I was featured in a Treasury this weekend by the amazing PFordCustomJewelry. It was my first treasury and it felt good. Please take a moment to go by and look at it.
Peyote cuffs!
I also listed a new Custom Plaid Cuff because of it. It seemed to be a logical conclusion considering how often I get asked about them.
Friday Favorites: Things I Wanted
No theme today. Nothing but love. I liked these items. So I wanted to show them to everyone.
1. SimonDesigns / 2. GREENEYESdesigns
3. LuxuryJewelry / 4.DropsofPretty
5. poetryjewelry / 6. thegildedlily
7. katejonesjewelry / 8. Luv2Have
1. SimonDesigns / 2. GREENEYESdesigns
3. LuxuryJewelry / 4.DropsofPretty
5. poetryjewelry / 6. thegildedlily
7. katejonesjewelry / 8. Luv2Have
Friday Favorites: Summer Time
It is summer time. Hurray! The sun is back. I am wearing little tops again. There are shorts, and I am actually getting a little bit of a tan. I am also looking forward to time at my aunt's beach house. So I wanted to bring a little sunshine to my blog:
1. sandmaiden / 2. SparklePeach
3. atouchofstardust / 4. princessbydesign
5. mylittleaura / 6. flowersbybluebird
7. LaFemmeDIY / 8. yarnlovertn
1. sandmaiden / 2. SparklePeach
3. atouchofstardust / 4. princessbydesign
5. mylittleaura / 6. flowersbybluebird
7. LaFemmeDIY / 8. yarnlovertn
The Amazing Laura McNab
So everyone has art or artist that inspire him or her, I actually have a few. But, the biggest influence I have had in my art is Laura McCabe. I was sticking primarily with flat peyote stitches to create jewelry. Then I saw the work that Laura had created. She did a workshop at one of my local beading stores. So I got the chance to get close to the glittering pieces. All of Laura’s pieces at the time included Swarovski crystal stones called rivolis. I love these. They are incredible. They sparkle. They glitter.
So I sat down with the book Laura wrote, a drink, and all of the necessary beads. I will admit that my first several attempts went the way of all beading disasters. It was jumbled. It got knotted. And, I got so frustrated that I poured a second drink. After a few months I sat down with someone who knew what they were doing and realized I don’t learn well from a book. But now the wrapped rivolis are a staple in my design. So I wanted to give a shout out to the people who help to inspire me.
Here is an example of her work:
So I sat down with the book Laura wrote, a drink, and all of the necessary beads. I will admit that my first several attempts went the way of all beading disasters. It was jumbled. It got knotted. And, I got so frustrated that I poured a second drink. After a few months I sat down with someone who knew what they were doing and realized I don’t learn well from a book. But now the wrapped rivolis are a staple in my design. So I wanted to give a shout out to the people who help to inspire me.
Here is an example of her work:
Business Sense: Vacation mode
Summer is coming up. The warm weather leads most of us to take time off. We leave our jobs, homes, and lives behind for a little bit of time without stress. It is that time where we don’t have to worry about picking up our mail. We don’t have to worry about bills getting paid. This is just time for us. So the last thing you want on your mind is your Etsy store. You want to know that the people who can find your store aren’t wondering where their goodies are. So I wanted you to consider the Vacation Mode.
First and foremost, there is the on and off switch. So I use this to preset my announcements. You are able to do this as soon as you know the dates of when you will be away.
Then there is a Vacation Announcement. It will replace the Shop Announcement your store currently displays. You want to make sure to have a few things. Have a short hello message, then an announcement of you Vacation. I usually put a title of the vacation. To be honest, I title everything. Then you want to add the dates. Give yourself an extra day or two at the beginning and the end of the vacation. You will need the dates to pack and unpack. Don’t rush.
Then there is a Convo Auto-Reply. This is the message anyone will get sent when they send you a Convo. This is important. If someone has a question about an item in your store, then you don’t want a potential client wondering if you care, because you do care. Take the time and write a letter to all potential clients. Let them know what dates you will be away from your store. Let them know a little about yourself. If you are open to it talk a little about your vacation at the end of the letter. Make sure you use the same dates as the announcements. Use the same vacation title.
First and foremost, there is the on and off switch. So I use this to preset my announcements. You are able to do this as soon as you know the dates of when you will be away.
Then there is a Vacation Announcement. It will replace the Shop Announcement your store currently displays. You want to make sure to have a few things. Have a short hello message, then an announcement of you Vacation. I usually put a title of the vacation. To be honest, I title everything. Then you want to add the dates. Give yourself an extra day or two at the beginning and the end of the vacation. You will need the dates to pack and unpack. Don’t rush.
Then there is a Convo Auto-Reply. This is the message anyone will get sent when they send you a Convo. This is important. If someone has a question about an item in your store, then you don’t want a potential client wondering if you care, because you do care. Take the time and write a letter to all potential clients. Let them know what dates you will be away from your store. Let them know a little about yourself. If you are open to it talk a little about your vacation at the end of the letter. Make sure you use the same dates as the announcements. Use the same vacation title.
Book Find: Creative Beading Series
After a long string of Bead & Button magazines, I ran across the "year's best" book. It is an amazing collection of all of the highlighted pieces from the year. And, I have to say there is a good reason these pieces were in a magazine.Each piece has several glamorous images of the piece. They also come with detailed photos and instructions on how to complete the piece. There are also variation options for you. It is a way to look at an item and find new ways to incorporate them into your designs.
I flipped through Volume 3 and have to say the wealth of inspiration was well deserved. I intend to have the entire collection. They are currently on five book. We are waiting on the sixth.
Here are the links to the books on Amazon:
Creative Beading
Creative Beading, Volume 2
Creative Beading, Volume 3
Creative Beading, Volume 4
Creative Beading, Volume 5
The Newest Pretties
So I spent most of this weekend listing new items. I managed to add four new Ring Blossoms, two new neckalces, and an embroidered cuff. The is a lot to get up and running. I still have a few more pieces to photograph and get up here. But I wanted to stop and take a moment to get my items out there. Maybe get some feedback on colors you would like to see in the Ring Blossoms. I realized I tend to do a lot in blue... if you can't tell it is my my favorite color.
My New Ring Blossoms:
My Newest Creations:
Bead Embroidered Cuffs:
My New Ring Blossoms:
My Newest Creations:
Bead Embroidered Cuffs: