Soar

 

Here is my Challenge of Music Piece. I listened at a bazillion tunes I think on You Tube until I had a duh huh moment and pulled out my YO-YO MA cd. I love his sound. I love the cello. I hope at least one of my babies will be musically inclined and wouldn't it be wonderful if he played the cello. The piece I picked is Ecstasy of Gold performed with the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra and directed (directed? written?) by Ennio Morricone. Hopefully this link will take you to You Tube, but it still can't compare to blasting it through one's own speakers. Just don't get the same "feel". I must confess. This is not my "ideal" submission. Although the music does make me soar (butterfly) and I would definitely attribute some earthiness (wood, ceramic) to it, I envision not only a palette of light and dark, but components that have contrasting weights. I was almost there. But Pink Eye struck last night as a nice little garnish to my sinus infection. And being She Who Waits Till the Last Minute, hadn't started enough in advance. At least not enough in advance.  Click here to see all those who are playing!

 

 

Focusing on Life a Two-for

We have some kind of crud here. Started last weekend with one of the boys and a case of double pinkeye and strep. Then Mr. PearlandPebble got strep. I've got something that feels like flu, but dr. said no fever so he put me on antibiotics. Hubby's has morphed into a sinus infection and I think that is about where I am at right now. And of course my other little sweetie now  has the pink eye in both  eyes. And so needless to say, I did not post my focus of life photos last week or this past weekend. Flowers was the first theme. Monochromatic was the second. So I combined them. I love watching how these guys come up with stuff. They love flowers. When we go out walking they are constantly stopping to browse in the grass or landscapings. Usually a small flower comes home with us. Dandelions are just as appealing as daisies or lilies. They also love to "put things into things". It was a problem with plugs and outlets until we found the right protectors that kept them out. The picture shows them making Playdough flowers with straws for stems. They were also incorporating Lego flowers, but I liked this picture best.

Soup Beads

 

My Soup Beads are here!!!! Take a look at the lovely lovely beads Stephanie sent to me. The lavendar lampwork focal, flowers and accent beads were made by her husband Chris. I can't wait to play!!!

Teaser Teaser Teaser

 

Here is what is going to the lovely Stephanie Haussler from Pixiebug Designs. Stephanie is my Bead Soup Partner this round and I for one am pretty excited!!!! She is a beader after my own heart as she insists there is rarely a bead she doesn't like! Hopefully she won't be disappointed now. I think my little teaser here is a pretty good tease-it looks like a bowl of embroidered neon fish bones:)

Playing with Patina

 

Lima Beads had a crossword puzzle challenge thing a few weeks ago and I solved it (at the last minute) and what I was rewarded with was twenty percent off Vintaj. Well, that was just okey dokey fine by me let me tell you! So one of the things I had to get was one of the patina kits. I picked Retro Highway. Has yellow, black and white. Makes a coooool green.  The pendant is a Vintaj piece. The others are vintage brass caps, a textured brass ring and a Vintaj toggle bar. Whoo hoo! I want them all!!!!! (Insert crazy maniacal laughter here)

Secrets

 

I love the little scenarios I think I see in inanimate objects. So when Sally gave us the challenge to find these intimate relationships to document, I was like whoo hooo! A few years ago I had done a series of pastel paintings which depicted exactly that. The other day I caught my apples exchanging a private moment. I am not sure what the guy on the right is whispering to her, but she is blushing and listening very intently. I have even more people in my house this weekend. Please forgive me if I get to you my focus mates blog a bit later in the week!

Earring Challenge Reveal No. 2

Here are my next three pairs of earrings that I made for the AJE earring challenge. We make one pair of earrings a week and post every two weeks. Starting from the top, left to right, I used beautiful polymer beads from Stillpointworks and amber swirl lampwork headpins from Gardanne beads. Little pop of turquoise there too. Next pair features pretty ceramic poppy beads from Earthenwood Studio. and the last pair features cool polymer beads from Artybecca. I know - three pairs!!! Yay me:)

Focus on Hearts

 

This week Focus on Life theme was hearts. Take the camera and snap em where ever I might find them. I found an awesome pine cone "butt" that was wonderful. We were at the park and I didn't have my camera because it can not under any circumstance be left in the wagon with you know who. I had my cell, but that proved to be horrid. So you will just have to take my word for it that it was a lovely little find. I did however paint another lady. And she is holding a heart. She looks kind of bitchy if you ask me. I think she had a bad Botox experience. Mr. Pearl and Pebble and I have been rearranging our working spaces. So when I was organizing, I came across some sheets of painted paper that I had cut down to use as backgrounds. I painted her on one of those. I don't know if I'll get this post "linked up" or not. My inlaws are arriving in a few hours and it's always iffy if I can make it to the computer. I am hoping that this post will show up as I have had problems with blogger and posting ahead. And speaking of problems, I don't know what has been going on with people commenting and then getting an error message. I am getting the comments-thank you so much-so please don't stop! Have a great weekend and be sure to stop over at The Studio Sublime and see what everyone else found on their heart hunt.

