Only Blue ....... and ....

Hi everyone
It's a poor day today, weather wise. Pity, we have so much going on this weekend (starting today) which depends on 'the weather' !! Such as life ! - mentally I'm searching for the right kit ?

Moving on ..... I did manage a few things from my list yesterday. I added to the pebbles painting. Here it is now - a before and after photo. Unfortunately - app will not upload pictures.


I think I may leave it there for my surface pattern design stage. I like the idea of adding some 3d stuff but I need a 'simple-ish' design for the gift pocket paper (the initial point of the painting).

The paper beads have also had some treatment and again, I don't want to overdo the bead so may add more clear polymer for sealing and start preparing to the design of the necklace and bracelet. Here is a quick look :
and again - will. to load pics.
One of my other jobs (yesterday) was to organise my current jewellery collection and decide on where I'm going with it. Ive called it 'Only Blue' - this is not strictly true as I'm adding silver bits and some whites but the central idea is about 'blue'. Ive also decided on the number '5' as a good number of elements for each bit of the collection. My aim is to have 5 elements and 5 items within each element - hope you can follow that ! This gives me a good solid structure to work towards. I do things 'from scratch' and only once so this becomes a body of work and I move on. It's taken me a long time to come to this idea and I'm very happy with it. I now have a mind set which keeps me focused. So, day by day I will be revealing what I develop.

I'm ultra busy today - may not get much work done. It will need to be a 'thinking' day !

Have a great weekend. Bye until next week.

Where is my blog for today ?

Hi Everyone
I'm writing this on my ipad but not on the mobile device app - so things don't quite work. Ive written a blog for today but it will not upload. ? Anyway, I was going to show some development on my jobs from yesterday. I won't write it all again ..... things may get resolved before the end of the day (fingers crossed). This is just a quick note to explain to those asking me where my blog for today has got to ?
Hopefully, my blog will appear soon. Have a great weekend.

Back next week.
Bye for now.

Blue and more blue.

Hi everyone
It's been raining here for lots of the night but now it looks like the rain is moving on - quite quickly (clouds are racing across the sky). It's definitely colder than of late.

Another busy day in store for me. I need to get to grips with some home jobs but am keen to move on a couple of art projects too. My Pebbles painting is underway, I want to get lots of different shades of my particular blue into the piece. Here it is, so far .. each little pebble and space will have their own shade of blue. I will mix the colours and grade them as I go.



The painting is inspired by a local artist - Rebecca Vincent. Her stuff is fantastic and much more detailed (and in different colours) but her work inspired me to use the 'layers' and the stripes. The Pebbles idea will help bring together my various jewellery designs ( and maybe inspire some more). Ive incorporated many of the patterns (in the painting) into aspects of the jewellery design. Here are a few photos of elements in the collection. I'm not sure which way around the patterns have been used in each element of work. Some of the lines appear in the jewellery first. I like this idea of connecting the design/artistic inspiration in different disciplines.



Ive been wearing the rings to check how they work in 'everyday' situations. I am pleased to say, they work very well and stand up to a fair degree of abuse.

Alongside the jewellery and pebbles painting, Ive developed a simple surface pattern for my little packaging ideas. This photo makes the 'blue' look a bit dark - it's a brighter tone (in good light).



I'm hoping this striped pattern will give me a good basis for the little envelope/gift packs. It does combine quite well with the Pebbles painting. There is a hint of 'denim' in the design. I like this and am now thinking how I can get this 'denim' idea into the jewellery.

Must get on.
Bye for today.

Earring Chat

Hi everyone
Another bright and sunny morning - lovely from the window. BUT, I believe it's going to get cold ! Ugh !

Today, I have a really long list of jobs ! - I need to give each a score of importance and stick to it ! I'm doing a bit of volunteer work - early this morning and then it's back to the list. I managed a few things into the Folksy shop (yesterday) and Ive completed some stuff that had been waiting for minor packaging (approximately 5/6 items) but I have much more to go. Check out the Folksy shop to see what's gone in. My recent jewellery 'makes' also need packaging. I did get the Only Blue underway. Here is a quick peak.






I like the blue feather paper so will stick with it, as you can see Ive developed the little label too.
Moving on ..... the Fimo stuff is developing into finished items. I need to polish these earrings and package. These are part of a range called Pebbles and I had an idea to make a painting for a surface pattern design for this paper packaging. This painting is my major aim of the day. Here are the earrings, so far .....






I like the look and they work well to wear. When I get a photographer, I will wear them and share how they look. Ive made a pair for myself and one to sell. I only want to make individual pieces - each piece in my collections will be unique and I need to keep this central to what I do.

The job list is about 10 jobs long but if I get these few completed I will feel very satisfied. After all, my deadline for the list is Friday. Say no more.

Bye for today.

Gilding for the blue beads !

Hi
what a lovely bright morning with lots of blue sky. It's definitely Autumn but it's warmish.

I'm still a bit 'under the weather', so I'm limiting my job lists again (in theory). I managed to bake my pebbles stuff from yesterday.



The collection seems to look the same as before it was baked but the colour has changed a little, it is now robust. I did imagine it would be squished any I minute ! My favourite ring is this one :


Not a brilliant photo - I am building a range of photos with outfits where a photographer is taking the photos, so this is just a quick snap.



This is another favourite ! I'm pleased how they all came out and am developing some other stuff today using some of the baked beads. My main idea is to add gilding to this particular jewellery - Ive not had any experience of doing this - so who knows what will turn out !

Another thing I wanted to share is this amazing print - my 'little big boy' (now very 'big') did this at a school open day last week. He is an 'old boy' from the school and arranged to meet me while I was doing some volunteer work. I couldn't find him for a while until there he was fully engaged in a workshop in the art room (designed to demonstrate working techniques to prospective parents). Not sure how he 'blagged' his way into the action but the result is this very impressive print - from scratch ! So proud of his effort - wish I had done it.



I'm not sure this photo gives the true picture, here is a closer look at some detail.



We need to get it up for general appreciation in our home.

Moving on - my major task today is to complete some paper beads I started yesterday. I need something to compliment blue striped outfits and have come up with this idea :






I'm going to get some white ink plus a seal of polymer varnish on these paper beads and I think I need some white beads plus dark navy beads to develop a design. I do have darkish blue but may need to make some navy beads - perhaps I will go for Fimo. Will report on my progress tomorrow.

The packaging issue moves on - not resolved but I'm hopeful today is the day to finish it. My list as usual gets longer by the second. However, being realistic, most of the task are finishing off stuff rather then big jobs. On that note, I need to get on.

Bye for today.