Wow Necklaces! Artfire Blog Carnival

Welcome to my new contribution to the Blogfire Carnival: Necklaces. Since I've been pretty focused on my recent crochet approach to necklaces, I decided to search both Artfire and Etsy for examples of crochet neck pieces by other artists.

I chose 8 pieces to showcase here. The links to each item and the artist's shop are below each collage and are listed clockwise beginning with the upper left corner.


Summerdream flower scarf , neck decoration
Lovelycrochet traun, traun

Super Long Crocheted With Felted Multicolored Pieces and Beads
BigFrozenMelon, atlanta area

Freeform crochet necklace Fantaisie noire
FibreromanceT Orillia, Ontario

Yellow - green - olive 6 sea glasses necklace
astash, Blackpool, UK

Night and Day, flower cluster necklace
joyoustreasures, Duck River, Tennessee

GRASS GREEN BIB NECKLACE Statement piece for her
kirevi8, Istanbul

Cellular Biology ... Freeform Crochet Necklace
irregularexpressions

The happiness - Multicolor wool yarn - Crochet flowers and leaves lariat necklace, scarf
jennysunny, Tianjin, China

I must mention again that Eileen's blog - bluebirdluxe, has an incredible article on this topic (and was my inspiration for this post.) If you like statement neck pieces and crochet, drop by for a look at more possibilities! And while I'm on this topic, there is a drawing you can enter for a chance to win a wonderful new book to help inspire and guide your own crochet for wearables. The prize is a new publication by author Linda Permann called Crochet Adorned and it will be a beautiful addition to any crocheter or crafter's library. You may enter until 3-24-2010.


Finally, a reminder that you can enter to win your choice of one of my new crocheted (Silk and Pearl) necklaces to add to your own Spring wardrobe! There are different ways you may enter, for up to 3 entries per person! Hurry, entries are due by Saturday, March 19 and the winner will be announced on Sunday, March 20.

So how about that? Beautiful examples of crocheted necklaces, a chance to win a free book to help you make your own, and a chance to win one of my creations, all in one post that I've written for the Blogfire Carnival! (Artfire Bloggers.) I can't believe I was this organized around one topic! Now you can go see what the other Artfire bloggers are up to for this carnival. The full list of participants will be visible on Friday, March 19.

A First Time for Everything! & You Can Win One...

For the first time since I began selling my work online, I have created a "best seller." Mind you, this is all relative, but ANY TIME that I have sold more than one or two of something, I've been amazed. And I do have a few other "greatest hits," but my new "Made With Silk" series is sort of catching on! The "Pastel Rainbow," in particular, has sold several copies, including (a first for me) five copies since Friday. Amazing. The other designs in this series are moving, too, but there must be something about this version that folks are responding to especially well.

Not to over-think this (but I have been over-thinking this ;p) it must be some unusual (for me) combination of the price point, the weather, and maybe the promise of Spring...which was sort of the inspiration for this version of the piece. And maybe some (personal) economies are turning around a little bit. And I say that because again, since I opened my shop on Etsy in late November, 2008, I sort of came to expect a bump in sales for holidays....but this weekend was a first for me that was nice and busy, and um, it doesn't seem to be "holiday shopping" that I'm the beneficiary of right now.

OK, well, now I've got some more crocheting to do here!! Have a great day!

P.S. I'm asleep at the wheel here and forgot to mention that over at the "I Heart Handmade" show, there's a new giveaway of your choice of one of my "Pearls and Silk" pieces! Granted, you need to work a bit to get your entries in (you can enter 3 times!) but IF you win....you get to choose a piece...and it might even be the one at the top of this blog post (if I don't sell out, LOL!)

So don't wait...pop over there now and enter to win!

Oh, and one more thing-one of my crochet pieces just got included in a post on this beautiful new (to me) blog! bluebirdluxe is the name, and you just have to check it out!!

The Promise of Spring

It sort of snuck up on me. I knew that snow has been melting (and we're in the mud season-just ask the dog!) but I forgot to check the earliest bloomers. A beautiful sunny afternoon in these parts and sure enough, there they were!

