5/31/2016

Creating for charity

I remember how I once knitted a cat from black wire, black crystals, with yellow crystal eyes. Unfortunately I only have a really bad picture of it.
When I posted the picture of the sparkly cat (still without chain then) on my Facebook page, I wasn't sure yet what it should be, so I added the question "What should I do with it?" and got the answer "Donate it to a cat rescue." The lady also came up with some cat rescues in the US and Canada right away although I tried to explain that I am in Germany.
Okay, so that hadn't been exactly what I meant, I thought more in lines of should it be a necklace or maybe a brooch, but then again ... why not?


Since then I have donated pieces for more than one charity or a cause dear to my heart, both in my own and other countries. Usually I don't find out how much they have actually brought in for the charity, but I'm always hoping I could help at least a little bit.
You won't be surprised to hear that the charities or small clubs that I donated for usually have to do with animals.
Often they have an open day where they sell things or maybe there's a raffle or a silent auction.
Here are some of the items I made for them. I wish I had taken pictures of all of them.
Somehow it seems right to make something that is related to the cause itself. A cat for the rescue organization or helping out with vet costs (not mine or it wouldn't be a donation ;-)), little birds, animal patterns for the local zoo ...




Another way is of course to put something in a shop and donate all or part of the proceeds. I think that makes most sense if you have an own category for those items, so you can collect a amount instead of donating a few bucks every, now and then. Personally I prefer the other way, also because I like the idea of creating something for exactly this event.
Thinking about it it's time again to look out for some events.

And if you wonder now why I am telling you all this, well, the month is almost over which means it was time for the blog carnival at the Jewelry Artisans Community.
Let's see what other members have to say about the topic or what items they will show us.

Jewelry Art by Dawn
Violetmoon's Corner

5/25/2016

Oldies but Goodies - Purple Haze

Once again Jewelry Artisans Community Oldies but Goodies Challenge was inspired by a song, this time Purple Haze written by Jimi Hendrix.
Yes, we did have amethysts before, but this time we have all kinds of purple, glass beads, crystals, stone, clay, such a great mix.
It's funny, purple still makes me think how badly I wanted purple jeans in the early 80s. For some strange reason it stayed a dream. Please excuse me while I go and browse purple jeans. I hope you will have fun browsing my selections from the challenge for this week.


1 MC Stoneworks
2 The Crafty Chimp
3 Cat's Wire
4 RioRita
5 Jewelry Art by Dawn
6 Violetmoon's Corner

5/18/2016

Oldies but Goodies - Emerald Green

What do you know about emeralds?
Did you know for example that they help the wearer to foresee the future? Protect against evil? Make you an eloquent speaker? And more? Check out this link for more information and legends.
Emerald is the birthstone for May and therefore its color was the topic for this week's Jewelry Artisans Community Oldies but Goodies Challenge. One of the submitted pieces actually has emeralds, can you tell which one?


1 Jewelry Art by Dawn
2 Violetmoon's Corner
3 The Crafty Chimp
4 RioRita
5 MC Stoneworks
6 Cat's Wire

5/13/2016

Tackle that stash - Piggy and seed bead bracelet

Today I'll make it short and snappy.
Working on a project (and some chores around the house) had been on my to-do list, actually two to make the loom free from one for the other, but I'm so worn out from this week that it's not going to happen. Unfortunately.
You might have noticed that I haven't been around last week on here, either. I didn't want to skip another Friday, but obviously it couldn't be anything complicated.
Not complicated doesn't have to mean boring, though. At least that's my opinion about today's bracelet which is beaded from matte metallic piggy beads and shiny golden seed beads. What do you think?



5/11/2016

Oldies but Goodies - Personal

This week the Jewelry Artisans Community Oldies but Goodies Challenge was about a problem that should be familiar to many artists and artisans - if you can call it a problem, that is.
Sometimes we just can't let go of things, no matter what it is. Paintings, pottery, glass, jewelry, and much more. And there are different reasons for that, too. Maybe it took you really long because you messed up along the way and had to rip a piece up. Sometimes there just isn't a price on the blood, sweat, tears, heart and love you put into something. It could be there's a special story behind it. Or maybe it started telling a story you didn't anticipate at first.
These are only a few of the personal pieces our JAC members couldn't let go of. Click the link above to see more than just jewelry, too. We even learned something new about one of our members in this challenge ourselves.


