New Auction for BARCC!

This week I have a piece up in a Blogathon Auction for BARCC!

Some very awesome people put together a combo auction & blogathon every year. This summer they've asked for pieces themed around violence against women. At the same time I finished reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin, and was inspired by similar themes in her wonderful novel. Introducing,

The Death of Enefa
[for auction here!]

And then I heard a voice, except it wasn't a voice, and he asked, "Do you love me?"
And I said, "Come and I will show you," and opened my arms. He came to me and pulled me hard against him, and I did not see the knife in his hand. No, no, there was no knife; we had no need of such things. No, there was a knife, later, and the taste of blood was bright and strange in my mouth as I looked up to see his terrible, terrible gaze...
But what did it mean that he made love to me first?

-The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, by N.K. Jemisin.

Snowflake obsidian, frosted quartz, white agate, labradorite, garnet, sterling silver knife charm. Metal bending all done by hand, and the bead chain necklace is 20 inches long.

It's been up for a day and a half by now and there have been no bids at all. So sad! Hopefully it picks up soon.


From the auction website's intro page:

The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) is the second oldest rape crisis center in the country, and one of the biggest, with a staff of 20 and a volunteer corps of 120+ who put in hours equivalent to 19 additional staff members. We have a 24-hour hotline and medical advocacy program (medical advocates go to the hospital with survivors for evidence collection), a community awareness/public education/outreach program (which is really unique and ever-expanding), legal advocacy, legislative advocacy (we helped change the law on restraining orders recently so you can get one if you're not in an intimate relationship with your stalker, go us!), case management, and counseling (up to twelve sessions). BARCC provides all of this and more completely free of charge, and we are able to do so partly because of you.

Every penny of this auction goes directly to BARCC so they can continue to provide these services for survivors and their families and communities throughout the Boston area. Buy wonderfu things for a good cause!

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Gilded Cage, IAF Auction.

I'm involved in a group called the Interstitial Arts Foundation. A few months ago they put out an anthology of short stories called Interfictions 2 and invited artists to make small, portable, and wearable art inspired by the stories. These pieces were put up for auction to raise funds for more IAF projects. And I volunteered to do the photography, of any piece that the artist hadn't already photographed themselves. So much fun :-)

I also made a piece for it, and got it in right under the wire. Here 'tis!

Gilded Cage by Cris Fisher

Inspired by:
To Set Before the King by Genevieve Valentine [read it here!]

Onyx, obsidian, Czech crystal, & gold toned brass.

Blogathon Auction!

My friend Shira is organizing a blogathon and auction for the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center on July 25th. She is a wonderful writer, and asked her cadre of creative peeps to donate work based on her stories.

Inspired by her online novel-in-progress Shayara, I put something together this weekend:

House Tamra


A green dichrotic art glass pendant wrapped in silver wire hangs from a cord of green and gold Czech crystals, woven with bright green ribbon.


I got the pendant in a trade, and it very much wanted to be involved. I have no more pendants of that kind, so this is a one of a kind necklace ;-)

Here's more info on the blogathon, with more artisans and stories to come!

Save Our Cat!

The state of the U.S. economy is still taking it's toll on our favorite artists, and is now encroaching upon one of my favorite authors Catherynne M. Valente.

What's the best way to help an artist out of trouble? BUY THEIR WORK. And now all of her books are available to purchase online as e-books. The rare first novels, the poetry, her newest book, EVERYTHING. And by purchasing the e-books, the cash goes 100% direct to an artist and her family.


And I'm not just here to tug on your sense of humanity. I'm also here to bait your sense of capitalism.

Most of the jewelry-based blogs I've seen are part of a sales-promotion ploy. There's no shame in that, mine is. Ironically most jewelry blogs are watched by other jewelry makers and crafty types, who are usually less inclined to buy jewelry when they can make their own.

So let me tell you fellow jewelers- this author's work inspires more jewelry to be made than any other writer I HAVE EVER SEEN. By purchasing her books, you are also investing in your own creative reserves.

You would also be joining a larger cult of Cat-fans who really really like jewelry. Looking at it, purchasing it, showing it off on their blogs and feeds. Other crafts as well! In fact, there is also a new online community called Adopting Cat, full of auctions for jewelry, crafts, writing, and a variety of other products and services by the fan-base, FOR the fan base, to help our fave authoress.

By auctioning off YOUR work on the community you will gain more exposure with a new fan-base of your own, plus you help out a wonderful artist. Financially and karmicly, you come out ahead.



Help Catherynne M. Valente



So go forth, wreak havoc, invest in art and artistry.

The Totally Normal Event [For Weirdoes], this weekend!

