Heaven

“To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.”

Lao Tzu

Today I love just about everything and everyone. Especially my husband, here's a little preview of what's starting to be the happiest place on earth for me.

Sausalito

“Change what you can change and acknowledge and accept what you can’t.”

Rod Williams

Musician

Love this quote! I can only do what I can do and if it's not good enough, ah well.

I am pretty excited I've got the machining room in the studio primed for paint! I am hoping to get two coats on the walls tomorrow, then do the trim! Once I get it done I'll post some pictures, but no previews sorry!

I think I have found a work bench and some cabinets too!

Listed a new capped and cored bead tonight in my etsy. Sausalito, I am really happy with the silvered ivory in this bead, it's got a very earthy feel to it.

Sunday

“Behold I do not give lectures or a little charity, When I give I give myself. ”

Walt Whitman

I have a viking knit class today at Coast Collective. I really do enjoy going in there, I am a home body but going there always perks me up! I've gathered a bunch of goodies for this class to play with and am pretty excited. I am hoping to actually remember to take pictures this time!

We had a bit of rain last night, boy did we need it! Got the studio leveled yesterday YAY! Thanks to my great husband it's all ready to paint now. I'll be looking for a work bench for the small machining room, maybe two work benches. I have two storage units I like so much I may even paint to match the room paint!

Branches

Plant it with the green side up. Mary Ann McGourty.

I made these branches in a class with Jennifer Geldard a few years ago. I loved them but could never figure out what I'd do with them. Well, I think they go get together with my owls! Listed on in my etsy today, and there are lots of owls to go with it!

Jennifers class was fantastic by the way, if you ever want a fun class packed with info I recommend her!

The weather is warm and sunny here, lots of wind to keep it from getting unbearable. The garden is coming along, my one heirloom tomato is not very happy I'm hoping it doesn't die!

There's a possibility I may get to move into the new studio space in the next couple weeks!

Rustic Metals

I'd rather have roses on my table, than diamonds on my neck. Emma Goldman.

There is something about pieces with old world feel to them that I really enjoy making. This "Harvest Flame" spinner ring was a lot of fun to make.

The texture is a mix of two texture stamps from Jim Moore, I really like them and mixing them made it even more interesting. Working in copper and silver gives it even more interest. It just feels like it's got a story to it. I'm not sure what it is, maybe it's waiting for you to have a story wearing it?

Tomato's

It's difficult to think of anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a home grown tomato. Lewis Grizzard.

Something came over me and suddenly I decided I needed to grow heirloom tomato's this year. It didn't seem to matter that I already had four tomato plants in the ground, to feed two of us. I went out and got a couple heirloom tomato's anyways. A purple variety in cherry tomato's and one in full size.

Kristi and I made a wonderful oven roasted tomato spread last year and I am dreaming already of making it with my own tomato's this year.

The cherry tomato is doing well but the full size is looking sad. I really hope it pulls through so I can eat them tomato's!

I'm thinking of installing a drip system for the deck of the kitchen. For 40.00 it'll water the planters and the fountain. I figure my clematis may like that!

Saturday in the sun

Gardening is a instrument of grace. May Sarton

Since the weather is wonderful here I am going to putter in the garden today. I whacked back my poppies hoping I get more blooms. I'll try and get a few photos today, I never remember to take my camera out there!

The pond is doing well, three fish and starting to clear up from the spring algae bloom. The motion activated scarecrow is keeping the raccoons away, thank goodness! I got a wonderful book yesterday and am going to plan out the entrance way to the studio and and the sitting area. I am waiting on the studio to be leveled before I can move in. I am getting impatient!

My lavender bushes are doing really well. I have about 20 of them!

My poppies are struggling for a second bloom. The red ones are doing well.

My favorites are these pink poppies I wish I had more of them.

Growth

And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin

Creative growth is hard often daunting work. One thing I noticed while at Bead and Button was that my work while it is executed in a correct tidy style. I have no defining beads. No beads that scream "there she is!" Or maybe I do, what do you think?

I was hit last night with a new idea based a bit on the above bead. A bead style I made after coming back from Turkey, a country I fell in love with. Warm people, amazing food, great countryside. Someday I'll go back. I was draw to the ceramics they made, this bead being based on one of my favorite bowls I brought home.

