March 31, 2013

BSBP7 - Finally delivered!!! and 1st Reveal

  Oh, finally!!! My bead soup for Birgit Klughardt of GitesBeads was safely delivered to her!!! The second one really. I was getting really nervous as the first bead soup got lost and the second one was supposed to be delivered in two days, but it took five days to arrive. As she'd been living in Amazonia somewhere and not in the capital of Germany ... !!!

  Now I can finally share with you what I have sent to Gite.

  She is a beadweaver, so I made two focals that can be beadweaved and some other beads from polymer clay that are bigger than the ones she's used to. This is my challenge for her.

  The first bead soup I sent her and that got lost (more about its disappearance here):



    When I've realized that it would never be delivered I tried to recreate a similar one. This is the second bead soup I sent her that arrived safely at the destination:

    The picture is not the best one, but I took it hurrying to the post office ...
  Can't wait to see what will Gite create with it! Gite, enjoy your soup!!!

  To see what Gite and I will create with our soups come back for the third reveal on April 13.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  And now you can take a look at the first reval of the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party - and see what 161 out of 541 participants from all over the world have cooked and served!




  Be happy,
  Alenka

March 27, 2013

BSBP7 - Bead Soup for Me


  Monday it was Christmas in March for me!!! All was freezing outside and I received two long expected packages ... [*happydance*]
  The first was from my friend Amy with the kit for the 2nd Annual Spring fling Kit Challenge - with my focal (more about this at a later date).
 
  And the second was from my BSBP partner Birgit from GitesBeads (if you want to know more about BSBP you can have all the information here). The package from Gite was really heavy and I was wondering what kind of beads do weight so much ...

  But let's the pictures speak for me - here are the beauties Gite sent to me:



She said that the bead soup for me started with the clasp by Pajego Art House:


Then she started to beadweave using the beads in the colours of the clasp - light yellow crocheted Cellinis, Mini & Midi beaded beads, ruffled rings and beaded links:


The lampwork pieces were made by German lampworkers and Gite added also some other glass beads and faceted rondelles:

 
The pendant is an embroidery piece - she used tiny tiny beads to make it, they are so tiny I can barely see them and can't imagine to stitch them without a magnifier ... Isn't it gorgeous??!!!


And for the end some tibetan silver spacers, beads, links and a clasp:


However, this is only the bead soup part - she spoiled me with a lot of extras. Well, me and my boys, because she sent:
- two chocolate bunnies and a popping magic dust for the bath for my kids,
- Lindt pralines and bubble bath coins for me.


No need to tell that all the sweeties disappeared in less than 2 minutes ... so I can show you only an empty box ;-D 

 Gite, thank you very much!!! This will be a great challenge for me to make some nice pieces, it's all so different from my usual style, but I love it!!! Quite a lot of ideas are flowing in my mind right now, but I'll let them "cook" and mature a little bit.

Our reveal is on April 13 - so you'll be more than welcome to come back then and see the results of my "cooking strategies and recipes".

Be happy,
Alenka


March 23, 2013

BSBP7 - Update


    I  guess I can declare my bead soup for Gite lost! :-((
Even if it was sent as registered mail.
   Izgleda, da se moram sprijazniti s tem, da se je moja "župca" za Gite izgubila, :-((
čeprav sem jo poslala s priporočeno pošto.

   The package I sent was in Germany in two days. Gite was not at home at the time of delivery, so the postman left her a notice that she has 7 days to get it at the post office before it would be returned to sender (me).
  From that moment the package disappeared - she tried to get it personally and they didn't find it; then she made two phone calls, they still didn't find it ... and the next day they sent her a note that it was sent back as the 7 days passed, at least that's what they think.
  What a ..... &%//#$&&//#/(#"$!&%"!!!!
   Pošiljka je bila v Nemčiji že v dveh dneh, ker pa Gite ni bilo doma ob dostavi, ji je poštar pustil sporočilo (listek), da jo mora dvigniti v sedmih dneh, sicer jo bodo poslali nazaj (meni).
  Od tistega trenutka je pošiljka izginila - ko jo je poskusila prevzeti na pošti, je niso našli, nato je dvakrat klicala, pa je še vedno niso našli ... in na koncu je dobila sporočilo, da so pošiljko že poslali nazaj oziroma, da vsaj tako mislijo.
   Ponavadi ne preklinjam, ampak zdaj se zelo težko zadržujem ... &%//#$&&//#/(#"$!&%"!!!!

