Saturday, July 30, 2011

Blog is still broken

My blog is still broken.
I appreciate all of you giving me your opinions on Chrome. Thank you.
I also figured out that it is a IE 9 and Blogger conflict.
On my daughters computer she hasn't updated to IE 9 and it works fine on hers.

I do not care for Google following me where ever I go and mapping out my destinations.
What is your opinion on that?

But since I can only publish first time blogs without any trouble, I will do that and hope they get the problem fixed.

I think that I am supposed to be taking a break though. I have been resting since yesterday when my back went out again yesterday. ;-D
You think someone is trying to tell me something.


A look at one of my new hearts!
This is fun.
The last red balloon!
Up and Away!
It is in my Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/listing/78707928/up-and-away-pendant
Have a great weekend everyone.
And Happy August.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

My blog is out of order

My blog editor is out of order.
I can not work on the blogs I have as drafts.
I can only post new blogs, like this one to let you know what is going on.
I was working on a new black and white cane and I have it in draft. I can not do anything with it.
}-(
These things take me hours and I do not want to start over again.
I do not want to switch to Chrome.

Wednesday Wonder- time out

I am still taking a time out. I have been taking it easy and doing a lot of resting, just hanging out, and taking care of Madi.
At the end of the day I am all out. I have a hard time thinking of anything to say that is uplifting or happy.
I am working on clay though and playing.
I listed a new unzipped heart in a color instead of the ivory looking ones I do.


I think I like it. Soft and romantic, eh? I might try some more of these.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78515796/unzipped-heart-48-purple-rose

I also did a light antiquing on the Seagull statue.
Let me know what you think of it. I am happy.

Brings that smirk on his face out.

I like the antiquing.



I do think he is just fine.
You can see it with out the antiquing here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/happy-friday.html
Thanks for your help with this!
Have a great day.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

20th Giveaway- the winner

Hi Everybody!
How ya all doing?
I am feeling better thank you so much for sending me your thoughts and healing energy, it worked.
I am so glad, still coughing a little and sleeping a lot to catch up.


Remember these? I finally finished the earrings and now just need to put on wires or clips.
Up to the winner though.
I wrote all of the names out on my favorite green post-it note pad.
There 37 entries here and one on my Wordpress site.
38 total.
I cut them all apart and folded them a bunch of times all the same way, in half, and then in half, and then in half, and then in half again.

Mixed them all up several times.


Waved my hand over them a couple of times and went for the pick.


You lucky duck Janine, send me your address and decide if you want clips or wires and these lovely goodies are yours.
You do though have to claim them before 3 days has passed which will be the 29th of July at 6pm PST.
If you don't they will go to another lucky duck. ;-D
Have a great week everyone.
I will try to post again, having poopy problems with blogger right now. Hope it is over tomorrow.
I have another Black and White cane coming. Wooooooooooooooo Whooooooooooo.


Friday, July 22, 2011

Happy Friday

I for one am looking forward to this weekend.
I am going to sleep in.
I am going to catch up with my duties.
I am going to relax.
While I am making plans, right??
Here is something I have been playing with lately.
Look at that smirk on the seagull's face.
I love these and they are so fun. They are not very tall, about 3" and 2" wide at the widest point.
I can not decide if I want to antique him or not. What do you think?
I really like him the way he is.
Someone suggested I add a little poop to the heart. ;-D
I actually like that idea!
Wait for the next one. ;-D
Have a great weekend everyone.
I am feeling a bit better. Still trying to take care of myself. Thank you all so much for the healing energy.
Do not forget the giveaway.
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/time-for-giveaway-this-is-20-071211.htmlCloses on the 25th of July at 6pm.
I am in this ocean thing, aren't I?

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Wednesday Wonder- Wheat Weaving

I had no idea that when I went to research this weeks Wednesday Wonder that I would be opening a window in to a wild world of wheat weavers and associations. Weally, I mean Weally??? ;-D
Osburn Butterfly, © 1998 Marje Shook, Photo by Marje Shook 

I found the picture above on the National Association of Wheat Weavers site, I did say National Association. This is a big deal, at least it appears to be. The are having 


The 2012 NAWW Convention
"DREAM OF WHEAT"
Portland, Oregon
April 11th - 15th

Their website is here: http://nawwstraw.org/
They have a gallery here: http://nawwstraw.org/index.php/gallery
It is kind of hard to believe this is wheat straw.
History


"Even for the earliest civilizations success of a harvest has always been critical to survival. In the ancient mythology of many cultures there are tales of harvest celebrations and by the 1500s in Great Britain there are accounts of sheaves being decorated to represent the spirit of the harvest. By the late 1800s the making of harvest tokens seems to have been quite widespread throughout Europe." From the history page at the National site History
http://nawwstraw.org/index.php/about-straw-art
These are buttons. Photo by Karen Bell and Nan Rohan
Colorful punched shapes of marquetry are appliqued onto wood in pleasing designs and then lacquered for protection. I love these.


