One Year Later....

I'm back!! It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since I last posted!! In that time I've taught some classes, and canceled many others. We closed the gallery (last Summer) and shortly after I developed this weird abdominal pain...of course, I'm normally the healthiest person I know..so that must have been why ALL of my tests came out "normal" (nothing shows) again and again ( I expected to waltz in..describe my pain and the doctor would wave his wand, proclaim me healed and I'd be running out the door back to normal!) What happened?

Finally..in Oct they determined I had a malfunctioning gallbladder..turns out it wasn't that seriously malfunctioning (but it was causing so much pain) so they removed it..I was ready to hit the ground running..but sigh..I continued to have more pain coupled with a constant flu like feeling. Tests, tests and more tests..all normal. Frustrating. In this case you don't want to be NORMAL because it doesn't solve the problem ..you want them to find it, fix it and kick your butt on it's merry way!

When you go in for a doctor visit..WHY do they always ask, "are you depressed"? because of course..the only answer when you're frustrated is, "Well I wasn't before but I am now!". Five months post surgery, it seems the meds they had been giving me (for pain) simply intensified the situation (which turned out to be a simple spasming bile duct by the way)..so in a sense I was making it worse all these months! Sheesh! So that's it...!

As of mid March I started feeling almost normal again (whatever that was!) I'm happy to say that I've finally crawled out from the quite uncomfortably heavy rock I was under, and I'm once again the healthiest person I know...but not yet back to being the most fit...though I did ride 15 miles on my bike last Thurs and took a hike this morning...so I'm on my way! Wheeeee!

Creatively, these past months have been "dry", for lack of a better word...Like trying to talk with a mouth full of saltine crackers..that kind of dry. I just felt ick and didn't feel like doing anything. Now that I feel GREAT my brain is in creative overload! I want to do everything NOW...because of course, I'm a "now child".

I'm trying to pace myself but am getting back on track with ideas for new workshops (jewelry, mixed media wall pieces embellished with beads, and other wild ideas)....also some upcoming magazine articles...and back to work on my book...THE book...the book that has been in stages of progress for two years now!

I've been helping Lesley, aka, The Fiber Chick in her shop of the same name, in Old Town Albuquerque. Over the last year we've become fast friends and she's such a sweetie. She's mid 70's and creative, inspiring, fun and exciting.

She's even taught me how to knit...and even though I shy away from following the rules and reading patterns (because in my workshops, we don't have a lot of rules) she cuts me slack when I don't want to follow a pattern but just want to play with all of the fun colorful textural fibers....Ooooooooo!! I love just having at it in a freeform way!

Speaking of yarn, the other day a couple came into the shop, and mentioned that their friend (a knitter) had taken bits of her yarn scraps, packed them into a suet cage..and presented it to them to hang on one of their trees... They told me it was like a beautiful work of art...and the birds would pick out their favs for nesting materials! What a brilliant idea!!

Birds are great at freeform, aren't they? Naturals. Their nests (even when just put together with bits of paper and string, vines and cat fur) are always so beautifully woven and embellished.

So...this morning I packed a suet cage with bits of yarn and hung it up in a tree. Check out the photo at the top of this post! Fun with fiber! (and not bran or Metimucil!) I want to make more!! Note...I'm having trouble getting the photo to show on the post...so if you can't see it..please click up at the top (in the big dark area that looks like a photo should be there...and it will appear. I will have to figure out why it's not showing.

You should try this if you get a chance...hang them in trees or on your balcony or porch...you can proudly boast that your birds have the most beautiful nests in the neighborhood!!

It's great to be back...and I hope to soon post more often (than once every year!) with fun freeform ideas (not all just beading) and creative wonderings..

Hugs!! Cindy



      It's Springtime!

Here are a couple of new necklaces I've recently created. It's been awhile! So much going on this Spring, aka, "life", has gotten in the way. That and my new found experimentation with freeform knitting. Oooooooooooo I've officially become a yarn junkie!  I've always loved fibers and textures combined with beadwork...and frequently collect lots of goodies to have in class for students to add textures to their pieces. However, I think I now have developed a serious addiction! Not that I'm complaining mind you....but ...

Since I met Leslie (My knitting mentor) the "chick" from Fiber Chicks in Old Town Albuquerque, I'm continually inspired by her cutting edge creations, and sometimes my brain literally goes into knitting overload when we're tossing ideas between us!

Watch for knitting and more fibers to be pulled into my freeform beadwork in the near future!

I'm back to working on some beaded pieces. These two necklaces will be going into our Spring Bling show at the Wooden Cow Gallery. It's nearly April and the Cow will hosting the New Mexico Bead Society and their beautiful creations!. The opening reception is Friday April 1st, 5-8pm, but their beautiful jewelry and art will be on display for public enjoyment and purchase, for the entire month. We cows are so thrilled to have their work in the gallery!  Moo!

The necklace below is entitled, "Iguana"....It's centerpiece is a turquoise donut, topped with a lampwork disk, and it's framed with turquoise, freshwater pearls, jade, tribal silver, and lots of other green stones. The findings are all sterling but have been oxidized to give them a patina to reflect that of the tribal silver.