Focus on Creating

I think I'm calling her little blue princess. This weeks Focus on Life theme was to create something. Whoo Hoo!! I was soooo excited about this week let me tell you. I mentioned previously that I am taking an online workshop with Magaly from Itsy Bitsy Spill. I started my last assignment which was painting myself as a mermaid under the sea. Well let me tell ya, in spite of being a water sign, mermaids are something that I just can't seem to "get into". So I have been struggling with that one. I'll get there, I just need more time as I can't relax with it. So this afternoon I'm thinking well crap, now what should I do? I pulled out a little 5x7 canvas board and limited my pallet to blue, orange, black, white and gold and just started sketching with paint. And here she is. I rather like her too - even though princesses are slightly higher on the food chain than mermaids:) Visit The Studio Sublime to see what the other participants came up with for this weeks focus.

Found A New Shop

When Mr. Pearl and Pebble goes out of town I "act up". Last trip I OD'd on Vera Bradley purses from QVC. This trip, I Etsy'd after the boys went to bed (instead of doing something productive) and came accross this AWESOME shop. Scorched Earth. Have you heard of it? OMG I totally spent money. Here are just a few of Petra's wares. I didn't buy the nomad man pendant. I REALLY REALLY WANT him though!!!! I just love her earthy style.

Earrings

Oh Dear! I think I may have started this awesome earring challenge all wrong! I'll figure it out. I posted these within the last few weeks, but today was actually the Big Reveal! And I am sooo sorry for some reason these pictures are a bit blurry today! Check out what everybody participating has created. SOOOO very beautiful and inspiring. AND they feature really lovely hand made components and beads. From artists with shops. That you can buy from. It really just doesn't get too much better than that!

taking time to focus

It was beautiful today. Sunny and eighty degrees. This week’s theme for our Focus On Life challenge, hosted by the lovely Sally at The Studio Sublime, was to take time for ourselves. Well I did take it even though I spent it with the wee ones. They pretty much were doing their thing though. I took my camera out with me and snap snapped whatever moved me. These are a few things. Might seem so ordinary to most, but I was drawn to the colors and textures all around me like those faint clouds in that gorgeous sky. They looked like fish bones. I started a sketch with a fish skeleton in the sky. We’ll see where that goes. The warm tones on the picnic table umbrella pole next to the wood that is starting to split a bit. The boy’s fascination with a copper poppy. Some pre-formed beads I mushed around while sitting out there. So I wasn’t alone, but I still consider it me time for sure. Check out what the other participants had to say about those precious moments they took this week. Thanks for stopping!

simple

keepin things simple. earrings number two. my little organic green pea polymer beads tied on lovely bronze headpins made by LeeAnn from Summer's Studio.

First Pair

The first pair of earrings for the AJE Earring Challenge. The polymer beads are made by me:) They have been hanging around in a bead box. I have not quite reached the point where I can devote that kind of time to the bead making process. As it turns out, I am already letting the boys color on the walls just to find some time to do anything like go to the bathroom. Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser takes it off anyway.

CREATE

Focus on Life , week two, our focus assignment is to incorporate our word for the year. Create is mine. Have to do it. Have to, have to , have to...... Even if it means staying up past my bedtime so that I have a few uninterrupted hours to myself. I signed up for an online class the other day with Magaly Ohika from The Itsy Bitsy Spill. I don't even know how I got to her shop. But one of the classes she offers is for four sessions, each one focusing on a different painting. This was the first. A self portrait with myself as an animal. Owls are my favorite. So I am wearing an owl hat. I am holding my baby birds and we are standing in our balloon garden. My boys go NUTS over balloons. Particularly red ones. Beautiful sunshine beams on our world. There is peace. I can't even tell you how good this feels to have painted something again and love it and be on time too!! Check out what the other participants in this wonderful project have posted. Just click on the Focus on Life Button on my side bar. I think I will go to sleep now:)

