ChickieGirl Creations

Dusting Off this Ole Journal

2008-10-28T11:41:00.006-04:00

I am finally back after taking some time off. Life, well, life is what it is I suppose. :-)

My stock is low, but I will be adding a few items to my shop. I don't believe I can stock up the way I had originally wanted, unfortunately, but I will be taking custom orders. I will not charge extra for custom orders at this time and I will make these special purchases my priority, before stocking up my store. So be sure to take advantage of this now. If you want something for the holidays, place your order(s) now. :-) Since it was featured in PolymerCafe Magazine this past June, I've been getting quite a few requests for my tree pendants. I plan on continuing with those as well as my whimsical holiday beads. Don't be shy ... pop over to the shop and see what's there.

To see more of my work, please check out ...

My Flickr
My Sold Items

See anything you like? Contact me! :-)

Bloom Tree Pendant

2008-02-15T10:12:00.001-05:00

Bloom Tree Pendant
Originally uploaded by chickiegirlcreations

Two posts in one day! Wow! :-P

I was playing around with making the tree pendants have a spring look and experimenting with the textures. I really liked how this one turned out. And I think can open some fun possibilities for color combinations!

Well, this one has sold already (yeah!), but I have a few flower tree pendants in the making so hopefully I can have them listed next week.

Computer Troubles

2008-02-15T08:41:00.009-05:00

Aren't computers supposed to make life easier? Hmmmm ... yes, until they don't work anymore, lol! Well, they say that bad things happen in three's ... it started with out car breaking down in the middle of a city a few weeks ago. Then my inkjet printer just stopped printing. The last one is my computer's hard drive just died on me. When we went to have it diagnosed, it was confirmed that the drive was gone (and did I back up? Umm, not everything!). We asked if we could get another drive installed. We were gently informed that our computer is considered "vintage". Gah! Well, such is life. And I firmly believe these things happen for a reason. :-)

To be thankful, we have a laptop, so I was able to continue with my Etsy Shop and Flickr. Even so, I still had another challenge I had to overcome .... I had my only photo editing program on the computer that crashed. After a bit of sulking and cruising the net, I found Picnik and fell in to relief and happiness. I am still playing around with it, but I am able to edit my photos the way I like. It is free with the option to upgrade. I decided to upgrade because I wanted to use some of the features offered with it. I figure that I will be using this online photo editing site for quite a while. I can also post right to my Flickr once I am done playing with my photos which is a huge convenience. You can also upload and transfer to Photobucket, Picassa, Webshots, Facebook .... I am so thrilled I found it! Go check it out.

The pics are just some of my latest work using Picnik. I am still making the tree pendants (having a lot of fun making these!) and I've been recently been making some dangle earrings and hairsticks or shawl pins.

Now to get my printer working ....

Challenge Time Again!

2008-02-03T08:54:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe it has been about a month since I posted here .... shame on me!

Well, it is time for another challenge! This months PCAGOE Challenge theme is 'Love'. I'm a little late blogging about this ... better late than never I suppose ... the voting started Friday, February 1st and ends midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on Sunday, February 3rd. The winners will be announced on Monday, February 4th and you can view the results at the PCAGOE website.

So stop by the site .... http://pcagoe.com ..... and vote for the one you LoVe. :-) We've got a lot to choose from and the talent in this group is inspiring and amazing! Here's a few to look at now ...

And here's my entry which is also available in my Etsy Shop ....

