Build A Line Challenge from B'sue Boutique, Cynthia Wainscott from Exotic Peru Jewelry, Part One

Hola everybody! And welcome!
What an exciting moment this is; I haven't been on a blog hop for a long time, and I have the pleasure to be part of "B'Sue boutiques Build a line challenge"
My dear Brenda Sue from B'Sue Boutiques is always trying to help us to become better in what we do, and that's how Build a line started! She is "challenging us to challenge ourselves" to start a jewelry line.
Oh yeah... That's me by the way!

You can read more of my story on my previous blog post here, in there you'll find out the first jewelry I made was my wedding jewelry, and because of the connection I feel and for the many request of customers I have chosen to create a Bridal line: "Always and Forever"
I have created some Bridal Pieces in the past, and it was such a joy to see them on the beautiful brides here is the jewelry I designed for Mrs. Malan on her special day:

I made the chandelier earrings, the head piece and the cuff:

For my "Always and Forever" bridal line I wanted to create designs that are beautiful and take less time to make; something I could re-create and that's the challenge we are all trying to make for each of our lines. This is a process and for this first part of the hop I want to reveal you the first of my designs: the "always" bracelet. All the pieces from this bracelet came from B'Sue boutiques with exception of the little flower on top.

I started with The Victorian Backless brass Stamping mount and riveted on top the small Victorian frame bezel; previously I had resineted some old book pages and I added that to the middle of the bezel and collaged on top a little flower, a silver plated bee, the word "Always" on a copper black and to give it that blink and hide the ends of the paper I added Preciosa rhinestone chain. You can see it's a sizable bracelet with some pearls and more rhinestone disks. What I like most about this bracelet is that I can customize it by changing the sentiment in the middle, in that way even if I remake the design it will be unique to each person.

I had so much fun designing it and making it, here a sneak peak of some of the stampings I will be using for the rest of my line:

Thank you for stopping by and visiting, please don't forget to visit the rest of my fellow friends and designers who are taking this "Build a line" challenge with me.
List of participants:

Brenda Sue Lansdowne
Jewelry Making Outside the Box
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/


Marcia Tuzzolino
Aurora Designs
http://auroradesignsjewelryblog.me./

Jann Tague
Clever Designs by Jann
https://janntague.wordpress.com/

Judy King
Apt To Wander Studio
https://apttowander.wordpress.com/

Linzi Alford
Magpie in the Sky, Spoil Heap Tales
http://magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.co.uk/

Cynthia Wainscott
Exotic Peru
http://exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com <==== you are here!

Carole Carlson
Beadsophisticate
https://beadsophisticate.wordpress.com

Lynn Stinten
Dragonzwench
http://www.dragonzwench.blogspot.com/

Marica Zammit
Bead Lovelies
http://www.beadlovelies.com

Catherine Shattuck
VRBrose
http://www.vrbrose.wordpress.com

Micheale Collie
The Vintage Gem
http://thevintagegem.blogspot.com

Mary Craig
Jewelry Alchemy
http://jewelryalchemy.wordpress.com

Lee Koopman
Strega Jewelry
http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com

Erin Whitacre
Shattered Time Jewelry
http://shatteredtimejewelry.wordpress.com

Monica Casady
MJCasady Copper Works
http://monica-casady.squarespace.com/blog/

Leila West
Leila Nicole Designs
http://leilanicoledesigns.blogspot.com/

Cindy Peterson
Howling Dog Jewelry
http://howlingdogjewelry1.blogspot.com


Leila Belcher
Leila Bee Designs
http://leilabeedesigns.wordpress.com


Gloria Allen
Wings and Beads
http://www.wingsandbeads.blogspot.com/

Pamela Anger
Novegatti Designs
http://novegattidesigns.blogspot.com/

Tammy Adams
Paisley Lizard
http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog

Lynda O'Mara
Once Upon a Line
http://www.lomaracreative.com/Blog.php

Elizabeth Hildreth
Mad Scientists Designs
http://madscientistsdesigns.blogspot.com

Dana Hickey
Wind Dancer Studios
http://magpieapproved.blogspot.com

Janet Calardo
Jan Lea Designs
http://janleadesigns.blogspot.com/

Maria Clark
Sweet Willow Design
http://www.sweetwillowdesigns.blogspot.com

Lori Beekman
B.Accessorized
https://baccessorized.wordpress.com/

Jennifer Kroeger
Relic Charm
https://reliccharm.wordpress.com/

Amy Jorgensen
Hoarder's Corner
http://amemedesigns.wordpress.com

Robin Reed
Handcrafted Bead Designs
http://artistryhcbd.indiemade.com/

Ingrid Anderson
Lilis Gems
http://lilisgems.wordpress.com/

Louise O'Shields
Desire Divine Jewels
http://desiredivinejewels.blogspot.com/

Susan Killam
Killam Creative
http://www.KillamCreative.blogspot.com

Mary Katherine Deis
The Rose Sword: Artisan and Vintage Collectible Jewelry
http://theroseswordmdeis.blogspot.com

Nike Bottalico
Objects and Oddities
http://nikebottalico.com/

Susan Bowerman
Woodside Wireworks
www.woodsidewireworks.com

Kristy Le
Kristy Le Trendy Jewelry Designs
http://trendyjewelryle.blogspot.com/

Jan Peters
Stylized Vintage
http://stylizedvintage.blogspot.com

Mitzie Crider
Needful Luxuries Occasional Blog
http://needfulluxuries.blogspot.com/

