Create Recklessly

To Do or Dye

2012-02-25T13:40:00.000-08:00

I've been playing with dyes lately in my attempt to create rich, permanent, dark color on Faux Bone. Prior to this, I've had great luck with a product called Krylon Fusion spray paint, a solvent type of paint for plastic, but you have to let it cure for a full 7 days. Representatives from Krylon assure me that after 7 days it is completely inert, meaning we can heat the Faux Bone as usual. Now really, we all know that I am not that patient! So I, of course, stuck it in my toaster oven after 6 hours and found the paint got goopy and stuck to the pan. Not so after 7 days...but again, I am incapable of waiting that long.

So, it was to do or dye...I would find a quick way to make black Faux Bone. Below are my findings in regards to fabric dyes and Faux Bone, with the caveat that there is much more testing to be done. But, perhaps, you'll be inspired and we can share what we learn together.

Faux Bone, being a type of non-porous PVC product does not respond well to most dyes. Standard fabric dies, including acid dyes, meant for natural fibers (aka protein based fibers), may lightly tint it, but more often than not, the dye will simply wash off with soap and water. Instead, polyester dyes need to be used. Polyester can be dyed using a dispersion dye, meaning the dye has an agent added to it that allows it to "penetrate" the polyester (in our case, the polyvinyl chloride aka PVC). Most dispersion dyes can be highly toxic due to the additive and often require really high temperatures.

However, there is a new product on the market that I found worked well. Jacquard's iDye Poly dyes, commonly found in art supply stores, dyes Faux Bone exceptionally well. Retailing for around $3.99 it is an inexpensive way to get deep colors on Faux Bone. Eight colors are available and I found that the black, brown, blue, red and purple worked the best. Be sure to mix the entire packet. I tried to save the additive in a little plastic cup so I could mix a little at a time and the additive ate through the cup! What a mess.

I repurposed a double boiler so that the Faux Bone was never in contact with the bottom of the pan. If I kept the water at a very low simmer, the Faux Bone did not soften enough to change shape, meaning I could make one of my strip beads and dye it aferwards. Fast simmers and boiling water softened Faux Bone just enough so that any shape I had created before had distorted a bit. This makes sense. Water boils at 212 degrees F, which is just about the temperature Faux Bone starts to soften and become malleable. It can dye fast, so stir and check it often. Overlapping pieces will not dye evenly. Also, obvious to most but apparently not to me, don't put it in mason jars on a hot plate unless you want the glass to crack and permanently dye your tool bench blue... your favorite shirt, and skirt, and shoe, and sock...and foot for that matter. But a small price to pay to create recklessly!

The downside to this dye is that the colors do not mix well. If you are used to mixing paint or inks, you'll be disappointed. You may mix a color that looks like a sage green, and the actual color the piece dyes is fushcia. You may add a little black to yellow, maintaining the yellow look of the dye, and the piece will come out black. There's no rhyme or reason to how the colors mix.

I will continue to look for different types of dispersion dyes (already have a few on order) that allow me more flexibility in mixing colors or offer a wider variety of colors...will let you know what I find! But for a good solid black, which has been my goal, this product gets the job done.

Kristi's Copper Component Blog Hop Reveal

2012-02-04T03:10:00.000-08:00

I can't resist Kristi's components. One of her sea urchin copper pendants has been sitting on my desk for quite some time waiting patiently for its turn. When I saw the matching component as part of her blog hop, I knew now was the time!

My newest round of Create Recklessly projects has been experimenting with dyes. I love to work with Faux Bone and other plastics, and up to this point have colored them mostly using alcohol inks. But I longed for deep, rich, durable color. After much trial and error, I have come upon some great dying techniques. Accidentally during these tests, I stumbled upon some glass fiber-reinforced nylon. When dyed, it almost looks like glass. Because it is slightly transparent, it almost glows in the daylight. Yet, it can be sawed and drilled just like metal. I think I am in love.

So, I chose this material for Kristi's piece. I wanted to pick up the colors of the beautiful patina on the copper. The entire piece is constructed by threading wire as screws using a tap and die. This includes the "dotted" beads, which each have 28 pieces of wire screwed into them and then rounded with a cup burr. No matter how hard I try, I can't get the color right in the photo...the pieces are a deep lavender and the round hanging spacers are fuschia.

These nylon pieces are a new staple on my bench and I can't wait to play with them some more.

Be sure to check out the amazing designs using Kristi's copper components!

Kristi Bowman Design http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/

Jean Wells http://jeanawells.blogspot.com/

Melinda Orr http://orrtec.blogspot.com/

Sue Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

Shannon Chomanczuk http://formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com/

Pam Brisse http://bluebetween.blogspot.com/

Melissa Cable http://createrecklessly.blogspot.com/ - YOU ARE HERE

Cindy Wimmer http://www.sweetbeadstudio.com/

Mary Harding http://maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com/

Karen Totten http://starryroadstudio.blogspot.com/

Jan Molten Mayhem http://moltenmayhem.typepad.com/molten-mayhem/

Linda Landig http://lindasbeadblog.com/

Kristi Harrison http://kristibasket-itsanewday.blogspot.com/

Kimberly Sturrup http://bahamadawn.blogspot.com/

Sally Russick http://thestudiosublime.com/

Project Create Recklessly - Episode 4

2011-11-23T23:45:00.001-08:00

I would love to blame the holidays for the delay in this blog...but the reality is, I struggled with this challenge. I've been dragging my feet getting this purse done, and after much time contemplating why, I have some insight into my creative process. Look for the technical "how to" blog in the next few days where I will spend some time talking about different ways people create and how, in my opinion, when we try to deny our process, we inhibit our creativity.

Care to join me? Post your Project Create Recklessly photos on my Facebook page for all of us to see! Be sure to share this blog with you friends...afterall, only all of you can judge whether I'm in, or out!