Dale Scoot owns a little company called "Wheatweaving company" and will teach classes, sells kits, and has free projects up there and links for buying wheat too.
The gallery is on the home page. 

Here is a beginning project for weaving a heart called a Mordiford from Dale's site:

"Wheat is the symbol of goodness, prosperity, and life itself, and wheat weaving is a fine craft that has been practiced throughout the world for centuries." from Rocky Rothschiller's site
Rocky Rothschiller is quite adept at Wheatweaving and also incorporates yucca, suede, and feathers.
Amazing and contemporary.
Rocky's Corazon with Feathers 21"x 18" from his site "Wheat Weavers"


Even Illinois has an Association of Wheat Weavers http://www.illinoiswheatweavers.org/index.html


Amazon even has a book on Wheatweaving and Strawcraft http://www.amazon.com/Book-Wheat-Weaving-Straw-Craft/dp/157990078X


There is so much more and I feel that this is a very good sampling to peruse of Wheat weaving.
I also found out that this is a very old traditional medium that has become a non-traditional medium.
I am thrilled that is being kept alive by the associations above that I have listed. It is beautiful, natural, and steeped with meaning.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Don't forget and update

I  have been feeling pretty crummy for a week. Runny nose, rip your throat out cough, headaches, just trying to make it through the day, crabby, no voice (my family loves it), tired and generally under all the weathers.
I will get back to this blog when I can think straight.
I did teach a class this weekend and it went well.
I am worn out though and trying to keep up with my shops and watching the baby, so something has to take a back seat. Actually more than I want is taking a back seat right now.
I guess it is time to take it easy.
I went to bed early last night and slept so well.
Didn't want to get up this morning.

I wanted to remind you all about the giveaway here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/time-for-giveaway-this-is-20-071211.html

You can win these. Pendant and a pair of earrings. Do not leave comments here for them though, go here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/time-for-giveaway-this-is-20-071211.html

 Send me healing energy please, I need it.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Happy Sunday- Under the Sea


I have some new work for the summer, the "Under the Sea series"
Oh, I am having a blast with this one.
The piece above is an example of the style and design



This is another one. Dolphin Love! I am listing today.



And this one has found a home with a friend!



This one is already listed in my shop. http://www.etsy.com/listing/77830670/under-the-sea-pendant-1-the-reef
This is another version where I have used the metallic acrylic, Lumiere, to accent the designs.
I like this too but I think I like the ones above better. What do you think?
These pieces also have patterns on the backs of them.


 Have a great week everyone and do not forget my 20th Giveaway here.
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/time-for-giveaway-this-is-20-071211.html

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Fave Crafts Blog Hop- Black and White Canes- Atomic age influences part 3

Well it is that time of the month again! Yes, it is the 15th of July now.
Time for the Fave Crafts Blog hop "Finished on the 15th". http://www.favecraftsblog.com/finished-on-the-fifteenth-favecrafts-blog-hop-for-july/

Welcome, welcome, I hope you all are having a wonderful summer.
I am also having a giveaway here if you want to join in. http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/time-for-giveaway-this-is-20-071211.html

My life has been crazy, but I do have a project going right now!!

It is the Mid-Century Atomic age influenced Black and white cane series.

Part 1 is here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-and-white-canes-atomic-age.html
Part 2 is here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-and-white-canes-atomic-age_14.html

And this is going to be the 3rd part.

You will need:
Black Cernit 1- 2.2 ounce block
Opaque White Cernit 1-2.2ounce block
Porcelain White Cernit large block (Just says White, not Opaque white)Clay blade SB
Clay Machine
Ruler
Mix the black and the opaque white with equal amounts of the porcelain white until it is one color. You do not have to do this but I like the consistency of the Porcelain white and it keeps my colors soft and pliable. If your porcelain white is not soft this will not work.

All links above lead to my hubby's store www.clayfactory.net
as always, thank you so much for looking. We both appreciate you immensely.
25. Roll out a coil of  white that is at least 6" long and 3/8" in diameter.













