Art Jewelry Elements Component of the Month Reveal

Hey did you hear...I am one of the lucky winners of the Art Jewelry Elements component of the the month for November!!  The beautiful denim beads created by Kristen Stevens were a great challenge to include in one of my basic beading designs.  Not only because of the bead type but because in my reading of AJE blog posts I see the talent and experience of the group.  An inspiring group for sure.

Intimidated - YES I am was.  I decided to work within my comfort zone and settle in at my beading table.  Suddenly life got really busy and posting was placed neatly on the back burner.  The time with family was wonderful and just what my soul needed.  Plus they are always very complimentary about my jewelry making.  (wink, wink)

I went for a modern design that is a light, colorful and interesting piece to wear.  I included some colorful purple and blue jump rings that I bought at the Santa Fe Jewelers Supply to play off the circular design of the AJE component.  Then to bring it together I added silver beads, a toggle and some silver flowers that I borrowed from a long chain of large and small daisies that I purchased from the Lipstick Ranch.

Thank you Art Jewelry Elements for offering monthly giveaways and tutorials.  I am a regular follower of your blog and truly admire the work of each of your contributors.  I am thankful for having been chosen for the November component giveaway!!!

Keep Creating,

Karen

Beads of Courage

Hi friends!  Life has taken over my calendar so I haven't posted in several weeks.  I sure have missed connecting with my beading friends all across the world.  I was determined to get a post out today because many of my creative friends around the globe are participating in the Beads of Courage Art Charm Exchange on eBay.

This is a great opportunity for all of us to help this wonderful organization that connects ART to children with serious illnesses.  Beads of Courage allows these special children to “create” something fun and precious that they can carry with them during their treatments as a symbol of their unrelenting COURAGE. 

Handcrafted beads in various colors symbolize the different phases of treatment that the children endure; white for chemotherapy, blue for clinic visit, yellow for being away from home, brown for hair loss, etc.  The beads tell a story of the battles these precious children face daily. 

Please stop by eBay and bid on one of the unique handmade beads that these gifted artists have donated to support this worthy cause.  

 

 

Keep Creating

Karen

 

There's Still Time

October is always a great month to launch fun activities and add snappy titles to make things fun and add a different spin to things.  Like GoogleFest or Spooktober??  It’s fun and cute!  Well this post is not about launching something new but instead guiding you towards a few events that are coming to a close in a few days.  As always I would love to hear about the events that you are participating in; locally or on the web. 

• Art Bead Scene blog hosts a great community building event where you can feature some of your handmade jewelry.  Read the rules to make sure you get your items posted for the ABS Monthly Challenge - 
• http://www.artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2014/10/october-monthly-challenge.html
• Bead Style Magazine is hosting its second annual Visit Your Local Bead Shop contest.  Check it out at http://www.beadstylemag.com/beadshopcontest or http://jewelrycontests.upickem.net/engine/Welcome.aspx?contestid=142685 and join in on the FUN!!!

You could get your work published in an issue of Bead Style magazine.  Woo Hoo!!!

• Galadarling is hosting another cool Instagram challenge called #lovetober so go here http://galadarling.com/article/its-time-for-another-instagram-challenge-lets-go-lovetober/  TO learn MORE about that cool event.

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There’s still time to register for holiday Arts & Crafts fairs all across the country.  The list is quite lengthy.  If you have more information about craft fairs in your area please share with us.  The list starts here http://www.craftsreport.com/shows-and-fairs/showfinder.html

Keep Creating,

Karen

Creator's Corner - Roxanne Lopez-Martinez

Today on Creator's Corner we will share an interview with the talented Roxanne Martinez.  She is an up-and-coming artist who lives and works in historic Taos, NM with her husband David Martinez.  Read what she has to say about art, inspiration and doing what you love!

Tell the readers about your handmade specialty item and why you enjoy working with this particular medium.

