Kate Kaiser Designs

How the Crackle Met the Band

2010-10-27T08:30:00.002-05:00

This piece is made from crackle quartz and banded black onyx beads.

I came across the crackle quartz beads several weeks ago and fell instantly in love.
They were so big! So heavy! So gorgeously round! So unique!
I had to have them.

I bought up every strand I could find (which was, sadly, only 3 - and with only 7 beads on a strand).

I came home and stared at them. Then I stared some more.
And then I walked away.
Initially I could only envision them as a solid, single strand of all the same bead. The only problem was that I didn't quite have enough... that is, unless I wanted to make a choker.

So you can imagine my delight when I found one more strand of these glorious beauties.
At last I could make my simple, single strand of crackle quartz.

I was quite disappointed to find that a single strand of crackle quartz looks waaaay to Wilma Flinstone.

Back to the drawing board.

Thankfully I remembered the banded black onyx that I had bought as an emergency back-up in case I couldn't find more of the crackle quartz.

It ended up being a beautiful marriage.

I can't get enough of the way light shines through the matte finish of the quartz beads.

And isn't the oversized toggle closure just the cherry on top?

And here's the side-by-side to show off it's true size.
It measures right around the 21" mark and is quite hefty. If I had any idea where my mailing scale is, I would weigh it. Perhaps another day...

Candy... or Jewelry?

2010-10-26T08:50:00.001-05:00

I know it's not the first time I've compared beads to candy, but I can't resist!
I mean, just look at them. They're delicious!

This stone is called "Conglomerate" because it's manufactured from a lot of different stone chips that are combined with a binding agent which results in this beautiful mosaic finish.

I finished this necklace with an oval toggle clasp.

And here's a side-by-side of it on the bust and on me so you can see the true length.
It measures about 20" long.

How Big is Your Bust?

2010-10-25T08:14:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered (thanks to a heads-up from my beloved big sis) that my jewelry bust is misleading my readers when it comes to the size of my necklaces.
So of course I had to dedicate a post to clearing up the confusion... but then I was left with the dilemma of how to portray the true size of my bust via blog photos.

A photo by the bathroom sink, perhaps?

Or maybe posed by my Kitchen Aid stand mixer?

I've got it! Next to my laptop!

If that doesn't help you, how about some side-by-side photos of some recent necklaces on the bust and on me (forgive the horrible quality of the self-portraits. Bathroom lighting + my sad old digicam = not so great pics)

I've made lots of longer necklaces which never star in bust photos since my bust is so tiny that they just drag of the end of it.

So here are a few hints for decoding my photos:
#1 - if you notice that I haven't featured a necklace on the bust, that means it's longer than 20".
#2 - If a necklace lines up with the very bottom of the bust (like the yellow jade piece above) it's about 20"

In the future, I will do my best to include measurements for all necklaces and perhaps even some photos of the jewelry on a real live person. If you're wondering about a piece, please please please don't hesitate to leave a comment and I will be sure to respond.

Fire Maple

2010-10-22T10:12:00.000-05:00

All around town, the fire maple trees are aflame.

The colors and textures of this necklace remind me of the stunning red maple leaves on those trees. Who wouldn't love wearing some Autumn around her neck?

The red spheres are (coincidentally) fire agate and the chips are red agate.

I love the way the findings turned out with the pairing of the hammered gold toggle closure and the hammered gold cone caps.

This will be a hard one to let go of.

Fool's Gold

2010-10-21T10:07:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I'm well aware of the fact that the finish on this piece is copper and not gold...
but the way the copper swirls sparkle inside these beautiful blue glass beads
makes me think of bits of gold glinting up from the bottom of a creek bed.

This necklace has a nice weight to it (which I'm always a fan of) and lays very nicely.

Mmmm... sparkles. :-)

Second Try

2010-10-20T09:44:00.000-05:00

It all started with this lovely pearl memory wire bracelet.
I intended to complete it with a cluster of pearls at one end, but found that the weight of the cluster was too much for the wire and it didn't quite work when I tried it on.

So the natural solution was to turn the beautiful bead cluster into a ring!

This was a bit of a challenge because the only gold wire I had was a super fine gauge, so it took some careful manipulation to get it to work.

Here's the pair together.

What do you think???

It's Never Too Late...

2010-10-19T07:11:00.000-05:00

...to learn something new!

After wanting to try making rings for sometime, but not quite having the courage to try, I finally dove in head first.

Well... maybe not head first. I started out with some cheaper wire (hence the rougher finish) just in case I bombed. But I'm actually pretty happy with the result.

I love this blue cut glass bead. Perfect for a simple cocktail ring.

Not bad for my first try!

Come back tomorrow to see how my second try turned out ;-)

Simply Gorgeous.

2010-10-18T07:57:00.000-05:00

Yellow jade = Yummy.

And I don't even like yellow.

But these look like candy to me.

Delicious. :-)

Asymmetric Australian Jasper

2010-10-15T06:51:00.001-05:00

This was one of those sets for which I had the beads and the idea for several months before finally creating the finished product.

There are dozens more inside my head, with hundreds of beads waiting to come out of the storage boxes they're living in.

Must get started on some of those...

Anyway, for now, enjoy the pics of this lovely set.
I adore these beads and the combination of blues and greens.

I also love the big silver cut-out medallion and the asymmetry of the placement.

Was It Worth It?

2010-10-14T08:30:00.001-05:00

Over the summer, Seth and I took a trip to Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky to visit family.
My dear friend, Emilie, was kind enough to house sit for us... but I think she got a bit more than she bargained for when our AC went out the first night she was at our house.
It was over 90 degrees inside the house, but she still stayed and took care of our dog and two cats... even when she couldn't sleep because the cows next door, mooing through the open windows, kept her awake!