May your Thanksgiving be a joyous day full of family and friends. I am thankful for many things this year, among them all of you who share in my excitement of creating...just to create. Enjoy and thanks for visiting!

EPISODE 4 CHALLENGE:

Create a purse that fits the style and fits the size needs of a selected client. Use their existing purse to create an accessory.

MY CHALLENGE:

Create a small purse that only needs to hold my phone, wallet, and a few cosmetics...aka, something to replace my "mommy" bag when I go out on the town. An extra accessory?! I'm lucky I got the purse done!

THE RESULTS:

My favorite thing about this leather purse? The fold-formed copper closure created by my husband Chris in a class with Megan Corwin at the Ranch Center for Arts and Craft. The stamped design on the leather was inspired by a Keith LoBue diatoms print (more on that in the technical blog). Until then, check out the 50% off sale on his website!

Episode 3 Technical Notes

2011-11-15T10:16:00.001-08:00

I have been reeaaallllly lucky to have had the opportunity to take polymer clay classes with two of the best...because they live right here in my hometown! Cynthia Toops and Ronna Sarvas Weltman are not only amazing artists, but teachers as well.

So, hopefully, my simple polymer project won't disappoint them...because it truly is, simple. But I love the form, and I suspect it will keep sneaking back into my work now and again.

The polymer clay pieces hanging in the necklace were inspired by Lunaria annua, or the money plant. The fenceline along my daughter's school is filled with them. One was taken home to "dissect" several months ago and I was inspired by how you could see the seeds though the translucent leaves when they dried. My first thought was to make them with rice paper and Ice Resin and somehow that morphed into using translucent polymer clay after a trip to the supermarket's bulk section aisle. While there, I noticed the number of colored lentils that are available and thought they would look great behind a translucent clay. But alas, the clay was not translucent enough in the thickness that was used, so the design changed from there.

These pieces were made with translucent clay and then dyed with alcohol ink. If I did them again, I would use colored clay and would likely substitute more polymer clay for the lentil. So here's the 411 on making these little guys...

1. Coil 4 feet of 24g wire around a 2mm diameter dowel until you have 2.5" to 3" of coil with at least 4" of wire left.
2. Cut a matching piece of 14g wire.

3. Turn the wire into a circular shaped jump ring (mine were irregular) leaving a 1/8" gap and slide the coil onto the jump ring.

4. Grab the end of the jump ring and nudge it through the coil so that the jump ring opening is away from the coil opening. Just keep grabbing the jump ring in the coil opening, nudging it forward.

5. Wrap the remaining coil wire around the jump ring, and when you have almost closed the coil gap, create a wire wrapped loop (I did a double loop). After wrapping the loop closed, wrap the wire around the jump ring again 2 times. This will secure and center the wire wrapped loop to the jump ring.

6. Roll a ball of conditioned polymer clay (clay run through a pasta machine a few times or rolled out over and over again with a roller) to the size of a standard marble. Place it inside the coil wrapped jump ring and press evenly until the edges of the clay just extend over the coil. Check and see that the clay extends over the coil on the back as well.

7. Press a lentil into the clay (or a flattened piece of clay in another color).

8. Place the clay on any textured surface so the back gets an impression while you are texturing the front. Use a dapping punch or other type of tool (I used a chasing tool handmade by Bill Dawson, from whom I just took an amazing toolmaking class) to "mottle" the surface of the clay.

9. Using a smooth paint brush, brush some clear sculpey liquid over the lentil to seal it into the clay.

10. Bake as directed.

11. When cool, use alcohol inks to dye the clay and brush on Pearl Ex powder to add shimmer.

12. Seal with Preserve Your Memories II.

To create the necklace, make a vine out of a 1/4" Faux Bone cuff strip and drill holes into each end so that you can insert the leather. Drill two tiny holes through the Faux Bone and leather and place in a screw to secure the leather in the hole.

Set the entire piece on a necklace form and use pins to place the feathers (which have wire wrapped loops on them) and the polymer clay pieces. This allows you to cut the chain to the proper lengths. Once the location for these pieces were finalized, mark and drill tiny holes in the bottom of the Faux Bone branch and epoxy in tiny eye pins so that you can hang the chain through them.

I had mentioned the "look" needed an extra piece...and blog readers voted for a ring. So here it is! A Faux Bone ring base with a brass dapped cup. The feathers are glued into the cup and a polymer clay component (as described above) served as a cabochon. Thanks ladies...I hadn't thought of a ring!

Finally, we have a winner of our Tandy Leather gift certificate. Visit my Facebook page to see her creation in leather!

Project Create Recklessly - Episode 3

2011-11-12T19:26:00.001-08:00

First of all, let's make one thing clear. I will not be modeling this challenge as presented! Although this project is intended to accessorize a on-piece, spandex bodysuit, I tried to design something fun to wear with skinny jeans and boots...which is as close to my equivalent of a body suit as I get! But, I love to wear boots during the winter here in the Northwest, so having an alternative to long sweaters and jackets would be a nice change.

Look for the technical "how to" blog in the next few days where I will give you step-by-step instructions for making the polymer clay and wire pieces inspired by Lunaria annua (also known as annual honesty or the money plant).

Enjoy and thanks for visiting!

EPISODE 3 CHALLENGE:

Accessorize a body suit.

MY CHALLENGE:

Accessorize a bodysuit in a way that would also look great with jeans and boots.

THE RESULTS:

NECKLACE

Polymer clay, brass wire, GF chain, Faux Bone, leather and feathers. Polymer clay dyed with alcohol ink and Pearl Ex powder with a lentil set in.

BELT
Leather and fabric - can be worn to the side as it is longer on one side, as if you tied on a sarong.

THE LOOK

There needs to be one more piece...a bracelet or earring set. What's your vote?

Episode 2 Technical Notes

2011-11-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

So I have to admit...I did a little prep before this week's episode. I had seen the preview which showed that the challenge involved shoes and crystals so the first thing I did was head on up to the Tandy Leather Factory store in Shoreline, WA.

