Jewlery Trunk Show - 1 day only - Saturday, Nov. 6th

Won't you join me...

as I introduce

a new line of

jewelry

"SteamPunk"

inspired

at

"The Loft".

Mimi-Toria's Jewelry

will be

presenting

a

Trunk Show

at

"The Loft"

2005 2nd Ave.

Anoka, MN

Saturday

November 6th

from

10-5

My take on Steampunk is shown through some of these jewelry design examples.  It is deconstructing items that were previously used for a different purpose, and recreating something from it that is once again useful and beautiful.  All of the elements I'm using were found elements in their deconstructed state, and I than design them into jewelry that once again will be worn and loved by you my customers.

A side note about these designs is that I spent 2 1/2 days at my cabin in solitude assembling these focals for the Steampunk Line.  After that, I than could began to create the jewelry designs.  Some are on simple chains, and others are quite elaborate.  I try to please everyone, and have a design that entices each one of your tastes.

I search far and near for unique items that may be turned into jewelry.  I scrounge antique shops, flea markets, occasional sale events, farm auctions, garage sales, ebay, etsy, junk shops, thrift stores, bead shops, and often my basement for my cache' of treasures. 

 I also have a great group of people that are pickers for me as well, and am very grateful to each one of them for what they find for me to purchase from them.  They hunt, they gather, and they than sell.  I also have a small group of special friends that gift me with treasures when they find things they know I can use and will love to design with, and what joy they provide when this happens. 

I love adding bits and pieces of sari silk to my creations and you will notice that the flying bird or as some call it the sparrow is a Trademark of Mimi-Toria's designs and often used in my pieces as accents.

An example of one of the more elaborate, detailed and ultra time consuming designs.

Did you know that birds mean "freedom"?  Maybe, that is why I love them so.  For me, Jesus gives me what I consider freedom.  What makes you free?

I'll have lots more offered at the Trunk Sale on Saturday, so come on down and check it out.  The owner of "the Loft", Julie, is also celebrating her Grand Opening on Saturday, so it will be extra fun with goodies and special things going on too.

***Check back tomorrow night, as I'll be adding another blog post after I get home from my pesky day job, and that post will feature a new line of my vintage more elegant redesign pieces.

AA/JMS - Event Part 5 - The Goods

Good Morning!!!

So the goods for a jewelry designer

=

jewlery...

Here's some of the offerings

I had at the

Art & Architecture/Junk Market Style

show

that I just sold at.

 I loved how this piece turned out, and fortunately it went to a very good home of an awesome customer named Karen, that will love it, wear it and it should provide many years of adornment for this lovely lady.  SOLD

 Lots of lovely details were added to this piece and the yummy colors made this creation one of my personal favorites.  SOLD

 One more shot of this favorite piece.  SOLD

 Four women drove all day into the night from Texas to come to the show in Minnesota. :)  This piece went home with one of those ladies, and the fun thing is she has 5 children, so the number was extra special for her.  SOLD

 Gorgeous vintage religious medal and this awesome 1898 Indian head penny makes this piece unique.

 Entire necklace - SOLD

 Lovley vintage brooch now becomes a focal on this great necklace.  SOLD

 This gorgeous necklace will be available on November 6th to be purchased at "The Loft on 2nd Ave." in Anoka, MN where I will be doing a one day Trunk Show.   I love this piece.  A combination of silver toned and copper makes me think of Junking for Rust and Fine Silver...  My personal favs...

 Speaking of  JUNKER...this necklace is also going to be available at the upcoming Trunk Show mentioned above.  Love the use of the optical lense, mix of metals and gorgeous sparkle in the vintage elements.

 Since this was a JUNK MARKET STYLE event, a gal has to design some "Junk" inspired jewelry...  Again this is going to be available at "The Loft" on November 6th.

 This religious medal was large, detailed and truly one of the most unique and gorgeous religous medals I've ever worked with.  It has found a happy home as well.   SOLD

 This great piece is SOLD and is one of my new favorite styles.  This one is sold to my newest friend, Joyce, but I have created a line of this design, each one different and unique, but of similiar theme.  They will be available at the upcoming Trunk Show at "The Loft" and on my blog in the future.  Inquire if interested... Prices will be $49.00. 

 Religious Faith/Lady necklace is SOLD.  It is reversible and also went home with my customer and new friend, Karen.  It's a great mix of old and new elements.

 A variety of necklaces that I had for sale at this show.

 This mannequin did her job for me. 

All 3 of these necklaces are SOLD.

