Gratitude Segue: Thank You For Letting Me Be An Artist

This necklace just sold at the gallery today.  That makes me happy, of course.  But maybe not in the exact way one might think.

First of all, any and all sales are good.  Selling my work lets me continue doing my work, something I thoroughly enjoy (and it keeps me out of trouble).  But my first reaction when that piece sold was happiness that "someone understood what I'm saying". 

I'm not a great communicator.  You'd know this easily if you knew me in person.  I often stumble on words and spend time reaching for the elusive way to tell you how I feel.  then the next person comes along and speaks so eloquently and I'm like, "Yeah, what she said."

So when I make a piece of jewelry that really speaks to me, something that has a subject or a technique that is special for some reason, I feel like the buyer and I "communicated" in some way.

Kind of like they're saying, "I get you, Laura."  And that's a nice feeling.

My jewelry is not speaking in any literal sense of the word.  While there can occasionally be an actual "story" behind the inspiration for making a piece, that's not a given. The communication I am talking about having with the customer is a bit more ethereal.

One of the reasons I tend to make jewelry that I like is because it makes me happy.  I've had jobs where I have to do what others want.  But in my studio, I can mostly make what I want.  I say "mostly" because I do take on the occasional custom order and while I still like doing custom orders, it's more stressful than me just experimenting and creating without a finite plan.

But I digress.  This blog post is my round about way of saying that I appreciate all y'all who look at my jewelry and feel something, whether it's thumbs up for a job well done or a passionate "I have to have that" because I'm telling a story you want to hear.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

So thanks!  When you buy (or even comment on) my pieces that are maybe a bit off the beaten path, it makes me feel closer to being in communication with you. 

Basic Metalsmithing Skills Presentation by Laura Bracken

I had to put this "temporary" Google Slides show here because my laptop doesn't have powerpoint and I was doing a presentation today at an art center. Unless you know how to "enlarge" this to full screen it looks pretty bad.  The "full screen" icon is in the lower left... looks like four arrows pointing in different directions... or you can hit Ctrl+Shift+F... there's also a slider bar so you can center it if you don't want to make it full screen.

I do plan to turn this into a YouTube video when time allows so it doesn't bleed into the right hand menu. :-)

Having Fun with My Rolling Mill

I have to admit, I don't use my rolling mill often.  Maybe it's because it's not in my studio workshop and out of sight, out of mind.

But when I do think to use it, I get so excited that I continue to use it usually at least for a few days, or even weeks.

A month or two ago, I made this piece...

The background texturing was done via a rolling mill and a wonderful design texture page from Rolling Mill Resource on Etsy. 

A lot of you have seen my rolling mill "tulle" snakeskin design...

... and my jewelry made with the rolling mill and real leaves...

... but today I am sharing one of my most awesome resources... The shop with a huge array of texture designs: https://www.etsy.com/shop/rollingmillresource

I actually first used their texture sheets when I was working on metal clay.

I purchased the texture sheets while at a bead show in Oakland several years back.  And then a few years later (yes, that's how I role). I noticed the name of the company.  Rolling Mill Resource.  Ha ha ha!

So that Larimar piece (above) was the first time I used these texture sheets in a rolling mill.  LOVE the effect.  What a great way to texture as an alternative to hammering or etching.

Here are my recent pieces...

 

 

 

 

Yes.  Definitely having fun.

Now you may ask, why is Laura sharing such a great resource?  I like to think I'm a sharing kind of person, but mostly it's because this company does what I think sets us small businesses apart from very large businesses.

Aside from offering a great product, they have outstanding customer service.  Customer service is a deal maker or deal breaker for me.

Let me segue for a second and tell you a little story from 23 years ago.  I was in the market for a car.  I had arranged via multiple phone conversations with a dealer about 60 miles from me for the car I wanted at a mutually agreed upon exact price.  The night I was to pick it up, it was pouring rain, I was in rush-hour traffic forEVER and I had my infant son in the car with me.

Got to the dealer and they showed me the paperwork with the price on it.  I said, "This is $80 more than we agreed upon." 

"Well, there were things we didn't account for."

"Well," I said, "We agree on THAT price not THIS price, so THAT price is what I'm willing to pay."

"So," the dealer said, "You're willing to lose this sale over $80?"

"No," I said, "You are."  And I left.

I know lots of people think I'm insane or stubborn beyond all reason.  After all, what's $80 when you're talking about a $35,000 car.  But for me, it was the point of the matter.  I felt I was being manipulated.  They thought once I had driven all the way there and was so close to getting the car I wanted, I'd surely think nothing of forking over another $80.

But to me, a deal is a deal.... and I don't like feeling like I'm being taken advantage of.

