Were you Wondering where I was???

Right here...and a few other places!

Well...my little R&R was actually a big R&R!  My husband and I celebrated 25 years of marriage the first day of summer 6/21...and we decided that it would be super nice if we took a Cruise.  This picture is from our first day cruising at SEA...can you believe that this picture is the SEA???  It was like glass and OH so relaxing, beautiful and inspiring.  I sat on our balcony, soaked up the sun and scenery (including dolphins) and kicked my feet up and just read. 

My family and I cruised from NYC all the way up to Halifax with stops in St. John's, Bar Harbor, Boston and Newport.

New York City departure on Princess

Me & my DH

Here's a few inspiring pictures from some our "ports"...

Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada - Peggy's Cove

St.John's Novia Scotia/Canada - Bay of Fundy & the "Wishing Stones"

Sunset on the Atlantic Ocean - on our way to Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor Maine - quaint, beautiful town with lots of little shops and the famous

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Acadia National Park - Wildflower Section

Thunder Hole - Acadia National Park

Cadillac Mountain - top of Acadia National Park

Boston MA - Quincy Market

The Breakers - Newport, Rhode Island

Former home of the Vanderbilts

Just yesterday we returned home from this amazing trip - and some of us (aka ME) just finished the last load of Laundry and will be heading out for a Bead Buying trip with a few stops - one of which is a return visit to Potomac Bead Company - I absolutely LOVE their selection of Gemstones - it's amazing...

FYI...both our Etsy and Artfire stores will remain open this week for your shopping convenience - but keep in mind that all orders received will ship out Monday 8/29/11.

So this half of my R&R will be inventory, computer updates and of course my Buying Trip.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my WIFI will be accessible and running smoothly - looking foward to getting caught up on my listings - as well as sharing some of my new beadlisioucs finds.

Have a SUPER week everyone!

~J-Lynn

I've been caught speeding...

So - let me bring you up to speed...yes, I've been caught speeding - speeding through life...speeding by keeping busy with the business (jewelry designs, tile designs, lampwork creations, tile creations, submission, publication deadlines)...and speeding past the Laundry Room LOL.  I've been caught burning the midnight oil (way past midnight in fact) too many times...so for me - my body is giving me little signs to SLOW down and take a Breather - which I intend to do over the next two weeks.  I'll still be multi-tasking but in the slow lane and hopefully get caught up on all the computer updates, product refreshing, listings, website changes and the MAIN thing - R&R.

So as I get ready "to slow down" - I'm reflecting on my "new studio" and all that I've done (and not done lol).  It's been a month since we slowly started the change-over...and I can honestly say it's such a blessing to have my work spaces now connected in one room.  It's also a pleasure to have my Dining Room "almost" back (however, there are still a few stray items living in there).

The above picture shows a little progress though - I added new inserts from Ikea (love that store!) - large pull out drawers, another two drawer unit and cabinets - loving and living this ;).  As you can see my open cubes still need a LOT of work in organizing - but as much as I'd like to get it done - other things take priority - so it winds up being a "little by little" with a side benefit of actually working in it, which makes it easier to figure out exactly how the last finishing details should go (like how I reach for my tools...or what's the best drawer for my tags and mailing things.

If you're a Facebook Fan at J-Lynn Jewels - then you saw the complete album of pictures of before" and "during" of my Studio re-do.  I don't have an "after" picture yet - but hopefully by the end of September, I will...

As you can see by the picture below - I LOVE my design table - when I'm cranking out designs it's fully open.  This picture was from "palette and design layout day - which I love...I get to go through my entire stash of beads and simply see what "inspiration" hits me.  Many times, designs are born by what I call "accidental spills" - the beads roll out and land next to ones and it's like opening a wonderful present with a big slap on the forhead and a "SHAZAM"!  Love when that happens. 

 So my friends - I have spent the last several days non-stop designing for me, for others, for publications - and I'm currently off for a little "me" time!   Will share more soon...so have a happy week and I promise to post some of my adventures, designs and other notable fun things in a week or so...:)
~J-Lynn

Awards Night for our Tile Challenge Participants!

People's Choice Award!