Totally Normal Event - a charity benefit for www.SPARCSummer.org,a summer program for gifted kids.
http://www.wickedfaire.com/TNE/index.html
This Saturday June, 28th, 2008,
Noon to very very late

Get your tickets here :http://www.wickedfaire.com/TNE/tickets.html

1401 Route 10 E, Whippany, NJ 07981
http://www.wickedfaire.com/TNE/hotel.html

Performing,
The Dresden Dolls (http://www.dresdendolls.com/main1.htm)
Freezepop ( http://www.freezepop.net/)
Voltaire (http://www.voltaire.net/)
DJ The Mighty Mike Saga ( http://www.myspace.com/mikesaga )
Luminescent Orchestrii w. Sxip Shirey (http://www.lumii.org/)
Barry Louis Polisar ( http://www.barrylou.com/ )
Whip Demo and many more.
http://www.wickedfaire.com/TNE/bliss.html

*Zombie Movies * demonstrations * Human Bingo * human statues * auctions,* swap meets, and Henchman Championships

With a costume contest
costume contest for steampunk,mad scientist and neo-Victorian.
It will be judged by author G. D. Falksen (http://www.myspace.com/gdfalksen)
Include prizes such as from
*Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab(http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/)
*Weird Tales ( http://www.weirdtales.net/),
*The Willows Magazine (http://www.thewillowsmagazine.com/index.htm)
*Death Rock Magazine (http://www.deathrockmagazine.com/)
and many more.
Prizes will be given for three categories
* best costume male
* best costume female,
* best costume couple.
Come dressed in you best and most imaginative costumes, and prepare to
show off and admire each
other's creations.
http://thetotallynormalworld.ning.com/events/event/show?id=2097238:Event:7358

Get your tickets now at http://www.wickedfaire.com/TNE/index.html

Many vendors
http://www.wickedfaire.com/TNE/bliss.html

Get your tickets here!
http://www.wickedfaire.com/TNE/tickets.html
So next week , we will see you there!


And yes, "Many vendors" includes me ;-) With lots of new shiny things, including a new line of polymer clay work! Join us!

Home and safe... phew!

Sorry I didn't post between the events, but I needed to hibernate for a bit. Both SalonCon and Wicked Labyrinth kicked convention butt, and I did very well for myself and for the Interstitial Arts Foundation.

Now the only question is, do I ask to be on the IAF's "friends" page as "Queen of the Cat People", Chrysilla, or my real name? They'll link my name to my website if I ask, but its always fun to be eccentric.

If you're curious:
Here is my SalonCon photo gallery,
And this is my Wicked Lab gallery, including a pic of the lovely lady who won the Other Mother necklace :-D

I have video footage of my booth kittens at Wicked Lab singing songs about selling shiny objects, but those will have to wait for now. First I need to redesign my website and start the Etsy-migration before I can wrestle around with YouTube ;-) And yes, this means I'm about to undertake a major online overhaul of shiny, just in time for the holiday shopping season (I hope!).

That also means there may be a lag in shiny postings, but I'll see what I can do. I'm going to start selling earrings online thru Etsy, so that's some new pictures you my readers have to look forward to. Also, STEAMPUNK!

And expect ... eventually ... more projects from my Bards & Beads community, especially after the New York Whole Bead Show this October. I've got three books to catch up on, yikes.

My next planned engagement is Wicked Faire in February 2008, but I'm currently waiting to hear if I've made it into the Bust Craftacular on December 8, ironically in the same space as the NYWBS.

<3 Chrysilla

Raffles!

So for SalonCon this weekend, I'll be raffling off this necklace, called "Miss Spink"


And next weekend for Wicked Labyrinth, I'll be raffling off this necklace, called "Other Mother"


Both are based on The Bards & the Beads's first book project, Coraline by Neil Gaiman!

Proceeds from both will go towards The Interstitial Arts Foundation.

Rejoice!

Jewelry from Orphan's Tales, round one!

The current book for The Bards & the Beads is The Orphan's Tales: In the night garden, by Catherynne M. Valente. These pieces (and others) will both go into an art show celebrating the release of the sequel book this fall. Some of these will be auctioned off for the IAF as well.



A white lotus bead for every tower in the sacred city, and 5 beads between for the 5 centuries Ragnhild was undead. And a little amethyst goddess for being Papess ;-) I thought a rosary styled necklace would suit her story best.




I've read so many selkie stories lately... There's even one in this book, and it's marvelous!

More Orphan's Tales pieces coming soon!

More necklaces about books!

Hallo! Yes I've been lazy about posting. :-P But I've got some new shinies to show off today, both inspired by the book The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner, through the Bards & Beads community. I loved this book, I haven't laughed out loud while reading in a very long time. The characters are all very colorful, and the tale intriguing. I wish I'd joined the fencing team back in high school...

This one will be auctioned for the Interstitial Arts Foundation, of which Ms. Kushner is a member. I probably will be someday as well :-) The necklace was inspired by Katherine, who is the main character.




