Giveaway from AZ Desert Creations: You Are My Sunshine Hand Stamped Necklace

Win this fabulous You Are My Sunshine Hand Stamped Necklace from AZ Desert Creations.
Learn more about Jennifer, the artist behind this great shop, here on yesterday's Saturday Artisan post.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest starts now and ends on April 11th, 2014. Contest opens to worldwide (FREE SHIPPING to US only, International winner pays for shipping). Open to Legal Residents (18years of age or older). Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on April 12th. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by e-mail. Adorebynat is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prizes and in a timely manner. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Good luck, everyone!

Saturday Artisan: Ash Ann Jewelry

Meet Ashly, our Saturday Artisan! Come and take a peek at her shop, Ash Ann Jewelry, and I'm sure you will fall in love with each piece.

She makes beautiful jewelries with vintage chic style that I truly adore. Let's get to know her more, shall we?

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

My name is Ashly King and I am the owner and designer of Ash Ann Jewelry. I love being crafty and ventured into jewelry design and enjoyed it! I love the vintage chic style when it comes to home interior and you can see some of that style in my jewelry pieces. I offer custom orders for special occasions (wedding, parties, holidays, fund raisers, etc) as well as just simple everyday wear. My items are all unique and I offer affordable pricing.   

What is the story behind your shop name?  

It took me a little while to come up with it, but I was playing around with my name, "Ashly Ann" and narrowed my ideas down to a shortened version of it.

Who is your target market?

Women, teens, brides, bridesmaids

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

 My favorite part is choosing all of the materials and beads to create the final design.

 

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 

I reside in a historic town of Pendleton, Indiana. There is a lot of history here. My town is famous for its local park (Falls Park). It used to be a popular swimming spot with a water slide and a diving board. Today, it is just a place where all of the ducks hang out and local people fish. It has beautiful falls and an antique filled house that you can tour for free. A little history about Falls Park...

Pendleton, Indiana’s recorded history begins in December 1818 when John Rogers, the first non-native settler to the area, built his home near the falls on Fall Creek. As time passed, more people made their way to the region, always settling near the falls - the community source of water and power.

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department?

I currently store all of my beads and jewelry supplies in several plastic organizers and I keep my necklaces in once place and earrings/bracelets in another. I find keeping the like items together very helpful. I don't have a workshop yet, but I have enough space in my closets to keep myself organized.  

What is your best seller?

 So far, necklaces.

 

How does your day go in general?

My typical day would consist of my full time job. I am a type-setter for a stationery company and design card layouts with type and patterns. I enjoy it! It definitely uses my creative side.

 

How do you balance your personal and work life?

Just making a decision that once I am finished with a certain project, I will move on to my next focused thing. Having a focused mind set and a set of goals keeps me balanced.

What inspires you?

Honestly, ultimately God inspires me. Why? I look at nature and design and for me, it always points to my Creator. I am just a vessel and He has blessed me with creativity. I enjoy creating pieces and seeing people happy with the finished product.

 

What is your goal for 2014?  

Continue to learn more and grow with Ash Ann Jewelry. To be in a few shows and to be featured more. 

 

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Yes, when starting out.... be very patient and do not give up. It takes time to build a customer base and it takes a lot of marketing to get your name known to people. Google+ business page and joining communities are awesome about spreading the word! 

Saving money is important; tell us one thing that you do to save money?

I wait for sales to buy my supplies most of the time and use coupons. I love garage sales in the summer and thrift shops in the winter!

Find her on: Facebook, Google+, Polyvore, and Website


Ashly is having a giveaway now. Would you like to win this beautiful Heart Pendant Necklace? Head over to her FB page to get a chance to win it.

 

Giveaway from Shadow Dog Designs: Fuchsia Czech Glass Swarovski Earrings

Win this awesome giveaway! Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs is giving away a pair of  Fuchsia Czech Glass Swarovski Earrings.

Get to know Catherine a little bit more by visiting the last Saturday's Artisan post.

