Meet the Maker: Jenna from Just Another Bracelet.

Happy Friday friends! How has your week been? We seem to be still getting healthier which is good. I had the opportunity to volunteer in my sons preschool class this week and that was a lot of fun. 

Being that it is Friday it is time for another Meet the Maker. Today's interview is with Jenna from Just Another Bracelet. Today I am going to let Jenna take over my blog and tell you about herself. Have a great weekend friends. Without further ado, let's meet Jenna. 

My name is Jenna and I'm the person behind Just.Another.Bracelet.
I'm from Rocky River, a suburb on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio.
After living abroad for a few years, I returned to my roots and am currently living in Lakewood, Ohio. It's another city that borders both where I grew up and CLE itself!

I've been into crafting for as long as I can remember. I've only been making bracelets with the purpose of selling them for almost a year. Apart from making friendship bracelets, I also do a lot of scrapbooking and photo collages!
I began making bracelets at summer camp when I was probably around 10 years old. They were something almost all the kids did and a great way to keep me occupied for long stretches of time...like rest periods at the pool. I was inspired to start Just.Another.Bracelet after my Peace Corps service in Peru. While in Peru I was invited to teach an artisan group my bracelet making techniques. The group thought that by adding friendship bracelets to their repertoire, they would be able to draw in more business. I was blown away by the participation of these women in my 2-day workshop (some traveled hours on foot to attend each day)! Apart from teaching the artisan group, I also made bracelets for my Peruvian friends...as gifts, as a way to remember me when I went back to the States, as a way for them to represent their favorite soccer team. I realized that for some of my friends their bracelet was so much more than just a bracelet. It was a connection to someone far away or represented a memory or a loved one who had passed. When I got back home I needed a way to make a little money while I was job hunting and Just.Another.Bracelet was born. I wanted to be able to share my bracelets with the world.

I think I started selling online in September or October of 2016. Because
I needed a forum to market my bracelets that was low cost.

For the future of my business, I'd like to hit 50 (or more!) sales by the end of the year on Etsy (I sell quite a few in person to friends of friends of friends and so on also). I'd also like to keep growing, adding new patterns and styles. I'm also in the planning stages of adding headbands which I think will be a really great addition to the shop!

My favorite piece is probably my Dreamcatcher Festival Cuff or maybe the charm bracelet that I made for myself...it has a charm that says "live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air."

For those looking into starting a small shop business remember to "Stick to it!! It's really hard to get started and stay motivated when you're not making a lot of sales or getting a lot of attention. But if it's something you love and it shows in your work, eventually the sales will come!"

As final thoughts, I'd just like to thank you for this opportunity and give a shoutout to the maker community at large. Everyone has been super supportive of my endeavor and I love being able to share my work with the world! And never be afraid to reach out to me about my work, or how I got started, or a custom piece, or whatever!

My Etsy shop:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JustAnotherBracelet?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/just.another.bracelet/

Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/jab180/justanotherbracelet/

Upcoming Event:

 Nov 6-14 Lydia's Guild Holiday Craft show.

Doylestown, PA

Our blog contains affiliate links. If you click on them and possibly make a purchase you can help support our blog! Thanks in advance,

Day 17 in Christmas in July Craft Challenge and Meet the Maker: Ashley Leiendecker from Beauty from Asher

'Twas the seventeenth day of crafting

and we have paper cuts to show.

How much we love to do crafting.

All through the year and now!

Hi, friends! How was your weekend? Did you do any fun crafts? I would love to see them. Here is a flashback to last years craft on this day: Salt Dough Ornaments. These were a lot of fun. It is neat to look back and see where we have come.

Today is a choose your own craft, finish up a craft or do a coloring page from Quiet Grove. Did you know that even a coloring page counts as an entry in the giveaway? So share your pictures either in the comments below or in our DIY Facebook group and fill out the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I love our Meet the Maker series. It has been so fun interviewing the various makers, getting to know them and see their great work. Today, we are interviewing Ashley Leiendecker from Beauty from Asher. Without further ado, let's get to know Ashley. She did such a beautiful job writing up about herself that I will just have her take over the blog for the day :). Thanks, Ashley it is so fun to meet you.

