New Year & Changes for JLynnJewels

Just stopping in to officially post my first Hello for the New Year…hope you had a lovely holiday season - we sure did!  Still awaiting our first "significant snowfall" here in Maryland (although we did have a tiny storm that gifted us with ~4" of pretty, white, fluffy snow…but it didn't last long).  In my book, it's not truly Winter until we have that one "big" storm - and since January doesn't appear to be cooperating with the temperatures and snow forecast…I'm sure hoping that February will!

So the changes for me?  I'm excited!  They are coming, and outlined below...

The first two weeks of January have been busy with un-decorating from Christmas, cleaning, organizing, and of course doing all the end of year paperwork and inventory for the business.  For me, it's also the time of year that I reflect about the past year, analyze numbers, jot down thoughts, and make what I call a "Creative Plan" outline for the year.   Looking back on last year, I had a lot of creative goals…but when the ART Tile portion of my business took on a life of its own, all of those projects and plans were put on hold.  Which mind you, is a good thing financially for contributing to paying all the bills…but not such a good thing for maintaining a healthy balance in all areas of my life.  For some reason, the word "no" was not a big word in my vocabulary last year, and as a result, I really wore myself out.

Now I truly LOVE creating my ART Tiles, but not at the quantity and rate I made them in 2014.  I don't know the exact number of Tiles I created, but it far exceeds what I thought I was ever capable of doing.  Hence, the need for personal and business changes in 2015, so I don't burn myself out :)

Decoupaging, Painting and Wood burning are all things I've been doing for a very long time (dating back to the 80s and 90s).  But it wasn't until 2010, when I wanted to incorporate my own Artwork (watercolor paintings, drawings, and my own photography), that I started combining all three of these skills into what is now known as my ART Tiles.  As all Artisans know, it's hard to predict how well received a new design or component will be…or how much one will personally struggle with going out of their comfort zone to confront their own fears…before they fully allow their own vision to be their guiding source and strength.  For me, my little miniature pieces of Art came to life with my revamped, vintage Florentine style of decoupage, with images on both sides and wood burned bevel edges.  It is definitely a time consuming process - and is much more involved than my Craft Decoupage for Jewelry Making Tutorial that has been published quite a few times in a variety of magazines and websites.

So this year, my ART Tile creation will continue, 

but in a much more focused way. 

In doing so, I hope to find a better balance between the Personal, Artisan, and Business sides of my life.  Plus, with time dedicated to starting new creative projects, I will have more opportunities to share, educate, and inspire others.  

 So what can you expect in 2015?

Lots of good stuff!  :)

ART TILEs:

*More One-of-a-Kind Limited Edition Tiles*

*Monthly ART Tile Updates with New Patterns, Colors & Shapes*

*Monthly Shop Updates (Etsy & JLynnJewels.com)*

(ready-to-ship items)

JEWELRY & TUTORIALS:

*New Releases/Sale Listings of my Published Jewelry Designs

 from 2010 to present*

*New Jewelry Categories in our Etsy & Website Shops*

*Bi-Weekly Jewelry Updates with new Earrings, Bracelets and/or Necklaces

*Monthly Highlights of fellow Artisans and Designers

*Monthly Tutorials*

(this will include building skills, tips, and designs)

JLYNNJEWELS MAIN WEBSITE - http://www.JLynnJewels.com

Will be "Under Construction" as we update the new store front with better navigation and update content.  

Our Informational Areas will remain up & running during this time (Jewelry Tips, Gemstone Lore, Jewelry Cleaning Tips, Tutorials Press, and more)

***SOCIAL MEDIA***

(I have limited time…which means limited posts in your Feeds)

Hence no worries of us being a Newsfeed Hog - so we hope you will 

LIKE, FOLLOW and add us to your NOTIFICATIONS

*FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/JLynnJewelsFANpage

NEW FACEBOOK RULES mean...

MY Biz page Posts will be limited to sharing, educating, and inspiring.  

I will NOT be sharing any direct links to our stores or products for sale (unless we pay to promote which doesn't happen too often).  If you'd like to inquire about anything, leave a comment or send me a personal message.  As always - our STORE LINKS are located in the Biz Page About & Note sections.

*Returning in 2015…*

 "Jewel of the Month" (Designer Highlight of Jewelry & Component Creators)

Monthly Jewelry Design Challenges (themes/colors/categories)

Photo Inspiration Challenges

Monthly or Quarterly E-letter (sign-ups form coming soon)

JLynnJewels live STORE APP to our regular website, 

should be up and running soon on the biz page! 

 Remember…Posts from us and your other "Liked" pages), will not be shared consistently by FB, so we recommend adding "Notifications" or creating a personal "LIST" with all your favorites to use as your "GO-TO" Newsfeed.

