July 2011 BJP....aka "the albatross" :)

Yes, it is the albatross around my neck.  The other day it was the monkey on my back.  Getting a picture here?  I have worked so hard on this simple little necklace.  It has most definitely been an exercise in persistence, commitment, and trying to be more patient.  It was a lesson that some things won't allow you to rush them.  With this I was limited by my hands, and although I am usually a fast beader, with this project I had to go much more slowly.  Commitment...I started it, and I was determined to finish it.  Many times projects are started and they aren't as fun and exciting as others so they go in the UFO pile.  Believe me.  There were several times that I thought about it!  So, I had to be persistent.  I had to motivate myself to work on it and go through some physical pain to get it done.  And I did!

The pendant was another challenge.  I had no idea how I was going to bead it, but I got some beads and a stone to go specifically with the seed beads I used, so I was going to make something work.  I had a few sputters and false starts, but I think I was thinking about it too much.  The other night I decided to "just bead" and let the stitching work itself out.  And it did!  I went back to my first days in bead embroidery under the wings of Robin Atkins, learning how to bead "improvisationally" and "just do it".   I am very happy with the way the pendant turned out.  I didn't like the big gaps between the round beads surrounding the stone (a very pretty piece of fossil agate...that's a close up on the first pic at the top), so I just started going in between them all with the seed beads.  It sort of reminded me of petals on a flower.  Of course, my husband didn't think it looked anything like a flower.  Do you know what he said?  He said it looks like his grandparents' old sofa.  Zing. Ouch.  I guess he doesn't like it.  Why should I be surprised?  He rarely likes anything I do...it's because he says "it's not his thing".  But I ask him why he can't appreciate my craftsmanship and artistry?  He doesn't get it.  Oh well.

The colors might not be the "IN" colors on the Pantone Fashion Report, but I thought they looked rather nice together.  I used peach, tangerine and brown seed beads with the core bead in brown to create this triple spiral.  I know one other month I did an embellished regular spiral, but this was much more challenging.  The beads got real tight by the third color in the round and I really had to coax and push and pull the needle through a lot of the time.  Working so hard on something, though, gives a nice sense of accomplishment, don't you think?  It is just over 23" and is hooked with a gold-plated simple lobster claw.  Oh!  And I also tried a new stitch on the bail!  I showed you a twisted tubular herringbone not too long ago, but tonight I did just a flat herringbone.  I guessed at how to make the turn to the next row and thought, "No, this can't be right."  I looked up a tutorial online and I was right!  Gave myself a pat on the back for getting the hang of this beadweaving stuff and seeing how it should go intuitively.

Ok, here it is...my July 2011 BJP project and new stitch in my repertoire...

Also, the pendant is backed in a nice soft tan microsuede and beaded the beads using Nicole's Beadbacking.  It is so nice to work with, holds its shape, doesn't fray or unravel...you should try it!  Check it out at her Etsy shop and visit her blog, Beadwright.

Got some beads to show

Happy Flag Day.  I thought this flag heart was appropriate and very cute and definitely says love of country.  I didn't sleep again last night, so I had plenty of time to work on beads, and I actually have something to show today.  Imagine that! 

I saw a photo of a rope I liked on greeniezona's Flickr page.  Normally I would put the link, but her Flickr page is also filled with personal photos of her family, and I don't know if it would be right for me to direct a lot of people there.  greeniezona....if it's ok to post your Flickr page, comment and let me know.  Anyhow, I asked her what stitch it was and she said she was inspired by another necklace on Etsy.  I set out to try to figure out how to do the stitch, and after a lot of searching and a lot of help from Mandy over at Beads for Brains: 365, I figured it out.  Then it took a lot of tries and some ripping, sorting and restarting before I got it right.  And mine still never looked quite like the one from greenie or the Etsy shop...their's kind of kinked up along with the twist.  mine just layed smooth and twisted. 

