New Design... Loon Lake Hand Painted Pitcher

Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Introducing a new addition to my portfolio, originally commissioned by one of my most loyal customers as a Christmas gift for his wife.   This design can be painted on most any surface, glasses, wine goblets, vases, candle holders, signs, canvas, etc.  Please contact me if interested, or visit my ArtFire shop for more of my hand painted work. 



 

Final days of the Spring Fling!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Only two more days left in the Spring Fling! Have you caught the fever! :-)
Details here... http://creativespiritoriginals.blogspot.com/2009/04/pcagoe-spring-fling-scavenger-hunt.html

Today's SPECIAL!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 1:09 PM
I am offering a crazy Spring SPECIAL through midnight, Etsy time, tonight, April 21, 2009.

Buy One get ONE half off!
Buy Two get ONE FREE!
Buy Three get THREE FREE!

~Equal or lesser price rules apply. Includes Clearance items.
~Must state "SPRING" in message to seller to get the deal.
~Each "item" purchased receives an entry in my April $30 Shopping Spree Drawing.
~Please wait for a revised invoice before paying.

Have fun shopping!

Featured Artist/Jewelry Designer - Betty Hamann

Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 5:11 PM
I first met Betty in February 2009 when she wandered into my Etsy shop, CreativeSpiritToo and in her words, "just had to have some of my beads." When I checked out her shop, LvsBeadsNThings, I was initially impressed by her unique and original designs but once she created a finished design with my Mokume gane Chocolate Blue beads, I fell in love with her style and eye for design and became a definite fan! A dear friend of mine actually purchased the masterpiece below, as she also "just had to have it!"


Betty is a fifty something, single lady, living in the north country, with 4 huskies, 2 cats and fish. She loves animals of all types and anything related to them, and she also loves to craft. Her favorite mediums are making clay sculptures and custom made jewelry, especially wire wrapping, which she teaches at a local bead shop in Newport, Washington. All in all, Betty has been designing jewelry for about 20 years.

Her style is very diverse, but she leans toward southwestern, but also enjoys creating delicate and dainty pieces. She is inspired by a beautiful stone, bead, or grouping of beads and can simply "see" the masterpiece unfold in her minds eye. She has also started working with polymer clay as demonstrated in the Southwestern design shown above, and also has a wire wrapped birthstone ring design.Every artist always seems to have at least one ardent supporter and it is no different with Betty. She credits her mother as being her biggest supporter, since she has always allowed her to express herself through her art, ideas and creations. Betty tells a story of her high school days, when she enthusiastically asked her Mom if she could paint her bedroom, and she said "sure!" First she painted her room violet and then added all kinds of characters, cartoons,and scenes. She painted a Rat Fink, an old woody wagon, Wiley Coyote, the Pink Panther and several others. Her brother was so moved that he painted his walls too, with life sized motorcycles and futuristic cars. Her mother loved them and took lots of pictures, however, her stepfather about croaked and came unglued since the house was for sale at the time. What a story!

You can follow Betty and find her work at several sites, all depicting her diverse style.
http://lvsbeadsnthings.com
http://lvsbeadsnthings.etsy.com - SPRING FEVER SALE!!!!! BUY ONE GET ONE OF EQUAL OF LESSER VALUE FOR 20% OFF!
http://lvbeadsnthings.blogspot.com
http://justpokinginfun.etsy.com
http://bhamann2001.etsy.com

I am proud to have Betty as not only a purveyor of my beads, but as a friend and loyal supporter. Cheers to a very talented lady!

PCAGOE Spring Fling Scavenger Hunt

Monday, April 13, 2009 at 9:49 AM
PCAGOE Spring Fling Scavenger Hunt! The members of PCAGOE, the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy, are sponsoring a Spring Fling Scavenger Hunt from April 13 to 24, 2009.

To participate, visit my shop during that time and search for any one of these two hidden Spring Fling images among my items. When you find it, send me a convo through Etsy that includes the URL of the listing where the image is hidden (or just click on “contact” from the item where the image is hidden, and the item info will automatically appear in the subject line) and you will be entered in my drawing for a $20 gift certificate.

Check out all the Spring Fling Participants ~ a prize in every shop!

creativespirittoo
prize: $20 gift certificate

beetreebyme
prize: 50% off any in-stock item in shopor 20% off any custom item

marciapalmer
prize: pendant

polymerclaycreations
prize: 35% off any item in stock

jkollman
prize: honey earrings

bijouxjardin
prize: One Tree Focal of choice

silvergate
prize: free set of magnets (4-5) in winner’s choice of available colors

polyclarific
prize: 20% off your order excluding postage

laurelsteven
Prize: 25% off any item in the store

organicodysseys
Prize : Special spring pendant

jewelzodonnell
Prize: Bakers Dozen of buttons

zoeowyn
prize: Wee Beastie shaker egg

utopiabeads
Prize: pendant

iamcr8ve
prize: Vinho Verde Cascada necklace

juliespace
prize: $10 gift certificate

nkdesigns
prize: any item in etsy shop

revonav
prize: $50 gift certificate

That’s it! Good luck, and thanks for playing!

Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy April Challenge - Faux

Monday, April 6, 2009 at 6:42 AM
A month has already passed since the last PCAGOE Team Challenge. Time sure flies! This month's theme is "faux". How can polymer clay masquerade as something else? Like turquoise, gemstones, leather, bone, shells, ivory, rock, marble, snakeskin, fossils and more. Well, it can, in so many amazing ways. Here are just a few examples of how it can.

Click on the photo to the left to see the fabulous work of this month's entrants. You are also invited to vote
for your favorite entry. Voting takes place between nooon on the 1st of each month through midnight on the 7th. All voters are entered into a random drawing for FABULOUS prizes. Winners of the challenge also receive prizes. For more information about the monthly challenge, go to the website, or contact divadea through Etsy convo.

My entry this month "A Faux Opal Fit for a Queen", is available for purchase in my Etsy shop, CreativeSpiritToo.

Happy browsing! Thank you for voting for your favorite and good luck!


Featured Artist, Chris Courtney of Studio Seven

Friday, March 27, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Let me start off by telling you something about Chris Courtney. Besides being a beautiful person, inside and out, she is a talented artist, painter, sculptor, jewelry designer/teacher and mother of 5 wonderful children with another one the way in July. That in itself makes her amazing and in my opinion, Wonder Woman! Her husband and children are her most ardent supporters, always there for her with a positive word.

Chris’s eclectic style is evident in her work with metal, glass, gems and of course, my polymer clay beads. She has been designing jewelry for many years, always learning, discovering new techniques and methods. Lately, working with flames has captured her attention, which is unmistakable in her superb hot glass beads.

Her inspiration comes from the individual components themselves, the pieces she works with. In her words, she can “see” the finished piece in her mind before she even begins. Everything is inspirational in her “I Love Life” world from wire designs to old buildings, seeing the beauty in everything around her. If asked if she had a personal favorite amongst her many masterpieces, she would say “Swept” would win out (see left.)

I not only think highly of Chris as a person but also admire her as a designer and the work she does with my polymer clay beads. To quote her directly, “CreativeSpiritToo has the most beautiful creations in her shop. I love the colors she uses and the shapes she creates. Her pieces are a blast off the creating starting line for me. I look at the pieces and see it finished in my mind. Once I see it, I have to have the pieces!” I am honored to have her as a loyal purveyor of my artistic works and as a friend.

Visit Chris Courtney at the following Etsy shops:
Finished Jewelry ~ StudioSeven.etsy.com
Lamp Work Glass ~ RodsNFlames.etsy.com
Jewelry Supplies ~ CCSynopticVisions.etsy.com




•-:¦:-•:*''* MARCH $30 SHOPPING SPREE DRAWING WINNER ANNOUNCED! •-:¦:-•:*''*

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 6:22 PM
A huge thank you to all the entrants in this month's drawing.

Entrants

#1 BubblesBaublesBags.etsy.com
#2 BubblesBaublesBags.etsy.com
#3 equivoque.etsy.com
#4 equivoque .etsy.com
#5 jackbenimble
#6 jackbenimble
#7 jackbenimble
#8 jackbenimble
#9 QuirkySuZ
#10 QuirkySuZ
#11 LisaCrystalCreations.etsy.com
#12 LisaCrystalCreations.etsy.com
#13 LisaCrystalCreations.etsy.com
#14 LisaCrystalCreations.etsy.com
#15 LisaCrystalCreations.etsy.com
#16 LisaCrystalCreations.etsy.com
#17 LisaCrystalCreations.etsy.com
#18 gallagj.etsy.com
#19 gallagj.etsy.com
#20 gallagj.etsy.com
#21 gallagj.etsy.com
#22 Krisybird.etsy.com
#23 Wimsy.etsy.com
#24 sharonkaydesigns.etsy.com
#24 sharonkaydesigns.etsy.com

WINNER!

Congratulations #24 SharonKayDesigns.etsy.com

Random number generated Mar 25 2009 at 19:33:21 by www.psychicscience.org.
Free educational resources for parapsychology, psychical research & mind magic.


SharonKayDesigns.etsy.com receives a $30 store credit in my shop, CreativeSpiritToo.etsy.com
and choice of a finished piece custom made,
or 10 custom made beads in her choice of colors and designs.