 FYI…for those of you that are "friends" with my personal profile page - I will still be sharing my creative things there, but with no direct access to anything "commercial" - see my About section for Links

*INSTAGRAM -  http://instagram.com/jlynnjewels/

   Photos from my everyday life, Inspirations, and latest Creations

Also…this is THE place for all of our JLynnJewels Contests, Promotions, Coupon Codes and Give-Aways - so you're invited to FOLLOW us here :)

*PINTEREST - http://www.pinterest.com/jlynnjewels/

If you haven't joined yet - all I can say is it's like a big bulletin board where you can pin up all the things you like.  I've started a variety of Boards for your eye candy enjoyment…Decorating, Organizing, Food, Colors, Jewelry and lots more!

Plus…

If you're a Jewelry Designer, make sure you ask for your invite to the...

JLynnJewels Group Board for Jewelry Designers using my ART Tiles

(one you're added and have started "pinning", you will be eligible for our Quarterly Random Give-Away for products and gift certificates)

*TWITTER - https://twitter.com/JLynnJewels

Weekly shares of Products for Sale, Tutorials, and things that Inspire me

 along with, JLynnJewels Promotions (Coupon Codes & Give-Aways)

Thank you so much for your continued support and being a Cheerleader for these upcoming changes :)  Looking forward to adding interest to the things I share this year!

JLynn

Snowman Drop Earring Tutorial!

From the Archives!  

These Snowman Earrings are just as popular today as they were the day I first made them back in the late 80s.  This Tutorial was originally published on the Bead Trends Magazine & Blog back in 2010, so thought it would be fun to share once again!  You're welcome to use this Snowman Earring design for your personal gift giving and small business use. 

Tutorial and design are the intellectual property of JLynnJewels 

and cannot be copied or distributed in any form without our written approval.

No matter what design skill level you're at…this tutorial is geared to take you step-by-step with an easy approach to wire wrapping, that give your drop Earrings a clean, professional, and finished look. 

Supplies:
2—Jet 4mm Round Swarovski Crystals
2—Jet 6mm Margarita Swarovski Crystals
2—Crystal 5mm Round Swarovski Crystals
2—Crystal 6mm Round Swarovski Crystals
2—Crystal 8mm Round Swarovski Crystals
2—22 Gauge Sterling Silver Headpins
Embroidery Floss, Yarn or other material for Scarf
Rosary & Bent Chain-Nose Pliers, Wire Cutters

Instructions:
Begin by stacking Crystals on Head pins (22 gauge is suggested due to the 8mm crystal hole size).

1. Grasp the head pin just above crystals with the tips of your rosary pliers.  Gently press the wire down over the top of the pliers to make a 90 degree angle (side view shown).  Note…The size of the top loop/circle is determined by the wire placement on the rosary pliers.  To ensure your earrings have the same size top loop, be consistent with wire placement (tip…beginners can mark their pliers with a sharpie to line up their wire when shaping).
2. Rotate your pliers a 1/4 turn so that they are now at the top of the wire.
3. Without shifting your pliers, shape wire over the pliers ending with the end pointing down.
4. Reposition your pliers so they are in the opening, then complete the circle by bending the wire around the lower edge (circle will be off-center until you complete the next step).
5. Without releasing your grip on the pliers, rotate and bend the entire circle so that it’s centered over the headpin (end of the wire will be angled up).

6. Press down on the end of the wire so that you once again have a 90 degree angle and perfect circle.  (tip…to ensure earrings are the same length, create your 2nd earring and compare loop sizes prior to completing the finishing details)

Finishing Details…
7. Place your Rosary pliers vertically across the top of your circle.  Take your bent chain-nose pliers and grasp the tip of the wire.  Cross over and begin wrapping the wire around the center of the headpin, staying parallel to your rosary pliers.
8. Continue winding the wire around the head pin taking your time to keep coils tight and precisely next to one another (reposition your bent chain-nose pliers after each side to side pass).
9. Using a pair of side cutters, clip the excess wire on an angle (this will ensure you have a professional looking end).
10. Using your Bent chain-nose pliers, press and tuck the end of the wire next to the last coil so there are no sharp edges.
11. Attach the scarf by using embroidery floss or yarn with a square knot.
12. Open your ear wire sideways and slip on the stacked drop, then move the ear wire back in place.

Unique designer variations…
Try White Jasper, Riverstone, Bone, Resin, or Czech Glass with different trims, ribbons, and metals such as Vintaj Natural Brass.  To create a shorter earring—experiment by using smaller millimeter Swarovski crystals or by reducing the snowmen to two parts (versus three).

ENJOY…Happy Holidays!
JLynn

What will you choose?

Ask yourself constantly, what is the right thing to do…

Yes, I'm a firm believer in "What goes around, comes around"…as well as, having faith that God, Guardian Angels, and Karma are always watching out for me, my family, and friends,  in some type of form.  Normally, I keep my personal thoughts - well, personal - BUT sometimes, they just need to be voiced, especially if they help bring about changes that improve positive mindset and actions. 

