U-Design Bead System

We've had several requests from stores to make some large hole beads similar to the Pandora or European style for them to sell.  I finally worked out a way to make them more consistent in size and shape.  We now have them in a wide selection of solid colors and patterns as well as various shapes and sizes.

We are calling our new bead collection the "U-Design Bead System" , where we create the beads and "you" design your own bracelet or necklace.

You can read more about it on our website and we will be adding more bead designs as we make them.

I will also be making some of these beads in my live demo this coming Friday evening at the Fireweed Art Studio in Scotch Creek (north shore of the Little Shuswap).  We will have a wide selection of our large hole beads and braided leather cord in different colors on hand for those who want to design their own bracelet, anklet or necklace.  It should be a lot of fun and we are looking forward to it.

If you are in the area, there is also a live outdoor concert with Sly Valley, so bring your camp chair and have a good toe tapping time!

Making a Glamour Necklace from a Button

When we were delivering a button order the other day to Katja's Quilt Shoppe, she had a huge tub of buttons on their counter they were sorting through.  For someone such as me who loves to sew cannot resist running my hands through all those buttons and taking in all the fun shapes and colors.  I came across one that really caught my eye and came home with me that day.  I could visualize it remade with polymer into some beads.  This is the button and a mold I made from regular scrap clay .....

... and here are some beads that I made from that button:

And here is a necklace I made for myself (yes, you are seeing correctly -- this is a different color than the beads above -- I wanted a necklace to coordinate with a bracelet and earrings I already had.)  Now all I need is a special event to wear this too!

.... I later made some buttons with shanks from that same mold.  I applied mica powders to each one to create different color combinations.

We were at Katja's store again today and so decided to look through her tub of buttons again and found a lot more to play with.

A Trip to the City

We took a bit of time out today after the busy week with the Shuswap Lake Festival of the Arts show.  I do not get out much for shopping these days so Dave decided to treat me with a trip into the city and have breakfast out to start.  I managed to pick up some new sandals for myself as well as find some supplies and packaging for our clay pieces.

These boxes are perfect for packaging our "Forget-Me-Nots" dishes.  I took one along with me so we could find the right size.

We also delivered some new jewelry items to Katja's Quilt Shoppe in Kamloops.  Along with our brooch-pendants and earrings, they now have a selection of our quilt patterned rings, lapel pins and zipper charms.

Floral Collar Necklace Prototypes

Whenever we create a new design I like to play around with making a prototype or two first.  Generally these pieces are added to my own jewelry collection.  When we are happy with the design we will create similar pieces to sell.

This is the first floral collar style necklace I made before I created the "Sunflower" one that was entered into the Shuswap Lake Festival of the Arts show.

This has become one of my favorite pieces to wear so I decided to make another one but this time in the colors to go with a new top I recently purchased.  

I always like to make a watch strap to match my jewelry pieces.  This one I made with only leaves so I can wear it with most of my floral themed items.

Forget-Me-Nots

I made some small dishes to go along with our flower theme this summer.  Dave came up with the name  "Forget-Me-Nots" which I really like!  They are perfect for keeping a ring or other odd jewelry pieces handy and I made them in an assortment of colors.  Of course I had to add my little lady bugs for that finishing touch.

Favorite Flowers

We went mainly with a summer floral theme for this year's Shuswap Festival of the Arts.  Here is a sampling of a few more pieces that are available in the gift shop which is open until this Sunday July 22.

Lapel Pins

Brooches / Pendants

Secret Garden

This is the third piece I entered into the Shuswap Lake Festival of the Arts show in Sorrento.  It is a box for your hidden treasures that I titled "Secret Garden".  I used a cardboard tube to create the base form and then removed it after baking.  I then built onto that clay form adding several layers inside and out.  The box went through about 7 firings in total.  It is 6" high and 6" in diameter.