The next day the AC got fixed, so the rest of the week went off without a hitch... but we felt pretty bad about that first day. So as a way to say thank you, I made Emilie this necklace and earrings set!

It's made of fire agate, and dyed quartz with gold findings.

I love the texture of the beads!

And these gold ear hoops are fabulous. Can't wait to use them again.

Emilie loved them and wears them often. She even offered to house/pet sit again!

An Extra Special Wedding

2010-10-13T10:02:00.000-05:00

Last spring, I was honored to be asked by my future sister-in-law (at the time) if I would make her bridal jewelry for her wedding. She had some pearls that had belonged to her grandmother that she hoped to use and a few potential design ideas.

On July 3rd, Kelli married Ben, my husband's brother, while wearing her grandmother's pearls.

...with a little extra bling, of course ;-)

Lovely.

More Wedding Jewelry

2010-10-12T08:54:00.000-05:00

Mother of the Bride set in Lavender.

Gotta love that sparkle!

Bridesmaids' Jewelry.
This set was based on a design that the bride picked out. We kept it simple because there was a lot of beading on the top of the strapless bridesmaid dresses.

The Bronzed Version

2010-10-11T10:38:00.001-05:00

Remember this necklace?

The one with all the gorgeous pearls?

Well last spring I came up with a version of it in brown, gold, and bronze for some bridesmaids' jewelry. Here is the result:
With matching earrings, of course.

Simple, but elegant.

Even after making 8 of them in a row, I still loved it... which is saying a lot after how sore my fingers were!

Green Whimsy

2010-10-08T13:25:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you combine two sizes of soft green pearls, czech glass, and seed beads twisted together with a beautiful silver flower toggle clasp?

Something beautiful, that's what!

One of my favorite pieces I've ever made. Might just end up in my own personal collection ;-)

Seeing Red

2010-10-07T21:42:00.004-05:00

Red and gold swirl together in this stunning multi-strand necklace.

I had these red & gold swirl beads for the longest time before finally deciding what to do with them. I love how this piece turned out.

Then there's this simple red and silver necklace which features silver plated accent beads with some really unique red stone beads.

At first glance they look like plain red spheres...

...but upon closer inspection you can see that they have a subtle, but beautiful polished stone texture.

SO MUCH catching up to do!

2010-06-04T20:17:00.004-05:00

So while I've been super busy over the last two months with buying a house and moving, I've also been busy with custom jewelry orders including a few weddings. I have oh-so-many photos to share with you and I'm super excited about some new designs coming soon.

For now, I'll share with you a pink version of the original Ring of Pearls design which was requested by my friend Jackie.

Stay tuned for more... ;-)

One of My Best Customers

2010-03-27T09:31:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, I posted about a matching bracelet and earring set that I called "Peacock Pearls".
Very soon after I posted it, I received a phone call from my sister, Sara, demanding that I NOT put it up for sale on Etsy because she wanted to purchase the set for herself.

Since I knew I would be holding onto the set for a little while, I decided to go ahead and make a matching necklace as well.

She loved the whole set and while I was sad to see it go,
I hope she gets a lot of great wear out of it!

Choices, Choices

2010-03-26T20:54:00.004-05:00

I happen to have two incredibly wonderful sisters who both have incredibly wonderful taste. My younger sister, Emily, has great fashion sense and while I love making jewelry for her, I'm always just a little intimidated.

For her birthday this year, I knew I wanted to make her a necklace, but when I shopped for beads, I couldn't make up my mind. So I decided to make two different necklaces and let her choose which one she wanted to take home.

Choice #1: Graduated black beads, with 'embroidered' focal pendant

Choice #2: Green class beads with silver toggle clasp

She chose necklace #2. And Sara and I teased her about her addiction to all things green. ;-)

Which would you choose?

A Drop of Golden Sun

2010-03-02T07:53:00.004-06:00

I have never been a huge fan of yellow, but when a friend from work asked me to design a necklace and earring set to match her favorite yellow sweater, I was looking forward to the challenge!

I love working with new colors or styles that I haven't done before. It's a great way to stretch my design skills as well as my imagination!

Working on this piece as definitely helped me warm up to yellow!
I'm looking forward to including more of it in future designs.
:-)

A fun way to say, "Thank you!"

2010-03-01T21:36:00.003-06:00

In my last post I shared some photos with you of a set of necklaces that I designed for my cousin's daughters' teachers.
It was a pretty large order, and I wanted to do something extra special to show my thanks.
So I made Emma (my cousin's daughter) this little bracelet.

I made it with some super cute purple and pink Czech glass beads and it has a magnetic clasp so that she can get it on and off easily.

For Meegan, I made these cute blue earrings with some beautiful glass beads and silver hoops.

Be sure to come back tomorrow to see pics of my latest custom order!
Here's your clue:
I'm calling it "Drop of Golden Sun"
:-)

Making Up For It

2010-02-27T20:47:00.009-06:00

I know it's been quite a while since I last posted.
So in order to make up for it, here's a WHOLE BUNCH of beautiful pictures of my latest custom order.

My cousin, Meegan, ordered five necklaces as gifts for her daughters' teachers. As a teacher myself I was delighted to be able to design some unique pieces to help Meegan, Emma, and Gracie express their appreciation for all of the hard work that their teachers do.

First, we have an extra long wrap necklace for one of the "trendy" teachers whose favorite colors are blue and purple.

Then we have a multi-strand green, brown, and gold necklace for another "trendy" teacher.

Lately I've been into showing necklaces like these with the clasp on the side instead of in the back. If you have a beautiful clasp, why not show it off?

