Mhoti Studio

I'm so excited to be participating in the AJE July component of the month hop as a guest designer. The hostess this month is Francesca Watson  www.francescawatson.com . She sent us each one of her handmade glass cabochons. I received the loveliest blue iridescent (dichroic) cab. Here is a photo of that cabochon. You can see the beautiful blues in the background with the hint of pinks , sea foam, gold and silver, in the dichroic mix of this bead. The colour shifts as one rotates the cab and it has flashes of iridescence . The second photo shows the depth of metallic colour within this cab. I knew that I had some other special glass beads in my stash, so I went hunting. I had a slew of Unicorn beads with similar character so I decided now was the time to stop hoarding  saving them. I chose  3 yo-yo beads in clear glass with gold flashes of fire on the surface. Now yo-yo beads are interesting designs, they have no holes. The trick was HOW to combine them ...

Oh Canada, my home and native land...... There is so much to love about Canada and being Canadian. I am a native of Canada's Capital city, Ottawa, Ontario.  Ontario is a vast province; from east to west it takes about two days to travel by car.  Part of Ontario is comprised of the Canadian Shield , a HUGE rocky landmass. We are a mineral rich province as one could expect with all those rocks around. We also have the most gorgeous Maple Trees that give us the best Maple Syrup in the world. In Spring these trees warm up, the sap runs, and we have tree growers who tap the sap and make syrup. Sugar shacks abound and one can visit them, watch maple syrup being made (by boiling the sap for hours and hours and hours in huge metal tanks). Some fresh snow packed into a plate , pour on some warm sap and we enjoy the most delicious treat, maple syrup taffy on a stick. YUM. In fall these same Maple trees turn the most amazing shades of red and orange, turning our fo...

I had some very happy mail today.  Last month I made a comment in reply to an Inside the Studio Post on the Art Bead Scene Blog , featuring Mary Harding . I wish I knew what date that was as I can't seem to find it now. To encourage visitors to leave comments they choose one winner from each days comments and I WON.  Today I received my prize from Mary Harding ,  a lovely handcrafted Leaf pendant made from Copper Clay. Not only did Mary send me this lovely piece of art BUT she packaged it ever so beautifully in a hand stamped box wrapped with the most colourful ribbon and as a special treat it was tied to a gorgeous ceramic heart bead that was also made by Mary. I am so delighted with these miniature works of art. I love the warm earthiness of the copper and it's almost duplicated in the glazes used in the ceramic piece.  I think Mary uses real leaves to create her moulds and then can replicate nature in metal or ceramic. The ribbon is a mix of purples and olive g...

It's here;  it's  BEAD SOUP showtime. This is going to be one GIGANTIC PARTY  Thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to lately.  Lori Anderson , our fearless leader (there are over 500 of us) assigned us partners in March; we then sent our bead soup mixes to each other and once received, we then spent the interim weeks planning, designing, creating and assembling.  The requirement was to use the focal bead, the clasp , and as many beads as we desired; adding if necessary supplies and beads from our stash (and we all have one), to create a piece of jewellery or art or whatever took our fancy.  (or wherever our muse led us). If this is your first time to my blog , WELCOME!   To save you from having to search through past posts here is a photo of what my partner   Heather d'Entremont sent me and then  photos of the finished piece.  Lots of polymer clay goodies; lava rock beads in three sizes; some crystals; t...

now that I've finished my earrings for the earrings everyday we're all ears challenge (see previous post) this is what i have to work on next. This is my bead soup mix from my partner Heather in Nova Scotia . so this is now sitting on my work table egging me on. this is the tidiest it will ever be .   I have two weeks to git 'er done.    show-time is May 3rd. and it's coming up FAST. Lots of loverly polymer clay goodies

I missed last months challenge *sob* but I got this one in at the last minute. This months inspiration photo is from the Pottery Barn. While this is SO NOT my personal style,  it really is a lovely tablescape. The spring greens,  the lovely china patterns, the wood of the table , the woven round place mat , the oil for dipping, the olives in hummus, the minty beverages, gosh I'm getting hungry. I digress.... Here is a photo of the earrings I made that are a result of that inspiration. (forgive the bad lighting and fuzziness, I need to practice my photo shoots or get my eyes tested -lol)  I used MOP drilled rings for the main dangles, with brown crackle ceramic large hole beads (with centring caps to cover the holes); caramel coloured cats eye (faceted rondelles and small round beads); faceted green glass rondelles and green glass leaves. Ball headpins, jump rings and ear wires are all gold toned . The jump ring connections I used allow these to swing freel...

I got my soup from Heather yesterday. It's full of polymer clay goodies that she made by hand , some really cool mirror image beads (think Rorschach images) in wonderful sherbet colours; lava beads -love the texture of them; yellow-goldy crystals ; and gorgeous hand made polymer pendan t with black accents , some wonderful shell strands ; purple polymer sea urchins , and two clay- filled clasps ( with jump rings as well) in two different metals so I have a choice.; a black glass heart and two glass disc beads ; a pretty pair of earrings  (should I or should I NOT take them apart?); and some various sized giraffe print polymer beads. I am so pumped and can't wait to start sketching ideas. thanks Heather, what a wonderful treasure chest of beads , and for the vintage  tin container, with a picture of an RCMP mountie on his horse. ya gotta love a man in uniform . time to play.