National Chocolate Day!

Who knew... today is National Chocolate Day! For me I think we should celebrate chocolate everyday!

I love chocolate, well, actually anything sweet and have been know to eat an entire cheesecake by myself (not in one sitting). But I definitely have a sweet spot for chocolate. It can be in any form, brownies, candy, cakes, etc. There is something comforting about chocolate. With the seductive wonderful feel it has as you bite into a piece of chocolate it can take all the cares in the world away.

As far back as I can remember, my favorite chocolate has been Melt Aways by Fannie May. A box of those would light up my face. Something so wonderful about the combination of chocolate and mint. It was the inspiration behind my Chocolate Mint collection and as I tell customers at the shows "anything I can associate with food I will! The inspiration behind the collection was those sweet memories of Melt Aways. The combination of creamy mint glass with touches of smokey quartz is one of my and customer favorites.It was one of my first palettes and I think it will always be in the line!

The Chocolate Mint Collection

Once again mint is appearing in fashion and accessories this year and Pantone chose a minty version called Hemlock as one of their key colors for Spring. Mint has a delicate and romantic feel to it and I'm not surprised that it is appearing in many wedding palettes. Paired with pale pink is such a beautiful combination and with touches of a smoky brown or gold it adds just the right contrast. One of the boards I love to follow is from the Perfect Palette. A wonderful collection of wedding inspiration. If you or someone you know is getting married it is a great blog to follow also.

For designs available in Chocolate Mint visit my Etsy Store. It also will make the perfect gift for the chocolate lover in your life and a sweet Valentine's Day gift! You may also want to follow Donna Sauers Designs on Pinterest and my mint board where I have been having fun pinning all things in this creamy wonderful color!

Chocolate Mint Circle Necklace

Chocolate Mint Toggle

So have fun celebrating National Chocolate Day with me. And if you are in areas that are experiencing the polar vortex (again) have a cozy cup of hot chocolate!

Cheers to 2014... and Welcome Radiant Orchid!

Happy New Year!!

It's hard to believe that another year is already coming to a close. One thing I always look forward to is the introduction of Pantone's color of the year and love the wonderful hue of Radiant Orchid. Visions of new designs for Spring and Summer are already dancing in my head and filling up my sketchbook!

“While the 2013 color of the year, Emerald, served as a symbol of growth, renewal and prosperity, Radiant Orchid reaches across the color wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “An invitation to innovation, Radiant Orchid encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today’s society.”

“An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.”

Pantone Color of the Year 2014 - Radiant Orchid

Many versions of Radiant Orchid from bright jewel tone to soft and subtle lilac were seen on the runway at the Milan Fashion show. And the glorious hue is popping up in everything from handbags, shoes, jewelry, and nail polish. It is the pop of color to keep you on-trend as we launch into the new year!

And like most trends....everything old is new again. I love the vintage cover from Vogue 1957 (would love that car too!)

Vogue August 1957

So stay tuned to see all the new designs in Radiant Orchid as we head into a new year! Follow me on Pinterest where I collect my favorite fashion trends and also pin my new designs. And of course there are other sides to me also...like my favorite desserts! Now I just have to finish a few orders and then I can launch into the wonderful world of Orchid!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from Donna Sauers Designs! I hope these next days bring you much joy as you share the season with family and friends. Thank you for your support this year... it is a gift that I receive throughout the year!

I have been having fun collecting recipes, gift wrapping ideas, and beautiful photos of the season to my Pinterest board "'Tis the Season" and hope you enjoy some of them too!

'Tis the Season for Cookies, Cooking, and Entertaining!

Some of my favorite childhood memories of Christmas were the massive amount of cookies that seemed to effortless emerge from our kitchen. My mom was a wonderful cook and loved to entertain. I guess that is where I get my passion for cooking. I grew up cooking. It wasn't something you feared, it was joyful, and I wasn't afraid to try new recipes and experiment with my original creations. And taking on major projects was something that I found challenging like the year (I was in high school) that I decided I was going to make Pierogis. I have to say that the kitchen was a disaster...but I ended up with many batches of those wonderful delights with 3 different fillings. I still remember those fondly and wish I could find the recipe for my Aunt's dough that I apparently tucked away for safe keeping and now cannot locate.

