Relatively speaking. Kind of.

This pertains to my full time day job. Short story, we’re salaried. As thus, if our company wanted to make us work 16 hour days with no compensation other than our regular pay and a clap on the back, they could. The edict is to do “this task” by “this date”. On paper, it is probably doable, IF everyone does a little every day, including weekends (so, I’m talking maybe 1-3 hrs a day, seven days a week, five weeks straight – on our own personal time). And most likely that is how the upper echelon sees it. That’s not really how real life works though, everything always looks good on paper, so we’ll see. I predict some burnout before it’s over, though.

Anyway. My point is, not really knowing how much extra time this task is going to take out of my off-work life, I will still try to do my best to keep up on the Crazy Train promotions and my guild promotions, but please don’t hate me if I fall behind a little.

Speaking of this task, guess what I need to do now? Yep. Can you see me jumping for joy yet? No? Don’t count on it.

On a positive note, I worked several hours on Saturday making eight new pairs of earrings, in lucite, Czech glass, Swarovski pearls, a few teeny freshwater pearls, and antiqued brass findings. Now where to find the time to take pictures of them and list them for sale?

The Shops with Less than (10) Sales guild’s Featured Studio the week of March 8, is VABeachQuilter, our hardworking guild master.

She has SOOOOOO many items in her shop, it’s very difficult to pick out a few to feature here.  Nevertheless… here are five:

The ArtFire Crazy Train rider for March 7-8 is Acadienne.  She lives in Tucson, AZ and knits, crochets and embroiders her wares in her studio.

Acadienne has a wide variety of items available in her shop.  From hardanger bookmarks and Christmas ornaments, to hand knitted & crochet socks, dishcloths & washcloths, shawls, scarves, kitchen towels sets and gift baskets.

I wasn’t able to participate this time ’round, but head on over to my guild’s blog to take a look at the pieces of those who did participate. They did great!

The ‘Spotlight’ studio for Shops with Less than (10) Sales this week, is Tali’s Creations.

The rapid cart for her studio will be over on the right sidebar so if you see something you like, be sure to click on it to be taken to her shop.

Hi everyone.  The featured studio for “Shops with less than (10) sales” guild is Krystallized, hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The artisan at this studio makes generous use of Swarovski crystals – so sparkly!

Just a small sample from her studio of what she has to offer – please go pay Krystallized a visit!

The first ArtFire Crazy Train rider for March, for the 1st and 2nd, is Designs of Avalon.

Athena, who lives in New York, originally started out making jewelry, but has since switched gears to a new medium that I think is pretty ingenious, and I’ll just say, the woman has some patience for sure!

She still has some jewelry items available in her studio, though, so I’ll show a couple of those, and then end with an item from her new medium.

First, a pair of earrings made with Chrysocolla gemstone.  I think that is such a neat looking stone!

Here is a neat bracelet, using aqua colored seed beads and some flashy Roman coin buttons:

And finally, Athena’s new creation, seed bead mosaics – this one is a beautiful praying angel:

Currently, Designs of Avalon is offering free shipping in the US and reduced shipping for International buyers, so go check her out!

In the “Studios with less than (10) sales” guild, our last spotlight studio member had to leave due to health reasons. We are sad to see her go, but hope that she gets well soon!

Taking the spotlight now, is Dancing Wind Designs.

Sue at Dancing Wind Designs works with seed beads.  Working with seed beads must take great patience, especially with the more complex designs.  All I can say is, Sue, you have it in spades.  Wow is the word that comes to mind:

Wow, I say again.  I have a lot of respect for anyone who can do this, because quite frankly, I personally don’t have the patience to do this type of work.  It’s quite beautiful!

I’ll have a rapid cart widget over in the sidebar on the right for Sue’s studio for a bit.  So if you see something you like over there, click on it and you can buy it right there, or you can click on the “visit studio” link in that box to see what else she has to offer.

While yesterday’s rider was across the Pacific ocean, the ArtFire Crazy Train rider for February 27 & 28 is across the other pond, the Atlantic, in the United Kingdom.  Scarlet-Impressions has a wide variety of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, along with handmade ear wires and wire-wrapped pendants.

I think this is probably one of my favorite pieces in her studio, a copper wire wrapped lilac turquoise pendant:

Are you a jewelry maker and in need of some handmade copper earwires?  How about these?

Here is a pretty pair of citrine barrel beads, wire wrapped with silver plated wire:

Please visit Scarlet-Impressions to see what else she has to offer at her studio!

Shame on me, I neglected to do a post for the ArtFire Crazy Train rider for the 25th & 26th of February.  The rider for those two days was Il Mare Atelier.  The artisan explains that the name is a combination of Italian and French words – Il Mare (the sea, in Italian), and “Atelier” (workshop, in French), and put together, mean “Studio by the Sea”.  She lives in Singapore.

The artisan offers an array of earrings, bracelets and necklaces, all made with genuine semi-precious gemstones, like quartz, amethyst, topaz, citrine and many others.

