Aliens on the Brain

I never knew that the creative spark could be so infernally fickle. The last few weeks of my life have been spent battling an innate sense of 'I must be doing something wrong because I can't think of anything creative, and I can't make anything worth my time' and some horrendous weather that's got my sinuses all in a pother.

For some reason or other, however, I've had aliens on the brain for the past week, and it seemed as good a starting point as any to start experimenting to see if the creative block would finally go away.

And inspiration I found indeed, in the form of Janice Berkebile's beautiful pod rings and kanto lanterns! Her classes can be found here, and pictures of her amazing work.

Thus was born the Alien Pod Bloom Thingy. It's my first time attempting to weave wire, and it came out atrocious in places, which required some creative rescuing. I'm sure there's an easier way to form the blasted pod that doesn't require a centre bead to shape which keeps falling out and rolling into remote corners behind the computer. It's a start though! Here's hoping the ideas slowly start coming back or I'm sunk.


Alien Pod Bloom Thingy: 18ga, 20ga and 26ga artistic wire, faux pearls, Czech glass seed beads.



Note to self: Do not attempt to string too many pearls onto one side of a deformed pod, and seed beads really are the way to go for non-bumpy decoration.

I'm also working on what I've facetiously nicknamed the Caterpillar Ring, but that's going to take some modification, given I have no idea what I'm doing, sort of.

Chainmaille Fire

I loathe being ill. It's the biggest cause of brain atrophy that I know, and one whole week of being unwell has sapped my energy beyond belief. However, I'm getting back there and trying to track down an errant Muse - which is probably on vacation in a lovelier climate than the one I'm ensconced in at present, but that's beside the point.

My shipment of chainmaille rings from Blue Buddha Boutique FINALLY came through, thank GOD - it did about a month ago but the hassle of trying to get it out of the post office customs department should be a plot for some slapstick theatrical production. -Why- in the world wouldn't an official letter put an official address on it, thereby cutting down on the necessity of running to and fro between TWO customs departments (the one in the post office and the Customs Department proper)?

Anyway, this is one of the projects I completed while on vacation - Rebeca, your rings are marvellous! I love the colours!


Polyhedron earrings: Fire


Japanese Cross earrings: Fire