something to talk about

I just wanted to share something beautiful today.

There's not much going on, just a couple of ideas in my head. I'm wondering about doing the Savannah Market Bazaar again. They're going to give the artists their own little corner, and it's shopping season, still I have doubts . . . (what's new?)

Also, I've got my green project waiting for me to put needle to thread and I'm thinking of keeping a journal of it. That might be kind of cool.

carp, dragon or raven egg

Something fishy in the latte

evolution of inspiration or a day of words

I love my sidebar! I fill it with all sorts of goodies that prove to be a constant source of inspiration and pleasure. I mine it daily, checking on the latest from art sources, artists, quirky art pals and business advice columnists.

Today I hit The Altered Page (ever beautiful pictures) and got hit with poetry, which as you may know, I love. Seth shared James Wright's Beginning which ends evocatively,

"The wheat leans back toward its own darkness,

And I lean toward mine."

Then Seth speaks of, "This Day of Words, where bloggers post a poem so that we can all spend a day meeting "new words, new poets, new poems, new ways for the heart to beat." To see the list of other bloggers participating in this Day of Sharing Words, click here.

Awesome!

So, my contribution to the Day of Words, something that I've recently been hearing over and over in my head, though I hadn't read it in awhile, till today. It's probably not new to you, but perhaps you'd forgotten it.

One Art

The art of losing isn't hard to master;

so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

---Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.
-- Elizabeth Bishop

Check here today to participate!

are your guys hard to shop for?

My Grow a Backbone necklace was featured on Rare Bird Finds last night. It was such a cool surprise when I noticed the name on my sidebar and checked it out to discover that, yes, indeed, it was my necklace that was being featured!

Then someone mentioned regarding the new Bead Art Originals Gift Guide that more gifts for guys would be great.

Several items in my primitive series are perfect for guys who like jewelry. I have handmade chains, nose rings, earrings, rings-- but what if they guy isn't into jewelry?



BIL wear's something once in awhile, and fathermine rarely even wears his wedding ring. Answer for the beadily inclined? Key fob! Guys have keys, right?

So I sat down and made several out of rough stones, horn, bone and clay. I'll be listing them along and along today, but here's a sneak peek! (They're listed here now!)

I'd love to know what you think!

daily dose of pretty

And yet another Monday with yet more fabulous offers from the Bead Art Originals team

Bead Art Originals Items of the Week (Nov 17-23)
Originally uploaded by Sand Fibers

Please check out the great offers! I'm offering a $15 credit toward any second item with purchase of my marvelous Hana-Bi cuff.

I'm pretty open to offering different value-added specials for my Items of the Week. If there's something you'd like to see, leave a comment!

thebeadedlily was in 3 lovely Treasuries this week and I picked 3 items to share with you from the curators shops!

From the very talented Sand Fibers comes a newer style in one of my favorite colorways!

Color Study in Teals Peyote Cuff Bracelet

From ioulia comes a modern piece with a new twist on an old standby!

Cornflower necklace

And from the fabulous njema comes stripes you won't be able to resist!

Bright Stripes Peyote Cuff

Now that you've had your daily dose of pretty, have a great day!

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Remember Decemeber 1st is fast approaching! Please sign up for my newsletter on my blog sidebar so be entered to win a $20 credit toward anything in my shop!

Triz takes the ancestral expressions challenge and a room to paint

Triz's Let My People Go Collar is a serious work of art. I admit it. I voted for it and I almost never vote for the winner. It's gorgeous.
If you haven't seen it, here it is:

I'd like to give a special mentions this month to caraway's One World cuff. Also a stellar work of art.

I came it 3rd this month, which must mean I'm getting better, right? I'm very proud of this piece. Hands Against Time.

Thanks to everyone who voted this month and helped to spread the word about voting!

A most recent treasury with some subtle colors:

A Room to Paint
Remember to check my blog sidebar for that link to join thebeadedlily's new mailing list and get entered into a drawing on December 1st to win $20 toward any item or group of items in my shop!

the artist as missionary

Robert K. Liu says, "The bead enthusiast is also a missionary of knowledge, trying to enlighten the vast majority of people who are ignorant of their beauty, charm and fascinating history that characterize theses small perforated artifacts."
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Said like that it sounds so noble, these efforts we all make educate others about our crafts.
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I was thinking the other day about disposable incomes, luxuries, and art. So many are afraid that the economy will take a bite out of their income because art isn't what many of us would regard as a necessity.
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But every society, no matter how poor, has its art. It can be poetry, songs and stories, graffiti on tin walls, tattoos, drawings on cave walls, a string of beads wrapped around the newborn's neck. People, no matter what their economic situation, will surround themselves with beautiful things as they can.
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It's interesting that here in the West beads are used mostly for adornment, whereas historically their role is much, much broader. Lois Sherr Durbin goes so far as to say that, "The ways in which beads are used helps to define a particular group's conception of beauty . . . People have used beads to organize and symbolize their world."
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The mission is to help people see what we see, to encourage others to identify with the story of our art, to explore its meaning in their lives.

Low Tide in Autumn

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Reminders:Voting is going on for the EBW Challenge. I'm coming in 3rd right now, which is pretty exciting! Go Vote!

Check my blog sidebar for a link to sign up for my monthly newsletter. You'll be entered to win a $20 credit toward anything in my shop on December 1st!

blank pages and slates

I was reading recently about the difficulty of a blank page, how it can be hard to figure out what subject to broach, how to start writing. The author suggested just opening a browser and starting to type-- turning the post essentially from an article to a conversation.

I actually do that fairly often. Sometimes blogging can serve as a kind of catharsis. Sometimes, it just a way to share what's on my mind. Sometimes is helps me to explore ideas.

I sometimes do the same thing with beads. Instead of planning a piece out, I'll select a bead I want to work with, gather some that would look good with it, sit down and start beading with no clear idea of where I'm going. That's why I say that beads are my primary source of inspiration. Sometimes it's like they're pulling the strings, and not the other way around.

Recommended Daily Dose of Art: Breath of Winter

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Reminders:Voting is going on for the EBW Challenge. I'm coming in 3rd right now, which is pretty exciting! Go Vote!

Check my blog sidebar for a link to sign up for my monthly newsletter. You'll be entered to win a $20 credit toward anything in my shop on December 1st!