November 25, 2014

Art Charm Exchange Reveal and Auction

Welcome to the reveal of the Art Charms I've made for this year's swap and auction for Beads of Courage. The hostess of this event is Jennifer Stout Cameron at Glassaddiction blog.


  The theme for this year was: soar.
  Searching for ideas online I've found a mantra of a fiction character that sounded just perfect:
"I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar!"
   Can you guess who that character was? Hoban "Wash" Washburne, the pilot of Serenity, a smuggling ship of the Firefly series.
As my favorite part of Autumn are the colors of a changing nature, I've decided to make leaves ... in three colors: reddish, yellow and green.

photo by Jen Cameron
 
photo by Jen Cameron

 The charms are made of polymer clay, textured with real leaves and formed by hands (no molds were used), then colored with chalks and acrylics and varnished to a high shine.

  



 The charms are available at a Charity Auction for Beads of Courage on eBay. All the money raised will go to Beads of Courage: the program is a resilience-based intervention designed to support and strengthen children and families coping with serious illness.
  Buying a charm at the auction you can get a double satisfaction: you receive a piece of art and you help seriously ill children at the same time. Isn't that great??!! 

Please visit also the blogs of the others participants, you won't regret!!


2014 Art Charm Exchange Participants

Jenny Davies-Reazor: http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Lennis Carrier: http://www.windbent.net


Be happy,
Alenka

November 18, 2014

Custom Order Earrings / Uhani po naročilu

Polymer clay beads (made by me), metallic sead beads (tubular herringbone), wire.




Be happy,
Alenka


November 16, 2014

Art Charm Exchange 2014 - Sneak Peek

 Oh my ... So many months passed without any news from me!!! Well, it was a difficult and busy period at work (it still is) and I've had almost no time for creating. However, there are some events I won't miss for amy reason. On of them is the Jen Cameron's Art Charm Exchange. If you want to know more about it, just follow this link.


  This is my third time participating in this Beads of Courage Charm Swap and Auction and I really like both parts of the event - swapping art charms with other artists and donating a charm for the charity auction of the event.
  The auction will begin on November 24th and the reveal blog hop of the charms will be on November 25th. 

 Here's the sneak peek of my charms:



  Stay tuned and come back then for the reveal and more important - for the auction! 

  These are my reveal posts from the previous years:
- Art Charm Exchange 2013
- Art Charm Exchange 2012

    Be happy,
Alenka

August 17, 2014

Plans, oh plans ...

I was waiting so hardly for this year's vacation, I was really exhausted. My plans were to dedicate my time to my family and creating. There were so many "Work in progress" projects waiting for same spare time and creative energy. 

Plans, right!

In the meantime I've started to read a book I've received for my birthday a few years ago and .... 

... after three weeks this was the result:

  
Here are the original titles (I've read the Slovenian or Italian translations). 
From top:
- Cecilia Ahern: Thanks for the Memories
- John Green: The Fault in Our Stars
- Chris Carter: One by One 
- Gillian Flynn: Gone Girl
- C. M. Palov: Ark of Fire - The Templar's Code
- Rebecca Donovan: The Breathing Series (Trilogy):
                                      + Reason to Breathe
                                      + Barely Breathing
                                      + Out of Breath

No need to say the unfinished jewelry project remained so!!

Be happy,
Alenka

July 25, 2014

ATTS 5 Afterparty - Part One

  I was so sorry to had to step out from Therese's and Christine's challenge A Time to Stitch 5 as it's one of my favorites. However, sometimes the life gets it's own way and I had no energy to create anything at that time ... 

  The challenge was to pick only one stitch and to make three bracelets in a different size, shape and/or color of beads.

  My choice was the Right Angle Weave Stitch (RAW). This is not exactly my favorite stitch, but when I was choosing only one to use for a bracelet it inspired me the most. 

  I was able to finish the first bracelet (cuff) by now - the basic one. The squares are three per three beads.  The beads are Miyuki Rocailles 2,2 mm in different colors, according to one of the conversion tables available online it should be 11/0 or so. 
  To get a better consistency and straighter lines I've added some embellishments (white beads) passing through every line again. In the middle I've added also the diagonals of three beads. 

  This is the result (click on the pictures to enlarge):



On my wrist:

   

The inner side of the wrist:

   

Two more to go now ... 

If you want to see what the other participants created for the actual reveal, the list is here.


Be happy,
Alenka

July 23, 2014

BSBP8 Afterparty - Part 1

 Today I'm working on my unfinished projects ... and I've finally finished one more piece using the beads I've received in the bead soup from my partner Lori Anderson.

  Do you remember my bracelet with lampwork beads (for more pictures click on the link):


  Well, I had left two of the smaller lampwork beads that were perfect for a pair of earrings. I've made the herringbone rope a looong time ago, but had to make several attempts to stitch all the components together.