Here is a pretty blue topaz necklace:

And this is a beautiful pair of earrings made with amethyst, topaz, and sapphires on gold-filled lever backs:

And finally, here is a lovely bracelet made with amethyst, citrine and mystic pink quartz with 14k gold-filled chain:

She does beautiful work, please go give her studio a visit!

Sorry I’m late for this one, folks.  Just been feeling a bit off today.

But anyway, the ArtFire Crazy Train rider for February 23-24, is Girl Seattle.

Here is another artisan who has a variety of different items in her studio. Her wares are mostly jewelry items, however she does offer some hand knitted items as well.

Like, for instance, these fingerless gloves:

Here is a very pretty mosaic pendant made with various gemstones and sterling silver wire:

But if you’re an earring gal, here is a pair of sterling silver hoop earrings adorned with turquoise and coral:

Go have a look around at Girl Seattle’s studio to see her other lovely items.

This week, the featured studio for the Shops with Less than (10) Sales guild is On Pens and Needles.

This studio is a husband and wife team, who both offer their crafts for sale in this lovely shop.  The husband, Don, does woodworking, and his wife, Jan, does sewing and machine embroidery.

Looking for a customized baby blanket for a new little one?  Look no further, for a reasonable $20:

Or perhaps you need a gift for a businessman you know, this gorgeous pen would be a great choice:

Maybe you have a good friend who is a doctor or a nurse and they are in need of a stethoscope cover?

And last, if you’re looking for a handmade toy for a youngster, how about this wood Classy Coupe?

Please go give Don and Jan a visit at their studio to see what else they have to offer!

The ArtFire Crazy Train rider for February 21-22, is Moonlight Eternal of San Diego.

This gal has LOTS to offer at her studio – rings, bracelets, anklets, key chains, stretch jewelry and even a few items for the bath – salts and soaks.

To start, here is what she has dubbed “Milk Salts”, in violet and raspberry.  She says that “milk salts” are a combination of her bath salts and goats milk bath soak.  It sounds pretty interesting:

Next, if you like pink, and you like rings, then you might like this sparkly pink rhinestone ring:

But if pretty earrings are more your style, perhaps these beautiful moonstone dangles will suit you:

This is just a very small sample of all of the items that Moonlight Eternal has to offer, so go check her out!

The ArtFire Crazy Train’s next rider for the 19th & 20th is Roxy’s Rox.  She also happens to be a member of the Polymer Clay Smoosher’s guild!

She has a range of items in her studio, from earrings, necklaces with polymer clay pendants, chainmaille items, and even a pair of crocheted fingerless gloves to keep your hands toasty in a chilly office!

Here is a pair of easy-on-the-budget at $4.80, dangle earrings:

And here is a lovely necklace, with a hand crocheted cord, and the pendant is a polymer clay heart made with the chrysanthemum cane technique, for $50.00:

And last, another pair of earrings, this time a byzantine chainmaille set, for $15.00:

Please go and take a look around her studio to see what else she has to offer!

The ArtFire Crazy Train rider for February 17-18 is Bella Sweet.

The artist is Sarah, and she creates beautiful jewelry using natural gemstones, pearls and Swarovski crystals.

Here are just a few of her items…

A two-toned freshwater pearl necklace, with some offset Swarovski crystals to transition the two colors of pearls:

Or perhaps a turquoise howlite necklace with a druzy quartz pendant?

And here is a bracelet, made with genuine Turquoise ovals and red coral chips:

Bella Sweet’s prices range from $12 to $65, and she has some great items – go check her out!

The Artfire Crazy Train rider for February 15 & 16 is Awaken Jewelry.

Awaken Jewelry is run by a young Christian woman, and she makes some quite elegant necklaces, made with sterling silver discs hand stamped with inspiring words:

Go and visit to see what other necklaces she has to offer!

Yep, it’s me this week.  I’ll just leave you with a sampling of what’s in my studio:

The ArtFire Crazy Train rider for February 13 & 14 is The Shutterbug Eye.

She has several photographs available in her studio as prints for framing, or you can also choose small ACEOs or even blank cards.

Here is an 8″x10″ print of a beautiful pink hibiscus:

Or how about one of a gorgeous rose:

Or perhaps a refreshing waterfall:

Go give her studio a tour and see what other wonderful photographs she has to offer, you may find the perfect one for your wall, or a set of blank greeting cards that suits your fancy.

I know that practically everyone who’s currently being buried in snow will probably give me an exasperated look at the mere thought of something even remotely related to snow, but hey, this is the closest thing we get to that white stuff where I live!  But the best part about these little guys is, they aren’t freezing cold, and they won’t melt!

Free first class shipping in the USA and 50% off international shipping, if purchased by 11:59pm MST on February 12, 2010.

I’m a little late to the game for today and tomorrow’s Artfire Crazy Train rider, JPatPurses.

So without further ado, here are a few of my picks from her studio!

I have to say, this color combination is one of my favorites – green, pink, brown and white (as if it wasn’t obvious from my own studio colors!).  And such reasonable prices, too!  At $7.50:

And we can’t neglect my favorite color of all – purple! (well, violet), also for $7.50 :

And here is a larger pouch, with cute little birdies!  It is $9.00:

So go give JPATPURSES a visit to see what other fabrics she has listed.