Inspired by Trinity Designer Jewellery

As you've heard me mention time and time again I am a part of the Etsy Bead Weavers. I love this team for so many reasons! I love how supportive everyone is, and I love the inspiration I receive from looking at their work and listening to their stories.

This last week I've felt a little frustrated though. I've watched my team mates put up piece after lovely piece, and I've said to myself, "why aren't I getting that done?" Now the reason are pretty simple. Life has been a little complicated lately for me to get much beading done. It seems like whenever I'm feeling good I'm trying to catch up on responsibilities, and the rest of the time I'm on my back with migraines. Not a great combination.

I've tried not to get frustrated with myself, especially because I know I have a lot of stressful things going on right now, and that my body does not react well to stress.

Today was almost the limit though. I had a place I really wanted to go tonight, and I have about 6 different ideas for beading that I REALLY want to work on. Of course, that means that I'm having a massive migraine. Well, I'm supposed to be careful about how often I use caffeine to treat my migraines (there's a long list of reasons), but I decided to actually drink some regular coffee today.

It didn't help at all.

So I called my brother to tell him I wasn't going to make it tonight, and headed for the couch to curl up with a book, complaining to my hubby on the way that I really wanted to bead today! His response was, "Too bad we can't make you some sort of vertical beading thing." I agreed and curled up to read.

Then my mind started working. Recently one of my team mates, Lorraine of Trinity Designer Jewellery, was sharing with us her struggles. I've known for awhile that she deals with health problems more extreme than my own, and I marvel at the fact that she seems to get more done! In what she shared she mentioned that she beads lying down. My mind had kinda skipped over that at first thinking that there was no way I'd pull that off, but after my husbands comment...

Well, we figured out how to make it work! I've spent the afternoon alternating between working on a necklace and reading. I can only bead for about 1/2 hr before I need a break, but I can still bead :) That makes me really happy! I'm stretched out on the couch with a pillow propping my head up slightly and a lap tray over my legs. It took me awhile to get the coordination down for beading on my back, but I'm getting a lot faster now.

Thank you Lorraine :)

Since I'm talking about her being an inspiration I want to show of this piece named "Rachele" that she recently put up on etsy. I'm in love with the colors and the way this is put together!

Now I'll go retreat to my couch again because I've been sitting up for far too long typing this...

Tuesday's Tips #11

The last month or so I've been talking a lot about Inspiration and Challenging Yourself. This week I want to take a little bit of an opposite approach. That's right, I'm telling you to take a day off!

A day off???

Yup.

Not necessarily today, but when you need one, taking a day off can be very important!

Coming from me that may surprise you. I know that some of you think I'm Miss Super Productive (and maybe I am, but that's an argument for a different day) and I'll admit that taking a day off is HARD for me! But, I have learned that it's necessary sometimes.

When should you take a day off? Well, are you feeling burned out? Have you run out of ideas? Do you feel like you need a break? Well then give yourself a break!

We all need breaks sometimes. We all need to unwind and decompress. We all need to get some distance from our work.

So take some time to just relax. Put down your paint brush/knitting needles/whatever, step away from the computer, and do something else! Go for a jog, read a book, cook a fancy dinner, kiss your significant other. Recharge your creative energies :) Then...go back to work! :P

Tuesday's Tips #13

"Set Me Free" Free Form Peyote Bracelet

I used my "Set Me Free" bracelet to start this post because it totally fits the topic! This is my last post on inspiration (I think) (for now) and I wanted to talk about ways to get inspiration from challenges. Challenges that are maybe less overwhelming then the 100 in 100 that we talked about before, but still give you that external deadline that you wouldn't have from just personally challenging yourself.

The only problem is - there are so many out different opportunities out there! One of the easiest to hunt down are the one's done by teams, guilds, and what not. Do you have a specialty in your art work? Many of the teams that are focused on a specialty (jewelry, fiber arts, paper craft, etc...) will run periodic contests. It's a great way to find inspiration AND a dead-line for when it has to be done! I've seen other types of teams do themes as well, so keep your eyes peeled and do your research!

There are a lot of other challenges and contests out there. Check out the magazines and specialty sites for your type of art work. They often have contests that you can enter that will inspire you, give you a chance for more recognition, and sometimes there are even monetary rewards if you win!

You can also try doing a google search :)

Swaps are another fun way to challenge yourself. Unfortunately, I've never done one, so I don't really have an info for you there, but I've heard good things!

