Is This Art?

Yep. I think it IS art. Beautiful art. Just not my art which, sadly, seems to be on hiatus. But before I wail about artist's block, I should report I am having a great, creative time over on my other blog. My vintage doll play is taking up my free time of late, and seriously cutting into my reading, painting, jewelry-making and everything else-time.

However, I did have time to finally get bitten by the Troll bead bug--probably the last person on the planet to experience that, or so it feels.

It started a month or so ago with the three glass beads in the middle of the brown bracelet. There are a couple silver Troll fillers there also. Actually, it started earlier that same week when I discovered a bead store at my local mall which sells lampwork Troll knock-offs on the cheap. I didn't plan to go All Troll when I bought them; I planned to make something with them. But, as a victim of a classic successful cross-over retail strategy, I happened on to authentic Troll beads and chains and clasps at my local greenhouse, when I went in for crossover Vera Bradley.

Like a sensible (crazy?) shopper, I left the Vera there and came home with the start of my first Troll bracelet. While at the greenhouse, I discovered they also had already-strung Troll knock-off bracelets, too. Knowing I could cut that bracelet apart with my jewelry tools at home. I bought a brown knock-off to fill up the brown bracelet I had just (seconds ago) started. It is in the top photo.

Since I still had knock-off beads and parts leftover, and came across some more imposters at the local Jo-Ann's, I now had the beginnings of both a pink and a beach-y themed bracelet. Conveniently, said smart greenhouse was having a Troll bead trunk show, and there I got one turquoise with lime dots Troll bead as well as a silver crab, and another knock-off (beach-y theme) bracelet to take apart.

Throw in a trip to Brighton in the mall, where their beads are just as cute and some definitely cuter and cheaper, and here I am with my mini-collection of three very different Troll bracelets. I wear one nearly everyday. Do you have a Troll bracelet? Or Pandora, Camellia (sp?), Brighton or? Is it a work of art?

If X equals the sum of my evening's art adventures, then WHY do I still have a headache?

If three beads and one charm can send me to the studio for nine-and-a-half hours and produce four bracelets and six pairs of earrings all the while fighting a migraine, then what is x? Just thought I'd try to tie in some of that lovely algebra we were all promised we'd use later in life. Well, I don't know x or why, but my jewelry-designing gene woke me up in the middle of the night with an idea for a bracelet. I received my three free beads from Fried Peas and an unexpected and totally cute crown charm from Debrina Pratt of Spark*Your*Imagination in the mail Friday, and by the wee hours of Saturday, I had a girly pink charm bracelet in mind, using the crown charm and some pink resin beads. I even got up to write myself a note in case my memory faded by morning.

After a late breakfast and one of the worst migraines I've had in awhile, I banished myself to the basement thinking that the charm bracelet work would take my mind off my head pain. It did indeed as I wire-wrapped dangly after dangly for the bracelet, then added jump rings and attached all the charms. A few of the beads I used I had been saving for almost a year for something special. I guess this was it.

The next thing I knew it was six hours and four bracelets later! I came up to make a big salad and homemade croutons for supper and then headed back downstairs to make six pairs of earrings. By the time I finished I had been at it nearly 10 hours. And none of this was on my to-do list for today! I also wanted to put more beeswax on my doll canvas, which I did. I love the smellof beeswax, although I know not everyone does. I also had high hopes of painting my paper clay figures- the mushroom and owl I had molded-so I got to that about midnight. I am always quickly reminded that tired=messy.

I photographed all my creations, and some are shown above. The entire result of Saturday's adventures can be seen on my Flickr photostream here. Some of the goodies are heading to my Etsy shop next. Gotta try to make a little money because that buys more beads.

Tomorrow's art to-do list? An art doll assemblage with the porcelain doll heads I built up with paper clay and something Alice in Wonderland*ish.

It's off to Pittsburgh Tuesday for work and also company year-end Tuesday, so reports and packing are also beckoning, and my reading pile is growing. I've tried stockpiling sleep, and it just doesn't work. In fact, I'm going to guess that weird sleep, feather pillows, stress and too many carbs were the algebraic equation that equalled my migraine. Don' try this at home.

I won some Fried Peas!

Wow! I just want to eat them up- look at the great beads I won yesterday from Beatrice Killeen in California of Fried Peas. I found her site and beads from following some lampwork links in Stringing magazine and on to other beaders' sites. These are the most colorful, fun, cheerful beads I think I've ever seen. Can't wait to see them in person and decide what to make with them. Check her gallery here for some incredibly beautiful beads. Thank you, Beatrice!