After explaining what I was doing (which always makes me feel a bit silly), Store Manager Andy Stasiak made me his apprentice for the next hour.

The first thing Andy showed me was how easy it is to form leather. Simply spray it with water and its ready to go. He did a simple fold-form, very similar to metal fold-forming, and then showed me how much flexibility leather can have if its soaked for a bit...a face...formed in leather (below). Amazing.

He then reviewed the use of all the tools of the trade, from snaps and rivets and tools to set them, to lacing and texture punches, glues, threads and shears. The cost of the materials I bought for this project were:

Leather $29.99 - I have lots left

Snaps - $3.99

Rivets - $3.99

Snap/rivet setting tool set - $19.99

Eyelets - $3.99

Eyelet setting tool - $8.99

Texture tool - $7.99

Lacing punch - $9.99

Waxed Linen - $4.99

Eco Weld Glue - $7.99

Shears - $44.99 ( the most expensive thing I bought...these were a really good pair of shears, although it is likely my metal shears would have worked)

Combined with a set of 9 hollow punches I bought at Harbor Freight for $7.99, that makes it about $150 set up cost to work with leather - but that will give you lots of supplies to play with. And, since most of the cost is tools, consider sharing those expenses with a friend.

So how do you "play" with leather?

As I mentioned, simply spray with water, and the vegetable tanned leather becomes extremely malleable. I put it to the test using my regular metal forming tools. My favorite result was putting the leather in a dapping block. The leather was positioned face down over the block and two concave impressions were dapped 1.25" from each other. I then punched between them in a row above and below. I would spray as I went and every 4-6 daps, I would redap the last few daps and then would use my embossing heat gun to dry the leather, keeping the impression from collapsing. It took less than 30 minutes to form the bracelet! I painted the leather (after slightly rewetting it) with acrylic paint to match the shoes after I used hole punch pliers to make holes to stitch the crystals into. I screwed it to a piece of heat formed Faux Bone so it would remain a solid cuff.

During the process, I also tested Adirondach alcohol inks (which work great as long as you do not use the metallic additive) and Gilder's Paste (which was hard to apply evenly without getting it so thick it would flake). The acrylic paint far outperformed both. I did read after the fact that it is best to rewet the leather with diluted paint to get more of the paint to soak into the leather before putting on an undiluted top coat of paint.

I loved working with leather so much that I made a bracelet the next day to go with the necklace I made in the first challenge. And here I am, wearing both at the 7th anniversary party for Fusionbeads.com (14 years for the store...congrats everyone there!) ...just to prove, its not trick photography. What I am making is wearable.

But now to my favorite part...the shoes. Or rather, shoe. I learned so much during the 12 hour process of making a shoe. I can't wait to make its mate...or another pair that I would wear! Because there was so much learning, I wrote up a tutorial which you can find in the links section of my website. Knock yourself out...make a shoe, just be sure to send me a photo!

Have you worked with leather? Send me a photo of anything you've made in leather or suede (even leather cords/lacing counts) and I'll enter your name in a drawing for a $10 Tandy Leather gift certificate, winner to be announced in the next Technical blog.

Thanks for stopping by...and create recklessly this week!

Project Create Recklessly - Episode 2

2011-11-05T05:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back to Project Create Recklessly

Can any challenge get more fun than this...I can't believe I made shoes...or rather shoe. I'll make its mate another day. Look for the technical "how to" blog in the next few days where I will share my new understanding of working with leather...which I have a feeling is going to be on my bench often.

Enjoy and thanks for visiting!

EPISODE 2 CHALLENGE:

Create a pair of shoes and an accessory item that pair well with a little black dress using a piece of jewelry from the Swarovski store as your inspiration.

MY CHALLENGE:

Create a pair of shoes and an accessory item that pair well with a little black dress using a piece of jewelry from the Swarovski online store as your inspiration.

MY INSPIRATION:

http://www.swarovski.com/Web_US/en/1041082/p

roduct/Chic_Multi_Blue_Ring.html?CatalogCategoryName=0112

THE RESULTS:

SHOES & BRACELET: Leather, Faux Bone, Swarovski Crystals

Episode 1 Technical Notes

2011-10-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

As promised, I thought I'd share some of what I learned in creating these challenge projects.
Afterall, that's the whole point of this silly experiment.

NECKLACE - WOOD BEADS

Probably my favorite skill learned this week was working with wood. I've never made wood beads, so it was great fun to try. I used my band saw to cut the curtain rod into 1.5" segments and then use the belt sander to sand off the paint and "facet" the edges. The edge of belt sander was used to draw lines into the surface of the wood before drilling a hole with the drill press. My inspiration was from some photos I saw by Laura Bowker. She does AMAZING faceted glass beads and shared how-to photos at the recent Northwest Bead Society bead bazaar.

NECKLACE - PENDANT

The pendant was cut from some tin, a piece of the red styrofoam pear was cut in a shape of a cabochon, and it was riveted together using Crafted Findings riveting tool.

The first thing I learned was that tin is actually too soft to use with the riveting tool. The hole stretched as I riveted and the rivets kept popping. This is one of my favorite new tools and it performs perfectly every time, so I was surprised. But, placing a tiny washer on the back of the rivet before riveting did the trick.

Second, I was happy to use a new trick I developed at the Bead and Button show while helping a student who struggled making a frame for a domed piece of plexiglass. She had work-hardened the metal quite a bit, so when it came time to flare the hole to create a "bezel" for the dome, we could not get it to flare without collapsing the whole frame in the dapping block (we did not have any torches available to anneal the metal). Now, whenever I create a frame for any type of dome or cabochon, I screw it between two of the new Faux Bone donuts so that the outside edge of the frame stays flat while we use a dapping punch to flare the inside of the frame. This trick was inspired by a class with Nancy Megan Corwin, where she taught us how to saw out hydraulic press forms. (The photo will give you an idea of what I am talking about, but when making a frame, the metal disc would have a center hole cut out that is just larger than the center hole of the Faux Bone donut - this photo is from another project.)