I used a bronze 8/0, and in 11/0's I used gold metallic, galvanized brown, cream and a transparent champagne color.  This stitch was very easy on my hands, and I know I will do this one again in some other color/size combinations.  I really like how it looks.  And I love the colors I chose.  I took some with the pendant and some without.  I wish I knew what the stone is in the pendant, but I don't.  If you do, let me know.  Who wants to play the name game?  Any suggestions?

It is 23 3/4" and is hooked with a gold plated lobster claw clasp.  This was the first time I had made and attached a beaded bail.  I wasn't sure of the "proper" way to do it, but my way seems to have worked just fine.  Oh, and the pendant is backed real nice with a tan micro suede.

Calla Lilies (in beads)

I just love calla lilies.  They have always been one of my favorite flowers.  I don't know why, but I just love the shape and simplicity of them.  To me they are very elegant.  Some time last year I found the prettiest frosted calla lily beads.  I'm having a hard time now remembering though if they are glass or resin.  The writing on the plastic bag rubbed off, so now I don't even remember where I bought them.  I had been looking for quite a long time to find just the right beads to go with the calla lilies.

I had in my mind what I wanted to do with them, but I needed a green bead and a yellow bead that would fit the bill.  I came across the perfect green beads at Artbeads.com...on clearance nonetheless.  Of course, not knowing exactly how many I would need I bought 2 strands of these gorgeous, sleek olivine cat's eye rectangles.  Since they were on clearance I knew if I didn't order enough, I'd never find the same ones again.  Finding yellow beads is so very difficult.  If I did find the right color, they weren't the right size or I didn't like the shape.  Then one day I wasn't even looking for them and these little yellow and white nuggets caught my eye.  Perfect color, perfect shape!  How lucky am I?

I wanted my necklace to be a little abstract, but still get the feel of the calla lilies.  I strung the beads on flexible wire, which I have never used before, and crimped the ends around the clasp.  I like the wire!  I am definitely going to use it again.  Here are pics of my simple little (20") calla lily necklace.  Each of those flower beads is 1 1/2" long and 1/2" wide...pretty substantial!  And the flowers do match up and are centered...I just had the necklace skewed on the form.  dumb me!

As always, you can click to see a larger view.

Special Request for a Little Girl

Do you remember the cute little blue/peach/green flowery chain I did the other day?  It got snagged up yesterday.  A good friend of mine thought it would be a great present for her granddaughter.  She wanted one for the sister, too, but not exactly the same.  She thought maybe red flowers instead of blue and peach, but then I was concerned if the red and green would look to Christmasy.  My friend was saying how the girls are very different people and she likes to give them unique gifts.  She asked if maybe there was a similar stitch that wasn't the same.  I said that I had never done it before, but the daisy chain would make an adorable necklace for a 7 year old girl.  So I set about to learn how to make a daisy chain.

I have to admit, I don't think I did my daisies exactly "correctly" but I won't tell if you won't tell.  ;)  It just worked out better the way I did it, and I think it looks great.  I finished it up and I had my Sara try it on to see how it would look.  Ooooh, I thought it was super way cute, and I told her to go look in the mirror.  She came back with her shirt up over her chin and said, "What?  I don't have anything!"  lol.  That meant she wanted it.  Of course I told her I would make her one too, and I did.

Here are some pics of the Daisy Chain necklace with lots of multi colored flowers.  Makes me think of a spring time garden.

Once I got it beaded I doubled the thread back through with lots of half hitch knots along the way to reinforce and secure it since it is for a little girl.  They tend to be a little rougher on things.  Cute, isn't it?

