Bead Necklaces Complete!

In my last post, I showed the basic steps to making clay beads. Here are the results! If you like the look and don't want to make your own clay beads, I put these up on Etsy! Go to bluebrooklyn.com and then hit shop.

DIY Clay Beads

Making clay beads at home with paint and air dry clay is easy.  The hardest part is making the holes while maintaining the integrity of the shape of the bead.  My beads look a bit organically shaped and chunky.

After forming the shapes above, I let the clay dry for an hour before piercing the holes through.  I used a knitting needle to make the holes.

Once the beads dry (24 hours), its time to paint.  I like to experiment. Acrylic paints work best.  This time I also used shimmery water colors I picked up at Blick a while ago.

I mixed white and green to get a light mint color and made a couple cards with the extra paint and a small circular sponge. 

I'll post the necklaces I make with the beads soon!

Behind the Scenes: Images from Blue Brooklyn Studio

Hello! This week, it was especially hard to get up every morning and leave my maker space behind (my studio is my bedroom) to go to my day job.  So today I decided to share some images from my beloved space and relish in my being able to stay here and create for the weekend.

This is the newest addition to the studio (above!), my coworker and friend brought it back from a recent trip to Baja California. Gracias Sandra! Beautiful things, especially when they're from nature, are good for inspiration.

The painted cork boards were a recent project. I simply used tape to make the shapes and acrylic paint.  A student of mine and his mama made the Emily sign for Valentine's Day...so sweet.  

This wall is a bit more personal, love notes, a picture with grandpa, and a necklace I made (Marilyn Tribal), adorn the workspace next to my computer, providing inspiration daily.

This paper garland is a recent experiment with my new (old) sewing machine and a hexagon obsession. 

I love the intimacy of working from home.  When I'm at work and my boyfriend is home, he uses my desk as his workspace.  His watch and headphones have been left behind here (and I don't mind). Also more hexagons! Always.

Feathers, buttons, an owl stamp, and of course multi-colored dice. Duh. This is the shelf over my desk that my dear friend Joel put up for me. Supportive friends are a must!

Some old collages, my dear paint brushes and my personal jewelry.  I like the aesthetics of mixing things I've made with the personal items I've collected.

Until next time!

As Promised...

I took those stamps I made on my recent post and added white fabric paint, creating a very moon-like image! And as I said I would do, I made it into a tote.  If you look closely you can see that I'm a beginning sewer...details!

Oh, and its reversible!

Lemons

We all know the old saying, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  Being in a rut myself, I know how hard this is to do.  I have put a lot of time and effort into my small handmade business, and I am feeling defeated right now.  I LOVE it and couldn't live without it, but it just isn't bringing in the interest I hope it will every day.  And that is O.K.  To supplement my income and boost morale, I have come up with what feels like an exciting and crazy idea, yet something I know I'll be really good at and most importantly its something that allows me to be creative and collaborate! So here it is...

I am starting a small party planning business in addition to my current jewelry and lifestyle accessories endeavors. BB Parties is a culmination of a background in interior design, a love of kids, and a highly organized work ethic.  It is more than anything, my lemonade.  Blue Brooklyn Jewelry (bluebrooklyn.etsy.com) was founded in 2012 after a summer of deep contemplation about how I want to make money.  I began making jewelry and immediately fell in love with using my hands.  Since then I have expanded to ceramics, fabric printing, sewing, and soap making.  I became ill recently and had to miss several days of work.  Stressed about a tight financial situation, I found myself pondering again, how I can make ends meet creatively.  The idea to do something fun and help others have fun, while using my skills, and bringing in extra income was born. Life gave me lemons and BB Parties is my lemonade : ) Birthday parties here I come!

DIY Tissue Paper Garland

These garlands are showing up everywhere so I had to try to make them myself.  Here they are above, in my living room, underneath a Swoon print. Below are the easy (yet a bit time consuming steps). Enjoy!

You need to cut the tissue paper in half and then fold it in half and cut as straight as possible leaving at least an inch un-cut at the top.  I use fabric cutters.  Scissor would be fine if you're meticulous. Martha Stewart sells a cutter just for these for around $22 at Michael's

 

After cutting, open the tissue paper as shown here and begin to roll. It doesn't have to be too tight and it helps to straighten the strands as you go. Once you rolled it al the way begin to twist tight until you twist one side around the other, ending up with a look like this:

Mix and match colors and string them in different patterns! The possibilities are endless!

Moon Phase Stamps

Happy Sunday! We've just begun a new moon...what perfect timing for this project! Enjoy!

I started with a cardboard circle, speedy-cut rubber  and a Speedball carver. I traced moon phase shapes onto the rubber with pencil using the cardboard circle cutout.

After I finished tracing onto the rubber I carved away.  *Hint: I learned useful carving techniques from the book Carve Stamp Play by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer.

Next I did a test print with a regular stamp pad,  I do this to see if there are parts of the stamps I need to adjust (learned this in the book!)

Once I was happy with the stamps, I got out the block printing ink and roller.  Usually I would go for a solid shape, but I thought the unevenness of the ink was a more honest moon image so I opted for it.

I made this poster for fun, and to try the stamps with the block print ink. I also used this as a chance to practice lettering with a brush pen.

                      

I then made a card that I will sell at my table at the next Oakland First Friday with other stamped cards I've made.  I love the brown paper and envelopes.  I usually cut and fold my own card stock, but I found this card stock all ready to go at Michaels and couldn't resist. 

Stay tuned I'll be making a tote bag with these stamps this week! xo