First Bracelet of the New Year

Oh yaaaayyyy me! I actually finished an Art Bead Scene Challenge piece this month-and early too!!! I love love love love all the color in January's painting "Black Peacock With Japanese Persimmons." (Again, I would have posted the picture of here, but I can't figure out how to insert more than one photo. Why did blogger change?) Was anybody else drawn to the textured lush ivory/vanilla swirl background? I have a lovely round ceramic bead from NKP Beads  - who is having a fifty percent off sale so check it out, an earthy ivory and charcoal lampwork bead from Gardanne Beads, and a fabulous ceramic connector that I have been hording, and I think is a Lisa Peters, but I can't find the invoice and I just don't remember. Let me know if you recognize it and I am wrong, so I can give proper credit!
 

Focus On Life Self Portrait No. 1

I signed up for a really interesting project for the year. Sally at The Studio Sublime is hosting a challenge of sorts in which participants post self portraits 52 times-one each Saturday for the year. Sounds kinda cool huh!? Actually started yesterday, I am late (suprise) to join, but you can sign up at any time. It's late. I'm beat. Babies are in bed. So I embellished here. In Picassa I used the sketch application. Then heated up the edges. Had to do some sort of editing. Not just about the creative aspect. Trust me when I tell you the first word that came to mind when I looked at the untouched was WOOOSH  followed by a shudder and my lip did a funny curling thing.

Happy New Year

Wow here it is 2013 and here we are. Amazing. This is our little angel tree topper. It is absolutely atrocious! But we needed her and one evening I had it in my head the boys and I would make something for the tree top. They had no interest in coloring. I was frustrated because I couldn't make them want to do something creative nor could I remember how to make a cone out of a sheet of paper. No biggie now that I think about it because Mr. Pearl and Pebble, the engineer, couldn't remember either. All I had handy at the moment was the red "yarn". So she is taped and stapled and tied yet still rests graciously on the tree in our bedroom. The tree started out in the living room, but if you have read this blog at all you already know where this is going. Twice in the living room. Once up in the bedroom. Figured glass ornaments would be safe enough up there. So I loaded it up. Wanted things sparkly and all. So we have a bag full of broken ornaments now. Luckily no injuries occurred in any of the Paul Bunyan moments. We go to our first class tomorrow morning. Toddler playtime. How exciting! I am terrified we will be asked not to come back. Sharing is such a problem these days.   I do not know how to work this new Blogger yet and I find it frustrating. I wanted to share the boys Christmas card photo here but I can't access my pictures the way I used to. Aaannnnyyy how. Sorry for such a haphazard post. VERY short nap time today. I hope everyone had a spectacular holiday. I has been beautiful here. I am not one that needs my Christmas to be white. And I have some glorious hot pink roses bloomin. One of my goals this year is to be productive. I have to find a way to create because it's killing me not to. Or at least making me crazy!!!! I am soooo looking forward to the next Bead Soup Party and one of my very favorite parts about it is shopping for a nifty clasp and pendant to send out. Have a great day:)

Home Sweet Home?

Well we here. It's been a little over a month and we're still unpacking. Not too much more though. Now it is more about organizing I guess. Up until yesterday it has been so hot that it still felt like the middle of summer and consequently I had "season disorientation". I miss Michigan. I miss the fall in Michigan. The smells. The cool air and the warm sunshine-when it shines of course. Yesterday was sunny and cool here, but the trees are a little different and the air is different so the smells are different. I miss my house. So much. It was a little unpretentious house but it was so well built. Quality. This house is big. It is not cozy. It is not well built. It is not mine yet I guess. It does have a beautiful pool and at times it is filled with beautiful and fabulous loves of my life. So I guess as long as I am where they are all is well.

See Ya White Box

So the movers are scheduled for Saturday. Yaaayyyy. Wonder how that is going to work out with the babies. Um hmm. Can't "toss" em in the yard cause there is a pool that doesn't have a fence around it yet. Hubby's parents are coming in on Tues. for a week or so. Don't know when I'll be able to get back on the computer. This has been one little perk of being in a box on the 4th floor! Oh and I actually read my camera manual and did the self timer thing. (So very proud) Took a new profile picture. AND I joined Pinterest and started a few boards. Boiled up some frozen edamame. It's all good at the moment. (Pigeon bob going on right now-can you picture it?) Why yes it is nap time. How did you know?!?!