Why jewelry?

So, I signed up for the Bead Soup Blog Party this past weekend, and Lori Anderson, the awesome lady who is organizing that blog party, gave us a blog prompt a few days ago that got me thinking...

She asked us to tell the story of why we became jewelry designers and what we like best about it... So, I got to thinking about it.... A few years ago, I bought a little jewelry design kit from Michael's in anticipation of summer boredom.  See, as an adjunct, I work really REALLY hard during Fall and Spring (usually 7 classes each, which is a LOT!!), and then in Summer, I only have 3 or 4 classes.  It's a nice reprieve from the work load, but sometimes I get a little bored.  And as a long time crafter, I'm always looking for new things to do.  So, I decided to try my hand at jewelry making.  I made a few things with the beads in the kit, but, since it was just a little cheapy thing, I quickly decided I wanted better supplies.  Thus began a love affair with Swarovski and czech glass, which quickly evolved into a passionate (and occasionally expensive) interlude with seed beads, lampwork beadies (LOVE!!), wire, and all things sparkly and awesome.  I can already see, this will be a lifelong relationship. :)

So, for part 2 of the question, what I like best about it...  hmmm....  what don't I like?  lol!  I mean, seriously, I get to play with GORGEOUS beads, learn all sorts of new techniques (wire wrapping has been the latest), and make pretties!  And if I'm very, very lucky, awesome people like my pretties and give me money for them!  lol!  Okay, yes, that last bit might seem a bit crass, but hey!  Adjunct on a VERY low salary here! lol!

Check out some of the pretties I get to play with:

This is part of my pretties stash (yes, I have a stash...) Beads by Flamekeeper, LampworkBeadsbyLinda, Bastille Bleu, NLCBeads, Maybeads, and Javabead.  Swarkies from FusionBeads. :)

And here's some pretties I made! :)

Wire, stringing, beadweaving, hammering, painting... FUN! 

So there you have it!  Why I make jewelry--because I can! lol!

(oh, and photo editing courtesy Picmonkey.com. Very easy to use!)

Fave Beads: Seed Beads

So, I've read a lot of info on line about different types of beads, etc, since I started on this awesomely awesome jewelry journey, but I thought it might be fun to give you my take on one of my favorite beads.

The seed bead....

This humble little bead is the staple of many of my jewelry making endeavours.  The funny part is--when I started making jewelry about 3 years ago, I saw no use for the seed bead AT ALL!  I mean, what did I want to deal with those things for!  My god!  So tiny and annoying!

Then, I discovered they make good filler when you're trying to extend a design into a necklace in the easiest and simplest manner (with simple stringing).  So, I bought some seeds beads in various colors.  Not too many, just some to make stringing necklaces and bracelets easier.

And as I continued to learn more techniques, and explore the world of handmade jewelry more, I learned about the gorgeous woven pieces I could make

And this time... "My God!! So gorgeous!  Love it! Hey, can I do that?"  And then, "YES! I CAN!  But I need seed beads to do it!!!  Oh dear....   But I don't like seed beads!"

Well, now I do... and here's why:  the seed bead, that humble, itty bitty, tiniest of all beads, is without any doubt in my mind, THE single most versatile bead ever created.  Now I admit, I've not gone so far as to research when and where it was for developed, etc (I'd imagine, sometime in prehistory, but don't quote me on that...) but ever since I started weaving, I can tell you seed beads have gotten more play in my designs than any other bead I own...

And the really cool thing about seed beads--they come in a seemingly infinite variety of shapes and sizes... don't believe me?  Go here.

So there you have it... the worth of the tiniest bead...  Now, I'm off to weave something!  With seed beads!!

Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Miss Mia!!!!!!

Today, June 25th (or "half Christmas" as I just heard it called... LOL!) is my beautiful, gorgeous, phenomenal, awesome, sweet-as-a-peach niece's Birthday.  She's 8.  I cannot believe that she's 8!  I told her a few weeks ago that she's not allowed to get any older. She just smiled, and then tried to (accidentally) drown me in the pool.

