of the bracelet's dome for sparkle.

"Jacqueline" Cuff

The lines are simple, but there was nothing simple about its creation. Ten hours of work, and the equivalent of a full hank of size 11 seed beads later, I have a piece fit for someone like Jackie O to wear. Anyone who puts it on will feel like royalty.

copyright 2010 Shibori Girl

Moving into Summer

2011-04-12T12:48:00.004-04:00

Now that my collar is done and gone, I've gone back to business as usual. In keeping with my New Year's resolution, I'm ripping through my bead hoard.

My latest bracelet reflects my new Summertime mood and uses some beautiful African turquoise beads that have hung around for years.

It's time to build inventory in anticipation of show applications. Kind of like planning a party, and worrying there won't be enough food, I feel the same way about stocking a booth. Best to err on the side of overdoing than not having enough work to show...

copyright 2010 Shibori Girl

I'm In!

2011-03-31T09:37:00.004-04:00

I just got word yesterday that "Jewels For Sheherazade" was accepted to the NC Museum of Art's silent auction.

I'll be delivering it on Sunday, so farewell my lovely...

copyright 2010 Shibori Girl

"Spring is Around The Corner"

2011-03-21T10:39:00.007-04:00

"Spring is Around the Corner" is the theme of April's Etsy Beadweavers Street Team challenge. I'm currently enjoying an early Spring here in North Carolina, so I decided to participate in the challenge.

This theme would also enable me to fulfill my New Year's resolution: use up beads I already own - in this case, pale pink seed beads and carved flower beads. I'd bought the seed beads in an effort to fill out my stock of color choices, but I very rarely work in pink. As a result, these beads have been taking up space in a drawer for years.

I made a right angle weave amulet bag with a profusion of flower and leaf beads. To finish it, I indulged my new love of fringe.

Wow. Apparently competition is good for me! This pretty amulet bag is listed for sale in my etsy shop.

To read more about the challenge, please visit the team blog.

copyright 2010 Shibori Girl

Final Preparations

2011-03-15T11:15:00.004-04:00

When I wrote this post about my museum competition piece, I mentioned my plan to make a box for presentation. I've been mulling over different ways to do this.

My super-crafty best friend had a number of great ideas and loaned me a book titled, "Crafting Personal Shrines" by Carol Owen. Surprise, surprise: Carol is an old acquaintance from my association with a local craft co-op! All sorts of people are going to have a hand in this fabulous piece of mine. In this book, Carol demonstrates the best way to treat foamcore to prevent the warping that occurs over time.

My initial thought was to make a box, from scratch, using foamcore. But, the weight of the collar made me worry the box wouldn't be strong enough to hold up. I decided to start with a ready-made white cardboard mailing box from Staples, and embellished it with some gorgeous marbled rice paper from my local studio supply shop. I used a solid colored rice paper in a nice deep burgundy to line the inside of the box, as well as reinforcing the outside corners.

To showcase the piece inside the box, I used foamcore as a slanted surface, inserted a column of mat board where the neck area would lie, and draped the whole thing with kiwi green silk velvet.

Hazzah!

My jury photo and artist statement have been uploaded, and now it's in the hands of the powers-that-be. I'll find out around the end of the month whether I was accepted or not. Either way, I'm very proud of what I've done here.

copyright 2010 Shibori Girl

Surprise!

2011-03-10T09:23:00.008-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I was sitting on the couch, doing my blog-hopping thing, when I landed on MadDesigns, the blog of Marcia DeCoster: Right Angle Weaver Extraordinaire. I've been a big fan of her work for years, drooling over pictured projects published in bead magazines. Usually I just lurk when I read her blog. But a recent post showing earrings that a student did in Marcia's class caused me to leave a comment. I admired the earrings design, the colors the student chose, and mentioned that someday I would like to take a class from her.

She wrote back to say she'd like to send me a pair of those earrings I'd admired. They arrived in my mailbox yesterday and they are even more beautiful in person.

This was such a sweet thing to do. They arrived on a dark, chilly, dreary day to deliver some much needed sparkle. Whenever I wear them, I'll think of that bright moment.

I just received her book, Beaded Opulence, and can hardly wait to crack it open and start weaving.

