Published in Bead Trends Magazine Dec. 2009
There is something so magical and uplifting about seeing all your hardwork in print. To be able to share ideas and techniques with everyone, to give back to your friends and fellow artists is amazing.I love experimenting within a variety of mediums, it challenges my creative muse and opens the doors to endless inspiration and can embark one on a journey into themselves.

When you try new things, you branch out of your comfort zone and will either enjoy the new things or not, then you can try something else. I used to primarily draw, sew, bead and sculpt, so to re-visit these favorites when I can re-ignites me with a new found energy. So for Bead Trends Magazine I chose to create a simple, yet trendy piece, one with a technique which could be made by anyone and turned into a variety of pieces such as a necklace and a bracelet.

I try to create projects which are easy to complete, not intimidating, all though some might look that way, once you read the instructions, you understand the process of the piece and if you truly know me, you know I love to recycle and up-cycle things giving them new life.
In the project: Gothic Owl Bracelet and Necklace, the focus was on the OWL, a pendant from the Lost and Found Collection of pieces from Blue Moon Beads. I might add, Blue Moon has some impressive jewelry lines out now for all tastes and styles.

Now a quick story on why I chose an Owl as my focus, for years I have always wanted to own a pet owl, my Aunt Winnie had owned one, seeing pictures of her pet owl always fascinated me. In the Harry Potter movies, the students of Hogwarts owned owls, some gothic victorian homes have owl sculptures or other winged creatures on their homes, Tootsie Roll Pops, remember the wise owl?The owl represents in some cultures protection, protection from negativity or harm, it represents education, intelligence, wisdom, mystery and secrets to name a few. In relation to Harry Potter, J.K.Rowling placed owls with the students of Hogwarts, they carried messages to them and were their companions. The meaning of owls in West African and Aboriginal Australian cultures viewed these winged beauties as a messenger of secrets, kin to sorcerers, as well as companions to seers, mystics and medicine people.I paired this symbolism with gothic rosary style black beads and silver components on both the pieces in these projects. If the blue moon assortment of beads is not available to you, try making an owl pendant from silver polymer clay, Sterling silver fired clay, recycle from an old necklace or pin, try broken rosary beads already connected, by the beads by the yard or use an old necklace. Try my "cupcake chic" color palette and use pink beads and a sugary sweet plastic owl charm.

The possibilities are endless, the protection and magic part, everyone could use some protection and magic here and there, Don't you agree?

Magic and Joy,
Lisa!

To purchase a copy of Bead Trends visit your local book store, magazine stand or craft store, their site:
http://www.beadtrendsmag.com/


For more info on owls and other meanings visit:
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-symbolism-owl.html

Jewelry Boudoire!
When asked the question: "What is your fave art medium or technique?" I can't truly answer that with one specific thing, everything inspires me and I love working in every medium, it all comes down to my mood, if I'm in a sewing phase I'll sew everything from aprons to tea cozies to dolls or quilts. If I'm in a illustrative phase, I'll draw, if its mixed medium illustration, I'll draw and paint on everything for that time. My dollies, get made all the time as do class projects and instant inspired pieces which I have to get down on paper and create.

For the past few days I have been in a jewelry phase, it started after I started finishing up the studio organization, that I began to find places for all my jewelry findings. I came across old stuff and new stuff that I recently bought and decided to make some jewelry.My earlier jewelry consisted of alot of seed beading and beading weaving, I could never find a beading loom large enough and cheap enough, so I picked one up at Toys R US about 12 years ago for $15.00 and it works perfectly for small beading weaving works, they are still available in toy stores and crafts stores in the children's craft set section. From these I have made bracelets, belts, beaded purses and amulet bags and its so easy.Seaside Soiree BraceletFor the past 2 years I have been focused on salvage style jewelry, but it wasn't until my first meeting with Terri Ventura (Dimestore Daze) http://www.dimestoredaze.com/default4.asp That I began to dive deeper into salvaged jewelry. Terri and I met at Tinsel Trading and have been friends ever since, her jewelry is gorgeous and so inspiring, now to top it off Terri also sells the most amazing supplies, such as my fave: Marie Antoinette Brass Charms, in many finishes, they are essential to Marie style projects: http://www.dimestoreemporium.etsy.com/ Recently Terri surprised me with a huge package of charms and wares, I nearly fainted when I opened it, she is just incredible. Some other inspirational jewelry atists/books are: Charming Exchange by Ruth Rae and Kelly Snelling http://ruthrae.blogspot.com/ Semiprecious Salvage by Stephanie Lee http://www.stephanielee.typepad.com/ and Rejuvenated Jewels by Amy Hanna http://amyhanna.typepad.com/ These books by these fab artists are filled with wonderful inspiration and project to begin or enhance your salvaged jewelry journey.The pieces that you see are my newest creations, the bracelet is called: Seaside Soiree, the necklace is called: Midsummer Nights Dream and the beaded one is called: Lady Chantilly's Tea! All are made from vintage and new findings, the beaded one is a refurbished necklace I made from one I already had, just switched around the beads and handmade beaded balls, which are extremely easy to make.For the Midsummer Nights Dream Necklace I used a vintage bracelet, Vintage gilded back crystals which are similar to mercury glass, blue moon jewelry pieces and findings, a vintage Austrian rhinestone button, and vintage art nouveau style brass pendant, I've decided to keep this piece for myself, and wore it for the first time yesterday.The Bracelet: Seaside Soiree is made from vintage and new findings, blue moon findings and funky clasp. I have made three of these bracelet styles and will be offering two of them in my etsy store today: http://moonfaires.etsy.com/ Lady Chantilly's Tea Necklace is also staying in my jewelry collection, I love how it looks with a white linen shirt or button down, so vintage tea chic.
To Make the seed bead balls:
Materials:
-Seed beads
-Wooden ball bead or jewelry ball or small styrophome ball w/whole in center
-Fabric tac or no sew glue
-Quilting thread (color of choice)
-Beading needle

Directions:
1. Thread needle with 2 feet of thread, tie knot at end, insert needle through ball hole, twice, loop needle through the 2 strands of thread, and knot.
2. Now slip seed beads onto needle to the thread. The amount of beads on the thread should cover the two hole areas, end to end.
3. Once beads are threaded onto thread strand, insert needle into ball hole, come out the other end, repeat, until the whole ball bead is covered with beaded strands, at the last strand, tie a knot, twice, dab with fabric tac glue or no sew glue, and that's it, you have a beaded ball.

-Refer to the last picture for example of the ball bead.

I hope you have enjoyed this post and get inspired to make some salvaged jewelry of your own.