WillOaks Studio

Holiday Shopping at WillOaks Studio

2011-12-02T17:39:00.010-06:00

A fun collection of hoops, narrative and holiday earrings both in my shop or about to be posted over the coming weekend. If you're an earring fan, check these out soon--lots of fun and plenty of bling. And I'm finally adding gold to my mix--14/20 gold filled wire and beads besides the sterling silver I've used forever....

A range of pieces in more traditional forms and colors, for winter and for the holidays, are scattered all through my shop on Etsy. Garnets, rubies, keishi pearls, cut crystals and Czech glass and much more!

And a personal favorite new direction: Pearls for the Holidays. Long metal chains with wire wrapped pearls and gemstones and coordinated earrings. Available individually or save 10% when earrings and necklace are purchased together.

Plenty of time to order gifts for Christmas giving and if you've shopped with me before, watch your e-mail box for a discount code to sweeten the deal!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend. Over here, the holiday parties are starting this weekend!!

Still Running Behind....

2011-11-30T00:45:00.009-06:00

I guess I could just practice a little gratitude instead of pushing so hard. My biggest problem during this past, extremely challenging, year has not been with creativity or new pieces and ideas, it's been with the administrative follow through. So by the seat of my pants, I've now got all but about 20 of my new pieces posted in my Etsy shop, which has been a huge challenge because all the writing is really hard--even more so with all the new emphasis on search, SEO, tagging and all that jazz. And I'm still plugging away with posting the rest of the new "holiday" work, even as I begin to fill more orders (made to order mostly) as the holiday rush begins.

But have I advertised? created a newsletter? posted on my blog? let ANYBODY know that there's new work to see, that some new series have been posted, new anything etc.?? No, these activities, critical though they may be, are currently at the back of the bus. And I guess, in a nutshell, that pretty much sums up the sort of year it's been for me.

Succinctly stated, grieving definitely leaves me in a productive state, so far as working on new things and finding new ideas in the studio, but also leaves me at a distinct loss when it comes to all the other steps needed to promote and sell artwork, both online or in person. So I thought I'd just post a snapshot of my "front shop window" here for right now. It changes every few hours, actually. And soon, I hope, I can say a few words about new ideas & materials I've been exploring....ha ha, guess I forgot it's Wednesday so, no "Wordless" Wednesday this week! Hope your Wednesday is a good one!

There She Goes Again....

2011-11-19T00:32:00.011-06:00

Nothing says "Winter Holidays" to me quite like crystals. The clear icy color reminds me of the weather, but the sparkly "bling" of the hard, crisp surfaces says party sparkles all the way! So every winter, I get out my precious box of German leaded cut crystals....and try to figure out all new ways to use them.
A couple of new designs, above and below, and there are some others that I've not photographed quite yet. The design challenge is to figure out all new and different ways to embellish them.

These dainty faceted lemon quartz marquis cut stones have been staring at me for awhile now and I just wouldn't commit to how to use them. Well, I finished a commission this past week (finally! I was running pretty slow on this job!) where I was designing earrings to work with a customer's pendant, which was also artisan made....to make a long story short, this design evolved and I'm giving it a try in my Etsy shop--my customer liked them very much so we'll see of other women do too!

And finally, I'm working with some very nice Keishi Pearls I've been collecting for awhile now. I love these precious, organic shapes used to evoke little flowers and flower petals, and I find them really challenging to work with because no two pearls are alike. Plus, they are not plentiful and so the choice of colors and sizes is intermittent, at best. But these pale gray (above) and rich, warm brown (below) pearls, paired with Swarovski crystals and little gemstones are a dangle design that I really like, and that have been doing well in the gallery. They are really difficult to photograph well so I'm unsure about how much I want to stress over the photos to offer these in my shop? We'll see, perhaps my time is better spent keeping the display at the gallery stocked up because when seen in "person" these are quite charming and elegant dangle earrings.
...........to be continued!

I just drift away into my creative la-la land.....get lost for days....and you never know when or where I'll pop up next! Sorry, I don't mean to neglect my blog and blogger friends. But the countdown to the openings last weekend became so intense and then, things never did really settle down! I'm feeling the beginnings of the holiday crunch time and already, my house is neglected and I'm falling behind on things NOT about making new pieces....

But the good news is, there are a lot of new pieces here waiting to be photographed so thankfully, I'm getting inspired and have been working very hard. New pieces I'll show here soon include a whole new series that features large pearls and chain and my very first work in gold, what a thrill!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Something about Purple-Wednesday Treasuries

2011-11-09T00:05:00.002-06:00

No time to make a new treasury today. I'm in the countdown here to some big deadlines and am a part of 2 local shows opening this weekend (yay!) The weather has really gone bad quickly so not sure when I can try for more photos on nature walks. All by way of presenting a couple of fine treasuries that showed up in my Etsy activity feed today, both incorporating shades of purple (which I just adore, and actually, wear quite a lot, especially in the winter.)

Without further ado....

curated by Jayne of White Oak Room.
I also recommend you take a look at her shop--delicious textiles for your home and who isn't thinking about a bit of nesting when the weather turns on us and the days grow so dark?

And the next one

curated by Christy of Poppy and Purl whose shop features pretty handmade flowers and knitted lovelies.

Have a humpy hump day and thanks for dropping by!

I'm a Shopping Fool...

2011-11-07T23:08:00.005-06:00

...but only on paper and in my head. I must admit though that there are a lot of people in my family and so yeah, I'm just starting to think about Christmas presents. So I got this idea, to sort of oil up my old thinking cap, and based on yesterday's treasury fun: I thought I would try a few more of these beautifully illustrated "shopping lists" with different themes, and see what might happen.

So today, my theme is one of my favorite things: Bird Watching. Anyone care to join me? The Audubon annual Christmas bird count is right around the corner--December 14 to January 5! I wonder if we'll have snow by then?

Winter's Falling, Treasuries Rising

2011-11-07T01:31:00.003-06:00

I have neglected making treasury collections on Etsy for well over a year. But I found a kind of crazy new inspiration this evening and finally made a new one (below.) What happened was, I was on my "personal page" over there, and glanced over at my private favorites - recently listed grid. It seemed pretty nice all together! So I copied most of it into a treasury. OTOH, that grid is only 3 x 3 images, so I did try to artfully patch in the 4th rows 2 times--right side and bottom.

In fact, I enjoyed that so much, I tried it a second time a couple of hours later!

Blogfire Blog Blitz!

2011-11-01T00:02:00.002-05:00

If you haven't dropped in lately, my studio on ArtFire is all gussied up for the Fall season right now even as I'm getting all my holiday shopping ducks in a row (old favorites and new additions all scheduled to be up by mid November!)

Note my new shop banner? My favorite banner designer, Winchester Lambourne has made me a new one to slip in between my summer and winter banners!! It coordinates with the new banner here on my blog and in my Etsy shop. So perfectly seasonal. Gee I think she makes my work look good!

But this post is to start my readers thinking about holiday shopping for that WillOaks Studio necklace you've been considering (drooling over?)--either to give as a gift or to get for yourself for when you're nicely dressed up (even if it is only that one time of the year!?!) --

OK, so maybe it's just for a nice original pearl design....to wear with your jeans while you're digging in the garden, shoveling snow or milking the cows? Don't laugh, I actually DO these things here at WillOaks Farm! OK, maybe the cows are a stretch....but I do put on all kinds of pearl necklaces with all kinds of crazy outfits....remember, I run a campground from May 1 to mid October! And also remember: pearls are completely washable as are the handmade silk ribbons I've been fond of using in my pearl bib designs the past couple of years.

And while it doesn't happen too often...when I'm questioned about this way of dressing (especially at the campground) I give the softball pitch about my online studios. Or if the puzzlement seems REALLY bad....I just say that pearls are my birthstone. But I don't usually need an excuse and, IMHO, neither do ANY women for wanting to put on jewelry and a dab of perfume, even if it is just to clean the house. Does this make me retro?

So I'm engaging in shameless self-promotion today because that is the theme of our new Blogfire Blog Blitz. I'm steering you over to the next blog by Janet Bocciardi of Honey From The Bee who also has shops on ArtFire and Etsy, and also belongs to the ArtFire Guild we call Blogfire. (Be sure to link to her shops from her blog--you're in for a treat!)

And while I'm not sure yet what surprises she will have for you today, here's a cool tip: also scroll down to her 10-31-11 post for a fabulous peek at La Rambla in Barcelona where everyone seems to be going a tad nutty for Halloween!! It's so cool!

True confession: I hung out in a hostel on the Rambla for a couple of weeks in my "youth" but it was during July or August, so I missed the Halloween fun. BUT my experience of this amazing neighborhood in this fantastic city was also memorable. Hmmmm, I wonder when I can wander back over there again? It's been quite awhile.....and I could use a good dose of Gaudi's art and architecture....I love Spain and Catalonia and paella!

Please enjoy the rest of the Blog Blitz, following link to link, and blog to blog (with little detours to several fine shops full of Handmade Goodness!) Happy November and thanks for dropping by!

Jack Frost's Paintings

2011-10-29T01:16:00.011-05:00

The last days of brilliant colors pass by as the hard freezes are now moving through and soon all the trees will be bare. I've been walking through the campground park every day to see these colors develop and change, to watch autumn pass through, even though the park is closed for the season now. We've nearly put everything away for the winter and the focus is completely on the artistry of Jack Frost and his amazing paint brush.

Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday Autumn Walk

2011-10-25T23:33:00.006-05:00

Happy Birthday, Mom

2011-10-23T00:28:00.006-05:00

How time flies. Today is my mother's birthday. She passed away in 1979, but if she had lived, today she would have been 78, not really so old these days. She was so much fun. Pictured here, on the left, she's hanging out with one of her best friends Marge back in 1973. Notice the camper in the background? Uh huh, family camping started way before I was even born and by '73, long gone were the tents and pop-ups...it was full fledged campers, towed behind autos, all the way.

We took a lot of family trips as campers and often banded together with other families. We'd move into a park en masse and just make it our home for awhile. There were usually tons of kids around--heck, our family alone added 6 kids to the big group!

But today, I was remembering how stylish my mom usually was. She had her own fashion flair and loved to dress up and look good. She got me going with sewing, crafts, art classes and all the rest before I knew what I was doing and I do like to day dream about how she would view my art career since she passed away shortly after I got my BFA and before I had even had my first solo exhibition. I did find earrings I made for her in a copper enameling lesson in high school art classes but can't remember if I ever saw her actually wear them. I think I could dress her up in some of my current designs, at least in my imagination.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Wordless Wednesday, Dakota

2011-10-19T00:06:00.000-05:00

Just an ode to my old dog Dakota. Poor girl is losing her hearing and her sight this summer but still has plenty of spunk and spirit.

Lucky Random Mix

2011-10-13T10:41:00.013-05:00

Mixed Metal Hoop Earrings with Peridot Green Glass Leaves

A lucky chance mixture of photos in my "Collage" folder on my computer desktop inspired me today. Earrings current in my Etsy shop and Autumn photo collages from recent walks seem to have color echoes that are surprising and interesting, to my eyes.

Autumn is one of the most colorful seasons here as so many of the different grasses, trees, bushes and other plants take on shades of orange, yellow, red, purple and many subtleties of browns and earth tones, and a full palette of greens. And there are still flowers blooming (especially sedums and there is a huge bed of asters I've been meaning to capture.)

Beaded Hoop Earrings with Pastel Opalized Glass Beads and Sterling Silver

These original earrings are coiled hoop constructions from my studio and each feature a different "bead soup" which is a cute way of describing a mixture of beads that are somehow color coordinated, and then used randomly. The three color schemes in earring designs each echo the autumn collage above.

Beaded Hoop Earrings Bright Colored Trade Beads Original Coiled and Bound Sterling

The mix of antique trade beads above are from Ghana. Their history is they were made in Europe, probably Bohemia or Italy, at least 100 years ago and then made their way to Africa where they were used for trading--a kind of currency. What inspires me is the effect of the joyous color mixtures as there are so many little individually different beads.

