February ABS Challenge...yes, you read that right!

Better late than never!  Even though the Art Bead Scene is in the midst of the March challenge featuring a gorgeous, colorful Paul Gauguin painting, I have just now finished with the Feb challenge!

I had the idea, and got the focal created, but then along came this nasty bronchitis/flu/whatever that I had, as well as needing to finish my bead soup piece.  All of a sudden it was March, but I decided  to finish it anyway!

The February challenge featured a painting by John Singer Sargent, "Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose"
 

And here is my design...

 
I started with a brass rectangle and a couple of filigree pieces which I torch-fire enameled, riveted together and enameled again!  I hung it from some copper chain via a copper washer that I vined some wire around and dangled several sweet Czech glass flowers embellished with some of my enameled headpins, then fashioned a copper clasp with another flower wrapped on...simple but sweet, and although I am too late to be included in the actual challenge, I think I represented :)

Now, on to the March challenge!

Celebrate...

Thanks to those of you who sent me bolstering words after reading my post yesterday. I am trying to focus on all the good in my life today, and the days to come (and there is much!) rather than fretting about things I have no control over at this point.  I struggled with this post for some reason and in typical stubborn Melissa style, I procrastinated.  Eventually, it dawned on me that this post had to be some sort of a internal celebration of  my creative journey over the past year. 

Last November, I made a decision to move my blog from typepad and came back to blogspot...  Thanks for finding me here!  Early on, I worried about not having any followers, but you started to trickle in and as of today there are 74 of you!

In January, I participated in my 1st Bead Soup Party, hosted by Lori Anderson. This past May, I participated in my 2nd one - these swap opportunities really opened my mind to different designing possibilities

In March, I learned torch-fired enameling from Barbara Lewis...and met a few new friends...Christine, Lori, Cindy, Jeanette, Sue...and of course Barbara!  I believe if I had to choose one thing that I did this year that changed my art, this class would be it.

Then, in September, I went to ArtBliss where I had an opportunity to taked classes with Melissa Manley and Deryn Mentock (need to take pictures of my Musical Note earrings!)

and I met some more wonderful people...Shelby, Carol, Leslie, Laura to name a few, and learned some more things that would totally change my creative thought process...in a good way! 

I have had 2 pieces featured on ArtBeadScene's Monthly Challenge...

And just last month, won a contest over at Jelveh Designs for a piece I created with one of her beads...which has now winged it's way to a new home with a very special person :)

There are more things that I could mention if I were writing a book, but it's just a blogpost!  I trust that the coming year will bring with it more celebrations of new learning opportunities and creative possibilities...I would love to celebrate being published in some way, and would love to meet more of you. 

Thanks for coming along on my creative journey and  I hope you are celebrating something everyday!

I am committed...

1st and foremost...to my family.

To him...we just celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary on the 20th.

To him...he'll be 9 in August...

and to him...sadly, we are having to prepare ourselves for his passing in the very near future (more on that later)

This is my 1st Art Bead Scene Blog Carnival post. This month's theme? Commitment! A deep subject...if you ask someone what they are truly committed to, they may have a hard time putting it in words...I know I am :) 

Besides the usual family, friends, and financial commitments most people have, artists can often make commitments to themselves....learn a new technique, sell a specific number of pieces, get published, etc.  These are all commitments/pacts that I have made with myself this year as a jewelry artist.  The sales and publicity hasn't happened yet, but I am working on venues.  Learning a new technique, well, that is a whole other animal.  I am anxiously awaiting the ArtBliss classes I signed up for!  Other commitments I have made have been accepting custom work that maybe a bit daunting, and participating in the Bead Soup Party Swaps.  Another commitment I made this year was to blog more consistently...in looking for ways to motivate this, I committed myself to the ABS Blog Carnival. Blogging more consistently also means commenting on other blogs more consistently...who knows what great, cool things that can get you!  Just by commenting on other artist blogs lately I have been the lucky recipient of some very cool giveaways!

1st I won a bead from Jelveh Designs!  I used it in my May ABS Challenge piece. 

