On a Roll

Well once I figured out what my Celtic Green/Copper art charms would be I just sat down and made them all. Yep, no worrying about them or fussing over them, just got them done. Now I have a sense of accomplishment. Here is a picture of the little shamrocks, some wrapped with copper and there is another piece to them that I'm not going to share at this point as it will be a surprise to the art charmers participating in this swap.

I have a ton of my wine glass cozies finished and quite a few started for the Spring Barrel Tasting. This year we will be going to the Walla Walla area vs. Yakima and it doesn't start until the first weekend of May so I have lots of time.

Next on my list is to finish up a couple of tree special orders and a necklace for a friend of mine, start on the Hampton Fat book pages, make some Victorian folding fans for a ladies luncheon, make one more altered Altoids tin and figure out what to do for my Found Object/Steam punk charm swap. I'm not sure how I get into these messes but you got to love it.

This is one of the necklaces that I finished for a friend. Emeralds, sterling silver chain, oxidized silver chain, black enamel chain, vintage enamel piece, some brass chain and grosgrain ribbon woven through stainless steel chain at the back. Definitely a statement piece but it look gorgeous on.

We have a gem and mineral club meeting tonight and I'll be teaching my wire wrapped beach glass. If you want to find out more about these or see the picture tutorial click HERE. They are fast and easy to make with just some copper core wire.

Have a great Friday evening and weekend.

Playing with Customer Special Orders

I've been playing with beads the past couple of days and have sent pictures of sample necklaces, earrings and pendants to customers for decisions. I have fun creating for others and I go through different design processes depending upon what the request is for. In this picture the customer asked for the Prehnite beads strung with a pendant in the middle...it was the pendant I was having trouble with, so I found a couple set in sterling silver and then I had some tumbled stones that I could wire wrap in gold.

In this case the customer chose one of the loose stones for me to wire wrap in gold. I also always provide an estimate of what the piece would cost.

Here is sample of earrings for another customer. She had already chosen the ear ring studs and had indicated she wanted grey or silvery pearls.

The choice now was what color of silver pearls and whether she wants them long or short. I'm sure she will get back to me tomorrow. I actually prefer the longer set with the two tones of grey.

This next set was an example of what type of necklaces and how many could be made with some left over beads. I'm sure that we will be lots of back and forth on this one still to come.

Sometimes I'll do a sketch but most of the time I like to actually make a sample of what the necklace or earrings would look like using dummy wire or extra stringing wire and then picture it and sent it to the customer for their opinion.

So, do you create special orders for customers? How do you communicate choices?

This was Create Every Day #16, are you still creating?

I Need A Rest

Okay, more like my fingers need a rest. Made 6 small gem trees today as part of a special order for a customer. I have 4 more to make and then I will mount all of them on small rocks. These are all 4 to 6" trees that I consider small as most of my trees are about 3 times this size in terms of amount of wire and stones used. I'm sure you aren't going to be able to tell from the picture but there is a Jade Bonsai, Citrine Charm, Turquoise Pine, Breast Cancer Awareness, Freshwater Pearl and Rock Crystal made with magenta wire (it is the coolest looking one of the bunch).

Maybe I'll actually work on creating some new jewelry pieces tomorrow.

Happy Monday.

The Diary 2011 Project

I decided to join the fun with the Diary 2011 Project. See link on the right. It doesn't cost anything to join in and create one of the day pages of the diary. So, I've picked my date of 8/29 and now I have to design my page. Since it is in gray scale I don't want to use too much color that will get washed out so maybe a monotone watercolor with pen and ink drawing. I have to hurry up and start creating as my page is due next week. I'll post the design when I'm finished. If you want to join in, there are lots of dates left and not too much time.

More special orders completed. Well through all the remodeling mess I was able to finish a couple of special orders. The first set was for a repeat customer who wanted long leather necklaces that she could wear long or double up and wear short. The large square venetian glass pieces were the customers.

The next couple of pieces were for a new customer who wanted me to take apart and reuse 3 of her necklaces (2 pearl and 1 coral). Both necklaces turned out better than I thought and I'm sure she will love them. The first one uses only her beads with my fine silver fused links. The second one has a few of her beads and some of mine mixed in with soldered and hammered brass links.

I hope everyone is having a great week. Tomorrow is granite day in the kitchen remodel. We are making progress.

Weekend Fun

After putting my bad experience on Friday aside and appreciating the customers that keep coming back, I had a great weekend. My niece and her fiance were here from Wyoming for a visit so we did a few family dinners and visited quite a bit. Here are the guys BBQ'ing one night.

Why is it that the men gather around the BBQ. Must be that caveman thing.

