Denim Bead Necklace Featured in ArtFire Member Curated Collection

Curated by fellow ArtFire member Aspie Craft, this Collection features one of my denim bead necklaces and subsequently made the front page of the ArtFire site on June 19!! What a thrill and an honor!! One of my pieces is showcased on ArtFire on the same day I was awarded the Certified Handmade artifact!!


"16 days, 16 items that exemplify the uniquelist word of the day. Check out #uniquelist on twitter for links to great handmade items and for ways to reword duplicate listings & improve Google rankings."

Junique Number One

Curated By: AspieCraft

ArtFire.com

Copyright 2008-2011 Casual Day Designs. All Rights Reserved.
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Casual Day Designs Has Been Awarded the Certified Handmade Artifact

Copyright 2008-2011 Casual Day Designs. All Rights Reserved.
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Copyright 2008-2011 Casual Day Designs. All Rights Reserved.
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Tuesday Shopping Showcase for June 7, 2011

Welcome to another edition of my Tuesday Shopping Showcase blog! I'm your host, Deb, creator of Casual Day Designs - jewelry for your jeans, and I'll be taking you on a trip down ArtFire lane introducing you to some amazing artisans who sell their handmade items in an online global marketplace. Every Tuesday I randomly select three ArtFire studios to feature -- so here we go...

Next week is our county fair already! It comes so early after the end of school there's hardly time to work on projects much before the week prior to the fair. My daughter and I are busy with clothing selection exhibits, goal sheets, and photography entries. Photography projects are so much easier to procrastinate now with the invention of the digital camera and the instant images that can be produced down at the local drugstore kiosk--no waiting for film to be developed and then waiting again for enlargements to be made!!

With the invention of ArtFire, you no longer have to travel to specialty stores to find the camera accessories and photo props you need either!! Picture this--ArtFire artists can set you up with some great products for all your photography needs. Camera straps, bags, and unique items for taking pictures of children just to name a few can all be found on ArtFire!

Karen from Colorado combines her love of fabric with her design and sewing skills, acquired from 20 plus years in manufacturing outdoor gear to create her own line of products. One of her unique handmade items is a padded small digital camera bag that she sells from her ArtFire Studio, Zoe's Bag Boutique.

The Sweet Strap, an Artisan Studio out of Connecticut, has a wide variety of camera strap slipcovers and dSLR camera straps for every photographer's personal flair.

Shutter Buddies has a great idea to make the photographer's job simpler. Here is a description of one of her items straight from her ArtFire Studio:

"Having trouble getting the wild ones to look and smile at the camera? Look no further, here is your solution! Every one of my large Shutter Buddies is entirely hand made and all include a squeaker inside the material to make the attention catching noise necessary for your little ones to look at the camera with a big smile. The squeakers can be moved around the inside of Shutter Buddies for your convenience to work for both right-hand shooters and lefties. I use only high quality materials and hand embroider everything. It is made to last and is sprayed with a stain protection guard to prevent from getting dirty easily and is treated with anti-fray ointment. You will find shooting photos of kids is far easier and exciting, as they will look right at the camera interested in the funny faces and animals surrounding your lens. Squeak away with the squeaker inside for extra attention grabbing when needed..."

You have to see one of these camera prop Shutter Buddies for yourself--they are adorable!!

Have fun shopping, and I'll see you at the fair!

Copyright 2008-2011 Casual Day Designs. All Rights Reserved.
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My Creation Monday - June 6, 2011

A busy day is ahead in the Casual Day Designs Studio!! I listed and immediately sold a denim bead key chain last week in my ArtFire studio--selling always inspires me to make more!! So, I will take advantage of this sunny day and get another charm done. Using Lisa Pavelka's signature Magic-Glos that cures in the sun, I create one-of-kind denim-look resin charms and pendants.

More new ideas are circulating in my head and it's time to make them come to life. My denim bead pendant idea incorporating a denim Kanzashi flower embellished with Czech glass beads is finally taking shape. Adding various shades of denim beads is the next step for this Casual Day Designs exclusive necklace. The denim is on the cutting table today ready to be made into beads!! I have a necklace to re-string and a memory wire bracelet to make as well.

Good thing I got my garden in over the weekend. With the hot temperatures predicted for this afternoon, it will be a good day to bead inside.

Copyright 2008-2011 Casual Day Designs. All Rights Reserved.
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Reaping What You Sow...

I have not had a garden in my backyard for probably seven years. This year I decided to resurrect the hobby and try my hand at planting once again. The 12x24 raised garden plot had been home to a swingset until recently when my husband and I dismantled the rusty eyesore and carted it to the citywide dump day. Not only was the swingset falling into disrepair, but the weeds had gotten unbelievably out of hand.

On Saturday, I had the garden area tilled. Yesterday, I headed out with a rake to work the soil. A 12x24 area doesn't sound very big until you are in one square foot of it sifting through the dirt and looking across at what seems like a very daunting task. I began raking more furiously taking bigger swaths in an attempt to get the job done faster. Obviously, I soon tired and was not even coming close to the desired results.

The point at which I slowed down and began focusing on a smaller patch just to catch my breath, was my "Ah-ha" moment...any task worth doing well deserves time and patience. The answer to the question how do you eat an elephant is...one bite at a time. I stopped looking at what I had left to do, pushed aside the notion that I could accomplish other tasks if I could get this one done quicker, and just took joy in the task at hand. All of sudden the birds singing and chirping their unrehearsed melodies became the background music to the squeaking of my rake handle. The warm breeze caressed my face, and the aroma of freshly turned soil wafted in and out of my nose. I felt lighter and energized. My mind began comparing other tasks to this gardening revelation and eventually I thought about my grandma and all the hours she would spend in her garden lovingly tending to the duration of the plants and eventually reaping a grand bounty for her efforts.

I'm sure I will get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life again all too soon, but my hope is that I can recall the "Ah-ha" moment again sooner in the future and take time to be joyful in all that I do.

Have a joyous day and a blessed weekend!! I'm off to plant then on to my beading!!

Copyright 2008-2011 Casual Day Designs. All Rights Reserved.
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