I love making Rings.

I love making rings. The problem is deciding what size to make it in when you have one of a kind items and cannot duplicate the gemstone.  Here are some examples:

You can click on the title to visit my ring selection

What ring size do you wear?

Enjoy your day!

Michelle

Featured Artist: Syeda Umar

Hi All


Today's featured artist is Syeda B. Umar, my youngest child. Syeda has show an eye for design since she started walking. Her first canvases were my bedroom wall and window seal. Syeda took some aqua colored beads put shea butter on the back of them and made a mosaic on my wall. I showed her creation to a number of local and national artists in Detroit. To a one, they all told me that she had a gift and to not let public school take that away from her. Me being me, I left the mosaic up until the shea butter finally melted and most of the beads had fallen to the floor. Smile 

We have been blessed to have excellent art teachers who did not try to pigeonhole Syeda. Her teachers taught her new techniques and strives to enhance her natural talent. She has attended three sessions at the Scottsdale Artist School. One of the most prestigious schools in the country.

Syeda won her first artist competition at age 9. She received a certificate and a check for $50.00. According to her arts teacher her style is already being copied. We have even had her work stolen. Syeda's interests range from mixed media to painting, writing fiction and plays to songwriting.

Syeda will enter high school this fall and I'm looking forward to seeing how her work will evolve. As always you can make purchases  at my etsy shop by clicking on shop or the title. 

Make the best of the new week. enjoy

Michelle

Saturday Night Special Starts at 5pm EST

This weekend is a very busy one here in Scottsdale Arizona. The Arabian horse show started Thursday and will continue till February 26 at Westworld. Three are three five big Art shows in Scottsdale. Sports fans can attend the various teams Meet the players events, charity fundraisers,Margarita, Cocktail and Beer fests all start this week. Sunday A'fair and Pink Nation invite only event Sunday afternoon. Tourist season is in full swing. Canadians are in to town and buying up everything in sight. Smile.


We are headed out to the Annual Health and Fitness Expo put on by the City of Scottsdale Called "Fit City" at Scottsdale Community College from 8am to 1 pm today. We have attended every event. Interesting that Scottsdale just came in at fifth place in a national survey of Cities with healthy citizens.


Today My Saturday Night Special will go live at 5pm EST.  To see and take advantage of the special today at 5pm go here Are you in? Saturday Night Special (SNS) starts at 5pm EST. Check to see what the special is here http://etsy.me/ge5IaA 

Example of items that are included in the SNS.

Happy Shopping 

Michelle

Featured Artist: David El Romo

My daughter and I went to Sunday A'fair in Scottsdale. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts puts on the free concert series from January through June 15.This is a Sunday concert series with food vendors and artists selling their work. There is always a craft tent operated by Leslie Haddad who had gotten really creative with her projects. You will see as many adults as kids making the crafts. This Sunday she had artist David El Romo under the craft tent teaching folks how to make scorpions, lizards and spiders out of pipe cleaners. El Romo had versions of the critters actually made out of 12 gage copper wire on the tables for inspiration.

David is a metal artist who creates one of a kind metal art. The video below is of one of his creations in action. The pictures are of various metal sculptures he had for sale.

I loved this mechanical horse.

You can click on the title  to visit David's site. Tell him the wirequeen sent you. Smile

Michelle

Valentines Jewelry for Men

This is the video of Valentines Jewelry for Men
Yes, Daddy loves the tie you get him every year, BUT, its time for a change. Smile 

Leave feedback please. You can click on the title for more information and to purchase. Take 20% off. Use code "Valentine".


Thanks


Michelle

Valentines Day Gifts Video

Have you got your Honey's Valentine Gift?






Use code "VALENTINE" for 20% off.
Check back for my Video of gifts for your special guy.


As always you can click on the title to go to my Etsy shop. 
Remember Valentine's Day is February 14.


Michelle

Using Pinterest for Business?

If you're thinking not another social media site, then think again. This one is free and may yet rival Youtube. Why? Because its visual and extremely easy for folks to share. 


Here is an interesting example of how one company is using Pinterest for business.

Source: delicious.com via Julie on Pinterest

What do you think? Do you see a way Pinterest can be used to extend your brand? I'd love to hear how?

Are you on PINTEREST?

I recently discovered Pinterest. I love it. I now understand why its so much fun and addictive. I've seen folks who have as many as 23 boards. 


To explain Pinterest let me quote from their about section. 

Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard.

Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.
Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite


I'm posting jewelry, antique cars, other artist whose work I like. Join me at http://pinterest.com/wirequeen.


What will you pin?

Ten Days into the New Year How Are Sales?

