Come on Hitch Your Wagon up, I Know I Have

Wow! Posting early for the hop made me think I missed last week! I was scrambling to pull together this post lol I have pretty much loaded my wagon and you know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun!  and boy, Time sure got away from me.

It’s end of year so I have books and reports and paperwork to do for the bread and butter business. It’s beginning of year so I have goals and projections to get mapped out for both bread and butter and Wind Dancer. My component pricing/inventory needs to be keyed in again, I thought I had it backed up but apparently it was on the still need to do it list when the iMac died and I’ve been putting it off and looking up replacement costs instead. I finally got one of my cabinets in my studio and the shelves installed on the wall and the built ins in my closet put in….. no wonder I’ve been so exhausted! I’ve moved two rooms, twice in the last couple weeks and I’m not done! whew! Oh! and I think I have finally found the Dentist I’m going to keep. This wonderful guy fixed in minutes what the last two never could and my mouth no longer hurts. Good thing because it looks like I’ve got a bit more work to be done in the future, sigh.

More good news….

I joined the Artisan Group and have been giving my shop/FB/twitter/etc a facelift in advance of picking up some nicer business cards. The ones I have aren’t bad but if I’m going to put them in the hands of stylists or celebrities, I’d like a heavier card stock and some gloss.

I also joined the Year of Jewelry project. A piece a week for an entire year. It isn’t completely necessary to follow the suggested themes, so if I already have something going or a custom that’ll work just fine as my weekly offering. I think it’s going to be fun. I want to work on my piercing skills and this will allow me to do that while also honing other skills at the same time. Your creativity spikes when you’re working creatively, it just kind of feeds on itself. I’ve always liked that, you’ve probably figured that out if you've been reading my blog for any length of time. It’s also the reason I have so many sketches on envelope corners and backs of receipts! And the reason I have post its and sketchbooks all over the place. Speaking of sketches I still have several (or more) from my 25 sketches series that I know will find their way into light during my YOJ. I know this to be true, as Week number two has already done just that.

…….. and I've joined a triple hop/challenge. As you all know I make mostly one of pieces and do a decent amount of custom work. You’ve heard me soul search my pricing and marketing all while comparing apples to oranges when it comes to production work. I have hoops and crosses that serve as production pieces in my shop but not a comprehensive line. This challenge and the corresponding hops will remedy that. This also goes hand in hand with having joined the Artisan group as a cohesive line is a more professional look than a shop full of one ofs, even if they are all my favorites.

The first B’Sue Build a Line hop date is set for the 23rd so be sure to come back around to see what we’ve got going on! In the mean time here’s week two from Year of Jewelry and the sketch it was born from.

Rose Quartz, Garnet, & Gold Filigree Earrings

These are so pretty in person the combo of Rose Quartz and Garnets is just perfect with gold.

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We’ll see you next time, kids are back to college this week house is going to be really quiet.

25 Sketches: Number 8

On the desk I have beads pulled for several sketches, beads pulled for commissioned pieces and then the spin off designs that develop as I work on these things. Now, my brain needs clean for numbers, but it thrives on having beads everywhere for creating. The ideas come fast and easy when the beads are out, but there is a fine line between inspirational and overwhelm.

I received a couple packages from The Hole Bead Shoppe and House of Gems in the mail this last week... YAY Me!! Most of the beady goodness was placed with projects just waiting for this or that and then a couple new ideas sparked and beads came out for that and I crossed that line into overwhelm. I can work with a lot of beads out, but I couldn't even see my desk anymore! This is what it looked like AFTER I cleaned and put some things away. What you don't see are three stacks of trays to the left and two to the right or any of the tools that live on my desk! No the file doesn't live there, it lives in a drawer to the right.

There IS a desk under there somewhere!