Hello! I'm Ashley Leiendecker and the owner of Beauty from Asher! I was born in St. Louis, Missouri but raised in Houston, Texas. This past September, I moved to Ruston, Louisiana where I attend school at Louisiana Tech University where I plan to earn my degree in Early Childhood Education. I have been making jewelry since I was in middle school so about 7 years.

Now the story behind the name is pretty unique and I absolutely love it! My great grandfather's name was Jacobus meaning "Jacob" and my father's side of the family are descendants of Jacob (in the bible). He blessed his descendants including Asher. From the tribe of Asher, it is said, "the women who came from Asher were beautiful [and were sought after for marriage]...his daughters were married to high priests, who were anointed with olive oil", which is where the idea for my logo came from. Although the priests came from the tribe of Levi since Asher's daughters married priests, his grandchildren were eligible for - and eventually served in - the position of high priest. Asher's daughters were so beautiful that bachelors from all the tribes wanted to marry them. They were known for being beautiful and refined just like my jewelry!

When I started making jewelry, it was just a hobby my grandmother and I did together. We would sit around her table and craft just the two of us.

I started selling on Etsy the summer after I graduated high school in August of 2015. I decided to sell online because I really enjoyed making jewelry and I wanted to be able to share my creations with others.

I will be changing our grab bags in the next month or so, but currently, you get a necklace (there are 5 different options), our leather pearl bracelet, and a pair of our pearl cluster studs.

I am so excited for the future of Beauty from Asher! My hopes for my business is that it will continue to grow and that it will eventually become a full-time job and my main source of income. There is nothing better than your job being something you absolutely love doing.

I think my favorite piece that I have made so far, would have to be the very first item I sold. It was a simple gold necklace featuring a vintage gold coin that actually happened to be from the materials my great grandmother used to make jewelry. It made my first sale even more incredible!

The one thing that I think everyone considering going into the handmade business should know is, even when you are feeling discouraged, do not give up! I remember being open for six months and I hadn't made a single sale. I felt like giving up and I almost did. I began asking for help and just really working hard and then all of a sudden, my first sale came and it felt so rewarding. So keep going and keep pushing along, I promise it's worth it!!

Thank you so much for sharing Ashley. I really love the story behind your shop's name and how you got started with your grandmother. It is stories like these that make shopping small so intimate and unique. I wish you all the best at school and in your business in the future.

Links:
www.etsy.com/shop/beautyfromasher
www.instagram.com/beautyfromasher/
www.facebook.com/beautyfromasher
www.twitter.com/beautyfromasher

Meet the Maker: Misty Dubois and Day 7 of craft challenge.

Hi, friends. How was your week been? Ours has been busy. Having a holiday in the middle of the week can throw anyone off. Our oldest has returned from Texas and it has been such a blessing to have her back.

Have you had a chance to check out our Craft Challenge yet? Be sure to do so. There are some really fun crafts. You can earn an entry by sharing any craft you are working on and you can earn an entry just by filling out the rafflecopter below. We are on Day 7 of our challenge.

Today, you can finish up a previous craft, choose your own or print out a coloring page from Nerdy Mama and share that with us.

Check out this fun entry from Eileen yesterday.

If you would like to join in you can find the rules here. You can also follow along in our DIY Facebook group. Please share your creations in the comments or in our Facebook group.

Great job everyone and thanks for sharing Eileen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now onto Meeting our Maker for today. Let me introduce to you to Misty Dubois!


Hi, Misty. So glad that you can join us. Where are you from and where do you live now? I'm from Texas originally. I've lived in several parts of Texas. I currently live in Colorado. I'm been here for twelve years.

Do you have another type of job and jewelry is a hobby or vice versa? I've always done different creative jobs. I've painted for years. I've sold fine jewelry. I recently invested full-time efforts into costume jewelry making.

How long have you been crafting? I've always been creative. I started sewing at the age of five. I'm designed, painted, printmaking, and now costume jewelry.

