The Mail Brings Fun Things!

I was so excited when I got home last nite. Not only did my order come in, but I also received a package from Copper Diem's Giveaway!!!! Look what I won!!!

I am sooo excited. I can't wait to get started on this!



I also received a stone order - wow!!! Look at the fire in the labradorite!



This malachite looks like a different world.


Now I am off to play with all of my new things!!!!!
Have a great weekend!

Workin on a custom piece

Ever seen these? The wire wrapped trees with natural stone? A friend of mine had one and stones had started to fall off - "Wonder if Tish can do anything with this?!?!"



Popped all the stones off, and have this great pile of jasper.


Poor little wire tree - wonder if I can do anything with this.


She also gave me this beautiful piece of carnelian (her grandfather cut and polished it) and a piece of tiger eye. She wants a necklace with the carnelian as the focal with the jasper pieces from the tree.


For the design, I paired up the jasper with tiger eye, lapis, bronzite, kyanite and rose quartz.



It is started - how will it turn out?

Rings & Things Bead Tour and Give Away Winner!

First let me say - YAY!! to Lisa of Pine Ridge Treasures! Your name was drawn for the give away from my blog! Can't wait to see what you do with the random goodness coming your way!


Yesterday before work - I stopped by the Rings & Things Bead Show in Durham.


So much goodness - I can't begin to tell you. I do a good amount of my shopping online, but what a treat to be able to see it all up close and in person


I love the bowls of candy placed strategically throughout the show - helps keep your stamina up while shopping!


Laurae checked me out - what a sweetie. I asked if I could take her picture and she said 'sure' then added 'just don't take a picture of me' I laft - and she was awesome enuff to play along!



I went to get just chain, but as you see, the temptations were just too great! I am in love with the dyed, matte finished agates! LOVE!!!



All this in 30 minutes - I was on a mission! Are they coming to your town? What would you buy?

Guess where I was today?

Take That! Whoopin up on my camera

Ok - so - 125 shots later - I got these.

My good friend Davinia has been kind enuff to be supporting me via emails with suggestions and helping me trouble shoot why in tarnation I can't shoot a decent image.

Seems there are tons of settings on my camera, it isn't the point and shoot I thought it was. James pushed me out of the chair, brought up the menu and changed a bunch of the settings. How did he know how to do this? Hrm.....I have a manual somewhere............

This is a fun summer sizzler. Vintage button, painted aluminum chain, vintage crystal, faceted glass and that wonder focal made by Davinia of Back Pocket designs.


.......I hate it when he is right.........
Still not perfect but so much more better than what it was.




Whimsical chain bracelet to accent the necklace, with a wonderful Back Pocket Design focal.


I am kinda diggin on that bottle.


I will keep moving forward and learning this camera!!!!!

What is your least favorite part off the jewelry making, marketing, publishing, selling, posting process, and how did you over come it?

Awesome Giveaways!!!

Found these give aways over at The Newbie Beader's Blog!

Andrew Thornton is having a serious giveaway of some of his B&B treasures. Go here to enter.

So is Cindy - go here to enter.

And so is Lori! Go here to enter.

Copper Diem can ya stand it! Go here to enter.

And last, but definitely not least! Lana has quite the selection! You can enter here.

Good Luck!!!

Kicking and Screaming - Bad Photo Day

*beats head against monitor*

Found some time this morning for me - *queue Mormon Tabernacle Choir* so I took advantage of it and made some new things.
Once again I struggled with the pictures...


How can I use a flash and they come out so dark???

I hunkered down and learned abit more about manipulating the color with Gimp



Light box Schmite box...............
Little better, but the contrast really mucks with the image and it is grainy.........



This one came out a little better.


God it felt good to sit at my workbench again! I have been wanting to work with these pendants for some time. I got them from my good friend Davinia of Back Pocket Designs. I love her work so much. My daughter has claimed the first one :)

ArtFire.com is doing a daily give away for $100 - I keep checking my numbers - one day it will be mine and I know where I will be shopping :)

There I Fixed It.

