This summer, I usually spent at least an hour trying to get warmed up, to get excited, to “feel” the bead style I should be making that day. Within a couple hours it was usually a good idea just to shut it down. And when I got sloppy and started making mistakes, like letting a mandrel with a hot bead slide through my fingers until I was clutching the bead, that truly was a sign I needed to walk away.

I blame it on my day job… running Red Chalk Studios. It’s been a little over a year since I took over and it’s been my own gig and while I love every single minute of it… my energy and creative juices have all been sapped when the week is done. So I have to learn to give myself “permission” to be in this bead funk — to let it happen when it happens and not try and force it.

Sometime this summer I received a catalog from CB2 (a division of Crate & Barrel) with gorgeous images of very “mod” living room and bedroom settings. Each setting had a pretty limited color palette, with clean lines, geometric patterns, a lots of neutrals with strategic “pops” of color. That’s when I had the idea that if I couldn’t conjure up the bead inspiration on my own, perhaps I should find another source, such as this catalog. And to top it off, the color palette was different than the ones I usually fall back on, thus providing an additional resource to “break out of the box.”

The first step has been experimenting with twisted stingers — something I use quite a bit in my focal beads. It takes about 15 minutes to create each stringer, and I put in about  seven hours this weekend working with reds, peaches, yellows, grays, greens and black. I guess you could say I found a twisted groove. I even had a flash of inspiration for a new concept for my beads, which I’m so jazzed to try. Can’t wait for next weekend.

Twisted stringers inspired by color palette from catalog.

Mini cabochons — a byproduct of making twisted stringer. I’m building up my collection of these to use, someday. In what, I don’t know. Maybe a mini mosaic of Jackie O.?

Image charms made from Loverly Collage Sheet

What a great way to spend the day — making charms for our Loverly customers! Virginia Beach was hit with the biggest snow storm we’ve had in many years this weekend and that was all the inspiration I needed to plunk myself down in the studio and finish up some work. This weekend I’m making charms for the shop and our upcoming show at the Spring Craft Market at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

The charms are built from collage sheet of vintage images we offer in our online Etsy shop. The images themselves come from our personal vintage postcards that’s we’ve spent years collecting.

The snow maiden.

For you DIYers, these are not difficult to make. You just need a soldering iron, solder, copper foil tape, jump ring, image and glass bauble jewel. That, and the awareness of where NOT to grab your soldering iron (I should have taken a picture of the blister!) If you’re in the Hampton Roads area, stay tuned for our announcement of upcoming classes, which will include learning to use the soldering iron. We’ll also be offering several instruction sheets as well.

On a side note, I did make it outside to build a snow mermaid (anyone can build a snowman!) Today the sun is coming out and I don’t know how much longer it’ll last, but it was fun while we had it.

This particular Sunday, I got to enjoy leftovers from Kim’s trunk show at the Bead Shop, just a few doors down from Loverly. Yep, we gnoshed on strawberries dipped in chocolate and little mincemeat pies. Geez, Kim, you’re going to spoil me! This is not, I repeat, not a typical snack. It’s also nice to have Kim’s son around to pick up our lunch. Sam, don’t you want to practice your driving???

Anyway, a nice day, just making pretties.

Not typical fare…but we’re not complaining!

Our day’s work

It all started when Donna Raoust with Raoust + Partners told a friend of hers about the necklaces we make. Her friend, Kathleen Schiller (a wonderfully generous and patient woman), was putting together a small arts show in Newport News and she invited us to join the group of artists. But, of course! Why wouldn’t we want to spread the word about Loverly on the Peninsula, get to know other cool peeps, and participate in a happening “artsy party” where a percentage of the proceeds benefited the Hampton YMCA’s Bright Beginnings program?

