Ribbon Necklace

Look how cute. I don't know how I figured out how to make this but here it is. These are for my little girls and your little girls. Every little girl loves pinks and purples. Special beads make these spectacular. They are purple, pink and turquoise with crackles in them. Cute, cute, cute. Very affordable. They look great all worn together. As you can see my little girl is all smiles. Enjoy

Jewelry Party

Next jewelry party coming up folks. I am gearing up, with one week left. It is crunch time for real. The new Chemistry line is trucking along with variations of color and attitude. Extreme-Modern-Architectural-Minimalistic. Don't be surprised if you see celebs wearing one of these pieces because they are HoT!!! Yes!!! I said it. Hey! If I don't pump me up, who will. Yes, Celebs'sss. Sometimes I draw a blank when I sit at the desk, but I work well under pressure. Some really cool chunky nugget beads came in the mail last week and I am sort of stumped as to what to make of it all. I got really cool colors too. I am interested to see what  will morph out of my madness. I will be sure to take pictures of the outcome so that everyone can be amazed. So anyway, Augusta Ga, get ready for Yo, cause after that I have other destinations in mind for jewelry parties. Yes, traveling, I'm down with it. All my sista hommie friends if you want to have a home party hollar at me. Until then!!!! PeAcE

Entreprenuers

It takes the pictures
It builds the website
It makes the jewelry
It orders the supplies
It advertises (literally)
It serves the customer
It scouts for markets
It builds the brand-  reinvesting and being frugal
It chops, sands, brainstorms and  creates each concoction by hand
It does everything.

I wouldn't have it any other way.
I take responsibility for the success or failure. 

Peace & I'm OuT

My Boo

What I love about bamboo..............................
1)    Its free
2)    Its durable/strong but still soft enough to manipulate
3)    Its beautiful
4)    I love the sound it makes when it clangs together
5)    I love how looking at finished pieces makes me smile
6)    I love my boo because it allows me to use it for anything I wish
7)    I love how it looks next to my skin
8)    It's round which reminds me of the sun, and my afro
9)    I love that it gives me something to do each day
10)  I love how many things it can be used for
11)  It's my favorite color
12)  It burns really hot in a fire
13)  Its renewable


Add your own

Thank you to all my new customers

Thank you family and friends for making my first jewelry party a smashing success.  An enjoyable time was had by all.  So happy everyone was able to find something that they liked.  I am buying new supplies and excited to create more interesting jewelry items.  I received so many ideas and great feedback, as well as requests for more custom items.  The large  three sided pendant, display was more popular than expected.  It is a work in progress and because of the interest and excitement over this extravagant piece I will be developing it into a complete line.  Jewelry parties is where it's at.  Sometimes people ask me if I plan to open up a store.  My answer is no.  I am interested in doing  markets, traveling, selling online, and being out there making connections and not just waiting for the customers to come to me.  I like the flexibility of being home, and available for whatever may pop off, cause you never know.  My brick and mortar business will be a totally different venture.  The jewelry making adventure is something I will probably always tinker with but is not the pinnacle for this ole gal. Enjoy

Gearing UP!

Hi all, Thanksgiving is fast approaching and I will be heading to the Rock City next weekend where I am planning my first jewelry party among friends and family.  This will be the first time getting together both sides of my family. Very excited.  So many things have been produced in a short time. Many of the new pieces I haven't even had a chance to take photos of yet. I stumbled upon a very cute design for the Fylp line.  Soo cute.  I can't wait to reveal these at the party.  The blog audience has to wait because I am keeping my new arrivals under wraps. I will however  post some photos of a group of necklaces that I have been working on.  Enjoy

