Club Creative Studio has been a busy place.  I have had a great time working with my mixed metal recently.  Discovering how and what I want to create by meshing layered metals in a cold connection (rivet technique) is a fun challenge. Of course, I wish to also incorporate my hand-made beads as well.

I have been working with 24-guage sheet metals. I have found that to be the most beloved thickness to design and make my jewelry with.  My studio is quite noisy when I decide to texture my metal pieces because I am hammering and pounding.  I have a new textured hammer that is double-sided and has interchangeable ends for making interesting designs.  And I also use my chasing hammer as a multi-purpose hammer for smoothing and doming, shaping and riveting. The ball-peen hammer is my main punching tool and I love the surface texture I can pound using this type hammer.

Recently to incorporate my hand-rolled clay beads, I create a pendant using mixed metals and a cold connection, then add Club Creative Studio one-of-a-kind beads to the art.  What a great combination.  To see more, be sure to check on the Facebook page and online. I will be adding sneak peek photographs and items available for in those particular venues.

http://www.facebook.com/clubcreativestudio

http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

I will be taking photos of my metal working tools at some point and use them as a blog topic. Would that be of interest to you? Let me know what other tools of my trade you would like to learn more about.  Be creative every day!

Related articles

• How to make your own texturing hammer from the book The Complete Photo Guide to Making Metal Jewelry (craftside.typepad.com)

Creativity Does Takes Courage.

Creativity does take courage.

The Club Creative Studio blog today has a focus on five of the top reasons why I believe this is true. Can you think of anything to add to the list?

1. Being creative demands that you “put yourself out there”.  It takes bravery to express yourself as an individual.
2. Being creative explores unknown results.  Courage is needed to chart unfamiliar territories and step outside the box.
3. Being creative requires a level of risk.  Creativity has a risk of failure and success.
4. Creativity is a give and take experience.  Creativity gives satisfaction to self and others. Creativity also includes a part of the creator’s soul.
5. Creativity has an element of investment.  Being creative uses invested supplies and a time commitment.

These are the very reasons among others, that I am dedicated to Being Creative Everyday!

It is not easy to be the one that always stands out in a crowd.  But, it is probably the most satisfying result of having courage to create.  Expressing uniqueness is something that anyone can learn to be comfortable with.  When a creative person sits down to focus on a task at hand, they do so with the thought that the results are going to be unpredictable.  I love knowing that my creative endeavors are all part of my wonderful journey.  The path can take on twists and turns as fast as the ideas spark.  The exciting part of creativity is that it can evolve and proceed in many new directions.

Being creative always as an element of risk involved.  I know that my success and failure rates are experienced in record amounts. Creativity is a learning process.  It is an expression as unique as the individual.  While any creative person dedicates a part of their soul to their art, creativity does not always take away from the creator. Creativity expressed and shared gives greatly to those willing to receive and reach out to connect with another’s creative ways. For me, Being Creative Everyday is not only my personal and business model canvas mantra, it is also a means to the end result of being the best I can be in creating art and sharing it with others.

My hope for you today is to find a way to be creative and thrive in your own level of creativity.  The spirit of creativity lives within you, find what it takes to spark it, and see what it can do for you!

Related articles

• Creativity As Stress Buster (clubcreativestudio.wordpress.com)

I decided to feature the celebration and recognition of quirkiness in this blog today by sharing the visual posts that I have pinned via Pinterest.  You will find this link below. I have a virtual bulletin board where I attach images with links to websites depicting the theme: Odd Creativity. This is also the title of my board.  Perhaps by viewing my board(s)  I may inspire you to appreciate the unique qualities of art as well as the people behind the art who are the artists.

Look for my photo to make sure you are on the Club Creative Studio Pinterest board.

Below you will find the link to Club Creative Studio’s inspiring boards on Pinterest.  You will find that the account called: Club Creative Art has several interesting boards. Please consider signing in or signing up and begin to follow any or all of the boards by clicking on the “follow” tab(s) you can then continue your Pinterest inspirations sparked by posts of Club Creative Studio. Have a great time pinning. Just be sure to set your timer so you can monitor your time on the computer.  It is an addicting activity!

