Finally!

I finally have some new stuff! And lots of gold and mixed metals - my favorite! The above is rose gold hoops, also available in yellow gold. Below is one of the mixed metals that features sterling silver, yellow gold and rose or pink gold.

I wanted to have more then just earrings so below is a tri-colored 'flower' with sterling silver, yellow gold, rose gold.

I have these available in sterling silver but the picture below is the yellow gold version. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this gold soldering stuff! I love working with it!

A French hook version of the post tri-colored metals dangles from above. I think these in the post version are my favorites!

And last but not least I've got a new personalized pendant to show you. It has 4 sides so you can personalized it however you want. Below are just some examples. Okay wait maybe this one is my favorite, well I do like making them!

Thanks for stopping by! All of these are or will be soon available in my shop. I hope you are all having a good week.

H

Enamel time

Okay I've been meaning to post this for a while so here it is. (And because Wendy was being pushy!) I took an enamel class about how to enamel on shapes not just a flat surface.






I took a class on enamel recently and the instructor is just amazing! This bracelet is her work. I love it! We used copper mesh and 26 gauge sheet. The 26 gauge sheet was run through a corrugater (blogger doesn't like that word but I don't know how else to spell it!) The metal gets work hardened as you put it thorough the little machine and then you get texture under the enamel.









The picture above has been enameled yet, its the kind of shapes we were working with. I haven't had a chance to play since the class but as soon as I do I'll post more pictures for you. I have taken other enamel classes and knew I loved it but this class reminded me how much I love it! I will be putting more enamel in my work because I love the color and I love the technique. When I took before I didn't have a kiln but I do now so there should be nothing to stop me, right? I hope you're having a good week!

H

A few custom pieces

These are a few pictures of a couple custom pieces of jewelry that I've done recently. The hearts bangle usually only has 2 hearts but the lady wanted to have a heart for each one of her children. I think it turned out great! I might add it to my shop. My customers have such great ideas! These next 2 pictures are for a friend from high school. He was killed a couple years ago and his sister requested these for his widow. I was sad to make them but happy the his wife loved them.



If you would like a custom piece send me an email and let see what we can come up with together. Have a good weekend!

H

I thought I would introduce you...

...to a new passion of mine. I've always loved photography but lately my playing around with the camera just for fun has gotten me some recognition. I've had an online travel business that is also an app for the iphone is using 2 of my photographs for places in cities that they cover. The picture I took of Bailey with the pineapple in Hawaii is being used. One of the pictures I took in San Francisco of China Town is being used and I have one of the pictures from here in Phoenix is being considered.
I'm not stopping the jewelry but I'm going to start adding in the photography as well to what I do. When I started Cherry Creek Designs as a real business not just a hobby I always intended it to be much more then just jewelry, I just never thought it would be in photography! But the ideas are starting to flow for me on what to do with this to include it with my business. I will keep you informed on where this goes.

I will tell you that I'll be taking a course in photography with some amazing photographers in the business! It will kill me to go but it happens to be in Hawaii so I'll force myself to go and learn as much as I can. I'll let you know more as I get closer to the time to go. Until next time please enjoy the photographs. I would love feedback if you have any, just be nice!

H

A few new items for the shop

Tiny heart ring in gold. I have had a lot of requests for this and I'm almost ready to move forward on these. I'm having the tiny hearts cast in silver and gold so I'll also be able to do the tiny heart earrings too.

And these little babies. I've been wanting to do a gold personalized charm. Everyone does them in round so over course I needed to do mine a little different. So mine are tiny little squares. I'm going to do these in silver and gold so if you want to mix up the metals you can do it. I'm also having these cast so there will be a be of a wait still but if people would like to send me an email I'll add your name to the list for when they get here. I'll be offering these with a single charm on a chain a double charm and 3 charms. I'll also offer just the charm so you can add if you want.

Thanks for looking! The weekend is almost here so enjoy the rest of your week.

H

I got my issue of Modern Bride today!

Okay here it is! My 'closeup' in the Aug/Sept issue of Modern Bride! I got home from running errands today and this was in my mail box waiting for me. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I don't have much more to say in between the happy dances here! I will be posting pictures of the trip to Chicago in the next couple days but this far out shadows the trip. Don't get me wrong the trip was fun but not as cool as this article!
I hope you have a wonderful week! Mine has started out on a very good note! I will let you know about the other very good news in the next couple days. I'll give you a hint its more awesome press for Cherry Creek!

H

I'd like to do something new...

...new to me anyway. I love quotes, I collect them in a little book. I've been trying to find a way to incorporate them into my work but so far I haven't figured out a unique way to do it for me. So I thought I would at least start sharing them with you here. Maybe it will remind me not to forget about my favorites and start getting inspired to be creative with them. So without further ado I give you 'The Quote of the Week'

'The beautiful is everywhere.'

Fernand Leger

I took this picture at the Desert Botanical Gardens.

H

Goals for the month of May

Just something pretty to look at, it has nothing to do with this post!

