Happy Customers Are Happy

Happy Spring - well, there's still a lot of snow on the ground, but it's warmer than 50F outside and the windows are open! Listening to the Mourning Doves cooing outside in the trees and getting ready to head down to Georgia next week for a Spring Equinox weekend craft show.

Before I get into the whats what for the upcoming show (do that in the next blog later this week), I have some pictures and stories to show & tell you today first.

Ready?

Ok.

This is Hildreth. She's practices Rosen Bodywork and makes the most adorable teddy bears and elegant aprons. (Right now, you have to contact her directly to get one) She bought the earrings in my Etsy store and then got the necklace a few months later at a home Jewelry Party. I traded a couple massage sessions for half of it...

I just love the combination on her. Don't you? I think we both did pretty well.

This is the finger of Chris. Chris found this stone, had it cut, contacted me on Etsy, sent me the stone (from another country), I made the ring with it and sent it back. I love it when a plan comes together!

Doesn't that look great? That's a 9mm Peridot, and one of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen! Very happy customer. Very happy ring maker!

This is Lisa. Her daughter came to the last Winter Tight Knit in Troy and got this for her mom because, as the story goes - the way it was told to me, her mom's birthday is St. Patrick's Day. Oh, and because she thought her mom would like it and the colors were right for her.

I think it was a great choice. So does Lisa. Yay! Glad Lisa sent me pictures too!

You know, these last few months, I've actually made quite a few custom rings (all but one via the internets only and never meeting) all with very happy customers as the end result. I don't have pictures of those other rings on fingers but; if you just happen to be one of those someones who has some jewelry I made; you are more than welcome to send me pictures for inclusion here (or just so I can see it on you if you're shy).

Of course, I'd like you to feel free to get in touch if you happen to want a custom something or other too. Naturally. Or, if you want to host a Jewelry Party. Or, if you just want to say: Hi! It's all good.

Ok. Gotta get some other stuff done... So...

Thanks today to our three lovely models for letting me use their pictures! And...

If you're in Utah, go get a massage and a teddy bear from Hildreth! If you're - well - anywhere, and could use a little social media marketing and management help, Lisa is the one to e-mail!

Now, go enjoy the day!

New Shows Added

Looks like I'll be selling jewelry in Beacon in one more place:

The Hudson River Market. On Saturdays through Fall, at the lot between Hudson Beach Glass and Riverwinds starting at 10am. I'll have a booth on May 2nd, 16th and 23rd. That's this Saturday, in two weeks and again the week after that. 

I hope to see a lot of you at one of those and, if you're in the Atlanta area, I'll be at the Hatch Market Mother's Day weekend in Griffin, GA. I have booth number 40 in the pass through to the Garden area (first one on the left as you head to the Garden). 

Made a whole new Spring flower collection for the Mother's Day weekend show and finished up my pearl Spring Wedding collection as well. New stuff debuting at that show, so if you're in the area, be sure to come by and get the ones that works for you. 

Here's a few pictures of the Spring Flowers collection:

I'll be taking whatever doesn't sell in GA to the second Beacon Hudson River Market date, so you can get some of it there too  - if there's any left;]

And don't forget to come by Paper Presence on Sunday, May 3rd for your own custom made picture pendant necklace. For Mom or for yourself. 

They Say It's Spring, The Birds Are Light As a Feather...

Hmmm... not sure that's how it actually goes, but I'm in the mood for a little Blossom Dearie. Took my mother to see her play when she was out here visiting a couple years back. She's still a pistol that Blossom!

 

It's been snowing a little here today, but I sure feel the Spring coming on. You know that feeling you get when the season is getting ready to change? A little antsy and rarin to go... I think that's what gets some people "Spring Cleaning"... it's like a Pre-Spring thing. The "Spring is Here" feeling is different. Once it's here, there's no staying inside! No concentrating on the work at hand. I think that's why I'm itching to make so much stuff right now.

 

As I type, there's a mostly finished necklace waiting for me to come back to it. Brass and green stones and beads with some of it OLD vintage and some of it newer. Charms and beads and lopsidedly balanced.

 

I'm a big fan of the lopsided. Always been an asymmetrical person. My face is lopsided. My hair is usually longer on one side. I have more earrings in one ear than the other. I even like to dress crooked when I feel I can get away with it.

