Author: ShebaMakeda

Well, you know my name is Evelyn…

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Do you remember this cartoon from the 70s?  For some strange reason, i woke up yesterday morning with this song going over and over again in my head.  That was so completely and utterly random, i of course had to go look it up online and then watch all the Youtube videos followed by several heavily nostalgic sighing moments…

I used to love this cartoon when i was little – it was so beautifully simple: every time Simon encountered a problem, he went into his room and drew a solution and his world went right back to being ok.  I kind of feel like that now with my beads – no matter how stressed i am at my day job or with whatever else may be going on in my  life, if i can make the time to slip into my studio for a few hours all my tension just slips away…

If this cartoon was about me it would be called :  Evelyn in the Land of Lampworking and my opening song would be:

“Well you know my name is Evelyn, and my dream to be an artist came true. So i make beads, make beads, make beads and send them all over the world to live with you…”

(yes, i know it’s incredibly corny but i’m recovering from the flu and utter exhaustion post-show so allow me the luxury of this momentary bit of self-indulgence…)

ShebaMakeda @ The New Art Festival

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I’ll have a booth at the 2009 New Art Festival (formerly Art in the Park). 

I’ve been hard at work in the studio preparing for this show and will have a wide assortment of my usual work (Pandora-style beads, goddesses, pendants, etc.) available as well as some new designs i’m currently fine tuning.

SMB ad map(Click either of the pictures to get a larger, printer-quality version. )

For more about the festival, click here: http://artinfoboy.org/ .

For directions to Central Park click here: http://artinfoboy.org/findus.html .

Hope to see you there!

Obama has completed his first 100 days…

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3484856538_dd9a1d14bd…and here in Canada, the derision that had been directed towards the US over the last eight years is slowly giving way to a reluctant admiration, even… envy.  I mean seriously, don’t we all wish we had a leader and an administration that was this open, connected, charismatic and (dare i say it) …COOL?

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Pictures are from the Official White House photostream on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/

Sparklers!!

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Sparklers? yes, Sparklers!  I love these simple, shiny little beads so i’ve decided to continue making them hence they definitely need a name.  img_1847

I think i’ve now tried every colour of transparent glass in my studio, refining the mix to get the finishing, colours and shapes i’d like (plus discovered some new ones!).

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I’m now very, very happy with these European bracelet-style glass beads – i’ve been sporting them on my Pandora bracelet and necklace and they truly do sparkle in the sunlight.  I think i’ve narrowed down my preferred colours so i’ll be making more and experimenting with some other bead styles.

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The specks of fine silver coordinate so nicely with the bracelet in a way that plain glass beads just can’t match.  Extra BLING!

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These beads will fit any of the Pandora, Chamilia, Biagi and Troll charm bracelet systems.  They’re available for sale now, just email me directly for purchase (evelyn@shebamakeda.com).

Flowers and birthday blues…

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spring-by-the-river

Spring by the River

I decided a few weeks ago it was time for me to practice making flowers again. Why? It’s spring… and my sister’s birthday. Now y’all know i’m not really the floral type so it was definitely more for the latter reason than the former.  My much, much older (ANCIENT actually!) sister Frances just llllooooovvves  flowers.  And not just any flowers – BLUE flowers.

blue lilies

Lilies in the Deep

I have no idea what it is with her and the colour blue but she just ADORES it!  And not just any blue: deep, rich royal or cobalt blue.  Nope, no pastels, sapphires and turquoises for her, it’s gotta be dark blue and it also better be covered with flowers.  Anyone in her life understands that to be with her is to be surrounded with varying shades of deep blue… and flowers.  Lots of them.

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River Garden

So considering how often she used to beat me up, i learned decades ago to stop arguing (despite not really caring for the colour blue or flowers) and just give her what she wants… or maybe it’s a need?

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Blue Pandora Beads

Not very many people could get me to sit down and just make blue flower beads over and over again over several torch sessions but for her…well ok… since i  KINDA like her… a bit (plus she could keel over from lack of exercise any day)… i figured i could squeeze out maybe one… or two.  or three.  plus a few bracelet beads.  But that’s it.  i’m done.  No more blue flower beads for me!

(p.s. Her birthday was April 2nd and yes, through her wrinkles, grey hair and doddering i could tell she was very pleased.  I think she even let go of her walker for a moment.)