A Happy Year to You!

The New Year starts tomorrow.  I am like many other folks who cannot believe how quickly 2012 flew by.

One of the things I did this past year, and that will pay off in 2013, is start participating more in supplier blogs and contests.  One site I’ve been following is the Fusion Beads blog, http://fusionbeadsblog.com/  The folks there are full of interesting tips and ideas and run many contests for their readers.  One of the contests I entered was for free gemstone beads, which I won!  Here’s the link for the details and winner’s announcement:

http://fusionbeadsblog.com/2012/12/07/semi-precious-gemstones-giveaway/

My prize package arrived in the mail today.  I decided I needed to document my journey with these gems.  Here are the first pictures.  I am so excited!

The Arrival

First Layer Inside

Packed in lovely velvet bags

All the beads, safely packaged

Sent with a charming note

I am looking forward so very much to creating something pretty with these beads.  They are like an unexpected Christmas gift!  I'll let you know when the first item is ready.  In case I forget in the meantime keep an eye out on my store:

http://www.BijouxGemsJoy.artfire.com

As always your feedback is gratifying.  Thanks for reading

Merry Christmas

To each and every one I wish a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  I hope you have the opportunity to be together with your loved ones to celebrate.  If you aren’t able to get together do keep in touch. 

Thank you all for your support and patronage over the past year.  As I continue down this journey of artistic exploration I look forward to and appreciate your feedback.  My store location:

http://www.BijouxGemsJoy.artfire.com

Let me know your experience at my store.  I am working on making it better and better so your feedback would be wonderful

Thanks for reading

Ornament Fun

Here’s something fun I came across today:

Artisans love to participate in these events, where each makes an item based on the rules of the challenge.  The contributions that meet the requirements are posted on the participating blogs with the details that allow readers to “hop” from one blog to the next to view all the creations.  Check out these Christmas ornaments and see what you think.  ABS holds a challenge every month.  What a lot to organize!  I admire their dedication.

http://www.artbeadscene.blogspot.ca/2012/12/ornament-blog-hop.html

Christmas themed jewellery has been my focus the last little while.  Here are a couple.  Come visit my shop to see more:

P.S.  Let me know your experience at my store.  I am working on making it better and better so your feedback would be wonderful

Thanks for reading

Christmas Time

It's my second favourite time of year.  Like I mentioned before, I’m a northern girl.  Winter there was impressive!  Think Buffalo last year but drop the temperature by 12-15 degrees celcius.  Actually, maybe not actually my second favourite time of year… 

Christmas is still pretty special though, more for the joy it brings people, the lights and the sounds.  At this time of year I hope you and your family are well and will have the chance to be together.  If you are looking for that special something please visit my store.  It’s newly opened, with many items still to be loaded.  I hope you will find something that would please someone special.

http://www.BijouxGemsJoy.artfire.com

Let me know your experience at my store.  I am working on making it better and better so your feedback would be wonderful.

A sneak peak at some of the items still to be posted:

Something I am doing is trying to bring comfort to those less fortunate.  As best as we could, we've raised our children to think of others and the easiest way to do so is to "lead by example".  No gesture is too small.  I hope you'll consider doing the same.  

Thanks for reading

Fall Colours

I love fall.  It's my favourite time of year.  I was born and raised in northern Ontario where a hot summer hovers around 21-22 Celcius, and humidity was rare.  At least they used to. 

I love the days now when the air is clear and temperature hovers around that old northern Ontario high.  And the colours!  Wow!  Every day I get to see beautiful hues of red, orange, yellow, bright and deep greens.  And there are still summer colours around.  The Oestospernum in my front yard are still blossoming in pretty shades of white to purples.  These are daisy like flowers with very full multiple stemmed plants.

The family has been busy working away on that back deck.  It has been a season long project with lots still to do.  The only problem with taking so long is that the layout has changed a few times, hopefully for the better.

Speaking of beautiful fall colours, here's one of my favourite pieces.  It fits right in.

Thanks for reading

Butterfly Wings

Happiness is like a butterfly.  The more you chase it, the more it will elude you.  But, if you turn your attention to other things, it comes softly and sits on your shoulder.

^Anonymous

That’s the way it is with jewellery design too.  I’ve been churning something special over and over in my mind and haven’t quite been able to put the vision into form. Until now.  Finally!

Something special for a special purpose.  Now, comes the hard part, taking it from vision to reality.  When the time is right I will let you know all about it.

Until then, I hope you have a chance to experience the joy of butterflies.

The veins of the Monarch butterfly's wings give them structure and support, just as bones give structure to humans.

Source:  monarchwatch.org

Thanks for reading

Happy Canada Day!

Okay so I’m a couple of days late.  I hope you enjoyed your Canada Day weekend as much as we did.  In fact, it’s been a great few weeks here. 