Like in many families today, the annual baking events that happen in kitchens everywhere are a time of creating sweet treats made from love to be shared with friends and family. A time for generations to gather to create some of the sweetest edible treasures that will be made in the kitchen all year. I love the tradition and my memories of making peanut butter cookies for my dad and lovingly wrapping in a tin and placing them under the tree. It seems like only yesterday that I was placing those signature cross hashes in the dough.

One of my new favorite cookie recipes is for macadamia nut cookies with a creamy vanilla frosting. A sweet little treat that also looks so festive at the holidays. I always receive requests for these little delights so I am posting it for you to try. You won't be disappointed!

I like to bake, but my first love is cooking and appetizers. There is something satisfying about creating the best selection of delightful little bites for an event. For me I love the menu planning and creating just the right combination of ingredients, textures, color, etc. And like most of my friends who are artists... it is all about presentation! Anyone who comes to my house for a party knows there will be an abundance of food! I can't help myself and I get great joy out of cooking and entertaining for friends. I sometimes cater for non-profits and am always excited by the challenge of creating a menu on a minimal budget. I have also gotten pretty good at making appetizers and deserts for 100+ out of my little kitchen!

I have a slight issue with wanting to collect massive amounts of cookbooks. Seeing a shelf of cookbooks is like dangling something shiny in front of me...I can't resist! And I know I am not the only one that likes to take a cookbook to bed and read them like a good book. Sometimes it is like diving into a fantasy world and deserts I can only dream about making!  And after reading Julia Child My Life in France, I now have a greater appreciation for her books, recipes, and the research and love that went into each one. Some cookbooks I have acquired because I loved them for their specific category, or they have beautiful pictures. or I found myself drooling over the descriptions of the various recipes, but I find that I have a couple go-to books that are my tried and true. One of my favorites is the Antoinette-Pope Cookbook which is my mom's copy. It is dogeared, food-stained, and well loved. It brings back memories of my early days in the kitchen. When I am catering my "bible" is Hors D'oeuvres by Eric Treuille and Victoria Blashford-Snell. And when I need a sugar fix or wonderful recipes for sweet treats I pull out the cookbook from Magnolia Bakery (hmmm... I am going to have to do that soon!)

Two of my favorite cookbooks

Just a few of my cookbooks! I have several more bookcases filled with them.

I hope that you are creating magic in the kitchen during the holidays (or if you don't like to cook have some good friends who do!). I also am a firm believer in getting kids involved early and making cooking a delightful and "artful" experience. Give them tasks to do while baking and cooking this holiday season and contribute to another generation of wonderful cooks who embrace the art of cooking!



P.S. Follow me on Pinterest and my boards on Sweet Indulgence, Entertaining, and 'Tis the Season for holiday ideas!

Give the Gift of Handmade this Season!

The holidays are around the corner and fortunately I have crossed everyone off my list! I need to be done early because during the holidays I am busy filling orders and thankful that my clients have chosen my designs to give as gifts. But I am also fortunate that I know a lot of artists and throughout the year I find treasures for everyone on my list.

Giving the gift of handmade has two benefits. One, you find personalized gifts for those special people in your life that you wouldn't find at a big box store. It is a one-of-a-kind gift that no one else will receive and shows that you have put an extra effort into your selection for them. And two, you support the arts and artists when you buy handmade! In my opinion, many people win when you decide to buy handmade.

So this season shop your local galleries and boutiques that offer handmade items. Visit the websites of those artists that you have seen at the art fairs to find that special gift. It is more personal than a gift card, and I can guarantee that they won't be secretly wondering if you included a gift receipt in the box as they try to put on a convincing smile.

Happy shopping for that one-of-a-kind gift! Let me know if you need a personal elf and I can put you in touch with an artist that can help you be the "favorite Santa" at the holidays!

The Beauty of Leaves in Glass

I was at a show one day and heard someone say "the leaf lady is here". I looked around to see who she was talking about and realized it was me! I love making glass leaf beads and at some point they became a signature element in most of my designs.  