Hoop Earrings Tourmaline Colored Vintage Beads Original Coiled and Bound

The vintage bead soup used for this coiled design is labeled "Watermelon Tourmaline" as the color selection is inspired by a semi-precious gemstone by this name. Small faceted transparent glass beads in shades of purples, pinks, teal, light and dark green, clear and light pastels mimic this stone and hold their own as they add a vintage flavor to this mixed color palette.

So it's gray, rainy and much cooler but the weekend, our last open for camping this year at WillOaks, could be lovely typical fall weather. Sending best wishes for a lovely weekend to all!! Thanks for dropping by!

Wordless Wednesday Autumn

2011-10-12T00:11:00.004-05:00

I Love Pearls (A few more....)

2011-10-07T14:09:00.011-05:00

Blue Peacock Pearl Bib Necklace on a Silk Ribbon

Bronze Pearl Bib Statement Necklace Cluster on Black Silk Ribbon

Berry Pearls Necklace Cluster Bib on Hand Painted Silk

Under the "better late than never" label, I managed to put all the final touches on my new show in Barrington yesterday (Thursday) that runs 10-1 to the end of October. Given how many pieces I ended up using to fill the big window and a display case, the paperwork, inventory and labels seemed to take a pretty long time. I don't always put labels on the pieces as I make them because I can always refer to the listings that I post in my shop online. And I wasn't sure what final pieces would be used in the display until I was actually putting it all together!

I'm happy with how things all finally came together, but wouldn't you know it, I forgot to grab my camera and tripod in order to document this installation project. I hope to circle back next Thursday though and document the installation then, so I can share it here.

At any rate, here are images of a few more of the new pearl bibs that are now on my Etsy site and that I've also included in the gallery exhibition. I'm delighted by the views and sales these pieces are getting since I started to post them in my Etsy shop a couple of weeks ago! I really love them, love to construct them, and look forward to going through the stash of top drilled pearls I've been collecting over the past year to see what more new designs I can come up with within this design, because I've got quite a good collection of different shapes, colors and sizes of pearls.

On another note, here at the WillOaks Campground, we are into our second to last weekend for 2011 and will soon count down our final week for this season. We have had a wonderful break in the weather--from cold and frosty to warm and balmy! I'm pretty sure this is our Indian Summer season and given the cold snap we just went through, it feels really wonderful and things are nice and busy here as the season winds down! I hope you all have a great weekend too!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-04T23:05:00.008-05:00

I Love Pearls (part 85)

2011-10-01T20:19:00.000-05:00

Honeysuckle Pearl Multi Strand Statement Necklace on Silk Ribbon

Thistle Purple Pearl Statement Necklace Bib Cluster on Silk Ribbon

Sepia Pearl Nugget Bib Necklace Cluster on Painted Silk Ribbon

Bib Pearl Necklace Silver Gray on Silk Ribbon

OK, so maybe I haven't actually posted 84 times before about pearls, but since it is one of my favorite materials and favorite topics, who's counting??

My new series of fresh water pearl bib necklaces includes the newest in an evolution of this design that I can't seem to get away from and I believe I keep making better and better.

The newest incarnation builds on where I last worked on this design last Spring. I've since discovered even more interesting rings and other links to connect the pearl cluster to the adjustable ribbon and have found more colors of pearls in different sizes to broaden these choices. I still use artisan dyed and hand made silk ribbons which aren't just beautiful in their own right, but allow adjustments to exactly what length the pearl cluster is worn at--making these distinctive original designs very versatile.

I just installed a good number of these front and center in my new show in Barrington! I spent all day there putting an installation (ok, a display) together and will need to go back to tweak things, to add printed text signs, and to do some photos--my iPhone photos are abysmal. But the show is up all of October so knowing me, the odds are good I'll keep changing and adding as things go on. Well, selling would be nice too, lol! Pictures to come (I hope) next week.

Have a great weekend, all!!

Wednesday for Treasuries

2011-09-27T22:20:00.012-05:00

Remember how I used to get all excited about Etsy treasuries*? Well, then they sort of got all watered down because they weren't difficult to get anymore--anyone can make them any time and a very tiny handful of chosen artists and treasury makers eventually run on the Etsy front page...same ones, day after day after day.

But never mind that! I find my work in a lot of them even if they don't get seen beyond Etsy, so I just discovered a new way to show them here on my blog, a million times easier than in the old days of screen shots, copy, crop and upload/paste.

It's a widget created through Craft Cult and I think with some practice, I can eventually get the size and placement a little better, but this is a good beginning!! When I ran a search tonight to figure out what my choices were, they gave me 100 to choose from that include my work. That sort of put a spring in my step, if you know what I mean (Sally Fields moment: They like me, they really like me!)

So I picked the most recent one: "Chartreuse"-- it is a color I just adore! You'll see some other new work using this color in my new pearls here soon. Meanwhile, my new cuff is on the bottom row, furthest on the left, in case you didn't catch it! Enjoy!

*"Etsy Treasuries: curated collections that anyone can pull together for show and tell. Usually, they include the work of 16 different artisans or other Etsy shops that all revolve around some theme, concept, color, look or? The unifying principle can be simple or very elaborate. They are a very fun place to browse some of the best of Etsy shopping!"

Hoops, Finale (for now)

2011-09-26T21:20:00.008-05:00

I had a strand of natural Spinel stones and the range of colors was truly amazing. Too much of a good thing because I fussed and fiddled with these for an awfully long time before I finally, FINALLY committed myself to making something with them. Well, I was also intimidated because I don't usually spend quite that much $$ on 14 inches of stones on a string....

But prior to this, I had worked with a strand of rubies of a similar price tag and I've sold a few of those OOAK earrings, so maybe I'm getting more confidence about taking risks like this? At any rate, examples of my final "hoop form" in the hoop mania I have been covering, and these are examples that are currently available in my Etsy Shop.

Silver Hoop Earrings with Wire Wrapped Spinel Gems OOAK

Pastel Spinel Big Hoop Sterling OOAK Earrings with Latchback, Gold and Silver

Copper Hoop Earrings with Spinel Stones OOAK Hoop Earrings

So this coming Saturday, I'll be setting up a display of a collection of my pieces in the big picture window of the gallery in Barrington, BCAC at the IceHouse Mall, that I've mentioned here earlier. It's a gallery program called "Featured Artist of the Month" and eventually, almost everyone gets a turn. I'm at the stage of making my final selection of pieces to use, themes to follow, etc. I think it will be fun but am very hopeful that my last order of display busts gets here in time.......

Meanwhile, over in the WillOaks Studio on Etsy, I've begun to post a body of work that features tons of pearls....I'll write a little more about this newly revisted direction later this week!!

The weather is crummy, rain rain rain rain.....

Hope your week's going great!

More Hoops, Part 2

2011-09-24T21:50:00.007-05:00

This coiled hoop design came to me a few years ago and has changed and evolved with use. Recently, I've been inspired by some vintage seed beads I've either found, was given, or purchased and I needed a way to showcase these tiny beauties that wasn't just sort of straight and boring So I pulled out my trusty old coiled wire design and pushed it to a new direction.

Since I fabricate each part of these earrings, I can make them any size I wish and as simple or complex as needed. Oxidized sterling, bright sterling or copper are fair game for materials and mixed metals are just beginning here with some new pieces.

Big Hoop Earrings with Brightly Colored Antique Trade Beads

Vintage Beaded Hoop Earrings in Sterling Silver with Tourmaline Colors

Beaded Hoop Earrings Brown Bamboo Coral and Original Coiled Copper

Big Sterling Silver Brown Hoop Earrings with Vintage Rootbeer Beads

There are a few others in this vein with more colors and different sizes to be seen here and here. Don't worry if they aren't quite "your thing." The pairs I've sold so far seem to be going to musicians and artists so maybe they are kind of "out there?" And even more interesting, I'm selling these better outside of the U.S. then inside our country...I have to wonder if it's something about the weakness of the dollar.

At any rate, true confession, although I had every intention of editioning these when I first made them, I've since discovered (how embarrassing) that they are actually really difficult to make a 2nd and 3rd time around. This doesn't happen too often (thank goodness!) that I come up with a design that I can't seem to repeat, but with these, I haven't figured out an easy way to do these, they take a lot of time....in fact, they are pretty hard to make.....bummer!

But I'll file it under the "live and learn" category!

Sending warm Equinox wishes to all and have a lovely Sunday!

Wordless Wednesday, Walk in the Park

2011-09-20T23:39:00.007-05:00

WillOaks Campground, September 2011

Boltonia

Asclepias

Great Blue Lobelia

Back track to Hoops

2011-09-17T00:40:00.005-05:00

If you check in now and then, perhaps you have noticed that I often work in series. That is, I don't usually just make one version of an idea but often explore many variations on a theme. The past summer, while I was working and not writing much, I became enamored with hoop earrings. In fact, I did about 4 different series featuring different design approaches to this shape.

Below, a few examples from my more simple design with a focus on gemstones wrapped around a nice size of hoop. All sterling hoops and wires and all semiprecious stones in the roundel shape.

Chrysoprase Big Hoop Earrings Wrapped with Silver

Amethyst Hoop Earrings Sterling and Phlox Purple Wrapped with Silver

Tiny Peach Coral Beads Wrapped on Sterling Silver Hoop Earrings

Ruby Big Hoop Earrings Wrapped with Silver

Peridot, carnelian, and crystals in a chakra rainbow are also in my shop with this shape of hoop. Pearls, garnets and other stones are still on my "to do" list. I think of this design as a staple in the sense that monochromatic pieces like these can be easily and frequently used--and do not necessarily need to "match" the color of one's outfit--in fact, as a counterpoint, it can really be a lot of fun!

Later, I'll show other directions that hoops have taken in my recent work, from simple to wild and crazy.

Speaking of wild and crazy, best wishes for a nice weekend--here in the Midwest, we are getting our first taste of sustained cold weather. A bit too early for my tastes.....

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-14T00:19:00.000-05:00

Inspiration

Autumn Walk

Hiding in My Studio

2011-09-11T00:17:00.009-05:00

Bamboo Silk Cuff Bracelet with Brown Bamboo Coral

Crochet Stone and Silk Cuff in Sea Green Jade

Gray Silk Crocheted Cuff Wide and Thick with Mother of Pearl Beads

Crochet Silk Cuff in Chartreuse with Peridot Jasper Beads

Nougat Silk Cuff with Firebrick Red Glass and Bone Beads

It's a sad 10 year anniversary today in the USA. I carry my own heavy memories of that fateful day but cannot dwell there now as I'm clawing my way back up to some happier level these 10 years later. Instead, I'm posting some new work that has made it's way into my Etsy shop this weekend. All are imagined for Fall and Winter use, all are made of this wonderful artisan dyed pure heavy silk fiber crocheted to capture beads and bits, and all close with a silver plated slide clasp.

Influenced by nature: shrubs, trees, budding plants and other wild tangles. Distinctive statement cuffs that are also so comfortable to wear, it's easy to forget they are on your wrist. Easy to wash and dry. Easy to order for a custom fit (see details in the studio listings!)

Have a peaceful, gentle day, whatever your memories hold. Remember to embrace the present moment--it becomes the past all too quickly! Namaste'

Late Summer

2011-09-10T00:24:00.006-05:00

Just a couple of days ago, I finally took my camera for a walk. This has really bothered me...but I couldn't seem to fix it: I have taken very few photos of nature or the seasons since Dad passed. I've been stuck. I have no idea why, but when I would think about doing it, I'd just give up and postpone even thinking about it.

Distressing because it seems I've had a camera in my hands since I got my first Brownie camera as a kid, so what happened? Kind of frustrating because I missed a few seasons here----but maybe I'm just coming out of it?? Above, I captured sunset over the campground.

