Gardanne Give-away!

Such beautiful work...and now a great give-away too!


Check out Gardanne Beads!  


I've long admired her work, and now she's offering a give-away too!   Just follow the give-away link for examples of what she's giving away!   I wanted to melt!   Anne creates  lampwork, enamel, and mixed metal components as well as designs her own jewelry.    Amazing!   


Anyway, be sure to stop over to her blog and comment for a chance to win.  (Hint: Read closely between the lines for ways to get extra chances to win!)    :-)    


Then drop by Gardanne's Beads on Etsy, for a bit of shopping...  (The shop looks like the owner is away at the moment, but I do think she's loading her shop with new items!)   So if you don't see items for sale when you look, please try again!   


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P.S. We've got some exciting things planned here this week, so please stay tuned!  


1) We have a guest columnist and... 


2) I'll be posting a call for participants in a small challenge for our blog.  I'm hoping I'll get some folks eager to volunteer!     



And,...only 2 days left for my Valentine's Day special.  Likely too late to get in time, but nearly everything with a touch of red or pink, or sparkle,... is on sale through V-Day!   Items go back to regular price after that.   


I'm also loading new items again now and announcing them on Facebook...showing some here too.  But you can always find them in the Artfire Studio.   I'll have a new batch of things I'll put on sale soon.   And then start watching for the celebration of all things green and Celtic!

Take care, see you again soon!
Sharyl


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Graphic Credits: 


Valentine hearts and flowers:  http://www.wpclipart.com/holiday/valentines/.cache/heart_flowers.png


Shamrock:  http://www.wpclipart.com/holiday/Saint_Patricks_Day/shamrock/.cache/st_patrick_shamrock.png

Sharing the News: "Bead My Valentine" Contest

Here's another event you may be interested in! 
  

	It's the  "Bead my Valentine"  Beading Contest,   sponsored by  "Happy Mango Beads!" It looks like it's easy, fun, and a great way to get your  jewelry noticed! Included here are links to the Official Rules and Entry Form. Be sure and watch the presentation of entries  from last year!  I enjoyed the jewelry and can't get  the music out of my head now!  If you do participate, we'd love to hear about it  and see what you design! Sharyl     P.S.  I've marked down even more items in the  Studio for Valentine's Day--the last batch for  the sale which ends just after Valentine's Day.  A huge selection is on sale now!     I also have new designs to add to studio  tonight and tomorrow!  Coming Soon: --Special Edition with Guest Columnist! --Announcement of a Design Challenge  of our Very Own!

Blogger is behaving badly for me tonight.  
The formatting is amiss!  Apologies.


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Image Credits:


Rainbow Hearts:  http://www.wpclipart.com/holiday/valentines/Valentine_Rainbow.jpg


Heart Balloons:  http://www.wpclipart.com/holiday/valentines/heart_balloons.jpg

And the winner is...

The "Drawing" is complete!   All the names of people who left a message on a blog post indicating they wanted to be included were included...  

And the winner of my "Trellis Pendent" is... Therese from Therese's Treasures!

My congrats to Therese--I truly hope you enjoy this piece!   

To Therese, and all of you, I want to thank you for your participation in this challenge, your assistance in helping the "Sharyl's Jewelry" Facebook page achieve it's minimum of 50 Likes so I could get some free advertising through Facebook.  (If we hit 100, we get even more, so keep them coming!)  Every bit of attention helps...when you "like" a page, when you share a  message or photo, when you mention on your blog, when you send a note of support, when you shop my studio.  Your generous support has come in so many ways and I'm so thankful for every one!

Your help in getting my little shop noticed is like cheering on the "Little Engine that Could!"   I couldn't make it up the giant hill without all of you!

Now, I want to be sure I help others out too!  If you have a page you need "liked" or something you would like us to take a look at, a question to ask, or an event you want to share, please leave a comment!   

