Last Friday in September

I want to start by apologizing for being so late getting my post up. I am never late with these posts but the time seemed to get away from me and last weekend was spent with a very uncomfortable, teething toddler :-(
Thanks to help from my In-Law's and my husband I bring you my pieces for The Artisan Clay Design Team...
First up is the bracelet I made using this awesome button, leather, and polymer clay beads. My first attempt at polymer clay so go easy on me :-)

Artisan Clay Button

Polymer Clay Beads

Finished Bracelet

I love how light and easy to wear this bracelet is. I can see it with a 3/4 sleeve chunky sweater, jeans and knee boots. Which is basically my wardrobe for fall.

Next is the necklace I had in mind when I first saw that button.

An etched copper bird I made is suspended from the button by 20 gauge wire. The necklace is made up of a whole bunch of glass beads in different shapes and sizes. I love glass beads, they are so versatile. This necklace has faceted rounds, bell flowers, leaves and teardrops. Yum!

Be sure to check out the rest of the teams button designs.

Have a great weekend!
~Shannon

Business Branding

Hello Friends!

I have been thinking worrying about my business branding for a long, long time. I decided to get serious, spend a little money and a lot of time researching designers, designs and rethinking my logo.
I knew I loved my little birds. They represent my daughter and I. She has very long hair and always wears a bow 8:-)

I knew I wanted more subtle colors to go with my favorite colors, brown, green, rust, yellow.
I visited many shops on etsy until I came upon a shop Loleysco whose banner I liked (she has since changed her's) and I contacted her and asked who made her banner. To my surprise delight she responded and gave me the information I requested.
I bought a package that night from FlyBirdFlyDesigns and began a journey with Renee to create my designs.

Avatar

Banner

My New Button!

I placed my order tonight with Moo.com, I have ordered from them before and love their quality and printfinity which means you can have 50 different photos printed on the back of your cards!  I ordered large business cards with rounded corners and a different picture on the back of each one and Mini Moo's with a brown back with my name and etsy address in white. These mini's are my hang tags on my jewelry.

Business Cards

Mini Moo's, these will be hang tags!

Well, what do you think?
I am giddy with all the things I can do with these designs, my shop(s) - etsy, zibbet, my salon and Bliss- will all be cohesive. Which is so cool.
Stop by Moo.com tonight! If you do let me know I would love to see your cards.
I can't wait to show off my new packaging and plaque but you'll have to wait for all that to arrive in the mail.

Leave me a comment letting me know what you think!
~Shannon

Bead Soup Blog Hop Sept 2011

I had the pleasure of being paired with Sharon Palac of BijouxJardin.etsy.com.
The really cool part of having Sharon as a partner is that we must have been reading each others minds the day we picked beads. She and I both sent a flower and a butterfly.
Here's what I sent:

Here is what Sharon sent me:

I was able to make 3 necklaces, a bracelet and earrings with all that Sharon sent! She was very generous. My first design had all the beads in 1 necklace. I had the flower then the glass, then the butterfly, then the pearls, etc... Way too busy. So I decided to work with 1 component at a time. I started with the butterfly.

The beautiful enameled butterfly was paired with a vintage key, a chalcedony briolette, beads from Gaea Cannaday and silks from Marsha Neal. I used the clasp Sharon sent me in this necklace.

The flower came undrilled so I use my new hole punch I bought from Melinda Orr to punch a hole and then I knotted a bird from Gaea, vintaj beads and matte leopard jasper on waxed linen. I didn't use a clasp and you just slip the necklace right over your head.

I made a necklace and bracelet from the pearls, crazy lace agates, czech glass and filigree. For the bracelet I took a cue from the clasp Sharon sent me and I forged my own clasp from copper wire.

Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you will also visit my partner Sharon's blog to see what she made. I am on my way there now. Due to technical difficulties (of the 2 year old kind) I got my post don a bit late.

A HUGE thank you to Lori for making the possible!

~Shannon

The entire list is posted here: LoriAnderson's Blog

On Bronze Wings

My friend Staci of SLArtisanAccents.etsy.com and StaciLouise.etsy.com has been on a roll making THE most beautiful bronze wing sets that I have ever seen. You simply have to check them out! This is my favorite set and I think I may have to treat myself to them....

Staci sent me a few pieces to play with over the summer, a polymer clay heart and a wing.
I also purchased a beautiful coin pendant with a really cool raised design and because I was her 50th sale she sent me a beautiful Wing and Moon Baby pendant!

I made a necklace with the heart but I sent it to a magazine and am waiting to hear back from them. I have an idea for the other pieces as well but haven't had a chance to play with them yet. Stay Tuned!

Staci is also a very talented jewelry designer with such an amazing eye for pairing mixed metals. She makes these amazing collar like necklaced with artist beads, metal and various types of gemstones.

This is NOT my necklace, Staci made it!

If you are looking for jewelry or really cool bronze components please stop by Staci's shops. 

