My work

Monday, April 29, 2013

North Bay Makers Guild and Torch Enameling

I have a group of friends that I love to get together with. We try to meet at least once a month at each others homes and make things.


L-R: Judy, Julie, Missy P, Catherine, Donna, Marian and Linda

On Sunday, April 21, it was my turn to host and I gave a mini workshop on two types of torch enameling. The day was glorious so my husband, Kirk helped me set up outside under our gazebo top.






Catherine fluxing her penny

The first thing we did was enamel on pre-1982 pennies. They are actually made of copper. We cleaned the pennies with Penny Bright, punched holes and fluxed the pennies, then put counter enamel on the back. Then we cleaned the front and enameled them. We ended up with some wonderful earrings or charms.

Catherine brought some sheet copper, her punch and dapper so we also made some pendants.


 Donna sifting enamel onto the front of her pennies.






Marion and Donna sharing an enameling table













Marian really got into the enameling.









Linda, Catherine and Julie
At the end I demonstrated how to torch enamel in the "Painting with Fire" method made famous by Barbara Lewis.

Those that were interested in this faster, and easier way to enamel, had a try. Fun was had by all. LOL






This is my dear friend, Judy and my husband Kirk.

Judy called this photo, "the long and short of it." She has the same humor as my husband.

Judy is wearing her beautiful torch fired enamel necklace that she made at the recent Glass Show in Las Vegas in a class with Barbara Lewis.









These earrings are an example of the "painting with fire" method of enameling. The inside and outside of the metal gets enameled at the same time.

 

            

Some comic relief from the Internet
 


Have a fantastic week!
Julie Panusis
 



 

Friday, April 26, 2013

Focus On Life: "Color" Week 17 and "Take a Walk" Week 16

This week Sally Russick of The Studio Sublime gave us the prompt, "Color" for our fifty-two week photo challenge and asked us to relate how it made us feel.  For a long time now I have liked the color red. Not just any red but the red that has more pink in it or the red that has blue. For some reason I didn't like the orange red; maybe because it doesn't look good on me. So I looked for my kind of red and I found it in my own front yard.

Red gives me energy and makes me happy. It says, "look at me, I'm alive". I have many red tops in my closet and one of my favorite things to wear on special occasions are my red shoes. Yes, I do like red.

Last week while I was struggling to recover from a bad cold that my dear husband, Kirk, gave me, the prompt was, "Take a Walk". That one was very difficult for me as there were so many possibilities. I often take my camera with me when I take a walk. In fact, I was too overwhelmed to choose just one photo.

I call this photo, "Getting your ducks in a row."
Now that I feel better, I have decided to look at the prompt differently and use a photo of someone or something taking a walk. Two photos immediately came to mind.



This photo was taken in August, 2010, at my cousin, Lynnda and her husband, Bob's house near Battle Creek, Michigan, the place I was born. In Battle Creek, not at Lynnda's. They have all manor of creatures on their farm and it is like a little bit of heaven staying with them.


The other photo is of Lynnda and Bob when they took us on a day trip to the shores of Lake Michigan. We had so much fun.









I will leave you now with a wonderful photo that I found on the Internet of someone trying to take their cat for a walk.

 Have a fantastic weekend.
Julie Panusis

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Aged Beauty: Focus on Life: Week 15

I have been busy all day finishing my taxes. I didn't want to wait until the last moment, LOL. Tomorrow is April 15, which is the last moment. Meanwhile, my husband, Kirk, went out and bought a new truck today (well, new to us) so it has been a big day.

I didn't want to miss Sally Russick's latest prompt for Week 15 in her Focus on Life Challenge. This week her prompt was, "Aged Beauty".

I thought and thought and then I remembered the photos that I took several years ago in Michigan when we went back for a family reunion.


This is the Abscota School house where my brother and I went to school when I was in the forth grade. It was a one room school house and housed grades 1-6 with one teacher, Mrs Converse. The same teacher that taught my mother, Alma, and her five siblings.

I remember that time with such fondness. I learned so much because we didn't just do school work, we played games and sang songs together. I learned to love books and stories there. Then there was my first real boy friend, Jimmy. He was in the sixth grade and we held hands at recess. I thought we would be together always.

It is no longer a school but I think it is very beautiful as are the memories it holds for me.

Good night and sweet dreams.
Julie Panusis

Friday, April 12, 2013

Time to Reveal for the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party

Wow, it's finally time to reveal what we made for the 7th Bead Soup Blog Party hosted by Lori Anderson. This is my first Bead Soup Party and I must admit, I am pretty excited about it.

I was partnered with Kathleen Lang Klik of The Modern Nature Studio. http://modernnaturestudio.blogspot.com

Here are a couple of photos of what Kathleen sent to me.



 
First of all she sent a wonderful selection of fibers including silks.
She also sent a fantastic selection of beads, metal componants, spacers, and glass, shell and wood beads.


 

 
Photo by Kathleen Lang Klik
I found there was no way I could make just one piece but there is no rule that you have to as long as you use one focal and one clasp that your partner provides.

The first pieces made were a necklace and bracelet pair that I call, "Colors of the Sea".
 In this piece I used the Marsha Neal Ceramic focal, the wonderful square glass beads, the green ceramic Firefly Design Studio bead, and the turquoise silk which I braided with the tiny silver chain that Kathleen sent. I also used both to make a tassel for the bracelet.

I added an assortment of glass beads, seed beads and silver spacers.





The next piece is called "Spring Time Fun". This bracelet was made using the wonderful Greek ceramic spacers, the clasp, the turquoise silk and the colorful glass furnace beads that Kathleen sent.

