1st show this weekend!!! Mini Shopper Showcase April 19th in the Junction!

dragon bracelet

 This weekend from 10 to 4pm is my first show of the year!!! woooo hooo! Come see me in Valley Junction with over 20 other vendors this Saturday April 19th.  It's called Mini Shoppers Showcase.  Below are just a few of the new jewelry pieces I've got done in time for this show... You can view more info about the show here.  I don't have my "full" 10x10 but I'll have some of the new displays out so you can see them in person.  We are located at 415 5th St Valley Junction, IA.

various brass and change bracelets

Mechanical Romance earrings... vintage pocket watch parts, crystals, yummy!!

table set up ... sneak peek

I've been updating, or maybe "retro"dating my set up.  I'm pretty pleased how it looks so far.   The tables focus on selling my main line, Mechanical Romance.  Mechanical romance is using recycled parts from clocks, watches, adding machines, sewing machines, etc and turning them into art jewelry.  I'm really pleased on how this new set up compliments what I'm making!!

I still have the 2 shelf units, which will feature chain-mail, crystal and pearl jewelry. 

The top picture shows a 1920's singer sewing machine wood curved box that I've wired a dowel rod with hooks on it, to display chain necklaces.  On the other end is the lovely trunk from my last post, and in the middle is the drawer from a 1945 cash register.  It's hard to tell from my crappy pics, but it will host my cuff bracelets and such.

The second table has 2 altimeters (1940's and 1898) used as props for extra height.  you can just see a vintage camera ( 1930's ) peeking around the earrings.  This weekend I picked up another older camera cheap.  I haven't dated it yet, but it's definitely older.  I'll be keeping my eye out for more small items to enhance my display, but I think it's a nice balance between functionality, portability and style.  What do you think??

At the outdoor shows, we also have a vintage metal stand and we are planning on putting one of the 1920 singer sewing machines on it.  I haven't decided if I'm going to try to use it for jewelry, I'll probably just use it as a customer draw. 

Trunk Display !!

OK I know I've promised on facebook to show my new displays all set up from the mock up I did last weekend of the booth.. but... I'm sooo proud how the suitcase ended up, I want to show it off first, and then next blog I'll show you the new set up.

Jerry holding the adding machine "bones"

 
Let me tell you about this suitcase first...


A couple of months ago, we were at the Des Moines Flea Market at the fair grounds ( which BTW is a excellent flea market.. if you haven't made it down there, be sure to do so, it's pretty much the first weekend of the month except for August, when the fair is on. That means this weekend if you really want to go.. we are going tomorrow)  Jerry and I missed it the first go around; fortunately, we had the kid and her friend with us.. her friend is the one who spotted a large, clunky ( probably 1950's) adding machine in it's own, sturdy, beat up travel case.  A haggle and a ten spot later, we were the proud owners of a Clary adding machine, and with research it indeed looks like a 1950's model. 

The outside has rough charm, the inside was butt ugly!!

I love the well used grungy look of the outside!

Side view.. didn't do anything to the outside

The finished trunk display, done in faux-suede and distressed faux-leather

It's a fun piece that makes my imagination run wild... it had stickers on the machine that indicated it was a rental... it boggles my mind that someone would rent this out to small businesses.. how many companies rented it over the years?  It had to weight 15+ pounds, and now, assuming it's not just a computer program, a machine like this might weight 6 oz, it's all plastic and circuit board.

 Jerry is still ripping it up, and it's got some juicy mechanical parts on it...  but I fell in love with the case.  It's such a interesting size and shape, it's only 10 inches wide, but almost twice that in length. 


I knew I wanted to Incorporated it somehow in the booth set up.  I did some researching online and ran across a picture of someone using fabric covered paint rollers as bracelet bumps, and that is when I knew exactly how to pull this off.  Regular sized paint rollers are just 9 inches, fitting in the case perfectly!!  The hooks are just brass from the hardware store that I rough up and painted to make them look older.

Jerry and I bought some great fabric to redo the insides... fake leather in a rich, dark distress brown, and fake faux-suede in a complimentary lighter beige shade.  I bought off Etsy vintage 1950's upholstery tacks that worked great.

