UNLOCKED

Nothing fancy here, but then again I usually don't prefer fancy jewelry. I had meaning to use some of my grandmother's old buttons, of which I have oodles, and put it together with an old key from my personal collection.. In the last house we owned I found a LOT of these keys. I love how the are so perfectly aged , and so mysterious....what were they all meant to unlock?!!

sterling silver chain, antique button and key, pc of rough citrine, lemon smokey quartz faceted briolettes.....oxidized....available on etsy.

ACT BEAUTIFULLY!

My last entry for Crowabout's challenge! I promise new jewelry tomorrow!! Thanks for looking.

WHY didn't anyone tell me this collage/zetti thing is so addicting??!

GROW

copyright sharon borsavage 8/30/2009

Here is my second creation for Crowabout Week 50 challenge. A big thanks to Nancy B. for giving us beautiful sheets every week to work with...... definitely helping me to grow as an artist!!

Little bird from Graphics Fairy, all other elements from Nancy's fabulous crowabout week 50 sheets, hand doodling by moi, and a little something I added to the background!

Background by JoesSistah: thank you!

A CROWABOUT ATC

Nancy at Crowabout gave us 3 lovely collage sheets to work with for 2 weeks for three chances to submit! The prize is a celebration of her 50Th crowabout week and she is offering a free pass to her upcoming online class she will be teaching! This is my first entry. I'm just warming up!

FORTUNATE

I have had the good fortune of having these two pair of earrings featured in the current September issue of Bead Trends magazine. The staff at Bead Trends is fabulous, the magazine has impeccable photography, the correspondence is always timely and professional, and they take great pains to get everything right! I think it is an outstanding magazine, and if you have the opportunity please check it out! My thanks goes out to them, and to all of you of course again who have helped me grow to this point. Thank you friends and Bead Trends!


And a special sweet THANK YOU to Christine Damm for featuring my creations in her gallery on her blog....Stories They Tell!!

GIVEAWAYS

Look at this fabulous giveaway! Julie Prichard of lostluggage.typepad.com is offering 2 free chances to a spot in her online Art Journling Super Nova courses!! Look HERE to see everything you can get in these classes!! How very talented she is and a very generous opportunity!! Make sure to check out her work....incredible!!

(I think I may have a problem in that I like sooooo many different styles of mixed media!!)

NEXT

On the jewelry end , check out The Art Bead Scene's giveaway of Green Girl Studio Charms!!!

All I can say is WOWEE!! All you have to do is leave a comment, or for an extra chance blog about it!! Who doesn't want some of Cynthia's gorgeous beads?!!

STOP MAKING SENSE!

copyright sharon borsavage 2009
This is a piece I did for a skinny book project, part of a Zettiology group on flickr, hosted by Jade of Jade's Funki Junk! Jade is a doll, and a great mixed media and zetty artist. Everyone(about 20 of us), makes an original piece of zetty art, and then ,makes 20 copies and mails them to Jade , and she will be kind enough to put them together and mail a book to everyone! I'm very excited to be involved with all of these terrific artists.

I really had fun with this piece! I can't explain how I enjoy this so much....once I start to play with pieces of collage items, and draw and color, my mind just keeps going, I could go forever, except fatigue usually takes over. It's like dreaming awake for me, a freight train speeding with ideas....I feel powerful, like I am describing something with pictures, my thoughts, my stories, my wild wishes. Like this girl, sometimes I wish I could shove my hand at someone and scream, "this is nonsense"! Sometimes I struggle through daily life fighting depression over the state of our world, and enviroment, and general attitude, I find it hard sometimes to not let that affect my day. Here, I know show you,a bit of my twisted little mind! lol!! For those of you not scared away yet...thank you for being a friend!

collage consists of girls face from Itkupilli.etsy.com, body from collage visions, hand from paper whimsy, bird and nonsense word from artchix, other words and eye from magazine clippings, everthing else hand drawn and cut.

Lunar

Yesterday's necklace made me feel like a nature walk, but today's earrings transported me to the sky and the moon. I am in love with these beads made by Christine Damm, the color and texture are luminous and addicting!! I feel good!

available on etsy

RAMBLER

available on etsy

I had a very productive weekend, and the creative juices were overflowing. A while ago I bought some gorgeeeous polymer clay beads from Christine Damm, these beauties you see here in the front, faux jade she calls them. Her work is amazing, and you can visit her here at her blog, Stories They Tell. Today it came together for me, and when I stepped back and looked at it, it reminded me of a rambling walk, looking at earth, sky, water, air, growth, and the little flashes of sparkle I see in between on my journeys. It again reminded me of how my work in mixed media has opened up a bit more color freedom for me in jewelry.
I finished a few more pieces also, which I'll post as the week goes on....

