Yea, I'm Published

I'm so excited....today I received a large envelope from FedEx and after I tore into it, there was a Step by Step Wire magazine for April/May...

so I started quickly flipping through the articles until I came to this one.

That's me and my design in an actual magazine published for all to enjoy....woo hoo. I was so excited to take pictures and share with everyone that I forgot to read over the instructions. Okay, did that now I can share. I even got a congrats from my husband for this one. I love this design and it really is fun to make, so go out and get the magazine. Try your hand at making my design and let me know how it goes. I would also be happy to answer any questions you may have (my little tips and tricks).

Oh and if you would like to take a class and learn how to make this design, I teach it at Shipwreck Beads in Lacey, Washington.  

Labor Day Weekend Activities

It is a holiday and usually we are at the beach. My husband and I both came down with a cold, it's been rainy and cool and didn't want to spend a cold rainy weekend miserable at the beach, so we stayed home. Today was lovey, turned on the fireplace and watched a movie this afternoon and then went to my mother's for dinner. No cooking, my kind of dinner. I did manage to make a couple of pair of earrings and a pendant yesterday.

I made two pair of earrings since I wasn't sure I liked the first pair. The bottom drop is a faceted black onyx with freshwater pearl and black sapphires and then a smooth round black onyx. The second pair I added small black tourmaline drops with the other stones. The pendant is a design I made up with just 14 gauge silver wire and then wrapped sterling silver wire around it with the gemstones. The bottom of the pendant also has a faceted black onyx.

I wore the set to my mother's tonight and as I thought, she wanted a set for herself. The design of the earrings is a take off one of my gem tree branches. Very simple to make a very flashy. The pendant and at least one pair of the earrings will be available in my ArtFire shop soon, but I need to take some better pictures, this one doesn't do it justice.

With the holidays coming up, I have been trying to decide on packing materials for items that are purchased at some of my upcoming craft shows. I finally decided to make origami boxes out of some of my old greeting cards. I'll just have them out in a basket and when a purchase is made they can pick out their own little gift box. It will be perfect for a pendant or earrings. I'll post pictures of the little boxes later and if you really want the instructions, I'll post those also.

Have a great Labor Day and don't work too hard...oh wait you aren't supposed to work at all on that day. Dana

Sunday Inspiration

Today was my inspiration day to work in my craft room creating a few more necklaces. A two of these will be posted to my 1000 Markets site and the other two will be taking to the Salon consignment.

Three of the necklaces are extra long so that they can be doubled, the other is 17" on sterling silver with stones and chain that match a bracelet already posted in my 1000 Markets shop and earrings in the same champagne quartz. The blue necklace and earring set also matches a bracelet in my shop. Click on either of the word bracelet to see the items. Yes, the earrings are one of my new designs that I mentioned in a previous post.

Hope you had an inspiring day and I'll be back tomorrow with another fantastic craft how to.

Something New for 2009

As if I didn't have anything new to do. LOL I started a new web site with 1000 Markets late in December and have been adding new items and blog posts there. For all of my friends that follow me here, I thought I would leave a little tid bit of something new I created for a friend of mine. She watched our dogs (as you have seen in pictures in this blog) while we were on vacation in Tucson.

It is a multi strand fine silver link necklace with black onyx, agate, pearl and smokey quartz. The inspiration is a bracelet that I found in Tucson for her along with a smokey quartz pendant. We will be giving this to her this week but wanted to get a picture of it first. It turned out fantastic and will be very versatile. I would like to know what you think.

Visit my shop and look around. There are lots of shops and markets to check out, so if you are looking for something special in the handmade category, this is the new and upcoming place to buy.

danasjewelrydesign.1000markets.com