WINNERS ANNOUNCED! Shamrock Challenge and Prize Drawing

Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 3:29 PM


Congratulations WINNERS!
Random numbers generated Mar 25 2009 at 7:4:4 by www.psychicscience.org.
Free educational resources for parapsychology, psychical research & mind magic.
Click Photos to Enlarge
#3 indulgentcreations.etsy.com Prize Package #1



#4 PrimitiveJunkie.etsy.com Prize Package #2
Congratulations! Thank you for participating.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, will kick off the


1st Annual Search for the Shamrock Challenge
and Prize Package Drawing.

Click on images to enlarge.






The prize packages are comprised of items donated by participating shops from the
✻¸.·´The Dedicated Beaders & Jewelry Makers BNR✻¸.·´.

Challenge Rules

The challenge rules are simple.
Please read to the bottom as there are details for Additional entry opportunities there.



1) Search the following shops for the shamrock photo. Each shop has one (1) shamrock listing. It can be found in "any" photo in "any" listing.

AllThatGlass.etsy.com
CreativeSpirit.etsy.com
CreativeSpiritToo.etsy.com
DesignGal.etsy.com
DsignsByMelissa.etsy.com
Gallagj.Etsy.Com
GlassDezignz.etsy.com
PeculiarParchment.etsy.com
PimpMyPaperDesigns.etsy.com
Raevyn77.etsy.com
RhisBitsAndBeads.etsy.com
SimplyRaevyn.etsy.com
SlidingAlong.etsy.com
Yndigo1.etsy.com

2) Jot down the listing ID number when you find each photo with the shamrocks.. Remember, it can be in any photo in any listing. The listing ID number is found at the end of the url in your broswer. Tip: open the listings!

3) Once you find a shamrock in every shop, submit your entry HERE. Please note that e-mail addresses will be used only to contact the winners and will not be shared or used for any other purpose.

INCREASE YOUR ODDS
Make a purchase from any of the participating shops above and get ADDITIONAL ENTRIES. Each item purchased = one entry.

Challenge Entries will be accepted beginning March 17th through midnight EST on Tuesday, March 24th. Two lucky challenge winners will chosen by random number generator and announced here on March 25th.





Have fun and good luck!

March Madness Progressive Sale and Shopping Spree!

Monday, March 9, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Some say I have gone a little crazy, and maybe I have.
Winter has been dragging on so long, spring fever has been wearing on me, making me dizzy... it's time for a sale at CreativeSpiritToo!




•-:¦:-•:*''* MARCH MADNESS PROGRESSIVE SALE and $30 SHOPPING SPREE DRAWING with BONUS•-:¦:-•:*''*

•-:¦:-•Purchase 2 items - 20% off
•-:¦:-•Purchase 4 items - 20% off plus FREE SHIPPING
•-:¦:-•Purchase 6 items - 25% off plus FREE SHIPPING
"and" a coupon for 10% off your next purchase
•-:¦:-•Purchase 8 items - 30% off plus FREE SHIPPING
"and" a coupon for 15% off your next purchase
•-:¦:-•Purchase 10 items - 35% off plus FREE SHIPPING
"and" a coupon for 20% off your next purchase

Sale ends midnight PT, Monday, March 16th.

•-:¦:-•:*''* MARCH $30 SHOPPING SPREE DRAWING! •-:¦:-•:*''*
Every item purchased equals "one" entry in the March drawing. Two items = two entries, 4 items = 4 entries, etc. Prize is a $30 Shopping Spree in CreativeSpiritToo AND your choice of a finished piece custom made just for you, or 10 custom made beads in your choice of colors and design.

Get a FREE ENTRY by visiting CreativeSpiritToo.etsy.com. Come back and post a comment here stating your favorite item. Get and ADDITIONAL FREE ENTRY if you comment with your favorite item from my hand painted glassware shop, CreativeSpirit.etsy.com! Link to this post, mention it in your blog or shop and get an ADDITIONAL FREE ENTRY! Freebies are great, aren't they?

I will use a random number generator to draw the winner on March 24th. Winner will be announced here and in my shop announcement.

Have fun shopping and SAVING!

Interview with Jewelry Designer - Melissa Pinick

Saturday, March 7, 2009 at 8:31 AM
A month or so ago, Melissa Pinick wandered into my shop and purchased a pair of beads made with one of my favorite blends of clay, a mokume gane blend of rich, pearlized blues, greens and gold leaf.

Mokume Gane, which translates to "wood-eye metal", is an ancient Japenese metalworking technique mimiced by polymer clay artists. In this case, gold leaf is carefully placed between multiple layers of super thin custom blended tinted translucent clay creating the illusion of depth. Melissa was kind enough to share the masterpiece she created with my beads which prompted this interview.

CreativeSpiritToo: Start off by telling us a little bit about yourself.
DsignsByMelissa: Anything that allows me to be creative is my passion. I went back to school for Interior Design, thinking that was the answer. I’ve been working as a custom decorator since August, and it is in no way as fulfilling as designing jewelry. I would love to someday design jewelry full time. I love being able to take separate pieces andcreate something wonderful.

CreativeSpiritToo: How long have you been designing jewelry?
DsignsByMelissa: I have been designing jewelry since December 2007. It was something that happened by accident. My boyfriend and I bought his daughter a jewelry kit for Christmas, but I think I enjoyed it more than her. It sparked my creative process and a passion was born!

CreativeSpiritToo: What inspires your creations?
DsignsByMelissa: Searching for great beads inspires me. I love to search Etsy destash. That is where I find some of my best beads. I am the type of person that will stare at things for a long time while my mind is creating things. My environment is very influential as well. Once I get an idea in my head, I will sit there and just look around my area until I find something that will work. Everything is a puzzle and it just takes some time to turn the pieces around and around until a masterpiece is created.

CreativeSpiritToo: How would you best describe your artistic style?
DsignsByMelissa: I am very eclectic. It honestly depends on my mood that day as to what kind of jewelry I will create. Some days I feel very traditional, while others I might feel vintage or modern. Sometimes I have no idea what I am going to create until it is done. I will just pick up beads and then add some more, until I feel I am done. Unfortunately, this lead to a very messy work area.

CreativeSpiritToo: What is your favorite piece you have created so far?
DsignsByMelissa: I have to narrow it down to just one? How about 2? My “In the Garden Earrings” are a perfect example of having no idea what I was going to create when I started. I just knew I wanted to make something with the pink flower beads. I just started adding other pieces, and I just love how simple, yet stunning these turned out!

My proudest creation is something that is not currently in my shop. I use to have it listed, but have removed it because I just have no idea how to price it. It is my Butterfly Necklace. The butterfly itself started out as 2 individual earrings. I removed the posts and altered the design to look like wings.














Each "wing" was soldered together on the backside. I then created the antennas & tail of the
butterfly from tinned copper wire. The "body" of the butterfly is strictly solder that has been formed to look like a body. The solder from the body also connects the front together. I added a hook to the back to attach a chain. From that hook hangs a 3" chain, which is constructed of tinned copper rings. I formed, cut, & soldered each ring together to create the funky chain. The same construction method was used for the chain that goes around the neck.

CreativeSpiritToo: Who is your biggest supporter?
DsignsByMelissa: My biggest supporters are the women I use to work with. Jewelry is something that is much more impressive in person and they were the ones that saw it most of the time.

CreativeSpiritToo: Do you have any other artistic talents or outlets you'd like to share?
DsignsByMelissa: I make floral arrangements as well. I’ve created arrangements for a friend’s wedding & many other friends & family members. I would love to be able to do floral arranging along with jewelry design in the future.

CreativeSpiritToo: Tell us about your creative process with my beads?
DsignsByMelissa: My creative process is very easy with CreativeSpirit's beads. They offer great inspiration within themselves. All I do is look for additional beads that will compliment the great colors in her beads. I’ve got some pillow beads on their way to me that will most likely end up in a necklace. They have a very fun, yet a modern feel to it. That is the direction I’m planning on going with them, at least until they speak to me while working with them.



You can find Melissa's work online at the following sites:
Etsy : www.dsignsbymelissa.etsy.com ~ Check out Melissa's Special in her Etsy shop
♥ SNS ♥ Saturday Night Special ♥ SNS ♥ ...
All earrings are 40%. Discount will either be refunded through Paypal, or you can convo her first and she will change the listing price. Sale ends Sunday (3/10) at 10am ET.
ArtFire : www.DesignsByMelissa.artfire.com
Blog : www.dsignsbymelissa.blogspot.com
Destash: www.melp1979.etsy.com

PCAGOE - The Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy

Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 8:21 PM

Last month, I was honored to have been accepted into thePCAGOE, Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy, an Etsy street team, whose members are an eclectic mix of artists creating with the same medium, polymer clay, using a variety of techniques to create everything from jewelry to furniture to fishing lures. This group of artists bring their own artistic energies together to create beautiful works of art available for purchase in their Etsy Shops.

The PCAGOE hosts a themed challenge every month. Anyone can participate by creating an original entry to fit the theme, and people are then invited to go to the website and vote for their favorite entry. Voting takes place between nooon on the 1st of each month through midnight on the 7th. All voters are entered into a random drawing for prizes. Winners also receive prizes. For more information about our monthly challenge, go to the website, or contact divadea through Etsy convo.

The photo above (Sheer Pink Focal Bead) is my entry in this month's theme challenge, "canework" and is available for purchase in my Etsy shop, CreativeSpiritToo. Please vote for your favorite and get in on the drawing. The prizes for your participation are FABULOUS!