BELT

This is an example of how photography can make things look better than they are...truth be told...this belt is hideous! I think I'll name it the Thunderdome Utility Belt. It was created in much the same way I created Cristina's Cuff, the last project in my book, Spotlight on Wire. In fact, you can see a preview of that project on Kalmbach's website. Instead of a bead loom, I simply strung the wires between two chairs.

So, my overall lesson? TAKE CLASSES! I may not be making cutting edge glass beads like Laura Bowker, or doing world-class chasing work like Nancy Megan Corwin, but both of these women taught me something that helped me in my work. So thanks ladies!

WARNING - PROUD MAMA ALERT

I had promised my daughter she could watch the show the next day after school. After watching it, she immediately said "I want to do that!" She spent 15 minutes gathering her items and... here she is with what I think is a pretty cool bracelet from a rubber gasket, zip ties, wire and a piece of a basket. She also started a felt purse using her new sewing skills...but a 6 year old has only so much attention span!

Project Create Recklessly - Episode 1

2011-10-28T05:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Project Create Recklessly!

With the premier of Project Accessory my own challenge begins! Each week (hopefully) after watching Project Accessory (Lifetime, Thursday at 10pm ET/9pm C) I'll try to repeat the challenge at some point before the next episode and then blog about it here.

I'll likely post 2 blogs per week...one to show you what I've done, and another that explains what I learned in regards to techniques/materials/etc. that worked or didn't work. Lets make this a learning experience for us all...and don't worry, I'm laughing with you!

Enjoy and thanks for visiting!

EPISODE 1 CHALLENGE:

Create a necklace, belt and one other item from items scavenged from a 15-minute visit to a storage unit.

MY CHALLENGE:

Create a necklace, belt and one other item from items scavenged from a 15-minute visit to my basement storage room.

THE MATERIALS:

After 15 minutes, this is what I had collected:

Windshield wiper, 2 plastic and 2 tin boxes, kids science kit, CD, Wood shelf, baseball glove (which hubby promptly removed from my pile), knee pads, swim noodle, misc phone and computer cords, 3 mice and one keyboard, 2 large washers, basket, non-skid tape, plastic tap light, can light fixture, ceiling light fixture, misc small pipes, plastic kid ball toy, red styrofoam pear, coat hooks, wood curtain rod, security camera, glass bear music box, sponge, flower bulbs and garden rock.

THE RESULTS:

NECKLACE:

Wood beads made from the wood curtain rod, metal pendant and flowers from the metal tin, red "cabachon" cut from the styrofoam pear, ball clasp from the security camera, strung on computer keyboard cord.

Other items:Bolts and nuts, rivets, Gilder's paste (gold)

BELT:

Phone and computer cords, large washer

Other items used: Gilder's Paste (gold)

I created this in much the same way I created "Cristina's Cuff", the last project in my book Spotlight on Wire.

HANDBAG:

Created from non-skid tape, can light fixture, computer keyboard cord, phone cord

Other items: Nuts and bolts, Gilder's paste

More detail about the items/techniques used will be posted this weekend...thanks for stopping by!

Art and Soul...Filled My Soul

2011-10-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Art and Soul in Portland and had a fabulous group of students. Thought you might like to see some their work (below). I wish I had gotten photos of them all! I do have some more on my Facebook page.

Although I am really happy to be out of the retail business, two of my students (you know who you are girls) reminded me of the one thing I do miss....witnessing the connections that get formed. To be creative, you have to be open...to new ideas, new processes, new ways of thinking about things. Otherwise, your work becomes stagnant, your creativity is stifled. So, when we put ourselves in an environment that in its nature requires this openness, we also invite the opportunity to connect with people in different ways than we might normally.

This was something I watched happen often at the shop. It was not an unusual occurrence for students to form friendships that were clearly going to last a lifetime. I think two of my students this week did just that. And, although the jewelry made this week was beautiful and inspiring, the beauty of the connection by these two new friends by far surpassed it all. Thanks for letting me be part of that.

(Left to right: Susan, Marsha, Karen. Bottom: Stephanie, Lori, Kathy, Shawn)

Dawn Horner's Berry Vine Pendant

2011-09-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

I received a lovely email today from Dawn Horner who participated in Amy Kuczewski's monthly blog challenge. Dawn used Amy's lampwork bead to create the Berry Vine pendant you can find in my book or in the most recent issue of Wirework magazine. What a treat to see her beautiful work...thought you'd like to see it too!

Dawn's work can be seen at www.Northernadornments.biz

Amy's blog is located at http://flamekeepergaj.blogspot.com/

Summer...Come Back!

2011-09-17T14:19:00.001-07:00

This summer went by soooo fast. I think its because 1) Gwen was home from school, 2) there was lots of travelling, and 3) here in Seattle, the sun was out maybe a total of 15 days! Each of these deserve their own blog...so lets start with Gwen.

What can I say about my sweet, smart little girl that fits in a short blog? Gwen finished kindergarten in June and I did the classic "kindergarten mom" mistake of not signing up for camps early enough. So, when we were not travelling (that blog to come later ), we were here at home. I love to spy on my daughter. Yep, I can admit that now because she is not 15 (I'll still spy on her then, I just won't admit it to you). She gets up most morning at 7am, a full 30 minutes before the rest of us, and acts out very detailed and dramatic stories in the living room. My husband is still getting a finger wagging for letting them watch Star wars (except the last one, or the third one...whatever you want to consider it) while I was at the Bead and Button show in June.

