MiShel Designs

This or That Thursday!

2012-02-02T05:57:00.000-08:00

We took a paddleboat ride this week.

Grapefruit for our neighbor!

Refreshments for the trip around the lake!

Our neighbor tried to take our picture,
but it came out a bit blurry!

That little black spot up in the sky - it's one of the bats that
come out at dusk. They're so cool!!

And, I was fortunate enough to capture some

sunrises and sunsets this past week, too.

Sunset

Sunrise

Arizona really does have some beautiful skies!

Sunset over the Lake

Linking up with This or That Thursday

over on Deb Duty's Blog.

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Beautiful All Around!

Cheers,

~Shel~

BTW and Shows to Check Out!

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's Bead Table Wednesday and here's what's on my Bead Table today ~

More "Norm" Sytle Earring Wires

Also, I wanted to give you a head's up on a few "Must See" shows to check out while you are down in Tucson during all the gems shows this week and next.

The Whole Bead Show - Windmill Inn, River and Campbell. Feb. 1st - 6th. (Retail and/or Wholesale)This is usually my first stop as I pull into Tucson because I can go there and shop for a couple of hours with some of my favorite vendors and then walk across the parking lot to Vivace's and have lunch with my girlfriends! They've got everything and most of the vendors have been at this location for many, many years!!

To Bead True Blue - Double Tree Reid Park Hotel. Jan. 29th - Feb. 3rd. (Retail and/or Wholesale) This is usually my second stop. Again, lots of vendors I love, tons of beads and findings, great classes, and if you feel like stopping for a glass of wine while shopping, they've got a restaurant here for that as well! This show ends on the 3rd of February, but "morphs" into,....

The Tucson Bead Show - Double Tree Reid Part Hotel. Feb. 4th - 6th. (Retail and/or Wholesale)Some of the same vendors remain through this weekend at the Reid Park Hotel - but there's some new faces this weekend too - and you don't want to miss them!! So - visit this hotel/show twice!!

The Best Bead Show - Kino Veteran's Memorial Community Center - Feb. 1st - 5th. (Retail and/or Wholesale)Tons of beads and findings to drool over, great vendors and classes to boot! Parking can be a hassle - but it can be a hassle at all the shows - so if you don't have to drive or park and can take the shuttle - do that.

G & LW Show - BIG!! You need a wholesale license to get into both the Holidome (Feb. 2nd - 10th)and the Gem Mall (Jan. 28th- Feb 10th). They're crowded, and for good reason! I get lots of my pearls from Majestic Pearl and they exhibit at both the Holidome and the Gem Mall and it's a great idea to hop around to both, cause there's different vendors at each. My friend Karen, whom I've known for something like 20 years, works with registration at G&LW, and she's the best when it comes to customer service - make sure to be nice to her when you're checking in!
(again, parking's a pain - take the shuttles if possible)

Mineral And Fossil Marketplace - Jan. 28th - Feb 11th.This is actually 4 shows (click on the link for the locations/times) But we go to the Hotel Tucson City Center. This place is really cool - especially if you've got family that wants to see things other than beads and gemstones. They've got huge dinosaur fossils, mega-sized Amethyst Crystals, cool meteorite and rock displays, jewelry, books, minerals galore and it's just a fun and funky, laid-back vibe from the minute you walk through the door.

(Yes - The pic of my hubby's face through that huge Amethyst was taken at this show!)

AGTA - Tucson Convention Center. Jan. 31st - Feb. 5th. This is the big daddy - well, to me it is. My boys don't like this one cause most things are behind glass counters and they're the 'touchy-feely' sort of folks. But me,...I just drool over all the amazing gemstones, pearls, cool minerals, diamonds and fabulous jewelry!! I go to this one by myself so my friends won't get mad when I spend 20 minutes looking at one stone!! (Wholesale only)

Create Your Style with Swarovski Tucson 2012 - Westin La Paloma. Jan. 31st - Feb. 2nd. (Open to the public) Again - another one Nina and I will attend by ourselves. Our boys just don't get all the sparkle! And, the La Paloma - wow - the views! They sparkle, too!!

GJX - Gem and Jewelry Exchange - Downtown on Granada. Jan. 31st - Feb. 5th. Parking's really a pain at this one (sorry, just being honest) but if you want to purchase some great quality gemstones at a wonderful price - this is one of the places to do just that! (Wholesale only)

Globe-X at the Days Inn - Jan. 29th - Feb. 13th. Off of Freeway Ave. Lumped into the shows known as the "Freeway Shows", Globe-X (and the rest of them have) everything from rocks, fossils, minerals, beads, fancy cut gemstones, rugs, ethnic/tribal finds, right on down to some great little food vendors. (Retail and/or Wholesal)

J.O.G.S. Show - Tucson Expo Center off of Irvington. Jan. 27th - Feb. 7th. (Wholesale only) Okay - this is one to see as well - has everything. Tons of great beads/gemstone strands and findings galore! Plus, fabulous jewelry for your store (if you've got one) and you can find some really great finds and some really great prices here, too.

And, here's the Tucson Show Guide link to a bunch more shows and places you'll want to check out!

I hope you enjoy your visit to Tucson should you be there this year!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Heading Down to the "Annual Drool Fest"!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Good Eats While Down in Tucson!!

2012-01-30T15:46:00.000-08:00

Okay - so a while back I mentioned that I'd be giving you a line up of a few places to 'stuff your face' while you're down in Tucson for all the Gem Shows, so here's a little sample of what the Old Pueblo has to offer:

Shelly, Nina and Ginny at Vivace's Feb-2011

Vivace - YUMMY!! On the corner of River and Campbell, Vivace's has some great Italian food, awesome service and this is where we all met last year for lunch. We just walked out of the Windmill Inn, where the Whole Bead Show is, and across the parking lot and enjoyed some yummy pasta and delicious wine! You gotta go! (Tell them Nina E. sent you!!)

