Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Staying busy

I've not been online as much lately because I've been trying to get my commission finished to make 10 of my flora and botany necklaces for the Elmhurst Art Museum gift shop.

Letting the varnish dry on some of the beads a few days ago. i like to stick them on copper wires and jab'em into a block of polymer to dry.
A lot of people like to post their work space which is usually a nice desk area with lots of shelves and drawers and a tool rack, etc.. Maybe even in its own special room. But my work space is just the coffee table in between the couch and the television. So that's pretty much it. I'd like to move it to where my computer is now, but then I'd have to move my computer and stereo somewhere and there's just nowhere decent to reassign everything. Ahhh, post college life!



Beads: check, original necklace for reference: check, wireless mouse to change the songs on my pandora radio station from the couch: check, coffee: super check! ....


Mmmm, bag o' finished beads. :)

Little helper by my side: check!


I've mentioned this before but I like to roll out a strip of polymer clay to hold my beads on before I string them. This holds odd shaped beads in the position they will be when strung to give you a more accurate idea of what your piece will look like. And it doesn't leave any kind of residue on your beads.
You know all of my ceramic pod pendants that aren't in my shop anymore? This is why. I'm using the ones I had left for these necklaces. But in a couple of weeks I will be back by campus for a week and in the studio where I will be whipping out as many as possible, so if you've always wanted one don't fret.
I'll be going with one of my bestest friends to see Fleetwood Mac in Columbus on the 17th, and then staying with her up by campus for a week because the following weekend is the Kentucky morel mushroom festival, and we are getting a booth. :D I'm so excited! I have so much stuff to make for it. Gotta get busy!

12 comments:

sharon said...

I like this setup, looks good to me but i would probably get a sore back! I like your idea of putting the beads on the clay to lay them out, i like the coffee a lot, and i looove your helper! Good luck at the festival!

Lori said...

Thank you Sharon! And thanks for the good luck!

J-Mi said...

There's a Kentucky Morel Mushroom festival? Oh please take pictures! That's trippy! :)

(do I win points for knowing what a morel is?)

Lori said...

Yes there is a morel mushroom festival here! I've not been before. Apparently some other states have mushroom festivals too. :D
And you totally get points for knowing what a morel is! it is my favorite mushroom!

Caitlin said...

mmmmm coffee!!

I like your doggeh. I usually don't like short faced doggehs, but yours is adorable. What's it's name?

How many of the 10 necklaces have you finished?

Lori said...

Thanks! I like the way you spell doggeh, heehee. his name is Zazz. We also have a long face pooch named Soup. She's a papillon mix. I think there's a pic of her also in one of my entries, or at least on my flickr page.
I have 5 necklaces completely strung and ready to go. I just have to string five more, all my beads are made. I had to order more stringing thimble things for the ends though. I only have enough for three more necklaces.

Caitlin said...

aaw, Zazz is a cute name!!
So is soup. lol. Deff original. Is there a story behind it? (I'm feeling questiony tonight)

We had a kitty named Ravioli one time. We got him for free from some people at a wal-mart parking lot. He had ravioli sauce on his head, bless his little kitty heart. We called him Ravi most of the time, and he was my favorite cat ever. And I don't even like cats. But he ran away...

Aaanyways. Congrats on the necklaces!!!

Isn't that picture great? I think I *will* get it printed. Thanks for the great idea! ..And framed. It will make me happy.

Anonymous said...

Two things: First, I gotcha about the work space- one day you'll get what you need! I just read a blog post about a girl who just moved and stole the dining room table for her drawing table and is using a table clothed ironing board as her dining spot-ha! Second: I totally used to break back into campus studios (there was always a window open in the printmaking studio) the summer after graduation. It's a harsh reality when all that fancy equipment is suddenly gone! Good luck with the awesome commission.

Lori said...

Nancy, that is so funny. I would dine on an ironing board any day! I usually just use a plate on my lap, haha. And thankfully I don't have to break back into the studio to use it, all the teachers I know of in the art department welcome fresh grad's to use the studio for quite some time after graduating.

KimberlyRies said...

That bag o' beads looks luscious!And your helper is awfully cute!! What a face!

Good luck w/ your commission and with the schroom fest.

Artist Victoria O'Neill said...

hey, always enjoy stopping by and seeing what you are up to. love the beads of course.....the workspace issue is always an issue...i'm in the process of moving my studio from one room into two separate rooms....in fact should be working on that right now instead of reading your blog. It's such a huge undertaking and I'm half done. happy spring to you!

Lori said...

Thank Victoria! Good luck with your workspace. :) I'll have a nice big one eventually!

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