Coloresque Sample "Purse Charms" & 1st Pendant & Earring Set

This week on Coloresque.Com I have introduced our sampler purse charms. We will be giving one of these away FREE each month to website registrants. We are also offering them for sale at a very discounted price singly or in lots of 5.

Below is the first Coloresque Pendant & Earring Set. These pendant and earring sets are the same prices as our medallion necklaces. This first set is named Jacinta and features beautiful deep purple, ocean blue and sea green colors.


Stop by the site and take a look at how it's progressing! And don't forget the Coloresque necklaces we have placed on Ebay this week! See below for those.

Jai

Technorati tags: necklace, medallion, art jewelry, Ebay, auction, art to wear, pendant, earrings, charm, purse, free jewelry, win free jewelry

Cockatiel original artisan sculpture, hanging design (click here to bid!)

Okay, so the clay has a mind of its own...this mini cockatiel hanging sculpture was born yesterday from the raw material. (my own cockatiel Sammy was quite pleased with this design ~ he thought it was another bird!) You can click here now to bid on this Cockatiel original bird miniature sculpture - auction only runs for 7 days - after that, or if you must have him right now - you can click here to purchase him immediately.

Jai

Technorati tags: sculpture, figurine, art jewelry, Ebay, auction, art to wear, Cocktiel, bird, pendant, bead, ornament

Caribbean (click here to bid!)

~Caribbean~ Coloresque art necklace on Ebay today...click here to bid!

Beautiful ocean blue, light lavender and a touch of mint green, all with genuine gold leaf.

View other available Coloresque Necklaces here.

Jai

Technorati tags: necklace, medallion, art jewelry, Ebay, auction, art to wear, pendant, caribbean, ocean, blue, lavender, green

Fred the English Bulldog in "Too Much Pub" (click to bid!)

"See it's like this Ethel...you said you wanted a shamrock...((hiccup))...so I stopped downtown to get you one....((hiccup))...and they were having this St. Patrick's Day celebration...((hiccup))...and I just couldn't resist that green beer! Next thing I know....((hiccup))...I kinda got in over my head. I'm so sorry Ethel...((hiccup))...will you EVER forgive me? I got you the shamrock....see?"

Well here it is! The companion bead to the "Luck of the Irish" St. Patrick's Day bead/pendant/ornament which features Ethel.....this is Fred who has had just a bit too much green beer this holiday season! Click here to read more about Fred and to bid on him on Ebay!

Jai

Technorati tags: bead, pendant, art jewelry, Ebay, auction, art to wear, English Bulldog, Bulldog, St. Patrick's Day, Irish, pub, green

UT Tennessee Volunteers Medallion Necklace (click here to bid!)

Todays necklace on Ebay....for the Big Orange Tennessee Volunteers fans out there...orange and white Coloresque necklace. Click here to bid.

View other available Coloresque Necklaces here.

Jai

Technorati tags: necklace, medallion, art jewelry, Ebay, auction, art to wear, pendant, UT, Tennessee, Volunteers, orange, white

A necklace a day....on Ebay? Alissa (click here to bid)

Hmmm...why not? Why not put a Coloresque Medallion a day on Ebay? A new art jewel, one each day for Ebay. I know a man who does that with paintings and does very well with it! So....why not try it?

Let's start off with this one....named "Alissa". This medallion necklace from the Coloresque Collection features fuchsia, orange, and yellow, along with a touch of olive green and genuine gold leaf. It's on Ebay now. Let's see what happens!

Jai

Technorati tags: necklace, medallion, art jewelry, Ebay, auction, art to wear, pendant, Alissa, fuchsia, orange, yellow, gold

Having Fun With Color!

Yesterday, I spent the entire day having fun with color! And now there are numerous selections filling up my new website, Coloresque.

