TheresaJ

Upcoming Events and Exciting News...

2011-11-29T13:26:00.000-08:00

First of all, my Needle Felted Acorns were featured in the December issue of Cottages & Bungalows Magazine! I was contacted a couple of months ago via Etsy by the Editor of the magazine and asked if she could feature my acorns. Hmmm, let me think.... YESSSSSS!!!!

1st Event...

Kate's Creative Friends 16th Annual Holiday Boutique is this Friday evening, 12/2, from 5-9PM and Saturday, 12/3, from 10AM-3PM. We have about 12-15 vendors participating and we serve coffee, tea and sweet and savory snacks to our guests.

Etsy folks particiapting:
http://www.eRosasjewelry.etsy.com
http://www.studio67.etsy.com
http://www.theresaj.etsy.com
http://www.theresajtoo.etsy.com

I don't know that any of the other vendors at this event have an online presence.

2nd Event.... :)

Brisbane Dance Workshop's 2nd Annual Holiday Crafts Fair is on Sunday, 12/11, from 11AM-5PM. Musical entertainment, a kid's make and take craft corner where you can park your kids for an activity and shop, and a top notch concession stand offering Peasant Pies, freshly baked apples, hot apples cider and mulled wine and loads of freshly baked goods. We have close to 30 vendors participating, many of whom are SF Etsy Team members.

Some of the Etsy folks at this event are:
http://www.moriahart.etsy.com
http://www.bbcollections.etsy.com
http://www.littlemisslulu.etsy.com
http://www.yarrowjewelry.etsy.com
http://www.mhandmade.etsy.com
http://www.craftycaninesllc.etsy.com
http://www.shakufdesign.etsy.com
http://www.deborahledet.etsy.com
http://www.rhealeanne.etsy.com
http://www.janebaileydesign.etsy.com
http://www.theresaj.etsy.com
http://www.theresajtoo.etsy.com

Non-Etsy vendors:
http://www.allureinstyle.com
http://www.mixsome.com

Plus about 15 other vendors who do not have an online presence, but have wonderful things to ooohhh and aaahhh over.

I hope to see some of you at one or more of these events. I know it's a busy month of events in the SF Bay Area, but I do hope you'll add us to your list of fun things to do.

Thanks so much!
Theresa

2011-07-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo!!! The Treasury I put together yesterday morning was selected for Etsy's front page early this morning! Happy Dance!!! :)

Big Metal Chickens, etc.

2011-06-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

Funniest thing I've read in a long time! Really, you won't be disappointed!

Also, an item from my jewelry supplies shop was featured in the Etsy Finds newsletter yesterday. My page views and hearts/likes went through the roof and I had more sales in one day than I've ever had. Thanks Etsy! :)

Apply Now - San Francisco Holiday Shows

2010-07-05T23:07:00.001-07:00

Coming up for air and actually writing a blog post... don't pass out!

I'm chairing two upcoming arts and crafts fairs. The first is in San Francisco on November 5th, 6th, and 7th. The 2nd is in Brisbane on December 11th.

We are jurying for both of these shows NOW!

If you are an artist/crafter, live in the area, and you're interested in picking up another show or two for the holiday season, please contact me for more information.

Also, here's a few new pieces I've been working on... :)

Blog Giveaway -- Win a Pair of Earrings!

2009-11-03T03:11:00.000-08:00

Wendi Winn (she likes stuff!) is hosting a blog giveaway featuring my flower bell earrings as the prize. The giveaway ends Friday, 11/13/09, at 11:30 PM est. So, get over to Wendi's blog and find out how to win a pair of my earrings.

Good luck...
and thanks for stopping by! ♥

Long Overdue Post and an Upcoming Event

2009-10-27T12:19:00.001-07:00

I know this is a long overdue post (I've been receiving comments from friends). I have really been MIA most of this year, both in regard to my blog and my Etsy sites. Lots of life changes... new job, new home, daughter moved out then in again, volunteering, social life changes, etc. It really all started with the move. I just couldn't find my rhythm again with so much to do in setting up a new home after 16 years, and then I found that the move and the job change just really gave me a lift if spirits, sort of a whole new lease on life. It was a much needed and long overdue change, and this resulted in my being much more engaged in life once again, getting out more, being much more active, and, hence, spending far less time in front of my computer. I have managed to keep my Facebook account active, but that's really just short, less cerebral posting, so it was easier to do.

In any case, I've been gearing up for shows again, as it is that time of year. I've lots of new items I'll be posting to my three Etsy shops soon. It's about time I do a little updating there as well. I also have a show coming up soon and I hope those of you who are local will stop by. I'll post the flier in below.

So, stay tuned... definitely more to come!

A New Home on the Horizon

2009-05-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

I found a house that I love here in Brisbane and will be moving in a week or so. It's perfect in so many ways, but I especially love that I will now have a room designated as my office/work space. I can't wait to get in and set it up, and then to start making some new pieces. I've got a ton of new supplies, which I purchased at the last Gem & Jewelry Trade Show, but have yet to even look at them due to my current state of being between homes.

I also wanted to mention that this move and a few other things have had me very distracted lately and I'm sorry I have been neglecting all of my online friends and acquaintances and their blogs. I will be back in full swing soon, but it may take a couple of weeks or more until I'm settled. I'm going to have a lot of catching up to do!

So, I'll keep you all posted! Thanks for stopping by... ♥

Life Takes Another Turn

2009-05-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

It's been an eventful couple of weeks. Looming large is the fact that I received a 60-day notice once again. Some of you may remember this happened last year around this same time, but a couple/few weeks in, the trustee of the property told me she was going to buy it from the trust and that I could continue to rent. Well, I guess that never happened and now they are definitely selling it. I've been dealing with droves of people coming through with real estate agents all week, plus termite inspectors, etc. Not fun!

So, I've looked into buying and have checked out a couple of rentals. I will keep you posted. Although I was thrown into a tailspin with this same news last year, this year, I'm feeling optimistic and, actually, a little excited. I think I'm ready for change this time -- actually really wanting it. I will miss my neighbors and the lovely little street I live on, but the house has needed so much work for so long, and it really juat felt like a lot of weight on my shoulders since I did upkeep and repairs (what I could afford at any given time) myself.

More exciting news is the fact that earlier in the day, on the same day I received my 60-day notice, I was given permanent status at the job where I have been temping since mid December. Included was another $5.00 an hour raise (which I also received in February) and 100% medical coverage -- a good plan with no contribution from my paycheck (really unheard of these days). I couldn't be happier. It's a small office with great owners and all around great people. I really lucked out with this one!

My pup had a little unexpected emergency surgery on Thursday. Not the greatest time for a large vet bill, but I'm glad she is on the mend and will be good as new soon.

I've also been involved in helping to plan two upcoming reunions, one with classmates in May and the other with family in June. It's been fun catching up with old friends and long lost family members during this planning stage. Busy times...

Sarah, Paul, and Glenda -- taken on Sarah's 20th birthday last week.

My little crafting group here in town continues to thrive. It's a fun night of crafting, chatting, friendship, yummy treats and a bit of wine. We have met consistently every other Tuesday since we started a few months ago and all of us are committed to keeping it going, which I am so happy about. I just recently finished my 4th crazy quilted silk pillow in turquoise, teal and blue. I did one almost identical to it for my daughter's 20th birthday, at her request, as she is a diehard Shark's fan and wanted coordinating colors for her Shark's themed room.

So, that's the latest, and may explain my lack of presense here in the blogosphere lately. :) Don't forget to check out my new Etsy shops (blogged about below).

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

My Gorgeous New Banners!

2009-04-23T17:26:00.001-07:00

Zoe did such a great job on the banners for my two new Etsy shops! I absolutely love them. Don't forget to check out Zoe's website for all of your graphic design, photo restoration, logo design, etc. needs. She has also created postcards and fliers/invitations for my shows, my business cards, and my item tags that I use at shows. Her work is definitely top shelf!

Zoe also has an Etsy shop featuring her Bean Bling Bracelets and her vintage inspired jewelry. Stop by and show her some love! :) She could use a little encouragement in the Etsy selling department.

Thanks for stopping by!
♥
♥
♥

Up and Running

2009-04-21T00:16:00.000-07:00

Made with My Cool Signs.Net

As I mentioned in my last post, I,ve been working on setting up a new Etsy shop for my "Steppin' Outside the Box" creations... that is, all of my non-jewelry designing interests/projects. I finally got the shop up and running yesterday (minus the banner, which my good pal Zoe is still working on). I then decided that I wanted to de-clutter my jewelry shop and, therefore, opened a third (yes I'm crazy) shop for the jewelry supplies I sell. I just finished setting it up last night (minus the banner, which Zoe is also working on) and I already had three sales this morning! Amazing -- stuff's been sitting in my jewelry shop for months too. Hmmm... In any case, I like the less cluttered feeling of my jewelry shop now. I'm not crazy about the logging in and out every time I want to go from one shop to another though. I wonder if I can avoid this if I open one window up in IE and then the other in Firefox? I'll have to try it to see if it works. That still leaves me with the third though... Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

I placed Etsy minis (widgets) for the two new shops on the right hand sidebar, right under my jewelry site mini. Stop by and take a peek, and then stop back in a couple more days to check out my new banners as well. Also, check out some of Zoe's work by clicking on her name above.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

New Things To Come...

2009-04-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to spend a little chunk of change on jewelry supplies and so attended the local Gem & Jewelry trade show yesterday. I arrived home with a full bounty of lovelies to ohhh and ahhh over, but am now contemplating running back over to get a few more strands of a couple of things that I particularly like. Would that be crazy -- a 20 minute drive, $8.00 parking fee, although I have a free pass to get into the event, and crazy crowded so even though it would normally take 30 minutes to get what I want, the crowds will make it soooo much longer...?

Secondly, I will be opening my second Etsy shop, Theresa J Too, soon. Actually, it's already setup but still needs a banner and the items photographed and listed. This shop will contain all of my "steppin' outside the box" creations - like my felted items, quilted items, pressed flower items and more, most of which have been previously blogged about, including photos. Here are some photos of a few items I've made recently, some of which are not quite finished, that will be making their appearance in my new shop.

Oh, and before I forget, thank you to Pam at Whimsical Jewelry and Creations for brainstorming new names for this shop. She came up with the name, which I liked immediately. Simple and to the point! :) Pam also has three Etsy shops, featuring her handmade jewelry and vintage jewelry, clothing, stemware, dishes, and assorted knick-knacks... You can link to each of these shops from her blog.

A new little bird to add to my felted bird collection. These will eventually be strung so that they can be hung as a tree ornament (spring or Christmas) or from any other special little spot in your home.

1-3/4" felted wool lavender balls, embellished with beads -- yes, there is very aromatic lavender in the center of each one. These are perfect used as sachets in your drawers or suitcases or lovely set out in a little dish. I also have 3 sets in other colors in 1-1/4" size, embellished with smaller seed beads.

Another felted purse. I'm still looking for the perfect button or bead to add for the closure. Because the design is so busy, I don't want the closure to be overpowering.

And here's something new -- I've been knitting, using the most gorgeous hand-dyed, hand-spun wool yarns. I love knitting with these yarns because of the bumpy, uneven texture this hand-spun yarn gives the item -- like this scarf pictured. It almost looks handwoven rather than knitted. I love the colors in this scarf as well -- reminds me of the turquoise stones I've used in some of my jewelry pieces. I'm thinking of embellishing this scarf with some turquoise stones when I'm done, but I haven't figured out exactly how yet.

I'd also like to give a shout out to a great little place where I picked up some new felting supplies as well as the hand-dyed, hand-spun wool yarn used in the scarf above. Urban Fauna is a fairly new little shop in San Francisco, located on 16th Avenue, between Irving and Judah. Although tiny in size, they have a fabulous selection of wool roving, artisan yarns, books, tools and supplies, etc. They also have great workshops/classes on spinning, weaving, felting, etc. I haven't taken any yet, but it's on my short list of things to do. I first heard of this shop through their blog, Mary Jane's Attic, when they were announcing the opening of their new brick and mortar store. If you don't live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can also visit their Etsy Shop.

I've never been a serious knitter, but I was so inspired by the beauty of the yarns in their shop that I bought a skein of the turquoise yarn pictured above, then went home and knitted the whole skein in one night. However, I found that I didn't have enough yarn to finish the scarf. So, back to the little shop I ran the next day, only to find out that it was the only skein of it's kind. What to do??? The shop owner, Blas, who incidentally is amazing, informed me that I could contact the maker of this fabulous yarn on Etsy and perhaps order more from her. Fabulous -- not only because I could order more, but because they support Etsy artists. So, I checked out Knitty Dirty Girl's Etsy shop, noting that she had a similar yarn, Robin Egg, but it appeared in the photo to be lighter in color than the one I had purchased. Upon contacting her, she mentioned that the one I had was in her Robin Egg batch, but had come out darker, so she placed in on consignment as a one of a kind yarn at Urban Fauna. Thankfully, however, she was more than happy to whip up a new batch for me, and I'm anxiously awaiting it's arrival. :) Aren't Etsy people fabulous?!!!

So, that's the latest here -- be sure to stop by and check out my new shop in a few days as it should start filling up with things soon. Also, don't forget to stop by my jewelry shop as, now that I have lots of new supplies, it should start filling up with new creations soon -- plus I'll be sharing some of the supplies for sale as well.

As always, thanks for stopping by. ♥

Sisterhood

2009-03-24T19:05:00.001-07:00

Margaret of Splendid Little Stars bestowed upon me the Sisterhood Award a little over a week ago. What a nice surprise and a great honor! Thank you, Margaret! :)

Stop on by and check out Margaret's blog, Splendid Little Stars, as it's a great read full of book reviews, recipes, her current creations, and bits from her life. Also, check out her Splendid Little Stars Etsy shop featuring her custom designed children's clothing and more and her Sparkly Park Etsy shop featuring her jewelry designs.

As for the Sisterhood Award, I've made some really wonderful friends here in cyberspace, people I know I'd love to hang out with, chat with over coffee or tea or even a glass of wine, do shows with, or get together with for crafting nights, sharing ideas and giving support, if only we lived in the same general area. In the spirit of this award, I'm passing it on to ALL of the amazing and talented women I have met here. You know who you are. If you visit my blog, and I yours, even if only on occasion, feel free to grab this award and pass it on to women who have befriended you, shared with you, inspired you, cheered for you, encouraged you, comforted you, etc. Okay, so I'm breaking the rules a bit... but really, how could I choose just five!

This is how it works:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 5 blogs which show great ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE.
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link this post to the person from whom you received your award.

Thanks for stopping by... ♥

And the Lucky Winner Is....

2009-03-16T21:27:00.001-07:00

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

Well, actually, let me first go over the details. 32 bloggers and/or etsy-goers entered in all, for a grand total of 57 entries. I used the website http://www.random.org/ to pick the winner. The winner of this giveaway had two entries, entry numbers 17 and 18, and the number that came up was #17.

So, the winner is.....

n.
.

drum roll (again) please...

¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)

aaaaaaaa (¸.•´(¸.•´ .•´¸.•¨¯`•. ¸¸. ♥

5555.666

Kim of VanDerHoek Art

I have been an avid follower of Kim's blog since shortly after I first started blogging. I truly love her artwork. As we are both Californians, she from Southern California and I from the San Francisco Bay Area, many of her paintings look like they could have been painted in and around my own neighborhood, where I grew up, or where I've spent summer vacations. There is always a familiarity to them, a feeling of home for me. I get lost in many of them, and they just make me feel good. Additionally, she has to be one of the nicest people I have met in this blogosphere.

Kim's blog takes you along on her journey as a painter and artist, her struggles with trying new techniques (and to my eye, always succeeding) as well as celebrating in her award winning triumphs. I highly recommend you stop by for visit, and while you're at it, check out Kim's Etsy shop as well to see what she currently has for sale. She not only sells her originals, but also prints, ACEO's (artist's trading cards), notecards & magnets.

