Saturday's the Big Day

Well, October 30th is almost here. The first day I launch my business by setting up at the St Mark's Holiday Bazaar. 24027 Pennsylvania Ave, Lomita from 10-3... Hope you can stop by if you live locally..

I've been busy shopping for display items and finally getting down to the business of making jewelry.

Now it's a wait and see affair to learn if it will be raining that morning...
Makes it hard to figure out my display set-up because I don't know if I will be in a 10x10 area or limited to one six foot table..

Life is never boring...

I made some beautiful earrings using semi-precious stones I bought at the Gem Faire in Costa Mesa on Sunday: peridot, garnet, carnelian, amethyst, iolite. The colors just shine, the shapes of the stones are briolettes and faceted rondelles. They look like delicious candies.

Tonite I've been stamping out words for sterling silver bracelets and necklaces... dream, faith, love, trust, joy, hope are just some of the words..

Tomorrow is my last day to get ready.. I will be making enamel pendants and earrings.. Hopefully I will get necklaces made using some of my sea glass and beach stones..

oh and I will be working on my fabric flowers...

Time will tell what gets accomplished by Saturday but I will jump right back in on Sunday bringing to life the ideas crowding around in my brain...

Busy as a Beaver

Well, that's not a word so relevant in our society today. How many of us have even seen a beaver in the wild busily building a dam? I'm lucky to have seen them several times...They just keep cutting down trees, swimming over to the dam or lodge and shoving in the sticks, amazingly the sticks are the same length. How do they do that without a ruler?

That phrase "busy as a beaver" does describe my days right now as I progress with getting my website ready and open for business.

Plus I'm busy making the items I will have for sale at:
 St. Mark's Presbyterian Church in Lomita on Sat, October 30th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church is located at 24027 Pennsylvania Ave. I hope you can stop by if you are in the area.

These are some of the goodies I'm working on: enamel earrings and pendants in various shades of blue, orange, red, purple, plus copper and sterling silver earrings some with semi-precious stones. I also will have stamped word pendants. What special word has meaning for you: Hope, faith, dream, inspire....?

I hope to get some Thanksgiving table runners made using the nuno felt technique.
Well, this busy beaver better head back into the jewelry studio...my torch awaits..

Plans coming to fruition

Oh boy, after months of business 'stuff', the fun begins NOW with making items for my 'shops'. Too bad I have to take sleep breaks, I could just create 24/7...I hope to have my webshop stocked with goodies approx Oct 16th.

I learned alot of techniques at the Kentucky enamel workshop I attended Sept 25, 26. There were 20 of us from all over the USA. As usual, a pleasure to interact with other creative folks.

As always, my travels and nature inspire my creations. I made a quick trip mid-Sept trip up to Cayucos and Cambria, darling towns located along the Central California coast. If you haven't been to the Central California coast, the fall season is a great time to visit. Check out the Cayucos Chamber of Commerce site for info. http://www.cayucoschamber.com/
I especially love the scenic drive on Santa Rosa Creek Rd. The "interesting" road (at times it is barely 2 cars wide) goes through many different types of terrains and habitats. I saw a flock of wild turkeys this trip.

I took lots of photos during the 14 mile drive and while visiting some beaches. I like to photograph doors and bikes. I found both on this trip: a cute bike outside a Cambria business and a door in the town of Harmony, population 18. (okay, I think that might be a 'generous' count on the number living there)

I collected the 'cutest' naturally polished beach stones in Cambria. Some look like prefect cabochons a lapidarist would do. The stones on the beach were so colorful, they reminded me of Lake Superior, Michigan rocks: blue, green, white, red, black. I might even have found several moonstones. The area is famous for moonstones, although technically the stone isn't a 'true' moonstone.The plan is to use the tiniest blue ones (I believe they are jasper) on some earrings.

I will be drilling holes in sea glass and beach rocks for necklaces and bracelets. (Did you know I LOVE! power tools?! Harbor Freight and Home Depot are my kind of stores...)

We've had some wacky weather the last 2 weeks. 113 degrees and then rain a week later... I hope y'all are enjoying a beautiful Fall day in your area.

New Look to Blog and New Website

Hooray! after much work by Jennifer, my graphic designer, my blog has a new look that matches my new website...I now have a cohesive look for all my online sites.
She also did a great job on my business cards.
The missing piece of the puzzle? My creations!
I've not been in the studio for weeks while the biz setup 'stuff' was being worked on.
But NOW- the fun begins--- in a short time, I will be making enamel pieces as well as sterling silver and copper items.
So many ideas swirling around inside my head. 'Course those ideas morph and change once I pick up the metal and tools...
I'm 'seeing' enamelled pieces with multi-sized holes drilled into them as part of the design. Maybe a "foxglove" inspired forged, drilled, enamelled pendant.
Yesterday I picked geranium leaves in various sizes to make some Precious Metal Clay items. Do you know how much time it takes to find leaves that are the same size?! They should make the prettiest little fine silver earrings...

Exciting Days

Feelin' skippy this morning. DH and I have been battling an awful chest cold 'souvenir' from his last biz trip...Today I woke up and 'forgot' I was sick so that means I'm finally getting well.
Exciting time in my life. I've been occupied with setting up my business- Golden Water Creations. Last nite I purchased my website and shopping cart. Graphic designer is hard at work on 'stuff'.
I will be placing a bank breaking sterling silver wire and sheet order (ohhh to have dreamed of this biz for so many years and be opening it with silver spot @$19.38/oz and rising....let's not mention gold prices, you won't be seeing much if ANY of that in my shop...)
but then let the fun begin... I hope to put on my 'creating' hat (Note to self: count up how many 'hats' a one-woman business wears...)
My mind is filled to BURSTING with projects: earrings, bracelets, book marks, magnets, note cards, table runners for Thanksgiving, flower hair accessories, garden silverplate items....I actually think it will be a problem just having 100 product "spots" in my GoldenWaterCreations.com shop. My Etsy shop will be stocked and re-opened with new product as well.

I learned alot in my photography workshop last month and my lite cube and gorilla tripod have arrived. Boy the gorilla tripod is cool invention...www.goby.com

As if the thrill of using my new jewelry torch isn't ENOUGH in one month---I will be taking an AWESOME 2 day intensive Enameling Workshop in Bellevue, KY later in September. How's that for a birthday present?

Stars 4th of July Necklace

Hot summer nite with fireworks exploding, that's the kind of heat and more that it takes to create these enameled stars. 1500 degrees.... here's how i spent my Sunday morning so far:

old glory 4th of july necklaces

So i had fun torching glass enamels this morning. Here are the Old GLory 4th of July necklaces i made. They are counter-enameled blue on the back. A country feel, in the style of dog tags.