Goodbye summer, Hello FALL

Certainly has been too long since I wrote a blog post.  What have I been up to?

Definitely enjoyed my vegetable garden this summer.  My harvest lasted from May for lettuce through November for the last of the lettuce.   We grew:  yellow beans, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, mesclun, lettuce, cucumbers, bell pepper, jalapenos, banana peppers, snow peas, radishes, raspberries, chives, and sage. 

Here are a few pics of our harvested fruits 8 ball zucchini, broccoli, lettuce and radish, and tomatoes. 

 The weather was not kind to farmers or gardeners this year.  Spring was way too wet.  Our garden did well this year, all things considered.  I have canned tomato sauce and frozen zucchini for bread or lasagna later.  Also some baked zucchini bread and peppers in our freezer.

As for fall there have been some challenges for me.  In mid September, I had a fall and now have a serious injury to my left knee.  Reconstruction surgery is schedule for 12/12, next month.This drastically changed all my plans for fall and holiday shows.  Having no idea what I would be able to do more than a few days ahead of time.  On a more somber tone.... there have been some members of my family dealing with terminal inoperable cancer diagnosis.  This has been the most difficult fall I have  had since my father died.

The holiday season is upon us.  this is late November.....one show is planned for the first weekend in December for my local buyers.  I still have my online shops for those who are not local.  I am on Ebay, Supadupa and facebook selling my cabochons, rough and jewelry.   Stay tuned for details about the event next post. 


My store: http://panda-wear.mysupadupa.com/

My Facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art
 

Festivals for 2014

Currently reviewing and deciding which show to participate in this year.  If money grew on trees, I would do about 15 before the end of the year.  Three would even be in another state.

The way I decide which to do is based on the below logical questions.  The top 5 are from my earlier post about how to choose a show.  This is is part of the criteria I am using to decide which shows to do.  Applications are due starting the end of the month.  

Show Critique and Criteria for Choosing an Event

1. What is there that brings people to the show? 
2. What size crowd does the show normally have?
3. How many vendors are planned & what is the mix of types of media at the show? 
4. Is it there a jury for acceptance?
5. Have you been to the show?
6. Has the show changed since the last time I was a vendor?  Is it larger, smaller, different target audience, different mix of media, new location, new date?  

This is a difficult decision to make as to which shows I do not sell my work.  Also need to decide which to just visit and plan for next year.  the show season for outdoor shows runs May through October here in Rochester, NY.  I do shows in my home state right now.  This leads to another topic for next time.  Booth layout or design.  

Your  questions and suggestions are always welcome.

 My store:  http://www.zibbet.com/PandaWear

My Facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art

Winter Almost Done

Though is is not my favorite season, I like winter.  Without all four seasons I would not love where I live.  My two favorite seasons and spring and fall.  I am planning my vegetable garden right now.  I need to decide what we are growing this year and plant the seeds inside this week.

This winter started quite early here in Rochester, NY.  It  has been a wild one with really warm weeks followed by bitter cold.  I enjoy the snow cover  and it helps my plants to have a dormant season.  Not to mention it kills lots of fungus and disease which in a warm winter ruins the growing season here.

Here is the snow in my front garden.

Photo of my vegetable garden from a late spring photo.

In the front is my Broccoli and the back shows tomatoes, lettuce and peppers.  The fence is deer netting to keep critters out. 

I am inspired my nature and as you see the light through the leaves and branches think of the bends and twists in my wire work.

Upcoming topics will expand on the quality and why I choose the materials I work with.  
Your suggestions are always welcome for future topics.


My store:  http://www.zibbet.com/PandaWear

My Facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art

2014 New Year and New Designs

Started the year off with many ideas for new designs.  I am still working out the specifics for them.  Photos will be posted when they are complete.  If only wishes make things happen.  Wishing for more time to work on them.  I no longer do New Years resolutions.     I have committed to working on my lapidary projects(stone cutting) at least one day a week.  Cutting again is fun and relaxing.  I currently have about 10 stones in process. Photos when they are finished. 

This is a  new piece from last month, Dichroic Mirror in sterling silver.

My store:  http://www.zibbet.com/PandaWear

My Facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art

Hello Fall

A question I am asked regularly, Where does you inspiration come from?

I have am an avid gardener and been growing my own flowers and vegetables for quite a few years.  Definitely time for me to say good bye to the growing season in my gardens.  The only crops still hanging are my snow peas and lettuce.  It was a decent season in my garden for my zucchini, lettuce, peppers, broccoli, and  beans.  It was a bad year for my tomatoes and cucumbers.  The super wet spring was not good for them. I have made notes in my gardening journal for next season.

Two guests in my pond this year. 

