What a Surprise!! - Deez News

What a surprise when I went to the mailbox and found a package addressed to me. What a thrill it was when I saw who it was from!!!

Davinia from over at Deez News!!!! She had slipped a package in the mail with a few goodies for me for my birthday. I was in tears.

I am a huge fan of her work, no wait... I think it goes beyond fan and over into hero worship. The way she thinks and combines and creates and.... you get it don't you?!!

In this package was a necklace that I ADORE!! I hot listed it on ArtFire.com and also put it on my Amazon wish list. Did you know you could do that on ArtFire? Yes you can!! What are you waiting for??!?!?

Am just a bit manic right now and all over the place, please forgive me - but the excitement has got me!!!!

Look what she sent me!!!!


This necklace makes me swoon! Two beautiful pendants, two matching pendants - mebbe earrings and that LOVELY shawl brooch. OMG! I have the perfect hand crocheted poncho to wear it on. These are so fun, because I will make something for ME with these!!! What a treat!

I love her work and what she does with polymer clay! I am always hinting she needs to sell them as well on ArtFire as accessories. I would be a customer!

If you haven 't stopped by her studio, Back Pocket Designs, please do. There is so much color and texture and trendy hotness. She really has a handle on what's what. Stop by her blog - Deez News and get to know her. She is funny and warm and brilliant - you'll not be disappointed!

Thank you Davinia - you have made my year!!!!!

ArtFire Wed. Collection - Turkey Time!!!!

Turkey Time!!

Curated By: JustATish

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

A Peek Inside My Booth - Holiday Style

Over the weekend I did a local Holiday Show. I wanted my space to have a more holiday/festive look to it. Here is what I did



Christmas wreath on the front of the table - two reasons -One because my table cover didn't come to the ground, and two - you see it right as you walked in the door.


I utilized the window sill to display my Bead Trends boards (couldn't hang anything from the wall.) The boards show submissions to Bead Trends magazine. It is something that customers like to see, and oh how do I want to say.....gives validity to my work? It doesn't mean that my work is any more better than anyone elses, I just want it to show, I am serious about my work - does that make sense?


Here is a view of one of the tables. I like to show my SRAJD Certificate. Again - it shows I am serious about my work. My friend gave me the bracelet display, it works great for my copper bracelets.




I like things to be off center - I think it catches the eye - what do you think?



I am so proud of my logo. My friend Nelson designed this for me, actually he surprised me with it. I knew I didn't have the skills to do something of this nature, and knew I was going to have to hire someone. He is a huge fan of my work and encourages me all the time. I asked him one day - "I need to hire someone to make me a logo - What do you charge?" He didn't give me an answer, but said, "let's talk about what you are needing and we'll go from there." So I tried to think, what would I want, what would I need to set me apart, so that when people see my logo they say, Oh yeah!! Couple weeks later, I get an email from Nelson with this in it. I cried. I never once told him what I wanted. He did this all on his own from what he knows about me and about my jewelry. I cried.


The earring board turned out nice I think. Eye catching and fun



I took a couple spools of copper and a few beads to keep myself busy. While standing around thru the day, I made this bracelet.




I put it on the table, and 5 minutes later it was sold!


I am glad I had my camera with me to document it!


How do you set up your displays? Do you think less is more? Do you like more color, more texture? I would love to know!

Change'n it up some - New way to display earrings

Ever just need a change? Just something to mix it up some, something to breath a little life into what you have been doing? That is what I need. I wanted to do something to perk up the booth, perk up myself, 'specially doing a show tomorrow.

And the idea hit - I wanted to change up the way I am displaying my earrings. I stormed around the house gathering up items I would need. In the process I yell at James "Have you seen my scissors?" - "No," he replies "I don't mess with your stuff - I value my life!"....Good man :)


I have some card stock, scissors, hole punch, stamp, ink, ornament hangers, star shaped paper cutter thingy, paint brush and the grand daddy of all crafting items, the item of a million uses - Modge Podge. (this is the equivalent of JB Weld for any handy dandy fix-it ppl you know)



I picked a color of card stock - cut it into rectangles




Punched a hole at the top. *grumble* Why oh WHY do I continue to keep trying to paint my nails?? I MUST remember to remove that before tomorrow.



The star stamp is kinda my signature. I use it on all of my earring cards, and it is a nice decoration.



Some of the colors of card stock may be too dark for a stamp - so - cut out a star of a lighter color and glue it on your card stock. Or cut out 2 or 3 different colors and decorate it up some! I didn't have glue - so that is where the Modge Podge and paint brush comes in. Just a little dab 'il do ya!!



Put the ornament hook in the top and WAH-LA!!!! You have a hanging earring display!



I hung em on my earring board . They are crazy colorful and eye catching. My poor dog, while I was hanging them, trotted back and forth from me to the door, he says "Mom! It's pretty out!! Let's go play!!"


Then browsing blogs this morning, I found this over at Deez News - She has some great display ideas and I LOVE this idea. Earrings on a fun little stamped card, in a cell-eh-fain envelope and displayed in a wrought iron basket. Too Cute!!!!




Here is the aftermath of my little project this morning. I spent too much time in the yard playing with the dogs, and left a mess to clean up when I get home from work.

What are your display ideas?

Have a great weekend!!!

