QueenMarcyOriginals: Blog Hop

I've been asked by Sharon Chapman at www.wildflowerhouse.blogspot.com to join a blog hop. We have been Internet buddies since she commented on one of my blog posts. I do not know Sharon personally, she lives in Seattle area and I live in Atlanta area.....but I know we would be great friends in person too! Be sure to look at the photos of her precious new baby puppies - A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E.

Here are answers to the questions she asked me:

WHAT AM I WORKING ON: I do bead embroidery jewelry and have been getting ready for an art show in October. So bead, bead, bead is what I am working on. There are photos below of some of my latest creations.

HOW DOES YOUR WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF YOUR GENRE: Each of my pieces are one-of-a-kind and created totally from scratch, no patterns or copies. I browse Pinterest daily (much too long) to get ideas for shape or materials or colors, but never copy. And my pieces are so unique (over-the-top one might say) that I doubt anyone else or even I could reproduce them!

WHY DO I CREATE WHAT I DO: Beading started out as a hobby I picked up from a girl at work. It began with simple bead stringing and I took any classes I could to learn more. My "downfall" was a class with Sherry Serafini, THE bead embroidery queen. I did not even know what bead embroidery was, but I have always enjoyed needle work like knitting and cloth embroidery. I was hooked and have never looked back. I took several more classes from Sherry and some metalwork classes at art retreats. I like metal work too, but always come back to bead embroidery. Now that I'm retired, I spend hours each day beading. I cannot possibly wear it all, so I opened an online shop to sell my jewelry at www.queenmarcyoriginals.etsy.com. Fortunately, I don't have to earn a living from beading, so I price items at barely over cost so I can buy more beads and do another one! I give 50% of my proceeds to charity, currently A PLACE TO BARK which is a dog rescue.

HOW DOES MY CREATING PROCESS WORK: I'm always on the lookout for focal pieces, the large main bead or stone. Then I pull out all the beads I have to consider what coordinates. I may have to purchase a few new beads, but my stock is normally enough! I cut out a necklace or bracelet template onto material similar to interfacing which is what I bead on. I do not pre-plan a pattern, which is why I love doing this. There is no set pattern to follow, I just "paint" with the beads. The larger stones are glue-tacked down and then beaded around to secure them. Then, I just travel around the background with various sizes and colors and shapes and textures of beads. There are normally three basic colors and then the sizes and shapes of smaller beads provide the texture and enhancement of the piece.

I inherited the title "QUEEN MARCY" from my sister and cousins. There are four of us girls who have annual girls-only retreats. All of our parents have passed and my mother was the last to go and also the oldest-living one (at 64)! So the girls decided since I was the oldest, I would be the new matriarch of the family. Hence, "Queen Marcy" was established.

I am to nominate three more blogs to participate in this blog hop, so you can "hop" over to visit their blogs. I have yet to verify, but I believe they will post responses next Monday, September 28.

Dawn Edmonson at www.the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com creates the most gorgeous collages and dolls and sachets. I have followed Dawn for years and have met her in person. She is the sweetest, most gentle soul anyone could hope to be. Hop over to see her awesome creations.

I have no idea if she will respond, but the blog I go to first thing every morning is www.byebyepie.typepad.com. Karen Somerfield (aka June Gardens) is hysterical and starts your day off with lots of laughs. She does not create anything, but she is a proofreader and writer by trade. She can have you rolling on the floor at a simple story about going to the grocery store. She also produces weekly articles at www.purpleclover.com.

In case Karen does not respond, another beautiful blog by a local friend of mine is www.miriamsdelirium.blogspot.com.
She creates beautiful greeting cards and books and has an awesome garden.

Go to www.victoriaelizabethbarnes.com for more laughs about her never-ending remodel of a Victorian house. She drags her poor hubby to estate sales and Craig's List bargains and flea markets to find ridiculous things for her home. Very amusing.

So I will go notify these bloggers that I have chosen them to join the blog hop.
Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Loves from The Queen

PS: Since I am not a techie, I do not know how to "link" to the blogs above. However, I will try to learn and show direct links in my next post.