Thursday, November 29, 2012

Challenge of Color 2012


Welcome to the 2012 Challenge of Color!

I decided to jump into this challenge for two reasons...
The first is because color is a challnge for me every day!
The second is because I love an Erin Prais-Hintz challenge!

Erin chose an assortment of amazing satelite images and sent each participants two from which to choose. I loved both of mine, but chose to go with the Colima Volcano because I really like the contrast between the hot and cold colors.

And a shout of thanks also goes out to color guru Brandi Hussey who created all of the beautiful color palettes!

 My inspiration photo courtesy of USGS

The focal is a very large "Mountain Jade" which is actually dyed dolomite marble. I've created a bezel setting by wrapping it in an oversize flower stamping from Nunn Design. On the back you'll find a small paua shell which has been dyed a beautiful blue. The chain has segments of wire wrapped apetite and red bone beads.
Bright blue tin bezels

The bezels are canibalzed from a link bracelet, also from Nunn, and are "set" with pieces of a vibrant blue cookie tin under glass cabs.

Close-up of the pendant back.



Be sure to check out my fellow participants
simply click on the links below...







You Are Here! Pam Farren

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Saturday, November 24, 2012

How2~ Gift Tags & Stickers

re-maker gift tag

I like to be able to make changes to my marketing materials in a minutes notice. So, I've come up with a quick and affordable way to make this happen!

The last time we visited the American Folk Art Museum in NY a quick stop to the gift shop resulted in lots of fab gifts and souveniers! They included a neat little gift card for giving. It was such a great idea I created one of my own.

To get started, simply decide what size your finished card will be and what images and text you'll include. Create a template with multiple copies of your gift card.


full sheets of gift cards

Once you've made the template you can print them on whatever type of paper you like. I print mine in color with an HP Photosmart on Staples Matte Photo Supreme paper.

gifts tags are cut from full sheets

After printing, I cut the gift tags into strips (see top row of image). Once this is done I apply a strip of ATG tape across the top of each strip. This gives your gift tags a self-adhesive strip. I then cut the strips into individual tags.

To make stickers, simply follow the same steps.
Design and print full sheets.

 1x1" logo stickers

To make stickers you'll have to apply tape to the entire back of the sheet. It's a little OCD, but well worth the effort!

apply atg tape to the back of each sheet

Once the tape is applied you can cut your stickers to size.
I like to have 1x1 stickers available to use instead of tape to seal wrapped items. I also include stickers in gift orders so my customers can use them to seal their packages.


logo stickers ready to go!

I use Corel Draw, but you can certainly adapt these ideas to whatever program you like to use. If you'd prefer to forgo all of the cutting and taping there's an abundance of Avery labels & templates from which to choose! 


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Monday, November 19, 2012

Artisan Cyber~Sale!


I'm excited to be a part of largest
Artisan shopping event for Cyber Week...Ever!!

Starting this Thankgiving Thursday thru Friday November 30th I'm offering 15% off in my Etsy shop! Simply use the code: AWHOLIDAY during checkout to receive the discount.

I'm also sponsoring a give-away!
For a chance to win one of my Tin Can Polka Dot Bracelets
valued at $29 simply leave a comment below to be entered.
Follow my blog, tweet, pin, post to facebook, blog or make a purchase from my shop for an additional chance to win! 


One winner will be chosen on Saturday December 1st via randomizer.org
and can choose from a variety of different colors and patterns. International entries are welcome!


Vintage Fruit Cake Tin © re-maker 
Sale and giveaways start on
Thanksgiving Day & end on Friday, Nov 30th

Check out the shops below that are also offering
a giveaway on their blogs and discounts in their online shops.

There will be 3 exciting "special giveaways" hidden throughout the participants blog posts...so be sure to visit them all and find them!

You can also search Etsy with the code: AWHOLIDAY
to find participating shops...


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Thursday, November 15, 2012

It's a Prong Challenge and It's On!


I recently joined a new and exciting on-line group, Artisan Whimsy!
A link from Songbeads' blog brought me to a Prong Setting Challenge.
I knew this was a group for me!

 After checking out the deets I was inspired to combine the materials from my Kalmbach Bead Soup Challenge with the Prong Setting Challange. I'm pretty happy with the results!

Although I've made plenty of prong settings I followed the very nice tutoral put together by Staci Smith which is a little bit different from the way I've done them in the past. Since I was using a slice of tagua nut that was included in my Bead Soup I added a tube set cab to fill the pre-drilled hole at the top of the nut. This adds an interesting focal point, a little color and more stability to the setting.

Click the links below to see the other participants!

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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Huff Post Green~
Artisan Upcycled Jewelry

dekt out bangles

I was psyched to learn that my dekt out bangles 
are included in an awesome collection of upcycled goodies
curated by Zoe Helene for the Huff Post Green!



Image & Text © re-maker
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Friday, November 2, 2012

Kalmbach Bead Soup~ Reveal!



Finally finished my Kalmbach Bead Soup Challenge!

In celebration of Lori Anderson's new book Bead Soup

Bead shops from far and wide put together little packets of
"Bead Soup Mix" and mailed them off to beaders and
jewelry artists to see what they would make.

I received this beautiful bead soup mix from
Simply Beadiful located in Springfield, Ma...



The focal bead, a tagua nut, had a bit of a blow out in the back where the hole was drilled. I decided to cut a back plate from roller printed brass sheet, solder on a few chunky prongs and tube set a carnelian cabochon in the spot of the original hole. The carnelian picks up the red highlights in the root beer glass cubes I wire wrapped and added to the chain. Before I soldered on the prongs I hammered the outer edge of the front plate to add a little texture.


Close-up of the focal bead with tube set carnelian.

I capped each end of the wood beads with a brass pocket watch gear. They have a tiny tube on one side that fit perfectly inside the bead holes. To balance off the clasp I added a stone flower from my stash whose color echoed that of the tagua nut. Final length is 24".



Thanks again to Kalmbach Books and Simply Beadiful!



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Michael's Toast of the Town Blog Hop


I decided to join in the Michael's Toast of the Town Necklace Blog Hop!

The lovely & talented Erin Prais-Hintz designed the Toast of the Town Necklace and challenged her readers to join in a Quick Fire Challenge.

The only requirement was that the instructions for the construction of her necklace be followed. We could use beads from our stash
or head to Michael's to find more!

Since I have an extensive collection of beads I knew that wouldn't
be a problem. Which ones I would choose, however, presented a challenge! My necklace is a combination of turquoise heshi, wood and copper rounds, Mill Hill seed beads (from Michael's), fire polished and pressed glass leaf Czech beads, funky freshwater pearls and chain.

I didn't have a large toggle clasp, so I decided to make my own.


Close-up of handmade copper and tin toggle clasp.

I had some scrap copper sheet that I had roller printed for another project. So, I punched the disc and cut the bar from the copper and then rivited scraps of printed tin with a leaf pattern to the back of each to add a splash of color. I think they look pretty cool!


View of necklace with strands twisted.

Here is Erin's Toast of the Town Necklace... it's a beauty!

Image © Tesori Trovati

If you'd like to make your own Toast of the Town Necklace simply click here for the materials list and instructions.

If you'd like to see more variations check out Erin's blog.


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Thursday, November 1, 2012

Kalmbach Bead Soup~ Mix


In celebration of Lori Anderson's new book Bead Soup

I received a beautiful bead soup mix from Simply Beadiful.
Check back to see what becomes my soup!


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