Harvest in the Design Garden

Howdy!

Fall is bringing in a harvest of designs and projects that have been waiting all year to come to fruition. Good things are coming out of the design garden after a slow year of growth and a long season of patiently watching and waiting. It brings a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment to see that hard work pays off. It gives me hope that the next season will bring better things.

In the meantime, here's my newest design on the Amate Studios website. It's a western theme this month. Of course, when I think western, I think of turquoise. I used chips in this design, which makes it less expensive. Check out the fun western designs from the other Design Team members and make one up for your next hoedown!

Terry

Fall Colors

Isn't fall wonderful! I love the sweet damp smell of the leaves after a rain, warm afternoons, and, of course, all the beautiful colors that appear when the green leaves start losing their chlorophyll. Oops, sorry, I went from poet back to my biology degree roots!

I love designing in those colors--warm reds and golds, rich brown and coppery orange. And, I was delighted to see that the Beading Daily email today had a glimpse of my necklace that will be published in the fall issue of Stringing magazine. I'm really excited that I have a necklace that was accepted into this magazine. I've had small designs in it before, but never a necklace. It's a magazine that is so beautifully presented that it's a pleasure to be included. It will be in the stores in early October, but here's a sneak peek!

My inspiration for this necklace was a walk along a path through the woods, leaves littering the ground. I used wavy bronzite ovals for the path. And, the pressed glass leaves with their multitude of colors are a perfect expression of the colors of fall.

Happy Fall,

Terry

Back to School!

Hi crafters!

Summer's over and it's back to school! And, just in time are some new projects for September at Amate Studios. I've never seen so many cute pendants! I want to try them all!

My design is a little different than those. I wanted to design something that the kids could hang on their backpacks. So, I used the pendant form for a clip-on spirit tag. It's easy and inexpensive enough for a whole group of kids to make for a rally or game. Or, you can modify the theme and use it for scouting or church groups.


Keep on crafting and learning!

Terry




PS Did you notice that I learned something new? On the left hand side of the blog is a new feature that I have named "Links I Like". Coming soon is a listing of great products and fabulous designers.

Hi Crafters!

Bracelets are fun. I don't wear them enough because when you work (and talk) with your hands, they can get in the way! But, they are surely fun to create.

You can experiment with different color combinations or new materials without the time and expense of creating a full-length necklace. And, they make great gifts. Here's one I created for Amate Studios for August. I love this mix of buttons, not only for the colors, but for the interesting textures.

Here's another bracelet using the Amate Studios bracelet forms. My youngest daughter, the world traveler of our family, recently returned from a trip to Europe. She brought me some tea from London in these little boxes with maps of the London Underground subway on them. So, I cut little ovals from the boxes and glued them into the bracelet trays and covered them with some Diamond Glaze. It makes a great souvenir of the trip.

So, think about what you've brought back from a recent trip. It might make a great souvenir bracelet. Pieces of a map, photos, small charms, tickets or passes from an event, a bit of stone--all these could be combined in a souvenir bracelet that reminds you of the wonderful memories of your vacation.

Happy crafting,

Terry

Take your crafting outdoors!

Hi crafters!

I'm taking my projects outdoors to the patio table--and, it's not just to avoid straightening the studio or because I've run out of usable surface space! Well--maybe!

Ever since the tree outside the studio window has leafed out, the light has diminished considerably. It feels freer and less confining outside than in the house. And, it surely is easier to see the little holes in the beads out here!

Mornings are usually best for me. The temperature is mild and the light is great. Summer's lovely shades of green and colorful flowers ar a great source of inspiration. Occasionally, a bright butterfly flits among the flowers or a hummingbird hovers nearby. Hmm, what about a necklace in hummingbird colors--iridescent greens and bright pinks!

If you're not beading, a chair in the shade on a summer afternoon is a great place to crochet or knit. A glass of lemonade or iced tea, and you're set for a couple of hours. The only thing you have to fight is the tendency to take a nap!

Happy crafting in the fresh air!

Terry

Summer Designs at Amate Studios

Hello crafters!

I can't believe how fast the summer is going. I'd better get to posting before it's over!

The summer designs are up at Amate Studios and, as usual, there is a wonderful assortment of great designs available to try. Look for my new designs under the Blog and under the July listing. Here's a photo of the barrette that I did for them. It's in a country style to which I always seem to return. I guess I'm just a country girl at heart!

They have so many different pieces at Amate Studios that I'm glad I get a whole year to create designs for them. As it is, I have so many ideas, I don't know which one to try next! So many possibilities!

Here's the little Flower Pendant that I created for July. It's on a pendant with a hole in the middle that is meant for a frame. I inserted screen in the hole, added flowers and a little ladybug.
Hope you all are enjoying the summer! Take your crafting outside and enjoy the wonderful weather and bright light that makes crafting so much easier.
Happy crafting!
Terry

Hi everyone!

It's finally here--summer! And, to celebrate the season, I've got a couple of free projects for you: fun summer-inspired tags. These are mixed-media tags that you can use in multiple ways. Clip them on a beach bag, hang them around a vase, use them as a pendant or glue them into a collage. They're easy and I'm not going to give you exact amounts on the materials. But, I will have links to everything in case you can't find them where you live. The rest, I leave to your creativity!

First of all, paint a large wood tag. The seahorse is on a 5" tag, and the fish is on a 3" tag. I painted them with some acrylic paint in a turquoise blue.

Step Two: Trace around the tag onto the back of the adhesive-backed fabric. This beautiful blue and green aquatic print is from Batik-It by Princess Mirah. I just love the colors! Cut out the fabric, peel off the backing and apply the fabric to the tag. I only covered one side, but you could cover both if you like.

Step Three: Condition some polymer clay. The seahorse is a green clay; the fish is a little more complicated with a couple of blue colors kneaded together for a marbled look. Knead a small amount of two colors together, then slice into the ball to find the marbling that you like. Slice a piece of clay about the depth of the mold and press it into the mold. Carefully, remove the excess. With these molds from Krafty Lady Art Moulds(C), you don't have to take the clay out to bake it. Isn't that cool! I don't play with clay much, but I think that is a great idea. I have a tendency to mess up the molded piece if I try to remove it from the mold. Follow the directions on the clay for baking times.

Step 4: While the clay is baking and cooling, wrap the tags with wire. This wire is Fun Wire(TM) from Toner Crafts. It's easy to work with--you can use your fingers, although a pair of round nose pliers is helpful in starting the coils. Wrap the wire around the tag and connect it to itself once or twice. Coil the ends. To get the jogs in the wire, grab it with a pair of pliers and give it a little twist. This adds an interesting look and also tightens it around the tag.

Step 5: Glue the molded clay piece on top of the wire with hot glue or a jewel glue. Glue on a few jewels or charms. Glue an eyelet in the hole of the tag. Add highlights with a paint pen. The seahorse has gold paint pen highlights. String the tag as you wish depending on where you want to hang it.

Here's where you can find some of the materials I used in case you can't find them locally:

Wood tags: http://www.larascrafts.com/

Wire: http://www.tonercrafts.com/

Clay molds: http://www.kraftylady.com.au/

Batik-It squares: http://www.joggles.com/

I hope you enjoyed this fun summer craft!

Happy crafting!

Terry

PS Watch for some new summer projects at http://www.amatestudios.com/.