I also made this photo of my packaging to show on the website. I've spent this morning working out the details on my custom order page...trying to think of the potential and the possibilities (which are really unlimited) for creating these jewels in a person's specific color choices. Thanks to some input from my best friend, I came up with many instances where custom orders might be appropriate. Weddings (gifts for bridesmaids created in the colors of the wedding) • Birth Month Colors (children, grandchildren, and couples birth month colors combined in a jewel) • Company spirit • Specific causes/movements (e.g. pink for Breast Cancer Awareness) • and more!

I added a page listing the colors of the birth months. And I also have a meanings of color page from my free online book Healing With Color.

It's all pulling together now! Oh, and I set up the Team Spirit category, for those who want necklaces created in their team colors. And I put an example piece up I made for UT (University of TN Volunteers).

Today, I think I'll take a break from this project and work on my next bulldog bead/pendant/ornament - I'm going to make Fred and his theme will be St. Patrick's Day. Since I already have a St. Patrick's Day Ethel sculpted bead/pendant/ornament complete, I think it's only fair to give Fred the same consideration. :)

Jai

Technorati tags: wedding jewelry, sports, team spirit, custom jewelry, birthstones, UT, Breast Cancer Awareness, irish, St. Patrick's Day, bulldog, bulldog jewelry, bulldog ornament, ornament, pendant

Introducing Coloresque.Com

Today I'd like to invite you to stop in and view my new "baby". Coloresque is what I've chosen to name this business. It accurately describes what these jewels are - infused with color! The idea for Coloresque was born when I was recently preparing my miniature paintings I call "Fragments".

However, over the past year, I've become even more fascinated with color than ever before, and have developed an extreme passion for carnival masks, costumes and colors. Perhaps it was because of my New Orleans study I did, where I created a series of jewels based on colorful New Orleans photographs....perhaps it was because I thought I'll never get to attend the Mardis Gras celebration in New Orleans after the hurricane destroyed the city. Whatever the true reason, the brilliant and beautiful colors of celebrations are on my mind.

I've decided to base my Coloresque.Com theme on the Venice Carnival, which features some of the most beautiful masks and costumes I've ever seen - the colors are AMAZING!

Wearing a Coloresque necklace is like wearing a miniature painting - each is different and unique - even the two sides are different, though they utilize the same colors - giving the wearer two necklaces in one due to the difference in pattern on each side.

I've decided to go with the lentil shaped focal beads on these, as that is my favorite bead shape. They are so comfortable to wear!

Currently I only have a few pieces on the site, but that will change starting with today, as I have a large custom order already to get filled, and I will be making additional necklaces at the same time to place on the new website. I also plan on photographing the unique packaging option I've come up with for these and placing a photo of that on the site as well.

Late last night, I added a section to the site about colors and their meanings - that is from my free online book I wrote in 1999 called Healing With Color. If you enjoy color, you might enjoy reading it!

So it looks like I'll be seriously busy now with this new site, creating the jewels for it, as well as making the sculpted bulldog beads in my "Fred & Ethel" series. :) Although I've already been asked many times to make other dog breeds, for now, I've decided to focus on the one breed which will help me excel in my accuracy of the sculpture. I'm sure I'll give Fred & Ethel some friends and new family members eventually. :)

Thanks for stopping in - hope you enjoy visiting the new website and reading about color! Custom orders are welcome too!

Jai

Technorati Tags: jewelry, coloresque, carnival, venice, bulldog, English Bulldog, lentil beads

Fred...English Bulldog on Date Night...with pierced ear!

Yeah, I had a LOT of fun with this one! Fred's all ready for his date with Ethel (below) and he's slightly jealous of a French Poodle she'd been flirting with last week. Okay, he's more than slightly jealous...he's so jealous he's dressing like a Frenchman and even had his EAR PIERCED for the occasion! You go Fred! Ethel will never look at another man again! :)

Fred can be purchased by a lucky winner on Ebay - this week only - *OR* if you must add him to your collection NOW, then go here to buy him before a bidder snags him.

Jai

Technorati tags: bulldog, English Bulldog, Bulldog jewelry

Beautification - Ethel the English Bulldog in curlers!

Ethel is here again! This time in her curlers, head wrap and bathrobe. (she's getting ready for a date with Fred, who you will all meet very soon too!)

