Small Business Saturday - November 30th

After all the mayhem of Black Friday, but before Cyber Monday, don't forget about Small Business Saturday.  This coming Saturday, November 30, 2013, is the designated day to go out and support the small businesses in your local community.

Look for this seal at participating stores

Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 by American Express with the goal of boosting the revenue for small business owners during the busiest shopping season of the year.  The competition for the best deals in town heats up this week as everyone makes the mad dash to find the perfect gift.  And I know we all love our giant TVs from the big box stores but when you are looking for unique gifts, turn to the mom and pop shops in your city.


One of the things I love about this tradition is that it affords us the wonderful opportunity to get to know our community.  It is such a great thing that we can celebrate the small businesses around us.  Many local merchants and artisans have been cut out by larger stores and we have seen this decline more and more in recent years.  By going out on Saturday November 30th and purchasing from small businesses in your area you are helping to support our community.  Don't be afraid to try a new place.  Who knows, you may discover a new favorite shopping spot.

When you need to take a break from running around, don't forget about the small businesses that you can find online.  There are many online marketplaces, like Etsy and Zibbet, that have been giving new life to local artisans and designers.  Sites like these help keep the spirit of handmade gifts alive.  If you have an online shop, or small business, help those around you by giving back to the very community that supports you.  The best thing you can do is spread the word about a great small business.  Let those around you in on your great find.

Did you know that there are over 27 million small businesses in the US alone?  Many of them may be in your city.  Here is a great site to find the local small businesses in your area that will be participating this Saturday.  If you have a shop, visit www.shopsmall.com to find out how to promote your business this Saturday.

Quick Tip Tuesday: Enlist Friends as Testers

When I first started making jewelry to sell, one of my biggest concerns was the construction of the pieces I had made and whether they would really hold together. Early on I had several embarrassing instances of earrings suddenly coming undone and falling apart while people were wearing them - this shook my confidence yet was a good lesson that I needed to hone my skills.

As a result of these early experiences, I realized that I needed to conduct some real world tests of my designs. I started to give free samples of my jewelry to friends and I told them to please wear the pieces and not to be gentle with them. They came through and boy did I get the feedback! It was not always easy to hear that my jump rings had come undone or my stitching unraveled, but I would rather have had a friend tell me this then a customer. With each piece of feedback, I would alter my design and then have them test it again. Soon I learned what worked and what did not. Now I feel confident that my construction is good and that I am selling a high quality piece of jewelry. As a side note, with all my friends wearing my designs, they started to tell other people about my jewelry and I actually made some orders this way!

- Julie

Featured Brand for the Month: Vintaj Week Four

For our final week highlighting Vintaj, let's take a look at one of their more popular components - Filigree! Vintaj is well known for their detailed filigree stampings. They are so beautifully ornate and are sure to add a special touch to any piece of jewelry you create.

I personally love the look of filigree stampings in my jewelry and I especially enjoy using all the different finishes and styles Vintaj has to offer. Incorporating them into your pieces can give your jewelry a lovely vintage-inspired look. You can use them as is or hang other components from them to create striking necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. You can also use filigree to wrap stones and flatback cabochons to create truly unique pieces. Below are the Featured Project and Video for this week.

Featured Project: Victorian Jewel Necklace by Kathy Mannix

Victorian Jewel Necklace by Kathy Mannix

Kathy's necklace, Victorian Jewel, is a wonderful example of how filigree stampings can add a unique, vintage look to your handmade jewelry. The gorgeous Vintaj Natural Brass Garden Trellis filigree stamping and Natural Brass Circle Filigree pendant link are embellished with a SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Crystal rivoli and a few Crystal rhinestone flatbacks for some added shine. This piece is very synonymous with the Vintaj brand and a wonderful example of how their filigree stampings can change the look of a simple necklace, transforming it into a statement piece.

Featured Video: How to Apply Gilder's Paste

In this video, you will learn how to apply Gilder's Paste onto your filigree stampings for added highlights. Check out the video below.

Take a look at our Designer Picks for Vintaj's line of filigree:

 Julie: 

 I love the Vintaj Natural Brass Ornate Orchid Filigree Stamping because of its distinct Deco feel and its versatility. You can keep the filigree as is or you can bend and wrap it around a found object or bead. One of my favorite projects with the piece is the Roaring 20's Hair Pin Set.

Megan:

This Artisan Pewter Framed Scrollwork Stamping Pendant is such a pretty piece.  I love the possibilities it presents, and can imagine numerous ways to use it.  I love the idea of framing a mixed media piece with it, and the artisan pewter looks so beautiful with the Vintaj patinas too.





 
Kat:

There is something very unique about this Natural Brass Nouveau Scrolled Ornate Corner Embellishment.  I think this could be a really interesting piece to combine with one of the Vintaj blanks and perhaps used for a scrapbook or craft.  Also if you use the Vintaj Relief Block on this one, it can really bring out the beautiful scroll work.




