A Garden of Earrings

Autumn Cleaning

2008-11-20T00:43:00.004-05:00

I was a little on the sad side for the past few days, though I don't know exactly why, so I took a break. I didn't really make anything, I didn't write anything on my blog, I didn't post anything new to Flickr, or do anything to continue to get my name out there. I was barely on Etsy! I felt like something was blocked, and I was stuck in a place where I didn't want to be. After the weekend, my days off started, and I took a good look at my Etsy store. I wasn't pleased with much of it. In the beginning, my favorite pairs of earrings to make were these little bouquet clusters. In fact, these are the types of earrings I am making for two B&Ms that I am working with. But I haven't sold any in my shop for a while. I realized that it was because I had soooo many other things in my shop that they were getting buried under my own items! I came to a conclusion that there really is such a thing as too much variety. So I started to take out all the jewelry that hasn't been selling~ and those were the pieces that I was least proud of to begin with. I was left with a nice collection of pieces that I was really proud of, from the beginning. Then I started renewing all the bouquet earrings at once, to get them all in a high spot in the searches on Etsy. And you know what? After the past week with no sales, I finally got a couple of sales over the past couple of days after I renewed them. And the sales happened to be the bouquet earrings I loved so much! I have learned for myself the valuable lesson that is repeated in the Etsy forums~ make the things you love, and not what you just think might sell. You have to be able to be proud of each and every item that you have the privledge of packaging and shipping to someone.

Great Consignment Opportunities

2008-11-11T04:45:00.003-05:00

I was browsing around the Etsy forums, and I was so lucky as to stumble upon a thread talking about Brick and Mortar stores. The thread was started by iheartnorwegianwood (www.iheartnorwegianwood.etsy.com) and listed a few brick and mortar stores that she knew of in her area that had consignment opportunities. She invited other forum members to share stores in their area that took consignment, or stores that their items were currently being sold at. She got an enormous following~ the thread grew to 11 pages! Later on, she drew up a master list of all the shops that were mentioned in that thread and posted another thread in the forums. This is the link to the thread:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5432829
I jumped at the opportunity to explore boutiques across the country. I looked on many of their websites, and even e-mailed a few of them, telling them about myself and my shop, and sending them images of my work. This really made my day, as I feel like I have accomplished something for my small business. It's better to try and put yourself out there, even if you are rejected, than to have never been seen at all. I've been hearing more and more about how even though Etsy is wonderful, it should not be your cole venue. To have my wares in any stores across the country would be a dream come true!

Sometimes Simple Is Best

2008-11-10T02:37:00.006-05:00

I found a poll on the Internet about everyone's favorite type of earring wires. I was very interested in knowing what types people liked, as I love to focus on making primarily earrings in my Etsy shop. My guess all along was kidney wires or leverbacks. But personally, I love how the simple french earring wires look....and you know what? So does the majority of people. More than 50% stated that their favorite types of earwires were the french wires. I was surprised that so many people liked something so simple, when here I was thinking that I needed to add a lot of pizazz to my earrings by using large, bold earwires, such as the kidneys. So I have begun making a couple of pairs of earrings that have simple copper french wires.

I have chosen beads that are bright and sparkly, so they will be the focus of the earring. But at the same time, they will add a subtle, playful touch to an outfit, which is just right.

Handmade Earwires

2008-11-07T15:23:00.004-05:00

I've written before that with earrings, the earwire is apart of the design of the whole piece. These days, I've been wanting to be a bit more involved in the earring making process, and this includes handmaking my earring wires. I've been using handmade earwires from artists on Etsy because they have some unique designs that adds a speical touch to my finished pieces. But I want to feel that I am putting my all into everything I make, and designing earwires that have perhaps my own twist to them is what it will take to put all my creative energies into making a pair of earrings. So I took out some 24 gauge copper wire, which I use just for fun experiments only, and tried several different type of earring wire designs. I found a design I really liked~ it's a spiral shaped, which is definately one of my favorite shapes, and I have added a tight spiral to the inner portion of the earwire. I will try experimenting much further before thinking of getting a proper gauge wire and actually trying to forge them into workable earwires.

A Little Something Extra

2008-11-07T00:25:00.004-05:00

I've been stepping back and taking a look at what I can do better in my Etsy shop these days. There is always something that can be improved. My latest idea was inspired by LavenderCollections (http://www.lavendercollections.etsy.com/). I saw her shop in the forums and was immediately drawn to her adorable mini cards. I purchased a set that matched my packaging color scheme. What I was doing before was writing a little note to the buyer on the back of my business cards. But I really like the idea of adding a little something more to my packaging. Not only is it a little more personal, the designs on these cards are beautiful! I've been writing my little messages on them, and doing something else I have not done before~ writing a "coupon code" for a percentage off the price for the buyer to use if they ever would like to visit my shop again. I researched the best way to do coupon codes on Etsy, as they do not have a formal way to process them, and the general concessus us to give refund the buyer the percentage off the price through Paypal after they pay. This way they do not have to wait for a revised invoice. I know I don't like buying something and leaving a transaction undone while I wait for an invoice.
There is still more to be done~ promoting my shop is next~ finding the balance between all the different ways to promote, whether it's a blog, Flickr, Linkreferral, the forums on Etsy, and trying to fit them all in some form or another into my day. What a journey this will be!

