Tawny Shapes

Well, I never did clean up that mess of tracing paper and felt last night....but, that's ok...

...because earlier, a few new shapes emerged.

Together, these shapes create the foundation for a future beaded Tawny Bear. She was the Airedale Terrier my family had when I was a kid:)

Tawny's foundation will be separate from Julie's...at least, for now. I have also added one more layer of felt to the love seat just beneath the top gray piece. The love seat is now 6 layers thick. These pieces aren't stitched together yet, however, a few of them are glued together. Gluing the felt pieces together is working well, however, I'm not sure if I'll like stitching through the glue.... We shall see about that...

And, I think I'll leave that mess on the kitchen table just one more day:)

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Artist at Work

This is what my kitchen table looked like this evening. There were no beads; just felt scraps, tracing paper cut-outs, scissors, and glue. All over the place. This is the stage of my work that reminds me of when I was a little kid. Kids don't care about the mess they're making when they're creating art, which is the way it should be. So, tonight, I tried to make the biggest mess I could:)

This mess was the result of my attempts to create a felt foundation for my new bead-embroidered piece. This part is tricky because I really have to imagine the subject as if it were sitting in front of me.

Here are the shapes I cut out so far:

I didn't feel much like stitching anything tonight, so instead, I used some Tacky glue to stick some of the felt pieces together. I'll stitch them down later. Also, if you're wondering why some of the layers are gray, it's because I was out of white at the moment. :0

The last photo shows all of my felt pieces stacked up. This is my antique love seat. It measures approximately 6" x 9" wide.

Now, I have to go clean up that mess...

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Lake Erie Treasures

While I was in Erie last week, my mother told me about a jewelry store that's right down the street from her house. It's called Relish. I had heard of it before, but never had the opportunity to stop in. So, last Wednesday, I took a walk over to see what it was all about.

Relish sells handcrafted beach glass jewelry. Their beach glass is found on the shores of Lake Erie. The store is beautiful, and their jewelry is naturally elegant. One thing that I found to be unique about Relish is that there is one large window inside the store where you can actually watch one of the artists drill the glass, as well as make the jewelry. I asked if all of the jewelry was actually made with genuine Lake Erie sea glass, and I was told that indeed it was, which is quite impressive. While I looked around, I picked up this information about extremely rare beach glass colors, and where they came from. (Click image to enlarge.)

Interesting... I thought that any sea glass was rare at this point, especially since they've been bottling everything in plastic for years now. I really didn't think there was that much beach glass to be found anymore... I continued to look around the store until I found a basket full of these sea glass beads. These beads were probably drilled to hang on sterling silver earring hoops, but I had something else in mind...

After I got home, I decided to take my mom's Yorkshire Terrier, Angel, for a walk on the beach. So, I put her in the car, and drove to Presque Isle State Park. It's a peninsula on Lake Erie, and it's only 10 minutes away. My sister and I spent a lot of time there when we were kids. We used to swim, bike, walk, and Rollerblade there all summer long. We also used to go boating there with family on occasion. And, I even remember being there in the winter watching the ice-fishermen on Presque Isle Bay. It is one of my favorite places in the entire country, and I miss being able to go there anytime...You can view some photos I took of Angel, as well as some other beach pics from my trip HERE.

One of the pictures in my photo album is entitled Lighthouse Beach. I don't know the actual name of this beach, but there is an old lighthouse there that dates back to 1872, and the light is still maintained today. This is where I found a whole bag full of seashells, and...my own genuine piece of Lake Erie sea glass... Who knew it would be so easy to find??

Here are a few of the treasures that I found in the sand that day:

When I got home, the first chance I got, I started putting my sea glass beads to good use. I created this Lake Erie Treasures free form peyote bracelet using a tube of mixed seed beads, as well as some silver beads. I mixed many different colors because it reminds me of all the tiny pebbles and stones that you find along the water's edge. Then, I attached a sterling silver 2-strand slide clasp.

Now, what to do with the seashells I found....

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Sunday Driver

Thank you for all of your kind comments on my last post. I hope everyone ate lots of turkey this weekend; I know I did:) And, I had a very nice time in Pennsylvania. It was quite a blessing to visit both my mother and my sister together. That very rarely happens, since I live so far away...