This is a piece for a more "classic" teacher, which was inspired by this piece I made back in December.

This piece is for an "earthy" teacher who loves turquoise. These beads are actually dyed Jasper rather than actual turquoise, but they are quite beautiful.

And last, but not least, we have a multi-strand stone and shell necklace for another "earthy" teacher. This might be one of my favorites just because it's so different.

I also included a few special treats for Meegan and Emma, but I'll save those photos for next time ;-)

I can't wait to hear what the teachers think of their new necklaces, but for now, I'd love to hear what you think!

Circles & Squares

2010-02-16T08:22:00.000-06:00

This is an artistic piece featuring lampworked glass beads
and red, orange, and gold crystal beads.
It's a longer necklace without a clasp so that it can be worn any way you like.
There isn't a designated top or bottom. I love asymmetrical pieces like this one.
They usually end up looking a little bit edgy and always have a more artistic feel.

Super Sparkly II

2010-02-15T20:09:00.003-06:00

This is a set that my brother-in-law ordered for his fiancee, Kelli, for Valentine's Day.

About a month ago, I got a phone call from Ben requesting some jewelry for Kelli. He had looked at the pictures on my blog and said he like the Super Sparkly earrings. He asked me to make a matching necklace to go with the earrings as well. The best part was that Kelli had seen the actual Super Sparkly earrings over Christmas and mentioned that she really liked them, but Ben didn't know that!
They really must be meant to be!

Moonlit Beach

2010-02-14T13:17:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite necklaces that I've made was the Skipping Stones necklace. My good friend Rachel bought it and while it was a hard piece to let go of I'm so happy that she loves it. I recently found these beautiful oval shell beads that reminded me so much of the stone ovals from the skipping stones necklace that I couldn't resist snatching them up!

The color is called "Jet", but they're really a mix of dark blues, purples, and grays with just a touch of black. The combination reminds me of colors muted by moonlight when even the brightest colors are turned into purples, blues, and grays.

I also love the tiny little pink pearls that peek out from between the larger chunkier beads.

Gorgeous.

peacock pearls

2010-02-13T21:31:00.002-06:00

A few days ago I was shopping for some pink seed beads for a custom order and
I came across these gorgeous pearl beads.

I wanted to show off the beauty of the beads so I made them up into this simple set.

I wish it were easier to see the wide range of colors in these beads, but unfortunately, my camera isn't the greatest.

Keep an eye out for these on Etsy!
I have a long list of items that I've been meaning to post for sale, but I've been so busy that it hasn't happened. Since I have Monday off from work, I decided to designate it my "Etsy posting day"!

dark green mother of pearl earrings

2010-02-03T21:48:00.002-06:00

These earrings are a lot of fun!
They are made with mother of pearl beads hung on silver rings.
The green is so dark that they almost look black,
but when the light hits the highlights of the shell you can see the beautiful shade of green.

Blue & Green Dripping Bracelet

2010-02-02T05:52:00.001-06:00

This is a double strand bracelet with a gorgeous sterling silver slide clasp
and genuine Swarovski crystal beads in spring green, teal, and clear.
I also included a few silver ball beads as another accent. I really like the way the beads just look like they're dripping off of the chains.

Very fun, yet elegant.

Red & Gold

2010-02-01T06:38:00.000-06:00

I am IN LOVE with these gorgeous carnelian beads!
They are the most beautiful shade of reddish-orange and look so lovely
with these textured gold beads.

And I adore these extra large ear wires.
They are so much fun and they add that little bit of extra character.

This set will be up for sale on Etsy by the end of this week.

With Sincere Thanks

2010-01-31T22:01:00.004-06:00

I'd like to thank all of you who left comments or became new followers of my blog in order to help raise money for Haiti relief. I will be mailing a check this week to LCMS World Relief and Human Care.

I've been working so hard lately on a few custom orders that I haven't been able to make much jewelry to put up for sale on Etsy, but this weekend I finally finished my custom orders and was able to make a few new pieces for sale. I'm hoping to be able to post photos soon of some of the custom pieces that I did, but a few of them were gifts, so I need to check with my customers to see if they'd like me to wait until after they give said gifts before I start posting photos online :-)

For now, I'd like to share a few photos of a matching set that I did several weeks ago.

Delurk for Haiti - PLEASE READ!

2010-01-23T19:18:00.003-06:00

Once again my good friend, Jamie has come up with a wonderful idea. She has invited me to join her little group of bloggers to join her in a special project to raise money and awareness for the great needs of the people of Haiti. Please read her words:

As I tuck my kids into bed at night, I'm not worried about if they'll be warm enough, or safe from harm. When they wake in the morning I don't worry about what they will eat for breakfast. When we need a drink of water we just go to the sink and turn on the faucet, or go to the fridge for a cold glass of milk. I have MANY luxuries that people around the world do not. I am very wealthy compared to the many people in the world who have little to nothing.

I've been wrestling with the thought of how I could help the people in Haiti. Simple me. One person. Living miles away from them. In my comfortable home. With a roof over my head. Water in my pipes. And all my family safe and accounted for. I know that I am BLESSED beyond imagination.

I had a thought. One that many other bloggers have had. I wanted to get other people involved. I wanted to let other people find a way to help out those in Haiti who are trying to rebuild their lives. So, here's what I am doing.

For one week, from right now until Friday, January 29th at noon (CST) I will be asking for your help. For every comment that is left on this post I will donate $0.15 and for every new public follower I will donate $0.25. (up to $100). So what does it cost you? Nothing. Just leave a comment. Tell me your name, where you're from, something, anything. Just a comment. Or follow this blog and your donation will be even greater.

