On The News Tomorrow

Tune in tomorrow to Channel 5 at their live 9:20am spot…. I guess it will be me…. which is a little scary that it is live. (You can witness me being my dorky self.) The live spot is for ArtStreet which takes place in downtown Green Bay. There is art, entertainment & food all weekend long: Friday 4-8pm, Sat 10-8pm, Sun 10-4pm. I am booth #147 which is on the corner of Cherry St. next to Associated Bank. I am right by the food & beer if that is any motivation. The next few pics wrap up summer. It has been a good one…

I made a series of 10 of these necklaces… It is Manganese Dendrite on Limestone. These stones were mined in a famous mine in Germany years ago name Solenhofen. Link to this necklace: http://www.wildprairiesilver.com/store/p377/Manganese_Dendrite_Citrine_Gemstone_Necklace_.html    I will have others listed next week. If you want a pic of each one just send me an email and I will send you some pics. email joy@joykruse.com

This was a custom order for a lady based on another one I made that was much larger. The follow picture is of how it arrived at her house.

Hmmm… ran over it ??????? This box is stuffed tight with tissue paper… inside the tissue paper is another hard jewelry box that is gift wrapped… inside that box is another bunch of tissue paper and your jewelry. The pendant in photo above was bent at a 45 degree angle ~ seriously, it’s layers of 20G metal… The customer was wonderful about it. I am making her a new pendant and filing my insurance claim with the post office. I have never had this happen before. I did go to the post office with my photos… I just needed some kind of a explanation. They said a conveyor must have eaten it…. well… then send it back me.. really… look at the box.. jeez. You can leave that at someones door step and think it’s ok? Saga over… Making another one. It was a pleasure to do, so third times a charm.

One of my favorite pieces of all summer… Ocean Jasper, Tourmaline and White Topaz…sold

This is Crazy Lace Agate and Diamond. This necklace is at The Flying Pig Gallery. It is a beauty. The pics do not do it justice. The top of the stone is a drusy and I could not seem to get that to sparkle. Link: http://www.wildprairiesilver.com/store/p361/Crazy_Lace_Agate_Diamond_18K_Gold_and_Sterling_Silver_Necklace_Handmade_One_Of_A_Kind.html

This piece is at The Flying Pig Gallery as well. 18K Gold and Jasper. I have to make a pin based on this piece for a good customer… I am looking forward to it. Link: http://www.wildprairiesilver.com/store/p363/Jasper_Garnet_18K_Gold_Sterling_Silver_Necklace_Handmade_One_Of_A_Kind.html

This is a piece of Coral Fossil, Garnet and Citrine. It is at:http://www.wildprairiesilver.com/store/p373/Coral_Fossil_Necklace_Sterling_Silver_One_Of_A_Kind_.html

Lake Michigan Beach Stone Souvenir Necklace… Sold… Huge piece of sterling silver rod going right through stone… embedded Garnet… heavy, hammer, forged, handmade sterling chain. I never had so much fun 🙂 really, it was really really really really fun to make this necklace.

We got a dog. He’s great. We needed a dog. The kids needed a dog. His name is Dusty. He came from a shelter in Alabama to the shelter here in Green Bay. (I think he is german Shepard and heeler?) He has been a delight for this past week. He is silly. He does not seem to have ever been out of a caged environment. He eats frogs and bees. He has learned a lot in the last week we have had him… like not to walk through a glass door. He has learned to almost trust us and relax and be a dog.

Kids life ~ Dogs life ~ good stuff, they have no idea how loved they are… and won’t for years and years…

Diamond Accented Cross sent to Germany. Was a favorite for me… even the guy it was going to was just wonderful. I hope he is wearing it as I type this ~ It was the saying he wanted and I really loved it… ‘Being Myself… Being Confident’ – ‘Happiness & Wonders All Around…’

Lake Michigan ~ Cave Point State Park a favorite place Summer or Winter

Yeah, they buried her entirely. This is our neighbor girl. She’s fun and sweet and easy to smile… Summer could not be any better when you are twelve.

