Mama Mayborne Designs: the blog

Whew... It's Finally Over!!

2009-03-22T20:21:00.008-05:00

Well, I pulled it off. The trunk show that I hosted at my home on March 19-21 is finally history. All of the planning and preparations have been completed, the house is (almost) back to normal and I can get on with real life.

Don't get me wrong... I love opening up my home to show friends and customers my latest designs and offering a fun, relaxed way to shop. However, there is a ton of work that goes on behind the scene. I spent a lot of time doing production, promotion, cleaning and cooking. Setting up an attractive display takes time and making arrangements for the kids is no joke either.

Just over 300 people were invited, and less than a dozen showed up. I had nine actual customers. Luckily, those nine made big purchases and the show was profitable. I was disappointed in the turn out and more so in the number of folks who said they were coming but didn't. I know that the biggest factor is the economy... but does that mean that I put everything on hold until the recession is over?? I'd love to hear feedback on what others think.

Planning My Next Home Show

2009-03-10T08:28:00.000-05:00

For all of you who haven't heard, Mama Mayborne Designs has recently turned five years old!! I cannot believe that I am still making jewelry and how much my product line has grown during a half decade.

During the past five years I have made hundreds of items, shown at several places (including the Milwaukee Art Museum) and created an online presence. I'll never forget how it all began with the desire to make a few Christmas presents and my mama's relentless sales pitches.

Now I am planning to do one of my favorite things with my work... show it in my home to family, friends and 5-year's worth of customers! And to do that, I've been very busy with planning and preparations, making lots of new items and figuring out a way to display it all.

Also new for this show will be a giveaway. My first 30 customers will receive a free pair of pink Swarovski crystal and sterling earrings. Just my way to say thank you for helping me celebrate five wonderful years in business as Mama Mayborne Designs!

What Happened to February?!?

2009-03-01T18:58:00.003-06:00

Ok, this isn't even funny. It feels like I merely blinked my eyes and a whole month flew by. What happened to February 2009?!?

Today is March 1st and I am frantically trying to determine what exactly I did during the shortest month of the year. I hope that I didn't waste too much time on seeking heat and watching Days of our Lives!!

There is only one way to figure out what I did... and that is to make a list of my major accomplishments (obviously posting to my blog was not one of them!!). So, during the month of February 2009, I did the following...

sold a whopping FIVE items from my Etsy shop, making February my best month ever!!
set a date for my 5th anniversary trunk show.
booked a flight to NY to attend my sorority's 20th anniversary.
designed and ordered new cards to promote home trunk shows.
became an international seller by filling an order placed from Austria.
learned how to Twitter and joined the Etsy Twitter Team.
announced the winner of my first Facebook Fan contest.
donated three items to silent auctions for charity.
had a very successful two-day "earring only" sale at my husband's office.
hosted a non-English speaking family of four for three nights!!

The Bold and the Beautiful

2009-01-22T00:00:00.003-06:00

I was pretty productive this past weekend. Partly because it was too cold to go anywhere. Partly because I woke up from a dream about making a ring!! Well, I made the ring of my dreams and a few other pieces to go along with it. I'm calling the trio Bold and Beautiful because that is what they are. All the pieces are made of sterling silver and are guaranteed to make a statement of their own.

The ring I made is a size 8, has a domed shape and is slightly hammered on the surface to reflect a lot of light.

The pendant is made of a two inch disk of sterling silver with a shiny satin finish. It has a bail that is 3/8 inches wide, making it perfect for placing on almost any chain or strand of beads.

Finally, make a bold statement on your wrist with a bold cuff bracelet. It also has a shiny, satin finish and a slightly domed shape. A little charm from my Graphic Collection gives a little extra appeal.

Making My Own Hang Tags

2009-01-20T10:00:00.006-06:00

Just a quick post today for those who have ever been puzzled with hang tags for jewelry or other small items.

I have tried everything from the fold-over sticky tags (aka shark tags), the cheepies from the office supply store (you know, the ones with that loooong flimsy string), ones that had been done by the local printer (only to have the ink run off) and business cards which look way too big on jewelry.

