Guest spot.

Another post as one of the July guest editors for Art Bead Scene was posted today!

A little post about getting your flexing your creative muscle! Click here to read more!

Yesterday I had Joelle and the the wee ones (gosh they are all getting so big!) over for so coffee, mac and cheese and beading. Here is Joelle with her new tools and the Jewelry/Exchange project.

She's so purty!



Joelle had her ideas all worked out, and really I think she just needed a little hand holding. I will let Joelle tell us more about her experience on her blog as I don't want to leave her with nothin' to write about! I showed her a little bit about what I know, which was a bit of a task for her to follow as I tend not to sit still and had mac and cheese on the burner and we had 4 kids in the house (Don't try this at home kids!) She followed along superbly in spite of my "wandering learning" technique! She took the project home to work on. I can't wait!



Good start!

P.S. Happy Birthday Calder! XO

Overcast.

I think the weather is conspiring with my house today. The weather must know it wants and needs cleaning. It has been forecast that today, in fact this whole week, is supposed to be in the 100's. It. Is. Not. No, it is cloudy and over cast and cool. I am thankful. But at the same time it give's me no reason to procrastinate any further on my house cleaning. I will welcome Joelle and the kids into a clean house today for some beading fun. Thanks weather!

Giveaway Tuesday?

Why not!

We are only a few weeks into our summer break and have been enjoying some summer reading. I have a few books that I've read again and again ("Jitterbug Perfume", by Tom Robbins! LOVE IT!) and I just finished "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert (a birthday gift from Joelle, Thanks again!) and loved it! I had started to read, for the 4th time (it's always a charm, no?) "The Mermaid Chair". I don't know why I keep getting distracted away from this book but it seems to happen. We have been wanting to read all the Harry Potter books and have started reading the first with Calder. So... here is the question.... What summer reading has you sunny side up? Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Let us know and a ceramic goody maybe in your future! Winner posted Friday!

School project.

This past June, a friend of mine asked if I could help with a school project. Since the surprise has already happened I thought It would be ok to talk about it. My friend Mellanie's daughter is in 5th grade at the same grade school I went to over 30 years ago. It is a beautiful school that was built in the 1870's. She asked if I could do a bead project with the kids. How could I refuse? The idea was to have the 5th grade class kids each create 3 beads. One bead from each student would be used to create a necklace to raise money for at their annual art auction, one bead from each student to make into a necklace as a year end gift for their teacher and one for them to keep. The first day we made the beads. Some kids were a bit more into it than others. But they all did a great job.



The next visit I had them glaze their beads. After they were fired I took their beauties back to the studio and made 2 necklaces. Here is what the art auction necklace looks like.



I took the photo in sections because it was so long and this way every bead could be seen.






A photo of my friend Deina, wearing the necklace!

The necklace was a hit and helped raise almost $300 for their school! Great job guys!

Opps!

In the hubbub of the 4th holiday, I forgot to pick a winner for Monday Giveaway! Congrats to Carlene! Please send me your address at gaea(at)ojai(dot)net! I will send you a ceramic goody!

It was a run around sunday with a trip to not one but two Targets! When our fancy but under stocked 2 story Target didn't have the specific Indiana Jones Lego our birthday boy wanted, we headed off to Target number two, down the street. We couldn't possibly get enough of Target. Then a jaunt to Trader Joe's for all of our staples and if Aunt Cookie is reading... they have fabu vanilla marshmallows right now (she will have to come up for a mallow and ceramic pick up in a week or two!)



I made the above bracelet and am really pleased with the look of the brass and the "pearl" beads. I want to wear about 10 of them at once in every color of the rainbow! Have a beauty of a Sunday!

Eat

We've been on a retro kick lately, at least with music. For over a decade we've been loving the band "Eat" and their first album "Sell Me A God". I guess it never occoured to me to see what else they have been up to since 1991. So, for 1 penny, plus shipping (isn't shipping always the rub!) We are now the owners of "Eat: Epicure" released in 1993. I have to say It was money well spent and it is always a good feeling to find a long hidden musical treasure. So if you have the good fortune to come across this disk....



GET IT!

Here is one of my favs!

Happy 4th!

As we are off to visit with friends today I am reminded of the wonderful freedoms we have as a country and the wonderful freedoms I have as a working artist. I was honored to be asked by Heather of Art Bead Scene to be one of the guest editors for the month of July. There will be 4 posts and the first one is today! Enjoy! Gaea

Wire wrap demo...

I had a request for a demo...
This is a basic wire wrap technique using a pendant, copper wire and a bead.

You can lead a babe to the potty...

