Jewelry Affaire

I love surprises.

A beautiful little muslin bag tied together tightly.

Covered with vintage bits of lace

and

topped with a steel cut rhinestone button.

Inside you will find a cuff.

Romancing the Cuff

I am so excited to be have this design included 

and be a part of the latest issue of Jewelry Affaire, 

 which actually hit the newsstands on April 1st.

These romantic cuffs have a soft leather base, 

and have been a consuming passion of late.

I taught this technique at an evening class at Adorn Me! 2011.

Remember the photos here?

I sewed a large group of them to sell at Marburger.

This isn't all, just the ones that made it back home =)

I have had inquiries about selling a kit (even before Adorn Me!), 

so one of the things I have worked on this week was making that happen.

I (will) have the tutorials available on my Etsy Shop here.

Several examples are (and will be) posted for you to choose from.

Here is what you will receive:

A detailed tutorial, which I will send in pdf format,

2 cuff templates,

a soft piece of leather (you choose the color)

 vintage lace, tulle, recycled sari silk ribbon, a charm, an elastic closure,

and either a vintage button or rhinestone button.

You get to choose the type of button (either will be vintage), 

which will determine the price.

$32 shipping for a kit with vintage rhinestone button (No.1 and 2)

$30 + shipping for a kit with vintage button (No. 3 and 4)

You can add any additional bits & pieces that you might like & have 

when you receive your kit.

It is up to you....as it is your cuff.

I will be adding some different kits in the future, but for now these are the choices.

They are just samples, as each one WILL be different

but just as close as I can get to what you see.

While in Warrenton, Riki and I shopped at the lace ladies booth in the Rose of Texas Field, which is behind the Legal Tender Saloon (where my daughter and I eat every time we go to the festival).

This lady comes in from Oklahoma.  We stayed in her booth for at least an hour (or more)

looking and digging through her goodies.

Then, Riki took some of the other girls back there later that weekend.

 She had MOUNDS of lace, tulle, tatting, buttons and more.

And, guess what?  

I haven't even tapped into any of what I bought and brought home from her.

If you'd like the tutorial only it will be $12 in my shop on Etsy.

This latest cuff has a great vintage charm AND a rhinestone button. $48

It is one I've made in preparation for the Art Walk, and is the one I made as a demo for my tutorial.

The Art Walk is a juried art show I am once again honored to be a part of 

in Fayetteville, Texas.  It is a great show, and Fayetteville is located in such a beautiful part of Texas, just down (or up) the road from Warrenton and Round Top.  

The show is for two days, Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1. 

I have been on such a fast track since Marburger, I haven't gotten all my photos posted 

from that time.

We had such a great week and a half, shopping and visiting with Riki, 

my daughter, AND my husband.

We laughed ~ a lot.  My husband was there helping me the whole time I was set up at Marburger, and for that I was so very thankful.

The days I spent at Marburger were long ... but very good for me.

I learned a lot.

About my set-up (thanks Riki-son), my jewelry....about myself.

 Riki and my feet after the first day of shopping in Warrenton!

My daughter, Melanie and I on the second day in Warrenton and Round Top.

 Mary, Melanie and Riki on what Melanie though

had to be the very first bike cab!  LOL.

We had a BLAST!

sweet queen

There is a lot involved when preparing to teach a class.

(More on that later).

Have to tell you, 

there is still room in the one I will be teaching in Fayetteville for ARTS this next Saturday, February 12th.  

Yes!  The Art Guild of Rural Texas has a new name.  

So new it hasn't yet been updated on their website.

If you live in Texas, and you haven't decided what you ♥ for Valentine's Day, 

this would be a treat!

I bet your loved one would really appreciate the suggestion!

The class will be great fun, very relaxed and in a beautiful gallery setting.

Just the thing to get your creative juices flowing...

It did mine...as I finished another class example.

smitten

Torn & Tattered Bags
aka
Etched & Layered Cuff Bags

**********
I finished the class bags last night.
My newest line of cuffs come in these delicate little muslin bags.
I design each one differently, adding torn vintage lace & netting, satin bits & pieces, then most often finished with a gorgeous vintage rhinestone or mother of pearl button.
I thought my students would appreciate finding some of their class supplies in one.
When they finish their cuff on Saturday, they too will have one to keep their precious piece of jewelery inside.

Etching is quite an art.
I have worked on my own style.
I call this my damask etch. I think you can see why.
It is where I add just a kiss of texture to the metal.

But, once oxidized, the gorgeous texture I applied with etching, really shines.
These are two class examples. The befores.
I want students to see the cuff before we begin adding the layers.
I am always amazed at what beauty lies before me.
You can see some of the afters right over to the left in my slide show.
Yes, I am smitten.

imprints on my heart

Look what came home with me from San Antonio!
My daughter found it under her carport. This is surely a sign of love. She is so very allergic to wasp bites, and is deathly afraid of anything that even looks like a wasp or bee.
She picked it up for me. Isn't that real love?

