Yay!

Myspace Happy New Year Comments
I hope you all bring in the New Year with a fresh perspective and that you all have love, joy and success in everything you do.

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing in my journey with me.

Here's to a New Year!
♥

Studio Time

In my new apartment, I actually have proper space designated for all my arts and crafts as well as my computer...:)

This room will grow right along with me through my journey into the world of jewelry designing.

I thought I could perhaps share with you the humble beginnings and as I add to the room, you could experience it's growth right along with me.

At the same time, I get to show you some works in progress which are always fun!

My desk...:) It's old, it's beat up and I LOVE it...:D

Some of the pieces I've begun to lay out. I'm either waiting for findings to complete them, or they haven't told me yet quite how they want to be finished...;)
The new way I'll be shooting my earrings. The photo is to scale so it should give people an idea of how it'll fit them wihtout the ew factor of a live model!

The beginnings of my storage empire...:D I'm going to be getting more of these as well as shelving, storage containers that are stackable and probably a tool box. I'm only JUST starting to amass the tools I need
My photography area. Pitiful right now, and you'd laugh at the horror of a light-box I just made for myself, but it'll be improved as I go!
I have so many plans. Right now, I've got boxes everywhere from moving, but I have been told I have a locker so those will be going in there. Once that's done, I'll be able to put up my drawing table and maybe, ya know, draw things now and then...;D

I want to get tons of inexpensive plastic storage for ALL my art supplies. Right now, everything is crammed into boxes. I need to seriously go through it all and see if there's anything duplicated that I could give to charity or bring to my old school to see if any of the students there could use a bit of help with free supplies. Especially the Interior Design department. There's a lot of tools I purchased that I just do not use because I changed programs, some of which are very expensive to purchase new and are hard to find used.

I also have plans for the wall my desk is against to inspire me and brighten up the place...:) I come across fabulous photographs of decor, jewelry and art all the time. I fully intend on asking permission of the artists to print out the low res versions of their items and plaster my wall with them. So my whole wall will become a super colorful inspiration board!

Of course, I'll need a printer for that...*lol*

How could I NOT want to work in such a space???

So tell me, what does YOUR work space look like? Feel free to share!
♥

Midnight Magic Treasury

This treasury has such a ghostly quality to it, it's rather uncanny. I love fanciful and otherworldly things and so I'm really touched that I was included in something to emotive! Thank you Art2ArtColorado!

Comments and clicks would be great so people can see how lovely this is!

Midnight Magic Treasury

Round and Round We Go Treasury!

I was coming across a lot of really beautiful circular pieces and so I thought why not show them off together!

This lovely treasury is the result. Clicks and comments are always welcome as long as the Treasury is active!

Round and Round We Go...Treasury

Sunday Showcase - Sophistication

1.redrubyrose2.vineyardcreek3.sleepymoondesign4.brownsco5.heatherkingdesigns6.WeeGardens
Each Sunday Showcase features one item from six wonderful shops based on a predetermined theme.

Want to have a chance to be selected for a Sunday Showcase? It's really simple!

♥ Check out the current Sunday Showcase thread running in Etc. on Etsy to find out the theme for the following week♥ Comment in the thread if you feel you meet the criteria (or if you want to bump it up for others...;)♥ Comment on this post and tell me which of the six items is your favorite and why. Don't forget to post your shop URL so I know who is who!♥ Only shops who comment in both locations will be considered
Here's the current thread!
That's all there is to it! Simple, right?

The thread will be open for participation until the Friday of the given week.

All items will be tweeted on my Twitter page and the link to this blog entry posted on my Facebook Fan Page.
Twitter
Facebook

Please feel free to follow me/fan me to keep up with my Features and all I have to offer!

All types of artisan crafts, vintage & supplies are up for consideration (unless stated in the Theme section) so don't be shy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Send this eCard !
I just wanted to send out a little shout out and a little e-card to everyone who follows and subscribes to me. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the time you take out of your day to share my experiences with me.

I hope to bring you lots of new posts, new pieces, new features and new fun in the New Year!

Be happy, be merry, love and be loved and above all be safe!

Merry Christmas!
♥

Return of the Redheaded Rokali treasury!

Theeye was super sweet and put me with this amazing group of people. I cannot tell you what an honor it is for me to be included in with such talented and wonderful people...:)

Thank you!

Take a gander for yourselves and feel free to click and comment if the treasury is still active when you see it!

Return of the Redheaded Rokali Treasury

Mini Marvels - MmeMagpie

Better late than never...;)

It's Mini-Marvel time!

You know that person who you can always count on for sound advice about stuff you're interested in? Well, MmeMagpie is the person many of us over at Mis-named go to when we're in a bind when it comes to stones. She's always there with advice and she makes such beautiful things!

