Featured Shop of Week 8-13-12

This week we are featuring ElliesBijoux from Etsy.com

Meet Suzette Bentley, owner/designer of ElliesBijoux:

Suzette Bentley is a self-taught jewelry designer and is the inspiration behind Ellie’s Bijoux, an online jewelry gallery. Her creations have received rave reviews, and has recently been published in Bead Trends, Bead Style and Stringing magazines. She lives in Waxhaw, North Carolina, a quaint little town just south of Charlotte with her husband Scott, their daughter Isabella and Ellie, the little family dog. Ellie is a small black and white Papillion who tips the scales at 9 pounds. She is very elegant in nature and has an exuberant personality.

Suzette designs and creates each piece of jewelry in her home studio. All of her designs are one-of-a-kind and made from quality stones to create truly unique masterpieces. Some of her favorite materials to work with are chains, charms, crystals, enamels, semiprecious and precious gemstones, glass, metals, and pearls.

Suzette has also been chosen as a Cousin Creative Circle Ambassador.  This is a high honor.  She will be able to have a platform with Cousin Corporation of America, a premier manufacturer of jewelry making supplies, "to share ideas with the product development team, receive Cousin products to incorporate into their work, preview upcoming programs and provide feedback about products before they go to market."*  You can also find out more about Suzette from her website: http://www.elliesbijoux.com/

 

*Quote taken directly from Cousin Corporation website. All photos used have been used from ElliesBijoux's website.  Learn more about Cousin Corporation of America's Creative Circle by visiting www.cousin.com.

Cousin Creative Circle Ambassadors

Cousin Corporation of America, a premier manufacturer of jewelry making components, has chosen a select group of jewelry makers for its inaugural Creative Circle ambassador program for the 2012-13 year.

Cousin received an overwhelming amount of applications for the coveted slots and the vetting process took five weeks in order to review all of the submissions. The ambassadors were chosen by the selection committee based on their unique contributions to the program, commitment to jewelry making and social media and networking savvy.

The 2012-2013 Creative Circle™ ambassadors are: Suzette Bentley, Lisa Crone, Dr. Gail Devoid, Shelly Owen and Patty Squillante. The five ambassadors will have a platform to share ideas with the product development team, receive Cousin products to incorporate into their work, preview upcoming programs and provide feedback about products before they go to market.

“We are excited to launch our inaugural Ambassador program with these highly talented jewelry makers,” said Jeff Cousin, President. “Cousin is an industry leader with a strong reputation for providing quality products and unique inspiration. Together with our ambassadors we look forward to growing the Cousin brand and keeping the craft of jewelry making relevant, enjoyable and innovative.”

The ambassadors were officially welcomed by the Creative Circle™ team on August 2nd and are currently highlighted on Cousin’s website, www.cousin.com and their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CousinCorp.

It seems one can wait whole lifetime for something like this to come along.  I have to say, I am completely humbled by this opportunity. To my fellow ambassadors, I look forward to working with and getting to know each of you.

The generosity of this company is amazing.  They sent us all a massive amazing goodie box full of beads and findings.  Also we all received a beautifully framed certificate, a flash drive, a coffee mug, an inspirational book, a lovely necklace, a leather bound journal with a pen and pencil, and a personal letter of congratulations from Jeff Cousin, owner of Cousin Corporation.  All of which arrived just two days before my birthday!  What a birthday present!

I am looking forward to working with the Cousin Corporation and will be keeping you all updated along the way!

HAPPY BEADING!

Featured Shop of Week 7/30/12

Once in a great while one comes across a breathtaking artist, a visionary of sorts.  This week's featured shop is run by just such an artist.  The way he captures the imagination with his paintings is absolutely amazing.  I hope you enjoy meeting him and seeing his work as I have.

This week's featured shop is Matts Art on Etsy.

Meet Matthew Hamblen, artist and owner of Matts Art.

I'm a self taught artist, and have been one all my life. I started selling my art back in 1999. I try my best to create art that is all about love. Love for nature, life, color, fantasy, beautiful dreams, energy, hope, karma, good times, and even some bad times, all the feeling and emotion that life has to offer comes out in what I do.

I love painting and people pleasing with all my heart, and the best part of my job is seeing people happy with what I put out there. Nothing in the world is better than sharing the joy I get from my work with others, and I thank each and every one of you for your support. 