~Shannon

Bliss Co-Op and Me

On Saturday while online I saw a post about a couple artists I know whose work was accepted at Bliss Co-Op in Sugar Loaf, NY. I have been thinking about getting my work out to stores, other than my own salon, of course.

I haven't done this before because I was nervous. I have so many what if's that I just never did it or even did the work involved in getting my work out there.

I had been reading Shannon LeVart's posts about getting you work out there and I was still on my high of the Bead Trend September cover that I sent a quick e-mail over to the owner of the store. Then I had a panic attack. Then I e-mailed my friend Patty and freaked out.

All I could think is oh my gosh what have I done? What if she doesn't like my work? What is she does like my work? What am I getting myself into?
The owner e-mailed me back less than an hour later. She wanted to see more. Oh my gosh! I frEaKeD out, e-mailed Patty again, then I quickly (before I lost my nerve) e-mailed the owner a nice note saying when I would be available and went to bed.
Sunday morning started out normal, 5:45am up, church, Shop Rite, hubby made pancakes and eggs and turkey bacon, yum, while I check my e-mail.
Oh my GOsH, she wants to meet me and they open at 11am!
Much to my surprise my husband helped me pack up some 50+ pieces, I e-mailed Patty, and drove my daughter and I out to the store, 45 minutes away. I was sweating the whole way and e-mailing Patty. I met with the owners and I am thrilled to announce that as of this morning Wednesday, September 14th, my jewelry is now on display at Bliss Co-Op in Sugar Loaf, NY!

My Table!

This is truly a dream come true for me and a step in the direction I know I was meant to take. I thank all of you, especially poor Patty, who have supported me and encouraged me and most important believed in me, mom, I couldn't have done it without my family and friends- both in person and online.

Watch out world- here I come!

More pictures of Bliss:

Oh I almost forgot what do you think of my display? Be honest I can take it and it will help me tweak whatever needs work.
~Shannon

Lima Beads Challenge

Kits have now sold out! Wowza you guys rock! Thanks so much and I can't wait to see what y'all make on October 8th.

One night I was online and I had the idea to contact my friend Lorelei Eurto of Lorelei's Blog and ask her if she would like to do another challenge. I had so much fun participating in her previous challenges that I was itching to do another one. Lorelei said sure and so off to Limabeads.com we went. Lorelei contacted Lima Beads (Kevin, Aly and Cathy, THANK YOU!) and they agreed to our idea of putting together our choices into kits for our readers to easily participate in this online design challenge.

Nothing challenging about it really, you just buy the kit and make something pretty with the beads.

We'll all blog about our finished pieces on a set date! The idea of this challenge is to each have the same components and beads, and then we each make something of our own imaginations, which shows the versatility of the beads chosen.

Together Lorelei and I picked some beauties - in the kit you will find all of the beads and components shown in this photo collage, but here's the rundown:
Abalone Mosaic Cylinder 20x10mm
Antique Copper (plated) Flat Oval Cable w/ Barbell Chain
Czech Fire Polished Glass Luster Prairie Green Round 10mm
Czech Glass Gladiola Flower Button 12x7mm
Czech Glass Luster Transparent Amethyst Teardrop 12x16mm
Czech Glass Wisteria Fire Polished Rondelle 6x9mm
Flamingo Glace Hand Dyed 100% Silk Ribbon 7/16"
Lemon Chrysoprase Faceted Oval 18x13mm
Lemon Ice Potato 5-5.5mm
Missficklemedia Patinated Violet Oval Toggle Clasp 20x12mm,
24mm bar Silver Green Biwa Top-Drilled 6-10x18-28mm
TOHO Matte Aquarius Cube 4mm Seed Beads
Turquoise Zebra Jasper Tumbled Nugget 7-14x10-12mm
Vintaj Natural Brass Framed Scrollwork Pendant 35x40mm

To keep the cost down, Limabeads included half-strands, or small increments of beads.

Kit details will be on the website.

FAQS:
The kits will be available on a first-come first-served basis.
There are quite a few kits available, but if you want to participate, I suggest you head over to purchase your kit as soon as you can.
You MUST use at least some of the beads in the kit. Feel free to substitute your own beads into your project.
You may make multiple pieces for this challenge, the more the merrier.
You may use an additional pendant with the Vintaj Scrollwork pendant or you can substitute something else in place of it if you want.
You can substitute a different clasp if you'd rather use something else but we really liked this one from MissFickleMedia.
You must have a blog to participate.

US and INTERNATIONAL bloggers are welcomed to participate. Just be aware of the time line. Reveal day is October 8 so be sure that you order your kits in time to be ready for the reveal date. 

Have Fun!!!

We will reveal our designs on: OCTOBER 8
To participate in the blog hop, Lorelei will be subscribing to Linky Tools for you to easily link up your posts on reveal day.
If you have any questions please feel free to email me or Lorelei.