Hi All -
So I've said those dreaded words to hubby again...."honey....can you pick me up some more bead boxes?" Yep...I think I may have a problem. I am currently sorting all the gemstone beads I got on my trip earlier this month. And I find that I have managed to purchase another 4 bead boxes worth.
Oi...at this rate I will soon grow out of my expanded space that I was so thrilled to have picked up a couple of weeks ago. Oh well...we all have our problems I guess. haha.
My birthday was a few days ago so Mum did what she always does...threw some moola my way which went to sterling findings and some more gemstones. Hubby just rolls his eyes now...no comments necessary. Hey, the way I see it...he has his man cave and I have my studio. At least my space is organized. So there!
The countdown has begun for the end of my degree...just 3 more classes. Can I get a woohoo?!! Then I will have even more time to work on jewelry...which means I will more than likely go back to school for my Master's degree. I don't do well without 50 things to do at once.
So back I go to sorting and designing...more new stuff coming soon.
-Leah :-)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
I found Mecca in New Mexico
Hi All -
So I'm back from my whirlwind tour of my inlaws across 4 states and 7 days...and have finally caught up with chores and sleep and generally schlebbiness. The trip itself was mostly uneventful, meeting the in-laws for the first time, cleaning out hubby's storage space, and a tiny bit of sightseeing.
But in New Mexico I found my new favorite place...a gemstone importer with amazing prices that is housed in a 7000 sq. foot warehouse. Bead strands of gemstones of all kinds dripping from the walls EVERYWHERE! I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. After an hour or so and several hundred dollars later...hubby and I went to dinner in Santa Fe.
So now I am home...spent the last couple days working on a paper for an international business class I am taking. So that's done and so I have tonight and part of tomorrow to work on pictures and new product.
Check out my Etsy at: http://www.winddancerdesigns.etsy.com
-Leah :-)
So I'm back from my whirlwind tour of my inlaws across 4 states and 7 days...and have finally caught up with chores and sleep and generally schlebbiness. The trip itself was mostly uneventful, meeting the in-laws for the first time, cleaning out hubby's storage space, and a tiny bit of sightseeing.
But in New Mexico I found my new favorite place...a gemstone importer with amazing prices that is housed in a 7000 sq. foot warehouse. Bead strands of gemstones of all kinds dripping from the walls EVERYWHERE! I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. After an hour or so and several hundred dollars later...hubby and I went to dinner in Santa Fe.
So now I am home...spent the last couple days working on a paper for an international business class I am taking. So that's done and so I have tonight and part of tomorrow to work on pictures and new product.
Check out my Etsy at: http://www.winddancerdesigns.etsy.com
-Leah :-)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
The call of the open road...
Hi All -
I am off to a road trip in just a few days...I will try to update along the way with pics and stories of my travels.
My route takes me from Omaha to Tucson through Denver and Santa Fe and where ever else strikes my fancy. A wee vacation to visit the in-laws...woo hoo. I am excited to see if I can find some cool new beads along the way.
Went to a bead show here in town yesterday, hubby went along...he's such a good sport. Wow, the slowing economy working in my favor with supply costs...everyone offering low, low, low prices. Picked up some gorgeous micro-faceted crystal rondelles in a bunch of spring colors as well as some lovely briolettes and these amazing heated, banded agate curved links. In tones of reds, black, white, greens, yellows...they are awesome!
Can't wait to work with them. The next couple days are filled with picture taking of the new stuff I've made over the last week or so. So look at Etsy for that. http://www.winddancerdesigns.etsy.com
Toodles!
I am off to a road trip in just a few days...I will try to update along the way with pics and stories of my travels.
My route takes me from Omaha to Tucson through Denver and Santa Fe and where ever else strikes my fancy. A wee vacation to visit the in-laws...woo hoo. I am excited to see if I can find some cool new beads along the way.
Went to a bead show here in town yesterday, hubby went along...he's such a good sport. Wow, the slowing economy working in my favor with supply costs...everyone offering low, low, low prices. Picked up some gorgeous micro-faceted crystal rondelles in a bunch of spring colors as well as some lovely briolettes and these amazing heated, banded agate curved links. In tones of reds, black, white, greens, yellows...they are awesome!
