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Five More Jewelry Makers Join the Successful Brand Ambassador Program

The News from Cousin Corporation of America.....

 

LARGO, Fl., July 19, 2013 - Cousin Corporation of America, a premier manufacturer of jewelry making components, has chosen five talented jewelry makers to be brand ambassadors, joining the inaugural ambassadors for the 2013-14 year. Cousin again received an overwhelming amount of applications for the coveted five slots. The ambassadors were chosen based on their unique contributions to the program, commitment to jewelry making and social media and networking influence.

The 2013-2014 Creative Circle ambassadors are: Allison Cooling, Dawn Doucette, Vicki O'Dell, Lisa Stukel and Rebecca Utermohlen. As Cousin Ambassadors they will have a platform to share ideas with the product development team, create projects for publications in magazines and on various social media platforms, preview upcoming programs and provide feedback about products before they go to market.

"Our Creative Circle program has absolutely surpassed our expectations," said Jeff Cousin, President. "We want to keep the craft of jewelry making relevant and maintain it as a growing art. We are excited to expand the program so we can show even more people that jewelry making is accessible and rewarding, and also introduce them to the Cousin brand."

The ambassadors were officially welcomed by the Creative Circle team on July 18th and will be highlighted on Cousin's website www.cousin.com and their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CousinCorp.

About Cousin

Cousin Corporation of America is a family-owned company founded in 1970 as Enterprise Art, a retail craft store in Largo, Florida. Today Cousin is a premier wholesaler of jewelry making supplies. Their focus is to design, manufacture and provide quality jewelry making products at an exceptional value to customers who are inspired by the craft of jewelry making. For more information about Cousin Corporation of America, please visit www.cousin.com.

Calling All Jewelry Designers!

Cousin ANNOUNCES CALL FOR APPLICANTS FOR CREATIVE CIRCLE Ambassador Program

Five New Ambassadors To Be Selected To Join The Inaugural Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LARGO, Fl., May 10, 2013 – Cousin Corporation of America is pleased to announce a call for applicants for the Cousin Creative Circle™ Ambassador program for the 2013-14 term. Cousin is a premier manufacturer of jewelry making components that supplies products to craft stores, retail chain stores and professional jewelry makers all over the world.

The Cousin Creative Circle™ is a diverse group of talented jewelry makers who have a strong commitment to the craft of jewelry making and who use Cousin products because they are the best in the industry. These brand ambassadors have a platform to share ideas with the product development team, receive Cousin products to incorporate into their work and attend a team building retreat at Cousin Headquarters in Florida.

"Our Creative Circle program has absolutely surpassed our expectations," said Jeff Cousin, President. “We want to keep the craft of jewelry making relevant and maintain it as a growing art. The Ambassadors have shown thousands of people that jewelry making is accessible and rewarding, and as a result we have introduced those people to the Cousin brand.”

The selection committee will choose five additional Creative Circle Ambassadors to join the original members chosen last year. To be considered for the Cousin Creative Circle™, each applicant must complete a comprehensive application form and submit at least 3 images of their work. The deadline for submissions is Monday, June 17, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST. To apply, please visit www.cousin.com/CCC.

About Cousin

Cousin Corporation of America is a family-owned company founded in 1970 as Enterprise Art, a retail craft store in Largo, Florida. Today we are a premier wholesaler of jewelry making supplies. Our focus is to design, manufacture and provide quality jewelry making products at an exceptional value to customers who are inspired by the craft of jewelry making. For more information about Cousin Corporation of America, please visit www.cousin.com.

Wow...A year almost gone already!

