CCI Art show table, vendor booth statue

Sergio, Stan & Hanna, My art show panel

Trying again to upload pix.... "Admiral Bragg" and Pam

Fine Arts Show

Yesterday, I entered the "C-Note Show" at the San Diego Art Institute (www.sandiego-art.org) . This is the first time I've been in a "fine arts" gallery show.

There was a "jury" of sorts-- the staff member checking stuff in was the "jury", and she said "Oh! Lovely!... is this the only one?" Most people, at least up to when I brought mine in, were entering the max (8 pieces)-- they will be "juried" a bit more strenuously, but everybody entering pieces that meet the general criteria (framed or mounted if not on stretched canvas; wired for hanging if "wall art") will get at least one of their pieces "hung".

Petition re: Austin Hamilton beads

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/872722428

"A request that Minek INC state in all their advertisements, auctions and sales listings the country of manufacture of the beads sold by Minek and all subsidiary companies such as Austin Hamilton."

This is to request that the company use "truth in advertising"-- that is, to identify the country of origin (China), rather than imply that they are made by small-studio artisans in Canada. Petition is to be sent to beading magazines that carry advertizing for the company.

ATTN: any US military vets/spouses of vets

http://www.firstgov.gov/veteransinfo.shtml

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently learned that an employee, a data analyst, took home electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do. This behavior was in violation of VA policies. This data contained identifying information including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans and some spouses, as well as some disability ratings. Importantly, the affected data did not include any of VA's electronic health records nor any financial information. The employee's home was burglarized and this data was stolen. The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

Museum Shop Sales....

About 6 weeks ago, I joined the San Diego Art Institute >>www.sandiego-art.org<< as an "associate member", and about a month ago, brought in some of my crochet work for the gift shop. This past week, I found two of the items had sold-- a shrug and one of my bead-crocheted purses. Two more shrugs went in Thursday... by request of the shop director.

It's rather high-priced as a venue... 45% commission + 3 hrs volunteer work/month for members to have items in the gift shop. I also found out (when I got my check), they take out fees for credit card purchases from the artist share of the purchace price. Kinda explains why the prices in the gallery are so high....

Oh, well, I joined for other reasons, really. So far, I've attended 3 of the classes they sponsored-- two on the business side of art (copyright and tax stuff) and one on digital image printing. The next few aren't of much interest, but there is one on framing I plan to attend this Fall. I'll also be entering a piece in a gallery event in June-- they call it a "C-Note Sale". Any "elegible" piece priced at $100, $200 or $300... and sales are split 50/50 with the artist. "Elegible" means it has to be "fine art", which essentially means, it has to be framed to hang on the wall, or mounted to stand on a table.... All their gallery shows are juried, so it'll be wait & see whether I even get in. I am framing a beaded crystal cluster-- it was going to be a brooch or a collar style necklace center, but it's really too big to do either well.

Curly Scarves

The green and blue scarves use Lion Brand Homespun and Fun Fur yarns. The green one has a "curl" flattened out, the blue one shows how the scarf "drapes" into waves.

The third scan shows a scarf made with Caron Jewel Box and Moda Dea Kickx yarns.

Condor Con 2006

Art Show Set-up

This is how my table at the art show was set up. Tables were standard hotel issue-- 6' x 30", with a white cloth and dark blue skirt. Sales were through a "silent auction" type process-- at the front of the table, you can see my bid sheets; I group mine in stacks of 10.

Most of my main display pieces are hollow "half torsoes"; these are intended as hanging units, but a brick in the bottom holds them nicely to the table.

"Meadow" Series

No, they're not the same size.... On the top is an 18" necklace, on the bottom is a 6 3/4" bracelet. Both are based on the theme-word, "meadow". Also in the works is a crocheted shrug, and if I can find a decent green cord, there will probably be a purse.

Both will be part of my display at Condor Con's art show, Mar.3-5, 2006. The shrug, too, if I get it finished.

Happy Year of the Dog!!

The picture is a scan of an amulet bag I made a few years ago. The subject is Rufferto, the hound who has attached himself to Groo, Sergio Aragones' mendicant warrior.
The bag is made in peyote st using 15/0 seed beads, bead appliquet and simple fringe. The strap (not pictured) attaches with a button and loop closure, and may be worn as a necklace without the bag.
To learn more about Rufferto, or Groo-- go to www.groo.com (a fan club) or to www.povonline.com (run by Mark Evanier, Sergio's partner and writer for the Groo adventures) and click on the link to "Groo the Wanderer".

Scarves... LOTS of scarves...

... are what I've been making most of December, even after Christmas was over....

The basic instructions are from www.crochet.about.com: http://crochet.about.com/od/easy/ss/easysknyscarf.htm

My changes: ("first generation mutations")
Larger hook-- I used an "N" aluminum hook
"Fancy" yarns, worsted and bulky weights
Did without the fringe (I don't like it)
Shorter length-- I made them about as long as I can stretch out my arms.

Sample combinations:
Lava: Lion Brand “Suede” in black/recycled sari silk (from The Hunger Site store) (not shown)

Midworld: Caron “Jewel Box” in emerald/ Lion Brand ”Fancy Fur” in Spring (top)

Retro: Bernat “Eye Lash: in blush/”Suede” in black (not shown)

Fantasy Fox: “Jewel Box” in jasper/Lion Brand ”Disco” in Mr. Brown (bottom)

(2d generation mutations)-- switched R 1, 2, 5, & 6 sc rows to "sc, ch 1" pattern (sc done in ch 1 space, sc below skipped).