My drive was fun and relaxing, as well. Instead of driving my vintage Buick LeSabre, I rented a brand new Chevy Impala. It had only 333 miles on it when I picked it up, and I put almost 1300 miles on it this week. It is a very nice car, but I do wish that Chevy made a 2-door model.... :(

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year here in the United States, and 91% of those who go away for the holiday choose to drive. I left Erie, PA at 6:30 this morning, and decided not to take the New York State Thruway. I figured that it would be crowded, and littered with State Police. Also, the tolls on the Thruway are expensive, and overall, it's just a very boring ride... So, I took a more scenic route: Interstate 86, 88, and Route 23 all the way across New York State.

My drive started out looking like this:

However, when I got on the Mass Pike (9 hours later), all I saw was traffic...

... for miles... and miles... and miles.... My entire drive took 11 hours, and I'm quite thankful to be home.

You can view more photos of my Sunday drive HERE.

My favorite photos are those of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, which is built over the Hudson River. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the name, Rip Van Winkle is a short story that was written by Washington Irving and published in 1819. It is a story about a man from the Catskill Mountains who went to sleep for a very long time, and when he woke up, his whole world had changed around him. It is just one example of Classic American literature.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you more about my visit, as well as share more photos. But now, I must go to sleep for a very long time so that I have energy to do some beadwork when I wake up:)

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Giving Thanks

Recently, I was talking with a friend who lives in the United Kingdom. He asked me "What does Thanksgiving celebrate?" I responded by saying that in the 1st grade, I was told that it was the first meal that the Pilgrims shared with the Native Americans. Days later, I realized that I didn't answer his question completely. The First Thanksgiving, which took place in Plymouth, MA in 1621, was a meal that celebrated the autumn harvest. Today, it is the one of the few days of year that we pause our busy schedules to spend time with family and friends.
It is also a time to give thanks...

Thanksgiving Day is on Thursday, November 23. This year, I will be visiting my mother & sister in my hometown of Erie, PA... It's a 10-hour drive from Boston, so on my way there, I'll have plenty of time to contemplate all the things I have to be thankful for... I'm thankful for my health, because without that, I would have nothing. I'm thankful for my family & friends, because they're always there for me. I'm thankful for music because I know that I could not live without it. I'm thankful that I discovered an art that I'm passionate about, which is the reason I get out of bed every morning. I'm thankful that I have such a unique job; one that both pays well and allows me the freedom to make the time to pursue my creative goals. And, I'm thankful that so many of you are interested in my work; knowing that is what motivates me to continue creating beadwork each day:)

What are you most thankful for?

Even though I'll be away from my computer until Sunday, I won't be away from my beadwork. I've packed my pencil-box full of seed beads to keep me occupied while I'm gone. I'm not going to start working on my latest piece which features Julie & Tawny just yet. I'm going to bring a few other little projects instead. Here's a quick peek:

I'm not sure what I'm going to work on; I'll decide when the time comes. But, I know that when I return, I'll have something new to show you:)

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Sunday Afternoon Sketches

Yesterday, I finally had a day off, so I took a stroll over to the Thomas Crane Public Library. I needed a little inspiration, so I glanced through several books depicting furniture styles. I found a photo of the perfect Biedermeier- style love seat. In Central Europe, the term Biedermeier refers to design work in the period between the years 1815 and 1848. This style of furniture most likely originated in France, but similar styles also became popular in Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. Today, this style is simply referred to as Scandinavian.

Here's my drawing of the love seat,

Tawny Bear,

and Julie.

I do most of my sketch work on tracing paper. I like tracing paper because I can layer drawings upon drawings to get a visual idea of how my finished beadwork might turn out.

Here is my final drawing. I layered all of my sketches, and traced over the completed image. Somehow, my sister Julie turned out to be the main subject here. I hope she doesn't mind:) I've never beaded a human image before, so this should be quite an interesting challenge...

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Tawny the Bear

Sometime after my family had Moosie, we got an Airedale Terrier. We got her when she was a puppy from a breeder in Beaver Falls, PA. My mom named her Tawny the Bear. As soon as Tawny was old enough, my mom started taking her to obedience classes. She did very well, and won several trophies. However, I didn't like the fact that Tawny had to go to school. I always felt that dogs should just be able to be dogs. When my mom took her for walks, she was somewhat strict, making sure Tawny stayed by her side at all times. Tawny also had to sit down every time they stopped to cross the street. But, when I walked her, I allowed her to be herself. I let her stop and meet other dogs. And, I let her stop and smell the roses at her own leisure. I was very close to her when I was growing up, and she was always there for my sister and I through good times and bad....

Here are a few photos of Tawny Bear:

In the above photo, Tawny has one of her favorite toys. It's a tire from my dad's 1947 Stinson Voyager 4-seater airplane. Stinsons are taildraggers, and this tire was from the tailwheel of the aircraft. I used to roll the tire around and Tawny would chase it.

