What's the item on sale today?

You can find the daily "sale" item in my Etsy shop by clicking HERE.  I still have a handmade whimsy frame on sale as well.  If you have been looking for the perfect picture frame with "character" then this is just for you.  To see both items, click HERE.  

If while viewing my ETSY shop, you see an item you would like to go on sale, send me a message.  

Enjoy today's sale item and MaRcH to your drum.  

March and be true to your spirit.

Laugh, Love and Be thankful.

There are still three items on sale in my etsy shop.  Two of those items were posted in a previous blog post a few days ago.  Today's NEW sale item in my etsy shop is this beautiful reminder....

original price $25.00  ON SALE today for $15.00

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175056319/on-sale-laugh-love-be-thankful-painted

Blessings and love to you!

Happy 4th.... SALE!

HAPPY 4th of JULY SaLe!

I've been busy the last few days spending time with my family enjoying the weekend festivities and as a result haven't posted new sale items.  I've went through my etsy shop and chose a few items to place on sale for today.  Because I haven't posted new sale items daily, each day I will take one of them away and add another.  So you have a few opportunities to catch items on sale!

The first item for sale is this lovely blue and green glass wind chime.  

Original Price $45...  ON SALE for $30!

The sound of glass wind chimes is definitely one of my favorite sounds, not something I can place into words.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175742193/on-sale-blue-and-green-glass-wind-chime

Mother of Pearl and Electric blue wire ring

Original Price $8.00   ON SALE $5.00

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100818452/on-sale-hexagon-mother-of-pearl-and-wire?ref=listing-shop-header-3

Rose and Quote pendant

Original price $15.00  ON SALE $12.00

This pendant is double sided.  On one side is a beautiful red rose and on the other side is a recycled Yogi tea bag quote:  Socialize with compassion, kindness and grace.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/40579805/on-sale-red-rose-and-quote-pendant?ref=shop_home_active_1

 

Electric blue octopus earrings

Original price $20.00  ON SALE $15.00

https://www.etsy.com/listing/77674111/on-sale-electric-blue-octopus-earrings?ref=shop_home_active_4

Red and Black chain dangles

Original price $19.00  ON SALE $15.00

https://www.etsy.com/listing/79289658/on-sale-red-and-black-chain-dangles?ref=listing-shop-header-4

ENJOY!  

SaLE!

So, I didn't post my daily sale items in my ETSY shop for a few days.  I have been a little slack...really just busy with other stuff.  As a result of my busy schedule, I've decided to post 4 items on sale today.  Each day I will remove one of the four items and list a new sale item...until FRIDAY.  If you have an item you would like to see go on sale please place them in the comments.  It could be your lucky day!

Sunset Glass Wind Chime Original Price $45

ON SALE $30

 Green and Black Octopus Earrings

Original price $20  ON SALE $15

Double sided pendant:  Colorful leaves and Rock out

Original Price $18  ON SALE $12

  

Peace Magnet

Original Price $8.00  ON SALE $5.00

Did someone say SALE?

Here's today's sale offerings in my etsy shop...  ENJOY!

Black and red octopus earrings  on sale TODAY $15.00

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/79103696/red-black-octopus-earrings?ref=shop_home_active_1

Purple carved agate hemp necklace on sale TODAY $10

https://www.etsy.com/listing/96864048/my-third-eye-hemp-necklace?ref=related-1

up, Up, UP and aWay.

This magical sculpture is on sale today in my etsy shop.  Today only.

I've been treasured...

Blue.  Circles.  Handmade.  Art.  It's a great feeling to be treasured.

My etsy team member, Tina Cauthorn, placed my blue window flower in this lovely treasury.  When you have a chance check out these amazing shops on Etsy.

Please be sure to stop in to her shop too.  She creates wonderful frames out of buttons along with other fabulous button creations.  Here's the link to her etsy shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/allbuttonedupbytina

Celebrating Spring

I love spring!  The items I chose for my treasury today are in celebration of spring and growth.  I love these items and these shops,  I hope you do too.  ♥ENJOY♥

Celebrating purple and green...

I am involved in a few teams on Etsy and I have found them to be quite wonderful.  I have met some really great people and found some awesome shops by being part of the teams on etsy.  I love that etsy is such a supportive community and that there is such a variety of art forms.

Today a member of one of my teams featured my "Mountains" necklace that has fluorite, aventurine and amethyst in it.  Please take a look at this lovely collection...

Looking for something fun to do this weekend?  Bring the family for some fun at the Lewisville Easter Festival and start your mother's day shopping early.  I am a vendor at this fabulous event and will have a variety of my handmade goodies for sale.  Stop by to see me...

