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*** ChickieGirlCreations Etsy Store ***


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

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

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 ....

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!

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

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

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

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!

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!!!

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

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

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.