Here are a few of my favorites from Kim's shop/blog:

Fall in Peters Canyon

Blushing Victorian

September Turning

September Turning is my personal favorite as I love the bold brush strokes and the mix of warm and cool colors. A print of this painting was actually on the Christmas list I gave my kids this last year, but neither ventured into the Etsy world for their shopping and, sadly, it was not among my gifts. That's okay though, I plan on treating myself soon.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

Blog Giveaway - Needle Felted Purse

2009-03-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I had a giveaway on my blog, so I decided I'd do another. In fact, this is only my second one.

This little needle felted purse measures 3.5x5" in all. It is completely needle felted by me in soft spring colors. I used a double-drilled, faceted, marquis-shaped chalcedony stone for the closure.

This little purse is a great size to stuff a few bills, business cards, credit cards, etc. in. It would also be great for jewelry during travel, to give jewelry in as a gift, or perfect with a little surprise tucked inside in your child's Easter basket.

~ TO ENTER ~

For 1 entry, leave a comment on this blog post.
For a 2nd entry, visit my Etsy shop & comment on your favorite item.
For a 3rd entry, Twitter about this giveaway. Leave your Twitter url for verification.
For 2 more entries, a total of 5, mention this giveaway on your blog.

Don't forget to tell me how to reach you. If you have a blog that has a contact button or if your blog links to your Etsy shop, no problem. If not, please leave contact information.

A winner will be drawn on Sunday, March 16th.

Good luck, and thanks for stopping by. ♥

Tag, You're It!

2009-02-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by Jan of Expressive Papers.

TAGGED! Folder Number 6, Picture Number 6.

The RULES of this Blog Tag Game are simple: Choose the sixth image out of your sixth picture folder from your computer and blog about it. Then tag six more people to do the same!

As I've never seen this version of tag, I decided to play along. Here's photo number six from file six. As most of my folders have to do with my jewelry and supplies, I'm afraid it's not the most interesting photo.

I took this photo in December of 2007, but it never made it to my blog because I really didn't like how it turned out. The lighting was bad. I took this photo because I had just received a bunch of these little dishes from my friend and coworker, Satnam, as a Christmas gift. She had drawn my name at work in the Secret Santa gift exchange. There were about 15 little dishes, all wrapped individually in the package. It was so much fun opening each one, discovering all of the different designs, colors and shapes. She had gotten me the perfect gift! Unlike other beaders/jewelry designers I know, I do not keep my beads in little storage boxes/containers. I like my beads and supplies out where I can see them. It helps with my creative process to see everything out in front of me. Oh, and my son made the paper mache dog when he was in middle school. It's one of my favorite things. He knows I love Mexican folk art and used that as his inspiration. I was touched.

I took this photo in October of 2007 (posted on my blog at that time). The lighting is much better, but I didn't have as many little containers/dishes for my beads.

Now I feel inspired/compelled to get my workspace cleaned up and organized. It certainly doesn't look this tidy at the moment; in fact, it hasn't for awhile. Guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend. :)

To those I've tagged, no pressure. Consider this something a little different, maybe fun, that just may be a little diversion, especially if you have blogger's block, as I do these days.

Pam at http://whimsicalpam.blogspot.com/
Kim at http://vanderhoekart.blogspot.com/
Wendi at http://wendiwinn.blogspot.com/
Jenn at http://chuckastone.blogspot.com/
Ny at http://nyblaque.blogspot.com/
Victoria Ann of http://madboodesigns.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by. ♥

Still Steppin' Outside the Box

2009-02-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, my friend Zoe, my Mom and I hatched a plan to have crafting nights with a few talented friends here in town. We meet twice a month on Tuesday evenings, with each of us taking turns as host. We've had two thus far. I've been working on my quilted pillows and needle felting, both flat pieces and sculptural pieces. So far, we have five regulars in our group, a couple who have intended to join us but have had scheduling difficulties, and a couple of others on the fence. We have room for 8-10, so there's definitely room for more. Everyone brings something they can work on in their lap or on a small TV tray/table in front of them. The shared creativity is wonderful and we're all learning so much. The wine, goodies and gab are good too! ;D

Posted here are a few photos I took today of my new creations. It's a horribly gray day and therefore not the best day for a photo shoot, but it will, at the least, give you an idea. I set down a white linen to try to brighten them up a bit.

The little purse above is perfect for glasses/sunglasses, makeup, a coin purse, or perhaps even a small clutch. I have one that I made last year that I've been using as a coin purse that has held up quite well. This purse is completely needle felted. I used a vintage pearl-ized button for the closure, which fits right through the center of the flower. I also added Czech glass leaves as an accent. The little bird, a red-breasted Robin, is also completely needle felted, but done using more of a sculpture technique.

The pillows are crazy quilted using silk fabrics that I found at SCRAP (see previous post). I was told they were from a New York tie company that went out of business. The backs of the pillows are black velvet and I made beaded tassels for each corner.

While I'm enjoying all of these creative diversions, I do miss my jewelry. My supplies are very low and I'm not finding much inspiration in what I have available. I really need to do a huge supply order or attend the next Gem & Jewelry trade show and am hoping my finances will allow for that soon. I am working again, but I'm still digging myself out of the hole, so to speak.

Thanks for stopping by... :)

Facebook and SCRAP... :)

2009-02-14T15:04:00.001-08:00

For those of you wondering where I've been for nearly a month, initially is was a case of writer's block, or more to the point, I just didn't have anything going on exciting enough to write about. I know all of you bloggers out there have been there.

Additionally, in December, at the urging of a couple of friends, I opened a Facebook account. I just opened it, but then didn't fill out any of the profile info. I had decided I was too overwhelmed to take on another online activity, but then, about two weeks ago, the friend requests started rolling in. Since then, all of my extra time has been spent facebooking. I have found three of my cousins that I haven't seen since childhood, whom I have been trying to find and had been wondering about for years, and I have reconnected with some old classmates/friends. It has been so much fun, and I must admit that I've been a bit obsessed, neglecting my Etsy shop and my blog, not to mention a few other things.

I haven't made any new jewelry pieces lately, so nothing new to post in my Etsy shop or talk about here. I have, however, been working on crazy quilt pillows, where the front will be a crazy patchwork of quilted pieces of silk and then the back will be a solid piece of material, possibly with some tassels or fringe added. I have finished two pillow tops, but have yet to sew them up. They may or may not make it to my Etsy shop, but I will post the finished pillows here on my blog soon.

I purchased all of my silk material at SCRAP in San Francisco.

That's:

Scroungers'
Center for
Reusable
Art
Parts

It's a fabulous place for those creatively inclined. I purchased a grocery bag size full of assorted silk fabrics, which I selected by rummaging through two large bins. They appear to be sample pieces, destined for ties and scarves, and I picked out a bunch of different colors, patterns, and designs. Additionally, I got a large bolt of fabric and 8 spools of thread. I won't tell you how much it all cost, but let's just say it was hardly a dent in my oh so poor wallet and only the smallest fraction of what I would have paid had I gone to a fabric store, not to mention I could have never gotten such a variety of colors and designs for anywhere near what I paid.

SCRAP has just about everything for the crafter/designer/artist, but the inventory changes constantly. They even have workshops. It's a great place to find low cost supplies for your next creative project while helping to reduce the amount of waste that goes into our landfills. It's a must visit desitination if you're in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Here's a bit about SCRAP, taken from their website:

"SCRAP is a creative reuse center, store and workshop space founded in 1976 in San Francisco, California. Donations of high quality, low cost, re-usable materials such as textiles, paper, jewelry findings, wood, buttons and plastics are collected from businesses, institutions and individuals then sorted, displayed and distributed by SCRAP for artists, educational and community groups. Free materials and art activities are provided through our community outreach service.

By breathing new life into old objects, SCRAP reduces the amount of waste going to crowded landfills. By offering low cost art and re-use workshops and providing schools and organizations with badly needed art supplies, SCRAP stimulates creativity and environmental awareness. Nourished by so many wonderful SCRAP treasures, Children and adults learn how to "REDUCE, RE-USE AND RECYCLE."

Manufacturers save money on their disposal costs and receive tax benefits. Artists, museums, senior groups, summer camps, children's centers and theater groups transform SCRAP materials into sculptures, paintings, and other masterpieces. Anyone can contribute by purchasing or donating high quality, clean, reusable materials that might otherwise be thrown away."

Sharing the Wealth

2009-01-20T17:38:00.000-08:00

This last weekend, I had a My Gold Party. Here's the story...

For quite a few months now, I've been seeing those commercials on TV about turning in your scrap gold/unwanted gold jewelry for cash, where they send you a special envelope to mail it in and then send you a check. I would give this some thought every time I saw one of those commercials, but never followed through. What can I say, I'm a procrastinator, plus it always seemed to raise more questions and concerns about the process, so I'd drop the thought nearly as fast as I thought about it.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I happened to see a local news feature on a fairly new company called My Gold Party (click this link for non-CA parties), so I looked them up on the internet immediately. After doing my own little bit of research on the company, I contacted a rep and decided to host a "party." I don't have tons of gold, but I do have a fair amount left over from the 70's & 80's, stuff I'll never wear again, like my old wedding rings, which I took the stones out of years ago to place in a new ring, lots of single earrings, kinked chains, a couple of charms, some wire scraps from my own jewelry making, etc. As I have been wearing mostly sterling silver for the last 20 years or so and this stuff just sits in my jewelry box, I decided to try to turn it into profit. Keep in mind that when the economy/stock market is down, the price of gold is up, so it's a good time to think about doing this. Also, it's another way of going green in that it IS recycling, plus turning your gold into cash is a small way of stimulating the economy. Therefore, it's a win-win situation all the way around.

My party turned out to be very profitable. There were 7 of us total, plus 3 people who couldn't make it gave me little baggies of gold to turn in for them. The highest payout of the evening was over $600. Two friends got over $500. Most received $250-$350. Besides what I received for my gold, I also got a percentage of the total pay-out for the party ($2,800) and ended up with almost $600 total. Really, we all showed up with small baggies of gold, most of it testing as NOT GOLD, so the fact that the rep paid out that much money overall truly amazes me! Needless to say, I was once again doing the happy dance -- as were all of my friends. All were saying it was the first party they'd ever gone to where they left with money, and all were thanking me for having the party. I felt really good about this. In addition to all of the other good reasons to have this party, I also felt like I was giving something back to those who have supported me in my own jewelry business over the years.

The $$ benefits aside, the party itself was fun and interesting. My rep, Lili, who was really wonderful, brought an assistant with her who removed any stones and helped her get through the testing process to keep things moving along quickly. The testing tools themselves were pretty cool -- a very high powered magnet as the first step in weeding out non-gold items, then some sort of electronic sensor that would test for the karat (10, 14, 18, etc.) and flash it across an LCD screen, a little handheld power tool to check for plating, and then a digital scale to weigh all of the gold. I was pretty fascinated by the process and I actually learned quite a few factoids about gold in general.

So, if you're like me -- with old gold jewelry that's just sitting in your jewelry box and you've been thinking about turning it into cash -- here's the perfect opportunity to do so in a fun, safe, convenient, and comfortable environment. If you're in California, you can contact Lili at lili@mygoldpartyca.com -- and tell her I sent you. If you're not in California, the second My Gold Party link above is for their general website -- the first being for California.

Here's a Channel 7 news segment I found online:

http://www.mygoldpartyca.com/kabc7video.html, and here's one from Good Morning America: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/SmartHome/story?id=5972164

....
Happy gold hunting! :) If you decide to have a party, let me know how it goes!

I've Been Featured

2009-01-13T14:41:00.000-08:00

I've been featured on Audrey's Country Crafts blog -- first time ever being featured on a blog. I and my Etsy shop have been mentioned on blogs a couple of times, for which I am always grateful, but this is the first time I've been featured -- complete interview and all. It was a fun process. Thanks again, Audrey! :)

Audrey also has two other blogs, Audrey's Favorite Recipes, complete with some pretty yummy looking dishes, and Audrey's Country Craft Giveaways!! Also, stop in and check out her Etsy shop. My favorite is the the hand painted metal rooster bucket, shown above. I'm partial to red, especially cranberry red, and love roosters! Very cute indeed!

Fruitful

2009-01-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

My latest creation, made yesterday -- a necklace called "Fruitful." It's a pendant necklace, the pendant being made of sterling silver, shaped and hammered by me, with a roughly faceted labradorite nugget dangling from it. The pendant is then attached to chain and is very adjustable in regard to size since you can clasp it on any chain link you like. The total length of the necklace is 20".

I call this necklace "Fruitful" because, although I did not plan this, after shaping and hammering, I thought it looked a lot like an abstract womb. Does anyone else see this?... or am I crazy?

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Also of note, I'm having a SALE in my Etsy shop (until it no longer states I'm having a sale at the top of my Etsy shop) -- FREE SHIPPING on ALL JEWELRY ITEMS (with each jewelry item purchased) and also FREE SHIPPING on SUPPLY & DESTASH ITEMS when you buy more than one item (even if in combination with jewelry). Not sure when this sale will end -- I'm just seeing how it goes. So, if you see something you like, catch the sale before it disappears. :)

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

Phishing, NOT Fishing -- BEWARE!

2009-01-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

This morning, I received an email from "PayPal Corp" with a subject line stating "Your Account Has Been Flagged."

I opened the email and it stated that my account had been randomly flagged as part of their routine security measures and that I needed to click on the tab below to verify my account info.

As I had just gotten out of bed, I was a little groggy and, as the email caused a short little bout of anxiety -- I almost clicked -- but then came to my senses rather quickly and went straight to PayPal. Their website recommended to just forward the email to them at spoof@paypal.com, which I did. I haven't heard back from them yet, but I KNOW this was a phishing email.

I checked my Paypal account and everything seems to be in order. No mention of this random security check on the Paypal website or anywhere on my account.

Never click from an email to go to a site -- Paypal or otherwise. Always log in from your own home page.

I'm so glad my brain clicked into gear or I could have just ruined my day, my week, or maybe even my year!

A Night at the Make-Out Room

2009-01-03T21:21:00.001-08:00

A few days before Christmas, my son, Paul, and I went to see Jim Campilongo perform at the Make-Out Room in San Francisco. It was his San Francisco CD release show for his new CD, Almost Christmas, featuring Bobby Black, Dave Boat, Johnny Dilks, Chris Kee, Ken Owen, Brandi Shearer, and Kurt Stevenson. He played songs from the new CD, with guest appearances by some who recorded on the CD with him, as well as some old favs with his usual SF players. It was a great show, as he never disappoints, and it made me realize how much I miss going out for live music, especially in small venues. And it was an especially fun night out with my son.

I first became acquainted with Jim and his music back in the early 1990's when I was dating a man who worked in the local music scene as a promoter and sound tech. At that time, Jim was playing with this band, Jim Campilongo and the Ten Gallon Cats, in clubs such as Cafe Du Nord, Paradise Lounge, and DeMarco's 23 Club. His music is really hard to pigeon hole in an exact genre, but I, as well as others, would call it eclectic western or country jazz. Jim's playing is something you just have to experience and witness to get the full effect. His finger picking and neck bending twangs are amazing and his overall styling and composition something truly and uniquely his own. He is truly an artist!