It gets better. If you'd like to help out in an even bigger way I have two more opportunities for you. I will donate 50% of any purchase from my etsy store before Friday, February 5th at noon. AND if you book a photography session with me before Friday (doesn't have to take place before Friday and does not include weddings) I will also donate 50% of the session fee.

So, you get something fun for your home or a photography session and I will donate 50% to LCMS World Relief and Human Care. Please also check Matthew Harrison's (Executive Director of LCMS World Relief and Human Care) blog, he is in Haiti and updates when he is able.

BUT

I'm not alone in this. I contacted some of my friends and they were willing to jump in and help out also.Elisa from e-fran designs is also donating $0.15 for each comment on her post and $0.25 for each new public follower on her blog as well and donating 25% of all sales from her etsy store this week.

Kate from Kate Kaiser Designs is donating $0.15 for each comment on her post and $0.25 for each new public follower on her blog as well as donating 50% of all sales from her etsy store this week.

Would you like to join us? It's not too late. If you would like a link to your post from here so that you can get comments, followers and donate please let me know! Also, I'd love to add more etsy store owners to the mix as well. All money donated will be collected by me, and sent through my church to LCMS World Relief and Human Care to go straight to the work in Haiti! Please tell everyone you know to visit these sites and help out in whatever way they can! We'd also love it if you linked back to this post on your blog!

Thanks and I pray that you are richly blessed in all you do!!! May you know the LOVE of our Savior a little more today!

Table Top Photo Studio!

2010-01-16T16:31:00.004-06:00

Ever since I first started photographing my jewelry, I have struggled with getting quality photos. My biggest problem is that I have a pretty cheap camera - an old Kodak easy share that I got back in college when I was student teaching. It was my first digital camera and has served me pretty well over the years, but I've had to work very hard to get good jewelry photos out of it.
The good news is it does have a macro setting... but the bad news is that doesn't mean a whole lot. My biggest struggle has been with lighting. I figured out pretty early that the flash is good for absolutely nothing. It distorts the colors and is just way too harsh. I've used multiple desk lamps or natural lighting for most of my photos... until now!

Over the holidays I came across this blog which had instructions for how to make your own table top (or in my case, office floor) macro photo studio. During our snow day stretch last week, I decided to go for it and give it a try and...

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

It makes such a difference! I can only imagine how awesome my pictures would be if I had a better camera, but for now, I'm spending about half the time getting decent photos of my jewelry. Here's a picture of my new macro studio:

I just went down in our basement and grabbed a moving box from our stash, cut out the sides and top, taped on some white tissue paper from our gift wrapping stash, threw in a few pieces of white 12x12" card stock and set up my two desk lamps. It took me about 20 minutes to put together and cost me $0. I need to get some poster board to use as my background (like the original tutorial suggested) so that I don't have a seam showing up in my photos.

If you have any reason in your life to take good close-up photos, I highly recommend putting one of these little beauties together! Even if you have a good camera, I'm sure it will still work wonders for you and you can find lots of great tips on different ways to use it on the Strobist blog.

NEW 23rd Psalm Bracelets!

2010-01-07T22:00:00.000-06:00

The very first design I ever did was a 23rd Psalm bracelet for a bunch of my girlfriends from college. It's a simple design that many many people have done in many different ways. Each color in the bracelet acts as a reminder of part of the 23rd Psalm.
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. (pearl/white)
He makes me lie down in green pastures, (green)
he leads me beside quiet waters, (blue)
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (clear)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, (black)
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (brown)
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; (yellow)
my cup overflows. (purple/dark pink)
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, (pink)
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (gold)

Recently I decided to create an updated (and slightly more upscale) version of the 23rd Psalm bracelet featuring genuine Swarovski crystals. While I still love the "mixed" beads of my original design, and while I plan on continuing to make them, I'm very excited about the crystal version as it provides a slightly different look and style with all of the same meaning.

Look for both versions on katekaiser.etsy.com - coming soon!!!

Cubes on the Corner

2010-01-03T10:00:00.001-06:00

This set features black glass cube beads that have been drilled through the corners rather than the sides which results in a very dramatic look. The three small cubes at the 'Y' of the necklace are drilled the traditional way.
The corner drilled cubes are lying flat in the photos because of how I had to photograph them. This is the way they would probably lay when worn, but when the necklace isn't lying against a flat surface the cubes hang a little differently.

The earrings feature smaller corner drilled cubes that beautifully accent the larger cubes in the necklace.
Check out my Etsy shop where all of the new items will soon be posted for sale :-)

On the fifth day of Christmas...

2010-01-02T10:00:00.000-06:00

5 Golden Rings! ...or TEN!
(twelve if you count the earrings!)

This striking piece features ten large gold rings joined together by many smaller rings in a triangular shape with accent beads joining it to a simple gold chain.

When worn, the rings overlap a little like this:These are the matching earrings which feature another pair of the gold accent beads and a single large ring.

Check back tomorrow for one of my favorite new pieces that were made over the holidays!
And don't forget, all of these new pieces will be available on my Etsy shop, katekaiser.etsy.com, by the end of next week!

Ring of Pearls

2010-01-01T02:05:00.000-06:00

This is my first try at making a pendant from beads.

I used silver wire to wrap dyed pearls around an extra large silver ring.

More new jewelry coming soon!

Keep an eye out for all of these new pieces in my Etsy shop by the end of the week!

Snow Balls and Mint

2009-12-31T17:29:00.000-06:00

This is one of the many new pieces I was able to create over Christmas. Apparently, 18" of snow and 18 hours without power provides a lot of opportunity for jewelry design :-)
The necklace has three strands with floating beads. The beads are minty green pearls and sparkly silver balls.