Pushing valiantly up through the sticky autumn leaves. Still closed on the north side and open on the sunny south side. Such pretty little Snowdrops given to me by a friend a couple of years ago, and doing very well under my crab apple tree. The very first flowers of the season in my gardens and ohhhhh so welcome after a long hard winter!!


Other early bulbs are pushing up, but I'm not quite sure what is what yet. And the moss and lichens on the Northwest side of the Basswood are such a lovely shade of green.


Finally, the big magnolia tree here is truly just loaded with velvety flower buds. If the weather cooperates to let it bloom properly (and this is a touch and go situation, year to year, at best) it will be a magnificent site. I recall that I marveled last fall that these little bits would survive the winter, all the freezing and extremes, but would burst into bloom again come Spring, when conditions were right. Can you imagine--each of these plump little buds will bit a nice big white flower?!! It's one of my favorite things!


OK, now for a bit of business. I need your vote!! Really! There's a "Best in Show" contest going on over at the new "I Heart Handmade" show, and I really am proud of my little "Booth" here, so I need you to pop over, scroll down to "WillOaks Studio" (at the bottom of the alphabet, of course!) and "pull the lever!" Here's a direct link to the page for voting:
Poll: Who is your favorite shop in the Spring I Heart Handmade market?

And after a couple of good nights of sleep, I'm settling back into my Entrecard mode, such as it was prior to that debacle of being deleted. Yep, I'm sticking it out and was the grateful recipient (such a nice surprise!) of left over EC credits from Lin over at Duck and Wheel with String and Jude over at Mature not Senile as they have both left Entrecard. Plus Shelia at The Ad Master put an image for my blog over on her blog. I had lost my place in line for an EC ad on her blog, which I'd waited nearly 2 weeks for, when my reservations were all "erased" by Entrecard. Don't worry, I've also bought a legit ad over on her blog with my returned credits, as I work to get my EC reservations/widget spots back up to snuff!!

Thanks to all, each and every one, for your support through all this...you all really helped me with a tricky time and I'm so glad to have all you great readers/bloggers/and blogger buddies in my life! XXX♥♥♥000 Enjoy my first peeks at SPRING!

Orchids, Treasury & I Heart Handmade (Spring!) Show opens

I love this one-and it looks different from different angles.
All the newest buds are slowly gaining size but none of the newest ones are opening quite yet.

Treasury!
This is new for me--I was included in a treasury because I voted in an Etsy contest, choosing my favorite from pieces by the CCCOE Street Team. The curator here, a member of that team (though not the artist I voted for) is Katy of KisforCalligraphy (where calligraphy meets craft.) Cool paper goods in her shop! Do take a peek...
Meanwhile, click on the image to visit this actual treasury through Monday morning.

The newest "I Heart Handmade" show opened Saturday! It's jam packed with cool shops across the full spectrum! And things will be given away in little contests here periodically. There are new featured shops every day...it's a very dynamic show and each shop has it's own page.

A sampling of some of the shops included--click on this image or here to take a look at my own new page! I experimented with some photo collages to illustrate my new "series" so do tell me what you think of this approach!

Have a great Sunday!!

Slightly Obsessed....

Prehnite Rondelles on a Special Chain

Rasberry Pink Quartz on a Special Chain

A sampler of some of the creations that either are or will be available in the
Special Chain series

I just love being in "the zone" where new creative ideas flow freely and am just delighted to be in this zone right now. Obsessed might be too strong a word, but this new "form" or "structure" that I've designed and developed here is just so compelling for me! (Ooops, you can see I was trained in sculpture when I use words like this to describe....a necklace!! Ha ha ha!)

But I'm enjoying this design so much as a way to sort of frame and wear a nice 3, 4 or 5 inch collection or cluster of stones or beads. You see, I collect stones and beads...have been for quite a long time, starting with the lapidary stone collection my grandfather created and that was left to me when he passed on. Sometimes, I'll look at a set of stones or a strand of beads over and over again and just cannot commit to using them, not finding the right way or place. I put them away to come back to later.

