Quiet doesn't mean without thought....

I've been taking some time to really think about this blog. I was thinking for some time that I wasn't sure what my readers would want from a blog. Then, I realized, I wasn't sure what *I* wanted from this blog.

The need to be creating something is a need I'm sure many of you recognize. This blog is as much a part of that need as crafting a glass bead or piece of jewelry. And, like many of you, my need to create is coupled with a need to share that creation with others. That's why many of us take it as a personal affront when a piece of jewelry doesn't sell, or no one comments on a blog, or someone walks past our painting without a glance to admire another; we are creating so we can connect. When someone doesn't pick up the lifeline we've thrown out to them, it stings.

                                                                   Source: michelleums.tumblr.com via Rocío on Pinterest

This blog is an attempt to connect with other artists. I've been hesitant to put any of my own work up on this blog, because I don't want to abuse it as an advertisement. But I am thinking differently about this lately. I can't ask others to share if I'm not ready to do so myself. I need to take risks. I need to be brave. I need to fail miserably at some things, and discover those hidden talents lurking within.

This doesn't mean that this blog will no longer have "handmade" as its focus. On the contrary, as handmade should be about having a piece of the creative soul within whatever it is you are creating--otherwise, what is the difference between what you make and what some factory worker churns out overseas? Not much, really.

I would still love to hear from all of you. Leave a comment, write a guest post, just reach out and connect. Just don't make the mistake that this blog is all about me. It's about us.

Happy New Year!!

Is anyone as happy as I am that 2009 is finally over?

In reflection, I have been through a divorce, barely sold any beads, and have found a happiness within I never knew existed! I am proclaiming 2010 my "Year of Freedom." I am free from bad relationships. I am free from "having" to make beads to sell them--I can once again simply create for the joy of creating. I am freeing myself from the lack of confidence in me, and ditching the bad habits that have dogged me in the past. I'd say 2010 is shaping up to be pretty darn good!

I know we are all supposed to make the resolutions that we will quickly discard as life takes over the next few weeks. Rather than set oneself up for disappointment, I suggest we make goals for improvement...humans are much more likely to stick to good behaviors when they are working towards something, don't you agree?

My goals? To continue to work out 3-5 days a week. To learn how to eat better and cook more simple foods that provide fuel, not therapy. To write everyday, even if it's just 100 words.

If I can manage to achieve these three simple goals, my lived will be changed immensely.

What goals are you working towards in 2010?

D-I-V-O-R-C-E Beads!

I'm not really one for broadcasting my private life on my blog, but I figured this one time wouldn't hurt. I wanted to brag about the first new lampwork beads I have made since my soon-to-be-ex decided that our marriage wasn't worth working on. Obviously it was a big blow, and I didn't even want to touch my torch for a good month or so...then came having to pack and move all of my glass and studio set-up. Then, unpacking all of my glass and studio set-up! LOL

But then, the urge started to come back to be creative. I truly believe it was my spirit's first declaration that it is starting to heal. Somewhat ironically, one of the first beads I made was supposed to be a tab focal, but it forced itself to take on a heart shape. It's a little wonky and off-centered; a perfect reflection of my own little ticker (at least this heart didn't break!)


I will hopefully be able to actually list some beads for sale over the next couple of days. But I think I will hold on to my wonky heart for a while before sending it to a new home! ;-)

Lovely Surprise!

There is nothing better for a lampwork bead artist to see their beads made into gorgeous jewelry. The other day I happened to recognize the name of ArtFire's Item of the Hour artisan, as she had bought some of my beads a while back.

As I browsed The Beaded Lily's Artfire shop, imagine my delight when I found two beautiful pieces featuring my beads! I decided to share them here, like a proud momma!







This piece, entitled Chocolate Cherry Velvet Necklace, featured one of my focal beads, and some unique chocolaty rhodonite. So decadent!










In A Bit of Bedu necklace, some of my lampwork lentils are paired with turquoise crystals, mother of pearl and silver. I can totally see this necklace with a gorgeous southwest-styled outfit!

And the Winner is....

After dealing with my internet being down last night, I am back and ready to announce the winner and answers of the Lampwork Treasure Hunt!

The winner is: Susan Wells of swellsthings.etsy.com ! Susan wins a pair of my handmade lampwork earrings!

Were you wondering what the answers were to the treasure hunt? They are revealed below, with a photo and link to the Etsy listing!