So as far as *I* was concerned, THEY are the ones who lost the deal over a measly $80. 

I ended up getting the exact car I wanted from a local dealer for a better price than that first offer. 

That experience stuck with me as an example of bad customer service.  There have been others.  But there have also been many experiences of good customer service.

I was reading an article a couple years ago that was talking about how we (small, independent businesses) can set ourselves apart from big-box competition.  One of the most important is customer service.

So to bring it all back, I want to tell you that Rolling Mill Resource has exceptional customer service.  That makes me want to tell all my friends about them.

It has been my experience that, aside from selling great products, they go above and beyond to ensure the customers are satisfied and happy.

If you use their products, I'd love for you to comment here and share images.

And don't forget this cool tip for cleaning your rolling mill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXKTIddduG4

New Jewelry Creations at Bracken Designs

Just catching you up on some of the pieces I've made in the past few months.  The ones that are still available are listed on my website so if you want to see more info about any piece, just click here.

 

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show How To Advice and Tips

A month or so ago, I was perusing Facebook and saw a thread (probably in a metalsmithing group) about the Tucson show.  (schedule)

This is one of the biggest and most well-known shows in the jewelry-making industry. Days and days and miles and miles of workshops, vendors, buyers, sellers, stones, jewelry components, etc.

Anyway, the person posting the thread inquired about how to prepare for going to the Tucson show, and one of the responses just blew me away.

I reached out to the artist who posted the response, asking if she'd allow me to repost her info here on my blog. It's just too invaluable not to be shared with as many people as possible.

The response came from metalsmith and jewelry artist Jill Sharp.
To see Jill's amazing jewelry, check out her shop by clicking here!  

http://www.bluepiranhajewelry.com/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/bluepiranha

Anyway, here is Jill's exact post response in the FB thread. I really appreciate Jill for taking the time to post her thoughtful FB response as well as for letting me repost it for all of my followers. If you find this info helpful, please leave a comment. 

If you go, it will help tremendously if you pre-register for the shows you want to see (assuming those shows are wholesale only; there are also many ‘open to the public’ shows that don’t require a wholesale license).

You’ll want to figure out your lodging early. Tucson hotels book up often a year in advance; not only from all the people coming to buy and coming to sell, but some of the sellers stay in / sell from hotel rooms as well. So usually even the inexpensive chains are either booked or quite pricey. You can stay in Phoenix and drive down and back each day, but that’s a 90 minute (at best) commute which adds a lot of time to the day. There may be other places to stay closer to Tucson, but I don’t know about any. I stay with a friend, so hotels are not an issue for me.

As far as “best” options for cabs or beads…that’s so subjective that it’s impossible to say what the “best” would be. Everyone’s preferences will be different. The best thing to do is start attending the different shows and make excellent notes on what you like / don’t like and from whom you buy, so you can plan to buy from them again if their inventory suits your needs. I always go to the Holidome, GJX, and JOGS, and then some of the smaller, open to the public shows too. I used to go to AGTA, but that’s mostly very pricey faceted stones and jewelry, and you’ll have to provide a lot of documentation (and show that you’ve spent a certain amount of dollars on inventory in the prior year) to qualify. So I’ve skipped it in the last few years.

Shuttle vs. rental car: I have never gone to the gem show WITHOUT getting a rental car. The shuttles can be helpful, but you can find yourself waiting…and waiting…and waiting in line for the shuttle. That’s fine if you’re just going for fun and a little spending, but I am buying most of gem stock for the YEAR. I don’t have the time to wait. Also sometimes the shuttles don’t go where you think (or you’ve been misinformed, either by a new shuttle driver or someone else) they’re going. So you can get stuck. I have had this happen, and waited for two hours for the shuttle – that’s utterly lost time for buying. Also I have had to call a taxi when a shuttle just never came back…even before they were supposed to stop running. So I really don’t even shuttle anymore. I just drive. It’s an extra expense – and this you would want to book early too, as I have been to Tucson, picking up my rental car, and heard the reservations people telling folks that they’re all sold out during the gem show – but it’s worth it for me.

What I bring: copies of my business license. Plenty of business cards. I actually make up stickers that have my information already on them – and I give this to the sellers when I purchase (when you’re buying wholesale, the sellers must take your information for their tax records). I simply hand them my sticker with all info and it’s much faster than them having me write my info (name, address, phone, tax id) over and over again when I make a purchase. Checkbook, plus cash. Sometimes (though not always) you can negotiate a better deal for cash. Not if you’re buying like $15 worth of beads, but if I am spending, say $500, I will ask if there’s a discount for cash. And sometimes there is. Especially if I’m a repeat buyer (and some of the sellers – especially the US sellers – will remember you from year to year.)