More new pieces to come over the next few days... and all of them will be up for sale on Etsy by the end of next week!

Christms Gift for my M-I-L

2009-12-25T16:02:00.000-06:00

My husband is the oldest of five siblings. Three (including him) are married and one is engaged, so just the "immediate" family consists of 11 people. That's a lot to buy gifts for at Christmas! This year we decided to try drawing names for gifts instead of each couple trying to find gifts for all the others. I was lucky enough to draw my mother-in-law's name.

I love my MIL and she has been a great source of encouragement and affirmation on my journey of jewelry design, so what better gift for her than some handmade beaded jewelry?!

I was a bit intimidated because my MIL has quite an extensive jewelry collection and I wanted to make her some pieces that would fit with her style and make a statement. In case you haven't noticed, I've been doing a lot with the blue, brown, and bronze color scheme. Remember the bronze and blue bracelet and the beaded lanyard?

Well I went back to that theme adding some gorgeous Czech glass beads as well as some blue glass beads and this is where I ended up:

A three strand necklace...

memory wire bracelet...

and dangling earrings!

She opened them this morning and LOVED them!
Merry Christmas Colene!!!

dripping with pearls

2009-12-24T02:15:00.000-06:00

Have I mentioned before how much I love pearls? I have? Oh. Well I do. I love love love them.

Which is good because otherwise I don't think I could have survived the HOURS it took to complete this gorgeous necklace. The necklace features a combination of glass pearls and Swarovski crystal pearls in various shades, dangling from a sterling silver chain.

As usual, I couldn't resist making some matching earrings. I started with these...
...but didn't think they were a perfect fit. So instead I made these...

...which are pretty perfect if you ask me. What do you think?

I'm looking forward to getting some better pictures of them. Once I do they will probably end up for sale in my Etsy shop... but until then I think I'm just going to keep staring at them ;-)

Beaded Lanyard

2009-12-23T19:02:00.000-06:00

This is a beaded lanyard that I designed for an Etsy customer. She wanted something she could wear her nursing ID badge on that was more stylish and fun than a traditional "shoe string" lanyard. It was inspired by this bracelet. I added several extra accent beads to jazz it up.

Earring Binge

2009-12-20T17:53:00.000-06:00

As busy as my December has been, I managed to find some time to go on a earring-making binge! I used my two favorites: pearls (of course) and Swarovski crystals! I thought about calling this my "Trio" collection of earrings because they all feature beads in sets of three, descending by size.

They are all for sale at www.katekaiser.etsy.com

New Blog Design!

2009-12-07T21:42:00.000-06:00

I am SO excited about my new blog design!

It's a custom design done by Alissa of Simple Sweet.

Check out her blog, Simple Sweet Inspiration, and her Etsy shop, Simple Sweet Bows & Things.

I love that I now have a header for my design blog that corresponds with my Etsy header. Looking at the pearls that have now become part of my standard logo makes me want to go sit down and make a bunch more pearly pieces... hmmm, perhaps I have just come up with a plan for how to spend my snow day tomorrow ;-)

earrings to match the bracelets

2009-12-01T23:31:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, I made three memory wire bracelets which I donated to our church's annual holiday bazaar. A member of our congregation bought all three! She requested that I make matching earrings for each bracelet as she wanted to give them as gifts for Christmas.

I spent the vast majority of my evening working on another project which I can't share just yet... but hopefully soon! :-)

going crazy!!!

2009-11-24T08:17:00.000-06:00

After the unexpected business that has snuck up on me these last several days, and as I look forward to the business of the next few, I find myself going jewelry stir-crazy! It has been almost two weeks since I made something new yet it seems every day I have a new idea pop into my head - with absolutely NO time to bring them to life. How frustrating!

I am thrilled to be leaving town tomorrow to visit my family for Thanksgiving - especially since I haven't seen my sisters, bros-in-law, or niece since the 4th of July. The only downside is that since we are going to be flying (and doing our very best to avoid having to check any bags) I will not be able to bring any jewelry supplies along. Since tonight will be dedicated to laundry and packing, I am realizing the harsh reality that the soonest I will be able to attack any of my new design plans will be Saturday night after we return home. Perhaps I will just bring a sketch book and some colored pencils on the plane so that I can at least keep track of the new ideas flying through my head.

Until then, here are a few of my newest ideas:
- mother's/grandmother's necklaces
- a few different versions of my traditional 23rd Psalm bracelet
- more pearly multi-strand bracelets
- a few different longer asymmetrical necklaces featuring some chains

Oh! And I almost forgot - my new MOO mini cards arrived in the mail yesterday!!! I can't wait for the next time I have a conversation with someone and they say, "You should give me your website address sometime." And I can just whip out a mini card!

busy busy weekend!

2009-11-22T16:27:00.000-06:00

A snapshot of the last four days...

Thursday night: baking Christmas cookies, turkey breasts, and green bean casserole

Friday: preschool Thanksgiving feast (hence the turkey and green beans), movie night with the girls

Saturday: church bazaar, then driving up to Seth's parents' for a combination local wedding reception and surprise anniversary party

Sunday: party celebrating Seth's dad's 25th anniversary of his ordination as a pastor in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, followed by family time at my in-law's

I ended up looking up the giveaway winner on my cell phone while I sat in the movie theatre waiting for the previews to start! Congratulations to Anna who chose the "Holiday Sparkle" set!

If you liked the "Naturalista" set it will soon be going up for sale in my Esty shop :-)

Last chance to ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!!

2009-11-19T20:11:00.000-06:00

The giveaway ends at midnight tonight!!!

So make sure you visit Pure Joy to sign up!

