Wire Wrapping Tutorials and Helpful Hints

Herringbone Earrings on Etsy

Anastasia was born in Moscow, Russia. She grew up in a small mining town in Siberia. Her mom used to be a mining geologist at a silver mine! Anastasia tells me “I think this is the reason why I like rocks and silver so much.” She now lives in Connecticut with her husband and daughter and creates jewelry whenever she is not busy working as a scientist/researcher.

Anastasia’s beautiful jewelry can be purchased at Blueberry Cream on Etsy. In her Etsy store you will find necklaces, bracelets, pendants, and earrings. You can also follow Anastasia on Twitter.

Blueberry Cream Earrings

I asked Anastasia how she discovered her talent for making jewelry and she told me, “I am not sure about the talent, I just started doing it for no reason. I always liked rocks. I also love jewelry but could not afford to buy it. One day I discovered a jewelry making department at Michael’s. I made a few very simple beaded bracelets, and it was so much fun that I could not stop! I was giving my jewelry to friends as holiday gifts for a while but the supplies are expensive so I started selling my pieces on Etsy to pay for supplies.”

Blueberry Cream Necklace

Some of Anastasia’s favorite supply vendors are Art Beads, Fire Mountain Gems, Monster Slayer and Rings-Things. She also purchases products from Etsy sellers.

In addition to being a very talented jewelry designers, Anastasia also enjoys photography. She said “I’ve been obsessed with taking pictures since we bought a new SLR camera. It is also very helpful for selling products on line. I noticed that some of the artists on Etsy have very nice items, but they cannot sell them because of the poor quality of their pictures. I never because a really good photographs, but I learned enough to take pictures showing the best of the product and making it look appealing.”

Blueberry Cream Spiral Pendant

I am always curious to know who or what inspires artisans. Anastasia said, “My father is my inspiration. He was a semi-professional artist who became a geologist because he couldn’t pursue his artistic career in the Soviet Union for a variety of reasons. He was never married to my mother, and I hardly knew him until I was a teen, but he was the first person who introduced me to art. Etsy artists and other jewelry designers are another important source of inspiration.”

Blueberry Cream Earrings

Thanks, Anastasia, for telling us about yourself and for sharing your beautiful jewelry with us! One last question, Ana: Is blue your favorite color LOL?

Jesse Janes on Facebook

Jesse Janes was established in April 2008 by Jaelin Reece. Jaelin tells me “Jesse Janes is only one of my business ventures. By day I work as an Intuitive Counselor & Empowerment Life Coach. I am also the resident “Ask a Life Coach” for About. I have been working with clients by phone from around the world for the past 23 years, and I love it! I have always been creative and have owned several craft businesses over the years. Jesse Janes is my first online craft business. It has been fun and quite successful for me over the past year. I celebrated my 1-year anniversary on Jesse Janes Etsy in April having over 2800 sales.

Jaelin uses recycled/reclaimed game tiles from Scrabble games to create her pendants. In addition to selling online, Jesse Janes tiles are also sold at craft fairs and through various retail stores.

Jesse Janes Butterfly Tile Pendant

Jaelin has been crafting since she was 10 years old. She has always been a knitter, enjoyed sewing and crafting so making Scrabble tile pendants was a simple and easy adventure for her. She is really pleased that the tile pendants business took off as well as it did!

I asked Jaelin what her future goal is for her creative products. She told me “This is a thought provoking question. I really had to think about it. I see the future of Scrabble tile pendants being limited. They are what I consider a ‘fad’. Their newness will wear off and the next new, exciting concept will take its place. I am working to develop a new line of products that are not produced with Scrabble tiles and do not use the same techniques. It’s a work in progress.”

Jesse Janes Sunflower Tile Pendant

In addition to everything that Jaelin already has accomplished, she is interested in working with resins and would like to increase her jewelry making skills.  Being a knitter, she has a knit shop on Etsy, Fuzzy Bunny Knits. When the Scrabble tile pendants really took off, she found little time to knit or keep her shop full. At the moment, she sells knit patterns and a few items.

