Hope you have a wonderful Thursday and are thankful for your many "gifts."
Take care,
Traci
Visit me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/DowntownGlam
Visit my Etsy Shop at: www.etsy.com/shop/downtownglam
Showing posts with label jewelry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jewelry. Show all posts
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Thankful Thursday...
Its a rainy Thursday here, but there is still so much beauty in the day. Stepping outside this morning you could smell the freshness of the clean air, the sweetness of fragrant blooming trees, the lushness of the greenest grass and feel a slight coolness on your skin. Just a gorgeous, rainy day! All these little gifts make-up a beautiful package and opening the front door this morning was like opening this natural, wonderful present that was filled with so many small surprises that made a spectacular larger present to please the soul. What a great way to start the day (with a "gift")!
Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Busy, busy, busy...
I have been so busy with special projects and family stuff that it appears February is flying by, but at least its all been fun. :) Here are a few of the special business projects I have been doing so far this month.
I have created a one-of-a-kind necklace for The C eFfort - Conquering CF Foundation. They are holding their annual fundraising gala on April 12, 2013 and the theme this year is a Masquerade Ball - "Behind the mask a hidden illness lives." The amazing Elaine Ray created the ceramic mask for me to start with and I am quite please at the end result of this piece. This necklace is for auction online, hop over and have a look, maybe place a bid, ships worldwide. :) You can also buy tickets to the Masquerade Ball, all proceeds go to Cystic Fibrosis Research.
The other thing I've been working on is 50 copper buttons for a Bead Cruise. I am a sponsor and have donated my copper buttons for the bead cruise and they will be used in a project on the cruise. Hope the ladies all have fun! :)
You can purchase my buttons in my online shop.
OK, well, that was a quick update of work stuff happening this month. Have a great day!
All the best,
Traci
Come follow me on Facebook at Downtown Glam.
I have created a one-of-a-kind necklace for The C eFfort - Conquering CF Foundation. They are holding their annual fundraising gala on April 12, 2013 and the theme this year is a Masquerade Ball - "Behind the mask a hidden illness lives." The amazing Elaine Ray created the ceramic mask for me to start with and I am quite please at the end result of this piece. This necklace is for auction online, hop over and have a look, maybe place a bid, ships worldwide. :) You can also buy tickets to the Masquerade Ball, all proceeds go to Cystic Fibrosis Research.
The other thing I've been working on is 50 copper buttons for a Bead Cruise. I am a sponsor and have donated my copper buttons for the bead cruise and they will be used in a project on the cruise. Hope the ladies all have fun! :)
You can purchase my buttons in my online shop.
OK, well, that was a quick update of work stuff happening this month. Have a great day!
All the best,
Traci
Come follow me on Facebook at Downtown Glam.
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Thankful Thursday...
(iPhonography by me)
Another Thursday and another day to be thankful.
Today, I am thankful for each day that I wake up, take another breath and have a beautiful, happy & healthy family.
Have a great day and remember to reflect on your many blessings today.
All the best,
Traci
Come follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DowntownGlam
Where you can find my jewelry: www.etsy.com/shop/downtownglam
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
STOP! Hammer time...and Giveaway!
Somehow I feel like I should be wearing really baggy pants and doing some MC Hammer dancing. I've been spending a lot of time at the hammer and torch this week. It started as an experiment and I am really enjoying making these new hammer copper penny buttons and charms. They can be ordered either heat patinaed or not (just plain copper).
I can see a lot of uses for these little buttons, sweaters, jewelry, shirts, hats, etc.. So, to kick things off I'm going to have a little giveaway. I will select 2 winners, 1 will win a set of 3 charms (picture below) and the other will win a set of 2 plain buttons. I will choose the winners from the comments left on this blog post by random picker.
OK, I am off for a little more Hammer Time. Have a great day and thanks for visiting.
