Day 1 of the Photoshoot

It's day ONE of the photoshoot for my next book entitled METALWORK JEWELRY.  This book is all about the steampunk, found object and vintage grunge look that is so hot and trendy right now.  It is filled with 35 projects, 138 pages complete with over 250 step by step photo's and tips and tricks to help make your experience easier and more enjoyable.

The projects will range in skill level - beginning with EASY!  So, if you've always wanted to try making metal jewelry, YOU CAN DO THIS!  We use things from scrapbooking supplies and combine them to create jewelry, to simple techniques working with copper.  The projects graduate as you progress in your skill level and by the end of the book, you will be doing some light metalsmithing, learning to solder,etch and more.
I've also combined the metal with all sorts of other things will just get your creative juices flowing and give you all sorts of ideas on how to complete beyond using chains.. 

The book will be released in March 2011 and as soon as I have the final front cover on the book, I'll put up a link on the CraftE-store for you to reserve your signed copy.

I did take a couple of behind the scenes pictures of our photography shoot here...but guess what?  You Guessed it! I left my camera at the studio!  AAAAHHHH...so I guess you'll just have to stay tuned to the blog for photo's hopefully tomorrow.

It's always a great time getting back together with my wonderfully talented team of help.  I would love to say that I do this all by myself...but the fact is I don't.  It's a team effort and each and every member of this team is so talented and I appreciate everything they bring to make my books successful. 

Geoff Dann, my photographer  taught me so much about photography.  I credit him with really increasing the quality of my photos - mostly how to bounce light and of course along the way, he's learned to create jewelry...um..whether he wanted to or not! :o)

Along with Geoff, we have a photography assistant Mark.  Mark is invaluable at editing all the photos...he's the one that takes all the boo-boo's in my hands out.  Last year I remember him painstakingly editing out a papercut on every single photo...that's over 300 photo's for the week!!!  Couldn't work without him either.

And lastly..but not the bit least...is my wonderful editor Marie Clayton.  Marie is an accomplished author herself and has written an encyclopedia on Sewing techniques.  She works so hard to make sure that everything I write is in order.  She double checks all my material lists, proofs my work and even helps in keeping the photo's organized and matching them to the projects. No easy task!  If you've ever been involved in writing a book you know just how hard our editors work.

As I said before, even though my name is on the front cover, it is a real team effort.  Aside from those I just mentioned, there are even more people that work on the book including style photographers, stylists, book designers, proofreaders and our editor in chief.  Hours and hours of hard work go into bringing you these books. I'm excited to be a part of the process.  Plus it gets me a trip to London!

Im in Islington, a little burrow of London.  A very quaint area with a street market just outside the studio.  Vendors line the street to sell a variety of things from flea market finds- old books, records and just general stuff, to new items such as jewelry along with ethnic food, in fact there was a Thai stand just outside the door.  Generally there are fresh pastries, chocolates, cheeses along with mexican, thai, chinese and indian cuisines.  It gets packed!  This year I vow to spend a little time at the market.

While I'm here, I couldnt miss the coolest craft show on the internet - Cool2Craft!  We want to take this show on the road wherever possible. So - I popped in the room to say  HELLO to all my cool friends and let them know a little about what I do.  If you tuned in and asked me questions, I am so sorry if I did not answer them, I was kinda pressed for time. 

I hope to be bringing you a field segment on Steampunk coming up here in the next week or two.  I think you'll really enjoy stepping "outside the studio" to see what other creative people are doing.

These are the people in your neighborhood...

I remember absolutely loving Sesame Street when I was growing up and Im not afraid to admit it.  It's kinda funny, because when I travel I often think of that song and sing to myself "These are the people in your neighborhood....they're the people that you meet when you're walking down the street (or in the airport - but that doesn't rhyme)...they're the people that you meet each day. 

I can spend hours people watching, so having a four hour layover yesterday in Chicago was no big deal.  I bring stuff to work on...take a break and people watch.  There's always something that keeps me busy.  I am a people person.  I must look like a people person too...because yesterday was the day people took the time to strike up conversations with me.