 It's been almost a year since I became part of Cousin Corporation of America's Creative Circle Ambassador program.  I am still blown away by the fact I was chosen to be a part of the inaugural ambassadorship.  I received the call in July from Liz Heggy at Cousin. The phone call put me in tears, but in a good way.  I had to sit down and breathe.  After I hung up with her, I just cried and cried.  I couldn't believe it.  All I could do was praise God for such an opportunity and open door for me and my designs.  I felt like I had finally been noticed. And that's when the excitement set in.  I had to sit an entire month with only telling close friends and family.  NONE of my internet friends and followers until Cousin made the official announcement in August.  Talk about agony!  At times, I felt like I was about to bounce out of my skin.

Over the course of this year as a Creative Circle Ambassador, I have received what I believe to be somewhere in the ball park of about $2000 if not more in beads and supplies for FREE!  The ambassadors were given a monthly budget of $50 each month to ask for what we need.  We received an all expense paid trip to Tampa, Florida to hang out with the wonderful people at Cousin as well as a rather large box of goodies shipped back to us.  We have had fun and exciting monthly projects to work on and feedback to give on and promote new projects. But, NO PRICE whatsoever could be put on the friendship we ambassadors have with each other and with the great peeps at Cousin.  We have quickly become family.  Each of the ambassador's style compliments the other as do our personalities.  We are so widely different, but yet so alike.  Our group is such a fun group.

L to R: Jeff Cousin, Me, Lisa Crone, Suzette Bentley, Gail Devoid, Liz Heggy - This year's trip to Tampa, FL

I am excited about the next year of the ambassador program.  Keep your eyes open for information about joining in all the fun.  No matter where you are in your jewelry design career/hobby, I encourage you to apply anyway.  You never know. You might be the very person that would make a great ambassador.

Versatile and Easy Jewelry Making Made Possible by Cousin Corporation

In early March, Cousin Corporation of America rolled out a new kind of fashionable jewelry component - the leather slide bracelet program.  This unisex jewelry components are available at select Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft stores as well as at Prima Bead.

Here is a great tutorial from Cousin Corporation's website:

I have made several bracelets from these and have tons of compliments on them.  They are super easy and are very fashionable.  The unisex styling make it great for guys as well.  I have had two custom order from guys because they saw the one I made my husband.

The bands are very durable and made from bi-cast leather.  If you don't know what that is, bi-cast leather is a man-made material made with a split leather backing covered with a layer of polyurethane that is applied to the surface and then embossed.  The bands come in red, blue, black, brown, dark brown, cream (a rich tan color), gray, and white.  The bands do stretch a bit so don't fret if it is too snug at first.  I do suggest letting the band air out before you wear it.  Some of them can have a bit of an overpowering plastic smell to them.

Clasp colors include silver tone and antique gold with various styles and designs. The sliders are very lovely and run the gamut of style from punk to goth, to Southwestern, to elegant.  There is something for everyone.  There is one drawback to the silver toned sliders and clasps.  You can't wear it constantly because the copper will start to show through.  My husband wears his all the time and that includes in the shower. So if you want to keep it silver, make sure to take it off before you get in the shower.

I have found that E-6000 holds the clasps on every well.  If you have trouble cutting the band, try using some heavy duty snips or shears to cut it with.  You do have to make sure the glue is fully cured before wear or it will not hold as you are adhering the band to metal.


Here is tip concerning the sliders:  If you find that they are moving around too much, take a ball peen hammer and tap lightly on the underside of the sliders.  This will close up the opening on the sliders and will not damage the overall look of the sliders.

A Foreign Beauty

I have this tendency to lean towards ancient jewelry designs.  The the necklace I created while at Cousin Corporation is no exception.  We had an hour to complete a design with the designers at Cousin.  We had such a good time.  We were allowed to peruse the bead library for our pieces.

This is what I came up with:

 I was so inspired when I saw this pendant.  The entire necklace flowed from it.  I found all sorts of goodies that matched the theme of the pendant.  I loved the spirals at the bottom and the way the sets are placed around the teardrop shape.

The chain was very different than what I am used to working with.  The links were very tight with these little tiny rondelles set in perfectly spaced intervals.

