Jumping Back In

It's been a busy summer for me with long periods of solitude and time to make beads and jewelry.

I am so surprised that it's turned into a full time job for me.

I decided to dig out some of my Thai silver hoard and use a few pieces from time to time.

These were some polymer pieces I made using Blue Bottle Tree's Rustic Beads tutorial.

How wonderful it is to have a stash of your own handmade components at the ready.

    

I picked out some of my own torch fired numi-sticks for this set and dug into what was one of my first ever bead catalog purchases (before online catalogs even!)

Those little jasper heishi beads are from that very first haul.

I've been making some extra large and bulbous "end of the rods scraps of the day"  headpins that I call my "embonpoint " series. I've been selling some of these in my etsy shop from time to time.

 You don't need to add much to call them earrings. I used a couple of my "Spacey Crusters" and some Faerystones earwires here with a few little African brass spacers.

 

I found that Petra's Scorched Earth ceramic pieces were the perfect accompaniment to  these lovely geode slices.

In case you thought I was going too neutral on you I made these "Fruity Coodlers"

They are an offshoot of my "Spacey Crusters"

"Spacey Crusters" of course!

Just Crust if you Must

Or Lustrous and Crustrous

Extree Long Numi-sticks with abbreviated headpins (redo from another set) and some of RaggedRobyn's wonderful stoneware beads

Another set using beads from the beginnings of my bead hoard. Resin Filled stamped Thai silver beads that were brought back to me by a friend before I had ever even visited Thailand. 1995 or so?

It was before I was even lampworking I'm sure.

We took a trip to Lake Michigan to gather up some Leland Glass. What fun!

Leland Slag glass is a by-product of the iron industry  in the late 1800's when they mixed limestone and coal to extract the ore. The waste product was this beautiful glass that they deposited in Lake Michigan and it's still washing up to this day.

 I purchased this Leland slag glass cabochon thought from a  local shop in the town of Leland

OK, still a fan of creepy baby dolls here. Antique store score. 

She's squeezable and she squeaks!

Some of my first murrini ever. Yeah I've been making lampwork beads for almost 20 years and never made murrini. i think part of it was that I thought it was too graphic for my organic style. I've gotten over that now.

Cuz you can crust it up and do this!

Oh man, I just discovered this new "Avorio Lapis" glass too!

I can't seem to make enough of these Numi-Sticks. Who would think people shopping at our farmer's market would be buying them?

I have been on an etch-a-thon lately. Seems to befit the "oobers"

A little view of Bar Harbor and the Porcupine Islands from Cadillac Mountain

Sorry it's blurry - instagram to facebook to here

 An erupting poppy from the yard.

Summer is over already here in Alaska, we've had frost and snow already.

Just a few more months here before we head south for warmer climes. Missed you all!

Kim

Numi-baubles and Tintinnabulations

Sometimes I just have to revisit some of my former components.

I have such a big list of things I would like to have in stock at all times in my shop but have come to realize that that is just a fantasy and there is a limit as to what I can do so I pick and choose what I'll be featuring at any given time. I have re-christened these numi-baubles so you will know they come from me...yeah, branding.

Most of them are made with transparent to keep a gemmy quality about them, they are made on 20 gauge copper wire so you can twist and wrap them into your designs

I have done a few opaque ones as well.

These are my Tintinnabulations made out of vintage tin plates.

They retain an oh so distressed quality with the enamel and patches of the old paint resisting some of the application. They are lightweight and are totally fun to make as my less than perfectionist nature lets me play and just see what happens. I do these after the piles of frits and enamels get sullied  and blended after much use making my numi-stick copper enamel matchsticks which I am a bit more persnickety about even application and purity of color ( well, sometimes anyway)

 I'm using some pearlescent powders to for an extra crusty slightly sparkly look. I had these powders from my first ordering from my supply place back in the late 90's. I finally ordered some more since I found something cool to do with them. I just didn't really like what they did on glass but now I'm kind of excited about the pixie dust again.

got back into the headpin zone briefly

I really needed a break from enameling after finishing a big order for a vendor at the Tuscon Gem and Mineral Show.

I am proud to announce the MakuStudio with be carrying some of my numi-stick matchsticks along with her amazing raku ceramic pieces. That is a winner for me as I don't have to man a booth or anything and get to rub my little enamel shoulders with her awesomeness.

 To Bead True Blue show, Feb 1-9, Doubletree Hotel, Tucson, AZ, Booth G-168.

If you aren't familiar with her work it's just some of the most stunning and imaginative raku components I've ever seen. I feel honored to be shown with hers.

here's a a link to her facebook page too -

MakuStudio

This was taken from my patio...

Those there mountains are right across the border in Mexico

Gold Leaf for the Holidays

I got out my gold leaf the other day for a little bit of holiday flash. I'm pretty pleased with the results on these opalescent headpins.

