Summer Surprise Blog Hop hosted by Pine Ridge Treasures!

Here's a link to Lisa's blog entry & participant list: http://gratefulartist.blogspot.com/2013/08/summer-color-surprise-blog-hop-reveal.html

Remember that beautiful jewelry set I teased you about right here? Here's the final product! It's a Waterfall necklace and earring set. :)

Sorry about the (slightly) dark photos... I used an LED light to light the set up as it's (VERY!) dark here right now. LOL. I'll endeavor to get better pictures on Sunday in NATURAL light. :)

I used a little bit of everything, except for the Carnelian that was sent. I was planning on making something else, but plumb ran out of time... I'm SO happy I made this set right away! Yes, it's another Waterfall necklace.... can you tell I'm obsessed with them? They are just so pretty, and you can use so many different materials for them!

Here's another waterfall necklace I made recently to show you how similar, but DIFFERENT, they are:

This one has rose quartz, lampwork, labradorite, freshwater pearls and crystal in it. :) Very pretty! I donated it to BeadSwap-USA. (Another group I've been meaning to tell ya'll about!).

Anywho, I really hope you like the orange Waterfall necklace & earring set I made. In case I didn't mention, I got the orange packet of beads for this challenge! :)

I love summer for the green and the flowers!

Here's a flower to brighten your day- I took this picture on one of my walks through town:

Without further ado, here is the participant list:

Your Hostess: Lisa Lodge, A Grateful Artist

Chris Eisenberg, Wander Ware
Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution

Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs (Posting on Sunday the 25th)

Melissa Trudinger, Bead Recipes

Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion

Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool

Charlene Bausinger Jacka, Clay Space

Tara Plote, The Newbie Beader's Blog

Renetha Williams Stanziano, Lamplight Crafts

Leah Mifflin Tees, My Beady Little Eyes

Kathy Zeigler Lindemer, Bay Moon Design

Toltec Jewels, Toltec Jewels for Jewel School Friends

Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me

Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things

Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry

Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life

Julie Lockhart, Copar Aingeal

Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations

Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads

Mowse Doyle, Mowse Made This

Veralynne Malone, Designed by Vera

Candida Elkins Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks

Shaiha Williams, Shaiha's Ramblings

Christie Searle Murrow, Charis Designs Jewelry
Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations (YOU ARE HERE)

ZenithJade Creations TRUNK SHOW for July 2013!

Here's the facebook event link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/170800996434214/

All photos are going to be uploaded to the event page tomorrow, (Sunday), bright and early at 9am!

Total bonus for "joining" the event: you can get a $35 gift certificate to my ArtFire shop, JUST FOR JOINING THE EVENT. Yes, I'm that cool. ;)

Here are some teaser photos to whet your appetite:

Additional details that are included on the event page:

 * To STOP receiving notifications about this event, simply click "not attending". I hope you DO, but if you choose NOT to, I won't hold it against you! ;)
* PayPal only, please!
* All items are HANDMADE by me!
* If you have any questions, please ask! (My profile name is Andrea Glick).
* Trunk Show will run this Sunday (6/30) thru next Sunday (7/7) and ends at midnight CST.
* All items are HEAVILY DISCOUNTED and are sold AS IS. There are no defects in workmanship, this stuff just needs a new HOME that isn't in MINE! Making room for NEW STUFF.
* There is a Buy-It-Now Price (BIN) and a Bidding Price. Once bids are placed, the BIN is invalid. Thanks!
* Once bidding and buying are closed, payment is expected in 24 hours. Please leave your email address in the comment form so I can send you an invoice! Shipping charges will be added at that time. Please keep in mind that shipping internationally is now ASTRONOMICAL. I'll do my very best to keep it reasonable, but don't bite the messenger! ;)

*** AS PER USUAL, anyone who joins is entered to win a $35 gift certificate to my ArtFire shop- this excludes purchases made during the Trunk Show. If you SHARE this event, you get an extra entry to win the gift certificate!***

Please share this event with your friends! The more, the merrier!