I'm guessing the case cost around $45.00 start to finish.  I think it's a deal at that price, it's feels so good that Jerry and I made it, and it compliments our Mechanical romance line beautifully!

My conceptual drawing, done on my new IPAD!! woot!

chock-full of goodies !!

I need to be a better person

Feeling pulled in a couple of directions today... first I've been teaching at my day job, and it's amazing how much it sucks out of me.  Everyday I come home from work and I'm just useless for a couple of hours. 

I'm getting excited / nervous about shows .. just found out today I got into a BIG one... The big downtown Omaha Summer Arts in June.  I'm up to 17 shows so far for the summer.  I'm only looking for a couple more, and of course I'm hopeful to sneak in a Jazz in July or 2, and East Village Sunday Bazaar.  I always start freaking out this time of year over how much or how little inventory I have.

The big pensive feeling of the day is My hubby's lovely dear Grandma Violet passed away today.  She's been doing poorly for awhile now, but it's still something of a shock, not quite 2 hours after I heard the news.  Jerry and Little Bit are dealing well, but again, it's pretty fresh and hard to process just yet.

  We hadn't visited in over a year, and I feel really bad about that.. for health reasons I couldn't really go, so I didn't push Jerry too hard to visit either.. and with school schedules, work schedules, and shows, finding time to visit just kept getting pushed to the side. 

I really regret that.  I hope she knew we cared, even if we weren't very good at showing it.

It makes me think of the people in my life I care about, and I don't make enough of an effort to see.  Even if our lives are incredibly busy, we need to make that time. 

busy busy busy

1920's Sewing machine parts, aluminum rings, crystals, pewter lobster claw

In a few minutes going to Celebrate my Mother's __ birthday! yeah!!! I have a feeling she would kill me if I put the actual # of years in that, but I'm 45, the youngest of 5, and my oldest sibling is **almost** 60, so you figure it out.

Happy Birthday MA!!

Busy Busy Busy... First show is officially less than a month away, so I'm suddenly TERRIFIED I'm not going to be ready.  This week, in the few spare minutes I have, it's gonna be all about inventory inventory inventory.  This weekend I hope to finish up the display redo's, and then I'm gonna do a quickie check of what I have and see what's in the most need.. and then focus on that the new couple of weeks.

Bead Soup sent and received .. woo hoo!

 I got my beads! I got my beads! I got my beads!

Kandice sent me gorgeous lampwork she made... you can see them in the pics below.  To accent she sent crystals ( and we are talking the good stuff, swarovski!! ) lampwork spacers and copper beads and a lovely copper leaf clasp.

I've got them setting sitting on one of the work benches, and when I walk by I can eye-ball them.  I have a few ideas so far, but not the ding ding in my heart yet.

overall shot, pink and mint green is the theme.. the colors of spring!

close up of the bigger spacers.. personally I'm thinking earrings!

I adore this focal!! each side is different, it's like a flower dice!

 I sent her a really pretty Russian Lace Agate pendant, agate pebble beads for spacers, and a bunch of fun vintaj brass stampings and clasp.  I also sent  vintaj chain and wire, so she has maximum design options.

Isn't this a awesome photo? I wish I could claim I took it.. but Kandice did of the soup I sent to her!!  My photos were poor, so I'm bootleggin' hers....

it's shaping up to be another fun Bead Soup Party!!

More Shows, working on displays

Here's my conception sketch for one of the new displays... done, I'm proud to say on my new baby: I got a IPAD!!

Working ever soooo slowly on the displays. Part is deciding exactly what I want to do and then how to do it.  I don' want to muck them up... and in the case of the Singer sewing machine case.. I don't want the changes permanent.  Still I have hopes to having them done this weekend.

I have several more show notifications, so my schedule on my website will get updated again this weekend with that info.  I'm delight to announce that we are in ArtFest again in June!! and I got my bead soup... but I'm waiting to reveal til my Partner has hers as well. 

Lots going on!!

The countdown begins.....

this is such a interesting clock!!  look at the colored gears... droool...

I'm happy to report I've updated my show schedule, which you can see here

I'm up to 9 shows, 7 of them Downtown Farmer's Market, which I'm just absolutely thrilled about -- that's the most slots they have ever given me!! wooo hoo!!

