Dawn's Charming Blog

My First Art Gallery

charmedbydawn — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 01:16:53 +0000

Well, it certainly didn’t happen the way I thought it might. In fact, I hadn’t given much thought to it. I admit, I was somewhat intimidated at the thought of taking my work to a gallery. By virtue of Facebook, I was following Lookout Mountain Gallery, here in Chattanooga, and had received an invitation to an event that they were hosting. I was fortunate enough that one of the gallery owners took a moment to check out my Charmed by Dawn Fan Page on Facebook and send me a message. So, I simply brought in some of my pieces and voila! She loved them! And that was it. I realize that typically it doesn’t happen this quickly and I am extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity to have my work featured.

www.lookoutmountaingallery.com

Rock Me Baby

charmedbydawn — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:45:17 +0000

I just love the goddess! To start, I really had no idea where I was going with her when I decided to get her dressed. I went through everything I had then picked out colors that I thought she could wear. She is adorned with some Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls. I have fun making the pearl components and giving them a bit of extra wire to hold them in placed because of the way they are drilled. One of a kind!! Click on the photo to see her in her full glory. I love working with goddesses and have dressed to others. Ask me about them! She is available to purchase for $220.

Fire

charmedbydawn — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:49:02 +0000

It’s been almost a month since I’ve created anything. The children have been home on Christmas break and I just haven’t taken the time to sit down. The children started back on school Wednesday, for a day and half until school was closed for snow! So last night, I let the hubby have quality time with the children and I shut the studio door to create. It’s time to get the juices flowing to help warm me up! I am in Chattanooga, where the average temperature in January is 37.4 F, however, my little outdoor thermometer reads 18 F! The snow blankets the ground outside and is really quite lovely, however, my street has remained a sheet of ice most of the day. I thought I left this weather behind in Chicago.

I always start with turning on iTunes, for how can you be creative with out good music? My choice was Alicia Keys, her newest album. I’ve listened to it many times, but I just love her. I had no grand plan and I sat there for awhile and perused many pieces in front of me. I went through every bead drawer I had and just “shopped” for a while. Finally, I settled in and picked up some beautiful fire nugget lampworked beads from artist Michelle Lusk. I’ve had these on the table for a few months, but something just hit me last night and I decided to pick them up. With no final concept in mind, I just started by wrapping the little nuggets, and I wanted to run the shiny wire on the outside of the bead, rather than just through it. I like that detail and it felt right.

Once the seven nuggets were warmly wrapped, I arranged them as a cluster to serve as the focal of a necklace. I sat and contemplated this for some time. I debated about leaving them together and finishing off with a handmade chain. I played with a bit of wire, but I didn’t like it. I had some scrap silver tube like beads sitting there and contemplated those. I played around with the arrangement and made a few more silver beads. There it was, I was going to alternate the shiny silver with the fire orange. I liked it much better and it seemed more harmonious to me than keeping all the orange beads clustered. This had a nice flow. So, I continued to hand wrap the silver beads and almost had it finished before bed time. However, I was done and left the clasp until morning.

So, I woke up this morning to the second snow day! Even the hubby stayed home to work. I guess when you live on a mountain, you just don’t drive to work when the road is frozen over. I mean 2 out of the 3 roads we travel up and down are closed. It is quite possible to be stuck up here! So we are all home today trying to keep warm. I finished the clasp and showed it to my biggest fan of all, my daughter. I always love her response to my work! Even my son is intrigued by my designs! C’est fini. Woohoo!

I love to get photos up right away and share. I usually photograph outside…not today. However, I was fortunate enough to have some sun peeking through my window to give me enough warm light for some decent photographs.

I call her “FIRE” and she is available to purchase for $95. Simply, send me an email!

Length: 19″

Silver beads are about an inch in length and the nuggets are about 11 x 14 mm.

A Vintage Rehab

charmedbydawn — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:51:45 +0000

Earlier this year, my mother in law gave me some old crystal necklaces that had belonged to her mother. We talked about this previously on several occasions and discussed whether I thought I could use them for something. Well, I finally got my hands on them. One necklace was composed of clear hexagon/donut like crystals in graduated sizes and the other necklace consisted of round crystals. I almost immediately took the necklaces apart and refashioned something for her. She then asked if I would have enough vintage crystals to make something for her daughters, her granddaughters and for myself. Of course, I can make magic with anything I get my hands on!