Next, I won some lovely lucite pieces from the sweet Andrew Thornton...be on the lookout for some cool stuff I am making with them.  Then, I won a cute bird house pendant from Jennifer Jangles...haven't decided what to do with that one yet. 

Most recently, I won a beautiful etched copper and beaded necklace from Sharon at Livewire Jewelry.  Check out the pretty card and wrapping it came in!

Where am I going with this?  I am getting ready to make more comittments!  Within the first few weeks of July, I will be hosting my own giveaway to pass on my tremendous good luck to my readers. Stay tuned! 

So, what is commitment to you?

Art Bead Scene - June Challenge - Toulouse-Lautrec

Art Bead Scene's June challenge is based on French artist, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's painting, Marcelle Lender Dancing the Bolero in "Chilpéric"

My focus was immediately drawn to the pink flower/hat on the dancer's head, then to the pink flounce of her skirt.  Since the challenge must incorporate an art bead of some sort, I had to think of what was in my stash.
I fell in love with and purchased a set of Sue Kennedy (SueBeads) Terrazzo beads some time back, but hadn't figured out what I wanted to do with them until this challenge. These beads were perfect for this challenge, as they have many of the various colors, but are so earthy in the process.

So, lush pink flowers were woven from czech glass leaves and copper wire, then embellished with tiny faceted black onyx. Dangling below are Sue's beads, capped and embellished with enameled copper and freshwater pearls.  Handwrought sterling earwires, along with more black onyx that has been wrapped on with copper wire, finish the pair.

 

Art Bead Scene - May Monthly Challenge

With only a few days left in May, I finally finished my 1st ever challenge piece for Art Bead Scene.  This month, the challenge was based on the fabulous painting, The Juggler, by Marc Chagall.   I have always loved this painting, and as soon as I saw the green and blue (one of my all time favorite color combinations), I knew I had to create something.

Months ago, I won a gorgeous bead from lampwork artist Jelveh of Jelveh Designs in one of her generous blog giveaways.  I had been saving it for something special, and I think it really fit the bill for this challenge.  I also wanted to showcase my torch-fired enamel work that I have been creating lately, so after getting the stash all together, I set to work.  The design I had in my mind's eye, kept changing as I worked, though. Here is the final result after a bit of evolution from bracelet,  to necklace, and back to bracelet again!

My inspiration from the painting came initially from the color palette, but something else kept pulling me in...an emotion was evoked that I can't verbally express, but I think I captured it!   I initially also included a tiny torch enameled bird charm to tie into the "bird-ness" of the painting, but in this last iteration, I decided it was not needed and took it off to be used in a future project.  I have named the bracelet "Keepin' the Balls in the Air" :)

Who am I?

No, I'm not having an identity crisis, nor am I suffering from amnesia after falling and hitting my head :) 

I remember listening to stories my Daddy would tell about his brothers..one was less than a year older than he was.  Another younger brother died at the age of 19.  My Mamma told stories as well...she and her twin sister had to work in the fields...wearing handmade sun-bonnets!

I remember some of these stories, but I want to know more!  Sadly, everyone I could ask is gone now.  Technology is wonderful, however, so I started a trial membership to Ancestry.com...now I am hooked!  I am having a blast following the hints and leads they give and adding folks to my family tree.  One of the coolest things is seeing other "trees" with the same folks in it, knowing you are distant relatives.  I have done pretty well on both my Grandpa's roots, unfortunately, am at a stand-still with my Grandmother's...I can't pin anything down on my paternal grandmother other than spouse/kids and where she lived.  I have my maternal grandmother's parent's names, but that is all.

Next, I guess I will try to tackle Jesse's roots...more difficult since both his parents are Filipino and were born and raised in the Philippines...we've been trying to get his Mother to write her memoirs about growing up there during the Japanese occupation.

On the jewelry front, I have been busy with a few custom orders, and playing with enamels!  I am working on a submittal for Art Bead Scene's May challenge that I hope to have finished soon!  Stay tuned!