Hi There,

So, I thought I'd show you some of the stuff I've been doing recently.

These bangle cuff bracelets were a joy to make. I stumbled across a website that sells vintage jewelry components. The owner bought out the entire inventory of a factory that had been closed since the 60s, just boarded over and left to rot. Then a couple of years ago, Austrian urban renewal resulted in the discovery of a treasure trove of vintage crystal cup chain. I was lucky enough to get a few dozen feet or so.

The resulting bracelets are made with memory wire, so they fit even goddess-size wrists. They feature vintage Austrian crystal cup chain, wrapped with silver wire.

Thanks,


Patrice
https://www.designsbymayanna.com

New Altered Art Pendant Line

Hey There,

Yep, still here. :) Working a regular job these days that keeps me very busy. But I wanted to at least keep you posted on some of the items on my new website.

Below is one of my altered art/resin pendants from my "Masters' Collection." I take a little detail from famous works of art, add stuff, paint a little, and preserve them in resin. I always dreamed of wearing the "Mona Lisa" around my neck. (I'll be getting to Leonardo this year.)

So here's one of my favorite artworks to begin my "masterful" journey.

Let me know what you think!

Patrice https://www.designsbymayanna.com

New Website - New Jewelry!

Hi There,

I’ll bet you thought I was gone! Nope, still here. I’ve been selling in consignment shops for a few years now.

But I’ve recently finished building my own website at designsbymayanna.com. Please stop by and tell me what you think.

Here’s a view fresh from my workshop of a new batch of domino art pendants I’m in the process of completing. Different from my beaded items. Hope you like them!

                                                        











Patrice
https://designsbymayanna.com.

Video Tutorial: Take Your Creativity from "Cheap to Chic!"

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Hey There!

If you like the idea of "upcycling," you are going to LOVE this video. This lady is so interesting and she really gives you a lesson in gem lore. But the best part is how to take inexpensive or old settings and remake them with better stones, upgrading both the look and the value! Super Cool!

Check this out! I got this little marvel from Liz Kreate.

Patrice
https://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial: Simple Wire Wrapped Ring Technique

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Hi There!

Well, I found this simple little video on making rings and thought I'd share it with you. I was always afraid to make rings, thinking my skills just weren't up to the challenge, but I got over that! LOL! Mainly because I found some simple techniques that were so easy to upgrade to something really impressive.

This is a technique I haven't tried yet, but I'll share the results when I do. Meantime, I hope this is helpful to you. And share your results with me when you try, okay?


I go this little gem from the Handmade Jewelry Club! Enjoy!

Patrice
https://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial: How to Make Beaded Chain Maille

Hi There!

I'm Baaaaack!

Never really went away, just overloaded!

I found a really cool chainmaille video for you. I love wire work, my wire stuff sells so fast in the consignment stores that it never makes it to my blog or the website. But i still find chainmaille to be a challenge. And because i like beads and color so much, i thought I'd share this simple technique with you.

Hope you like it!

Got this from www.beadaholique.com!

Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Holidays Are Here Again!

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Hello and Season's Greetings to All!

Gee, it's been a while since my last post. Guess you guys thought I'd moved away or something. Not really, just having personal issues that have been more than distracting!

But I'm back now and plan to be around a lot more in the future. I've been working on my skills while I've been on "hiatus" and I've improved! :-) I'm putting up a sample for you to see:

This cuff bracelet is made with blue crazy lace agate rounds, with pewter and silver-filled beads on memory wire. Makes a great gift!

Thanks for being around and I'll be back soon. Got some new things in the works to share with you!

Have a fabulous Holiday Season!!!



Patrice
https://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial - Boho Hoop Earrings from Memory Wire

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Hey There!

Here's a simple tutorial for making Bohemian style hoop earrings. What's different about this one for me is I always try to get the hoops already made up, memory wire wasn't on the radar. Sure would've saved me money and time! Enjoy!




Patrice
https://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Product Review: EuroTool Dual Crimp Pliers

Hey There!

Welcome to another Product review! Today we have a great, indispensable tool for any jewelry maker, Dual Euro Crimpers. These crimpers are made to fit smaller crimp bead sizes! Check it out!
 

 http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/toolequipmentreviews/a/dual-eurocrimpers.htm


Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial - Intro to Metalworking

Hey There!

Welcome to my Thursday Video Tutorial!

This is a simple metal project that illustrates a few different metal working techniques. I thought this was a novel project idea, but obviously it can be modified for a jewelry design. Pretty cool, huh?



Enjoy!

Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Product Review: Weldbond- Much More Than Great Glue

 Hi There,

Okay, this is one of my single most favorite craft products, Weldbond. It's like Elmer's on steroids! I use it as a glue and a decoupage medium. But see what a fellow Etsian has to say here as well!

 http://www.crafttestdummies.com/craft-product-reviews/guest-post-introduction-to-weldbond-adhesive/

Enjoy!

Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial: Make Metal Clay Earrings

Hey There!

Glad to see you back to the Thursday Video Tutorials!

I've learned the basics of making metal clay jewelry, and i just love it! Now, I need a good place to work!

I found this great little video for an easy pair of metal clay earrings. I'm going to try these myself, but I thought I'd share this with you and maybe give you some inspiration!



Enjoy!

Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Product Review: Olfa Rotary Circle Cutter

Hi There!

I've been cleaning out my mother's house after she entered an assisted living facility this month. I was worried but the place is very nice and all the residents seem healthy and happy. Mom is handling it pretty well, despite my initial misgivings. She's got company and someone to look after her since I'm 800+ miles away. Anyway, she was seamstress/dressmaker for 50 + years and had a ton of fabric (literally). It got me to thinking about the fabric arts. So when I ran across this Olfa Rotary Circle Cutter review I knew it was destiny! Check it out! 

 http://www.craftcritique.com/2011/07/vendor-spotlight-and-giveaway-olfa_9329.html

Enjoy!

Patrice

http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial - Wire Wrapped Bracelet

Hi There!

Okay, here's this great little video on making a simple wire wrapped bracelet. The beads really make or break this design. I made this with group of 6 - 3/4' disks in different colors instead of the beads and it came out great! Don't be afraid to try your own variation! Enjoy!





Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial - How to Make a Fumed Implosion Pendant

Hi There,

Okay, this is the second part of last week's tutorial. This is an advanced glass blowing technique but I just found the whole process fascinating. The music sets a certain tone in this video, too. The resulting pendant is absolutely gorgeous, so stick around!

If you like this one, please let me know by clicking the "Like" button at the bottom of this post. Also, if you would like to see something demonstrated here let me know in the comments box. Well enjoy and thanks for stopping by! And if you really like this, grab my button and tell a friend!





Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com

Mother and Daughter Shine at ck silver - A BESTeam Feature

 cksilver is the creative blending of mother/daughter team Marilyn and Cindy.  cksilver creates handcrafted sterling silver jewelry enhanced by freshwater pearls, semi-precious stones, and Swarovski crystal. Cindy gets her inspiration from the beauty of nature, while Marilyn really loves silver jewelry. So the result is an amalgamation of inspiration and love.

Here's their beautiful Sweetheart Wire-Wrapped Sterling Silver Pendant. A wonderful gift for someone special.

Any woman would love these Wine Grape Cluster Earrings in Sterling Silver!

Here's my favorite, the Found At Sea Sterling Silver Necklace.

A toast to Champagne Swirl Sterling Silver Earrings!

And here's the PURPLE!  Aren't these Amethyst Dream Sterling Silver Earrings divine!

Be sure to go by their shop and see the beautiful silver items made by this lovely family. And don't forget to drop over to their blog and get a dose of their inspiration.


All the best!


Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial - How to Make a Fumed Implosion Pendant

 Hi There!

The implosion technique in glass blowing creates the effect of multi-colored fingers of glass within another piece of clear glass. This video glass blowing tutorial shows how to use this style to make a jewelry pendant. Watch as the glass is shaped over a flame to recreate the fumed implosion technique resulting in a necklace pendant.

This is a more advanced video than I've placed here before, but I found this completely mesmerizing. This young man has talent and skill! (His taste in music ain't bad either.) This is Part 1, the second part will be next week.

Let me know if you like it by clicking the "Like" button at the bottom of this post. And if there's anything you'd like to see demonstrated here, let me know in the comments section. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Amazing Kate at On Behalf Of - Another BESTeam Feature

Kate at On Behalf Of is amazing! She’s amazing because she cares so deeply for humanity that 90 percent of the proceeds from each item in her shop goes to provide clean water in developing countries, free captives from modern day slavers, care for orphans, or provide medical help to victims of HIV. The organizations she supports include Lahash International, Blood Water Mission, Not for Sale Campaign, John M. Perkins Foundation, Shaohannah's Hope and A Beautiful Idea.

“I love seeing the world with my own eyes,” says this resident of St. Louis, “and I'd rather live for others than live for myself. I believe our world system has enabled a small percent of us to live richly, lacking nothing, while the majority of beautiful people lack even the basic necessities in life.”

Although not a professional artist, Kate believes in using beauty to fight against the ugliness in our world. She believes in fighting back against injustice with acts of selfless love.  A truly inspiring yet humble individual, her shop represents the best of what art, life and Etsy are about!

“My heart and the aim of my life is to do what I can in fighting this injustice and helping those in my society to see that,” Kate says. “Now that I have seen, I am responsible… I'm a small girl, but I am pretty determined that not everything about me will be small.”

Amazing, Kate.