 All eyes will be on you when wearing these fabulously cheerful handmade earrings, named FUCHSIA IS SO FUN. "Glowing" and " stunning" should be their middle name. Created with fuchsia colored Czech glass tumbled nuggets, 6 mm and 4 mm "fuchsia" Swarovski crystal faceted bicones and sterling silver, they will definitely lift your spirits any time you wear them! The one of a kind beaded earrings were designed and created by Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs. 

 

The color of the Czech glass nuggets is a luscious color of fuchsia, a deep magenta pink. The nuggets are faceted with an English cut and have been lightly tumbled to give an old, antiqued look to the glass. Because of that, some edges are worn and there are spots that almost look like smoothed chips in the glass. The glass was then given a shimmery metallic finish that sometimes glistens with a pale tangerine color when the light hits it just right. Fabulous! As you can see in photos #2 and #7, when backlit, the color absolutely comes alive. Now just imagine these on your ears! A sterling silver daisy spacer caps the top and bottom of the nuggets. In addition, a 2 mm sterling bead was added at the bottom.

To add even more sparkle to the FUCHSIA IS SO FUN earrings, I chose to add two different sizes of "fuchsia" faceted Swarovski crystal bicones: 6 mm and 4 mm. The crystals were stacked one on the other above the Czech glass nuggets. A sterling silver daisy spacer separates the 6 mm Swarovski crystal from the Czech glass and a 2 mm sterling bead separates the crystals. A 2 mm sterling bead was placed on top of the smaller crystal.

All the components used to create the main body of the FUCHSIA IS SO FUN earrings were strung on handmade (by me) sterling silver headpins. The headpins have a hand hammered loop at the bottom to add extra interest. The top of the headpin was carefully wire wrapped into a loop and then connected to sterling silver French hook earwires. A lovely finish for a fun pair of earrings!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Contest starts now and ends on March 2, 2014. Contest opens to worldwide (tracking may not be available to countries outside of US). Don't forget to leave me a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will be disqualified. Entries that do not follow the rules will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn on March 3rd. Winner must respond within 48 hours after being contacted otherwise another winner will be randomly selected. Good luck, everyone!

Saturday Artisan: Shadow Dog Designs

Meet Catherine our Saturday Artisan! She is the artist and owner of Shadow Dog Designs, where you find beautiful, one-of-a-kind handmade jewelries. I admire her works, each is truly crafted with passion. Each has its own story, clearly told in the listing description. Catherine is one amazing artists I have a pleasure to 'meet' on Artfire. She is a friendly, down to earth lady who is ready to help and great to work with.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

I grew up in Texas, and after many years of living up and down the East Coast and Canada, my husband and I relocated back to Texas two years ago, about as far west as you can get and still be in Texas. I am constantly astounded at the beauty of the desert and love the vibrant Texas/New Mexico/Mexico culture that can be found here.

Using the incredible beauty of Nature as my inspiration, I create mostly one of a kind jewelry using mainly semi-precious stones and sterling silver, although I do use copper quite a bit now. I love to incorporate other artists’ work into my creations, whether it’s polymer clay pendants, lampwork beads or other handmade items that catch my eye. I hope that my jewelry becomes like dear friends, pieces that you reach for over and over again because of their beauty, uniqueness and comfort. 

What is the story behind your shop name?  

My business, Shadow Dog Designs, was named after the 2 rescue dogs (later another rescue was added) that my husband and I had the privilege of sharing a life with. The name came about 14-15 years ago. The Shadow Dogs would follow me everywhere and were my big protectors. Naming the business after the dogs seemed the most logical choice. Plus I like the way the name rolls off the tongue! Unfortunately the first 3 Shadow Dog are now gone, but Seamus, our adopted Catahoula mix, fills their paws nicely.

 

Who is your target market?

My target market is ladies who don't want run-of-the-mill, mass produced jewelry. They love and appreciate the heart and soul that goes into designing a unique piece of jewelry that no one else will have. Most of the ladies that buy from me are between 40-65 years old and have disposable income, although I have had girls as young as 8 years old buy peace sign earrings from me. 

