IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BOY!

LUKE!! 6-24-17

Forgive me! It has been 2 years since my last blog post (sounds like a Catholic confessional). The addition of Luke to our family has been an absolute blessing (and seriously, long awaited, prayed for...). So that year went by way too fast and the previous year was a blur and I'd like to forget it (mostly stress, major changes, anguish, less than stellar health, etc). 

  Now to 2018: Besides Luke and our family being a priority, I decided to elevate my jewelry business to a higher (mental) status. The holidays are quickly approaching and I have spent the last few months working on my brand, a new collection, posting on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/blumensnapdragon/ creating goals, researching local boutiques in which to sell my jewelry and connecting to my local community and to the social media community.

 I would love to connect with you too. More than likely over a playdate and a Bullet proof coffee!

Stay tuned as I try to keep all of my plates spinning. Advice on how to handle it all with grace especially if you have a small business, a family and career. (Mother of multiples-how do you do it?!)

Candy for the heart and soul

This is one of those posts you can't wait to write! But I had to wait...until we were shopped out and made it back home to Scottsdale from the Tucson Gem Show with our LOOT!

I know of a few friends who drive south (about 2 hours) for ONE day of bead/gem shopping and then I know of some who spend a week (and frankly, I am totally envious of them). I have to remind myself that this is my hobby... Who am I kidding?! I have many hobbies, but this is the only one where people WANT the labors of my hobby-lucky me. So I spent two full days shopping for anything that caught my eye...serious candy! There was a lot that caught my eye, actually, but the $1,000 price tag just left me salivating over that candy. 

 How in the heck??? Amazing!

no, I did not purchase this :(

 Himalayan salt crystal

 (sorry, trouble rotating this one)

 Amazonite, petrified shells, and sterling silver flower pendants

 Citrine, amethyst, druzy, flourite...

 Probably the best find my business partner found-rough, un-drilled aquamarine!

This is the booth of one of my favorite designers, Kia. She walks the walk. She travels mostly to India each year and gets dirty in the quarries to hand pick her gems and requests certain pieces be drilled, faceted, and polished to her liking. She has amazing, truly one of a kind stones. I haven't made too many pieces with them as they are rare and I have a problem parting with them. (see previous blogs about this psychological problem of letting go)

We met numerous people and I also got to speak German with a few very talented designers from...Germany! Gorgeous and unique designs of finished jewelry were literally everywhere.

The Gem Show does draw people from all over the world not only as exhibitors of precious and semi-precious stones and award winning jewelry designers but also tourists looking for "uniquities". There was some junk too; the cheap mass produced kind from China, but for the most part, there are so many super creative talented people!

I have committed to being more visible on my blog in 2017, so come back to see what I have fashioned from thousands of years of earth and pressure!

Getting Some Professional Photography

While my friend, Tiffany from His Glory Photography, was taking our family photos a few months back I asked her to take some of this necklace to put in my Blog Boutique. She made it look so beautiful and was able to capture the small flecks of blue in the labradorite pendant as well as the prism-like cubes that I love. It is mixed with black oval druzies just to mix up the shapes and textures. I couldn't upload these pics into my Blog Boutique before it sold. I so loved this necklace because it can go with so many outfits and colors that I was sad to see it go. But this "hobby" makes me sad too often!!

Vintage Bracelet Re-do

I found myself working on this very busy piece of carpet but decided to go along with it because I was feeling inspired yet lazy to find another piece of cloth to keep everything from rolling onto the floor. Although, I really don't like breaking a vintage piece apart something was telling me it was going to be ok. The small square blue-ish green iridescent pieces are from a vintage bracelet and the flat stone drop just said 'pick me' (it however, did not remind me of the name of the stone). Then I added the heavy base metal chain. It by no means is finished. Unfortunately, in the separating of the links several of the stones came loose from their bases and now need to be glued back on.

Tucson Gem Show

Tucson Gem Show 2014

Let's rewind a few months to the biggest gem show in the world...and how lucky are we that it is almost in our backyard ( a mere 2 hours in the car!). I am not sure I would attend each year if I had to spend hundreds on a plane ticket as this would cut into much needed spending money. We (my jewelry partner, Marilyn, and I) have a rule when it comes to the gem show: buy 3 strands-2 to use in our designs and the other to hold onto for the inevitable moment when we realize we are out. I actually have the same crazy rule when it comes to scrapbook paper (however, more stringent)- 1 sheet to use and 2 to hold onto. I have a problem with letting go...obviously.

Each year I also spend a little more money than the last...and then I start to panic...and there goes my 3 strand rule! Then I run out of gems, and get mad at myself. I must pass through 5 stages of the shoppers paradigm.

Thankfully, big statement necklaces are still in fashion as well as vibrant colors. I bought large rough aquamarine (my staple), rough kyanite, varasite jasper (purple, yellow, and blue), large prehnite, Peruvian opal, flourite, tektite, carnelian, turquoise, coral

and look at the size of my amber. I have passed it up for several years and we finally talked each other into buying...one strand! We do this every year...

