Divella Delights

Everything on the site is 10% off, even the Under $25.00 section! Necklaces have been discounted 40% and bracelets are 30%! Sale begins now and ends Thursday evening and remember, I ship every day.

All orders over $45.00 receive a free gift!

I have the jewelry store I sell to coming over tomorrow to fill up her display so if there is something you want, you might want o get it now.

The winner for February has been selected so as soon as I hear back I will announce the winner.

I just purchased a program so I can make my own bead patterns for peyote bracelets so lots of great new designs coming up. I will even be able to bead people, pets, etc into a bracelet. See the geometric one?

This one was a design from Anna Neff. I changed the bead type and colors and designed my own clasp. This new program is going to be very exciting.

Happy Valentines Day to all of you!

A friend of mine at work did this painting and asked if I could put it on a hat.

It was my first try at something like this and I was tempted to say " I can’t" but I decided to give it a try. It did not come out exactly but I am pleased with it.

It was a challenge and a lot of fun so I plan to do some more of this type. Flowers are great and I like doing them but it is time to step out once again from the comfort zone and push myself a little…or a lot.

I used to do Sumi-e painting so I am thinking of doing some on my hats. They will truly be one of a kind pieces of wearable art. I should have some great hats next winter!

This bracelet was fun to make. You will need the materials below and about 2 hours.

8# test Fireline

Size 8 seed beads

Size 11 seed beads

#12 beading needle

Center bead, mine was a flat MOP but you can use any large bead

Purchased clasp or you can make your own like I did

Make a 12-bead peyote bracelet with the size 8 beads to the desired length like this:

String on 12 size 8 beads leaving a 6-inch tail

Turn around, add one bead, skip the first bead and go through the next bead. Continue adding a bead and going through every other bead until you come to the end then turn and continue. When you get back to your tail thread, tie a surgeons knot. Do NOT cut your tail off yet. You will want to weave and cut later.

You can get wonderful instructions for the peyote stitch on the Internet if you are not familiar with this.

When you are finished with the bracelet set it aside.

Using a comfortable length of Fireline go through your large bead and tie a surgeons knot.

Add enough size #8 beads to go half way around you large bead then go through your large bead, add enough #8 beads to complete your "circle". I like to go through this circle several times.

Next you want to attach this to the center of your bracelet. Go through each bead around your large bead, through one bead in the bracelet and up through until you have gone all the way around your "circle". Remember to tie a knot, weave a little tie another knot and repeat this a few times.

Once your large bead is securely attached to your bracelet you are ready to add the frills.

With your needle and thread coming out of one of the #8 beads around the large stone pick up an odd number of beads, I used 7. Go over that bead and back through creating a loop. I do this 3-4 times in each bead. When you have added 3 or 4 frills to your #8 bead go through 2 instead of one bead and repeat all the way around.

You can either add a purchased clasp or make a beaded toggle and loop.

There are some important things to remember when you are adding a clasp to a beaded piece of jewelry and the most important is to use a new piece of thread. I know it is tempting to continue with the old thread and not tie on a new piece but believe me it is worth it to take the time to add the new piece. This way should the clasp section ever break you have not ruined your entire bracelet. Also please always, always, always weave and knot at least 3 times when adding a new piece of thread as well as when ending one before you cut your thread.

CONGRATULATIONS to Yunji who won the monthly drawing for December! It was a special year-end drawing gift of this complete hat and scarf set a ($61.00 value).

Now it is nearly time for the January drawing so make sure your name is on the e-mail list so you have a chance at a gift from the gallery of jewelry and fiber creations of Divella Delights. All you have to do is go to Divella Delights and scroll down to the bottom of the home page and sign up. I promise not to inundate your inbox with e-mails, I usually send out one a month unless I am running a special sale.

There are some new designs at Divella Delights beginning with these.   They sold as fast as I made them so more are coming. I also have a few designs tucked away in my head that will be coming very soon.

I will be slowing down on the winter hats and focusing on some for Spring and Summer made with cotton and silk fibers. As always, you can always place a special order which is why my sold items remain listed. Keep in mind that I cannot duplicate a hat exactly as I do not keep track of the fibers I use. Besides, you don’t want to see your hat on someone else!

I have just placed my "Beads for Blogs" order with Artbeads.com so I will have a very special item coming up in the next week. I can’t tell you about it yet, as it will be a gift for someone special. You will want to check back and see it though. For those of you who make your own jewelry you will want to see this idea. For those of you who purchase your jewelry and jewelry as gifts you won’t want to miss this one either!

Divella Delights also has a special "Under $25.00" section where you can get a very special handmade hat, scarf or piece of jewelry at a wonderful reduction in price.

I had better get back to my studio and get to work! See you in a week or so with some exciting new desings!

Wool Flapper Hats

The new wool felt hats by Divella Delights are going fast. It takes 3 days to get them finished and they are selling faster than I can make them! I will have more in a couple of days so come see me.

When I make my hats I use high quality fibers and fun embellishments. Most are in the style of the 1920s but I do have some more modern funky styles too as well as some good old-fashioned crochet beanies. I also have (or can make you) scarves to match. The scarves I make are 16X4 or so inches and have a 2-button closure so they don’t get all tangled up in whatever you are doing. They are especially nice for those who are involved in winter sports and they make your fun a little safer.

Special orders can be made after the Holidays to create something that is uniquely your own.

Come see the beautiful new wool flapper hats at Divella Delights!

Divella Delights is please to announce that we now carry Gift Certificates.

They are very secure as Paypal processes them. They are available in many denominations and you can print them or e-mail them, your choice so you never have to be caught without that special gift again! We have personalized items available for just about anyone.

Because Divella Delights creates one of a kind items your recipient can always find something that uniquely speaks to them.

You can find the gift certificates located on the top right side of any page.

My mother was an amazing woman. I began to tell you more about her but there is so much to say that I could not figure out where to begin.

In her early 50’s she was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s and even through to the end she exhibited true and amazing grace. They told us she would get violent, she never did. They told us she would become fitful, she never did. They told us her personality would change, it never did. She never did any of the things they told us about and never changed from the gentle, compassionate woman we knew. She slipped away quietly a little at a time for several years until one day she was gone.

In honor of this remarkable woman Divella Delights will donate 5% of all sales to http://www.alz.org/index.asp

Thanks to all for your ongoing support.

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and remind you to thank someone in uniform today and at every opportunity.

Beaded watchband

My watchband broke the other day and one of those silly little pins went flying when I went to take it off. It belonged to my mom and even though it is nothing special in the monetary sense, I really like having it on. We had our first snow and I really did not feel like going anywhere so I thought I would use up some odds and ends and see if I could come up with something that I liked. I looked for a beaded watchband and could not find something that was really my style.