I had a very long, but good, day today.  I only got a few hours of sleep, so I was real tired which concerned me.  I was wondering how well I would make it through the day because when I get tired I don't function well at all.  I'm not one who can power through.  Nope.  My brain says, "Overload!" and just shuts down.  Kind of frustrating sometimes.  Sometimes I can only last an hour.  Today, though, I lasted almost 6 hours!!!!!  Holy cow, that is some kind of record for me!  I went to a card making class with my good friend Beth (she sells Close to My Heart scrapbooking supplies).  We made 5 different cards, and they were all beautiful!  The kids were supposed to stay in the bedroom and watch a movie on the DVD player, but the player wouldn't work.  Pretty soon Sara made her way to the table and Beth was very tolerant and gracious and let her join us.  Matthew stayed in the bedroom and played Sara's Nintendo DS and didn't complain one single time through the entire class!!!  Such a good natured kid.  Never causes waves. 

After the class was over and the guests had left it was the kids' turn for some fun.  Beth has a swimming pool and the kids got to go swimming!  They had such a good time and played so well together.  It makes my heart happy to see them get along so well...you can tell they'll be very close throughout their adult years.

So that was my day.  How about you?

Peach Blue Green

I've gotten into this habit of finding clip art to go with the theme of the post I am doing.  Sometimes it's really challenging to find anything at all, and sometimes there's so much to choose from I can't decide.  Today I really have no theme, so I entered "peach blue green", the colors of my project.  And look at this pretty little picture of trees that popped up in just those colors.  Cute, huh?  Very simple and understated, just like the necklace I am going to show you today!

I've been working on another project that has been taking what seems like forever because it hurts my hands and I have to stop and switch gears a lot.  In between sessions with the project I chose 3 tubes of beads that I showed you pictures of the other day that I wanted to work with.  I made a simple little choker (14 1/2") of a pretty little flower chain with blue and peach flowers and green stems.  I think it turned out super cute.  My daughter was wearing her P.E. t-shirt, which just wouldn't do for photos, so I recruited her friend, Taylor, to be my model.  Sami laughed at her. lol.  I'm not showing her face, though, because she's not my kid and I wouldn't feel right about posting her.  Pretty as she is and as good a model as she was, I'm going to err on the side of caution.

I've had a very horrible couple of days and it feels like the weight of the world crushing down on me.  I am not it well at all.  My therapist has been out on medical leave since December, and my only therapeutic outlet has been my beading.  This simple little flower chain I worked on helped to lighten my thoughts.  Maybe I should do 3 or 4! lol  Actually, maybe I should.  It would look great in so many color variations, from dark with sparkles to bright and happy or delicate and sweet, it does have a lot of possibilities within its simplicity.  Ok, here it is...

Do you like my little chain?

Beady Gift for my Mother in Law

My mil has always been a really big supporter and encourager of my bead work.  I've been beading for quite a few years now, and I never made her anything.  The other day I showed her the black and silver Oglala necklace and she completely looooooooooooved it (click here if you want to go back and check it out).  I should have known she would...she adores ruffles!  If it's got ruffles, she's a-likin' it.  Now, she has really liked a lot of my other work in the past, but none of them totally clicked in my head as thinking she would wear it.  But as soon as she saw the Oglala, it just hit me that this is what I needed to make for her...I wanted to make for her.

I told her I wanted to make her one, and we discussed color and length.  She likes bright colors, with teal being her favorite, and she likes her necklaces to hang longer.  We decided it needed to be at least 30 inches.  I went bead shopping yesterday at a little shop not too far from my house.  For the core I chose a 6/0 in a metallic iris finish.  Depending on the light they change from purple to green to gold.  I chose in 11/0 a transparent lined teal, a matte purple (really pretty shade...it's hard to find gorgeous purples), a cranberry tinted goldish metallic and I had on hand some cranberry colored beads.

The color that is used the most and goes throughout the necklace is the teal.  I used almost the whole tube of those.  The next color was cranberry/rose-ish gold to give it some sparkle (my new favorite word this week) and kick.  The large ruffle down the middle/front is the purple and there is just a wee hint of the cranberries.  I so wish the camera picked up the colors better.  They are really really pretty. 

