Something BIG!

We have been invited to share part of the Art Association's cabin in Pioneer Park (AKA Alaskaland)!!!!!

We will have our jewelry on display in the FAA cabin seven days a week from Memorial Day (this weekend) til Labor Day (early September)!

Our consignment fee will only be 20% which is excellent. And we will have to staff the cabin one day a week. Beth and I are going to split Mondays, so that each of us only has to staff the cabin for about four hours a week!!!

We are so excited. =)

I hope to see you at Pioneer Park!

Friday is My FUN Day!- Dichroic Glass Pendants

More Metal-smithing projects-

I got to work with Dichroic glass in Metalsmithing. Not something I ever expected to do.

These two pendants are my first projects working with bits of glass and melting it into one piece with a kiln.
They are not bad for the first glass projects I've ever done, however, my later glass pendants are much more attractive and interesting. It's definitely a learning curve, and I've just begun.

I wish this was something I could do regularly, but both the glass and the kiln are EXPENSIVE. I'd love to get better at it. I know that these are not fantastically cool pendants, but I like 'em. =)
My intention is to bead these into necklaces and sell them. I'll post again, when I have them beaded and ready to sell.

Look forward to seeing you at Farmer's Market!
Becca

Bead Soup Blog Party

I am getting excited about the package of beads I am sending to my partner! =)
To learn more about it, go here:  http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/2010/04/bead-soup-blog-party-is-here.html

I get to create a special package of beads and send them to my partner, and she sends me a package!  And then we get to create. =)
To see some photos of past bead soup entries, go here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1290276@N25/pool/page6/

Farmer's Market- First Day!

We made it to Farmer's Market today!

YAY!

And it was a lovely day! The forecast was for rain, but it was sunny and pretty through most of the day.
We saw friends, sold stuff, ate yummy food, and had fun. =)

Until the end of the day.
About an hour before closing clouds started rolling in.
And then, Five minutes before closing huge gusts of wind started hitting the Market.

We were so lucky. Really, we were incredibly blessed- every time one of the really bad gusts would hit our tent someone was standing right there who could help us by holding it down.
Two other venders lost tents- their legs got bent and messed up. One of the tents actually flipped over and fell on top of another one. Scarey stuff!

The pottery guild lost several pieces- the wind blew them right off their shelves. And another friend lost some of her fabric pins. Another friend's daughter had a really bad asthma attack- I'm hoping to hear that she is okay soon. I had eye problems from the dirt and dust off the parking lot, but no asthma.

Our earring rack flew right off the table, but we didn't lose any earrings or the rack... Again, we were incredibly blessed, 'cuz we could have lost many things. A couple of our boards went over, but neither the boards or the pieces on them were damged.

Plus I'm thankful we forgot our new sign. It would have been hanging pretty loosely, kind of jury-rigged, 'cuz we don't have it completely hang-ready. One of us or somebody walking by probably would have gotten conked.

Also, last minute decision- we decided not to put up our walls. Thank you, God! It would have turned our tent into a sail...

So many bad things could have happened, and they didn't. Overall, it was a wonderful day, even with the last crazy half-hour. I am so glad we got to go!!!

Hope to see you at the Market!

Friday is My Fun Day!- Pendants

YAY! I'm done with my Metal-smithing final! I did good!

Boo! I'm done with Metal-smithing... That makes me sad. I'm going to miss all the wonderful tools. I will miss the drill press, the torch, the rolling mill, the sander, the polisher, the flex shaft, the saws, the files... I could go on and on. However, I have become convinced that I will continue working with metal. I am quite solidly addicted.

Here's my Creative Project for the day:
Beth's Pendant

I made this one for Beth's birthday, and I'm delighted with it.
I like the assymetry and the layers.
I created this one like I created mine.  http://godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com/2010/05/friday-is-my-fun-day-butterfly-pendant.html

Part 1-
First I annealed the metal with the torch to make it soft so that it would take the leaf impression. Then I chose a fern leaf and ran them through the rolling mill.

Part 2-
I drew the flowers & the butterfly and cut them out with a jeweler's saw. Then I soldered them onto the pendant. Then I created the little silver balls and soldered them into the center of the flowers.

Part 3-
I applied several layers of liver of sulphur on the fern frond using a toothpick. Then I washed it and pickled it. Finally I sanded and sanded and sanded.

And after seeing the results, I chose to solder the little tiny silver balls to the center of these flowers, too. I'm more pleased with the appearance now than I was before. I like the 3 layers now- the impression, the butterflies and flowers, and then the little centers of the flowers.

http://godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com/2010/05/friday-is-my-fun-day-butterfly-pendant.html

From Becca

BONUS Fun Day! - My Garden Bracelet

Yesterday was the Bead Star submission date, so I ran around like CRAZY... Trying to get my pics taken before metal-smithing and while the sun was shining.


I didn't want to wait til after class, 'cuz of the time difference. Alaska time is an hour after Pacific coast time, and I wasn't sure when they'd shut down the entries.

So, I've got extra photos of the work I've been doing, and I wanted to share!!!

I made this bracelet about a month ago. I love the way the seed beads wind around the rose quartz and the center frame. I fought with that strand of seed beads! It would not do what I wanted it to do at first, but I finally won the battle.

I think my favorite bit is the butterfly charm
It's hard to see, but there's also a strand of fluorite with with the strand of green pearls.

I'm calling this one 'My Garden', because it reminds me of soft pink flowers and fluttering butterflies.
 
Becca

Friday WAS my Fun Day

Every Friday I post about whatever I'm creatively up to on my own blog http://www.godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com/ .  After talking it over with Beth we thought it might be fun for me to share over here, too.

This Friday I want to share this lovely ice prince bib necklace.  It's on sale at our Etsy shop! 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/twosistersbeadwork 

A Bead Soup Party!!

I am so excited!!! I am going to participate in a Bead Soup Party!

Lori Anderson's from Pretty Things Blog http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/ has created a wonderful tradition and I'm going to be part of it!!!! =)

It means I'm going to be trading beads with someone, and making something lovely!!!! I'm delighted, ecstatic, excited and happy!

Some benefits: Our blog will be highlighted! I'll make new pretty things! I'll receive LOVELY beads! I might make friends! I might influence people! How could I pass this one up??!!

Stay tuned for more news. =)

REBECCA

metalsmithing copper arm band

here's one of my projects from last semester's metalsmithing class. it's a native american inspired arm band. it's available through etsy or this summer at the farmers market for $35. by beth