This month’s Etsy Beadweavers Challenge is the theme ‘fairy tales’.  The inspiration for this piece was ‘Alice in Wonderland’.  As I was thinking of  what to create, I recalled my love for text… surrounding myself with words to inspire and encourage.  The word that came to mind when I thought of Alice was Dream. The story of Alice in Wonderland is filled with the wonder and imagination of a child, in it’s purest form.  There are no limits to the imagination of a child.  A child doesn’t place boundaries and obstacles in the way of their dreams…they completely and wholeheartedly reach for the stars! I am hoping this piece will encourage you to do the same!

You can see the entire listing of this piece in my Etsy store. You can also vote for your favorite design at the Etsy Beadweavers blog. (voting should begin soon)

This challenge was so much fun! I hope you enjoy browsing through all the entries.  Amazing artists contribute there!

Christy

After researching and trying different modes of showing and selling my jewelry, I have decided to place all my items on the Etsy page I created several months ago.  There is so much to be tapped into there that I haven’t taken advantage of…so I have placed a button in my sidebar that will take you directly to my Etsy page that showcases the current items I have for sale.  The items there are limited at this time, but I hope to be changing that in the near future.  Stay tuned…

So feel free to browse through my page and also check out other pages there as well…there are so many incredible artists out there.  Check it out and be amazed at the beauty you will encounter.

If you have listened to the news lately or paid attention to what other people are talking about, I am sure you have heard about the tragic events in Haiti or you may even know someone who has been personally affected by this tragedy.

When I first learned of the earthquake, my heart just broke for all the people lost and all the families aching to see their loved ones. But yet, I still felt very disconnected from the situation, and kept asking myself, “what could I possibly do to help the people of Haiti here in small town America?” I certainly didn’t want to just give money to an organization without actually physically helping the people there. Obviously, I can’t travel to Haiti to offer assistance, so I was at a loss of how to help.

I happened to come across a blog yesterday that I immediately made a connection with and knew this was something that I would be able to do physically and could possibly benefit the people there in Haiti. The blog is called Craft Hope. This blog is connected to the Craft Hope etsy shop where sellers on etsy can donate items to be placed in the shop and the proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization that assists people in 60 countries that need immediate medical assistance.

I have added a new button to my page that will take you directly to the site. (you will see it in the upper right corner) Or you can follow this link to get there. I have listed an amulet bag on the store; you can see it here. Take a minute to browse through the handmade items there and help the people of Haiti. This is one way we can provide assistance in a very tangible way. Imagine this: something that is made in the homes of America and beyond our borders can benefit someone in desperate need of the basic necessity of medical care in another country ripped apart by natural disaster. They have already raised over $7000 for their aid. Imagine the possibility to save a life!

Don’t you just love the feel and smell of Autumn? Being able to take walks and enjoy the brisk Fall air–it puts a smile on my face!

I have been busy trying to make jewelry for the Christmas holidays that are quickly coming upon us…hard to believe it’s just around the corner!  But before we start singing the Christmas carols, we can enjoy the beauty of the season we are in!

No matter where you are geographically, I hope that you are embracing all that Autumn has to offer you–look around, you are surrounded by beauty!

I have listed a new item in Etsy, if you want to check it out–just in time for this wonderful season!

Hope you enjoy!

Christy

So…here is my first post on The Jewel Vine blog…

I am hoping to use this space to write about ‘all things jewelry’! This will be a new venture for me as I am not sure where this will lead, exactly. But, I am following my heart and desire to pursue this area of my life and writing about it will hopefully motivate me to create and inspire others to create as well. My interest in jewelry mainly focuses in the area of beadwork. I love seeing the colors woven together, love touching the beads with my fingertips and love watching others be inspired by the technique, color or method of this incredible art form.

For now, go to my about page and check out my story. And please let me know you stopped by….I’m always happy to meet new friends!

Happy Beading!