Mad About Spirals!

2008-11-06T02:14:00.005-05:00

One of my new favorite artists on Etsy is Solivio (http://www.solvio.etsy.com/). She creates gorgeous and whimsical earwires in both brass and copper. She has recently added a line of little spiral earwires to her line. I eagerly ordered some and went to work making earrings using them. Nowadays I have shied away from using factory made earring wires~ I like to find unique and handmade earwires, as they are apart of the overall effect an earring gives off. To me, earrings can be worn to create elegance, to create drama, or my favorite, to create whimsy. These spiral earwires definately create whimsy~ they are bold and fun!

Here are a couple of photos of earrings I have made using Solivio's earwires:

A Study in Color

2008-11-04T00:34:00.002-05:00

Berry Martini Necklace
Originally uploaded by cymbaline84

I have just started to work with cabochons, after quite a while of sttering clear from them. When I first started, I used to scoff at beads that didn't have any holes in them~ what on Earth could I use them for? But I studied some ways to incorporate them into jewelry designs. In this necklace I have paired a raspberry wine hued flower cabochon with a large filigree flower. I then did something I don't normally do: matched this raspberry tone with a complimentary color, rather than something that matched it. I really love the efect! I studied a color wheel and saw that raspberry was a shade of red, which was complimentary to green. I paired this cabochon with beautiful muted olive green beads. This proves that you don't have to match things perfectly (say if I used a pink bead instead) to have a wonderful look!

An Addition to My Art Collection

2008-11-03T01:25:00.004-05:00

I was so happy to have found out yesterday that I had won a blog giveaway sponsered by Karen Faulkner (http://www.karenfaulknerart.etsy.com/)~ I've been following her wonderful blog ever since I started my own blog and enjoyed reading about her new pieces and her life. Her blog is: http://www.karenfaulknerart.blogspot.com/.

The giveaway was for an ACEO from her shop, which features one of her simple and beautiful watercolor flower paintings. I chose one entitled "Dragonfly Wings". Each blogger had to write a short blurb on what they were buying their loved ones for Christmas that was handmade. I wrote that I was making a necklace for my boyfriend's grandmother, bought watercolor notecards for my grandmother, bought a handmade bookmark for my aunt, who is a reading teacher, and best of all, bought a painting from Karen Faulkner for my mother!

This picture is so peaceful and simple, which will bring a tranquility to my room I use for jewelry. I especially love all the hues of purple and violet. I can't wait to hang this on my wall!

Thank you so much Karen!

A Little Photo Editing

2008-10-30T04:39:00.008-04:00

All this past weekend I have tried several different ways of photographing my white toned pieces of jewelry, most notably the white pearls. I was originally putting them on a white shell, only because I love the matteness the surface of the shell gave off. But the white on white was too much. Paired with silver, the earrings barely showed up in a picture at all! I asked my fellow Etsians about my different experiments with backgrounds for my pearl jewelry, from gray paper to warm amber toned wood. Someone then came up with a great idea to use sand in the shell~ it would provide a contrast, and actually go along with the concept of the pearls being from the water. I scoured my local craft store and purchased a bag of natural toned craft sand. The picture to the left is what I came up with, and the picture to the right of it is my original picture.

I was pleased with the way it turned out~ the background contrasts the pearls, but it is a softer color at the same time. Thank you fellow Etsians for all your wonderful help!

My First Taste of Winter

2008-10-29T02:04:00.005-04:00

I woke up this morning and was pulled to the window by my very excited boyfriend. What a saw was surprising~ snow, covering the cars! I have never experienced snow before Halloween before~ this was a real treat! It didn't amount to anything more than this throughout the day, though~ we didn't have to break out the shovels just yet.

Places to Be Seen!

