Loralei's Heart of Centerville Event

Many thanks to Loralei's for a wonderful evening with Art in the Heart of Centerville Friday, May 18, 2012.  They invited me to be their featured artist and to demonstrate artwork involving their customers.

I offered up a choice of vintage buttons and other earring components to make earrings for only $3.  It was a very popular event! 

Here's a photo of our first happy customer wearing her new pair of Steph's Jewels' Vintage Button Earrings!  I would have taken more photos of happy customers, but I was busy making earrings!  :)

Summer Festivals

Last weekend, at the Waynesville Second Saturday Street Faire and Car Show, I had the pleasure of displaying artwork with two lovely ladies - Gina and Smash.

Though sales were not the best, it's always a good day when you can meet and greet other Dayton area artists and enjoy fellowship!

I will be posting on Facebook at Julie Jamison Crusenberry when other festivals come up this summer and fall. Please come join us... you'll be glad you did!

Organize Your Craft Supplies

Today's Facebook post by Everything Etsy http://everythingetsy.com/ was about Organizing Your Craft Supplies - Thank you Everything Etsy for your inspirational post! I was delighted to read about their suggestions because I just bought a great organizing cabinet from my friend and craftmaster, Zach.

Zach recently opened a space in Springboro, Ohio in the building that used to be the IGA at the corner of 73 and 741. It's like a fabulous neighborhood garage sale all under one roof. And Zach also features his uncanny talent for turning vintage items into furniture and home accessories! He even goes to old houses scheduled for demolition and gets the hardwood floors and makes tables from the wood. Would you ever think that a beautiful old window or door could be a funtional and unique cabinet door? Wow... you have to see his stuff to believe it...

Stop in to see Zach every week-end - Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-4. Let him know Julie sent you; maybe he'll offer me a discount for the referral :)

My latest purchase from him was this featured organizing unit he made from an old strawberry crate and cheese boxes. And the drawer knobs were spools for thread - fantastic idea!

I can already see my vintage buttons, crystals, keys and beads taking up new residence in these drawers and in vintage glass jars on the shelves.

When I've finished my organizing, would you like to see the finished product?

Vintage Button Necklaces

Like most artists, I find inspiration in everyday activities. My most recent inspiration came in the form of a magazine photo while catching up on Hollywood gossip in the waiting room of a doctor's office.

Kim Kardashian was sporting a fabulous vintage necklace made out of chain, chain and more chain. I liked it and gave it a moment's thought, but inpiration didn't hit until I was asleep that night... Do others realize inspiration while dreaming???

I woke up with my vision and went right to work. My lovely collection of vintage buttons are now adorning chain necklaces, one of which is modeled here by my lovely daughter, Stephanie.

While I haven't yet posted them on etsy.com, I've made seven of these beauties and I'm sure they will find their way to etsy soon.