See you tomorrow on the News at 9:20 WFRV Channel 5 and at ArtStreet all weekend long #147….

Summer Is Almost Over…Enjoy…

 

One Week To Go….

One week to go before it gets too late to be shipping anything for Christmas… (If I don’t make any sense, sorry. I am a little tired. I will rest in a week.) I have been shipping all over the world and it gets a little scary because someone’s gift usually arrives 8 weeks late…. really, that has happened (but only one time and it was far far away.) As soon as we decided to give up on it ~ it arrived. Christmas time is so busy my shop looks like a war zone. I have an extra table set up just for each project and it’s current stage… with lots and lots of notes. I usually make people write me some kinda note with all of their info on it and that somehow gives me a visual of them and what they want.

This ring was one of the Christmas projects. It was a 5mm diamond ring that was a customers great grandmothers. I used the 18k gold from the ring and diamond to create this ring…. I did not have a single piece of scrap left from the original ring…it’s all in here. I melted the gold down, milled it out and cut out the sun shape. The rest of the gold is the stars… Ring band and moon are sterling silver. Sterling band is oxidized. This is probably the prettiest ring I have ever made and it went to a great lady.

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This is just beginning… no done yet and probably won’t get done in time for Christmas but maybe?

This stone is a favorite of mine. It is Vista Jasper. It has really pretty light blue, green and burnt orange colors all watercolored together. Accent stones are trillion cut london blue topaz and tourmaline. 18K Gold and Sterling Silver. With the exception of wedding rings this will probably be most expensive piece in materials I have ever made.

What the heck is this? A black tourmaline trapped in a crystal… It’s great. I have another similar stone shown in the next picture but it is just not as refined as this stone. You cannot go surfing in this necklace though…it’s a needs a careful owner. Maggie ~ I know you are out there  and No, You Cannot Go Surfing In Your Jewelry.. I will find you at the beach and repair your jewelry for you.

Another captured crystal necklace. I put an amethyst setting on top of it with the PUK welder… all stones in place. It’s amazing to be doing that from my stand point.

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Kyanite Necklaces… Made for Stocking Stuffers….a great little gift… Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/214949951/kyanite-stone-necklace-sterling-silver?ref=shop_home_active_6

Last but not least a Rhodocrosite Ring… I did not list this on Etsy yet but will in a bit. It has a hammered adjustable band able to fit size 7-10

Thank you to everyone for your continued business. I really appreciate it and love it. I will post a Merry Christmas post, but for now, off to bed. Gotta rest up.

If you would like to visit my online shop please visit: https://www.etsy.com/shop/joykruse?ref=listing-shop-header-item-count

ETSY Shop Class & Metalsmithing Class Great Success

Great week at Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek Door Co. Two day class, ‘Lauching Your Etsy Shop,’ was a great success. It had in my mind a potential to bomb… I had to rely on technology hooking up to screens and wifi working for every student and students bringing their own computers/ipads: all different with all different programs on them for photos.

Hooray! It was fine. Everyone opened a shop. Everyone edited pics. Everyone made a banner. Everyone worked their way through the site and created listings, shop policy, shipping criteria, etc… It was fun to see every student get a way to sell their work. We all had different artistic backgrounds as well: painter, vintage collector, and jewelry.

Murphy’s Law…. second day of class: ETSY changes the format to about half of the sellers shop pages. ETSY had announced they were going to make some changes months ago and gradually launch the changes…. Ha!!!!!!! Tricks on me 🙂 Half of us had pages that looked very different from the other half…. essentially it was fine. Same content just different look and different icons. I just chucked at the irony that it took place mid-class. This class will be offered again next year. It will be two days from 9-1pm. Not sure on the dates yet. The time (9-1) was perfect because you can only stare at a computer so long.

Wednesday Thursday Friday: Metalsmithing Class at the same school 

Peninsula School of Art Fish Creek Wisconsin Door County

What a great great great great time 🙂 I now feel have three new good friends. Thank you Joan, Kate and Terri. This is why I teach…. wonderful human connect with these three women. All of us coming from different backgrounds and all of us completely in tune to what we are there to learn: new ways to create with metal. It was one of the best classes I have ever taught. Super energy!

