New Work for Designing Women, this Saturday in Bangor

New Linked Necklace with Beading

It's time again (already!) for the Designing Women show at Husson University in Bangor. The show is this Saturday from 9-4.

Come out and meet the artisans at this great little relaxed and friendly show. Get some early holiday shopping done and support small business women!

The end of the month brings me to the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Designing Women show. This is the first time for me doing this show and I am looking forward to the adventure.

You can also find my work this holiday season at Aarhus Gallery in Belfast for their annual  "Extravaganza!" More info on their website www.aarhusgallery.com  about this fun event.

For all YIKES! earring junkies, I am continuing my earring punch cards. They are good anytime at Seven Arts Gallery as well as at my shows. If you don't have a card yet, ask for one when you purchase your next pair of earrings!

And you can always shop online 24/7 at my exclusive online store and my YIKES! Etsy shop!

Here is some new work you might find at my booth in the Designing Women show:

Wedge earrings with dangles!

Bangles, bangles, and more bangles-- something
for everyone.

Fall Bird Bangle

YIKES! Jewelry at Designing Women Craft Show in Bangor, Maine

This upcoming weekend I'll be part of a great show that I look forward to each year, the Designing Women show at Husson College in Bangor. Taking place on November 2 from 9 am to 4 pm, the show is held in the Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business located on-campus. (See a map here.)

This show supports women and their families in two ways: first, by giving the door proceeds ($2 admission) and proceeds from food sales to organizations that benefit women, and secondly by providing an event that puts the spotlight on women artisans and their work.

The Designing Women show is not just one event, but nine premier events held throughout New England. I'll be participating in the Bangor show on November 2 but also the Portsmouth, New Hampshire show on November 30 and the Portland, Maine show on Dec 14.

I hope to see you one of these fantastic shows!

A Sanctuary for Art (and Wildlife): Maine's Gilsland Farm Audubon Show

YIKES! Studio necklace

This year I'll be wrapping up my summer craft shows with the Gilsland Farm Audubon Show in Falmouth, Maine. I'll be showing the best of my summer collection, and I'm excited to share these pieces-- from earrings and bangles to showpiece necklaces with loads of beautiful detailed patterns and colors.

The show itself takes place this upcoming weekend, Aug 17 & 18, at the Maine Audubon headquarters, a sixty-five acre wildlife sanctuary on the Presumpscot River, near Maine's most populous city, Portland.  

The sanctuary is a hub of education and environmental advocacy, with programs to help protect and preserve a number of animal species in Maine. (You can find out more about getting involved with their very interesting tracking programs here!)

The sanctuary is not only a beautiful setting for a craft show, the Gilsland Farm Audubon Show is also raises money for the Maine Audubon. The small admission fee ($3/members, $4/nonmembers) benefits the Audubon's programs.

If you want to check out the rest of the sanctuary, you'll find that Gilsland Farm’s 2.5 miles of trails wind through meadows, in and out of woods, and along the shore of the Presumpscot River estuary. All of the trails are gentle with no steep grades.

Along the way, you might see meadowlarks, warblers, frogs, and red fox. It's the perfect chance to see some wildlife and some lush greenery before summer starts to slip away!

A print from 2013 Gilsland Farm Show artist Kathleen Buchanan of Grey Seal Press	A YIKES! Studio necklace headed for the show!

This juried show is in it's 17th year and presents only handmade items from over 70 craftspeople. The show will be open from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, August 17 and 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday, August 18 at 20 Gilsland Farm Road, near Rt. 1 in Falmouth (see a map here) Catered food will be available and the walking trails will be open, so come by and make a day of it! ❉

Gilsland Farm Audubon Show, August 17-18, 2013

 Next weekend I will be at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Show in Falmouth, Maine. The show is held at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Sanctuary on Saturday, August 17, 10-5 through Sunday August 18, 10-4. 

The sanctuary is a beautiful area maintained by the Maine Audubon. Walking trails, fields and woodlands wind along the Presumpscot River estuary. The Visitor Center and pristine apple orchard will be the places to go for art and fine craft next weekend, though: these areas of the sanctuary will be host to over sixty fine artists' booths. The Gilsland Farm Audubon Sanctuary is located at 20 Gilsland Farm Road. For more information on the show, you can visit audubonshow.com.

38th Annual DIRECTIONS Show on Mount Desert Island

One of Maine's finest and most successful craft shows is coming up this weekend. The Mount Desert Island DIRECTIONS Show, organized by the Maine Crafts Guild, starts this Friday, July 26 at 5 pm. The show will be open Friday until 9 pm, Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm.

