Okay it's been way to long since I posted and a lot  has been going on.  I'm in Culture without borders again.  2 pieces one watercolor and one pastel.  My bead weaving piece didn't get in.  I've entered fmg's mostly metal contest.  They are now doing a seed bead contest.  This contest is open till the end of May!   This is a new ad!  Yeah it running in a blog and this image brings you to my artfire store.  DesigningRose on artfire.  The name of the blog is A splendid assemblage.I have high hopes.  I used operation wonderful.  I'm probable going to try being a publisher also and try to get ads on my blog.  firemountaingems is doing ... » Read More

This technique is called plique a jour.  Plique a jour means light of day.  They are like stained glass windows.  Light is meant to go through them.  This technique is one that I did not pick up in a class.  I love stained glass windows and I do use light in several of my bead woven paintings.  I did however feel a little insecure not having someone to ask questions of.  I have found out a few things using this technique.    I'm in touch with a woman who does plique a jour and I have talked with her on line.   She uses lost wax cast to create the framework for her plique a jour.  It's recommended that fine silver be used for plique a j... » Read More

Recently I've joined some groups on Link in.  These are very interesting groups and for the most part they are giving out incredible good advise in an extremely articulate fashion.  One of the best pieces of advise was from a woman talking about blogging.  She said to pick a certain day to publish your blog.  This way followers can count on it being there on a certain day and you can build up a following.  Extremely good advise and I meant to follow it!  Then life got in the way.  It's the end of the year,so finals are coming up,my son is working on his bar mitvah.  We aren't at all ready and have no idea how to pay for this.  His grades ... » Read More

This painting was done while my son was in Sunday school.  Because Alex has diabetes we've been asked to stay in the area.  In a way this is reassuring, diabetes can be life threatening.  It hasn't been for Alex but his Dr. said that is at least partially because, we stay on top of it.  I used to go exorcize when Alex was in class.  Now I work on jewelery or I paint.  This one was done when the tulips that were plated at our synagog came into bloom,unfortunately,this only lasts a couple of weeks.  They're gone now.  1 and 12 hours in not enough to get much done.  I usually like to explore some technical aspect when painting.  In this pai... » Read More

Last week I was sick and my family was sick.  In fact,I had to keep my sixth grader home because of vomiting and fever.  We were not a fun household.  The wiz did his best to not catch anything by staying at work as much as he could.  This had limited effectiveness because I started getting dizzy and couldn't drive to pick up a suffering daughter from college.  The wiz ended up getting sick also.  By the end of the week my son was able to go back to school.  Just in time for a field trip to the art museum.  By that time I was too sick to go.  I usually go on his field trips because he's diabetic and he needs his blood sugar monitored and ... » Read More

Alright,so I'm not totally serious.  Passion for Painting,(an artist group I belong to),wanted to do a March Challenge.  The challenge was about color.  I was already working on these,so I voted for blue.  This bead weaving piece is based on a Picasso print called "Four lines converging".  My in laws own this print,it's a black and white litho,very simple and elegant.  It's also very friendly considering that Picasso and other artists like to tear women apart in their paintings.  He must have been fairly happy with whomever he was having a relationship at the time.      The next influence was the song,"Blue Moon".  I had heard old reco... » Read More

These are the first of many cloisonne pieces I will be doing!  It very exciting for me.  This is a new artform for me and I'm so happy just to be able to feel I understand it!  I've started using copper cloisonne wires I've cut myself.  First I make a copper cup.  I use very copper strips bent into the shape I want and soldered closed.  It's important to get a good tight fit.  I have to use a special solder that will hold together in extremely high heat.  Then I have to pickle it and clean it up a great deal and file it smooth.  Then I counter it twice.  I have this dipping enamel that is supposed to enamel both sides,so I don't have to ... » Read More

This obsessive set was done while my leg was broken and in the boot.  My leg still hurts,but I'm out of the boot.  It's been about 2 12 months since I fell wrong and broke it.  The Dr. said it would hurt when it rained and was cold,but it's healing correctly.  I can drive now and I've gone back to metal working.  I've started doing some copper cloisonne.  I found out I was making them too thick,I need to treat them like gemstones and set them.  I will be doing some silver cloisonne soon.  I can hardly wait to show you!  Meanwhile,I want to show you some gold plated work I did while I had to stay upstairs and take it easy.  I made a lot o... » Read More