My friend asked me about fixing her bracelet.
This is her favorite bracelet, and even with the missing stone still wears it :)
I looked at the wrap, simple enuff - the size of the stone, easy enuff -

Sure - I can fix it:)



I dug thru most of my stone supplies looking for a good fit for the bracelet. I have some smallish garnets, but the color was just wrong. Then I found some random chip stones. Yes, there is a hole drilled in it, but it was perfect!


I bent the wires slightly to put the chip in place, and formed the wires back around the chip, and WA-LA!!! Can you tell which one was added?



I had more chips and made a pair of earrings to go with the bracelet. I wrapped the end of the wire around the chip grouping to give it a wire wrapped feel, like the bracelet.

Retail Therapy

I stopped into Michaels on the way to work to pick up some gold wire for a last minute custom order and I ran into my old friend Clearance. :)

Much to my surprise good old Clearance had his cousin along 30% off. Boy we had a grand old time.

All of this for under $28!! (taken with my cell phone at work)



This chain is so cool. This was the only one they had in yellow - there was a gray one as well - I scooped them both up. Is painted aluminum chain. I wish there was more, I would have bought them all!


And a new pair of flip flops for myself.


Do you ever spoil yourself with retail therapy? What is your guilty pleasure?

Celebrating 'Get Organized Month' With A Giveaway! - Closed

It's not that I am not motivated - I am - really.
What I am not is organized.

Because I am not organized, I am making more work for myself. I bought storage tubs, and shelving - but I didn't organize my tubs. I just put things in the tubs, to get stuff off my work area, and clear my computer desk. When I want to start project, I have to dig thru tubs trying to find what components I want to use and get everything collected.

Now a lot of my problem is - I don't throw anything away. Everything can be used to create something..... right - scraps of colored paper, rubber bands, memory chips, washers, fishing lures, it all gets collected, and tubbed. (This is a complete contradiction for the rest of my house - I throw everything away)(strange bird I am)

In celebration of 'Get organized month' I am giving away stuff!!! I am doing stuff a little differently this time. I have three different categories I giving away from, supplies, stones, and jewelry. I will draw a name from the comments below and from my Facebook fan page - The winner can take it all or can choose what they want. If the first winner does not take the whole package- I will draw another name, and they same thing - they can take it all or part, which in turn I will draw one final name.

Here is a mess of stuff:
Beaded border
Buttons
Copper bead caps
Copper end cones
Porcelain pendants
Glass pendants
Raspberry 'Quartz' glass beads
Stoneware beads
Coral strands
Mookaite strand




Or a grouping of tumbled stones that all share a creative property ( along with success )
Amazonite, citrine, carnelian, and howlite



OR!! A single wire, copper cuff, your choice of colors!



OMG HOW DO I GET IN ON THIS!!! I hear you say :)

1. Comment on this blog or on the Facebook note entry (or both:)(let me know)
2. Repost - blog or link back to this from your facebook page (let me know)
3. Tweet it (let me know)

That is five ways you can enter!!!
I'll even ad entries if you are creative and get the word out about this give away above and beyond what is listed here (let me know)

I'll be drawing the winner(s) name June 20, 2011

Good luck kids!!!!

*edit* - I have added more to the give away categories, can ya stand it!

Give Aways Going On Around The Web!!!!

Here is a fun one going on over at Little Treats!



A Little Etsy Love just blogged about a GREAT give away from the Ecochic Street Team. Heres how to enter!!!



Efrat Deutsch Jewelry Design Beautiful selection giving away on June 20, 2011




CraftGossip.com reviews and is giving a way a copy of Inerweave's Hand Crafted Wire Findings book!! Details here



Good Luck Kids!!!!

Artist Introduction - One Way To Do It

There are many ways to get your creations out there. Pounding the streets with business cards is one way - and can be scary for some. Joining business societies is another. One approach I have used, is doing google searches for local galleries, consignment shops, co ops in the area and emailing them an introduction letter. Do your research - go to their site, and look at the items they have posted. Make a comment about those items that you love in the introduction. Tell something about yourself, about your work, about your goals, awards, publications, other stores you are in and show examples of your work.

Here is an example of the letter I sent out, it has got me in two stores in the area -

Hello!

