maureenthomasdesigns.com blog

Back to the treasure chest! I pulled another drawer from my many little drawers of fun stuff a few weeks back, but I forgot to post a picture because I was in a hurry to finish a batch of Halloween and autumn jewelry for the Blue Line Gallery in Roseville. This was not a random pick because I knew inside this drawer lurked some cool metal spider web stampings. Vintage, I believe, because I’ve done a pretty recent and thorough search and have not found any new ones at any of my usual sources. If you recognize the spider webs…..PLEASE drop me a line because I’d love some more!

In addition to the spider webs, this drawer contains some fun souvenir stamped pennies from Disneyland and the Skunk Train, some pressed paper flower beads (broken, so now they are cabochons), an old tiger’s eye pendant, a lucite/resin vintage red striped pyramid, and miscellaneous metal beads and drops.

Because I love the spider webs and can’t find more I’ve been holding on to them for dear life. I didn’t quite like the bright shininess of them so I knocked down the finish with a torch until they were dingy and more spider-worthy. A simple molded and antiqued polymer clay spider was all it needed to become a fun Halloween pendant. Mine, all mine!

Two treasure drawers down and many more to go!

Have a spooky Halloween…….
Maureen

I’ve had a piece tucked away for the Autumn Art Studios Tour preview show for some time (thought I was way ahead of the game). I then decided to submit something a bit more seasonal and ended up scrambling up until the deadline to complete it in time.

We have an abundance of oak trees and acorns on our property. Acorns are everywhere, but I still get excited every time a find a “perfect” specimen. I pick them up by the pocketsful and end up with bowls of them every fall. I decided to make molds of a few exceptionally large ones recently and that was my inspiration for this necklace. The focal bead is a molded polymer acorn, the tiles were each impressed with a different oak leaf, and then they were textured with silicone sheets created from either the bark or cut surface of an oak branch.

The AAST preview show opens this Thursday (Oct. 14) at the ARTS Building in downtown Auburn. Please check the PlacerArts website for details. I hope to see you there!

Maureen
www.maureenthomasdesigns.com

Recent challenges with my local polymer clay guild (Clayville California), my local arts guild (PlacerArts), and various Flickr photo groups have taken me in art directions I hadn’t been before. Art challenges can get you out of a rut or pull you out of an “art block” and encourage you to try colors or techniques you’ve never used before.

I’ve really been enjoying my weekly mini photo safaris. My photography skills have definitely been improving and an extra bonus is viewing the pictures on the computer. A snapshot will often provide a better appreciation of an interesting color combination or an intriguing texture. Great for art inspiration!

The IPCA introduced a new photo challenge. I am thrilled that they chose my closed sunflower picture as the first “inspiration photo”. Please check it out and see where the clay takes you. I’m looking forward to seeing the entries!

Well, this morning I closed my eyes and picked a drawer. Vintage chain, colored plastic rings from an electric toothbrush, a pretty little silver wire purse/basket, and some miscellaneous doodads.
I’ve been playing with these simple polymer wafer beads for a few weeks. I’d strung and unstrung the beads numerous times and I finally just set them aside, waiting for inspiration. I decided that adding bits of one of the chains might create a more interesting necklace. I wanted to use all of the wafers so I made a long rope that can be wrapped two or three times around the neck. I think the chain makes a definite improvement in the design.
So far, so good!

Maureen

Kim Swearingen’s Gypsy Tour blog has inspired me to clear out some clutter. Some of it gets in my husband’s way. A lot of it has been getting in my way. I feel much more creative when I have lots of materials at my fingertips. I found that to be true during the many years that sewing was my passion (lots of fabric, threads, buttons, patterns, and tools). Also true with my beadwork (can never have too many beads and findings). Throw in the many other art endeavors in which I have dabbled and soon there’s tons of fun stuff to store. Many items cross over so it’s difficult to clear things out of the studio because “you never know….” The hanging on is reinforced each time you discover that a gadget stashed waaaaaay in the back has a new or unexpected use (sure glad I didn’t get rid of THAT!). But there’s a fine line between lots of good stuff and a goat explosion.

