WIN a necklace and earrings set!

Ok, my sale is over, but you can WIN this necklace and earrings set!!!!!! I made this set specifically for this give-away, so there's nothing else like it!



(Click the picture for details!)

Please feel free to pass the word!

Monday News

I can't believe it's Monday already. Did you have a good weekend? I did! I have a few bits of news to share with you.

First... today is the last day of my sale! I'm not extending it past today, so if you were planning to take advantage, now is the time! Check it out... 15% off everything in my shop!

Second... Stephanie of Tefi Designs featured me in her blog over the weekend. We've known each other for many years but lost touch for quite some time. A few years ago, we ran into each other at a craft show and have kept in touch since then. She's a talented jewelry designer! Small world, isn't it?

Check out the feature she did in her blog. This is something I'd like to do in the future, too! I've been thinking about what kinds of questions I want to ask artists. If you can think of good questions, drop me a comment!

Ok, next... I got to learn a very basic chainmail pattern over the weekend at the DFW Wire Wrappers Meetup. Susy (Susy Jewelry) is an incredible organizer... the best... and she's also an incredibly talented jewelry designer with wire skills that, coupled with her imagination and artistry, push her to create truly amazing, one of a kind pieces. I bow to her wire skills... seriously. But Susy is also a great person-- so gracious, sweet, and caring.

Now that we have a meeting place-- at Patti Bullard's shop... Wired Up Beads (yes-- she is the creator of the now famous Wubbers jewelry tools!). She has an online shop. She's worked very hard to get a lampwork studio set up, and classes are currently available... and now she's opened WUB U, a classroom space where we learned to make the chainmail bracelet and earrings below.

This is a lovely basic chainmail pattern using sterling silver rings. Simple, elegant, and really beautiful. This set will be available for sale in my shop this week.

Finally... I'm going to be giving away this necklace and earring set in a friend's blog very soon! I'm so thrilled with how this set turned out. YES, I am giving away this set!!! Really!! This set is valued at $65!

I'll post an announcement with a link here once the post is up! Keep your eyes peeled!

I also want to post about something special I get to do this afternoon, but I'll save that for another day.

Happy Monday, everyone. Have a great one!

Pearls, Pearls, Pearls

Admittedly, I’m not much of a pearl person.

Oh, I think they’re beautiful and all. They’ve got that luster thing going for them… and pearls can definitely make a statement. It’s just… they’re so dang common.

Everyone has pearls. Everyone loves pearls. It even seems like everyone has a story associated with pearls.

If you hadn’t noticed by now, I typically gravitate towards one-of-a-kind pieces, like lampwork beads created by artists.

Note: I did not say artisans. That’s a whole other topic, and don’t get me started on that word.

I’ve just never been a huge fan of pearls, because they are definitively not one-of-a-kind. Anyone can make a pearl necklace that looks good. If you grab pearls, you’re already halfway there because, you… grabbed… pearls. Know what I mean?

I guess I’ve just never come across any pearls that truly wowed me…

Until now.

I love these! These pearls are special. They’re irregular, so each one is unique. Some of them have blemishes. Some of them have more of a gray tint. Some of them are oval, some are round, and some are completely oddly shaped.

And… you know what? That’s why I love them. Between that and their size… which is difficult to find in reasonably priced pearls… I believe these pearls are truly special.

I mean… just look at them!

To give you an idea of their size, it only takes these 9 pearls to make an 8 inch bracelet. The clasp takes up about an inch of space, and you have to allow for the small 4mm Swarovski crystals, but yeah—9 pearls. They average 12mm long, or half an inch… and some are as long as 16 or 17mm. I even have a few that are longer than that!

These babies are absolutely divine. I can’t wait to see what else I do with them!

Overwhelmed...

First... let me say that I have extended my sale through at least June 15th.

The past few months have been incredibly stressful. I don't want to get too far into it, but we've been struggling financially. It's a likely story, and I know a lot of you are probably feeling the same crunch, but it really wears on you after a while. I keep thinking, "When will we get a break?"

And then, I feel ashamed for feeling that way. I have so many blessings in my life-- so many things to be grateful for. And, truth be told-- I am grateful. Incredibly! But I often wonder what's in store for us, when it feels like everyday life is an uphill battle. When it feels like we just can't get ahead, no matter what we do or how creative we get.

The real truth is that I have learned the value of asking for help. Help in finding work, help in keeping us going, help in the form of emotional support, prayers, or just positive thoughts. Help comes in all sizes and shapes, and when I dare to ask for it, it often shows itself in the most needed and often the most unexpected of ways.

