Ooooh, new display! (for home parties and craft shows)

So as much as we hate to admit it, we love shopping. Just not at the mall. It is always so exciting to get boxes in the mail after we've ordered new stuff for making jewelry, Martha and I are like 5-year-olds on Christmas morning!

So this time around, we decided to order something besides beads (I know, it's shocking), and we are every bit as excited. We just got in some materials to revamp our whole display that we use for home parties and craft shows. I think it will be a little more streamlined and less overwhelming for our customers, and much easier and faster for us to set up. I don't want to spoil the surprise, so once we get it all put together, I will definitely post pictures.

And, of course, we couldn't help ourselves; we also ordered some beads. They're for a custom order of wedding jewelry we are working on, and don't worry, we'll post pictures of those, too. I can't wait!

-Liz

My turn!

So now that you've met Liz, it's my turn. My name is Martha, and I am the other owner of Lucky Lizard Art Design, although I think just calling ourselves "owners" does us a bit of a disservice. We are also the sole designers and makers of all of the jewelry we sell.

I started making jewelry by taking a cloisonne enamel class at the high school where I was teaching at the time. I was also a big admirer of the fabulous jewelry Liz was always wearing, so I got some basic beading instructions from her, and I started bringing her to enameling classes with me. I have to say, I'm completely hooked! In fact, I was at the enameling studio earlier this evening, and this is a picture of me working on the enameled octopus bowl you can find on our website. It is one of the pieces I am most proud of.

I am currently working on two enameling projects: a pair of earrings and a three-piece, hinged pendant. The enameling work on the earrings is almost complete, but once that is finished, I

still have to make the sterling settings for them. They should be completed by the end of March. What with the full time job and all, I only get to the studio once or twice a week.

I just finished prepping the blanks and laying the

wires for the pendant this evening, so I still have a long way to go with that one. Keep checking in so you can see the progress I'm making.

(sorry, I'm still figuring out how this whole layout thing works)

Right now I'm working as the tutoring director for the Western Massachusetts Princeton Review office, but in the past few years I have also worked as a high school math teacher, a test prep (SAT and GRE) instructor and tutor, and a camp counselor and director. I've also recently been accepted to a PhD math program. All I want to do is make beautiful jewelry and do math. Hopefully I will be able to devote myself fully to those two areas soon.

What I love the most about this business is watching beautiful pieces of jewelry come into being out of a pile of beads and metal. There are few things as fulfilling as being able to make something beautiful and share it with friends.

Okay, okay, I know how cheesy that sounds, but it's true. It's nice to meet you. Enjoy.

Allow me to introduce myself

I'm Liz, one of the owners of Lucky Lizard. And yes, the name came from being called Lizard all my life. I used to teach Middle School Spanish, until this September, when my mischeivous little monkeys, Jonah and Owen, were born. Now, I'm a work-at-home mom, and Jonah is actually on my lap 'helping' me write this entry!

I started making jewelry when I was in high school, and it soon blossomed into a full-time obsession. In college, I played around with starting a business out of it, but there just never seemed to be time (because, you know, I have SO much free time now....). I met Martha in my last year of college, and we have been fast friends ever since. We directed a summer camp together, worked at a test prep company together, and now we do jewelry together. I love it, and it allows me to work from home, which will be great when my husband goes to medical school.

I think my favorite thing about the jewelry business, besides making the jewelry, is doing home parties. It's so nice to meet new people and spend some time chatting and trying on fabulous jewels!

Here I am setting a diamond in this pendant in the studio.

-Liz

Welcome to the Lucky Lizard Art Design blog!

Martha and I have decided that a blog would be a nice addition to our website, so that we can keep friends, family, and fans up to date on what is going on in the world of Lucky Lizard Art Design. For those of you who don't know us well, we are two artists in Western Massachusetts who make lovely and delicious beaded jewelry and enamels. That's the short version; you'll learn more about us in subsequent posts.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our web site at www.luckylizardart.com. We have a lot of exciting changes coming up!

-Liz