The next photo is one that my mom took. Even though Tawny had to stay in the kitchen most of the time, occasionally, Mom would let her run around the house. This was usually only after the dog was groomed. As you can see, Tawny definitely had her own style...

In the next picture, here I am with Tawny by the fireplace. This photo was taken almost 20 years ago, in December 1986.

This last photo was taken in January 1987. My little sister, Julie, was reading a bedtime story to Tawny Bear on the couch. Julie was in the first grade. This photo will be the inspiration for my next bead-embroidered piece.....

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Bead Dreams

Although I haven't completely decided on a name for my beaded pickup truck, I was thinking about my goals for this piece. I like it so much that I think I'll enter it into the 2007 Bead Dreams competition in the Non-wearables category. Here are this year's winners. Best in Show wins a $1000 gift certificate to Fire Mountain Gems. Imagine how many seed beads I could buy with that.....

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Moosie Loves Trucks

Well, it seems that the holiday season is upon us once again. This week, I'm setting up the Boston Ballet's Nutcracker at the Opera House. We're working long days for the rest of the week. It's very tiresome, but it pays the bills...Also, while I was taking the train home from work earlier, someone got on with a decorated Norfolk Island Pine tree. The man on the train said it was his 'Charlie Brown Christmas Tree'. Then, as he was getting off the train he wished everyone a Merry Christmas...I wish someone told him that Christmas is next month...

When I got home, I finished stitching the orange Ultrasuede backing onto my '78 Datsun pickup truck. Now, this piece is finally finished, and I really like how it turned out. Instead of hanging the beadwork on the wall, I chose to display it on a small easel. But, I did stitch a picture hanger onto the back, just in case. Here are some quick pics (click to enlarge):

I still haven't come up with a good name for this piece. I was hoping that my sister, Julie, could help me with that. Of course, I could name it Moosie Loves Trucks, or it could also become my first Untitled piece... I'll sleep on it...

And, I'll take some better photos & add it to my portfolio on a later date... I have a feeling that this won't be my last beaded dog riding in a truck.

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Back In Black

Yesterday, I had to work at Symphony Hall. I had to run a spotlight for a couple of hours while they filmed a television commercial onstage for WBOS radio. Keith Lockhart starred in the commercial. (Keith is the conductor of the Boston Pops.) He had to let people know that the radio station is moving. The odd thing was, they filmed the whole thing while the band Boston was set up onstage. Boston performed a benefit concert there last night. I used my mobile to take this photo from the spot booth so that you can see:) I was thinking of starting a photo blog just for pictures I take from my spot booth, but I haven't come up with a good title yet. Any ideas??



I kept quite busy last night after work. I finished my piece that I created for EBSQ Live, and I began working on organizing photos in my computer. Next, I need to write out my presentation... I also tuned in for this month's EBSQ Live so that I got a feel for the format. It was fun! I learned how to make a cigar box purse:)

Afterwards, I started working on the black portion of the backing for my beaded pickup truck. First, I stitched the canvas paper to the felt, and I glued a piece of cardboard to the back of that as a stiffener. Then, I cut out a piece of black Ultrasuede, and stitched it to the bottom of the piece. The black backing matches the tires and the undercarriage of the vehicle. I also glued the tire treads to the Ultrasuede. As I said before, I hate using glue, but I didn't want any stitches showing on the tires...I think it looks OK...Today, I'm going to head out to look for some orange Ultrasuede to match the body of the truck...Finishing this is a rather slow process, but I don't mind. It's giving me time to contemplate my next piece:)

Before I forget, I wanted to point out to you that my blog is listed on The Good Blogs in the Art Category. Check it out!

Also, here's the video that inspired the title of this post.
Back in Black by AC/DC. Enjoy:)

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Visions

Here are a few questions for you to think about:

Do you have goals for your art?

Do you envision new pieces in advance, or do they come to mind spontaneously?

Can you envision your work in a certain place, such as an art gallery, museum, or library?

And, is there a certain piece that you are working towards creating someday?


While I was working on my pickup truck, I asked myself these questions. I do envision my pieces in advance, although they don't always come out exactly how I imagined. However, I am getting better at that. But, I am spontaneous about how I approach each piece. Currently, I have at least 3 future pieces envisioned that I think about everyday. Each day, I know that I'm getting closer to planning the next one, which might be a series of beaded panels that depicts a story.