I have visited the site for your store and the items you have listed are wonderful! The peculiar pets are a scream! I would love to have the opportunity to bring my pieces by to be considered for display/sale in your store.

Please let me introduce myself. My name is Tish McDermott and I am a local jewelry artist. I have had the wonderful opportunity to have been shown , at The Arts Council of Farmville, NC in March 2009 and also the Arts Council of Holly Springs, NC in April, 2009.

My pieces have been consistently seen in Bead Trends magazine from Sept of 2008 to October of 2010, and also online at www.beadage.net. Locally, I have pieces for sale at Gifts With A Heart in Cary, NC and Tirza’s Imports in Apex, NC. I also have a presence at Let It Grow in Winston - Salem, NC. Most recently my designs were seen on the runway at Awakening C.H.A.N.G.E – Runway Revolution.

Bead Trends

Flashes of Autumn – As seen at Awakening Change – Runway Revolution

My line of pendants

Approaching your store, is the first step to broadening my audience, and giving my pieces more exposure.

Please feel free to visit my site at http://www.justatish.com or my Facebook page Just A Tish

Thank you for your consideration,

Tish McDermott

Just A Tish Designs

tish@justatish.com

Another you may consider is sending an actual letter with a sample of your work. That is what I am doing for the more upscale boutiques that are out of the area.

Good Luck!!

New Additions to the Just A Tish Inventory

I have added tumbled stones, crystals and other stone formations to my festival line up. It is fun to have a natural specimen of the stones that are in my jewelry. Gives a different perspective to what actually is in the jewelry that I make.


These bookends are huge geodes, that are sliced and dyed. The outter ring is agate, and the inner is quartz. I love how the dye shows the layers and the designs of the stone.

Did you know:
Agate is noted in to be a good protective energy stone, especially for children, and very calming and soothing. It is reported to give courage, energy, strength, and dispels fears, all of which increase self-confidence. It is said to lessen feelings of envy by grounding the emotions. Agate is also for resolving bitterness and resentments. It is also called and believed to be a stone of harmony.Quartz is a power stone that harmonizes and balances. It enhances energy and thoughts, and purifies the spiritual, mental, and physical. It is also a powerfully protective stone, bringing the purified energy in.





I love these salt lamps!!! They are natural formations, attached to a base, with a hole drilled into the bottom that will house a small bulb attached to an electrical cord that you can plug in and enjoy it's soft glow.

There are great benefits to a salt lamp.

Did you know:

Negative ions have long been considered healthy; the sea air, mountain air and the air around swiftly running water is high in negative ions. Indoor air, recirculated air, and air around electronic equipment is very low in negative ions. Many office workers who suffer health complaints around fluorescent lighting and computer monitors report considerably less fatigue and headaches if the concentration of negative ions in the air is increased. Why negative ions may be beneficial is only partially understood.

It has been shown that negative ions in the air bind with airborne pollutants, making them heavier so that they fall to the ground, and therefore are unavailable to be inhaled. Many modern air purifiers - the so-called 'ionic air cleaners - use this technique to provide cleaner indoor air for allergy sufferers. Some studies seem to indicate that an increase in negative ions in the air increases bloodflow to the brain, which would have the effect of improved concentration. The salt lamp is an attractive alternative to the utilitarian look of an air purifier.

The amount of negative ions a salt lamp can release depends on its size and how warm the candle or lightbulb can make it. The larger the crystal, obviously, the more expensive the lamp, but the larger area it can provide with negative ions. Salt lamps that produce 'night-light' amounts of light can provide ions to an area equal to the average office cubicle.

I have more fun items, and when I learn to use my light box, I will post more!!

My Holiday Weekend

James and I decided to do some running around on the bikes this weekend.

We stopped by Let It Grow in Winston Salem to visit with Becky



Then off to Mt. Airy, a.k.a. Mayberry







Then along the Blue Ridge Parkway




Stopping at all the little tourist traps along the way







More on the parkway



Ended up at Deals Gap - The Tail of the Dragon - I earned my dragon :)



877 miles in three days - what a ride!!!!