What got you started in jewelry making? My mother made creative, costume jewelry when I was a teenager. I would design the pieces that I wanted. She would assemble them when she wasn't working on other items. I finally started making jewelry on my own.


What is your favorite jewelry making technique? I would love to do it all! Right now, I'm really into mixing different seed bead combinations on chandelier earrings.

When did you start selling on-line and what drew you to sell on-line? I first started selling paintings and prints online. All my friends paint or sculpt. I went out on a limb. I started doing jewelry to add variety. I reopened an old Etsy shop online.

What hopes do you have for your business in the future? I really admire the silversmiths! I hope one day to venture into it.

What is your most favorite piece that you have made? Every piece that I make is my favorite! It is hard to part with them. I know they are going to good homes.

What is one thing you wish someone had told you when you went into the jewelry making business or selling online? I'm really into the creative side. I love variety and experimentation into new ideas. Branding is a solid uniform concept. I wish I developed more ideas for branding.

You can find Misty at the following locations
Instagram: instagram.com/Misty_DuBois
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MistyDuBoisArt
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/MistyDuBoisArt

Meet the Maker: Anna Fortune from Beads for Seads

Hi, friends! How has your week been? Happy Friday! Hope this finds you well. We have been working hard on finishing up our homeschool year with putting together a portfolio and then having our evaluations on Thursday. Yay for summer being here.

What plans do you have for summer? Any craft projects you will be working on? If you would like on July 1-25, we will be having our 2nd Annual Christmas in July Crafting Challenge. Come join us here and on Facebook to participate.

I have the pleasure of introducing you to another great maker from our Follow Friday feature giveaway. Meet Anna Fortune from Beads for Seeds.

Anna was born in California and has lived in most states on the way to the east coast. She calls Wilmington NC home now. I have always wanted to be near the ocean and Wilmington is a beautiful little historic, coastal town. 

Anna tell us about your crafting experiences?I have been crafting in some form since I can remember. I would go gather scraps of wood and flowers, I tried making mud beads when I was little.

That is really interesting.
How did you end up in the jewelry business?
How I ended up making jewelry as a business is kind of funny. About 20 years ago I traded a vacuum ( a rainbow) for my sister and her husband's craft jewelry business, We were both pretty happy. I had put it on hold for a number of years with work and kids, but I always yearned to be doing it again. I have been blessed with the people in my life, and opportunities that have made this possible.
When did you start selling online?
Back when I had my first business, Internet was brand new, I just started selling online this time and it has been almost a year.
Selling online is such a great way to find community. Connecting with people all over that share the same ideas and values, people that I would never have had the chance to meet in person.

What do you hope for the future of your business?
My hope for the future is that I can be successful enough, to make a difference in my community, and hopefully many more. 

What is your favorite piece you have made?
Having to pick one, I think it would be my elephant palm necklace which is very simple, but I love elephants, so it has an extra soft spot.

For those starting out, what advice would you give them?
Wow! There is so much, don't get discouraged, keep doing what you love because it will show.

Thank you for sharing Anna. I wish you all the best in your jewelry business.

You can find Anna at the following web locations:
Webpage: https://www.beadsforseeds.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beadsforseeds/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beads4seeds/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BeadsForSeedsShop

Meet the Maker: Kimberly Michele from Tater Nooney

Hello, Friends. How are you? I hope that this finds you well. We had some lovely weather this week. So we had lots of fun walking to the Post Office to mail off Happy Mail and to pick it up! My youngest loves to pick flowers and sticks and rocks and then gift them to the mailman. What have you done this week?

It's time for another post in our fun Meet the Maker Series! I am having so much fun sharing these makers with all of you. I hope that you are enjoying meeting them. If you would like to be featured email me at mtnittanycreations@gmail.com or join in on our #followfriday feature giveaway on Instagram.

Today, I am introducing you to Kimberly from Tater Nooney. She hails originally from Georgia but is currently living in Kansas. She has been there for a little less than a year.

