New Goodies Landing @ Etsy Shop

New goodies! Landing Thursday July 18th @ Noon (PST) www.gaea.etsy.com!

Thanks for checking in!

Orbit Drops - Photo Earring Tutorial

A few months ago, I had donated a necklace to my child's school for an auction event to support Art Trek. Art Trek is a local program that helps volunteer parents bring art education into the classroom. The winning bid went to a lovely woman who has supported many local families with her wonderful parenting classes. Being one of the lucky parents to benefit from her sage parenting techniques, I was extra pleased she had the highest bid. She loved the necklace so much she asked me to create a pair of earrings...

This necklace featured beads from Humblebeads and myself, as well as garnet, moonstone, iolite and other semi precious beads, all brought together with some lovely brass wire. Here is how I made the earrings....

Summer Earrings

Getting my earring kit out I was reminded that being handmade, each earring charm may be slightly different from it's intended mate. Does this bother me? No! In fact I love that they are not perfectly matched in  shape or size! They have character and personality! Two things that handmade goods, in general, should be chock full of! 

What perfectly imperfect project are you working on today?

Issues...

It must be summer because the summer issue of Stringing is out!

I am so proud to be among the amazing artists featured in the summer issue...

Spring Into Summer! New Listings Landing...

A few new goodies will land at www.gaea.etsy.com today at noon (PST)!

Come join the fun!

Summer List

I wilt at the thought of summer temperatures. Heat and I do not get along. I remember passing out from the excess heat as a child. Not fun. I prefer fog and cool and the heat to be emanating from my cup of coffee not from every direction around me! As the days have been warming up (soon to over boil!) and in an attempt to tolerate what is sure to be a long hot summer, I have compiled a list of things that I enjoy about this season...

Iced coffee

Summer vacation

Time with my kiddos

Lunch everyday on the patio

Bright colors

Water mellon

Water park

Flowers

Clear blue skies

Staying up late (more than we should)

Waking up late (occasionally)

Sweet tea

Frisbee in the park
Summer reading

Mid week movies

Creating new work

Beach days (not so much the sand)

and

Looking forward to the fall

These colors of summer will land in the etsy shop today at noon...

One of these gift with purchase pendants will be available to the first 5 people who add one to their order!

I heart summer? At least I'm trying!

Have a great summer!

Newly Added...

Keeping busy in the studio... 

these and a few others have landed @ www.gaea.etsy.com.

Happy first day of summer vacation kids!

Playing

I have been admiring various resin project for quite a while and had gotten a lovely Resin kit from Lima Beads ages ago. Sometimes it takes me a while to find my nerve and convince myself that a project out of my comfort zone is a good thing. I had made these wire frames a few days ago and thought that just the frames would be fun to use in a jewelry project.

Then, I stumbled across this great project on the Lima Beads website! So, while the weather was cooperating, I worked up the nerved to make a few of these...

It WAS easy but a bit messy. I will remember to wear gloves next go around. I got to rummage through my other crafting supplies, like paints and powdered colors, which in turn gave me more creative ideas.

Drum Roll, Please......

Many heart felt thanks to all of the lovely blog readers who helped spread the word about my new items at Lima Beads! I let random.org do the dirty work of picking a random number. The winner is...

Congratulations PiPa! 

Please send me your address and I will get you your goodies!

Still Time to Enter...

Thanks for helping to spread the word about these new goodies at Lima Beads....

There is still time to win the items below... See original post here to enter giveaway!

Earrings Tutorial - Down by the River

This tutorial was also featured on the Art Bead Scene Blog today.

New @ Lima Beads Giveaway!!!

Spring is here and summer is on its way! With the change of season comes new colors and styles. I have to say, being involved with Lima Beads has been such a joy! As a family run company who support many small artist it is impressive to see what amazing finds they have and how innovative their website is, as well as being just lovely to talk with. All gushing aside, I am excited to have new items on their site...

New bundles, beads and pendants!

If you would like to win one of the new original bead sets and two pendants, please help spread the word by sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Blog or Pinterest! Please leave a comment for each way you shared and each comment will enter you to win these... Check back on Monday to see if you've won!

The Bandit

Before our ancient Californial Live Oak became a hazzard to our home, we would spend many a night watching a lovely and chatty

family of racoons travel up and down its great trunk. I miss seeing them....

New original bead bundles today at noon pst! www.gaea.etsy.com

Bits and Pieces of a Long Weekend....

Art in the Park (Libby Park)

Gem Fair