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Woohoo! Got the e-mail this a.m. My Design Challenge Necklace-"Waltz Across Texas" won the challenge. Thanks to all who helped me win. One of the prizes is a Blog feature about me and my Glass/Beading. So stay tuned and I'll post when that happens. Meanwhile, here's the necklace and earrings made to match it. They are up for sale. I'll be posting them in my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz shortly, but if you're interested in them now, it's $55.00 for the set. Reply to this post or e-mail me and I'll figure shipping for you. Enjoy.
Ok, being from Texas, I just can't resist Texas Tales. They are always about being Bigger/Better in Texas. This one is wonderful. When I told it to my husband and got to the end, he totally didn't see it coming. So now I share it with you, through the kindness of Cindi at Handmade in Tx. Thanks Cindi (and your mom, too)
A Texas Tall Tale
After having dug to a depth of 100 feet last year, New York scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.
Not to be outdone by the New Yorkers, a California archaeologist dug to a depth of 200 feet and shortly after, a story in the LA Times read: "California archaeologists' discovery of 200 year old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the New Yorkers."
One week later, A local newspaper in Texas reported the following: "After digging as deep as 300 feet in his pasture near Lubbock, TX, Bubba, a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing. Bubba has therefore concluded that 300 years ago, Texas had already gone wireless."
Just makes you proud to live in (or be from) Texas, doesn't it?
Just a peek. Here's the Bead Soup I sent to Loretta Carstensen, who is my BSBP partner.
There was Cherry Quartz, Rhodonite, Hammered copper washers/discs, copper beads, Jasper focal, Handcrafted Fused Glass focal with Green Adventurine glass and Dichroic glass, Handcrafted Copper clasp, some fiber beads and more.
And here's the great Bead Soup Loretta sent me:
Isn't it great? There's Smoky Quartz, Dalmation jasper, Gold filled clasp and spacers, some cute gold seed beads and a Mother of Pearl (I think) bead/focal. I must admit, I don't usually work with such large beads as the Smoky Quartz, but I've got several ideas swimming around. And I've been going through my stash to see if I want to add anything or just work with her great "Soup". Stay tuned!
I'm participating in a Desing Challenge put on by Jewelry By Solange. She sent us 2 Snakeskin Jasper beads and we could design anything with them we wanted. We just HAD to use the 2 beads. It had to be done by Friday August 19th, named and pictures sent to her. She has now put it up on her blog for people to vote. There will be 2 winners. The People's Choice winner gets a wonderful necklace designed by her and the 2nd winner gets a gift certificate to her shop. There's some wonderful designs in the challenge. They cover all spectrums of things, from Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, to an adorable keychain.
My entry is entitled "Waltz Across Texas". I took the 2 beads and made a focal/pendant out of them with brass tubing that had been hammered and copper chain to make them like a Bolo tie that cowboys here in Texas wear. Then I hammered, coiled, curled, etc. copper wire into links with beads attached to make one side of the necklace, and attached fiber to the other side of the necklace with 2 hammered brass discs. The clasp is a Hammered Copper Wire "S" hook. I named it Waltz Across Texas, because it has the "Bolo" Tie pendant, plus the fiber was to signify, the shawls/boas that women sometimes wear out dancing here in Texas. Of course, since I live in Texas, it had to be named "Waltz Across Texas" If you'd like to help me, you can click on the title of this post, or the title of the blog it's featured on, Jewlery By Solange and go comment/vote. Mine is the 4th design down. To vote, you have to leave a comment with my name and the name of my piece. (I.E.-Kay-Waltz Across Texas) You CANNONT leave anonymous comments/votes. Here's a picture of my piece for you to see ahead of time. Please go vote, whether for me or another design. It helps all Handmade Artists feel special when we know someone loves our work. Thanks.
By the way, this piece sold before I even got it listed in my shop, KayzKreationz. I was showing it to my Mom and sister in a restaurant for lunch the other day and the waitress saw it and bought it and ordered earrings to match. But I can design more if you like this. You have until Aug. 28th to vote.
