For my brother

The first summer after my dad died, my mom and I took our first of several memorable trips together. She went to Cape Cod with me while I attended a seminar. We had our afternoons free so we took a whale-watching cruise. I expected to see a spout or two in the far distance, but the reality was incredible. We must have seen 50 humpbacks--breaching, swimming under the boat and blowing so close that you could smell their fishy breath! We had to remind ourselves that this wasn't Seaworld and these were animals in the wild. The minute we pulled back into port, mom went in search of a gold whale's tale necklace to commemorate her adventure. She wore it every day for the rest of her life.

Mom has been gone now for over nine years. It didn't surprise me when my brother asked that I find a bone whale's tale and make him a necklace. My brother is as masculine as they come and a real redneck. I suspect a few of his friends may wonder when they see him wearing the necklace, but he and I will know that it really isn't about whales.

Lily 2

My other blogs (www.ayearofdefiningnormal.blogspot.com and www.coach-craft.com) are being neglected as I continue to struggle with the acrylic medium. You can see from this latest painting that I am having trouble with blending and that I also need to use less gel as the brushstrokes look too heavy for a flower. However, I like the layers of color and from far away, it looks passable.

 

I also made two necklaces yesterday. Shel's comment was, "you are getting quite an inventory." I am and I haven't even started to crank out the earrings I want to make. I do need to decide what I am going to do with all this!

third attempt

I wish the photographs could capture what I see as this painting isn't bad. However, the shading in the flower washed out in the photo. This painting had three backgrounds before deciding on gray, which also looks blue in the photo. The lily itself is gorgeous and I took 8 shots of it last nite outside, so be prepared for a Lily Series!

Georgia's okay too

I titled my first painting that was of a sunflower, "Degas's reputation is safe". This second one, which is a full frontal of a tropical flower is entitled, "O'Keefe is safe too." I got better blending on the petals with this one, but it is flat. At least there was some movement in the sunflower. This one can't dance! The style of painting that I admire is loose, abstract. You can tell that the artists had fun painting them. So today I will turn on some Aretha, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and Sam Cooke and see what happens on the canvas.

New earring design

I'm struggling with a painting right now so it was nice when this earring design came together just like I envisioned. They are incredibly light! I used more fabric scraps from my quilter friend and various jewelry findings I had on hand. I love re-purposing!

Building inventory

I seriously need to take a course in photographing jewelry as the fine detail doesn't show up in my pictures.

I made the pendant. It is an oval stone in shades of blue and violet that almost looks like a seascape. The beads that make the chain are a mix of matte and crystal in shades of blue and violet.

This one is similar to the last in that it has a mix of matte and crystal beads. It also has "gold" spacers and a sea glass and crystal center piece.



This necklace has a purchased pendant in silver, rust and turquoise. The chain has turquoise and rust beads with silver spacers. It has a Southwestern feel to it.

The last one is my favorite. I've had the pendant for over a year. It is made of rusted metal that has been lacquered. The beads are a mix of red coral, copper and tiger eye.

Degas's reputation is safe

This is my first acrylic painting. Hopefully, the subject is obvious--it is a sunflower. It looks a little like a cross between a sunflower and a plate of bacon. However, here's some important things I learned:

• planning your painting saves time in the long run
• color mixing is hard
• using gels for texture is interesting
• using glazes for mood is critical
• you can re-work acrylics to death

More cheers

This pair has a blue fabric center, brass medallion and crystal on a Belles beer cap. Modeled by Kara.

Cheers for your ears

I stole this design from a vendor at the Tulip Festival this Spring. They are made from Coors Lite bottle caps--the logo is on the back side of the earring. I built on the design by filling the center of the cap with a black and white fabric, adding a medallion and a crystal and finishing them with a tiny peace sign charm. They are modeled by my lovely daughter-in-law. I am selling earrings like these for $20 a pair.

new jewelry design

After too many tries to find the right shot on these earrings, I've decided this one is okay and there are other things to do on this lovely Saturday morning. I've been experimenting with using fabric in earring designs. A good friend, who is a quilter, supplied the fabric and here are my first two attempts. I'm really having fun using different fabrics to see what jewelry components they suggest. The earrings are super light, and despite the print on the fabric, they tend to go with lots of things.

Mike

Really hard for me to capture this one. The quote says, "A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit." This was a gift for Mike, who is my boss. It's been a hard transition for him to go from serving clients where results were immediate and tangible to being the Chief Learning and Development Officer where, on a good day, you influence the creation of learning platforms and initiatives. In spite of the personal challenge, Mike has accomplished so much for the people of Ernst & Young and I wanted him to know that I recognized and appreciated his legacy.