She's also got a fabulous supply shop in MmeMagpieSupply which I'm sure will be filled with treasures again soon. I sort of emptied it out this morning...*lol*

I asked her tell us a little more about who she is:

I have this memory from when I was much shorter of tugging my mom's skirt, looking up at her, and saying as earnestly as only a very small human can, "I'm going to be an artist when I grow up!" Her gift of seed beads and a loom at the age of eight, or so, got me started on this long road that ends, for now, in a small shed in my back yard.

A combination of beads, thread, and creative ingenuity started this adventure. Formal education doesn’t really figure into any of it, just trial and error and a few books. At 21, when a friend asked to buy something I was working on, a light just came on and that’s when I knew jewelry was the path I should take.

Not long after, I moved to Virginia Beach where I wandered into Silver Stream with a briefcase full of glass bead and brass wirework jewelry and walked out with a job (and a briefcase full of brass and glass jewelry). There I learned the joy of having the flame in one hand and tweezers in the other. And hammers. And drill bits…

Well, I learned the joy of working metal in high school. Sometimes I wish Mr Burkholder would have lived a few more years so I could have showed him some of my early, misshapen silver projects. I think he would have been tickled to know his one female student wound up a working metal. I remember him sometimes, especially when I smell hot steel and scorched lubricants.

Ahem. I ramble.

My gem obsession was a simple side effect of falling in love with jewelry. It started with, “Ooooh, that’s pretty” to “What is this, exactly” to “Hmm. That rhodolite looks a little different from the rubellite, but they’re the same color. What gives?” The last question sent me to California and the GIA for six months. I got my GG for Christmas that year. Best present EVER.

Any way you slice it, I’m a gem and jewelry nut through and through. I can’t even imagine retiring. Stop doing this? I can’t think of one reason to give up working with beautiful things and meeting the people who share my joy.

Enjoy her shop and her knowledge!
♥

Wow...I won!

I'm SO excited!

About a week ago, I put up a blog post about A Little Bit of Pretty. She was having a fun giveaway over at Akane's blog.

Well, I won the prize out of 149 comments! I'm so thrilled. Check out how beautiful my prize is!


Her shop is full of little beauties as lovely as this so go check her out and while you're at it, Akane's got a New Giveaway right now and it's awesome too!
♥

Sunday Showcase - Unconventional

1.artfulstitches2.sugarplumsweet3.VivaLaViolette4.newhopebeading5.michellebrunner6.Onbendedneedle
Each Sunday Showcase features one item from six wonderful shops based on a predetermined theme. Only two participants followed the rules this week and so I was only able to showcase those 2 and 4 others I picked myself to compliment them.

Want to have a chance to be selected for a Sunday Showcase? It's really simple!

♥ Check out the current Sunday Showcase thread running in Promos on Etsy to find out the theme for the following week♥ Comment in the thread if you feel you meet the criteria (or if you want to bump it up for others...;)♥ Comment on this post and tell me which of the six items is your favorite and why. Don't forget to post your shop URL so I know who is who!♥ Only shops who comment in both locations will be considered
Here's the current thread!
That's all there is to it! Simple, right?

The thread will be open for participation until the Friday of the given week.

All items will be tweeted on my Twitter page and the link to this blog entry posted on my Facebook Fan Page.
Twitter
Facebook

Please feel free to follow me/fan me to keep up with my Features and all I have to offer!

All types of artisan crafts, vintage & supplies are up for consideration (unless stated in the Theme section) so don't be shy!

New items in shop...and some that got away!

Hello everyone!

I just realized that I completely forgot to share some items I made and sold before they even got to my shop...*lol* Not that I'm complaining AT ALL, of course...:D

I also have one new necklace that's in shop waiting for just the right person...:)


I happened across these beautiful top-shelf sugalite rondelles totally by chance after talking with a good friend of mine in the forums! I was totally shocked to see them and the price made me blanch.

They were SO inexpensive! So I contacted my friend who happens to be in love with this stone and knows just about everything about it and he confirmed that it was indeed what I thought it was and he thought I should nab them quick. And so I did! I ended up making a VERY simple piece for them. I absolutely wanted to showcase the way these gems GLOW. That bright fuchsia is EXACTLY what the stones look like. It's almost eerie how much life they have.

I was also very happy when one of my lovely coworkers chose to bring this beauty home. I'll be lucky to see it every now and then...:)


For my followers who also deign jewelry, do your supplies 'talk' to you? Mine sort of do. I get an immediate idea of how I could sue something either with something existing or something I've seen but not purchased yet.