All the best,
Traci
You can purchase my buttons and charms in my Etsy Shop at Downtown Glam.
www.facebook.com/DowntownGlam
www.etsy.com/shop/downtownglam
And of course, I have made some plain hammered copper penny buttons.
Below is a finished custom order. The customer wanted the charms to just have designs and no words, she also wanted some heat patinaed and some not.
I can see a lot of uses for these little buttons, sweaters, jewelry, shirts, hats, etc.. So, to kick things off I'm going to have a little giveaway. I will select 2 winners, 1 will win a set of 3 charms (picture below) and the other will win a set of 2 plain buttons. I will choose the winners from the comments left on this blog post by random picker.
GIVEAWAY 1: Set of 3 Charms
GIVEAWAY 2: Set of 2 Buttons
How can you win?
1.) Leave a comment on this blog post
2.) Share this blog post on your Facebook Page
3.) Tweet this blog post
4.) Follow my blog
For each item you do leave a separate comment.
Have fun and I will choose the winners on Friday, February 1, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. (MST).
OK, I am off for a little more Hammer Time. Have a great day and thanks for visiting.
All the best,
Traci
You can purchase my buttons and charms in my Etsy Shop at Downtown Glam.
www.facebook.com/DowntownGlam
www.etsy.com/shop/downtownglam
Saturday, 26 January 2013
A little of this and a little of that...
This week has been a little all over the map. I've had a sick kiddo all week, home from school all week, so my time making jewelry has been limited (which is perfectly fine). I did have some time to come up with a few new things.
I've also seen a lot of spring colors popping up in my designs and colors I really haven't been drawn to in the past are more appealing to me now.
Finally, I had an opportunity to create a Custom Keychain for a local Charity, The C eFfort. The C eFfort is a great local charity in Calgary that is focused on 'improving and lengthening the lives of those suffering from Cystic
Fibrosis while raising the awareness and education about this horrible
genetic and always fatal disease in Alberta and beyond.' You can visit their Facebook page - The C eFfort, give them a like, let them know Downtown Glam sent you and check out their upcoming fundraising event on April 12, 2013 (Dinner and Silent Auction with guest speaker), its a very inspirational & worthwhile evening.
That's been my week in review, may you have a great weekend and I'll look forward to catching up with you next week.
All the best,
Traci
Come follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DowntownGlam - stay up to date on all new jewelry.
I've been playing around with metal a little more and seeing where that takes me, here are a few of my new pieces.
That's been my week in review, may you have a great weekend and I'll look forward to catching up with you next week.
All the best,
Traci
Come follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DowntownGlam - stay up to date on all new jewelry.
Friday, 18 January 2013
A little photography update...
Photographing my jewelry has been the most dreaded task for me since I started creating & selling it. The daunting chore of trying to capture the colors, texture & essence of the piece.
I've been snapping hundreds of pictures & editing pictures for the last several days and have completed the switch over for the great majority of my Etsy Shop. All in all I've been pleased with the results, but I do think my photography will always be something that I need to slow down and focus on (no pun intended).
Here are a few pictures of what's come out of my many hours of re-photographing and editing.
All pieces are available in my Etsy Shop at www.etsy.com/shop/downtownglam
All the best,
Traci
I've been snapping hundreds of pictures & editing pictures for the last several days and have completed the switch over for the great majority of my Etsy Shop. All in all I've been pleased with the results, but I do think my photography will always be something that I need to slow down and focus on (no pun intended).
Here are a few pictures of what's come out of my many hours of re-photographing and editing.
All pieces are available in my Etsy Shop at www.etsy.com/shop/downtownglam
All the best,
Traci
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
January 2013, New Year, New Focus...
My goodness, its been some time since I have blogged, but to be honest I wasn't very consistent to begin with. :) Well, its a new year, a new beginning, a clean slate, a time to reflect on the past, a time to focus on the coming year, a time to make goals.
On a personal note, I have to say 2012 was a pretty good year for me and my family. We had many great 'adventures', lots of laughter and our home was always filled with love. This year we expect more great 'adventures' and exploring of the world around us, many more laughs and yes, plenty of family hugs & a house filled with love.