The Girls at Vivace's - Nina, Ginny, Marsha and Janet
(I'm behind the camara - taken' the pic!)

The Blue Willow - A Tucson Tradition! An old 1940's Adobe house turned great restaurant, the ambiance takes you back in time and their breakfasts are what so many in Tucson love! (And their deserts!)
Lunch and dinner are always good, too.

Casa Molina's - Another Tucson Tradition (since 1947) and great Mexican food as well! Fabulous Margarita's baby (Try the Berry Berry Margarita - yummy) !!

Ni Nidito Restaurant - It's been around for decades and is a must stop for some of the best Mexican food in Tucson - hands down!

Jerry Bob's - Best comfort food in the West! Well, in Tucson anyway. Both of the ones at Oracle / McGee and Thornydale / Cortaro on the NW side of town are the ones we always used to go to with our friends on Sunday mornings when we lived down there. If you're going on the weekend, get there early, cause you'll have to wait to get in!

Frankie's South Philly Cheesesteaks - Longing for some great Philly Cheesesteaks are you? Well this is the place!

Flemmings - At Skyline and Campbell, Flemmings has a nice atmosphere, amazing wine list and of course, yummy salads and steaks that are to die-for! I've never eaten at a Flemmings that wasn't great!

Pinnacle Peak Steak House / El Corral and Trail Dust Town - Okay - it can be a little "Hokie" but Trail Dust Town is something everyone wants to see when they come to Tucson for some reason - probably because Pinnacle Peak Steak House is pretty well known,...so is El Corral. Both have great steaks and cold beer - very yummy in the hot, dry desert!

Here's one I'd like to try because I've heard really good things about it - Azul Restaurant and Lounge inside the Westin LaPaloma. With great views of the beautiful Catalina Mountains, who wouldn't want to sip a cocktail and cool your heels at this place?!!

My favorite place in all of Tucson though is of course, my friend Nina's! She makes the best Chili Blanco around and pours a mean glass of wine, too! Wish I could invite you all over there to enjoy it with me, but even with a couple of acres, I'm not sure we'd all fit!

Shelly and Nina
Ready to Enjoy Some of Nina's Famous Chili Blanco!

Steve and Mike
Cooking in the Kitchen with Nina

There's tons of other great places to sit back, relax and enjoy the views and tastes of Tucson, so be sure to ask around because every local has his/her own favorites.

And, if you hear something mentioned more than once, take their advice and check it out!!

Again, make sure you're wearing comfy shoes, have your sunscreen on and your water bottle in your hand - it's the desert (yes, I know, last year it was below freezing,...but that was a bit unusual!!).

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Hanging Out in the Old Pueblo!

Having Fun with Crazy Friends

Cheers,

~Shel~

I'm So Sorry To Have To Post This,....

2012-01-29T15:11:00.000-08:00

Well, it's taken me long enough to post today, that's for sure! That's because I was a bit scared to post this,....but, you can't grow if you don't do what's uncomfortable, right?

As Always, Click The Photos To Enlarge Them

I've been messing around with some Parawire / Vintaj Arte Metal Colored Wire and wrapping some things and hammering it, etc. and I'm forced to report to you

that I'm not impressed.

I hate to say that (especially publicly) as I'm sure I'll be black-balled from every jewelry magazine, craft site, blog, etc. in the beading and handcrafted jewelry world!!

But, I can't sit here and pretend this doesn't bother me.

Okay, so for the record - I do love Vintaj's brass

and new copper blanks and charms and

their arte metal blanks and charms, too.

But this wire is just not doing anything for me.

And yes, I've used other Parawire/Vintaj brand wires with much better success. At least that's a positive, right?!

The "permanent" coating peeled off when I wrapped it around these pearls with my hands (no tools used). At least the 24 gauge wire did, anyway. And you can see in my loops, where I did use tools, what happened. (And no, I don't have that heavy a hand).

The 22 gauge wire held up a smidge better on another pair, but not much.

And hammering the 20gauge wire into ear wires (not for sale or anything, but just to try it out for myself and see how it handled) well,....the minute the hammer touches it,....yuck,...guess it's not meant for that. But hey, you gotta experiment and try stuff or you'll never know, right?

So, on a positive note - if I take pictures at the right angle, you really can't see the 'mucked-up' wire - right? Yea,...I can still see it, too.

The Artisan Copper and Antique Bronze wires both hold up much better when I beat them up with my hammer or wrap them around tiny little pearls.

And, to be clear here, I do like other Parawire and Vintaj products,....just not this particular wire I purchased.

Someone please tell me that it's just these few spools that I purchased at Hobby Lobby and not all of Parawire's Vintaj Arte Metal Colored Wire - please???

These poor little pearls probably think I hate them right now.

See, I'm not the only silver snob - my pearls like it, too!!

Ooohhhhh,...I just got taken off a bunch of 'blog rolls' right there and half my followers just quit following me.

(I'm doing well for the beginning of the year, don't you think?!!)

I'm going to be ripping these little babies apart tomorrow and re-doing them in sterling silver and dipping them in some LOS till they're black like these here.

Then I'm sure I'll be thrilled with them!

Anyhoo,...now that all that's said,...I'm here, ready for the 'Shel Bashing' to start - so go ahead.

I won't whine when people leave mean comments 'cause I know you're all are in love with both Parawire and Vintaj (and I am too) and they're the hottest things around right now,....so go ahead,...let me know what you think. No profanity though - those comments won't get through!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and "Going Out On A Limb!"

Cheers,

~Shel~

Oh - I'm linking up with I heart Macro today, too. You should see the amazing photos on todays' line-up. HOLY COW they're amazing!!

A Little of This,...A Little of That!

2012-01-26T06:23:00.000-08:00

The paddle boat got away and drifted down the lake one day this week. One of our nice neighbors tied it up to the nearest yard and came and told us the other night.
(Thank you Steve!)

Escapee

I can't believe we didn't notice it was missing for the whole afternoon - duh!!

