Adventures in Geometry

 Hi! So - in just a few short weeks, I went from this

(aluminum matte cheap material and basic chain):

 

 

To THIS! Geometric dangly and detailed

Silverplate with beading:

 

 

I love working with better materials. Who wouldn't? The silverplate is more expensive but not much more. I also love working with different types of shapes and details. This one I can see selling. The others - not so much. I want to incorporate gold now - goldplate or gold filled. Filled is better as it is a thicker layer over brass or silver. I will be getting with Mom (who creates and sells jewelry) to get some more materials. The thing is, I need to get some money first to purchase. I am thinking about $200 will get me enough to make a nice set of necklace, earrings, and bracelet.

 

Other news: life is happening as always. =D 

A New Thing

I've been working on a new craft - ChainMaille jewelry! I'm brand new to this and I love it so far. I've been using cheap aluminum jump rings in different sizes and colors and just putting stuff together without really reading up on the instructions and figuring out the different weights and sizes to use to be able to complete nicer pieces. I will be concentrating on the details when I get a shipment in of nicer quality rings (should be in on Friday). But for now, I am learning the feel of working the metal and designing my own chains and looking up instructions as I go.

Here are a few:

My first necklace - with a Byzantine link:

 



Another necklace - the charms are nice on both sides making this reversable:

 

A bracelet I made and gave to my boyfriend. This one was the first time I tried the "helms" style link but I used the wrong size rings, making for a sloppy job. BUT - the BF likes it and the colors are good together.

 

Another "Helms" bracelet. This time, I was just trying to use up some of my spare rings.

 

A Halloween inspired piece which is also my "ode" to Betsy Johnson. I might add to it before Halloween this year. It's missing .... "something."

 

And here is a necklace in which I couldnt decide if I wanted color or if I wanted just black with teal rings. I call it "Techno-Goth" - for the undecided/conflicted club-going fashionista.

 

I ordered 2 packs of various sized silver plated jump rings on Ebay this morning. I know that SP can rub off but at least it is a step up in quality and looks than the aluminum above. Maybe I will make some pieces that are worthy of selling. I will take more time in putting them together and adding bits of "bling" if wanted.

 

A Day at the Museum(s)

Today I ventured to The Kimbell and to The Modern in Fort Worth. I have not been in a long time. No special exhibit at The Kimbell but that also meant no crowds. No crowds mean space and time to really view the art. I noticed many pieces I had normally just quick-glaced at before and was able (and inspired) to stop and really take the painting/artwork in. Also, luckily, in the permanent exhibits, photos (sans flash) are allowed. I love that policy. =)

Here are some photos of paintings and sculpture at The Kimbell:

This is a detail of a larger painting:

I have always loved this bust of a woman's head. It also reminds me of one of my closest/dearest friends:





After The Kimbell, We (my boyfriend, Don, and I) went across the street to The Modern. I am not a huge fan of what is identified as "modern art" but I do have an appreciation for some of it and, even if I don't necessarily "like" the art, I am open enough to give it a "chance." I hope this makes sense.

Anyway, the special exhibit is "Lucian Freud" - whose portraits were amazingly "real." Lots of drama, age, "normalcy" as far as life goes. I remember seeing his work for the first time about 20 years ago. I saw one particular painting of a nude sleeping couple and my impression from it when I first saw it 20 years ago was completely DIFFERENT than when I got the opportunity to view it today. Before I thought it was ugly (as in the emotions I experienced) but today - I felt "peaceful" and "comfort." That realization was suprising.

I was not able to photograph anything in the Freud exhibit but I was able to photograph some of the permanent pieces. I am only posting one here though as the rest didn't really capture the emotions I was wanting to capture.

This one is of a large glass sphere and the lighting was placed just so to create a great "square" shadow. I have become a fan of shadows lately.





There was one shot (the focus isn' that great but I had to get the photo quickly before the person moved). I think the shot perfectly describes what I see in many "modern" art endeavors - the pieces I just dont "get."

I call this: A Portrait of the Soul in Torment IV

Crash!