Later, when my son was 14, Jim became his guitar teacher until he moved to New York to further his career. Incidentally, back when my son was 14, and even long before, I was always striving to find something for him to get involved in and feel passionately about. He wasn't much of a team sports kind of kid at the time (although plays ice hockey now in an adult league), loved drawing, but didn't like taking classes, and I was at my wits end. Paul also loved music and so I had suggested music lessons nearly a zillion times, but always met with resistance. Then, when he was about 14, he became aware of Carlos Santana and liked his new album, Supernatural. I then had a brilliant, and somewhat manipulative, idea. Carlos Santana, being from San Francisco, had won BAMMY's (Bay Area Music Award) many times in the Best Guitarist category, and Jim had just recently won in this category. In addition, Jim had recently won a Grammy for the work he did on Cake's CD as he had played lead guitar and done some of the arrangements on a few of the recordings on their CD, including the hit off of the CD. So, I was able to share with my son that I knew someone of Carlos' caliber who could give him lessons, which I knew would impress him, and it worked. Paul loved his guitar lessons, both for the lessons themselves and also for the bonding and guy/music talk he shared with Jim. I am completely indebted to Jim for the time he spent with Paul as he had such an impact on him. Paul went on to play in bands through high school and a bit after, but is not currently playing, although looking for a good fit. The band my son played with the longest and had the most success with was Operation Hooligan. They played pretty regularly in the Bay Area until they broke up in 2006 (or thereabouts), splintering into new bands, although they all remain good friends. I miss the shows. Although I often felt like the lone dinosaur in the room, it was such a treat to see Paul perform and I really wouldn't have missed them, and as I am a music lover, of just about all genres, this really wasn't a stretch for me.

So, back to Jim... Since his move to New York, I really only get to see him perform about once a year in venues such as Yoshi's in Oakland or Bruno's or the Make-Out Room in SF. Always a great show! Since moving to New York, he has had a weekly gig at the The Living Room. He also did a CD with a band called The Little Willies in 2006 featuring Jim Campilongo, of course, Norah Jones, Dan Reiser and Richard Julian. Jim had played with Norah in San Francisco before she blew up with her first CD. They did a couple/few shows at the Noe Valley Ministry with a spin-off band called Jim Campilongo and Strings that she was a part of, but unfortunately, and I kick myself now, I never made it to any of those shows. The Little Willies have also performed at The Living Room in NY and you can find a lot of videos on You Tube if you search under their name, as well as plenty of Jim Campilongo videos if you search under his name. Jim has recently toured with Martha Wainwright, and I was surprised just a couple/few weeks ago when I happened across a Martha Wainwright concert on cable TV and there was Jim. I didn't know at the time that he was playing with her, so it was quite a nice surprise to see him there on my TV. He has also been touring with his band, Jim Campilongo Electric Trio, in Finland and Denmark the past few years since moving to New York. A couple of years ago, I was in the kitchen when I heard a commercial (music) on the TV in the living room. I ran out and watched it, knowing the music I heard had to be his (although I hadn't heard the recording at that point) and later found out that it was. It showed a car traveling on a windy road, but I'm remembering that it was an AT&T commercial, but I could be wrong. The song in the commercial is here, from a video of Jim performing it live at The Living Room in NY.

Jim was a big fish in our little pond, the San Francisco Bay Area music scene, and I am so excited for him and all of of the success he's had in New York. I expect he has lots more to dazzle us with in the future.

So, if you're in the New York area, check out the calendar of events for The Living Room and catch Jim's show. You won't be disappointed.

Retrospective

2008-12-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a rather eventful year for me -- a job change after 10 years, quitting the following job at 7 months as it was not a good fit (to say the least), 4 months of unemployment, my daughter moving out for a few months and then in again, and housing issues (resolved for the moment), not to mention the economic crisis all of us are dealing with, which for me couldn't have happened at a worse time. All in all, however, I'd have to say it's been a wonderful year. Sometimes it takes a shake up to get us to stop and smell the roses, to take stock of our lives, what we want out of it, where we're going, etc. While I don't have it all figured out yet, and probably never will, I'm enjoying the journey.

Taking a broader view, I am so hopeful in regard to our president elect. After 8 years of complete and utter despair in regard to our government and it's administration, and the lack of patriotism it inspired, I now have a sense of pride I don't think I've ever had and I feel completely hopeful.

To my friends, family, blog friends, blog readers, blog acquaintances, and passersby, I wish you a very happy new year. May it be filled with all that you hope for. Thanks for all of your love, friendship, and support. You have all enriched my life, no matter how big or how small, and I thank you.

Here's a photo of my little love, Chihoo. :)

2008-12-11T23:20:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late in posting this, but I just wanted to say THANK YOU to Pam over at Whimsical Jewelry and Ramblings. I entered a blog giveaway she was hosting a couple of weeks ago and won this lovely pin. Perfect for the holiday! :) Stop by and visit Pam. She has great giveaways, which will be resuming in January, and a fun blog to visit and read. Pam also has two Etsy shops, Whimsical Jewelry and Accessories and Whimsical Vintage Jewelry and Collectibles. Be sure to stop by and check out these two great shops!

The show last weekend (Kate's Creative Friend's Holiday Craft & Gift Boutique) went really well. I love this show, as I've said before, as it has the perfect blend of camaraderie with other crafters/artists, loyal return customers, Kate's warm and lovely home, and usually pretty good sales, although admittedly a bit less this year due to the economy. Overall, however, I would call it another successful year. Thanks Kate, and everyone else who participated! :)

Exciting and encouraging was the fact that all of my needle felted purses/pouches sold to other sellers Thursday during setup, before the show even got started, plus one of my pressed flower pieces sold to one of my blog buddies and another to a vendor during setup. I gave one away as a gift, and I have 3 left -- the one in the reddish frame (my personal favorite, besides the single daisy, which sold), the larger lavendar wreath, and the little wreath in the light wood frame. It has been fun dabbling in other creative interests.

Kate's show, as well as a private in-home show I did last Tuesday night, mark the end of my Holiday Boutique/Jewelry Party season. I'm feeling a bit melancholy now that it has ended as I so enjoy this time of year and all of the activity, socializing, etc. it brings. Maybe I'll squeeze in another quick event or two, or perhaps schedule another private party, but for now, I'm winding down. :(

Also, I have a new treasury. Please check it out, leave a comment, and, if you would be so kind, click on the items included in the treasury. This helps with my treasury's ranking and boosts the chances of it landing a front page spot on Etsy, which in turn gives all of the shops featured great exposure. :) Here's one of the items featured in my treasury.

Actually, this treasury was built around my friend Zoe's bracelets. She has a great little Etsy shop, SFDesigner, featuring her latest designs -- Bean Bling, fabulously fun bracelets created using organic and mostly home grown beans mixed with glass beads and brass findings, with a bit of a vintage flare. Really great stuff! Stop by and take a peek. They would make the perfect gift for the vegan, vegetarian, organic loving person or gardener on your holiday shopping list.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

Revisiting an Old Love

2008-12-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

Last night, I decided, yet again, to create something a little different. Actually, not all that different as I used to do these years ago. My ex was a stained glass artist, specializing in the restoration of turn of the century pieces, and so I dabbled a bit with pressed flowers mounted on and under glass, which he would cut for me. I had access to amazing glass, and he taught me how to foil the edges. It was great fun. After our divorce in 1992, I continued creating with the pressed flowers, but switched to framed pieces, but I haven't done them in years.

So, last night, I got the creative itch to do something different, partly because my jewelry supplies are lower than they've ever been and I'm not feeling inspired by what I have on hand, and partly because it's been such a great couple of days and my energy has been really amped up. I have a designated drawer in a tall chest in my room that still had some unused frames, lots and lots of pressed flowers, the velvet paper that I adhere the flowers to, and lots of mats in different shapes and sizes. Basically, it felt like I'd struck gold because I had everything I needed. I didn't need to run to the store for supplies or interrupt my energy in any way. I was up until after 3:30 AM. It was fun revisiting this old love.

I've included photos, but they really aren't very good, and some are downright awful, but they were so hard to shoot due to glare on the glass. These won't be added to my Etsy shop either, but I will be selling them at the show I'm doing this weekend, along with the little purses from a couple of posts ago. Who knows, they may make it over to Etsy at some point, but then I'd have to wrestle with the idea of another shop versus listing them in my jewelry shop. Decisions, decisions...

If you are interested in one of the pressed flower pieces or one of the little bags, you can always contact me and arrangements can be made. :)

Thanks for visiting! ♥

I Made Etsy's Front Page!

2008-12-01T12:06:00.000-08:00

I got up this morning and, as I usually do every morning, checked my email, my Etsy page, and then checked my stats on Majaba (or Heartomatic, now known as Craft Cult). The first thing I noticed is that my shop had 7 new hearts since about 3:00 AM. My first thought... wow, Cyber Monday shopping has really kicked in. Then, when I was checking individual item views/hearts, I noticed that one of my items had 4 new hearts since I last checked (& it's only hearts) and had about 100 new views. That's more than I've ever had on any one single item in a such a short period of time. I immediately wondered if this piece was on the front page, and when I checked, to my shear delight, it was! I believe that's the first time I've made the front page, but realize it may have happened before and I may just not have known about it.

I immediately started trying to figure out how to get a screen shot. Luckily, I had left that window open as when I clicked back to the front page from another window, the page had already changed. I'm so glad I didn't refresh the page and that I was able to capture the screen shot, which is below.

I tried relaying my excitement to my daughter, but she seemed a bit unimpressed. I then explained that it's sort of like being on the front page of a magazine, even if only for a short while, as anyone who just goes to http://www.etsy.com/ will arrive at this front page and that, additionally, with the amount of shop hearts, individual item hearts, and views in such a short period of time, the exposure is obviously fabulous. So, for the past couple of hours, I've been doing the happy dance! :D

Thank you to kimiko611 for adding me to this wonderful treasury in the first place. If she hadn't selected my necklace for her treasury, I would not be doing the happy dance right now. Here's a photo/link to one of the items in her shop. I love this adorable pendant!

Sorry, but I just had to crow! (Peter Pan/Mary Martin reference). ♥

Avoid the Malls -- Shop Handmade!

2008-11-30T12:45:00.001-08:00

This is my last and, really, my favorite event of the year. I've been doing this show at Kate's for 13 years now, but started doing this event, really, at my own home about 20-21 years ago, which Kate was a part of then. I then went through a divorce and no longer had a suitable (large enough) home to accommodate such an event. Upon my moving to Brisbane, a neighbor/friend, Marie, who had previously sold and traveled up and down the West Coast with the Harvest Festival, started hosting them in her home, and Kate joined us there as well. 13 years ago, Kate decided to host a yearly event in her home as well and, for awhile, we had two events -- Marie's in November and Kate's in December, but about 6 years ago or so, Marie stopped hosting them.

So, Kate's is the last one standing from this initial group. Along the way, we've had many new vendor's join us and many leave. Some have popped in and out depending on their creative energy and time for that given year. We do try to keep it fresh for our customers by adding new vendors each year, and we have some great additions this year. Our show is warm, cozy, inviting and many of our faithful customers state it's where they do ALL of their holiday shopping every year.

That's 49 Landers St, in San Francisco -- Friday, 12/5, from 5:00 - 9:00 PM and Saturday, 12/6, from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM.

Here are links to Etsy sellers who will be participating:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5050587 - Mylie -- fabulous silkscreened baby and children's clothing.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5471864 - eRosasjewelry -- beautiful metalwork - jewelry.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5208312 - studio67 -- another eRosas shop featuring her photos, collage, jewelry, bags, dolls, & vintage.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=92025 -- SFDesigner -- Jewelry, including her wonderfully creative bean bling.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=93511 -- TheresaJ -- and of course my shop -- featuring my jewelry.

... and there are many more who are not YET on Etsy. :)

So, if you're in the area, come on by, enjoy some coffee/tea and goodies, visit, browse, shop, and check us out. If you're also a crafter/artist, introduce yourself and ask to be put on our list of potential vendors for next year.

Hope to see you there! :)

Needle Felting Distraction...

2008-11-29T16:42:00.000-08:00

I've been spending the last few nights needle felting as sort of a distraction from the usual. I've one more public show and one more private show scheduled thus far and I feel like things are already winding down. It's been a slower than usual holiday shopping season, on Etsy and off, having had brisk holiday sales start in October and remain busy through December of last year, but I know this is par for the course given our current economy crisis. I will keep my fingers crossed though for a brisk, last minute December rush. I've also got a looming unemployment appeal hearing next week that I'd rather not think about. So, needle felting while watching movies (with a few very sharp finger sticks) has been just the ticket. I've been making little coin purses/jewelry pouches using wool roving and mohair and then vintage buttons or gemstones for the closures. They've been turning out pretty well so far. Here are some photos, although the photos don't really capture how cute they are, in my humble opinion.

So, let me know what you think...

Also, I snagged a treasury: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=23844. Stop by, leave a comment, click away... expires early Monday morning. :(

New Discoveries...

2008-11-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

This last week, I joined my Mom and our good friend Grace for a trip to Vacaville to visit Christina, Grace's daughter, and her kids. It was a really enjoyable day. Christina's kids are adorable -- really adorable, plus it was great catching up with her, something our busy adult lives haven't really allowed much time for. Christina prepared the most delicious treats for us, one of which is my first discovery to share. Don't know what they're called, but she said they were her Napa Valley inspired appetizers. I'll describe below...

She cut flour tortillas into triangles (chip size), topped each one with one thin slice of pear, one slice (round) of jalapeno pepper (I think pickled), and then sprinkled Gorgonzola cheese crumbles on top. Then she popped them into the oven until the cheese melted -- only a few minutes. They are to die for. The mix of flavors is intoxicating -- sweet, savory, spicy -- truly delicious, and oh so easy to put together! You must try them!

During the course of conversation, talking about her adorable home and it's decor, she mentioned that she had bought quite a few items at Stupid Prices. Huh!!!??? Never heard of it before! ...and what kind of name is that? Turns out, its a discount store that sells all of Costco's, and I believe other department store's, surplus, return & clearance items, floor models, etc. Everything is ridiculously low priced! We decided to stop there on our way home, and yes, I bought a few things -- mostly essentials, like light bulbs, as I don't have surplus money at the moment, but I did pick up a new DVD -- which was my last discovery of the day. I'm a huge music nut -- it's my other happy place besides jewelry making. I like all kinds of music, but have always held the blues near and dear to my heart.

The DVD is titled Where the Light Is, John Mayer Live in Los Angeles. It's fabulous -- definitely puts me in my happy place, and I only paid $5 for it! I'm a huge John Mayer fan, as I think he is one of the most extraordinarily talented contemporary musicians in the last decade. He's an amazing song writer, an amazing musician, and I like his style, in general, especially when he's playing his more bluesy stuff, but also his acoustic stuff. The thing about this live concert DVD is that it's ALL John Mayer. The opening act is John Mayer doing an acoustic set. The second act is the John Mayer Trio (his blues band, which I had the great pleasure of seeing at the Fillmore in San Francisco with my kids a couple of years ago -- which was AMAZING!!!), and then the third act is the John Mayer Band, which performs more of his contemporary radio played hits. What an amazing concert (recorded in 2007) that must have been to see live -- definitely a marathon night for anyone attending, but what a treat! I've heard these recordings, and even have some of them on the music player on this blog (below), but I don't know where I've been in that I wasn't aware of this DVDs existence, but I'm glad that it happened to come across my path.

SALE on SUPPLIES in My Shop Through Sunday

2008-11-11T22:27:00.000-08:00

That's right! 10% off of all purchases through Sunday, 11/16, ending at midnight, Pacific Standard Time. Just make your purchase, pay, and then I will credit your Paypal account the 10%.

However, leave a comment in the note to seller section when you are paying that you found out about this sale on my blog and I'll give you an extra 5% off. That's a total of 15% off.

Sale is for jewelry supplies only, not jewelry.

So, stop on by, take a peek, and see if anything catches your interest. I've got lots more in my shop besides what I've posted here.

To go directly to the Jewelry Making Supplies section of my Etsy shop, click here.

Thanks! ;)

I WON!

