Being Kind and Meeting New Friends

I love meeting kindred spirits.

It makes my soul grow and that is something I love.

Kind of strange how one comes full circle.

As the youngest of seven children, yes 7.

I was often told what to do

 how to do it

 and when to do it by 9 other people in my life.

Oh, my family may beg to differ,

but as a young girl this is what I remember.

My family consisted of parents,

 six siblings

and a faternal Grandmother that lived with us.

So you must be figuring out from this post,

that I would of been a weeee bit shy back then.

Try picturing a five year old hiding behind a parents leg,
and holding on to that leg to hide.

Since I was used to everyone doing/saying/thinking for me,

I didn't have to do to much talking when I was young.

Those that know me now,

would say I've been making up for this in my adult life.

:)

I do love to talk,

to meet new people,

and to share in their journey,

whatever that may be.

So I'm embarrassed now to say that the story goes like this...

as a young child I could not stand how my parents would talk to everyone they met.

Complete strangers...

people standing in line at the grocery store,

people visiting our church...

even inviting visitors home from church for Sunday dinner with our family.

Now, we lived in a town of 356 people,

so strangers did stand out in our community.

But, my parents were friendly wherever they went.
This is who they were...

So the point in this post is this...

I have become like my parents.

Yep, you read this right.

However, I take this a step further than I believe they did.

They were just being who they were.

Sometimes, I make an effort to be more out going then I naturally would.

To be friendlier than what I may feel like it a given day.

To make a point to hold the door for the elderly,

just because they're used to us youngin's disrespecting by walking in first.

And do you notice the sad and unhappy people around you?

Why not make the world a better place?

I call what I do...

"Sprinkling a little Sugar and Cream on people".

Try it for yourself.

See what happens.

You might be surprised.

I love to sprinkle extra doses on the saddest people I run into.

With amazing results most of the time.

Here's how to do it...

Strike up a conversation  with someone,

while standing in line,

just because.

Hand out a sincere compliment,

instead of just thinking it in your head.

(if it's an insult, best to keep ones mouth shut)

Carry something for an overburdened Mom with children,

the elderly gentleman walking with a cane,

or the harried business woman trying to do it all.

Hold the door open for someone and let them go first,

and show elderly people respect like we were raised to do.

It's rather fun to see how doing acts of kindness,

being friendly,

visiting with strangers,

passing out sincere compliments

and

just plain being thoughtful

can make someone's day!

You can be the reason the crabby

person turns into a cheeful person

on any given day.

We each can make a difference!

Thanks Mom and Dad for teaching me,

the fine art of

making a postive difference

in others lives.

This blog post was inspired by email conversations with a new kindred spirit I recently met through blogland.  Thank you Kim for believing in me, and here's to our new friendship and partnering together through blogging in the future. 

I do hope to meet many of you followers at the upcoming Junk Bonanza event in just 1 1/2 weeks now.  Do stop in my booth, introduce yourself and join in with me by helping me spread a little "Sugar and Cream" around the world.
*Just trying some new techniques with blogging styles and editing photographs. The above photographs are some of the results.  The last picture is the natural color for all of the previous photos, so its interesting what one can do.  What do you think? 

The Story of a Jewelry Photo Shoot & Technique

Rings are $15-$16 each

I will have a variety of adjustable fashion rings that are recreated with vintage elements. 

All photographs of my jewelry in this blog post, were taken by Tracie of Tracie VanWechel Photography. Please do not reproduce or copy any of these photographs or jewelry designs. Thank you! To see more of Tracie's work, please visit her blog here.

Below you will find some more photos that I had professionally taken of some of my jewelry I've been working on for the upcoming events I'll be selling at. I am very happy with how these shots turned out and the creativity behind Tracie's work and watching her behind the lense of her camera was quite intriquing.

Please be sure to check out the previous two posts I've created, as the one shows the making of the Junk Bonanza giveaway necklace I'm providing, and the other tells a bit about Tracie's photo shoot of my jewelry.

  Boot/Bowling Necklace  - SOLD- $39.00

Notice the creative set up of this vintage wooden shoe form?  That is Tracie at work creating a cool photo shot of this Junk Bonanza style necklace with cowboy boot, bowling pin, bowling ball, heart and bling.  Love how she mimics the boot with photographing just the tip of the shoe form.  Now that is clever!!!

This photo shows more of my vintage wooden shoe form I was mentioning in the photo just above this one in which Tracie just made sure she only had the tip of it to make it look like a boot in that photo.  Here it is used as a prop to just lay a vintage redesign bracelet over the edge of it.    Bracelet is SOLD.

I love how Tracie took this necklace and used the edge of one of my many vintage display frames to drape it over its edge.  Again her creativity is amazing!  Above necklace is SOLD.

Car Necklace - SOLD $69.00

A more traditional photo of a one of a kind design.  Same necklace is in the below shot too.