Karlin: 

I think the detail and look of this Vintaj Brass Etruscan Swirl Filigree Stamping is so pretty. I think it would look gorgeous placed on a bracelet cuff or on a vintage-inspired headband, with a touch of patina. It's ornate and looks like it belongs in an old antique shop. I love it!

We hope you enjoyed exploring Vintaj, November's featured Brand of the Month! We will be continuing our Brand of the Month in January. Stay tuned to see which brand is up next!

National Seed Beading Month

Beading Daily has declared November National Seed Beading Month. It's their take on the National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, a challenge to all writers to write 50,000 words by the end of the month. National Seed Beading Month is a challenge for all Beaders is to finish off any projects you have started or to start tackling that long to-bead list you've been meaning to get to.  Break out those seed beads and get beading!

How many times have you walked away from a project due to over thinking it? Well, we think it's time you came back. Come back into your creative space with fresh eyes. I love this idea. I know I have bought numerous beads and when I bought them I didn't know what I wanted to do with them. Here is the chance to push my creative limits.

This challenge comes at a great time, the holidays. Of course, by now you have been beading furiously all year and all of your Holiday presents are done, wrapped and mailed right? I know mine are...not. Not even close. I promise myself every year that I will not wait until crunch time, and yet I do. Crunch time for me happens right after Thanksgiving. Everyone around me launches into a gift buying frenzy as I hunker down at my beading table. Hopefully this year I can begin a little early or at least as early as the week before Thanksgiving.

Do you have something that you haven't finished because you don't have all the ingredients? Get them now and finish up that project. Sometimes it helps to dust off an old box and rediscover beads you forgot you had. Who knows, you might find something and say, "Aunt Jo would love this!" Holiday mission accomplished.

Get inspired by our pages and pages of free beading projects and don't forget to share your progress and feedback with us here on this blog. We are always so interested to see what you are doing. Just reply below and share as your works in progress turn into finished projects.

Because isn't it amazing when all this...

Becomes this!

For more on the National Seed Beading Month, see the Beading Daily Blog.

-Kat

Featured Brand for the Month: Vintaj Week Three

As we continue on with our featured Brand of the Month, Vintaj, this week we would like to highlight their assortment of Blanks. Vintaj blanks are incredibly versatile. Depending on your aesthetic, you can use a variety of tools and components to enhance the look of your blanks and transform them into beautiful, personalized jewelry.

Experimenting with different tools is a great way of adding a cool new look to your blanks. For example, using a hammer to texturize, a Vintaj Bick Kick to emboss, and/or a metal design punch to decorate are all wonderful options for Vintaj blanks. You can also choose from a collection of rhinestone flatbacks, cabochons, links and patina to add a special, unique touch. Let your creativity flow and create one-of-a-kind pieces by incorporating these ideas.

As usual, we will be featuring a beautiful Vintaj project as well as a helpful instructional video that shows a fun way Vintaj blanks can be altered and personalized. Take a look below!

Featured Project: Titanic Earrings

Titanic Earrings by Julie Bean

For this pair of earrings, Julie used the Vintaj Big Kick Machine to emboss Natural Brass Georgian Drop Stamping Blanks with a swirl pattern, adding an extra decorative touch. The DecoEmboss Die in Moonlit Night was a beautiful choice that adds a detailed graphic. Julie also used a Vintaj Metal Relief Block to highlight the raised areas of the blank. This project is a wonderful example of how a specialized tool can really transform a pair of plain Vintaj blanks. She pairs the blanks with pretty SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS faux pearls in Petrol Crystal for the finishing touch.

Featured Video: How to Use the Vintaj BIGKick Machine by Sizzix to Etch and Emboss

This week's featured video shows how to use the Vintaj BIGKick Machine by Sizzix to cut, embosses and etch many different designs leaving you with total customization. You can also see this tool being used in the Birds of Paradise set.

Below are the Designer Picks for our favorite Vintaj Blanks: 


Julie:

I love the Vintaj blanks that look like ornate tags. My favorite has to be the large vintage style pendant tag in antique brass. I can think of so many things to use this stamping for; from wedding favor labels to jewelry to room key adornments at a bed and breakfast, the possibilities are endless!




Megan:

I love the Artisan Pewter pieces from Vintaj, and especially these Blank Round Token Charms.  They're thicker than normal blanks and feel like a more substantial charm.  I would love to do metal stamping on these, or use them in a mixed media piece.

Kat:

As a musician, I can't pass up these Vintaj Natural Brass Guitar Pick blanks.  These are perfect for initials or use them with the BIGKick machine.  My favorite DecoEmboss Die is Distressed Textures.  It has three different patterns all on one Die. 




