Jewelry Making Outside The Box

It's MESSY WORKSHOP Day! Are You Ready to Rumble?

We've got FIFTY! Participants in the Messy Workshop Blog Hop Party today.....are you ready to see a whole lot of workshop MESS?

Actually a good pal of mine said that if there's no mess in your workshop, nothing interesting is happening there.

Hmmm.  I'd have to say that my workshop is not nearly as messy as it ought to be, really.   I haven't been spending enough time in it!     But I do have a bunch of stuff thrown about and jammed in drawers, that's for sure!

Yeah....that's a little blurry, but  there's evidence that I HAVE been playing with clay.

My beading tray.  I really have no idea WHAT all is on here or in here.   Art charms on top!  They need to be made into something.  Real soon.

My button drawer.   Ugh.   But I do have to say, there are some lovely old buttons in there...among other things.....

A pile of stuff  colorized with the new Ranger-Vintaj patina inks.   We have some videos about that, y'know.   And we carrry the inks at B'sue Boutiques   Find them here

Those are the new Beadsmith dimple pliers, by the way.  They just arrived.  Shelley should have them on the website this morning.

That blurry mess is my bead drawer.  Seriously, there are some great old beads in there.  Who would know???

A mess of pliers.  Actually at least you can see what I have.  Or *I* can, anyway.

This photo proves that I actually have been making stuff down there.   Polymer clay ART CHARMS, or the beginnings of some!

ART CHARMS.  They are so much fun!   And that's why I've made my latest video, which you early birds get to see FIRST:

Art Charms, Ideas and Inspiration from a MESSY WORKSHOP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiTD8OFudt8

In this video I demonstrate what that dimple pliers do, too.....among other things!

Rob will make the  video link live to the public around 11 a.m.  but if you click on the link above, you'll be able to see it!

NOW THEN:

TWO of our participants (below) will be randomly selected to receive generous B'SUE MUSE BOXES, which have a value of 100.00.   I will announce that here on this blog and on Facebook, tomorrow (4/28/2012)

I'll also announce it on the Sunday newsletter.

But guess what.....ALL who have visited this hop also get a little spiff:   spend 50.00 at B'sue Boutiques, and then......enter code

bloghop

yep....JUST LIKE THAT.        bloghop           all one word, no caps    copy-pasting it is a good idea!

and get 10% off your purchase.   That goes all the way up to 100.00....and then...

If you are smart, enter that code and keep going over 100.00, the site will give you another 10 percent off, because that's what it does on ALL orders, every day, at B'sue Boutiques.  Did you know that?  Spend 100.00 ANY day at B'sue's and get free US shipping and!  10 percent off.   You don't need a code to get that.

BUT YOU DO need the   bloghop   code to get this special, which again, WILL layer on the 10 percent once you go over 100.00.   So you'd actually get 20% off at that level.  Whoa!

bloghop

This code is good TODAY 4-27 and tomorrow 4-28 and then it's poof, gone.  No more.

Don't forget the code if you come to see us today or tomorrow, ****the discount is only good if you enter the code****, and this code can't be layered with any other coupons EXCEPT the standard website discount for 100.00 or more. 

Here is the list of all of our worthy participants, so you can continue to ....stumble through....tramp through....crawl through....FIFTY! workshop MESSES!!  If you possibly can, give them a little shout out, say hi, leave a little comment as you hop on through!  I know some of them have worked really hard to make their posts fun, some have video, many will be showing the beautiful things they make, as well.

MESSY WORKSHOP BLOG PARTICIPANTS

Brenda Sue Lansdowne

http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/

Robin Delargy:

