How I became the Peacock Fairy

I would like to start off by first thanking those who left comments on my previous post. I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to post something that I know can spark some serious emotion in people. I didn't want to point fingers at anyone, but I was interested to know if anyone else noticed the same thing I did with the Bead Style magazine. I totally agree with one comment that talked about being inspired by retailers, but drawing the line at using that for a magazine submission. Another talked about how each artist has to decide for themselves if what they are doing feels right. Making a piece that is very similar to another is not something that I do very often. But it is fun once in a while when, upon looking at something, you can immediately imagine in your head the components you have at home and wonder how your version of it would look. Lastly, another comment made me think about the flip side of this argument - about retailers copying artists ideas. I can totally see this too. One might never know the entire story. Perhaps the designer in Bead Style also designs for Anthropologie? Anyway, thank you for the nice dialect amongst beady friends!

Now, onto the title of today's post. Quite often, people ask me how I came up with the name Peacock Fairy. One easy answer is: I love peacocks and I like fairies.... so it just came naturally. But really, it goes much deeper.

(some newly decoupaged Vintaj components that will be used soon)

I started seriously beading about 10 years ago. Sure, when I was younger I made the friendship bracelets out of seed beads with my friends. But in my early twenties, I discovered peyote stitch. I was always fascinated by loom work, but trying a loom seemed so daunting. Here was something that gave the same effect but without the loom. I promptly signed up to take a class at my local bead store Funky Hannah's. Here, you can see my very first attempt at peyote stitch in the smaller peacock amulet bag, with a color scheme made to match a shirt I had. There is also another larger peacock feather I made in a class I took later.

(while I don't do much peyote anymore, it is fun to dabble in it once in a while)

When I decided to start selling my work, I had to come up with a name and business cards. Having just gotten into scrapbooking too, I had a collection of ephemera that included quite an interesting little image: a little fairy flocked in peacock feathers. That is how the name The Peacock Fairy came to be. Here she is on my first business cards. Since then, my business cards have evolved into different designs. But she will always be the beginning of The Peacock Fairy.

(I used to do hand painted furniture too, but now just focus on jewelry)

A move to Illinois, and now Michigan, and I am still having fun doing what I am doing. Making jewelry is a huge part of my life, and it has been quite a journey to see how my style has evolved and what new opportunities have come my way. My blog is not quite a year old yet, and this year I started submitting to magazines. So many people that I have met personally or online now associate me with peacocks. I love getting emails from people, pointing me to a lovely new peacock find. And generous friends, like Debbie at Prairie Emporium, who sent me a beautiful bundle of peacock feathers from her birds.
Oh how I'd love to own my own peacocks someday! But for now, I love surrounding myself with pretty peacock things. Jewelry and beading components of course are most exciting! But I also have picture frames, candle holders, garden statues, dining sets, ornaments, sculptures, and too many other things to name. In my wardrobe I have lots of shirts, skirts, dresses, scarves, even jeans - enough to the point that if I wanted to, I could wear a peacock item everyday without using anything else from my closet! It truly is fun being The Peacock Fairy!