ArtFire PSA - Coolness

I am still finding my way around ArtFire and am so impressed with it. I stop by a couple days a week to put up more product and to make a wish list of things that I want. (more to make my wishlist)

"But why do you post items up on ArtFire? You have your own site." I hear you say.

Yes I do. At first ArtFire was used to post my more fun/eclectic pieces that didn't fit in with the inventory me and my partner had on our site. When we dissolved the partnership, I didn't have a site for my things so I moved to ArtFire. When my site did go up, I wanted to use ArtFire to sell supplies, not finished jewelry.

After the first of the year I am going to give my site a complete make over. I got some great links, and great advice from Lisa over at A Bead A Day, and I am going to stand on it, and make it happen. During the time of the make over, I have to have some place to keep my inventory available to my customers, so I am putting it up on ArtFire. This way I don't have to manually put each piece back onto my site. I can just copy and paste and I am done.

"Geezopete Tish, where are you going with this!!!"

Yeah, yeah.

Yesterday while I was putting up new items, I noticed this:


See that little shopping cart icon? I couldn't figgure out what that was. I did a mouse over and the info box told me - IT WAS IN SOMEONES CART!!! I scrolled thru all the pages and there were five little carts. Someone was doing some shopping! I got so excited I squealed.

It is part of sticky cart. If you have sticky cart active then if someone does add an item to thier cart noone else will be able to buy it for 30 mins from when they first added it. They will be able to add the item to thier cart but there will be a message saying that the item is 'stuck' in someone elses cart.

After the 30 mins the item will leave the first cart if it is not purchased and someone else will be able to buy it.

How cool is that!!

Then there is the Global Editing feature - well, that is another entry and another cup of coffee!

Thanks ArtFire for having the best site for vendors and shoppers! It is a great community with super support.

Last minute this and that

Am working a later shift for the next two days, so I had some xtra time this morning to whip up some 'filler' for my booth this weekend. I started making more of the memory wire bracelets and had an idea. Being I am going to have more room than expected I wanted to have a great display and not to too sparse. Normally I put a few of the issues of Bead Trends Magazine out in the display next to the piece that was in that issue.

If I am going to have a book on the table, why not have a book mark or two? I also like to have a diverse offering for my customers, not everyone is into jewelry so I have the key chains, and zipper pulls to fill in that gap.

Today was my last morning for creativity. Tonite and tomorrow I will be getting things organized and stacked ready to pull out first thing Saturday morning.

I am already edgy because I have a couple of ideas knocking around in my head and I know I can't do anything with it till Sunday. I will have to jot it down I think.

What do you do to remember your designs when you don't have time to bead?


Dyed howlite, magnesite, carnelian, glass pearl, quartz


Tigers eye, agate, vintage lucite, glass pearls



Fluorite, crystals, citrine, turquoise, vintage Czech glass.


Fire crab agate, glass pearl, fancy jasper


Fancy jasper, vintatge lucite, Czech crystal, citrine


Rutilate quartz, malachite, vintage lucite, Czech glass


Raspberry 'quartz' glass, banded agate, vintage button, glass pearl, swarovski


Sesame jasper


Crazy horse jasper

Goin' with the flow

I am cramming to get last minute things done before my show on Saturday. I am in a panic that I don't have enough items. I just found out that I have gone from a 9x3 space to a 10x10...I normally only use one table. How am I going to make this work with such a huge space and only one table. I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb and look unprepared.

I think I can modify the space with a couple of card tables that I have, and use the space to separate out the displays - bracelets on one table, necklaces on another, etc. Now the problem of how much inventory do I have and will it work well on three tables and not look too sparse.

I am pulling my hair out.

*cue twilight zone music* *As i am writing this, my husband pops up on IM at the exact same moment , as i type - i am pulling my hair out - and says - "Do you need my help on Saturday setting up/manning the booth?" - *blink* *blink* *weeps* It is rare he offers to help, especially if I have to travel to the show. He got my enery, he knew. He's a keeper I could go into a whole nuther entry on how to send out the proper energies and how you will be taken care of but that is another enter and another cup of coffee. *

In this panic, I am sitting at my work table trying to grind out pieces to add to the inventory and - nothing. Nothing. Nothing looks right, nothing goes together right, nothing.

Time to push back from the table and do something else. My something else almost always is clean. As I am cleaning I find a stick of ram I had 'decorated' a while back but never finished. Since I had made the pin for the Rings & Things challenge, wonder if I can make a pin out of this?

Why not!!!

I played around with some floral wire and attached the pin to the back of the design.



It hangs great!




