New Teaching Venue

 

Hello everyone.  I am so excited to announce a new teaching venue for my enameling workshops!  I will be teaching at the wonderful Ornamentea in Raleigh North Carolina!  If you have not been to the shop, and live in the triad area, I highly recommend you visit.  

 

 

The shop has an amazing amount and variety of jewelry supplies.  You won't believe it!  There is also lots of other "fine craft ingredients"  for your projects.  You will find yourself lost in the fabulous atmosphere, and so enjoy shopping there.

 

 



 

 

Aside from the supplies, Ornamentea offers free tutorials, crafting nights, Try it Tuesdays and much more.  At the front of the shop, there is a table available if you want to work on your projects.  The friendly staff is super knowledgeable about the products offered.  They are all so welcoming and sweet.

 

I have been working with Cynthia Deis for months, planning project workshops and an upcoming enameling boot camp.  I have really enjoyed working with Cynthia, she is a very talented lady, and is super easy to work with. I can't say enough good thins about her. 

 

 

If your considering taking a workshop, we have several project workshops planned for 2015.  I have a disk earring class in February that includes working with decals.  This workshop is full, but it will run again, so keep an eye out for another date.  We have another fun class coming in March that is called, "Dictionary Moments".  This class will have you making a fun pair of text earrings and necklace. Next on the line up is a four day boot camp. 

Both Cynthia and I are super thrilled about offering this.  You will learn a lot in the camp, so watch for the date to be announced.  

 

I have learned some tips and tricks with years of practice, and I cant wait to share them in my workshops.  Even if you know the process or if your just starting out, this technique can be tricky and hands on learning will bring your enameling up a notch.

 

 

I hope you will join us!  Laura



 

 

 

 



 

 



My beads in Stringing magazine.  Torch fired enamel with text.
Thank you Stringing!!!

BlueAntiquities Everyday Sayings Enamel Beads

Mastering Torch Fire Enamel Jewelry

Hello, if your visiting from the Facebook page with the launch of "Mastering Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry" by Barbara Lewis, I am glad your here!  The necklace below is featured in the contributor section of the book which is devoted to the color wheel.

Barbara does not disappoint with the new book, and projects.   There is a lot more to learn, so go and grab your copy, at Painting with Fire Studio, Amazon, or at a book store new you.  There are lots of new projects, tips and things to learn.

Thank you for stopping by!  I welcome your comments!  Be sure to share the post on Facebook for more opportunities to win gift certificates with Painting With Fire Studio! Laura

Grandpa's Journey

Grandpa and Grandma Carlson, and me.

I am honored to have a necklace featured in Barbara Lewis' new book, Mastering torch-fired enamel jewelry.  My necklace is in the section of the book on color.  I have a monochromatic color scheme using green.  The entire necklace will be revealed soon!

The inspiration of my necklace is written with the project in the book.  I am very excited about that, as my story is a fond one, be it about a simple man, yet a man who led a life of hard work, and was a family man through and through.

His name was Clarence, although everyone called him Kelley.  He is my Dad's Dad.  He lived in and around Mitchell South Dakota most of his life as a farmer.  He encouraged my Dad to pursue college and a different life, when he saw my Dad was not the farmer at heart.

Grandpa gave all the little kids life savors after church on Sunday.  This is the way he was.  I remember the trips to get root beer for root beer floats!  Check out the book for that story. I was very young when we would travel there during the summer, but I have vivid memories.  I remember a warm and loving set of Grandparents.

The photo here is the one that inspired the necklace.  When I found the photo decal, it reminded me of this photo, and it inspired my story of Grandpa, and his life's journey.

Photo connector'Grandpa's Journey
I just noticed seeing them side by side, that both the men
have hats, and both the ladies have head wraps! (what would be the proper
name for those?)

My Paternal Grandparents

   

Here is a photo of me and my 2 sisters with my Grandparents in front of the Mitchell house.  I love this photo!  This conveys a lot about them. 

I am the little one on Grandpa's lap. 

My Granparents
(BlueAntiquities)

Thank you for reading a little bit more about Grandpa's Journey.  Visit again when I reveal the entire necklace!  I am listing some pieces over time on my Etsy site in the section, Life is a Journey. I hope you will check them out.  

xo

Laura

Tonya's Hope Bracelet

A couple of weeks ago I was in the craft aisle of Walmart,  preparing for my workshops in Southern Pines.  A lady and I struck up a conversation when she asked, "How do you make a bracelet?" Now is that a loaded question?  Where do I begin? 

Her name is Tonya, and she was holding some bright orange and pink beads in her hands. She started explaining that she wanted to make a bracelet with these colors, because she would soon undergo treatment for cancer.  Bright orange is the color for leukemia and pink, the color of breast cancer. 

She wanted to wear a bracelet when she went for treatments.

After talking for a little while, we left each other with a plan for me to create a bracelet for her.  I didn't like the cheap charms at Walmart!  I wanted to create some handmade charms. 

So, here is the bracelet.  The design idea came from the book Chain Style by Jane Dickerson.

I really hope Tonya likes the bracelet and that her treatments go well.  She's a lovely lady.

I am hopeful!  Do you like?

Tonya's Hope Bracelet August 2014



Southern Pines Workshops!

 

BlueAntiquities Painting with Fire Workshops

Returns to Southern Pines!

 

I am very excited to teach in Southern Pines once again, on July 26th and again on August 9th.

This is a great opportunity to learn the technique if you have the urge. 

 The shop, Swank Coffee Shoppe and Handmade Market is amazing,

and it is really fun to learn in a group setting!  I hope you will join us!

 

 

 

July 26th 2-5 pm $75

Learn the Basic technique, you will leave the workshop with a

good foundation of the technique and be able to apply what you've

learned to your own components and jewelry!

 

 

 

Beyond the Bead August 9th 2-5 pm  $75

Adding techniques!  Decals, liquid enamels, sifting, and much more!

 

I hope you will join us in Southern Pines, at Swank!

Call 910-692-8068 to register!

Contact Laura

text or call 678-570-4622

or email lkguenther@triad.rr.com

 

 



 

 

Coming Soon to Etsy!

Everyday Sayings

Text Beads

 

 

I would  love your feedback!

Thank you!  Laura