The Ever Revolving Propeller

Jewelry artists are busy people who wear many hats.  We are designers, blogger, accountants, shippers, secretaries, sales people, purchasing agents and event coordinators.  Its a wonder our studios end up in the shape they do.  There is never enough time in the day for it all.  

It trickles into our daily life to with all the hats we wear....sometimes its frozen pizza Friday 3 days a week when we are in crunch time with shows looming. As my husband reminded me that he had Pizza 3 times last week!  WHAT!!!!!  Did you forget the Turkey Burgers and The Roasted Vegetables  and I cooked for dinner the night before my biggest show of the year and that I put on a party with over 25 kids for my daughters 16th Birthday this week!!! Hmph!  I reminded him he could of heated up the leftovers instead of throwing in another pizza........pssst I think he likes Pizza!

There is nothing that motivates me more to clean my studio than a big jewelry & prayer bead show.  One of the big reasons is that after getting ready for a show my studio gets to a point there is no walking space available. I really hate tripping over things. Its very cleansing to finally have the time and to take a breathe.

BREATHE.....BREATHE....BREATHE. 

That being said most creatives will tell you that they work best in a mess!!!!!  

THATS ME!!!!  

When all the candy is out it's like a running propeller in my mind......playing with ideas and it keeps going and going. Seeing all the colors, shapes and textures is really inspiring for me. It's amazing to me that my mind can work through the chaos of what is in front of me.

But it does become more stressful when you have a 2x2 inch work space on your table!!!!!  HAHAHAHA and darn it then it becomes necessary to take care of business.

Recently I just had the most successful show I have ever had!!!!!! 

All the more inspiring to me to clean it up and think about my future and what I may want to move into now that I have a little extra money to invest.

My all around work space!!!!

My business and shipping center.

In the works is my metal smithing area. Slow progress here but its coming around.

Storage and Display Area

Note all the empty busts....guess I will be filling those up!!!!!  Yipee!

One of the most exciting parts about cleaning my studio this time around was that I rearranged.  I always wanted a living space in my studio to veg....drink tea...watch Netflix and visit with my customer, which I sometimes have over.  I remember Heather Powers posted "What Does Your Dream Studio Look Like"?  If I can remember I said.... 1) Space to work all around me 2) A couch to take a nap 3) A television.  This was quite a few years ago and I had number 1 at the time.  When I started I only had a small drafting table in the corner of my dining room.

The couch and chair were given to me by my parents many years ago and I always wanted to put them in my studio....but didn't know if I ever would have the living space. So when we moved it was so exciting to have some room but I never really took the time to play with arranging till now and it couldn't of worked out better!!!

We all need a liquid motivation center in our studios!!!!

I even have an inspiration board now!!!!!  Empty now but not for long.  Thanks Emily Greer for the idea!!!!

Of course Flint has his special spot still and even a toy box now!!!!!!!!!  

Hello Flint!!!!

Now I just have to teach him how to pick up!!!

Time for some tea, puppy snuggles and more jewelry making!!!!!

Feeling Blessed!!!!!

You can find Kristins Work Here!!!!!

As a surprise enjoy this super secret code till August 10th.  

Not advertising so if you read this you get it!!!!!

For 15% off use code

blessed15

You Lovely Little Yellow Opal You Need 2 Designs - Mission 1 Earthy Jewelry Design

Many of you know that I love love love Dakota Stones.  I am so fortunate to have them about 5 minutes from my house.  

So I was on my way to see how my girl Tia's vacation went and like in the movie Up I did a "SQUIRREL" when I saw the above Yellow Opal Pendant Strand.

Dakota Stones knows me well.....I usually go right from their warehouse to my jewelry studio and make quick work of their awesome stone.

So when I was contemplating what I would make, of course the typical design always comes to mind.  There always lies my dilemma.  What to do?  Do I treat it in the usual way by what you see here or do I try something unique.  I love earthy design first and foremost but I also see the value in the simplest of design to show off this lovely stone.  So I decided to make 2 designs out of this to show you that these pendant sets are so versatile.

This is Blog 1 Mission Earthy Design.  

I didn't have hole size on my side on these pendant sets so my original design idea wasn't going to work.  I was afraid to enlargen the hole with my Eurotool Electric Bead Reamer as Opal is typically a little more delicate.  So I played around with the design and how I was going to group some of the pendants in an interesting and earthy way.  After quite a few attempts....here is my start.  

I did consult with Staci Smith on a few design points.....thank you Staci!  It is always helpful to have some kindred spirits in your corner and she is one of them. So I knew I was going to do the above so the next question was......What are the sides going to look like or am I really at the sides yet?  So I layed a strand of Citrine that I also purchased at Dakota Stones and I am like Hmmmmmmm.  Kind of liking that.

I have been playing with some bib style designs with my tying lately.  

This necklace can be purchased here.

I thought I wonder if I can do a modified bib style design with these pendants......the wheels are churning!!!!!

So here is what I came up with for my first design.

Island Sunset Tribal Necklace can be purchased by clicking the photo.