Whenever I visit her blog, I find myself lost in the beautiful photographs she posts.

"Sea Urchin"

Her sense of color and the textural quality of her designs are stunning.

"Under the Mast"

"The Rising Sun"

If you get the urge to learn Right Angle Weave (RAW), I hope you'll consider giving Marcia's MadDesigns a try. She sells kits in addition to her books, which you can find on her website.

"Portico"

Please note: The images posted here of Marcia DeCoster's work are her property, used with her permission. Please respect her copyright.

Let The Competition Begin!

2011-02-22T10:26:00.007-05:00

It's taken me three intense weeks to complete my competition piece. During this time I've learned a tremendous amount about how to plan, and execute, a design. I've mentioned before that I don't like to start with a plan. I like the element of surprise at the end, where I look at the final results of my labors and say, "Well, I didn't see THAT coming!".

In this case, however, stakes are high, and I wanted to be sure of my results. The careful planning paid off, Big Time.

Even Marble Man looked at it and said it was amazing, and the best piece I've done to date. High praise, indeed.

With this project, I used up a significant portion of my bead stash - beads I liked but didn't have a plan to use when I bought them - I just liked them at the time. They've remained in their drawers, waiting to be counted each year at tax time. Those troublesome beads went together quite beautifully, and I'm so happy with the results.

I have so much time left until the entry deadline that I'm thinking now I'll make a presentation box for it, something lined with velvet for the potential owner to store the necklace. Now that my work is done with this project, it's up to the judges to decide if it's good enough for the auction. *crossing fingers*

BTW, if you are interested in what my inspiration for this piece was, I found some images online of Afghani kuchi tribal bellydancer jewelry:

It was great fun to translate the silver work into colorful beading.

Royalty Throughout Time Challenge

2011-02-09T13:57:00.003-05:00

As promised, here is the link for voting on this month's Etsy Beadweavers Challenge: Royalty Throughout Time. There are SO MANY beautiful entries, I don't know how I'm going to choose one as my favorite.

I hope you'll go and vote for your favorite piece, too. Don't feel you have to vote for mine, just pick your fave. The poll will be open at the team blog until midnight, Feb 16th.

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Fancy, Schmancy

2011-02-02T10:38:00.006-05:00

Marble Man talked me into entering a piece in the North Carolina Museum of Art's silent auction competition. This is a juried event with a Best in Show award which includes a VERY nice prize. The deadline for entries is March 15th; time to get my rear in gear!

The trick is designing a standout piece which won't be so over-the-top that it can't sell. The purpose of this event is fund-raising for the museum, after all. I decided to make a statement collar which is a little wilder than my usual - longer in the front with an added pendant and some sparkly fringe. I have a clear image in my head and, to make sure I stick to that image, I put it down on paper.

For the focal pieces, I'm using a couple of the polymer clay cabochons I made from push molds.

Now it's up to me to fill the space with seed beads, and some sparkly Swarovski crystals.

I think this piece will take me the full amount of time I have until the deadline!

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Meet Jennifer Maestre

2011-01-26T21:02:00.008-05:00

"Seethe"

In her Artist Statement, Jennifer Maestre explains the origins of her work:

"My sculptures were originally inspired by the form and function of the sea urchin. The spines of the urchin, so dangerous yet beautiful, serve as an explicit warning against contact. The alluring texture of the spines draws the touch in spite of the possible consequences. The tension unveiled, we feel push and pull, desire and repulsion. The sections of pencils present aspects of sharp and smooth for two very different textural and aesthetic experiences. Paradox and surprise are integral in my choice of materials. Quantities of industrially manufactured objects are used to create flexible forms reminiscent of the organic shapes of animals and nature. Pencils are common objects, here, these anonymous objects become the structure. There is true a fragility to the sometimes brutal aspect of the sculptures, vulnerability that is belied by the fearsome texture."

"Urchins"

This amazing artist makes her own beads by cutting hundreds of colored pencils into short lengths.

She sharpens each piece, then drills a hole in the unsharpened end for stringing purposes. Finally, she weaves the little pencils together, painstakingly, to create her sculptures.

Jennifer at work

Her pieces are striking,

"Say Ah"

witty,

"Pencil Test"

and gorgeous.