Also, the fine print: facebook is in no way responsible or held liable for this Trunk Show event!

Sea Glass Explosion!

So, I am once again participating in a lovely blog hop- this time sponsored by Bill of ZnetShows! He has some lovely, and I mean LOVELY, beachy manufactured sea glass.

This is what I received:

 

This was my first project using his sea glass- a lovely copper, blue shards and Swarovski crystal bracelet!

You can find these by clicking here!

This is my second project, which I have to admit isn't TOO BAD for my very first attempt at making a wire-worked cuff:

Beach glass made by ZnetShows!

This was my next project, some dainty and cute feather earrings on some very soft green sea glass:

Tibetan silver feathers, silver-plated wire, and sterling silver earrings hooks with the soft green beach glass!

Did I mention that Bill sent me a TON of sea glass?! These were my next project- I mean, who can resist some swanky cats and fish bones?

Again, Tibetan silver kitty cats, pewter fish bones, white/translucent sea glass from ZnetShows, silver-plated wire, and sterling silver earrings wires!

This is, BY FAR, my favorite out of everything I made so far. Czech? glass ovals and stars, blended with Swarovski crystals, Sea Glass from ZnetShows, some blue chalcedony on copper!

Necklace and earring set!

Overall, I am absolutely THRILLED with the Beach Glass Beads from ZnetShows- very, very impressed. By the way, they also do wholesale!

How To Boost Your Search Engine Optimization on Etsy! (SEO)

http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2013/4-ways-to-improve-your-seo/?campaign_label=etsy_success&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=etsy_success_052813_5871075908_0&utm_medium=email&email_sent=1369856521&euid=_x7Z3Y6geqxH_oGb2BZZ-F9xILzy

COMING SOON TO MY ETSY SHOP:

http://zenithjade.etsy.com/

BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY 7 REVEAL!!!

Here is the lovely sea glass and pendant from Antelope Beads Andrea Trank sent me. :)

A big old pile of goodies!!!

Another shot of the goodies Andrea Trank sent me!

 This is the very first piece I made using the beads Andrea Trank sent me. The only bits I added in were some goldstone beads, some copper/brass beads and a touch of smoky quartz... plus all the findings minus the chain & clasp at the top!

I used both the clasp and the focal sent to me in this one piece... I really love how it turned out! And the earrings are just too cute! But this isn't the end.... I made even more! (See below...!!!)

This is the SECOND piece I made from the beads my partner sent me. :) Those are lovely sea glass spears she sent me, and some rounds (which I paired with stick pearls in shades of green), Swarovski baroque drop, Swarovski cubes, Czech glass rondelles which my partner also sent me... with a blend of baroque freshwater pearls at the very top mixed with peridot Swarovski crystal.

This is the whole necklace. And it's LONG. I thought it needed quite a bit of length to balance the weight of the "focal" I made. It's called a "Waterfall Pendant"... I used bits of copper tone chain between the  spacers. Incidentally, Andrea (my partner in crime for Bead Soup Blog Party), sent me all those lovely rondelles in the necklace & pendant... two different shades of green!

But no, that's not even all I made........ (See below!!!)

I made these GORGEOUS sea glass earrings. Andrea, I don't know how you matched two of the spears so well, but I thought they'd be PERFECT for dangly earrings! I wrapped the spears in copper, with all copper findings... those little rounds are even more sea glass she sent me... plus I ended the earrings with just a touch of purple Swarovski crystals. Yay! I absolutely adore Swarovski!

Now, not to toot my own horn, I did make one other thing using some of the beads that Andrea sent me- but I submitted it to a different contest. The Czech glass tubes were perfect to blend with the Zebra Jasper. (Andrea sent the Czech glass tubes). The other beads are vintage golden seed beads, crackle crystal quartz, baroque freshwater pearls and of course the large Zebra Jasper ovals and the Czech glass tubes.

