Tag Archives: style

Happy Holidays!

3 December 2018

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“This is the Most Angelic You will Ever See Me”

 

These wings were a buzz item at the Summer 2018 Open Studios of my neighbors and colleagues, Donna and Paul Goes, mentioned previously in these pages.  A most creative couple, they taped the wings to a wall and invited visitors to be photographed.  Over 100 visitors enjoyed it!  (Except me since I was hosting my own Open Studios.) To continue the fun, they brought the wings as well as a surfboard background to Hull’s annual “Endless Summer” Street Fair where Hull Artisrs sponsors a Kids Tent with art projects.

I immediately saw this as a Christmas/Hunakah/Holiday greeting!

One of my favorite pastimes is to take time to laugh.  Me in angel wings was a grand opportunity to do so!  May the Holidays and the New Year give you many moments of laughter!

“Max and Priscilla” by Michael Domina

Michael Domina is another of Hull’s most creative artists and a close friend.  Some time ago he did a contemporary self-portrait and we discussed doing my portrait in that fun disjointed style.  Well, when the time in his schedule arrived, so had Max.  Quick change of plans.  It’s me and my doggie companion on a new road in 2018.  And in case if your viewing screen is small, let me tell you it is a very orange work of art.  I’m so happy Michael interpreted me so on the mark!

Closing this last blog of 2018 by saluting my readers, offering much gratitude for following my meanderings.  It gives me great satisfaction to write, to share my craft, and to laugh.

Sending special wishes for you to close out this year with a bang and to enjoy 2019!!!

 

Welcome to my Open Studio

24 June 2016

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Teal windsocks on cross streets in Hull will mark the locations for fascinating studios where real artists work!

Please visit me in my studio in Hull Village on July 9 or 10, Saturday or Sunday from 10am to 5pm.

23 Andrew Ave (3rd Left after Library on Main St), Hull.

781-925-0484

Be prepared to find newly designed Beadleful necklaces, lots of my trademark chunky bead jewelry, some bracelets and earrings!

Also, Marilyn MacDonnell returns with fabulous totes, key chains, purses and a new line of beach towels!

OPEN STUDIOS has been proudly presented by www.hullartists.com for 21 years. Visit our website for a map and info about the 39 participating artists

 

Precious Petrified Wood

11 November 2014

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I have paired the petrified bleached wood from Alaska with large baroque pearls (read interesting and organic shapes), and beige multi-toned glass seed beads woven in and out of the wood. The necklace is just shy of 21”. It has a pewter-based gold-coated clasp and can be worn casually or dress-up. Just remember, it is no longer precious; it is now a statement piece! The price is $175 which includes shipping and insurance.

Petrified bleached wood with large baroque pearls, and beige multi-toned glass seed beads woven in and out of the wood.
About 21”, with a pewter-based gold-coated clasp; can be worn casually or dress-up.It is a statement piece!
The price of $175 includes shipping and insurance.

 

Can you believe it was over ten years ago that I bought several pieces of petrified bleached wood from Alaska at the big fabulous bead shows I used to go to at San Mateo, CA?

Can you believe that I’ve held these precious commodities until now? What is it when something is so precious to us we are afraid to use it? Think of your grandmother’s crystal; your child’s first Mother’s Day gift purchased with his own money; that expensive designer blouse we splurged on? That is how I classified my petrified wood….until now.
Here it is, magnificent in its paleness, pure in its organic forms, and sustainably repurposed into adornment that we can wear and enjoy! I have removed it from the rank of precious and transferred it to attainable. Such a transformation!
I have paired the petrified bleached wood with large baroque pearls (read interesting and organic shapes), and beige multi-toned glass seed beads woven in and out of the wood.
The necklace is just shy of 21”. It has a pewter-based gold-coated clasp and can be worn casually or dress-up. Just remember, it is no longer precious; it is now a statement piece!
The price is $175 which includes shipping and insurance.

 

Picaresque

17 April 2014

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Necklace "Picaresque"

 

I intuitively named this necklace “Picaresque.” Upon thinking of the meaning as rogue or bohemian, it is really appropriate. This necklace is all about the centerpiece; I made it in a class in the 90’s, wore it in the bohemian era on a cord, and put it aside.

Recycled, reused and re-invented, it is happy now with yellow jade beads tying the centerpiece to the necklace. Only after living in Hong Kong and becoming a regular at the Jade Market did I realize how many colors of jade there are! This strand is a honey mustard shade, interspersed with the same ethnic beads as the centerpiece. It is finished with a gold metal clasp.

Let me describe the delicious beads featured in the centerpiece: The most roguish are the two irregular rounds of ram’s horn—the first and only time I had a chance to buy ram’s horn; from Morocco’s Atlas Mountains as I recall. My next favorite beads are the jasper and yellow striped beads. They are trade beads from Mozambique that I bought in a Lisbon, Portugal flea market in 1965…long before beading was a word that had even drifted through my mind!

You’ll also notice a conical wood bead in the same honey mustard shade, two ethnic jasper beads of unknown provenance, green sand-cast glass African beads, and glass jasper spacers. The framework for the centerpiece is brass wire.

The necklace measures 22” with the centerpiece 3” wide by 3 ½” long. The price is $215 including shipping.

Trunk Show

5 December 2013

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Trunk Show December 6 & 7 2013

Hail West Coasters!

Hope to see you for my THIRD ANNUAL TRUNK SHOW…

 

MURANO ISLAND RISING IN MY STUDIO

20 September 2013

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"Social Success"

Titled, “Social Success”, this creation joins Murano glass beads with six 1960’s vintage Lucite beads. The clasp is dyed and carved from sustainable water buffalo horn with a toggle I made from sterling silver wire. The necklace is 20″ and is accompanied by Murano glass asymmetrical earrings of one square silver foil glass bead and one twisted bead tied together with black seed beads. The larger bead, a tad over 1″, hangs 2″ from the ear piercing. The square bead earring is 1.75″ long.
The set is priced at $148 including shipping costs.

I took a baby step this summer and designed a very small Murano pendant (see previous posting) from my new acquisitions. Now taking another step with this lively necklace in lime and clear/silver foil-lined glass beads from Murano. This winter: some real adult steps working with the big boisterous boys; stay tuned!

I usually start designing in my imagination as I am buying beads and this purchase was no different, except for one big thing: they were going to be two separate necklaces. But the beads bonded in my suitcase during the rest of my Italian journey and emerged as one necklace with black seed beads to make the lime and clear colors pop.

The necklace was a bit short so I searched for appropriate companions to join the Murano glass and found just six of these 1960’s vintage Lucite (fancy for plastic). Serendipity! Ditto for the clasp: dyed horn carved from sustainable water buffalo horns and a toggle I made from sterling silver wire. The necklace is 20″ and is accompanied by asymmetrical earrings in silver foil glass beads, also from Murano. Asymmetrical, in this case, means I had one square bead and one twisted bead tied together with black seed beads. The larger bead is a tad over 1″ and the earring hangs 2″ from the ear-piercing. The square bead earring is 1.75″ in length.

The set is priced at $148 and includes mailing and shipping costs. I have titled this creation “Social Success”.

 

Hi Everyone!

15 May 2012

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I’m very excited to have my home studio up and running.  I’ve been beading in my leased space in neighboring Norwell since January 2011.  In January 2012 I removed my beading worktables and supplies to my home studio and started selling our personal collections in the funky Norwell space.

Don and I have truly collected a lot!  I donated everything I felt was “surplus” (read “I could live without”) before leaving California.  After opening about half of the boxes transported to Massachusetts, I realized I still had a surplus!  So I triaged what I can live without and have arranged it all in my delightful shop.

Shop visitors love seeing home accessories arranged in an artful manner and often want to acquire my collection for themselves.  Gosh, that’s called a sale!

So, yes, I am having fun.  But I need to spend more time designing necklaces and I have some bracelet ideas I’m itching to execute.  To satisfy those artistic needs, I will relocate my Norwell shop to my home studio after Labor Day so all my time can be creatively spent…whether arranging collections or playing with beads!

Moving along, one of my goals for my seventh decade is to bring myself into the 21st century of social networking.  This is personally important since a lot of my heart, spirit, and friends are still in California.  I am at peace with my decision to re-establish myself in the Massachusetts seaside community of my childhood.  In fact, I am enjoying the journey that unfolds every step, every day.  I hope using Facebook and a blog will help bridge my two coastal worlds.

I see Facebook as a casual and friendly way to keep in touch and I hope to learn my way around it. 

Blogging will be my way to open my studio to collectors who are closer to a computer click than to an actual visit to my studio.  I plan to blog only twice a month so I don’t drive you crazy with updates and show-and-tells.  An opt out feature will enable those who don’t want such frequent postings not to receive them.  And for us chatterboxes who opt in, responses can be made through the blog or Facebook.

I’m looking forward to my brave new world as a social networker.  Maybe I should buy some Facebook stock!?  Just kidding, this will be a creative journey!  Please join me!