Artistic License

Over the years my son has come to work with me once in awhile.  Once he was about 5, he had been driving me crazy poking into everything, and I wasn't getting any work done.  So I laid out a series of beads and told him to sit quietly and string them.  After awhile I looked down and saw that he was indeed stringing them, but he wasn't stringing them in the order I laid them out.  I started to snatch them out of his hand and chastise him when I noticed that HIS design was actually better than mine!  Ha ha!  Lesson learned: just because I'm an ar-TISTE doesn't mean my vision is the only vision!

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What's On My Desk Right Now

I saw this on a "blog ideas" list: What's on my desk right now.  I don't know about you, but I like this kind of revealing little slice-of-life story.  

I think it's a fascinating list. 

Here goes:
A television and accompanying DVD player.
A desk lamp.
Multiple piles of pictures. 
A calculator.
Tons of beads, stones, wire, and findings--all the bits and pieces that go along with making jewelry.
Assorted hand tools (far too numerous to name individually).
Two pairs of reading glasses.
Four pens.
Three staplers.
A hand drill.
A letter opener.
Blank CDs
Cheese flavored Chex mix.
Cherry Craisins.
Liquid makeup.
Cuticle cream.
A lighter.
A patchouli/vanilla candle.
An extension cord.
A dust cloth.
Three polishing cloths.
Three different piles of varying heights, of papers I need to read.
A ruler and a cloth tape measure.
A flashlight.
Bills to be paid.
Jewelry supply catalogs.
My cell phone.
My laptop.

Obviously, my desk is my work space.  Once in awhile I take a day and purge all the piles and pieces and organize the tools, but it's been awhile since I've done that.  But hey, I can assure you that when I need something, I know just which "pile" to dive into to find it!  LOL.

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Opal Ear Sweeps

 This is my most popular style of ear sweep: Ear Sweep #9.  Small, delicate, fits just about everyone, no matter what size and shape your ear might be!  It's a great "starter pair" for yourself or as a gift.  Just $19.00 per pair with your choice of gold or silver wire and about 40 different gemstone or crystal beads. 

 

There is only one gemstone bead that costs a little more, but it is SO gorgeous that it's well worth it!  This one, the synthetic opal.  They're $32.00 per pair, and I just happen to have a pair listed in my Etsy shop right now!  Wear them with EVERY outfit! 

Everyday earrings

These little 6mm round beads make such a cute everyday drop earring!  A 6mm bead is about 1/4", and in this design it's surrounded by an outline of twisted wire.  Available in gold or silver wire and about 40 different bead colors, find them on my Earrings page here.  First column, down toward the bottom of the page.  Only $11.00 per pair!


 
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My First Artfire Sale

I set up a Studio on Artfire about 5 months ago. I have to admit that I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to it, only adding new items once or twice a month. I have many online venues to pay attention to, and Artfire is just another "basket" in which to put more of my "eggs". But I was delighted to see an email this morning announcing my first sale from my Artfire Studio! A little 5-Bead Ring like this one, in sterling silver. Size 3-1/2...can you believe it? Who has fingers that small?! Hey, if it's you, drop by and check out my stuff. I make almost all my rings in sizes 3 through 15!
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What I Made Yesterday, 11-15-08

For awhile I was trying to do a "What I Made Today" post every few days, but I discovered that it was more difficult than I anticipated. It's not that I don't make things nearly every day, it's more that by the time I get something made, photographed, edited, and uploaded, it's too late to write a coherent post before I have to run out the door. So I just wouldn't post. Then it became too many days between posts! So now I've decided a "What I Made Yesterday" post would be more productive.

Yesterday it was a few sterling bracelets. I find I sell a lot of bracelets around the holidays--they make great gifts. I have more than 100 styles to choose from, and I customize the size and color. You can see all available styles on my website. You'll also want to check out the far-right column on the page, where you'll find a list of gemstone beads. Just roll your cursor over the gemstone name and you'll see a pop-up of the bead color. And for further gemstone research, you can check my Stone Samples page.

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What I Made Today, 9/18/08

As usual for this time of year, I'm filling in inventory in my store. Today I made a dozen pairs of this style of earring in sterling silver...all different colors of beads. I'm working on some chandelier earrings, too. Maybe I'll post them later.

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