Time for Indiemade Craft Market!

Saturday is the day. The 2nd Annual, Indiemade Craft Market in Allentown, PA. Last year was such a blast and I've been looking forward to this years event since, well, since the last one was over!

So, 10am is the time to be there... well, maybe earlier cause there was a line waiting to get in last year. Why? So you can Get yourself one of 50 swag bags - and a little catseye pendant made by me - and first dibs on all the handmade goods made by the wonderfully amazing talent that will be there. Yes, I am gushing. You will too...

It's at 1221 S. Front Street in the Starlight Ballroom. You can click on the Custom Adornments banner in the sidebar (under "Come See Me in December") for a map link to the show.

Hope to see you there - I have a new Copper and mostly 1950's Vintage Japanese Lampwork collection I made just for this show. So, if you come, you'll be one of the first ones to get a piece of it - or two...

I know you can't really tell what they look like from these pictures, but I think you can get something of an idea. 5 different beads ranging in date from 1948 to 1953. 6 different necklace and bracelet sets with at least two matching pairs of earrings for each set. First ones to look at them get the option to actually buy a full set, and a nice discount for getting a set instead of breaking them up. Because I'm sure they'll get broken up quickly, they usually do. So if you're coming to the Starlight on Saturday, and like your jewelry in sets (or want to give a different piece of the set to different friends or relatives), make sure you get there early for this new collection in Falltastic colors that are bright and big enough to wear during the winter and summer too.

Oh, and I haven't come up with a name for the collection yet. So, if you have any good ideas for this collection name, please feel free to post it in a comment. If you come up with a good one, that I wind up using, I'll make sure you get credit and a little thank you gift as well!

So, ya. Hope to see you Saturday!

Making New Jewelry for Indiemade

Allentown has been bery bery good to me...

From Scratch got off to a good 1st year start and it went so well, it looks like they're planning a second event in Spring. I'm looking forward to it already! Of course, if it weren't for the people who saw me at Indiemade last year and recommended me to the organizers, I wouldn't be there at all. So, THANKS Indiemade!

Speaking of which, I'm in the process of making some new jewelry that will be debuting there. At the December 5th Indiemade Craft Market that is. Here's a little sneak peak:

The beads are all early 1950's and Japanese in origin. All Lampwork beads by nature. Throwing in some gemstones too. See em? Yep. There they are. Haven't finalized the designs yet, but will be working on that today when I'm done with this... and once I do the dishes.

Oh, and it looks like I won't be able to do anymore Squish Markets til next year. Can't do this month after all and next month the date is earlier and conflicts with my first day up at the Tight Knit market up in Troy... oh well. I'll definitely do some more next year, but probably the next one will be in February cause I think I'll be at Tight Knit on the January date too. I'll keep you posted.

I will be at the Beth Am Temple in Pearl River NY this Sunday though and Phil has a show with the Children on Friday in The City - at Label. It's a store. I'll write more about that tomorrow when I know what time they plan to launch into song.

Speaking of which, PLEASE, click on the link for Phil's project and pledge all you can... let everyone you know know... and help him get his new CD made. All it takes is a contribution of $25 to be able to contribute your voice to his music... literally.

Thanks!

Oh ya. Phil's watercolor painting based necklaces are selling like hotcakes and he painted two more last night that I'm going to try finish up in necklace form to take with me this weekend... though, if I don't get them finished in time for that, I'll have them with me in Griffin, GA for sure... going to do a party trunk show at The Next Chapter Bookstore on N. Hill Street on Black Friday... look for those pictures later in the week or Monday before I drive South. More on that later too.

Toodles til the next update... toodley toodleee toodle

Yay! No More Baseball!

Ok. So, I went to a lot of games as a child - Anaheim A's mostly - and played of course. It was required. My sister was almost blinded playing softball, but that has nothing to do with it. I've just always found the game boring and, well, really boring. Now, Hurling. There's an exciting sport!

Apple pie is ok, but I like Blackberry, Raspberry and Boysenberry, oh, and Olallieberry, pie way better. You can mix a little bit of apple in with the berries and it's good pie. But no sugar. Honey and maple syrup if you have to. Really ripe (NOT East Coast grown) Blackberries can go without the sweetener. Yummmy! Used to get excellent Real Key Lime pie with Tequila Raspberry sauce when I was in Blacksburg... too bad that restaurant didn't last... that was amazing!

Ya. So, anyway; now that the world series is no longer on Fox at primetime, I can watch some of my shows again! Yay!

Sad, noh?

Ok. I don't just sit around watching TV all day! I sit around watching movies too. AND making jewelry while I watch the vidiot box. It's kind of like listening to the radio while I work. Since my current working conditions are so confined, my largest and most convenient workspot is the coffee table so, I usually watch a little whatever for background and entertainment while I create. If that's weird, well... I am a little. weehhhheeeeeeee.

