Beading Bracelets

Club Creative Studio hand-made wire bracelet.

Turquoise bracelet hand-twisted wire from Club Creative Studio.

Club Creative Studio speaks often about creativity. Here on the blog, you will find inspiration from art, project ideas, and other helpful information stemming from creativity. Today is no different in that I am sharing a short story from the spark of creativity that comes from the opportunity to collaborate and brain-storm.

I attended a networking event a few months ago and there, I met very interesting business people. Among all of them, I met a lady who had a common thread with me. We both shared the love and passion for beads. She was also designing jewelry so needless to say we had much to talk about. What began from a single common friendship fostered a bond through beading. As we connected via other social media methods, we learned more about each other. We planned an outing together to a local bead store that was going out of business. It was there that we spent several hours looking and speaking about beads as well as shopping for beads. It was really a fun time to spend time with someone with a shared enthusiasm for beads and supplies. We are now “beading buddies”.

My beading buddy bought a bracelet (say that three times fast). The wire bracelet was a store sample from one of their classes. When we looked at it we thought the same thing. We both had wondered how it was made, and if we could figure it out by closer examination, since there was not a way to get instruction from the store that was going out of business. We both had mentioned that we had wanted to try to create something similar but had not taken instruction on the technique. We thought that we could make them ourselves. We ended up splitting the cost of the bracelet and I took it home to dissect so we could recreate it later.

After meeting for a brain-storming session, we combined our creative time, and collaborated with our supplies to make our own versions of the same bracelet. Turns out the pattern was a good starting point for us to springboard into our own style and wire-wrapping techniques. Our skill levels were expanding together and we were inspiring to each other. That is what I am thankful for today, the opportunity to connect and support the creative drive of a fellow artist. Can you think of someone you have merged talents with or have benefitted from bouncing ideas off of? Do tell how it was a positive impact for you.

I am now getting comfortable with the technique and my materials. I will soon be able to offer these hand-made bracelets online for others to enjoy and purchase http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

Feel free to “like” Club Creative Studio on Facebook. You can see a “Sneak Peek” from time to time of a fresh design on the Club Creative Studio Facebook page at http://www/facebook.com/clubcreativestudio

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Peculiar People

Believe it or not it is National Peculiar People Day. You know someone who fits into that category right? Strange, odd, and different people certainly make our world an interesting place I am happy that we have a day that recognises uniqueness.  In order to avoid name-calling and labeling, this TNT (This-N-That) blog post will highlight the peculiar Art that is created by interesting people.

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

Pretty Pouch Recycled Item

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?

Stick Art: Expressive and Low-Cost

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!

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Rock’n Art

Natural stones can ROCK YOUR WORLD!

Club Creative Studio’s Blog today is called: Between A Rock.  I have  used stones, rocks and gems in several art creations.  I have never felt like I was”caught between a rock and a hard place” when designing with them because there are so many options to incorporate wire to create mixed media art.

Special meaning associated with art.

One recent and particular custom piece comes to mind to speak about because it had special significance to the person requesting that I design an item that incorporated her “fool’s gold”. This nugget was special because her husband was a truck driver and he had the idea to “do something with this” someday.  He did not get around to it but, she kept it close to her heart since he passed away.  Fast forward to 41 years later, his bride decided for him to do “something” with it she gave it to me to create something special.

She wore the necklace I created on the day that what would have been their 41st wedding anniversary.

It is a sweet story that I will never forget.

I love knowing that special meaning can be associated with art.  I love knowing that something that I created with love had more love associated with it for someone else.

If we take time to look around our world, you might find yourself appreciating the little things in life like rocks and pebbles.  The next time you find one, take time to admire the marbling effects, the texture, the shape and even the weight of nature.  A mere stone is special if it is a single stone or grouped into a functional or natural setting. Here are photos of a few man-made stone walls found in the Western part of North Carolina.  I could not resist taking photos of my views. I wonder if you appreciate them as well.

Let no stone be left unturned! This is a wall located in downtown Sylvia, North Carolina.

I love wire wrapping polished stones.

