Defining my style? Is that possible?

I have been trying to "grow" my business.  I love making jewelry.  I was playing around with my ETSY shop and while I was there I wanted to update the Welcome message with attempting to define my style.  WOW I have no set style.

I get my inspiration from the beads.  Artbeads of all shapes and sizes.  Seed bead colors and shapes and of course what sparks the blend of the two.  

Here are two totally different pieces that make it impossible for me to define it.

Both are amazing in their own right but so different in style.  Fun and funky or sleek and simple?  I was planning on adding these next ones to the shop as I have been told I do need to trim down my jewelry box a bit but I was so stumped my dilemma I couldn't seem to focus on the individual listing.

See what I mean?  There is just no rhyme or reason to it!
Do you have that problem?  Is it really a problem?  Your thoughts are so welcome!!!

Kristen

Coloring Outside the Lines

My business partner Lisa has two nephews and a niece who like to come visit her when she's at Roadhouse Arts. I think they are captivated by the idea of art and a special place in which to make it. (So am I!!)

On one of the cabinets in the teaching space, we painted the doors with a chalkboard paint and they have featured a variety of things from class notes and instructions to a simple welcome. For the past several weeks, though, we've all been working around two important messages the kids left for us last time they visited.

Lisa asked Carson to explain this one to her. "It's where we're all supposed to color inside the lines, Aunt Lisa!" Lisa said she didn't particularly care for that message. Carson looked at her square in the eye and said, "Aunt Lisa, art happens outSIDE the lines."

Well.

At the point, his younger sister decided it was time to explain the "real" rules from her art class at school.

For "good" art:

1. Make sense. Blue suns don't make sense. Red suns are better. Yellow suns are best.

2. Take your time. Sloppy trees aren't good trees. The middle one is better but the clean, straight, plain one is best.

3. Color in the lines. (This one is self-explanatory.)

I suspect there are a lot of us out there sticking to some version of these rules and trying to figure out the "formula" that will make us successful or bring us some kind of validation, when we are longing to just color outside the lines and find our own voice.

So here's a challenge: what two things in the "rules" category of your creative life could you just kick to the curb in favor of adding two things that involve coloring outside the lines? Yes, yes, we run small businesses and there are some mandatory things that go along with that. I'm not suggesting you stop filing your sales tax returns or abandon the idea of having a marketing strategy. But are there things you're doing just because it's what everyone else is doing? Are there things you dream of making or trying that make your heart lift? Are there ways you could just... stop striving and start creating?

Pick two. Then start.

Until next time -

June Component of the Month and Giveaway!

For well over a year now I've been on the receiving end of the Component of the Month giveaways.  However, two months ago I began making my own ceramic jewelry components so I am pleased and excited to be this June's Component of the Month host!

I'll be giving away items from this grouping of garden themed ceramic components.

The Giveaway

If you’d like to join in with the AJE team Component of the Month Challenge and receive a (randomly chosen by me) ceramic component to use in one of your designs, it’s simple: 

Agree to the points below and comment on this post and 3 lucky winners will have a garden themed component sent out to them.

• I will give away 1 component to each of 3 winners selected randomly from those who leave comments below this post. The design sent will be a surprise for the winners.
• Please include your EMAIL address in your comment so that I can contact you ASAP should you win.
• Please - only leave a comment if you can commit to creating a finished piece and blogging about it within the time given.
• The names of the three winners will be announced on Sunday June 8th 2014
• This giveaway is open to US, Canadian, UK and European countries, but please be aware that Canadian & European addresses will have longer postage times (sometimes up to 3 weeks)

The blog reveal will take place on Monday, June 30, 2014

Good Luck!

***If you don't get chosen but still want to play along, you can purchase some ceramic components in my Linda Landig Jewelry etsy store! I am having a ceramic component shop update today, Monday June 2nd***

Linda

Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy 

Feathers in Nature and Art

I have been collecting feathers for some time... what an amazing work of nature! Though I collect feathers, I have to be careful to not collect those of certain species. The Migratory Bird Act forbids collection and keeping of certain species like Blue Jay and other song birds, owls, crows, etc. Turkeys and other game birds are okay. For more information about this, see: http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/regulationspolicies/mbta/mbtintro.html

Larousse pour tous

I did a quick google search and found this diagram of all the different parts of a feather - I had no idea there were names for them.

I am fascinated by the wide variety of feathers all over this earth.

From earthy woodland colors and textures...

To brightly hued tropical and rainforest versions, such as these macaw and flamingo feathers...

Feathers are ancient. Dinosaurs had them. We find fallen feather impressions in eons-old stone...

No wonder then that we love them so much, that we make them into art...

Porcelain feathers by Nancy Adams

Feather sketch by me

Feather pendant by Heather Powers

Feather necklace by Heather Powers

Feather Pendant by Kylie Parry

Feather drops by Rebekah Payne

Raku feather pottery by Tserisa

Feather and other bird themed beads by me

Feathers by Marisa Redondo

Feather art by Chris Maynard

I hope you enjoyed this little visual tour of feathers and the art inspired by them. :)