Julia and Cori ~artisans this week~

2 Busy Ladies  "Julia and Cori"

Two best friends, trying their hand at a home business, designing, making and selling hair bows and accessories for your little blessings!  

Julia

Julia is the Bow Queen!  She is the designer, maker and owner of Blue Eyed Blessings Hair bows! 

Julia is the mother of a 6 year old twin boys and two-3 year old little girls. They are truly blessings. Julia still works 1 or 2 days a week as a critical care nurse. Her hands are full LOL….

Julia has always loved crafting!  Before having kids she quilted all the time…when the kids were babies…she moved onto knitting…she started up scrapbooking…and now as the girls are really getting into dressing up and wearing their ‘pretties’ she has started making their bows and have enjoyed it so much!  Julia is excited to share some of them with you!

Cori

Cori is the social media guru!  She runs the blog, Facebook Fan Page, Twitter account and advertises for Blue Eyed Blessings!

Cori is a college student studying Social Media Communication at the University of Washington.  Many of you may know her as the owner and writer of Cori’s Big Mouth blog. In addition to school, she works part time as a nanny to 3 year old triplets, loves shopping, talking, scrapbooking and hanging out with friends & family!

Julia & Cori

So how do Julia & Cori know each other?  Cori was Julia’s nanny, or “Papa’s helper” when she went back to work.  Cori came over and helped dad with the twins when they were babies.  Overtime they have become great friends. They’ve always love scrapbooking and doing crafts together, so they were excited to embark on a new challenge….bow making!

You can find theses 2 ladies here:

http://twitter.com/#!/blueeyedbows
http://www.facebook.com/BlueEyedBlessings
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueEyedBlessings
http://www.blueeyedblessings.com/

Oxidize Brass- I Can Do That *The next chapter.

I will try to give you my .02 cents of advice as I am learning new tools, techniques etc…. I think it will be fun to see it from a beginner” point of view” and hope it will help others in the process.

Number #1

I cut some little disk with a disk cutter; Love it, fast and easy.

Then I hammer those little things, I hit it so hard the side was all squish OPSSS…. Better go easy next time, they say to practice before you do a piece and it is true, but I think you are wasting good metal. (I wasted a lot)

My motto, hand made is not perfect, it has character.

Another suggestion, I use a metal punch to make holes in the disk. It work really good BUT, I find it useless, you cannot see inside the disk where you have mark your little dots for the holes. My next purchase is 2 sizes hand punches.

Number #2

Oxidize Brass.

This is more like fume oxidation

I will try different method and let you know my .02 cents.

For this one, I use household Ammonia

Using household ammonia is really quite easy and is an inexpensive way to oxidize brass. I have tried this method on finished pieces that included my gems and it work good.

All you need is a clean glass jar with a lid, a piece of wire or fishing line to suspend your piece and ammonia. It is a little smelly but if you are quick it should be no problem. I use lemon scent and it’s not that bad.  At no time should the metal or finished jewellery come in physical contact with the ammonia. It is the fumes that will produce this patina.

First clean your piece of brass with alcohol to remove any oils or dirt so that the patina is consistent throughout the piece. Do not touch the surface that you want patinated.

Pour about 1 inch of Ammonia in a pint or quart size glass jar.

Screw on the lid and wait a couple hours. You can check the piece to see what color you want to stop at. I check every 15 minutes to see what color I wanted…it is a bit brown but it will be up to you to see how deep color you are looking for.

There will not be any ammonia odor to your piece but if you want you can leave it out for a while and very gently buff out any high points for contrast.

That's it! Try it its fun and easy

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Before

 and After

                                                                      

 

FishPrincessDesigns

Her designs are inspired by the beauty of nature. I just love her designs and the colors. WOW!!!!

 

She especially enjoys designing jewellery for "full-figured" women. She was disappointed so many times by trying on beautiful bracelet or necklace and it is just too small.

She try to make her own creations to be adaptable to all size ranges by including extenders built within her pieces-it not only gives plus sized women the ability to wear her pieces-but it gives everyone flexibility in lengths.

Almost anything she make can be adjusted to your perfect size. 

She has always enjoyed some type of crafting and creating. From her childhood ,she being taught by her Aunt Sophie and her beloved grandmother Babcia how to sew. 

Her current passion is for designing jewellery and collecting see glass.

You can see in her designs that she loves what she is doing.

Whether you are buying a pair of earrings that you are going to be wearing on your wedding day-to a bracelet you bought just because...

She will love to take a custom order and make what you desire.

You can see more of  FishPrincessDesigns here:

http://fishprincessdesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/FishPrincessDesigns

http://www.facebook.com/FishPrincessDesigns

http://twitter.com/fishprincess

Also you can follow her on Pinterest

Today Artisan is ~Crocheted Little Things~

 ~Crocheted Little Things~

This lovely lady is residing in Florida, but she is from Italy.

She is a mom of 2 little’s girls and her passion is crochet …..and I think she love cupcakes too!!!

She learned how to crochet when she was 9-10 from her mom who is a "doilies maker".

She started crocheting during her second pregnancy, she got sick and had to rest a lot for her little girl's sake, so what do you do when you can do nothing but rest “Crocheting” .

Her inspiration comes from little daily things....

Sometime, she use pattern from magazine or from the web, thought she never literally follow them, it’s for inspiration only. Some other times, the personalization come along while she is working, like all of us .

She just enjoy making every and each piece and I hope you will enjoy it too.

