Artisan Whimsy berries and leaves challenge

There is so much going on on the Artisan Whimsy site that I almost missed this challenge entirely.  There is a piece on my worktable that is not all the way there so I was going to give it a miss (just like I gave the last owl challenge a miss).  Then I though, hey, I’ve got a bunch of perfect entries in the leaf brooches I created.  The berry here looks a little wizened, but in a delicate kind of way.

available here

Lots of great inspiration to be found in the many entries for this challenge, click the banner to check ‘em out

And the sale goes on!

Last night I figured I’d attempt to make a treasury.  I remember, back in the day, you had to wait for a spot to open up before you could create one.  At that time I had no inclination to sit there refreshing a screen and waiting for the magical number to appear for the privilege.  Such a cynic, I know.  Somewhere along the way etsy made it so you just create Treasuries at will.  Treasury made I thought I should probably wait less than five years before figuring out how to share it here.  Again, surprisingly painless (unless of course this all goes to pot once I hit publish**it did, hopefully fixed now**).

With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, uh, Sunday and Cyber Monday done now may be the time for a more leisurely stroll through some of the shops with sales going all the way to Friday.
So I present my first treasury for you continued shopping joy

'Cyber week rolls on with handmade components' by APolymerPenchant

Do you love handmade components? How about jewelry designers who work with handmade components - all ready for gift giving? These gorgeous shops, all with sales continuing until Friday! $1300 worth of giveaways from the Artisan Whimsy Market

From Day to Night uniqu... EmaKDesigns $35.00	Etched Copper Bails, .8... MetalMeThis $40.00	Handmade Bird Bead, Bla... somethingtodob... $3.50	SALE Handmade Ceramic S... MarshaNealStud... $30.00
Lampwork Glass Bead Set... StoneDesignsby... $50.00	forest finery 22 - simp... TesoriTrovati $18.00	Lampwork Boro Glass Spi... LAJewelryDesig... $26.00	10 x Handmade Ceramic B... Grubbi $12.00
Lampwork Beads - SueBea... suebeads $30.00	Tree Pendant 1X2 Custom... Moreskyejewels $8.00	Copper Ulu Original Tex... KristiBowmanDe... $20.00	FIVE Handmade Bicone Be... MartiC51 $7.95
Flourish Petal (Enamele... OregonMadeJewe... $23.32	SHOP SALE Boho Bangle B... jeanawells $69.50	Braided Leather and Cer... LindysDesigns $35.00	Rudraksha Beads and Pol... Sadafulee $30.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

I’m going to keep trying to fill up my shop this week while the 20% off is still in effect, by using coupon code AWHOLIDAY at checkout.  My biggest hurdle is the fact that I don’t have pictures of everything and the sun is not cooperating.  To that end, I bought myself a light box on Monday (… unknowingly messing up my sweet husband’s plans for a Christmas gift).  I know there is much out there you can DIY and various solutions, but I opted for something a bit more robust, hopefully worth the investment.  I’m a little peeved that it claimed it was shipping out of Canada, but I was instantly suspicious when the bill didn’t have any tax.  Later I click the tracking link and it pulls up USPS even though the confirmation says it is coming via Canada post.  All that to say if it shows up at my door with brokerage fees to be paid I will be LIVID.

ps If you haven't entered the giveaway still some time - ends Friday

7000 bracelets for hope reveal

When Sue Kennedy of Sue beads reached out a little while ago about a blog hop for 7000 bracelets I was happy for the reminder.  Earlier this year, I created a bracelet for the cause and committed to make seven before the end of the year.  At this point, I still just had the one made.  I thought this would be a perfect push for me to finish up.  Then as I started I thought well this would be number eight, a bit different from the others (not yet made :)).



I showed you the lovely buttons I found the other day and starting with that flower I decided to keep it simple.  Some of my polymer beads, some Joan Miller porcelain and a little glass beads in mixed blues on grey waxed linen.



I like the porcelain disks, they look almost black but really are blue with a little gasoline-rainbow look on the surface.  One is two sided – blue/cream – and I love how that goes with the button. 

