Right: Working with lace and vines at the workbench.
WOW – Here it is folks. One Giant leap for woman-kind! Well this woman anyhow. I – Teresa Schurter – resident designer at TreeZS. Treazurs – am announcing to the world (anyone reading this blog and my facebook posts) that I am a part of the B’Sue Boutique’s Build-A-Line Challenge. With the help of my family & strength from the Lord I’m leaping into designing a new line of jewelry. You are now seeing my first step and sharing in my small part in the Build-A-Line Challenge. What challenge is that you’re asking?
Center: Resin paper and grape leaves.
Right: Other brass parts.
It is a master class, where Brenda Sue Lansdowne and her design team at B’Sue Boutique will be taking dozens of eager jewelry designers on a three month journey through the process of designing, making and promoting our own line of assemblage jewelry and accessories. Brenda Sue has challenged us to develop a collection that shows a cohesive style recognizable as our own. My hope is that I can expresses the sentiments of a woman with something to say about her walk in life, a Joyful walk of Faith, that will help her blossom and shine as a woman with something to say.
As we journey through this challenge, we will each share our progress with you, in a special series of blog hops every month. That’s when we will slowly reveal our individual pieces. On the third, and final blog, you will see the entire collection- five specially made pieces- designed just for this challenge. Each participant has a unique theme, so don’t miss a single one.
The theme is what sets us apart, and gives voice to our inner thoughts and inspirations. I’ve always been a story-teller in my life and art. When I became a woman of faith as well, the need to express my joy in life and His Word just grew. I want to draw people to that joy. I want to quietly shout that there is great joy in being a woman of faith. I want to
tell stories in tiny little pictures you can wear, instead of on a big clunky t-shirt, that will make you and your audience think, “I know that verse.” or “I’ve heard that song.” Each piece I craft will make you take a second look, to see if you can “guess my line” or “name that tune” and find all the hidden secrets designed to make you smile inside and out.
My first pieces for this theme come from two of my favorite portions of scripture. My role as as that of a branch, abiding in the vine so my joy is complete. I’ll be executing this with some really great grape-vine themed brass from B’Sue Boutiques. http://www.bsueboutiques.com I’m adding some awesome Czech glass beads in rich jewel tones and a polymer “opal,” like some of those used by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The second is a riot of color based on the “Fruit of the Spirit.” This will have colored brass flowers, flourishes, stems & leaves (from guess who) and glass Czech fruit & flowers as well.
Most of my working life- pre-marriage, I was a professional seamstress. Art was a passion I had to sideline, & for years all the “making” I had time to do was designing dresses for my little girls & collecting what I hoped to work on some day. I planned on sewing professionally again, for children this time, and only dabble in beading. However, I was too busy lately designing & sewing LARP costumes & making wigs for those costumes, so I made only a few strung projects for my girls.
I don’t remember when, I became fascinated with jewelry. I never actually tried to make any until recently, but I always loved costume jewelry. I started buying a few beads to decorate this or that outfit, and the obsession just kind of grew. I was only stringing, not doing any “real” beadwork, but I was hooked. I “thought” I only wanted to add custom jewelry to go with the clothing I made. At about the same time, I started hearing about polymer clay too. I’d been making drawings and planning paintings and “collages” for years,
Top Right: Leopard spot jasper with rhodonite second stringing project – assembled the butterflies on the stones.
Center: Copper wire crocheted hair piece with hammered skewer – my first wire and bead piece.
Bottom Left: Purse Front – fused, felted & embroidered – unfotunatly I lost the chain mail wire strap so I will be making a new one
when I heard of this thing called “steampunk.” “That’s what I’ve been doing!” I thought. So, I started buying old brass. Piles of it. Then one day in November, after breaking my leg, I was sitting in bed watching youtube videos when I came across B’Sue Boutiques channel. B’Sue Lansdowne taught me how to combine it all! Physically full scale sewing wasn’t going to work anymore, but she has shown me something I’m learning to love even more! This challenge to Build-A-Line has motivated me to grow and learn as an artist at a time when I thought I’d have to give it all up.
Below you’ll find the rest of the designers joining us in this challenge. Please visit as many of the blogs written by the other participating members in the B’Sue Build-A-Line Challenge as you can. These are written by gifted designers who are taking part in this Build-A-Line Challenge. They all have unique and beautiful pieces to share with you, just click on the name and you’ll get there!
Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B’sue Boutiques
Jewelry Making Outside the Box
Marcia Tuzzolino
Jann Tague
Judy King
Linzi Alford
Magpie in the Sky, Spoil Heap Tales
Cynthia Wainscott
Carole Carlson
Lynn Stinten
Marica Zammit
Catherine Shattuck
Michaele Collie
Mary Craig
Lee Koopman
Erin Whitacre
Monica Casady
Leila West
Cindy Peterson
Leila Belcher
Gloria Allen
Pamela Anger
Tammy Adams
Lynda O’Mara
Elizabeth Hildreth
Dana Hickey
Janet Calardo
Maria Clark
Lori Beekman
Jennifer Kroeger
Amy Jorgensen
Robin Reed
Artistry: Handcrafted Bead Designs
Ingrid Anderson
Louise O’Shields
Susan Killam
Mary Katherine Deis
The Rose Sword: Artisan and Vintage Collectible Jewelry
Nike Bottalico
Susan Bowerman
Kristy Le
Kristy Le Trendy Jewelry Designs
Jan Peters
Mitzie Crider
Needful Luxuries Occasional Blog
Gina Hockett
Linda Anderson
Alexandra Sefton
Imaginary Jewelry and Altered Art
Melida Boman
The Journey of Pens and Things
Teresa Shurter
Melissa Latimer
Renee Hong
Fine and Dandy Jewelry and Art
Nadine Edris
Lori Meyer
Jennifer Merrill Williams
Denise Lussier Poirier
Renee Allen
Autumn Adams
Elizabeth Owens
Kat BarronMiller
Midnight Kat Productions Art Jewelry
Sandra Ballard
Coral Law
From the way you’ve described your first pieces, it sounds like they’re going to be gorgeous.
Can’t wait to see more in the next blog hop!
Thank You Marcia. I’m pretty slow moving right now. I wanted so badly to have something done to show, but I was so disorganized after the last 8 weeks. I took my creating time to get organized, so I can work faster & see all my components at the same time. I hope that will make assembling them a smoother process! I have next months stuff already on the workbench to get started!
What a beautiful theme! I look forward to seeing what you’ve created next month!
I don’t feel like I can take credit for the theme. I was feeling down when I saw my first B’Sue video & then after her challenge. I thought, “I can’t take part in that, but I really want to.” When my little devotional book came in the mail & had John 15:5 & 11 as the reading for days one & two it was like a light came back on. I’d forgotten that I had already started on an artifact necklace w/ those verses. The blessings of the fruit of love & joy are mine every day, so it just seemed like they were what I had to do, so…
What an inspirational post!!! Love it! I can’t wait to see how your line works! Be Blessed!
Thank You Robin, I am really very blessed. I feel especially so today with all these encouraging notes and your blessing. I hope you’ll be blessed in your work too.
What an enjoyable blog. You are a wonderful writer and I love your inspiration pieces. I’m really looking forward to seeing your line develop. Well done!
What an encouragement you are! I am so glad you enjoyed it, that means more to me than I can say. I’ll see you in a moment! I’ve loved your stuff so far too!
Totally loved reading about your journey in creativity. And I love the Woman of Faith and Joy–couldn’t agree with you more! Looking forward to seeing what you will come up with!! :):)
I’m so glad you understand what I mean Alexandra. That Joy is my whole reason for creating, it just has to come out!
What a beautiful theme. I am very much looking forward to seeing the results of all your effort. The fruits if you will
The fruits have been so much fun to collect over the year. I have the most amazing ones. Unfortunately they’re in the basement & my gimpy leg wouldn’t let me down there to search for them. My family were troopers to find the ones they did from my massive stash. I have peppers, bananas, oranges, limes, grapes, apples, pears, ugly fruit, kimchi (?) and more! I can’t wait to start enameling the metal ones. All the techniques I’ve learned from B’Sue will be used because they’re so much fun. 😀
I am droooling at the colors and beads you plan to use!
They’re my favorites. I wish all my Carmen Miranda beads had arrived already. My color moods are either rich jewel tones or the brights of a tropical summer. Beads are so expressive of the shades and nuances of them both I’m addicted to them!
