News!

Hi everyone!

As per usual, I've gone WAY too long without writing a blog post!

I wanted to give several updates--

There's a new website in town, and guess who it represents?! ZENITHJADE CREATIONS. You can see it here at http://zenithjade.com/ ! I've finally made the photography side of the business OFFICIAL & I'm slowly moving away from Etsy, (even though I LOVE them), because their fees have gotten too high. I've been on Etsy since 2006 and will still maintain and put listings up in my shop for clients BY REQUEST but clients will pay a 10% surcharge on all items listed on Etsy to cover the additional fees. I am at the same time ELATED and SAD, if that makes any sense! The new website ALSO has a STORE and I take credit cards and paypal via the website! I am working on setting up klarna, and I really thank you for your patience while I figure that side of the business out!

I've still been participating in SWAPS here and there! The latest one, The Bracelet Beads Swap, was put on by Lori Anderson of Pretty Little Things. Some photos are embedded in this post, but you can see them all by searching through the linked facebook group, or by visiting MY facebook group ZenithJade Makes! on facebook.

There are shows and photography EVENTS on the horizon! And I've been doing a LOT of charity work, as well, which I absolutely MUST tell you all about!

My next show to vend at is Mayfair in West Salem, WI at the Lion's Club Shelter, (see more info here), on Saturday, May 13th, 2023. My husband and I will be selling jewelry, leather goods, postcard prints and small 5"x7" metallic prints.

I am helping to organize the Bizarre Bazaar- a geeky show in La Crosse, WI at The Bronze Dragon. It is a show and fundraiser to help keep our favorite alcohol free gaming venue in downtown LaX in business. If you're interested in joining in on the fun and being a vendor, you can sign up here. If you can't join in but would like to help, I'm taking donations for giveaway baskets (items, gift cards or services) and/or you can donate here via GoFundMe. If you'd like more information, feel free to email me at andrea@zenithjade.com or via gmail at zenithjade@gmail.com. 

There's also a fantastic Juneteenth Event which I'm participating in and DONATING to, so if you'd like to stay in the know about that, please please please join my group- I'll be posting all about it there! :)

I'm also organizing an Extra Life Gaming Event through The Coulee Region Gaming Guild which benefits Gundersen's Children's Miracle Network. It raises money for a really great cause which is helping kids thrive! This event is happening in November, and I will have more information on this soon!

As per usual, if you need to get in touch, please feel free to contact me via the form on my website, email or phone via text (I don't answer calls if I don't recognize the number). 

Thank you so much for sticking with me over the years! I've had this blog A LONG TIME and it's going to be wonderful to reconnect with you all again!

Beads of Courage and Art Charm Exchange (Teaser Post)

It's that time of year again...

... for the Bead Of Courage AUCTION hosted by Glass Addictions (Jen Cameron) and the rest of the Art Charm Exchange crew!

As per usual, we make eleven charms- one for the auction, one to keep, and nine to trade with the other artists involved! Jen sorts and counts and makes sure everyone gets cool charms that are totally different; IE: we don't get the same charm twice! Some of the more ambitious artists made two sets!!!

To start off, I'd like to tell the story about my charms...

Materials:
Polymer Clay
Brass tone flying heart keys
Silver Jumprings (the bottom ones are handmade!)

Description:
The main piece of this charm was created using polymer clay and rolling it in a pasta machine for even thickness. Then I lovingly handcrafted each wing and heart using my fingers and a toothpick, (to get the wing's ruffles and the indent for the heart). This year's theme is "SOAR" so I thought a flying heart especially appropriate. I thought that love can make your heart soar and give you butterflies in your stomach, so that's why I ended up with this design. The brass key symbolizes, of course, the key to your heart. It also has little wings so it can keep up with the flying heart! :) The background of the polymer clay charm is sky blue sparkle with translucent clay to mimic clouds, the wings are white and the little hearts are lavender. An original creation by me of ZenithJade Creations especially made for the Art Charm Exchange and Beads of Courage!

May Your Heart Soar!!!

This is the process I went through to make my soaring heart charms...

Here, each circle has been cut and the holes punched out where the jumprings will go, plus I'm starting to put on the little wings.

Here's a closeup of the charms without the hearts...

And here's one of the tiny wings I formed using my fingers and a toothpick.

