http://blog.lorenaangulo.com/2014/04/celebrating-my-journey-and-recovery.html

Inside Out Beads by Rebekah Payne

I love the look of this flower impressed bead that has the impression on both the inside and the outside.  It’s in polymer, but you could easily adapt it to metal clay.

Picture it in copper clay, with a green patina, or in fine silver!

http://artjewelryelements.blogspot.com/2013/08/how-to-inside-outside-pressed-flower.html

The post is by Rebekah Payne.

So I was excited to see this post about a photographer specializing in photomicography of gemstones:

http://petapixel.com/2014/07/30/photomicrographer-captures-stunning-jagged-landscapes-inside-gemstones

The only frustrating thing about this post is that it doesn’t tell you want the inclusions are or the gemstones!  Be sure to click through to Danny Sanchez’s website to find out more.

Anne Fiala in her basement studio.

I’m so excited to bring you this interview with Anne M. Fiala! We’ll be talking creativity, business and there pictures!

Introducing Anne M. Fiala, a long time metalsmith, recent MFA grad, former board member of the Chicago Metal Arts Guild and was also a key organizer for the fabulous Zoom Symposium at the University of Indiana in Blommington.

She recently uprooted herself from snowy Chicago and moved to sunny North Carolina. Q: So what are you up to these days?

Hmmm. Yes, uprooted and moved to sunny NC where I am a jewelry maker and teach art and metals. I teach arts and crafts to kids at UrbanPromise – which is an inner city program that aims to develop children and youth into leaders determined to restore their communities.

Whosiewhatsit Earrings by Anne Fiala, Copyright 2014, reprinted with permission

Q: You have this amazing background in metal and yet you’re working in wood now!  How did that happen?

Haha, I know! Well, it kind of happened in a roundabout way. After my first year of graduate school I was really frustrated in the studio. I had been spending a lot of time making super detailed and technical pieces, but wasn’t really satisfied with the outcomes. So, I started to study my creative habit.

In doing this I did 3 things; I began to question, I made one piece every day for a month, and I traveled to Netherlands to take a conceptual workshop.

During the month of “a piece a day” there was a huge storm in Bloomington and I started picking up fallen branches. The branches made their way onto my bench and into my jewelry. I found that I really enjoyed working with the branches for a variety of reasons; they took away some of my control over the outcome, they reminded me of my family who have been woodworkers through the ages, and they offered a nice contrast to my often meticulous metal work (both visually and physically).

The branches evolved into scrap wood, which evolved into high quality plywood. I have now become so interested in small scale woodworking that last summer I traveled to Haystack in Maine to take a workshop with Katie Hudnall, who makes all sorts of amazing small scale wood pieces.

Whosiewhatsit Necklace by Anne Fiala, Copyright 2014, reprinted with permission

Q: Your wood jewelry looks so light and easy to wear is it?  The pieces are all so fun and colorful and fashionable, what was your inspiration for this line?  

It is light and easy to wear! Though I love jewelry, I have weak ears and am awfully clumsy. I want to make things that I would and could wear!

My inspiration stems from a few sources, but mostly my family and my travels. I spent a lot of the last four years driving through the Midwest and admiring the weathered farmhouses and empty billboards. I see a lot of that inspiration in my necklaces.

My wooden dangles evolved from my love of the lobster buoys in Deer Isle, Maine, which are bright, colorful, and timeworn.

Elaine interjects – I’m attracted to those kinds of things too, and what I love is how you’ve taken that and make it so fresh and bright and timeworn at the same time!

I have a variety of flowered designs which stem from memories of my grandmother. My grandmother kept a beautiful garden full of every kind of flower – from irises to poppies, I think it’s where I got my love of flowers. Her daisies had actually been moved from house to house for generations.

The Fine Arts Building at U of Indiana

Q: What was the most useful class that you took in undergrad or grad school that you’re really using now, in your business?

I would have to say the overall experience of grad school is what I am really using now.

During grad school I was involved with a few nonprofit organizations on top of teaching and my coursework. Pair that with a mostly independent curriculum I really learned how to balance working and making.

Grad school also gave me the opportunity to just make and study my creative habit. In doing so, I learned a lot about what makes me tick. Now I know how to get out of ruts, use inspiration, and where to start.

Q: What’s your “desert island” metalsmithing book?  A favorite that you couldn’t live without?

It’s probably The Complete Metalsmith by Tim McCreight. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a chapter hidden in there somewhere called “Making Tools and Jewelry on a Desert Island”.

I also really like Silversmithing by Rupert Finegold. But more often than not, if I’m looking for a solution these days I’m searching the web on my phone. Outside of metalsmithing I really enjoyed The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp and Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. Great reads that are not strictly jewelry or business related but really relate to our practice.

Whoosiewhatsit Hoops in wood and steel, copyright 2014, reprinted with permission

Q: I see that you’re selling on Etsy, another online platform and to some retail stores.  How did you choose that other platform?  Since this is a jewelry – business blog, we’d love to hear about your business goals, what’s your ideal that you’re going for?  Mostly wholesale?  Mostly retail?  Do you do in person shows?