I fell in love with these enameled brass discs. I also found lovely oxidized brass discs.  The brown leather went well with the theme. I found some very interesting knotted look, cord covered beads. The antiqued brass sliders were so lovely, I had to use them too.

I couldn't believe how well this necklace came together. We ate lunch while we worked too so the pace was very relaxed.  Before we knew it, time was up and my piece was complete.  I am very happy with the way it turned out.  I hope you like it too.

What a Wonderful Time at Cousin Corporation!

 On Wednesday, February 20th, I flew out with my fellow ambassadors to for our Cousin Creative Circle retreat at Cousin Corporation.  I was a bit nervous considering I had never flown before.  But I got through it.

Longest escalator ever!

The trip to Tampa was an amazing one even though I got lost at the Atlanta Airport thanks to my fellow ambassador, Suzette Bentley, who told me to meet her at date D-10 and I needed to be at gate B-10.


Anyway, the flights were great.  Started out on Delta from Jackson, MS to Atlanta (a small puddle jumper plane) and then on to Tampa aboard a much larger and nicer Delta plane.  We arrived in Tampa to be greeted by fellow ambassador, Gail Devoid, and Chris White from Cousin.



We ate at Carrabba's in the airport. Great company! Chris kept us in stitches while we awaited the arrival of ambassador Lisa Crone. When we all had gathered together, Chris went to get the "Cuz Bus".  A huge Mercedes-Benz van/bus.  Super cush!  Somehow an orange and an apple got loose and started rolling around on the floor in the Cuz Bus.  It became the running gag for the whole trip.  The pair of fruit began showing up all over the place.

Sunset at Double Tree Resort

We were greeted by wonderful reception at the Double Tree Resort by Hilton on North Redington Beach.  A wonderful photo op on the deck in the setting sun made the day perfect.  Lisa, Suzette, and I stayed up until 11 pm just chatting away.

L to R: Jeff Cousin, Me, Lisa Crone, Suzette Bentley, Gail Devoid, Liz Heggy

Sunrise over the water.

I woke up early Thursday morning and sat out on the deck waiting for my fellow ambassadors and our ride.

We headed out to Cousin Corporation in Largo, FL.  In route, we had to travel down Highway 666.  Too funny!

L to R: Gail, Lisa, Suzette, Me

Big, yet small all at the same time. I was completely blown away on our tour of the facility.  Cousin Corporation began as a small family owned business and has grown into a thriving company with about 175 employees.  This is a major corporation that feels like a small business.  It's unbelievable how the whole operation runs as smoothly as it does with just a skeleton crew.  We aren't talking about just a few orders a month.  They process about 5000 orders a day almost every day - worldwide. All of their orders are processed and packed by hand.
 
Community at it's best.  There is a strong sense of community and family at Cousin that is undeniably the driving force behind their success.  Everyone is involved in the day to day operations making strong connections between every employee.  Everyone chips in together and helps out.   I was impressed by the fact that Jeff Cousin himself had no problem leaving his office to pack and ship orders.  That speaks volumes to me. Liz Heggy, Sales and Marketing Manager at Cousin, put it best, "If this company succeeds, it's because of all of us and not one person.  If this company fails, it's because of all of us and not just one."

Family. All of us ambassadors felt an immediate connection to the wonderful people of Cousin Corporation.  There was a closeness experienced by all of us that only be called one thing - "family".   The people of Cousin Corporation had no need to impress us.  Their interactions with each other, the joy on each one's face as they came into work and how they glowed as they talked about what they do there let us all know the truth.  Everyone there loves their job because they feel they belong.  Employees of Cousin Corporation have taken ownership of their company and represent Cousin well.  When someone takes ownership of something, one tends to take care of it and cherish it.  The people working for Cousin Corporation do just that.

Winding down. On Thursday night, we dined at a very nice restaurant, Salt Rock Grill.  Awesome food and great fellowship occurred that night.  On Friday, we enjoyed a shopping trip in the Bead Library at Cousin.  We were given a huge box to fill up with whatever we wanted.  Mine had trouble closing.  I had filled it up!