Can't wait to work with them. The next couple days are filled with picture taking of the new stuff I've made over the last week or so. So look at Etsy for that. http://www.winddancerdesigns.etsy.com
Toodles!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
A sudden abundance of free time....
Hi All:
So some of you may know that I was laid-off from my "real" job this week...exclamation of sympathy are appreciated, but I am really ok...
Looking at this as an opportunity to pour more time and energy into Wind Dancer and Reyna Red...as well as providing more study time for school, which I am so close to being finished with.
So far I have been a "woman of leisure" without a 9-5 job leash for a couple of days and I like it. I have taken the opportunity to cleanse the palette so to speak, by changing my studio/home office into a pure studio.
Big thanks go out to my understanding hubby who helped me move heavy furniture all over the room in different configurations before I found the one I like. And didn't complain at all....well not much. haha.
So here are pics of the new studio setup...soldering station, woo hoo...and the studio mascots (black and white cats in one of the pics)...
Enjoy!
Leah :-)
The mascots - Munchkin (black) & Piglet (white).
Soldering station - yay!
More space - means more work done.
See, I am working...well, when I am not blogging.
So some of you may know that I was laid-off from my "real" job this week...exclamation of sympathy are appreciated, but I am really ok...
Looking at this as an opportunity to pour more time and energy into Wind Dancer and Reyna Red...as well as providing more study time for school, which I am so close to being finished with.
So far I have been a "woman of leisure" without a 9-5 job leash for a couple of days and I like it. I have taken the opportunity to cleanse the palette so to speak, by changing my studio/home office into a pure studio.
Big thanks go out to my understanding hubby who helped me move heavy furniture all over the room in different configurations before I found the one I like. And didn't complain at all....well not much. haha.
So here are pics of the new studio setup...soldering station, woo hoo...and the studio mascots (black and white cats in one of the pics)...
Enjoy!
Leah :-)
The mascots - Munchkin (black) & Piglet (white).
Soldering station - yay!
More space - means more work done.
See, I am working...well, when I am not blogging.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The urge to hug the FedEx guy has passed...
Hi All:
So Friday came with some lovely surprises in the shape of new gemstone briolettes, my new light tent (for when Mother Nature can't seem to give me natural light to work with), and my new and extremely large soldering board (because setting fire to my new design tables would be bad). With all those new cool things to play with... Whew!
Boy, was this a busy weekend. Highly productive too....cranked out about 20 new pieces that I am frantically trying to add to Etsy as we speak.
Here are a couple in the meantime - check back for more as the day rolls on.
-Leah :-)
So Friday came with some lovely surprises in the shape of new gemstone briolettes, my new light tent (for when Mother Nature can't seem to give me natural light to work with), and my new and extremely large soldering board (because setting fire to my new design tables would be bad). With all those new cool things to play with... Whew!
Boy, was this a busy weekend. Highly productive too....cranked out about 20 new pieces that I am frantically trying to add to Etsy as we speak.
Here are a couple in the meantime - check back for more as the day rolls on.
-Leah :-)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The armoured car of shipping cartons...
Hi All:
Jeez...I may actually get in the habit of posting every day. haha, maybe not...we'll see. Anyway, had a small noteworthy thing happen just a short while ago, I got a shipment from a new supplier in India.
They were recommended to me by a business contact, much better prices on semi-precious briolettes, and way more selection than stateside. So I gave them a try for some mixed faceted chalcedony, rose quartz, carnelian and these amazing elongated navy blue chalcedony faceted spikes.
So the doorbell rings this morning, and it's the mailman with a delivery confirmation to sign...no biggee. He has a bunch of stuff for me and hubby, and one of the things is a strange looking little box. So I sign and take everything inside. The strange little box is from this new supplier and it is about 4 inches by 5 inches and quite heavy...I didn't think I ordered that much.
Anyway, it was the amoured car of shipping cartons. Once I got through all the protective layers, I found a solid aluminum box that was wrapped in bubble wrap, newspaper and then sewn into cheesecloth and sealing wax was on all the corners and seams. Once inside the box, more newspaper and bubblewrap covering a 3.5 inch by 3.5 inch bag with my gems in them.