The fall is the beginning of my busy season for my jewelry.  The holidays will be here before we know it.  Hanukkah is real early this year, only three weeks away.  I am happy to take order for the rest of this month for delivery before Christmas.  Please place your order early, so you will have time to deliver it.  I do offer gift wrapping and shipping to your special person to help save you time. 

my contact info:

My store:  http://www.zibbet.com/PandaWear


My facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art

My website:  Panda Wear

Festivals & Shows 101

What do you need to know before you decide to do a show? This is a frequent question I am asked by those new to doing shows.   I have been doing shows as a vendor for about 15 years.  I have also helped to put on a few events.  I can break down the answer for you into 5 main questions.

1. What is there that brings people to the show?  Also need to know who the target of the show is.  If it is a family event and you have very fragile $100 - 400 items it would not be a good fit for you.  the draw - such as entertainment and food.
2. What size crowd does the show normally have?  This is another way to determine if the show has been around a while.  First annual events tend to draw a small crowd and not be great for the vendors.  Ask yourself if you have enough inventory for that size crowd.
3. How many vendors are planned & what is the mix of types of media at the show?  Examples of several media:  floral, pottery, paintings, glass, sculpture, wood, photography, textiles, leather, jewelry, metal etc. 
4. Is it there a jury for acceptance?  If not then the show would allow party plan merchandise and hand made items would not do well there.
5. Have you been to the show?  I always walk a show before I do it.  I can talk to the vendors and see if they are happy and have been with the show for a few years.  This is a great way to see how it is being run and if the crowd is happy.  

There are several types of show.  Retail, wholesale, fundraiser, are a few of the main types of shows.  The criteria about works well for retail and fundraiser evaluation.  Wholesale is another topic entirely.  These are the basics by which I evaluate shows and decide if  the show is one I will do.  Please feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer them for you. 

Future Topics:  Next week, I will post an update on the Women Build project for Flower City Habitat for Humanity.  Another related topic, show booth layout or design.  I would appreciate your topic suggestions. 

My website:  Panda Wear

My facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art

Women Build Work Day

What is it like to be on site working with my team on the Flower City Habitat for Humanity(FCHH)  Women Build house?

The Calico Hammers is my team and our group goal is to raise $6,000 to help build this house.   My team's first work day this year was 5/28/13.  Safety is the first thing covered in the orientation, by Erwin.  We worked under the supervision of the FCHH supervisor, Erwin. Our task for the day was to finish putting up the metal forms for the basement wall and to secure the top of the wall for the pouring of the walls.

Seemed like a daunting task when we arrived.


Here I am bending the rebar for the corner with Sally.

Here is the group at the end of the day.  I did put on a clean shirt for the photo.  

Forgot to mention it was raining most of the day.  It did not stop us and we finished the walls.

Yes, we finished the walls and the pour happened the next day.  Hope this shows how much fun we had.   Your comments and suggestion are always welcome. 

My page if you want to help me reach my goal. Kim's Women Build page

My website:  Panda Wear

My facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art

Why Give Back or Pay it Forward

Why I give back or pay it forward.  My favorite charity is Habitat for Humanity.  I have a give away you can enter to win this week.  I will explain why I choose Flower City Habitat for Humanity. 

My giveaway with the rules on the RNEST blog:  Panda Wear Freebie

I became involved about 10 years ago.  A lady I worked with was collecting donations for her church group that was building a house with Flower City Habitat for Humanity (FCHH) here in Rochester, NY.  I found out I could actually help build the house by volunteering on the work site and doing part of the construction.  There is a site supervisor who give everyone tasks and I really enjoyed it.  I was very tired when we were done that day but everyone on the site was happy and working hard.  I went back to the address several months later and saw the finished house, which gave me such a great feeling.

I enjoy volunteering and donating to Flower City Habitat for Humanity.  I am a member of the Habitat Young Professionals and was elected their secretary this year.  I donate jewelry every year for Flower City Habitat for Humanity big fundraiser in the spring.  Last year, FCHH honored me by asking me to make limited edition jewelry for the Women Build project.   Here is the blog with the details from last year:

2012 Women Build Jewelry 

This year, when asked to make jewelry to help raise money for the women Build, I decided to give half of the sale price of the item to the Women Build.  I am selling the items below normal cost for a custom item.  Each item is available it in either sterling silver or copper.  The pieces are my Etsy shop and they are on FCHH blog here:

 Women Build 2013 Jewelry 

 to buy Butterfly Love

These are the Butterfly Love earrings and are shown in both metals.  A pair will be two copper earrings unless you order sterling sliver. 

to buy Mom Build

This is  the Mom Build  brooch  in copper.   