One would think that I was inspired by nature, the beauty of the outdoors, and my love of gardening, but the truth of the matter is that it was inspired by my friend and talented glass artist Jerry Catania of Water Street Glassworks. Long ago I started blowing glass in their studio and Jerry would sometimes incorporate beautiful leaves in his pieces. I loved the look and of course his incredible talent always amazed me. As much as I tried my leaves never looked like his! When I began lampworking I started making little leaf beads. My first attempts did not resemble leaves at all (I recently found one and it took me a moment to realize it was a leaf!). But I kept experimenting and finally came up with a process, and leaf design, that I was happy with. Now it is my favorite bead to make and I love the look it gives to my designs. 

Each leaf is made by hand and starts with a thin disc-like bead. I then let the glass "droop" off  the rod in order to elongate the shape and the molten glass is formed into a leaf using pliers.  There are leaf molds that you can press the leaf shape into the glass, but I prefer to form them with pliers so they have a more organic and individual look to each leaf. I have learned not to attempt leaf beads after a venti coffee! The photos above are the finished leaves while they are still on the rods. No, that is not snow in the studio it is the fire blanket that I use to cool the beads. I like etching the clear glass leaves to give them a frosty glow. It reminds me of elements in Lalique. They are dipped in acid to give them a soft look. These are some of my favorite and I love combining them in my Symphony in White designs.

Symphony in White long cluster necklace

The images below are some of my early pieces and when the leaves started to become an element in my designs. My work has evolved over the years, but the leaves remain a signature in my designs. I knew my customers liked them too since they were drawn to pieces with leaves and when I do custom work I often hear "make sure there is a leaf in it!

Early work and the introduction of leaves

So as I work in my studio watching the leaves fall I am happily making leaf beads. I would rather be making leaves than being out there raking them... but I guess I am going to have to do that too one of these days. But they can wait until tomorrow.

Frequently Asked Questions at Art Fairs - "How long did it take you to make this?"

One of the questions I am frequently asked when I am exhibiting at an art fair is "how long did it take you to make this piece". Yes, any of us who do shows hear this often no matter what medium we are in. Some artists roll their eyes, others have witty responses like "it has taken me 40 years to perfect my art", but for me it is an opportunity to explain what goes into the piece. It is not only the number of hours that it takes to assemble the design, but all the steps along the way to even get to that point. So I thought I would take a moment to illustrate the process that I go through when developing new designs.

The Collection

Before I even begin working on the specific designs I develop the palettes that will be in the collection. I create a Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collection.  The process starts with tracking color and fashion trends for the season and using various websites for research including Pantone and Fashion Trendsetters just to name a few and also attending fashion trade shows. For me I also use Pinterest and pin colors that attract me which could be in any form including nature photos, fabric swatches, artwork, food, etc. It sometimes helps me to break that creative block and you never know when inspiration will strike!

The Designs

My designs are always evolving but there are various elements that remain constant. My work has an asymmetrical look to them and I consider my pieces a composition. There are elements of color, movement, and texture that come together to create an interesting piece. When creating new designs I take time to sketch out rough ideas. Actually I do that on a regular basis and always have some sort of scrap paper with me for those times that I have an idea and know I will lose it if I wait!

The Process

The image above illustrates the various steps that it takes to make a bead. I always get asked "how long does it take to make a bead"? There are many steps and types of beads so it is hard to determine how long one takes! Besides making the beads they also have to be cleaned which is my least favorite part of the process. Somehow standing over a sink with a Dremel cleaning beads one by one is not the most exciting thing in the world. After the beads are sparkly clean I "size" them which is the process of matching "pairs" that will be used in earrings and the rest will be used in other pieces. I call this part of the process TV work since I can do it watching my favorite programs.

Below is my assembly area. It is our family kitchen table from the 50's and a perfect size. I guess you could say I still work at the kitchen table! I have a hard time keeping it neat and tidy.. mainly because when it is I seem to get a creative block. It's like staring at a blank canvas or piece of paper. But also I like it that way because sometimes happy accidents happen and I will find new color combinations or designs because the beads and components come together in ways I hadn't imagined.

And then the finished designs! It is satisfying for me to stand in my booth and realize that somehow it all comes together. And then there is the other question I hear frequently... "did you make all this?"...um...YES!