I am still debating on one point....the dangles at the bottom.  Have them or not.  Would love to hear your thoughts on the matter.  I can easily cut off the bottom beads so one could see more of the Yellow Opal. Hmmmmmmm??????? What do you think?

It has a lovely lay on the neckline.

So stay tuned for my next blog using these Yellow Opal in an interesting yet simple design.

You can find my designs here.

YaY! Jewelry

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Okay thats enough social media already!!!!!!!!

Silent Sunday Spread of Somethings Special

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Any of the above pieces maybe purchased and you may use code endofsummer for 15% off till August 22nd.

Enjoy!

Kristin

Meet My New Studio

Meet My New Studio
but
In The Beginning 

Some of you know that my husband and I recently moved to the lake.  We had been shopping for a house for over a year and saving our pennies.

I remember buying this draftsman table fondly. We were living in Des Moines Iowa and I bought it for  $15.00 at a garage sale.  I proudly brought it home, parked it in the Dining Room Corner and called that my studio, much to my husband Toms disfavor. We were living in an old 1930's house.  I still think of that house fondly.  It was our first home and it was a fixer upper and we did it all.

At this time in my life I wasn't making jewelry I was mostly scrapbooking.  It was after we had our second child.  My husband graduated from Law School and I quit my job as a Product Manager of a Medical Supply Company.  I left the 9-5 to stay home with our children, Ben & Kate.  I do have to say it frightened me to stay home with my kids.  I loved to work and I didn't know that being a domesticate would make me happy.

One thing I did know was that being creative would help.  It actually worked out quite well.  I would park my children at the table with some old computer paper with the perforations, I used to bring that home from work, you might remember those long reports.  We would have crayons, paints and colored pencils and the creativity flowed from all of us.  

It was wonderful and it kept me sane and happy.  It also bonded me and my kids in a creative way.

Then there was a 6 foot table

Those that know me well know that my interests often jump around.  I will be gang busters on something only to realize a month later that I hate it.  Quilting was one of those.  I vow never to make another quilt again in my life.

As hobbies go they become quite expansive.  My husband realized that quite quickly that I needed diversions as a domesticate.  That I would never quite be satisfied cleaning, cooking and carting kids around.  We had moved to Savage, Minnesota.  Where I got to graduated to having a spare bedroom as my place to create.  You can see my blog on that space here.

http://yayjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-glimpse-into-my-jewelry-studio-on.html

So the Bucket List for me is all the things I haven't learned yet.  Like solder, silver fusion, saw and to be honest the list is quite expansive.  This area above is where I am hoping to spend sometime doing that in my new space.  A plastic table I know isn't ideal so I will be looking for something to overlay or to replace.  We all start from somewhere and mine was that draftsman table above.

When I started to make jewelry it was mostly for fun and for free.  As hobbies go, they get a mind of their own and the jewelry  became a business.  So we added some additional storage to my expanding world.

Well this is a dream come true really.  I would never of dreamed that I would have this wonderful space to create 10 plus years ago.  This is were I will be doing most of my designing.  I love having tables surround me.  You can never have enough surfaces to work.

We all need a little motivation and caffeine is my friend!

My office space is here.  I spend more time here than actually creating.  Nothing but some good self discipline can handle that.  That being said I love my new friends on Facebook.  They have expanded my jewelry knowledge and helped me see what I was doing was important and relevant.

The hope is to adorn people across the planet with some of my jewelry, thus the shipping area.  I have to say I am really liking this little space, it is perfect for putting the final touches on my packages and keeping me organized.

Function usually comes first in my studio but do like to have a small area to display some of my latest work.

Last but not least the most important person / animal needs his spot too.

I am so fortunate to have this wonderful space to work and to think it all started with that little draftsman table.

So lets get creating.

Looky Looky I Made The Front Cover Of Bead Chat Magazine

I joined a Facebook group of jewelry artists a little over a year ago called Artisan Whimsy.  This group started on facebook and has since then also started a Ning Group and now began putting out this lovely magazine you see below. Link just below.

Bead Chat Magazine

It is full of fabulous eye candy, education, inspirational stories on artist and artisan component sellers.

My favorite part about this group is the friends I have made.  I now have 100's of beading friends across the world!!!!!  They are supportive and have taught me so many things.  I credit this group for encouraging me to become published for the first time and for expanding my skills.

It was very exciting to head to my group one morning to see what everyone was up to (one of my daily activities) and to my surprise I see my earrings made the front cover!

Thank you Artisan Whimsy Team......I know how much work this magazine has been!

These earrings are made with some lovely components by Scorched Earth on Etsy.

They also gave in a lovely 2 page spread with my Scorched Earth Earrings and my Chunky Pearl Statement Necklaces.

I love the interview they did with Heidi Kingman.....she is one of my new friends that I made through The Artisan Group.  She is inspiring as she is always educating herself and trying new things.  She really puts what she learns to work.  She is amazing technically!

Thank you Artisan Whimsy for using me on the front cover and inspiring me to become more!!!!