Waiting for 75... We did it!

Update:   Wo-hoo!  We did it!  Thank you, Kay, for helping us hit 75 members on our blog!   And thanks for members 1-74 too!   The very same thanks to our "Sharyl's Jewelry" Facebook Friends!  Details on the give-away to follow soon, so stay tuned!

* * * * * * * 

... P.S.  While you are waiting for details on MY give-away, dash  on over to the one on Pine Ridge Treasures!  She's having one of her own!

* * * * * * * 

I noticed....just out of the corner of my eye...that we hit 75 recently on the Sharyl's Jewelry Facebook page, then  casually, without a peep, moved on to 76.

Meanwhile, we've been edging forward on blog numbers too.  Currently at 74.   Not since Facebook numbers overtook blog statistics several months ago have they been so close again as now.  I'm unsure if Facebook slowed, or the blog accelerated, but either way, I'm happy to have so many people following along now.   Seems like only yesterday I was writing these blog entries and wondering if anybody would ever read them!

When we get to 75 on the blog too, we'll have a jewelry give-away and a little boost to get us started on our next 25!   I hope you'll join us for that!   It's my way of saying "Thank you!" 

P.S.  Also, please be sure to tune in Monday May 21st for the long-awaited "Sharyl's Bead Packet Design Challenge" Blog Hop!  More details to follow!

Thanks so much for being a part of 

"Sharyl's Jewelry!"   ~  Sharyl

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Excited:  http://www.wpclipart.com/phps.php?q=excited

Running:  http://www.wpclipart.com/phps.php?q=run

Surprised:  http://www.wpclipart.com/phps.php?q=surprised


Happy Face:  http://www.wpclipart.com/smiley/simple_smiley/smiley_happy_sad/.cache/smiley_mood_happy_purple.png 


Sunrise: http://www.wpclipart.com/phps.php?q=sunrise

i heart macro: Roses & Mother's Day

#18:  Roses on Trellis

...from a walk in a park with Tanya

 ("A Work in Progress") 

& her Kiddo this week!

I've been otherwise occupied today, as they say, but wanted to sneak in a very last minute (at least by my time zone) Happy Mother's Day to all the moms or folks with mothers!    

Rose Petals Along a White Trellis

...And to any, like me, who find yourself missing a loved one today, my heart goes to you too.    Whether in sadness or in joy, know that my thoughts have been with you all this Mother's Day.   

Single Rose

Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry

Please visit Studio Waterstone for more 

i heart macro photos!

The Wearable Wire Art of Louise Goodchild Designs

One look at the Facebook banner, and you know you've stepped into a unique new world.  ...A world created unlike any other.  Art painted with twisted color wire and very tiny beads.  By all means, click that link.   Then go ahead and "Like" the page while you are there, because trust me, you are going to like it.. or love it... or REALLY love it.   (Those are the 3 choices!  Facebook should offer all 3.)


Welcome to the world of  Louise Goodchild Designs!    And if you ever can take your eyes off the banner, there's way more to see on  the Louise Goodchild shop on Etsy!   Just look at these...  

Custom Tree of Life pendant (round) 

                wire-worked and beaded if desired

I love "Tree of Life" symbols and these are some of the loveliest I've seen!   But I also enjoy the image of this along with a tree...

                Lazy Days pendant

And as I'm preparing this, I've just returned to her Facebook page to see that a similar design just won Louise first place in the wirework category of Beads & Beyond Magazine Jewellery Maker of the Year!   I guess that confirms what I was thinking-- Louise has got super-talent!  Please click here to see the winning entry!

Well, I don't know how Louise took that news, but it was nearly too much for me. I'm going to stop and smell some flowers for a moment!

           All Because of the Ladybird...             

        

But it's not all about trees and flowers. Her wearable art takes many forms:

               In The Shallows wire and bead 

               underwater coral reef scene pendant

Fish, and an octopus and lily pads...


And land-animals too, such as this one  

            Watching The World Go By 

        wire wrapped cat pendant decoration ornament 

            with cherry blossom

If you can't get enough, Louise also has a separate website, with more unique jewelry listings!  