I can see my work in a contemporary art gallery someday, but I'm not in any rush. I'm perfectly content sharing my work with the world on the Internet. But, I would be thrilled if any of my pieces ever ended up in a museum:)

Also, someday, I hope to work with a children's book author/illustrator. I'd love to create bead-embroidered characters for a children's book. My beadwork could be photographed and used as the illustrations.
Maybe someday....

I think that envisioning your goals, whatever they may be, will help you achieve them:)

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Autumn Leaves

Even though I stayed up way too late last night, I still woke up at 9am. So, I put on The Beatles, and got out my paints again. Immediately after my last post, I looked at my '78 Datsun King Cab pickup truck, and felt that something wasn't quite right. I didn't like how the view through the windshield turned out. So, I painted more of a gray sky and added some autumn leaves. (Click photo to enlarge.) This color scheme is more appropriate for this time of year, and it goes with the color of the pickup truck better. This background also reminds me of playing with Moosie after school and jumping in the piles of leaves when I was a little girl:) I suppose it is true that an artist never really finishes her work....

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View Through The Windshield

When I first cut out all the felt shapes for my Datsun, I also cut out a piece of canvas paper the same shape of the truck. So, today, I reached for the acrylics...

For some reason, I have a tendency to pour out too much paint regardless of the size of my canvas. Probably because I love to mix the colors. It has some sort of calming effect on me...

Below are photos of Moosie sitting inside the 1978 Datsun King Cab pickup truck with the painted canvas paper behind it. Click to enlarge.

This piece measures approx. 6" tall x 7.5" wide.

My last step will be to stitch the canvas paper onto the felt foundation, as well as trim it to the proper size, and add a backing.
I'm certain that will not be easy...

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Clock. Work. Orange.

I just looked at the clock, and I can't believe I stayed up this late doing beadwork. Sometimes, I just get into this 'zone' where I don't care about the world around me while I work. I just methodically pick up beads with my needle, then stitch them onto my piece.

Over. And. Over. Again. Just. Like. A. Clock. Work. Orange.

Which reminds me - have you seen that movie?? I finally watched it last winter, and at first, I was shocked. (Just like the the first time I saw Pulp Fiction in the theatre: everyone else was laughing, and I just sat there. Stunned. But, then years later, I watched it again, and something made me view it in a different light. I was finally able to appreciate it for what it was meant to be - a work of art. Today, Pulp Fiction is one of my favorite movies....) Even though I was shocked in the beginning of A Clockwork Orange, by the time the movie ended, I found myself wanting to watch it again. And, I began to seriously re-think our government, and the frightening possibilities of mind control. If you haven't watched this movie yet, I highly recommend it...

Anyways, back to the subject of beading...I believe that I finally finished the beaded portion of my '78 Datsun. I finished beading the little section just beneath the bumper. I added a second layer of size 15 seed beads to the side markers & parking lights. (I don't know if you can see this, but it made a big difference to me.) And, I added a single row of a different orange color at the very end of the hood. It's a tiny detail, but I believe that it really helps the nose of the vehicle stand out. (Click the photo to enlarge.) I also re-stitched the top row of chrome beads on the bumper. The entire bumper was sagging low, and I didn't want there to be any spaces between the chrome and the orange beads.

And now, for a view through the windshield...

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Orange Crush

When I see the color orange, I think of:

Orange Crush
Sunkist
Florida license plates
pumpkins

Can you add to the list??

I tried to finish beading the little section just under the bumper of my 1978 Datsun King Cab pick-up truck tonight, but I ran out of thread. And, I really should go to bed soon because I need to get up at 5:30am to get ready for work... But, I wanted to post a few new photos so that you could see... This piece is really surprising me every step of the way...

Then, I flipped it over so that you can see the stitches. These are not even half of the stitches, as the layers have been pieced together over time.

And, here's the one you've been waiting for - the side shot. It measures approx. 30mm in depth, so far...

Also, thanks for voting for your Favorite Beaded Pooch.
Rachel is the winner!! I'll have to make her a beaded doggie bone:)

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Every Vote Counts

Today is Election Day in the state of Massachusetts. We will be electing a new governor, which could be either a good thing or a bad thing... We will also decide whether or not to allow the sale of wine at food stores, which could also be either a good thing or a bad thing...