Completely overwhelmed I had too many ideas, too many projects I wanted to play with right now and all my trays were in use. So I decided, I would work on one small sketch for earrings (they had been waiting on the Coral and Sterling Silver beads I got from House of Gems), then I'd play with the awesome kit I got from The Hole Bead Shoppe and then I could get to work on my idea for Stringing Magazine (that's one of those spin off/sparked ideas lol)

The small coral beads I got from House of Gems were perfect for the earrings I had drawn in sketch number 8. I had some Bali style silver drum beads I thought would look just gorgeous paired with some turquoise and coral and I think I was right, but I'll let you be the judge of that. I think these will be the matching earrings to an embroidered piece I'm getting ready to work on with lots more coral and turquoise! If it lives up to the design in my head it will be a stunner!! At the very least gorgeous :)

One of the things I ordered from House of Gems was a divided bead tray/organizer. I have several triangle trays and they are perfection for pouring beads back into their tubes or baggies but I have the really bad habit of setting tools down right next to them while they're full of beads. You guessed it, I flip a tray pretty much every time I use one, sigh. I've seen the little egg trays and water color paint trays used but I just knew I'd have the same problem of flipping them only multiplied! So when I saw this little gem I had to give him a go!

It's Lidded!! 

Yes, I am beading on top of the MacBook. You saw, I have NO room on the desk!  However, I did move the beads over on top of the sketch book right after I took this pic. I dropped a 2mm czech fp bead and it headed straight for the keyboard and gave me 2mm palpitations.

This little tray is cool! Not only is it a solid bottom with very little chance of flipping but it's lidded! That's right, I can close the lid and walk away without putting my beads away or worrying about the fur babies flipping trays while I'm not there to protect the little beadies.   It has 8 compartments so I can have beads for more than one project in it, say like now while I'm waiting for an order of more of those sweet beads, and I get to work on that necklace idea for a submittal to Stringing Magazine. AND because the compartments are triangular they pour back into baggies pretty nicely themselves. I haven't tried a tube yet but I've got several pulled for projects on the desk....

Design by Rae Burns of The Hole Bead Shoppe

Well, I'd better get going! I'm pretty sure there was one more thing on the to do list today if I can just remember what it was!! .....

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We'll see ya next time!

25 Sketches = Number 6

I know we're going a little backwards here but number seven beads were whispering such sweet nothings that I had to play with them first ...grin

Number Six of 25

the Backside & Clasp

I won the focal beads on the jewelry forum. My friend Anne was the host and she was sweet enough to call several of us winners!  As you can see I refined the sketch even more and cleaned up the lines. I actually have one more sketch where I worked out these lines, I'm a little more cautious with gold than I am with copper because when you're working with gold you ( read I ) don't want mistakes. Granted this is gold filled but it was over $100 an ounce there for awhile and I just assume not waste any.

25 Sketches #6

The earrings from Sketch number 7 have found their way into my Etsy store, I still have to wrangle the numbers for this one before it can go. And maybe a couple more photos. I think I may have finally got all the sugar taken care of on the camera so better photos are back! ::::knock on wood:::::

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We'll see ya next time!

25 Sketches #7

Skipping a sketch - not really it's still in progress on my desk but these gold and pink beads were calling. I've actually had this color combo on my radar for months and when I finally had them on my desk they demanded I play NOW!

I gave a preview of the beads on Facebook last week but it's been a busy time around here with lots of really good things happening and I kind of slacked on my Facebook postings. Here too obviously as it's Friday as I write this...ooops!

Beads!

Sketch number 7 & Beads

and the finished earrings!

Sketch number 7 Earrings

I rather like these and am really glad I decided to listen to those little beads. I'm also really enjoying working with my sketches again and am really happy to see them coming to fruition and am looking forward to sharing number 6 with you next week.

My advanced copy of Tammy Powley's book arrived and I have two pieces of jewelry on page 275! woohooo me! I bounced off the walls pretty good for a couple days off that one :) 

and...... today is my middle child's 21st birthday! We live in a dry county (No Alcohol - yes those places still exist) so we made a Rum run to the next county over and will be making Strawberry Daiquiris tonight. Normally birthday dinners are decided by the person whose birthday it is, but she doesn't seem to be able to decide what she wants...... so who knows what we'll be having. We may eat while she drinks lol 

All in all a good week! Here's hoping yours is/has been as well!

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We'll see ya next time!

25 Sketches

  Todays post offers up #s 2, 3, 4, & 5 of my series of 25 sketches. Ideas hoarded away and finding their way into the light of day.  IF you were actually looking for my Bead Soup Post it can be found HERE!

