Lorelei Eurto's Blog, page 46
January 1, 2014
Happy New Year
My friends have been putting up sweet blog posts recapping their 2013. I want to do this too but haven't found time to sit down and weed through my posts.
Instead, I am jumping into 2014 with both feet, both hands, eyes closed, hands up. I'm ready to take on 2014 and ready to dig deep into my creative arsenal to provide my loyal customers with the best damned jewelry they ever saw.
No looking back, no regrets about the struggle that was 2013- it's time to take the bull by the horns.
No more belly-aching- time to put a huge smile on my face and forge foward into the unknown of 2013! I'm ready! Are you?
December 30, 2013
C Koop Bead Book Challenge winner
Congratulations to Mary Townsend of Columbus Ohio, Haezz Jewelry Designs for winning the enameled book challenge that I hosted here a few weeks ago! Mary created a piece of jewelry with a pair of book components and wrote a story that accompanied her submission and the owner at Superior Beads in Duluth MN picked her piece as the winner. She will be receiving $100 of C Koop enameled components as her prize!!
I thought it would be nice to show her story and necklace here! I Hope you enjoy it!
Veritas
My home life as a child was quite harsh. My mom was ill most of the time, my father worked a lot, and neither could not protect me from the abuse I endured. I never felt safe. I never felt confident. But I always felt afraid. I turned inward at an early age and stayed there for well over two decades. Introversion was a way of life. For my 30th birthday, I started college. This was a huge step for me; it had always been my dream. I thought it would simply remain a dream. I gathered all the courage I could muster and began work on my BS in anthropology/archaeology and behavioral science. An opportunity opened up for me to go on a student exchange to Istanbul, Turkey for spring semester. I was accepted. I had so many things I wanted to do while in this incredible country. From the Grand Bazaar to the Hagia Sophia (these I saw) and then after classes were finished, I would travel south to study a Roman city. Unfortunately, the school was surrounded by high, thick stone walls and topped with barbed wire. Guard shacks were stationed at all points of egress and ingress. Bombs went off three consecutive days; one blowing up a bus I had just missed. Being from the Midwest did not prepare me for any of this. How could it? I was terrified to leave my room. It was like being a child again: anxious and fearful with 'adults' who would not hear my concerns. A disastrous meeting with the Dean and his cavalier “It takes a while to adjust to the bombings, but you are safe. Really, you are,” left me unconvinced. The problem was I could not leave. The Dean refused to help me get back home and I could not get a phone to work to contact my college or even my husband. So, I bribed guards to let me out in the dark of the night (they were kind enough to call a taxi for me); I went to a cheap hotel for a few hours sleep before I headed out early in the morning to catch my flight to London. From there I went to Chicago and home to Wisconsin.
Since I had a working plan, my fears evaporated. Never in my life had I been so calm and confident. I had given myself these gifts.
This necklace shows my emerging from barbed wire and into self confidence and strength. The book shows the words I used to urge me towards self-preservation and the colors and pictures of the beauty I saw and drew my strength from. After walking the grooved stone ramp up into the heights of the Hagia Sophia, realizing how many thousands of people had done the very same for centuries upon centuries before me, I gathered my courage from those stones I walked and the walls I touched (just as they had) and from the golden mosaics that looked down upon so many scared souls.
I blossomed and grew as I emerged from that barbed wire prison-school. And I have never been the same. I have strength and passion and a simple truth still held in my heart: I was brave in the face of absolute terror and brought myself home safely, never to be the same again.
Materials and Meanings:
The Ckoop book component contains glazed images and words to impart my life-changing adventure in Istanbul, Turkey.
The leaf/pea pod is fold formed 24 gauge copper sheet created and patina-ed by me. The Byzantine-looking cross is cut from 24 gauge copper sheet from a noutline I created after researching the types of crosses found in the 6thcentury CE. The Venetian gold foil beads, Czech glass beads (including the cream flowers), small Vintag sparrow, and small brass bells were all purchased from my local brick and mortar bead store: 1 Stop Bead Shop in Dublin, Ohio. They are my go-to experts for any ideas I am trying to bring to fruition. Thank you all at 1 Stop for your patience and help with this and all my projects!!
