christina kober supports japan + i'm moving

through the month of march, 5% of all sales on christina kober designs website and etsy store will be donated toward emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies to Japan via ShelterBox USA.

i'm moving, my new blog address is... christinakober.tumblr.com

02.10.2011

i recall saying "it's going to be a big year"

well so far this has rung true...

today is dan and my 3 year anniversary.

we have been engaged for 2 weeks now.

we went to biltmore to celebrate our anniversary.

he asked me to be mrs. dan.

i said yes.

01.25.2011

I decided to take a class this year to hone my skills in a new direction... drawing. Honestly, the only art classes I ever took were in elementary and middle school. So I have no structured art background, except for my jewelry training.

When I have tried to render custom designs, the series of lines and weird chicken scratches leave my customers scratching their heads and me to say... "I'll just make a model in metal. Then you can see what I'm talking about."

Long story short, I started taking a drawing class last Monday. Last night was our first night to DRAW! I got to class and I was nervous, so much so my hands were sweating. And then I started to rethink my seat, as I am in the front row and didn't want anyone sitting behind me to think... "wow that girl can't draw!"

But once I got started I was so engrossed in my shading, smearing, and erasing. The next thing I knew I had a drawing. That I drew.

I'm as proud as a peacock of my picture. I want to hang it on the refrigerator.

goodbye 2010.

what a year... ultimately i must say thank you for all the wonderful things that came my way, both personally and with my business. it's now time to look forward with excitement of what's to come.

hello 2011.

i love the idea of a new year. i always feel fresh and new. a new bundle of 365 days. a time make goals and strive to reach them.

2011 is going to be a big year. i feel it in my bones.

{image frank chimero}

12 days of Christmas

A ho ho holiday sale: receive 10% off all orders for 12 days!
Use the coupon code at check out: 10SNOW

christinakober.etsy.com

or

christinakoberdesigns.com

offer is valid from December 1, 2010 until December 12.

make sure you check out order deadlines to be sure you do get your order in time.

christina kober designs
invites you to



Get out of the stale air-conditioning
to enjoy the cooling shade of century old trees in Grant Park.

Saturday, August 28, 2010 10a.m. until 7p.m.
Sunday, August 29, 2010 10a.m. until 7p.m.
for more location information please visit
http://gpconservancy.org/node/25

The festival is located along the shaded pedestrian roadways of historic Grant Park, Atlanta's oldest public park. The weekend is filled with a variety of featured events including the Artist Market, food vendors, 5K run for the park, live music and a children's fun center. And, don't forget Corks & Forks - A Fine Food & Wine Event featuring top chefs/restaurants each day and some of the coolest wines/ales to hit the market.

Christina Kober Designs

invites you to

Celebrating 27 years of
art, food, & fun


Saturday, June 5, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Artist Market closes at 6:30 p.m.)
Sunday, June 6, 2010, 10:00 am to 6:00 p.m.
for more location information please visit:
www.vahi.org/summerfest.html

Visitors to Summerfest can celebrate the beginning of summer by shopping for original art in a variety of media - and by enjoying great food and an exceptional array of live music presented by radio station parbrer 929 davetm(92.9 FM). This year's event also features a 5K race on Saturday moming along with activities designed for children in the KidsFest area in John Howell Park, adjacent to Arcadia.

Summerfest takes place along tree-lined Virginia Avenue, in the heart of the historic and charming Virginia-Highland neighborhood.

I hope to see y'all there!

www.christinakoberdesigns.com

a photo shoot

a couple weeks ago I had a photo shoot with a friend from high school, Alicia Holman. it's something I have been meaning to do. I have no pictures of me, professionally taken that aren't from my dancing days.

Alicia came over on a Saturday morning and she began clicking away. Alicia brought her little assistant, her beautiful daughter, who was such a joy to be around and provided the entertainment for the morning.

I will say I felt really silly most of the time, having all that attention focused on me, not my jewelry. And I really wasn't quite sure what to do with my facial expressions. Alicia finally said, "you CAN smile, you enjoy making jewelry don't you?" Which made me laugh and relax.

So here are the photos... I love them! Thank you, Alicia!

Soldering.

Alicia asked me what my favorite tool was... definitely my old refinished rolling mill my Dad gave me.

Forming a 22K gold bezel. The stone is an amazonite. {I really should have had a manicure for this}

Look what a maniac I am with that hammer!

preparing wire to be a ring shank. I promise I do enjoy making jewelry... my face just doesn't show it!

This is a shot of my new studio. I love the color of the walls... matches the aqua blue I use in my logo and packaging.

