Creativity In A Nutshell

It is a blizzard outside right now. No joke and no exageration. There is so much SNOW!

To brighten up my day, I wanted to show you a great option for your beaded creations!




MzuriBeads is a fantastic company that sells paper beads made by hand in Uganda
I have been intrigued by paper beads for quite a while, and even attempted to make them, but I wasn't very good at it. Ohhh well, these ones are environmentally friendly and buying them helps support Ugandan craftswomen. These beads are sold all over the UK online and in actual shops. Sadly, they are not sold anywhere in the US, but you can purchase them on their website. Take a look around, they have some really interesting stuff :) There is even a little guide to making your own paper beads!

I would love to buy a bundle myself and test them out, make some fantastic creations in my Etsy shop!
Let me know if you try em - tell me what you think!

C'est Fin!

I've taken a short leave of absense these past couple days to spend some much needed time with a close friend. And... she's getting married!!! And I'm going to be the Maid of Honor (or MHo, as she fondly calls it) ! I'm ooober excited and so happy for her!

Personal news aside, I wanted to share with you some treasures I have discovered and decided to purchase. I can't wait until they get here so I can start creating with them!

Artbeads.com is having a sort of customer appreciation sale for their 10th Anniversary. All of their items are marked down to the furthest wholesale discount they offer. Although I am on a very tight budget, I decided to splurge and buy some copper plated charms, including this little snail

I also discovered this fantastic shop on Etsy, Zombies Unite. This shop has fun vintange and vintage style findings and shtuffff for jewelry makers, not to mention oober fun titles for every item! I love the snarky running commentary throughout the site. Zombies really aren't my personal thing, and I didn't really find anything Zombie-ish there, just a bunch of really great stuff, at great prices. Most certainly worth checking out. I ended up buying these Vintage Enamel Connectors and I so so so can't wait to play with them and the other goodies I got.
 Every time I check back at her shop I see more stuff I want! It may be a problem! I think we're going to have a great Etsy love affair :) Check out these sweet German Enamel Hearts!


I didn't buy them, but ohhhh now I WANT to!!!!

Today has been all about the Business of Beading... blugh. I love making jewelry, making beads and creating fun tutorials. The reality is that I have to make some money doing it at the same time... Today I was able to make this necklace: the second item in my Indie Expression Series:

Tree Girl Handmade Scrabble Tile Necklace and Earring Set


However, I have spent the rest of my morning/early afternoon photograping jewelry to be listed on Etsy, or photographs to update items I have already listed. I have realized that since I have started selling my jewelry on Etsy a few months ago I have gotten much, much better at figuring out the best way to show my jewelry, so I'm going back over some of my previous pictures, realizing that what I thought was pretty good then, really could be that much better. For Example, check out the new pictures for my Sparkling Wine Necklace and Earrings Set


Check out some of my new listings:

Key To My Heart Necklace and Earrings Set



What's The Plan, Stan?

• My next step, once I am done photographing, editing photographs, editing and updating Etsy... I am going to sit myself down and make a... dun dun dunnn Business Plan! I realize that since I am taking this jewelry making seriously, and hope to go far with both my blog and my Etsy... and it's already become quite and investment of time and money, I need to set down some short and long term goals.
• One of my short term goals is to create a line or series of jewelry that I could market for a gift shop at an apple or other fruit orchard. I live in rural New Hampshire where these kinds of farms are all over the place. A lot of them have quite nice gift shops, but any jewelry they have in there is tacky. My goal is to create several designs that would be apropriate for those kinds of shops and then see if I can't get a couple businesses to sell my jewelry there on consignment. I did consignment a couple years ago before I really knew what I was doing. I am older, wiser and honestly a much better jewelry artisan now.

I've been working all day, crafting a listing jewelry and it's been great! I wanted to put in a last minute blog tonight about my new items for sale in my Etsy shop

Classic Black and White Drop Earrings


Copper Bumblebee Earrings

Retro Coffee Bean Earrings

Hello Ladies and Gents! I certainly have been a busy crafter lately!
I've created a brand new fun tutorial working with some stunning Bali beads and Sterling Silver components from Artbeads.com as part of their blogging program.

So, what's the difference between Bali Beads and Sterling Silver?

• Bali Beads are only made in Bali, Indonesia. Every single bead and component is hand-made, and they are well known for their intricacy. They are generally less than 92.5% silver, and so are not quite sterling. However, the Bali Beads at Artbeads.com are listed as Sterling. As more couries are attempting to mimick Bali Beads, the market is flooded with Bali-style beads. These may or may not be equally fantastic, however they are not handmade in Bali, Indonesia.
• Want to learn more? Check out the Wiki article on Bali
• Sterling Silver is a copper-silver allow 7.5% copper to 92.5% silver. The copper gives the alloy added strength.
  