"The things we women have to go through to make ourselves beautiful! These damn curlers gimme a headache every time...but what's a girl to do? Fred wants beauty, so I have to go through this hell to get there. Word has it he's bringin' me a ring tonight - I say skip the rocks and gimme a cinnamon bun - sugar, baby...that's what I'm talkin' about. Best medicine in the world for the pain of beautification!"

You have one chance to bid on "Beautification" on Ebay - she is on this week only! Or, if this original sculpted bead/pendant is a "gotta have now", then hurry and purchase her from my website before she gets a bid!

Jai

P.S. Update! (5:35 pm CST) The first "Fred" bead is done! He's ready for his date with Ethel! As soon as I can handle him, I'll get a photo to put up here. He's SO CUTE!!!!!!!!

Technorati tags: bulldog, English Bulldog, Bulldog jewelry, curlers, bad hair day

Luck of the Irish, English Bulldog Bead/Pendant/Ornament COMPLETE!

Ah....here she is! Ethel the English Bulldog in her lucky St. Patrick's Day hat with four leaf clover adornment! This is the first English Bulldog bead in a series I'm working on of fully sculpted (all the way around!) bulldog bead/pendant/ornaments. You'll see both Ethel and her partner, Fred, in numerous "costumes", celebrating holidays and events, as well as just plain having FUN.

Ethel is available from my website, or on Ebay. If "Luck of the Irish" is a must have collectible for you, I recommend going to my website and purchasing her there, before she gets a bid on Ebay.

Don't forget, see the "in progress" bead below - what a difference!

Jai

Technorati tags: bulldog, English Bulldog, Bulldog jewelry, Irish, St. Patrick's Day

Ethel..."Irish Diva" Bulldog Bead...in progress

I've been out most of the day (it's Friday...errand day for me!), but this is what I managed to accomplish before I left this morning. As I said a couple of posts ago, I'll be making a line of humorous/cute Bulldog jewels - and I didn't KNOW I was going to do FULL head sculpts on these...but I decided I needed to push the envelope a bit with my work and create something totally irresistable!

So, I have two English Bulldog characters I've created - one male (Fred) and one female (Ethel). Yes, I love the "I Love Lucy" shows and these two remind me of Fred and Ethel! The first sculpt I'm working on is Ethel in an Irish green hat with a four leaf clover adornment. If you can't make all that out in the photos, don't worry - in this stage, it's hard to make out details!

Here what you're seeing is the raw sculpted bead in translucent. Ethel is 1 1/2" in size in this sculpture. I was going to put her in the oven before I left this morning - but I decided to wait, look at her with fresh eyes when I got back, and THEN send her into the hot chamber. :) (gee, dontcha know she is glad to see ME right now! haha!)

First I will coat all but her hat, eyes, and nose with a layer of white liquid clay. After the first firing, that is when I will add the rest of her color.
I thought you all might find it interesting to see the piece in the beginning stages, so I decided to take her photo. Now Ethel the Irish Diva and I are heading back down to the studio. :)

Jai

P.S. 8:37 pm CST - update....Ethel made it through the oven without cracking - HOORAY! She has since been completely painted and fired again - just got her out and I am SO PLEASED. She turned out super cute and looks so real, I was actually talking to her. My daughter told me to grow up - LOL. I told her I don't WANT TO - I have been a grown up for years now and I don't like it, which is why I am making these beads!

Bulldogs always make me smile. No, I don't own one, but I would love to own not one, but TWO. (yes, Fred and Ethel). I've owned and raised Chows, I have owned a Bichon, I have had Poodles in the family, and I have owned a Samoyed. On my wish list is a German Shepherd, an Irish Setter or two, and two bulldogs. Currently, I have a chow/shepherd mix named Lady and she is probably the best dog I've had to date.

Anyway, Ethel the Irish Diva is out of the oven, and although I did like the Irish Diva name in the beginning, I think for her official "bead name", I will title her Luck of the Irish, but I'll sleep on it to be sure. She will be posted tomorrow in all her glory after her glaze is completely dry. :)

MORE in the Dream Seeker Pattern!