Clutter free and feeling GOOD!

During and after festival season, I was left feeling a little overwhelmed and exacerbated by the season itself and my surroundings.  Holiday time was here and of course it was also festival season.  My creative space, where all the magic is supposed to happen, seemed to be the dump site for anything and everything.  In between shows I wasn't able to keep my space tidy and by the end it became a mess to say the least.  I couldn't even open the door!  I  couldn't create and my magic left me.

I don't know about you but I HATE clutter.  I have found that it not only causes distractions in my work space but it also causes my mind and spirit to be cluttered and then I feel defeated and drained.  Cumbersome is the word that comes to mind.  I certainly can't create in a cluttered environment.

I promised myself that I would start cleaning out my room and make it a workable space again once the holidays were over.  I have to admit that I felt overwhelmed just thinking about it and because of that it took longer than I would have liked or expected. The task took me over a month but I finally did it!!

BEFORE.....

         

standing in the doorway of my studio looking
at contents of my studio lining the hallway

standing in my kitchen looking at
the contents of my studio
lining the rest of the hallway
outside of my room

standing in the doorway looking
in my studio

                                                

another view of my CLUTTERED studio from the doorway

standing on the chair - a view of my "stuff" on the floor and surrounding work tables

AFTER...

After cleaning...  clutter free, clean work space
My bead table

Another work table in my studio
with my books, supplies and tools

Clutter free soldering work table

So, the next time you are feeling a little overwhelmed, take a look around you.  Is the space cluttered?  Is it filled with too many distractions or things?  I promise you that if you clean up and get rid of things you will feel MUCH BETTER!  I started on this tedious project shortly after the new year and I vowed on my birthday (2/21) that no matter what I would have it done by the end of the week.  I completed the task late Thursday evening, 2 days later.  I awoke on Friday the 24th with a smile on my face and the first thought in my mind was how nice and refreshing it was to have a clean studio.  Now it's time to make some magic.  Magic for you and magic for me.

To love and be loved

(Bouquet of Flowers fused glass pendant)

V-Day, Valentine's Day, Lover's day, The day of love....

I have heard all of these names before and countless others. Personally, I think we put too much energy and money into one day of love. Is this what we have resorted to, one day of selfless love and giving? What happened to showing love everyday? I know I may be taking it a little too far. But then again maybe I'm not.

(Rose wired button ring)

Yesterday as I sat making my husband and children a handmade card there was one main thought running through my mind... Do I show them enough how much I love them? What can I do to make each day better? What can I do that is greater than what I already do?

I know my children know they are loved. I also know that my husband and I both shower them with love and affection everyday. But I'm sure we can do more. We have daily signs of love. We sit down at the table for dinner as a family and discuss our day almost every night of the week. We don't leave the house without giving them a hug and a kiss and telling them how much we love them. On the way to school we go around the car and state what we are thankful for in each person. Most importantly, we teach them. We teach them the skills they need to be self-sufficient, better people and successful. We discipline them and correct them when they have made a mistake. We celebrate their successes and discuss how to correct a mistake when one is made. When I think about the love and lessons my parent's taught me, I'm filled with so much gratitude and love. They gave me the greatest gift by preparing me for the future and a living example on how to raise my children.

Now I move on to my husband. It seems in the hustle of life there are times when our spouse is the one who is forgotten. I think I do a fairly good job at showing Shayne how much he is loved but I can do better. Love began here and without it I wouldn't have my two beautiful children that I adore so much. So I realize that I need to do more to make him feel loved and adored. Because the truth is I do. I still light up when he walks in the room and inwardly smile that I am so blessed. 17 years later and I still feel like the 19 year old girl that fell so hard for a 18 year old boy. I am truly blessed.

So, I encourage you to show the people in your life that you care about them each and everyday not just on Valentine's day.

(the fused glass bouquet of flowers and rose ring pictured above are handmade by me and can be found at a.l.o.e in Lewisville, NC. http://www.aloeoflewisville.com/default.html or visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/aloeoflewisville)

Show yourself some love too. ;)

Happy SPRING!