HELGA'S WEEKLY ART CHALLENGE

copyright Sharon Borsavage 8/21/2009. All rights reserved.

This week, Helga, from My Artistic Life, and owner of Artchix, gave us a challenge using a gorgeous masterboard that she created, and it was just beautiful in itself. It was sooooo much fun working with all of these beautiful colors and images....so this is what I came up with. The piece is 5"x7" and done on heavy scrapbook paper. The lady is an image from an Artchix collage sheet La Belle Femme, the birds, border, arms , nest and stars are from Helga's masterboard sheet, the wings are from Itkupilli.etsy, the words are from Artchix's Her Words collage sheet, and the crown is from Paper Whimsy. I added color to the background with oil pastels, markers, and gel pens. Guess I went nuts again, but it's so much fun I can't help myself!!

CHANGING

I think the freedom of expression I have been experiencing in creating mixed media has helped me see my jewelry making in a bit of a new light. I made these earrings recently, and I think for me they are a bit looser style, less refined than what I am used to, and RED....I rarely consider red as a color to work with, probably because I am so pale!!!, but when I won these gorgeous red glass beads from Cindy Gimbrone, along with the chinese coins, they called for me to do something. Asian and far eastern cultures have been appealing to me as of late, and that you will see surface in some of my art soon. Being a Gemini, I go in and out of styles, mediums, colors.....and get bored easily, and change obsessions often!! Is anyone else a Gemini??? I'd love to know if you experience the same thing. I can wake up in the morning with an urgency to do a specific thing, and by nighttime I won't even consider it because I think it's ridiculous!! I'm curious to know how many other people DRIVE THEMSELVES CRAZY?!!

Geek Love

This collage was created for a weekly challenge hosted by Nancy At Crowabout, and it was a blast! Nancy gives you a sheet of collage elements to work with and you create what you want using at least three of the elements, but she challenges you to use as much as you can. This week's sheet was a lot of fun, and the first thing I thought of when I started working on it was one of my all time favorite books, "Geek Love". A very strange book, but a great story that I can relate to in so many ways, and the characters always stick in my head!
Last week I was kind of timid on the challenge, but this week I decided to let loose, and I feel so much better, if that makes any sense!! And I think I'm in love!!! Ohhh what to do???, torn between jewelry and art!!

EASE

In between the mixed media, I made these this weekend. Guess I like familiar ground.

Sterling silver, patterned copper links, Gaea beads, and citrine drops!

PINK ARTIST DRAWING

A long time ago, I told myself that I would try to remember everyday to thank God for everything I have in my life, and in some small way try to do better each day. I made a deal that it doesn't have to be grand all the time, just SOMETHING that may help or make someone's life easier. Sometimes I forget and think my life is difficult, and I am usually rudely reminded of the trials, tribulations, and horrors that others may be facing. So in my small teeny way I am trying to help some very kind blog friends spread the word about helping women with breast cancer, and donating something I made for the cause. You can read all the details here which came from MONICA of GIRL GONE THREAD WILD's blog. This woman has amazingly put together this project for the benefit of others... I implore you to visit her blog and read about this effort, and everyone involved, and do what you can. If you give just a little you will have a chance to win this bracelet that I have donated , and also so many other wildly amazing gifts from artists all over! I discovered Monica's blog through a new collage art friend, who has already fascinated me with her generousity, kindness, caring, and goodwill, and I think I have known her all of 2 days!! Marsha at Tumblefish Studio has confirmed again for me today that when I think things are tough....there is HOPE! Please make a small donation if you can and spread the HOPE. You all know me and my hope!! It works!!

How to give: Monetary donations will be accepted starting July 31st up until October 15, which is the OFFICIAL day of the drawing. The month of October is as you know Breast Cancer Awareness month. Together we'll make this a fun & rewarding way to HELP others. Donations being accepted are money orders made out to Susan G. Komen and mailed to Monica Magness PO Box 2206 Madison, AL 35758 where your name will be entered into our drawing & donations will be collected and sent in to our charity on Oct. 22nd. Sorry, no personal checks. Cash sent at your own risk. Or you can paypal your donation to

MLMagness@aol.com with the subject header: THE PINK ARTIST DRAWING and your name will go into our drawing and ALL funds will be forwarded to our charity. Please note that paypal takes a fee to operate, be sure to take this into consideration when making your donation. Please make sure your name and address are legible (typed is best for accuracy). Though ANY donation amount is cheerfully accepted, for every $10 donation you send in your name will be entered into our drawing twice. A PAYPAL button will be available on this blog starting July 31st.

