2 Years and Counting

I was just looking through my sold items on Etsy the other day and realized it has been about exactly 2 years since my shop took off. It seems more like 3 or 4 to me really.

I smile when I see some of my earlier sales to  WillowStudioJewelry and fancifuldevices way back when.

What was going to be my semi-retirement business seems to have gone into full time.

I have to travel to take a break from it most times!

Which by the way I will be closing shop on Friday for a trip to the Copper Canyon in Mexico.

I'll be back around the 16th

Yet I enjoy coming up with some new and novel components.

It challenges me to make something that is usable and affordable and just a little different from others.

So glad you guys are liking the crust.

These are my latest "Crustoleum Flyntstone Cogs"

I save some of the newest and weirdest for myself and my own designs

It's been so long since I've blogged, been feeling that horrible word...busy

putting some things together for my jewelry end of the business

some HappyFallout and tektite with some of that Roman glass

I had fun right after the Tucson Gem & Mineral show mixing up some of my finds with some pieces.

There's some RaggedRobyn bits at the top there.

went a little XaZ beads crazy at the show. Nice raku

I did a heart. it was pink to begin with and I crubblified it and Valentine's Day came and went and it sold. All the way to Denmark

I do love the crubbly cubes and am thrilled to see how some are using them.

I have a Pinterest account for designers using NuminosityBeads.

Sometimes I pin your if I see them and you can ask me to join the group if you wish.

I think you have to be following it, I'm not sure. Ask me through Pinterest.

been a long time since I did the lampwonk studniks and the first time I've actually used them in earrings.

Go see Nikki at LoveRoot, she's used them too. They may be on my Pinterest page because knowing her they've already sold.

PicMonkey Business

I did pick up a load of Roman glass for my Numinosity supply shop

I always pick up a few sale-ables at the gem show, makes it fun

"Buying for others"

Did you catch these druzy whatchamadinger agate wonders?

I have all manner of sizes and two colors. 

I feel compelled to take photos of each selection because they vary so.

so if you don't see something ask me because there are more.

and I am selling whole strands too.

and titanium coated druzy crescents...also in natural color

You can see ow I used them in a set of earrings in my picMonkey collage

I know how you all love designing with sticks.

These coral stickes are extremely lightweight - hollow like

in manageable amounts too

these were rather luscious.

I have kyanite in two colors too.

Nikki LoveRoot came on down to the gem show to add to her stunning stash. She's already making some great pieces.

We met this dude in Tombstone when we stopped on the way down to our funky town of Bisbee.

 

We even ventured across the border for some tortillas in Mexico.

Guess what I'm having to include in her orders now?

Look how big crystals get in the sun. Just think of what it does to your brain cells!

Oh, and to top it all off I got an actual article published in Belle Armoire Jewelry.

I'm not being modest here with this micro picture. I just can't figure out how to get a larger one posted.

So go check it out some of our other favorite peeps are in there too!

Gem Show and Exciting News

I have so much to catch up on here at the blog since I went on my trip and then returned in time for the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show.

I guess I'll need to travel backwards and share my most recent excitements with you first.

I can tell you that I was the most restrained in my buying ever my first day.

Let me tell you, only spending $55 for a day at a gem show tent is quite a feat.

On the second day at a different show which is my favorite (or was) The Gem Mall, I was there fro three hours before buying anything. ...and then the floodgates began to open to a trickle and I was working my way up to a good steam of acquiring some goodies.

My favorite silver findings shop seemed to have moved from it's location and well as one of my other suppliers. I would have to do some research to find them.

I felt as if I were shopping for you all. Certain beads would shout out names to me.

I would be thinking "Oh, Janet would like those and Cynthia wouldn't mind having some of those"

Of course I was also thinking of what I might like as well.

I was wearing a pair of the other Kim from FlotsamTide's "Seal Maiden " earrings that had some of this funky kyanite that I had been lusting after. It must have been good bead karma because I found these strands right off at a booth that wasn't offering many bead items.

I got a half a dozen compliments on those earrings I'll have you know.

These Tibetan yak bone mala beads were a hit last year so I've listed some in my supply shop today

Numinosity on Etsy

I may as well tell you that I had gotten my "BUY"on by the fourth day.

I have been told by "One who Knows" that all in all I must have still been fairly restrained when I told her the grand total. ( There is another weekend of gem show coming up though tee hee)

I thought of fanci when I saw these...well of course, now I see that she's been using some in her work already. I got two sizes. I'm realizing that I need to buy smaller beads for myself now because combined with lampwork a lot of combinations can get pretty heavy.

I thought of Vladthebat Steph and Pipnmolly Tracy when I saw these

bunches of cheapo glass beads

will dismantle

Roman glass!

Did you ever wonder if I buy other's lampwork?

Well sometimes I do.

I have admired Karen Ovington's style since I was first introduced to lampwork.

I had never picked up one of her beads for my collection.

Isn't it splendid!

and here's another gal whose beads I love from Tennessa at "A Beaded Gift"

I've also added some crubbly headpins over at my NuminosityBeads shop

and well, not so crubbly too.

I almost forgot to tell you my biggest excitement though.

I've been accepted for a techniques article in Belle Armoire as well as a few featured pieces in the gallery!!!!!

I just need to get cracking and write up the article now. We have just three weeks before our trip to South America.

Utilizing Gem Show Finds

I wanted to share with you a few of my newest creations with some of my finds from The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. It was the first time since we got our little co-op unit in Tucson and I was actually able to ride my bike to one of the shows.

I was particularly drawn to bone Tibetan mala prayer beads this time and gravitated to more tribal looking pieces of bone and even wood.

This pair has my own swirly headpins that can be found in my Etsy shop NuminosityBeads.

I found some delicious pyrite chunks that were small enough not to add too much heft but add some understated bling (is that an oxymoron?) I have been waiting to use my vintage buttons, perhaps hoarding them. Taking a lesson from fancifuldevices I am going to let go and use some of my favorite collections now.

Here are a few of the strands I've broken up that I'll be listing in my supply shop Numinosity.

I have plenty of these so if you want to shout out for some now before I list, have at it!

These top mala beads are a bit larger than the ones I already have listed in my shop.

In case you're confused, I have two shops. One for supplies and vintage things that I didn't make  and the other is all of my own creations including some supplies I have made such as headpins and beads

My photoshop on my laptop is groaning from all of my India photos and won't let me edit any more due to a lack of RAM memory at the moment so I'm sharing some unadulterated photos here, please forgive me.

buttons and bones

Amber swirl headpins... small ivory color mala beads.

I hope to be adding more once I get my memory back!

I have one more thing to add here, do you folks prefer me to answer your comments here or via email, I've always been unsure about this. It has been kind of fun to see responses on other blogs so I may consider switching to answering here, Whatyathink?