Anyhoo, I made a bracelet a while back that I finally finished last week, and my mom commented that Mia would like  it.  So I made her one of her very own.  And, because I love to stamp, I made her a special card to go with it...

Here they be!

This is actually one of the 2011 Sale-A-Bration Stamp Sets, Sweet Summer. I CASE'd it from a card by Amanda Coughlin here. It's a little girl for my Mia girl!

The focal is part of an old belt, that I painted, applied some punched flowers and tiny gems, and stamped her name on it.  I like this because it allows me to combine all my crafty projects into one! The chain is my first ever daisy chain! I hope she likes it! 

 Happy Birthday, my gorgeous girl!  I love you!!

Taking Photos...

Picture taking is not my strong suit...  I don't totally suck at it, but nor am I anything even remotely resembling a photographer.  I'd like to be, but.. yeah, not so much....

So, any-who, I've spent the past 2 weeks (only because of that silly job thing) re-taking and editing, to the best of my ability, all the photos of all the items in my Artfire Shop. It's been a lot of fun, but also a lot of work.  Especially when the computer wouldn't always recognize the new photos in iPhoto.  But I finally got it all done, and the shop is all newly updated with better pics... And, I have a Pro account, now, so it's all pretty and organized!  You should go check it out!  :D

R.Wilson

Dollar Tree... the untapped crafty resource

Seriously, it is... I cannot tell you how many things I have found at the Dollar Tree that have, eventually, made their way into a craft of some kind (including a pair of earrings that I have gotten more compliments on!  Pics in a minute...)

I've bought scrapbooking papers there, jewelry findings, stickers, weird knicky-knacks, frames, flowers, clear pumpkins (one of the latest purchases!) I even found adhesive there once (okay, it wasn't great, and either the Stampin' Up! Adhesive or Glue Dots work WAAAAAAAAAYYY better, but it's perfect for testing stuff and then ripping it apart again!)

I've seen several discussions recently about craft stores and whatnot, and thought it was time someone came out and said it--sometimes the cheapest supplies help you create the niftiest things.  With that in mind, I thought it might be nice to post pics of some of the things I've made, and have gotten complements on, that I've used Dollar Tree supplies in.  Hope you like them!

Okay, so ages ago, I decided I wanted some blingy earrings.  This is what I came up with:

[caption id="attachment_298" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Carousel Earrings--made possible by the bead cap there, which came from Dollar Tree. The rest of it--sterling chain and swarovski crystals!"][/caption]

So, I found the end clips, where the card hangs, for these lanyards at the Dollar Tree, in a mix with key chain loops:

[caption id="attachment_83" align="aligncenter" width="227" caption="The hooks came from Dollar Tree, everything else from a craft / bead store."][/caption]

So I mentioned key chains? Yeah, here they are:

[caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The key rings, and possibly the tiger tail, all from Dollar Tree..."][/caption]

And papers!  They have awesome scrapbooking papers (sometimes; admittedly it can be hit or miss). In fact, I've never used the more expensive papers I have, but I've used Dollar Tree papers in every major decoupaging project I've done:

[caption id="attachment_296" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="the tea tray... The base was from Michaels, the papers are Dollar Tree..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_174" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="All the papers used in this project came from the Dollar Tree..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_200" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Again, the box came from Michaels, but all that beautiful bright paper came from the Dollar Tree... and maybe the ribbon, too... I can't remember... "][/caption]

So you see?  It's a wonderful resource!  If you haven't been, you should go wander. And don't feel discouraged if you don't find anything.  Maybe they're just having an off day! (and don't get me started on the storage possibilities for all your crafting stuff from the Dollar Tree...)