I chose the other platform, Square Market, out of convenience for my shoppers. Because I do in person shows, I wanted a card reader that allowed checkout to be quick, easy, and trusted. I chose Square because so many retailers are using it – from food trucks to retail stores – that most people have Square accounts and are familiar with the transaction process.

I was surprised to learn one of the perks of Square is Square Market – a free online marketplace similar to Etsy. Creating an online store was as simple as creating an inventory – you just have to take the extra step of adding descriptions and pictures!

An Anne Fiala necklace in process, on the soldering surface.

The ideal that I am going for is simple – I want to be an artist.

To me that means earning a living from the combination of creating and selling my work and teaching my craft.

In selling my work I wouldn’t mind a bit of everything! It’s nice having my work in shops and galleries, it allows people to “discover” my work and experience it in person.

Having an online store has allowed me to reach new audiences, too, and has given me the opportunity to make some custom work. At the end of the day I don’t have dreams of being a multimillionaire and I don’t want my business to get so big that I am removed from the making process.

I think a lot of jewelry makers like Megan Auman and Amy Tavern have been successful in that. They create really beautiful jewelry that jewelry makers and everyday people alike love.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to others just starting out in the jewelry business?

“Action is best; start anywhere” and “Be rooted”.

There is so much information out there of how to run your business and what to do to be successful – it seems like the best advice is to know your brand (i.e. YOU) and take action.

The things that work really well for other people, may not work for you or not seem genuine coming from you. The same goes for your work.

Staying true to yourself and your roots will help keep your work authentic, help you naturally progress to the next step, and help you find answers to your questions.

Such great advice, thanks Anne!

Follow Anne Fiala Jewelry Objects on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annefialajewelry where she shares her process and show announcements.

Visit her etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnneFialaJewelry

Visit her Square Market shop here: https://squareup.com/market/anne-fiala

I love the look of the Square Market shop!

“I am paid to trust the universe.”

“Being realistic is the most common path to mediocrity. There is no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from? plan A.”

More great stuff and a video over at the Make Big Art blog.

by Jos Hosttas

Yesterday, you saw the terrific wedding dress made by Lisa Polderman, Chicago area sewist and blogger. Today, let’s learn more about her and what motivates her as a maker.

How did you get into sewing?
I started sewing in the summer of 2010. I was planning to leave my job at the end of the summer in order to stay at home with my kids for a year, and I wanted something to learn for myself during that time. I took five private lessons with a local sewing teacher and made a simple pair of pants for my daughter and half of a dress for myself.

Birthday Dress by Lisa Polderman

I picked sewing mostly because it was practical. I have two daughters, and I assumed that they would want clothes as they grew older (probably nicer clothes than we could afford) and I like to dress well myself. Since we would be losing a significant amount of income when I left my job, it seemed like a good idea to pick up a hobby that could save money. And I also already had a machine that I had inherited from my husband’s grandmother.

But I did hesitate before taking the lessons. I like to be good at things – I’ve got some drive and competitiveness in that regard. And I’ve got a bit of a perfectionist streak. I didn’t want to do a hobby that I could only hope to be mediocre at.

Around this time my book club read My Life in France by Julia Child, and I discovered that she didn’t learn to cook until she was 39 years old (as in could barely boil an egg before that point). I was 40 at the time and I figured if she could learn to cook at 39 and make a career out of it, I could learn to sew and at the very least become competent at it.

And then I fell in love. I love the act of sewing. I love the concentration in requires (the kind of concentration that allows you to lose yourself for a while), I love how much there is to learn. I love taking something flat and giving it shape. I love the problem-solving nature of it – you run into roadblocks and have to figure out how to get around them with the tools you have or the tools you can learn. I love fabric. I love the beauty of fabric and how different fabrics behave different ways, and that their nature can be manipulated. I love being able to make clothes that fit me perfectly and are exactly what I want.

I love being able to do that for others, especially those who have experienced frustration when it comes to buying well-fitting clothes that they also like. It’s such a relief for many people to have their clothes fit their body, rather than trying to make their body fit the clothes they want.

Since those initial lessons I have largely learned on my own. I read books and blogs about sewing, I take online classes, I study garments, and I ask for help from the people I meet in the sewing world who know more than I do. I love that I can keep developing new skills and that 10 years from now I’ll still have much to learn.

Custom pattern by Lisa Polderman

I think part of what makes me different in this field is how I got here – I didn’t learn tailoring as a trade and I’m not a 20-year-old fashion student. I got here out of passion and drive. I can also easily identify with my clients – I’m near their age, I dress well but I dress for my lifestyle, I know what it’s like to work in a professional setting because I did that for 18 years before I changed direction. And I’m really good at listening. And in the listening, figuring out what my clients actually want and need vs. what they say they want and need.

