Reinvented Objects

Bead Soup Blog Hop

2012-02-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

I just recieved my beads for the bead soup blog party. This is all put on by Lori Anderson. My partner is Jessica Klaarsen. To see all her colorful designs go to: http://beadful-things.blogspot.com/ We started this late, but teamed up anyway to join this fun adventure. I love all the bright colors and Vintaj findings in this bead group. I am looking forward to making my designs to share with everyone on March 3rd. If you want to see the hop just go to the left side bar of my blog and you can see Lori's blog and follow all the fun.

Art Studio Pictures

2012-02-09T12:21:00.000-08:00

I have been having problems with my computer but I think I have the computer issues fixed now. I love technology but it can be a real pain when things go wrong. I ended up deleting some posts in the process. The top picture is from the old studio downstairs which is still not completely cleaned up. I have been working on moving my studio upstairs the last few months. I painted in a charcoal grey last year and finally got around to getting things moved upstairs. I still have to hang a few things on the walls. I bought organizers at Michael's and have tons of storage place for all the beads and components. I love the storage cubes and the work great for beads. It seems like no matter what I am creating I often times still do not have the right shape, size, color or component to make what I want. I have 22 plastic organizer boxes of beads that I have been collecting for over 10 years and you would think I had everything I need. I girl can never have too many beads and findings.

A lot of what you see in my studio I created at art retreats or purchased from other artists. The dolls hanging on the wall are from my good friend JoAnna Pierotti. You can find her blog at: http://mosshill.blogs.com/ She is a full time artist and teaches at many retreats around the country. JoAnna is really a great artist/person and fun to hang out with. If you have the opportunity to take classes with her I would jump on it.

I bought a new table for my studio and waited almost two months for it to be delivered but when it showed up I knew it was just right for my studio. The table is wrought iron and has reclaimed wood on the top and I love anything that is vintage or with a vintage look. I also picked up the french bakers table that has my jewelry displayed on it at a local antique store. The table is an original patisserie table from the late 1800's that used to display all the yummy desserts. I like to imagine the French street where the bakery was located and all the beautiful French architecture. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era. It reminds me of the movie "Midnight in Paris." What a fantasy to be able to get into a car and go back to the place in time you dream of being.

Steampunk HeARTs

2012-01-01T02:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I am really thankful for the new year and really excited at the opportunity to do an artist interview that is published in the new Jan 2012 issue of Belle Armoire, the artistry of clothing and accessories. The link to their store and all of their great publications can be found at: http://www.stampington.com/somersetstudio/ or at most of the Barnes and Noble bookstores. What a great way to start off the new year. Thanks so much to all of the editors of stampington and Amanda for this opportunity. I want to say thanks to all of my family, friends, followers and customers! I would not be able to do any of this without all of your great support. Also, I would like to add that I used the game spinners in these heART designs and you can find the spinners in Tim Holtz's Ideology line. To find out can find out about all these great products from Ranger go to Tim's site at: http://www.timholtz.com/index.html

In loving Memory

2011-12-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I lost a good friend. Our beautiful Autumn returned to live with her heavenly father. We have had her since she was eight weeks old and she developed a brain tumor last year and started to have seizures. She did well on her medication for the last year until a couple of days ago when she started falling down a lot and having difficulty walking and getting up and down. She seemed to lose her zest for life and I believe she was suffering. I could not see her living like this any longer and decided it was time to let her go. As difficult as this is I know she is no longer in pain or suffering. She has never liked going to the vet but this time appeared relaxed and just layed on the table. I think she knew it was her time and was ready to say goodbye. My children who grew up with Autumn are having a hard time with this as am I. I am so grateful that she came into our lives and touched out hearts. Life would not have been the same without you Autumn. When I came home this morning you were not there to meet me at the door. When I sit here at my computer you are no longer at my side. You were always there beside me where ever I went. I just want to say you will always be with me in my heart and I will never forget your love and loyalty.

Jewelry and Classes

2011-12-05T21:31:00.000-08:00

The Guardian Angel

My heart is Ticking

Word Necklaces

I have been busy listing a few items in my etsy store. If you want to see

more items that I have for sale go to: reinventedobjects.etsy.com I am hoping

to find the time to list a few more items this week. You can also find the listing

for my upcoming classes on etsy. Let me know which class you want to take because

the Jan class is close to full. I still have about 6 openings in the Feb class.

Steampunk Hearts

2011-11-19T04:16:00.000-08:00

Added to my etsy shop for the first time are my steampunk hearts. I made these to send into Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine and they are going to be published in two magazines. In Jan 2012 the hearts will appear in Belle Amoire, the artistry of clothing and assessories, & in March 2012 the hearts will be in Belle Armoire Jewelry. I have only made a limited amount of these and have about 10 left including the five that were sent into the magazine. I spent a lot of time creating and designing these hearts. If you are interested in any of these let me know. Not all of the ones in the picture are available but I have a few more available that are not pictured. Please see my etsy shop for more pictures. reinventedobjects.etsy.com

Paper Mache Snowmen

2011-11-13T15:49:00.000-08:00

I just recently attended Terri Brush's paper mache and soldering class. We made little paper mache pieces, including snowmen, santa, birds, owls, dolls, ect. The class was three days long and the second night several of the ladies and I went shopping at:" The Bed of Roses" store in Farmington, UT and then went to dinner at the Mandarine resturant. Unfortunately life got in the way on the third day and I was unable to attend. I was really sorry to have missed the third day and stressed about missing class. I love taking classes and getting to know other people with the same interests as me. I still feel sad that I could not be there but decided to make the best of things and was able to work on my pieces last evening and am just about finished. I still need to solder the glass on top of the little boxes and make the glass box to put some of the snowmen in. I love this medium and have plans to make some more figurines for the holidays. For those of you that do not know Terri, she is a great instructor and lives in Washington state and teaches lots of workshops. I hope she comes back next year (hint, hint) A big thanks to Lorraine who hosted the class and cooked up some fantastic food and deserts. She is a wonderful cook and did a great job taking care of us. To see Terri's upcoming classes go to: terribrushdesigns.com/

JoAnna Pierotti Classes

2011-11-08T14:20:00.000-08:00

Fairy Dolls

I have taken two of JoAnna Pierotti's doll classes and they are absolutely wonderful. I learned so much and was inspired by her amazing talent and creativity. She is now hosting online classes. I highly recommend her classes because she is a super talented instructor and artist. If you would like to see more of her art or find her blog the link is at: http://mosshill.blogs.com/

Micheal DeMeng's Class

2011-11-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

I do not know where October went and am finally trying to get caught up on things. I cannot believe it is already November with everything going on. In Sept (that is how far behind I am) I had the opportunity to go to the art-is-you retreat in Petaluma, CA. I took a class with Micheal DeMeng called pretty vial things. We transformed bottles into fun and scary works of art.

