bead entrails

2011-12-10T21:15:00.001-06:00

I needed to share, so here it is, http://www.anthroparodie.com/ hilarity at its peak! It reminds me of etsy in some ways... enjoy!

2011-07-20T16:29:00.002-05:00

hey there!

I am sending out a summer coupon for 10% off at checkout for my jewelery. upon checkout, simply type in archiac10 in the coupon box. here's my site, archaic design

thanks! susan

Lucinda and her family

2011-02-09T12:28:00.002-06:00

one beautiful thing about Etsy is that the artist's truly come through for one of their own. we received sad news about a seller and a friend, Lucinda Boardman who lost her 11 year old son, her home and many pets in a house fire last week. the community has set up a direct PayPal fund and a BigCartel shop, helping hearts to help with monetary costs for Lucinda and her family.

Please feel free to contact me regarding details if you wish to make a contribution and want more details regarding the family fund or the BigCartel shop. I'm happy to provide links and any additional information.

etsy unofficial forums

2011-01-23T03:15:00.001-06:00

since etsy announced that they will be doing away with their forums and will be forcing their buyers and sellers to form 'teams' to participate in the community, the community has taken upon itself and set up an unofficial etsy forum here, http://unofficialetsyforums.proboards.com/ all are welcome to read but to post, you will need to sign up for the site. more a little later on this subject since so many are opposed to doing away with the community that has formed throughout the years through the forums. it should be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

etsy coupon codes

2010-11-26T08:03:00.001-06:00

i will be getting spammy with my own blog, just so ya know!

i am running a coupon code with 20% off from 11/26/2010 through 11/29/2010, enter BLACKFRIDAY1 code upon checkout in my etsy shop. i don't often run sales so this weekend is a great time to pick up a bauble or two ;)

and a coupon code for 10% off from 11/30/2011 through 01/01/2011 enter HOLIDAY1 upon checkout.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/archaicdesign

harvest creative challenge

2010-10-15T20:35:00.002-05:00

so sometimes we get bored on etsy and have to stretch our creative minds a bit, just for fun. this baby was DesignedByLucinda's idea to come up with a challenge with "greens, oranges, yellows, reds, dark purples, etc, either one or some or all in one piece. "Harvest" fits with the Etsy merchandising Fall/ Autumn theme so we can scrounge up something using what we already have on hand and get an "Etsy Theme" piece to list in the next week or so." so we did and we're still doing, what fun. here is my piece with a gorgeous bruneau canyon jasper stone, lapidary by Gary Wilson. there are two lampwork beads by Harold Cooney, amber, pearls glass and sterling silver.

pocket shop by craftcult

2010-07-26T01:40:00.000-05:00

they're so cute! a mini etsy shop on your blog or web site. check out craftcult for yours today, just a small plug for a cool site!

simple

2010-04-13T00:22:00.005-05:00

they are the simple pieces that I sometimes fall in love with and nothing could be more simple than with this rough cut pink sapphire that shimmers in the light. wire wrapped and strung a sterling silver ball chain, very sweet. I have been hoarding these beauties for awhile and need to share.

Lilla Jizo

2010-03-23T01:01:00.006-05:00

I wanted to give a little shout out to this seller, Lilla Jizo. Her work is simply wonderful! I will be listing this necklace made from one of her pieces within the next few days, please take a peek at her shop. It's magical.

Tula

2010-02-09T05:41:00.007-06:00

She is still a baby, that eats like no tomorrow. She is very keen on making up new tricks to impress you into handing over more treats. She has perfected the Tula twirl, she does this little twirly thing after going potty and sometimes while she is still going potty... while it does make cool designs in the snow you really need to keep your feet out of her way. She loves to snuggle in really tightly with her snout right behind your ear, wrapped up in a blanket and squeezed really hard for about an hour a day....

Here is Tula, six months old and of course a pig.

