Creating with Resin - Artbeads 20% Off Offer

 
Bracelet is Sold

This bracelet was recently created with a mixture of elements and features neutral color tones. My post today is all about creating unique and one-of-a-kind designs. The creative process is fun, exciting, but yet can also be challenging.

ICE RESIN 

Ice Resin is a product I was given to try through a blogging for beaders program that I am a part of.  and if you'd like to try it out I've attached a link to a tutorial that is available through Artbeads if you're interested in trying it out yourself. Artbeads is out of Washington State and right now they are having a 20% off sale over $60 purchase on their site.  An added bonus is that they always have free shipping with no minimum order on their products.

Before in its raw state

Here is an element I unearthed late last summer while out foraging for unique finds. I like to be creative and use different types of elements and thought this would be a fun one to try.   Since I'm not only a jewelry designer by trade, but a bonifide junker as well it was a good element for me to purchase.  It was rusty, dirty and a mess.  Here it is cleaned up, but not yet treated with a protector.

During the process with just the image attached

This is what my vision was for these pieces way back late last summer when I first came across them. However, it took many months to get myself to crack open the container and give the Ice Resin a whirl.

Do you ever buy something to create with and find yourself paralyzed with fear of destroying it? Well call me goofy if you'd like, but I have a perfectionism personality, and I tend to think things through for way too long of a time. You see, I want things perfect the first time, so I over think them and/or I don't tend to tackle the technique at all.  Needless to say, I can have a product on hand way too long before I get brave enough to give it a try.   I can't say this is totally good, but I also can't say it is totally bad. The benefits of the perfectionism comes with the finishing details I put into my jewlery designs, but meanwhile I may drive those family members nuts. I guess that’s why I'm an artist. lol You're allowed to be quirky, and people figure it goes with the territory. Are you quirky in any way? I'd love to hear about it...

During the Process - setting up

Ahhh, this is the part I don't like...the wait.  36 hours of waiting once the Ice Resin is poured, about did me in.  I wanted so badly to play with these elements long before their drying time was done.

At last the finished product... 

Necklace is Sold

You may have noticed that the image in this rusty piece is different than the one featured above, but you get the idea here. I had two of the rusty style pieces, and the one of the ivory to work with. I've also since added an African turquoise cluster of drops to the above necklace as somehow I got torn away from the creation process of this piece and than had packed it up ready to be sold. It was later when I was photographing all of my jewelry for the French Flea sale that I discovered this piece was incomplete. Alas' I finished it and it was the first piece to see of the 4 day sale last week. I lovely gal bought it, so I'm thrilled to know the new owner.

I did add some African turquoise, crystals and some other dangles from the bottom hole of this design.  I obviously had gotten interrupted in the middle of this design, came back to it and packed it up and than after I photographed the jewelry realized this one wasn't finished.  It did get detailed out, and yes, it is SOLD.

More Photos of Ice Resin

Before

During

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Photo #4

Photo #5

Jewelry Designs w/Ice Resin

Example #1:

Eiffel Tower element in this necklace is shown during the process in Photo 2.  I chose to use it as a charm dangle in the above/below necklace.   Necklace is sold.

 

The Eiffel tower focal is repeated in the charm dangle 1/2 way up the necklace.

Necklace is sold.
Example #2:

This piece has a gorgeous dome like finish. It is shown during the process in Photo 1 above.

This necklace is sold.

Example #3:

I chose to use this ice resin as a charm in a junk style necklace.  It is shown in Photos 1 and 2 above in the during photos.  This necklace is available for purchase.

  Example #4:

Photo 2 above shows a glimpse of this Eiffel Tower black and white charm.

I love the mix of metals on this necklace.

The French theme is played out throughout this necklace with the Eiffel Tower charm, and the repetitive fleur d leis.  This necklace is sold.

Example #5:  

This bracelet has wonderful texture to its overall look. I've used just one ice resin piece in it, but it really does add to its overall look.   Bracelet is SOLD.

Here is a detailed photo of the Ice Resin piece.   This bracelet is SOLD.

 

Notice this cool coffee cup charm?  This was a find my dear friends, the Junk-Fest gals found in one of their junking expeditions in North Dakota and passed it on to me to redesign with.  I just love its addition in this bracelet.  Thanks Junk-Fest friends.  Love you guys!

A special thank you goes out to Duchess Erickson of Artbeads for coordinating everything she does with the blogging for beaders program.  It has been a great opportunity for me, as well as my blog to be able to try a few of these great products that I normally woulnd't of been brave enough to try.

Disclosure statement:  I have received the ice resin product free of charge from Artbeads to try and I have not been paid for any endorsement. I am giving my honest opinion of the ice resin product and the results I had with it.

Touches of White and Beach Style

Relax is what we did this past week-end at our cabin, so I snapped a few photos while we were there.  We still had 12" of snow on the ground outside our cabin, but I'm so anxious for summer, I just had to share these with you this week.  I decorate with whites and touches of aqua to give the beachy feel I love so much.

 

  Gorgous large coral was thrifted as was the cloche.

The plate and cloche were thrifted, and the shell was found on one of our family trips to Florida one year.

A wall at our cabin.  The window was $8 at an occsional style shop, printed sepia prints of our family in Mexico on one of our vacations in the Riviera Mayan area.  The Memories one the wall is a one time use sticker for walls.