I have the focals, more porcelain and more buttons to create more bracelets… just waiting on a wee bit of time to get them done and shipped off.  Today I’m at a show and it will be my last of the season so there’s hope for me yet!

I’m very happy to be creating for this cause, please be sure to check our some of the other great bracelets being made by following the links from Sue’s blog

PS. Coupon code AWHOLIDAY for 20% off is active in my shop until Friday.  The jewelry will be with me today but look for new listings starting Monday.  Don't forget to enter the giveaway here

Artisan Whimsy Market cyber week sale and giveaway

If you caught my last post you will know I’m rushing to get this all set but here it is!

Fabulous Handmade Jewelry Pieces.

The largest Artisan shopping event
for Cyber Week...Ever!!
It starts this Friday, Nov. 23rd thru Friday Nov 30th.

All participating jewelry and component designers will be offering a discount on their stores &

will be promoting a giveaway.
Winners will be chosen individually by the blog owners.

For event wide discount code use: AWHOLIDAY
 

 

I will be offering 20% off with the AWHOLIDAY coupon code in my Etsy shop

You will find my handmade polymer components and jewelry. 

The jewelry will be coming with me to a show on the 25th

and starting on the 26th there will be new jewelry filling up the shelves!

 

Now for my Giveaway

 

A $25 gift certificate to my etsy shop

 

You will have three ways to enter and the winner will be announced here December 1st.

1. Leave a comment on this post.

2. Become a follower and tell me in a separate comment, or if you already are, just shout out in a separate comment.

3. Help me spread the word! Whatever your preference, favourite my shop, pin an item, share the giveaway on facebook, send your hubby a link (that’s how my wish list comes together).  You get the idea, come back and tell me for a third entry.

 

and there is more!
Three Exciting Giveaways 
will be hidden throughout our participants blogs.
When you find them, follow the directions to be entered!

AND! Bookmark ArtisanWhimsy.com for Future Artisan Jewelry Shopping Opportunities!

Updating to share the 45 participants offering an amazing $1300 in giveaways
 

Shows, treasures, buttons, and maybe a sale

See that’s just way too much to talk about.  Hang on tight – here we go!

This weekend I was back at the Navan Arts and Crafts show for the first time since 2009.  I love this show.  It’s smaller, full of wonderful vendors and is partnered with a bake sale each day.  I wasn’t sure if I was going to do any shows this year but when the organizer contacted me in the summer to say she had one spot left, well, how could I refuse?  There is a little “but” with being the newbie – you get the post.

This post  ---- right here----------------------------

Totally bossy and about 16 inches in from one side and oh 3 feet each way.  In a 7x10 foot booth space this eats a lot of real estate.  But this same kind friend came to my rescue with a spare 4 foot table (post panicky “just how big is this post? email).   I was happy with this.  This picture is from the Sunday morning as shoppers were just about to come in so I hadn’t yet fixed up those necklaces looking a little jumbled on the cream.



A closer view of the side and back tables.  The black background belongs to my neighbor, she was kind to offer that I could use this side to hang anything if I wanted.   I found the back table didn’t get too much attention from customers but the crowds were good and for a first show back,  I was happy enough.

Onto the treasures



This sock monkey was originally holding a cookie, and part of the Girl Guides bake sale.  I let Averleigh pick the one she wanted when she came to visit at the end of the sale.  He is sitting next to a ceramic mushroom I did a little trade for with artist Liz Fournier.  The gift cards on the right are hand stamped and have little sparkly bits I didn’t capture.  I’d tell you who made them, but there was no card, too bad.

Then I found Laura Sheppard’s booth and it looked familiar.  I had seen her products listed on the website for the Savoir Faire that, as it turns out, we are both doing next Sunday.  Sunday is the 25th and as soon as that dawned on me I thought of the 7000 bracelets project and the bracelet I’m supposed to be showing off on that day.  So I dived into the beautiful bowls of buttons, digging for blue beauties.  Looky!



As I chatted with Laura and let her know about the cause she made me a nice price and offered I take another in support.  Looking forward to creating with these.

Ok so that’s the shows, the treasures and the bracelet.