I did make some new rings today - while watching a marathon of the David Tenant Dr. Who - with Martha. Missed most of those, so caught up a little. And made these rings in the process:



All Gold Fill, mostly 14KGF but two of the rings have some 18 gauge that's only 12KGF. Lessee, the front row left is a super twisty with 4 strands of wire and three 4 mm stones (Garnet, Hessonite Garnet and Citrine); middle front is a 6mm lab grown Alexandrite; right front is an 8mm Natural Black Spinel; middle row left is a Labradorite (and the color just did not come out in the shot, it's soooo blue!); middle right is a lab grown Blue Zircon; in the back is a lab grown Ruby. All on the small size side (between 4 & 6.5) round the finger, and all but the Ruby one pretty substantial round the stone. Yah. If I don't sell them tomorrow, I'll take some better pictures...

Even this one of the Labradorite isn't as good as it should be, but at least it shows the color better:



Only cropped the size on this. Didn't tweek it at all. But it's a little blurry so you can't see the facets too well. It really does show that blue. Only a 5 1/2 though... no, really. I didn't play with the color at all in that picture!

OK. So, that's the new stuff. Would have had more but I spent all of the first four days of the week making tiny little pendants for Swag for the Indiemade Craft Market in a month. Gotta get them mailed out on Monday...

Right, so if you like the rings and live close enough to drive to Beacon NY tomorrow (that's November 7th if you aren't sure what day I wrote this), and want to try some of them new rings on and maybe buy one or two; I'll be at the Elant at Fishkill Holiday Craft Fair from 10am to 4pm. That's at 22 Robert Kasin Way which is just North of the Beacon exit off I-84 up 9D, or just North of the I-84 on 9D. Hopefully there will be adequate signage, but there's a map right here and linked to the "Where I'll Be" in the sidebar too.

So, that's what's on my mind, just got made, and where I'll be this weekend. Hopefully you've enjoyed it and I'll see you one of these weekends soon.

Squishy Halloween!

Well, my really cool spider cut gemstones didn't arrive in time for me to make the amazing spider rings I intended, but I'm still going to be at the Squish Artists Market on Saturday. With some new rings. Just not ones with spiders cut into the bottom of the facets (they look soooo cool!) If I have time to make them before next weekend, I'll put them up in my Etsy shop. But don't hold your breath.

I have a lot of stuff to do and get made cause I have shows every weekend until Xmas... and I never got around to making my fall collections, so I have to hustle a little bit... and make some swag for IndieMade too... ya... I think I'll be lucky to get my laundry done!

I just added a bunch of stuff to my Etsy store though - that I meant to put up like a year ago - and have a few more things to list this week and next week and the week after. So keep your eyes peeled for new listings... or, if you twitter, you can follow me and get tweeted every time a listing gets added to my store so you know exactly what's new ... And you can find out when I post new pictures to my Flickr page... And when I put up a new blog posting. Like this one.

Ok, well, I have to get some stuff made and try to clean up my hovel a little bit today, among other things, so I better leave it here.

Hope to see you at Squish Saturday (1-7pm 3rd Street, Brooklyn) and maybe at some other shows and markets in the near future too. Thankfully, none of them will be outside - did I mention I got sick from being out all day in winter weather last weekend? Well, it was pretty out... and I did get a lot of fresh air... and met some nice people... and lost the feeling in my extremities and slept all day the next two days...

This is my tent at The Fall Foliage Festival in Highland Falls last Saturday, BRRRRR!

(this picture has been lightened and brightened; it was really cold and dark that day; it sleeted!)

Yay indoor markets!

This Weekend in Where I'm At

Well, this weekend isn't going to be at Squish. Sorry. I will be doing another one later in the year, but I'm going for the much-lower-priced-to-be-part-of small local event this weekend instead.

This will be a first and it might wind up being a good one. You just never know!

Where you ask? Well, I'll tell you:

I'll be at the Secaucus Public Library's Mini Fair and Book Sale. 10am-3pm and it's at the Secaucus Public Library. Which is at 1379 Paterson Plank Road in Secaucus, NJ (07094 in case you want to map it).

Won't have my tent, but my banner will be on the table so, if you're in NJ and want to come see me, please do!

Oh, and for everyone in PA, I'm doing the Indiemade Market again this December (the 5th) and a new one (also in Allentown), From Scratch, on the 14th of November. Plus, I have an in Gallery Jewelry Party coming up on the 11th of October in Beacon.

More details on all that later though. I'm adding brooches to my online store this week and I have one more to get up there. So, I'm off to write a description and crop some photos. Oh, and I have some jewelry I have to get made too!

Hurray!

Saturdays in Beacon... And Then...

Well, it looks like you'll be able to find me in Beacon for the next 5 Saturdays... then skip the 4th of July... and I'll be there on July 11th too.

THEN, I'll be skipping the state to head West.

Stopping in Arkansas for my exceptionally talented friend Bethany's wedding, maybe scooping up some diamonds the day afterward...

Then jetting over to Albuquerque to drop in on a friend or two before scooting on up to Utah to vend at a couple of Sundays at the Park Silly Market, set up at a few Jewelry Parties, and gear up for a couple selling days at a retreat.

If I can swing it before he flies off to Scotland, I might even bolt up to Montana to visit Bill, and take a side trip for some Garnets before going back down to Utah.

If it wasn't for the crazy heat of mid-Summer in the desert, I'd take a serious side trip to dig up some Opals too... leave that for an earlier - or later - time of the year I think.