I didn't think I'd be done making stuff yet, but I plumb ran out of time this time around to make anything else!

I hope you enjoy looking at the BSBP7 goodies!

Have a wonderful, spectacular day!

Love, Andrea G.

PS- here's Andrea Trank's blog- you can see what she made with the beads I sent her: http://www.heavenlanecreations.com/

You can also view the participant list for the 2nd reveal here: http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/ !!!

7000 Bracelets for Hope & a Giveaway!

So, I'm going to enter another contest... this one has a condition that I would be happy to fulfill- donate a bracelet to 7000 Bracelets for Hope. It is an organization that donates bracelets to Adults and Children with rare genetic diseases. You can read more about it on their website, here: http://globalgenes.org/7000-bracelets-for-hope/.

So Sandra, the woman who is hosting the contest, put up a blog post about it here: http://skyescreativechaos.blogspot.ca/2013/02/ff-14-with-twist.html . You can read about the bead soup she's giving away, too! And of course, it's a set of blue beads, since 7000 Bracelets for Hope takes blue bracelets! :)

Here are some pictures from the website of others' donations, (the images didn't list credits, so if this is yours, please let me know so *I* can give you credit!!!):

There is a list of donors- here's the link if you'd like to check out their shops: http://globalgenes.org/contributor-list/.

The link/image to donate to this worthy cause is on the RIGHT HAND SIDEBAR. There isn't a direct link, so please look for the DONATE image. Thanks!

Sparta, WI Art & Craft Show

HUNDREDS OF VENDORS.  

We're booth number 246 in the New Gym!

506 N Black River St, Sparta, WI 54656 // (608) 366-3504

We're selling JEWELRY, JEWELRY and more JEWELRY! Hope to see you there!

If you'd like something custom-made and want to pick it up there, please message me with your request on facebook (Andrea Glick) and a phone number where I can contact you. Thank you!

♥,
Andrea and Candy

This is SOME of our inventory:

You can also JOIN our event on Facebook by clicking here. Thanks!!!

Non-Blogger & Blogger Challenge - Turmi

Once again, I've signed up for a Bead Soup Cafe beading challenge. (It's a fancy title for a contest!) Here's one of the pieces that I'm hoping will score some "likes" on facebook:

The main focals of the necklace are Zebra Jasper, and I just love the play of browns in them! They look like fancy chocolates to me! The other beads are, (in no particular order): crackled quartz crystal, baroque freshwater pearls, Czech glass tubes in brown/gold AB (aurora borealis finish), and golden seed beads. All copper findings. :)

Here's the inspiration picture:

 

I really hope I captured the essence of the picture! Anyways, I'm gearing up to make some more pieces with this as my inspiration.

If you'd like to join in on the fun, you can visit Bead Soup Cafe right here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeadSoupCafe/. If you'd like to sign up, go to this thread: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeadSoupCafe/permalink/556739097684268/. And you can upload your picture here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.556732894351555&type=1. 

The DEADLINE is MARCH 12th!

Then the voting will commence!

A Simple How-To on SEO!

Here's the link: http://www.afterninetofive.net/2013/02/how-to-make-blog-posts-more-seo-friendly/ .

A great simplified tutorial on how to make your blog SEO (Search Engine Optimization) better. :)

One of my favorite hair clips! It's earthy. You can find more like it in my Etsy shop, here: http://ZenithJade.etsy.com/ .

How To Host An Online Trunk Show

I actually wrote a post for it on Artisan Whimsy! You can view it by going to my page, here: http://artisanwhimsy.ning.com/profile/AndreaGlick! It's all the way at the bottom. If you can't read it, it probably means you need to make an account at Artisan Whimsy! And I wholly suggest you do so. :) It's a GREAT community of jewelry artists.

If you have any questions about it, feel free to shoot me an email at zenithjade AT yahoo DOT com. (I'm preferring to avoid spam-bots, LOL!).