Here is one of the items offered on her site. This adorable image is entitled "Do You See Me?" an 8x10 print of an original painting.  Proceeds from this item go to provide care for orphans worldwide through Shaohannah's Hope.

This next colorful image is called "Clean Water Brings Life." This is an original 9x12 mixed canvas done with watercolor, acrylic, and paper. This piece illustrates the difference access to clean water makes. Proceeds go to Blood Water Mission.

Kate took this striking photograph named "Red Dress Altered Photo" at a church meeting in Morogoro, Tanzania. This church helps community members infected or affected by HIV and AIDs. Proceeds from this item go to Lahash International.

This poignantly beautiful work is an 8x10" print of an original mixed media canvas. The inscription reads, "Lespa Fe Viv," a Creole proverb meaning "Hope Makes One Live." Proceeds from this print go to World Vision's Haitian relief efforts through A Beautiful Idea.

Another beautiful , heart-rending image is this piece named Esperanza. This is an 8x10 print of a mixed media canvas. Esperanza is a Spanish word meaning "hope." Proceeds from this lovely piece go to the Not For Sale Campaign. Don't you want to hug her?

Beauty, compassion and charity are a heady mix in a business. On Behalf Of  is a remarkable shop run by a remarkable woman. Kate not only "talks the talk", she "walks the walk." Learn more about Kate, her mission and her scholarly pursuits on her blog at http://artonbehalfof.blogspot.com. I'm inspired! I'm going to help her help others, and buy one of her items. How about you?

If you are an inspired blogger on Etsy, the BESTeam wants you! Join us and see what it's all about!

All the best!


Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

Video Tutorial - Make a Peruvian Bracelet

Hey There!

It's Thursday and this week's video tutorial is on how to make a Peruvian bracelet using macrame techniques. Now, if you like this one please besure to click the little like button below the entry. And if there's anything in particular you'd like to see on our Thursday video tutorial session let me know in the comments section of this post! Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

How to Make a Peruvian Bracelet - The best home videos are here

Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com

You Are My Sunshine: A Bright Spot in the Day - A BESTeam Feature

When Nina’s two sons were little, this native of the Philippines would sing them to sleep with the timeless chestnut, "You Are My Sunshine." But although the boys are a little old for lullabies now, she carries the tune’s simple prettiness into her shop, aptly titled You Are My Sunshine.

You Are My Sunshine specializes in handmade fabric flower brooches, fabric flower hairpins, rings, earrings, bracelets and statement necklaces in a rainbow of colors to bring sunshine to each day!

Nina comes by the business bug honestly. Her parents had a movie house, a noodles restaurant, a bakery, a catering business, wedding cake decorating business, and several school canteens. They also raised chickens, rabbits and snails, and grew orchids for sale.

As an adult Nina worked in several industries, including sales and real estate. “I enjoy helping people and sharing what I know. That is why I have been in sales for many years and have always found fulfillment in it.”

Since the economic downturn she works at home on her businesses. “Truthfully, working harder than I ever have in my life,” she says.

And here's a lovely example of that hard work.  This Flower Brooch Forgotten Ball Gown with Glass Fringe is recycled from a discarded vintage ball gown and embellished with vintage glass fringe. Great for prom, graduation or that special summer night soiree!

Bubblegum pink cabochons are the core of this bright and pretty Pink Bubblegum Candy Bobby Pin Set. A sweet treat for the bride or bridesmaids in your future!

Mysterious and secret Night seems to linger in this two strand peacock pearl necklace called Into the Night Pearl Necklace With 2 Flower Accents. This versatile pretty sports two detachable rolled shabby roses with black stripes and rhinestones.

This precious Fabric Shabby Roses Painted Glass Button Necklace is graced by a classic hand painted brooch with a "grandmother's button", three delicate shabby chic fabric flowers and hangs from a vintage glass and faux pearl chain. A perfect complement to a light summer frock!

Turquoise is my second favorite color, only beat by purple! These irregularly shaped Vintage Turquoise Blue Glass Earrings are simply stunning! Made from vintage blue cabochons and stainless steel pad posts with rubber backed ear nuts. Great to wear on your balmy summer vacation!

And last but not least my personal favorite, the Fabric Rose Flower Brooch Cool and Fresh Linen. Far from my usual colorful picks, I know. It's the simplicity of the color and fabric combined with the complexity of the design that I find so striking about this brooch! A perfect summer statement!

So be sure to add some brightness to your day and drop by You Are My Sunshine and take a look around! Please also take a trip to her blog, become a fan on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.  And add a little Sunshine to your life!

Speaking of sunshine, are you a bright spot in the blogosphere? If so, BESTeam wants you! We're looking for blogging stars, so check us out and see what we're all about!

All the best!


Patrice
http://www.designsbymayanna.etsy.com
https://designsbymayanna.com