Thank You!! :-)

New Years Resolutions

2008-01-04T19:32:00.000-05:00

Ah, yes that time of year. Time to think about all the things we need to change ... it is overwhelming. Another person in the Etsy Polymer Clay Guild (PCAGOE) posted this article by Christine Kane (click here). I thought it was very interesting, so I'm posting a link here. It gives a different twist on resolutions and has helped me think about how I'd like to go about my resolutions for this year. I'd never heard of Christine Kane, so I took a listen to her music and I like it very much! Hmmm, I may be a new fan. :-)

While on the subject of resolutions, I participated in this months PCAGOE Monthly Challenge, which was focused on New Years Resolutions. Here's my entry:

And here's what I wrote about my entry:

"This is my entry for this month's PCAGOE Challenge, New Year's Resolution. I've always loved trees ... the textures, the colors, their strength, and even the sound they make when the wind blows through their leaves and branches. This particular tree, to me, represents a resilience that I'd like to develop in the upcoming year; to be stronger and healthier physically, emotionally, spiritually and to always remember who I am. I hope that this will spill into my creative works as well."

There are a lot of great entries, so please take a moment to stop by the guild website and vote. Plus, if you vote you will be entered to win a prize pack valuing over $150.00. Not too shabby!! :-)

Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy Website

Here is another tree pendant I've done. I had listed another one earlier, but it sold. However, I am making more of these as time allows. So if you are interested in something like this, stop by the shop every so often. I'd like to make these tree pendants a regular item in my store. And if you see something you'd like, but maybe you'd prefer a different color or shape, feel free to contact me about a custom order. :-)

Thanks so much and Happy New Year everyone!!

Holiday Promotion!!

2007-12-01T16:00:00.000-05:00

I'm offering 10% OFF the entire shop for the month of December. If you have a return coupon or newsletter coupon code, you will get that additional percent off as well. Just enter your codes in the 'notes to seller' section when you check out, then wait for a new updated invoice from me. Can't beat that!! Definitely stop by the shop and do some holiday shopping ... hope to see you there!

ChickieGirlCreations Etsy Shop

Happy Holidays Everyone!! :-)

Made Etsy Front Page!!

2007-11-30T01:14:00.000-05:00

Here's the pic of the Etsy Front Page with my Birch Song Necklace, whoo hoo! And I am right next to a fellow pcagoe'er that I admire, blockpartypress. Boy am I flying high now! :-)

Holiday Hairsticks or Shawl Pins!!

2007-11-29T08:46:00.000-05:00

I couldn't resist making these! I love snowmen! :-)

I recently found out that my sticks can also be used as shawl pins. I'm so excited about this! I've made sure that the points on my sticks are more rounded so they don't poke and hurt. And the sticks are smooth, but because of the texture it makes them grip. Perfect for hair and knitting. I think I am going to make a shawl for myself now! I loved ponchos when they were a huge trend a few years back, but I love the idea of wrapping a yummy textured shawl around my shoulders and weaving in a fun or funky shawl pin. Well, I'm going on and on here .... did I say I was excited about the shawl pin idea?

Moving on ... So just to mention to those that read my blog ... I only have one more of these guys to list in my shop. Be young and have a little joy and fun this Christmas and winter season with these sticks. :-)

Hill Tribes Silver Hairsticks with Earrings!

2007-11-24T02:00:00.000-05:00

My daughter has just started dance classes. She's been telling me for a while now that she wanted to go, but I wasn't sure how serious she was. She tries to emulate her current ballet idols, Zoey (from Sesame Street) and Angelina Ballerina (books and PBS series). Usually you have to be three years old to take a dance class, but DD is almost three, so they let her in. She is having a blast! All the girls wear pink and purple. I have to admit, I am gushing with all the adorableness, lol. So, I decided to make these gorgeous, magical, winter like hairsticks and earrings, inspired by The Nutcracker Suite, my favorite ballet. Lots of sparkle and movement, very girly and pretty!

I only had three Hill Tribes Hairsticks, so that is all that is listed. With the sale that is currently going on, it will be a quite a deal, so do not pass this up!

Don't have long hair, but you have fallen in love with these sticks anyway? Don't fret, these will make wonderful shawl pins! In fact, I wish I had one of these for myself. I'd use one on a shawl for Christmas Day. :-)

Well, that's my news ... thanks for taking a peek at my wares! :-)

It's Christmas Time!!! and Sales!!!