Well, last year before a show, I decided to pull my look together in a more professional manner and in a way that would be lasting. I created my own logo that is just my name spelled out in a simple, hot pink font. Now I use that branding on everything and it reminds me of how much I love the simple things. It is also a great reflection on my art, which will remain simply beautiful.

Anyway... the hang tags. Rather than going the same route, I decided to make my own. I designed a one inch square tag in Microsoft Publisher that had my logo and a matching border. Next, I printed several per page on the color printer and cut out each row of tags. Then comes the genius part. I covered each row of tags with clear packing tape on the front and the back. This keeps the ink from bleeding and makes the tag extra durable.

After that, I cut out each tag by hand and punched a small hole in the corner. Using silver elastic thread, I made a tie to loop on the piece of jewelry. Whew!! A little work, but basically free and well worth the effort!!

Mama Needs Earwires Now!!

2009-01-15T19:05:00.001-06:00

What do you do when you are in the middle of making something only to find out that you are missing an important component? That's what happened to me the other day when I got fired up about making some earrings for Valentine's Day. However, after I finished making the charms, I realized that I did not have any manufactured earwires on hand!!

Since I have a big problem with patience and didn't want to wait for the next supply order, I decided to make my own earwires. I usually don't do that because I like to put all of my effort in the earring's focal point. In this case it was the heart-shaped charms that I made for my Graphic Collection.

So in a few steps I had what I wanted. 1) loop one end of a 20 gauge wire, 2) wrap the wire around a round mandrel, 3) smooth the edges of the wire, 4) tap the wire again on mandrel to form, 5) bend tip of unlooped end to fasten and 6) enjoy the perfect hoop earwires. And they look great on the new Graphic Heart Earrings!!

Facebooking and Loving It!!

2009-01-14T19:35:00.009-06:00

Hello everyone, how's it going?? If you have a minute, I'd like to tell you about something that's been going on in my little corner of the world.

As some of you know, I'm on Facebook now and LOVE it. I've connected with so many old friends that I haven't seen in years... some even go back to grade school!! It's great seeing everyone all grown up and having the chance to catch up on life.

I've even had the chance to reunite with several of my Phi Sigma Sigma sorority sisters from Hofstra University (1989-1991). Reestablishing these relationships is utterly precious to me because I've been upset about the way I left them back in the day.

To make a long story short... I ran out of money for school, had to drop out and left without saying goodbye. I wasn't able to keep paying dues so I basically quit the sorority. I really regret that and was soooo happy when I finally got the chance to apologize, even if it was 17 years later.

Anyway, I'm in the process of appealing my membership status so that I can be put back on the rolls. In the meantime, as I anxiously await the decision, I created the Greek Mama Bracelet to add to my Mama Collection. Working on it helped me remember that sisterhood is very, very precious!!

Everyday is Show and Tell

2009-01-12T19:51:00.006-06:00

After my last post about my messy studio, I felt that a change was needed. Just seeing the photos of my space and knowing that they were in cyberspace for all to see gave me the motivation that I've needed for so long. Changes have been taking place in the studio and I promise to report back when I'm finished.

I will tell you now that I put a display case in my studio. I've been wanting to do this for years, but have never found the right case for the right price. Yesterday, my mom and I went to IKEA and looked around. Right in the middle of the third floor, was the KLINGSBO glass-door cabinet. It was cute, perfectly sized and affordable at $129.

I picked it up (along with a hot-pink task chair) and headed for home. My husband assembled it the next night as we watched Terminator 2. Then, I loaded it with my favorite jewelry items. I think it makes the perfect addition to my space and creates more of a professional studio-store atmosphere. Now I just need to get the kids to stop leaving toys in there!

Mama's Messy Studio

2009-01-06T10:02:00.010-06:00

Welcome to the very messy studio of Mama Mayborne Designs. Actually, I am posting this blog, complete with very honest photos, to show you all the current state of my work space. I have no idea how it got this bad... but it's bad!

Just so you know, I'm not quite a neat-freak but I am pretty close. But when it comes to my studio, I like a little bit of disorder because it makes me think that I've been soooo busy making money (yeah right!!) that I have no time to clean.

