The brilliant colours of Fall

Warm days, cool nights, the brilliant colours of fall. The most wonderful time of the year for me. It means the hard work of summer is almost over and it is time to preserve the bounty of nature.


Here are some gorgeous handcrafted autumn items that will help brighten up your quiet winter days and nights, with thoughts of work well rewarded.

Autumn colours

Curated By: Jewelz_Creati...

ArtFire.com

Craft Tutorials

Artfire Maven Blues

I was very fortunate, and was including in this stunning Maven Blues collection curated by soapsmith.  Now this is a wonderful selection of jewelry, pin cushions and my cute little catnip toy zombie kitten, in all shades of blue.  I love how soapsmith put this one together, it looks wonderful! 

Maven Blues

Curated By: soapsmith

ArtFire.com

Unique Gifts

And in case you are wondering, Mavens are a group of people who test out new features and tools for Artfire, and give suggestions and feedback to help eliminate potential problems and bugs before admin releases it for the general members of Artfire.  I am fortunate enough to have been accepted as one of the team, and feel that it is a wonderful opportunity for me to give back to the community.  Plus, it is lots of fun!!

Supporting the Indie Artisans

I have been a member of an awesome guild on Artfire for a couple months now, called Shops with Less than (10) sales. It is a great way of learning various ways of promoting yourself, and generally making new friends.  My fellow members are a great bunch, full of support and best of all, there are some awesome artisans with fresh "eyes" who can help make suggestions to better one's chances of being seen in the huge Google pond. 

I wanted to show my support of the guild, so I made this collection of some really gorgeous pieces.  I call it Less than 10 Sales and I am hoping that soon we will have some new graduates in the guild.  Basically, once a studio reaches their 11th sale, they can "graduate" out of the guild.  As you can see, I do love black!

So if you like to support the handmade movement and indie artists, why not check out some of the wonderful artisans? You never know, you may even be able to get your Christmas shopping done early this year!

My latest Artfire collection Bubble and Squeek

I am having way to much fun doing these!  I have a list now of potential themes, and instead of spending time sewing my catnip toys etc I find myself searching out lovely items to include in my favourite collections.  I think over time I will be using these for things like Christmas wish lists, sale promos (like the last one, Christmas in July), seasonal and tons of others.

The Artfire Mavens (of which I am a member) get to test run new features for Artfire, and this is the latest one we have been working on.  It is almost ready for release and we are all quite excited about it!

This latest one I made, is based on a phrase in one of my favourite books "Bubble and Squeek". In this case, however, I used mice and soaps LOL instead of food.

Isn't it adorable?  If you click the link it will take you to my collection and from there you can check out all those adorable items I have chosen.

Have fun!

My first Artfire Collection!

I am so very excited!  I was able to create a wonderful collection of some of my favorite things on Artfire in this lovely collection. 

I call it "Crazy Critterz"

Aren't they wonderful?

Christmas in July sale on Arfire starts today!

Remember this sale only runs from today, July 12th until Sunday July 25th! Here are 3 more wonderful studios for you to check out.




On Pens and Needles

Husband and wife team, Don and Jan started “On Pens and Needles” after Don retired from the military and Jan retired from nursing. They combined Don’s love of woodworking and Jan’s love of embroidery and sewing to make a variety of handmade wood and acrylic pens and jewelry as well as embroidered and sewn items for baby and the home. Recent additions to their shop include scrapbooking embellishments, gift tags and pre-cut quilt pieces. Custom orders are always welcome!
 
Special 15% off purchases over $10 during TWOCIJ.


Use coupon code OPN Christmas in July
 

Acrylic Pen - Olympian Elite2




Mad Moravian


I just love the look and feel of wood, it seems so alive! Mad Moravian works both in wood and in stained glass. (He also offers some gorgeous chain mail) He has been working with wood for over 20 years, and has a very good feel for it. He says that it is the discovery of the hidden shapes and patterns that lie within the wood and its grain that delights him, and it is what keeps him creating. "Each piece of wood has a different story to tell. Some tell their story pleasantly. Some tell theirs explosively, refusing to be captured in a pen or bottle stopper", he says. "The wood often determines what happens".


From pens to bottle stoppers to key chains, he surely has the perfect gift for that special someone!