I've been reading the Modish Biz Tips and I've decided to participate in the monthly goal. I have learned so much from reading this blog. Jena is awesome! So here goes: 1. Hire help! 2. Get a handle on the packaging area. 3. 3 more wholesale orders 4. Write press release for local media for upcoming article in Modern Bride 5. Finish recipes that go with new pendants (Garden Charms) 6. Find new supplier for recycled fine silver and gold. (I've been trying to go completely green with everything I use, maybe this will be the month I can get it done for good.)
7. 5 new designs ready for castor. I know there is many more things to add to the list of goals but most of them are personal so I will save those for another blog post. I have been writing my goals for a while but I really like the idea of writing them down for me to be more accountable because now I have to see them and tell people so now I really have to strive to complete them.

If you have a business or are looking at starting one you need to be reading this blog. I hope you're having a good week.

H

Introducing...a new addition to my family

Okay so maybe that wasn't fair because its a new addition to my family of growing charms not my actual human family! Sorry about that. =)
These new charms we're inspired/requested from my sister Holly for her new godchild on his baptism. These are perfect for the new mom for a baby shower or for christenings as well. They feature the new baby's monogram on one charm and the date of birth or baptism/christening on the other. And just for another personal touch the boy monogram charm has a tiny sailboat on the back and the girl monogram has a princess crown on the back. If this is for a baptism/christening I will add a cross to the back of the date charm.




Well its been a crazy week so back to work! I hope you all had a lovely productive week and here's to a wonderful weekend as well.

H

I had so much fun!

I did my last scheduled class with Michael Sturlin this weekend and this is what I got to make. We did forged bracelets. The silver ones we're done after I had practiced on the Barbie versions. We started by working with copper in a small scale version so mistakes wouldn't be taken out on the expensive fine silver wire. A couple of the small versions fit Bailey and she wanted to model them for me.
I should have a few of these versions available in my shop soon. This was too much fun! I'm working on a few new designs incorporating enameling and some cold connections. Thanks for looking. Have a great week!








H

This might seem odd but...

I've been asked many times why I don't make big pieces of jewelry like everyone else makes. 1st: I have nothing against the big pieces but they just aren't me. 2nd: I'm not going to make things just so they sell. Everything I make was/is because it reminds me of something in my life or I think the person that I was thinking of when I made it will like it. As an example the Dots:

I was thinking of my sister Hayley, she is the model on these too, when I was first making these. She has 4 holes on each side and she likes to mix the earrings up. By that I mean she doesn't like them to match. So these are perfect for her. The idea has just expanded from there into over 125 designs to choose from and into rings as well.

Another example are these charms. 'Have Your Cake and Eat It Too' and 'Cupcake with a Cherry on Top' these we're inspired from my sister Holly who is a pastry chef. She is the best pastry chef in all the land!

I know she will laugh and say she really isn't but I think she is amazing!

I don't think of my business as work and I fear that if I started to make things 'just because they would sell' or because they are 'big' right now I wouldn't be myself. And I just got to be myself. I like tiny things and I know I'm not the only one. I just had to get that off my chest since I was asked that again and its been rolling around in my brain on why/how to answer it yet again. Have a wonderful weekend. H

Etsy Front Page 4/11/09 Admin

Etsy Front Page 4/11/09 Admin, originally uploaded by Etsy Front Pagers.

Cherry Creek Charms made the front page of Etsy today with the Wedding Charms. The same wedding charms that are going to be in the Aug/Sept issue of Modern Bride!

H

A Minimalist Version of the Wedding Charms

These are minimalist version of the Wedding Charms. I've had a lot of people ask for them to be smaller and less fussy, so this is what I've come up with. These are made of fine silver and come tied together for adding to your Wedding Bouquet to personalize your wedding. These are the perfect size for wearing as a pendant/necklace after the wedding or these would also work as ornaments for your holiday tree.


H

Double Happiness

Most Chinese weddings feature this symbol with the addition of the color red. The symbol of Double Happiness is a declaration that the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be will be united. The symbol, which is composed of two standard Chinese characters used to signify "happiness", means that the couple and their families will now be "together". I've added a piece of red silk to make them pop, its also a traditional color for weddings in China.

I'm loving these new stamps! Hope you're having a good week.

H

New Dots - Chinese Symbols

I got these metal stamps over the weekend and I LOVE them! The new dots feature Chinese Calligraphy with the symbols Happiness, Good Fortune and Love. I have listed them in my shop now.
I have quite a bit of new stuff to get photographed and posted here. I think I'm caught up with sales during my trip so I should get it done this week. Have a wonderful week.

H

I'm soooo excited!!!!

I was contacted by Modern Bride about my Wedding Charms! They would like them for the Aug/Sept issue. I will be in the '100 Things We Love'. I've been doing a happy dance for the last 24 hours! Here are the charms that I'm talking about.


These are meant to be tied around the brides bouquet. Unless I have been requested these come with blue iolite stones and blue ribbon. They are great for that something blue and something new. They can be used on a key chain after the ceremony or you can hang them on your Christmas tree. Some people might like them for charms on a necklace but for me they are a little big for that. They measure 24mm x 16mm.
Well I need to get back to my happy dance now! I will be sure and post the copy of the magazine when they send me a copy!
The charms are available in my charm shop. Have a wonderful weekend.

H