Summertime Creations

The challenge this month from Artbeads was to create something with a summertime theme using glass beads, charms or pendants. My first thought was to do a charm bracelet with some shell or boating themed charms. However, I wanted to do a little something different.

I fell in love with the simplicity of the sand dollar sterling silver pendant. Artbeads has a great selection of pendants to choose from. Normally that is where I start with an idea for a necklace, with the pendant, because it is the focal point in the design. I liked the shades of green and blue in the glass pearls and added some Swarovski crystal for a little sparkle.


My favorite colors right now are orange, red and yellow. I like vibrant colors during the summer. In browsing the selection of glass beads it was hard to narrow it down! I selected a strand of big bright flower beads as they were not something I would ordinarily pick and I thought they might be fun to try. I combined them with some lemon yellow swirled beads I had in my inventory and thought they made a good combination. This is a fun piece to wear on a hot summer day!


My final piece uses one of my very favorite design elements - furnace glass beads. I just love these! I picked the bright citrus package with random beads, some solid and some striped. I really wanted the solid orange bead to stand out so I put in some big bold silver beads. The pinstripes on the other beads remind me of candy. I really like this bracelet!


As always, I really enjoy these challenges as they allow me to think outside my normal style and have have a lot of fun with it!

Disclosure: The sand dollar pendant and glass beads were kindly provided free of charge by Artbeads.com as part of their blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post represents the personal opinion of the blog author.

The Beauty of Spring Challenge

Lately everything I have created has a spring theme to it! I am taking photos of bulbs coming up, creating greeting cards in shades of pinks and lime green, and creating jewelry with the same inspiration. Even though fall is my favorite season, nothing beats the anticipation of spring!


I recently received this gorgeous selection of beads from Artbeads. What inspiration! I fell in love with floral glass pendant first, then selected other beads I thought would complement the pendant. When I received my order, I was not disappointed!

Here are some pics of my final creations. First I created the necklace using the floral bead as my focal point/pendant. I added some Swarovski peridot bicones to hold it in place on the decorative headpin. The necklace was created with 4mm faceted glass rondelles in pink and olivine and matte glass beads in white.



I created some coordinating earrings from some pink and white swirled glass bellflower beads, peridot Swarovski crystal and a decorative headpin. They are finished with fleur de lis motif leverbacks. I think this makes a nice set.




Disclosure: The Kalera floral glass focal bead, peridot Swarovski crystal, pink glass bellflower beads and the 4mm pink and olivine glass faceted beads were kindly provided free of charge by Artbeads.com, as part of the Artbeads.com blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post above represents only personal opinion of the blog author.

To see more selections from Artbeads you can click on these links: lampwork glass beads and pressed Czech glass beads .

Ready for Spring!

Here are a few new designs. Can you tell I am ready for spring?

My Latest Designs

While everyone else in the world was watching the Super Bowl, I was in the basement working in my studio. This is a custom order for a friend who wanted to surprise his wife after their daughter was born. And the colors are nice for Valentine's Day too.


The chocolate brown jasper "chicklets" work well with the link pink Rhodonite nuggets and light rose Swarovski crystals. I hope she loves it!


And since Valentine's day is right around the corner here is the "My Michele" necklace inspired by a friend that spotted these cool hearts at a bead show in Louisville. I made the heart into a pendant and used faceted garnet rondelles and onyx. I made a similar version for myself, as she bought me a heart too.

Wordless Wednesday - Insect Style

New Jewelry Creations

Here are a few of my latest creations!


I just created this hematite chip necklace last night with a mother of pearl shell flower pendant. The second necklace features cherry quartz nuggets, sterling silver mirror ball beads and Swarovski crystal bicones. It was a special order for a customer that bought the bracelet and wanted a necklace to match.


My mom has a bracelet that I made with funky black and white striped furnace glass. She wanted a necklace to match, so I gave this to her for Mother's Day. The pendant is Swarovski crystal with a sterling silver bail. Mom wears a lot of black so this necklace will go with lots of outfits. I wish I had one too!


