Featured Artist: Lissa Harlin, of Lissa Harlin Designs

website: Lissa Harlin Designs
Etsy: Lissa Harlin Designs
Blog: Bully Beads

Lissa Harlin makes wire wrapped jewelry and uses some metal working techniques. Most of her pieces are made from sterling silver and gemstones. This Dogwood Blossom necklace is one of her most challenging pieces to date. She used a heavy gauge wire, soldered each piece to the wire, and wrapped the entire thing in fine gauge sterling. She used rose quartz for the petals, prehnite marquise for the leaves, and she wove the center in pink tourmaline and peridot.

Lissa told us, "I was first drawn to jewelry making from having to drive past a bead shop every day on the way to work. I'd always wanted to go in and finally after a year, I did. I had no idea what to do once I got in there with all the pens and baggies and bowls, so I quickly left before embarrassing myself! I went back a few weeks later and picked up a class schedule and took the beading 101 course and that started the whole obsession."

After that first class, Lissa quickly began learning on her own. She doesn't have a formal art background; when asked about her training, she quipped, "I never could decide on what to take in college, so I didn't go." Lissa did make a friend on Etsy, however, whom she describes as a "phenomenal wire wrapper;" Lissa learned how to wrap by asking her questions and looking at how she put things together.

A self-proclaimed history nut, Lissa told us. "I guess it began back when my Dad would drag us off to the Gettysburg battlefield that was just 25 minutes away. One of my loves is old skeleton keys, so I thought it would be a great idea to make one with an escutcheon to go with it. This Key To The Past Necklace is made out of beautiful purple amethyst and a stunning mystic topaz in the center of the key.

Lissa admits, "I really don't have a philosophy behind my jewelry making; I make what I'm inspired to create. I never make drawings, I just gather materials and start putting something together. I try to make elements I see in nature come to life in a piece of jewelry. I am often inspired by things I see in nature or a poem I read; then an idea pops into my head and I try to recreate what I'd imagined."

The Eye Of The Storm Necklace is Lissa's favorite piece to date. It features a huge, fabulous blue-flash labradorite, gem-grade London blue topaz, and mystic quartz. Lissa hand fabricated the entire piece, including the toggle. She told us with a laugh, that "The working title for this was p.i.t.a. It really was a pain to solder this piece the correct way, but I was totally pleased with the results."

A former employee of Harley Davidson, Lissa currently works as a machine operator. She told us ruefully, "It really doesn't leave me too much time these days to create too many of my more intricate pieces. I'm hoping to find some more creative time somehow, in between catching up on cleaning the house and doing business taxes. I really don't have too much time these days to create. I try to spend as much time on the weekends as I can making pieces; which leaves my house in sad shape most of the time!"

Luckily, Lissa has a fantastically supportive husband who only rolls his eyes occasionally when she asks him to look at the pretty new beads she's bought. In addition, she shares her heart with her two exceptionally adorable dogs: Cassie, the English Bulldog, and Gunner, the Boston Terrier.

Lissa told us, "I hope women feel feminine and beautiful wearing my pieces. I try to create one of a kind pieces I would hope would last through the generations of family members to love and cherish just as much as the one who purchased it."

We're very sure that they do.

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Eye Candy

Recent listings from SATeam members! Click on any photo learn more.





















Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists Jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Confessions of an Etsy Addict

By Jenifer Smith of The Family Jewels

Jenifer stands up and turns to face the crowd in front of her. "Hello. My name is Jenifer and I am an Etsy addict."

It's true. It's a fact I tried to deny for so long now, but my family has seen it for a while and I have finally come to terms and have opened my eyes to the truth.

It all started so innocently. I dabbled with a shop like so many people, just to try and see what it was like. Then I started to get a sale or two. Man, that feeling was just incredible. I thought that I could be good with that feeling every now and then, but then the sales started coming in more frequently. I quickly discovered that the more sales I got, the more sales I wanted. It was never enough! Watching those number of sales go up just gets my heart pumping and I just want to shout, "WOOOHOOOO!!", and I often do!

I use to only renew once or twice a day, but my renewing habit has quickly grown to 10 to 13 times a day, and I have to "check" my shop at least 1 or 2 times in between each of those renewals.

I stay up till ALL hours of the night just to catch an elusive treasury!

