Ceramic beads challenge

Back in July I came across a chance to win some beads and participate in a challenge to use the beads from Shawna Barnes of JSB Arts. When I got the beads a few weeks ago I knew this was going to be a real challenge for me. They were definitely different from the usual beads I incorporate into my work. But I was excited to see what I could do with them. And then life got busy and they got put to the side for a while. The thought of them tumbled around in my head for a while and then came the crunch. With just a few days left before it was to be done and posted I put them on my desk and tried adding different things to see what worked.  I would leave them and come back every once in a while to see how they looked and change it up, trying a different combination. I find this method works well for me. Don't rush it just see what happens in short spurts. Then when the time comes to sit down and really work on the piece it seems to come together without too much struggle.

When I was working on the pendant I thought I had a pretty good idea as to which side was the front. The idea was to have some wire wrapped around the small donut to add some dangles to, but when I was finishing and needed to do something with the wire on the back a swirl began to form so I decided to make swirls with all the wire ends. So now I'm not sure which side I like best. I guess it's a two sided pendant!

What do you think, which would you use for the front?

I'm afraid I forgot to take a picture of the beads before I started. I think you can figure out which are Shawna's. She makes really interesting ceramic beads and components. The ones she send me were very rustic natural looking beads. I added the copper components, seed beads, wiring and dangles.

I hope you like. Check out the other people doing the challenge at JSB Art.

Keep Creating!

Wendy

And the winners are...

Yesterday's Christmas Open House was a great success. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces. Thank you so much for stopping by. I'd also like to thank my creative friends who joined me for the day selling their lovely creation. They were all so nice to offer an item of theirs for the door prize and here are the winners of those prizes.

The print by Bruni was won by Diane Stump

Sandra Grew won the necklace by Dragonfly Dreamers.

Steve Meincke won the Sheila Cain-Sample print

The socks by Sharon are going to Gaitane Archibald.

Gabry Roads Stocking was won by Peggy Smyth

And this soap(not quite as seen) and a body scrub will by keeping Wendy Baldwin nice and clean for a while.

Well another year's Open House is over and my mind is already pondering the next. But for now on to the next show. I will be at the Goulbourn Museum's Old Fashion Christmas on December 1 from 10am to 4 pm. Hope to see you there.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Resin Jewelry students work

Creating jewelry with resin is so much fun and teaching it is equally fun. I get the best students! It's so great to see what designs they create on their own. Last week I had a great group of ladies to make resin jewelry with. I had a wonderful time teaching them and was inspired by their creations. Here they are for you to see for yourself.

Kim

Kim

Louise

Louise

Nicola

Nicolette

Nicolette

Nicolette

Olive

Peggy

What do you think. Weren't they a creative punch? Some did 2 necklaces instead of the usually necklace and earring set while Olive did here own thing with some components she had brought herself.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Show preparations.

Urban Craft

I'm so excited to be part of this great show on June 9th. I went to check it out and do some shopping at their last show in March and the variety and creativity of vendors was awesome. So come on out to see me. I'm busy getting ready for it.

I've been busy with my resin and even have a few new designs.

I finished up these new designs the other day. How do you like the asymmetrical look? I always get a little chuckle when people tell me they aren't comfortable with things that are a little off. I have to admit I do feel that it takes a little more effort to do something asymmetrically. Sometimes I layer things a leave them for a while before I decide if they're okay or not.

And here are some I hope to get finished today. The two on the top are going to be bracelets, I just haven't decided if they are going to turn into leather cuffs or chain and bead bracelets. The lower gear one is going to be a necklace. I will probably just add some dangles and hang it on a chain but I can never be sure until it happens.

So let me know what you think. Are you an asymmetrical or symmetrical person? Do you like cuff or bead and chain bracelets? I love getting your comments.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Wire wrapped chain necklace.

I finished this necklace today. I made the wire wrapped chain a while ago and couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it. So it sat on my desk where I could keep an eye on it or it could keep an eye on me, I'm not sure which. Lately I've had my mind on making multi strand bracelets. Now this chain was too long for that so I thought I'd try a multi-strand necklace without a pendant. Most of my necklaces are all about the pendant and then deciding what to put the pendant on. So this was a change of pace for me. After trying a number of different kinds of strands I didn't end up with as many as I thought I would, but these things happen. After wearing it all day I may just have to keep this for myself.

I noticed that I don't get blogging as much as I'd like to and if you'd like to see more of my day to day happenings and finished work you might want to head over and like my facebook page. I seem to keep up there a little better. Not that I'm going to forget my amazing blogging friends, just more options and I'm all about the options.

Happy Creating.

Wendy

And the winner is...

I seem to have lost a day. Sorry I was suppose to draw the winner for Monday's tag giveaway yesterday. OH well better late than never. 

So the winner of this weeks tag is NZescapes. Congratulations I'll send that out to you as soon as I get your mailing information.

Well another week has gone by.  It's getting that time of year again when Christmas shows are about to start, so a lot of my time is being spent preparing for them. I know I should work all year to have enough inventory for them but it doesn't seem to work that way. My head has been spinning with new designs and new techniques I want to try but that is not necessarily a good thing at this time. So I will try to give myself a little time for exploring but mostly stick to tried and true designs or variations of them from the past. Ya like I have control!!? Oh well I need to tell myself these thing anyway.