What else do I bring? A small backpack and a wheelie bag. I promise you, your neck and shoulders are going to get tired and sore after a day of bending over those tables and perusing potential purchases. And if you’re buying a lot of beads or metal (bead) or gems, the weight of carrying those around *will* add up. So I bring a wheelie and bottled water, protein-based snacks for those low blood sugar moments, hand wipes because your hands will get ridiculously dirty handling all the gems, and I bring "extras", depending on the weather. I’ve been in Tucson for the show when it was (unseasonably, but it does happen) 40 degrees for the high. And with driving to each show, sometimes there’s a good bit of walking from your parking area to the event. So I bring gloves, a scarf, usually a windbreaker. If it’s going to rain you’ll need an umbrella. Usually I bring two pair of boots, to be able to change them out midweek (I’m usually shopping for 3 or 4 days) to give me feet a break. Mostly boots (though I keep a pair of flip flops in the car for when the weather warms up). I’ve also been to Tucson when the parking lot was so muddy and flooded that you could barely walk through it without boots. I also bring a small travel umbrella. So check the weather before you go and if it looks iffy at all, bring whatever extras you might need.

You WILL be walking a LOT. I have worn a pedometer before, and most recently my Fitbit, and I have logged on some days, 20,000 steps. Usually I’m in the 13,000 to 17,000 range. For many of us, who sit more than we move, your legs and feet (and the previously mentioned neck and shoulders) will be SORE. Bring your ibuprofen, or whatever else you need to manage that if necessary. Be prepared that it’s great fun, but also exhausting. You will get overwhelmed and you’ll stop being able to process everything, and that’s probably when you should stop shopping for the day. Because purchases made when in that state are usually the ones you might regret a bit. Ask me how I know. ;)

Know that there’s the budget, the over-budget, and the “oh my god what have I done”. If you can avoid that last one, great. But it’s not always possible. I have a budget. I usually go over it (slightly). Because there will always be that “once in a lifetime” most amazing gem(s) or price(s) that you just HAVE to take advantage of. So you dig a little deeper and find some extra money (or a little room on your credit card). You’re there, all that yummy goodness is there, and it’s nearly impossible to resist. It happens. Just know that it happens and try to be aware of it when it’s happening.

I usually, every night in my room, go through the day’s purchases and figure out what I’ve taken care of and what I’m still looking for / need to buy. If I don’t do that, I sometimes will overbuy (forgetting that I’ve bought it – or similar – already). I also total up the day’s purchases at night so I know exactly where I’m at for the next day. I keep a guesstimate of what I’ve spent in my head while shopping, but sometimes I’m a little off and it helps to know exactly what I've spent before I start out again.

I have never shipped my purchases home. The cabs and beads (back when I was buying beads) are small and I have been able to tightly pack them into my carry on and just take them with me. I don’t like to ship and I don’t want to pay the extra expense – so I make it work and then I know I have all my items with me. I have, on occasion, been stopped to have my bag manually checked. When that happens, I ask for a private screening. It’s never been a problem to have that done. It’s not like I’m buying diamonds and high value gems, but I still don’t need everyone else in line to see just how much I’ve purchased. I also fly into and out of Phoenix, instead of directly to Tucson, because I have friends there and I stay an extra couple of days in Phoenix before heading home – but I have flown through Tucson in the past and most of the TSA people know that the gem show’s going on and they’re typically very understanding that you might not want everyone to see all your purchases.

My First Jewelry Collection: Part 1

It's true... I've been making jewelry for 15 years and I've never made a collection.

It shows, too.  There is no cohesive look to my shop or display.

My shop...

My gallery display...

Mind you, both of these are WAY better than it used to be, but the bottom line is I like to play, I like to experiment, and I kind of have ADD of jewelry making.  Every time I see a new technique or get a new tool, I want to go off and explore that direction.  I end up with lots of directions and very little focus.

So I decided to put my foot down and actually create my first collection.

I also decided to vlog (video log) the experience, for better or worse... or maybe just to keep me on task.  I'm not yet familiar (in the slightest!) with my new video editing software so bear with me in the beginning please.

This first vlog entry is merely to introduce you to my idea and tell you what my starting point is.  In my next entry, I hope to explore (and show you) some hard core plans for the collection designs.

If you prefer to watch the video directly on YouTube, click here.  And if you feel inclined to leave me a comment or give my video a thumbs up, I just want you to know those are ALWAYS appreciated.  Thanks!

Can Jewelry Go In Water?

Should I come here and update even when I have nothing to say?

I feel I'm letting my friends down... either way.  (Ah guilt.  Isn't it FABULOUS!?)

