I adopted a policy in my studio.....about a year ago. When I had the great yard sale clean out and made like $1000. Yeah. That was cool. The policy goes a little something like this: Use the supplies you've got and then you can buy more. See what you really miss making and then buy more. Now this rule does not apply to painting. I always need new boards and fresh paint. This rules applies more to my jewelry making and sewing addictions. Yes, addictions.
I
love to make myself jewelry. Which usually leads to people liking it and me getting the light bulb idea that maybe if I made more people would buy it and I could make money and...and...and it might be the next big thing, right? Right. So in other words, I start making stuff, make a batch, then move on. When it comes to jewelry making that is.
I found a source for leather cuffs at the mart years ago and started making simple little cuffs with hand stamped messages, beads and charms on them as an addition to the gentle reminder bracelets. Which BTW are quite dainty. And sell like hot cakes wherever I take them. But leather cuffs seem to be popular so I added them into the mix. Although I wasn't skilled enough to figure out how to add the stamped pieces with ease. Until I took and enameling class of all things and she taught me how! That was in Portland, OR in October of 2011.
I tell you all this because it amazes me how even in jewelry making how my skills and creativity have evolved. One night when I should have been working on paintings I got the wild hair brain idea to emboss on the leather with my scrapbook embossing powder. Yes, that pixie dust stuff that gets everywhere it shouldn't and lingers for years after. And it worked. And I love it. And reading your comments on my insta and FB feed I am thinking I might need to go out a buy more cuffs. Because these were the last of my stash. A part of the rule: don't buy more until you find out what you really love making and then go buy more. I've used every last one of the 100's of leather cuffs I bought (Yes, that was a pricey purchase years ago because I do that, buy in bulk for fear of never seeing it again and then have stuff for years which leads to the issue of art supply hoarding and borders on an issue I might really need therapy for. Yeah.)
The rack above photoed at the Country Living Fair are the original cuffs. They were actually watch leather cuffs. That way I could hide all the jerry-rigging wire. Hahaha now that I have the snappy things I don't have to worry so much about that issue. Honestly I love some of the cuffs with just the embossing. I really can't wait to try more. Vero at Naked Art gallery in Birmingham, AL is very excited to be getting them for the holiday season. Look for posts about how and when you can purchase then there or here in Atlanta at upcoming shows.
Well...gotta get going. I'm working on a rather BIG project with Clementine the Bunny. A project that is scaring the poo outta me. That doesn't happen much. But it is right now. Basically she and I have to put on our big girl panties and get busy. See ya on the downside of the week!
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