my DIY logo

Working on a logo for an upcoming show promotion materials. I definitely want to do shows that want images to promote. Going through a few growing pains at the moment and loving every minute of it!

New photos of recycled flatware jewelry

Took some new photos of Luke's jewelry, next to get them all listed!

New addition to my Etsy store!!!

My new addition is a line of jewelry made by my friend Luke Hall that features recycled silverware jewelry.

Etsy Front Page

I was so thrilled the day one of my recycled guitar string bracelets was featured on the front page of etsy. The treasury list was made by boots2183 and featured on the front page at 6:00pm EST Fri Oct 21 2011.

I didn't even see it when it was on the front page. So disappointing. I found out about it later when I was checking my google analytics and saw that it had blown up!

Athens County Quilt Squares in Seed beads

These are a few photos of one of the ongoing art projects I have been working on for the past few years. It is a series of quilt squares located on barns around Athens County, Ohio that I have re-created in seed beads. The original pieces are eight feet square while mine are eight inches square. I started this project when I was living in The Plains, located between Athens and Nelsonville, Ohio.

There is a quilt barn tour that I would suggest although not all quilt squares are on the tour. Here is a link to the quilt barn tour
http://www.athensohio.com/whattodo/historic-sites-attractions/quilt-barn-tour

I have displayed these in the library at Hocking College. It is so cool to see young people interact with these because they always want to touch them. And of course it is fine to touch them, they are protected by a few layers of epoxy so touch away!!!

Each one took weeks to finish. Each bead is put in place and glued down. Some people find tedious things frustrating while I find them relaxing. The first one I did was the Nelsonville Star Brick Square, it is also the most complicated. The way the beads fit and lined up was amazing; I could never do it again if I tried. The second one I did was the State of Ohio block. I like how the square images are easy to deal with. The third one I did was the circle shaped Dairy Barn square. The newest one was the Jacob's Ladder square. I can't say which one is my favorite; I have so much time invested in each one. I guess my favorite is the one I haven't finished yet. Still trying to decide which one to do next?

Modern man gift guide by Teri Bildstein from TideTogether on Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTI3ODMyMDZ8MTUzNDA4MTQ4Mw/modern-men-gift-guide



Check out this link to an awesome treasury of gifts for the modern man in your life. It features one of my new recycled piano string bracelets, more on those later.

I can see my boyfriend enjoying so many of these items; the Beatles shirt (of course) the hat, and the ring too. What I am cracking up about is the absinthe lip balm. Why didn't I think of flavoring lip balm like liquor? This is a lip balm that he WOULD wear! I gotta check to see of they make Jameson flavored....wait, I had better not....that idea might back-fire on me.

I have also seen those clogs in other treasuries; popular!!! There are a few other items I recognize as being on the front page several times. I hope to be one of those someday. I think a new camera might be in order?

Etsy treasury game round 8

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTI0OTI3NDh8MTA2OTY1OTYyOQ/global-gifts-for-the-world-traveler-in

Found a new thing, etsy treasury games. Since being invited to be in the top treasury team, on Etsy, I have been on the front page and have participated in their treasury games. Well this is my second. I loved it so much, I am playing again.

More about the front page in a later post.

Even though nobody has voted yet, and I still need to make my treasuries, this one is the best so far
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTUwNDk3NnwxMDcxODI2ODA0/riding-through-the-storm?index=1

Of course all of the music inspired ones are my next faves
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjY3NTA4MnwxMDY1MjU3NjEw/piano-man?index=1
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTk1MzAyMXwxMDY4ODU5NDU1/music-is-the-food-of-love?index=1

New toy and final Fridays in Nelsonville

Got a new toy! I am looking for tools to help me be more productive and organized so hopefully this iPad will be what I need. I don't know what I'm doing yet but this auto correct is cracking me up!

I did the final Fridays with Luke last month. It was so fun! I will definitely be back. We will be inside McFadden insurance on the square in Nelsonville next final Friday so come see us!!!

jeannie's new etsy store!

My friend Jeannie makes hand turned wood bowls and has opened an etsy store! We went to the Hocking Hills Artists and Craftsmen Assoc. meeting this week. Good things going to happen!

http://www.etsy.com/people/TheRuggedEdge

Trip Dog

Here is a video of my favorite band, Trip Dog, that I get used guitar strings from to make recycled guitar string jewelry. It would still be my favorite band even if I weren't in a relationship with the lead guitar player! They are amazing musicians and I am so glad they got together this year.

The bass and banjo player is the owner of Insea Sound Shop http://www.insea.biz/ and a major source of used guitar strings. I wish I had pictures of his place and the other unique shops I get used guitar strings from.

I get new ideas constantly. I think it is because of the constant flow of guitar strings going through my corner of the kitchen/workshop. Right now, I am really in love with these steel flat wrapped guitar strings, black tape wound bass strings, and mandolin strings. I haven't made anything out of them yet because I don't want to cut them yet. I think I am going to start a OOAK (one of a kind) section of guitar string bracelets that are custom sized and sterling wrapped.

