End of Season Show

This past weekend we did our final show for the season. It was the Opal, Gem and Mineral show held in Puyallup at the Fair Grounds. It is a pretty large show in comparison to other rock shows and usually you can find some good material. I started out making jewelry on Friday then on Saturday and Sunday moved to making gem trees with hubby.

Our find of the show was some Ethiopian Opal chips that a vendor sold to us cheap since it was too small for them to sell for jewelry making. It has lovely color and flash. We purchased 200 grams and it came in assorted colors so I sat one afternoon separating it into three color piles. My favorite is the yellow/amber color but I have more of the white/clear. It's all quite beautiful even in this small size and it will make a beautiful gem tree.

One of the other demonstrators at the show was Cheryl Matson a glass artist. She teaches at the Pratt Fine Art Center in Seattle. Along with admiring all her beautiful works of art I did happen to purchase some of her orphan beads to use in my designs. Here are some of her beautiful pieces from a glass garden to beads.

Don't you just love this necklace. Such beautiful colors and this is all glass. If you are interested in the Pratt School and what they might offer, here is the link. http://www.pratt.org/index.html

I would just love to take some of their classes but plan to do a lot of traveling the first part of the year. Maybe I'll look at something from them this Spring or Summer but in the meantime I enrolled in Sketchbook Delight an online class by Alisa Burke. I really need to learn to capture my ideas for designs whether it is for gem trees or jewelry down on paper so that I don't forget them later. Alisa offers several on-line classes and if you would like to check them out here is a link to more information. http://www.alisaburke.com/onlineworkshops.html So, in future posts, don't be surprised if I show you glimpses of my sketchbook and how it is progressing.

I've been trying out this new blogger template for the past week and am still undecided as to whether I like it or not. I miss having my banner and all the links and buttons on the sidebar but it is a cleaner look for those visiting and wanting to read posts. Any thoughts?

Gem Show Season has Started

This weekend Paul and I are demonstrating at the West Seattle Gem and Mineral show. He is demonstrating gem trees and I am fusing fine silver. I was able to get a couple of pieces completed and a special order for a customer at the show who wanted a pair of earrings. Check out this link to the West Seattle Herald. There was a reporter there taking a few photos and talking to a few people. He did get a snapshot of one of my gem trees in the display case.  If you are in the area or want to get out in the beautiful weather tomorrow the show is at the Alki Masonic Lodge from 10-5pm. It's a small show, a few vendors, display cases, gold panning, silent auction, door prizes, demonstrators and a deli if you get hungry. Here is a photo I snapped with my phone of Paul and Tammy a friend of ours who is one of the vendors there Crystal Rich. You can see some of their items behind them such as spheres and mineral specimens. I've bought several mineral specimens from them in the past to use as gem tree bases.

Here is a photo of my gem trees in the display case.

We have several more shows we will be doing this Summer in July including the WA Agate Society show in Tenino on the 23rd and 24th of July and the Regional Gem Show in Chehalis which is the 29th-31st of July. We also do a couple of shows in the Fall in Castle Rock and one at the fairgrounds in Puyallup. I'll provide more info on those shows when we get a little closer to the dates.

If you are interested in taking a gem tree class vs. just watching us, I have two scheduled this Summer at Shipwreck Beads http://www.shipwreckbeads.com/catalog/Classes/Wire-Working-Classes/. The first one which is already up on their web site is June 11th from 2-5 pm and then second one is July 2nd from 1-4 pm. You can register on-line at Shipwreck Beads or call them directly.

Since it's such a beautiful weekend, finally, here in WA state, go out and have a great time tomorrow in the sunshine.

What's Got You Down?

Mine has been the cold from H&!!. I still have the cough but am feeling much better. If you follow me on twitter, then you probably know that I had a show last weekend. It actually turned out to be a very good show. Sold lots of gem trees and a few books. We always make lots of new friends and visit with old ones when attending these shows. This show was in Castle Rock, WA, which is a very small town very close to Mount St. Helens. We try to do this show every year and have been for the past 6 years so customers have come to expect us to be there. This year I didn't take my jewelry and concentrated on marketing the book and gem trees and I did have a few customers disappointed that I didn't have my jewelry with me. While the book is still fresh and new, it's best to focus my attention in that direction for awhile... or at least at some of the shows I'll be doing.

I'm most excited about a couple of new wholesale customers that I just landed the last couple of weeks. One is just ordering small gem trees for the Tucson gem show and the other is ordering books and kits for a local gem show he is doing. Yea... I like that one as I don't have to make anything, just put everything in a box and ship. Right now, with this economy, I'll take any kind of order I can get. Obviously I don't make as much money on wholesale customers as retail, but a customer is a customer and I like them all.

