Kalaya Steede

What does one do when if one gets in a creative slump?   You just keep swimming...that is what you do! Hehehehe!!! Well...first you take pictures of your favorite herbal tea. I just love the color of the lavender.   And then you go into the studio and do something...anything! I started with this... and ended with this... It did not come easy.   I must of wire wrapped over 50 carnelian beads!   The first 25 were not up to my standards and I got so frustrated...argh!  Sometimes you need a little help and so I spoke to my friend Sue and she gave me a little hint and that is all it took.  Then I was wire wrapping like a pro!   Merci beaucoup Sue! And then...you meet friends for coffee and talk about art and the ideas just pour in from there.  Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! Namaste Kalaya

A little something for the spirit. Namaste Kalaya

It's almost Winter Solstice and I haven't done much.  But I tell you what...I'm having a blast at doing it!  Eeeee!!!  I'm so excited around the holidays. So here's what I've done. Made bracelets... Made this one for my guy cousin. Taught a class... Nice color combination! AND made some earrings... I'm really diggin' the rivets. The stone has to be changed in the last picture.  I'm not feeling it so out it goes!  There is no pop action going on.  So...I'm going to use a white pearl instead.   It's warm, muggy and rainy here in NOLA right now.  It's one of those days where you first wear short sleeves, then use an umbrella, and then wear a sweater because after that front moves through it's going to be chilly darlin'.   Stay safe and have a great weekend. Namaste Kalaya

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE... Last Thursday I got to spend some time with my friend Amber.  I wonder what could be in these bags?  They are so lovely I didn't even want to open them... Inside... These are the goodies that my friend Amber made for me.  Don't know if you can tell but I totally LOVE Frida.  That brass necklace is made by using resin. It's such a cool technique. And what am I going to do with those tags?  They are just too nice to put on packages.  I guess I have to meditate on letting go.  One day I am going to get there.  Amber is so talented.  Go check out the rest of her pieces either on Etsy or her blog Yellow Flower .   Gracias Amber! I made another one! This is a three wrap bracelet made with faceted carnelian stones. It is a talisman and brings good luck to the wearer. It also gets rid of anger, envy, and hatred.  I favor carnelian for it's reddish color. A good stone all around.     Finally a nec...

I love it when a friend comes over and all we do is drink wine and make art.  My friend Jacque came over last night and made a beautiful green pearl leather wrap bracelet.  She made a three wrap for her first go at it!  Talk about brave.  My first bracelet was only two wraps.    All those greens are lovely.  I especially like the green leather.   Bravo Jacque!   When are you going to make a five wrap? You're a pro now baby. That's about it for now.  Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Namaste Kalaya

Remember when I said, "Enough with leather bracelets"?  Well I'm back at it.   I finished making two leather bracelets for a workshop promotion that yours truly will be instructing.       Here is a one wrap bracelet made with leopard jasper.  I really like the patterns with this particular jasper but I tend to migrate to jasper in general.  This stone has a reputation for protection and healing powers.  Below has got to be my most fav!  It is a three wrap made with Carnelian and carved bone skulls.  Carnelian has a reputation to give the wearer courage and protection...against lightning.  The Egyptians believed it would rid you of anger, envy and hatred.   I took these pictures this evening.  Can you tell?  I hope to have a good picture taking setup soon.  I'll share with all of you how that turns out once I have everything set up.  So stay in touch!   AND remember... Tomorrow is hump day.  Y...

A friend had commissioned me to make some earrings out of brass by reclaiming some turquoise from another pair of earrings she had.  I haven't used any brass but I'm sure there is some in the studio waiting to come alive.  Yup, here is some textured brass that came from Thomas Mann's I/O Gallery on Magazine St.  I cut out a disc shape and torched it to calm the shininess of it all.   I had first used liver of sulfur but the color came out this pretty blue (not the color I was hoping for) so I torched it and this is the color it came out.  It brought some of the copper to the surface giving it an antique look.   Voila!  The finished piece.  Now for the torched enamel ear wires.  This was experiment no. 2.  Experiment 1 was Fall 2010 in metalsmith class.  The enamel kept bouncing off.  But now I got some advice from Barbara Lewis and her group of  pyromaniac artists .  The list is a great place for techni...