 

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

When the Muses are rocking, I enjoy all parts of the creation process . . . from the excitement when I find that perfect strand of gemstones to when I take a close look at the final design made with those gemstones and am delighted with the piece.

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department?

Organization? What is that??? LOL! My beads are organized (ha, somewhat!) in plastic bins with drawers, usually by color or by specific stones, on plastic bookshelves along one wall. Overflow goes into whatever is handy! I also have an old drop leaf desk with handy cubbyholes where I do the packing of jewelry that has sold. I had a friend recently visit who walked into the room and was about floored by the "chaos". It is my chaos, however, and I seem to be able to find things (mostly). 

What is your best seller?

I can't say what my best seller is since most pieces are one of a kind. More earrings are sold than necklaces, probably due to the price point. I do sell a lot of turquoise necklaces, both on line and at shows.

How does your day go in general?

My days are fairly regulated. Mornings are usually spent answering emails and promo work with the various groups I participate in. About 11:00 I normally go work out, which is a wonderful chance to interact with other ladies since sitting in front of the computer or at my work table is very solitary. The afternoons are usually spent creating/photographing/editing/listing items. Sometimes I even try to "tame" my work area if the Muses are taking a day off. Evenings are usually spent with my husband, although I do seem to sneak back upstairs around 9:00ish for another hour on the computer. Weekends are more relaxed.  

What inspires you?

The colors and textures of Mother Nature inspires me, no matter where we have lived. As I type this, I can look out huge windows and see for miles and miles, across the Rio Grande into New Mexico and over to the next mountain range in Mexico. It's an awe inspiring view and is constantly changing depending on the light, the weather and the time of day. From another window I can look out the opposite way and watch the Franklin Mountains which are much closer than those in Mexico. I never get tired of watching the mountains.

What is your goal for 2014?  

My goal for 2014 is to continue developing a larger online presence and to keep building my local clientele by doing higher end, juried shows. I also have new ideas for jewelry designs rattling around in my head - we'll see where the Muses take me. 

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Work hard - internet selling is HARD work with many, many hours involved. Don't under price your work - ask what it is worth!

Where can we find Shadow Dog Designs?

Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Wanelo
Google+
Amazine

Stay-tuned for tomorrow's giveaway! It'll be an awesome one :-)

Saturday Artisan: SarahCate Creations

Meet Sarah, our Saturday Artisan!


Sarah is the artist behind SarahCate Creations. She is an avid photographer and jewelry maker. Her photographs are outstanding and her jewelries are simply beautiful. I find her inspiring! She let go something she loved to do and was able to master another skill. Let's learn more about this strong-willed artist.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what arts/ crafts that you make?

I'm a 32 year old Uterine Cancer survivor (1 year of remission last month!). Before Cancer (and the neuropathy that disabled me after chemo) I was an avid and active nature, landscape and architectural photographer, but after having to put my camera on the shelf so to speak, I've taken up creating beaded jewelry. I started beading originally about 10 years ago when I got frustrated trying to find designs that suited me.

Now I almost never wear my own work, but I still enjoy creating varied designs and pride myself on having something for just about everyone!

My special pet project is creating jewelry featuring awareness ribbons in designs that are both eye-catching and unique.

What is the story behind your shop name?  

My photography business was always SarahCate Photography. The SarahCate is kind of a Texan thing, we love a double name down here! Since I've had to put my photography away for the time being, I needed to refocus my branding to cover a larger product base. SarahCate Creations seemed a natural switch that allowed a broader selection of items including my photographic art.

Who is your target market?

My pieces typically sell best to the 20-40 female crowd, but there are grandmothers and even great grandmothers sporting SarahCate Creations, and my photographic prints appeal to just about everyone.

Which part of creation process that you enjoy the most?

Even though I rarely wear jewelry myself, I get a really big thrill out of putting together a piece that is genuinely beautiful. Every once in a while I'll finish a piece and just... find myself really captivated by the play of colors and textures.