Here are THREE MORE really cool designs featuring the Dream Seeker pattern. And I thought I wouldn't have any of the pattern left, but I do...I still have enough to maybe make 1-2 more jewelry designs.

In two of these pieces - the second stickpin set and the mini painting - I paired the pattern with a teal blue background and it looks even more fantastic! Amazing what a little switcheroo on colors will do!

All of these pieces feature the genuine gold leaf in the design - which adds just the perfect amount of sparkle and gleam. And even though the miniature painting has a different background color, it still looks fabulous when paired with the others below.

All of these are on Ebay for this week only.

Jai

Dream Seeker Pattern

I still have a small bit of my DREAM SEEKER pattern left, so I hope today to create 1-2 more pieces using this pattern.

Each of my Fragment patterns are named, and the amount of pieces produced with a certain pattern are limited - one a pattern is gone, it's gone forever! From one of my hand-fashioned pattern sheets, I may be able to produce as many as 5-10 artistic creations with the design, or perhaps only one.

As you can see below, I've created 3 miniature abstract paintings and one unique necklace using this pattern. I'll probably create another jewelry piece from the amount of the pattern which is left (above). But once that's done, this pattern and color combination is gone forever. This keeps with my desire to create unique items for those who like to express their individuality and who have a passion for uncommon design work.

I'm also working on more ideas for sculpted beads. I realize I cannot create EVERY dog breed in the universe, so I am picking some of my favorite breeds based on dogs I have owned, or dogs family members own, or dogs I wish to own someday. I'm going to narrow it down to 2-4 breeds. The Chow Chow and Bulldog are 2 of my definite selections. My daughter loves Pomeranians, and I think they are adorable as well, so I might add the breed to my mix. The bulldog pieces I'm going to do will be humorous and themed. Other pieces will be more along the lines of portrait jewels as I've been doing so far, with different poses and colors of dogs.

Jai

Maltese Pendant, & Dream Seeker series...jewels and paintings!

There's lots to see here today! First off, I started by making the Maltese sculpted art bead. This is a bit different than my previous sculpted beads in that I shaped the bead as a lentil focal, and I put a golden paw design on the back. I really like the feel and look of the lentil beads, so I decided to try it for the Maltese and I love it!

Then I began playing with the purple hues from the Maltese bead...and I further developed those and paired the purples with lime green, black and white in the lentil bead necklace you see here titled "Dream Seeker". From there, I went on and created more miniature abstract polymer paintings using two variations of the same pattern.

These 3 paintings can be displayed together, or separately. The pattern variations are small, so they can go either way.

Notice in the larger Dream Seeker painting, I have added genuine gold leaf in the design. Also - not sure if you can see it - BUT - I see a horse/zebra/creature of some sort image which developed in the pattern - how about that for COOL? :)

All of these pieces are on Ebay this week. Here's the link to go place your bids.

Thanks for stopping in!

Jai

Fun with Polymer Clay Scraps

My polymer clay buddies will LOVE this idea! As you all know, when doing projects, we always have a little clay left of this color or that color, we always have extra pieces, patterns, etc. And, being the frugal folks we are, we NEVER throw anything away - as scrap pieces of clay can be used in NUMEROUS ways. Because in the polymer world, a scrap is rarely a scrap - it is ALWAYS a tiny treasure just waiting to be placed somewhere. :)

Well, here's one for ya - I have taken my "scraps" and created miniature abstract paintings with them. I've built tiny "canvases" from transulcent clay, decided what tiny pieces I had left from other projects would look good together, and I've combined them, creating a polymer painted "wrap" for my canvases.

Each painting was then baked, and finished out with 2 tiny screws and brass wire for hanging.

Viola! Cute little miniature abstract works of art! I ended up making 8 or 9 of these up yesterday - that's really too much in one day as by the end of the night my brain was going bonkers from seeing so many different colors and patterns.