 This piece is an awesome necklace.  The pendant was once a part of a clock in a home, and was sent to me as a gift to be used in my designs from a fellow Junk Market Style member, David.  How cool is that?  It found a great home once again, which thrills me as a designer.  Both pieces are SOLD.

 Details...

 Fun mannequin shot...

 A shot of my space before the show began...

The rest of my space.

One more event is

a part of my past.

Thank you

 to all

of my customers

for coming to

see me,

for your support,

and for your

purchases of

a

little bit

of my

heart & soul.

To my new

customers

and

friends,

a huge

thank you

most of all

for

your

friendship,

and approval

of my designs

through

your purchases.

Love to you all...

*****Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post about the November 6th upcoming event

at

"The Loft"

on 2nd Ave.

Anoka, MN

AA/JMS - At the Show - Part 4

 The Gala Affair

October 13

6-9 p.m.

 Photo above is of our family in my jewlery vendor space...  My hubby came down to see what the buzz was all about, and Emily, our daughter helped me selling in my space for the Wednesday night early bird shopping Gala Affair.

Me in my space...

 Gretchen (me), Sue Whitney of Junk Market Style, Lannette of Cottage Elements, and Laurel Putman of  Chipping With Charm after the event had ended on Wednesday night.  Lannette, Laurel and I are all contributors on Sue's website called Junk Market Style, which is a junkers haven of ideas.

Loyalist friend, Carolyn, came to support me.  Her daughter is in the below photo with Sue.  Thanks ladies for attending and supporting the charity at the Junk Gala Affair.

Sue Whitney with my friend, Michelle.

 The best part about shows like these is meeting all of the wonderful customers I had the privilege to sell to, and here is Joyce a new customer, and now a new friend...

I will have to do another post with the rest of my pictures, as my blogger isn't cooperating right now and won't let me add into it any other pics.  Stay tuned...

Found Elements Necklace - Part 3 - AA/JMS

Those of you that are frequent followers of my designs would recognize that I'm a designer that uses a lot of neutrals in my jewelry creations.  I struggle and try to add pops of colors to offer a different look for my customers that like color in their jewelry, so this and the previous necklace are just such pieces.  I find that the Fall brings me into a realm of creating with color.  Maybe, it's the changing leaves of our beautiful Minnesota Falls, or something, but it often happens.

Just found this in my draft box today, after a long time away, but it is available for purchase still, so wanted to share it.  A lot of unique elements are used in this piece.  If interested contact me at gretchen.schaumann@comcast.net   for pricing and further information.  SOLD 10/27/10

AA/JMS - Event, Part 2 - "Forgiven" Necklace

Forgiven Necklace

SOLD

This necklace will be for sale at the upcoming AA/JMS event in Minneapolis starting October 13-17th.  I am working feverishly to restock my jewelry for this show, as the Junk Bonanza show just last month was fabulous for me, and than I proceeded to be sick for 10 days, in which very little was created.

At Junk Bonanza, my friend Amy, shared with me that she had picked up a few vintage optical lenses that she thought would be cool for me to maybe buy some to create jewelry with.  Little did Amy know, that I've looked for these optical lenses for years to do just that.  At one time I found some, purchased them online, and when they arrived they were shiny silver and reproductions.  I was very sad, and was not at all inspired to use them, so they are still in my unused stash.

Now these vintage style ones, are another story...

The first design I've come up with using them is a necklace I've labeled "Forgiven".  You see as a born again believer, forgiveness isn't something I take lightly.  Because of this, I have a line of religious necklaces where I incorporate touches that represent ones Christian Faith and beliefs.  This is another example of one such necklace.

I've taken the optical lense and hand wire wrapped it to create a sturdy bail and than linked it to the double stacked Miriam Haskell glass vintage grey pearls which are accented with a vintage rhinestone rondelle.  This in turn is hand wire-wrapped to a vintage red glass French rosary beaded chain as well as another area of Miriam Haskell pearls, the original Jesus religious medal, the original Made in France label and than have created a mix of charm dangles that draws attention to Jesus image. 

The combination of the "forgiven vintage text" on the optical lense, the blood red rosary beads, and the Jesus religious image makes this what I called the "forgiven" necklace.

Available at the AA/JMS event only...

Floral Focal w/ Nest in Bronze - Part 1 - AA/JMS Fall Event

 Sharing a new piece

that

will be at

the

AA/JMS

event

October 13-17.
SOLD

 Gorgeous

bronze toned

floral focal

with

hand

wire-wrapped

birds nest.

 Details

of the

nest.

Entire necklace photo!

This piece will be

one of many

available at this

upcoming show.

Hope to see you there!