Here recently, I've noticed an increase in negative comments and posts on the social sites (I could probably lump in the visual/print media too).  There seems to be some sort of "thing" that has taken hold of certain people and made them jump on this bandwagon that condones being overly critical and judgmental towards a variety of causes, people and things.   And…you know what?  I don't like it.  It hurts and affects many people - and I'm definitely not about negativity or having it color my life with dark shadows…I'm about COLOR and light and positive things - for me, life is an upward staircase - not down...

We have all experienced a variety of challenging things.  Sometimes you need to work hard at finding the positives.  But if you're up against one of those bad apples (or maybe a bushel of them)…does that mean the entire tree or grove is bad?  Of course not! There are plenty of good things being posted and broadcasted - some days I just wish it was a little more!  You know, Twitter may be filled with some snide and hateful tweets - and Facebook, along with many Blogs and Media sites can be filled with the Trolls that like to simply stir up trouble, by leaving disrespectful comments, or worse yet…doing nasty things behind the scenes because they feel secure hiding behind this wall of secrecy and anonymity.   Sometimes I think these companies thrive on creating negativity and conflicts, and it often makes me wonder, that if they became more transparent and broadcast the negative things (like they do everything else these days) - and do it with the names attached…do you think it would make a difference in the reduction of overall negativity?  As in... "So and So just unliked a page…So and So just reported that Family photo for spam…or so and so just hid that post" (only because they don't like that person and are being mean spirited).  It's just sad that people behave in this manner and I just "don't get" this type of negative "no-one will know…so why not" type of socializing.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it more complicated

~Confucius

Well, count me in on the "Simplicity" side of life and the positive socializing that's for sure!  And when in doubt…remember to:

THINK ABOUT IT…

Mindset and Manners speak VOLUMES…

Treat others, in the manner in which you want to be treated...

Choose your words carefully (verbal and written)…

Find different ways to cope in positive ways…

Actions cause reactions - make them positive...

Conserve your energy for the good things in life!

No-one is perfect - but we can all try a little harder to do the right things…

And do the right thing because it's RIGHT.

Warmly,

JLynn

GIVE AWAY TIME...Oh what a Tangled Web we Weave ART Tiles!

Sir Walter Scott quote…

Oh, what a tangled web we weave...

when first we practice to deceive!

(wondering why I chose this quote?  Don't miss the story in the FYI section below)

And another "Web" quote…which I like much better…

From E.B. White - Charlotte's Web

"Never Hurry and Never Worry"

Did I mention that...

It's GIVE-AWAY TIME?!   

Win these very popular Dog Tag ART Tiles in the Burnt Orange color shown (or if you would prefer…choose from one of our other Custom Colors!)  So what do you have to do to enter?

#1 LEAVE A COMMENT here if you're able :)

#2 VISIT us and LIKE us on Facebook at J-Lynn Jewels biz page 

https://www.facebook.com/JLynnJewelsFANpage

#3 LIKE & COMMENT on our "Tangled Web/Never Hurry-Never Worry" POST on Facebook

And lastly…sharing is nice but not necessary :)

Winner will be announced here on the Blog on Monday 10/27/14!

FYI…lots of good stuff in the works!

ETSY SHOP UPDATE - Friday, October 24, 2014

JLynnJewels 

Coming in November…my Artisan Jewelry Line!!!

DATE: NOVEMBER 1, 2014

Web LINK - TBA…!

Coming in mid-November…ART TILE End-of-Year Inventory SALE!

I'm super excited to be making time again for something I've been doing since the 80s…I have a very colorful past (and I mean that in a GOOD WAY)…so after many successful decades that have lead me on a very, merry, surprising pathway...it's time to start sharing more ideas, inspiration, techniques, business set-up, organization, logical pricing for retail/wholesale, Craft Show/Festival Know-How and lot of other business tips - in my quest to help others be TRUE to themselves and gain confidence in your own visions!

And speaking of being true to yourself…the GIVE-AWAY story…

When I first showed my husband the Orange Dog Tag pairs and told him I would be doing a weekend Give-Away...I asked him for a name/theme.  Well, the first thing that popped out of his mouth, and one he said in a spooky voice, was the quote..."Oh what a Tangled Web we Weave, when we practice to deceive…" - you see he thought the Tiles looked like a Spider Web (we will just forget that they are in fact a Victorian Lace Art Nouveau pattern lol).  So the short story is that I went with it - even though I'm more in line with the Charlotte's Web quote "Never Hurry and Never Worry".  However, despite the negative spin to the Sir Walter quote…I have always felt it has a very good message in it…and that is, a warning to not get so caught up in the pressures of society (or in our case today - the never ending numbers/comparison/attention games on all the social media sites) that you start deceiving yourself and what's truly important in your life.  

Have a great day!

JLynn

Monday 10/27/14 - AND THE WINNER IS…

Thanks to Random.org for always making things easy :)

AW Jewelry (Annita Wilson)

AND

Janet Carter

Congratulations to both Annita and Janet - please email/FB message me with your mailing address and if you would like the Orange Dog Tag pair (or different color).