So basically what I've decided is from now on, as I work on one piece, if I have "scraps" left, I'll make up a mini abstract THEN, rather than waiting and trying to do them all at once.

So what does one DO with these? Considering I have put them ALL UP ON AUCTION this week, I figured I better know the answer to that. Of course, because of the wire on the back, they can be hung immediately upon receipt. Those who collect miniature works of art will adore these. Dollhouse collectors and decorators may also find them enjoyable for their miniature worlds. They can be framed in many unique ways, including shadow boxes, should a buyer wish to do that. And they are the perfect tiny treasures for small spaces - such as office cubicles where you don't have a lot of room to decorate, but you want to create your OWN space with your own artistic treasures.

They are also very affordable - trust me - check out my low opening bids for these! These don't take as much time as my more intricate, realistic works or art and art jewelry, so I can afford to list them for low prices on Ebay and on my website.

Oh, by the way, I guess you've noticed the series name - Fragments. I thought it was appropriate for this collection. Anyway, I hope you enjoy viewing these. As I said, I'll be creating more of these as I go along, so no telling what kind of colors and patterns you'll find. And each turns out different, and unique, surprising even me! :)

Jai

Cocker Spaniel Brooch/Pendant

Yesterday was a slow day - I didn't get a lot of work done. I did, however, finish this little sweetie up and put her on Ebay.

Today I have some shipping to do for jewels I've sold and then it's back to the studio!

Jai

Magnolia & Ladybugs Lariat Necklace, Sun Conure Brooch/Pendant

Two new jewels have emerged from the studio.....first is this delightful, cheerful Sun Conure. I've never owned one of these birds (I have a cockatiel and parakeet), but I've always been fascinated by them - they look like happy little fellas! This is a brooch pendant and he is on Ebay - or if you want to snatch him up before he has a bid, you can do so on my website here.

This second jewel is another lariat necklace, this one longer than the first one I made because the pendant is a larger size. I actually thought of this Magnolia/Ladybug design when I woke up in the middle of the night, and even though I don't do many floral designs, I felt I *had to* create this one with the ladybug accent beads. I used a couple of different techniques for the base pattern on both this and the Conure. A watercolor bead design I learned has been incorporated, along with some cane work, and then of course, genuine gold leaf. This necklace is on Ebay now, or you can get it from my website if you do so before there is a bid.

Jai

And we finally have some snow!

And we are finally getting our first snow of the season. Click the photos for a larger view.

These were taken about 4:30 pm. It had been snowing about an hour and a half at this point. It ended up looking much prettier after this and then the rain came back and started messing it all up. Now it's coming down pretty hard with snow again (8pm). No telling what this will look like in the morning!




My dog Lady decides to check things out. She hates rain, but loves snow!

PUG Portrait Pendant Lariat Necklace w/Pawprint Beads!

Someone told me about a pug named "Guido" recently, and as I completed this pendant, I think he looks like a Guido! :) I'm so excited I FINALLY got my new necklace design for 2006 figured out. I thought the Pomeranian below was going to be "it" as far as the style - but unfortunately doing others in that same fashion didn't work out. So I had to come up with something new.

For the new design, I've fashioned a pendant with a hand-cut brass tube bail. Then I've made the necklace lariat style, and added two matching pawprint beads on the ends. The necklace can be worn at a longer length with it simply knotted behind the neck and the pawprint beads on the back - OR, it can be shortened and worn shorter on the front, and the pawprint beads draped around where they fall beside the pendant for a cute look.

This pug portrait necklace is on Ebay (but only once!) this week. Or if you want to snatch him up before he has bids, you can do so at my website here.

Jai

Sandy Sanctuary, new mini painting

This is my newest miniature polymer painting - titled "Sandy Sanctuary". Just looking at it for a few seconds will bring a moment of peace and serenity into the day.

Jai
You can also order my mini art as fine art prints and greeting cards here. There are a variety of art print papers to choose from for printing, and you can also choose your own framing and matting and have a finished, ready to hang, larger version of this art for your home or office. The greeting cards I'm designing for these new images are blank inside, and you can customize them with your own messages. Once again, here is the link to order this art as prints and cards. The original can be purchased here.

