Three Treasuries!

Great was my surprise today when I found my work in 3 treasuries on Etsy!

Color treasury by lifeartdesigns

Baubles, beads and bangles by Beadliotheque

Random Maybe treasury by Merkaba Jewelry

Wishing you a wonderfully blessed week and Christmas season.

Creating color palettes

I was playing around a bit on COLOURlovers.com with the color Mimosa.

This is a color palette I created using the color - beautiful cozy autumn colors.

See if you can create some more beautiful palettes using the color and send them to me.... I will publish them here!

Color of the year

Pantone Selected the Color of the Year for 2009 - Mimosa!

Mimosa Embodies Hopefulness and Reassurance in a Climate of Change.

"The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance," explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation."

Carin's art

In art class the junior's had to do a social commentary project and my daughter chose anti-abortion.

It is a very powerfull piece.

She hopes to touch people's hearts and change their minds about abortion and the effects on the child.

She used paint, charcoal, wax and transfer.

Please click on the photo to see the details in the work.

Splashes of color

Let your imagination run.....

Jason Tozer from Belgium has shot a collection of highspeed photographs of water figures. Using some homemade hardware that involves lasers, the photographer captures water dropping and splashing in perfect frozen detail. The water is made even more captivating because of the vivid colours used. Each shot freezes the action in mid-splash, allowing the viewer to see the out of this world forms created.

Love you dad

Today would have been dad's birthday. He passed away 11 years ago because he had lungcancer. I still miss him....really, really miss him!

I think what I wanted him to be a part of most of all is our immigration, seeing the kids grow up and knowing that we are OK and happy in a new country.

Happy birthday Pappa. Lief jou!

Texture painting

This Tuesday I had more fun while doing art than I had in a long, long time. Imagine thick, thick texture paint, smearing it all over a board with your hands...creating texture and using the texture that emerge as your inspiriation for what this piece is going to become. You do not guide the texture, color and paint... it guids and leads you in it's own direction.

The color, the touch, the experiance... it was out of this world!

Mine is not finished yet. This Saturday hopefully me and my daughter are going to each try and finish a piece.

Suzanne Ally that tought the workshop's work is just amasing!

Here is one of her paintings:

You can find more of her work in her Etsy store.

Beautiful Color

Betty Bushby of Albuquerque's Etsy store is a riot of color. I love browsing her Etsy store and website. Each of her quilts tells it's own story.... a frog hiding between the river reeds....a weepy willowtree etched against the colors of the setting sun..... a riot of color in a field filled with flowers.

I hope her creations bring a splash of color and a jolt of inspiration to a cold and dreary winter's day.

Bead and Gem Competition Australia

Esme Parr, member of the Australian Polymer clay guild, made this beautiful neck piece from polymer clay and placed 2nd in the competition.

Well done Esme!!!

Esme says: "I was playing around with Dona Kato techniques from her book about 12 months ago and used stamping, inks, gold leaf all encased in thin transparent layers. It came out really dark so layered it with black and thought it looked a bit like Japanese lacquer."

Here is a better look at her beautiful work:

City Spirit

2-Roses Studio is a life long collaboration between Corliss Rose and John Lemieux Rose. Each is a master craftsman in their own right, and together they encompass a formidable range of expertise across a wide range of mediums.

Read more about their work here:

City Spirit Bracelet

Time and time again I loose myself in the wonderworld of John and Corliss' work. It's a feast for the eye and a resting place for the soul.

The abundance of color and pattern always inspiring and energising my inner muse.

Follow this blog

Try the new 'follow this blog' button. I just added a button to my blog (on the left just under my banner) and hope you'll add your blog to my list.

It's a new feature that allows you to let the bloggers you follow know that you are a fan. As a follower to my blog, it also ensures you get linked!

Warm Ruffles

New in my Etsy store today.... 3 new golden brown ruffle beads. Just the colors you need to comlpiment any winter outfit and warm up a cold day.

Color on a rainy day

The vibrant colors of the Birds of Paradise are always a inspiration to me.

Strelitzia, or Crane Flower as we sometimes call it, is a plant native to South Africa and reminds me of the lively colors of my homeland.

Have a creative and colorful weekend!

Summer lilies

Although I love the rich reds, yellows, oranges and browns of autumn I sometimes miss the whimsy of summer.

This pair of earrings is probably one of the sets I made that I like the most.... happy colors, soft lines and a wonderfull reminder of a beautiful summer.

Available in my Etsy store.

Golden inspiration

Little towers of precious gold created by German artist Christa Lühtje.

These earrings takes me into the wonderful world of Aladdin and his magic lamp. They remind me of far way exotic places still to be explored and enjoyed.

Dream

Explore

Visualize

Create

Etsy find of the day

In Lana's Etsy store Easternsky I found these colorful bracelets made with hand dyed cotton yarn.

A carnival of color!

I won an award!

Thank you to Jael for giving me this award! Such an honor!

In accepting this award, I agree to:

1. Display the logo and link to the one who awarded it.

2. Nominate at least 7 blogs to receive the award.

3. Add links to those 7 blogs to my blog.

4. Leave the nominees a message that they have been nominated to receive the award.

These are the 7 blogs I have chosen (in no particular order):

Beetles memories 'n ramblings

Deronda Designs

Laaneworld

Iris Mishly

Dear Ada

Clayhappenings

Libby Mills

Addictive polymer

Gudrun Stolz describes working with polymer clay as addictive.... I cannot agree more:-)

Trained as a graphic designer in Austria, she's only been working with the medium about a year. Her designs are clean and crisp....beautiful simplicity at it's best.

You can see more of her work in her Flickr album.

