{home for the holidays}

It's the week of Christmas & I am busy getting ready for the weekend as I'm sure everyone else is too so I thought I would share our Christmas pictures! 

  

These will definitely be making their way onto our walls soon!

Hope everyone has a Blessed Christmas!

{feature:rose}

Happy Monday everyone!

Please meet the adorable Rose!

She makes amazing beaded jewelry!

 

How did your shop begin? 

I've always loved beads, but I didn't get serious about my jewelry work until a few years ago.  During the summer of 2008, a friend introduced me to Etsy and I saw some beadwoven jewelry that I really loved in the Amana Colonies.  I started to learn beadweaving techniques with the motivation that I would be able to make jewelry to sell on Etsy.  I first joined Etsy in August of 2008 and then opened my shop a couple months later.  In addition to beads, I've always enjoyed buttons and started adding button jewelry shortly after opening my shop.

What is your creative process?

Typically I have way more ideas than I have time to create so I often have trouble reigning in my process and focusing on one or two projects at a time.  I regularly keep a list going of new ideas that I have.  Sometimes I pull beads and/or buttons together as ideas come together and set them aside to work on as I have time.  I almost always have at least two jewelry projects in the works at one time and often have another crafty project going elsewhere, too.  

What has been your biggest crafting disaster? 

I don't know that I've had many major crafting disasters, if any at all.  I have had a couple challenges designing techniques for securing more weighty bead work.  A lot of my early beadwork was light or had embellishment work that did not strain the base of the piece.  When I first started making heavier pieces where the weight was an integral part of the base, I had to completely rethink how I was going to do the structural work.  There is definitely some trial and error involved in that process, but so far, it has always been worth it. 

What are your current projects? 

Among other things, I recently finished my November entry for the EBW Challenge Twisted.  I am working on a few Christmas designs that I'll be listing in my shop later this month or early next month.  I am also working on a brand new line of herringbone stitch bracelets that I'll be releasing in 2012. 

Any advice for those who want to start their own shop? 

Take the best pictures that you can and continually work on improving your photography.  I have easily learned as much about photography as I have about jewelry making since I started my Etsy shop.  Work to create your own style for your shop that matches your items.  This can take time and may also change over time as your shop changes, but it is always an important element to keep in mind.  To get more advice about starting a shop, please read the articles that I have written about Etsy by clicking here.

 

Find more of Rose here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/randomcreative28

Twitter: http://twitter.com/randomcreative

Blog: http://www.randomcreativeart.com

Rose is offering my readers free shipping with the code FREESHIP on all her lovely items in her shop!

{cookies}

Last week, I was busy in the kitchen whipping up 12 dozen of these yummy S'mores cookies for a cookie exchange with some ladies from my church.

I haven't baked in a while so I had so much fun baking & wrapping them up. Plus now I have a variety of cookies ready to be nibbled on during the holidays!

What are you baking up for the holidays??