Monday, March 29, 2010

Hourglass Paper Beads

I've finally realized that if I want to be better about updating this blog regularly, I should stop worrying so much about writing profound things and focus more on putting up pictures of my beads. I suspect that's what most of my readers are looking for anyway!

(Excuse my occasional foray back into deep thoughts, though--I am what I am!)

I made these beads a while ago but hadn't ever posted a picture. This paper was half and half found/painted. It was scrapbook paper that I added color to; the background was originally white. I cut these strips in 3/4 inch rectangles, then cut long triangles out of the rectangles to leave two separate strips for rolling. I love making paper beads in unusual shapes.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Purple Paper Beads


I love the way these colors came out! These were just a simple, traditional paper bead shape, but the handpainted colors on them make these paper beads pop.

I used 12x18 inch paper and painted it with a mixture of purple and red acrylic paint. Once it dried, I cut it into 1 1/2 inch triangles, measuring along the longer side of the paper so my triangles were 12 inches long. Then I rolled them and gave them three coats of polycrylic, as always, and--wow! Paper beads with pizazz!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Dictionary Beads


It's been Spring Break at our house this week, and I haven't gotten much done, except for playing with my son. We went to Six Flags twice this week--I love roller coasters! My husband and my best friend both hate them, so I don't know who I'll get to ride and scream with me once my son grows up and moves away. Guess I won't worry about that yet.

Said best friend is in Disney World with her family this week, where she's letting them ride the scary rides without her. She sent me a text a few days ago to say she found paper beads for sale in one of the gift shops there. I haven't seen the pictures yet, but I'm excited to hear it. Paper beads are catching on!

The picture up there (you knew I'd get to it eventually) is of the one paper bead set I have managed to finish this week. I made these with pages from an old dictionary. I had to glue two pages together, lengthwise, to be able to get the length of strip I needed, and I had to be careful about cutting margins away. I didn't want to roll up all those lovely words and end up with blank margin at the end of my strip! I thought I might make another set later and give the paper a tea wash first so it would look more aged. I still might do that, but once the paper was rolled and glossed, it had more of an aged tint to it than I expected.

I think I say this about every bead set I make, but I love the way these came out.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Paste Painted Paper Beads


I love the way these beads came out. If I had used red rather than orange, they'd look like little barber shop poles...

I painted these beads with tinted cornstarch paste. That gave me the ability to craw designs in the paint before it dried, which gave a nice texture to the paper. Plus it was a lot of fun! Here's how I did it.

I made a cornstarch paste by mixing 1/4 cup cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Once it was well blended, I added another cup of water and heated it until it was thick. I stirred in a final 1/2 cup of water, then let it cool.

Once it was cool, I stirred in some acrylic paint in the color I wanted. Then I used a big, thick paintbrush to wet my paper, then painted a thickish layer of the colored paste over the whole page.

Once you're at that stage, let your imagination run wild to choose an implement to etch a design in your paint. I did these by drawing a silicone basting brush in diagonal lines across the paper. I did another page by scrunching up waxed paper and dabbing it over the paper.

Once the paper was dry, I ironed the back side at low heat before I cut and rolled it into beads. These strips were 3/4 inch at the wide end and 3/8 inch at the narrow end. I also did some 3/8 inch little round beads with the triangles that resulted from cutting the paper into blunt strips. My paper was 12x18 inches to start with.

Again, I encourage you to experiment in your own art. Don't be boring!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Art Out There



What a gorgeous day here in North Texas! I rolled a few beads, but I spent most of the day outside with my family. We went hiking at the state park near our house--still awfully muddy, but after being shut up in the house for so long, the sunshine was a wonderful inspiration.

I've been entranced lately (over the last six months or so) by noticing the pattern tree branches make against the sky. Such stark outlines, like God's pencil sketches. Of course they're less stark in the full bloom of summer, but it's still a sharp contrast against the blue of the sky. These in this photograph were particularly interesting. This tree had bark at the bottom, but the top branches were stripped bare to white. Bizarre.

I can't say I particularly try to copy any of these patterns when I'm making art to create beads from, but I always feel inspired in my art after being out in nature. I think I feel a connection to the first Creator, who provides such beauty for us to enjoy.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Granite Paper Beads


I just had to post a picture of these newest beads I listed on my Etsy site, because they might be my favorite ones yet! Can you believe this set of beads began life as a sheet of plain white paper? These beads are the result of the experiment I mentioned several posts earlier--the one where I was trying to imitate a restaurant wall I loved. To me they look like a polished granite countertop.

I used a mixture of blue and green paint to create that deep turquoise color, then I added some bronze paint and sponged it all over my paper. Then I cut strips that were 1/2 inch on one end, narrowing to 1/4 inch at the other end. The spacer beads are 1/4 inch triangles. I gave these beads four coats of the polycrylic gloss.

I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again... the wonderful thing about art is that it's ALL available to you. Any idea is open for trying. You may fail spectacularly, like when I tried rolling sandpaper into a bead. (Hint: that doesn't work!) Or you may create something beautiful. But the fun is in the experiment.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Still a Writer, Too

I've been feeling kind of odd lately about switching my creative energy to bead-making. I love it, and yet it's weird, because I've considered myself a fiction writer for most of my life. (Well, except for the period when I was an actress, but that's another saga altogether.)

I'd made my peace with it over the last week or so, mostly as a result of re-reading Colleen Hubbard's book Big Purple Mommy: Nurturing Our Creative Work, Our Children, and Ourselves She discusses being a mother who creates, in whatever form that takes. In that book, I heard the similarities between writers and artists and actors and dancers, and I realized I didn't have to choose--absolutely--what kind of creator I am. I am, simply, one who must create. Something.

And tonight I got a wonderful reminder that switching my energy to visual arts for a time doesn't negate my writing. I just got a contract for a sketch script I submitted to Drama Ministry over a year ago. Somehow, it confirms everything. Yes, I am an artist. And a writer. And an actress. As well as a wife and mother and woman. I use my creativity to shape the world around me.

It's coming out beautifully.