My “treasure chests” are little hardware cabinets that are jammed full of lovely vintage findings, old clasps, single fabulous earrings waiting for new lives, cabochons, bits of chain, game pieces, etc, etc, etc. Many treasures have been forgotten because they’re drowning in stuff I’m likely never to use.

220 little drawers. My husband has been challenging me to dive in, pull something out, and be inspired to create some new work. So, every few days I plan to randomly open a drawer and find something to either be rid of or to incorporate into a piece of jewelry or other art. Tomorrow will be Day One!

Maureen

I’ve been out there shooting lots of pictures and I’m trying to make it a habit to carry my little point-and-shoot with me. I’ve also joined a number of Flickr photography and art groups. One that I’ve been enjoying is Art Inspiration Revealed, which was started by Tamara Shea of Block Party Press. Artists create and post photo collages of their work to include a photo of their inspiration. Great fun to see that sometimes a little thing can spark a great artistic idea.

I posted a collage of my new ONION SLICE pendants which includes the onion slice that inspired me to create them. I tried to come up with all sorts of clever names for the series, but they all seemed to be copyrighted business names so I left them alone….ONION SLICE pendants it is until I have a better brainstorm.
I just posted a few on Etsy. Love that I can put some of my vast vintage button collection to work so I think I’ll be making more.

I am learning more and more to keep my eyes open for interesting shapes, patterns, and colors to use in my work. Mother Nature usually provides me with inspiration, but you never know what you’ll find….

Maureen

My local polymer clay guild, Clayville California, issued a challenge to create something “stackable” from polymer clay for our May meeting. After several ideas failed to pan out I decided to make some pendants from polymer beads that ended up looking like a cross between stones and sea glass. I love playing with color and this provided the perfect opportunity to mix and match and come up with some unusual combinations. I had so much fun that it resulted in the Stakt Series.

I likely wouldn’t have made these pendants had it not been for the challenge (and the deadline). Lesson learned: if feeling creatively stuck, bored, or stifled try challenging yourself or your guild. The challenge can be very specific or as broad as a shape or color. Hopefully, you’ll strain your brain a bit and explore a technique you’ve been meaning to try or perhaps you’ll come up with something totally new!

Thanks, Clayville!!!

I made an observation at last week’s Foothill Quilters Guild quilt show. There was a lot of interest in polymer buttons and beads, but I heard many comments of the “I don’t just buy fabric and buttons to add to my collection any more; I only buy them with a specific project in mind” sort. It’s either the economy or the fact that the quilters stopping by my booth are like me and can’t fit one more thing in their studios (or a bit of both). Whatever the reason, people expressed a desire to find the buttons online. So, I finally scanned and posted some on my website. I have been woefully neglecting my site so will try to get some new work on it at least once a week!

Next weekend is the annual Placer County Autumn Art Studios Tour. More than 70 artists will present their works and the local wineries will be open for tasting as well. I’ll be at Fox Barrel Cider Company in Colfax as I have no “studio” to tour (I work at mini-stations throughout my house and garage).

The pendant/pin pictured will be given away in a drawing at the end of the weekend. If you’re able to stop by Fox Barrel to taste their delicious hard ciders please fill out an entry form!

Hope to see you there…

Maureen

I was so excited to finally see the November-December 2009 issue of Step by Step Beads on the magazine stand! One of my polymer clay necklaces, “Circles and Squares”, was chosen as a finalist in their first Colorworks Contest. The challenge was to create a piece of jewelry in the purple, green, and orange triad. Congratulations to the winner, Cheri Stewart, and the other finalists. I was so pleased to see two other polymer clay pieces on the page (by Lindly Haunani and Carol Simmons)!

Maureen
Maureen Thomas Designs