More Kids' Rings... & GEM EXPO news!

Last week I showed pictures of the kids' rings and bracelets I'd been making. Sold the two wire rosette rings right away, and then just before noon the dad and daughter who'd been initially responsible for my ring-making binge showed and bought the one they'd asked for, the lapis chip ring -- and it fit her perfectly. Whew! Size 3.0. TINY. Yikes. Barely went past the nail on my pinkie finger.

Yesterday I made several more rings, again in various sizes. Good idea for those of you who are making them to note the exact size on the tag so that if you don't have the right colour, your customer can try them all on to find the right size.

I also got quite a few orders for rings to fit both kids and adults last Saturday. More goodies will be made today, so stay tuned. I'll also be working on a ring design that might appeal more to boys.

GEM EXPO is in THREE WEEKS! 

March 18, 19 & 20

Trip to Toronto, yahooooo!

As well as being a vendor, this year I'll be teaching a class on Saturday morning, March 19th at The Gem Expo. It's coming up so fast: THREE WEEKS today!!! Yikes. But I'm prepared: I've already got all my supplies for the students together in one dedicated bin.

I'll be teaching how to make stretch bracelets, which, granted, are pretty easy to make, but I've come up with tips and tricks to make it easier and save wasting as much Stretch Magic as I myself did (and still occasionally do) in the process. Like, we're talking lots and lots of redone bracelets. Oh, and we'll fix that pesky problem of beads that go boinging all over the room when testing the knot...

Make meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

If you'd like to start making your own collection of gorgeous stretch stackers, here are the links to The Gem Expo to book your class. Check out all the other great courses that are being offered, too:

The Gem Expo website here and the classes here;
The Gem Expo Facebook page here and here; and
Booking your tickets (price includes your 3-DAY SHOW ADMISSION) here.

***If you do sign up, please bring a selection of your own beads and findings you'd like to use, plus a bead mat, scissors and two pairs of pliers (to open and close jump rings if you want to add dangles), work light and magnifier/glasses if you use them.***

If you can't make it to the show, I have lots and lots of stretch stacker bracelets in all price, style and size ranges for kids and adults, guys and girls, at the market every Saturday; some are in Showcase 800 next to the cash desk at the One of a Kind Antique Mall (open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) Don't forget there's the Cabin Fever Sale throughout the whole antique mall until the end of February. Nancy and I have 10% off everything in our booth and showcase. And if you've seen something you like on my blog or Facebook page, you can also email me here to inquire on its availability or price. Yes, absolutely, I do custom orders, as well.

Note: the Woodstock Farmers Market will be closed Saturday, March 19th, for the Home Show, which is taking over both the market building and the auditorium this year. 

Hope to see you at the Woodstock Farmers Market tomorrow (Saturday) on Nellis Street, 7:00 a.m until noon. Thanks for stopping by.

The Oxford County Animal Rescue Fundraiser & New Kids' Jewellery for Christmas...

It's been a crazy week and a half -- time has flown. Someone told me on Saturday there was only one more market 'til Christmas and I went into panic mode. Then I was told, no, you have TWO more markets, meaning another five days to procrastinate 'til the Thursday market on the 24th. Whew! Good news for me and good news for all those people who still haven't started shopping, and have left the worst -- I mean the best -- but still most difficult people to buy for last: KIDS!!

I gallop to your rescue: trust me, boys love skulls and fossils and girls (a lot of 'em) also love skulls and fossils... and birds and flowers and purty beads... and I have all of them and more. Lots of items under $20 and many starting at $3-$5 for little girls and guys.

Just got some brachiopods in (550 MILLION years old!!!) and adjustable chokers are $10 each:

This past Saturday I made the world's ugliest chakra bracelet. Yeah, it just kinda flops there, doesn't it?

It just did not work, but the birds I liked and I do like the individual beads, even if some of them look suspiciously edible. I took it apart and made these with small Picasso glass pony beads, $8 to $10 each:

In the summer, I'd made this chakra bracelet...

...which I ended up swapping for this!!!!