So this new design has me digging through things here, and unearthing strands that are just waiting to be used in this new way. I realize it may sound a bit lame, but I've christened this design my "Special Chain" series and I've developed a special link for it in my Etsy shop. The two stands of oxidized, then burnished, sterling silver beads function as the "special chain" that holds or hangs the stones....(sometimes, titles are really hard--I often do much better with visual explanations....which is why my blog uses photos so much!!)

Starting today, I will begin to dedicate 10 % of all my art sales to Haiti relief work. I plan to post a button over on the side bar, but it's not quite designed yet. I'll keep tabs on how this goes here on my blog and keep you all posted on what kind of success this has. A month is a pretty good stretch of time, so hopefully, sales will be OK and funds raised will be OK, too! The whole situation is currently so grim...I hope more relief can get there quickly and begin to make a difference.

And also, today, the brand new I Heart Handmade for Valentine's opens!! Pop over and have a look at all the Indie artists and artisans...do a little shopping...visit my "booth" and leave me a comment (please!!) The main home page is here and there's a button on the side bar that will be up all month....and the direct link to my own page is here....drop by soon!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

New, Beautiful Treasury & Reminders of Deadlines....

Last night, I learned that I was included in this beautiful treasury, which needs your comments a.s.a.p!

The curator was Anny of La Chiffonniere. Besides having a great eye, she creates adorable things for the home and for kids with an emphasis on recycling and upcycling! I recommend you take a look at her shop soon as she's in Quebec, Canada and if you're shopping for Christmas, you will need to order very soon!

A reminder if you're interested in getting a nice $15 credit to use in my AF or Etsy shop, today (Sunday) is the last day to enter the give-away at Cafe Handmade! Pop over here and just go for it! When I checked last night....the odds of winning are still very, very good!

And on the subject of give-aways, remember to check all these cool gift packages as there is also still time to choose 1, 2 or all three of them and enter to win!! Just click over to the prized page of "I Heart Handmade" soon! I've got a $20 credit to either of my shops included in gift package #3, f.y.i!

Have a great Sunday and thanks for stopping by!

Bits and Bobs from WillOaks Studio

Such an exciting time of year. I remember how last year, this time, as I was just barely beginning my shop on Etsy (and was basically clueless about how anything worked) I was selling well, but didn't quite know what I was doing.

This year, I have a better idea of what's what--sales are really picking up now as the holidays approach--and my time is pretty tight as I work to keep up, keep shipping, keep making--it's truly thrilling and I just love my work!

I chill periodically by enjoying all my cats and Dakota. Purrmeister really stirs things up around here and he's at least finding "accomodation" with Red Kitty. What a barrel of laughs!

I'll try to keep posting and dropping some, but there are only so many hours in a day, so please forgive me if I lapse on returning your drop or comments....I'll get back in balance soon enough because the next 2 to 3 weeks will surely fly right by!


Meanwhile, the drawing for my gift certificate held by Cafe Handmade has been posted--do drop by if you're interested as you have until Sunday to enter this drawing. And the one for I Heart Handmade, where my merchandise certificate is included in package #3, is still ongoing for a while longer!

More Chances to Win from WillOaks Studio!

White Pearl Buds with Red Garnets necklace

Espresso and Smoke Pearl necklace

OK, so you didn't win my gift certificate for naming the new kitty, but there are a couple more opportunities to try for a credit to my shop just in time for the holidays! Granted, like thinking up names for Purrmeister, you need to DO a few things to enter these drawings, but I've got such clever and intelligent readers dropping by here, I know it won't be any burden.

First visit here, the I Heart Handmade prizes page. My $20 credit (gift certificate) is part of Prize Pack 3 - "Be Dazzled" and instructions for how to enter the drawing for any of the prizes are there for you to follow! The drawing will be held 12-12-09 and so far, I think there are only about 4 entries for the package with my credit, so the odds of winning are very good! While you're there, browse all the cool shops--a huge variety--for ways to add some wonderful "Handmade" quality to your Holidays!

Next chance, going live tomorrow night, is a give-away sponsored by Cafe Handmade. This will be a $15 credit (gift certificate), also for either my Etsy or Artfire shops and in this case, you will only have from Monday night to next Sunday to enter. Here's the main page for Cafe Handmade and up at the top of the page is a link for "Giveaways" which will get you to the entry information and links.