If I have nothing to say so say nothing, I feel I'm being unfair to those who follow my blog.

If I have nothing to say and yet come in here and babble about nothing, I feel I'm being unfair to those who follow my blog. 

Ha!

I come from a land of black and white.  It's very hard for me to do things part-way.  (Please stop rolling your eyes those of you who know me and know there is an endless supply from me of doing things part-way.)

What I mean is that... and this is probably one of the curses of people who have that "perfectionist" thing goin' on.  Oh, don't get me wrong, those people (of which I am one) aren't perfect.  They just want everything they DO to be perfect.

Now, where was I?

Oh yeah, one of the curses of perfectionists is: If I can't do it fully the way it should be done, I don't want to do it at all.

Ugh!

How that translates to blog land is that I get ready to talk to you about something, but maybe I haven't taken the photographs yet... or haven't finished testing something yet... or haven't done enough research yet.  So I can't possibly come in here and do a partial job of showing/telling you anything.  I've got to have it all, and have it under my belt nice and tight, before I can spill the beans.

Phft!

So, in order for me to try to break myself of that habit, I will today tell you of a recent "thing" in my jewelry making world.  (And hopefully I'll come back and give you the conclusion to this thing too.)

I had a rather interesting custom order the other day (but that part doesn't go into this story).  One of the questions that arose was, "Can this jewelry go in water?"

That's a darn good question... with multiple answers.

The piece in question was a bezel set mood stone.  Mood stones are acrylic.  The rest of my piece was sterling silver.

So I figured I'd better experiment.

My normal response to "can jewelry go in water" goes something like this: "Most metal pieces suffer little damage with brief exposure to tap water (showers, etc), but saltwater (the ocean), bleach, and pool chemicals can be harsh to metal so if possible remove jewelry before pool or ocean water exposure and before using bleach."

But that's "metal pieces"... as in sterling silver or gold.  Adding a stone to the equation changes the answer.  Adding a synthetic stone to the equation changes the answer even further.

So I figured I'd better do at least a little testing before coming up with a response.

The only bezel set mood stone I had on hand right then was one set in sterling with a solid backplate AND glue behind the stone (the bezel wire was too short for the stone and this was a piece I'd made for myself... I only use glue when setting stones under the rarest of occasions and only if there's a good reason).

I put my ring into a glass of water for 24 hours.  After that time, the mood stone looked fine... at first.  Then, when I expected to happen happened.  Well, I don't know if that's really what happened, but I expected the glue to react with the water and become something that changed the look of the stone somehow (remember, mood stones are translucent).  Adding to that is the fact that the bezel is closed, so I'm picturing water behind the stone, mixing with glue, and no way to come out or dry up.

So here's what I have a bit after removing the ring from the water...

And several hours later...

So, to determine if it IS in fact the glue (please be the glue, please be the glue... or even just water that will dry up... I'm okay with that), I went ahead and set another mood stone in silver but this time NO glue (and open-back, in case trapped water is the issue).

That's in the water now so you'll have to come back tomorrow and see the results of that test.

I really like the idea of jewelry that isn't high maintenance.  Meaning, my preference is jewelry I can wear while washing my hands, taking a shower, and doing the dishes.  But we'll see where this mood stone thing sits.

I know not all jewelry will be like that and I'm okay with pieces that need a little more care.  I just want to make sure I know the difference.

See you later!

Soldering Tube Bezel Rings

Had a friend over the other day and among other things we worked on tube settings.

Here are two rings I made and since the ring shank I used was really narrow (14 gauge wire), I want to show you the set up I used for soldering.

(BTW, that gorgeous prong set ring was made by my friend Kristi Taylor of Got Sparkles.)

Normally I solder with a third-arm holding the ring shank and then I just put the bezel on top and sweat solder.  (Like for these rings)

That wouldn't work with the tube bezels.  The bezels are too heavy and awkward to sit atop a thin piece of wire without falling.

So I got some greening pins (100% steel pins used in floral arrangements... easy to find on Amazon or at local craft supply stores).

I bent them into shape with pliers.  I bent the legs as shown and I made a dent (cubby hole or holder) in the top.  The legs went into holes in my soldering pad (you can also press them into charcoal soldering blocks).

I then placed the tube upside-down on the soldering pad and it was super easy to align the filed divots of my ring shank with the tube walls.

As I said, the pins are steel, so it's the same as when you use binding wire to hold things.

Everything stays in place during soldering.  It's wonderful!

If you try this out, I'd love to hear about your experience!  Leave me a comment.

Still Learning to Etch Silver

Not exactly sure where I left off, but here's my blog post on me trying to use nitric acid to etch silver.

