Kalaya Steede

No...we did not torch anyone! However, I did teach three lovely gals how to torch fire enamel yesterday. The hardest part was deciding what color to use!  I seem to always want to use red. What is your favorite color?  Red...no wait...purple!!!  ( Monty Python and the Holy Grail ) We sanded, painted, sifted, laughed, screamed, and fired! Hannah taking control of the torch! Their mission was to make a pendant to wear out the door.  Were they able to complete said mission? YES!!! The finished pieces. Now for the close ups! Hannah's Sybil's Leslie's I was not able to photograph Leslie's piece well...booooo!!!  You have to see it in person.   It really looks fabulous!   They all did a wonderful job at picking out what colors went well together and Sybil did an excellent job at torching her piece.  That was not an easy feat because it was HUGE but she adjusted! Too bad I do not have ...

And it has not been me!  Hahaha!!!  I am just kidding.  There are lots of things that has been keeping me away from the bench these days.   For one, I was recently invited to do a guest post on Love My Art Jewelry !  Eeee...so exciting!  I get to share my journey with others. And... two, working on organizing a workshop in Mexico! Where in Mexico you ask? In this really cool, old town known as San Miguel de Allende. I am organizing this workshop with an amazing artist!    Jesse Bert  to be exact and his home is right there in San Miguel!  It is going to be packed full of fun, adventure, and FUN! Students will focus on the construction of belt buckles. Similar  to this one (which you might of seen already)... Botas by Jesse Bert and this one (which you have not seen already)... Jesse Bert the back side because it is just as important... Jesse Bert and this one... Jesse Bert Is that carved eb...

Ahh...June...the days of summer has begun.  It is pretty hot here in New Orleans but I am sure it can be hotter and not to worry because it will be in August.  And that IS the hottest month of the summer. hehe! Lately I have not been able to work in the studio but ideas are running around inside my brain.  They need to get out and soon! So what have I been doing? Well...I have been teaching a couple of leather wrap bracelet workshops here in New Orleans at The Bead Shop . My latest workshop involved (to my surprise) four VERY young ladies.  They must of been my youngest students yet! I was pretty impressed on their abilities to pick their own color of beads, leather, and end bead.  The colors came out so beautifully!  I think they are designers in the making.   While teaching them they mentioned something pretty interesting.  They told me about receiving bead kits as gifts but what to do with them?  Then they sai...

I think it's always a good idea to take workshops if you can.   And even better if you got a friend to drag along.   My friend doesn't have any experience (none necessary) and I could use some exposure.  So we called Angele (she's AWESOME!) and signed up for Tom's Fastenation workshop here in New Orleans.  It's about time this city had some workshops!    We arrived at Thomas Mann's studio and received our supplies.  It was a box of metal, screws, headpins, faux bone, and a name tag with our names on it!   There was no one from New Orleans.  How can that be?  Me and Tysheena were the only ones.   It felt like we were at a convention.   Fun!  Anyway first things first...lecture on how to do things.  Next...time to use tools. Look at everyone.  So busy at their workbench. There's Tysheena using a hammer to give her metal some texture.   I had to remember that we were there to learn the tec...

Saturday started off at The Bead Shop first thing in the morning.  It was nice to have the beads all to myself!  But they were all sitting there with their sparkly selves saying, "buy me, NO buy me, we can make your piece ROCK!".  I had to shut them all out and focus on my task at hand and set up for class.  It wasn't easy. Allow me to make the introductions...below are Carolina and Hatty.  Don't you just LOVE that water bottle picture? Look at them stringing away.   Carolina made a lovely jade bracelet using natural color leather with brown thread.  Hatty made a bracelet using lemon chrysoprase.  Lemon chrysoprase reminds me of mint chocolate.  I just want to eat them all!  Anyhoo we all passed a good time.   Carolina and Hatty were a blast to be with in the morning.    Merci Buttercup, Hatty, for that big wonderful carved bead. XO Now about those Tiaras... I was so lucky to take a tiara maki...