I wanted something with gems in it and I love all the autumn colors so I ended up with this. It is Poppy Japer and Mother of Pearl with 14K gold filled and sterling silver beads.

There are a couple of minor changes I intend for the next one. For instance the clasp. This one is a from 2 different color toggles I had lost the other pieces to. I can’t ever throw anything away and I figured since this was only for me and an experiment I would try this style of clasp. I like it very much! This makes me want my other watch to break as well!

Let me know what you think. If I get enough responses I’ll make a few up in different colors.

Divella Delights has some beautiful new felted hats coming. This one sold in less than 2 hours so I guess I will be making more of the felted hats.

I begin with 100% wool, usually Cascade 220 but I do have some really yummy Lamb’s Pride wool as well. After I knit or crochet them, they are felted into a nice wool fabric. They take about 2 days to dry and at that time I form them to the shape I want. Next comes the embellishment phase, which is my favorite. This one was needle felted all by hand using a small barbed needle and a foam block. Some will have knit or crocheted flowers and leaves, some will have beaded flourishes. It all depends on what the hat tells me it wants! I will also be doing some clutches to match and I even have a pattern tucked away in my head for a scarflet. Check in often, things are changing every day and it looks like the felted hats are going fast!

My husband and I have been working to make some wooden jewelry and we have completed our first pair of earrings. These earrings were made with Maple, Agate and Copper. The wooden piece was cut using a method that allows these "beads" to be 3 dimensional and all one piece. I added a Crazy Lace Agate and the earrings are wire-wrapped with copper wire then place in copper oxidized leverback earwires.

More photos and the finished earrings are available here.

I am happy to announce that I am knitting like crazy to make more of the felted wool clutches and full size felted bags. They should be dry in a day or two so I can begin the embellishments and get them ready for you.

I was very busy getting a lot of the small felted bags finished for the jewelry store. She has plenty to last for a bit so I want get more clutches done since they did so well. I have some really yummy colors coming up so check back and check often, they go quickly!

 am very happy to report that the "Little Bag" series is a success! You can see more at Divella Delights as well as some larger felted bags and clutches. I love to have an excuse to knit so thanks to all my wonderful customers!
I really need to focus on getting some jewelry done but with the temperature dropping all I want to do is knit and crochet. The jewelry store is getting low on stock and it is not the best time of year to neglect that for sure. I suppose that in light of this I will be at the table creating designs of the gemstone variety this week when I am not at LL Beans answering phone calls!
As far as those wonderful Flapper hats I have some in stock already. Last year they took off suddenly and I was up until well after midnight crocheting like crazy. This year I have quite a few made up ready to go.

Congrats to Susie who was the monthly winner for October!

Remember that you have to be on the e-mail list to win so sign up now if you have not already! You will not get a bunch of e-mails from me. I send them out to notify my customers of sales or contests. I will be having a customer only sale soon. E-mails will go out to notify those on the list with a special password to get the hot deals but if you are not on the list you'll miss some great pre-holiday deals

What a great idea, thanks Marsha!

Do you give gift cards, or want to but think it might not be personal enough? Check out these great little handmade felted bags just the perfect size to slip a gift card, or even cash into.

They are hand knit then felted to make a beautiful, thick durable fabric. Once dry (takes about 3 days) I embellish them in a variety of different ways and no 2 are ever alike. There are a few different sizes of the small bags and then of course the beautiful clutches are back this year.

The clutch is perfect for a night out, especially all those Holiday parties that are coming right up. It holds the essentials but does not overpower your outfit and they are quite elegant and feminine.

These little bags would make wonderful gift bags for a nice piece of jewelry too!

All this and more can be seen at Divella Delights.

I am so excited I cannot even wait until they are finished to start talking about them! I asked my hubby to make me some coasters but I wanted something natural. I love what he has come up with. Now, understand that these are just the rough-cuts without sanding and polyurethane. I am trying to talk him into putting on a matte finish rather than the glossy. They are the perfect size and he is going to felt the back so it does not scratch my mothers beautiful old wood tables in my living room.

Now he is in search of seasoned maple, cherry and oak small enough to use for this project. Trick is it has to be small enough to maintain the bark all the way around the coaster. These will be mine but I told him if I like them this much then others would probably like them too. They would be great hostess gifts for Holiday parties!

He works full time so this is a part time project and one he can probably do only on weekends so give it a week or two and check back! Maybe I can talk him into putting in an evening or two so we can have some to show you this week.

I also have a vision for a clock with gemstones set in filigree settings as the numerals of the clock and the clock itself with a Victorian theme. First I have to get the gems which I am going to go order now!

I will putting all this on my Divella Delights website so check in!

I am so excited about these new felted bags. I found a wonderful website some time ago for oxidized brass, silver, etc… to use on some of my jewelry. I was fooling around with some of her products the other day and came up with this bag. Now I have placed an order for some beautiful leaves, flowers and other filigree items that I can use on the 6 bags I have drying now. I can’t wait to get them! The shop is Accessories Susan and her prices are great which is important to me, as I want to keep the bags affordable. They take some time to make, then there is the expense of the felting process so keeping the embellishments affordable is key and Susan makes that happen!

Check in with Divella Delights in the next week to see what I come up with!

Because I had a request from the local jewelry store to do these little bags I though I would make some for my Internet customers as well. They are all hand knit with 100% wool and some novelty mohair and angora then felted. They have a heavy-duty snap (the first ones had a button and loop) closure and most of the embellishments are handmade by me as well. They are great for gift bags and perfect for business cards, money, credit cards, etc… I am also making a variety of other sizes perfect for all those pesky little items that get lost in your bigger bag. I use one to keep my GPS and digital camera from getting scratched. Lots more to come so stay tuned!

There is something new at Divella Delights! I am offering free shipping which includes delivery confirmation so you can track your package! This offer will be good until the end of the year on everything in my shop! Also when you purchase jewelry items they will come in a gift box tied with a pretty satin ribbon appropriate for gift giving. Shop handmade!

Great New Hats!

I have been having lots of fun creating my new hats for this winter! I am now making them in 100% acrylic in addition to the wool blends like last year and I have come up with some wonderful new embellishments. Check them out! Crochet hats for children, women and men.

Inexpensive Hat Display

I have a mannequin head to photograph my women’s hats on but I needed something for children’s hats. It is impossible to find mannequin heads in child sizes so I set out to my local craft store to see what I could find.

I picked up a Styrofoam ball 6" in diameter and cut it in half. I put a stocking over it to keep it from shedding them asked hubby to make a base. I put a piece of our maple tree that we have cut down into the Styrofoam and glued it into the base (a hole was drilled first) and Voila! The total cost was $4.47.