And today, we found cicadas emerging from their husks on some of our trees here. Pretty intense little images....

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T00:11:00.004-05:00

(Let's be hippies!)

Sampler of some new work for Autumn showing soon at the WillOaks Studio...stay tuned.

Grief, Grieving and Going Forward

2011-09-05T16:24:00.009-05:00

So where did almost 4 months go?? My poor little blog, I have neglected you and your readers terribly....I do know I have been just so heavy with sadness, whenever I slowed down enough to think, that the thought of actually writing has been quite simply a non-starter. And besides this, I find no joy in the photography I used to endlessly generate. On one hand, the campground and all the associated work here has made this a busy summer. On the other hand, I've found myself to be essentially mute and words have been hard to find.

When I finally woke up one morning and realized I wasn't snapping out of it, I found some help in the form of a support group offered by our local hospice. It sounds kind of crazy, but there really are aspects of grieving that can be explained and even quantified and being around a small group of other folks who have recently lost a parent is truly giving me a new and better outlook. Plus we have counselors leading us along who are experienced and wise. So I take a 4 hour break now, one day a week, and drive a few towns over to participate in a 2 hour gathering then drive back home, usually, utterly drained of emotion...which is good...because I sleep like a log and then can process things even more the next day.

And I guess that's another way to say things take time. It's a process. It's a journey. It's different for everyone and each person handles grief in their own personal way. But there seem to be threads and touchstones that many folks have in common, so with this to work from, one can share, and from there, heal, in order to move on.

I have a history of losing loved ones in my family. But the last time there was a string of losses was about 30 years ago when I lost multiple grandparents, my sister and my mom all in the stretch of a few years. And so I have a history of burying myself in making things. As much as possible, excluding/ignoring the world writ large, and just making things. I guess it's an avoidance technique? Some escapism? A distraction from thinking about other things? I am not very good at self-analysis but have been looking for patterns as I begin to wake up here, look back, and think again.

I'm not sure how far I can take this grieving process in my blog. I'd hope to pick up some of the pieces to resume the joy of life "behind the gallery" view, in that more happy sense. It's been pointed out to me that after such a large loss, a person goes forward changed, it's inevitable and inescapable. So I'm not sure what that actually "means" but I guess I will begin to find out and share what I can here!

New Directions

2011-05-13T19:49:00.018-05:00

Sometime before my dad really began to fail last winter, I made commitments for a few new local projects for May. Little did I realize at the time how truncated my work time would be when I was scheduling a busy "art May" besides being the month we open the campground here, but that's just how things have turned out. And so far, I haven't cancelled anything.

A new challenge I accepted was to exhibit my work in the context of wall hung, framed artwork, in public spaces so it would (ideally) be attractive AND secure. Wow, at first I had little clue how to start. But a friend suggested I shop for "shadow boxes" and as luck would have it, the weekend I finally went hunting for them--they were 50% off at Hobby Lobby. Talk about a lucky break (these things are kind of expensive!)

Nature Frolic, 17 ¼” x 13 ¾” x 2 ¾”
Mixed Material, Artisan Handmade Jewelry in Shadow Box, Assemblage not for Sale,
Individual pieces priced individually where available

So I took them home, took them apart, and went hunting for "appropriate hardware," fabrics and papers with this vague idea in mind to create some sort of installation that was intimate and casual and could showcase a range of my pieces. I decided that pegs, hooks and bars coupled with little shelves were the best place to begin my construction, after I had attached small hasps with tiny padlocks to the outside of the doors (adding these locks was a lot harder than I thought it would be!)

Going Forward in Neutral, 17 ¼”x 21 ¼”x 2 ¾”
Mixed Material, Artisan Handmade Jewelry in Shadow Box, Assemblage not for Sale,
Individual pieces priced individually where available

All the "interior" components were either white or a linen beige color, which I now see is quite pleasant to my eyes, but is not necessarily the best for photography....ahhhhh, you can't win them all, lol!

Then, I pulled little "collections" together with shared color themes. I added tiny altered black and white paper prints of some of these very pieces being worn and added a few "related natural objects" to sort of round out the compositions a la Joseph Cornell, at his most basic.

Turquoise Blues, 17 ¼” x 13 ¾” x 2 ¾”
Mixed Material, Artisan Handmade Jewelry in Shadow Box, Assemblage not for Sale,
Individual pieces priced individually where available

For these photos, which are not the greatest quality, I made the first set (all above) with the glass "doors" open in order to sort of capture a rough idea of the arrangements before I moved the pieces. Since the jewelry pieces included are actual pieces for sale, I didn't attach them in any way so a final touch up and clean up was necessary when the boxes were actually hung on the wall for the show. It was a pretty challenging project, to tell the truth! And I have no doubt these "shadow boxes" will change and evolve to become new and different pieces when necessary!! So now, I'm more prepared to hang my work in what I think of as "typical gallery installations" -- this is a good milestone for this body of my work.

One view of the final installation

So while this project is up and being viewed, I'm hard at work on my first (and only?) Summer Art Fair, scheduled for 5-22, Sunday, at an annual event in Barrington, IL called "Art in the Park." Wow, a whole different challenge for showing and installing!! I'll report on how this project comes together later....wish me luck!!

I'll close by mentioning a really fabulous new daily newsletter that ArtFire is producing which showcases a small selection of choice, related works each day and is a nice shortcut to finding new quality pieces by artists who keep their shops on ArtFire. It's called "The ArtFire Daily Collection."

But wait, there's more: a very neat contest is currently tied to subscribing to this daily newsletter (which you can sign up for here.) Everyone who signs up is given their own special code---and every day, in this lovely newsletter, a new code is randomly included. If you are lucky enough to be that winning number???? You win a $100 credit to spend as you like in any of the shops on ArtFire--hey, just think--maybe you could come and shop at my studio!! Good luck and let me know what you think of these new newsletters (I just love them!) And yes, I check for my own lucky number every day!

And then? Flora and Fauna....

2011-04-22T21:51:00.010-05:00

So yes, one can flounder after a life changing event, like losing a parent, a sibling, a loved one. Dad passed about 4 weeks ago. I just haven't had too much to say and so, poor blog, sits here on a long pause. I think it's the first "blog pause" I've had for such a long time. I'm sorry if you missed me, ha ha!
I don't have much to say, but I do have some interesting photos to share. Images of Spring in the Midwest, starting with the return of the Sandhill Cranes, which are easier to hear than to see around here. But I did catch a flock resting in a nearby field when they began to move in this Spring.

Rite of Spring - Mariah climbs a tree.

Other signs of Spring including flowers trying to grow, and getting smacked down by late snowfalls and frosts.

I channeled my dad the first week of April and planted onion sets, some cool weather seeds, pea pods, radishes. My dad and mom raised us all to work in their gardens and I do have very early memories of different tasks. So it felt good to dig in the dirt when the weather was friendly...lately, it's not friendly. Very cold and wet....

That's OK. I'm finally catching up on indoor studio work: back orders, commitments, creativity. It's all in there, somewhere, I just have to dig for it a bit. Campground will reopen in just about a week....Happy Easter Weekend to all.

A Beautiful Finish

2011-03-25T00:47:00.006-05:00

My dad passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2011 around 2 p.m. It was very intense as he neared his end but it was close to perfect, in my eyes. My brother and my sister and I were all around him, right there with him and talking to him with peaceful loving thoughts right to the last moments. He died very peacefully. Tonight, I'm exhausted and quite numb. I trust that catching up on some sleep will help me regain a balanced perspective. And then, all the family stuff will begin....a sort of grande finale to celebrate his life.

I will use the photo above on his memorial folder. He built this campground as a retirement project about 30 years ago after many years as a beloved physician here in our small town. I made this photograph on the summer solstice, and it's one of my favorites. There are a number of details to take care of next so that the next week or so goes well, but there is a sense of peace and fulfillment in all of us, a feeling of completion. And after all, life does go on....

On Death and Dying....

2011-03-22T09:47:00.007-05:00

An old family photo. My dad is standing in the back on the right.
After he passes, I am the only person in this photo who is still alive as his brother, parents and my mom have passed on before.

I must come clean just a bit here. For several years now, I cared for my father who has been declining in physical and mental health as he has aged. About 4 years ago, he entered assisted living nearby where he thrived for quite some time until the past couple of months.

When he began to be hospitalized about 6 weeks ago, I began a struggle with doctors, the nursing home, and other powers that be to help me find a new routine for him going forward where we would offer comfort but would acknowledge the fact that his heart condition and other problems were too advanced to actually "treat" anymore. Last week, the plans were finalized to bring him back home. And the new goal is comfort all the way.

I've been working closely with our local hospice. We set up the front room here as a bedroom with hospital furniture and on Friday morning, we brought Dad home. One of my sisters is a registered nurse. She came into town on Thursday night so that together, and using any resources and help we could get, we began to care for him here in his home.

It's been a bit shocking how quickly he has relaxed into his final decline. So we are into the final period of his time here and it's been both very sad, and very gratifying that his children are here or have been coming through; friends are stopping by to visit; and he's receiving 24 hour care with plenty of TLC. He seems to know that he is back home and so can begin the process of his final "letting go."

So everything else on my "to do" list except for the final plans for his funeral and memorial are on hold. And I'm not really working on any of my "normal" work right now....I felt compelled to post this update for my friends and readers here and so that I would have this explained in one place that I can direct my Etsy and ArtFire friends and customers to for as long as needed.

I expect to post an update when he passes on and can write a little bit more than. Thank you friends for listening and more later, Karen

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-16T00:50:00.002-05:00

Alien Orchid Evolves

2011-03-11T00:45:00.003-06:00

I highlighted this amazing blossom awhile back. I marveled that a plump bud was opening on a plant that took 2 years to bloom. A few days after I present the early photos, the flower opened a bit further and is presently looking a bit more like a standard alien orchid instead of that more otherworldly look it first presented.

So sorry, I still haven't taken time to research more info, like the name of the flower, promised earlier but hey, if any orchid experts happen to pass through here....do tell!!

Happy Weekend all!

Catch up

2011-03-07T22:51:00.004-06:00

Backtracking just a bit, here is a peek at the show I did recently and hopefully, a preview of how my installations will go for some neat summer opportunities I'm planning for. I forgot to photograph the whole left half of this installation--with lots of bracelets and eyeglass chains--but trust me, it was over there!

I recently heard an experienced seller mention that in the summer, folks tend to buy more for themselves....I've always been tied up with the campground in summer so hope to try to get out a bit more this coming season.

A Flower A Day #10

2011-03-06T23:56:00.002-06:00

A Flower A Day #9

2011-03-05T23:54:00.001-06:00

My secret...they think they are in the jungle, even in the dead of winter!

A Flower A Day #8

2011-03-04T23:52:00.000-06:00

A Flower A Day #7

2011-03-03T23:50:00.002-06:00

A Flower A Day #6

2011-03-02T23:49:00.000-06:00

A Flower A Day #5

2011-03-01T23:47:00.001-06:00

A Flower A Day #4

2011-02-28T23:45:00.001-06:00

A Flower A Day #3

2011-02-27T23:44:00.002-06:00

I must admit, I'm very, very pleased with this photo. I've had this orchid for many years and this year, she has 3 stems, in different stages, all at the same time. The light was so perfect this afternoon and I posed the spray of flowers to her best advantage!

A Flower A Day #2

2011-02-26T23:42:00.000-06:00

Charisma amaryllis

A Flower A Day #1

2011-02-25T23:32:00.005-06:00

While I was immersed in the studio, Spring, of a sort, was beginning indoors here. Or more to the point, I took the time to notice.

This amazing orchid was one of 4 I picked up in Missouri on a visit about 2 years ago. None of these were blooming when I bought them, so the price was right! However, they were of varieties that were brand new to me. Three of them bloomed, each with a large spray of flowers, within about a year and it was thrilling. But then, there was the lone hold out.....