Kate’s piece without the stone in it…. Hey teacher don’t eat in the studio 🙂 Yes, those are my grapes….

Ocean Jasper… The back plate of this sterling silver was put through a rolling mill with dried corn husks ~ thanks Joan for bringing them and telling us how great it looks.

This is Terri… She was in my class last year and was really ready to advance beyond where she felt she was stuck. She wanted to make a birch tree like piece… Well, she did and it was fantastic!

Her necklace without the stone… it swings on the branch 😀 Love it Love it Love it. I would buy this from her if she would let me.

This is a terrible photo but it shows Joans piece…. I wish the pic was better because it was stunning. The rough agate matched these pearls… The pearl components in the chain are double sided so the same cupped square is on the reverse side with a pearl in it. We made these component from scratch and yes, even the pearls have a little tiny post in them. There are five different tiny little soldering jobs to do in one component of that single pearl chain link. (You are awesome Joan and you did it!) When her chain moves around the pearls in the chain are never flipped the wrong way. It’s beautiful all the time. Oh, and Joan hand made every single jump ring in that chain, soldered them all, and hammered them all. By  Friday she was ready to not make any more chains but she knows now that she can…   🙂

Pic off the the far left was just a piece that was just started in the last bit of class time…. we did not want to leave it out.

A lot of students want to visit my studio. Well, I hate to tell you it’s just not that impressive. This is it. It’s like galley kitchen… narrow with countertop/benches on each side. I have another room with my larger equipment in it in the concrete walled part of our basement (rolling mill, hydraulic press, buffing motor, large anvil ~ this space is even less impressive, downright ugly.) This basement room has windows and it’s where I spend most of my time. But it’s not anything fancy and it’s not what I would call a ‘studio.’ It’s just the space that I have… I try to make it as inspiring as I can with goofy signs… etc…. I would love an inspiring studio separate from my house. I have often joked about this with my husband and tossed the idea around about building some kind of ‘workshop.’ After last winter I cannot image doing that. I cannot imagine heating and shoveling another building. It’s just not realistic in my head…  I would love to have the space to have another person work or students work or clients stop in… but I just don’t think it’s worth the winter time work with maintaining another building. If I had elves it would be doable….

I have two torching station setups ~ with three torches connected to two propane/oxygen setups. One of them on the bench on the far left will be replaced with my new welder when I finally get it. I have plans to travel to Chicago to a jeweler who is going to spend a day teaching me how to use one. I plan to do that as soon as I can… I haven’t got a date yet. I wish it was today… I’m ready. If you are ready to purchase a torch, my setup is my favorite and I think I have used a lot of different torches and gas sources. I use the Little Smith Torch and the Smith Versa Torch. I have them setup on propane/oxygen tanks with a flashback arrestors and Y-Adaptors. The Little Smith Torch is tiny and very precise especially for gold work. The Versa Torch is my 90% of the time torch but mostly because my jewelry is so big…. That torch melts things fast… heavy ring shank… takes seconds to solder. When I use the schools’ Acetylene without oxygen torches I feel like it takes all day to solder something large, even with the largest tip on the torch. However, it’s just what I am use to. I know a lot of jewelers and they use either or, and seem to love whatever they are use to. It comes down to ‘heat’ … have you got it?? Is your flame hot enough? At home Terri is using a ‘CopperHead Torch’ with propane only. She stated in class there are several things she just cannot do because there is not enough fire power. Same with several hand held torches (butane or propane)… They are cheap and handy but often not versatile enough to do any job.

Terri is taking the picture so she’s not in the photo… Kate, Joan and myself 🙂 at Peninsula School of Art in the Metals Studio working/playing the day away….

Next show is this Saturday Sept 27th at The Settlements Shops in Fish Creek Door County Wisconsin. It is 10-5 Saturday only… It’s small (only 20 artists) but nice and the Door Peninsula is starting to turn gorgeous with Fall colors.