Tiki Torch

Had to go get some oil for these guys this week because it's been nice enough to light them and sit outside a few nights.

And, our roses (I know, you're sick of seeing them!)
but they're as big and my entire hand now!

Huge, I'm telling you,...just huge!!

Linking up to This or That Thursday

over on Deb Duty's Blog today - go check it out!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and a little of this and a little of that!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Echo Creative Club - Join the Fun!!

2012-01-25T05:54:00.000-08:00

Today's the reveal day for the January edition of the

Echo Creative Club!

Jeannie, from Jeannie's Blog, is the creator of some really great pendants and beads and she's the mastermind behind

Echo Creative Club.

Each month Jeannie graciously sends the particpants either

one of her Gin Blossom Pendants or a set of her

Peeled Paint Art Beads and we all create something with them and then blog about it on the 25th of each month.

Gin Blossom Pendants By Jeannie

To see what all the participants created,
click on the links towards the bottom of this post!

My January piece is called "Spice It Up"

I hope you like it!!

I braided some recycled Sari Silk and red suede leather together and then wire wrapped some bright red flower beads and wire mesh beads (both from Michael's) and added Jeannie's cool black and silver Gin Blossom Pendant. I also stamped "Spice It Up" into an Vintaj Arte Metal blank and then bufffed most of the black off so that it mimicked Jeannie's Gin Blossom pendant just a bit and then added that to the mix here as well.

This is completely different from my usual style of jewelry (if you could even say that I have a style!) and was a nice change of pace for me.

I loved mixing it up a bit with this design!
I need to do that every now and then, or I get bored!!

A Special "Thanks!!" to Jeannie for providing us all with this great opportunity to try out her fun pendants (or beads)!

Please hop on over to the other particpants blogs and see their creations. Don't forget to chime in and give them some wonderful feedback - I know they'd appreciate it!

Molly Alexander
http://www.beautifullybrokenme.blogspot.com

Courtney Breul

http://beadsbybreul.blogspot.com

Michelle Buettner
http://www.MiShelDesigns.blogspot.com

Shannon Chomanczuk
http://www.formysweetdaughter.blogspot.com

Cindy Cima Edwards

http://www.cindycima.com

Beth Emery

http://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com

Kristen Stevens

http://kristen-beadjourney.blogspot.com

Jeannie K Dukic

http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and "Spice" Baby!

Cheers,

~Shel~

I Heart Macro

2012-01-22T17:07:00.000-08:00

Linking up with I Heart Macro

over at Studio Waterstone today.

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Awesome Macro Shots!

Cheers,

~Shel~

This or That Thursday!

2012-01-19T06:54:00.000-08:00

Linking up with This or That Thursday today.

Thinking about things,....so I'm deep in thought today.

Sometimes I miss these laying around the house.

Simpler times.

This one's gonna be beautiful!

Have a great Thursday.

Hop on over and see what everyone else has shared on

Deb Duty's Blog for This or That Thursday.

There's always such amazing talent linked up over there!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Thoughts of Things!

Cheers,

~Shel~

BTW and a Discount Coupon For You!

2012-01-18T04:30:00.000-08:00

I'm still playing around with some of these today, re-stringing (finally) some jewelry for a friend and contemplating a few other things.

Vintaj embossed blanks that I've been playing around with

What's on YOUR Bead Table Today?

I'm putting a few new pieces up in the

MiShel Designs Etsy Store later this week.

Mystery Earrings that could possibly show up in my store this week!

Use coupon code "Valentine25" in the MiShel Designs Etsy Store upon check out and get 25% off your order!

Faceted Amethyst Nugget Earrings

This coupon code is just for my blog friends and my facebook/twitter followers - it's not posted in my shop - so enjoy it while you can!

Leather and Hematite Wrap Bracelet available in the
MiShel Designs Etsy Store

On another note, I must not have rubbed my rabbit's foot the right way, cause I didn't get selected by the random number picker that Lori Anderson did for this round of the Bead Soup Blog Party.

Congrats to all those who did get selected - you're going to have a blast!

Plus, it's still going to be super fun hopping around all over the internet on March 3rd and drooling over what all the particpants created.

It will be like "Disneyland on steriods" for all us bead lovers!

Everyone have a great "Hump Day" as you coast on into the weekend, okay?

Barbie's still hanging out on my Bead Table!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Random Stuff!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Linking up with Bead Table Wednesday today

over on Flickr!

I Heart Macro - It's Sunday!!

2012-01-15T10:35:00.000-08:00

Soft Lines

Soft Light

And some things that were forgotten,....

Happy Sunday!

Linking up with I Heart Macro over at

Studio Waterstone

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Feelings!

Cheers,

~Shel~

As always, click on the photos to enlarge them.

All photos by Michelle Buettner ~ 2012

Valentine's Day is Just Around the Corner

2012-01-14T09:49:00.000-08:00

Okay - We all know that Valentine's Day is just around the corner and since the beginning of the year, Pearls and Pearl Designs have been a big hit and I'm guessing there's some pretty smart shoppers out there buying early for Valentine's Day (hint: They've told me that's what they're doing!!)

You've all got your Websites and Facebook pages all decked out for those shoppers, right?

What's that? You don't? Me either, really.

Keshi Pearls by Michelle Buettner
As Seen In BeadStyle Magazine - July 2011

But, I have noticed that changing tags and re-listing regularly in my Etsy shop helps with getting noticed when people do a search so, here's a helpful link from Etsy on that.

TAGGING

You can use it not only to help you with your Etsy shop if you have one, but your Artfire shop, your regular website, your Facebook Business Page, or whatever social media or internet site you use to market your designs. Take the info that could be applied to you and your business and run with it!

I made special note of my best sellers over the past couple of months and yes indeed - the PEARLS have it - Hands Down!! So, I've got those listed first in my shop since that's what people tend to be looking for and, I have links on my blog for people to find out even more information on pearls as well.

Also, don't be afraid to give yourself credit where credit is due, pat yourself on the back or list yourself as an expert in your field - this is important if you want people to take you seriously.

