My November Shows!

 Jewelry & Accessory Expo
Nov. 6th at the Kedron Fieldhouse & and Aquatic Center 202 Kedron Dr. Peachtree City, GA 30269 (inside the gym)
10am-5pm
 FREE-Event includes Handmade Christmas gift items such as: scarfs, jewelry, purses and more!

12th Annual Coweta Christmas 
Nov. 13th at the Coweta County Fairgrounds on Pine Rd.
9:30 am-4pm
FREE- Event includes:Handmade Christmas gift items, children's arts & and crafts, children's choral groups, pictures with Santa.

Direct Sales/Small Business Holiday Expo
Nov. 20th at the Sharpsburg Community Center
10am-2pm

Photos from Keith's Korner and Shakerag

Two bottom photos were my setup at Keith's Korner

The trade I made with www.kcrglass.com

The glass pitcher I traded jewelry with www.kcrglass.com

Keith's Korner was a fun show. A lot of friends old and new came out to visit me. It was 3 long hot days and every time I had to go to the bathroom I drove home. I lived 5 min. away (Thank God) and it was worth it to not have to traumatize myself using a port-a- potty. Above are some photos of Keith's Korner and how I had my tables set up. I wish I had taken some photos of shakerag with my new set up. A friend of mine built some really nice 3 tiered wood stands and then I cover them with my silk fabric and it looked really nice.  My display tends to look different for every show.  It's all about presentation, not so much quantity. When I first started doing shows I was happy to make my booth money back and then some. I just recently set a goal of $1,000 at one show and I exceeded it! My husband was so proud of me.  I think I met my goal because I've learned how to set myself apart from other jewelry vendors. You have to try and be different. I noticed at the last show that we were all very different.  I got tons of compliments from customers, which meant a lot to me.  However, I wasn't to keen about the lady that said I looked like Chelsea Clinton but prettier! In one of the photos above you'll see my wine bottle serving trays. These are a hot seller. You can take them to your holiday party with food on it and let the host keep the bottle as a gift! I have flat ones and some that are bowls. The bowls are great for dips!
Now to get to what I really wanted to talk about. See the glass pitcher and cups above? They are absolutely beautiful! I am going to have the lady make me some more cups. The cups were $12 and the pitcher was $50. I got them from www.kcrglass.com.  She has a glass blowing studio in Atlanta, which at the moment I can't find the info. because my art room is a mess due to the past 2 shows. While I was quickly checking out other vendors at the show, Kate was at my booth talking to my husband. She asked if him if I would be interested in trading product. I was so excited, because I loved her work. I love trading with other vendors and it is such a compliment. She and her husband were so nice and I can't wait to go up to their studio and possibly take a few classes.

Maine Trip 2010

Still learning how to share photos on my blog. Devin surprised me and got a plane ticket to see my family up in Maine. Izabelah is at that age where she loves to play with big girl things such as my makeup purse. She carried it around with her every day. She also liked wearing my necklaces. Monkey See, Monkey Do! I snapped a picture of my Grandpa and his twin Grandpa Joe.

I just love my nieces! Marleigh & Izabelah

My November Shows!

 Jewelry & Accessory Expo
Nov. 6th at the Kedron Fieldhouse & Aquatic Center 202 Kedron Dr. Peachtree City, GA 30269 (inside the gym)
10am-5pm
 FREE-Event includes Handmade Christmas gift items such as: scarfs, jewelry, purses and more!

12th Annual Coweta Christmas 
Nov. 13th at the Coweta County Fairgrounds on Pine Rd.
9:30 am-4pm
FREE- Event includes:Handmade Christmas gift items, children's arts & crafts, children's choral groups, pictures with Santa.

Direct Sales/Small Business Holiday Expo
Nov. 20th at the Sharpsburg Community Center
10am-2pm

My September Shows!

Keith's Korner 

Arts, Crafts, and Antiques

Labor Day Weekend!

 Sat. Sun. Mon. Sept. 4th, 5th & 6th

448 West Hwy. 34 Newnan, GA 30263

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Shakerag  Arts & Crafts Festival!

Shakerag Trail in PTC For directions just use google.

Sat. Sun Sept. 18th 10am-6pm & 19th Noon-5pm
I will be at booth #51

Come out and visit me at my next show(s) and buy one item and you'll get 50% off the next item.  Just mention my blog!