  Well, the package still didn't come back, so I've ordered an inquiry at the post office, but they told me it could take a month before the German post replies!!!! A month??!!! And that there's a possibility they have sent it back to Slowakia (and not Slovenia where I live). I'm speachless!!!!
  No, pošiljka se k meni še ni vrnila, zato sem naročila na pošti poizvedbo. Na žalost so mi rekli, da lahko traja tudi ves mesec, preden iz Nemčije dobijo odgovor. Da pa so mogoče pošiljko poslali na Slovaško, ker se je tudi že to zgodilo!!!???!!!!

  I'll make another similar soup for Gite and send it Monday. Fortunately we're in the third reveal, so she will still have a little more than 3 weeks to make something out of it.
  Ta vikend bom pripravila novo župco iz perl za Gite in ji jo v ponedeljek poslala. Na srečo sva določeni za tretji "reveal", zato bo imela Gita še dobre tri tedne za narediti nekaj izdelkov iz mojih perl.

  Instead of the soup I can show you how I've covered the fountain pen I've won in the giveaway organized by Marjon and Saskia of From Polymer to Art Magazine. I've left it rough as I like it this way.
  Namesto župce vam bom danes pokazala, kako sem oblekla pero, ki sem ga dobila v nagradni igri, ki sta jo organizirali Marjon in Saskia (od revije From Polymer to Art). Na otip je precej groba, ker je meni tako všeč. 



  Be happy (and patient ;-)),
  Bodite veseli (in potrpežljivi ;-)),
  Alenka

March 17, 2013

Heart and Texture Swap / Izmenjava srčkov in teksturnih plošč


  The last international swap of the Polymer Clay Swaps FB group was about Hearts and Textures:
  Zadnja mednarodna izmenjava znotraj FB skupine Polymer clay Swaps je bila na temo Srčki in teksture:
  My partner in this swap was Pat Lacy from Bloomington, Indiana (USA). She doesn't have a website, you can find her only on Facebook. She's been working with polymer clay for about 4 years, but she's been crafting her entire life. She likes to make big necklaces and mostly gives them away as presents. Her favourite colours are reds, yellows, oranges and pink.
   Moja prtnerica v tej izmenjavi je bila Pat Lacy iz Bloomingtona (Indiana, ZDA), ki pa žal še nima spletne strani, najdete jo lahko le na Facebooku. S polimerno glino se ukvarja približno 4 leta, vendar jo spremljajo različna ročna dela že vse življenje. Najrajši izdeluje velike ogrlice, ki jih večinoma podari. Njene najljubše barve so rdeča, rumena, oranžna in roza.

  As you can see, we have many things in common, even the favourite colours ... well, except for pink. 
  S Pat imava kar nekaj skupnega, celo najljubše barve ... no, razen roza, seveda.

  This is the texture plate I made for Pat:
  To je teksturna plošča. ki sem jo poslala Pat:


   I had to try it before sending it, so I decided to make a heart using this texture. In fact I made two hearts using two different parts/patterns of this texture:
     - the first one is "Harlequin heart" (no need to explain why) and is made using the bottom middle part of the texture;
     - the second one is "Open your heart" and is made using the upper part of the texture (the fabric texture). The zipper is also made from polymer clay.
 
  Da preverim, ali je sploh uporabna, sem se odločila, da naredim srce z uporabo kar te teksture. Pravzaprav sem nardila dve srci z uporabo dveh različnih delov teksture:
     - prvo srce je "Harlekinsko srce" (razloga izbire imena verjetno ni potrebno pojasnjevati) in sem ga izdelala z uporabo spodnjega srednjega dela teksturne plošče;
     - drugo srce pa nosi ime "Odpri svoje srce" in sem ga izdelala z uporabo zgornjega dela teksturne plošče (vzorec blaga). Tudi zadrga je v celoti narejena iz polimerne gline (razen rinkic, seveda).