I'm gearing up for the New Year to implement the game plan I put on paper in December. I am planning for great things this year. Family and friends are in place and doing well which is a stress buster. I've got my social media lined up and I have a pretty good handle on how to implement it. 


Do you have a game plan in place? Have sales started to pick up? Inquiring minds want to know.

What are you doing new for 2012?

As always you can click on the title or shop to shop my store and keep this blog live. Smile

Michelle

Fab Vintage Finds January 2012

I have not had a chance to share this video of some Fab Vintage Finds I found in November/December.

 

My Channeling the 70's Vintage Finds

If anything featured brings back memories please leave a comment and share. All items are for sale. If something interests you can email me here info@wirequeen.com .

Kwanzaa Day 4 Ujamaa Cooperative Economic

Habari Gani                          Response   Ujamaa




Kwanzaa Day 4 is Ujamaa (oo–JAH–mah) Cooperative Economics
To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together. This was the fore runner to the Local First movements.  


Dr Marlenga the founder of Kwanzaa wanted this day to remind us that we need to build businesses in our own communities as a way to strenghten and keep the community strong. Kwanzaa has been embraced worldwide. I think this is because so many other cultures are closer to the land deriving their livihood from the land.  


Black Americans and other communities are realizing they have to support local businesses to keep their communities strong. Local business provide jobs, support charities and are hands on in the communities that the owners live and work in. They have a vested interest in the community where they live.


We see examples of this Cooperative Economics at work in projects like the community farms in Detroit (http://bit.ly/sqSp7b). There are even conferences now that bring community farm directors from around the globe. The conference participants share what has worked in their community or country.  


The Local First movements have picked up on this theme to get people to shop at local stores and businesses. They education people on the impact their money can has when they keep it local. One such movement here in Arizona is spreading like wildfire. Here http://bit.ly/tpTmJb



www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/


Kwanzaa celebrations around the US. http://bit.ly/s7FlT3


How is your community using Cooperative Economics? Please share.

As always you can click on the heading to make purchases.


Michelle

Thank you to my Followers

As a thank you to my followers use code RTC50 for 50% off through January 1, 2012. Thank you all for chatting with me,  friending me and adding me to your circles on the various social medias. I appreciate the wonderful information, photos and inspirational messages you all have shared with me throughout the year.

As you prepare to go forward into 2012 I hope that all your hopes plans and dreams are fulfilled.

Wirequeen #2

For all the Mommies, don't forget to take me time so you too can enjoy the holidays. Smile

Whatever holidays you are celebrating please enjoy safely. From my family to yours happy holidays.

Michelle

Just for my Followers 50% off

Thank you for having followed me on my blog and social media sites. To say thank you for your patronage, here's a discount code for 50% off at my etsy site. http://www.etsy.com/shop/AmazonTC. Use code RTC to obtain the discount. The code is good through Sunday December 18, 2011 at midnight.

Be Blessed

Michelle



Enjoy the holidays.

QRS and Text Codes Explained for the Rest of Us

Do you know what QRS and Short (Text) codes are? I'm going to explain then for the non techies as they are the best marketing tools going. Both have a greater open rate than email. Lets start with QR codes or Quick Response codes.  These are scannable bar codes just like the grocery store that you embed pieces of info about your business. Mashable does a great job on explaining on video how they are created and how to use them. http://on.mash.to/uhrm1i 

My QR code for this blog.

The main thing I want you to take away is that they are good for business because the world is increasingly using their mobile phones for everything. You need to put your QR code on everything. Folks are more likely to respond to qr code or text messaging them to any other medium. You know yourself that you'll respond to a text message even as you ignore emails.

Short codes are five or six digit numbers that you assign a word to so that customers can text to receive information , discounts and promotions about your business.  The short codes are expensive so many use a service like I do to get your text word assigned. The word assigned to your short codes are those one word advertising messages you are accustomed to using to receive discounts for fast food.  Yes, you can use them for business. Mine is "jewelry" to 41242 for a discount code that can be used on my jewelry site (http://amazontc.etsy.com)
formerly wirequeen.


Text messages are great because you can also add your location and once someone is on your text list if they're near your shop they can receive a text giving them a discount or info on specials you are having. 

To sign up for your own text or short code go here http://live.yeptext.com/promocode/mshawkins55 use promo code mshawkins55 to receive 10% off your first month. 


Please leave questions or comments as these as I noticed there is a lot of confusion about these two great marketing tools.


The Amazon
Michelle

30 Days of Blogging. I'm Going for the Gold Again

Yes. I'm going to do it again 30days of blogging. I haven't done this in a while so I'm going to go for the gold and do it for November. This is kind of hard for me because I like doing current events and commenting on them as they happen. I did it this summer so we'll see. Sign up on my email or RSS to keep up with the nuggets I uncover. Smile

I will be transitioning  wirequeen brand back under the Amazon Trading Company (Amazon TC)as I restart my trading  in the waning months of this year.