15% off sale for TDOCIJ using coupon code JICODT.

Cabrara style pen in sunset Orange Spalted Maple


 
 
 
VaBeachQuilter


V.A. Beach quilter takes a lot of pride in her work, as you can clearly see while browsing her studio. She has been machine quilting for almost 10 years, and has made a number of quilts for local MLB players and their families. She even had a custom ordered quilt mentioned in an article by Seth Livingstone, reporter for USA Today Sports.
 
Xmas in July 15% off of total order through July 15th. Coupon: JULY
 
Just take a look at this wonderful quilt. I am sure some child will be very happy to receive their personalized quilt for Christmas!

Yo Gabba Gabba Custom Order Quilt

Handmade Pet Blankets

I realised something this morning. My blankets I have been making recently are not just perfect for cats, but for puppies too! So, I have made slight changes to my newest listings on Etsy to reflect that.

Homegrown organic catnip toys and blankets

I have finally been able to list new items in my shop! The first of many to come, in new fabrics.

This first one is nn adorable quilted flannel catmat, just Purrrrfect for your little furbaby!

Just place the blanket where ever your cat prefers to sleep, and it will keep him nice and cosy for hours. Also helps keep cat hair off of your favourite furniture. 15" x 15" square, made out of 100% cotton flannel.

Two different prints are used for this blanket, one side dancing frogs, the other side a nice pale cream with stripes and dots in blues, greens and yellows. I put in a nice layer of polyester quilt batting, and tied it with red embroidery thread.

And I have the matching Homegrown organic catnip pillow available to match.

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Here is some of the awesome feedback I have been receiving from satisfied customers of my catnip toys

(with permission given by them to use their names!):

"So very cute!!! Would you be surprised when I told you that my cat opened the envelope??? :-D THANK YOU!" http://www.etsy.com/shop/emmarts

"Best catnip in the world! Just ask my kitties. Thank You! " http://www.etsy.com/shop/KritterKnitter

"Perfect products! Great service and price! My boys love them! Thanks for your speedy delivery too!" http://www.etsy.com/shop/DebrasCardCreations

"Jewelz, you must have super duper catnip in there because the antics that are at my home at the moment are too funny. This is the perfect size cat toy he LOVES it, his favorite thing to do is rub it all over his nose and head, then he just zooms around for 5 minutes LOL. I will be back for lots more, thank you so much or rather frostypawz says thank you :o)" http://www.etsy.com/shop/bubbletub

"super cute, the kitties will love it! " http://www.etsy.com/shop/coppercreekyarnworks

"Thank you! this is too cute! Our two kitties loved it immediately, wish I got two so each could have their own!..." http://www.etsy.com/shop/rozzie

"oh, boy! do our cats ever love this toy...and to i ever love this seller! i give top marks to jewelz for service and quality. " http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrazyBliss

"My daughter love it! It's a gift for her cat.... So cute!!!! Thanks!" AnnyMay.etsy.com
"The BEST catnip toys anyone could buy. The quality of this catnip is remarkable...just ask our cats!! :-) Typical of the high quality we've come to expect from jewelzodonnell...first rate!!" http://www.etsy.com/shop/deersprite

Ashpaints on Etsy.com

My Interview with An Awesome polymer clay artist on Etsy.com

Introducing : Ashpaints!

When did you start to work with clay?

In January, 2007 I bought some Sculpey III holiday packs that were 80% off at the Hobby Lobby after Christmas sale. They sat on a shelf for a while because I had several commissioned paintings to finish before I could actually get my hands into it. The last of those commissions were delivered around the first of April and I was free to play with the clay. I was pretty much burned out on painting – after over 25 years as a decorative artist – and needed a new creative outlet.

Why did you choose clay as your artistic medium?

After watching Donna Kato and Lisa Pavelka on the Carol Duval show, I thought it might be a good medium to try and Hey, it was on SALE! Donna and Lisa made it looks easy -- like anybody could do it. I had worked with paper clay on gourds so I figured the polymer clay couldn’t be that hard to learn. I was both right and wrong on that point! Right in that the clay is easy and fun to work with and wrong in that it wouldn’t take me very long to master it! Every time I sit down at my work table I learn something new!

