Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
This weeks winner is Heather Cote of Azure Island Beads. Congratulations!
You have won one of Jangles Holiday Beads from the studio of Jennifer Heynen.
Send Jennifer an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.
As we are doing the sprint into Christmas, I wanted to give you ideas for quick earrings. Since I mostly make buttons, I wanted to show 5 Button earrings you can make in under 5 minutes. It is possible. I am into simple.
Locate your supplies, you need: buttons, jump rings, charms and earwires.
Pair number One is made using beading hoops and layering the Lady Bug buttons over the Leaf Buttons.
Pair number Two. These are charms I use for stitch markers. I attached the enamel charm and ceramic charm to the earwires. I like that they aren’t exact matches.
Pair number Three. My favorite and my daughter’s favorite. She asked to wear them before I had photographed them. Use a jump ring that is large enough to through the first button hole and close. I put the jumpring through the charm and the Tie Dye Button hole, attach to the earwires.
Pair number Four. I used two jumprings per anodized aluminum washers, attached one jumpring to the earwire and the other to the Layered Bead Button. Very swanky!
Pair number Five. Twisted jumprings are used in each of the two button holes. One attaches to the earwires and the other to charms that hang off the bottom of the Dot Buttons.
Very quick and easy. Great for when you need a gift fast. I have had a guest show up and I did the “uh-oh” I don’t have a gift. I am out in my studio frantically making earrings or ornaments while my husband entertains.
Just keep smiling!
My question this week is:
What last minute gift have you had to create?
Leave a comment and…
You can win your own set of Lady Bug Buttons, so you can create your own earrings.
I have a very hard time dealing with the holidays. I’ll be standing over here with the fake grin pretending “It’s the most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
I wish you warmth, happiness and your best coping mechanism…pajamas and a glass of wine.
I got a new camera…I’m trying hard to improve my photography!
Marie Cramp
December 19, 2009 at 7:40 amI am ussualy rushing around making a quick card to add to a well thought out gift. I always seem to forget the card. Now I have a stack of generic cards that I can quickly add a few embelishments to, to suit the recipient. And voila!! done in a jiffy!
Marie
Doreen
December 19, 2009 at 10:36 amI won't be creating any last minute gifts. I will be buying one though. I have to go to Costco to get my brother his traditional huge bag of pistachios.
quiltingjewel39
December 19, 2009 at 2:06 pmI just finished a simple brown and copper bead braclet with earrings for my daughter for Christmas. It was quick and fun.
Azure Islands Designs
December 19, 2009 at 4:29 pmIt is my lucky day…thank you so much!!! I'm thrilled to win one of Jennifer Heynen's Holiday Beads!!!
I'll send off an email to her right away!
Cheers
PS…all the earrings are great but I love the tie die button earrings!!!
abeadlady
December 19, 2009 at 5:16 pmEarrings are usually my stand-by quicky gift. Love the ladybugs. Isn't it odd how many people have serious problems with the holidays? Hope yours is a good one.
Arline
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 19, 2009 at 6:47 pmMarie, great idea on the cards. I am usually cardless myself. One thing I need to work on.
Happy Holidays!
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 19, 2009 at 6:49 pmDoreen, the pistachios are great, especially if that is what your brother enjoys.
Happy Holidays!
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 19, 2009 at 6:50 pmquiltingjewel39, the bracelets and earring sound wonderful. I'm sure she will love it!
Happy Holidays!
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 19, 2009 at 6:52 pmHeather, it is your Lucky Day! Jennifer's stuff is cool. She may be out of town, if you don't hear back from her right away. Thank you, I love the Tie Dye earrings too.
Happy Holidays!
Jeannie
December 19, 2009 at 7:21 pmTari I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the earrings. If I received a pair of these from someone I would be happy and joyful.
I have some rose quartz carved into open hearts and I'm just attaching silk cord to them.
This holiday stresses me out. I'm in production mode.
I'll be the one mingleing with a fake smile, looking like I have to go pee and wringing my hands.
Elizabeth
December 19, 2009 at 11:10 pmMy last minute gift is always a book mark or thong. Easy and useful, can't beat that. Merry Christmas all.
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 20, 2009 at 12:12 amArline, usually my quick stand-by this time of year is ornaments.
I think more people have issues with the holidays, they don't want to tell anyone. I am called Scrooge, but I used to love the holidays. It's too stressful and there are too many expectations. I had to take on the "expect nothing and you won't be dissappointed"… it's worked for dealing and coping with my extended family.
Happy Holidays!
