A good idea for those extra beads ...

After a while of actually having this up on my wall, it had suddenly hit me that I haven't shared this beautiful piece of art all of you.

My craftie-bestie Karen - responsible for a certain green dress - took a dive into my destash bead collection with a very ingenious idea.  The result was this beautiful surprise she made for me.

Karen had mounted this beautiful spring day bead picture on layers of recycled cardboard.  She used a paint with a really nice lacquer finish that complements the sheen of the beads oh-so-beautifully.  I think this whole project started off when she saw a collection of acrylic rose beads in the destash pile, she had asked at the time if I was doing anything with them.

I'm currently cleaning up the workspace/dining room right now to make my supplies less conspicuous, so it's in a safe place with no risk of damage.  I'll be finding a new place to hang it with love.  :)

Crystal Lori Boyd: (Paint) Splatter Analyst

I've got a good friend I want you to meet.  She does wonders with the unexpected.

Please meet my friend Crystal Lori Boyd, an artist here in Brampton, Ontario.  I'd like to call her an 'extreme fingerpainter', but I'm worried it doesn't speak of the maturity in her art.  Crystal is what we'd like to call 'green-conscious', using recycled and reused materials in her art.  Most of her canvases consist of cabinet doors, countertops, wood planks, tiles and probably lots more I can't think of but she's used.  She also likes to 'texturize' her paintings by including crumpled materials drenched in paint and moulded much like the splatters on the canvas - her favourite lately being party streamers.  It makes for an incredible effect that adds wondrous depth and dimension.

She confesses that she doesn't use paintbrushes very often, but does most of her creations in paint with her hands.  Crystal had done an interactive art show for Synergy's Grand Opening at the end of the summer, and I'm a fool for not getting any pictures - I had sworn there were some!  Covered in paint up to her forearms and all over her legs, she had produced some beautiful paint in front of a wonderstruck audience.  Here are pictures of some of the finished pieces she had brought with her and completed at the event.

Happy Halloween, Indy Fans!

(EGADS!  This didn't publish!  Damned this Auto-Publish option ...)

It's a great time of year when it comes to being anything you want for one day a year.  This year, I was a zombie at Toronto's Zombie Walk, with a few souveniers to remember the day.   The work-safe costume was the ever-popular Indiana Jones, this time with my official Indiana Jones plush whip that plays the theme song from a button on the handle.

Yup, I'm a geek.  More appropriately, fangirl.  Lemme show you my bunch of official Indiana Jones merchandise gifted and collected over the years.

:: Indiana Jones plush whip - press the button on the handle to play whip cracking sounds and Indy theme :: "Idaho Spuds" Mr. Potato Head, complete with golden idol, bullwhip and theme-playing fedora :: Remote control Giant Ant with Crystal Skull controls, from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ::

Movie Star Boots!

If I didn't want to get paid for my second day of extra actor work on the set of the Total Recall remake, I'd just take these home.

:: suede leather boots with chain detail, BG Max Azria, Pinewood Studios Wardrobe Dept. ::

I was offered these boots to wear after my own boots suffered water damage on set and started to fall apart.  I was so in love with these boots, it was very tempting.  I've been scouring around the internet since for affordable options ... meaning under $50.  I'm very picky about my shoes, though.  Here's what I like so far:

:: Alice + Olivia for Payless :: Rocket Dog Chain Gang Boot :: Twiggy London for HSN ::

Seen any cute boots around yourself?

New blog 'everything'.

So, you'll notice some changes around here since you may have been here last.  Lemme help you out.

The top row of buttons will lead you to the 'meat n' potatoes' of the blog.

• Home speaks for itself.
• About will have a little 'hello!' from me sooner or later.  (I hate typing those things, but I'll get it done.)
• Press are mentions from fellow bloggers and other media mentions about my work here.
• Jewellery is everything I've made personally.
• Artbeads.com will lead you to every Artbeads.com-tagged post, including my written portfolio on the pieces I've made with their products.  You can find my Artbeads.com Portfolio by pressing the button on the left column under 'Jewellery Portfolios'.
• Bead Soup will lead you to every post about the Bead Soup Blog Party pieces and the creative process.  You can see the entire portfolio, the button just below the Artbeads.com button.
• High Fashion is my guilty pleasure of well-made, expensive clothes and couture, with a few other nice surprises thrown in.
• Gonna Wear ... is right outta my closet as I make the most of what I have.
• Photography will lead you not only to my own work but to the work of friends and colleagues in the art.  Portfolios coming soon.
• Crafty! is the miscellaneous stuff I like to do with my hands and anything else that might be inspiring, whimsical or compelling.

I'll be adding a few more features, but keeping it simple.  I'll have a few more portfolios up, a new button or two to grab for your own blog, let's see what happens.  I know I get dizzy looking at a flash-crazed website.  Let me know how you like it!

FanBoy, FanGirl ... FanDog?

If you've been strolling Facebook lately, you may have seen this photo.  Fanboys and girls with pets, beware!

The ATAT Puppy.  Oh yeah.

I gotta admit that the 'fangirl' side goes a little crazy over stuff like this.  I was raised on Star Wars and wanted to be Indiana Jones when I grew up.   My boyfriend and I have action figures and comic books galore between the two of us, and we keep collection on occasion when a really awesome find comes our way.

This one is pretty awesome, but I'm not too sure it'll go over well with our toy-breed chihuahua, Shiva.  Besides, I'm not entirely sure we can get something that small.  And Shiva's a "chewer".