http://looloosbox.blogspot.com/

Kim at Cianci Blue

http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Jazwick-Smith

http://hudathoughts-jennifer.blogspot.com/

Mary Shannon Hicks

http://www.uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Tracy Swartz

http://tracyswartz.com/category/blog

Jacqueline Marchant

http://jaacquelinesjewels.blogspot.com/

Lynnea Perry Bennett

http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/

Terry Matusyk

http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com/

Laurel Steven

http://laurelsteven.blogspot.com/

Dr. Brassy Steamington

http://drbrassysteampunk.blogspot.com/

Pamela Takeshige

http://www.crittersandthings.blogspot.com/

Kris Lanae Binsfeld

http://www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com/

Outre Art

http://theartistspaintbox.wordpress.com/

Linzi Alford

http://www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com/

Deb Davis

http://naturaltreasuresbydeb.blogspot.com/

Tamara Jones

http://irrysistablejewels.wordpress.com/

Harry Wood

http://www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com

Gerry Nickerson

http://gersgems1.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Owens-Dwy

http://www.thepolymergeek.blogspot.com/

Georgene Lockwood

http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/

Charisa Sloper

http://www.blog.obsidiansoda.com/

Jennifer Justman

http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/

Beanzie

http://the-vintage-heart.blogspot.com/

Mary Deis

http://mdeis.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed

http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Sondra Kolner

http://scrappybydesign.weebly.com/index.html

Sonya Ingersoll-Stille

http://www.dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/

Lori Anderson

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

Sandra McGriff

http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/

Shelly Joyce

http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/

Joan Williams

http://www.lilrubyjewelry.wordpress.com/

Kashmira Patel

http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/

Deb Beechy

http://beetique56.blogspot.com/

Ginger Bishop

http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/

Kelli Jacobson

http://creativemoonjewelryandthings.com/

Natalie McKenna

http://www.grubbi.co.uk/

Andrew Thornton

http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

Mary Govaars

http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Kate Mulligan

http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/

Lisa Lodge

http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com/

Tami Luchini

http://ssprocketsmetal.blogspot.com/

Monique Lula

http://www.moniquelula.com/blog/

Lee Koopman

http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com/

Jayne Capps

http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/

Susan Lloyd

http://designsbysusan-dbs.blogspot.com/

Cynthia Wainscott

http://www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Amanti

http://www.stephaniesjewelrybox.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache

http://www.allprettythings.ca/

Sam Hamp

http://hampgirl59.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier

http://www.windbent.net/

ENJOY!

There! I've Said it Again: List of Messy Workshop Participants with Clickable Links

Let's do this again.....

Even though I'm certain we all know how to copy and paste, it might be easier if we had clickable links to the blogs for the B'sue Boutiques  Messy Workshop Blog Hop on Friday, April 27th....

So I've made all the links  'hot'.    I can't guarantee that when you paste them into your blog post, they will stay 'hot', but hey, I tried.   If you have time to make them clickable again, that would be great, but....it's not expected.  ;-)

MESSY WORKSHOP BLOG PARTICIPANTS

Brenda Sue Lansdowne

http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/

Robin Delargy:

http://looloosbox.blogspot.com/

Kim at Cianci Blue

http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Jazwick-Smith

http://hudathoughts-jennifer.blogspot.com/

Mary Shannon Hicks

http://www.uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Tracy Swartz

http://tracyswartz.com/category/blog

Jacqueline Marchant

http://jaacquelinesjewels.blogspot.com/

Lynnea Perry Bennett

http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/

Terry Matusyk

http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com/

Laurel Steven

http://laurelsteven.blogspot.com/

Dr. Brassy Steamington

http://drbrassysteampunk.blogspot.com/

Pamela Takeshige

http://www.crittersandthings.blogspot.com/

Kris Lanae Binsfeld

http://www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com/

Outre Art

http://theartistspaintbox.wordpress.com/

Linzi Alford

http://www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com/

Deb Davis

http://naturaltreasuresbydeb.blogspot.com/

Tamara Jones

http://irrysistablejewels.wordpress.com/

Harry Wood

http://www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com

Gerry Nickerson

http://gersgems1.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Owens-Dwy

http://www.thepolymergeek.blogspot.com/

Georgene Lockwood

http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/

Charisa Sloper

http://www.blog.obsidiansoda.com/

Jennifer Justman

http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/

Beanzie

http://the-vintage-heart.blogspot.com/

Mary Deis

http://mdeis.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed

http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Sondra Kolner

http://scrappybydesign.weebly.com/index.html

Sonya Ingersoll-Stille

http://www.dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/

Lori Anderson

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

Sandra McGriff

http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/

Shelly Joyce

http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/

Joan Williams

http://www.lilrubyjewelry.wordpress.com/

Kashmira Patel

http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/

Deb Beechy

http://beetique56.blogspot.com/

Ginger Bishop

http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/

Kelli Jacobson

http://creativemoonjewelryandthings.com/

Natalie McKenna

http://www.grubbi.co.uk/

Andrew Thornton

http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

Mary Govaars

http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Kate Mulligan

http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/

Lisa Lodge

http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com/

Tami Luchini

http://ssprocketsmetal.blogspot.com/

Monique Lula

http://www.moniquelula.com/blog/

Lee Koopman

http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com/

Jayne Capps

http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com/

Susan Lloyd

http://designsbysusan-dbs.blogspot.com/

Cynthia Wainscott

http://www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Amanti

http://www.stephaniesjewelrybox.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache

http://www.allprettythings.ca/

Sam Hamp

http://hampgirl59.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier

http://www.windbent.net/

SEE YOU ON FRIDAY!

Who Is Participating In the Messy Workshop Blog Hop? Event List Posted

Drum roll......this is the final list of participants for the Messy Workshop Blog Hop Event sponsored by B'sue Boutiques, which we will be holding on THIS FRIDAY, April 27th!

Participants:  if possible, please post for the hop as early in the day as possible.  Many people love to follow hops, far more than actually participate.  The best way to make sure they see your post is to have it ready good and early, even the night before.  ;-)

While the hop is going to be about all the wretched mess we make in our workspaces, in the *long run*,  you should be sure to use your post to tell us ABOUT YOU and YOUR WORK.   Be sure that you include links to any of your selling sites or any other links you'd like to share that have to do with YOU and YOUR work.

You may---and in fact, you should!---include some pix of some of your favorite pieces, especially if they're for sale! 

I do hope that after the hop, many will use the opportunity to begin actively blogging again.  I know some have lamented that they have been remiss.    Here's what I'm finding:  if we have time to visit on Facebook and other social media networks, we have time to share bits of our lives, regularly, via a blog.   Promise yourselves that you will take 15-20 and post a blog entry several times a week, from now on.  

Promise yourself also, to begin to follow the blog hops and posts entered by other creative friends, on the groups you belong to.  Networks are formed this way, and this is also how you get more readers for YOUR blog----and theirs.

Besides a selling site, YOU NEED A BLOG.....and YOU NEED TO BE WRITING IN IT, regularly.  The more you let people into your life---just a little bit!---the better your shop will do.  And, I have to freely say:  the more fun you will have doing business, getting to know other creative souls, and growing as an artist.

BLOG ETIQUETTE:   for those of us who are newer to this sort of thing, blog etiquette means of course being kind and complimentary to our fellow hoppers.  **As much as humanly possible**, please try to leave a short, encouraging comment for everyone who has participated in the hop. Since there are 50!  of us this time, I realize it could take you a bit to get around to everyone.  Just please do your best, you don't have to do it all in one day, but please try to do it. 

You know how you'd feel if few or none commented on your hard work....so please extend that favor to your fellow participants.

I will announce the winners of the MUSE BOXES on Saturday.  The Event Page will be poof! gone after Friday, at Facebook....but I'll announce it here on my blog as well as on my FACEBOOK pages and on the Sunday night newsletter.

HERE IS THE LIST....don't forget it!   We need *everyone* to copy-paste it into the end of their post for Friday.     Everyone who asked me by emailing me personally with a blog link, to be part of the hop, is here on this list.  I have checked all the links, and all were viable at the time the participant was put on the list.   At this time, regret I can add no one else or remove anyone's name.

THANKS!

Messy Workshop Blog Hop Links

Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques

http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/

Robin Delargy, LooLoo's Box

http://looloosbox.blogspot.com/

Kim at CianciBlue

http://cianciblue.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Jazwick-Smith, Hudathots

http://hudathoughts-jennifer.blogspot.com

Mary Shannon Hicks

http://www.uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Tracy Swartz

http://tracyswartz.com/category/blog

Jacqueline Marchant

http://jaacquelinesjewels.blogspot.com/

Lynnea Perry Bennett

http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/

Terry Matusyk

http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com/

Laurel Steven

http://laurelsteven.blogspot.com/

Dr. Brassy Steamington

http://drbrassysteampunk.blogspot.com/

Pamela Takeshige

http://www.crittersandthings.blogspot.com

Kris Lanae Binsfeld

http://www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com

Outre Art

http://theartistspaintbox.wordpress.com/

Linzi Alford

http://www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com/

Deb Davis

http://naturaltreasuresbydeb.blogspot.com/

Tamara Jones

http://irrysistablejewels.wordpress.com

Harry Wood

http://www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com

Gerry Nickerson

http://gersgems1.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth Owens-Dwy

