Changes this season…

For the past six years I’ve done the same circuit of Christmas shows… it was time for a change.   I decided to eliminate two Christmas shows and as luck would have it I was able to add two completely different shows…

Last Sunday I did the Best Western Artisan Christmas Show…there were two things I noticed immediately, the show is in one room only, so rather small and there were a number of vendors, at least three that come to mind who were not local.  The “not local” thing isn’t really a big deal to me as I’ve done three huge shows, for the last six years, with vendors from all over Ontario, but I’d always been under the impression the Best Western Show was local artisans…I learned something new.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with the day being a Sunday…these are usually the slow days at multiple day shows…as it turned out; while not super busy, the show wasn’t as slow as Sundays have a tendency to be.  I had a good day and would give it another try next season if accepted.

My second new show of the season is the “City Streets Christmas Artisan House Tour”…which is one of North Bay’s much loved artisan tours.  It is a greatly anticipated, and immensely successful, house tour celebrating its 14^th season this year…

Be sure to set aside Saturday, November 24^th, from 9:30am to 4:00pm, as you won’t want to miss this once a year magical shopping experience!  

The tour began 14 years ago, when Dianne Lafrance and Susan James felt the need for a juried venue which showcased local up and coming quality artisans.   That year there was a total of four artisans at Dianne’s home.  The idea of the tour was to some extent modeled after the well known Country Roads Tour…but… a house tour with in the city of North Bay.   While it has always been a co-operative Dianne Lafrance is the driving force behind the event.

This season there will be eight open houses, each one, showcasing the collections of some of the finest, most unique gift giving items available in our area…interspersed among these homes, you will find 34 first class, juried, local artisans, designers, gourmet cooks, and  artists…we even have an author. 

Take a look at the website for up to date information regarding the tour   www.citystreetstour.com.   You will find a list of the homes, along with detailed information regarding each person in the individual homes.  You will also find printable, easy to read, maps for each house.   

The addresses are as follows: 

 871 Bourke St., 10 Beverly Rd., 5 Mapleview Place, 1016 MCleod St., 635 Scollard St., 317 Percy St., 36 Little Down Lane, 443 Bell St.

For further information, contact: 

Dianne Lafrance at 495-0488 or Susan James at 474-7026 

Maybe I’ll see you at 10 Beverly Road...as always leave a comment on my blog or send me an email, hjcote11@gmail.com, for questions or comments.

Have a great week…

Cheers

October Birthstone ~ Opal ~

The month of October has two birthstones, tourmaline and opal…I did a post in August regarding the beautiful tourmaline so that leaves opal for this post, not a bad second choice…point of interest the Hindu birthstone for October is Coral.  As with other post this will be in short form, allowing it to be read easier and quickly.

• 14^th and 18^th anniversary gift
• Fragile hydrated silica material
•  Opal is from the Greek Opallos, “to see a change (of colour)”.  Also found…from the Latin word opalus, -which means “stone”.
• Multi coloured stone, ranging from milky white to black, with flashes of blue, green, red and orange.
• Most opals are 50 – 65 million years old, dating back to the dinosaur age
• Two kinds of opals, common and precious which is determined by how the stone is formed

 Snow white opal from Australia
 

• Opal has “types” under the common and precious umbrella, the name is determined by the kind, place occurred and the color of the body of the stone, they are Dark or Black Opal, White or Light Opal, Milk or Crystal Opal, Boulder Opal, Opal Matrix, Yowah Nuts from Queensland and the Mexican  and Fire Opal…
• Almost 95% of all the quality opal comes from the dry outback area in Australia.
• Black Opal from New South Wales, most rare, very valuable, a good quality black opal often costs more per carat than a diamond

            Mexican Fire Opal in Matrix Polished Egg

 

• The most significant deposit of the orange/red Fire Opal is found in Mexico.  The color comes from traces of iron oxide.   A yellow to orange opal was found in Brazil, sometimes slightly cloudy, and without any play of colour. 
• There have been opal finds in Honduras, Guatemala, USA, Canada Australia, Ethiopia and Turkey, but these produce very little.
• Crystal type opals are transparent… milky opals, which are opaque are most common and usually the least expensive.
• The Opal has the same chemical make up as quartz but with 5 to 10 percent more water.  Basically the stone is made up of round particles with water filling in the rest of the area.  The flashes of colour, what the Opal is known for are due to this combination of water and particles.  These flashes are referred to as the “play of light”. 
• The amount of water in an opal is what keeps it shiny and flashing.   Loss of water can result in a dull appearance to the opal… it is said for this reason opal miners would store their rough product in water.   Maybe opals should be stored this way?
• Due to the amount of water in the opal they are susceptible to becoming brittle; therefore they should not be stored around heat and should be worn often as the moisture in both the air and skin will help to keep the opal hydrated.
• I’ve always like the Opal, but I’ve not found it to be a popular stone from a selling stand point.  In fact I don’t ever recall anyone asking for something made with Opal gems.   I wonder why that is… 
• I’ve used the common milky opaque opals in jewelry designs, while less expensive they are pretty…it is the crystal, precious opals that are truly gorgeous with their “play of light”.

