Friday, August 31, 2012

What Makes a Jeweler!

Meet Elayne Brown from Elayne's Stuff...
My name is Elayne Brown, I am  going to be 66 in November. I have lived in the Cleveland area all my life. I have two children, Nick and Staci. I have worked at Thistledown Race Track for 27 years.

I have been doing crafts for some time now. I do cross stitch, crocheting,etc, then about two years ago, I got started with the beading. Surprisingly, this is my first show, I've never been in any craft shows before!
I got started doing my craft because I always I have to have something to do! I can not just sit and watch tv. To date, I have refinished my kitchen cupboards, painted my house inside and out. Yard work (got the best yard on the street). It is always something.
I got started selling my items when people saw the things I make and would ask me to make them something. I have a lot of beaded bracelets and sets and figured it's time to try a craft show. Plus, I've got to clean out my house!

Meet Connie Sky from Sky Design...
My name  is Connie Sky, with Sky Design. I create jewelry and our motto is Made with Love. For 10 years I was a Corporate Trainer which included both Communication and Leadership training as well as Technical Training. From there, my career migrated into Human Resources, and worked in payroll and benefits.  It is a more conservative role, with no room for creativity. 

I began making jewelry in the Summer 2012. It evolved into a small business, by participating in Art Shows & Festivals. I am working on establishing vendor relationships with both domestic and international retailers. Our web-site is www.skydesign.info and our goal to have The Sky Collection on-line beginning January 2013! 

I am currently scheduled for my first three Avant Garde Art & Craft Shows in Solon, Westlake and Akron, OH in 2012.  Unfortunately, I have to miss the Columbus, OH in November 2012 show because I am taking my Mother on a Royal Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas!  She has never been on a vacation, so this will be a very special trip for both of us.

I believe some people are born “gifted”, that is they can sing, draw, dance or they are mentally brilliant at math, science, technology, or medicine. My gift is creativity. Often, I feel like an “idea generator” where ideas come along so fast I can’t possibly implement all of them!  For me ideas are like hot stars from the sky and landing everywhere!  Finding your passion is the best place to find your creativity.  What do you love?  I love jewelry and that is my passion!

I have always been interested in carpentry and home improvement projects. HGTV anyone? However, my measuring and cutting skills have much to be desired!  I also tried crocheting and discovered that my blankets were always crooked because I couldn’t remember the number of stitches in each row. A square blanket would turn into a triangle by the time it was finished! I’ve tried a number of other hobbies, such as drawing, painting, sewing and even cooking (dreadful). Nothing stuck.  I even wrote a book on dating when I was single called  “Dating, The Interview”. We tend to like and are passionate about things we are good at! I personally started collecting earrings and wondered if I could make them for myself. After experimenting and taking a jewelry making class from Denise Newman at Isle of Beads in Cleveland,  I found that I was actually “good” at making jewelry! EUREKA!

After showing my jewelry to friends & family, they suggested I participate in some Art & Craft Shows.  That lead me to participating in the Avant Garde shows and to begin searching for additional retail venues as a way to grow my small business.

My creative process is similar to developing training materials, I use the ADDIE system.  Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate.  At the end of the day, I must review what worked, what didn’t and what can I do differently or better next time?  That goes for Trade Shows, Vendor Relationships and Jewelry Designs. If I make a mistake, I own it and make it better!

Independence and the creative freedom are my top priorities. I am thrilled with the process of shopping for beautiful beads, gems & stones. I enjoy putting together an interesting array of styles, shapes, sizes and colors.  Mostly, I love the seasons, holiday themes, bridal and other special occasions.  I like creating beautiful jewelry that can be photographed and passed on to future generations.  The value is sentimental. To say it was my Mothers necklace or my Grandmothers earrings creates heartfelt memories.

Sky Designs are Made with Love. My son Sean (now 26 years old) used to ask me to make him Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches. I would say, you are a teenager now, I think you can make it!  He replied “But Mom, you make it with love!”  And that is my motto for Sky Design – Made with Love.

Life is an interesting journey which has many roads to take. People who know me well would say most often, I have take the road less traveled and it has been an amazing journey.  I am one of the “crazy ones” best summed up in the text found in a poster that was originally an Ad Campaign for Apple. 

The Crazy Ones!

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

View photos of Sky Design's work at their web site: www.skydesign.info

Check out these featured vendors at the first ever 2012 East Side Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show. This eclectic show will feature up to 120 of the most talented artisans and crafters. A portion of the show's proceeds will be donated to the North East Ohio Make-a-Wish Foundation. This non-profit organization grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
2012 East Side Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Sunday, September 23, 2012, 1:30pm-6:30pm
Terry Macklin Entertainment & Event Centre
6200 Enterprise Parkway
Solon, OH 44139
For more information, contact Becki Cooper, Event Coordinator at info@avantgardeshows.com
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