Carol wanted the story behind Tula. So I answered an ad in the paper about a pot belly pig, drove out to a home with Kamp Khaos on the mail box :) four kids from 3 to 8 years old, 3 dogs, 2 cats, 6 chickens and a four month old female pot belly pig. Mom knew that she couldn't give the time and attention to a baby pig and needed to adopt her out. I walked in, said I'll take her and came home with a new pig. Mom just wanted to know that I wasn't going to eat her!

Tula lives in my walk out basement like my previous pigs. She will probably be about 150 pounds when full grown and will dig up my yard come spring time!

Hearts for Haiti

2010-02-09T05:29:00.004-06:00

Just a quick update on the Hearts for Haiti shop, over $28,000 has been raised so far for Doctors Without Borders. And, the shop has been nominated for the 2010 Handmade Olympics you can check it out on their blog, http://etsyforhaiti.blogspot.com/ and vote for the shop with the vote for me button!

Hearts for Haiti

2010-01-19T00:06:00.005-06:00

The Etsy shop, Hearts for Haiti is up and running! There is the shop address, http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartsforHaiti. Please consider making a purchase to such a worthy cause that Doctors Without Borders provides. Thanks!

As of today, Hearts for Haiti has raise $4000. A big thanks to all the peeps who donated and to those who have purchased!

Etsy for Haiti

2010-01-14T21:41:00.004-06:00

In light of the tragedy in Haiti there will be an Etsy shop set up and accepting item donations to sell and then donate the proceeds to Doctors Without Borders.

Here is the Etsy shop address, http://www.etsy.com/shop/heartsforhaiti

Here is the blog address, http://www.etsyforhaiti.blogspot.com/

And here is the email address to contact those accepting donations, etsyforhaiti@gmail.com

All of the sites are brand new and just starting, here is the Etsy thread with the information, http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6404152&page=57

Please donate what you can, thank you, Susan

the new year, an old tradition

2010-01-11T23:56:00.006-06:00

it does hold promise doesn't it? a new year, a new way, a new... i laugh, i know myself way too well to change that much! alrighty then! let's get on with it!

in many ways i do love tradition. when i found this wonderful artist and her work on etsy i knew i wanted some of her work because it invoked tradition, some of the traditional fiber artwork that i first discovered when i was 8 or 9 years old and became enthralled with fiber, embroidery, embellishment, crochet and knitting.

Nothingbutstring uses the traditional form of crochet but with a new modern twist. her 'autumn sprigs and flowers' speaks traditional art form crochet in a modern bracelet. her 'autumn leaves bracelet' combines handmade Irish crochet and Victorian beaded style, in this gorgeous piece. but it's her baskets that become an incredible piece of artwork! please check out her shop, there are few more treasures to be found. it's always refreshing to find original work in a traditional form, lovely work by this artist, thank you Emily!

citrinus

2009-11-03T11:32:00.003-06:00

a new piece that came out stunningly.

el dia de los muertos

2009-09-13T10:17:00.006-05:00

Years ago when my life was less complicated I did a lot traveling throughout the US. One city that became a favorite of mine is San Antonio TX. My husband and I found a wonderful shop down by the river walk that specialized in folk art from Mexico. That folk art shop was my introduction to El Dia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead also known as All Saints Day, a holiday that is celebrated in Mexico on November 1st and 2nd. I am also a hoarder of Anne Choi beads, she has a couple beads and charms with sugar skulls on them that I just had to have, but of course I had to buy a few to subsidized my obsession. One thing about Anne and her work, if you don't purchase the beads when she has them on her site many times she moves onto other designs and the bead you had your eye on is no longer made... above is one of Anne's charms.

the time

2009-09-13T10:09:00.003-05:00

The 26th of July was the last time I posted... where does time go? It's so elusive and slippery and you can never get it back... maybe I took the summer off and didn't know it.

lapidary

2009-07-26T13:24:00.008-05:00

When I discovered Gary Wilson's work a few years ago I was in love. I immediately began to hoard his work and only recently begun in earnest to incorporate it into my jewelry pieces. His work is very sensuous, tactile and just outrageously gorgeous to look at. The man is a genius. If you find yourself mysteriously in front of his booth at a gem show with your mouth agape with a little bit of drool, you know you have arrived.