(I confess, I'm mighty partial to this one:

Rivulet (NECK111)

Now, if you love Louise's work like I do, you will want to visit her blog as well!   She's hosting a give-away of one of her pendants!  It will involve a visit to her blog and her FB page, but it's very easy, just leave her a message or two.   I'd say her demands are few for a chance to win such a great gift!


Please join me in congratulating her on her recently-announced achievement!   


My thanks to Louise for letting me use her photographs to show to you in this post!    


Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry



P.S.  Please note that many Etsy shops will not be available Thursday, May 10th in silent protest.  If you encounter this, please try again Friday.  Some have asked that you hold-off making purchases through Etsy on Thursday as a way of supporting hand-made products and the artisans who create them.

"Captured Moments" Contest Winner!

Thanks to all of you who participated in the contest.  We had a number of correct entries so those went into a drawing.

And the winner of the

 "Captured Moments" contest is...

Copper Brown Oval Links
Photo by "Captured Moments"

Pine Ridge Treasures!*

Lisa will receive 2 of these 

"Captured Moments" connectors! 

(They look even more fantastic 

when you see them! 

They have a slight metallic finish!)

She will also receive 

4 silver-plated bird-themed charms.

(Too bad I just packed everything up good and tight 

for mailing before taking a photo!) 

Congrats to Lisa!

* * * * *

My thanks again to Cindy of "Captured Moments" for helping me bring attention to the cause of Rare Disorders ...and to those of you who took the time to read our posts.

*I'd also like to mention that "Pine Ridge Treasures" has a 15% off Mother's Day Sale going on!   I was taking a look earlier and thinking "I want, I want, I want!"  So you might want to drop by and take a look too!

Have a happy Wednesday!

Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry

Bracelet sale ends soon!   Watch to see what's next!

Sharing Hope with "Captured Moments"

Please keep reading to the end! 

 Contest announcement is included.  

I want to thank Cindy Kovar, with "Captured Moments" for helping me spread some hope this week!    She featured my "Hope" jewelry on her blog!


If you visit the "Captured Moments"  shop on Etsy, you will see the wide array of lovely pottery beads Cindy makes and sells.   I've been using a lot of them in my jewelry-making recently and love the varieties of colors, textures, shapes, and sizes!  


"Captured Moments" pottery is frequently used in my "Hope" line of jewelry, which I started to help raise funds and awareness for those with rare disorders.   Each piece of jewelry made for this line includes a "hope" charm.  25% of the purchase price will be donated to a charity connected with rare disorders.

Although many people have rare disorders, the number having any particular one may be very small.   This makes it difficult to draw public attention for the need for funding for treatments and cures.   One group doing just that is the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).   

Another group doing good work for the cause is the "Global Genes Project," which Cindy mentions in her blog post.  They have a project specifically for jewelry designers called "7000 Bracelets."  Both Cindy (see her bracelet donation photo at bottom of her page) and I, and many of you, have participated in this wonderful project!)

I would like to thank Cindy, and all of you, for taking time to deepen your awareness of and/or commitment to rare disorders.  We have encountered them in our family.  In particular, my sister has several rare autoimmune disorders.  (As I have learned from her experience and from research, it is not uncommon for one to develop more than one autoimmune disorder as the body begins attacking itself as though attacking a foreign substance.   Thus it affects blood, bones, muscles, organs, etc.   ...These are my words, not intended to substitute for medical research or a physician's opinion, of course.   But I hope it helps you understand my commitment to this cause, and why my gratitude is so great.

In addition to the "Captured Moments" blog and Etsy shop, please visit Cindy at her FaceBook page.   Take a look at her lovely work, and give her a "like" if you please!   

Best wishes,

Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry

P.S.  My bracelet sale continues!   Some up to 50% off.   See "Bracelet" and "Hope" sections for all possibilities.   

CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

• Look through my studio on Artfire and count the number of "Captured Moments" beads you see in use.  

• Submit your guess to me through the Comment section.  I'll hold comment publishing until the deadline.  

• I'll send the winner a little prize package including a "Captured Moment" bead!  (If more than one person gets the answer I do, I'll draw a name to determine the winner.)  Please submit answers by 12 noon Wed., May 9, 2012.  (Central time)

• No worries, if the number of beads changes before the deadline, I'll accept all possible answers!  :-)  I already have the starting #!

i heart macro: Another Tale of Weeds

I've forgotten the names of these... How could I?   I've struggled so to grow them. 