Lastly I want to share a blog with you that I absolutely LOVE and that provides me with lots of inspiration! Over at Thursdays Sweet Treats Natasha posts up weekly themes, and any one who wants to can submit their project! There's no prizes, but friendships are made, your work is seen, inspiration is provided, and it's a LOT of fun :) Not to mention Natasha does some incredible posts through out the week :)

My "Set me Free" bracelet was originally inspired by a butterfly theme on Thursdays Sweet Treats. It is one of the most challenging pieces I've ever done, and I don't think I would have done it if I hadn't been "pushed" by the challenge.

So what are you waiting for? Go out there and find yourself some inspiration!

Tuesday's Tips #12

Robin's Egg Blue Flower Earrings

Last week I interviewed Arlene of Spirit Essence Art and she told us about the 100 in 100 challenge that she's participating in. It was a great interview, and if you missed make sure you go back and read it! I realize that some thing like that may be a bit overwhelming for many of us though, so this week I want to talk a little about some smaller challenge options :) Well, one in specific, I'll have more for you next week!

The Personal Challenge

That's right, this challenge is for you, from you. Why? Because YOU know yourself best. You know where you want to grow, you know what you want to learn, you know what you struggle with, and most importantly, you know best what you can reasonably accomplish! Let me share a story with you...

Just over a year ago I was looking at my shop and my jewelry and evaluating where I was at. It was the middle of the Christmas season and I knew that sales were likely to dry up after the new year. Which in turn meant I wouldn't be able to go shopping for new supplies as often! At that point in time I was making a few bead woven items here and there, but the majority of what was going on-line was my other forms of jewelry. The main reason for that was that I was still SUPER slow at bead weaving.

I decided that I needed to focus more on my bead weaving. Not only does it cost less to purchase the supplies since I use mainly seed beads; it also takes up lots of my time! It's also something I really wanted tog get better at.

So I challenged myself. I wanted to get at least one bead woven item done a week. At first that was HARD to do! Then I noticed, as I got more consistent in the time spent, I was getting faster. It also became more of a part of my routine. If I don't spend time with a needle and thread in my hands every day I feel a little lost!

Since then I've come a long way. It's not uncommon for me to produce 2 or 3 bead woven items in a week, especially if I'm not doing much else that week, and I've learned a lot of new styles! I no longer stick to a strict challenge, because I don't need to. It's now just a part of my life.

So what should you do when setting up a personal challenge/goal for yourself? Here's some things to think about as you get started:

1. What are you dissatisfied with in your art work?

2. What can you realistically do to change that?

3. What challenges are you likely to face in trying to accomplish this goal?

Now, having thought that through, set yourself a SMALL goal. You don't have to shoot for the stars! You can, I won't stop you, but remember it's much easier to start small and then add on. So maybe you want to do a painting every day like Arlene is. You can also start out by saying, "I'd like to do a painting every day, and that would be awesome if I achieve that, but lets start by saying I have to finish 3 a week, and go from there." Starting small and building on it is much easier :)

Not the type that stays motivated on your own well? Don't worry - I have more ideas for challenging yourself! Stick around and we'll talk about it next week.

Tuesday's Tips #10

Set Me Free

Last week on Tuesday's Tips #9 I talked about some different places to find inspiration from other artists in your field. I got some great responses from you guys - so that's what I'm featuring this week! You!

Glorybe1024 said: Searching around Etsy is great inspiration. Often I will see a color combination or item that "speaks" to me. Usually, I will think that if I added this or changed that it would be really cool. I never want to imitate, I just try and make it my own in some way. (Glory is an artist in many mediums and in her shop, Lucky Lady Bug Designs, you'll find crocheted items, key fobs, jewelry, and more!)

Merily said: I tend to avoid looking too hard at things in my field because I don't like my style to be influenced, even if it was subconsciously by me having seen something in passing (same thing when I used to write- I refused to read LotR parodies when I was writing one years ago). I mean, I'll still sometimes look around just out of curiosity at other art to see all the pretties, but I try not to pay too close attention to it if it's something I do.

I do love all my Etsy teams and Artfire guilds, though! I definitely get inspiration from them (especially the ones that run challenges), and it's so helpful to be around people who share your interests. :) (Merily is crochet, clay, and jewelry artist with a passion for fantasy. You can find her work on artfire at MeriGreenLeaf.)

Splendid Little Stars said:

Bead and Button

Lapidary Journal bead and jewelry catalogs Somerset Studio books from the library for my dyed and painted clothing, inspiration comes from the world of nature around me

(Splendid Little Stars also works in a variety of different mediums. On her blog you'll see her stunning photography, at Sparkly Park you can find her jewelry, and at Splendid Little Stars you will find her fabric work!)