...imagine my frustration in waiting TWO YEARS to finally see if the final hold out, this humble, strappy little plant could or would even bloom. And now, all I can say is Wow!

For the past couple of weeks, a plump bud just sort of hung there and I had no idea what to expect. Looks pretty alien to me, but what a wonderful treat for a gray winter day!

I have a nice collection of new photos as all kinds of plants wake up or perk up here indoors. I will post them one a day for as long as they last, only interrupting for breaking news.....enjoy!

You Can Guess What I've Been Up To....

2011-02-22T23:19:00.005-06:00

Showing lots of new work in Barrington, IL 2-24. Packing, labeling, stressing.....

Happy Wednesday! More later.....

Phun With Photos

2011-02-15T01:31:00.005-06:00

I got my first digital camera in 2003. I was clueless but intrigued by a list of different "modes" one could shoot in, so I sort of went crazy and hardly took any "normal" photos!! Experimentation was so exciting. Two images here of house plants (above) are from that early series.

Sometime later, I began to learn about editing on the computer and have been enchanted ever since. The orchid and the collage of variations on Red Kitty on the Red Cushion are just a few more recent experiments.

True confession, I'm clueless about the Photoshop approach to editing. Learning it someday is on my "to do" list...I have other, cruder but easier ways to manipulate photos and examples of this are used here. While I'm not writing this to endorse any products, if anyone is interested in aspects of software or other technical info, please drop me a note!

Have a great day--it's finally above freezing here and feels positively balmy!!

A Science Experiment

2011-02-11T21:10:00.002-06:00

...and the inspector.

It's Called Winter

2011-02-08T22:00:00.012-06:00

Yes, that would be .5 degrees Fahrenheit, as in 1/2 tick above zero.
The night is young...it will be below zero shortly.

This calls for remedial hot soup!
A new/old recipe for bean and barley soup.

Buds about to break open spied on the first day of the blizzard.

Today, this corner of the house thinks it's in the tropics.

And it's so nice to have a real smile-maker join the party.

Party? What party? I'm trying to figure out some new ads to get some visitors to my new and improved ArtFire Studio. I figure if I try enough ideas, one or two will end up working when they are published. What do you think? Which do you like best? Tried to keep them tiny like they will eventually be seen! And the burning question...where are good places to PUT them?!

No it's not an interactive image but if you feel like putting on your art critic's cap, and telling me what you think, I'm all ears! So much for a "wordless wednesday" not....

Thanks for dropping by & keep warm!

Grab Bag for a Cold Winter's Day

2011-02-03T03:00:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, the weather here preempted everything else--whether fun, or sort of important. Time to play catch up because there were some very lovely things that were happening for WillOaks Studio on other sites and I want to be sure to share them here.

The new exclusive piece I designed for "Yoga With Style" made its debut and I'm happy to share here that it is just the first of several pieces of my work that will be available at this very nice retail site for yoga aficionados. Meanwhile, I include one image of this piece here, but do take a look at Jennifer's whole site, with many wonderful categories of things for the yoga life style.

My readers here will recognize this as a new version of my ongoing "Made With Silk" series, which just keeps on growing!! Truly, I just keep finding new ideas, new treasures to incorporate, new color themes...and they become richer and more complex as the continue to evolve! And yes, they sell out because they are still made in small editions with neat things that I find in small batches.

My blog and Etsy buddy and fellow artist, Nancy, featured my work in her article on the "a little etsy love" blog here, and it includes a chance to win a gift certificate to use in my Etsy shop. The drawing on 2-9 is open to all who make the effort to enter!!

I really do like the way Nancy (her own blog is here) wrote up my work and hope you'll take a look (always nice to hear things from another perspective than mine...I'm the artist, after all, so am far from objective!!)

And finally, when I was making photos of the big snow drifts and after effects of our blizzard yesterday, I happened to notice and capture an image from the landscape that now I can see was a direct influence on the new pieces I've been working on and began to share here a few days ago. Well, I've done a few more versions of these since that post (see below) and can now juxtapose these with the "original source material." I love then this happens because when I wrote the descriptions of where this idea came from and what these pieces are meant to reference, I only had the image in my imagination....this photo from the Magnolia tree in the front yard here is definitely one of those photos "worth a thousand words. In fact, I'm just beginning to add it to the listings for these new pieces!

Thanks for dropping by....and if you happen to be in one of the sub-zero zones today, like I am....keep warm!!

Snow, Blow and now, 40 Below

2011-02-02T15:34:00.009-06:00

As I made my way, shoveling all the way, to see how the front yard and my car had come through the blizzard that moved in last night, I noted the lovely drifts in the front yard.....and then, looked to my right. OMG!! The net effect of the wind coming around the corner of the house made a drift even tall than my car. It will be blowing again tonight...but this time, bringing a windchill predicted to be very dangerous and well below zero. And then can we start Spring? Pretty Please?

Blizzard Wednesday

2011-02-01T21:49:00.006-06:00

Tuesday as dusk was falling, the blizzard was settling in and gaining speed and strength. It will be awesome to see what kind of drifts and views we'll have for Wednesday morning's light! Tonight, the wind is roaring and when gusts slam into the house, everything trembles....

Meanwhile, snug and warm in the studio, a new order of exotic artisan dyed "silk straw" was just delivered and some of these new colors are so inspiring! Thick, substantial pure silk with wonderful names like "Dragon" and "Rainforest" and "Silver." Still to come are "Raspberry Crush," "Deep Sea" and "Underwater Moonlight." It's really fun to riff off of another artist's creations!

So all the snow and grayness aside, do you think I'm already beginning to day dream about Spring? Yes, probably!! This new line is just now showing up in my ArtFire shop here. Stay tuned as new colors and forms take root here in the dead of winter!!

I've been wearing a couple of these cuffs for a few days now. The light, stretchy construction and the smooth silk and mother of pearl or quartz are so soft and light, the comfort factor is about 10 on a scale of 10.

Pearl Mania

2011-01-24T21:27:00.013-06:00

Some new things began to come together the past couple of weeks and one big change and improvement is discovering beautiful artisan dyed and stitched silk ribbons. If you've been watching some of my designs the past few months, you may recall I've been trying different ways to slip silk ribbons into pieces so they could be adjusted for length, etc. I experimented with crocheted chains, strips of leather, on and on.... But now, instead of making up my own ties, which could be troublesome and difficult, I have discovered that other artists are real pros in this form...so here you go. It's so easy to use these ribbons to wear these clusters at many different lengths and I accidentally tried the "bow on the side" and decided I really liked the look...so tried it a few times for fun. It's just one option for how to wear these new pieces. I've also learned that it's possible to put end clips on these ribbons so that regular clasps can also be used, but am not showing that approach here.

I was about to insert each title but these are so wordy( for the search engines) that I decided to keep the photo layout nice and clean and just make each collage link to its' gallery page, in case you are interested in seeing more info.

The other grand experiment/work in progress, is changing the look of my little blog...don't be too surprised if it changes a few more times before it finally settles down. My new banners are coming together created by a very talented British designer on Etsy-Winchester Lambourne. There will soon be a "summer version" and a "winter version" but these are still works in progress...to be continued!! If you're in need of a fresh new banner and avatar, or other web graphics, definitely give her a look--I know I've been just delighted by how things are coming along.

Wordless Wednesday (Fish and Sunshine)

2011-01-18T01:04:00.003-06:00

Times They Are A'Changin'

2011-01-15T00:05:00.012-06:00

German cut crystals that are true prisms
paired with a tiny abstract charm (a snowflake or a flower?)

Swarovski crystals in dark gray with a special finish

Swarovski crystals in a translucent white "opal" glass

Small black onyx beads wire wrapped to hand formed "stick" ear wires,
with free form hearts added to the ends
all silver is sterling silver

At the same time I've been designing quite a range of colorful earrings, the urge for black and white, for neutrals, also strikes. None of these are listed online quite yet. Posting new pieces is going a bit slowly right now except for the big push I had to get a nice collection of RED posted last week.

Things are in transition for selling my pieces right now. There are more "brick and mortar" outlets becoming available, some pieces are going to become "exclusive" in collections outside of my own shops (I'll be announcing them here when they launch), and I'm beginning to seriously restock my ArtFire shop again, where I can offer special deals, coupons and so on!

Etsy has gone through a lot of changes recently, not all good ones, in my opinion. There's this big internal push to connect the artists with each other via this feature called "circles." Now I don't mind getting to know more artists...but the reason I post my things on Etsy is to sell them, not to socialize about them, so I'm not clear about the changes and direction this huge monstrosity is going yet. It just keeps getting larger and larger even as the opportunities to get attention from buyers and new customers get smaller and smaller...so it's really just prudent to figure out ways to branch out, to spread things around a bit wider. In fact, that is what the company is pushing everyone to do--go out and promote themselves--except for that minuscule collection of Etsy favorites who grace the so called 'front page' ad nauseum (having nearly 200,000 shops means you just stick with your favorite 40 or 50, using them over and over, right?)

So as I roll with changes, my blog will remain my primary touchstone for all these kinds of things--new ideas and inspirations, new creations, and new places to exhibit my work and more. At least I can't get lost here!! So thanks for dropping by!! Have a wonderful weekend, and do keep warm!

Wordless Wednesday (Rainbow or Chakra?)

2011-01-12T00:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday, Blog! (& The Story of a Bracelet)

2011-01-06T22:08:00.018-06:00

It almost passed me by! Today Friday marks the 2nd birthday of this blog, so I just had to take a peek back to remember what I first wrote, my first blog post, here....and I got nary a single comment. Ha ha ha, how times change! I think I only knew one other blogger at that point and was a true novice when it came to art online and all things related.

And what a happy coincidence--it's also the birthday of Blogfire, the bloggers of ArtFire, who have a carnival going on this weekend, which you can check into here-Blogfire.

I left my darn camera at Christmas dinner, an hour and a half from my house, and it took over a week to finally get it back. Which is why I've been sort of quiet here because I cannot seem to prepare a post without photos. I've got a really fun story today about the 2 year evolution of a bracelet idea. Normally, I wouldn't admit to a struggle like this, but since this one finally has a happy ending, I figured why not share the pain?

Two years ago, right after I started this blog, I saw Valentine's Day coming up, dug through all my supplies, and found each and every heart and every stone that seemed it might relate to my idea of love and romance. Garnets were a big deal to me then, a few red pearls, some silver hearts, a real mixed bag. I wire-wrapped (which means added these sterling silver loops for hanging) each item or collection of items and made 7 sets. You can imagine, this step alone was a few days of work. Above is part of this collection as there are a few other bits that didn't need preparation but could be added as is.

At this stage, I had been bouncing back and forth between working with leather in different forms and experimenting with crochet to make bracelets and cuffs. Somehow, the idea came to me that I had to create a black leather crocheted cuff to hold all of these charms. Ugh, what a looser! I could see no way to save this design so I stuffed everything back into a bag and gave up trying to get this edition ready for Valentine's day 2009.

A year later, I dug it back out. I was determined to come up with some way to use all these charms so I turned to black leather again but heavier stuff this time, the kind I use to make the knotted structures for this style of multi-strand bracelet.

In fact, I was apparently so hopeful about this idea, I tried it in 3 colors: gray, brown and black, as you can see here. But again I gave up and as you can see here, I never even added the clasps because it just was not working for me! Looser Number 2 and back into this bag of failed experiments. But there were still a few unused sets of charms.....

Just after the New Year, I repeated the ritual again and got out "the bag." This time, I had some new beautiful red pearls, some red pressed glass roses and a whole new approach in mind. Not as quick as working with leather as this time, each bead is linked to the next with sterling wire, and the charms are added in between. I laid out a design that seemed like fun and hoped that with a double strand of linked beads, I could achieve the fullness I had been trying for with just the charms and the leather. Well, IMHO, I nailed it, finally! I just love the way this has come out the 3rd year around.

