be my friend!

my friend and sometimes assistant, clarine, made theses samples to inspire you! we brainstormed an easy project that was PRETTY and fun, and came up with these! want to make one, just let me know!

AAAAAND, i just added a "friend" column on the right... see it? see that it has 3 peeps? come on my friends, michelle... anna.... stop lurking and show your faces!!!!

although, when i think about it.. i really blog for me. but if there is an audience, i'm thinking about putting more "show n' tell" videos up - i have a bunch of neat ideas... demoing how to crystallize a gadget, metal stamping, kumihimo-ing with beads... anyone interested?

besides me, gina (who works for me), dee, and shea (who made my blog) now i'm laughing cause that's kinda funny!!!! hellloooooooo... is anyone out there????????

luv jamie

my favorite bangles

recently, i "re-released" a bangle that i made years ago, and to my surprise it REALLY took off this time around! i'm learning that there are no "junk projects", just inopportune timing! i can't tell you how many times in the past 12 years michelle and i've created something, and had NO ONE interested in it. we'd look at each other and sigh and ask "how come??"

we're like two little old ladies minus the rocking chairs - watching trends come and go... and sighing and shaking our heads together in disbelief :)

AnYhoW - onto some silver wire bangles....

i've been teaching it as a custom class, and with each new student, i learn even more (so terry, if you're reading this, email me!) so there's more to share with every new class. that's what's fun about CREATING - there's no mistakes- just new ideas!

michelle and angela surprised me with their mad skillz - cause i didn't realize that they've only taken basic wire wrap - i was in "jamie intense mode" and had them wrestling with 10 gauge wire (crazy thick), hammering, shaping, using metal stamps, specialty hammers, a bracelet mandrel and more!! i was soooo proud - they were daring, experimental, willing to try anything, and went for it! my favorite kind of student :)

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michelle's bangles: one featuring kyanite (a stone for communication and peace), the other energetically hammered flat and stamped with hearts!

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angela's bangles: one featuring prehnite (for comfort and feeling safe), the other stamped with baby stars!

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this pic features all the gem bangles (including mine with the chunk o' tourmaline, that i made as a demonstration)

so much fun!! let me know if you want to make one too! they're pretty simple in technique and evidently, all you need is basic wire wrap skills and a "can do" attitude! i'll help you select a gem that is "just right" for you!

luv ya! jamie

i heart art clay!

got to play with art clay with cathy this week (before i got sick - which is why my post is sluggish in arrival)

nice part about blogging is that it requires very little effort, no talking, and therefore no coughing. love it!

made this camera charm for jason, it's about 1" in length. i rubber stamped it onto the clay and exacto'd the handle part out, so i can wrap beads onto it and make it a charmie! my impressions weren't deep enough, so i scratched them deeper before we fired it. art clay is forgiving!

this was made with a "snakey" tube and was SUPER EASY! probably took like a few minutes to make both. love things that are simple, AND cute! my faves - one has a loop that fell off (remember, i'm a newbie), so i'm going to refire it back on. art clay is forgiving.

i stamped a bamboo impression, then stamped "chikara" in hiragana (means strength in japanese). the bamboo stamping wasn't quite deep enough so cathy burnished it further, because, what?? art clay is forgiving.

it was so much fun! the hardest part is deciding what to make cause i had sooooo many ideas, and not enough time. in our one day, i made a BUNCH (more than pictured here), and will post them... but i want to turn them into jewelry first to impress y'all!

thanks cathy, you are a great teacher, and if i'm not sick on sunday, i'm taking the clayday play with cathy! resting at home, and storing up a lot of creative energy.

cough cough, jamie

kumihimo for everyone!

this kumihimo video is dedicated to cali, who fell down her stairs, and injured both legs. we send you love, beads and a kumihimo disc. just in case you don't feel up to reading the instructions, this video is for you!

one for me, one for you!

bess made this awesome necklace!! she did the flower with amethyst briolettes after we made a similar ring in a wire play day, goooo bess! then she made the treasure trove necklace with gemstones to complement the awesome pendant.. LOVE IT! that's hers!

this one's mine!! janice l. made this crystal kumihimo bracelet for me! i'm sharing it with michelle though, cause happily it fits both of us!

i love it so much, that janice is taking time of her work, to teach my customers how to do this for free on Saturday, April 3rd! there is a little homework prep involved and 3 different time slots, so call me at 589-2600 if you are interested!

it's now past the middle of march and 2010 is whizzing by! do something for yourself, something fun!

luv jamie

jason, my photographer

i made these silver bangles and jason took some photos that i love! that's actually how we "met". he offered to take pictures of my lampwork glass beads that i made. i was like, "okay," and then we moved in together.

i put them on the bead gallery's facebook page as well, cause i thought they are so pretty! lighting, angles, and having a photographer that cares makes all the difference.

just like in everything in life- the intention and the purposefulness behind ANYTHING, is most important. i just reminded myself by writing this, that buying something made or sold with love, good intentions and honesty, is much more defining about who i am, then buying something that's cheaper, by cutting corners and with less care.

i've been tempted in the past, to buy beads from vendors just cause it was convenient, or a "good deal," or something that i "had to have", even if they were rude, had terrible service, or had unethical practices. i was willing to compromise my values because i wanted something.

it's good to get older and with enough experience, realize that it's not the "stuff" that i have that makes my life. it's people, relationships and all that comes with it, that is the stuff of life!

Thank you!

jamie

fairy ribbon bracelet

luv that kumihimo! we have some "fairy ribbon" that changes in color as you braid, and ends up being so beautiful! you can make a lanyard AND a bracelet with one length.

you gotta add the gems to make it AWESOME!! yay!!! one is janice's and one is ours - so happy, AND janice is going to host a free kumihimo class on April 3 - so if you are interested, email me asap. seats are limited and it's going to be with beads - so there is a little prep work.

i haven't sent the email about the free class yet, so this is your bloggy heads up. i'll post a pic of the class sample soon!

see our happy customers holding the white disc in the pic above? that's the braiding disc - so simple and lightweight - and fun!

see ya! hearts, jamie