It is not my goal to discuss politics on my weblog, and I most certainly am not endorsing any of the gubernatorial candidates. However, I will say that I was just doing a little research, and I happened to check Christy Mihos' site. He is our Independent candidate for Governor. If you take the time to view his site, you'll see this link: Reagan Mihos - Canine Coordinator. Reagan is Christy's dog - a cute little Yorkshire Terrier. According to Christy, Reagan is concerned about his doggie pals getting electrocuted by manhole covers on the streets of Boston. So, Reagan decided to get politically active, and many other dogs in the state have joined forces with him. If you have the time, take a look at some of the other dogs HERE. They are adorable:)

After seeing that, I thought it would be fun to hold an election right here on my blog.

Favorite Beaded Pooch of 2006

Here are the candidates:


Moosie
Golden Retriever

Rudy
Irish Jack Russell Terrier

Rachel
Old English Sheepdog

To cast your vote, please leave a comment.
Polls are open until midnight on Nov. 7, 2006:)

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Front Right Fender

My job is really hindering my creative process. I thought I would have all last night and today to do beadwork, but then I got 2 phone calls that completely changed my entire plan... So, I can only show you the half of my Datsun pick-up truck that I actually worked on - the front fender. (Yes, bead embroidery is a sloooow process...) I'm still working on the other fender, and after that I need to bead the section just below the bumper. One thing is for sure - I'm really liking this new orange... I happened to be web-surfing this morning, and I found photos of a cute little 1976 BMW 2002 that is the exact same color:)

And, even though I got called in to work late last night, I still managed to accomplish a lot of beadwork yesterday morning. I was busy working on my new piece for EBSQ LIVE. I'm excited about this new piece, but I will say that I don't really like to work on 2 pieces at the same time. I am much happier focusing on one piece until it is finished.

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Slideshow

I finally found a photo shop that still makes 35mm slides - Noble's Camera Shop in Hingham, MA. I think they might even be the only shop on the South Shore that still makes 2" slides. So, on Wednesday, I took a disc of images there, and had them make slides of The Divas and my Great Blue Heron. Noble's provides quick service, and yesterday, I was able to pick up my order:)

This week, I plan to mail my slides to the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. The 21st Annual International Juried Show will be presented there early next year. This show is open to artists with eligible work in all media from across the country and abroad, so I figured that I should give it a shot. No more than two pieces may be entered by each artist. I would have liked to enter my Datsun pick-up truck, but I don't think it will be finished in time. Since slides are due by December 2nd, I can only enter the two bead-embroidered paintings that I actually have in my possession...

At the very least, this will be an opportunity to get my name out into the art world...

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2-Tone Truck (Update)

I got up early this morning so I could do a little beadwork before work. So, here's a couple of new photos for you. Now, I think you can see the difference between the 2 oranges better. I also want to layer these size 15 Japanese seed beads on top of the hood (here and there). I think they'll blend well, and it will also add visual interest. But, first, I'll work on completing the body of my pick-up truck...

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2-Tone Truck

I can't believe I'm still awake... I worked yesterday morning at the Opera House. I had to set up a Death Cab for Cutie concert. I love their music, so I might have to go back to work early later on tonight to check out their 2nd show... Anyways, after that, I had to go to the union hall, and by the time I got home it was 8:30pm... Where does the time go???

When I got home from work, I wasn't really tired, so I stitched on a single row of size 15 opaque orange seed beads all the way around my Datsun's grill and windshield. (Can you believe that took me almost 2 hours??) It's hard to tell from the photo, but these beads are a different shade of orange. They are brighter and lighter. Can you see the difference?? (You can see the true color on the row of beads just below the bumper.) I like the 2 oranges together, so I think I'll continue with this color. I might also layer this new orange on top of the hood, as well...

Time to sleep, now.
Zzzz...

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Bright Orange Hood

Well, not a single monster knocked on my door last night. I guess kids in Quincy, MA aren't allowed to trick-or-treat at condo buildings.
Oh well. That means more candy for me:)

Since I had a peaceful evening last night, I was able to finish 'painting' the hood of my 1978 Datsun King Cab pick-up truck. This piece really IS starting to take shape. Now, it has a natural convex curve to it that really makes the grill stand out. My next question is: do I have enough of these size 11 orange beads to use for the rest of the body? Probably not... I might need to get creative and start mixing some oranges. I also think that I might add another layer of seed beads to the hood, but I'm not sure, yet. I'm going to sleep on it, and then see what happens.

In the meantime, I'm busy planning out a new (smaller) bead embroidery piece that I'll present on EBSQ Live! on December 11 at 9pm EST. I am very excited about this opportunity. I checked EBSQ's blog, and they've already mentioned me!! Anyways, I have a sketch; I picked out all my beads, and I took a couple of photos. I bet you can't guess what my subject will be this time...You'll just have to wait until then to find out...

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