this is the month for orders

December everyone is thinking about gift giving.  Well I can tell you that can give is handmade jewelry made by me. I have already had a few orders for a bracelet and rings.  Also I have my jewelry displayed at Urban Mill coffee shop this month.   I have offical run out of beading string, so I have been crocheting insted untill i can get more string.  My head is full of designs.

urban mill show coming up.

well when ever I get the call from the lady that puts on the craft show I will be there selling my jewelry and spreading awareness about FAS.  I am excited to be asked back again. i have alot of new bracelets and rings this time around. and I hape i sell alot more then i did in August.   But lately I haven't been making  jewelry, I have been crocheting with plastic bags.  and i am kind of in need to colored plastic grochery/shirt bags. I have been taking a break from jewelry, untill I sell some.  Pics to come soon.
sorry about the website.  I will have to try to figure out how to post it so you all can get  to it.

Happy Thanksgiving

I came up with this idea just the other day, and have made a few of them.

Hope you8 all have/a wonderful day with family and friends.  I hope you have alot to be grateful for.  I know I do.  One thing i am thankful for is my gift of doing beadwork and other crafting.  God has been good to me this year as far as my jewelry and Fetal Alcohol story goes. i have spread the word  to others about FAS through my jewelry.  And here are a few pics of beaded and crocheted stuff I have made.

getting hooked on crocheting

                                           first try at crocheting with plastic bags.  Placemat


so last weekend i went to a recycled craft show where everything was made out of things that were considered trash.  When I got home I started learning to crochet via youtube.  so thats what I have been doing this week.  So here are some pics of  the crocheting I have done, and a few bracelets i did.

yeah for me, I am done til spring

                              Bracelet on the top is red not orange, I have yet to make an orange one

Flat Spiral bracelet made on 11-2-11

And i have been constently beading. I have made several bracelets and a few rings.  I am not getting sick of it yet, you can say I have been bitten by the bug.  I was asked by one of the girls at Urban Mill if i would be intersested in selling my jewelry there in December.  and of course I said yes    Seeing  that I have alot of time now.  i am pretty excited  about new designs I have made.

one more day to work

yup in the fall i only work about two months. those two months just flew by    The fall activities at Koetsier's can be kind of fun.   But at the same time over whelming.  But over the last couple of days i have been making alot of 2 drop peyote bracelets.  my jewelry inventory is adding up before my eyes.  sometimes it seems to take forever for a bracelet to get finished, and sometimes its done before you know it.  So now that tomorrow is my last day working you can only guess what i will be doing this winter months....Beading madly.   So here a few pics of the bracelet i made.

what a crazy couple weeks

the last couple weeks haven't been all that great. two weeks ago from today my grandma was admitted into the hospital with side and back pains. and for days they couldn't figure out what was wrong.  then just last week they found something and did surgery to fix it.  I thought now that its taken care of she would be on the road to recovery  and now she is not doing good.  I ask for prayers for her and our family as we go through this.

in all of this i have been working and making bracelets.   there is one that I just finished and it took me three days to complete. i think you will be amazed.

pics i forgot to post

                                                                 above:orders

ok so i just went through my pics and realized that I haven't posted them yet, so here they are. Enjoy

Newest bracelets

Well remember in the last post I was doing different peyote weaves. ( regular, 2drop, and 3 drop)  here are two bracelets I did with the two drop, and a few other bracelets i did a while ago.  and few rings.
Enjoy( feel free to leave a comment)

regular, 2drop, 3 drop peyote

well I bet you are wondering what that means.  they are different sizes of one kind of beadweaving stitch. For the past few days i have been looking at jewelry on Etsy.com and I have seen some of these and thought they were pretty cool so i have tried them myself.  I am working on a 3 drop peyote bracelet now.  And I am thinking of starting themes with my bracelets.  "flowers" is the theme I am going to start with. 
As of friday I have started back to work at the greenhouse for the fall plants and activities.  so not so much time for beading now, but in two months i will be done working for the year. And i will have plenty of time in the winter to get an inventory of bracelets and rings done.   will have pictures soon.

remembering the tragedy

Sept 11 2001  we were all struck when the towers got struck.  This panic, the terror, the sadness, the unknown.   Where were you when the towers were struck?  It was my freshman year and i was in choir my first class of the day. 
Now 10 yesars later we still are shaken  as we watch replays of the towers getting hit, people trying to get out, and the building crumbling to the ground.  Still so sad, but we still stand united at a country. 

sold alot of bracelets

                                                               the newest bracelets and rings

                                                            the Hospital that got hit in Joplin, Mo. 
                                        below: more distruction.  there was miles and miles of damage.
                                this reminded me of   New Orleans  after Katrina went through

my dad took my younger brother, younger sister and I on a relief trip through his work, and gthe national relief network. We went down to Joplin, Mo to help clean up after the tornadoes.  it was agood experience. It was pretty sad to, to see all the houses, the highschool and the hospital that got hit.  but on the bus ride home i passed around my card and alot of people bought some of my jewelry.  I made $65. now I have to replenish my stash of bracelets, because thats what i sold the most. only sold 2 rings I guess its " when you got the chance to spread awareness, don't hesitat, do it.

back from camp

 creature rings. 

Home Sweet home. had alot of fun meeting new people. i learned alot.  this is a camp I will never forget.  here are some pics of a few bracelets I have made a few weeks ago, and pics for the camp  the bottom pic is my beading students. there were a few ladies there wanted to learn bead weave.