Since then, I ordered ferric nitrate.  Today's experiments are the second time I'm using it, so let me wrack my brain and try to think what the first thing I etched with it was.

Oh yeah, these earrings.

But before you judge my etch too harshly let me tell you that the etching actually came out perfect.  That bubbly stuff you see at the top of the earring on the right... that was me unintentionally starting to reticulate the silver when I was trying to solder the bezel cup onto the domed disk.

So yeah, this is a pair I have to keep for myself.  Quel dommage, eh.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I mixed that batch 1 part ferric nitrate to 3 parts distilled water.

When I make my video, I'll show you why I am not a fan of the agitator (maybe I can find other uses for it).

I'm okay with the method I'm falling into.

What I'll really benefit from is less "winging it" and more "actually keeping good notes".  Today is a perfect example of that... the winging it part and why it doesn't work.

The piece I needed to etch today was large... 7 inches across.  To accommodate that, I had to use a large glass dish.  To *fill* a large glass dish requires a lot of etchant.  And ferric nitrate isn't reusable, nor is is cheap.

So I decided to quickly think of a couple things I could prep and toss in there at the same time as my large project.

I settled on a couple of pieces of 20g silver for band rings.

I started to use the same one-to-three ratio as before, but in my miserly mentality, it looked like it was SO MUCH etchant.  So I added probably a third of the amount of ferric nitrate as I should have.

And much to no one's surprise, the etch was taking a long time.  :-)

After an hour, I added some more.  Then I took one of the pieces out after about 15 minutes in the stronger solution and decided it could be a test.

Here it is.  I like the design but the etch wasn't deep enough.  :-( 

I then added a whole lot more ferric nitrate (see, I need to measure next time so I can replicate any process that DOES work well).

I checked (and wiped) periodically and in another 20-40 mins, decided my remaining two pieces were ready.

Here's the other band ring.

The large piece was a personal custom order so I won't how it here for privacy reasons, but it came out great.

The aftermath of etching is mostly the part I hate.  Pouring the remaining ferric nitrate into a glass jar, and adding baking soda until it's no longer liquid.  I can't emphasize enough how slowly you need to pour that baking soda in to neutralize your acid.  Let's just say you will be reminded of those 4th grade volcano assignments.  Hmph!

So I'm starting a collection of ugly glass bottles under my work bench that need to go to hazardous waste soon.

Okay, I might have made it sound worse than it is, but etching copper is SO much easier in comparison.

Still, I like this.  I got a good deep etch on the second ring band.  I look forward to more silver etching soon. 

But first... someone's coming back from Rhode Island for three weeks so my attention might be elsewhere.  :-)

Am I a Jeweler?

What am I?

• Jeweler
• Jewelry maker
• Craftsperson
• Metalsmith
• Artist
• Jewelry artist 
• Designer.

I'm often asked what I do for a living.  Usually I just blurt out, "I make jewelry".

But I think maybe at times I'd like to sound more official.  "I make jewelry" almost sounds like a hobby.  It's true, I *do* make jewelry.  But the phrase just connotes (to me, anyway) an inaccurate picture.  Or incomplete, at least.

So what am I?

I often refrain from referring to myself as an artist.  Why?  Sometimes it's because "artist" to me is often linked with painting.  We all know that's not true... there are SO many kinds of art.  But it's frequently the first thing that comes to mind with the word "artist".

Also "artist" doesn't just role off my tongue in reference to myself.  It's like, you can call OTHER people artists, but you don't call yourself an artist.  In the same way that you can say OTHER people make beautiful jewelry but you don't usually say you yourself make beautiful jewelry.  Well, maybe you do.  But I don't.  It feels too much like I'm complimenting my own work.  When it comes to my own work, I'd prefer to hear the compliments from others.

Don't get me wrong, I'll definitely tell you how happy I am with a piece, how much I like how something turned out, how great a piece looks with such-and-such outfit, etc.  But I don't think I usually tell people I make amazing, beautiful, really cool jewelry.

I have used the term "jewelry artist" before.  That at least explains the medium.

I'm really liking the word "metalsmith".  There are notes of "worker", "craftsman", and "artist" in there.  Metalsmith seems to neither imply hobbyest nor esoteric artist.  It's more down-to-earth and even a little intriguing.

I've always like craftsperson or craftsmen but I don't think others get the same thing from the word as I do.  Because I really do consider myself a budding craftsperson.  I'm someone who works in my studio every day trying to get better at a chosen craft.  I work with my hands, making each piece from start to finish.

I am very much more a craftsperson than I am a designer.

