Heads up -- The July Gem Expo & MetaExpo are on their way...

...soon, soon, soon. Both shows will be held the last weekend in July in Toronto at the downtown Hyatt Regency Hotel on King Street. TWO BALLROOMS full of gems, minerals, crystals, jewellery, findings, holistic and metaphysical practitioners... plus plenty of courses by experts in their fields to learn about crystals and jewellery-making.

If you're an absolute beginner to jewellery-making you've come to the right place. I will be teaching the two most basic jewellery-making techniques -- how to open and close a jump ring, and how make two kinds of loops -- on Friday evening, time TBA. Learn to make a rosary chain loop, aka simple loop, and a wrapped loop. Everything flows from this.

You will have a pile of pendants, glass, semi-precious, metal and lava (aromatherapy/diffuser) beads and findings to choose from. Take home a mixed metals and beads necklace and earrings. Materials and class notes are supplied and included in the course cost.

Since I only have a few tools, if you have them, please bring the following four tools. If you need to buy them, the easiest way is to use Michael's 40% and 50% off regular priced item coupons. Generally speaking, pliers and jewellery-making tools are items that rarely if ever go on sale. Hardware store tools and pliers are not suitable, nor are the travel-size sets of small pliers.

Basic jewellery-making tools L to R: Bent nose, chain nose, round nose, and angled flush cutters (with the really pointy ends). Note the pliers with blue handles, those have cushioned, hand-friendly ergonomic handles. The ones in the centre are Michael's "sparkle" pliers. They're fine to use, but upgrading those is on my shopping list.

Go to The Gem Expo website or The MetaExpo website, subscribe and get immediate notification when the classes are posted. One admission gets you into both shows.

Got questions about this and my other classes? Email me here.  Thanks for stopping by!

Adjustable choker production from the Saturday market...

I made all these pendants in between customers at the market yesterday -- and one customer bought them all before they even hit the table. These were mostly made from new beads that I bought in Toronto last week from a hole-in-the-wall store I've walked by countless times. Now I need more... more... MORE!!! The eternal question: why oh why didn't I buy several packs while I was there???

SOLD 

SOLD

Learn to make this lava diffuser pendant at my Friday night class at the GEM EXPO in Toronto on March 16. Sign up HERE. Checkitout: there are lots of great classes all three days of the show.

SOLD

Don't forget, you get FREE 3-day admission to TWO SHOWS with any class: 

The Gem Expo, 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 16, 17 & 18

PLUS PLUS PLUS 

the brand new two-day 

METAEXPO

The Toronto Holistic & Metaphysical Show 

at the Hyatt Regency, King Street, Toronto 

in the second ballroom on Saturday and Sunday, March 17 & 18.

Thanks for stopping by -- and see you at THE GEM EXPO and METAEXPO!! Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter and get $2 off your admission.

March 2018 Gem Expo Classes will be posted soon!!!

The March 2018 Gem Expo is being held the last weekend of March Break, March 16th, 17th and 18th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, King Street in downtown Toronto: great timing for those looking for something fun for everyone from kids to grands to wrap up their vacation time away from school and work. Crystals, fossils, beads, finished jewellery, wire-work...

...we gotcha covered! PLUS there is the new Metaphysical Expo happening in the second ballroom. One admission gets you into both shows. Subscribe and get $2 off your admission. 

Here's a sneak peek at my three classes:

Friday Evening (Time TBA):

Aromatherapy Diffuser Bead Pendant and Earrings for Beginners

Just two possibilities to make in class. There will be a wide selection of lava bead sizes and colours, large and small pendants and dangles and bead caps to choose from as part of your kit fee. 

In this class you'll learn how to wrap beads to make your own aromatherapy diffuser pendant and earrings:

- make consistent wire loops and wraps, the proper way to open and close jump rings;

- accent your bead with bead caps to enrich the overall design

- how to attach your beads to earwires or necklace with jump rings

Saturday morning class (Time TBA):

Nifty Tips & Tricks for Wire Working for Experienced Beginners-Intermediate

Please note: this is NOT a suitable class for absolute beginners

In this class you'll learn to make your own wire findings easier, faster and more efficiently

- overview of wire types, temper, gauges, etc.;

- how to make consistent wire loops and wraps and troubleshoot difficulties;

- make your own earwires, plain and decorative headpins, connectors & dangles;

- bring questions!!!