Huge show after that is October 11th & 12th also in Door County. I will be at the Fine Line Gallery in Ephraim. The show is called ‘Townline Art Fair’ and has been running for almost 50 years. It’s a beautiful show. The Peninsula has several festivals that weekend. It is the busiest weekend of the year for tourism there…. Pumpkin Patch Festival draws 70,000 visitors if it’s good weather. Last year I sold out several items I always have in stock and it’s was raining. I won’t be able to believe the crowd it if it’s good weather…. New post soon with upcoming work. Have a great weekend!

ArtStreet Preview….

Agate and Pearl Sterling Silver Necklace

Ocean Jasper Handmade Teardrop Chain. I can’t tell you how good this necklace feels on… it’s smooth and weighty and beautiful.

Crazy Lace Agate and Garnet Gemstones….

Been working hard at my bench for ArtStreet. I have more pieces that these but won’t get the pics up before the show. Please visit: http://www.joykruse.etsy.com to see individual listings.

I’ve also had some family things going on that have needed my attention in far away places so it’s been a whirl wind of a month. ArtStreet always marks the last week of summer and that is hard to believe. I don’t want to believe it. I guess if I lived in an ‘endless summer’ I would tire of it….

Attention Deficit Summer

Attention Deficit Summer…

It’s been really crazy busy: kids have lives now that they are getting older yet they can’t drive so drive, drive, drive around. My son Wyatt has his first job, sports and has been to two different camps hours away. The calendar looks like a truckers log book.

Above piece is an Aqua Nueva Agate and Amethyst Necklace. The agate stone swings from curled sterling above it. It sits beautifully on the neck. I regret to say that it is sold. It did not last long online and I will miss this beauty.

THE SHACK! This is my father-in-laws SHACK….. Everyone calls it ‘THE SHACK’ and for obvious reasons. It is a shack. It has electricity but no running water. It is in northern Wisconsin and we go up here every year and goof off. The guys go fishing (sometimes Savannah and I fish but the boat is getting too small for all of us to fit in) and Savannah and I bum around at the beach or wherever.

This is the nicer building of the two… yes, it’s the outhouse 🙂 The Danger Keep Out sign is priceless on the outhouse.

LeLand Blue stone and a piece of Iron I found while taking a walk on my own land… This piece is also already sold. I loved making it, love that a part of my land is incorporated into the piece…  and the patinas turned out just perfectly.

This is the Jeep that picks ya up after you’re done rafting at Kosir’s Rapids Resort. My husband has been coming to this place his entire life with all of his brothers and sisters, especially as children. ‘THE SHACK’ is right down the road and if you’re a sissy and you HAVE to take a shower you can take a shower here…bring your quarters though.. it costs a few dollars to get the soap outta your hair.

This is after the rapids and if you’re little (say 5 years old) or just want a tan you can tube down this lazy part of the river and Kosirs will pick you up at the boat landing an hour away.

My most popular item… a simple, rustic handmade cross with a custom tag… I love to make them and I hope all the people that have one are still loving theirs for years and years. This one is heading out to Albuquerque New Mexico today.

Landing 11 on the Peshtigo River Flowage (this is by THE SHACK)

Our third year sponsoring a team… and being a coach. It’s been so fun, again, there is nothing like heading out to practice at 530 at night and you’re kinda tired or ready to let the day come to a close and a bunch of smiling, silly, fun kids all under the age of 12 run around you in circles with boundless energy. It’s great. They are great, really, really, great bunch of kids: all of them. If you ever get the opportunity to do something like this go for it. You don’t have to coach just be a sponsor and go to a few games and hang the team photo in your shop/business/office/building… it’s a great motivator and a very positive thing for your community. The kids just light up over popsicles, Gatorade and maybe even a game that gets won.

I hope you are all having a busy, fun summer… It’s going by way to fast. Art show this Sunday 10-4 Art In Park in Appleton… I am usually on the corner of two streets on an end so see you there. It is fun for all ages like a festival. Berstrom Mahler show was last Sunday and it was the first time I have done that show when it wasn’t 100 degrees. It was a nice turnout so thanks everyone.