Brass Lotus/Fans

 Sketches two and three were a no brainer. My muse demanded designs in Boho and that they were. I’ve often said inspiration comes from everywhere. I sew or I did quite a lot when my kids were much smaller. So when they out grew some favorite piece of clothing I would try to find a way to extend its life. Sometimes it meant shirts turned into throw pillows, sometimes it meant pants were turned into shorts and sometimes I didn’t get to something in the mending basket before it was completely outgrown. This was the case with a pink poncho/shawl and an embroidered paisley pant leg - a favorite outfit of my younger daughter.  That long forgotten pant leg was the driving force behind the original sketches, Bead Soup the vehicle my Muse used to bring the idea to fruition. She’s a smart one and at times can be quite persistent, and I’m thankful for it! :)

Brass Paisley with Pearls and Leather Tassel

 I make what I love, which pretty much means everything in my shop is from my heart. But, as in all things, we evolve. From time to time there may be an item or two in my shop that no longer reflects my current abilities. Loving what I have made, it makes me sad to think I could do better. So I’ll add a small flourish, a twisted ring or two, a back plate, tighten a twist or a wrap,  and sometimes it means taking the piece back to the original idea I had in the first place before I ran in another direction with it! This is the case with the second two sketches I'm sharing today. 

Trio of Copper Hearts

 The trio of hearts has been in the shop for some time. While I loved the rustic feel of them - I’ve been leaning more in a romantic boho direction. Classics given a touch of whimsy and added elegance in twists and turns. 

This particular sketch was an idea I was playing with using a key as the focal but as I tightened the twists in the hearts I realized the twining in them was what was really needed for the trio.

Silver Hoops

The hoops were simply a matter of finally working out that a small jump ring was all I needed to give the ear wire the flex I wanted without sacrificing the arc. A V-8 moment if you will. I have a pair of woven hoops in the shop that may get the same treatment in time as they have the same type of ear wire.

I hope you've enjoyed your peek into a few more of my sketches and design processes. 5 down and 20 to go! 

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We'll see ya next time!

Unicorns and Pixie Dust

I subscribe to Notes from the Universe. I like starting my day with an uplifting note. Some days the notes really resonate with me, some days they just make me smile. Always positive I usually save them for last while reading my mail, to be sure I finish up on a good note.

Today I kind of jumped ahead, midway through reading my mail I opened my Note. It said:

When you consistently take the high road, Dana, do the right thing, and see the good in all, the ensuing onslaught of serendipities and coincidences that turn out in your great favor will likely qualify you for your own reality TV show.

Tallyho,
    The Universe
"Unicorns and Pixie Dust with your charmed host, Dana” 

I like serendipitous happenings, I like taking the high road (don’t always manage it, but I do like it) but most importantly, I like Unicorns and Pixie Dust! This note started my day off wonderfully! How could you not smile at that!

Speaking of fanciful flights of imagination - hows that for a segue? - I promised last week you’d get to see my first completed piece from my 25 sketches.

The sketch, originates from some old text ornamentation. You know those cool signature lines, paragraph breaks, etc I had wanted to see if I could translate one into wire. Sat down and worked out the pathways, decided it was doable and then moved on to some other inspiration or urgent matter that needed attending to. You all know how that works, this idea sparks that idea, sparks another, omg why is…..? What the heck happened to …….? You can fill in the blanks :)

Showing Alex how nice his cross had turned out, sparked a little burst of creativity. I just happened to have another choker I wasn’t so fond of and wanted to try a variation of the bale I had used for his cross. But what to use for a pendant? Oooh  I could so do a dragon! Off to take a peek around Pinterest for some inspiration. Found some really well done dragons, gorgeous wire work but not quite sparking anything for me. So I hit Google and find the Game of Thrones, I don’t watch but thought maybe some inspiration from there…..Celtic vibes brewing….. Celtic Dragon! I like that idea, hey I have a sketch that could work as a knot. Oh wait, not a dragon, the eye of a dragon, an all seeing talisman!

So I pulled the sketch out, and an eye, then a second eye. Worked up a second sketch and the results are what you see here.  Sketch number one of 25. This is going to be a good year, one filled with Pixie Dust and Unicorns, I can feel it!

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We’ll see ya next time!