The fold formed leaf with Czech glass beads, pearls, matte Picasso Jasper, and petrified stone represents my move from the darkness of despair and terror into the range of emotions until I hit acceptance and resolve to change my situation- no matter what. My emotions and sense of self were emerging from the closed-mindedness of fear into the large and amazing world. The cross represents my visit to the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. To be able to touch and walk where others have centuries before...well, it changed my life. As any archaeologist will tell you, it blows your mind to follow the worn pathways of history. The twisted black wire is barbed wire. The flowers hanging off of it and the curves I made with it are evidence of how I faced my fear of gun-toting guards and barbed wire 'prisons' of a sort. Finally, the bits and pieces of ephemera, the sari silk, sparrow, brass bells, filigree and venetian beads are my way of trying to show you what a beautiful place Istanbul is and why I had to leave it. Some day I will return. In the meantime, I'll make more pieces about this amazing and oddly dangerous city.
Mary Townsend
haezz jewelry designs
I thought it would be nice to show her story and necklace here! I Hope you enjoy it!
Veritas
My home life as a child was quite harsh. My mom was ill most of the time, my father worked a lot, and neither could not protect me from the abuse I endured. I never felt safe. I never felt confident. But I always felt afraid. I turned inward at an early age and stayed there for well over two decades. Introversion was a way of life. For my 30th birthday, I started college. This was a huge step for me; it had always been my dream. I thought it would simply remain a dream. I gathered all the courage I could muster and began work on my BS in anthropology/archaeology and behavioral science. An opportunity opened up for me to go on a student exchange to Istanbul, Turkey for spring semester. I was accepted. I had so many things I wanted to do while in this incredible country. From the Grand Bazaar to the Hagia Sophia (these I saw) and then after classes were finished, I would travel south to study a Roman city. Unfortunately, the school was surrounded by high, thick stone walls and topped with barbed wire. Guard shacks were stationed at all points of egress and ingress. Bombs went off three consecutive days; one blowing up a bus I had just missed. Being from the Midwest did not prepare me for any of this. How could it? I was terrified to leave my room. It was like being a child again: anxious and fearful with 'adults' who would not hear my concerns. A disastrous meeting with the Dean and his cavalier “It takes a while to adjust to the bombings, but you are safe. Really, you are,” left me unconvinced. The problem was I could not leave. The Dean refused to help me get back home and I could not get a phone to work to contact my college or even my husband. So, I bribed guards to let me out in the dark of the night (they were kind enough to call a taxi for me); I went to a cheap hotel for a few hours sleep before I headed out early in the morning to catch my flight to London. From there I went to Chicago and home to Wisconsin.
Since I had a working plan, my fears evaporated. Never in my life had I been so calm and confident. I had given myself these gifts.
This necklace shows my emerging from barbed wire and into self confidence and strength. The book shows the words I used to urge me towards self-preservation and the colors and pictures of the beauty I saw and drew my strength from. After walking the grooved stone ramp up into the heights of the Hagia Sophia, realizing how many thousands of people had done the very same for centuries upon centuries before me, I gathered my courage from those stones I walked and the walls I touched (just as they had) and from the golden mosaics that looked down upon so many scared souls.
I blossomed and grew as I emerged from that barbed wire prison-school. And I have never been the same. I have strength and passion and a simple truth still held in my heart: I was brave in the face of absolute terror and brought myself home safely, never to be the same again.
Materials and Meanings:
The Ckoop book component contains glazed images and words to impart my life-changing adventure in Istanbul, Turkey.
The leaf/pea pod is fold formed 24 gauge copper sheet created and patina-ed by me. The Byzantine-looking cross is cut from 24 gauge copper sheet from a noutline I created after researching the types of crosses found in the 6thcentury CE. The Venetian gold foil beads, Czech glass beads (including the cream flowers), small Vintag sparrow, and small brass bells were all purchased from my local brick and mortar bead store: 1 Stop Bead Shop in Dublin, Ohio. They are my go-to experts for any ideas I am trying to bring to fruition. Thank you all at 1 Stop for your patience and help with this and all my projects!!
The fold formed leaf with Czech glass beads, pearls, matte Picasso Jasper, and petrified stone represents my move from the darkness of despair and terror into the range of emotions until I hit acceptance and resolve to change my situation- no matter what. My emotions and sense of self were emerging from the closed-mindedness of fear into the large and amazing world. The cross represents my visit to the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. To be able to touch and walk where others have centuries before...well, it changed my life. As any archaeologist will tell you, it blows your mind to follow the worn pathways of history. The twisted black wire is barbed wire. The flowers hanging off of it and the curves I made with it are evidence of how I faced my fear of gun-toting guards and barbed wire 'prisons' of a sort. Finally, the bits and pieces of ephemera, the sari silk, sparrow, brass bells, filigree and venetian beads are my way of trying to show you what a beautiful place Istanbul is and why I had to leave it. Some day I will return. In the meantime, I'll make more pieces about this amazing and oddly dangerous city.