What do you love most about working with clay?

Most? Now that’s a difficult question. I think probably the surprise factor ranks right up there -- even when things don’t work out the way I originally intended. Some of my best work has come about because something didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to. And the joy of cutting into a new cane! That ahhhhhhhhhh moment! I love to watch the faces of our guild members – particularly the newbie ones – when they get that first look at what they, themselves, have made with the clay! It’s very rewarding!

But there’s also the cost factor. Yes, you can spend a small fortune on clay and clay equipment but you don’t have to. Besides which, you haven’t seen my paintbrush and paint collection!!! When paint dries, it’s pretty much beyond further use. You may be able to reuse the surface that it’s painted on, but the paint is a loss. When clay doesn’t turn out the way you want it to, you just use it as a base for something else, make a mold with it, make a stamp with it, mix it with the “out of the package” clay to create more pleasing colors, the list is endless. Other than the clay itself, you don’t have a lot of supplies that you have to replace on a regular basis. Our Guild president developed a list that we have on our website ( cmspcg.com ) called The Basic Toolbox which lists the things that a guild member needs to collect for their travel toolkit with emphasis on the fact that you don’t have to have them all right at first, but some things you might want to slowly add when you get that 40% off coupon for Hobby Lobby or Michaels.

And there’s the therapeutic factor. I’ve always had the “need” to create in some way. My grandmother taught me to embroider before I started to school and I’ve been doing something ever since. The decorative painting filled that need for a long time but had become more of a job than a joy, which is why I started looking for another outlet. Clay is perfect! You don’t have to have a lot of equipment or space. My first clay table was a rolling tv cabinet with a shelf that I picked up for under $20. I glued a ceramic tile on one side, drilled holes to anchor my pasta machine on the other side and I was in business. I used plastic containers with pull out drawers from WalMart to hold my clay and tools. Four of them fit perfectly in the shelf area. When not in use, I could park it out of the way. I have since added a larger work table and some cabinets to store my “stuff” in. (There’s more information about the cabinet project in my blog - http://harrisonhollowdesigns.blogspot.com/)

What is your most favorite creation?

Whatever I’m working on right now. I know that probably isn’t the answer you were looking for but it’s true! There is so much to learn and so many different ways to create with polymer clay that I’m always learning something new. I guess if I had to narrow it down, I would say canes. That was my first love in polymer clay and I just keep going back to the canes! And since the information about using Play-doh to pack your canes hit the internet, I’ve been caning like crazy. I love being able to make my cane, pack it with play-doh with a scrap clay wrapper, reduce it in several different sizes, then remove the outer clay wrapper and the play-doh for a beautifully shaped flower cane. Definitely a WOW moment!

Where do you find your inspiration?

Everywhere! I subscribe to PolymerCafe as well as several of the jewelry magazines that frequently offer polymer clay instruction. I spend a fair amount of time on the internet and there is a wealth of information and inspiration out there.

I guess I would have to say that my best source of inspiration is other clayers -- both my online friends and friends that I have made because of polymer clay. After going on the Polymer Paradise Cruise with Lisa Pavelka, Christi Friesen, Lynne Ann Schwartzenberg and Desiree McCrory in April 2008 and hearing all the other people talking about their guilds and how much fun they were and how much they learned from each other, five of us Mississippi girls formed our own guild. We figured that if it was just the five of us getting together every month to clay and play, it would be worthwhile. But we’ve been able to share our enthusiasm with a lot more people and our guild has about 20 members after just one year. We celebrated the first anniversary of our first guild meeting in June.

Do you have any advice for people who are considering working with polymer clays?

Find a group to work with – either local, online or both. The International Polymer Clay Guild is a good place to start to see if there is a local guild anywhere close to you. Another good way to learn is to join an online group. There are quite a few out there. I know just on YahooGroups there are a large number of online email groups dedicated to polymer clay. Most have people of all skill levels who are willing and able to answer your “newbie” questions without making you feel dumb! Some of them have challenges. Participate. It will make you stretch your skill level… And if you do find people around you who want to learn too, get together periodically and teach one another. My absolute favorite thing to do is have a Clay Play Day where we book a room at the local library and just do our own thing. It’s fun to see what everybody else is doing and bounce ideas off of each other.