And I happened to have a heavy sterling heart shaped toggle to close the piece, which seemed to be the perfect finishing touch. So now you know the story behind this particular bracelet. Not all my failed experiments have such happy endings, but I don't often give up--I just put things away to get out again with fresh eyes and new ideas....later!

This one, however, is in my Etsy shop...finally....two years after I started it! So in that way, it's a perfect "Happy 2nd Birthday Blog" sort of story! So Happy Birthday to Blogfire....and to me, too!

Red-dy for 2011? Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-05T00:02:00.002-06:00

'Tis the Season...

2010-12-23T22:48:00.003-06:00

And Best Wishes for a Prosperous 2011
to all my Wonderful Art and Blogging Buddies
and to my Readers, Supporters
& Customers Past, Present (and Future)!
(Thank You ALL for an Amazing 2010!)

Wordless Wednesday, Winter Begins

2010-12-21T00:03:00.000-06:00

A Day in the Life....

2010-12-16T00:03:00.001-06:00

New pieces-Hematite colored glass know and Fire and Ice Prism earrings.

(A little open letter to a friend)

You would have laughed to see me rushing to make the last mail pick up tonight. I had 3 packets prepped and decided that the other 5 orders that were oh-so-close needed to be gone, too. And you know, batch processing, when it comes to packing and shipping actually is more efficient and therefore, faster.

But wow I cut it close. So I missed the 5 p.m. mail box pick-up down on the town square by 7 minutes and was headed across town to the post office proper. And there, pulled over on the side of the road was an unsuspecting mail car. So I illegally pulled into a one-way the wrong way, parked, and went running over there, all disheveled with my pink bag full of plump yellow envelopes.

I knocked on his window and his look was surprised and then kind...I asked pretty please if he'd add my batch to his vehicle and he obliged, just like that. I told him he could keep the pink bag if he liked. He gave it back. Then human nature kicked in. "What are you mailing here?" When I answered art, "Art for Christmas presents," he seemed pleased to be helpful and that made my night.

And I didn't even get a parking ticket because I got out of there quick, and am back home. If all goes right, I'll finish the last 4 orders here, and will only have one last biggy tomorrow--and then I'm caught up. Wowzer!

.....ooops, never mind, my text notice just went off...a new order just came in....
A day in the life.....

Hope your day's going half as good as mine, lol! K

Wordless Wednesday (Saguaro Hike)

2010-12-15T00:08:00.001-06:00

(note the changing light: from afternoon to late afternoon)

Escapism...where ideas come from...

2010-12-11T11:39:00.020-06:00

It's cold here and a blizzard is moving through later today...or at least the prediction is for "blizzard conditions." So it warmed my heart to have some of my photos from my recent Arizona project and residency requested for a web page in progress about this project.

It's warm to look at these images and then I was struck by a lovely synchronicity between this image, created when I took several photos of a beautiful desert vista and "stitched" them together...

...and the corresponding warm tones and colors in a collection of my pieces--spanning several different series--accidentally grouped together in my Etsy studio. Only ironic because I'm not a desert person...only a visitor.

But apparently the colors and sense of this landscape inform some of my work. Mind you, this is probably subconscious as I tend to work and make pieces with the simple philosophy "You never know where a good idea will come from" and then I trust that making things will be the "best arbitrary choices taken from random coincidences." Of course, the human mind is always tuned into patterns and looking for relationships...but beyond that? I guess it's my stubborn persistence to just make and make, and try and try, and eventually "things" pile up and hopefully, some of them are pretty good.

So it's good for me, now and then, to try to step back and consider the larger picture. Somehow, the fact that this set of images, subsequently reorganized, all popped up on my monitor here, within moments of each other, was one such opportunity so thought I'd share!

I've been wonderfully, amazingly busy with orders from my Etsy shop--very satisfying as I progress through my 3rd holiday season here. There's still time to place an order through WillOaks Studio with regular shipping charges to arrive before Christmas....but only for a few more days!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Wordless Wednesday (6 month spread)

2010-12-07T23:49:00.004-06:00

Christmas for Animal Lovers

2010-12-04T00:15:00.007-06:00

OK, so I have to hope my family stays true to form and doesn't check into my blog this weekend. Why? Because as an animal lover from a family of animal lovers, I did some really wonderful Christmas shopping for a brother and a sister that I'm sharing with you today. Maybe you're in the same boat as me: needing some new ideas for things to give to loved ones? Well, if they like animals or their pets, have I got some tips for you!

I don't just use Etsy to sell my work, but I'm a shopper there, too. I've found a number of wonderful artists over the past couple of years and this Christmas the pet and animal theme is in focus for some of my gift giving.

I'd like to introduce you to my friend Shella of PapierAngels in upstate New York. Her main medium is papier mache which she sculpts into different creatures, often dogs and cats, but with an imaginative twist in that they are portrayed as angels, santas, clowns and ornaments. The fun doesn't stop there. The folk feeling in her sculptures is further enhanced with a paint job and antique finish for really fun and fresh pet portraits that could pass as antiques.

The border collie, shown above as a guardian angel complete with his little lamb, is especially for my sister who adores her dog Jobe. I think she will really like it because it looks a lot like her dog!

Pet portraits as ornaments, made to order!
Here's the Purrmeister-photos I sent and the piece she made...how cute is this!??

I happened to check into her shop again a few days ago, noted a black and white kitty head made into an ornament as a little angel with wings and a halo. I dropped her a note to ask if she would consider doing a version of this cat but making it a portrait of Purrmeister. Check this out!! It's in the mail to me now & I'm in love with it! I sent along a few photos of his little face to her for guidance so I'm showing her translation together with Purrmeister's mug shots here.

This might be a special idea for a personal gift at a very reasonable price: $13.95 for her ready made ornaments and add an extra $3 for personalized versions of your pet or a friend's pet.

Now my brother is another whole problem for shopping. But we were talking about our childhood fun this summer and reminiscing about a pet chipmunk he kept for awhile when we were little kids. Chippy lived in a hamster cage in my brothers room--he was really cute and pretty lucky because the ones that lived outside had to be very very careful of all the farm cats that ran around.

When I spotted the needle-felted sculptures of artist Tracye Mueller, in particular, this life-sized portrait of a chipmunk, I knew I had his gift nailed. There's a realism in her pieces that makes you do a double take! I'm hoping the NEW Chippy will find a nice home in my brother's study, maybe even on his desk.

Another whole series that Tracye features in her Etsy shop are amazing portraits of all kinds of birds! I fell in love with the chickadee and ordered one in the smaller, ornament size shown here on the right. In time, I'd love to collect many of them. But then, I've admitted before how much I love birds, how I collect portraits of them in all media and forms: photos, paintings, sculptures, carvings, etc. So now, I discovered "needle felting" which, in the hands of an artist, is a really beautiful material to use for portraits of wild life. Maybe one of her pieces would be a perfect gift for the bird lover on your list this year?

So I leave you this weekend with 2 special artists & two different shops online on Etsy. You still have a few weeks to get your very special gifts ordered for very special (lucky) folks!! At least, please take a peek at these wonderful shops!!

Don't just stop here....more observations about Christmas giving is waiting for you via the first "Tribal Blogs" Carnival blog-hop! So from here, please click this link and visit "The White Christmas that Sucked" by Tarheel Rambler

Have a great week!

And Two Years Later...

2010-12-02T23:52:00.035-06:00

My newest design and new series of holiday necklaces,
called the "Knotted Glass" series, at WillOaks Studio for 2010

And what a two years it has been since I began trying to sell my work online. I set up my little "studio" on Etsy just over two years ago and then just about this time, in late November, made my first sale. I was pretty rattled because it had been so challenging just to assemble my work for a website and to create and post all the photos and information...I had no idea what to do when I actually sold something. You would have laughed to watch me scrambling around, trying to find some kind of envelope and all.

The ever changing, ever popular "Made With Silk" series, begun
in early February, 2010, and still evolving.
Long, fine chains of crocheted silk capture all manner of other materials,
especially pearls.

And in the beginning, not only were my photos pretty marginal, but I didn't understand how to obtain postage online, so when things really began to sell (only because I had the dumb luck to open just weeks before Christmas!) I had to keep running down to the post office to buy postage for each order. I got to know the new automatic postage machine there very well and believed I could win a contest for the fastest info input.

Original necklaces that incorporate leather, linen and silk have been gaining
in exposure and popularity.
Experimenting with different structures and unexpected materials
is my favorite part of studio work.

And then, the holidays were finished and I had no idea how to keep folks coming to visit my shop! Very challenging first year, for sure, because, who could forget, we were also into our first year of "The Great Recession." Who wanted to spend any money, much less on art jewelry...or any art for that matter?
It was a crazy time to try to launch a little business, that's for sure! But I began to experiment with this blog and to investigate a number of different social networks for artists. There really was a lot to learn besides the studio work evolution. Simply put, putting up a web site is barely the beginning because getting folks to visit....well, that's where the work begins!

Bracelets and cuffs are another structure for experimentation in my studio.
But be it a necklace or a bracelet, comfort is a top priority in all of these creations.
Yes, I believe they are art, but they are also meant to be worn.

Which was probably just as well for me because I see now I really had a lot to learn--not necessarily about how to make things--I've done that all my life-and inventing new forms is my favorite activity. But how to work within the "virtual world" and especially, within a "virtual art gallery." To this day, managing a shop online is definitely a "continuing education!"

My "Special Chain" series began in January, 2010 and new pieces continue to be added to this series on a regular basis. In fact, two new pieces for the holidays will be added shortly: one with faceted turquoise and another with faceted hematite.

So I'm taking a bit of time out here to look back for a moment and to put this blog post together. I'm amazingly swamped with holiday orders in my little studio, and it's just exhilarating! Can't help but have a Sally Fields' moment, when I step back and look at my situation at WillOaks Studio on Etsy, and think "They like me, they really like me" (well, my work anyway!) Of course, it sure helps that the overall economy is marginally better, when compared with the past two Holiday seasons.

Earrings were the bread and butter of my little studio early on,
and I continue to explore new stones and materials.

So I've got 2 full weeks plus one last weekend ahead here to do all I can to fill lots of orders and do my part to make my customers happy for the holidays. That's the beauty of my studio, as it has evolved on Etsy. Pieces are made to order. Customers return for new pieces and many have learned that it's often possible to have their orders customized, just by dropping me a note!

So thank you for dropping by to check out what's up "behind the gallery view" today, and you're surely invited to drop by my Etsy shop, maybe do a little shopping for the special women on your list. I'll do my best to come up for air & drop in here during this final stretch. Believe it or not, I've edited my photos from my recent artist residency, but I won't have time to really focus on that project until the holiday season winds down. Which is just fine. Knowing what my next project will be is like the gasoline in my engine!

Have a lovely weekend!

Wordless Wednesday (Big Cats)

2010-12-01T00:04:00.003-06:00

More fauna from the Tucson Desert Museum...sorry I've been away!! Trying to catch up since I've been back and there simply are not enough hours in a day! But I'm very grateful as it is the time of year when orders are plentiful...when I'm lucky!

See something new today!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T00:02:00.002-06:00

I met this lucky turkey at the Desert Museum in Tucson a few days ago--so he's not in trouble for turkey day!! And neither are a few friends that lived there, too...other relatives? Maybe they aren't so lucky!! Enjoy your feast with friends and family, and I hope you are able to count your blessings to give thanks for the past year!

I am grateful for all my lovely blogger friends, for the completion of my 2nd year on Etsy where business continues to improve, and for the health and happiness of myself, my family members and friends all over the nation!!

Have a happy holiday one and all!

(P.S. I'm safely back from my artists' residency, as you may have guessed. I have a ton of new photos and some really interesting information and observations from my residency, and look forward to sharing this over the next few weeks!)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-17T00:48:00.001-06:00

A Lot of Different Things....