Every painting you see is an improvised original artwork. If a piece really strikes you, I advise you to grab it if and while you can. Please know that once it's gone, it cannot be reproduced the same way ever again. Similar pieces can sometimes be done, but each is different, so it won't be the same as the one you love.

Every original piece comes to you signed on the back, pre-wired and ready to hang right from the box, with sides painted black and varnished. Open the box, hang and enjoy!

Make sure you check out Matt's facebook page too. Click here to visit his page.

Featured Shop for Week of 7/16/12

This week I am featuring a fellow Sheffield School of Design alumni, Debbie Bruce.  Debbie, runs a successful jewelry business via Etsy.  Her shop is Beadiful World.  Debbie has also been featured on the Sheffield School of Design blog.

Meet Debbie Bruce, owner and designer of Beadiful World:

Welcome to "It's a Bead-iful World", my online Etsy store. I've always had a passion for jewelry. When I would buy a new outfit, I would immediately head right over to the jewelry counter to find just the right pieces to compliment it. In an attempt to find a hobby, as Oprah would say, I had an "Aha!" moment. Jewelry had always been a vital part of who I am, and it made perfect sense for me to make my own jewelry. As I began to perfect my jewelry techniques, my hobby and passion grew. I am now retired and a full-time jewelry designer. The majority of my pieces are one of a kind (OOAK). I enjoy creating all styles of artisan jewelry, but I do lean toward an eclectic style. I especially like hand-forging wire (pounding with a hammer is great for releasing tension!). I use all types of beads, from semi-precious and artisan lampwork beads to less expensive plated beads.

 I like to make accessories as well. For example, when I was working, I was required to wear a badge on a horrendous plastic break-away lanyard. Well, that plastic lanyard definitely did NOT define my style so I made my own. Also I am at the age where I occasionally need glasses but don't want to wear an eyeglass holder that looks like something my grandmother would wear, so I make eyeglass holders for those of us that still like a little spice in our life :-)

I am a Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designer (SRAJD), Member #1478, and a graduate of the Sheffield School Jewelry Design Beading & Wire Working.

Featured Shop of Week 7/9/12

This week we are featuring Unkamen Supplies from Etsy.

Meet Ralph Helmrich owner of Unkamen Supplies:

I love making chainmaille jewelry, but was unable to purchase jump rings that met my standards, so I invested in the equipment and started making them myself. Over 40 years engineering experience paid off! I love them! The weight is substantial and my customers love the feel when they pick up my products.

Check out my family's and my finished products and see the endless possibilities my findings will bring to your chainmaille weaves and other jewelry and craft designs:

http://unkamengifts.etsy.com
http://favmoongirl.etsy.com

I offer high quality commercially made supplies; items that I use my self in my own finished goods.

While I can do everything, I no longer can AND meet all of my customers' needs, so I get by with a little help from my friends...and family:

Karen, my wife. She lists, photographs, ships, stocks, sources materials, collaborates with designs, manages, organizes and rubs my shoulders every 10K jump rings!

Leah, my daughter. She lists, ships, stocks, collaborates with designs, assists with production and is apprenticing with me in my machine shop. She has taken numerous classes and plans to make this her life's work.

Byron, my son. He prints orders, ships, makes bookmarks, stocks and is learning about Excel and Quickbooks and bakes me treats to keep me going!

Travis, my friend, who apprenticing with me, keeps chopped wood piled high next to my stove and keeps me chuckling with his quips and quotes.

Ian, my friend and Travis' brother, keeps my wire inventory up to date, cuts custom lengths and whistles tunes to keep me amused!

Denise, my friend and another homeschooling mom, helps fill commercial orders, ship and when I am lucky, brings her newborn son along for the rest of us to oodle over!

Hanna, my friend and Denise's oldest daughter, who is apprenticing with me, helps with jewelry orders and drives my Basset Hound crazy with the aroma of her pizza slices-her standard snack!

Find my family on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/UnkamenGifts

Follow my family on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/unkamengifts

Learn more about my family on our blog: http://unkamengifts.com/blog/

Find Videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/unkamengifts

A First for Raziela Designs

I can't be happier!  One of my designs has been featured this week on the Cousin Corporation of America's Fan Page on Facebook.  Click HERE to view the page.

