Welcome to Inside the Studio!
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.
Congratulations to Kathy Lindemer! You have won a beautiful toggle clasp from Ema Kilroy.
Please contact Ema so you can claim your prize.
I was looking forward to doing my first Inside the Studio post. I got the date several weeks ago, around the same time that I decided that a table tidy was in order.
I’ve taken on several writing responsibilities recently, so whilst in this tidy frame of mind, I bought a diary to keep track of deadlines, etc. Look, you can see it there, at the top of the table. Want to know what I’ve actually written in that diary? Precisely nothing. So it was with a little alarm that I discovered/remembered that I was due to be doing this post today. This was heightened by my realisation that I didn’t have a great deal to share! I’ve been doing some magazine pieces in the last week or so, which obviously can’t be shared here before publication. I did a market this last weekend, which meant I had to give a certain amount of time over to unphotogenic things like pricing and tags. I’ve also been working away from the studio/home a bit recently….
which doesn’t make for very exciting images either, does it? And then, in the last few days, I’ve fallen into one of those fallow slumps where I can’t think of things to make. I do have a number of pieces in varying states of completion, so I thought I’d share a few of those, in the style of a Bead Table Wednesday. This first necklace is one I’ve been pondering over and carting around for some time. Does it need more, do you think, like a larger focal, or should I just link it up as is?
(raku rectangles – Jubilee)
Then there’s this raku connector with rose quartz drops – I can’t decide how elaborate to make the rest of the necklace. And should I just use more rose quartz or mix in some czech glass, which is what I originally planned.
The connector, as you may well recognise, is from Scorched Earth. I order from Petra once a fortnight when she updates her shop, so there’s usually some Scorched Earth on my desk.
I love these freesias.
I’m not sure if I’ll get this frame set up to work, or if I do really want to use them together. I’m sure these…
(ceramic connector – Round Rabbit)
…and these…
(etched copper pendant – Thea Elements)
…ought to be paired, but what else will go with them, I don’t know. These aren’t paired with anything yet, but they’re on my table and I’m delighted with them!
(lampwork beads – Glass Geo Beads)
You know when you have something in your Etsy cart for an age and you finally order it? So pleased I did. I’m really not sure what to make with them yet; I just decided they had to be mine!
As far as making my own beads goes, I haven’t done much in a while. A few custom orders…
…but no new designs. I’m kind of between things at the moment, with my own beads, and I’ve yet to decide which of several ways I want to go. But I have to offer a giveaway, so I’ve dug out some clay especially for it, and rustled up this trio of these perennial favourites.
The question is: What do you do to jumpstart your creativity? Answer below and next week a winner will be drawn, at random, who will receive this prize!
Ta-ra for now, Claire