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Archive for December, 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR for 2010!!

December 31, 2009 | Filed under: Uncategorized

This is the last day of 2009 and it is hard to believe. I have this great feeling about 2010-it is going to be an exciting year!!

Christmas is now becoming a memory. For the first time, we celebrated Christmas Eve at our house. Usually my mother hosts this event which consists of at least 12 meatless dishes. We are of Ukrainian origin so this traditional meal has pyrogies both potatoe & cheese as well as sauerkraut, cabbage rolls, fish, pickled herring, 2 kinds of vegetable, borscht with small mushroom pyrogies, kootya (I am not sure of the spelling) which is barley with poppy seed and honey. In rural Ukraine, this was thrown onto the ceiling and if a lot of it stuck, it bespoke a good harvest in the upcoming year. We didn’t try it here though. There was also bread, and salad plus assorted baked goods. My sister-in-law made trifle (as she is not Ukrainian but had the good sense to marry one). My eldest daughter brought the fish. It was a feast and a good time was had by all 16 of us. It is also hard to believe that our family has grown so much in numbers.
On Christmas Day, we went to our eldest daughter’s home for breakfast. We have 3 married children, so they spent the day with their in-laws. I am glad that we have started this new tradition of having Christmas Eve here. My mother who was to have an easier and more relaxing time by giving up her role as hostess, in the end, made all the traditional foods. Well not all, I cooked the vegetables, under her directions just in case I didn’t do it the right way. I think it was somewhat hard for her to give it up but I think in the end she will see that it was time to pass this tradition on. And perhaps next year, I will be able to prepare more than the veggies.

The Small Works Exhibit at the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas is over. It was a very successful event for me as many of my pieces were sold. Earrings seem to do exceptionally well there. This is my third year at the Carnegie and it gives me great pleasure to be part of the gallery’s program in December.

The Dundas Valley School of Art Auction is coming up in April and I have already received my info re contributions. This is also my third year participating in this Art Auction fundraiser for the DVSA. I will be sending in 8 pieces as my contribution to this very worthwhile event.

I am now preparing for a half day with Greg Fess, the excellent photographer whose studio is in Waterloo, and who takes photos of my work. I use these images in my invitation cards to my Open House events in March and December, and in the Beyond the Valley Studio Tour brochures-the tour is 2x a year in May and October, as well as on my website.

My Spring Open House, the first week end of March is my next major event. It is time to prepare for that by searching out new stones and designing new pieces.

I hope that 2010 will be a good year for everyone!

Posted by Stephanie @ 3:09 pm | Comments

A Christmas Open House SELL-OUT!!

December 8, 2009 | Filed under: Uncategorized

Well–almost!! It was truly an exciting and fabulous 3 days as many, many pieces of my jewellery went to new homes. Michele Steeves of the Hamilton Spectator featured several pieces in her “Style” column the previous Tuesday. Quite a number of people arrived with that page of the paper altho all but one of the pieces pictured had sold out by 3 p.m. on the Friday.
And there were quite a few men, on their own, purchasing pieces for a significant other. May I say quite a few “smart” men. One father and young son, usually come every year at this time. The son has an excellent eye for stones and design as he usually chooses something that is new and dramatic for his mother. And he very much enjoys making a selection which is lovely to see.
One young woman who comes regularly to my events, wanted a bracelet shortened. Rather than do that, as I still had some of the same stones available, I had her choose the pieces that would make up her bracelet. So now she can say that the design was influenced by her choices, which it was. And it was fun for her to do this.
My team was here to help which is priceless to me but the most important thing is that when we are all together, we have a lot of fun. And I am truly grateful that they enjoy being part of my jewellery events. My husband is also a great support. He makes coffee for our guests and sandwiches for the rest of us-and great sandwiches they are. Although I spend long, long hours, especially the week before the open house, designing and then making jewellery, in the end because of a great team effort, it is a fun and successful event. So I thank all of these wonderful people who help me whenever they can and of course I thank everyone who comes to my Open House, appreciates what I do and then takes a piece (or 2 or 3 or 4) home because they think that it is lovely. One woman, who was new to me, brought a friend whose family has been in the jewellery business for decades. This friend complimented me on the beauty and quality of my work. This was an important thing for me to hear and I truly appreciate it.
I have a fundraiser coming up, a number of special orders to do. If you would like a piece that you have seen or want to see what I have, do get in touch. I am always available by appointment.
And do remember that I have jewellery at the Carnegie Art Gallery in Dundas, for sale during the Small Works Exhibit this month. Do drop in there.
As well, some pieces are at Nova Moda Boutique at 368 Main St. W. in Hamilton. Wonderful clothes too!!
Today I spent the entire day, getting sterling silver supplies as I had run out entirely. It is an exhausting time but well worth it. I use sterling in my pieces but also Hill Tribe Silver which is from Thailand. Hill Tribe has a 95% to 98% silver content which is above the 92.5% content of sterling. It also has a different patina which I find warmer.
I rested yesterday, so to speak, as I did pack everything away and today I am back at it. Christmas is coming! Perhaps I will rest then or is that pie in the sky!!

Posted by Stephanie @ 7:04 pm | Comments


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