I'm convinced it's a sickness

I know only crafty people will understand me when I say this......Do you ever find yourself out shopping in gift shops or wherever and you see something cute and you say to yourself " I can make that?"  I've come to the realization that even though I could make it....do I really want to make everything?  I mean, when is this sickness going to end? It is fun to be crafty, but it can also be tiring to try to make everything. I mean if it's a couple dollars I've just decide I am going to buy the darn thing.  I love love love to make everything.  I love to make wall quotes out of vinyl, I love to make jewelry, coozies, pillows, paint on glass..you name it, I'll do it.  I love to make gifts.  Above is the last thing I made as a gift. I saw it in a store and thought..." I can make this." So I bought acrylic paint and then when I was done I stuck it in a cool oven and set the temp. at 325 degrees for 30 min.  What this does is it cures the paint. you can only hand wash these.  It saved me whatever it would cost in the store and it was tons of fun.  However, I will say this to all of you crafty ppl. out there......give yourselves a break and just buy the darn gift! ;) thought I'd share this with you.

Our Wedding Collage

Create your own digital collage

She's Crafty

I was asked tonight if I've always been this crafty.  My first response was, "no." Then I remembered when I was little how I loved to color.  All throughout high school I took art class.   I wasn't the greatest at drawing.  I think it was learning the process and working with different mediums that fascinated me the most.  Then I started making cards at my friend Amy's house.  She and I would make a mess on her bedroom floor designing cards for hours.  I love giving gifts and handmade cards.  I worked in a couple flower shops.  I love flowers. It was then when I learned how to design flower arrangements and corsages.  On Mother's day I usually pick the roses and black eyed susans out of my garden and some foliage to make corsages for my Mom and Mother-in Law.  I am always doing some kind of craft project.  Some time after my 21st birthday I walked into a jewelry shop.  I learned the basics of stringing beads, wire wrapping and attaching clasps.  After I learned how to make jewelry I decided to do craft shows.  One Christmas I got a glass bead making kit and a Cricut.  I mostly use the Cricut to make vinyl wall art work.  There is a lot you can put vinyl art on.  I like to put quotes on ceramic tiles to display on rod iron stands.  I've also made the monogrammed letters that you see on everyone's cars.  Devin bought me a kiln one Valentine's day so I could put my glass beads and wine bottles in.  I took a glass bead making class, so now I can make my own beads.  After making the beads you have to kiln anneal them so they are less likely to break.  Devin originally bought me the kiln so I could melt wine bottles into serving trays. I also took a class on how to make my own sterling silver jewelry out of PMC.  I've always loved making things.  So when asked if I've always been this crafty, I should have said, "yes."

Bead Heaven

Dontcha just hate when you drop beads and can't find them? Unless I see where the bead falls, I will never find it.  I have carpet in my art room and the beads tend to weasel their way into hiding.  I hate to vacuum my art room because I can hear the beads (the ones I couldn't find) being sucked up. Beads are expensive! I know I'm not alone when I say they've gone to bead heaven. Kinda like the whole sock thing.....when you can't find the matching pair. You might as well give up...there is a sock heaven too.  Anyways....I dropped a crystal this morning and that's why I am writing this blog.  I will try to blog more often...especially to keep you posted on my upcoming shows in September. 

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

o.k, so if you can't tell by the title, I am just a wee bit frustrated with the hot head torch I am using.  I am going to take a moment to vent.  If anyone out there reading my blog is new to glass bead making/Lampwork, let me just save you the time and frustration by saying go buy a Minor Torch....it is worth the money.  First of all, I got the glass kit that hobby lobby sells....and it is a pretty nice kit for starting out. Starting out....meaning once you use the hot head torch, you'll want to take a nap. I used it one time and I was ready for the minor torch.  The hot head torch I have is hooked up to Map gas and pulls the oxygen from the room......this does not make for good beads.  My beads look horrible, they are not round and they look dirty. This is because the flame is not hot enough.  Grrrrrrrrrr Not to mention the glass does not get hot enough nor does it stick to the mandrel very well.  When the glass doesn't get hot, and you touch it to the mandrel it then pulls/drags and causes the bead release to break off.  Talk about frustrating!  Needless to say, I complained to my husband and he just said "told ya so.." He tried telling me that I wouldn't be happy with the hot head torch and tried to buy me a minor torch......if you know my husband, you know what he did next. Yup! he bought the Mega Minor Torch. Sweet! Oh, and did I mention that you have to have propane for it and an oxygen tank. Lucky for me, he already has that stuff. Gotta love when you can borrow your husbands tools!  So I have been practicing with different colors etc. and I am learning that different colors seem to take longer than others. Now this may be because I am using a hot head torch right now with map gas.  I used a yellow glass rod and it took, no joke, 30 min. to get a hot enough "blob" to make a bead....I still have so much to learn and I can't wait to start making some really cool pieces of jewelry.  Check out my etsy site as I add new jewelry www.lfjewelry.etsy.com

My 1st Glass Beads!

