Forbes Farm Gifts

Sailing Into Summer Sale

2011-06-05T11:06:00.000-04:00

It's Summer and time for outdoor parties! Don't forget the cookies. They make perfect picnic deserts. They're easy to pack, don't need a plate or utensils and they there's no worry about them spoiling . Heavy frosting might melt, but why not make it easy on yourself and sprinkle them with some of our special sugars and confetti. To get you started, we are having a 15% Off sale on all of our commercially made cutters and decorations in our Etsy shop. www.forbesfarmdestash.etsy.com

Get baking - it's party time!

Use this code when checking out: SUMMERSALE2011

More New Hats

2011-04-09T06:14:00.000-04:00

I have been busy crocheting new hats. They have been listed online but I have been pushing to get them done because Cross Roads opens in a few weeks and they will be for sale there as well. I have to get the hats done this week because after that I will be knee deep in candle wax! We have taken a second booth at the market and I have to stock it with candles before April 30th! It was a last minute opportunity that sort of fell in our lap and we couldn't say no. So - I will be busy melting, pouring and packaging candles for the last two weeks of this month. I thought I'd better show you my latest hats before my head starts spinning.

The first one is a men's watch cap. I did several of them in different colors. This color is my favorite. It is made with a bulky yarn. I will be making some in worsted weight if time allows. I know it's not warm hat time in the Northern hemisphere, but it has to be cold somewhere right?

This women's cap is intended for warmer weather wear. It is 100% cotton. To date, it is my most popular hat. It is available right now in off white and this speckled ecru.

Click on the pics for more info.

All New - Edible Confetti

2011-03-25T08:53:00.000-04:00

When I as about 9 or 10 I was still at the age where I thought my mother knew everything. It wouldn't be too much longer before that attitude went South for a while. One thing that still stands out in my mind though is the day I thought she was a genius. It was my birthday. At that time Betty Crocker, or one of those queens of boxed cake mixes had a white angle food cake that had confetti sprinkles inside when baked. That was THE cake I wanted for my party. Mom was taking it out of the oven and was just about to test it when my little brother fell off the back porch and started screaming. Mom flipped the cake over onto the pop bottle she was using to cool it and ran out to tend to him. He wasn't hurt, just scared I guess. When we returned to the kitchen my beautiful cake lay on the counter in pieces. It wasn't baked through and fell apart. I was sure my brother had fallen off the porch on purpose just to ruin my birthday!

Now my mother had two crying children on her hands. Mom was NOT a baker. In fact, she pretty much hated the kitchen. Like me, she was good at it, just didn't like it. On this particular day her baking skills kicked in, or rather her ability to make do kicked in. She had a plain white angel food cake mix in the cupboard so she mixed that up. Next she took the candy sprinkles we only used at Christmas and dumped some of those into the batter. I was sure I wasn't going to have my confetti cake, but low and behold it worked! This time when the cake came out of the oven and was flipped to cool, there was a perfect white cake with colored confetti speckles through out. Mom was a hero!

I guess it's that story that made me get all excited when I saw that my cookie cutter supplier also sells edible sugars, jimmies and fun shaped confetti. All I needed was to see the dozens of pretty pictures and I was hooked. So, this week 4 cartons of wonderfully colored sugar, jimmies, pearls and confetti showed up at my door. Now I can share them with you. Take a look and see what you can find that will make you a hero with your kids!

All these and more can be found our our Art Fire site: http://www.artfire.com/users/CookieCutterGuy

New For Summer

2011-03-08T09:45:00.000-05:00

For those of you who live in the same climate I do, Summer can not get here fast enough! I've been living under 2 feet of snow since December. Now it's changing to mud. My driveway looked like the Mississippi a few days ago. Now it is a skating rink.

What better way to beat the Winter blahs than to think ahead to warmer days? I dug out my cotton yarn and got to work on cool Summer hats. The results were these great, floppy, versatile sun hats. Dress them up, wad them up, wear them to a party or the beach, or better yet - a party at the beach!

Click on the pic for more info.

Fun New Kids Hat

2011-02-26T09:35:00.000-05:00

If you like owls and you have a little one around that does too, this hat is for you! Is it not just the cutest thing you've seen in a long time? I don't usually like character hats, but this one was just too darling to pass up. The original pattern is by http://www.mamachee.etsy.com . She has graciously allowed me to sell these hats made from her design. Stop on over and meet her. She has a lot of other gorgeous patterns available.

Here's my little owl. Just click on the picture for more info.

New Hats

2011-02-23T09:22:00.000-05:00

The snow has been flying here at Forbes Farm and so have the hooks. Click on the pictures for more details.

Here is a darling little hat for you princess. Soft pink and sage green topped off with an oversized white flower. Open stitch for warmer days ahead. Just too cute!

This one is for Mom. It's a big, slouch hat to throw on when you are having a bad hair day. Stretchy, and comfy!

Shifting Gears

2011-02-19T09:01:00.001-05:00

   This Winter I have spent a lot of time thinking. There's not much else to do on a farm when the snow is 3 feet deep. I've put a lot of thought into my business, where it was, where it is, and where it is headed. Two things stand out. One, the jewelry I love to make just doesn't sell, and two, the cookie cutters I never intended to sell, do.

   We just stumbled into selling cookie cutters the first year I set up shop at Cross Roads to sell my jewelry. People seem to love them. Men even buy them although I suspect about half of them or more expect their wives or mothers to do the actual baking. With a bit of effort and some creative financing to buy more, sales on cutters has kept me afloat while my jewelry tries to drag me under. So, cookie cutters it is!

   I haven't given up completely on making jewelry. I couldn't. I love it too much. I just decided not to list so much of it online. It seems a total waste of time and money. I still have 3 cases and quite a few shelves dedicated to jewelry in our shop, so I do have an outlet, even if sales are at a snails pace.

   A opportunity arose to make crocheted items to share a space with another vendor at Cross Roads. After checking all the "stupid" government rules and regulations, I determined that although it was going to cost me some money up front for labels, I could manage to meet their requirements. I can see large manufacturers having to have some regulation, but really, making the grannies who want to knit baby sweaters do flips and summersalts to meet government rules is simply ridiculous. They want more small businesses, but they're doing everything they can to discourage them.

   Rant over. With all the rules read, and hopefully understood, and labels ordered, I put my beads away and started making some crocheted hats to fill the booth. While I was at that, I figured I might as well put some online too. They're fun to make and my decades of crochet experience makes most of them easy for me to make.
I've pictured some of them below so you can see what has kept me busy day after day as the snow continues to fall!

Click on the picture if you would like more information on each hat.

There are more on the way!

Making Perfect Cut Out Cookies

2011-02-03T08:39:00.001-05:00

Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Cookie

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Cut Out Cookies

A major complaint regarding cut out cookies is they lose their shape in baking. I’ve had quite a few customers refuse to buy detailed cutters because they are afraid the design will be lost when baked. The problem lies in the recipe used, not the cutter. Find a recipe that results in a cookie that does not “puff” when baked. One of my favorites is Swedish Pepparkakor, a thin spicy cookie that holds it’s shape very well.

The type and amount of fats in a recipe effects the amount of spread when baked. Recipes with butter or shortening will work much better than those using oil. The more fat in a cookie, the more it will spread out as the fats melt in the oven.

The flour and sugar used also effects the outcome. While most recipes call for all purpose flower, bread and cake flour tend to produce cookies that spread less. White sugar makes a crispier cookie than brown sugar does. You may have to experiment to find a recipe that works for you.

One of the best investments I ever made was in a set of insulated baking sheets. They allow air movement that helps the cookies bake evenly. I’ve never had to grease mine and clean up is as easy as taking a wet rag to the sheet. Jelly roll pans work well too. Thin cookie sheets are the cheapest, but the hardest to bake on. Parchment paper is another way to get great results when baking. It not only helps bake an evenly browned cookie, there’s no messy pans to wash afterwards! Just throw it away.

Cold dough is another must for a good cut out cookie. Separate your dough into manageable sections. Roll dough out between two pieces of parchment or waxed paper and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes. You can also chill the dough before rolling it out but only take out a small amount of dough at a time to roll.

For the actual cutting use metal cutters for a sharper, cleaner cut. Dip the cutters in flour between cuts and pull the salvage dough away from the cut cookies. Use a thin metal spatula to transfer the cookies to your sheets. If you prefer, you can cut the cookies right on the parchment paper , pull the excess dough off and place to parchment paper, cookies and all on a sheet to bake.

Wash metal cutters by hand. Never put them in the dishwasher. The harsh chemicals used in dishwashers can corrode the metal. Dry thoroughly and store in an air tight container. Hand wash cookie sheet also, especially if you have a lot invested in them. Dishwashers are nice, but they are hard on your metal bake ware.

Now, decorate your cookies in what ever way you like and enjoy!

You might just find the cookie cutter you've been looking for in our Art Fire shop. We carry over 300 styles and counting. If you can't find what you want ask about a custom cutter. We might be able to make it for you.

http://www.artfire.com/users/CookieCutterGuy

OOAK Reclaimed Necklace with Swarovski Crytals

2011-01-05T10:10:00.000-05:00

I just love to explore garage sales, estate sales and auctions. There are treasures waiting to be found in just about every one of them. I found a double strand white and blue faux pearl necklace without a hook and in need of restringing at one. It was definitely something from the 50's. At another I found a beautiful strand of Swarovski crystals, again, with no clasp. I know they are Swarovski from the cut and the clarity. No one makes crystals like they do.

Since I like a bit of bling in just about everything I create I decided to combine the two necklaces into one. Here is the results.

This 18 inch necklace is available exclusively on Art Fire. You can find it here:

Reclaimed Vintage Swarovski and Blue Faux Pearl Necklace

If you are looking for some real bargains, try our Etsy shop where everything is 50% off.

Just use the code WINTERSALE2011 when you check out.

New Styles for a New Year - Pearls

2011-01-04T08:30:00.001-05:00

2011 promises to be the year that revitalizes the beautiful look of pearls. Never out of date, and forever beautiful, sometimes pearls get put on the back shelf in favor of more "in" jewelry. This year, to my delight, pearls are once again making it to the main showcases. I have oodles of them ordered. Here is the first one I created out of what I have on hand.