New Favorites

My new favorites.  They look like bricks to me. These just magically happened one day. Many moons ago I had this very idea but it didn't dawn on me to make the beads smaller.  So, I gave birth to the brick beads.  It took a little finesse and fine tuning to drill the holes just right but look at the brilliance, the splendor,  the magnificence.  I really like how these came out.  I even realized that when paired with the right beads the bricks have a fabulous unisex quality.  Hopefully the fellas will think so.  These are very different from anything you have seen. I keep creating and finding new inspirations.  I'm keeping myself busy and developing my own path.  Hope you enjoy the journey as much as I am. ..............ohh, maybe I should explain the two necklaces in the photo.  I am wearing two different pieces.  One has black and white bone beads with smaller amber glass beads.  The slightly longer necklace has magnesite nugget beads dyed turquoise . (I will never try to pass off any beads I have as something they are not. If the tag says howelite then that's what I tell you it is.) The turquoise look is very popular these days but everyone can't afford it.  You can have the look without the sacrifice.  Enjoy!

Ty-dyed Bamboo Discs

These discs measure one inch.  They are not too big and not too small.  The back is solid black.  The front is carved and etched for  a distressed look. The colors are varied which compliments any colorful outfit. Enjoy!

Check this Out.

Check out the new, NEW earrings. I really should make necklaces to go with these.  They are soo fabu.  My favorite is the bamboo carved ones with Oriental ceramic beads.  Just love, love, love.  Thanks for stopping by.

I have completed the necklace so now I am adding it to the blog.  Some women always ask me for a necklace to go with their earrings.  I get so excited over the earrings, the idea for  necklaces and bracelets never have time to permeate through my maddness.  Drawing the dragonflies was really a lot of fun and I decided to make a collection  of them. Stay tuned there is more where these came from.  

Mama Needs a new website

Ok, it's time for a new look.  Please buy as many earrings as you possibly can because Mama needs a new website.  Very soon I will have up for sale my most anticipated Happy Nappy earrings.  For all those natural hair enthusiast you can show your pride with a pair of handcrafted Afrocentric conversation starters. You haven't seen anything like this before, so hold on to yo seat. I have been using a lot of copper lately and very soon will be creating my very own ear wires with sterling silver (for those of you who have metal allergies), just waiting on that shipment to come in.  Put in your request early because I anticipate much midnight oil burning coming on.  Jewelry parties, yes, yes, and ohh yes. Last year I didn't get around to it, (wasn't busy), I procrastinated.  Let's just be honest. So all my out of townies, you are invited, but if you can't make it, I will try to have some live streaming (possibly on the second go round), cause I haven't forgot about all my peoples.  Luv Yo

Become A follower

By following me on this blog you will spur me to create more.  For some strange reason I can become extremely unmotivated when sales are down.  Last weekend my good friend dropped in for a visit while traveling through our neck of the woods and jump started me back into the workshop.  I have to say she is my biggest fan and I was glad to have some  new things to show her.  Well that is the key to keeping me busy.  Everybody say, "Go, Yo-yo, go Yo-yo Go! Please If you have any request leave me a comment and I will do my best.  Last week I received an inquiry from France, which I was uber excited over!  Bamboo jewelry making it across the sea!  Now that's what Im talking about. Major validation/motivation to do more.  Here are the Cowry Shell Earrings that have been discounted.  They were $7 Now Only $5. Get yours while the shells last.  Well, no two are exactly alike, and if you're like me you  don't like to have anything that someone else has. Enjoy   Luv Yo

The Latest!

As promised many moons ago............finally I am posting photos of work I spoke of previously. Enjoy

Long time no blog

It's been a while since I paid the bamboo chronicles a visit.  This is no doubt in large due to the fact that I have not been in the workshop producing any new work.  My motivations are sporadic at best which is synonymous with my total being.  Some days I feel it and others, well we won't go there.  I am planning on getting back in the saddle, Ha........speaking of saddle, I rode a mechanical bull on Friday night.  I couldn't resist the temptation.  When I saw the bull I knew I had to ride it.  After all it was on my bucket list, so I had to.  Lessons learned, next time I will wear boots and gloves.  So, Whats next  in the bamboo adornment arena are the variations of the popular ovals.  I begun to carve them in a way that resembles corkscrews.  My attempt is to make it look like a spiral, which is difficult but what came out of it was interesting.  The final outcome wasn't what I had in mind, but it works.  As I make more of these I think the desired look can be perfected over  time.  Another new creation I call the Eyes of Egypt are triangular in shape.  They have designs cut out of them that resemble large teardrops but at the bottom I created grooves that resemble eyes.  The color is a natural light golden hue, which reminds me of the sands and pyramids in Egypt..........OK, peeps.........more to come as I cannot find my camera.....but I will post the pictures of the latest and greatest as soon as possible.  Thanks for viewing. Luv Yo!