I shoot, matte and frame all my own photos.  I have a vast collection of different shots of everything and anything I find beautiful and interesting.  I also take photos of special occasions like graduation, First Holy Communion and birthday parties.  I enjoy working in this medium because I can capture moments in time forever with just a click of a button. 

Share one vital tip or trick you use to stay motivated.

I stay motivated by trying new ways to share my work.  I recently had some photos put on canvas and used old window panes as frames.

What are some of your favorite things you do to fine tune your craft?

Since I have only been doing this for about four years, I am still learning and figuring out my craft.  I am pretty much self-taught learning by trial and error.  I started with a small digital camera a little bigger than a credit card and have moved up to a Canon with multiple settings and zoom capability.  I often look up things in the manual and have gotten tips from other photographers but have learned the most by just playing with my camera.  I don’t always follow the rules of photography.  I shoot directly into the sun, I shoot from a moving vehicle (usually only when someone else is driving), and I often forget how to change my shutter speed.  I feel I have become a better photographer because I don’t always follow the rules and I am not so intense about having a perfect shooting situation.  I am constantly learning and trying new things but more important I am doing what I love.  

Share one business tip that you feel is essential to the growth of your business.

As an accountant I can give you a lot of accountant tips but the one essential tip to growth I feel is that as long as you love and enjoy doing your craft it will come out in your work.  People will feel that and find value in it.  It’s not always just about the money but about sharing your gift from God.  The money will come and oh yeah, a good bookkeeping system helps, too. 

Where do you go for inspiration?

I get my inspiration from things that are all around us.  Everyday things we see and don’t take time to really look at and enjoy.  A lot of the time I see things from the corner of my eye in passing that have always been there but I never really saw its beauty.  I try to capture that beauty with my camera and share it.  When others can see and enjoy what I see that is my inspiration.

Tell us where we can find your beautiful photographs and cards.

My matted prints can be found at the Taos Visitor Center in New Mexico.
Framed photos are available at the Ranchos Plaza Grill in Ranchos de Taos.  
The Passing of Traditions photo  is on display as part of the Slice of Life show at Encore Gallery at the Taos Center for the Arts; through November 16, 2014.  You can also find me and my husband David at local arts and crafts fairs.  

Earlier this year I participated in the Contemporary Hispanic Market in Santa Fe in 2011 and 2014.  I've also been fortunate enough show at the Millicent Rogers Museum as part of their Miniature Show.    

Our studio, “Like Eagles Forever” is in our home in Taos, NM.  
Visit our studio or call for phone orders @ (575) 758-3460 or (575) 779-1843.

Many Thanks to Roxanne Martinez

for sharing her time and talent with us here on Fairies Market.

Keep Creating,

Karen

Woven Necklace

Swarovski crystals are some of my favorite beads to work with so I have many in my stash.  I gathered several crystals of various sizes to create this floating necklace.  I love the way the crystals seem to float on the wire.  

This design features four wires woven in and out of beads of varied color and shape.  When working on a design like this color choices are important.  The shapes of the beads add to the appeal so I included beads in various sizes from 12 mm to 5mm and in different shapes including rounds and bicones.  Swarovski crystals offers lovely colors in light silk, clear, smoked topaz and olivine.    

 

This design features four wires woven in and out of beads of varied color and shape.   Four strands of Soft Flex beading wire in Onyx and Copper from their trio collection add extra pizzaz to this design.  This wire is sturdy but flexible and holds is shape nicely without kinking.  

The gold findings add the final touch to this lightweight, fashionable necklace.  

Keep Creating,

Karen

Quilt Display at Craft Fairs

We've been making some changes lately and so the blog has been off-line.  We moved our site and now Fairiesmarket.com is where you will find us.  In an attempt to make the site a bit more stable and strive to have an online presence I thought it best to invest in a domain and create a dot com.  So that's that please stop by.