RLW

The awesomeness that is the Hive

So, a few weeks ago, I joined this new online crafting community called Creating the Hive. It's a wonderful site, and I've met many really wonderful people.  It's such a positive influence, and it's bringing together crafters of vastly different experience and genre, to trade ideas, pump each other's egos, challenge ourselves, and just generally have fun. So far, I've had one of my projects featured (the table I redid a few weeks ago), I've won a contest and received an awesome mystery art grab bag (see the adventures of Boxie) and I've been inspired to try to craft something (even if it's just a blog post) everyday. Admittedly, with 8 classes, that's been a bit hard.  But I'm working it out.

Anyways, I just found another very cool benefit to having joined the Hive--seeing someone's work that I may not have ever run across any other way, and scoring a BEAUTIFUL piece of jewelry out of it for a very good price!  It's a brooch, made of copper, with beads in fall colours and some gorgeous leaves, and the minute I saw it in Faye's post, I knew it had to be mine.  Now, had I not become acquainted with Faye through the Hive, I doubt I would have thought to ask about the shipping.  'Cause, see, Faye lives in Britain, while I live in Florida... But I did!  And so now, it is mine.... muwahhhahhhhahhhahhhh!!!!!!!! :D  I can't wait till it gets here!!!!

I have to go buy a hat....

RLW

I got my vanity URL!!! WOOT!!!!!

Okay, so last weekend, I started a Facebook page to help promote Definitive Designs.  I thought long and hard about it, and decided the time was right.  So, I set it all up, and managed to get a wee bit confused several times, and changed my picture a couple of times, but finally it was all ready to go.  And then I went to grab the link to tell people about it, and that silly thing was huge.  So I managed to stumble upon another page that was talking about vanity URLs, but you had to have 25 fans before you could get it.  So I just checked my page a little bit ago, and WOO-HOO I got 25 fans!  Yay!!!!!!!! So now, I have my vanity URL in Facebook!  Yippee!!!!!!!!!

Here's the page: http://www.facebook.com/definitivedesignsbyrwilson Stop on by and leave me a note!  Looking forward to seeing you there!!!

RLW

Biggish day for lil' ol' me!!!

So, last week, as I begged my boss and all the office ladies to vote for my Art with Heart piece (which they did!  So, yay!!!) they also asked to see what else I made.  So, today, or I guess, yesterday now, I took all my work in so they could see.  And guess what!  I sold a pair of earrings, and have orders for five, (yes, FIVE) African Helix bracelets. YAY!!!!!!!

I know it's not much, but it makes me happy! :)  And now, I get to play on Artbeads and buy some new seeds and druks. Whoo-hoo!!!!!

I also ordered the kit for Art with Heart Cycle 3, and I cannot WAIT to get that sucker!  Here's a link; check out those colours. How gorgeous are those!  And that focal!  I'm tempted to get a few of those just to have on hand. I can feel a fabulous piece in the offing!

Well, that's it for my quick update.  Look for some new pieces in the shop in a few days, and have a great weekend!

R.Wilson

Super Crafty Fun Weekend!!!!

Yup, I had a super-crafty-fun-weekend! and it was grrrrrreeeeeeeeaaaaat!!!!! (insert Tony-the-Tiger voice here...)

Okay, so, first, I decoupaged a box that that I'm using as a jewelry box for the pieces I want to sell (you know, rather than the cardboard box I had them in).  I even put a little handle on it and mirror inside it! It's really cute.  Here it is:

[caption id="attachment_200" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="All finished!"]
[/caption]

Now, of course, getting to this point, what with the Mod Podge and the cutting and the mess (you should see my sweat pants--covered in modgy fingerprints.  Oh yeah--and I used paint, too!) was quite a bit of chaotic fun!

I started with all my shtuff...

[caption id="attachment_193" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Like how I laid it all out so nicely for a pic? :)"][/caption]

And then, of course, about half-way through, I realized I needed more shtuff. No pics of that, though... So then I got to painting the inside.  Also, no pics.  There was far too much mess going on to pick up the camera. I'm gonna wait a few more months before I get paint on it.