Two Great Boutique Parties Coming Soon!

This year get your holiday shopping done early and feel excited that you are giving unique distinctive jewelry from Blumensnapdragon.

 Come out to the 37th Annual 

Church Mouse Boutique on 

Saturday, November 2, 2013 from 8:30am-4pm 

and Sunday, November 3, from 7:30am-1pm 

at Blessed Sacrament Church

11300 N. 64th St.

Scottsdale, Arizona 85254

The second event is a come-as-you-are 

Virtual Holiday Jewelry Party on 

Sunday, December 8, 2013. Browse our 2013 sale items from the comfort of your own home. Click on the Blumensnapdragon Boutique button on the left hand column of this blog and start shopping!

These two upcoming events will help you "WOW" those certain people who just need a good WOW-ing and allow you to enjoy a stress-less season. You will also be supporting our local economy and homegrown artists and crafters. 

These Distinctive Jewelry Designs And Much More Will Be Featured At The 37th Annual Church Mouse Boutique November 2-3, 2013 At Blessed Sacrament Church In Scottsdale, Arizona 

 Rennaissance- Real Baroque & Shell Pearls with Crystals

 Doubled Up Amazonite

Hearts of Magnesite
 

 Quartz and Magnesite Funky Bracelet

 Shapes Around the Wrist with a Sterling Silver Extender Chain & Clasp

 Aquamarine Glass with Sterling Silver

 Upcycled Chandelier Earrings with Crystals

 Patina Flower Pendant, Faux Pearls, & Magnesite

 Rough Citrine Chunks with Copper Chain & Findings

 Faceted Swarovski Drop with Upcycled Jewelry Parts 

 This Looks Much Better On!The Drop is Actually a Citrine Color

 Sterling Silver Hollow Heart with Flourite Prisms

 Tiger Eye and Magnesite with Sterling Silver

Blue Lapis, Druzy, and Smokey Topaz with Variable Bronze Chain

 Lengthened Version

 Shortened Version

For Pricing And Availability, Please Leave A Comment For Me On This Blog or email me at schnakie@yahoo.com. Hope To See Everyone At Both Events!

Devon

Where Bloggers Create 2013

Welcome to my little 'studio' in the corner of our home office/fitness equipment & craft storage room where many  Blumensnapdragon designs are created or finished. You wouldn't think I know where everything is as it's quite cramped, but I do! Like most of you, I can't design until my space is organized. I use antique milk glass pieces, candy bowls, silver trays, etc that have been handed down or found at garage sales.

Some of my favorite 'uniquities' are created with crochet hooks that I have had since I was a child. I still worry sometimes that they will be confiscated by TSA so I rarely take them in my carry on to work on projects.

Normally, I don't think of myself as having ADHD or ADD but when it comes to designing, I must. I cannot just design one piece. No. Sometimes. I will sit on the floor and start emptying jars of semi-precious stones or my vintage elements and if I don't like the exact combination I will start on another piece but still look to finish piece #1, but in turn start on #3 and so on. I think I bought a lot of blue at the 2013 Tucson Gem Show!

The red multistrand necklace above is vintage and I really like it as is, but I really want to dismantle it and create 3 things with it! (see previous story). The other necklace is one I just finished. I am loving these patina crosses from the Gem Show as well as these baroque fresh water pearls and pyrite chunks.

Definitely needs organizing! This is the leftover jumble after designing. But I see a few possibilities...I did the silver cuff with magnetic closure a few years ago and want to do the color scheme with something else. I use broken pieces of jewelry and vintage items passed down from relatives to create one of a kind fun jewelry.

I have found baby food jars to be the best container to hold everything. I do travel often to a friend's house to design and then I rethink schlepping numerous glass jars!

(Grateful to have my angels looking over me) 

I love these paper roses Karen Valentine  adorned my birthday present with one year. I glued magnets to several and you will see them on my vintage ceiling tile bulletin board.

The spice jars and caddy work well too.

Because you can never have too much inspiration!

Awwww. My inspiration and motivation. Pictures of my husband and I, our dog Mischa, good friends, slogans, words of wisdom, and things I am grateful for. Love the bumper sticker from a cafe in California; What Are You Grateful For?

Oh my gosh! There is also a backside to this...filled! I need to get this covered by our home insurance policy. That's how important it is to me.One side of beauties was gifted to me by my husband's aunt and the other by his mother and grandmother. It is so hard to use anything from this collection in my new designs. It will be a slow process, but I'm also not one to hoard things. I want them to be used, talked about, and enjoyed.

See my previous blog about "The Unveiling". The remaking (stripping) of my awesome dress form.

My mother's old train case. It went everywhere with her in her youth and I have even taken it on cruises just because I'm an old fashioned girl. It still travels, but just to display my finished pieces at jewelry shows.
Thank you for depositing some of your precious time here. Your comments are like gems to me. Thank you Karen Valentine for giving us the opportunity to open a virtual door into so many creative bloggers' worlds. xo