2010-11-09T21:17:00.035-06:00

....but mostly art related. I've been behind in posting here and you'll understand why in a moment or two. So I'm sorry if I'm jamming too much into one post, but my goodness it's been busy. Ironic that this will fall on a wordless Wednesday, but once again, I take responsibility for a bit of stupid timing...but not stupid news!

First, especially of interest to my Chicagoland friends--I've now got a nice collection of my work in a local gallery! I joined an artists' coop in Barrington and this past Monday, installed a good number of pieces here at the IceHouse Gallery of the BCAC (Barrington Cultural Arts Center) http://barringtonculturalartscenter.org/ I'll be part of a larger group of artists for this endeavor and am very excited by lots of new possibilities! To be continued....

So that took a lot of time and effort over the past weekend, but at the same time, I was also listing new work online, including these new pieces which finally all came together with some lovely silk ribbon, dyed by artisans and used to make the hanging length fully adjustable. This soft, 1/2" silk ribbon has been dyed like water color painting, and I found it in shades of gray and shades of a warm brown. A limited edition, but I'm always looking for new things to try, so we're used to my moving on and changing often.

I showed some of these earlier, but wasn't happy with the hanging ribbons and so have changed and improved them. Now, as you can see here, they can adjust from about 16" to as long as 28 or 29", which is exactly what I was trying to do! I'm just thrilled with how they finally came together.

Plus the "Made With Silk" series continues to grow, and I recently added a lovely stylized cross to my pendant mix, so now can offer a choice of the Om (or do you say Aum?) pendant or the cross pendant added to a variety of colors and material mixtures on long silk crocheted chains...fun, eh?!
Next up, a lovely new treasury that the curator named after one of my bracelets (above) called "Seashore Echos." She says that my piece inspired her treasury collection!

Lisa, the curator, also makes bracelets...with wild abandon...using many of my favorite things...especially Czech pressed glass flowers. You may visit her Etsy shop justCharming to see more. So flattering to learn my piece inspired her choices and her title for the treasury, which is Echoes. Thanks Lisa! Please visit her shop and treasury.

And finally, last but not least, I'm in the final countdown for a major project which will begin this weekend. Quite awhile ago, I was honored by an invitation to join a select group of artists and scientists to be part of the project introduced below:

Art Lab: Border Biosphere Exploration
November 14 - 21, 2010.

Art Lab: Border Biosphere Exploration (AL) will bring together ten
artist educators with scientists and researchers to explore the Sonoran
Desert Bioregion and be inspired by the unique environment that
surrounds them at the Biosphere 2 and Tumamoc Hill Research Station in
Tucson, Arizona, and Cuenca los Ojos' El Coronado Ranch in Pearce,
Arizona. Artist participants will learn about how climate change is
impacting the environment along the international border region of
Southern Arizona, and they will create artwork in response. Their work
will then be presented on the Rillito River Project website and in
related exhibits and presentations.

Readers who may be puzzling about how the work I've been presenting here has anything to do with my participation in a project such as this should not dismay. You didn't miss a thing. I just haven't shared quite yet, on this blog, the work I've done the majority of my art career as an installation artist with a primary focus on aspects of ecology and the environment. I'm getting to that!

And over the next month or 6, I'll begin adding some aspects of my past work with some new things coming into focus in response to this Art Lab experience. But I'm getting way ahead of myself.

For now, you can preview more information and past projects from the Rillito River project, of which this is a new chapter, here. And you can watch this blog over the next couple of weeks for breaking news as this adventure begins to unfold....did I mention that I just got a smart phone and will try to add current bits here as I am able? I didn't? Well, I hate to commit just in case the technology eludes me and my best laid plans.....but I hope I can use a bit of different technology to add to this blog as the new adventure takes shape!

IF you have read this far, I'll bet you're saying "Darn you Karen, can't you sort of post all this stuff bit by bit instead of jamming it all into one thing?" To which I must answer, "Yes, that would be most ideal wouldn't it? To bad I'm not really that organized!"

OK, I've got a zillion things to finish yet this evening...thanks for dropping by and more later!

Golden in Passing

2010-11-05T23:22:00.010-05:00

The magnolia tree has beauty in all seasons, but I adore
the fuzzy golden buds of November as she prepares for the long winter.
Golden fur coats for the flowers to come?

And speaking of all things golden, today's treasury, Golden Season by jewelry artist Betsy Benson tends toward luxe (while the WillOaks studio aesthetic is more towards rustico)....and if you take a peek at her shop, you will see the elegant, refined pieces that define her aesthetic! And if you could, please take a moment to click, visit, and comment on this treasury! Many thanks....

And while you're at it, go ahead, browse around Etsy! You need to reward yourself with some original, artistic and handmade "somethings" from Etsy soon! I guarantee you'll find stuff for every need, every want, every price range and every taste: their search function has really really improved! So you can casually browse...or zoom right into the object of your desire! Clothing? Mittens? A hat? Jewelry? Vintage goodies? Cool supplies to create your own special projects? It's all there and more...

Have a happy Saturday!

Totally Random

2010-11-05T02:15:00.006-05:00

I missed Wordless Wednesday this week. I was up well into the morning on Wednesday, listening to election returns. I've been tired ever since.

Not especially focused right now. Trying to finish pieces and tie up some loose ends but a few "answers" or "solutions" to how these pieces should be finished continue to elude me. I ordered some artisan made ribbons this week...we'll see.

I tried to design a new business card, but it was going nowhere fast.
So I randomly played with some textural photos.

And then I played "gotcha'" with Red Kitty. Not flattering, reminds me of a beached whale, but look at the smile on his little face. Reminds me I seriously need some rest!

Happy weekend everyone!

The Gray Season Moves In...

2010-11-01T22:12:00.008-05:00

Shorter days, longer nights, gray skies, cold rain, foggy weather, gloaming vestige. So many shades of silky, pearly, subtle gray...

...better to express that touch of depression that can settle in than to succumb to it...besides, gray is so beautiful!

"Stormy Season"
And with those images in my head and thoughts in my mind, I ranged near and far over the Etsy catalogs, searching for things that helped portray this mood, these feelings of grayness. In the final form, "Stormy Season" was born and my quest for making treasuries for expressions of moods and feelings takes another step....

On another note, the (mostly) black cat Mariah survived another Halloween just fine, thank you. She didn't even hop on a broom or do anything wild or crazy. Fearsome Dakota protected her from any misfortune....

A final word, on this fine Tuesday, November 2....
REMEMBER TO GO VOTE--IT'S YOUR PATRIOTIC DUTY
(and you can't complain unless you do ;-)

More Fun With Treasuries - Assignment: Color

2010-10-30T22:33:00.015-05:00

"I've Got the (Electric) Blues" by WillOaks Studio submits this treasury to a treasury challenge...visit the treasury to learn what the assignment was and to look at this lovely blue collection. (I'm having so much fun - what took me so long?!)

Over the weekend, after I had created my first treasury with Primary colors, I got this thing about RED going, and here's the result! "You Red My Mind....when you realized I needed Red in my life."

Over on Artfire, Maria Palito curated this elegant gray treasury--and the monochrome theme continues!
"Pumpkin and Spice" is a warm, seasonal treasury curated by apmemory. in shades of orange that really evoke the shades of autumn harvest and holidays.

So how was that for "like minds?" All these monochromatic treasuries within a couple of days? I think this treasury feature on both Artfire and Etsy is going to be so great for assembling gift ideas for the coming holidays! If any of my readers has any basic themes or requests in mind (like: I'm searching for gifts for the woman who loves purple; for the guy who loves music, etc.) leave me a note and I'll see if I can put up a treasury with ideas that might solve your problem...or at least give you new ideas....all from the realm of HANDMADE!!

Happy November everyone!

Busy, Busy, Busy....help!

2010-10-28T23:05:00.015-05:00

When it comes to color--I'm changeable like the weather. When asked, I say "It just depends...."

So when I decided to take the plunge and curate my OWN treasury, my very first one, I decided that my very first theme would be Primary Colors: RED, YELLOW, BLUE.

Pulling it together wasn't as hard as I feared so now, dear readers, I invite you (beg you) to please, Please, PLEASE click on this image or link, to visit my actual collection (and leave a comment if you desire.) I really appreciate your support!

But I'm just warming up! My studio is strewn with "experiments" from this past week since my move back to my home studio. Being back with all my "stuff" I'm like a kid in a candy shop and need to calm down my ADHD here soon, focus, solve a few problems, and follow through. But I'll do that later. Today, I'm jumping the gun to share more of my "in progress work" here....

New experiments: Knotted glass beads focal on silk.

You know, I just never ever know where an idea will come from and when things are going well, they just sort of pop into my head. Then it's up to me to decide if it's worth looking at further, or if it's better filed away for later...or if it's a total dud.

I'm pretty excited by this new necklace invention though there are still a few bugs to work out.....Can you imagine this with a holiday dress, blouse or sweater? The way they work right now is the silk side straps are adjustable for a necklace that goes from 18" to about 28" all with sliding beads and knots on the sides.

More views: Crocheted artisan silk and dyed quartz multi-strand necklaces.

I hinted at this new form the other day and wanted to show other views and colors....I'm pretty sure I've got the side straps figured out and so, hopefully, after I add a few more colors and work out the last critical details, these will be ready to offer. My challenge was to make these necklaces really adjustable in length, so that they could really be worn different ways. It wasn't quite as easy as I had hoped, but I'm almost there!

So best wishes for a fun and safe weekend of Halloween parties and pranks--watch out for the werewolves! Thanks for dropping by....

Samhain, Summer's End, Halloween

2010-10-28T00:12:00.022-05:00

No blasphemy intended, but I'm not a fan of the secular Halloween holiday and celebration. The pagan roots, however, I find fascinating. As someone who grew up in the rural, agricultural middle west where the seasons of weather and work still determine much of the rhythm of life, I find a kinship with older harvest celebrations.

I did love running wild after dark on Halloween as a kid. I swear I would howl at the moon and felt the very near presence of spirits, so well explained in this Wikipedia description below, which I lifted from their pages. I stripped out the footnotes, but please follow this link for more depth to this lovely overview of the holiday (holy day.)

Samhain is a Gaelic festival held on October 31–November 1. The Irish name Samhain is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end" A harvest festival with ancient roots in Celtic polytheism, it was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and continued to be celebrated in late medieval times. Due to its date it became associated with the Christian festival All Saints' Day, and greatly influenced modern celebration of Halloween.

Samhain marked the end of the harvest, the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half". It was traditionally celebrated over the course of several days. Many scholars believe that it was the beginning of the Celtic year. It has some elements of a festival of the dead. The Gaels believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin on Samhain; because some animals and plants were dying, it thus allowed the dead to reach back through the veil that separated them from the living. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. People and their livestock would often walk between two bonfires as a cleansing ritual, and the bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.

The Gaelic custom of wearing costumes and masks, was an attempt to copy the spirits or placate them. In Scotland the dead were impersonated by young men with masked, veiled or blackened faces, dressed in white. Samhnag — turnips which were hollowed-out and carved with faces to make lanterns — were also used to ward off harmful spirits.

The Gaelic festival became associated with the Christian All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, and has hugely influenced the secular customs now connected with Halloween, a name first attested in the 16th century as a Scottish shortening of the fullerAll-Hallows-Even.

Samhain continues to be celebrated as a religious festival by some Neopagans.

Please visit here for the source of my story reprinted here. It's been illustrated with my photos taken over time around the WillOaks Farm and Campground. Want to see more artists' Halloween blog celebrations? The master list for this Blogfire carnival will be posted here later on 10-28-10.

Enjoy your holiday! Celebrate the end of the season and the harvest. And don't eat too much candy!