Im sitting in the food court, it's packed and every seat is a free for all. There's an empty seat next to me, but not for long.  Soon a guy sits there and asks me where I am headed.  He tells me that he's just come from Germany visiting his brother.  I later learn that his brother is a musician and is credited with working with Donna Summer and writing her first big hig - Love to Love you Baby...and works with Chaka Kahn and ...oh...can't remember the rest...  Im thinking  - is this for real?  Maybe...maybe not...but you just don't know who's in your neighborhood unless you engage in a conversation...short lived as it may have been.

Next, I think I found the only electrical outlet for miles as it was at a premium and attracted lots of people to ask if they could use the extra plug.   One pair was a mother/daughter from Iowa - let's see her name was Denise and her daughters name was Jan.  Jan was 14 and her phone was dead...as in doornail dead...lack of connectivity...OMG the world is going to end if I can't text my friends and update my status on Facebook d and let them know Im about to board the plane to England - dead .  They sat down beside me but Jan's plug would not fit the outlet so I offered her to connect to my computer so she could get a little charge. 

They too were on their way to England.  They were from Iowa and had never been outside the country - however they had managed to do some sort of archaeological dig in their back yard and proceeded to tell me all about the Mastadon lower jaw bone they had found near the creek on their property.  Denise has just bought a book on the history of Mastadons, how they got their name, when they lived, what they ate...how they became extinct...all about Mastadons...and I got quite the education...not on a subject I would have thought about...but hey...now I know.

My thought the entire time was...why go to school when you can hang out at the airport and get an education???

Next I met a man who was a sales rep for an outdoor furniture company - he too needed a phone charge....  When he asked what I did and I told him, he asked about blogging and proceeded to tell me he needed someone to blog for him...well..networking me was quick to tell him what I could offer him in the social networking field and we exchanged cards.  Who knows?  May not go anywhere? then again...it just may...we will see.

We flew on a 777 which is the biggest plane in the American Airline Fleet - here's a tip...blink your eyes a little and you'll get a free bottle of wine from the flight attendants...yeah...ZZZZZZZZZzzzzz..woke up to about an hour left on the flight....NICE!

A couple of years ao I did a whole parity blog on "how to find a taxi in London" and while I don't think I can top that...I can add to it this time, so tomorrow I will stand on the corner waiting for my ride to the studio and collect pictures of taxi's as they go by....

But for today...here's a few interesting things I saw.... This is the street my hotel is on...

You know at some point this week I will be blogging about food.... And I often get comments about my posts making people hungry when I travel...

All I can say is do NOT turn me loose in an M & S market when Im hungry.....All the prepared foods are wild...and of course I will eat - just about anything....just about...cept meatloaf...(another story)...but here's some sandwich and potato chip combinations that you probably will not find in the USA...

And to my cousin Julie, I thought of you when I bought Duck and Orange Pate' and spread it over my Olive crackers....just sayin.....

Then theres the Crisps that should accompany any sandwich....flavors such as...Beefsteak and cheese..and these other delicious recipes...

The above flavors would be...Cumberland Sausage, Sweet Thai Chilli and Corriander (love these) and Lamb and Mint flavor (I'll let you know on that one).  Then there are the Seasalt Rosemary and Roast Garlic and the four cheese and onion chips which should be pretty good too.    Of course when I come visit I have to have my milk chocolate digestive biscuits....and my Dr. Pepper - which is a bit funny because my Dr. Pepper says "serve ice cold" and I'll be danged if you can find any ice around here....It's a joke amongst my British friends that I only drink cold drinks and they have to purchase "ice trays" for when I visit....oh well...I have to buy a kettle when they visit me...so....just sayin....

On my way down High Holborn street...I happened on this window.  It's an entire dining room done in cardboard.  The table simulated a gi-normous matchbox and the cakes on the table...yeah..uh.uh...carboard and fabric...

All the decor in the back is you guessed it...cardboard, the chandelier  - it was just the coolest.  Okay..I digress the dinnerware is not cardboard, but the pastries are...they looked just like chocolate...

Way cool! Great way to recycle huh?

It's off to the studio tomorrow to begin long days of photography. 

Im hopin to be tunin in for tomorrow's Cool2Craft show and let you see and "Inside" look on what's going on here...but we'll have to see how things are going and if I have adequate internet.  So..here's hopin...

Please be sure to join Tiffany and all of our crafty friends on Cool2Craft Live - just click:  linqto.com/rooms/cool2craft at 11am central, 12 noon eastern and if you're in the UK it's 5pm.