  Car Necklace  -  SOLD

Like I said in this post, I really love how Tracie used her creativity in setting up the above photo.  It's so unique the way she draped it over the car, etc.  Such an out of the ordinary way to photograph a piece of jewelry, and hopefully one that people will remember and like.

Lg Glass Pearls w/Watch Face w/Bird Necklace - SOLD- $49.00

You will notice this vintage chippy hinge prop from this post.  Tracey grabbed this and used our back deck flooring to take this cool shot of one of my "Signature Pieces".  I continually try to create jewelry with the use of vintage pocket watch faces, with birds and/or another cool element in its center.  Sometimes I use pearls such as the necklace above with the watches, other times simple vintage chains, and other designs are more elaborate with a mix of elements included in its design, but you'll always find me creating this focal design.    I always have new customers discovering my jewelry, and this is hands down one of my most popular designs, so as a favor to new customers, I will try to always have a good surplus of pocket watch clock pieces.

Sigaut Necklace  - SOLD- $39.00

This piece is a combination of a damaged rosary chain, vintage tassle, SIGAUT perfume image created with a vintage eye glass prism and pocket watch case.  I love my vintage mannequin and you can read about the story of her unveiling here.

Gold Dble Strand w/Blue  - Available - $59.00

This piece was created with three seperate vintage elements and is now a lovely, classy two strand necklace. 

Tracie will be photographing the Junk Bonanza show this year, and will also have an interactive display booth during the event, so be sure to stop by her booth and find out more about this awesome gal.  Thanks again Tracie for the honor of working with you.

Heavy and Tough...All in a Days Work!

The story of a giveaway...

Necklace for Free

Yes, my blogging friends, you've heard me right.  A giveaway.  This is the first of three I'm offering in connection with Junk Bonanza event that is coming up in September.  I will be vendoring there Sept. 16-18 at Canterbury Downs in Shakopee and I hope to see you there. 

Do participate in give away #1.  Just head over to the Junk Bonanza Blog on Saturday and follow Jills' directions for entering to win this necklace made by me.

Now for the story of the necklace...

Count them, 1, 2, 3. Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear all sizes of cash registers at my fingertips. A special thank you goes out to my dear friend, Carolyn, for snagging the two largest cash registers one day for me while she was out and about. She and her husband did a lot of the dirty work with taking these apart in their shop and allowing me to come and use their tools to finish dismantling them. As I say, they did quite a bit of the toughest work and then in addition to their time, I spent another 17 hours harvesting the cash register tags from these registers, filing them smooth, drilling holes, cleaning them, spraying them with a protective coating, and than they were ready to create with. Ahhh, the joy of working with junk elements...

Notice the gorgeous patina on the drawer of this cash register.

These registers were filthy to work on.  My friends even removed the mice nests before I started in on them.

Nice to have this warm, well equiped and well lit shop to work in.

I knew that these little tags would really become cool jewelry too.

So focused on the task ahead...

At last...the junk treasures removed.  Oh wait, at this point they all need to be cut apart with a bolt cutter, ground down with an industrial grinder, filed, holes drilled, washed, treated with a sealant so they don't make a mess on your customers clothes, and than at last one can design with them.

So why am I telling you all how to do this?  Because, I for one, am a jewelry designer that will not be harvesting cash register tags again in my lifetime to make jewelry with.  If you think its easy, have at it.  17 hours of work to get something to the point of designing with just isn't something I'm going to be doing again.  Been there...done that...  Let someone else have fun with it instead. ;)

Free Necklace

When my cash register tag necklaces are gone...they'll be no more.  Here's a few more that will be offered at the Junk Bonanza sale event.

Paris inspired in gold tones...

Paris inspired in silvertones...

Telling a Story... a Junk Bonanza Jewelry Photo Shoot

Telling a Story...

I am showing you the after photo first, as I want one of my favorites from this photo session to be featured at the top when my blog is shown on peoples side bar. A little secret for how to getting interest in your readership of ones blog.

I loved this vintage metal car way back, when I found it for sale at a local occasional sale shop.  I knew then that one day, it would be a great jewelry prop and that I would use it for display at the Junk Bonanza show.  You see I like to pave the way, and find unique and non average props for my jewelry pieces, and this show is such a great venue to do that with.
So when Tracey and I met for this session, she pulled out the car from my prop selections, grabbed this aqua number piece and set this fabulously creative shot up.  When I asked her about it, she explained that the #267 set up like this gives the illusion of a license plate on the vintage grey metal car.  Now how creative and cool is that?

Before

After

Before shot is great in and of itself, but the after with the addition of the burn technique added to the edges of the photo, just really is the perfect technique to showcase my vintage redesign styled jewelry.  Would you agree?  I'd love to hear comments and feedback of your thoughts.

This photo is of the same necklace and I love it too, but the creativity that my photographer of choice came up with for the #267 with the car, just was such a cool idea and I love what she did in that shot of this necklace too.  It's amazing how your props and settings can make such a difference with the presentation of jewelry.

How lucky am I?