On the jewelry business side, I had a good year. This month makes 2 years since I started to design and hand-make jewelry. I have certainly enjoyed it, even when I have hit a creative brick wall, and I have seen my improvements over the 2 years. I have been very fortunate to have met and become friends with many wonderful people in the last 2 years. I also have been privileged to have some of my designs featured in Bead Trends Magazine. (Below is a collage of my published work in 2012.)
In 2013, I have decided to make only one true goal for myself personally and professionally, to be happy & content. I'm always grateful for what I have, I have learned what mountains vs. mole hills are, I feel like the luckiest person alive for the people I have in my life, but I have always struggled with feeling content. I am learning that I don't need to be the showiest, center stage type. I just plan on living my life for me and letting go of what I think I should be. I think I'm a pretty good person, maybe plain and simple to some, but its who I am. I'm a Mommy, a wife, a daughter, a sister, an auntie, a friend, occasional runner, gardener, camper, explorer, jewelry designer and just plain old Traci. In the end, I'm happy to be 'plain old Traci', I know I'm loved by many and look forward to what will be in the coming year.
May your year be filled with lots of great 'adventures'.
All the best,
Traci
On a personal note, I have to say 2012 was a pretty good year for me and my family. We had many great 'adventures', lots of laughter and our home was always filled with love. This year we expect more great 'adventures' and exploring of the world around us, many more laughs and yes, plenty of family hugs & a house filled with love.
On the jewelry business side, I had a good year. This month makes 2 years since I started to design and hand-make jewelry. I have certainly enjoyed it, even when I have hit a creative brick wall, and I have seen my improvements over the 2 years. I have been very fortunate to have met and become friends with many wonderful people in the last 2 years. I also have been privileged to have some of my designs featured in Bead Trends Magazine. (Below is a collage of my published work in 2012.)
In 2013, I have decided to make only one true goal for myself personally and professionally, to be happy & content. I'm always grateful for what I have, I have learned what mountains vs. mole hills are, I feel like the luckiest person alive for the people I have in my life, but I have always struggled with feeling content. I am learning that I don't need to be the showiest, center stage type. I just plan on living my life for me and letting go of what I think I should be. I think I'm a pretty good person, maybe plain and simple to some, but its who I am. I'm a Mommy, a wife, a daughter, a sister, an auntie, a friend, occasional runner, gardener, camper, explorer, jewelry designer and just plain old Traci. In the end, I'm happy to be 'plain old Traci', I know I'm loved by many and look forward to what will be in the coming year.
May your year be filled with lots of great 'adventures'.
All the best,
Traci
Monday, 6 February 2012
Mmmm Mmmm Good....
That's what a bowl of Bead Soup is Mmmm Mmmm good!
I love living in an older neighborhood, aside from the fact my mail is delivered right to my door, I also get it by 10 a.m. everyday! So, as I went down the hall to the front door and opened it I was surprised with a BIG envelope from my Bead Soup partner, Sonya Stille. Let's just say this 39 year old skipped back down the hall into the livingroom, that's right, I skipped.
Let me back up a little so in case your just joining me you have an idea of what Bead Soup is... Our lovely Hostess, Lori Anderson (http://www.prettythingsblog.com/) has this wonderful event called Bead Soup Blog Party. She organizes this awesome event and allows 200 participants. You are drawn at random and then paired with another beader. You exchange information with your partner and then send a lovely arrangement of beads, a focal and a clasp to each other in the hopes of pushing each other outside of your comfort zone for creativity. Then during the reveal day all 200 participants post their creations on their blogs and we do a blog hop looking at all the lovely masterpieces.
This is my very first Bead Soup Blog Party and I am thrilled, so Thank You very much Lori for this experience and for putting so much effort into making this event a reality. You're truly amazing!