2007-11-23T17:01:00.000-05:00

Whew! I've barely had time to breath! Thanksgiving was wonderful and now thoughts have turned toward Christmas gift giving. My favorite time of the year! :-)

First some store info ...

Current Sale Offer:
Please inter the correct code(s) in your notes to seller when you check out and I will send you a new updated invoice.

10% Off Entire Store - Code = 10Chickie10

Free Shipping with orders totaling $40.00 or more - Code = 40Free

** Offer ends Sunday, November 25th, midnight EST **

I will be running different sales throughout this month. So take advantage of the savings!

Custom Orders:

I love to do custom orders! If you have something special in mind for yourself or for a gift, do not hesitate to contact me. :-)

I will be taking polymer clay custom orders until December 10th.

I will take any jewelry custom orders until the 15th.

This will ensure that I have enough time to complete the order and that it can be shipped well before Christmas.

And as always .... feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you! :-)

Saturday Night Specials

2007-10-13T19:32:00.001-04:00

I'm going to try and offer Saturday Night Specials once in a while. Probably more often than not. So here's the special for tonight:

10% Off Storewide

Free Shipping Worldwide

Please put ** SNS ** in notes to seller when you check out. Then wait for an updated Paypal invoice.

Offer ends tomorrow, Sunday, Oct. 14th, 6:00 am

Thank you!! :-)

Made it on the Etsy Front Page!!

2007-10-12T15:44:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited!! The Ocean Sands Necklace was picked (on the bottom middle of the grid). It is such a thrill to see it there and I feel honored to be included in such a beautiful layout!! Thank you!!!!

Promos and Hairsticks

2007-10-02T21:03:00.000-04:00

Promos Going on Now:

10% Entire Order until Sunday Oct. 7th
Free Shipping is being offered as well!!
Special Edition Halloween Hairsticks

Eeep! I've been neglecting this blog a bit because life has a way of getting in the way of these things. :-)

I've jumped back into making hairsticks. Currently I am making charm dangle hairsticks and sculpted polymer clay beads for hairsticks. The newest sculpted beads are Halloween Hairsticks! These were so much fun to make! I was inspired by all the antique shops here in this area that have hand crafted primitive style decor. And I've also been inspired by the moon. I have to say that my daughter has a lot to do with the moon sticks especially. She's 2 1/2 years old and has only just discovered it since the sun started setting earlier. So the moon is a big topic of discussion around here and we are always on the 'look out' for it. So I guess I've rediscovered the beauty of this wondrous satellite as well.

There are only four of the Halloween Hairsticks. So get them while you can! :-)

Also, the Skeerdy Cat Hairstick was featured in the latest entry of Art Bead Scene Blog! I'm so thrilled! Whenever I visit there and see all the amazing talented bead artists, I get a bit whoosy ... so I am thrilled and honored that they used the pic of that hairstick to promote there upcoming contest theme for this month, Goth Queen. Ooo, sounds scary and very cool!

Thank you! :-)

Free Shipping!

2007-08-13T09:48:00.000-04:00

Free shipping on entire purchase,including clearance items, to anywhere, for the rest of the month of August!

*** ChickieGirlCreations Etsy Store ***

Take advatage of it now! :-)
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Shop Talk!

2007-08-02T23:58:00.000-04:00

The Firefly Waters Necklace (mentioned a couple of posts earlier) made second place in the PCAGOE 'Summer Memories' July contest! I am thrilled! Well deserved first place winner was BeTreebyme.etsy, and her favorite summer memory had to do with fireflies also. Great minds think alike I suppose. ;-)

My necklace is also featured in a Treasury listing on Etsy! Take a peek.

I am working hard on some new designs and some new techniques. Trying to develop *who* I am through the creative process. Unfortunately, this takes a bit of time (and patience on my part) to work out. I've already listed a couple of necklaces with newly designed leaf pendants. I do have a few pendants and beads in the works right now. Copper colors and copper findings are really catching my eye right at the moment. And of course, autumnal colors will be making an appearance. I do love those colors, so I am excited to start mixing up some new clay and bead combinations!