I've subsequently discovered that this bottle is available from the LCBO filled with booze. Whoo hoo! Or maybe that should be boo hoo 'cause I can't drink anymore. Stooopid meds. Spoil all my fun.

Sunday, December 6th was the Oxford County Animal Rescue fundraiser, where Nancy (Junk of Ages: Vintage Home & Garden and my booth partner at the One of a Kind Antique Mall) and I shared a table. If you're into vintage Christmas jewellery and ornaments, we're the place to shop at the market (and at the Antique Mall, booth 800/847). This show was a hoot to do, not the least because I fine-tuned a new table layout -- and this time I remembered to take detailed pictures before teardown.

Jim and Jan Post's Caravan Candles display at the OCAR fundraiser. Yah! That really is a wax skull there on the front corner of the table. They'll be at the market (with the skull candle) this Saturday, December 19th, and Thursday, December 24th. There's Nancy in front of the table.

Nancy and I both still have lots of great, well-priced Christmas gifts available for every age and interest. See you at the market...

Saturday, December 19th

Thursday, December 24th

7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

(but I'm there by 5:00 a.m. if you want to 

get a head start on your shopping day)

I think I need to get my Christmas cards done... soon!

Thanks for looking!

2 Quartz Pendants from Arkansas...

My pal Nancy, with whom I share the One of a Kind Antique Mall booth, lived in Tupelo, Mississippi, for a couple of years and would go digging for quartz crystals in red mud pits and hills in Arkansas -- and when the owners advise you to wear OLD boots, they mean it! I have to find the name of the place.

I've been meaning to wrap them for a while. They resurfaced in my own personal pit yesterday so I gave it a go (unfortunately, again with the pointless twiddles). I'm experimenting with different weave patterns and wire gauges.

Quartz Pendant 1 front and back:

Quartz Pendant 2 front & back:

Both are available for sale today at the Woodstock Farmers Market. I'll be there by 5:00 a.m. if anyone is up and interested in taking a look. Thanks for stopping by!

Setting up an antique show display table...

Well, another Nostalgia Show is done. Seems like the morning stretches forever, especially getting up and getting there by 6:15 a.m. Then time gallops and all of a sudden we're packing up to go home.

Do you go to art, craft, bead or antique shows and wonder what's involved? It does get easier and faster to set up the more often you do antique (or bead) shows. Fewer crucial things get forgotten: there's nothing worse than driving for 3 hours and starting to set up when you realise you've left the box containing all your jewellery at home! Luckily with this show, had we forgotten anything, we were both ten minutes away from our respective homes.

Between us we had two vanloads full of boxes and larger items, all of which had to fit on, under and behind an 8-foot table. And up. Always think in terms of UP. We used a wooden ladder (thanks, Pinterest) and added two 5-foot shelves. Next time, we'll bring my  2x6-foot grids and display all the frames and mirrors behind the table on that.

First, empty the van(s) of everything. Dollies are indispensable. Get one with big tires, rather than piddly little ones. You may think you're saving money, but you'll be amazed at the weight you're going to be piling on. Bigger tires = more maneuverability. Another thing to note is that parking lots will be full of holes, gravel, snow and ice -- or puddles. Or in the summer you're going to be trying to move loads on lumpy grass fields or along cobblestone or brick streets. Don't cheap out. Also invest in a bag of assorted bungee cords especially if you're on your own and don't have an extra pair of hands to hold things in place as you're pushing and shoving the loaded dolly around on bumpy surfaces.

The other thing is pack as many things in bins or boxes so that the lids can be closed and you can stack them on the dolly. My bad habit is lumpy items sticking out of boxes.

We arrived at 6:15 and unloaded both vans, got coffee and breakfast from the snack bar. In between chatting with other vendors we got everything piled in front of and behind the table and tried to avoid piling items on top of the table. The cover was the first thing to go on. Normally, many shows require you to have a cloth that covers the front to the floor, but in this venue we can display a lot of larger items on the floor underneath the table as long as they don't creep into the aisle itself.

7:23 The table from the back. Note our primo location conveniently across from the snack bar.

