Baroque Pearl Bracelet

I love working with baroque pearls, I like the old world look and feel they have and think they look great in modern designs. A nice twist to a classic...
You can find this in my Artfire shop.

Craft Show Sucess

I had my first show yesterday and it was a success, I am so glad, I was so worried that I wouldn't sell anything but a pair of earrings! It was so nice to hear the oohs & ahhs and how people responded to my jewelry...I guess I needed the affirmation to know I am on the right track on what I am creating. I thought the less expensive items would sell the most but the average sale was around $50.00 , so that was a surprise and the most items sold were necklaces.

An antique oak frame makes a great display with chicken wire attached to the back. I found the perfect floor easel at Hobby Lobby, and it even looks old.


My display is a work in progress and I use a lot of antique pieces which people just loved. Way back in the day I use to do around 25 shows a year, that was when I did a different medium so shows are not a new thing for me. It is a good way to get noticed and get my cards and websites out there. I did make a great connection for a shop so I will connect with the owners this week.
My next show is in about 3 weeks or so and I also am planning on having a trunk show in my home sometime in November. I did it last year and it was a big success, if you jewelry folks have not done that I would highly recommend you give it a go.

So for now I will continue with what I love to do and create one of a kind jewelry.

Busy...busy

Busy day today, I worked at the antique shop and now I am home getting ready for a show on Saturday. I have to finish pricing and packing tonight as tomorrow I need to pick up my son Nick from college and then go set-up at the show. I love Friday evening set ups it makes the morning of the show so much easier and I am not far from the show at all. I have not done a craft show in about 8 years so I am really looking forward to this. I hope and pray I sell something! I am all set-up with Propay so that I may accept credit cards via my cell phone, hopefully this will help with sales as well.
Here is what I have so far:

Mirrors (can't sell if they can't see...)
alcohol wipes ( for those who must try on earrings)
bags, tissue paper, boxes
receipt pad
signs....booth and MC/Visa
Mailing list clipboard
...and all my great props for set up.
Can you think of anything else I may need?

Here are some of my favorites that I will have for sale....

The greatest elephant that ever lived

Here is the other book I promised to tell you about..."Modoc" by Ralph Helfer. This book was a gift from one of my girlfriends and I finally got to read it on vacation. Once I started I could not put it down. I am an animal lover and fell in love with this boy and his elephant "Modoc", what an amazing creature, you too will be captivated by this story of love.

I now have to get one of Ralph Helfer's other books called "Zamba" The true story about the greatest lion that ever lived. I am sure it will prove to be as wonderful as Moduc

From Publisher:

Spanning several decades and three continents, Modoc is one of the most amazing true animal stories ever told. Raised together in a small German circus town, a boy and an elephant formed a bond that would last their entire lives, and would be tested time and again; through a near-fatal shipwreck in the Indian Ocean, an apprenticeship with the legendary Mahout elephant trainers in the Indian teak forests, and their eventual rise to circus stardom in 1940s New York City. Modoc is a captivating true story of loyalty, friendship, and high adventure, to be treasured by animal lovers everywhere.

Yesterday and Today

Today I share with you a vintage yesterday's treasure turned today's modern chic.

I love to rejuvenate most anything, especially antique and vintage jewelry. I found these lovely earring remnants at an antique shop and I just knew with a little love they would once again be a beautiful pair of earrings. Sterling oxidized wire wrapped haphazardly and modern sterling ear wires brings life back into the chunky red glass gems.


You can find these Red red wine earrings in my Artfire shop "Merlot".

1000 White Women

When I am on vacation I love to read and this past vacation I finished 3 wonderful books that I will highly recommend to you. I do not read as much as I use to, it seems I am so busy during the day that I just fall into bed at night, but I will try to do better and relax a little more.

One of my suggestions is: "1000 White Women" by Jim Fergus

"One Thousand White Women begins with May Dodd's journey west into the unknown. A government program, in which women are brought west as brides for the Cheyenne, is her vehicle. What follows is the story of May's adventures: her marriage to Little Wolf, chief of the Cheyenne nation, and her conflict of being caught between two worlds, loving two men, living two lives. Jim Fergus has so vividly depicted the American West that it is as if these diaries are a capsule in time."
This book was very captivating and I would wonder what May was doing even when I was not reading the book. I liked it when I can learn from a book as well as be entertained buy the author.



My other suggestion is "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

This is big book so do not be intimidated, I was sad to have finished it, I wanted it to go on and on, I really could not put it down and thought about the characters all the time. Here is a brief synopsis.

Young, white junior league member Skeeter Phelan and black maids Aibileen and Minny seem an unlikely grouping in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi. Skeeter is newly graduated from college and starting to question the way things happen in her conservative town. The more time she spends with Aibileen and Minny, the more she realizes everything that is wrong in her society and the dehumanizing way in which many of her friends treat their maids. As Skeeter’s social awareness grows, she enlists Aibileen and Minny in a project that will change all of their lives, and maybe even Jackson.

I suggest to you go, run to your local bookstore and pickup copies of these great books about strong courageous women, they will inspire you.

Tomorrow I will share with you the last book.

Rum Punches & Pina Coladas

Reality, hello it's me Judy I am back....oh poo! What a wonderful trip I had with my girls, it was the most relaxing vacation I probably have ever had.




Lets see, this is how it went...got up around 9am and lathered sun screen all over and put on my bathing suit, we then decided where on the resort we wanted to have breakfast , mostly it was an open air restaurant with white tablecloth's. After breakfast it was a mere few steps to the white powder beach where we would "rest" under the straw cabana's.


After a swim in the beautiful crystal clear warm water it was time for a cocktail, a rum punch or pina colada perhaps. We enjoyed the kayaks , learned how to sail the little Hobies, snorkeled and loved the boat rides up and down the beach.

Lunch was in one of 16 restaurants in the Beaches Resort and then it was off to swim and "rest" again reading one of the many books I brought. The sun was HOT and we were thankful for the spacious cabanas and cushioned chaises. Our dinner choices were many, Italian,Mexican,French,Japanese and many more. The service every you went was outstanding, it was as if your needs were already anticipated.

...and the chocolate martinis were to die for!

It was a fabulous vacation with the girls, lots of laughs. I miss them already as they went back to Massachusetts and I to Tennessee. I would highly recommend the Beaches Resort in Providenciales in Turks & Caicos and I hope to return someday with my family.




Today I will get busy I have a show on Saturday and have lots to get ready. My fingers had a nice respite from wire wrapping and polishing and now are itching to get in my studio to create an island piece.