I have a Pearls Diploma from GIA and list myself as a "Pearl Specialist" (my term, not GIA's!) and when my customers read my Etsy profile or look on the first page of my Website/Blog, they know this and realize they can ask questions and receive an educated answer; one they can trust.

So, go figure out what your best sellers are (or, what you'd like your best sellers to be), dust the shelves of your shop and brush up on your 'expert' skills and put yourself out there.

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love, and Sharing Your Talents!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Happy Friday!

2012-01-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

Who says Friday the 13th is unlucky? Jason, who??

Lark Publishing - Studio Series

Well, it's lucky for me! I was the winner of one of the fabulous Lark Books that Cyndi over at Beading Arts and Mixed Media Artist is giving away this month.

Cyndi with Beading Arts

And guess what? It was the Earrings Book!!

Can You Believe That? Earrings are my FAV!

Earrings Studio Series
Lark Books

(Insert Shelly doing the "Happy Dance" here)

You really want to check this out because there's lots more books to be won this month, so don't miss out!

Click Here Now!

Oh, and I'm not doing too well on my Earring Wire video tutorial thing I mentioned a few posts back.

I may have to pull out the old PDF's of the earring classes I've taught and post those here for you until I can get the video thing to work out like I want it to.

I'll keep you updated on that over the next week or so - okay?

I hope your Friday the 13th is a very lucky one!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love, Lucky Numbers and Silly Superstitions!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

This or That Thursday!

2012-01-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

Linking up today with This or That Thursday

over on Deb Duty's Blog.

Also, I'm giving a big shout out and huge "Thank You" to Brandi over at Brandi Girl Blog for her lovely tutorial on

"How To Make a Color Palette".

I'm extremely techno-challenged, as you've all heard me tell you, so this was a great thing for me to learn.

I'm going to use it this year when I'm designing jewelry and hopefully it will help me to throw more colors into my designs.

Have a great Thursday!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Gorgeous Colors!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Are You Ready for Tucson,....

2012-01-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

Okay, so most of you know how excited I get to attend (and sometimes teach during) the Tucson Gem, Mineral and Bead Shows that happen in late January and early February of each year, right?

Oh, the pearls,...and beads and gems - oh my!

Well, this year's no exception!! Hopefully with out the hard freeze they had last year, but hey, I will not complain either way!!

Read my article from last year's show

over on the Beading Arts Blog

I'm always busy hunting down my favorite vendors and drooling over which Pearls are the best in town but this year I'm actually looking forward to scoping out a bunch of different things that I've never checked out or attended.

Some of my lovely finds

More beauties to take home

Always try something new and
venture outside of your comfort zone!

Here's a handy tip.

Get your Tucson Show Guide now!

If you've never attended any of the shows in Tucson during this time of year (and there's a zillion of them,...honestly!!) , you're gonna want to have a 'heads-up' on what's what, who's where and how to get around.

Meteorite Men in Tucson Again this Year

There were a couple of years where the freeway was under construction and if you didn't know your way around or take the shuttles, I'm sure you found Tucson a smidge challenging and your drive time a bit longer than expected - leaving you short on shopping and drooling time!

As for the Tucson Show Guide - I usually end up with about three of these babies in my car because once you get there they're all over and everyone grabs one and leaves it with me thinking I need another,...???

The Show Guide will help you find shows with fun things like this!!

And this wan't even the biggest one!!

This year you can even get your Show Guide digitally and not have to haul it around (How Cool Is THIS?!!) So take advantage of this nifty piece of technology, won't you? And if you have to have one you can touch and hold, take it with you when you get out of my car, we've got enough to wallpaper the moon with!

Tucson Sunsets are the best!

Also, you really do have to prepare for almost any type of weather. Seriously. It's cold in the desert in February - at least when the sun's not shining. It rains each year - truly - at some point anyway. And yes, when the sun does shine or if it's a bit over-cast, you need sunscreen people or your little noses and cheeks will turn a bit red! Just saying,....

The beautiful Santa Catalinas!

And shoes! Okay - you're talking to the shoe diva here (see my 'Shel' section of this blog and scroll all the way down - yes I have walked in those - but never at the gem show!!).

Fashion out the window - you don't want your tootsies keeping you from all those gorgeous treasures!

Best places to stay you ask?

"Girlfriends"

Well, I'm really lucky and get to stay with one of my best girlfriends and her family. Our boys have been friends since they were two years old (we used to live in Tucson), and they always open their home to us. I usually check into the "Elliott Hilton" by myself for a few days first while I hang with Nina, some other girlfriends and my sis and check out all the shows.

Lunching with the girls

Then, the last weekend of the show, the hubby and son travel down and join me and both families enjoy a few fun days of searching for great treasures!

We have a tradition where after we're all done shopping we bring our goodies back to the house, have an excellent dinner that Nina always prepares to perfection, open a few bottles of wine and have "Show and Tell" - it's one of my favorite traditions!!

Cookin' with Nina!

Yes - we're all a bunch of dorks - but we do have FUN!!

Our boys are in high school now and they still enjoy this weekend w/us!! (Or at least they tell us they do!)

These two keep us entertained!

In another post, I'll give you some tips on some various shows and exhibits to check out, some great restaurant suggestions for your hungry tummy and a few other goodies to be found down in the Old Pueblo!

So, go download your Tucson Show Guide 2012
now and start planning away!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Gearing Up!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Today's Your Last Chance!

2012-01-09T03:00:00.000-08:00

Today's your last day to register for the

5th Bead Soup Blog Party over on

Lori Anderson's blog Pretty Things.

She's doing a lottery style drawing this time around

to keep in manageable since last time

there were well over 300 particpants.

So, if you've never participated before, or even if you have, go check it out and register for a chance to get in on the fun!!

Untile Next Time,

Peace, Love and Fun Things!

Cheers,

~Shel~

I Heart Macro - It's Sunday!!

