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My Vintage Glass Mardi Gras Beads

When I started making jewelry, I often chose beads from my stash of broken vintage glass Mardi Gras beads. I didn’t fully recognize the value and legacy these “throws” – trinkets thrown to the crowds from floats during Mardi Gras parades. These throws are a part of my history, my culture, and my legacy. That part – legacy.

This is my last intact strand of vintage glass Mardi Gras beads.
One of my great-aunts or great-uncles caught them for me and doubled or tripled them before placing them around my 5-year-old neck. The strand is about because they were so long. I can’t remember which parade it was that passed by my maternal grandmother’s house, but I do remember losing track of the parade as I marveled at how beautiful and different each bead was.

Now I want to find out who made the beads, who strung and linked the necklaces, and who else kept a few of these extraordinary treasures over the years.

Loose vintage glass Mardi Gras beads from my remaining stash

New Classes & Workshops With Amy!

Click to watch video newsletter 4

Happy September!

In this video, I talk about some of the things that did and did not happen last month. Don’t fret though! There’s lots coming up. So much that I’m considering creating an events calendar… I’ll give that more thought, and a if you have an opinion, please let me know.

In the meantime, here are the links to register for my classes:

6 – 22
September2022
Memory Jewelryhttps://whitebeararts.org/inspire_events/j1a3-memory-jewelry/
6 – 8:30 pmWhite Bear Center for the Arts
7 & 21
September2022
Upcycled Jewelryhttps://springboardforthearts.org/events/wait-you-made-that-out-of-this-cool/
1 – 3 pmSpringboard for the Arts

AAJ at Open Streets Franklin

This weekend, Amy A Jewelry was out in the streets – Open Streets Franklin Avenue, that is.

As one of Springboard for the Arts‘ artists who was selected for their Ready Made platform, I was invited to set up a vendor table under Springboards’ tent.

Thank goodness for that tent (provided by Seward Community Co-op, one of the event sponsors)!
There were occasional storm bursts throughout the day, but they cooled the temp down and brought even more people into the tent – which gave us artists and the Springboard Career Consultants more opportunities to interact with event attendees.

I hadn’t attended an event as a vendor in the many many years since my young people were little people, I didn’t have the extra hands to help me carry things, so I brought what I could manage (more on that in an upcoming post). It felt like I brought too few of my pieces, but it turned out to be just the right amount.

It was fun getting back in the swing of being an artist-vendor. I met a lot of lovely people – other artists and new customers alike.

~ Amy

Celebrations and Milestones

Today is my 60th Birthday!!
Outside of milestones related to my jewelry art, I have rarely celebrated myself. But this one feels different, special, and I am so ready to dance into the next part of my life!

New Orleans and Mardi Gras are playing prominently in my celebration today:
One of my dear sister-friends from Tulane sent me a Praline Pecan King Cake from Joes Cafe LA – oh my stars, it’s delicious.



Then, the 2021 Mardi Gras poster I’d ordered from CeauxArtwork arrived, with a little somethin’ extra that just about had me in tears and definitely brought me back to watching the festivities from my grandmother’s stoop. Please do yourself a favor and check out his work for yourself.

Tonight I will enjoy the red beans I’ve been cooking for days (you heard me) while listening and dancing to a Mardi Gras music special put together by another one of my dear Tulane friends @kadoss114 on his weekly program FJS (funky, jazzy, smooth) with KD on Spreaker. Check his program out at 7 central, 8 eastern.
I also added an Aloe vera and a Venus flytrap to my plant baby family in my studio.

I’m looking forward to creating and celebrating more milestones this year.

Big Hugs and Onward!

~ Amy

The Celebration Begins

This past weekend, I posted this short video with the link to my birthday + Amy A Jewelry anniversary sale code.
Wait what – you haven’t subscribed to my newsletter? Then… how are you going to take advantage of my 40% off celebration? Check the link below this video to get in on the what’s happening at Amy A Jewelry first!

Click this link to sign up for my newsletter. I’m leaning toward most of them being in video form like this one and my first one.
Have a lovely day!
~ Amy

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The Celebration Begins