I feel so beautifully blessed by all of the friends who have extended a hand to us over the past few months. Whether it's sending us job postings, or even just a thoughtful email-- the words have meant so much, and the sentiment has meant even more.

I used to pride myself on "never needing help". Years ago, I realized this was a silly notion. Everyone needs help. Of course I needed help! And yet, making myslef vulnerable enough to allow others to help me was something so foreign, I could never see myself doing it.

Fast forward to today, when it's still difficult for me to ask for help-- but the difference is, I care enough about myself, and I do trust in the process that is... life. I can put myself out there. I can allow myself to be vulnerable. I can admit when I need help.

Things are finally starting to glance up for us... and we're hoping the light at the end of the tunnel soon becomes brighter, bigger, and better over the next month. 

I've been quiet here, because I have everything and nothing to say. I have thought about sharing more of myself here, but then-- I know that blogs are a dime a dozen... who has time to read everything I put out there?

But... I figure-- I won't know until I try. So, here I am... 

This is it!! HUGE SALE!!!!!!

I'm having a HUGE sale - everything in my Etsy shop is 15% off!!! Get HUGE savings from now through the end of May! Click the image to go directly to my shop!

Please know that whatever purchase you make will help us out a great deal!

THANK YOU!!

Mother's Necklace

This is the mother's bracelet concept taken to a whole new level! 

I had a request for a custom mother's necklace... two kids, so two names and two strands. Except-- the necklace needed to be longer, about 32 inches. 

Woo, a challenge!! This was so fun to do, and yes, it was a bit of a challenge. For someone like me, who is so used to flooding my jewelry with color... I needed to minimalize the color in this necklace so it would be as versatile as the mother's bracelets I make (which are all sterling silver beads and Swarovski crystals-- clear ones). 

Well... mission accomplished! The husband, who requested the necklace, was pleased, and so was his wife. I'm thrilled... and I have to say, I'm quite pleased with the necklace as well. I think it's really cool!

I used at least four different types of chain, big BIG gorgeous pearls (3 of those), a few smaller pearls, and some silver pearls, with crystal clear Swarovski crystals and sterling silver beads.

The result? Well, see for yourself...

It can be worn as a single super-long necklace, a double-strand necklace, or even 3 or 4 strands. I added little danglies to make it more fun... and there's a clasp on each end, so it can literally be clipped anywhere. This is probably the most versatile necklace I've ever made, and I certainly hope to make more of them. It was a ton of fun! Really a fun challenge for me.

Now... something else exciting will be happening either later tonight or tomorrow. Stay tuned!!

Also-- I'm going to start sending out update emails, so you'll know when I have a sale, when I'm at a craft show, when my shop is updated, when I update this blog, etc... so sign up! The box is in the upper left hand corner!

Coming Soon!!

BIG sale on my Etsy site coming soon!

Be on the look-out for it!!

Want to know exactly when the sale starts, so you can get the best selection? Sign up to receive email updates in the box to the left! 

Jewelry Show!

The jewelry show was a success! Thanks to everyone who stopped by! It was fun, and I got the chance to catch up with a lot of you.

I struggled with the display a little bit this time around. It took me a long time to figure out how I wanted to use this 4 foot table that I bought last year. I'd never used it in the house before. I really liked a setup that I did in 2008... but it was still too crowded and people still got overwhelmed with all the sparklies sitting so close together. I wanted to find an effective way to spread everything out and utilize the extra space afforded by the table. 

So, this is the setup... this is the dining area. See... nice and spread out! I was able to get some height while also setting everything out pretty evenly... and definitely not crowded. Mission accomplished!

Here's a small table in front of the piano... sorry for the horrible pic. I thought it came out better than this! 

Two other tables... the coffee table and the other table (which is actually 2 TV trays)...
And this is how it looked, from the hallway. You can kinda see the dog in the background. She liked hiding under the tables, since they had tablecloths!

The turnout was nice! Thank you to everyone who came to the show. It was a blast, and the day really flew by. I forgot that I usually had the show until 5pm, but I had set this one till 6pm... and I do think I'll go back to that 5pm time in the future. 

I hope to do more shows this year-- craft shows that is... as well as at least one more home show... probably towards the fall. I have to get my schedule figured out, with the potential for work plus volunteering for Pathways, since that takes up weekend time. 

I have so much more to post! I have a lot of pictures to post... and a couple of special posts, and I think I'm going to have a sale on my Etsy site soon, which I'll definitely post here.

G'nite!