2012-01-08T03:30:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Colors!

As Always, Click To Enlarge.

Linking up with I Heart Macro Today,...

Spreading the LOVE in 2012,....

2012-01-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

This is kind of like my Friday's Fab Favorites again. I wanted to share a few sites that I love to go check out and read - they're fabulous, have great content and some of them are even having give-a-ways and challenges to boot!

Regina's Writings - LOVE her blog! She has gorgeous jewelry and shares wonderful content and right now she's having a great Give-A-Way on her blog if you leave a comment and tell her about your New Year's Plans - so head on over there right now.

The necklace she's giving away is beautiful!!

Regina's Writings - Blog Give-A-Way

Michelle Mach's blog Beads and Books is always a fun place to check out and right now she's having a Valentine's challenge and it's not a bead challenge either!

Michelle Mach's Valentine's Challenge

And, it's FREE! (Can you believe I'm posting something that's not related to jewelry in some fashion?) Check out the cool challenge she's got going on and join in the fun!

Then, you know what's coming up right?

Yep, it's the

5th Bead Soup Blog Party over on

Lori Anderson's Blog, Pretty Things

and registration starts this weekend!

It's gotten absolutely HUGE the last couple of times she's hosted this awesome event and so this time it's going to be run by a lottery to keep it down to a do-able size for everyone.

So, head on over to Lori's Blog between

Saturday the 7th - Monday the 9th to register

and then hold your lucky rabbit's foot or whatever else you do for luck and pray you're one of the fortunate 200 who are randomly picked!! I participated this past fall and had a wonderful partner and a great time!

Lori does an excellent job of keeping everything fair, fun and fantastic!! (what a job though - I cannot even begin to imagine all she goes through to accomplish such a wonderful event!) And, even if I don't get to participate this go-around, I'm really looking forward to the reveal date on March 3rd (Just a few weeks prior to my birthday!) when everyone's creations will be revealed and I can drool over all the fabulous designs everyone creates - that part is SOOO much fun, let me tell you!!

I love sharing what other's are doing out there on the web in 'Jewelry and Craft Land' because there's so many talented people with awesome give-a-way, challenges, ideas and fun parties going on - what's not to love about all of them!

Drop me a line and let me know what you've got going on over on your blog and I'll do a little mention here or on my MiShel Designs Facebook Page and I'll send a couple of Tweets out into Cyberland for you as well!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Spreading the LOVE in 2012!!

Cheers!

~Shel~

This or That Thursday!

2012-01-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

It's This Or That Thursday over on Deb Duty's Blog. Her photography just amazes me. It's like you can reach out and touch everything that's in her photos - I love it!!

So, not as good as Deb's,...or most other's over on her blog today, but these are the best I've been able to produce this week,...

Here's what's happening in my world today:

I love our roses and various flowers around out yard (they're in all my pics and I'm sure you're sick of them by now!).

Yes, this one is fake, but she changes colors once it gets dark and it's pretty cool!

Anyway,...I'm really loving our Grapefruit that are finally ready!

I'm making one of THESE yummy drinks with them and,....

I'm going to sit HERE and enjoy it while I take in the last of the Christmas Tree lights before they come down tomorrow.

The weather here's been in the high 70's to low 80's and so I'm getting together with my girl friends and we're grilling out some yummy steaks and having salad and great wine and loving the fact that we don't have to shovel snow in January!!

We're going to enjoy each other's company and try to convince Rox to go with us to Italy this fall (even though she's already been there,...done that!) and hang out with us while we stay at a farm house in Tuscany, sip wine, eat fantastic food and hopefully perfect or photography skills enough to take some really cool pics (where's Misha's when you need her, huh?!).

So, what were you up to this week, huh?

Please hop on over to Deb Duty's Blog for This or That Thursday - you will SOOOOO love it!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Enjoying Beautiful Moments in Life!

Cheers,

~Shel~

BTW And Other Things,...

2012-01-04T19:37:00.000-08:00

So, today for BTW (Bead Table Wednesday)

these were on my bench,

along with some other things.

Oh, what to do with these,...what to do,....

My thoughts included.

And these 'huge-ass' crystals that have been sitting in my drawer for almost a year screaming at me for attention are now on my bead table, too!

Not quite sure what I'm doing with these yet, either!

Barbie stopped in to sit a spell on my bench again, too!

She thinks if she stops by often enough I'll make her another necklace,...or a cool little leather belt like she's been asking for!

I've been busy setting my goals for 2012 this week and have been organizing, planning new directions, setting up a course of action and contemplating everything from

business plans and personal goals to fine tuning my

body, mind and soul!

You name it, it's been buzzing around in my head!

Getting in touch with ME is a biggie this year. You might see more of the 'real me' than you want to and in the comments box you may have to write "TMI, Shel,...TMI!"

But let's hope not!

You're lucky I can't take a picture of the inside of my head or it would be here for you to see,... all that jumbled up do-da in my head on these pages.

Yep,...I'm pretty sure I'd loose a few followers on that one!

Anyhoo,.....

Vintaj brass blanks that I embossed.
(See the owl? Owl's are one of my totems and I usually don't use them in my designs or even show them - I just hoard them!)

Not sure what I'm doing with these Vintaj Brass Blanks I embossed. Should I create something with them or put them in my Jewelry Supplies shop for other people to create really cool things with them?

Any thoughts?

I'm trying to find the flip camera (I think it's in the RV that's out in storage a Ba-Zillion miles away!) to see if I can do those tutorial videos on the earring wires like people have asked for, so that's going a bit slow at the moment!

Photo from one on my bracelet tutorials from about 4 years ago or so!

I am participating in a pretty cool little endeavor this year - The Echo Creative Club over on Jeannie's Blog.

Echo Creative Club - Jeannie's Blog

I'm only doing about 6 or 7 of the months because that's all I could commit to at this time, but I'm really looking forward to it and my first post will be this month on the 25th, so stop back by and see what's going on with that won't you?

