Fall 2010 Stringing Magazine

I've been published in my first beading magazine! Please check out Stringing magazine, fall 2010 issue. One of my bracelets, the Ruby bracelet, is featured and is now available in my Etsy shop for sale!

Fall 2010 Stringing Magazine

It's August Already???

I can't believe it's August already! I am busy signing the kids up for their fall classes and thinking about what school supplies, cloths, and shoes we need before the start of next month.

I love summer. Love everything about it. Well, maybe not the humidity. It has been EXTRA hot this summer in NY. I love the heat, but add in the humidity and I need another shower as soon as I head out of the house!

I have a busy month ahead of me. I am doing a show on the Long Beach Island boardwalk on Long Island in a few weeks. I've never been so it'll be a new experience for me and looking forward to doing a lot of business. I'm also thinking about my every-changing set up and display. Will take pictures and post after the show for all to comment on!

My Babies

I feel a personal connection to some of the pieces I make and actually feel really sad when they sell. I just sold a piece that I LOVED...and thought...are you sure you really want to buy this? Don't get me wrong, almost all of the pieces I make are meant to be sold, but when they actually do sell, I'm actually a little bummed.

If I do sell something that I have a personal connection with, I immediately think about making another piece as similar as possible to it so I can fill the empty gap in my heart!

I guess that's the way a lot of artists feel when they have to let go of something! So sad! (But my bank account is a little happier!!! :))

I LOVE Summer!

Back from Maine...so sad to be back...went to the beach on Sunday. I love the beach, even if you can't swim in the ocean it's so cold there. I found some really great beach stones that I'm going to drill and make into some sort of collection I am calling the "Kennebunkport" collection.

So much of my jewelry is summer inspired. The piece I made above has a beach theme in a hand made, antiqued bronze bezel set that I also made. I strung some simple gold seed beads and finished with a small "inspire" bronze tag. I love it and hope someone else does too!

The Bridal Collection

I started my "creative" outlet back in 2000 right before I got married. I wanted a specific headpiece and couldn't find what I wanted that didn't cost more the $300! So, I ended up making my own, and the original Rose McKay Bridal was born. I have made all kinds of headpieces including combs, tiaras, headbands, hair pins as well as bridal jewelry and veils.

I was pretty successful and ended up selling to stores accross the country and getting a lot of great press in various national bridal magazines. After my daughter was born in 2004, all that was put on hold. It wasn't until last year that I decided to start my regular jewelry line, but I am also still making some headpieces. I am not selling wholesale anymore but I am selling directly to brides...at my wholesale prices! What a deal!

Check out my etsy site: ehiney.etsy.com. I am going to transfer this to: rosemckaybridal.etsy.com.

I wanted to share one of the most popular pieces that fall under my "destination" collection. It's so fun and such a great piece for a beach wedding!

Going to Maine!

We are headed to Maine on Friday. I love New England, especially Maine! I love the architecture, the beaches, the ocean, the colors. I can't wait to see what inspires me to make a new piece of jewelry. Maybe I'll find some great sea glass or stones on the beach I can use in one of my pieces. Can't wait to go!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44461815/salt-maine-island-lobstermans-dinghy

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51062751/portland-head-light-matted-11-x-14

http://www.etsy.com/listing/37559475/revisioning-portland-history-past-and

http://www.etsy.com/listing/37558250/revisioning-portland-history-past-and

Brooklyn Flea at Fort Greene

Our next show is Saturday at the Brooklyn Flea. Very excited to go to Brooklyn for my first time (other than the airport- and I've lived here for 22 years!!!) . I've heard really great things about this flea and plan to have a great show! I'm really lucky as my mother is coming down to help out since I've never been there or have worked this show so not sure what to expect.

Please stop by and say hi if you are there on Saturday!!!

Things I Love on ETSY Today

http://www.etsy.com/listing/49923157/silk-butterfly-scarf-pillow-made-from

I want to live in whatever room these pillows are in!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50606371/peacock-flower-headband

I might have to buy this for my daughter.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50974065/golden-bow-vintage-cluster-collage

I love this...the colors are great!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51034753/shabby-chic-coastal-cottage-frame

Love these frames!

Enjoy!

Love Me Some Enamelling!

A new necklace just uploaded to ETSY! The focal is one of the enamelled pendants I made this summer. I LOVE the color it turned out. I used a clear green color that ended up this really great color when put on top of the bronze tag. I also used some great green Czech beads and green garnets to accent the color of the pendant.

Hmmm...I might just wear this one today!

Back From Vacation

Well, we are back from our vacation. Had a great time, great weather! I made lots of new things to get ready for my Brooklyn show on Saturday. I will try and list a few new things everyday.

Please leave me some feedback and let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

My Booth Set Up

Here is a picture of my latest booth set up for the shows I am doing. I really don't like the grey and am thinking about changing to an eggshell color in order to make the jewelry really pop. The picture frames I am using are an eggshell color and really enhance my "beach" collection.

I am on vacation next week and one of my projects is to finalize my next booth set ups and hopefully find some really great and unusual props to use.

What do you think?

I LOVE THE 4TH OF JULY!!!

I Love the 4th of July! It's my favorite holiday of the year! I love what it represents, I love that it's in the summer time, I love picnics and barbecues, I love fireworks, I love carnivals and firetruck rides! I LOVE IT ALL!
Here are some of my favorites from ETSY today:

Fireworks are my favorite thing!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50586023/extraordinary-photo-bookmark?ref=sr_gallery_18&ga_search_query=the+4th+of+july&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

Can't have enough bags!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50540718/love-at-night-4th-of-july-sale-20?ref=sr_gallery_20&ga_search_query=the+4th+of+july&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&order=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

I love this for my daughter!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50564740/madras-plaid-twirl-skirt?ref=sr_gallery_7&ga_search_query=the+4th+of+july&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=4&order=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

Can anyone have enough cupcakes???

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50543832/adorable-single-cupcake-display-stand?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=the+4th+of+july&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=6&order=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

I love flags and pictures of old flags!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/50540095/usa-flag-fourth-4th-of-july-independance?ref=sr_gallery_24&ga_search_query=the+4th+of+july&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=6&order=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title


Have a wonderful 4th of July!!!

Hester Street Flea

I will be showing at the Heaster Street Flea in New York (City...of course!) on Sunday with 2 other artists from the awesome New New Esty group.

If you are in the area, please stop by!

http://www.hesterstreetfair.com/

What's In A Name?

Great idea from my New New Etsy group... What's in a name?

http://thenewnew.blogspot.com/2010/06/rose-by-any-other-name.html

Rose McKay Designs came from my great grandmother on my fathers side. My own personal name is not conducive to most business types so I had to find something that had some meaning to it. I somehow came up with my great grandmother Rose's name. I love the name. It's very Irish and has a great sound to it. So, it's Rose McKay Designs!

The only problem is that everyone thinks I am Rose. Sorry, but she has been gone for 50 years! You'll have to speak to me!

Have a great day!

Bead Give Away

OMG, she is crazy! I want these beads! Go see the HUGE bead givaway!!!

http://deniseyezbakmoore.blogspot.com/2010/06/best-bead-give-way-ever.html

Enameling Pendant

I made this necklace the other day with one of my newly made enamel pendants. I just LOVE the way it turned out. The colors are so complimentary and the pendent colors just pop. What do you think?

I'm in the process of making and posting a ton of new pieces to my Etsy site so please check back frequently for updates.

Things I LOVE on Etsy Today

I LOVE LOVE LOVE everything Etsy, especially these things:

There are a lot of great illistrators on Etsy. I love the simpleness and colors here.



http://www.etsy.com/listing/9457639/hushed-8x10


I want to live here!



http://www.etsy.com/listing/48963986/ocean-waves

And I can't get enough of the beach!







What a great space!







I love all kinds of bags. Love the colors here!



http://www.etsy.com/listing/46470057/blue-bubble-flower-hair-clip

http://www.etsy.com/listing/46470057/blue-bubble-flower-hair-clip

My favorite color!

Enjoy!

Enameling Class

I am taking the most AWESOME enameling class every Thursday night at the 92nd Street Y. I feel very fortunate to live in the best city in the world (New York!) and have access to such wonderful facilities that offer so many great classes. The jewelry department at the Y is one of the best. They have lots of different classes in so many mediums that I have trouble deciding which class to take.

I decided to take an enameling workshop on a Sunday in May as it's been something I've been interested in and wanted to learn more about it. After taking the workshop, I signed up for a 5 week course, 1 night a week. The teacher is great and she has a loyal following of ladies who take her class every time it's offered. Some of the work I've seen these ladies do really is museum quality stuff...truly remarkable pieces. I am FAR from that. I just want to start out making some great pendants to add to my pieces. I have made a few that are basic, but what I love about enameling is the really wonderful colors you can add to your pieces. They may be simple now but I love the way they have turned out so far.

I need to start forging some metal pieces myself and have them cast for more of a unique shape to use as a base for the enamels. That's on my LOOOOONG list of things to do in the next few weeks!

Take a look at my etsy shop for some new updates! Have a great day!

Home sick...looking forward to the weekend!

My Memorial Day weekend was a bust. The whole family was sick, and I am the last to get it...had to take the day off today to go to the doctor. Yuck! But I am currently cuddling with my sweet baby boy which makes everything better!

I am very excited about the weekend! I have the Bronxville Sidewalk Sale on Saturday from 9-5 and looking forward to seeing the turn out. I have boarded all of my jewelry and labeled it all. I am still trying to make some great new pieces for Saturday, going through all of my beads and making some great new pendants.

The summer is upon us and I am not sure where it is all going! I am trying to do 2 shows a month for the summer. They are all new shows to me so I feel like I need to try each one of them out to see how I do. I have had really great feed back so far so I am really positive about how things are going! And, in the middle of it all, I have to find time to work full time AND spend quality time with my wonderful family.

Oh, the joy of having it all! Have a great week!