Since I broke my leg,I've been able to make several of these amulet bags!  I mostly have to stay up stairs and I'm not supposed to do a lot of walking around.  In fact,I've been getting stir crazy!  I got this idea for these amulet bags with letters on them.  I've also started putting hearts on them and maybe flowers.  I have to keep the symbol I want to use very simple the grid is 11 squares at the most.  I'm also writing up the pattern.  I go down stairs to select the seed beads,crystals and leaves or daggers.  I usually forget something and have to go back down for something!  The process of choosing takes longer then I like,so I usual... » Read More

I made these before I broke my leg.  I learned how to do enamels in metal smithing class.  We had to get a kiln and clear space in the garage before I could start doing them at home.  This took a lot of time and I need to clear more space of course.  I've been experimenting with fire scale.  Fire scale is created on the uncovered enamels when fired.  It's oxidation of the metal.  Fire scale creates a  black outline.  Enamel tends to pull inward away from edges.  To get rid of it you need to clean the metal between firings.  You can keep fire scale by firing with clear flux over it.    I've found I like  fire scale and you can create ... » Read More

I broke my leg about 2 weeks ago.  I haven't been on the computer since then.  I have gotten some work done,but not as much as I'd like.  I'm playing catch up again.  I feel so stupid!  I've been hit at least 3 times by a car while riding my bike.  I've had wipe outs beyond counting.  So how do I break my leg,I slipped on the stairs.  Man it hurt.  I was rushing and I think I slipped on something on the stairs.  I even had a bee fly into my mouth while bike riding.  Believe me you are going to spit like crazy getting a bee out of your mouth.  It still stung me on the inside of my mouth.  My lip swelled up.  I've even ridden over snak... » Read More

I just wanted to tell you how these earrings were made.  Forging just refers to shaping with a hammer.  First I use a bead reamer to widen the pearls.  I found out from a wire wrapping book that if you file or nick the medal in one small area you can make a sharp corner there.  Then I threaded the pearls onto the silver and then I hammered the ends.  file down the ends and I have the earrings.  These are my favorites.  I love the color.  I'm thinking of necklaces and earrings next.     I love these cascade earrings.  They are made by threading the bugle bead onto the headpins and bending the headpin,rounding it and threading it onto th... » Read More

I chose this painting because I tried to create a more complex space by making things melt into the background.  I love wet on wet technique,however,I'm starting to feel the need for sharper lines and more detail.  In this painting I've tried to create a contrast between wet on wet and dry brush technique.  My decision is of course to use both techniques,but I do need 300 lbs paper.  The heavier weight allows for more detail.  It also stays flat and doesn't buckle so it will be easier to work with.  This will allow me to focus more on the painting and I won't have to worry about over working the painting.  I'm also going to be doing some eg... » Read More

I love garnets and pearls.  I made a garnet,pearl and bali sterling silver necklace and earrings years ago when I started making jewelry.  I've been a painter for most of my life.  I decided to be a painter when I was 7.  I come from a very strongly artistic family.  My great grandfather was a great American carver and had a framing shop with my grandfather.  My cousin Phyllis,(a very beautiful woman),is a commercial artist.  She lived in Hollywood CA. with her husband,an actor.  When I was 7 he was in a play called,"The Million dollar duck".  I remember him walking around in a great big duck costume with huge flippers.  We were laughing... » Read More

I've been sick and I'm finally feeling much better!  It's so good to be well!  My family was sick also.  My son has diabetes and he's a kid so it gets dangerous.  He has something call Mody or type 3 diabetes,it mostly mimics type one diabetes so we have to give him insulin when he eats,(and at other times also).  His eating has been unpredictable and he kept going low,very dangerous!  Albuteral,which he had to have for breathing,makes him go high.  It's been a real roller coaster ride.  Anyway I haven't been talking because of all this.  Now I can work again and I've got a show Dec.3 and 4th.  It's called Holly Holly!  It's a women's s... » Read More