Logos and Banners! :)

Show this Saturday!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to announce that I have a show at Pearl Street Brewery in La Crosse, WI, USA this Saturday, May 5th from noon to seven pm! I'd really love to see you there!

These works, (+ a ton more and NEW STUFF!), are going to be for sale! It should be fantastic.

There's going to be a food vendor + live music, too.

Seriously, be there or be square. It's going to be an awesome event!

Time for a GIVEAWAY!

I promised that I'd give away some swanky handmade-by-me keychains a while back, and I am following up on the promise!

Check out this rafflecopter giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


When I get 500 fans, I'll host ANOTHER giveaway to celebrate!

What I've Been Working On Lately...

This is (SOME) of what has been keeping me busy! :) Some things must remain a secret until their respective reveal times. But until then, enjoy looking at these goodies:

Little pumpkins for Toltec Jewels! :)

I made Jack 'o Lanterns just to see if I could... ;)

Here's some matchy matchy skulls for Toltec Jewels... they all have bows and jewels in their eyes...

Some "plain" skulls... for Toltec Jewels....

Some more "plain" skulls for Toltec Jewels...

And some KITTIES!!! OMG!

And some non-matchy matchy skulls with FLOWERS. :)

And a BUNCH of skulls with bows, flowers and *gasp* wormies. Eeeeeeew, yuck! (These are cabochons- flat backed, no hole or loop for stringing). Made for La Fleur Designs...

Also: a BUNCH of small hearts with Swarks (Swarovskis)... each one is different... these are cabochons too. :) Also made for La Fleur Designs...
These filled different orders, and some I made just for fun. I hope you like them!!!

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/

"Oh NO! Someone’s Copied My Work!!!" by Lexi Erickson

http://lexiericksondesigns.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/oh-no-someones-copied-my-work/

^^^ There's the link to the article. :)

http://zenithjade.etsy.com/

Cool Faceted Polymer Clay Beads! Mosaics!

http://artjewelryelements.blogspot.com/2013/04/polymer-clay-how-to-faceted-crackle.html

Learn how to make these lovely beads by following the above link! (I did NOT make these, but thought they were too cool not to share!).

(c) Art Jewelry Elements

Here's something I DID make:

I just learned recently how to make polymer clay roses! I really love how this one turned out!

Featured on a website!

http://paper.li/ArtBySunfire/1355073175

A New Newsletter from ZenithJade Creations

New news! There's several NEW blog posts up in my blog- most of them are about taking stellar photography! Here's the link: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/ .

You probably don't know that I participated in several cool contests and blog hops. Their content is on my blog as well! My favorite, so far, is the Bead Soup Blog Hop run by Lori Anderson. It is wicked fun! In a nutshell, I was assigned a partner to send beads to, and my partner did the same for me. The next step was to design piece(s) from those beads! It is a HUGE bead and jewelry blog hop/party! I had so much fun designing for this one, that I'm going to do my level best to participate next year, as well. (The Bead Soup Blog Party post is currently the third post down, but in case you don't want to scroll for it, here's the link: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/2013/04/bead-soup-blog-party-7-reveal.html .

Also recent news for all you beady types- I joined a wonderful site called Bead Swap USA. It is AMAZING. There are boxes full of beads to swap, as well as finished item swaps and person to person swaps, plus SO MUCH MORE. http://beadswap-usa.com/ . It's set up in a forum type format, with each section run by moderators. It is really nifty!

Have you noticed I've been trying to blog more? :) I'm doing my level best! My good friend Kerri says that I have interesting stories to tell, and I sure hope that's the case! I surely don't want to bore anyone! *winks* Maybe each time I write a blog post, I'll email it out. I'd love some feedback on that! I don't want to spam your inboxes. Opinions on the matter can be emailed to me at zenithjade@yahoo.com.

I also chat passionately about charitable causes I'm involved in. Here's an update from my ZJC Facebook page I posted fairly recently:

"You can join Jilly's Bead Posse, (it's a crazy group of crazy artists and jewelry designers who believe in fighting for the cause of Alzheimer's) by going here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JillysBeadPosse or here: http://www.jillysbeadposse.com/ . I made and donated 36 pairs of earrings to the cause. Others are making (even more) earrings, bracelets, keyrings/chains, necklaces and what-have-you. :) Another thing I'm doing is taking over 150 pictures of earrings & editing them for my friend Kerri, who is donating 163 pairs of earrings!!! (And I thought 36 pairs was a lot! LOL!). ANYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN. There are at least TWO fundraisers going on RIGHT NOW. Please check out the website for details. (It's under Fundraisers!).

