Nancy Kay Creations

Things to Work Out

2008-08-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

Now that I am out of school, and feeling really lost and unorganized, I'm trying to get focused on what it is I really want to do with this here blog, and my life in general. I keep saying that I need to refocus, or get focused, but the more I do that, the more lost I feel.
I think I know what it is I want. Along with that knowledge, comes the fear. The fear of failure, the fear of losing everything, the fear of not making it. Right now I have a 40 hour a week job; a job I am not too happy with, but it pays the bills and it has it's benefits. The job though is not 9 to 5; it's all over the place, so I really have no way of setting up a schedule when I know I can work here. This is something I will need to work on over the coming weeks. I can't schedule my creativeness, so I will need to save things up for future posts; work on things when I do have the time to use in the future.
I have some ideas for weekly/ monthly posts here. Something to bring people here and share the love of crafting and being creative. I hope you will hang in there with me and come back often. I don't want to say right now what those things will be as I don't want to make promises that I can't keep. So for now, I will work out what of my goals here I can.
I've always said that change can be a good thing, but at the same time it is really hard and scary when you don't know the outcome. I really am looking forward to what I hope the outcome will be.

Key Chains

2008-08-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

Needed to do something crafty today, found some old key chains and went from there. I love making things as I go a long. I almost never have something in mind when I start creating. It's a step by step process for me that usually begins with one object and creating as I hold the piece. I also got a chance to practice more with the Nikon's settings. Anyway, here are the key chains:

I'm enjoying the process of finding my creative niche and learning as I go.

Blood and Hearts

2008-08-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am working a book release party. I needed something to wear that was vampire/ romanitc related, but could not come up with anything around the house. Those who have known me for years would find this unbelievable seeing as I was, at one time, very gothy (it was 20 years ago.) So I hunted through my jewelry supplies and came up with this ensemble this morning:

Bleeding Heart Necklace and Earrings

I cleared out my closet of most of my black clothing, so I will have to be creative tonight. If I find anything good I'll post pics later.

Pink Sparkle Frame

2008-06-14T09:19:00.001-07:00

I'm on a roll with the picture frames. I pulled out my last wood frame a few days ago and decided I wanted to do something with glitter.

My first attempt didn't work out the way I had planned:

(You'll have to click on that to get a good look)

So I thought about it and came up with another plan. Why not paint it, then cover in glitter? I got out the acrylics and mixed red with white until I got the right shade of pink:

Then once that was dried, about two hours, I added a layer of glitter glue. I painted the glitter glue as I would regular paint (use a foam brush and wash it right away.):

I'm not sure if this is finished. I think it needs something, just not sure what.

A Butterfly Picture Frame

2008-06-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

I seem to be on a butterfly kick this month. My last project was butterfly earrings, and now a butterfly picture frame. I also see a color theme as well. Well, I guess when I get going on something, I really go all out. I started out today with just the thought that I wanted to do something, anything.

So I started gathering things I had lying around. I noticed I still had picture frames in a drawer and then I saw the paint and sponge brush, and then just went from there.

I found a stamp pad I bought on clearance. Everything was going wonderfully until I used the stamp on the upper right corner. Oops! How to fix? Ribbon and a butterfly that matches the stamp of course.

And here is the finished product:

Butterfly Earrings

2008-06-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the project I gave you a glimpse of a few days ago.

I'm still learning how to use the Nikon and all the different settings, and I also still need a light box, so my pictures aren't the best, but they will do for now. I was experimenting with different light and ISO settings. The first two shots are indoors with the ISO set to 1600, the last shot was outdoors (the light was much better) with an ISO setting of 200.

I'm also now remembering why I had originally decided not to use this template, I can't fit the right size pictures in it. I have to use the small pictures which you would need to click through to my Flickr account to see better. Oh well, I'm always a work in progress.
Now what is next?

The Impatient Crafter Glitterati Skull Earrings

2008-05-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome video by Margot Potter, The Impatient Crafter. She is fun and fabulous; always an inspiration to me.

Work in Progress

2008-05-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Finally back to work creating. Here is something I'm working on at the moment:

Hope to have the set complete by the end of the week. Very happy to be creating again.

Back to Basics

2008-05-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

After many searches and downloads and uploads and previews, I finally went back to the basics. A nice basic template that is tried and true. Okay, so now I can get to work and create the most awesome blog ever, or at least a really great crafty blog. Thanks for your patience.

Found a new template

2008-05-17T23:17:00.000-07:00

Found this cute pink template. I think I'll use this for awhile. Sorry so scattered. Once school is out I hope to get this organized and post regularly.

This Will Have to Do

2008-05-16T15:45:00.001-07:00

This new template will have to do for awhile; until, of course, I find or make something better.

My Ever Changing Moods

2008-05-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

Trying to come up with a template here that I will stick with for awhile. I don't like this, so I'll continue to browse my old graphic files to see what I have. I made so many backgrounds years ago that I have a ton to pull from, or I can just make something new.