Treasure #1
1) Stephen King wrote about a dark one.
2) Only mail deer have these (use the singular!)
3) Free term: lampwork

Tower of Strength by juliechristie


















Treasure #2
1) If you have too much of something, you are up to your...
2) These are meant to decorate your ears
3) Free term: divas

Eyeball Earrings by JanelDudleyBeads














Treasure #3
1) A type of dark chocolate cake
2) A muffin's sweeter cousin
3) Free term: divas

Chocolate Devil's Food Cupcake by HollysFollyGlass





















Treasure #4
1) These are a girl's best friend
2) This can be cloudy, sunny or dark
3) Free term: divas

Diamonds in the Sky by Glass Addictions


















Treasure #5
1) Adjective for someone who loves their country
2) Jewelry that hangs from a necklace
3) Free term: divas

Three Cheers for the Red, White & Blue by LAJewelryDesigns




















Treasure #6
1) He brings happiness on his wings
2) She opened a box of trouble
3) Free term: divas

Bluebird of Happiness by islandgirl




















Treasure #7
1) Man's best friend
2) Beware the curse of the monkey's...
3) Free term: divas

Zoe's Friends Paw Print Focal by infernoglassbeads




















Thanks again to everyone who played with us! :)

Etsy Yart Sale!!

Etsy is having an "unofficial" Yart Sale, June 10-14. I will be participating, with 20% off all items in my Etsy shop. Please check out my shop for details.

The Yart Sale is an "Art Yard Sale" that was first pulled together by an Etsy Street Team, the Etsy Supply Street Team. Now is a great time to take advantage of these specials on all sorts of handmade goods. Simply search "Yart" on Etsy and you should come up with all sorts of items on sale!

Must Reads from Handmadenews.org

This past week on Handmadenews.org, I tackled the concept of branding. Branding 101 gives a background on exactly what branding consists of, and how it benefits the independent artisan. Once you have the basics down, move on to Branding Pitfalls, which highlights the most common branding mistakes made by small businesses. Both of these articles help you to get a handle on your business' public persona, and create an image that makes customers want to buy from you.

More Must Reads...

Love Bags for Father's Day looks at creating a sweet momento for dad on his special day, forgoing the traditional tie.

The Little Things Mean So Much gives a number of ideas submitted from other artisans on how to go that extra mile for their customers. These special touches help build customer relationships, which can be hard to do over the Internet.

Teakettle Weed Killer is a cool little article from the Green Wise department. If you love your lawn, but hate weeds, the author reveals how you can kill the weeds naturally with boiling water!

Are Your An Artist or a Crafter? looks at the age-old debate with a clear perspective.

How to Market Fine Art Galleries Online offers some suggestions on marketing your fine art to possible collectors on the Internet, and how you can help them to find you.


Make sure you check out Handmadenews.org for your craft-info fix!

Do You Love Lampwork Jewelry? Please Vote!

One of my fellow lampwork artists has put together a contest for lampwork jewelry. This week's entries are all bracelets, and boy are they beautiful! Laurie did this to help show the world how beautiful jewelry made with lampwork beads can be. If you love lampwork, you will want to visit just to see all the eye candy.

My entry is Tiger, Tiger! I would love it if you would vote for me! I am entry 2-2 on this page. You can vote once per page, and there are three pages of entries. Please check it out!

What is the Cost of Your Art?

Discussion on pricing art abound all over the Internet. But what about the actual costs incurred by your art of choice? In this day when we are used to seeing some many cheap imports available, people have no true idea of what it really costs an independent artisan to create their goods.

Since I love to do lampwork, and have to deal with people who are used to buying cheap imports at Wal-Mart on a regular basis, I will use that as an example. I will only mention the tools and supplies you absolutely *must* have in order to create a quality lampwork bead (notice that you can't really put a cost on practice and expertise here!).

There is a beginner torch out there called a Hot Head. This torch runs on a single fuel, and is made to run on the small canisters of MAPP gas or propane you can find at hardware stores. You of course need glass rods, and stainless steel mandrels with bead release to form the bead around. And no matter what people might want you to believe, you need a kiln to anneal your beads (fiber blankets and vermiculite do *not* do the job).

