Studio Saturday at Art Bead Scene

Geisha Buttons ©

I just can't get the song "Turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so..." out of my head.

OK, so I'm a bit warped. We warped ones are what make your world interesting.

These new buttons go with the genre of this month's Challenge. Unfortunately they are not that new in my studio. I am embarrassed to say how long they have been hanging around. They have finally been glazed and I fired them last night. Nothing like being on top of things.

My friend requested Geisha buttons for a knitting project she was working on. I'm sure it's been done for quite a while and she has moved on to many more knitting adventures.

There always seem to be more pressing things that need to get done; making& filling orders, kids, husband, grandkids, making&filling orders and making&filling orders.

These should never been put off this long. I'm sorry Kristine, I will mail them this week.

The colors turned out great with the boldness of the red and contrast of the yellow. Background color is a light celadon, which needed to be a muted color so the design and other colors would stand out.

The "Procrastination Queen" question this week is:

:: What project has been sitting around your studio and for how long? ::

Leave a comment on Art Bead Scene's Blog and you could win the Round Geisha design shown above as a Pendant.

© Tari Sasser :: Creative Impressions In Clay

Art Bead Scene Blog: Green Girl Studios Giveaway!

The good folks over at Green Girl Studios sent Art Bead Scene this awesome little collection of mermaid charms and pendants as a fun giveaway for our readers! How perfect, since waves and the ocean are this month's inspiration. This giveaway is separate from our monthly challenge. In fact they are making it so easy to win, everyone has a chance!

How can I win that sweet stash?

Your name can be entered into our drawing twice.

One entry: leave a comment to this post on Art Bead Scene. Yep, it's that easy!

A bonus entry: blog, facebook or twitter about this post and leave a comment on Art Bead Scene to let us know you did the deed!

Heather will draw one random name on Monday. So you have until Sunday night to enter.

You know those beads are calling your name!

Giveaway at Art Bead Scene!

The good folks over at Green Girl Studios sent Art Bead Scene this awesome little collection of mermaid charms and pendants as a fun giveaway for our readers! How perfect, since waves and the ocean are this month's inspiration. This giveaway is separate from our monthly challenge. In fact they are making it so easy to win, everyone has a chance!

How can I win that sweet stash?

Your name can be entered into our drawing twice.

One entry: leave a comment to this post on Art Bead Scene. Yep, it's that easy!

A bonus entry: blog, facebook or twitter about this post and leave a comment on Art Bead Scene to let us know you did the deed!

I will draw one random name on Monday. So you have until Sunday night to enter.

You know those beads are calling your name!

Did you know that Green Girl Studio's is hosting a mixed media design contest to celebrate the release of Cynthia's book, Enchanted Adornments?

Here are the details, deadline is October 1st.

And don't forget:

You have 5 days left to enter Soft Flex's Flex Your Creativity contest featuring their Trios wire combinations. Deadline is September 1st!

Enter the Art Bead Scene's monthly challenge to win bead from Elaine Ray and Patty Lakinsmith. Deadline is August 31st.

And spaces are filling up on the Bead Cruise, don't get left behind! Grab those beads and head to the high seas for 7 days of beading fun with me and our instructors: Melanie Brooks, Margie Deebs, Barb Switzer, Bevelry Herman and Mary Hettmansperger. Visit the website for all the details.

Art Bead Scene Sponsors

This month's prizes for Art Bead Scene's Monthly Challenge are by 3 clay/ceramic artists.
The winner of this months challenge really hauls the in clay booty with prizes worth over $100! I am one of the sponsors this month!

Artisan Clay
This wonderful stoneware pendant is by Kristie Roeder of Artisan Clay. Kristie has mastered the art of firing recycled glass onto earth clay. She uses different colors of stoneware and glass for her fused masterpieces.

Creative Impressions In Clay
Tie Dye! I love it! This Dog Tag style Pendant was created by Tari Sasser of
Creative Impressions In Clay. A special technique is used to create the Tie Dye effect. Labor intensive but well worth the time and the results are fantastic!

Round Rabbit

"Will it go round in circles..." Nancy Schindler is the Muse behind Round Rabbit. These porcelain rings go so well with the Challenge this month. These colorful rings can be used in multiple ways, such as a pendant, a component, a clasp...they are just yummy!

Get your Art Beads, Buttons, Charms or Pendants out and start creating!
Kandinsky's Farbstudie Quadrate is such a colorful inspiration for your creations!

Read all about the challenge and how to enter here! Or just read the post below...

