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 Diane at Crafty Passions . Congratulations you’ve one Cindy’s Faux Bois Noir Pendant . Send Cindy an e-mail and she will get it right out to you.
Happy Saturday to You! I am soooo ready for spring to be here I can’t stand it. Last weekend we did have a pretty warm weekend in Georgia and I was inspired to make some springy beads.
The ideas started coming to me out of the blue. I kept having images of snails in my head when I woke up in the mornings. I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I let the idea simmer in my head for a few weeks, I was considering all of the options for making a snail. Would I make it out of clay, would I sew it, paint it, or combine all of these things?
Last weekend my son and I were out on the back porch making animals and beads. I thought I would give my snail bead idea a whirl. I liked it so much Birkley and I started coming up with more and more animals we could make from the woods. He hasn’t had a chance to glaze his or I would show you. We had a lot of fun.
Since pulling the beads out of the kiln, I have been designing with them. I came up with this simple owl pendant with a stick I found in our woods. I have some other ideas brewing but they haven’t made it to jewelry yet.
This leads me to my questions of the week… Do you dream in beads? When you wake up in the morning are you full of new ideas? If you do have you followed those ideas to complete the actual piece?
Let me know and I will send you a pair of Toad Stool charms.
Have a great weekend,
Lorelei
February 27, 2010 at 1:42 pmJenn The new woodland set is adorable! I love the funky bright colors and I can't wait to get the ones I ordered!! Nice work!
Robbie
February 27, 2010 at 1:52 pmI thought everone had beads in their dreams? You mean there are only a few of us who do??? I can solve some of my design ideas in a dream! Then I wake up and try and remember my solution! That's the hard part – remembering! now let's see, what was I doing…..
TesoriTrovati
February 27, 2010 at 1:54 pmThat owl is to die for! (I think Lorelei will want one!) I really must have one myself (bead diet ends tomorrow! Watch out Etsy!).
I do! I do dream in beads! There are nights I am so restless coming up with ideas. I have taken to carrying a little sketchbook with me so that I can get all the ideas out of my head before I hit the pillow (I don't sleep much anyway since this is my 9pm-midnight passion).
Thanks for this glimpse into your fun space. And I do want to see what your son did…I know he doesn't fall too far from your creative tree!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
FryeStyle
February 27, 2010 at 2:50 pmAdorable toadstools. I have a small wooden set that I got at an estate sale, and the caps each have a hole to put a tiny candle on top. I dream about art all day long. Colorful beads and fibers mainly. I keep sketchbooks to draw and form my ideas. Then when I've got a good design, I start creating. And sometimes in the creating, I come up with an even better design! The whole process is so much fun!
Alice
February 27, 2010 at 3:35 pmI love your new woodland beads–so sweet!
Unfortunately I don't dream in beads, and have never dreamed about a certain jewelry design, but I'm envious of those who have this capability.
Hmmm, I wonder, if I place bead magazines under my pillow at night will I dream in beads?
Winchell Clayworks
February 27, 2010 at 4:09 pmA couple of weeks ago I dreamed about a new line I was introducing, complete with the packaging. As soon as I woke up I wrote down everything I remember, so as soon as tax season is over and I can get components made I'll be launching it.
Pretty Things
February 27, 2010 at 7:09 pmI love it all!
Lynette
February 27, 2010 at 9:10 pmLove the peak into your studio, wish mine was as fun! Haven't dreamt in beads yet…
Love the owl bead too.
Laura
February 28, 2010 at 2:31 amThe woodland beads are great!
No, I don't remember dreaming any art projects. Last month, though, I had some ankle surgery and as I was in the process of going under the anesthetic, I designed a very cool collage canvas in my head. When I came out of the anesthetic, I remembered designing it, but could only remember that it was a quite detailed grid pattern. Oh, well.
Carol Tannahill
February 28, 2010 at 4:21 amFun spring beads! I love the bee and hive especially, and also the toadstool, and the owl, ok they're all great.
Susanm
February 28, 2010 at 4:54 amI don`t dream about beads, but do sometimes wake up in the am or in the night, thinking about designs to try. I often get ideas during the day and have been known to scribble designs in the margin of my notebook at work or on spare pieces of paper in my wallet.