  The bracelet rope is tubular herringbone with 6 beads in a row, for the earrings I preferred to make a thinner rope and I used 4 beads in a row:



  As you can see, I'm still having fun with my bead soup :-)


Be happy,
Alenka 

July 22, 2014

Key Chain and Twinchie Swap

  Another swap at the FB International Polymer Clay Swap group is concluded for me - and this time the packages had to go a looong way - from Slovenia to Australia and the other way, too.

  My partner in this swap was Penny Houghton of the Smelly Nelly blog. She "takes pleasure in making 'stuff' from anything she can lay her hands on". She loves walking through the forest discovering new bugs, plants and animals.
  We have many things in common - both have two little children, love the same colors and neither of us is very keen on pinks. We both love Twilight saga and crime too (she says you are never too old to love a good vampire saga and I agree completely) 

  But let's see what I've sent to Penny (click on the pictures to enlarge):

 - a key chain that is a part of my last series (you will certainly recognize the technique of my previous post):


 The lobster clasp can be removed and the donut can be used as a pendant. I love to make multipurpose items.


- the twinchie: I've used a slice I had left from Julie Picarello's workshop I took in April of this year:




 I have to say I'm very happy with how it turned out. The colors of the slice were just perfect for someone living in Australia - representing sea, land and desert ... 



  This is rally one of my favorite twinchies (& inchies included) that I've ever made - I've almost kept it for myself ... :-)

