Update on Lenzen Originals

Hi!

It's been a while since my last post but I'm busy trying to find time to hand dye scarves, make jewelry, and spend time with John's Mom while she is in town! My house looks like a disaster but so far it has been worth it. I also updated my website www.lenzenoriginals.com/ with all new photos of my jewelry and scarves taken by my friend, Robyn Van Dyke. This girl is a ninja with a camera! She is amazing! If you'd like to check out her website please go to http://robynvandykephotography.com/index2.php#/home/ or her blog at http://www.robynvandykephotography.com/blog/.

Here is a sampling of a few of my favs:

And you heard right! I added hand dyed scarves to my line of creations. I have found an easier, non-toxic way of dying the scarves that has proven to be effective. The colors come out brillantly and the fabric is soft as ever! I am dying the scarves in the microwave using white vinegar. Now I will say it ends up smelling like vinegar downstairs but it's better than inhaling soda ash by accident which is a toxic, powdery substance. With a puppy in the house that basically licks my floors clean after every time we cook in the kitchen, it is better to use white vinegar for sure! Below is my favorite scarf I have made. I can't decide if it's for sale or if I'm keeping it. Guess I need to figure that out soon!

For those of you in town next weekend, I am doing a show in Cary, NC. It is the Lochmere Arts & Crafts show located on the corner of Lochmere Drive and Kildaire Farms Rd in Cary, NC. Please come on out and visit me! We'll be there from 10am to 4pm. In addition, I am doing a Jewelry Party at my house on November 21st. Let me know if you are interested in coming and I'll email you the directions!

Make today a great day!

Copper Etching and Doming Galore!

I am so excited to tell everyone about a new technique that I learned this past weekend. I took a class at Panopolie in Raleigh called the "Metalsmither's Delight Bracelet" designed and taught by Melissa. We learned how to etch pictures on copper and/or brass, make a border, and use etching solution. We also learned how to texturize fine silver disks and "dome" them with doming tools. We made two copper etched pieces, 2 domed disks, and connectors, and a clasp to make up our bracelet. The bracelet turned out fabulous! I attached two pictures of the bracelet I made to this post! I'll be making my own original bracelets and pendants this weekend that will be for sale to my customers very soon. I will update my website as I make the pieces!

Lenzen Originals Update

It's been quite some time since my last post but I wanted to update everyone on what is going on with me and my company, Lenzen Originals. Back in March, I reinjured my right wrist. I have had some chronic tendonitis. I had luck with a chiropractor in the past so I decided it was time to go back. I also spoke with my good friend Deanna, who is a massage therapist at The Center for Natural Healing (if you need a massage therapist let me know and I'll put you in contact with her- she's awesome) who has also been helping me back to normal. Thank you to Dr. O and Deanna! I am still seeing them on a regular basis and they are keeping my pain and inflammation in my wrist and neck in check. After seeing the chiropractor and massage therapist, I was able to create about 10 one of kind creations and a bunch of earrings and bracelets to sell to the Dolphin Watch Gallery in Corolla, NC. If you are in Corolla check them out in the Timbuck II shopping center. They support lots of local artists work and have a wonderful selection of jewelry, photography, paintings, wall art, and pottery. She loved my work so much this time she wanted another special order for July. I will be taking that with me over the Fourth of July. I'm sharing with everyone the pictures of the jewelry below. If you are interested in any of the beachy themed jewelry, let me know and I'll see if I can order the supplies to recreate!

I have also entered an amatuer photography contest- NC Wildlife's Organization. I took a picture while at Carova Beach in the Outer Banks of the Wild Spanish mustangs that roam around. I have been wanting to enter it into a contest just to see how it would do. The spanish mustangs basically posed for me in the picture. I was standing there and both the horses looked at me as I shot the picture. There is another horse in the background grazing in the dunes. It's a beautiful shot and I love it! The grand prize winner will get their photo on the cover of NC Wildlife Magazine along with a cash prize, and a large print of the picture. The picture will also be featured in the NC museums. Wish me luck! I'll share the photo with everyone after the contest is over!

Fun new earrings and more!!

Hello everyone,

I know it has been a while since my last post. It's been a wild time for me. I bought a townhouse and got all moved in. Then I had several jewelry parties just before Christmas along with going to Massachusetts for the holidays. I'm finally getting back to making some new jewelry along with coming up with some new jewelry lines. First I'd like to show off my newest hand beaded ornament I created this year. I used Terrifically Tacky tape to sew/stick the beads on the ornament. They were a lot of fun to make and will be for sale for Christmas next year! If you are interested in purchasing an ornament let me know! This ornament was blue but I can use any color combination.