Then, when I get back up here, probably be at the Hudson River Market on Saturdays through the last one in September or so.

Still waiting to hear back, but I might be in Georgia again mid-September... I'll let you know when I know.

And I might do a thing in Albany in October. Again, let you know...

Then, for almost for sure, I'll be at this year's Indiemade Craft Market in Allentown. Had such a great time last year, I wouldn't miss this year's!

So, if you're going to be near any of those markets or shows, please stop over and say: HI! Otherwise, if you want to have me stop at your place on the way anywhere in between shows for your very own Trunk Show/Jewelry Party, let me know. {You know that I'd rather attend your parties most of the year, anyway;}

And that's pretty much the rest of my year so far.

So...

To recap:

You can catch me every Saturday until July and then again on July 11th on Main Street in Beacon at the Hudson River Market.

I'll be at Park Silly in Park City, Utah the last Sunday in July and the 2nd Sunday in August.

Back to the Hudson River Market.

Might be at Shakerag in September.

Possibly in Albany in October.

Probably at Indiemade the first Saturday of December.

Hopefully, at a whole lot of people's parties in between all those, and preferably for most of October and November. If you want to be one of those peoples, you might want to start planning now. Time is starting to fly already;}

Oh yah, I just finished a bunch of necklaces for Raindance too. I'll be delivering them this Saturday if you want to head over and get yours before they're gone, here's a preview:

From Creative Living 101 (aka It's Art, Damnit!)

Some great Candisa beads from the early 50's (you really can't see how gorgeous they are until you see them in person), and some other gorgeous old Venetian beads on these as well. Plus some precious gemstones and higher end semiprecious (Emerald on one, Larimar, Turquoise, Lapis, & Sugilite on others). 7 new necklaces for this round - all with 40's or 50's Venetian beads - and I'll probably whip up some new necklaces and earrings to deliver to Raindance before I head off to Utah as well. [Remember; I'm only doing this necklace style for Raindance, so if you like what you see, you have to get yours there. It's an exclusive, dontcha know...]

Ok. So that's the news and up and comings. [Can you tell I plan to be a little too busy to type up more than one or two of these before I head out in July?]

Hope to run into a bunch of you in the coming months, one way or the other, and all the best to everyone til then!

Indiemade Craft Market Report

Well done Ann and Terri! 

No one could believe it was the first ever... not the vendors, not the attendees. It was crowded and really well organized and great vendors were selected to be there. Of course, being only the third of my year's experiences for shows, I don't have quite as much experience as a vendor. But, all the more experienced that I spoke to concurred with me on that point. There were even a lot of great customers there I would love to see again! It was a great show, and everyone said so to the organizers as they were packing up and heading home too - I heard quite a few of them. 

Another one is planned for June and of course a repeat of the December show as well next year. I've already expressed interest in being at both. I'll let you know. 

Yes, a good show also means I sold a bit of jewelry - and gave out even more cards. The music was pretty good too, but the first of two was an acoustic lilith fair style cover band - yes, two chicks and their guitars - that eventually drove a few of us batty. Really, that was the only disappointment of the day though. 

Phil even helped out a lot. I'm really glad he was with me. 

And now for the pics:

Phil was sitting right infront of that vintage santa poster and, of course, now has a close up of the poster on his phone. Some of his friends to now as well;} 

Thanks to everyone who was there. It was great to meet everyone and I hope I get the chance to run into you all again in the Summer, if not before! 

Getting Ready for Indiemade

Well, I'm powering through new designs and getting even more ideas right and left - most of which will have to wait until later, but that's how it often is. 

I just posted a whole slew of jewelry shots - all stuff I've made in the last couple weeks in preparation for the Indienade Craft Market on Sunday - on the Flickr... there's a slide show thing in the middle right of this page (next to the pic of the Citrine earring) if you want to click on it and check them out. Plus, here's a couple for you now: 

 

This is a brooch I made a couple of days ago with an AzuriteMalachite cabachon all hand wrapped in Sterling Silver. The pin base is steel for a stronger base though. I wrapped the Silver around it. Mostly this is Silver, and stone... and of course, as always, it's the only one. 

There are two of these, being earrings and all, but I only took a picture of one. It was really hard to get the color right. This is a 1940's Vintage Czechoslovakian Crackle Glass bead (that's the main theme for this show) with Citrine. The light on this eventually came out really nice and the Citrine just glowed. They're on 14K Gold Fill wire and hooks and the other earring swirls in the other direction. Don't snort... not all of them are mirrored like that...

Ok. I have to start scrounging for food to make dinner with and get back to the making. 

If you're in the Allentown, PA area on Sunday - grab your wallet and come on in! If you get there early enough, you'll get a swag bag - which will have one of my rings in it; and first dibs on all the new stuff. Bring lots of cash though. Not sure if I'll be able to connect to wifi and get the credit card thing goin. Not sure if anyone will. There's a lot of talent scheduled for this and unlike most of craft shows, there's a bar AND food to go with the live music and crafty sellers. 

Wish me luck and maybe I'll see someone I know... anybody? Hint, hint;}