We've also been getting ready for many local arts and crafts fairs.  Fun, fun, fun!!!  We will be at the Fuller Lodge Fall Art Center's Arts & Crafts Fair in Los Alamos, NM this Saturday.  If you are in the neighborhood please stop by mention this post and get 10% off your purchase.  

There's so much to do in preparation of the fair; pricing, inventory, business cards, etc.  
The display is always a bit challenging for me because quilts requires space and most booths are quite small.  I visited some great quilting forums and found some helpful advise and some good ideas too!





This quilt display looks like something I may need to order for the next couple of fairs.  A minimal investment for a beautiful work of art. 

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I also found these two on Amazon.



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Decisions, decisions and lots of work ahead of me for the week.  I hope you have a great week and remember to stop by and visit our booth if you're in the area!  Also if you're attending a craft fair in your neighborhood please post the information in our comments box!

Keep Creating,

Karen

 

 



Creator's Corner - Kym Hunter

Today is the debut of Creator's Corner and we have a special guest; Kym from Kym Hunter Designs.  Kym has been featured in articles such as Stampington & Co. Jewelry Affairs Magazine and she is a regular participant in jewelry blog hops.  Kym was kind enough to answer some our questions and share her amazing jewelry creations with us.  You are going to fall in love with her unique jewelry creations.  Let's see what this talented creator has to say.

Tell us about the art you create and why you enjoy working with this particular medium.

I discovered jewelry making about 10 years ago at a woman’s retreat.  I was very excited to be able to make jewelry to suite my style and also found it to be a wonderful way to fulfill the need of my creative soul.  My favorite designs include natural beads and stones, sterling silver, copper, brass and handmade artisan beads.  My jewelry designs are one of a kind and eclectic.  I love texture and am drawn to stones and pearls that are irregular, rough and have an interesting look and shape. 

Share something that you do to stay motivated and creating art.

Sometimes it seems like design ideas flow easily and at times my muse takes frequent naps.  I try to at least make a pair of earrings every day.  I am inspired by the beauty of nature and life.  Sometimes taking a walk will help renew my creativity.

What are some of the things you do to continue learning and polishing your skills as a craftsman/artist?

I enjoy learning new techniques and try to take a couple of classes or workshops a year.  I subscribe to a couple of different magazines and purchase jewelry making books.

How much time do you dedicate to your business on a weekly basis?

Right now I have a 9 to 5 job and am only able to dedicate about 15 hours a week.  I plan on retiring in 3 years and I am working toward building my jewelry business for the next stage in my life.  

Where do you look for inspiration?  What about this inspires you the most?

1. Favorite place – My backyard.  It is my oasis, especially early in the morning. 
2. Favorite person – This is hard, as I admire so many people.  My mother-in-law always encouraged my creativity.  This was very precious to me, as my parents did not appreciate creativity and thought it was frivolous.
3. Favorite thing; book, website, quote – “Don’t think.  Thinking is the enemy of creativity.  It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy.  You can’t try to do things.  You simply must do things.” – Ray Bradbury

I asked Kym to share one of her favorite tools. and this particular tool does.  This is what she said....

I never thought about it before, but I would have to say my hammers. I have several different types of hammers and mallets.  I especially love pounding on metal.  It’s very therapeutic.  I love the way the hammer transforms a smooth sheet of metal, adding texture and character.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

When I’m not sketching a design or making jewelry, I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors, cooking, reading, writing poetry and photography.  

It has been absolutely wonderful and inspiring to have Kym share her talent and some of her favorite designs with us here on Fairies Market.  To see more of Kym's work please visit her at the links below.  Kym told us that she's working on photographing pieces that are ready for her Etsy shop so stop by to see what she has listed.

Blog http://www.kymhunterdesigns.blogspot.com/

Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/KymHunterDesigns

Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/kymhunter/

Thanks you Kym for being a guest on Fairies Market!

Keep Creating,

Karen

Announcing Creator's Corner

Join “Creator’s Corner” on Fairies Market

On Saturday, September 20, 2014 we’re launching the “Creator’s Corner” sharing the life and creative work of talented artists across the globe.