This is my bottle with the skeleton and I decided to step out side the box a little and do something scary. I put dolls eyes inside the sockets of the skeleton and painted them red. On the bottom is a transparency of the man the skeleton belongs too. I used the hair from the dolls head to fill the inside of the bottle. Clay and an old stamping was used to do the scrimshaw pattern on the bottle. It was so much fun and Micheal has a great sense of humor and is a fun instructor.

This is the front of Diana Frey's bottle which I really liked.

Don't you just love the one with the eyeball. How creepy is that?

The middle bottle is Riki Shumaker's and the fleur de li belongs to Debby Anderson. I loved this class and want to take more classes with Micheal in the future and I hope I get the oppportunity.

JoAnna Pierotti Classes

2011-09-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

I had such a wonderful time this past week at the inaugural west coast art-is-you retreat in Petaluma, CA. I took two workshops from JoAnna Pierotti. Her work is so impressive that it sells out within a few minutes after it is listed on etsy. She is very talented and one of the most creative artists I have ever met. Her work is inspirational and she is so willling to share it with others. All of the students did amazing work with the help of JoAnna. You can find JoAnna's work on her blog which is at: http://mosshill.blogs.com/joannas_journal/ She is also the latest member of susanlenartkazmer design team. Congratulations JoAnna! I know you will be a great addition to their team of inpirational artists. Our class had so many wonderful artists that mostly work in jewelry design and are also teachers. Some of the students are: Riki Shumacher at: http://rikijewelry.blogspot.com/, Diana Frey at: http://www.dianafrey.blogspot.com/ , and Debby Anderson at: http://romancingthebling.blogspot.com/p/press.html I was surrounded by so much talent all week and cannot wait to attend this event next year.

Dog Designs

2011-09-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

I love dogs and this little one is no exception. I had a black Chihuahua when I was a kid so when a saw Buster I was drawn to him. He is so friendly and loves people. I met him at the SLC artist market last week and he was sporting his own handmade jewelry. I thought this was a neat idea. His owner decided that Buster needed to have a name necklace and ordered a custom one from me. I brought it to the market yesterday and had so much fun measuring his neck and fitting him for his own necklace. Everyone at the booth was admiring little Buster in his new necklace. His owner says he only weights 4.5 pounds. I never thought that I would ever design an order for doggie jewelry but this was so much fun that I want to create doggie designs. His owner snapped this cute photo of Buster all decked out in his new design and sent it to me. I have all kinds of ideas and am looking forward to creating more designs for dogs.

Skeleton Key Bracelets

2011-09-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

I have been busy making a few extra pieces to take with me to Art-is-You. These key bracelets were originally in Belle Armoire Jewelry 2010 spring issue. There is a how to article in the magazine if you want to make one. I made 4 bracelets this week but still have to solder the jump rings closed. My studio is a huge mess and there is about 5 inches of working space. It looks like a tornado hit it and I am not kidding. I seem to create the biggest messes when I am creating things. I really get into what I am making and supplies just seems to land everywhere. Who has time to clean it up? I just close the door and then next time I go in there I make another mess and it piles up. When I need to find something, then start cleaning it up, but it never really gets very clean. There are priorities after all and designing and creating jewelry is a lot more important then cleaning the studio. I like to tell myself that the problem is the space is to small and if it was bigger then it would be organized. The truth is if it were bigger than I would have a bigger mess and even more supplies.

Jewelry Booth in a Bag

2011-09-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

I was planning on driving to Art-is-You in Petaluma, CA but since my daughter is unable to go with me I did not want to drive the 12 hours alone. I have to improvise because I have a booth at the retreat I was left wondering how I would set up the booth with minimal display equipment. The booth needed to fit into one suitcase and not weight too much. So I bought foam core and polyester stuffing and covered the boards with some left over fabric I had. I used Tacky glue and a staple gun. The black velvet jewelry busts (6) were already lightweight but I needed a way to prop them up so I bought shipping boxes and will use to secure the tops of the boxes. The boxes will be draped with fabric. I already have a table at the retreat and a table cloth, but decided to pack my own anyway just in case the color does not work out. It all fits nicely into one suitcase and is not even at 50 pounds yet, so I can add some jewelry to the bag. Anyway, I just wanted to share my booth in a bag idea in hopes it will be useful to others.

Keyhole Necklaces

2011-09-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

I recently sent some of these keyholes into Belle Armoire jewelry and found out they will be published in an upcoming issue. I have been making these for about a year and have given many of them away to friends. I am getting low and have about 5 left to take to the Art-is-you art retreat in Petaluma, CA. The website is at: http://www.art-is-you.com/mysitecaddy/site3/ You will be excited to see the lineup of great classes that are going to be taught, I can hardly wait. I hope I get some more time to make a few more of these before I go on Sept 21st. The vendors night will be Saturday Sept 25th and I hope to see many of you guys there or in classes.

Terri Brush Classes

2011-08-31T00:56:00.000-07:00

I just found out a few days ago the Terri Brush is coming to Utah to teach classes in November. You really do not want to miss this class, since she will be teaching her holiday papier mache figurines and soldered jewelry. If you are interested you can find the information at: http://www.terribrushdesigns.com/private-event.html

The Salt Lake Artist Market

2011-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am going to to be at the SLC artist market every Saturday 8-1 through the rest of the season, which ends October 22nd. The market is in downtown SLC at Pioneer Park and you can find me near the southwest corner. I will have some really fun jewelry for you to select from, including many photos of the jewelry you see here on my blog. If you want something really special I do custom orders but need about 6 weeks notice. Stop by my booth to look or just to say hi. I am trying to arrange some class room space to teach how to make some of the jewelry from my blog, but that will be later in the year. Probably late October or early November

My Heart is ticking

2011-08-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

I am so happy because I just found out recently that my hearts are going to be in an upcoming issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry. Look for them in the Decemeber 2011 issue or March of 2012. I had a lot of fun making these hearts and no two are alike. I will be taking these to Art-is-You in Petaluma, CA. To find the website just click on this link http://www.art-is-you.com/mysitecaddy/site3/ and you will be directed there. I highly recommend going to art retreats because you have the opportunity to make so many new connections with people and make long lasting friendships. You get to meet some really great instructors and learn the latest techniques in all mediums. I like to paint and do collage and this time I have no jewelry classes. I am spreading my wings a bit and branching out to try some other mediums.