I have never found any other lapidary's work that compares to his, I love his rocks.

inertia

2009-07-23T23:46:00.005-05:00

It's been awhile since the last post. Inertia struck, it's the only way I can describe it. Inert. Promise that this entire post won't be depressing ;) but I do believe that mental illness still carries a stigma and that many times is the unseen disability, or ability when you can turn it around. Since childhood, throughout of my life, I have dealt with my recurrent major depression. Art has played a big part in my life and made a big impact on my recovery.

This time is different, my 'inertness' has a great deal to do with the loss of my pet pig, Henry. I so believe in the power of animals and what they give to their human family. It's been six months since we had to have him euthanized, I still think of him every day. He was the biggest pain in the ass, he was the sweetest boy, he could be incredibly crabby, he gave really good kisses and you watch him think. I could complain to Henry about my husband and it later came out that my husband also complained to Henry about me! Henry was discrete and kept his secrets, he was a sweetie. We both miss him and laugh and tell stories of all of his quirky antics!

We miss the pig.

dodad earrings

2009-07-05T22:26:00.003-05:00

I am becoming a little obsessed with making these earrings and really need to stop it...

handmadefeed.com

2009-06-20T19:35:00.005-05:00

Tim Adam has a new site linking all of your handmade shops, blogs and social networking sites in one place, handmadefeed.com check it out and link away! comes with a descriptive button too.

seo and etsy

2009-06-18T22:37:00.007-05:00

if you are seller on etsy this issue of etsy changing meta tags in your shop may have affected your exposure on google search and impacted your sales and you may have been completely unaware of it.

this is a posting from sara hicks on etsy, SEO Announcement - 6/18/09 it's of great interest to all sellers on etsy and i urge you to read it.

off to find another seed bead artists ;)

boreal

2009-06-18T19:59:00.004-05:00

just a few photos from a hike i took this afternoon.

changes

2009-06-17T13:09:00.003-05:00

i have sold my jewelry on etsy for two and a half years and have done well. i love the site and i want to continue selling there. but in the end it all comes down to business is business. since the infusion of 27 million dollars from investors and the change in business leadership etsy has shown that etsy will do what is best for etsy and i can respect that. i do what is best for my business too.

since the new search change and now with etsy adding meta tags to our shop title, many seller's sales have dropped dramatically and no longer show up in google search. a couple of sellers noticed that change in April of this year and have spent considerable amount of time and great determination to figure out why such a change in the views of items, google alerts and outside sales that originated from google search had dropped so dramatically.

well, what was discovered was that since April of this year etsy had inserted additional meta tags into our shops. the insertion of "handmade" was placed before every item description or name we had listed in our shop. we protested, many of us were very upset to learn that there was a "handmade" tag inserted in front of everything! finally etsy saw the error of their ways and removed the handmade meta tag on June 11th after the uproar in the forums. but what remains is the meta tags that etsy inserted in our shop titles.

the "archaicdesign on Etsy" was inserted into my shop title without my knowledge or consent. it takes up considerable real estate meta tag space. nor, did etsy ever inform any of it's sellers that this was done back in April of this year.

i think i can speak for many sellers that are protesting this change because we really want etsy to succeed, when etsy sellers succeed etsy in turn will succeed. the etsy admin have not said one word in regards to our forum threads, they only seem to want to close them. here are a few threads and a petition that is happening now on etsy. i can't guarantee that these threads will be open if you chose to read them but i will try to post relevant threads in case these are closed too.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6186413

