I'm Joining "Kater's Acres" in her Challenge to Make Something each week!

Although, Polymer Clay is not the only medium in which I work, right now, it is the main medium.  Sadly, I haven't fired up my torch for months. 

So, anticipating another hiatus from my torch in 2015, I am joining Kater's Acres Polymer Clay Challenge.  That challenge is to produce on finished project a week.  I will post a blog about each project.   

So, if you're interested in joining this project, too, click

HERE.

Commit.
Grab a button.
Get to work! 

Let's see what you make.

Listing Saturday:: I Challenge YOU Today:: How many Blessings Have You Been Given Already?

A friend of mine (Deb Batten) once said to me::

"Not every day is a good day, but everyday has good in it."

The GOOD in each day are blessings you can see in the moment.   We'll talk about the other "blessings" another time--the not so good things that happen to us.  Believe me, they can be blessings in disguise.

So, here's my challenge to you.

Take 10 minutes and write down all of the obvious blessings you have been given before you read this post.

If you like, share your list in the comments section.

Here's mine::

1) My basil is still growing strong!  I'll have frozen basil to use this winter when I cook.
2) The day is almost over.
3) I had a delicious supper tonight.
4) I was able to get in and out of Target without overspending.
5) I have some wonderful friends.
6) The provolone cheese is delicious!
7) The dishes are being washed in the dishwasher.
8) I have two wonderful children.
9) I found some jeans that fit.
10) I was able to make some clay beads today.
11) I was able to arrange it so that I can participate in the Beads of Courage Event tomorrow.
12) I will be able to meet an "online" friend who has just moved to Minnesota at the event! 
13) She's a lovely lady.
14) It might rain tonight.
15) I bought some M & M's!  Shhhhhhh! Don't tell.
16) It will cool down tomorrow.
17) I can wear my new shoes.
18) I can make beads.
19) I'm downloading the new IOS8
20) Pixie might not sleep with me tonight.  She's comfortable on the couch.
21) I enjoy writing this blog.
22) Autumn is starting to look beautiful!
23) I ate some M & M's!  (Don't tell.)
24) I'm ready for bed as soon as the Ipad is finished.
25) I'm just plain happy tonight!

What are your blessings so far today?  Inquiring minds want to know!

A Crush on Copper - Love me Knot

Skype has been busy lately because Deb Batten, Firebird Flamework on Etsy and Sew Much to Do and Meltin' Glass Too, and I have been busy chatting and talking about artistic growth. Out of these conversations has come a series of challenges that we plan to explore to help each of us develop creatively and nurture the artistic nature of our souls.

We will, probably, post these challenges about once a month on our blogs. We expect that, on occasion, life will most likely interfere, but we are going to give this opportunity for growth a real try.

There are several things we plan to do, but one of the most important ones is to work outside of the medium with which we are most comfortable--glass. We will bring glass in at some point, but for the most part, we want to challenge ourselves to develop our skills and creative ideas in other areas. We also hope to do more than make jewelry as we express our creative ideas .

This month, November, we will be working with copper since we both have "A Crush on Copper." We decided that our task will be to make something with copper wire and copper shapes. The main component with our copper wire will be the "Love Knot." We will also include with our non jewelry creation copper shapes. This should be fun! Look for the reveal on November 24th in our blogs! My brain is straining right now, so I'm off to think. See you later.
Oh, be sure to check out Deb's blog for her side of the story. Remember, this is not a competition (;-). It's a reason for artistic growth.

Pixie's Activia Challenge

It might be hard to believe, but Pixie has a problem with gas. In terms of bad, she could be a a weapon of mass destruction. Enter the commercial for Activia. I started Pixie on the Activia challenge! Guess what! It works. Whereas Pixie used to have silent but deadly gas, she now has loud but non deadly gas. I am pleased. Pixie could be a commercial for Activia!

FaceBook Challenge

The other night on Facebook, I posted a question that said, "Please Challenge Me." I was so pleased to see what other people had in mind. My son, Nick, even joined in the challenge me. I had so much fun today working with these challenges! Here are the pictures of what I made.











Nick said, "Can you make a dolphin?" I didn't know. I found a tutorial on Etsy for making a dolphin and ordered. Here are the results. I had so much fun with that tutorial, I made 3 different dolphins. (Only 2 out of the 3 looked like dolphins)





















I don't know what kind of fish this looks like, but it is supposed to be a dolphin.





















