Mid-Western Fashionista

Dresses - loving it right now

2011-10-31T20:58:00.000-04:00

There's something about fall. Skirts and dresses are just perfect this time of year. Maybe because soon, it will be too cold to even think about going outside with just a thin layer of tights on my legs! January, northern Indiana, snow up to your armpits.... well, I think I've said enough!

I was looking through sketches from Ivanka Trump's new clothing line, and this one caught my eye. I love it!

Crayon painting

2011-10-21T12:01:00.000-04:00

So, back here I talked about a few projects that I wanted to try. My friend Allie and I got together and tried the crayon art project over the past weekend. Here's how it went:

First, we peeled the paper off some Crayolas. Soak them in hot water to make the paper fall right off!

A little neurotic, color arranging activity followed. Maybe not necessary, but made me happy.

Allie picked her colors, used a hot glue gun to stick them in place, and turned on the hair dryer.

It doesn't take long before the color rivers start to flow!

We discovered later that doing this project with just a little bit of cover for the carpet - yeah, not a great idea.

And here's the final product, ready to hang on the wall.

Here's the color palate I decided to go with. I also broke my crayons in half - I thought I would try to melt the crayons away completely. I didn't want the crayons showing at the end.

And here's what I got. I decided it should hang vertically, even though I didn't have that in mind when I started. Heck, this didn't turn out at all how I thought it would, but I think I like it. I think I'm going even going to try another one. This is kinda fun!

Maize maze - Indiana Friday Fun

2011-10-16T20:11:00.001-04:00

One of the things you can do in the mid-west in autumn is go to a corn maze. Or, as the one we found likes to say, a "corn maize". Isn't that delightfully, repetitively redundant??

So, step one was to get a pair of everything-proof boots. Something to stomp through mud in.

{picked up some boots at TJ Maxx}

It was crazy windy and a bit chilly, with temps in the 50's, so fall coats or scarves were a help.

{My friend Allie and I, already deep into corn and not sure how to get out}

Despite what this post seems to be saying, I'm really a city girl. Not a big city girl, but concrete and buildings are my thing. Martinis, too. Really, the outdoors makes me itch. But anyway...
There's nothing like looking up from the middle of a field of corn... What a view!

After the sun started dropping, we picked up the pace, realizing that we may be lost forever out there. Eventually, we found our way out, and found something to warm up with. I hope your weekend made the best of whatever situation you're in!!

Cause a House needs Style too!

2011-10-09T16:41:00.000-04:00

I've been feeling a creative bug lately. Now, I do make jewelry and sell on Etsy... but sometimes I just feel like trying something new and different. I've never been a crafty person, and have very few skills of the crafty variety. But, I've found some cool ideas and think that maybe...just MAYBE... I could pull some of these off. Here's some that I may be trying soon:

{photo from flickr.com/photos/becksjb}

This is made with crayons. CRAYONS. And a hair dryer. I'm on it!!!

{photo from firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com}

Fabric flowers. Cute buttons. Maybe some hot glue, 'cause my sewing skills are non-existent.

{photo from http://indigenousdialogues.tumblr.com}

I love wine. Wine deserves it's own special space in a house. We have this antique piece of furniture that I think, maybe, could be turned into something *much smaller* like this. The question is - to paint it, or to leave it as unpainted wood.

You know those days when you just stare into your closet??

2011-10-04T16:48:00.000-04:00

Some days I wake up, open the closet door, and stare blankly at my wardrobe. For like, 7 minutes. On really bad days I might sit down while staring.

Those are the days when I need some help. My brain is still asleep and creating an outfit seems as hard as advanced calculus. So, I've come up with a bit of an {inspiration board}. Because if I'm going to stare at the wall, at least I can stare at something that might speak back to me!

This cork board leans up against one wall of my closet, tucked behind the hangers of shirts. When I see an outfit that is put together well, or utilizes an accessory in a way that I want to remember, or a color combo that I love, I tear it out and save it. Most of my pictures come from In Style magazine or favorite catalouges. {Anthropologie, anyone???}

This can sometimes be enough to break me out of my rut when getting dressed for work each day. As long as it gets me off the floor, I'm satisfied.

Fabulous waste of time!

2011-10-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

Have you been to this website called Pinterest? I joined recently, downloaded the app, and have been having so much fun with it. Here's a random screen cap as I was browsing:

And then you can collect images from around the web and pin them to your board. Maybe you see a fabulous pair of shoes, or a neat DIY idea, or something that makes you laugh. Here's a screen cap of some stuff I pinned on my first day:

I think of it as a cross between twitter and craftgawker. Oh, and crack.

Wimping out in the big city

2011-10-01T12:23:00.003-04:00

I was in Chicago yesterday for a workshop. It was windy, chilly, and rained on me just a couple of times. I was walking to lunch with a few other workshoppers and enjoying people-watching along the way. People watching is one of my favorite things to do, so big city streets are like candy to me! I saw all kinds of fashion that I don't get to see everyday - the 3 piece suit, skinny pants and sneakers, 5 inch stilettos with leggings, mini-skirts that made me blush, briefcases, and slicked back Wall Street hair.

I wanted to snap a few pics of some of the styles that were typical of the big city. Here you go:

{shot a little high on this one}

{crossing a bridge and turned to the side a bit}

{people walking quite far away from me}

{quickly dropping phone down to my side}

So what I learned today...

I can't be cool. At all.

I think people know exactly what I'm up to.

I'm scared to piss off a stranger.

Ok, I may have been paranoid...

2011-09-29T16:45:00.000-04:00

So, last week I posted that I thought someone from In Style magazine might be spying on me from a tree in my backyard. You can see why right here. Turns out, I may have been just a *bit* off. I was waiting in line at the grocery store when I saw the magazine, sitting right there. Since the person in front of me was clearly buying enough to fill a walk-in freezer, I had some reading time on my hands. So I'm flipping away and I see this...

(photo credit is me, looking like a loony in the check-out line)

It's that same ad!! I guess if they don't know your name at Zappos, they just call you "dollface". OK...

So, the fact that they got my hair right (and my rockin' bod, of course) is a total coincidence. But I'm still going to keep closing my blinds when I change clothes. You can never be too safe.

Who Needs Black???

2011-09-28T16:45:00.001-04:00

Seriously, when there are so many gorgeous shades on the color wheel, who needs basic black? I would much rather be stunning in red than slimmer in boring black any day!

photo from Anthropologie

The hardest thing is, for me, living in a *somewhat* small town... finding stylish pieces can be tough. If you want to see sad, you should see the crap they fill our department stores with!! Big city folk would never be given such garbage. But, I digress...

The question I would ask is; would you do it? Wear this much red???

Count me in! Now if I could just find some color in the stores around here...

Bold is way better than wimpy

2011-09-27T19:59:00.000-04:00

I'm a huge fan of color. Big, rich, bright or loud. Sometimes I may take it too far. But, I'm totally psyched to see that "fashion" is agreeing with me this autumn.

My fashion sense is, do what you want and wait for others to agree that you're fabulous!

This picture from In Style magazine this month is a great example. I want those wine-colored pants!!!

The Best Fashion Intentions

2011-09-26T17:00:00.000-04:00

Personal style versus professional dress. It's something that I go back and forth on. How much of my personal style to I let into my work wardrobe??? Or do I go with basics and keep it professional?

As a lover of style, I can't help but let my personal style be out there! My brain says A nice skirt and pumps would really look professional, but my hands grab the wide leg trousers and flowy cardigan every time!

I love you, cardigans!

It'll take how long???

2011-09-25T14:51:00.004-04:00

I wonder sometimes if I'm the only person who does some of the things I do. My husband would be the first person to tell you that I have no patience. None. I jump into doing things unprepared all the time. And waiting for others...it's a slow, simmering rage.

Drying my hair, all the way, KILLS me. Many days, I'll just go out with wet or half-wet hair. I've started washing my hair at night and living with the sleepy hair bumps, rather than blow it dry.

A few years back, you could find me with the dryer, siting on the closed toilet seat, with a book in my lap. Now, technology makes my multi-tasking even easier! So now, I read blogs. If I'm stupid enough to be stuck with wet hair before dinner...

My magazine is spying on me

2011-09-24T10:22:00.003-04:00

I was flipping through my In Style magazine the other day, when I ran across this ad.