2008-11-06T12:24:00.001-08:00

I was just notified yesterday that I won the What What Wednesday Giveaway that was posted on PaperLadyInvites blog. I won these two adorable Peace and Joy Paper Penguin Ornaments. I can't wait until they arrive! Thank you so much Chelsey!

Paper Lady Invites has yet another Giveaway posted on her blog. The winner will receive this adorable Paper Squirrel Ornament! Just visit her blog and leave a comment with a link to your favorite Etsy shop, plus there are lots of ways to get extra entries.

My favorite Paper Lady Invities ornament , which is currently available in her shop, is the Star Gazing ... Polar Bear Paper Ornament

Visit her Etsy shop here or her blog here to check out her wonderfully crafted paper ornaments and items.

I also thought I'd mention the wonderful giveaway I entered a couple of weeks ago on the Whimsical Jewelry & Accessories blog. The winner will receive this lovely Art Deco style brooch. To enter, go to Pam's blog and leave a comment on this post. The winner will be selected on 11/15, so there's still time. As much as I've been drooling over this brooch and would love to win it myself, I felt I just had to share this wonderful opportunity. :)

Holiday Craft Show on O'Shaughnessy in SF

2008-11-01T20:52:00.001-07:00

My next event, located at 350 O'Shaughnessy (at Del Vale) in San Francisco, will not disappoint. There will be lots of crafters and artists with lots of handcrafted items to choose from. If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, please come on by. I'll be there all three days.

Additionally, if you think you might be interested in selling at this event next year, be sure to come on by and ask to be put on the contact list for potential vendors for next year. This is a juried event that has been active for 20+ years and they're always looking for new talent with fresh, creative, and beautifully handcrafted items.

It Was An Etsy-Fest!

2008-10-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

The craft fair at Crystal Bay Farm in Watsonville, in conjunction with their annual pumpkin patch, this last Sunday was quite the experience. The setting was absolutely lovely, with rows of strawberries and raspberries still being harvested, cherries still hanging from the row of trees along the perimeter of the farm, and the pumpkin patch festively decorated. The farm is situated on a hill at a higher elevation than what I had imagined, rather than being in a valley, and the ocean to the west could be seen in the distance. The day started off quite foggy, and as we drove the windy road to get there, we were quite worried we were in for a very cold and wet day; however, as we were setting up our booth, the fog burned off and the sun appeared. It turned out to be a bright and sunny day, but with a bit of a fall chill in the air. .

To my delight, the craft fair was packed with Etsy folks, so while my sales for the day were less than I had hoped for, the networking aspect was wonderful. I managed to go around and meet quite a few Etsians, snapped a few photos of booths (unfortunately most turned out horribly) and collected quite a few business cards.

My setup

I shared a booth with my friend, Maryann, of http://www.milburnjewelry.etsy.com/, who was selling her wonderfully creative and vintage inspired jewelry, as well as Gilda and Lisa, also jewelry designers, but who, to this point, do not have an Etsy or online presence (Maryann and I are working on them!). .

Miles, a silk screen artist, of http://www.mylie.etsy.com was selling his adorable baby and children's clothing. Fabulous designs! You can also find Mylie Clothing at http://www.mylieclothing.com/.

Cheri Lewis of http://www.mamaslittlebabies.etsy.com/ was selling her amazing jewelry pieces made using vintage images. I have a special order pending that I am so excited about. .

Justin of http://www.justinshop.etsy.com/ uses found and reclaimed objects to create one of a kind works of art. His work is really unique & fun and can also be found at http://www.justinangelos.com/. .

Terry of http://www.lomaprietapottery.etsy.com/ was selling her gorgeously functional handmade wheel thrown pottery. You can find out more about Terry and her pottery at http://www.lomaprietapottery.com/. .

I didn't catch their names, but the folks at http://www.nhusense.etsy.com/ have great adult clothing, stenciled or silk screened (not sure). I even love their handmade tags, made from Shrinky-Dinks. What a great idea! You can find a bit more information about Nhusense at http://www.myspace.com/nhusense.com. .

Sarah of http://www.handcooked.etsy.com/ makes the loveliest items using from vintage linens and fabrics. I've been drawn to vintage linens (you know, the printed kind) for years and just love what she's doing with them. .

Beth of http://www.honeybeeceramics.etsy.com/ makes gorgeous ceramic light switch covers, outlet covers, and switch plates out of clay. I will be visiting her soon as I want update the light switches in my home. You can also find Beth's wonderful work at http://www.honeybeeceramics.com/. .

http://www.doggiestyles.etsy.com/ makes really cute little "accessories for cool dogs."
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Alexandra of http://www.batgirl93.etsy.com/ makes wonderfully creative coffee and ice cream cozies in the shape of bats. I thought the ice cream cozies were genius. I mean, really, how many times do you just grab a spoon go to the fridge and pull out the little ice cream tub, but it's so darn cold. Great idea!!! She was also selling photo cards (lots of bats) and jewelry (also a bit of a bat theme going on). After a little discussion, I found out that Alexandra has worked closely with live bats and... well, you get the rest.
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A very friendly and creative duo sharing a booth were http://www.diminishedsheep.etsy.com/, selling her adorable and whimsical stuffed rabbits, and http://www.glenandconstance.etsy.com/, selling her inspired by vintage designs and found materials, environmentally friendly clothing.
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http://www.winkwonk.etsy.com/ was selling very lovable monstrous plushies. Really cute!
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Riley of http://selkiemoonlight.etsy.com/, selling to our immediate right, makes gorgeously creative mosaic garden stones, bright and colorful and full of interesting and intriguing objects. Her mosaics would be a gorgeous addition to any garden.

Michelle of http://www.watergirlmv.etsy.com/ was selling wonderful little beaded spiders, really cute little ceramic animals, and painted wood items. I loved the little ceramic mice!

Susan of http://www.scrapfrog.etsy.com/ was selling her wonderful jewelry designs, picture tile pendants, scrapbook/card items, and, I believe, more. Her pendants were really great!
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Jennifer of http://www.lifeloveladybugs.etsy.com/ was also selling wonderful photo/picture pendants and advertises that she does custom orders. Really great work! You can also find Jennifer's work at http://www.liveloveladybugs.com/.

Last, but certainly not least, http://www.sproutmama.etsy.com/ was selling, in her own words, "unique accessories made from the wasted leftovers of civilization." She was selling hair accessories and jewelry made from leather scraps. Very imaginative and creative!
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I know I missed a bunch of sellers, and my apologies. Their exclusion was not intentional. I did the best I could while simultaneously manning my own booth.

Thank you to Jeff and Lori of Crystal Bay Farm for hosting this wonderful event. Let's hope that they make this an annual event and that it grows more and more successful with each year. .

Off to a Craft Fair in Watsonville

2008-10-24T23:41:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I will be participating in a craft fair in Watsonville. It is being held at Crystal Bay Farm in combination with their annual pumpkin patch. If any one out there is in the Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Gilroy, or Hollister area and you're looking for a fun outing on Sunday, come on by. Besides the pumpkin patch festivities, I've been told they're expecting around 40 vendors selling either their handmade or vintage wares. Sounds like it's going to be quite the event. I borrowed the photo below from the farm's website featuring one of their pumpkin patch decorations from last year. I think it's very cool! In this photo, you can't tell, but the tractor is pulling an old coffin behind it. A photo showing a full view of the scene is on the website. Check it out...

Crystal Bay Farm

40 Zils Road

Watsonville, CA

Sounds to me like a great way to spend a Sunday on the last weekend before Halloween! :)

I've Been Cyber-Tagged

2008-10-24T01:59:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Chelsey of Paper Lady Invites. She has saved me from a significant blogger's block. It seems all I can think about these days is the upcoming election, but I don't allow myself to blog about that here. Therefore, I spend lots of time discussing politics in other venues online, but not related to my jewelry design/Etsy shop in any way. It's consuming me, I can't wait for this election to be over so I can get back to normal.

Playing tag is a great way to explore all the other blogs out there. The rules of the game are simple:

* Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

* Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

* Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.

* Don't forget to let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

About me:

1. I'm currently unemployed, enjoying the decompression, gazing at the fork in the road and trying to decide which path to take.

2. I have a Diet Coke addiction, but have been clean for 4 weeks now and counting.

3. The anticipation of bead shopping makes me feel absolutely giddy.

4. My Dad always called me Lucy, but it took me years to own it.

5. I refuse to waste my time on people who lie, cheat, and have no integrity.

6. I am obsessed with green olives, pepperoncinis and pickles. They are my favorite nightly snacks.

7. I love playing word games -- Scrabble, Boggle, and the like, and I can be insanely competitive.

I've tagged... hmmm... let's see....

A Good Day...

2008-10-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

My Mad House Coffee show/sale was today. The shop was bustling most of the day and I did catch a few people that I might not have otherwise had I not decided to book this as an early morning show. I usually do evening shows at this location, shortly before closing/after hours, but that just pulls in shoppers from my usual mailing list, and as I am doing a quite a few shows this holiday season, I can't expect people to come to all of them, so I figured I'd do an early morning show, through mid afternoon, and try to catch the coffee shop crowd as they were coming in for their morning brew. Some only showed up with enough coffee money in their pockets, but asked for my card, which I was more than happy to provide. Some good friends and loyal jewelry buyers of mine also came by, which always leaves me feeling so honored as we all have busy lives and the fact that they make time to attend my shows humbles me, plus it makes time fly as I enjoy the social part of these kind of days so much.

I was was pleasantly surprised with one guest in particular who stopped in, Jenniffer of Cat Heaven Crafts. I had posted this event on the

SFEtsy Street Team blog as well as the SFEtsy Google blog ring thread and she actually showed up to meet me and get acquainted. She is the first SFEtsy Team member I've met in person. I hope we can do some events together in the future! I love her scarflets (see photos).

All in all, it was a bit slower, sales-wise, than I had hoped for, but I did sell 16 pieces/items, and that's 16 sales more than what I had when I started my day, so it's all good. Oh, and I booked one private home party as well and have another one pending (deciding on a date).

As the items that sold just disappear from view (as they will not show up in my sold items on Etsy), I thought I'd include a couple of my favorites here, for posterity. One is a pair of earrings I just recently posted to Etsy. They were made with the most lovely lampwork beads, called fairy stones, by Etsy glass artist Bellebeads. I still have a bracelet using these beads in my shop.

Another is a pair of earrings I made using gorgeous blue crystal beads that were still on the original antique chain when I got them in an estate sale lot. I just added the 14 kt GF earwires with matching Swarovski crystal bezel settings. These are really so much more gorgeous than my photos could ever show. In any case, both of these went to very good homes where I know they will be truly appreciated, and that makes me happy. . :)

SHOW/SALE THIS UPCOMING SATURDAY!

2008-10-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area this Saturday, please stop by. I'd love to meet some fellow Etsians/Crafters and friendly blog readers!....:) .

It's the first early morning show I've ever done at this location, but I'm trying to catch those early morning coffee goers. If I did this one later in the day, when the coffee shop is usually pretty slow, I'd be pulling completely from the same mailing list as the rest of my shows, so I'm trying something new in an effort to catch a few new customers -- hopefully.... :)... Wish me luck!

Hope to see some of you there!

Sleeping Beauty and Her Loyal Companion

2008-10-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

Zoe was over last night and snapped a few photos of Chihoo while she napped with her buddy. Chihoo is so funny with this little stuffy, a Chihuahua about as big as she is, as she drags it all over with her and even has little anxiety attacks if she can't find it. It's especially funny when she picks it up in her mouth, stands on her hind legs, and tries to sling it up on the couch, not an easy feat, as Chihoo looks like she is going to snap her neck in the process. Of course, I help her out if I'm close by.

My little Sleeping Beauty, Chihoo, and her loyal companion.

On another note, I found I was included in two treasuries today. The first treasury was created by The Glass Onion and is titled San Francisco Rocks, a treasury filled with lovely items made by Etsians who are members of the San Francisco Bay Area Street Team. The second treasury created by Mariah's Creations is titled A Taste of Fall and is filled with lots of lovely fall inspired creations. Check out these treasuries if you like, and also check out these two very talented jewelry designer's shops. Just click on the names of each. :)

Through the Front Window...

2008-10-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

Last week, while cleaning around my house, the shadows on the wall of the house across the street kept catching my attention as it looked like a large face of a woman, and then the trees sort of looked like her hair. She reminded me of an anime fairy of sorts. So, after noticing this on quite a few passes, I finally grabbed my camera and tried to capture it. It came out best in black and white. Unfortunately, I didn't think to raise my blinds.

Here she is...

A Fabulous Birthday Weekend!

2008-10-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

The weekend before last, my Mom and I had our planned "Wild Women's Weekend" up at her summer place on the Russian River at Johnson's Beach in Guerneville. It was also the weekend of my birthday, and rather than pitching a tent this year, my Mom rented a cabin for me as my gift, which I shared with my friend Zoe. This made it crystal clear to me that my days of tenting it are a thing of the past. It really made the weekend so much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Our cabin, left front, with a nice little balcony/deck in front and a nice view of the river.

Also in attendance again this year was my Mom's sister and my favorite aunt, Eleanor, and my Mom's long-time good friend, Grace, who has been a part of my life since I was a young child. My friend Annie, who just bought a vacation home on the river earlier this year, also met up with us on Saturday and Sunday. There were lots of cocktails, yummy food, and lots of laughs all weekend. We played Boggle and Scattergories by firelight in the evening, and even hula hooped for laughs, complements of Zoe, complete with cocktails and giggles. What a hoot! Zoe and I are also avid ping pong players, when we can find a table, so we spent a bit of time at the table playing our own version of EXTREME PING PONG.

My Mom's trailer with part of her lovely yard in front.

Oh, and Zoe and I stopped on our way up on Friday at our favorite bead shop in Santa Rosa, Legendary Beads, where I picked up a few things. Always a fun little shop to visit.

Canoes for rent on Johnson's Beach. Early morning, peaceful and calm water.

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On Saturday, Zoe and I rented a canoe, but once we met up with Annie, who had brought her canoe, we traded in our rented canoe for a kayak, which Zoe captained, and Annie and I took off in her canoe, I at the stern and doing a rather good job, if I say so myself, of keeping us out of the trees and brush on the banks and from crashing into other boats. I noticed immediately, however, that her canoe felt very tippy, unlike the canoes I've been accustomed to renting all of my life at the River. I think we must have paddled 5 or 6 miles up river before deciding to head back, as it was getting late in the afternoon. On the way back, we found it much harder going, even though we were going with the flow of the river, as we were paddling into the wind. Then, for reasons unknown to all of us, and while I was in mid sentence, telling Zoe, who was paddling close by in her kayak, that I had never flipped in a canoe, our canoe suddenly flipped and we found ourselves and all of our belongings in deep water with really no accessible bank on either side. I hate to admit it, but I panicked for a bit. All of our things were tossed overboard, including Annie's car keys, my coin purse containing all of my money for the weekend, my ID, and my debit card, as well as my cell phone. I had put them all in a plastic Ziploc and blown a little air in, but they were no where to be seen. I didn't realize it at first, but Annie had been stuck under the canoe initially. Neither of us were wearing our life vests. I have been a swimmer my whole life, and had been a regular master's lap swimmer until about 10 years ago. Anyway, panic combined with not being in great shape any longer, plus being exhausted after a long day of rowing, plus seeing no shore access visible, I felt myself beginning to panic. First, my lower lip started quivering uncontrollably. Then, I felt all four limbs start to do the same. I talked myself down though -- told myself to turn over on my back, float, and relax. It worked. We managed to get the sinking, half emerged canoe to one side of the river, where it was a steep incline of large, craggy and sharp rocks leading up to the highway above. We managed to stand on rocks, while still in the river, but we couldn't lift the canoe, which was filled with water, to empty it out. Finally, a couple in a canoe came by and we called out for help. The nicest young man quickly jumped in, made his way over to us and while standing on rocks and in the water, lifted our canoe not once, but twice to get all of the water out, and then steadied it while we climbed back in. In the meantime, my air filled Ziploc suddenly popped up (it took it's sweet time making it to the surface) and Zoe retrieved it, along with my floating shoes, our oars, and lots of other items. Yeah Zoe! Everything in the Ziploc was completely dry and safe! Once back in our canoe, we thought we would just paddle to the next accessible shore and wait while Zoe paddled back in the kayak and came for us with Annie's truck. However, once we got going and our nerves calmed, we decided to just paddle the whole way back, and we did.

