Valentine's Day treats

So I decided not to be slacker 'wait until the last minute' mom this year and helped my kids make Valentine's Day goodie bags.  (I was just trying to show up the other moms, but I digress....LOL)

First, I started with an Avery label template.  This uses a page template, NOT the label function on word.











Go by your local craft store and get the small bubbles.  (I was lucky they had them in pink and red.)  The Avery labels size 5160 fit perfectly on these bottles.

I found a printable template for bag toppers (sandwich size bags to be exact).  They came two to a sheet and I cut them nice and straight with my paper trimmer.










Add in the aforementioned bubbles and a couple of pieces of candy into a sandwich bag.  (I used the cheap, non zippered ones.)  Fold the printables in half lengthwise and staple to the bags.

Instant cuteness!

In case you want the links to the printables, you can find them in my e-news from last week.  I don't know how long the link will work (my emails only archive for so long), so get them now!

Valentine's Day, measles, and why I almost went postal

I don't know what it was like when you were a kid, but when I was school, Valentine's Day was about cards and cupcakes.  Maybe a little bit of candy, but overall a day of showing that you could write your classmates names on the outside of tiny envelopes.  My oh my, how things have changed.

My oldest two peeps aren't even four yet, but Valentine's Day is a huge production.  As we learned last year, cards simply aren't good enough anymore.  There must be a piece of candy, crayon, or keys to a new car attached to the card as well.  Giving a card without a small gift attached must be considered "gauche", which is the only reason I have for what one parent was so kind to give with her child's cards.

First, the disclaimer.  Yes, I was BAD MOMMY for not going through the bag to see what they brought home.  My bad, and I have paid for it.  

You see one parent thought it was a great idea to give these:

Yes, STAMPS.  With that red ink that will be living with the cockroaches after we nuke everyone off the planet.  Imagine my surprise when my kids came out looking like they had a serious skin condition that made having the measles look like a day in the park.  (And by the way, it was on their face too.  My twins looked like something that belonged in the circus.)

This was one of my boys after a thorough scrubbing that also served as the equivalent of a spa approved sandblasting.  They went to school the next day looking like this and I was only so grateful to find out the CDC wasn't called to investigate the mysterious blotches.







After scrubbing them off, I had several mini strokes as I walked from room to room to find out what else had been violated.  It was as if street artist Banksy had been in my house, yet the art was worth zilch.  (Sorry folks, the brain strokes were keeping me from seeing straight enough to get any pictures of the defiled house contents.)  I'm convinced that if I drove to the offending parent's house and stabbed her senseless with a dull knife, I know I would have been found not guilty as long as there was one mom on the jury.

At least with the help of my handy dandy, super solvent, remove the paint off your car, but don't use it on your hair "Aqua Net", I was able to get it rubbed out of the carpet enough so now it actually looks like part of the design.

Oh yeah, here's what I learned:

• Trust, but verify.
• Some parents don't have enough of the common sense part of the brain to function properly.
• Aqua Net is still one of my best friends

Valentine's Day and snowflake jewelry

Yes, we did just get over Christmas.  Yes, I already have Valentine's Day jewelry.  (For those of you not ready to get your "love" on, I also have colorful winter snowflakes on scrabble tiles too.)  Pink is not necessarily one of my favorite colors, but I have to say that the color grew on me while I was making these pendants.







There are also snowflakes in a variety of other colors (there are navy blue and turquoise blue snowflakes in the picture at left). 










I don't have these on the KMS Designs website yet.  (Remember one of my three words for the year is delegate?  Photographing jewelry is the job I am dying to delegate to someone else.)  I have left some this morning at McIntyre Studio and Gifts of Avalon, but if you see something you like here, drop me an email or give me a call.

Valentine's Day jewelry

I was in the grocery store on what was pretty much an ordinary day. I walked by the candy display and it came to me: those candy hearts would make great jewelry!

I went through the bag and picked out the best ones (unbroken, readable) and such. My kids only licked half of them (not kidding) so I had to get another bag.