Ok, seriously, how well can a magazine know a girl??? They know my name AND that I love to go shopping!?! Hell, they even got my hair color right.

Impressive. In Style, get out of my backyard and stop peeking through my window!

Little bits of happy

2011-09-23T16:31:00.002-04:00

A cubicle can be a pretty sad place. I try to find little ways to brighten it up. A tissue box. It's not much. But a little color can go a long way in a drab nook.

Home Sick

2011-09-19T17:02:00.001-04:00

I stayed home sick from work today.

The sad thing is that I'm feeling crappy enough to not really be able to get anything done.

I wish I could just have a "well" day every once in a while. Then, I would actually enjoy the day off and have have some fun! Well, maybe at least be a little productive.

Custom orders are still lined up here at the studio. I have time, but not energy.

And tomorrow I'll probably force myself to go to work, cause 2 days in a row just can't happen!

4th Annual Open House

2010-09-09T13:42:00.000-04:00

You are Invited!

4th Annual Black Rock Design Open House

Saturday, November 20, 2010

10:00am - 1:00pm

1039 Rosemary Ln.

South Bend, IN 46617

Final Post

2010-05-03T13:43:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed a lack of posts in recent weeks. I'm in the process of moving, and will be taking a hiatus from blogging for the time being. When I have more time, I will be reevaluating my social media outlets and deciding what to maintain, and what to let slip away. If you enjoy hearing about Black Rock Design, please find me on Facebook and become a fan. I will be continuing to update and run my Facebook page throughout the moving process and beyond.

www.facebook.com/BlackRockDesign

Thanks to everyone for your comments! Here is what is consuming all of my time right now:

{our new house}

House Hunting Blues

2010-04-04T08:00:00.003-04:00

I'm a public school employee, a couple of days into my spring break. I must say, I've never needed a week off so badly! {Although, I probably say that every year...}

A couple of days ago, my husband and I accepted an offer on our house. We're going through the process now of inspections and waiting for the closing date. It's an exciting but stressful process. So now, we're house hunting, driving around town, going into houses, and finding some interesting things out there! Some houses are ones that we've seen in our neighborhood, and we have so much fun finally getting to see the insides.

Have you ever seen a shower just off the kitchen?

Or, have you ever seen such an interesting bathroom?

What about this for a view out your backdoor?

We have lots of decisions to make! But for now, back in my own backyard, this little squirrel says "Happy Easter"!

New, Green and still Chilly

2010-03-28T08:00:00.007-04:00

I took a walk around my yard this week, and found signs of the season changing. Living in the midwest, it seems like winter will never end sometimes. Just when you're feeling like you'll never know what warmth feels like again, you start to notice things coming up. Just look what I found in my backyard.

They are coming up, even surrounded by the old and dead plants of last year.

They all look like they are trying so hard!

Buds on some bushes, and full-blown flowers in a corner by the front of the house.

A little tree will soon be covered in white flowers.

And then there's the proof that squirrels are out, searching and digging for those pesky little acorns. Where did I put that nut?

See what I came out to find one morning in my backyard??? What a mess!

Season's Changing

2010-03-21T16:02:00.001-04:00

The weather is hanging in there, and in our back yard, hints of green are starting to pop up out of the ground.

Now, this little colage should have gone in last week's post (The Spring Itch), but I couldn't help but share it. Tis the season for wearing flowers!

{from Anthropologie}

So, good-bye snow, and hello to spring!

{again, from Anthropologie}

The Spring Itch

2010-03-14T08:00:00.017-04:00

Spring is near. I can just feel it. And after so many months of snow, ice, sleet, and wind...well, just thinking about spring makes me giddy!

So, once the weather starts to give us those first days when walking out without gloves doesn't mean frostbite, my eyes start to turn toward bright colors and all things spring.

One of the fashion trends that I love and you'll have to pry out of my dead hands is wearing flowers. Not just for luao's anymore, I say! I've started putting them in my hair, on my clothes, on my purse, and even hanging them from my ears!

from sweeteverything on Etsy

Not only do I put flowers in my hair, but I sometimes pack an extra flower and give it to a friend for a night out. Floral peer pressure!

{I'm on the right}

Even less than likely friends will put flowers in their hair; just long enough for me to snap a picture! These two wore matching flowers for about one mintue.

{see the little black flowers?}

I love clothing that include flowers - be it patterns or textures. This comes from the "Just Rosy" collection at Anthropologie.

from Anthropologie

Or, if you aren't ready to really commit that much, you can always pin a flower onto something basic. This little guy is living on a teal purse of mine right now.

from Mireille's on Etsy

Then, of course, there's the flowery jewelry that I love to make! I've shared my flowery necklaces in a previous post, Finally Finished. But here's a couple of pairs of earrings that I've made with flowers on my mind.

from BlackRockDesign on Etsy

So, I hope you each find a way to bring a little sunshine and spring into your wardrobes. Not only does it make you feel a bit more cheery, but you're probably brightening the days of those who pass by and see you.

Living out of a Suitcase

2010-03-07T09:28:00.001-05:00

I've had a full week, with absolutely no time to myself! I was out of town all week for a work conference and had a lot of fun in Chicago. Went shopping, saw a show at Second City, lovely dinners out, more shopping...

I noticed some fashion trends while going into all the amazing shops that the big cities have to offer. One thing that struck me was the size of earrings. They are huge right now! I even bought myself two pair of earrings, which always makes me feel a little silly. I should just try to make a pair, right? But, sometimes I just want something NOW. Have you ever done something like that?

Yesterday I went to a Flower and Garden show at Navy Pier. There were some amazing displays with plants, flowers, paths, stones and waterfalls. If you're in the Chicago area, you should check it out.

Of course, I managed to walk out as the proud owner of a case and a half of wine! There was a company, PRP International, with a booth at the show. I guess it's safe to assume that people walking around at a flower and garden show are going to want a drink, eventually. So, after tasting quite a few varieties of wine, I was hooked. My husband and I picked our favorites and put an order in.

We'll see how that goes. I'm finally back home now, coming back to the real world after living out of a suitcase for the last few days. I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal week!

Givin' it Away

2010-02-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

In April, Notre Dame is hosting a silent auction to benefit Relay for Life. You can learn more about it by visiting Relay for Life's website. I think it's going to be a big event - they are holding it in the football stadium!

I was asked to contribute a handmade piece of jewelry to the auction, and I've been working on putting something together just for the event. I wanted to make something unique, but not too outside of the "mainstream". I can sometimes push the boundaries of what most people would wear, so... I wanted to scale back on the funkiness this time around.

I decided to work with sterling silver as my base. I have a few of these amazing faceted beads that I picked up at a bead and gem show a while back. They are called opalite turquoise, and are just stunning.

I thought that moonstone would be a nice addition, since they are a white shade with a hint of blue glowing from the center.

Putting those two stones together with the silver had a nice look, so I decided to go with it. I started with these components as my design base.

Personally, I love chains that have round links, as opposed to oval. It feels fresh and fun to me. Maybe a bit hip, versus something more traditional. I happened to have two different sizes of sterling chain with round links.

Plus, I had these two free-form ovals that I had picked up at my local bead store.

I thought they might be fun...

Adding in some bundles of dangling moonstones was the finishing touch.

I used the smaller chain along with a lobster clasp in the back. This will give the owner options of how close to the neck she wants to wear the necklace. I even had one teardrop moonstone, which is hanging from the last link of the smaller chain. It will sit at the back of the neck, or hang a bit down the back, depending on how tightly the necklace is worn.

I love little extra touches like this when I buy jewelry. For someone with shorter hair, or for anyone wearing their hair up for an evening, what a treat! Some decoration at the back.

I thought it would be nice to make my donation a set, so I put together some simple sterling silver earrings, with moonstones. When you're wearing a statement necklace like this, I think it's nice to keep the earrings simple. You don't want to look like a crazy person, now!

The silent auction takes place April 16-17. It starts at 6:00 pm and goes until 9:00 am! What fun!! Are you interested in helping out? It's not too late - you can contact Jed Hanawalt at Hanawalt.1@nd.edu to make a contribution yourself. Join in and help the American Cancer Society.

Relay for Life

Finally Finished

2010-02-21T08:06:00.002-05:00

A while back, I put together a necklace that I was very excited about.

I posted about it My Newest Creation.

I call it, simply, my flower garden necklace.