The Afro Pics

Ok,  at last I am taking a pic of these.  I had to buy a scroll saw in order to cut these out.  I got the idea long ago where the pics sat in my sketch book.  No more.  They have been materialized and conceptualized, liberated and set free.  If you likes you can't have these.  They are mine!  I'm sorry my sista, but you got to get your own.  Lucklily I made several. Enjoy

Two of the new,new pieces

Ok...........party people in the house.............Ha!  That was a throw back!  If ya don't know then you are probably too young. So what's new to come out of the workshop are my tanned & caged bamboo ovals and also the elements.  The elongated bamboo ovals have been tanned with heat to produce an intense deep rich brown color.  Gold thread creates a caged illusion which add interest and makes them pop. The second pair I simply call elements, because true to my brand I have added the dominant element of the bamboo in arched slivers which seem to encase the many elements which are cord, an aluminum disc, beads, and a copper coil bead which  dangle from  stainless steel rings.  Most of my work is a reflection of the moment.  Since I do what I feel it is usual that my jewelry pieces are one of a kind.  I reproduce only upon request.  If you see the same thing twice, please believe me it was not my idea.  Sometimes it is hard to just create out of thin air.  Other times it just flows out.  I am happy with each and every piece I put out.  I find myself going over and over the smallest details and at times just abandoning a project because it just didn't look right, or hang right.  Mostly I have unfinished projects just waiting for that special something to bring it to completion.  Well that's it, for now! Luv Yo!

The Dog chewed my Drill press cord

Look.......how cute!..............NOT.     One of them chewed the cord to my drill press.  Also they are not so little anymore.  This was taken in Sept 09.  I don't know if I have any recent pictures of them.  Here is the scenario, the weather warms up enough for me to actually go out in the workshop to do a little sanding and what not.  I find the cord to my drill press chewed in half.  Ended up having to go buy some electrical tape today cause a sista got some splicin to do.  I think it was the boy.  He is the buff colored one, thick as he wants to be, will chew anything.  In fact He, (if I am correct in my assumption) chewed part of the baseboard in the laundry room where we let them sleep when it is cold outside.  They are something else.  Hindering my progress a little but I guess I wouldn't have it any other way. Gotta Luv Em!!!

Happy New Year

First Post this year.  I can't believe it is 2010.  That just sounds so crazy to say.

It's been cold here, so I haven't been outside working in the woodshop much lately. I did bring some of my tools up to my sun room on the deck, but it is still cold out there.  I will post pictures soon of my latest designs that have been brought to life.  I broke down and purchased a scroll saw which enables me to do more detailed cutting and the Happy Nappies and Afto pic earrings are coming along nicely.   Also I found my polishing wheel and decided to put a buffed finish on the Afro pic earrings.  I just can't decide which way to drill the holes.  I try to always fashion the earrings so that they hang just right.  I'll do some experimenting and post the pics soon .  I am speaking as if I have a massive following.  But anyhow this is good practice for that book I have been planning to write.  Oh and another thing that is new is the Bamboo locket pendant I am working on.  I actually stumbled upon a way to make a three dimentional or three sided pendnat.  That led me to the idea that it could be double sided like a locket with a hinge.  When I design the hinge and have it excecuted right I will post the images.. ............ Yay! to my first follower, my best friend of 20+ years, now to get my other bff of 20+ to sign on and it will be a great begining to many more followers to come........

Must post a shout out to all the Hatian community to let you all know that we are praying for your nation and so deeply saddened concerning the recent earthquake there.  Know that you are not alone!