I do design, that's for sure, but to me a designer has aspirations to come up with designs that can go into mass production.  I don't.  That's where I'd be more like an artist then than a designer.  I want to be the person who handcrafts each piece that will be sold under my name.  I have no desire to come up with designs that will be produced then sold in Macy's, Neiman-Marcus, or the Sundance catalog.

Which is a shame.  I think there's a lot more money in designing than in making.  (If you're successful.)  But it just doesn't interest me.  Not now anyway.  I really enjoy the hands-on process. 

So when people ask you what you do for a living, what do you say?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject.  Please leave me a comment if you like.  Thanks!

Here's one meme making the rounds...

Hockey, Jewelry, Rain, Olympics

Ooooh, almost missed a day.

Let's see... got up, had a shower, made some ball headpins ('cause Alex ALWAYS brings beads to trade and I don't currently have any jewelry that I think is her style), then drove to the secret clubhouse to meet up with Alex.

Had a fabulous lunch (but a little too much) with great company... then drove to the San Jose rink to watch our team take 62 shots on the Cougars who weren't able to get even one shot on our team.

Drove home and watched the rest of the USA/Canada hockey game. That was fun!

Took pictures and am listing now.

Listed this on eBay:




Oh and Gabe's team was filmed at practice tonight and should be on the news at 11:10.

And for the record, I'm opposed to guns in national parks or anywhere else.

Okay, TTYL!


see more Lolcats and funny pictures


see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Jewelry, Books, and TV

JEWELRY

I finally used my flexshaft for the first time. It seems very convenient… but I’ll admit my foot doesn’t have the fine motor coordination to find and/or stay on a steady pace… at the moment it’s kind of all or nothing.

And I think I’m sorely lacking the right kind of dremel bits. I dunno… gotta do some more research. Or maybe I’m just lacking the knowledge of how to use them.

I’m kind of into the oxidized silver look these days so I’m LOS’ing just about everything.


BOOKS

Did I mention that I gave up on that book I was reading? I gave it a good go, but… sigh… just couldn’t get into it. Didn’t like the story, didn’t like the writing.

So I read a couple of Arthur C. Clarke short stories, then went on to a non-fiction book called something like, “A Short History of Nearly Everything”. I’m enjoying it. Gabe wasn’t impressed. Shrug.

Someday soon I’d like to find a captivating book… the kind you don’t want to end.


TV

Monica and I have no problem watching cooking challenge shows. They’re mesmerizing.


Oh… gotta go… TTYL!

A Harold Cooney Listing, Metal Clay, Driving Lessons, Jewelry, and a Short Survey

Hi everyone.

I have a short survey for anyone who doesn't mind answer 2-3 multiple-choice questions (we're talkin' seconds here). I'd really appreciate your help as this survey has to do with my upcoming (maybe even tonight!) gratitude jewelry.

The Survey

Thanks!!!


Jewelry

Tonight's hockey has been moved to Friday, so I will try to get some photographs done tonight.

In the meantime, entertain yourself with my clearance sale.


Driving Lessons

Gabe's getting more and more driving in, but I told him yesterday that he won't have a clue how to drive during daylight. Ha ha ha! Seems all we ever do is go to hockey practice. But he should be able to get some daylight hours in this weekend. He can drive the whole five minutes from our apartment to the Oakland Ice rink. Heh… He'll probably also opt for the 7am drive to San Jose Sunday morning… VERY little traffic.


Metal Clay

I got two silver beads out of the kiln this weekend, but the jewelry I wanted to make around them isn't coming together quite yet. Hm…


Update… now that it’s 8pm and I’m starting to drag. Ha! I’m SOOOO a morning person. Okay, I just don’t feel like taking pictures tonight. Sorry. Maybe I can get them in tomorrow before Gabe goes to hockey practice.

I made (as in COMPLETED) three of the “Gratitude Reminders”. Not sure how they’re going to be received. I mean, looking at them, you would never get the impression they have anything even remotely to do with… metaphysical or “feel good” type stuff. They don’t have positive mantras stamped onto them or anything like that. Hm… hope I didn’t go too “out there” this time. Well, I like ‘em and that’s all that matters. :-)

Rather than do photos tonight, I’m going over to those two pieces of silver I made and I will tell my beads to help me make the bracelet I’m envisioning. I mean, how hard can it be, right?


Something neat…

I thought this was rather cool… different…

A Harold Cooney (I’m probably spelling his name wrong, though) Lampwork bracelet (sort of).


Well, I’d better go… or even that simple soon-to-be bracelet won’t be happening. ‘Night!



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Hockey, Coffee, Jewelry, Searching on eBay, Etsy, and ArtFire

Hockey

It was fun watching Gabe play hockey yesterday, even though it was a scrimmage and not a game. I'm afraid I'll probably miss a lot of his games this year (like last year) because I won't be going to all his CAHA weekends or all his tournaments… but we'll see.