2008-10-25T01:06:00.005-04:00

Whether you are selling your crafty wares on your own website, Etsy, or any of the other fabulous sounding sites out there, there are a myriad of ways to get your name, and your products, known out there in this big world. I am a shop owner on Etsy, so I would like to list and describe a few ways that I believe have helped me get my name out there.
1.) www.flickr.com is a large photo sharing website. With a free account, you can upload 200 photos. From there, you can send each photo to a maximum of 10 groups. Groups have their own little corners of flickr, and have a chance to pool pictures uploaded by users all over the world. The groups are separated by interest, color, themes, photo subjects~ you name it, there is most likely a group for it. By joining these groups, and sending your photos to the groups' pools, you have a good chance to be seen. The free account comes with basic stats~ how many people viewed each picture, how many views your entire photostream has gotten, and how many comments each picture recieves. Their rules include not putting your website in the description, and just promoting yourself in your profile. Even if it doesn't lead to any direct sales, it still an excellent opportunity to show the world your talents.
2.) www.linkreferral.com is a link exchange website. You register your website with them, and you receive a ranking in their database of sites. To improve your ranking, you must browse through other people's websites, a maximum of 30 a day. You can also improve your ranking by reviewing other people's sites. I like looking through other people's Etsy shops that are registered there, because it gives me a chance to browse through other people's work that perhaps I would not have seen before. It gives you stats on how many people visit your site through linkreferral, and shows any reviews that people give you.
3.) Social networking sites, such as www.weloveetsy.com and www.indiepublic.com are great for making friends who love, for example, Etsy, as much as you. You can upload your photos of your work, and add people as friends. It's a lot of fun, and again, even if it doesn't lead to any sales, you are still reaching a crowd of people who might not have even heard of your shop. And it's good to form a circle of supportive people around you who are as into creating, and having an indie business as you are.
4.) www.twitter.com This is a fun, pretty addicting site where you submit tiny blogs about various parts of your day~ if people find your "mini blogs" interesting, they put you on their list of people to follow. you can tweet about anything. Many people tweet about their business. You can put your website in your profile and have a chance to be seen by your followers.

I have no doubt that this is just the tip of the iceburg~ the Internet is a vast place with so many places to see...and perhaps be seen!

Eggplant!

2008-10-24T02:49:00.004-04:00

I noticed this week that I was on a purple streak, as three of my newest projects had purple hues to them. Two of my favorites include Eggplant Leaves, and Tiny Eggplants. I was instantly in love with the rich purple tones of these lucite beads, and thought they would look really nice paired with brass. This type of purple isn't overly bright, but more toned down, like many colors that remind me of fall.

Time

2008-10-23T03:55:00.003-04:00

First I would like to start with a lyric from my all time favorite band, Pink Floyd:

"You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today

And then one day, you find, ten years have gotten behind you

No one told you when to run,

You missed the starting gun..."

The song title is simply "Time" and it's a scary song. It is the absolute truth, and the truth hurts. You cn spend a lot of time doing nothing, kind of just wasting it, putting things off till tomorrow, and then you realize that a lot of tomorrows have gone by and you still haven't gotten anything done.

I came across this little art crd tonight on Etsy, from an artist named tapestry316 (http://www.tapestry316.etsy.com/). It says "It is never too late...or is it?" It's kind of a double message~ it's inspirational, because it gives you that motivation you might need to do something. But it's also a warning, saying that if you put things off, you might never get those opportunities again.

I guess a way to get the most out of time is to make a list, even if it is a small, mental one, of goals that you want to reach each day. Waking up in the morning with nothing in mind to do is sometimes fun and relaxing, but getting things accomplished is fullfilling.

If there are other ways to make the most out of your day and time in general, feel free to leave comments!

Soup Season

2008-10-22T13:59:00.006-04:00

I may miss the warm weather, but I am happy when the weather gets chilly, because I can get out my collection of soup recipes. It certainly was cold last night, and from what I hear, we had our first snow, even if it was only a flurry. Making soup is like therapy for me~ it gets my mind off of everything that is going on in my life. The fact that it makes the house smell good is icing on the cake. I made this soup last night: it is called Saint Seraphim Soup, and it comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, called 12 Months of Monastery Soups by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette. This cookbook is great for those who love light soups~ most of them are vegetarian, though they do incorporate meat broths, and the occasional fish. Here is the recipe:

Saint Seraphim Soup

4 Tablespoons butter, margarine, or oil of coice

1 cup rice

7 cups boiling water

1 large carrot, grated

1 onion, sliced

1 green pepper, cut into small pieces

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

sprinkle of saffron

Melt 4 tablespoons butter or oil in a large soup pot, and add the cup of rice to it, stirring continuously for 1 or 2 minutes.

Immediately add the boiling water, carrot, onion, green pepper, and parsely.

Cook the soup over low heat, covered, for about 30-40 minutes, until the rice is tender. Add the salt and pepper and sprinkle of saffron for a bit of extra aroma and taste. Let the soup stand, covered, for 10 minutes, the serve.

~I changed this recipe a bit when I made it~ instead of the water, I added chicken broth, and instead of the pepper, I added celery. It turns out to be a very easy chicken rice soup!

This photo is from staceyhasenfratz (www.staceyhasenfratz.etsy.com). Cuteness!