Truth be told, the crystals sat for a bit. I was preoccupied with the thought of moving and then actually moving. The goal was to have something complete for each of the girls in time for Christmas. I’m happy to say, I met that deadline! (Be it, down to the wire!)

In the gallery you can see what was recreated with a modern edge for each of the girls, so that they could have something from their grandma/great grandma.

Fall Hodge Podge on Signal Mountain

charmedbydawn — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:31:03 +0000

I have registered to participate in my first event here in Tennessee. Since we’ve moved here six weeks ago, I’ve spent most of my time working on getting boxes unpacked, continuing to try and purge things that were in my basement. These “things” are serving as a placeholder for our two cars in the garage! We do not have a basement now! Yikes!

I’ve spent some time designing this week, as I would like to have as much as possible available for the upcoming show on October 2nd and 3rd. I made this really fun piece which I named SpectraVibe, and a few fab earrings. I actually immediately sold SpectraVibe via FaceBook. How fun! I had enough little orange discs to make a second one, but the two never shall meet, as one will reside in Illinois and one here in Tennessee!

I’ll also be spending some time preparing by tagging everything and concentrating on the display set up. From what I understand, it is a well attended event and I am looking forward to it.

I can’t believe I found another one!

charmedbydawn — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:50:49 +0000

Shortly before I moved to Chattanooga, I received a request for a piece from my own personal collection. Trashy Girl. I made his one of a kind piece from a vintage chandelier crystal I was lucky enough to come across. The unlucky party is, there was only one. A request for this piece required contemplation and I hadn’t yet decided if I was willing to part with it. Fortuitously enough, I came across another vintage chandelier component of the same shape at a local antique store in Chattanooga called The Knitting Mill. I couldn’t believe my eyes as they gazed upon the ONE piece I thought I would never stumble upon again. Needless to say, Trashy Girl will be a two of a kind creation. One for me and for another lucky lady!

Technology, can be challenging for me

charmedbydawn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 01:46:03 +0000

This is simple a test entry to see if I successfully added this blog to my FB profile. Wish me luck!

Looking forward to business in Chattanooga

charmedbydawn — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:58:38 +0000

August 1st our family will drive away from Wauconda, IL to head to our new home in Chattanooga, TN (Signal Mountain to be exact). So far it is showing promising signs for my jewelry designs! They have a lot of different venues for artisans to show their wares. In addition, I’ve already been asked to do a private group showing. I’m looking forward my new wrap around porch and the ability to take outdoor photos of my jewelry year round. I don’t particularly enjoy taking jewelry photos in the snow.

At the moment, most of my time is spent preparing for the move, selling our current home and cleaning out the basement and closets for donations and recycling. However, in the early morning, before the children arise, I have been designing a few pieces. It is a form of therapy for me to design and create.

One of my other goals is to keep up on blogging, Twittering, etc. Trying to figure out how to best take advantage of those mediums so that others can enjoy my creations. So you have now been presented with the first blog entry in about a year. We’ll see if I can keep up!

Summertime

charmedbydawn — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:44:38 +0000

Not much jewelry making getting done around my office this summer. Busy with the kids taking them to the pool, camps, etc. Trying to stay committed to the gym as well. I think we all miss the routine of the school year a bit. My youngest is dying to go back to school so she can start first grade, the fourth grader, though, different story. Lots of plans when school starts though for designing and marketing.

Health

charmedbydawn — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:37:30 +0000

While attending the Lincolnshire art fair, our family also encountered the ChiroOne tent. Bill was chatting with them about his chronic back pain, and they offered a full “diagnostic” for $20, and would even do me for $10, plus the kids for free. After a full series of x-rays it was discovered we’re all messed up!!! Me being the worst of the lot. Briefly, your neck should be at 45 degree forward curve, mine is -6 degrees, I have the start of a reverse curve, plus a small bit of scoliosis (although, you could never tell). Anyway, the children are off too, and they need some maintenance. I highly recommend the good doctors at ChiroOne (www.chiroone.net). They are very thorough and they teach you about chiropractic as well as how to maintain and improve the health of your spine. Do a little research for yourself. It’s obvious to me, everyone could benefit from an ounce of prevention.