First Art Show of the Season

The first weekend of October is quickly coming, bringing the first Tilleyjewels' art/craft show of the fall season. When I first started out selling my work, we used to travel 2-3 weekends a month year-round to do shows. Thank goodness for discovering online selling! I now do only 3-4 shows a year, so I can continue to reach out to all of my wonderful local customers who have supported my jewelry making journey for so many years.

This Saturday, Oct. 3rd is the 6th annual Hexagon Barn Art Festival held on the property of a local doctor and his wife in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. It is a juried show of Southern Illinois artists which I am proud to have been involved with since the very first year. This will be the third year that my oldest daughter Audrey has also set up her booth of fantasy art at the show.


If you are in Southern Illinois I would highly recommend planning a trip on Saturday to this great event. Admission and parking are both free. You will be treated to music and a variety of talented artists. Food is available to purchase from a local church youth group who uses the money for mission trips. The uniquely painted Hexagon Barn is open for tours, along with the many other interesting items located on this property--antique cars and tractors, live animals, a stone cross and a restored train caboose just to mention a few.


This is a show that I really enjoy doing, which is evident in the fact that it's the only outdoor show that I still set up at. (Note the plastic windbreak in the photo of last year's booth!) Outdoor shows and I aren't the best match, but this one is worth the extra set up and preperation.

If you are interested in attending and need more details please feel free to contact me for times and directions.

Jewelry You Won't Find In My Online Shops (Part 2)

My oldest daughter Audrey loves anything fantasy themed--fairies, dragons, etc. I have a tendancy to procrastinate on the girls' birthday jewelry, usually sitting down to make it the night before I need, but Audrey's special birthday piece was planned out well in advance this year.

I'm a member of an online forum where a group of us came together because of a love of beads and jewelry making and have formed some wonderful friendships. One of the things that several of us participate in is a travelling bead box--when the box reaches you, you take out the items you want and replace them with other goodies. It's like a big Christmas surprise every time the box arrives. In my last experience with the bead box I encountered the most fabulous polymer clay dragon focal, made by one of my favorite bead artists. The instant I laid eyes on it I knew that would be the centerpiece of Audrey's 17th birthday gift.


The pendant was created by my dear friend Valerie of http://valeriebeads.etsy.com The dragon is hand drawn on polymer clay with pencil and ink and sealed with a protective gloss. The back side (which I forgot to get a picture of) is a multi-shade of grey design that resembles dragonscales. I created the piece as a two strand necklace using silver-plated chain and bright pink dyed "jade" faceted beads. It is truely a unique one of a kind piece for my one of a kind daughter.


I'm currently working on some other projects using some of Valerie's beads. She has made some incredibly detailed floral and spider beads that I am working with and hope to have listed in the shop soon.