Monthly Winner and Other Ramblings

A bouquet for your wrist and a smile for your heart…
I had a wonderful compliment on one of these new bracelets from a customer. She said, " It makes me smile every time I look at it"...that is what I call a success!
I am absolutely convinced that once these bracelets really hit the streets, I won’t be able to keep up making them. That wouldn’t bother me a bit as I have so much fun creating them! In order to really get them out there, I have decided to run a short term 30% off sale on them. And because it is a pain to separate them I have all the bracelets at the same discount, lucky you. Enjoy!
The winner for this month’s free drawing is Tonya! Congratulations Tonya! I hope you enjoy the gift I am sending you.
I am beginning to get orders already for the winter hats! I had a lady contact me with an order for 3 of them and here we are in May…well, nearly June but you get the point. I am also talking with some local boutiques and the local jewelry store has taken them as well as the felted clutches. The gallery who featured me last month has decided to buy outright rather than consign which is so much easier for me. She sold many of the ones she had and is buying the rest as well as more on the website. That says a lot as far as confidence goes. I think at this point I will forgo consignment, I am just too busy!
The summer hats did not go so well so I am donating them all at the end of the month. I hate to see them without a head in them, they are so cute!
I hope you are all enjoying the Spring, I am looking forward to Summer as it is still a bit chilly here in Waterville, Maine!

Gifts to make you smile!

Gifts to make you smile!
The old days and ways of making jewelry have certainly changed in the past few years. I love the "anything goes" philosophy of creation! The only limit is my imagination and willingness to explore.
One thing that really helped me get out the box was the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I was very conservative in my approach for the first several years I was making jewelry. Then slowly I began to branch. Not everything has worked but when one of my customers said to me: "Every time I look at it (bracelet) I smile". I knew at that moment I was on the right track. This series is not to be taken seriously! It is not for an evening at the Opera. They are however, a LOT of fun to wear. Some of my customers have purchased colors they have never worn then went shopping for an outfit to match. What a wonderful applaud that is.
The more I learn the more fun I have and the harder it is to come out of my studio. I learned how to do macramé and along with my other techniques I am making these bracelets. They are such an amusement! Even the shopping for these is a lot of fun. I look for anything interesting…different colors of course and different shapes, textures and materials. I love to incorporate genuine gemstones into them when I can and sometimes even pearls! It is such a pleasure watching these evolve. They seem to take on their own direction. Often, in fact more often than not, they take a turn in a way I had not predicted.
I will get back to the more conservative soon I suppose with the changing of the seasons. For now though, I am having a blast.

Metal Sensitivity

Do you or someone you know have sensitive skin? Does even the finest gold or silver turn your skin colors? Does your sensitivity only apply to plated metals? Are you fearful of the metals containing lead and seeping into your skin? Lots of people have allergies or sensitivities to metals and have trouble wearing jewelry they love but there is an answer! You can wear the latest styles and be free from rashes, itching, fear and more.
Check out all the wonderful macramé jewelry. Now, before you shutter from visions of giant owls with huge jeweled eyes staring down at you, listen up! What I am talking about is micro-macramé. Same knots, to be certain…those are eternal but wait until you see what’s being done with them. Rather than using large ropes and thick cords there are many of us designing jewelry using thread and small cord such as Irish linen. The possibilities are nearly limitless. I have even done some with pearls and other gemstones. In fact, most of my micro-macramé pieces do contain genuine gems! How exciting is that?
Take a look at this photo…fun isn’t it? This just gives you an idea what can be done. Of course, smaller scale can be done as well if you prefer the more classic look. The point is that many of us are designing jewelry with those of you in mind who cannot wear all the beautiful trinkets that fill the jewelry store shelves.
Check out your local jewelry store. Many of them have realized the desire for handmade, local jewelry over the imported stuff that fills the malls. My local jeweler took a chance on me a few years ago and she has been very pleased, not to mention successful. There were several months last year that the only sales made were my designs! She has half the store filled with local designers, the other half remains the typical, everybody has one items. You can guess which side does better.
You can also shop online for artisan created jewelry. The choices are infinite. Happy shopping!!

The Patriot

Celebrate your patriotism on the 4th of July or any day of the year. Made like my garden series but in red, white and blue, this bracelet contains lampwork, snow quartz, Czech, vintage and contemporary Lucite, and some non-tarnish silver tornado beads I twisted up. It has a red star button for a clasp.