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6189887

the art of bead work

2009-06-13T21:04:00.015-05:00

Darcy Horn of The Jade Dog Designs

i knew that when i started featuring and writing about seed bead artists that i wanted to feature Darcy Horn of The Jade Dog Designs her work is so diverse and interesting that it shouldn't be missed, i love her combination of metal and her seed bead art work within her jewelry. the top and bottom photos are from embellished bags the middle photo is of an intricate necklace, please take a closer look at her beautiful pieces. when looking through her shop i hadn't realized just how diverse and beautiful her work truly is, it's gorgeous and her photos tell all!

please be sure to check out her shop, thank you Darcy!

adding a third column on blogger

2009-06-13T14:36:00.013-05:00

want to add a third column to your blogspot? this site is the best i've found, I am severely html impaired and only took about 2 hours for me, but for you? probably fifteen minutes! I have to admit that I am not sure I like it but will give it a whirl, I like a cleaner simpler look to a blog. I am thinking of offering advertising spots on my blog, thus the third column. here is the site, three column bogger.

just a quick note on banner size, it needs to be 928 by 100 px to fit within the outline for the 'minima' layout.

metals class

2009-06-12T12:12:00.004-05:00

it looks as though Addie is about to be bopped on the head, not true! she was wonderful throughout the class, so was Jesse! and can't forget the class photo ;)

susan lenert kazmer

2009-06-12T11:14:00.004-05:00

i took two classes from susan lenert kazmer, a patina on metal class and an ancient metal weaving class. here are a couple of photos, i wish i had better images to show you, if you ever get the chance to take a class from her, do it, you will not regret a minute of it!

master class with alan revere

2009-06-11T11:45:00.007-05:00

the bead and button show classes and shopping where a blast. i wish i had the energy of someone a few years, ok, a lot of years younger than my 51 years! what a frenzy!

the first three days were with alan revere, what an incredible teacher! ask him any question relating to metalsmithing and he is so willing share his 30 years of experience and knowledge with you! a total technique person :0 thanks alan! i learned a so much in his class!

the next two days were with susan lenart kazmer in a totally opposite perspective with technique, almost anything goes! susan is limitless when it comes to getting a desired result. always creative taking her classes.

i will post more photos of both classes within the next day or two.

procrastinator!

2009-05-30T00:22:00.002-05:00

damn, ever say to yourself, i will be organized and ready to make this road trip, leave with everything packed without forgetting anything? got munchies, tools, metal, my funky bead stash, camera, tickets, underwear, toothbrush and the list goes on...

this time? will i ever pull it off? just once, self, get your crap together and let's go... not going to happen ;) i'm so predictable.

be back in a week to post photos! see ya!

Alan Revere

2009-05-27T01:23:00.004-05:00

my brain just realized that i will be traveling to Milwaukee to the Bead and Button show this Saturday, the 30th. i usually go with friends but this trip will be solo. i'm excited and a bit intimidated at the same time. i am in Alan Revere's "master" metalsmith class. as i write this i am laughing, it's been a while and my skills are a bit rusty but i know i will absolutely love every minute of it!

the art of bead work

2009-05-20T19:36:00.011-05:00

Lisa Savoy's work

i know Lisa from across the pond. that inland sea that we call Lake Superior, i live in minnesota, Lisa lives in wisconsin. i have taken classes from Lisa at our local bead store and i have to say that we all marvel at what she comes up with as far as design, color, and technique that she incorporates into her original bead work. please check out her etsy shop, savoystudio.etsy.com

thank you Lisa.

the slump...

