Third Eye Gypsy(Genea Beads) 2011 by Parigo Studios 2010

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Curious Design Challenge- Components for Creating

Hello friends!

Why is a raven like a writing desk?? Did you ever wonder about this question that always seems to be asked, but never answered? Well I have the answer for you! A raven is like a writing desk because Edgar Allen Poe wrote "The Raven" on a writing desk! Ah ha! Isn't it nice to know the answer? :)

How are those ideas coming for our Curious Design Challenge?

I have been cruising around Etsy for some handmade goodies to add to your designs! 
Check out these amazing vintage Alice in wonderland stampers! You could stamp these images onto a shrinky dink to make some charms, or do an image transfer onto a scrabble tile!

Look at this wonderful Cheshire cat pendant.  
"Alice: But I don't want to go among mad people.
The Cat: Oh, you can't help that. We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.
Alice: How do you know I'm mad?
The Cat: You must be. Or you wouldn't have come here."

Look at these amazing keyholes!  Do you remember the scene in the Disney Alice in Wonderland cartoon when Alice looks through the Keyholes mouth to see if the white rabbit has gone through the doorway?
Look at these wonderful tear drops by Suburban Girl Studios. Remember when Alice leaves the key to the door on the top of the table and cries those giant tears?   

"Doorknob: I forgot to tell you.
[laughs]
Doorknob: I'm locked!
[laughs]
Alice: Oh, no!
Doorknob: But of course, you've got the key, so...
Alice: What key?
Doorknob: Now, don't tell me you've left it up there!"

This gorgeous heart by Staci, would be perfect for the queen of hearts!


How about these fanciful mushroom buttons that could be used for a clasp? 
"Caterpillar: By the way, I have a few more helpful hints. One side will make you grow taller...
Alice: One side of what?
Caterpillar: ...and the other side will make you grow shorter. "

I hope these wonderful components gave your some inspiration for your pieces!

Happy Curious Creating!

xo Genea



Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A Curious Design Challenge and Blog Hop- Genea Beads & Staci Louise Originals

Hello friends!

Staci and I are SUPER EXCITED to do this special Alice in Wonderland Design Challenge and Blog hop!
Staci and I met through  Lori Andersons Bead Soup blog hop! We were both enamored with each others work. We did trades, shared ideas and became great friends in the process. Through our chats we realized we both LOVED Alice in Wonderland! We combined our love for jewelry, beads and one of our favorite book/movies into this wonderful Alice in Wonderland challenge!

The Cheshire cat has always been one of my favorite characters! I just love the story of Alice in Wonderland with her tales down the rabbit hole. The story is full of wonderful made up words, amazing creatures and whimsy. The Disney movie is full scenes that are so inspiring and colorful.

Did you know I even have a Cheshire cat tattoo?
This tattoo is on my right ankle on the inside of my leg. Under the Cheshire cat are the letters "PLUR," which stand for: Peace, Love, Unity and Respect.
My tattoo was designed after this rave flyer for an Alice in Wonderland themed party called Nocturnal Wonderland. 

Maybe you were a fan of Tim Burton's newest Alice in Wonderland movie.  
I love the amazing colors in the mad hatter's outfit and his over all style.
I am also in love with Alice's dress. Isn't thos photo amazing?

So now that I have shared a few of my favorite Alice in Wonderland things, why don't you see what inspires Staci?
 
The theme is Alice in Wonderland. I encourage you to read it, or look up some of the stories within the stories and quotes from the book. Lewis Carroll is just amazing, and love his humor and wit. I love his use of made up language inthe Jabberwocky and how he weaves it into the story.
JABBERWOCKY

Lewis Carroll(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872) `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!' The Jabberwock, as illustrated by John Tenniel

He chortled in his joy.


`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Perhaps you were a fan of the disney version, and inspired more by the visual whimsy of the film.
Isn't this how we all picture Alice?


And who doesn't adore the sly and odd Cheshire cat?

Painting the roses red, is one of my favorites, because I sing silly songs like that in head as I work on things, always!

And these two shots I just adore for the textures and colors.


All colored images above are copyright of Disney. They are on this page for personal use and fan purposes only, as a way of keeping Disney's Alice in Wonderland movie alive in our memories and increasing the fan base around it. This material may not be used for any commercial or for profitable means in any way without permission from Disney. (taken from this blog)
 
What we want you to do, is make a piece of jewelry based on the story. It can be based on a scene from the book (whenever I see light blue, I think Alice’s dress, or red and black, “off with her head”). It can represent something- her falling in the rabbit hole, or growing bigger and bigger.

It can incorporate actual beads or pendants depicting characters from the story…….like the rabbit or Cheshire cat, or it can be based on a quote or part of the story that moves you.
OR you can be inpsired by the colors in the pictures above.
I leave you with some more of the original art from
(if you are a bead maker, it may be fun to make some Alice inspired beads or components for this challenge)

What we are hoping is that you will take a break with us, from this very dull world of sums and facts, and get curiouser and curiouser , and delve into Alice’s world.
 
Rules:

1. Your piece must be at least 50% handmade. That means it muse handmade components for at least half of it. You may use hand dyed silks, and patina chain (if handmade- like Miss Fickle Media’s components) as part of that 50%. Making your own closures and components counts as well.

2. You must explain your inspiration and the inspiration must come from Alice in Wonderland or Alice's Adventures Through the Looking Glass.

3. You must participate in the blog hop and help promote it by blogging the week before the hop with a blog (its always fun to tease before the reveal).

4. IF you do all these things, you will qualify to be entered in our drawing for prizes from both Genea and myself, there will be two grand prize winners (and perhaps some small giveaways too). You may also do a giveaway on your blog if you choose. Lets have some fun with this!

5. Sign ups are open for a week (they close Wednesday May 16th). During that time Genea and I will be listing links to beads and components that you may inspire you, or you may even want to use in your creations.
During the month you have to complete your piece, I will add some simple tutorials to help you with your handmade creations.
Blog Hop date is Saturday June 9th.
Please email Staci(staci.louise@hotmail.com) your name, blog URL and the email address you'd like to be contacted on (if different then the one you are sending from). Please put ALICE in the subject line.
I am very excited, and I think this is a first for both Genea and myself. So please be patient with us as we pull this all together.
I leave you with some original art from the books, as illustrated by John Tenniel

Monday, May 7, 2012

Bead Blast May 2012- Kansas City, Missouri Bead show!


 Hello friends!


Here are some of my photos from this years Bead Blast 2012! 
I just snapped a few quick pics so some of my bead photos aren't fantastic, but you get the idea ;)

It was great to see Sara Sally LaGrand! She makes INCREDIBLE beads! After spying the photos I'm sure you will see why I love them so much! You can buy some of her amazing beads at her site. Pretty Babies

Sara is making these amazing sea broaches! So awesome!
OMG..yeah, is that AMAZING or what?! Apparently I wasn't the only one that thought so since this baby is sitting on top of it's published magazing article! Sara makes these amazing eye pod beads with some incredible wire work!
So do you NEED one of these? Well if you do, you can start shopping here !
and one more detail shot! WOW!!

I absolutely LOVE Glass Garden beads! It was really nice to see Jess and Cathy there with all of their wonderful treasures!
Cathy, the owner of Glass Garden Beads and creator of these beads(Trinket Foundry) makes these amazing Recycled bottle cap lentil beads! Aren't they amazing?! Can you imagine how LONG it took her to make all those??!
Cathy also makes these wonderful cut glass bottle rings and shapes. They are all hand cut and then tumbled for 5-6 days! HOLY CRAP! 
Cathy also makes these as well! These are her "Tart" pendants. Recycled.... wait for it... FILE CABINETS! No joke! She torch cuts the panels, cuts out the shapes and then they are painted! WOW! I just adore these! Did you notice this flower shape is their logo? Clever huh?!
Here are the beads I picked up from Cathy's booth. Just a few little treasures, but believe me I would love to have taken the whole booth! From left to right: Vintage Czech glass beads, recycled glass rounds, brass beads, and Tarts.





A few treasures from Bead Stuff. Some Czech glass stone looking strands and picasso mix seed beads!


