I have been making washer crosses for awhile now, and I love them. I love how they look and how they feel, and what they are made of. So I was really excited when I was asked to make a set of washer cross jewelry for a recent gift certificate winner. She asked for black and white, a color combination that I hadn't previously worked with on my crosses. I wasn't too sure about it at first, but after it was all said and done, I love how they turned out. I'm excited to experiment with some new color combinations!!
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I am already hard at work on my goal of reading 55 books in 2014. So far, I have read 5 books, and it looks like I am a wee bit obsessed with cowboys and the wild west.
There is just something about the west that speaks to my soul. I love watching the sun rise and set on my beloved prairie. And I love the rough and tumble stories of the men (and women) who fought so hard to conquer that wild and untamed land. I am hoping to spend the next year studying and researching and learning all I can about the west and its history. In particular, I am planning to study the 1860-1910 years. I'll keep you posted on what I find. Sometimes, like the prairie I love so much, I find myself in a drought. A creative drought. It is completely frustrating in every way.
Back in August, I decided to go back to work full-time and do my jewelry and classes part time. I promised myself that I would have plenty of time to be creative and make beautiful treasures, but it hasn't worked out that way. I feel like (to quote the old Aerosmith song) "my get up and go just got up and went." I feel jealous when I look at Facebook and Pinterest and see all of the beautiful treasures people are creating. I feel sad when I realize that my beads have been put up since before Thanksgiving, and before that hadn't been used since about July. I just haven't felt very creative. And I hate that. I have several large scale projects rolling around in my head, but nothing concrete, and nothing I have felt that pressing need to make right here, right now. Maybe eventually I will get hit with a creative charge and will make pretty things. For now, I will just have to be content watching others make things. I'm not big on New Year's Resolutions. Mostly because I have no follow through and I get bored with huge, unrealistic tasks. However, last year, after reading a post on Facebook by author Simon Wood about his goal to read 50 books, I decided to make a resolution of my own. I decided to read 50 books in 2013.
If you do the math, 50 books in one year averages out to a little less than one book a week. It seemed so easy at the time. What I forgot to do was factor in life and all of its little surprises along the way. Like working, having a family, having a small business, needing sleep... Even though Chris and I go to the library quite often, I was kind of surprised at how hard it was to find books I wanted to read. There are a few authors I eagerly await new books from each year (Simon Wood, Vince Flynn, CJ Box, Dan Brown) and a few whose lists I am trying to work my way through. That accounted for a few of the books on my list, which left me with about 47 more to find. My parents ended up being my saving grace on this one. My dad offered up his Louis L'Amour collection (of which I can proudly say I am now a 3rd generation Louis L'Amour junkie). My mom used her book club to send me oodles and gobs of books. She knows I love reading biographies, so she filled up my mailbox with a number of goodies, many of whom will be living permanently on my bookshelf. There were a few surprises along the way. For instance, I had no idea that I loved cowboy novels so much. That was a pleasant surprise. I also was able to finally read Jacques Pépin's autobiography, which I have been wanting to read for a couple of years--LOVED it! All in all, this was a great challenge. Although I didn't read the 130 books that Louis L'Amour read each year (how did he do that?!), I reached my goal and am going to shoot for 55 in 2014. I'm including my book list below. 1. The First 5 Minutes: How to Make a Great First Impression in Any Business Situation by Mary Mitchell with John Corr 2. You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life by Bill Rancic 3. Naked in the Boardroom by Robin Wolaner 4. The Good Book and Good Business by Gary Hutto 5. Granny Dan by Danielle Steele 6. The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner 7. In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner 8. A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy 9. Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner 10. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert 11. Julie & Julia by Julie Powell 12. I Shouldn't Even be Doing This by Bob Newhart 13. 700 Sundays by Billy Crystal 14. Cosbyology by Bill Cosby 15. Bark if You Love Me: A Woman Meets Dog Story by Louise Bernikow 16. Friends Forever by Danielle Steele 17. Courderoy by Don Freeman 18. Bossypants by Tina Fey 19. Inferno by Dan Brown 20. When Light Breaks by Patti Callahan Henry 21. Heart and Soul by Sally Mendel 22. Happy Happy Happy by Phil Robertson 23. No Show by Simon Wood 24. Animal Farm by George Orwell 25. Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unrefined by Drew Carey 26. Maybe (Maybe not): Second thoughts from a Secret Life by Robert Fulghum 27. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris 28. Starry Night by Debbie Macomber 29. Education of a Wandering Man by Louis L'Amour 30. I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron 31. Pure Drivel by Steve Martin 32. 1984 by George Orwell 33. Horse of a Different Color: Reminiscences of a Kansas Drover by Ralph Moody 34. Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography by Rob Lowe 35. Still Growing: An Autobiography by Kirk Cameron 36. Ernie: An Autobiography by Ernest Borgnine 37. Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews 38. One Day Me Talk Pretty by David Sedaris 39. Shaking the Nickel Bush by Ralph Moody 40. What's So Funny?: My Hilarious Life by Tim Conway 41. This Time Together by Carol Burnett 42. A Clearing in the Wild by Jane Kirkpatrick 43. Essential Bible Study Tools for Ministry by David R. Bauer 44. The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen by Jacques Pépin 45. Here's Johnny!: My Memories of Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show and 46 Years of Friendship by Ed McMahon 46. Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson 47. Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith 48. Si-Cology 101: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty's Favorite Uncle by Si Robertson with Mark Schlabach 49. Tomorrow Will Be Better by Betty Smith 50. Killoe by Louis L'Amour I have not blogged in some time. I always heard that you should never speak unless you have something important to say. I haven't really had much important to say over the past 6 months. I hope to have some new jewelry, ideas and new blog posts coming in the New Year. Thank you for following my blog and my business and I look forward to serving you next year!!