And for kicks and giggles, here's a picture of one of my pieces:

A Little Slow on the Uptake

I'm having an online Trunk Show and you're invited!

Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/events/153920814759414/

Here's some photos to whet your appetite:

The Trunk Show ends tomorrow at 7pm. Many thanks!

The Interview: Paasch E Pottery!

Every once in a while, a seller on ArtFire REALLY strikes my fancy, and I decide I want to do an interview. Here's my interview with PaaschEPottery! Please share the love and visit her links! :)

Tell me a little bit about yourself- your inspiration, your life story, your passions...

My name is Erin Paasch. I'm 24, happily married to a man who swears he's not artistic (though I know better), and obsessed with pottery. Seriously. Obsessed. If I'm not drooling about another artist's work or making my own, you can tend to find me pawing disapprovingly at friends' and relatives' mass-produced work and talking about how their stuff is so much more likely to break because it's cast and the clay molecules aren't as compressed as they should be for functional work.

Also, I might be a horrible friend and/or relative to have.

Why did you select pottery as your artistic medium?

When I went into art school, my portfolio was filled with drawings and paintings. It was what I was certain I was going to do for the rest of my life.

I don't know if you know what it's like to be at a prestigious art school, but it's not easy. They make you try out several new mediums while still doing the medium you wanted the most. We were putting out paintings and small sculptures every 2-3 weeks. I quickly learned that although I enjoyed painting, it wasn't enough of a passion that I wanted to do it day-in and day-out like this. I got burnt out.

At the same time, I was planning and getting ready for my wedding. Because we were on a tight budget, the soon-to-be hubby and I ended up making a lot of our decorations: The flowers, the cake topper, even the wedding invitations. Unlike the painting, doing all of this work and making these small crafts thrilled me.

Here's a picture of him and me. You can see the bouquet in my hand and the boutineer on his suit that we made.
Anyway, when I returned to college the next year, I knew I wanted to work in 3D. I tried out different mediums, and settled from there on wheel throwing. I liked how responsive the clay was, it was almost as fluid as paint, and how challenging it was as a medium.

I love the colors you blend on your wares- how do you come up with the color combinations? Where do you draw inspiration from?

I actually have to credit this to my husband. Glaze is tough to control because when you put it on a form, it's just watered down minerals. It isn't until after it comes out of the kiln that you can actually see what those minerals turn into. Add the fact that several things can affect these glazes, like how you layer them, the type of firing you do, etc., and it becomes extremely challenging. I myself took a semester-long course just to understand how to use and test glazes effectively.

My husband was interested in learning, so I taught him the basics on how to test glazes, tweak recipes, and take good notes. Less than a month later he came up with a gorgeous glaze combination that I couldn't accomplish in 3 years. Maybe it's beginner's luck, maybe my hubby is just that damned good.

I see that you're making buttons! Why did you decide to try that? Are beads in the near future?

Sometimes I get really frustrated with the wheel. No matter how good you are at it, you're still going to have that day, or week, or month, that you're just off. Sometimes it's just a small thing and you can blow it off, but a short while ago I was having an off 2 weeks.

I've found that the best thing to do when I am in a rut like that is just to build by hand. By the end of a few days, I'm rearing to go on the wheel again. And yes, I am working on a few bead designs ;)

Why do you use a wheel? Tell me about the process! :)

I love how instant the wheel is. When you're hand-building, you're building something up little by little, layer by layer. But with the wheel you can make the main part of a form in as little as 20 minutes. Sure, there is more to it than that -- the wheel alterations, adding handles, glazing, and that adds up, but because the main form is pretty much done right away, I can make several of the same piece with just small differences. This allows me to be able to constantly evolve my work and make very good, functional pottery.

What other creative endevors do you enjoy doing? Do you scrapbook? Crochet? Bead?

