Monday, February 28, 2011

Game Time!!

Points/ Comment game.
so easy..... 

you will get....

for points 1- 3 you must be a fan of http://www.facebook.com/ErinsJewelryCreations   
  • 1 point for 'liking' pics, messages,etc....on my facebook fan page,

  • 2 points for commenting on any thing i post - non pics.
  • 2 points for each friend we have in common
  • 3 points for commenting on new pictures i post
  • 3 points for posting your own comment on my wall.... ( hi, new fan, fan page info, etc)
  • 4 points if you are a fan of all my fan pages

http://www.facebook.com/ErinsJewelryCreations 


  • 5 points if you sign up to THE HIVE through my sign up link
  • 5 points if you share a photo or link of mine
  • 7 points if you follow my blog
  • 10 points if buy something from one of my shops
  • 15 points if you host an online jewelry party through me...

this will start March 1st and end March 31st. 

the one withthe most points at the end of the month will get a goodie bag of 3 pieces of choice. 1 necklace, 1 bracelet, 1 pair of earrings.... and a 50% off coupon code for anything in my etsy shop. 

Saturday, February 26, 2011

This May...

This May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month.  Since my step dad put my mom in a hospice house for better care, all money I raise will still go to her but it will be for clothes, or something cute for her room.  I dont want her to feel forgotten, ( my older brother and I live In Rhode Island , my mom lives in Florida and my step dad is a truck driver and had to go back to work so bills , rent, etc could be paid)   so I want to send her something each week.  


I want to have an auction thru the month of May and buy her some clothes or send her flowers for her birthday on June 5th.  she'll be 59 years young! tho she wont admit it..lol 


So if you would like to donate something , please contact me.  I want to have everything set up by the last week of April.


Thank you in advance :)


( To my Hive friends who read my Hive blog about me going to florida to see my mom over the weekend... the trip was canceled... me nor my brother have a car so one of his friends said he would drive us down... well he bailed.  - Planning to see my mom this summer- hoping to stay a few weeks which is a lot longer than if my brother and i went this weekend. it was gonna be a weekend trip) 

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Awesome Blog Award

The sweet Wood Thrush shared her Awesome Blog Award with me. I'm honored.  Wood's work is amazing!

Here are the 7 things I am suppose to share.....

  • I am obsessed with the beach. every time I go I have to collect like 50 shells.. I always look for sea glass as well.. its so beautiful
  • I love the Cesar salads from Wendy's.
  • I dont mind doing laundry, but vacuuming is OUT OF THE QUESTION!! :)
  • When I was growing up ( in the 80's ) I had a ton of My Little Ponies. Including Apple Jack :)
  •  I love to read.
  • I have watched the same Soap Opera ( Days of our Lives ) for the past 16 years. lol I got my grandmother, mother and my brother (when he was out of work) watching it :) .
  • I live anything with cherries :)


Here are the 15 awesome people I pass the Awesome Blog Award to....


  1.  http://craftycoriscreations.blogspot.com/
  2.  http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com/
  3. http://cornerstoregoddessjewelry.blogspot.com/
  4. http://www.ajsartsanddesigns.com/
  5. http://mossycreeksoap.blogspot.com/
  6. http://blog.madebymeg.net/
  7. http://lisalizalou.blogspot.com/
  8. http://jenwithsprinkles.blogspot.com/
  9. http://heinani.blogspot.com/
  10. http://www.kimvglass.blogspot.com/
  11. http://creatingcupcakes.blogspot.com/
  12. http://popartminis.blogspot.com/
  13. http://soap-queen.blogspot.com/
  14. http://lindapindadesigns.blogspot.com/
  15. http://samplervillage.blogspot.com/

Friday, February 18, 2011

The Craft Oath

I pledge I will craft with love, always


I pledge I will only send something out that I would like to recive myself


I pledge When I craft for someone specific in mind, I will take into account their likes and dislikes, and I will always do my best


I pledge I shall craft to live and shall live to craft. Without crafting, I am nothing


I pledge I will love what I do, and share what I love.