One I recently found on Therese's blog is a wonderful event called "7000 Bracelets for Hope."   Basically, it's about making a bracelet for the mother of a child with long-term illness. (Therese and the two sponsors explain in more detail.)  The deadline to sign up is Feb. 11. 

After reading about this cause, and how easy it is to help, I knew right off I wanted to be a part of it!   Therese was sharing the word, as she so often does, about an event sponsored by others.  I admire her greatly for that!   Please read her entry.  You can then go to one of 2 sites to sign-up, if you so choose.  

With much gratitude,

Sharyl

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Image Credit:

Drawing: http://www.wpclipart.com/art/drawing/.cache/sketchpad.pngwww.wpclipart.com/art/drawing/sketchpad.jpg

Give-away Deadline is Noon Central--Other Announcements to Follow Later!

Just a very quick note!   We made it to 50 Likes and beyond on Sharyl's Jewelry Facebook page yesterday, with a boost from Happy Mango Beads who posted on their page, encouraging people to come "like" our page!   I'm late for an appointment, will try to do this properly with link to their fb page too when I get back, but here is link to their shop!   Have a look!   (I recently placed an order with them--great selection of beads from around the world and wonderful service--plus --wow!--what really nice people!)   http://www.happymangobeads.com



The deadline for the give-away of the "Trellis Pendant" is NOON today, Central time, or as soon thereafter as I return from my appointment!   Details and a photo are on THIS PAGE.   Just leave a comment you want to be included and you will have your name in the drawing.   I'll announce the winner later today!


Thanks to all of you for your help and support!   Good luck to each of you!  Wish everyone could win--keep signing up for give-aways and you probably will!  :-)


Sharyl

How do You Describe Your Jewelry?

I often get stumped when it comes to assigning a description to my jewelry in ArtFire.  When I list an item in the database for selling, there are 4 categories I must assign.  The first categories are easy and straightforward:
1. handmade
2. jewelry
3. select earrings, necklace, pendant, or bracelet (based on the item)


Then comes #4...
4. ...has a long list of possibilities to choose from, and here is where I get perplexed....


For instance:

These are made of Czech glass crystals, a copper bead, one brass bead, hammered and twisted wired, brass kidney-shaped earwires with another brass bead on the earwire piece.

Here are some possibilities I  might choose for this Category:  

• Beadwork
• Crystal
• Glass
• Metalsmithed
• Other Metals
• Wire Wrapped

Which of these would you chose?   I'm really curious to know.   

In my opinion, they all make sense on some level, yet none seems to accurately describe the piece as a whole.

Which brings me to an even broader question...

Do you ever have people ask you what kind of jewelry you make?   I haven't come up with a good answer for that yet.  Have YOU?   I'd like to hear how you describe your "type" of jewelry!   For some, you may have a clear niche, for others (like myself), you may be floundering for words!   Either way, I'm interested to hear from you!   Please leave your comments!

Whatever words we use, we all do our own creative thing with some very cool results--so no need to let words get in the way!  I'm just a curious being!  :-)

Have a good week!

Sharyl

P.S.  If you go to "Sharyl's Jewelry" on Artfire, you can see the description I chose for these earrings.   I'm still considering a change though!  (The info appears just below the shipping information.)

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Image Credits:


Jewelry and photo by Sharyl, Jan 2012.


Question Mark Guy: http://www.wpclipart.com/blanks/callouts/eyeball_character/.cache/bubble_eyeball_character_question.png

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i heart macro: Glass Pebbles

I may have mentioned, perhaps several hundred times even, that I'm a huge fan of glass in its many forms!  

#33:  Glass Pebbles

I took these on a sunny Fall day (on my back deck) to post here and they are just now making out to you.  Hope you don't mind them being a bit late, but wanted to share them with you.

Thank you for visiting for today's 

Please click here for more up-close shots from "i  heart macro,"

hosted by Studio Waterstone!

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Macro-Friends, I'm hosting a give-away of a pendant I made for a jewelry challenge.  Please join in if you would like to win!  Just leave a comment on this page if you would like to be included.  Easy as that!