We started with high school graduation for our youngest.  Does it make me feel old?  Not a chance!  After all, I am only 29 again.  Her brother surprised her by renting a car and driving over from Waterloo where he’s doing a co-op work session.  Happy girl, but wow, incredibly nervous.  Happy parents.  Happy brother.

A few months ago we decided to make some changes to our back deck.  The poor thing has been slowly falling apart no matter how many years in a row the stain has been renewed.  Rot has set it and replacement is needed.  The time since was spent planning the layout, picking the materials to use, changing the plan, starting the teardown and changing the plan again. 

The last modification was a pleasant surprise.  Yeah!  Turns out the framing is still in good condition.  We don’t have to start from the beginning!  Pictures to come soon.

I am looking forward to Kempenfest, August 4 – 6, 2012, in Barrie on the waterfront.  Follow this link to get all the details:  http://www.kempenfest.com

Until then, some pretty things to keep the excitement up:

I Have Been Remiss

Wow!  I can't believe how time continues to fly on me.  My first two shows for this year completed already.  These are also my first outdoor shows so it has definitely been a learning experience.  I was so busy I didn't have time to take pictures or do much shopping myself.

Oh well, here's looking forward to more adventures.  Next show is Kempenfest in Barrie the long weekend in August.

Here's some pretty things to wet your appetite until then:

 

Thanks for reading

Busy Weeks

I can't believe two weeks have just flown by.  I swear I just blinked since last post! 

Prom was the big event in our house two weeks ago.  Our youngest officially finishes grade 12 this month.  (She’s going back in September because there are some more courses she wanted but couldn’t get before.  But that’s another story.)

Getting the right dress was a big deal of course.  She found one in one of her favourite colours – Teal!  You wouldn’t think that teal would be a teenager’s pick but there you go…  And this girl has black hair with streaks of red framing her face.  Here’s a close up of the colour:

Her dress is strapless with a sweetheart neckline and I had the perfect necklace for it.

It's a double strand woven necklace with Carnelian beads and Rice Pearls dyed steel blue, 18 inches long.  It looked perfect on her.  Proud mom or what?

The next week was full of charity walks for Relay for Life and chauffering for Anime North, a huge convention for all fans of anime stories, games, characters, etc.

Last minute preparation is underway for this weekend's show, first one for this season.  See details here:  http://www.icecorp.org/#!events/vstc2=summerfest Here are some more samples of work that will be available at the show.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at the show

It occurred to me that today's post has the first samples of my creations, an oversight on my part soon to be rectified.  I'm working on a new website, and will post all the details soon.

Thanks for reading

A beautiful weekend

Was that not an amazing long weekend?  Here in the GTA we were very lucky with the weather.  Clear blue skies, warm temperatures, very warm actually, but with evenings that cooled down nicely.  Couldn’t have been better!

I took advantage of Mother Nature and did a trial set up of my show tent.  I’m still waiting for my new signs but doesn’t it look great?

I decided that the front wall needs to be rolled up out of the way and will have to make sure that’s done during set up for this year’s first show, in 2 ½ weeks at Innisfil Summerfest, at Innisfil Beach Park, on Lake Simcoe just south of Barrie.  Show hours are

Friday June 8                 5:00pm to Dusk

Saturday June 9 10:00am to Dusk

Sunday June 10 10:00am to 5:00pm

Getting back to the weather, Mother Nature appreciated it too from the look of these irises.  They opened up over the last day.

These trilliums and Solomon’s Seals have been blooming for a couple of weeks now.

I can’t wait for more flowers to show us their beauty.

Did you have a chance to get outside this past weekend?  At least for a little while?  I’d love to hear how you spent it.

Thanks for reading

Hello, Nice to meet you!

I am fascinated by the colours, textures and patterns found in gemstones, beads and crystal. 

In 2010 my creative side was reignited after lying dormant for several years.  The spark was a gift of a fair trade necklace and bracelet made from reclaimed glass.  It provided inspiration for a new avenue to explore and to expand artistically.  The following year was spent learning the foundational skills, exploring and developing techniques and learning from some extremely generous artisans.  Near the end of 2011, I participated in 2 one day shows, my launch into the craft show world!

I continue to learn and am actively exploring the world of metals.  I’ve concluded it will take a lifetime to begin to understand the intricacies of hand craft jewellery.

Bijoux Gems Joy carries two collections of jewellery, designed and made by me.

Treasured Collection:

– Because sometimes we need to treasure ourselves.  Jewellery in the Treasured collection is made with high quality gemstones and Swarovski crystals, sterling silver and fine silver, 14Kt gold filled and copper components, wire and chain.

Cheerful Collection:

– Because sometimes we just want to have fun.  Jewellery in the Cheerful collection is made with glass and Lucite beads and gemstones, silver plate, brass, copper and gunmetal components, wire and chain.

This year I’ve submitted to a half dozen shows and am already confirmed for 4 of them.  Yoohoo!

Come and visit me and all the other wonderful artisans who will be participating.  I’m excited to meet everyone and share my love of jewellery and the craft.