My daughter making lipgloss… messy but fun. We made a coffee lipgloss and it was terrible – we threw it out. Other flavors that are good: Orange Crush, BubbLipcious, Watermelon Crush, Lush Lemon, Coconutty, Raspberry Rush, & Chocolate Kiss

All natural with Bees Wax and Coconut Oil: if you have a young daughter or granddaughter give it a try! Look it up on YouTube or Pinterest ~ funtimes. See you all soon I hope!

Leland Blue and Sapphire

Fresh today…. Leland Blue Stone and Sapphire Gemstone Necklace…. Leland Blue material is no longer available so it’s getting harder and harder to find. I love it’s rugged look and to put a sapphire with it seemed a little crazy so why not? 3mm Sapphire is set with in a natural hole in the Leland Blue stone. Sterling silver hand made chain as well.

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/194217921/leland-blue-sapphire-gemstone-sterling?

Hope you have time to stop in a see me Saturday at The Flying Pig Gallery. Should be fun! I will take some pics and post them. Been a busy busy summer so far I have to remember to take my camera and get some great shots of summer before it’s gone…..

Maggie Roschyk

Maggie Roschyk… is an amazing woman. She has become my friend over the last couple years and I have gotten to know her through Tammy Rae and hanging out with her at the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee. She is often on my mind a mentor, friend, artist…..creative, funny, loving….. The book above is hers and it is great! It is not just full of pretty pictures but good and sound directions, very well done.

Link To Her Book: http://www.amazon.com/Artistic-Seed-Bead-Jewelry-Techniques/dp/0871164299

                                                                                                    

While I was at Bead and Button I got to see Maggie for just a short time. She gave me a little barrette that had been on her workbench for years and years…She got it from an indian reservation and had it in her small bowl of inspiration and token memories on her bench. She passed it along to me and I have some great ideas for it…… because I think I want to incorporate it into a necklace by bezel setting the barrette possibly with the stones shown. Hee Hee 🙂 Next time you see it Maggie it will be around my neck 🙂

This necklace is already spoken for but was a lot of fun to make! Prongs were a great way to make this stone secure as it was rough around several edges the prongs nestled into the crevices perfectly.

Crazy Lace Agate and Garnet Earrings… So colorful they look like candy…

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/193087206/crazy-lace-agate-garnet-gemstone?

Hope everyone is having a great summer. It is settling down here around my house which was much needed. Kids are off of school and into all kinds of things. Wild Prairie sponsored a soccer team for the second year in a row and I am the assistant coach (I don’t even know the rules. I am a terrible coach. Thank goodness for the real coach.) …our jerseys are bright pink, ha! How appropriate! I will send some pics of the team and blur out the kids faces so I don’t get anyone mad at me. It is really fun. Our team is under 12 years old and they are just a fun age. You go to practice and it’s instant laughs.

Next event: See below flier… Will be a great time as the place is great, band is great, food is great! See you there if you can come!

Is Your Box of Swarovski Crystals This Big????

Got to head out to the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee Wisconsin for just 35 hours of buying. The Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee is the largest bead show in the world. The offer over 900 jewelry related classes over a 10 day stretch. It’s a great show. I do not use that many beads any more but there are a couple great stone cutters there and it’s my only chance to pick the stones out in person for the entire year. Above is picture of the truck I parked next too. I think you have a serious problem if this is your box of Swarovski Crystals!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!!!!! Yes, I am sure they are vendors but can you imagine? It must weigh a ton. (Thank you Tammy Rae for the place to sleep: Lissa and Tammy and Chrissy and Jessica: thanks for the friendship! Hi Chelle! Good to see you too!)

This is Tatiana she is from the Ukraine… I have been joking around with a good customer of mine that we are both moving to the Ukraine for a break in our lives…. I just had to take this woman’s photo for that reason. Here is our ticket outta here with this lady!   🙂

Made these riveted earrings just before I left. They were a pleasure to make and wear at the show! Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/191983849/crazy-lace-agate-riveted-post-earrings?

