Focus On Life - Week 2

My Word

Structure is something I definitely need to work on this year. I'm terribly dis-organised and I find it really stressful sometimes.

I get into ruts where I can't be bothered doing anything...and so some days I don't. This then put's me behind schedule and I get flustered and then stressed because I have so many things to do. I have work days, housework days, beading days, order/packing days, claying days, family days and lying about doing nothing days...I let things get on top of me. 

I need a rota, I need to do little bits of each thing, each day...instead of letting them mount up. I need to utilise the things and people around me a bit more, ask for help instead of trying to be super woman. 

So even though there are many words...schedule, utilise, dis-organised, stressful, flustered...that I could use, I'll go for the one that encompasses them all and one that sounds a little more useful and positive than the others...Structure.

Before Beads...

Nude 1

Before I found my "calling" and became a bead addict I used to be an "artist". I say used to be, as I rarely draw anymore.  Sometimes I get the urge and come up with something new...perhaps so my drawing hand doesn't rust up from lack of use. 

I specialise mostly in portraits but have always been a great fan of still life...especially nudes.  When I studied art at school we would go and draw naked folk. It was a novelty at the time...you're 16-18 years old in a class full of your friends and there's an old naked guy sitting in the middle of the class, humming to himself, without a care in the world, pretty funny to those juvenile eyes. Now I'm older and a lot more "sensible" (or so I like to believe), I'd kill for that opportunity again...

For me, the most interesting bodies to draw are the "imperfect" ones...perhaps some wrinkles or a pair of droopy boobs, someone who is overweight or has a big nose...something that little bit different...the things society perceive to be "flaws". 

Of course I have no access to naked people at the moment (my boyfriend outright refused to pose!), so I'm working from photographs. I promised myself to draw more this year and so my first "nude" was not so imperfect, starting off slowly...although backs are pretty hard to capture and I hate feet...hence the unfinished bit. 

Worked from a photograph by Amphisbaina @ DeviantArt. 

Pastel & Charcoal

You can see more of my drawings HERE. 

Published! Meeee!!

Two of my bracelets are in the February edition of Bead Trends!  I rushed off to get the digital edition and just LOVE how they photographed my bracelets! 

The bracelet below was created with magatama beads (available in my Czech glass collections on Etsy), etched cream lampwork by Rob Johnson, lampwork by Lisa Falzone, peanut seed beads, TierraCast copper beadcaps and clasp and the focal is a polymer clay bead made by me. 

The bracelet below was my entry for the Art Bead Scene challenge last year. Everything except the green Ghanan trade beads and the toho seed was handmade by me. I love forging metal and etching is another favourite of mine, although something I haven't done for a long time. 

Focus On Life - Week One

Week 1 - Self Portrait

Catching up as I joined the party late...of course I did, completely disorganised, as usual! 

I've had a pretty hectic week and am completely behind on everything! We've had a series of power cuts over the last fortnight due to a substation blowing up in the next street. Firing a kiln and power cuts do not go hand in hand, therefore all my listings are going to be up about a week later than planned! On top of that I've been working overtime and preparing for my next module at Uni starting very soon. 

The New Years diet lasted approx 1 day before I gave in to cheese with caramalised onions in it, yummm! Trying to get back on track now but it's so hard. I tend to be an evening grazer, too busy during the day to prepare anything but coffee and then once everything is done and I can park my behind on the sofa with my man, grazing commences.  It's a bad habit and one I'm trying to break. I really need something to do with my hands though, so I find it very difficult to just "sit" and do nothing. 

I'm really looking forward to blogging more. That is the main reason I've joined in with Sally's "Focus On Life". I find it difficult knowing what to blog about and so having a little task presented to me each week from Sally will hopefully be great inspiration! 

You can join in yourself with "Focus On Life" at any stage throughout the year. Just email Sally on her blog (linked to above) to join in! :)