Today's "My Jewelry Memories" guess is Rose Cuell. Her answers are really fun to read and I would LOVE to see the jewelry she mentions. Thanks Rose for such a fun response!
PH: What was your favorite piece of jewelry when you were growing up? Why? RC: A pair of clown shaped earrings, because I thought they where very original and colorful. I also loved a 101 dalmations necklace my dad bought me once. Now I found them both ridiculous. PH: What is your favorite piece of jewelry now? Why? RC: An H. Stern charm I won on a magazine contest. There was only one charm and the question of the trivia was "if you have to chose one piece of jewelry for keeping it the rest of your life what would it be." I wrote a small essay about a bererber necklace i bought in a trip to Morocco, and how it reminded me the amazing time I had, and how that trip made me feel like if there where no limits. Two months later I found out i was the winner. I was Thrilled!! PH: Who has influenced your jewelry tastes? RC: Sherry Seraphini and Heidi Kumli. I have seen (and made) jewelry waaaay different since I knew these designers. PH: Do you have a favorite memory involving jewelry? RC: I spent a whole summer in Zacatecas, a Mexican town leaning how to work with silver. I was in love with a guy who was living there by the time, and I have the best memories of that summer. PH: When you choose jewelry, what factors do you consider? (price, fashion, emotional ties, etc?) RC: I'll say I consider the styles that I like: huge, bold and colorful necklaces, even if they are a trend at the time or not. And about price: If I can afford it i bought it. PH: What jewelry trends do you like? RC: Huge necklaces, turquoises and seed beads, pearls, bib necklaces, and everything tribal, very ethnic stuff. I have a lot of Moroccan and Mexican pieces that are artisinally made. Hate? Really fine jewelry, gold, and very branded styles (such as the typical Tiffanys heart), hoop earrings, and everything that involves to much bilng bling. PH: If you could have any piece of jewelry in the world, what would it be? RC :A Ranajana Kahn necklace. I also loved some of the jewllery collections of Oscar de La Renta and Marni. Next up in our "My Jewelry Memories" series is the very talented Kashmira Patel. Be sure to check out her blog at http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/.
PH: What was your favorite piece of jewelry when you were growing up? Why? KP: I went to a convent school, and the nuns did not allow us to wear any jewelry, except very tiny earrings. Pierced ears is a must in India, and they could not put a ban on that tradition. Nothing else was allowed. So during summer holidays, we would wear jewelry to our hearts' content. The first piece to go on was a pair of anklets with lots of silver bells...on both feet. This even inspired a recent blog hop that I had hosted :) http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/2013/05/anklet-blog-hop-reveal.html PH: What is your favorite piece of jewelry now? Why? KP: There are a couple sets that my husband designed and made for me when I first started dabbling into jewelry making. He wanted me to reproduce them and put them up in my shop, but I am a bit possessive about those designs. They are mine ;-) Another piece of jewelry that is extremely special to me is something that belongs to my mother. Its a very delicate gold arm band (it is worn on the bicep!). It has delicate enamel work with animals and her name on it! It was part of her wedding trousseau. I wore it at my own wedding, and still love it although it doesn't fit me anymore :( PH: Who has influenced your jewelry tastes? KP: I would say my Indian roots and heritage, I have to have color and variety in what I wear. PH: Do you have a favorite memory involving jewelry? KP: Not any one single memory, but I will always remember how my Dad used to bring back loads of costume jewelry for me and my three sisters on his frequent trips to the USA. He totally spoiled us! PH: When you choose jewelry, what factors do you consider? (price, fashion, emotional ties, etc?) KP: Style, and then definitely emotional ties! I have a lot of pieces given to me as gifts or made by friends, and I always feel very special wearing them. PH: What jewelry trends do you like? Hate? KP: Not really. I like everything :) I guess what I do not like, is the weird and painful piercings some folks do. That is not pretty :( PH: If you could have any piece of jewelry in the world, what would it be? KP: I have it :) My diamond engagement ring :) Today's guest is Sheryl Stephens from Cool Moon Creations. She has some really cool things to share about her jewelry.
