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Archive for October, 2008

Mac Fair November 6th, 7th, & 8th!

October 22, 2008 | Filed under: Uncategorized

The Beyond the Valley Studio Tour in Dundas this past week end was an amazing success!  Thank you every one who came out to our studios during a very lovely autumn week end.  My pieces of jewellery were well received and many many went to new homes.  Michelle Guitard, who was my guest also had a very successful week end.  She sold a number of paintings and also acquired 3 commissions. Her painting of Birches was an early sale.   Is this not great!  Michelle said how much she enjoyed meeting everyone and how supportive they were.  I totally agree!  Go to her website and you will see Michelle and I as well as my sister-in-law and my dear friend.  Without these two people I don’t think that it would be possible to get through a tour week end or enjoy it as much!  We had a lot of fun.  Thank you everyone for making this such a success!!  In fact we had so much fun that the four of us decided to go to New York City in November.  Can’t wait.

My  next event is the Mac Fair at the McMaster Museum of Art.  It is coming soon and I have to get busy as my inventory is quite depleted-a wonderful feeling by the way!

Posted by Stephanie @ 8:42 pm | Comments

Beyond the Valley Studio Tour-Just a day to go!

October 17, 2008 | Filed under: Uncategorized

Here I am, doing the usual last minute preparation for the studio tour.  Reminds me very much of my university days when I also did a lot of last minute stuff.  Some things never change.  The tour is just slightly over a day away and I must say that I am almost ready.  If you were here last October, then you will be quite surprised as 2007 is sold out.  No pieces from last year are left I am very pleased to say.  My designs continually evolve and I find this very stimulating.  I don’t think that I would be happy if this didn’t happen.  Michelle Guitard has delivered her paintings and will finish her set up tomorrow.  I think that this will be an exciting 2 days.  The weather promises to be sunny and since it is fall, cool.  This is my favourite Kind of weather and fall is my favourite season.  We will be offering chocolate truffles to our studio tour guests and warm cider.  An unusual combination, I guess.  Well I am looking forward to an exciting 2 days.  Hope that you are too!

Posted by Stephanie @ 12:47 am | Comments

Beyond the Valley Studio Tour in Dundas-Coming this Saturday!!

October 14, 2008 | Filed under: Uncategorized

The Beyond the Valley Studio Tour is just a few days away.  Tomorrow I will set up my displays.  I need to see as a whole, the pieces that are ready and what more needs to be done.  If you won’t be able to visit my studio on Saturday, Oct. 18th or Sunday, Oct. 19th, please give me a call and we can set up an appointment for the Thursday or Friday prior.  The hours of the tour are 10 a.m to 5 p.m. each day.  And remember that it is free admission. 

 I continued with opening the new supply of gemstones.  Did I not say that it would be like Christmas?  I had forgotten that I purchased wonderful fluorite in shades of green, and mauve.  Also malachite, and an assortment of shapes in cracked quartz -hearts, squares etc.  Quartz is given a cracked look through heat treatment.  Many stones have their colour enhanced this way as well.  Also there is rose quartz from Madagascar and Brazil.  The Brazilian stones are much more intense in colour.  I can’t wait to get started and have a number of ideas percolating already. 

Posted by Stephanie @ 8:15 pm | Comments

Thanksgiving Week End is here!!

October 12, 2008 | Filed under: Uncategorized

A friend and I went to the Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival yesterday.  It was an incredible day to be outdoors.  An especially good thing for artists and craftspeople who display their creations outside.  Last year it rained a lot during this 4 day event.  It makes me wonder if this was the reason that we found the number of artists had decreased.  In fact our favourites were not there and it was disappointing.  It looked like only half the food vendors (makers of tasty sauces, preserves, chocolates etc.) were present.  There were still a number of good things to see but we were through in an hour which is normally unheard of.  We then proceeded down to Vineland School which has a festival (for three days) as its major fundraiser.  Now this was packed as there were artists, craftpeople, and vendors of just about everything.  Lots of fun!  We met Jody Wieler of Wieler Studios which is in St. Catharines.  Jody makes beautiful lampwork beads and I purchased some to incorporate into my designs. When I looked at her website imagine my surprise to find that she will be exhibiting at Mac Craft Fair, November 6th, 7th, and  8th.  This is an art show hosted by the McMaster Museum of Art and will of course be held at the university.  I will also be exhibiting during that time.  I am looking forward to this event which comes shortly after the Beyond the Valley Studio Tour in Dundas.  This is an exceptionally busy time of year  which artists actually hope for so I really am appreciative.

On Friday I was in Toronto purchasing new stones.  I do have in my possession natural lavender jade.   Not much as it is very expensive.  It is the most subtle colour.  Just beautiful.  Enough for a bracelet or two depending on embellishments.  I also found some mookite (wonderful earth tones), large amethyst pieces, and the list goes on.  But you will have to come to my studio to see.  I am going to open my packages today and it will feel like Christmas when I take all the gemstones out.  I was very lucky in that my supplier let me go through her newly arrived shipment of over 20 boxes.  It was definitely an exciting and fun 2 hours.  One of the new stones that I picked up is called phantom quartz.  I have 2 types, large polished rounds and faceted barrel shapes.  These stones have a green colour going through them .  So I have added emeralds and sterling decorative cylinders to make a collar.  It is a dynamite necklace.

My husband and I are just back from a motorcycle ride on this glorious day.  Coffee time and then back to work.

Posted by Stephanie @ 4:25 pm | Comments

Beyond the Valley Studio Tour in Dundas-Oct 18 & 19

October 9, 2008 | Filed under: Uncategorized

The Beyond the Valley Studio Tour is just 9 days away.  It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here and the middle of October as well.  Fall is my favourite time of the year as I mentioned before.   I love apples and the leaves turning and the crisp weather.  A great time for walking, and enjoying the outdoors.  And a great and inspirational time for designing beautiful pieces of jewellery.

Michelle Guitard who is an accomplished painter is my guest during this tour.  She has been busily working and creating wonderful pieces of art .  I love her tulips and hope that she brings another painting featuring one of my favourite flowers.  My other favourite is iris.  Michelle is very excited about being part of this studio tour and I know is looking forward to the weekend as much as I am.

Last night I brought my jewellery to a private home for a private showing.    The hostess is a vivacious and high energy person who is a lot of fun.  There was a lot of laughter and her guests and I enjoyed the evening very much .  We traded a lot of stories. She told the story of how she and I first met.  She signed a guest book at the last studio tour with her husband’s name.  I sent him an invitation to my Christmas Open House.  (not realizing it was a him).  He got in touch with me 2 days before Christmas in order to select a gift for his wife.  I was happy to oblige, she was happy to receive.  It worked out well for everyone.  Thank you to my hostess for last night and thank you to the guests who all left with piece of my jewellery (or 2 or 3).  It was greatly appreciated.

Sometimes I wonder what I like best about this venture.  I know that I absolutely love handling and selecting gemstones.  I love designing and actually making each piece.  Sometimes the end result surprises even me and very pleasantly I might add.  I know that I love meeting people and having great discussions about stones and what they are and what they mean.  The truth is, I just love everything!!

Posted by Stephanie @ 7:04 pm | Comments


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