Alice in Wonderland Blog Hop

Thanks to everyone who is stopping by to hop along with us.  I am so honored to be hosting my first blog hop with all of you fine ladies.  I cannot wait to meet you all, and read about what inspired you.  

What I love about Alice is not just her distaste for arithmetic, but her open and innocent way to view everything.  I love how she can escape into her fantasy world, and her grand adventures.  Alice reminds me to have fun, take a break, DREAM, be innocent, be confident, and think like a child now and again.  

My first piece is called, Absolutely Alice.  

It started with a focal from Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp of Skye Jewels and More Skye Jewels.  I just loved this tile with Queen Alice.  It really spoke to me.  It embodies everything I love about Alice.  It reminds me that we need to be the Queen every now and again.  

So, the necklace was designed around the things that make me think of Alice, like her beautiful blue dress (represented in the blue recycled sari-silk).  I also wanted to make sure the necklace still felt like me (since I was venturing into new territory using an ephemera tile and filigree findings).  So I found the perfect shade of sea glass for the focal, and used a brass sun to "bezel" it, and then attached it to the vintage looking backing by bending two of the remaining suns rays through it.  I do not usually use these vintage like findings, but they go so well with Marie's tiles, I thought I had to try it out, plus, they are very royal, and queen like.  I added shells of course, and found the perfect black and white striped ones.  Black and white stripes always remind me of Alice's stockings.  To complete the piece I made a small chunk of chain with brass spirals.  "down the rabbit hole" makes me think of her swirling around and around.  I am very happy with how my piece came together.  I will think of Alice each time I see it!  

The second piece was a last minute thing I added.  I absolutely love the poetry in Alice, the nonsensical and funny poems always bring a smile to my face.  


And who doesn't love the tea party.  Here is my "Twinkle, Twinkle little Bat" necklace.

It features a focal from Marsha Neal Studio.  I used some more of my swirl chain and a swirl clasp I made as well.  I added a hand stamped charm that says twinkle with a sparkly crystal drop off of it.  It's simple, but I love it.  

There are also a couple giveaways going on, so make sure to hop to every blog.  Genea has an amazing stash of beads she made JUST for this challenge to giveaway, along with some other goodies!

I am giving away this little stash.

It consists of some bright yellow sari silk, a copper etched cuff (hand drawn by me) with some branches and the Cheshire cat peeking through all mysteriously, like he does.  It also has some cool glass beads I got from the Best Little Bead box, but I am not sure who made them.  They seemed very Alice to me.  And last but not least, you get some of these whimsical black and white shells.  All you have to do is hop to everyone's blog, and leave a comment here that you did.  Honor system people.  It would be nice if you leave a comment for each person too.  It's not a long list, and its how we can all get to know one another.  You can get a second chance to win by sharing the hop with a link to this post and leaving another comment telling how you shared.  They must be separate comments to be entered twice.  Make sure I have a way to contact you or you will not qualify.

Good Luck and have fun hopping to see what the artists below made!

Ginger Bishop

www.lilmummylikes.blogspot.com

Staci Louise Originals (you are here)

www.stacilouise.blogspot.com

Genea Beads

www.geneabeads.blogspot.com

Jenny Davies-Reazor

www.jdaviesreazor.com/blog

Heidi Post

www.expostfactojewelry.blogspot.com

Donna Bradley

www.strandedbeads.blogspot.com

Linda Hanes

www.craftygallindadesigns.blogspot.com

Birgitta Lejonklou

www.lejonklou.blogspot.com

Libellula Jewelry and Cicada Silver

www.libellulajewelry.com

Linda Florian

www.lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com

Dyanne Cantrell

www.deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com

Nicole Valentine Rimmel

www.nvalentine.blogspot.com

Jo in Wonderland

www.joyblonde.blogspot.it

Fresh Baked Designs

http://freshbakeddesigns.wordpress.com/

Meet Marie

I have decided to do some interviews with fellow bead and jewelry artists on my blog.  I love getting to know these ladies and thought you may too! 

Today, meet Marie-Noel-Voyer-Cramp of Skye Jewels and More Skye Jewels.


