Product Love of the Week

Wescott Titanium "No Stick" scissors.  

I won a pair of these Wescott pretty in pink No Stick scissors in a trivia contest at CHA this past summer.  Since I am often trimming paper covered in glue, sealer and wet resin I have managed to ruin quite a few pairs of scissors over the years!!!  I really wanted to see how well these would hold up to cutting paper covered in ICE Resin®.   I sat down one day, assembling items in my bezels.  I found myself needing to trim a tiny bit off of trim and papers that were already coated with wet resin.. I cut and trimmed all those little bits, and wiped them off with a baby wipe.  It only took one wipe to get the resin off. I wiped again "just to be sure" because it usually took 3 whole baby wipes to clean off regular scissors.    The real test was to wait 24 hours and see if there was any residue resin I missed and would be cured and hardened.  Happily the scissors were completely resin free and just as sharp as the day before!!!!   

If you do any kind of collage work with glue, resin, sealer, gel, tape, etc.. you NEED these scissors.  I am so in love with them, that I am going to include them in my class tool supplies for students to use. 

I'm not the only one who thinks these scissors are a must have tool, Creating Keepsakes named them as one of the top 10 "Must Have Tools" for 2011!  You can read more about it on  the Wescott Brand blog . 

Meet the New ICE Resin® Creative Team!

           A huge congratulations and welcome to the  2011- 2012 ICE Resin Creative Team.

Lesley Fisher & Michael Putnam

Cat Kerr

JoAnnA Pierotti

Andrea Ring

Tina Schiefer

I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to be on the team. It was an absolutely wonderful experience and I was able to grow so much from it.  I am so excited for this new group to also get this chance.   They are going to have a fantastic year and I know we are going to see some amazing artwork.   Please visit their blogs to give them a congratulations and to learn more about them!

There were so many amazing applications, I know Kristen and Jen had a hard time narrowing it down to the top 15 let alone top 5.  Everyone who applied was amazing and I know they wished they could have taken every applicant.   If you didn't get chosen this year, there's always next year!

FEEL the Love Facebook Fan Page Giveaway

©2011 Barbe Saint John/Saints and Sinners

Are you a follower on my Saints and Sinners Facebook Fan page?  I'm having a "Feel the Love" Giveaway on there right now.


You can have a chance to win this lovely pair of Boho Earrings I call "Earth & Sky".  I beaded tiny little blue Delica beaded beads, put them on enameled headping with copper heishi.  They are accented with yummy rectangular wood beads and copper disc charms.. they all dangle from large antiqued copper color French ear wires for a earthy gypsy look!  The ear wires are 1 3/8" long and the dangles are 1" long. 


To get a chance to win all you have to do is "like" my fan page and leave a comment over there.  I'll pick a winner at random on Sun Oct 1!

Baby Vintage Witch Pendants

Baby Vintage Witch Pendants ©2011 Barbe Saint John

I've planned on doing these for 2 yrs, but always thought about it right before Halloween. Well not this year, I FINALLY made myself do some a couple weeks ago. Of course, life has been so crazy I haven't had a chance to post them until now.  I just put them on my Facebook  and one of my friends said "I covet your coven!"   I love that - A covetable coven of bewitching babies!!

 I plan on creating a wholesale line of  these little vintage witch pendants for the next big show I do. Each one is one of a kind, utilizing antique lace and fabrics, vintage jewelry parts.  From the top left clockwise are: Maeva,  Siobhan and Baby Elsbeth at the bottom.  If you are interested in one, email me!

Bead Soup Blog Party Reveal!!!!

TA DA!!!!!  The day we've all be looking forward to, the Bead Soup Blog Party!!!!  There are 362 participants in this party, You could visit a different blog every day for almost a YEAR!!!! I can't wait that long to see all the jewelry eye candy so I plan spending alot time with my pot of tea reading all of them over the next couple of weeks. I hope you do as well!!  A HUGE Thank You to most organized blog party organizer I've ever had the pleasure to be a part of-Lori Anderson!!!! I hope you'll be inspired to participate in the next Bead Soup Blog Party!


My Partner was Anna Lear of Laughing Raven's Studio.  Anna sent me a wonderful lot of gold charms, turquoise  cross focal and beads, some amazing dichroic beads, faceted onyx beads, hand wrought wire hook clasp and red sari silk. With that wonderful  "soup" mix I created "Angelic Salutation"

Angelic Salutation

 photo ©Barbe Saint John 2011

I wanted to incorporate everything she sent into a necklace but decided to focus on the turquoise beads and red sari silk.  Folks, you all KNOW my fave color is red but I almost NEVER make any red jewelry!! Why? I have no idea but maybe because I surround myself with it elsewhere in my life it doesn't come out in my jewelry work. I don't know but since this blog party is about going outside your comfort zone, I decided to really use red in this piece.  You can click on each photo to see a larger image. 