And then I had to measure.  Well, sort of.  I did measure the sides so I wouldn't waste too much paper, cause it was all pretty and stuff! But of course, I only measured the one time, and so my measurements aren't all spot on. My father would be so disappointed (he's a pro at the measuring thing...) But in the end, I did find a use for most of those left-over paper bits I did end up with (more on that in another post. Tomorrow, maybe...)  So, after all the measuring and the cutting and the modgin' and the podgin' was done, I ended up with this:

[caption id="attachment_195" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="kinda cool, if I do say so myself...."][/caption]

So then, for the finishing touches.  I really wanted a handle on it, and I had visions of a suitcase like handle, but I have no spare suitcases, so I had to improvise something else.  I also wanted it to have a bit more interest goin' on up top there, and I have these large chip-board butterflies.  I have no clue where they came from, but they've been in my stash for awhile. So I took some of that paper and 'podged it up, and painted the ugly cardboard sides.  While I was at it, I took a length of pink ribbon and raided my bead stash for some large hole beads.  I found some great wooden ones, and strung those on the ribbon.  Then, to the toolbox I wandered!  With the help of my trusty staple gun, I attached the ribbon, and then used my E-6000 epoxy to attach the butterfly on top.  And wah-lah! A handle and some interest!!!

[caption id="attachment_196" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="gotta love E-6000!!!!!!!"][/caption]

As the glue dried, I was pondering the inside.  Okay, truth be told, the glue wasn't so much dried as still very glue-y when I thought "Hey, a mirror would be cool!"  And it just so happens, I had a perfect mirror to use!  Back to the E-6000, slapped some dollops on the back of the mirror, press it into the inside top, prop it open, and then a few minutes later, discover that the glue from the butterfly is now dripping onto the coffee table.  Oops!!!  So I flipped the whole mess upside-down! Eventually, it dried.  well, the butterfly bit did.  I discovered the next day, after I closed the  lid for a few minutes, that the mirror bit was still oozing.  So, back open it went!  Finally, that all dried.

Then, I realized, there's no easy way to see yourself in the mirror if you're playing with jewelry, since it just flipped all the way open... so, I had to add some catcher-thingies... I'm sure they have an actual name, but I know not what it is.  Anyway, I used more ribbon, E-6000, and eyelets.  And let me say, I need a punch that will punch a hole in ribbon... that was not fun... and in retrospect, this part should get done BEFORE the mirror goes in... But I made it work:

[caption id="attachment_197" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Just hammer those eyelets in there! And use the E-6000 to make sure they stay!"][/caption]

And that was it!  Here's some more close up shots, after the fact:



[caption id="attachment_202" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="And finally, filled with stuff!"][/caption]

You know, I'm really tempted to make another one to use as a purse. It's too cute!! And more on the rest of my crafty weekend soon!

RLW

OMG I AM SOOOOOOOO CLOSE!!!! Please Help!!!!!

Okay, Art with Heart's Cycle 2 Beading Viewer's Choice contest ends in exactly 1 day.  I am so close to winning that!  Please help!  Here's the link:

http://www.beads-n-blessings.blogspot.com/

My piece is #12, the watch, which I had a blast making and I really love. It has danglies, even!!!! And the best part? Well, the best part you can't see in the pics--it has a magnetic clasp!  So easy peasy!!! No more fumbling with silly clasps that aren't meant to used one-handed!

[gallery order="DESC"]

So, please, please, please, with cherries (or a fruit of your choice) on top, help me out with this if you can, and ask your friends to vote, if you wouldn't mind (yes, I'm annoying, I know...)

Love ya!

RLW

Rustic Sunrise

I found a name for it!!!!!  I have to say, next to pricing, naming is one of my biggest problems.

So, a few days ago I blogged about ripping stuff apart, and included some pics of the bracelet I had made from said stuff I had ripped apart... Well, I kept looking at that bracelet and just couldn't leave well enough alone, so now I have an entire jewelry set made from that old belt.  God, I love my work.... LOL! Anyway, here's pics:

[caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="484" caption="The complete set--earrings, necklace, and bracelet"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_84" align="aligncenter" width="387" caption="The necklace"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_85" align="aligncenter" width="387" caption="The bracelet..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_81" align="aligncenter" width="323" caption="The earrings"][/caption]

I love this set.  Not sure what I'm going to do with it.  But I wanted to share. Enjoy!

