ABS - Feb

Heijinja, 1941

Tōshi Yoshida
Woodblock Print
(Please note this art is copyrighted and is to be used only as inspiration.)

About the Art

The woodblocks for this print are generally reported as having been carved by Toshi Yoshida himself.

Fresh woodblock prints by Toshi Yoshida are few. The Yoshida estate is no longer printing blocksigned posthumous work; decades ago the original blocks became too worn to use. Pristine handsigned woodblock prints by Master Yoshida are even more rare.

When these scarce treasures are gone, they will not be replaced.

Shin Hanga & Sosaku Hanga 

The shin hanga (literally "new prints") art movement of the early 20th century C.E. in Japan, revitalized traditional ukiyo-e art which had its roots in the 17th through early 19th centuries C.E., maintaining the traditional ukiyo-e collaborative system (hanmoto system) in which the artist, carver, printer and publisher engaged in a division of labor, as opposed to the sōsaku hanga ("creative prints") movement which advocated the principles of jiga ("self-drawn"), jijoku ("self-carved") and jizuri ("self-printed"), in which the artist, with the desire of expressing the self, is the sole creator of art. 

This beautiful painting was our inspiration for February. I went through many version of my design through out the month. Finally deciding to try and step out of the box, I used my skills in crocheting...my first attempt...

 I realized it was coming way to big....so on to plan two.... and while it came closer to my vision, it is still not quite what I wanted, but I was running out of time so I am posting it....knowing that I will be redoing it.  The "art bead" is the beautiful work of Sandy Spivey at GlassArtCabochons. I had a blast looking through her Cabochons and thinking of the cool jewelry I could make....but since this challenge was oriental in subject, I settled on the beautiful red with cream colored blossoms on it.  Hop on over and check out her shop...I did make the pendant so I could take it off when I redo this project or decide on something else.

The black and red beads are a heavy type of plastic with oriental designs.  I bought them at JoAnns.  The yarn is black eyelash with read crochet thread held together.  I can see I still have lots of work to do for it.  I may take it apart and try again.  

 

Here are other pictures of it.  I had crocheted ties on each side so that it could be tied in back....I have the concept down, but I need to do more planning....you will see this one again!

Thanks for looking, you can hop over to Art Bead Scene for more info.  Thanks, I look forward to March's challenge!

I Heart Macro - Feb 24

This week I have really been playing with my camera and after 10 years or sooo...I finally read the manual for it to find some specific settings.  And I have one set of pics I will show at the bottom to see if anyone can figure them out...but first...meet my wittle friend....

 
  I found this in my garden while tilling the dirt.... Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Myriapods (Myriapoda) » Centipedes (Chilopoda) »Tropical Centipedes (Scolopendromorpha) » Cryptopidae » Cryptops » Cryptops hortensis. I think he was more afraid of me than him...but I got the pics I wanted....

 
The first one is a bromiliad, looks like a monster with a large mouth...the second is a cactus, but on the new growth it looks like it has pearl stars....

This is BOBO....he really didn't like having his picture taken....

 

NOW....having found the macro setting on my camera......and cropping.....who can tell me what this is?????????

And for giggles.....any ideas on this one??????








Thanks for looking, to see more hop on over to Studio Waterstone for some really wild macros....til next week!

I Heart Macro - Feb 16

This week has been hard for me, my mother passed away Feb 9. While it was expected, it was still a shock. I have taken pictures this week, but none that I can think of close up....but then my mind is fuzzy.  I do have one that was taken at my mothers funeral. It is of a spray of purple flowers, I can't think of the name of them right now. I thought it was so pretty.

This one below is of a spider web, they are called funnel spiders I do believe. And if you wait until the sun is up, you won't see it.  I thought it was soooo coool!

This one is of flower, called  Gloriosa Superba

Here's my pal.....I was cleaning my back porch and he was

in a box....He is called a Huntsman. Needless to say...

We parted ways when I put the box outside....

But not before I took some pictures....

So there you have it...not really close ups as far as macro's...but I will be getting back into the swing of things and will have better next week.  Thanks!  For more macros, hop over to Studio Water Stone

Bead Soup Blog Party - # 7

Well, ever since I had seen a link for the Bead Soup Blog Party last year, I have been drooling with anticipation for this years...AND here it is.  Lori Anderson of Pretty Things, has been hosting this for quite a while and is really GOOD at it.  She must be the most organized person around!  Any way, I managed to get on this year and my wonderful partner is TanyaWiles of Tenebrous Hollow Studio.

Since this was my first one, I think I went over board in what I sent, but I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to send.  So as you can see from the picture ..... I sent a little of everything....I have no doubt Tanya will have a blast with those....