Or, copy and paste this link into your address bar:
http://jamespurejoy.blogspot.com/2009/11/kate-kaiser-designs-giveaway.html

Don't miss out on your chance to win FREE HANDMADE JEWELRY!!!

bronze & blue

2009-11-18T10:00:00.000-06:00

I heart this toggle closure!

I also love the way the colors and textures work together.

Lovely!

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY!!! VISIT PURE JOY TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN FREE HANDMADE JEWELRY BY KATE KAISER DESIGNS!!!

More Memory Wire Bracelets!

2009-11-17T11:45:00.000-06:00

I love memory wire bracelets! They are quick and easy to make and even easier to wear. I love playing with different size and color combinations of beads and seeing how they look in the multiple layers.
This Saturday our church, Trinity Lutheran, is hosting their annual Bazaar. It's a combination of a craft sale, yard sale, and bake sale. I wanted to contribute something since I'm "The Vicar's Wife" and it's our first year at Trinity. Not to mention the fact that I love a good excuse to make more jewelry!I knew right away that I wanted to make a few memory wire bracelets since they are so affordable to make and quite versatile as far as fit and style.

Giveaway at Pure Joy!

2009-11-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

IT'S GIVEAWAY DAY!!!

Starting today, you can enter for a chance to win a matching bracelet and earring set handmade by yours truly!

Just visit Jamie's blog, Pure Joy, and follow the instructions to enter the giveaway.

The winner will get to choose between "Naturalista" or "Holiday Sparkle"!

ENTER TO WIN TODAY!!!
(And tell your friends!)

Sneak Preview!

2009-11-15T12:35:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow's the big day!!!

It's GIVEAWAY DAY!!!

Make sure you visit Pure Joy tomorrow to find out how to enter for your chance to win some free handmade jewelry by Kate Kaiser Designs!

Here's a sneak preview of the jewelry that's up for grabs:

New Packaging!

2009-11-14T21:09:00.000-06:00

I am very pleased to present some beautiful new packaging for my jewelry items. Now when someone orders a piece of handmade jewelry from my Etsy shop, they will be able to choose between white or natural boxes with tissue paper and ribbon or a delightful drawstring gift bag.

MOO cards!

2009-11-13T21:33:00.000-06:00

I am now adding to the list of things I'm super excited about the Moo Mini Cards I just ordered!
You can check them out here: http://us.moo.com/en/products/minicards.php
You can get them with up to 100 different pictures on the front and all of your information on the back for a great price. They are a fun and different way to network with contacts and customers.I'm finding myself in a mad rush to "get my stuff together" for the holiday shopping season. I'm working on stocking up my Etsy shop, ordering (mini) business cards, doing my first giveaway, and completing my first big custom order (more about that tomorrow!).
The tricky part is trying to find ways to work on marketing my jewelry without breaking the bank! Anyone want to invest some capital in a budding handmade jewelry company? ;-)

My first giveaway!

2009-11-12T20:16:00.000-06:00

I'm SUPER excited to announce that on Monday my good friend, Jamie, will be hosting a giveaway of one of my handmade jewelry pieces on her blog, Pure Joy! We're still working out the details, but I wanted to share the news will my readers.

Keep an eye out for more details and be sure to stop by Jamie's Pure Joy on Monday to find out how to enter to win some new jewelry just in time for the holidays!

More gifts!

2009-11-10T21:12:00.000-06:00

This is a set that I made for the other preschool teacher at work.

a couple of new pairs

2009-11-08T12:53:00.000-06:00

Something New!!!

2009-10-27T23:54:00.000-05:00

Finally! After weeks of setting up my Etsy site, prepping for parent/teacher conferences, and being sick, I managed to find some time to make a new jewelry piece!!!
LONG overdue! It's so nice to finally be able to sit down and put together one of the ideas I've had floating around in my head for weeks. And best of all - it turned out even better than I had imagined!This piece includes what I like to call a "happy mistake". I originally wanted to just use the hammered rings, but I when I took them out of the packaging I realized they were not one solid piece. Not only were they "open" rings, but they are thin enough that you can't keep them from opening by themselves. I didn't want to make a necklace that would easily fall apart, but neither did I want to give up the look of the hammered rings. So I added a thicker, solid ring along with the hammered rings and I love the way it turned out!

Etsy on the brain

2009-10-11T18:02:00.000-05:00

It's been at least a week since I made something new as I have been focusing all of my spare time and energy on getting my Etsy shop up and running.

I've even had a big pile of new beads waiting for me and it's been so hard to step away from creating new pieces. I'm so so happy to finally be able to sell my creations and share them with others. Thus far I have given many pieces as gifts, and even sold a piece or two, but I'm looking forward to moving in more of a small business direction.

In the coming months I'm hoping to do a giveaway or two as well - just in time for the holidays! - so keep your eyes peeled and check back often!

Hopefully in the next week I'll be able to make some new jewelry to share with you. In the mean time, please take a moment to leave a comment as I'd love to know what you think of my work. :-)

OPEN ON ETSY!!!

2009-10-08T21:40:00.000-05:00

My Etsy shop is officially OPEN!!!

www.katekaiser.etsy.com

I will be adding new items frequently, so check back often!!!

Etsy on the way...

2009-10-03T20:17:00.001-05:00

This is my new Esty page header. What do you think?

I'm almost ready to open my shop. Just a few more things to do...

Keep an eye out for the info. I'll be posting the url very soon ;-)

skipping stones

2009-10-01T10:07:00.000-05:00

This necklace was one of those serendipitous occasions when things just fall together without much thought or planning.

The beauty of these natural stone beads in a variety of muted tones gives the piece a lot of character. They remind me of river rocks, cascading down a bank into the rushing water. Beautiful.