I have three males on my team and failed to photograph their gifts. I bought each one an appropriate book for their coaching specialty and then made them each a leather bookmark. I dyed the leather and wrote sayings on each one that I think captured their personalities. For example, on Jim's I wrote, "I see good people" as he always looks for what is good in others and never has an unkind word for anyone. I attached a "charm" to each bookmark. I searched thru rolls of pennies until I found the year that each of them joined EY and then attached that penny to an antiqued disc that I stamped with the phrase "lucky EY". I'm the one that has been lucky to know all the members of this team!

Joan

Joan is one of our newer coaches and calls herself "a traveler, not a tourist". I made this bracelet for her and included a compass charm.

Karen

I tried several different designs until I landed on this necklace for Karen. It is natural and elegant just like her. What was really interesting was that on the evening that I gave my team members their gifts, the jewelry matched what they were wearing.

Vera

In a team-building exercise that only coaches could do, Vera identified herself as a "quirky pioneer", which we shortened to QP--thus the kewpie doll. I searched on etsy until I found the right centerpiece. I stitched seed beads to a leather cuff and made a mermaid dangle that contains the initials Q and P with some beads. I knew she would turn bright red with laughter when she opened her gift and she did!

Dawn

This bracelet is made of individual lucite flowers fastened to silver links. It's most likely painful to wear but I loved the design for Dawn. She is a bright, blooming, blingy member of our team and all-girl!

Barb

Barb has been my right arm for so many years. We finish each other's sentences. When I told her that she, at times, was my brain, she commented that her brain was her chocolate lab named Maddie. Barb said, "wouldn't Ernst & Young be surprised to know that all original ideas around coaching actually come from my dog?" I found a set of blank, wooden, Russian nesting dolls and decoupaged our faces on them and painted the bodies. Don't you love Maddie in a bubushka?

Janice

Difficult to read but the inscription, "I will always be behind you" is printed on an old dictionary page. Janice is my successor. We joked during the transition of my being her training wheels. One day I commented that not only did she take off the training wheels, she left the neighborhood! I wanted Janice to have something to hang in her office to remember that I am always behind her in spirit, cheering her on.

Carla

I made gifts for all the members of my coaching team. This is a leather cuff I made for Carla whose mantra is "play big"!

Bette Ann

Bette Ann is an old friend from our Plano Texas days. I recently visited them when I was in Dallas for business. We had a relaxed weekend of reminiscing, drinking wine and we attended an arts festival in Southlake. I made this bracelet for her. Not sure it was the right choice, but I trust that if she doesn't wear it, her granddaughter, Maddie, will!

for me

I found these cute leather bracelet ends online and played with a design until I came up with this. Check back in June as I have a lot of items on the design board!

A Real Love Story

Danny must have been around 11 when I started dating his older brother. I remember Christmas Day 1964 when I chased Danny with mistletoe around the pool table in the Smith's basement. I gave him his first kiss that day but didn't capture his heart. He fell in love many years after that many miles from his home in IL. He took solo adventure trips as an adult. On one trip to China he met Jennifer. He's a great storyteller and when he tells the story of when he first saw her, he draws up straight, tilts his chin and demonstrates the regal posture that drew him to her. Their courtship was long and the ordeal to get her to the states after she became his wife was also prolonged and costly. They settled in Champaign IL and have three children. I love to visit them. When he looks at her now, it's like he is seeing her that first time.

I spent time back in my hometown after my divorce. Danny's brother was also divorced at that time and we spent time again together. I was there when Danny brought Jennifer to the states and when their first child was born. Danny's family welcomed me "home" and his Aunt Geraldine was one of my favorites. This past year Danny sent me a box of her old costume jewelry to use as supplies for my designs. I haven't quite figured out how I want to incorporate the pieces, but I made this piece for Jennifer as a thank you. I hope it will suit her well.

And happy birthday, Diane!

Diane is the middle Daniels' sister. When I lived here in the early 90's fresh from my divorce, I stayed with Diane's dad, Jack (yes, Jack Daniels!) He was like a second dad to me. He and my dad had been friends and shared the same gift for storytelling. He opened his home to me and helped me get thru a really difficult time. Diane was a big help to me, too. She spent time with me. We took long walks in the rain. She was a great listener and good friend.

I found these beautiful translucent beads and made her a bracelet and matching earrings. Purple is definitely her color!