7:23 View of the front of the table:

7:55 Emptying the boxes. Shelves are on the ladder which has been moved to one end of the table. (Watch in the background of these photos how everyone is using shelves on their tables to go up):

8:43 All items are on the table, boxes and dolly are back in the van and we've started to roughly place items:

10:05 Open for business:

This applies to virtually any show you do: bring lots of smaller risers and a variety of plate stands for plates, platters, or display boards for jewellery and smaller silver items. Clear plastic boxes are great to vary the heights of items and because they're clear they let ambient light shine through. Group like items with like and, within that, keep similar colours and patterns together. This show doesn't offer electrical outlets, so Nancy brought a battery operated goose-necked clamp lamp which helped to spark up the jewellery and silver which we'd grouped together.

How did we do? Wellllllll... not so good. The loon decoy (up on top of the ladder) is winging its way to Hull, England, and I sold a green dragon and phoenix pendant (to another vendor) and a key. Lots of people were looking, but...

A lot of these items will be going to the One of a Kind Antique Mall this afternoon, and the rest to an online auction. But I will keep refining what I buy and what I offer -- and hope to see you at the next Nostalgia show in November.

Thanks for looking!

Getting Items Ready for the Nostalgia Show...

I've been busy researching and pricing items for the Nostalgia Show.

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Sunday 13 September

Nostalgia Show & Sale

Woodstock Auditorium

875 Nellis Street, Woodstock, Ontario

Here are just a few of the items we'll have for sale.

1887 Calendar in a wood & metal frame, "The Sacrifice of Isaac":

EP Copper Creamer & Sugar:

Handmade blue-painted wooden tool box, dove-tailed joints:

Handmade black-painted wooden tool box:

1920s bakelite Star Turn Hardness Comparator:

Vintage (1940s?) wooden magazine caddy:

Old wooden sap bucket:

Well worth coming to with over 225 vendors from across Ontario and Quebec. After the show you'll still have time to head over to the One of a Kind Antique Mall on Wilson Street by the train tracks, open until 5:00 p.m. Nancy's and my booth number is 800/847, also check out my showcase (800) next to the cash. We still have lots of goodies there.

Hope to see you at the show!

Baroque Pearl Pendant to go with Jenny Wren Farthing & Pearl Earrings...

This was actually the first time I'd handled the pearl under good lighting -- it is truly gorgeous -- and I thought it looked like a cross between an Alphonse Mucha Art Nouveau lady and the Gibson Girl pendant I got a few weeks again from the Uncanny Artist. 

Speaking of pearls, I sold my Eiffel Tower pearl necklace and earrings yesterday at the market.

The original necklace had large faceted pewter beads on the ends of the "Eiffel Tower" dangles the same size as these pearls, and I had made a pair of standalone earrings with the pearls just to see what they would look like. My customer had been yearning after the original necklace for close to a year when a month or so ago her friend spotted the pearl earring variation that I'd just put out, and that swayed her into ordering the necklace with pearls instead.

Now that I have my new van, I can start making plans.

Upcoming Shows & Sales:

Nostalgia Show & Sale, Sunday, 13 September 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Fairgrounds, 875 Nellis Street, Woodstock. Nancy's and my table will be right in front of the snack bar in the auditorium. Along with small furniture items, china and glass, we will have collectible beads (coin silver and Roman glass beads from Afghanistan, old glass chevrons from Nepal, collectible turquoise) and vintage jewellery finds.

If you still didn't find what you were looking for, you've got a couple of hours to head over to the One of a Kind Antique Mall on Wilson Street before it closes at 5:00. Both our booth and showcase 800/847 are located on the main floor near the front cash.

Grand River Bead Society Bead Show & Sale, September 26th & 27th, 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Bingemans Conference Centre, Kitchener. Turquoise, lapis, Roman glass, powder glass, pewter pendants and skulls.

The Gem Expo, November 20th, 21st & 22nd, Hyatt Regency, King Street, Toronto. Turquoise, lapis, Roman glass, powder glass, pewter pendants and skulls.

As always, I am at the Woodstock Farmers Market every Saturday morning, 7:00 a.m. until noon, but I am usually there at 5:00 to start setting up.

Hope to see you at one of the shows and, as always, thanks for looking!

