Debbie was raised to be practical, so her creative side was in hibernation for far too long.  One fateful day, standing in line at a craft store, she spied a jewelry making magazine and not too long after, a jewelry creating monster was born!  She was at a point in her life where she wanted to do something new, and creating beautiful jewelry seemed to fit the bill.

Debbie began by working with beads and stones, as so many jewelry creators do, but has since added the drama of metal-smithing and glass fusing to her repertoire.  The learning process itself is enough to get her heart racing as she found that the two art forms allows her to add color to her jewelry creations as well as to her world.  Designs are constantly swirling around in her head.

This talented lady was on an unstoppable path…finding the need to create.  The result was much more jewelry than any one woman could find time to wear.  The solution came at the urging of her then husband who encouraged her to put her work to the world and sell some of her creations and Athena6 was born.  Debbie has found that selling her creations justifies her faith in her own work and feels very fulfilled when a customer finds that perfect piece that came from her head, heart and hands.  She readily admits that getting your work out there is not an easy task.  There is a lot of competition, especially in the jewelry market, so she takes time to do some craft shows and pushes her work on several websites.

Debbie believes firmly in following your dreams, but reminds new artists to be realistic.  You must put yourself out there for people to find, but you can’t sit back and wait for them to knock down your door…Create, Market, Sell!  Despite all the difficulties of living as a handmade artist, Debbie knows that creating is the most wonderful thing…she has learned a lot about herself through her life and creative process and that is a gift in itself.

Are you ready to see what one woman with a drive to create can make?  Well, Debbie’s wearable art can obviously be found on HandmadeArtists.com and her own site as well as on Etsy and ArtFire.  She also shows off her creations on share her life with her fans on Facebook .  Check them all out and know that Debbie’s heart is in each piece.

Andrew caught the handmade bug later in life, taking on crafts in order to spend time with Kimberly!  When he is not working his day job as a Senior Estimator at a local construction company, he has tried his hand at making candles, cross stitch, and later spent countless hours, pliers in hand, working on Chainmaille creations.  His latest project, HandmadeArtists.com has taken on a life of its own and has shifted his focus from creation to promotion of other handmade artists.  While not creating as much on his own, the forum and shop have become a new type of creative outlet, promoting and socializing with people from around the world all the while trying to get their products seen by those that appreciate the love that goes into each handmade creation.

Kimberly began Makin the Best Of It in the early 90’s after Andrew pushed her to begin selling her work rather than giving it all away.  That first craft fair was a learning experience to say the least, but Kimberly was willing to learn the ins and outs of selling handmade in person and online and with Andrew’s support, the business has continued to grow to include hand painted and engraved glass, sea glass jewelry, and Chainmaille.  The couple continues to do a few craft shows, children in tow, every year, but has shifted focus to primarily online selling to allow the family a bit more time together.

HandmadeArtists.com came to being after Kimberly tried multiple selling venues and Andrew had to listen to her complaining over what they did or did not have.  Ever the one to fix the problem, Andrew spent countless hours researching and questioning and eventually a new forum and selling venue was born.  The mission statement embodies the couple’s love of handmade and the desire to see handmade showcased as the art that it is without competition of mass produced products.

This chunky aquarium focal bead featuring pretty little Tang tropical fish murrini

And a set of funky rainbow twisties

The winner will be drawn from the names of FHFteam blog followers who comment on the team blog during January, so don’t forget to ‘Follow’ us, and start sharing what’s on your mind! Drawing for the prize will take place on the 8th of February 2012

I’d like to say a special thank you to Andrew and Kimberly for inviting me to have a guest blog spot here to tell you all about our giveaway. Their tireless support of handmade it truly inspirational.

Happy New Year
Jo x
Kitzbitz on Etsy, Kitzbitz on HAFshop, Frit N Chips.

Some collaborations are just amazing; and Copper Dancer Designs is just one such example of a collaboration that works!  Julia Benson-Slaughter and Andrea Winkler are both talented glass artists who came together thanks to their love of glass as well as the gift of combining glass with metal into amazingly lush designs of both finished pieces and loose glasswork beads in a variety of colors and styles.

Face it, this shop is like a candy store for anyone wanting to add handworked glass into their own designs but doesn’t possess the tools, time, or talent to make it themselves.  The rich colors and stunning finish is enough to make any jewelry designer drool.