Welcome to My World - Life of and ADHD Jewelry Designer

While sitting at my worktable this morning, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the projects I have started, and none that I have finished. I have been operating in some sort of hyper drive these past two weeks. Ideas are racing thru my head faster than I can get them out of my fingers. I can't seem to commit to just one. I have to do them all!!!




1. A new earring design.....I can make one, but am having a hard time making the 2nd one at least similar

2. I have a bag of old pc133 memory sticks I want to do some 'Geek Chic' stuffs with......

3. Copper pendant I am working on ...... not quite happy with it yet.

4. Jo brought me a mess of old watches - I have busted them all apart and want to make something Steam Punky, or Industrial.

5. Fixing a necklace that one of the beads broke and now there is a gap in the strand.

6. Making earrings for the show I am doing on Saturday.

7. Making ear wires for the metric butt ton of earrings I have made.

I still have to finish my signage for the show, make new earring cards, wash and press my table covers, get out my newsletter, tag new items......and 100 more things I am sure I have forgotten

Whew Kids!!!!!

Does this happen to you?? Do you have a thousand projects started and none finished? How do you get them all done?!!?!??

ArtFire Wed. Collection - Nothing but the best for my baby

Gift ideas for him!

Nothin but the be...

Curated By: JustATish

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Do you know Chrysoberyl?

Sometimes over looked, and some say way under rated is the gemstone chrysoberyl. From what I have read, this gemstone is kinda rare, and that is exciting!!!

It is very hard and durable, being 8.5 on the Mohs scale making it well suited to any jewelry use, including rings. The most common colors range from honey yellow to yellow green (which is what I have!!!) and the colors are quite intense.

Did you know that cats eye and Alexandrite are also chrysoberyl? Alexandrite (Junes birthstone) is "photochroic" - meaning it changes color in incandescent light. Chrysoberyl changes to blue and alexandrite changes to red.


I am going to try it, wouldn't it be cool it they glowed red!!!!!!

Rings & Things Loves ME!!!!

Back, oh, a week or so ago, Rings & Things posted on their facebook fan page, that if you posted a picture of your newest Rings & Things creation you could win a prize!!!

So I did :)

And I got this!




These are two awesome publications! Margot Potters book, Bead Chic is beautifully photographed with excellent step by step instructions for some fun designs.

Glass Art Magazine made my jaw drop. I don't know anything about glass art, other than I like looking at it, but this magazine has made me what to know more!

Rings & Things has a great online community full of support, information and just plain fun.
Look them up on Facebook, or Twitter, or their Blog, and see what they are up to.

You'll be glad you did :)

ArtFire Wed. Collection - Delicious Denim

Delicious Denim

Curated By: JustATish

ArtFire.com

Indie Design

Do you know ArtBiz Blog?

Do you ever question your sanity as an artist and the path you have chosen?
Do you ever wonder if you need to blog?
Do you ever wonder if selling your pieces online is better than at a local market?

I have questions like these all the time and more. It can be overwhelming to try and find a source for this information.

That is where Art Biz Blog comes in!



Wonder where to start a blog? It's there!
Confused about which to write - Artist statement or Artist bio? It's there!
Blog vs. Web Site?? It's in there!!

If you don't have them in your blog roll or news feed - do! They are a fantastic source of information!

New copper bangles!

I got some inspiration from Karen of Artful Crafts addition to the Artbeads.com's Photos - Colors of Fall Design Partners Gallery I, copper bangle.



Isn't this the GREATEST!!! I fell in love with this design and I had to try and make one myself.





I used 12 ga wire and wrapped it around a spray paint can. That makes about a 7 1/2 inch bangle. Made loops at the ends of the wire and hammered them. Then I took 22 ga wire and wrapped all the way around the bangle to hold the wire in shape. Next took more 22 ga wire and started to wrap and add beads - alternating with seed beads and gemstones.





Loads of fun and really quick to make. I was surprised I could make one in about an hour.

What is this called? Beaded Ribbon?

My parents were here a while back and my mom brought me this great mix of ribbon/border/beaded accent ribbon/ what do you call it!!! I am in love with it and have no idea what to do with it. I could add it to a pillow, or to my lamp shade, or to the back pockets of my jeans.....



Some of the beads are amazing - I may have to sample a few.

What would you do with 7 yards of beaded ribbon?!!?!?!?

Autumn inspired necklace

ArtBeads is doing a "What inspires you?" beading contest for great prizes


It got me to thinking - everything around me is an inspiration. I think it is fun to do an abstract interpretation of the things around me, and see if it will turn into some fun jewelry.

One of my favorite things in life is an autumn sky. More than likely because of where I grew up . The summers were brutal and humid. There was always a haze in the air, and the sky was always dull due to it. The winters were gray and wet, and I swear, those blue skies snow birded down to Florida. But fall - omg, glorious fall. The humidity was gone, the air was crisp and cool, and the colors - those life changing, memory making beautiful blasts of fall colors, oh how I adore you :)

So I wanted to make a necklace that showed those golden leaves rustling in the cool breeze and the blue skies peaking thru them.

I found this image and it took my breath away.


I wanted to capture the bits of sky that you see when you look up thru the leaves, so I added faceted blue crystals in the amber strand.




Every so often there is a swarovski crystal to catch the light and give a glint like sunlight thru the leaves.



What inspires you?