I originally told her it would take a while to finish, being that it is so long and that I was in the middle of another project.  But I was a little bored of the project on my table, so I switched over to hers.  I started yesterday afternoon, worked for quite a few hours, went to bed, woke up at 4:30 a.m. and worked quite a few more hours.  I went back to bed and worked on it throughout the rest of the day.  Between yesterday afternoon and this evening when I finished it I guess I have about 11 hours into it.  Not bad...I've been told I'm a fast beader.

So I called her up and told her I finished it and I wanted to bring it over to give to her.  I had such butterflies and knots in my stomach.  I soooo wanted her to like it.  I told her she had to be honest with me about it.  I showed it to her and she said she did like it a lot. (whew!)  She said it was a good choice I made to put that rosy metallic in there, otherwise the colors might have been too flat.  (whew, again!)  She went to her room and pulled out a top that she's going to wear with it.  It is almost the exact same shade of purple as the beads in the necklace!  It looks like it was meant to be together from the very beginning.  If I had actually planned it to go with that top I don't know that I could have done as well.  (whew, again!!!)

Here are some pics.  Maybe I'll get a pic or two of her wearing it sometime to put up to show.  It kind of looks like a little knot or tie in the back.  Since it's large enough to slip over the head and didn't need a clasp, I wanted to make it a little more interesting than just a circle.  The two ends curled in a bit, so with the string at each end I backed up about an inch, tied the string in four knots, glued the knot, weaved the threads back through the beads and back out again, tied it in four knots and glued it again, then tucked in the threads and snipped them.  Hoping it will hold well enough!  But I thought that little tie thing in the back would add a little more interest than just tying the very ends together.  What do you think?

You can always click on the pics for a larger view.

Inspiration

I like to put a little clip art picture to start off my blog that is related to my post.  I Google the topic I'm looking for then click on "images".  Sometimes the pics are right on and I have a hard time choosing.  But if you Google "inspiration" and click "images", you get some pretty weird things.  So I finally found this artist sitting with what looks to me like muses watching over, and I thought it was perfect.  This week my muse is named Mandy.  Do you all know Mandy from over at Beads for Brains: 365?  She is very committed to her goal, let me tell you.  You'll have to go to her blog and check her out.  She's learning and practicing a new stitch every day for a year!  And I thought my goal of one stitch per month for the year was pretty good.  She does some pretty interesting things.  One day last week (can't remember which) she did the Oglala stitch.  I really loved the look of it so I created a necklace using the tutorial she gave a link for then making my own variation and pattern based on that.

My mil thinks it's my best one yet.  I think she's a little biased because she likes ruffles sooooo much!  I'm going to make her one too, but that will come sometime later...have to go buy more beads.  Darn.  I don't have a name for it.  Some people don't care to name their things, and that's ok too, but I feel like my creations should be named just like other things you love...kids, fur babies, dollies, whatever.  So help me come up with a name for this.  I used 6/0 black seed beads for the core then 11/0's in silver, black and some kind of maybe antique silver?  Don't know what it's called because the store where I buy them just puts numbers on the labels.  No color names...see?  Things should have names.  Makes it easier to identify.  That's the way I roll anyways.  Ok, here it is.

What do you think?

Remember on Saturday when I posted what a great day I had?  Well, I did have a perfect day except I have to tell you about Matthew.  He was not feeling well all day.  He has asthma (which is hard for a kid who loves to play sports) and he was really struggling to breathe all day long.  During the day I gave him a breathing treatment.  Didn't get any better.  Then I had him use his rescue inhaler several times...Didn't get any better.  (He has two inhalers.  One is a rescue inhaler when you're having a bad attack and need quick relief.  Then there's the regular inhaler that is a slower acting and not as strong I guess.)  I had him using the rescue inhaler over the regular inhaler.  But throughout the day I was really worried about him.  Being a weekend, and by this time it was night time, the pediatrician isn't in and the urgent care clinics are closed.  Jeff doesn't like anyone going to the doctor unless there is a limb missing.  I told him enough times how worried I was and I guess he got worried too because he ended up taking Matthew to the emergency room Saturday night.

