Summer Outside Success!

I have been so pleased to have had such success at the summer/early fall shows that have been outside!   Marysville's Festifair was a huge success even if the weather was uncooperative initially - I got a new tent with sides and I could not get it to open up for me while my hands froze and my hair got soaked!  This after my tub of jewelry fell out of the back of my car into a puddle and opened spilling contents into the rain!  But I had great neighbors who helped me and lots of sales, and the sun came out and warmed and dried everything into a beautiful day!  Thanks to all who bought my jewelry and gourds!

Back East and Heading east - er!

Well the trip out west and back was too fast and furious to really see much let alone actually buy some cool components to incorporate into my jewelry.  It was sooooo hot and we had the dog and just really had to keep moving.  So here I am back east and have been doing a few shows here and east of here!  Next show is this weekend, Saturday September 8 at Marysville, OH, it is called Festifair and is a 30+ year-old event.  The next show after that I have scheduled is the Barberton Mum Festival September 29 & 30 in Barberton OH.  The following weekend I will be at the Holmes County Antiques Festival in Millersburg OH, also both days.  Fall Festival of the Arts in Ashland OH is the following Saturday, October 13.  Lots of shows in a short time period, means lots of hours at my worktable!  See below photos of some of my recent work:


Some items that will be available for sale at the shows, through this site or as a custom-made similar "copy":

Beaded leather spirals

Criss-crossed chains of multi-tone metal with
fire agate, copper, silver and stone drops

Swirled copper encircling stones

Beaded bronze focal with a hint of
the Southwest

Feathered Leather Loops

Flights of Fancy feathered friends multi-dangle
with silk ribbon tie

Frosted Berries wire and stone earrings

Late Bloomer fall colors flower necklace

Swirls and sparkles

Silver and copper stacks

For more shows, mostly East of Wooster, (or at least East of San Diego) as scheduled:

Festifair - September 8 - Marysville OH

Barberton Mum Festival - September 29 & 30 - Barberton OH

Holmes County Antique Festival - October 6 & 7 - Millersburg OH

Fall Festival of the Arts - October 13 - Ashland OH

West Holmes Craft Show - November 10 - West Holmes High School, Millersburg OH

Dalton Holidays Festival - December 1 & 2 - Dalton High School, Dalton OH

Go West, (old?) Woman!

About as far west as one can go and still be grounded in the continental US - San Diego here I come!  My youngest daughter, a US Marine Corporal, is stationed there, and will be driving with me back to Ohio.  Since much of my  jewelry is Native-American and Southwest-inspired, I am really looking forward to seeing the jewelry designs of the local shops and getting even more inspired!  I have been wanting to do such a trip for as long as I can recall and can hardly believe the day is almost here!

This summer has been so hot (my "studio" is on the 2nd floor of my non-air-conditioned home) so I have slowed down on my creations somewhat.  I have also been working at the family business, Three Sisters Basket Co., LLC, in Wilmot, OH quite a bit, and spending much time watering my struggling flower beds!

Hopefully when I return from my trip I will have a few bag-fulls of beads and materials and lots if ideas to brew up some new pieces, and take the upcoming shows I will be attending by storm!

Shaker Square Arts Festival (Cleveland, OH)

Shaker Square Arts Festival (Cleveland, OH)

From This Day Forward...

Wedding Bells will ring for Alden Sewell (Systems Developer/Engineer, coworker at OARDC/OSU, Wooster, OH) and Cassi Kerr (also of OARDC) on May 26 (barely over a week away!).  I have been asked by Cassi to design the wedding party's jewelry!  What an honor, I have to say.  Her style is somewhat rustic but elegant.  She has a white dress would like Canadian Jade, with come crystal and silver rather than gold-colored metal in the jewelry.  She also has a lovely long neck and long curly hair she will probably wear swept up, so longish dangly elegant crystal earrings will look so good... the necklace will feature a pattern of beads that will replicate the earrings somewhat; for the daughters I am doing charms and little stone in colors to match the yellow and aqua floral dresses; for the bridesmaids who are wearing jade-colored dyed eyelet sundresses I am doing earthy rustic beads in natural colors with the Canadian jade, some white crystals and multiple metals, with a rainforest agate focal pendant suspended from a hammered copper ring with a few beaded charms.  The one will be longish to fit in the halter neckline, the other more choker-like to complement the strapless neckline.  Similar colors and stones will be used for each and for the matching earrings.

For photos of the jewelry click on the Facebook link.

Thank you for taking the time to visit!

Heading North!

to the Cleveland area for a show or two this Spring and Summer:

ARTS FESTIVALS AT SHAKER SQUARE
13219 Shaker Square, Cleveland OH 44120
FREE ADMISSION
NOON - 5:00 PM
JUNE 10th* - JULY 11th - AUGUST 12th (*I will be setup on June 10 only at this point)
Local Artists and Craftsmen will be displaying and selling their works on the sidewalks of Shaker Square

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2012 WEST SIDE SUMMER AVANT-GARDE ART & CRAFT SHOW
Wagner's County Inn- 30855 Center Ridge Rd., Westlake, OH 44145
Sunday- July  29, 2012
11:00am-6:00pm
Over 170 artists and crafters will be selling their original handmade items in five of the grand ballrooms! The show will also feature a la carte lunch items from Wagner's Country Inn, as well as a wine and beer bar service during the show hours! Admission is $3 to the public, children under 12 are free. A portion of proceeds will benefit Cleveland non-profit the Cleveland Animal Protective League

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Gourd Jewelry?