I have several of these sticks of ram and may add a bit of quirky fun to my display. Chic Geek - not to sound too cliche, but so true :)

Rings & Things Blogger Challenge - Tim Holtz Idea-ology series

When I saw the Tim Holtz collection in this months Rings & Things blogger challenge, I will admit, for a nano second, I cocked my head and thought to myself, but isn't this for scrap booking?!?

*blink* *blink*

Then the neon sign that flashes OPEN came on over my head.

This was so much fun! I had the idea in my head and was spurred along by the 80's music channel, bouncing in my chair to Adam Ant, I came up with this pin!


Heres' what I used:

55-000-05 - Idea-ology, Ornate Plates (Antiqued Metals) *

40-099-24-7 - Chain, Footage, Oval Curb, 10.5mm (Antiqued Copper Plated)*


46-402-54 - Artistic Wire™, 22g, 15yd (Natural Copper)




24-101-7 - 10mm Round Bead, Filigree, (Antiqued Copper Plated)


37-136-7 5mm Jump Ring, Round, (Antiqued Copper Plated)

Glass pearls

Faceted 10mm carnelian bead

Vintage 'amber' glass bead

Vintage crystal

Metal pin back

I miss the 80's. It was so much fun, and from looking at the latest style trends, it make be making a come back!

I need to find my leopard capri's and hand cuff belt and bring it back!

*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Rings & Things were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program. These items are for review or design purposes. Find out more about the Rings & Things Blog Partner Program

Bead Trends May 2010 Call

Only 10 days left to get your ideas submitted or get started on them!! Hurry kids!!

Dont' know what Bead Trends Magazine is? You can order a copy from their site, get yours in hard copy or digital copy!!!

Or find a local retailer that sells them.

Hobby Lobby carries Bead Trends Magazine and has a 40% off coupon on their site. You can print the coupon from there and use it to buy the magazine!



Taken from http://www.beadtrendsmag.com


Bead Trends (May 2010) Call

Bead Trends is currently looking for designs with the following themes for our May 2010 issue

• Quick & Easy
  
• Fashion Favorites - Features designs from a variety of styles and mediums that can be a personal favorite or necessary staple in any wardrobe.
• Birthstones (Emerald/Chrysoprase)
• Anything Goes - The beaded possibilities are endless and not just limited to jewelry. What about pillows, table runners, picture frames, lamps, clothing, candle collars, wine glass charms, and home decor. This category can contain jewelry and a whole lot more!
• For Mom - Jewelry is the perfect gift for Mother's Day!
• Necklaces
• Vintage styles - Vintage or vintage inspired jewelry.
• Simply "Charming" - All those fabulous designs incorporating charms and dangles.
  
• Eclectic Design
  

If you would like to submit your work to this publication, please e-mail a photograph, the name or title of your piece, and contact information to: beadsubmit@beadtrendsmag.com.

If submitting multiple pieces, please send a separate e-mail and photograph for each design.

Deadline for the May 2010 issue is 11:59 p.m. MDT, November 25th, 2009. All ideas should be your original work and not previously published.

We will review all submissions, and if selected, we will contact you by December 1st with additional information. All pieces will need to be shipped to us directly for photography and arrive in our office by December 11th. Your creation will be returned to you insured, after the issue has been printed.

Not Knots!! or How memory wire saved my life

I am going into a busy busy time. I have something every weekend from now till the week before Christmas. On top of that I have product in five stores and have to get them ramped up for their holiday shopping.

I don't have enough time!!

I need something quick that will bulk out my inventory, give my customers a choice and work in a retail setting as well.

Something that I can crank out without looking like it came off of an assembly line.

*think* *think*

One thing I get quite a call for and haven't been able to provide to my customers are elastic bracelets. I cant' tie a knot to save my life. I have gotten some great tips from my readers when I reached out for advice on just this very problem a while back, sadly, my fear of elastic has kept me from trying any.

While at Walmart yesterday, I did a quick stroll thru the craft department (one of the few Walmarts that still has a craft dept.) and I saw memory wire. Me and memory wire don't have the greatest history. I used it years ago, when I first started making jewelry, and didn't understand the principles of it and became very frustrated. I thought I would try it again. I got a 5' coil for $2.67. It was worth the risk.

This morning I played around with a couple ideas when the flood gates opened. Out of that 5' length of memory wire, I got six bracelets! They are fun and versatile. No clasp to worry about and no knots!

