Last Post for 2011 - Happy New Year 2012

This will be my last post of 2011.  I only started the blog late this year but have enjoyed having it.  My jewelry business has done really well this year, in my opinion, and I have gotten to know some really talented and interesting ladies along the way.  I am not one to make New Year's resolutions.  It is my opinion that if you feel that you need to change something in your life, there is nothing magical about doing it on January 1, but rather, you should do it whenever you feel like you should.

I want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year 2012 and give all of you a heartfelt thank you for all of the support you have given me this year. 

Pet Portraits

 Millie - Japanese Chin.  She owns Marti Conrad.

Taffy - Jack Russell - Owns Sophie Watson.

Taffy playing.

Bosley - Black Lab/Mix.  He owns Vickie Long

Bosley at Christmas.  Isn't that a sweet face?

Quincy - Tuxedo Cat.  He owns Marti Conrad.  They loaded in separatedly and I couldn't figure out how to get them together.  Oh well.

And, Vickie Long's, white cat.  She reports it is a stray that they have been feeding for some time.  Look at its beautiful blue eyes.  Do you think Frank Sinatra could be in there somewhere?

Thanks to all of you that sent in your pictures.  I love dogs and cats.  Life is easier without them, but it isn't worth living.

And, Ingrid Mueller's special dog, Moon.  He was a Malamute.  She lost him last Christmas.  I remember when he left her, she was devestated.  And, having lost many pets, I knew exactly how she felt. 

This is Minnie, her Pom.  (Millie, meet Minnie)

This is Timber.  She is a Belgian Turvuren just like my Mom's Maggie. 

This is Timber and Minnie. 

And, here is Lily and Cookie.  They own Nan Emmett.

And, Riley, also Nan's.

 

Send Me Pictures of Your Pets

I am still out of town and staying with Maggie, Mom's dog.  In the meantime, while I am waiting to get back to jewelry making, I would like to ask that you send me pictures of your special dogs or cats and I will make a post in the next few days featuring your pets.  You can send them to be through the convo feature of the etsy shop, or you can send it to me at jeanawells@kc.rr.com.

I will post the pictures that I have received on Friday morning.  If you are sending a picture, post a comment and let me know so I'll be sure to look for it.

Still eating leftovers.......I love them!

Delayed Plans to Go Home

 We were planning to go home tomorrow, but my Mom decided that she wanted to make a three day trip with my brother and his family to Galena, Illinois.  Well, Mom's dog, Maggie is 12 years old and became ill a couple of weeks ago with a bad inner ear problem.  She is weak and unbalanced and needs constant care right now so I am staying a few extra days to take care of her until Mom gets home.  When I say take care of her, I don't mean just feed and water her, but taking care of her includes sleeping beside her on the living room rug so that she does not get scared in the middle of the night.  Here is a picture of her.  She is a beautiful Belgian Turvuren and amazingly she gets along perfectly with all three of my Rottweilers.

Here she is with Sophie before she was ill.

Since I know that my dogs will want to sleep with me, I guess we will all sleep on the living room floor for the next few nights.  Like Mom used to tell me, we will be "snug as a bug in a rug."  I'm kind of looking forward to it.

Merry Christmas Everyone

We are settled in after traveling to Springfield, MO where I grew up and where most of my family still lives.  We had our first get-together at my  sister Karen's last evening for a gift exchange with another sister that won't be able to be with us on Christmas Day.  We are going to have a get-together at my brother Jimmy's this evening and then all of us will be together again tomorrow at Karen's again for Christmas tomorrow.  There are seven of us and our spouses and my Mom.  Dad is still alive, but I don't know if he will be joining us or not.  Eight grandchildren.  The oldest grandchild, Chris, is 25 and he just got married to Sonja at Thanksgiving.  They have two basset hound babies.

This is just about the cutest picture I've ever seen.

This is Jebadiah Boone, my boy.  He's two years old.

This is Justice Marie.  We don't know exactly how old she is, but she is very wise.

This is Sophia Suzanne.  We don't know how old she is either but she is younger than Justice and older than Jebadiah.  She is a real kisser - she can't control her licker.   They are all with us as we travel for Christmas.  We don't board them unless is is urgent that we do so. 

Winner of LMAJ Christmas Bracelet Giveaway

The winner of the Love My Art Jewelry Giveaway Christmas Bracelet was Christine of Sweet Girl.  If you will contact me through my etsy store, I will mail the bracelet to you.  As a reminder, here is a picture of the bracelet that Christine won!  Congratulations Christine.