I then decided that the necklace desered to have a sister necklace. So, I began the process of creating another flowerful necklace. I began by putting the flowers together. You can see the progress on my previous blog entry, Dreams Run Amuk.

Putting together this necklace was a bit more tricky. I tried a couple of things that I didn't end up liking. So, after a few adjustments, cutting it apart and switching out stones, I finally have it in it's finished state.

So, what do you think?

Pretend that we're Warm

2010-02-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's Carnaval time in Brazil! It's a lovely time of year for me to pretend I'm somewhere warm and exotic, instead of in the Midwest in February. One of my part-time jobs is teaching a Brazilian samba dance class at Notre Dame. So, I get really excited when Notre Dame hosts a carnaval party by bringing in a band and dancers from Chicago.

The band, Chicago Samba, is wonderful.

In Brazil, carnaval is a really big deal. It's like Mardi Gras times 100. Bands and dancers parade through the streets. No one goes to work for a week. The whole country stops life to party, drink and dance.

I can't lie and say that the carnaval celebration here in the Midwest is quite that big. But, we do what we can when we have to walk through a foot of snow to get there. My friends and I pretend to be warm and go out for a fun time.

{A flower in your hair makes a girl feel warmer. I'm on the right.} {My friends, enjoying the music at carnaval.}

{It's hard to get good pictures when they won't stop moving!}

Such a fun night. I've been hating the snow and cold lately. So, a night where I could pretend I'm on the beach, in Brazil, was just what I needed. Hopefully, it'll be enough warmth and fun to last me for the next couple of months...

Lust and Desire on Etsy

2010-02-07T08:00:00.002-05:00

My secret lust on Etsy... browsing through the really high priced jewelry. This week I want to share some of the most amazing, gorgeous pieces that I have found there. This is enough to start my mouth watering and me fantasizing. Ah, whatI would create if price were no limit! It inspires me, and makes me dream.

Check out this amazing necklace, created by Katinka Pinka. It's a beautiful collection of lemon quartz, lemon topaz, citrine, and other luscious golden gems.

I love the colors in these earrings, found in Scarlett Shoppe. A rich combination of black spinel, iolite, amethyst and citrine are warm and lovely.

I found some beautiful treasures at Seafairies Jewelbox. Just look at this necklace, rich with smokey topaz, pink tourmaline, pink topaz, pink quartz, and other gorgeous gems.

Another amazing Etsy shop is Febra Rose. There were so many gorgous pieces to look through, and this bracelet was one that really caught my eye. It's full of rubies, along with gold vermeil.

This shop is full of the most gorgous jewelry - Sky Dreams. I just enjoy spending time gazing at these earrings. The ametirine is amazing, topped with sapphire and blue topaz.

Another fun and sparkle-filled shop is Kalliope Jewelry. I love these earrings, with dangles of sapphire, tourmaline, and garnet.

Finally, I just recently found this shop - Lee Ohio. Take a look at this necklace of Peruvian opals and saltwater keishi pearls.

I hope you enjoy looking, and check out some of the other amazing pieces of jewelry that these shops have, just waiting to be oggled!

Have you seen other sparkly shops that I might love?

Leave me a comment!

Happiness is a Large Box

2010-01-31T08:00:00.006-05:00

Is there anything that I love better than coming home from a long day at work, only to find a big box sitting on my front porch? {um, no}

This year, I have decided to expand my crafting abilities, which can be a slow and painful process. Though I don't have enough time right now to properly learn any new techniques, I have started to collect the tools and materials I will need when I'm ready to get down to business.

My current expansion is working with metal; wire wrapping and making clasps and ear wires by hand. I even took one wire wrapping class {and wrote a blog entry about it} in the fall. I have been comparison shopping for a rock/jewelry tumbler. Mostly, because I just had no idea how expensive they would be! I went back and forth between buying one at a craft store that's really meant for kids, versus coughing it up and paying for a more professional model. I found myself a solution...

Have you ever shopped at Fire Mountain Gems, or another website that offers discounted prices as you buy more items? Well, my brain started clicking away, and I decided to place the mother of all orders! I brought the price of that tumbler down by getting myself into a pretty sweet pricing range.

So this week, a gargantuan box landed on my front porch. With, of course, the much sought-after tumbler.

As I was reading the instructions, I noticed that you are instructed to add an abrasive in with the shot... well... I guess that will have to be in another order. Whoops!

So, perhaps you're wondering what all I did to fill out my extra large order.

Well, I'll tell you.

It's always a good time to stock up on some staples - sterling silver chain is something you can never have too much of.

Until I have the time to perfect my craft, store-bought clasps will tide me over!

I have recently gotten on a kick of making longer and/or chunkier necklaces. I thought a great way to keep them light weight and inexpensive would be to mix in some big, acrylic beads. Fun!

And there were many more items, along those lines, in my box. I'm looking forward to a day when I'll have time to work on some new projects. Right now, I'm hoping to get a photo shoot done soon, because I have a BUNCH of new inventory at home that needs to get listed and out there on Etsy! One step at a time...

Special Day, Special Order

2010-01-24T16:58:00.004-05:00

A couple of months ago, I received an email from a girl I knew growing up, named Katie. She was getting married in January, and had purchased a Nicky Butler moonstone necklace. After deciding that she liked it and wanted enough for her bridesmaids, she discovered that they were sold out!

So, she emailed me {knowing that I made jewelry because of my Facebook page} to see if I could make some more necklaces, using moonstones, to coordinate with the one she had. So I found some moonstones that were the same size and started on my project.

I was very excited when I found an Etsy seller, Unkamen Supplies, who had a set of 5 matching sterling silver clasps. That was exactly how many necklaces I would be making, so it was a perfect find.

I bought multiple strands of 4mm moonstones. Each bridesmaid would actually have a different dress style, so it made sense for each of them to have a different necklace. Since one girl would be wearing a V-neck dress, the bride thought that a pendant would go well with her neckline. So I found a lovely moonstone drop, wrapped it, and hung it from a sterling silver chain.

As I worked on the necklaces, I was asked if I could also make earrings. I picked up a few sterling silver ear wires from my local beading shop for that. The hardest part was making each set of earrings unique. But I really wanted to do that, since each necklace would be a bit different.

So each necklace was paired with a pair of earrings. Now, there was also a flower girl in the wedding. I made a smaller necklace for her, but no earrings. I think she liked it!

And then the bridesmaids put their outfits together on the big day. I must say, the moonstones were a beautiful choice with the lovely blue shade of dress they wore. {You can click on any of the pictures for a larger image}

And of course, no wedding story is complete without a picture of the bride on her big day. Katie wore a vintage necklace, from her grandmother, with her wedding dress.

Congratulations, Katie!!!

When off the Shelf won't Do

2010-01-19T08:18:00.001-05:00

I generally don't make jewelry for children. But I have one custom item that I keep listed in my Etsy shop now; a bracelet set for motehrs and daughters.

This gift idea actually came from a sad occurance. A few months ago, a good friend of mine called me. Her sister-in-law, who was pregnant, had a still birth. She lost the baby just a few weeks shy of the due date. My friend wanted to do something special for the family, and to give them something to remember the baby. She asked me to make a set of bracelets - one for the mother, and two for the baby {one as a keep sake and the other for the funeral}.

Now, this is a horribly sad thing, and I typically don't write about such serious topics. {apologies all around!}

But from this tragedy, I took the idea and created an Etsy listing. What a special thing for a mother and daughter to have bracelets that are meaningful. Some people want a favorite color or birthstones. A little charm with their initials is a neat touch. Others want a cross or other charm that means something special to the mother.

So, I've done also done custom bracelet sets for Christmas and birthday gifts. I think it would also be a lovely gift for all those moms out there on Valentine's Day!

Being Pulled to Pieces

2010-01-08T11:35:00.001-05:00

Now that the new year is here, my time is being pulling in more directions than ever. While this blog is devoted to my career as a jewelry designer, I have many other roles that I play (and those others actually pay the bills!). On top of my full time job as a school psychologist, I also teach 4 fitness classes each week. This semester, I'm adding one more job on the pile. I'm teaching a college course as an adjunct professor {an education class for future teachers}.

