What's On My Workbench

I've been working with new colors, combinations and patterns in my studio for fall. Red, black, and white continues to be very popular. I love working with the graphic contrast.

The contrast and lines in the canes remind me of comic book art, or perhaps some kind of alphabet or symbolism.

The complex, winding lines and shapes seem to speak of new languages, mystical communications.

Besides working in my studio and playing with new colors and patterns for fall, you can find me at SevenArts Gallery in Ellsworth, Maine some days of the week-- just contact me for my schedule in the gallery. My work is always available there, Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm.

Studio Party

On Saturday, September 21, I held a private studio party at my jewelry studio on Lucerne Lake in Maine. What a great time! It was wonderful to meet you all. Here are a few photos:

If you would like to book a private studio party for your group, please contact me to schedule one! I provide wine and snacks with jewelry demos and opportunities for shopping. A fun afternoon or evening in the studio for a group. Beautiful lakeside property on Lucerne Lake, gorgeous in all seasons, but especially beautiful with the fall foliage that's just beginning to kick in!❉


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.

What's On My Workbench: Summery Stacking Bangles and Cuffs

Here are a few recent items from my workbench, where I've been exploring Swarovski-studded starfish cuff bracelets, summery stacking bangles, and lots of color. When creating I like to drift between the real and unreal – fantasies and reality.
















 Constructing the red and turquoise starfish cuff








 

















Red and turquoise studded starfish cuff: Ready for its final curing

 














Details, details!

Royal blue starfish cuff: the sculpting and molding portion of its creation. Here, I am adding the Swarovski crystal and the textural "nubbles" of the starfish.
 

A view of the inside pattern of the royal blue starfish cuff, and the cane used to create it.

 















New stacking bangles in royal blue, hyacinth and tangerine!



 

Starfish earrings and pendants ready for assembly. ❉

 

Announcing the New YikesStudio.com Website

Yikes!Studio is pleased to announce the launch of the NEW YikesStudio.com. The new website has a fresh, clean and stylish look with larger photos that put the jewelry in the center stage. The navigation system is simple and easy to use.


Browsing my galleries of Yikes! polymer jewelry pieces on YikesStudio.com is easy, beautiful and most of all, really fun! Big, clear, and colorful photos of my work are displayed in galleries organized by type (cuff bracelets, earrings, bangles, and more). You can browse by Collection as well, viewing color-coordinated, fashion-forward pieces inspired by the season.

Stacking Bangles come in a wide
variety of colors, with seasonal updates to
come. A great Mother's Day present!

By updating my website (the address is still the same-- yikesstudio.com) I am able to offer you new ways to browse my jewelry pieces in polymer clay, precious metal clay, sterling silver and more. A quick link from the main navigation takes you to my shopping page, which connects you instantly with my Etsy store. My blog also has a place on my site.

As an artist, craftsperson and lover of fashion and the infinite diversity of nature, my work is always evolving to reflect my new and fresh perspectives. Yikes!Studio is excited to offer a dynamic, professional web presence that reflects my evolving work.

My thanks go out to Robert Diamonte of Berlian Arts Photography and Creative Services for his excellent photography and Grayfire Designs for the design of the new site.

My new website is an opportunity for me to create beautiful, creative and daring fashion together with you. Join me at the new YikesStudio.com! ❉

The Art of Chaos

"fire and ice"

It can be hard to think these days, hard to plan. The bitter cold has broken at least for a couple days and finally I got out and absorbed some vitamin D filled sunshine!


Recently I have been working on some black and white drawings. I just found out that these are called zentangles! I had no idea--I was just exploring shapes and forms that I have been interested in and drawing for years! It's really addicting and fun. Here's a link to some examples. I hope to post some of my own soon.

I had a chance to take a webinar this evening by the Handmadeology blogger, expert easy sellers, Timothy Adam and co-conspirator Lisa Jacobs. It was very interesting and hopefully I learned a few things to tame the chaos of running a business and properly using social media.

Sea Wafer Earrings, BIG Cuffs, and more

new colors
new styles

Sea Wafers: the newest earrings from YIKES! Studio.

 Big patterns &
Big Colors!

rich mochas
Coffee, bronze, black.... studded with Swarovski.