Well, when I first came across the beautiful Amazonite pendant, it was talking a mile a minute, but when it finally arrived, it went silent and so it took me a long time to figure out what to do with it when I took out some left over Amazonite brios and happened to have the smokey quartz faceted rounds out too. The results are elegant and classic with a touch of pizazz...:)

Again, I am lucky that the necklace and earrings went to another of my coworkers and so I'll get to admire it on her!

Spring Fling necklace for sale
This cutie is up in my shop right now. I don't know about you, but we've had 2 weeks of cold and snow and I'm already longing for spring! This necklace celebrates that longing...:) I used the brads from the same set as my Jessica Earrings and so even though they are not matched, they definitely go, if you're looking for a set!

I just love the way the green and soft grey-blues and turquoises play together in this. There's also great contrast between the texture of the fabric and the shine of the glass beads.

This piece was a challenge to put together because I had to do it so that the mechanisms in the back were hidden from view. I rather think I was successful and all the components on the back are smooth and so won't scratch you skin!

If you're looking forward to the birds' and the bees' return, perhaps this is for you...:)

I'm working on getting the pieces ready to put together my own Light-box. I'll be shooting form home from now on and so I definitely need one. I can't wait to add all my new pieces!
♥

Mini Marvels - Peggyhodge

It's Mini-Marvel time!

I'm always impressed when people can make an impact while being soft-spoken. Peggyhodge is quiet, but her photography and her stones aren't. They are filled with life and beauty and I feel that they match her well.

I asked her to share a little about herself with us and I was honored that she complied:

My journey into the lapidary world was an unintentional one. My sister won a free year membership in the Oshkosh Earth Science Club and dragged me to her first meeting. There we learned that she could learn to make cabs in the workshop so she dragged me to the class also. The rest was history, or should we say, written in stone. My photography started to take a backseat to making cabochons.
After being trained in making cabs, spending 2 hours on a Saturday wasn't enough time for me. I soon bought my own machines. I took the intarsia class offered at the club. Then in August I went on my first field trip to the kona dolomite quarry in Upper Michigan.

I have been taking photographs since I was a kid, as you can see from my avatar. That's me at 4 years old. I love taking photos of the beauty of nature. Also The EAA Airventure in Oshkosh offers the opportunity to take fantastic photos, both action and abstract shots.

I am so lucky to have been graced with her presence and that she opened up to us all...:)
♥

Giveaway over at Akane's.

Hey gang! Akane is running a really neat giveaway for a fellow Canadian shop, A little Bit of Pretty. Well, I don't know if that's the right shop name...I think it should be A Whole LOT of Pretty...*lol*


This is my favorite piece in her shop. I really love rough stones. There's just something in them that polished pieces lack. Not to say that polished and faceted pieces aren't beautiful in their own right, but they have a whole different kind of life and light play.

I really recommend checking her out. She's got lovely items!
♥

Sunday Showcase - Traditional

1.kippyssomature2.PlumpFairy3.glamasaurus4.Gilliauna5.Littletwinklestar6.CrownBindery
Each Sunday Showcase features one item from six wonderful shops based on a predetermined theme. Again, I was provided with absolutely GORGEOUS items and I ended up having about 5 different showcases before choosing this one. Please go and see all the wonderful participants for this week's Showcase in this thread. They so deserve the exposure!

Want to have a chance to be selected for a Sunday Showcase? It's really simple!

♥ Check out the current Sunday Showcase thread running in Promos on Etsy to find out the theme for the following week♥ Comment in the thread if you feel you meet the criteria (or if you want to bump it up for others...;)♥ Comment on this post and tell me which of the six items is your favorite and why. Don't forget to post your shop URL so I know who is who!♥ Only shops who comment in both locations will be considered
Here's the current thread!
That's all there is to it! Simple, right?

The thread will be open for participation until the Friday of the given week. Saturday will be used to go through selections and create the mosaic!

Shops CAN be featured multiple times, but I will do my best to never feature a shop more than once in a 3 months span. I will be keeping records of who is chosen so as to follow through on this promise.

All items will be tweeted on my Twitter page and the link to this blog entry posted on my Facebook Fan Page.
Twitter
Facebook

Please feel free to follow me in any of the locations and here to keep up with my Features and all I have to offer!

All types of artisan crafts, vintage & supplies are up for consideration so don't be shy!

Mini Marvels - Jetflair

It's Mini-Marvel time!

Jetflair, the designer behind Distinction Jewelry, knows the benefits of showcasing fabulously gorgeous gemstones behind simple, elegant designs. Her shop is FILLED with absolutely amazing set-jewelry and beaded pieces featuring beautifully cut stones as well as funky inspiration pieces. She's definitely a source of inspiration and someday, when I grow up, I want to be able to make beauties the way she does!