What started out as a VERY HOT morning (ask Kim, I think she went through half a roll of paper towels), became quite nice. There was no more room in Kathleen’s big, gorgeous house, so we thought we would simply set up on the huge stone porch. Lots of room. We could set up our tables together. And people would see us immediately. What’s not to like? THE HEAT. Oh, man, we thought we’d made a big mistake! But after 45 minutes, the sun moved, the breeze awoke, and we were sitting pretty, in the coolest spot. WHEW!

There was a nice crowd of people who came to the show and we saw lots of friends. Made some new ones, too. We sold necklaces and created new ones as customers asked for special combinations. We aims to please and we love creative thoughts! This lady (darn, I can’t remember her name), put on one of Kim’s original necklaces, then combined it with one of the longer ones we’re making now that show off lots of different chains, hoops, small beads, big beads, lampwork beads, charms, etc. And WOW, this combo looks fantastic!

All in all, it was a successful day. We so admire Kathy for putting together such a nice, thoughtful celebration that helped area artists and children. We look forward to next year’s invitation!

Looking out from the porch. The water is riiiiiight out there.

Kim looking cool as a cucumber… Looks can be deceiving!

Ellen’s ready to sell some loverly jewelry.

Another happy customer…

Kim doing a Minnie Pearl at the restaurant after the show.

Having never attended an auction at P. City, we gave ourselves plenty of time for the preview. By the number of items they were auctioning off, we expected a much bigger facility. But lawdy, we were not disappointed by what they had to offer. With eyes wide open (and sometimes mouths), we made our rounds, noting which items we intended to bid on. There were signs, signs and more signs. Indoor signs, outdoors signs, signs on screen doors, paper signs, metal signs. Yea gads, it was sign heaven.

We immediately honed in on a nondescript suitcase filled with business papers from the the ‘30s and ‘40s. The imprinting on some of those pieces was absolutely gorgeous. Put that one on the list. I saw an Elgin advertising electric wall clock with fabulous Deco numbers. (You know, the kind of clock with the domed glass front and a distinct electric whir.) Oh yeah, I’ll keep my eyeballs on that one.

Be Sociable. Have a Pepsi.

Then Ellen rounded a table and sucked in a gasp. There was the  P E R F E C T  sign for her kitchen. Boasting Minced Ham Sandwiches for .15 cents and Bologna & Egg Sandwiches for .25 cents, it commanded the reader to “Be Sociable. Have a Pepsi.” in Jadeite green and red with a little yellow… the colors of Ellen’s kitchen. Damn. It was awesome!

Our friends Kathy and Mike showed up to see what they could see and hang out with us for the afternoon’s activities. With our reserved seats awaiting, we took our places and hoped for some good deals.

There was a large contingency of Coke Club members in attendance and they swept up almost all the Coke signs, trays and memorabilia. I didn’t even get a chance to bid on any signs as they started wahaaay above what I could have afforded. But it was fun getting to see all of them in one place and a couple I’d never seen before.

Check out this cobbler’s tray with all it’s fabulous compartments. And it spins on its base.

The auctioneer was a treat to watch. With ease and personality, he coaxed bidders onward and upward with their bids… cajoling, poking, prodding and begging until the sale was made. Unfortunately, I didn’t get most of the items I had my eye on. There was a great cobbler’s tray that would have been a very useful tool on my workbench. It was snatched out of my hands for big bucks.

And I didn’t get the Elgin clock. The auctioneer was getting tired of people waiting for him to drop the bids down really low just to have them build back up. So when someone bid $50 for the clock, I waited with arm ready to thrust my number high in the air on the next dollar amount. To my horror, he closed the bid and sold the clock to the first bidder. Crap. Why did he have to instill that lesson on MY item? Why not the third box of Uncle Pat’s All Purpose Laxative that came up for bid?

Ellen didn’t take any chances with her sign. Lucky dog, she bid on it and had no competition. And let me tell you… it looks FABULOUS in her kitchen, with her Jadeite dinnerware on display behind glass-front cabinets. Anyone for a minced ham sandwich?