A few head shots with my favorite tool.

This was the photo I was most excited about. But my fortune cookies look so small compared to my large noggin!

studio 05.01.2010

holy stones... I got in spring cleaning mode this morning and finally organized all my stones (those few that I have to set...HA!) Looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me!

Inman Park Festival

I keep saying that I'm going to start writing more, and it's an empty promise. I apologize. My excuse is a good one though...I've tied up making jewelry and getting ready for all these upcoming Spring Shows!

I'm excited to invite y'all to my first BIG show! Inman Park Festival this weekend, April 24 & 25.

Atlanta, GA 30307

April 24 & 25

11am - 6pm

for more location information please visit:
www.inmanparkfestival.org

Come out to this fun festival in this great eclectic part of town and bring your friends and family! I will be releasing some new designs for Mother's Day & some new special edition pieces that will only be available for a short time!

Don't forget to take Marta, it drops you right at the show!

I hope to see y'all there!

The Beehive Grand Opening Friday, April 16

Who: The Beehive Atlanta

What: The Grand Opening Party of our new location at the Edgewood Shopping Center

When: Friday, April 16 from 6pm-10pm

Where: 1250 Caroline St, Ste C120
Atlanta, GA 30307

Why: Meet & Mingle with all the designers + 15% off all purchases. And all the cool people are doing it!

I'm kicking off the Spring Show season this Saturday, April 10 at the Suzuki School's Artist Market.

Come by and check it out!

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/christinakober

it's march already?

it has been nearly 2 months since my last post. I wanted to say hello, I haven't forgotten about you, my dears. I actually think about you often and have been missing you.

I am hoping that in the next few weeks my life will finally slow down and I will be writing again. I am really starting to feel, in my bones, the fatigue from working 12+ hours a day.

just a little update for you :

1. new jewelry is coming soon. i promise! A little something for Mother's Day and a little something for Fathers on their day too.
2. some of you may already know, but the Beehive in Atlanta is moving!
3. I have been taking a jewelry class on Mondays. I have missed learning.
4. Dan and I are moving... into a house! It's a rental, in Decatur and we are moving March 20. And if you were curious...I have insisted that there will be no house buying until there is a ring on my finger... from Dan that is.
5. I hired the new bookkeeper at JFF (which is funny considering I have never been formally interviewed myself!)

I must get back to work. Trying to get my taxes prepared...and West Side Story is on TMC!

settling in

Do you ever have those days (days, weeks, or even months) when you feel like you are running to catch up? That is what my life has been this past month.

Our secretary at my day job (JFF Jeweler Supply) was diagnosed with cancer. It was all very sudden, she knew something was wrong, she went to the doctor and they told her she had multiple meyloma. She began treatment immediately. She is a wonderful woman and definitely a fighter.

In the meantime it has left a huge gaping hole at JFF. Not only because we are missing a working member of the business (our secretary/bookkeeper), but she is a life-long friend (as she was our neighbor when I was growing up). In the meantime, I have been working longer hours at JFF to get all the work done then move to work in my studio.

But I can't dwell on the negative. We must push forward. So here are the things I am working on in my studio in the next few weeks :
I am working on a men's line.
I am sending my jewelry to Beehive New York. (which will be for sale beginning Feb 1)
I am making some new rings.
I am working on making a main web page.

In personal life news, Dan and I will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary February 10. Things have been wonderful with us and I'm super excited because we have a reservation at Craft to celebrate!

Also, Dan and I are taking another trip up to New York/New Jersey, February 12-14. I know it's going to be SUPER cold but I am excited for the trip. We are going primarily to celebrate Dan's father's 75th birthday. But we have also scheduled in time to visit the Beehive New York store! I am so excited to go check it out! We will also sneak in a quick visit with Dan's friends, who I now consider my friends as well. :)

You never can expect the bumps in the road. But I think I'm finally settling into 2010.

sweet talk

What is your favorite part of Valentine's Day?

Is it the heart shaped boxes filled with chocolates? A romantic evening to spend with your special someone? The love filled cards? The cozy, romantic restaurants? Or the excuse to send your secret crush a valentine?

Personally, my favorite part of Valentine's Day isn't romantic at all. My favorite are the little conversation hearts, you know the ones, the candy shaped hearts with the cutesy phrases on them like "be mine," "i love you," or "text me."

Last year, just after Valentine's Day passed, I had the idea to make a necklace with little silver conversation hearts on them... just like the candy. Immediately, I stopped what I was doing (eating candy hearts no less) and began working. Nearly a year later, I finally get to spill the beans!