New Direction, Inspiration, & a Treasury

2010-10-26T00:07:00.019-05:00

Readers of my blog know how, when I can, I like to show sources for ideas that I use, things that I find inspiration in. For example, for a few years now, I've explored the use of red pearls. So last year I was finally able to backtrack a bit, and take very pretty photos of an autumn crab apple tree. Then I juxtaposed these images with the pieces I had been making that were inspired by this really typical (around here) seasonal sight.

It's not usually a straight line from the inspiration to the inspired project, however. This summer, for probably a month or more now, I've been experimenting with this really beautiful, heavy, artisan made and dyed silk fiber which I've been combining with dyed quartz beads. I love this silk even as I learn the best ways to use it. Quartz beads are one of my favorites because they are semi-translucent and seem to hold very vivid dye colors or can be very beautiful in their natural states. This material is very hard and resists any kind of damage. Plus, to me, they sometimes speak of berries & cherries, especially in shades of reds, pinks and purples.

But these new pieces, as exciting as I find them and as promising as they appear to be, are not quite finished yet. There are some challenges of the best ways to finish these for looks and wear-ability...so that's why there are still errant threads showing in spots and why they aren't in my shops yet, as they continue to be refined. Problems of the best way to close them so that the length can be adjusted, etc. have yet to be solved in ways that I'm sure about...so more experiments still need to be done.

But these details aside, I was out taking photos around WillOaks Farm a few days ago and I stumbled upon these amazing berry-filled bushes. At first, I was puzzled about what they could be. Then I realized they are actually a pretty bad "invader" around here called "honeysuckle" that threatens to overwhelm native bushes. To its credit, besides these amazing glowing red berries, in the late spring & early summer honeysuckle has small trumpet shaped flowers that the seasonal hummingbirds just flock to....

And now, I've learned that their autumn appearance is just stunning, and so it was really exciting to bring these new images back to my studio and see the correlation with my new autumn pieces in progress here.

Meanwhile, over on Artfire, a new program has begun, similar to Etsy, where artists can curate and assemble collections with different themes drawing upon the different shops on Artfire.

Below is the most recent one I've been fortunate to be included in and the artist who curated it titled it "Roses and Olives." She later told me that my bracelet here, of a similar title, had been the original inspiration for her collection, which was very flattering!

Roses and Olives was curated by ImaginaryRelics on Artfire. The name of her shop alludes to surprises you will find there. Do take a look, but I'll give you a hint. She is making the artifacts of an imaginary history, working in a current genre known as "steampunk." Now I know you're curious....so do click her link to look closer, and also click on the treasury to take a closer look at her collection and the artists included in it.

One other new thing I meant to mention--are any of you using Tumblr yet? I just found it and have a whole new page going. I actually like it better than Twitter, it's much more photo friendly, but don't take my word for it...go take a peek yourself! Follow me and then, I can find you, too! http://willoaksstudio.tumblr.com/

Thanks for dropping by!

Autumn Treasuries

2010-10-24T11:28:00.003-05:00

The two sides of autumn--brilliant color and subtle, textured neutrals. We experienced an elegant neutral treasury here a few days ago, juxtaposed with my photos of dry plants (weeds). Today, we are treated to new ones that celebrate a more colorful side of the season (plus a collage of some of my colorful foliage fall photos!)

"Copper Creations" curated by Etsy seller Rebecca of MountainMist Fiberworks celebrates that wonderful orangey-coppery-russet-brown color which is found in leaves, in metal and (obviously!) in the palette of many Etsy artisans right now. In fact, when I peeked at Rebecca's shop, there were many lovely knitted hats and scarves--in wonderful copper shades!

So "Blue is Beautiful" (a definitive statement) and without the blue sky behind these russet fall colors, would the contrast be as exhilarating?? Of course not! and this very blue treasury, curated by PaulaArt, trends toward a deeper, darker collection of blues. Visit her Etsy shop for a very different collection of surprises: wonderful recycled materials turned into whimsical objects.

"Loving the last day of autumn" gathers a collection of mostly subtle colors with dots of brightness, much like the landscape now in the Midwest. It's curated by Etsy Seller CurlynChic whose shop specializes in craft supplies including seasonal rubber stamps that are very cute.

I invite you to click on these treasury images to take a closer look at these lovely collections. Visit the shops of the curators, too. After all, it's never too early to start planning your holiday gift giving....with an emphasis on HAND MADE, of course! Have a great Monday!

Happy Birthday

2010-10-23T00:04:00.001-05:00

Today's my mom's birthday and I still think about her though she's been gone for over 30 years. I was her first born and in this old family photo, she and I are front and center with my dad's family. She was a really amazing lady: very intelligent, very creative, lots of fun and probably the main reason I went into the field of fine art. She encouraged me to just try things, all sorts of things, from making stuff to going on adventures. So Mom? Thanks for everything from the bottom of my heart. I still miss you, a lot, and I'm still sad that you left us way too soon. But at any rate: Happy Birthday! Love, Karen

Walk With Me - Weeds and Seeds

2010-10-21T22:38:00.012-05:00

A perfect autumn day, bright & crisp. Let's stroll around the WillOaks Farm!

Milkweed fluff is everywhere, like flying fairies.

The "bones" of the plants are easy to see this time of year.

The seeds for next year are unmistakable.
Weeds or wild flowers? It just depends of where and how much!

It's magical how the afternoon light plays on the delicate natural forms.

Most of the color of summer has faded away, leaving neutral textures.

Except in a few cases where very unexpected color pops into view!

A new treasury really captures the season for me:

Au Naturelle...creamy taupe with hint of caramel

Please click and visit this lovely collection, curated by NestHavenStudio, who curates many lovely treasuries, listed on her page.

Isn't is sort of uncanny how these colors and textures echo the weeds and seeds we just looked at on our autumn walk? The changing seasons can be a very real source of artistic inspiration.

I think this should be on the Etsy Front page so I'm asking my blog visitors to PLEASE click here to visit this treasury--and comment if you like! It's a numbers game to get to the Etsy front page these days, because although the curators may put very beautiful and worthy collections together, unless they can motivate viewers to visit, these collections barely get seen...while some pretty awful ones, who get the tweets and the visits even without much artistic merit, get to the front page of the web site.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful Friday!!

Wordless Wednesday ('Bye 'bye)

2010-10-20T00:11:00.006-05:00

sunrise or sunset?

'Bye 'bye beautiful great blue heron. 'Bye 'bye summer!
(I like this collage better than the earlier one.)

And the Girl Just Keeps Tryin'....

2010-10-16T23:01:00.017-05:00

....but it's time for a brief time out while I pack up the summer studio and move all this stuff to the winter studio. True to form, I'm working to the bitter end! I'm being a tad pissy--I hate moving and I hate to take time for it right now, but the camper goes into storage on Monday, so it's time to go. It's a busy final weekend here at the old campground, considering it's mid October, so Dakota and I have tonight and possibly one more night out here until next Spring rolls around. It's quite chilly and there are campfires burning everywhere tonight even as the 3/4 moon is quite bright.

But these two new pieces, are an interesting experiment. The top two images here show the slide lock form and style of cuff, and the 3rd one down is in long chain form shown wrapped as a cuff....but they are both essentially the same design, same stuff strung and crocheted on the same silk.

This one is an 83" plus long chain. I'm still trying to get a better handle on each of these multi-strand structures, and am seeing the barest inkling of why one would chose one form over the other. I did decide that the slide lock cuff needed an new embroidered bone medallion while the long chain is a new setting, with stars and a bone bead with a floral design, for an Om medallion. The first version of my Om medallion is nearly sold out so I figured making a new version might be a good idea. Time will tell.....

More lovely treasuries to enjoy! "Leather and Lace" was curated by apmemory. Her shop is very seasonal for autumn and Halloween right now including some adorable scrap booking bits.
And I mean, who can go wrong with leather and lace, right ladies? (...and gents?) I like the way bits of white and blue help pull it all together.

Curator ArtByAmarose has put a sort of moody collection together called "Horses and Cats and Feathers and Things." I really like the horse wall hooks--and her collection--all taken together--feels very seasonal to me in that melancholy, autumnal sort of way that I've mentioned here before. Anita is a photographer and has a broad selection of prints in her Etsy shop.

OK, time for just a bit more packing and I'm hitting the hay here at midnight strikes on Saturday night....have a lovely Sunday everyone!

Animal Tails

2010-10-15T22:38:00.005-05:00

To build a little more on my Falling, Falling, Falling Fall post of yesterday, here is a collage of the Great Blue Heron right outside my window that I was photographing. He/she hunts/fishes at the pond here almost daily yet is always a thrill to spy. He/she landed in my camper front yard for this series and sauntered down the bank, pretty as a picture. So this put me into a good position to capture the falling leaves, and one other special thing.

You see, this tiny clip of Dakota as she greets me and then sashays away, tail waving, may be the last time I see her tail looking this good. The next time I spotted her, perhaps 30 minutes later, she had had a major MAJOR encounter with a big ripe burdock (cockleburr) bush....what a disaster.

I spent a couple of hours picking out burrs that I could get free from her long, double coat. I was able to remove several hands full, but her tail will just have to be shaved. Initially, the burrs served as a sort of velcro, holding the curve of her tail firmly to her back so she couldn't even wag it until I freed that up. But there is simply no way we will ever get the mass of burrs firmly embedded in all her tail fur free.

Problem is, not sure if this is a job for the vet or for the groomer? She was a fairly good sport, intermittently, as I teased burrs free from her fur...then began to growl and to snap an me....not a good thing. I'm wondering if she'll need to be put under a general anesthesia to be cleaned up? All the fur on her rear end is also firmly tangled with burrs...where in the heck did she go and find all of these?? I haven't figured it out yet, but it's truly a huge mess and next week, I will have to find someone who can help us. So, enjoy her sweet swingy tail here because it's history for now! Poor old girl....

Falling Falling Falling Fall.....

2010-10-14T19:17:00.019-05:00

Around this time of year, I suddenly wake up and notice--and the trees have all turned colors. I suddenly see that the leaves are on the ground and the branches are bare. Somehow, I seem to miss the actual transitions between these different states.

Until yesterday, that is. I stepped out on my deck with my camera at the ready as the big tree over my deck let loose with most of its bright yellow leaves. Gust after gust blew through and it rained leaves for hours. What a sight and what a sound.

It was glorious! All these yellow leaves falling down, flying around, covering everything. So I edited to share a 30 second spot of this Fall transition that I hardly ever actually SEE---The falling in Fall. What a treat! Enjoy!

Blue Sky, Yellow Leaves, Gusts of Wind, Flying Gold

Visit more artists' blogs with autumn themed posts, Friday and all weekend, by checking the list of blogs here.

Happy Weekend All! It's the final campground weekend of 2010 and then, I'll resume living in a regular house.

More Treasuries

2010-10-14T18:23:00.009-05:00

I'm slipping this in here at the end of Thursday because as part of the ArtFire blog carnival, I plan to post my Autumn surprise for Friday. Time got away and I didn't plan very well apparently...Meanwhile:

The treasury Evolution was curated by Lisa of JustCharming. I really like the wide range of objects included here, the darkness they all embody, and the way she used my cuff image.

Next one up Big, Bold, Chunky Bracelets for Fall curated by Megan who has the Etsy name "Buy Lovely Stuff" which, as I repeatedly repeat here, on this very blog, is a wonderful idea--especially when it's Handmade! All my readers know how bracelet crazy I've been the past couple of months...so here you go (it's NOT just me after all!)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T00:11:00.000-05:00

New Treats from Me to Me....

2010-10-09T22:01:00.015-05:00

You bet I earned it...I've worked really hard this summer and so, I've done a bit of my own Etsy shopping for some gifts: from me to me. I'm writing about this today because I'm highlighting two artisans that you may wish to take a serious look at in order to treat yourselves (or loved ones)!!