http://www.thepolymergeek.blogspot.com/

Georgene Lockwood

http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/

Charisa Sloper

http://www.blog.obsidiansoda.com/

Jennifer Justman

http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/

Beanzie

http://the-vintage-heart.blogspot.com/

Mary Deis

http://mdeis.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed

http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Sondra Kolner

http://scrappybydesign.weebly.com/index.html

Sonya Ingersoll-Stille

http://www.dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com/

Lori Anderson

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

Sandra McGriff

http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/

Shelly Joyce

http://www.aujourlejour-shelly.blogspot.com/

Joan Williams

http://www.lilrubyjewelry.wordpress.com/

Kashmira Patel

http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/

Deb Beechy

http://beetique56.blogspot.com/

Ginger Bishop

http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com

Kelli Jacobson

http://creativemoonjewelryandthings.com/

Natalie McKenna

http://www.grubbi.co.uk/

Andrew Thornton

http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

Mary Govaars

http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Kate Mulligan

http://mulliganstewjewelry.blogspot.com/

Lisa Lodge

http://pineridgetreasures.blogspot.com

Tami Luchini

http://ssprocketsmetal.blogspot.com

Monique Lula

http://www.moniquelula.com/blog/

Lee Koopman

http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com/

Jayne Capps

http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com

Susan Lloyd

http://designsbysusan-dbs.blogspot.com/

Cynthia Wainscott

http://www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Amanti

http://www.stephaniesjewelrybox.blogspot.com/

Alicia Marinache

http://www.allprettythings.ca/

Sam Hamp

http://hampgirl59.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier

http://www.windbent.net/

 

 

What a GREAT Idea For a Blog Hop!

I was reading along in Creative Bead Chat today (Melinda Orr's beading group) and noted a post from Linda Younkman about Jeannie Dukic's latest hop....

Jeannie offered each participant a piece of jewelry she'd made a long time ago, and asked them to redesign it.   Jeannie's blog is at:  http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog/ 

You  guys need to pop on over and hop through the posts and see what everyone has done with Jeannie's jewelry!

It's called the 4th Do Over Challenge.   What a great idea!  We all have stuff in our stashes that we finished but in the long run, just doesn't 'trip the artistic trigger' in our hearts.    This could be a great idea to do among a group of your beading friends, or for your club meet-ups.   It's always so interesting to see what someone else would do with the components in your piece.

Here is a pretty piece sent to Linda by Jeannie:

Okay, there's the bait!  NOW.....You're gonna have to hop on over to see what she did with it!

BY THE WAY.....before I post the links.....taking part in hops, commenting on hop links, commenting on blog posts in general is a great way to build audience for your OWN blog, as well as make great new creative friends!   Be sure to make time for these things in your creative schedule!

Find Linda's post here:

http://lindysdesigns.blogspot.com/ 

From there you will be able to view all the participants' links and have fun hopping through, looking at the re-designs and do-over's!

Have FUN!!

 

 

 

Ellen's PANK Parure, Signed ART

You know, there's pink....and then there's PANK.

PANK is that punched up, truly hot, standout pink that grabs your attention and keeps it.

Well, now, THIS parure is PANK:

What's a parure?

You have a parure when you have three or more pieces of a design line.  In this case, Ellen has FIVE:  three brooches, a pair of earrings and a wonderful bangle bracelet.   These are made in a very pretty Old World style that was most popular in the 50's.  It looks so much like vintage West German jewelry, but in this case, the pieces are signed ART.

ART JEWELRY has a very Victorian look, even a Renaissance style.  It was not high end jewelry but a good mid-line product that was sold in department stores.  The mark, as I understand it, was used mostly late 40's to mid 60's.  It has a look very similar to jewelry signed Florenza, as well.

Although jewelry with the ART mark is not jewelry of huge value, the fact that Ellen has this large parure with three styles of brooches,  and the fact that it's pink---no, PANK!---make it quite valuable, and in fact, quite a treasure.

What you see here is a reason why NOT to tear down small brooches or a pair of earrings that have a signature on them.   There are collectors out there who are trying to collect together a parure....and would be happy to pay you good money to get something they need to complete one.

