CYBER SALE!!!

My holiday Cyber sale - celebrating small business and artisan, handcrafted gifts - starts now!  Enjoy 30% off of your total jewelry purchase in my shop by using ARTJEWELRY30 at checkout!  You must use the code at checkout to realize these fantastic savings!

Many artisans are having a Cyber Monday Sale to kick-off the holiday season.  Be sure to visit the Love My Art Jewelry blog site to see the links of all the stores!

Happy Shopping!  And, thanks for stopping by!

Craft show....hmmmmm

Last weekend was my first craft show - I had only shown my work at home shows in the past.  Wow - what a difference!  I had armed myself with all information available on what to bring to a craft show, how to display your work, etc.  I have to admit I did not forget one thing!  Here is a pic of my table:

 

Click on pics for a larger view

 

 

This was a 2 day craft show - Saturday from 9:00 - 2:00, continuing at 5:30 - 8:00, and then Sunday from 8:00 - 2:00.  It was held in a church Parish Hall.  There was NO HEAT.  NONE.  It was very cold last weekend and the room temperature felt like it did not rise above 45 degrees the entire weekend.  Brrrr..  And...it was slow.  Very slow.  The busiest day was Sunday - after each Mass.  But in between each Mass was an hour-long lull. 

 

The upside is that I met some of the nicest vendors!  They all noted that sales had been down for them...way down...all year long, including this show.  People just don't want to spend money right now.  I did fair - I did not expect to sell a single thing, but I did.   It was a great experience - especially since I have 2 more shows coming up next week.

 

Here are some pics of my table.  I bought the coolest necklace and bracelet displays from Last Summer Treasures - they are handmade from bamboo!  I got several compliments on the bamboo.

 

I bought this pretty papered box at Michael's with a 40% coupon - I don't think I paid $8.00 for it.  Well, my mother had matching deep purple satin, so she made me a little pillow to fit inside - Thanks Mom!

 

I had made my own earring cards and tags, and I bought this nice earring stand from Rio Grande - it holds lots of earrings and it's made of solid oak.  I found that people actually lingered a little longer at my table and looked at every single earring! 

 

 

My back and legs did not fare well, however.  I am still suffering from the affects of my bulging disc, which is pinching my sciatica nerve.  I stood most of the time, as sitting was just NOT. COMFORTABLE.  I go back to the Doc on Tuesday...we'll see what he says.

 

All I can say is I felt every day of my almost 52 years by Sunday night!  The weeks worth of prep work involved - plus just the added anxiety of having my first craft show - well, let's just say I was overly tired and achy!  I am not sure if I will do this show again next year - 2 days in a row and it was so slow - I will wait to see if the economy improves first!

 

I will end this post with some pics of my newest designs.

 

I love this bracelet - handmade bronze clasp by Lesley Watt of TheaToo, peeled paint beads by Jeannie Dukic, and ceramic beads by Marsha Neal.

Another bronze clasp by Lesley Watt of Thea Too, bronze accent bead by LeAnn Wieh of Summers Studio, and polymer beads by Humblebeads

I swear - this bracelet was the most popular of any of my other pieces!  I am surprised it did not sell!  Vibrant polymer beads by Barbara Bechtel of Second Surf.

I love how this necklace turned out!  I used lamp work beads by Javabead and Sue Kennedy of Sues Beads.  It's wrapped with silver filled sterling, antiqued, and tumbled for shine.

I made another Elemental Bracelet, which I learned from Stacie Florer at ArtBliss.  This time, I intentionally made it "big" - in silver.  It fits so well - like a cuff.

A close up of the bracelet - I soldered a tiny little silver bezel with turquoise on one of the links.

This necklace is my favorite and I am keeping it - it took me six straight hours to make!  It is based on a design by Kerry Bogert from her Totally Twisted Book - double stranded, and it includes her beads that I bought at ArtBliss.

Thanks so much for stopping by...what a long winded post! I enjoy reading your comments, if you are so inclined to leave one!  I hope you enjoy your weekend!

Ears to You Blog Hop

Amy Freeland, of Copper Diem fame, is truly a generous soul.  She makes and donates tons of jewelry to numerous organizations...and I like that.  Well, this blog hop entails making 3 pair of earrings and donating them to Ears to You, whose mission is to provide earrings to lift the spirits of women undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.  A fabulous idea!

 

The only requirements for the earrings (3-5 pairs for this hop) is that they be new, and lead and nickel-free.  They welcome a variety of earrings, including silver, gold, hoops, dangles, pierced or clipped. 

 

I have three craft shows this month.  I have only done home shows in the past.  My very first craft show is today (Saturday) and it has the weirdest hours - 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, continuing at 6:00 PM - 8:30PM.  It then continues tomorrow at 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM.   I have had a serious set-back with a bulging disc in my back, which is pinching the nerves in my right leg (particularly my sciatica nerve), coupled with a flare-up of bursitis in my hip.  My right leg is useless to me.  I also just found out that I tore my meniscus in my left leg.  Went to the orthopedic yesterday to get some shots and drugs...I hope I make it! Luckily, my sweet niece Sarah has agreed to help me tomorrow!