Seester Nancy

There are seven of us that we refer to as "sisters". It started when I moved here eight years ago and nudged my way into the Daniels' family. My dad and mom lived here in WWII and my mom worked with the sisters' mom, Lee Ann. Our parents stayed friends over the years. When Shel and I looked for a place to retire to we chose this beautiful area and felt we had an instant community thanks to the hospitality of the Daniels' clan. Our instant family expanded since we moved here to include friends of the Daniels' sisters. Nancy is one of those friends. We celebrate the "sisters" birthdays together about 3-4 times a year. Last nite we celebrated Nancy and Diane's birthdays, which fall in February.

Nancy is a witty, beautiful woman that I admire and enjoy. I made this necklace for her and was pleased when she showed up at last nite's party in the perfect green top to wear with the necklace. There's a story to the piece. My oldest friend, Jo Beth, sent me the pendant in December. Someone gave it to her and she never found a chain for it. She thought of me and my jewelry hobby and thought I would find a good use for it. I strung the necklace with various shades of caledonia and seed beads and then added the pendant. Thanks, Jo Beth and Happy birthday, Nancy!

Another necklace for me

I'm sure I'll get lots of wear out of these in Mount Vernon after I retire. Not. I wish this picture turned out better as the beads are really pretty.

The color of the sweater looks good on me.

I think I'm done for the day. The carnitas are bubbling away on the stove and smell delicious. I think I am going to pass on the homemade tortillas!

A quick shout out to Shel. In the midst of all my creating I did laundry and took a detergent container that was down to the dribs and set it upside down on the laundry room counter. Didn't realize that the top was loose! Just when I hit the wall tired and wanted to sit down for awhile, I looked over on the counter and saw a pool of liquid detergent swirling around three of the frames I had resting there. Shel had just come in from shoveling the snow in the driveway. He didn't hesitate but started cleaning up the mess. I told him most men would have said, "wow, what a mess, honey" and headed for the basement and the football game. He's not most men.

Necklace instead of painting

Spent time putting away stash that I bought last weekend. By the time I got that done I was too tired to pull out the painting gear so I made two necklaces. Here's the first. I designed this one to match a coat sweater I bought recently. I love pairing primitive beads with some bling. I think it looks classy...until you realize what the black "ascot" is in the picture. I try.

One more

Paintings that didn't fit on the gallery shelf

Martha weekend--part three

I also made a piece of jewelry on Saturday. I bought a simple deep-purple cardigan sweater trimmed in teal a couple weeks ago. I've been noodling with a necklace design and wanted to try a lasso closure. I really like the way this turned out and wish I were better at taking pictures!

Woke up to a beautiful snowfall--about 3 fluffy inches. The sky is bright blue. It's the kind of day that really makes me appreciate this house and all the wonderful windows. I feel like I am in the middle of a winter wonderland, but I'm warm and dry. Cleaned out the freezer and inventoried the stores early this AM. I made some pickled vegetables before Shel was even up. They will go on the pork carnitas I will make later. I'm going to try my hand with homemade tortillas. I know; who would make homemade tortillas? Obviously, the same person that makes homemade crackers! Been cooking up more than just crackers. Made Shel some biscuits and gravy for breakfast after he came in from an hour romp in the snow with Wilson.

I am going to paint today! Decided on a subject for today's painting--a meadow/mountain landscape. Shel's question to me was, "what are we going to do with all these paintings?" Good question! I'm also beginning to wonder about the jewelry and even the food. I started creating things at home to compensate for so much of my work being intangible. However, what does one do with the tangibles that are stacking up?

Martha weekend--part two

Right side of gallery shelf

I didn't make the tin ceiling tile on the far right. It hides electronics.

Martha weekend

I nested and created this weekend. It started with my making homemade crackers on Friday nite. Who makes crackers??? Obviously, I do. On Saturday, I intended to paint, but spent the morning shuffling thru reference photos and old paintings that never got framed. I remembered buying several frames one time when Michael's had a killer sale so I dug them out of hiding. I went shopping for standard, pre-cut mats and ended up mounting several paintings and setting up a gallery shelf on the stair landing. The picture below is of the left side of the shelf.

I was busy this weekend and don't know how to post multiple pictures in one post so this post will continue...

Happy 65th to my BFF

Now that's a high res photo thanks to Dan! I know it will look nicer on her tho!

Ready for the Mexican cruise

Susie is heading for the Mexican Riviera with three amigos. She asked for a necklace to match the bracelet I made awhile ago. Hope she likes it!