When she is not acting out stories of pricesses and wookies, she is drawing. The interesting thing to me is that she draws clothing...lots and lots of dresses. We have dresses cut out and taped all over the house, stapled books full of dresses and even one life sized paper dress she made for me. I have to admit, I've let her watch Project Runway with me a few times, and perhaps this is her catalyst. But regardless...I love it. At some point, I plan on turning some of her designs into pendants, in either Faux Bone, metal or maybe PMC...so I thought you might get a kick out of seeing some of me dear daughter's work. She inspires me...

Click here for her flickr gallery.

Creating Recklessly Part II - What Do I Write?

2011-09-17T10:49:00.001-07:00

July 2011 - I ask the question, "what do I write" not because I have no idea what to write here (we'll that's not true, I don't know what I am going to write specifically...truth be told I just dive in and hope it makes sense when it is done), it was a question I asked myself in a panicked moment last week.

I stopped by one of my local bead stores, Beads and Beyond, to pick up a missing piece to a birthday gift. As you can imagine, having owned a bead shop for 7 years, I have A LOT of beads. And having a 6-year-old daughter, you can imagine, I have A LOT of birthday parties to go to. So right now, the stars are aligned. Little girls like little beads, so I'm golden for a few more years, or at least until my son starts school.

So there I was, standing in the store and a darling friend of mine (and well-loved instructor there) says, "Hey! We got your book in yesterday....here, sign them all." I have to say, at that moment, I was flattered. It was the first time I had seen my book in a store. Their lovely employees had looked at it the night before and were asking questions. Just when the "warm and fuzzies" came over me...I panicked. WHAT DO I WRITE?

I had to think quick. In the car, I had a husband, 2 kids and our brand new dog Sunny (who could be the subject of an entire blog in itself) and we were all on our way for a quick picnic before the aforementioned birthday party pony extravaganza. Now, I have to admit, signing a book suddenly felt cheesy. I had to think about how to make it meaningful. If I just put my name, well...people might think I was phoning it in (if that makes sense). If I put what I was thinking ("OMG, I can't believe you are buying my book and want me to sign it, thank you, thank you! Forever grateful, Melissa Cable") well, that had a desperate, perhaps not so confident tone to it. So perhaps I should pass along some wisdom? I had none...every ounce of wisdom had been squeezed out of me just in writing the book! Perhaps something funny. Well, I'm not that clever on the fly.

I glanced nervously down at my phone, surprised to see only a minute had passed. And then I saw it...my Facebook page. I remembered spending a great deal of time deciding what I was going to write in that little box they title "About." I wrote "Create recklessly, teach thoughtfully." And there it was. "Create recklessly!" THAT is what I would write.

So I am telling you this story for two reasons (When blogging, I am not known for my brevity, so hang in there with me). First, if you happen to pick up a book I've signed, now you will know how much thought actually went into what I wrote. Second, it allows me to explain what I mean by "create recklessly"...which is something I had promised to do in one of my very first blogs, but then got sidetracked by a Butter Chicken recipe....mmmmm, Butter Chicken....

I had come across a definition of reckless while I was writing the book. I was trying to explain why I had broken 5 pasta machines in my pursuit of creating my "poor-man's rolling mill" technique. The definition read: "utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action." I remembered it made me laugh. This is exactly how I create. I rarely create a new project or technique by methodically performing a series of actions that result in a planned outcome. I WANT my actions to have consequences that I don't expect. I like the challenge of seeing what unexpected things happens when I push a material or tool beyond what it is "supposed" to do. This, I might add, is quite contrary to the way in which I live my everyday life. I didn't get my first traffic ticket until I was nearly 40, I don't talk on my cell phone at the gas pump because I am sure it will blow me up (the sign says so), and I have disaster kits in all my cars and at both exits to my home. Yeah, I've been a rule follower most of my life.

But maybe that's what "creating" is about for many of us...pushing ourselves to do something outside of our normal sensibilities. So for me, that's allowing myself to be a little reckless. For you? Maybe its using color when you usually prefer black and brown. Or maybe it means using an alternative material when you are used to working with only metal. Each and every one of us will have a different definition of "reckless." So go ahead, define what reckless creation means to you...and then do it! You might be surprised where it takes you.

Meet my New Friends...

2011-09-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

May 2011 - I just finished up the last class in my Faux Bone series at the Ranch and am completely reenergized! What an amazing bunch of students I had over the three weeks. I was thrilled to let them play with the new Faux Bone strips, which have really started to take on a personality of their own

The 2mm strip is a little shy. She shrinks away into the background thinking no one can see her...call her a wallflower if you want. But when she surrounds herself with friends, she takes on a whole new life. In that environment, she's bold and complex and makes a real statement.

The 3mm strip is completely a Type A personality. She wants to work, work, work but has to learn to sometimes take a back seat to the 2mm strip and that, well, kinda pisses her off. But she knows better than to take over. She gives up just enough control, allowing herself to work with those around her...and, as a result, manages to shine in the end.

The 7m strip is that reliable friend who you can always turn to. Selfless almost. Flexible. Consistent. Strong. You want to be around her.

The 9mm strip, frankly, is a bit conceited...likes to take over the show. And that's just fine. Finished nicely with a texture and beautiful ink treatment, she deserves to be the star. So, I let her occasionally. But I put her back in her place now and then, just for my own sanity.

So there you are. Meet the Faux Bone strips. They've been my friends for almost year now and I'm happy to finally introduce them to you. So, where can you meet them in person, you might ask?

Join Robert Dancik, founder of Faux Bone, and I next Saturday, May 14th at Fusion Beads in Seattle, WA for a Faux Bone demo, which will include an introduction to these lovely ladies. Learn to work with their cousins, the Faux Bone sheets, shapes and bracelet and ring blanks as we explore the basics of working with this innovative, fun and flexible artist material. Fusion Beads will be carrying the entire Faux Bone line in their store, so if you are in the Seattle area, this is a great opportunity to play with something fairly new that I know you are going to love!