This fabulous show features a mix of 80 artisans, displaying some of the most interesting and beautiful jewelry, pottery, gifts and heirloom quality craft work in Maine. The show is held in the newly renovated cafeteria and gymnasium of the Mount Desert Island Regional High School, located at 1081 Eagle Lake Road/Route 233.

I have so much wonderful work to share with you at this show. Bright, fresh, exciting colors and forms abound in my summer collection of cuffs, necklaces, bangles and earrings, with plenty of eye-catching sparkle.  Don't miss this great show nestled in the green hills of Mount Desert Island, one of the most beautiful spots in Maine at the height of summer!

Elegance: Black Cuff Bracelets and Bangles

YIKES! Studio: Black bangles and black starfish cuff

Black is the color of elegance, considered to never go out of style, to go with everything. Fashion designers have always had a great deal to say about black. Italian designer Gianni Versace said, "Black is the quintessence of simplicity and elegance." Dior defined black as the essence of elegance, a quality which he said was a "combination of distinction, naturalness, care and simplicity."

Black has enjoyed multiple periods of being in style throughout history. Black was the favored color of nobility throughout the 14th through 16th centuries in Europe, with the trend beginning in Italy and spreading across countries to all the monarchs of Europe. Black fabric was long considered special because a truly deep black required the very best dyes.

Black may also have become popular because wealthy merchants favored it. After laws prohibited these merchants from wearing certain flashy and expensive clothes in bright colors because they were not royalty, the upper classes took to wearing black. Ironically, this may have served to popularize the color black as a color associated with the upper class-- and royalty. By the 16th century, black was what all the monarchs were wearing!

In 1926, Coco Chanel popularized the ubiquitous little black dress as the fashion article that all women needed, saying "A woman needs just three things; a black dress, a black sweater, and, on her arm, a man she loves." French designer Yves Saint Laurent said, "Black is the liaison which connects art and fashion."

Do you love black? Is it a fashion staple for you or does it only make an occasional appearance? Black accessories can be elegant, striking additions your wardobe. A black dress and matching bangles with a touch of sparkle can be the perfect, timeless combination for a wonderful night out on the town.

I will be at the Maine Crafts Guild Damariscotta Show this weekend,  Saturday, July 6, 2013 from 10 am to 5 pm  and Sunday, July 7, 2013 from 10 am to 4 pm, with my newest studded starfish cuffs and bangles in black. I hope you'll consider adding one to your collection.

Karl Lagerfeld, explaining why black was so popular, said: "Black is the color that goes with everything. If you're wearing black, you're on sure ground." Timeless and elegant, striking and simple, it's easy to see why black has been so popular and continues to be today. ❉

Starfish and Stripes

Summer is flying by! Summers in Maine are short but sweet, and I've been enjoying working by the beautiful lake at my studio in Lucerne. Oftentimes on the fourth of July, our neighbors send up fireworks around the lake. The pop and sparkle of color over the still lake makes a beautiful, almost private show and a perfect ending to a summer evening.

 
 I've been working on some "star" jewelry-- starfish cuff bracelets adorned with swarovski crystal and "seafoam" star-shaped earrings. Each one is unique. The process for creating each one is very involved. The result is something that I think can go equally well with a beautiful dress as with a button down shirt and jeans. They really can go anywhere, and they're made to be treasures enjoyed for many years.


 Besides working on new cuff and earring designs, I've been busy getting ready for my summer season of craft shows. This coming weekend, you can find me and my Yikes! jewelry at the Maine Crafts Guild Damariscotta Show, July 6-7, at the YMCA, 525 Main St., Damariscotta, Maine. 

The Maine Crafts Guild Damariscotta show features the highest quality Maine craftsmanship, with approximately fifty vendors in the market. Admission is $5 for adults and free for those under 12. Hours are Saturday, July 6, 2013 from 10 am to 5 pm  and Sunday, July 7, 2013 from 10 am to 4 pm. To learn more, click here.

I've been working on a new booth set-up for a great shopping/browsing experience. It's been a busy time lately, but that's nothing new! I'd love to see you at my upcoming show, so stop by and say hello-- & have a wonderful fourth of July! ❉
 

Suzanne Anderson is the creator of YIKES! Studio Jewelry. Suzanne has been busy creating for most of her life. After graduating with a BA from Maine College of Art, she worked as a graphic designer and a painter. Suzanne works to ensure that YIKES! Studio creates work that is fun, beautiful, always interesting, and adorns the wearer with joy. Catch up with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Etsy, or her website at www.yikesstudio.com.