These little sterling silver conversation hearts are just as sweet as the real thing, but no calories! They are $74 for the plain heart without the stone, the heart with the emulated garnet is $84. The conversation hearts are only available for a limited time in my etsy & big cartel studios, and available on the beehive co-op website. So hurry before they are all gone!

I really think I have a thing for "food" jewelry... fortune cookies and now conversation hearts?!

2010, a new decade?

I'm not sure if I have been so busy and I didn't realize, or I'm just not that smart, but today it really sunk in that we are entering into a new decade. I don't know how I missed this!

What makes it even crazier is it has been 10 years since the y2k scare, I visited California for the first time, I graduated from high school, and I moved away from home went to college... Part of me thinks that it really doesn't seem like it's been 10 years. But when I try to think about what I was doing back then, what I was thinking about, what I hoped to be when "I grew up" I realize it really has been 10 years.

If you would have asked me in 2000 where I would be in 10 years my answer would be: a clothing buyer definitely not working for my dad anymore. I would be married by 24 with 2 children living in San Francisco and very, very happy.

However, today I am working for my father by day and jewelry artist by early morning and night. I am single at 28 but dating a wonderful man, childless and technically petless, STILL living in Atlanta (but finally visited SF this year), and still figuring out what I want to be "when I grow up." But I have to say, I am very very happy where I am right now walking into 2010.

I said I wouldn't post until the new year, but I couldn't resist. All of this has got me thinking and when I get all thoughtful I think it should record it in history! (it doesn't happen all THAT often!)

Before I really sign off until the new year I wanted to let you all know that I have some very exciting new designs that I will be releasing in the new year. And here's a little sneak peak of one idea:

This ring is a new series called rock candy rings that I will be expanding on, along with my gumdrop rings. Each will be one of a kind and resized to fit to order. They are not yet available in my etsy or big cartel store but when they are, rest assured, you will be the first to know!

Here are also some future gum drops rings.


I hope you all have a very happy new year!

and the winner is ...

Merry Belated Christmas!


I apologize for my absentee post yesterday. I ended up taking Christmas off: no email, no blog, no etsy, no jewelry, I even tried not to talk about jewelry. It was nice to focus on my family, Dan, and my dog, Chloe. It was a wonderfully relaxing day. I hope you had a lovely day also!

I want to thank you all for participating in my advent calendar of promotions, it was a lot more involved than I had anticipated, but because of you all it was very successful. I have to say when I first had the idea, I had this grand notion that I would plan ahead and have all the blogs scheduled the week before, but alas, my procrastination won over and I was furiously blogging each night for the sale the next day. I think I will try to plan ahead next year a little better, and maybe not do SO many sales...maybe I'll drop it down to the 12 days of Christmas...

So know everyone has been dying to know what the final giveaway is and who gets it! I want to remind you all the only people who were entered into the giveaway are those who used the sale codes through out the 24 days. I'm not going to wait any longer to share ...

The winner is : Patti Mason

The prize : $50 gift certificate to ANYTHING from Christina Kober Designs

Congratulations Patti! I will email you shortly to verify the best shipping address!

I am signing off until the new year! xoxo

day 24 : merry belated christmas

It's already Christmas Eve! I can't believe how quickly this holiday has flown by!

Today is the last sale on my advent calendar before the final giveaway tomorrow on Christmas! Meaning using the promotion code today, is your last day to not only purchase my jewelry on sale but to be entered into the giveaway!!
I know many people wait until the last possible moment to shop for Christmas. I wait until the last possible moment to make my Christmas presents, I will be making my presents all day today! And for many people I end up saying "Merry Belated Christmas!"

So today, everything in Christina Kober Designs etsy or big cartel studios are on sale for 10% off (everything except custom orders and pieces including gold).

I'll be back tomorrow with the winner of the giveaway!

a happy accident

One of my friends from Beehive commissioned me to do a feather pendant for her husband. It is something that is pretty far out of my normal realm of design, but I thought it would be fun to play around and try some new techniques.

I began with a little pow-wow session with my dad (he always has great ideas of how to do something that I would have NEVER thought of). I used sterling silver sheet, a saw, half round wire, some steel line tools and a hammer. I am SOOO happy with how this pendant turned out, that I just HAD to share! (please ignore the quality of the photo, it's a scanned image of the necklace since BOTH my camera batteries are dead!)


This feather has inspired me to make a peacock feather and add it to my line of lucky jewelry! (horseshoe and wishbone necklaces)