Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
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This weeks winner is…. 
Angi
Angi
Congratulations!
You have won a beautiful set of cabochon beads from Tari Sasser of
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This week we visit the studio of Gaea Cannaday of Gaea Handmade.
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Most of our house has been very sick for the last week so production has been limited to sleeping and T.V. watching (Thank you, HBO for keeping a back log of shows like Girls for me to catch up on!) Usually I can scrape together a bit of work that can be done on a tray in bed. This round of extreme cold has me flat. (The Dr. says it isn’t flu. I beg to differ.)
I roused myself from my self induced robitussin haze to put a bit of this and a bit of that together. Valentines day is soon upon us and I love a good heart. Given the state of my health, the phrase “keep it simple stupid!” flashed through my mind. This necklace tutorial uses my beads and new “Just Be” heart pendant with a few copper rings and some lovely knotted dark chocolate ultra suede.
Most of our house has been very sick for the last week so production has been limited to sleeping and T.V. watching (Thank you, HBO for keeping a back log of shows like Girls for me to catch up on!) Usually I can scrape together a bit of work that can be done on a tray in bed. This round of extreme cold has me flat. (The Dr. says it isn’t flu. I beg to differ.)
I roused myself from my self induced robitussin haze to put a bit of this and a bit of that together. Valentines day is soon upon us and I love a good heart. Given the state of my health, the phrase “keep it simple stupid!” flashed through my mind. This necklace tutorial uses my beads and new “Just Be” heart pendant with a few copper rings and some lovely knotted dark chocolate ultra suede.
Ok. Getting used to using PicMonkey and not my old photoshop so patience is appreciated!
What keeps your mind busy when you are stressed or do not feel good? Leave a comment for a chance to win a set of ceramic beads….
Gaea Cannaday is a wife and mother living in Ojai, California. You can see her work here… www.gaea.cc or here… www.gaea.etsy.com
Ann Schroeder
February 2, 2013 at 12:29 pmI like to watch old episodes of the Dick Van Dyke show. 🙂 If I feel good enough and have a good book, reading can take my mind off whatever ails me. Hope you feel better soon!
Leah Curtis
February 2, 2013 at 12:58 pmWonderful write up and beautiful necklace, Gaea! I would say I try to put my mind at ease rather than keep it busy. Making jewellery and beads helps with that. Or spending time with my hubby. Watching a "so bad it's good" kind of movie.
DonnaD
February 2, 2013 at 1:36 pmGreat tutorial. Beautiful pendant. Hope y'all are feeling better soon.
Candace, Boston MA
February 2, 2013 at 2:34 pmThanks for a great post! I'm inspired to try your tutorial as a gift for my sister. What keeps my mind busy when I'm feeling stressed? Organizing, PBS and a good knitting or beading project (in no particular order).
– Candace, Boston MA
Carol D.
February 2, 2013 at 3:27 pmLove that heart pendant! When stressed or not feeling good, I like to catch up on blog reading or writing, designing a piece of jewelry or sewing. Helps to just let my mind think about something other than how I feel.
Purple Fish Studio
February 2, 2013 at 3:47 pmThank you for the article. I love the necklace and the simple step by step pictorial of how to put it together. When I am feeling under-the-weather, I love a quiet room, bead magazines, and hot blackberry tea with a little honey.
Ellie
February 2, 2013 at 3:48 pmI love to read… Chick lit books, beading mags or bead blogs, they all help to take my mind off my troubles.
freshbakeddesigns
February 2, 2013 at 4:09 pmCleaning out something…a closet, kitchen drawer…preferably with some loud Bruce Springsteen playing in the background.
Love your Heart on a Cloud necklace and tutorial gift today. Thanks so much!
Emily
February 2, 2013 at 4:37 pmI really LOVE that necklace, it's so beautiful!
I like to put Pandora One on some soothing channel and spend a few hours shopping online. My favorite is shopping for beads of course, lol. I don't always purchase anything but looking at them, thinking of what pieces I could/would do with them calms my mind down and gives my body a chance to relax.
Alice Howe
February 2, 2013 at 4:38 pmI love Gaea beads. Sure hope I win!
Stepha
February 2, 2013 at 4:41 pmFeel good TV shows for me are, Mary Tyler Moore, I Love Lucy along with Sanford and son.. Dick Van Dyke was a good one too.
Anyway. Now I am hooked on Pretty Little Liars and Duck Dynasty. Anywho I adore your beads and the necklace is darling!! Hope your family is feeling better!!
Grace
February 2, 2013 at 4:53 pmI hope you feel better soon Gaea! We've mercifully been spared any really big sickness so far this Winter, knock on wood! When I'm stressed, I buy beads (usually yours!), or make jewelry, or read or just hang out with my girls. I love reading to my youngest right now, that's a sure stress relief after a long day at work!
I love your heart necklace, and the bead set is gorgeous!
Winchell Clayworks
February 2, 2013 at 5:40 pmOne word: NETFLIX
Erin S
February 2, 2013 at 5:47 pmany activity that requires intense concentration will help get your mind off your problems. Creative projects that haven't been fully worked out yet are good–especially ones that require "engineering." Also, Xanax. 😉
Michelle
February 2, 2013 at 6:03 pmBeautiful necklace, I love the soft texture of the leather with the ceramics. What keeps my mind busy when I'm stressed? Polymer clay. : )
Cheryl Roe
February 2, 2013 at 6:08 pmWhen I am stressed I like to do research on a new technique or find new color combinations to get me excited about creating a new glass bead.
Carole
February 2, 2013 at 7:08 pmIf I'm feeling up to it, I'll work in my art journal or on a beading project. Otherwise, I'll tuck under the covers with a book and a puzzle, with old TV shows running in the background.
