Website Update :)

I've added some new galleries to my website, www.izoralee.com! Pics of bead work, bracelets, and costumes. Some photos are courtesy of SLE Photograph.

Almost Done

Nearly done!
I just need to buy some satin cording to finish it off. I'm really happy with the way the moon face turned out. I have a few more of those faces and think I'll do a few more of these in different colorways. I'm so glad I finally got the hang of the Dutch Spiral!

WIP dutch spiral

Dutch spiral is just so cool. I love the way some beaders are able to manipulate the pattern using different size beads. Plus its a fabulous way to either tie together, or inject, color into a project. This is my first time working with dutch spiral so I'm keeping it pretty simple: 39 rows with 4 main color beads, 3 rows of 6 main color beads, 3 rows of 8 main color beads, 6 rows of 10 main color beads, 3 rows of 8 main color beads, 3 rows of 6 main color beads, and finish with 39 rows of 4 main color beads. It's just a gentle increase that creates texture & visual interest. If the bead section isn't long enough for a choker or necklace I'll lengthen with satin cording.

The center focal is a moon face stitched and glued onto a Vintaj brass filigree disk. I'm going to surround the moon face with the same beads, maybe some short fringe :)

inspired by...

I've been a lurker on Art Junk Girl's blog for sometime and have been particularly inspired by her moleskine journal pages. I love the idea of having a 'capture device' ready for my creative urges.

I really got into the Get Things Done movement several years ago and went thru many... many, many... gadgets, widgets, programs, tools trying to be more productive. It took some time but I was able to filter down to the essence of GTD - a simple capture device that got stuff out of my head so I could 1) focus on other tasks; 2) free up mental resources; 3) retrieve when ready and/or needed.

The same idea can work for creative ideas. I now carry a small sketchbook and colored gel mini pens along with my trusty Moleskine journal. The journal is lined paper and I write everything from shopping lists to design ideas to addresses, etc. I had a bit of a wibble of the sketchbook. Tiny would be more practical in my tote bag, lighter and take up less room but I have a tendency to sketch micro-size. I get very tight, very secretive, very controlled and that constricts the creative process. I've been working to 'go big' in my sketches and other art projects, to break past boundaries, but even an 8.5x11 sketchbook would be too big to haul around every day. So I compromised with one thats roughly 5x7 and wire bound at the top reporter-style. That with some Staples-brand mini gel pens in very brilliant & vibrant colors seems to work so far :)

I have long been wishing there was something like the Craftgrrl Mafia locally. I've found inquiries from folks looking for groups but nobody seems to be organizing one. I was getting to point of thinking I would have to do it (and don't really have the time or energy). Today I hope I've lucked out and found a similiar group. The Help! section of my local paper listed several craft groups and organizations. I've emailed one that sounds cool. A collective of crafty chicks would always be a nifty resource ;)

Ups and Downs

First and foremost the Up - I no haiz bye-pho-kals! I'm so delighted the eye doc decided AGAINST giving me bifocals! He found that my eyes are basically the same rx but are straining so hard to see the tiny stuff it's taking longer to re-adjust & re-focus. Since my problem seems to be task oriented he felt that reading/task glasses will solve it - woot! He did not dilate my eyes either, double win! LOL

After the doc I went immediately to Lencrafters. I was incredibly lucky to find a spiffy pair of frames marked down plus $100 off. And they had the lenses in store. Technically I could have picked them up after 6pm but I'll get them in the morning :) Woohoo, one thing off my list :)

And the eye doc re-wrote my whole prescription so I can go back in a month and get new sunglasses.

And now for something completely different... the Down. Next week is gonna be rough work wise. A co-worker had a death in the family and will be out most of the week. I'll literally be working open to close to cover. I'll like the overtime on my check but not fully comfortable with certain tasks she handles. Plus one day I'll literally be on my own as Manager had vacation already scheduled. Ahh well :[

Enough of that....

I'd love to bury myself in beading but I'm waiting for new glasses. Plus I have headache that just won't stop. Not taking big meds cause I want to stay up for the new BattleStar Galaticta tonite LOL! Speaking of beads, once I have my task glasses I'm hoping to really bury myself in my work. I'd like to complete about 10 pieces this month, start on a big 'show stopper' piece I have in mind, and get some ideas fleshed out for a Burner buddy. My plan is to use June for embellished clothing, most likely tribal-ish bras.

Tomorrow I pick my new glasses, go to my Mom's to finish taxes (insert heart attack here), grocery store, make some ice cream, maybe cook a roast, and get my bead on :)

My visit to IBead

Good Morning! Hope everyone had a good weekend :)

Saturday I drove across the state to Tampa and included a side trip to the IBead showroom. IBead's showroom is open to the public and, I gotta say, pretty darn spiffy! They are only open until 4pm on Saturdays so I had about an hour to drool & shop LOL but trust me, I did some damage!

An incredibly neat, clean and well organized store. Plenty of staff on-hand to help out, plus I observed more staff pulling orders. Everything was clearly marked with tags and signs. Swarovski crystals, lampwork beads, and some findings are behind glass in the center of the store. Again, very helpful staff was present to pull trays & mark purchases. The incredibly pleasant woman that helped me even pulled a different color bead mat for me so I can see colors more easily. (I was looking at Volcano which pulls all sorts of colors. A change to a lighter color mat really illustrated that.) Obviously I was quite impressed with the place :)

So...more importantly... what did I buy???? I spent less than $200 and came home with some very cool stuff! I realized I didn't bring the bag with me to work but what I can remember off the top of my head: Swarovski jet hematite beads in 2 sizes; several glass pendants in odd shapes; some larger shaped pieces in hematite, jasper and lapis; several different pieces from the Vintaj line (including some scarabs that look suspiciously like roaches LOL); as well as various strands of glass beads. Ya know, I had my camera with me but did I think to lay them out on my hotel bed & take a picture? noooo LOL

It wasn't until I was checking out that it occured to me that I should have brought a copy of my tax certificate - doh! I mentioned it to the gal checking me out and she kindly suggested I fax or email it when I get home for future purchases. I will certainly do that, and keep them in mind for my next trip over. How cool would it be to send them my order and then pick up when I'm there the following Saturday? very cool indeed :)

fun peyote rings

Yesterday afternoon I finally tried out the Peyote Stackable Ring pattern from Beading Daily. Took me a bit to figure out how to continue the patterns past the first 4 beads, but I eventually saw the flow. I think these will be fun to use up leftovers! Plus would be fun to have a ring that goes with a piece :)

I also played with the spiral rope stitch from 'Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski'. A few fumbles at first, of course LOL, but then pretty happy with it. I haven't really used it yet, so I don't own the stitch, but looking forward to using it in a piece.

Its funny. As excited as I am about a new project or design, I have the hardest time getting started. Its like I'm afraid to start, afraid I've bitten off too much. But then I just can't stand it anymore and jump right in :) I'm at the point with my spider piece. I bought a nifty spider button off Ebay and plan to create a larger pendant around it. I'd love to either use fine chain or lacy needle lace as the necklace part. I'll decide on that once the pendant is done.

Ok, going to procrastinate a bit more and fix dinner...then I'm beading! :)