All I Had to Do

2008-04-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

was to post that I was suffering from creative block...and it unplugged. I've got a gazillion ideas running around in my head now, where do I start?!

Creative Block

2008-04-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever suffered from creative block? I have not been able, to nor felt motivated to, create anything. I'm really stuck on this uncluttering thing I have going on at home right now. I feel like I can not create when I sit down and look at all my craft supplies and jewelry supplies. I've occasionally had the urge to paint, but I have nowhere to do that what with all available space being taken up by clutter. I hope to get back to the creative process once I have some space cleared out, which won't be until after I finish school. In the meantime you can see what I'm up to over at Nancy's Life.

Making A Move

2008-02-22T11:29:00.000-08:00

I'm currently moving nancyslife.com to WordPress. Right now it's set back to the old blogspot address: nancylife.blogspot.com so that I can import it when everything is set up. It may take some time for me to get this all done while I am having to leave home to go to work and do schoolwork while I'm home, ugh. In the meantime, hang in there. NancysLife will be back and better than ever, ha!

New Stuff

2008-01-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile. I haven't had much time for creating, but I am beginning to think that I need to make the time. So here are some new things I've made. Still practicing those wire wraps. I'm getting better. So much to do, so little time. Enjoy!

Jewelry Gifts

2007-12-19T22:04:00.000-08:00

My greatest accomplishment this year was to finally get gifts "made" for almost everyone in my family. The scarves are done and just need to be mailed off and below are the finished pieces of jewelry I made for the other members of my family. It felt really good to be able to make something special for everyone this year.

Knitting Progress

2007-12-19T21:58:00.000-08:00

Remember when I gave myself till December 14th to finish the three scarves I needed to knit? Well, I gave up on the third scarf, but did complete the other two. I finished the last one on the night of the 14th. I don't have the pictures yet of the finished product, but here are more pics of the work in progress. I still have to get them mailed off. I'm just really happy I was able to finish them.

Another Necklace

2007-12-06T17:07:00.000-08:00

I'm on a roll again. I gave up on that assignment for school. I swear I was losing it and just had to let the perfection go. I still haven't turned it in, but I desperately needed some time for "ME". So today I got to work on a necklace I wanted to make as a gift for someone this Christmas. I know this person will never read this blog, but still I don't want to name them; gotta take precautions. I just took the pictures with my cell phone so they aren't fabulous but here it is:

I did finish that scarf as well and will post that picture, along with another scarf I'm working on, soon.

Sold

2007-12-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

About a month ago a friend contacted me to tell me that she had shown the jewelry I posted here to a coworker. her coworker loved one of the earrings I had made and wanted to know if I could make her a pair in a different color and asked how much it would cost. Someone wants to pay me?! So I got her information we emailed back and forth and I made her a pair of earrings which she paid me for yesterday.

If I keep going, keep learning to make better quality jewelry, who knows. Maybe I'll just be able to do something with it once I'm finished with my degree.

My First Necklace

2007-11-28T22:56:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I was feeling really creative. Any artist will know the feeling, it's hard to describe; you just have to create. I ran into a chain from an old necklace I've had about 20 years and haven't worn in about 15. I instantly knew what I had to do. I got out my boxes of beads, some head pins, and my pliers and got to work. This is what I have so far:

It's not finished and I haven't worked on it in a couple of weeks, but I can't wait to see how it finally turns out. I also really need to get that light box made so I can get better lit pictures.

Knitting Again

2007-11-23T09:40:00.001-08:00

I'm trying, really super hard, to get some scarves made before Christmas. I'm not doing so well. I've got one about 1/3 finished and still have 2 more to go. Here is the one I'm working on now when it was only 1/8th complete:

I'll post pics of the others as soon as I get them started. Maybe a little deadline will get me going? I'll give myself until December 14th.

Workspace

2007-11-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

I live in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment in the Bay Area in California. The rent is way too high for so little space. That aside, I have very little space here to work on craft projects. I am currently trying to get some organization going around here so that I can create some good space for working on jewelry and craft projects. For now though, this is my space:

A little corner of the dinning room table, next to and including my laptop. It's just enough to be able to make some jewelry or knit, but that's about it. And now with a little one running around I don't really have space to paint or do much of anything else.
Some projects I have in the works are creating a craft space and making a light box so I can take better photos of my crafts.
For now, while I'm in school and working full-time, I'll have to live with what I've got.

New

2007-11-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on a new layout for this blog and some content to post. Stay tuned....

Recent Jewelry

2007-10-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

This blog will be a showcase for my jewelry and craft creations. I enjoy making jewelry, painting, knitting, photography and many more hobbies. For starters, here are some pictures of some jewelry that I've made over the past couple of months. I hope to post updates often. Enjoy!