Each bead and gem is individually knotted in a core of waxed Irish linen with coordinated threads for a lifetime of wear making this series perfect for every day or any day when you just need a smile.
See this and many more at www.divelladelights.com

Wrist Corsage

A bouquet for your wrist and a smile for your heart…
In this garden created in sunny yellows, scrumptious purples and lively greens you will find treasures such as genuine faceted Amethyst, Artisan created Lampwork, Vintage and Contemporary Lucite leaves, Czech glass, Golden Opalite, and Swarovski carefully woven together with the bright yellow button to a length of 7 inches.
Each bead and gem is individually knotted in a core of waxed Irish linen with coordinated threads for a lifetime of wear making this series perfect for every day or any day when you just need a smile.

Armed Forces Day

For those who do so much for all of us...Thank you for your service, past and present! Please enjoy 50% off your entire order this weekend if you serve in the military. E-mail me your rank and I will give you the password! http://www.divelladelights.com

Carousal Series, a banquet for your wrist
I have a new design to show you and one in the works. This was inspired by Stephanie Sersich from her book ‘ Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads’ although I have made a few changes in that I use different stringing material and I use a lot of gemstone rather than making it all lampwork. I am calling it the Carousal Series. I am working on some fulled beads and discs for a fiber version. I hope you will come by and check it out in a few days.
The beads I make with the wool are fulled by hand and they take a few days to dry completely so I am hold with those but in the meantime I ham having a lot of fun making the gemstone variety.
I have spent this spring learning some new techniques and mixing up with my old ones and am having lots of fun doing it. I like using all the leaves and flowers, it reminds me of a beautiful English garden
As always if you see a design and would prefer it in a different color, just ask!

Hand-Made Hostess Gift

Hand-Made Hostess Gifts:
Sometimes coming up with an appropriate Hostess Gift is difficult at best. If they drink wine I can make some of those adorable wine glass charms with a theme to match a home or if it is a single woman I can make some sort of jewelry. If however, it is a couple and they don’t drink wine, as is the case with my brother and sister-in-law then those gifts are not appropriate. I wanted to come up with something for the home and I wanted it to be hand-made.
My sister-in-law is big on Victorian so has lots of pinks, creams and such in her décor. I make knitted hats and fulled bags in addition to my jewelry and had recently made a piece of fabric using some wool left-overs to cut flowers out of for my bags. This sparked an idea for the Hostess Gift I wanted to make.
When I got home I went to the yarn store and found some really pretty vintage rose colored wool and knit up a large piece and fulled it. I bought some creamy natural roving (unspun wool) for the needle-felting portion of the project. I thought about putting a little jeweled charm on the corner of each but decided against it because I was afraid it might scratch the wood on the tables. While the large piece was still damp I cut into 4" squares then let it dry completely.
I wanted to make them match but not exactly as is the Victorian era theme so I needle-felted hearts on each one with the cream roving making them each a little different. Then i just tied it up with a pretty satin ribbon...et voila!
I hope you like the outcome.
If you are going to make items such as these remember when you are knitting to allow for shrinkage. Generally speaking you are going to lose about 25%. The formula for that is to divide your finished size by .75. For example I wanted 4" square so I knit the fabric about 10 2/3 X 10 2/3. That gave me enough to get my coasters and trim them square. Or you could knit them at 5 1/3 each. I use a rotary cutter, which was a little pricey. If I did not have one of these I would probably make them one at a time, as scissors don’t really do a very good job.

Octopus Jewelry

I have really enjoyed creating designs using there wonderful lampwork beads by Margo Lampwork. I have sold a number of them, they are quite whimsical and a lot of fun. ! I also make jewelry with fish and lobsters with beads made by Generations Lampwork. You can visit http://www.divelladelights.com/ and check them out...unless of course they sell before you get there. But I will be posting photos of them here. The first is free form peyote stitch and has genuine pearls, amazonite and turquoise and was tons of fun although it does take some planning ahead of time. The second is a crocheted beaded necklace with genuine Pearls and Black Onyx. I had to put a photo of "Chubby" the fish from Generations Lampwork in as well...isn't he adorable? This piece is crocheted as well. I also have lots more photos, other fish pieces as well as more octopus and even some lobster designs! Please stop by and sign the guestbook at http://www.divelladelights.com/