I still haven't heard anything from Mon's girls' team, but the BlackHawks are all geared up and ready to go (practices start next Monday).

I've started to video tape the kids so they can watch/review their own performances. It looks like, however, both their new teams will be doing video review as part of their regular curriculum. I'm very happy about that.


Really Important Coffee

I blew off a couple hours of work Sunday to meet a friend for coffee. I highly recommend this type of thing. My work will never be done or caught up, and I don't intend to set all the important things in life aside until my work is done… (you see, you miss out on life that way).

I was very relaxed the whole rest of the day.


Jewelry

Here are small pix of what I have up this week. I think all but the two green necklaces are now up (they'll go up tonight). You can click anywhere on the picture to go to the website listings.



Monica made a GORGEOUS necklace this weekend, but it won't go up until next week. I think I'll work on earrings this week… and bronze items.


Metal Clay

I posted the latest pictures of my metal clay projects on my Going Green Jewelry blog.


Blogs I Like to Visit

Don't know if you've ever scrolled down far enough to read the list of "Blogs I Like to Visit" over there on the right. If you have any recommendations for me, let me know!


Comments

mclainjewelry said... I saw this photo and thought of your dream! LOL

http://2photo.ru/uploads/posts/4268/20071130/chiara_bautista/30_11_2007_0362419001196371210_chiara_bautista.jpg


Oh wow… that is one freaky (but intriguing) picture.


mclainjewelry also said...Me again ... you know I do not sleep in anything resembling a normal mode, so I am frequently up at 1 or 2 am and while I wake up and get the cogs turning I frequently log on and surf. For some reason I was jonesing to see some lampwork and I plopped over on Artfire and searched on that term. Well I was pleased with the results and the accurate search return. It seems when I go on some other sites like Etsy I get several other not-so-related items per one accurate in a search. So Artfire just regained a notch in recognition for me.

I keep glancing back at those long textured tube earrings, Laura... are the cylinders some of your recent explorations into art clay (bronze, brass,??) They really pop.. I keep looking on your web hoping to read more about them in a listing !

I also did not comment on your turquoise information... and I should have! I love turquoise of any type... even fake (er excuse me FAUX) turquoise. I am not a stone snob .. if it is pretty I don't care if I found it on a beach for free... value to me is in the art of it. I have used all of the above turquoise types and all of them sell well. I also will publicly confess here that I have a hoard - bin of turquoise I will never live long enough to use in jewelry. Some day I will de-stash a bit on Etsy, just to feel less guilty about it, but in the mean time I will be a turquoise Midas feasting my eyes on the variety... all gorgeous!


So… you don't sleep straight through the night? I mean, your "8 hours of sleep" is broken up into segments?

Glad to hear ArtFire regained some Brownie points when it comes to searching. Just for the heck of it, today I re-did a search I tried many months ago. I'm looking for a handmade backpack. I went to Etsy first. I type in "backpack" in the search field. Ugh! WAY too many people are using "backpack" as a tag for their item. What a stretch. So then I do it by category listings. I go right to the BACKPACK category… and still see… NO FREAKIN' BACKPACKS. Why am I seeing purses in the backpack category? No way am I shopping here!

Hey people… if you're selling a tote, but it in the TOTE category. If you're selling a purse, put it in the PURSE category. If you're selling a messenger bag, put it in the MESSENGER BAG category.

ARGH! But I hold Etsy to blame too, if not even moreso. If they have so many customers under their belt, then they have enough money to hire people to take care of this kind of thing.

Now let's see what happens at eBay. Since eBay doesn't claim to be an online venue for handmade items, I put that word in the search… "handmade backpack". Surprisingly, I see many that fit what I'm looking for.

Okay, now let's try ArtFire. First, a general search of the site on the term "backpack". Meh. Yes, I see backpacks, but you can't really tell what some of the thumbnails are pictures of people the new thing (I think this started with Etsy) is to take an "artsy", angled shot showing a mere one-tenth of whatever product it is you're trying to sell. Ugh! Let me know see if they have a category dedicated to backpacks… and if so, what's in it.

There. Much better. The overwhelming majority of thumbnails seem like genuine handmade backpacks.

Etsy, what is wrong with you?

Now, about the earrings. Yes, they are/were bronze metal clay. I'll show you all the pictures… they sold within five minutes of me listing them. Yay!



But wow... I just had no idea about you and Turquoise. That is very useful information. :-)

Dreams, Friday, ProStores, Stranger in a Strange Land, Food, Going Green Jewelry, Gems, Mandalas, GMail, Gas Mileage, Jewelry

Dreams… Bah!