 
   I couldn't decided where to drill the holes, so I've let this decision to Pat, so she can decide also how she wants to use them.
  Ker se nisem mogla odločiti, kje naj zavrtam luknje, sem prepustila to odločitev Pat, ki se lahko tako tudi odloči, kako bo srčka uporabila.

~~~~~~~

  And here are the beautiful heart and a very interesting texture plate that Pat made for me:
  Tukaj pa sta čudovit srček in zelo zanimiva teksturna plošča, ki mi jih je poslala Pat:




  I like very much the wire inclusions with curls, it gives the heart an extra. I've decided I'll drill a hole and wear it as a pendant. Thank you, Pat!
   Vstavki iz žice so mi zelo všeč, saj dajejo srčku neko dodatno lepoto. Kaj bom z njim, sem se že odločila in kmalu bo visel na verižici za mojim vratom. Pat, najlepša hvala!

  Looking forward to the next swap!!!
  In zdaj že komaj čakam naslednji swap!!!

~~~~~~~

  Have a look at the other participant's blog posts:
  Če vas zanima, kaj so naredile druge sodelujoče, je tukaj seznam objav na blogih:

Leila Bidler
Tina Holden
Pat Sernyk
Jainnie Jenkins
Dakotah Flannery
Alenka Obid  <-- you're here
Katie 
Bonnie Kreger
Chieko 
Lupe Meter
Ilenia Moreni
Betty Jo Hendershott

  Be happy,
  Bodite veseli,

  Alenka

March 14, 2013

Carpe diem ...


  When you are going at the doctor's office and you know that you'll be waiting your turn for one hour at least, you have to find a way to pass that time in a pleasant way.
  Ko si namenjen na zdravniški pregled in veš, da se boš načakal, se je potrebno organizirati, da boš ta čas preživel kar se da prijetno.

  Guess what I did. Do you need a hint?
  Ali uganete, kaj sem počela jaz? Potrebujete namig?

  Here it is:
  Tukaj je:


  I've discovered another use of a food container ;-D 
  Ugotovila sem, da je posodica za hrano lahko uporabna tudi drugače ;-D

  Here's what I've made while waiting my turn:
  to pa sem naredila med čakanjem na vrsto:


   If you consider that I'm a beginner in beadweaving ... you can imagine how much time I've spent there last evening ....
  Če upoštevate, da sem začetnica v šivanju perl ... si lahko mislite, da sem včeraj zvečer kar nekaj časa preživela v čakalnici ...

  Well, I've just started enjoying it, so couldn't stop stitching ... and finished these today:
  Sicer pa sem ravno dobila rokico za šivanje in se nisem mogla ustaviti, zato sem danes zaključila ta dva para uhanov:



 Carpe diem :-D

  Alenka

March 12, 2013

March 8 Swap / Osmomarčevski swap

  The girls from Izdelovalnica malih umetnin organized again a swap between Slovenian polymer clayers (of all levels). Well, this time they went international as one of the participants is from Serbia.
   Dekleta iz Izdelovalnice malih umetnin so spet organizirale swap izdelkov iz polimerne gline, ki je tokrat postal mednarodne narave, saj se nam je pridružila tudi udeleženka iz Srbije.

  For the swap everyone had to make a set of a necklace + ring or bracelet or earrings or brooch (mainly from polymer clay, but allowed to be mixed media) and send it by March 6, to be at the destination by March 8, the International Women's Day. The interesting thing about this swap was that you knew only who you have to send your item, but don't know who will you receive it from. It means it was not a one to one swap, but a circular one.
   Za swap je bilo potrebno izdelati komplet ogrlice + prstan ali zapestnico ali uhane ali broško delno ali v celoti iz polimerne gline (navodila v celoti so tukaj) ter ga poslati do 6. marca, da ga prejemnica dobi do 8. marca, kot darilo za dan žena. Najbolj zanimiv del te izmenjave pa je bilo to, da je bil "krožne narave" - vsaka sodelujoča je vedela samo, komu mora sama poslati, ni pa vedela, od koga bo darilo dobila.

  Here's the set I've sent to Tjaša:
   To je komplet, ki sem ga poslala Tjaši:

    I have to admit my first idea of the surface treatment was a little different, but did not work out as I wanted, even if the result was interesting. I'll show some other time. I hope she likes it and will wear it sometime.
   Moja prva ideja za površinsko obdelavo je bila sicer drugačna, a ni izpadla tako, kot sem želela, čeprav je bil rezultat kar zanimiv. A o tem več kdaj drugič. Vsekakor upam, da je Tjaši komplet všeč in da ga bo vsaj kdaj tudi nosila. 
 