 

Anyhow, my point in boring you with my physical ailments is that my crazy schedule has only allowed me to make 3 pairs of earrings - but I guarantee, I will be sending Ears to You more earrings!  Here they are:

 

I think these are my favorite! Gorgeous beads by OutWest (LOVE her beads!) Handmade sterling silver ear wires.

 

These were so hard to photograph!  They are much prettier hanging!  Anyhow, really cool lamp work beads by Rachel Bishop of Puffafish - she calls the bead style "asteroids" - LOVE THEM!  I added some pewter beads, silver bead caps, and handmade sterling silver ear wires.

I love this style of earring - I banged on some 10 gauge Sterling wire to make a paddle shape, textured the remainder of the wire, punched a hole for the ear wires and added some very cool lamp work beads.  I am normally so organized and can tell you the bead artist - but these were orphans from a full set used a long time ago, and I cannot remember her/his name (shame on me!) 

 

I already mailed my earrings and received the sweetest email from Ruth Crane of Ears to You. I sent my earrings as if they were a jewelry purchase:

 

Tip if you have not sent your earrings, or if you will send more in the future:  Ears to You does not save the boxes  - they hang the earrings on their own earring cards.  So, save yourself the expense of using your pretty boxes!

 

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Your comments are so very much appreciated!  Please be sure to visit the other participants for this most worthy cause!  Due to my crazy schedule, I won't be able to visit all participants until Sunday night or Monday - but I will get to it, I promise!

  

 

Copper Diem

My Addictions <------------You are here!

Beads, Tea and Sweets

Juls Beads

Fabric of my Life

Blogging Business Artisans

Jeannie's Blog

Lorelei's Blog

One Kiss Creations

Backstory Beads

According to Katie

Cherish Designs

Beads: Rolling Downhill

Falling Into The Sky

Garden Path Beads

Antiquity Travelers

Sissy and Jacks

Erin Siegel Jewelry/Art Bead Scene

Northwood Creative Studio

SilverRose Designs

Dreamin of Beads/SAS Jewelry Design

Cabe Woman

Summers Studio

Honey from the Bee

Shaiha's Ramblings

Mama's Got to Doodle

Beads for Busy Gals

Tanya McGuire

Creative Atelier

Beautiful beads!

 

(click on pics for larger view)

I wish my pictures could capture the real beauty of these lampwork beads by Maryse Fritzsch-Thillens (GlassBeadArt on Etsy).  She calls them "Sparkling Rocks" - and do they ever sparkle!  I bought some of these beads earlier this year and I begged her to make me some more.  Well, I received them last week and I am working like a mad woman to create more items for my upcoming shows (first one is this weekend). 

 

I think this bracelet came out so nice!  I have been making most of my findings of late - jump rings clasps, ear wires.  I made the toggle clasp based on a design I learned from Handcrafted Wire Findings (Denise Peck and Jane Dickerson-this is an AWESOME BOOK!).  I antiqued the sterling in Liver of Sulfur, buffed, and then it spent quite a bit of time in my tumbler.  I liked this bracelet so much that I used up all the beads from Maryse in the following two bracelets...

I also made this necklace with sweet beads by Nan Emmet of Spirited Earth. I was lucky to be in her shop while she was uploading!  Her beads go FAST!

The clasp design on this copper necklace is by the talented Cindy Wimmer - though I cannot remember the issue date, it was published in Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine. 

 

Donna Millard posted a picture on Facebook  of these cobalt blue lampwork beads in the shape of a snowflake, which she then fused with sterling silver.  Well, I showed a picture of the beads to my Mom and my sister - who then begged for multiple necklaces for Christmas for themselves and as gifts.  All I have to do is attach the silver chain to these and I am done.  Donna's bead are some of my all time favorites.

 

Hurricane Sandy is over now - I lost power for about two hours last night (Monday evening), but other than that, all is well.  My backyard, however, looks like soup.  SO.MUCH.RAIN. 

I will be back on Saturday for the Ears to You Blog Hop hosted by Amy Freeland of Copper Diem. This is a blog hop for earrings donated to "Ears to You" - a charitable organization that donates earrings to women who are in the hospital for cancer treatment - an excellent cause!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by - I love to read your comments!

Wine Country

I live in Northern Virginia - not my favorite place in the world, for sure.  It's too crowded, the traffic is awful, the summers are waaaaay to hot for this Mid-Western transplant.  But this past weekend, I went to Wine Country, Virginia.  I am only a 30 minute drive to a vineyard in Prince William County in Virginia.  But, we drove about 45 minutes to Warren and Faquier Counties.  I don't drink very much anymore - but I go for the company and the gorgeous scenery.

First up - Linden Vineyards.  This consensus is that this is the favorite of our group because of the wine, the scenery, and the baguette with cheese and summer sausage (we like to eat, too!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up, Hume Vineyard.  Not nearly as scenic as Linden, but we were greeted with this view.  This is a tiny winery - so quiet and peaceful.



 

 

The owners of Hume live in this home, located right next to the winery. I would love to live here!

 

Our last stop was Naked Mountain.  Not my favorite - it was very crowded and not nearly as scenic as the others.  I was not even inspired to take a picture.

 

I leave you with my FAVORITE picture of the day.  This is Ella - she was vineyard hopping with her Mom and she is the friendliest pup!  Made me miss my Sam and Abby all the more....

 

 

 

 

Hoping you have a great week!  Thanks so much for stopping by!