The glass pearls used in this 20" necklace are advertised as white but they have a very slight light creamy green cast to them. I centered the front with 18 Swarovski crystals mounted in 3 nearly invisible settings. They add just the right amount of sparkle to this already elegant necklace.

Because everyone thinks of pearls as expensive, I am planning on using only gold or sterling silver when assembling this line. This necklace has a sterling hook clasp.

Whither you wear this necklace with your best evening gown or your favorite blue jeans, it is bound to bring complements your way. The best part is - it's pearls, and pearls will always be a wise fashion choice. If they go out of vogue for a few years, just tuck them away. They'll be back!

This necklace is available exclusively in my Art Fire shop. You can pop right to it by clicking here:

Faux Pearl Necklace

If you are looking for a great bargain, I have put over 275 items on sale for 50% off on my Etsy site.

Here is the link: The Earring Boutique

Use this code when you check out for your 50% off the prices shown: WINTERSALE2011

Thanks for stopping by. Leave me a note so I know you were here.

Clearnance Sale

2010-12-22T07:16:00.000-05:00

Just in time to treat yourself with some of that money you got for Christmas! We've lowered the prices on dozens of our jewelry items. By lowered, I mean we've cut them in half! Here are just a few to get you started. See the rest in our Art Fire shop

Small Aubergine Purple Floral Earrings

Copper and Glass Bead Wire Wrapped Cuff Bracelet

Blue Coral Stitch Floral Bangle Bracelet - Hand Beaded

Green and Gold Beaded Chain Link Bracelet

The View From My Window

2010-12-09T05:58:00.000-05:00

Good morning on this Winter day from Southwestern New York! Every once in a while I post the view from my window. Here is yesterday's! The snow was late in coming, but boy is it ever making up for lost time.

6am

and then a little while later at 9 am....

Nice view eh?

Hope you are all keeping warm.

Oh, Get Real!

2010-12-02T21:12:00.003-05:00

   I hate magazines. The majority of them at least. There are a few, like National Geographic or Smithsonian that I can tolerate. Most of them are just fiction mashed in between ads. Someone gave me a subscription to a couple of them last year for Christmas. Don't get me wrong. I love the idea. I relish the time I can spend curled up with one of them. It's a chance to forget some of the unpleasant realities of my life. Open them and you can travel into a fantasy world of what their editors think is reality, or want us to think is reality.

   One that came in the mail this month is titled so you would think it was aimed at those of us living in the country. What a joke. One beautiful home owned by rich professionals who moved to a rural area within spitting distance of megalopolis areas made me chuckle. I live in the country. I mean IN the country. There is a lawyer living near us. She lives over her office and drives a little station wagon. That same wagon has been in the driveway for years. No glamor there. The writer glamorizes the goat herd housed in the pristine looking barn in the photograph Perhaps it was unintentional, but they made it sound so profitable and wonderful. Believe me, there is nothing glamorous about goats! They stink, they have to be milked every day, their stalls have to be mucked out and they can get downright mean. There's no time for trips to the big city to buy all that fancy furniture that we country folks are supposedly decorating our homes with.   You can't have white rugs and couches if you raise goats! Not unless your mud room includes a car wash strength shower.

   Okay, so I got over the goat thing. Let that two income professional couple think they live the country life. I'm sure compared to their Manhattan friends, they do. I turned a few pages to read something to the effect of "It only looks expensive". There was a pretty model with a frilly blouse on for the holidays that "only" costs $89. Eighty-nine dollars for a blouse? Honey, in my book that IS expensive, especially when there's no way that shirt can be worn for much more than Christmas parties. I was once told that the only difference between my Summer wardrobe and my Winter one was the length of my slacks. The thing about it is, they were right, except that in the Winter I tend to wear a turtle neck under the Summer shirts. IF I had $89 to blow on clothes it sure wouldn't be on a frilly blouse that can't be worn year round. I might consider getting some new boots though.

   Somewhere in my holiday reading I saw a menorah made entirely out of salt and pepper shakers. I don't know how many salt and pepper shakers most country folks have on hand, but unless they collect them, I'll bet not enough to light a candle every night of Hanukkah. I'd make it through the 6th night if I dumped the salt and pepper out first.. Most country folk I know don't keep a lot of stuff they can't use on a regular basis.

   One more rant and I'm done. A while back one of the magazines dedicated to keeping your house in good form decided it was necessary to advise me about my underwear drawer. They had a beautiful picture of pretty colored panties all nicely rolled and lined up in a special divider. Lovely to look at but who the heck looks in your undies drawer? My white only collection is lucky to make it out of the laundry basket before I need to wear them again. It only reinforced my belief that magazine editors have absolutely no idea what country life is like. If you are going to be milking and mucking out the goat barn, you sure as heck aren't going to have the time, or the energy to line your underwear up in neat little dividers.

   When is someone going to write a magazine that is REALLY for the real country life?

One More Featured Bakery

2010-11-29T05:35:00.000-05:00

The days when cookies must appear on our holiday dessert table are quickly approaching! I can't believe Thanksgiving is over already. I have one more bakery I promised I'd share with you. I just popped over there and was wowed by her Christmas cookies as well as the rest. You are not going to want to miss this one! Hurry on over to Lori's Place on Etsy if you need to fill your holiday plates, but hurry. She will be closing down December 13th to fill her holiday orders. Lori's Place is a licensed bakery in the state of Florida, so no worries about the environment your cookies will be made in.

For starters, look at this wonderful Christmas Cookie Mix.

Do they look yummy or what?

This one is a great gift idea. 9 of these beautiful snowflakes come packed in a tin ready to give away. I love how they match the tin!

Look at the detail that went into decorating these traditional trees. Oh, my.... sure beats the colored sugar I toss on mine!

Lori knows cookies are not just for Christmas. Here's a peek at some of her other creations. You will have to check out her shop to see them all. There are just too many to picture here!

Luau Party Tiki Cookies

School Daze

Royal Frogs

This wraps up my featured bakery list, at least for now. I hope you found some great places to order your holiday cookies!

Featured Bakery - Southern Girl Bakery

2010-11-15T06:27:00.000-05:00

I found another great looking bakery on Etsy just in time for the holidays. Southern Girl Bakery, "Where every day is sweet". Take a look at some of their holiday cookies. I have many of the same cutters. I just wish I had the talent it takes to turn out such beautiful works of art. I don't know if I could eat them after all the work that goes into them!

I really like the home made, primative look of their cookies. Best of all, you get to choose what flavor you would like. Many bakeries do not give you that option. Here you can choose from vanilla, almond, harvest spice or eggnog for your holiday treats. Each cookie is frosted with their special creamy Madagascar vanilla royal frosting.

Your cookies are baked to order. Ordering two weeks in advance is requested. I think you'd better plan on grabbing your spot now for Christmas cookies. As cute as they are, her time spots are likely to fill up fast!

If you want to try to bake your own cookies this year, don't forget we have the cutters available.

Featured Bakery - The Sweet Shop Cookie Company

2010-11-08T15:12:00.003-05:00

I promised you more great bakeries, and I found one on Art Fire. Shannon of The Sweet Shop Cookie Company is selling her beautifully decorated sugar cookies there. Shannon's earliest memories of baking cookies was along side her Mom who she graciously gives the credit to for her talent. She has found an outlet for her love on Art Fire. In her words "The Sweet Shop Cookie Company, whimsical, designer sugar cookies made for every occassion. Our cookies are fun, delicious and affordable." They certainly look wonderful. Here are a few of them:

Look at the detail in her snowflake cookies! I'm ashamed to admit I've been telling everyone how easy snowflakes are to decorate. I just frost them white and toss on some glitter. Obviously, Shannon puts a lot more effort into hers!

or...

How about cookies for a baby shower? I have the cutters, but I've never even attempted to come up with some of these wonderful designs! Shannon lets you pick the shapes and colors to match your party.

Looking for something a little less traditional for your next bash? How about some of these "Artsy Stars"

The colors are amazing..

BUT WAIT - There's more!

Shannon can also be found here: http://www.thesweetshopcookieco.com/ where there are even more designs to choose from. Hop on over and check it out.

All photo's used with permission

Here It Comes

2010-11-05T15:38:00.000-04:00

It is a good thing I got my last walk around the meadow in when I did (see previous post). The next morning there was a heavy frost and now look at it!

The snow isn't sticking to the ground - yet. It will. This is Buffalo snow area. Even if if our sports teams stink, we can count on getting recognized for our snow. For those of you who do not live near a large body of water, you probably have never seen lake effect snow. Sometimes I can stop at the top of the escarpment and watch Lake Erie sucking up the water. You can really see it. Then, it very nicely skips the low lying lake plain and starts dumping it just about the time it reaches my place. THUD!

I still have a couple more bakeries to feature. I'll get back to them soon for those of you who are trying to get into the holiday baking mode.

Let's Take A Walk Just Before the Snow

2010-11-04T15:45:00.000-04:00

Snow is in the forecast for Western New York. Some places have had a few flurries already. This is the latest I can remember the first flakes flying. Yesterday the sun was shining so I thought I'd get in one more walk into the meadow before I can't get out there anymore this year. Come along with me...

This grove of Sumac trees has been cut back and cut back. We tried killing them. We tried burning them. They just will not give up. So - I'm going to have to let them grow. It will make a great "jungle' for my grandsons to play in when they're old enough.

Sumac aren't all bad. Look at the beautiful reds, oranges and yellows their leaves turn in the Fall!

My Dad planted this pear tree at least 30 years ago. This year the only pears were on the very top where I have no hope of reaching them, even with my apple picker. See those tiny dots way up there? I had to leave them for the critters.

Believe it or not, this is Goldenrod. It's so pretty and fluffy when it's gone to seed. Oh how I wish it was a cash crop because I'd be very wealthy. There MUST be some use for it!

What a wonderful surprise! Autumn Raspberries still on the vine! Well, they were on the vine before I took the picture and then gobbled them up.

Another surprise treat. A late Spring frost killed off most of the apples. There were two on the tree and I could only reach one. There is absolutely nothing like a cold, crisp, wild apple. All those fancy breeds have done is breed the taste right out of them. They may be bigger and prettier, but they will never taste as good as my wild apples do!

This is a shot of the brush just before the woods start. When I was a girl this was all open pasture. Years of neglect and no animals to eat it down have turned it into this.

More Sumac! It's everywhere. This lot stands where I would put a barn if I were as rich as I'd like to be. Can't you see a nice, big, red barn standing there instead of weeds? All I can do is dream.

Almost home again. That's not my place. My house is much nicer. I just didn't get it in a picture this time. The bus used to stop for me out there, many years ago. In fact, I noticed the bus number on this one was 162. My bus number was 32. Oh, it was a long time ago!

I'm back home and ready for a long New York Winter. I have my jigsaw puzzles ready, lots of projects for Christmas and TONS of beads so I'm as prepared as I can be.

LET IT SNOW!!!!

Featured Baker - Sunshine Bakes

2010-10-26T12:42:00.000-04:00

Continuing our mini series featuring online bakeries, today we present Sunshine Bakes who can be found on Etsy.

Sunshine Bakes is owned and operated by a working Mom who has a passion for cooking and baking. During her culinary schooling she worked for and studied under a pastry chef and her works shows it! Just look at these great cookies she has for sale on Etsy at SunshineBakes.

All of the baking is done in a commercial kitchen which is always an added plus in my book. What I really like about Sunshine Bakes is they are willing to give you a choice of flavors and colors for your cookies. Suggested flavors for the cookie dough are Vanilla Bean, Cardamom, Orange, Lemon or Almond. Don't they sound great? Each cookie will come wrapped and tied with coordinating ribbon . Fancy eh? Just open the box and they're ready for your party.

I bake, but nothing ever looks as good as the cookies from this bakery. Giver her a try for your next party.

If you want to try your hand at making some of your own cookies, we have the cutters. Just zip on over to Cookie Cutter Guy on Art Fire.

Featured Bakery - T and C Bakery

2010-10-22T19:15:00.002-04:00

I thought I would do something new for a change. Instead of just posting boring pictures of metal cookie cutters, how would you like to see some of the things made using the cutters? I was surfing around Etsy earlier this week and saw the beautiful results some bakers get with decorated sugar cookies. It was just a natural progression to share them with you.

T and C Bakery

T and C Bakery is owned by Carrie who is a work at home mom with two little toddlers. Quite frankly, I don't see how she could possibly find time to bake, let alone make the beautiful creations she sells on Etsy. When I plugged "sugar cookie" into the Etsy search bar my eye immediately went to the above picture that popped up as a result. I have that Daisy cutter only mine is a little bit bigger. The big difference is, my idea of "decorating" them is to put a few drops of food coloring into the dough. Carrie carefully covers each of her cookies with royal icing and painstakingly adds piped details. I have a cake decorating set - somewhere....

Planning a birthday party? Wouldn't these "Ice Cream Cones" be a great substitute for that messy cake? If you HAVE to have a cake to hold candles, send each guest home with a cookie. Carrie will wrap them individually for you.

Just so we don't forget that the thermometer is plunging once again and Winter is just around the corner here in North America, here's a wonderful mitten. Again - I own one just like it. Never used it of course. Look at the amazing detain in the snowflake and the "fuzz" on the cuff!

Last, but not least is my personal favorite.

PIZZA!

Okay, so it's really a vanilla sugar cookie. It LOOKS like pizza! Each one comes in it's own pizza box. I love it.

Carrie makes every order fresh from scratch and ships it out the same day. You can find her on Etsy here:

TandCBakery

Check it out!

I'll be featuring a few more wonderful bakers in the coming days, so keep watching.

Just Around the Corner - Holiday Baking and Crafting!

2010-10-18T07:44:00.000-04:00

Here in Western New York the leaves are almost completely off the trees. My thermometer is reading 41 degrees and snow is in the forecast for this week. That can only mean one thing. Holiday baking season is starting. In the past I've baked so many cookies for the hoildays that I had to start this early and freeze them. The wonderful thing about sugar cookies is you can freeze them right out of the oven and decorate them later when the kids and grandkids are around to help.

Here's is another great gift idea using cookie cutters that can wait until the last minute. Gather up a bunch of cutters and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper then mix up your favorite fudge recipe and pour it into the cutters. Let them set up firm and pop each one, cutter and all into a festive clear bag. It makes a perfect gift for teachers, the mail man, and anyone else on your list you need just a small present for. It's a "now and later" gift because they get to keep the cutter.

Need a unique, quick gift? Melt some wax with some scent and color and pour it into cutters. Poke a hole in the top, sting a ribbon through it and you have a good smelling ornament for your tree.

There are many more ideas online. Just plug "cookie cutter crafts" into your search engine and see for yourself. Suckers, ornaments, soap.... the list is a long one.

Here are a few of our holiday cutters to get your creative juices flowing. Dig out your old ones, buy some new ones and just have fun creating!

Christmas Cookie Cutters

Curated By: CookieCutterGuy

ArtFire.com

Handmade Soap

Out My Window!

2010-09-29T09:53:00.000-04:00

Just look at the view I had from my office window yesterday. This is only part of the flock. I couldn't get the entire group into one shot. They are Starlings and talk about noisy!!!! I and my poor kitty are very glad they have moved on. Pardon the picture quality. It was taken through the screen window.

One thing about it. It's another sign that Winter is rapidly approaching. Sweet corn season is over. All that is left at the farmer's stand up the road is squash and pumpkins. Pretty soon I have to get out there and get after those leaves. Yuck.

On the Front Page

2010-09-27T08:24:00.001-04:00

One of my collections made it to the front page of Art Fire and I actually saw it! How cool is that? I don't think I ever satisfied the powers that be at Etsy with my Treasuries. I never saw one on the front page there. It was really an exciting way to start my day when I opened Art Fire to see my Collection and my earrings staring back at me. YAHOO!

Look What I Found!

2010-09-22T09:01:00.000-04:00

It's a kit to make your own cookie cutters! How great would it be to make the school mascot, or an organization's logo for a bake sale? I've already made a few for friends who wanted special cutters. It's easy as can be to do. All you need is an outline of the item you want to make and some old scissors to cut the aluminum strip. I bent everything for this cutter by hand using the tools in the kit and a fat pen.

Instructions are included in the kit but if you want to try it and get stuck I'll be more than willing to try and help you via e-mail. Here is where you can buy the kit and replacement packs.

Cookie Cutter Guy

Cookie time! YEAH!

Holiday Baking

2010-09-21T06:41:00.000-04:00

It's almost time to think about holiday preparations. This is the time of year I check my spices, throw out the old baking powder, baking soda, etc and sock up on fresh new supplies. Flour starts coming into the house in bigger bags than during the Summer months. The rolling pin which was put away during the hot months comes back out and into it's place of prominence on the rack. It's time to gear up for holiday baking!

To help you get ready for the warm fuzzy feelings holiday cookies bring, we have made all of our cookie cutters a new low price of only $2.00 each on our Art Fire site. Here are just a few to look at. Get those cookie sheets ready!

Cookie Cutters

2010-08-09T10:29:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again. Time to start thinking about your Fall and Winter wardrobe and accessories. This year the colors are absolutely wonderful! No more drab, dull browns, beiges, tans and blah. Color is in!

It always amazes me how the fashion industry manages to find fancy, fun names for their colors. Unfortunately, "hicks" like me tend to call red, red and not something like "Radio Flyer", so I will translate their colors into something more down to earth. Basically, it's red and burgundy, purples, teal or aqua, sage, or what they call "Cilantro", some browns, Indigo or dark blue, bronze and the list goes on. Looks like just about anyone can find a color they like this year.

I have picked out a few of my favorite items and put them together in a collection to match the coming colors. Sorry, my purples are just purple, not "Purple Rain".... Enjoy.

Fall and Winter Colors

Curated By: Forbesfarm

ArtFire.com

Indie Design

2010-08-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

Native Pride

Curated By: Forbesfarm

ArtFire.com

Unique Gifts

Please check out my latest collection on Art Fire. I searched the entire site for the best in Native American pieces.

Sandy

Three Sisters - A New Barrette Design

2010-08-05T07:44:00.000-04:00

This turned out to be my favorite design so far. It is a result of web surfing and looking at Pow Wow pictures. The original design was found on a man's dance regalia and was much more intricate. Because of the lack of space in a barrette, I had to simplify it. I still think it came out quite beautiful.

The design is available on Etsy as well as the finished piece.

Three Sisters Pattern

Three Sisters Barrette

Too Cute For Words - An Art Fire Collection

2010-08-04T15:58:00.000-04:00

Aren't they just too cute?

Check out my very first Collection on Art Fire. It took me forever to set this up so please take a minute to visit and leave a comment. I sure would appreciate knowing someone took a peek.

Walk With Me

2010-07-28T14:15:00.000-04:00

I haven't been in the creative spirit lately. What I do accomplish seems trivial. None of my efforts seem to be paying off so I just took the morning off and spent some time outside. I took my camera with me to make some digital memories. I thought I would share them with you. Now, I realize some of you city people might miss the point entirely, but this - this is home to my soul.

There is no music. Just enjoy the beauty in silence.....

Certified Handmade!

2010-07-27T10:06:00.000-04:00

I'm excited again today. My shop on Art Fire qualified for their Certified Handmade award. It is a juried position and I had to send pictures of work in progress, my studio and info on my work to apply. It took several days to get an answer back. I was beginning to worry I might not have qualified, but I did! This gives my promo spots a brand new look. It's at the top on the right for those of you interested.

Have a great day!

I'm Excited - My First Pattern Is For Sale!

2010-07-26T08:36:00.000-04:00

If you have been wondering where in the world I am, I have been right here all along. I have just been fighting with my old brain to try and learn a new trick. It may take longer these days, but I can still learn new things. New to me anyway. PDF format has been around for eons in computer years. I just took on the task of teaching myself how to use it. After MANY trials and errors, I think I finally have a product that I can list.

I started by finding pictures of Pow Wows and looking at designs on the regalia. Unfortunately, I could not attend the local Pow Wow again this year and funds do not allow me to travel to any further away. I have to satisfy my creative yens by looking at pictures taken by folks lucky enough to attend. I found tons of ideas for bead projects. I don't use anyone's actual design. I make up my own after dreaming about actually attending a Pow Wow and getting to see those wonderful beaded pieces up close.

Once the design was created I had to figure out how to send it to someone else. I know it should have been a lot easier than it was, but I got there eventually. Now I can sell my patterns on Etsy. I started with a relatively easy barrette. As my knowledge grows, I hope to include more complicated items.

Here's the link to my very first pattern I'm offering for sale. Sun Ray Barrette Pattern Take a peek even if you're not a beader and let me know what you think. I accept constructive criticism gracefully.

Forbes Farm Has Gone Western

2010-07-14T10:45:00.000-04:00

It's almost Rodeo time here in our little town. That got me thinking about how many folks love the West, or what they perceive as the "West". We Americans, and a lot of the world think of the old movies and the Roy Rogers type of actors we grew up with as "Western". I put my own twist on my Western items adding designs borrowed from my Native American roots to many of them. I try to draw from the colors used by the First People in their early bead artwork along with the ever popular turquoise and silver always associated with the "West".

My Etsy Forbes Farm shop is now carrying my Western wear items. I am busy at the loom these days with exciting new items. If there's something special you would like, feel free to send me a note. Anyone for a beaded horse bridle? It's in my head, but that's as far as it's gotten. Heck, I haven't even made that collar for my cat that I promised her yet!

Click on the picture above to visit my shop.

Happy Trails!

Christmas In July on Art Fire

2010-07-13T06:11:00.002-04:00

Yes, it is that time of year already. Half way to Christmas! For those of you who like to start your shopping early the Art Fire community is having a Christmas In July Sale. There are tons of bargains. I have a coupon in my shop good for 20% off all of my items. Our cookie cutter page also has a sale going on all Christmas cutters.

If you live where the heat has been unbearable this Summer it's a great reminder that eventually we will be complaining about the cold. Grab some really great bargains to get you through those cold months. Look at this beautiful set offered by Camille.

Link to the entire community by clicking here: Art Fire Christmas In July
Take a look at my sale here: Forbes Farm
Get ready for your holiday baking here: Cookie Cutter Guy

The Gift is Revealed - No Winner This Time

2010-07-06T07:34:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, this Giveaway was a big disappointing. I have over 300 followers and only 4 people took a stab at guessing. I suppose the holiday was partly to blame, but it's still discouraging when there is so little interest in a $20 gift certificate for my handmade things. I guess everyone was out partying. We don't celebrate the 4th or our anniversary for that matter. We worked right through it with Cross Roads and the garage sale. Most years DH has to work at the hospital, so at least he got to stay home and work here instead.

Any way, no one came close to what my DH gave me for our 39th anniversary. It was not jewelry. He says I can make my own. It was not a puppy. He says one cat is enough. It was not a gift certificate. He did give me that for Christmas one year. It was not anything computerized. He says I have to buy that kind of thing for myself. It wasn't flowers, or a cruise, or a week end away like my son just gave his wife.

I got something to make life in my old age easier...

So now I will let you in on the secret.

Aren't I just the luckiest girl around?

Only One Guess?

2010-07-04T07:11:00.000-04:00

No one is interested in a $20 gift certificate? Holy cow! I sure would be. I've only had one person guess what I got for my anniversary and she was way off. Maybe it's the fact that it's the 4th of July week end and everyone is off doing fun stuff that I never get to do. I hit the computer every day when I'm home and I'm home just about every day. The offer still stands. Maybe I'll have to give the $20 to the closest guess.

Guess What I Got - Giveaway

2010-07-01T14:03:00.000-04:00

It's My 39th Anniversary July 3rd !

After 39 years of marriage, some good, some not so much, my DH came home with an early gift for me.

I've been looking for a reason to have another giveaway, so to celebrate I'm going to give the first person who guesses what DH gave me for our 39 years together an electronic gift certificate for $20 good in my Art Fire shop. Here is the link if you want to check out what you might buy with that $20 should you win.

Forbes Farm at Art Fire

I will announce the winner as soon as there is one.

Good luck!

Art Fire's Christmas In July Sale

2010-06-30T09:19:00.000-04:00

It's fun to find a sale, any time of the year, right? All of our Christmas cookie cutters have been reduced for this sale. Come check us out, and while you're there be sure to check out some of the other wonderful bargains being offered by Art Fire sellers.

Featuring Our Cookie Cutters Today

2010-06-22T07:31:00.000-04:00

A couple of years ago we stumbled into a small lot of cookie cutters. One of the vendors at Cross Roads was retiring and sold them to us at less than cost. We jumped at the chance and it's snowballed from there. We started out with around 25 designs and have built it up to over 250! DH likes it because it is something he can do to help the business. He's not very crafty, but he can sort cookie cutters. I do have to help him with the online business. He's never quite gotten the hang of selling online.

We are putting sets together this Summer. People have requested them for gifts. I have been giving sets as shower presents myself. It's a great thing to give a couple just starting out. I have been to a lot of showers where the couple got 2 or 3 toasters, but my gift of cookie cutters has never been duplicated. Throw in a rolling pin, some cookie sheets, parchment paper and a recipe and you have a really great gift!

Here are a couple of our sets. Zip on over to Don's Art Fire page, Cookie Cutter Guy, to see them all.

click on the pictures for more information

Need a Bat?

2010-06-20T06:33:00.001-04:00

Well, Folks, my luck is holding true to course. Some of you may remember the Bat necklace I posted a while back that was created upon request for "The Bat Lady". She stopped by the store yesterday and of course, she didn't like it. It wasn't anatomically correct enough for her. So, I have this wonderful batty necklace with no owner. All I have to do is find someone who's not quite so knowledgeable about Bat anatomy, or who understands when you create something like this, it's bound to take it's own directions in design. I would cry, but it would do no good. At least I proved to myself I can do it. That doesn't put any $$$ in the back though.

Here is another peek at it, now listed on Etsy.

Click on photo for more information.

I'm off to lick my wounds....

Tiny Bits of the Past - Micro Mosaic Brooch

2010-06-09T06:12:00.000-04:00

click HERE for more details

I fell in love with this little gem at first sight. Just look at the detail that went into it. I work with tiny beads all of the time, so I know how hard it can be to get those small pieces placed correctly.

Just thin of the work involved in just getting them cut correctly!

This pretty little brooch isn't perfect. There is some corrosion on the back that show it's age. I am sure it has a story to tell. Like they say, if walls could talk...

A Lovely Vintage Piece

2010-06-08T07:11:00.001-04:00

click HERE for more pictures

Isn't this old piece of jewelry just wonderful? I picked it up at a flea market for next to nothing. I didn't even realize it was a locket until I got it home.

Just think of the wonderful stories that might have once been a part of this vintage locket. Perhaps it was worn by a girl as her love went off to war. Or, maybe it was presented to a new mother to put a precious picture of her young child. It might even have been worn by a widow to keep her dear one close after they departed, a picture in one side and a lock of hair in the other.

Whatever the history of this locket, it still has a lot of life left in it to create more stories with. I just love finding special treasures like this! I have a couple more I will share in coming days.

Have a good day and make a memory.

How I Started My Summer

2010-06-05T06:02:00.005-04:00

Hello Folks,

I haven't been around lately. Truth is, I haven't done much of anything lately. The tools lie silent while I veg my way through the heat. Oh,how I hate heat....

I do have a really great personal story for you. It is quite unbelievable. If it hadn't happened to me, I probably wouldn't believe it myself.

I share a booth at Cross Roads with another vendor. We sell a few antiques and not quite antiques from it. She had picked up a few boxes of stuff from an antique dealer in Cory, PA. She brought them in last Saturday and I was helping her unpack them. She handed me a stack of old photos and asked me to put them in the box we have for displaying them. Before I did I glanced through them. Ever get that creepy, prickling feeling? I did. There staring back at me was an almost splitting image of my Dad, Louis. The only thing that clued me in that it wasn't him was the fellow had too much hair. Dad's hair was thinning in his high school pictures. Then I realized it must be his father, Guy. I was about 90% sure I was right.

Sunday I spent a good part of the day searching for a picture of my Grandfather. We have tons and tons of Hausmann pictures, but just a handful of Forbes. The only pictures I could find of Guy were of when he was much older and there were no full face shots. I did find one of Louis, his brother, Max and I think the baby is Greta.

Monday, Memorial Day, we were open at Cross Roads. They had opened the grounds up to anyone who wanted to set up for a flea market. One older "flea" saw "Forbes Farm" on my shirt and asked me if I had a shop inside. I said I did and he introduced himself as a Forbes. I believe he said Bill. My mind sort of went frizzy at the time. I said "We're related some how aren't we?" He confirmed we are. His father was Grant. Grant was Guy's brother. I told him I would be right back. I grabbed the two pictures I'd taken up to show the other vendors how much alike they looked. I handed them to him and said "I think this is Guy" He opened it up and said "Yup, that's him"! I found the photo and had it confirmed all by chance. So, Folks, Guy is back home. I will find him a safe place to stay and be sure he doesn't wander outside the family again - for as long as I live at least.

Or..... IS it Lou with a "comb over"?

Guy Forbes - or is it Louis?

Left to Right

Louis, my Dad, Greta, & Max Forbes

What do you think? My Grandfather or Dad?

Gone Batty

2010-05-28T08:53:00.000-04:00

It's official. I've gone "batty". For 4 years the same woman, known only to me as "The Bat Lady" has been asking me to make her a bat necklace. She didn't want a Halloween bat. There are multiple patterns available for that of course. She wanted something similar to a Fruit Bat. A WHAAATTT???

It took me this long to muster up the courage to try it. After making enough 3D birds that the idea of how they come together stuck in my head I struck out on my own without a pattern. It was two solid days of trial and error, but I think I have something close enough to a a bat to at least call it that.

Sorry folks,this one is taken and I highly doubt there will be a second one made. It really wasn't much fun to make. I did it. I proved I could. That's going to have to suffice. Now, IF "The Bat Lady" doesn't want it for some reason I will list it on Etsy or Art Fire. She should be coming around the shop again soon on her yearly trip through. I sure hope she still wants it!

Something New For Your Pretty Feet

2010-05-18T06:38:00.004-04:00

Why stop at your wrists when you choose your jewelry accessories? Carry the bling on down to your feet with this perfect boot bracelet.

I have seen similar items online but none that were chainmaille. I like the idea of putting a Jens Pind woven chain with a wire strung center piece. It gives the anklet both class and stability. There is still a slight chance it will come apart but it is much less likely to do so than a plain chain link connection.

In this piece I used natural Turquoise beads as the focal point. Bali like metal beads and reclaimed black beads complete the centerpiece. The chain is constructed using 16 gauge aluminum jump rings. Because the center is heavier than the chain, the pretty part of the anklet should stay where you want it.

A huge thank you shout out to my friends, Lorna and Victoria, who went on a boot hunt for me. At the time of year when most of the stores are featuring sandals and flip flops, I needed boots as a model for my pictures and a prop for my store. They knew exactly where to look and found a pair on the first attempt. I'm not exactly what you call fashion conscious. The only boots I have are my 6 year old Winter slosh in the snow boots and my hunting boots that I use to get about in the muck on the farm. I owe them both big time for coming to my rescue on this one!

Sapphire Blue Earrings - Real Beauties!

2010-05-14T07:10:00.002-04:00

If Sapphire were the only blue there was, I would be quite content. Blue is not my favorite color because it is so hard to match the many different hues it comes in but, I absolutely love the color of these earrings. I searched and searched for beads this color. They just were not to be found. Once I discovered I could dye the acrylic beads to suit my fancy I immediately found my blue inks and got busy.

You read it right, I can dye the beads. If you have a particular color in mind I can make a pretty good match. I'm not like the paint stores with their computerized color match, but I can get close. There's a lucky bridesmaid out there somewhere wearing a pair of green earrings I created for the bride to give her. Come on Ladies, give me an excuse to get out my dyes again. It's fun!

Click on the pictures for more information.

New - Beaded Parrot and Chainmail Necklace

2010-05-13T08:04:00.001-04:00

A couple of days ago I was over perusing Dragon's web page again. ( http://www.uniquebeadedjewelry.com/stitchinfo.html ) I can't seem to get away from her site without buying something. This colorful Parrot caught my eye, so of course I just HAD to have it. As usual, I did take a bit of poetic license with the colors. I don't know about you, but I have to work with what I have on hand most of the time. Instead of a beaded necklace like those I used on my other birds, I decided to try a chainmaille link necklace for this pretty bird. The green and gold of the Parrot are carried up into the chain for a completed, matched look.

Just click on the pictures if you would like more information.

2010-05-09T08:49:00.001-04:00

Happy Mother's Day

My little adopted Mom is long gone from this earth. She was a special lady with many hidden sides. I wish I could say she encouraged my artistic side, but that would be one huge fib. She did everything she could to discourage it. She did, however, push and prod and threaten me into learning the academics. Mom was an expert at using guilt to get what she wanted out of me. Even though learning wasn't easy, I managed to pull it off and earn a BS degree in nursing. It was an accomplishment that had I been left in my birth home, might not have been reached. I am proud that I was able to squeak by and get that degree even though I didn't enjoy working as a nurse very much. I think all the years of making myself reach farther than I thought I could were influential in many ways in my work today.

I have my Mom to thank for making me reach that far.

Free Form Peyote Bracelet in Peacock Colors

2010-05-07T10:13:00.001-04:00

I just love the colors of Peacocks so I really enjoy using them in my jewelry. The wonderful iris green seed beads that form the base of this bracelet seem to shimmer and change colors as you move. I added accents of other colors found in the magnificent bird's feathers by using golds, purples and greens. The free flowing pattern assures that this is truly a one of a kind piece.

Click on the photos for more information.

Chainmaille Progress

2010-05-05T06:09:00.000-04:00

Copper Jens Pind Necklace

Click photo for more information

Copper Jens Pind Bracelet

Click photo for more info

I broke down and ordered some professionally cut links to make more chainmaille items. It is definitely worth the extra cost. It give a nice, clean edge finish. Most of the cuts almost disappear when closed.

The pictures above are of a necklace and bracelet done in the Jens Pind weave. I've tried to find out exactly where the name came from, but no one seems to know for sure. It makes a very nice chain when done correctly. It has a continuous flow to it that is easy to wear.

I made the design up in both copper and brass. Yes, they will tarnish, but so does silver. My hubby can't wear any metal with out tarnishing it but I found a quick (seconds) dip in Tarn-X brings the shine right back.

I won't be doing anything else new in chainmail this week. I forgot my tools at the market! It's too far away just to run get them, so there they stay. That's okay. I have a million other projects that I could be doing instead. Now let me see.....

Back From the Market

2010-05-02T07:54:00.000-04:00

Don manning the register

Jewelery Cases

Plush and A Peek at the Cookie Cutters

A Peek Down the Isle

We survived opening day at the market. It's a lot like Christmas. You spend weeks rushing around getting everything ready. The day comes and you are wrapped up in the activities. All of a sudden, it's over and you wonder where it went. I have to admit I am glad the rush of getting things set up is over. Now it is the week to week little stuff that keeps the market going.

I took a few pictures before the market opened yesterday. Everything was sparkling and shining, ready for business. The first three pictures are my booth. The guy with the silly grin is my husband. I thought I was getting a candid shot, but obviously, he knew the camera was there. The last picture is down the opposite aisle in our building. Everything is packed full of fun stuff.

If you live within a day trip's distance of Westfield, NY, come on over to see us sometime. It is a fun destination. If you tell me you read about us on the blog I will see if I can get Don to smile for you. I might even throw a surprise in your bag.

I'm off to recuperate!

Off to the Market - A New Year

2010-05-01T06:14:00.001-04:00

I appologize for the picture quality. It's a Google Earth shot. Kind of cool though, this newfangled stuff.

It is that time of year again. After what seemed like an eternal Winter the last few weeks have been a whirl wind of activity around here. Well, at least a breeze. Neither DH nor I "whirl" any more. Just too darn old for whirling. We did manage to muster up enough energy to help clean, paint and decorate our building at the market. It's the one hiding behind the pole in the picture. Doesn't look like much here, but those three buildings you see have enough space for 40 vendors. On marked days the parking lot is full and there is a bustle of activity. Check us out on the Cross Roads web page.

So, this morning I face a new retail season, perhaps not as excited as I was when we first opened here 4 years ago, but still hopeful. The economy seems a tad bit better. When the Summer season gets into full swing maybe the Chautauqua folks will wander on up our way. Maybe THIS year will see a profit. A girl can dream, right?

We more than doubled our cookie cutter section over the Winter. When we opened at Cross Roads we had never given any thought to selling cookie cutters. A retiring vendor offered us their stock dirt cheap so we took what they had left. To our surprise, they sold so well we found ourselves reordering within a few weeks. It snowballed from one small rack to over 250 designs! Some days I swear if it were not for the cutters we would not have a sale.

I added chainmaille jewelry to my repertoire over the long Winter months. It's a far cry from my usual frilly things, but hopefully it will attract a few new customers. I'll show you a few pieces I took "up the hill" for the market, then I have to get going. Click on the pictures if you would like more information.

Rainbow Bracelet in Aluminum

Black & Pink Aluminum Necklace with Swarovski Drop

(Not listed online)

20" Brass Necklace

Copper Jens Pind Bracelet

Bye.... Wish me luck!!!

Bits From A Well Traveled Artist

2010-04-29T06:56:00.000-04:00

Today I am featuring a jewelry artist that has seen parts of the world I have only dreamed of. Maria of Mia09 on Etsy was born in Genoa Italy, has worked in Pakistan and presently is one of my "neighbors" to the North as she now lives in Ontario, Canada. Genoa, Italy - Doesn't that just sound romantic? Let's see what lovely things come from living among the historic, romantic places Italy has.

Pearl Dream

Bewitched

Dawn Sky

Fruit Punch

Can't you just see Italy in her work? From inspiration she says comes naturally to her, she combines luscious beads and colors into fabulous pieces. Maria states "Being closely in touch with totally different cultures, nature and ways of life deeply touched my personal and artistic life." It truly can be seen in her work.

For a look at more of her work, hop on over to her Etsy shop.

The Treasure Chest

Today's Featured Artist - Mel's Art Buffet

2010-04-27T05:33:00.001-04:00

Mel's Art Buffet

I am always looking for new talent on Etsy or Art Fire. Recently I put out a request for artisans who would like to be featured here on my blog. Melissa from Mel's Art Buffet on Etsy responded. She thanked me for considering a "newbie", but how could I not? Just look at the beautiful and unusual work she does!

Melissa told me she has only been working with polymer clay for about a year! Oh how I wish I got along with my stash of clay as well as she does. Using food pictures as her inspiration Mel comes up with these gorgeous creations. She says she love the simplistic colors of food photos she finds in magazines and on the Internet and is drawn to earthy colors such as brown, yellow and green. Obviously, from the photos above she incorporates these colors beautifully into her work.

Mel lives in the wonderful land of Memphis where she is an office manager by day and creator extraordinaire by night. She started out making jewelry for herself and just recently have ventured into online selling. Be sure to visit her shop on Etsy for more awesome treats.

In the Kitchen With Your Cookie Cutters

2010-04-19T13:23:00.003-04:00

Cookie cutters are wonderful little things. I'll bet just about everyone has at least one of them stuck away somewhere in their kitchen stash. I know people who collect them. One woman told me she has over 500 of them! Now, that's an obsession if I've ever heard of one. Most of us have a few tucked away for the holidays. Well People, get them out and use them! They're not just for Christmas.

I had great fun today working in the kitchen with just a few of mine. Everything I made comes straight from the kitchen shelves. Some are edible, some are not. They take a little extra time but what a great way to put your artistic skills to a good use!

I did have an ulterior motive which was to get some pictures to use as a display in my brick and mortar shop. Still, it was a challenge to come up with something photogenic. My pictures won't make the cover of Food magazine, but I think you can tell what each thing is. Just in case, I'll put a caption under each picture.

Cinnamon & Clove Spice Ornaments

Dog Treats

Pancakes

French Toast

Eggs & Toast

Rice Cereal Treats

All of the cookie cutters shown, plus lots more are available online here:

Forbes Farm Gifts

Crystal Heliotrope - My New Favorite Color!

2010-04-19T08:18:00.000-04:00

Click on either picture for more information

This finish may have been around a while. Sometimes it takes me some time to find things. I ordered it out of curiosity and fell immediately in love with it when I opened the box. Deep, awesome purple shines with blue effects that just can't be captured by my camera. If the light hits them just right there is even a hint of magenta or pink. I loved it so much I created a pair in both gold and silver. I may just have to get my ears re-pierced so I can wear theses!

Help Me Out Here - I Need Ideas!

2010-04-16T06:04:00.000-04:00

It has been a long Winter. Now that Spring is here you would think I'd be all recharged and ready to roll. Fact is, I'd rather endure a few more blizzards than even think about planting the garden this year. Along with that I have completely run out of ideas about what to write here in my blog. I am asking those of you who are here today to send me some ideas. What do you like to read in other people's blogs? I try to keep it centered around my jewelry making. Do you want to see more of what I make? Would you like to read more about the process? Did you like the blog where I featured another artist? Do you have a completely different idea? Come on folks, help me think! Shoot some ideas at me. I may not use them all but it should help to get my brain back in gear.

Sandy

A Favorite Designer - Dragon

2010-04-11T13:00:00.000-04:00

Well, I told you in the last post that I was working on a special beaded project and here it is. Just click on the picture for more information.

Dragonfly Beaded Fringe Necklace

This beautiful pattern was designed by Dragon of Unique Beaded Jewelry. I love every pattern I have ever purchased from them. They are so easy to follow! I've never made a mistake due to the pattern. That's not to say they are easy to make. Most of the patterns are intricate but the ease in reading them makes for a steady flow in the construction. I finished off the upper edge and clasp a bit differently than the pattern calls for. I also had to add rows because the pattern is based on a size 11 seed bead which is much easier to use. The smaller bead made for a more petite necklace.

This is the first patterned fringe necklace from Dragon that I have made. In the past I have made several 3D birds. Some of you may remember them, but just in case you do not, here are a few pictures.

The first Hummingbird and the Cardinal are constructed exactly as Dragon presented them except, again, I used size 15 beads. The 3rd bird is one I used the original pattern for but changed the colors to be more like a Texas Hummingbird.

If you like beading, especially with seed beads, I highly recommend you take some time to go through Dragon's web site. Along with wonderful pattern and graphs there are free patterns and stitch instructions. You can order downloadable patterns or complete kits. Even if you don't bead, its' worth the trip on over just to see the wonderful things available. Be sure not to miss the Bead Gallery!

Unique Beaded Jewelry

Back To Beading

2010-04-09T07:48:00.000-04:00

Click on either picture for more information

I am ashamed to admit it but I started this bracelet at least 5 months ago. With life being what it is, and my small problem of not being able to avoid being side tracked, I just never got around to finishing it. There it sat daring me to pick it up and "getter done". The worst part of the story is I had it finish with the exception of attaching the clasp! Oh, Sandy.....sigh.....

So, finally, here it is. I did one very similar in the past and sold it. In fact, it became the wallpaper for my Twitter page. I loved it. My customers loved it. It sold and I sort of missed it so I made another.

Some sort of insanity must have hit me when I ordered these beads. I have boxes and boxes of tiny, and I mean TINY size 15 beads. What WAS I thinking? I'm working on another piece that is completely different from this one. I can't wait to show it to you. That is, IF it doesn't take me months to "getter done"!

Check Out My Awards Page

2010-04-08T07:41:00.001-04:00

I have appreciated all of the blog awards I've been given in the past. I was never quite sure what to do with them. I want to keep my home page as simple and uncluttered as possible. Every time I look at it I think I should remove something because it's too messy. It just didn't seem right to just ignore blog awards and honestly, it bothered me when I did. This morning another honor came through and I just had to figure out how to acknowledge their appreciation. It finally dawned on me to create a special page just for posting these awards so that is what I did. I promise, from now on I will post each and every blog award or related items and give credit to those of you who sent them!

Sandy

New For Spring

2010-04-05T07:56:00.000-04:00

Easter is behind us now. Hopefully so is the Winter weather. There's still time for it to reappear here in Western New York, but let's keep our fingers crossed!

To put myself into the swing of Spring I created this pretty little set that is very light weight and just the right colors for that light Summer wardrobe that will be coming out of the closet soon. It is made with aluminum rings which give the look of metal but not the heaviness. I just love working with it. Czech fire polished glass beads do add some weight to the center and make it hang just right. Pastels rule here! Pretty lavender, lime, rose and gold blend perfectly together.

Just click on the picture for more information.

Of Root Canals, and Broken Tractors.

2010-04-01T11:53:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks!

   Well, let me tell you, my DH is NOT a happy camper! This week alone brings the bill for plowing this last season, a lawn tractor with a broken drive belt and root canal work on what's left of my poor teeth. He is pulling what hair he has left out. So, I must beg, plead and practically give away my stuff to find the money to pay for it all. Why can't things spread themselves out more? My panic is your gain. Everything on my Art Fire site has been slashed in half. The sale price is what is showing, so know it was twice that much before my "Panic Sale". If there is something you've had your eye on, now is the time to grab it!

   Remember - the sale is at Art Fire only - www.ForbesFarm.artfire.com   It is way too hard to change the prices on Etsy, so don't go there. Everything's still full price there.

   Buy your Mother's Day presents, your birthday presents, next year's Christmas presents or get yourself something wonderful and help Don keep his hair!

Sandy

Look What My Daughter Started

2010-03-26T05:49:00.001-04:00

I think I've already told you I shunned chainmaille jewelry like the plague until last month when my daughter asked me to make her a beaded chainmaille bracelet she saw. She went with me to a bead store I get to once a year and they had a bunch of jump rings and some examples of what could be done with them. I bought the rings hoping I could remember what the finished piece looked like when I got home. With the help of the Internet I was able to find some free instructions. It was so much fun putting her bracelet together I ordered more rings. LOTS more rings. Here are the first of my finished pieces. I am now working on a dainty necklace and a wider bracelet. I am hoping my customers at Cross Roads will enjoy a change in style this year!

Click on the pictures for more information

Something Different - Great Rice Cereal Treat Recipe

2010-03-23T07:39:00.000-04:00

I don't normally share recipes here. In fact, I rarely share recipes at all. I hate cooking. To me it is a colossal waste of time for the most part. All that planning, prep time, worrying over the pot and clean up and what you made is gone in an instant. I'd rather be beading.

This recipe came out so well, and was so easy I just had to share it. My doctor told me not to eat popcorn. I absolutely love caramel corn. I pretty much have been ignoring the doctor (which I do most of the time anyway). My stomach dictates what I can and can not eat, not my doctor. Anyway, to eliminate some of the popcorn in my life I thought I would try putting the caramel coating on something else. This was the result. It doesn't taste like caramel corn, but it is a special treat all in it's own and since it only takes a few minutes in the microwave, I don't mind making it.

Caramel Rice Cereal Treats

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

7-8 cups crispy rice cereal

Chocolate candy wafers (optional)

In a large microwavable bowl combine the butter, sugar and corn syrup.

Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stopping to stir it at least two times.

Microwave on high for 3 more minutes without stirring.

Take out of microwave and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Mixture will get light and foamy.

Fold in the cereal. You probably will not be able to coat it all at this point. The coating hardens quickly.

Microwave on high for 20 - 30 seconds then fold the mixture some more.

Repeat the above step until all of your cereal is coated.

Pat into a greased pan or lay out on a cookie sheet. It depends on if you want cut squares or just random chunks.

If you want chocolate on your treats like I do, melt about a half cup of wafers and drizzle over the candy.

Let cool and enjoy!

Note: The cookie sheet method will result in quite a bit of "crumbs". They're not as pretty, but they taste just as good.

I'm off to make earrings. You all have a good day!

Sandy

Chainmaille - How It's Done

2010-03-22T06:16:00.002-04:00

I resisted making anything with chainmail until my daughter begged me to try making her a bracelet she saw in a bead store. I'm not sure it if was because I was afraid of trying it or that it isn't considered "frilly". Once I figured out the pattern for hers I had to try more. This is my first attempt at making a bracelet for my hubby. He loves it because it is light weight. My next attempt was with a thicker wire for a more rugged look.

Stripped Electrical Wire

I didn't have a piece of electrical wire that still had it's plastic coating on it. I purchased this at the hardware store to use in my copper wire wrapped pieces. It is a combination of 19 and 20 gauge wires and was rapped in a pink sheath.

One Strand 20 G

For Don's bracelet I used the smaller 20 gauge wire. It is easier to manipulate by hand and was easier to use while I was trying to figure out the pattern. It is very lightweight, airy and open. A larger gauge will result in a heavier look.

Coiled Wire

All the instructions I read talked about using steel rods and electric drills to wind the coils for chainmaille. Lacking a steel rod and being deathly afraid of large electrical tools I did what any good crafter would do. I used a knitting needle and hand wound the coil. Hey - don't laugh, it worked!

Here We Go - Snip, Snip....

Hand cutting the rings with a wire cutter results in less than ideal rings, but it is how it was done for ages. Now the pros use saws that result in perfectly aligned ends. I have some ordered, but I didn't want to wait for the FedEx guy to show up. I was quite pleased with the results even if it was done the "old fashioned" way.

Snip, Snip, Snip...

This part is boring.

Hand Made Hook

I put a wire wrapped hook on the starting end so I could tell where the first loops were and I had something to hang onto while I got the chain started. This wrapped hook is my favorite and the most sturdy of any wire wrapped hooks I've come across.

Work In Progress

It took me a long time to get the pattern established. I will not lie. I had to take it out and start over SEVERAL times. This pattern is called Full Persian. It doesn't look very complicated but it was very easy to mess it up!

Finished Bracelet

Ta - dah! I did it!!!

Two more have been completed since and can be found on my Etsy page. Here is a picture of the one done with the heavier wire. Just click on it to get more info.

Attention Cookie Cutter Lovers

2010-03-21T06:43:00.001-04:00

New LOWER SHIPPING prices on over 250 different cookie cutters!

We are gearing up for the new season at Cross Roads and the big shipment of cookie cutters just came in. DH spent his time marking them for the store while I got them all online. We try to keep our prices low because we know how fast the bills can add up. So - we decided to drop Priority Mail as our main option and bought boxes to send our cutters out in 1st Class.

Cookies are for all seasons and all reasons, so get baking!

Find them all HERE

Our Winner Is...

2010-03-17T07:36:00.000-04:00

I'm thrilled to announce that our latests PIF giveaway winner is Kat of Katofmanycolors on Etsy. She has some beautiful jewelry. Please be sure to check out her shop and her blog. The winner was picked by Random.org and is shown above.

Kat's blog: Katofmanycolors
Kat's Etsy page: Katofmanycolors

Only 2 Days Left To Win

2010-03-15T10:59:00.000-04:00

I will be picking the winner of my latest bead giveaway early Wednesday morning, so if you want a chance to win, you'd better grab it now.

http://forbesfarm.blogspot.com/2010/03/giving-of-green-pif-giveaway.html#links

New Project A Success!

2010-03-13T07:31:00.000-05:00

This project was rambling around in my mind for a while now. You know, one of those things you want to do but just don't quite find the time to get to. That and I was leery of doing something without written directions and ruining a good bit of copper. Yesterday I took the plunge and it took just about the entire day. Way too long for such a "simple" item. At least it was simple in my mind, in reality, not so much! I'll bet the neighbors were glad when I stopped hammering.

So - here it is

Tadah!

Fire Treated Copper Cuff

Hope you like it!

Back to Work

2010-03-12T09:30:00.001-05:00

With our trip behind us, it took me a while to get back into the swing of actually working for a living. It always does. That's one reason I don't like taking breaks. I always stall when it comes to getting to what needs to be done when it's over.

Today I've listed one of the items I have made from the beads I purchased on my trip. I had everyone on the lookout for beads what would pop on copper and these surely do. Crab Fire Agate has a naturally rich, warm amber/orange glow. Nestled in this wire wrapped copper bracelet they are even more beautiful, don't you think?

More information about this piece can be found on my Art Fire page by clicking on the pictures.

If you are a beader and would like a chance to win a great bead package, click HERE to find out how to enter.

New Ocean's Depth Earrings

2010-03-11T07:55:00.000-05:00

I fell in love with these beads when I found them in a Hanover, Pennsylvania bead store. I had to buy a few of them even though they were a bit more than I usually spend on beads. The depth of the colors can not be captured by the camera lens. They are just beautiful. They remind me of the beautiful glass globes on display in the Corning Glass Museum.

I combined the glass beads with gold plated filigree and gold filled wire to make these spectacular earrings. Just click on the picture if you would like to see more.

Don't miss your chance to win a great bead package. Just click HERE to find out how to enter.

While I Was Away

2010-03-09T08:51:00.001-05:00

Here is what I was doing last week. Visiting our family in York, PA. The new little addition, Taylor was already a month old before we got to see him. This picture was taken the first time his big brother, Sawyer met him.

I bought a bunch of new beads on my trip. Some of them are already made into yummy new jewelry. My daughter talked me into trying chainmaille for the first time. I practiced on a bracelet for her and then made one to sell. It can be found on Etsy. Just click HERE.

I'm off to see what trouble I can get into today.

Sandy

Giving of the Green - PIF Giveaway

2010-03-08T06:46:00.000-05:00

I am back from our annual trek to York, PA. We had a great visit with our family there but now it is time to buckle down to work and get ready for the up coming retail season.

To kick it off I am having another giveaway. Because it is Spring and almost St. Patrick's Day we are giving away the green - beads that is. All we ask is that the winner find some way to pay it forward. You can give away what you win, make something with it to give away or find something wonderful of your own to pass on to someone else. When you do, please let me know and I will blog about it.

Here is what the luck winner will receive:

5 Hanks of green beads

One bag of mixed glass beads

One bag of green floral beads

One bag of green tear drop beads

Two slider frogs with 4 matching beads

One bag of mixed transparent beads

Close up of the cute frogs

Here is what to do to enter. You will get one entry for each thing you complete. Do one, do them all, it's up to you. Just be sure you let me know what you do.

1. Go to any of my web sites then come back and leave a comment here telling my what was your favorite item. The links are all at the top of this blog page.

2. Sign up for my mailing list on the right -----> over there.

3. Blog about & link to this give away on your blog.

4. Post it on your Facebook or MySpace page.

5. Twitter it, with a link back to this post. - Please limit your tweets to once a day and include @forbesfarm so I get them.

I will pick the winner randomly by using radom.org. on St. Patrick's Day - March 17th. Good luck!

I'm Playing Granny This Week

2010-03-04T07:30:00.000-05:00

I knew there was a reason I had my children when I was young. There's no way I would have kept up with them if I'd waited until I was older. Grandchildren are wonderful but I sure am glad their parents are here to take care of them! Granny is just too worn out to keep up with a toddler AND take care of a newborn. I did it when I was young but I'm glad those days are behind me!

One side trip on our visit was to a bead store. Now that's more my speed! I walked in swearing I wasn't going to spend much money. That resolution lasted about 5 minutes. 30 minutes and $100 later I walked out with some great new beads. I've been making Tree of Life pendants out of whatever I had on hand, which wasn't much. Now I have chips in Aqua Marine, yellow Citrine and pink Agate. I can't wait to get home to my wire and tools so I can put them together. I will have a nice selection for the shop this season when I'm finished.

Monday I should have a new PIF giveaway going for you. I still have to go through my stash, but I have a pretty good idea of what will be in it. Beaders will love it, I promise you.

The Morning After The Night Before

2010-03-01T07:46:00.000-05:00

I took this yesterday, the morning after my midnight shot. It's a different view of my yard. See that gap in the fence? That's a driveway and those tracks in the snow are on Rt. 60 which is a state road and "well" maintained.

I am taking a break this week. It's our annual trip to help baby sit the grandchildren while their full time Grandparents go on vacation to Florida. I love seeing the kids, but where is MY vacation?

Be looking for my return next week. I have another great package of beads from my stash that I am going to be giving away. Everyone seemed thrilled with the last one, so I'm doing it again.

I'm off down the road to York, PA.

Winter Wonderland

2010-02-28T06:44:00.001-05:00

Somewhere

deep

in

New

York

at

Midnight........

Red on White Doily

2010-02-26T10:02:00.000-05:00

I started this doily with the full intention of getting it done for Valentine's Day. Obviously, that didn't happen. Are you like me? Everything seems to take twice as long as I expect it to and the older I get, the longer it takes!

This piece measures just over 9 inches square. It can be found on my Etsy page by clicking on either of the pictures of it.

Today I also listed earrings to match my black evening necklace. Click on the picture to find more information about them too.

Thank You To Beyond Baffled

2010-02-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jessie from http://beyondbaffled.blogspot.com/ sent me this blog award. She has a very nice blog with some great posts about the miniature world. Check her out when you have time.

Formal Evening Black Beaded Necklace

2010-02-24T11:55:00.000-05:00

This is one of those WOW pieces I just couldn't wait to finish so I could share it with you. It felt elegant in my hands as I made it and it came out beautifully. My Hubby thinks it would look good in red. I'm thinking maybe Sapphire blue. What do you think?

For a better look and more details click HERE

Selling On Handmade Sites Such as Etsy

2010-02-23T09:59:00.003-05:00

I am the web leader for a team of jewelry artists on Etsy. We started up because all the other groups were filled. Over the Valentine season there was a lot of moaning going on in our group because sales were terrible. I took time to look over everyone's shop and found a lot of things in common that are being done wrong. Here are some of the things that need to be worked on in general. The comments are geared towards selling jewelry on Etsy but they would apply to anyone selling just about anything on a similar site.

The number one, and most important thing is pictures. I can't stress it enough. You need to have those 5 spaces filled with bright, clean, clear shots of your items. It is sometimes very hard to make a Treasury because I can't find good pictures that fit my theme. I'm thinking maybe others are having the same
problem.

Get or make a light box. Set your camera on a tripod or a pile of books or anything you can to keep it steady. Find some source of good lighting. If all you have is a window on a sunny day then wait for the sun to shine. I'm afraid I'd never get any pictures taken if I had to do that. We've had maybe 2 days of sun this month! If you have an Ott light, or natural light bulbs they work quite well as a substitute. Do not yeild to the temptation to use the flash on your camera. The glare it creates makes for a less than desireable result.

Look at what the top sellers do for their pictures. I don't claim to be a top seller, but I try to follow their examples. Lay your items on plain backgrounds. Get down to table level. Get in close. If there is an obvious back, show it in one shot. Get a nice hanging shot for your necklaces and earrings. Use a necklace display manequin if you can. I just have black and white. When I can afford one, I'm going to get a tan one. I hate trying to get a good picture on black. It just doesn't work well.

Use a photo editing program. There are free ones available online. I used Picasa. It works the best for me. Don't be in such a hurry to get the item online that you allow yourself to use a bad photo. If it looks "iffy" to you, it is going to look terrible to others. I was taught one major thing. "Get it in the lense." If you don't get a good shot in the first place, no editing program available will fix it. If your pictures aren't great, do them over.

Moving on. The other main problem I am seeing is descriptions. I HATE writing copy, but it has to be done. What is special about your item? If there's nothing special chances are it's not going to sell. What is is made of? Be sure to include both the metals and the bead types. What is the size? I've seen a lot of jewelry listed to sell worldwide that only provides the measurements in inches. The US is just about the only place that knows what an inch is! Use metric. If you can't convert in your head, there are places online that will do it for you. I have about a half dozen 6 inch rulers that are both centimeters and inches. They're great and they were free from Fire Mountain. I just lay my earrings on them and I get both measurements to list.

Make sure everything is filled out on your Etsy page. Profile, location, policies, etc. Don't present yourself in an unprofessional way. Approach your page as a business even is it is only a hobby.

This last paragraph could have contained a bit more. I stopped short for fear of hurting some feelings. If selling online is simply a hobby for you and you don't care if you sell anything or not, then share that it is just a hobby. Personally, I probably wouldn't buy from someone who approaches their craft this way. If you really want to sell, present yourself as a professional who really knows what they are doing, even if you are sitting there in your PJ's and have only sold a few items. Buyers won't take you seriously if you don't.

Some of this is my opinion, some is proven fact. It's a good start at taking a second look at any web site you have that just isn't moving your product. I'm off to create!

Sandy

No Joke - This would be funny if it weren't so typical!

2010-02-18T13:14:00.004-05:00

I had to share this with all of you. My blog is usually so, well - blah. I thought a bit of humor would perk things up a bit. It's sad that this happens way too often these days.

I am told this is an actual cake, made at a nation wide, everybody shops there, super store. I will refrain from actually naming them, but you can probably guess. To be sure, it wasn't Bloomingdales or Ace of Cakes.

I am assuming if you are smart enough to use a computer and navigate your way to my blog, you will see what is wrong with this picture, and it's not just the spelling!

For Those Of You Who Sell Online

2010-02-17T10:20:00.000-05:00

Today I am going to share a few tips I have picked up to help you increase your views, and hopefully your sales. I had to learn these the hard way, so I thought I would share from my experiences to save some of you time and energy.

First, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Oh, how I hate to even see this term pop up! It seems like the rules change daily. Just about the time I get everything the way Google wants it, they change their minds. Must be run by fickle men. We women would figure it out right the first time - right?

A while back Etsy started promoting ways to increase your chances of getting picked up by Google. They have a detailed "how to" on their site. I went through and did what they suggested for most of my items. Recently I imported all of my Etsy items to Art Fire. After I did all of that the Art Fire administration tells us that Google will kick our items if they find two identical titles! So - now I have to change over 500 titles on one of those sites so they aren't the same and Google will accept them. What a pain! SO, if you are going to list an item in more than one place, anywhere on the Internet, be sure you change the titles to something different for every site. Oh , and have fun......(not)

The rest I have to share is for those of you selling on Art Fire only. I have figured out how to incorporate my mailing list there so people can sign up directly from my Art Fire page. IF I ever figure out how to do it on Etsy I will be thrilled, and sure to share it. I put a "how to" on my Art Fire blog. You can also find an how to for changing the look of your shop. Here is the address: Forbes Farm Art Fire Blog . I hope you find it useful.

I'm off to the studio to try and find some inspiration for something new. I'm presently stuck in a floral earring rut!

Have a good day all.

Sandy

We have a winner!

2010-02-15T05:45:00.000-05:00

There were exactly 100 entries into my PIF bead giveaway. That's the best response I've ever had for a contest on this blog. Thank you to all of you who entered. Here is the winning number, picked by Random.org.

That makes Kayla from The Eclectic Element our winner. Congratulations Kayla!

She has a very nice blog and two Etsy pages. Check them out. Hey - you might even find some of those wonderful beads she won there in the future.

Blog

Etsy Handmade

Etsy Vintage

Last Chance to Enter

2010-02-14T07:16:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day you can enter our PIF Beaders Giveaway. It's a great prize folks, so if you like beads, click HERE for details.

A New Style - Hanging Fuchsia Floral Earrings

2010-02-11T08:46:00.000-05:00

Before I get into today's new post, I want to remind all of you who love beads to enter my PIF Destash Giveaway. There has been such a good response I have added a surprise or two to the package. So, if you bead, or know someone who does, boogie on over to the entry post and give it a whirl. Some luck winner is going to be thrilled!
http://forbesfarm.blogspot.com/2010/02/attention-beaders-destash-pay-it.html#links

Now, on to today's post.

Spring is coming to Western New York. At least that's what they tell me. Sometimes it is hard to believe, especially looking out my office window!

Since a new season is almost here I thought it was time for a new design. I turned up the heat, shut myself into the studio and got out all of my supplies. These are times when my hubby wonders what on earth I am doing. Stuff is everywhere and nothing is accomplished, or so it seems. It does take me quite a while to put things together that I like. It takes even longer when I am trying to come up with something completely different from what I've seen on the Internet. I think I have succeeded. See what you think. More colors are coming.

Just click on the pictures. It will take you right to the item's description. I love the new changes Blogspot has made!

Fuchsia Floral Earrings in Red

In Pink

A New Twist

2010-02-10T06:40:00.000-05:00

Here is a new twist on one of my old stand-bys. I found myself with a package of rather blah yellow lilies. They are okay, but they just don't "pop" when made into earrings. At least they don't for me. I'm not much of a yellow lover to begin with. I had one of those "what if" moments the other day. What if I stained the tips of these with a non water based pigment? The first couple of attempts are in the trash can, but eventually I got it to work. It worked so well, I got out some green lilies and tried it with them too.

This pair is purple on the green

This pair is red on yellow.

I had fun turning plain flowers into something with a little more pizazz. Hope you like them!

Don't miss out on a chance to win my destash giveaway. Click HERE to enter.

Cookie Cutter Crafts - A mild rant on my part

2010-02-09T06:22:00.000-05:00

Quite a while ago some well meaning but in my opinion, misguided artist posted on one of the forums I read regularly. Their issue was what they called "cookie cutter crafts" littering up the spaces on sites meant for hand crafted items. It was their feeling that if a person does not make everything in an item, it really isn't hand made, it's just "hand assembled". They felt such pieces did not belong on a site selling handmade items, nor could it be called art.

That really got my goat. I stewed over it for a long time. I kept silent on the forum but many others did not. The fur flew on both sides of the issue for quite a while. It finally died down and faded but I'm sure the issue will come up again eventually. Some one will think they have the ultimate in opinions and post it again.

Yes, it did bother me. I kept wondering if my earrings were not worth the price I place on them because they would be considered "cookie cutter" items. I purchase all the parts. It's the putting of the part together that takes time, and an artistic eye. Some days I was close to pulling them off the Internet but something kept telling me not to. I looked at a lot of others selling similar jewelry. Was theirs better than mine? Did they not belong either? Many I found were obviously just thrown together as fast as possible. Others showed a lot of thought and talent went into them. Stew...stew... stew....

I stewed until Christmas came around. Have you ever made cut out cookies? Every year I swear I am not making them, and every year I end up doing so. The extent of my decorations is different colored sugars I put on top before baking. Forget icing! I just can't do it. I've tried. It always looks like a Kindergarten project when I'm finished. Just before Christmas I watched a baker meticulously decorating her cookies with a pastry bag, dabbing and dotting and smoothing and whirling that frosting into beautiful works of art. That is when it hit me! Cookie cutter crafts can be art just as those cookies she was making. She didn't make the cutter she was using, she didn't grow and grind the flour, nor did she milk the cow and churn the butter. She took parts she bought and with knowledge and skill, put them together. Both cookies and crafts take time, knowledge, skill and patience. So what if I don't "bake from scratch" with all of my jewelry. It can still be beautiful and it can still be considered art. Next time that discussion hits the forums I may not be so silent!

While you are here, sign up for my PIF Beaders Giveaway below. I have put together a nice little package for some lucky winner.
http://forbesfarm.blogspot.com/2010/02/attention-beaders-destash-pay-it.html#links

Sandy

Sweetening the Giveaway Pot

2010-02-08T09:48:00.000-05:00

There has been a tremendous response to my PIF bead give away. To thank all of you for your support I am going to sweeten the pot by adding a surprise item. I, myself do not know just what yet, but it will be something just as nice as what is pictured.

To enter go to my post below. http://forbesfarm.blogspot.com/2010/02/attention-beaders-destash-pay-it.html#links

Good luck to all! This is such great fun!!!!

Sandy

Attention Beaders - Destash Pay It Forward Giveaway!

2010-02-07T12:07:00.001-05:00

Way too many beads are accumulating in my studio. I have to clear some things out! Here's your chance for some free, pay it forward beads. Please - only enter if you can pay it forward with something wonderful of your own.

Here is what you will receive.

The total package

3 Small bags of seed, bugle, E beads and etc.

All are similar in content with lots of green and blue.

One full hank of silver lined topaz size 11 seed beads.

One string of an unknown light green/brown gemstone chips.

A nice selection of odd glass beads.

One, straight form the store, string of mixed Agate chips.

One small bag of Malachite chips.

Here is what to do to enter. You will get one entry for each thing you complete. Do one, do them all, it's up to you. Just be sure you let me know what you do.

1. Leave a comment here.

2. Sign up for my mailing list on the right -----> over there.

3. Blog about & link to this give away on your blog.

4. Post it on your Facebook or MySpace page.

5. Twitter it, with a link back to this post. - Please limit your tweets to once a day and include @forbesfarm so I get them.

I will pick the winner randomly by using radom.org. on February 15th. Good luck!

New - Join Our Mailing List

2010-02-07T08:53:00.000-05:00

Ever wish you would stop missing out on sales and great deals? I know I usually end up in a store the day after what I want has returned to it's regular price. That's just the kind of luck I seem to have. Here's one way to help. Join our mailing list and receive our newsletters. They will feature new items and any sales or coupon promotions I have going. I promise not to spam your e-mail with a ton of junk. Just the occasional newsletter, I promise.

Hope you are all having a great week end. Today the world must come to a stop for the Super Bowl. I'm afraid I don't get it. I don't even watch for the commercials. I guess I'm in the minority though.

Sandy

Our Newest Addition

2010-02-05T08:05:00.000-05:00

Forgive an old Grandma for posting a personal note here just this once please. This is our newest Grandson, Taylor Dean Caufield. He was born yesterday morning around 10 am. He's a big boy at 8 pounds 6ounces. Hearsay has it, his big brother Sawyer isn't impressed, but we are!

Sorry for the poor picture quality. It's a Skype snapshot which is all I have for now. It's the pits being away from your family and they were so busy with visitors all day that we only got about 2 minutes online last night. Thank God for Skype or we'd have nothing!

All Time Favorite Necklace

2010-02-03T09:27:00.000-05:00

If you are a crafter, you more than likely have items that turn out so-so, some you stick away for a re-do and then there are those that make your heart jump. The necklace I am featuring today is was a WOW moment from the minute I saw the focal bead on Etsy.

I have had the necklace finished for over a year now and it just did not seem right. Originally I strung it on flexible wire. It was okay but I wasn't happy with it. This week I finally sat down with it. After staring at the necklace for a long time I finally worked up the nerve to cut the wire and start over. This time I used black cording. It was stretchy enough to pull on it while I tightened it down and then the "ugly" ends slid right back inside the beaded tubes. Yahoo! I'ts nice and snug and much nicer to the touch than the original.

If you have time, go check it out. Just click on either picture. I wish I could keep it, but it really needs to find a better home. One with a pretty neck to really show it off!

Enough About Me - How about a different look?

2010-02-02T08:04:00.001-05:00

I found this great blog by a very talented artist that I just had to share it with you today. It is Enchanted Rose's Studio. It has nothing to do with jewelry. It does have to do with beauty! Just look at this wonderful piece she created.

A click on her gallery page takes you on a china adventure. Better yet, click on her how to link and find that Tina has generously provided tutorials on how to do this!

Oh great, like I don't have enough projects already!

And the Winner Is................

2010-02-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

The winner of my newest blog giveaway is.....
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.drum roll please

daerOn
I have notified the winner by e-mail. She has a great blog of her own with more giveaways to enter. If you would like to check it out, here's the link:
http://ohmygiveaway.blogspot.com/

I will be hosting another give away in the not too distant future. Keep watching.

Thanks to all who entered this time.