Here's what I used:

Vintage Italian Lucite Marbled Red w/ White Rounds 12mm 20pc *- A Beadin Path
Glass pearls- Walmart
Bright Sterling Silver Twisted Jump Rings, approx 8mm - Sedona Stones
Round banded agate
Square banded agate
Czech Fire Polished Bead Jet 6mm - Art Beads
Faceted jasper roundelle
Sterling beads
Faceted AB Czech crystal
Repurposed black crystal
Black seed beads

Spice jasper round beads approx.12mm -Sedona Stones
Sterling daisy spacers
Glass pearls - Walmart

Coral
Dyed Magnesite
Sterling daisy spacers


Re purposed wood beads
Sterling barrels
6mm howlite - Rings & Things



Round Snowman Head (Limited Stock) (White) Glass Bead *- Rings & Things
Re purposed plastic beads
Seed Beads

Thanks for stoppin by!


*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Rings & Things and Beadin Path were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program. These items are for review or design purposes. Find out more about the Rings & Things Blog Partner Program

Rings & Things Blogger Challenge - Wee morning fun

My dogs woke me up at 3 AM - they must not have got the memo. It has been raining all night and I was snuggled in next to James sleeping the good sleep. I was going to take the opportunity to sleep in this morning due to the rain and the holiday. Just once I didn't want to get up at 5 to walk the dogs. I didn't have to worry bout traffic this morning, so I could have walked them around 7 and then got ready for work.

But Nooo0000oooOOOOooo0!

I can't blame them, they didn't wake me up because they were playing or being restless. Newd really had to go - like, GO, go. Besides - who can deny this face -



Now I am up. I can't get back to sleep. I can't go for a walk, it is raining - big time. I can't clean, my room mate is watching t.v.. *pace* *pace* Welp - when all else fails, put on some music, make some coffee and bead! That, boys and girls, is what I did.

I knew I wanted to work some more with the fun stuffs I got from Rings & Things, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I was moving things around on my table and I found a package from a previous Rings & Things blogger challenge. Fun little silver bells. What can I do with them?

*think* *think*

Make them the focal of a focal. Here's what I used.

26-295-1 Bell, Metal, India Dancing (White)* - Rings & Things
46-702-12 Wire, ColourCraft®, 22g, 15yd (Black) - Rings & Things
Darice seed beads (black/gray pallet) - Michaels Arts & Crafts
Dyed jasper rectangle bead - Sedona Stones
Repurposed black crystals
Random sterling beads

I did a simple wire wrap around a dyed jasper rectangular bead and added a TON of the little bells to the bottom of that. Strung a simple mix of seed beads, sterling and vintage crystals and I made this cute and quirky little necklace.





Fun and quirky got me to thinking. What can I do that is completely outside the box. I put out a couple of the pieces from Rings & Things and looked through my inventory for some odds and ends and began to push them around my table.

I picked up the swivel clasp and put it back down. I didn't want to make another key chain. These are great components for key chains/zipper pulls/purse ornaments but I do that all the time, and dont' want to do it again. Fun and quirky.....

Almost as if fate should have it, the swivel clasp and a piece of green garnet were laying across from each other. I looked again and the idea hit me.



Here's what I used

55-000-04 Idea-ology™, Swivel Clasps (Antiqued Metals)* - Rings & Things




Green garnet oval - Sedona Stones
55-000-09 Idea-ology™, Muse Tokens (Antiqued Metals) * - Rings & Things
44-940-35-AS Charm, Cast, Key (Antiqued Silver Plated)* - Rings & Things
Garnet beads - re purposed
Copper plated daisy spacers - Gem show
Vintage Brass Peace Sing Stamping - A Grain of Sand
40-099-45-6 - Flattened Drawn Cable, 3.7mm (Antiqued Brass Plated) - Rings & Things

I attached the green garnet to the swivel clasp with a wire wrap, adding garnets and daisy spacers. I attached three chains to the other side of the green garnet. I broke up the chains with a wire wrapped link of the garnet beads and daisy spacers. Used the Tim Holtz charm and the silver key I had gotten from a previous Rings & Things blogger challenge, added the peace sign and a couple garnet charms and there you have it.


I didn't know if it would be cool to post these pictures or not, and I'll tell ya why. After I had made these pieces, I took my pictures and while they were uploading, I jumped onto blogger to see who had updated over nite. Lisa from A Bead A Day had a great post, showcasing the swivel clasp, with a great idea - make a bracelet out of it.

*jaw drops*

I didn't want to step on her toes by posting this bracelet, then after thinking about it, no two bracelets are created the same. I can't wait to see what she does with hers. Don't forget to stop by her blog to find out!

*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Rings & Things were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program. These items are for review or design purposes. Find out more about the Rings & Things Blog Partner Program