And if all this is too much or you don't win any of these prizes...I have one more announcement which might interest some of my readers. From now through 12-15-09, I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on purchases from my Artfire shop, a savings of at least $3 per purchase.

AND any purchases made from either of my shops (Artfire or Etsy) get a special coupon worth 10% off the total of the next purchase made by 12-31-09! This coupon could be quite valuable, depending on the piece or pieces selected. So Happy Handmade Shopping for yourself and your loved ones this Holiday season! Beat the box and support American artists and artisans instead this Season! We all really appreciate your business....

Shop Handmade!

lindy grueger hanson

kopah

happyKATT

This week's prizes!

A rainy weekend in store here, so maybe it's a good time to start thinking about your gift lists for Christmas. Anyone who stops by here regularly probably knows I recommend shopping handmade. After all, there's a lot of good reasons to buy things directly from an artist, artisan and craftsman (or woman.) A few of my favorite reasons are 1.) an opportunity to find things that are truly original and unique, 2.) a way to support small scale entrepreneurs instead of the "made in China" brand, 3.) and quite possibly, a way to obtain objects that have been made with a more ecological influence, especially when compared to mass production. I trust my readers here can add many more excellent reasons to shop handmade, whenever possible....

I will put a plug in here for the show now on at I Heart Handmade, an offshoot of American Craft Guide. If you're comfortable shopping the larger handmade venues such as Etsy or Artfire--then welcome to the club!! If you're new to this approach to shopping, consider visiting one of these smaller venues, such as this, to get a feel for the kinds of wonderful, creative things that are available. There are currently about 31 artists showing here, so perhaps it won't be quite as overwhelming as some of the larger sites.

And if you'd like a bit of inspiration to further your "treasure hunt," do check into the prizes offered here, which change weekly. Yes, you need to work a bit to enter (see local instructions) but hey, that's the price of "free!"

I tend to keep my eyes on artists' who make paintings, prints and photographs, as you may have noticed. But by using categories, including but not limited to, children's clothes, home wares, wearable art, jewelry, fashion, beauty products, etc. a full range of works for nearly any need and taste, is just waiting to be discovered. Go ahead--poke around a little. Bookmark pieces that catch your eye, in case you decide you want to backtrack later. Consider it some very comfortable "window shopping" without driving or getting rained on. Go ahead and feed your soul with beautiful things...even if you're just looking. Have a lovely weekend, even if you are having cold, rainy weather like we are!

(I forgot to mention-just click on an image for link to the page...and on their page, you can find links to their shops, including a selection of a few items of the many that are available.)

"I Heart Handmade" - Week 2

I seem to be out of synch with my Etsy Blogger post (below) because there's actually a different blog and artist currently being featured this month, but for some reason, my widget here isn't up to date. Well, I'm brand new at the Etsy Blogger team so it may take awhile to get the hang of it! Although my posting is "out of date" with the "blogger of the month," I like Edi's work, her shop and her blog, so I'll leave it here for viewing, and move on to another Monday feature that I started last week, namely, the "I Heart Handmade" show!

Have any of you purchased any of the delicious looking handmade edibles through Etsy or Artfire yet? I confess I haven't but when I look at some of the photos and read the descriptions, I am so-o-o-o tempted. Case in point. Nicole's Homemade Treats featured here in the "I Heart Handmade" for Fall. A look at her treats, like these truffles, sent me scurrying over to her Etsy shop to see what else she had available and m-m-m-m, looks like a liberal use of chocolate which is ALWAYS a big hit with me! Another plus - she uses organic ingredients AND eco-friendly products and packaging. I may finally have to succumb to temptation....do take a peek and see what I'm talking about!

And continuing the overview of the whole I Heart Handmade show, here is a look at another collection of the shops, artisans and artists who are included this month. There's so much variety and choice here...how about some early holiday shopping, anyone?