How 'bout your pets?  Do they have costumes planned, or are they just gonna chew it up on you? 

"You're in my light, Sticks."

:: knock-off Chanel black sunglasses, discount store purchase :: navy blue H&M knit shirtdress, thrifted :: black tie belt from my kimono nightgown :: black-and-white animal print flats with espadrille detail, Stitches Outlet :: chunky black statement necklace, Claires :: Frederick Harris Music Company canvas bag full of doggy stuff for the walk ::

I like a lot of my clothes, so I'm gonna blog about some of the cool and versatile stuff in my closet over the next little while.  I've been complimented many times for looking so 'put together', and I consider what I put together.  If you're gonna ask me what the style is, you're gonna pidgeon-hole me, but I try to put together an 'effortless cool' with a combination of draping and slim fits, depending on how I feel that day.  This day was the last day of what I could take advantage of acceptable short skirt weather.

I snagged this amazing H&M knit shirtdress from my local Value Village a little while ago and had always worn it 'safe' with pants or tights underneath.  Today marks the first day I've actually worn it as a dress - but I still put shorts on underneath, just because I'm modest.

I love the 'spoken rules' of colour coordination - no red-pink, no black-blue or black-brown.  Bah.  The navy blue in the shirtdress is dark enough to throw a few black touches in.  The chunky black necklace is a puzzle of chunks and slivers of rounded plastic tubes.  It's very eclectic-looking.  The original tiebelt didn't come with the shirtdress when I bought it.  (How do I know?  There are small threaded loops on the waist.)  I snagged my tie from my kimono housecoat and it turned out perfectly.  I threw on some comfortable, yet eye-catching flats with an animal print.  Not bad.

We're on our way out with Shiva to meet our friend, Dave, to talk about the new short film he's finished shooting and getting Nick involved in the scoring process.  It's a great opportunity for him to get into a new realm with his music!  Dave's also a good friend of the family - he's lived across the street from me since high school! 

Destination - Dairy Queen just down the street on a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend.  Strap up the puppy and head out for a Blizzard and conversation!  It's great to have the time to catch up with friends and hear about their latest projects and what's keeping them busy.  Dave's got lots more coming up - he's a man full of great ideas.  Hopefully we'll get a chance to work with him in future productions!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're heading to Mum's for turkey on Thanksgiving Monday, and I know it'll be a good one.  We always have a good time at Mum's, and Shiva always does, too.  Running around with two chocolate labs can tire out a chihuahua pretty quickly.  Mum and I pour out the family tree stuff to figure out the pieces, which has been our personal project for the last little while.  Nick and Bill head to the basement or to the garage to go through the multitude of tools they're looking to unload - Nick's only happy to oblige.  There's always conversation over after-dinner drinks after all the relatives leave, and the dogs tire themselves out from chasing each other, sprawled over the living room rug looking exhausted, but content.  So, as I look forward to a lovely day with Mum's amazing cooking (I can't wait for those brussell sprouts!), I consider the impending holiday and what it represents.

Every holiday that comes around, we're reminded that we should be celebrating the sentiment everyday.  Thanksgiving is no different, when we consider at times how fortunate we are in hard times nowadays.  We have friends and family who sacrifice when we come to call, we have the basic necessities of life to keep us through another day, and we have the freedom to pursue what we please to the ends of a better society and self.  Although at times financial and emotional burdens make our hearts heavier with dread and worry, I remind myself of recent times that make me thankful for what I have today.

Readjustments

:: My favourite brown wool fedora, vintage store purchase :: 'Blues Brothers' Ray Bans knock-offs, bought during a trip to my parents in Neustadt :: 'Brownie' striped tee, American Eagle :: Key to My Heart earrings, made by me (Artbeads.com Design Partner Portfolio) ::

Harumph ... well, hello everybody.  It's been a while, but there's been progress!  Nick and I have been rather busy living the 'starving artist' life while trying to enjoy the finer things.  Well ... trying is the operating word here.  We're fortunate to be doing what we love, where we feel we make the most impact, where we are the most productive.  Teaching theatre has been rather enlightening and humbling (more on that in The Pursuit), and it's sucking the energy out of me to create anything in the realms of accessories or jewelry.  Not to mention the crestfallen heaviness of closing shop on Etsy.  Oh, crap.

It's not you, Etsy, it's me. I just need some space.

I don't know how else to start this without just saying it:  I'm breaking up with you.  I'm sorry.  And it's not you, I swear, it's me.  Give me a chance to explain before you rip this apart.

Sometimes, there are things that are beyond your control, and in this instance, it's an outside influence.  I've lost four packages in the last month, and my soul just can't stand any more unhappiness and disappointment.  You see, C.P. seems to stand in our way.  He's what keeps us together, you see.  But, when he disappears in the middle of the summer, only to come back unreliable and untrustworthy over a month later has put a wedge between us, because without C.P., I can't fulfill your needs.  How sad, that someone with so much responsibility to so many people, the lifeline to so much progress can siphon the love of creativity out of so many passionate people like us?  What are we to do?

Well, I need to think about us, which means we're not going to see each other for a while.  Don't get me wrong - I'll stop by and say hello, see how you're doing, see what's new and all.  I mean, we have a lot of mutual friends, and we run in a lot of the same circles.  So, we're bound to run into each other!  The last thing I want to do is make anything weird, y'know.  I still care about you quite a bit.  Like I said, I just need to 'gather the troops' and figure out what's next for us.

Keep on doin' what you're doin', don't change a thing.  We can still be friends, right?