My husband is currently working on a solid hardwood version for me so I can use them at shows, I have seen what he has done so far and I can’t wait until they are done. The cool thing about these is that I will be able to use the same ones for child and adult sizes and he is making me different heights to make my display with several hats more aesthetically pleasing.

For now all I need it for is photos for my website so the foam version works great and the price was surely right!

The last couple of months have been busy! Divella Delights has been featured on Shopping Connection Galleria and Accessories Suzanne. I have also had 2 articles published in regard to jewelry making and marketing with an e-zine and it has brought a lot of traffic to the website.

It has taken a couple of years but Divella Delights is finally getting noticed. I am very excited!

I hope all this makes for a prosperous Holiday season this year.

My hats are also going into Bonnet Boutique next month and they are already in Rise Gallery and doing very well.

Thanks so much to all of you who have passed the word around!

Finding gems and beads is not usually too much of a challenge. They are not only all over town but all over the Internet as well. If I find someone new with good prices I order a few gems and/or a strand of pearls just to test out the quality. Sometimes I am disappointed and sometimes extremely pleased.

Finding findings on the other hand is not so easy but the news today is great!

A couple of years ago I found Morning Glory Designs and in he profile she suggested Accessories by Susan. I have found the most beautiful items there. She has everything feminine and wonderful! Her prices are insanely low too!I use her bead caps quite a bit in my crochet bracelets and they are great for multi strand necklaces and/or bracelets as well. She has beads, pearls, chain, filigree, and the list goes on and on. You have to check her out! I have made purchases from her shop just because there was an item I could not do without even though I had no idea at the time what I would do with it.

Studio Space

I have found a great use for some bulletin boards that were headed for the garbage by a local company. Hardly used but not too pretty they were going to throw them away and replace them with some more modern and attractive models.

I was always digging through bins and drawers to find my pearls and gems and I never really knew what I had or needed. I put the bulletin boards up in my studio and started pinning my treasures in small plastic bags, many of which are the bags they came in. I also have a box for retired bags so I always have plenty on hand. Now in addition to being able to see what I have, I feel much more inspired and I can just go around the room and pick what I want off the board. In addition to that now that those are on the walls I have more space on the shelves.

My seed beads are on shelves by size and color so they are also in plain site.

I use the large plastic salad containers to organize my thread and lightweight stringing material and tin cans to hold tubes of beads, again organized by size and color.

The drawers that used to hold my beads now hold fibers and other stringing materials (mostly for macramé) keeping them safe from the sun and lighting that can fade them.

I hope someday to be able to get some sort of sliding wall to put them on so I can close them when I am not using them to keep them from the light and be a little more attractive but for now this works very well!

Cold weather, Hot flashes and Beading

Being comfortable and hassle free is important to me when I am working. I spend much of the day in my studio either working or learning new techniques and it is difficult to regulate my internal thermometer as I go through the trials of menopause.

As the temperature dips and we enter the cold weather season I am reminded of a handy little tip that I came up with last year while trying to bead with a flannel shirt on. The thread likes to grab the buttons and causes problems for me. I like to keep it a little cool in my studio but sometimes it gets just cool enough that I need another layer but not enough to turn up the heat.

Now, I could wear a sweater or sweatshirt but this poses a problem for me which a few of you will understand. There are times when I have to quickly take off the outer layer. All of you who are there, or have been know how hard it is to regulate our body temperature and how quickly it can change! I got angry one day and cut off all the buttons on one of my shirts and this works very well!

Now I keep this shirt in my studio to wear when there is a chill in the air. I can take it off quickly when my body turns up the heat and put it back on when I return to "normal" several minutes later. I actually have 2 shirts I have done this to, a flannel and a regular cotton denim shirt for times when I don’t need quite the warmth of a flannel. I just fold the sleeves up and I can continue beading without the interruptions.

These elegant beauties feature Swarovski Briolettes in Golden Shadow and are surrounded by smaller Swarovski rounds and genuine pearls. Each pearl and crystal was wrapped (not looped) by hand using 14K gold-filled wire to make these earrings something you will want to pass down to your daughter. The sway a full inch from the bottom of my handmade earwires, also in 14K gold-filled wire.

A New Style for a New Season.

Last year’s Ella’s Flapper hat did very well and I will be doing those again this year. I have created a new style for this year with a bit of youthful appeal and I am calling this one the Diva Flapper. Diva is the youngest of my twin granddaughters while Ella is the oldest of the pair.
This hat is made with the same wonderful fibers as the Ella Flapper (lambswool, wool, mohair, acrylic and blends) but in a slightly different style. These are not quite as thick but perfect for those who live in a more temperate climate or who tend to get hotheaded!

As with all my hats they are crocheted by hand and by me. The embellishments are either hand knit or crochet, or perhaps beaded…again by yours truly. They are made " one size fits most" but can be made larger or smaller. Last year, one hat (out of 173) came back for sizing so they truly do fit most women from teen to adult.

Go to Art Beads at Art Beads and get these and many other gorgeous colors. The beautiful copper/topaz and other colors can be seen here. At this point they do not have a lot of colors to choose from but we are ll hoping that Swarovski will increase the selection soon! Meanwhile consider using the color you want for the seed beads and either a crystal or Jet Swarovski large hole bead!

Ah so much fun this one is. A lot of techniques I learn are not so much fun as they are necessary. This one, Beaded Netting, is loads of fun! So many of these techniques I swore I would never do.

I learned this one because I want to do some more vases but let’s face it that last one was a killer and took me forever! I would like to do some that I can sell which means I have to cut way back on the time involved and the materials as well. The beaded netting will allow me to cover greater area in a much shorter time and with fewer materials so I finally gave in and sat down this weekend to try and figure it out. It is SO easy…well there are some adjustments I have to make to what I have learned so far in order to cover a vase with it but the stitching itself is not that complicated compared to others I have learned.

I am also making a necklace for Art Beads! They contacted me after seeing my blog and offered me some free materials. All I have to do is make something with the materials and then blog about it! So the background of the necklace is below. Check back for the rest…this is just the base! I am very excited and hoping my order comes in today. If it does, I want to be ready so off I go to get the rest of the base done and a butterfly or two before the mail arrives!

I love Beaded Netting!

I have been having so much fun making jewelry the last few days! The time has come however, to get busy on all my crochet orders.

Most of the orders are for the crochet Flapper hats that did so well last year but I also have some orders from the jewelry store for crochet necklaces and more crochet bracelets. I am doing the ones with the gemstones and pearls in the center for her. Funny, I had intended to give those up all together but now I am getting orders. I guess you can never guess what is going to happen next in the world of retail.

So, off I go now to get my crochet hooks, knitting needles and get to work!