Reduced, Reused and Recycled with a Vintage Steampunk theme

It's dry!  Finally after a couple of days of setting at home with no one touching it - Our found object mosaic stone is ready to be planted somewhere around the house in a prominent spot.  I'm thinking this will have to be a annual family project. 

We added bits of glass and if you use your imagination very loosely....you will see the Eiffel tower in the center.  The bling marbles is ...well...a given considering every girl need a little bling and now if I loose my marbles I will know where they are...heavily sunk and affixed into concrete!

The letters are obviously representing our name - The "L" we made by breaking off an "E" and the poor "R" got his leg broke to become the "P"..

We're both pleased with how the tile came out and I know every time we look at it we will remember the day we created it at the Walnut Street Cidar Days. 

On to my little project of wonders.  I've been inspired lately...especially with designing the projects for my next book - MetalWork Jewelry - to create with objects that are found or in some other way to be recycled and upcycled or repurposed in a way you might not have thought to use them.  I'm also focusing on texture and bringing lots of mixed media, textiles and such to create interest. 

Bottle cap jewelry isn't new, but I have noticed a trend where it's popping up all over in the boutique stores.  And why not?  They have great texture, and a great surface to work with.  So I knew that for this project I wanted to work with bottle caps.  I wanted a vintage feel, I wanted to upcycle, I wanted bling and I wanted an out of the ordinary way to string it all together into a wonderful piece of steampunk style, vintage art.

Thus, the story a couple of days ago about the ribbon...

Made my own ribbon, distressed some washers, repurposed some old wire, reused a broken chain and blinged up some bottle caps.....

A few days in the making...but for me - well worth the wait!

Im off to pack....headin out for the big book shoot for a couple of weeks.

For members of my POM club...I have the project done...but not written up...you have not been forgotten! Promise!  It'll be out soon!

A SteamPUNK event update

Funny how as I published this article the local Springfield Newsleader also published a story about this event.  You can read about it here. - Springfield Newsleader


Here's a few of my own photo's that I pulled from our taping which is in the process of being edited. 

During our interview...

The plethora of yummy findings and stuff we could choose from to create our collage mosaic

Here Christine is helping a group of kids choose pieces meaningful to them....Grandma is standing by watching..

Christine just came back from a Steampunk retreat held in the desert...so I urge you to go to the link above and see a Steampunk House...Im not kidding...go check it out!

13th Annual Loft Walk and Steampunk show in Springfield, MO

No sooner, than I got off the plane last Saturday did I find out about Cider Days.  My stepdaughter Elise wanted me to take her and who was I to say no?  - (especially since she's a teenager and I was invited...not to mention it was a art show!)  So...we went...step mom and daughter to the show...just us....

Amazing art from Fiber Artists, jewelry artist, potter's - but it was this booth that especially caught my attention. 

This week is host to the 13th Annual Loft Walk and Steampunk show showcasing all styles of Steampunkery...from clothing to jewelry!  Oh..I wish I could make me a body double and be in two places at once.  If you are local and you happen to attend...please please email me with photo's of this event.

It was at this same booth that I met Christine aka Mosaica of the Urban Zoo.  Christine is an eclectic woman who's mission is to bring out everyone's creative juice.  Her booth was filled with bits and pieces of what we craft-a-holics would call craft chocolate heaven...pieces of mosaic, found objects, broken plates...all jumping out at you saying PICK ME PICK ME.  

For $5-7 you could choose a tray shape, fill it with concrete and then "shop" for inspiration to create a one of a kind masterpiece sensation.  

Elise and I took this opportunity to share some creative time together and we chose objects reminiscent of the day.  (I'll photo later...sorry...it's at the house and Im in the studio...)  We had a fab time...together ...creating....really does it get much better than that???

Nope...it doesnt!

I realized that I still had my video camera on me...so I grabbed it and taped a quick field segment for CrafTECH U on the road...which I'll be editing in the next week.  I interviewed Christine and her work and I really think you'll enjoy her story.

Christine offers classes in her studio on Historic Commercial Street in Springfield Missouri.  To find out more about her classes email her at mosaica2@sbcglobal.net

Stay tuned for the field segment.....and the reveal of my project of wonders from yesterday....

The "NEED" breeds creativity - never the right color.....