And....with the money you get from THAT, you could buy the things you really want, for your own design business!  

As for me, I just learn reams from looking at jewelry like this.    Think about it:  what could you do with vintage or new Czech art cabochons, mounts and filigree to make a look similar to this one!

We have a lot of what you need to make vintage style jewelry at B'sue Boutiques

You will find more of Ellen Gonchar's jewelry at:

Vintique Jools

 

 

For Those Of You Who Think They Have Nothing To Blog About

I know that's what holds you back, most of the time.

You think there is nothing to talk about.  Like, someone comes over and says, "What's new?"

Come on, what's the general response....you know it.  

"Oh.....nothing."

What we fail at times to understand is that there are "slices of life" all around us, to report on.  Your blog really SHOULDN'T be ONLY about your hobby, your latest tool, your latest bead, jewelry making.

The purpose of a blog is to let people into your life just enough to know you a bit.  For example, a few days ago I posted the story of the Bling King.  I recounted what he'd done in third grade to generate a little buzz and a little cash.   There was a moral to that particular story as well:  be careful what you break apart, thing of every use for it, and how items can generate the most income to help you get where you want to go.

Robin Delargy of LooLoo's Box decided to take the advice to blog about 'slices of life'.   She decided that a Facebook conversation she'd recently had with some family members was fair game, so she posted it.

A Pack of Weirdos

You'll either be rolling on the floor laughing your head off, or...well.   You won't be, LOL

But this is a perfect example of stuff you can do on your blog, stuff that can really work for you....stuff that can fill in the gaps between posts on your latest creations.   People really DO want to know about you and your life!

And I'll just mention, although it looks like this cat is dead, he is not.   He's just passed out.

YOU'LL HAVE TO READ ROBIN'S BLOG POST to 'get' that remark!  LOL

An E-Book on Blogging That Will Get Your Party Started

I''ve been preaching, get a blog, get a blog, get a blog so much that I have begun to feel like my middle name is.....

GET A BLOG.

If you're selling on the Internet and you don't have a blog, it's just about next to not having any SEO.   No SEO, nobody finds you.   Okay, so you have SEO and they find you.   But no blog?   They don't KNOW you.

These days, with all the social networking going on, people don't want to buy your stuff if they don't know you.

Having a blog and writing in it regularly LETS THEM KNOW YOU, and solves that problem.

Okay, okay.  You're a jewelry designer.  You're not a writer.  I get that.   So maybe you wonder, sheesh!  What do I write about?

Lori Anderson has taken care of that for you with her new E-book full of fun ideas and photos:

 

You can download a copy via her blog, Pretty Things    Now you guys know Lori, don't you?  She's the genius that came up with Bead Soup Blog Party

You'll want to head on over to grab a copy of this E-book, it's just a nominal fee.  Lori has packaged all this great info FOR YOU!  

I promise, you'll never be without a subject to blog about, again!

And don't forget:   The Messy Workshop Blog Hop is APRIL 27.  That's a Friday, and it's about a week and a half away!

If you want to play be sure I have your name on the list!  You can contact me through the website or message Brenda Sue Lansdowne at Facebook.

I have to know by April 25 before I publish the list.  ;-)

The Bling King: How To Start A Fad

There he is!

The Bling King.

And by now....you already know there's a story for the telling, there.

The year was 1993.   The Bling King's Mama was busy peddling her wares, banging her head trying to get noticed in the big old bad old wholesale world, not paying enough attention to school pictures, school clothes.....what the King was doing in school.

Not a great thing, that.   At the same time, Blingy had learned from Mama a bit about  how to peddle wares.   He had a big bushel basket full of old chains and doofus culled from all Mom's vintage jewelry buys.   Here and there, he'd take a little pin or two to school and sell it to the little girls who drooled when he regaled  them with tales of the things in his loot box.   His pals were jealous of his stash of goodies , and even more about the fact that  he could make money from them to buy....of all things....POGS.

POGS were hot stuff in 1993.   Pogs were actually milk bottle caps with advertising on them, but somehow they got turned into a trendy collecting hobby/game among kids when the Bling King was in third grade.   Of course, the one with the most pogs wins, so....... Blingy was determined to be THAT guy.