R.Wilson

Ripping stuff apart is fun!

Okay, not so much "ripping" and taking stuff apart methodically so as to preserve all the original stuff to be used in making other stuff later. That's what I did a little while ago... I took apart a belt that I got years ago because it had these really interesting wood or palm-tree-bark-like thingies... See, like this:

[caption id="attachment_69" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="This is the main piece. No idea what it's made of.... But it looks cool!"][/caption]

So yeah, I had fun pulling that belt apart. I've been looking at these pieces for ages, and I decided to work on something today.  I made a bracelet, and I'm pondering earrings.  Here's the bracelet:

[caption id="attachment_71" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="No idea what to call this bracelet... "][/caption]

I love the pink swarovski with it.  Kinda makes it pop, you know?

[caption id="attachment_70" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Maybe I'll call it "Stuff"..."][/caption]

Eh, I'll work on a name before I post it to Artfire.  And I think I'm gonna go with "faux wood" on the materials list and leave it at that!

R.Wilson

Earrings!

I love making earrings, and I love wearing earrings, so it's handy that I enjoy making them, huh?  Yeah, circular reasoning if ever I saw it, but it works for me... lol!

So I made earrings today.  Two pairs; I tried for a third, but the inspiration just wasn't there... although, it might be now... I'll be right back...

....

......

.....

Yup--just got another idea!

And just made the other idea!  LOL!  So anyways, I made three pairs of earrings today...

Turquoise and Copper

Falling Leaves

So, the first pair of the day was the Turquoise and Copper.  I just thought they looked like a lot of fun. And the most recent pair is Falling Leaves. Also, just a lot of fun.

But I also made a pair I'm calling Beautiful Death, and those were my baby today:

Beautiful Death

I'm not sure of the name yet, but I thought I could try it out here for the time being. I bought the skull beads ages ago from a seller on Etsy, and they're actually the first beads I used in anything I sold.  I have a great earring and necklace set that I made for myself, ostensibly for Halloween, but I wear them year round (it's subtle, and until someone really looks, they don't actually know I'm wearing skulls.) My goal with Beautiful Death was to go over-the-top (ish) joining the death icon (the skull) with flowers and soft colors.  There's even a little blue butterfly, if you look closely. I really like the way they turned out.  So much so, I may not sell them (the danger in making things you like....)

Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

R.Wilson

I'm stumped...

So, I've found I enjoy entering beading contests.  I like that someone else chooses the beads and other materials, and I have to figure out what to do with that kit.  I've entered 3 so far, the Use the Muse IV contest back in the spring, and both Art with Heart contests.  Use the Muse and Art with Heart Cycle 1 are both complete, and I had a lot of fun working on those pieces. Here they are:

[gallery columns="2"]

So now I'm working on Art with Heart 2.  And I'm clueless...It's a beautiful kit, but... yeah...  I got nothin'... Here's a link to the project kit. Pretty, yes?  The focal bead is gorgeous, that blue teardrop. So I can't decide if I should do links for a necklace, or if I should do some bead weaving or what.

I'll figure something out.  After all, I have until August 18th to get it all done!

R.Wilson

Inspiration

So for the first time, I have an inspiration other than the beads in my stash. My parents recently bought a 2nd home in North Carolina, and during the purchase process, the original owner sent some pics of the flowers in bloom.  They were all beautiful, but the pics of the azalea with the rhododendron in the background is absolutely gorgeous. Here's the pic:

So, like I said, I finally have inspiration outside of my beads (don't get me wrong, I have some awesome beads, and they've led me to some wonderful ideas), but I so so SO want to make something (maybe a set!) based on the colors in this pic.  I mean, look at it!  The orangy-pink, and the pale blue-purple, with the green?  Gorgeous!! I'm just so taken with this image!  I think I have the beads to do this, but I'm not sure yet how I want to work it.  Links, weaving, stringing, a combo of all of the above? I just don't know.... But I'll figure it out!  I'll post pics when I do!