I am having a lot of fun with the Herringbone stitch, or Ndebele as it is sometimes referred to. Here are a couple of necklaces I have done so far.   The "chain" part feels so good on the skin…very silky and the drape is fabulous! I do the embellishments the same way I do on my gemstone weaves so it is pretty quick once I get to that part. I don’t know how many of these I will make, mainly because they take so much time. I will just have to wait and see how well they sell.

I am very excited about my order from Art Beads arriving soon; I just received an e-mail telling me it has shipped. They are sending me some Swarovski crystals to try out so you will be reading about them here as well as seeing some photos and design ideas. I have a few rambling around in my head now so I am anxious to get them!

Let’s win that jewelry!

I have added a new feature to my website! When you view a listing, following the description and price of the item there is a place where you can e-mail the item to a friend. This can be used if you see something that you think a friend would like or to tell a friend that you have found something you like. I have used this feature on other sites to e-mail myself at home if I am at work or on someone else’s computer. It is very handy and I hope it will be a useful tool for my customers.

I had such joy creating this necklace although it took me a month to complete. Each leaf, each petal, each delicate wing of the butterflies were stitched one bead at a time with great care. The pearls you see here are genuine. There are also macramé beaded leaves for some added texture. The entire piece measures about 20 inches but do keep in mind that the center rises quite a bit. On me the top of the center arrangement falls just below my collarbone.

Despite the size of the piece it is very comfortable to wear as it lies flat on your chest.

The flowers were sewn on ultrasuede and the backing is felt and is colorfast; I tested a swatch prior to use.

The clasp is appropriately a copper flower and stem toggle.

Ok so now it is official; I am going back to do the seasonal gig at LL Bean on October 19^th. I had my interview today, which really just meant doing all the tax paperwork come to find out. In the meantime I am doing some home shows for the jewelry and I have tons of hats I have to make so I had better get busy!

There is only 1 more day to the sale so get it while you can as Janis used to say! I know. I am dating myself aren’t I?

I am heading down to the Boston area again on Sunday for an overnight with my granddaughters before they start school. They are 6 now, my they have grown so fast! I was right there holding their mommy’s hand when they were born and it does not seem like all that long ago.

After that I guess things will return to normal, whatever that is!

I have a few design knocking around in my head…not safe in there, so watch for some new designs coming right up.

I will also be unveiling the flower garden necklace with over 20 hours of work in it, look for that in the next couple of days.

Now, it is late and I am off to watch the meteor show! Rest well!

Simplicity

After spending the majority of the last several months learning new techniques I decided to get back to basics and make some of my artisan jewelry in a more simple form. Check out the Snow Quartz necklace and earrings. While they have a very elegant appearance they also have a fresh simplicity about them that I find quite appealing. I can easily wear something like this with either jeans or a wedding gown.

Each link of the chain was added one at a time so the entire piece was created entirely be me.

I love working up a piece completely from scratch…I like to bake the same way!

 I am very excited about all the new stitches I am learning for use in my gemstone and beaded creations. Here is the newest made with a Herringbone stitch "chain" and an original artisan created lampwork bead. Pearls surround it as well as hand made seed bead leaves and has a couple of Black Onyx in it as well.

This beaded necklace was a pleasure to create, I hope it finds a good home!

Whew, what a week it has been.

I sold 10 hats to a gallery in South Portland, Maine and she sold them all the very next day! I have been working on this neckpiece  but have to put it aside now and focus on more hats. I have an order for 2 dozen hats for Bonnet Boutique due the end of September and the gallery in Maine wants more too.

I have been learning a lot of new beading stitches and micro-macramé over the summer and am really excited about being able to put it all together.

I also have to do some of the woven gemstone sets for the local jewelry store, 5 or 6 should be enough until November. Then there is the opening there sometime this Fall. It is a fine jewelry store but they have also purchased a bunch of my hats and fulled wool purses so they want to do a show featuring me. I don’t normally go in for that sort of thing but we have been doing business now for a few years so what the heck.

In addition, I am going back to LL Bean this season so I should be able to stay out of trouble this winter! I can’t say no…the discount is way too tasty and I love their shoes!

I had better pick up my crochet hook and knitting needles and get going on those hats!

Good news!

I have re-arranged the website so that all sold items are on the last pages in each category. This should make your shopping experience a little easier as now you do not have to sift through the items that have already sold and are no longer available.

If you have seen something in the past and would like information on ordering something similar, please connect me at info@divelladelights.com

Ok so I am almost there! I have to stop or it will be too heavy for a necklace…or do I want to be a pin? Not sure yet but I need some input here. I have to bead embroider the suedecloth and I am not sure what color to use. I have never done this before so I hesitate to use a dark color on the white background. I should have gotten black but when the lady told me the stuff was $50 a yard I think I went into shock! It is one of the few materials that do not ravel and I did not want to deal with that or have it unravel on my customer. I like to use the best quality in my materials so I never have to worry about a piece coming back.

Back to my dilemma…I don’t want to put in a new color at this point unless it is black. That leaves me with gold, brown, green, or ivory. I think gold would be a bit too flashy, brown and green are both dark, ivory would wash out I am afraid. OK, ok so brown it is and I just have to be very careful.

What do you think? Should it be a necklace or a pin? It has not told me yet. If a necklace, then what to do with the neck?!

Beaded Flowers

As usual I am on to something new. This is a photo of what I think will be the center of a necklace. I plan to do a combination beaded and micro-macramé neck for this one with a total length of around 18 inches.

Each petal, rose and each leaf was individually beaded then fastened to a piece of felt. I have since attached the C-Lon cord to the ultra suede and fastened that to the felt to begin the macramé portion.

It will be free form and I am thinking asymmetrical so balancing will be a bit tricky, as I do not want it sliding around once it is on the neck.

Although I enjoy doing these quite a bit, I can’t seem many being made as they are very time consuming.

Let me know your thoughts!

Hand beaded Flapper Hat

Although this went pretty slow I think this is going to be my new feature hat this year. I am hoping to get faster at the beaded flowers because as it is now it took me an entire day to get this one done.

I crocheted the hat in my usual style this time around but I think I am going to try a felted design cloche style. I am also thinking about making the flowers a bit larger, more dramatic although I so the like the subtle style this one has. Not too much but striking all the same.

I am getting ahead of myself. This hat was hand crocheted using a lambswool blend and acrylic. I made the beaded flowers and leaves using high quality seed beads, each petal done individually then assembled. I sewed the arrangement onto a piece of felt then sewed that to the hat to give it more stability. More information and photos are available at www.divelladelights.com

OK you want it, you have it! For this weekend I will have all gemstone necklaces on sale at 42% off, just to be a little on the odd side. It was pointed out to me that I don’t run sales on the necklaces as often as the bracelets. Call it Christmas in July although I was going to wait until August just because so many businesses do the July thing. As you can tell by my jewelry I like to be a little different! But since you asked for it now, here you are!