{At this point, I'd also like to say that I have a very sweet and understanding husband who is about to be neglected for a few months. I couldn't do all this without him - I'd starve to death.}

I'm not putting this list together to brag. Or to make you feel sorry for me. But, I am going to organize my blogging, and hopefully become a bit more predictable. From now on, I will publish one new post each week. I will aim to make that happen each Sunday.

I'm picking quality over quantity, here!

So, you can look forward to brand new content each Sunday. Thanks to everyone who stops by for understanding how these pesky jobs can get in the way of doing what we truly love! Do you have a hard time finding time for your craft? I bet there's a lot of people out there who knows what I mean. Please leave a comment for me, telling me how your time is split!

A Very Handmade Christmas

2009-12-31T11:48:00.001-05:00

Well, Christmas is over and I'm in the process of organizing and storing all of the great new tools that I got from my lovely husband and mother-in-law. {Not to mention all the stuff I bought myself after Christmas!}

More about that later. Needless to say, I'll be learning some new techniques. And that means, there will be plenty of blog entries erring on the side of comedy in the near future!

One of the best things about Christmas is giving away some hand-made gifts and hoping that they go over well with the family. I gave out a few gifts that I made myself this year.

{My sister-in-law custom ordered this black and white charm necklace for her daughter}

{A crystal and ruby quartz necklace for my mother}

{A funky animal print bracelet went to my mother-in-law}

{This wrapped chalcedony pendant on sterling silver went to my grandmother}

{And a custom order bracelet, bought for a coworker, by her boyfriend}

I hope everyone else is having a lovely holiday season. Did you give any hand-made gifts this year? If so, leave me a comment and tell me about it!

Look, I'm Famous!

2009-12-18T11:35:00.003-05:00

In Michiana is a local magazine where I live. For those who don't live here, Michiana is Michigan + Indiana. So, there you go!

The January 2010 edition has this lovely article about beading, with a mention of yours truly! The author and I have gotten to know each other recently, and the event that she reports is a true accounting of how we got to know each other. We met at Art Beat, and then went on a road trip together. You can see the actual article online, on page 22 of the magazine. {click on the article below to open a full-size, readable version}

A Steep Learning Curve

2009-12-16T16:19:00.001-05:00

When it comes to taking photos of jewelry, it's always been a bit of a struggle for me. I would easily say that photography has never even been a hobby of mine, so I have had a long road! A while back, I found a great sale on a "photo shop in a box". It came with this white pop up box, two lights, and a tripod.

{Yes, that's a rock in my photo box!}

I have gone back and forth on using it. When I first started my Etsy shop, I wanted a natural feel to my pictures. Since it was summer, I shot all of my pictures outside, in my backyard. It wasn't until after I had everything done that I realized that "natural light" isn't the same thing as "direct sunlight"... Tough lesson learned. So with an Etsy shop full of overexposed photos with gargantuan, black shadows, I pulled out the pop-up box again.

The two little lights were never quite enough for good light. But, I've discovered that if I put the pop-up near windows, and used the lights, it was pretty good.

So knowing that the weather changing means no more outdoor pictures, I wanted to find a way to make my indoor shots feel as natural as possible. I had heard from some of the other jewelry makers in the Etsy forums that they use flooring tiles as backgrounds. What a great idea! There are so many great stone tiles with beautiful texture and color. So, I went to Lowe's and picked out two tiles - one with creams and tans, and the other with a more rusty orange color.

So I brought the new tiles home, only to find that they are {somewhat} larger than my pop-up box.

So I had to start thinking. My husband offered to cut the tiles in half, but I didn't really want to go down that road. It's not always easy to get a necklace photographed without a bunch of crap showing in the background! So, I knew the tiles would stay as is.

I decided instead to find another way to diffuse light, without the pop-up. I decided to make white tissue paper my ally. So I cut a couple of squares of it.

And I taped them over the lights, like this.

I do have to be careful with them, because the lights get {really} hot. If I work for too long, I can start to smell the scent of burning paper. But, it seems to diffuse the light pretty well. And if I set each light up, with one on each side, it cuts down on the shadows.

So, I brought in a few stones from around the pond in our backyard, where I took my pictures in the summer. I add in some props here and there, and I can take my pictures indoors.

So I'm making the best of it, and setting up my little photo studio a bit at a time. One thing I've never figured out is how to use the tripod. I have to get my camera into some funky angles to get most of the shots I take, so how can I make use of the tripod? If you use one, leave a comment and let me know how you do it.

Trade and Stay, aka, Why my Eyes Burn

2009-12-09T11:23:00.001-05:00

I tend to jump into things and get started before I fully understand what I have gotten into. Like Etsy. I started an account in October of 2008, but didn't put anything in my shop till the next June. But I did it because a friend told me I should be selling on Etsy. So even though I didn't have time then, I opened my account and made sure to get my shop name.

Then, about a month after I started filling up my shop, I discovered there were forums on Etsy. I wish I had noticed them a little earlier on - I could have gotten a LOT of my questions answered by some of the helpful people who hang out there.

So as it was getting closer to holiday shopping season, I noticed some people talking about trading in the forums. Apparently there are sellers on Etsy who are willing to barter and trade with other shops for things they want. Sounds like fun, right? So, I found this list of Etsy sellers who love to trade; I contacted the administrator, and got myself added. I barely knew what I had gotten into. It turns out, I had gotten myself into the Trade-a-holics group on Etsy.

A message came through one day, saying that an event was coming up. They called it a "trade and stay". I didn't pay much attention, even when I got another message saying that it had begun. But at the end of the first day of this three day event, I got curious. I looked at the link in my email. It took me to a post on the forums. 10 shops had been picked at random and placed on a list. Anyone who wanted to play had to try and strike a deal with someone on that list and make a trade. Once one of those shops traded with you, you got put on the list. So, basically, it's a fevered weekend of shops sending messages back and forth, asking each other to trade.

The list had already gotten pretty long by the time I looked at it, but I noticed a familiar name. A shop that I had traded with before. This was before I knew about the group - I got a message asking me if I wanted to trade one day. She had a really cool shop, so I went for it. It was Mireille's shop. So I sent her a convo, we eventually made a trade, and I got added to the list.

{some of the crazy-cool things Mireille can do with a process called wet felting}

What follows is a weekend of blurred vision as I stare at a computer screen, scanning small print and wildly thinking about what I need for Christmas presents. I hadn't planned on this, but I got swept up in the event and had so much fun. I even got crazy, deciding that I should try to photograph and list two necklaces that I had made the previous week. Thus, two new items appeared in my shop:

After the first day, I had a hard time sleeping. First I couldn't fall asleep. Then, I woke up at 6am after having a dream that I had 3 convos waiting for me. Well, how can I stay in bed when I'm ignoring messages?!? That would be rude, right? So I got up, only to find that I had 2 convos waiting for me. I never did find out what happened to that third one...

By the time the weekend was over, I had made a total of 10 trades. Not only did I get to know a bunch of other shops, but they got to know me. I had never realized what a great way this would be to get exposure for my shop. What I did know was that I would find other shops, which I did. Friendly shops. And some of them like what I do! Which is a bonus.

Now, I have to be careful about what I say here. Because some of the trades that I made will be used for Christmas presents. And some of the {future} recipients of those presents look at this blog from time to time. So, it will remain a mystery for now. Perhaps I'll share more about my trades in the new year.

So, now the event is over and my brain is starting to slow down. The next part, though, might even be more fun. That's the part where I come home from work each day and run to the front door to see if there are any packages waiting for me...

Ok, yeah, this might be the best part!

I'm Just not that Crafty

2009-12-02T13:32:00.001-05:00

So earlier this November, I had an open house. Half way through, I made more earrings but couldn't find my plastic earring cards. You can read all about that crazy day here. My husband made earring stands out of cardstock for me, and they looked beautiful. Since Boo's blog had a template for a necklace stand, too, I thought I would give them a try.

So, here's a stand that I cut out on grey cardstock from the template. I love how it looks, and I love the idea of having coordinating display stands for my future shows.

Here you can see how lovely this silver wrapped moonstone pendant necklace looks hanging from the stand. It became obvious that the stands wouldn't handle heavier necklaces. But there is another problem as well:

This is how the necklace actually hangs on the stand. It's a standard 18 inch necklace, so needless to say, this doesn't seem like it's going to work out so well. I'm going to have to keep thinking about this one. Could I make a larger stand and hope that it will be sturdy enough to hold a necklace? Or, should I try to adapt this into a bracelet stand with some modifications? I'm not sure, myself. What do you think?