Here are a few pair of earrings. The unakite earrings are earthy in autumn colors. I sold these at my etsy shop pretty quick. The second pair features harmony jasper or peace jade with Swarovski crystal. Finally there are some pink and green dotted earrings with lampwork beads and a green and white dotted version. Fun for spring or summer! Saving the best for last is my latest creation with one of my favorite stones, rhyolite accented with olive Swarovski crystal!

Packaging & Branding on Etsy

One of the things we learned in our marketing classes in college was to create a brand relevant to our product and then consistently use that brand. They called this “integrated marketing” – where you have a consistent image with all forms of advertising. While this is more important when you are selling soft drinks and food products, it is also important when you are selling your art/craft related items.

Here are some images of the packaging materials I use in my jewelry sales. The starting point for me was my business card. I collect fleur de lis items and wanted to use that as an art element. I felt the purple and green colors were complementary. I communicated the design that I had in mind and the cards were laid out by a friend. The fleur de lis does not tie me to any particular design or style. It could suggest a European or French style or it could just give the appearance of style in general.

I use the same logo from my business card as my avatar when using online social marketing services such as twitter, blogger, etsy, etc. When I set up at craft shows, I also have a sign with the same logo and color scheme. To prove that this “integrated marketing” works, I had someone recognize my logo first, then look up to greet me! She commented that she recognized my logo from our online communications and made the connection.

Using similar styled packaging materials helps to convey my “brand” even more. I use green and purple tissue with simple kraft tote bags. I stamped a fleur de lis image on the bags in sepia colored ink and used the same design on my kraft boxes. I tie the ribbon with green or purple ribbon, attach a business card, and it’s complete! I printed out small stickers that match my business card in case I wrap something in tissue and want to put a sticker on it. I also use inexpensive organza bags in the same color scheme.

While I won’t go so far to say that it’s “all in the packaging” I do believe that first impressions are very important. As an example, when I first considered online art/craft sales, I made a couple purchases myself to see how the process worked. One item was a one of a kind polymer clay bracelet. I was very excited to get this piece in the mail. I opened the envelope to find it was inside a clear plastic bag that seemed “used” and the packaging materials were a little dirty. Surely this handcrafted piece deserved more than to be tossed in a bag and shipped! I liked the bracelet but was disappointed in the presentation. My expectations did not match my first impression.

From this, and similar experiences, I have learned that packaging and customer service are so important! Make the buyer feel like they made the right decision to buy from you. Thank them, confirm their order, let them know when you have shipped, etc. Then thank them again. All of this is part of the big picture and is so important. It could be the difference in a one-time sale, versus a repeat customer or a customer that provides referrals.

If you have similar experiences in packaging and conveying your brand, and would like to share, I would love to hear from you. The best way to learn is from each other and from experience!

Latest Design Challenge

A friend from college asked me to create a necklace for her mom with beads that her mom had already purchased. They just wanted me to design the piece using only the beads they purchased and then string it. She brought me a bag filled with chocolate brown and white jasper. There were three different styles of beads: round, flat asymmetrical, and larger faceted chunks.

This was a fun project for me as it's not what I would normally create. Again, sometimes we get into a rut of designing the same/similar styles, or things that ~we~ like because that's what we know! And there is nothing wrong with that. But I love when I get a design challenge as it gives me the opportunity to grow as an artist and try something new.

The best part is when I was finished, I was told that the necklace was exactly what she had in mind. Mission accomplished!

Ta Da!! Check it Out!

Bam!
How's this for a blast of brightness?? How could you be sleepy or bored with these colors to keep you alert?

This is still a work in progress, but I am pleased to show you these pictures. I finally have a place to create again, after waiting for the past couple months! It's seemed like a lifetime. I should share with you that I am pretty organized and anal about some things, so it really bugged me that my stuff was scattered throughout the basement and I didn't know where anything was for about 8 weeks.