Art-is-You Petaluma

2011-08-23T02:40:00.000-07:00

I have been busy getting ready for the Art-is-You retreat that is in Petaluma, CA. It starts Sept 22-27 and it is the first one on the west coast. The hosts are Sallianne and Ellen and although we haven't met they are so great at organizing this event and have all kinds of fun activities planned for the attendees. I am taking lots of classes with really great instructors such as JoAnna Pierotti who is teaching an art doll class and her blog is at: :http://mosshill.blogs.com/ and Micheal deMeng's Pretty Vial Things, his blog is at: http://michaeldemeng.blogspot.com/ I am hoping to learn lots of new techniques that I may be able to use in my jewelry, but mostly I am just going for fun and to hang out with some really great friends I met at the Art and Soul retreat in Las Vegas last year. I will have a booth in Petaluma and some of the pieces I will be selling are pictured above. If you are interested in attending this creative event the web address is:

http://www.art-is-you.com/mysitecaddy/site3/

KC Willis

2011-07-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

I have been busy collecting the materials to make these fun fabric collages after watching KC Willis Collage Camp. I friend of mine (Carol) had taken a class from KC and told me all about her great experience and the DVD's. I did not think I would have time to make these for a while, but a girl just has to take some time out for herself to make art once in a while. These were so fun and now I am hooked on making them and have some other ideas that I want to do with fabric collage. I still need to add some hand written text to the pieces and need some advice. For the first one I was thinking about using: "He ran like the wind, his spirit was free." The second one: " I'm lookin for a stallion" and the last one: "The spirit of the west is free in my heart." I think the hardest part of making these is deciding what words to use on them, so any help or suggestions would be appreciated, just leave a comment below. If you would like to find out more about KC's art, DVD's, or classes then here is a connection: http://www.kcwillis.blogspot.com/ I hope you enjoy all of her great work as much as I do.

The Three Chicks General Store

2011-07-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

The big Chickapalooza Sale is on Friday 7/15 from 11-7 & Saturday 7/16 from 10-5.

I love this fun little store in Layton Utah. It is called: The Three Chicks General Store. It is full of hand made items such as aprons, purses, and jewelry, ect. There are tons of vintage collectables. It is on Gentile and Main Street so it is easy to find. I have some of my jewelry at this store and frequently take over items I no longer use. Here are some more pictures for you to enjoy.

Treasures Antique Mall

2011-07-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a went on a little side trip to The Treasures Antique Mall in Springville, Utah. I met Paula who works at the store and has a great blog called pollyanna-reinvents.blogspot.com She was selling all kinds of great items to re-purpose into one of a kind jewelry. Paula had many of her own handmade jewelry designs in the store that were just beautiful. They were made out of vintage jewelry that she had put together in such a beautiful way. I should have taken pictures. The store is the biggest antique store in Utah and there are two of them right next door. I thought I had died and gone to heaven because this is my kind of place. If you decide to go make sure you go on a day were you have lots of time to browse. I am planning on making a trip once a month since the store is about 1.5 hours from my house.

I bought some vintage jewelry from $1-4 dollars each and lots of little bottles. The purple and blue bottles came out of an old ghost town in Utah and would be great to make into art projects. For some great ideas on what to do with these bottles, Michael de Meng has a great workshop at the art-is-you website at http://www.art-is-you.com/mysitecaddy/site3/demeng-vial.htm I bought a bunch of the little purple bottles and will be taking some to Art-is-You to sell in my booth in September.

Bee Happy

2011-06-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

I went to see my grandmother today and she resides in a care center and is 91 years old. She looked really good and was happy that I had finally come to visit her. I have not seen her in a while. I know I do not visit often enough probably because I do not like to see her living there, even though it is one of the nicest facilities I have seen. She seemed to not have any worries and when asked if she needed anything she said: "I have everything I need here." I think of how I would be in her situation and think I would be angry and mad most of the time, but not granny she is happy no matter what. This is a real eye opener for me that she can keep such a positive attitude, but she has always been like that. I think I can learn a thing or two from her even though her life is almost over she still is contributing in ways she can't possibly understand. I took her for Chinese food because that is what she always likes. We had to load her and the wheelchair up and that took some time but we had a good dinner and conversation so it was well worth it. She denies having any pain at 91 years old, now how can that be? What a role model she is. I love you grandma!

2011-06-14T23:47:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of my recent booth at the arts festival. This year I bought curtains and a couple of directors chairs. After all the director has to have a nice colorful place to sit-just kiddin. It started out kinda of bad when we were setting up and the rain showed up to try and steal the show, but the rain only lasted a few minutes. It was a mix of cloudy and sunny weather with a cool breeze. The weather was about 78 degrees and a beautiful perfect day. It was a long day because the festival lasted 10 hours and then I had to go to my real job afterwards for another 8 hours. I was exhausted for about two days after that. I am just not a spring chicken anymore, but tell my brain that because it refuses to admit it and is still in denial. Overall the festival was a success and we had a great time. I am going to miss all the people I have met the last two years in Ogden at the artist market. If you want to find me I will be at the SLC artist market downtown at Pioneer Park. It is the biggest market in Utah and has about 200 vendors so there is a lot to do a see. There is a lot of really great artwork this year and it goes every Saturday from 8-1 through October

2011-06-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

This is first post with the new design of my blog. I am so excited with how it turned out. I love the colors she used and how she used my jewelry in her design. It was designed by Karen Valentine who is amazing designer. If you want to see what she creates you can see lots of designs on her page. You can find her web page at: http://www.karenvalentinedesign.com/

I have been busy all day getting prepared for the festivals. I am not a very organized person so I drew up a list of supplies that I will need so I do not forget anything. Considering who drew up the list it is probably not complete, so I will still end up forgetting something that is really important. The weather for the festival this year is supposed to be perfect and 78 degrees with no chance of rain. I am so glad, I could not handle another rained out year.

Nicholes Earrings

2011-06-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

My daughter Nichole has been helping me make jewelry and came up with a new and beautiful design. I usually don't like to wear long earrings but fell in love with the look of these and they are so beautiful on. I love the vintage look with all the dangles and a touch of crystals. I am going to have to keep a few for myself. Thanks for your help with the earrings Nichole!!! What do you guys think of these?

Mixed media Jewelry

2011-06-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pieces I have been working on for the Ogden Arts Festival. It is on Saturday June 11th, from 10am to 8pm. I have lots of new pieces this year that are in production. I have many styles and designs to choose from. It is going to be a fun day. My daughter will be at the SLC artist market at Pioneer Park on the same day from 8am-1pm and I will be there on most Saturdays after that through October. Please feel free to leave a comment about the new designs and let me know what you think.

Ice Resin

2011-05-31T19:35:00.000-07:00

I am busy finishing up all the designs for the Ogden Arts festival and the SLC

artist market, both open on June 11th. SLC is from 8-1pm and Ogden is from

10- 8pm.I have lots of new pieces this year and you can watch for some of my

designs in the Ogden Standard Examiner. The paper asked for some photographs

for the festival and I gladly sent them on their way. It will be fun to see the

pictures in the paper.

I posted some of my work using Ice Resin. If you want to learn how to use it and

get some really great designs then see Jen Cushman's new book at:
http://www.iceresin.com/

I just bought the book this week at Hobby Lobby and love all the great designs
and the tips on using resin.