I have been creating a lot over the last few weeks. Spring always gets my creative juices flowing! I love the scents in the air, the new growth on the trees and ground, all of the flowers and flowering trees, the birds singing....what can I say I LOVE SPRING! I was recently in an Easter Festival and wanted to share some of the new pieces of jewelry I created that sold in the festival. Over the next few weeks I will be listing some new items in my ETSY store (http://www.whimsicaljewels.etsy.com/)

If you would like a custom order, want to book a house party, have a girls night out making jewelry or have a beaded birthday party for your child please contact me at whimsicaljewels@rocketmail.com

ENJOY~

Necklace and Earring Set:

Aqua Millifiorie glass with coral chips and blue seed beads

Purple glass earrings

MOP Black Shell Earrings with cubed dark pink glass

Tribal Leaf Bone bead with black and white bone beads on leather

Hurricane Wired Earrings with Rosaline faceted bead inside

Wired Star Earrings

Light Green Foiled glass with grey glass pearls and aventurine stone chips

If you have been inspired by someone else's work or have an artist you would like to recommend to be featured on my blog please email me at: whimsicaljewels@rocketmail.com

Featuring Sea Glass Artist: Amy McDonald!!!!

I am very excited to introduce, Amy McDonald, a talented Sea Glass Jewelry artist. Along with enjoying my own personal piece of jewelry made by Amy, I had the opportunity to interview Amy regarding her life and art to find out a little more about what inspires her.

Amy lives in Maine where there is a lot of snow and plenty of availability for inspiration. Besides being a jewelry artist, Amy is a full time mother of 3 and a hair stylist. Her husband is a BIG hunter and total outdoors man and her kids are 16, 12, and 1.

Amy's beautiful work can be found on Etsy, which features handcrafted artists around the globe. Her Etsy shop called, Sea Treasures by Amylee, can be found @ http://www.amylee34.etsy.com. Amy's pieces are made of Sea Glass found from the beaches in Maine. She absolutely loves making Sea Glass Jewelry and has spent a lot of time locating each piece of glass for her jewelry.

In Amy's words, "Up here in Maine we have lots of beaches, so my whole life I have beach combed and collected sea glass. My fondest memories are of being with my grandparents as a little girl and walking the beaches every weekend picking up sea glass. Well, I'm 34 now with LOTS of SEA GLASS. Being a stay at home mom I have found my creative outlet. I wanted to have a lot of jewelry but didn't want to pay their prices. Everywhere I went I found pieces I didn't care for and they were expensive, so I started my own line! I think I have always had a passion for this, in high school I took a pottery class and instead of making bowls and cups, etc. I made a beaded necklace. I think I get inspired easily, there are a lot of things that are so beautiful it gets me thinking, weather it's my catchy names for my pieces, or wonderful colors on a bird. My favorite color is purple and I love browns and aquas together. I have a work shop down in our finished basement with a drill press, (it's my husbands that I took over) but my creating happens in our dining room, it has much better light. My absolute favorite thing to work with is the glass. Holding it up to the light and finding just the right beads. It's a great thing. I was very nervous to have a shop on Etsy, I thought what if I don't sell anything or what if people don't like my items, but the experience has been wonderful, everyone has been so nice, and supportive of one another. Lots of helpful tips to be shared. The thing that I find to have helped me a lot are my pictures of the items, you really need to use props that really make your item stand out. When I did that I started to get more views and hearts and even SALES. "

Amy feels it is very important to buy handmade to support other artists and their talents, knowing every item is made with love and that the artist is sharing this with everyone. Amy says, "I hope everyone who purchases an item from me loves it as much as I did making it."

Besides being found on Etsy, Amy can be found at one of the largest craft fairs in Augusta Maine, located at the Augusta Civic Center November 28-29, 2009. If you live close by please stop by and see her beautiful work. If not please be sure to check out her lovely Etsy shop, I know you won't be sorry.

Introducing LINDA BLATCHFORD, Jewelry Designer Chic!

Linda resides in Illinois and tells us she is addicted to beading. She also loves making cards (stamping and gluing) and reading. She is a proud member of EtsyBead Team and EtsyChai Team.

Linda's beautiful creations can be found at the following web addresses:

http://www.lindab142.etsy.com/
http://linorstore.com/
http://myspace.com/lindab142
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/LinorStorecom-creations-by-Linda-B/32359586098?ref=ts
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24930325@N03/

She also has a blog that displays her beautiful work and other handmade artists that she enjoys. Please visit her blog at: http://linorstorecom.blogspot.com/

As a child Linda recalls her first experience making a handcrafted item as "stringing pony beads on plastic wire. I remember pink beads. I made it in a class, I think, or in brownies craft event." A love for beading started and she has found her favorite creative past time is beading.

Linda's source of Inspiration comes from the "colors and textures of gemstone beads and their healing characteristics. Her ideas begin from looking at beads and laying out the colors, beginning a pattern. I also subscribe to bead magazines and make my own designs from some of their examples, an adaptable, never a copy." Linda's favorite materials to work with are "Jasper and other gemstones, sterling spacers and bold beautiful colors. I like weird color combinations." Her favorite color combinations are turquoise and green.