But things have gotten so bad that I cannot find the sales tax forms (that might be a subliminal act to avoid that dreaded task) or my barely-been-used-lately cash box.

Now I am asking for this blog's millions of followers (yeah right again!!) to hold me accountable for getting my workspace back into a productive, orderly state. And give me a few weeks (at least) to post the results!

Let's Here It for the Girls!

2009-01-04T20:57:00.008-06:00

As you may know by now, I have a passion for making jewelry that women can feel special wearing. But about four years ago, I acted on several customer requests for something for little girls. I came up with the Little Mama Bracelet, which is the smaller version of the Grand Mama Bracelet.

The Little Mama gives little girls the chance to start their jewelry collection off with quality and style. It features her name in sterling silver letter beads, Swarovski crystals in choice of colors, sterling silver spacer beads and a tiny sterling toggle clasp for a secure closure. The best part of the bracelet is that it is further customized with a sterling silver charm.

After making nearly 50 Little Mama Bracelets, I am very pleased to announce that they are now available in my etsy shop for custom order. Also posted in my shop is one infant/toddler bracelet from my Princess Charming collection. This bracelet has five heart charms and four Swarovski crystals and is specially priced at only $10.

Both bracelets are perfect for the little princesses in your life. They make great gifts for new births, baptisms and birthdays. Thanks for checking them out!!

Have a "Graphic" New Year

2009-01-01T06:00:00.004-06:00

Happy New Year everyone!! I hope that 2009 brings each one of you success, health and happiness! If you are one of those resolution people, I hope you make progress before your list becomes a bookmark.

What I really want to do this year is MOVE inventory and properly roll out my new jewelry collection. I call this line "Graphic" because all of the pieces contain at least one element with a texture that quite frankly reminds me of graph paper.

"Graphic" has been in the works for over a year now. I've been playing around with textures and decided on this one because I love the way it looks with simple shapes. I think it makes the finished piece look powerfully elegant and boldly simplistic. (make sense???)

After I had the texture process down, I began designing and fabricating pieces right after Christmas 2007. Next came testing "Graphic" at shows last spring and summer. Customers seemed to like the unique texture that lends very well to mixing and matching.

I am very pleased with this collection and can't wait to add more pieces. Keep an eye on my Etsy store and Facebook page to see the items that get added on a continual basis.

Holly's Crosses

2008-12-30T09:09:00.001-06:00

Ok, now that holiday season is almost over I can take a deep breath and share a little of what I've been up to. Life hasn't been too hectic, but an awful case of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) almost sent me over the edge. Now that I'm hip to what the lack of sunlight does to me, I made some major adjustments in how I approached this year's festivities. Basically, I was a slacker. That's right... killing myself with stress was not on the agenda this year. So you can just stop checking the mail for my Christmas card... it ain't comin' !

With that out of the way, I feel so justified in confessing that I put the brakes on business during my peak sales period. Actually, Mama Mayborne Designs intentionally experienced it's slowest holiday season in the five years I've been doing this. I only participated in one small show and only accepted one custom order.

That order was for a friend of mine, Holly, who asked me if I could make her a cross pendant with her favorite verse. Of course I told her "YES" and made her a quick sketch. Next thing I knew she wanted six!!

Now I had to figure out how I was going to pull it off. Just so you know, I always get nervous in between the "sketch" and "do something" steps. Think it took me two weeks just to get my mind around it all. But I kicked out a better sketch, a template and something to practice on (in this case, hand-scribing the verse was freaking me out).

After I had one done, I showed it to Holly to see if it was what she wanted. ***Fellow artists take note: Just because there is agreement with the initial sketch doesn't mean that is what the client wants. What they really want lies somewhere between the sketch and SOMEthing else. You'll never guess it on your own so go back for feedback, preferably before you use up all of your time and raw materials.

In this case Holly didn't like the "plus sign" looking cross when it jumped off the page and into real life. She preferred to have the traditional-shaped cross. No problem. New sketch, new template and everyone is happy!

The Twenty Minute Toe Ring

2008-11-15T15:10:00.011-06:00

I cannot believe how long it has been since my last post! Actually, I can because it has felt like forever since I've felt ANY sort of inspiration. But I have a feeling all that is about to change. The oncoming cold, gray weather has me thinking a lot about what I can do with silver (get it?? cold and gray. never mind!).

Well, I've dedicated today as "Get Back in Your Studio and Make Something Day" and the self-imposed pressure is working much better than expected. I've drawn out a design for a custom order project, cut the template and actually have the raw forms done. Next is filing and since I hate that step, I decided to take a little break. It was a working break during which time I created what I call the Twenty Minute Toe Ring.

What's that?? You want to know how I made such a lofty piece of important jewelry?? Thought you'd never ask, but I took pictures of the process anyway. Here's a great, easy thing for your spare time...

First, I cut a thin (2mm x 44mm) strip of 20 gauge sterling silver using a Guillotine cutter and smoothed the edges with a small hand file and fine sandpaper. Then, I used my "wrap and tap" pliers to start forming the metal. As you can see in the third photo above, my next step was to pound on a hammered texture using a small brass mallet and ring anvil.

After that, I reformed the ring using my homemade swage block and trusty small, brass mallet. Next, I polished the ring with a felt polishing disk on my flexshaft. Then, using a brass brush, I washed the ring in hot, soapy water with ammonia to remove the polishing compound. Finally, I tried it on and adjusted it for best fit. Now, I just can't wait to show off my toes in yoga!

I'm on the Front Page of Etsy!

2008-05-30T06:52:00.004-05:00

First of all... I am still alive and well. Just haven't been writing very much lately. I should have warned my few faithful readers that when spring finally hits Wisconsin, the last place I want to be is in my basement studio typing on the computer. Instead, I've been working on the garden, playing with my boys and heading to the gym to shed several winter pounds!

As the days have gone by without putting in any action on Blogger (or any of my websites for that matter), the non-blogging guilt has been building up. Add to that a complete lack of any interesting ideas to write about... until today!

At about 6:30 am this morning, a good friend of mine (and the talent behind KPCreations) called. She started the conversation with the appropriate apologies (not knowing that my day actually starts at 6 am). Then she made the long awaited announcement... that one of the rings in my online shop, The Wave, has made it to the front page on Etsy!

By 6:45 am, I was at the computer checking things out for myself and viola! There it was! My ring was selected for a treasury created by "rockstarwife" and showcased with other very lovely items.

What a great way to start the day!! Thanks!

First Sale on Etsy

2008-05-01T07:56:00.012-05:00

Hello everyone! A lot of things have been going on in the Mama Mayborne Designs world since I have last written. Busy, busy, busy... just the way I like it.

Well, after four long, painful months of waiting, I finally received my first sale on Etsy! I had just about given up on ever selling anything online, when (much to my surprise) the long awaited message hit my inbox saying that someone placed an order for the "Pebbled Disk" earrings ($20) shown on the left.

I don't remember if I did the official "Happy Dance" but a lot of loud cries of joy did burst forth from my mouth. I felt so excited as I carefully wrapped, packed and even stood in line at the post office to send it off. Even better was reading the feedback that my new customer left for my shop and service.

Now that I know that selling on Etsy is possible, I plan to revamp my shop and add new products. Check it out over the next few weeks to see the exciting changes that are in store. If you like what you see, please let me know with a message or an order!!

My Art Show Application Experience: The Booth Photo

2008-03-28T09:47:00.006-05:00

Hello everyone! I'm back with more insight on the whole concept of applying to art shows. Previously, I've written about planning, paperwork and jury slides. This time I'd like to share a little on the topic of representing the look of your display to jurors (or judges) through top-quality booth photos.

This happens to be the first year that I've applied to a show that requires a booth shot because a) I don't really have a good one yet and b) it was another requirement that made me nervous and self-eliminate before even applying. But this year, I was determined to face new things head-on and stop being a whimp!

I edited a photo that I took of my booth a few years ago and came up with what you see in this post. A few weeks ago I attended a jury showing and saw hundreds of booth examples. My photo would not be considered the best (by a long shot). It would also not be the worst either.