My Etsy Goals Examined

2008-10-22T00:38:00.003-04:00

There have been a lot of people on Etsy that have been saying that it has been harder and harder to be seen. That definately has been the case~ views are harder to obtain, it feels. I haven't given up though~ I've delved into something that I know little to nothing about instead~ marketing myself outside of Etsy. And that is what I've been doing. But in fact, that's all that I've been doing lately, besides going to my other job. I spent all night tonight researching sites like Entrecard and Blog directories. At midnight I sat back from the computer and thought about what I was doing. I was doing all that on my night off, instead of living my life, doing other fun things. So I ask myself, is all this worth it?
I started on Etsy just as a way to earn some extra income for my, um, bead addiction. I learned a lot about the world of the small business. I never had the goal of paying bills with it, as I thankfully have a steady job. So I wonder why I am so very dissapointed when a day goes by without any sales. If I don't get that extra bit of income, I'm not really out anything, except for the ability to buy beads, or other things I happen to heart on Etsy. And really, what's the loss in that? It's not the biggest heartbreak in the world.
I read on a forum that trying to be the next best thing isn't really the best goal to have. And I agree. I really have to accept that my goal isn't to get rich, or support myself off of my jewelry shop~ it's not entirely a practical thing to do. So when I was getting disappointed from not having sales for a while, I was thinking that I really wasn't the next best thing. If you get past that part, it's not too disappointing. If it was the little high I got when I saw I sold something that was so great, I should realize that there are other things that will make me feel just as good~ reading a good book, cooking, or simply creating a piece of jewelry that I like. Etsy isn't my whole life.

Break Out the Scarves!

2008-10-21T22:04:00.004-04:00

Today truly felt like autumn~ the sky was gray, the wind was blustery, the leaves were falling like crazy. Before I took a walk to the mailbox today, I opened the closet and took out my scarf! It felt cozy to walk in the windy weather with a scarf bundled up around your neck.

I am celebrating scarves tonight with a few finds from Etsy:

Top row, from left to right:

Earth Green Scarf, from NPJDesigns (www.NPJDesigns.etsy.com)

The Cranberry Mist Scarf from beautifulbridget (www.beautifulbridget.etsy.com)

Seastorm MiniScarf by AllInStitches (www.AllInStitches.etsy.com)

Bottom row, from left to right:

Mulberry Chenille Wrap Scarf from GailAsbury (www.GailAsbury.etsy.com)

Lavender and Mink Brown Scarf from SyranDreams (www.SyranDreams.etsy.com)

Great Lakes Scarflette from fivetrees (www.fivetrees.etsy.com)

I am in love with all the toned down colors in these scarves~ very soft, elegant, and most of all, cozy!

Free Shipping to Celebrate 1000 Sales

2008-10-20T18:52:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, I reached my long time goal of selling 1000 things on my Etsy shop. I never really dreamed, two years ago, that I would make it this far. I started out so small~ listing one thing and waiting for days on end, for it to sell, checking my e-mail dilligently and finding nothing. From there, I learned what it took to become more of a steadfast seller, from taking good photos, renewing items, packaging my wares, the ins and outs of the world of the USPS, and the overall dedication (and optimism...and patience!) one needs. I think I still I have a long way to go, as I don't spend as much time dedicated to Etsy as I would like.

To say thank you to everyone, and to express just how happy I am, I am offering free shipping in my Etsy shop: http://www.cymbaline84.etsy.com/. I have many things that would make great holiday gifts~ now would be the perfect time to start your shopping!

I also wanted to show what I bought as my little reward for reaching 1000 sales. I've been eyeballing this piece for months, and am proud to own it. It is a watercolor of a single poppy (one of my favorite flowers), handmade by karenfaulknerart (http://www.karenfaulknerart.etsy.com/). I actually bought two pieces, but one is for a gift and cannot reveal it. ;) I can't wait to hang this on my wall! She has many more watercolor pieces in her store: each all about the beauty of simplicity. The brilliant colors really hold your attention.

Leaf Season Captured on Film

2008-10-16T15:20:00.008-04:00

My coworkers at the restaurant like to call the changing of the leaves "leaf season". I think it's a cute little term. Mike and I have recently moved into our new house, which is a couple of miles outside of town. Ever since we left the apartment, I have noticed much more how beautiful the Endless Mountains are. This year I have done something I have never done before~ taken pictures of the the leaves. These pictures are just a few that I have taken that are in my backyard and up the street.

I feel blessed to have an opportunity to capture nature showing us something that is so gorgeous.

Oxidizing Silver

2008-10-12T13:53:00.006-04:00

I was browsing the Internet last night and came across a thread ina forum about oxidizing sterling silver with egg. It gave instructions on how to do it~ clear instructions that I, a total beginner at this, could understand. So today I tried it. I wasn't expecting anything perfect, I just wanted to see what it would do. It was fun!

First I boiled an egg in a pot of water for about 10 minutes. Then I put the egg, shell and all in a plastic zip loc bag. I smushed it up with my hands, and opened the bag, popping in six sterling silver headpins. This was what it looked like:

I let the bag with the egg and the headpins sit for about a half an hour. I then took them out of the egg and washed them off gently. Here is the before and after pictures:

The egg did a better job than I thought it would. The result wasn't perfect by any means, but I am so happy to have accomplished this. Working with metal isn't just a little crafty hobby: it's a chemistry and an art. I would really like to get into this art more~ baby steps first. :)

Opportunities Knock First

2008-10-12T04:28:00.004-04:00

When I was in high school and in college, I was one of those pathetic people who tried too hard. I tried everything to be popular, to find a boy that liked me back, to dress in the trendiest clothes, and what not. I didn't go with any flow that life gave me~ I didn't want to be me, but wanted to be someone better, who had everything going for them.
Well, that didn't work. I didn't find any guys, I wasn't popular, and man, no matter what clothes I bought, I never did look as trendy as those other girls.
After college, I stopped caring. I stopped trying to impress people, and stopped trying to find all the ideal things to make my life great. That was when my life started to get rather interesting.
Life threw at my a few chance encounters~ little instances that would ultimately make my life better.
They started small. Two chance encounters with a song playing on the radio ultimately became songs from two of my favorite bands. It was the right place at the right time kind of thing. If I was out of the room at that time, I wouldn't have heard them, and would likely to have never heard them again, as they weren't popular songs.
A bigger chance encounter was my discovery of Etsy.com. I was reading someone's myspace page one day, and saw a post they had written describing their Etsy store. This wasn't even one of my friends~ I don't really remember why I was on this person's page, but I am glad I was. I researched the site and decided to try it out, resulting in a fantastic journey of highs and lows into the world of jewelry and trying to make it as a small business.
My favorite chance encounter is my boyfriend of four years. After college I chose to live with my grandparents for awhile to keep the job that I accepted, until I could find an apartment. One day, he happened to drive by my grandparents' house, and I happened to be out on the porch. I saw this car stop in the middle of the road, but I thought nothing of it. A couple of days later he came up to my grandparents' house (he lived just down the road) and we ended up having a conversation. Over the next couple of days he would come over to my grandparents', to fix things around their house. But my grandmother told me he wasn't coming over just for that. :) He asked me out one night and we've been together ever since.
So I've realized that I must stop this huge search for these big opportunities in life~ they will come, and often just by accident. Don't go scouring Amazon.com for music that you might like (okay I may be the only one who does that), your favorite bands will pop up eventually. Live your life, always going with the flow. Yes, I am going to strive toward my Etsy business, but I have to try to do other things in life besides it, and stop obsessing over that next sale. I am going to just try to be myself. Opportunities have to knock first~ they tend to run and hide when you go on a manhunt for them.

Adventures in My Backyard

2008-10-10T15:19:00.005-04:00

So I wandered about my backyard today with my camera. I don't go outside too often, and am in awe of the beauty that is...leaf season. We call it this at the restaurant, because it is the season where everyone comes out of the woodwork (especially from the cities) to drive up here and look at the trees, and then go out to eat. :) I did happen to take a couple of pictures of the mums that Mike brought home a couple of weeks back. They are in full bloom, and they have such wonderful color. White is a color that is gorgeous no matter what season it is, and this brick red bouquet of mums just sings autumn.

Blue and Brassy Dangles

2008-10-10T13:20:00.005-04:00

I was searching in the Etsy forums, and I found a thread from someone who was interested in buying earrings on Etsy, and had some very good tips for earrings sellers. Among those tips: she likes earrings that are elongated, instead of starting out thin amd widening at the bottom. I've taken a look at my earrings and see that most of my earrings have that particular quality~ the bouquet clusters do fan out at the bottom of the earrings. So I tried branching out a bit last night with these earrings. I've strayed away from these types of earrings for a while, but I do like the thin styled earrings as well~ they remind me of rosary chains.

Blackened Silver

2008-10-10T00:06:00.014-04:00

I am really falling in love with the look of oxidized silver. It really makes the color of anything that is paired with it pop! I even like it better than bright silver, because it can look delicate and bold at the same time! The color combinations do not have to stay strictly with black and white. Any color would look amazing with black. I have found a collection of really eye catching lovelies on Etsy that I am excited to share.

This pair of earrings is handmade by BINAGEYER (http://www.binageyer.etsy.com/) . They are entitled Vintage Frost Earrings. The frosted beads, paired with the oxidized sterling silver, give off such a luminescence!

These earrings, handmade by ShopClementine (http://www.shopclementine.etsy.com/) , are have a wonderful contrast, between the bright yellow and the blackened silver. These are entitled Radiant Daffodil Earrings. What a perfect title for them~ they are radiant indeed!

These earrings, entitled Poppies...Vintage and Sterling Silver, has one of my favorite color combinations~ red and black! These are handmade by jewelera (http://www.jewelera.etsy.com/) .

Oh... My.... God. I am in love with these shells! On their own they are adorable, but their beauty is heightened when they are paired with these blackened sterling silver earwires.They are entitled Conch Earrings, and are handmade by clevergirl (http://www.clevergirl.etsy.com/).

I have tried my hand at making my own pair of earrings~ I have used oxidized sterling silver earwires and ballpins, handmade by http://www.e2ssupplies.etsy.com/, and joined them with bright white top drilled freshwater pearls. I call this pair of earrings Let's Dance. These type of pearls are often called dancing pearls, so I thought incorporating dancing into the title would be whimsical.