His breathing was so poor that he didn't have to wait for anyone in the E.R.  They rushed him right in to see a doctor.  That's how you know it was bad.  When they rush you through instead of making you wait for 2 1/2 hours just to get into a little curtained room.  They gave him 2 breathing treatments.  The doctor said that the breathing treatment medicine vials we were using were past their shelf life and ineffective.  I didn't know they had a shelf life!  No wonder it didn't help him.  Then on top of that he said the rescue inhaler was empty!!!  (it made the little swoosh sound and stuff so I thought it was fine.)  omg, I felt so bad.  It was all my fault.  But I had no idea the rescue inhaler I had been giving him was out!  Good news is about an hour and a half later he came home, breathing much better and feeling hungry.

The other scary part is that we took him to the emergency room without any insurance.  Since Jeff had been off work for 5 months, our insurance ran out.  The bill is going to be terrible, I know.  But I think I'm going to try to get Jeff to call the billing department and ask them if they can cut any slack on any of the fees.  I've heard of people doing that and that it can work.  Keeping fingers crossed.  Our insurance will kick back in next month, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that no one else gets sick or hurt.

Ok, gang.  That's all the news I have for today.  I'm working on another necklace like this one in some different colors, then I'm going to make one for my mil in some bright colors and a little longer.  That's what's on my plate.  Oh!  and my 3 orders from Artbeads.com finally shipped on Friday (after FIVE days of waiting to be picked in the warehouse).  Maybe that will come tomorrow too.  I love getting packages in the mail!!!

May Bead Journal Project

For those of you who have been watching my BJP entries for 2011, you know that I am learning 1 new stitch a month and making a necklace/bracelet set to learn and master some new skills.  The stitch I learned this past month is the spiral rope stitch.  I used 2 different colors of size 8's (green and blue) and alternated them in the core.  To spiral around I used 6 different colors of 11's and 2 colors of 10's (purples, blues, a green and a pink).  I picked them up randomly.  That's to reflect how I've been feeling lately.  Things are randomly organized if that makes sense to you.  I also used little bits of things I had only a few of to swirl around the spiral.  That's the little bit of chaos thrown into my life. lol. 

This rope took a lot of time and dedication.  The bracelet is 7.5" and the rope is 35".  I was soooo over the spiral stitch by the time I was half way through it, lol and I had to really make myself continue.  But I do like the look of the spiral stitch, and I'm positive I will use it again in the future.  Maybe not on such a long rope, though.  It is long enough to wear both as a long necklace or doubled as a short necklace.  This piece to me has a little bit of quirky charm.  There are different sizes, shapes and colors of flowers, discs, iris beads, glass rounds, some puffy pillow types, a cube, some pretty magatamas and all the while consistently placed gold metal discs in between.  So on every angle of the rope there is something colorful and fun to look at.  And with all these colors, it will go with anything!  :)

Here is the set I call "Baubles & Bits".

As usual, if you want a closer look just click on the pics.  I've got ideas floating around in my head for June's BJP, and I'm thinking I would really like to incorporate some of the cabs and beads I have been making with the polymer clay.  Lots of fun!

To all my mommy readers, whether to people babies or fur babies...Happy Mother's Day!

Vintage Inspired

In addition to my clay hoard I just got, I am also working on my May Bead Journal Project piece.  I've got quite a ways to go on it yet, but I've been switching gears between 3 different things so it's getting worked on a little at a time.

The third project I have been working on is a themed piece.  Artbeads.com gave the assignment, and let me tell you...it was a challenge!!!  The theme is "What's Old is New Again."  In other words, take something vintage (or vintage inspired) and recreate it into a new, modern piece.  Have you ever seen me work in vintage, steampunk or anything like that?  No.  Why?  It's not my thing and I haven't a clue how to go about it.  Now I had to do something I just wasn't comfortable with.  Talk about stretching the creative muscles!  I think I have a sprain.

Let me start by showing you the things I got.  I started with 6 different antique brass chains in 1 foot pieces.