I love the new woodland creature beads – yet another reason why your beads are my favourites.
Susan
JenniferJangles
February 28, 2010 at 1:34 pmRobbie,
I hear you, it seems the minute I stand up everything drains out of my head. I never remember my dreams.
Jennifer
JenniferJangles
February 28, 2010 at 1:35 pmErin,
I will post pictures of Birk's work soon, some is still needing glaze. He's also working on a patchwork quilt.
Jennifer
JenniferJangles
February 28, 2010 at 1:36 pmAlice,
Good idea, why don't you sleep on some bead magazines and see what happens.Keep us posted. 🙂
Jennifer
Susan Z
February 28, 2010 at 3:01 pmOh yes, I dream beads. Sometimes I wake up at 2am and just have to get up and get the beads out. Then when I get back to bed the alarm rings much too soon and I have to get up for work. Oh to be able to sleep and create on no time schedule. Hurry on retirement!
Susan Z
calico
February 28, 2010 at 3:34 pmI find myself thinking of the beads I have and what I want to do with them when I go to sleep and also in the morning before I get up. However don't usually have all the time needed to try all my semi-dream ideas.
Cindy
February 28, 2010 at 4:29 pmDo I dream in beads??? I'm so glad you asked that. I can finally verbalize my obsession. Isn't that the first step to a cure?? Oh, wait!! Do I want to be cured? I solve lots of design problems that way. Thanks for asking.
kiwiken
February 28, 2010 at 4:33 pmI don't remember ever dreaming a jewelry design, unfortunately – that would be too cool! I do remember dreaming of bead shopping last week, though – sadly, all my awesome purchases of ceramic and lampwork beads were gone when I woke up!
That toadstool is adorable, and I would be beyond happy to win it – it would be perfect for a design idea I had just this last Friday!
Connie
February 28, 2010 at 6:23 pmi don't "dream" my ideas, but i do do a lot of planning of ideas in bed before i fall asleep and before i get up. it is my favorite way to figure out a project and work out all the bugs!
Janet
February 28, 2010 at 7:41 pmI love your beads wow I could put some things together with them! I find myself thinking about certain things I want to make with beads, silver and steel etc at night when I go to sleep. Sometimes I cant sleep for awhile too! Im always going over what this or that took to make. I have made some things Ive dreamed and thought about. Then I am way satisfied!
I love your beehive and birds nest and toad stool well I love all of them they are just lovely!
Shannon
February 28, 2010 at 8:44 pmI do dream in beads when I am not exhausted. If that makes any sense. I often don't remember what I dreamt about but I know the stuff was awesome. I like the comment to keep a notebook by your bed, I will have to try that.
I love the new stuff, I have been without power for a few days so I need spring!
lzoie
March 1, 2010 at 12:16 amI dream about sitting at my word tableAnd putting out an endless supply of every kind of bead there is and then turning those into magnificent pieces of jewelary that will lite up everyones lives!!!I'm new to this, but excited about creating.I would love to have your beads.Lzoie
Cynthia
March 1, 2010 at 3:34 pmI think I must dream about beads, but I don't specifically remember any of the dreams. But, as the day goes along, I'll get an idea out of the blue (I think, from a dream). When I get home, I run to my bead room and try to work it out. Sometimes it comes out great, and other times I just can't get it to work. That's just the way it goes. But, I really like when, after attending a big bead show, I lie down at night and close my eyes, I see visions of beads!
Pearl and Pebble
March 2, 2010 at 12:48 amI love the new beads and I love that the little guy is part of the creative process! I dream in stereo and technicolor and sometimes beads stay on the brain and I dream about them. I tend to have ideas as I'm drifting off though rather than when I'm smack dab in the middle of one.
SharonP
March 3, 2010 at 12:59 amThose are the cutest spring beads ever! I love the colors, the snail and owl are my faves!
Valerie C. Of clinejewels.etsy.com
March 4, 2010 at 6:57 pmOOOOOOOH YES!!!!!!!
I wake up all the time with ideas. I get ideas at the grocery store of all places. Sometimes I don't have any paper to draw it out and I have a hard time remembering what it was I wanted to jot down because I have to many different ideas all at once. I get ideas at the most inconvenient times. I hope I am not the only one.