geraldine newfry

more necklaces on etsy

i was able to list two more necklaces on etsy yesterday.  i realized i forgot the dimensions in the description.  these two look the same size in the pictures, but they're not.  no.2 has a bookplate that is about 1-1/4 inches wide, while no.3 is about 3/4 inches wide.  i'm happy with the pictures for no.2 but the pictures for no.3 came out kind of dark.  i hope you can see them well enough.

no.2 one side

no.2 second side

no.3 first side

no.3 second side

it's still dreary here in chicago, and i'm still moving slowly.  i hope to bind another book today.  the one i did the other day didn't come out quite the way i wanted it too, so i'm going to offer it at a "seconds" price.  i'll bind a few and then take pictures all together.  i have 3 or 4 board books ready to bind and a couple of polymer books ready to go too.

necklace...polymer clay book plate #1

it's a bit sunnier out, and i did finish sewing a book, but haven't had time to take photos yet.  instead, here is one of my bookplate necklaces that i just listed on etsy.  well, actually i listed one.  the rest are waiting.  this is two sides of the same necklace.  i make them using polymer paper, which i invented all by myself.  it involves many layers of liquid sculpey, ink, doodling and stamping.  i back the paper with silver leaf so it's very luminescent.  it's hard to get a good picture.  here's the first side.

and here is the second side.  the owner can decide which is back and front.  or change the front and back with her moods.

finished necklace charms

more work on inventory.  i was able to finish assembling the necklace charms, adding eyelets and beads.  this is the cool side.

and here is the warm side.

i also worked on sanding and buffing all those pens, awls and craft knives.  that is a big job.  i still have some more buffing to go.  i have to go to my day job tomorrow, but hopefully i'll have enough energy to buff some more.  the book covers need to be buffed as well.

book plate necklaces

i woke up early on monday and started the assembly of my book plate necklaces.  shown below is one i completed a while ago.  it's still one of my favorites.  i fill the interior with polymer clay paper.  i doodle on most of it and that is really time consuming.

this is both sides of the necklace, a warm and a cool.

i started by drilling out the holes in the book plates.  at this point i was in the shop, drill in hand and my husband said to me, "are you doing anything today?"  hmm.  then he finally said, "other than that."  :)

i cut the polymer paper to size and backed it with silver leaf.  it's hard to see the paper due to the reflection of the lights.  maybe they're not so impressive in their unfinished state, but i love them when they're done.

i also worked on polymer pens, craft knives and awls. these still need a bit of polymer work.

sunday i mostly worked on book covers, but i haven't taken pictures yet.  yesterday i actually had to go to my day job!  they are in a crunch since i've been sick.  i wish i was able to help them out more, but i am still not up to par after artfest.  i'm pretty sure the 2 naps i've taken today wouldn't fit into my work schedule.

altered book plate charms

moreABs, originally uploaded by sweetmadness.

i made a bunch more altered book plate charms for 57th street.  well, i sold them with the chains, so they were actually necklaces.  i have some left and will probably put them up on ebay.  of course i'll let you know.

these were really popular at the show!

working hard

I might have to change my mind about production work.  After doing wire wraps for all these necklaces and 20 book marks, I'm quite bored with the whole thing.  I hope it's OK to sell jewelry tomorrow.  Sometimes if you jury into mixed media, you're not allowed to have jewelry too.  But people love to buy jewelry, so I like to have some.  The bookmarks are a good price too ...  $10-15.  and I have polymer pens and exacto knives in the same price range.  The posties will go for $25, so that should pretty much cover the low end stuff.  Oh!  and my stab bound books are $15-35.

I think i'm more prepared this time than ever before.  I finally printed out my portfolio, which I've been meaning to do for ages.  I didn't pack the truck yet, but that's ok.  I'll be on my own tomorrow setting up.  Maybe it will be less stressful not worrying about someone else while I set up.  My friend is going to come at 10 and sit with me for part of the morning.  That will be great.

I have to remember that I'll be a bit out of the way, along with all the other new exhibitors.  So sales may not be what I hope.  But I can kind of get a feel for the show.

I ran out of book cloth tape last night.  I went over to the paper source this morning.  It took about 25 minutes to find a parking space.  Then, of course, they didn't have what I wanted.  And neither did any other store in the area.  Poo.  I hope they're not discontinuing it, because it's my favorite supply ever.

Well, if you're in the area, stop by at the 57th street fair tomorrow!

metal houses

P5141494.JPG, originally uploaded by sweetmadness.

I'm still frantically packing for Creative Inspirations in MI.  I seem to have misplaced my class sample!  Oh dear.

In the meanwhile, here's what I put together last weekend.  My friend taught me how to make a bezel.  After about 6 hours I think, I made the house on the left.  It was a ton of fun!  But I can see why you'd want to make it once and then cast it.

On the right is a house I started putting together in a Susan Lenart Kasmer class last summer.  I patina'd the metal and riveted the components together.  In the main part of the house, the bezel was purchased from Susan.  Inside it is a piece of my polymer paper.

OK, back to packing.  That class sample better show up!