Caribbean Memories ~ Summer Color Surprise

     

 

I was so excited when I received my kit for this project as it was filled with beautiful shades of blue beads in an incredible array of shapes and sizes.  I was headed down to the amazing blue waters of the Caribbean for the summer to teach scuba diving and knew that my life there would be filled with inspirations galore to help me create an amazing piece.  I expected to be blogging tonight from the tiny island of Utila (which is just off the coast of Honduras) to share with all of you the fruits of my summer labors.  Sadly it was not to be . . .

 

Two days before leaving, I received a call that an ailing brother (who I had been caring for the past three years) was failing and had very little time to live.  After hastily switching gears, I found myself on a plane to the vineyards of Santa Rosa California instead of to the coral reefs of the Caribbean.  I have been here ever since.

 

The privilege of walking a journey such as this with someone you love so dearly is incredibly profound and I have daily felt honored and blessed to be here with my brother, Jeff.  It is also extremely difficult in every way and definitely not conducive to artistic productivity.  Or so I thought!  At one point, I decided I needed to play the "Life Happens" card that was offered to all of us in our initial Blog Hop letter and Lisa very graciously took me off the list.

 

In the quiet, introspective moments of my days however, I found my sad heart responding to all the beauty surrounding me and I was flooded with fond memories of my beautiful Caribbean ocean.  I remembered how the intense tropical sun reflects so spectacularly off the surface of the sea . . . how the incredible blueness of the water changes to compliment the surrounding depth . . . how precious sea treasures lie gently cradled upon the soft, sandy bottom . . . how free, happy and at peace I feel when I am at one with the sea.  And so, I picked up my beads and began . . . each stitch a meditation  . . . each tiny bead a singular prayer.  My memories became my art . . . my art became my release.

 

Thank you Lisa for your gentle, compassionate spirit and for the incredible therapy you helped me access to support this journey I am on with Jeff.  Thank you also to all my fellow artists for the unique beauty you bring to the world and in particular for the gifts that are being shared today at:

http://gratefulartist.blogspot.com
 

 

 

Happiest of Days! It's the Un-Birthday Party Reveal!

Having this much fun and meeting so many awesome people has been such a gift!  More than ever the world needs beauty, and celebration of the ordinary and the unexpected.  Thank you Marlene and Shelley for coordinating this effort and motivating all this wonderfulness to transpire.  

My partner for the Very Merry UnBirthday event was Gina Hockett from Snowflake, Arizona.  This woman is super incredible!  A mere couple of days after receiving our partner assignments, Gina underwent surgery for a full knee replacement and was bed-ridden and or house-bound for most of this event.  I was amazed that she would undertake anything besides her own challenging recovery in the weeks to follow and yet she made the most beautiful, sparkle-y necklace and earring set to celebrate my March birthday.  I feel like a princess!!!
  

Gina also has a real keeper for a husband . . . he is one guy who definitely has his priorities straight and that is to take care of his girl!!!  Way to go, Gina's husband!!! Thank you so much Gina for gifting me with your talent and grace. Getting to know you a bit has been the most precious gift of all!!!

Now Gina celebrates her birthday in February with amethyst as her birthstone color.  I created this simple peyote stitch bracelet with amethyst delicas, used gold seed beads for the trim and a gold sliding clasp.  I embellished it with a filigree fitting mounted with amethyst Swarovsky crystal bicones.  A dangling golden Swarovsky crystal heart, symbolizing our new friendship, was the finishing touch.  My pictures unfortunately didn't capture the beautiful gradated purple tones of these beads, but I was very happy to send this gift to my new special friend to celebrate the day of her birth.

 

Thanks to all my fellow artists whose work inspires me greatly.  Please visit their blog sites also to see all the amazing creations from their hands and hearts. 

The rest of the 'unbirthday' party artists 

Ali McCarthy

www.northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com

Alicia Marinache

www.allprettythings.ca

Anzia Parks

www.anzipanzisworkshoppe.blogspot.com

Audrey Belanger

www.esperianterra.blogspot.ca

Cheri Reed

www.creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com

Cheryl Dunham

www.renaissance-jewelry.blogspot.com

Chris Eisenberg

www.wanderware.blogspot.com

Christine Schlicht

http://www.marshellswaps.blogspot.com/p/visiting-bloggers-reveal-day.html

Cynthia Machata

www.antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com

D Lynne Bowland  

(you are here)

www.islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.ca

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell

www.deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com

Gina Hockett

www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com

Ginger Bishop

www.lilmummylikes.blogspot.com

Gloria Allen

www.gloriaallendesigns.blogspot.com

Janeen Burlingame

www.facebook.com/janeen.burlingame

Joana Perez Stribel

www.facebook.com/lasjoyasdejana

Lori Schneider

www.Beadaddicted.blogspot.com

Mary Govaars

www.mlhjewelrydesigns.com

Mischelle Fanucchi

www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com

Paula Gaskill

www.lovelylaylabugsjewelry.blogspot.com

Renetha Stanziano

www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com

Robin Reed

www.willowdragon.blogspot.com

Sherry Baun

www.unicornsjewels.blogspot.com

Shirley Moore

www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com

Sierra Barrett

www.giraffecanhas.wordpress.com

Susan Bowie

www.susanbowie.wordpress.com

Susie Harris

www.jewelleryjunkie.blogspot.com

Mowse Doyle

www.mowsemadethis.blogspot.com

Cindy Muse

www.facebook.com/mritech813

Ellie Grossman

http://www.marshellswaps.blogspot.com/p/visiting-bloggers-reveal-day.html

Marlene Cupo - host

www.amazingdesigns-Marlene.blogspot.com

Shelley Graham Turner - host

www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com

My First EVER Bead Soup Reveal!

