Adalea's Designs – The Blog

At the beginning of this year, I had such wonderful intentions to get on a better “work” scheduale (I use quotes because I love being a jewelry artist too much for it ever to be work). Doing the Fun a Day project in January was the start of it. Making a piece of jewelry every day for a month was supposed to be the best way to kick start a habit of daily creative work which was supposed to lead to successful organizing and staying on the ball for Adalea’s Designs so I could have a kick ass and successful year. But I was so very wrong.

The Fun a Day project took over each day so there was no time for other business organizing. But that was fine, because it was a very inspiring month filling my head with lovely new beady ideas. Then February came and I had to skip the actual exhibiting of the Fun A Day creations cause I wasn’t comfortable with their “release form” and feared for my jewelry’s safety. But that was fine cause I had a pile of new jewelry that I could sell. I planned to get right on that along with cleaning up my online storefront. I got a good start on it but was quickly derailed by a evil cough that has taken over my life.

For over two months now, I’ve been coughing up my lungs on a regular basis. I’ve had three trips to the doctor and still don’t know what is causing it. I have a appointment with a specialist tomorrow and I hope he’ll have some clue. I’ve been put on antibiotics and steroids and codeine cough syrup, oh my! I’m currently working my way through bottle number four of said cough syrup. And that’s the reason why nothing much has been happening on the Adalea’s Designs business side of things. Or the housekeeping side of things, but that’s another story. Cause when I’m not coughing every time I move long enough to take medicine, I’m stoned on cough syrup. The cough syrup eats my brain and keeps me from being productive. I can occasionally push through that fog and get stuff done but laundry and dishes and bills seem to take precedent to making shiny jewelry.

I don’t know how much longer this is going to go on for so I don’t know how often I’m going to be updating here. Or beading. Or organizing. I just wanted to write a post and let you all know what’s been going on and that I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth. Plus, I do have a few updates to share. Hopefully I’ll remember them all cause I am currently under the influence of the most disgusting tasting cough syrup on the planet – cherry flavored my ass!

Okay, in random order:

1) I’m published! I entered a Swarovski crystal beading contest hosted by Fire Mountain Gems in 2009 with this lovely bib style necklace I’ve titled Montana Fusion:

It became a finalist but I didn’t win. However, being a finalist meant my design might appear in one of their catalogs. I flipped through each new catalog looking for my necklace since that contest and never found it. Then, recently, I got an email telling me:

Your Jewelry Artist Design is featured in our May 2011 Flyer on Page 239

I swear I squeed and did a happy dance – at least in my head. I haven’t received the catalog in the mail yet but the moment I do I’ll take a picture. And then rip out the page and frame it. However, they do have their e-catalog up on their site as I discovered the other day. Here’s a screen shot of my page:

2) I entered Fire Mountain Gems seed beads/glass/acrylic contest. I have a whole list of contests I want to enter this year. I’ve had to skip a few cause I wasn’t feeling well enough to create anything in time for the deadline. I thought this contest would be one of them until I realized I already had a lovely necklace full of seed beads and glass. There was nothing in the guidelines that it had to be made within a certain time period or that it had to be a one of a kind with no duplicates. So, I submitted my (I’m a) Gay Fan Necklace:

It’ll probably be a few days before I hear anything but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

3) I applied for a booth at the Gresham Art Walk in July. Hubby and I stumbled upon this event last year when we stopped at our favorite local diner on main street in our town one weekend. I saw several jewelry artists there so I knew I had to look into it for 2011. I had wanted to take some really fancy photos to submit but didn’t have the energy to do it any time soon. They didn’t have a deadline but they did have a limited number of booths so I didn’t want to wait too long and loose my chance. So they got a few of my regular photos. I didn’t have high hopes of getting in but I was wrong. The jury likes that I’m different so, Adalea’s Designs will be at the Gresham Art Walk on July 16th! I’m so glad I have over three months to get things together….

I think that’s it. At least it’s the important stuff. Okay, I’m off to zone out for awhile. Hopefully, the specialist tomorrow will be able to cure me and I’ll be back soon. Good thoughts, please.