26. Flatten coil only on one side to get a teardrop shape with your thumb while holding the other end with your finger so it will not lengthen as much.
Cut away from your work surface with your clay slicing blade and turn from end to end and flatten again while holding the other end with your forefinger.
Flatten it out to about 3/4" wide in a teardrop shape.






27. It will look like this.














28. Add to one side of the other cane like so.














29. Here is a better picture of it.
Cut the whole thing in half.














30. It will look like so.














31. Put the two halves together like this with the teardrop shapes both on the same side.














32. Lengthen and stretch out the cane till you have 15" at least.
Do this slowly, you will want the black clay lines to show on the bottom of the cane. You will also want to do this slowly to keep the distortion to a minimum.










33. I had some of the white clay move over the black lines when I reduced it so I trimmed away the white clay.












34. It looks like this when the end of the cane is trimmed off.














35. Cut 7- 2" sections.














36. Pinch the side with the lines together to make them a little smaller.













37. Place the sections around the spiral center. You may have to pinch them thinner to make them all fit.
It should look like this. ;-D












38. Roll another coil of white that is 1/4" in diameter and flatten on one side of the coil again to make a shorter teardrop shaped coil or cane.













 39. Flattening the coil/cane in one side.














40. Press on the side so the one edge is pointed.















41. Cut sections of the smaller teardrop shaped coil/cane to the length of the cane you have put together.












42. Place the little sections in to the cane. Move apart the sections if you have to, to fit them in.














43. It will look like this.














44. Pinch the cane in the middle with the finger and thumb of one hand in the north and south position on the cane and the finger and thumb of the other hand in the east and west position on the cane, start in the middle and move to the top end of the cane. Turn it a little at a time and pinch and move up a little at a time.
Flip the cane over and starting in the middle position your fingers and thumbs in the same position  and press and work to the other end of the cane. Reduce this way until you have reduced the cane to half its size.




45. Roll the cane on the table to smooth and lengthen. Roll your hands forward and the clay should turn more than 360 degrees.
Roll your hands back and the cane should turn more than 360 degrees. Keep it moving and fluid while you move your palms away from each other.
Reduce down to about 3/4" in diameter.
Tah- dah!!



Black and White Canes- Atomic age influences part 2

From the Kibster Vintage shop on Etsy, vintage Atomic Bowls

This is continued from the Black and white canes, part 1 is here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-and-white-canes-atomic-age.html

You will need:Black Cernit 1- 2.2 ounce block
Opaque White Cernit 1-2.2ounce block
Porcelain White Cernit large block (Just says White, not Opaque white)
Clay blade SB
Clay Machine
Ruler
Mix the black and the opaque white with equal amounts of the porcelain white until it is one color. You do not have to do this but I like the consistency of the Porcelain white and it keeps my colors soft and pliable. If your porcelain white is not soft this will not work.

All links above lead to my hubby's store www.clayfactory.net
as always, thank you so much for looking. We both appreciate you immensely.

11. Take the 6"x 1" strip and trim all of the edges so they are straight. if you already did this, yay!







12. Lay the strip on top of a white sheet that has been rolled out on the 4th thickest setting in the clay machine.
Trim the white sheet to the top, the bottom, right side and the left side of the black sheet.







13. Lay the black and the white strip on top of the extra white sheet.








14. Now trim the bottom white sheet to match the one you have laid on top of it.








15. It will look like this.









16. Roll a coil of black that is 3/16" in diameter and the length of the stacked sheet you just made or 6" long.








17. Place the coil of black on one end of the stacked sheet.








18. Roll out some more white on the 4th thickest setting in the clay machine. It will need to be at least 6" long by 2 1/2" wide.
Place the stacked sheet and coil on top of the sheet of white.











19. Trim off the left edge of the sheet to match the stacked on and the coil.
Trim the top and the bottom to match the top and the bottom of the stacked sheet and coil and fold the sheet and the stacked one and coil over to the right on the new sheet of white. You will be covering the stacked sheet and the coil.








20. It will look like this.














21. With a knitting needle or pointed tool run it down the length of the sheet where the coil is. Do not press very hard, just push the clay in there. Do both sides of the new covered stack.










 22. It will look like this.














23. Cover the whole thing with another sheet of white clay that is rolled out on the thickest setting.











24. It will look like this.
Very nice job.
Stay tuned for part 3...