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. Last weeks winner is Carolyn, Congratulations! You have won a surprise bead bead from Cindy Gimbrone. Send us an e-mail with your address and we will get it right out to you.
This week we are visiting the studio of Jangles, where Jennifer is trying her hardest to think spring!
Have you had it with winter? I don’t know about you but I am ready to be sitting on my porch in the warm sun. This time of year is really hard for me because I am longing for the warm weather and with a chance of snow this weekend(in Georgia!) it’s hard to think spring will be here. I have seen hope the baby lambs were born at the farm down the road from me, that’s always my sign that things will be getting warmer. Okay, enough about the outside, let’s talk about inside my studio.
I just returned from the Buyers Market of American Craft last week. For me this show is always my kick off to the spring season. I know when I get back I will have orders to fill and need to start getting ready for my trunk shows and bead shows. This year, because of my worse than usual spring fever, I added a lot of flowers to my line. Below is a picture of some new pins I made. 
I have always enjoyed making flower beads but I have always tried to keep them the same. I decided this year to really push my self and make some new designs, new colors, etc. With ceramic clay, I can think in my head what I think I want it to look like but until it comes out of the kiln and is finished, I just don’t know exactly. It’s not like a painting where you can keep adding to the layers until you get it right. I have a lot of trial and error in coming up with new work. I would say 99% of the time, I have a new beads in the kiln I am firing, sometimes I like them and other times I don’t. So here are some of my flower experiments that I liked.
First of all I had to add some polka dots to my standard flowers I make. I think it’s just spunks them up a bit.
I tried some white, for some reason I am in love with white this season. I usually like to add black to my colors schemes but not with this phase I am going through. I think white so much cheerier .
This is a pendant that I made a bit thicker so I could paint the sides, with polka dots.
This is a pendant I made with some texture. I really like how this one turned out, so I think I will try this one in some new colors.
As you can see I have been having some fun in the studio getting some new ideas worked out. To me, spring is a perfect time of the year to start working on new designs. This leads me to this weeks question… What are you working on that’s new? Is is new designs? Is it a new display, new color combinations? Leave me a comment in the box and this weeks winner will get one of my new flower beads. Good luck and Happy Saturday!
Jennifer
Gail W.
February 28, 2009 at 2:33 pmJennifer,I love the blue and white set of flowers that you have pictured.It’s lovely!I’ve been trying to work with bright colors.I’m afraid of red,start shaking when I see orange.But I bought a few nice beads that I can’t afford not to use,hoping I can get my colors right.Wish me luck,I need it!
sunflowerseastar
February 28, 2009 at 3:07 pmJennifer, Years ago I made clay buttons and wholesaled them to Quilt shops. I made a lighthouse button of a local lighthouse and had a order to fill one day of so many I just felt like a factory, so I stopped making the buttons. Now I want to make special almost one of a kind buttons for Art Quilts. I have been scanning the internet for inspiration you being one of my favorite! Thanks for sharing all your pictures and I also enjoy your outside thoughts! Take Care and I share your readyness for warmer days… my gardening bug is itching like crazy! Love Janet Henry
Draven
February 28, 2009 at 3:23 pmI love these flower beads you have…I have been wanting to try clay and different glazes, I am looking for a class… I love to learn new things… My new color I seem to be leaning towards is different shades of greens and blues, not normal colors for me to work with but I think I am itching for spring as well, I was so excited yesturday it was warm and raining which got rid of most of our snow and ice and which made me happy to see the ground and this morning I woke to a light snow covering… I am so over winter its not funny…
Jennifer
February 28, 2009 at 3:43 pmI also love the blue and white flowers. They look so fresh and light. I needed some inspiration to get back to experimenting with polymer clay, and you’ve done it! Thanks!
by Patricia Wood
February 28, 2009 at 4:27 pmSo pretty !!! Love your studio 🙂
patty
February 28, 2009 at 5:11 pmLove the flower beads! I am so ready for spring. Finally saw some daffodils starting to poke up today. I’ve been playing with new techniques and brighter colors lately. Maybe that’s my own sign of spring.
Sharon
February 28, 2009 at 5:28 pmI love the color combo on your textured flower pendant, the pale green, white, and blue look so fresh and clean. I am trying new colors with my polymer clay and inks, mainly pale yellows and greens. Sometimes it’s just hit or miss, but when the colors turn out right, it’s happy dance time!
Irma
February 28, 2009 at 5:42 pmThanks for sharing your pretty flower beads. I’m using flower lampwork beads for the first time. I bought them a while ago, but only started making them into pendants today. It is a joy to just look at the tiny glass flowers inside the beads!