The winners names will be announced on my blog on October 17th.

THE ERROR SIDE OF TRAILS AND ERRORS

Yes, I will show the bad, and not always the good. I decided to show what I think is an error, or not one of my best attempts at an ATC, but an attempt. I'm hoping I can learn from this experience. Of course, when I started this, I thought I had a good idea of what I wanted this to look like, but it didn't turn out like that at all. I like everything about it except the lady, which is supposed to be the focal, but is very distracting . I would like her to stand out more, but I don't work in photoshop, I really like to paint, color, draw, the physical application of it.....the movement in my body like making a mark makes me feel good! I really like the way markers look and make things pop, but sometimes they are just too too strong and neon looking. I'm not quite sure how to do what I want to do....... Now that I'm writing this and looking at it at the same time, I'm considering replacing the woman altogether with another figure of some kind, and use her in another piece. Just writing this post is changing things for me. I have much more reading to do on techniques, but probably more importantly I just need to keep making. One thing I will not do is get rid of it. When I was in college, my early years....I hated a lot of what I made, hence, throwing it all away....and subsequent memory flashes of the past have made me regret doing that. Sometimes it's just a bad day that makes me see things in a bad way... it was not really really bad, but kinda crappy, things breaking, day job sucks, money issues, and just everyone in the house getting on each other's nerves. Sometimes, like now, just talking to all of you makes it easier to step aside, take a look from a distance, and try again to work it out.

BECOMING LIGHT

There is a little story behind my moth....I'll call her my muse. The title, Becoming Light, is taken from a poem in my brother's poetry book...."The World In Place Of Itself", and the poem is called "On Becoming Light". I have been trying to think of a way that I could connect to his creativity with mine, since I adore his work, although dark at times....very real...and meaningful to me. So when Deryn posted Project 19 from Mary Hettmanssperger's book, everything clicked. Credit given to Deryn for another awesome idea of keeping the Stitched Segments pin free of the pin, so maybe later it could be used as an embellishment for a journal or mixed media of some sort.....SOOOOOOO.. ...I am taking that idea to start(in my spare time of course!) a journal , to track the travel of the moth through my world and his, to use it's representation as a guiding light, not really the way Bill interpreted it! I can wear the moth until my journal is complete, and then I can embellish the cover with it somhow by just undoing the ribbon.
Deryn's challenge is to work through Mary's book, and this is called the Stiched Segment's Pin. I made mine out of patterned sheet brass from Objects and Elements, and put in a touch of bling with a vintage garnet bead, crytal spacer, and a beautiful bali bead. Sewn together with sterling silver, annealed, hammered, and antiqued with liver of sulfer. Hangs from the beautifully spun string of the Objects and Elements Sari Silk.
Since beginning some mixed media projects, I am started to feel more of a connection between words, paper, and jewelry, and so begins the journey of the moth.......

PRETTY KITTY

Here are two ATC's I created for Helga's Art Challenge of the Week, over at My ARTistic Life.
This was loads of fun, and really helped me focus! I used scrapbook paper, cat images from free clip art Viking, the ladies face and hat from Artchix, sticker of the bird, and rub ons. Thankfully my Artchix order arrived just in time!! And I have met some really nice artists over there! So even if your not creating ATC's or mixed media, go give them a visit for some inspiration!!

VICTORIAN PUNK

My other piece published in Bead Trends August issue.

(just a note....my Chameleon bracelet is now available on etsy!!)

MENAGERIE

I was honored again this month to have two of my pieces featured in the August issue of Bead Trends magazine. I thought I would share this photo of one of the pieces, since I have heard quite a few people say that can't find the magazine. This is probably one of my all time favorite pieces, I wear it with almost everything, and it's just feels unique to me. I hand forged all the chain pieces myself out of 18gauge sterling, and the form for the pendant is 16 gauge, the rest is wrapped with 26 gauge. I like making these because each one will be different! It's my interpretation of" painting in jewelry" technique! I have listed a similar one on etsy , but more affordable as it doesn't have the hand made chain, but it can be made either way. It can be a painting just for you!

ROUND 2

More ATC's. I don't know what's going on...I just keep going! I really wish I had at least a minimum of another 6 hours in the day.......
I hope you all just keep bearing with me as I try to work through this thing that I am absolutely falling in love with!!
More jewelry tomorrow though!! Back and forth, back and forth!!!! Does anyone else feel like this?!!!