Emily and Eden: October 2011

Friday, October 28, 2011

Artisan Clay Fashion Show

Instead of the regular Artisan Clay Design Team Last Friday of the Month post we are having an Artisan Clay Fashion Show! We are showcasing the work of Kristie Roeder in jewelry. The best part? You can join in. Visit the Artisan Clay blog and add the link to your blog post featuring Artisan Clay components used in jewelry to the linky.

Here are some of the pieces I have made using Kristie's components.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll check out the other participating blogs.
EDIT: I forgot to add that if you stop over to Kristie's blog and leave a comment which focal was you favorite from all the participating blogs you will be entered to win a component of Kristie's from my friend Staci's personal collection.

~Shannon

Monday, October 24, 2011

Art Bead Scene Challenge October

I have been saying I wanted to participate in the Art Bead Scene Challenges but I am always too late. Inspiration takes me a while sometimes and by the time I have been inspired by something, find the beads, find the time to make the piece, photograph the piece, edit the pictures, post them to Flickr and write a blog post about it it's too late and I missed the chance. Not this month!
I am sliding in just under the wire this time. The posts and pics are due the 26th and it's the 24th!
Here is the picture that inspired me:

A Hedgehog in a Landscape, 1643-51

9¼ x 15 in. 23.5 x 38 cm. bodycolor on vellum

by Giovanna Garzoni

Click on the picture to read more about it and the artist.

Here is the necklace I made from this inspiration.

The focal is an etched copper leaf which I made, I also made the clasp.

The other beads are from Gaea Cannaday who's work you are used to seeing in my pieces.

There are also leopardskin jasper in matte and shiny, and crystals in rondelle and round shapes.
These beads are all knotted onto 3 strand of waxed linen to give the overall effect of a branch.

I was very inspired by this challenge and was tempted to buy a Hedgie bead and go all out but I like what I came up with, I think it is a subtle nod to the piece while still being "me". It's a long necklace, reaching almost all the way to my stomach, perfect for my favorite fall wardrobe-knee boots, jeans and a sweater :-)

Thank you for stopping by my blog and be sure check out Art Bead Scene to check out the rest of the entries.
~Shannon

Monday, October 17, 2011

Hang Tags

I don't know if you remember the post where I showed off my new logo and branding?

Well my mini moo's came in and my wonderful husband (the Birthday Boy10/18) punched holes in the entire pack, I tied ribbons onto the entire pack and now I have my very own, super duper awesome hang tags.

There is plenty of room for a price tag and description and they look professional and cohesive. I am super thrilled.

I am ready for my close up

Look at all that room to write

Here they are on some bracelets

What do you think?
I know they are awesome aren't they ;-)
Thanks for the visit, have a piece of Birthday cake while you're here!
~Shannon

Sunday, October 16, 2011

I am the Worst Mama Ever

I want to say thanks to everyone that visited my button post and left a comment.
I am really busy (will get to that later) so I may not get around to responding to everyone's e-mail till later in the week.

Why are you so busy Shannon?

Well thanks for asking, I am so busy because, get this: A store in my area requested that I come in tomorrow to show them my work! Holy Moly! I almost died when she said she wanted to see me and my work as soon as possible for holiday shopping. Once I beat back the fear monger panic set in. I am working on an open house for the salon, working in the salon (I own the shop and do nails 30+ hrs a week), trying to prepare my house for the holidays (occupancy really we are under construction), move my craft supplies into the spare bedroom, organize said supplies, take 2 e-courses, make more jewelry for Bliss in Sugar Loaf, NY, make more jewelry for the salon, make more etched copper for sale, oh yeah and be a wife and mother.
To say that I am tired is an understatement. I am sure most are rolling their eyes because they do all this while standing on 1 foot, juggling 4 kids as a single mother, working full time and feeding the homeless. I however am not a super hero and get tired. I am tired all the time lately. I am sure it is hormones, being overweight or just being so stressed but it stinks. I always say that I could get so much more done if I didn't need sleep.