R.Wilson

New Stuffs...

Happy 4th of July!!

Well, it took a good minute, what with all the, you know, real work and stuff, but I finally got a few new pieces up on my Artfire page.  You can see them here. I'm in the middle of a rather major revision of my artfire page, and I'm aiming to spend the rest of my summer learning some new techniques, posting some new work, and trying to make a real go of my jewelry business.  Which, if I really want this to be my life's primary work, I really need to get to work on!

So, the latest work... well, I have several more pairs of earrings, since earrings are something of a staple for me (I'm looking into making clip-on earrings, too, since I have several family members without pierced ears, so let me know if you'd be interested.) But I also posted a bracelet I'm quite proud of. The stitch is called the African Helix stitch, and I found a  video tutorial for it on YouTube. With this stitch, it's relatively easy to master the basics, (you work with five beads at a time, so there's not too much room for damage) but I'm discovering new and different problems every time I make another piece. For example, this stitch is worked on a wooden dowel or pencil. I thought it would be a good idea to score the pencil with inch marks, so I'd know how long the bracelet was. Great idea, yeah?  Yeah, I thought so, too... until I had to destroy the pencil to get the bracelet base off...  oops!  So far I've made 2 bracelets, and I have an idea for earrings.

[caption id="attachment_19" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="This is the African Helix Stitch bracelet, done in a base of matte black, with transparent lilac accent beads."][/caption]

I've also made an awesome little bracelet for a good friend of mine who's moving back to Arizona next week.  She's had a rough few months, but is getting back on her feet, and she collects bracelets, so I figured it'd be perfect (it was! She loves it!)  My goal was to make her a "Beach Bracelet."  She's lived here in Florida for 5 or 6 years, and doesn't really want to move back to Arizona, but at the moment, there's really no other option. So I wanted her to take a wee piece of Florida with her.   Here it is:

[caption id="attachment_18" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Deb's Beach Bracelet"][/caption]

I found some wonderful shell beads at Michaels, so that was obviously going to be the focal, since this is a "Beach" bracelet, and Florida definitely has shell-y beaches (unfortunately, we also have other icky stuff on our beaches now, too... boo....) And, of course, any "beach" bracelet must have it's water and sand!  I used a spiral rope stitch (probably my true favorite, and the first I ever learned) that I modified a bit to include a bit more framing around the turquoise beads. This is just such a fun and bright little bracelet!

So that's my new news!  More fun and changes to come!

R.Wilson

What have I been working on?

Well, mostly, I've been working on school. What with four classes, I'm a bit busy at the moment.  But when I'm not doing that, I am still making jewelry.  Still haven't sold any from the Artfire shop, but jewelry making is something of a reprieve from real-world work for me, plus it's fun!  I haven't made any more contest pieces, but I have entered the Art with Heart Cycle 2 contest, and the kit looks great! I should get the kit sometime next week.  I've made a number of key chains in the last few weeks. Those were fun.  Actually, I made the first of the key chains ages ago, but they didn't work out to well.  At least, not yet. I'm not quire ready to give up on that idea--key chain bracelets.  You know, to make things easier when your hands are full. So when that fell through (or, more properly, fell apart), I made the first of the more traditional key chains I've been working on.

[caption id="attachment_59" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="The first of the "real" key chains. This is mine, with a Chinese dragon focal. "][/caption]

I've been using it for a while now, and it seems to be working out fairly well. For the next batch, I started out just trying to make something nifty, then remembered I had the animals from my nephew's necklace left over, so I started what my friends are calling the "Safari Collection." I've already managed to sell two, both to friends...

[caption id="attachment_82" align="aligncenter" width="470" caption="On the left, Loving Giraffes, in the center, the Lion!, and on the right, a pretty keychain I made with a fancy jasper nugget, and the Oraphant. "][/caption]

I've also been making lanyards, which has been a LOT of trial and error.  he first was actually one of my very first projects as a beader, and admittedly, it wasn't very good.  Hadn't ever used thread, didn't know how to make a necklace without a clasp, it was heavy, and the silly thing kept coming apart.  I remade that one a few months ago with actual chain (bright copper, very cool looking, totally impractical) and it actually FELL apart in the middle of the hallway at SPC (managed to find all the beads, though... go me!) By that time a friend had requested a lanyard, and I had already been using thread for bead-weaving, so I much more comfortable with it.  And really, for lanyards, it works SO much better than anything else...

[caption id="attachment_83" align="aligncenter" width="342" caption="The top images are the lanyards I created for a friend, and the bottom are mine--on the left, the frog focal, and on the right, the flowers..."][/caption]

Since those lanyards, I've made a few more, and I'm actually designing one for my best friend now (who just got a new job, go Ame's!), and I have a plan I want to try for my other BF--Sara the nurse.

I've also been working on some earrings, and hope to get pics made and have the pieces posted on my Artfire page.  And I'm in the middle of an African Helix bracelet.  I found a tutorial for it from Auntie's Beads designer Karla Schafer (here). Here's some pics:

[caption id="attachment_84" align="aligncenter" width="339" caption="On the left, the current bracelet in progress (you have to build it on a pencil or dowel); on the right, a completed bracelet I made for my sis-in-law..."][/caption]

I love this stitch.  It's kind of a pain in the butt to work, since you have to build the bracelet on a wooden dowel (I used Karla's suggestion to use a pencil, and I've since marked out the inches on the pencil, so I can more easily control how long the finished product is.  A full bracelet, though, takes the whole pencil.) And, you have to pull each stitch WAAAAAAAAAAAAY tight, so when I get to finishing off the bracelet, I'm going to try wrapping my index finger in medical tape, to protect it from the thread (yeah, I got thread cuts... in fact, I had to stop working on it to let my finger heal up, and then got sidetracked by homework... :() I've also tried a pair of earrings, and I'm going to continue that effort, since the first pair ended up being completely different lengths (that's why I scored inches on the pencil...)

So there ya have it--the major projects I've been working on... School's out in  about a month, so I'm hoping to have more time to work on some things. I have a lot of ideas floating around inside my head, and they tend to not leave me alone until I get them created. Very annoying....

Have a great day!

RLW

Art With Heart Viewer's Choice Contest!!!!!

Hey there!  Please vote for my piece in the Art With Heart Viewer's Choice Contest!  There are a lot of gorgeous entries, and I'm a bit humbled by the company I get to keep... but hey!  You're reading my blog, so vote for me!!! :)

The voting page is here, and my piece is number 17. I've included more pics below.  Voting ends on June 16th!

[gallery columns="4"]

Thanks!

RLW

End of Term Mania

Well, the end is nigh. the end of the session, that is.  And as usual, I can't get motivated.  So instead, I started working on a beading project!  Cuz, you know, I don't have ENOUGH work, let's make more! I mentioned in my last post that I had finished the piece for the Art with Heart contest, but the piece I ultimately created wasn't AT ALL what I had originally planned.  Normally, I'm okay with that.  But this time, the idea of the original design just will not leave my head! The original plan was to have the cab-and-filigree focal hanging from a beaded arrow-shaped bib-type necklace thingy... I can see it in my head, I promise. And it was awesome!  But as I worked on that piece, as will often happen, I just kept changing my mind and redesigning. So I ended up with the crazy cuff-type bracelet instead (speaking of that piece, I still need to name it.  I suck at names...)