If you are reading this post and are wondering what book and what kits, I have them listed on my Etsy shop, so take a look around. If you prefer jewerly then I have that too on my 1000 Markets and ArtFire shops. Links to my shops are at the right.

I did get out last week for a day to visit the beach. It just happened to be one of the best days there all Summer. No wind and warm. The dogs loved being off leash, especially Buddy the spaniel. I swear that dog can run 40 miles per hour once he gets going.

I hope everyone is enjoying their week. I have a fun tutorial that I'll post here on how to make a penny pendant necklace, so stayed tuned and check back later. Cheers, Dana

Traveling Tuesday to Montana

We left this morning at 5:30 AM for Montana. Our first night we are staying in Butte and then the remainder of the week we will be in Billings for the AFMS/NFMS Gem and Mineral Show.

Odd weather from 90's to 70's here in Butte and raining. We did make a little pit stop just before reaching Missoula and found a stream bed and took Buddy our spaniel for a little swim. The water was a little swift so we kept him on a leash, but he loved it just the same. Now both dogs are tuckered out and fast asleep with one on the bed and the other at my feet. I think it will be an early night for us as well.

I'll keep you posted as we continue our travels and how the show turns out. If you live in the Billings area and want to see a great show, come to the Holiday Inn Trade Center this weekend. Oh and if you want to learn how to make a gem tree, I'll be giving workshops Friday-Sunday, just ask at registration.

Tuesday Tunes - Gemstone Wonders

I love this mix for this week. I created it for another blog that I help write for the Puyallup Valley Gem and Mineral club. All the songs have a gemstone in the name. It was interesting finding some of the songs and remembering them. I've included some pics that I took this weekend at our annual show. It was a lot of hard work, but it is now completed for the year...funny thing is I volunteered to help at another show in October....I must like punishment.

By the way my gem trees are pictured in the bottom row with a photocopy of my new book cover. More on that on my gem tree blog.

Friday Special - Gem Show

Okay, since I am the editor of the Puyallup Valley Gem & Mineral Club newsletter I have to give a plug every once in a while and today starts the annual club show at noon in Puyallup, WA. We will have lots of vendors selling everything from beads, minerals, rocks and fossils to finished rocks related pieces and jewelry. One of the highlights is upstairs visiting with all the demonstrators. They will be showing visitors how to make various lapidary goods including faceted stones, gem trees (my personal fav), cabachons, precious metal clay, and beading. There will be display cases (yes I will have one with my gem trees) a silent auction and raffle tickets available for great prizes.

If you want to see me, I'll be locked in the kitchen...okay not locked, but tied down...that didn't sound much better, working in the kitchen all weekend and hoping for a break any chance I get to look at all the goodies.

Here is a link to the flyer. I've also included pics from previous shows.

Vendor H&I Lapidary

Our member Jerry showing the kids how to polish Opal.

One of our Junior members showing how to make gem trees.

Come on out and visit us this weekend.

Ready for anything

I know a lot of you read my posts and are thinking when is she ever going to tell us what she is doing....well that is today. My list of things I'll be doing this year.

• Marketing my "Gem Tree Sculpture" book (due out next week)
• Volunteering at the PVGMC annual show in the kitchen for 4 days June 4-7
• Working at the antique mall on our booth 1 day a week
• Watching my 11 yo nephew for 3 weeks starting July 6th (zoo, NW Trek, Mt. Rainier, Westport, Pacific Science Center) are a few things on the list for that time.
• July 25-26 Tenino Rock Show, demonstrate gem trees and jewelry design
• July 30- Aug 2 NFMS/AFMS rock show in Billings, MT to compete for my Masters in Gem Tree Design and to teach a couple of gem tree classes
• Aug 15-16 Yelm rock show, demonstrate gem trees and jewelry design
• Sept Western WA State Fair - volunteer at our gem club hobby booth for a couple of days
• Sept 19-20 Castlerock rock show, demonstrate gem trees and jewelry design
• Oct 9-11 Shelton rock show, not sure what I'll be doing yet as this is a new show
• Nov 13-15 Opal show, demonstrate gem trees and jewelry design
• Nov 13 Craft show at Russell Investments
• Dec 9-10 Craft show at the VA Hospital in Seattle, WA

All of this plus lots of other things I just haven't planned yet, like an open house for my jewelry designs.....another gem tree workshop or two this Fall, more blogging, tweeting and creating jewelry....oh and did I mention that I still have 3 gem trees to make for my competition in July along with getting my display case perfected.

I may have to schedule some time with my husband...LOL.