See you tomorrow.

The Amazon

Michelle

Took A Break From Social Media

I had to take a break from social media. All those mindless platitudes and quotes to show how clever you can be were getting on my nerves. I like information I can use. Facebook may be the 300 pound gorilla in the room but it isn't paying my bills.  The endless changes are making it a job just to stay current without the resulting cash flow.

Notice how everyone's a social media expert these days. I'm in the beta group for everything Google rolls out. Yet, when I talk to these experts, they know less than I do. I'm almost getting to the point I don't want to go to networking events here in Arizona because most of the people who come are one of three professions, ie real estate, social media or a consultant. Notice none of them are producing anything. Although I did recently meet a charming young attorney whose practicing immigration and bankruptcy law which is near and dear to my heart as that's how I started out. I suggested she add business and go obtain certification in immigration by the American Bar Assocation. I hope she takes that free advice to heart.

I network like most people breathe, its second nature for me. You tell me you interested in turning waste into fuel, my mind will immediately go to sources for you to obtain the product as well as potential buyer. I had a woman once tell me I knew you were ill when you told me "I don't know". She went on to state she had never asked me a question I couldn't give her a resource for. I never thought about it until she told me that. Her comment made me realize what a resource person I am. I love knowledge for the sake of knowledge, an a voracious reader and information gather. I've prepped folks for encounters with other cultures both in the US and while they were overseas. More importantly my background in law and research makes me keep checking until I've confirmed the info to my satisfaction.

So now I'm setting down and putting pen to paper to monetize this skill as the new catch phrase goes. I'm not getting any younger and can't keep giving the info away. Smile

I haven't added any pictures because B'girl wasted nail polish remover on the laptop keyboard. Now I have to go buy another computer, a process I put up there with going to the dentist or the auto repair shop. That's what I'll be doing this weekend. Smile

Hope you have a great weekend.

Michelle

I am the Featured Artist on Etsy Artist of Color Blog

! http://eaoc.blogspot.com/2011/08/blog-love-wirequeen.html



Please look and share.

As always you can click on the title to purchase.

Wirequeen Blog Update

Hi All hope you are enjoying your summer. Make sure you take time to make memories with the kids. That is what they'll take into the future with them. The camping trip where Mommy and Daddie sang those wretched songs from the 70's. Smile Mighty Mud Mania, going to the park. The staycation at a local resort or amusement park. The making of the memories doesn't have to be expensive but it will mean you taking the time to make them. OK, stepping off my soapbox. Smile


Blog update. Featured Artist and Arts Organization will resume the first week in September. (School starts here the first week in August so that's a very busy month.) I will still be posting only in Scottsdale info and news you can use as well as new jewelry I've created. I'm reviving my trading company so I will be posting more international and probably the stones themselves before I create new pieces. I think I'm going to have them for sale as well so sign up for the newsletter and join the blog so you can get updates when I get my first shipments in.

My 30% off sale on Artfire is going on through July 31, 2011 http://bit.ly/qe7vbZ
As always you can click on the  title to make purchases on my wirequeen site.. 

I Won a Makeover Courtesy of the Phoenix Mercury

I won a Makeover courtesy of the Phoenix Mercury Women's Basketball Team. I entered the contest from a email. I was one of five winners selected. We went yesterday for the makeover. I was the only Black person. I asked the Director if her students had an knowledge of Black folks hair. Smile. She assured me they did.

I was reassured when the lady who was over the hair artists came over. She was an older spanish lady who knew exactly what I meant about the desert wicking the moisture out of my hair. So I felt more comfortable after she came over. One of the Mercury players was there and Mercury TV(?) did a brief interview with each winner. We had before and after shots done and numerous shots in between.

I had my daughter take photos and I am stitching them together to make a video. I'll do my big reveal on Saturday at 12:00 est. Stay tuned. Smile


As always you can click on the title to go to my store.

FYI Bikers Against Child Abuse BACA

This is for all those toiling in the Domestic Violence and many times the child abuse that occurs. Many times in Domestic Violence cases the child in left out in the cold. Mother is so busy trying to keep her boyfriend/husband/mate out of jail that the children feel their is no one to champion them.

Now you have another resource and the kids have a champion. Bikers Against Child Abuse motto is"No Child Should Live In Fear". They will go to court with the children. Be support system for the child and do what it takes to shield the child from further abuse.

If you working in Domestic Violence, child abuse or know a kid in either situation who could use this help please share the information with the child.

This is a resource that you need to share and take advantage of. Their website is http://bacaworld.org