Pomeranian Necklace & Afghan Art Bead/Pendant

Finally, I managed to get something accomplished yesterday! First, I completed this Afghan Hound art bead/pendant...which is on Ebay (but only once!).

And then I finally figured out my new necklace design. I love making the lentil swirl beads, so I decided to incorporate that as a base bead. By adding a long length of rubber cord, this necklace just slips easily over the head. And the coolest thing I figured out after I completed the Pomeranian necklace is that the bead looks so beautiful on the BACK as well.....which means, you can actually reverse this necklace and have two totally different looks! That was a nice surprise! This Pomeranian necklace is also on Ebay (only once!).

Maybe today will be a more successful "studio day" for me. I hope!

Jai

I want to move to the mountains.....

I don't post a whole lot of my frustrations here...but UGH....I must post this one and get it off my chest.

I want to move to the mountains - preferably ALONE! LOL Why, you ask? Because I just spent *4 hours* working on a new necklace design and was interrupted 2 times by a roof guy who was fixing a leak and 2 times by my son's neighbor friend.....who is extremely loud (but a sweet kid.....just jolting to to the thinking process because he's kind of rambunctious).

Needless to say, I made a mistake and it's so simple it's ridiculous. But it makes the entire design NOT WORK. So, since I'm frazzled and frustrated now, I think I'm just going to go with my original design plan, which is simpler, but less likely to have problems should I make the same mistake again.

So now I have to decide whether I should continue on with mini painting #2 (which I started right after I *thought* the necklace design was okay), or should I go back and re-do the Pomeranian necklace? I think I will do the necklace, as it will drive me nuts and I have the Pom on my mind - so I think I can do the dog artwork again just as good (or maybe even better? hey...a person can hope, right? :)) if I do it tonight.

I know you're probably thinking I'm nuts - but I get so focused on what I'm doing, if I do get interruptions, especially ones where I have to get up from the studio, it takes me a while to get "re-oriented" (is that a word?). I try to plan my studio time when *I* don't have anything scheduled....but you know, you have things which come up and have to be dealt with.

Unfortunately, even if I moved to the mountains, I'd still have a roof which would need work from time to time, and probably a gazillion other things as well.

Now....that feels better.....got that out of my system. :)

Jai

Press!

And we've made the paper! In today's Jackson Sun, they had a small write up about the Venus Soiree held at the Dickson Gallery of Fine Art on Friday January 27. Here's a scan of the clippings.

Jai

Blue & Gold Macaw Bead/Pendant/Ornament

I told a friend of mine last night, I should call these my "heads or tails" beads, since the head is on one side and tail on the other. :)

This is a gorgeous blue & gold macaw who flew out of my studio yesterday. I've created the base bead in yellow with swirls of light reddish-orange - I think it gives this bead a tropical feel. He's on Ebay (only once!) ~ maybe he'll fly to the perfect home now. :)

Jai

Miniature Polymer Painting "Secret Sea"

Well here it is! Now these are different than the miniature polymer cat paintings I did last year. These are thicker, and I've added two mini screws and wire to the back as shown in the photo to create an actual mini of how a canvas painting would look. I've painted the sides on this artwork as well.

The title of this piece is "Secret Sea" and it can be seen in more detail and purchased here.

As I said, I'll only be doing paintings of places and images which create a sense of peace within me. The thought of having a beach all to myself and how wonderful that would be is the inspiration behind this mini painting.

Now it's back to the studio for me!

Jai

What a day!

Gosh, I've been out of my studio so much the past few days, I'm going into what I call spastic withdrawl. LOL! Just got back down there about 30 minutes ago and have spent the entire time making a base and mixing up colors...still not done with the colors either - and even though it's frustrating me, it's got to be done.

I've spent this week exploring some options and making some decisions about the type of work I'll be focusing on this year. In analyzing my sales for the past year, my best sellers were animal/bird/frog pieces and second in line were the more abstract types...what I can "loose patterns". Surprisingly, florals were third (although I always thought flower jewelry was popular!), and landscapes last.