...perhaps a pair of matching earrings to follow ;-)

New Name!

2009-09-30T22:50:00.000-05:00

For some time now I've been planning and preparing to open an Etsy shop where I can sell my jewelry. Tonight I started working on setting up my shop (finally!) and was somewhat heartbroken to find that the user name "hillside designs" was...*SHOCK*...taken. :-(

So I took my husband's advice and decided to use my own name as my brand. Hence, "Kate Kaiser Designs".

My Etsy shop is officially under construction and I hope to post my first items for sale by the end of October (maybe sooner if I can find the time!) - the problem is that I am far too much of a perfectionist and won't let myself just jump in without feeling like I am 100% prepared. Thus, I have a lot of research and preparations to take care of.

I'm super excited about finally having a way to get my work out there and the thought of someone wearing a piece that I made and loving it as much as I do absolutely warms my heart!

I promise to post updates as I get closer to opening my shop. Ta ta for now! :-)

black and white

2009-09-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

I was inspired to make this necklace after staring at my own personal jewelry collection wishing I had something in black and white. I used a combination of white pearls and black glass beads to create this charming pair. The bracelet has a lobster claw closure and the ribbon is tied on a medium size jump ring.

The necklace ties with ribbon instead of a traditional clasp. It's a very pretty and romantic look and also allows for flexibility in length.
Such a pretty pair!

super sparkly

2009-09-29T12:06:00.000-05:00

I've been holding on to this pair of rhinestone spheres for quite a while... not quite sure what to do with them. When I started looking through my left-over Swarovski crystals from the other earrings I made last week, I found these beautiful teal bicones and thought they'd be perfect to go with the clear rhinestones.

The pictures don't do them justice. They are just about the sparkliest pair of earrings I've ever seen!

pretty in purple and pink!

2009-09-28T12:02:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed my first experience with memory wire to make this set.

I love the combination of colors in the seed beads with the champagne colored pearls.

assymetric gold leaf

2009-09-27T23:51:00.001-05:00

This is a piece I've been planning for a while. Today I finally bit the bullet and got it done. I love the leaf with the brown pearls dangling on top
This was one of those pieces that could have gone a few different ways. These tend to frustrate me because once I finish I always wonder if I should have gone another way with the design.

Oh well... perhaps I'll buy more supplies and make it another way so they can be their own mini collection. :-)

marvelous magnets

2009-09-24T21:35:00.000-05:00

This is the piece that is featured on my page header. The black cube beads are magnetic and there is no clasp - it's just one long strand that can be worn multiple ways. You can wrap it around your wrist as a bracelet. You can wrap it as a necklace all the way around like this:
or you can also wear it as a Y necklace with the ends together hanging down in front.

WalMart has beads!

2009-09-23T14:30:00.000-05:00

And they're not too bad.

I made this piece with beads that I found at Walmart and it's one of my favorites that I wear all the time.

My First Multi-Strand

2009-09-22T12:00:00.000-05:00

This piece was my first try at a multi-strand necklace. I think I took it apart and put it back together at least three times before I got it just right, but I love the way it turned out.

Jewelry Gifts

2009-09-21T11:00:00.001-05:00

I absolutely love making jewelry as gifts for friends and family. Partly because I like trying to come up with pieces that fit their individual style, and partly because since it's a gift, there isn't as much pressure as a custom order that someone is paying for.

I recently made this set for my sister Sara's birthday. I used a combination of champagne, chocolate, and sea foam colored pearls with silver findings. It was inspired by a previous piece that I made for my other sister Emily's birthday last February. It was made with the same clasp and a slightly more teal shade of pearl with clear glass beads.

My sisters are my biggest fans and supporters as I begin my jewelry making business so I always loving gifting them with pieces they inspire. I love you Sara and Emily!!!

It's an earring party!

2009-09-20T18:20:00.000-05:00

After getting an amazing deal on some Swarovski crystal beads last week, I sat down for a lovely Sunday afternoon of making earrings.

explorations with wire

2009-09-19T14:15:00.001-05:00

After coming across a super cheap plastic wire bending jig at Michaels, I decided to give wire bending a try. Though my jig is anything but fancy, it provides me with an easy way to explore the technique and try it out. These are the first pieces I made:

I played around with it a lot and ended up trashing most of what I did, but I'm excited to keep playing around with the technique and see what else I can come up with.

I actually made a set of the green wire loops first without the pearls, then felt like they needed something more... not sure if I'm pleased with the outcome or not -but that's the whole point of trying out new things!

Fresh meat!

2009-09-07T12:22:00.000-05:00

So far I have been posting pictures and stories chronologically from when I started beading last March. There are a few reasons why: 1) I wanted to begin at the beginning, 2) I wanted to display all of my work, regardless of how long ago I had made it, 3) I have been so busy lately that I figured I would start with the old stuff and by the time I made it through all of that I would have started making new stuff.

Well forget it. This weekend I made my first shopping trip for beads since May and consequently made my first new piece since May as well. And there is no way I'm going to wait to post pictures of it because I'm far too excited to share.

This is the stash that I got from Hobby Lobby during their jewelry sale (%30-%50 off!!!)

I didn't waste any time taking everything out of its packaging and getting it organized.

By the way, while I'm on the topic of organization, I must share a tip - one of my favorite ways to store beads is in plastic baby food containers. They're clear so you can see what's in them, they stack very nicely, and they're a good size to keep bead mixes. They're also very handy to store pieces for a work in progress.

I also use them as temporary storage when my bead supply outgrows my bead box supply. Whenever I feel like I have too many baby food containers, I go out and buy a new bead box.