I combined it with aqua Greek leather and silver beads and spacers.





My next creation was "Fiber and Pearls". I used the sage green fiber that Kathleen sent and combined it with brass wire, a pearl chain, a gold chain and silver rings that I painted gold.


I named the next piece, "Stormy Night" and made it using the dramatic Dalmatian Jasper stones that Kathleen sent. I added black glass spacers, black faceted beads with gold spacers and a gold chain.




 
In the next piece, "Can't See the Forest", I used the delightful pewter Green Girl Studio tree focal, more of the square glass beads, the gunmetal plated brass disks and some of the hemitite spacers from Kathleen and added some of my Green Girl Studio tree and leaf metal beads, some green and blue beads and a unique found chain.
 
 
The last piece that I finished was made using the soochow jade bead from Kathleen as a focal, hanging from a center piece that I made using small gauge wire. It is done using the viking knit method. Then I added gold beads, the smaller jade beads from Kathleen and a chain. I didn't name this piece. Anyone have any ideas?
 
I have two other pieces almost completed but they won't be part of this reveal. I will, however, post them later.
 
I must say, this challenge was lots of fun and it gave me incentive to get in my studio and create.
 
Have a great weekend!
 
Julie Panusis
 
Thank you so much for coming to the party, and below is a list of those participating in the second reveal. A permanent list with direct links will be kept at www.BeadSoupBlogParty.com.


Agata Grygiel
Ali McCarthy
Alice Craddick
Amy Severino
Ana Krepel
Andra Weber
Andrea Glick
Andrea Trank
Anitra Gordy Boyers



Annette Rivers
Anu Tuppurainen
April Grinaway
Audrey Bélanger
B.R.Kuhlman
Barbara Bechtel
Barbara Mason
Becky Pancake
Beti Horvath
Billi RS Rothove



Bobbie Rafferty
Brandi Burdick
Candida Castleberry
Carol Dillman
Carolyn Gebert
Carolyn Lawson
Caron Reid
Catherine King
Cathy Jakicic



Chandra Merod
Charlene Jacka
Cheri Reed
Cherrie Fick
Cherrie Warzocha
Cheryl Brown
Cheryl Dunham
Cheryl Foiles
Cheryl Gangle



Chris Eisenberg
Chris White
Christina Miles
Christine Murrow
Cindy Ritchie
Clare Etheridge
Cory Tompkins






Cris Peacock
Cynthia Abner
Debbie Rasmussen
Debi Levine
Deborah Brooks
Deborah Read
Debra Behrends
Dorota Żerańska
Elaine Robitaille



Elsie Deliz-Fonseca
Emma Todd
Erin Guest
Evelyn Shelby
Evie and Beth McCord
Francy Inman
Ginger Bishop
Gloria Allen
Hajer Waheed



Hope Smitherman
Ilenia Ruzza
Ilona Hegedűs
Ine Vande Cappelle
Jackie Ryan
Janine Lucas
Jean Peter
Jean Wells
Jeanne Steck



Jelveh Jaferian Johnson
Jennifer Cabic
Jennifer Reno
Jennifer VanBenschoten
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Jenny Kyrlach
Jenny Robledo
Jessica Brower
Jill MacKay



JJ Jacobs
Jo-Ann Woolverton
Joanne Tinley
Johanna Rhodes Nash
Judy Robinson
Juli Cannon
Julia Gerlach
Julie Bowen
Julie Panusis



K Hutchinson
Karen Martinez
Karen Vincent
Karen Williams
Karin Slaton
Karyn Bonfiglio
Kat Douglas
Kate Dufour
Kate Mulligan



Kate Richbourg
Kathleen Gallant
Kathleen Lange Klik
Katie Nielsen-Nunez
Kay Bolton
Kayla Potega
Kelli Jacobson
Kelly Patterson
Kelly Ramstack



Kiersten Kern
Kim Sparks
Klaudete Koon
Klaudia Tóth
Krista French
Kristin Oppold
Kym Hunter
Lana Kinney
Laura Guenther



Lauren Fenty
Leah Curtis
Lennis Carrier
Linda Murphy
Lisa Johnson
Lori Anderson
Lupe Meter
Lynn Jobber
Mandi Effron



Marcia Dunne
Margareta Saari
Marianne Baxter
Marie Covert
Mary Ellen Parker
Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens
Megan Milliken
Melissa Meman
Melissa Mesara



Michaela Pabeschitz
Michelle Tucker
Mimi Gardner
Mischelle Fanucchi
Monica Phillips
Mowse Doyle
Nancy Boylan
Nancy Dale
Pat Haight



Patina Queen
Patty Miller
Pia Kaven
Rebecca Anderson
Rose Johnson
Roxanne Blanc
Sarah Goode
Sarah Singer
Sarah Strover



Shalini Austin
Sherri Stokey
Sherry Baun
Sheryl Stephens
Silvia Sernicola
Solange Collin
Stacie Florer
Stacy Alderson
Stephanie Haussler



Stephanie LaRosa
Sue Burleigh
Susan Bowie
Susan Kelly
Susan of Libellula Jewelry
Susan Sheehan
Suzanne Fragiacomo
Tammi Sloan
Tammie Everly



Tania Hagen
Tania Spivey
Tanya Goodwin
Tanya Wiles
Tari Kahrs

Theresa Buchle
Tiffany Smith
Tina Holden



Tracey Nanstad
Tracie Dean
Tracy Bell
Tracy Kruse
Veralynne Malone
Veronica Campos-Hallstrom