Many natural stones or dyed rocks have interesting patterns, as highlighted in my cuff bracelet design here. Enjoy, admire, own it.Historically, stones have important status.  Paleo archeologists have discovered evidence dating back 250 million years suggesting that pre historic man used warm clay, earth and stone in medicines. The use of clays for healing was also recorded around 2500 B.C. in Mesopotamia. Some scholars also believe that other prehistoric ancestors used ochres made from naturally tinted clay and iron oxides were used not only to paint caves, but also to heal wounds. Interestingly, iron is a main element in the basalt stones used in modern-day stone massage therapy.

Lodestone, a magnetic rock, was discovered in China around 8th century BC. It is believed that needles made from these magnetic stones around this time replaced bone acupuncture needles.   And in Japan, warm stones were worn around the waist to aid digestion.  Stones also play an important role in Native American beliefs. Some tribal elders believe stones to be ancient beings that have souls.  Stones were also used in northern Europe as the original electric blankets without the electricity. People would put warm stones in bed. Warm stones were also used during childbirth to help reduce pain and spasms.

And, if you found yourself in the generation of the PET ROCK, or know of the WORRY STONE, rocks take on additional meanings. I have been working for the past few days creating bracelets that have wire and various stones. I like the feeling that there is a deeper connection to nature when I am creating with stone.  I’ll be highlighting those creations soon as I find ways to perfect my wrapping techniques further.

Rocks, pebbles, stones…oh my! my photo is from an old street in downtown Philadelphia.

What type of people like stone jewelry?  I think anyone can “rock” this look because it is natural and can be a very neutral accessory.  People are drawn to the earth themes of wearing a stone accessory.  It is quite opposite from the shiny bling of a diamond or gemstone.  Adding a rock item to your collection of accessories provides a variety in range from semi-precious stones or a common rock you can find on a curbside or natural forest path.  No matter if a stone is man-made or dyed, it can bring a look of nature, calmness and simplicity. Smooth or rugged, a stone piece can be a statement piece of wearable art or a simple highlight of what nature has to offer us.  Stones can be used in their natural state, carved, polished, combined with other elements, caged in wire, attached to a pendant and even made  as a faux clay bead.  There is no limit to the display of a real stone in jewelry except for its weight.  Many artists attempt to mimic qualities of stone in other mediums.  A common look is from turquoise, and marble.  And why not? The natural stones can be expensive and hard to find, not to mention heavy to wear in their real states.

Image Copyright: Club Creative Studio

 Please visit and revisit the Natural Stone section in the Club

 Creative Studio online storefront. Inventory changes often!

http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

Find softness in a harsh rock setting like this one from a small north Carolina town called Sylva.

Are you attracted to rocks? Do you enjoy wearing jewelry that has rocks incorporated? Club Creative Studio has items that are unique and are inspired by nature.

Be sure to check out the website to view wire-wrapped stones. It is truly Art That Will Set You Apart!

http://www.clubcreativestudio.com

Flashback of Creativity

A few months ago I was taken back. I was transported to the past where  fond childhood memories were clear as day.  It was at a craft fair that took place around the Christmas holiday.  I attended with my neighbor.  Many rooms were decorated with items for sale. There were many trees set up with ornaments for sale and there were many people doing their holiday shopping.

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.

The Ayes Have It

Do you like bright colors? The ayes and EYES have it.  Like it or not color is exploding with popularity in eye shadow shades and elsewhere.  Do you have a “go-to” palette that you rely on? Have you noticed the new fashion trends in make-up, nail polish color and fashion in general?  Club Creative Studio has seen a recent change to neon and bright colors from common fashion looks in nail polish to eye shadows.  Although there are signs of more subtle shades, take a look at some of the common painted lids.  What do you think of them?

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

Christmas Crunch: Quick and Easy Project ll

Transform a plain wood item into a colorful item with a personal touch.

Welcome to Club Creative Studio’s blog with the focus on creativity.  I am adding a few posts about using your creativity in a crunch-time situation. It is that time of year that many stress about the time that they do not have to be creative for the holidays.  Maybe it is a lack of innovation of gift-giving ideas, maybe it is the stress of the challenge to do something new and creative in decorating, baking, cooking or gift-giving or gift wrapping.  Whatever the creative challenge, here is another post for a suggestion to use your creativity in a quick and easy project.

It doesn’t take as long as you think it does to be creative with acrylic paints.  You can transform a wood item into a colorful work of original art with a bit of paint and patience.  While there is a time and a place to appreciate wood for its natural beauty, some items just lend themselves to adding paint to beautify a wooden item in a different way.

