Kay's Artycles

I've been busy and rewarded

2011-05-09T01:19:00.000-07:00

Lots has happened since my last entry, so probably not worth making this a great long thing too hard to read.

Suffice to say that time has been running away, some of it squandered, lots of it shared.

The piece I entered into the Swarovski Competition, Winter, was in the finals but not in the top 10. I am proud that this piece made it so far. The series was an important step for me and taught me a lot about myself.

I attended Fibres Ballarat just before Easter. A super duper fun time with so much to learn and enjoy it's taken me a while to even come back to earth. I was there on a scholarship, so thanks to Bead Society of Victoria and Fibre Arts Australia, or I would not have been able to attend. My tutor was Karen Torrisi, and her enthusiasm and skills are unbounded. I've been very pleased with the results I put out. If I can get some decent photos I'll add them later

My brain has been doing overtime, as I saw and absorbed so many beautiful and creative sights whilst in Ballarat, I've been jotting all sorts of notes in my ideas book. Now I just need to get off the beeeehind and do them.

Our move to this small cottage in Loch has been an interesting one. I'm not a tidy person by nature and I'm finding it a real challenge to create a good working space in which I can work creatively and remain reasonably ordered. I can tell you right now, it ain't happened yet.

I entered 5 of my pieces of jewellery and wearable art to Mirboo North's 30th Annual Art Show which is an amazing event now part of a whole festival known as Artygras. I got a huge thrill when Bill and I attended opening night, to discover that 'Pearl Paisley' won best of Jewellery at the event, and 'Flotsam' was sold, so it was worth venturing out of the comfort zone wasn't it!?!

I'm busy gathering materials together for a series of workshops I'm conducting through Lang Lang Community Centre and a demonstration day at Corinella Community Centre, two of which are not necessarily jewellery related. In fact I've broadened the scope of the website to now encompass some textiles and fibres for those who want to venture into making Kumihimo braids and who like to mix their media.

I'd better sign off and organise a meal, I felt sure it was still afternoon?

Just a quick one...

2011-02-09T18:46:00.000-08:00

I should be packing but I thought I'd share a nice story. Recently there was an article in the local paper about my receiving a scholarship to attend Ballarat Fibre Arts in April. At Loch's Craft and Quilt Festival held here on Sunday just gone 6th February, a lady asked me if I would accept a vintage dress, which she'd rescued over 10 years ago from a trip to the tip. I agreed, figuring I could show my pals at the Bead Society of Victoria, knowing they'd be able to help me find out where to pass it on to for posterity. Well, this dress is amazing. I feel quite honoured to have been it's custodian even for such a short while. I've had it hanging in the studio and the shop and it never ceases to surprise me each time I look at it. There was also a cape or sleeves or something which is so badly damaged it's hard to work out what shape it was originally, the set having been used as 'dress ups' for young children at some stage in it's life.

This weekend I'll take it to the February meeting of the Bead Society. I understand some of the girls have met a conservator from the Museum so maybe this is that path the lovely frock shall take. I do have a small page of information about it's original owner and have subsequently looked up the good old google and worked out a bit more about her parentage however, not much about her. Still, all info is good.

Sorry photos are not too good, not really time to do a good set of photos but I thought it was worth the share.

We'll be moving in 5 days. The sale in the shop is going reasonably well, I'd like to sell more before we go and have now lengthened the sale online to the end of the month and upped the discount to 20% Instore here at Loch it's now 50% off most items either finished or beads and findings (with some exceptions) Maybe there might not be so much to move.

Stopping to catch breath

2011-01-04T23:49:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Wow, I couldn't believe it was so long since I had posted last. It's certainly been a roller coaster since then. Our son in law had a nasty accident at work, and things were touch and go a while there. I'm glad to say he's slowly coming good, it will be a long haul, and I'm only too conscious of the distance between here and Kalgoorlie.

