Holly Daze Shoppe, Cary, NC

If you are in the Cary area, come on out to the new Pop-up Holly Daze Shoppe.

Here is a sampling of handmade creations offered in the Shoppe this week.

• Linda Searcy Jewelry Designs
• Blessings in Time Photography, Don Sprinkle
• Collection of Eve, Knitted Gifts, Gava van der Schyff
• Pine Laurel, Soy Candles, Laurie Craver
• blissBain, Scented Soaps, Marsha Travers
• Needle and Thread, Quilts, Marianne Donohue
• Fairy Tale Designs, Precious Creations, Diane Monson
• ZANAN, Leather Goods
• Daring Inspirations, Arts and Photography, Hannah Dare Yarborough
• Hyders Raku Collection, RAKU-Ceramics
• Setons Specialties, Save your story in art, Seton McGlennon

Fall, Start of Festival Season!

Don't you just love when Fall comes around!!!  Cooler weather, excitement in the air, Mother Nature showing off her colors...

It's also when towns, villages and cities get busy with the start of the holiday season with festivals, bringing out the food, music and arts.

My first festival of the season is tomorrow and Sunday at the Central Carolina Pagan Pride Days Festival.  Would love to see you if you are in the local area!  Come out and support your local artists!

For the past couple of weeks, I have been rushing around preparing for it.  Even though I have done many shows in the past 3 years, there is so much in preparing for a one - no two shows are ever the same.  Depending on space allocation, venue location, venue type, etc., display setup is always a challenge.  I do stage my displays before each show.  Decisions on what items to bring, number of tables, table coverings, signage, how to display...

If you do shows, what are your challenges and how do you overcome them?

One challenge I have is making sure EVERYTHING fits in my car.  I take out the 2 back seats and store them away until the end of the show season.  That gives me optimum space and ease of packing.

When I first started shows, my car seemed not be large enough but with each show, packing has become more efficient, having learned what works and what doesn't.  

So now I am READY for my first show of this season!

Upcoming shows:

Festifall, Chapel Hill, Sunday October 7, 2012

Cooke Street Carnival, Raleigh, Saturday October 13, 2012

Boylan Heights ArtWalk (pending acceptance)

NCSU Crafts Center Art Fair (pending acceptance)

* * * * * * *

http://www.lindasearcyjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com/

http://craftcafe.co/shop/lindasearcyjewelrydesigns/

http://craftcafe.co/shop/lindasearcydesignstoo/

https://www.facebook.com/LindaSearcyJewelryDesigns

Engagement Ring Done!!!

Just a quick update on the engagement ring.  Ta-da!!! It's finished and delivered!!!

The Proposal

Ruby in Yellow Gold setting, satin finish

Now on to the commissioned wedding band with rubies and diamonds!

Special Valentine Free Shipping

Special for Valentine - Free USA Shipping


You still have time to shop for Valentine's Day - it's just under 1 month away.


For Valentine shopping, I am offering free shipping to USA destinations on selected items, mostly pieces that have red in the design.  Check the Free Shipping section of my ArtFire shop and see if you find something that piques your heart.

Red Enameled Copper Earrings

* * * Birthday and End of Summer Sale * * *

This month is my milestone birthday month! 

To celebrate I am offering a

Birthday and End of Summer Coupon Code Sale 

on select items in my ArtFire shop.

Sale is good from Monday, September 26

through

Friday, September 30.

 

The items are located 

in the Birthday and End of Summer Sale section - http://bit.ly/qexuxz 

Use coupon code BDEOS20 and get 20% off the listed price.

Happy Shopping!

Classes, Workshops Galore!

I am on a fast-track to expand my metal fabrication skills.  If you follow me on Facebook, you may have noticed that I am like the energizer bunny - getting more and more techniques under my belt!  I am so thankful that I have so many local resources available to me!


This year I made a point to do fewer arts and crafts shows to focus on learning and to find out what technique or techniques are a good fit.  It's been a year and half since I took my first class in metal fabrication at Pullen Arts Center in Raleigh.