And no, I haven't gone crazy. I have real friends. Just yesterday I got hammered with my friend Fretz...

(If you aren't familiar with the Fretz brand of jewelry hammers be sure to check them out at Fusion Beads, which carries the hammers both online and in store.)

Time of My Life...from Snohomish to Mexico

2011-09-17T10:47:00.002-07:00

April 2011 - Last month I had the pleasure to teach my favorite new class, Time of My Life, at the Ranch Center for Arts & Craft. I was so lucky to have a group of amazingly talented folks! I walked away so inspired by how they personalized their pieces, and the stories they told with their work. Lets take a look...


Corinna Van Kleeck		Tawna Wilsey - Side 1


Nicola Leonard-Beeson		Nicola as a borg! ; )

Tawna Wilsey Side 2

Many people included pieces from their own personal collections. A dog's tooth, sand from a favorite river, a cherished button...treasured trinkets were locked in perpetuity. The topic of "collections" will be the inspiration for a new class I am excited to announce.

Join Robert Dancik, founder of Faux Bone, and I next year in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at Hacienda Mosaico for "Collections: Adored and Adorned" from February 19 to 25, 2012. I'm thrilled to have a chance to teach with my mentor, Robert Dancik. As much as I look forward to teaching and sharing with my students, I know I will also walk away having learned much from this seasoned professional. Here is an excerpt from the class description:

"A piece of beach glass. A coin from an exotic locale. Rocks collected from a river’s edge and sand gathered from an ocean’s shore. An old photo, a good luck charm, a memento of a memory…these make a collection.

Our lives are filled with those things we collect, whether consciously or unconsciously. In this class we’ll explore ways to turn these adored collections into adornments. Using items you bring from home, those gathered on your trip to Mexico, or odds and ends provided from the instructors, you’ll concept and construct multiple pieces of jewelry that showcase those things that you hold dear.

We’ll work with metals, plastics, Faux Bone, polymer clay, concrete, epoxy, resins, hardware, paints, inks and other materials. We’ll cover the basics such as sawing, filing, sanding, riveting, texturing and piercing and the not-so-basics, such as inlays, hinges, basic fold-forming, metal and polymer clay. You’ll learn to let your collection guide the concept, letting them choose the materials and techniques that best represent their essence.

This class is appropriate for all levels. Price is $1,500 (excluding air) and includes lodging, breakfast, lunch, instruction and some supplies. A complete supply list will be sent prior to the class. Visit Hacienda Mosaico for registration information."

I hope you can join us! But until then, I have some classes coming up that I'd love to see you in. This month and next, join me at The Ranch Center for Arts and Craft to learn three different ways to work with Faux Bone(TM) strips. In these classes, students will learn a specific technique, but have the flexibility to create a project of their own, or the instructor's design. Wednesday evening (6-9pm) classes include "Rippled" (April 13), "Wrapped" (April 27) and "Tangled" (May 4). Classes are $50 when purchased in a series of 3. See the class flyer for more information.

I have Sharpies and know how to use them...

2011-09-17T10:47:00.001-07:00

April 2011 - As promised, here are the final copper etched pieces from the kindergartners at my daughter's elementary school. The kids did a fantastic job drawing with Sharpies on copper and I had great fun etching and mounting them. Thanks to Randi and Binky at TheRanch Center for Arts and Craft for painting the boards for me. They'll be auctioned off next month to raise money for PTA programs, including art...and if I have my way, one of them will make its way back to my studio!

Great job kids!

Long Awaited UPS Delivery

2011-09-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

Feb 2011 - Alright, I'm giddy.

My first shipment of Faux Bone strip has arrived!!! No more hand cutting sheets, resulting in aching wrists and blistered palms... I can now play to my heart's content. The good folks at Crackerdog Designs were kind enough to work with me to have their great product cut into 2 foot long sections of 2mm, 3mm, 7mm and 9mm strips. They will be available to everyone on our websites in the next few months. I finally had a chance to sit down and work with it last night. I've been concepting a series of rings in my head and they've been screaming to get out. I've pictured the first one here.

The geode fragment came from a local store call Jerry's Rock and Gem in Kent, WA. I went down there a few weeks ago with the idea that I'd just pickup a few things to play with...2 hours later (with a 3-year-old I might add), and I have a pile of rocks and crystal fragments that will hopefully make it into rings over the next few weeks. Aiden, my son, was a gem himself. After getting over his initial excitement of seeing rocks and fossils, he sat quietly next to me playing Angry Birds on my phone. He got to pick out a rock for behaving so well and he looks for it almost everyday so he can keep it in his pocket.

Already down south, I made a side trip to IKEA, where for the first time in many years i didn't walk out of the "As-Is" furniture section with some piece of furniture I didn't need. Then, I headed to Fry's Electronics, where I bought a random assortment of computer parts, colored zip ties, and shrink tubing. I already have a bracelet in the works using the zip ties...more on that next time! But of course, those were not the reason I went to Fry's. I had to buy some Ferric Chloride to do some copper etching. My daughter's elementary school is having an auction and I had all the kids draw pictures on copper squares which I will etch and frame. Twenty four kids with Sharpie markers sent fear through me, but in the end it was great fun and the kids did a fantastic job. I'll post the final piece when it is done.

And this brings me to teachers. Having had a chance to see my daughter's teacher in action several times now, I am in awe of her. She spends all day interacting with the kids and works hard to create a calm, nurturing, creative yet structured environment that allow the kids to learn. Yet, every week, we get a long email newsletter and attached to it are flash cards, wave files of her singing songs the kids are learning in Spanish, pictures of some of the kids work, and detailed plans for what is coming up. When does she do this? I have a feeling much of it is done on her own time.

I'll be honest. I don't think I "got it" until now, having had no kids in school. But now that I "get it" I hope I can find a way to let her know how much we appreciate her... at least until Hallmark invents a thank you note that comes with a gift card for 2 extra hours a day.

