Wishcasting Wednesday: What is your heart’s wish?

 Goodness, last week went fast!  It's Wishcast Wednesday again at Jamie Ridler Studios and today the lovely and talented Jamie is asking us "What is your heart's wish?"  

Just a simple little question but it's followed me around for hours... unanswered.  What IS my heart's wish?  Honestly, my true heart's wish is for my sister's son to be alive again.  Just 21, he passed 4 months ago in a car accident and we miss him terribly.  Since I am not able to perform Jesus' Lazarus miracle... I guess I have to rethink. 

After that, my Wiscast is what I've wanted for a long time: for Joe, me and babykitty to live in a wonderful big loft that also has a studio space where I can make my art and use my jewelry kiln and be a more successful selling artist.  Over a downtown storefront would be amazing, and in a city where I can sell my art.  Cincinnati, OH - to start - to be closer to our children and Charleston, SC, a city we love (they would visit).  Two diverse places, to be sure, but both where we all feel at home. 

Along with this home/career would be a granting of my children's Wishes so they can be happier.  They are happy now but if all parts of my wish came true, their true wishes would be fullfilled too.  Dream jobs, dream loves, dream homes/families. They are on their right paths now; I am just including their wishes into my Wednesday Wish to make dreams come true for my family.  As much as I can.  :)

Wishcast Wednesday: What do you wish for this summer?

Jamie at Jamie Ridler Studios asks an easy Wishcasting Wednesday question this week... What do I wish for this summer?

I am getting my wish... to move into a new art career full time.  Little by little, step by step... it's coming to be.  I have worked to change my outlook, rise above challenges, bloom where I was planted.  I've added meditation, vision boards and positive thinking to my daily routine... putting nothing out there that was negative.  It didn't take long before I could see changes. 

Sure there are people who think I'm a fruit loop; who think "nobody could be THAT happy".  But I am.  Content, driven, inspired, confident, brave, and, yes, THAT happy. 

So that is my wish this week... I wish to be a success at this new career path; it's rewarding and interesting and just plain fun!  It's do what you love and the rest will follow. 

Make your own wish and join me in the happy dance! 

BEAD SOUP TIME!

Hello Bead People!!

Please click here

for the full rules and description of the Bead Soup Blog Party.

Wishcasting Wednesday: What belongings do you wish for?

I do have a list... I ALWAYS have a list.  But I don't always think I'm worthy of asking for things on my list.

But I have learned lately that being able to receive allows you to graciously help others... Thinking you can, or have to, do it by yourself just cuts off your tether to God. 

So in the spirit in which it's intended, here are my wishes today:

1. a reliable, safe and energy efficient car and the means to afford to keep it on the road.

2. a studio where I can use my kilns and torches and wirework tools.

3. my lower teeth repaired... my plate broke in two a month or so ago but due to my car issue (see above), I've yet to have them fixed.

4. new mattresses for my beds.

5. a new sofa that is as comfortable as the current one has been.

6. a white beadboard Original Workbox - google it... it will house my jewelry making supplies.

7. an iPad

8.  every color and type of miyuki bead on the planet

9. a good pair of walking shoes

10.  a home on the beach at Charleston, SC.

Raising this and the wishes of my friends up to the heavens.  :)  And as always, thank you Jamie Ridler for another great Wishcasting Wednesday!

Cool Jewels on a Hot Summer Day!

So what do YOU do on a hot summer day?  Head to the pool, work in the garden, putter around your home?  Make new jewelry? Why not? 

With Lark Jewelry & Beading's recent release, Making Wire & Bead Jewelry,

all it takes is a short amount of time to get hooked on the totally COOL craft of wirework!   

Can it really be that simple to add those bright summery beads to lengths of wire to make amazing jewelry that compliments the tropical colors of that favorite sarong, rockin' summer outfit or, dare I say...bikini? Yes, it really is! 