Handmade bezels and SLC Artist Market

2011-05-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

As you can see I have been really gearing up for the SLC market that opens the same day as the Ogden Artist festival. on June 11th. Sometime I wish I could clone myself, so I do not miss anything. Just think of how much more we could get done if there were two of each of us. I cannot go to the opening day of the SLC market, since I will be at the festival, but am sending my daughter Nichole to fill in for me. She has been such a help to me and is really good at making jewelry. She helped me fill these bezels with paper. We have about 400 of them right now and have been working all winter on these pieces to be able to share them with you. We still need to do the resin, chains and add charms and crystals. I am so excited to have the opportunity to be invited to the SLC market this year. I am conflicted that I will not be at the Ogden market this year because I have sold there the last two years and have many customers that have been loyal to me.

By the seashore Jewelry

2011-05-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

I have been really busy getting ready for the demonstration I am doing at the Three Chicks store in Layton, Utah. I have been making lots of orders for name necklaces for their Mothers Day special event, which is on May 7th. I will be making the name necklaces to order on that day, but will only be on site for three hours (11-2) so if you want one then try and arrive early. I have been preparing for the Ogden Artist Festival which is June 11th at the historic Union Station. I have many new pieces and designs that I am bringing this year and hope to see you there. The necklace in the picture has a seashore theme, freshwater pearls, vintage velvet ribbon, sterling silver, and aquamarine. The necklace will be in an upcoming issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry either in June or Sept, but not sure which issue yet. It is a how to article so you can make it yourselves.

Ogden Artist Festival

2011-04-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

I have been really busy making jewelry in preparation for the SLC artist

market and the Ogden Art Festival. I am hoping to get accepted since this my first

time applying to the SLC market The market is now a juried event. The Ogden

Artist Festival is a really fun show with lots of great art and food. It is held in the

historic Union Station in Ogden, Utah. Lets hope the weather stays nice this year since

the last two years it rained and was held indoors. It will be held on Saturday

June 11th. Tracy Ehrig is the director and she still has a couple of spots left for artists

but it is full for the photograpy and jewelry sections. You can find out more about
the marketon this website: tracy@theunionstation.org

Lisa Kaus's Class

2011-03-12T00:08:00.000-08:00

This is a collage painting I did in Lisa's class at Art and Soul in Las Vegas.

I did not think I would like painting so much but Lisa has really inspired me

to keep taking painting classes and I hope I get another opportunity to take

one of her classes. We used beeswax to coat the top of our paintings

and it smells so nice and has a soft rich texture. I wish I would have taken

pictures of everyone's so I would have more pics to post.

Sally Jean Alexander's Class

2011-03-11T01:41:00.000-08:00

I went to Art and Soul in Vegas and had fun spending time with some really fun girls

that I met last year at Art and Soul. We had so much fun taking Sally Jean's Perfume bottle class.

This is Kim and she is so cute and fun to hang out with, here she is working on her Perfume bottle.

Here is Carol sporting some of her really nice jewelry. She has so much talent.

This is a cool picture of hollywood aka: Anne. She looks so cute in her glasses

and as you might have guessed she is really outgoing and fun to hang out with.

This is a picture of Sally's perfume bottle it is really great, It is made

with white vintage rosary beads and chandelier crystals. I wanted to steal it.

All of the necklaces turned out really nice, but some of them are

not put together yet. I will post some more of them as soon as I they are finished

and I receive pictures (hint, hint).

Don't you just love the way she finished it? It is hard to tell how

beautiful it is because my camera did not show all of the details.

Time Capsule Necklaces

2011-02-13T17:43:00.000-08:00

This is one of the necklaces I created for an upcoming issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry. It will be in the summer 2011 issue along with two others ones. One has an ocean theme and the other one with a vintage Paris theme. This necklace is called Dream and has several little sterling hearts dangling from the base. I have been having so much fun making these and have created six more pendants that still need to be embellished with ribbon, chain, beads and findings. All of them are slightly different sizes and have different words on them. I did one with Cherish, Inspire, Artist, Mon Tresor (my treasure), Discover, and Destiny. I am planning on making several more to take with me to Petaluma, CA this fall for the Art-is-You retreat. If you have not checked this out, it is on line at: http://www.art-is-you.com It is the inaugural event for the west coast and there are some wonderful instructors that will be teaching there. Included are some of my favorite instructors such as Nina Bagley and Stephanie Lee. I will have a table there to sell my jewelry. Watch for me to post some of the new designs in progress in an upcoming post.

My Studio

2011-01-08T15:05:00.000-08:00

This is my studio and believe it or not I just straightened it up. It is still in need of some major organization, but who has time for that when there is jewelry to be made? Last year I purchased 4 of these 9 box cubes to organize all my creative things and put them on top of a sturdy table. You never know what your going to find that is part of the fun in coming up with something new. I will be looking for a certain item(s) and come across something I forgot I even owned. Then It will end up in a piece of jewelry. There is stuff packed under the table in bins and another shelf full of all types of vintage findings. I did not dare take a picture of my metal working table as it is still a mess from the stuff I created last week. What I like is I can just close the door and forget about it. The only problem with that is next time I get ready to make jewelry I usually have to straighten up a few things up. I guess that can be a little daunting at times. I am thinking about painting the studio this year in a vibrant color like Turquoise, but will probably opt for a soft gray.

Vintage Key Necklace

2011-01-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite necklaces that was in the June 2010 issue of Belle Amoire Jewelry. It is made from a vintage skeleton key and then soldered onto copper. I then applied a patina to give it an old world look. I used vintage findings and some old chandlier crystals. I have been really busy making and designing jewelry. I am getting geared up to go to the Art and Soul retreat in Las Vegas in Feb, and can hardly wait. I will be taking some classes from Sally Jean who was the person who inspired me to make soldered jewelry after I bought her book "Pretty Little Things." She opened a new world for me and I am finally going to have the opportunity to take some of her sought after classes. I have done most of my soldering with a torch, so using a soldering iron to make soldered glass jewelry is going to be a little hard to get used to, but a lot of fun.

Keyhole Necklace

2010-12-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I have posted anything on my blog. It has been a rough year but is close to ending and has not turned out so bad after all. Kevin (spouse) is doing really well and has made it past his three surgeries for prostate cancer. I am also finally feeling like I am going to have a good recovery from my spinal surgery that I had earlier this year. I think sometimes life forces you to slow down and take a look at what is really important and what really matters. I am in the process of simplifying my life. I think if I get rid of at least half of what I own then I will not have as much to clean and take care of. I have been busy sending stuff to goodwill and giving things away.
I made these little keyhole necklaces earlier in the year and have parted with a few of them. I gave some to friends. I am in the process of working on some new ideas and will try and post some before the new year. I have a few days off and am looking forward to spending time with family.

Handmade Leather Journals

2010-10-08T04:38:00.000-07:00

I received these cute little presents in the mail today. I love the packaging, with handmade paper tags they are just adorable. I did not want to open them until I took some pictures. See the next picture for some of the most adorable little leather journals I have ever seen. The artist is on Etsy and I met her earlier this summer at the Cache Valley Gardeners market here in Utah, You can find her shop at www.etsy.com/shop/enbe.