I'm waiting on notification for several shows, and now that I know my farmer Market schedule, over the next couple of weeks I've got more apps to fill out. 

Doing all these applications, and then WAITING, WAITING, WAITING!! to see if I get in or not.. it's really one of the worse parts of doing shows.  

This weekend I'm going to start working on the new displays, and I am hoping I can get them done as well.    I really need to concentrate on making more inventory.  The clock has started.. my very first show is just a month away, April 19th, Mini Shoppers Showcase 10-4pm in Valley Junction.   I get a one week break, and then it's Dutch Market in Pella for the Tulip Festival.  From there, hopefully it's going to be back to back shows til September.  I'm sure I'll have a week here or there free, but it's all up in the air til I hear back from the shows.

So.. keeping Finger's crossed, I need to get going -- the displays await.

More etched bracelets.....

Something different with recycled parts......

Etched copper, brass and copper wire, parts from 1960's adding machines, 1950-60's cash register, and 1920's sewing machine

Another view of the bracelet

1950-60's Adding machine parts with etched brass

bottom Part from a 1920's sewing machine,  top part from a motor but I can't remember what the motor was from...

side view, you can see the etching better

top row type writer, middle 1960's adding machine, bottom 1920's sewing machine

side view

I love the shape of this one, parts from 1960's adding machine and 1920's sewing machine

more goodies coming soon.....

 One of our recent fines, but not yet ripped up, is a very old cash register, I would say mid 1920's or earlier by the shape.  Jerry's spring break starts next weekend, I have hopes I'll start getting new bits to play with !

There is a tag really dirty and scratched up with a possible serial number on it, so once he can pry it off and I can clean it up, I will hopefully be able to put a date to this.  I imagine this was very grand in it's hay-day, with brass embossing.  you can see some pics of this type of cash register here
aren't they gorgeous!  Course we can't afford the pretty pretty, and wouldn't have the heart to rip them up anyway, so give us the grungy, dirty, greasy, rusty non functional ones.  YUM!

check out the giant , almost 5 inches across gear. 

I have a blog hop partner!!

drum roll please::::

Kandice Seeber of coloraddiction!! you can see her blog here 
that is such a good name, color addiction!!

She's a lampworker!! I'm already droooling at the lovely stuff she makes..

you can actually buy her beads via a monthly subscription or in sets...

I can only imagine what my beads will look like!!   It's funny actually, about a month ago ran across some great Jodie Marshall disk beads I bought, probably 2 years ago.  Since I'm mostly working on my Mechanical Romance line, I'm not working with lampwork but they really called to me.  So I made the bracelet below.

It's funny how hard it is to change design gears from working with recycled materials to something like this.

Fun though!!

I look forward to getting to know my partner.

Jodie Marshall lampwork disks, brass findings

Steampunk at it's best.. with watch parts!

Etched copper washers, pocket watch parts

 Most of these were made in Late Jan, early February time frame.  I'm almost up to date in my photo folder!

small vintage watch movements rings

vintage Pocket watch part, crystals, ring says "believe"

Sort of a goth fairy , on lovely vintage pocket watch part.  This necklace is really recycled.. the blue beads that are copper wired wrapped are from a necklace I made years ago that just never quite looked right, so I ripped it up.  When I decided to use the cobalt blue drop pendant -- I remembered the wrapped bead pieces and tadaa! It looks great! (Cathie, I know you aren't big on steampunk / mechanical romance... but it's cobalt!  )

pictures only today

Girl's weekend over, whaw!

some of the items I made this weekend...

 Had a great girl's weekend ( started Tuesday night, and ended about 3pm this afternoon) but boy, I'm tired now.  We had a great time... shopping, antique-ing, laughing, eating, talking etc etc etc.  It was a very productive weekend as well, as I completed 43 pieces for inventory.  I wish I didn't have to wait so long for the next one!!

I've never done the leaf bracelet with a fairy before, but I like how it turned out

My favorite piece of the weekend... the back plate is from probably a 1970-80's clock, the gears in front are much older, 1920's or earlier.  I just love the layers on this thing.