So these are the beads that I made and I am so excited about them. Now I need to figure out what I want to make with them.  They aren't exactly the same size, so I don't think I can turn them into earrings.  I think I'll make a bracelet and pendant with all of the bright colored ones.  My favorite ones are the two white ones in the back with the brown specs.  The process of making the speckled beads is fun.  First you make the solid color bead, then you role the bead into crushed glass (frit)....then you reheat the bead to melt the glass into it and voila! I love love love the frit stuff...it is magical! The tuxedo looking bead was pretty neat to make too.  This class was so much fun...the best part about it is you get to see instant results of what you are making.  It is so much fun to play with fire!

My 1st Glass Bead Making Class!

Sooooooo Devin signed me up to take a glass bead making class.  Now I understand why Diane Kovach says," she's involved in a long term affair"......with glass that is! There are so many colors to choose from and the designs are endless.  I could make beads for hours.  It is instant gratification. You stick the glass in the flame and roll it, and voila!  Of course, there is much more technique to it....hence why I took the class. Diane is a very good instructor.  She makes everything look so easy.  I learned how to add dots, swirls, and different patterns to the bead.  I also learned how to add fritt.  Fritt is so much fun! you make your bead and while it's still warm, you roll it in crushed glass (fritt).  Then you put your bead back in the flame and watch it melt into the glass.  I now understand the addiction to fritt.  When you are making a glass bead, it is very important to keep the bead warm if you are going to add to it.  I let a bead cool down too much and stuck it back in the flame and it exploded.  We jumped back and a tiny piece landed down my shirt and into my bra an somehow only left a teenie tiny burn.  If you play with fire, chances are you will get burned...No big deal really!  It is all a learning process on what to do and what not to do.  Thanks so much for teaching me how to make my own glass beads Diane.  Look forward to future classes with you.  Here are some pictures of the class.

Craft Room

Here are some photos of my craft room! The first photo is what I take with me to my jewelry teaching classes.  You can find out more about my jewelry cases if you click on the link on the left side of my blog.  My desk is very messy.  You can see the comfy chair my husband got me.  He wanted me to have something nice to sit in.  Of course everyone needs a light box to take their photos.  Be sure to stop by my etsy shop. www.lfjewelry.etsy.com

Need A Little Pick Me Up?

If you are new to my blog, please notice the section titled "My Daily bead."  If you ever feel like you need a little pick me up, this will do it.  What I've done is copied what the Women of Faith team have said and just posted it here.  I am so thankful that I know of this wonderful group of women and try to pass along all the wonderful things they have to say in hopes that it will lift you up just as much as it has me.  If you haven't read "My Daily Bead," you are missing out on words of wisdom and faith.

Fabulous Fridays by Phyllyis

Hey guys....my friend Phyllis is a Stampin Up demonstrator. She is offering FREE product such as stamps on fabulous Fridays!  All you have to do is go to her website/blog and post a comment on it to be entered into the drawing.  Just copy and paste the web link.
http://phyllisstamps.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Happy Scrapping!

Buy Design Craft Show

O.k, folks....I did it. You say, " you did what?" I did the unthinkable. I did a show this past Sat. called Buy Designs and was 1 of 62 other JEWELRY vendors in Peachtree City, GA. Yup, shocking! I am happy to say that I held my own and did very well at the show. I got picked to do the show by the lady in charge, who found me on my website www.lfjewelry.etsy.com I was so honored to be among such wonderful talent. There are tons of jewelry designers out there. Usually, I try to do shows that only have a few other jewelry ppl. in it. I enjoyed walking around looking at all the unique jewelry and displays. There is so much that you can do with your table to make your jewelry stand out. Some designers even had lights! The jewelry ranged from bottle cap rings to vintage to hammered steel to glass to wedding....which was me! I do mostly wedding/pearl and crystal jewelry. I made tons of connections and met some nice ppl. at the show and a few new friends. This show was so successful that customers and other vendors are wanting to do it again. Ashley (the event coordinator) said it was such a hit that they are talking about doing the show in November. Can't wait! Here are some pictures.The first picture is a view of some of the other vendors.  The last two are of me and my table setup.

Wedding Jewelry