I have several new blog posts up, two of which detail photography tips & tricks + editing. Mostly, I'm just linking to others blogs, eventually I'll write my own tutorial on how to get good pictures... but until I do, there are a couple of great ones that link from my blog! Here's the link to my blog: http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/ .

Tonight I made five new polymer clay hearts! Yes, the pretty rustic ones. I recently bought some LOVELY vintage cabochons from Lindsay, (a Bead Swap USA member: http://beadswap-usa.com/ ), and had so much fun incorporating them into my heart designs. I hope you'll like them! I promise to show some pictures tomorrow. And I don't think I'm done playing with polymer clay yet tonight! :) I am having WAY too much fun. You can view a rustic polymer clay heart component here, to see what I'm talking about: https://www.etsy.com/listing/123593014/rustic-polymer-clay-heart-set-with . Woot woot! Lots of new news!
PS- if you've read this far, I'm having another GIVEAWAY when I reach 400 fans! I only have 31 more peeps to "like" my page and we're good to go! If you'd like to help, please do so by "sharing" this page with your friends. I'm very rarely boring, I promise!"

So that's what I've been up to! :) Have a wonderful, fantastic day, and don't forget to give me feedback on whether or not I should email about blog posts! zenithjade@yahoo.com!

Love,
Andrea

Original Email:  http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=2e39a3b8ab9b48f3cf3a22c14&id=1901fb711f

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/ !!!

Some of my Art & a Lesson in Business

 Both of these prints are getting donated to the Froghaven Farm auction. I sure hope you guys like them. The above one is a fractal, designed by me! It's called "Artist's Palette [Fractal]." (You can look up what a fractal is right here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractals) and the bottom one is a landscape I took right outside of Cashton, WI. It's called "Lonely Tree." I know, not the most original name in the world, but it suits! *grins*

Here is Amanda Luxe's Lesson in Business, (it's a link to her blog!): http://www.pinkcandyfashion.blogspot.com/2009/10/tips-for-making-money-by-working-at.html. I thought it had some good points! I'm sure I'll have points to add, but it's getting late, and I need to get some sleep! I've pulled too many over-nighters recently! *winks*

Calling All Artists!

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!

Lisa Powers is trying to raise some monies to buy a handicapped accessible vehicle! You can see details right here in her "about" page: https://www.facebook.com/FroghavenFarmTN/info .

Artists from ALL OVER are donating works of art for her auction, which is scheduled to take place in mid- to late March. :)

I'm donating 2 prints, a polymer clay focal of some sort and a piece of jewelry or a set!

If you'd like to donate, please send her a message via her page. :) That would be the bee's knees!

I'll keep everyone updated on when the auction starts, so if you'd like to BID instead, you can! WOOT!

Also, if you can, please share this far and wide with other artists and your friends! :) The more, the merrier! Thanks!

Featured on a Website! (Artfire Artisan News)

WOW! Also featured on a website for a tweet of mine- here's the link:
http://paper.li/ArtBySunfire/1355073175

You can see me, (Andrea), in the grey box to the left. I tweeted about an ArtFire Collection I was in! :)

YAY!

Here's a screenshot:

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!

Don't Feed The Trolls and Updates!!!

I really wish I had written this post, it is so eloquent. Anways, click here to read it! :) And yes, it is about internet trolls. It is definitely worth a read!

In other news, I won a beady raffle from http://BeadSwap-USA.com/! You can find pictures of it on my facebook, right here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151481648269189.510245.70965219188&type=3.

I got owl beads!!! :)

Also, I'm participating in the Blu Mudd Design Competition, and this is what I got to design with:

This is a Blu Mudd Rouge Berry Ceramic Pendant, handmade by Moriah Betterly!

You can buy her AWESOME STUFF right here: http://blumudd.com/ . (She also makes the MOST ADORABLE Hello Kitty pendants- one in pink and one in blue. Go look and see!).

I've been drooling over beads. I just can't seem to have enough of them, (of course not!). But I'm going to have to focus on purchasing some supplies like jewelry boxes, organza bags, and packaging materials. Oi! I wish I could just keep buying beads... Wishing wishing wishing.

If all goes to plan, I'll be attending the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee this June! I will not be taking any classes, (I'm getting there for the tail end of the show, methinks), but I will be on a bead buying frenzy! :) YAY! Sounds like a blast to me! I'll keep you all posted!

Also, I won this ring from the talented Karen Snyder of OSebastian! :) Here's the link to her shop:
 http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/OSebastian
and the link to this ring:
http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/5721682