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Gail and Lisa were the first to have to be at the airport. Our hot tamale chauffeur, Chris, took us all to see her off.  Chris, Suzette, and I went over to the mall to await our flights.  Suzette was next to go.  Chris and I hung out at Target and then back to the airport.  I can honestly say, that I felt like I was leaving my home.  These were people in a very short time found a way into my heart, and I didn't want to let them go

Heading home. Sadness set in on the flight to Houston, TX.  The plane was rather large with super comfy seats.  Thank you United Airlines.  I had an almost two hour layover in Texas.  They kept moving my gate around so I had plenty of exercise going back and forth.  The flight home was quicker than anticipated since the United Airlines puddle jumper caught a nice tail wind.  We did hit some storms coming into the Jackson, MS airport.  Saw some lovely lightning around the plane.  I had never seen a storm from the top down before, so that was cool.  All of the bumps weren't so pleasant though.  We touched down and skidded a bit on the wet runway.  I was met by my darling husband, my two adorable boys, and a half dozen roses.

All in all, it was a great trip.  My goodie box arrived yesterday, and I am so stoked to make something pretty!  I made a little video scrapbook of the trip below.  Enjoy.

Getting Ready

Today, I fly out to Tampa, FL to hang out with my fellow Creative Circle Ambassadors and all the cool peeps at Cousin Corporation.  We have a whirlwind few days lined up for us.  I can't wait.  The only draw back is my dear friend and fellow ambassador, Patty Squillante, will not be with us.  She opened her very own bead shop and is unable to join us due to all the responsibilities of running a business.  She had one of her dreams come true with this shop so all the best to Patty!  I will make sure I take tons of pictures for you, Patty.

I woke up this morning at 3:50, wide awake at that, before my alarm which was set for 4:05.  I was planning to hit snooze for a while before I actually had to get up.  Since, I am up, I decided to go ahead and put makeup on.  Don't want to scare anyone on the plane.  LOL

Anyway, this will be my very first flight.  I am almost 40 years old and am just now going to fly.  I have always traveled by car everywhere I go.  Even when I went to Canada, it was by car.  I like my feet on the ground.  So....be praying for me that I don't freak out and become one of those raving lunatics you read about in the news on Yahoo!

Much love
Shelly

Prima Bead - Bead and Button Show Project - Part One!

In early February, I posted about a new project for Cousin which would be our "biggest assignment to date."  I'm super excited and super nervous about being able to create something that will be displayed at such a prestigious event.

While I sorted my supplies, I ran into a problem.  The color of some of the pearls were off.  I had ordered dark blue/navy and what I received was dark teal/green color.  Turns out I had a mislabeled batch.  Oops.... I reached out to one of my contacts there at Cousin/Prima Bead and he quickly sprang into action to make sure the other pearls were labeled correctly for other customers and find me a perfect match for what I wanted.  Within a few days, I received my new goodies.  But the fact I had off colored items didn't stop me from creating a beautiful piece from the pearls.  So now I have two necklaces for Cousin to choose from.  Below are the progression of each necklace from idea conception to finished beauty.

The beginning of the first one:

This was the focal design I came up with and the rest of the necklace flowed around it.  Sterling Silver fancy head pin, filigree heart connector and eye pins were used with a 10x8mm Crystazzi Dark Sapphire teardrop bead, huge 20 mm glass pearl and a 6x8mm Crystazzi Light Sapphire rondelle.

I came up with a pattern using 6mm deep teal, light turquoise, and white glass pearls.  I knew I wanted to use a collar style necklace as the base for this piece to give it a Victorian feel.

I used Beadalon's WildFire Thermally Bonded Bead Weaving Thread in Frost 10 lb., 15mm with a #12 beading needle.