Negative 5 Degrees...But Still Positive Baby!

2011-09-17T10:45:00.002-07:00

Jan 2011 - Alright, I'm a West Coast girl...born in Orange County, CA and raised in Simi Valley, CA. I moved up to Washington State in 1997 and thought it was the coldest place on earth...that is until I went to Milwaukee last week.

I had the pleasure to visit with the folks at Kalmbach to see the layout of Spotlight on Wire and discuss the organization for my next book Metal Garden (expertly handled by editor extraordinaire Karin Buckingham). I was also thankful to have some time with Bill from their in-house photography department who is always generous in giving me advice when it comes to taking photos, and with Editors Jill and Hazel at Art Jewelry Magazine who gave me a tour of their studio and allowed me to partake in talking shop with them.

But my "cold weather" adventure really started in Kansas City, where I am pretty sure we were the last plane out of there. "How do you put chains on a plane," I wondered as we pulled out of the snow filled terminal. It didn't help that we de-iced and had anti-freeze dumped over us. The highlight was when the captain announced "we're going for it" and pulled out of the terminal like we were filmng a Bruce Willis film. Hmmm, it occurs to me that the Bruce Willis reference may date me. Let's move on.

But the real adventure started when I arrived in Milwaukee. There was a wind chill warning...a what? Wind chill warning? Apparently, the temperature would get down to -5 degrees! But, I was not deterred, I refused to miss the fun of walking through downtown Milwaukee, which I have come to love over the last 6 years on my visits to the Bead and Button Show. I stopped by my favorite places: The Milwaukee Public Market where I picked up spices and had an amazing Shrimp Po Boy sandwich, walked down to 3rd Ward Jewelry which along with my local gallery (Facere, here in Seattle) has the best selection of art jewelry I've ever seen, and finally a visit with Steven at Swag, who is the master of martinis. Yeah, it was cold. But there is something about Milwaukee that always warms my heart.

Creating Recklessly Part I: Butter Chicken...

2011-09-17T10:45:00.001-07:00

Jan 2011 - So I promised my thoughts on creating recklessly, and while I plan to explain in Part II what I mean by this in regards to jewelry-making, in Part I I'd like to focus on cooking.

In my case, any attempt to cook is me creating recklessly...because my kitchen is always a wreck after I cook! But I love to cook, and with my kids getting older, I have finally found myself returning to this passion. One of my favorite recipes is Butter Chicken. If you are a fan of Indian Food, you will be familiar with the delicious, complex, deeply flavored tomato-based sauce that is laden with butter and cream and olive oil. I made it in this traditional way for many, many years after spending half a year perfecting my spice blend. But last year, after vowing to lose some weight before I turned 40 (and did I mention I had 2 kids over the last 5 years? OK, no more excuses...) I reworked this recipe and dramatically reduced the calories while retaining all of the flavor (and adding some healthy spinach). I've included the recipe below. If you enjoy it, World Spice in Pike's Place Market (206-682-7274) has my blend on file under my name and you can order it custom blended and ground by the pound.

A friend pointed out to me that the spice would be good in other dishes. I had never tried adding it to anything else, but recently, I was given a fabulous recipe for fish sausage and decided to throw the spice into that... randomly throwing a spice into $50 worth of seafood...reckless? Perhaps. But in this case, it turned out to be pure heaven. I've included that recipe below as well with my thanks to my friends who are always willing to share their favorite dishes! Bon Apetit!

Butter Chicken Spice Blend

Blend and grind the following together:
3 tsp chili powder
2 bay leaves
1/4tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Butter Chicken

2 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
Spice blend (if you buy it already blended from World Spice, use 2.5 to 3 Tablespoons (the more, the spicier it gets)
1 28oz can diced tomatoes (I use fire roasted)
1 small container of plain yogurt
2 chicken breasts, raw, diced
2 cups (or more) baby spinach, raw

Saute onion in the butter and olive oil until transparent, I like to caramelize them a bit if I have time. Blend the spices, tomatoes and yogurt in a blender until smooth. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the sauce into the pan with the onions and stir until the onions/butter/oil is incorporated into the sauce. Add the raw chicken and simmer until the chicken is cooked thoroughly (15-20 minutes). Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, stirring it into the sauce. If the sauce gets to thin as a result of the water from the spinach, simmer it down a bit and it will thicken. Serve over rice, garnish with cilantro.

Seafood Sausage

.25 to .4 pounds each of:
-Peeled and deveined shrimp
-Salmon
-Cod
-Dungeness crab
-and 4 large scallops

2 Tbsp butter chicken spice
1 egg
3/4 cup to 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp sea salt (my favorite chef, Jerry Traunfeld here at Poppy in Seattle, swears by Portuguese Cream Sea Salt...and now I do too! Find it at www.thespicehouse.com)
For spicier sausage add 1/2 tsp harissa or 1/4 tsp of cayenne

Dice all of the seafood and place it, the spices, egg and bread crumbs in a food processor and blend it. It should be fairly smooth, but still have some texture. Take a handful and roll it into a sausage shape with your hands, and then roll that tightly in saran wrap until it is sealed. I usually get between 5 and 6 rolls. Boil a pot of water and drop the rolls into the water. Boil for 10 minutes or until the sausage has set. Unwrap each sausage and slice it. I put the slices in baggies and freeze them for future meals. My favorite way to eat these is to saute red peppers and zucchini in olive oil, then sautee the sausage until warmed and just slightly browned and serve over rice.

Would love to hear how YOU serve this fabulous dish!

1218 photos later...

2011-09-17T10:44:00.001-07:00

Nov 2011 - Over one thousand process shots later (edited down to 336 photos) and my first book is done!