He realized that calculated raids on his pirate's chest of old jewelry would fund the Pog thing.

In order to develop more buzz for his stash of vintage goodies, Blingeroo decided that the best thing would be to have his picture taken, wearing this amazing 1960's go-go girl belt as a neck chain.

LOOK AT THAT FACE!!   Calculating.  Sly.   Savvy.....

After the photo, Blingy Boy determinedly searched out every big fat chain in his stash and anyone else's because NOW....all of his pals wanted them, boys and girls alike.

On the back of the Pogs craze, a sweet little vintage jewelry chain business was born:  one to support the other.

The lesson in that?   Bling-o didn't break up the chain, didn't rework it into something else, although, it would have been okay to do that in most cases.    Instead, he saw the wisdom in creating buzz and value in the item he had at hand....and I have to tell you, the kid was funded.  

He still has the pogs to prove it.

The end-story is that he didn't count on reaction when the photo was handed back to Mama. 

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" she cried.    "I can't give this to your grandmother, I can't give this to your aunt or our friends!!!   Didn't the school photographer say ANYTHING to you about that chain?"

The Bling King replied, "Yeah, Mom.  He said, hey dude, cool chain."

I rest my case.

More Fun With Charms....Thinking Outside the Box Again!

A charm does not have to be a charm, per se, y'know.

You could make it into a little tack pin, or brooch!

Back in my vintage days, one of my big joys was collecting up a whole bunch of cute little novelty pins, and then!  just coating a whole lapel on my jacket with them!

pins like these (belonging to Joan Williams of Lil Ruby at Etsy)

Or maybe, something like this:

 

These are old molded celluloid.....I've always loved this sort of thing.   Maybe you could do something like this with polymer clay, make your own mold, etc!

Here is a very collectable old Walter Lampl guilloche/dresden handpainted heart, from the Vintage Heart:

There are a lot more vintage examples at the B'sue Boutiques Creative Group  and many thanks to all who have been sharing photos of their vintage pieces.  So much design inspiration springs from them!

What could you do with charms, etc, to re-vamp them, make them into an art charm, pin, or focal?

I always loved this example from Deb Beechy at Beetique:

She took a fave charm from B'sue Boutiques and turned it into a brooch.  You can find it here:

I Lock My Heart to All But You   and many others here:

Vintage Style Novelty Heart Charms

I was tickled to see what Robin Delargy did with this charm:

You will find the heart, here:

Lace Edged, Paintable Heart Charm

And LOOK!  At what Robin did:

She simply added to them, mixed the metals and made them her own, in her own LooLoo's Box style.

I really had to smile as great minds run alike, as they say!   Back in the mid 90's when I had my store line, we had a whole series that revolved around this heart charm.  I would even engrave on them.  You would get the heart as a tac pin (you can easily nip the hanging hole off the top and file it a little---actually, I believe the piece can be made without the hanger, too--I will need to look into that again!) and then two other little dangle pins made of charms in a set of three, all in theme:  teacher, nurse, cats, cooking, eeeek......we had so many.

If anyone wants a copy of that old catalog, I do have a few left and could send it with an order, request it in the memo next time you visit us at B'sue Boutiques     You won't want to do the same thing I did, but give it your own personal twist, just as Robin makes everything she touches a LooLoo's Box piece---she has an identifiable style, just as I did, when I had my line.

That's your goal, y'know.

But just sayin', this is a really versatile piece.  Sometimes we tend to go for the stuff that jumps out at us, but the sleeper pieces are the ones that can really take what we do to the next level.

It's all about thinking outside of the jewelry box!

I Found a Really Cool Hang Tag Tutorial

Getting back to the subject of 'branding', for those who make finished jewelry, signing your work or at least offering some sort of packaging is key.

When I had my line in the 90's I had professional carding and a logo on the card....but these days, since your product is handmade, truly handmade packaging-- from your heart-- might be far better.

I was reading along in the Creative Bead Chat group today and found this excellent post from Jennifer Stout Cameron on how she makes her lovely hangtags to showcase her handmade earrings:

Hang Tag Tutorial, Inexpensive Branding

She even scents the tags with vanilla from her spice cupboard!

How generous she was to share it....and the tutorial is excellent.  I hope you will take time for it, and leave Jennifer a comment to let her know you appreciated her efforts in preparing it.  The pix are great!