Sunday morning class (Time TBA):

Totally Addicting Stretch Bracelets for Beginners+

Whatever you want to call them -- stretch, stacker, diffuser, healing, chakra or mala bracelets -- this is a great introduction to jewellery-making. Dress 'em up, dress 'em down, once you learn a few little tips and tricks you'll find the design possibilities are endless. Stretch bracelets make up quickly and just about anyone can make and wear them: they're easy to roll on and off with no pesky clasps to fiddle with. The only tools required are (sharp, pointy) scissors and occasionally pliers. 

You'll learn:

- tying and hiding a knot without using glue (& why you don't want to be using glue!);

- adjusting tension & sizing your bracelet to fit;

- easy and inexpensive ways to jazz up a plain bracelet by adding charms and/or spacers

NOTES ON TOOLS for most classes:

You'll notice you're asked to bring your own tools if you have them as instructors only have limited numbers of tools for participants to use. In general, these are the four basic tools anyone making jewellery will need at a bare minimum. Note that hardware store pliers and cutters do not work.  

L to R, bent nose pliers, flat nose pliers, round nose pliers, wire cutters. 

It's always advisable to buy the best quality tools you can afford to save your hands from carpal tunnel and/or aggravating arthritis as well as make it way easier to manipulate wire. Those cute sets of tiny pliers you'll see in stores are meant for limited use when travelling or for kids' tiny hands. 

Hint to beginners: Subscribe to Michael's newsletter and whenever you're near a store pop in and use their daily 40% or 50% off coupon to buy something expensive -- tools!!! -- that rarely if ever go on sale. 

Sign up for classes early!!!

By subscribing to either The Gem Expo website or the MetaExpo website, you will receive notifcation when all of the classes are posted. Don't be disappointed! Sign up early as many in-demand classes have limited places and are fully booked a month before the show.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you at the March 2018 GEM EXPO and METAEXPO!!!

Good Advice for 2018 -- and beyond...

Agnes, 02.01.18

I originally read this advice when I was 18. No idea where I first came across it, probably some magazine article. I was living on my own for the first time in a new city, working my first job at a university of all places -- stratospheric intimidation factor right there -- didn't know anyone, and for sure didn't have clue one how the world worked, let alone my place in it. Basically, I was one terrified, gibbering kid from the sticks. But I read it, kept my mouth firmly shut, eyes and ears wiiiiide open. Trust me, it worked. Almost too well. But I learned all kinds of interesting stuff.  

Listening well has served me equally well making jewellery; my customers have in many cases become my good friends. It amazes me how many people don't -- or won't -- listen. More than ever, people are starving to be heard. Jewellery is therapy for more than just us as the makers; it's also a therapy vehicle for our customers.

I've been at the market for ten years and this was my first great Christmas season ever. Even the New Year's market was good! But that was then, this is now: these last couple of days I've been proactively contacting people and filling up my new and pristine daytimer with events at which to sell my jewellery: dates and locations TBA.

I'll be offering a third class at The Gem Expo in Toronto in March on the Friday evening after work, plus the usual Saturday and Sunday mornings, course content TBA. If there's a technique you'd like to learn or refine, please tell me! Best and fastest way to get hold of me is email.

And you can always find me at the Woodstock Farmers Market, every Saturday morning from 7:00 a.m. until noon, although I'm usually there by 5:00.

Now to hunker down and back to workworkwork! Welllll... first more coffee.

Happy New Year to you all!

November 2017 GEM EXPO...

I haven't posted pix from the shows all year, but here are my setup photos this time, largely unedited. So happy the show was two weeks earlier than usual, we had a much better turnout even with parts of different subway lines shut down on Saturday and Sunday.

Have to start the trip with sufficient fuel: crispy hot french fries from my favourite chip stand at the top of the hill on the western edge of Paris -- Ontario.

My usual show strategy is to get the tables in place and everything out of the bins and onto the tables on Thursday night, then arrive at 7:00 a.m. on Friday and begin arranging everything.

9:03 a.m. everything is roughly in place; behind the scene, it's a mess and didn't improve at all during the show...

...in front of the scene, everything is roughly in place but I was not in a mindset to make decisions about where things should go. I had new bins of beads that were really throwing me off and some I didn't bring.

At 11:45, the doors have been open for 15 minutes, and this is as good and pristine as my booth will get.

I found stretch velcro bands at Dollarama to keep my plastic drawers and bins closed. I'll be cutting the lids off the translucent bins and using the velcro bands to keep the lids on for transportation. Without the lids it will make for a much cleaner display. That does not look good up above!