The sale will end around midnight Sunday and will begin now I guess!

Remember in my last blog I mentioned that I am learning some new techniques? Well, here is my first flower.    Now my brain is really racing. I am doing some bugs next; they look like fun too. So I am thinking I should do a bunch of white ones perhaps in a couple different sizes and incorporate it into a free form peyote necklace along with a couple of beetles or butterflies. I also want to put some of those wonderful micro-macramé leaves in there as well. I am going to try to draw out something rough but I want to keep it free form so I can bead as I go.

Now that all my kids and relatives have come and gone for the summer it is time to get back to work in earnest. I have 24 of my crochet Flapper hats to make for Bonnet Boutique and of course the ones for my website and I am going back to LL Bean again this fall. The hats were such a huge hit last year so I am giving it another go. I should have quite a bundle of new ones finished in August.

As far as jewelry goes, I am learning some new techniques and will be working on perfecting those in time for the gift-giving season coming up fast and furious. I am learning peyote-beaded flowers and leaves as well as micro-macramé and have some wonderful designs rolling around in my head.

I had a lot of fun this summer with my Garden Collection and I will do a few of those for Autumn and perhaps a Poinsettia bracelet.

I have ordered new gift boxes so will be using them again this year at no extra charge as soon as they come in.

I guess that about wraps up this month's ramble. I hope you are all having a great summer!

This is the bracelet I am giving away to the person who has the most referrals who sign up on my e-mail list this Saturday, July 11th

The only catch is that the people you refer need to email me with your name so I know who referred them. They can do that at info@divelladelights.com What?! You are not  on the e-mail list yet? Just  go to

Hi!

I would love to win the bracelet at www.divelladelights.com/blog. Please sign up on the e-mail list this Saturday, July 11^th. Sign up is located on the bottom of the front page. Thanks!

Thanks Jeanne!!

I have added a new category, which you will find at the top of the home page entitled "featured". I will have one or a few items that I mark 50% off for a day, perhaps 3 or 4.

I am going to be going back to a "real" job soon so I want to clear out my studio. I will still be making jewelry and my fiber goods, especially those wonderful hats everyone loves, I am obsessed after all. It’s just that I need to turn part of my studio into an office so I need to create some space and downsize a bit on the supplies end.

I am going to begin discontinuing those designs that are not "gotta have" items. So far I have discontinued and discounted the crocheted bracelets 60% of the original price, which was still lower than a lot of artisans on the Internet. They sell in the local jewelry store for $49.00 so I don’t really don’t understand why they don’t sell well on the net. It is a shame because I love doing them; I find it very relaxing.

I have decided not to make the crocheted bracelets anymore so I putting them all at 60% off. Many of them have handmade artisan-created lampwork in them for under $13.00!

I want to focus on my one of a kind designs and will be working on learning some new techniques to incorporate into those.

I have also started receiving hat orders for the coming season and find I will be very busy with those quite soon.

Now is the time to grab those bracelets! They make wonderful gifts, especially for those ladies in your life who have a hard time with clasps. My grandmother wore hers everyday never taking it off. She loved it because she just rolled it on, did not pinch her or get tangled up with anything else. So think ahead a few months. Is there anyone on your Christmas list who might like one these little treasures? They come in a wide variety of colors. There are even a couple for the men in your life.

OK so I am a softy.

My 6 year-old granddaughters are doing their first bit of charity work and naturally I sponsored them. I would like to help out more and make this a really positive affair for them so that they are eager to participate in charity work in the future. For every item that I sell from now until June 20th Divella Delights will donate 5% to Walk for Kids. You can see more info here. http://www.firstgiving.com/jessicacersosimo and please by all means if you would like to sponsor them, feel free!

Also, to sweeten the pot I am having a BOGO this weekend!! Buy any item in my shop and get one at the same or lesser value free!! Just e-mail me at info@divelldelights.com and let me know the item # of your free gift when you complete your sale.

Let’s help make this first charity venture rewarding and satisfying for the girls and their cause.

We all thank you for your support!

My daughters hate it when I refer to these wonderful, colorful 100% cotton cloths as rags. I got that from my Grandma June who taught me how to make these a long time ago. Sadly, Grandma is gone now but not her rags or her sarcasm, they live on, I have had mine for years. I continue to make them for the family and thought I would put some on my website for those who would rather have handmade than big box! Everyone loves them! Each one is hand crochet or knit with 100% cotton yarn. They are great for the kitchen and for the bath.

The first order goes out in October and there will be 24 delicious items to choose from. The new hats on the website will be coming out soon so stop by every now and then.

I am always happy to take special orders, I did a lot of those last year so if there is a special color combination you have in mind, let me know.

Playing with rocks

For anyone who has read my blog lately you know that I have been playing with macramé. My 6 year-old granddaughter gave me this rock so I decided to d something with it. The neck is macramé with $3 cubes and the rock has been wire wrapped with silver non-tarnish wire. It was fun to make up and I have a special piece of jewelry from a very special girl!

We have a very cute ½ Lab, ½ Pit puppy who has decided that my husband’s watchband and cell phone are really yummy. While I cannot do anything about the cell phone, I was thinking that I might be able to make a watchband.

I started learning micro-macramé about a month ago so I got out some Omega nylon cord (colorfast) and went to work. I decided to do it in black as the watch face is black and it is after all, for a man. Learn along with me or just pop in for a good laugh!

I don’t have much of the watchband done yet but here is my beginning.

I cut 12-56 inch strands of the Omega, as the watch is quite large. I fastened it on the watch using larks head knots. I added one size 4 cube to the center 2 strands then worked left and right side diagonal double half hitch knots. Before you ask I have no idea why it is not just a hitch knot rather than a double half…hmm. I am adding a #8 black matte seed bead in the center every other row of those diagonal double half hitch knots. I would like to put something more colorful in there but I will play with the next one. I have a couple of rescued watch faces for women. I need to keep this one simple as I am just learning.

So far so good. Now I have to fix supper for the poor watchless, phoneless man.

A bouquet for your wrist and a smile for your heart…

I had a wonderful compliment on one of these new bracelets from a customer. She said, " It makes me smile every time I look at it"...that is what I call a success!

I am absolutely convinced that once these bracelets really hit the streets, I won’t be able to keep up making them. That wouldn’t bother me a bit as I have so much fun creating them! In order to really get them out there, I have decided to run a short term 30% off sale on them. And because it is a pain to separate them I have all the bracelets at the same discount, lucky you. Enjoy!

The winner for this month’s free drawing is Tonya! Congratulations Tonya! I hope you enjoy the gift I am sending you.