Silver Parrot said: Lately I've been taking pictures of "nature" (the beach, butterflies, insects, flowers, etc.) and using them for inspiration. Nature is not shy about mixing color and yet they always seem to "work." (Silver Parrot is a jewelry artist who's work definitely reflects that love of color!)

Julie Antinucci said: You asked, so my favorite magazines are The Quilter and American Patchwork And Quilting (a Better Homes and Garden Mag). Both of these have things each month that have modern fabric and modern patterns, none of that dark and depressing fabric that I don't like. (You can find a variety of fun fabric items in her shop Creative Mines).

MemoriesforLifeScrabooks said: You're so right. You can admire work of other in your field and take from them...but create something totally your own :) (You can find awesome scrapbooks in her shop - which is now on Artfire!

StoryBeader said: I love looking at the etsy bead weavers. Some of my favorite jewelry artists are in that team! {:-D (At Story Beader you'll find a variety of beautiful jewelry - each with it's own haiku!)

Patchfirstshop said: Always get inspirations from Wedding Magazines.. I love to see the wedding gowns and think about what design of jewelry to match those dresses. (And it certainly shows in the lovely jewelry you'll find at Patch First Shop!)

Stay tuned for next weeks tips - I have an interview lined up for you guys that I think you'll love!

Tuesday's Tips #9

Wind Dancer

We've been talking the last few weeks about inspiration. Today I want to look at one place you can find inspiration - other artists in your field.

Note of Caution: They say there is nothing new under the sun and the imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Both statements have truth to them, however, you need to be aware of copy write laws and how they affect your field of art. While being inspired and learning from other artists is fine, you don't want to steal their hard work!

Ok, on to cheerier thoughts!

I LOVE to look at the work of other jewelry artists. Often I just look and drool. After all, there are many forms of jewelry that I can never attempt. For instance, anything that involves a lot of fumes (like resin) is off limits because of my severe asthma. That doesn't mean I can't admire and be inspired by their work! Here's some places I go to look at other jewelry artists work - I think you'll find you can translate this to your particular field of art :)

Teams:

I'm on several teams and they all contain fellow jewelry artists. The one I gain the most inspiration from though is my Etsy Bead Weavers team because the team is very focused on that medium! The other teams are great - but their focus is different and so it doesn't provide as many challenges or as much inspiration for the art side of things. If your not on a team specific to your medium I'd highly encourage it!

Books:

I just got done going through the book "500 Beaded Objects: New Dimensions in Contemporary Beadwork" and I was utterly floored by the possibilities out there! Sometimes looking through the work of the masters can be humbling, but I found it both challenging and encouraging as I see how much I have left to learn! I also got some new ideas :)

Magazines:

I regularly read Bead and Button and even sometimes Jewelry Artist. Now this is an area you need to be careful. You can learn a LOT, but you don't want to recreate their patterns for sale without first getting the permission of the artist who created it. Sometimes they will be willing to let you, other times they won't. You can make the patterns for yourself (and you'll often learn a lot!) but don't ever sell them without permission.

There are many other places you can view artists work in your field, browsing the various selling venues for instance, but these are some of my favorites!

I'd love to hear from you guys. What are your favorite magazines, books, or teams in YOUR field? I'll compile a list from what you tell me and post it for next weeks Tips :D Let's help each other!

Come Join the Party!

I found out about this awesome blog party while I was working my way through my blog list. (Side note: I'm waaaay behind on visiting blogs, if I haven't visited your recently it's not your fault, it's mine!) Anyway, I've been thinking and writing about inspiration a lot lately, so this blog party really excites me! I'm copying all the info for you so you can join in on the fun :D I may have to look into joining this team...

♥Theme: "5 Degrees of Inspiration"

♥Date: August 1st, 2009

♥What to Do:
*Sign up for the blog party by leaving a comment on the original post - your blog and link will be added to our growing list on the sidebar of our blog. (be sure to include a link and the name of your blog in your comment)
*Grab our party images and details, then write about it on your own blog. Be sure to post the smaller badge on your sidebar linking back to this posting. (sidebar badge and link are posted below...)
*Join us on the date of the party by writing your own blog posting about the 5 things that inspire you the most. Feel free to post photos too - we love eye candy!
*Visit the other participating blogs from the list on our sidebar and enjoy! It'll be such fun discovering what inspires each of us!

♥Prizes:
We're hosting 2 wonderful prizes!
*The first is a fabulous collection of work from our team members and will be awarded to one of the participating blogs so be sure to sign up before August 1st! (A photo of the prize package is coming soon so keep checking back!)
*The second prize will be awarded to one of the visitors who leaves a comment on our blog posting the day of the party. This will be a $20 gift certificate to our team shop.

We look forward to seeing you then and reading about the wonderful things that inspire you!

