The Craft Revolution

They say revolution always starts with the youth...

front page!

So today you get two posts for the price of one! I've kind of been playing catch up on some pieces and projects I'm working on so I've been busy. Anyhow the other night I signed onto Etsy to check on an order and boom! There I was on the front page! My Swirls A Go Go ring was on the front page, to be more specific. I had seen this treasury earlier and fallen in love with it. It really is so calming don't you think? Thanks so much for including me Miss Purl!

Big Blue!

So it just occurred to me that I did not post my Big Blue bird here. I'm so excited about this guy!!!

He is the newest addition to my "For The Birds" line. He is big, he is turquoise blue. He is Big Blue. He is awesome!!! You can find him here:

Tag! I'm it!

I've been tagged by the lovely Mrs. Dragon !

The rules of tagging are as follows:

1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
***********************
So here we go!

1. I have a birthmark on my nose shaped like a mickey mouse ice cream bar. You'd think this would've garnered me more popularity growing up but alas, no.

2. I am the middle child.

3. I am the tallest child. ha! take that!

4. I may or may not have some "issues" with being said middle child. Just kidding ma!

5. I think my favorite part of the jewelry making process is turning silver black and then shining it up in certain areas (see example photo). It is so peaceful to me - kind of like working on a potter's wheel.
6. I MUST eat my french fries in pairs. If there is an odd one out, I WILL break it in two. Bonus if the fries are the same size!


I tag...

1. StonesandStarling (my friend and fellow world traveler)
2. Field Notes (fantastic psychologist)
3. Stereoette (we share the same birthday! she however is not tall)
4. 88words (I like her style)
5. Mrs. T (She is fascinating)
6. Am I Still Drunk (Not really for the faint of heart. His humor is an acquired taste.)

I was on an Etsy fast

Dear blog oh blog,

I did not mean to ignore you so. My apologies. Do you think we can be friends again? Great!
I was in the midst of an Etsy (fora) fast and somehow you got lumped in there too. So here is what happened with my Etsy fast:

It has now been 11 days. I didn't read or post (except when necessary - I had a materials issue and needed some advice and a quick promo post here and there). Here is the short version of my results:

• I created and listed new designs in the shop. At least two of which sold that same week.
• I finally reached the goal of 50 items in the shop and at least 10 pairs of earrings.
• I ended up in *multiple* treasuries - I'd like to think it was because I was listing new things and bringing fresh eyes to the shop or something.
• One of those treasuries hit the front page! See last post.
• I took the time to analyze which are my best selling days.
• I was blogged about twice this past week that I know of. Now three. Thanks Mrs. Dragon!
• I also contacted someone about a possible wholesale order with a new design and she is open to it.
• In the last week (excluding today), I've sold at least one thing every day. Now that doesn't mean I'm some huge success - but for me, that is definitely improvement.

So...I think I made a good choice in forum fasting for a week, don't you? I'm not here trying to brag. I'm telling you what *can* happen.

That place can really suck up a lot of good creation time and energy if you are not balanced and disciplined in how you go about taking part in the community. I'm not saying don't go to the fora at all but I am saying be mindful of how you spend your time.

While I was sleeping

I made it to the front page! My flowering bloom basket in black was shown.

Thanks so much Thumbelina Card Co.! for including me in your beautiful black treasury!!! I'm sad I missed seeing it but really glad that I got sleep instead. lol. I'm feeling a little under the weather as is the babe so it was good I'd gotten shut eye.

My 100th post! I'm all in a tizzy!

Since this is my 100th post and I'm all in a tizzy, I feel it's only fair to introduce my Whirling Dervish Earrings! I love these beads! Don't they look like they're dancing?!!??! Available in the shop here:

More Flowers in the shop!