More thrifted items.  The hand carved boat, the coral, the star fish as well as the buoy and net.

  All thrifted treasures with the exception of the anchor, which my husband created in a high school shop class years ago.

  This cabinet was purchased at the Long Lake original Junkmarket events one year.  I so enjoy this fun junky piece, which I use above the stool in the bathroom to display varying thrifted treasures in it.

Found starfish on the beach, and the cool ski boat toy was an occasional sale find.  We are avid water skiers and have a tournament ski boat, so kind of relative to our families lifestyle.

How cute is this phone?  I love to talk to friends, and found this cool vintage glass candy container at an a flea market.

  I paid .50 for the mermaid at a Flea Market and the other treasures were found on the beach.

This photo is also in the cabinet and is of my parents when they were first dating.

Thanks for taking a peak at my mostly White Wednesday which I'm linking up with Faded Charm.

I won the giveaway at Simply Stated

Rebecca at Simply Stated put on a fabulous giveaway a few weeks ago, and guess who won?  It truly is amazing, but it was me. :)  My first time I've ever won, so I was quite surprised to say the least and thrilled to no end.  Thank you Rebecca for such a wonderful surprise.  Be sure to check out her blog at the above link.
When we left a comment for the giveaway, we were asked to go to her favorite coffee shops online store and pick whatever we would like from their online store in case we were the winner, and I chose a detox tea. I didn't give it too much more thought and than she notified me a few days later saying I was the lucky winner.  So here is what her wonderful giveaway consisted of.

  A box loaded with treasures...

  This is the bounty... 

Wow!

The daily detox tea I chose, a Simply Stated coffee cup, coaster, and individual tea strainers that work very slick for the tea.  I've not seen a product like this before, and I'm loving these.

Simply Stated canvas bag.

  Latest issue of Romantic Homes magazine.

Beautiful notecards that Rebecca has taken.

Gorgeous prints that Rebecca has taken as well.  Love the quality of these.

Cute black house frame that ties in perfectly with my kitchen black decor.

Homemade jam, recipe for scones and a coaster for my tea too.

I just loved everything she included and wanted to give a shout out to her and her wonderful blog today.  Take a peak, you'll enjoy.  Thanks again, Rebecca for such a sweet gift.  I just love the detox tea.

Gretchen

Silver Sunday

I love this silver stool that the above pieces are sitting on.  It was painted silver when I found and purchased it.  I also am a lover of tarnished silver pieces, and enjoy the newer silvered candle holders as well.

Wonderful patina on this silver dish.  The crystals are part of a vintage chandelier and I purchased the crystals as found to redesign jewelry with, but love them in this little bowl meanwhile.  I also collect heart shaped rocks and have a couple displayed in this dish.

Silver chain, silver bird and vintage silver rhinestone elements added along with a great porcelain vintage watch face, creates a one-of-a-kind design which I sell off of this blog, as well in local stores in Minnesota.

More silver rhinestones around the perimeter of this Eiffel Tower image, as well as silver chain, crown & eiffel tower charm.

Silver charms are always a win win with me.

I just love silver everything, like this vintage redesign bracelet I created.

This is my first Silver Sunday event I've participated in and am looking forward to doing more in the future.  Thank you to http://thegypsyfish.blogspot.com/ for sponsoring this event and letting me play along with it.

"White Treasures" with Mimi-Toria's Designs

Just a quickie post today to join in on "White Wednesday".  I was having difficulty with my photos, so the planned post didn't work out, and I'll just share a few recent jewelry designs I created this past week using whites and vintage materials.  The "French Flea", an occasional store shop I sell at here in Minnesota is open for our 4 day monthly sale.  These items are all currently on display at the shop and for sale there.

Don't you just love the new tag my friend, Julie, created for my jewelry displays?

There is still snow in Minnesnowta, but this necklace has me dreaming of the beach.

Speaking of dreaming...this thick gold Eiffel Tower necklace has me dreaming of Paris.

I think the magnolia ivory floral necklace with the Miriam Haskel baroque faux vintage pearls would be so fabulous on a bride.  She truly would have a one-of-a-kind necklace for her special day.

  I adore this chippy former white, now rusty lions foot bathtub claw.  I love using it as a prop for my jewelry design photographs, as well as disply in the shop.

Thanks for joining me today in my improtu "White Wednesday" posting.  Enjoy the rest of the party posts.

"Trash to Treasure for my Neck" by Mimi-Toria's

Welcome to another "Nifty Thrifty Tuesday" gathering of friends.  I am going to show some recent photos of jewelry I've created with "found elements", thrifted treasures and antique shop scores.  Enjoy!

This piece shown is one of my more intricate and time consuming creations.  These elements were garnered over years of thrifting, scrounging and shopping for various one-of-a-kind treasures that resulted in this design.  The bakelite yellow bird was purchased at an antique shop recently with a mix of other elements for $1.00.  Yes, it was a fabulous find and really pulled it together.  The amber crystal element was found at another antique shop last week, for a very fair price as well.  The vintage paste bracelet and focal paste piece were from yet another antique shop.  

So the moral of my blog post, is that not only can you thrift at "Thrift Stores", but if you get lucky, you can thrift at your local antique shop, occasional sale store, and/or Flea Market as well. 

Thanks for taking the time to view my post today.  I'd love to hear a comment from you if you have the time.

  Gretchen