I met with, Larry Sanders, expert craft photographer and one of the show's judges and asked him what is the purpose of the booth photo and what makes one better than another. He said that the purpose of a booth photo is for the jurors to see:

The scale of the work that is being shown. It is often difficult to know the size of a piece and it could be a determining factor for an artist. This is not the case for jewelry however as the size of the jewelry most often can't be determined.

It shows the jurors that the person applying has more than the 3-6 pieces that are usually required for jury slides. Some artists will make a few nice pieces to get into a show without adequate inventory to sell. This is bad for a show.

It shows the professionalism of the display. In other words, orange crates are not very appreciated these days at shows. Nice display cases, nice shelving, nice walls are always a bonus. Curtains that cover the harsh white walls of a tent are a big help.

It can be a tie-breaker between two or more equally talented artists. Favor would be given to the one with the better looking display.

Some shows will actually give the booth a score that is added to the score for ranking artists.

A Few More Tips from Mama...

When taking your own photos, keep people and anything that identifies who you are out of the image. If I knew more about photo editing, I'd have taken the man in the yellow shirt out of my image. Dropping the sides of my tent would have also helped.

I recommend using iprintfromhome.com for turning your digital images into slides. They are very cheap, easy and fast!

Use a professional if possible. Like I said about jury slides, why take chances when the only representation you have of yourself are a few images. I'll be giving Larry a call when I'm ready for my next one.

I'm in a Treasury on Etsy!!

2008-03-25T07:47:00.006-05:00

My very lucky friend (and designer behind KPCreations) was able to snag a coveted treasury listing on Etsy last week. For those of you who don't know, a treasury listing is place where a "curator" can assemble an exhibit of art work. Most curators assemble work based on a particular theme. My friend's theme (if you can't tell) is "girly gear" and has many moms leaving wonderful comments.

I guess my Tanzy ring was included to remind mamas to not forget to treat themselves to something nice too!

I've Been Featured... Again!

2008-03-23T18:42:00.006-05:00

Hello and Happy Easter!

After the kids found all the eggs and I was thoroughly gussied up for church, I snuck a few minutes to check the computer for messages. I was very surprised to find out that I am today's featured artist on Haute Innovations, a fresh & innovative independent artisan showcase.

For those of you who are not aware of Haute Innovations, rush on over to check it out. You'll find something for every style and plenty of inspiring info on indie artists. I am just amazed at the site's professionalism and ability to discover new talents.

And of course, I am very flattered and honored to have been chosen!
Thanks Haute!

Allow Me to Brooch a New Subject

2008-03-22T10:47:00.028-05:00

Some of you may remember that I have been on a little ring thing lately. For those of you who are just tuning in, check out this and this.

Well anyway, I decided to break the trend (at least for the moment) by making a brooch. I started this project last Wednesday during my class at Terri McCarthy Studios. There, I fabricated the base by texturizing sterling silver, copper and brass. Then, I soldered the pieces together and added a 5mm bezel cup to the bottom.

I finished the piece this morning at home by soldering the pin findings onto the back. I was a little nervous because I've only made one pin before and that was a few years ago. I spent a lot of time lining up the catches and pallions of solder. Once everything was just right, I got out my handy dandy torch and voila! Perfect... if I must say so myself! After I finished patting myself on the back, I added a light patina, set a black onyx stone and polished the piece.

Thought for the day: If you think something is going to be too hard, try it anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised or find a new challenge. Either way, practice makes perfect!!

Surprise Weekend Work Time

2008-03-17T12:26:00.004-05:00

I was able to enjoy some unexpected, quality work time at home this weekend. On Saturday, Papa took the kids to see the Veggie Tales movie and on Sunday, he took them to Grandpa's for the afternoon.

What did I do with this surprising gift of six hours to myself? Well after I finished my naps, I got right down to the studio and made more rings!

I seem to be on a ring kick lately for some reason. In my last post, I wrote about making several sterling silver bands out of embellished wire. I decided to stay with the simple look and made these delicate little rings. I used 14 gauge sterling silver wire and soldered it into round bands. Then I soldered on 5mm fine silver bezel cups. Next I set denim-blue lapis lazuli and black onyx cabochons. Finally, I burnished them with a brass brush and soapy water until they shined.

I was able to make one ring on Saturday and six on Sunday. Isn't that learning curve amazing!