Good news! I've added a clearance section in the shop. Prices reflect 20% the original price. I've already gotten a few hits in that sections, so be sure to check it out!

Recently, I've added some earrings. And I will also have a few beaded bracelets that should be ready to list soon. Remember, you can view the newest items in my shop (right here in my blog) by clicking on the pics over there to the right. It will take you directly to ChickieGirl Creations Etsy Shop.

Hope to see you at my shop! Stay tuned for more updates ... :-)
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PCAGOE Summer Memories Challenge Entries-Vote and Win

2007-07-27T09:02:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, PCAGOE has a challenge every month and this month's theme is 'Summer Memories'. Did I mention that if you vote for the winner you will recieve prizes? Free prizes! ;o) Well, PCAGOE's (Polymer Clay Artists of Etsy) monthly challenge and giveaway is underway!! Go to PCAGOE's website (right now!) and vote for your favorite. You will be entered to win one of 2 prize packs with a value of over $100!

Vote between now and midnight(EST) on July 28th!

Have fun voting!!!!!

:-)

Some Projects ....

2007-07-20T21:40:00.001-04:00

I have recently been accepted to the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy (PCAGOE). I am inspired and in awe of all the incredibly talented artists there. I'm honored to be a member. I've been working on some projects this past week, one of which has to do with a program called Pendants with a Purpose through PCAGOE, "where artist donate pendants as a part of the Look Good Feel Better program affiliated with the American Cancer Society". For this round of donations the theme was 'hope'. I gained my inspiration from a part of a poem by Emily Dickinson:

HOPE is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all

These pendants are now in the hands of the lovely lady behind The Color of Dreams Etsy Store, who is organizing this ... I pray that all the pendants donated bring some comfort and evoke a renewed sense of hope within the hearts of those that need it most.

Also, I was working on a piece for PCAGOE's July Challenge ... every month there is a challenge and this month the theme was 'summer memories'. One of my fondest summer memories was sitting on the dock, bare feet dangling over the water, watching the sunset and eagerly awaiting the appearance of the magical fireflies. And this is my entry ...

For other quick news about my Etsy store ... I've been working on some 18 inch necklaces with polymer clay pendants. They will be added to the store throughout the next few days. And I will be starting on some hairsticks next week, so hopefully I will have some completed in a couple of weeks.

Have a great weekend everyone! :-)
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ETA: Sorry if the pics in this post haven't been showing. I'm not sure what happened, but hopefully you can see them now.
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What a Great Day!

2007-06-19T20:29:00.000-04:00

Take a peek ... I just realized that my hairsticks made the Etsy front page! I knew something was a muck when I checked my store this evening, lol. I'm so thrilled! This really made my evening! I am so honored to have been chosen. Thank you! :-)

Turquoise Crackled Green Swirly Sticks

2007-06-18T07:22:00.000-04:00

Hello! Just a quick post this morning ... There are a new pair of Swirly Hairsticks listed in my Etsy Store. Have a gander. More items will be listed this week.

Thank you! :0)

New Product! Memory Wire Choker Necklaces

2007-06-15T12:57:00.000-04:00

I fell in love with memory wire this past Christmas. I made quite a few for my early-teenage neices and they all loved them. I couldn't get the chokers out of my mind and have been dying to make a few for my store. They are so easy to wear and comfortable. No fumbling with clasps. That makes it very easy for a mommy! It is so hard to look and feel pretty when you are always on the go with the kiddos. But also, if one has issues with using their hands, this makes it possible to wear jewelry. You'd think that without a clasp they'd fall of, but they stay on and stay put. Another positive is that memory wire is non-tarnish and corrosion resistant.