What's The Plan, Stan?
These delicate earrings are fun to make and certainly pack a punch. I'm going to walk you through the process step-by-step :)

Sterling Silver Flower Drop Earrings

Ingredients:

• 2 Bali Pendants With Flower Design
• 2 Sterling Silver Head Pins (or 2 2inch pieces of Sterling Silver 22ga wire)
• 2 Sterling Silver French Ear Wires
• 2 4-5 mm freshwater peacock button pearls
• 2 2mm peridot rounds

Tools Of The Trade:

• Wire Snips
• Needlenose pliers
• Round nose pliers

Process:

• Step One: Snip off the head of the headpin, leaving you with a 2 inch piece of Sterling Silver wire. Create a wrapped loop on one end of both headpins. Add the peridot round and then the freshwater pearl.
• A tip for working with Sterling Silver: If you've been used to working with plated findings and components, working with Sterling is going to be a bit of a pain for you. It's soft, very maleable and thus it can be a little hard to get it to do what you want it to. Take your time and be patient. A pair of nylon-tipped pliers may be helpful to prevent scratching.

• Step Two: As you begin the second wrapped loop, add the Bali Pendant before you wrap the wire around the base.

• Step Three: Wrap the extra wire nice and snug around the freshwater pearl. Use your needlenose pliers to make the loops on either end of the headpin perpendicular to one another so the Bali Pendant will face forward when the earrings are worn.

• Step Five: Using your needle nose pliers, attach the sterling silver earwires to your earings.

C'est Fin!

*I have recieved these products free of charge from Artbeads.com to honestly review in this blog. I have not  been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received*

Want to buy the orriginal?

Brass is all the rage these days. But, did you know there are all kinds of brass and brass finishes? As I said in my previous post, What Are All Those Metals Anyways: Brass is an allow of copper and zinc, so it's generally darker and not as brilliant as copper. The more zinc, the darker the brass. The more copper, the redder the brass. It tends to be pretty hypoallergenic.



What's The Plan, Stan?
I'm going to walk you through the process of making these simple, but really beautiful earrings, using gold finish brass butterflies, while also giving you a little information about working with brass stampings.

Ingredients:

• 2 Gold Plated French Earwires
• 2 Gold Plated 1 inch eyepins
• 2 5mm crystal quartz rounds
• 2 12mm Gold Finish Brass Butterflies
  

Tools Of The Trade:

• Needle Nose Pliers
• Bent Nose Pliers
• Round Pliers
• Wire Snips
  

Process:

• The actual process for making these earrings is really easy:
• First connect the eyepin to the butterfly. 
• Add your crystal quartz round and finish with a wrapped loop.
• Connect your earwire.

Some Extra Information:

• Gold Finish Brass is not actually gold plated. The brass has actually been treated with a chemical to make it bright and shiny - like gold. Vintaj brass has been treated with a different solution to make it look tarnished and antique. There are a wide variety of finishes in brass, and all of them are fun to work with.
• Although brass does tend to be hypoallergenic, I used gold plated findings and earwires for added protection.
  

C'est Fin!

Bead Artist Showcase
Your work could be right here! Submit your own brass earrings to Creativity In A Nutshell via email to cagarp@plymouth.edu. Feel free to include pictures, anything new you tried and suggestions you have for improvement.

More Similar Fun Stuff!

• Just What Are All Those Metals  
• Monday Madness: Weekly Earring Project 2
  

More Stuff on the Information Highway:

• Art Jewelry Forum 
• Want to try working with brass wire? 
• Making Jewelry With Brass Components

On October first, I re-opened my jewelry shop on Etsy: Callie's Creations! Of course, my computer promptly crashed right after. I am back home this weekend, getting caught up on all things jewelry. Here are some neat and beautiful things you can find in my Etsy shop. Take a look around and let me know what you think!

African Inspired Necklace


Computer Girl Necklace


Autumn Necklace



Maple Leaves Dangle Earrings


Upcycled Pink Computer Fuse Earrings


Purple Days

Have you ever toured a vineyard in the autumn?  The colors are nothing but inspiring. The leaves are still that lovely green, twinged with the gentle turning of yellow autumn. Every vine is heavily hung with clusters of purple and green. This vineyard-inspired necklace is simply stunning.



What's The Plan, Stan?

•  We are going to use Swarovski crystal beads to create this necklace and earrings set, combined with delicate amber chips and soft green freshwater pearls.

Ingredients:

• Necklace:
  
• 12 sage green freshwater pearls 6-8 mm
• 67 amber chips 4-6 mm
  
• 26 4mm Swarovski Olivine faceted Bicones 
• 13 5mm Swarovski Light Colorado Topaz Roundels
• 5 6mm Swarovski Olivine Faceted Bicones
• 1 27mm Swarovski Silver Plated Amethyst Filigree Sunflower
• 1 1 1/2 inch Gold Plated eyepin
• 8 4mm Gold Plated jumprings
  
• 1 8mm Gold Plated jumpring
• 1 8-10mm Gold Plated spring clasp
• 2 Gold Plated Crimpbeads
  
• Earrings
• Pair of ball post earring findings
  
• 2 9x6mm Swarovski Amethyst Teardrops
•  2 4mm Swarovski Olivine faceted Bicones 
• 13 5mm Swarovski Light Colorado Topaz Roundels
  
• 2 Gold Plated 1 1/2 headpins
  

Tools Of The Trade:

• Chain Nose Pliers
• Needle Nose Pliers 
• Angled Needle Nose Pliers (optional, but helpful)
• Bead Designing Flockboard (also optional, but also very helpful)
  

Process:

• First, set up your bead board with all your lovely ingredients. Admire them! There is nothing like the pleasure of working with wonderful beads! The pattern for this necklace is fairly simple.