My fingers are still sore from all of the stone setting and burnishing, but now I have a nice little ring to wear... and a few more to sell at my next show. And since I was on a roll and the boys were still out, I made a couple pair of matching earrings by soldering sterling silver earring posts onto the backs of additional bezel cups.

Not bad for a little surprise work time!

Have We Been Hit by the Plague?

2008-03-14T15:56:00.006-05:00

I am soooo glad to be back at the keyboard!! It gives me a sense of slow victory and relief from the "germ warfare" that has been attacking my household over the past two weeks. Ailments of every kind first took over the health of my two boys, causing chaos and confusion... to the point of missing school (yikes!). Even I was taken prisoner and brought down from my top post, leaving hubby to fend for the family and dispense lots of medicine, fetch a ton of Kleenex and empty several yucky pails! Yes, the germ soldiers fought hard and dirty, but we fought harder and were dirtier... and survived!

I tell you all of this not just to gain sympathy, but to let you know why I haven't written in a little while. And now that I'm back, I do not know where to begin. I did manage to make it to my metalsmithing workshop the last two Wednesdays. I've been working on making several sterling silver ring bands to sell at upcoming shows. I like them... they're simple but with a flair, just like me! So far, I've made 15 of them in various sizes to sell for about $15 as a show special. I hope to be able to make another dozen before early April.

My Art Show Application Experience: Jury Slides

2008-03-04T08:40:00.019-06:00

I'm back with another article on my experiences in applying to art shows. I want to remind everyone that these are just my thoughts on how the whole process works. I've been applying to shows since 2005 and have been accepted to all of them, but I am in no way an expert. But I have learned a lot in these few years and I'm willing to share it with those just starting out. If you missed my first two articles on planning and paperwork, be sure to check them out.

Now, who wants to talk about jury slides??? I must admit that when I first started out, this was a fearful topic! Not only do I hate taking pictures of my work, but knowing that those images would affect my chances of getting into decent shows really had me shakin' in my boots. Actually, for my first round of shows, I intentionally refrained from applying to any that required slides. Then I began to realize that if I was going to be a serious artist doing serious shows, I had to get over it... and fast!

I began to research the topic a little and found out that the images submitted for jury are nothing like the ones you see of pretty objects in catalogs or online shops. In those photographs, items are displayed with colorful backgrounds, props, and "in action" showing suggested use. In photographs used for juried competition, objects are to be the one and only focus in the image. Backgrounds are minimal and drab; lighting, and therefore positioning, is key; and clear, sharp images that make sense are necessary. In my images shown here, it is obvious which of my pieces are pendants because a little of the chain has been kept in the photo.

In a future post, I will be walking you through an actual jury procedure, but for now it is important to know that typically a jury, or panel of judges, will see your images blown up as big as 3-feet wide. Keep that in mind! The smallest flaw on a piece might become very obvious when viewed at that size.

If you've read this far in what has turned out to be a very long post, here is just a little more to keep you busy...

Mama's tips on submitting great jury slides...

Ask another artist to select items from your body of work to be photographed. When we create our own work, we tend to be biased and think that every piece is the best. Get a fresh pair of eyes to help you select work from a judge's perspective.
Be sure to label your slides according to the shows specifications, making sure to clearly identify your name and the images proper orientation. It would really stink if you had a great slide that was shown upside down!

Use a professional photographer, and not your cousin who takes great wedding photos. I am convinced that some things are best done by others. So if you think that I created my own jury images, you are CRAZY. They were taken by the extremely talented Larry Sanders, who is based in Milwaukee, WI.

Update your images every few years or when your body of work changes significantly. Some shows are now indicating that they will check your booth to make sure that you didn't turn in images of your only five things that actually turned out.

Lastly, start where you are and do what you can. Use the jury process as a learning experience and never stop reaching higher and higher!

P.S. Shown are all of my jury images. Soon I will post about booth shots, the jury process and more!

Mama is Back in Action

2008-03-03T12:32:00.008-06:00

Hi all! Sorry I haven't written in a while, but my kids have been playing germ tag... seeing how many times they can pass the same cold back and forth. I really can't complain about their health because they are rarely sick, and even when they are they still want to go to school and church. It's just all of the nose blowing, doses of medicine and, of course, loads of special mama TLC that has kept me hoppin'.