The book features an amazing 500 how-to photos as well as informative sections on tools, wire and how to get the best results from each. Not just beautiful visually, this book is a reference book that you will return to again and again when you want to add something special to your original pieces. In addition to wire techniques, you're shown a multitude of ways to use special beads. My personal favorite is the Woven-Wire Bead Pod, a spectacular showcase for those tiny shells and bits of sea glass collected from memorable days at the beach. Get an urban feel with the same piece by building your pod around mixed-media bits found as you go about your busy day. 

Beach Pebble Bracelet, a project by Janice Berkebile in Making Wire & Bead Jewelry

As an added plus, Lark Crafts website invites you to return to an April visit with authors/jewelry designers Janice Berkebile and Tracy Stanley.  Brought to you by Ray Hemachandra, who leads the Lark Books Jewelry & Beading team, this interview with the two creative owners of Wired Arts gives you an insight into the process that you, too, can learn to make dazzling bead and wire wonderfuls that rival runway accessories. 

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to delight in?

This is a short and easy Wishcasting Wednesday for me.  I wish to delight in my artist book and its tutorial being published in the Interweave Press magazine 'PAGES 2012' and for continued success in my art work. 

Also I wish to delight in the continued discovery and implementation of the ideas that the Universe gives to me.  I'm working toward being skilled enough to interpret them all... well, at least a goodly amount.  :)

Thank you to Jamie Ridler at Jamie Ridler Studios. Wishcasting Wednesday is such an inspiration; I look forward to each week.

When You Give An Artist 30 Minutes...

...you get enough fantastic material for Martha Le Van's Lark Books series "30-Minute" Bracelets, Earrings, Necklaces and Rings!  Every book features a compilation of artists and the work is inspiring. The layout of these four books makes them very user friendly... the pictorial table of contents is brilliant... making for an easy return to your favorites.  With added lists for supply needs, the technique applied to each creation and exceptional pictures, each book makes you want to run to the work table to try your hand at making your own.


The cover of  '30-Minute Earrings' caught my eye immediately.  Featuring New Jersey-based artist, Liesl Carlson, the gentle bend of the silver petal encasing a plum pearl drop is elegance at its best.  Nancy Wickman's use of wire and simple copper washers is an excellent showcase of 'less is more' and how perfectly applied texture makes that simplicity a winner. The 'found art' of Bryan and Andrea Ring's clever license plate earrings and the mixed media of Heather Crossley's little boxes add a whimsical dimension.





'30-Minute Necklaces' varied use of materials makes for a joyful book.  In homage to my couture career, I would so wear Sarah Gazia's bobbin necklaces with bright rounds of polymer clay sitting in for thread and Sunyoung Cheong's imaginative incorporation of silver, pearls and tulle for a happy tutu necklace!  LOVE them.  Dilyana Evtimova uses square silver wire to take lowly illusion film to the ball (brilliant!), while John A. Sartin uses his metalwork talent to feature that perfect stone.





I fell in love with Rachel Sims' Copper and Silver Bar bracelet in '30-Minute Bracelets', really enjoying her use of a varied jump ring chain to set off her beautifully done metal bar.  Dangles of Brazilian natural 'beads from seeds' highlight a beautiful leather braid by Lia Paletta.  Carole Zakkour inspires you to take out your frustrations by hammering copper in her freeform wire bracelet.  And, Karen J. Lauseng, you made me laugh with your happy bracelet made from snaps - yes, sewing snaps - and silver jumprings.  What a great piece!





The last book in the series  - '30-Minute Rings' - is as stunning as the first.  What's not to like about happy little elastic bands?  Nicole Jacquard adds them to her hammered fine silver ring to bring spots of playful color.  Robert Dudenhoefer II finds his color in the art of enameling as he beautifully combines copper and silver with geometric enameled shapes.  Victoria Takahashi's ring evokes the riding stirrup in it's simplistic combination of copper rod and patinaed silver.  Lastly, who would ever dream that plumbing PVC pipe could EVER look like carved ivory?  Karen Rakoski does just that in her lovely leaf-design band.  Amazing, and oh so wearable!




There you have it... four fantastic books that compliment any artist's library.  Head to toe... well, fingers... but I bet many of those rings would look awesome on a sandaled foot!  Enjoy!!