I created a Right Angle Weave using a base ring of four pearls then adding in three at a time until I reached the desired length.  I then went back in and added 4mm round A/B finished Swarovski clear crystals and 4mm bicone Crystazzi Light Sapphire crystals.








I added in dangles along the sides using 10x8mm Crystazzi Dark Sapphire and Clear A/B tear drops accented with 4mm bicone Crystazzi Light Sapphire crystals and 4mm bicone A/B clear crystals. I draped a Sterling Silver link chain from the Elegance Metal line in the design.

Bit by bit, it all came together.  I continued to add in various colored glass pearls, crystals, and even some Jewelry Basics acrylic beads.

 

New Project!

Okay...I received my February/March project information on Friday, February 1st.  This is going to be the Creative Circle's "Biggest project to date" as our contact at Cousin told us in our email.

This is the exact quote from the email detailing what this project is about. 

We want to feature YOU at our Prima Booth at the Bead & Button Show in June!!!!!!!!!!!  Each necklace will be a major focal point of the booth complete with a name plate of the designer!

Assignment:

-Create a show-stopping Necklace that will be featured at the Prima Booth at the Bead and Button show.  We want something that will WOW them and grab everyone’s attention!

-The piece must retail between $300-$500

-No earrings or bracelets it must be a Necklace.

-Once you have completed the necklace we will send you a call tag to ship it to Cousin headquarters

-The assignment will be due on April 1^st

After the initial panic wore off and I composed myself, I researched some trends and decided to create something blue. My next step was to requisition the materials I was going to need from Prima Bead and wait for them to come in.  Today my goodie box came!  I was so excited.  I must have looked like a kid at Christmas when the UPS driver arrived at my door.

As the project progresses, I will post photos.

More On The Collaboration Project

As in a previous post, the Creative Circle Ambassadors began working on a jewelry project together.  We have been passing each piece to another member of the circle when we were done.  Well....after illnesses and funerals, I have finally shipped off my pieces to Patty Squillante for her to finish out with her contribution to the project.   Before I mailed it off, I took many pictures of the different combinations that could be made the mix and match jewelry pieces we created so far.  I can't wait to see what Patty adds to the project.

December Collaboration Project Continues

The Cousin Creative Circle Ambassadors began in December a collaboration of a jewelry project based on the Make The Connection Line that debut on HSN back in September of 2012.  We decided to use on of the Class in A Box kits from Cousin.

Here are the photos from my part of the collection.

I began with the 4mm creamy colored pearls in the kit.  I thought I had some Crystazzi pearls the same color, but as it turned out they were actually a pale rose color, so I just decided to use them.  There are a few of the cream colored pearls mixed in.

 I used the 8mm shiny Burgundy and matte Pink glass pearls from the kit.  Using Beadalon's WildFire Thermally Bonded Bead Weaving Thread .15mm 10 lb in Frost and a Cousin #12 Beading Needle, I created a right angle weave with the 4mm pearls.  As I went I would add the 8mm pearl to each grouping of pearls.  Most people who do this style of bead weaving will wait until the end to add the big pearls, but I'm not most people.  :)

To attach the clasp, I used Cousin's Antique Bronze crimp beads and two of the jump rings from the kit.  I threaded the jump ring into three of the crimp beads and then on to a very small jump ring that I had attached to the clasp.

I also made a clip on pendant using a lobster claw clasp.   I used a large textured oval and attached a jump ring to it and the clasp.  I made bead dangle out of a 12 mm burgundy glass pearl.

 At the bottom of the oval, I made four bead dangles consisting of one 4mm burgundy pearl, a 6mm pink pearl, and 4mm deep rose pearl, and a 4 mm pale pink pearl.

I took two antiqued brass chains and cut two different lengths.  At the end of the longest link, I attached a antiqued brass rose and a burgundy pearl beaded link.  At the end of the other, I put a cute antiqued brass bow and a pink pearl beaded link.