2009-05-13T14:29:00.005-05:00

i want to thank everyone for their insight, advice and suggestions, i am very grateful, thank you! one event that has rapidly snuck up on me is the bead and button show in milwaukee :0 i'll post more later regarding the show!

~~~
i'm in one, a big one. finding it hard to create anything that requires being organized enough to pull something out of my proverbial hat. if you care to ;) comment about what it is that allows you to move past it to be creative enough to be productive again.

spring

2009-05-12T22:58:00.005-05:00

the art of bead work

2009-05-06T20:24:00.008-05:00

walrustusk on etsy

i love this.
synchronicity, when color and beads and shape come together to make art. i think walrustusk creates some of the most elegant pieces of beaded jewelry, hair clips and brooches using shape, seed beads and color, her pieces are incredibly striking. Jen's photography of her work is extraordinary as well. please visit her esty shop and her blog, another favorite.
thank you Jen!

happy may day!

2009-05-01T11:34:00.001-05:00

happy may first! got your may day basket?

handmadeology

2009-04-26T20:23:00.003-05:00

two more for handmadeology...

handmadeology

2009-04-25T22:49:00.005-05:00

the 'handmadeology' site is having a photo contest. i added one of my first metalsmith pieces that i made and the one of first photographs of my jewelry. how can my photography be better when it first started out than it is today? how does that happen?

2009-04-24T00:41:00.009-05:00

cobalt blue . i love the color especially in glass, it's so striking with all it's intensity.

i make stuff. beaded beads, chain, wire wrapped beads with no purpose in mind. the doodads end up in small glass bowls or in a wicker basket that i paw through every once in a while. this cobalt blue beaded bead jumped out at me the other day, it demanded bead caps and a lapis lazuli dagger too. it ended up on a handmade chain with a small trillion faceted iolite bead. sometimes, that's how my stuff gets made, no plan, rhyme or reason. everything needs to wait it's turn, sooner or later i will get around to you...

the art of bead work

2009-04-23T01:15:00.015-05:00

dorothydomingo of etsy

sometimes ya just gotta love whimsy! the play of colors and patterns in these two pieces by dorothydomingo are just too much fun. i love finding art and jewelry with combinations that make a piece pop!

secunda seal

2009-04-19T01:17:00.003-05:00

i love taking a vintage component and turning it into a contemporary piece of jewelry, i think a lot of us do ;) a vintage swarovski crystal, secunda cut, in the color of seal, with a gold foil back and a seed bead stitched bezel.

life in the north

2009-04-19T01:13:00.004-05:00

life in the north which grows longer every winter...

scilla, one of the very first blooming flowers in my yard. they are so sweet, small lily like blue flowers that spread and naturalize everywhere. they are in the hyacinthaceae family

... a forecast of snow tomorrow.

the art of bead work

2009-04-14T09:57:00.014-05:00

SmadarsTreasure is an artist on etsy that makes beautiful beaded jewelry. many of her pieces have a very ethnic look and feel to them that i love to see in seed bead jewelry. her work is beautiful in color and the composition of her pieces. here are three of pieces of her work that i would like to share. gorgeous, thanks Smadar!

Etsy Trends

2009-04-13T16:05:00.005-05:00

a little cross pollination here ;) it is spring time after all! check out this site, Etsy Trends for their latest picks with trendy colors and style. they have chosen two of my pieces for their site! thanks Trends!

the tiny guys

2009-04-09T02:17:00.007-05:00

the top is urchin, the bottom is pod.

looking through my 22,000 archived photos i spotted some of my earlier work. i get itchy fingers to mess around with those bad bad seed beads once again!

the art of bead work

2009-04-04T18:18:00.011-05:00

Patrizia Tager of triz

when i started to make jewelry it began with seed beads. i was on a mad mission to learn every stitch and technique because stitching seed beads into jewelry had a profound fascination for me. stringing, bead embroidery, gourd stitch, weaving and 3D sculptures, everything! i needed to do all of it and i did, i still love it!

i will be introducing some of the incredible seed bead artists on etsy on my blog. so many times seed bead work is undervalued and not appreciated for the time, design and incredible talent that is needed to become an artist in seed beads. it truly is an art form!