If you recall, we featured the Cousin Corporation as our Company of the month back in May.  Cousin Corporation produces beads, findings, charms, inspirational booklets and project guides for Walmart, JoAnn, Michaels, and Hancock Fabrics.  Among their line are Crystazzi, Elegance Metal, and Jewelry Basics.

Looking for the perfect hideaway?

For our 6th wedding anniversary, my husband told me to pick a place to get away for the weekend and we would go. We knew we wanted to escape the regular hustle and bustle of most tourist places. We definitely wanted more seclusion and time just to enjoy each other even though we only had the weekend.  I didn't want the whole hotel/motel experience.  I wanted something different.  We began stalking Bed & Breakfast spots.  We settled on a little place in Long Beach, Mississippi.  The little place was called Long Beach Getaway Coastal Retreat. It is a small, 9 bedroom bed and breakfast that is nestled back off the main road with still a great view of the Gulf of Mexico from the beautiful veranda.  Still within in walking distance of some very nice restaurants. I can tell you The Long Beach Getaway Coastal Retreat was the most serene place I have ever been.  Just above the dining area was a lovely library with a full view of the Gulf.
 

Our room, bedroom view

Our room, living room view

We checked in on June 9th a little before lunch time.  From the moment we arrived, our host Dinuhabi Patel welcomed us like family.  He made sure everything was perfect for us when we arrived.  He even had a welcome message for us on the bulletin board wishing us a happy anniversary.  Dinu, or Dean as most people call him, took the time to get to know us.  He was truly interested in our happiness while staying with him in his home.  Our gracious host offered us the choice of two different rooms, and we chose one we just absolutely loved.  Our suite was complete with a very comfy king size bed, separate living area with a fold out couch, large screen TV with over 300 channels, (but we didn't watch much TV...wink wink, nudge nudge).  The private bath included full sized bottles of lotion and body wash with a Spa shower.

That night, Dinu prepared the most amazing meal for us.  We had the dining room all to ourselves and he not only cooked for us, he served us as well.  He called it a Colonial dinner.  It was served the way it would have been in India to the royals.  There was a beautiful bouquet of various white and pale yellow flowers on the table for us. Our meal began with Champagne.  Our appetizer consisted of a half of sweet pepper with marinated local Blue Crab and a half of a Key Lime.  Next, he served us Saffron rice with huge fresh Gulf Shrimp, a baked tomato stuffed with sweet potato and eggplant and various spices.  Our main course was locally caught Spotted Trout in a Coconut Cremé sauce over Saffron rice and a blend of English Cucumber, tomato and onion.  For our dessert, Dinu prepared a lovely ice cream dessert consisting of an orange slice, local produced vanilla ice cream, strawberry syrup and a few drops of rum.

Dinu in his element.

Dinu shared with us the rich history of India and the way he served the meal.  The rice he prepared was once only available to the royal families of India.  His grandfather owned one of the few rice farms in India that produced that particular type of rice.  He shared with us all about his family, where he was from, how he came to be there.  He had came from Iowa with the Red Cross right after Katrina.  He knew the then owners of the facility and helped them out a few months out of the year.  He now leases the property and runs it on his own.  He is in the process of adding a new larger kitchen and dining area to accommodate a full service restaurant.

Me and Dinu

David and Dinu

The morning of our departure, June 10th, he created the most amazing breakfast for us. We were served hot coffee, orange juice and a plate of fresh fruit consisting of kiwi, oranges, and cantaloupe. A large three egg omelet with large fresh gulf shrimp, sweet peppers, baby portabella mushrooms, three strips of bacon and two sausage patties.  We were completely stuffed!  We hated to leave our little bit of paradise we had found.  But all good things must come to an end.  We are already planning another trip back!  Make sure to visit the website for the Long Beach Getaway to see more information.  Click here to go to their site.

There is plenty to do and see while in the Long Beach, MS area. Visit Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home.  Take an hour drive west on I-10 to visit the Infinity Science Center. Just north on Hwy 49 is the Gulfport Premium Outlet Mall.  It is a fairly large mall and loads of great shops.  If you are in to the casinos, Gulfport and Biloxi are home to several.