This dolphin was supposed to be orange. I grabbed the wrong color rod. Tomorrow, I'm going to make an orange dolphin.





















The next challenge suggested was to make Xmas balls for ornaments. I was very pleased with these. I made hollow beads and decorated them. Now, all I have to add is the wire work.





















The next suggestion was peppermints. All right, so this wasn't the greatest. I couldn't remember how to make them. This is an alien piece of peppermint candy.





















How about hearts? Sueze said. Here's a heart Sueze!





















Vicki said, "How about lots and lots of colorful fish?" I had honestly forgotten how to make small fish. I used to make very good fish.
I said that this would be the good, the bad, and the ugly. ooooops!





















More practice need with fish.





















The last challenge still has me thinking! Shoestrings! This was the best I could come up with at the time--dread coil! Any suggestions? I love a good challenge!

The Challenge Results

Last week, I posted a blog that asked my readers to challenge me in my bead making tasks. The answers boiled down to two--a hollow with a tree and roses for decoration and a tree with roses on a regular bead. Here are the results of that challenge!
And thank you to those who posted!












I felt I needed to practice my hollow bead making skills, and here is the result. There are no trees, but I just wanted to brush up on my skills. These hollows were fun to make, and they are in my bead box now waiting to be made into a necklace. That will have to wait a bit.






















In truth, I lacked confidence in myself. I felt that I didn't have the skills to add a tree to this bead, so I just made some roses from cane. After the bead was cleaned, I realized that if I could add so many swirling roses to this bead, I could have added the cane to make a tree to this bead without the bead collapsing.
Lesson learned! Try it anyway!























This is the first "tree" I made. I do like it.






















Next came "The Rose Tree." This worked out nicely. I was going to add the suggested white enamel to give the bead the look of snow, but I found out that I didn't have any white enamel. I have other colors of enamels, but I don't have any white. I still like the bead, and I plan to order some white soon.





















Last tree: No roses, no enamel, but it is a Christmas tree! Ho! Ho! Ho!

Now, I can hardly wait for the new challenge. Get your thinking caps on. I really need to improve my skills and tempt my muse to inspire me again! This was a great challenge! Thank you!

I Accept the Challenge!

I hope, in a week, to show some photos of what I made, and I am being challenged! Thank you all who left comments!

The winners seem to be tree beads, roses, hollow beads, and white enamel! (There was also an invitation to visit Germany for inspiration, but I am thinking I might become a permanent guest in that studio because I would want to fondle all the beads! They are amazing!)

My goal will now be to produce tree beads with roses, enamels, and, a hollow with a tree bead on it! Yikes! That might be a tough one, but it's a wonderful challenge! I hope to post these beads in a week, October 20th. I hope I can.

You will see my efforts whether they are good, bad or ugly. This is really going to help me grow! Thank you!

Challenge Me, Please!

After seeing the trees made by Pam Brisse of the Blue Between on Etsy,
I decided to challenge myself to make a few trees, and I did. This first tree I made using Gaffer glass. The background is Denim Blue and the tree is Chalcedony. I couldn't coax all the colors out of the tree that I was hoping to coax out, but I do like the streaks of chalcedony in it's infant color form.










I made this tree with a blue moon in the background. Want to guess what the name of the bead is? You got it: Once in a blue moon!





















This last one, I do have listed in my Etsy store.
Can you guess the name of this one?
It's called Harvest Moon.



















After I made these beads, I noticed something was feeling a bit wrong. I've only been making a couple of beads a day, because I realized that my muse is on vacation! I don't know where. I don't know how long she'll be gone, but I want her back!

So, my request to you is to CHALLENGE ME! I need my muse back.

Here's what I'd like you to do. Post an idea for a bead using colors, a technique, etc, and in a week, the good Lord willing and the crik don't rise, I will post my results. Be specific in what you'd like to see me make. If I have the glass and/or the needed tools, I will try. I want to grow as a beadmaker. I want my muse back, too, and you can be a great help to me, so, please,
CHALLENGE ME!