Art Bead Scene-June Monthly Challenge

The inspiration for this month's challenge is from one of my favorite artists and paintings, Wassily Kandinsky, Farbstudie Quadrate (Color Study of Squares).

Kandinsky was a Russian-born artist, one of the first creators of pure abstraction in modern painting and is regarded as one of the originators of abstract painting, or abstract expressionism. His forms evolved from fluid and organic to geometric and, finally, to pictographic. Kandinsky, an accomplished musician, once said `Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul.'

Have fun with this vibrant color palette of reds, yellows, blues, purples and greens. Pull out the abstract art beads, grab a few brightly colored charms and let's see what you can come up with for this challenge!

Your entry this month can be influenced by the colors, pattern or whatever you choose to focus on for your creation. Just remember to include at least one art bead in your design.

The Prizes:
A winner will be randomly chosen from all the qualifying entries on July 1st.
Our sponsors this month are 3 Ceramic Artists Artisan Clay, Creative Impressions In Clay and Round Rabbit, please visit us tomorrow to see the prizes!

Featured Designer of the Week!
From all the entries during the month, an editor is going to pick their favorite design to be featured every Monday here on the ABS. We want to give our participants more time in the spotlight! Our Featured Designer will be this Monday, so get those entries in soon.

How to enter the Monthly Challenge:
1. Create something using an art bead that fits within our monthly theme. This challenge is open to jewelry-makers, fiber artists, collage artist, etc. The art bead can be created by you or someone else. The challenge is to inspire those who use art beads and to see all the different ways art beads can be incorporated into your handiwork.

***Beads by themselves and beads simply strung on a chain or cord will not be accepted.***

2. Upload your photo to our flickr group. Detailed instructions can be found here and click here for a tutorial for sending your picture to the group. If you can't upload to Flickr, send your entry and information to Heather.

Please add the tag or title JUNEABS to your photos. Include a short description, who created the art beads and a link to your blog, if you have one.

Deadline is June 30th. Photos are approved by our moderators, if a photo hasn't followed the guidelines it will not be approved. You may upload 2 photos a day.

What is an Art Bead?
An art bead is a bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist. Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist. You can read more about art beads here.

*** A bead that is handmade is not necessarily an art bead. Hill Tribe Silver, Kazuri ceramic beads or lampwork beads made in factories are examples of handmade beads that are not considered art beads.

p.s. If you have a blog, post your entry and a link to the ABS challenge to spread the beady goodness.

Art Buttons and Felt Flowers

I promised I would post the directions for this project a month ago. Sorry for the delay.

Supplies needed:
Felt :: 1" Button :: 3/4" Art Buttons :: Pattern :: 18 gauge wire
24 gauge wire :: Small pot

Make your pattern, I drew around the 1" button then added petals. Cut out the flower.

Cut 2" of 24 gauge wire, I used copper, any kind can be used. Center the 3/4" Art Button on the flower. Use a needle or piece of the 24 gauge and poke it through the button holes felt, wiggle it around to separate the fibers of the felt. Fold your 2" piece of wire lightly in half. From the back side of the flower, push the wire through the button holes to the top and twist once. Lay the wire down flat so it is out of the way. Putting the stamen wire in now keeps these 2 pieces together while adding the stem wire.

Cut 6" of 18 gauge wire. From the backside of the flower push the wire through one of the button holes. Approximately 1 3/4" through the flower, bend 90º, as you would when making a wire loop. Slide the long end of the wire up further from the top, enough so you can finish bending the wire to go back down through the other button hole. The wire will naturally want to curve and cross. Straighten a little as you go to make it easier to push it down through both holes. With your wire straigthened and through both button holes, slide the 1" button onto the wire and through both button holes. I used shell buttons because it's what I could find in my studio. Plastic would work also.

Wrap the short end of wire around the long piece of wire. Use your pliers to bend the tail of the wire into the stem.
Curl your stamen wire.
Repeat this as many times as you would like for your bouquet.

I used a small terra cotta pot for my flowers. A yogurt cup would work. Decorate the container. Put styrofoam, flower foam or in my case, clay (it was within reach in the studio), in the bottom of the pot. Place wood Excelsior, paper shred, easter grass, yarn, whatever you like on top. Arrange your flowers. Viola!! A gift your mother or yourself.

Studio Saturday at Art Bead Scene

I found this cool website where you make a talking character (free!) for your website or blog. So I just had to make one! I tried to make it look like myself and this was as close as I could get. My buttons are the background. I used Quicktime to record my voice. It is now on the homepage of my website. I put the little character on the left just in case you don't have Flash Player to make it to work.

Visit Art Bead Scene, leave a comment on today's post and you could win a prize!