So, what's cooking inside your head and studio this year? Anything cool? How's your creative juices? Are they flowing like crazy with the start of the New Year?

I hope that 2012 has started off to be a great year for you and that it continues full spead ahead so all your hopes, dreams and aspirations come to fruition!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Contemplation!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Video Tutorials

2012-01-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

Here's a question for everyone:

What media do you use for your video tutorials?

Do you just have a flip share camera video you download or a regular camera on a tripod,...your computer camera?

What forms of video and editing do you find the easiest for you or the best as far as quality and funtions?

I'm a complete techno-idiot,

so the word EASY really interests me.

But, being a bit of an anal perfectionist

(not always a good thing!),

I want to make sure the quality is good enough

for people to see clearly.

I'm asking because I've had people tell me they would like to see a video tutorial of a few of the earring wire styles

that I create and have for sale over on my

Shel's Jewelry Supplies Etsy site.

After you answer my questions about the types of video you use and download, what types of earring wire styles or other jewelry tutorials would you want to see?

I've seen so many really good jewelry videos but a couple of the one's that stand out for me are the ones by

B'Sue's Boutiques and the ones on Beaducation.

I also like the ones that Szarka Carter

with Magpie Gemstones does, too.

All are completely different kinds of videos as far as the settings they are in and how they approach each subect - but they are all packed with excellent information, great techniques and loads of helpful hints and tips.

Click on the names above to go to a few of their videos and check them out - you'll be glad you did!

Have fun creating this week and be sure to give me some feedback - what you like, what you've tried, what you don't like, etc.

Any info or feedback at all is greatly appreciated!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Learning New Things!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Wishing You A Healthy, Happy and Prosperous 2012!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Snowy Trips!

2011-12-28T09:44:00.000-08:00

As always, click on images to make them bigger! :)

Getting ready to go hang out here for

New Year's Eve!

I hear there's way more snow than this right now, too!!

Good thing we've got the Subaru!

( I swear, I need to do commercials for Subaru!)

I hope you're warm, safe and having a great time with

family and friends during winter break!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Beautiful Snowy Places!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Only a Few Days Left,...

2011-12-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

Wow - This year seemed to fly by, didn't it?

from DarkerAngels via Pinterest

It's hard to believe that 2011 is almost over and 2012 is just around the corner!

From Boston.com via Pinterest

Do you make New Year's Resolutions or not?

I used to, but now I just stick with our "Bucket List" that Mike and I started writing out in 1997, the year our son was born.

Each year, somewhere close to New Year's, we cross off our bucket list all the things we've experienced and/or accomplished and replace those things with new ones.

Our Bucket Lists are more fun for us than New Year's Resolutions.

As a family we feel blessed and thankful that 2011 was a good year for us (and hopefully the remaining days will continue on this trend!).

Here's a few things I'm thankful for:

A happy, healthy family

A roof over my head and food on the table

A business that supports us

A hobby that allows me to be creative

Friends and family that I adore and love to hang out with!

My Subaru (***Love***)

Hot Showers and indoor plumbing ;)

My Health

Arizona (yes, even when it's 112 degrees, I still love where I live!)

My Tempurpedic bed and pillow

Here's a few things I'm looking forward to in 2012:

Continued good health for myself and my family

Continued success in our business

Camping in the desert w/my hubby and son again

Tuscany trip with the girls

Summer Vacation

Tucson Gem and Mineral Show

What about you? What did 2011 Bless you with?

What are you looking forward to in 2012?

Do you make New Year's Resolutions or do you have a "Bucket List"?

Whatever your traditions are, I hope you are able to enjoy them to the fullest these last few days of the year and that 2012 is one of your best, most productive, prosperous and happy years of all!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Here's to a Wonderful 2012!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Me and My Boys - Christmas Day 2011

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T03:25:00.000-08:00

May Your Christmas Be Warm And Bright!

Until Next Time,

PEACE, LOVE and JOY!

Cheers,

~Shel~

It's Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T07:23:00.000-08:00

When I was a little girl, my brother and sister-in-law would host

a brother-sister get together at their house every Christmas Eve.

It was my favorite night of the year!

There would be people laughing, fun snacks to eat,

cool presents under the tree, games to play and music playing!

It's one of my most cherished childhood memories.

I love looking back at all the old photos!

I hope you have many lovely Christmas memories that you cherish.

Here's wishing you more happy and warm memories this year, too!

Merry Christmas!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Memories of Christmas Eve!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Artists Helping Artists

2011-12-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Artists Helping Artists Silent Auction

Once again, several artists in the blog community have decided to come together to help a fellow artist in need.

A silent auction has been set up and the below participants have generously donated their amazing art work in order to help a fellow artist who, as the result of a very tragic accident, has suffered the loss of her mother and is recovering in the hospital herself.

The auction will run from Thursday, Dec. 22nd

through Wednesday, Dec. 28th at midnight

so there's plenty of time to browse through

the links below and bid on all the beautiful pieces

that you just cannot do without!

After all, this IS the "Season of Giving"!

Auction Participants:

http://myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com/

http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

http://skyejewels.blogspot.com/

http://storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com/

http://vintagebluestudio.typepad.com/

http://beads2die4.blogspot.com/

http://andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

http://MarieDodd.blogspot.com

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Giving Graciously!

Cheers,

~Shel~

BTW - Bead Table Wednesday!

2011-12-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

Okay - so I'm not real good at silence,or inactivity, so here's what's on my bead table today.

Odds and Ends - Making Last Minute Gifts for the Holidays Today!!

Which, I might say, is actually pretty full right now as I'm trying to get gifts finished and ready for Christmas!!

Lampwork Glass Beads - Firebabies on Etsy
Vintaj Artisan Copper and Bead Caps

Someone Special's Getting This for Christmas!

And I finished these - they're for me to wear on Christmas! (Lucky ME!)

Hope you're all having a wonderful week and that you're creating something wonderful, whether it be jewelry, cookies for the holidays or lovely memories with your family!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Creating Fun Things!!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Time to Pause,....