 

Back in the day I even had my own look. No, Shabby chic was never my style, the way I put it together I used to call Hobo Chic:

 

Rayon traditional Chinese style shirt or dress and a skinny 20' or 30's silk tie around the collar or my neck; worn on top of well worn jeans or immaculate 60's pinstripe slacks, always with a huge buckle belt; and a 40's vintage semi bowler hat and High Tops just to make the look complete.

 

I still prefer mens clothes to women's. Loose fit to tight. Though, I do wear more of both of the latter these days. I seem to be wearing a lot less jewelry these days too - as I get older, I just don't put any on before I go anywhere. Ironic for someone who makes jewelry, noh? 

Well, when I was a master control operator for local TV, I didn't have a television... though, I did listen to a lot of music at home when I was a radio DJ... hmmm... and I did go out dancing a lot when I was choreographing and teaching fellow companymates technique... Ok. doesn't always follow. I almost never listen to music at home or go out dancing now... Maybe I'm just getting old?

AHHHHHHHH! I'm old!

Ok. Not really.  I'm actually what the kids call middle aged. No, wait. The kids call me old. Drat those kids!

So, I took some time to finish the necklace. Elegantly complicated. Convolute in it's simplicity. I'll get a picture or two in the next couple days and put it up for all to see next week. It's full of lucky charms. It's a March themed month. Everything I've been working on this month includes these gorgeous MOP pendants from the early to late 1940's that have real Four Leaf Clovers on them. I've got some imbedded in resin and mounted in Silver frames I plan to use for bracelets too. Right now, I'm mixing them with Copper and Brass, vintage and modern. There are leaves and horseshoes and coins; all wireworked into a dangling mess of beauty.

 

Let me know if you want one for your very own; I am now taking custom orders. I can even do some earrings if you want. I did some for the physical shop with the smaller MOP charms. Quite nice. Waiting for the replacement bulbs so I can get the pictures of the new stuff, but here's a look at the earrings and one necklace I did for the store:

 

Sterling Silver w/vintage Swarovski
Gold Fill with New Jade
Gold Fill w/vintage Japanese glass

I've got another Gold Fill necklace waiting to get photoed and Silver necklaces on the way... I better get busy! 

Ok. Off I go. Until next week...

The Spring in Your Bling

                                                               

Well,  it might be threatening to snow later in the day, but my amaryllis have leaves and Mourning Doves have started cooing me awake each morning, and I felt like changing my blog to lighter colors so, I think Spring is imminent! To prove it, I've been making things with leaves and flowers and rocks and watery stones. Then photographing them to show others - who may eventually want to give me money to have it all to themselves...  or to give to someone else they'd like to have it more. 

I've also been making things with gemstones that look like those other things mentioned above (which I'd show you, but I'm  having trouble getting the images to upload and move around properly. Apparently,  it's only all in the same alignment or they load in the different arrangement on top of the blog and can't be moved around. hmmm. can't find any help issues that address this so I guess you only get the one image today and my blog will not be as planned. Looks like I'm going to have to learn a little more HTML so I can make it do what I want - any help with this problem would  be appreciated!)

Oh, and I did my bead Spring cleaning last week. Anyone else Spring cleaning? Inclined to? Know what I'm talking about? The car gets it tomorrow. Oil change, tire rotation, a good vacuuming... tune up when it's actually warm outside and I don't have to stay in the waiting room cause I don't want to brave the weather to walk down to the store and back while they're working on my mode d'transport. 

Yes, Spring is coming. 

The legs are getting fidgety to take long walks in the woods... inspiration from nature leaps to my mind and into my fingers and voila, creation... the ideas are pouring into my brain so fast they're practically keeping me from sleeping! Unfortunately, I'm having to file most of them away for now as the other menial but necessary tasks of life must take precedence. Noh? Well, they do if I want to have a roof from under which to work! 

Ah, life on the road. Those were the days. Not a care in the world - except the car. Hoping this year is the turning when I get to rome around the country plying my wares. Anyone who wants me to come visit them better be ready to host a rockin jewelry party so I can afford to come out! Rockin? With enough people ready to buy some jewelry that my trip is paid for AND the bills for that month. Work will have to be missed after all...

Anybody? I'm ready! 

Falalalla Spring....