I posted on facebook that "I have every color of ribbon known to craftkind EXCEPT the color I need at the moment".  It doesnt matter how much ribbon, how much paper, how many beads...it seems that I never have the right bead Im looking for when the creative moment strikes. (can you feel my craft pain ??)

I was in my zone....my creative zone...which really is a good thing considering it takes several hours from the time I wake up to the time the "zone" hits...and when it hits...it's like being in crafty outer space...nothing matters..a tornado could hit and I'd never know it.....you could create for hours and you do...its as if you blinked  and three (or maybe even 10)  hours have passed....you have craft-adrenalin which is able to surpass hunger cravings and sleep deprivation...all in the anticipation of the finish line....when your beautiful dream of crafty eye candy becomes a reality..........and then..................there's the SPLAT! - yep I fell down from Crafty-outerspace....why?  I do NOT have the right color of ribbon that I need to complete this awesome eyecandy work of wonders....and so...i fell...outta the zone....(not lookin for sympathy here...but you can say AWWWWwwww if you must)

So...at this point...it's late in the day...I have not a stitch of make up on...and there is no way I am stepping foot outta this studio to let the world see me in my grungie-ness.....so............I begin the hunt for something else...I dont know what...but my eyes are scanning the shelves in hopes that something will pop out at me.....I take a drink of tea from my quart mason jar...(yes for me tea is meant to be in mason jars...I am in the Ozarks...) and then I think....TEA DYE.....I grab my fabric and I feel again as if Im being launched back into the zone space.....Im ripping strips of fabric...plunking them into a hot tea bath...burning my fingers to death....then I see ink pads....Color...YES...I can make my own color....and it matches PERFECTLY!

YES YES YES.....I'm returned to the zone........................

now........I have to wait for the fabric to dry....and the resin to cure.......and so that is my story for today....

But tomorrow....my two day project of wonders...(which "if" I had planned correctly would have only taken a couple hours)...will be born.....and it's even better than planned...

I suppose "planning" is boring....for me...Im glad I was forced to think outside the box...and the NEED was just the recipe I needed for an exciting day of crafty play.....

Im curious...if you were given these strips of colorful wonders...what would you create?  Leave your comments please

My first Book Signing for "Beading in No Time" held at the Creative Connection Event in Minneapolis

So...here's my little story of this event...hope you enjoy it!

I am blessed....very blessed to be able to create and design and work in the industry that I love.  I am also blessed to be affiliated with a fabulous publisher - Cico Books!

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I was asked to attend the Creative Connection Event for Amaco, manufacturer's of Friendly Plastic.  So as I was perusing their website, I noticed that my publisher was one of the sponsors and was holding a book signing event.  When they realized I was attending, I was also invited to participate in the book signing  they had scheduled.  Awesome right?????  I thought so.... I know...Im not on the New York Times best selling list or nothing, but hey...still awesome!

Then the day of the signing, and it's funny because the closer it came to the time......the more nervous I got - then my mind started spinning...what if no one comes..what if I sit there...how embarrassing..right?  So why do I ALWAYS plant ideas in my head like that?  I have no earthly idea why I do such things to myself....

Anyways.....there I sat...and one by one... I signed a couple books....then the girls at the door told everyone I was signing and then I had a LINE!  Wow a LINE!!!  Okay...so who wouldn't line up for a complimentary book..(that's beside the point-lets just stay in my happy world) WOW! a LINE! 

The event was great....48 women received a complimentary copy of my book Beading In No Time which were generously donated by Cico Books.  I enjoyed meeting each and everyone one of them - I AM a people person ya know. 

If you were one of the "lucky" ones to receive my book from this past weekend, would you please drop a line to Marny at Cico and thank her for arranging all of this?

Don't worry if you missed getting a copy.  Here's another chance to review the book and enter to get a complimentary copy.  Visit FAVECRAFTS.com

Click here on the link

Friendly Plastic goes on the road to the Creative Connection Event

It was a great honor to be representing Amaco and Friendly Plastic this weekend at The Creative Connection event held in Minneapolis, MN.  Here's a little night time view from the 18th floor of the Hyatt Hotel seated in downtown Minneapolis. 

Somehow you just know it is going to be an awesome day when you're greeted at the breakfast table by creative "new" friends and a a delicious yogurt parfait.