"Ibentina"

Who says a bead has to be glass or plastic and have a hole in it when you buy it at the store? I'll be looking at items around me in a whole new way after seeing Jennifer's work!

Note: All images used in this post are the property of Jennifer Maestre and were used with her written permission. Please honor her copyright.

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

New-Found Courage

2011-01-18T11:27:00.006-05:00

I think Santa gave me an extra gift this past Christmas that wasn't wrapped in sparkly paper and a perky bow.

"Animal Dreams Pendant"

It wasn't anywhere under the tree where I could see it and open it. Instead, he gave it to me in dreams, where I could turn it and enjoy it from all angles, in any kind of light I chose to view it. Like the Cowardly Lion, I got the gift of Courage.

My latest jewelry designs are the proof. New materials, new color combinations, new techniques. I can't explain where this new-found courage came from, but I'm reveling in it.

"Sponge Coral Bracelet"

I might have mentioned in a past post that I've joined the Etsy Beadweavers Street Team. This is a group of like-minded beading artisans, who nurture and encourage their fellow members. Each month there is a design challenge, and to maintain membership, we must participate in one of these challenges a year. The thought of this requirement had me tied up in knots. My designs usually happen as I work, a very organic process where I let the piece tell me what it wants to be. Whenever I've started with a preset design, something happens halfway through the project and it veers off in a new direction.

The idea that I'd have to start with a plan, and a theme I didn't come up with on my own was a tiny bit scary. But I did it. The theme for February was titled "Royalty Throughout Time". In my research, I found some images of reproduction Tudor pieces, loaded with gold filigree and dripping with pearls. Lovely. During a road trip this past year, I'd picked up some fabu-liscious 1930's French brass stampings and at the time I had no idea how I'd use them. I just knew I needed to have them. The result was my very first challenge piece:

"Tudor Brooch"