 

bright blues
Earrings in bright hues using inks together with traditional polymer technique

Pantone's Fall Fashion Colors! The Pantone color forecast has some pretty sweet colors and combinations in it. As you may or may not know, I have a huge love of color and fashion and am always happy to pass along these fun Pantone charts. Still loving the chartreuse and the orange and wow I adore ultramarine green, olympian blue! Really, I guess I love them all! I try to work in as many of the current fashion colors as I can into my work. Since my work is so labor intensive I am only creating a few major pieces per season. Oh dear... must learn to work faster or something...!

Studio News LAST YIKES SHOW 2012 This coming Saturday I will be at the Designing Women show at Husson College. Its a lovely, smaller sized show with so much to offer by highly talented woman artisans. Many folks start their Christmas shopping at this pleasant show. As always the door proceeds go to a local woman's cause. Where else? I will have a nice selection of work at my home space SevenArts Gallery in Ellsworth as well as participating in EXTRAVAGANZA! at Aarhus Gallery in Belfast. My work can also now be found at Archipelago in Rockland. Please check my web site for a full list of shops carrying YIKES jewelry  Be sure to visit my Etsy shop if you can't come to me! I am in the process of updating it and should have more new items coming in regularly. Do you Pinterest? If you do, consider following me.  Pinterest has to be the most fun online thing you can do. Its kind of like hunter gathering on the internet.

Designing with Big Beads

Bits and pieces!

Some really fun stuff is happening in the studio recently. I've been using line in design and big, big beads. Higher contrasts with black and white. It wouldn't be fun if I couldn't push it!

The first Downtown Ellsworth Art Walk is this Friday from 4-7 pm. I will be there with some of my new pieces.
Come out and see what all the art is about in Ellsworth this Friday! Who knew there were ten galleries in Ellsworth, wow!

Happy Spring and Summer from YIKES!

Happy Spring & Summer from YIKES! Studio Greetings! We are well into a gorgeous late Maine spring with summer fast approaching. I wanted to pause a moment in this busy time to update my wonderful customers on what has been happening in the studio. This season I have been focusing on pieces with lots of energy and vibrant color as well as some new designs incorporating new shapes such as pods, gears and blossoms. I find myself gravitating towards using colors in oranges, pinks, yellows, turquoises, purples, citrus greens, high contrast black and white, in all kinds of combinations and patterns. Some subtle, some outrageous! YIKES! News First big news is that I am as of January 2012, a member of Seven Arts Gallery in Ellsworth. It is so good to have a "home" for my creations. You can find a large selection of earrings etc. at the gallery on a regular basis. I am in the gallery once a week and available for meeting with customers there any time. Seven Arts Gallery is located in the Maine Grind building on Maine St. in downtown Ellsworth.  We are right next door to the Grind Cafe which is now run by the talented owners of Cleonice Restaurant. Art and food together, oh my!  Secondly, I have been doing some work for Polyform, the makers of sculpey products and the clay I use called Premo. They approached me and asked that I utilize a new product and photograph my process, write descriptions and send the finished pieces to them for use in publications etc. Its pretty exciting to be contacted out of the blue like that by the makers of my clay!  Next in my news I have been working on some new accounts and now YIKES! Studio jewelry can be found in more stores and galleries through out Maine, Mass, Vermont and New Hampshire. Everything continues to be made one at a time, by me so you can imagine my studio time is maxed! _______________________________________ Schedule 2012 As I am now in Seven Arts Gallery and in more shops and galleries, my show schedule is much lighter this year.  The first show of the season will be theGilsland Farm Audubon Show, Falmouth, Maine Aug 18-19 (beautiful setting, lovely show) Second will be the American Folk Festival in Bangor Aug 24-26 (So much to see and do!!) Fashion NIght Out at D' ALessio Gallery in Bar Harbor Sept. 6, 6-10 pm (wicked fun!)     Designing Women at Husson College Bangor, Nov 3 (always a great small show - perfect venue for beginning holiday shopping) That's my schedule as I know it for now. You can always purchase my work online, stop in to Seven Arts Gallery or contact me directly for all your YIKES! jewelry needs.  _______________________________________ For all you YIKES! junkies, I am continuing my jewelry 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 a pair or two of earrings. Collect punches towards a free pair of earrings in your color choice! ________________________________________ Hope you all have a lovely spring and summer and that I see you again real soon. Best always, Suzanne Anderson ~ YIKES! Studio www.yikesstudio.com suzanne@yikestudio.com 207-356-0460   Super pretty new blossom pendants Lil' birds in a gear New black and white series Big abstract rings

New Digs at SevenArts Gallery in Ellsworth

 

I am blogging from my new YIKES home at Seven Arts Gallery in Ellsworth, Maine. The gallery is located in the Maine Grind building where you can stop in for a cup of coffee or something to eat and browse the lovely artisan made items in the gallery.