Mary Mansson
February 2, 2013 at 7:14 pmI enjoy your work and have some of your beads. If I am stressed it is compulsive organizing. If I am sick it is vegging with TV or reading a guilty pleasure book.
Pearl and Pebble
February 2, 2013 at 9:50 pmThanks for sharing this tutorial-love the necklace! I love that it slips right on over the head and I love the chocolate cord with the soft colors of the beads. Lately I grab the boys' crayons when I need a little peace and we all color. They usually hit the walls while I concentrate on paper. They're happy. I'm happy. Mr.Clean helps out after.
Renetha
February 2, 2013 at 10:29 pmI love your beads! When I am stressed I like to just immerse myself in a good book, or a couple of good books. I like all kinds of fiction.
AliMc
February 2, 2013 at 11:29 pmHope you are all feeling much better now. Lovely necklace. Netflix and bead thoughts keep my mind going when I'm stressed or ill.
Zeniswoman
February 3, 2013 at 1:20 amI was in a bit of a funk today. In Ohio, we literally went from 60 degrees to shoveling a foot of snow a few days later. Tonight, we braved the weather to go get Chinese food. After sharing a pot of green tea and yummo food, I feel so much more peaceful. My fortune cookie advised me "not to be afraid of shadows…light is near." EXACTLY 🙂
Sometimes I just have to slow down and choose peace:)
love and light everyone 😉
Kristen
February 3, 2013 at 12:38 pmI spent yesterday sick in bed and I finished a book I've been trying to read so at least I felt I accomplished something.
Kathy Lindemer
February 3, 2013 at 12:41 pmI hope that you feel better soon! Thank you for putting together the wonderful tutorial for the necklace and sharing it with us. I love the beads with the leather.
playsculptlive
February 3, 2013 at 1:13 pmWhen I'm not feeling well, I usually peruse my craft books or go online and look for inspiration from other artists. I dream of all the beautiful things I could make and forget I'm sick, even if it's only momentarily. Hope you feel better soon.
CrippleHorse
February 3, 2013 at 1:28 pmI loved the tutorial!
When I am stressed -sth not so unusual for me- I watch my favorite classic films, I listen to old radio shows, especially "Suspense", and to my favorite jazz music.
I also do some wire wrapping, it demands my full attention and it keeps my mind off unpleasant thoughts.
DESPINA
[email protected]
Leigh Thow
February 3, 2013 at 1:45 pmHope you are feeling better soon, I know how you feel. You tutorial has cheered me up no end, have never used suede like this before so am away to hunt some out to play with my ceramics, the spacing is a great idea. Thanks for sharing
Designed by Vera
February 3, 2013 at 4:11 pmGood wishes and prayer to you to feel better! When I am in a funk, I either sleep, read, watch TV, or design jewelry pieces. Randomly. I just let my mind wander…if it looks like it may be a good piece. I put in my book of drawings. Love the necklace and beads. Get well soon!
stephanie_mcginley
February 3, 2013 at 4:14 pmWhen I'm sick or stressed, I usually turn to my beading for relief. It calms both my mind and my soul. 🙂
Elaine
February 3, 2013 at 6:27 pmIf I need distraction while not feeling well or "in a mood" I'll read fiction. If I need distraction while bored – like doing production work – I'll pop a few episodes of tv, a movie or a documentary on and crank out beads to that.
And sometimes I'll sit and stew while I work and eventually figure out solutions or compromises at the least. It depends on the mess.
Lynn
February 3, 2013 at 7:07 pmStaying in bed with a cozy comforter and reading a good book—have you read "Sarah's Key" or "Out of Time"? I love the necklace and your beads. I have two of your heart pendants I've been hoarding—maybe I'll try my hand at something similar. Thanks for the tutorial!
CraftyHope
February 3, 2013 at 8:53 pmUsually it's anything that I can do from the bed. When we had a dvd/vhs player in the bedroom, I would watch my old vhs tapes for comfort, mostly stuff that the hubs doesn't care for. Being sick is often the perfect excuse for 'comfort viewing.'
Charis Designs
February 4, 2013 at 12:28 amWhen sick, I love to curl up with a good book and read and veg. Feel better soon!
Kristina
February 4, 2013 at 7:46 pmWhen I don't feel good, I usually read something comforting. I also make sure to drink a lot of water or tea. I hope you feel better soon!
Susan
February 4, 2013 at 9:18 pmI read and drink tea when I don't feel good. And little naps help too!
Meadowland Designs
February 4, 2013 at 10:49 pmMmm…sparkling tea {kombucha} is always a great pick-me-up along with music & a walk. Strangely enough singing as loud as I can helps wipe out the tension.
There are times that beading works but also it can just make it worse if I've hit a roadblock but haven't found the detour yet =)
~ Catherine
Karen M
February 5, 2013 at 4:46 pmI hope you are feeling better. For me prayer and tea help put my mind at ease. I love magazines too because I don't really have to concentrate I can look at the pictures and daydream.
Thanks for sharing I love the necklace!
fairiesmarket.blogspot.com
fairiesmarket.etsy.com
Angi
February 5, 2013 at 6:43 pmI pull out old episodes of Beads, Baubles and Jewels. They never fail to get my creative juices a flowin!
Angi Mullis [email protected]
Sharon
February 6, 2013 at 4:26 amI love to pull out all my old beading magazines and look at all that beady goodness. That always helps to climb out of a funky mood.
Jeanne aka Gem Chick
February 7, 2013 at 10:59 amI love your beads Gaea! I'm a Lima Beads customer and love your selections there.
First – I'd probably head for something sweet. Then pull out the heavy gauge sterling wire and hammer away at a pair of earrings.