Today's Pictures ....... Lariat Style Necklaces

I love lariat necklaces.  Always have.  I guess that's the cowgirl in me....I know that not all lariats are western or cowgirl style, but the ones I like the best are.  Over the past months, I have received some beautiful hand sculpted beads from two of my favorite stoneware artists, Natalie Pappas and Marti Conrad.  I wanted to make something with them that really made the beads stand out. 

The bird bead is by Natalie Pappas and the fish is by Marti Conrad.  I love the way they came out.  Not true lariat necklaces, they certainly are in the lariat style and I think the beads pop on these.  Let me know what you think of them. 

I Get So Excited When I Get New Findings.....

I recently ordered some ribbon clamp findings in a basketweave design.  I have had these in the past that would just wrap around a single width of leather, but I decided to go wide - actually I needed them for a project that I am working on which will be disclosed sometime in January, but in the meantime, I have been playing with them.  I also used the Kuchi buttons I recently received. 

This is what I came up with last night after I went to bed.  Yes, I generally take a basket of stuff to bed with me and make stuff until I get sleepy.

It is now listed in etsy.  I hope you like it.  I sure had fun making it.

I also made a lighter version of my "Fireworks" earrings as a special order last evening.  Some women can wear about anything from their ears, but there are some of us that need to stay with lighter earrings.  I made this version as a lighter version - the original Fireworks pair weighs 8 grams and this pair weighs 5 grams.  Now I can tell you that 5 grams is not very much. 

This is the lighter 5 gram version.

This is the heavier 8 gram version.

The difference is in the mirage or, as we called them in the 60s, mood beads.  The coating that changes color with temperature changes has been applied over metal in the 8 gram version and it has been applied over resin in the 5 gram version. 

We Have A Winner

I counted the entries and assigned an entry to each comment that fit the criteria and I came up with 12 entries.  I ran the random generator and it came up with the number 12.  I have seen other bloggers actually show a picture of the random generator's results on their announcement, but I don't know how to do that.  I guess you'll just have to trust me.  Anyway, the random generator came up with Entry #12 - Karen Totten.

Congratulations Karen.

SparrowSalvage Needs Our Help

SparrowSalvage has been involved in a terrible car crash in which her mother did not survive.  Fancifuldevices is spearheadding (is that a word?  Marina will know) a drive to help her by raffling off one of her beautiful pieces of jewelry.  If you can help, please follow the link below to donate.  We never know when it might be us that needs help.......  Sparrow lives in Australia and has an etsy shop.

Click here to help SparrowSalvage

Raku - What is It?

Encarta World English Dictionary defines Raku as

a pottery technique in which pots are raw-glazed at a low temperature then taken red-hot from the kiln and plunged in water or sawdust for reduction or carbonizing.  The process is quite interesting.  I had planned to do an instructional post on the process, but LMAJ has a guest artist today, Marianne Kasparian, that does Raku and her description is very good.  

I have been on a real "horse" streak lately and have been acquiring some really cool "horse" components.  This bracelet focal is by Star Spirit Studio finished with leather and copper with a turquoise charm and pistol charm.  The small round on the bracelet is also by Star Spirit Studio bt I have had the larger rounds for a couple of years and their creator is unknown to me.  Diane Long, published jewelry designer, made the copper bead caps used on the round raku beads.  I hope you enjoy.

Hop on over to the LMAJ blog to read more about the process of Raku.  You will find a link to the LMAJ blog in my blog list on the right.

Also, just a last reminder that this is the last day to comment for a chance to win the very first NECKLACE GIVEAWAY.  Scroll down to the post and leave your comment.  I will draw the winner after Midnight tonight. 

New Bracelets for Etsy

These will be listed over the next few days.  Focal and beads by Ingrid Mueller.  The copper clasp and findings made by me.

Focal by Marti Conrad.  The set she put together made it possible to make a set of matching earrings. 

Focal by Marti Conrad.  Beautiful rusty black glaze. 

'

SECOND POST OF THE DAY - A GIVEAWAY CHANCE ON LOVE MY ART JEWELRY BLOG

Just wanted to let you all know that you have a chance to win a piece of my jewelry, a Christmas bracelet, made with handmade beads and components, which is being given away on the Love My Art Jewelry Blog.  The winner will be chosen this coming Sunday, December 19.  Hurry to this LMAJ Blog Post to register for your chance to win.

This is a picture of the bracelet.

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER DRAWING FOR GIVEAWAY - NEW WABI SABI NECKLACE

First order of today's business - reminder to enter drawing for necklace.  To enter click HERE to go to Giveway post and leave comment according to the rules.