I also worked on a couple of special orders yesterday. Both for the same gal. This one is made with soldered brass links and gold tone pewter links with Venetian glass beads and pearls. Definitely a statement piece.

The next necklace was made with some of the customers pearls and my labradorite beads. Oh so smashing. I have something similar to this for sale in my 1000 Markets shop out of sterling silver and moonstone.

This is very wearable and feels good on. Just the right length at 19". Two of the strands are strung and the other one is a chain style. Wonderful for dress or work. I put it on with jeans and a white shirt and it looked right at home. I've always put sterling with labradorite but the gold looks quite elegant.

Well time to start my day. Have a great day everyone.  Cheers, Dana

Special Order Complete

I have been so disorganized lately and this past week I did nothing. Well nothing isn't a good word as I've actually been sick with the Spring cold. It just kind of jumped up on me without warning. Funny how that happens. So, anyway, I haven't felt like getting in my craft room or even blogging.....really sad for me. This down time did allow me to finish a special order for 9 gem trees that I needed to get out the door this week. Mind you I'm still coughing and hacking up crap but I can still twist wire with the best of them without even looking. That is the one good thing about this hobby. They just kind of build themselves. Here is a picture of my finished creations before they were crammed into a box and shipped. I always worry about how they will look when they arrive.

So that's why you haven't heard from me in over a week. Wow, that's a long time and I wasn't even on vacation. Now that I'm on the road to recovery, I'll be back soon.

Giveaway by Casto Creations

If you follow my blog then you'll remember that I had a giveaway of several pieces of Copper jewelry not too long ago. Well if you liked that jewelry you will love this as it is the exact same set. I sent a set to Megan of Casto Creations for a review and now she is going to give it to one lucky winner. I'm sure that all of you would like another try at winning this great set, so head on over to Megan's blog Casto Creations Jewelry and enter.

The set includes a Swirl pendent on chain, Charm earrings, bangle bracelet, cluster ring and the jewelry pouch. It's a fun set that you could use or give as a gift.

As part of my reorganization of priorities, I actually finished a special order yesterday. I like being able to finish a project. Now to just finish all those gem trees that I have to mail on the 31st.

Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter....right hand column to get the coupon codes to purchase my book Gem Tree Sculptures at a $10 price vs. $17.99 and a special offer on any gem tree supplies or kits.

Oh, What to do Now!

I think I have created a monster. Yes, that is me. Being off work (forced retirement) has it's advantages and disadvantages. The best for me is being able to make jewelry, gem trees and sew whenever I want. Now you are probably wondering what is the disadvantage about that....well one of the obvious is less money to buy the supplies needed to make all those wonderful things and the other is that I am terribly disorganized and tend to work on my little projects and not my special orders. I'm also accumulating things faster than I am selling them.

The one new thing is my purses. I've made three now and learned something new on each one, so none of them are of a standard I would sell, but maybe the next one, hence the accumulation. I also have way too many ideas for projects that I just can't get to and have found myself working on several all in the same day and not finishing any of them. Okay, I finished a purse yesterday but I have gem trees to make and still don't have all of them finished.

When I was working I was able to focus on what was important (like special orders) get those completed and then work on my little projects. Now I get up in the morning and feel that I have all the time in the world (no job to go to) and sometimes just putter the day away doing my little projects. LOL, I think I need to focus. Maybe start a list each morning of those things I really need to accomplish (like laundry today and gem trees) and tackle those first and then if I have time left over, work on my other projects.

If you have any ideas, please let me know, other than go back to work that is.

BTW, my March newsletter is out and in it is a coupon to purchase my book "Gem Tree Sculptures" for $10.00 vs. $17.99. This offer is only good until 4/1/10, so sign up today (right hand column) and I'll send you the newsletter with the coupon in it.

Giveaway Deadline is Approaching

For those of you that missed this post the Copper Giveaway ends on March 3rd, so enter today so you don't miss out. Here is the link. http://danasjewelrydesign.blogspot.com/2010/02/plethora-of-copper-giveaway.html
 You get everything you see pictured including the drawstring bag.




When it rains it pours and in the past week I landed 4 special orders. The first one I completed today which was for two bracelet and earring sets and a pair of charm earrings all in sterling silver. I really like the way the green set turned out especially with Spring on our heels. Now I have to get busy on the next order of 9 gem trees....this one may take me awhile, good thing I have until the end of March to complete them.

Yes, I haven't quit sewing yet. Hubby had a special request for the motor home and that was a knife roll. Having no idea what that was or how to make one, I looked up some commercial ones one the internet to see how they were made. It didn't turn out too bad and it will keep the knives safe in the drawer while we are traveling.

  









Hopefully everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

Dana