You know the old saying. We, or should I say "I" have been gently persuading our little one that using the potty would be such a fun and useful thing. For a few months now I've been trying, ever so mindful that little ones only want what is their idea, to learn the useful art of the potty. Trying things like putting her new and oh so magical "singing" potty in the living room where it would be readily available if the mood should strike. Letting her run about neked as a jay bird so she would notice what was going on. Always being patient and attentive when accidents and not so accidents (on mom and dad's bed!) happened. After all, she can go a whole night with a dry diaper. Week after week of gentle persuasion have finally paid off! She will proudly announce with great volume, "IT'S POTTY TIME!" with a giant smile to boot! And off we jam to the potty! It has been two whole days of mostly potty use (knock wood!) and I know we are not out of the diaper woods yet. But it is such a good feeling to know that we have moved (pun intended) into a potty direction! Yay us!



On a completely different note... We have chain! I've begun to add chain and cord to the web site! It is a modest selection but I hope to grow it over time!


Ok. Fun jewelry time!

When It Rains It Pours...

The ebb and flow of life seem to be quite erratic at the moment. It has been quite quiet the last few weeks and now, a flutter of activity. We've been trying to plan some sort of birthday celebration for our son who is turning 7 in a little over a week. We've decided it is too much to have a big party at our tiny house and were considering a trip to San Diego for the zoo and wild animal park. It is too hot and too costly for that kind of travel so we may just have a small party with the grand parents and a few friends! After all they have a pool!

There is a mid July firing to consider as well as various little projects. Life fills up fast! Lorelei had a beautiful bracelet on her blog not too long ago, featuring a simple Vintage brass band. She asked what I would do with it....

This is my jewelry reply....

Super exciting!

Just look at what Lorelei did with the jewelry exchange! So exciting! Check out the "Jewelry/Art Exchange" post to see what's goin' on! Rover! Red rover, send Mary Harding on over! After Joelle does her thing, If Mary could send me her information I can pass it on to Joelle so she can send the project to you next!

It was almost like a real vacation!

We had quite the Weekend! Two! Count' em TWO birthday parties! Loads of fun treats (corn dogs, homemade marshmallows, and the CUTEST shark and Orca cupcakes ever! Maybe Joelle will post a pic on her blog?) and bouncy houses and great friends! Then in the evening we had a swim and Grandma Sandra's house and dinner. I was nice to splash and play. On Friday we saw the matinee showing of WALL•E. Very excellent! Those Pixar folks are magic!

Today is hot and we could use another dip! Test shots of my new project were the plan for today and I sent them off to be evaluated. I hope they pass muster.

We are thinking of taking a family vacation this year. Something we have never done with the kids. Usually our getaways B.C. (before children) consisted of camping trips or visits to San Francisco. We were thinking about San Diego and the zoo. I love the idea of travel but it is often overwhelming for me and doing it with the kids seems scary. We may just do a day trip to Universal Studios instead of renting a car and hotel for over night. We are not made of money and theme park tickets are pricey enough. Does anyone have any special travel tricks? How do you keep it in your budget? I have a special pendant with your name on it if we pick your name! Happy Monday all!

You don't have to tell me twice!

This from my home page on Yahoo!

Capricorn (12/22-1/19)
Try not to edit your behavior today -- so what if you raise a few eyebrows or get people gossiping? Embrace your inner eccentric and remind yourself that what other people think of you doesn't really matter. Trying to fit in all the time is not only exhausting, it limits your creativity and forces you to hide the most special parts of who you are. So let your freak flag fly -- wear your favorite holey socks or sing that song out loud. Ignore propriety -- and free yourself.

I think we all should!

Fly em' proud people! Happy Saturday!

..

Fantastic Friday!

Thanks for the good advice about keeping a full house under control! All my good "mommy tricks" seem to be MIA. Calder pulled Lorelei's name from the hat (I love giving them turn with this!) too bad I didn't think to do a drawing before I mailed a package out! So, congrats, Lorelei! You'll be getting another package soon!

On other news, I have been hemming and hawing for just about forever about submitting jewelry designs to magazines. I finally got my act together and did it this morning! And as luck would have it I had a project accepted by Step By Step Wire Jewelry! Now if I only knew what I would be getting myself into! It is quite a challenge! I need to take test photos and then photograph every step to be shown and write up instructions! Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in.... I am extremely excited though! So if any sage soul out there has any advice....

Aunt Kookie Cookie came out for a visit and glaze fest and had no idea how it really is with tantrum throwing 6 year olds. She got to see our big boy in action. On his behalf I have to say that It is job number one for them to get our parental attention. And they will fight tooth and nail to get it. I was being a bit selfish in my wanting "jewelry mommy time" and not jumping in the middle of the fray. With that being said, I did get the chance between battles to play with copper wire and heat. Look at how cool this copper is! RED! Bright red! It was purple when it camp out of the over!



Look at how cute Aunt Cookie is with her beautiful hydrangea's (special just for us!)

"Just keep swimming. Swimming. Swimming..."

"I WANT TO SWIM!"

I think Dory has it right. We have to keep swimming. So, on to the next thing. Greek gods and goddesses. I've been rolling this idea around for ages. Here are a few sketches. Let me know...