I was partnered with Sonya Stille from Augusta, Georgia. Sonya and I have exchanged a few emails and are starting to become good friends on Facebook. I have shared details of my beading experience with Sonya and I am starting to catch little glimpses of her work, let me say I'm impressed. Sonya is a wife and mother to 2 little ones. Sonya is currently working on opening her Etsy Shop and has started a Facebook page for her jewelry, visit her when you can & give her a 'like' (https://www.facebook.com/pages/SAS-Jewelry-Designs/291318200921323). Here is some Seed Beading Sonya has done, very pretty, something I haven't tried (yet).
I love living in an older neighborhood, aside from the fact my mail is delivered right to my door, I also get it by 10 a.m. everyday! So, as I went down the hall to the front door and opened it I was surprised with a BIG envelope from my Bead Soup partner, Sonya Stille. Let's just say this 39 year old skipped back down the hall into the livingroom, that's right, I skipped.
Let me back up a little so in case your just joining me you have an idea of what Bead Soup is... Our lovely Hostess, Lori Anderson (http://www.prettythingsblog.com/) has this wonderful event called Bead Soup Blog Party. She organizes this awesome event and allows 200 participants. You are drawn at random and then paired with another beader. You exchange information with your partner and then send a lovely arrangement of beads, a focal and a clasp to each other in the hopes of pushing each other outside of your comfort zone for creativity. Then during the reveal day all 200 participants post their creations on their blogs and we do a blog hop looking at all the lovely masterpieces.
This is my very first Bead Soup Blog Party and I am thrilled, so Thank You very much Lori for this experience and for putting so much effort into making this event a reality. You're truly amazing!
I was partnered with Sonya Stille from Augusta, Georgia. Sonya and I have exchanged a few emails and are starting to become good friends on Facebook. I have shared details of my beading experience with Sonya and I am starting to catch little glimpses of her work, let me say I'm impressed. Sonya is a wife and mother to 2 little ones. Sonya is currently working on opening her Etsy Shop and has started a Facebook page for her jewelry, visit her when you can & give her a 'like' (https://www.facebook.com/pages/SAS-Jewelry-Designs/291318200921323). Here is some Seed Beading Sonya has done, very pretty, something I haven't tried (yet).
Now on with the 'Soup'....after skipping back to the livingroom like a school girl, I tore open my envelope to find a lovely box. I have to apologize right now to Sonya, my packaging is not pretty. Please forgive me, this caught me in the middle of moving houses.
Didn't I say the box was lovely?
My Yummy Soup Mix. Thank you Sonya for the gorgeous selection just up my alley. My husband even said when he saw it "Well, that is definitely something you would design with."
Clockwise: Brown Freshwater Pearls, Snakeskin Agate, Copper Flower Toggle, Custom Copper pendant made by Sonya.
Here's a closer look at the focal. Sonya texturized, annealed, soldered a bezel and placed the cabochon. She also riveted the bail and patina'd the whole piece. Wow! Pictures don't do the piece justice, its a beauty. Thank you Sonya!
Well, there it is my Bead Soup and I already have ideas rolling around, now to get busy for the March 3rd reveal date/blog hop!
All the best until the next time,
Traci
Here is a list of the other participants, when you have time please visit their pages and give them a follow.