I'm going to expand on this a bit, maybe a different shape. Different colors, different patterns. Maybe it will expand into a bead that says "Nicole"

Maybe not? But the process should be fun!

Home is

There never has been a house so bad that it couldn't be made over into something worthwhile Elise Wolfe

Boy it sure is nice to be home! I had such a great time at bead and button, and for one of the first times ever I had a entire hotel room to myself! It was different at first but once I settled in it was nice to have some quiet downtime at the end of each day. I don't think I realized how dependent I've become on alone time. I needed a chance to gather my thoughts and myself at the end of each busy day. All in all I remained fairly energized through out the 10 days and I think a lot of that had to do with having my own space.

It was nice to get home though, sleep in my own bed, listen to the cat purring, the horses and yes even my husbands snoring can provide a homey sense of comfort!

I'm taking a few days off to re group and energize, today I hope to un pack all my goodies and settle the studio back to some semblance of order.

Keepsake Bead and Leilani

Leilani of Creatively Inspired used one of my keepsake beads in one of her pieces. It has a couple locks of her daughters first hair cut, she added a custom charm. I really love what she did with it! I believe she'll be offering the finished pieces for sale, she does lovely work. She puts a lot of heart in her pieces and I think this will be a nice collaboration of sorts!

Quick Bead and Button post

I am horrible I know, I did not post a thing while gone at bead and button. I am sorry but the days were loooonnnnggggggg! I had a blast!

It was truly one of the best events I have ever attended. Marlene and her staff make you feel like family and go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and have things run smoothly.

I got to visit with people I haven't seen in ages! Dinners with lots of laughing were some of my fondest memories, and the "alternate Plane" day Andrea and I had!

I have have to thank Andrea for letting me be a part of it!

Here's a photo of me demoing in the Masters Class. Andrea and the students graciously let me demo how I work Double Helix "Clio".

They had a "graduation" dinner for all the masters classes, there were three different mediums. It was great fun, look at all our smiles!

Our booth, and me playing Vanna!

A knock at the door

Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Matthew 7:7

An interesting Simple Abundance quote today. Not being really religious this brings to mind something different for me than some.

I absolutely fell in love with the small film "A knock at the door" on the Duirwaigh website. Have listen, maybe you'll fall in love too.

I ask to be given a wonderful 10 days with friends at bead and button, I wish for lots of laughter and smiles.

Featured Artist - Donna Conklin

Todays featured artist is Donna Conklin. I'm really finding these mini interviews fun, it's greta to find out more about these artists.

How long have you been working in your medium?

I started sewing as soon as I could reach the foot pedal to the sewing machine. The needle felting started in 2008.

My grandmother taught me how to sew, crochet, counted cross stitch, and was probably the first to introduce me to seed beads… I have a mild obsession with seed beads on hanks.

What drew you to this medium?

My grandmother was a seamstress/quilter/crafter so I learned to sew from her. So I wasn’t actually drawn to it, it was just a natural thing to do. It was a way to spend time with my grandmother.

I’ve always loved fibers and when I found out about needle felting at a show I was doing a couple of years ago I had to teach myself as soon as possible, like right then, at that show.

What is your favorite thing about your art?

It’s different than what I usually do, which is make beads… and I just love to make something that was just a big sheet of fabric or a bundle of fiber before I got my hands on it.

What's your favorite piece?

Probably the first one I made, I think it’s a sentimental attachment. It has a lot of “me” in it. I think I would even buy it if I saw it for sale somewhere. I like it that much.

What's the hardest piece you've ever made?

The first one! I made it from muslin first to make sure I had a good pattern to work from. I think it took me 11 hours start to finish, now they take just a few hours to make.

Who or what inspires you?

The fabrics. I love quirky and funky. I usually by them from people on Etsy… they come in coordinated bundles. J

What's your favorite inspirational saying?

“Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.” ~James Dean

What's one thing you've never done you always wanted to do?

I’d love to be able to speak confidently in front of a group of people without the shaky voice and feeling inadequate and embarrassed. Maybe to even teach some of the things I know how to do to a group without losing my voice from nerves.

I've been blogged about!

I've been blogged about! Donna of Prima Donna beads interviewed me!