When I was at an art show the other day, I spent half of my time dying to check my shop and to renew something. I've even convinced my husband that I'll eventually have to buy a Blackberry so that I can maintain my habit even while I'm out.

Every time Etsy is down for maintenance, I watch those same silly videos for HOURS, then I go to Twitter and tweet about Etsy being down and I go to the SJA forum and post about how much it sucks!

I live Etsy, I sleep Etsy, I daydream Etsy, I talk Etsy. I truly am 100% completely and utterly addicted to Etsy.

My poor family. I feel bad that they should have to live with this addiction. Guess I'll have to go browsing on Etsy to find them all some fabulous handmade make-up gifts! lolol!

Enjoy our lives, fellow Etsy addicts! I know I sure do!!!

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

SATeam Treasuries

Here are a few of our newest treasuries for your viewing pleasure:







SATeam features Artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

SATeam Sez . . .

It's FRIDAY!

Cat's Wire sez: For my birthday, I will have a 15 % off sale on selected items, the whole week from the 22th to the 28th.

SATeam sez: Y'all better hurry, this one ends SOON!!

Galadryl sez: I am having a summer sale on my website from 22nd June to 22nd August 2009. I am offering huge discounts on 11 items (bracelets and necklaces)which are presented in the "summer sale" section.

SATeam sez: Take a peek; there are some really good deals!

Accent Yourself sez: I'm on vacation from 6/24 - 7/4. My shop will be closed! Yippee!!!!!

SATeam sez: Have fun, Barb! We'll miss browsing the beach glass, but we're happy you're taking a well-deserved vacation!

Casual Gal sez: I purchased a "booth" for 2 weeks at the Virtual Crafts Show, Cafe Handmade. If you haven't been to Cafe Handmade yet, you should check it out - it has some helpful info and seems to be a well run operation. And, they have a "Best in Show" vote just like a regular craft fair. I would really appreciate your votes to get my store (Casual Gal) special placement and a button to put on my blog.

SATeam sez: We voted for you!

Decors sez: I made a flash gallery for my latest design, for a project. Hope you enjoy viewing!

SATeam sez: Very cool!

Featuring artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

What's up at the Starving Artists Forum?

SATeam has a home in the Starving Artists Forum and we'd like to share it with our blog readers. Here are a few brief descriptions, with links, to give you a taste of the scope and diversity of the Starving Artists forum. We'd love to have you join us.

Today we're featuring a few of the freebies that you can get on the Starving Artist's forum: tutorials! These are just a few of the many tutorials that are available; click on the photo to get the tutorial:











For more, here are links to the various free tutorial sections:

Metalsmithing Tutorials
Wire Wrapping Tutorials
Metal Clay Tutorials
Seed Beading Tutorials
Phototography and Photo Editing Tutorials
Video Tutorials

That's just a brief taste of what's happening this week on the forum. Every week brings new information, ideas, friendship and, of course, eye candy. Come join us, and get to know the members of SATeam and their friends on the Starving Artists Forum.

The Starving Artists Forum features Artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists jewelry team, and many others. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Supplies

Check out these recent SATeam listings for lampwork beads, jewelry components and tutorials. Click on any picture to learn more about the item.

















The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Featured Artist: Mich from Pixie's Treasure Chest

Etsy shop: Pixe's Treasure Chest
Blog: Pixe's Treasure Chest

The Pixie's Treasure Chest is filled with necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Our featured artist, Mich, says, "Earrings are my passion! I make a few necklaces using strung beads, however, I really enjoy making necklaces with wire wrapped links. I also love making bracelets using links. I've created with sterling silver or copper wire. Quite of bit of my jewelry is dainty, and I prefer to use uncomplicated designs for the most part."

"I have had a love affair with Southwestern jewelry since I was a child. These are one of my favorite earrings. I have a pair that I wear almost all the time, These were designed using copper and sterling silver beads, and sleeping beauty turquoise. I think they are just absolutely beautiful!"

Mich works with semi precious gemstones, sterling silver, copper, and Swarovski crystal accents. As she says, "Sometimes a piece calls for a little bit of shimmer!" She began making jewelry because she couldn't find any jewelry that she really liked at department. stores, nor did she see much that she liked at local craft shows. She concedes that the jewelry she saw was gorgeous; but admits that it was just not her style. So she thought she would take things into her own hands and try making her own jewelry.