Added to that things have gone 'pear shaped' to coin the vernacular with our shop lease and rather than persist, we have decided to take more care of ourselves from here on, and will close the retail outlet of Kay's Artycles. The website however, will, once we have moved and settled a bit, be upgraded and added to extensively. There soon will be all the beady delights and temptations formerly only available at the Loch Shop available online. (now the imagination could get a little carried away with all that statement I suppose!) We intend to stay in Loch and find suitable accommodation enabling us to work from home and I will place work in selected galleries and retail outlets as well as sell online, my own work. The move will take place around mid February and this involves both the residential furniture etc and inventory from shop being relocated...UGH!

On a brighter note I'm proud to have been awarded a scholarship by Bead Society of Victoria in conjunction with Fibres Australia, to a workshop with Karen Torrisi in Ballarat in April. This is in the domain that I'm most comfortable, dabbling with fibre and beads together. So I'm sure to get a whole lot of benefit from this exciting event.

My piece from the four seasons 'Winter' went into the Finals of the Create Your Style Creative Beading Awards. I'm champing at the bit to find out who wins this prestigious award and would love to be up there in the prize winners circle, but will have to have patience until they finally announce the winners.

I've been hard at work, however, have very little to show you for all the hours I seem to be spending at my beading desk. I'm pretty much just popping out popular styles that sell well over this busy time for us. We are open every day from 10am to 4pm, so apart from Christmas day we've been on duty since late November.

I can see I am going to have to take the Christmas tree down tomorrow or I'm going to look a bit sad, being the only one still 'Celebrating' Christmas in our village streetscape.

I'll leave you with a pretty little bracelet now on it's way to South Australia, not a very good photo but it still shows I've not been idle.

Am I blue????

2010-10-28T23:08:00.000-07:00

Hahaha, not really but I'm certainly working with a bit of blue at the moment.

I've just finished my darling daughter's birthday present, it has a beautiful little opal in it's clasp and so I've used Swarovski air blue opal bicones to highlight this at each end of the finely woven chain done in 28 gauge wire, done by Bill (thanks darling). Bill's chains are soooo much better than mine.

Next I did a bracelet using all Swarovski air blue opal crystal. I found some interesting sliders which had the spot to glue in a 5mm flat back crystal, so I set them with some in the same colour as the little chatons and bicones and made this "forget me not bracelet".

I figured that since I was on a roll, so to speak, I would tackle my dear online buddy's challenge. Helena from Clearly Chosen created a challenge using some lovely Swarovski elements, so I created a bracelet which I've named 'Night garden' using all the beads in the pack plus a few more of the same colour plus a few in lilac opal, all with lovely sterling silver flowers and leaves, chain and pins and finished with a sterling flower toggle.

I'm also pleased to have received word today that I have received a scholarship to attend Fibres Ballarat '11. to attend a workshop on Beaded Embellished adornments with Karen Torrisi next April. So what a delight that has been for me. Bill has dashed around and invited some near and dear friends, who will come and help us celebrate over a glass of bubbly tonight with a BBQ.

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy.....

2010-10-01T00:32:00.001-07:00

Well that's how the lyrics of the Late John Denver go..... Standing at my counter serving customers this afternoon I was struck by just how lovely it is to have sunshine pour through the window and onto my shoulders. That's when the song curled it's way through my brain. It's kinda stuck there at the moment and I'm certainly not even warm anymore, as soon as those lovely rays disappear, the building really cools down again. I'm hoping that Spring is really here, the birds are nesting (they've pinched all the fibres out of the coir doormat) The flowers are budding and there is certainly a change in the air. I could have done with some of the inspiration way back at the beginning of September when I was trying to finish the last of the 'Four Seasons' I've been working on.

Spring was completed from my notebook and really the interpretation came off quite well I think. The flowers were made by Jan Cahill especially and they are so dainty and exquisite they just make it. The copper and dragonfly etc all came together and I feel they look pretty close to my original concept.

Summer was a challenge, I made it whilst wearing two jumpers a coat and a pair of mittens with a hot-water bottle on my lap. I could not even conceptualize it in a sketch, so just had a go at winging it. Despite not being quite the same 'feel' as the first four in the set, I still feel quite happy with it and feel that it is warm and happy like the season.