Let me know if a board or a specific image gained your attention or appealed to you? Happy National Peculiar People Day, especially if you think you are one of them!

http://www.pinterest.com/clubcreativeart

STOP! Think twice before you discard that juice pouch.

It’s always good to recycle.  Our carbon footprints are being tracked more than ever before.

If you have young children, grandchildren or you like acting like a child yourself…by drinking from a juice pouch you know that those containers can quickly add up in your trash piles.  What to do, what to do?  Well, I can tell you what to do with them.  Be creative!

If you have not seen hand-made containers made from juice pouches and juice boxes, you are missing out on a creative find.  It’s the innovative mind with the desire to be green that sparked a craze that is fun and functional. I have seen bags, purses, coin purses and other woven and stitched creations originating from the use of this recycled container.  Make sure that you wash and dry your pouch. The best type needle to use may be the upholstery type. If you are hand-stitching, you may want to pierce the initial holes you will need by dragging a hole punch along to pre-drill (so to speak) your indention for the needle and thread or yarn or ribbon. Ask your fabric shop to suggest the best strength for the material and your machine.  If hand sewing this project, use a stitch that doubles for strength. Perhaps a serger would be the fastest way to secure and create this project. To wash later, wipe with a damp cloth. It can serve you just as material fabric would only it is a bit more stiff, even with wear. And speaking of “wear”. Would you like to create clothing from juice pouches and wear your art?

Feeling empowered to sew something a bit more intense?  I am not sure where to credit this photo from but, it serves as a great inspiration for illustration to create with pouches.

While researching this project,  I found that many are out for a profit to sell you their patterns, techniques tips and product.  I did find a young lady who I felt did a good job being concise and who has made her own instructional video. She has supplied the information for free via YouTube.  Who doesn’t like free? Starting out simple, create a pouch first.

Let’s find out how we can create our own pretty recycled pouch!

Today, I highlight Sarah Buckhouse who may someday make a great art teacher (in my opinion). This is her lesson. Are you inspired to drink juice or sew?  Maybe this post has inspired you to do both? Enjoy learning from this video, and good luck creating from your trash. I’d love a purse with the scent of grapes or fruit punch wouldn’t you?

Wonderful low-cost art.

Welcome to the Club Creative Studio Two-Cent Tuesday post.  Today I will feature a few ideas I learned about via Pinterest using a low-cost supplies.

Each of the projects that I will highlight today are made from painted wooden pop sickle sticks.  The first one is a framed creation with same sized sticks, the second project includes a variety of stick sizes and additional wooden cut-out shapes.  Both involve paints and the use of a glue gun for quick results.

Framed Art Project

The first project was made by a group of second graders. Their art project was presented as a school class auction item.  Usually for this type of event, each class in a school collaborates and makes an item that is creative and interesting and it is auctioned off  to raise funds. Each of the class supporter’s bidding can get pretty competitive in their price wars to raise funds and have a chance to own art.  I know that this would have certainly caught my eye!

I am awaiting information on the pinner of this photo and source to share the details of the story behind this pop sickle art. When and if it arrives I will edit this post.  In the meantime, I am guessing that acrylic paints were used and each child contributed a set amount of sticks to form this art. The source: Holly McGavin, posted that the sticks were attached to foam core and then framed out. What a colorful result from something that is a low-cost, easy and quick. I love this project idea.

This project idea has inspired my daughter to create her own art, using inspirational quotes on each of her sticks and painted in the same technique. I think this has no age boundaries, I am even thinking of creating like this too! I love that a simple frame makes this look more worthy of hanging.  If it is a done as a class I suggest that  on one side the design is painted and the other side the artist’s signature is added. This makes the piece even more personal. Each stick can be readily identified this way for later reference.

Snowflake Project

Found on the site called:  Call Me May this project is also easy to make with variety possibilities as well.  How fun it looks, when completed I suggest hanging on a door, wall or from the ceiling! Using a variety of stick sizes, your snowflake shapes can be created in many interesting shapes and diameters. These are obviously painted (or spray painted) in a tint but they would also look beautiful in white and decorated further with added embellishments like glitter for a glam/festive look or buttons and gears for a vintage feel.