I pledge to not steal the work of others... rather, to always create originally!


I pledge to embrace the mistakes and never let my craft be a burden


I pledge I will continue to push my creativity in new directions and to try new things


I pledge I will never begrudge myself my stash; it's my retirement account.


I pledge I will not make a big deal about something not being "perfect".  It may be loved by someone else!


I pledge I shall try to not be so self-critical and just enjoy what I can do to the best of my ability, but will never stop trying to improve my crafting abilities either.


I pledge I will create with my own uniqueness and passion.



Don't fret about the result, just enjoy the process.

There's no such thing as a mistake, it's a design opportunity.

Art heals, crafting is therapy...all creative expression is worthwhile and intrinsic to our health and self-esteem.





***********************************************






Thank you for all who contributed to this oath. To take the oath, just comment below. :) 




A few new pieces!!


I just made these pieces last night
I added the Cross Set to my etsy... I will add the bracelet later. 


The bracelet is a size 7






                                                      



Feature Me Friday - Queenstown Candle Creations




Todays Featured Artist is Kirsty Yates / Queenstown Candle Creations


    


About the Artist 
      
I have been lucky enough to sample one of Kirsty's yummy smelling candles. I won one last year. Only took 2 months to ship from Australia to the U.S. It was so worth the wait.Part of my living room smells like the candle- Chocolate Mint. Apart from  making candles Kirsty also works as a public servant and is a volunteer ambulance officer, as well as being on other community committees. So unfortunately she doesn't  get to dedicate as much time to Queenstown Candle Creations as she would like to.


4 oz travel tins
French Vanilla, Cocont Lime, Hazelnut Cappuccino. 


tarts - Strawberry, Ice Lemon Biscotti, Melon Slices, Hazelnut Cappuccino, Candy Cane,
Lavender , Vanilla.



Q & A's 


1. Why do you make candles?
I started making candles just for myself but have always wanted to be my own boss so i thought that i'd try to make a business out of it and i haven't looked back since.



2.Do you have a favorite scent?
This is a hard one! I love blueberry cobbler, but iced lemon biscotti is yummy, lemon zest is nice too.... nope can't decide. 

3.
 Is candle making hard or easy? 

It isn't really hard once you get the basics worked out. It's a matter of knowing how the waxes work. Soy wax is probably the hardest to work with and the most temperamental.



4. What else do u make , if anything?
We make soaps as well. Goats milk has proved very popular.


Heart Soap with Face washer 

 Goats milk with lavender buds
                                                           


5. Plans for the future?
 I'm looking at expanding the business. I am currently having a new website built that is very close to being launched, and i would also like to begin doing candle parties later in the year.


Words of Wisdom
My tip for anyone who wants to get into business is just go for it. take a chance because you never know, it might just work out :)




Where to find Queenstown Candle Creations
Facebook
Website - new




Friday, February 11, 2011

Feature Me Friday - The Soap Gallery

Todays Featured Artist is Louise Vargas/ The Soap Gallery 


About the Artist 
We are a very small family business started originally in 2009 in Seattle. We moved location and are now re-establishing ourselves in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I refer to myself as an artisan soap maker and have been making soap for over 13 years now. My daughter has taken interest in the business and she and I both make our other delicious skincare products such as scrubs, balms, serums and haircare.





Lilac Calendula soap with lavender and oatmeal

Felted Soap- so cool :)


Q & A's


1. Do you make hot or cold processed soaps?
We make soap using both the hot processed and the cold processed method. Each have their distinct look that defines our product line.

2. How did you get in to soap making?
 first started soap making after decades of searching for a solution to my chapped dry sensitive skin. A bookstore had in its window a book about natural soap making. My first thought was "I can MAKE soap???" - bought the book and discovered the lotion like feel only handmade soap can give you. I was hooked!