I had the idea of taking a bunch of old chains and reconstructing them into one new piece.  I really like the look of the antique brass.  It has a very nice finish, and all the chains are a very high quality.  They will not easily break or come apart!

I got two filigree links, also in antique brass.  They are so pretty!  I also got antique brass jump rings, and I had no idea they were such a thick gauge and so strong.  I was a little panicked at first because my idea was to put crystals on the jump rings and attach them to the chains.  But these jump rings were so thick there was no way on God's green earth that those crystals would fit on that wire.  I ordered 2mm Swarovski crystals in Dark Indigo.  Holy crow are they TINY!!!  I also got 5mm bicones in Mocca and 5mm round Swarovski pearls in Night Blue.  (Soooo pretty!!!  I couldn't capture the colors very well in the photos.  Sorry.)

But none of them would fit on those jump rings!  Uh oh!  What to do now???!!!  I had to make an emergency purchase at one of my local bead stores and pick up some alternate supplies.  I took the beads with me and I had to try the wires to see what gauge would fit through the beads.  For the 2mm, I had to go with a 24 gauge...not very sturdy. :(  For the other beads I could get by with a 20 gauge, which wasn't bad.  I then invested in a set of simple jump ring makers.

What a good buy!!!  I am now a pro at making jump rings, and I will never buy another jump ring ever.  Since the jump rings I got were too big for what I had originally intended, and I didn't want to not use them I decided to make a 7th chain from them.

For the pearls I made a simple head pin by making a bend in the bottom of the wire and pinching it completely up to make a little stop.  For the bicones I made a head pin with a spiral bottom and they both just had simple loops at the top.  For the tiny crystals I just made little jumprings and put them on.

I needed to also attach the chains together and to the filigrees, but I also had a problem with the jump ring sizes on those too because the holes were pretty small.  But I did manage.  Also, my snips are not a very good quality, so they didn't make nice, smooth cuts for the jump rings.  This made the edges where they close together not very tight.  To help prevent any from coming off, a lot of the time I doubled up the jump rings.  I figure one might come loose, but maybe not both.  In the end two of the chains did not make the cut.  I used 4 chains I ordered plus the one I made with the jump rings.  This is what I came up with.  I call it...

Links In Time

You can click for a larger view

With this project I have become a master jump ring maker, and I had more than my share of opening and closing the rings!  I've also become pretty proficient at simple loops and making those little spirals.   All in all, I'm pretty happy with what I came up with considering this is not my usual style.  The necklace is 17 3/4" and drops down from the top chain to the bottom the pearl dangles about 6".

Artbeads.com rocks.  I must have said it a gazillion times.  If you haven't yet visited them, you really need to because they have the supplies to make almost anything you want.

I hope everyone is having a nice Easter weekend!

FTC disclaimer:  Artbeads.com provided me with supplies at no charge.  I am not being compensated in any way for my true and honest opinions of their products.

My Project Is Done!!! :D

What does this little daisy clip art have to do with my newest project?  Not much, except maybe that I felt like my latest project really "blossomed".  And, hey, I think it's cute.

Ok, on to my project.  I felt so good making this necklace.  That's what I find so gratifying about beading.  I get to be creative, and it makes me feel good.  It's great therapy.  This piece really flowed for me.  I didn't have to think about it...it just came together.  No forcing it, no second guessing it.  You ever have a great project like that?  I hope to have many more because it was so utterly enjoyable.

The centerpiece is a cab by Beth Evans of Bellesanbeaus on Artfire.  She does amazing work.  It turns out this cab was a little bit of a mistake.  I had asked for shades of blue, but she mistakenly sent me shades of green.  And it's a good thing she intuitively knew exactly what I needed better than I know for myself because the green cab is PERFECT!!!  I also used Nicole Campanella's wonderful-to-work-with Beadbacking.  It's so easy to work with when doing bead embroidery.  You don't have to worry about backing your fabric with lacy's or anything else.  You just bead right on it, you can cut around it in the shape you need, and it won't fray or stretch.  And it's acid free.  PERFECT as well!  You can get Nicole's Beadbacking from her Etsy shop, Beadwright.