And this necklace is based on The Black Rose, a well known actress in the city where Katherine is coming of age. This is based on a necklace I made previously, that sprang back up in my mind as I thought about the character. I added some more rosy details and tried a different shape for the garnets:



This necklace is mineallmine, but I can copy it for commission work. In fact, any necklace on this blog (of my make) can be copied for no additional charge if it is no longer for sale, material-supplies permitting.

The auction for the first necklace will have to be delayed, as someone hacked into my eBay account over the weekend and changed all my personal info :-( But the matter is being investigated, I hope it will be resolved quickly. Can anyone recommend another auction site while I'm holding my breath?

The Bards and the Beads!

I started a book club on Livejournal a couple of months ago. An interesting idea, coming together a bit slowly, but I'm having a good time with it. Each month, there is a new book sugested to the members to read, and then we all make jewelry inspired by the book in some way. If you're interested in joining or watching, check out our LJ community!

January's book was Coraline by Neil Gaiman. So you can tell how slow I've been about photographing my pieces lately. But here they are:



This was based on a lot of different aspects of the Other Mother, from her button eyes to her bone-white hands with nasty long, red fingernails. And of course the cold black key.



Was very glad to finally figure out how to use the rhodonite drops. I'm also getting the hang of wire wrapping, finally. The pinks and roses bring a grandmotherly look to the piece, and the onyx and black glass adds a bit of dramatic contrast. The stone with the hole is an important part of the story as well.


I'd like to auction off these pieces for charity, but that means I have to go look at Ebay and see how it works from a selling perspective. Hopefully I'm eligible for a vendor's account, otherwise I'll look for a smaller auction site.

Hopefully, this will get some of the other members posting soon. A lot of people like the idea, and I'm probably not the only person in the community suffering from repeating colds and a tight schedule. February's title was The Alchemist (yay novellas!), and March is... well, I guess you'll just have to go look ;-)

<3 Chrysilla

Wicked Faire 2007

Yay, what fun!

And here are some pictures of our operation:



That's me in the middle, with my booth bunnies Audrey and Jenna :-) In fact, Audrey writes a webcomic called The Bunny System (rated PG-13, I'd say). She drew something really sweet for me while we were at the faire, I'll post that later ;-)


This is a closeup of half the table. The guy in the corner is Nick, my other booth bunny. He's starting up his own leather business at Nicholas's Leather and wanted to get a feel for how these things work. We have agreed to share a booth next year, yay!


And this is the other half of our table, with the raffle display.

And here's a complete gallery of pics from the faire!

Our raffle made $100 for the Joseph D'Angeli fund. The winner was this lovely lady, who once worked with Mr. D'Angeli at the Liberty Science Center:

(picture posted with permission)

Things I'm glad I did this time around:
-Brought my wooden hand. I purchased it to display rings, then, um, forgot to make rings. It seems happy to be passing out business cards tho.
-Made more of the picture-frame-earring displays, and set the pins into them *before* going to the faire.
-Printed out price cards for the earring displays and trinkets box, and signs for the raffle.
-Had a raffle! They are fun, make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and make more $$ for the charity in question than if I just sold the piece at retail value and donated the total.
-Brought three booth-buddies with me. After all the hours I've spent making jewelry, it's great to be able to doze behind the counter while your employees handle the salesmanship.
-Remembered to bring the scissors.

Things I may do next time:
-Get a bigger/extra table. This is the biggest I've had yet, and I still don't have room for everything! Wow, my inventory just keeps growing.
-Set up the table(s) in a more space effective way for the space.
-Have some new ideas in styles and techniques, but you'll see those later ;-)
-Bring tape.

My next engagement will be with Salon Con, but that's not until September! I'm really liking cons and festivals, I should find a couple to tide me over in the mean time. Any suggestions in the NY/NJ/CN area? Might do PiCon this year, it was highly recommended by friends of mine, but I'd have to figure out transportation first.

Wicked Faire, Saturday Feb. 10! That's tomorrow!

If you've got transportation, and live somewhere in the area of Edison NJ, you should probably be going ;-)

If you are going, I'll be raffling off a necklace for a local charity, tickets $2 each and three tickets for $5, drawing at 10pm. I'll also be selling my usual array of necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

See you there!

<3 Chrysilla

Upcoming events, and a raffle!

I will be making an appearance, with my shinies, at Jeff Mach's Wicked Winter Rennaissance Pirate Ninja Faire in Edison, NJ.

Aside from my usual shiny-selling activities, I will also be raffling off this piece for the Joseph D'Angeli fund.:


The bat charm is made of wood and very light, so it just wouldn't behave until I weighed it down a bit. It doesn't have a clasp, but is long enough not to need one. Has both regular and red tigereye, and I've found that red tigereye always looks really nice with these kinds of wood pendants.

So come by and see us ;-)