So lucky that I have a friend in my life named Tracie, of Tracie VanWechel Photography.  The photo shoot I had with her this week was at my home and we used our backyard, and my jewelry props to photograph some of the pieces I will have for sale this year in my booth, Mimi-Toria's Designs, at the Junk Bonanza. 

Jill is working for Junk Bonanza and is blogging about the upcoming JB show and featuring artisans and vendors that will be selling at the show. I wanted to have some great photos of my jewelry for this blog as  my vendor hi-lite should be coming in a future blog post.  I just emailed the photos to Jill today, so check it out on the JB blog in a week or so.

Tracie will also be the onsite professional photographer for the Junk Bonanza event this year working closely with Ki to capture all of what happens at the JB event behind the scenes, before the show starts and all of the flurry and activity during the shows event dates, September 16, 17 & 18th.

I bet the little boy or girl that owned this car years and years ago would of never thought one day that it would be a treasured jewelry prop for someone's business.  It makes me wonder who that former owner might have been?  Thank you Tracie for bringing the concept of telling a story about my jewelry or props to my blog readers.  I love this idea. 

More Tracie photos will follow in upcoming blog posts, so stay tuned for more...

I'm linking up this blog post with Gina over The Shabby Chic Cottage for her  Transformation Thursday today.

Oronoco Gold Rush Days 2010 - Part 3

2nd Annual Junkologie Blog Party

August 20, 2010

4:30-6:30 p.m.

Oronoco Park Campgrounds

220 5th St NW

Oronoco, MN

 

This sign greeted each of us as we entered the Pfarkel Sisters camping area.  Amy of Junkologie created the original idea and asked the Pfarkel Sisters to work together with her this year in sponsoring it.  Anywhere the Pfarkel Sisters are, there will be fun times. They are just an awesome group of ladies.

These vintage drapes were strung between two trees and created an entry into the junked up table which had information for the upcoming JUNK shows Junk Bonanza and the AA/JMS events, business cards, and entry forms for the attendance prizes for the blogging party.

Close up of the cool table set up.

Purpose of a Blogging Party:

1) to meet fellow bloggers

2)Junk up your culinary skills in the 2nd annual blogging potluck. 

Bring your food served in a junked up display, and potentially win a prize.

3)Win Junkologie gear and other prizes just for attending.

Amy of Junkologie explaining the hows and whys of the entries for the potluck.

Part of the potluck tables.

Cold drinks and yummy food was shared by all.  Next year, I will participate.  This year I didn't know if I was able to attend or not, until right before it started.

Amy had a helper with picking the winners for the prizes. Sophie, a junk extrodonaire in training of the Pfarkel clan was more than willing to help Amy out with this fun task.

Amy giving Sophie directions as to who the lucky winner was.

Some of the lucky winners with their prizes.

Never a shortage of words when you get this many ladies in a group.  Lots of visiting and fun.

Note the retro cool furniture some of the ladies are sitting on.  Amy found these pieces at the Flea Market the day before and was nice enough to let people use them during the blogging party.

The ladies from Iowa come up to Oronoco and Junk Bonanza each year to hunt for treasures.

Mary and Amy in a conversation while others visit behind them.

See, I was really at Oronoco...Jenny and I visiting.

Jenni, is my new 20 something jewelry friend I met at the show and than she came over to the blogging party.  It was fun to meet and visit with her, as we both have a passion for vintage redesigning jewelry.

This segment of my blog post is about a California film crew that was attending the Oronoco Gold Rush Days and filming on site for a pilot show for this upcoming Fall on the History Channel, when they heard about the blogging party and wanted to come and see what it was all about and film it.  How fun is this...  Come along with me for a behind the scenes look at a TV crew filming in Minnesota.

BB Entertainment

Manhattan Beach, CA

Producers Nick and Deborah with their Film Crew

The gentlemen meeting the Pfarkel sisters in this photo is the gentlemen that is interviewing the people they are filming through out the US this summer for this TV series.  He is a Vietanam Vet, and was a very interesting gentlemen filled with wisdom and life experiences.

Meeting and visiting with Ki, owner of Junk Bonanza.

Crew in action.

As I look on the interview/filming from behind the crew.

Amy has done studies on the health and wellness benefits of junking, antiquing and such and is explaining her thesis she's working on.  I was then asked to share a bit as I had an earlier conversation with this gentlemen that he wanted filmed.  Who knows what will be kept or tossed, but it was interesting, fun and another fun life experience now called a "memory".

They loved the retro campers the Pfarkel Sisters and families own and use, so they even filmed a bit of history about their cool campers.  Filming the cool retro camper above.

An inside shot of the Pfarkel sisters cozy vintage camper that  they've dolled up.  They even travel with this cutie pie little poodle.

I hope you enjoyed this little 3 part mini tour via my blog posts about Oronoco Gold Rush Days, and some of the great vendors one meets, the fabulous people to hang with, the fun blogging party each year, the great food, the hot weather, and the fabulous treasures one can leave with.