Oh happy day!!!  The day of my very first Bead Soup Reveal!!!  I have been blessed to be a part of this amazing artist colony for the past couple of months and this experience has taken me to a new level in my personal artistic endeavors.  I sincerely appreciate the efforts of our coordinator Lori Anderson whose vision and work on this project has been nothing less than super-human.  Bravo to you Lori and my heartfelt thanks!  

I was also blessed with the amazing Alice Craddick as my partner.  This incredible woman has faced so many difficulties with so much grace in the short time I have known her.  Despite all of her challenges, she still managed to get her project posted ahead of me and it is so very lovely.  Who knew that my humble bead offering could be turned into masterpieces such as hers!!!  You can visit Alice's blog at: http://www.alicesbeadsandbaubles.blogspot.com/   Bravo and many thanks to you, dear Alice!!!  You are my very first Bead Soup partner and will always hold a special place in my heart!

As a relatively new beader, I found myself incredibly humbled and challenged by the task of creating something unique and enduring out this soup I received from Alice.

I struggled greatly with the orange and green bugle beads and decided early on that I did not want to do a holiday related piece.  The red jade focal was so gorgeous and I was terrified that I wouldn't do it justice.  I struggled greatly with "beader's block" and even felt at one point that I would need to pull out of this project.  I know however, that one of the most profound strengths we can develop in our lives is the ability to face our fears and Churchhill's words ~ "never give up . . . never surrender" ~ have guided me through many of my journey's challenges.  And so I looked with new eyes and renewed faith and found possibilities that fired my creative imaginings.  I saw warmth in the rich hues of the seed beads, tenacity and enduring strength in the bronze beads and fittings, and comfort and security in the duel clasps.  This new found inspiration motivated me to try new techniques ~ Kumihimo beaded braiding, metal working and wire-wrapping ~ and it was through these endeavors I ultimately satisfied my personal challenge for this project.  The name of my piece is GENESIS because it truly symbolizes the evolution of my artistic abilities.

Thanks to all the other artists whose work has been so incredibly inspiring to me.  For your own generous dose of inspiration, check out all their amazing creations at:
http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/2013/04/preview-of-2nd-reveal-blog-list-for-7th.html

Soup's on!

I was motivated by the promise of spring when I selected the soup ingredients for my new friend Alice!  Lavender and silver bugle beads with lavender seed beads and translucent green drops create an subtle stock.  In the foreground are beautiful swirling carved stone pieces by an amazing (but sadly newly deceased) artist in Madras Oregon.  The focal is a silver wire-wrapped heart I selected to symbolize this new friendship and a little prayer box that was added after reading Alice's blog.  The very boring, but at least shiny, clasp is a statement of my "newby" status in the beading world.  After seeing some of Alice's work online, I know that her finished piece with this humble offering will be amazing!

And this lovely pile of wonderfulness is my soup from Alice.  Oh I can tell that this girl is up for a challenge!  I have been simmering this soup in my mind since receiving it a while ago and I must admit that I feel a bit out of my league!  This is exactly what I needed though to help me grow as an artist and develop aspects of beading technique that are not in my repertoire.  The focal is a beautiful hexagon cut red jade and the larger round stones are carnelian.  The pile of multi-sized rich, rustic colored seed beads has captured my imagination and they are complemented nicely by the bronze toned fittings and clasp.  Orange and green bugle beads lend an earthy, garden feel to the mix and the soup is seasoned with a pinch of interesting, spicy tidbits.  Oh my goodness . . . thank you so much to my wonderful partner for this incredible concoction. I will try my best to do justice to it!

Soup Friends

A beading party with 500 new friends and I am invited!  On February 2nd I will get my special partner with whom I will exchange "soups" made with wonderful and magical ingredients . . . BEADS!  My challenge is to create a piece using these beads and perhaps a few from my personal stash and then share it on this blog (my reveal date will be assigned soon) with all my new friends!  I have resolved this year to challenge myself more deeply so I will continue to grow as an artist and person . . . this is my very first challenge!  Special thanks to Lori Anderson, the coordinator of this amazing project.  Follow the link below for more information on this wonderful craziness and stay tuned to my blog for updates on my creative imaginings!     

                                                                        

www.BeadSoupBlogParty.com

Perseverance

After decades of self doubt, I have finally shed my fears and inhibitions and am putting that energy into learning how to use some of the amazing technology available to me.  For years I have been content to depend on my brilliant husband and techno-proficient kids to get me through all my computer related crises.  It has been, however, an incredible source of frustration for me to have my ineptness constantly spotlighted, and recently the resulting sense of helplessness has motivated me to take control.  I have always had the conviction that I could do anything if I needed or wanted to bad enough and this project was no exception.  In the past two weeks, I have taught myself how to take decent pictures and how to upload them and manage them on my computer. Even more amazingly, I have created and launched a website for my Wanderware venture and have even enjoyed some sales in this first week.  I am truly more an artist-person than a business-person, but I have bravely stepped out of my comfort zone and am experiencing incredible personal growth through this process.  I am  empowered and excited for what lies ahead!

I warmly invite you to visit my Wanderware site at www.chriseisenberg.artspan.com to view my collection and I look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions.  Adventures are always good for the soul and I appreciate you being a part of this adventure with me!

"From this hour I ordain myself loos'd of limits and imaginary lines. Going where I list, my own master, total and absolute. Listening to others, and considering well what they say. Pausing, searching, receiving, contemplating. Gently but with undeniable will, divesting myself of the holds that would hold me."  ~ Walt Whitman

All you need is love . . .

To God, my family and my friends . . . thanks for all the love I ever need.  

Happy Valentines Day!

My wanderware website will be up and running by the end of this week.   I will post the link and you all are invited!