Reminder: if you see a bracelet or ring you like, but want different colors just email me and let me know and I will make it for you special order.  erindekorte@gmail.com

weekend for camp

this afternoon my mom and I leave for Camp Henry for a weekend of  Fun, fellowship and learning with other adults with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.  Its the second time my mom and I have been to a camp for young adults with FAS.  I will have pics when I get home.

crazy week

well I had the show at Urban mill this morning(didn't sell anything,)  Tomorrow and wednesday I have stuff going on, and to end the week Thursday-sunday I will be at the FAS camp.  I don't think I have had a week this crazy ina while.  but soon it will all be over and we can get on to next weeks busyness. 

Another FAS meeting today

Today I had to get up early to go to Lansing for a Task force meeting.  there are alot of people interested in preventing FAS.  We talked about not just helping infant to 18 year olds with FAS, but expanding and helping those 18 and older.   I also was able to talk about what I am doing as far as FAS awareness with my well I guess small business making and selling my jewelry. And I brought my bracelets and rings. and one person bought a bracelet and I have an order for a bracelet and a ring.  Oh and I also told them that I had an oppertunity to give my testimony in front of church a few months ago.   so you can say I have been pretty busy, and I am not even working.  this jewelry is taking up most of my time and i really like that.  I don't think I will want to go back to work. 

Here are some pics  I am also making little beaded baskets for little gifts. and i am going to put a small bag of jelly beans in them. this is just one of 3 that I have made.

the story

I know I have handed out many card with my FAS story, but i thought maybe i should also put it up on my blog. 

 My name is Erin, and I am an adult with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

And this is the story behind the jewelry and why it’s the way it is. 

The reason why there are wrong colored beads  in my jewelry is to show that I may look perfect on the outside but on the inside I’m not

Let me tell you a little bit about myself,

A few summers ago while watching TV with my mom a commercial

Came on for a show called “I didn’t know I was pregnant” and my mom said I know Your old enough to know this now, but your birth mom didn’t know she was Pregnant with you, due to all the years she had been drinking.

It took me days, even weeks to process this, I really didn’t know how to feel

I had two choices, one to be angry and wonder why God didn’t let her know she was Pregnant with me, so maybe she would stop. Or consider my life a miracle, and thank God for protecting me the months I was in her.  So that’s what chose.  God is amazing.

I have had many difficulties going up with FAS.  The learning aspect, and the social Aspect.

Due to the effects of FAS I have only reached 4’8” in height.  I am blind in my

Right eye. and am unable to drive because of it But that hasn’t stopped me from accomplishing other things like making and selling my jewelry

Pics from the show

Pics of the setup and me working on a bracelet while sitting there

so far so good

well You know i was @ Urban Mills Coffee shop the beginning of this week. (mon &tues) and i think i did pretty well for the first time selling my Jewelry. i will be there mondays and tuesdays all month.  And I have talked to alot of people. I met a lady yesterday that had I believe a step daughter who had FAE(Fetal Alcohol Effects) which is a more mild case on the spectrum. and she bought a bracelet. it was good to talk to her. I also got an email from a guy who picked up one of my cards which was very encouraging.  I will have pics up as soon as i can get the internet up and working at home.  This dream is coming alive, and its getting me really excited.

July Jewelry

This is it the last week before the mini craft show are Urban Mill.  And believe me i am working hard to get bracelets and rings done.  I have set a goal for this week. to get about 2 bracelet and 2 rings done a day.  I am getting really excited to sell my jewelry and share my FAS story. Also get awareness out about FAS. the top pic is some coaster i made from pony beads.  I might even add them with my jewelry to sell.

what a day

Well today rob took me to Urban Mill coffee shop for lunch, and to meet a lady that works there that is also puting on this mini craft show there.  She was excited to meet me and loved my jewelry.  She was a very energetic person.  Rob also got me a ring sizer, and printed off more cards.  I now have everything i need, including a cashbox.  So this is going to be like a really business for me.  Last year I would have never dreamed of this happening.  I was always a dreamer, but nerver really put my dreams into action. and with the support of Rob and other people i am actually going to make a dream come alive!   And believe me  I have been working hard on bracelets and rings.  this week I have to work, and I know that when i am at work I will be sweating and thinking of beads.  I think i might have some 'seperation anxiety" from my beads.  I didn't have to work all last week.  but I know they will be waiting for me when I get home.

post 21

we have a Fetal Alcohol Syndrome camp coming up in August. i am really looking forward to it, because I am helping to plan it. we have alot of fun things planned and a few professional speak about FAS.   but lately since I haven't been working, you can only guess what I have been doing during the day, well besides helping take care of kids.  Unfortuneatly its been to hot for the kids to play outside so it pretty crazy around here.  here are some new pics  the white, blue and black one is one I made for a former teacher. i am excited because I get to meet with her tomorrow for brunch.

Upcoming event

My friend Rob told me about a micro art sale that Urban Mills coffee shop is having in August. Rob asked if I would be interested in selling my jewelry there, and of course i said yes.  Getting the message out about Fetal Alcohol Sydrome is what my jewelry and message is all about.  I am super excited and have been beading my brains out for the last couple weeks getting ready for the show.   so here are some pics for the bracelets and rings I have made. 

Fourth of July weekend

top: rings I have made in the last few days,
bottom: 1 of the bracelets i made for my neighbor.

Well i have been very busy this past week and weekend with work, and beading, and celebrating the holiday up at the cottage.   I have made alot of rings in the last couple days.  And just yesterday i showed my nieghbor some of the rings and bracelets, and she wanted 2 bracelets the same colors for her and her friend.  so i got those done yesterday and today.  I can get bracelets and rings done pretty quickly when i done work.   besides i would rather be home in the air conditioning then at work bored and sweating.