Happy New Year!

Just wanted to say Happy New Year! So it's another one but I'd like to say it always a good feeling to start fresh so here's to new beginning!

You can purchase this slinky bracelet directly from my Etsy store!

Estate Treasures!

Till I started selling my jewelry I could care less for going to estate sales, craft shows or bazaars. Now I go like I'm on a treasure hunt. I recently went to an estate sale and found a valuable loot! I've taken the metal components from these treasure finds and re-made them into interesting pieces, like the necklace above, which you can find in my etsy store.

They like me! They really like me!

I'm thrilled and excited! I participated in a jewelry design challenge at CraftRevolution.com and came out the winner in 2 categories: Best in Show and Best Product Photography. Each jewelry designer was given the same set of beads (2 colors to choose from and I chose the seafoam set) to create their own designs for the challenge. I almost choked on my coffee this morning when I checked out the CraftRevolution web site and there was the necklace I submitted. Not just winning in the overall level but with the additional photography award to boot! Check out the article on the Fall Beading Challenge in CraftRevolution.com web site for the winners.

Success!

Well, I had a craft show today selling my paper goods including the Angel Christmas Card below. All the Angel cards sold out! Even sweeter is that my son, the origami artist, joined me in my table and sold his origami stuff! So we both had a good day. Tomorrow, I need to list more stuff at my etsy store and prepare for the holiday spending spree! Are you ready for the holidays?

She's An Angel in the Sky

The one lesson I have learned now that I've started to sell my wares is I need to think one season ahead. I'm hitting myself in the head for not planning way ahead enough for this season. As it is, I should line up more craft shows and thought of more seasonal promotions, etc. Also, I got into another line - paper craft. And to take advantage of the holiday season, what better way to launch but with a line of Christmas cards. Of course, my jewelry skills spilled over into my paper crafting as you can see with the holiday cards above. Wire work angels that design this card AND serves as a christmas ornament, too!

Confession!

Drat! I need to post more often. My only excuse is preparations for craft shows have kept me busy. It's a wonderful experience to face your customers and talk directly to them. I've attached a picture of my very very first craft show set up. Still has room for improvement in terms of display but I'm getting there. See you around town!

Fully loaded!

Fully loaded is the best description I can give to these 2 fringe bracelets. Loaded with pearls or an assortment of beads. It took me hours to load up these fun, fun bracelets butit was worth the effort. Now more stuff to load into my etsy store!

Fall Beading Challenge

I joined in a bead challenge organized by fellow etsy jeweler and craftrevolution.com editor, Beads4You. Each participant gets the same set of beads (in seafoam or topaz color scheme) and is free to create one or as many pieces they can create from the bead set. Here's my first entry:

I used 100% of the beads from the seafoam set and added about a dozen of the seafoam 11/0 glass seed beads of my own to complete the peyote tube in this necklace. The less outside beads you use the better chances of winning.

This is an asymetrical necklace featuring all the techniques I like to use in creating my jewelry - wirework, stringing and beadweaving. All metal is sterling silver. The single strand of 8mm crystals is connected to the wirework and the green focal bead. The tubular peyote slides back to cover/reveal the handmade hook and eye that serves as closure for this necklace. Overall, the effect is a continuous circle since the clasp is hidden. I made the three strands from the bulkier beads in the group. The shell pieces are in one strand together with the freshwater pearls in between each shell piece, the smaller crystals are all in the second strand with the seafoam seed beads. Finally, the glass leaf beads are in the third strand with the rough stone seed beads in a peyote stitch between each leaf bead to give the strand a leafy branch look.

I can't wait to see what the other participants have create! We have until October 31 for all entries.

Who said only comedy could do improv?

Yes, there is such as thing as improvisational beadwork. For the novice, this is a freeform, bead as you can, how you want to, with whatever you want to kind of hand beading. The possibilities are endless. It could lead to artisitc satisfaction or frustration. It's so organic in that the work comes to life in your hands as you add to it, bead by bead. It's a never ending process, constant work in progress. But like painting, one can over paint and leave the artist in a state of limbo or mental block--where am I going with this?

Sneak Preview

I need to make more earrings. I tend to make more of bracelets and necklaces that I neglect the earrings department. So this weekend, I made more than the usual number and here they are. An assembly of jasper, carnelian quartz, smoky quartz, pearls. I'm also expanding my metals - other than sterling silver, I've found brass and sterling silver pewter pieces -- really cool! I'll be listing them in my etsy shop in the next few days so this is a sneak preview!

All In Stitches!

Ugh!!! I picked up my needle and can't stop stitching beads and here is one of the latest creations. I just love love love handstitching/handweaving beads. I guess because it gives me full control with how I want the work to go. I have 2 samples here: the gold one is square stitch -- very orderly and rhythmic. While the other bracelet is improvisational beading with some wire work to it and very abstract and chaotic.

All Wired Up

Bless me for I have sinned! My last posting was almost a week ago!!! I've been so wired up revisiting old techniques, attending a bead show, discovering a new bead shop in my neighborhood and creating new jewelry to gear up for the holidays.

Well, here's a design concept I've revisited. This cuff is made with 3 24 guage copper wire which I twisted together to form the frame of this bracelet. I then strung beads through another copper wire and worked my way around the bracelet frame as much as I felt like it. Then I closed the bracelet frame to create the hook clasp that secures the cuff on your wrist. It's a chunky bracelet but soooo comfy to wear!

Hold Your Breath Mini-Origami Cranes

These miniature cranes were made by my son. He has been doing origami for many years now (a veteran at 11 years of age!). His challenge at this point is to create the smallest origami crane he can do. The bigger crane in the photo is made from 2cm square of paper while the smaller one is from 1cm square! Talk about nimble fingers!! He intends to continue practicing until he can perfect it. I may need to buy him a microscope and mini-surgical tweezers pretty soon!!! His goal is to create a crane from LESS THAN 1mm square size paper to beat the record set by a japanese master!!!

Strands of Blue Heaven

I made this necklace for a friend of mine who wanted to give her sister jewelry for her birthday. What she told me was her sister loved turquoise - in color or stone, whatever. So I searched around and found these beautiful abalone shell beads in turquoise. Everything else just fell into place.

When Passion Becomes Obsession

My passion has been making bead jewelry for a long time now. This passion has turned into an obsession. Is this bad? I don't think it is, at least, in my case. The obsession has made me burst out of my shell so now here I am with this blog hoping to share my creations with you. While the main thread of my topic will be jewelry, there are other things that interest me that I may write about in this journal. I hope it draws you into my world.

So you tell me, when passion becomes an obsession, is that good or bad?

This bracelet I recently made was created bead by bead as I handwove this all together. You'll find it and other jewelry pieces that I've created in my shop at BeadJewelryShopGirl.etsy.com.