I always am curious to know who or what inspires my featured artisans. Jaelin told me “I am inspired by a friend of mine who is a wealth of ideas and creativity. She has a shop on Etsy, Lady Bug Labels, selling her hand punched label and sticker designs. When she and I get together, we are able to bounce ideas off each other and inspire new creations.”

Jaelin has recently created a new line of products called “Crafting a New You!,” which are self-empowering toolkits. The kits are filled with a 22 page manual and various handcrafted tools and a specialized combination of Flower Essences to assist a person through a particular life challenge.

Crafting A New You!

Where Jaelin and her products can be found:
Jesse Janes Etsy
Jesse Janes Artfire
Scrabble Tile Pendants
Crafting a New You!

Jesse Janes Facebook
Jesse Janes Twitter
Jesse Janes Blog
Jaelin’s Coaching Website

One last thought about Jesse Janes – This is one of the most clever names I have ever come across, and I love it. Jesse Janes…just makes me smile every time!!

Jesse Janes Owls In Love Tile Pendant

Ari Designs

When I met Arriel on Facebook and saw the very cool pieces of jewelry that she designs, I had to make her a featured artisan!

Ari creates custom designed and handcrafted jewelry using “wire, swarovski crystal, gemstones, organic beads, vintage beads and have used materials such as recycled paper, decoupage, silk ribbon & leather. It really depends on the piece.”

I love ethnic jewelry and Ari did a great job with this necklace.

Ari's Ethnic Necklace "Congo"

Ari discovered her talent when “several years back a co-worker asked me to reconstruct some jewelry she had of her grandmother’s – basically some vintage beads, including Bakelite. I ended up creating 5 or 6 pieces out of them – one was given to her daughter-in-law to wear on her wedding day (something old) – it was also blue! After that, I was hooked.”

I asked Ari where her jewelry can be purchased and she told me, “I sell on my website AriDesigns and on AriDesignsArtfire.   I also sell at art shows and street fairs, as well as selling at my work-place and anywhere I can find customers!  I carry my goody-bag with me everywhere, including my credit card processor.” What a great idea, Ari – carrying a goody-bag with you. I am a ring addict and if I saw this ring, I would have to have it LOL!

Swarovski Crystal Ring

Ari’s goals are to be a full-time studio in the near future and this year she plans on taking metalsmithing courses. She is “very excited about all the new possibilities!”

Currently she has a full-time job that is “not related to my jewelry business.  I am so committed to my art and my business that I somehow find the energy and time to create custom orders and sell my jewelry.  I would love to find a wider audience for my work.  The logo I chose for my business was very deliberate.  I am very passionate about what I do! When I sell a piece I have created, it really does make my day!”

Retro Lips Ring

I asked Ari if she has other creative talents. She told me “I have been a creative soul all my life.  I love all forms of art.  I have studied piano from a very young age, as well as playing flute and guitar.  I also became a band photographer when my husband was playing full-time.  I used to have a darkroom and develop all my own pictures.  Now I love using my digital camera.  I have also had poetry and writing published over the years.  Now I have a blog – so check it out AriDesigns Blogspot.   It’s funny how things evolve over time. I am now obsessed with my new art form and want to learn all I can.” I must say, good obsession!

Ari's Necklace

Ari spends her spare time with “My husband and I have two rescue bulldogs and two rescue cats.  I am a real animal nut.  We also love birds and nature.”

“My goal is to travel the world.    I am inspired by other cultures and people of different backgrounds.  My favorite artists are Georgia O’Keefe and Monet.  I also love Israeli artists – they are so colorful & truly unique.  I am also inspired by classic rock artists and the bands I grew up with.  I have had a life-long obsession with the Rolling Stones.  You can probably tell that by looking at my blog!”