So, this idea is stuck in my head, and I'm trying to realize it in actual beads.  I've started with a square stitch, done in sections to make it good and tight.  It's about 4 inches long, and every few rows, I'm decreasing it by a few beads.  The kinda fun part about this one, though, for me, is that I'm literally using every color seed bead in size 11 that I have.  All of them.  Even the black.  Initially, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but the more I play with it, the cooler it looks. Now, to consider the focal.  I have a vague idea that I'd like to play with the skulls (I have a lot of skull beads.  I love them... apparently, it's kinda my thing...), but I really want to do all the shades of pink with my little wooden skulls.  Another project I can see in my mind, and let me tell ya, it looks cool.  But what to do with this one?  Since I'm totally not sure, and I have a feeling this will be an ongoing, evolving project, I'll just have to keep pondering. In the meantime, I have a request for a lanyard I need to ponder, and several sets of essays and whatnot to grade over the next week.  Oh, and lets not forget getting ready for summer session! oi....

RLW

Pricing myself...

Yeah, yeah, I know what some of you are thinking... that's NOT what I'm talking about... What I AM talking about is pricing my work. Whether it's my work as a resume writer, my work as an employee and professor, or my work as an artisan, I have trouble pricing myself.

For example: It took me, quite literally, years to figure out what I should charge for my resume services.  I knew what the company I used to work for charged (thousands....) and I knew I was good at my work, but what to charge?  And more importantly, what will people pay? I finally hammered out a price list that I feel comfortable with, and I have it in writing on my resume business cards. Unfortunately, I still have trouble sticking to it.

Another "pricing" issue I have when it comes to myself is when I'm looking for a job... you know, that part in the interview where they ask the dreaded, "well, how much are you looking to be paid" question? I hate that part. I suck at that part.  Thankfully, in academia, that's a moot point, as it pretty much depends on what level of education you hold.

And finally, the problem I'm having most often lately, is deciding how much to charge for a certain piece.  For example, earrings.  I love to make earrings, because for the most part, it's an immediate gratification kind of a craft. Unlike bead weaving, where the piece takes shape over several days sometimes, I can make a nice pair of earrings in about 15 minutes to an hour, usually.  And I think I make some pretty kick-ass earrings.  But what to charge for something that is, to me, an easy craft? Yes, there are the purely logical concerns--how much did I pay for the supplies, etc., but that doesn't reflect the skill required to put the piece together, or to imagine how this bead will look with that chain and that focal and toss it all together in the melting pot of my brain. That's where I begin to have issues.  After I figure out the purely logical stuff--you know, in order to make a profit, I have to charge at least x amount of dollars to cover the cost of the piece, what do I then charge for my time and skill? That's my concern...

Consider, I don't want to overprice a piece, because then it will never sell, and no one will ever see the work, and I would ultimately rob myself of any other sales.  But at the same time, I don't want to underprice a piece, making it seem, in the eyes of the consumer, to be "cheap." How does one hit on the happy medium? Well, so far, I've relied on my best friend and her husband, basically asking questions like "How much would you pay for this?" For earrings, I've settled on a fairly simple stratagem of starting with a base of $10, and then, depending on how complicated and involved a piece is, going up from there.  But what about necklaces?  And bracelets other than the elastic variety? Those pieces are more time-consuming to make, and to plan.  And bead-weaving?

I have a bracelet I recently made for the charity beading contest Art with Heart over at the Beads-n-Blessings blog... it's a rather fussy and involved affair of woven Toho's and delicas (I think I love delicas) with bugles and fringe and a cab and filigree focal (pics later, still need John at Paparazzi Entertainment to take 'em for me...).  It's a beautiful bracelet (although Amy did say it was over-the-top 80s but awesome) and I don't think I'll sell it, simple because I don't really want to part with it just now.  Several weeks worth of work and planning went into it's creation.  And although I'm not planning to sell that piece, several people have asked "how much?" Which is really what brought me to finally writing this article.  I created the piece mainly to see if I could, and because I enjoyed it. How do I put a price on that enjoyment?

So, as I continue to struggle with this whole concept of pricing, while I also devoutly wish someone would just come do it for me, I'm trying to keep track of the things I can control easily--like the cost of supplies (got all my receipts in a file folder. whoo-hoo! LOL) In the meantime, I'm just going to continue enjoying beading and learning new techniques, and worry about the rest of it later.

RLW