Seeing Red...

I love finishing stuff. This past weekend I worked furiously on my new art quilt (another post for another day:) and I completed the applique portion - a huge accomplishment, since it took me over a year to do the California Harvest art quilt, and I've only been at this one for a month or so.

As you may know, I haven't put the same zeal into making jewelry of late. Call it burn out or "the end of an era" - whatever- but I haven't been selling my jewelry these days. The last of my normal cache of 80 to 100 necklaces was sold to my friends/customers last Spring and I have only made a few custom pieces since. I have reverted to my old "I-need-something-to-wear-with-that-I-better-whip-something-up" style of jewelry making...not thinking about selling so much...more about the pure joy of creating beauty and style.

I don't think that I am much different from other artists who one day find markets for their wares, then get caught up in making a buck off their talents. It doesn't take much success to spurn us on and before we know it, we have begun to adulterate our art to appeal to the masses. Everything has a price tag. It's sad in a way, as there is little else more satisfying then creating a masterpiece just for the pure joy of finishing it, knowing it may never grace a wall, or in my case, any neck but my own.

My favorite jewelry pieces are those that only the most brave fashionista would wear...go BIG, go BOLD and for Heaven's sake, if you're going to wear jewelery, MAKE A STATEMENT!!! The 7 Eleven, Bounce Town or a favorite Mexican Food restaurant would not normally see the likes of anyone walking in adorned with one of these little creations. 

I start with thin wire and a few beads and just start twisting and weaving, adding beads as I go. And since I adore sparkle, I picked the beads and baubles with the brightest colors and shine for this one. I didn't choose red, it chose me. I spyed ONE RED BEAD in a shop a few months ago and it became the inspiration for this necklace:

The beginning of a masterpiece 

Add more beads, more wire, more twisting, more weaving and....

So I'm thinking I'll wear it to Walmart today when I go pick up detergent...

with a crisp white sundress and some red flip flops.

Laurel. I need a party!

Linking up with