I must have jinxed myself on April 1st when I said I had an external drive for all my photos just in case of a PC crash. Well - said crash happened and oddly enough my exernal drive is missing everything too - - - and it wasnt even plugged in! UGH! Well, thank goodness for this blog, Facebook, and my iPhone photo cache. I will be spending freetime saving from various sites and starting from scratch. So, no photos for this entry. I have some to post but it will have to wait until the weekend.

Other news: I am going back to FL at the end of June. This maybe my last visit for a long time, sadly. BUT DisneyWorld is in the plans - all parks and a 2 night stay at The Contemporary on site. I have always wanted to stay there because of the inside monorail station. Silly, I know, but a childhood wish that will be coming true. I will also be attending a concert for my boyfriend's birthday party. He will then be packing up and moving to Texas a week later. I am happy about all of this.

LIghtning!

The other night, there was a spectacular lightning "show" in the skies and I decided to try my luck at catching some strikes on "film" (even though there is no "film" in digital cameras). After about 300 shots on the fastest shutter speed I could muster in a no-light situation - I got a few decent shots which I have either edited in photoshop ... or not. Usually I only crop because I am not good at creatively adjusting or manipulating what is already captured - just good at getting what I "see" into the shot... some people call this ability "a good eye" and I am happy with that particular gift/skill.

So, overall, I am happy with the results. Perhaps if I had a camera with a wider light ap-thingy, I would be able to get clearer shots. These are all pretty grainy but I still am happy with them.

These are all taken from my apartment balcony. I cropped the buildings out of most of the photos.

This was the first one I caught that was worth anything. Dramatic!

I had to lighten this one so the colors would be more noticable. Other than that, I did no adjustments. The colors are awesome!

 

I did edit the colors in this one as it was all orange-y.

This is obviously "solorized" but I like it because the photo looks like there is an eye in the sky - which reminds me of that old Alan Parson's Project song, "Eye in the Sky."

..... And here's a video from Youtube:

Over a Year?

Over a year has passed since I have updated this blog. So much has happened and I have gone so many places. Mostly to Florida. I think I have been to the Sunshine State 5 or 6 times since the last time I posted something. It all started in February 2011 when I went to Orlando for a work conference (AOTMP). That was a fast trip but I still was able to get to Disney World and to Universal/Islands of Adventure. Both parks in 2 days. Both parks for the first time in my life. I have become addicted to Disney World since then and go as ofter as I can. I have been 4 times now but only to Magic Kingdom and once to Epcot. My favorite is Magic Kingdom but next time I am going to Animal Kingdom (next time = a week from this post).

I have been to Islands of Adventure two times and my favorite parts of the park are Seuss Landing and The Hulk roller coaster. I like Hogsmeade but the other two are what brought me back the second time. Those two things/places... and Mythos Restaurant. YUM!

But not only have I been to Orlando, I have been to St. Petersburg and Tampa. Both are places I would like to live one day. I can really see me working and living in Tampa but also in St. Pete. Either would be fine with me. =D Just gotta find a job and not just any job, one that I am able to do what I am doing now. =D

 

What else have I been doing except for traveling back and forth to Florida? I have been going around Ft Worth and Dallas getting some pretty good shots of random things and people.

This is from the Nasher Sculpture Garden in Dallas:

This one is from The Kimbell in Ft Worth. I was having fun with shadows:

 

The next few are from a "Quasi-Victorian Picnic" which was held recently (yesterday in fact) at White Rock Lake in Dallas. It was a friend's birthday and she likes themed parties. It was very fun and lots of colorful people were there.

And my "signature" depth of field shot which I tend to take many like this in all different kinds of places. This one was right next to the picnic area of the Victorian party.

 

This one was taken some time ago at a Disco v. Retro party in Dallas. I love the lighting here of one of my friends in a big blond wig on the dance floor:

 

I think that is about it. Lots of photos on my hard-drive. I have a terabyte external drive now which I need to transfer all of these over to so I don't lose them in case of a system crash and to make more room on my actual PC. I am sure there will be more pictures to come. I will update more often. Promise.