It's Been a While - for Etsy

2009-11-28T19:37:00.001-05:00

After a couple months of creating, selling locally, creating more, and another sale, I've finally gotten what is left photographed and listed in my Etsy shop. I find that I tend to work in shifts, somewhat. I go through stages when I am creating new designs, and I just keep going and going. I don't take the time to photograph or list things in my Etsy shop. Well, I finally took a creative break, picked up the camera, and got to the part of the job that I struggle with. {photography} I'm working on improving my technique, and am hoping that I'm making progress. So, without further ado, here's all that is new and fresh in my Etsy shop:

I've been working hard on improving my photography skills, so please leave me a comment with any advice or suggestions. Of course, you can always leave a comment to ask me a question, too!

Inspiration for the Tired Brain

2009-11-19T12:45:00.001-05:00

You know how there are times when your brain is full of ideas and there aren't enough minutes in the day to create the projects that are bouncing around in your head? Then there are the other times. The days when you have time, sit at your desk, and stare blankly at the wall. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who knows what I mean. At that point, where do you turn for inspiration?

I have the usual places that I tend to look: beading magazines, jewelry catalogues, websites... But sometimes, my favorite catalogue pops up in the mail, and flipping through the pages brings me a different kind of inspiration. Anthropologie doesn't {just} sell jewelry. Mostly they sell women's clothing and house wares. They are my favorite store in this universe, and flipping through their catalogue give me visions of color combinations, themes, texture, and mood that I just don't get by looking at necklaces in a beading magazine. Want to see what I mean? Take a look:

Anthropologie is not a store I get to visit that often. There's one in Chicago, which is about a 2 hour drive for me, and another in Indianapolis, which is about 3 hours on the road. Walking through the store is another level of happiness for me that I won't even try to express with words. I'll just let those pictures speak for themselves. For now, I'll just sit back and hope that someone out there {Santa} drops a gift card into my stocking this year! Even if that doesn't happen, it's just a matter of time before I make my semi-annual trip there to treat myself to something special.

Luckily, I get a monthly dose of eye candy in the mail, which tides me over between visits. So the next time I'm feeling like I'm out of ideas, I might find a quirky color combination in a bedspread, or a funky doorknob, or even a wrapper from a piece of soap that will spring me back into creative action! What inspires you?

Mini Show and the Importance of being Flexible

2009-11-16T17:42:00.001-05:00

I had a conversation this weekend with the wife of a local restaurant owner. Uptown Kitchen is a great little restaurant in Granger, IN, right in the middle of Toscana Plaza. My husband and I enjoy going to breakfast there on weekends - great food and delicious coffee!

Anyway, they have offered a spot in their restaurant Wednesday morning for me to bring in and sell my jewelry. Another local crafter brings in handmade soy candles, and I have the chance to join her. I got excited to do it, until reality hit {oh, wait...I have a job! I can't just wander off with jewelry in hand, midweek...}

But, family to save the day! I coaxed my husband and my mom into taking my jewelry there for me. Phew! I hate missing out on opportunities to gain exposure to new {potential} customers! So, if you're in the South Bend area, stop by Uptown Kitchen, this Wednesday, November 18 between 9 and 11 in the morning. My husband will be happily answering questions {just be kind and don't ask him to identify stones - he makes things up!}

3rd Annual Open House - Fun, Jewelry and Wine!

2009-11-14T17:38:00.002-05:00

Having an Open House is so much fun. Friends come over and hang out. Some friends bring others with them, perhaps co-workers; so I get the chance to meet new people. Not to mention that so many people who I know, but don't see on a regular basis, stop by. So it ends up becoming a time to chat with friends, catch up with people, and make new acquaintances. Oh, and sell jewelry, too!

My open house started on a Saturday morning, and plenty of people stopped by. I was surprised to see so many people, considering that we had freakishly nice weather for November (70's in Northern Indiana!?!), and a Notre Dame football game gearing up just a few miles down the road.

Then, it ended with a Wednesday night open house. I have always had my open house on a Wednesday night, and love being able to run home from work and throw open the door just in time! We have snacks, wine, music, and lots of fun. My mom always helps out by running the check out station. This year was an added trick for her, since she had to learn to run credit cards through ProPay. She got the hang of it, though, and everything went smoothly.

My husband is in charge of food preparation and serving, which is always well done (he's my Mr. Martha Stewart!). This year we had wine, tea, crackers and cheese, artichoke dip, caramel corn and cookies. He also helps out by being social and chatting with people, and generally keeping the party going. I always try to move around, answer questions, rearrange displays when empty spots start to happen, and take custom orders. I have a pile of a few custom orders waiting for me right now!

Between my Saturday and Wednesday shows, my plastic earring cards went missing. Now, this would not have been a big deal, except that I had made about 10 new pairs of earrings between the shows and needed a way to get them displayed. I was at my wits end, trying not to get crazy, but feeling a little crazy as I searched my entire house (and when you're checking your sock drawer, you know you're a lost cause). Then I remembered this great blog I had read a few months back that offered a PDF for necklace and earring stands that you could make with paper. So, I found the entry on Boo's blog, sent my husband to Hobby Lobby for cardstock, and hit print. I ran the PDF home during my lunch break, showed him how they worked, and handed him a pair of scissors. Like a good sport, he put together a dozen of these little earring displays, and I must say, I was thrilled when I got home from work. See how they turned out?

I decided to try her necklace displays next. I bought round busts from a jewelry store that was going out of business a couple of years ago. See?

So, needless to say, I could use a fresh update. If that goes well, I may even see if I can fashion something to display bracelets... Ah, a project for another day!

Last Minute Preparations

2009-11-05T11:13:00.001-05:00

My open house begins Saturday morning, and since I work full time (plus some!), I have precious little time left before the shopping begins. I have made some great preparations so far:

New items created since my last show.
New items have been priced and photographed for posterity.
New items hit a wide variety of price points, so most people will be able to find something in their range.
Gift certificates have been printed for easy gift purchases.
ProPay is set up to accept credit cards at the show. I'll have my computer set up at check-out.
I have some older items marked as clearance, which is always popular!
I have plenty of business cards ready to pass out.
{and a big one}
My house is clean!!!

What I still need to do before the show:
Stock up on bags/boxes for the check-out process.
Print and attach tags to all of my new items.
Get snacks and beverages.
Go to the bank and get some small bills, for those who pay in cash and need change. (I always forget this!!!)

I have a lovely friend who has offered to come over Friday night and help me set up. It's always challenging, figuring out how to turn your house into a store. I need to decide what surfaces will work as displays, bring more lighting into the spaces, and try to make things look good! All while trying to mess up the house the LEAST possible, because our home is currently on the market and for sale. So, we have to be ready for a realtor to call us and be able to pull the house together again on short notice.

What do you think? Am I forgetting anything?? Leave me a comment if you can think of something I should do that would make my open house even better. I'm hoping for a good turn-out, and I really hope that people are pleasantly surprised by what they find!

Less than a week now...

2009-11-01T16:44:00.001-05:00

In less than a week, my open house begins. That means, the downstairs of my house will be transformed into a jewelry store. This is extra challenging this year, because my husband and I have our house on the market and are trying to sell. So, not only am I trying to get ready for a big event, but we're doing work around the house, trying to get it ready to be shown. It's hard to balance it all, and sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind. You know how you start cleaning a room, and a couple of hours later, it somehow looks worse than when you started??? Yeah, that's what I'm going through right now. So, with a whole lot of hard work, I'm hoping to pull things together, somehow. Wish me luck!

Sneak Peek - New Creations

2009-10-27T12:50:00.002-04:00

A picture is worth a thousand words... As I get ready for my open house, which is in early November, I'm making some new pieces. I always want to make sure that there's plenty of new items since whatever my last show was, so my loyal patrons don't get bored. So if you're coming to the open house, here's a little sneak peek of some of the new items you'll see there.

Wire Wrapping for Dummies

2009-10-25T18:17:00.001-04:00

I attended a wire wrapping class this weekend. Now, I've never actually taken a jewelry making class before. I have learned through a variety of methods over the last couple of years. Mostly through magazines, websites and a healthy dose of experimentation and trial and error. If I can't figure something out, I generally let it go and just don't do it. So, I decided to immerse myself in something that I avoid. Something that I avoid because I believe that I'm horrible at it. Wire wrapping seems intuitive, and yet it has always eluded me to an extent. I get the gist of it - swirl some metal around a stone and get a beautiful look. But for some reason, when I do it, it looks like a small child got into my supplies and went to town.

