Metal Clay Today Contest

I could use your vote!

I entered another contest with the Metal Clay Today magazine titled "Jewelry for Him".  This time, I entered two fine silver clay necklaces.  One is my Dolphin, a favorite that I wear all the time.  I laso have one for sale in my Etsy shop here:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/53741890/silver-dolphin-necklace-hand-sculpted . The other entry is a fish pendant I made for my husband. Here's a photo for it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lifeartdesigns/5364892170/in/photostream .

If you would like to help and vote in this contest, please take a look at mine and all the other entries here:
http://www.metalclaytoday.com/vote_jewelry_4_him.html

Thanks, have a great day!

Janie

The Time at Hand

You can’t make more hours in each day. Yet you can put more purpose and focus and meaning in each hour. 

 

Blaming a lack of time is like blaming the sun for rising. There’s nothing you can do about it, so it’s not a factor to concern yourself with. 

 

What you can do, is make the commitment to yourself to make each moment count for something meaningful and valuable. What you can do, is allow your authentic purpose to guide your focus, your actions and your use of the time that’s at hand.

 

Instead of worrying or being distracted about things that really don’t even matter, give your energy to what you truly care about. Instead of letting the time slip away, allow the best of your dreams to more fully unfold with each passing moment.

Remember constantly who you really are and why you have chosen to go in the direction you’re going. Every thought, word and action that comes from your true purpose will draw great value from the moment you’re in.

Whatever your age or situation, there’s plenty of time to live richly. And that time is here right now.

— Ralph Marston

Read more: http://greatday.com/motivate/index.html#ixzz1KXPy7sXV

Have a great day!

Janie

Dauphin Island Arts and Crafts Show

The arts and crafts show we had was a great sucess!  Lots of people came.  The weather was great without a cloud in the sky.  It was pretty windy though.  My displays got blown around several times, but we managed.  Here's a few photos I took:

The photo below with the pottery doesn't show the best of these pieces.  Inside the pottery, was melted crushed glass.  It's hard to describe, but it looked like real water.  Not clear, but aqua colored.  It was not only remarkable, but looking inside gave you a calm cool feeling. 

There were lots of awesome booths there of every kind of medium you could think of.  Wish I could have gotten more photos.  I'd definitely like to do this one again next year.  Not to mention that it's within walking distance to my house.  That made it very easy.

Have a great day!

Janie

A New Polymer Clay Flowered Jewelry Box (Update)

Here is an update from yesterday's post. I finished the blue and yellow flowered polymer clay box that I was working on.  It was in the photo showing my messy clay table.  http://lifeartdesignsbyjanie.blogspot.com/2011/04/come-to-dauphin-island-alabama-april.html

Here's how it turned out:

And here's what the inside looks like:

I am really liking making these boxes.  I wish I had time to do more before the arts & crafts show this weekend.



Come to Dauphin Island, Alabama April 16th!

We're having an Arts & Crafts show on the Island this weekend.  You should see my work area!  It's a mess.  Stuff every where!  Here's a small peek into one area of my clay table:

Believe it or not, out that small mess there is a polymer clay jewelry box emerging.  Here's a closer look:

It's curing in pieces as I write.  Once all the pieces are cured, I will assemble them into a whole box and cure it again one last time.  Then, the whole box will get sanded and buffed.

I also plan to have fine silver jewelry as well as polymer clay jewelry, and a few resin pendants. There will be lots of other vendors there with many different types of work.  So, if you are close enough to make the trip, come see!

Have a great day!

Janie

Resistance is Good

Meet with resistance

It is the resistance of the air that enables an airplane to fly. It is the resistance of the mountain path that provides a foothold upon which to climb.

The resistance you encounter is not there to stop you. On the contrary, that resistance gives you something solid and palpable through which to move.

The faster you go, the more resistance you’ll encounter. So it is by learning to allow and to effectively handle the resistance that you make great progress.

There is nothing unfair about having to put forth effort in order to make your way forward. It is that very effort that enables you to go in the direction you wish to go.

Expect to encounter resistance, and welcome it each time you do. It is a confirmation of the strength you already have, as well as an opportunity to grow even stronger.

Go ahead and plan in advance to meet with resistance, so when the meeting happens it can proceed on your own terms. It is by encountering resistance that you arrive at success.

— Ralph Marston

Read more: http://greatday.com/motivate/index.html#ixzz1IpiU2jZk

Have a great day!

Janie

New Work in Fine Silver and Polymer Clay

Here are some of the latest necklaces I have made while getting ready for an arts and crafts show here at Dauphin island, that I'm going to on April 16th.   I'm a little excited about them because they both are handmade from silver clay and polymer clay.  I've been wanting to make some pieces that combine the two for a while. 

This top necklace has a fine silver piece on the front with Asian writing.  That came from a stamp that I got from a wonderful clay pal who makes and sells stamps online.  She also made my custom logo stamp that I use to sign the backs of my silver pieces.  Her name is Tonja and she has a shop at Etsy and at Art Fire:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/tonjastreasures

http://www.artfire.com/users/tonjastreasures

Here is the other necklace I made. The silver part I made actually wraps around the top and covers almost half of the back of the pendant.  Another thing that I am pretty happy about is that I finally started making my own headpins with this! I took my little torch and some fine silver wire and balled up the end.  Easy peasy.  That's what I hung the little glass heart charm on at the end of the pendant. I can't take credit for the cane work.  This time, I treated myself to some canes made by someone else.  Her name is Carolyn and she makes some incredible flower canes. Here is the link to her website:  http://carolynsclaycreations.com/ 

So, what do you think? 

Have a great day!

Janie