  Let's go now to the "receiving part"!
The sender of the package for me was Sandra. She made this beautiful set in my favourite colours!!!! She said she made the set before she knew who was the recipient, so it was a really nice coincidence.
   No, pa gremo še na skrivnostni del swapa!
Točno 8. marca sem prejela paketek, pošiljateljica katerega je bila Sandra. V paketu je bil ta čudovit komplet v mojih najljubših barvah!!! Sicer je bilo to le srečno naključje, ker je pripravila komplet, še preden je izvedela, komu ga mora poslati, a pravijo, da naključja ne obstajajo ;-).


  Thank you, Sandra, very much!!!
   Sandra, najlepša hvala!!!!


  If you would like to see what have the other participants made - go here. The site is in Slovene language, but you can see the pictures of some beautiful sets.
  Če vas zanima, kaj so ustvarile ostale udeleženke, si lahko ogledate tukaj - videli boste nekaj zares čudovitih kompletov.

  Alenka

March 5, 2013

Unpleasant interlude / Neprijeten intermezzo


  It seems the flu "got me"!!! That means I'll be offline for a while and I have to postpone the announced giveaways, the opening of my Etsy shop and the planned posts (reveals) to next week ....

  Vse kaže, da me je gripa položila v posteljo, tako da moram prestaviti vse napovedane nagradne igre, odprtje Etsy trgovinice in predvidene objave na naslednji teden ...


Source/Vir

Alenka

March 3, 2013

BSBP7 - My Bead Soup for Gite

  If you are looking for the Challenge of Music blog hop Reveal, please go here.


  I've just remembered that I still haven't posted the bead soup I've sent to my swap partner Gite for the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party (hostessed by Lori Andersen). Well, it's more a teaser, just to let you guess which are the colours of the components, mostly made by me from polymer clay.
  Spomnila sem se, da še nisem objavila slike "župce iz perl", ki sem jo poslala moji partnerici v izmenjavi Gite (7. Bead Soup Blog Party). Pravzaprav gre bolj za namig, katero barvno paleto sem izbrala - od tega sem večino kosov izdelala sama iz polimerne gline.


  As you can see, this is not really my usual colour pallete - I wanted to change this time a little bit. However, I absolutely had to add some components in yellow-orange-red tones ;-D  
  Kot lahko vidite, to niso ravno moje običajne barve, namenoma sem izbrala drugačno paleto. No, nekaj malega pa je vseeno moralo biti v rumeno-oranžno-rdeči kombinaciji ;-D

  Be happy!
  Bodite veseli!

  Alenka

March 1, 2013

2nd Annual Challenge of Music blog hop Reveal

Today is the reveal day for The Challenge of Music, hosted by Erin at Treasures-Found!


  The idea of the challenge is (borrowed from Erin's blog):
- to find a piece of instrumental music that speaks to you soul. The goal is to find a piece of music without any choral accompaniment, so that you have the freedom to interpret the colors, textures, shapes, movements and images that it evokes.
and  
- to create something of your choice - jewelry, accessory or some other artistic representation - that takes us on the journey of this piece of music.


  For this chllenge I've decided to "wipe the dust" from my old colection of CD-s and so I've found a CD of a Slovenian music group Terra Mystica. Their music accompanied me during the 1996, a year that was quite challenging for me, and full of turning points in my life. It was the period when I've begun to know myself better and overcome some barries in my mind. 

  The song I've chosen is Rhinoceros in the Cathedral:


 For a nice critics about their music in English, go here 


  And now back to the challenge.
One of my first associations when speaking about cathedrals, are the wonderful and impressive stained glass windows. Every time I visit a cathedral I keep wondering about the mastery of the artisans that created them. and I love the "visual music" crated by the sunlight shining through them ...

  As I work mostly with polymer clay, my challenge was to create something to resemble this kind of artistry - a faux stained glass focal and some faux glass beads.





  They are still not perfect, but I'll keep experimenting further ... 

  And here is the list of everyone else participating in this challenge. I'm sure you will find a lot of interesting creations as well as discover some music you've never heard before.