I'm not fond of them. I perceive them as a nuisance. I know, I know… we have to have dreams in order to stay sane (or something like that). I can accept that… I just don't want to remember them… EVERY morning… hours' worth!

Here are just a few of the topics dealt with last night in la-la land: toy horses, Swarovski crystals, war, hiding under plywood, a broken garage door, a crowd outside the house, seat belts, co-workers, twisty roads, shelves… it goes on. Droll and time-consuming. Probably would have gone on longer except that SOMEBODY decided they had to go pee and notified me by breathing stinky dog breath in my face… ew.


Friday… Yay!

The kids will probably go play tennis again today. Not sure what we'll do for dinner. I need to pick up some veggies. Maybe I'll stop at that little health food store on the way home. If I get veggies, we can make stir fry or something.

Monica was mad at me for not waking her up when I got up this morning. She wanted to make me breakfast and probably wanted to walk me to work. Hard to wake a sleeping child up for that, know what I mean? I'll make it up to her. She can meet me for my walk home and I'll let her make dinner.

I forgot to ask Gabe if he wanted to play pick-up tonight… but since people have to be signed up early in the day, I want ahead and signed him up.


ProStores

I think I previously mentioned their hosting migration (or whatever it was) and how it lost ALL my email (anything I had in there before the day of migration). Well, I just had a customer email me with the info that she tried to order some items from my site and couldn't… I'm trying to get details right now, but really… if their migration is making me lose more than just emails (as in "losing business") I will NOT be pleased.


Stranger in a Strange Land

Although I'm enjoying the book, I'm not sure yet how I feel about some of the messages. On the whole, I think Jubal and I share some common viewpoints. But there are parts of Ben Caxton that I can relate to as well. I'm anxious to see how the whole thing pans out.


Food

Had a hard-boiled egg and a yogurt for breakfast. I think sugar and flour are my downfall so I'll see if I can avoid them for the most part. I guess I'll hit up the salad bar for lunch.

I feel like making something with lentils of beans this weekend. Maybe I'll get the crockpot out.

Oh, I should make those "Darisa potatoes" for the kids before Gabe leaves. Those were so freakin' yummy.


Going Green Jewelry

BTW, I don't remember if I posted it here, but I have a project… a year long project that I started a week or so ago. Have a look if you're interested.


Gems

I prefer London Blue Topaz to Swiss Blue Topaz.

And if I were to buy them online, it'd be at maybe the only online place I'll buy gemstones. MiGems

Alex and I were commiserating (again) about the sad state of affairs regarding gemstone beads. Because of all the misrepresentation out there, neither one of us feels comfortable buying online (except as mentioned above)… and the gem/bead shows are just as bad, unfortunately.

At the last show we went to, there were only two people we talked with who I felt were honest and knowledgeable. One of them focused on Turquoise (Alex would know their name) and the other one was in a back corner and had his gems labeled (and disclosed!) clearly and properly. In talking with him, it was clear he really know a lot about stones. I will look at my receipts and see who it was. Very, very trustworthy dealer.


Mandalas

I made a page on my website that shows some of the mandalas made by my tutorial. Now I'm going to email the people who bought the tutorial and see if they want to send me some of their samples.


GMail

You know what I like about gmail? A lot. But there are three main things it does that I really like. One, you can search… you can put in a word and it will bring up a list of all the emails that have that word in it. Very handy for people like me who don't delete enough emails. Two, it keeps "reply" emails together… like if someone writes to me and I write back and then respond back again… it's all in one email. Three, you can have it bring up a list of all the emails by any one particular sender.


Gas Mileage

Wanna know how much gas your car most likely uses? Go here.


Jewelry

Here are some thumbnails of pieces I listed recently.



I also listed this, but it's already been purchased. Yay!



I already have new stuff ready to shoot and list throughout next week.


Comments

mclainjewelry said: here is a LOLcat for the crafty at heart:



Hey! Thanks… I love that one!!! BTW, when I click on your blogger name, I get the message that says: "The Blogger Profile you requested cannot be displayed. Many Blogger users have not yet elected to publicly share their Profile."

Hope you didn't hide your profile because of me posting your blog link here every time you commented to me.

BTW, I responded to you in Etsy conversations, but again I have to say how thrilled I am with your art work… I wear that brooch practically every day.


Zoya Gutina said: 100% you're a perpetual student of life, dear Laura! :) I hope you're doing well!

I am! Thanks for asking and thanks for commenting.

I must say, that piece at the top of your July 24th blog post is outstanding. Just outstanding. Russians make fantastic models.



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My cats have done this next one...


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