Here are the charms with the hearts put on. Lavender is one of my favorite colors...

This is the finished charm!!! I really debated about sealing it, but different artists have different methods of sealing and sealants they use, so I chose not to.

And without further ado,

here are the charms I received from my partners in this year's 

Art Charm Exchange!

(You can sneak a quick peek at all the charms available in the auction going on right here!)

This is the charm made by SueBeads of Pittsburgh, PA!

Here's her blog: http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

In case you can't tell, this is a little red birdie!!! :) You might have seen my other post about SueBeads when I participated in the C5 challenge!

This is the charm made by Perri Jackson!

Here's her blog: http://ShaktipajDesigns.com/blog/

Hot air balloon time!

This is the charm made by Sheila Rose Prosterman of Belmont, MA!

Here's her blog: http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com/

3D fluttery wings!!!

This is the charm made by Melissa Trudinger of Australia!

Here's her blog: http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/

Lovely 2-sided birdie charm with our theme word on one side!

This is the charm made by Cate van Alphen!

Here's her blog: http://fulgorine.wordpress.com/

Another 2-sided charm! This one is either a Phoenix or a Peacock- either is AWESOME.

This is the charm made by Shai Williams!

Here's her blog: http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

This is the only owl charm I got. Isn't it a "hoot?" *winks*

This is the charm made by Chris Eisenberg!

Here's her blog: http://wanderware.blogspot.com/

Another 2-sided charm! Love the blues...

This is the charm made by Lee Koopman!

Here's her blog: http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com

Lovely little kite...with fibers!

This is the charm made by Lennis Carrier!

Here's her blog: http://windbent.net/

And the last one, another kite in cool coppery metals. :) It also includes our theme word!

I adore all the charms I received! Thanks everyone!!! :) You can view ALL the charms by going to the auction link HERE (there is one of each for sale in the auction for Beads of Courage!), or by visiting the blogs below! Have fun and happy blog-hopping!

Here's the list of participating artists:

Jennifer Cameron: http://www.glassaddictions.com/blog
Alenka Obid: http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.com
Alicia Marinache: http://www.allprettythings.ca
YOU ARE HERE: Andrea Glick: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com
Caroline Dewison: http://blueberribeads.blogspot.co.uk
Cassi Paslick: http://badatbeingmom.blogspot.com/
Cate van Alphen: http://fulgorine.wordpress.com
Cheri Reed: http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com
Chris Eisenberg: http://www.wanderware.blogspot.com
Cory Tompkins: http://www.tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com
Elizabeth Auld: http://beadsforbusygals.com/
Genevieve Gabbert: https://www.facebook.com/MasuDesigns/
Jami Shipp: http://celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com
Jenny Davies-Reazor: http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog
Jill Bradley: http://www.jillybeads.blogspot.com
Kim Dworak: http://www.cianciblue.blogspot.com
Lee Koopman: http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Lennis Carrier: http://www.windbent.net
Lesley Watt: http://www.thegossipinggoddess.blogspot.com
Mallory Hoffman: http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com
Melissa Trudinger: http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Michelle McCarthy: http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Monique Urquhart: http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/
Moriah Betterly: http://mlbetterly.blogspot.com
Nancy Dale: http://nedbeads.blogspot.com
Nancy Smith: http://wirednan.blogspot.ca
Niky Sayers: http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk
Perri Jackson: http://ShaktipajDesigns.com/blog/
Renetha Stanziano: http://www.lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Shai Williams: http://www.shaihasramblings.com/2014/11/art-charm-exchange-auction.html
Sheila Prosterman: http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com
Susan Delaney: http://susandolphindelaney.wordpress.com
Susan Kennedy: http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com
Terri DelSignore: http://artisticaos.blogspot.com
Toltec Jewels: http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com
Vanessa Gilkes: http://culturezine.com/blog/

Beads of Courage/Art Charm Exchange QUICK UPDATE

My blog post is going up in about an hour! Watch for it!

Until then, here's the link to the beginnings of the auction goodies: http://www.ebay.com/sch/glassaddictions/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= !

They're all GORGEOUS!

Beads of Courage Date(s) UPDATE! Important!

The auction is now starting on November 24th/25th, 2014!

I will post a live link when things start going up for auction! :)