Not into designing your own jewelry?  That is all right.  Copper Dancer also finds time to make some finished pieces for your pleasure.  Chainmaille pieces as well as those that combine metal with their stunning glass will definitely get you noticed and envied.

Ready to see more?  Check out this talented team at Copper Dancer Designs on the HandmadeArtistsShop.

I’ve been running my own business, full time for just over a year now and I guess the ultimate goal is to be able to make enough of a living from the small gift glass that I make and teaching classes, to be able to attend at least one workshop a year and also have time to make sculpture.  The main thing about the sculpture is I don’t want to have to think about whose going to buy it or where it will go, I like it to be all about the free expression, which is difficult when you are aware that you are spending time on it when you should be making money.

I work in my own studio, which is a 200 square foot unit I have rented since October 2008 and renovated from scratch to accommodate the equipment and workbenches I use on a daily basis.  I also teach from there but it’s really too small to share permanently with anyone else who isn’t working on exactly the same things as me, at the same time.

My inspiration comes from all over the place, but mainly I work with the realistic and representational.  Of course there are subliminal meanings behind much of my work but I like everyone to ‘get’ it on some level, I don’t like art that isn’t accessible to people because they don’t understand the back story of it.  I also like people to smile at my work, it’s the greatest feeling in the world to see someone come to your plinth, space or stall and beam at what they find in front of them.

I know it’s really cliché but there are so many other people’s work I admire, both in glass and other materials that I couldn’t begin to list or even narrow down favorites.  I admire all those that strive to create something unique and share both their creations and knowledge with the world.

I really enjoy making and the challenge of figuring out how to make a piece too, sometimes it can be a real struggle to continue to be engaged with a piece once I’ve overcome those obstacles and usually one a piece is finished, I don’t like it and am usually already embroiled in the next one.

Having said that, I really like my ‘Storm Troubled Sphere’ bead which is in the Tempest bead exhibition.  It was a chance opportunity that came at a unique time when I was undertaking work experience at John Hardman stained glass studio in Birmingham, England, who allowed me the 3 weeks it took to make the bead, as well as my constant holding of tiny pieces of glass in front of the painters asking ‘Do you think it needs more detail?’

Color, hmm, color and I have a difficult relationship.  My favorite material is clear lead crystal as it is great for making the things I want to from.  I love the idea that I am creating something that exists yet is transparent, a ghost of a thing.  When I was a kid, I remember telling myself, if a picture isn’t colored in it doesn’t exist and I think that was quite perceptive of me as that is how our eyes perceive the world, through the light which reflects back into them.  So yeah, I have a real problem using colour as for me I have to ask myself, why am I using it?  Is it the color the thing is in real life and does it need to be?  So I usually revert back to the clear safety net!

My kilns are all blue, I have 3 and they are called ‘Big Blue’, ‘Little Blue’ and ‘Wee Blue’ for obvious reasons.  The studio is littered with inspiration and I have a strange collage on the back of my fold up cutting table which features Myra Hindley and always raises an eyebrow!

Usually the more methodically I’m working, the more I get easily sidetracked by other little projects, for example during my latest sculpture, my glass allotment, there have been cars, police boxes, Mo’ai and submarines sneaking into the firings to distract me!  Deadlines are the biggest deciding factors to the work pattern too, the week before one, its bedlam.  I think that’s one of my failings, that even if I know something is coming up and I have X number of weeks, I still won’t start something till the last possible moment.  I also find it impossible to delegate anything to anyone else, or ask for help with things either.

However I do take a pride that everything I make, whether it’s jewelery, a bead or a sculpture has been painstakingly made by me and I work very hard to ensure that the piece is unique and not available from anyone else except my studio too.

My main website is www.rachel-elliott.com and there are links from the home page to my various other web presences; Facebook, Twitter, Etsy and the like.

My handcrafted pieces my also be found at www.missvalscreations.artfire.com and www.missvalscreations.1000markets.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/missvalscreations

Blog:  www.missvalscreations.blogspot.com

All of my pieces are heirloom quality! Each piece must be strung and then sculpted to form each petal . then those petals must be attached in just the right way to create a life-like flower. I put alot of time into every piece that I make. Everything in my shop is fully customizable, so you will get exactly what you want at an affordable price!