• We are going to start with the pendant part. The Filigree Sunflower goes in the center. Attach the Gold Plated eyepin to the sunflower. Add first the 6mm Olivine Bicone, an amber chip and a Colorado Topaz Roundell. Create a wrapped loop at the end. 

• Next, lay out the elements for the actual necklace. I am going to list the beads for one side of the necklace. Repeat the same exact pattern for the other side:
• Amber Chip
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
• 6mm Olivine Bicone
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
  
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
  
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 2 Amber Chips
• Pearl
• 2 Amber Chips
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
  
• Colorado Topaz Roundell
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 5 Amber chips
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• 3 Amber Chips
• 4mm Olivine Bicone
• Gold Plated Crimp Bead
• 4mm Olivine Bicone

• Next, finish the strand by looping through a 4mm gold plated jumpring, stringing back through the 4mm Olivine Bicone and crimping. Add 3 more gold plated jumprings.
• Once you have done this for both sides, attach the gold plated spring clasp to once side and the 8mm gold plated jumpring to the other. Now the necklace is done!
• The earrings are super simple. Place the amethyst teardrop beads on the headpins. Next, add the Colorado Topaz Roundell, and the 4mm Olivine Bicone. End the headpin in a loop (or a wrapped loop if you have enough room), attaching it to the ball post earring findings.

C'est Fin!


Bead Artist Showcase
You work could be right here! Submit your own version of Sparkling Wine to Creativity In A Nutshell via email to cagarp@plymouth.edu. Feel free to include pictures, anything new you tried and suggestions you have for improvement.

More Similar Fun Stuff!
Necklace of Intrigue: Project

More Stuff on the Information Highway:
Swarovski Color-Changing Crystals 

Since I decided to relaunch my jewelry making business with new vigor, I have been intrigued with two ideas. The first – to make eco-friendly, recycled jewelry. Whether you believe in climate change or not, most people agree that everything we do impacts the environment. I feel that there are many small (and some big) things we can all do to help reduce this impact. I have been experimenting and researching various ways to explore this in my jewelry designs.Check out 'Recycled Jewelry: Idea Introduction."

Whether you believe in Climate Change or not, most people will agree that we could all benefit from decreasing waste and our individual carbon footprint. After all, starting when we were young, we all learned and repeated the popular mantra, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. It seems, however, that modern artists and crafters are taking up this initiative to "Go Green" in their unique and Environmentally-Friendly work.

Interesting in purchasing some of their handy work? Better yet, interested in making some "Green" pieces of your own? Here are some new vocabulary words that have been added to the mantra since we were kids, and a refresher on the old ones:

Reduce: Cut down on the products you are already using, which are harmful to the environment. For example, I love to use the Alcohol Inks made by Adirondack. However, you have to apply the inks onto little bits of felt. Rather than throwing away the felt after every use, I hold onto them, and any time I use the same ink combination, I use the same piece of felt, thus reducing the amount of felt I throw away. 

Reuse: Don't just throw things away - find other ways to use them. For example, I am reusing an old type-setting drawer to hold beads and small inclusions for resin beads, rather than going out and purchasing a plastic organizer. The important thing to remember is, if you're reusing, the object is retaining the same exact appearance - it's function, however, may have changed. Many people feel this option is even better than recycling, since there is no additional process (which generally involves releasing chemicals etc into the environment) to make the products into some usable.

Recycle: Anything that can be broken down/melted down into something else. Plastics, generally, fall into this category. For a jewelry maker, bits of metal wire etc can be melted down, old plaster can be powdered and reconstituted etc.

Upcycle: This is a new term, and one which I am just getting the hang of using. It can be applied to any of the previous three "Green" actions, but only when they are used to create something artistic. So, if you are reusing a soda ring for a pair of earrings, you are not just reusing, but you have created an upcycled creative piece. For example, a while back I had ordered some beads, which were actually quite large and rather ugly looking seeds. There was no way I was going to work with them, but rather than throwing them away, I am going to cover them with paper and reuse them.The jewelery that I make from those new and improved beads will be upcycled. It's a very popular and catchy phrase.


Blog Posts of Interest:
http://artistic-elements.blogspot.com/2009/08/recycled-jewelry-idea-introduction.html


Additional Information:
https://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/tetani/upcycleart/htmls/about.html
http://jewelrymaking.about.com/library/weekly/aa010202.htm
http://etsytrashion.blogspot.com/2009/03/reused-news_02.html