I love the handmade papers. They are all so different and beautiful. It is hard to want to use them because they are so special. I ordered one earlier this year and gave it to a dear friend. I am going to keep one and give two away for presents. I just can't decide which one I want, maybe I will have to keep them all.

Soldered Jewelry Class

2010-08-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to teaching classes on how to make soldered jewelry. The focus will be on creating square, round, and oval bezels for use in jewelry. We will also be learning how to use resin I will be teaching two classes on Saturday, October 9th &16th at Hobby Lobby in Layton from 9am-4pm. I will be sending out an email to everyone who signed up, please register early as there is not going to be much space. Just send me an email or call me to sign up (801) 560-1365. Leave a message if you cannot get a hold of me and I will call you back. I will not have access to the intranet for about a week so be patient and I will contact you. To register please indicate your name, phone number, email address and the date you want to take the class and send your check for $75.00 to:

Denise Petersen

P.O Box 562

Bountiful, UT 84010

I look forward to meeting everyone for this fun event.

2010-07-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last post. I have been so busy mostly having fun. I went to Los Gatos, CA for an art retreat called An Artful Journey. I stayed with a really good friend, Carol and her sister Nancy. We had such wonderful food since Carol is a really good cook. I am still waiting for those cookie recipes (hint, hint). We all took a class with Stephanie Lee who taught us some really fun jewelry techniques. It was one of the best classes I have ever taken.

This is the retreat center in Los Gatos, CA it is about 30 minutes from San Hose

Carol, Nancy, and me hanging out at half Moon Bay. We saw some really good looking surfers. I am sorry I did not have a picture of Richard who was such a good sport.

Carol and Nancy hanging out with Stephanie Lee

Three soldered boxes that we made in class

Nancy's box is so pretty and I love the ribbons

This is Carol's necklace. I love the design and religious symbolism

Tree Necklace

2010-07-05T17:24:00.000-07:00

My 19 year old son had the idea to make a tree piece yesterday. After I drew the tree he cut it out with a jewelers saw and punched all the little tree leaves by hand and the grass at the bottom. He then drilled holes in the two pieces. He gave me the cutout and I decided it was so cute that I wanted to make another piece with it. I decided to solder it onto a piece of copper and then put a patina on it. I then had him cut out some vintage sterling tubing I took off an old necklace. I wired wrapped the tubing with sterling for the top of both pieces. It was really fun collaborating on a project together. The only problem is I love these so much it will be hard to part with them. This week is going to be busy as I will be going to Park City on Wed at the Canyons for the market from 12-6, and then the Ogden market opens on Sat from 8-3. I will be at both places, so you can come and see our the jewelry.

Seahorse Dreams Necklace

2010-07-02T01:58:00.000-07:00

The seahorse dreams necklace is in the July 2010 issue of Belle Armoire Artistic Clothing and Accessories. The picture is more gray then the actual necklace which is done in verdigris green patina. All the little links where made by hand and the resin filled bezel has tiny seashells inside. The book like cover opens up to reveal vintage papers inside. The sterling findings are from Bali beads (tiny fish and seashell). I had lots of fun creating this necklace that reminds me of the days I spent at Agate beach in northern California. I spent three days there collecting agates that washed up on shore. I am sure my family had finally thought I had lost it, as I collected these little semiprecious stones. I guess I looked a little silly as I did not want to leave. Why should I have to when all of these stones where just ripe for the picking? I hope to go back there someday, if I can get the family to take me. Hopefully they don't remember how I acted. I love to create jewelry and this is one of my favorite pieces. I am waiting to get it back from the magazine so I can wear it.

Resin Bezels

2010-07-02T01:26:00.000-07:00

I have had a busy week in Park city, but had a lot of fun. The weather has been scary as the winds picked up a blew everything around. It felt like we would be swept off the mountain again. Please mother nature can you give us a break? I met a lot of people from last year who came back to buy my jewelry. It was really neat to see people from last year and they still wanted to buy my jewelry. If you have not been to the market they have wonderful artisan bread created by Volker himself who is the market manager. Homemade jams, goat cheese, metal sculptures, clothing, handmade feed sack aprons, and wonderful food. The market is at the Canyons ski resort and is on Wed from 12-6pm. We will be at the 25th street market in Ogden starting on July 10th at 8-1pm. I hope to see some familiar faces.

2010-06-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

These are some of the new listings I put on etsy this past week. If you are interested in these or any others just click on my etsy shop on the bottom right side of the page. The weather has been challenging this week with the high winds in Park City that we thought were going to sweep us away. We left the Park City market early yesterday after a huge wind gust came up and knocked all the displays down and blew the jewelry off the tables. Several people had thier canopies bent or ripped. I was glad that everyone go out of there in one piece. I missed a couple of people who were supposed to be back for their custom orders, but will probably see them this Wednesday. This past Saturday it rained for the Ogden Artist Festival and it was moved indoors at Union Station which turned out to be nice, since we stayed dry. I would much rather be outside though and enjoying good weather. Look for me at the Park City market on Wednesday from 12pm to 6pm. it is held in the parking lot at the Canyons ski resort. Hopefully the weather holds out.

Ogden Art Festival

2010-06-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

It is going to be a busy week with Park City Tomorrow and the Ogden Artist Festival on Saturday. It is at Union Station courtyard and runs down 25th Street. This is going to be my first art festival so I am excited and a little nervous. It opens on Saturday at 10-8pm and I am not sure the weather is going to hold up since there is a chance of showers. It would be really bad to get rained on for my first festival. There are going to be lot of great artists, lots of really yummy food, kids craft booths, and two stages for music. I will be on the courtyard South side in booth #4. So much to get done and so little time. I hope you like my new pieces on etsy. Just scroll down to the bottom right side of the page and click on my etsy shop, if you would like to see them.

Park City Market

2010-06-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

We did our first market this year at the Canyon's in Park City, Utah. The weather was nice and stayed about 65 degrees all day. It was cloudy and a little windy but we enjoyed seeing everyone. We were next to some really great artists who make make huge bells out of scrap metal. I will have to post a picture of there art next week for you guys to see. It was a slow day as the market just opened for the season but we still had fun. I wish some magic genie would set up and take down the booth for me because I don't enjoy it. My daughter is in the first picture and looks so cute, she designed the banner you see in back of the booth and is really talented in graphic design. I love the colors she used because it really stands out. I will be in Park City every Wed in June and the first week in July and the market is open 12-6pm.