So stop on by my shop and have a look around! Remember custom orders are always welcome.

www.buddingcreations.etsy.com

FOR UPDATES AND SPECIALS!
FOLLOW ME ON:
Twitter
www.twitter.com/beads2blooms
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Budding-Creations/121401318365

Creating jewelry is a “pleasurable madness.” My designs range from traditional, classic, elegant and timeless, to whimsical and fun. I use only high quality AAA semi-precious gemstones with 14k and 18k gold in the Luxury Gemstone Collection. The Swarovski Crystal Collection and the Classic Stone Collection are made using 14k gold-filled, sterling silver or Argentium silver, while the Fused Dichroic Glass Collection incorporates gemstones with 14k gold-filled, sterling silver or Argentium silver. Other precious metals are also used. And, of course, custom requests are always welcome. 

Find my collections at Sirona Jewelry.

October 26 Makin the Best of It http://makinthebestofit.etsy.com/

This shop offers beautiful hand painted glass that is equal parts art and function.

Unique Hand Painted Custom Glassware “My art is what grounds me at the end of the day.
I find a lot of inspiration in nature. I love the imperfection of the shapes and the wide range of color.”

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9590968

October 27 Coffee Break Designs http://coffeebreakdesigns.etsy.com/

She offers a wide range of items sure to have what you are looking for.

“I create handwoven items, mixed media jewelry, and whatever else happens to spark my interest.”

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21484625

October 28 Ann Made Stuff http://annmadestuff.etsy.com/

She has super cute stuffed animals and great embroidered bags of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Welcome to AnnMadeStuff. I love to sew and machine embroider. I will do custom orders and personalized items.
Items are made in a smoke free, animal friendly environment

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23901256

October 29 Kitty’s Art and Stuff http://kittysartandstuff.etsy.com/

This shop has plenty of jewelry and home decor works to choose from. Some incorporate some recycled elements like the bottle cap necklace below.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31437951

October 30is TaoGem Gemstones http://taogem.etsy.com/

TaoGem supplies interesting and unique gemstone cabochons for custom jewelry design / designers.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7854317

 http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29180000

October 31 Sedgeworks http://sedgeworks.etsy.com/

Original bead jewelry designed with natural stones, semi-precious gemstones, sterling silver, and a colorful medley of other quality elements.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31937062

November 1Cyber Fiber http://cyberfiber.etsy.com/

The shop for today offers beautiful fibers but also some beautiful jewelry created from vintage silverware and supplies for your jewelry designing needs.

Welcome to my new store! I have a strong passion for creating unique and fun fiber for spinning and yarns for knitting,crocheting or weaving. Playing with fiber is fun and the possibilities are endless.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31743823

The shopmonkeys of DogmawGlass toil in the internet mines by day to bring glass to the online community, but at night… ah, cool dark night… we get get to play with fire!

                               

I have always liked the look of chainmaille and finally learned to make it on my own about 12 years ago. Then I put the skill away and promptly forgot about it. In 2002 I was looking for something to get involved in. Chainmaille immediately popped into my head, but i didn’t want to make clothing anymore. I wanted to take it a step further and make something functional and pretty for everyday use. So I taught myself some basic chain weaves, and bought my first supplies. It has evolved over the years into what you see today. I hand weave each chain with two pairs of pliers and the occasional tweak of the old vice grips (everybody likes a girl with vice grips, right?). I love what I make and what I do.

I strive to come up with unique designs or at least what I think are unique designs. Mostly I am inspired by the beads I choose, although color inspires me as well as people and the fashions they wear.

My pieces are mostly one of a kind, although some of the pieces that don’t have beads are repeated. The materials I use come from all over the world. I choose the beads carefully and usually (in the case of the focals) only buy one or two of any given one at a time. The beads range in material from natural stone to glass to vintage Lucite. I also will use wood, bone, horn, and just about anything that looks cool.

As far as my metals go, my main metal was and still is stainless steel, and for the longest time that is all i used. I branched out into aluminum last year when I started making Pride jewelry. The other metals that I use are titanium, niobium, sterling silver, copper, brass, and bronze. There are a few other metals available like gold, some other kinds of steel, etc. I’m happy to take requests for custom items.