So before you have even lit the torch and made a bead, you will have to spend:

1. Hot Head Torch: $40.00
2. Mandrels (12): $6.00
3. Bead Release: $10.00
4. Glass Rod Asst: $20.00
5. Kiln: $550.00
6. Can of Fuel: $3.00

If you chose to upgrade your torch to one that burns hotter, you will need to buy a dual fuel torch, the least expensive of which runs about $225.00. Plus, when you do this, you need to add in either bottled oxygen on a regular basis, or an oxygen concentrator which starts at $550.00 for a refurbished one.

Of the above supplies, the bead release, rods and fuel are consumed by the craft and need to be replenished regularly. Even if you decide to try to catch anneal your beads in someone else's kiln, you still need to spend nearly $80.00 before you make a bead. Now it makes a little more sense as to why those little glass treasures cost a bit more, doesn't it?

I would love to hear from artists in other fields as to what the costs associated with their area end up being. Please email me at handmadechicblog@gmail.com if you would be willing to write up a short entry outlining the costs you face, so we can continue to educate our customers.

TGIM: When "Handmade" doesn't mean Handmade

In one of my posts last week, I briefly touched on the idea that just because something is made by human hands, it isn't necessarily "handmade." When most of us are looking for something that is handmade, they are looking for something crafted by an artisan; a piece that is made with inspiration behind it. However, some pieces that are made created by artisans are made using components that totally go against the spirit of "handmade."

I will probably ruffle a few feathers with this post. And I have heard the argument that if I buy sterling toggles from a store to use in my jewelry, I am no better than other people who buy cheap items in bulk from overseas. I have been told, that since the glass I use to make my lampwork beads is from a factory in Italy, I have no right to talk about the components other people use.

Of course, I do not have the right to judge. But I do have the right to educate. And consumers have the right to be educated on just how much of their handmade item has the true spirit of a handmade artisan good.

Being a bead & jewelry artist, I will use this example: if you want to use lampwork beads in your work, you can use those made by independent artisans, or you can use the mass produced beads from China or India. Yes, there are some very pretty beads that come out of factories, I will be the first to admit. However, just because you string a handful of imported, factory-made beads, and add a toggle, that is, to me, a very weak example of a handmade item. If you make your toggle or clasp yourself, then the handmade stock goes up...maybe create some wire designs for the beads, and the homemade stock goes up even more. Then, use lampwork made by a local artist, and you truly have a piece that is handmade, body & soul.

This isn't to say that strung pieces cannot be beautiful and done exceptionally well by talented artisans. However, those artists often choose the best quality stones or beads that they can find, and let the beauty of the components do the talking. They do not simply buy cheap components, put them together, and then talk about handmade.

I hope I am communicating the difference here between those who exhibit the spirit of handmade, and those that have more of a "production" mentality. What I do know, is that this issue permeates more than just the bead & jewelry fields. With so many items made overseas, many artists in different arenas now have a choice between traditional materials and those made more cheaply. You can buy "handmade" paper in any craft store now, but is it really the same as using paper made and designed by an artisan? You can buy and number of wools or fibers with which to knit, but what about the joy that comes from using wools that an independent artist has prepared and dyed themselves? The more "handmade" an item is, the more value it has, at least to me.

Featured Artist? No It's Just Me!

For the first "Featured Artist" entry, I decided just to introduce myself as the person behind the Handmade Chic blog.

I began making jewelry about six years ago when I was sick of never being able to find exactly what I had in mind when I went shopping. This led to an interest in lampwork glass beads, which I would buy to use in my creations. Then, just like with jewelry, I began to have a picture in my mind of the beads I wanted to find. When I couldn't always do so, I decided I would try to make glass beads myself and took a class. Thank goodness my mother trusted me enough not to burn down the house with my torch, and I have been melting glass ever since. Below, you can see my lovely little fuglies that emerged from the flame when I first started lampworking!

I first sold my beads on eBay. Once I felt that the market there was getting saturated and over-run with mass-produced beads, I moved on to etsy. I still have a shop there, and have also recently opened an Artfire shop, and a shop on 1000 Markets. While it's a lot to keep some many shops going at once, I utilize each in a different way, for different goods, and so far, it works for me!

My day job is as a high school special education teacher. My job can be very stressful, and being creative is a much-needed therapy. Without creative outlets, I feel myself slowly wither inside.

I hope that I can help pass the word on why it is good to buy handmade items, not only for the aesthetic sense, but also for the benefit of local economies. My goal is to have the Handmade Chic blog evolve into a place that can serve as a resource for both artisans and those wanting to buy handmade goods.