Zoe snapped this shot of Annie and me from her kayak.

When we got back to my Mom's, she, Grace, and my aunt had prepared a completely yummy meal. Afterwards we played Boggle, hula hooped, got really silly, talked a little politics (a banned topic for the weekend at my Mom's request) and then they brought out a surprise birthday cake with candles... and it was ice cream cake, my favorite kind! However, we really were truly exhausted and very sore, so the night ended a bit earlier than we had planned. .

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Sunday, Zoe and I were up early, went for a walk through town, stopped for coffee, picked up stuff for breakfast, and then went back to my Mom's place and prepared breakfast. Then we played a bit of ping pong before saying good bye to my Mom, my Aunt Eleanor and Grace. We drove over to Annie's place, got a full tour of her wonderful new home, where she surprised me with a little birthday cake (my second of the weekend) and then the three of us set off for home, but with plans to stop at wineries on the way. We stopped at two between Guerneville and Healdsburg, one of which was Arista, known for its Pinot's and my favorite of the two. As Zoe works at the Napa Valley Winery Exchange in San Francisco, we were pretty much treated like VIP's and comped at each place. It was really fabulous. Zoe, as our designated driver, was very professional and spit after tasting. Annie and I, on the other hand, enjoyed the wine thoroughly. We then stopped at Oakville Grocery in Healdsburg where I had the most fabulous sandwich and a fig stuffed with goat cheese with a walnut on top for dessert. Scrumptious!!! They also had tons of items out for sampling and I think I tasted just about the best salsa I've ever had, so I bought some salsa and tortilla chips for home. Yum!

Photos of Syrah grapes taken at Rochioli, the 2nd winery we visited.

It was really a perfect weekend, canoe incident and all, and I'm already looking forward to next year! Thanks Mom, Auntie Eleanor, Grace, Zoe, and Annie for a perfect weekend!

Once home, I showered quickly and dressed for dinner plans with my two kids, Paul and Sarah, and Sarah's friend, Dan. We went to Il Fornaio in Burlingame where I had delicious raviolis that were a bit spicy (hot). Really yummy! ... and of course, more wine. :) Sarah had butternut squash raviolis, Paul had a huge, and I mean huge, porterhouse steak, and Dan had rack of lamb. I do believe everyone was very happily satisfied with their meal, and I was pleased and content to be in the company of my two wonderful kids. The perfect end to the weekend.
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And, once again, my favorite photo of my kids, because I love them! The younger girl in the photo is their sister, Savannah, from their Dad's second marriage. This photo was taken while on vacation with their Dad and his family a couple of years ago.

Moral of the story and a friendly tip: Never say something never happens, because then it usually does. I also have a bear story that shows this to be true. :)

Of note, all of the River weekend photos, except for the two smaller grape photos, were taken by Zoe, my very talented graphic designer friend. Visit her website at http://www.studiozgraphics.com/.

Sale This Weekend Only

2008-09-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

BIG SALE THIS WEEKEND on any of the supplies in my Etsy shop.... marked SUPPLIES, VINTAGE SUPPLIES, or DESTASH in the title.
Here's a link to the supplies section of my shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=93511&order=§ion_id=5173539&page=2

HERE'S THE DEAL...

- Buy 1 item and get 5% off.
- Buy 2 items and get 10% off.
- Buy 3 items and get 15% off.
- Buy 4 or more items and get 20% off.

I haven't posted this on my site or adjusted any of the prices. If you purchase something, simply leave a comment on the purchase order stating BIG SALE and I will refund your savings to you via Paypal. This sale ends Sunday, 9/28/08, at midnight, Pacific Standard Time.

Just to be clear, this sale pertains to SUPPLIES ONLY, not jewelry.

Thanks, and happy shopping! :)

I Actually Won Something! Woo Hoo!

2008-09-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

I recently entered a Fall Giveaway on a blog I was visiting and I found out today that I won. WOW -- I never win ANYTHING!!! How exciting is this?!!

Thank you, Kat! Here are some photos, borrowed from Kat's site, of the adorable cards that I've won.

Visit Kat's Etsy site at http://www.katskrafts.etsy.com/ and her blog at http://kreatingsmiles.blogspot.com/.

... And thanks again, Kat! It's truly appreciated. :)

Blazing New Trails

2008-09-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

So, I've been unemployed now for a little over 3 weeks. I just got fed up and walked out -- a little crazy perhaps given the current job market, which is a little scary. Besides looking for a job, I've been spending lots of time in my workshop -- much more than usual -- and I'm loving it. I haven't had a break for so long (where I haven't been sick/injured) and given my current status of unemployed plus empty nesting, I feel so free. However, the funds are starting to get tight and reality is setting in. I have applied for unemployment benefits, but as I quit, I'm not sure that I will get them. I have a telephone interview the Monday after next. I do, however, have a very good reason for quitting -- actually a list of them, so I am not too concerned. I even contacted a labor attorney and he confirmed that "any reasonable person would have walked out" and said he didn't believe benefits would be denied. I felt so much better after talking with him. I've applied for a job with the City of SF, but the process of getting hired could take as long as 8 months. So, I'm incubating that one while I look for others. I've had a couple of offers thus far -- one that didn't pay enough and another as an independent contractor, working from home plus some local travel, which could be fun.

To be honest, I'm just not sure what I want to do. I feel I'm at a crossroads. Life as I've known it for some time now has changed drastically this year. I left a very secure, great pay and benefits, job in January after ten years as I felt I needed a change and took this new job, which turned out to be a very bad decision (a mistake I don't want to make again and therefore don't want to be hasty in my decision making). I've had housing issues (see older posts), plus my kids are all out on their own now, the youngest as of a few months ago, and I am empty nesting. I feel like I'm starting over, with many paths ahead of me. I need to take the time to figure out my next move -- which path to take. In the meantime, I'm gearing up in my workshop for a hopefully busy holiday season, getting ready for shows and hoping to book a few more than usual private home parties. Wish me luck!

Here's a few of my latest creations...

Larimar and Australian Opal Earrings.

This is genuine Larimar, a rare blue variety of pectolite found only in the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean. Also, these are genuine Australian opals. There are lots of impostors on the market for these two particular stones, but these are the real deal!

Peruvian Opal and Amazonite Earrings

These fun and dangly earrings contain translucent blue Peruvian opals (heat treated to enhance color) combined with a diamond shaped geometrically cut sterling silver connector with Amazonite rondelles above.

Labradorite Bracelet

I just can't stay away from Labradorite. It's one of my favorite stones to work with. These are particularly nice and chunky-sized Labradorite rondelles, nicely faceted with a lot of flash.

Natural Agate necklace with a larger Carnelian nugget combined with an Autumn inspired toggle as the focal point.

Also, a pair of Carnelian earrings with lovely sterling silver petal bead caps.

Thanks for visiting! :)

Gem & Jewelry Show

2008-09-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

I attended the International Gem & Jewelry Show this weekend at the San Mateo County Expo Center. It comes around a couple/few times a year and I always try to make it. Today, I met up a really fun group of woman including my friend Maryann, who also has an Etsy shop -- http://www.milburnjewelry.etsy.com/. She sells her vintage inspired jewelry designs, but she also sells vintage supplies (see her shop for links). We met before the show at Heidi's Pies in San Mateo for breakfast, chit chat about jewelry designing and all things related, and just plain catch-up. We had really a good time. The show itself never disappoints. I get giddy just thinking about it. I spent way too much money, especially since I am newly unemployed and seeking employment, but bought many items with the intention of sharing -- that is, listing half strands and such in my Etsy shop to offset some of the cost.

I thought I'd post in a few photos from the show itself to give those of you who have never been to one of these events a feel for what they are like. They're not great photos, as photos are not allowed, but I managed to snap a few anyway. These were all taken in the front/retail section. However, the restricted wholesale area in a separate room in the back is the way to go! Deals are great up front, but much better in back if you have your reseller's license.

Oh so many to choose from!

Mounds of booty on every table!

The crowds can be a bit intense, but were actually much lighter than usual today. Did someone say down economy?

The precious and semiprecious gemstones are usually in trays like these and the stones are strung with these fancy tassels on the end.

Nearly a whole aisle of Swarovski crystals alone!

There are a good 10 or so of these aisles to browse up an down -- not including the wholesale area. It's a marathon getting through all of it in one day. Fortunately, as I've been going for years, I usually know exactly what I want and from whom.

Oh, I almost forgot the best part of the day. I ran into Kate Richbourg, owner of Beadissimo, whose closing I blogged about a few posts back. She actually had a booth at the show and some good news. She is now working for Beaducation, where she is not only teaching online classes, but also has the impressive title of Director of Education. Way to go Kate! Beaducation sells tools, supplies, kits, and has online classes. Check them out! Hmm... wonder if they're hiring? :)

My Little Sweetie

2008-09-04T15:45:00.001-07:00

Just a quick photo today. I've been taking photos today of the jewelry I made yesterday and last night, but couldn't resist snapping a couple of my little sweetie, Chihoo, as she was catching the last strip of sun coming through the window. She's such a little heat seeker.

Check my shop later today as I should have lots of new items listed. :)

San Francisco's Ferry Building Marketplace

2008-08-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

I got together with my friend Debra today for a visit to San Francisco's Ferry Building Marketplace. What a fabulous way to spend a Saturday morning. First of all, it's huge. Secondly, the food is amazing and the sights and smells intoxicating. There are tons of booths with locally grown and organic produce and locally prepared specialty items, and then quite a few of San Francisco's local restaurants also have booths and serve food -- sort of festival style. The Hayes Street Grill, one of my favroite S.F. restaurants, has a booth here every Saturday. After a bit of deliberation, I decided to indulge and have an oyster po' boy sandwich (when in Rome...). OH MY GOD, it was amazing!!! That, on top of all the free tasty morcels sampled at practically every booth, such as the peaches, nectarines, grapes, strawberries, nuts, pita chips or crackers with various yummy dips and spreads, and I was sufficiently stuffed. I'll have to pace myself next time.

What did I purchase for home you ask? Well, I bought this really wonderful tofu and cilantro salad, fresh basil goat cheese spread from Bodega Goat Cheese, an Olive and Walnut Tapenade, some green olives stuffed with almonds, and then some pita chips to go with.

This is a view of the Ferry Building on a non-market day. On market day, the booths line the sidewalk the whole way in front of the building, up the sides of the building, the full length in the back of the building, and then inside as well. As I said, it's huge. Click the photo and it will take you to the website from where I borrowed this photo, plus you'll get a little history about the Ferry Building itself, if interested. That's the first half of the Bay Bridge in the background, extending to Treasure/Yerba Buena Island. From the other side of the island, the second half of the bridge extends to Oakland. Also, if you were to follow the street directly in front of the Ferry Building to the right for a few blocks, you would be right in front of Pac Bell Park.

Ummm, grapes and pomegranates

... and bright green and deliciously aromatic basil

Bell pepers in every color. Their scent was intoxicating.

... and chili peppers and mushrooms too!

My friend Debra looking up inside the Ferry Building.

View of the Ferry Building from the rear.

View from the right side of the Ferry Building, where I enjoyed my Oyster Po'Boy. It was a gorgeous and warm morning with just a slight breeze.

I think I'm going to have to make this a regular Saturday morning event a couple of times a month. If you live nearby, I highly recommend adding it to your short list of things to do in S.F. You won't be disappointed.

Spotlight on Friends

2008-08-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

Here are some wonderful items from some of my very talented friends. Click the links below to visit their Etsy shops.

http://www.erosasjewelry.etsy.com/

http://www.milburnjewelry.etsy.com/

http://www.pastichedesignstudio.etsy.com/

http://www.sfdesigner.etsy.com/

http://www.studio67.etsy.com/

http://www.vanderhoekart.etsy.com/

http://www.whimsicalpam.etsy.com/

http://www.whimsicalvintage.etsy.com/

A Productive Weekend

2008-08-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was very productive in regard to getting a little bit of jewelry made. I've been recovering from a recent flare of an old back issue, which had been rather quiet for some years. I have been unable to do any prolonged sitting and was off work for a few weeks, but returned today. Friday night, my friend Zoe came over for a little jewelry making session, my first attempt since before my back flare. I was just itching to sit down and make some jewelry! Well, the feeling lasted through Saturday and I got quite a bit accomplished. I spent a lot of Sunday taking pictures and listing on Etsy. It felt sooooo good to be back at it. I wish I felt the same about work! :)

My favorite of the weekend was also the simplest design. These crystals were part of an estate sale grouping of jewelry making supplies. The bales and chains were already attached, I just added the leverback earwires with the perfectly matching (although not in the photo) Swarovski crystal bezel settings. They are a beautiful periwinkle blue.

Swarovski crystals in a flower bezel setting with pink coin pearls dangling below. The photo does not do these earrings justice as they are quite dazzling.

Venetian glass beads on large 35 mm (1-3/4") hoops. Venetian glass is a made in Venice, Italy, primarily on the island of Murano. These beads are hollow, lightweight and delicate, making them really comfortable to wear. These earwires, being large, give the appearance of large hoops with the Murano/Venetian bead prefectly dangling below. My daughter has a pair and gets tons of compliments. She has very small gauged ears and wears these through the hollow flares. It's my favorite style of earring on her.

I just love Labradorite! These gems have a lot of flash and the bold toggle puts this bracelet over the top!

Lovely Blue Moonstone (white with blue flash) necklace with a front toggle closure that doubles as the focal point of the necklace.

Another necklace with a front toggle closure. This one is made with Peridot and Phrenite, two of my favorite green gems.

Last, but not least, I made a bunch of rings containing these bottom drilled crystal beads that were part of the same estate lot. Many colors -- I made 5 in all. My daughter, Sarah, my Mom and I are all wearing them, sort of giving them a test run, to see if the glass crystal holds up to wear before I make more of them for sale. Such fun little rings!

Are Bead Shops Dinosaurs?

2008-08-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

In June, one of my favorite bead stores in San Francisco went out of business. Beadissimo was not only a great little bead shop, in a great location, but also offered amazing classes plus free monthly open studio nights where you could go and use all of their fabulous metalsmithing tools. They also hosted trunk shows, brunches with themes, and swap nights - my personal favorite as you would show up with items you wanted to trade or swap with others. I found it a great way to "get rid of" items I was no longer inspired to use -- those destash items -- and trade for some really amazing items that I would most definitely find a use for. They had only been in business for 5-1/2 years, but had become quite the spot in the local beading and jewelry making community. I was distressed not only because of the loss of one of my favorite shops, but also because of the bigger picture. This kind of business was the perfect model for what I had been incubating in my brain for years as the type of business I personally wanted to own some day -- sort of my dream. It's closing left me feeling that my dream was a pipe dream.

Then, to add fuel to the fire, at the end of July, I got another email informing me that The Bead Shop in Palo Alto on University Avenue was also closing. Again, a great little bead shop with location, location, location, great classes, etc. and it was closing after 26 years! This is the message they sent out: "After 26 years of passionately serving the beading community, The Bead Shop is closing at the end of August. The decision to close did not come easily. Vendors have chosen to go directly to beaders and many beaders enjoy the selection and pricing online and at gem shows. It's understandable; the marketplace is changing. Maintaining a full-service bead store in the midst of this shift has become impossible for us. " Then they listed their final sales and last classes, but in closing, stated, "Please be well and support the other bead stores on the peninsula and east bay."