Check out my Artfire shop.
Supplies available in my Etsy shop.

For me creating is a way for me to nurture and rejuvenate my spirit. As a caregiver and nurturer to my husband who was diagnosed with ALS, better known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease” in 1999, these are talismans that soothe and heal my soul. When I step into my studio I am able to create pieces from my heart, my mind goes places that I’ve never been.

I see colors and textures merging into one and my little creations are born-and it is so rewarding! Each one of my pieces tells a story-a story I could only envision in my mind.

Whether with energy boosting Carnelian, through the protective & soothing qualities of Jade, or in the strength-giving spirit of Agate, my Vintage Inspired Jewelry has given the ancient art of story telling a fashionable makeover.

The languages of love are not always found between the covers of a book. Instead, for me they are often spelled out in beads and baubles; with colorful crystals and gemstones and illuminated by glimmering glass.

Find my work at my Etsy shop.
Follow me on Twitter.
Read my blog.

My name is Yuliana Goldin and I LOVE color! Since I was a child I loved all pretty, colorful and shiny things. While I have some favorite colors, my main favorite are bright colors.

As a child I tried to use my love for colors in painting and drawing and quickly realized that unfortunately I can’t draw or paint unless I use a coloring book, which led me to sewing. I started cross-stitching when I was about 14 years old. While I made something for my parents who cherished it, it was far from the color spectrum where I belonged. I quickly moved to larger scale projects and brighter results. By my early 20’s I was making poster sized cross stitch designs, one of which was voted 2nd place in the LA County Fair in 2005. I was also making and selling my own patterns but still my quest for color was not complete. You can check out some of my cross-stitch work.

In 2002 I received a lampwork glass bracelet with my name in silver cubes as Christmas gift from my now mother in law. I had never seen that amount of color in something one could easily wear, and I was in love! I wore my bracelet every day, and when I had tough and stressful days I would look at each bead on that bracelet and it would take me away in a daydream.

I found new details in each bead every time I looked at my bracelet, until one day it broke and I was heartbroken! We shipped it back to the designer who kindly fixed and returned it. It broke again few months later only to be fixed and returned once again. When it broke for the 3rd time I decided to fix it myself, and that is how I entered the beading world.

While searching the web for supplies to fix my bracelet I stumbled into a world of color I didn’t know existed. Having purchased what I needed to complete the repairs I had also ended up with a new stash of goodies I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. Also I learned very quickly about lampwork glass, how unique and precious it is and therefore why it was so expensive.

I started making my own jewelry and purchasing lampwork from artisans all over the world when I could. As I made my jewelry designs I realized that my work looked edible, almost like Jolly Ranchers and had bright colors through out, and that’s how the name Kaleidoscope Dreamz came about. I couldn’t keep my work stocked long enough to show the next buyer my stile, so I created my website mainly to keep records and history of my previous work.

In March of 2009 I lost my full time job due to the economic recession and I decided to take this time and really focus on my arts. I started making more jewelry and growing my inventory, however my need for lampwork was growing as well. Having considered learning lampworking in the past I never had the time, but not 1 week after having lost my job I was in a class getting my basics and loving every part of it. I immediately realized that I had a new addiction and my need for color was finally satisfied!

Since March I have revamped my website and spent lots of time on taking pictures of my creations. I have found even from the beginning that pictures are not a substitute for the real thing; therefore I am doing more shows to showcase my designs. You can find my schedule here. I am now doing a lot of lampworking and incorporating my own beads into my designs. I am also selling my beads to other jewelry designers; the current available beads are listed on my website .

See more of my work at Kaleidoscope Dreamz.

I love fused glass, and my dream is to be able to make a living with my art. My style defines me because I don’t conform with mass produced accessories, I make my own.

I can normally be found in my home studio fusing glass. Each piece I create is individually hand crafted and therefore has its own unique charm. I take great pride in the quality of every piece I create. All of my pieces have been hand cut, ground, kiln fired and properly annealed for durability in my studio. I see each and every one as a tiny piece of wearable art.

Check out my Etsy shop.
My Artfire shop.
Fused Elegance on Deviant Art.

I’m a mother of four and step-mom to two more (ranging in age from 2-16), I feel that I’ve done my part in making people and will someday learn how to make colored glass items, so right now I make dolls, and embellish things with colored glass.

