It’s time for a sale!

Hello Friends! A quick post to announce a sale for the weekend, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday – including Small Business Saturday and hey why don’t I have a fancy name Sunday.

I’m going to keep on listing today and tomorrow, so you can find all sorts of goodies in my A Polymer Penchant etsy shop.

You can check out all the great sales and promotions at the Love my Art Jewelry Blog <- (this link will work come midnight).

I hope all my American friends are enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I am thankful for football!

focus on life–week 47- centerpiece

Well focus on life friends I lost a few days.  I didn’t want to get any further into the week without sharing a photo for Sally’s prompt of centerpiece.  I tried to think of a subject that wasn’t Averleigh… but what can I say she just is my sun, at the centre of our lives.  I suppose I’ll have to think of things to help her understand that the world actually does not revolve around her, only child, only grandchild on hubby’s side.  This may be an uphill battle.

Monday we brought some clothes to the consignment store and took a look through the racks, at her request, to find a new puppy shirt to replace the last one that she’s outgrown.  Right at the end of her size section I pulled out a ballet leotard with built in tutu to take a look.  Before I could even read the tag she had it hugged to her, trying to walk to the cash, “I need this for ballet mama, lets go home so I can wear my new dress”.  In that moment as I tried for a glimpse at the price I knew I was going to pay whatever it was – phew $9.



Photo effects do wonders for cleaning up the house! 

Tis the season

Show season that is.  I’ve got two shows down and two more to go for the season.  I doubt at this point another will pop up, but I am available in December.  I’m also planning a sale (more on that at the end of this post) so I’d like to fill up the A Polymer Penchant etsy shop.  Naturally, during this busy time I am trying all sorts of new things.  It’s madness, but in a good way.

The Navan show, this weekend past, is such a nice, small and friendly show.  Most of the vendors are seasoned, but each year there seems to be one or two new ones.  I can’t recall if I did it only two years or three before taking a break, having Averleigh.  This was the second year back and it’s nice to have returning customers and admirers.  It’s always interesting to see what people reach for.  I have a necklace with velvet beads and pretty much every person touches the beads, but I can’t seem to entice anyone to try it one.  Other items that I’m excited about seem to spend the whole day unnoticed.  I had four pieces, brand new, never photographed, sell.  This is great, too bad I can’t show you!

I also had a wonderful mix of “older” pieces ie not made in the last month, sell.  Like this one



This picture was also used in the advertisement for my show in two weeks – Baz’ART.  I think I will have to make another incarnation or two, maybe with just a single bloom and some wire work. 

I’ve been working on my wire working skills for some time now and I was excited to get moving and finally try some things I’ve had for a year, some longer.  Yes, it was high time to try Liver of Sulfur, my butane torch, and my tumbler.

Here is the pile of copper clasps and what not I worked up, all ready in the garage with my LOS, my handy (stolen) Spiderman container, some fresh water and baking soda. 



I used a kettle to warm (not boil!) my water and a couple of drops went in and then I started adding the copper.


Hmm that’s funny, the 20g pieces were turning black right away but the 16g weren’t.  I wouln’t think the gauge would make a difference, only that there is more surface area. Oh, wait a sec, they are where I had hammered… The proverbial penny was dropping.  That damn wire wasn’t bare copper at all, it must have been coated!!



I rinsed and dried and, a bit deflated, decided that I would not bother to clean the few that did oxidize at that moment.  They are just waiting for me still.  I had a good giggle at myself since I do have a fresh pound of 16g ready to go, I just thought I would “use up” the small coil I had.  Sure enough in small letters it says”non-tarnish”.  I moved on and filled that butane torch at long last.  I had mixed success balling some copper.  I moved on again, looking for something to work out and loaded up the tumbler with all my special non-tarnish clasps and success! I’m very happy with how they turned out in the end.

Now a creative person should never complain about all the ideas, all the things that just want doing right now.  BUT at some point a creative person, who endeavours to sell their creations, should apply some of that same creativity to marketing.  Working on that.  The lovely ladies at Love my art jewelry know a thing or two about just that.

The wheels are turning on just what I will offer, but I went ahead and joined in for the event.  Now, it’s time to plan and organize.  (I think I can, I think I can…)

focus on life–week 46–reflect

Ok we are now entering the point where soon we will be counting down those final weeks, some of the busiest of the year to be sure.  I so hope I can make it the whole way!  I’m not sure what I will do without Sally’s thoughtful weekly prompts and all of you to share it with. I’m reflecting already and I haven’t even gotten to the point where I tell you this weeks prompt – reflect!

This morning I wrote my post for the art charm swap and auction in support of Beads of Courage.  Since it was really meant to be about the art charm I made, I was a bit abrupt when I said:

My child started her life in hospital and the first time I held her we were skin-to-skin and overtop was a handmade quilt.  I’ve experienced arts in medicine – it is important.

Today that quilt sits in a little wooden cradle.  That cradle was made for me by my dad when I was about 3 or so and always held the same baby doll.  Averleigh plays with that doll at my parents house now but oddly doesn’t show much interest in the cradle at home.  But our special quilt sits at the ready.  It seems that every baby born into the NICU gets one, I didn’t get to pick it myself since I was in recovery at the time.  It breaks my heart to think of those who are left with only the quilt.  It also hurts to think of all the small ones who are collecting beads of courage one by one. I know how lucky we are.

