Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is Karen Snyder and I've been a crafter for about as long as I can remember. I am a stay-at-home-Mama of two beautiful children with a husband who makes my dreams possible.

This blog is about all sorts of crafting. I am a paper-crafter from early days, a jewelry-maker with an unending obsession for chain maille. I make chain maille purses, many of which will be chronicled in this blog as their future owners await their completion. I love metalsmithing. I am an indifferent beader and don't get me anywhere near seed beads... they scatter, screaming to get away from me. I love to try new things, have a short attention span so if its a long-term project... I'm probably not doing it LOL.

If you have questions, ask. If you have tips, share. Same with suggestions - share! I want this to be a great forum for people to brainstorm and problem-solve with a good attitude. Crabby Apples need not respond, this is a feel-good kind of blog :)

Friday, August 20, 2010

The Kindness of (Facebook) Strangers

Bette's amazing wire work framing a heron cameo
Tonight, I'd like to introduce you to Bette from GemsCrystalsAndWire.  This post is going to come as a surprise to Bette -- I didn't tell her I was going to do it.  She'd have said thank you and then probably would have suggested someone else who would be a "better" candidate.  Ergo, I didn't ask

Bette creates the kind of jewelry that screams "Artist" so loud it echoes.  She's not had the easiest life, but that's not my story to tell.  My story is about a lady who reached out to a Facebook newbie, namely me, and helped me learn my way around.  She's been an unfaltering source of information, hints, tips and encouragement.  She has shared my work with so many others and brought fans to my page by the droves.  You'll see almost daily shout-outs from Bette about other artists who need more fans and whose work deserves more attention than it is getting.  I appreciate Bette on so many levels, but first and foremost, I appreciate her kindness and decency to me, a total Facebook stranger.  If you aren't already a fan, go check out her Facebook fan page here and you can see her beautiful work on ArtFire here.  Tell her Karen sent you over with a great big basket full of love and admiration :)

13 comments:

  1. Posted article on facebook.

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  2. Gorgeous feature and wonderful work! The heron bracelet is just amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing Bette with us!

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  3. Thank you Jamie -- Bette is just an amazing artist AND person. This bracelet is one of those pieces that I saw and thought, "WOW!"

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  4. She is a lovely person, and very sharing, I will share this tomorrow, so nice of you to write about her!

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  5. Thanks Eileen! Bette's the one who's nice, I'm just telling the tale :)

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  6. What a beautiful post :). I have now become a Facebook 'liker' of Bette's page and look forward to seeing more of her lovely work.

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  7. I am shocked Karen!
    I checked my fan page this morning and saw all these posts about your blog post and thought:
    "What blog post?" And here it is..
    Wow! I'm honored and humbled...
    Thank you so much for making my Saturday morning completely wonderful.. *sniff* *hugs*
    Bette

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  8. LOL Bette -- I'm so happy I could add something to your Saturday morning! You know I think you're awesome and this was just a small way to share with others how much you've done to help me :)

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  9. I have to agree Karen. Bette is just amazing! She is so caring, talented and such an artist. She definitely deserved this. :)

    Karen, you are just as wonderful as Bette! You did what Bette did for you for me... make sense? lol! You have helped me out so much. Especially to realize that all of us artists need to stick together and help each other out! :)

    <3love to you both!!!
    -Ashlie Maxwell

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  10. Oh Ashlie -- thank you so much! I'm teary eyed over here! I really believe that the artist community helps and supports one another like no other community I have seen, and I consider it a priviledge to be a part of that. I love that you feel I've been a help to you, that makes me feel so proud! Much love right back atcha girl :)

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  11. I'm with Ashlie! Bette is wonderful, but you did for me what she did for you, so that makes you pretty wonderful in my book! <3

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