2010-05-22T03:00:00.001-07:00

I made this piece last summer while in the beautiful mountains of Sun Valley Idaho, one of my favorite places to camp, hike and hang out by the Salmon river. I like to enjoy the outdoors and the beauty of nature. I was watching the water and was thinking about how the salmon swim all the way from the ocean to spawn, and all the dams they have to pass just to get there. They swim over 1000 miles of water just to lay eggs. If you go in the late summer and look closely you can see what is called "reds" or beds where the salmon have burrowed and laid their eggs. I love to hike these mountains but have had a hard time this past summer as my health has not been that good. I am hoping that this summer I will get the opportunity to go back in late August and maybe even catch the Sun Valley Artist Festival which is one of the top festivals in the nation. Last year I met an artist who was really inspirational and took old found objects to recreate new jewelry. I felt an immediate bond with her and made a lasting connection. I shared some of my pieces with her including this bracelet, it would be fun to get together with her and create jewelry. She is only 4 hours from me, but I have not had time to visit. I had a neck fusion seven weeks ago for a herniated disk and during my recovery found out my husband has prostate cancer. We had to cancel our June vacation because he is having surgery on Monday. Someone said there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am waiting till times get brighter or I get to the end of that tunnel as this has been a hard year for my family. I am doing much better as I progress through PT and am not giving up until I find the light. I love how Jenny Doh says that "art saves" and I truly believe that. Making jewelry or creating art takes your mind off the hard times and helps you cope with those difficult times in your life.

Key Necklace

2010-05-21T01:06:00.000-07:00

I am so excited about this key necklace, it is one of my favorite pieces made with vintage finds including chandelier crystals, antique connectors and beads. I wire wrapped the necklace using steel wire and a little key for the clasp. This key necklace is scheduled to come out in the June issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry. In this issue you will find the directions for making this necklace and the key bracelet that goes with it. If you want to see a picture of the bracelet go to this link to find the new issue.

http://www.stampington.com/html/ba_jewelry_summer10.html

2010-05-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

I have just finished putting some of these little keys on ribbons and will be posting them on my etsy site. Watch for the new June issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry and you will find some keys designs in that issue and directions on how to make them. I will also have them available in Park City on June 2nd at the Canyons from 12-6pm. I will be there every Wed in June and the first week of July. Then it is off to Ogden for the opening of the market there on Saturday July 10th. Let me know if you guys like these? or you have any ideas for these little keys.

2010-05-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

I decided to post another picture of the butterfly bracelets, so you guys could get a better look. This one has black vintage beads from and old 1950's necklace. It has wire wrapped freshwater pearls. The chain is from another old necklace that I found at an antique store. Inside the bezel is old text and a cutout of a vintage looking beautiful butterfly. I then poured resin inside the bezel. I hand make these bezels for use in my jewelry creations.

2010-05-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy week as I started back to work this past week and started physical therapy and even had the nerve to tell my PT that it should be called physical torture. I am sure he just thought it was funny since he is always joking about something. I finally had the time to take some pictures of my finished bracelets. I made eight of them and this is a sample of six since I could not fit all of them in the same photo. Let me know what you guys think, I value your opinions and appreciate your honesty. It was fun to come up with a new design but these took a long time to make. Next, I am planning on doing some with an ocean theme.

2010-04-28T00:45:00.000-07:00

I am posting some more of my bezels. I have been busy putting chains and ribbons on all of these bezels. I have finished about 230 of them and will continue to post picture as I finish them. I spent 16 hours the last two days making jewelry and still have so much to get done before June 2nd when I will be at the Canyon's in Park City. It is an outdoor artist and farmers market where you can find all types of handmade items including purses, clothing, and jewelry. I love the homemade jam, lemonade, and fresh flowers. I think sometimes I spend more then I am making, but that's okay because I am doing what I love.

2010-04-26T15:52:00.000-07:00

These little butterflies are some recent bezels that I made and filled with resin. I used vintage paper and images. I am going to use these for bracelets and plan using some thick oval chain and large natural stones for the sides. I will try and post one as soon as they are finished. Let me know what you think???

2010-04-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last post but I have been recovering from surgery. I am now doing better and am going to try and post more often. I have so much to do to get ready for the market this summer. I have to fill about 100 bezels with pictures, charms, and resin. I then need to put all of them on chains or ribbons. I have some new stuff planned for this year. I am going to work on some bracelets today and am excited because I have never made resin bracelets before but have had lots of requests last season. I love keys and this is a picture of one of the necklaces I like to wear and will have all types of key necklaces for sale this year. I am going to be in Ogden at the 25th street market on Sat 8-1pm starting July 8th and will be in Park City at the Canyons on Wed 12-7pm starting the first week of June. I am looking forward to meeting everyone and seeing some of my customers from last year. I will post some of the items I have been working on.

Sun Vally Idaho

2010-04-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

I took this picture in beautiful Sun Valley Idaho in Sawtooth National Forest, Last summer we (the family) spent the day hiking up to an old ghost town and gold mine. After getting up there we were all tired and hungry so we stopped to eat and enjoy the scenery. I noticed that the window in this old building was the frame for the little pine on the other side. So I took a lot of pictures. I love to go to the mountains and smell the fresh air. There is something so calming about being out in nature and away from the hustle a bustle of the city. We go camping here every year and have been hiking these mountains for the last twelve years. I am hoping I am up to going this year. I am so ready for summer to be here. No more snow!!!

2010-03-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I created this design out of a vintage tin canister that was from the 1950's. I loved the retro feel of the can and all the vibrant colors. It would go great with a lot of different clothes and look cute with jeans, which is mostly what I wear. I used vintage blue aurora borealis crystals from a broken necklace and plumbing pipe from the hardware store. The metal is all copper and will take on an aged look after it is worn a few times. I am taking a poll. Would you wear this?

2010-03-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

I made this fun necklace out of a vintage Arm & Hammer bird card. This one is from the 1930's when they used to put these little cards into baking soda boxes. It is fun to imagine what is would have been like back then. I can picture grandma with her apron on and in the kitchen baking. I can visualize her anticipation in opening a new box of baking soda to see what little treasure she was going to find. I have about 30 of these little bird cards and they are so beautiful and really colorful. I have been cleaning out my craft room and bought box type shelves to organize it all. I have all kinds of fun vintage finds down there that I like to use to make jewelry the only problem is it has overtaken the room. So I need to find away to organize it all so I can have more work space. If it turns out okay maybe I will post a picture. I think it is going to take a while to get it all done. I want to hang some pretty lights above my workstation. I am looking for an idea that will work for the tools, so I can hang them above my workbench. I want to try and make it look creative. If you have any ideas please forward them to me.

2010-03-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

I received a copy in the mail of the premiere edition of a Jewelry Affaire. I was looking through the magazine and to my surprise my jewelry was on page 16 &17. I have not seen these necklaces for over a year and have been asking for them to be returned but no one seemed to know where the necklaces had gone. I had sent the necklace to Belle Armoire Jewelry back in January of 2009. I thought that they be missing and I would never see them again. I tend to get attached to things I make. It was a wonderful surprise to see them published and to know they have been located. I am posting another one that I have made that was in my collection. I have about 500 pieces of handmade jewelry just waiting to take with me to the Ogden market this summer and may do Park City but am not sure I will have time. I have some other things going on right now and am waiting to see how it all plays out. I hope my readers enjoy this necklace and please leave your comments.