Pardon the quality of the photos, I just snapped them quickly to show them, I'll publish the whole set a bit later. I've entered winter into the Swarovski Competition and I don't really want to publish it until I find out how it fares. It will be at least the end of the month before entrants hear anything.

It's nearly Bead Expo, in fact as I write this today I realize it's only 42 days. I've got so much stock sitting around that needs bagging and putting up onto the website and still boxes to come from overseas, let's hope my goodies are all organised so I can show all those keen beaders what I have found for them to drool over (and hopefully buy up!)

My Newsletter from Kay's Artycles has finally been sent out - one day I will shock everyone and send it out on time without having missed a month!

I'm just about to close down the computer and head off to the lovely home we're house-sitting. Friends are overseas and we are looking after two beautiful Standard Poodles. It's been a real treat, living in a beautiful home with funny affectionate souls Bonny and Charlie. One thing I'm treasuring is the peace and time for us. We haven't been sitting on our respective computers working, just enjoying each others' company. Perhaps it is a reminder that we should be doing this all the time not just when we can't access the computers to work late into the evenings.

Consumerism at it's most blatant

2010-08-12T02:02:00.000-07:00

I'm just home having spent two days at the Melbourne's Reed Gift Fair. Apart from a brief break for the Thanksgiving Service for the life of my dear uncle Ron, Dad's Brother.

Considering how much space, energy, resources, money is spent on this event - not just in Victoria - but around the country, I'm flabbergasted at what and how much people spend money on 'things'.

Yes, I was there, in my capacity as a retailer and therefore as a cog in the wheel of all this, I was contributing in some way to this spendfest. However, it was just the sheer quantity and 'stuff and nonsense' that I'm reeling from. When you consider the size of "Jeff's Shed" and indeed the Melbourne Showgrounds and know that these were all filled to capacity, you can get what I'm talking about. The logistics must have been mind boggling. All praise to the organisers, it was reasonably pain free - let me rephrase that, trouble free (my feet objected at that last comment) I am just reeling at the prospects of having spent more than I'd budgeted on and hope that my customers will think my taste in goodies worth spending their hard earned dollars on for their loved ones for Christmas or whatever. I'd like to add here that I've concentrated on purchasing items that are fair trade wherever possible.

On a lighter note. I've been playing with felting these last few weeks since attending a workshop at the Craft and Quilt fair in Melbourne recently. I made a scarf at the workshop, which has been worn very frequently since being made, I had such fun and the result was very pleasing to me anyway. Subsequently have had a play with my next door neighbour and talented silk artist Jan Wishart and we've made some fun pieces together. Next week a group of us within the village of Loch are all going to gather at the lovely Royal Hotel Loch and have a play day making some samples and more scarves of our own using the technique I recently learned. This is not a professional workshop, just a sharing of information and fun with friends. We'll share this and some scrummy soup with Sybil Leris and hopefully turn out some wearable pieces of art at the end of the day. Hopefully you will see some special results from the day in the next post. a snapshot close-up of my scarf

example of wool and silk on silk fabric

example of felt on Muslin

Till next time.

It's a constant balancing act

2010-07-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

I often wonder how people manage their own lives. Mine always seems to be a constant balancing act, not necessarily succeeding, as I seem to be picking up the dropped bits, or picking myself up off the floor all too regularly. Running the nuts and bolts of a business, keeping up with loved ones, creating the pieces to put into that business, domesticity (not that I can be accused of doing much of that I'm afraid- but I do cook and shop for victuals) having some form of social life, community work, occasionally resting. Sometimes there is no room left to create the soul-restoring art pieces, or in fact to just simply sit and be with myself and do nothing.

Are we all on this treadmill? Do others manage it better than me or are they more successful at hiding the failures?

I've got a number of really important projects on my drawing board (Important to me anyway) but have not been able to divert sufficient time to start any of them. I'm chipping away at the chaos that is my studio and things have improved there. I'm gradually making inroads into bookwork, once those are a conquest, I'm determined to have them within a short period of being up to date at all times.

