Are you up for a Challenge?

I want to spread the word about a fun Contest that Kelly over at Silver Parrot is currently hosting.
The challenge is all about color. Particularly colors found in insects. Cool Huh? Kelly Has challenged us to create bracelets in the color schemes found in some really interesting bugs.

Kelly describes it much better so go on over and check it out! It should be a cool way to add some interest to your week's jewelry routine!
Here is a link to the blog post describing the challenge -- http://silverparrotdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/11/are-you-up-for-challenge.html

I hope you all are having a great week!
I am off to unload the bisque kiln, and then I hope to sit down at my potter's wheel and get some new donuts made... wish me luck!
-kristie

In Progress

I have been feeling like a hit and run blogger these past couple of weeks. Life has been quite hit and run. I have been really focused on paying the bills and the craziness of life. Parent teacher conferences, getting depressed and realizing I needed to sensor myself through it. I finally got over my woes and then we got the Flu. Oh well, I'm pretty much fun with a fever, so I giggled my way through it and all in all we locked ourselves in the house for a week. Now That's a pretty awesome thing! Relaxing

And yay! I have been squishing around in the clay again! I work in cycles, so I often work in clay for a month, glaze for a few weeks, and make jewelry for a while and sell my work. So, now is a wet clay time. It's fun, it's freeing, it's why I love my job! Last night after my fever left, I set out to make some buttons at the request of my new favorite hat designer :-) Yay!! I am a hat addict. She so sweetly asked... Do you ever make 4 hole buttons? ----For you, anything!----

OK, I didn't actually make many 4 hole buttons, the clay had other plans. I did make some fabulous 2 hole buttons and shank buttons, (all the while imagining meeting my new favorite knitter) But really, mostly I made lots of fun disk beads. I have really been enjoying making the fibery disc bead necklaces... and my supply was getting dangerously low :-)

I made everything in white clay last night, and I think I will crawl into the dungeon (basement-crawl space) and see about some other clays I may have down there. I think I have some dark brown, manganese fleck, and porcelain... I wonder what will come upstairs with me!

Super Fun Packs

I opened up all the drawers and mixed and matched and put together a couple of listings from my personal stash to yours

A pile of random beads, pendants, connectors... A little inspiration pack of fun!

All pieces handmade by me out of stoneware clay, glaze and recycled glass. These pieces from collections years old and some styles I have not made in years. Many are different than my current work.

Celebration! Giveaway

Hi everybody! It feels like such a long time since I've blogged. I have been busy busy adding new work to my etsy shop. I have added a whopping 21 items in the past 2 weeks! I am so close to reaching the 300 sale mark in my Artisan Clay etsy shop! So, I've been thinking.... I want to celebrate, I want to have a sale of sorts and a giveaway. Everyone seemed really interested in my copper luster beads at the Open Studio Blog event, so I have decided that they will be my giveaway. I will include one of the beads pictured above with every purchase up until I reach my 300 sale goal! So if you buy 3 things you get 3 copper luster beads. Buy 10 listings from my shop, get 10 copper luster beads! So it is both a giveaway and a buy one get one free sale! Yay!

Am I done yet? Of course not! I will also give a super stupendous prize to the individual who purchases the item that brings my sale count to 300. I will also give an equally stupendous prize to the customer who purchases the highest total dollar amount within these next 20 sales!

Is that enough? NO! How am I going to get the word out about my sale without your help?

Spread the word about the sale and comment on the post to let me know and you will be entered to win a smoke, sagger or copper luster of your choice from my available inventory! Yep, you read it right! I will open up my hoard to you and you may take your pick!

So how can you spread the word?

Twitter, Facebook, or Blog about the sale and you will receive an entry for each post you make!

So please spread the word and let me know just how you did it!

Thank you so much for making these last 280 sales possible! and Thank You for your continued business!

-k-

Jamie's Necklace

I made this necklace for Jamie today...

It is like the one I made for the Fun with Focals Challenge and kept for myself. I hope she likes it :-)

Blue Ice Pendant / Fun with Focals #3

Blue Ice Pendant I am having a blast with Heather Powers' Fun with Focals Challenge. It's funny, I read this challenge, --The Assignment: Use jump rings as embellishment for your focal piece, the more the merrier! I thought that I would just pass on this one... I don't really use jump rings much-- And then, wouldn't ya know, a project I was already working on needed a little something. I added beads to jump rings and here you have it! Blue Ice Pendant
I know, I'm not looking for Icy weather just yet, but my husband insisted that I call the necklace Icicle or something like it. It is very cool and blue. I think it is great! It really moves with you.

And, I have it on a hand dyed silk cord, that can be tied up high or tied down low... or tied to any length you like for that matter! I always seem to find myself switching neck wear around this time of year when my sweaters and turtlenecks take over and my tank tops and tank dresses get pushed to the back of the closet. This pendant should come with you through all your necklines. I also would not be offended if you slide the focal on your favorite chain or neck ring :-)

What do you think?
-k-

Oh Yes... P.S.
This pendant was made with 2 of my standard size cabochons which are available for order to your color specifications :-)

Leather Bail Necklace/ Fun with Focals Day 2

The Assignment: Use ribbon, string or leather to create a bail for your focal bead/pendant. This is for the Humblebeads (Heather Powers) Fun with Focals Challenge

Soooo--- I got out my super thin leather cord and made a right angle weave bail for one of my medium sized Sagger fired donuts. I then used the remaining leather to knot wood, and agate beads to form the necklace.

And here it is! A dream! And here it stays, on my very own neck!

(I will make you a necklace in this design if you would like to ask me, but this one is all MINE!)

There are currently 4 sagger fired donuts in my etsy shop in this firing method and size. I love them! Look at all the photos in the listing, because the markings are different on either side, and can be used on either side. Find them in the Donut section of my shop.-- http://www.etsy.com/shop/artisanclay?section_id=5883686