It's so nice to have a place to permanently show my work. Every week I have a gallery day where I am in the gallery replenishing my items and tweaking my display.

I am surrounded by big windows that light up all the gorgeous items made by my fellow artist/owners of the gallery. Here everyone pools their talent and resources to create something bigger and better!

Stop in sometime and see what's happening here in the gallery!

Thank you from YIKES! Studio!

 

 

As the season comes to a close I wanted to stop and thank all my wonderful customers and friends for all their support of my work. Its been a great year and I have had a wonderful time meeting and greeting everyone. Hope to see you all again.

Though I plan to be doing fewer shows and have less gallery representation in the upcoming year, you can watch for my work in SevenArts Gallery in Ellsworth. I will be one of the seven artists to show in the gallery full time and I will be present in the gallery one day a week. It is so exciting to have a home for YIKES and to be part of a group of dedicated and talented artists. Watch for the exciting new work that I will be showing there on a regular basis. The gallery is located in the Maine Grind building on Main Street in Ellsworth. Stop by and see what's happening in this beautiful little gallery!

Happy Holidays & Wishing You a Very Wonderful New Year!

--Suzanne
suzanne@yikestudio.com

Years' End Update: Time to Give Thanks

Year's End ~ feeling thankful!

I love feeling all snuggled in while the snow falls so lovely outside. Today has been a full day of preparing pies, shoveling snow and working in the studio to get ready for the last shows of the year

A Moment of Thanks 
Its been a strange and wonderful year in the studio and at the shows. I have met some really great people and renewed acquaintances. I am ever thankful for this art filled life I lead and the many places it takes me. I owe a huge thank you to my husband Anthony who puts up with all my show shenanigans! I am also very thankful to my many loyal and appreciative customers. When they go out of their way to purchase something special for themselves and/or gifts for others especially from me, I am honored. I work very hard to put out a beautiful product that exceeds all expectations and brings some happiness to the wearer. A customer said recently to me that the women on her list are disappointed when they don't get their YIKES! earrings!

Last Bangor Area Show for 2011
This friday through Sunday (Nov 25, 26 & 27) I will be at the 6th annual open studio at Essentially Felt in Glenburn. The hours are 11-4 daily. Come have a glass of cheer with the 9 local artists who will be showing their work. Preview Sandy's fantastic new yarn shop! 15% of all artists sales will be donated to MPBN. You can find us at 865 Pushaw Rd., Glenburn. 207-942-0365 more info.

 
Back in Portland
I will be finishing up the show season in Portland this year at the SEA Show at the East End Community School. This is a lively show with lots of fun work. Its a great place to find unusual hand-created gifts. I just love Portland at Christmas time! The show runs Fri. Dec 2, 6-9 pm, Sat. Dec 3 pm, 10-5 pm, and Sun. Dec 4, 11-4.





Finding My Work

If you can't make a show and want to know where else I sell my work, some of the places are One Lupine Fiber Arts in Bangor, Center for Maine Craft in Gardiner and at the Bangor Mall, The Gifted Hand Holiday Shop in Ellsworth (starting Dec 2), Holiday Extravaganza at Aarhus Gallery in Belfast and Lucky Dog Gallery in Rockland. You can find a complete list on my web site.
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Man Ray helps out in the studio

Studio News: Getting Ready for Designing Women Show

I thought things couldn't get any busier here in the studio but boy, was I mistaken! Somehow it seems that I am continually adding more accounts and shows. "Just one more" seems like a good idea 'til the time comes to deliver! Then, whammo, it comes due in no time. I seem to have been able to hit all my marks so far...

Coming up in November will be the very popular Designing Woman show at Husson College. This is a "never miss" show for many in the Bangor area. I sell slew of earrings here as Christmas gifts. Ask me about my Yikes! Earring Buyer Card. If you are nutty about Yikes earrings and buy them frequently then you need one!

Currently, I am working on a good-sized Close Buy order. They have featured four different Yikes styles of earrings. Close Buy is a school fundraising catalog made up of Maine artisan-made items. No cheesy gift wrap or junky Chinese dodads.