On a less serious note, I enjoyed completing this necklace last night. The chain having been in some form of progress for a while, the completion was quite quick. This is one of those pieces I'm hoping will be versatile. Being quite long it can be wrapped around twice and worn as a choker. The toggle will pull through and can be worn in a lariat style, the focal elements can be worn symmetrically or asymmetrically. The theme behind it was Beading Forum's Year of Jewellery, Myths and Legends. I've used the 'myth or legend' around healing properties of various stones and metals. Copper, Carnelian and Agate. Byzantine weave chain maille and a pretty leaf toggle - jump rings and clasps available online at Kay's Artycles

Well, I'd better get back to the sorting and organising before I'm off to a meeting about creating an art and craft event in our lovely Loch village for 2011, before heading out with friends to a Vietnamese Dinner

Baby it's cold outside..........

2010-07-02T23:40:00.001-07:00

I'm really feeling the cold this year. Thank goodness for scarves and fingerless gloves, I love 'em. I've certainly been selling heaps of warm goodies in the shop. From hand-knitted scarves which have been embellished with flowers and tassels, funky hats with cute brooches made of felt, very cute felt jester boots for children and adults to ponchos and wraps, they have all been cheerfully purchased and quite often worn straight away. These two pretty girls (I'm a bit biased Colleen, on the left, is my niece, Tara is her friend) are proud owners and modelling neck-warmer critters made by my friend Helena, such a cute way to stay warm. I think I'll have to get some more in stock now

I've also sold a heap of the beautiful recycled sari silk twist yarn. It makes beautiful accessories and I think it will be embellishing quite a few projects this season. I originally bought it in thinking it would be good for doing some kumihimo braiding, but so far haven't done it yet. The pile on the 'back-burner' gets bigger every day I fear.

I've got another 'piece' on the drawing board. This one is based on Winter. I have a fairly clear picture of the finished neck-piece in my mind's eye, all I need to do is gather the components together. Before I get started though, I must clear the desk of other jobs. So hopefully by next blog I'll have something to report.

Back on deck....where has the time gone?

2010-06-27T16:57:00.002-07:00

It's been a whirlwind, chaotic and emotionally draining year to date. Hence no blog entry. I won't bore you with all the 'stuff' that happened, but will outline the major events that will forever be in my mind as the year of 2010. My darling Dad who had been ill for quite some time with a really rare disease Amyloidosis, went downhill rapidly from just before Christmas, and he passed away on 3rd May. A truly beautiful, loving and gentle man and not just my opinion (of course I'm biased)- our family was gathered together for the thanksgiving service for his life and the people who came to give him tribute all gave the same message to us. The service was such a loving and happy remembrance of him. Not a day goes by when I don't think about him, I go down to be with Mum each week for a day or two, not just to help her but to help myself work through this time of grief. Bill (my darling husband) has been a total hero for me during this time. Supporting me emotionally and physically, by keeping the 'home fires burning' and looking after the shop.

The other major ordeal for me has been the concern for

my youngest grandson Brody.

My daughter and her family live in Kalgoorlie, Brody was diagnosed with kidney problems and had to undergo surgery. When first diagnosed I aimed to be with them for the surgery to support her in looking after him. However this all coincided with Dad's decline and in the end we decided I was better at home supporting Mum. The operation went fine and his recovery has been very good. This morning he is back in Royal Perth Hospital for his next operation, hopefully all will be well and he'll be out again maybe tonight (this one is a day procedure only we hope).

I won't bore you with any other 'stuff' I'm looking to the positives now. Business is building here in the new place. Mainly through hard slog and attention to our customers. I'm stocking all sorts of other accessories and some other artists' jewellery too, which takes the pressure off me.

The bead shop has increased dramatically. My main aim is to stock the interesting and unique along with broad range of findings and a good selection of wire and altered art materials. All the things that I like working with myself. The website continues to build and each week more products are added. Thankfully my customer base is also continuing to build and I look forward to the day when the website competes with the bricks'n'mortar shop.