I asked her to talk a little about herself and here's what she had to say:

Thanks for doing me the honor of featuring my work on your blog! I am fascinated (or to put it perhaps more honestly, obsessed) by gemstones; in fact sometimes I think I continue to persevere in the hyper-competitive jewelry market simply to have a valid excuse to work with an amazing variety of pretty rocks.

There are two main types of stones you’ll find in my work: faceted gems and gemstone cabochons. Faceted gems are the beautiful sparkly creatures you’re used to seeing in fine jewelry stores, traditionally cut from transparent gems. Cabochons are often cut from those same stones, but more commonly are hand-cut to show off a remarkable variety of patterns and colors occurring in opaque or translucent stones not traditionally seen in jewelry. These are usually one-of-a-kind and collecting them is truly addicting.

I tend towards two broad styles in jewelry design; minimalist presentations that highlight the natural beauty of the stone by allowing it to take center stage, and thematic or graphic designs which use stones as design elements in, for instance, a desert landscape or a star constellation. I have never been able to draw with a pen and ink, but I can do so in gems and metal.

My primary inspirations couldn’t be more different; one is raw reality as found in the naturally occurring art of nature, and the other is fiction. I am drawn to nature’s extremes and natural power. Lightning. Tornadoes. Hurricanes. Deserts. The wonders of outer space. Portraying them using materials created by natural forces seems only too fitting.

Being as I’m a total geek at heart, I also find ample inspiration in the fictional worlds of my favorite characters and stories, especially those from my favorite TV shows like Firefly, Stargate Atlantis, Flashpoint, and Numb3rs. This makes designs like my popular Galaxy Series pendants and bullet shell casing jewelry a natural fit for my work.

One pendant I made recently involved melting down sterling silver in a small crucible and plunging a piece of real iron meteorite into the molten metal. Letting it cool created a unique pendant quite literally forged from the fires of earth and space.

It thrills me to sell my jewelry online; my work is being worn in exotic locations across the world, by celebrities, and in most states in the US. I love writing foreign addresses on envelopes, and one day I’d love to have time to compile a world map showing where my pieces have gone. It’s almost like vicarious travel!

Looking forward to the future, I’m interested in exploring more methods and designs like crushed stone inlay and acid etching. I will also be testing out the idea of using custom-cut stones to increase their usefulness in “drawing with gems.” But more than anything, I’ll be following my obsession with pretty rocks.

It's my honor to have found such fabulous people to be around to learn and grow and laugh with...:)
♥

Sunday Showcase - Royal

1.Leperqueen2.Sleepyhollowfolkart3.OuterKnits4.HSWTPhotography5.LilyPadLane6.Maked
Each Sunday Showcase features one item from six wonderful shops based on a predetermined theme. I want to stress that this week's choices were VERY difficult to select! Thank you SO much to everyone for giving me such amazing things to look at and enjoy!

Want to have a chance to be selected for a Sunday Showcase? It's really simple!

♥ Check out the current Sunday Showcase thread running in Promos on Etsy to find out the theme for the following week♥ Comment in the thread if you feel you meet the criteria (or if you want to bump it up for others...;)♥ Comment on this post and tell me which of the six items is your favorite and why. Don't forget to post your shop URL so I know who is who!♥ Only shops who comment in both locations will be considered
Here's the current thread!
That's all there is to it! Simple, right?

The thread will be open for participation until the Friday of the given week. Saturday will be used to go through selections and create the mosaic!

Shops CAN be featured multiple times, but I will never feature a shop more than once in a 3 months span. I will be keeping records of who is chosen so as to do my best to follow through on this promise.

All items will be tweeted on my Twitter page and the link to this blog entry posted on my Facebook Fan Page.
Twitter
Facebook

All types of artisan crafts, vintage & supplies are up for consideration so don't be shy!

Extrvaganza Customer Appreciation Giveaway Winner!

As many of you know, I had one of my bi-yearly sales the weekend of Black-Friday to Cyber Monday.

In appreciation for their continued support, I wanted to do something special for my customers.

For every item purchased, each customer received a ballot towards a special thank you gift worth 30$!




The Pearlessent earrings are a simple and delicate pair featuring thin sterling silver chain, sterling silver accent balls and two tiny, delicate freshwater pearls in a soft, creamy white. Everything was hung from a 3-way connector and a simple ball-tipped french ear-wire. I wanted these to be neutral enough for everyone's tastes...:)

Congratulations go to Linda, who won these earrings and who will also be taking home her purchase of the Heart Breaker earrings.

I hope everyone enjoyed my Holiday Sale and I look forward to those one-day sales I'll be springing on my Facebook Fans now and then as well as my second yearly sale for Mother's Day!

Thank you SO much for making my Holiday Sale a success!
♥