Another awesome thing is that I used everything from my stash.  The only thing I bought for this project was the clasp.  The little green cabs Beth gifted me.  That was so nice of her!  Again, she intuitively knew what I needed.  I also mixed in some orange, which is not a color I normally work with.  I find it a very difficult color and orange and I don't play well together.  But this week we called a truce, and look how the orange just shines with the green.  I love the orange lucite flowers that rest near the collar bones.  (They're a little higher on my "model" because he's only 11 and a little smaller than a person it was actually meant to be sized for.)  But Matthew was a good sport and jumped right up when I asked him to model for me.  He's kind of funny because he's in his underwear only and he was real paranoid that I didn't show his boobies in the pics. hahaha.  Kids are fun.

I've never made a necklace where I did bead embroidery and had to put the pieces together.  I wasn't sure how to do that.  Then I remembered the wise words from Robin Atkins, the bead embroidery goddess..."Just do it!"  I don't know how other people do it, but my way seemed to work!  Yea!

Enough, enough already!  I know...let's get on with it!  Ok everyone.  Here are the pics.  I realize that this probably won't be everyone's cup of tea, but for me it's just stunning.  And I guess that's what counts.  Matthew doesn't want me to try to sell it, but he reluctantly said I could lol.  Someday it will find the perfect home.

I originally was going to call it Lush Green, but I just had the idea of Greenman in Springtime.  I've always loved the Greenman, so maybe it's fitting that I make a tribute to him.

Greenman in Springtime

Normally I take my photos in the daytime in a nice shady area to get the beautiful natural light, but I was too anxious to wait until tomorrow to show it off.  I also learned how to do a spiral rope for this necklace.  I was pretty happy with it.  It took the 3rd try to get the color combination I was happy with, and I'm pleased with the way it turned out.  You can click on the photos to see a larger view.  Isn't that face cab fabuloso!?! Comments anyone?

What a Difference in a Day

Wow.  I have been experiencing two polar opposite ends of the spectrum these last 2 days.  I have been working on a necklace featuring one of Beth's face cabs that I always talk about.  I sat it on my table and started pulling out beads.  I am using some colors that I do not normally use.  That may sound difficult, but I am finding that this piece is practically creating itself.  I have been loving working on it, looking at it, showing my progress to my biggest fans (my kids :).  Matthew loves it so much that he said I have to keep it and not put it up for sale.  The beading has been effortless.  Well, maybe a slight hiccup.  I learned how to do a spiral rope and I had two false starts.  Not on the stitch itself but on the choice of colors for the core and stuff.  The third one was the keeper, but it wasn't even a big deal.  I stitched about an inch each of the first two combinations, so I'm just calling those 2 inches practice.  I can't wait to finish it up and show it off.  But I have to get a clasp for it first.  Could have sworn I had an extra gold-plated clasp in my box, but no.  Plenty of silver plated, but not what I need.  Bummer.

this is how i feel today.  huh?!?!

I went from that extreme of artistic and creative flow to complete and utter confusion.  I have to create something now that is totally not my style.  I've never attempted it or particularly cared for it.  And now I have to make something beautiful.  I have tried looking to my computer and the trusty old Google to find ideas.  I have scoured Etsy looking for inspiration.  Nothing.  Nada.  Blah.  So what do I do?  How do I come up with the perfect idea when I don't even really know what this style is supposed to look like?  I've been giving myself pep talks, telling Me that this is an artistic challenge and I'm stretching my boundaries, spreading my wings.  It's not working.

I know you amazingly talented artists out there in Blogland have had this happen.  I have a mental block and my muse is no where to be seen.  Actually, I think she is still hovering over the necklace I'm so happy with and doesn't want to leave it.  What are your suggestions, ideas, remedies, mental block busting methods of overcoming such a challenge?