Karlin:

I think this Vintaj Natural Brass Manor Key stamping is so pretty! I'd like to use it for a long pendant necklace and embellish it with different washes of patina. I especially think that patina in Aged Bronze would look lovely on this blank.

Spotlight Saturday: Glass Dome Cabochons

'Tis the season for inspiration and one of my favorite things is all the beautiful holiday cards. I have boxes and boxes of them in my home but I never know what to do with them.  But I think I have finally found a solution.

Featured Video:  How to Make a Glass Dome Paperweight

In this video, our designer Julie walks you through the complete process to make these great paperweights.  This is a wonderful craft that comes together so quickly.  You can make several all at once.


Featured Project:  Butterfly Paperweight

This is a great way to recycle old Christmas cards. I don't know about you but I love getting Holiday cards and giving them. Some times I will find a card with a beautiful graphic or picture on it and I don't want them to end up in a box somewhere. The memory board is good but think outside the board and try using a cut out of Holiday cards under the glass domes.

Here is what you will need to make all of your holiday cards into paperweights:
-Velour backing paper that comes with four sheets (approx 4"x5" each)
-Nunn Design Glue
-Diamond Glaze water proof sealant
-paper or cards (which you may already have)
-Glass cabochons (choose from various sizes)

You will get enough materials to create a quite a few projects. It just depends on what size and how many cabochons you want to use.

As an added tip, try using a silver or gold leafing pen to write on the bottom of the velour backing.  Add the date, or where the card came from.  You can also give them as gifts, and add your signature to the bottom.


Featured Product:  Clear Glass Cabochon Round High Dome Crystal

The possibilities are endless with these glass cabochons.  They actually have a neat magnifying effect when placed over words or photos.  You could use wrapping paper, holiday paper, scrapbook, or holiday cards.  We have many different shapes and sizes of the glass cabochons. Some are so small that you can make rings, magnets or pendants with them. This is a wonderfully universal product with lots of choices when it comes to making your projects.  Throwing a Holiday dinner party?  How cute would these look around your table to hold down place cards.

So save your Holiday cards, or even break out the ones I know you have from last year in that box in the basement, and get crafting.

Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!

-Kat

Featured Brand for the Month: Vintaj Week Two

This week, as part of our featured Brand of the Month, we want to showcase Vintaj's line of Patina.

Vintaj Patinas are opaque inks specially formulated to adhere to metal and create beautiful, durable effects. You can use Patina to embellish your Vintaj components for a colorful, textured look, making your jewelry incredibly versatile and one of a kind. Using patina is a wonderful way of transforming your jewelry. You can make opaque finishes by layering patina or if you prefer a more subtle look, a light wash of patina is all you need. I personally love to incorporate patina into many of my pieces and love the unique, somewhat vintage look it offers.

Featured Project:  

A Lilac Afternoon by Karlin Jones

This week's featured project is a bracelet by Karlin, titled A Lilac Afternoon. A pretty Purple Opalite patina is paired with a few different purple nugget pearls and a Vintaj Arte Metal flower stamping.  The outcome is an unexpected, yet traditional look.

Featured Video: How to Use Vintaj Metallic Patinas


Earlier in the month we featured a video on Vintaj's Patinas and Glazes. This week, I'd like to share a video devoted to their pretty Metallic colors. These patinas are a great option if you want to alter the look of metal components in your jewelry by adding subtle highlights. Check out the video below for a helpful tutorial on how to use the lovely metallic colors. 

As we continue talking about our favorite products by Vintaj, we'd each like to share our Designer Picks for Vintaj Patina:



Julie:

My favorite is the Verdigris Teal patina. It's one of our best sellers and with good reason. When you apply it either as a solid coat, wash, or just dab it in spots with a paper towel, it looks like wonderful aged metal. I have used this patina on all metal types and it looks great with every one.





Megan:

If you know me and my partiality to anything that comes in a pink version, my favorite patina color won't surprise you.  Well, the name might, because it's Ruby Red.  But in actuality, this color is a really vibrant fuchsia.  I love to use it as a solid opaque, to turn metal pieces into fun, party colored items, like the Carnival Cuff in Pink.  I've found it helpful to seal these pieces with the Patina Glaze to help protect the shiny, opaque surface.

Kat:

Now before you say, "Yuck!  Moss Green?", let me show you just how beautiful it can be when paired with other colors.  Take a look at Julie's amazingly colorful Spring Leap Earrings.  She uses three colors in this piece and I think it's a great way to use unexpected colors and really showcase them.  So try Moss green in your next project.  It's a great color to have around for the Spring.

Karlin: 

I really enjoy incorporating Vintaj patina into my jewelry, and since I love to paint, it seems like the perfect way to add a unique, colorful touch. I like the added drama of a little black in my jewelry, so I'd have to say that the Onyx is my favorite color from Vintaj's line of patina. I've used it in my Cleopatra Brooch and I think it looks beautiful on a variety of stampings and filigree.