Goodbye 2010

2010, like any year, brought a combination of joys and sorrows for me. One bright spot for sure was being nominated to the Artisans Gallery Team on Etsy.

Without further adieu, I'll ring out the year with a team post.

Happy New Year!

Teal and Yellow Anthriscus by UnaOdd

Gold Dear Shirt by WrenWillow

Custom Little Houses by thelittlereddoor

Belle Heart Strings Mobile by MaisyandAlice

Flight pattern sterling silver hoop earrings by noblegnome

Not all who wander are lost necklace by lulubugjewelry

rustic stoneware dinnerware by OneClayBead

Peppermint Rosemary Vegan Handmade Soap by DeShawnMarie

Sale

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!


Save 25% off everything in my etsy shop by using coupon code "sale25" when checking out. Yes, the shop announcement says 20% but you savvy blog readers get an even better deal ;-)

Now*sigh* back to bed for me. I am feeling rather under the weather, and I don't mean the 3-7 inches of snow headed our way. Must have caught a bug. So thankful that it held off until 7pm Christmas evening to kick in.

Slow down

I need a serious slow down. Between orders (finishing my 3rd wholesale order in a month), keeping up with etsy AND preparing for the holidays I am starting to flag. I stopped working the other night because my fingers were sore.


As always at this time of year I like to think about "re-setting" everything, putting things to rights to begin the New Year. I am going to have an after Christmas sale and then close for just a bit the end of January.

Go Team - Part II

Another small, color coordinated peak at the Artisans Gallery Team!
What amazing variety and talent on this 145 member team!
Enjoy and stayed tuned for more...

Magma Earrings by PoleStar

5 Wooden Helicopters Party Pack by imaginationkids

Happy Colored Flower Bag by Starbags

Petit Lace Fans Enamel Posts by bullfinchbarbury

Crystal Series Orange Black Yellow by UnaOdd

Seven Loop Necklace Scarf by nitca

The rainbow umbrella by YannPendaries

Cubist Bird Feeder No 1 Orange by joepapendick

Go Team!

A look at just a few of the artists from the Artisans Gallery Team on Etsy. Its a great pleasure to be included in this talented group of folks!

Sweet Diamond Promises by sarawestermark

Organic baby quilt by SewnNatural


Sterling silver chain necklace by QuercusSilver

Tiny shimmering black globes by donauluft

8x12 Prepared by f2images

Stack of eight colorful prep bowls by LynnCardwellPottery

Sea Urchin Ring by staroftheeast

Weak in the knees

Sales of my work at terrain are picking up (hurrah!) so its time to order more beads for the etched pearl necklaces. Looking around and considering some other purchases here. I find beat up old beads very appealing. Archeology meets jewlery - whats NOT to like about that?!

Of course beat up old beads often come with a price. "Don't get too attached to that last strand", I said to myself. They are tile beads from Afghanistan thought to be about 2000 years old. A strand of 21 beads costs $120. Gosh - it would be like wearing a museum around your neck!

Time is almost up

Just a few more hours to save 20% off in my Etsy Shop. Use Christmas20 in the coupon code section at check out!

Restocked Stone Upon Stone Rings today. They continue to be my most popular piece. (I am sure being dubbed "cool" by Cynthia Tinapple was what did it!)


Lest you think I live a wonderfully bohemian/artistic life, the rest of my day went like this...upsetting orthodontist visit, ruined a custom carved ring and had to start over, bat in bedroom.

And thats where I am right now. Waiting for my husband to get home from work to save us from Dracula. This has happened before and we've found that a Lacrosse stick can be wildly effective. I think we'll eat out tonight.

I hope that you are having a much better day!

Cyber Sale

I'll be having a Christmas Sale in my Etsy shop Monday, November 29 - November 30. Use coupon code Christmas20 at check out to get 20% off.

Bonjour

Awoke this morning to find my Stone Ring in a French gift guide!
Check out Sophie Petite Cuisine for links to all the items and shops listed.
- Thank you Sophie -

Its simply nice to share

Along the way, I've had some polymer artists extend themselves and share their knowledge and present me with great opportunities. Kindness should overflow, shouldn't it? So it seems appropriate that I make my first small attempt to 'give back' with a tutorial at the beginning of America's week of Thanksgiving.
( A special thanks to Ronna, Cynthia, Claire, Lynn, Tracy, and Christine.)


There has been some interest in my fiber-y beads so here goes. Yes, yes, its simple (but I tend to be pretty simple) and they make a nice contrasting texture with smoother beads .

1. Roll a ball of clay.


2. Flatten slightly to make a chunky disk. Put a hole through the center to made a bead.


3. Cross hatch with a tissue blade all around the sides. Don't leave too much blank space. Change the angle of your blade after 5-7 or so slashes tilting the blade so that your lines cover the entire side of the bead. Cross hatch but with a blade.


4. Squeeze either side of the bead with your fingers to make the cross hatch lines open up, revealing a fiber-y sort of pattern. And you will probably need to re-open the bead hole at this point too.


Here are the beads used in a finished piece. They can be used as is, sanded to make the raised areas shine in contrast to the "canyons" or, as I usually do, I distress with acrylic paint to enhance the texture.



(Please feel free to use the beads anyway you want. Crediting me would be nice. Sending me pictures of what you made would be great too and I would be happy to post your projects here.)

Take me to your leader

I often have "assistance" in the studio. My youngest son is most interested in polymer clay. He seems to understand that it can be almost whatever you want it to be and sees it as the first solution to every creative urge .

I've started buying him his own clay after he came to me one day and said "oh by the way, I used all of the Premo black...does that matter?"

This was his idea. I helped work out the kinks.

Winter soul

I've been in a lot of treasuries lately. This one really says winter to me.

Time out

Beware the bareness of a busy life. - Socrates

Now...time to re-group because between school, household and my wholesale order from terrain I've been going 8am-8pm straight through every day.


Friday night was decidedly, deliciously, slow. Kyle and I practiced Christmas carols on guitar, mandolin and melodica, occasionally stirring a big pot of homemade applesauce that simmered on the stove. Saturday I played at making "magic stones" among other things.


If you are in Philadelphia stop by terrain at Styers in Glen Mills, PA and check out my jewelry!

Rough and Ready

Raw turquoise. Isn't this gorgeous? I usually prefer stones in the rough.

This is my little visual respite from the current task at hand...my first wholesale order. I'll post pictures and the more about the shop next week when the 16 pieces are complete.