November will also have me at the Gifted Hand show in Ellsworth and the Open studio at Essentially Felt. More information on the dates and times for all my shows is listed in the schedule!

Belfast Art in the Park

Getting ready for the weekend show in Belfast. Art in the Park is one of my favorite shows. There is just such a nice warm vibe at the place. I always have a pretty decent show and a nice time on top of that.

We Have a Winner!

Congrats to Audrey Stemple, the winner of the "Do Something WiLD" necklace. Audrey is wildly excited and happy! More info to come...



new cuffs!

Moving on to new work
Have been very busy in the studio working with some really great color combos. Loving avacado green, orange and a sweet smooth mellow yellow. The cuffs above offer a little peak at what's been cooking.



I must say that I absolutely love these fashion colors for the season. Notice the spot of turquoise in the model's shoes on the left. Love that!

Maybe you, like I, can't afford a whole new wardrobe to express your fashionista self but perhaps a large YIKES! cuff in the colors of the season will pop your wardrobe fashion forward.

Workshops
After getting a few more classes (taught by me) under my belt, I have decided that I do in fact love teaching them. You can book me at http://betterfly.com/suzanneanderson The link for Betterfly will always be in the right side bar of this blog.

Free Shipping at Etsy
Please use the special code YIKES2011 to get free shipping this month at my Etsy site.

See you soon!
Suzanne

DO Something WiLD--Fundraising for Heifer

Hand crafted beads created for the "Do Something WiLD" fundraiser necklace.
Keep watching for updates on the necklace's progress.

Do Something WiLD!
Fun Fundraising for Heifer International

Ideas tend to come to me in a very sudden way. I then proceed to jump in, both feet first. That is exactly what has happened and I now find myself with several very large projects going.

First of all I am formulating and working out the details of doing a fund raiser for Heifer International. If you are unfamiliar with Heifer they go something like this. You present a cow to a family, they in turn get milk from the cow, the cow goes on to have a calf and now there are two cows. They family now has extra milk and can sell what they don't need. They then have another calf which they then give away to another family and the cycle gets repeated. Building up the village to sustainablitiy. This is a simplified version and you can read more about it on their website Heifer.org. Anyway...my husband and I have been giving small donations over the years to Heifer hence we receive their publication. I opened it the other day to find a campaign they are doing in April call Do Something WiLD.

The acronym stands for Women in Livestock Development and the focus of this campaign is on the work Heifer does in empowering and enabling women: one of the most effective tools for a peaceful, prosperous society. The graphics in the ad caught my eye and seemed to relate to YIKES! Studio.

I thought, this is something I want to get involved with, but how? Create a necklace, sell a chance to win it and donate all proceeds to Do Something WiLD ! That was it! So last night I set about (til midnight) the beginning stages of the necklace creation of which I will post pictures.









Beginning stages of the Do Something WiLD necklace.
Making lots of face canes...

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Make a $5 donation for Heifer International and a chance to win the finished necklace (valued at $200.00).

• Visit Yikes!Studio on Etsy | Handcrafted earrings, necklaces and cuffs starting at $26
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• Or check out what I'm up to this week.

Polymer Clay Daily Blog

Cherry bomb necklace and cuff bracelets
at Aarhus Gallery, Belfast, Maine

Yikes studio was featured in the Dec 10 Polymer Clay Daily Blog! This is a great blog for and about polymer clay and I am honored to be included. The blog has over 4,000 subscribers! So nice to be noticed.

Speaking of being noticed, I just realized I never posted a link to the fantastic article that the Bangor Daily News did for me. It's hard to remember everything when you're a one woman show!

• Visit Yikes!Studio on Etsy | Handcrafted earrings, necklaces and cuffs starting at $26
• Sign up for my monthly newsletter
• Or check out what I'm up to this week.

New Fun, Fall Pieces!

Unfortunately I haven't had the time to update my website recently, so I thought I would post some pictures of my most recent work here on the YIKES! blog.

Some of these have sold and some are still available.




Turquoise, red and yellow collection





The Buttercream collection



earthy and rich fall pieces






Wire neckpieces with adorable pendants set in sterling silver





ORDERS
Working away at getting commission pieces finished and out the door. If you are one of my customers who have been anxiously awaiting your pieces--thank you for your patience and your pieces are on their way.