Adorn: August 2016

I love sharing my finds with you...

>> August 23, 2016 – accessories, beads, shopping

As many of you know, I am a freak for storage solutions. I LOVE finding the right solution for the right problem. One of my new discoveries are containers for beads in three sizes, tiny, small and medium. They are clear, they have the best secure flip tops, and they are a perfect solution for your bead and finding storage!

You can read and find out more about these containers on our ETSY site HERE. Our introductory pricing is very tempting, as an example, 13 of the tiny sized containers, (measure .75 x 2 x 1.125 inches each), are offered at $4.80!

Questions? Write to me HERE.

Orna

The landscapes of Fiona Robertson

>> August 21, 2016 – art, artists process, embroidery, fiber art

Beginning with machine embroidery background and then switching over to detailed hand embroidery, Fiona Robertson brings her surroundings to us with thread.

My daily creations.

>> August 19, 2016 – accessories, fashion, FOBs, new designs, new items

I hope you don't mind, I have been setting aside a couple of hours a day to create new FOBs, and I just have to share them with you. I have taken on a much more involved role in my latest FOBs, in that I make some of the tassels myself, I use beads from a slew of new sources and I load each FOB with an abundance of trinkets to really give a sense of richness.

Don't get me wrong, I love all the previous FOBs I've made, for you and for me, so very much. They have been fun accessories to have and to hold. These are elevated to pieces of art in themselves. I would suggest using them as jewelry, hanging from a chain, using them as handbag embellishments, letting them dangle from a favorite evening bag, or using them as a zipper pull on a lovely bag or jacket. They truly deserve the special setting!

I will continue to make just a few of these a day and share them with you. Is that OK?

From me to you,
Orna

PS - on ETSY

How I choose my embellishment elements -

>> August 16, 2016 – accessories, art, beads, collections, colorways, creativity, jewelry, thoughts

I am a collector. I collect specific items which I source and shop for. I also collect items that I come upon by chance and feel I must have. These particular items may not have an immediate intended use, they may be items I will gaze upon for years, but one day I know they will find their place.

I collect lampwork beads from some of the best glass artists, some well known, some just making these bits of art for themselves. I may buy one or two, I may buy a collection. Glass has such an intensity of color, it absorbs and disperses light so beautifully, I find it magical. For the past few months I have crafted scissor/key FOBs which have been received so well by you, my friends. How do I choose the components of these FOBs? Let's work through a case study!

Recently I purchased 2 magnificent lampwork beads from an American artist. I was immediately drawn to the intricate work on these beads and the unexpected color combinations. I could see how they could work as great focal beads for a FOB.

Below you can see 2 angles of one of these beads and marvel at it's intricacy.

I like to add an element of fiber to my FOBs so I decided to make my own tassel. I used a beautiful bead cap as the head of the tassel and topped it off with another pretty bead. You can see the tassel below.

Next I chose two possible connectors that would add weight when connected to the scissor/key ring itself.

I picked another two lampwork beads which played off the colors in my focal bead and chose a lovely star scissor/key ring to tie everything together. I like to use little bits of silver chain when connecting the single elements to the larger connectors so that each of the elements has a bit of movement, some swing to it, instead of staying stiff and awkward.

Using silver jewelry pins and very careful wrapping techniques, I combine all the elements, adding a few additional beads along the way.

Below is the completed Scissor/Key FOB I made for the sister lampwork bead. Here I made my own tassel, using a variety of colored silk thread, and used additional bead embellishments. I think the result is quite beautiful. I hope you agree.

(If you like these twin FOBs, they can be found in my ETSY store HERE)

A Crane a Day, so very awesome!

>> August 14, 2016 – art, artists process

Cristian Marianciuc, an origami artist, folded 365 cranes, one each day of a year, (2015). He then transformed them into a manifestation of what that day meant for him. The results are fascinating, creative and captivating. Take a look at a few...

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My summer collections, a huge pleasure!

>> August 9, 2016 – art, collections, color, colorways, creativity, fiber art, needleart, new items, shopping, threads

When I want to get creative satisfaction, I often choose to go back to color. This new thread collection has been extremely gratifying. I decided to take simple bits of nature; an artichoke, a hen, a leaf, and dissect the colors. Then take the colors and bring them back in texture and complexity, showing them in thread.

I have put together 12 colorways, each one comprised of 12 skeins of fiber; silk, cotton, overdye, stranded, everything is represented. The combinations vary, but the quality is always there, only the best. Along with the thread I am providing you with beads, mostly Miyuki, that can be used in a variety of ways but perhaps you will choose to use them in the free design you will receive along with the thread collection? Summer 2016 gives you an opportunity to use different threads in different stitches, different colorways.
These are all present on ETSY, take a peek. I only have a limited amount of each of the colorways, so if you are interested, grab on!
Here are some examples of the free design: