I've decided to change my business direction. I'm going to be giving up the juried shows. I want to spend the weekends with my family. I'm going to concentrate on building up my retail and gallery presense. My goal is to be in 20 stores/galleries by year end '06. I'm also phasing out the stringing of beads. There are just WAY too many people stringing beads. The galleries are very receptive of my woven work so I'm going to concentrate on those techniques. I just got into a jewelry gallery in Groton, MA; I have a couple more to contact in the area. I'm enjoying the response I get from other artists, and the gallery owners are great.

I received a write-up in the Boston Globe about the Breast Cancer Jewelry. Lorelle's Dream is going well. I've contributed almost $500 since August to the American Cancer Society and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I also did a fund raiser for another girlfriend and we raised $400 for the North Shore Medical Center for breast cancer research. I am really excited to have been able to contribute $900 for such a good cause. I hope this continues.

Leanne

Hello!!! It's been soooo busy with the kids back to school. I'm border line overwhelmed. My fall shows are over until the end of November. Yeah!!! I sent the jewelry to the gallery in Wilmington, NC and I just got into the gift shop at The Sports Club/LA in Boston at the Ritz Carlton Hotel!!! Woo Hooo. I now have to concentrate on getting my pieces together for the show at the gallery in California. Busy, busy, busy!!!!!! Ciao!!!!

Whew, it's been awhile. School started and so are the shows. I have a Fine Art show in Lincoln, MA this Sunday that I've been getting ready for.

I was contacted by a gallery in North Carolina last week and they want to carry my jewelry. Sent those items out last week. Fingers crossed that they do well. I'm still ramping up for the gallery showing in California in november.
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My Vintage necklace is being featured this week on Fashion Fling http://www.fashionfling.com/ffling.php Yeah!!!!

The breast cancer jewelry has generated over $300 so far. I just wrote a check to the American Cancer Society. I'm so glad I can help.

I donated a necklace to Crafters United to help the hurricane victims. Take a look at this wonderful collaboration. http://www.crafterrevolution.etsy.com The show I'm doing this Sunday I'm going to be donating 10% of purchases to the hurrican victims.

Leanne

I am going to participate in the jewelry show at the L.J. Singer Collections Gallery in Palm Springs, CA; which will take place in November of this year. 15 jewelry artisans were asked to participate. I believe 14 are doing it. I'm hoping it will be a rewarding experience. I have until October to design and send my pieces for the show.

It's been awhile. Busy, busy, busy!!! I have great news!!! I just got invited to participate in a gallery showing in November at the L. J. Singer Collection gallery in Palm Springs, CA!!! Yeah!!!! I have to get working now on the items to send. All those really artsy designs that I've put off will now have a chance to blossom.

Leanne

I'm so excited I've made some woven rings. Here they are. I oxidized one and left the others shiny. I've gotten a lot of positive feedback already from just wearing them, and a couple of "Oh when are you going to sell those". I LOVE making different pieces.

Well, I finally got around to taking a picture of the pieces I made in Seattle.

I'm back. It was great. I took classes from Jeannette Cook, Kriss Silva, Lisa Claxton and Natalie Cohen. I picked up some great little helps. My friend and I actually got to help teach one of the classes!! I'll be posting pictures of the pieces I made soon.

Yeah! I'm off, all packed and ready to go. Very nervous, but excited too.

Well, tomorrow I'll be leaving to take some jewelry design classes in Seattle Washington. I'm excited to learn some new techniques. I'll make sure to post pictures of the results when I get back. The Puget Sound Bead Festival is being held at the same time, so hopefully I'll find some new and unique beads to add to my designs. I'm always on the look out for something that is out of the ordinary. The last really interesting bead I got was a freeform boro bead that became the center piece of "Mermaid"; which can be seen on my necklace page http://www.piecesofclass.net/Necklaces.html I've gotten a lot of great feedback on that piece. I think it's because the bead is beautiful.

Come back in a few days to see if I found anything interesting in my travels to Seattle.

Leanne

Hello!!! This is my first blog. I'm a jewelry artisan and have been designing unique pieces of jewelry for about 4 years now. I have a website; which is always a work in progress. It can be found at http://www.piecesofclass.net

I love chain work. I like to pair gemstones and pearls with chain maille and viking knitting into unique pieces of jewelry. Of course I also do less than unique pieces :) but I like to do the more unique pieces the most.

I've also started a new line of jewelry to help a friend support her best friend who is recovering from breast cancer surgery. This new line of jewelry is called Lorelle's Gift and can be found on my website at http://www.piecesofclass.net/LorellesDream.html please take a look. To start the fund off I'm donating 40% of the proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in Lorelle's name.

Leanne