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 20, 2009 at 12:14 amJeannie, I so needed that today! Thank you! Your Rose Quartz necklaces sound wonderful.
We can both stand in the back of room wringing our hands and share a bottle of wine.
Happy Holidays!
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 20, 2009 at 12:16 amElizabeth, OK I was sitting here laughing when you said a thong. Thinking you give people a thong?!!! Then of course I realized it is a BOOK thong.
Thank you for the bit of amusement today!
Happy Holidays!
TesoriTrovati
December 20, 2009 at 3:28 amLOL! Thongs!
We call them "book tales" at our house (so my kids can participate in making them!)
I was at a basketball tournament all day today, so I whipped up about a dozen or more pairs of earring dangles(just need to put the earring part on and they will be good to go). One other thing I like to whip up are charm pendant necklaces. But I still have client orders to make. Yikes! What am I doing writing on this blog?!
Those lady bugs are the cutest. Thanks for the inspiration!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Lisa Crone
December 20, 2009 at 1:12 pmEarlier in the week I had been asked if I had anything made for the holidays for someone to buy for a little girl. I no longer have an inventory of jewelry to sell, but I had some great beads from Rings & Things that would be great for kids' jewelry. I ended up making a bracelet before work and grabbing supplies so I could make a necklace during lunch. It all worked out, but I sweated it out for a sec 🙂
Alice Howe
December 20, 2009 at 3:01 pmI love to have some nice paper always on hand. Then I go through my journals and create special quotes or sayings. They are special to me and hopefully will becme special to someone else.
Happy season!
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 20, 2009 at 3:45 pmErin, I take supplies with me to kids events. I was at my daughters band concert with a spool of high fire wire making loops for pendants. Once was making beads at my sons concert. He was at first mortified, now he accepts. I'm at a band concert I just need to listen!
Good luck filling your orders. It just get frantic this time of year to get those done and everything else. I shipped the last of mine out on Monday.
Happy Holidys!
Tari
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 20, 2009 at 3:47 pmLisa, that is great that you completed both! So glad it worked out for you.
Happy Holidays!
Tari
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 20, 2009 at 3:48 pmAlice, that is a wonderful idea! Hopefully they are treasured by others.
Happy Holidays!
Tari
Valerie C.
December 20, 2009 at 5:23 pmI made a really nice pair of beaded earring for a friend that fits her to a tee. One problem–My thread broke while I was puting the fringe on and I went through the 3 fringe that I already had put on. I finished it and when I held them up with its mate–OH MY GOD what did I do? Now to my dismay I have to redo the one earring. If only I someone to tell me how stupid that was to take a short cut like that. Well they came out perfect once I got them done about 5 minutes ago. All I need to do is wrap them and find a nice card to go with and while I am at I might as well get everyone else card ready to. I forgot!
Kate
December 20, 2009 at 7:08 pmI had a Hanukkah Party a few years back with lots of guests invited. Had presents for all then an invited showed up. Actually invited by an invited guest that called to say they couldn't make it, guess what, tag switcheroo and good to go. My gifts for this kind of thing are not gender specific so it was very easy to do! Hope you all get a rest soon! Happy Holidays! Tari your ladybugs are the cutest! That used to be my signature when I designed a clothing line years ago! 🙂
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 20, 2009 at 8:23 pmValerie, you are not the only one who does things like that! I am so happy for you that they turned out perfect. Good luck getting the cards complete.
Happy Holidays!
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 20, 2009 at 8:27 pmKate, that is great you could do a switch on the tags. Made your life easy. I would love to see the clothing line you designed.
Happy Hanukkah! or as I used to jokingly say a close friend Chappy Chanukah.
Cindy Lietz, Polymer Clay Tutor
December 22, 2009 at 6:59 pmMy last minute gifts this year were 18 zipper/backpack charms for my son's classmates done the night before. Fast, simple and cute when done with polymer clay beads!
The Joy of Nesting
December 23, 2009 at 2:53 amThe year before the move down here our last big have to do party a couple that had RSVP "no" showed up at the door. I managed to put together a set of earrings and a key chain with left overs sitting on the work table!! 🙂 Thankfuly all that is water under the bridge now.The holidays are now what we choose them to be!!
Pattie 😉
Mazatlan Mexico
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 23, 2009 at 3:02 amCindy, those sound wonderful! I hope they enjoyed and appreciated them.
Happy Holidays!
Tari of ClayButtons.com
December 23, 2009 at 3:04 amPattie, love the last minute creativity! Glad it worked.
Happy Holidays!