I am beginning to get orders already for the winter hats! I had a lady contact me with an order for 3 of them and here we are in May…well, nearly June but you get the point. I am also talking with some local boutiques and the local jewelry store has taken them as well as the felted clutches. The gallery who featured me last month has decided to buy outright rather than consign which is so much easier for me. She sold many of the ones she had and is buying the rest as well as more on the website. That says a lot as far as confidence goes. I think at this point I will forgo consignment, I am just too busy!

The summer hats did not go so well so I am donating them all at the end of the month. I hate to see them without a head in them, they are so cute!

I hope you are all enjoying the Spring, I am looking forward to Summer as it is still a bit chilly here in Waterville, Maine!

It is nearly time for the monthly drawing again and I have a really special item in mind this month! I hope your name is on my e-mail list so you have a chance at being selected as the winner this month. Remember that all I ask is that you put in a short entry in the Guestbook for me after receiving your gift!

Metal Sensitivity

Do you or someone you know have sensitive skin? Does even the finest gold or silver turn your skin colors? Does your sensitivity only apply to plated metals? Are you fearful of the metals containing lead and seeping into your skin? Lots of people have allergies or sensitivities to metals and have trouble wearing jewelry they love but there is an answer! You can wear the latest styles and be free from rashes, itching, fear and more.

Check out all the wonderful macramé jewelry. Now, before you shutter from visions of giant owls with huge jeweled eyes staring down at you, listen up! What I am talking about is micro-macramé. Same knots, to be certain…those are eternal but wait until you see what’s being done with them. Rather than using large ropes and thick cords there are many of us designing jewelry using thread and small cord such as Irish linen. The possibilities are nearly limitless. I have even done some with pearls and other gemstones. In fact, most of my micro-macramé pieces do contain genuine gems! How exciting is that?

Take a look at this photo…fun isn’t it? This just gives you an idea what can be done. Of course, smaller scale can be done as well if you prefer the more classic look. The point is that many of us are designing jewelry with those of you in mind who cannot wear all the beautiful trinkets that fill the jewelry store shelves.

Check out your local jewelry store. Many of them have realized the desire for handmade, local jewelry over the imported stuff that fills the malls. My local jeweler took a chance on me a few years ago and she has been very pleased, not to mention successful. There were several months last year that the only sales made were my designs! She has half the store filled with local designers, the other half remains the typical, everybody has one items. You can guess which side does better.

You can also shop online for artisan created jewelry. The choices are infinite. Happy shopping!!

A bouquet for your wrist and a smile for your heart…

In this garden created in sunny yellows, scrumptious purples and lively greens you will find treasures such as genuine faceted Amethyst, Artisan created Lampwork, Vintage and Contemporary Lucite leaves, Czech glass, Golden Opalite, and Swarovski carefully woven together with the bright yellow button to a length of 7 inches.

Each bead and gem is individually knotted in a core of waxed Irish linen with coordinated threads for a lifetime of wear making this series perfect for every day or any day when you just need a smile.

Here in the midst of Spring, I am already working up my new 2009-2010 Winter hats so I must clear out the old to make room for the new.

I have my original Flapper hat designs as well as numerous hats with no flowers. Much like my Flapper hat series these are made with assorted fibers (wool, lambswool, angora, mohair) and acrylics. They are sweet, warm and ultra soft. Please see what my customers have to say in the feedback section!

I have put all my hats on sale at 50% off, even a few new ones! The ‘Hats by Jessy' are marked down 20%! And to make things easier I have included my cotton summer hats in this sale.

Now is the time to think of that long winter shopping list and get some great deals!

I also have some new bracelet designs for you to see and am working up some more color schemes today. 

Oh and don't forget the to pass this along to your friends so they san sign up on the e-mail list and have a chance at the monthly drawings! The May drawing is coming right up.

Many thanks to all of you for understanding the error last month. I ended up sending out 4 winners due to the glitch.

Carousal Series, a banquet for your wrist

I have a new design to show you and one in the works. This was inspired by Stephanie Sersich from her book ‘ Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads’ although I have made a few changes in that I use different stringing material and I use a lot of gemstone rather than making it all lampwork. I am calling it the Carousal Series. I am working on some fulled beads and discs for a fiber version. I hope you will come by and check it out in a few days.

The beads I make with the wool are fulled by hand and they take a few days to dry completely so I am hold with those but in the meantime I ham having a lot of fun making the gemstone variety.

I have spent this spring learning some new techniques and mixing up with my old ones and am having lots of fun doing it. I like using all the leaves and flowers, it reminds me of a beautiful English garden

As always if you see a design and would prefer it in a different color, just ask!

Sometimes coming up with an appropriate Hostess Gift is difficult at best as I prefer to make my Hostess Gifts myself. If they drink wine I can make some of those adorable wine glass charms with a theme to match a home or if it is a single woman I can make some sort of jewelry. If however, it is a couple and they don’t drink wine, as is the case with my brother and sister-in-law then those gifts are not appropriate. I wanted to come up with something for the home and I wanted it to be hand-made.

My sister-in-law is big on Victorian so has lots of pinks, creams and such in her décor. I make knitted hats and fulled bags in addition to my jewelry and had recently made a piece of fabric using some wool left-overs to cut flowers out of for my bags. This sparked an idea for the Hostess Gift I wanted to make.

When I got home I went to the yarn store and found some really pretty vintage rose colored wool and knit up a large piece and fulled it. I bought some creamy natural roving (unspun wool) for the needle-felting portion of the project. I thought about putting a little jeweled charm on the corner of each but decided against it because I was afraid it might scratch the wood on the tables. While the large piece was still damp I cut into 4" squares then let it dry completely.

I wanted to make them match but not exactly as is the Victorian era theme so I needle-felted hearts on each one with the cream roving making them each a little different.

I hope you like the outcome.

If you are going to make items such as these remember when you are knitting to allow for shrinkage. Generally speaking you are going to lose about 25%. The formula for that is to divide your finished size by .75. For example I wanted 4" square so I knit the fabric about 10 2/3 X 10 2/3. That gave me enough to get my coasters and trim them square. Or you could knit them at 5 1/3 each. I use a rotary cutter, which was a little pricey. If I did not have one of these I would probably make them one at a time, as scissors don’t really do a very good job.

  I have been getting back to this chunky design I love to create the most and I have a few pieces for you to look at. I enjoy learning new techniques and love experimenting but I kind of feel like this arrangement is my baby.

The one pictured here is made with genuine Stick Pearls…I just love these. The iridescence is amazing and no photo could ever do these pieces justice. I think this winter I am going to take some photo classes to try and capture more of the true essence of these beautiful pearls.