First up, 2TrickPony. My Etsy buddy Rachel is an A+ metalsmith, quite renowned for her hoop earrings. I bought some earrings from her earlier, and now, I've convinced her to make new jewelry from old for me as recycling precious metal and other parts is one of her specialties. My new/old recycled ring is still a work in progress (and I'll blog about it when it's finished), but the newly remade earrings are so wonderful, I'm getting comments left and right.

Some years ago, my brother and his wife bought me these turquoise earrings and a matching pendant since they knew how much I love turquoise, teal, aqua...that family of colors. Since I'm blond, the blues suit me, too. At any rate, back to the gift earrings...they were posts and I have trouble wearing posts because my ear lobes are too skinny and anything with any weight sort of droops and looks bad...so I only wear dangly earrings. Well, I sent these posts to Rachel, not really sure if she could figure out a way to turn them from posts into hanging earrings...and EUREKA (actually, she lives near there in CA) look what she created for me!

Now I love, love, love them and...they make me so happy!! Rachel did a brilliant job of creating a special bezel for the mounted stones with a half hoop soldered on and once she saw that they hung right, made wires for them and clipped off the posts. To me, they look like they were meant to be this way from the start, lol!

Treat #2. About 1998 I spent a semester in Lodz, Poland (pronounced "Woodje"), as I've briefly mentioned here before. The art academy where I had my Fulbright residency is renowned for its fashion and textile departments...as was, historically, the city of Lodz.

So I happened to notice the fine knit lace patterns a Polish artisan from Lodz was making after Aga, owner of the shop Amadeitknits, used one of my pieces in an Etsy treasury that she put together. I wrote to her and asked if this scarf could be made in a color other than pink and learned she was happy to oblige as she had a new yarn order on the way.

I chose a really soft gray color which I just discovered Aga wrote up on her blog after she made it for me. Well, my finished scarf finally arrived in the mail on Friday (mail can be slow between Poland and the US) and it is as beautiful as I imagined.

The knitting is so fine and delicate and the pattern is so rich and intricate in its monochromatic color. It wraps my neck and then loops in front with length to spare and I will love, love, love wearing this....probably with my new earrings!....as cooler weather settles in around here and I go into my winter scarf wearing mode.

So the overarching reason I'm writing this is to remind one and all to shop HANDMADE! The amazing quality, the unique features and pieces, the custom work...all of this is possible for just a bit more (& sometimes a bit less!) then the costs of shopping mass produced things. For yourselves and for your loved ones--it's the right thing to do, as often as possible. Guaranteed to make you happy happy happy! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Fall is Falling....and More Treasuries

2010-10-08T00:07:00.003-05:00

Although my main focus the past few weeks has been new cuffs and bracelets, at another end of my studio, new necklaces are beginning to take shape. I'm really excited by multiple, cascading layers, especially on longer necklaces. This early piece was an effort to see what I could do with these really unusual, and very textural, bronze brown keishi pearls. These little pearls are so organic that I really will have to experiment a little more to feel like I've "nailed it." But I did shoot this piece because it also includes a new approach to "chains" I've been trying, that brings a subtle mix of different colored silk fibers together to echo the color of the pearls or stones. Some of these will tie in order to adjust the front length, and others just slip over the head.

A couple more new seasonal treasuries showed up today. "Like a Rollin' Stone" was curated by ZiBagz who has her shop here with all kinds of cool sewn constructions like bags, pouches and wristlets.

"Glowing Fall Colors" was curated by Gencards who is introducing her newest little card shop here. Momgen has another shop offering clear bags and other supplies that has been very successful on Etsy for quite awhile.

I love the colors, smells and things particular to this time of year and I enjoy how some of the new treasuries are collections of how different artists are responding to this season.

And do consider finding some new blogs through the Blog Hop link here-Happy Friday everyone!

Good Stalking - Who Knew?

2010-10-07T00:05:00.002-05:00

Sounded kind of funky at first--to get a note saying that "You've Been Stalked." But of course my curiosity was killing me, so I clicked on the link Ivy's Got the Blues and got my first taste of EtsyStalker, where my new piece...

....was included in, you guessed it, a collection about the blues (as in the color, not the melancholia I mentioned the other day!)

Very pretty blog and really nice curated selections from Etsy shops by Beatrice and Violet that you might not find on your own. So any artists reading this and looking for some extra exposure might want to check into EtsyStalker...and any readers interested in looking at more of what's "out there" in Etsy-land might want to bookmark this site to keep an eye out! Hey, they can even make YOU into a stalker! Plus they have some pretty good give-aways...darn if I didn't just miss trying for one that was won just yesterday-a really pretty glass pendant.

Meanwhile....

Wordless Wednesday - Treasury of Treasuries

2010-10-06T00:02:00.004-05:00

Beautiful Insects in Brass curated by Stone Feather

Dalmation curated by Designs By Shauna

Millefiori Bella Gorgeous Millefiori curated by Jessica Speake

Keepin' It Green by Fairy Lynne

Salmon Pink Anyone? curated by Crystal Glow Design

WillOaks Studio has been very fortunate the past few days to be included in a number of very different treasuries. (Many thanks to all curators!) Click each image to visit the actual treasury and click the curator to learn more about each artist.

And to visit more cool sites...follow the link here to visit other blogs.....

Carried Away

2010-10-03T22:57:00.005-05:00

Silk Cuff with Stitched Bone in Black and Bright Colors

Embroidered Bone and Coppery Pearls Silk Cuff

It's been the best ride, just seeing how far I can take this idea of the crocheted chain cuff. They seem to get more and more embellished, more rich, more detailed with each try. Feeling free to make one of a kind pieces instead of editions is also quite wonderful, although some of these could be made 2 or 3 times, if the need should arise.

Frankly, it's just been a thrilling exploration: my recent month-long fixation on "The Cuff." And it's good that I'm finally finding time to focus and to concentrate on creating new pieces--the holiday gallery exhibitions and markets are now just 6 to 8 weeks away and it's always just great to have a rich, wide selection (as there is no accounting for tastes--shoppers' tastes, that is--which seem to change from year to year.)

We're down to the final 2 weeks here at WillOaks Campground. It will be quite busy as the last few events take place, but the air has such a nip now, the leaves are changing color, geese fly overhead with such regularity, I can find no sign of the frogs and toads that were plentiful earlier, the soybean crop has been harvested. All signs of the season's change. I must stay on guard this time of year...somehow, with the transition to dormancy, melancholia is always a distinct possibility. A little bit is to be expected and is bittersweet...too much can be crippling!

Wordless Wednesday, Just Peachy

2010-09-29T00:12:00.000-05:00

Dominant color scheme from the photos made at the Raleigh Botanical Garden.

When Silk Has a Mind of Its' Own

2010-09-26T01:38:00.007-05:00

Aqua and Green Waterfall Silk and Pearl Cuff

Gray River Silk and Pearl Cuff

Embroidered Bone, Silk and Pearls Cuff

OK, well my title may be a bit overstated, but readers of my blog who may have paid attention to the evolution of my work with crocheted silk over the past year will notice a new wild abandon.

These new cuffs give up any pretense of being straight, orderly lines and instead, act a bit like a bramble bush or hedgerow as strand after strand of silk with captured pearls and other materials jostles for space.

In fact, in the gray and the aqua pieces, over 10 feet of crocheted silk chain is basically organized to fill a space that's about 8" x 2", leading to a look somewhat dense, free and chaotic effect. The silk fiber is attached to and fastened with a pin clasp in all of these new pieces. And since these are primarily of silk, they are really soft and comfortable to wear and I like the way the luster of the pearls and mother of pearl is echoed by the luster of the silk.

In a later version, I embroidered a bone medallion with silk and then fastened it (sewed it) to the center of a cuff much like the ones described above, but made with fewer strands and generally smaller pearls and beads captured in the chains. Last summer, I began collecting various carved bone pieces, primarily coming from India, with the hope of using these for new Fall pieces. I've just begun to introduce some of these elements into the new cuff pieces. They are so interesting to me and have proved to be quite a challenge to work with...which is a good thing! (I like challenges.)

Meanwhile...it's suddenly cold around here and signs of autumn are appearing everywhere at once! I'm loving the crisp cold air and although my dreadful head cold is still lingering, have been regaining some of my energy, thank goodness!!

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Color Lessons - Equinox

2010-09-23T00:05:00.000-05:00

I think it's a habit from my Alaska days. I mark the season's changes paying extra attention to the solstices and the equinoxes. So fall has officially begun. The moon is full. Day and night are of equal lengths. And changes in nature are everywhere here at WillOaks Campground. Today, the primary colors seemed especially striking.

Red - Yellow - Blue. Primary colors, yes, yet more subdued than in the box of crayons. The red stems at the top were luscious berries that have already been stripped. The yellow is some type of wild sunflower: in due time, these seeds will be eaten. And finally, Great Blue Lobelia, a wild flower that has been naturalizing nicely in the few years I've been paying attention. This was used for some type of medicinal purposes in earlier days, but I don't experiment with these things.

Meanwhile, clouds of tiny flowers, in both white and pale lavender, are everywhere. These are in the wild aster family and around here, are a sure sign of autumn.

There's my camper, near the pond behind the red canoe. We have about 4 weeks left here until the season is finished for 2010.

Happy Equinox everyone!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-21T23:00:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it--I did this offer during my birthday month of June, too. It's simple, buy a piece from my studio on Etsy today, and we'll be in touch about what kind of earrings might best suit you--I'll make them and add them to your order for free. Enjoy!

Offer good until Midnight, CST, 9-22-10.

So Where Have YOU Been??

2010-09-20T22:55:00.014-05:00

All the best laid plans gone awry....and I'm still not thinking perfectly clear, but am coming up for air to offer a small picture story of my plight.

I didn't just come back from North Carolina with new images, adventures and ideas...oh no. I came back with a really vicious virus that knocked me back like I haven't experienced in years. So, when I show you this photo.....

...it is to illustrate how my throat has felt for several days now....

Or this one...
...and say, well yes, it's my new orchid that bloomed while I was away, but it reminds me of spinning pinwheels, which is exactly how my brain has been acting--true thought or reasoning hasn't been possible.

Or this one...

...and say, well yes, it's a new silk and pearl piece with the title "Evening Waterfall" but actually, a waterfall is an apt description of my nose. Who knew so much liquid could flow from one's head? I wish I owned stock in Kleenex!

My friends say this nasty bug going around has knocked a lot of people back on their "you know whats"....I must say I slept more in the past 5 days than I have in the past 2 weeks..uh oh, maybe that's why my resistance was down?

I do know that I may as well have been...

...like these husks, pretty useless.

But that I hope and trust that in a few more days, I'll be...

...back in flight like this lovely Swallowtail I spied in the botanical garden I thought I'd be telling more stories about!

And once I am all back to normal....

...new goodies like these will turn up in my little shop on Etsy,
and more new stories will be told!

Keep well, everyone! I'm going back to bed....

Something about trees

2010-09-11T23:35:00.008-05:00

detail of bark from a really large crepe myrtle tree in the arboretum

Jesse Morrisey

Network

kozo fiber, cast bronze, cast iron, steel, sassafrass

Mark Iwinski
Monstrum with Coda; Ulmus Americana
Old growth stump print, wood block ink on Kozo paper

The past week was spent preparing for and then going to Eastern Carolina University where I gave a talk, juried a show with another artist, and became reacquainted with artists who teach and work in the area. A major printmaking symposium was getting started there during our paper making event.

I'm pretty ragged right now--travel sometimes does that to me--so I'm putting up some photos that hint at a few more to come as the week progresses and I get re-energized to talk a little bit more about this project.

My first impression of Greenville this trip in was via my flight in as we flew over the area and then landed. Most plentiful were the tops of green trees as far as I could see-it looked luscious! Up close, trees and plant forms also figured in some of the artwork that was part of the paper making and the printmaking events and I chose 2 neat examples here. And on my last day in the area, I went over to Raleigh with a friend and we spent time wandering the fantastic arboretum there as the day was fading.

More later!