Happy Sunday!
How did you get started, making jewelry?
We've all got our stories and I could listen to them all day long.
But... it seems to me that many have lost their love for designing pieces. They may have bunches of this and that, but when they sit down to create, can't remember where anything is. Or, they find out they only have a few of the things they need to complete a design and are not sure how to work around the missing parts.
Why does that happen?
Emotion has a lot to do with it. Some have had life reversals that are overwhelming. Some had gone through a tough separation or even a divorce. Others have mates, parents, siblings that have passed, and it's been hard to get over. Some have children who have been ill, or who had problems with substance abuse or being with the wrong crowd. Some had to stop everything to care for an elderly parent.
Everyone has the intention of coming back to it.
But..... if you don't fight to keep your creative side in motion, even if it's just slow motion...at some point it seems impossible.
I have a formula for jumping back in after you've been away for whatever reason, and it really does work for most people.
It's a bowl of beads.
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Above is a bowl of beads Darci Brown shared with us for Work Table Wednesday. It has a bit of Cherry Bomb Bead Mix which is now only at Etsy: Click Here to Find Cherry Bomb Beads
as well as some stuff from other bead mixes, and a cameo in a mount.
This is a fidget bracelet (memory wire bracelet with moving parts) I made when I was feeling a bit 'on the outside', and I made it from a bowl of beads. Can't you tell? It's all over the place. Bone beads,cast beads, spacers, lampwork, rhinestone rondelles, noodle beads and a lot more.
Funny....I think Darci even bought it. If not this one, another a whole lot like it.
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I'd done a video about 'a bowl of beads' a few years ago...but I just thought, let's do one like that LIVE, make it a party and just have some fun.
If you watch it, I think you will agree.....it's a lot of fun. And I made a pair of random earrings that remind me of munequitas (little dolls) and they make me smile. Old bone beads and newly tea-stained ones, rhinestone rondelles and fiesta berry beads. Very random and super fun!
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I hope you will give it a chance to inspire you. I tell you in the video just how to put the bowl together, and the value of maybe doing just a little shopping periodically to add something new. I didn't say that just to get website sales....although if I did, I would be glad for them....but! It's EXACTLY what I do.
I believe in retail therapy, LOL!!
Give it a shot and start having fun. If making earrings doesn't do it for you, make little drops and make a bowl of them. Then you have stuff for charm bracelets and treasure necklaces, on into the future!
As always, if you have a look, leave us a thumbs up and a comment under the description of the video. YouTube watches that to see how many people are taking time to speak up, and if they see the number rising, your video is suggested to more people. We love our regular viewers but it's nice for all of us to meet new creative folks, too!
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Vintage ceramic rose lots...BACK IN STOCK LAST NIGHT! Click below to find them on my website:
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We have them back in decent stock. They are so often the PERFECT accent for building a new design!
I shared this new pendant from Sarah Jones a few weeks back, but take a look again. This is the perfect design for you to use a random lot of vintage flowers, and there are some large ones in every package.
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If you are looking to build up your bead stash with something colorful and new, consider Sweet Mauve, Pink and Baby Blue mix! (click below to find it fast). The packages are part acrylic but also part glass with mirror ball and harlequin beads included.
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Below is our Purple Passion mix, click on the pic to find it fast. It's also on the website.
We still have a good bit of it, and this mix also has a good bit of glass in it, also gold finished spacer beads. That might be a great one to pick up!
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By now you know what I like to do with bone beads! This one is pretty eclectic with organice pieces as well as a bit of bling and some lovely Czech glass.
We have bone beads at the website, too.
Click on the photo:
And the photo just below that one shows bone beads that Dara DiMagno koolaid-dyed, along with some dyed howlite and acrylic.
When you mix it up like that you create one-of-a-kind texture and a great vibe!
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Below is a gorgeous autumn leaves photo I shared with you some time ago.
We have a lot of acrylic leaves you can change up a bit with Perfect Pearls, at B'sue Boutiques. If you click on the picture, the link will take you to them.
The photo really made me think of all the leaves we have and all the options and ways you can make them up...we have some in JUST this color!
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Find more acrylic leaves here:
Click Here for More Acrylic Leaves
This darling little heart mount just arrived this week.
I HAD to keep a couple for myself.
They are only at the site and we have twelve left. They are SO reasonably priced, too!
Click below to find them:
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I shared a torsade I made awhile back with Czech glass, along with a video Diane made for our channel at YouTube.
Joann did an absolutely splendid job of putting one together for herself!
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Another great shot of her design. Looks like she put a bit of crystal in there as well some gold spacer beads, too.