Large clock gear (not sure how old but it's old) and brass dragons spell yummy!

next up: girls's weekend !!!!!!! and the theory of packing....

Yes, it's time for the annual insanity of Kat going from one winterland (the state of Iowa) to worse winterland: South Dakota!

But seeing my best buddies is well worth it, and February just works out for everyone work wise.  And it's Sue's birthday month. 

So far we have been lucky weather-wise..  It's damn cold, there may be a foot of snow ( or more) but the roads to date have been cleaned for the to or from part of the trip.

This year I'm very grateful, my wonderful Sis-in-law is taking me down on Tuesday.  Jerry can't due to his college classes. Current plan is going down around noon, hit Omaha for lunch and bakeries, she dumps me at the hotel, where I'll wait til Sue and Cathie can make it.  I'm taking the whole of next week off ( Monday being my also Annual Poke and Prod day, where I schedule as many annual doctor/dentist/vision appointments as possible)  Both Sue and Cathie work during the morning/early afternoon, so they should hit town in the evening --- and I'm sure at least 2 of the 3 of us will stay up too late talking and giggling.

Then Weds morning/early afternoon we will Terrorize go shopping in Omaha.  I'm sure Good food, bead shops, flea markets, antique stores and bakeries will be involved.

leather cuff with gears riveted on.  different for me, Jerry wants one without the crystal rivets.  He's no fun.

Then it's off to stay at Cathie's house  (better known as the Littleton Bead and Spa) for the rest of the week.

I can't wait!!!

I'm going to start packing up beady/jewelry stuff tonight, and I'm not sure which direction to go.

I always end up bringing half the studio with me ( honestly more like 1/8th, but I have over 400 square feet jammed with stuff, that's alot of cubic space in a van... and the weight!! )

Then I always spend a day or more unpacking when I get home.

I'm tempted just to pack up chainmaile and do that all week... compared to regular jewelry components, it's fairly light weight, and I could pack it up in 2 bags with lots of room to spare.

But then if I get excited about a design idea while at the Spa, I'll be crushed if I can just do it then.. and I always get inspired hanging out with my gal pals.

sooo.... still debating which way to go on this.

I'm sure I'll default to normal, pack up the entire studio, and then only dig things out of 2 boxes while I'm there.

more sewing machines goodies...... (pictures only)

Bobbin case from 1970 machine, vintage clock gear and hand

sewing gadget made into a leather cuff

Main sewing lever from a 1920 singer sewing machine.  I just love how gracefully shaped these levers are.

Random thoughts

just for a grin I did a search of my last name: BarronMiller.  Google likes to split it up as Barron Miller.  Someone with this name (Barron Miller 2 words) is a murder suspect in FL.  There is a well known funeral parlor business in Washington named Barron-Miller, with a dash. 

Is someone trying to tell me something?



Blog hop sign ups are tomorrow!!! 
I admit while I really want to participate this year, the weekend of the reveal is bad for me.  I keep going back and forth about doing it.  I probably will because I've enjoyed it so much these last 2 years.  I guess I'll find out tomorrow if I will or

wont.

My boo boo got selected ( only 9 from her high school!) to show art downtown in the annual Student Art Exhibit for Des Moines Public Schools.  Here she is by her artwork, a steampunk collage.  I'm happy to say she Incorporated some of the pieces from typewriters and adding machines that are too big for my jewelry.. we donated a whole box full of parts actually. 

I've been suffering serial burn lately...  both in TV and in books.  I get so far in a series, I'll really enjoy it, but then it's like I hit a wall.  I used to just tough out this sort of thing, because most long running series have it's up and downs, but anymore I just can't force myself to read or watch that next episode. 

I have given myself permission to stop watching or reading a series with this happens.  I can always pick it up later if I really feel the need, right?

So... here is the question: is this a sign of maturity, or lack of something in me? ( faith? patience? energy? )

little tiny pictures....

 

Working on revamping the booth, which includes new signs.  The idea is the company name sign is in the middle, and the 2 pictures are on the sides.

This would be in the back of the booth of course.

Jerry and I are working on a few new displays as well, using reclaimed items like the 1920's singer sewing machine portable cases.

This is gonna be good!