Winners!

Extra long brass wires on these blingy transparent leaf headpins

Goldstone latticino limpet bead caps with metallic edges.

see how they match my prop shell

I was experimenting with layered headpins. The second one just didn't behave so I flattened and twisted it. Makes even a more interesting set and I know you guys aren't afraid of mismatched!

I might have shown these before but they are merchandise now.

In my Etsy shop

I decided to finally list some of these Numi- Petra combos

( that's ScorchedEarthOnEtsy who makes these ceramic spikes)

Butter criffles 'n' spikes

Blueberry, Cranberry - Alaskan inspired criffles

Mmmm, lookit that pale green!

Orphan assortments in the shop. lots of them!

"Whorlpools"

asymmetrical crusty large whorls

( rust not included. I find such great things on my walks around this high desert town)

A great focal. If you don't want this, I do!

It's been a great year in ye olde numinositye shoppe and many thanks to you all that keep me going.

I know I've fallen off on blogging and following partly because I've been so dang busy in the studio keeping my shop stocked. Also I became a guest blogger over on LoveMyArtJewelry Blog twice a month and I guess I don't have so many blog blathers in me to overflow into my own.

So if you want to see what I've written there you just need to head over on the first and last Thursday of every month. There are new posts there every day from many talented artists with a wealth of skills to share.

I just did a post this week about murrini and millefiore  cane.

Check it out here.

And now for some potatoes that my son illustrated to send you on your way.

Getting Grounded into the New Year...Hopefully!

Hatch chiles and me in New Mexico

Merry Ristras!

You know me and my utility covers!

I needed a warning that I might run my ass off during the holidays.

What a whirl it's been.

I got to meet some cool artist types that I admire.

Check out Elizabeth Frank's amazing painted carvings/assemblage pieces with a distinctly southwest flair.

She has an Etsy shop too.

We're looking forward to some play time together one day.

And I got to meet this lovely lady too at her home in Santa Fe.

Yes, chiles were involved as we were treated to a wonderful meal including Bloody Mary's at my request.

You may already know her as Darlicious Rejuvenations  or Darlene of DarliciousHouse on Etsy

I have a heck of a time keeping up with this partner and I'm a little tuckered out with the running and playing we've been doing.

(I've got my son visiting with his new camera and he was trying out some action shots)

I thought this one was wonderfully ridiculous and I'm not jumping very high...notice the hot pack around my neck...kind of lame, literally.

Then we tried some with my camera, that's the most action I could manage but at least I don't look quite so stressed from concentration in this one.

No, this isn't Alaska... this is effin' southern Arizona!

...and it still hasn't totally melted yet.

That there is supposed to be out view of Mexico.

I instagramed it to make it look like someone's nostalgic childhood memory.

Now for the good stuff... I have been utilizing the wonderful Petra's ceramic bits as I have somehow managed to carve out a few hours of time between the visiting and the visitors and too much funnedness of the holidays or else I may go cray-cray.

Those are her elephant skin beads peaking out from under my  torch fired enamel bits.

You prob can't tell but those are some itty bitty headpinny bits of mine. 

lemme know if they are up your alley and I can make some more sets.

So these got me excited... I was actually trying to make them into orbby blobbly lucious fruit-hanging bits  butthe glass started to get away from me and I smashed it down and now they are smashed sideways all button like and I must say I rather like them and they have a multicolored sheen from the Bella Donna frits I've been experimenting with.

Oh, and swoon on this new color for me appropriately called "ghee" with some extra frit sheen

This glass is called peaches and cream and with a little raku frit They serve up quite nicely.

Petra's dangles and coral and acoupla transparent beadcaps.

All they need is some earwires now.

I got the coral in my stocking. See not coal, coRal.

We went to this great hot springs before Christmas because I thought it apropros to have our end of the world celebration in a place called Truth or Consequences. 

what a great soak and stay we had at La Paloma Hot Springs and Spa

I would recommend it highly.

Oh, I kind of wandered there. I saw the coral beads in a little shop in that town and requested them as a stocking stuffer.

These still need some wires as you can see

Dichro sparklies

Bella Donna sheen action

We're staring off shiny this year as you can see.

High-grading my own supplies again. 

NKP beads and some vintage bits

More Petra-iffic components

ScorchedEarthOnEtsy

More NKP beads with my criffles

I finished this one earring, one more to go.

After this we have more visitors (family) and a few days trip to Mexico and then to Maine after that so if I don't get much posted send me calming, peaceful grounded thought and wishes.

My super fun retired life is about to wear me out and I could use a few of those solitary summer days in Alaska again.

I almost forgot to share my new resolution to do more journaling and I collaged 4 pages already.

I think this reflects how busy I've been feeling.

I chose the word "seed" as a journal prompt for the year.

This was a two page spread in silver and gold

Happy New Year to you all!

XOXO, Kim