So some people have been asking when was I going to add more flower vases with different colors into the shop. Well, I was having trouble locating colors I *really* like (like that yellow. Love it!) so I searched and searched and searched some more until I was pleased! I am sure I'll be getting in some more colors soon as well. Click on the color name to be taken to this item in my shop.
Yellow

Ruby red

Opally turquoise blue (that's a technical term of course)

Orange

I'm blooming :D

This past weekend I was featured on Blooming Lily's blog. Two of my baskets were featured! Blooming Lily, also known as Elle-a-Belle Designs, is run by fellow jewelry artisan, Laurie Warshawsky. Check my feature here and her site here! Thanks Laurie!

I had fun with this Polyvore set

My latest Polyvore creation:

You can call it an Easter basket I guess

Multicolor eggs! Woot! Available for purchase here

We're not ready for a Black president?

I try to steer clear of anything that is not beautiful, funny, helpful, or insightful on my blog but the statement above bugged the heck outta me. "We're not ready for a Black president." This was the assertion made by a male caller into C-Span radio last night. For that reason he was voting for Hillary in the primary and then if she were the nominee, he'd be voting for John McCain in November. This guy said he is a Democrat (not that any of this matters for my point. Just wanted to let you know where he was coming from). Apparently we're not ready for a woman president either.

So when, pray tell do you think we'll be ready? This is just absurd to me. Putting aside the whole race thing for a second and the fact that it's 2008, it's mostly absurd to me because I don't know how many people are ever ready for change until it actually happens. What I mean is, you adjust. My husband had this quote on the wall for the longest time that went something like this:

Three stages toward acceptance of a new idea:

1. ridicule
2. opposition
3. obviousness

So let's have an example shall we? Let's use me and cell phones:

1. "What a dumb idea to carry a phone on your person"
2. "I refuse to carry one. I don't want to be accessible ALL THE TIME."
3. "Well, duh. Of course I have a cell phone. How else would you reach me when I'm not at home?"


So to that gentleman caller if Senator Obama is indeed successful in becoming our next president, "You'll get over it."

Pick A Bird, Any Bird

I don't have any idea why I didn't think of this before...

So what is this tumbling business?

So Yazmin has asked for more details on the tumbler story so here we go! This one goes out to all my crafters and curious people!

Things you need:

tumbler - for tumbling, duh.
mixed stainless steel shot - for hardening (and shining I think)
Dawn or burnishing compound - for the shiny
some kind of strainer of colander - to drain the water but catch your shot

My starter tumbler is one of those rock polishers you can get from Michaels craft store or AC Moore. This could set you back around $30 (or in my case, $15 because I used a coupon. There's never an excuse not to use a coupon at Michaels or AC Moore). I think professional tumblers start at about $90 or so.

Stainless steel shot should be available from a local jeweler. That's where I got mine. You can find it online as well. I purchased a pound because my tumbler canister is really small. You may need more if you go for a pro tumbler like from Lortone. You want stainless steel so that it doesn't get rusty. You want mixed shapes because I said so! I can't remember why at the moment but it's the best way to go. This runs around $25.

Burnishing compound or regular old Dawn (nothing fancy just the original). Just add a couple of squirts and you're good to go.

What you want to do is fill the tumbler canister with the shot and then add about an inch or two of water above that. Then add your pieces. Some beads are too fragile to tumble (like pearl I believe) so you'll have to add those to your design afterwards. Some are just fine. Do your homework. Add the two squirts, turn that puppy on for about two hours and you're good to go. I checked mine after 90 minutes and was satisfied with the bling and the hardness. I read somewhere that tumbling longer than two hours is unnecessary and can actually do harm to your metal by making it too brittle. So be aware if you are doing some kind of marathon tumbling. Take the pieces out. Ooh and aah at the shiny. Drain the shot in a strainer or colander with teeny holes and let it dry out. You are good to go!

I've also heard of walnut shells for brightening silver. I think you use that dry and in place of the stainless steel. So if for instance you have a patina you did that you don't like, stick the piece in (provided there are no softish beads again I would guess) the tumbler with the shells and tumble away until it is shiny and free of color.

Hope this helps. This was my first-how to and I'm no expert so I suggest you do some other research on your own.