Art charm swap and auction in support of beads of courage

Last year I stumbled upon Jennifer Cameron’s art charm swap in aid of the Beads of Courage program.  As that swap went on it was clear the amount of work involved in receiving, swapping, triple-checking, shipping, photographing, auctioning and more shipping that Jennifer undertakes with this event.   Last year all this effort brought in $600 for the cause and this year, the goal is $1000!  So the most important link is the one right HERE for the auctions where you can join in on the fun and bid for your very own charm.

In the course of this hop you will likely hear a lot about Beads of Courage, here is their mission from their website:
Our Mission: We are growing every day, providing innovative, arts-in-medicine supportive care programs for children coping with serious illness, their families and the health care providers who care for them. Beads of Courage, Inc. is an approved public charity under I.R.S. Code Section 501(c)(3), based in Tucson, Arizona.

My child started her life in hospital and the first time I held her we were skin-to-skin and overtop was a handmade quilt.  I’ve experienced arts in medicine – it is important.


With a theme of love this year I toyed with several ideas as usual.  Thinking on the loves in my life, the ideas all got a little too personal.  I mean, an inside joke is no fun if you aren’t on the inside right? So despite trying to escape the universal heart I somehow ended up right back there.  I thought of young love and carving your initials in a tree… but what initials to use? I found some branch beads in my stash and knew that I had to try and carve them.  I pulled out the wood burner I had bought some time ago and never tried.  A little testing on some tongue depressors and off I went to carve the word “LOVE”. 



While the branch bead itself is a decent size I couldn’t have just that.  My little tree got a canopy in the form of a polymer rondelle I had made already (inspired by an artichoke originally).  Fortunately I still had more of that cane I had started from raw so created a little leaf to swing from the branch.  It’s more suggestive than realistic I’d say.

It’s wonderful to receive charms from the group and I’m excited to read more about the ones I’ve received.  I’m going to share a bit of a teaser picture of them since I’d really like it if you took a closer look at them during the auction instead :) Oh, and I added this years to last.



Enjoy the LOVE tour! Thank you to all involved!

Jen Cameron: http://glassaddictions.com/blog/
Toltec Jewels: http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Vanessa Gilkes: http://culturezine.com/blog/
Caroline Dewison: http://blueberribeads.co.uk
Lesley Watt: http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Susan Kennedy: http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com
Nancy Dale : http://www.nedbeads.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache: http://www.allprettythings.ca
Cassi Paslick: http://cassisbeads.blogspot.com
Alenka Obid: http://www.pepita-handmade.blogspot.com
Renetha Stanziano: http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Shelley Graham Turner: http://www.shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com
Monique Urquhart: http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com
Shai Williams: http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com
Lennis Carter: http://windbent.wordpress.com
Cheri Reed: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Moriah Betterly: http://mlbetterly.blogspot.com
Perri Jackson: http://shaktipajdesigns.com/blog/
Mallory Hoffman: http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com
Ginger Bishop: http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com
Jean Peter: http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com
Linda Florian: http://lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com
Patricia Pulliam: http://rusticstudio.blogspot.com
Karin Grosset Grange: http://ginkgoetcoquelicot.blogspot.fr
Julie Bowen: http://blog.autochthonous-evolved.com
Susan Delaney: http://ladyflowersbysusan.wordpress.com
Emma Todd: http://www.apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com
Carolyn Chenault : http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com
Terri Del Signore: http://artisticaos.blogspot.com
Cory Tompkins: http://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Cheryl (Lee) Koopman: http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Lori Bowring Michaud: http://artfullyornamental.blogspot.com
Andrea Glick: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com
Jacqueline Carlson: http://www.beadgypsy.blogspot.com
Michelle McCarthy: http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Charlene Bausinger Jacka: http://clay-space.com/blog/
Kristi Bowman: http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com

Focus on life–week 45- industrial photography

This week Sally Russick had a great prompt for us of Industrial Photography.  I did as she suggested and googled to see just what it was all about.  What a treat that was! 



I let the industry come to me with these ear muffs I ordered to protect my hearing while hammering wire.  I tried them out for the first time this morning and it’s just perfect to be in my own little cone of silence while making a whole bunch of noise.  Hubby has strongly suggested that I not be at the garage workbench hammering away at night if we want to keep nice neighbours. I was going to try some more interesting angles on the pictures but this kept happening.



Rufus would come flying in to try and dive beneath the packing paper or attack my lens cap which hangs off the side of the camera.  So for ultimate safety I put it all away.

It’s my little industry of just me day –busily preparing for the next show of the season. 

I’m sure my friends found some more interesting industry in their surrounds:

focus on life–week 44- saints, souls and sugar skulls

It was great that Halloween fell on a day I don’t work this year.  Averleigh and I were able to join friends for trick or treating in the mall. What a zoo, but so so fun.  The rain poured down in the evening so we only went to a few houses but still, more fun.

The real scare for me is that I have my first craft show of the season Sunday and the things still undone at this point is pretty scary!  It’s too bad that even though I thought i left enough time some supplies I ordered won’t arrive until after the show so it’s a bit of a rethink mode tonight. So off I run!