Today, I painted a wooden nut cracker home accessory and changed the appearance from plain to wild, crazy, festive and colorful.

It is easy to transform a wooden holiday accessory into a more decorative item.

The first step is to find an item or ornament made from wood that is smooth and ready to accept paint.  I applied a thin layer of gesso acrylic primer to my wooden nut cracker item.

I applied one layer of gesso to prime the surface.

Using acrylic paint, I applied my paint to the wood figure with ideas to make it a “non-traditional” looking item. I wanted my nut cracker to be bright and colorful, with pattern added after the larger areas were painted for a unique look.  When you see the finished product at the end of this post, I think you may agree that the mission was accomplished.

Painted item ready for the next step. The next step is adding the details.

I love defining areas and adding details with black as a sharp contrasting color.

To add detail to the finished painted portions, I used a black felt permanent marker to add my swirls and decorative detailed areas.  Adding pattern with my marker seemed to make this item even more fanciful and imaginative.  A light coating can be added as a final touch for gloss or a matt protective coating if desired.  I hope that if you challenge yourself to create a painted wooden project, you can be expressive and end up with a one-of-a-kind festive item.

My finished project! The details make a polished look in the completed art.

Although I love creating in clay and glass creations like the hand-made art you find in the Club Creative Studio website (http://www.clubcreativestudio.com) I have another love for using paint, especially acrylic.  I love that this medium has an easy clean-up process and you can mix your own colors with ease.  The fast dry-time is also a plus for getting your project done if you feel the holiday crunch for time.

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Make It FUNtional

Club Creative Studio’s blog has a focus on creativity.  Today’s post features a simple transformation of art.  I have often found the need to change something based on how I want it to function and serve a purpose for me.  With specific needs in mind, almost anything can be transformed and upcycled with creatively to fit a specific desire.

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!

Suggestions For Your Socks

Club Creative Studio has a question for you: What is on your sock?  I am referring to your Christmas stocking that are traditionally hung by many from a fireplace mantel.  If you are one that does this year after year, I want to hear about how those socks are decorated. I also share ideas today as suggestions for your socks. What can you use and what have you used  to embellish them and make them your own decorative items for display?

Do you have stockings that are hand-made, heirloom pieces of fabric or store-bought?  Today in the Two Cent Tuesday post, I want to offer ideas that you can do inexpensively that will make those manufactured  dollar store-type Christmas stockings more personal and festive.

Christmas stocking ready to be decorated.

It may be as simple as having a glue gun and a bit of creativity.  You can use items that are “found items” around your home or purchase something specific to add to your stockings. To add personality and a personal identity to them, it is just a matter of being open to the creativity that you have within, and find a way to apply your ideas.

Let’s start with the most inexpensive ideas:

Hot glue items or use self adhesives to add buttons, rick-rack fabric, lace, ribbon, pom-pom, yarn, tassels, bows, cinnamon sticks, border trim, feathers, beads, charms, glitter, sequins, cotton balls or  faux fur.

Using unusual found items that convey personal interests may be interesting to attach with hot glue as well. Consider items such as crayons, pencils, photographs, theme scrapbook cut outs or stickers, silk flowers, cardboard initials,  bay leaves and whole cloves, small plastic toys, even coins.

To identify with name recognition, you can use fabric paint, fabric markers, small photos, initial charms, name tape, or decorative name tag.

Stepping it up a notch with these suggestions:

Moving on from glue to sewing techniques puts a different spin on the finished look.  Add higher quality textiles or fabrics. Adding a personal embroidery emblem, iron-on patch, rhinestone trim, actual photo frame and photo, quilted fabric sections,  personal theme ornament, or hand-made element in carved wood elevates the completed item.  The idea with stepping up the decorative element is the larger cost invested or better quality elements added, not necessarily the amount of decorative additions.

I have not included photos of improvements given to these stockings because, this is a project that my daughter and I will do together this year.  These are new stockings and they were bought because they are uniform in size, color and sweater-type texture for a more uniform theme this year.  Adding the personality will have a different feel this year, a more sophisticated theme.

So, let me know how you have personalized or made your holiday socks more special to display by adding decorative elements.  Did your creativity take hold in your project?