So, here are some pics. They are both in the store. I will be listing more over the next few weeks. So, please come back again and see what's new. Thank you for looking! :-)

Turquoise and Green Swirly Hairsticks

2007-06-09T05:39:00.001-04:00

Here's another pair of square-ish Swirly Hairsticks. This is from the bead set I posted a few entries earlier. The pics here are a bit better, but it was still hard to capture some of the paisley-like detail. I love green so I was *very* tempted to keep this pair for myself!

I have a couple more Swirly Sticks to list over the next week or two, so please come back to check out more pics!

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On a more personal note, my cat Mags isn't doing well. I had mentioned I was concerned about her, as well as my dog Rosie, earlier this year. She had also been diagnosed with kidney failure around the same time as Rosie. Mags is 18 yrs. old and may be suffering from chronic renal failure due to her old age. My poor kitty has been going downhill fast this past week. She hasn't been eating at all the past 5 days and I am really concerned. She saw her vet yesterday, so we will see what the lab results will be. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. We truly just want to make her comfortable as possible. Thank you!

New Swirly Hairsticks!

2007-06-08T21:39:00.000-04:00

I will be listing a few new ChickieGirl Creations Swirly Hairsticks in the next few weeks, as well as other jewelry, so be sure to pop in from time to time to check it out. :-)

Here's a set that I just listed. Purple ... maybe I should've called them 'Purple Passion' or something like that. I'm horrible with naming my jewelry, lol. It was a lot of fun making these square-ish beads. Anyway ... there is a pair of matching dangle earrings too, so check out my Etsy Store.

Thank you! :0)

ETA: Well, sorry folks, the Purple Hairsticks and Earrings sold fast ... (someone was waiting for them, and I wasn't sure she would like them ... so I posted about them here ... but I'm glad she was able to purchase them.) I may list another pair tomorrow. In the mean time, I'll add a pic of the earrings here for your viewing pleasure.

Sapphire Blue & White Swirly Hair Sticks and FREE SHIPPING OFFER!!!

2006-11-20T15:44:00.000-05:00

Here's a new set of Swirly Hairsticks avaiable at ChickieGirl Creations Etsy Store.

Also, I am offering **free shipping** on all puchases from my Etsy Store ... starting now until November 24th! Don't miss out! It is a good time to do some early Christmas / Holiday Shopping!!! :)

Have a great day!

Basic Beaded Hairstick Tutorial

2006-10-03T13:42:00.000-04:00

Here is the beaded hairstick tutorial that was requested. Sorry it took so long to get this together! Have fun!!!

Supplies:

Old news papers

2 Wooden hairstick
2 20 gauge head pins or 18 gauge stick pins
2 Focal beads
Smaller accent beads and findings

Marker
small ruler
Pliers (1 for cutting wire, 1 for bending wire)
2 Part Epoxy Glue - fast drying
Paper plate (something to put glue on for mixing)
Toothpicks
Damp rag or towel

Cup
uncooked rice or small beans
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A good online source for wooden hairsticks and jewelry supplies is www.firemountaingems.com

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BEFORE YOU BEGIN ~ it is a good idea to lay some old newspapers on your work surface to protect it. I used white craft paper to help with getting clearer pics.

STEP 1
Assemble beads on head pins ~ Take your time and play with this a little. Rearrange your beads and set them on top of your wooden sticks to see how it will look all together. ~~Once you find a design in which your are happy, set aside your beads.

STEP 2
There are a few different ways to go about the next step. Please read through the options to determine which would work best for you.

Version 1 ~ this is for a headpin that fits into the hairstick hole well, in other words, a pretty perfect fit: Take your head pins and place them into the top of the hairsticks to measure the depth of the hole in the sticks. Mark the head pin with a marker, then measure the length of the head pin with a ruler. Slide beads back onto the head pin. Using that measurement, measure from the bottom of the beaded topper down and cut (it will be the mark closest to the beads).