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**P.S.  Anyone looking for the page to sign up for the give-away drawing for the "Trellis Pendant" and/or updates on the call for Facebook "Likes," to "Sharyl's Jewelry,"  please see this page on my blog.   You don't even have to "Like" me to sign up for the drawing, so EVERYONE is welcome to leave a comment on the page in the link to be included in the drawing!**   

More on Flickr Jan ABS 2012 Challenge,

first 6 photos are for the Pendant.

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Thanks,
Sharyl
Sharyl's Jewelry

Take 3 Giant Steps Back--Then We'll have a Give-Away!

I'm doing so many new things lately that occasionally I leap  before I've got all the rules down.   Thing is, I never knew there could be so many rules.   (My family would totally disagree--I've often been accused of making up rules!)  


But alas, in reading through a rather hefty volume having to do with marketing on Facebook, I've come across a bit about seeking permission through Facebook before hosting promotions there.   ...And a second bit about not offering gifts on Facebook for people "liking" your page.   


So... that means I goofed and yesterday I just announced an offer on Facebook that would be another goof.   Mid-stream, I'll need to change how I manage the upcoming give-away and I apologize to anyone caught in the middle.   


So, first I'll take  3 GIANT STEPS BACK:   

• I won't automatically put anyone's name in a drawing who "likes" my "Sharyl's Jewelry" page on Facebook.   

Then, ONE STEP TO THE SIDE: 

• I will let you know that I would REALLY APPRECIATE it if you would "like" my "Sharyl's Jewelry" page on Facebook if you haven't already done so.   I would also welcome sharing the page with others to help spread the word.  

Finally, 3 GIANT STEPS FORWARD!

• When we finally reach 50 "Likes" (which will enable me to get free advertising on Facebook),...  I will personally be so excited and gratified that I will have a drawing for ANYONE interested in winning the "Trellis Pendant" I made for the January Art Bead Scene Challenge.    

"Trellis Pendant" -- Entered in the Jan 2012 Art Bead Scene Challenge

• All you have to do to be entered is... comment to this  blog post that you would like to be entered.  No strings attached.  (I really think it's much better this way anyway!)  You can be a member of my blog (or not), like or follow me on Facebook (or not).   I'll announce the winner on this blog and on Facebook then ask for the winner to contact me privately with address info.    

• The drawing will be held on the blog and will not be associated with Facebook except that I will make my correction there and encourage people to come to this post to comment if they want to sign up.   

Hope I didn't lose anyone in that explanation!   And, hopefully, I'm in alignment with rules now.   (I make a terrible rule-breaker, so I get the goose-bumps when I discover I've broken one!)  


Okay, back to the fun and games now!   Please play along!  




Sharyl
Sharyl's Jewelry


P.S. During the making of this blog entry, no actual monkeys were harmed.  These however are the out-takes:

           Sharyl upon reading FB rules.     Sharyl after bringing give-away under compliance.

Want to leave a comment
to sign up for the give-away?  
Keep scrolling...

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Graphic Credits:


Monkey reading:  http://www.wpclipart.com/education/reading/reading_2/monkey_browsing_at_the_library.jpg


Another monkey reading:
http://www.wpclipart.com/education/reading/monkey_reading.jpg


Happy monkey:  http://www.wpclipart.com/animals/primates/monkey/.cache/monkey_happy.png


Dancing monkey:
http://www.wpclipart.com/animals/primates/monkey/dancing_monkey.jpg


Screaming monkey:
http://www.wpclipart.com/animals/primates/monkey/monkey_c/.cache/screaming_monkey.png


Smiling again monkey:  http://www.wpclipart.com/animals/primates/monkey/monkey_c/.cache/monkey_profile.png


Green arrow down:  http://www.wpclipart.com/signs_symbol/arrows/round/.cache/button_arrow_green_down.png

Please leave comments, 

including wishes to be included 

in the  "Trellis Pendent" 

Give-away Drawing) below!  Thanks!