Gina Hockett
Freestyle Elements
http://www.freestyleelements.blogspot.com

Linda Anderson
From the Bead Board
http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com

Alexandra Sefton
Imaginary Jewelry and Altered Art
http://wilywolverine.blogspot.com/

Melida Boman
The Journey of Pens and Things
http://thejourneyofpensandthings.blogspot.com

Teresa Schurter
TreeZ'S. Treasurs
http://treezstreazurs.com

Melissa Latimer
Smithed Up
http://smithedup.blogspot.com/

Renee Hong
Fine and Dandy Jewelry and Art
http://fineanddandyjewelry.blogspot.com

Nadine Edris
Moondance Jewelry
http://moondancejewelrymaine.blogspot.com

Lori Meyer
Parisienne Girl
https://parisiennegirldesign.wordpress.com/2015/01

Jennifer Merrill Williams
Artists of All Stripes
http://artistsofallstripes.blogspot.com

Denise Lussier Poirier
Jewelry By Denise
http://jewelrybydenise.wordpress.com

Renee Allen
Small Stuff Design
http://www.smallstuffdesign.com

Autumn Adams
Autumn Dawns
http://autumndawns.com/

Elizabeth Owens
1996 Shabby Lane
http://1996shabbylane.blogspot.com

Kat BarronMiller
Midnight Kat Productions Art Jewelry
http://mkpbeadart.blogspot.com

Sandra Ballard
Mama San's Mojo
http://mamasansmojo.blogspot.com/

Coral Law
ab:coral design
http://abcoraldesign.blogspot.com

 

 

The beginning

I wanted to share a personal letter I sent to someone very special to me about 3 years ago. The original letter sent was in Spanish and it was part of an essay that she encouraged us to share, it's about starting a new journey and the beginning of what it is now a beautiful friendship.

four years ago...
Sitting at the airport with my bag on my lap, alone, thinking in the family I left behind, the trip that was going to change my life.
"Wow that’s so beautiful!" ( a woman told me while she looked at the jewelry that I made for my wedding, she caught me by surprise, I wasn't used to assimilate people talking to me in English so fast yet)
"Are you selling this?", she added.
No this is my wedding jewelry, I’m going to marry soon and I didn’t want to lose it so I carry it with me. And so on we continued our conversation, all of the sudden I realized that there were three more people admiring my jewelry and for a brief moment I forgot the sadness I felt being so far away from home.

Back in Lima painting a mural

With the passing of the years, married and living in Utah, I felt the urge to create something with my hands, I missed my career as an interior designer and art has always been not only a part of me but who I am, so I started looking for that thing I was missing and I remembered that moment at the airport, those people admiring my jewelry, what I created...and suddenly it hit me!, I called my best friend: "mi mother", and with her help I started importing materials, anything that my mom thought I would like, and that's how "Exotic Peru Jewelry" was born: for the love to the beautiful land I call home, my roots, my mother and my memories. At the beginning I only did beading designs and sold at small parties at friends houses, then I got requests for custom orders and I even had my first show two days before having my son Connor.
As a new mom and with no family here I had many challenges and I had to stop designing but it was only for a short time because the happiness of having my baby gave me more strength to keep going and start the battle again.

My mother, my biggest fan with my kids in Peru last year

As an artist I always try to reinvent and renew myself but never changing my essence, I learned new techniques, I had new goals and in addition to my Peruvian materials y incorporated materials from the U.S. "The best of both worlds" I said to myself.
After all this I still felt like I needed more, working more hours maybe?, more designs? I didn't have much money for a website, so I started my facebook page, I created my logo, sew tablecloths (for the shows), print tags and labels, anything I could do to save money for the business, I refused to think that I couldn't compete with other designers and the despair of wanting something with all my heart got to me but my biggest fan was with me, my mother and she told me: " have faith, don't give up, you will get there, you can do it" and with that I continued I saved money and bought everything I needed for the craft fairs.
When I discovered Mixed media and Vintage style a new journey started for me.
One night, tired and like always thinking what to do to be better, I discovered in the most unexpected place someone who made me look everything from a different angle, it was just where I needed to get.
With her videos, her laughter and the way she explained everything she became my workshop companion, she was the one I watched every night, she made laugh with her jokes and without her knowing she became my friend; that's you Brenda Sue, and I have to thank you for being you, for your lovely personality and your fabulous store that is now part of my creations, part of Exotic Peru.
Designing jewelry reflects the love of the ones who love me, it represents the sacrifice, not only of the hours late at night that I spend at my workshop, it also represents the long walks of my mother in my dear city "Lima" searching for the best materials for my creations, it represents my sweet husband cooking dinner after coming from work tired so I can continue to "create", what I mean is that all of them are my muse, their love is what makes me love even more what I do that is not only my art and passion but who I am, The way the believe in me is what puts a special touch in every one of my creations.
I want to keep moving forward, I want to keep learning techniques that will take me to discover something bigger, because it's my dream. I started back in Peru with a pair of old pliers and paper clips and because I wanted to be better I had learned to hammer brass and other metals, to paint not in a canvas anymore and although my hands are rough and full of cuts and my face has dark circles for lack of sleep, it doesn't matter I will not give up and I will keep learning and maybe someday I will have the blessing to get where you are my dear B'Sue.

Thank you for visiting,don't forget to check out www.bsueboutiques.com Brenda Sue and her amazing team are a big part of Exotic Peru Jewelry I'm honored to be on her Design Team. In 2012 she wrote the kindest post about me read it "here"

Have a creative day!