Tell me, Kimberly, How long have you been crafting and what got you started?
I have been crafting since I was about 10 years old.
I started crafting when I spent my summers with my grandmother in Ohio. I learned to make my first pair of beaded earrings. It was something so simple but I was proud I made them. I still remember exactly what they look like and I think I have them around here somewhere. What a fun memory. If you find them I would love to see a picture of those earrings.

What inspires you about beading?
One of the things that really drew me into beads was that I could create anything. Beading is not one dimensional, the sky is the limit to what you can make. My family is the big inspiration behind everything I do. The pieces that have names, they are named after the strong women in my life as well as other strong women I meet along the way. I have two kids and I would love to show them and others you can do and be anything you put your mind too. Don't get me wrong it is hard work but doing something different and that you love is okay.What a great legacy you would like to leave your kids.

Kimberly when did you start selling online and Why?
I started selling online at the end of October 2016.
One of the biggest reasons I decided to sell online was it allowed me to be able to spend more time with family and it is nice to get them involved in the process. My wonderful daughter is my neck model, my son helps with all the IT, and my husband helps with picking colors and keeping my head on straight. But I also love that it allows for me to meet wonderful talented people from everywhere.
That's great that the whole family is involved. We have that in our business as well and it is such a blessing and a joy to work with all of them.

What do you hope for from your business?
My hopes for the future of my business is hard, the easy answer would be that it is successful but I want more than that. I want to be able to help charities that are very close to my heart like Breast cancer and Alzheimer's which affects many women and many in my family. Also, I want to leave something for my children to be proud of. Wow, that is really neat that you want to be able to donate to charities. What a blessing. Also, that is great you want to leave something for your children. How neat.

What is your most favorite piece that you have made?
My most favorite piece...Hard!!! They all have such a special meeting or back story so every time I make something new it becomes my favorite! Corny I know.
Not Corny at all. That is very sweet.

What advice would you give to others looking to go into the crafting business?
Love what you do, hard work, and persistence!! Nothing happens over night but if you love what you do it will show in your work and others will see that.
That is so true.

Thank you again so much for this opportunity. I think this is wonderful and please continue with your amazing work.

Thank you so much for sharing Kimberly and for your kind words. It has been so neat to get to know you better. I wish you all the best with your business.


website:www.etsy.com/shop/taterandnooney
Instagram:taterandnooney

More Info Coming Soon! Stay Tuned!

How I chill! Blog-tember challenge day 16!

Today Bailey blog asks us answering the question "How do you de-stress/take care of yourself?"
There are several things that I do to de-stress/take care of myself:

1. I love going to the local cafe in our little town and just sit in the corner comfy seat with my feet up and read my Bible and/or a book, pray and catch up on my on-line to do's. Of course, I sip my cup of tea. They have a wonderful selection of tea leaves that you can brew. To be away from home and not have my responsibilities to think about allows me the introspective time that I thrive on and recharge.

2. I love yoga, especially restorative and slow flow yoga. With my health, I can't do any heavy cardio or high impact workouts. I have found that these types of yoga really work well for me. They help me stretch out muscles that get overly tight from my disease and help me keep moving during the week.

3. I also really enjoy making crafts, particularly jewelry. I have started taking some jewelry classes at Michaels, and it has been really fun learning some new techniques and spending time with my girls. To be able to create something with my hands brings such joy to my heart. This is one of the reasons that we thought of opening an ETSY shop. We almost have everything set up. Watch out for a Grand Opening really soon. Who knew there was so much to go into starting a crafting business online.

4. I adore reading. When I was a kid, I would spend hours sitting and reading during the summer. I don't have that kind of dedicated time anymore but still really love to read.

5. I also enjoy watching Netflix. I am so thankful we have it, particularly on the days when I am not feeling well and just unable to read or do much of anything. I enjoy being able to watch through all the seasons of a show and watch the story unfold and not have to wait week by week to find out what happens.

How do you de-stress/take care of yourself? I would love to hear from you.

Happy Blog-tember!

All about me! Blog-tember Challenge Day 1.

Hi, all! My name is Amber and I am joining in on a challenge, Blog-tember (link at the bottom), where I will try and blog each day, answering the challenges that Bailey Jean posts. 

Day # 1 we are to introduce ourselves. So here we go:

I am a stay at home mom of four sweet kids. They range in age from 11 down to 3. I have been homeschooling since my oldest was a wee one. I love homeschooling. It is so fun to watch the kids grow and learn. Our youngest has some special needs so starting next week he will be going to a special preschool four days a week. I am a little nervous about putting our youngest on a small bus and that he is the first of our kids to go to school.

Over four years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, MCTD. This really limits what I can do in a day or in a week. Most days are spent with me being in pain and tired. For over a year, I have been on a special diet, autoimmune protocol (AIP), in hopes to reduce my symptoms and delay the progress of my disease.

I love to travel, but I also love Pennsylvania. I grew up in the Philly area and now live in central PA. I have had the chance to travel the US, going cross country several times. I have also been in other countries. One of my favorites was Mexico.

My husband and I are missionaries with DiscipleMakers, a ministry that seeks to make disciples on college campuses. Come check out our web page: www.dm.org

Our sweet family!

I love crafting. Recently I have taken on a love for jewelry making and have been working on stocking an ETSY shop which I hope to open this month. We hope to also sell crafts that will raise money for a nonprofit that is raising money to study my disease, Hope4MCTD.

Come check us out on:

Instagram:@mtnittanycreations

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mtnittanycreations/

Twitter: @scottaenator 

Pinterest: scottaenator

I am looking forward to getting the opportunity to meet other bloggers and share more of myself. Blessings!

Our new logo created by Becky MacDonald.

One of our bracelets in our shop!

Christmas in July Crafting Challenge Day 24

Twas the day before 
the 25th of July.
All is quiet in the mouse...nothing is moving
because hopefully we've been out playing :).
So here it is the eve of our last day. Get out your jewelry making tools
and join us for another craft!

Happy Christmas Crafting!

Hello everyone and welcome to our twenty-fourth day of our challenge. 

Today, you have a choice between two jewelry crafts.

1. Easy Instruction on Making Pearl Bangle Bracelet from Pandahall.com Learning Center by Summer Wang
2. DIY Pearl Necklace in 3 seconds from Clones and Clowns by Aimee

The Learning Center

Clones and Clowns

Put your craft together and share it with us in our facebook group! Make sure you also use #christmasinjulycraftchallenge2016 when posting to social media.

Don't forget to enter in the rafflecopter for your entry to win a custom piece of jewelry.

Please see our blog page for all of the rules.

Looking forward to seeing your creations.

Happy Crafting.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas in July Crafting Challenge Day 15

'Tis the 15th day of creating.

What fun we are having! 

With 10 more to go!!

Today, we will take a small break

Click on the link,

And learn how to make wire wrapped jewelry.

Happy Christmas Crafting!

Hello everyone and welcome to our 15th day of our challenge. 

How is it going? Have you been able to create some fun things? Thank you for joining us in these challenges.

Day 15 challenge is: Wire Wrapping Basics on a Budget Lets Make something video #3

Take a shot of your finished product and share them with us in our facebook group! Make sure you also use #christmasinjulycraftchallenge2016 when posting to social media.

Don't forget to enter in the rafflecopter for your entry each day to win a custom piece of jewelry.

Please see our blog page for all of the rules.

Looking forward to seeing your creations.

Happy Crafting.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas in July Crafting Challenge Day 14

Twas the fourteenth day of the crafting challenge,

And boy have we done a lot.

From snowmen, to angels it's been such fun...

Ready for another here we go

grab some ribbon and some pearls

It's a bracelet we are making.

Happy Christmas Crafting!

Hello everyone and welcome to our fourteenth day of our challenge. 

Today, we will make a Ribbon and pearl bracelet. Craft and photo from Yes Missy a Lifestyle Blog.

Put your craft together and share it with us in our facebook group! Make sure you also use #christmasinjulycraftchallenge2016 when posting to social media.

Don't forget to enter in the rafflecopter for your entry to win a custom piece of jewelry.

Please see our blog page for all of the rules.

Looking forward to seeing your creations.

Happy Crafting.

a Rafflecopter giveaway