1.  Marie, when did you start making jewelry?

I picked up my first bead working at Pier1 fixing their imported jewelry almost 3 and a half years ago. I was fascinated by it and thought I could do better than all the stuff that was falling apart at the store. So I bought a few beads and went for it!

 2. You have a very distinct style. When do you think you realized what your design style was?

After I discovered Vintaj I realized my style needed to be romantic and vintage with a flair for anything else that might pop into my head! I needed to let the dark metals talk to me and then you add in Art beads and I was done for!

 3. So what is it that made you go from jewelry making, to creating you tiles?

I was looking for different pendants that had images. Something a little rustic, but lightweight and specifically nature inspired. I could not find any anywhere, I looked for a few months and gave up. I decided to just make something myself! I had seen all the PDF downloads on Etsy, with all their colourful images and fell in love. I just had to find a way to make something that suited my style and fulfilled what I was looking for. After a little searching for the right tools and perfect finishes, I started making and selling my wood tiles! I never thought they would do so well! 

 4. What does ephemera mean, And how did you come up with using ephemera as your description?

Ephemera is in partial definition "Things that were printed and intended for one use or short term use" but it is also used to define images of the past. So I guess in reality not all my images fit into that description, but most would. I use images that are copyright free and have been around for a long time. Vintage images in a sense. Small parts of the past. This helps me define the vintage feel I try to put forth.

 5. What makes your tiles unique? And how to keep them fresh and evolving?

My tiles are unique because of the finishes I use. Some have tried to copy them, but luckily have not succeeded in imitating the very smooth silky finish I have developed for mine. I have also started to bring in images that are exclusive to me. Things you will not find anywhere else or from anyone else. This is a much more costly venture, but will keep my customers happy knowing that what they buy is not going to be mass produced. I have recently started a line of hand tinted tiles. These pendants and charms have unique colour finishes that can not be repeated, making each tile completely one of a kind! The background images may pop up again, but the colours will always be different.

 6. Have you been inspired by any other jewelry or bead designers out there? If so, who and why?

My very first designer inspirations were Erin Prais-Hintz and Kelly Morgan. I had bought my first issue of Bead Trends Magazine and poured over it's pages for days! These two designers, through their art, helped me discover my own. The first Art Bead designers that inspired me were Susan Kennedy and LeAnn Weih. I won a gorgeous set of lampwork beads on Susan's blog, quickly added to that with a purchase and became a member on Etsy thanks to my good friend Sue. LeAnn was a lucky discovery, I wish I could remember where, and I was lost after seeing her beautiful creations. They were the very first two artisans I ever bought from and I have not regretted a single purchase since then! 

 7. What is the greatest part of selling your handmade goods?

There are so many reasons that selling my pieces to others is so fulfilling. First, the amazing rush of joy it gives me that someone loves my work. Second, being able to create more, knowing that these little pieces of me will be loved. Third, just being able to create! It's a real need! Working with my hands is therapeutic in more ways than I can count. I still think that seeing a smile on someones face when they leave with a new treasure is still the best part though. What a sense of completeness, like my reason for living has come full circle, with every single happy customer!
~They say that if you love what you do you have never worked a day in your life, that might just be true, except I still hate paperwork and anything to do with taxes! lol
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What a great interview!  I personally love watching artists evolve, and think the direction that Marie is going is wonderful!  You can check out her work by clicking the photos, they take you directly to that item in her shop.


Here is a quote Marie has on her facebook page that I just love!

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive and do that! Because what the world needs are people who have come alive!" -Harold Whitman-

Thanks Marie for sharing with us today! 

Maire also made some Alice ephermera for our blog hop.  Aren't they great?  If you still want to join the hop, I will keep sign ups open until June 4th.  After that point I can't promise to be able to add anyone!  Email me if you are interested with ALICE in the subject line, and give me your email and blog URL.  Thanks!  staci.louise@hotmail.com

Photo's are all linked to the items in Marie's shops.  All photos and rights property of Skye Jewels.

These are just a sampling of the wonderful tiles you can find at More Skye Jewels.  I am going Alice shopping now!  Just love these- seeing my favorite characters on tiles, that I can use in jewelry.  Love it.