This creative space is open to anyone and friends of Fairies Market, we’d love you to sign –up to be featured on a future post!

Sign up for email updates here to be sure you don’t miss a thing.

Keep Creating,

Karen

Fall Decorating Ideas

Now is the perfect time to add warm fall colors to your home creating a space that we want to come home to.  Relaxing colors soothe the soul and invite us to relax.  Making a subtle change is what I'm looking for so making pillow covers is how I added comfort to one bedroom.  

A quick trip to the sewing fabric store where I found some nice choices in fabric will add a fresh look to this room.  I made two sets of pillowcases to match one of my quilts.  This quick and easy change will add to the coziness of the handmade bedding in this particular space.  


  

In the kitchen new accessories (made by mom) will freshen things up a bit too.  This tortilla warmer will add festive colors to the kitchen decor.  This is a beautiful reminder of fall harvest and the gifts that mother nature provides us. 


 

We will add some of these items to our Etsy shop so please stop by.  Share your fall home decorating ideas with our readers.  We'd love to see what you have in mind.

Keep Creating,

Karen

Jewelry Designing with Color

A great place to find inspiration is in color - which is all around you.  Jewelry making is an art and they say that ART is in the eye of the beholder.  The wonderful thing about color is that it's all around you.  Bring your awareness to your surroundings and you will see amazing things.  Colors you never noticed before all of a sudden jump out in the landscape.  

The trending colors for FALL fashion are rich shades of green, blue, and purples.  Earthtones always add to the beauty of autumn but they are versatile enough to be used all year long.  

Artists can find a wonderful array of jewelry findings in various colors of beads, pearls, crystals, wire, clay or stones to accent a spectacular piece of jewelry or to use those components to create a design around a particular color.  

Look around you to find bold colors that will enhance your handmade jewelry pieces.  This is a fun way to make your pieces a bit more interesting.  Working with beautiful beads or gemstones challenges the the craftsman to make something unique by mixing colors or adding variations of the same hue to create a dazzling and beautiful jewelry piece.    

There's always inspirational ideas in jewelry making books too so don't forget to pull your favorite one off the shelf.  Go out and create something beautiful by adding some vibrantly colored supplies to your next impressive design.  You'll be glad you did.  

Be sure you share a link to your post!!!

Keep Creating,

Karen

Jewelry Wholesale Supplies

No matter what you may need jewelry wholesale supplies for - there are a variety of sources available for finding what you need. However, in most cases, you will find the least expensive supplies through online sources. This is due to the fact that you literally have the whole world of jewelry wholesale supply sources at the touch of a button.  

Whether you are looking for stones, crystals, beads, wire or other supplies and tools, you can find everything you are looking for online – at really great prices!  You can order the supplies directly, or request a catalog from hundreds of different suppliers. 

If at all possible avoid sites that ask for payment to receive the catalog or sites that require you to pay for membership.  You might be required to place a minimum order with some companies.  And others require verification of your tax identification number too.  (That's a topic for another day.)

Before entering into a contractual relationship with a company or buying bulk remember it's important to check the refund and exchange policies.  Another cautionary measure is to check the legitimacy of an online business with the BBB online. If there have been any complaints, the BBB will have a record of it, and that information is available to the public at no charge.

If shopping online makes you really uncomfortable, there are other ways to find jewelry wholesale supplies.  Search for wholesalers online and then call them directly to place your order.  You can find the contact information for most companies on their website where it says ‘contact us’ or ‘about us.’  You can also purchase your supplies through discount stores in your area. However, you should be aware that you will not be paying wholesale prices. You will be paying discounted retail prices. Wholesale prices are much cheaper – especially when you make purchases in bulk quantities. 

So if you plan to grow your business and you want to offer competitive prices you might consider buying in bulk at wholesale prices.  There a many great companies and artists out there who offer reasonable prices and great deals on jewelry making supplies.