While I am an avid online shopper as well as a huge gem show fan and shopper, I still frequent all of the local bead shops in my area, as well as usually add them to my list of things to check out when I'm traveling to other areas, both for shopping and for classes/workshops/etc. I think we all need to remember to support our local, small, independent brick and mortar businesses. It would truly be a shame if they go the way of the dinosaur!

Some of my favorite bead stores in San Francisco are Forbeadin, located on Church St, Beyond Beads, located on Howard St, and General Bead, located on Minna St.

Baubles & Beads has two locations, Berkeley and San Rafael. A little further north, Legendary Beads in Santa Rosa.

I've also visited some wonderful bead stores in the Sacramento area as well as on the Central Coast, but can't recall the names at the moment. Please, remember to support your local bead shops -- or any local indie shops that cater to the crafter/artisan, such as yarn shops. It would be a shame if indie shops that cater to us crafters meet with extinction due to the current shopping trends, leaving us with large Walmart type businesses and generic malls as our only local brick and mortar choices.

Sparkly Things

2008-08-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

I made these about two weeks ago, right before my back went out. I haven't been able to sit for long at my workshop or even in front of a computer since. Therefore, this will be brief. I've been off work, but expect to be back at work next week -- hopefully. I'm really doing much better, getting around pretty well, but still the prolonged sitting in an upright position leaves me in pain and walking like a 90-year-old woman afterwards. I'm dying to tinker with my jewelry, but I don't dare even try.

I got the Swarovski components in these earrings at a local bead shop in SF that has some sort of commercial workroom in the back. Everytime I get a peek at it, it reminds me of a sweat shop, although I'm sure it's not. It's just that it's set up with lots of tables in rows - like a sewing sweat shop. Found out it's the workshop where the Liz Palacio jewelry is made. Therefore, the bead shop in the front always has lots of the components used in her jewelry designs - pieces left over from last season's designs I guess. In any case, I'm glad to have access to them as they are gorgeous (if you like sparkly things) and are fun to incorporate into my own designs.

I listed both on Etsy, but a friend of mine purchased the green ones almost right away and, therefore, I removed them from Etsy. The Blue and Gold ones are still listed. I've made smaller earrings in the past using these components and I think there might still be a pair or two in my Etsy shop.

I hope to be up and about soon so that I can return to the bead shop and purchase more of these wonderful pieces. If you like them, check back on my shop as there may be more listed in the near future.

Some Great New Bloggy Finds

2008-07-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I found a BlogUpp widget while browsing blogs. The widget displays two up to date print screen shots of blogs, one on top of the other. Scroll down and look for it on the right hand sidebar. When you pass your cursor over them, it shows the text of the first paragraph or so of each blog. Well, I just had to have one! What a fabulous idea! Quick and easy to browse blogs without actually opening up a new window. When trying to find a book to read, I often read the first paragraph. If that doesn't grab me, I usually put the book down. Same concept here.

I've already found some really cool blogs, my favorite thus far being Critiques and Reviews, a blog by Timothy Adams, who also has an Etsy site called Timothy Adams Designs featuring his wonderfully creative metal designs, from jewelry to furniture. Not only is his blog full of extremely useful information on topics such as how to boost your page rank for Google searches, ways to drive traffic to your blog/website, how and where to spend your advertising budget, etc, but his critiques are video taped! The video shows his computer screen, the Etsy shop being critiqued in view, with the mouse moving around pointing to things as he discusses various points. Genius!!! I also picked up a new little widget from his page, a Google page rank widget (bottom of right hand sidebar), as well as the tool (bottom of my blog page) to find the page rank of any website/blog you'd like. I found his post about this whole topic extremely helpful and insightful, and found out my blog is ranked a 2, so my new goal is to work on getting a ranking of 3, and with Mr. Timothy Adams' helpful insights, I just might get there.

My Latest Non-Jewelry Project

2008-07-07T18:42:00.000-07:00

I finally found a bit of time for a little needle felting. My friend Zoe and I decided a little over a month ago that we'd try our hands at needle felting. We both have a love of sculpting in our backgrounds, so needle felting is a medium we both just had try (see the peapod I made at the Maker Faire). This time, my project wasn't quite so three dimensional, and really didn't require much sculpting at all -- okay, maybe a little for the flower embellishment. Zoe, however, made a handful of these wonderful little hearts with adorable little details -- totally cute. I can't wait to see what she decides to do with them. I made a coin purse (see photos), which turned out better than I expected, but I hope to get better and better as time goes on. I had wanted to embellish with beads or use a bead for the closure, but I don't think it needs anymore embellishment, and I decided to use a button from my Grandmother's old button jar for the closure. As my Grandmother died in 1969, I guess you could call it a vintage button. I made another coin purse on Saturday, but it's not quite finished. I need to redo the closure.

By the way, I purchased my Needle Felting Kit from MadebyMoxie on Etsy. It's a great starter kit and I would highly recommend it. I met Moxie at the Maker Faire when she was doing a needle felting demonstration and had a little corner of one of the buildings set up as a little workshop where fairgoers could try it out. I made the peapod I mentioned above. She is a great instructor and a very talented needle felter. I especially like that her kit contains a vegetable-based foam (Green Cell) to use as your felting base rather than polyurethane foam, which is not biodegradable.

I then went a little crazy and purchased wool roving and locks, Cotswold lamb wool locks, and curly Mohair, all hand-dyed, from TheFlyingEwe, hand dyed Romney wool locks from MaryJanesAttic, and Alpaca fiber and assorted wool roving from debarrstuff. I guess when I get the bug to try something new, I go a little overboard. With this investment, needle felting had better keep my interest! :)

I'll keep you posted on my needle felting adventures... ;)

San Francisco Bay Area Street Team

2008-07-03T02:12:00.000-07:00

I recently joined my first "street team" on Etsy, the San Francisco Bay Area Street Team, or SFETSY. Being part of a street team enables you to join up with people in your area or who have similar interests for events, networking, support, etc. I put together a treasury tonight featuring some of my fellow SFETSY team members and their work.

For those of you not familiar with Etsy, The Treasury is a fun little feature many of us Etsians enjoy, where members get to play curator and put together their own gallery of favorite items, or thematic groupings by color, shape, topic, etc. This is not a tool for self promotion, but a way to showcase items/artists you want to give a nod, so to speak. I love creating treasuries and have put together quite a few, often by color, but some of my favorite themed treasuries have been the Wizard of Oz, World Markets, and cemeteries/cemetery statuary.

As I mentioned above, this treasury showcases the work of members of SFETSY and, therefore, I thought San Francisco's usual gray summer tones would be appropriate. Here's a screen shot...

Here's the link to my treasury. However, treasuries only last 3 days and the link will be invalid after that.

California Wild Fires and Empty Nesting

2008-06-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

Those are the two hot topics in my little world this last month. First, the fire...

Exactly a week ago at just a little past 7:oo PM, one of California's wild fires was a little too close for comfort. It was a very dramatic and scary scene, even though neither I nor my home were ever threatened, but I feared for those closer to the fire line. The fire occured on San Bruno Mountain, in which the town I live in, Brisbane, is nestled. In the years I've lived here, this was the closest I've seen a fire come to the homes here in town, and I heard a couple of 40+ year residents were quoted as saying the same in regard to their tenure. In all, around 200 homes were evacuated, but thankfully the fire fighters did a stellar job and no homes were lost. They did a pretty quick job of containing the fire, especially in comparison to some larger fires around the state, but continued to deal with hot spots for a few days afterward. Air quality in our little town and the surrounding Bay Area leaves a lot to be desired, and there continues to be ash all over my car even today. Air quality in general in California has been pretty dismal as there are, as of today's latest news story, some 1,000 wild fires all over the state, with the smoke being blown up and down the coast and inland. No matter which direction the wind is coming from, it's carrying smoke with it. During the day, the sky, especially the horizon, is brown or gray with poor visibility for anything in the distance, and then the sunsets are amazing, with the sun setting behind all of the smoke and pollution, creating some of the most intensely colorful sunsets you can imagine, almost like the sky itself is on fire.

Here's a few more spectacular photos of the fire...

Shortly after the fire started, the smoke could be seen spreading down the Peninsula to neighboring cities, as seen in this photo taken in Burlingame.

One of a few fire fighting helicopters dropping water on the fire.

My friend Zoe snapped this photo from her front deck.

I'm thankful for the favorable outcome in regard to no homes or lives being lost in my little neck of the woods, but I am mindful of the fact that others in California have not been as fortunate, and also mindful of all those who have recently dealt with so much loss in the last couple of months due to tornados, floods, etc. It just seems there's a disaster every time I turn on the news, and I think we've all had enough! Let's hope some good news is in store.

*****************************************

My second topic of the month (since it's been that long since I last posted) is empty nesting. My daughter moved out this last month, and since my son moved out about a year and a half ago, I find myself in uncharted territory... that precarious state called empty nesting. Admittedly, I was a bit emotional when my son moved out, but I was not yet truly empty nesting at that point and, therefore, was not really prepared for the full impact of it, nor the rollercoaster of emotions and mood swings that accompanied the first week or two. It really hit me hard and completely from behind -- or rather, right in the gut. I've always stated, and believed, that one's children growing up strong and independent and flying from the nest is the mark of a job well done (by their parents). I've always tried to be a completely supportive, available and present parent while, at the same time, not being too overly involved or enmeshed. Therefore, when the pangs of separation as well as the alone and empty feeling in my house hit, I found myself feeling rather devastated, and I felt like such a fraud. Actually, I felt ashamed and selfish. With time, and the support of a couple of friends (those I let in to witness the spectacle of my grief) and my mother, I'm feeling much, much better and much more optimistic. My friend Pam wrote, "How can anyone think that we can raise them, give them our hearts and souls, watch over them every minute...and then "poof", let them go...without post parenting depression." For me, she hit the nail on the head. A very validating point and one that turned around my perspective of self criticism. Perhaps this is just the normal adjustment all of us parents go through, whether privately or otherwise, and I just need to let myself go through it without all of the self criticism and judgement. I know I'll be fine, and my kids are great. This is just another stage, or chapter, in my life and I know I have many more to come.

The above photos were used courtesy of The City of Brisbane Blog, and Michael Berch, idiottool, timbasf, and dphock, all found on Flickr. Thank you.

Etsy Article in San Francisco Chronicle

2008-05-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

Check it out! Nice to get a little local, hometown press!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/26/BU7B10QI02.DTL f=/c/a/2008/05/26/BU7B10QI02.DTL

My Latest Etsy Treasury Picks

2008-05-24T13:03:00.001-07:00

Check it out at http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=10962. Click Back To Lists to check out Treasuries curated by other Etsians. Also, if you see something you like, click on it and it will take you to that Etsy sellers shop, and you can then check out the rest of their items.

Update 5/27 -- my Treasury has expired (they are only posted for 3 days), but the link will take you to a page that says Back To Lists. If you click on that, it will take you to the Treasury where you can check out Treasuries curated by other Etsians.

Happy Dance...

2008-05-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

The 60-day notice has been rescinded! With great relief, I received an email with this news a few days ago. This, I assume, means my landlady (aka the current executor of the family trust) has decided to buy her siblings out and, for now, plans to let me stay here. Of course, this doesn't mean I should exhale and go back to life as it was, but it does for the moment buy me more time and relieve the pressure of the looming date. I may still end up being asked to, or choose to, move, but the extra time to sort this out is extremely welcome! I've been in this house for 15 years, have thought of moving many times, but the thought of doing so always seemed so overwhelming. I have been taking the path of least resistance - settling. This experience has opened up my eyes to other possibilities... some a little scary, but yet exciting as well. Sometimes we just need something to come along and rattle our cages.

Name Identification Woes...

2008-05-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to admit, I've done a really poor job with name identification -- trademarking, branding -- whatever you call it. The name at the top of my blog and the top of my Etsy shop, as well as the name on my business card, is Magnificient Obsession; however, my URL for both sites is TheresaJ. So, if you search, for instance, in either of these, I'd be under TheresaJ, but if you search in Etsy Sellers Who Blog or Blogs by Women for me, as only a couple of examples, I'm listed under Magnificient Obsession. Also, when I do a Google search, TheresaJ comes up a lot, but nothing (at least not the first few pages) for Magnificent Obsession.

I loved the name Magnificient Obsession when I first chose it, as that describes exactly how I feel about designing jewelry. I truly do get obsessed when I'm creating and totally lost in the zone..., but the name has lost some of its appeal for me and I just like the simplicity of TheresaJ. Plus, I think it's more easily identifiable among people who know, or are acquainted with, me.

Anyone want to weigh in on this dilemma of mine -- name preference and why, and what I can possibly do about streamlining this name dilemma? Is it okay to be known by two names (that are sort of intertwined, but make searching difficult and somewhat ineffective)? I really can't change my Etsy name without starting a whole new shop, and then I would lose all of my contacts. I could just change the banners on my blog and Etsy shop, deleting the Magnificient Obsession name and changing it to TheresaJ -- as well as on my cards, but then I also lose some name recognition there.

And while we're on the subject of branding and recognition, my avatar (on Etsy and many related sites) is my dog, Chihoo. I know, nothing to do with jewelry design! At the time, I didn't want a pic of myself (camera shy) and my shop photos were really not quite up to snuff yet, so I used a pic of her (also because I love her dearly). I know lots of people change their avatar often, but is changing it often, or even once in a very great while, recommended?

I should have spent more time thinking about all of this when I started my Etsy shop... and then later for my blog, but I was impulsive and impatient. Lesson learned... however, a little late.

Felting & Ficklesticks...

2008-05-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

So, my housing situation continues to be in upheaval. A few really good leads have presented only to end in disappointment -- to this point anyway. I also made an offer to buy the house I'm living in only to find out that they may be purchasing it themselves from the family trust, at which point I was told I could stay here, but my rent would go up. That was two weeks ago and I haven't heard whether or not I'm still under the 60 day notice or not. Good news is that the town I live in offers $200,000 First Time Buyer Loans and I qualify, so I'm looking into that option as well. I remain optimistic, but this living in limbo is wearing on me a bit.

Through it all, I've actually found a bit of time to sit down and make some jewelry (see photos). Initially, I couldn't wrap my head around it -- as I feel so distracted -- but then realized it was just the escape I needed as it always takes me to another place where creating the piece is all that exists and all of my troubles and worries seem to fade. As I've said so many times in the past, it's my happy place. :)

I've actually done some really fun and exciting things over the past few weekends, and I've wanted to write about them and post pictures, but the thought of doing so has been overwhelming on top of everything going on, but I feel up to it tonight. As I mentioned in my last post, I spent a day with friends visiting Murphys, California, and my favorite pottery place, Quyle Kilns. Here's a link to their website - http://quylekilns.com/ - and a couple of photos too. Such a great family run business. They mine their own clay, most of which is distributed to many of the schools and art colleges in California. Their showroom is filled with items that are very reasonably priced and made out of sheer love of doing so as the business survives on clay sales, not showroom sales. I purchased a few bowls to add to my collection and a small gift for a friend.

A couple of weekends ago, I attended the Maker Faire at the San Mateo County Expo Center. It was my first time attending such an event, but it won't be my last. It was such an amazing day. Tickets were $25.00, but my friend Annie is a teacher and had a couple of free passes. What a treat, and thank you Annie! I saw lots of Etsians selling and displaying their wares and even met a couple. Our very first stop was in a corner of the Arts & Crafts section where a needle felting demo was taking place. There, I met fellow Etsian, Moxie, of http://www.madebymoxie.etsy.com/ who taught me the basics of needle felting in a short period of time and I made my very first needle felted piece, a pea pod. I have since visited her Etsy shop and purchased her needle felting kit. Here's a photo of my pea pod (although not a very good one) on the left. I can't wait to start creating little felted and beaded masterpieces!