Source: http://www.callmemaybe8748.weebly.com

Have fun with your imagination and create with love like these projects were. I love sharing information that is low-cost and appealing. If you live in an area where you have a winter season, the snowflake theme can be current right up until spring!  Please stop by this Club Creative Studio blog often as the creativity is endless.  You never know what will jump-start your creative juices. Let us know what you think about this project in the comment box below!

Related articles

• Christmas Crunch: Quick and Easy Project ll (clubcreativestudio.wordpress.com)

What a great quote to start off this blog from Club Creative Studio.  I welcome you to take a few minutes to watch this video and be inspired from a nine year old boy’s creativity.

If you have ever wanted inspiration to create and use low-cost materials then take a look at what this YouTube sensation video has to offer. You’ll witness simplicity of dreams from the eyes of a child, using his creativity and cardboard. It’s CREATIVITY at its best. Bringing tears to my eyes having heard about this a while ago and then again as I post today on the Club Creative Studio blog: I share this highlight, as I continue to watch the wheels turn and confidence grow in creative thoughts of a young boy, Caine. Be inspired! Be CREATIVE!

Enjoy.

It wasn’t until I went upstairs to a particular room that I experienced my flashback.  The flash from the past was a clear as the days of old. I was in utter amazement in what was sitting under a decorated tree.  I discover in this room, a childhood friend.  Something so familiar and missed that seeing it brought tears to my eyes.  REALLY! I dropped to the floor on my knees to get a closer look.  I reached out to hold this dear object and I picked it up gingerly.  WOW! It was meant to be! Finding this lost treasure from my past was a sign that I needed to buy it for myself. For a second or two, I needed to reward myself and take back, reclaim what was a big part of my life in the past. I had to have that doll!

This is Mrs. Beasley and me. She is my blast from the past doll.

Mrs. Beasley was a fabric  and plastic doll made by Mattel in 1967.  Today she is considered vintage.  This particular Mrs.Beasley doll is a vintage re-make with the recordings of Cheryl Ladd as the grandmotherly voice used in her string activated voice box encased in the doll’s  cotton fabric torso area.  The doll was designed to resemble a grandmotherly type figure. She also had a string that you pulled to make her “talk”. The phrases she spoke were of things a Grandmother might say like: “I do believe you are the nicest little friend I ever had.” and “Would you like to try on my glasses, you may if you wish.”

The doll was made popular by the sit-com, family show starring Brian Keith. It was called: Family Affair. Keith played an uncle who was put in charge of these adorable twin children named Buffy and Jody.  Mr. French was a supporting character as the butler.  It was one of those feel good shows that I just loved watching as a child on television.

Buffy had a Mrs. Beasley doll on the show and they were pretty popular dolls.  The fabric of the doll’s body was blue and white poka-dot. It was a very stiff-stuffed doll with arms, torso and legs, that were solid and great for wear and tear.  That doll was durable.  Mrs. Beasley came with her own plastic granny glasses and a hair net. Funny now to think about those factors that seemed appealing to have on a doll.

I earned my own money to buy my Mrs. Beasley by making loom pot holders! I remember making many of the square loom pot holders in hopes that those in my neighborhood would buy them so that I could have enough money for my Mrs. Beasley doll. They did, so you know I had a fond appreciation for her because of the added efforts in obtaining her.

The funny part about finding this doll that day were the comments I got while I was holding her while shopping the rest of that shopping spree. Women would stop to talk about her and tell me that they had a Mrs. Beasley doll too or that they knew someone who had one when they were growing up.  One lady even asked if I were planning on buying it for sure because she would consider it if I did not want to purchase it.  I did buy it and I guess I was not ready for the reaction of my family when I brought my tiny treasure home.

My blast from the past doll.

The cats found her curious but were not impressed with it. And my husband did not know why I “needed” a doll at my age. My daughter thought it was “creepy” and said she was going to give her nightmares. Oh well!  She is mine. I have been reunited with my friend, Mrs.Beasley!

Do you have a flash from the past item that you are attached to for personal or creative reasons? Do share. Creativity is meant to be appreciated.

Ready or willing to add some bling to your eye area?

Consider the color wheel when picking out shades of eye shadows. Cool or warm colors can look very dramatic.