3. How long have you been making soaps?
As I've mentioned, soap making has been an addiction for over 13 years now. 

4. What else do you make , if anything?

We are also known for our other skin care products now. Liquid soap, whipped cream soap, facial serums, balms, solid bubble bath, shampoo and conditioners, whipped butters, fizzies, melts, salt scrubs. A more recent sensitivity to commercial laundry detergent led me down a road into making our own laundry soap. This has become a hot item for us.

5. What are your plans for the future?

Our plans for the future involve increasing our manufacturing capacity, and we are looking for wholesale venues who are interested in carrying our product. 




Words of wisdom
  " Making soap is powerful magic. Transformation of matter is a profound occupation." 
(Alicia Grosso)




Where to find The Soap Gallery-
Facebook
Etsy
Twitter
Blog
Website




     ****************
Thank you so much Louise :)

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Zenangle # 7


My fave so far.
 I just found a guest book cover I thought I would start to use to hold my Zenangles in. :) 

More Zenangles from Erin :)



I look at other peoples Zenangles and wonder if I am doing them right. But it doesn't really matter. I am not an artist, I really like the  way mine come out. It calms me. :) and that is all that matters  :)

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Zenangle #4

This is my 4th zenangle and my fave so far.
my boyfriend doesn't like how i added more to the right side. ( hearts and tears).
they represent something tho.  I didn't tell him that tho so he wouldn't feel bad.  I was thinking of  my mom when i drew the tears. shes not getting any better. the tumor is starting to effect her memory and speech.  I want to cry each time I think about how she wont know who I am someday. I'm in Rhode Island and she's in Florida so it gets me more upset that I cant see her everyday.  
And the hearts represent how even tho she wont be able to tell me she knows who I am , I know in her heart she will . 

Monday, February 7, 2011

My Zenangles 1, 2 and 3

These were so fun to make. I made the first one b4 bedtime and I slept great. I read that making a zenangle by bed time helps with insomnia :) 




I used a blue sharpie! its all I had. :) gonna buy some paper and gel pens this weekend. 

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Theory of Zenangle

Theory of Zentangle

Zentangle is simple to understand and easy to enjoy — even if you are convinced you are not an artist. With Zentangle, you can always explore new areas of experience and insight.
Here are some theories which explain why Zentangle is not only easy and enjoyable, but also profound and uplifting.

Anything is Possible One Stroke at a Time

At first glance, a Zentangle can seem intricate and complicated. But, when you see how it is done, you realize how simple it is. When you create a Zentangle, you realize how fun and engrossing it is.
We love presenting to a class or seminar full of people who are convinced they could never draw a Zentangle. Then, within 15 minutes, they have easily accomplished what they thought impossible. This is one of our favorite Zentangle metaphors. You can transfer that insight and experience of success and accomplishment to any life experience. Something may look complicated, but you know you can do it one simple stroke at a time.

Deliberate Stroke

In Zentangle, you draw each stroke consciously and deliberately. We are always making "strokes" (thoughts, words, deeds) in our life. By taking Zentangle's inspiration to make each stroke deliberate, you understand how those apparently small and insignificant "strokes" of our moment to moment lives contribute to your life's pattern.

Deliberate Focus

Just as you make a deliberate pen stroke on your Zentangle, that very act of putting your pen to paper focuses your attention in a way similar to meditation or being "in the zone." As your eye follows your pen strokes your attention shifts to a state that allows fresh thoughts, new perspectives, and creative insights to flow unhindered by anxiety or effort.

No Eraser

There is no eraser in life and there is no eraser in Zentangle. However, in Zentangle (and in life), you discover that even if you make what seems to be a mistake, you can then build on that event as a new pattern and go in unexpected and exciting new directions.