Nan Emmet of Spirited Earth does beautiful work.  At any given time, her store only has about 5 or 6 items in it because she sells as fast as she can list.  I have had these four beautiful beads for some time now and because of their larger size couldn't really figure out what to do with them.  After spending some time with them recently, I decided that they would be best spaced out on simple textured link chain.  I capped the "Wabi Sabi" beads with brass filigree bead caps on Vintaj brass wire.  From the large centered link I hung a charm with a French message, a beautiful pink peruvian opal drop and a connector made by Marti Conrad. 

Nan's beads are primarily a mauve pink with just touches of purple.  Marti's connector picks up beautifully on that purple and I added a purple glass pendulum bead at the bottom. 

I have named it Wabi Sabi.  Wabi sabi is:

• Unconventional
• Unassuming
• Unpretentious
• Understated
• Underplayed
• Undeclared
• Unencumbered
• Unmaterialistic.

FIRST GIVEAWAY - ARE YOU EXCITED? I AM!

I promised that when I had 12 members that I would have my first jewelry giveaway.  I am happy to report that I now have more than 12 members.   A BIG SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT JOINED.

This is what you are playing for:

Rules of entry:

Leave a comment about your own jewelry journey whether it be making components or finished jewelry -- 1 entry

Join this blog and leave a comment about joining -- 2 entries

Make a personal blog post about this giveaway -- 1 entry

Leave a comment about a blog that you follow -- 1 entry

Share this giveaway with a friend on Facebook -- 1 entry

Make a sidebar ad with this picture on your own blog -- 3 entries

Come up with your own idea of spreading the word about this giveaway and share that in a comment -- 1 entry

NOTE:  Be sure to comment on all the things you are doing so that I can correctly count the entries.

So, as you can see, it is possible to have more than one entry.  This giveaway will run through Saturday, December 17, 2011 at midnight.  That will give me a chance to get this necklace packaged up ready for mailing to its new home on Monday and it will also give this giveaway time to build some momentum (if it is going to). 

I am looking foward to getting to know you all much better and please remember that I am very easy to approach (at least I think I am).  Let's talk!

Jean

New Earrings - Black Onyx Crescent Moons and Saucer Shaped Glass Beads with Copper

These new earrings are now in the etsy store.  Contact me if you don't see the color you want.

Also, I now have 12 members (plus) so will be preparing a post offering a Giveway --- Yah!!!!!

It will be the necklace shown on the right with the red, blue and yellow ceramic beads and Vintaj pendant.  Watch for it in the next few days.

New Makins' -- Wrap Bracelet, Stoneware Earrings, Butterfly and Bee Bead

Have you noticed how popular wrap bracelets have become?

I have made and listed several recently.  This one is my newest. 

I recently received a fantastic lot of kuchi buttons from etsian UberKuchi.  They are amazing and perfect for use in this wrap. 

It is very simple -- just a ribbon and four buttons. 

I also made another version of my Steam Roller earrings.  These stoneware disc beads are also by Marti Conrad in a Robin's Egg Blue Glaze.  I just love this design.

Lastly for this post, I recreated a design that I made for my sister-in-law just after last Christmas.  She wanted something Egyptian and when Ingrid Mueller listed a nice Egyptian pendant, I got to work.  I recently received a really fun bead from Natalie Pappas that had a decaled butterfly on one side and a bee on the other side.  I loved the muted mauve and mustard yellow colors in the bead.  Below is a picture of Janie's necklace made a year ago and the new necklace made with Natlie's bead.

Don't you just love that bead.  You can see the bee in the last photograph. 

Necklace and Bracelet - Focals by Marsha Hedrick

Several months ago, I happened upon an Etsy shop owned by Marsha Hedrick.  The name of Marsha's shop is AmazingPorcelain.  Marsha is a registered Oklahoma Choctaw Artist that makes a variety of porcelain jewelry components.  But what caught my eye were some matte black pieces.  I have since learned that she hand digs native red clay from near Tucson, Arizona.  She then works the clay into something usable.  Apparently, it is not black when she digs it but she explains in one of her listings that it is high in iron oxide so when it is fired in a wood fire and hen smothered in dung, the clay turns black.

The other thing that I found intriguing was the design on her black pieces.  She calls them Swift Creek Stamps.  They are reproductions of Swift Creek potters who would use wood paddles with designs carved in them to paddle clay over molds to make bowls and other pottery pieces.  The paddling compacts the clay and makes it more durable.  She has reproduced some of the Swift Creek designs into stamps and uses these stamps to make these amazing clay components.  They have a very subtle shine finish known as burnishing created by rubbing the ornament with a soft cloth before it is fired.

I completed a bracelet and a necklace using her Swift Creek components.  I made them to match, but the designs are different on each.  I hope I did them justice and I hope you enjoy looking at them.