So after years of just not doing wire wrapping, I sucked it up, paid twenty bucks, and took a class. I headed off to Beads and Something More, and under the watchful eye of Mickie Holderman, I sat down to learn. We picked out a couple of stones that we wanted to work with, grabbed a roll of metal wire, and started with the basics. I began by practicing my coils. I find it very hard to make mine fall into a smooth, circular pattern.

I picked out a lovely dyed agate (the orange/black stone), and a faceted piece of candy jade (the big pink stone). I worked with copper throughout the class, cause I just love copper. I'm not even ~thinking~ about using sterling silver until I practice and work out all of the kinks with some inexpensive copper.

We started by making a bail, giving the ends a couple of twists around each other, and then bringing the ends around the stone. I left one end longer than the other coming out of the bail. Then I brought that longer end down through the drilled hole, out the bottom, and around the front of the stone. It met up and crossed with the shorter end, where I twisted them together and made a cute little swirl. Mickie taught the class a trick, then. When you wrap a stone and find that the wire is not really tight against the stone, you can use a pair of pliers and give the wire a little turn. It ends up with a corner turn bent into it, which can look nice if you do it right. So I tried that, and discovered that I didn't know my own strength. I snapped the copper wire and it broke apart!

There was no shortage of wire, thankfully, so I grabbed another length of it and tried it again. This time it turned out much better. You can see the little tweak I gave the copper toward the bottom of the stone. So lesson learned - copper is SOFT!

I found that my skill level was a bit higher than most of the other people who signed up for the class, so I had to pace myself at times. I helped the ladies sitting on either side of me when Mickie wasn't near by. I also wrapped a beautiful imaginary stone, with quite a bit of flourish, I must say. See how lovely it turned out?

I moved on to the candy jade, and really tried some tricks this time. It looks a bit wild, but I really just wanted to experiment and practice some techniques. Heck, some may even call it artistic!

The class ended, I took my new beads with me, and was on my way. I was there for about an hour and a half when all was done. So, what I learned...

Copper wire is soft, so be gentle.

A couple of new tools may be in my future.

The biggest trick to wire wrapping is having confidence that what you make is awesome.

Finally, I need to look for more advanced classes, cause I don't give myself enough credit!

Dreams Run Amuck

2009-10-23T12:21:00.001-04:00

I love my new flower garden necklace. I mean, I really love it. I heart it. I have decided that it should have a sister. Another necklace to keep her company while I'm at work all day, away from my crafting space. Not a twin, of course. But a baby sister.

My flower garden necklace started with one little piece, bought at a recent bead show.

I then added some flowers, putting together glass, acrylic and crystals, in little bundles. Those flowers were strung with other beads, including teal and black crystals. I ended up with a final necklace that is bold and quite a statement.

{Can you even find that teal focal piece? It's in there!}

So, I've decided, on my next creation, to change up the colors... from rich and velvety teal and dark shades, to light and airy pinks and oranges. I've picked some lovely glass and crystal pieces that should go together nicely.

Then I started making flowers. Just a big pile of flowers, to be put together into a design. I actually built my flowers the other night, while sitting at my parents' house watching TV and eating Chinese food. {They always know what I'm up to when I bring my big bag with me to dinner!} Here are a few of those little flowers:

So now, I just have to decide on the final design and put it together. I just can't wait to see how all of my little flowers look when it's done! I still have to decide if I should add a focal piece, or just have a strand of flowers. What do you think?

{Special Note: I'm very excited to be going to my first EVER jewelry making class this weekend! Frighteningly, I'm purely self-taught, which means my areas of skill looks a bit like a piece of swiss cheese. I know what I know, and am scary-bad at what I don't! So I found a class on something that I'm HORRIBLE at - wire wrapping. I'm really looking forward to getting over the mental block that I have with this skill, and improving my skills past the levels of a 3rd grader.} I'll post ALL about how it goes soon!

My Newest Creation ----- Begun in a Half-Asleep Mind

2009-10-21T11:37:00.004-04:00

I mentioned in a previous post that I had a vision of a necklace, after my last shopping trip to a bead and gem show. I picked up this cute metal piece - antiqued gold with teal cabochons and flowers. I was just waking up one morning, and in that moment between wake and sleep, when you're kind of dreaming but seem to have control over your dream, I started to put together a necklace in my mind. I saw that teal piece surrounded by little flowers, as if sitting in the middle of a colorful garden. And I just knew that even though I was busy with other things, I just had to sit down and see if I could put this together. I felt driven! So I did, and I finally picked up my camera the other day and took a quick picture of it. I still need to do a proper photo shoot with it later, and can't wait to get some better shots. But for now, here you have it:

After making this one, I really think it would be nice to create another version of the flower garden necklace. Likely in another color scheme, but yes, I do think I will have to make another. It takes a really, REALLY long time to attach each flower to the strand, but it's very worth it. I hope you enjoy, and that the idea of wearing a flower garden is just what you need in this time when the leaves are all falling off the trees and it's getting cold out there.

Shopping Buzz - Oh, What a High!

2009-10-15T11:24:00.003-04:00

Oh, the joy of bead shopping! I had a great trip to the West Michigan Bead Expo on Saturday. Although it was a small show, there were some wonderful shops there, and some great lampwork bead makers. Not only that, but I had the fun of making a new friend, and going bead shopping with her. It's not too often that we find a person who shares our hobby, AND is fun to be around. Thanks, Natalie, for being a shopping buddy!

I bought a couple of cute lampwork beads, which I've never really gotten into before. One of my favorite shops was there - Mobile Boutique. Such unique pieces that are so affordable. I found some gems:

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! I found some nice strands and single beads, chain, and findings. One shop had some cute pewter spacers and bead caps. My next post will show you what I made with one of the teal floral components pictured above.

I had one of those out of body moments, right before waking up, when I literally saw a necklace in my mind. I felt like I had to make it, and a surge of inspiration and motivation hit me. So I put it together, and it worked out just as perfectly as that image I saw in my dream. That would have to be a first for me - usually things I imagine never quite work out. They hang weird, go crooked, or just plain look crazy! But not this time...

More to come.

What Could be Better?

2009-10-09T12:52:00.001-04:00

It's a cold and rainy day here in the Midwest. One of those days when you just wish you could stay under a blanket, on your couch, all day. But instead, I'm out and about, getting rained on (because my umbrella was snapped by a blast of wind and broke!), and working one last day before the weekend is here.

But Saturday, I get to do one of my favorite things in the world. Go bead shopping!!! I'm heading out to the West Michigan Bead Expo, in Grand Rapids, MI. In the neighborhood? If so, check it out. I've never been, but I'm hoping it's worth the drive.

West Michigan Bead Expo Blog

When I had my booth set up at Art Beat a couple of weeks ago, I met a very nice girl who stopped by to shop. She was interested in beading, too, so we're ditching the husbands and going bead shopping together. You just gotta love a new friendship that's totally based on a fun craft.

I can't wait to see what is there and see if I can find some sweet deals! I'm pretty sure my next post will be all about my new treasures, since I'll be too excited to hold it in! Happy creating to all!

My Love...Shopping on Etsy

2009-10-06T13:56:00.002-04:00

Spending my days either in my chilly office cubicle, or in my even chillier home, I have come to feel that my life will not be complete without a pair of fingerless gloves! I can barely string beads anymore, my fingers are so cold! So, off to Etsy I went, searching for a solution to my freezing cold hands. I found some really cute options out there on Etsy. Here's just a few of the kitters/sewers that have great creations for our seasonally adjusting arms:

Little Pistachio Cashmere Armwarmers
by clfbyclairelafaye

Long Cable Knit Wrist Warmers in shades of brown and orange

by bijouxboutique

Classic Magic Dark Blue and Burgundy Fingerless Gloves

by Nikifashion

Pippi Longstocking's felted wool Scroogies

by miabaggali

So with the weather turning colder, I'm looking for inspiration in the fall colors and little things meant to help us stay comfortable and warm. Thanks to all those Etsy sellers who are creating such cute and tempting choices!