1. Adlinah Kamsir (Kingdom of Bahrain) and Hajer Waheed (Singapore)
2. Adrienn Lukacs (Hungary) and Agata Grygiel (Poland)
3. Agi Kiss (Hungary) and Carolien Muller-Genger (the Netherlands)
4. Agnes Asztalos (Hungary) and B.R. Kuhlman
5. Alesha Conklin and Becki Mendivil
6. Alice Peterson and Carol Dillman
7. Alicia Marinache (Canada) and Dita Basu
9. Amanda Tibbetts and Andrea Trank
10. Amy Freeland and Kay Mallery
11. Andra Weber and Christine Murrow
12. Ann Sherwood and Diane Welte
13. Barbara Bechtel and Kerry Bogert
14. Barbara Lewis and Cat Pruitt
15. Bonnie Coursolle (Canada) and Fay Wolfenden (Canada)
16. Carmel McGinley (Australia) and Tracy Stillman (Australia)
17. Cassie Donlen and Deryn Mentock
18. Cathie Carroll and Janel Dudley
19. Cece Cormier and Morwyn Mullins
20. Charlene Jacka and Christina Hickman
21. Cheryl Brown (Canada) and Diana Ptaszynski
22. Christina Stofmeel (the Netherlands) and Eva Kovacs (Hungary)
23. Christine Damm and Deb Brooks
24. Cilla Watkins (Canada) and Elaine Robitaille (Canada)
27. Cory Celaya and Rhea Freitieg
28. Courtney Breul and Dana Hickey
29. Cynthia Abner and Jennifer Boreck
30. Cynthia Tucker and Jean Peter
31. Debbie Goering and Heidi Post
32. Dee Elgie (UK) and Joanne Lockwood (UK)
33. Dian Hierschel (Germany) and Eniko Fabian (Austria)
34. Diane Cook and Lyn Foley
35. Donna Bohler and Lisa Lodge
36. Donna Millard and Kiersten Giles
37. Doris Stumpf (Germany) and Eszter Czibulyas (Hungary)
38. Elisabeth Auld and Eva Sherman
39. Elke Leonhardt-Rath (Germany) and Marjolein Trewavas (UK)
40. Ema Kilroy and Laurie Keefe-Cecere
41. Erika Nooteboom (the Netherlands) and Giorgia Rossini (Italy)
42. Erin Grant and Jean Wells
43. Evelyn Duberry and Gaea Cannaday
44. Genea Crivello-Knable and Heather Powers
45. Ginger Bishop (military, Okinawa) and Martina Nagele (Germany)
46. Heidi Kingman and Lori Greenberg
47. Helen Kemp and Lisa Wangeman
48. Helene Goldberg (Australia) and Karen Vincent
49. Jamie Hogsett and Jeannie Dukic
50. Jeanette Ryan and Jelveh Jaferian
51. Jennifer Cameron and Tania Spivey
52. Jennifer Justman and Kari Carrigan
53. Jennifer Tough and Lorelei Eurto
54. Joanna Matuszczyk (Poland) and Julianna Kis (Hungary)
55. Joanne Tinley (UK) and Michaela Pabeschitz (Austria)
56. Julie Anne Leggett and Kelley Fogle
57. Karen Hess and Linda Landig
58. Karyn Bonfiglio and Kathleen Lange Klik
59. Kashmira Patel and Kat White
60. Kat Barron Miller and Kelly Morgan
61. Kathy Lindemer and Rose Binoya
62. Krafty Max and Sandra Miller
63. Kristen Latimer and Pam Ferrari
64. Kristie Roeder and Lea Avroch
65. Kristina Johansson (Sweden) and Penny Neville (Canada)
66. Krisztina Erlaki-Toth (Hungary) and Nicole Keller (Germany)
67. Lara Lutrick and Lisa Suver
68. Laura DeMoya and Lisa Hanna
69. Libby Leuchtman and Melanie Brooks
70. Linda Koch and Rosemarie Cowit
71. Lisa Chapman and Menka Gupta
72. Lisa Liddy and Marion Simmons
73. Lori Anderson and Marcie Abney
74. Lori Bowring-Michaud and Mary Govaars
75. Lori Dorrington and Maria Rosa Sharrow
76. Lori Finney (Canada) and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp (Canada)
77. Lynn Bennett and Mandi Ainsworth
78. Marta Kaczerowska (Poland) and Milla Starchik (Canada)
79. Mary Harding and Shannon LeVart
80. Mary Jane Dodd and Stacey Curry
81. Melinda Orr and Molly Alexander
83. Michelle Jensen (Canada) and Sandra Young (Canada)
84. Nan Emmett and Nicole Valentine-Rimmer (Canada)
85. Nancy Boylan and Suzette Bentley
86. Natasha Lutes and Patti Vanderbloemen
87. Pam Hurst and Rebekah Payne
88. Patty Miller and Sara Rhoades
89. Rebecca Anderson (UK) and Lori Anderson
90. Rebecca Sirevaag and Sharon Driscoll
91. Rochelle Brisson and Shannon Chomanczuk
92. Rosa Maria Cuevas (Mexico) and Tejae Floyde
93. Sabine Dittrich (Germany) and Sally Russick
94. Sandi Volpe and Sarah/Saturday Sequins
95. Shanti Johnson and Tracy Mok (Canada)
96. Skylar Brez and Theresa Buchle
97. Sonya Stille and Traci Zeller (Canada)
98. Stefanie Teufel (Germany) and Tania Hagen (New Zealand)
99. Stephanie LaRosa and Vonna Maslanka
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Laryngitis leads to CREATIVITY....