Happy shopping

& Always

Keep Creating

Karen

How to Sell Jewelry Wholesale

If you are a creative person, with a great sense of style and flair, you may be able to start your own business making and selling jewelry wholesale. Because people are so very unique, they want jewelry pieces that are unique ~ one-of-a-kind (OOAK) ~ pieces that nobody else in the world owns!  This desire can launch you into owning your very own jewelry making business. 

You can easily order wholesale supplies from hundreds of companies around the globe online – at really low prices. It is important to keep up with how much each part of each piece of jewelry costs you, and to get a total cost of each piece, including any expenses that you had for having supplies shipped to you. With the total cost figured, you can easily set your prices by adding a percentage to the cost.  Some people tack on 4x the amount it costs to make an item while others add on 15%.  Finding your own method of pricing is important and individual to each seller, so do what works for you.

You can sell your pieces in a variety of ways. You can open your own online wholesale jewelry store, sell to local jewelry stores, rent booths at local flea markets and fairs, or advertise your jewelry making skills and take orders for unique pieces. You can also sell your pieces on consignment at boutiques. The choice is yours.

You want to be known for your quality. Always select the highest quality gems and stones for your pieces, and make sure that the craftsmanship is outstanding. Become exclusive, and more people will want to purchase your pieces – and never make any two pieces alike. 

However, you can also go the other route and make hundreds of identical pieces, as they are ordered. You do this by making one very unique, high quality piece, and showing it to your local jewelry stores.work with a local store asking them if they would like to order in bulk, then fill the order.  I say local store because it would be easier but in today's electronic market anything is possible so GO FOR IT!

This type of business does require creativity and skill, but it also requires the ability to market yourself and your jewelry. That in itself can be a full-time job.  You need to have tools available such as business cards, websites or depending on your audience you might have catalogs and brochures printed as well to market your jewelry wholesale business.

Pick a method of selling and DON'T WAIT publicize your efforts and grow your business.  I hope you are amazed by the results! 

Keep Creating,

Karen

Collaboration ~ Let's Do IT

For most of us moving onto the next chapter is quite frightening.  Part of that journey for me is cleaning up the clutter, organizing and trying to get the things around me in order.  You may look at this as a procrastination tactic but in the end when I look around I take a deep breath and feel relieved.  Then I’m able to move onto the next project.  (I have donated dozens of magazines over the past week...progress!!)

Being an entrepreneur is challenging and fulfilling but also VERY demanding regardless of how large or small your business is right now.  Good self-care is necessary and achieved in a different ways by each of us.  Exercise, eating right and stress relief help raise our awareness, increase vitality and clarify our vision.  I use meditation to focus on opening my third eye to help increase my "knowing."  Sometimes I include gemstones in my meditation. Surprised?  I'm not.

Increasing awareness and tuning in is important when you are a business person.  Maintaining focus is vital to the survival of your business.  I think that many of us spend LOTS of time chasing this and that and spinning ideas of what "might" work.  I'm finding more and more that if I don't live my life based on what-if and I live my life based on right-NOW and continue doing what works then the world around me operates more smoothly and my stress stays at a level that I can manage.

Well my meditation is a great reminder about why I started blogging in the first place.  Presently at Fairies Market I am working on growing my blog.  And what does that mean??? For me it means remembering why I started this electronic journey... to connect with others who design and make jewelry ~ crafty folks who want to share quality products that people feel good about buying. 

I do connect with others on Etsy through teams and that works great but I would like to use this platform to connect with others.  If Y-O-U are a crafter, artist, designer or hobbyist let me know.  I would love to share your story here on Fairies Market. Collaboration works so let's work together and GROW.

"Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean." - Ryunosuke Satoro

So REACH OUT let me know you're there ... leave a comment.  I would LOVE to work with you by featuring you and your work here on Fairies Market where all are welcome.  