  The set:




~~~~~


And here is what I've received from Australia - that was a very generous package, all created by Penny: 

- a beautiful sugar sculls key chain:



 Penny also put my initials on the back of the white scull:


The sugar sculls are very popular in Australia, she says (and I know that also in both  Americas). In Slovenia we are not very familiar with sugar sculls and the notion of celebrating life with them as it's for South America and other cultures. However the ones mady by Penny are really really cute!!! I'm afraid to ruin them using them as a key chain, my handbag is always too full of almost anything you can imagine, so I preferred hanging it near my pc desk so I can treasure it and smile to it from time to time :-).


- the twinchie:

Front side

Beautiful colors!! And look at the back side, it's so interesting, too, just like an abstract painting:


Back side

  - and she also included a beadwoven sugar sculls bracelet:


Sorry for the picture, it's not really the best, but the little sculls are perfectly made!!


- and it's not finished, she also made this beautiful zentangle card with my name on:




Thank you, Penny, you really spoiled me :-D    
It was a great pleasure to be your partner in this swap!!!


Be happy,
Alenka
 

June 24, 2014

Pendants for School Teachers...

... of my older son.
Obeska za učiteljici mojega starejšega sina.

Polymer clay, alcohol inks, bronze gilding wax, wire, cotton cord, gloss varnish.
(Click on the pictures to enlarge)
Polimerna glina, alkoholni inki, bronasta patina, žica, bombažna vrvica, svetleč lak.
(Z povečanje slike kliknite nanjo)




June 22, 2014

I'm back!

  What a busy period and so stressful!!! Specially at my day-job. I was feeling so exhausted and empty and was not able to create. I've even stepped out from one of my favorites challenges - A Time to Stitch!!! Hope this period is over, at least I'm trying to recover and make a step forward ...   

  The only thing I was able to finish lately is a custom order as a gift for kindergarten teachers: sun - ornaments from polymer clay (click on the picture to enlarge):





Be happy,
Alenka

May 10, 2014

Bead Soup Blog Party 8 - Reveal!

  Welcome to my blog - It's time for the reveal of the biggest blog party in the bead commuity!!!

  My partner this year was the hostess herself, Lori Anderson. Let's look at what she sent to me (you can see more details about hte bead soups we've sent to each other here and here):


  A beautiful, but very challenging bead soup for me - I've never worked with most of the beads I've received. I'm coming from the polymer clay world, so ...  

  I have changed my design many times and when started to work on one piece finished it in a totally different way as I thought first. It doesn't happen often to me, but it was happening all the time with this soup. Funny!!!


  My first piece is a bracelet. 


 I've wirewrapped the gold-tone pewter beads, put some rings between them and the coordinated pewter toggle clasp - all from the bead soup Lori sent to me. Then I've added some color - some "Renaissance" glass beads in three colors and two sizes.


  
 
    And also my second piece is a bracelet! 


   I've used the lampwork beads (made by www.nanettemarie.com) in different sizes, crystal and czech glass from Lori's soup and black and purple seed beads from my stash. I wanted to combine beadweaving with those beautidul lampwork beads from the first time I've seen them, but had no idea how. after several different attempts this idea of a beaded rope that winds between the beads came to my mind. I've used a herringbone rope, but maybe it would look even better with a CRAW or some other "flexible" stitch. 


This is how it looks on my wrist:

 
 
Today when I was taking the pictures another idea came to my mind - I was wondering how it would look as a necklace:


  I would say even better!!! Maybe I'll remake it as a necklace ... 

  That's it for me today. I was working on more pieces, but are still not finished or I'm not satisfied with. It's not a bad thing - that means I'll enjoy the bead soup Lori sent to me for some more time ...Thank you, Lori, for being my partner in this party!


  And now - let's go to see what my partner Lori created with the bead soup I've sent to her,
and HERE is the list of all the other participants.

Be happy,
Alenka

  

May 3, 2014

Bead Soup Blog Party Postponed

  Due to some health issues of our hostess and my partner Lori Andreson the reval of the Bead soup Blog Party is postponed for one week ... to May, 10.


Be happy,
Alenka

April 21, 2014

Workshop with Julie Picarello / Delavnica z Julie Picarello

  I've spent last weekend in Ljubljana at the workshop with Julie Picarello. She's such a nice lady other than a great artist!
  Prejšnji vikend sem preživela v Ljubljani na delavnici z Julie Picarello, ki je prav prijetna gospa in ne samo uveljavljena ustvarjalka s polimerno glino!

  First day workshop was Magpie Mokume - learning the mokume gane technique Julie uses in her work and making a cabochon. I was familiar with this technique already, as my first polymer clay book I've ever bought and read and tried to apply to polymer was Julie's Patterns in Polymer, but learning from the artist is a completely different thing. She showed us many tips you can not learn from a book.  
  Prvi dan delavnice je bil na vrsti Magpie Mokume - spoznavanje s tehniko mokume gane, ki jo uporablja Julie pri svojem ustvarjanju, in izdelava enega zaključenega kosa za nakit (npr. obeska). Njeno tehniko sem sicer že poznala, saj je bila prva knjiga o polimerni glini, ki sem jo kupila, prav Julie-jina Patterns in Polymer, vendar pa je učenje v živo popolnoma druga zgodba. Julie nam je pokazala en kup praktičnih trikov, ki se jih iz knjige ne naučiš. 

  Well, let's go back to the workshop - there are two difficult things in this technique: choosing the color combination and (the most difficult) slicing. Oh, slicing!!! The first day I was not able to get a single good slice ... :-( ... but managed to get some slices that were big enough to make two cabs.
  Če se vrnemo k delavnici - v tej tehniki sta predvsem dva zahtevna postopka: izbrati ustrezno barvno kombinacijo in (najtežji del) rezanje plasti. Uh, to mi je dalo vetra!!! Prvi dan nisem uspela odrezati niti ene popolne rezine... .-( ... a sem kljub temu dobila par rezin/plasti, ki so bile dovolj velike za dva zaključena kosa.


 I've alread used this one with a piece of shibori ribbon to make the brooch for the Shibori ribbon blog hop:
  Prvega sem vam že pokazala, saj sem ga uporabila pri izzivu Shibori ribbon blog hop:

  
  However, the second one is my favorite! I think I'll use it as a pendant for a necklace.
  Osebno mi je bolj všeč drugi kos - ki ga bom najverjetneje uporabila kot obesek za ogrlico.




  Even if the slices were everything but perfect, I really love the color combination used for it.
  Čeprav so bile rezine/plasti vse prej kot perfektne, mi je pa barvna kombinacija, ki sem jo uporabila, izjemno všeč.




  The second day we worked on a Button Blossom pendant. At first we've repeated the steps from the first day: mixing new colors, imprinting the patterns and ..... slicing!!! I have to say the slices of the second day were much more even than those from the first one. I was really happy with it!!! 
  Drugi dan delavnice je bil namenjen izdelavi Button Blossom obeska. Najprej smo ponovili korake, ki smo se jih naučili prejšnjega dne: mešanje barv, vtiskovanje vzorca in ... rezanje plasti!!! Moram povedati, da mi je tokrat rezanje bistveno blj uspelo in sem dobila kar nekaj skoraj popolnih rezin.   


  And I've also managed to complete the piece at the workshop:
  Na delavnici sem uspela tudi dokončati izdelek (no, verižico sem obesila doma):


My/Moj Button Blossom

  No need to say it was a great weekend and can't hardly wait for another workshop ...
If I get back my pictures, I'll show you some more.
  Ni treba posebej izpostavljati, da sem preživela čudovit vikend in komaj čakam na naslednjo delavnico. Če uspem dobiti nazaj svoje slike, vam bom pokazala še nekaj utrinkov ustvarjalnega vikenda.

  Girls from Izdelovalnica malih umetnin, thank you very much for organizing this event.
  Dekletom iz Izdelovalnice malih umetnin pa se zahvaljujem za organizacijo tega čudovitega dogodka.   

Be happy,
Bodite veseli,
Alenka