This piece below is entitled "Silent Movie" as it features a vintage 1920's celluloid pinback button, with the photo of a silent film star. It's composed of a rusted metal lid, a watch face, vintage German porcelain doll arm, freshwater pearls, charms, vintage mother of pearl buttons, crystals and brass chain and findings. I just love creating jewelry with vintage treasures and found objects...I'm such a cheap date!

 

I hope your Spring is off to a creative start!! 

If you'd like to share what you've been creating lately, I'm always thrilled to see and would love to post them for all to see!!

Belle Armoire Jewelry!

I'm pleased to announce the release this week of the latest issue of

Belle Armoire Jewelry (Mar/Apr/May 2011)

 Included in this issue, my article on Body Armor , based on my workshop of the same name. These pieces are fun and easy to make, using simple techniques....and of course, the possibilities are limitless! I hope you'll check out this issue, as there are many wonderful and inspiring jewelry designs to further your creative experimentation!

You'll find an array of beautiful adornments, created by very talented artists, using a variety of mediums!

The Body Armor pieces I've created below, are embellished with some wonderful finds! 

 From fossils, to interesting bits of olde, to the most whimsical and fun components made by talented hands...sometimes the search for them is half the fun!!

 It's so simple and exciting to

create unique and impressive wearable art!

       Beautiful and One of a Kind Raku pieces
 from artist/seller 

    WondrousStrange 

  at www.Etsy.com

 

                                                               



Spirit Goddesses!

I'm creating a new class....I have it posted as an online class, but am teaching it in real time on Oct 9th at the Beaded Iris in Albuquerque. I think it will be a fun class! Lots of fibers and textures, beads and silk!  We love that!

Artists for Autism

Here's a new piece I finished this morning . As you can see..it's similar to the other piece I posted earlier. (I had a lot of the bead mix left from my contest piece so I put it to good use!)

This necklace has been donated to the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, "Artists for Autism" gala event, which will be held tomorrow night. Art pieces will be auctioned off, and the money will go to the Autism Foundation. What a great cause!

Autumn (why do they call it "Fall"?)

Here's the first of my new freeform pieces.... This was created for a contest at Mama's Minerals...

...our local rock, fossil and bead shop. They have wonderfully unusual finds.

They are hosting their contest under the theme, STRANDS... there are two categories... Single Strand (Fall colors) and a Multi Strand (also Fall colors)...15 entries in each category were juried in and will be voted on by the public from Sept 14-Oct 14. Winner of the multi strand (which I was juried into) wins a $200 gift certificate at their store..hmmm I could do a lot of damage with that! I was fortunate to win their first two contests two years ago. Since then I've not entered. Here is my entry...entitled "Katmandu Sunrise"...freeform beadwork, composed of Jasper,Coral, Agate,Pearls, Brass,Bronzite,Sea Glass, Jade and more..it was a fun piece to work on ...and I hope that many people go in and vote, no matter whom they vote for...okay yes..vote for ME vote for ME!! I'm sure there are many incredible entries...and I can't wait to see them all...I'm always inspired in the way others use particular beads.

Sooooooo..once again I ask....why do they call it "Fall" anyway?

INSPIRED!!!

I AM INSPIRED..HEAR ME WHOO HOO!

Thank You to Nicole Campanella (a very talented and very published bead artist) whom the other day was very complimentary about my blog. Oh yes...I remember now...the blog I started (and was going to post to EVERY day) with the intention of inspiring others.

Obviously my goal has not been fully realized...as I'm sure I've only inspired the masses to bouts of prolonged yawning...or the urge to sit down with an entire lemon meringue pie (I won't mention names...you know who you are). Cough cough...starts with V...ends in ic.

As far as what inspires me personally...I'm inspired by everything...often seemingly miniscule things...which may slip unknowingly into my mind..tuck themselves away within some rat's nest of collected information, and then days or months later...reappear out of nowhere while I'm working on some unrelated project...and suddenly they will cause me to think of something that sprouts into a brilliant idea. Voila.

So...perhaps it's not important that I put out some earth shattering mind bending new creative explosion of enlightenment on a daily basis...but rather I just throw ideas out and let them be carried by the wind , and perhaps you'll find something inspiring to take from them...perhaps not. Even if only here or there, you find yourself inspired...and then you go on to inspire others...that's pretty awesome, don't you think? It kind of sounds rather, "we are the world-ish"..doesn't it? By the way, where did I put those Birkenstocks? LOL

Back to Nicole!!!...I have had the great pleasure of corresponding with Nicole recently...She's so enthusiastic and so creatively driven!! I ordered her wonderful BeadBacking!! It's the most incredible bead foundation!! It's something she herself developed years ago (It's new to me!!...Of course, you realize I'm a late bloomer)...and it comes in a beauiful array of colors!!

You MUST check it out!! Her website is http://nicolecampanella.com/...you can also find her wonderful goodies at http://www.beadwright.etsy.com/ and http://www.beadwright.artfire.com/ and you can follow her blog at http://www.beadwright.blogspot.com/I hope that you'll check out her sites!! She's incredibly talented!!

Now...Go forth, please..step away from the lemon pie...and be inspired!!!