This particular piece is also comprised of Pearls, Amethyst, Swarovski, and seed beads. I make these at 17 inches although I can make them any length. We (the jeweler and I) played with different lengths and this one is the one most preferred by her customers. They all come with matching earrings.

With all the experimenting I have done, I enjoy my signature piece the most.

I hope you enjoy them as well!

I have added a few more of the ever-popular crochet bracelets and have put them all on sale for Mother’s Day at 50 % off for the rest of this week. I know I am a little late but I just returned from vacation where I picked up some really nice beads and some wonderful handmade Lampwork clasps from a local artisan in Portland, Oregon…wait and see what I do with those! Back to work with me now! I am also already working up my Fall/Winter line up of hats by request so get your orders in now!

See you soon with some wonderful new designs

People keep saying to me that I should not take any work on vacation! What on earth could they be thinking? My work is my passion. I often spend all day in my studio, knit and crochet while hubby is home in the evenings and then back up to my studio after I tuck him in.

Most of my ideas come to me as I am drifting off to sleep so I have to get up, make some notes, perhaps gather some materials together to recall that creation that surfaced in that half conscious state when the vision appeared.

I love to do things outside the "norm" although I am happy as an artist to see that the line between normal and not is getting grayer by the day.

I think the most boring commissioned pieces I have had are plain, simple just strung requests. I like to be challenged. Can you draw it, explain it in detail? If so, I would love to attempt it! The most wonderful requests I have had have been from the local jewelry store. She will call me and say "I need something with Carnelian and Pearls". We have been working together long enough that she trusts me. She also knows if she does not like it I will sell it elsewhere and start over although that has not happened yet I am happy to say. I get to play and let the creative energy go wild. I love that!

The option of NOT taking work with me just terrifies me. I have a bag in the car with knitting always, always. I have a light in the car so I can knit while hubby drives at night. Ok, so perhaps I am an addict. I am however, a very happy one. How many of us are fortunate enough to be able to be so fervently dedicated to a profession they cherish? Every day I am surrounded by beautiful colors, luxurious fibers, ravishing gems, lustrous pearls and have a studio right upstairs.

So, what WILL I take on vacation…so many options!

There are more designs in the works so come back every now and again.

New Bracelet Design!

I have come up with a hybrid design. I like the stability of the micro macramé and of course my design of the woven gems and pearls.

This bracelet is made with a very strong knotted cord and pearls. The top is then woven with Turquoise, Amazonite, Pearls, Czech glass flowers, and Mother of Pearl each on a bed of seed beads. The clasp is a genuine shell button. With the base being knotted with the macramé technique and the top all woven together this a very strong and extremely attractive piece of jewelry that will last years if not generations!

They do take a bit of time…about 3 hours so I won’t be making too many, as they are not very cost effective but they are therapeutic.

Well folks, here I go again in pursuit of another lesson. A friend of mine had a book on micro macramé and it looked really interesting to me. My mind went away with all the design possibilities. It will be my new venture to incorporate some of that old 70’s style stuff with my designs. Understand that this is not done with the Jute we used back in the day. It is done with thread or very fine cord and beads…even gems! Yea! Sounds like it will be right up my alley. I have ordered the instructions and that should be in for me to pick up in a couple of days.

I am still working on the vases; in fact I have a beautiful black, silver and white one in the works now. It is smaller than the first one I did for 2 reasons. First to make it more affordable and second don’t you know those things take a long time?

I am also still doing the crochet bracelets, the woven gemstone work and free-form peyote so if there is something you would like, please ask.

I will be going on vacation soon and am trying to get my ducks in a row, learn new techniques to keep things interesting and figure out what I want to take with me for some possible new accounts.

Free? Really? Absolutely!

Beginning this month I am giving away one free item a month free of charge to one person on my E-Mail list. All I ask in return is that you stop by my guestbook after you receive your item and leave a note. The only thing you have to do to have a chance of getting a wonderful surprise in the mail is join my e-mail list. You will find the link at the bottom of every page. These are not seconds. They are taken from the items I have for sale in my shop. I will contact the person drawn for a mailing address to send the gift to. I will not use your address for any other purpose, give it away or sell it.

My aim is to increase the favorable comments in my guestbook for others to see. It is that simple.

Sign up now…the drawing for free merchandise is soon!

Abstract jewelry?

One of the greatest roadblocks I always had in my painting was that I could not really get the concept of abstract. If it did not look like

"Something" I could not get there. With this new free form absract bracelet style I have been working on it has really helped get rid of that block, not to mention that vase I did recently. Oh by the way, I should be getting my new vases any day so I will be doing more of those very soon. They are a tad bit smaller than the previous one but still a good size for a dozen or so flowers.

Back to the bracelets…I am working on one now that I believe will be my all time favorite. The colors in the lampwork bead are all me and I love the way it is coming along. It is difficult for me to work in colors I am not attracted to although I still do it. I realize not everyone has my taste and I am thankful for that. My daughters have totally different color preferences than each other and myself. When I do something for them I love the way it looks on them but I could never wear it because of the colors. I suppose many times it has a lot to do with the style as well. There are some styles that me as a 50 something just should not wear lest I look as though I am in denial if you know what I mean.

The abstract bracelets transcend all that though. It seems that they can be worn by women of all ages. It is especially joyful for me when I can work up a piece that I really love. It is interesting to me that those with a more neutral palette will often be drawn to the more colorful abstract bracelets. They have spurred a few women I know to go and buy an outfit to match in colors they would never normally wear and as an artist I find that to be fabulous!

Thanks for stopping by and tolerating my rambles. Be sure to keep your eye out for this new abstract bracelet!

I have also been told they are great for Chemo caps, as the 100% cotton is breathable and soft.

I had a wonderful vacation but did not get much work done while I was gone. NAS Pensacola is where my daughter is stationed for the time being while she completes "A" School then she will be off to fleet or "C" School. It is a beautiful Navy Base and everyone was very friendly and helpful. Now back to reality and after leaving my dear husband alone for a week it is housework and Spring cleaning for me.

I do have some orders for some peyote bracelets and a couple of felted bags with beaded handles so I will work those in between rooms!

I will be leaving the end of April to go to Oregon, hopefully to get some accounts and see lots of family I have not seen for several years.

Back to work!

It’s funny how art seems to take direction all by itself. I began this, a free-from peyote bracelet as a special order for someone who wanted a free form in purples. When I realized I did not have an appropriate center bead I had to make one. I was going along trying to get this finished before I leave on my trip when I realized it began looking like grapes to me. Now, perhaps that is because I want a glass of wine, I don’t know. I’ll have one but not until I have finished with the clasp portion. Anyway, like the vase I did recently I had no real plan. I picked out the beads I wanted to use and went from there. I had a couple of leaves left over from the vase and decided to put them on. Then I went back and added a couple of grape clusters since it already appeared to have taken on that theme. Presto! I am waiting for final approval before I make this to her requested length. If she likes wine I think I am in! Happy Friday!