My first fabricated pendant

Back of pendant

My first pair of earrings

Since then I have learned:

• how to use of the torch, solder, sawing, filing, and bezel setting with Megan Clark at Pullen Arts
• how to use the hydraulic press to create dimensional forms with Betty McKim - made a locket with rivets
• how to embellishment metals with Kathryn Osgood - etching on brass to make embossing plates to transfer designs to metal and using keum boo to add a pop of gold to silver
• about various casting techniques (broom stick, water, rock salt, cuttlebone) from a group of wonderful women at the Jewelry Artists Retreat (JAR) @ Lake Gaston, NC
• how to flush set faceted stones, again with Megan Clark
• how to make rings with tim lazure - completed 2 rings that I really, really love
• how to add alternate colors on metal with Kathryn Osgood - including patinas and colored resin
• how to tube set a faceted stone and fold form copper at a spring mini-retreat in the NC mountains with Debora (member of JAR) and Kimberly
• how to chase & repousse on copper and silver with the Italian artist Davide Bigazzi, Menlo Park, CA
• how to fuse enameling to copper with Julie Brooks

Next week I will be at William Holland School of Lapidary to learn how to make lampwork glass beads.  It was actually my 3rd choice since my 1st (Silver II: Forging) and 2nd (Enameling) choices were at maximum!  Four other members of JAR will be there, too - we are going to have a blast!

Peak Fest, Saturday, May 7, 2011

If you are in the Apex, NC, area this coming Saturday (May 7), be sure to come out and enjoy a gorgeous day at the 31st annual Peak Fest.  There will be lots of activities for the whole family - music, food and amazing creations by local artists (check the list for this year's participating artists)!


I will be at booth spot 48A (see map).  In addition to my new copper and resin jewelry, wire and mixed metal jewelry,  I will have more of my best selling glass tile pendants and earrings created with vintage international postage stamps!

Something Different!

I recently came across some very beautiful postage stamps from Japan - vintage circa "showa period" from 1926-1989.

Since paper doesn't play well with flames (no torches), slump glass tiles came to mind. This is completely outside my usual metal work jewelry but I wanted to preserve several of these as jewelry pieces. They are now listed in my Etsy jewelry shop as part of my Geisha series (a few have already been sold or spoken for).

So what do you think???

Rectangle Pendants

Square Pendants and Earrings

New Marketing Venue...

One of my goals for 2011 is to promote my jewelry to a wider audience. I have been selling online through Etsy and to the public at numerous art and craft shows. I have now partnered with Laura of Turtle Grass Body.

Starting Saturday, January 29, several pieces of my wire work jewelry will be available for purchase at the Turtle Grass Body shop located in the Commercial building at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. The shop will be open from 9:00am - 6:00pm each Saturday and Sunday (except during special events such as the State Fair).

This weekend should be full of hustle and bustle at the Fairgrounds with the Chinese New Year festival, the Southern Farm show and the Flea Market! And the weather will be nice and sunny - so come out with friends and family, enjoy the festivities, food, and shopping!

Here a few photos of my setup. I will post more later of shots during open business hours.

Fall Arts Fair @ Sertoma Art Center, Oct 2

Join us on Saturday, October 2,

from 10am - 5pm for the Sertoma and Pullen Arts Centers' Fall Arts Fair at Sertoma Arts Center and Shelley Lake!

Visit our indoor & outdoor art markets, enjoy live entertainment, watch artists' demonstrations, enjoy a kids area, fishing derby, try out a music together class or Nia class and much more!

If you are in the area, come by, visit me, and help support the local artists.

I will be indoors at the Sertoma Arts Center. Other artists to look for - Jill of LivnGood Jewlery, Christina of ChristinaBellaBeads, Jill of OrangeCatArt, and Elena of TrendFemme.

September DDM Show - Photos

This was my 3rd show with Designers Downtown Market and will be the last one for me this year. I wanted to share a few photos of this event.

And how my booth setups have evolved from the 1st DDM show. This was the first time I set up fabrics for sale - I had fabrics in plastic storage bins on a single 6' table. I saw that it was difficult for customers to really see what was available with all items folded tightly in those boxes!

So I invested in several grid walls, shelving and baskets from A & B Fixtures. I was able to spread items around where people could touch, feel and unfold pieces of fabric to see all the fabulous colors and patterns.

And my jewelry setup has changed, again! Before I used empty boxes as risers to create height. But I found that when nature's elements (gusty wind, specifically) made an appearance, my displays ended up on the ground. Not good for the jewelry!

Now, my displays have more weight, have a neater look (since I used some of my fabrics to cover the pads in the display trays), and is easier to pack and unpack (items are pinned in each tray, is covered in bubble wrap and stacked in a single box).

I was able to visit a few vendors near me -2 sisters, Elisabeth Ashlie Jewelry and Kate of CardsbyK8

Christy of Hoot Creations - handmade jewelry

Jennifer of Sweet JAM Designs - jewelry, sewing, paper crafts, and crochet

Ashlee of Hepcat Roux's - funky jewelry, pet tees, cards, and gifts

Beach and Wilmington Art Walk - Photos

View of sound-side marsh from back deck at Sunset Beach.

Morning visitors to our deck - juvenile night herons.

Ready for a walk on the beach - pretty pedicures and flip-flops!

And just a few photos of the 9th Annual Art Walk in Wilmington, NC.