1 2 Fab Fristers
2 Jewelry Art by Dawn
3 MC Stoneworks
4 The Crafty Chimp
5 Cat's Wire
6 RioRita
7 Violetmoon's Corner

5/04/2016

Oldies but Goodies - Wild horses

I have never been one of those horse crazy girls. I owned one horse book that used to belong to my godmother. I didn't hang out at the stables like many of the other girls at school.
On the rare occasions friends dragged me to the stables I tried not to get too near to any horses, and I'll never forget the time when I was handed a rein - against my will, mind you - that came attached to the biggest horse I had ever seen to "just hold him for a second, will you?" followed by another girl telling me how brave I was because she wouldn't want to hold "Wanderer". You can tell my trauma by the fact that I still remember his name. He was nice enough to let me live.
I never felt the slightest urge to ride, and if it weren't such an embarrassing picture, I'd show you the shot a friend took after she and her friend forced me to sit on a horse, a shot I call "Two butts" and that shows quite well that I'm not born to be a horsewoman.
Nevertheless I think horses are beautiful and horse jewelry absolutely makes sense to me.

This has been the most difficult Oldies but Goodies Challenge at JAC so far. I remember that in the old days of JAC's predecessor forum there were several members who made horse related jewelry. They worked with horseshoe nails, made horseshoe designs, I remember cowboy hats and boots and of course horses.
Nowadays we are struggling a little with that theme, so much in fact that only two of our members were able to submit something, our patina queen and our painter of miniatures. They graciously allowed me to smuggle in my unicorn ;-) but they are the stars of this challenge.


1 and 5 Jewelry Art by Dawn
2 and 3 MC Stoneworks
4 Cat's Wire

5/01/2016

Quote of the week

Almost exactly six years ago I decided to post a weekly movie or TV quote and started it off with a quote from this movie.
This movie that I went to with my sister, an evening I'll never forget. I honestly don't think I have ever heard anything like that before or afterwards when watching a movie. That theater was filled with people who choked up from laughing. It's a sheer miracle we even heard what was going on. There was thigh slapping, shrieks and people crying from laughter.
Maybe it was because we all had the same kind of humor. Maybe all of us were in the same mood. Maybe we were ready to be entertained and just got into the flow together. Whatever it was, it was a great experience.
While I'm not in danger of dying anymore when watching this movie for the umpteenth time, I still enjoy it immensely.

Like in the scene when Wanda who is part of a gang that robbed a diamond dealer tries to seduce her boyfriend's and gang boss' barrister Archie to find out where her boyfriend whom she and her secret lover Otto whom she officially sells as her brother ratted out on has hidden the loot *taking a deep breath* Did you get all of that?
Wanda and Otto are American, by the way, and Archie is quite the British cliché.
Now Archie and Wanda are on the bed. There's a noise.


Archie: What was that?
Wanda: What?
Archie: Your brother didn't bring you here this time, did he?
Wanda: No.
Archie: He's no idea?
Wanda (chuckling): He doesn't have a clue.
Archie: What?
Wanda: He is so dumb.
Archie: Really?
Wanda: He thought that the Gettysburg Address was where Lincoln lived.
Both are breaking out in laughter.
Archie: Oh, those terrible lies he told about the CIA! So painful!
Wanda: And when he heard your daughter's name was Portia ...
Archie: Yeah?
Wanda: He said 'Why did they name her after a car?'
Again they are breaking out in laughter. 
Wanda: I love the way you laugh.
Archie: I love you. You're funny. Mmm. How come a girl as ... bright as you could have a brother who's so ...
Otto comes up in the back.
Otto: Don't call me stupid.

This shows one way to get an apology out of someone. I don't recommend you trying it, though.


A Fish Called Wanda, USA/UK, 1988