Monday, March 18, 2013

Southtown Arts and Crafts Show


This is the week that I usually spend getting ready for my first craft show of the year.  I've been doing this particular show for at least 10 years, and probably a lot longer than that.  It's always been a good show for me, and I love love LOVE my regular customers who stop in to see me.  
I'm sorry to say I won't be able to do the show this coming weekend (March 22, 23 and 24).  
This makes me sad because I've made a TON of new jewelry, and I love sharing it with you, my faithful customers.  A few of my new pieces are in my Etsy store, so stop on over there as soon as you can while the selection is at a premium.  Use coupon code 20PERCENT for 20% off your entire purchase.  Click on this link:  Etsy store
I'm sorry that I can't say hello in person, but know that I'm thinking of you and wishing you all the best.
Here are a few teasers:

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Hope to see you soon!!
My Signature first name

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Earring Display

I wrote a blog post over on Word Press today.

Don't ask why, just stop on over and check it out.

Earring Displays


Blessings!~

Laurel

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

New Jewelry

Time for pictures of new jewelry I've created in the past few weeks.  I'll be adding them to my Etsy store, too, so if you see something you like, just let me know and I'll try to get it there sooner.



Black Onyx and Freshwater Pearls
 


Ceramic centerpiece with Seraphinite and Freshwater Pearls


Amazonite and Swarovski Crystals with Swarovski Crystal Connectors



Friday, February 1, 2013

It's All About L O V E !

It's February, the month of L O V E ! !

Thought I'd share a new jewelry set that I made this past week with beads that I'm in LOVE with.  The combination still makes me happy.

I read a post recently by another jewelry maker who said she only makes jewelry when she's in a good mood so that it will bring happy feelings to the person who wears it.

I can so relate!  I was working on something last night and the wire was frustrating me, so I put it away for the day. 

Anyhooo, this is new and I love it!

Hope you do, too!





Happy February 1st!

Happily,

Laurel 
xoxo

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Bead, Read, Eat and Need

I realized this morning that it's been a whole month since I last posted.  Time sure flies when you're having fun, and I have been having way too much fun lately. 

Thought I'd share what's on my table today, and it just so happened to rhyme:  Bead, Read and Eat.  Four words just works better, though, so I added one more since eat doesn't rhyme quite as well with bead and need.



BEAD:  I realized how much I love working with Amethyst, and how quickly it seems to sell.  I have nothing gorgeous in Amethyst in my finished jewelry inventory so the next few days I'll remedy that situation. 

Last night, while watching The Juror I made an Amethyst necklace and bracelet.  I wanted it to be all amethyst, but decided at the last minute to add the lavender freshwater pearls.  I'm still debating what kind of clasp to add.  I SO love the facetted coin shapped beads.



READ:  What I'm reading lately is Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry: A Workshop in Painting With Fire by Barbara Lewis.  I love the look of enamel, and since I don't have a kiln but I do have a torch, this method is one I could easily do.  As soon as I buy some enamels!  I have to admit that I'm not at all into the style of jewelry created in the projects section of this book.  But I have some of my own ideas of what I'd like to enamel and how I want it to look.  C-Coop makes gorgous jewelry components (and the owner lives in Duluth, Minnesota!) and I'd like to try my hand at making similar pieces like the pendant on the left. 

EAT:  Not really a healthy lunch, but I bought some Cheese Curls (or Cheesy Poofs, as Cartman calls them) the other day when I stopped at Cub for my Cappacino.  This is why grocery shopping while hungry is a bad idea.  Oh well, once in a while we have to eat something bad, right?  I love the Cappacino that comes in a red plastic container.  I'd have to go upstairs to read the label so I'll leave it at that.  The French Vanilla flavor is my favorite.  I love it because I can heat some water in the microwave and stir it in.  No fuss, and no cooking, is my motto these days.  Yesterday I had a breakfast bar for lunch.  Yes, I'm lazy.  Not sure when that happened, but I can't deny it.

NEED:  There are so many things I could write about under this heading.  There are so many things I should be doing, like cleaning the house and cooking a decent meal.  But should is not Need, is it?  Lately all I do is what I WANT to do.  Sounds like heaven, right?  Except that I don't think we were built to be so self-indulgent. 

I get nothing done during the day except washing a few loads of laundry.  I do have my sales tax ready to file, and just need to run a few reports to get my business income taxes done.  I spend too much time on the computer.  Everything I need to do relies on using the computer, but when I turn the computer on, it sucks my brains out.  Even the laundry sits in the washer or dryer for hours at a time. 

So what I need to do is write a task list for the week or day and make sure those items get done before I can take any time for what I want to do. 

Of course, I've made this resolution many times before.