...Way Back When...

Around 1985 I was living back and forth in Las Vegas, NV and Hollywood, CA - as I was professional audio recording engineer working in studios in those areas.
Remember (if you dare) back when cassette tapes (TDK mainly) had those see-through cases for a while?

Inside you could see the little reels that the tape wrapped around and for these clear cases they used pretty gold or silver reels that looked like the actual reels
we used for tape in the Audio and Film production industries.



I thought they were so cool and at the time I was ordering massive suppies of blank tape and reels for the recording studios I worked in,
so I ordered a bunch of blanks, tore 'em apart and somehow got holes in them.


I then learned about a place called "Berger's Beads" (back in those days there was no Michael's or Hobby Lobby) which was downtown Los Angeles in the Garment District.
I had gone down there with a friend who worked for a traditional Mexican restaurant called 'El Coyote' (on Beverly Blvd. if you've been there!)
and she needed real hoops for her large mexican hoop waitress uniform.

         

Anyway, somewhere along the way as we were stumbling our way through the Garment District we were directed to Berger's Beads - VIOLA!
I found the earwires I needed to complete my earring idea. So I assembled them with a friend, named Carmella,
who lived down the street in Hollywood and I also *expanded* the *line* to include guitar picks as earrings also.


THAT'S RIGHT THOSE GUITAR PICK EARRINGS WERE MY IDEA!!

Er, or not, whatever... I tell you now that we had so MANY extra picks laying around out in the studios
and boxes full for session players to use (did you know there is an AMAZING quantity of styles of picks?),
so I used some myself! I think I might have even (gag) added glitter and stuff to some.

                                   



Carmella and I thought we were so cool and smart and we named our company C-Sharpe (her - Carmella, my - Sharpe, weak I know).
I think I did one indoor flea market/craft show in Las Vegas, NV - we were way in the back forty and I was so embarassed to see someone I knew.
Anyway sales were almost zilch and I passed the remaining inventory onto Carmella
as I moved on in life and around the Southwest.

WHEW! Okay - so there - it's out. I did have a "We Love (hate) The 80's" jewelry start. But I somehow blocked that out until just recently...

So here I am - making hand-beaded jewelry I am really proud of and I LOVE it!



As for "I Feel Pretty" it's going BETTER than EVER! But that's happening more offline than online.
I am always busy trying to keep up with designs and make as many quality pieces as I can.
Of course all of that is so much easier now that we are finally DONE with a year and three complete moves,
and we are in our new house...and my new STUDIO!

           

I finally got my new creative AND business endeavor off the ground in the first part of 2002
and that is 'I Feel Pretty' Custom Designed Artisan Jewelry & Home Accessories!!

I am a H-U-G-E fan of Lampwork (art glass beads) and I am now an avid collector
of some of these amazing hand-fired, glass beads - also now known as 'ART GLASS' (as you see belows and above).



Each piece is a one-of-a-kind collectible and I follow the beads and sets through my designs
with the information on their creator, glass type, set or piece name and other valuable info to help you collect and treasure your Art Glass as well.



Originally, I was making pieces for myself, friends and family - as seems to be the path of most jewelry designers!
When I started email out my newest designs and my cards got around - more orders and purchases came in
and I Feel Pretty started to feel like a real business.

I began selling at arts festivals in October 2004 here in Santa Fe, NM
and did a few more shows between then and Christmas 2004 -
with great success & feedback. We were so thrilled!

Then I had to decide whether to go the arts festival route again this spring and summer into fall,
and well maybe to supplement with some private showings, parties and trunk shows -
- or try to seek out a permanent or semi-permanent physical location where I could show my work and sell it as well,
alongside with my online store.

           

Finally I am so excited to report that I am in the SilverSmithing (MetalWorking) AND the Jewelry Design & Fabrication programs
at Santa Fe Community College!!

I enrolled in January 2006; the GREAT professional jewelry design & fabrication program that is taught by the woman who started the whole jewelry program
at SFCC six years ago, Diane Tintor.

As well as taking other classes from the very talented goldsmith, Elan Varshay.

---

So, somewhere in all that goin's-on I plan to get the online thing super-spiffed up and very workable.
Here not only will you see a gallery of desings but more info on Art Glass (Lampwork) and new items available for purchase.

MY   photography page.   |   "Most Interesting Photos" I've posted to Flickr

   

(Right) Ahhh a beautiful sunset (as seen from our hacienda's courtyard) over the Ortiz & the Sandias as a storm front moves into Santa Fe.

   


Our Anniv. 2002 || This is myself [Holly] & my husband [David] & the ever-present Jelly Bean as we celebrated our first Christmas here in Santa Fe, NM.


   
Snow Roller Dog!
'Jelly Bean' our beautiful rescued Border Collie Pup [she's 5 years old now!].
She is the whirlwhind that is the center of our lives... our cats are dismayed!

   

(Left) Holly & Jelly Bean in Santa Fe
(Right) Dave & Jelly Bean greet a bronze statue @ SanBusco Center in Santa Fe

A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND ON ME:

BIO:

Career History

StonesNSilver.com - Artist Index

PHOTOGRAPHY || WRITING:

My other creative passions are photography and writing (as well as a romance with words);
they are both also very critical in helping my design and refine jewelry and silver pieces.

You can take a look at some of my photography work here:

MY   photography page.



I am also interested in Journalism || Music Biz || Photography || [mainly trade - entertainment, music industry, technology & business];
photography [traditional and digital]; outdoor activities and hiking; the earth and especially the southwest US,
my Border Collie dog; Reading - biographies...contemporary fictions, social history [California & the southwest];
business, music and the entertainment industry; home life and gardening and travel.



If you'd like to take some photo field trips or view some slide shows from our world,
they are currently publicly available on the bottom of my News & Updates page.

Tujaded.com

CONTACT

2442 Cerrillos Rd., #192
Santa Fe, NM 87505

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THANKS SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY!!

`·.¸¸.·´ Made on a MAC-»(¯`v´¯)- -»