Family and 1st Birthdays

2009-10-04T13:42:00.002-04:00

This weekend was a work around the house and spend time with family weekend. My niece turned one this weekend, and my husband and I went to her birthday party. I just had to share, because she's so cute!

{That classic moment of the 1st cake, smeared everywhere}

{Always aware of a camera; and instant cheese!}

{"Holy crap, It's my birthday!!!"}

It was a fun day with family, and a nice break from business as usual. Next weekend, I'm planning to go to a bead expo. I made money at an art fair last weekend, and it's time to spend a little of that on some fun new supplies. I love bead expos, when a bunch of stores come together in one spot and save you the trouble of driving all around. Anyone in the Michigan/Indiana area might want to stop by Grand Rapids next weekend for this one:

West Michigan Bead Expo

Happy Beading!!!

A Wonderful Weekend of Art!

2009-10-01T09:02:00.002-04:00

Art Beat is over, and it was a wonderful, sunny day in the streets of downtown South Bend. The show was a huge success. I’d like to thank the rain cloud, for bugging off by 9 am! And of course the sunshine, for showing up eventually. I handed my camera to my husband, and he got a nice shot of my set up, before it got crowded with people.

I had lots of help from my husband, mother, and mother-in-law, on the day of the big art show. My father-in-law even hung out for a while! (You can see him sitting on the bench behind my tent, above.) We set up in some drizzling rain, but it soon past and we had a sunny and breeze day, with temperatures probably getting close to 70 degrees. Can you say perfect?

In the morning, before it got busy, my mother (in the black sweater) would shop. Partly because she loves to shop, but partly because I asked her to. I've learned that people tend to be more interested in a shop if it looks like other people like it. Marketing 101, I guess...

My dream came true – I was located almost directly across the street from the Chocolate Café, where I had my morning coffee, my afternoon iced coffee, and a snack of German almonds (which just turns out to mean “soaked in sugar”). Here you can see the blue awning of the Chocolate Café, from the vantage point of my tent.

I ran my contest, and I lucky shopper won a $25 gift certificate for my shop. I ended up giving everyone who signed up a discount code for $5 off their next purchase, to encourage them to check out my Etsy store. It's always work, getting the word out about Etsy!

After Art Beat I removed all of the items that had sold from my Etsy shop. I also felt inspired to tell others on Etsy about my experience, and posted this statement in the forums:

I had a craft show this weekend that really woke me up after the last few months of focusing on developing my Etsy shop. In one day, I sold about half of my inventory (and my inventory was probably 4 times bigger than what was in my Etsy shop, with 112 items). I was so excited, and I realized that while Etsy is lovely, nothing compares to selling jewelry to people who can handle it and try it on.

Selling jewelry on Etsy is a tough business. Because of my craft show experience, I plan to refocus my efforts. I will be looking for more venues to show my stuff in person, and just keep my Etsy shop open as a side effort. I’ll be spending less time fussing over views, hearts and sales on Etsy!

I have to mention that I got so many great tips on doing craft shows; many from this thread: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6028527.

Here’s the few that I put into place that really helped:

Not crowding my displays and just putting more jewelry out gradually as things sold.

Making levels of displays and getting things up to eye level.

Running a give away for a $25 gift certificate to my shop in return for their contact info.

Making a clearance sale area with older items (they went like crazy!).

Taking my tools and findings with me and making custom changes on the spot (silver for gold, remove a pendant, etc.)

I know I see many jewelry sellers complain of the market here being oversaturated. It's true! I'm using this experience to change my focus, and though I'm not leaving Etsy, I'm going to take a deep breath and not worry about it.

The thread is here, if you're interested in seeing what others had to say about this topic:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6299125

Let me know if you have any thought on the merits of selling in person versus online, and how you strike the right balance!

Final Preparations for Art Beat

2009-09-24T09:17:00.004-04:00

Please, just let this be over with!!!

Art Beat is coming up on Saturday, and the weather forecast is calling for thunderstorms. That would make two years in a row now. And last year was my first year in Art Beat. Are we starting to see a pattern? So, fingers are crossed and eyes squeezed shut, hoping that those storms blow through south of town!

After making a zillion tags, gluing my fingers together, organizing my supplies for the day and printing and cutting out various signs for my table, I think I finally have everything together that I need! Last night I experimented with my set up in my living room. I've mentioned before my extreme lack of ability to do anything with fabric... no sewing ability here! So I pulled my fabric out of storage and realized that it is WAY too narrow to get anywhere close to hanging to the floor. So... straight pins to the rescue!

I have a row of pins holding the two pieces of fabric together. Then I placed it on the table and used a runner to cover the seam. Professional? Not quite. But it will get me through a day (I hope!). Right now I'm just wishing I had thought to iron them BEFORE I had all the pins in place. I guess that will be a challenge for later tonight.

I brought in my props to figure out how the space would work for me. Here are some scenarios that I put together:

So, what do you think? I brought out a few pieces of jewelry to try, and came up with this:

I think it's coming together alright. One thing that's not working out is the cute little sign holders. Turns out, a slight sigh is enough to tip them over, so an outdoor festival is probably not the place for them. I don't have a back up idea yet, so I guess I'll just pack a roll of mailing tape and see what I can do! Anyone else know what might be a better way to display signs on a windy day?

I only have a couple of nicer looking busts. I bought some jewelry displays from a discount store that went out of business about a year ago. They are grey, and some of them are really showing wear. I'm looking forward to the day I can phase them out, but today is not the day! So they are in. (I have stumbled upon some ideas from fellow jewelers, so my next show might have something new.) So now I just have to iron fabric, get everything into totes, and do my anti-rain dance until Saturday morning gets here. Wish me luck!

Still...Getting Ready for Art Beat

2009-09-18T18:35:00.002-04:00

As I continue getting ready for Art Beat, I'm getting down to it! I have gotten word about my booth location, and am thrilled to learn that I’ll be right on Michigan St., in the middle of it all! Not to mention, really near a great coffee shop… Ahhh! Coffee!

{The South Bend Chocolate Company}

{the counter where I will be lining up}

I’ve printed out some cute tags to use and spent Saturday evening cutting them out while watching a movie. So I have some tags that look like this:

Now the pain will be figuring out how to attach them to the various necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. My best idea right now involves gluing them to store-bought tags... But boy, if something better comes to me, I'll try it!

I also printed up some special treats for anyone who buys something from me. One is a coupon for 10% off in my Etsy shop for future purchases. The other is an invitation to my open house, which is coming up in November.

{side note - I don't have photoshop, and do my photo editing in Microsoft Office Picture Manager. So at one point this summer, I used this washout function to turn a picture of mine into a background. Too cool - I used it to make gift certificates. Then a couple of weeks past, and I wanted to do it again...but couldn't remember how I had done it! Let me tell you, I lost a day of my life trying to figure it out! (And probably earned a new gray hair or two!) It got so bad that I actually gave up, dropped it, and decided that I was hopeless. Randomly, a couple of weeks later, while working on something else, it hit me! The washout function was in Microsoft Word...(how could I have forgotten that I was in a different program...) I'll never forget that again. So if you want to wash out a photo for a background, and don't have any fancy photo editing software, here's what you do: Insert the photo into a word document and double click it. Under the photo tab, change the dropdown for color: to "washout". Done! And then you can write on top of it!!!}

My sign up sheet is all ready. Plus I'm working on my binder that will sort of serve as a catalog:

My biggest difficulty is setting up my booth in a way that doesn’t look kind of messy. I have no sewing skills, so table coverings for me are really just pieces of fabric roughly cut with a pair of scissors! I’m hoping to do better this year, but I’m not really sure how that will happen…

I’m working on collecting some display items to help get my jewelry up off the table tops. For some reason, I always find the BEST stuff at Pier One {pardon the poor photography - I was being lazy!}

And my newest acquisition... Halloween Schmalloween, I say a glittery black metal tree is always in season! I picked this up the other day and plan to hang some necklaces from the branches.

I hope everyone else is having more luck than I am in pulling together whatever it is that you are working on right now!

Preparations and Plans

2009-09-11T12:40:00.002-04:00

Procrastination must end!

