Large Purple Tonal Arrow Bangle and 2 sets of matching Earrings for Holiday 2018

I found the perfect dress for this holiday season this year and, as usual, decided to make jewelry to match it.  The Jax dress already has some fantastic purples and lines so I kept it simple with a wider version of of my tonal arrow bangles and 2 earring options. 

As usual, I was over-thinking it at first.  I'm trying to slow down and take it one day at a time since I've been so overwhelmed lately.  It became obvious to me that I needed to go with something simple that I could make in time for our events that didn't involve following a detailed graph.  

What I still enjoy about making jewelry is playing with color and purple is one of my favorite colors as well as my go-to.  Lucky for me, Bryan also likes purple, so he already had a tie to match.

I'm preparing for REACH Studio Art Center's Not So Silent Night and packing my car today, so this set is coming along with me if you'd like to check it out and support a wonderful local art establishment.  It's tomorrow night (December 8, 2018) at 7pm.

Bryan and I at the U-Club.

Not a great photo, but I wore both style earrings on my ear with the two lower holes, 

I really like how they layered together.

Two New Pairs of Cluster Earrings, Blizzard and Leaves

As much as I keep thinking and saying that I'm going to slow down on making jewelry, I have been making a few pieces that I personally love and have been wearing quite a bit.  Which is the jewelry that I want to be making, if making any at all.  The above snowflake Blizzard Cluster earrings are large, bold, super-sparkly and fun to wear.  They have 3 snowflakes each and swarovski crystals for extra shine.  

I keep selling my favorite style of earrings that I make, they are tedious to put together, but are great to wear, so I am going to focus on making more leaf cluster earrings in different colors. I'm choosing to work on these rather than making small earring to have a smaller price point that are hit or miss if I even like them not less if they're going to sell just because they're cheaper. 

These latest cluster leaf earrings have 4 tiny leaves each (rather than the usual 3).  They're a bit more bulked up and more like what I want to be doing with my jewelry. 

I'm also pleased to announce that after showing my work in "Woven Together: The Influence of Sherri Smith" the Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey asked to carry my jewelry in their shop.  So my artwork can also be found there now.  Crooked Tree is a wonderful space and I encourage anyone up there to go check it out.

Small Deco Bangle

I took these photos a while ago and then things got crazy, so here's a quick blog post update.  This particular small deco bangle is currently at the Lansing Art Gallery for their 2018 Holiday Market.  I've been busy at work, with my house and dealing with stuff my parents are handing off to me as they downsize so I'm trying to slow down and deal with that.  I've been extremely overwhelmed lately and am trying to just take things one day at a time. 

If you follow me on social media you may have noticed a post about not making jewelry in 2019.  I'm backed up on my larger works/ideas and making small "affordable" pieces have been a creative time suck.  It's not what I want to be doing, so I'll still make jewelry, but pieces that I'm inspired to make, which will have higher price-points.  I will take small commissions on a case by case basis, but in the long run it's not worth it for me. 

I'm excited to be giving talks at 2 guilds in 2019 and 1 day and a half workshop with the Needlework and Textile Guild in May (which I believe is already full).  These next few weeks I'll also be working on proposals for Convergence in 2020.   i'll still do some pop-ups here and there and be supplying my current galleries, plus Crooked Tree Arts Center asked if I would show my jewelry there after having it at Sherri Smith's Retirement show "Woven Together."

Ultraviolet Leaves, Netting and Necklaces Set

This set started with the Pantone color of the year, Ultraviolet.  It doesn't hurt that purple is one of my favorite colors.  The wide netting bracelet has already sold, so I created a smaller one.  I hope to get these on my online shop sooner than later, but a lot of these are heading to galleries this month.  So if you see something you need to purchase, let me know!

This long necklace with the braid detail has been in my head for quite a while, I'm glad I got around to doing it, the braiding, pinning and stitching to make it lay right took me 6 hours alone. 

This leaf lariat necklace begged for a few extra leaves than I usually put on.  I'm looking forward to wearing it asap before it gets to go hang out in a gallery.

Cluster Leaf Earrings

Small Netting Bracelet with 3 Swarovski pearls, adjustable.

St. Petersburg Chain Small Loop Earrings, sterling silver earwires

Happy Plaidurday 2018! Plaid bangle and earrings are golden this year

Plaidurday is a day that reminds me to pull out my plaid bangle pattern and create a new one since it seems they always sell and I'm left without a plaid bangle.  The original pattern was in black, purple and green which you can see HERE.   In my preparation for this year, I decided to go with a dark gold base in place of the black, reds and purples.

This bangle and earring set will also end up being part of my holiday jewelry that I'm sending out to galleries starting this month, they are currently in my online shop if you need to have it now.

"Woven Together" Artwork by Sherri Smith and past students at the Crooked Tree Art Center, Petoskey

Last month I delivered artwork to Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey for Sherri Smith's joint retirement show.  The show consists of Sherri's more current work in it's own exhibit and a joining exhibit of 14 of her past student's work, myself being one of them.  

This has been a huge honor to be part of Sherri's retirement show.  Sherri was definitely the professor that had the greatest influence on me as a student at the University of Michigan School of Art and Design.  She is the person who encouraged and pushed me to take my weaving and beadwork beyond the basics of crafting and into the realm of artwork and professional exhibiting. 

The day of the reception started off with a brunch with Guna, the current Dean of the Art School and a handful of colleagues (which was really lovely, thank you for organizing this Nan!), the opening reception at Crooked Tree and ending with a dinner outside at Leggs Inn that Shelia organized.  My boyfriend, Bryan joined me for the ride (and the trip to the U.P. between drop off and the reception), and my parents lets us crash at their place the night before and joined us at the reception (thanks for the extra photos Mom!)

I apologize for not having titles for pieces, but the first group are some of my favorites from Sherri's pieces and the second is her past-student show.

"Woven Together: The Fiber Work of Sherri Smith"

"Woven Together: The Influence of Sherri Smith"

Jenny and Bryan

Jenny, Mom and Dad