I've also been studying a marketing book written by an artist who is proven in the art field. It's very indepth and intense, and I am treating it like a course I'd take. I've been taking notes and applying some of the things the author says, and it's been working for me! There are a total of 5 books in the series, and after I finish going through book one...not once...but TWICE...then I will buy the next book in the series.

So....this year, I'll be tightening up my focus on the pieces I'm making, as well as studying this author's material as if he were my personal "coach/teacher".

Basically I've decided to place my focus on the focal beads - which also serve as pendants/ornaments for display. I'm doing my "broken stone" technique (okay it's not really a technique, it's just the look created with the sculpted, raised design and the way I add color to it). I'll be creating these focal beads featuring various dog breeds, birds, wildlife and frogs.

I'm also going to create the pendant/brooch design I came up with (below) with a variety of the same type of animal life. And I've still yet to determine my necklace design...it will be similar to the 4 wildlife pieces on my website currently...but slightly different and rather than having a clasp on the cord ends, the cords will be slip-over-the-head and be adjustable. Same focal material will be on the necklaces...dogs, birds, wildlife and frogs.

That keeps my focus to the areas I feel I do best in, and it is in line with what has sold the best for me over the past year. ALL jewelry designs will be the new bas relief (raised) sculpted designs I'm doing currently.

In addition - just to spice things up a bit and because I LOVE landscapes and floral scenes...I'm going to be doing some miniature paintings. The "canvas" for these will be created from polymer, and these will be "painted" with the liquid polymer like I have been doing this past year. (flat surface painting...no raised, sculpted design on these)

So I'll have a myriad of items for people to choose from - focal bead/pendants which can also be displayed as ornaments in the home, brooch/pendant jewels which have a different "feel" based on the colors I'm using (they are more elegant than the focal beads, in my opinion...whereas the focal beads are more fun), and necklaces which, will also have a more elegant feel. And then the miniature paintings for those who like my work and wish to collect it, but maybe they don't wear jewelry.

By keeping to the certain subject matters at hand, I'll be able to excel in those areas and I hope to have some serious collectors come on board this year as a result. The miniature paintings will be called "Peaceful Paintings", as I will only paint scenes which are peaceful to me.

I completed a test painting today to see how my canvas idea will work and it's working out fine...I just had to fine tune a few things, and now after doing that, I'm getting ready to paint a simple beach scene tonight (I should be able to finish that before bedtime!).

The next two days will be spent totally in the studio. I'm not leaving this house....LOL....and any break I take will be to study.

So there's my update for the day. Now it's back down to the studio to finish mixing these colors and prepare this first painting.

Jai

Pink Flamingo Brooch/Pendant

Oh the photo doesn't *even* do this brooch/pendant justice...my camera loves to saturate red and pink. UGH. Anyway, it's a beautiful piece of original art jewelry and I'm sure it will find a home with the perfect collector!

My muscles are sore. Another UGH. My neighbor had two rather large trees cut back and I helped his grandson load the back of the truck with them - that was what I call "natural weight lifting". As if I wasn't sore enough from that, I went down to the gallery today and helped Rachel rearrange. Even though I didn't lift/carry too many heavy things, the few I did played on these other sore muscles. I think tomorrow afternoon I'll take a break and just make jewelry! :)

Next up on the workbench is a sculpted blue and gold macaw bead/pendant - and after that, a few more dog breeds.

Off to the bed for me now though....this ole body is tired tonight!

Jai

Brooch/Pendants...Tree Frog, Hummingbird, Wolf

Here's the latest in my creations - 3 brooch/pendant jewels, each with a bas relief sculpted design on the front. And yes, there's another tree frog - I just love them! :)

These designs all have a pinback on the back which also has a bail for wearing as a pendant, giving them two uses. Two of these are on Ebay (but only once!) this week, in addition to the sculpted beads below. "Sweet Nectar" is already sold.

Jai