Jewelry at the Gardens show this weekend!

[caption id="attachment_1083" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="this weekend, at DBG"][/caption] I will be participating in this wonderful show this weekend, along with 24 other jewelers.  The Denver Botanic Gardens in conjunction with the Colorado Metalsmithing Association will be hosting. Friday evening is a reception which starts at 6pm, and goes to 9pm.  Saturday the hours are 9am - 5pm, and Sunday 11am - 5pm.  I am working on a bounty of new pieces.  Stop by and see all my new pearls, stones and other cool pieces.

Facebook anyone? And amazing bronze clay colors...

[caption id="attachment_1066" align="aligncenter" width="448" caption="fun colors from the kiln"][/caption] Let's be friends on FaceBook--if you have a Facebook page, please send me a friend request--a great way to stay in touch.  I created a page for CC Designs Art Jewelry, and a personal page, Candice Kiesow.  I believe I have a link set up to the FB page when a new blog entry is made.   I will also be taking more photos to post in my Gallery of Work on this blog.

I am still unpacking from the Golden Fine Arts Festival--thanks to all who stopped in to say hello and those who purchased  my work--a BIG thank you, I had a great show!

[caption id="attachment_1068" align="aligncenter" width="432" caption="long pearl"][/caption]

I made two pearls like this one (which was photographed in my booth) and they both sold--saying good-bye was hard!  And not getting a good photo before they were sold was silly of me.  Anyway, I am working on new pearls, so keep checking back.  This is a new piece that also found a new home, it's hard parting ways sometimes but I'm so happy when the buyer loves the piece as much as I do!

[caption id="attachment_1071" align="aligncenter" width="432" caption="red coral heart"][/caption]

I've added a Gallery Page on my Blog

[caption id="attachment_1059" align="aligncenter" width="305" caption="Leaf lentil with heavy sterling chain"][/caption] After much thought--I decided I can add a Gallery page to my blog, and hopefully keep it updated.  I haven't updated my web site in over a year.  Updating entails having photos ready, burning them to a disc, and mailing it to my web designer.  Not that hard, but with all the small details running a business, seems to get neglected.

I also created a FaceBook page for CC Designs Art Jewelry, if you go to the page and "like" you will get updates when I make a new addition to my gallery.  Much easier for me, and after talking to several web designers, they say that many folks are going to platforms like Wordpress, Blogspot, etc. to keep their images fresh.

Also, come & see me at the Golden Fine Art Festival August 20 & 21.  It's a fun small show, along the creek off Washington Street.

Happy 2011! And oh--a new years resolution!

[caption id="attachment_929" align="aligncenter" width="459" caption="Photographer"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_932" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Booth Designer"][/caption]

Wow-the new year is here, I've done 117 posts since I created my blog, and I was thinking.......how many jobs do I do?  My new years resolution for 2011 is to streamline my jewelry business by farming out some of the jobs I do.  So I started making a list..... and here goes:

Photographer: taking shots for my Etsy shop, jurying into shows, my web & blog site

Booth Designer: marketing my work at fine art festivals, working on presentation of my work, signage

Accounting: keeping track of expenses, paying sales tax, income taxes

Web and Blog:  I do have a web designer, but I write my own blog, and try, try to update it as much as I can

Marketing/Branding:  I was a graphic designer, so know Photoshop & Illustrator, and do my own marketing

Sales Manager: I sell my work at shows, I have work at galleries on consignment, I keep track of what has sold, what inventory needs to be re-stocked

Buyer:  scoping out new items at the local gem shows, hunting through Tucson for unusual items to include in my work

Yikes, I'm tired!  Does anyone else feel like a whirlwind all of the time?  After thinking about streamlining my jewelry business, I began to think about how many art things do I do?

Jewelry Designer:  metal clay & silversmithing, maker of the Craig Hospital broken man charm

Ceramist: work with earthenware clay and am a member of the Colorado Potters Guild

Lampwork Artist:  work with soft glass when my garagio studio is not too cold....member of the Bead Cluster

Teacher:  I teach kids art camps: jewelry making, clay & cooking

On the up-side, I am never bored.  I feel blessed I'm able to work & do the things I love.  I've met great people and made great friends through the art world I'm involved in.  I love creating, teaching, taking classes, exploring new mediums.  So in 2011, I'll work on giving up some of these jobs--anyone know a good bookkeeper to start?

Thanks for stopping in!

Thanks to my all friends who stopped by over the weekend to shop.  It was a fun, successful weekend.  The weather held up, we cleaned the house, I made lots of beads, and new silver pieces for the show.  A fun time!  Thanks for all the support this year!

Hipster shots from the iPhone, Berthoud Pass, CO

Do these photos remind anyone of growing up with the old point & shoot cameras?   This is a cool iPhone app called Hipster.  It comes with a few different lenses, and you can buy more.  I like the effect.  My mother had rolls of film that she kept 10 years or so before they were developed and most of them looked like this after developing.  The last shot is in the house...the creepy staircase....

Busy Bee

[caption id="attachment_641" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Colorado Potters Spring Show & Sale, May 6, 7, & 8"][/caption] Aside from making jewelry, teaching, and attending to my family, I am also a part of the cooperative, Colorado Potters Guild.  As a retired graphic designer, I have been recruited to design the postcard for the twice yearly sale.  I just finished it and uploaded it into the world wide web for printing.  Our spring sale will be here soon, May 6, 7, & 8.  It's a week later this year.  We are very fortunate to have a member who brings a photography set up to our show, and we photograph our pieces so they are available for advertising our future shows.

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Raku and a few laughs

[caption id="attachment_617" align="aligncenter" width="378" caption="Raku Bird House"][/caption] I am hoping to get a few pieces made in raku for the upcoming Colorado Potters Show & Sale, being held May 6, 7, & 8 this year.  I will be attempting some raku in the near future, as I found a small portable kiln my Jim Cooper, CooperWorks here in Denver.  This is an old birdhouse I made, that's in our private collection.

I had some good laughs, oh my goodness!  While in Tucson, my friend mentioned something called Hulu.  I had never heard of it, nor had watched it.  She told me I could catch up on TV shows by watching them on my computer.  Okay, sounds like a plan.  It is quite amazing, even though we pay for "On Demand" on cable TV.  Last night I tuned in to Hulu for the new show, "The Marriage Ref".  I was laughing out loud!  A little distraction while working at my desk, this will come in handy.  And who couldn't use a good laugh!

Moo MiniCards

My new favorite minicards are from www.moo.com. They were really popular with my customers this past summer at art festivals I participated in. One great aspect for marketing your work, is that they include a photo, so potential customers can remember you.  You can upload 100 different images, crop them and get an array of your work, with information printed on the back. Go Moo! [caption id="attachment_471" align="aligncenter" width="72" caption="Moo Cards"][/caption]