And look what I found while I was on my lunch break!  Lots of finished pendants and beads will fit in these.

We’re in the final days of tax season, and hopefully I can get rested up soon and back to clay work. Priority number one is finishing up a couple of orders that have been in the queue for awhile (thanks for your patience ladies!), then I’m reclaiming the spare room.  I lost my craft room when Isaac came along, and since hubby has a great big garage, I’m feeling like it’s time to get the tools and stuff out of the spare room.  MINE!!!  It takes a huge bite into my productivity when I have to setup and breakdown during Isaac’s afternoon nap.   I’ve decided that this time my studio will be filled with vintage and vintage-style stuff that I’ve been collecting.  It will be a huge undertaking, but if I want to step the business up a notch something has to be done.     I recently received a couple of issues of Cloth Paper Scissors “Studios”, so now I’m all inspired now.  I know it’s customary to take “before” pictures, but it’s too embarrassing!

Have a Happy Easter, Everyone!

got a chance to make some jewelry out of my own ceramic pieces.  These earrings are available in my etsy shop: http://dwinchelldesigns.etsy.com   I’m running a special on shipping now till Christmas:  Free domestic shipping on orders over $15.  

I created a chickadee ornament this weekend, and today it was finally dry enough to create the mold.  I had bought some silicone baking dishes at Mardens last week, and they work great for pouring my plaster molds.  Pops right out, nice round edges.  I think I better get some gloves for mixing the plaster, though, b/c I suspect that the next time I do it my hands are going to react to the plaster. 

Off to make some ornaments for the kids. 

December Bead Trends Magazine, page 79.  Whoopee!!!  They also chose them for one of the shots on the table of contents page. 

I have some projects up my sleeves involving some ceramic beads and ear wires that I’ll be submitting around.  

Stay tuned for the December issue of Bead Trends magazine.  I created a pair of earrings featuring sterling silver, pearls, and garnets, and the editorial team chose to use it as a December project.  I hadn’t heard that they have switched over to a monthly format, so I was amping when I received my issue of Trends last week.  Alas, I was a month early.  Well, just gives me something to look forward to, I guess.   I can’t add a picture until the magazine is published, but these earrings would be perfect for holiday parties.

I’ve also had 5 sales this week between my two Etsy shops, plus a wholesale request.  I’m trying to make an effort to boost my exposure on there, which hasn’t been easy, timewise.  Monkey man keeps me running from the time he pops up in the morning till he crashes at night.  Kudos to anyone who has more than one small child and can still get anything done!  I don’t know what I’d do without “Nan + Boppa” (my parents), and hubby, who distracts Isaac long enough for me to work for 10 minutes at a stretch.

    I picked these glass beads up at Beadin Path this past summer, and finally got around to making something with them.   Better late than never…

 I’ve been loving the simplicity of single pearls lately. These monster pearls, however, deserve something more than a simple cable chain.  It looks regal, doesn’t it?

I was finally able to get enough pieces together to fire the kiln.  I have a BIG kiln, so it takes awhile to fill it.  I have an order for some ceramic containers for a flower shop, so that should go a long way towards filling it this time around.  In the meantime, I’ve opened another etsy shop, http://WinchellClayWorks.etsy.com , for my stuff. 

I’ll be offering a ceramic bead-making class the first and second weekend of November, in North Berwick.  I’ll post details shortly…need to get through Isaac’s second birthday (Saturday!), then on to business.

   I’ve been interested in incorporating the necklace clasp into some new necklace designs.  I’ve just used some twisted wire toggles on these two necklaces, but I’m pleased with how they came out.  I think I may need to crimp the wire down that attaches the dangle to the clasp so that the necklace will hang properly (and not be lopsided), but other than that I’m pleased.  The pink one is especially stunning in person, since the creamy color of the pearls reflects all the different hues of pink.    I have some ideas for wire work and metal clay clasps rattling around in my head; hopefully I can get them fabricated quickly.   

I spent last Saturday trying to get some consistency between my banner on my blog and on my etsy and ruby lane sites.  It’s hard to edit a style sheet when you have no idea what you’re doing, but that didn’t stop me ;-)

  Ocean Cruise

I received some beautiful lampwork beads yesterday by Karen Milmine.  Had an epiphany last night, as just a few days before I received some turquoise milk glass drops which were just the right color.  Don’t you love it when things come together easily?

 Boy is it Crappy out.  With a capital C.  It was raining so hard at one point that I could actually capture it on camera.  Actually, the past week has been kind of dismal.  I was heading home last week and had to pull into a parking lot because the rain and wind were so heavy that I couldn’t see.  I was also a little freaked out, since I’ve never seen the sky turn green.  Apparently that’s what happens if a tornado or microburst is coming.  Right after I pulled over there was 1/2-1″ hail pelting the van.  Isaac was unhappy; so was Mama. 

Today I’ve been working on taking better pictures of some of my pieces.   My goal is to get some sort of consistency in my shops.  I read an article last week on jewelry photography (I’ll post the link if I remember it…) advised adjusting the exposure on the camera.  Duh.  Now I’ve had plenty of experience with my manual Pentax film camera, so you think I would have figured that out.   I also try to put a corner of a white index card in all my pix, so I can later adjust the color cast in Photoshop Elements.  I’m getting there…

 I did manage to finish some pretty lucite earrings today.  Here’s a little tip for working with headpins: When you get to the end of the wrap, and your poor fingers just don’t want to push the wire down, use the outer portion of your crimping pliers to create a nice, round finish.       Just trying to push that 1/4″ down seems to send my hands into spasms.  (ah, I hear the umpteenth weather advisory of the day screeching in the next room).