Retro PinUp Ring

Keep an eye on this artist……..she is going to go a long way in the jewelry business! More of Ari’s rings, bracelets, and other awesome jewelry can be seen at AriDesigns and AriDesignsArtfire.

I discovered an amazing painter on the Artisans in Arizona Guild, Misti Murphy. I always wanted to be a painter but I am lucky to draw a stick figure so I was curious as to how she got started in her art. I told Misti that I wanted to feature her on my blog so I interviewed her. Here is a little bit about her art career.

Bust of golden retriever

When Misti was 10 years old, she drew a picture of Fred Flintstone on some scrap paper. Her mom thought that she had traced it from her coloring book! When her mom realized that Misti had drawn it from memory, she immediately enrolled Misti in private art lessons, and her skills have grown from there.

Misti participated in numerous arts and crafts fairs through high school, painting on a wide variety of mediums including sandstone, wood, and leather. Her father encouraged her to explore different mediums and different “canvasses” and he would bring home odd things for her to paint on, including huge rocks and cow skulls! Her father also promoted her as a commercial window painter, and Misti painted business windows for many years with many holiday themes.

Arizona quails

In college Misti studied architecture, trying to bring together her creative skills with her technical and mathematic skills and she he has a Bachelor’s of Architecture degree from the University of Arizona. In 2003, she started her own architecture business designing custom homes. Although she loves architecture, her artwork has always been her true love and she has actually just recently picked her painter’s brush, sketch pads, and multitude of canvasses back up and tapped back into her creativity.

Misti has an ArtFire studio called The Murphy Studio – Wildlife Art and Graphics. She has the cutest magnets and paintings on leather which a price range to fit everyone’s budget!

Misti also has a site for her architectural business, The Murphy Studio.

As mentioned above, Misti is a member of the Artisans in Arizona Guild as she has resided in Arizona her entire life. She designed their Avatar!

Artisans in Arizona Guild

Misti loves custom orders! If you do not see a particular animal, email Misti and inquire. She may have wood cutouts that she has not yet painted of just the animal you are looking for and she can certainly paint what you want on a leather! Due to the type of artwork she produces, many are specific to the owner. Contact Misti through her ArtFire studio or at her website at The Murphy Studio. She offers discounted rates for three or more purchases – please contact for her a quote!

So I am just going to stick to wire wrapping jewelry and writing tutorials. I will leave the painting to someone who really knows what she is doing! Love your work, Misti! I need a zebra, a giraffe, a lion….

I met Lori Mendenhall about a month ago, April 2009, on Facebook and discovered that she makes the most awesome STEAMPUNK hearts!

Steampunk Heart Beads

Steampunk Heart Beads

Lori also makes a variety of other beads  in addition to bracelets and necklaces. Here is an excerpt  from her bio:

Organic & abstract designs are my passion!

I’ve been creating original jewelry for four years in my studio in Southern California. My specialty is creating pendants and beads from polymer clay and resin. Combining these with a gorgeous array of pearls, crystals, silver, copper, and other beads I offer you unique and intriguing designs. I take great pleasure in developing new techniques with alternative materials and expanding my skill set. My next venture will be silversmithing!

My work has appeared in many publications. I’m a regular contributor to “Bead Trends” magazine, and have an exciting article coming out in “Bead Unique” in Summer 2010. I won “Honorable Mention” in the 2008 Bead Star competition, which had over a thousand entries. I also was a finalist in the 2008 Fire Mountain Gems contest which also had well over a thousand entries. I’ve got hundreds of very happy customers. My whole jewelry journey has been wonderful.

I had to have some of those steampunk hearts so I emailed Lori with colors and sizes that I wanted and before I knew it, there they were in my mailbox. I ordered tiny hearts – they measure 14 mm at the widest point and perfect for rings. I haven’t decided which one will stay in my personal collection – maybe I will have to keep two or three…..

Thanks, Lori! I’ll be ordering more, next time with wings!