Tell us more about your business.
I’ve made custom work the center of my business because it’s what I most enjoy doing. I know some artisans hate custom work, and I get why they do. But I like working with clients, getting to know them well enough to design with their tastes, bodies, and lifestyles in mind. I like that puzzle.

And I like that everything I make is for a particular person, instead of for a bunch of people I haven’t met and won’t ever know.

Jacket in Studio by Lisa Polderman

What are your goals?
My current goals are to continue to develop my couture skills, learn to sew trousers for other people, and inspire a love of garment sewing in others. I love how couture techniques give accuracy and durability to garment construction – if you want something to fit perfectly and last forever, go couture!

And when it comes to trousers, so many people have a hard, hard time finding pants that fit, and I’m excited that I’ll be able to help with that in the future! I started teaching sewing about a year ago (in my former life, I taught and trained teachers) and I love being able to help people experience the joy that comes from sewing one’s own clothes.

You dress really well, why do you think that matters?
I didn’t always think it did. When I was younger (teens) I prided myself on not caring about fashion, not knowing how to dress. This pride really came out insecurity – it was easier to reject a sense of style than to figure mine out.
As I got older, I wanted to dress well but I didn’t really know how to do it. I wore mostly black or dark colors, because that seemed safest – I didn’t want to mess with trying to figure out what went with what. And I copied a woman at work who had a similar body type – she looked good, so I thought if I dressed like her, I would look good, too. And that mostly worked, except it wasn’t really me.

I don’t think I really figured out how to dress until my late 30’s. My company moved West and I stayed on as a remote worker. This meant that I no longer had to dress for an office. I also didn’t want to wear lounge clothes all day because that just zapped my energy and made me feel less confident. So I finally had to figure it out.
I think dressing well matters because it helps form your opinion of yourself and the opinion that others have of you. It is also fun, a form of play. My young daughters love to dress up and try out different versions of themselves, and so do I.

And I just feel more confident and happy when my clothes reflect who I am and who I strive to be. In my experience, people want to learn to dress well but they don’t know where to start in terms of style, color, and comfort. One of the nice things about dressing well is that you don’t need a lot of clothes to do it – you just need the right clothes.

Thanks for stopping by to talk Lisa! I hope everyone has enjoyed getting to know you.

Want more Lisa? Follow her blog! Here’s a post that shows some of her couture techniques and how that results in clothing that fits just right and hangs just right. Once you see it, you see it, and then you’re ruined forever, you’ll need custom clothes too!

And finally, because she’s such a great blogger, her blog is the winner of Blog of the Week! Here’s her badge, which her blog can wear with pride! You’ll find Lisa’s blog to have humor, excellent tutorials and tips, and a great story of the journey of this handcrafted life.

Kristen’s Wedding, Photo by Outer Focus Photos

Wrapping up Handmade Weddings Week, we arrive at the bride! Anyone going handmade for their wedding probably wants something different, so today I’m highlighting a wedding gown that’s both different and handmade using couture techniques.

This gorgeous dress was made by Chicago area sewist Lisa Polderman for bride Kristen.

Now, your first question is going to be, why is the dress black? The bride and groom wanted to switch the traditional colors for the bride and groom, so he wore a white suit, she wore a black dress that she can wear again! Truly wear again, especially after having it shortened at some point.

That’s the finished dress, but anyone reading this blog is interested in how things are made. Let’s take a look at that shall, we?

Lisa starts at the beginning, with measurements, and then creates a custom pattern:

Here’s the silk charmeuse being cut out:

There are more process shots on Lisa’s blog.

Photo from a fitting. Photo by Angel Photography.

And you can read more and see more pictures of the finished dress and wedding day on Lisa’s blog.

Tomorrow we’ll learn more about Lisa and what motivates her as a sewist and custom clothing maker!

Lisa Polderman

All Photos Reprinted with Permission. Visit Angel Photography and Outer Focus Photos.

What’s the tie-in? This is a jewelry blog, right?

Weddings are a huge market and anyone who makes jewelry should consider what they can make and sell for that market. Wedding rings are an obvious one, but there are so many accessories for the bride, bridesmaids and overlooked groom and groomsmen. Take a look at yesterday’s post — an etsy treasury — for some ideas. A simple necklace, sold in sets of 4 or 6 and labeled bridesmaids gifts is suddenly an easy to buy wedding item!

What about you? Do you sell to the wedding market? Do you avoid it like the plague? Comments, as ever, are open!

Let’s start with some recipes, shall we? It’s the holidays, after all. Lazy, Degenerate Brownies caught my eye.

Haven’t made those (yet), but I did make Figgy Pudding! It was pretty good, though the children who requested it in the first place didn’t like it, as expected. (All the adults loved it.)

Back to jewelry! Wendy Edsall-Kerwin is way ahead of me with her end of the year posts, Accomplishments of 2013 and Top Posts of 2013.

Here’s Alyson Stanfield’s Art Biz Blog’s Hottest Art Biz Blog Posts of 2013.

Here’s an article on unbreakable? rules for artist websites.

What are you reading, watching, tweeting this week? Please share in the comments, thanks!