Linda shared with us that she has learned some valuable lessons from other artists. She has learned tips on taking good photographs of her jewelry designs and states she is still learning. She has also learned tips on marketing and sharing with others.

Linda has recently read some good books that she would like to pass on:

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz

The Burnt House by Faye Kellerman

The Gate House by Nelson DeMille

Linda supports buying handmade items and feels "individuals are designing quality materials and invested time and money into their passion. I consider it an honor for someone to be wearing one of my designs. Buying handmade helps the small business owner." Linda hopes that in ten years she will be working part-time, an expert blogger and a full-time etsy seller.


We appreciate her sharing her source of creativity and inspiration and hope all of you enjoyed it as well.

Featuring POTTERY BY AMY!!

Introducing Amy Loggains...

I was born in Greensboro, NC and have lived here in the Triad all of my life.
I like calling North Carolina home! My husband and I currently live in High Point and have one daughter who still lives at home. Our son lives in British Columbia with his lovely Canadian bride, and our other daughter and her husband are currently teaching English in South Korea.

What are the web addresses people can find you at? (website, etsy, blog, flickr)
You can view some of my pottery at this address.
http://picasaweb.google.com/POTTERYBYAMY/2008PotteryByAmy

Amy's pottery can be purchased at:

C J's Boutique - a Handcrafted Gallery

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Suite 7A

Clemmons, NC 27012

Boutique hours: Tues - Fri 10 - 6 and Sat 10 - 3

AND

http://picasaweb.google.com/POTTERYBYAMY/2008PotteryByAmy

What is your favorite color combination?
I kind of go through cycles. Right now, I love the brown & teal glazes together.

What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it?
I remember making pot holders out of those stretchy loops of material.
I think I must have been about 8 or 10 years old. What a cool feeling to make something with my own hands - selecting each strand of color - and then my mother actually kept them and used it for many years!

What inspires you?
Ideas mostly.

Where do your ideas come from?
I see everyday things that have interesting textures or shapes that I think, "I wonder what that would look like if I......" So I just try it. Sometimes, I just try to make things out of pottery that I've never seen or heard of anyone doing before. I made a North Carolina map puzzle which has all 100 counties of NC. Weird I know.

Does the atmosphere affect your creativity?
It does to some extent but my frame of mind has more of an effect I think.

Where do you create, in a workroom/ studio or in a park?
I use the studio at the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center.

What are your favorite materials?
Clay is not very exciting, but I like to use different items to imprint or shape it, that are unique.

What is your favorite thing to do with your creativity?
I enjoy finding a different technique or imprint or shape, that is pleasing to me, but that maybe no one else has thought of using or doing that way before. Making business card holders is one example. I had never seen a pottery business card holder but I thought - why not give it a try... and it worked.

Why should people buy handmade?
I think it's cool to look at a piece and know it wasn't stamped out of some machine with 10,000 other ones just like it. Every piece of pottery I make is "one of a kind". For me pottery is an opportunity to break free of the constraints of precision and sameness and just try what ever idea is in my head that day and see what happens!

Any tips of wisdom on selling handmade stuff?
I really have no experience in this, but it does seem to me that a place like CJ's with a collection of many kinds of handmade goods - could be a good thing. I'm hoping so!

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I draw buildings.

What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists?
Don't be afraid to try something new.

Read any good books lately?
Yes, my husband and I have been married 29 years, but our daughter just got married last month, so we've been reading books on marriage lately. "The most important year in a woman's life/the most important year in a man's life" is a great book for newlyweds or soon to weds.

Do you have any current projects that you want to describe, techniques to share, give picture of?

I've attached a picture & description of a french butter keeper and how it works.
One of the things that made me want to take a turn at pottery, was the french butter keeper.

What a clever little things these are - I loved the concept of not having to refrigerate butter to keep it from spoiling - but to have soft yummy spreadable butter right there on the countertop ready to spread on toast or what ever. I had seen a very few of these "french butter keepers" in a shop in Seagrove, but there was not much selection and although I loved the concept and design - none of the colors or styles appealed to me. So I set out to make a french butter keeper for myself and friends & family who also loved the idea of keeping fresh soft spreadable butter.

***In ten years I'd like to be...
Living outside the city limits in a more rural setting with enough land to romp around through the woods with my future grandchildren and teaching them to enjoy the simple joys that so often are never noticed in a more fast paced complicated lifestyle..