So the afternoon bled into the evening. We each got a couple things we either hadn’t seen or hadn’t realized we wanted until they came up for bid and for some reason, we HAD TO HAVE THEM. One of my unintentional treasures is a cherry syrup dispenser from a soda shop with a black enamel base topped with a chrome art deco pump. What the hell am I going to do with that? Mike suggested using it as a soap dispenser… which sounded like a good idea until I realized I’d have to put about a gallon of soap in it! I wonder if sangria would work instead?

As the metal advertising signs cleared off the floor and made their way out with their new owners, and the millions of little Coke collectibles found new admirers, and my Elgin clock ticked reproachfully off to the side… there came an item up for bid that I hadn’t even given a second glance…until now. Having been recently unburied, there, in the back corner, sat a really cool barber chair. “Who’ll give me $150?” cried the auctioneer? Uhm, no one. “Who’ll give me $75?” he asked with anticipation. Stone cold silence.

Now, I should back up a bit and explain the circumstances under which I entered this auction. Having already overextended my spending at a charity auction last year, I am still paying for that little bit of insanity (alcohol may have been involved). Ellen’s orders, coming into Peanut City, were to “keep my arms down unless it was something we both agreed would be either a good buy for Loverly or a nice addition to my home…within REASON.”

Koken Barber Chair — probably from the ‘30s

So, we sat, side-by-side, and when the barber chair came up, Ellen took a firm grasp of my arms after hearing my little gasp. (I have always wanted a barber chair!) From the podium came “Come on folks, surely someone wants this little beauty. Who’ll give me $50?” Let me just say that Ellen would not do well at a greased pig catching competition. I easily managed to wiggle an arm loose and shoot it straight up to the sky. It was all I could do to not squeal, “Ooh, ooh, pick me, pick me!”

SOLD.

I looked past Ellen (really, what good is she?) and stared straight into Kathy’s eyes and muttered “Oh, shit.” Where the hell was I going to put a barber chair? How was I going to get it home? Granted, I can fit a lot into my lovely little Prius (you would be amazed), but no way was I going to attempt to haul that monster.

About 6 different solutions passed through my brain at the same time and my best conclusion was to just leave it there and not claim it. Let them sell it again — I’ve lost more money on other “gotta haves” that turned into “what was I thinkings.” But a call into Pam at Plantiques the next day confirmed she’d find a place for it until we could find a buyer. And, lucky us, her son fell in love with it and it’s soon to be his. Getting it TO Plantiques is another story!

So, our evening ended with all of us getting some treasures, some “what the hells” and lots of memories. We can’t wait for another one!

We are having such a blast creating the funky, vintage-inspired charm bracelets.

How many of us have treasured images or objects that we’d like to do something cool and unique with? Wouldn’t it be great if you could keep your family images close to you and share with others? How about those little trinkets that remind you of past adventures? How do you collect all those items and turn them into something wonderful…and not just more dust collectors?

A charm bracelet, of course. And not just any old charm bracelet. Oh, no. You want one with character, style and attitude. This last year we started making charm bracelets using vintage finds (like ruler pieces, bingo markers, scrabble tiles, buttons and various do-dads); images (photographic or printed material in our own bezel creations filled with a crystal clear resin); pieces of vintage jewelry; and Kim’s own hand-crafted lampwork beads.

We’ve been having lots of fun finding items that will work as charms and assembling custom pieces for our customers. However, we recognize your need to create, and have started teaching classes for those of you wanting to assemble your own creation. In our class, you’ll learn how to:

• copper foil and solder
• create spiral headpins
• create a bezel and fill with an image
• wire wrapping
• basic jewelry assembly techniques

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in learning, check out our schedule and sign up for a class. If having a charm bracelet (either for yourself or as a present) is what you want, but don’t want to do the labor, we’d be more than happy to create one for you. Whichever you choose, you’ll end up with something entirely your own, to be treasured for a long, long time.