Morning Business, or spinning 4 plates on a stick...

When I was working this morning, I looked around and noticed I was doing 4 things at once..how scattered is THAT? But that's how I like to do it..it's more of a challenge that way, and NOT boring! Above I had some boxes to paint, since many Lampwork Beads are selling like hotcakes on facebook,  here . This is the only painting I allow myself lately, but don't wanna' lose my first love. I have some opaque commercial art watercolors from an artist that worked last century at our local newspaper, Lake Charles American Press, via Estate Sale. I love continuing his legacy, finishing his paint pans.

On the kitchen counter I had a couple Bluebirds and a Nest to clean...(above) as a former Etsy buyer requested them...I'm plumb Bird Crazy lately anyway, so she struck while the iron was hot. Here's my Etsy Shop.

And, planning supper of Zucchini Meatloaf. My goal in making supper is to get as many veggies in my guys without their complaining, so I chase the 5 star recipes, or type BEST in front of recipe searches. Didn't have the breadcrumbs, but I crushed some croutons working well, and we ate Meatloaf Sandwiches. They loved it, but the Younger did notice how large the onions were.;) I injured my hand going obsessive/compulsive on my new headpins love, so they WERE chunky.

What's this? Well, it was noon so time to eat Lunch, of course. I cut some berries into a Peach Greek Yogurt, gobbled it down while printing a label for an Etsy order trying to beat the Mailman...phew..I did!  Off to my torch to finish a clasp for my wonderful artist 8th Bead Soup Partner. Here's her blog, so you can see her beautiful paintings. She mailed her Bead Soup to me today, but the clasp I had planned was a hammered one, out of the question with this crippled thumb, but I can still melt glass, Baby, and, Lord willing, I'll come up with something that fits well tonight.

Here's the tiniest Squirrel I listed on facebook today up for 24 hour adoption, or what they call auction. ;) 

Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections: Blog hop Participant List--Ready to paste in your blogs!

Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections: Blog hop Participant List--Ready to paste in your blogs!



I am part of this Blog Hop inspiring each other to the good work of cleaning up our jewelry and/or bead making spots. What fun, but since mine was done early, it may need another go at it. ;)

Lampwork Flower Headpin Zentangle Brooch Tutorial

Yesterday I spied some early Blooms in my yard, so swooped them into my studio to immortalize them in glass...Headpins, to be exact, on annealed steel, just because I love the dark patina. Don't they remind you of antiques from France? Did my traveling Aunt Gretchen show me some like these half a century ago to make me want to make them?

I'll show you how I made a couple Brooches with them today.

First I twisted some forms of maybe 16 g round copper wire and hammered them for strength. (I'll show you both since I made them like so, as "sisters".)

Next step was to wire the Headpins onto their appointed Forms, adding a few crystal beads, with finer copper wire...this is the fun part.

Here's a back view showing how the pin back was wired onto each brooch, adding the front crystals into spaces needing them.

Next I added patina front and back, Novacan Black, painting it on with a cotton swab. Sorry, I forgot to pix this step, but it's easy. Then I polished off some with fine steel wool, and washed with dish soap and dried each, polishing just with paper towels.

I added a little Goldfinch to the Violets as shown, just because it's fun using color compliments to sparkle work. He was my first upside down Bird on a wire to make, not the last, God willing..

Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial, and if I can keep my hands from bending the wires on my Headpins into jewelry, I hope to offer some for sale again soon. ;)

Studio After Pix

It took 2 days, but finally here's my clean studio. That's 2 days of NOT making beads, NOT waking up in the night to see my annealed work, and NO beads in the morning to process...the price I had to pay to accept Sharyl's challenge...and I'm so glad I did.

Here's my window.

Here's my studio table. Spiffy, eh? I threw lots away, but see that pile of stringers on the rod rest on the right? They were totally free and unique hand mixed colors from scraps I usually throw away.  Having such a pleasant place to recycle my shorts inspired them..now tomorrow I can finally USE them, Lord willing!

Here's my free recycled Stringers...look like flowers to me, Sha!

And finally, the largest Strawberry I ever ate with spinach for lunch. I need to make some glass ones with Flowers and Bees. I did see some Foliage of wild ones in my yard yesterday wth the first Clover Blossom this year. I must make them, too, and the cute Bunny who eats them. He's so darling, and comes up offering his head to be petted. I'll photograph him who we call Harvey, precious blessing that just showed up in our yard. God is good!

 

New Day, Monday, Happy Day.

I cleaned up my Beading Area and it's a Happy Place to dress my own Lampwork sold on Etsy http://helensharvest.etsy.com because I can't stand to send my Newborns out into the cold, cruel world naked. They aren't really finished jewelry, but ready to wear while the new Moms think about designs for them. Most don't, but at least they aren't banished to a Bead Box...they like to GO places, to garner praise..good for their young self esteem, you know. We Cajuns say, "Aw, Sha Bebe..."

Here are my newly sorted (somewhat, mostly) and labeled Beads and Findings.

Also banished many UFO's to clean my antique table, but leaving enough to think about, and add to boxes for favors while packing. I like to spoil my Bead Mommas, my Darling Enablers, my Well Appreciated Collectors for whom I pray blessings daily. If our Roses were blooming I would have had room for a huge Bouquet..just imagine it for now, and I'll cut some for your delight soon.

Thanks again to Sharyl for this challenge. You have made our Beads better and many of us will thank you...and our Bead Buyers.

Now comes the scary part, tackling my Glass Studio. Pray for me?

Studio Clean Up Challenge

I am Helen Simon on facebook if you want to follow me there. https://www.facebook.com/helen.simon.9 

I saw an interesting challenge http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com/ and took some before messy slob pictures. Ashamed and humbled, now it's time to spruce up my work areas!

Claiming creative clutter helps my work isn't true..it's denial. Making Beads is what I love to do, so cleaning will make it easier, and that's what will happen in my home studio. You won't recognize the afters, Bead Friends! And Neat Freak Husband will be so happy, too!

8th Bead Soup Blog Party!!!!

www.BeadSoupBlogParty.com

I am SO excited to participate in my first Bead Soup Blog Party. I had heard of this from my lampworking friend from Houston, Janet McDonald. I don't quite understand it all, but the excitement is contagious, so I'm jumping in head first...can't wait to design some special Beads for my Partner. YAY!