Now onto why I am the worst mama.
I thought I was doing everything right. I had a natural birth, breastfed, made my own baby food, I tried cloth diapers (just ewww), we limit tv, and sugar, and read no less than 10 book a day.

The other night while my daughter and I were playing with her piano I wanted a turn to show her how it worked. It has a light that you follow to play a "real" song. Okay well miss Emily didn't want me to have a turn and pushed me out of the way. So I said "you're no fun."

You would have thought I told her I was never going to see her again, ever. She started crying, no scratch that, sobbing. Hysterically. Uncontrollably. Sobbing. My heart broke. I said I am sorry in every way I know how. I said I didn't mean it. I explained why I said it. I told her I'd give her a cupcake if she forgave me. Yes, that worked.
Today, 3 days later, while she was playing with her dolls her Mama doll told her Emily doll that she was no fun.

Ugh, kid you're killing me.

~Shannon

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Button Crazy

After having done a couple button hops I am obsessed with buttons. I love them.
Today hubby, daughter and I went to the Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY.
We had so much fun walking around, looking at yarn, seeing all the sheep, alpacas and lamas, eating great fair food and shopping. For buttons.
I wanted to share with you the buttons and lampwork spacers I bought from 4 lovely artists.

Jennie Lanners
www.jenniethepotter.com

So Cute!

Melissa Jean Design
www.melissajean.net

How awesome is this stash?! I love that copper color and the leaf shape.

Shipyard Point Glassworks
www.spglassworks.com

Liz Cocco & Noel Becker
www.kokonoelle.com
-I grabbed these leaf beads the second I saw her booth. See that tin? It's all taped up. Yep, surprise buttons. I couldn't wait to get home and see them.

12 Buttons in that little tin!

Closer :-)

My Favorite!

EDIT 5:45AM: I totally just realized that that last button shot is a totally cool Macro photo.
Want to see what everyone else took Macro shots of this week? Check out:

Thanks for checking out my goodies!
What did you do today?
I'd love to hear, leave a comment.
Shannon

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Lima Bead's Challenge Reveal Day

Welcome to the reveal day of the Lima Bead's Challenge.

For those that didn't see the original post (click here) for this challenge my friend Lorelei Eurto and I picked some beads from LimaBeads.com. Lima Beads offered these kits for sale on their website (they sold out in like 24 hours!) and anyone who bought the kit was to make something with the beads. You could add your own beads, focal, whatev. we just did this for fun :-)

Beads in kit

So here's what I made with our huge stash of beads, seriously there were a lot of beads in that kit! I am working on a 3rd piece and hoped to have it done but a busy week at the salon, a wedding, teething toddler who refuses to nap and a hurt shoulder got in the way of finishing it :-( Bad hostess. I hope to get it done on Sunday or Monday and I will post picks when I do. It has those Biwa stick pearls in it.

Anyway, on to what I DID make.

A necklace. In it I used basically every bead in the kit. I couldn't help it, they all looked so good together. I also made my own focal by taking the filigree from the kit and layering it with another Vintaj filigree piece and a blank which I altered.

A bracelet. For the bracelet I used the ribbon and the chain from the kit then added teardrop seed beads, wood beads, fire polished glass, a lampwork bead from Genea Beads and a ceramic bead from MaryAnn Carroll.

Now hopefully the linky is working and you can add your blog to the hop so I/we can check out what you made. I hope everyone had fun with this challenge, I hope it stretched you outside of your comfort zone. I know they always make me work outside my box and this one was no different, even though I helped pick the beads.
Thanks for participating and for hopping along :-)
~Shannon

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Earring Swap Reveal Day

Hello and welcome to earring swap reveal day.

This swap was organized by the lovely Diana P. of Suburban Girl Studio.
I read about the swap on facebook (I am on it way too much) and had to run to Diana's blog to check it out. It sounded like fun, sight unseen earrings? Sign me up :-)

My partner Holly of Silver Rose Designs is someone whose work I admire and she is just a sweetheart. Always ready with a kind word or helping hand.

I loved her little gift box. It was so thoughtfully put together: