I met The Doll Maker quite by chance at a church bazaar in December of 2008. Since then, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading her monthly newsletter complete with outstanding color photos of her adventures. The Doll Maker has given me permission to list a link to the newsletter found at http://weepeeple.com/news/february2009newsletter.htm . The February installment features pictures from her trip to Mexico and displays a wonderful array of bright colors. I think the artisans in Mexico use the “no fear” color method where almost anything works together and I especially I like the way vibrant colors paint the landscape. Inspired by the pictures from Mexico, I decided to “paint” a necklace using bead embroidery. 
The embroidered circles use electric blue and shades of orange seed beads stitched on Lacy’s Stiff Stuff and backed with Ultrasuede. I jumped right into this project without a suitable answer regarding how to attach the embroidered pieces to the necklace. I believe that part of the creative process is continuing the work when no plausible answer to a problem is visible. It’s been hard to learn to trust that an answer will be conjured, however, I ’m learning to trust myself. After I completed all the pieces, they spent several days on the design table staring at me as if to say “now what?” Finally, it dawned on me that I could stitch a couple of small beads on the back of each circle and thread the necklace wire through these. 
I added a few extra beads in order that the wire would be hidden on the back of each piece. While I can’t attest to whether or not my customers will like this style, I can be assured that I learned from creating it.
Category Archives: Color
Color Success
The picture shows the pendants, mentioned in the last blog entry, for which I was making strands. I regret the picture cannot show the beauty of the pendants and the vivid colors. The strands from left to right are pearls, peridot chips, African opals and smoky quartz. Although you cannot see clearly, each pendant has some peridot in it and each is removable for placing on an alternative strand or silver chain. The extra peridot chip strand can be used with any of the pendants or various strands can be put together for a multistrand look. These pieces will be available at Dovetails of Wimberley.
Perfect Light
The title of the entry sounds as though something philosophical should appear in the words that follow. Alas, this is not necessarily the case. I’ve put off preparing and returning the necklaces for several pendants given me by a retailer. Yet, there comes a time when you can wait no longer and this is the day. Unfortunately, this day started dark and drizzly – not a good combination for selecting matching colors for the pendants. Realizing that I’m working with greens today, you may wish to nod your head in understanding.
Although I arranged what seemed to be good color matches, I was about to give up on the process for lack of clear light and the clarity it brings. Then it dawned! The perfect sunlight crept over my shoulder to shine directly on the pendants and provide an opportunity to find a beautiful match. 
You can see from the picture that sunlight wasn’t the only thing that crept over my shoulder. I guess my cat Blue thought the sunlight arrived solely to warm his back. Luckily, as the sun moved on, so did Blue. Unluckily, I needed the sun back WITHOUT the cat! I’m thankful that I was able to quickly grab the right colors for the pendants even in the midst of the brief sunlight and the warming cat. Perhaps a few rays of sunlight once in a while is all I need.
Philosophical Query: As we wait for clarity on things much more important that designs, do we need to be prepared to capture that fleeting moment of clarity as it passes us by? Is that moment sometimes hidden by some distraction?
Matching Colors
Isn’t it great when you can get expert help with matching the right beads to purchased or handmade pendants? Yesterday, I took a handful of pendants to Szarka (http://www.magpiegemstones.com/home.html) and she and her family helped me get just the right combinations. They worked diligently as though they were the ones trying to create each piece. Then they charged me a fair price for the stones and off I went. I’ve been happily beading ever since (except for the time spent on ranch work). Dovetails of Wimberley purchased the Zuni bear pendant at market and requested a strand for it. You can find it along with the double strand Nacozari turquoise necklace I made for it at the store where you can also locate many of my other pieces. 
I like the amber in the strand with the cabachon in the right picture and feel it helps bring out the matrix of the stone. Although I used Amber from my stored accumulation of beads, it was Szarka’s suggestion that led me to this color. Hurray for excellent customer service!
Nature’s Color Challenge
Reading about what inspires an artist often helps us understand the power of nature in its presentation of color, form and texture. Many artists comment that their ideas come from nature. I believe that particularly bead embroidery artists who focus on authentic replication through the medium draw upon nature. The piece shown today reflects the harsh colors of the current Texas drought which has produced our brown landscape. 
The green in the middle is akin to the few sprigs of healthy grass that sprout where the land has been watered through irrigation. (There are a mere few because the deer eat all of the rest!)
Using your imagination, you may be able to see how the lower picture provides further description of the dry land. It also captures an unusual ranch event I want to share. We raise registered Black Angus cows and one of our important donors had a difficult labor requiring that the calf be pulled. While this is not so strange for a first calf heifer, what followed is highly unusual. After delivering the bull calf, it was apparent that something more was eminent. Fearing the worst, a prolapse, the men tried to stop the outward movement of the protrusion. Thankfully, the yet to be delivered little heifer twin wouldn’t be dismayed by this and wiggled her head as if to say “get me out of here!” 
Twins are extremely unusual and we’ve only had one other set in the past 10 years. Following a visit from the vet and stitches for the new mom, we’re hoping for progress. I’m only slightly embarrassed to say that while I held the cow’s tail and watched our skilled vet stitch her, I could only think about how great it would be to use his knotting technique with my beading. (Perhaps, I’ve fallen overboard!) By the way, the twins have been bottle fed and will be again every three hours while the Mom decides which calf she will take.
Ideas and inspiration come from the most unusual circumstances and I believe that nature will speak to us if we’re prepared to listen. I wonder if nature is telling me to design in multiples of two for a bit . . . ?
Blue Blue
At the close of this Fall/Winter design season, it’s sometimes difficult to get into new color combinations; yet. color ideas and combinations arise from the most unpredictable places. While I was stuffing things back into a closet, the yarn basket spilled producing an array of mixed up hues. Some of the side by side colors produced nice complements and I will remember them as I work at the design table this morning. Perhaps I should spill things on purpose once in a while!
Unfortunately, my cat, Blue, also noted the happening and wanted to play string. When I tired of this game before he did, I gave him his own short piece of yarn (about 8 inches) with which he could play. When Blue tired of his yarn, he ate it! (yes, it was a blue piece of yarn) Can we call him a Blue Blue?
Got the Blues?
I’m thinking about color for designs today. Artists often tell us to look at nature and I have to admit the color of our Texas sunsets has often provided the hues for a design; but what about blues? Of course, there’s the sky color, eye color and the occasional nail polish, but what else . . . ? How about water blue? 
A surprise birthday trip planned by my wonderful family for Christmas Eve day found me “in the blue” of a simulated ocean at Sea World with marvelous Beluga whales. What do you think? Perhaps a nice bead embroidery in a palette of blues and a “whale white” gemstone would do the trick. I’ll let you know if anything develops although I think it will be difficult to capture the essence of my outstanding adventure. (I have the BEST family!)
A surprise birthday trip planned by my wonderful family for Christmas Eve day found me “in the blue” of a simulated ocean at Sea World with marvelous Beluga whales. What do you think? Perhaps a nice bead embroidery in a palette of blues and a “whale white” gemstone would do the trick. I’ll let you know if anything develops although I think it will be difficult to capture the essence of my outstanding adventure. (I have the BEST family!)