My Bead Heaven

So yesterday I promised more... more blogging & more photos!

So here are some photos from my shopping excursion for beads in Toronto!

*side note - don't trust ANY of these colours as they have been changed for photo aesthetics & to hide their true identities for the time being



Overwhelmed by the choices!



Stoned



Rainbow of my dreams....



One of my favorite post features from other bloggers lately have been their 'Song of the Week' links & so in that spirit I leave you with my favorite song (on constant repeat) to listen to on this trip...

Maritime Shopaholic!

And no, I don't mean me!!

For those of you that have been following my blog for awhile, you might remember the giveaway I did with local Saint John blogger, Maritime Shopaholic in the fall.

Shopaholic, aka Chelsea, is a staple in the local blogging community & fashion community (anyone see her in the recent trunk show at PGals Closet? Adorable!).

I've waxed on before about the friendly nature of East Coasters & specifically Saint Johners but Chelsea is probably who I owe my (now) wide social circle too! Collaborating with her for the blog contest, brought me full force into the Saint John 'scene' & the twitter world.  She also got me hooked on we love color tights. I love her for all of it!

This past Sunday, we hit uptown Saint John's Market Square on an incredibly rainy day for some photos. Check out Chelsea's blog to see her outfit post, wearing pieces from our favorite local shops;
Je Suis Prest, Urban Shoe Myth & Manchester Shoes!

Chelsea also modelled several Darling Dilemma pieces, available in my Etsy shop.

Orchid

Careless Whisper

Waves of Love

*Click on any piece name to be linked to item in my shop

Check out Chelsea's blog to see more of the photos from the days adventures; Maritime Shopaholic 

Apple of My Eye, Sunshine of My Life

Some days have a theme song, don't you think?



Sometimes I wake up with a song in my head or heart, sometimes I have a lyric that randomly springs to my lips. Am I the only one? Surely not.

But where do they come from & what inspires them? I have on occasion woken up from a dream & had the soundtrack to it stuck in my mind.  Or an incident happens in real life that plays out like a song lyric.  Personally, that is my favorite type of theme song.

Anyone who has perused my etsy shop will know that songs play a heavy part in my inspiration & for helping me translate an intention thru my jewelry work.

Today's new listing comes right out of my Stevie Wonder day;

Apple of My Eye

Or there is yesterday's that came from a particular favorite by Band of Horses;

The Funeral

*click on the names to be taken to my site*

Do you have a theme song for today? Or maybe one that is your personal soundtrack for life? I'd love to hear them!

1 Year!!?!?!

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
Lewis Carroll

It has been one year since my friend Stacy from Parker Buttons helped me get my Etsy shop off the ground & what a great year it has been. I have met so many wonderful people all because of Etsy & this venture. I have had wonderful conversations about jewelry, business, Etsy & the art of crafting. I have learned & shared tips & tricks for buying & selling online. I even started up an Etsy Street Team for New Brunswick Etsy sellers... we have started calling ourselves NewBEST (New Brunswick Etsy Street Team).


All of this happened because of Etsy. Or it happened because of an over abundance of beads in my home. OR it happened because I once made a necklace & everyone complimented me on it...!
For whatever moment it was that brought me here, I thank the universe. And I thank all of you for supporting me in what I do.
Because of the support I would like to offer all of you 15% off your purchases until the end of the month of January!


To get your 15% off simply enter the coupon code: 1YEAR when purchasing from Etsy. If you find something you would like to purchase but do not want to purchase thru Etsy (although it really is very easy & safe), I can offer you free shipping instead, just send me an email to darlingdilemma@live.ca so we can work out the details.


Just one last note, for those of you who are not already fans on my facebook page I have included the link to this as well because besides being able to contact me there & view items for sale, there will also be specials that will be offered only to fans



Thank you from, Emma Dilemma

 Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/DarlingDilemma

Facebook fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/DarlingDilemma
 

The Autumn of Happy Beading!



WICKED & WEIRD on Etsy

 As we close out on the first official day of autumn, I wanted to share some of what I have been working on for DarlingDilemma.  Things happen fast in the crafting world, one always has to be ready for the next leap, the next season & the next holiday.  Those of us who create, always have to think ahead & try to interpret what you the buyers, might want next (and we have to think of it before you!).



ICY BLUE on Etsy now!

 Sometimes (usually) I just make what I want to make, hope someone will love it & it all works out.  When fall was approaching I lucked out because my current colour obsession happened to be the same as everyone else's! Purple!

Elderberry, necklace & earring set

Pretty Girls Make Graves available on etsy

And of course, made obvious by this post, my other favorite thing is my big time SCORE of various beads of awesome & epic proportions! Mainly all the great skull beads, of dyed turquoise & some tiny acrylic that I have collected. With Halloween & October coming I figured I could finally enjoy them & let the rest of the world get a little freaky too!


DYING ROSE, found on etsy

 I love love love photography my pieces, showing them here gives them a life of their own.

New Brunswicker are the BEST

They are, they really really are.
Since moving here almost two years ago I have been trying to re find myself, start over, or find my place in the world. 
I have a place here now, in New Brunswick.
I teach art to children.  I work in an after school program designed for grades 3 to 5 (http://www.esteycreations.com/) showing them cartooning, watercolour & drawing skills.  I travel to schools all over New Brunswick with Jostens selling grad rings, meeting teenagers & seeing the beautiful province I live in.
And I make jewelry.
I spend a majority of my time at home, crafting, designing, photography & promoting my DarlingDilemma creations.

Normally something that is that much work, quickly becomes a hassle & a lot less fun, but with DarlingDilemma... well the fun never stops!


Recent custom order by Darling Dilemma



I love doing it all & can honestly say I am addicted! To all of it!  I love the making & creating, seeing a vision become realized (especially with custom orders) but I also love all the steps that lead up to it & the ones that make it happen.

One of the reasons I have been feeling particularly fond of my fellow New Brunswickers (besides the fact that living here lets me do what I do...) is the creative community.  Moving here from Ontario, specifically, near Toronto area, I know all about how inclusive the art world can be.  Attending art school, I also know all about art snobs*.  So to find myself in a place, so far removed from that attitude is amazing! and freeing!



Photography by PoedyPencilPrincess



Once I joined the sellers world of etsy I decided to seek out other new Brunswick etsy sellers & there were lots! We have formed a group which we have taken to calling NewBEST (New Brunswick Etsy Street Team).  It is a group of extremely talented artists & crafts people all working together to share information, promote & sell. I wanted to share some of what they do, with you.



Jewelry by uglyart

 

 

earrings by InspiredByOnline





Photography by soulfuse



Keyper Keychain by MomsCrafts4U

To search for NewBEST shops or New Brunswick artists, enter 'New Brunswick' into your etsy search engine!!

*Art snobs are the elitist crowd who define art only by the textbook definition.  They also appreciate habitual dissing of craft & all things related.

The Warm Fuzzies (+ CONTEST!)

Trying to get the word out about your business can be challenging but I've learnt that it can also be a lot of fun...
After having my first, very successful, contest to have facebook fans invite their friends to my page, I wound up with over 400 fans (or rather 'likes' as they are now called, but I prefer fans still). It was exciting to check the count each day, count up people's referral's & feel a 'buzz' over my page! It was a close race to the finish line for the competitors that everyone seemed to be watching & enjoying. The winner, Tara, received a OOAK necklace from Darling Dilemma.

I was concerned that I would drastically or even slowly lose these fans but, amazingly enough, I didn't. Sure a few disappeared, but they were replaced with new fans, who were even more interested & eager to see what I do!!

... maybe I should take a pause here and explain something.
I'm an art school graduate.
In other words, I'm used to people not caring about my creative output beyond opening night.

So that initial contest led to, fans, friends, custom orders, sales & continued support - all of which leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling. So to celebrate the 'warm fuzzies' I am holding an End of Summer Contest! - a fun new contest with 2 chances of winning!! 1 winner will be a random drawing of a participant & the other will be for most interesting/inventive/fun entry!
This contest is about posting a link that leads new people to Darling Dilemma's fanpage or etsy shop . (as a bonus if you link to my blog I will give you an extra ballot in the random draw)

Here is how to participate:
1. Post a link to my fanpage and/or etsy shop on your facebook page or blog. How you choose to do this is up to you - creativity will give a chance at the second prize!!!
2. If you:
- Linked on a blog: post a link on the Darling Dilemma fanpage wall

- Linked on your facebook wall: screen capture it & email to; darlingdilemma@live.ca

(to 'screen capture' press the Print Screen button on your keyboard and then open any photo/photo editing program i.e. Paint, and hit CRTL V. The image should appear for you to edit or save)

*please note: I will be using screen captures of entries & posting some of my favorites in an album on the fanpage. If you do NOT want me to post yours, please state so in your email*

Further details:

The contest is that easy & can be as fun as you want it to be! Remember creativity is rewarded here folks!
1 ballot will be given for entering my link on your facebook page
1 ballot will be given for entering my link on your blog
1 bonus ballot will be given if you link my blog as well.

The second prize will be awarded to the most creative entry (as chosen by me).

Contest closes August 31st, 2010.

Treasure Trove

In February I opened my Etsy shop, Darling Dilemma. I've been amazed by the support of friends & family, & by how quickly word spread and made my little shop successful. All that support means I can continue doing what I love & make jewelry. It has afforded me the chance to expand & learn, as well as create.

I am thankful.



Etsy is full of amazing shops & items. It is filled with incredible OOAK (one of a kind) finds that you won't find anywhere else that were made by someone who loves to create, just like me. I wish I could tell you I am altruistic enough that I shop on etsy to return the karma & support others like I am supported but the truth of the matter is - I am addicted. I am addicted to having something special, something OOAK that no one else on the block will have (well, no one else period!).



On that note I decided it was time to create another etsy treasury! Treasuries (for those non-etsyers... although, come on!! Don't you want to be immersed in the etsy universe now??) are curated showcases of someone's favorite things. They can have a theme, a connection or just be random & have nothing in common other than just being loved.





For a better look, click Treasury.

Studio Dilemma

Okay so it is a bit of play on words - I don't really have a studio dilemma (other than it being in my kitchen for the time being). People are interested & intrigued with the spaces in which us artists & crafters create. There are studio tours, open houses & of course the blogsphere to feed this interest.

Customers and facebook fans have asked me about my practice, my beads and particularly how I organize myself, so I thought I would share some photos.

In my everyday life I struggle with organization. I never have enough space/shelves/closests/cupboards to house everything I want. I live larger than life & evidently, larger than my home. But when it comes to my art & jewelry practice I try to keep it contained. This doesn't mean I don't have WAY more than my share of materials but I always manage to buy enough containers etc. to keep them together & organized. In fact organizing my beads is a bit of an obsession for me - one that I truly love.

I get a strange thrill by placing each package or bead in an appropriate spot, in the right, colour-coordinated case. I recently related this enjoyment to that which I felt when I would organize all my doll's items in a similar fashion. This organization would normally last longer than the round of playing with the dolls.

Anyways, there is a little peek into my studio life. As always I welcome comments, confessions & questions...