If you look in my closet, you’ll see tunic tops, tye dye t-shirts and bell sleeved blouses. Why? Cause I’m a hippie at heart. At least where the clothes are concerned. I think that might be why I’m so drawn to seed beads for normal stringing, not fancy smancy bead weaving – which I’m convienced I’ll never have the patience for. Love Beads were originally made from nothing but seed beads in long, chunky, colorful strands. But I put my own spin on Love Beads for my Urban Hippie Collection. I took out the chaos (which is odd considering some of my other chaos based designs) and made them sleek and sharp using seed beads and bugle beads in three duplicate strands. Another lovely design that I can go color combo crazy with. I’m also pondering different lengths and more strands. For now, the collection has three designs:

Modern Love Beads Necklace Version 1
(currently in 5 different color combos)

Modern Love Beads Necklace Version 2

Peace and Love Beads Necklace
(A tad different then the plain modern love beads with glass rounds instead of seed beads and featuring a polymer clay peace symbol.)

I’m pretty sure my beady muses will give me more ideas for this collection soon. Or maybe I’ll get some more custom requests – I’ve already made a special batch of three for another customer. I like custom requests…

I am a woman/wife/daughter/sister. I am a artist/crafter/beader. I am a Fag Hag/gay man trapped in a woman’s body/gay fan. I find it necessary for people to know these things so I wear my labels with pride. And I use my talents to create those labels.

My now famous (as far as I’m concerned, at least) Fab Fan necklace design was kind of a happy accident. I bought these bright colored epoxy rectangles with the intention of making a Gay Pride flag pendant from them with jump rings. That didn’t work – it was too flat. What did work was stringing the rectangles like beads which caused them to form “fans”. It took some trial and error to perfect the design but the finished piece instantly became my most talked about/commented on piece. I love it’s striking yet delicate essence.

I named it the (I’m a) Gay Fan Necklace and under the suggestion of my BGFF (best gay friend forever), I kept one for myself because I’m a huge gay fan (as previously stated). I wear that necklace more then any other necklace and it almost always gets a comment. Wearing this necklace into the mall is the reason I now have 20 plus of my Fab Fan Necklaces for sale at Mystique Artisan Gallery. And I’m hoping it’s the necklace that’ll get me a spot at the Gresham Art Walk in July.

I hadn’t planned on making any other color combos in this design but plans change. Over 20 color combos have been created so far with at least that many more in the works. There is an infinite number of color combos with this design and I love that. With this collection, anyone can show people what they’re a fan of just by wearing a gorgeous necklace. Isn’t that fabulous?

So, what are you a fan of?

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. Evil Sinus Gnomes have taken over my sinuses for the last month or so and forced me to go to the doctor a couple weeks ago. And I’ve spent those couple weeks drugged up in a attempt to evict said Evil Sinus Gnomes to no avail. I’m on another round of drugs and hope to be rid of the Gnomes soon. I haven’t had much energy/concentration/motivation to do anything during this ordeal (heck, hubby actually had to do the dishes! And laundry!) until today. So, today I’ve started getting some new/newish items up for sale on my ArtFire store front. Currently, it’s 7 new Fab Fan Necklaces:

The first piece I made in this design was in a rainbow color combo that on the suggestion of my BGFF (best gay friend forever), I named it the (I’m a) Gay Fan Necklace. Cause the rectangles create a fan shape when strung. When I got into other color combos, I just named them Fab Fan Necklace in Specific Color Combo. I’ve decided that was boring so I changed it up a bit for the new listings and designated each one as a specific fan representation. I’d like to share parts of the descriptions with you and I’d love your input. I’ve injected a bit of my unique sense of humor into the item listings. I think it’s funny. Hubby thinks it’s funny. Do you think it’s funny? Or is it the drugs talking?

I am a Environmental Fan Green Necklace

Mother earth is in peril. The best way to help is to show our support. Wearing something green is a wonderful way to do that. And it keeps you from being pinched on Saint Patrick’s Day.

This necklace, and every piece I make, was made with love and soul and pure fairy magic and my own brand of uniqueness.

Jewelry should make a statement.

Epoxy rectangles are strung together to form solid nephrite green fans in this unique handmade, beaded necklace. Black beads are used to bring out the colors of the fans and the accenting delicas. A playful piece, this necklace is great for showing the world you really dig mother earth.