My dolls represent people, not necessarily people that I know, more like a representation of the human experience. I love to put a face on art. Once I do, it gives the piece a personality. I prefer working with my own faces which I will draw, paint or sculpt, although I am open to using other artist work especially if it ‘speaks’ to me. And my dolls do ‘speak’, often times ‘argue’ and ‘insist’ on a different version of what I originally intended. All of my pieces are one of a kind, I would not and probably could not reproduce them. Color invokes emotion; glass is just mesmerizing. Many of my dolls are covered in glass beads. I also dabble in jewelry, and make big bold pieces that I would like to wear.

If Art is a visual expression of emotion I prefer to share a positive feeling. I feel that I have a responsibility to make this world a better place for all the wonderful people in it. Because of this, I find great satisfaction in upcycling discarded jewelry and repurposing found objects. I keep a box of such Treasures just waiting for inspiration.

My husband is also an artist; he’s in school working on a degree in fine arts. He does amazing things with oil paint and dabbles in computer graphics and photography. I have this dream to one day wear long flowing skirts and big bold jewelry and play hostess at our own cafe/art gallery where I will also teach classes on creative expression.
Until then I’ll continue to create and do my part in making our world wonderful.

I offer my work at Heather’s Haven.
See what I’m working on at my blog.

Welcome to Wildwoman Creations Art and Craft Gallery and the home of “My Art Locker” a center for teaching and learning.   Stephanie “Rosie” Fischer Wildwoman One, Linda Danna, Wildwoman Two, Tom Milne, Mr. Rosie and Virginia Voehringer, Senior Wildwoman.

We have had our creativity unleashed.  We create therefore we are.  We play therefore we are happy.  We delight in the creative process therefore we are willing to share the gift of creativity.

We began our journey in 2004 with a working studio and gallery of our work.  We began melting glass and silver and creating jewelry. 5 years later in 2009 we just finished building our new studio and we are introducing our new project “My Art Locker” creative space rental for creative people.

We have come a long way but the vision has always been clear and is in the definition of the word “PLAY” engaging in activities for enjoyment and recreation….

This we have done and this we now want to share with you. Several mottos come to mind…”Our Creations Give People an Excuse to Look at Your Chest” and “Normal Is Not An Option”  My passion is mixing mediums, repurposing, recycling and recreating wild art jewelry for the wildwoman.

Join us online:
Art & Craft Gallery
Wildwoman Creations on Etsy
Oregon Coast Artists
Wildwoman Creations Blog

Kimberly is also very supportive in the Handmade Artists Forum, leaving generous supportive comments about other artist’s creations, along with tweeting and stumbling their creations.   She’s one busy lady!!

Kimberly is  a multi-talented artist, who paints a variety of glassware, from  butter dishes, vases, mugs, but she also paints some stunning toasting glasses, perfect for a cherished wedding keepsake.   If you don’t find just what you are looking for, Kimberly  will gladly work with you on a custom design just for you.    I think if I were to get married again, it would be so cool to have glasses painted to match my bouquet, don’t you?  She also creates glasses that are perfect for other special occasions, or even everyday use to brighten up your life.

If you are looking for a unique gift for someone special, then check out some of Kimberly’s wrapped sea glass pendants.   She has some very beautiful pieces, green, white,  warm brown, blue,  sea glass pieces wrapped in Sterling Silver,  and even a couple of birds nests that are adorable and elegant at the same time! 

Here’s just a small sample of what you will find at Makin The Best Of It

I’ve been making jewellery for well over six years now, and selling it for around five years. I’m passionate and meticulous about my work, which started purely as a hobby that I grew to love enough to take more seriously and turn it into a business. In fact, I have recently given up my full time job in IT so that I can devote more time to Minerva Jewellery.

I make jewellery that combines both traditional and more unusual techniques used together with the aim of creating wearable jewellery that is at the same time unique and appealing. I use a number of different materials, including gemstones, glass and precious metals as well as some more unusual materials, such as polymer clay. More often than not, the components themselves are what give inspiration for designs, with shape, colour, texture and patterns all aiding creativity and the design process.

Minerva Jewellery.com
My shop on Etsy.
Minerva Jewellery’s Blog.
Join me on Twitter & Plurk.