Once I got everything out of its packaging and tucked away nicely, I began my staring and eventually decided on using the green/red/brown/gold mix of seed beads (featured in the baby food container on the far left). I started searching through my stash for other beads that matched the color scheme and was delighted to come up with this design.

The colors remind me of juicy fall apples and autumn leaves. It's pretty busy, but I think it really pops with the bright green and burgundy.

Following the beads

2009-09-02T21:19:00.000-05:00

I sometimes come across really interesting and beautiful beads that are on sale and don't stop to think about what I will actually do with them before tossing them right in my shopping cart. Once I get home, I cheerfully pour them into an empty compartment in my handy-dandy bead organizer and begin my staring (see previous post).

I learned very quickly after starting my jewelry making adventures that there would be times when I was really in a jewelry making mood, but wouldn't necessarily have exciting materials. So, as I mentioned in my last post, I end up staring at the stuff that I do have until inspiration strikes... or my frustration wins out over my drive to create.

When I bought these metallic beads, I thought they were so beautiful in the store and that surely I had to have something at home they would pair with beautifully. Alas, I was mistaken. They had too much bronze to go with silver, too much silver to go with gold, and I didn't have anything in bronze to match. I think it was only my stubbornness that finally drove me to create something with these beads as I wasn't willing to admit that I couldn't come up with a way to use these beautiful beads.

Eventually, I just started stringing a few things together and wasn't quite sure if I even liked it (again, I stress the stubbornness), but once the set was finished, I was delightfully surprised by how much I liked it!

One of my favorite things about making jewelry is all of the different ways that pieces can be inspired. But whether inspiration comes from the unquenchable desire to make something new or from the need to use those fabulous new beads I just bought, I am always please by the surprise of the finished product! Here's to staring!

The mother of invention

2009-09-01T21:24:00.000-05:00

For the most part, I have found that my most common design strategy involves opening up all of my beading trays, spreading out all of my various containers and baggies of supplies on the floor, and staring at it until an idea pops into my head. I have always known myself to be an "out of sight, out of mind" type of person - which is proven by the state of my desks at home and at work which are both covered with various (organized) piles of stuff that I couldn't possibly put in a drawer because I would instantly forget that it exists.

For this reason, I have invested in clear plastic containers to store my beads and beading materials so that I can see everything I have with a fair amount of ease.

This was one of the earlier jewelry sets that I made when my supply inventory was still quite limited, yet my desire to create was overwhelming! I wanted to find a way to use the silver earring hoops that I had gotten as hand-me-downs from my sister, Emily, but as I started to work, I remembered that I never wear hoops. After a bit of brainstorming, I came up with the idea of reshaping the ends of the hoops and adding a jump ring to connect the ends. I like that the hoops hang perpendicular to the hooks, rather than in traditional hoop fashion.

So... once I finished the earrings, I just had to make a matching necklace. After all, what good is a pair of earrings without a necklace to match??? The necklace posed a greater challenge, but after playing around with the basic concept (and scavenging through my jewelry box to find a necklace whose chain could stand to be jacked) I came up with this "horse shoe" like design.

This set was also the first one that I wore out in public... which revealed the unique joy of being complimented on your handmade jewelry creations by friends and strangers - which inevitably drives me back to the living room floor and my spread of bead boxes, wire spools, and pliers. Right where I can see them ;-)

Hand-me-downs

2009-08-24T23:31:00.000-05:00

When I first got into beaded jewelry making, my younger sister was kind enough to give me a bag full of beads that had been in a closet at our parents' house from a time when she, too, ventured into the same hobby. Buried at the bottom of the bag was a short strand of large, chunky purple glass beads strung in a choker-style necklace. Emily assured me that she didn't care if I took it apart to use the beads for something else, so I did.

With the reclaimed beads from Em's old necklace and some others that I just happened to have, I came up with this 3 piece design. I love the look of the large beads floating on the thin gold wire.

I've debated going back and redoing the bracelet to balance it out a bit better. I've worn it a few times and have trouble with the way the beads are distributed... then again, perhaps I'm just too picky :-)

How it all began...

2009-08-18T22:52:00.000-05:00

Back in March of this year a group of my girlfriends from college and I decided to organize a "girl's getaway weekend" and I was invited to plan a devotion for the group. After much thought and a little borrowing ;-) I came up with a devotion based on the 23rd Psalm. As part of the devotion I thought we could make 23rd Psalm bracelets as beautiful reminders of the devotion and keepsakes for our time together as dear friends separated by long distances.

So I went to Michael's with my color list in hand, never having made more than embroidery floss friendship bracelets at summer camp. What was a "crimping bead"? What the heck is a "finding"??? After wandering up and down the beading aisles for over an hour and flipping through some beaded jewelry making books, I figured out what supplies I would need to make wire beaded bracelets - because, after all, using elastic thread was just not going to cut it. I couldn't show up with pony beads and string! These bracelets had to be pretty. I had to impress my girlfriends with something they would actually want to wear. By the time all was said and done, I walked out of the store with over $80 worth of beads, wire, findings, and tools.

When I got home I couldn't wait to start exploring so I sat right down and started working on a "sample" bracelet to see how everything fit together - and to see if I could remember the process of 'crimping' that I had read about in the books that I stubbornly refused to purchase. After all, it looked simple enough. ;-)

By the time I completed my very first real beaded bracelet (and by "real" I mean something beyond Girl Scout day camp quality) I knew two things.

1) My friends were not only going to be impressed, they were going to truly love making and wearing these jewelry pieces.

and 2) I. was. hooked.

The original 23rd Psalm Bracelet

The "gold" version that I developed later.

The "key" to the bracelet.