All the work  is on sale in her ETSY Shop 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/crochetedlittlething

 

To learn more, you can visit theses :

♥ http://www.crochetedlittlethings.blogspot.com/
♥ http://www.indiediscounts.blogspot.com/
♥ http://www.etsygiveaways.blogspot.com/
♥ http://www.sweetirieoriginals.blogspot.com/

Artisan Today is "Keri" from CRAFTS BY KERI

I LOVE KERI  felting animals....They are colorful, fun, whimsical and they make me smile every time she makes a new one.

Keri has her jewellery business since 2005.

She started "Crafts by Keri" in 2008 and has been making children's items since the birth of her little one.

Keri taught herself the art of crochet and has enjoyed making play food, dolls and toys.

Her site is a multitude of items and Keri has a hard time stopping herself in trying new crafts.

Keri is happily married and mother of one.

Also, she makes hair clips and she is a WIZ at felting little animals, flower ETC....You need to be really patient to do something so small.

Enjoy this Canadian Artisan.

You can see Keri here also :

http://craftsbykeri.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/CraftsbyKeri
http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/KeriMae
http://www.etsy.com/shop/craftsbykeri
http://twitter.com/#!/craftsbykeri

Raige Creations

 Today Artisan Is Raige Creations

Where creating is all the Raige.

Rebecca is Raige , she began her shop  to showcase her handmade creations. With much support and encouragements from her family, Raige Creations began and has since expanded to include all kinds of Raige!

In her shop you can find Rebecca's own creations, a collection of crochet accessories, an eclectic mix of Vintage items and antique pieces that Rebecca and Paul have collected over the years.

 Raige Creations remains to this day a family owned and operated business with all handmade products proudly made in the USA.

Another member of the family is showing her work. Her name is Bridget ,she makes wire wrapped and custom glass jewellery  which  includes handmade pendants, bracelets, rings, toe rings, and a few decorative house ware  pieces all handcrafted by her , a native of the Caribbean.

Clothing and artworks will soon be part of the Raige, with original designs by Paul, who is a 7th generation West Indian. 

You can find more about Raige Creations here:

 Blog:     www.raigecreations.blogspot.com
 ArtFire: www.artfire.com/users/RaigeCreations
 Zibbet:  www.zibbet.com/RaigeCreations
 Vintage on Zibbet: www.zibbet.com/VintageRaige
 Etsy:     www.raigecreations.etsy.com

Today ,I am showing Canadian Artisans.

Sometime, I forget they are all over Canada and we don't know them. I will show you the one I learn to know over the last year or so and some new one I found .

For some, everything started as a fun craft to do and make money on the side, for others it,s their business . Any good reasons is perfect to work with what we love to do and enjoy it.

Every items in their fabulous collections is designed and made with quality and style in mind.

Judy Cogo is from Ontario

Anna Lee Or GaHooleTree is from Toronto

Craft by Keri  or Keri Mae is from Ontario 

Sage,s cupboard is from Nanaimo 

Kranbearys from Thunder Bay

aMagpiesDream fromOntario

alwaysdaddysgirl fromAlberta

Zoomgraphik Quebec

Last few nice days ....

Last few nice days

Been busy with work and art show, I didn’t do much to make new things or do something for the last couples of weeks.

Well, it is time to get my “BUTT” in gear and move …..

So this morning, I took my camera and Mira for a walk in the woods in front of my house.

Pretty soon the trees will looses all their leaves and their gorgeous colors. The rain will come and after the snow *SIGH*(I can live without that …LOL )…

So, here is a few last nice pictures from fall…and by the way I felt so good ,I went shopping for new Antique Silver beads( got some ideas ).

October is ......

AH October is........

 It's fall, a change of season. And yet, with change still come those familiar things we look forward to every late September and early October.

Apples picking, ketchup making, colder weather but comfortable, Halloween fun and more......

October is a great time to visit the country side. The fall foliage  is spectacular. Most outdoor activities can still be enjoyed..

Cleaning the garden for next year, all that fun!!

My husband is like a kid. He likes to decorate the house. A bit to much for my taste, but HEY!!! The little's goblins and monsters likes it .

                              

So I decide to show you round my neighborhood’ and also some of the 
the artisans work for October.


Theses rings from  Anjasarts show the colors of fall.

In front of my house.

I like to find fun places to take pictures

  Mont Tremblant ..it is nice right now over there ,because it is up north and colder at night ...where it is colder ,it change its color faster...

Here is a few artisans ....October fun/colors ..ETC......

Shadow dog designs.......

Halloween Spider Lampwork Red Coral Earrings Handmade One of a Kind

 

KeriMae

                                              Felt bat pendant

 

                                             madeformebyoaklie

                                              Fluffy Knit Scarf Outrageous Orange

 

                                         georgiamountainarts   

                                 Digital Altered Note Cards, N. Applegate Rd.

 

 

                                                                 epicetera

                           Small Skull Stretch Halloween Bracelet in Black and Orange

 

 

 

        

                              

                            

 

 

 

 

Mini Vacation

Last Monday I went to the beach (York, Maine. ) with my Mother and Sister for couples of day’s… 

LOVE THE BEACH…..and the shopping of course.

The Union Bluff Hotel was built in the late 1800’s. Back then, guests arrived by horse drawn carriage and steam train with their trunks packed for a month long stay. You still got the feeling of the old-world charm.

(The original Union Bluff Hotel was one of the last old wooden buildings in York Beach. In February 1987 the original building was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt to resemble the original building that has occupied this site since the 1800's. The "new" Union Bluff Hotel opened in June 1989.)

Some pictures to look at when the winter will be here LOL…