Spotlight on Strawberries

2008-10-09T01:42:00.007-04:00

I was thinking about my childhood and came across a memory of going strawberry picking every June in a place near where I used to live. It was a big field, where you could just roam around with a little basket and pick your own strawberries. The place had a huge strawberry shaped balloon that would fly high above the field~ you can see it from a ways away while you were driving. That's what I remember most about picking strawberries~ the balloon! In honor of my childhood memory, I went looking for beautiful things that have a strawberry theme to them.

This art print is handmade by LaBerge (http://www.laberge.etsy.com/). I really love the details of each berry, and their vivid color!

Ah... soooo cute. This is a strawberry felted doll necklace handmade by Rosemary4Remembrance(http://www.rosemary4remembrance.etsy.com/). I am really loving the adorable face!

This beautifully photographed soap, handmade by savor (http://www.savor.etsy.com/) , is entitled Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. I love the vibrant pink coloring...and well, it looks good enough to eat!

These earrings are from me, cymbaline84 (www.cymbaline84.etsy.com). I made them with my childhood memory in mind. I love how the brass and the bright red really go together.

A Flurry of Red Balloons

2008-10-07T18:06:00.011-04:00

There's something sad about a balloon, flaoting on its own, higher and higher into the sky. It always makes me think of the child who accidently let it go, watching it fly away. There is also something striking about a lone balloon~ especially a lone red balloon. It is a splash of unexpected color against a landscape. It just shows that beauty can come from anything, even something as out of the ordinary as a red balloon against the empty sky. It is also subject for many works of art. Here are a few of my finds from Etsy, featuring red balloons:

This art print, handmade by ellemoss (http://www.ellemoss.etsy.com/) , is named "She Still Haunts Me" I love how the balloon is indeed the one bright splash of color in the print, with the rest of the colors being darker.

This photo, entitled, "Red Balloon" was taken by angiemuldowney (http://www.angiemuldowney.etsy.com/). Perhaps a poor child really lost their balloon. I love again the contrast of the red against the tree branches and the dismally sky sky.

This print, handmade by auusiepatches (http://www.aussiepatches.etsy.com/) caught my eye not only because of the balloons, but the girl herself~ I love her outfit, and her red hair! This is entitled "Red Balloons on a Line".

This surrealistic print is handmade by BellatrixArt (http://www.bellatrixart.etsy.com/). It is entitled "Just a Dream Within a Dream" I am in love with the colors, and how the moon seems to be radiating light right out of the picture!

A New Lariat

2008-10-07T01:45:00.007-04:00

I had off from work tonight~ the perfect opportunity to sit down and create something! I came up with a new lariat necklace. It is inspired by a pair of earrings I have in my shop, sporting these wonderful bright brass daisy shaped bead caps. I have added white freshwater pearls onto gold plated chain to create a simple necklace~ the necklace, measuring about 18 inches, is threaded through the gold toned ring that is worn in the front, and therefore doesn't have a clasp.

This is the pair of earrings that this is inspired from~

Make A Wish!

2008-10-04T00:51:00.009-04:00

Remember when you were young, you would stop and pick up a dandelion (not the bright yellow ones, but the fuzzy white ones), and blow on it, scattering its seeds everywhere? They would go flying in every direction the wind took them, piloted by their fluffy parachutes. The best part of the whole thing was making a wish, every time you did it. While I am still reminiscing the dandelions and wishes from my childhood, I would also like to share wonderful finds from the Great World of Etsy on this very subject.

This clock is awesome~ it hangs up on my wall right now. It was featured on Etsy's front page months ago, and it was one of those purchases that I knew I had to make. The flowers remind me a little of both dandelions and Queen Anne's lace. The color combination is so bold. It not only keeps the time, but it is a work of art as well. This clock was handmade by bode22 (http://www.bode22.etsy.com/). This store has more clocks that have wonderful designs, all of them unique.

I love the different shades of gray in this picture~ very serene! This proves that gray is not just a "one tone" type of color~ there are a lot of contrasts throughout this picture. This print is called "Dandelion Dreams". This photo is by thebunnycage (http://www.thebunnycage.etsy.com/). This store has an array of wonderful prints and phots that are definately worth checking out!

These lovely little dandelion graphics are actually four separate wall decals. These wuld be perfect on a blank wall, spaced out in a manner so they look like they are drifting up, up, and away. They are handmade by holly, (http://www.holly.etsy.com/). She has many different decals in her shop~ these particular decals come in a variety of different colors. A great idea to go beyond the traditional framed art!

This print, handmade by papermoth (http://www.papermoth.etsy.com/), is one in a series of prints that has this particular design, "Perennial Moment", in a variety of soft pastel colors. This one is tea green. I love this color, it is so soft, and makes the dandelions look for delicate. Other colors include silver, aqua, lavendr, pink, gold, and an original color of a mixture of gold and deep aqua. This fun shop has many more designs to chhose from~ all are whimsical and fun, and alot of them bring a soft feminitity to a room!