LOVELOVELOVE these clear stacking containers with partitioned trays as they are the perfect size for my collection of 6mm beads. I now have at least 100 different beads for my Chakraluscious line of healing bracelets and I'm sourcing more.

For now, I'm using a wooden spool holder that I found at the Goodwill for $3 and spray-painted black to hold my Chakraluscious bracelets. I finally had the absolutely delightful experience of selling an anti-negativity bracelet right off my wrist at the show. Very cool when that happens!

Since arriving back home, I scored two more small type trays to put goodies in, pre-loading being the way to go and these trays fit perfectly into plastic bins for storage and transport.

Some great meals:

Dinner crepe, Crepe T.O. is located a few doors south of the HI-Toronto hostel on Church, just above King. I read a great review in the Toronto Star several months before and have wanted to try it. Yum. I think they were planning on closing early, but they stayed open a bit later for me and several other people who'd wandered in after me.

Sunday night, Ruth and I hit the ever-reliable Jason George for a late night shared meal after packing up the van:

Pusateri's on Bay in Yorkville, Ruth launching an attack on an unsuspecting chocolate almond croissant, sitting there minding its own business. We spent a good hour going through beads and assorted loot.

The show was a lot of fun all three days and Sunday was fantastic. Packed with people all day and I had such great conversations. The classes I taught went well, and it looks like I'll be offering a third, different class in March, so stay tuned.

The next Gem Expo will be held the final weekend of March Break when everyone will be back from their holidays! Whoo hoo! See you then. In the meantime, you can find me every Saturday morning 7:00 a.m. until noon at the Woodstock Farmers Market on Nellis Street. I'm also taking part in the Quarter Auction on December 7th next door in the Auditorium, and on Sunday, December 17th I'll be at the Burnt Brick Cafe on Dundas Street in downtown Woodstock.

4-Daycation coming up!

Leaving Friday morning for four days in Toronto to go to the gem show at the Don Mills Arena. Staying at HI-Toronto again. Other than the show on Saturday with pals, I'm planning nothing more than a slow meander.

Here are some pix from the past few trips to Tronna.

A typical dorm room at HI-Toronto:

A traditional straw broom from Iqbal's, Toronto:

Salami d'amour from Pusateri's Avenue Road:

Totally forgot to document my table setup at the Gem Expo this time. This shows the point at which I gave up on Thursday night. The classes were held behind this table in the bay window of the ballroom. A curtain was put up between my table and the classrooms.

I've moved almost entirely over to clear plastic stacking display boxes and I was able to pretty much get two tables' worth of beads on the one table, yet all were clearly visible. Because so many of my beads now live permanently in these boxes, setup was waaaaay faster than all the other shows. And I think people rather liked the treasure hunt, poking in and around items on the table. I was told several times it was my nicest display yet.

Once again, we ended up at the Jason George for dinner. Ruth's sandwich was fabulous. The Kaiser bun wasn't one of those flabby soft things that passes for Kaisers these days. Crunchy crust!

The show was so busy I barely got a chance to leave my table, but I did buy lots of blue Afghan turquoise heishi...

...which looks gorgeous with my new raven skull pendant.

Thanks for stopping by -- and maybe see you in Toronto!

Pee Ess... Lianne the Vintage Lady will be putting out some of my jewellery at the Woodstock Farmers Market on Saturday while I'm away.

2,300 Pinterest Saves To Date -- Crystal Suncatchers

Crystal & copper suncatchers on Pinterest and here on my blog.

I can't believe how popular these little suncatchers have been. I still have lots more for sale at the Woodstock Farmers Market every Saturday morning. They're so easy and inexpensive to make: use up scraps of wire and stray beads.

I'll be teaching you how to make these and all kinds of dangles, ear wires, chain wraps, etc.in my class:

Tools, Tips & Trick of Jewellery-Making 

on Saturday, March 18th

at the

The Gem Expo

March 17, 18 and 19, 2017

Hyatt Regency Ballroom

King Street West, 

Toronto 

Class size is limited, so sign up early. Bonus: you get free admission for all three days of the show when you sign up for any class. Subscribe and get up-to-the-minute info by email on everything Gem Expo: vendors, classes.

I hope to see you there!

Gem Expo Classes are Posted...

Check 'em out. 

The Gem Expo 

Toronto Hyatt Regency 

King Street West

March 17th, 18th & 19th, 2017

Sign up early! 

Take any class and get three full days' admission!

Questions about my classes, 

please email me 

or ask below. 