Recycling Vintage Jewelry

2010-03-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

My message today is about recycling. I like to recycle vintage jewelry and came up with a few of these fun necklaces to share with the readers of my blog. When I think about keys I wonder where they have been. My imagination runs wild with pictures in my mind of a time long ago where these people had much different lives then our own, How did they dress, what kind of jewelry did they wear, what kind of house did they live in and what their lives where like?

To me keys are symbolic. I like to think of how keys open doors in our lives. What do you have to put into the door to get it to open? and what will come from putting in the effort? What we do now to get the door to open is really important to our future as well as our children's. How will we be perceived by people in the future and what will our lives represent to others?

Will be looked at as the big society of overuse and waste? This reminds me of one of my favorite books I used to read to my kids. The book is called, The Wump World. In this book people over consume everything around them and throw their garbage everywhere. The world becomes a big dumping ground, and is overtaken by waste and most living things die. Finally someone decides to take responsibility for what is going on around them. The book has a great message for kids.

My Heart is Ticking

2010-03-20T04:45:00.000-07:00

I love this heart necklace and may not be able to give it up. Sometimes I make a piece and just cannot part with it. I made this a while back along with about 12 others. All the hearts turned out differently and one even had a compass. Talk about finding your heart, it had a compass to help you find the way. I hope it worked for the person who bought it.

I made this piece by cutting out a piece of copper with my jewelers saw and then aging the copper to look old. I then took E6000 and glued all the pieces on one at a time. It took about and hour to glue the watch parts onto each piece because trying to get all the parts to fit just right was a difficult process. My son (Jordan) and I have been making some new pieces that I decided to call Broken Hearted. He has been busy cutting lines and etching the metal to make the hearts look broken. Some of the hearts have stiches and have been repaired. I hope everyone enjoys these new pieces. Watch for an upcoming post for the hearts. In the meantime, please post your comments.

What you can do with an old canister

2010-03-19T04:24:00.000-07:00

One day this past summer I decided to clean out some kitchen cupboards and then it hit me literally right in the face. A tin canister fell out and hit my face. Now this may sound like a stupid story but the can was red and had the cutest rooster designs on it. I thought to myself, what could I do with this old thing? I should just throw it out. But that is not being very green, I could recycle it and use it in a cute piece of jewelry. Then the light in my head went on, i could find old canisters at the thrift store and recycle them into jewelry. So that is what I did. I hate to say it but the obsession thing took over. I now have way to many of these canisters and need to start using them up or making jewelry from them.
My son Jordan who is very creative decided that he would make a bracelet out of these canisters and included 44 disks on one bracelet. It jingled like the belly dancer jewelry and was very popular at the market. Well it sold really quick so then he had to make another one and it sold too. I am going to have to put him to work to make some more of these. I will post a picture in an upcoming blog. For my necklaces I used plumbing pipe from the hardware store and cut it out for the base of these necklaces. I then soldered a jump ring on top and bottom to hang the pendent and beads from. I put the pipe through an aging process to make them look old. Now the question is, how do I use up all these canisters?

Through the Keyhole

2010-03-18T04:24:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun creating these pieces for my new line. I will be selling these at the artists market this summer in Ogden, Utah. The market is called: The Historic 25th Street Market. I love working with antiques and finding new ways to incorporate found items into jewelry. I have some new antique soldered key pieces coming out in the June 2010 issue of Belle Armoire Magazine. I hope to have some ready to sell this summer. Lots of people have hobbies but this is not my hobby it is my passion. Okay, this may sound a little strange or even crazy but I make jewelry because this is what I live to do. I find inspiration in everything around me and am always looking for the next thing to use in my jewelry. I have a whole notebook full of new ideas. I probably will never have enough time to create all these things, but won't give up trying. It is like an obsession. I hope you enjoy these and please feel free to leave a comment.

Deryn Mentock

2010-03-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun and learned a lot about metal wire in Deryn Mentock's class in Las Vegas. She taught us so many skills I just hope I can remember them. She was so great to fill in for Glenny. Thanks for coming and teaching us so many fun and inspiring things. Deryn has tons of work published in Belle Armoire Jewelry and it was a pleasure to take a class with her as she was so helpful in teaching all of us. She is so cute and wore the best jewelry. I hope to see you again and take another class from you!!! In the meantime keep sharing your talent with the readers.

2010-03-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

I just took a class with Richard Salley at Art and Soul in Las Vegas. I had so much fun and he is such a wonderful instructor. He made all of us feel at ease in his class as he joked with us about our grades and giving me an incomplete as I did not have the bottom piece connected to the sides. This is my project complete with me and grandma inside the locket. This picture is old as grandma turned 90 this year. We won't say how old I am, just that I was not the first grandchild. Grandma will always hold a special place in my heart. She was put in a care center about a month ago and is having trouble adjusting. It was hard to see her there as she has always been so independent. My uncles just could not take care of her anymore as she was falling down to much and really hurting herself and the last time ended up in the hospital. We love you grandma!!! Stay tough as always. You are in out prayers.

Belle Armoire Jewelry

2010-03-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to see my jewelry published in the March issue. This was an unexpected surprise. I just got back from Art and Soul in Las Vegas. I was thumbing through the magazine and saw a new section called: "From the Boutique." as I was looking I just about fell out of my chair when I saw my very own pieces in the magazine. I was not notified of this but maybe that is the idea to surprise people. I just love surprises. I am very happy to have this opportunity. I may be in for another surprise as I wrote a how to article that is supposed to be in the June issue. Wish me luck. I will be selling jewelry at the Ogden market this summer on Saturdays and Park City on Wed at the Canyons Resort. I am looking forward to this new season and meeting lots of new people.

Art and Soul

2010-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is another little treasure from Art and Soul. I took the class in Las Vegas and cannot wait to take another class from Lisa Kaus. She is such a wonderful instructor with so much talent and was willing to share her techniques with all of us. I was disappointed to learn that she will not be teaching again until 2011, but I will be waiting. Honestly this is the best class I have ever taken. Who would have thought I could actually paint something? Sometimes we surprise ourselves. I highly recommend this instructor and her art to anyone. You don't have to be a painter to make one of these cute little treasures. Look for me to post some really great jewelry classes by Richard Salley and Deryn Mentock in an upcoming post.

Lisa Kaus

2010-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

I love this picture of Lisa Kaus teaching at Art and Soul in Las Vegas. She is so talented and helpful with the students and even brought her husband David to help drill holes for the top and the legs of our pieces. He was so great to help us in this class. I look forward to taking another class from Lisa as she is a great artist and all of us walked away with a cute little painted treasure. Some of us even did two. I was so inspired by her work that I had to paint two of these little gems. I will post the other one on Thursday.