 These two necklaces are variations of past ones. I've been working a lot with horizontal rectangles either etched or textured. These are both etched and then elements are riveted on. I think it's the first time I've used a fairy on a necklace and these flowers are different variations of ones I've done in the past. I've also been playing around with different ways to hang the pendants instead of just a chain. The first one has a combination of Adventuring and seed beads, while the second has a combination of seed beads and a fine brass chain. I've used this chain and bead combination a few times. It's a great way to add some extra colour to a piece.

Well I better get back to creating jewelry.

Happy Creating!

Wendy

Glamour in the Glebe here I come.

I'm all packed and ready to go to Glamour in the Glebe.

 Bringing along a few dangles to entice.

 Some letters and numbers that are often present in my Altered Art have found their way into my jewelry!

I have many new earring designs for this show.

So if you're in the Ottawa area, come have a look at Glamour in the Glebe. It's the place to be this weekend, with an all jewelry venue, what's not to like. And Friday night there will be an awesome fashion show. I hope to see you there.

Wendy

Play and dream

I hope this long weekend you find a little time to...

And maybe a little time to...

Happy Creating

Wendy

New designs

Just a quick post to show you some new earrings I've finished.

 These are my first birdhouse earrings to go with my birdhouse necklaces.

 These earrings have a bit of a steampunk feel with a textured brass background and some funky odd beads dangling in front.

 This is one of my wire frame resin necklaces. It's got some shells, a dragonfly and some odd found objects imbedded in resin. It hangs on a recycled Sari silk ribbon and copper chain.

Here is another wire frame with shells in resin. This one hangs on a multi-colours seed bead and chain combination. I hope to get organized and do a workshop for this technique in my studio soon.

Well that's what I've been up to lately. So what about you? What's being created in your world?

Wendy

One last show for the year.

I'm getting ready for a show tomorrow which is appropriately names Last Chance Craft Show. Well maybe that's just what I need since I'm not done my Christmas shopping yet!

 As usual I get a burst of creative energy just before a show, so here are a few of the new items I'm made this week.

 This is one of three nest necklaces that will be their.

Pin It

 These have just a slight steampunk feel to them.

It took me a while to finish these ones. I did the patina months ago and couldn't decide if I liked them or not but once I found some beads to go with them I think they may have become one of my favs. So I may have to keep one of these for myself!

Along with these earrings I have about 8 more pairs all a little different from each other.

So come on out to the Richmond Arena for some last minute Christmas shopping. What you say you're done! Then come out and get yourself something special to celebrate, you deserve it!

Last Chance Craft Show

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 10am-4pm

Richmond Arena upstairs Hall

6095 Perth St. Richmond, ON.

See you there!

Wendy

Birds and birdhouses.

I had a very productive day today. Finished off a few of the necklaces that you saw on my desk yesterday. And even got a couple of them listed on Etsy.

 I tried some different chain, bead and ribbon combinations for a change. The embossed bird in the middle is a fine copper chain entwined through a purpley brown seed bead. I've done this combo a few times and really like the look.

Here I used a new kind of silk ribbon with some thin leather. I'm not sure yet if I like this ribbon. It's got raw edges and I'm not sure if it's going to keep fraying or not. I guess I'll have to wear it to see how it holds up.

So that was my day, how was yours?

The shows begin...

Yes it's show time again. This year I'm trying some new spring shows. Tomorrow is my first at the Glebe Community Center in Ottawa. It's called the Girls Want To Know Show. Here are a few new steampunk necklaces that I finished recently for the spring season.

Have a great weekend and don't forget to make room to create.

A little steampunk anyone...

It's been a while since I've played with some watch parts so I thought I should get a few made for my springs shows which are fast approaching(see schedule here). The bases of these are both the core part of a watch.

This one is wrapped in a filigree, with some swarovski crystals added.

With this one all the components are wired on. I've made little flowers from brass findings and beads. I call this Poison Ivy, you know like Batman! I don't usually name my pieces but that just came to me when it was all finished. I don't know if that will be a good selling name though!

Instead of putting them on chains I decided to try something new. The first one is on a bead chain combination. The second necklace has a bead, wire mesh ribbon combination.

Now it's time to get back at the copper.

Happy Creating!

Textures of spring

Yes we're all looking for Spring to arrive. I wish I could say that this will help but as I look out my window it's snowing again.
This is a variation of a design I did last year. I was able to get even more dimension for the flowers now that I have my disc cutter. Now I'm looking to purchase a good hole punch for those smaller discs I've made. There's always something you just need to have next isn't there!

Have a great day!

What do you think?

I've been trying out some new designs and would really like to know what you think. This is one of my new birdhouses. I saw out the shape from a sheet of copper and then use different shapes of hammers to get the texture. It then gets antiques, sanded and put in the tumbler to polish it. The rectangle charm dangling from it is done the same and then a heishi bead riveted to it.

So what do you think. Is the birdhouse too flat, should I rivet some flowers and vines on it or leave well enough alone?

Leave a comment to let me know or e-mail me.

New necklace for Open house

I'm still busy getting ready for this Sundays Open House. Here is another sneak peak at one of many new creations I've made in the last few weeks. You'll have to come to the open house to see more. I've been trying to take more pictures of them but the sun has not been cooperating with me this week. I guess I'll have to get a light box made one of these days.