I’m intrigued by your theme Teresa. Can’t wait to see some of your creations in the next blog hop
Thank you so much for the encouragement Marcia. I wish I’d had more to show, but I was late getting in my order to B’Sue’s, (even after her warning) so I wasn’t ready to start coloring w/o any back-ups. After blog-hopping today I’ll be chunking out a bunch!
love you blog and I am looking forward to seeing your new designs
Hello, Thanks for those kind words. I love all the possibilities opening up to me with this art form and the nurturing and encouragement from everyone is amazing.
A lovely introduction and like others have already said, I can’t wait to see what you create as your line evolves.
I appreciate that encouragement. I just hope the ideas slow down long enough I can get some stuff made. Right now as I see one thing I think of two others
You can’t go wrong in expressing your faith through your work. It will definitely appeal to those of like mind. I’ll be keeping my eyes on this. Most of my children are people of Christian faith and I am always looking for things that will appeal to them.
Thank you for those kind words. The Lord and our faith is a vital part of our life and I’d enjoy sharing it with them. I was once told you can either be an artist who is a Christian, or a Christian artist. It’s a fine line to understand the difference.
I look forward to seeing how all those colors come together with your theme for your new line.
Thanks! So do I!
It’s all still rattling around in all the empty space upstairs.
Teresa – I too sew! It’s funny how some crafts bring you to another! Looking forward to seeing your completed line!
Thanks Sandie, I think fiber art just lends itself to accessories to embellish it!
Your blog is very appealing. Love the photos, including those fab Art Nouveau inspiration pics! Can’t wait to see more of your line.
Thank You, it was such a beautiful era in art.
Looking forward to seeing what you do with the opal (it’s my birthstone and also happens to be a favorite of mine).
I love it. My birthstone is topaz, but my husband loves opals and bought some for me when we were engaged. I’d always thought they were beautiful, but until then I never owned any. Now whenever I find one in my price range I pick it up
I’m only at the experimental stage with the polymer opals right now, but if mine look as even half as good as those in my book I’ll be happy & they’re a lot more cost effective.
Love your blog! It’s a pleasure to be a part of a group with such talented artists as yourself!
What a really nice thing to say! I feel really excited to be a part of it too, and astonished to be able to join all of YOU!
Looking forward to seeing those lovely colour develop and grow into something beautiful
Thanks Lynn, hoping you’ll be doing a lot too and growing some beauties yourself. So glad to hear you finished some stuff today. Too much going on here today. Maybe later.
Your jewelry is lovely, Teresa! My mom has been a (self-employed) professional seamstress all of her life, and I know wht hard work it can be. Your theme sounds lovely, and looking forward to seeing it!
Thank you for the encouragement, it sounds like you have a talented background too. Most people think that sewing is just sitting at the machine for hours, I think I’m up, down & standing more than sitting. I stitch fast, but fitting and cutting are the chores I have to skip now. I still love it.
I love your post. Did you grow the grapes in your picture? I have a serious case of “grape vine envy.” I think your theme is wonderful.
Unfortunately No, not in Kansas during a drought. Our neighbor has some great vines, & we do have wine growing down here, but the last two years have only yielded raisins! I found the pics on a copyright free site, but the credit we tried to add in wouldn’t go through. Not all my links are right yet. They’re pretty easy to find again though. I’ve found some great pics of the chocolate vines though on flickr & I’m still waiting for the folks who can grow them in their yards to let me know if I can use the images for my jewelry. I hope, I hope!
As a woman of faith, I’m really excited about your line. As a jewelry artist, I’m interested to see how you combine all the elements to create your pieces!
So wonderful to meet you! Thank You Micheale! It’s truly a work in progress, just like me.
Love the art nouveau pieces that you are using as your inspiration! Looking forward to seeing your designs.~ Ingrid
Thanks so much.
Wonderful blog and I cannot wait to see your work!
You’re really encouraging, thank you. I hope to get more “real stuff” up soon
Thank you for opening a window to your world and sharing it with us. I am glad you joined us for the Challenge and committed to the work and the trilogy of blog hops. Excellent job on your post!
Thank You, I feel very blessed to have been included.
Wonderful blog, Teresa! Looking forward to seeing your faith based creations!
