serendipity

Glass Prairie - French Beaded Flowers

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
    --  Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant"

In honor of spring and the flowers slowly unfolding in my garden, I bring you a few
more French beaded flowers from my Glass Prairie collection.  While they aren't
necessarily spring flowers themselves, they raised my spirits during the darkest
of winter days.

DIY Slide Bracelet Components from Cousin

I love my bling and Cousin makes it so easy!  Their new slide bracelet components are gorgeous and simple to use.  I had to keep my daughter out of the studio as I worked.  She kept trying to sneak off with the finished bracelets before I had a chance to photograph them!  For each bracelet I was able to coordinate and add as I wanted. The slide beads come in pre-coordinated sets for all tastes from rock-n-roll to girly romantic.  I rarely wear bracelets as they are generally too big
for my skinny wrists, so I especially love that I can cut the leather bands to size. 

  

 

Paper Wedding Cake

"Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as difficult as that." 
--  Michael Leunig 

I like to give myself thematic challenges when crafting.  Can you imagine the theme for this one?  I love
wedding cake and thought it would be fun to make a paper version.  This is perfect for a bridal shower
that could double as storage for all the small momentos that come from a wedding or to have at the wedding
itself with a slit at the top for family and friends to give gifts of money.   

The Snow Queen: a study in yarn and paper

Springtime is the land awakening.  The March winds are the morning yawn. 
-- Lewis Grizzard 

Last summer during a blistering heat wave, I made a garment inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's story "The Snow Queen."  The top is knit from Lion Brand's Vanna's Glamour®.  It's a lovely yarn to work and adds this gorgeous shimmer that shifts with the light - perfect for my Snow Queen Dress. Having recently invested in a large die cutter, I decided to put it to the test.  I cut a 100+ cardboard snowflakes which I then embellished.  Naturally, no two snowflakes are the same.  I painted, rubber stamped and colored with pencil and pen. I glued on sequins, wrapped threads and added small sparkling stickers.  The dress became an experiment in how far I could push a mixed media approach.  

Designer Crafts Connection :: Buttons Galore & More Craft Challenge :: Prizes Too!

Wedding bells are in the air!  It's time to get crafting!  Buttons Galore & More has a wonderful 
collection of buttons with weddings in mind.  For this Craft Challenge, I chose these charming
buttons titled "Bridal Bouquet."    They have a lovely AB finish with silver highlights.  Made of 
plastic, they are lightweight, so perfect for a barrette.  I wanted to create a piece that could be
worn to a wedding, but get plenty of use for years to come.

Valentine's Day Door Decoration using a Smoothfoam™ Disc

"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love." -- Albert Einstein

 My favorite holiday is soon upon us!  All that pink, red, lace and chocolate - what's not to love about the holiday of love!  This sparkly door adornment let's everyone know exactly where your

sentiments lie. 

As featured on LIVE at CHA Winter 2013 - Knitted Shell and Ombré Skirt

 

 

Mary Lawrie and I created one of the garments Elena Lai Etcheverry wore for Charity Wings' LIVE at CHA.  During the event, Elena interviews designers and companies about their new projects and products live online. Viewers get sneak peeks and can purchase raffle tickets for fantastic giveaways.  All money earned goes to charity.  It is really an amazing win-win for all involved.  

CHA Winter 2013 - Let's Cr8te!

"Creativity is intelligence having fun." -- Albert Einstein
 

At a CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) tradeshow there is so much to see, scores of new products to try out, and dozens of fabulous workshops and seminars.  The 2013 winter show was no exception.

Let's Go to the Hop! Industrial Chic Blog Hop

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks,
breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook

Greetings!  Welcome to the next stop on the Industrial Chic Blog Hop!  I warn you, I was doubly inspired, so I have two projects to share with you. (A third will be featured after Labor Day!)

Earlier this summer, I received assorted trinkets from Susan Lenart's Industrial Chic™ collection plus some Ice Resin® to incorporate into work in any manner I wished.  Treasure box?  Painting? Shrine?  The large pendant inspired me first with the possibility of framing  bits of paper ephemera from my stash.  And, I loved the thimble! 

Here are the basics to make one of your own:

 Materials:

Pendant from Susan Lenart Kazmer's Industrial Chic™ collection
26" of Beadalon® Professional Series #26 / .018 Stringing Wire in Black
1 Beadalon® medium sized silver toggle
2 #2 Beadalon® crimp tubes
2 silver finish crimp covers
Clear glass Czech beads  (obtained from Shipwreck Beads)
Cut glass Czech beads in powder blue (obtained from Shipwreck Beads)
vintage brass beads  (from my Gam's broken necklace)
vintage 3 cut 11/0 metallic silver beads (gift from a friend)
assorted beaded buttons (a gift from a friend)
4 jump rings
6 inches of ribbon (I used to sell the ribbon when I owned my yarn store 12 years ago.)  

Tools:

flat nose pliers
crimping pliers
wire cutters

Directions:

First, I took apart the pendant by carefully opening the prongs with my flat nose pliers.

I replaced the collage provided with paper from my stash of Victorian replica paper scraps, but I think it would be equally cool with a photo of family.  I put the metal frame and glass top back in place and pushed down the prongs to securely hold everything together.  I readded the grey ribbon and and pendant bail.

The rest was straight forward bead stringing with the pendant at the center and the larger beads interspersed with beaded buttons and 11/0 3-cut vitage beads.  I finished it off with a shimmery, sheer ribbon in the palest of pinks.

The finished result is remarkably light despite the size of the pendant.  I've been wearing it to college meetings all week, receiving many compliments and requests for custom work.  

But like I said, I couldn't stop with one.  I had to make another.  Those sewing bobbins!  Perfect!  I grabbed an old key from the junk drawer.  When I bought the house, I was given a skeleton key to front door at closing.  Seriously? Yep, here in Chicago circa 1999!  When I moved in, I found a tin of them under the stairs, one for every door in the house with plenty of spares.

With my key as charm holder, I added a bobbin and metal tag from the Industrial Chic™ collection, plus my personal bits and bobs, like beads, buttons and even an old French franc.  Ooh, la, la!  C'est magnifique, n'est-ce pas?

I've been having fun following the blog hop and I hope you do too.  Here is the full August line up!

August
10              Barbe St. John                   http://barbesaintjohn.blogspot.com/
11               Cheryl Bodkin Waters    http://blog.artsyfindings.com/
12               Cindi Bisson                       http://fatcatcreations.blogspot.com/
13               Gretchen McHale             http://readingartworks.com/beta/?page_id=964
14               Jenny Barnet Rohrs         http://www.crafttestdummies.com/
15               Kari McNight                      http://backporchartessa.blogspot.com/
16               Me - Lindsay Obermeyer
17               Seth Apter                            http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/
18               Suze Weinberg                   http://suzeweinberg.typepad.com/
19               Tami Bayer                          http://www.tamibayer.com/
20              Theresa Cifali                     http://theresacifali.com/
21              Tracie Stivers Lampe      http://www.radicalrecycks.com/BlogRetrieve.aspx?   BlogID=7528
22              Traci Bautista                       http://kollaj.typepad.com 
23              Jen Crossley                          http://amarkintime.blogspot.com/
24              Eileen Hull                             http://www.eileenhull.blogspot.com/
25              Pam Carriker                        http://pamcarriker.com/blog/

And if that isn't enough inspiration for you, check out what these amazing designers did in July!

Ken Oliver                           http://kensworldinprogress.blogspot.com/
Vicki O'Dell                         http://www.vickiodell.com
Cindy Cima Edwards       http://www.cindycima.com/
Elena Lai Etceverry          http://thetravelingprincess.blogspot.com/
Jen Osborne                       http://www.themessynest.com/
Wanda Eas                          http://craftymule.blogspot.com/
Sandy Martin                     http://sweetpeajewelry1.blogspot.com/
Susan Weckesser             http://mysweetearth.blogspot.com/
Tracy Weinzaphel            http://www.tracywburgos.typepad.com/
Terri O                                  http://www.supersimplewithterrio.com/

CHA Summer 2012, my booth

"Patience is the ability to count down before you blast off."  - Author Unknown

I'm slowly making progress.  It's taken 4 shows to finally get a handle on how to develop a collection of ideas that fully show off my range of skills and ideas.  This is my table display at the CHA Summer 2012 Designer Showcase.  I decided to go for a theme, specifically DIY wedding.  

I had so much fun making everything, especially all the work with paper as my diecutter is a rather recent acquisition (ie - toy). I used it to cut out hundreds of paper flowers that I then snipped, bent and twirled into scores of flowers for the initials in the background. I considered different letters "I do," "We do" "Love" etc, but I settled on my own initials to advertise my business, LBO Studio, while also giving the impression that they are the monogram of a newly married couple.   

There is a beaded bridal headpiece with matching groom's boutonnière and bridesmaid barrette. The French beaded daisy bridal bouquet is gorgeous and a great momento of the big day.  The flowers are among the easiest to make, so a great project for those just learning the art.  

I carried the beaded flowers onto embellished boxes for the safe keeping of wedding notes and cards.  As I grew up with cornucopias as table top favors filled with candies and nuts, it was a nostalgic trip for me to make my own versions for the display.

I start several months in advance of the show researching trends and thinking about what resonates with me and my design sensibilities.  The hardest part is settling on one concept and then carrying it through different mediums.  I want to do everything, but have learned that without a bit of editing, I tend to confuse folks.  Feedback has been that editors aren't sure how to market me and my work. Thankfully, that's no longer a problem.  I am finding my niche.  To anyone wanting to enter this business, I have to say - be true to yourself, be patient, and keep making!