I also met a woman (can't remember her name) who invented Fabric Ficklesticks, fabric covered wire sticks that you can bend, mold, shape, and combine to make all sorts of things. She had a table with all of her creations, which were amazing, and then a table with a mound of different sized Ficklesticks for everyone to sit and create with. I made this crown (sorry - again, not a great photo) and wore it for the rest of the day, so I was the self-appointed queen for the day ;). Annie made a really great necklace that I'm sure she'll get much more use out of than a crown. What was I thinking! It was great fun in any case. I wish "Ms. Ficklesticks" lots of luck in her new and very creative endeavor.

Which brings me to the present, this last weekend. My Mom and her sister, my Aunt Eleanor, were spending the weekend in Guerneville, on the Russian River, at my Mom's summer place. My kids and I drove up for the day on Sunday, Mother's Day, and then we went to a newly opened and wonderful restaurant for a late lunch/early dinner. I was very pleasantly surprised when my kids paid the tab, which I was totally not expecting. I just get so tickled when my kids pick up the tab as I just haven't gotten used to that yet and never expect it. Honestly, I don't know if it will ever feel normal to have them do so, but it always makes me realize, with a smile, that they are young and independent adults now. My kids also gave me a new shower head, which my son even installed immediately. It was such a nice treat to spend the day with both of my kids, together, on a little road trip, and then with my Mom and her sister for the day as well. It was a special day and the perfect end to a lovely weekend.

Life's Rollercoaster

2008-04-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I was planning a much different post today... spent an absolutely lovely day with a couple of friends yesterday on a day trip. We went to Murphys, California, to visit our favorite pottery shop, Quyle Kilns and I have lots of pics to post as well.

However, my first call this morning was from my landlady -- with an eviction notice. They are selling the house. I have 45 days! I've lived in this house for 15 years -- since my divorce, and have raised my kids in it since they were 4 and 7. I think I'm in shock. Fear of the unknown has set in -- as well as overwhelm, but then I tell myself that this is probably just what I need. Honestly, I have been needing a change for some time and maybe this is the universe's way of giving me a kick in the butt. But the renter's market, according to everything I've been hearing lately, is really bad. The housing market is in a slump and rents are skyrocketing - in the San Francisco Bay Area anyway. Being that I've been here for 15 years, my rent is actually below market value, so I don't know how I'm going to manage a substantial increase.

Wish me luck everyone!

Chocolate, Dogs & an After Hours ER Visit

2008-04-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

Last night was game night at my Mom's. We heard a crash from another room and my Mom got up to investigate. Findings... my little sweetie, Chihoo (see Avatar and previous posts) had found and consumed the remains of a chocolate bar my Mom was enjoying earlier, having left about 1/4 of the bar, wrapped loosely, on a table next to her phone. She assured me it wasn't much, but it was See's Candies new Premium Extra Dark Chocolate bar. I did a quick check online to see if I needed to worry and the news wasn't good. Given her size and the fact that it was such a strong chocolate (62% cacao), I called the local after hours ER vet hospital and was advised to bring her in immediately so that they could induce vomiting, give her activated charcoal, and examine her. 2.5 hours and just under $300 later, she was released to my care with instructions for 24 hour observation and confinement, keeping her quiet and low key. The quiet and low key wasn't as easy as it sounded. She usually sleeps with me every night, covered securely under the blankets (she's a burrower), but was bouncing off the walls for the next two hours, until I fell asleep. I don't know when she settled down, but I found her sleeping soundly, under cover and behind my knees when I awoke this morning around 8:00 AM. I guess the vomiting and charcoal didn't quite get all of it.

My Mom has worked for See's Candies since she was 17 - and she just retired. I don't think there's ever been a day when chocolate wasn't in the house, but we've been diligent about keeping it out of Chihoo's reach. Not this time though, and she took complete advantage of the moment. In fact, there was a full bar, unopened, right next to the one she had just eaten, but luckily the crash alerted us to her, until then, furtive activities. Yikes!

On a side note, Chihoo also has an obsession with metal. She will annoyingly lick the zipper or metal findings on your purse or jacket, and I quite often find her with coins in her mouth. If there is a coin on the floor, she will find it. She hasn't swallowed any -- yet, but I fear I'm going to have a $3,000 coin some day when she needs to be operated on to remove it as she is probably too small to pass it. When I was a kid, my grandmother had a little Cockapoo (Ming) as well as a then $800 nickle. Geez -- and I thought the toddler years were long past!

Anyway... here's some excellent information on
Chocolate Toxicity in Dogs from http://www.talktothevet.com/.

We've all heard it, "Don't give your dog chocolate it will kill him". Well how true is it you're probably wondering. Do I have to rush him to an emergency vet if he ate one of my M&M's?

The truth is chocolate contains theobromine that is toxic to dogs in sufficient quantities. This is a xanthine compound in the same family of caffeine, and theophylline.

Toxic Levels

The good news is that it takes, on average, a fairly large amount of theobromine, 100-150 mg/kg, to cause a toxic reaction. Although there are variables to consider like the individual sensitivity, animal size and chocolate concentration.

On average,
Milk chocolate contains 44 mg of theobromine per oz.
Semisweet chocolate contains 150mg/oz.
Baker's chocolate 390mg/oz.

Using a dose of 100 mg/kg as the toxic dose it comes out roughly as:
1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight for Milk chocolate
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight for Semisweet chocolate
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight for Baker's chocolate.

So, for example, 2 oz. of Baker's chocolate can cause great risk to an 15 lb. dog. Yet, 2 oz. of Milk chocolate usually will only cause digestive problems.

Clinical Signs

Xanthines affect the nervous system, cardiovascular system and peripheral nerves. It has a diuretic effect as well.

Clinical signs:
Hyper excitability
Hyper irritability
Increased heart rate
Restlessness
Increased urination
Muscle tremors
Vomiting
Diarrhea

Treatment

There is no specific antidote for this poisoning. And the half life of the toxin is 17.5 hours in dogs. Induce vomiting in the first 1-2 hours if the quantity is unknown. Administering activated charcoal may inhibit absorption of the toxin. An anticonvulsant might be indicated if neurological signs are present and needs to be controlled. Oxygen therapy, intravenous medications, and fluids might be needed to protect the heart.

Milk chocolate will often cause diarrhea 12-24 hours after ingestion. This should be treated symptomatically (fluids, etc..) to prevent dehydration.

If you suspect your pet has ingested chocolate contact your Vet immediately! They can help you determine the the proper treatment for your pet.

New Photos for an Old and Unloved Listing

2008-03-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

This set has been listed on Etsy for some time and has never been hearted (marked as a favorite) or received many views. I personally love this set, the color combo of the fused glass beads, and the general look and feel of it. The bracelet has a nice feel against the skin, as the beads are flat on the backside, and I've used my favorite oversized loopy earwires for the earrings, which gives them a nice size and movement. It's actually the second time I've used these beads in a set. The first set was never listed on Etsy, but sold right away at a private show in 12/06. Having given this a lot of thought, I decided one problem may be the photos, so I reshot them today. It will be interesting to see if the listing gets more views and perhaps even a heart or two. If it helps, I just may reshoot just about everything in my shop. :)

Wish I Was Fancier

2008-03-17T22:52:00.001-07:00

My good friend, Zoe, sent me an email tonight and I was thoroughly entertained. Thought I'd post it in below (with her permission) as I thought you might enjoy it as much as I did.

I'm Titling this, "Wish I Was Fancier"

by Zoe

Wish I was fancier.

I'd buy that necklace.

Then go out somewhere snazzy wearing it.

Some big party in town, at some swanky SOMA club.

A place to be seen.

My favorite thing about the party:

the tiny marinated shrimp hors d'oeuvres...

each served individually on a small circular ice cube,

encasing an individual frozen cilantro leaf,

and keeping the shrimp cool.

Art food -- always my favorite.

I'd eat a shrimp,

take a quick sip of a Hangar One vodka shooter,

and then smile at the Chronicle photographer.

"Look for your picture on Page C2!" he'd say.

"Love you, dahling..." I'd reply,

as I did a fake double-cheek air kiss goodbye.

I would pull out my iPhone

and leave a quick voice memo to refer to the next day.

"Don't forget C2."

"Check to see how wonderful I look

in my labradorite & rose necklace."

"Love you, dahling."

Time to mingle.

I'd walk dramatically around the room.

Catch the eye of lots of folks.

They'd say things like...

"Wow -- what a great necklace!

Where did you get it?"

And I'd tell 'em: "http://www.theresaj.etsy.com/"

Gotta love her! ;)

Happy Faces!

2008-03-15T23:32:00.000-07:00

These photos are from a 4-year-old's birthday party where I did face painting last October. I mentioned this in a previous blog, but didn't want to post the photos without permission to do so. I recently received an email from the Mom hosting the birthday party stating none of the parents had any objections, so I thought I'd share. The kids were so adorable. I love that no matter what you do, they love it. I could think to myself that its the worst face painting I've ever done, and then when I give them the mirror, their whole face just lights up. It's really so precious!

Flowers and butterflies are always popular with the girls. Such pretty smiles and gorgeous eyes!

My tiger/cat face is a popular choice for both boys and girls -- as well as other animals. It's so entertaining to see them actually turn into little tigers and start growling and roaring and clawing at the air. This little guy has such amazing eyes!

Probably my most popular request from boys, the fire breathing dragon, and once I do one, 80-90% of boys getting their face painted want the dragon!

Although I thought this little guy's request was rather creative -- he wanted me to include blue in the fire!

And this little guy really has an independent spirit and knows what he likes -- he wanted a dolphin!

AND THE WINNER IS....

2008-03-09T00:09:00.000-08:00

I received 37 entries for my free earring giveaway. Thank you to all who participated.

Tonight, I picked the winner of the flower bell earrings. I had hoped to video the drawing and post it here in this blog, with my daughter doing the honors, but she wasn't available. Therefore, still photos will have to do. Perhaps next time.

So, without further ado, the winner is...

Drum roll please...

Nicole Solo

Contratulations, Nicole! And again, thanks to all those who participated.

WIN a Pair of These Spring Inspired Earrings!

2008-02-29T23:55:00.000-08:00

Inspired by spring, win a pair of these whimsical and sweet flower bell earrings, made up in the color of your choice.

Besides the three shown, I also have clear white with an Aurora Borealis finish and a clear light green.

So, how do you win a pair of these you ask?

Simple; leave a comment on this blog, mentioning the contest. " All entries will be put into a "hat" and a winner will be drawn next Saturday, 3/8.

The winner will be notified on Saturday, 3/8, and asked to select the flower color of their choice from the five detailed above (only 3 shown). They will also be asked to provide shipping information.

Good luck! :)

A New Tool and New Etsy Listings

2008-02-20T22:56:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered a new Etsy tool. A couple of months ago, I found a site called Heart-o-Matic, which allowed you to view the hearts received on your site (people who mark your site as a favorite) in a much more user friendly way than currently exists on Etsy. I tried it out a couple of times, and really liked it, but then it was disabled due to moving to a new location. The new site is finally up and running and is located at http://www.etsytools.com/. Logistically, it resides in Australia. Of note, this site is not officially offiliated with or endorsed by Etsy. This new site not only contains the Heart-o-Matic tool, which allows you to view your hearts and number of views as a whole or for individual items (without having to click on the item), but also contains other sections such as Charts, which has numerous pie charts with various Etsy stats, Top Sellers, which gives you stats on top sellers of all time, for a particular day, top selling categories, etc., Local Sellers, allowing you to locate sellers in your area, Trading List (my personal favorite), where you can add youself to a list, detailing what items you have that you'd like to trade and what you'd like to trade for, Blog, which is self explanitory, and UEN (not sure what it means or stands for), which keeps you up-to-date with any new Etsy upgrades, changes, new features, new tools, etc. You are also able to purchase advertising space on this site at $10 for 10,000 impressions, meaning everytime the page containing your advertisement is opened, it counts for one imporession. I think you can purchase 50,000 impressions at a time. Sounds like a good deal to me. Being that my blog has only been viewed a little over 2,000 times, 10,000 times by potentially 10,000 different people is money well spent. Even if 1,000 people view ten times, that's still great exposure. However, the downside could be that, as it is an Etsy tool, the site is only being used by Etsy sellers. Yes, Etsy sellers buy from Etsy sellers, but it still limits the market.

On another note, I spent a lot of time this past weekend making jewelry. It's the first time since before the holidays that I really felt the urge to sit down at my workspace and create. I also spent a lot of time reorganizing everything, as I had received, as Christmas gifts, lots of new little wasabi-sized bowls and dishes (compliments of my friend Satnam and my Mom) for keeping my beads sorted in an aesthetically pleasing (to me) way. They are in lots of different shapes, colors & patterns, and I just love they way they look, displaying gems and beads of every color and shape. My little workspace has quickly become my favorite spot in my house. So, anyway, I finally posted a bunch of new jewelry on Etsy. I'll post a few pics here as a preview. I also posted a bunch of jewelry making supplies last week, including vintage Czech and German glass beads.

New earrings -- brass above, which I don't often use, with Swarovsky crystals and two pairs of sterling silver hoops (or oversized earwires) with gemstone dangles.

These two necklaces feature amazing little top/side drilled Kyanite stones. They are a lovely blue-green, aqua color. The necklace to the left also contains larger Amazonite ovals and little faceted quartz rounds. The necklace to the right contains small, smooth, Aquamarine rondelles and a large, smooth, Aquamarine pendant.

I've Been Tagged...

2008-02-12T00:27:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by WhimsicalPam.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 facts about myself:

1. I was born and rasised in San Francisco, California.
2. I have two kids, 18 and 21, and have been single parenting since they were 3 and 6. They are the brightest spots in my life and the source of my greatest joy.
3. Last month, I quit my job of over ten years and am now working in a completely different field and loving it!
4. I get completely giddy about shopping for beads and jewelry making supplies -- I mean, really giddy! -- like that excitement as a child when trying to fall asleep the night before Christmas or the annual family summer vacation.
5. Sometimes I feel immobized by a sense of overwhelm.
6. I love music -- all kinds, and I love to dance.
7. I am addicted to Diet Coke. I need help!

And the new tagees are:

vanderhoekart
DancingMooney
Ebb and Flo
afieldjournal
libbyandthemonkey
gingerblack
desirai

Computer Issues and a New Job

2008-02-02T15:13:00.001-08:00

Wow, it's been a month since I posted my last blog. My computer started acting up early January and then subsequently crashed. I am still working with Dell on the reinstallation, but was waiting for a disk to arrive, and am now just trying to connect as they never keep the appointments they set. Very frustrating!! Anyway, I lost everything on my computer -- which is mostly just all of my pictures, and I haven't had convenient access to a computer for keeping my blog up to date. I'm on my daughter's laptop presently, but I hate typing on it, it's slow, plus it loses the internet connection frequently.

Anyway, on another note, I quit my job of ten years in January and started a new job just this last week. The jury is still out on whether or not its going to be a good fit, but I remain optimistic. It was really time to leave the other job as I had not been happy there for a good year or so and needed the change.

Thanks to all of those who have been leaving comments. I promise to respond when I get my computer up and running again.

:)

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

This photo just seems appropriate for the day. However, it's actually a photo of the centerpiece on the table I was seated at with a group of good friends, Dan & Susan and Luis & Kate, as well as my kids, Paul & Sarah. The event -- my friend Geri's surprise birthday celebration the last weekend in November. Missing was our very good friend Anna, who departed the Bay Area early in the fall for a year long adventure around the US -- in her car!! She was sorely missed!

The party was great fun, extremely well planned and put together by her cousins, Laurie and Sally, with the help of her Mom and her kids, Angela and Nick. The toasts by Nick and Angela were touching and Geri's speech left me searching for a tissue. Oh, and the food was amazing! It was really a beautiful day; plus, I discovered Proseco, a relatively inexpensive and very delicious Italian sparkling wine. I actually even gave a few bottles away as gifts this year. If you haven't tried it, I recommend you do. Trader Joe's carries it, but I'm sure you can get it just about anywhere. Good stuff! :)

Besides all of my shows, detalied in past blogs, the last couple of months have seemed like a whirlwind of activity. At the beginning of December, we also drove over to Marin for my cousin's daughter's 1st birthday. Gracie is just adorable and has more personality than most adults I know. On the way over, while my daughter Sarah was driving, I snapped some pictures while on the Golden Gate Bridge. I've lived here my whole life, so I felt like such a tourist! :) I then got some shots of the sunset from the bridge on the way home, and then some shots of City Hall. Keep in mind, these were taken from a moving car, and I am no photographer.

Approaching the Golden Gate Bridge

On the Bridge

Boats out on the Bay

Sunset to the west on the way back- the ocean side of the bridge

San Francisco City Hall, as seen from Van Ness Avenue.

Just thought I'd share some photos of my favorite city. I'm glad I can still afford to live here!

I also recently took a metalsmithing class at Beadissimo on Valencia Street in San Francisco. It's a top notch little bead shop that has great classes plus monthly open studio nights, which I have attended and plan to continue. I love making my own sterling silver components for my jewelry designs and actually designed one bracelet early in December, which sold immediately. I then made two more, both of which sold almost immediately upon completion, definitely a sign that I need to make more time for metalsmithing and creating my own components. Plus, the finished pieces feel so much more like mine. It's very satisfying. I plan to make two or three more of these bracelets in the near future, as I have enough components to do so at the moment. To the left are a couple of photos of the first bracelet. Oh, and here's a link to Beadissimo's blog, which has lots of great information about their classes, http://beadissimo.blogspot.com/, or visit their website at http://beadissimo.com/web/.

This past Sunday, I got together with a group of women friends for our annual holiday get together. We all worked together on the Stanford campus over ten years ago, and all left due to circumstances beyond our control, but we have this continuing bond of friendship that has carried us through the years, even if we sometimes only manage to get together this one time each year, although with many emails in between. Caryl hosts it at her beautifully decorated home every year and we all contribute to the meal. I made Italian Sausage Soup. Caryl made a lasagna, made with white sauce rather than tomato sause, and it was amazing. Debra made delicious appetizers - a vegetarian chopped "liver" pate' and zucchini squares (sort of like a fritatta), Annette brought tasty garlic bread, Laura brought a very yummy salad, and Rita brought two delicious appetizers, spinach dip and a sweet chile/cheese spread, plus she made a chocolate pecan pie for dessert -- scrumptous! I always feel renewed after our visits -- something about sharing life's trials, losses, loves, and successes with this group of women, knowing it's a safe place to do so and knowing that we all care for and support each other.

Here's my recipe for Italian Sausage Soup, a great cold weather, hearty soup!

1 tbsp olive oil
5 mild Italian Sausages, sliced
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 can of crushed tomatoes, drained
2 large cans of beef broth (or 3 cartons)
1 cup burgandy wine
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 tbsp parsley
3 zucchinis, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 cup of small shell maccaroni

Heat the olive oil and brown the sausage. Drain fat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add beef broth, tomatoes, wine, spices, vegetables, and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Well, that's it for now. Here's wishing all of you out there a healthy, happy, and prosperous new year, and let's hope 2008 brings peace, compassion, and mindfulness to our planet!

Wrapping Up the Show Season...

2007-12-15T09:23:00.000-08:00

As of last weekend, my holiday jewelry show season has ended. My last show was Kate's, which is my favorite of the year as I really love our group of crafters and friends and I look forward to seeing all of our regulars who come year after year, as well as the new and occasional faces. This particular show is what really makes the holiday season for me... just the social aspect of it, plus I get a lot of my shopping done and can avoid the malls - which I find torture. I just love Kate's event, and it was a successful weekend for me to boot. I'll post in a some pics showing some of my talented friend's creations...

Here are some of Kate's handmade olive oil soaps. Some of my favorites are Rose Blush, Lemon Verbena, Rustic Oats, Gardener's Scrub, Lavender & Peppermint.

Kate also does some Shea Butter Creams, which are fabulous, and another of our friends, Leah, does this wonderful Hand Salve (I love the lemon scent) as well as the little painted wooden bowls filled with French Gray Salt, and then the Lavender and French Gray Salt mixture (both of which I have purchased from her in the past).

Elizabeth made this gorgeous purse (which I purchased at one of Kate's previous shows). The fabrics are beautifully complementary and the chop stick handles put this purse over the top.

Elizabeth also has an Etsy shop, in which she sells purses, jewelry (she is a very talented metalsmither as well) and collage items. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?, plus, she has her jewelry website. http://elizabethrosasjewelry.squarespace.com/

Zoe made these wonderful ornaments using vintage postcards. They're perfect for that Victorian or old fashioned Christmas decorating theme. Zoe dabbles in many mediums and also has an Etsy shop, currently only showcasing some of her jewelry -- http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=92025. However, she is also a very talented graphic artist/designer -- http://www.studiozgraphics.com/

Our friend and fellow crafter, Joy, makes the most wonderful dolls. I'm not a doll person, per se, and never have been, but I love her work. The craftsmanship, design, and price are all incomparable! I bought this whimsical little fish this year. I love the fabric, the embellishments - like the beaded tail, and the overall design. Reminds me of a character in a children's book I read to my kids when they were little.

I bought the fairy

about five years

ago. She had three

of them and they

went almost as

soon as the doors

opened. I was lucky to grab this one! ... and it's green!!!

And last, but certainly not least, Brenda, who makes gorgeous scarves and knitted items, custom made this new little red sweater for my little Chihoo. I bought a turquoise sweater from her last year, also pictured below, but wanted a red one for Chihoo since it's my favorite color on her. She wears red so well, don't you think? We can thank my Mom for the humiliation of the little Santa hat, but all in all, Chihoo, who hates her picture taken, was a sport.

Well, that's only a handful of us. There are many talented crafters whose items I did not include simply because I didn't have any of their items to photograph on hand this morning, nor did I remember to bring my camera to the event, which is typical of me.

On another note, the Mad House Coffee show/sale was pretty slow, as I just had one there late October and my usual buyers are already stretched pretty thinly between all of my events. I expected this, but decided to do it anyway at the owners request... any sale is a sale, right? Anyway, it turned out to be such a great night, culminating with about 8 of my women friends sitting around, talking, laughing, and drinking wine. My good friend Polly was in town from North Carolina (where she moved this last summer) for a seminar and had called to see if I was free. I told her about the show and she came with a friend she was traveling with. A mutual friend, Annie, happened to stop in as well, so it ended up being such a great visit! I had so much fun!!! The pic is of Annie and Polly.

Okay, that's the holiday show update. Sure hope some of you locals out there can join us next season, or during the year.

The Holiday Spirit...

2007-12-02T19:44:00.001-08:00

This evening, we had our annual tree lighting ceremony in town - Brisbane, California. Kids from the Brisbane Dance Workshop performed, as they do every year, and it was quite entertaining. My daughter used to perform at this event when she was younger. The Brisbane Dance Workshop is a wonderful organization and we are so lucky to have them in town. A classmate of my daughter's is now teaching a class, and then there's another girl from town, younger than my daughter, who is teaching baton twirling, and both classes performed. All of the little ones were so cute and did such a great job. It was also a treat to chat with neighbors and see old faces and catch up a bit.

On another note, I've spent the weekend trying to get ready for a couple of upcoming shows. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day. On Wednesday, I'm doing another show/sale at the coffee shop in town, and then I'll be doing an event I do every year this Friday and Saturday -- our 12th at this location, but some of us have been together longer than that at other locations. Lots of great artists/crafters at that one! I'll post fliers in below.

Friday, December 7th, & Saturday, December 8th

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HOLIDAY JEWELRY SHOW & SALE

Jewelry designs by Theresa Jimenez

Using gemstones, freshwater pearls, crystals,

handmade artisan glass beads (fused, lampwork) and sterling silver

Where: Mad House Coffee, Brisbane
When: Wednesday, 12/5/07
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Bring a friend
Convenient holiday gift shopping
Refreshments Served

Check out my website at http://www.theresaj.etsy.com/

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Times Remembered

2007-11-22T10:48:00.000-08:00

To purchase this photo, or another in the series, go to http://cgi.ebay.com/LED-ZEPPLIN-PLANT-PAGE-Day-on-the-Green-Oakland_W0QQitemZ290135715127QQcmdZViewItem

Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. This photo was taken at the Oakland Coliseum on July 24, 1977 by Gary Morgan, one of California's best Concert/Music photographer's. This photo comes from a large collection of concert photos taken between 1974 and 1979.

So, I was recently trying to remember all of the bands I had seen in the 70's at the Day on the Green concerts in Oakland, California, and decided to do an online search. Not only did I find a show by show listing of all of the concerts, but I also stumbled upon this picture. I was there, front row, getting squished, right behind the retaining wall on the right, so this is pretty much the exact view I had! However, it came at a super high price! I was young, just 15, had gotten up at 5:00 AM to take public transportation over to Oakland from SF, waited in line, and when the gates opened, ran in stampede fashion to the front of the stage with hundreds of others. My friend and I were lucky, we got prime real estate! However, we stood there in the hot sun and sweaty body heat, packed, for HOURS. We waited through the first two bands (not worth mentioning), and then LZ took forever to come on stage, sometime very late afternoon, (as there was a backstage scuffle between John Bonham and someone else, which I found out years later), and we had brought no water or food, nor could leave to get some without losing our space. When the crowd was awaiting their arrival, and then even more so when they did appear, the CRUSH was unbelievable. We swayed back and forth, much like being in a rough ocean. I could pick up both feet and still be standing upright. I didn't make it through the whole concert as I started blacking out (dehydration, I'm sure) and decided it was time to find shade and a seat in the stands (stairs). It took what seemed like forever to make my way out of the crowd, as I had never been, nor since, to a concert before where the crush was the same thickness all the way to the walls the whole way around. It was an amazing show though, and I am glad that I got to experience it. However, age and experience taught me to prepare appropriately for future concerts, like packing water and snacks if you plan to do the marathon in front of the stage. I still did the crowd thing for a few more years, and had a few strange experiences, but now avoid thick crowds whenever I can.

As I recall, they put on a pretty long show (or maybe it just felt that way), which included a slowed down and seated accoustic set, at which point, I believe, this photo was taken, where they did songs like Going to California, which I remember pretty vividly. John Paul Jones was seated on the other side of Plant. It WAS amazing!

And, by the way, are these two men gorgeous or what!!!???

Long overdue update...

2007-10-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

Above is a picture of my jewelry making workshop area. A couple of things I've found new beady uses for are an old spice rack (hanging on the wall) that I paid $5.00 for at a garage sale and my kid's old Mancala game board. The spice rack not only looks great on the wall filled with various colored beads/gems, but also serves a very functional purpose. The bottles sort of look like upside down light bulbs and hang rather than sit on their designated shelf area. I get lots of compliments on it. The Mancala wooden game board has great little shallow holes, perfect for holding beads, especially when working on projects at hand.

My workspace above isn't exactly tidy as I have been working like crazy getting ready for my next show this coming Thursday. It's a private show that I have done for the past two years that is usually very well attended. I then have another private show on the 18th, another coffee shop show on 12/5, and then a two-day show on the 7th and 8th. I'll post more info about the public shows as the time approaches. I'll add some photos below of some of my newer pieces that haven't made it onto Etsy yet, and may not if I don't get them posted before Thursday.

Abalone & Freshwater Pearl Earrings

Chunky Amethyst, Sugalite, Opalite, & Sterling Silver Bracelet

Mixed Gemstone Bracelets

Mosaic Shell, Freshwater Pearl & Crystal Earrings

A couple more of my little petal earrings; yellow Czech trumpet flowers with Peridot centers and purple berry Czech trumpet flowers with Garnet centers, both topped with Sterling Silver flowers petals. Both have larger sterling silver earwires, with the yellow/Peridot being smaller and the berry/Garnet larger.

Chrysacolla and Sterling Silver Necklace & Earring Set

Lovely faceted Labradorite with Australian Opals and Sterling Silver

Coral, Freshwater Pearl, and Shell Necklace & Earring Set

A Great Night!

2007-10-04T23:17:00.000-07:00

My jewelry show/sale went really well last night. Lots of people came and sales were good. I love the social aspect of these events, and I just love it when someone falls in love with something I've strung together. It is so rewarding and far more enjoyable than the money I make with the sale, although the money is a nice benefit as well. I have been asked to do another show at this location before the holidays (sounds great to me!), made contacts for a couple of private home jewelry parties (yes!), and hatched a new joint venture idea with a couple of friends that sounds like it could be both profitable and fun (exciting!). All in all, a really great night. Thanks to everyone who attended.

I just returned all of my unsold jewelry to my Etsy site, and find it sad that the things that sold last night are not going to show up in the sold section of my site. Rather than let them just be gone from view forever, I'll post some pics of my favorites below. A couple of them had extremely high views and lots of hearts on my Etsy shop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, this one sold a while back off of Etsy, and it is included in my "sold" items section of my shop, but I love it so much, I thought I would include it. I would love to redo this one as well, but I think it's just to forever be a one-of-a-kind.

I love these Tourmaline nuggets!

Gorgeous Iolite!

Lots of opals -- Australian opals, boulder opal, and Peruvian opal!

My favorite necklace. Labradorite is probably my favorite stone -- as it is for a lot of people. However, it is the clasp I think that made this piece so special. It had the most views (somewhere in the 500's) and the highest amount of hearts in my shop.

Pretty, pretty Peruvian opal necklace!

Just made recently, I really liked these and am currently looking for more mosaic shell beads.

Ahh, Labradorite!! Such a nice focal stone in this bracelet!

Ocean Blues Bracelet... I love this one too. All the colors of the ocean, plus a perfectly fitting "wave" toggle. I'm going to try to do another version of this one.

Upcoming Jewelry Show

2007-09-29T12:11:00.000-07:00

To your right is a not so great digital photo of the flyer I am emailing out and posting around town for my upcoming jewelry show/sale at the local coffee shop in town. If any of you out there live in the San Francisco area, please stop in and introduce yourself. I would love to meet fellow Etsians and/or crafters/artists.

** I know it's a little early for holiday shopping, but I reused the flier from a show I did there last December and realized after printing that I did not take that word out. Oh well -- some people do start early. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. :)

So, what's new you ask? Lots and not much. Gearing up for this somewhat last minute show as it was only confirmed a couple of days ago. I have the inventory, and am currently working on more, but need to tag everything and get fliers out. Unfortunately, my car is in the shop until early next week, so I'm kind of grounded.

I went away for the weekend last week. We had our used to be annual "girl's weekend" at my Mom's place on the Russian River. After lots of last minute changes, it was me, my friend Zoe, my Mom, my Aunt Eleanor, and my Mom's long-time family friend Grace. It was fun to get away, but the weather was not cooperating. Zoe and I had planned to do some canoeing/kayaking/hiking, but mostly sat around the picnic table under a canopy playing Boggle, eating & drinking while trying to stay out of the rain. We also played a lot of ping pong, one of our favorite things to do when we can find a table, in the local game room. We are definitely a couple of crazy ping pong players! :) It was fun, but not the weekend we had planned. Of course, the weather returned to beautiful, warm & sunny, on the day we returned home.

Time to get back to playing with my beads. :) Until next time then....