Peas in a Pod

In Cambridge England, Magrietjie creates whimsical and unique polymer clay pendants. Each one tells a little story, takes you on a journey.... takes me back to the magical dreamworld of my childhood.

Trained as an architect she found the delicate balance between conceptual exploration and attention to detail.... her passion for her art apparent in every design.

Thank you Lis of Lillybriar Studios in Brisbane for this link.

Ruffle beads

I was honored to find my Autumn ruffles featured on Art Zoo, a photo blog featuring independent artists, this morning.

I started making the ruffle beads about 2 years ago and have since then made them in my favorite colors, sometimes with a little gold or silver leaf or other inclusions.

My all time favorite..... it will always be Lailie... the 1st set of ruffles I made.

The ruffle beads are available through custom order. The sets can be in different colors and number of beads in a set. Please contact me at spokielief2@yahoo.com

StellarDust

I first saw Lisa Henderson from Brisbane Australia's work on The Australian Polymer clay guild's website and was absolutely without words. She creates dream beads from another world.... I lose myself in the wonder and possibilities in each piece.

StellarDust is a piece she entered in the Washington DC beadmuseum's Design Competition. The name to me says it all..... a little piece of heaven!

The combination of polymer clay, gold foil, sterling silver, cubic zirconia's, micro beads and metalic thread is reflective of her detailed and intricate work.

Sea inspired

The sea - the place where probably the most interesting and unique inspirations are found, color, pattern and texture. I was always fascinated by sea urchins. As children we went to the rock pools at low tide to search for our little green treasures. Great was the pleasure if we found one that was not broken against the rocks by the waves.

I stumbled upon the work of artists Esther and Estella , a mother and daughter team from Turkey's, work on Etsy. There I found the most beautiful jewelry pieces made from real sea urchins.

Another Etsy artist, Tina Holden from Vancouver Island in British Columbia, makes the most beautiful sea urchin beads using polymer clay.

And finally from France, this beautiful brooch by Celine, gRiS bLEu on Flickr, also polymer clay.

Margo Nellisen from the Netherlands jewelry design fascinates me.

She regularly works with other artists, and in 2004 she collaborated in a project - Warchild -initiated by the Kunstcentrum Zaanstad on their 30 year anniversary.

She used scoubidou wires to create a sweet flower neck piece that reminds of childhood.

Soft and wispy, care-free and playful.

Today on Flickr

Malodora - D Wilder - had done it again!

She surprises and fascinates with her wonderful combination of known technique and her own unique use of color and texture.

Australian polymer clay guild

I had soooo much fun doing and exploring makume gane this month with my Australian friends of the Aussie polymer clay guild. Here are a few of my favorite creations...... sooooo wish I could have shown them all.

A neckpiece and earrings made my Mel

Esme's neckpiece

Amanda's tealight holders

and last but not least.... Kathi's focal.

Color

The colors of the Bo-Kaap

The Bo-Kaap is a picturesque area of Cape Town in South Africa formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is the centre of Cape Malay culture and culturally and historically one of the most interesting areas in Cape Town.

Inspiration

In 1975 Lady Susan Wood hired two Kenyan woman and started making beads in a shed on the farm of the former Karen Blixen(Out of Africa). She quickly realized that there were many more women who were in need of jobs and so Kazuri Beads (Swahili for small and beautiful) was created and began its long and successful journey as a help center for the needy women especially single mothers who had no other source of income.

Today Kazuri produces a wide range of hand made, hand painted ceramic beads and jewelry that shines with a kaleidoscope of African colors and Kenyan art that reflects a culture.

A true inspiration for every beadmaker!

This beautiful necklace made by Pamela Wolfersberger

Streetart

This past weekend me and my daughter participated in Taste of Troy - a celebration of art and food in our town.

The highlight of the day- to me - was my daughter's streetpainting...I think she did a wonderful job!

The theme was Celebrations:

Beautiful copper

I love the "your contacts" page on Flickr. Every day it's a small surprise packet filled with fresh delights.

A little while ago I found this gorgeous piece in my Flickr contacts. The warmth and softness of the copper cought my eye immediately.

A copper cuff bracelet.... folded copper and a lampwork focal. Cyndie Smith creates wearable art jewelry using primarily silver, copper and brass.

The perfect piece for fall!

In my studio

I had the perfect idea. The perfect pattern to make a beautiful cuff bracelet out of polymer clay and it all fell apart - at least the bracelet did.
Have you ever had that happen? You know precisely what you have to do, but the moment you start cutting away the layers it falls apart. The pattern that was in your minds eye just did not reflect on the clay.
The piece of clay was laying here for days and I walked past it, put it to one side and worked on something else, pulled it back again.... perhaps it's not that bad... perhaps I can make it work.
Then yesterday it happened. I suddenly saw the small little pieces in the pattern I could use and I loved it.... it was beautiful ....as a necklace!

Color inspiration

One of my favorite vegetables during autumn and winter are leeks. Related to union and garlic, but with a taste softer and more subtle.... delicious and beautiful!

A rich winter green color palette:

...and a yummy Leek confit to delight your tastebuds - served in scrambled eggs, pasta or on crostini with goat cheese.

1/2 stick butter

4 large leeks ( white and light green parts only) halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 tablespoons water

12/ teaspoon salt

Melt butter in dutch oven, add leeks and stir to coat.

Stir in water and salt, cover and sook on low for about 25 minutes or till soft.

Serve warm.

Bonappetit October 2008

I prepared this recipe yesterday and the confit did not last long enough to make it to the table. Everyone grabbed a piece of toasted french bread, goat cheese and spooned leeks over..... buttery, soft and oh so yummy!!!