week 28 -Pattern

Focus on life -  Week 28- "Pretty" Patterns

Pattern....  The first thing that comes to my mind when you mention that word is sewing pattern... I haven't sewn anything from a pattern for years... but  I still have some...  The ones I used as a background  for my chainmaille were my mothers ... You can tell by the prices on them how old they are, and they probably aren't particularly pretty.. but the product could be!  The retro one is actually  mine, I've never made it as it takes miles of material!

The necklace covering the top two patterns was bought in Eastern Europe in the 70's, it was a gift from my mother... I was in total awe about how it was made... I took a chainmaille class in 2003 at Series in Red Deer and learned how to do the Byzantine Pattern/weave and discovered that it isn't actually as mind boggling as it looks.

I like Byzantine also know as Idiot's Delight because each unit is a stand alone piece that doesn't flop you can add big links into the middle ... the end... put links between a unit... it's entirely versatile

The bracelets were all made by me and show what a difference gage makes in the final product.  ( I made the glass rings in the middle bracelet)  The necklace with the Carnelian was made for the first bead soup ... It has triangular byzantine elements...

To see how other people interpreted 'pretty pattern'

Black & White Jewelry Challenge

I started making glass beads in about 1994...  ... I love making black and white beads... although I've found that black & white jewellery doesn't sell all that well except for earrings.  So when Sally Russick of The studio sublime put out this challenge I had to jump on board!

Since I like making black and white beads and they don't sell I have a pretty good selection of jewellery... through the ages...

 !997  with early attempts at wire work

2003 I really like the design of this necklace...
don't think I tried very hard to sell it!

2007 ... those have got to be some of the filthiest silver beads I've ever seen.. the look red!

 2013
These are some of the beads I made for this challenge.. Really comfortable bracelet to wear!

These were suppose to be a necklace, they are hollow beads made on a normal mandrel

To see how other people interpreted this challenge follow the list on Sally Russick's blog the host of this wonderful challenge!  or follow the links below!

Week 27- Texture

Focus on life.. Texture


Finally a prompt I like!  I got all gung ho and photographed all sorts of neat bead tools... this is the only picture I took that was in focus

I thought the texture on the dirty rug (bead shop doorway) was kind of interesting...  This is actually a relatively new tool....

I used to do a lot of leaded glass panels.... mainly textured clear with a little bit of colour....
This was the prototype for a much larger commissioned window.  I made the roundels on the torch.  The commissioned window is here . The scarf in the same blog was never finished it was ripped apart and turned back into balls!




















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Beads made with one of my favorite bead rollers These were made using the BR-5301 RIBBED SMALL ROUND SPACERS graphite mold.  I also have  BR-5101 the     RIBBED SMALL STUBBY BICONE SPACERS... I find  the bicones to be much harder to make!  

The beads in between my etched glass beads are carved Quahog shells made by Marcia Poirier... she makes gorgeous pendants and earrings  from Quahog shells under the name Wildabout Wampumhttp://www.wildaboutwampum.com/index.html

To see how other people interpreted texture   & to see where the 'garbage/treasures' in lasts weeks ? post came from?

The kitchen..... Destruct Mode

 The North wall of the kitchen pre renovations....

Dish washer and kitchen sink missing...  Floor under the sink cupboard which is still in place was totally rotten!

One cabinet over from the sink  sold all the doors and a free standing counter to a fellow islander for $20 ... much cheaper and easier than hauling them to a 'restore' place in Saint John!

The home of the insulation in last weekends focus on life blog...  It's a balloon foundation so the former owners kids used to throw their treasures and garbage down the wall.. we found a shoe, a few pennies, toys, marbles, lots of paper, empty cherry blossom boxes, pencils etc.....

My son thinks we should sell this design to IKEA!  Temporary home of the sink... the red thing is my toaster!

New cupboards are suppose to arrive the week of July 15th  Will we be ready?

Week 26 ?

Focus on life... I'm actually thinking that next week is the half way point not this week....   So what to do with this weeks prompt ... which is a question mark.... ?

OK I'll play

What is this a picture of...  ?

 Please post your answer as a comment...   Will there be a prize... probably... sort of depends on how fast someone gets it right!

(and yes I took the picture this week!)

To see how other people interpreted Sally's '?' prompt.....

Week 25... "You Are looking at my Garden"

Focus on Life ... Week 25

This is what I spend every nice day working on from March until I give up in September... None of what you see here was here when we bought this house in 2001... We bought a pink bungalo with weedy grass a couple of overgrown cedars and no garden!

Original house 2002... Yard and house 2010
Gallery sign has been improved upon in the last 3 years too!

(PS.  Since I took the pictures a deer has eaten the hosta!)

To see how other people interpreted "you Are...." check out the linkz on Sally's blog!

Week - 24 Green

Focus on life ... week 24 Green

I just love Green and purple together....  Lupins grow wild in the ditches here... this one was transplanted by me last year!

This was the view from the deck this week between Tropical storm Andrea and whatever un-named equally windy and rainy storm is dumping on us as I type!

 Just thought I'd throw in a collage of my sister and I from my first wedding... My dress was Green silk ... all the lace on the veil and the neck edging on my sisters dress was hand tatted by me...........

To see how other people interpreted green check out Sally's blog