This is a group where everyone there wants to help and the people you are helping appreciate it you know you are gong to see the benefits of you labor when you go home.  My fundraising page for the Women Build for you to donate is here:

  Kim's page for Women Build

I believe we all need to give back or pay it forward.  I was taught by my grandparents and my dad to always pay it forward.  You feel good when you do and you help others.  What better way to start you day that this?  Please share this with your friends and family.  

My website:  Panda Wear

My facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art

Metal 101

Metals are one of the main components in my work.  A brief overview of metals and their uses will help you to understand why I use sterling silver wire in so many of my designs. 

Type of metals used in jewelry:  aluminum, copper, gold, platinum, silver, & stainless steel. I have not listed all metals because the list is long.  This is such a broad topic, I could easily spend days writing many pages about this.  I will keep this brief and focused.  I believe definitions are necessary and here are a few links for metals :

Silver                   Silver defined
Copper                 Copper defined
Nickel                 Nickel defined
Gold                    Gold defined

Metal sheet and metal wire are two shapes of metal use to create jewelry.   Metal sheet is in most kitchens, as aluminum foil.  It is quite thin and this gauge (size) is not commonly used in jewelry designs.  Metal sheet is commonly seen in boxes and textured items like earring components.
                             

these are for sale: Copper Cascade Earrings

Temper and wire shape are two very important considerations when working with metal.  Temper is how hard or stiff the sheet or wire is.  Dead soft and half had or #2 hard are the two types I use most.  The dead soft wire is easy to manipulate and create curves and twists as shown below in this piece with square wire. 

this is for sale:  Seeds of Kambama Pendant

The half hard round wire is shown in this piece made with round wire, paper beads, & sterling silver beads.

 this is for sale:  Sterling Silver Teapot Bracelet

As I believe my customers want value for their money, I design my pieces  in sterling silver.  The cost of the wire has increase over 500% since I began using wire.  The 14 karat gold filled has increase as much as the silver.  The main difference is the gold is a high cost material.  An example of the increase - paying $15 for a piece of Silver wire, now is is $75 for the same wire.  Per customer feedback, I have begun using copper in my designs.

Wire shapes are endless. The common ones are:  round, square, half round, and triangle.   Wire comes in gauge(size) which are based on how many pieces laid next to each other fit in one inch.  The larger the diameter of the wire, the smaller the number. 12 gauge is thicker  than 21 gauge. I will cover this subject in depth in a future blog post.  It is a complex subject to those who do not work with metal materials.

Metal reactions are a concern of many people.  I use as many non reactive findings as possible.  My earrings are all available on surgical stainless steel which is 99.9% nickel free and it is lead free. I had a recent reorder from a lady who has had trouble with earrings and after wearing a pair she bought in December 2012, she came back and had me replace the ear wires on several other pair she owned but could not were with my surgical steel ear wires. 

Next week, I will write about my favorite charity commissions for Habitat for Humanity Women Build.  

My website:  Panda Wear

My facebook:  PW Facebook

My Pinterest:  Panda Wear Art

  

Materials and Quality

There are many topics I can cover in this blog.  There will be a lost of future topics at the end of this post.

Today will be about materials and quality.  I am often asked why I use the particular beads and gemstones I choose in my work.  This is the answer to why......

Each piece of jewelry I create is hand made.  It is One of A Kind(OOAK) creation and no two pieces are the same. Here is a piece of seashell naturally tumbled by the Atlantic ocean:

 This piece is available in my Esty shop.  Etsy shop closed.


I use high quality beads in my pieces.  My work is made to last.  I have spent time confirming the vendors I source my gemstones beads from accurately label the items. I believe my customers expect the high level of quality I do when I am shopping for jewelry. Especially if it a gift. 

When I started my business, I sourced my supplies locally.   It was easy and many other people said it was how they obtain their materials.  The prices did not seem high.  The findings (clasps, beads, etc.) were not the best but they were easy to buy.  It was fun to be able to go out and buy new ones when I had a new idea.  After my first year of sales, there were many broken or damaged pieces.  I did not want to be seen as a designer who can not make a good product.  At that point, I decided to upgrade from plated to precious metals in my work.  I use copper, sterling silver and 14 karat gold filled in my pieces.  the price of the original pieces was much higher than I thought in lost business. 

When I spend hours designing and crating a piece, I expect it to be a great piece when I am done. Please visit and like my Facebook page to stay current on where I am going to be with my work and what is new.  Follow this blog to learn more about Panda Wear.

Below are some future topics I will cover over the next few months:

Metal 101, Beads and Gemstones, Care of Jewelry, Lapidary, Special events like Proms, Rock hounding, Types of Jewelry, my Mascot.   Feel free to send me suggestions of topics you wold like to know about.


To buy my work Shop here

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