*************************
Just this morning I was listening to the radio....the speaker said something that's struck a cord in my very soul. She said there are things that happen very early in our life that will put an imprint on our heart. It will give us a direction. It causes us to react or not react.
It will case us to walk a certain path.
I am sure of it.
***************************
AND
You know how much I love chandeliers.
I saw some of the most beautiful ones ever at Marburger Farms.

Photos to follow after the weekend,
as I have been oh so busy preparing for the second class I'm teaching for
The Art Guild of Rural Texas
called
Etched & Layered Jewelry
There are still a few spots open.
Won't you join us?

walk the walk

"Road to Fayetteville"

The first weekend of May I participated in the Fayetteville Art Walk. It is a juried show which for the second time, I had the honor of being a part of.

It was also my first opportunity to use my new banner, which I am so in love with.
(I even had a customer ask if he could take a picture of it Susie!)
I am so pleased with how it turned out, and it hung so perfectly at the back of my tent.
The weather had been threatening rain every day heading into the show, so we were really biting our nails hoping the clouds wouldn't crack open until after the weekend's event. Turns out we had two days of mostly overcast weather, which was great, but wow....the humidity!
Sunday was simply the best.
I have come to know, and should have way before now, that if one day is not that great, then the next seems to make up for it double time. It did, once again.....on Sunday.
I left that weekend with very tired feet but smiling happily to myself, thankful for new friendships, and so very happy to come home with a little lighter load than when I left.
This little etched & layered cuff came home with me.
I am so in love with etching. It is by no means a walk in the park, but the results far outweigh the steps to get there.
(I am teaching this class in Fayetteville, at the art guild, on May 22nd.
There is still room. For more details, look on my left margin).

I remember exactly where I found the gorgeous vintage art deco brooch I used in this piece. It was lying in one of the large glass jewelry cases that stands in the front of Uncommon Objects in Austin. This store is so chic and so organized that all their vignettes are color coordinated. So, yes, even the jewelry in their cases are coordinated, which makes for quite a display.One of the nicest surprises I had that day, was when I looked up and saw this lady walking into my booth. I knew her. "Are you Annie?", I asked. She said, "Yes!"
It was indeed Annie Lockhart.
I jumped up, ran around the table, and we hugged like we had known each other for years! It is just that way isn't it? We read about each others lives so much, that we come to know each other way before we may actually meet. It was a great surprise to have her and a friend stop by and visit. She has a beautiful spirit about her. We didn't get to talk near enough, but I believe one day we will meet again.
I just know it.
I also had the pleasure to meet Deb Taylor. She is quite the spunky lady! I didn't get a picture of us together, and I am so sorry I didn't. She and I visited several times during the weekend, and even did a little tradin'. She and her partner own a gorgeous B&B in Round Top, and she is quite the artist/photographer.There were 65 artists represented in this 11th annual event.

I used my vintage card rounder for the first time. I picked it up from a vendor outside of Cole's in Warrenton this Spring. I think I paid $16 for it. Quite the bargain! I love how it sits on top of my table and can easily spin around. It holds my earrings perfectly. I think I will dig out my grandmother's old wooden clothes pins to use as clips next time.

I can't begin to tell you how soothing it was to hear the beautiful harp music each morning.
The notes seemed to float thru the air like butterflies. And, I have been sewing!
I am smitten with all the vintage lace, netting, ribbon, tatting, silk and buttons I scooped up in Warrenton and Marburger Farms. Remember in the previous post where I told you about the bag full lying on my studio floor? Well, it has slowly been landing on top of pieces of soft leather and is now part of my romantic line of cuffs.Yes, there was also lots of great food, including a sea of pies being served by the famous Royers Round Top Cafe. I managed to resist this time.
But a piece of it really looks good right about now....

What a wonderful day or two!

This historic precinct courthouse stands in the middle of the town square in beautiful Fayetteville, Texas. The square is also the location of the Texas Pickin Park. And, during the antique festival, Fayetteville is included in places to shop.

Last weekend the square was home to 52 artists, brought here by the Art Guild of Rural Texas. It was the guild's 10th Annual Fayetteville Art Walk. I was blessed to be a part of it. Here are a few pictures of my table set up.

My husband and I are always fascinated by the number of people who come into my booth and pick up the props! I always use some of my antique finds, such as the vintage door knob bought in Warrenton; and a leather magazine carrier and briefcase I bought in Katy during the City Wide Garage Sale. And, I've gotten some beautiful vintage silver spoons from Nothing Ordinary, which have now found their way on my table. " Layered Metals"

The park is home to many old pecan trees which surround the entire courthouse. The reflection of these beauties in one of my antique mirrors, brought back memories of my home in nearby New Ulm. " Ice Princess"

One of the pieces for sale, was this necklace I made with a chandelier crystal bought at the antique festival in April. The facets of this crystal are just slightly different from the ones I've used in the past. I also added faceted and nugget crystal quartz, along with Swarovski rondells. $108

"Smokey Quartz Dangles"

These dangles are also still available. I used larger faceted drops of smokey quartz and oxidized sterling silver wire. $46

I must say the art guild treated the artists with a wonderful reception on Saturday evening, along with 14 different awards. The members came around to our booths each morning with rolls and kolaches, and with cold bottled water several times a day.

It was an exceptional show, and I commend them for a job well done.