Maybe a sale.  I’ve yet to run a sale or giveaway since I don’t think of my shop as ready yet.  ‘Tis the season though isn’t it?  The Artisan Whimsy team is gathering up participants for what is stacking up to be quite the event.  If I can figure out all the details before 10 tonight I’ll jump in.

4th Do Over Challenge reveal

I’ve had do-overs on the mind.  It’s been a couple of years since I’ve done local craft shows and I’m set to do two, hopefully three, this fall.  I’ve been pulling things out and deciding if I still like it -- if it’s still in keeping with what I want to present.  It seems I’m not alone in this process. 

Jeannie Dukic, jeweler and mixed media artist extraordinaire, hosts a Do Over Challenge.  She’s even got the details for the 5th instalment up on her blog already.  In her words:

“I will send you an old, tried, boring piece of my jewelry for free and you will work your magic and turn it into something beautiful and amazing.”

I put that in quotes, since I would certainly not use those same words to describe what I received in the mail.  Look!



I kept it complete for some time considering it.  Swarovski pearls and fresh water pearls all neatly wire wrapped, a simple toggle and a hefty glass focal.  It moved around to various spots on my worktable.  I removed the focal and decided I would make some clones of it from polymer, maybe create something with three hearts.  Well, that was the plan until all hell broke loose.



You see I had the leaf filigree sitting out since I was making up some more fall leaves (intended as wings here).  I also had a newly created owl mould out thinking it might be a good fit for the Hooters challenge that had just been announced on Artisan Whimsy.  Then ideas of October and breast cancer awareness and pink ribbons all crept their way in. 



The leaf filigree came about as a wing by twisting the filigree slightly then adding the mica shift polymer which I textured to appear as feathers.  Installing the wings on the heart essentially made the holes I had planned on the heart itself inaccessible.  I drilled holes in the wings and looped ribbon beneath the heart, through the wings and then looped through a shell ring (which I now think sorta looks like a halo too).  The wings are attached with liquid polymer and then reinforced with the polymer “ribbon” overlay.  It feels strong to me, but I can’t help think that people would be tempted to flex those wings weakening the bond…. (may need another do over!)

There’s a lot going on in one focal element so I kept the wire wrapping intact and just wove the rest of the the silk ribbon through it and knotted it.  I gave the toggle ring a little polymer feather suggestion also.  Now there was a pair of earrings too and I hadn’t given them much attention until I went to take pictures.  I looked over at these other beads I was trying out and decided yes, they wanted to part of an earring makeover! Then in my haste to make it happen and still have enough time to take said pictures I broke one of the ear wires. Just snapped it, since I wasn’t holding my pliers right since I was still holding a wad of ribbon in my hand.  I know I have nothing this metal colour in my stash, so what’s a girl to do?  Well I found another pair of earrings in need of a makeover too.



These are crazy long to go along with my crazy huge necklace.  But they're pretty fun.



This really was a fun challenge trying to create something new while holding on to the integrity of the original.  I remember one time, somewhere along the way, Jeannie commenting that she would love to have a playdate. I feel like today’s the day!

Better yet, there’s a whole bunch of us playing along and collaborating with Jeannie.  Thank you so much Jeannie for allowing me to join in this special event.

Crazy owl says hop on! See her waving?



Jeannie K Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog
Miranda Ackerley http://mirandack.com/
Patti Vanderbloemen http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com/
Marlene Cupo http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com/
Mary Govaars http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/
Kelli Jacobson http://www.creativemoonjewelryandthings.com/
Dagi http://kokopellidesign.blogspot.com/
Gerry Nickerson http://gersgems1.blogspot.com/
Charlene Jacka http://clay-space.com/blog
Birgit Klughardt http://www.gitesbeads-gite.blogspot.com/
Mowse Doyle http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com/
Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/
Debbie Beechy http://beetique56.blogspot.com/
Cilla Watkins http://www.tellyourgirlfriends.com/
Carolyn Lawson http://carolyncreationswa.blogspot.com
Micha Sorensen http://tulipsandpine.blogspot.com
Emma Todd http://www.apolymerpenchant.com <—This is me – Thanks so much for coming by!
Donetta Farrington http://simplygorgeous-donetta.blogspot.com/
Tracy Stillman http://www.tracystillmandesigns.com/