This is just one box of stones I purchased from Gary Wilson. I helped out in his booth for a while as well and it was a fun learning experience to work at someone else’s show. Great guys, himself, and his son in law, Spencer. Thanks guys for the great stones and good times. I don’t have a picture of all of us and Lissa… what the heck! That would have been really nice to have. Gary got any pics?

Tourmaline in Quartz.. I purchased a few very similar to this one piece…. Yes, I will make a necklace out of it and I can’t wait to do it I already have it planned out in my head.

I cannot remember what this stone even is… hee hee….this will be a necklace too.

Rhodocrosite is one of my favorites because it’s pink. I have not found it in a while in nice thick beautiful pieces. These are just perfect for me!

Malachite Drusy and Azurite

Bought a lot of Crazy Lace Agate, again a favorite with Laguna, Dryhead Agate and Rhodocrosite

Dryhead Agate

Crazy Lace Agate

Labradorite…drool… I will not be able to keep these as a set. It’s just too expensive. I will split them up and make separate pieces from them.

Petrified Wood… This one I am going to keep for myself.

My Grandmother is doing better. She had a heart attack last week Saturday and is recovering her strength in a nursing home. She is 90 years old and will be 91 this summer. She pushed her call light because she wanted the nurses to see the jewelry I was wearing!!!!!!!!!! I was laughing my butt off at that. We look alike in this photo: same lips, same eyes… When she sees a picture of herself she always says, ‘Who is that old woman?’ She just cannot believe her own age and image. It’s funny how we just want to stay the same. Human nature I guess. This is my Grandmother years ago at about 22 years old. She had just graduated from nursing school.

Home… Sweet… Home….

Custom Piece

Just finished this custom piece for a great lady far far away from me… She lives in sunny California and this pendant will be on it’s way to her tomorrow. The stones were the customers own stones.

I will be heading to Bead and Button Jewelry Expo in Milwaukee Wisconsin at the end of this week. I was planning on a long weekend at the show but the stars might not align for me and a one day trip might be all I can escape for. My Grandmother is not doing well this week and it is day by day. My Grandmother is 90 years old and has Alzheimer’s. She lives with my Mother. Both wonderful woman, strong, stubborn, loyal and hard working  but my Grandmother’s good days have turned to just good moments (not even whole days) and every week I can see her fading more and more….

Hopefully the next time I post it is from Milwaukee but we will see what this week brings. …. Just wanted to leave you with one of my favorite sayings. It is so true.

Great Show!!!!! Awesome People & Weather

What a fantastic show in Sturgeon Bay, Door County Wisconsin. The weather makes it or breaks it. I have loved this show since I have been doing it, maybe five years now….

My kids love it too because there is a beautiful park and beach. These pictures are of a wonderful couple that came to the show. They have both been through a lot in the last couple of years and sound like they have the possibility of a long road ahead. It was their 14th wedding anniversary. The woman (Jill) in the photo is an accomplished metalsmith herself so I am honored that she purchased a necklace. My sincere prayers go out to her husband who has to have a big surgery June 2nd. God Bless…. wonderful meeting you both and I hope we get to meet again.

 

Below is a Fox Mask that I purchased from another artist and he is just foxy!!!!!! I love him. He is in my son’s room. The artist is Nancy Briggs. You can see her work at http://www.nancybriggspottery.com

This sign hangs next to the fox….I purchased this print on Etsy.

Lastly, it’s finally nice here. Grilling pineapple, mango, nectarines along with chicken and carrots on the grill. Yum, summer….

Dodge Street Antiques… in Algoma… I love this can — ‘SUPER PYRO’ Could it get any cooler than this can????????? I really wanted it but it was outta my price range. It will have to have another home with someone else.

Next week is the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I will get some amazing stones and I will send a lot of pics! I am just a shopper at the show this year and not teaching classes so I will have time to take in all the eye candy. I will try and share it with you.