Friday, February 26, 2010

I'm so ready for spring!

I don't know about you, but this winter thing is getting old. And my mind has turned to little tastes of spring. These beads were made thinking of cherry blossoms (sakura), an image I love because often they are among the first trees to bloom. I don't actually have any cherry trees but I do have pear, peach, and apple. I love the whites, pale pinks, against the branches of the trees. Oh spring! Where are you?
I couldn't resist glazing a few of these beads in a spring alternative. Mostly, because I love this glaze and have this need to glaze everything in sight like this.

These have been on my to do list for a long time now. I've been wanting to make ceramic clasps with bronze or copper toggles for a while now. Well the toggles are yet to come. I made these and looked at them and said to my self, you know these have some potential as small pendants or connectors. I have some ideas of putting a small dangle off the bottom and making them into pendants on simple snake chain or leather. We'll see.


And what could be more spring and Easter than an egg? These were very fun. The brown that is in there is a spatter painted glaze. Remember using a paint loaded brush and spraying it across your paper? Very messy but very satisfying. That's the base for these eggs and then they are over coated with another of my favourite glazes.
Gosh, I'd love to have a hand model. Look at those nasty cuticles, the pudgy fingers. Well when you work in clay, I'm afraid that a nice manicure is just a dream.

The perspective of this bird bowl is a little odd. But I am quite pleased with the bird bowls. All I need now is some Cadbury eggs to fill them with. That would be your original creme eggs, not the minis, not the caramel. I like my original and have a very well defined ritual for eating them.
Have a lovely weekend, all! And those of you who are buried in snow up there in the NE, I recommend sleeping in, having a cup or to of hot chocolate (don't forget the marshamallows) and snuggling up under a nice comforter. Meanwhile, I will be thinking warm and sunshine thoughts for you all.

22 comments:

Unknown said...

I think the connectors and the little eggs turned out beautifully! I bet they were fun to make

Unknown said...
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TesoriTrovati said...

Goodness...I am loving those little pink blossoms and that egg! Hmmmm...you have my wheels turning now! Enjoy the day! Erin

sharon said...

Those pink blossoms are AWESOME, as well as the connectors! After getting a foot of snow last night, and no day off because the boss came to pick me up to do the "end of the month" reports and closeout, I reeeealy need to feel some of your warm and sunshine thoughts! I already feel them headed this way!
Thank you!!

Round Rabbit said...

I want spring too!!! Your sweet little flowers are perfect to get me in the mood!
My boyfriend and I were just talking about finding me a hand model since my hands look like I have leprosy. I haven't listed rings in ages because of how gross they look!

SummersStudio said...

Hmm, Kelley, I think owe you some special treats. Thinking!!!

Erin, I'm not a pink, blossom person at all, except this time of year. I just long for the garden to go into bloom!

Sharon, I really am thinking warm snuggly thoughts for you. This winter is just too much. Have we entered another ice age. Cocoa, tea, strong coffee, and slippers. It's the only cure!

Nancy, our hands, I'm afraid will never be 'perfect' will they? You just can not work in clay and have model hands. Instead, I think we should make things that compensate for that.

Judy said...

LeAnn, I just love all the new items! I think I may need one of those toggles in my mix. The pinch pot looks wonderful all glazed.
Today it "warmed" up to 41 degrees, but I am still freezing!

Rosanne said...

The little pink flowers are so pretty. The neighbors down the road have a row of cherry trees and the blossoms are just gorgeous in the spring. I love little eggs and your pinch bowl with the little bird. Come on Spring!

Cindy said...

Hi LeAnn...I missed ALL of them! Your beautiful new Sakura blossoms are all sold out...and that happened while I was visiting your Etsy shop! I think a cherry blossom piece would be perfect for my neck of the woods...there's the big CherryBlossom festival here in DC. Oh,and I always get those Cadbury eggs for my husband's Easter basket. :-)
Cindy

stregata said...

Oh LeAnn - your hands are beautiful, because they are full of so much talent - and they create such beautiful things. Just so you know, working with metal does not make them prettier either.
Those little flowers remind me of yarrow blossoms... so sweet.
And the eggs are divine!

Unknown said...

I really love your new things! I'm not usually into pink, but these are so pretty! I can't wait to get my little package of Spring.

Andrew Thornton said...

Your beads and bowl all look GREAT! I particularly love the sakura blossoms. Reminds me of Central Park when all of the cherry trees were in bloom. People would go out there to take their wedding pictures on these pink, saccharine hills. It looked like something out of a fairy tale.

I can't wait for Spring either! I've been trying to get home for such a LONG time and now I hear there's going to be more snow. So even if my car did actually move, I wouldn't be able to go anywhere any way. Ugh!

SueBeads said...

Hi LeAnn - we need spring here too, I think after this crazy winter everyone does. They keep changing the weather forecast to "more snow." I love the blossoms, and I love the connectors! Great work!

Vintage Blue Studio said...

I think I'm in love with the cherry blossom beads!

Sweet Pea said...

I totally am a pink blossom person and I LOVE those pink beads!! They are very springy :)

Sweet Pea said...

By the way, I'd love to be your hand model!! ;)

donna said...

Oooooh, love the flower beads! You must have sold out already. I was going to get some, even though I make some very, very similar, I want YOURS. ;) FABU!

Pretty Things said...

I love the flowers!!!!!

Michelle said...

I adore the little eggs...just what we need for spring! I understand about the hands...between the wire work, alcohol inks and tons of paper (the pesky part time job) my hands are a mess! Working hands are good hands though....
Happy day!
Michelle

Rose said...

I think I missed the blossoms in your shop. Very sad... BUT I did manage to snag one of those toggles/pendants. Now, just for the wait... the hard part :P

PS. My first etsy purchase... Very exciting.

Unknown said...

Everything is wonderful! And I think your hands are beautiful.
The bird bowl would look perfect on my bead desk!

Esther said...

perfect egg!! beautiful flowers too!!