 

 For a change, I've added a couple of bracelet photos...these were made from beautiful lampwork beads.

 NOTE:  I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all my wonderful customers who showed their support at North Bay Farmers’ Market this season, your presence was appreciated…don’t hesitate to contact me if there is anything you want or need!

As always, if you have any questions or comments please don’t hesitate to contact me directly!

Cheers

Heather

hjcote11@gmail.com

***Thank you to Maryanne Fender of FenderMinerals for allowing me to use her fabulous opal photos!

Information Source

http://www.gemstone.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=99:sapphire&catid=1:gem-by-gem&Itemid=14

http://www.galleries.com/minerals/mineralo/opal/birthoct.htm

http://www.bernardine.com/birthstone/opal.htm

http://earthsky.org/earth/october-birthstone-opal-tourmaline

http://www.americangemsociety.org/october-birthstones

http://www.birthstones.org.uk/jewels-gemstones/opals.htm

Moving.....

I may be absent from the blogging world for the next week or so as I'm moving today!!!!!
I will return when I've things under control... :0)

In the mean time...how about a walk down memory lane...

2007

2007

2008

2008
2009

2009

2009

2010

2010

2010
2010

Cheers

A few more photos!!!

First we have a stunning necklace made with top quality Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, featuring a a Hill Tribe silver flower...finished with a delicate sterling silver toggle.


Next is an everyday bracelet, something you can wear with just about anything and everything.
I've used black onyx, agate, a large jasper nugget and sterling silver lobster claw...


Another every day bracelet...this is a little more color specific but then you would be surprised what you can wear this with...included is carnelian, red aventurine, orange agate, and a couple pieces of round coral...a mixture !! Finished with a sterling silver lobster claw.


The last is a great necklace and earring set...the lovely lampwork beads are made by a fellow Etsyian...the lovely pendant is wire wrapped and hanging from a delicate sterling silver chain...the earrings are hanging from sterling silver lever back wires...


Cheers

More Photos!!

The first two pictures are of an absolutely stunning pair of ruby earrings...
These earrings were a custom order from a friend who supplied the rubies which came directly from Burma, everything else is gold filled while the ball wires are gold...simply wonderful!!!
I will be making a similiar pair of sapphire earrings, in sterling silver, for this same person in the next couple of days and will post a picture when finished!


This piece is part of the Heart & Stroke Foundation collection I do...a hand cut, hammered, and sanded/finished sterling silver heart attached to which is a tiny Swarovski clear crystal heart, hanging from a large sterling silver oval link chain...

Aventurine nuggets and pendant, wrapped with silver plated wire


Hand cut, hammered, sanded/finished sterling silver dangles hanging from hand shaped sterling silver ear wires...

I love the color of these Swarovski crystals...Bali beads, sterling silver tubes and a sterling silver toggle finish this bracelet...




This is a great set...hand cut, stamped and sanded/finished sterling silver circles, the pendant is hanging from a sterling silver chain...the smaller circles are hanging from sterling silver hand formed ear wires...


Red and silver...a striking combination...coral, resin and glass beads are all wrapped with Argentium silver...from which hangs a sterling silver heart...again part of the Heart & Stroke Foundation series...


I've had people say these look like silver fish...simple but they do make a statement...all sterling silver, hand shaped...


A versatile two strand necklace and earrings...front and center is a great lampwork bead, with soladite nuggets, resin and glass beads, on silver coated wire, finished with sterling silver cones... matching earrings are included...


Cobalt blue lampwork beads and white glass dangles...wire wrapped and hanging from sterling silver ear wires...
Hope you've enjoyed the latest photos...
PS...Watch for the post I will be doing in the near future regarding the Heart & Stroke Foundation Series...
Cheers

I'm in the mood! Will it be "A little bit Simple" A little bit Sassy" or "A little bit Sultry"?

A little bit Simple!