I'm teaching more off-site than here at the studio at present. I've restructured the teaching so that instead of teaching a set program and expecting students to adhere to a timetable and subject I've set, we've created an 'a la carte teaching' program. During the year when the shop is not open 7 days per week - approximately mid April to mid October - I am available to teach either here or at student's home or community centre etc. a class created around their specific

needs. One example: Two ladies who wanted to learn a couple of basic chain maille weaves came and spent a couple of hours happily learning enough to go and play at home with the new techniques they learned. Another example: a student, already quite capable beader in her own right, wanted to refine some skills and learn some finishing techniques, we had an hour together and she's well and truly sailing now!

Artistically, it's been a drought. I've really struggled to create anything, even work on the simple 'bread and butter' work. I'm glad to say that the light is on at the end of the tunnel and I've started to dream pieces again. When the work starts to invade my dreams again, I start to feel safe and secure again. Sad but true. The pictured piece is 'Autumn', hopefully the first of a series of seasonal neck pieces. I've got the 'Winter' piece in clear picture in my head, only need to hatch it :-)

I'd better load up some pictures and head out and tackle the backlog. Chat soon.

Totally out of control

2009-10-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

I so wanted to write up my trip - time runs away from me - I'll try and catch up later with more tales of the trip.

We've moved house, studio and shop and it's been hectic to say the least

Now my darling little Chiquita Chihuahua passed away last week, I felt I wanted to mark her passing. This sweet creature came into my life almost 14 years ago when I was really hurting after the breakup of my marriage and my children were going for visits to their Dad for around 3 days out of every week. The lonely days became much more bearable with Chiqui. She was pocket sized literally in those days and I would carry her in my coat pocket when I went for a walk. Probably this is the reason why she never would walk on a leash!

There are many stories to tell, I won't fill up the page with them now, but my favourite is that she was very fond of men, particularly my son and my father. One day when Mum and Dad were visiting she tried very hard to go home with them, but was not big enough to jump up into the car. (that's loyalty for you!) Her nicknames varied from Chiqui (Cheeky), Chipolata, Chook-eater (friends Chris and Gail called her that such a hoot of a name) Micromutt, and my normal names 'Bubby' or 'Darling'.

She's buried in her little bed, in the garden of our new abode - a beautiful garden, and she has a miniature LillyPilly over her to protect her. This week a tiny figurine of a Chihuahua just like her arrived and I'll mount it on a rock and sit it with the bush. Rest in sunshine dear little friend.

The best sort of holiday....

2009-07-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

Less than 24 hours after commencing on the cruise, I was convinced that this is the only way to have a holiday. Our hosts, Nick the captain and tourguide and Irene the cook, deck hand, (you name it she did it with ease and skill) not to forget dear little Megan the border collie, made us feel welcome. I loved the walking pace of the boat. The countryside was beautiful and I totally loved that I didn't have to cook and shop and so on. In fact although I brought some jewellery projects with me plus sketch book and so on. I hardly did anything during the 10 days as I basically gazed out the window and took photos. We did of course leave the boat to do excursions, Bill also helped with the locks.

Here are some more images....

Beginning 10 days of leisure on a Narrowboat

2009-07-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

We met up with our hosts (for the next 10 days) at Northwich which is not far from Chester.

After a short briefing so we knew how to work the various "bit's'n'bobs" in the wee little bathroom (very cute) and stow the gear we set off to have a short cruise up the river Weaver toward the Anderton Lift.

This was an amazing lift which takes the narrow boat (or indeed any vessel within the size range) from one level to the other. See snapshots below.

Chester

2009-07-14T00:44:00.000-07:00

We had a day in Chester before commencing our Narrowboat Cruise. I was very taken with the lovely tudor buildings. I'm only sharing a few of the snaps don't worry.

I loved that there were bits of Roman wall and old architecture married with later periods.

I also fell in love with this hat shop. I'm such a sucker for hats.

After this we joined our cruise and had 10 extraordinary days relaxing away our cares.

What I did on my holiday....

2009-07-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

Ha Ha, this reminds me of first day back from term holidays and we have to write an essay.