I had a wonderful compliment from my sister about my hats; especially the Summer Flapper Hats. "Because they are made of soft cotton they make great Chemo Caps and are much more stylish than many others you see around."

I will be donating some to the local cancer ward here when I return from vacation. I had never thought of that I am sorry to say. I donate to children’s homes and such in the winter months but never thought of the need for something pretty and feminine during the summer months.

If you know of a cancer center that could use some, please let me know. I would be happy to donate a few. I can make children’s sizes as well.

The vase if at last completed! On to the next… but which one? Any votes?

Finally...it seems like forever since I began this vase! Now that the skin is finished all I have to do is the embellishments. I have put a few flowers on and 1 leaf and I beaded up another leaf. After I get that little grouping on I will put a few pearls here and there and call it good. The bottom was much easier than I thought it would be so I am going to order those vases I spoke of in an earlier Blog. I have also found a few items around the house to work on in the meantime. Yes, I am addicted. Come back and see the progress on those as well. Oh! And I finished another peyote bracelet and have an order for one in purples.

I am on my way to Florida in a few days and have a lot to do to prepare for that trip. I am hoping to get some accounts on the way down.

Wish me luck!!

We are getting closer! Here is the vase as I near the end of the bottom. Then all I have to do is get the top done. One thing…if you decide to do one of these resist the temptation to add anything until you are finished with beaded the vase. It is more time consuming to bead this now because I have to watch that my thread does not catch on the flowers. Also resist the urge to decrease too much as you turn onto the bottom.

Having finished the summer Garden Bracelet I was working on I am going to be starting a new one with these colors. The cloth it is on is actually a light green so the colors, at least on my monitor are accurate. The shell is an original lampwork by Generations Lampwork and I will be using that for the center I think.

As the vase nears completion so does the bracelet. The direction of the vase is hard to see but after I finish beading the actual vase I will add the embellishments. I have decided on a title...Midnight Garden so I will be going with that theme. There will be beaded flowers, leaves and a few dragonflies, perhaps a butterfly and I am thinking vines...we'll see. I go back and forth between the two and then I have thrown in a sweater into the mix. I made the boyfriend sweater a few years ago and actually married the guy! Against the old wives tale for certain. Anyway he is due for another and here is the beginning of that...did this last night watching some tube with my honey.

am adding a copper crochet necklace to the batch of projects tonight, although I have to get that done for a special order at the jewelry store. I love having a few different things going on at once, it keeps me from getting bored. The free form peyote is really good for me as I tend to be OCD and very black and white. Abstract has never come easy for me, I do better with realism so this is quite a stretch.

You can see another little vase peeking out from behind, that'll be the next one while I wait for the shipment of larger ones to come in.

I will be taking a break pretty soon as I will be driving my daughter's car down to her in Florida where she is in "A" School in the Navy. I can't wait to see her as well as get out of the snow for a few days, we have had so much. Well, I had better get back to it...more tomorrow unless I finish it today...as if.

The Beaded Vase continues…

I had to resist the urge to take it apart and start over so I began the bracelet pictured here. I have to keep in mind that this is a learning tool and not a for sale project. I have learned a lot in this process and have been busy taking notes with photos. I think part of the reason I want to start over is because I am afraid of getting to the bottom and I am nearly there. The bottom of course, has to be completely flat so it is stable. Then there is the top up over the lip. One thing I am happy about and that is the choice of thread I used. I did not think about the end sue when I began and it is strictly a stroke of luck that I used Fireline. It won’t matter if it gets wet, king of important in a vase.

I also have a picture in my head I am anxious to begin after seeing some of the patterns emerge from this experiment.

I found a place on line where I can get the vases at a reasonable price and I am resisting the urge to order more until after I complete this one to make sure I can even do it. I have to order 12 at a time to get a price break and I really have no other use for them aside from these beaded vases.

Hopefully I can get this completed today, or at least the bottom.

I have a very small business I run out of my home, which finds me knitting, crocheting and making jewelry into the wee hours. I sell my jewelry to the local jewelry store that also imports all the gold, silver, diamonds you see in ever jewelry store in the country. For over 3 months the only jewelry sold was that which was handcrafted locally. It turns out to be a win-win for everyone involved. So why is it that all those folks, on say for instance Newbury Street in Boston does not buy handmade?

I recently went down there on the suggestion of many friends and the folks who own the jewelry store I spoke of earlier. Everyone seemed to think my goods fit in very nicely down there. What I heard from shop owners stunned me. I will give them one thing in Boston, they are quite honest! They told me and I quote…" We know the quality is not as good but it is cheaper and that is the bottom line" from one shop owner. " Wow, your merchandise is beautifully made but we can get it so much cheaper from China and because it does not last as long they keep spending their money here..." From another What amazes me is that people don’t even expect things to last very long and they would rather have something cheap and buy it 5 times. How did we become such a throw away society?! AND THAT IS OK?! Well folks, I can’t go along with that. I am convinced I will find my niche. I will not lower my standards, it has become my mantra! It would be so easy to pitch it all in, buy cheap materials, not care about the workmanship so I can sell cheap. I say easy but not really so. I want to feel good about what I am doing, the service I am providing. When someone makes a purchase from me I want him or her to be thrilled, not just happy. Furthermore, I want them to pass their treasures down to the next generation. So I keep plodding along with true hope in my heart. Speaking of hope, I know that word lately is like the word ‘love’ over used and abused. But that is another story…

I was in my local Starbucks store today and saw some beautiful handmade pottery for Portugal. While this is very nice, it occurred to me that we should be selling our local artisans if not instead of, at least in addition to art from other countries. In a time when everyone is so concerned about our country’s economy why are we not putting food on the table of those who live down the street but instead supporting those who live thousands of miles away? I am all in favor of supporting our global neighbors but what about the potter who lives next door? Should we not help those closest to us first?

It is not that I have no heart for those suffering many miles from me, it is that I DO have a heart for my suffering neighbors.

Let’s not forget that the USA is the most generous country in the world. Still, we have some of the worst slums and poorest people just blocks from our own White House. Why is that?

The mugs seen above were made by Twisted River Clayworks in Connecticut. They create pottery that is unique and eclectic. They use a potter's wheel, slabs of clay and other creative additions. All of their work is functional and made of stoneware. The glazes are certified food safe and contain no lead. Pots can be used in the microwave, dishwasher, and oven with care. They recommend heating the pot with the oven. Their work can be seen at http://www.twistedriverclay.etsy.com/
Twisted River has taken no part in this article and the ideas are my own and not a reflection of Ron or Char.
To be continued...