Seven Day Giveaway-Day 1!

 Back on June 9th, our AJE Facebook page hit 1,000 likes!  To celebrate this event, we wanted to have a really fun giveaway to thank all of you (full details can be found here).

Today is the first day of this event and these are the two components we will be giving away...

A pair of porcelain seashell charms by yours truly (Diana P./Suburban Girl Studio) and...

A gorgeous copper clay component from Kristi Bowman-Gruel!

So here is what you need to know if you'd like a chance at winning this pair of handmade components:

The details:

• The giveaways start on today.

• The giveaways run 7 days with a different prize of 2 art jewelry elements each day.  

• Each day of the contest will feature something from two different AJE contributors 

• For a chance to win that day's prize leave a comment on each day's blog post AND MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE AN EMAIL FOR US TO CONTACT YOU!

•  We will draw a winner daily, so don't forget to comment each day. 

•  ALL winners will be announced on Monday, June 23rd.

• This giveaway is open to anyone living on planet Earth.

• Each person is eligible to win once. Unless you're on the AJE team. Then you cannot win any of the days. 

Good luck!

Diana P.

Suburban Girl Studio LLC

Clay Hoorray!

Its been a wild and wonderful two weeks since my last post.  At the time I was beginning to create polymer clay beads, charms and pendants.  In the meantime I have taken up ceramics!!!  I am so excited about both of these ventures!  But the ceramics story will have to wait until another post.

I promised I'd share the outcome of the polymer clay pieces I had started two weeks ago.  For some reason they came out of the oven very darkened.  Not at all the bright, pretty colors they began with.  I was really disappointed.  I don't know if I had accidentally set the temperature too high, or if the oven temperature suddenly spiked or what.

 I freaked out for a bit, but then my rational mind (I do have one, I think) kicked in and I realized that I could just paint them and the darkening would never show or matter. 

So I mixed up some blue acrylic paint with a dab of green and a dab of white.  I wish I had paid attention to the proportions, because it turned out to be a beautiful, vivid cobalt blue.  But, as usual, I was just winging it, not being precise or systematic. So I guess I can call these "one of a kind" now, because that exact color is never going to happen again!

I added coppery metallic highlights on the raised surfaces and I love how they turned out!  Its always a delightful bit of serendipity when your original plans are spoiled, but things turn out even better in the end!

This is my favorite pair of earring charms from this group.  All of these are in my Etsy shop.

Originally I'd intended to list my polymer clay components on Etsy, but I've changed my mind.  I've decided to put all of the components in my ArtFire shop instead.  I'll keep the three items above on Etsy until they sell or expire, and then I'll move them to ArtFire.

I have 2 component listings on ArtFire so far. This is the pair I wrote about two weeks ago, where I created the texture by just using the edge frame on a Christmas stamp.  I like the architectural look these have.

Since I was "into" painting at this point, but had run out of my super blue mix, I decided to improve on a previous heart pendant that I had made.

I applied several layers of paint on this pendant and I adore how it came out. What do you think?  Paint is my new best friend!

What projects have you botched that turned out better in the end?  I would be fun to hear your stories.

Linda
Linda Landig Jewelry – ArtFire 
Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy

Bunny Beads, Pendants and Jewelry

With Easter decorations already in the stores and the White House opening their lottery for tickets to the 136th annual White House Easter Egg Roll, I thought I'd get into the spirit of things by sharing some history about the Easter Rabbit and showing off some cool rabbit themed jewelry, beads and pendants.

The whole thing about a bunny bringing eggs has never made sense to me.  And what in the world does that have to do with the Christian meaning of Easter?  It seems even more far fetched than Santa Claus.  Here's what I found out.

Long ago, people noted the links between a woman's cycles that were linked to birth, and the cycles of the moon. Very old records from Asia indicate that the hare was the symbol of the moon. So it followed that the moon and the hare both became the symbol of birth, rebirth and life after death. 

Lunar Hare by Jenny Davies-Reazor

Many ancient cultures held spring festivals to celebrate the renewal of life and to promote fertility. One of these festivals, in what is now Northern Europe, was in honor of Eostre or Eastre, the goddess of dawn, spring and fertility. Her symbol was the rabbit, a most fertile animal and a symbol of new life.  Many people think that the modern feast of Easter had its roots in the springtime feasts to honor Eastre.