Spotlight on Wire, being published by Kalmbach Publishing next year, was sent to the publisher last week and I took a big sigh of relief...and then promptly got sick. I'm suprised Pam and Corinna didn't get sick as well as they spent many late nights in my basement shooting photos...but their projects are gorgeous, I can't wait for you to see them! It never ceases to amaze me how our bodies know when we can't be sick. Its as if your body is saying, "I'm gonna let you slide by this time, but when you relax, I'm getting payback." Well, payback has hit our household and all of us spent the weekend being sick. But Gwen did enjoy having her first sick day home from school. And Amazon.com loves me both for having my groceries delivered and for all the online shopping I did from bed.

Among the items I purchased...Foldforming by Charles Lewton-Brian. My second book from Kalmbach, Metal Garden, is slated to publish in 2012 and I look forward to playing with foldforming techniques and perhaps use them to create new flowers for this book. Other jewelry-related items I have been enjoying...Tim McCreights new Metalsmith Suite app for the iphone. I refer to it often as I am working. It has great conversion charts and other references that make your bench work easier. Its available in the App Store, check it out! Finally, I had the pleasure of listening to Tim talk about the new PMC Pro on Craftcast. I'm curious about this new product. It is only 90% silver, so there is much debate on whether this devalues the work that is made with it. But I tend to disagree. Most people recognize the passion and inspiration that goes into handcrafted items, and appreciate those items for their uniqueness...I can't imagine someone thinking..."well, if it only had 2.5% more silver in it, THEN I'd buy it." And if you do ever hear that, please don't tell me. I may lose faith in humanity at that point! But the take-away - its the strongest silver clay out there, it can be combined with PMC3 and PMC+, and while it may not be for everyone, when a design calls for the type of strength it offers, we now have that resource available...and afterall, isn't that what it's all about...the availability of materials to combine as we like.

Speaking of materials...since I closed the shop, my work has taken a dramatic shift. My past students know me for my designs using metal, especially strip wires and discs. But these days, I am obsessed withFaux Bone. This material is similar to PVC, but has a different formula that makes it non-toxic when heated...and why would I heat it? Well, that's the beauty of Faux Bone. Using a simple heat gun you can shape this material into whatever your heart desires. I've been cutting strips of it and have learned ways to tangle it into beads and vines. Combined with methods for texturing and coloring it, you can really create...well...just about anything. I guess you can say I like the control...and its inexpensive...and its strong...and...and...! I will teach four of my Faux Flora designs at the Bead and Button Show next year and have placed photos in the catalog on my website. One of my newer designs, untitled at this point, is posted here. I'm eager to start teaching these classes locally and will email you when I have something scheduled.

Finally, a big congratulations to beadclub former staff member Sheri Caruso who will have one of her projects featured in Beadwork next year! She will be teaching a class at Fusion Beads in the new year. If you haven't taken a class from her, well, you've missed out. She is, sincerely, one of the most patient, talented instructors I know. Her bead stitches are impeccable and she has such a wealth of knowledge to share with her students. Be sure to check her out. I'll be at The Ranch this month teaching the Rippled Bangle and Metal Flowers. I taught my first class there last week, and boy, did I forget just how much I love teaching! Check the dates for my next classes in the catalog...I'd love to catch up with some familiar faces.

Next time...reckless creation...I have a theory...

A New Chapter Begins

2011-09-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

September 2, 2010

It was a mere 2 days ago that I stood in an empty storefront and looked around at the cold, vacant space that was once beadclub. I decided to take one last walk around, taking in the little details that were part of my life over the last 7 years...the double french glass doors on the classroom that allowed customers to sneak a peak at the fun things we were doing in there, the lit soffits that illuminated the walls of glass, seed, semi-precious and pearl beads, the mens bathroom which we promptly turned into a storage room (sorry guys...). I opened the classroom doors and memories flooded my mind, and I felt like I was in a cheesy Lifetime movie as the montage of experiences flashed in front of me: "bead and feeds" that lasted until 2am, birthday parties for 6 year olds, wire wrapping classes which ultimately addicted new beaders to our art...and in all honesty, for the first time in the last few months...I realized what I was going to miss.

You see, I've been so excited to start this next chapter of my life. Balancing running a retail store, being a mother of two young children, and satisfying my desire to explore and create and teach has been a tricky thing. And with my mother (who ran the shop) retiring, it was clear that it was only going to get harder. So as many of my family, friends and customers experienced, I practically jumped for joy when I told people I was closing the shop. And while I will never regret that decision, today I sit here with a little more respect. You see, I didn't just close my business...I closed a place where people gathered and learned, created new friendships and laughed, celebrated and sometimes mourned. A place where people let me live my dream for 7 years. And so, humbled, I send all of you my thanks...my thanks for being part of my life and my thanks for letting us be part of yours. I look forward to continuing our relationship as beadclub evolves into its next form...

Which brings me to this website...combining a little bit of me with a little bit of beadclub, and hopefully over time, a little bit of you (in the form of student work to be posted on this blog). I am excited to announce I will start teaching again locally at The Ranch Center for Arts and Craft in Snohomish. This place has been close to my heart for the last few years. It 's the place I go to retreat and learn new things. The Ranch and its owner, Randi Harper, is not only committed to teaching the arts, but to serving people in many, many ways...and for that, it has my utmost respect. I am proud to call it one of my new "homes."

I am also thrilled to announce that my first book, tentatively entitled "Spotlight on Wire," will be coming out next year. It is being released by Kalmbach (publishers of Bead & Button, Art Jewelry and Beadstyle). I am pleased to include projects from some of my former instructors, including Pam Brown and Corinna VanKleeck.

And that brings me to the staff of beadclub. No business owner could ever hope for more when it came to our staff. Not only were they talented, loyal and trustworthy...I count them as my friends...my tired friends, of course...everyone worked their bums off packing up the shop this last week! I can't thank you girls enough...you know I love you all, dearly, and look forward to our next adventures together.

So, a closing toast to beadclub. A great 7 years was had by all. And today, a new chapter begins and I look forward to seeing how the story progresses!