Chicken Feeders and Briolettes!

Glitterfest Spring 2012

What do chicken feeders, Glitterfest, briolettes and junking have in common? Inspiration! Read on to see what inspires me to buy crazy vintage items.

The show is over and it is time to recharge my creative batteries and put on my Serendipity Salvage hat! As always, Glitterfest wan an amazing show. It is such fun meeting other artists and loads of new customers. I, of course, had time to squeeze in a little shopping.  There was such a room full of pretty I could barely stand it! I bought a purse - no a work of art- from Lori Gutierrez. She hand painted a pin up girl on an old army canvas bag that was embellished with trims and bling. I adore Lori and ALL of her amazing art! I have several pieces of hers that inspire me every day in my studio. 

This past week was spent getting ready for a show at Brea Bead Works. Crystal and I packed up all our treasures and headed off to Brea for a trunk show with our Serendipity Salvage hats on.  So a big thank you to all of our friends and customers that came out to see us! I managed to do a bit of shopping at Brea Bead Works. I purchased the cutest little carved coral roses for a little project I have in mind for fall. I also picked up a few wire wrapping supplies. Such an amazing bead store. They are well stocked and have a huge selection of items. They carry everything from semi precious briolettes to  sheet metal.

I took a look at their class schedule and was really impressed. Offered is a wide variety of projects in both style and skill level. I am really trying to add a new skill each season and this time around I am intrigued by seed beads. I know- I said it seed beads. I have always appreciated the medium but I have kept my distance. So I think I will dip my toe in the water with a basic project and class.

When I need to recharge creatively I often wonder through an antique store and try and focus on items I find appealing. I look at the shapes or the colors or maybe the way it catches the light. Perhaps there is a quality I want to replicate in a jewelry design. Or maybe I do need the antique chicken feeder I purchased last week. Ok maybe I have a problem I really bought 3 antique bird feeders. I have learned that if I am drawn to an item I will find a way to use it and give it a new life.

I try and write about inspiration but tonight I am wondering what inspires you? How do you recharge your creative side? I hope you will leave a comment and let me know what you do to keep the creative juices flowing. Tell me about your chicken feeders and briolettes.

Tara

Making lemonade is not enough!

This little rhinestone embellished tiny perfume bottle will be coming to Glitterfest! The theme this time around for me is old Hollywood glamour! I have been having so much fun giving new life to rhinestones. I mean serious rhinestones. The more the better this time around. My muses have been Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. I was thinking about what they might be wearing in 2012. Why save rhinestones for that little black dress? I say why save the fun stuff for a special occasion. Everyday needs rhinestones! My goal was to see that each piece has a touch of that old style glamour and a bit of whimzy. 

I have needed a bit of a laugh these last few months as there has been one challenge after another.  I have tried to keep this blog about inspiration and have been very focused on keeping inspired artistically personally. I have been introspective lately and this has actually helped to put more of my feelings into my art.  As I do in my life, when something is serious I try to find a bit of levity in the situation. I have tried to do this in each piece of jewelry this season. Each piece is meant to have that little something to put a smile on your face. 

While I might have been quite on the blog front I have been quietly working like crazy. I was forced to take a break this week due to a nasty kidney infection. So as I am resting, ( when I should be frantically getting ready for Glitterfest) I thought  I would catch you up.  I am choosing to not panic over all the partially finished pieces on my work table. Life always gives us a choice. You can choose to give in to life's challenges or you can power through and find that hint of a silver lining. The old saying goes "when life gives you lemons make lemonade".  Not good enough! I choose to make a lemon meringue pie and I know it will be delicious!

I will post a few sneak peeks at the goodies I will be bringing to Glitterfest March 10th. If you have not been to this show it is a must. It is a beautiful mixed media art show filled with amazing and talented artists. I am truly honored to be a part of this event. Glitterfest is March 10th at the Elks Lodge in Santa Ana. Please visit Glitterfest.com for all the details. I hope to see you there!

Tara

Time Flies When Your Having Fun!

This is the focal of a brass cuff  that I made as the class sample for Whimzy. I wanted to incorporate as many techniques as possible into one project. Creating a class project is a challenge because it is not enough to design something pretty. Students want value for the money they spend on a class. So you have to come up with something that is jam packed with skill building and techniques.

This cuff incorporates 3 techniques for adding patina, 2 techniques for distressing brass and other metals and 3 techniques for adding color. That just gets us started. Then we punch holes in metal and set a rivet by hand. And no project would be complete without adding some bling. Their are kits for each student with enough brass pieces to play with to try each technique we explore and a number of color possibilities. The combinations are endless.

We will work with a number of products that are not traditional for jewelry makers. All the more fun I say! I love adding color with alcohol inks that are usually reserved for scrap bookers. You will be pleasantly surprised at all the things you already have in your craft stash that can be used in your jewelry making. For this class you will not need to purchase a thing. I supply all the materials and pieces for the cuff and plenty of extra goodies to make it fun! I hope you can join me at Whimzy April 28th in Tustin. Perhaps a Mothers day gift or just a treat for yourself!

Please visit www.vintagewhimzy.com for all the details!

Now I have to get back to creating my spring line for Glitterfest March 10th! I have been having so much fun hunting for Serendipity Salvage and making jewelry the last couple of months have just flown by.

All the best!
Tara

4 Days Until Glitterfest!!

The last few days before show are crazy! I have been making my way through my to do list while nursing a cold. I feel like I am moving very slowly while the time is flying by. It is clear some things will not get finished and I hate that.

My display is up in my living room and I am pleased with how it came together.  I have a crazy variety of jewelry styles. I am a bit all over the place creatively so there should be something for everyone! I am taking  brief break to blog and catch up with my hubby.

The house is a mess and the laundry is piling up but that will all have to wait until after Glitterfest. Tomorrow I will finish a few remaining pieces of jewelry and then begin packing it all up! This is a show I enjoy so much. The artists are amazing and the customers are the best. I am really looking forward to taking a peek arount the room and snatching up a few Christmas gifts to tuck away!

See you this Saturday at the Elks Lodge in Santa Ana!! Stop by my booth and say hello!

Time flies by!

I got lost in the creative chaos. It is now just over a week until Glitterfest. I have been busy working on new jewelry pieces and creating a display for the show. The question is now- will I get it all done? The answer is no. Surprised? I am not. As an artist I always have more ideas than time allows. The key is prioritizing. I need to balance my desire to do the projects I am most interested with having a balanced inventory for the upcoming show. I have a running list of things I want to make in my sketch book. Each week I re-evaluate my to do list. Some ideas are discarded, some set aside for later and the rest are prioritized. It only takes a few minutes each week but it saves loads of time as I am not spinning my wheels and wasting time.  I am always a little sad when I realize I will not get to a project. But who knows I may revisit the idea at a later time. I look through my sketch book a few times a year both to see where I have been creatively and to see if I see where I might be heading. Patterns do emerge out of the chaos.

So what does a to do list look like the week before a show?

Create levels for my display

rig bowling pins

attach clasps to pendant necklaces

sign pieces

photograph each piece -5 shots each

get a table cover- fabric? tulle??

stamp bags

buy tissue paper

create raffle item.

blog- and social media marketing

preview of merchandise to boutiques that carry Lulu max Jewelry

Solder shadow boxes

finish large bottle for display

something to display earrings

And that is just a partial list. I still have jewelry to finish and jewelry to make. I will not get to all of it but that is ok. I hope I have created something for everyone. I have been very mindful that money is tight for everyone and I have worked very hard to create items for every budget. Art should be affordable! I will post again before the show. Thank you for following along as I prep for Glitterfest. I hope this gives you some idea of what goes into getting ready for a show. The month before a show I work about 100 hours a week. Artists never get paid for their time so I try not to think of it in terms of time spent creating. Creating is what I love to do. Please know that when you buy art directly from an artist you help them to be able to keep creating and you get the most for your money. I encourage everyone to support small businesses and artists this holiday season. I have to committed to buy only products made in America and support small businesses and artists this year. It is a challenge but a fun one. I have discovered several cool shops including an amazing local Ace Hardware. I will use my hour to shop at Glitterfest to do some Christmas shopping!! Ok so I might throw in a goodie or two for me!

One Month Until Glitterfest!!!

What will I make today??

This weekend we have our last trunk shows before November. Come Monday it is all Gliterfest. I really love getting ready for a show. It is a bit anxiety producing but oh so much fun. Today I spent most of the day assembling necklaces I had designed and set aside. I usually design and plan about 20 pieces at a time. I then bag up all the pieces and parts so they are ready to be assembled. Then I pick a put together day when I am not feeling so creative and I get to work bringing the designs to life. 

Sometimes it can be challenging trying to figure out how to rig a project. When I get stuck I set that project aside and move on to another. My sub conscience must keep problem solving for me as I always find the solution when I move on. I am super lucky to have Crystal Basica as my business partner for Serendipity Salvage. She is an amazing artist and jewelry designer (she has been making jewelry 19 years). She is a great resource for rigging ideas and finishing touches. It is great to have someone to bounce ideas off. Another way to do this is by having a craft day with a few friends. Bring out the tough project you are struggling with and get some input from other artists.   

I better get back to work!!!

Tara

Bead Shop Hop and the Glitterfest Shuffle!

This is a big week on the road to Glitterfest. I have at least a dozen projects on my workbench all needing some attention. This is the time in my show prep that I really have to budget my time and keep on schedule so that I have enough inventory. This year I have an added challenge- Serendipity Salvage trunk shows. 

Crystal and I are hitting the road with our Serendipity Salvage wares for the Bead Shop Hop. This is a great event here in Southern California. The bead stores have created an event where shoppers are encourages to go hopping from store to store during a week long shopping extravaganza! Each store has raffles, charms, prizes, trunk shows or something special going on. We start the Hop at the San Gabriel Bead Company in Arcadia. ( www.beadcompany.com) We will be there Sep 9 through the 11th. We have special goody bags for our shop hop customers. We are also brings all sorts of new merchandise. We have loads of vintage brass stampings, Pre WWII glass pearls from Japan, game pieces, new brass stampings, rare vintage intaglios, vintage cameos in both resin and glass, brass gears, ephemera and so much more! We have been saving many items from our travels just for this trunk show. 

San Gabriel Bead Company is an amazing store. They have everything. Need a special finding? They have it! I just love this store. I have purchased everything from Roman glass beads here that are hundreds of years old to Swarovski crystals. The have the best selection of seed beads I have seen. They always have a great selection of interesting beads for every price range and style. This store is worth a drive if you have not been and the bead shop hop is the perfect time to do it!

For all the details and to find the participating stores near you log on to www.sclbsa.org! 

Back to work for me. See you at The Shop Hop!