The leather workshop last night was a blast!  That is after we all got the first bead on.   Did I ever mention that the first bead is always the hardest bead to put on?  Well, it is but after you get use to it the rest is a breeze.  In fact it's so easy you can get carried away and before you know it you are removing beads because the bracelet is too long! My youngest students EVER!  They were all naturals. She made a bracelet with ruby red beads which looked amazing. They made bracelets that were earth toned.  Lovely!    Everyone came in and picked out their beads without hesitation.  If only I could be like that!  I hope they all had fun. There were six students overall and I was still nervous.  Will I ever stop being nervous?  I hope not.  I kind of like that nauseous feeling and heart palpitations that I get before a workshop. :p Next month I will be teaching another workshop and...

Happy Monday! Do not forget that this Thursday evening I will be teaching a leather wrap bracelet workshop at The Bead Shop here in New Orleans.  Come out and join me in some fun.   Last week I designed a bracelet for my step daughter.  She is very girly and LOVES the color pink.  So I decided to make her a pink leather bracelet. BUT I never have the materials I need, especially anything pink, so off to The Bead Shop I go. I managed to find some kind of pink beads.  I think it is crystal dipped in some sort of pink enamel.  I really don't know what it is but it's pink.  She's bound to love it.  Right? I think it is the most colorful thing I have EVER made. I really don't know what to say about it.  It's very girly. Yeah...girly. I also made a ring in a day!  Can you believe it?  I will post that later on in the week so you can have a little suspense. Until then have a great rainy Monday. Namaste Kalaya

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend. Right after Tropical Storm Lee blew by the weather couldn't be any nicer for the month of September. Well...just for a couple of days but I'll take it! I spent most of Saturday making art journals and one leather bracelet. This one is for my step son. At first I was going to make a double wrap but I thought the stone was to feminine. That's when I decided to add some brass elements. Tell me what you all think? I've also been planning for my tiara for Dia de los Muertos. I bought some pastel skull beads so far. I was thinking all week long about these skull beads and then they became OUT OF STOCK!!! I was so ill about the whole mess. I think too long about things. I really need to work on not doing that. Sarah will be teaching an awesome class at The Bead Shop in October for making tiaras. I will be there along with some other fun people. So come on over and join us!  Yours truly will be teaching 3 w...

Happy Friday Everyone! Teaching last night's workshop was a blast!  I was so nervous that I skipped my talk about beads and their mystical powers.  Oh well, maybe next time. We jumped right in and set our first bead and before you knew it they were off.  They were a fantastic group of five.  Everyone was so relaxed and glad to be out of the New Orleans heat and it's not even our hottest month yet. I think we need Rice Freeman-Zachery's prayer to Mama Goode for rain.  I'm wilting here! Here are some picture's for those of you who couldn't join us.   I had a fantastic time last night.  Meeting new people, seeing old friends, and just having a great time in general.   Merci Beaucoup!   Have a wonderful weekend! Namaste Kalaya

I'm so stoked about this upcoming class that I'm teaching in June.  So when I walked into the Bead Shop on Magazine last weekend and saw my examples being displayed I was beside myself.  I asked that they unlock the glass so that I could take a picture!  That's how excited I was. Bead Shop on Magazine Leather Wrap Workshop Display Call (504) 895-6161 to register. T he examples shown is a one wrap and a three wrap bracelet but the class will focus on making the one wrap in order to learn the whole process. Everyone knows I've been making a lot of leather wrap bracelets these days.  I can't have enough and lucky for me I know how to make them.  Otherwise they would cost a fortune.  They are so much fun to make and I would like to teach everyone how to do it!    I'm teaching the workshop at  The Bead Shop  on Magazine St. on Thursday June 2, 2011 at 6:00 pm.   Call the Bead Shop at (504) 895-6161 and sign up for the cl...

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...