As a photographer, I always really enjoyed capturing something I had to chase. We had a blue-jay at the house that absolutely TAUNTED me... for years. Finally one unusually snowy morning, I was able to photograph him on a branch. It's still one of my favorite photos- and photo stories to tell too.

For us who love to travel, could you share a bit about your beautiful town/ city? 

I'm in Dallas, Texas. I've lived here since 2006 but I was born here and lived in Richardson until we moved in CA when I was 6 years old. There's a certain friendliness and welcoming attitude that's evident in this part of the state and with the mix of historic architecture and protected natural areas- it's a dream for a well-rounded photographer.

Could you share on how your organize your products, we all can use a little tips here and there in this department?

I went through many MANY systems to try and organize both my loose materials and my finished pieces and finally found something that works for me! My loose beads are kept in craft-mate keepers, they lock and each opening can be accessed individually which is perfect for all my beads and things.

And for finished pieces, I actually use a Stanley tools holder! They have individual compartments that fit several necklaces each, and they stack and click together for easy hauling to events or sales or home-parties.

What is your best seller?

Because I don't generally repeat designs- it's hard to really pick one. Natural stone pieces tend to get snatched up pretty quickly, but lately there's been a lot of requests for animal pendants- octopi and owls specifically!

How does your day go in general?

We're night people around here so I usually get up pretty late and then start my work in the late afternoon or evening. Depending on how my hands feel I'll make anywhere from 1 piece to as many as 7 pieces or more. Sometimes I make color batches, bunches of pink pieces or red etc, or sometimes I get inspired by a certain subject and will churn out a bunch of different animal themed pendants. I generally bead till I'm too tired to keep beading!

Then I set up my little desktop photo space and photograph the days pieces and set about measuring, cataloging and listing them. I keep a catalogue through photoshop that can be easily updated, modified and printed to take with me to events.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

Right now I mostly focus on listening to my body. The neuropathy I acquired during chemo in 2012 has stayed with me, and I have to really heed when my feet and hands are *done*.

Other than that, because of my post-cancer issues I remain otherwise unemployed and can pretty much divide up my time however I like within the limits of my pain threshold at least.

And because I did so much beading during chemo (great distraction from nauseous!) I have a stockpile of pieces ready to sell so if I do want or need to take time away from active work- there is still stock in my shop.

What inspires you?

Color. Well, usually color. I tend to shop more by color than stone except in special cases.

Admittedly a lot of my work is in blue and green tones as those speak to me most, but I have been known to build a whole design out of a single random string of beads that I picked up just because I liked the color or play of colors within them.

What is your goal for 2014?  

I really want to bring in new customers. So far most of my sales have been to friends and/or family which is awesome. But I originally opened my shop up in the hopes it could help me start paying some of my medical bills since I've been unable to go back to working a regular job.

Other than that, it's just to continue creating beautiful designs for people to wear. I get a big kick out of hearing from customers how much they love their pieces and how often they wear them.

I would really like to see the awareness jewelry take off more. When I was first diagnosed I was so bummed to find that the color for Uterine Cancer was peach. There was almost NO jewelry in peach, and nothing that suited my personal style. Now I try to create batches of ribbon jewelry in a variety of colors and styles- because I want people to feel like awareness doesn't have to be so utilitarian.

Any advice for others running their on-line shop?

Promote promote promote. That and linking to multiple social media sites is critical. The day I set up the instagram for my shop my hit count went from around 20 per day to as many as 600-700 per day. It's not always that high, but when I post in-process photos followed by finished piece photos on my instagram, my hit counts are always high in the shop.

Saving money is important; tell us one thing that you do to save money?

I'm a terrible saver- that's the honest truth. But probably my biggest thing is clearance shopping. Unless I'm working on a really specific design or a commissioned piece- I almost ALWAYS look at the clearance rack FIRST. I've gotten some great bead strings there, and been able to build some really quality pieces from them.

Being a consistent clearance shopper (and watching for coupons) allows me to keep my prices down, even though I *could* reasonably charge more.

So where can we get in touch with Sarah?

Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
Twitter


Stay-tuned for tomorrow's giveaway!