I started feeling a bit sniffly on Sunday, thinking I was getting a sinus infection, as I have been prone to those for the last couple of years. However, by Tuesday evening I knew something else was up. I'm not one to go to the doctors (willingly) and with taking care of everyone else, who has time? So, my week has been pretty full (like all other weeks), took my son to school on Monday, ran a bunch of errands, Tuesday took the dog to the eye specialist to be relieved she doesn't have cancer, THEN Tuesday evening... my husband put our son to bed and when he came back downstairs I was sitting on the sofa with my feet up, just trying to relax. I looked at my DH and told him that I don't have a good feeling about waking up tomorrow, I could feel whatever it is grabbing hold of my throat (my voicebox). Well, sure enough, woke up Wednesday morning to a sweet little whisper. "They" say Silence is Golden, but somehow not so much when your trying to communicate with your 4 year old child. Let's just say there has been a lot of 'What did you say Mommy?" happening. So be it. I feel fine otherwise, I just think my voice needed a vacation (I wish it would have taken this body with it though, how unfair).
What I did not expect with the laryngitis was the little burst of creativity I have felt with it. My DH took our son to school yesterday (I didn't want to infect anyone) and then DS went for a sleepover at his Nan & PopPop's house last night, this left me with some time to sit down at the bead table. I was pleasantly surprised to see things come together quickly and with such ease (it shouldn't have been difficult considering all the wonderful goodies that I have been receiving in the post). Anyway, my thought around this laryngitis and burst of creativity is, MAYBE, just maybe Silence is Golden, you lose one thing and gain another....hmmmm, something to ponder.
Okay, out of my silence I created 2 pieces, a bracelet and a pair of earrings.
What I did not expect with the laryngitis was the little burst of creativity I have felt with it. My DH took our son to school yesterday (I didn't want to infect anyone) and then DS went for a sleepover at his Nan & PopPop's house last night, this left me with some time to sit down at the bead table. I was pleasantly surprised to see things come together quickly and with such ease (it shouldn't have been difficult considering all the wonderful goodies that I have been receiving in the post). Anyway, my thought around this laryngitis and burst of creativity is, MAYBE, just maybe Silence is Golden, you lose one thing and gain another....hmmmm, something to ponder.
Okay, out of my silence I created 2 pieces, a bracelet and a pair of earrings.
This bracelet is called Cristallo Tramonto (Italian for Crysal Sunset). It was created using a beautiful collection of SueBeads in lovely Sunset tones combined with Swarovski Crystals and Antique Brass.
Colorful, fun and fit for Valentine's Day these earrings are called Red Ruffle Romance. A couple of months back I requested from Bubby & McGurk ruffled lampwork disc in a variety of colors. Well, these beautiful red disc spoke to me last night and I combined them with Swarovski Crystals and Antique Brass. I was quite pleased with the results.
So, as I head into my day of no voice, let me wish you a day of full of wonderful moments and a little creativity.
Take care,
Traci
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