Ashes-- Lion Brand"Suede"/Bernat "Boa" (2d from top)

Spring Garden-- white chenille (unknown brand-- bulky,on a cone) /Patons "Twister" in Fruit Loops (3d from top)

Celtic Night-- "Jewel Box" in amazonite/"Fancy Fur" (black eyelashes with green and turquoise blobs) (not shown)

Jade & Coral Necklace, with instructions

A substantial necklace.... Focal piece is about 3" long. Directions, and "ingredients" for making this necklace are in "Comments".

04-07 $75

The latest finished piece- neckpieces modified from a Japanese pattern for Swarovski crystals. My piece has some Swarovski in the stations, but I've substituted malachite and cloisonne for others in the original instructions, and substituted a cloisonne pendant for a focal crystal contruction. Also: reduced number of stations/shortened necklace.

05-34 Camillia $75

Sow's Ear Purse instructions

Sow’s Ear Purse
The yarn was made with recycled sari silk scraps—available from several on-line shops. I got mine through one of the “click to donate” sites—I think the “feed the hungry” one, but it may have been one of the others. These seem to be legit donation sites—and donating is “free”; you just click the “donate” buttons, and advertisers pay for the clicks. Profits from the site shops also go to support the charities. I used less than one 8.5 oz ball.

Other materials:
Mini-canvas bag (from Michaels; intended for fabric painting or other applied decorations).
5 buttons, and a few 8/0 beads
Large holed beads—Indian glass pony beads, a few Czech glass rings, 1/0 seed beads, a fertility symbol
2 key rings
1 snap lock
GSP line to sew on buttons and to reinforce strap (I used 14# test Spiderline “Fusion”)

Size “K” crochet hook

I didn’t really have a pattern—kinda made it up as I went along, but the basic directions are as follows:

Chain a length about 2/3 the width of the bottom of the bag.

Sc along both sides of the chain, with 3 sc in each end chain. Sc around, adding increases at ends until you have a flat oval the size of the bag bottom.

Sc without increasing until the sides of the bag are almost the height of the canvas bag (spiral up, rather than step up each round). At the center front, center back and the center of each side—chain 1, skip one sc, then continue with sc. Do one more round in sc.

Crochet rings in place at sides in next round. Do one more round and end at center back (sl st, cut yarn and pull yarn tail through).

String beads on yarn. Attach yarn at back, 1 st away from where right hand side ring connects. Do 1 row plain sc to other side, stopping 1 st from left-hand ring. Turn.

**Ch 1. Do one row sc, slipping a bead in every few st. Turn.

Ch 2, dc across, stopping at next to last sc of row below. Turn.**

Repeat ** to ** until you have a triangular flap that reaches almost to the bottom of your purse. Ch a short loop, then sc around loop, then up the side of the flap, around the front of the purse opening and down the other side of the flap. Sl st, cut yarn, pull tail through and weave in.

Turn canvas bag inside out. Sew 4 buttons along the top edge—1 at each side, 1 center front and 1 center back. Make a short shank with seed beads for each button. Sew last button to front of crocheted bag at point where flap loop sets.

Insert canvas bag in crocheted purse, slip buttons through ch-1 holes.

Make strap:
Hold ends of yarn and GSP line together, tie to one key ring. Make a slip knot around the ring, then ch st until the strap is “long enough”.
Crochet 2 st around swivel end of snap lock, ch 1.
Sc back to ring, 2 st around ring, 1 ch st, sc back to snap lock.
Cut yarn/GSP line, leaving about 4” of a tail, pull through and end. Wrap around swivel ring of snap lock, tie, then weave into strap.

Conjecture 4 Art Show

Panel 2

Conjecture 4 Art Show

This is the first time I've set up using panels, rather than a table, for display.

The panels are 4' x 4' pegboards (on a 2x4" frame), and arranged in "bays". I got two panels-- the ones I used were right under a light.

Most of my jewelry was mounted on pieces of ceiling tile, using T-pins and jewelry u-pins. I have a "bin" that holds my business cards. I had planned to use a certain size of hook to hold up the displays, but those hooks did not fit the art show's peg boards, so I had to use bulldog clips to hang them instead.

Credit Card Scam: aka Indonesian Scam

A fellow beader and blogger gave permission to quote her; please go to her blog site to read the full report, especially if you do internet sales:

>>...In Indonesia, they are very sophisticated; one of the ways they get CC numbers is to run random computer-generated numbers with expiration dates until they get some that go through. They put through charges for tiny amounts that people won't bother to contest, and if the charge goes through, they know it's good. So do watch out for penny amounts showing up on your credit card bills....

Susan Midlarsky, Happy Artist
Aspiring Arts
http://www.aspiring-arts.com
Blog at http://www.aspiring-arts.com/blog/blog.html
http://www.cafepress.com/aspiringarts <<

Eclectic Beadery

Currently, the Eclectic Beadery site is "down", in preparation to change the host. New site expected to be up by July 1.

Please visit my other "shops" in the meantime!

Kaytee

Green Goddess Necklace