2010-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

I made this in Lisa Kaus Winsome Treasures class at Art and Soul in Las Vegas. I have to say this was one of the best classes I have ever taken. Lisa is so talented and I absolutely love her work. I feel I have left this class with a whole new medium to have fun with and explore. These little boxes have old antique paper collages such as the little leafs on the front that were done with old german text. Painted with Golden fluid acyrlics and coated with beeswax. Topped off with and old doorknob and an old xmax tree find. I will post a picture of Lisa teaching this class on Wed.

Susan Lenart Kazmer

2010-03-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

This is Susan Lenart Kazmer in the enameling class. She is helping a student drill a couple of holes and giving a demonstration. She is so full of energy. She is dressed sophisticated as always, who can look this good with a drill in hand? Only Susan. I have learned a lot from Susan over the last four classes I have taken from her and highly recommend taking a class from her. I don't think enameling is my thing though because most of what I made did not turn out very good. We did have some really good students in the class that has some really nice pieces. I love Susan's book, so if you don't have it, you can find it on the Objects and Elements website.

LAS VEGAS ART AND SOUL

2010-02-28T22:29:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas was so much fun and here we are at PF Chang's for dinner on Wednesday night. We missed Carol as she was not feeling good. We had Kim's favorite Honey Walnut Shrimp. It is my favorite to good thing we know how to share. It was a very interesting night as we had the plate dropped on the table which broke. We had some rude men cut in front of us, is there anyone out there with any manners or etique any more? We had a really good time and the food was really good. A thought we might have to stop Ann from beating up one of the other ladies. She must be really tolerant of others. Out of kindness we won't mention any names but we all know who.

2010-02-27T00:33:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun in Las Vegas at Art and Soul and met some really wonderful ladies who made the whole trip worthwhile. We had so much fun and laughed until all hours of the night. Thank you Ann, Anne, Carol, and Kim for welcoming me into your group, it was such a great experience. It would not have been the same with out you. I came home to find my new issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry and was flipping through the pages when I just about fell out of my chair. I finally had some jewelry pieces published in the March issue. It was nice to be home and see the family and the poor dog whom almost knocked me down with excitement. You an always count on the k9 for love and attention. Autumn (K9 extraordinaire) is getting really old and a hate to leave her for fear it may be the last time I see her. I hope to spend time with these great ladies at a future art event, you never know it is a small world. In the next few days I will be posting some pictures of the classes I took and some of the art work I made.

2010-02-12T01:14:00.000-08:00

I created this fun necklace for Valentine's Day. It is done in soldered metal and stamped with the words 'Journey', 'find', and 'love'. I used one of my handmade bezels behind the heart to enclose a place for the mini compass. May your compass guide you this Valentine's Day! :)

2010-02-06T15:33:00.000-08:00

The winner for the necklace is Ginny. I want to thank everyone for posting on my blog. Continue to follow me as I will be having some more contests and giving away free jewelry.

2010-02-04T01:25:00.000-08:00

Don't worry be happy. I fun and inspiring

necklace that reminds me of summer. I am

so sick of this cold weather I just had to

post something bright and warm.

2010-01-31T21:31:00.000-08:00

I just made these bezels and put in some images and charms. I will

fill them with resin this week. If you want to win a free resin necklace

enter by posting a comment on this blog and give me feedback on

whichone(s) you like. The winner will be notified on Friday Feb 5th.

Large Bezels

2010-01-30T02:26:00.000-08:00

Here I the new bezels I made for my upcoming designs.

These are the largest ones I make and are one inch in diameter.

2010-01-27T05:17:00.000-08:00

I just made this new piece of jewelry. Do you

like it? post a comment.

Anagrams and Typewriter Charms

2010-01-27T04:14:00.000-08:00

I had a different picture in mind but this one turned out to be the best one I took. I need to work on my photography skills. Anagrams are from the 1930's and soldered. The Anagrams game predated Scrabble
and had a lot more charm.

Viva Las Vegas

2010-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

These are resin filled pendents with cutouts of old cards.

I am going to the Art and Soul retreat in Las Vegas

In February and will be using these for trades. I am having

a give away. To enter just leave a post and you could win

a handmade piece of jewelry. The contest ends on Friday

January 29th, I will announce the winner and send off your

surprise in the mail.

Bezel Earrings

2010-01-24T20:09:00.000-08:00

The earrings are finished. Please feel free to leave

comments. These were really fun, I may put some

on ETSY. I also finshed the Vegas bezels and will post

those Monday or Tuesday.

New Earrings

2010-01-18T06:44:00.000-08:00

Here are some new earrings I have been working on. They still need the resin, and pictures. How about some bird images inside, maybe some little sayings with a vintage background. If you have any ideas send me a message. I will be listing some new items on ETSY soon.

Good by to another year

2010-01-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

Well it is now time to focus on a new year and set some goals. I have already accomplished one goal. The book proposal is finally finished and I sent off the Query letter to 4 publishers today. I hope to get my my book done by the end of the year. I am jumping ahead a little, because no one has actually offered to publish my book yet. But I am full of positive energy. Here is a another picture for you to enjoy.

2009-12-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

I made it though another Christmas. It has been a fun holiday, we had family over for Christmas Eve dinner. We went to see the movie Avatar which was really awesome. Avatar was one of the most creative and inspirational films I have ever seen. I have never rated a movie a 10 but this one is the best of the best. I have been busy taking pictures of jewelry. Here is a really fun picture.

This is a really great article found in the New York Times

2009-12-19T00:44:00.000-08:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/fashion/17etsy.html?emc=eta1 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/fashion/17etsy.html?emc=eta1

Bezels and More Bezels

2009-12-17T01:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, it has bee a while since I posted anything. I know, excuses, excuses. Ok, heres the low down or excuse. I have been busy creating bezels for the magazine "Where Women Create." If you guys have not read this magazine then you need to march right down to your local bookstore and pick up a copy. The creator of this publication "Jo Packham" is wonderful and full of inspiration, you will love this magazine.

Great Pictures

2009-12-03T00:12:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone out there in cyberspace. I wanted to share some photographs with you guys taken by Nancy Woodward, she is a great photographer. Check out the photos to see what you think.

2009-10-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

I love this vintage french design. This is a hand made original piece, made from old copper and aged to look worn and old. Inside is a vintage sterling heart with antique inspired paper This piece is set in Resin. You can find some of my jewelry designs at reinventedobjects@etsy.com

2009-10-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

This is the one and only "Autumn" Golden Retriever extraordinaire. Hiking the Sawtooth Mountains in beautiful Sun Valley Idaho, one of my favorite places to visit.

Well Here Is My new blog

2009-10-22T18:47:00.001-07:00

Well here I am, I finally took the plunge and signed up to BLOG. I am not sure what I am doing and will have to acquire a new set of skills. Anyway I am really excited about his new endeavor, as it will be a new opportunity for growth. Any blogger's out there in cyberspace who would like to give me some pointers, please feel free.