In My Studio: Preparing for the Holiday Open Studios

The Novato Arts Center is holding their Holiday Open Studios next weekend. I am slowly organizing my pendants and books and paintings and pricing and tagging and making gift certificates in preparation for this event. I wish for many creative people to walk through the door and be inspired, and perhaps purchase something if their heart lights up with a feeling of something positive or joyful. If you are in the area, please drop by and say "Hi!". Kentucky Girl Designs -- Building 500, Studio #107.

Oriel Pendants: Dragonfly Magic

A Successful Adventure...

Kentucky Girl Designs Booth Back Wall

Well, I've finished my street fairs for the summer, and the pressure of making pendants and product is temporarily over...at least until the November/December holiday shows! The San Anselmo Art and Wine Festival was all-in-all a successful experience for me from a sales and marketing experience. In general I think that street fairs are a mixed bag -- they are grueling on many levels especially the prep and set up and not a ton of sales in this economy. HOWEVER, they are really great for me to be in because they get me out into the public in front of people and they get out the word about Kentucky Girl Designs. I get good feedback all along the spectrum -- excited, awestruck, friendly, lukewarm, indifferent. I take it all with a grain of salt and enjoy the process. I can see how many people appreciate the creative spirit, and also how some wish they could be more creative for themselves. These are the people that I welcome into my altered book workshops because I know I can get them in touch with that side of themselves! I also like the idea of my jewelry being worn and treasured by the "perfect person".

San Anselmo Art and Wine Festival 2011  Street View

And as a footnote,many thanks to my sister Mary -- always supporting that creative side of me and being with me for the show set up, sales, and tear-down. Among a zillion attributes, my sister is a booth stylist and sales floor whizz and "just the bestest" sister I could ever have.

My Adorable Sister Dearest, Mary

And hugs and kisses to my husband Munro for getting up at 5:00AM, transporting goods, set up and tear down, following directions from his loving and pushy wife, and tolerating a chaotic home for the past two months. And more hugs and kisses to all of my peeps (you know who you are) who came by to say hi or make a purchase, or even just sent good wishes my way!

My Co-Heart and Chief Sponsor

1000th Post Celebratory Give Away -- Winner!

Two weeks ago I wrote my 1000th post! To celebrate and as a thank you for my readers I held a contest for a give away of one of my oriel pendants: "Sacred Journey". The blind drawing was held today (Valentine's Day) and thank you hubby -- and a big congratulations goes to Lisa Briseno-Croome of Toulouse, France. Lisa creates and sells awesome jewelry and you should check out her blog WildGift Designs. Congratulations Lisa!

Sacred Journey Oriel Pendant

1000th Post Celebratory Drawing!

Sacred Journey Itsy Bitsy Oriel Pendant (Front)
Leave a comment and you might win this necklace!

Oh my -- I've hit my 1000th post! This is a big deal for me to celebrate almost 3 years of creative postings (my first post was on January 2008). It's been a stimulating, expansive, sometimes frustrating but all-in-all satisfyingly productive journey! I never expected to have any readers, but you guys who take the time to come visit and comment on my posts have added a totally different dimension to my pursuit of creativity. So here's a BIG THANKS to all of you for dropping by (anonymously or not so), and to celebrate my 1000th post I am holding a drawing for one of my handcrafted, hand-soldered oriel pendants! In order to enter your name in the drawing, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. In two weeks time, I will select one reader to be the giftee of my Sacred Journey Itsy Bitsy Oriel Pendant (featured above). Whether or not it's one person or 30 participating, I will use the old put the names in a hat, stir them around, and have my blindfolded husband pick one. So leave a comment on this post, and at the end of two weeks I will post the winning name!

Sacred Journey Itsy Bitsy Oriel Pendant (Back)
Comes with a 24" silver tone ball chain. The pendant contains a original collage with a beveled glass front and flat glass back. Swavorski crystalbeads dangle from the pendant.

Oriel Pendant Challenge -- Week 4: Serpent Eagle Custom

Custom Philippine Serpent Eagle (Front)

Last week I was finishing up on a custom oriel that a friend asked me to make as a gift for her brother's girlfriend. She owns one of my oriels, a custom Golden Eagle, given to her by a group of friends. Her brother's girlfriend fell in love with it, so Bonnie wanted me to create something similar for her. Since this woman was born in the Philippines I went online to look at birds that are indigenous to the islands. I was struck by the fierce beauty of the Serpent Eagle. What a gorgeous bird with its golden eye, raised crown of feathers, and the white dots that decorate its neck, "underpants," and wings. As this is a custom animal totem oriel, eagle energy represents strength, ferocity, vision, and endurance. This is power that needs to be handled with respect, and I saw the bird wheeling in blue skies surrounded by the light of blue crystals, which call forth the clarity of higher knowledge.

Custom Philippine Serpent Eagle (Back)

Oriel Pendant Challenge -- Week 3: Animal Power Oriel -- Bobcat

Animal Power Oriel: Bobcat

In the past few months a friend of mine, Nise Santiago, and I have collaborated in designing necklaces for my Animal Power Oriels. Nise creates magic with gemstones and silver, and is a wonderful teacher. We just recently went to a bead show, which opened my eyes to the completely primal and beautiful world of gemstones. I felt that Nise's necklace creations could complement my oriels, especially the Animal Power (or Totem) oriels that I wanted to start making. These collaborations would showcase specific wild animals and the power, beauty, and substance that these animals bring to this world. And -- if you wanted to go one step further -- in wearing these necklaces you would draw on those physical, emotional, or creative qualities that each animal symbolizes.

This first Animal Power Oriel collaboration features the Bobcat, a small wildcat not easily spotted, but very familiar to the Western Hemisphere. The Bobcat constantly observes his environment, but only rarely shows itself in public. In ten years of walking my local Deer Island I have only seen a Bobcat twice -- within the same month. It was only about 10 yards down the path in both instances. It looked at me boldly, then jumped off the trail into the bushes the one time, and the next sighting casually slinked around to the other side of a fallen tree and watched me carefully as I moved on past him! Knee high in height, with a coat beautifully marked, tufts of hair at its ear tips, almond-shaped and colored eyes -- this is no ordinary housecat -- the Bobcat radiates exotic, wild beauty! In my readings about Bobcat energy, the trait that speaks loudest to me is the ability to "see deeper" or to pick up on hidden things. "Trust in your senses. Even if there is no logical reason, trust in what your inner voice is saying." -- Lin Here are some other links to Bobcat totem information: Wildspeak, Animal Properties.

Animal Power Oriel: Bobcat

Necklace: agate, muti-faceted crystal quartz, silver beads and findings
Oriel: lead-free solder, (3-D) beveled glass, paper, hand-dyed ribbon, Swavorski crystal rhinestones and beads, dried flowers, silver beads