PH: What was your favorite piece of jewelry when you were growing up? Why? SS: I actually didn't really get into jewelry and beading until my mid 20's - after I'd been married a few years. BUT - as a child, there was a sunroom at my grandmothers house where she kept beautiful seashells, stones and other treasures found on beach walks and hikes. I absolutely LOVED playing with those - and organizing them as a child. PH: What is your favorite piece of jewelry now? Why? SS: My favorite piece is one of my most recent - a big yellow and magenta bead embroidery flower piece. Mostly because it's big and bold and draws tons of compliments, but I also love it because it was so 'off the top of my head" - it had no plan, but turned out beautiful! (Photo attached!) PH: Who has influenced your jewelry tastes? SS: Most of the seed bead queens - Marcia DeCoster, Sheri Serafini, Laura McCabe, Rachel Nelson Smith. Their techniques have given me wings.... PH: Do you have a favorite memory involving jewelry? SS: Not a specific one; I just find myself reminiscing often about how I started as a bored housewife - and how far I've come with my technique, my style, my passion - and my success. PH: When you choose jewelry, what factors do you consider? (price, fashion, emotional ties, etc?) SS: It depends on whether I'm designing for myself - or for what I know will be a piece for sale. I take into consideration whether or not I want it to be a piece that is worthy of appearing in one of the two art galleries where I currently sell my work - or whether it needs to be lower priced for the craft markets, or my Etsy site. Trust me. There is a difference. I also have to take into consideration the AREA and customer base. In my specific area (mid-Michigan) we're still feeling that recession, and people are still belt tightening. I still create my unique, one of a kind bead embroidered cabochon pendants - but now just use a simple chain or ribbon to finish them - which greatly lowers the price that I have to charge, without taking away from the uniqueness of the piece. I have also stopped worrying about whether I'm actually 'getting what I'm worth' from my pieces. I don't give them away - but I LOVE what I do - and want people to be able to afford to love them too. It makes me feel good when my customer walks away with a piece that she has fallen in love with, and could afford to buy. That's the emotional element for me. I do still have the high price art pieces that are priced at $100's of dollars - but I'm finding new ways to design to keep the cost more affordable for many of the art fair pieces. PH: What jewelry trends do you like? SS: VINTAGE. I'm doing fun and successful things with skeleton keys and filigree metals right now. PH: Hate? SS: Steampunk. I just don't get it. PH: If you could have any piece of jewelry in the world, what would it be? SS: I pretty much only wear my own creations, so I suppose it would be one that I could create with ALL of the highest quality beads and findings that money could buy - Semi precious gems, Swarovski, sterling, high quality seed beads,etc. - without having to worry about what the cost was to purchase them. Our next guest in the "My Jewelry Memories" series is fellow jewelry designer Robin Reed. I love how passionate she is about her jewelry :)
PH: What was your favorite piece of jewelry when you were growing up? Why? RR: I was not really attached to jewelry when I was little. it was not until I got to be about 16 that I started looking at jewelry as something special. That was the year I saw this cross that I just loved. I really loved big and chunky stuff so this cross was perfect. It was gold toned and had bright jewel toned crystals in it. It looked like something a queen would wear on her velvet gown holding court. I got the cross for Christmas as a gift and lost it about a week later helping someone out of a snowbank. PH: What is your favorite piece of jewelry now? Why? RR: I create jewelry now and every piece is special but I only keep a few pieces. Right now my favorite is a chunky strand of oddly shaped crystals and retro influenced beads that are in the blue shades. PH: Who has influenced your jewelry tastes? RR: People don't influence my jewelry choices as much as texture and what I am wearing like a specific shirt or outfit. Or what someone else is wearing. Like I could design a cool set of jewelry for someone based on who they are and what they are wearing. PH: Do you have a favorite memory involving jewelry? RR: My favorite memory would be when my then fiancee and I went in and sat down at a local jewelry where I live and found a simple sapphire and diamond yellow gold band. That was my ring!!!!! It was fun and simple and sweet! We have been married more than 28 years and I still have it and it is still My ring!!! I did get it rhodium plated a few months ago but I think I will let it go back when ever it does. I like it better without the rhodium. PH: When you choose jewelry, what factors do you consider? (price, fashion, emotional ties, etc?) RR: I don't choose jewelry, i make