 Hare cabochon by Blueberribeads

Later, as Christianity spread, it was common for missionaries to place some of the popular ideas and rituals of the day, within the context of Christian belief.  The Eostre festival occurred around the same time as the Christian celebration of Christ's resurrection, so it would seem only natural that the people would bring the hare and egg images with them to their new faith.  Germanic, pagan, spring traditions and Christian resurrection traditions were quickly melded together as Roman Catholicism became the dominant religion in the region around the 15th century.

Little Bunny Rabbit Bead by Tree Wings Studio

The first Easter Bunny legend was documented in the 1500s. By 1680, the first story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden was published. These legends were brought to the United States in the 1700s, when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country and brought their tradition of an egg-laying hare called "Osterhase" or "Oschter Haws."  Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. 

Sweet Bunny Bracelet by Linda Landig Jewelry

The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests. The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country. 

Faux Bronze Bunny pendant (polymer clay) by Studiotambria

I hope you've found this little bit of history interesting and that you've been inspired by the jewelry and components that I've included here.  I put together a Treasury list on Etsy that includes these rabbits and hares, plus many more.  You can check it out by clicking here:  "Hop To It!"

Linda
Linda Landig Jewelry – ArtFire 
Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy

Bead Fest Friends And Fun

Last year I made a very spontaneous decision to fly across the country, from Washington State to Philadelphia, for the April 2012 Bead Fest.  I had the best time meeting and hanging out with beady Facebook friends that I was meeting for the first time.  Everyone told me that I should come back the next year in August, because that is the larger Bead Fest and I would have the opportunity to meet many more people.  

Having just returned from the August 2013 Bead Fest, I can tell you that I met many more online friends and had the most wonderful time imaginable.  I could go on and on about it, but I'll make sure that my mental editor is in firm control today!

Perhaps this "Sh-h-h" from Diana is a reminder to avoid writing a short novel here!

Before I left, I withdrew my budgeted amount of bead money from the bank.  I figured that if I had the money as cash, I would stay more in control of my spending.  Its just a little too easy to lose track of your spending when using a credit card (I speak from experience at other, smaller bead shows).

I had a few shopping goals in mind.  First and foremost, I wanted to stock up on artisan beads and components.  Secondly I wanted to get some of the more unique, higher-end Czech glass beads and then, if I had time or money left, there were some tools that I hoped to pick up.

I wanted to visit all my friends' booths on Friday, so I could give them big hugs and get first dibs on their creations.  I had told Jenny Davies-Reazor that I would lend a hand in her booth, so I started there. It was so great to meet Art Jewelry Elements team members Jenny, Jennifer, Kristen, Melissa, Karen and Susan for the first time! We talk online all the time, but now I can picture the "real person" when I am reading their posts!

I knew beforehand that I wanted one of Jenny's new Russian nesting doll pendants and I also picked up a delightful house milagro.

Marsha Neal brought me a bag full of goodies.  I was so delighted to meet her for the first time!  We've been Facebook pals for a long time.  I met Staci Klinger-Smith last year, so I gave her a big hug and got some goodies from her booth.  I met Diane Hawkey for the first time and got an assortment of delights from her too.  This is Friday night's loot laid out on my hotel bedspread.

I've already made a pair of earrings with the black ceramic headpins (above) from Marsha Neal.  Come back for the earring reveal this Sunday, to see them.

By 2:00 on Saturday I had blown through almost my whole budget, just on handmade items.  Needless to say, the Czech glass and tools just never happened.  But it was worth it. Handmade beads and components make my world go round.

On Saturday, I chose glass beads from Jennifer Cameron and Sue Kennedy.

Jen - Glass Addictions

Susan - Sue Beads

I indulged my ceramic lust with goodies from Diana Ptaszynski, Jenny Davies-Reazor, Karen Totten.

Diana - Suburban Girl

Jenny - Jenny Davies Reazor

Karen - Starry Road Studio

Gathering all these fantastic beads was wonderful, but I have to say that meeting and getting to know these talented, warm, funny and generous women has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.  I feel welcomed and at home in this creative community.  I'll be forever grateful.

Left to right: Sue Kennedy, Linda Landig, Karen Totten, Jen Cameron, Jenny Davies Reazor and Diana Ptaszynski.
(Melissa Meman and  Kristen Stevens came to Bead Fest on Saturday , but weren't present on Sunday when this photo was taken.)