I am a Wine Fan Purple Necklace

Wine is awesome. Unless you’re underage, then it’s disgusting and will melt your brain. But grape juice is also awesome. And what do they both have in common? They’re made from grapes. And grapes are purple. I don’t believe in any other color of grape, they’re unnatural and will melt your brain.

This necklace, and every piece I make, was made with love and soul and pure fairy magic and my own brand of uniqueness.

Jewelry should make a statement.

Epoxy rectangles are strung together to form solid purple fans in this unique handmade, beaded necklace. Black beads are used to bring out the colors of the fans and the accenting delicas. A playful piece, this necklace is great for showing the world you believe in and love grapes and other purple things. Except the one eyed, purple people eater – he doesn’t need the encouragement.

I am a Smurf Fan Blue Necklace

Who doesn’t love the smurfs? If you can’t see the wonderfulness that is a cartoon about tiny blue creatures living in a tiny village together using smurf as a noun/verb/curse where there’s only one girl and 99 boys, then there’s something wrong with you and you should seek therapy.

This necklace, and every piece I make, was made with love and soul and pure fairy magic and my own brand of uniqueness.

Jewelry should make a statement.

Epoxy rectangles are strung together to form solid lapis blue fans in this unique handmade, beaded necklace. Black beads are used to bring out the colors of the fans and the accenting delicas. A playful piece, this necklace is great for showing the world your intense, undying love for all things smurf. Even if it’s not exactly the right shade of blue it’s still smurf enough.

I am a Tan Fan Orange Necklace

I don’t believe in tanning, natural or otherwise, but I support those who do. Like Snookie and other people who aren’t “famous” enough for me to remember their names. And since I’m an open minded, supportive person, I made this necklace for Tan Fans.

This necklace, and every piece I make, was made with love and soul and pure fairy magic and my own brand of uniqueness.

Jewelry should make a statement.

Epoxy rectangles are strung together to form solid bright orange fans in this unique handmade, beaded necklace. Black beads are used to bring out the colors of the fans and the accenting delicas. A playful piece, this necklace is great for showing the world your love of turning your skin the color of a fruit that is delicious and full of vitamin C.

I am a Vampire Fan Red Necklace

Vampires are just the world’s cuddly, blood sucking teddy bears. Who doesn’t love that? Now, I’d like to point out that I’m not talking about the “vampires” from Twilight – they don’t count because the “power to sparkle in the sun” is not a power. I’m talking about the REAL vampires from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series. You know, the one’s that don’t go back to high school after 300 or whatever years to fall in love with a teenage girl cause they can’t find someone their own age that will love them as obsessively and “true” as a teenage girl can – at least until a hot werewolf comes along. So, if you’re on Team Edward or Team Jacob instead of Team And Buffy Staked Edward, The End, you should look somewhere else for your vampire-esque jewelry.

This necklace, and every piece I make, was made with love and soul and pure fairy magic and my own brand of uniqueness.

Jewelry should make a statement.

Epoxy rectangles are strung together to form solid china red fans in this unique handmade, beaded necklace. Black beads are used to bring out the colors of the fans and the accenting delicas. A playful piece, this necklace is great for showing the world your love of vampires and their love for sweet, sweet red blood.

I am a Banana Fan Yellow Necklace

A man wears a banana costume to sell real estate. I’m pretty sure he’s my soul mate. This necklace is my tribute to him.

This necklace, and every piece I make, was made with love and soul and pure fairy magic and my own brand of uniqueness.

Jewelry should make a statement.

Epoxy rectangles are strung together to form solid yellow fans in this unique handmade, beaded necklace. Black beads are used to bring out the colors of the fans and the accenting delicas. A playful piece, this necklace is great for showing the world your love of people randomly wearing banana costumes.

The photo of the Banana Man:

I am a Gay Fan Rainbow Necklace

Jewelry should make a statement.

Rainbow is my favorite color.

Love is beautiful.

I’m a huge gay fan.

This necklace, and every piece I make, was made with love and soul and pure fairy magic and my own brand of uniqueness.

Epoxy rectangles are strung together to form rainbow fans in this unique handmade, beaded necklace. Black beads are used to bring out the striking rainbow colors of the fans and the accenting delicas. A playful piece, this necklace is great for showing your personal gay pride, to just say “I’m a gay fan”, or to show how much you love rainbows and believe in unicorns.

So, what do you think?