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

The Unveiling

I don't know how long I have owned this dress form. My friend Karen, from My Desert Cottage pointed out (in the nicest way possible),  that it's kind of hideous. :)

At first we were going to cover it with simple beige linen and maybe add to it some text or stamping. Then we decided to see what was underneath. Actually, we didn't know how we were going to cover it... what a bear!

The previous owner did go through great lengths to cover it with seam tape, cotton and hideous pink fabric with rickrack. 

She is so petite and cute underneath-the owner might not have been so tiny-I mean, look at that waist! It's so 50's.

 Sometimes, the best things are left alone and we certainly saved ourselves a lot of time. We sat around asking ourselves, "Now what do we work on?" We got the EASY button!!! How often does that happen? Thanks, my dear Karen.

Vintage Jewelry Re-Doux

 While I love to make jewelry out of gorgeous natural gemstones, I have a soft spot for the pieces made from jewelry pieces passed down to me from my mom or other family members. These pieces will  never make it to my boutique because they hold sentimental value and they are one of kind and can never be duplicated. 

The necklace in the above picture was made with a  pair of vintage daisy earrings from the 50's given to me by my mother. Connected to the daisy ensemble is a vintage pin and finally the drop at the bottom is an earring (not vintage, once broken and discarded)

The necklace below is one of my (many) favorites. The center piece was either a vintage earring or pin. I wired each bead by hand using sterling silver, crystal, and hematite. The drop at the bottom is comprised of a broken earring and a vintage Catholic religious medal given to me by a friend. I made it in the style of a rosary but shorter as I also wanted it to be its own piece.

 A little while ago I had a jewelry show at my house. I invited friends, family and coworkers.

 It was really fun to try and display all the jewelry in a creative way. Although I am still learning, I think I did a pretty good job!!!

 I borrowed a mannequin from my friend Karen from My Desert Cottage and it really helped to make the necklaces pop!

I am very grateful to have sold many pieces and will do it again for sure!!

The best part however, was just getting together with friends and playing dress up!!!

I was so involved in the party that I forgot to take photos of the guests trying on the jewelry and having fun! Oh well, next time!!!

I'm baaaack!!!

 I'm so sorry I have been away for so long!!! You know how it is....life just gets so busy and before you know it a year has gone by!!!  I wanted to share with you a taste of the wonderful earthy treasures I found at  this years Tucson Gem show.

 There were so many lovely stones, beads and gems to choose from!!!

I just loved all these greens!! The purple accents are wonderful too don't you think???

 This color palette reminds me of the ocean. I think it will make a gorgeous necklace or maybe some lovely bangles!

These chunky Quartz Crystals are so fabulous and I love the rough Aquamarine and the Pyrite!

 Greys and yellows are hot, hot, hot right now!!

 More gorgeous color!! I can't wait to find some time to sit down and create something with all these lovely stones.

And lastly, some beautiful cut Hematite. I could have easily spent another couple of days there shopping and spending sooo much more money, but I practiced great restraint!!!

Don't forget to pop over to my Boutique and check out the pieces that are already finished and ready to go to a new home!!!

See you soon!!!

xo,

Devon

If You Can't Handle People Staring...Don't Wear This

I'm serious! I wore this beauty with a purple slouchy top at a boutique party and saw the stares and overheard people gasping, "did you see her necklace?!", "OMG, it's gorgeous", etc.

It REALLY made my day. And I even wear this to work! As a trainer I'm working hands on with clients all day. Because the stones look raw people ask if they scratch me. No. And with the ribbon closure, I never feel it and can wear it as long or short as I like.

 These amethyst and citrine stones are my favorite find from the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show last year. As most of my friends know this story, they bring it up every time I wear this piece. They say, "The ones where you had to fight off the lady". True. We were

eyeing the same strand and

There was one left. Trust me, she walked away only with a bruised ego. It was in my hand and she said she wanted it. Really?

 You can choose to have yours look like the one above for $65 or I will custom make it (please contact me for pricing). 

Snow In Sept?

Another heartfelt thank you for all the wonderful words left by fabulously creative bloggers and a huge thank you to my friend Karen Valentine for her hard work and dedication to putting it all together, and bringing US all together!
I hope to be more regular at posting blogs and new jewelry designs and I welcome comments!!

I asked my sweet cousin, Kelly, to model the necklace I made specifically for her. This was a few months back on our visit to Aspen. We found the most pristine snow with absolutely no one around and played with our husbands in the snow. It was the perfect setting for her Iceberg necklace. I made one for myself which I immediately named as my new favorite (happens with every new piece). Then she saw it and had to have one, so I had her help me design it. We took an old earring and attached it on the diagonal to the bottom and beaded through it and added a drop (which gets lost in her cleavage, but who cares!) I love it and love her. This was unfortunately the last of my raw glass chunks from the Tucson Gem Show. {Note to self: buy three strands of everything we like...one for me, one to keep, and one to design with!}