Sidebar Blog Badge:

Badge link: http://inspiration-avenue-team.blogspot.com/2009/07/5-degrees-in-inspiration-blog-party.html

Tuesday's Tips #8

Custom Name or Word Album with Pockets

Sorry I missed last week's Tuesday's Tips guys! Life's just been insane! But I'm back on track...at least with this one post. *wink*

I want to continue talking about inspiration, but before I do any more of my own talking, I thought I'd share some of the responses I got to the last post about inspiriation. Now maybe I'm cheating to quote all of you - but I found the variety of responses intriquing! Don't worry, I promise I'll actually do some of my own writing next week.

Memories for life Scrapbooks said: "I've gotten lots of ideas from my customers. When they ask for custom albums...my mind gets to wandering as to how I can market a new kind of custom album. I'm making one with pockets right now...how cool is that :)" (and you can see it featured at the top of this post!)

Story Beader said: "you have blogs on your list, but also the internet at large (photographs, artists, nature, etc.)" (Great reminder - thanks!)

Beaded Tail said: "I get inspiration from many sources but it's often hard for me to figure out how to do what I want to do since my mind doesn't think creatively. I have an idea for beadwoven earrings but don't even know how to begin - do you give lessons? :D" (Why yes, I do :) Not sure how that would work over the internet though :P And I happen to think she's quite creative from looking at her shop!)

Mama's Little Monkeys said: "I find the items that are inspired by something are FAR more fun to make than just some THING. THe monkeys have personality and are formed as they go. I mean I see the sock print, but WHO they will become remains to be seen! :) I also name my flower pens based on friends who inspire me! (www.fleurdeink.com)

I also am inspired by the fabrics! Certain fabrics inspire certain projects..plusi just love fabric.. " (Believe me, this lady has more ideas than she knows what to do with most days!)

Nomadcreationsetc said: "Conversations are where we get most of our inspiration. Whether if it is from customers, each other, our kids, our dogs or from the check out lady at the store our inspiration is from a ton of conversations."

(I personally think that's an awesome way to find inspiration!)

Leather Made Nice said: "I guess I am one of those folks whom receives inspiration through dreams. I am artistic but unimaginative - go figure!" (I find inspiration through my dreams some times too.)

Unique Commodities said: "I get inspiration from a lot of different things... an outfit,a color I see, an animal, LOL lots of stuff" (Sounds a lot like me!)

Splendid Little Stars said: "I like to look at patterns, such as the play of light through leaves, or the pattern light makes on a wall or ceiling, or reflections of light through water. Perhaps the pattern is something like metal grill work. On my recent vacation I saw lots of these. I love looking at flowers and their amazing patterns." (And this lady has an amazing eye for detail - her photos are stunning! I tend to look at patterns too for some of my bead weaving.)

The Eclectic Element said: "I'm one who can find inspiration anywhere like you.

Especially different looking beads, random pieces of junk jewelry, etc. It's weird, I will look at it and all of a sudden see a totally different thing in my mind-It's like it creates itself in my mind before I realize what's happening!" (You'd be amazed at how much this artist and I have in common :P)

Tuesday's Tips #7

A Sock Monkey Named Huff

Today I want to talk about inspiration. Where do I find it? Where do you find it? What do you do when the well runs dry and you have NO IDEAS???

There is a lot that can be said about inspiration. In fact, I'm going to be spending the next couple of weeks of tips devoted to the topic. Well, more specifically challenges to you as an artist that might help you when need to find inspiration.

So where we find inspiration? Here's just a few ideas I had when I was thinking over the topic (in no particular order):

1. Books

2. Music

3. Art

4. Artists

5. Conversations

6. Nature

7. More Nature :P

8. Old Pieces we've created.

9. Children

10. Museums

11. Malls

13. Materials

14. Blogs

15. Dreams

I'm sure the list could go on and on! In fact - I'd like to hear you stories! Where do you find inspiration? Tell me something that's not on the list! I know I find ideas in the weirdest places sometimes. Like one time I was in class and I couldn't focus because the pattern on these girls shoes was calling out to be made into a bracelet...

The item I featured at the top of the post is a great example of finding inspiration. Amy, of Mama's Little Monkey's, started making sock monkeys for her shop a little while ago. Somewhere along the line (no idea where, but she just rocks, so that's that) she thought it would be fun to pattern some of them after her friends! The one at the top is the musician Chris Huff, who has some GREAT music :) Isn't that a cool idea?

And yes, I know, there aren't really any great "tips" you can pull out of this post, but I do hope it gets you thinking, and it gets the ground work laid for what I have planned in the next few weeks :)