2011-12-14T10:15:00.000-08:00

Sometimes ya just gotta sit back and say

"That's it! Time to take a break!"

Time to get things done around the home and for the family (and myself!) that need to be done and everything else can just be on "pause".

Here's what I'm dreaming of and what I'm looking forward to as I enter into my Winter Holiday!

Looking forward to spending time at the Cabin and
hanging with family and sledding and making snow angels!

Looking forward to sipping hot cocoa and schnapps w/my hubby in the treehouse!

Looking forward to smothering these
two wild kiddos with hugs and kisses!!

Looking forward to spending time with my hubby and son
and all my family for the holidays!

What are some of the things you're dreaming of this Winter Holiday Season? Any plans?

Sharing times with family and friends?

Being Creative and Enjoying Every Moment??

Well, whatever it is, I hope it's amazing and wonderful and that 2012 is one of the best yet!!

(This doesn't mean I won't be back to say a few things between now and the end of the year,... it's just time to take a break and enjoy what's right in front of me for a spell!)

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Living in the Moment!

Cheers,

~Shel~

I Heart Macro - It's Sunday!!

2011-12-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

My point and click views this week:

(as always, click on the photos to enlarge them)

Around the house I put up the Christmas decorations and arranged the gorgeous wood Santa carvings by my brother and smelled some of our lovely roses.

Camped in the Desert

(which is always an adventure with my two boys!)

The only picture my son would let me take of him (that he knew about!)

Campfire by the Arizona Sunset

Beautiful Scenery!

There's gold on the other side of them-there hills!
The Vulture Mine gold to be exact!

He should have brused more frequently don't you think?

Yes, but it's a dry heat!

Moonrise over the mountains

Cholla

These will hurt!

These will hurt more!

These are just cool looking!

More stick-i-stuff

And, a beautiful, young saguaro!

How was your week - see anything beautiful or interesting you'd like to share?

Hop on over to Studio Waterstone for I Heart Macro today - you'll be thrilled with all the gorgeous photos!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Beauty in the Strangest Places!

Cheers,

~Shel~

25% Off This Weekend!!

2011-12-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

Are You Still Shopping For Wonderful Gifts For All Those You Adore?

Enjoy 25% Off This Weekend Over at the

MiShel Designs Etsy Store!

Use Coupon Code Winter25 Upon Check Out!

Have a Great Weekend Everyone!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Fantastic Savings!

Cheers,

~Shel~

And The Winner Is,...

2011-12-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

Patty Wins - Yeah!!

(I've already emailed her to give her the fun news!)

So, there you have it folks! I hope you enjoyed visiting all the great, unique and fun shops during the Holiday Shop Hop this past weekend!

Keep in mind that from now until January 15th, 2012, the button at the top of my blog that says "Holiday Shop Hop 2011" will have all the shops that participated in the Holiday Shop Hop along with a few more that have been added to the list so you can enjoy browsing their shops, websites and/or blogs during the entire Winter Break.

Many of the shops are running promotions, sales and have all sorts of fun things going on this whole month - so please stop back by and check out their shops and see what's new!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Holiday Cheer!

Cheers,

~Shel~

100!!

2011-12-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

I told you back here, in this original post, that I'd be doing a give-a-way once I reached 100 followers and so today's the day!

Congratulations to the following winners!

Saun, of the blog "Live by the Sun, Love by the Moon" won this lovely set!

Romantic Rose Set Won by Saun!

Carlynne, of Hershberger and Huff Studios won my "Follow Your Heart" necklace!

Follow Your Heart Necklace won by Carlynne!

And, Mariter, won the "Butterscotch" Bracelet!

Butterscotch Bracelet won by Mariter!

Way to go everyone! Email me at Shel@asicj.com so I can get your addresses from you and send you your goodies!!

Thanks so much to everyone who follows. I appreciate you joining me and I love to hear your comments!

Plus, join me tomorrow as I give away this cute set!

Who will win this tomorrow?!

The people who commented on my "Holiday Shop Hop" post from Saturday and Sunday are all in the running - good luck!!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Fun Give-A-Ways!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Holiday Shop Hop 2011

2011-12-02T21:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Holiday Shop Hop 2011

Saturday, December 3rd and Sunday, December 4th

Carved Wooden Snowman Ornament by Gordon W. Baldock
Photo by Michelle Buettner
Graphic Enhancement by Mary Anne Flesch of Handcrafted Serenity Jewelry

We all know it's pretty easy to hop around and shop all over Etsy, Artfire and many other super wonderful arts and craft sites, but sometimes it's a bit daunting and so this was developed (with some generous help from some very wonderful people, I might add!) to be a fun and enjoyable way to shop handmade and support the arts and crafts sector of the small business world during this very busy gift giving season!

"Winter in Nutrioso"
Photo by Michelle Buettner

Listed below are some pretty cool places to find unique handmade items such as Jewelry (I love buying other jewelry artist's designs - they're so gorgeous!!) and Jewelry related items, such as Beads and Supplies (I can never have enough of these!). There's also handcrafted Toys, Wearable Goods, Bath and Body Products, Candles and items we use everyday such as Pens, but these are handcrafted with some really cool flair!

Some of the participants below have listed their online shops for you to browse through while others have listed their blogs, website or Facebook page which is where you will find information on the wonderful items they create and offer for sale. (The MiShel Designs Etsy shop is listed in the link list below with everyone else's and there's a clickable link over here on the right side of my blog. I've got a coupon code for 20% off posted in my shop announcements for shoppers as well.)

Each participant has created their own unique shopping experience for you and you'll want to be on the look out for a few that are offering specials, discount codes or coupons and even a possible give-a-way or two!

To start things off, I'm going to be giving away a necklace and earring set here on the MiShel Designs Blog. Everyone who leaves a comment at the bottom of this post either today or tomorrow will be entered in the drawing and the participant will be chosen by random.org and announced here on my blog on Tuesday, December 6th, 2011.