Holy crap...now there is sealing wax everywhere. Oh well...almost the weekend...
Still have insomnia, so last night's project until 3am was a sterling silver collar with light blue chalcedony faceted drops and smoky quartz, with earrings to match.
Insomnia bites, but at least I have been productive. New pics will have to wait until this weekend probably.
As always check out my Etsy store - http://www.winddancerdesigns.etsy.com
-Leah :-)
Jeez...I may actually get in the habit of posting every day. haha, maybe not...we'll see. Anyway, had a small noteworthy thing happen just a short while ago, I got a shipment from a new supplier in India.
They were recommended to me by a business contact, much better prices on semi-precious briolettes, and way more selection than stateside. So I gave them a try for some mixed faceted chalcedony, rose quartz, carnelian and these amazing elongated navy blue chalcedony faceted spikes.
So the doorbell rings this morning, and it's the mailman with a delivery confirmation to sign...no biggee. He has a bunch of stuff for me and hubby, and one of the things is a strange looking little box. So I sign and take everything inside. The strange little box is from this new supplier and it is about 4 inches by 5 inches and quite heavy...I didn't think I ordered that much.
Anyway, it was the amoured car of shipping cartons. Once I got through all the protective layers, I found a solid aluminum box that was wrapped in bubble wrap, newspaper and then sewn into cheesecloth and sealing wax was on all the corners and seams. Once inside the box, more newspaper and bubblewrap covering a 3.5 inch by 3.5 inch bag with my gems in them.
Holy crap...now there is sealing wax everywhere. Oh well...almost the weekend...
Still have insomnia, so last night's project until 3am was a sterling silver collar with light blue chalcedony faceted drops and smoky quartz, with earrings to match.
Insomnia bites, but at least I have been productive. New pics will have to wait until this weekend probably.
As always check out my Etsy store - http://www.winddancerdesigns.etsy.com
-Leah :-)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Miles past O'Dark Hundred Jewelry making...
Hi All:
So, first off a little background...I am an insomniac. So there are times that I am up - mind whirling with a host of different things other than sleepiness - until the wee, and sometimes beyond wee hours of the morning. These insomniac jags come and go and vary in length but usually follow the need to get work done that I don't seem to have time for during daylight or even normal evening hours.
And so following such an insomniac episode last night - I tend to babble more than usual, so just hang in there with me...I have a point.
What was my point, again? Oh yeah! So I was up until about 3am-ish, snuggled under a black blanket I made into a snuggie without any stitches, pliers in hand, watching a Gilmore Girls marathon. I spent an hour or so hand-wrapping links to make pair of truly delicious earrings. Think dripping gems in yellows, greens and corals....there you go.
Have to take pics and post those bad girls up here...but when you are up till past O'dark hundred and then still have your eyes pop open at 745am every morning like annoying sadistic clockwork...it doesn't make for mid-morning motivation to take pictures.
And since now - my babbling has reached epic proportions...I need a nap.
-Leah :-)
So, first off a little background...I am an insomniac. So there are times that I am up - mind whirling with a host of different things other than sleepiness - until the wee, and sometimes beyond wee hours of the morning. These insomniac jags come and go and vary in length but usually follow the need to get work done that I don't seem to have time for during daylight or even normal evening hours.
And so following such an insomniac episode last night - I tend to babble more than usual, so just hang in there with me...I have a point.
What was my point, again? Oh yeah! So I was up until about 3am-ish, snuggled under a black blanket I made into a snuggie without any stitches, pliers in hand, watching a Gilmore Girls marathon. I spent an hour or so hand-wrapping links to make pair of truly delicious earrings. Think dripping gems in yellows, greens and corals....there you go.
Have to take pics and post those bad girls up here...but when you are up till past O'dark hundred and then still have your eyes pop open at 745am every morning like annoying sadistic clockwork...it doesn't make for mid-morning motivation to take pictures.
And since now - my babbling has reached epic proportions...I need a nap.
-Leah :-)
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