The event was host to 400 creative women from indie etsy artists, mommy bloggers, publishers, designers, TV show producers and so on representing 46 states and Canada. These women were just "itchin" to absorb all they could to take their businesses and their dreams to the next level and let me tell you...the talent in the HandMade Marketplace was beyond my wildest dreams.

I used this opportunity to connect and meet as many new creative friends as possible and of course to spread the word of just how awesome Friendly Plastic is.   Those who had heard of Friendly Plastic were so excited that this "retro" product is on a comeback mission and those who didn't....okay the way "younger" crowd....we're excited to hear about a medium they had never heard of before.

They had lots of opportunity to create with Friendly Plastic at the special Pajama Party Event which we held LIVE from the hotel. Over a hundred attended this event.

My table is excited and ready to go!!! Look at all those happy faces!

Once they learned how you can cut and stack and melt and heat and bond and marble and wrap Friendly Plastic....you couldn't pull them away!

 One gal got so carried away...she made 4 pieces in about a half an hour...and she was still sitting there making more.  She just kept saying.."I LOVE THIS STUFF....I LOVE THIS STUFF!"



Everyone left the event with huge smiles on their faces and a goodie bag full of Amaco products to take home with them....now the next challenge....

How in the world to get it all home?!?!?!!?!?



Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.
Friendly Plastic can be purchased at CrafTECH University's craftE-store

Friendly Plastic at The Creative Connection Event

The countdown is HERE!!! Im so excited to be here representing Amaco and Friendly Plastic to an amazing group of 400 women attending The Creative Connection Event.

Over the next day or two paneled discussions and classes will be held to help creative women take their business to the next level.

Cool2Craft will be broadcasting a special airing of the Pajama Party live via the web tomorrow night beginning at 7:30 pm central.  Join Tiffany Windsor and myself as we bring you the coolest crafts - and yes that includes FRIENDLY PLASTIC! and much much more.

I've just arrived to the event, but Tiffany tells me that this is beyond her wildest imagination!! I can't wait to dive in tomorrow.

I'll be signing copies of my latest book - Beading in No Time from 3pm to 4pm...so if you are attending this event, drop by and say hello! I'd love to meet you!


Linda Peterson is compensated and endorsed by AMACO. The guests features may or may not have any affiliation with AMACO.

Featured Online Craft Class - Upcycled Books - Learn how to bind books

Still a few spots left for tonights ONLINE and Live interactive craft class featuring Samantha Star and her UPCYCLED book class.  Learn how to recycle old books into an art journal using bookbinding techniques. 

Class is TONIGHT and Online beginning at 7pm.


Register here

Can't make it to class tonight?  This class is recorded and will be available on demand.  Take the bookbinding class on your schedule - anytime.  Watch, stop, work, replay - your schedule and at your own pace.

Inspiration and Design - Where do you look?

I am often asked - where do you find inspiration?  How do you become a designer?

When you become a professional designer, you might as well say GOODBYE to your "days off".  Because in essence, you never really get time off from your "job". And let me tell you, inspiration and creativity don't just end because you close your eyes either.  It's everywhere, and it surrounds you and your every day life.  Do you make the most of it?

Even when I'm taking the "day off" of my creative job to go shopping, I'm always on the look out for inspiration.  It comes in various forms - whether it's a particular shape or geometric pattern that I see, a color palette, a sunset - anything can become inspiration.  It could be a pair of shoes, a passerby...the sleek lines of a car. but you have to look beyond the object to see it,

Magazines, catalogues or even internet surfing provides hours of inspiration. 

Tear out what you find inspiring and create an inspiration notebook.  Divide it into categories, like color palettes, shapes, jewelry designs, clothing fashions etc.  Then, when the creative moment hits you over the head like a brick, peruse thru your inspiration file and select a color palette, interesting design/shape and take the elements you like from each picture to create something uniquely DIFFERENT and you. 

My latest book Beading in No Time, discusses inspiration, but goes beyond that to teach you how to best create the look and style of jewelry that compliments you....you're unique personality, facial shape and body style.  Yep, none of us were created perfect - but why not make the most of YOU? and accentuate your best features...You're worth it!

To get an autographed copy of my Beading in No Time book - click here. 

Take an online crafting class from CRAFTECH University