jewelry. If I need something to wear to match an outfit, I make one. I have been known to get up early and make a necklace and bracelet to match a shirt cause I wanted to wear it to work. That being said, I choose my stones and findings with an eye to specific designs, mostly chunky and earth tones. I also look for unusual and eye catching clasps and filler beads. PH: What jewelry trends do you like? Hate? RR: My favorite beads to use are jaspers and agates because they hold worlds of design and color in great configurations. i do not care for the sideways cross trend it does not show respect. PH: If you could have any piece of jewelry in the world, what would it be? RR: I would change the question to beads instead of jewelry and just say all the jasper and agates and other stones like tiger's eye and that type, that I could possibly get!!! Thanks Robin for sharing with us! If you would like to share your jewelry memories with us, send me an email at [email protected]. Our next guest is one of my good friends Darci. We have been friends for years and have lots of great memories together--including several very fun road trips. She has a great sense of fashion and her answers were really fun to read. PH: What was your favorite piece of jewelry when you were growing up? Why? DB: I had a reversible cross that belonged to my mom--blue turquoise on one side, red on the other. It was fabulously '70s while not looking dated, plus I thought it was so cool that it was something my mom had worn and loved when she was my age. Sadly, I wore it even though it had a loose clasp, and, ten years later, I still beat myself up about losing it. PH: What is your favorite piece of jewelry now? Why? DB: When my husband was in his early teens, he purchased a silver shamrock necklace on a trip with his family. He imagined he would give it to a "special girl" someday. He gave it to me, still gift wrapped, six months after we got married. (He would have given it to me earlier, but he'd misplaced it during moves.) Although I don’t wear it often, I look at it on my jewelry shelf and think about how my husband has been thoughtful for many years. Even when a serious girlfriend or wife was a theoretical concept, he was thinking about how he could show her love. PH: Who has influenced your jewelry tastes? DB: Most days I wear the same very small gold cross necklace and tiny gold earrings (plus my wedding rings), which is similar to my mom's simple style. However, I like to wear a wide variety of things and explore different styles with my accessories. I’ve been influenced by blogs, retailers’ catalogs/store windows/sales associates*, and “street style” aka checking out the accessories of other women on the work elevator. *True story: Seeing a similar necklace on a cashier at Anthropologie convinced me to not-so-subtly beg for this one as a Christmas gift. Thanks, Mom and Dad! PH: Do you have a favorite memory involving jewelry? DB: When I was young, my grandma would let me go through boxes of costume jewelry she had. Some of it was hers, and some items were from other women in the family. There was a vintage watch—which appears to be decorated with poisonous radium paint—that belonged to my “Auntie Mil.” Even though I was too young to remember her, there was an extra hole punched in the watch to fit around her tiny wrist that fit my equally tiny wrist exactly. I still have that watch, and it still glows. PH: When you choose jewelry, what factors do you consider? (price, fashion, emotional ties, etc?) DB: I like to buy jewelry that will last and is distinctive, even if it is a little more expensive. Although I keep it simple most days, I also collect and wear items I think are lovely and unique, like a mini art collection. In the last year or so I've picked up a big collar necklace, small jeweled ant earrings, and a bangle with 1960s-style sunbathers on it. PH: What jewelry trends do you like? Hate? DB: I love the look of the “arm party” trend, although I feel ridiculous when I try it; my arm parties have only been house parties so far. I don’t know if it’s a “trend” or not, but I really dislike theme jewelry---you know, the stuff that gets advertised as $99 (with a free box of chocolates!) for Valentine’s, Christmas, and Mother’s Day. I think it’s best when you can assign your own meaning to a gift instead of having marketers tell you what a piece of jewelry is supposed to mean. Side note: I groan audibly and leap to hit the mute button every-single-time I have to see that Kay Jewelers commercial where the woman is (apparently) scared of thunder and the husband/boyfriend patronizingly says, “I’m right here.” It’s insufferable. PH: If you could have any piece of jewelry in the world, what would it be? DB: Nothing specific comes to mind, but I drool over some of the estate jewelry I see on Etsy and Pinterest. Thank you Darci for sharing your jewelry memories with us. I loved reading through your answers and may be stealing the term "arm party" for future use!! Auntie Mil's Radium Watch |
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