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If you'd like to get some GREAT vintage Japanese MOD Cultura pearls, we have them at B'sue Boutiques website. Takes a lot to make a pearl torsade, but that's such a classic look, it's worth making one for yourself! You will need 4-5 bags of beads....you may have some extra, but this way you'll get your own bowl of pearls and plenty to pick through.
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Featuring three great looks shared with us by artisan designer, Debra Long....all made with bits and pieces from B'sue Boutiques!
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I think we sold out of this glass cameo but I will soon have more. Debra does well with design work like this.
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This last piece is currently not in stock, but I hope to have some soon. Debra did a magnificent job of colorizing the raw brass.
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Click just below to find
All The Videos At the B'sue Boutiques
Did you know we have over 580 free classes on our YouTube channel?
I've referenced some great ones about tattered lace in this newsletter, and that's not even all of them!
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LISSEN UP!!
THE SALE CODES JUST GOT BETTER.
Use code 12315 and get 20% off 50.00 up.
Use code 12325 and get 30% off 100 up.
FREE GIFTIES with orders of 35.00 up, also, I'm doing a MUSE BOX giveaway this week. All orders made this week through Monday are put into the drawing. I've been saving things for some fun...so you might WIN it!
There has not been a lot of movement at the site this week, despite many great items at good prices...and some decent discounts too.
Your chances of winning are quite high....and you will be happy to see what I've saved back to send.
THANK YOU to all our loyal customers through the years.
You'll find some new stuff at the B'sue Boutiques website, including lots of lovely acrylic flowers and leaves. They're inexpensive and you can do such great things with them!
Shop the New Stuff at B'sue Boutiques
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You might also want to check the
Just Back in Stock
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Come and Visit Our Etsy Shop!
Diane worked like crazy to get a basket full of new things on our Etsy, just this last Thursday.
At Etsy: When you have 35.00 worth of goodies in your cart at the checkout you'll get 15% off, too.
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Join us to find your tribe, birds of a feather, and kindred hearts who love to support one another and freely share new ideas:
B'sue Boutiques Creative Group at Facebook
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I made this piece for the Uptown Boho class awhile back. The class is recorded if you are interested. The link goes to a description of the class and it goes day 1, 2, 3, and so forth.
Click on the photo below for a description of the class.
The class was very different for us. This piece below, for example, is hand sewn and not much glue used. And in pieces like these, I use hot glue...one of the FEW cases where I do that. And not much, because when you use hot glue with fabric, you can ruin your work if you aren't super careful.
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If you are interested, you can use the 12315 coupon code to get 20% off the class, as well.
The first time I shared this piece with the group it was well received.....but one member spoke up and said, I hope you had a good time making it, but have fun trying to sell it. I would never wear that! Okay, that's a given. Big pieces don't appeal to alot of people. Some things are also better left unsaid.
I respected her opinion and said nothing. In a day or so removed the comment, since it was about a piece I personally made, not something a group member made. But the comment was not meant in the spirit of fun. I know why she said it. She was angry over a group rule I'd recently emphasized and which had been a rule in the Creative Group since day one in October 2012.
When someone leaves an unkind comment for me, I leave their comment up without response...to give that person a chance to feel differently and remove it themselves. If they continue doing that, however, I remove them from the group, period....because in time, they will do it to a member, and I will NOT tolerate that.
A year or so ago, someone in the group who was newer to jewelry making timidly showed us a photo of what she planned to do for the set up of her very first show. We always love to share our show displays. Our members gave her some great tips, but one (who hadn't learned any manners, I guess) came along and told her that her display was infantile and 'don't expect to make any sales with a set up like that.'
Constructive criticism is permitted on our group---when asked for. If it isn't, we refrain from giving any. Being unkind and making harsh remarks is not constructive. This newer jewelry maker had in recent years been through a super hard time and hoped to find some relief by being creative and doing a show. The one who made the remark apparently had no idea what she said was the same as a slap in the face. And the girl who was working hard to get a start stepped out of the group and did not make any jewelry for a long time after that, and did not do the show, although she'd already paid her space rent. It broke my heart.
Some folks are afraid to join groups because of bullies like this. I am very sensitive to it and to the damage that blunt comments can cause. Things said to me when I was quite young have stayed with me all my life, and I've had to fight to put them down and move forward. I will not have unkind bullies like that on the group. The offensive member was immediately and permanently removed.
I just want you to know, we all work hard at the Creative Group to make it a haven, a place where you can come and pretend nothing else is going on out there, get some new ideas, and discuss/share them.
It's a great group. Don't hesitate to join us. I am watchful, and we have ten admins who keep an eye out, too. Honestly, we have a lot of peace and have made lasting friendships. We can't wait to meet you!! Click on the photo below to get a quick link to come and check us out.
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