Good morning all. Just a little post to tell you about a great site for Handmade Artists. There are so many places out there that we, as artists, can sell our gorgeous Handmade items. One of the newest, although it started back in December 2009, is HandmadeArtistsShop. After struggling for the first year, they redesigned the Shop site and relaunched a new reddesigned site. It's a great site. What I love most about it is that it is dedicated solely to Handmade. They're not going to allow any resellers, unaltered vintage or non-handmade supplies. So what you get is a Handmade site for Handmade artists! Isn't that great. You don't have to weed through all the resellers on other sites or storebought things being passes off as handmade.
They also are keeping Social Features off the site. There is a separate forum for that kind of thing that is completely separate. It's been going for about 3 years and is dedicated to Handmade also. They don't discriminate about where you choose to sell, but they help support Handmade artists. I've been a member of that forum for a little while and there's great support there as well as opportunities to get your shop mentioned in several ways and get more views/sales.
But back to the HandmadeArtistsShop site. They have some wonderful shops so far and gorgeous items made by Handmade artists. Take for instance this great shop where I purchased this pretty little haircomb: LifeIsSublime Isn't that great? But their goal is to keep it fairly small so it becomes the elite place to buy Handmade. So get on over there (by clicking on the title of this post or the name) and check it out. See if it doesn't fit you and what you sell and sign up to sell.
Ok, here's my Bead Soup Teaser for Loretta. Hope she enjoys it. Waiting anxiously for my "soup" from her and for her to get my "soup". Can't wait to see what I get and to post pictures of what I sent and what I received. Stay tuned for more photos of the Bead Soup Blog Party and the Reveal in September. Enjoy.
My mom had an old metal umbrella table that she was thinking about getting rid of. But I convinced her to keep it and put Glass Mosaic on it to dress it up for her deck. She's always love sunflowers, so that's what we decided to put on it. I did have a little bit of a hard time convincing her though that Sunflowers come in different colors. But after googling some images and showing them to her, we started drawing off the design. We started with the Sunflowers, then added the leaves, stems and branches. We decided to go with Glass nuggets around the center hole and the outside rim to keep from having any sharp points on the edges. Then we added the blue background to make it look like you're looking up at the Sunflowers towards the sky. Finally we grouted the whole thing with a Buttercream grout to blend everything together. It turned out great and she was ecstatic. My dad was almost as excited about it as she was. He would come home from work every day to check out the progress. Hope you like it as well.
For small mosaic items for your Home and Garden, check out my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz.
Yay, the Bead Soup Blog Party is coming. Lori, at Pretty Things hosts this twice a year. And although the sign ups are closed for this round you really should check it out and join us for the next round next spring. This consists of jewelry makers, both long time jewelry makers and newbies like me, that get partnered up with someone else. We swap beads, findings, whatever. The main thing is we HAVE to send a Focal, a Pretty clasp, (not just a lobster claw) and some coordinating beads. When we get our stash from our partner, we post a pictue of it on our blog. Then we have until Sept. 17th to make something and post the pictures of what we did on that day for the reveal. Then we get to hop around over 300 Blogs! And check out what everyone made. I'm partnered with Loretta Carstensen from California. She makes lovely things from Polymer Clay, something I've tried and haven't been real successful with yet. She has an Etsy and Artfire shop, plus her blog. Check out her shops by clicking on Etsy or Artfire. And check out her blog by clicking on her name. Then be sure to check back later to see what wonderful goodies I receive from her and again in September to see what I make with them.
For some great Glass Kreationz for your Home or Garden, you can check out my Etsy shop, KayzKreationz, too. Enjoy.
This is a great Blog Party. I first saw it last spring on a blog and it looked like so much fun. The participants are astounding in their creativity. So what is a Bead Soup Blog Party? Here's how it works!
First, you must have a blog!
Second, no, you do NOT have to make your own beads!
Third, YES it is open to International beaders!
So click on the title and go check it out and register.
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