Thank you, I have a whole Book for inspiration!
I love the Tiffany inspiration pieces. Can’t wait to see your version.
His work is so inspiring. I’m rereading the book on his jewelry and finding even more beauties. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have half his artistry?
Beautiful!
Thanks for coming by Ann! What a surprise! P.S. You are too!
Wonderful blog post. Enjoyed reading about your journey so far and looking forward to seeing your line of jewelry.
Thanks Janet, I’ll try to keep my posts up to date and show it to you.
Awsome article and straight to the point. I don’t know if this is in fact the best place to ask but do you folks have any thoughts on where to employ some professional writers? Thanks in advance
Actually I have a good friend on the west coast who teaches professional writers and has a blog. If you are really interested I’ll get her blog for you later, don’t have the active link right now. Here’s the link to the conference she just hosted – https://nwchristianwriters.wordpress.com/2015/01/12/why-we-created-a-shareable-image-for-each-writetech-conference-workshop/
Teresa, I loved the line “tiny little pictures you can wear”. The story telling aspect of jewelry is a great concept. Looking forward to the line.
You’re very encouraging, thanks. Love your stuff by the way!
Can’t wait to see your finished line – it sounds like it will be lovely!
You’re very kind, thank you.
Teresa, I am so thrilled for you in your new calling. I’ve always known you were creative, but this is blowing me away. I’m sorry to hear about the health issues that changed your life plan, but it seems to me we’re seeing Romans 8:28 in action. The Lord led you to something better. Blessings on your new endeavor. And maybe when this line is done, the Lord will call you to create a line of jewelry for writers. We were looking for simple vintage typewriters to make some stuff to sell at our conference in May, and never came up with anything we loved. Blessings, sweet friend!
Thanks so much sister mine! Blessings to you too! He’s always holding the window open for us isn’t He? He has plans for us we can’t understand until we’re living in them. I really like the idea of something with vintage typewriters! I’ve found some antique sewing machine charms, I’m sure there’s some typewriters out there too, they’re very steampunk you know
Teresa–Great idea to be able to express your faith in jewelry. I’m sure each piece will be done from your heart.
I’m not too sure it was “my” idea, but it is coming from my heart and soul
Love your inspiration Nouveau pieces- looking forward to seeing your line develop! Linzi
I’m so excited to be working on them. As I’ve found more stuff from B’Sue’s its going to be so much easier for me. I’m really getting excited about it.
Great ideas, Teresa! I love that you will tell stories with your pieces.
Cheers,
Susan
It’s so much fun to find the parts that go with them too! Thanks Susan.
Love your story and your blog is filled with beautiful items and I can’t wait to see what you do with your them.
I appreciate the encouragement Kristy, B’Sue has some wonderful stuff.
Very inspiring blog post. I personally know well some “Women of Faith and Joy”, and they are also very inspiring to me. I believe that your line will also be inspiring to other women of faith and joy. Love the idea of the chocolate inspiration through polymer clay.
I hope your encouragement helps me to translate my thoughts on to the real thing today! I’m off to the workshop to try it all out.
I like jewelry with stories. It always touches one’s heart and makes itself unique. Look forward to your collection.
Your work is so unique too, Thank You for seeing that here as well, & Oh, I do hope this touches the hearts of many, you nailed it.
Hi Teresa, your blog posts is one of my favorites. The grape photo was so inspiring, it actually reminded me I had some grapes in the fridge, so I had to get some to snack on while settling back and enjoying your great photos, story, and jewelry. I am really excited about your “fruits of the Spirit” line, and anything with grapes!
Thanks Renee, that means a lot. I’m finding all of your posts so inspiring. I can’t wait to show you all one of the Haskell necklaces I found! I must have seen it before, it’s so much like what I want to do. The “Fruits” are really coming along too! This is so much fun I hate to call it work!
Hi Teresa~
I love the art noveau pieces that you are using for the inspiration of your line. Your line sounds like it is not only going to be lovely but very interesting too. I love pieces that have a story or statement to represent.; so I am really looking forward to seeing your finished line.
See you in class!
xo
Liz
Thanks Liz, See you soon too, I’m sure. I’ve been poring over the Tiffany, Lalique & Haskell books this week, I have more ideas than hours in a month. I just hope I can get one done the way I want it to look.