I couldn't resist putting this print, handmade by Vieiragirl (www.vieiragirl.etsy.com) into this collection. I love the almost grayish blue-violet backgound, and the soft bursts of wisy white. This print is entitled "Fall Branch". You can almost reach out and touch the little white bursts, expecting them to feel like fuzzy dandelions! This shop sports a colorful variety of prints that are nature inspired.

Cooling Aquas

2008-10-03T02:11:00.007-04:00

Fall might be here, but it's pretty close to being in the thirties out right now outside my window. I am already looking ahead to snow. I am for skipping for now the warmth and spice of autumn's colors and turning to the crisp cooler (colder!) side of the color spectrum. One of my favorite colors from that side of the spectrum is aqua blue. The lighter blues are used in interior decorating to bring a serenity to a room. I have comprised a list of a few of my finds, spotlighting Etsy artists who also pay homage to this calming color.

Not only do I love the muted tone of aqua used this soap, I also love the way it was photgraphed. The white background makes the color of this picture really pop! This soap is called Caribbean SpearMist, and it is handmade by AngelBellaBody (http://www.angelbellabody.etsy.com/)

It is a goat's milk soap, scented with Spearamint essential oils and sprinkled with rose hips on the top.

This print, handmade by OrangeWillow (http://www.orangewillow.etsy.com/) , has crisp lines and a bold color scheme. I love the details of the petals. The aqua hued background is perfect! It is another one of my favorite ways to create aqua, with a bit of gray mixed in, to make it more muted. This is entitled "Petal Dreams". It is a perfect size, 8.5" X 11", and would look so sharp with a black frame.

The pendant on this gorgeous genuine sea glass makes me thirsty... perhaps it is the refreshing color, a bit warmer tone of aqua that the previous two pictures, and perhaps it is because the pendant is a bottle top that was weathered by the sea. I love how this photograph was taken, it really shows the clear details of the pendant, and its vivid color. This necklace was handmade by seaglassdesigns (http://www.seaglassdesigns.etsy.com/) .

This aqua brings us back to the more muted aqua hues of the color spectrum. A wonderful piece of pottery that incorporates earthen browns, reds, and greens. This piece was handmade by redhotpottery, (http://www.redhotpottery.etsy.com/). It is perfectly sized to serve soup in, which is a wonderful thing this time of year. Personally I love eating soup out of pottery mugs, as opposed to eating it out of bowls~ they have handles so they can be held while you are curled up on the couch..wrapped up in a warm blanket. Did I mention it was very cold out right now? :)

Customized Orders

2008-10-02T15:23:00.006-04:00

Have you ever went to up to the counter at a clothing store with a shirt you really like, and say, "Well, I really like this shirt, but I don't like the colors it comes in. I was thinking a nice teal green. Can you make this for me?" The cashier would look at you strangely.

That is the nature of the commercial market. They come out with a certain variety of styles, colors, and sizes and hope that it fits everyone's needs. There is no room for creativity on the buyer's part, no room for customization.

The world of handmade is different. Especially on Etsy. They even have an option where you can contact the shop owner and express your ideas on a custom item that they can make for you. It might be a little scary, but realy, sellers love doing special things for their customers!

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking through Etsy at wooden runes. I found a woman, who's Etsy store was called Greenwomancraft, who made wooden runes, as well as wooden pendants that have symbols burned into them. I thought of an idea of a wooden pendant with a rune symbol burned into it, so I can have that rune close to me at all times. I e-mailed her, and told her about my idea, and she was happy to make one for me. This is the end product:

I wear it very often. The rune symbol's name is Thurisaz, and it ia rune of protection against negative energies.

Another example is something that I recently made for a customized order. A very nice woman e-mailed me and asked me if I can make a stitch marker set for her in another color, other than the turquoise set I had. I was happy to make her a set in red. It really taught me that one color that works for some people might not work for someone else, and to have more of a variety in my work, to cater to everyone. Just because I might personally like a color doesn't mean other people won't like them. Here is the stitch marker set:

I honestly would have never thought of pairing these beads with the copper rings, but in the end, I really love the result. I am glad that I got to collaborate on someone else's creativity!

When shopping handmade, don't be limited to what is there. There is always a possibility to create something else that caters to your specific liking. That way, you will have something that is one of a kind~ it's the beauty of handmade. And there will be no cashiers that look at you strangely. :)

Stripes!

2008-10-02T00:58:00.000-04:00

I love to wear stripes. My socks have bright stripes on them, and my shirts have stripes on them. Stripes make me feel bold~ it's definately one of my favorite designs. I want to share with you some more wonderful finds from across the Craftsphere, aka Etsy, that involve this wonderful design.

This print is called "Ice Lady and Her Red Hot Shoes". The stripe theme is more subtle, as the focus is on a killer pair of shoes that this lady has on. :) I love the choice of colors. I love the more muted colors on the color wheel, as they impart a gorgeous softness. This print is made by luciajohnson (http://www.luciajohnson.etsy.com/). Check out her other prints~ she has this design in more delicous colors!