My truck is almost dead...

...hence I've had to miss The Gem Expo that started today in Toronto at the Hyatt Regency on King Street. I held off as long as possible before finally having to cancel. There are personal things taking up time, as well as non-stop typing for three or so weeks (= 1/2 a new vehicle!!!). Between white-knuckling it to the market and back once a week in the truck and twice-weekly grocery and library runs thanks to generous friends, I'm managing.

Meanwhile, I've been making jewellery at the market and then promptly selling it without taking photos. I'm also dipping a toe into the world of estate jewellery and any other doodads that catch my eye.

Case in point. This was my haul a couple of weeks ago:

A tiny engraved, sterling silver baby's bracelet in the style of a belt. I had no idea what this was when I first saw it, it was so small. 

The two eating implements are a toddler's first spoon and a "food pusher", often sold as a christening gift.

This is a circa 1920s or '30s??? brass watch chain with a still working compass. I am still boggled by the beauty of this piece. That's goldstone in the long link, invented in Venice in the 17th century and worth reading about. I knew goldstone was glass and manmade, but I'd only ever seen beads. I also assumed that it was a fairly modern material. Unfortunately, the 2nd piece is long gone. I ran this by a vintage jewellery pal and she said it looks like something that would've been given to or worn an engineer or some type of train person, perhaps? If anyone out there has an idea, please let me know.

This, on the other hand, is I think an old pewter whistle, possibly a dog whistle, but I can get a bit of a toot out of it.

These items will be for sale at the Nostalgia Show, Woodstock Fairgrounds on Nellis Street, Sunday 13 September, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Nancy and I will be located across from the snack bar (great food, as I discovered back in March!). We are hoarding all of our best collectibles and antiques for this show so please come and see us.

Here are a few pictures of the latest iteration of Showcase 800 and Booth 800/847 at the One of a Kind Antique Mall on Wilson St.

 

Showcase top...

Inside the showcase...

See anything you like? Send me an email.

Thanks for looking!

A Busy Weekend With Lots of Sales!!!

Wheeeee, finally a great Saturday at the market for everyone, which is so gratifying. I sold several brand new items including a couple that I didn't get a chance to photograph. The blue picasso bracelet with the pewter bird, turtle, horse and feather (I call it the "Four Corners") sold right away, right out of the gate. Lady came by, picked it up, examined it... "Uh, where's the clasp?" "It rolls on." Sold.

Definitely must make more of these.

I also sold the aqua terra and crab agate necklace on the right (the necklace on the left sold quite a while ago) yesterday, matched perfectly with sterling, turquoise and sponge coral earrings. They accompanied my customer and her brand new dress to a girls' night out Beatles tribute show last night.

I went to an estate sale this morning and here are a few of my treasures. We're doing a Nostalgia show at the fairgrounds on September 13th, I think it is, so I'm buying with that in mind. Some pieces will go to our booth at the Antique Mall (Booth 800/847 if you're planning a trip our way).

Aaaaand it's jam-making season. The first strawberries are starting to come in from the fields. There were mountains of them at the market yesterday. For some reason the local grocery store has decided not to carry my favourite low-sugar no-cook gelling powder this year, so my pal George brought me 20 packages from the big city on Tuesday, which I swap for jam. 

What's the name of that Pinterest site? Pinterest Fails -- or similar, anyway. Here's my latest entry in the Pinterest Fail... well, it was a success but SO SLOW! Give me my paring knife any day.

My handy-dandy strawberry hulling setup. The mosquitoes arrived shortly after and settled in to feast on me. 

Putting the straw in strawberries...

Poke the straw through from the bottom...

Pull the core out of the straw...

And you have a neat little hole to fill with chocolate...

This doesn't show how full the bowl was, but it was ten 250ml jars' worth of strawberries mounded up.

Unfortunately, the monsoon rains we had early in the week made this batch of strawberries awfully watery, but a titch extra sugar and lots and lots of lemon juice brings out the flavour nicely. Peaches will be coming along soon. I can hardly wait. There's a type of early peach that is soooooo good as jam. Summer in a jar, especially in the dead of winter.

Thanks for looking!