I picked up a wonderful sampling of findings and chain from Beads & Crafts Inc.


Some ball head pins from Arkansas Gem & Bead(870) 219-9959.

Now to sort and create!

See you soon!

xo Genea


Friday, May 4, 2012

Other than Ivory-Unearthed

Hello friends!

So normally you know me as the bright girl, but every now and again I am also the earthy girl.

I did a recent color study for Creation is Messy, for which you may know I do behind the scenes intensive color studies and glass testing. One of our recent projects was doing a color study called "Other than Ivory".  In this color study, we did JUST that, using some Messy glass colors in those wonderful earthy tones with some Limited Run glass batches(odd lot glass).

I am a huge fan of all of these beautiful color palette studies of a photo with a panel of colors on the bottom.  This image was borrowed from Design Seeds.

So when I did my color study and labeling of the beads I created. I did them like this.


Here is my hodge podge attempt and doing one of these photos. It looks pretty good, but you should have seen me goofing around Photoshop trying to make these silly rectangles of color! lol.
The style that Kathy requested for these colors was my "Ancient Tablet" style.
This style is from 2010 and is near and dear to my heart. These were some of the very first beads I had created with my upgraded torch, Mini CC. I was finally able to make giant size focal beads without it taking forever like on my little hot head torch.

So when creating this color profile I decided to make use this style, but use one of my favorite shapes(the lentil) as the base. These amazing focal beads are filled with: gorgeous rainbow raku, bits of stardust from silver, spiral stamps and bubble button mirror dots! I seriously couldn't take enough photos to capture all of the magic and beauty in these special organic style beads!

So today I am excited to be offering up these INCREDIBLE unearthed treasures in my Etsy shop!
Ancient Pebble "Ginger" - A wonderful peachy tone with gorgeous spots of magenta and violet!

Ancient Pebble "Biscotti" -Mmm wonderful biscotti creamy brown with deeper brown hints and lots of earthiness!

Ancient Pebble "Chai" - Look at all of those rainbow spots!

Ancient Pebble"Cocoa" -WOW, I think this one is my very favorite over all. They are all so pretty though... ;)

Ancient Pebble "Cosmic Latte" Look at all the silver in this bead! It is so cosmic and starry!


Ancient Pebble"Golden Green Tea"- I love the effects of silver on this glass!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

xo Genea





Bailey-Flynn Wedding

Hello friends!

I am finally getting around to posting wedding pictures of our friends wedding. Some of you all had asked me to post some photos, so here they are!
Holly getting her hair done by our friend Virgil. We always tell Virgil he would be KING of the hipsters if he moved to Portland. Lol. His hair is pretty awesome ;) He did an amazing job on Holly's hair! It was SOOO pretty! He works at a swanky salon down town called Blo. So if you are a local I would highly suggest getting your hair needs taken care of there ;)
Here is the posing photo. lol.

The bride getting all gussied up. I will let you know that just before this shot I was given the finger. lol.
The bride arriving in her chariot(my car). 
The wedding party.
The vows.

Ring exchange.
The KISS!
The feast! This was a pot luck style wedding with some fab bbq and amazing German Gf goodies. Brandon(the grooms) German grandmother made their amazing gf cake with nuts, chocolate and a lemon drizzle! She also made some amazing nut cookies with some sort of frosting glaze and cinnamon!
Ricky and me :) I loved my dress, make-up,  jewelry, and hair!  I also went to Blo with Holly and got my hair done by Bi Bi. She did an amazing job! So if you are local and in need of an up do, she is fantastic!
My brother and me. He's looking great! He's lost over 100 lbs! 


Lucas(one of our best friends) and me .

Jd(my brother from another mother) enjoying his tasty beverage.
Lucas' crotch shot photos. Ricky bending over. I dunno... lol
Another Lucas crotch shot photo. Not bad, not bad ;)
The bonfire! This was lit a little before sunset as lightning one at night tends to draw the cops.

My hair at the end of the night. Still looking amazing. Looks like someone got a little roasty toasty in the sun!

See you soon!

xo Genea