About the only other thing that I can say is practice, practice, practice! I don’t want to sound preachy but it’s a fact that you get out of it what you put into it. That’s true with pretty much anything you do. If you really want to get better at polymer clay, you have to get your hands in it!

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me, I really enjoyed learning all about you and your awesome work!

Please, feel free to check out Ashpaints on Etsy, by either clicking here, or any of the featured pictures (it will take you directly to those listings)

Spring is Sprung!

Every winter, I dream of spring coming and the wonderful feeling I get from seeing the little flowers poking their noses out of the cold earth.

This year, winter seemed to last forever. But....winter is finally over (I think) and spring is truly here! I have my yearly showing of crocii and now my daffodils are putting on a lovely display. The way I have them planted in my garden, they show up in one spot, and as they slowly fade, another patch is starting to bloom. Before the daffodils are done, the tulips start blooming as well. Oh and I must not forget, my muscali are blooming too!

In anticipation of a lovely showing in my flower beds this year, I checked out some lovely flower themed creations on http://www.etsy.com/ and here are just a few of them.

By clicking the pictures, you can go directly to the listing and definately check out their shops for more gorgeous jewelry!

Oh, and don't forget, the PCAGOE Team is having their Spring Fling Scavenger Hunt until April 34th! Just head over to http://www.pcagoe.com/ or you can click here and you can see who is participating. There are some awesome prizes (one from each participating shop) to be won!

Chicki on Etsy!

Browsing Etsy the other day, I ran across a very talented polymer clay artist. She makes the most amazing focal pendants!

So, I asked her if I could feature her on my blog, and she said "Yes!" (Click on the pictures to see the actual listings)

Chicki ( http://chicki.etsy.com/ ) is also a member of the Etsy Street team I belong to, PCAGOE (Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy). You can check out their blog at http://www.pcagoe.com/

When did you start to work with clay?

I first bought some clay probably 5 years or so ago and made some very simple beads with it. Since then I took a couple breaks from clay when I had my children. I guess I have been seriously working with it for almost 2 years now and have had it in my etsy shop for just over a year.

What had inspired you to start?

I am always up for a challenge and thought clay would be fun to try. Well, I bought some clay and was hooked. It is such a great medium to work with.

What do you love most about working with clay?

I love the versatility clay has. It can mimic anything you want it to be and it can be used in so many ways...its great! I love the colours and textures that clay can be made into as well. There are so many great artists out there using it in so many ways...that is fantastic!

What is your most favorite creation?

Ok so my biased opinion is all of them! I do love all of my work but have a few that I just cannot part with so I keep them for myself or give them to close family members. Right now though, I really like creating necklaces from my own beads and enhancing them with sterling silver findings and glass beads or crystals.

Do you have any advice for people who are considering working with polymer clays?

There is a wealth of information out there to learn from. My advice to a newbie would be to read and experiment. There are lots of great books out there. Develop your own style and go from there....you never know what you will end up creating. And have fun!

Thanks Julie!

Family Day in Ontario

Today is Family Day! It is a relatively new holiday here in Ontario, Canada. Of course, my son happens to be at a friend's house, and I am busy playing with my clay. I also have hopes/plans of making some strawberry and some blueberry jam. We shall see how much I actually accomplish today! Perhaps a little later I might be able to talk my hubby into going for a walk or a drive.

So far today, I have made a set of plain black round 2-hole buttons and worked on some little boxes. As of yet, only the bottoms of the boxes are curing and I have to figure out just how I want to do the lids for them or if I am going to make lids at all.

So far I have made 3 different colours right now...one I call Chocolate Caramel, one called Cafe Latte and the final one is Lemon Lime (I am quite partial to this one). They are very shallow and square. Depending on how these turn out, I have plans for others on the drawing board. In time, I hope to make some hinged, and some with little feet. We shall see!

I also have a bottle soaking in soapy water right now. It is one of those flat flask shaped Maple syrup bottles. I would love to decorate it with clay. I also have a bunch of spice jars that would look quite nice decorated as well.

Oh, and for the little canes I was making, here is a couple pictures of one of them, so that you can see just what it was I was talking about in a previous post.