Totally Addicting Stretch Stacker/Mala Bracelets

Tools, Tips & Tricks

March 2017 Gem Expo in Toronto... & Class Info...

Yes, it's confirmed -- I WILL be at The Gem Expo at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on King Street in Toronto March 17th, 18th and 19th. Hope to see you all there. It's on the final weekend of March break when everyone -- well, a lot of you -- will be back from holidays, Sign up for any class(es) and get free admission for all three days.

In addition to all the usual goodies at my table, I'll be offering two classes:

Totally Addicting Stretch Stacker/Mala Bracelets

The Totally Addicting Stretch Stacker/Mala Bracelets class is intended for complete and utter beginners, but it'll still be an interesting and informative class for anyone of any age who wants to learn a new technique. I'll supply beads and Stretch Magic in the kit and there will be plenty of beads to buy, but participants are encouraged to bring their own beads and findings -- and there's a whole ballroom full of vendors with beautiful beads, too.

Class size will be limited to 8 participants, so sign up early. 

Wire Tips & Tricks

My Wire Tips & Tricks class is for not-so-beginners to intermediate students. You've already taken some classes, maybe you're new to wire or looking to improve your techniques to attain a more professional, finished look to your jewellery, or maybe you're ready to turn your hobby into a business and need to develop more efficient production skills.

We'll walk through an overview of tools, different wire and findings properties: features to look for, what's good for what, what to avoid, where to buy, the pleasures and pitfalls of buying online, how to buy wholesale, etc. If you're curious about what's involved in selling at craft shows or store/consignment venues, we can talk about that, as well.

Because you're a not-so-beginner, I want to move fast through the yackety-yack in order to get to the making part of the class.

I've been an artist most of my life, and have made and sold wire and semi-precious jewellery for about ten years, Since I'm a production person by nature and because time is money, I figure out the easiest way to make something and then I get really fast at it.

I'll show you techniques I've developed so you can quickly and consistently make your own ear wires, dangles and other findings, wire-wrapped beads for earrings and chains, and we'll cover some very basic wire-weaving tips and tricks.

Please feel free to bring a project with you for either a quick critique or help if you're stuck.

Class size will be limited to 8 participants, so sign up early. 

I'll let you know here and on my Facebook page when the classes are posted. Subscribe to The Gem Expo to get discount coupons, vendor list and info on the other classes being offered.

If you have further questions please ask below, or email me.

In the meantime, see you every Saturday morning at the Woodstock Farmers Market. Thanks for stopping by!

Gem Expo Classes Are UP!!!

Sign up soon! 8 students max in my classes. I have three classes to choose from running back-to-back on Saturday, November 26th, but there are many more on offer all weekend. Book your classes online.

A class would make a great Christmas gift, too. Come with a friend, plan a day at the show and then take yourselves out for a leisurely lunch or dinner before the Christmas/New Year's time crunch starts. Learn a great new skill, and make some new friends around the table.

Leather Wrap Bracelets: 
These are so easy-peasy: if you can tie a knot, you can make these bracelets. Bring your own beads (1mm+ holes) and coloured leather to supplement the black leather and beads in the class kit. Add length to the leather to make a necklace. These are super easy to make and because they are somewhat adjustable would make wonderful Christmas gifts for everyone. Dress them up or down.

Just a few of the endless possibilities:

Jewellery-Making Tips & Tricks for the 
Not-Quite-So-Beginner: 
When I started out making jewellery ten years ago, many people would ask me, "What are you working on these days?" I'd show them, and then they'd say, "Okay, then you need to know this." Now it's my turn to pass all those "thises" along.

This class will move really fast. Learn about different wire, tools and hammering techniques, crimping and stringing tips. Make your own earwires, decorative headpins, connectors and dangles in the class. Learn where you can save money for your customers. Bring your questions or a project that you'd like help with.

If you have a bench block and hammer, please bring them along with pliers and cutters. We will be working with copper wire of various gauges and tempers.

Totally Addicting Stretch Bracelets: 
Super quick and easy to make bracelets for kids and grownups to suit all tastes and budgets. Great for Christmas gift-giving.

If you buy beads to use in the Totally Addicting Stretch Bracelet class, make sure they have minimum 1mm holes to slightly larger. Stretch Magic cord is provided in the kit, and more will be available for sale. If you want to bring your own, make sure it's Stretch Magic, 1mm diameter.

If you have any questions about my classes, please email me for the quickest response.

Don't forget: book any class and you get free admission all three days of the show. Look forward to seeing you at The Gem Expo the last weekend in November!