Every year, my friend over at Naked Light Bulbs and I have a sale together. To help out, I help her crochet her simpler dolls -- like bees or bear heads, for her to put them together.

For the most part though, I keep to the pottery. Every now and again I'll catch a bug and have to draw, paint, or maybe even make jewelry, but in the end, I love clay most of all.

What new skill would you love to learn?

Carpentry would be nice. I need more shelves to hold all of my pots! Seriously though, I've always wanted to make large mosaics and being able to construct furniture to make them on would be an amazing skill to have.

Did you go to school to learn your art, did you take classes or are you self-taught? If someone helped you with your journey, please tell me about them!

Well, I think I mentioned this already, but I went to college. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago -- you know, the big art museum? That's where I spent 4 years.

Although it helped me discover what I wanted to make and where I wanted to go with my art, I was surprised to find that I learned a LOT more about pottery out of college. When you're in a class and not trying to sell your work, you don't think about how to make multiples of work or where to order glazes and materials from. I feel like after college I've pushed my work so much more and learned so much more just having to deal with the real world while making work.

Do you enjoy what you do?

If I didn't, I wouldn't be here.

What is your least favorite part of being an online arts seller on ArtFire?

This isn't just limited to ArtFire, but it's so frustrating to hear people say how much they love your work time and time again, but you don't make a sale for over a month. It starts to make you wonder if you're doing something wrong.

I've joked more than once that when I was in High School and college and making work that wasn't for sale, everyone wanted to buy it. But the moment I actually put a price tag on the stuff, everyone walked away.

What is your favorite part of being an online arts seller on ArtFire?

The community. Hearing from so many other artists, seeing people help each other out and promoting for others. It's amazing.

How do you balance work/making stuff/play/family/pets?

With plenty of naps throughout the day.

What's your favorite snack while you're working and why?

I've found it's best not to snack when your hands are full of clay. It makes everything taste chalky.

Any suggestions for other sellers out there?

Actually, if some sellers had any suggestions for me, I'd appreciate it! I'm so new at the whole online thing, I don't feel qualified!

Seriously though, I'd say to try and keep all of your options open. I'm not just selling work online, I'm also selling wholesale or through commission with local stores, submitting work to galleries, and selling at arts and crafts fairs. It's a lot of work, but I'm having a lot more success selling in several ways than just one.

Please link me up! Blog, twitter, facebook, myspace, etc!

(Shop) http://www.artfire.com/users/PaaschEPottery
(Blog) http://paaschepottery.blogspot.com/
(Facebook) http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paasch-E-Pottery/145926675469995?sk=app_106171216118819
(Twitter) http://twitter.com/#!/PaaschEPottery

Special promotions for blog readers? Any specials you'd like to share?

Right now I'm running a sale as part of ArtFire's XMas In July Event. I have 25% off all of my inventory, and at the same time I'm running a contest to encourage people to help me advertise my sale.

Upcoming Jewelry Show!

Moe in the bathroom sink --->

Yes, Moe is one of our cats! We found her sleeping in the bathroom sink a few days ago, and this was the result of my picture taking. *grins*

Isn't she just adorable???

UPCOMING JEWELRY SHOW!
This show is going to be a little different from the others, as I'm actually going to provide refreshments. Wootz! Soda, cheese and crackers, and maybe finger sandwiches, (sammiches). Should be delightful!

The show is scheduled for Saturday, July 9th, starting at NOON. There is no set end-time, but before midnight would be preferable. *winks*

It is taking place at my home at 205 Avon Street, La Crosse, WI 54603. Bring your friends!

We are DOWNSTAIRS, on the left side of the building. It's a white house with a huge picture window. *grins*

Refreshments + jewelry = great times!

As per usual, I will be around to answer any questions you might have, and to take custom orders!

If you can't make it, don't fret- I've got over 350 items in my artfire shop!

You can also find my jewelry at The New U in Onalaska, WI.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ZenithJade
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ZenithJadeCreations