After picking the best ones, I got my game plan together. I had to use a different resin this time for two reasons. One, the resin I was using last fall has to be done in a well ventilated, warm area. My studio isn't climate controlled and I couldn't bring it in my house. Secondly, I wanted something that was a bit more "stable" that would work with a food product. (Resin sometimes reacts with the pieces put in it and causes bubbles. You end up with something that looks like a glass of Alka Seltzer.)




So, after a couple of pours, voila! A cute little pendant with a candy conversation heart. The bail is sterling silver and is large enough for most small and medium sized chains to get through. I've got about 20 or so posted on the KMS Designs Facebook page for all to see. Anyone in the Gainesville, Florida area can purchase these at the Artisans Guild Gallery or Gifts of Avalon. Both of these businesses will be participating in the Uptown Art Hop this coming Friday night. If you see one you like, drop me an email or call me to place an order as it may be a few days before I can get them on the KMS Designs site.

Who knows what's next???

What's the favorite thing on your ipod?

While I was working in the studio yesterday, I was jammin' to my latest favorite music artist, Lady Gaga. I have an ipod shuffle, which is the perfect size for me. I don't usually need the video and pictures and all that and I can clip the shuffle right to my apron. In addition to listening to music, I love that I can download podcasts from other artists in the business and get a "mini-education" while I'm working on my jewelry.

So while I was enjoying my tunes yesterday, I wondered, what do my fans like? I would love to read others posts on what your favorite piece is on your ipod. Please share!

The custom order process

So the customer I did the mock ups for a couple of weeks ago made a decision as to the color scheme for the resin and sterling silver earring and pendant set. Unfortunately, due to a few factors, it takes me at least a month to get any custom color jewelry made. First, I'm a mom. (That's the full time job!) It's hard for me to get several hours of uninterrupted time in the studio to make the silver pieces, so it takes me longer than perhaps it would other jewelry artists. Secondly, pouring the resin into the sterling isn't as simple as just creating the couple of pieces you need. I have to mix a minimum amount of the resin (for about 20 pieces) in order for it to mix correctly. Therefore, I have to plan several "pours" in advance. It takes me a bit to have all the sterling silver pieces ready and have the game plan mapped out.

So back to the custom pour.....

I'm pretty excited to get to pair new colors together. My customer picked square earrings with a round center (blue outside, orange inside) and a square pendant with a square center (blue outside and orange inside there too).

You can see his pieces there in the center. Once I mix the resin and add the pigment, I've got about an hour to get it where I want it before it starts to cure.





This is a closeup of the same pieces. The top row, first two pieces, will be the earrings. The bottom row, second piece will be the pendant. You can see some other colors there. They were done a few pours ago and are "waiting" for their partner in subsequent pours.







This particular resin needs about 36 hours to cure. Then I will pour the orange. Stay tuned....

Custom orders and mock ups

So it's another over-the-top Saturday night in the studio. Kids are in bed, hubby is at work and I'm working like a crazy woman. I love my family dearly, but I definitely don't have as much time to work on jewelry as I used to. I have to work on my jewelry and the business of making jewelry every possible moment their needs aren't taking priority.

A customer recently contacted me about wanting the University of Florida Gator colors (orange and blue for those of you outside of Gainesville) in a set of jewelry. We talked some details and he actually left it for me to use my judgment. Hmmm.... A couple of days later I had the idea that I would take pieces I've already done and "Photoshop" the Gator colors in there. While my Photoshop skills aren't anything to write home about, I think I did a pretty good job of getting representational images.

I've got a good start below. What do you think? Anyone got any favorites out there? Maybe this is the start of a line of resin jewelry just for University of Florida Gator fans or just someone that loves orange and blue. Are there any other schools with this color scheme? ??

I'll keep you posted on what he likes (it's a gift for his girlfriend). I'll see if I can't get some pictures too as I'm ready to pour and while they're being finished.