Voting on these challenges is open to anyone - Usually between the 9th and 15th of the month. I'll post a link when the poll is open.

~~~

This past weekend I finished up a project that had been on my worktable for a while. I combined this polymer clay cabochon with some bead embroidery, added a profusion of branched fringe, and a beadwoven neck strap. Meet my Woodland Nymph in all her glory:

"Woodland Nymph Pendant"

I have no idea what's next on my work schedule, but I'm betting that it will knock my socks off! All of the pieces shown in this post are listed for sale in my Etsy shop.

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Professional Photography

2011-01-14T10:34:00.005-05:00

Last November, my friend and mentor-supreme, Lorin Fields, assisted in my booth during our local annual Alternative Gift Market. She wished I had a display print showing a comely lass wearing one of my pieces. During lulls she also worked on me to consider entering high-end craft shows, specifically the Piedmont Craftsmen Guild show in November.

Both of these issues require better photography skills than I've achieved so far. Lorin, in her mentor capacity, arranged for me to tag onto a photo shoot she already had scheduled for last Saturday at her church. The photographer, Seth Tice-Lewis, is well-known in our area and came highly recommended by Lorin, who has worked with him several times in the past year, as well as by other artists. The model, Angie, is a friend of Lorin's from church.

Keep in mind, each piece entered in a portfolio only gets seen for a few seconds and needs to make an instant impact on the jury. Lorin came by my house a few days before the shoot to help pick out 10 of my strongest pieces, and to figure out what Angie needed to wear to show them off.

The day of the shoot, I arrived at the church and tried to stay out of the way as Seth and Lorin got to work.

This group has wonderful energy. Before her first shoot with Lorin, Angie went online to research modeling poses. Then she practiced in front of a mirror until it came naturally. In this picture, she's goofing a little bit:

Here, we've set up the pose for one of my bracelets:

The result:

Angie wanted to try a more natural hand position for the next bracelet:

Wonderful!

I think I've got my display print in this one:

When choosing a photographer, ask for recommendations, and look at samples of their work. Keep in mind fees are handled very differently amongst them: some charge by the roll of film, others charge a large set-up fee, others charge by the shot. Choose what works for you and get the best you can afford. The better your work looks, the more likely people will want to buy.

Silver Threads and Broken Needles...

2011-01-03T19:55:00.010-05:00

Beading is such a zen activity: stitch, add a bead, stitch, add a bead... SNAP! Dammit, there goes another needle. I love bead embroidery, but I do not love stitching through Ultrasuede. Beading needles are notoriously thin and the repeated passage through that tough fabric causes great stress on them. The eye gets smaller, the needles bend, and eventually they break.

Marble Man, super-tired of hearing me swear, googled beading needles and came across an article about Hari-kuyo, an annual quirky Japanese festival for seamstresses and embroiderers to bid farewell to broken needles. Sounds like I need to buy a ticket on that train.

"On the day of the memorial service – 8 February throughout most of Japan, but 8 December in much of the Kansai region and western Japan – seamstresses and embroiderers take a day of rest from their craft, and bring their used, bent and broken needles and pins to their temple or shrine. As they pay their respects, their needles and pins are stuck upright into blocks of tofu or konnyaku (a kind of edible jelly made from a plant-based flour). Tofu and konnyaku are used because of their soft texture; which is thought to soothe the needles after their labour, effectively wrapping them with tenderness and gratitude. A priest incants a sutra, marking the needles’ passage from use, and offers a blessing, which is thought to rub off on the person who has made the offering. The essence of hari-kuyo is to honour the needles for their hard work, give thanks for their service over the preceding year, and also to pray for improved needlework skills in the future. The used needles and pins are often sent to Awashima Shrine, where they are then laid to rest. In some regions, the blocks of tofu and konnyaku, with their pins sticking out, are farewelled by being floated down a river."

From The Japanese Foundation, Sydney

Instead of cursing my sorry luck at breaking a needle on a regular basis, I think I'll keep a block of tofu handy to place them in and thank them for their hard service. How's that for a new and unusual New Year's Resolution?

copyright 2011 Shibori Girl

Detail Oriented... Moi?!?

2010-12-16T20:14:00.005-05:00

OK, maybe I am a Leetle Beet fussy about details - So much so that I forget to look at the bigger picture.

While I was working with my polymer clay this week, I decided to make a kaleidoscope cane. It started with inspiration from Carol Simmons magnificent cane. I really was just going to use a part of that cane design. I started on Sunday, using some elements I already had made. I also made some just for this project. I was completely focused on the individual parts. It grew, and it grew, and it grew... into a monster. I finally finished putting it together today:

"Holy Mother of God! How am I going to reduce this behemoth?" It took me three hours and a lot of muscle, but I got it done.

When Carol Simmons made her cane, she warmed it in the microwave a few times. I didn't want to do that in case the clay sent off fumes. As a result, the interior of the cane reduced at a slower rate as the outside. There was significant waste.

To give my brain, and body, a break, I used the trimmings from this amazing cane to make some mirror image natasha beads. These are tons of fun. Like eating cookies, one is never enough. So, I made A LOT of them. My little army of earrings-to-be:

"Oops I Did it Again..."

2010-12-11T19:57:00.008-05:00

Too much of a good thing is always bad news for me. With my recent crazed approach to bead embroidery, I've hurt my dominant hand somehow (again?!?). My penalty: I have to lay off the beading while it settles down. The silver lining is that I've been in the studio having a GREAT time with my polymer clay for the past two days.

My enormous button collection rests on a shelf: some vintage, all with interesting details. I also have a great big bag of hideous elephant gray leftover scrap clay. Lets make some push molds! I've wanted to make them for months now, but haven't taken the time. I picked some of my favorite buttons and got started.

My first mold was from an oxidized, warped metal button with a busted shank. I kept this mess of a button because I love the texture.

All it took was this first mold. After that, I set about making molds from every button in the jar. All sorts of beauty was about to happen here.

I baked all those molds...

... and, quick like a bunny, put them to use.

Before baking the newly molded cabochons, I dabbed on some pearl ex powders for razzle and dazzle. I love this whole process. My beloved buttons are preserved in their jar, and I can reproduce the intricate designs in any color I choose.

After I fired these newest treasures, I dug out the face mold I bought last Christmas and made a couple of woodland nymphs for future beading projects.

Can't you see these little sweethearts surrounded by beaded leaves and branched fringe? Hurry and get better, Hand, so I can sally forth with the ideas racing though my brain!

copyright 2010 Shibori Girl