Feature Artist: C Serpent

I saw these 2 beautiful bracelets in fellow Etsian Susan's shop. I find this unusual combination of beadwork band and sterling silver chain very pleasing. They were actually designed for the JET/Etsy Greetings/EtsyFAST Wedding Challenge and won FIRST PLACE. I'm not surprised since they are just exquisite. I love the speckles of teal added to it instead of just keeping it white and black. Susan's, the artist behind these creations, tale of becoming a jewelry designer is quite interesting. So I just share it here in her voice: "Hi my name is Susan and I'm the creator of cserpentDesigns! My husband nicknamed me Sea Serpent during our scuba diving days (picture a tall person in a purple and black drysuit with a pink flotation vest coming out of the water with big black fins on her feet ... yep sea serpent fits!). He even got me a sea serpent stamp to use for my "signature" on my hand made cards.

I got started in jewelry making when one of my soccer teammates got me to go to a wirewrapping class with her. I made my first bracelet in that class (and as I look at it now I want to take it apart and redo it to look a lot nicer!). I then saw a beaded watch band in a magazine and figured I could expand on that idea and make myself a cool beaded watch band in PURPLE! (my favorite color). I started the watch band using gold plated findings, finished it up at another wire wrapping class and got interest from many of my friends and family in having jewelry made for them. I still was just dabbling and got really mad when the gold plated findings started to tarnish in a very short amount of time. From that I learned my lesson about making things that last - don't make them with gold or silver plated parts if you want them to last a long time and remain beautiful!

That 2nd wire wrapping class really drove my interest in making jewelry with beads. I took more classes in basic jewelry making (stringing, knotting, ...) and have been making jewelry for family and friends and other customers for 4 years now. " I love to hear how others come to choosing the hobby they have. For me, it always has bead jewelry making. Although I also tried many, many, MANY other things, I always came back to it. So it is interesting for me to hear from someone that has only recently discovered the pleasures of creating wearable art. And I think that once you do, you can never go back!
More of C Serpents work can be found at http://cserpent.etsy.com
http://cserpentDesigns.blogspot.com

First Time on Front Page!

I knew all this creating and staying busy would soon pay off. And voila - one of my necklaces was featured on the front page of Etsy. I'm so excited because it really was a nice looking treasury. Now the Leaf Necklace is sold and off to its new owner on Monday. I just love knowing that others will appreciate these fun pieces. And the weather was so nice today (even though they predicated rain) that I was sitting outside in the sun with my baby girl all day working away. I started making some really cute embroidered star fishies. I think I will use them for a colorful beach bracelet. Can't wait to get that finished!

Where have the days gone...

I can't believe how long it has been since my last post! I'm just busy, busy, busy. But all in a good way. Being back at work part time, enjoying a bit of the spring weather and having yet another visitor from Germany. I think we will have someone stay with us every month now. And it is actually fun changing up the daily routine with some visitors. So the last 2 weeks I had my best friend from Germany over. We went to high school together and she was my Maid of honor. That is now 7 years ago and she hadn't been here since. Time flies! But even after all this time we picked up right where we left it and had a great time...so good indeed that I totally forgot to post ;) Sorry about that.

I also have been very busy working on all the felt swatches that my sister sent. I already posted a few of the new necklaces and bracelets I made from them and I have another 7 sitting right here that are all set and done. I just need to photograph them and list on Etsy. These are all so beautiful and full of great colors and fun to look at. Just makes me smile just looking at the pile. And there are some new motifs such as elephants and cherries. And I still have so many swatches left to do even more! So look out, here I come!!!!

Feature Artist: That's Headley

The weather has been so nice here lately and I have been working in the garden putting new plants in and making it all pretty for the summer. I just love gardening and being outside. So when I saw this Five Peas in a Pod Necklace, I got all excited. This is a very nice version of the peapod theme and perfect for so many occations. Like, for excaple, Mother's day. This artist can customize the number of peas on it for you so if there are 3 children, you could get 3 peas. I really love that idea! Actually wondering if I will get a Mother's Day present - It's my 1st Mother's Day, so it sure is special!!! This necklace is only one of a series of peapod items and all of them are just darling.
And while we are on the gardening trip, I found these Garden Earrings in Headley's shop as well. So sweet and perfect for the gardener in your life or just as a cute little summer accessory.

http://thatsheadley.etsy.com
http://thatsheadley.blogspot.com