Etsy Metal in Philly

This past weekend the BMAC show was held in Philadelphia. It's a wholesale show at the convention center that is only open to the trade. The show brought some of the Etsy Metal members to Philly and some of us had a chance to meet up and actually have some real face time instead of just chatting with each other online. Below is a photo of a few of us that met up for dinner on Saturday night. We had a great time and it was so nice to meet everyone! Now I am able to put a few faces with the names I have come to know over the the past year or so being a member of Etsy Metal!

Clare Stoker, Kirsten Denbow, Renee Ford and me (Michele Grady)

Students work

Last night 3 of my jewelry class students wore their finished pieces home. I am so proud of the wonderful work they are doing so I thought I would share them with you here!

Rachel finished her sterling silver ring that she set with a beautiful cameo.

Roxane wore 3 of her cute little copper and sterling cuffs. She stamped the copper then riveted the sterling silver flowers onto the cuffs. 

And Vicky is wearing her sterling and copper bracelet set with carnelian stones. I have a large class this time around (13 students)  and next week is the last class in this session so hopefully a few more students will have completed pieces that I can show off!

My studio - before and now (after)

I found these photos of my studio from back in January of 2011. This is the cleanest my studio has EVER been so I thought I would share these photos again. You can see the first post with these photos here when I did a tour of my studio. I have to confess that the only reason it was so clean was so I could teach a class that night :)

And this is what my studio looks like right now.

It usually looks like this when I work. Things tend to get strewn out all over the place but amazingly enough I can find everything I need no matter where it might be....usually :)  At least now it all stays in the studio. Before I was working out of tiny 9x10 room in my house and my jewelry stuff ended up all over the place. I would spread out stones on the dining table, have my paper work all over the computer desk in the den and have all kinds of things in the kitchen sink and on the counters as I was working.  Now I have a studio twice the size of the old room I worked out of and everything is located in my studio (computer, sink, table, etc) and it all stays in the same room.  I do happen to like my studio much better clean but making jewelry is not as glamorous of a job as it may seem!

Pinterest

Well it seems that Pinterest has worked its way into my life and now I can't get enough! There are such great things to find on that site such as recipes, images of beautiful architecture, craft ideas, clothing, shoes and of course some really amazing jewelry! I recommend poking around if you get the chance. Are you on Pinterest? If you are you can follow me by clicking the "follow me on Pinterest" button in the right side bar of my blog!

students work

I have taught quite a few people how to make jewelry over the past 13 years. Actually there has been more than I can even count! But only recently (since 2008) have I been taking photos of their finished pieces ...when I remember to bring the camera to class. Below are some of the pieces my students have finished in my jewelry classes.

La' Lanya's earrings - 2008

Mirabel's cuff - 2008

Kate's cuffs - 2008

cuff - 2009 ( I forgot who made this...sorry!)

Mindy's bracelet - 2009

Vicky's necklace - 2010

Jennifer's necklace and cuff - 2010

Monica's pendant - 2011

Rachel's cuff - 2011

Rachel's pendant - 2011

Roxane's ring - 2011

Roxane's necklace - 2011

Roxane's bracelet - 2011

Lisa's necklace - 2011

Michele's necklace - 2011

Sue's pendant's - 2011

Michele's necklace - 2012

And much more to come since I just started up a new session of classes last week! I will try to remember to take pictures and post them here as my students finish up their pieces.

New business workshop

I am teaming up with gallery owner Julie Basello-Holt and together we have come up with a new workshop that we will be teaching together called "Fine Crafts 101". This workshop is geared towards the creative person who would like to turn their creativity into a business of selling what they make, whether is it pottery, jewelry, photography, wood, etc. With my 13 years of experience selling my hand crafted sterling silver jewelry and Julie's 8 years of experience running her gallery plus owning her own photography business, we have a lot of info to share!  Our first workshop will be held on Feb 11, 2012 at Creative Genius Art Gallery and Studio from 10am-4pm and the cost is $99 per person. For more info on the workshop and to register you can check out our "Fine Crafts 101" Blog.

more buckles

I have been so inspired lately to make belt buckles that I finished up a few more today! It also doesn't hurt that when I listed my first batch of buckles in My Etsy Shop I sold one the next day! So here are today's buckles:

"Sugar Skull" Buckle - remember my first attempt at photo etching? I finally used the skull I spent so much time sketching!

"Scribbles" Buckle - etched copper and hammered brass

"Flowers" Buckle- etched nickel silver

These buckles are also part of a new challenge for 2012 called "four a month". The challenge is just that....to make four of something each month. For January I chose to make buckles and although the challenge was to make only four I made six so far and the month is only half over! Keep an eye out for these in My Etsy Shop in the next few days!