Version 2 ~ this is for a headpin that is too thin for the hairstick hole: (Make your measurement(s) the same as Version 1) To make a thicker head pin, you don't have to cut the headpin at all. You can simply bend the headpin at the bottom of your measurement. Clip off any extra after you have bent the head pin.

Version 3 ~ this is if headpins are still too thin after bending them in version 2: Make slight zigzag bends on the head pins using your pliers.

Version 4 ~ this is if your headpins/wire/stickpins are difficult to bend: In the pic, I used the zigzag method without bending my headpin to make it thicker.

**note - Make sure to measure the depth of the hole in each hairstick as some holes may vary

STEP 3
Lay sticks and toppers together, set aside, so they are ready to be put together. Fill cup with uncooked rice. Put enough rice to hold the hairstick upright. Make sure the stick can stand still, you do not want it to move at all.

STEP 4
Push a small amount of 2 part epoxy onto the paper plate. Mix glue thoroughly with a toothpick until you see the whitish coloring become uniform. The coloring is very subtle, but you should be able to see the difference when you are mixing it. At this point you have 5 minutes until the glue hardens. (you're not feeling any pressure, are you? lol)

STEP 5
Using a clean toothpick, place a small amount of glue onto the top of a wooden stick and a good amount onto the head pin. Carefully push the topper into the stick. Make sure the head pin is pushed all the way into the hole. Turn everything upside-down and push the stick downward, onto the topper if needed. It shouldn't go in easily, you want some friction/resistance. This way you know that your zigzag headpin is scraping against the edges of the hole.

If your topper is slanted, you can bend the head pin and rearrange the beads at this point if needed. Wipe away any excess glue with dampened towel. Place assembled hairstick into the rice filled cup.

STEP 6
Assemble the other stick and place in cup.

STEP 7
Go back and check the first stick you put together. Sometimes the beads slide, so again, rearrange the beads as necessary before your five minutes are up. Once the glue sets, you cannot fix any mistakes. You are done.

After the glue has cured for 24 hours, your new hairsticks are ready to be worn! Taa Daa!

Now that wasn't so hard, was it? :0D

If you have any questions or any tips to add, please leave a comment here. Otherwise, enjoy your new beautiful set of beaded hairsticks, made by you!

Letting Your Light Shine

2006-09-20T17:47:00.000-04:00

Seeing Your Perfection
Letting Your Light Shine
from DailyOm.com ~~~

We are each born into this world with unique gifts. Within us is a glimmer of the divine, a light that can potentially make the world a more beautiful place. But in many, that light lies dormant, snuffed out by fears and feelings of inadequacy. To spark it is to attract attention, face the possibility of rejection or the responsibility of success, and risk being labeled immodest. Yet when we undermine the light by hiding our aptitudes and quashing our dreams, we deny ourselves and others a wealth of experiences. Your abilities are a part of who you are and when you take pride in them, you affirm the love, esteem, and trust with which you view yourself. Moreover, as you express the light within, you grant others permission to do the same, freeing them to explore their own talents.

For some, we are taught to hide our light from the world since childhood. Relatives caution us that the professions associated with our aptitudes are unattainable. Our peers may be envious of our skills and thus overly critical of the activities we instinctively enjoy. And authority figures admonish us to be humble and avoid showing off. But there is a vast chasm that separates those who let their light shine and those who seek only to draw attention to themselves. When you dare to share your light with the world, the beauty and perfection of your soul become clearly visible. You become a whole being-the literal embodiment of your vast potential. Whether you are a wonderful dancer, a first-rate cook, quick with numbers, or a natural negotiator, you'll come to understand that you do the world no favors when you hold yourself back.

If you have hidden your light for so long that it has shrunk to an ember, make a list of everything you do well, however impractical, silly, or seemingly inconsequential. Then ask yourself how you can positively utilize those abilities in your daily life. The gifts you were born with were not granted to you arbitrarily. While you may never discover what impact your light has had on others, you can be certain that when you embrace your talents and share them with others, you will spread illumination in the world.