Ombre Feather Bracelet Free Project

 

Ombre was a popular dye technique for fabrics through the ages but it's now a trendy coloring you can find on anything from nails, to cakes, to dresser drawers, to hair dye and so much more.  If you have a Pinterest account, you know how popular this dip-dyed color effect is in the craft and fashion world!

This is a bracelet you can whip up in less than an hour.  Loving the feather, right? It's new from Vintaj and makes the perfect cuff for a bracelet.

Supplies:
Tail Feather Pendant - Vintaj
5 Ombre Feather Disk Beads - Humblebeads
Bronze Bird Clasp - Green Girl Studios
Large brass chain - Vintaj
4 5mm brass jump rings
5 1" brass eyepins
Vintaj Patina Paints: Quartz, Opalite, Cobalt & Aged Bronze
Paint brush & a small plastic lid for a paint palette

Directions:

1. Bend the feather with your hands to form a curved cuff, slow and gentle will give you the best results.

2. Paint the feather. Start with quartz, then opalite and cobalt. Let the paint dry for a few moments and then do a light coat of aged bronze.  Apply sealant and wax.

3. Use round pliers to form a loop with the end of the feather.

4. Create links with the eyepins and disk beads.

5. Attach the links together with chain nose pliers, opening and closing the links.

6. Attach the links to the feather with a jump ring.

7. Use a jump ring to attach 3 links of the chain to the other side of the feather.

8. Use jump rings to attach the bird toggle clasp to the chain and links.


To see more Ombre samples visit my new blog:
Ombre Feather Bracelet Tutorial

Bead Inspiration: Perfect Pairs

 

Join me each Wednesday for a new feature here on the blog - a little bead inspiration and beauty. I'm so ready for blossoms to take over the country side!  Until then, I will have to let my beads do the blooming.

Cherry Blossom House Bead - Cherry Blossom Photo

Reposted from my new blog:
Bead Inspiration: Perfect Pairs

Bead Studio Makeover

Read about my adventures in organizing my bead studio over on my new blog:

Bead Studio Makeover

Thoughtful Gifts for Mother's Days

 

I love this quote!  Your mom is one-of-kind.  Everyone has a mom, but you only have one! 

Have you started thinking about what you'd like to do to honor her this Mother's Day? 

Secret Garden Pendant Necklace - a one-of-kind design that captures the spirit of the poem perfectly.

My mom lives across the country, so I am working on a surprise for her this week to make sure it arrives in plenty of time this year!

Here are 5 simple gift ideas to honor your mom on May 12th:

1. Nothing beats a Hallmark moment - write your mom a letter sharing your fondest childhood memories or lessons you've learned from her.  (As a mom, nothing makes me happier than knowing my kids listened to my sage words of advice!)
2. I love using my apps to create photo gifts! Using Instragram, Typic or BubbleFrame and Printicular apps - you can take a photo, add in a quote and print them at your local Walgreen's in a cute 4 x 4 format!  You could create a banner by attaching them to twine with little clips.
3. Create a "Me Moment" kit - include a soothing tea, decadent chocolates and a small journal.
4. Make your mom a container garden with flowers that symbolize the birth months of you and your siblings. 
5. Repay your mom for all those homemade cookies from back in day with something sweet from your kitchen.  These Merinque Nests with Strawberries looks quite lovely!

No matter what you do to cherish your mom, she will just be happy to hear from you or spend time with you on Mother's Day - because after all, she is an amazing mom, isn't she?

Does your mom love jewelry?  Why not add in an original Humblebeads design to your Mother's Day gift?  Check out my collection of one-of-kind jewelry designs that I just added to my website today.

Originally posted on my jewelry blog:
Thoughtful Gifts for Mother's Day

Flourish and Thrive Academy Multiply Your Profits Volume 2: Bread and Roses

Where are you in your jewelry business now?

My jewelry business is on the precipice, with wings extended, the breeze rushing past - on the edge and ready to soar.

Over the last few months I've created a beautiful and cohesive collection of nature inspired jewelry. I've delved deep into discovering who my ideal customer is, how to reach her and why she buys and wears jewelry. I've laid the foundation of my jewelry business, building on my past experience and the knowledge gained from the Flourish & Thrive Academy.

I have been selling my jewelry retail online and at shows for the last few years and love creating pieces that help women remember to slow down and cherish the natural beauty around them. I am taking off into the wholesale market this spring and working on getting my jewelry into shops across the country.

What’s holding you back in your business and your life?

Not having better systems in place for expanding and growing my business have been holding me back. Delegating work and hiring help is a challenge but one I'm ready to face and have been utilizing more. Knowing that I can not physically create each piece of jewelry to meet my financial goals is also a stumbling block. I only have two hands and 24 hours but it's hard to let go of control!

What is your vision for your business? Where do you want to go? What are your biggest dreams and desires?

My vision for my business is that it will provide bread and roses for my family and impact my community in a positive way.

What do I mean by bread and roses? I not only want a business that pays a living wage for my husband and myself, I want a business that provides quality health insurance, a robust retirement fund and college expenses for my children - that's the bread.  But I also want a business that affords roses - that doesn't mean a lavish or luxurious lifestyle, but rather the time and energy to enjoy life.  I want the freedom to not toil from sun up to sun down, but have time to feed our souls while we make a living for our family.

I live in a small town with scarce job opportunities.  It would be wonderful to have a business that could afford to hire a few local women to work for us assisting assembling our jewelry and shipping out orders.  I would love to know my creativity is providing bread and roses for other families too.  

I'm so thankful for my life and feel like I'm living so many of my dreams.  We live in a 1910 farmhouse in my sleepy hometown on the shores of Lake Michigan. I want my days filled with making beautiful things, connecting with amazing clients and sharing my work with those who love the beauty of nature as much as I do.  My dream is to grow a business that let's me feast in my creative pursuits and allows us the luxury of a balanced life with work that feels rewarding not all-consuming!

www.humblebeadsjewelry.com

This is my essay entry for the Flourish & Thrive Academy Mulitiply Your Profits Volume 2 course.  I took their volume 1 course and it has been life changing!  To learn more about the next course and sign up for their free webinar visit Flourish & Thrive Academy.