Mary Townsend
haezz jewelry designs
December 21, 2013
Handmade Holiday Open House
I almost forgot to share some pictures from that sweet little Handmade Holiday Open house I hosted last week! We had the BEST time. I had plenty of room for our 4 tables- Ann brought her handmade decorative goodies, Sarah's table was chock full of her essential8 line of home and body products, Amber brought a load of dryer balls, and some felted wool soaps, and my table of course, had a bunch of jewelry!
Each of made a great tasty snack to share! We had BBQ Sausage in the crock pot, some bacon and cheese pinwheels, salsa and chips, Cheesy stuffed sweet peppers, and yummy turtle bars. We had lots of wine too!
In all I think we had about 25-30 people come through, throughout the 3 hour opening. Great way to cross-promote each other, meet new friends, and create a nice easy laid-back shopping experience for the holidays! I highly recommend sharing your open house with a few crafty artist friends!
Amber of Tumblewool
Here is Sarah of essential8 checking out some jewelry!
Sarah's booth, essential8
Ann's booth heart felt goodies
Each of made a great tasty snack to share! We had BBQ Sausage in the crock pot, some bacon and cheese pinwheels, salsa and chips, Cheesy stuffed sweet peppers, and yummy turtle bars. We had lots of wine too!
In all I think we had about 25-30 people come through, throughout the 3 hour opening. Great way to cross-promote each other, meet new friends, and create a nice easy laid-back shopping experience for the holidays! I highly recommend sharing your open house with a few crafty artist friends!
Amber of Tumblewool
Here is Sarah of essential8 checking out some jewelry!
Sarah's booth, essential8
Ann's booth heart felt goodies
Happy Holidays!
Going a little bananas here as I finish up my Christmas shopping and prepare to head out to celebrate with family for the holidays. My shops will remain open for the next week or so, but shipping will cease until December 27th. All orders placed during this time will ship out on Friday Dec 27th. Thank you for your patience.
And most of all, thank you all for your unending love and support of my handmade jewelry business the past year! You ALL have certainly made this whole adventure worth-while and I am looking forward to what 2014 has in store for me!
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and New Year!
December 20, 2013
Links are up for the C Koop Beads Book Challenge
I am so sorry for the delay in getting this email up finally! Remember how I hosted a little challenge with Sara of C Koop Beads' enameled book components? Well the entries have all been submitted and a winner will be picked at some point today! Check back to see the results!
Here is a link list of the participants that have gotten something made. Unfortunately with the busy Christmas holiday upon us, I was unable to participate! :( I am so disappointed in myself but sometimes that's just the way the Christmas cookie crumbles.
Enjoy hopping through to see everyone's beautiful work!
Tracy
Laurie
Mary
Terri
Jenny
Stephanie
Mischelle (waiting for her link)
Monica:
Here is Monica's necklace, called My Grandmother's Garden! Monica shared her story behind her necklace:
Behind my grandmothers house lies an unyielding adventure, the orchard. Two little owl sculptures poke out amongst the berry bushes and the pepper trees, on the steps leading into the orchard. The tall pine trees of Christmas past, blend peacefully into the fruit and mulberry trees. The orchard floor is a brambleing mess of potato plants and blackberry bushes. They push into endless weeping vines that run across the sand stone steps, snaking across the diving walls and into the wild. Inside the warm glow of greens and earth tones are sparking beads of dew that tickle off the leaves. Fond memories of my tiny hands trying to find fairy's in the dew drops...The necklace before you is my grandmothers garden, the colors, coziness and the earthy vibe bring back those childhood memories...
Local bead shop used: Discount Beads Inc. Las Vegas, NV czech beads, gold stone beads, agate and crackle glass.
Julianna Cannon of StudioJuls from Etsy for lamp work rondells
Here is a close-up of the focal!
Here is a link list of the participants that have gotten something made. Unfortunately with the busy Christmas holiday upon us, I was unable to participate! :( I am so disappointed in myself but sometimes that's just the way the Christmas cookie crumbles.