PotatoFishCar

On March 3, Louise Ingram of Fireseed Glass, challenged us in her blog to attempt a challenge. She showed the photos of Tom Moore's PotatoFishCar in her blog. To help us come out of our winter blues and to recharge the creative juices, Louise asked us to create something that was animal/vegetable/object using Tom Moore's photo for inspiration. It took some thinking and drawing, but here is the result of this challenge. What do you think, Louise? It's my woman/cupcake/peapod. Now, that is an "interesting" bead. Here it is. By the way, she's hiding behind a flower. What do you think?

My Challenge to You!

Do you like these photos? They are bright and colorful! I took both of these photos. Can you guess what they are? They are two different pictures of my lava lamp! There was a slight difference in color, but for the most part, they are the same.

Now, for the challenge.

Within the next two weeks, I would like you to use one or both of the photos in your art, and I would like for you to send me a photo of your work. It can be glass, but it doesn't have to be glass. (Did I really say that?) You can use these photos in any medium you would like to produce your masterpiece.

If anyone sends me photos, I will blog about all the works of art that are sent to me in two weeks. So, you have about 14 days to contact me. I hope you do. I would love to see what comes out of this challenge.

Please send me a convo on etsy since I don't want to post my email address here. You can also send me the photos in your convo. Include a little note about why this photo or these photos inspired you and the pathy you took to developing your masterpiece. Be sure to send me a link to your blog, website, and/or online store.

Let's bolt out of the winter doldrums! Take up this challenge. I'm going to have to make something myself! I still don't know what!

The Crystaline Tree

I just listed this tree in my etsy store. It's supposed to be my entry for the Creative Glass Guild of Etsy's December challenge. Oooops. It's only November. I can't post this until December! Oh, well, if it's not in the store by then, I'll make something else. Enjoy until then. It's absolutely gorgeous in person! I wish I could take decent photos.

Freaky Friday Challenge - on a New Zealand Saturday!

At last, the time has come to show what we've done with this week's challenge: Sculptural Flowers. We didn't work with tutorials this time. Although we didn't grow them, we are now going to show them! I'm a poet, and I don't know it! Here are the results of my efforts. Although these aren't perfect, I don't think they're too bad. I made the first flower with clear and melted frit. The second flower is made with a color I had forgotten I had, and I had forgotten how much I liked it--transparent striking red! I fell in love with that color again! The last flower is made with yellow covered with transparent clear. I like these colors, too, but that red is my favorite!


















I made these flowers first. I used a base of white with transparent purple on top. They weren't bad for some of my first ones.


















This sculpted flower was my least successful one. Yikes! I think I need more practice using individual petals. That's all I will sat, "Yikes!"



















This was my last sculpted flower. I think it's my best. I like it. Not only that, it's pink! I like pink, too!

Okay, Deb, what's the next challenge? Let me know.

Day of my Life--You know a play on words, instead of Days of Our Lives, Whatever

It was one of those blissfully, rainy days today. It rained almost the entire day until, right before sunset, the sun came out. Go figure. I really enjoyed today though. I love to torch on rainy days. I did that. It was so nice and relaxing. It was so cool today. We are getting very close to our first frost of the season. It's supposed to go down to 36 tonight. brrrrrrrrrr. It was a t-shirt day for Spike. I pulled out his Harley shirt, and he's worn it all day. Take a look at this. It's a real Harley shirt!






Now here's Spike in his kerchief and shirt! I had fun with him posing for pictures!


















I don't think you can see the rain, but it was falling gently when I took this photo. You can see how the landscape is changing. I only wish I could count the number of leaves in my front yard. I think I'll have to start raking very soon.


















You can tell is it was a slow day today. Oh, more tomorrow or should I do it now? I get to announce the next challenge for Deb and me! Oh, what the heck! I'll go ahead and tell you. Like Deb said, I am a tutorial (uhummmm), well, let's just say I like to use tutorials. Anyway, Deb, using her figure out how to do it ways and me with a tut in hand are going to try to make and Ornate Bead. I will be using Jennifer Geldard's tutorial and Deb will be using pictures or whatever it is she uses to figure things out. Personally, I think it's magic. She's so good at this stuff. Hopefully, we will post results this Friday. Now, don't tell anyone. It's our secret! I guess that's all for now.

Freaky Friday Challenge - on a USA Saturday!