Obsidan and everything sterling silver!

Onyx and everything sterling silver!

Lovely lampwork beads and everything Bali silver!

More lovely lampwork beads by the same artist and everything sterling silver!

A little bit Sassy!

Lab created crystals and sterling silver!

Freshwater pearls and brass everything!

Sterling silver everything!

A little bit Sultry!

Soft, sexy, freshwater pearls and Swarovksi accents!

A stunning necklace! Huge turquoise chunks, gold filled wire, aqua lab created quartz, magnificent!

More Pearls...two stunning rows of Swarovski pearls and Swarovksi crystals!
Pearls look "hot" with anything!

Need a little something to wear?

Spring is here! But.....Turquoise and copper says summer!



Or what about yellow, brown and copper? Resin beads with copper spacers.


Luscious popsicle orange lampwork beads mixed with sage, brown and silver!
Don't you love orange popsicles???

Azure Islands Designs, Azure Accessories!

Xue-Originals

Her name is Xue…it is pronounced as “Sch-ue” and it means snow, which she loves…imagine that since she was born and raised on a sunny tropical island …Xue Juan is her name in Mandarin (the official language of the Chinese) her combination of Chinese characters means a type of snow flower…such a pretty name!!!

This red pendant (above)is one of Xue's handcrafted polymer pendants the Chinese characters "ai" means "Love"

Xue is a talented eclectic artist, who happens to be a friend of mine…she lives in Tokyo with her husband of 14 years and two children. The first thing I felt about Xue was her kindness towards others… we've never met but words speak for themselves!

She is a self-taught artist with more than 20 years experience in advertising, graphic design, theme parties, cartoon illustrations, paper sculpture, mosaic art and jewelry design. Her designs and interest come from life experiences… living in and traveling to many amazing locations. Xue explains that she is motivated by her daily exposure to both the Western and Asian cultures in her mixed Chinese and European family.

She has spent the past 17 years living in Shanghai, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and now Tokyo.

Even though all that moving and relocating could be a little unsettling with each move, came more inspiration (and Xue explains more ways on how to unpack fast…with kids, you also learn quickly, to ask for the washroom in various languages) She is a stay at home mom who also volunteers for artistic projects in her children’s school…Xue always wore her handcrafted jewelry to school and it wasn’t long before people were asking her about her wonderful pieces… and that is how she started making jewelry for others.

Xue Originals consist of bracelets, brooches earrings, lariat, and necklaces all handcrafted individually and carefully in her home. The lovely necklace to the right features Xue's wonderful polymer clay beads done in black, white and gray.

Lovely blue and green polymer beads handcrafted by Xue are the focal for the earrings above.

Dramatic black and gold is used in the focal polymer beads for the earrings on the right.

Her logo has been her identity for decades…it is both her logo and seal…she uses this seal to stamp on things that she has made such as illustrations, and 2D work. A friend hand-carved this seal as a farewell gift for her when she worked in Shanghai years ago. In Japan where she now lives it is sufficient to use a carved seal in lieu of a hand signature…but Xue chooses not to do that.

When traveling she visits local craft/bead shops and like myself buys more than she can keep up with. She enjoys creating jewelry pieces with colorful glass beads and does amazing polymer clay pendants. She often has a blast making beads with her children.

Blue is one of my favorite colors...just love this polymer clay pendant made by Xue.
Her website can be found at http://xue-orinignals.com/, in her world of Asian and European heritage she writes about everyday life where ever she finds herself living at the time, she writes about snow, about her children, her creations and about friends…her wonderful husband of 14 years did both Xue’s website and Etsy shop http://www.xueoriginals.etsy.com/ for her because in her words “getting started and all that technical stuff boggles me”.
Even though her Etsy shop and website are relatively new her talent has allowed her to be featured 3 times in Etsy treasuries…Xue claims those opportunities were made possible only because of the kind people on Etsy, maybe so but I also thing she was featured because her work is uniquely beautiful!!!

An orange handcrafted polymer clay pendant with gold speckles adorned by pretty pink flowers






Xue's latest work...aluminum card holders, for everything from business cards, photos, credit cards, personal cards...they will keep everything handy

I'm a Scholar, top left

Linda Floats,

top right

It's Spring,

bottom right

Genie in a Tea Pot,

bottom left

Along the same lines is her compact... every woman need a compact!

Dragon flies, brown compact

Azure Dreams, blue compact

Stop by Xue-Originals, either her Etsy store or her web site…I know she would love to have you visit!!!