Monday, May 27, 2013

A Second Shop























A first for me ... NO polymer clay appears in my blog  this week !
Instead this is about a new venture .
Several months ago I stated selling earrings at the veterinary hospital were I work.
I decided to donate all the money from sales to a local no kill animal rescue.
Since I have a ginormous stash of beads, I thought this would be a good way for me to support a cause I strongly believe in.
The Good News ... my earrings were a big hit and I was able to donate a significant amount of money right from the start.
I did manage to use some beads from my stash .
However, I kept finding really ,really great animal themed components to buy.
I have soooo much  fun searching for neat new  beads and charms !
Every week clients and co-workers look forward to seeing the new earring designs.
The Bad News... I  realized I needed  a way to pay for my supplies !
I did get a foot in the door of a brick and mortar store ,which has helped a lot
But, I like doing my own merchandizing . So I decided to take a chance and open a second ESTY  shop.
 ETSY  is a jungle of jewelry designers . It's easy to get lost and be swallowed up by lions ,tigers and bears ...oh my!
The completion is tough .There is some amazing jewelry for sale on ETSY!
I am  not making any Paris Runway ,OOAK or Glam designs .
I'm making fun stuff  people can wear everyday.
My earrings are not about making a fashion statement.
They are about making people smile.
I figure I can list 100 pairs for an investment of $20 .That seems worth a gamble .The only down side...my hand is falling off after posting 24 listings!!!

So many lost and lonely dogs and cats need medical care and forever homes.
I hope my new venture will help support my "pairs for paws " fund
this week stop by and check out my new shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Hyacinthsbyme
and
Bead Happy !

m.e.


Monday, May 20, 2013

WiFi & Flowers

Bead Bouquet























Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Nothing makes that quote more clear to me than the absence of my internet !
You don't know what you have until you lose it .
Besides my ETSY shop ,Pinterest and all things Beadie
My computer is my bookkeeper ,banker and link to  friends and family.
With internet access I have the world at my finger tips
Without it, I'm cut off from the sources that help run my world .
And I'm without many things that make me smile .
This week  my internet provider was down for almost 24 hours!
I was not happy !!! OK...I was in major melt down !
But the good news is, I used  my  unwelcome free time to make some extra beads .
I liked the flower style I created for the May ABS challenge so much ,
I decided to try it in a few more colors .
Before I knew it ,I had a bouquet full of flowers! Thanks for the inspiration ABS.

These are big focal type beads . I like them as simple pendants as well as components in more complicated designs.
I think a statement piece with a huge bunch of these flowers might be fun too.
But,that will have to wait....
I have lots of blogs and e-mails to catch up with !
This week enjoy your favorite cyber connections
and don't forget to
Bead Happy ,

 m.e.



Thursday, May 9, 2013

Something Old is New

My New Floral Cabochons























I love making polymer clay flowers. I have been making flower beads for a long,long time!I have also started making simple earrings to sell at the Animal Hospital were I work . I donate all of the profits to a local Animal Rescue .

It's been years since I made earrings to sell . Flower brooches and earrings were the creations that got me started on this journey.
Recently I sat making little floral cabochons to glue onto earring backs. Suddenly my muse slapped me up side da head !
Why not add some cabochons to my shop she said.

The market is  full of easy  to  use findings with nice little round plates for gluing.Just add a  tiny flower and voila instant accessory ! Perfect way to add some inexpensive items to a shop or craft show line up . Or invest a bit more time and add a small flower or two to mixed media pieces. Polymer clay is very light weight .You can you can create ginormous designs that remain wearer friendly .
I love combos of unexpected elements all nicely arranged  into wonderful wearable  ART .
I haunt ETSY  and yard sales for bits and pieces of  weird and worn stuff I can use in my jewelry.
Often the very best finds are broken,missing parts etc.
Who wants one earring and a lock with no key ?
I do ! Broken + Bargain  can = Beautiful Beadie collage !
Do you ever use found items in your designs?

Making flowers is Old news for me .
But ,  using them as cabochons is a New twist .
This week
turn something Old into something New
and
Bead Happy
m.e. .




Saturday, May 4, 2013

May ABS Challenge

Recollect























If I had the time,I might spend hour after hour picking flowers from this painting.
I could gaze at this for hours and still find a new element to delight me .
And so many wonderful rich colors to choose from.
Is there such a thing as inspiration overload ?
I love making flowers .This month I almost wanted to make the entire vase full!
But, it is rather unpractical to spend 24/7 playing with clay and beads.
At least this is what my family tells me... LOL

Therefore, I decided to select just a few of my favorite elements and begin
I picked some shells and seed pods that were almost perfect matches.
And I found a large dragonfly that seemed just right.
Then I tried to duplicate my favorite flower,the striped one in the corner.
But, how would I pull it all together?
The elements made me think  of a collection of treasures saved as a reminder of a special life event.
Perhaps these could be mementos of a Summer love  ......
I decide to add a vintage escutcheon . 
For me peering though a key hole is a bit like peering into one's heart
A secret place that holds special memories......

A simple necklace with it's own untold story
Perhaps I will make up  a tale to go along with this piece
It may begin :
She agreed to meet him at the garden .The hidden one that grew so near the beach...........

This week imagine a memory
capture it in a piece of jewelry  
and
Bead Happy !
m.e.