these three beautiful pieces are by Patrizia Tager of triz on etsy. her gorgeous work has incredible color and the detail used in her pieces is exquisite. please stop by her shop and look at her incredible work, it's lovely! she's one of my favs!

2009-04-02T01:00:00.003-05:00

a wonderfully organic pod pendant by Harold Cooney made from borosilicate glass that has been ground and sand blasted to achieve it's shape and texture. a beautiful piece.

2009-03-31T14:58:00.002-05:00

thank you...

experiencing an early spring snow storm, once again.

2009-03-28T23:45:00.009-05:00

this is when i fell in love with borosilicate glass lampwork beads, when i saw multiple layers of glass that had been gold fumed and encased in crystal clear glass.

when i discovered these incredibly beautiful beads. i was forced by some unknown freak of nature, compelled to buy five without any plans whatsoever to create or god forbid sell them when made into jewelry to anyone else. i am a hoarder after all...

the really sad part is, i don't remember who made them, jeff olson? if anyone out there does please drop me a line, it would be greatly appreciated!

2009-03-27T01:03:00.008-05:00

elegant bone beads by lynne hoppe

dem bones... two more handmade lampwork beads from my collection. these two beads are so silky smooth and tactile they feel like they were made from porcelain and so much fun to fondle... they seem ancient and well, a bit archaic? lynne hoppe is an incredible glass artist, i love her work!

2009-03-25T22:22:00.002-05:00

a new piece listed tonight

2009-03-24T18:23:00.004-05:00

...bloom damn it!

light and dark

2009-03-23T20:38:00.012-05:00

lampwork beads by emiko sawamoto

ever wonder where artists get their inspiration? what was happening in their mind that this piece of art came to be? i do.

i'm an avid bead collector or at least i was, i have curtailed most of it by simply not having the space for these gems that i hoard so lovingly...

the beads made by emiko sawamoto reflect the light and dark of the human imagination. it's hard to believe that these two beads have been made by the same woman, not because of her advanced technical and highly creative skills with fire and glass, but with the light and dark side every human being that creates art. these two beads say it all. i had purchased them at the bead & button show a few years ago directly from the artist. right along side her 'monster' beads and her interpretation of Japanese Temari balls in glass, were very sweet little kitten beads, i was so enthralled by the juxtaposition of what i saw that i had to buy two!

these two beads are incredible! i marvel at the beauty of both, i hope you enjoy.

growin' my own

2009-03-22T18:44:00.008-05:00

nope, not a political social or an economical change, we all know the answer to those guys. i need the seasonal change, big time! it's windy and cold and should be spring but that 'ain't gonna happen' any time soon. spring in northern minnesota lasts about 2 weeks if we're lucky, then right into summer. but the summers here are glorious, so worth the 9 months of winter!

i caught two of my succulents in bloom. the small pale yellow flowering cactus is in bloom for the first time, i have had this plant for about 23 years, a sweet little guy. the dark reddish purple flowering succulent blooms when it thinks it's in mortal danger of going extinct, also known as in dire need of water...

growin' my own spring.

spring

2009-03-10T00:46:00.000-05:00

i need the small patch of boreal forest that i live on to be green once more. on tuesday, we may be dumped on by 10 to 15 inches of snow and high winds and i don't want it to ;) i want spring to come again.

Stimulated Mind

2009-03-09T11:20:00.000-05:00

this blog by Emiko, simply put, is gorgeous! please take a peek.

one of my lockets is featured :0

art! the featured seller on etsy

2009-03-04T17:20:00.000-06:00

i love this artist's work, i have kept an eye on a couple of pieces for a long time, she is currently etsy's featured seller, Geninne D. Zlatkis. please check out her interview and her lovely artwork. the two pieces i couldn't live without and of course purchased were, "three little birds" and "bird no.31" and they are gorgeous! thanks Geninne!

buenos aries

2009-03-04T17:13:00.001-06:00

a newly listed piece.

aaa grade cognac quartz and prasiolite gemstones with hand forged sterling silver discs and chalcedony beads.

building a new website

2009-02-25T20:20:00.000-06:00