SummersStudio
February 28, 2009 at 6:07 pmI love the new whites. One of the challanges I love and hate about ceramics is never being quite sure what will come out of the kiln with new things. I’ve been working on flowers and have just added some bright colours. Same reasoning, I think, it has been a very cold winter for us and I am ready for spring.
Alicia @ Oh2122
February 28, 2009 at 7:20 pmI do love the new colors. They’re perfect for spring.
I’m working on a lot of wire work right ow, but I am about to try my hand at polymer clay beads. Making my own beads just seems like the next logical step for me.
Alice
February 28, 2009 at 10:16 pmI, too, am ready for Spring, especially since today brought snow and freezing temps!
Your new beads are so fresh and bright, and perfect for a pick-me-up on a day like this.
I have amassed so many beads that I must make myself use them up. In order to do that I am making asymmetrical bracelets and necklaces (a new style for me)using leftover beads and beads that I would not have put together previously. I’m liking the new style, and hope my customers do too.
Down the line, I would like to learn a new technique. I have in mind to make ceramic beads as you do, or learn polymer, or maybe even learn some wirework/fusing techniques. Of course, learning something new means more time, and new equipment……
Alice
thecolorofdreams
February 28, 2009 at 11:54 pmI love all your flower pendants, but I really think that the last picture of the textured one is great. I am making some new colorful polymer clay canes to use for my beads.
michelle
March 1, 2009 at 1:13 amI love the big flower pendant with the green/blue/yellow. Those are my colors! Have you thought about making one with wire loops all around? Seems like it would be a neat way to echo the shape of the flower petals. 🙂
Ann Rishell
March 1, 2009 at 1:31 amI am trying polymer clay in some colors I have not used before… bronze and reds. I still love the yellower greens (love your green background pendant!). I am trying to make some original things, not just buying beautiful beads from others (though I still do that!).
Great beads, and gorgeous studio.
CreekHiker
March 1, 2009 at 2:08 amI have a new black based color that I’m just loving as an accent on beads. I’ve got several new shapes in my head too.
Pamela
March 1, 2009 at 2:52 amI have been studying differnt techniques and want to start making some of my own beads. I hope to get started in polymer clay. There is so much talent out there that serves as great motivation!! Thanks!!
sharon
March 1, 2009 at 3:50 amjennifer, the new beads you’re making are outstanding!! especially the white flowers with the green polka dots. they look so clean and bright. spring always inspires me to do something new so i decided to try polymer clay and i’m beginning to like it a lot. it’s really out of my realm since i have been doing a lot of sterling wire jewelry for the past two years. i am also forcing myself to try new colors since i tend to stay clear of brights. the fun is in experimenting!
http://www.livewirejewelry.blogspot.com
Gaela
March 1, 2009 at 12:16 pmThese new beads are very pretty and white is very “chic” right now. My fave is the white flower with green dots and blue center. I’m knitting spring tops from “French Girl Knits” by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes. For the buttons, I am making my own as I do for my sewing as well. With my spring fever, I am experimenting with new colours~Using colours that are completely different from my usual palette. My favorite new colour is this light warm red~it is just sexy…
Vanessa
March 1, 2009 at 3:46 pmYour beads are lovely, but let me ask, I have some buffalo wallow and I think the other is tuff buff and I’d like to know, would these work for some clay (ceramic) beads?
I took a ceramics class and didn’t get a chance to explore all the aspects of ceramics and your too cute beads are giving me ideas for hearts and things.
Vanessa
debras dezinez
March 1, 2009 at 4:28 pmWell this is not the first time I have had the priveledge of visiting your workshop which I truly love! I have been learning to solder glass pendants and mixing new colors for my clay projects, that has been very interesting.Spring always gives me a jumpstart to get those creative juices flowing.Your spring beads as always are very bright and happy! Happy Claying ! Deb
Anonymous
March 1, 2009 at 7:26 pmI love the new beads. It’s 19 here in Wisconsin–these beads just make me think of Spring and Easter. At least your colors and designs inspire me to think warm.
Thanks for the change in season.
Chris
vikki czech
March 2, 2009 at 6:18 amThose last two flower pendants are GREAT! Yeah…. I am going to be needing some of those!!! I love to see all the new and fun things you come up with – you are a great inspiration!
JenniferJangles
March 3, 2009 at 12:24 pmGosh, sounds like everyone is busy working on new fun spring things. I love to hear what everyone is doing.Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer