Let the Auctions Begin!

Jewelry making is a passion of mine that continues to grow and evolve. I strive to continually create unique pieces that are eye-catching yet wearable. With that idea in mind, I will be conducting monthly auctions through this blog with the hopes of allowing more people access to fun jewelry pieces. The first auction will start on the 15th of August. In order to view and bid on pieces just click on the link to the auction piece and post your bid and email address in the comments area. I will post a minimum bid on the blog before auction day, along with details and a photo of the auction piece. Auctions will last for 24 hours. The winning bid will be the last highest bid placed within the 24 hour time frame. The winner of the auction will be contacted by email with information on how to receive their jewelry item. Here's a sneak peek of the August auction item.

My Jewelry Is In a Store!

Today I had the great pleasure of meeting with one of the lovely ladies that run The Bag Lady store in Charlotte, North Carolina. The store features hand-made artisan items made by and with the purpose of uplifting women. I've carried prayer malas in their store before, and they also carry my poetry chapbook. Now, they have some of my new earring looks, many inspired by my trip to Mexico. Here is just a sample of what I'm displaying. If you're in the Charlotte are, check out the store. The address is 1710 Kenilworth Ave, Suite 200.

When It Stopped Being About Love

I've just finished reading La Bella Joya's wonderful post on the amateur phase of jewelry making. It really got me to thinking about where I am with my jewelry and where I want to be. I don't remember when I picked up my first set of pliers and mangled some sterling silver wire into a pendant, I just remember that the feeling was heaven. I haven't looked back since. It went from gemstones, glass, and wire, to seed beads, to soda cans, and who knows where it will lead. And yes, that feeling that you get when people say "You made that?!" is still very much with me. The only trouble is that "How much?" has been added on to it. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to have a client base that wants to buy my work. It makes it a whole lot easier to keep myself in bead supplies now that they little gems are paying for themselves. That said, I've just spent the past 2 weeks preparing for a big sale that I have two more weeks to prep for, and I'm exhausted. Mainly, I'm tired of making what feels like the same pair of earrings over and over again. While I would love to be spending my time cutting up soda cans and experimenting with bottle caps, I have a deadline to meet. And what would be the point of making a whole lot of earrings that haven't been "tested", meaning simply that I don't know if people would actually buy them. Well, the point would be that this is very much where my free spirit artsy soul wants to play right now. So, where do I draw the line between supplying and creating. I wish I had an answer. I could not be more grateful to the amazing people who have purchased my jewelry, and I want them to keep coming back. I also want time to play! How do I manage the 2? Any suggestions?