i am beginning to set up my own website for many different reasons. i have my jewelry on multiple selling sites though etsy is the one i consistently sell on. i feel, not think, which may be a mistake, that i need to move away from etsy, not have all my eggs in one basket, to use a cliche, and have my own site. my goal is to sell equally or more on my own site as well as with etsy. some days i question the sanity of it all.

found handmade

2009-02-25T01:34:00.000-06:00

a new promo site by Timothy Adams. very cool! you can set up 'spotlights' in byhand.me and have them submitted to found-handmade
here is a link to one of my spotlights, spot!

made by hand. by me.

2009-02-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

i really like this this site. it's another handmade business/social networking site but better than most, Made By Hand. By Me. also aka as, byhand.me you have the option of listing all the sites that you use, shops, blogs, flickr.... you get the idea. check it out when you have the time.

the necklace above is a 'love life' stamping that is in no way perfect, just like the real life stuff but you love it anyway.

Henry Cochon

2009-02-17T20:11:00.005-06:00

O Henry, what a big sweet lovable pig he was and and in many ways still is, we talk about him every day. he still seems to be a big part of our lives, it's so hard to let go of a beloved pet. Henry was my pot bellied pig as you probably could tell from the photo, though i did have someone ask what breed of dog he was... and my smart mouth proclaimed, he's a hog dog! poor man, totally confused...
Henry came home with me when he was 7 weeks old, he was the cutest pig puppy ever! piglets smell so good when babies, i bet you didn't know that, really it's true ;) he was very smart, curious, defiant, he knew what he wanted and when and voiced his opinion every chance he deemed appropriate. he was incredibly affectionate, a really good kisser and could sweet talk his way into anything. he loved watermelon, fresh dandelion flowers, corn on the cob and juice treats, well, anything with the word 'treat' after it, Henry loved! Henry lived a very long life for a pot bellied pig, he lived to be over 15 years old. towards the end of his life, i believe that he lived solely for the sake of eating watermelon and a drink of juice. he would promptly bellow at 7:10 pm when his expected watermelon was not received within his own set time frame. yes, we conditioned the pig extremely well...

this is a little memorial to a beautiful old soul who happened to live in a pig's body.

i will always miss you.

exposed! eeepppp!

2009-02-03T22:24:00.000-06:00

so much has happened in the last few weeks that my poor brain hurts a bit. on 01/14/2009 i was etsy's featured seller. what incredible exposure for my work and etsy shop! it was nutz for about 2 weeks answering convos, requests and getting orders to the post office. google analytics logged over 4,500 hits in two days to my etsy shop. amazing!

all in all it was a wonderful experience.

master class

2009-01-13T11:51:00.000-06:00

a few days ago i received a call letting me know that my name didn't come up in the lottery for a master class at the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee. this morning i received another call stating that there was an opening and would i like a seat in the class? huh? in my morning stupor i think i said, yes! a three day class with Alan Revere, very happy!

production mode

2009-01-11T22:59:00.000-06:00

i've been very productive as of late but i won't share as to why right now ;) it feels good to be working with more metal and less beads. this is a new necklace i will be listing tonight.

i usually attend the bead and button show every year. this year there are three master classes that run for 3 days at the beginning of the show. Alan Revere is a goldsmith, he has the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts and is one the the master class teachers. all students are chosen by a lottery, unfortunately i lost the lottery. i still plan to attend classes and the show. my main goal is to purchase as many lapidary stones from Gary B Wilson as possible!

polyvore and flickr too!

2009-01-09T20:49:00.000-06:00

yes, the polyvore monster is everywhere! a flickr site with updates.

looking back on some of my posts i found one from 01/27/2008 about this very same issue. one year ago artists on etsy were shocked to find their work on a fashion collage site. many of the works were cited but one year later the desecrated fine art work of many of the same artists were not cited and still being used.

a global polyvore petition

2009-01-09T20:40:00.000-06:00

here is a link to a global petition for copyright infringement of artistic work, GoPetition, this petition wants to shut polyvore down.

copyright and polyvore

2009-01-09T01:34:00.000-06:00

with all due respect, i will give you the official blog of polyvore. the blog seems to become very proactive regarding copyrights ONLY after artists contact the site regarding their stolen images. very thoughtful of them.

polyvore and etsy

2009-01-09T01:03:00.000-06:00

polyvore. once again etsy artists have found their work on a site where the members create collages from images taken from the internet and use them in their own 'work' often citing the web address from where the images were taken and or were stolen. this is the link, polyvore to that page where it lists all images taken from etsy. if you find your photos or find another artist's photo of their work on these 39 pages of images please go to this thread on etsy to let others know about it. i have writen before about this site, it's incredibly sad to see artist's work desecrated this way. more to come.

superb sunday

2008-11-30T00:19:00.000-06:00

it truly is a lovely gesture when another artist features your work in their blog. EpheriellDesigns has featured one of my pieces, evergreen from my etsy shop, on her blog. please check out her blog and etsy shop when you have the time. so greatly appreciated, thank you once again, susan

in fall

2008-10-04T18:43:00.000-05:00

pretty amazing that we are into the month of october. one beautiful thing about living in northern minnesota is the change of season. this time of year is my favorite time. the colors of nature at her finest, i can't compete with with yellow golden orange ochre red sienna tan and brown, they are perfect!

autumn in northern minnesota as with spring and summer don't last as long as they used too. this is the time of year when i miss the desert too.

yippy!

2008-09-24T22:10:00.000-05:00

a brand new mac with all my stuff up and running from my old deceased mac that passed on because of 'logic board failure!'

i am frankly amazed at what i have accomplished because of NOT having a computer in front of me! a new lot of goodies that will be posted on etsy as soon as possible. camera don't fail me now!

breakdown

2008-09-10T23:54:00.000-05:00

how did we ever survive those grand old golden days without a computer? it seems that it was just yesterday that i mastered a word processor, remember those? and now i have acquired a cell phone, camera and a mac. i totally refuse to buy any more widgets that will complicate my life further! i am using my husband's laptop as i write this. it seems that my mac had a bit of a meltdown and refuses to even turn on for even just a little bit. i will be traveling to the twin cities to have that bugger repaired, two hours away. what a pain in the rump that is! i will be saying my prayers to the hickydoo and the wahtchamacallit godess the wideget man to ask for their blessing and that my mac will come out of this unscathed. please pray for me :P

happy beads!

2008-08-27T22:15:00.000-05:00

happy beads! please check out Profusion's blog. she has has featured one of my bracelets that happens to be graced by one of her happy beads!

thank you Lene!

the focus

2008-08-05T00:16:00.000-05:00

many times it's hard for me to focus at the task at hand and even loosing sight of the big picture. from small every day things to the dream of finishing my studio and concentrating on being a metalsmith. i think i need to have a big stickie posted to my forehead, 'susan! focus!' or many be little flashing subliminal messages in my glasses that says don't let the little petty issues take up that much space in your tiny little brain, there's is only so much room! think about what you need to do and maintain course! yea right... we can always dream, the tricky navagation is to acheive those dreams.

copyright infringement

2008-08-03T18:01:00.000-05:00

i need to vent a bit about copyright and the blatant stealing of jewelry designs. it finally happened. and i'm very upset, yea upset is a good word, there are a few other choice words that come to mind but i probably shouldn't go there. emailing administration at Etsy.com may come to no use. and the thought of hiring a lawyer makes me not want to even see one. so what should i do? i have already emailed the 'infringer' and she pretends she has no clue. that's nice.

soooo.... creating more jewelry may help. peace.

unofficial and bitchy

2008-06-19T00:02:00.000-05:00

check out the etsy bitch blog and the unofficial etsy news!