Well, why not?  You can make anything you want out of just about any material with just a little bit of imagination and a whole lot of determination - right?  Anyway my friend Millie who actually GROWS gourds mentioned that she was going to use gourd shards to make jewelry - pins, pendants, earrings?  hair clips perhaps.  Anyway guess gourd shards are pieces of gourd, then probably cut to desired shape or used as is, then sanded, painted, polished, embellished, etc.  So I decided to make some shards from a gourd that was dented in and wouldn't be used for any bird houses.  I cut the top off, then cut down into the base and just cut some random shapes with scissors, used sandpaper to smooth and define the shapes, used a small screwdriver to gently twist a hole where needed.  Then I sued a small round file to "clean" the fibrous material off the back of the shard.  These shards are fairly fragile but I think once I get them painted and sprayed with acrylic sealer they will hold up well enough for several wearings!  I took the very top of the gourd where the stem is, cut that off with about half inch around the stem, then used the file to clean out the fibrous material and leave a little tuft in the middle, contoured the edges, left the stem about 2 1/2 inches long and it looks like a little poppy flower - I plan to paint it bright orange and make a pin; I also cut out and sanded pieces for leaves.  A new medium, new ideas, new possibilities!  That is the definition of INSPIRATION!!  I'll post  pictures of some of the finished product.

Design!

Designing a blog is totally new to me and I will probably change it a good bit before I settle on something that I think suits me: my jewelry and creative style and my persionality, and also matches my business cards and booth display, so that people will recognize me!  Stay tuned!

Bracelets!

Well, I never thought I would be saying this, but I love making bracelets!  Bracelets have some unique characteristics and potential that allows for designs that cannot be implemented in a necklace.  And, while a bracelet can be pretty gutsy and make quite a strong statement, they are a more subtle expression of taste and personality - because they usually aren't seen right away, at first glance, like a necklace is.  Additionally, while a bracelet can be bold and outspoken, there is less of it so it speaks more quietly than a necklace.  For people who like jewelry but who don't like to stand out, a bracelet is perfect!

From my perspective, the designer's view: bracelets take fewer beads and other materials and therefore areis less expensive and less time consuming to make than necklaces.  So far I have used only leftovers or beads already on hand and other on-hand materials to make all of my bracelets.  However now that I am so fond of making them I will more than likely actually purchase beads and findings specifically for bracelets.  Pictures will be forthcoming!

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog.

My name is Jody Lanham and my blog is about my business, Designs by Jody.  I make jewelry of eclectic design (that is I create all kinds of styles and use all kinds of materials).  My two favorite "styles" lean toward the Native American/Southwest with lots of stone, wood, bone, shell, leather and feathers; and the Vintage/Retro thing with lots of antique metals, gemstones and glass, ribbon, chains and charms.

I first started making jewelry as therapy and a relaxation-time activity when I was dealing with some personal issues.  I found that I liked the variety of beads and wires and findings and all the elements of the process of creating a finished piece of jewelry.  The more I worked with it the more I liked doing it and like with anything, the more I did it the better I got!  I am still learning and still improving, but I am at a point where I feel I have come around with a look that people who have seen and purchased my pieces are beginning to recognize.  Is that possible with so many different underlying styles?  Apparently so, I even recognize myself myself!  I do things a certain way, I add a certain touch, I use certain materials and shapes and colors that feel good to me and that I typically like the end results of when my product is finished.

There will be pictures shortly (see above!) but right now I just want to get some information out there so my readers (you!) have an idea of what I and my business are about!  Welcome and thanks for taking a moment...

In my next post (or so) I will share some photos of my work so you can form a sense of my style, see if you like it?  My items are available for sale or for reproduction, and I also do custom work, restoration and repair.

Upcoming Shows and Events:

Artisan Day - May 12, 9-3
Local Roots, S. Walnut St., Wooster OH
Artisans will display and sell locally made artwork such as pottery, felt-decorated soap, knitted apparel, wooden bowls, tote bags, jewelry, decorated gourds and more.  Come see, shop for Mother's Day and pick up some groceries on your way home!

Wooster YMCA Art & Craft Show - May 19   CANCELLED
Wooster YMCA,  Woodland Ave., Wooster OH
The Wooster YMCA Craft Show will feature many handmade artwork and crafts, as well as have lunch and snacks available for sale.

Mohican Traditions Art & Craft Show - May 26
Central Park, downtown Loudonville, OH, 9-4.  Local area artisans and crafters will be selling their wares while the air is filled with the scent of the traditional chicken barbecue.

See more posts for upcoming shows...