She told us that there is even more to the story; that she feels a very strong strong need to do something creative. Mich says, "I found jewelry making the perfect food for my soul, and a fabulous way to relieve stress from my job. I have been hooked ever since!"

Mich is a self-taught Jewelry artist, and she emphasizes that she is still learning. Her goal for 2009 is to learn to work with silver clay. The only formal art background she has is a course in art appreciation that she had taken while in nursing school. As she says, "Other than, it's all me! I have all these ideas running around in my head with no place to go, except my sketch pad."

Mich enjoys sharing her creations with others, and she hopes to make people happy when they see her work. She likes to think that she's bringing a little bit of nature closer to others; her goal is to remind us what a beautiful world we live in. She enthusiastically adds, "I think it's awesome to know the stones used for the beads I use, were millions of years in the making!"

About this necklace, Mich says, "This is my Chrysanthemum Necklace, and is one of my favorites. I designed this necklace using chrysanthemum tubes and round beads. I think these beads are just gorgeous! I wire wrapped each link with copper wire, then added red aventurine leaves. This necklace reminds me of falling leaves."

She works as a critical care nurse to pay the bills, and sells her jewelry to feed her soul. She says, "Being a nurse, I don't have a traditional work schedule; I work work two to three long days a week. Therefore, I pretty much can sit and create as the mood strikes, or the stress level demands." Mich is a mother to a grown son and a totally crazy standard poodle. She told us, "In my biased opinion, I have the greatest family in the world. My parents, brother, and son always offer me much support in my business venture, and life ventures! I can't ask for any better!"

Mich says, "Most of my inspiration comes from the natural world around me. Sometimes, my mind just wanders and leads my hands. This is one of my favorite bracelets; I was inspired by s stormy winter sky. I designed this using labradorite beads, tahitian swaroski pearls, thai silver beads and sterling silver. Again, the links are wirewrapped and joined together."

About her jewelry, Mich says, "I would like people to feel that they are happily wearing a piece of jewelry that was created just for them, that it expresses their individuality, and makes them feel special!"

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Eye Candy

Recent listings from SATeam members! Click on any photo learn more.

Featuring artisan handmade creations by the Etsy Starving Artists Jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.

Gemstone Properties

It can be fun to pick your jewelry according to your moods; it might even help you out to wear certain stones when you're engaged in certain activities. Various gemstones are said to have metaphysical and healing properties; we don't know if that is true or not, but here's a list of a few gemstones, beginning with the letter A, and the properties that they are supposed to embody:

Adventurine (Aventurine) is a good luck stone, said to be particularly useful in financial matters. It is said to stimulate creativity, intelligence and perception. It is also known as a healing stone; it is supposed to give one a sense of mental and emotional well-being.

Agate is said to provide general protection and healing. When worn, it increases courage, self-confidence, and energy. Some say that it promotes longevity. It is also good for gardening. We're going to give it a try and put an agate pebble in our pocket the next time we pull weeds!


Amazonite is supposed to help clarify and improve thinking; we're thinking that it's a good gift for a recent hight school graduate who is going on to college.

Amber promotes healing. It also provides protection from negativity, and increases attractiveness and energy. That sounds like something most everyone could use!

Amethyst has many properties. It is said to increase vivid dreams, so should be worn at night with caution. It is also supposed to help relieve depression, as it promotes calm, serenity, and spirituality. In addition, it just might help with addiction and relieve stress. We admire the beauty of amethyst, and agree that looking at it helps us relax!

Apatite is supposed to help those who stutter. It is also said to help relieve hypertension. In addition, it is said to reduce guilt and grief. We'd like to have a worry stone in apatite.

Aquamarine is rumored to improve sight. It is also said to sharpen the mind, and to calm and clarify emotions. We agree that aquamarine is a very tranquil stone to look at and hold; we love to wear it.

Aragonite is said to ground and center it's wearers; it is believed to help them to face truth and reality. We'd like to give aragonite to our teenagers!

Azurite is believed to increase psychic ability and is often used as an aid to meditation. It is also said to relieve arthritis and joint pain. Perhaps it should be worn as a ring or a bracelet?

The SATeam blog features artisan handmade creations by the etsy starving artists jewelry team. SATeam members create handcrafted jewelry and beads. More information about our team and its current etsy shop owner members can be found at SATEAM.etsy.com.