Glitter makes this look glam.

It’s a new trend to apply rub-on temporary tatto-like, shadows onto your eye-lid areas.

Of course, I have highlighted some extreme looks here but, it is an exciting color trend for 2013.  It’s a growing love for color upon eye lids. A commercial I recently saw describes their color line as Color Tattoos, meaning that the colors are bright and long-lasting. I think it takes a certain type person and style to pull off the heavier colored eye lids. It is not me but, I love the dramatic look. It may also be a matter of applying with confidence and practice that makes the look appealing. What do you think?  Willing to try out a new color trend for the sake of fashion? What is your stand-by color of choice when it comes to eye shadow tints?

I love when color becomes a main focus and becomes influential in our lives. The challenge for me, as a bead and jewelry designer is to use that information from a popular trend and experiment with similar color combos in my clay and glass art.  I want to reflect what the trends are but, I don’t live and breathe them. Sometimes the transfer appeal works and creations are noticed more quickly, simply because of the color in the item design.  Other times, color has no apparent barring on our creation popularity and it comes down to personal choice of customers.  A person is drawn to Club Creative Studio Art because of taste in style or design, appreciation for creativity and unique factors and the fun and functional staying power of a well made one-of-a-kind item.  Whatever the main reason is for a second glance of Club Creative Studio Art, I am happy to offer items that are pleasing to the eye! The ayes do have it!

To view one-of-a-kind colorful and artful items inspired by what is around us in life, please stop by the online storefront or contact us with your specific color palette needs. We create hand-made ART THAT SETS YOU APART!  http://www.clubcreativestudio.com  Contact us for custom art requests at: veronica@clubcreativestudio.com

We create our own decorative glasses and masks for the new year.

We wish all of our visitors to this site a great start to the NEW YEAR! May it be a creative year full of happiness and good health.  This will be a quick post to share a tradition that my daughter and I take part in each New Year’s Eve. We don’t purchase pre-made decorative eye glasses…we MAKE THEM!

Happy New Year!

This year we made the year numbers a bit larger and placed a stick handle on the back to display as a mask.  Each year we get out the markers and decorate away! We don’t spend too much time on it or add any mixed medium supplies, it is merely a quick way to bond and share the new year together in a few pics with our creations in hand.

Happy New Year! We hope you celebrated in style!  Are you inspired to start your own tradition by doing the same thing next year?  Try it!

I recently went on a  gallery and store hop with a friend Lauren, in an area that is full of interesting places.  To mark our memories, I purchased a small piece of art at an import store.  This carved wood piece is from Bali.  Right away, I loved it and I knew how I wanted to display and use this item in my home as a creative form of inventive storage.

Lauren and I with a creative find from Impact Imports, PA

I wanted a new place to display and hang some of my personal necklaces, for an easy way to locate and admire them.  This carving inspired me to use the bottom portion for this purpose.  The tricky part was to figure out how and where I wanted to place the attached screw-hooks.  As with anything you are about to drill into, you want to make sure that you are making the right decision and make your marks correctly the FIRST time.

These are the hooks I used for my project.

In order to not deface the art by placing the hooks directly to the front of the art, Lauren had the suggestion to place the hooks from under the bottom lip of this art. That made perfect sense and left me with the option to remove the hooks at anytime, if I wanted to display this in a different manner at any other given time.  The holes could be easily filled later and for the meantime, were at the bottom of the art so it isn’t obvious when and if I removed the hooks.

Added hooks on the bottom lip of this art.

Finished art transformed in to a display jewelry hanger.

The hooks serve as the resting place for my hanging necklaces. I love the functionality of this and the art as well. It is placed in a room that I see it often, and I appreciate the added functionality of this art. This art has now been adapted to my needs.  I made it personal to me and useful to me.

Have you had the opportunity to alter art? Tell us about your experience and success of your project!  If you are looking to do a similar project, I suggest you make sure you have a stable structure to add your hooks to, making sure that your screws do not penetrate through the wood entirely. Space your hooks evenly, secure with adequate twist, and hang over-all project in a manner similar to hanging framed art, with care and concern for strength of nail choice.  good Luck with your creativity!