Adding new content

I managed to get a 3 column layout going here. I've never been super keen on the 3 column look, but now that I'm going to use this blog as my main communication webpage I have to adjust. :)

I added a link to my clay tutorials and transferred all the links from my "favorite links" page at Dragonflylane.com over to the right column there. --->

I also have a page of recommended books I'd like to move here, but I'm not sure it's sidebar content. Maybe an individual post that I can then link to in the sidebar?

Anyway, please let me know if you click on anything that doesn't work. I found a nifty online tool that allowed me to create this layout and all the colors. I'm planning to tweak it with some graphics too. But this will do for now.

The sun has finally popped out today (been cloudy and rainy...YAY!!!). I need to get outside and take pics of some new skull beads while I can. Toodles!

Faux ceramic

Have you read Michael's faux ceramic tutorial? It is very very fun stuff. I am enjoying experimenting with all the color possibilities. This is only a tiny part of my experiments.

These are cute little beads that I plan on making more of.

All but one were made with pre-tinted TLS. I *think* they were tinted with oil paints but honestly I'm not sure. I bought them from another clayer some time ago. But I like the way they feel and look. The darker purple one (about 3 o'clock) I made with TLS tinted with metallic alcohol inks. The liquid clay is gorgeous, but I'm not crazy about it on this beige clay. Even with several layers of Future, it's still sort of grainy. Don't like that so much. I'm going to try the purple liquid clay on some different base colors. I'm thinking turquoise, pink, white, maybe silver? What do you think?

And I loooove this pendant. I've listed it in my Etsy store, but I'm not totally convinced I want to part with it! I wonder if I should take pictures of it on the usual white background? Hhmmm...


Anyway, this is what I've been playing with. In between skull beads that is. :)

I got an award!

The very pretty Melissa of Bully Beads gave me an award! Wheee!! Thanks Melissa!


Check out her Etsy Shop. Lissa makes gooorgeous jewelry!

God bless the parents who drugged us.

As seen on Laura's blog. I think this little story is great! Aaron and I are firm believers that there is far too much Ritalin and time-outs nowadays. People always say to us "Your children are so well behaved. How do you do it?" Answer: We raise and discipline them like we (and our parents) were raised. Anyway...before I get on a soapbox, check this out:

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question.

“Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?”

I replied I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity.

I was drug out to pull weeds in mom’s garden and flowerbeds and cocklebur’s out of dad’s fields.

I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today’s children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

God bless the parents who drugged us.

Silver and clay belong together!

At least in my humble opinion they do. :) I am so excited that I now have my beginner metal smithing supplies. In the next month or two (sooner if I make some Etsy sales!) I'm going to add a jeweler's saw and some metal sheeting to my box of toys. Right now I'm working with wire and premade bezels. I'm practicing my soldering. It's getting better. Which merely means I suck a little less than last week. LOL!

Anyway, I sketched an idea and created it this week! The soldering even went well. I polished it and added come clay. YAY!!


The leaves dangle and move slightly inside their delicate frames. FUN! :)
I held several different styles of beads inside the frames. I foresee several versions of this one.

It looked better in my head

How many times do you say that after you create something? Oh man...I say it A LOT.

I have been wanting to make some flowers with skulls as the centers. In my head it was so cute and odd and whimsical. But this first version of the idea is 'ok' but not perfect.


Structurally the pendant is fine. But I'm not 100% pleased with the way it turned out. I think, maybe, the skull needs to be nestled into the petals instead of resting on top.

However! I do like how it kind of has that pirate's medallion look about it. The flower petals almost look like a compass to me. And the tiny swarovski rhinestones (Thank you my generous friend Scott!!) really sparkle in that fiery blood stone sort of way. :) Oh!! And the extra long headpin was made my ME. I finally found something I can do successfully with my torch. LOL!

Last nite I got to thinking....I may not be 100% happy with the pendant, but someone else might think it's perfect! We are all drawn to different styles and have different tastes.
What should I do with it? I was thinking about opening a discussion at the Etsy forums....asking others to share pictures of their "Not quite perfect" creations. And maybe, just maybe, potential buyers will fall in love with those creations and want to give them a good home. Because I think we all create things that are structurally and functionally good...they just don't appeal to the creator aesthetically. Kind of like when I'm sitting at a red light and say, "I'd drive that car if it were a different color!" But the car's owner loves the color. Am I making any sense at all? I don't feel like I am.

I guess I'm wondering: Should you only sale the pieces you yourself feel are aesthetically perfect? Do you withhold the not quite (aesthetically) perfect pieces? (Even if they are otherwise perfect in your opinion.)