Finally, I'd like to highlight another of my new Fall pieces, included in my display in the "I Heart Handmade" show, and currently available in my Etsy shop. This season, I'm enchanted with this neck piece structure that I designed to be adjusted to suit different necklines and to showcase beautiful collections of natural stones.

This labradorite version is one of my more "deluxe" interpretations. An amazing collection of faceted teardrops was hand selected to be graduated in size. It took me quite awhile to collect enough different strands of "raw beads" in different sizes with the faceted teardrop shape to achieve this arrangement. Just over 9" of teardrops are strung on silver plated braided steel beading cable, and then linked to a sterling silver chain and lobster clasp that I have oxidized. More labradorite gems are incorporated as links and as a final dangle from the chain. This piece can be adjusted from a longer length of 23" to as short a choker as is desired, in order to work with the neckline of the day, making it really versatile. I just love labradorite. I'm fascinated by the colored flashes that play against the more neutral base color of gray and grayish brown.

If you like labradorite, too, keep an eye on my shops as I've got a number of new pieces that feature this beautiful semi-precious gem on my workbench now. Meanwhile, have a wonderful week!

Prizes, Shops, New Pieces

How about trying for a freebie? A prize or two? The "I Heart Handmade" show is really the place to try for pretty cool, handmade beauties donated by artists whose shops are included. Through Friday, 9-26, enter to win this pair of earrings and bag, and it's really easy to enter. Click the photo to get more details. New give-aways will be listed weekly and possibly more often--stay tuned!
And while you're visiting, take a look at this lovely group of shops that you will find represented at the new show. This is less than half of them--there's a lot to see! Click on this photo to go to the front page of the I Heart Handmade show, where you'll find links to the different artists. I'll be showing and highlighting more but didn't want to overwhelm you all at once!

Finally, I got so busy with floors and other info I didn't mention that I've completed and posted a number of my own new neck pieces for Fall during the past few days. I chose this one to talk about first. It features the soft, misty colors of the ocean side with mixed shades of aqua (or seafoam.) Freshwater pearls mixed with Aquamarine are used to frame an amazing focal point of "ocean jasper" with natural colors and markings that look as lovely as a watercolor painting...done by Mother Nature herself!

This necklace is long--nearly 50"--and can be used three different ways--hanging very long; worn doubled; or tripled as shown in the photo (I love chokers...but really, it's the outfit and the neckline that help me decide what necklace is best on a given day.)

Mention my blog if you purchase this necklace, and I'll add a pair of coordinated earrings for free--for pierced ears, but could be adapted for clip-ons.

More on my new floor soon...it's almost finished!

Grand Opening - I Heart Handmade for Fall

Have you ever wandered through an arts and crafts fair, stopping at eye-catching booths, exchanging a few words with the artists there, shopping for yourself or loved ones, and just enjoying the browse? Well, thanks to the very creative folks from Indie Handmade, it's now possible to browse such a show right online, from the comfort of your computer chair...heck, in pajamas, if you like!

The difference is, this show will last for 4 whole weeks AND, some very special prizes and other fun things will be happening over this period. But first things first. Because you're starting here at MY little blog....please start HERE to take a peek at my "booth" first.

OK? How did you like it? Well, it will be changing and new pieces will be added regularly over the exhibition...so I hope you'll check back now and then. Plus, and this is just a special favor I'm asking my blog readers...each time you visit the show from my blog, I'm earning a credit. If I happen to get the most "referrals" (credits) during the show--these will help me win a valuable prize: a whole YEAR of "I Heart Handmade" booths for 2010!!

So be sure to visit and visit often....there will be so much to see and do! The "front page" of the show will change almost every day as new prizes and specials are announced, as new shops are added to the show, and as different shops are featured on the front page.

And then, as you visit the individual shops here, you are invited to leave comments for the artists...and if I know my regular blog visitors...you will probably have many excellent things to say, which speaking as an artist, can really make our day!! Naturally, all things at the show are available for purchase--in fact, each photo links directly to each artist's shop to keep this easy and hassle free.

We'll be talking a bit more about the wonders and virtues of handmade versus commercial products here during the show. And I hope you see new artists that you like and new art, crafts, and handmade products that you just can't resist.