For me....Tanya sent me...(drumroll please!)

Some GORGEOUS components that I fell in love with the minute I opened the box!  I had to laugh though, they are the EXACT colors of a necklace I am working on for another challenge and I thought, WOW, I can use them....BUT...then my reveal for my Bead Soup isn't til April.....so I can't use them in my current project, BUT, have no fear, they are screaming designs at me so fast I can't keep up....OH...you want to see them....OK

 Here they are in the box, like cool, ice candy!!!! And the card....!!!!

Here is the focal bead...I love it!  Reminds me of an underwater creature.  I love watching them on the Discovery Channel. The middle one is the clasp and some blingy sliders, and the right one is a picture of the different types of beads....I can hardly wait to get started!

This shows some of the silver components, not the best picture, but my camera was about to die.....

And again, the card on the box....I can see a mixed media project with that!!!!





So there you have it!  Now you all will have to wait til April to see what goodies we came up with!!!!  You can hop on over to Tanyas site  and check out what she has to say.

So until April...............................(giggle, giggle)

Beading Arts Giveaway

http://www.beading-arts.com/2013/02/giveaway-mended-heart.html

Check it out for a cool giveaway at    Beading Arts!

AJE Earring Challenge

As if  I didn't have enough to do....I figured why not hop on another challenge....so I did....this one is Art Jewelry Element earring challenge.  It is to use handmade art beads....but so that I can get going and stay going....I used these beads from my "leftover" stash.  They are black and white with silver...lightweight and ready to wear.  I will be trying to get my etsy store back on line this week too......So enjoy!

My second one is made from swarovsi crystals and pink and gold chain...I didn't realize it til I was posting, they look like "people"... these too will soon be on my site.


So for now that is it. Til next time......


To see more earrings....hop to AJE Earring Challenge

Flower Power!

My woodpecker buddy! He has a nest at the top of the telephone pole.  Sometimes I can just sit and watch him chirp.

Bauhinia variegata   Or Orchid Tree. The flower is a pretty lavender with the darker color in the middle. They are growing on a tree in my dads yard.

 

These are called Phantom Petunias. I planted them a few months ago, I love looking at them!!!!

And lastly, this is Arctic Fire Dianthus. They are really cute little flowers that love the cold!









For more I heart Macros click on the I Heart Macro button to the right!  Enjoy!

Inspired by Winter - Blog Hop

Ahhhh, Winter....cold, wet, snow, skiing, hot chocolate, warm fires, cozy time inside.....

.....NOT.....

I live in Florida, and while I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, seeing snow and sitting in front of an open fire, I don't like being COLD!

This is winter in Florida......

But...I didn't make my design based on the sand, though I think I might go back and do one as an idea has emerged.....anyway, for the Winter blog hop that Sally of Studio Sublime created, I offer my winter necklace.  One think I always seem to notice in a lot of commercial snow pics of the North, are the RED cardinals....so I felt that a Cardinal would be the focal of my necklace.  I have added crystal beads and silver metal snowflakes, and little iridescent white beads to capture the feeling of snow, and ice.  The wonderful little red cardinal was HANDMADE by Leanne Pendleton @Got Crow Creations

It is the cutest little thing. And she has many other animals and such too so check her out!

So without further ado I give you my Winter Necklace....

   

I took the pictures on some of my beachy

scrap-booking paper...yes I scrapbook too.....

I centered the cardinal on a silver filigree 

pendant, wired and glued him in....then I 

beaded around him with green,and brown 

beads to give the illusion of a "tree".  

This necklace evolved as I made it....the only

thing that stayed the same was the cardinal...

Any way... to all my Northern friends....

"Wish you could be here..."

Now for more wonderful Winter Jewelry, 

hop on over to Sally's page  to see her Winter

Offering and the list of the other participants, 

AND ENJOY!!!!

**So Sally....what about a SUMMER 

inspired necklace??

Up Close - Luna Moth

This week we had to find heart item around us, along with the many I found this Luna Moth takes the cake. I have never seen one in "real life" before...Enjoy!

Inspire Change: Wellness Words Jewelry Challenge

In this challenge Tracy Statler at Make Bracelets has challenged us to pick a "healthy" word and design a piece around it.  My word for this year is "growth" so I came up with a simple design on memory wire that simply says "bloom where you are planted".  I am planted in Florida, so I will try to bloom and them maybe move on.. I used memory wire, letter beads, silver metal flower beads as dividers, and pastel colored glass seed beads in between the words and flowers. Anyway, below are the pictures of my bracelet. Yes, I know a few of the letters are upside down, but that's what you get when watching TV at the same time......:-)