I first found them in the garden section of a hardware store, where I sometimes buy Spring flowers.   I thought they were so delicate, I was willing to pay a little bit more than my usual amount for one.  

I took home a bucket of them, planted in my garden.  I watered them.   I nourished them.   I watched them  disappear into the ground and never come back.  

#11:  "Striving vs. Thriving"

The next year, I was in a nursery.  I paid much more for 2 plants, because I really loved them, thought they looked rather exotic, and thought they would look lovely in the Japanese garden.   If I bought them at a nursery with a good reputation, if I was willing to pay more, surely they would thrive!

They did not thrive.

"No more money spent on these flowers!" I declared.  They will not grow on my land with the poor soil, no matter how much I pay for them.   I bemoaned the loss.   

My friend and co-worker declared them a weed.  "You can't kill them! They take over!    I have them everywhere!"    I wanted to loudly protest!    But then I heard her say the magic words,....

"I'll bring you some, you'll see..."

. . . . . . . . . . 

Thanks for stopping by this week!

See what else thrives over at Studio Waterstone for:

i heart macro.

. . . . . . . . . . 

Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry

Bracelet Sale:   Up to 50% off--lowest prices ever!   Many new styles and colors!    

"Bracelet Make-over" & Sale!

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”

Albert Einstein quotes (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955) At the risk of making a mistake, something I absolutely hate doing, I've been experimenting with my bracelet designs.   No, it's not up there with theory of relativity, but it's me doing my thing in my own little world...where sometimes new designs can be both intimidating and exciting at the very same time! I'm really more of an earring person.   I often feel a bit naked without a pair on!   I've worked in the past year to be more creative in my materials and designs.    Then, about 6 months or more ago, I realized my necklaces really needed a step up, and I started participating in the Art Bead Scene monthly challenges.  Nearly all my pieces there have been necklaces. “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”  Albert Einstein quotes (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955) About a month ago, I realized I was going nowhere fast with bracelets.  I saw wonderful designs people were working on, and mine hadn't changed a bit in the last year or so.   So it was time for a "bracelet make-over!"    You've seen a couple recently.  Here are a couple more...    Orange Silk Turquoise Bracelet Special introductory price ($8 USD) Pottery focal bead by "Captured Moments."    Hand-dyed ribbon from "Goldenonetoo." Here's how it works: Bright orange and pink hand-dyed silk ribbon wraps around your wrist multiple times. (Length is approximately 30" long.) The turquoise-colored pottery piece (1 1/2" x 1/2") is part of the last loop of ribbon twisted around the wrist. There is a copper tube bead that keeps the pieces connected. Aqua glass beads accent the piece close to the pottery focal. Similar beads are included at the end of the ribbon to make the wrist size adjustable and keep ends in place once tucked in.    Pottery Copper Silk Bracelet Special Introductory Price ($16 USD) Pottery focal bead by "Captured Moments."    Hand-dyed ribbon from "Abby and Ellie Originals." Here's how it works: Blue and green hand-dyed silk ribbon is interwoven with genuine copper chain. Genuine copper clasp, handmade by me, hooks into any loop for a completely adjustable length.  Remaining length hangs as a dangle with glass bead accents. Currently up to 8 1/2" long. Each link is close to 1/2 inch long.  If desired, additional links can be added prior to shipping. Changes: So my first major change has involved incorporating different materials, chains, and fabrics, as well as using more color in the bracelets. My next challenge is to make a bracelet from brass sheeting. It's already cut and waiting for me.  It may be a disaster, but I can't wait to try it!   Then copper etching, then.... I'll keep learning and exploring.  In the meantime though,...  ALL BRACELETS are currently on sale in my studio!   Some marked down as much as 50%.   This is my biggest bracelet sale ever!   I hope you'll drop by!    Thanks, Sharyl ~ Sharyl's Jewelry ************************************************** Credits: Quotations from: htttp://www.ThinkExist.com Clipart from:

http://www.wpclipart.com/

Photos by Sharyl, 4/12