This weekend my husband shared with me the alarming news that all art related items *must* fit inside this room. That was after I planned to leave my big tub with wheels that I use at craft shows outside the door, among other things. So if it all must fit, then I must get rid of some of the art supplies I've been hoarding half my life. I am not sure why I had a big bag of turquoise blue and red scraps of suede, but they have to go. And I know I probably don't "need" 25 cigar boxes, but hey, each one is unique and a different shape. Those get to stay. I threw out a laminator from Big Lots that did not work when I bought it. Moving it across town when we bought this house and storing it for 5 more years did not make it work any better. Out it goes! See, I can do this. It's just hard because some day I might need it. While hubs was working on the room, he discovered my two big boxes of shells and rocks which I moved from my previous house. They were not marked "shells and rocks" which is why they were undiscovered for five years in the storage space below the steps. (I am blonde, but not dumb). I think I will now have to downsize my collection.

So here are some pics after I have tried to reorganize. The brown table is my jewelry work space and the laminated table is for paper arts and other crafts I may become infatuated with in the future. (I want to learn felting and I really need to make those soldered glass slide necklaces). I like that the outlets are all at table level.



At some point down the road, we'll finish the other two walls (maybe in lime green & or pink to complete the "citrus" look). We'll wait for now as we need access to the pipes in case we add a bathroom. And we'll put down hardwood flooring and a drop ceiling someday. But for now, I have what I need to get working!

What do you think? Want to come over and create something with me? If you do, you have to promise to take some rocks and shells with you when you leave.

Studio Update

Here's the latest work on the studio. John is making great progress! The two walls shown are primed and ready to paint. Didn't he do an outstanding job on the drywall?



My color choices seemed good at the time. I love the citrus combination of yellow/pink/orange/coral/lime. We bought mini cans of the coral-red and a bright but dark orange. Applied to the wall and it was way too dark for a room in the basement without windows. Ack! Back to the drawing board. Good thing we bought small cans.


I have seen so many paint chips from Lowes that my head is swimming.


Here we go! The gallons of paint are purchased. My two choices are taped to the wall and painting begins. One is an orange with a lot of yellow and the other is a really bright yellow. The lady at Lowes was shocked at how much tint went into the can and said "now that's yellow!" I hope I like the end result!! Too late to turn back now...

More to come. You may need to be wearin' shades.

Studio Walls are Going Up!

My husband is the greatest. When my grandmother would hear all the projects he was working on around the house, she would say "he is so handy!" And Grandma was right! His gift to me for Christmas was to finish my studio in the basement. I had been complaining (okay whining) that it was too cold to work down there and when I try to heat my area, it never works as the space is open & the heat travels up the stairs. Also, I need doors to keep my two cats out of my workspace, even though I have dubbed them artcatz. They are so curious about what I am doing and want to hang out with me. Which is okay most of the time. However, when I have everything set up for a photo shoot of my jewelry that is the time that they jump on the table and I get a picture of a paw instead of a bracelet. Or the bracelet being dragged away by a paw. You get the picture.

Here is phase 1. My husband has framed in the space where the walls will be.
In phase 2 he ran the wire to the multiple outlets that I'll have. And he put in a phone jack so if the phone rings I won't have to leave the studio. Although I may not answer the phone, I am still excited about this!!



Drywall is going up now. Our friend Tom came over and helped as it's tough for one person to handle. When I am out of town this week, the mudding and sanding of the drywall happens. Sorta glad I will be out of town for that work. Right now everything is covered in dropcloths and I can't get to anything. I know I will be uneasy until I get everything reorganized and put away where it goes.


So I need to think of what color to paint the walls. This IS an art room, so I am thinking something bright and colorful. Two walls will be drywall and the other two, for the interim are still painted white concrete walls. If/when we can finish the basement, the other two walls will be finished. The cool part is that I will have two doors, multiple electrical outlets and a phone jack. And eventually upper cabinets and a wash tub for cleaning up paint, rubberstamps, brushes, etc. But that's down the road.


So what color(s) should I paint the walls? I mentioned a splatter of colors a la Jackson Pollack and my husband looked horrified. I am thinking one bright yellow and one red. Or maybe one orange and one pink/coral. I LOVE those colors together. I don't want to go too dark as it will make the room look small. And once I get all my junk back in there, it will probably look small. Another thing is that I will want to write on the walls ("Oh, Good Lord" my husband said when he read this). Quotes and words and any inspiration. Maybe I should just get a huge bulletin board. Let me know if you have suggestions for me! I'm all ears!