Unknown Outcomes

Unlike most art, or most activities, you start out intentionally not knowing what your Zentangle will look like. Zentangle takes brainstorming to a new level with its metaphor of "not knowing" and by not planning ahead for an intended outcome. This method supports and inspires participants to build and expand on each new idea unhindered and unconstrained by limiting preconceptions.

Fractal

Zentangle mimics this universe's fractal nature. Each stroke creates a tangle (our word for a pattern). Tangles are nested within a string (our word for a line which creates areas within which tangles are drawn). Tiles (our word for our paper on which you draw a Zentangle) can be grouped in mosaics of still larger patterns.

Quantum

With no correct answer, Zentangle offers both a freedom and a challenge. Unlike crossword, jigsaw, or Sudoku puzzles, there is no predetermined right answer. You cannot fail to create a Zentangle. At first this freedom can be a bit unnerving. Soon it becomes a freeing and uplifting experience as you realize you can create never-ending, ever-changing "solutions."

Abstract

You always succeed when you do a Zentangle because you always create a pattern. A Zentangle has no up or down and is not a picture of something, so you have no worries about whether you can draw a hand, or a duck. You always succeed in creating a Zentangle.

Comfortable Format

A Zentangle tile is 3 1/2 inches square (which, with respect to Fibonacci proportions, is equivalent to 89 millimeters or 21 picas). Zentangle is designed to be completed in one sitting. You can finish one in about 15 minutes. You get an immediate sense of accomplishment by completing your work of art in increments.

Meditational Artform

Zentangle's non-verbal language of patterns and proportions can open doors to insights which seemed locked before. Creating Zentangles opens those doors, not because they were locked, but because those doors swing on non-verbal hinges. When you create a Zentangle you can enter a meditative state in which intuitive insights flow freely. Get inspirations, ideas and answers unhindered by expectations or worries.

Portable

Zentangle is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse. You can always have everything you need with you to create a Zentangle wherever you are. Zentangle tiles are even stiff enough to be held in your hand while you draw on them.

Use Either Hand

Zentangle is so unique and simple that you can create one with either hand. Many studies show this activates a different brain circuitry, increasing creativity and your ability to problem solve.

High Quality Materials

Out of respect for yourself and your craft, always use the best tools and materials you can afford. With that in mind, we chose Zentangle's paper (fine, individually die-cut printmaking paper selected for its texture and archival characteristics), pens (Sakura's archival pigma micron pens, the only pen of its kind to use non-fading pH balanced pigments instead of dyes) and a finely-tooled magnesium pencil sharpener.

Beautiful Results

As you can see in our Gallery, Zentangle's results are beautiful and inspire further self-confidence and creativity. Zentangle leaves a trail of creativity and beauty you can revisit and recapitulate whenever you want. Zentangles are like dreams that don't fade and continue to instruct and inspire, weeks or years later.

Ceremony

Like a Japanese Tea Ceremony, when you create a Zentangle you also create a personal environment. You can use Zentangle as a tool to deliberately focus your thoughts.


_____________________________
info is from  www.zenangle.com

Benefits and Uses of Zentangle

It is fascinating to learn how other people are using Zentangle. Here's a list of ways others are enjoying Zentangle's benefits. This list continues to grow as people apply Zentangle in ways we never considered.

  • Relaxation
  • Journalling
  • Insomnia (Improved sleep by creating a Zentangle before bedtime)
  • Self-esteem
  • Inspiration
  • Panic attacks (For fear of flying, creating a Zentangle during takeoff and landing)
  • Modify behavior
  • Create beautiful works of art
  • Nurture and develop creative abilities
  • Relieve stress
  • Improve eye/hand coordination
  • Develop/rehabilitate fine motor skills
  • Team building and group focus
  • Therapy
  • Anger management
  • Addiction therapy tool
  • Early artist development and appreciation
  • Increase attention span and ability to concentrate
  • Home schooling
  • Design inspiration
  • Stretching and warm-up for artists
  • Stress reduction
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