Enjoy hopping through to see everyone's beautiful work!
Tracy
Laurie
Mary
Terri
Jenny
Stephanie
Mischelle (waiting for her link)
Monica:
Here is Monica's necklace, called My Grandmother's Garden! Monica shared her story behind her necklace:
Behind my grandmothers house lies an unyielding adventure, the orchard. Two little owl sculptures poke out amongst the berry bushes and the pepper trees, on the steps leading into the orchard. The tall pine trees of Christmas past, blend peacefully into the fruit and mulberry trees. The orchard floor is a brambleing mess of potato plants and blackberry bushes. They push into endless weeping vines that run across the sand stone steps, snaking across the diving walls and into the wild. Inside the warm glow of greens and earth tones are sparking beads of dew that tickle off the leaves. Fond memories of my tiny hands trying to find fairy's in the dew drops...The necklace before you is my grandmothers garden, the colors, coziness and the earthy vibe bring back those childhood memories...
Local bead shop used: Discount Beads Inc. Las Vegas, NV czech beads, gold stone beads, agate and crackle glass.
Julianna Cannon of StudioJuls from Etsy for lamp work rondells
Here is a close-up of the focal!
December 18, 2013
101 Bracelets Necklaces and Earrings submissions due Jan 2
How could I not be inspired by the 8 four color palettes for the upcoming issue of 101 BNE!? I put together these 8 combinations for the Jewelry Accord shop! Whether you are inspired to purchase these for your upcoming submissions to the magazine, or just like the colors for your own projects- these create a fun and easy jumping off point for your designs!
If you would like to submit work to this great publication, click here to be redirected to the details!
December 13, 2013
December 12, 2013
Jade Scott Update
www.jadescott.etsy.com
Here are some things I made yesterday using Jade's beautiful resin pendants. Just to get your creative juices flowing .... happy Shopping!
December 11, 2013
Handmade Holiday Open House
I am hosting a Handmade Holiday Open house with 3 other local artisans tomorrow (Thursday) night from 5-8pm. We all chatted at the Indie Garage Sale last weekend about having a little impromptu open house to cross-promote our shops and make a little extra cash before Christmas! Perfect idea!
Sarah Walker of essential8 will be there with her fantastic line of 8 ingredients or less home and body products. She was recently featured in a local tv show talking about her products. You can see it here!
Amber Spadea of Tumblewool will be there selling a few of her goodies, woolen goods, felted wool dryer balls, yarn and felted soaps! Amber was also featured on that same show with Sarah - You can usually find them exhibiting at all the local shows together in one booth because they go so well together!
Ann Cough is the owner/artist for heart felt. Another really talented gal who creates awesome home decor and sweet personal gifts.
We are each providing a bottle of wine and an appetizer, or two! I am making these fun snacks from Pioneer Woman, and possibly something sweet if I can swing it tomorrow. One of the best things about hosting an open house with other people is that you will get to share in the cooking responsibilities!
We're also asking for food donations that we will take to a local food bank. If guests bring 3 non-perishables, they'll get 10% off their purchases for the evening!
If you are in the local area and want to stop in for some lovely snacks, wine, great atmostphere, fun with friends, and a nice no-pressure last minute shopping extravaganza, please do! Doors open at 5pm!
December 9, 2013
Party weekend
This past weekend was a bit crazy as we hosted our annual Christmas party for friends. I'd say it was a GREAT turnout with almost 30 people there! We offered up some great food like cheesburger dip, stuffed mushrooms, a jello dessert, sausage and peppers, pepperoni bread etc etc. We had a blast playing our classic trivia game, giving the winners bottles of wine. that they forgot to take with them. :)
And then I did a gift raffle- giving out prizes like earrings, a necklace, a candle, some gorgeous ornaments, a dunkin donuts gift card, bottle of Captain Morgans. I had such a blast with everyone.
Only have a few shots from that night. Too busy canoodling to take any pics but these are some I stole from some guests.
and then my Sunday looked pretty much like this....
And then I did a gift raffle- giving out prizes like earrings, a necklace, a candle, some gorgeous ornaments, a dunkin donuts gift card, bottle of Captain Morgans. I had such a blast with everyone.
Only have a few shots from that night. Too busy canoodling to take any pics but these are some I stole from some guests.
and then my Sunday looked pretty much like this....
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