Anyway, I'll give an update as quickly as I can while the little one takes a nap. Since my last post, I've been accepted into a wearable art show to be held on May 3rd in Shorewood, WI. There has still been no word on the other four shows that I applied to, but it's still pretty early. I'll let you know how it goes as I get the results, or you can check the "events" page on my website for more details.

I also had another metal smithing class last week at the Terri McCarthy Studios. During my second class, I met more people and got real friendly with the jump ring tool. Never again will I have to pay the high price for retail jump rings because I have figured out how to make my own. I made up several rings using 16 guage sterling silver wire and a #5 mandrel.

This gave me the opportunity to try a pattern in a book for a byzantine link chain. Here is a picture of my progress. Not too bad for the first time. In class, I also made a sterling silver disk pendant with a wide tube bail. It will look perfect on the chain when it is finished... if I must say so myself!

The Mama Bracelet

2008-02-26T08:36:00.029-06:00

Alright, I confess! This seven-inch strand of silver and crystal is at least a small factor in my decision to have two kids. Like I mentioned before when I described my "Good Shepherd Bracelet", I love jewelry that has a purpose and a story behind it. For those of you who are interested, here's the story behind what I call the "Mama Bracelet".

After having my first child and deciding to stay home to raise him, I became totally immersed in the new mommy culture of play dates, mother's groups, stroller walks and story times at the library. It didn't take too long for me to realize that this society is full of its own unspoken norms and customs. Like when I went to my first MOPS meeting, I noticed all the moms pulled up in minivans, had perfectly applied makeup at 9am, brought elaborate dishes (with Pampered Chef utensils) to the potluck, and later took their tiny tikes to Gymboree.

But more importantly, (jewelry freak that I am) I noticed a bracelet sported by a few moms like a badge of honor. They called it a mother's bracelet and it had their kids' names on it. I fell in love with the concept of jewelry that could be worn as a reminder of what is really important... even on days when I showed up at MOPS without makeup and a bag of chips to be eaten directly from the bag!

I made my first bracelet a few weeks before delivering my second child and donned it in the hospital right after giving birth. I have made nearly a hundred since then for many more moms who want to celebrate the blessing of being a mama, even on days when they don't want to jump through all of the unnecessary hoops. The "Mama Bracelet" that I make has a distinctive look and is made to endure life with children.

You are invited to celebrate the blessing of being a mother everyday in a beautiful "Mama Bracelet". It is made to order with 4.5mm or 5.5mm sterling silver letter beads, toggle clasp and Swarovski crystals. A crystal dangle with your kids' birthstones is included. For more info, contact me or check out the "Mama Collection" on my website, www.maybornedesigns.com.

Mama Goes Back to School

2008-02-21T09:06:00.010-06:00

Yesterday was a big day for me. I sent the little one off to playschool and headed off to the Terri McCarthy Studio in Grafton, WI to start another 12-week, hands-on study of metal jewelry fabrication. Since it has been almost two years since I've studied there, I started my day with a tour of the studio and getting a refresher on the equipment.

My favorite tool of the day was the rolling mill. Just imagine a machine that's like a pair of rolling pins on steroids. I don't know the engineering mechanisms involved, but when an annealed piece of metal is rolled through with a textured object, the mill presses the pattern onto the metal. I added texture to sterling silver and turned it into earrings with post backs. I rolled another piece to make a ring with a leather textured shank.

But the very best features of the studio are the lights, vents, outlets and fellow artists! I have a very well-equipped studio at home but it's a bit lacking in the fundamentals. Someday I fear that I am going to trip in the dark on the four extention cords that share the same outlet. Either that or I will pass out from the flux fumes and no one will know that I'm missing. Getting out for 3 hours a week, with other adults and windows, is definitely a good thing.

This is a picture of my instructor, Terri McCarthy. She has been making jewelry since 1988 and opened her own studio four years ago when the local community college stopped offering the metalsmithing class that she taught. She knows everything and I hope a little of her expertise rubs off on me!