Well I have a month of holiday to share and soooooooo many photos I thought I'd just share a few and begin with the most relaxing part of our time away. So what I'll do is enter a post for each section.

We left on a cold sort of Melbourne day and arrived in lovely sunshine after long hours of travelling at Manchester airport and went directly to the Manchester Picadilly Station to catch our train to Chester for our first night. So here are two shots, of the station the lines interested me so they're a bit unusual in their aspect.

Still playing with bails

2009-05-25T17:15:00.000-07:00

I had a really relaxing play last night. Having spent the day head down tail up on the computer doing all sorts of things I HAD to do, I felt justified in spending the evening at my bench.

So .... using a strip from the other piece of

metal that was the "sandwich" of watch parts through the mill, not sterling silver this time but I think guilders brass or something like that, it looks like silver but it's really hard. (I'll have to find out tonight in class)

I formed another bail and decorated the front with a reversed bead cap in brass and a crystal rondelle. Now this was a lot trickier than I'd counted on, as the wire going through the crystal had to be really fine - around 22gauge 0.6mm but I'd drilled a bigger hole (yes silly me - but I thought I was going to do a plain connection until I

had the idea of putting in the crystal) anyway

problem solved using a small cog from one of the watchparts I used in the rolling process.

I got these sweet little bits in a collection from Dani of The Whimsical Bead, thanks Dani.

Anyway... long story shorter.. here's the result. (seeing it in closeup I can see I still need to sand off

a few file marks - oh dear)

With an influence of steampunk

2009-05-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

I completed another pendant last night. This style is totally different for me. I quite like the steampunk look and this big bail has been created with that in mind. The sterling silver was rolled in a rolling mill with watch parts, doodled apon with the dremel and stamped with some letters and numbers. It has been bent over to form the bail and once again I've used rivetting as my connection device. The stone pendant is a jasper (I think). The viking wire weave chain was made by my husband Bill.

Jasper pendant completed

2009-05-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

Slow progress here...

I finished the pendant by adding the gallery wire bail in copper with further riveting, so the pendant is kinetic. It doesn't spin freely as I've made it too tight for that, but it does move easily. The chain is one of Bill's two-toned Viking wire chains using copper and chocolate coloured artistic wire. I haven't made the cones and clasp yet, that's next on the list.

Today I've added the slideshow of some completed pieces mostly long gone to their new owners.

I'll have to concentrate on organising the studio for the rest of the day, it's cold and breezy today.

A riveting experience this afternoon ...

2009-05-10T01:20:00.000-07:00

Not really, just practising the art of riveting, pieces of metal and glass or stone together!

I'm really enjoying my evening class doing metalwork for jewellery at Box Hill Institute with Monica Szwaja so much so that I'm actually doing a repeat class. No, I'm not a slow learner. Monica is a wonderfully enthusiastic teacher who supports us in the direction each of us wants to go in. I'm mainly learning new techniques to assist me in my quest for more interesting and better quality jewellery pieces. It does mean an hour and half drive each way, but well worth it I think.

This is a piece of Jasper in a donut shape into which I've riveted a pair of Chinese coins left over from a holiday many years ago. I'll make a bail and turn it into a pendant next.

Next picture is a tribal disc of glass 20mm x 5mm into which I've riveted two domed discs of copper to make a fatter two toned bead. This will join others for a necklace eventually.

Now the trick is to be able to make more of these the same.

2009-05-07T00:28:00.000-07:00

I've been busy doing repairs and work for clients today and thought I'd share this little treasure.

This is a belt buckle, not sure how old, but probably from the 40s maybe? This is how it came to me.

After removing the remaining diamante stones and giving it a good scrub and polish...

Now this is how it looks, having replaced all the crystal diamante stones and giving it a final polish. It's ready to be picked up and loved all over again by the owner.

Started a Blog well how about that?!

2009-05-04T02:21:00.000-07:00

Well how about that! I've just started a Blog. I thought it would be good to put a bit of background in on the process of creating my pieces. So for now. I've just started the process of this framework and will add the reall bits'n'pieces with photos as soon as I can.