It's time for me to get ready for an actual event that I'm a part of. I tend to put things to the last minute, but I'm putting it out there that this time, I'm going to get ahead of things!! I'm going to be a part of Art Beat on September 26. Art Beat is a full day event, on the streets of downtown South Bend in Indiana. It’s free and open to the public, and I’ve always attended this event each year. I always loved walking along the sidewalks, looking at art, shopping for earrings, tasting wine and watching dance performances. Where else can you do all of these things at once?

Last year was my first attempt at joining the fun as a vendor. I had to take a half day off of work (it was on a Thursday night previously!), and had my husband and my mom help me set up and man my booth. BUT…it rained! And I mean it really rained; all day, unrelenting, downpour rain. At the last minute the event was moved indoors. Everyone grabbed a spot, threw up their art, and we had the event. I’ll never know if I sold relatively little because of something inherently wrong with my set up or items, or if I can blame it on the rain! (Sorry to anyone who is now singing Mili Vanili in their heads!)

{me set up at my very first craft show. This was not Art Beat (note the sunshine!). It was before my Art Beat experience last summer.}

I’m very excited that the event was moved to a Saturday this year. I don’t have to try to get time off of work, for one thing. And, I’m hoping that turn out will be greater. Now, if only I could control the weather…

The event is in just a little more than two weeks now! So as I get ready for the event and try out some new ideas, I’ll be sharing them here. After September 26, I’ll be able to talk about how things worked!

I’ve gotten some wonderful ideas from fellow Etsians in the Etsy forums – too numerous to even recall exactly who to give credit to! One of the big things that I’m going to do is accept credit cards this year. This will be a first for me. I just set up my ProPay account. For a yearly fee, I should be able to use a computer or cell phone to take credit card payments. If I sell even a few things to credit card shoppers, this will pay for itself.

Another thing that I will be trying to do is expand my contact list. My plan: create a contest to win a gift certificate to my Etsy shop. By writing their name and email address down for me, they enter themselves into the contest.

After the event, I will randomly pick a winner (announced via email). Now, some lucky shopper has $ to spend in my Etsy shop. My benefits are; new people (hopefully) checking out my shop online, and a few more email addresses to add to my contact list.

I'm working on a couple of other new ideas that are still brewing... More to come!!

Some Projects, from Start to Finish

2009-09-05T09:55:00.003-04:00

Here is something I hope I can do here from time to time: Show the steps that I take it the creative process getting from raw materials to finished product!

Sometimes there are creative bumps in the road, when my brain takes a break. This one wasn't too bad, and after a few days I pulled together an idea. Here I have the completion of a project! First, I got the wonderful grey Czech crystals.

I took a few of them and put together these cute little flowers. I stopped at that point, because I wasn't really sure what I wanted to make with them. I was thinking about earrings, but ended up changing my mind.

So a couple of days ago I finally attached all the cute little flowers to a copper chain. And I have a great, dangly necklace! I came home from work the next day to find some decent light hitting my backyard. So I ran outside, braved the mosquitos, and got some pictures. So, here's the working progression:

And only three mosquito bites! I think I like how it all came together. So now all I have to do is write up a little description and list it on Etsy!

My other projects came together as well, although I sold them right away, since they were custom orders.

Starting bits that I posted in an earlier post:

Simple, but special. These bookmarks were made for a father and his two year old son. I added a single freshwater pearl, followed by a pewter cross. For the mother and daughter of the family, a set of pearl bracelets with matching pewter cross charms. By adding the chain, the bracelet can fit the little girl for years to come, even as she grows.

So, now I'm looking at probably putting creating new items on hold. I'm going to work on getting ready for Art Beat, the big art fair that I'll be participating in at the end of the month. Last year was my first time participating, and I must admit, it was a bust! I would like to blame it on the fact that it rained, but who knows! So this year, I'm going to try my best to improve what I can to make this year go better.

There's lots to do - make tags, decide what I'm taking, maybe prepare some matching earrings to go with some items, print out signs...and the list will probably continue to grow! There's the must do list, and the would like to do list.

I'm going to read up, try to find some good advice, and will share what I learn here. Some ideas I have already found that I will probably try are:

creating a gift certificate give away,
handing out business cards
having a binder with pictures of my items (printed from Etsy), and a big one...
accepting credit cards!

I'll report on how these turn out, of course.

Finding Treasures at the 4-H Fairground

2009-08-30T09:18:00.006-04:00

There was a gem and rock show at my local 4-H fairgrounds this weekend. It tends to be full of rocks, geodes, and many senior citizens - but if you look hard, you'll find a couple of tables that sell beads. So, I went, and I shopped! I found some beatiful beads...

Such pretty jade, and I think the yellow strand might be dyed coral. I thought I had asked the seller about each strand I picked out, but got home and realized that I missed this one! Crap!!!

Amber... I couldn't decide if I preferred the lighter or darker amber, so I got both!

I picked up a few strands of crystals. It wasn't until I was looking through my stash that I realized...I picked up the same color of crystals from two different vendors! Looks like I love that teal color. I guess it's time for me to start broadening my color palliate.

So this is just a few of my new things...I love getting new beads. It can help inspire me to come up with new designs when my creativity might be slipping. I already have a couple of ideas floating around in my head.

Projects and Half-Baked Ideas

2009-08-28T22:12:00.008-04:00

So I have already incorporated the lovely grey Czech crystals that I got a few days ago. I started making little flowers like this:

Then I stopped working, because I realized that I have no idea what I'm making!!! Are they earrings?? No... Maybe charms for a bracelet?? Maybe... I think I'm starting to lean toward some kind of necklace...

Another project that I'm working on began with a very sad event. A friend of mine lost her niece just a few weeks before she was due to be born. She ordered custom gifts from me for the family, to give them keepsakes for the baby's funeral. I made bracelets for the baby, the mother, and a 2 year old daughter that they have. Because I was trying to turn it around fast, before the funeral, I never got any pictures of them. But they were beautiful - simple freshwater pearls with a single pewter cross charm by the clasp.

Here are some of the small cross charms that I've found for my project. My friend has already ordered custom bracelet sets (mother/daughter) for two upcoming baby showers. I'm hoping to get them done this weekend! I'll make sure to snap some pictures of them before they leave me. There's nothing cuter than a bracelet made for a newborn.

The last part of my project for my friend's family is a little something for the men of the family. I picked up these bookmark stick thingies yesterday. The big one is for the father, while the little one is for their two year old boy. They have holes in the end, where I plan to attach a cross, and maybe a single freshwater pearl.

It looks like I have a pretty full weekend ahead of me. I need to be pretty productive. Not to mention that I'm planning on going to a lovely wine-tasting even Saturday night with some friends. So, wine and jewelry making, mixed? I don't know...last time I tried that I ended up with a big container full of seed beads spilled all over my carpet!!!

My Newest Goodies

2009-08-24T18:53:00.007-04:00

I came home from work tonight to find a little box waiting for me in my front door. I opened it up and found some fun new bits for me to work with. A couple of my favorites are:

These gorgeous little Czech crystals, in this lovely, smoky grey color. They sparkle so much when you see them with light shining on them!

And these smoky quartz beads are big and wonderful! I can't wait to make a chunky necklace, maybe add some silver... We'll see what I can come up with. I'm always taking suggestions, of course!

And I got some amazingly cool sterling silver pins. Definitely these will be a part of earrings.

I don't think I'll be creating anything new tonight, though. I have piles of new things, packaging, bags, etc. all over my craft room. So cleaning and organizing will have to be at the top of my priority list for tonight. Too bad!

~~Jenny~~

My glorious return

2009-08-21T22:39:00.002-04:00

So, I thought I could start a blog, and that was almost a year ago. Little did I realize that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing or what to talk about. I was just going to let it die, but I thought I'd give it one last shot. So here it goes...

I've been working hard on my Etsy shop. (http://www.blackrockdesign.etsy.com/)

I started it in June, and have learned so much about photography and writing. There's still a lot of work to be done, but here's an example of what I mean.

One of my first listings in June. Note the horrible photography!:

But I've been working hard, and even though this photo is still on Etsy (*gasp*), I think I've come a long way in improving my photos.

So, here's one that's a bit more recent:

Yeah, I'm not a professional photographer or anything, but I'm doing what I can to improve with what I have to work with. And I do think progress is happening! This necklace here is part of my Autumn Collection, which I'm going to be uploading to Etsy very soon.

Notice how, unlike the previous necklace, you can actually see this one? ;)

Alright, goodnight for now.

Jenny