Keep Creating,

Karen

Clear The Clutter

I originally wrote this post with the intention of cleaning up the clutter around my house in order to create a work space.  Look I have two sheds and two empty bedrooms now that I am an empty nester.  In my home I have surrounded myself with nice art, heirloom pieces that my mother and grandmother gave me and wonderful memories of my life.  But there are other things taking up space too.

There’s a movement on the rise called minimalism where the goal is to simplify your life in order to live the life you’ve dreamed of.  I know I’m not a minimalist because I wonder how getting rid of magazines, books, shoes and stuff is going to give me the life I REALLY want.  There's no way I can fit even half of my life in one of those small houses.  

Well, it’s much more than that, right?  For me I think the clutter holds me back from really taking THAT GIANT LEAP FORWARD – being catapulted into action.  I’ve been living the same life for a very long time and I’m quite cozy….or am I?  There have been times when I want to just give all my belongings away and get the heck out of Dodge…but I’m still here. 

I’ve been reading some good articles about cleaning up the clutter or simplifying and all the time I’m laughing, rolling my eyes, shaking my head yes, saying “no way!” and then reading some more.  I am aware that by reading and reading I am not doing anything about my clutter except learning about how others got rid of their sentimental items and survived the ordeal.  Did I someone say catapult? 

I know that downsizing is hard for everyone. Most of us have spent years saving and collecting things that add meaning to our lives.  That being said,isn’t it funny how we hold certain things near and dear to our hearts like my bead stash, my books, my magazines and my shoes?  Hey, the list goes on and on…

I realize that I don’t even have time to read all those books or use most of the stuff in the shed.  Did I mention that I have two sheds, yes TWO!  Call a crane operator to get me off my butt and into action already.  The truth of the matter is that I don’t have time to read because I have a very busy life and a demanding job and making time to clear the clutter seems overwhelming.  Plus there are some things I am absolutely not going to part with at this time in my life.  I’m just not gonna do it. 

I found some good suggestions to my dilemma on the World Wide Web some even included suggestions on how to simplify your life and maybe even make a buck or two in the process.  I’ve found in this review of information that the minimalism/simplification lifestyle has a good community of wonderfully supportive people willing to share their experiences.  This tells me that it’s not easy for anyone, right?  We all need a hug every now and then.  Hey I’m not a minimalist….I’m miles away from that but I just have too much stuff and realize that a call to action is necessary. 

I want to share a few of the articles that I read~

• Man vs. Debt is a great website whose mantra is Sell Your Crap…Pay Off Your Debt…Do What You Love!
• This site and many of the articles keep me grounded knowing that all that “stuff” doesn’t bring me total happiness.  It’s the people in my life; friends and family that bring me infinite joy.  (and my dog Riley)  Lots of helpful hints for selling on Craigslist and Face Book. 

“The only man who sticks closer to you in adversity than a friend is a creditor.”

-Unknown

• Miss Minimalist shares real life experiences on her site.  Some of these stories are SO funny and of course I see myself in a lot of them.  Read this week’s post from Agilborder.  She kicked her clutter where it counts!!
• Calling in help and being candid with family members is a great suggestion.  Making a few bucks in the process of clearing the clutter isn’t too shabby either.

Rather go to bed with out dinner than to rise in debt.

-Benjamin Franklin

I've realized that making room for things that are presently in your life is important too.  Having room to meditate is important to maintain health and well being.  Having space to work on my bead work is important because it inspires creativity.  Having a comfortable space for family and friends to unwind and visit is important.  This has helped me to realize the purpose for this exercise ~ PUTTING PEOPLE BEFORE POSSESIONS.  Now THAT motivates and excites me!!!!!!  If I do one little thing I can move closer to the BIGGER things that I want to accomplish.

Friends I ask you, “What is standing in your way from making room for growth and prosperity?  Please post a comment….your words mean a lot to me.  

Keep Creating,

Karen