One of these days when I get this place straightened up, I am going to take pictures of me and my work area. I have been reading some of the artist blogs from etsy, and love seeing pictures of the artists in their natural habitat.

I am having problems with too many ideas and not enough time to put them to use! I guess that's what holiday weekends are for! Have a fun Labor Day Weekend everyone!tgis

Jeremy's Necklace

This was made for a friend's birthday/college graduation party. He turned 30 so I used a 30 caliber Luger Western spent shell that I found in an antique store. In the same store, I also found the leather boot laces used for the necklace cord. The smell of the old leather is amazing.

So when Jeremy turns 38, he can have a .38 special nickel plated pendant, and then a 44...I think we will stop at 50. For those of you who know as much about guns as I do cars, the 50 caliber shell is slightly larger than what would be considered tasteful jewelry. Unless you're Flafa Flav;) (I mean no diss to Flava; you rock homie!)

If you have a special spent shell you would like converted into a pendant, send me a convo on my etsy page:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/foxdesignsjewelry

First draft post disclaimer

I DO post first drafts.

A couple of reasons:
1) I do not take myself so seriously that a few minor mistakes cannot be overlooked by the reader. This is written by an human, therefore mistakes will be made.
2) I believe in my writing skills enough to have a mental image of how it will look before I write.
3) I also believe enough in the editing software to catch and alert with a red underline of typing mistakes. (I look at the keys; I know, bad, bad)

And of course, this was a first draft, thanks for reading.

I love you ETSY but I'm NOT quitting my day job!

I love being creative but doing financial aid paperwork does NOT let me express my inner artist. I am a TRiO Educational Talent Search school coordinator in Appalachian Southeast Ohio. Being in the foothills of the oldest mountains in the world and being able to help low income and first generation potential college students and their families is the best job in the world. I am mostly a college access adviser, closely working with the guidance counselors, students and parents to help them find the best educational fit for their situation. Everyone of my students is different; each going in a different direction. The stress is abundant but manageable, especially when I can unwind with a big tray of beads!!! It is great because when I'm done unwinding at the end of the day, I have an amazing and unique piece of jewelry.

I love etsy! I am inspired by all of the wonderful things and wish I could have the time to create and explore different materials. I WANT to start working with sterling silver. I took a class on it a few years ago and now that I have the space, I am saving up for the tools and equipment. I have recently played around with chain maille after getting a few library books on the subject.

I only work during the school year so I make most of my jewelry during the summer. The occasional snow day also lets me get a few creative hours in during the winter (so I can get my bead fix). I am thinking of entering contests, and some juried shows in the future as well. I also want to get a merchant credit card account before I do that. SOOO much I want to do and so little time to do it!

this is what I'm looking forward to

Topless jeeping with my bf and dog!

Should I be offended that a woman called my jewelry disgusting?

At a recent craft show, a woman walked up to my table and told me that she thought my jewelry was disgusting. This kind of shocked me because it is something I would never do. But I think I might know what she was talking about. It was the gun shells. Maybe she is disgusted by guns, more often times, I'm disgusted by what people do with guns but I think my jewelry is beautiful.

My dad is a gun collector. Well, he'll collect anything of value, I guess that is called hoarding;) He does not hunt, he does not even shoot the guns he has because he would not want to lower the value of it. When I was a child he had a few that he did take to the rifle range to target shoot. He reloaded the brass shells he used and I would help him measure out the gun powder and put the bullet in the shell. It was fun spending time with my dad and I felt important doing it because I knew how dangerous they could be.

So recently while in an antique store, I came across some nickel plated gun shells and decided they would make great pendants. I immediately wanted some small ones to make earrings, then large ones for necklaces, I can even do bracelets as well. Maybe next just some simple keychains? For some men, that is all the personal adornment they would ever want. Like my brother, he never wears jewelry, but I think a gun shell would make a great keychain for his motorcycle.

A few minutes after the disgusted woman was dragged off by her daughter, another woman approached me to make some pendants for her grandkids. Her husband had recently passed; they had a 21 gun salute at his funeral and they gave her the shells. Those are the people I make my jewelry for. I do not use my jewelry to express my opinions about our second amendment. I will leave that up to the person wearing the jewelry. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!

Anna's Earrings; Beaded Dragonflies

I just finished a new earring, beaded dragonflies. Spencer said they look like 'snake feeders' a smaller, thinner type of dragonfly. I love the iridescent color of the beads of the body and head. Anna likes purple, so there you have it! I hope she likes them!

My muse

When I got a new camera about a year ago, I instantly thought of taking pictures of this tree across the street from my house at an old cemetery in Logan, Ohio. I have been taking pictures of it for a while now and have a few that I hope you like. These are from the fall. The more I look at this tree; the more emotionally attached I get! I took a few winter pictures yesterday, I'll get them posted asap.

My first blog!

What to write? I am getting some guitar string bracelets, earrings and even a necklace ready to take to Blue Eagle Music in Athens, Ohio. Spencer made some jewelry displays for me and I love them!!!
This is one of the bass guitar string bracelets.