I used some faceted cherry quartz glass beads along with lots of bronze wire to create organic wrapping. I also added a very detailed antique brass stamping for the centerpiece.  It may be hard to see in the photos but the texture in the inside of it are tiny crosses. 

I also made it really long, which is also outside my comfort zone!  The hook clasp is asymmetrical on the right side if you wear it this way. However if you like to wear things more at collar length, you can double wrap it around your neck, and the clasp centers perfectly in the back that way. 

Thank you so much Anna for sending me such wonderful things to work with!! I hope you enjoyed what I sent to you as well!!!

Enter Jewel School's Design Contest

Did you know Jewel School is having a Design Contest?? It runs Sept 1 to Sept 25th and the grand prize valued at $5,000!

It's really easy to enter too so get inspired , make something and show off your favorite one of a kind piece!  Get full details HERE and be sure to look at the work already entered, lots of gorgeous pieces up.  GOOD LUCK!!!

Destination: Creativity and QR Codes with Ricë Freeman-Zachery

 Ricë's  new book, Destination: Creativity--The Life-Altering Journey of the Art Retreat, is shipping this week. It's the very first book about mixed media art retreats, and it's a wonderful glimpse at the magic that happens at these retreats.  If you've never been to a big art retreat, this book will have you setting up a saving account and clearing your schedule so you can attend one as soon as possible!


In this book,  Ricë and EGE (Ever Gorgeous Earl) travel across the country, documenting the creativity at some of the best retreats around.  Not only do you get to see some of the faces behind the names, but there are also projects in this book.   Ricë even made a little book trailer movie with photo's from their art  journey.  Watching it made me smile, seeing all the people I only get to see at the retreats and remembering all the fun that was had.




She also made a QR Code movie for people to watch with their smart phones!

And speaking of QR codes, if you don't really know what they are Ricë and Jen Cushman just did a podcast about them. 

I'm pretty sure that spoon noses are not a requirement of creating or using a QR code, but its a cute photo of the girls!   QR codes have been popular in Japan for years, but are only recently catching on in this country because the integration of camera's in smart phones in the US.  Anyway, you can listen to the podcast HERE.    You will need to install a QR Code reader app on your phone. I use I-nigma on my iPhone, but there are other apps for other smart phones.  

Jen has a QR tag, which is different than a QR Code and requires a QR tag reader.  She suggest the Get Tag app, and I need to get this on my phone as well.   You can also read more about Jen on her website, her blog and her column at Creative Mixed Media.

And, yes I have a code too for a few months but really haven't done anything fun with it!  My QR code is here:

ICE Resin® Creative Team Call!

VERY exciting news - Ice Resin® is searching for FOUR  new Designers to join our 2011 -2012 ICE Resin Creative Team. The application process starts today and is open to all of you!


Congrats to Kristen Robinson, who is taking over the reins as the Creative Team Coordinator. She will be a great leader and mentor to the new team members.


This design team call is NOT limited to just jewelry designers!!!!  If you love working with resin and mixed media in formats like altered art, art journaling, card making, scrap booking or mixed media assemblage you should apply as well

What We Are Seeking

You might wonder what we are seeking in a Designer; we are looking for someone with not only a keen eye for design but also a strong understanding of trends as well as individuals with the ability to think outside of the box while remaining cutting edge, trendsetting and true to their own style. Keep in mind while we are seeking artistically minded Designers we are not necessarily narrowing our vision to those who are widely known in the industry. Rather, it is our hope to create a team of Designers with various skills and design aesthetics.

While our Designers are provided with products from the Art Mechanique line, we are looking for compositions that stand on their own with fresh ideas not replications or interpretations of what’s trendy in the Arts and Crafts industries at this time. It is important to keep in mind ICE Resin is not just for creating jewelry, but rather multiple applications such as Mixed-Media Assemblage, Paper Arts, Scrapbooking and more!

What to Expect

Designers receive a box of hand selected items from our line of amazing products each month such as bezels, chain, fibers and of course ICE Resin. Each Designer is asked to create a combination of two projects and one 1-minute technique video or two 1-minute technique videos and one project within thirty days of receiving their package.

