On April Fool's Day there will be a great giveaway starting on ArtFire: The Easter Egg Hunt! Fifty studio artisans have hidden Easter eggs in their stores. Find them, unscramble the resulting cryptogram, and be the first to email the hostess with the correct answer and you can win a $50 gift certificate for ArtFire spending! There are gift certificates for the second and third correct answers, too! Read about hit here.
The two Artful Seniors on Fire Guild Members that I will spotlight today are SimplyUniqueJewelry and SpiritDance.
SimplyUniqueJewelry does one of a kind jewelry.
Of the studio, the artisan says, "Welcome to Simply Unique Jewelry.
I strive to make all of my jewelry one-of-a-kind creations. My first love is off-loom needle and thread work, but I also create many unique strung items. I look for the best materials possible and always am on the look-out for unique stones and glass. I love to highlight lampwork glass, and feature many USA artists work in my jewelry. I will credit the creating artists in my descriptions, when I know who created the glasswork. I strive to make my pieces as versatile as possible and consequently you will find that many have multiple ways of wearing them.
Please also see more of my jewelry at Simply Unique Jewelry! on Etsy.com"
Of herself, she says, "It started on a windy night.....No that's not what you want to know....I am an artsy-fartsy old lady that loves all things artistic....That's pretty much true, except for the old part....well maybe the old part too! Actually, I am a retired Military spouse, who has had the privilege of traveling around the world and the USA with my retired Army husband of 40 years. Whew!....that does make me old! Oh well, I'm still young at heart! We have lived in Georgia, Germany, North Carolina, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Northern Virginia, commonly known as the "DC area". While in Germany, we had the opportunity to travel to Holland, Austria, Italy, Spain, France, and England, as well as all over Germany.
I wouldn't trade any of it. I grew up in a little town, where I knew there just had to be more to the world than my little space. Little did I know what was to come! In all of these different locations, I experimented with different Arts and Crafts techniques. My own personal drive always made me strive for the higher artistic ends, rather than the craft ends. I have experienced Oil painting, Acrylic painting, macrame, custom sewing, Quilling, Decorative painting, and now Designer jewelry making.
After spending 17 years in the DC area, my husband and I decided we were ready for a change and moved to Florida to be closer to our oldest daughter and our grandchildren. About a year later our other daughter followed us. My grandchildren and my family are my greatest joys and passions. My art activities come in a close second.
I love working with color to create strong contrasts and beautiful, unique items. I am inspired by nature, sunsets, beautiful skies, the beads and stones themselves, but mainly color. I love the way one color plays off of and influences another. Sometimes it is the shine, or the texture that attracts me, but always the colors hold me. I also have a desire to create much more than I can possibly use myself, hence I will be offering finished articles for sale to you lucky folks! I strive to be as accurate as possible in my descriptions. I don't want you to have any nasty surprises. If you are not pleased with your purchases, I will refund your money upon return of the original items, in original condition, within 10 days of your receipt of the merchandise. As my items are going to be one of a kind items, I can not offer an exchange."
She definitely does beautiful work!
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SpiritDance does jewels for spiritual meditation.
Of her studio she says, "I AM OFFER SELECTED ITEMS AT REDUCED PRICES AND NEW ITEMS AT LOW PRICES AS PART OF THE ARTFIRE STIMULUS PACKAGE...from now until March 30th"
(Ed. Note: Eeek! hurry in there! ArtFire Stimulus package was conceived by an ArtFire artist to promote Artfire and showcase its artists. Stimulus package artisans have discounted some items to a most affordable level so that people can get a sample of the artist's work without causing another bank bailout...)
"Welcome to... my ideas done in beads..Meditation beads of all kinds to let your spirit dance
All spirit beads are ooak
I started making Spirit beads as gifts for friends and family..
The designs were done with the person in mind, their hobbies and connections..such as my sister loves dragonflies, brother lives on his sailboat..
so I found dragonfly beads and charms for her and sea charms and shell beads for him..
When designing my spirit beads I choose stones and charms to fit the pendant...
10 beads in the main circle is an easy count for meditation...also the odd bead, which I call the spirit bead, from native American tradition
beads come in either a silk or velvet draw string bag..jewelery in a gift box...
also at www.spiritdance.etsy.com
and for rosaries and knits at www.stringnstone.etsy.com
Thank you for stopping by..Margaret"
And of herself, "I am 60 plus ..have been sewing and knitting for 50 years and crafting for 40..I started beading sometime ago...
This year I was looking for a gift for brother's 50th, decided to do a St. Andrew's rosary..we are a bit Scottish...it was beautiful and I was hooked on stringing beads.
My first love is stones so I started doing research and putting together spirit beads..
I use Melody, Judy Hall, Diane Stein and Robert Simmons for stone meanings...any of their books will give you insight into the crystal world
there you have my story..Thanks for taking the time to read it, Margaret "
Wonderful spotlight - both artisans are very talented. I really like the dragon pendant necklace.
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