Necklace and Earring Set by Michelle Buettner
of MiShel Designs

So please, browse through the list below and enjoy the

Holiday Shop Hop!

A Bead A Day

Blackbeary Mountain

Blue Pearls Handcrafted Goods

Chic and Frog

Crafty Hope

Dragonfly Dreamers

Etania Gems

ExPostFacto Jewelry

Fangdangles

GreenBead Designs

Handcrafted Serenity Jewelry Designs

Happy and Healthy Magnetic Jewelry

Holly Westfall / Silver Rose Designs

Just A Tish

Just Mare Pottery

Keefer Style Creations

Kabs Creative Concepts

Klassy Joolz

Kristi Bowman Design

Lilly Rose Jewelry Designs

Little Rocks

MiShel Designs

Melinda Orr Designs

My Life Under the Bus

Olive Branch Organics

Pine Ridge Treasures

Pink Poppy Studio

Rosebud’s Lampwork Beads

Sand & Sea Designs

SCJ Jewelry Design

Sew Stacy

SongBeads

Studio Waterstone

Sundancegems

Suzanne Stevens

Sweet Creek Herbs

Sweet Water Designs

Wire Worked Handcrafted Jewelry

We Hope You Have Enjoyed The Holiday Shop Hop!

Although Most Of The Specials and/or Give-A-Ways These Shops Are Having May Only Be
Valid During Certain Times,
The "Holiday Shop Hop" Button
at the Top of This Blog
Will Have These Shops Listed
Until January 15, 2012
So That You May Browse
Through Their Shops During
Your Entire Winter Break!

Enjoy!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

Peace, Love and Happy Handmade Holiday!

Cheers,

~Shel~

With Much Gratitude

2011-12-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

It was brought to my attention that I hadn't properly thanked all the wonderful people who helped me with the Holiday Shop Hop that's taking place here on my blog tomorrow and Sunday, so I wanted to take this opportunity to do so!

First and foremost, to everyone who’s blindly jumped in to participate and make this little shop hop a fun event this weekend. Thank you so VERY much!

You’ve tweeted, you’ve facebooked, you’ve blogged, and talked, and emailed and shared the information for the Holiday Shop Hop with so many people and it will be thanks to all of your brilliant efforts when it’s a success!

Next I’ve got a little “private list” of peeps that have listened to my long, drawn out and rambling emails (You know who you are!!) and who’ve also offered countless suggestions and were there when this was just an inkling and I had no idea what the heck I even wanted to do to help get traffic to people's shops and to help get people to shop handmade, small business and “local” (in their jammies, in their own house!) this gift giving season! Thank you!!

I want to give a big shout out to these wonderful women as well:

Lori Anderson – Lori’s listened to many of my rambling emails, gave suggestions and offered help despite her own very cool and successful Virtual Craft Fair she’s got going on this entire week over on her blog, Pretty Things! Thank you so much Lori, your suggestions, offers of help and ear for listening are greatly appreciated and deeply valued!

Lisa Crone: Lisa got blind-sided as I asked a ton of her one night via email. She had such a full schedule and still said to me “As soon as I’m free, I’ll help out”. So, when she finished, I said “Oh, thanks, but I’ve got it under control”. How rude of me – not on purpose, but still - rude of me none-the-less! And, being the gracious one she is, she still helped out! What a class act! Thank you so much for your support and help!

Regina Santerre: Regina was one of the first one’s to step in and say “Count me in!” and she’s also the one who came up with the actual name “Holiday Shop Hop” – it was her suggestions vs. whatever the long, drawn out and wordy thing I was trying to use was! J Thanks a bunch Regina – I think the name rocks!!

Mary Anne Flesch: Mary Anne jumped in for the Shop Hop and then she took my little “Snowman Button” and “fixed” him! Yep, she took the yellow out and made him look all pretty and white like a snowman should! Yeah!! And then, of course, I messed it up again,….what’s new?!! L But, Thank You Mary Anne! You took your time and effort to help me and I appreciate it so much!! And, if I do this next year,…I’ll make sure I use the Snowman you fixed!!

Mary Anne's nice white Snowman! :)

And not the one that looks like it was made with snow that Santa’s Reindeer peed on! J

Shelly's 'yellow-ish' Snowman

THANK YOU everyone! I really am grateful.

Peace, Love and Here’s to a Successful Holiday Shop Hop This Weekend for Everyone!

Cheers,

~Shel~

This or That,...and Some Other Stuff

2011-12-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

I'm being reflective today and thinking back on my Thanksgiving Weekend in the Mountains with my family.

We took some walks and gazed at things around us.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving Day and the day after,

It snowed!

The Fireplace at Grandma Emma's - after the Wallow Fire this summer

Fireplace Stone work my Sister and Brother-in-Law did

Fireplace Handle after the Wallow Fire This Summer

Snowy Branch

The Treehouse my hubby built w/our son after his heart attack in 2007.
It was barely started in 2007 and 2 days after Thanksgiving that year
Mike had a massive heart attack. He said all he could think about while laying
in ICU was that he needed to finish the treehouse with Logan before he passed away.
He keeps adding on to it every chance we get to go up to the mountains.
It's kind of symbolic now I guess!
I love this place!

(as always, click on the photos to make them bigger!)

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Pausing,....

Cheers,

~Shel~

Linking up today with This or That Thursday over on Deb Duty's Blog - won't you join in?

BTW,.....

2011-11-30T10:05:00.000-08:00

Hey, BTW,...it's Bead Table Wednesday today!

Hop on over to the Flickr Group and

see what's cooking today, won't you?

My unfinished work this Wednesday!

I've got a link list on my bead table and I'm emailing people with it today and I've got a bunch of unfinished jewelry designs waiting patiently for me to finish, photograph and get into my shop for this weekend's Holiday Shop Hop.

What's on your Bead Table Today??

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and BTW!!

Cheers,

~Shel~