I am creating a new line of fun, beachy jewelry that will complement the perfect summer outfit. It is called "The Carova Line." This line is named after my favorite beach on the Outer Banks. If any of you have been there, you know what I am talking about. Miles of beautiful beach that you can only get to by 4 wheel drive vehicle. There are lots of wild horses roaming around and it is a lot of fun to go off roading trying to find them! Here is my first addition to this collection:

I used Curled shell beads, Luhuanus shells, Hill Tribe sterling silver snail shell charm, puffed fish charm, and a starfish charm. All connected with a sterling silver fish hook and eye clasp. (not priced yet)

Some new fun earrings I've been creating:

Sterling silver plated filigree earrings, rose Swarovski crystals dangles on sterling silver ear wires $16

Sterling silver diamond chandelier earring, Swarovski crystal dangles on sterling silver ear wires. $18 (Shown with black dangles on the left, and crystal clear dangles on the right)

Sterling silver teardrop earrings, Siam red Swarovski crystal dangles, on sterling silver ear wires $18

Sterling silver plated filigree earring with grey Swarovski crystals hand woven inside on sterling silver ear wires. $18

Sterling silver plated fancy filigree earrings on sterling silver ear wires. $16


And lastly, my handmade wire wrapped hearts that will soon have ear wires on them. Just thought I'd put this picture in there as well since these would be a perfect Valentine's Day gift. I am currently in the process of making cute heart bracelets and will send out a picture of them soon!

Ghetto Fabulous!!

Hello all! I've decided to write to update everyone on my glass beadmaking class that I have been taking. Last week was our first class and man was it hard!! It didn't help that I moved the day before and my tendonitis was flaring up! My teacher said I did pretty well for my first try. I like to call my beads ghetto fabulous. I will attach a picture below. I have not filed the bead release out of the center yet but will do so tonight in studio.

Ahh there they are in all their glory! I won't critique them as I'll be too hard on myself as always. I did have my studio before class last night and was able to make a nicely shaped bead. In class last night, we learned how to make a triangle bead, a Little Mermaid bead, and bicone bead, etc. I felt like last night was much more successful! I enjoyed making the Little Mermaid bead as it took me 30 minutes to create until my gas tank died! I'll post more pictures of my beads from last nights class as soon as they are annealed. I'm thinking I'll bring my camera tonight to photograph our studio and maybe a picture of me in action!

On another note, I spent Saturday evening and night creating some fun necklaces. They will be on display at my next jewelry party. It will either be the jewelry party at Fonville Morissey or the jewelry party at my Mom's house. If you decide you would want one of the necklaces I've designed here, just shoot me a quick email for the price (loribeth79@gmail.com). The necklaces still need clasps on them as well!

Rhodonite and smokey quartz- the beautiful color of these beads did not show up on my camera. They are gorgeous!
Handmade Green girl studio "Fly" pendant with Rhodonite beads and handmade Thai barrel spacer beads. The back of the pendant says "Fly"
Handmade Green Girl Studio "Knowledge" pendant with Tourmaline chips, apatite chips, and handmade Thai barrel spacers. The back of the pendant says "Knowledge".

Thai Hill Tribe handmade flower pendant with iolite and amethyst beads and sterling silver spacers.
Banded agate with black agate chips and sterling silver spacers.

Murano glass beads with blue sunstone, lapis and sterling silver spacers. The Murano glass and blue sunstone both have a shimmer to them that did not show up on the picture! Beautiful!

My first post

So this is my first official post as a blogger! I decided that I would start a blog to keep all my friends and customers updated on my jewelry business and life! Everything has been kind of crazy lately so I haven't been making as much jewelry as I would like. I found out in the beginning of September that the owner of my townhouse I rent wanted to move back in. I decided that it was time to buy my first house! I bought a 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath gorgeous townhouse. It is beautiful and right now it doesn't seem at all real! I close on October 30th and will be able to move in that weekend. My roomie, Shea, and I will be temporarily displaced to my best friend Amanda's house for a few weeks! So hopefully while at Amanda's house I can finish up creating jewelry and getting ready for a jewelry party at Fonville Morisey and another jewelry party for the women at church. I've bought tons of beads, gemstones, and handmade beads from The Karen Hill Tribe and Green Girl Studios! I recently made 2 necklaces for my friend Sean's girlfriend's birthday. He found some shells on his vacation to Wilmington and asked me to make some necklaces for her. Hope she liked them! Here's a few pics of the new house and those necklaces for Sean's girlfriend.




(All the furniture in the photos is the current owners stuff but isn't it gorgeous??!!)





Here are the necklaces I made for Kelli. I wish the color turned out better on the photographs but I'm still learning my camera. The first one is an oyster shell that I wrapped with sterling silver wire. The necklace is made of fresh water pearls, garnet chips, shells and sterling silver bead caps. The second necklace (I think) is a piece of conch shell, fresh water pearls, mother of pearl shells, and sterling silver spacers.