My dear kiwi friend, Deb Batten, of Firebird Flamework and I want to improve our lampworking skills. We have been purchasing many of the tutorials that have been offered by lampwork artists in the lampworking community. We both have ETSY stores. You can find Deb's Etsy Store by clicking on this link. Deb and I both make lampwork beads. We want to produce better beads to feature in our stores. Even though we live thousands of miles apart. She's in New Zealand and I'm in Minnesota in the USA, we have decided to challenge each other weekly by using the tutorials we have purchased and, perhaps, words. (Deb hasn't heart about this yet.) We discussed the challenges and decided that we would have them weekly and report the results in our respective blogs. We decided that we would have to be disciplined, and as one mutual friend of ours state, "You two, disciplined?" Well that's another issue. The plan is now to challenge each other and blog about our results. Deb got to choose this week's challenge. Now, being the type of person who likes to figure things out by herself, Deb did not work with the tutorial I chose. I gave her some basic instructions. Gee, I sure hope I didn't leave anything out! hmmmmm? We shall see what she has produced. The tutorial we chose was the Window Beads Tutorial by Jennifer Geldard. Now, I really do need directions and photos to help me work. Deb will take a look or two at a photo, and go to work on what she wants to produce. I'm anxious to see her results. I made 7 beads. The best one is still soaking in water waiting to be cleaned. However, that doesn't mean that I don't like the results of the others. I genuinely do like the results. Each practice bead was a learning experience for me. I feel like I gained a lot of knowledge and skills are a result of the first week of this challenge. Be sure to check out Deb's blog to see her results. The link is above. Here are my window beads, the back and front, because each side is unique.








This is side one. My two favorite beads are the two beads on the right had side. The red bead I call, "Give Italy the Boot." and the other one, I call "In Utero." I do like all of the beads, but those two are my favorites.







Do you see how each side is unique and different from the other side. I honestly love this type of bead, and I plan to make it many more times. I want to perfect it, but I'm not there yet. Now, I want to see Deb's beads. I hear she etched them. I'm anxious to see her results.

Now, for next week's challenge! It's my turn to choose. This time I'm choosing a word for us to use. Deb has taught me a wonderful Kiwi term that, loosely interpreted, is similar to our expressions of "darn it," or "dang it." I absolutely love the word! I have integrated it itno my vocabulary, and that word is: Bugger! This coming week, I want us to work on "bugger" beads. Okay, Deb, are you ready for this? Bugger. This is next's week's challenge, and I can hardly wait to see the results, both hers and mine.

How do you spell camouflage?

Now that's a tough word to spell. I think I got it right this time. The reason I need to know how to spell it is because I am planning on entering a flower made from glass that resembles camouflage into the CGGE (Creative Glass Guild of Etsy) September challenge which is to use materials in fall colors. (Whew! Talk about a run on sentence!) What is more perfect than camouflage for fall? The colors blend in with the landscape. I made this flower with a base and fused each petal on. I made each petal using five neutral colors to give the impression of camouflage colors. If nothing else, it will be the most unique entry. I have to list it in my etst store first, and I'll do that tomorrow, then I'll put it on the CGGE Flikr site.

Time to Bring the Beads Back to this Blog

There is a challenge happening on the Wet Canvas Forums in the glass section. The challenge is to make one or more beads with 100 dots or more. Hmmmmmm, I thought. Can this be done? Sundaisy, the person who started the challenge, said that it was all right to stack the dots. So, I thought, maybe it's possible. I made my first bead today. I counted dots as I worked. My total was 100. At that point, I stopped and put the bead into the kiln to soak. After the bead cooled, I cleaned it and counted the dots. The total was 92! I really miscounted. If there is a set of stacked dots in there somewhere that I didn't see, I guess it won't count. Oh, well. I really like the bead. I used my "shorts" to make it. I call it a Fragile Start to Autumn. As far as the 100 dots go, tomorrow is another day!

Ooooooooops! I goofed!

I decided that I wanted to enter a monthly challenge on a blog to which I subscribe: This link, which you can find on the side bar, if I didn't goof AGAIN, should take you to their blog: Art Bead Scene Blog. I read the instructions on how to enter, but I goofed. I forgot to add the proper tags. Ooooooooops! I goofed. I don't know if I can redo my entry, but I do plan to try. I made a bead that says "Love." I added seed beads and a key charm and made a necklace. Well, I'll try again later. I sure hope I can add those tags!

UPDATE! The Art Bead Scene posted my necklace in the challenge even though I didn't follow directions! Thank you!