Each year we participate in various trade shows and workshops; for these events we rely on our Designers to come up with artwork, jewelry and assemblage to be used in our displays for which they receive compensation. We also offer endorsment fees to our Creative Team.

To be considered for the Creative Team simply fill out the application – and be sure to attach 3 low-res photos of your most recent work. Fill out your application HERE and send your photos to ICEResin@ymail.com no later than September 16th. 

On September 28th we will be announcing our Designers. 

Good Luck to you all!!!! 

Fleamarket Fail

It was a super foggy and muggy morning. So soupy in the apt and unable to sleep, I woke up at 5am a full hour before the alarm was supposed to go off.

We got to the market and were surprised to see it was more than half empty.



And alot of the vendors werent even set up by 8am. There was mostly new stuff and nearly nothing of interest. Very disappointing as where the prices. I picked up a small sample perfume bottle about 2 inches tall. I asked how much and the girl said "I'll take 20". I said twenty dollars??? She replies "yes TWENTY dollars". I set it down-No thanks!!!! A dollar sure, not 20. We just kept laughing about the insanity of pricing there....$10 for bootleg movie DVDs, $20 for Star Wars figures you can't give away in a store, etc.....

The only real bargain I saw was this beautiful shabby broken antique wicker baby stroller which I didnt buy.






While i thought it was cute, it's not my "thing" so I left it. It should belong to someone who really wanted such a thing would find a treasure. And for $5 I'm sure it will find a good home.


I was really sad I couldn't find ANYTHING to buy for jewelry making. It was the main reason for making the early trip up there. Well, looking for stuff AND trying to shake off this overwhelming cabin fever I have.  So, it only took us about an hour and half to look at everything there and the only thing I bought was a turquoise Dansk Paella Pan.

 Only $5 and matches my kitchen. And I got a basket of homegrown tomatoes and another of red bell peppers for $2 each.  But over all, with the selection and the swampy weather it really wasn't worth the drive up to be honest.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy September! Bead Soup News, My New Job and Etsy Inventory

Vargas Calendar Girl - 1948

I can't believe its already September...the summer has FLOWN by.  I really, really, really had thought, hoped , wanted  and planned to be moved by now, but here I still am. I''m excited for Fall, with all the leaves changing color and crispness in the air.  I want to go on the hay ride through the pumpkin patch, buy locally made cider, etc....I will be moved before winter though-one way or another!   

I have been so busy with a couple of wholesale orders, looking for a place to live and sorting through stuff and starting my new job that I haven't had time to post about Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party. I haven't mentioned my new job yet either! 

First about Bead Soup Blog Party:  This is my first Bead Soup but I've wanted to do one since it started.  Lori is really good at keeping it organized, pairing up partners and making it a fun event.  Basically the premise is that you send your partner a pack of beads that must included a focal, an interesting clasp and some coordinating spacers or beads. You don't have to send enough for a full necklace, and the recipient only has to use the focal and the clasp.  The idea is to help you think outside the box and work with something a little different, meet new people and see new blogs and to have fun. 

My partner is Anna Lear of the Laughing Raven, she sent me this wonderful assortment of turquoise and red themed beads.  

I love she sent me some red sari silk. I NEVER find red in the skeins I buy, and always want it!  I love the turquoise beads and the big cross focal.  I can't wait to play with them, for now they are piled on my desk, next to my day planner so I can enjoy the colors.   Be sure to come back on Sept 17th and see what I do with these.

Now about my new job, I'm so happy about it - I am now the Customer Service Representative for Susan Lenart Kazmer ICE Resin®.  I'm over the moon about it!   I love working with ICE and I love talking about and teaching people about it, so its a win-win situation.  And if you work with ICE Resin®, please post your photos in our Flickr group. Each week we pick someone from there and profile them on the ICE Queen Zine Blog Flickr Fridays.

I've been really good about going through my jewelry and crafting supplies and pulling out stuff to get rid of.  I've got lots of little piles here, all ready to go to new homes.  However, I'm not so good about the photoing/editing/uploading/listing end of the process. Kinda helps to sell things if you actually LIST them rather than have lots of little piles around  to trip over LOL

Can you tell I was going thru my "orange" box of stuff?  Also, I've been finishing up some old projects that have been sitting here like these festive Sugar Skull Muertita pendants.

I think they are so cute. I want to make little dresses for them, but I'll leave that up to their new owners.  They will go on Etsy this weekend, and I really need to send a newsletter out too.  I am thankful to have so much to be busy with, don't get me wrong.  I just need to organize my time a bit better, and spend a little less time online reading blogs and FB  ;-)