Laurie  Wozniak

For her beautiful Flower Bracelet shown above

This was a challenge of camraderie, mutual respect, and of course jewelry design.  Yes - organizing any type of challenge such as this one takes a lot of personal time - but for me it was reallly time well spent because it has been such a pleasure seeing how everyone created with the tiles they were sent - AND how they all came together with a common thread of creating jewelry.  

The Challenge was a success due to our participants and their positive attitudes.  There are so many of us that create with similar products, using the same techniques - but as you can see from our prior posts - each design had it's own special stamp of "Uniqueness".  That can only happen when a designer is true to themselves and allows their creativity to flow with no expectations.

So a special thank you to our participants and all those that took the time to compliment, support, and encourage them! Now onto the Awards...

• People's Choice Award for Laurie Wozniak - Her choice of a Designer Set of 3 (Heart sets, Square Sets, Circle Sets, Rectangular Sets) and a 25% off coupon for a future tile order)
• Runner-Ups...Summer Love by Jacqui Lawson, and Poppy Passion by Helen Bowen - both ladies will receive their choice of any $8 item (Pendant style Circle, Heart, Donut or Rectangle) and a 20% off coupon for a future tile purchase.

SPECIAL Designer Only Vote...I asked all of our participants to vote for their favorite designs for COLOR, DETAILS/TECHNIQUE, and who they felt best fit the bill of Ms. Congeniality....here are the results:

• Favorite Design for COLOR goes to Karen Vincent for her blending of colors with ther Tropical bracelet designs!
• Favorite Design for DETAILS/TECHNIQUE goes to Amanda Austin and both of her bracelet designs!
• And Ms. Congeniality goes to the very supportive and full of sweet compliments...SHEREE COOKE

Congrats Ladies for the recognition from your Peers!  Each of you have a choice of one our new "Dog-Tag Pendants" (doublesided single pendants 5/8"x1" - pictured are our single sided dog-tag pairs for earrings) and a 20% off coupon off a future order.

NOW...for my personal Awards...

It's really hard to pinpoint one design, one designer...they all were such fabulous creations!  I personally had a lot of fun and have to say it was like opening a present with every jpg picture I opened in my email :) - Congrats to all my Designers and working the "Challenge" in STYLE!

• SO...keeping it short & sweet - I'd like to award the rest of my participants with a complimentary 1" tile (square or circle) of their choice and a 15% off coupon towards a future order  <3

MANY THANKS...and if you'd like to get in on the next "Challenge" join our Blog and keep a look out when the weather turns a bit more brisk...the next challenge will be a tad different...just sayin'...

HAPPY SUMMER!  And don't forget we still have our SUMMER SALEs going on in our ARtfire and Etsy stores (30% off your purchase of jewelry and 10% off on findings/beads/tiles).

~J-Lynn

Let your imagination SOAR...

Photography by J-Lynn

Our TILE Challenge Designers did more than SOAR...

They took flight with their awesome designs!

Now it's your turn and let your fingers count...but...

Tick-Tock...time is running out to

Vote for your Favorite Design!

VOTING POLL closes tomorrow

Friday 8/5/11 - midnight EST

What an awesome debut for our very first TILE Challenge!

  Congrats to all of our designers!

Please join the many others that have taken time to vote for their favorite design already by sharing our Blog LINK to vote!  You can view our prior blog post to review the designer descriptions and photos, as well as, our Designer Photo Album on Facebook.

As a Jewelry Designer and the creator of a variety of Focals including Lampwork Beads, Brass Bezels, and ART/PHOTO tiles - I can tell you that I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know our designers through correspondence and their designs.   However - the best part for me is seeing the camraderie between designers...the love, the support - all meant to inspire and help each other grow as an individual and Artisan.

You know jewelry dates back centuries...and has influenced many of today's techniques and styles.  Yet - when you look at all of our 30 entries...you'll see a wide range of colors, textures, and choice of beads and findings - each unique and special in their own way - all because our designers took common techniques, a deep breath...and let their creativity "go"!

So we hope you GO to VOTE in the upper right hand corner box

TILE Challenge Awards till be posted on Saturday evening 9pm EST

To my Designers...

THANK you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to create something special with the "something specials" I created and chose for each of you :) - You all have been amazing!

~J-Lynn