I love this print, handmade by gorjuss (http://www.gorjuss.etsy.com/). It is called "Tiptoes". From the beautiful heather gray, purple and blue, to her black hair, to her little eyes. And of course, I love her striped socks! Gorjuss has a large variety of prints and paintings, a lot of them sporting these black haired little girls that are decidedly goth and undeniably adorable.

I have this print up on my wall right now. This is called "Lydia". I love her little outfit, her adorable short hair cut, and her beautiful eyes. The red and white stripes really provide a brightness to the picture. This print is handmade by the black apple (http://www.theblackapple.etsy.com/) She has many other prints that sport subjects with amazingly cute outfits and bright eyes.

This print blew me away~ red white and black are one my more favorite color combinations. Once put on the wall, this will definitely bring a bright presence to a room. I love the striped stockings! This is called "Under the House". It is handmade by gallery32 (http://www.gallery32.etsy.com//). Her store has an array of other beautiful photographs, many inspired by instances in nature.

Happy October!

2008-10-01T00:46:00.001-04:00

October has officially started, and already my windows are closed against some chilly weather outside. With this chilly weather I got to get out my cookbooks and start browing for soup recipes. Soups are my very favorite thing to make. To me, making them is therapy. I had a rough day today, and, along with being cold, I decided to get out my knife and start chopping some vegetables for soup. My rough day faded away~ chopping ingredients and listening to my iPod are perfect therapy.
I would like to share a recipe that I really like that I have taken from one of my idols, Jamie Oliver, aka The Naked Chef. This comes from one of his more recent books: "Jamie's Italy". When I first saw this recipe I was a little skeptical if it would have any flavor, as the ingredient list was on the short side. But I was proven wrong. It is one of the wonderful things about how the Italians cook: they only use the necessary ingredients, and skip out on any spices or other things that would mask the true, delicious flavors of the these ingredients.

Pasta with chickpeas
Pasta e ceci

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
a spring of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 14 oz cans chickpeas
2 1/4 cups chicken stock
3 1/2 oz ditalini or small soup pasta
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
optional: a small handful of fresh basil or parsley, leaves picked and torn

Put the finely chopped onion, celery, and garlic into a suacepan with a little extra virgin olive oil and rosemary and cook as gently as possible, with the lid on, for about 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft, without any color.
Drain your chickpeas well and rinse them in cold water, then add them to the pan and cover with the stock. Cook gently for half an hour then, using a slotted spoon, remove half of the chickpeas and put them to one side in a bowl.
Puree the soup in the pan using a handheld immersion blender. If you don't have one, you can whiz it up in a food processor instead, then pour it back into the pan. Add the reserved whole chickpeas and the pasta, season the soup with salt and pepper, and simmer gently until the chickpeas are tender and the pasta is cooked.
At this point, if the soup is a little thick, pour in some boiling water from the kettle to thin it down, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve drizzled with good quality xtra virgin olive oil. Lovely sprinkled with some freshly torn basil or parsely. A real treat.
This is very full flavored soup, as you can taste the chickpeas, chicken broth, simple mixture of vegetables and the rosemary. Nothing else. Bon appetit.

Mixed Metals

2008-09-30T15:40:00.000-04:00

With jewelry, I've always liked things to match. If I worked with glass beads, all the colors had to be similar to each other in some form. When I started to like working with copper, all the copper had to be the same shade~ there couldn't be a mixture of bright and antiqued copper. But I've been searching around Internet forums and discovered that mixed metals are are very popular.

Here are a few examples of mixed metals I have found on Etsy. I have these in my favorites list and kinda stare at them every day, like a kid who looks longingly in a toy store window.

This is a chainmaille bracelet made by MBOI (http://www.mboi.etsy.com/) . I love chainmaille, though I don't have any jewelry that has chainmaille in it. It reminds me of knights of Arthurian times, who wore chainmaile with their armor. It is a very epic medium. I love this bracelet because of the contrasts of the brass and the silvery steel.

This set of rings was made by kateszabone (http://www.kateszabone.etsy.com/) . There is a mixture of rose gold, which is beautiful pink, sterling silver, and yellow gold. Put together, they make a soft yet strikinng combination. I love how they have a hammered texture as well. They are simple~ there are no glittering jewels, and I really like that. They let the beauty of the mixed metals and the texture shine.

This stoic bracet is handcrafted by TammysTreasureChest (http://www.tammystreasurechest.etsy.com/). Not only do I love the mixed metals and its rustic appearance, I love the fact that its a cuff bracelet. I am am more into big chunky pieces of jewelry that I can wear often thatn the more delicate pieces. This utilizes brass, silver and copper. There is just the right amount of contrasting colors in this scheme.

In celebration of my new found fascination with mixed metals, I sat down at my own beading desk and created a simple pair of mixed metal earrings. I've taken beautiful brass daisy bead caps and accented them with a white freshwater pearl. I have contasted the bright brass with elongated sterling silver earring wires.

Blue n' Brassy

2008-09-30T03:27:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite reasons I love working with glass beads is the amount of colors I can work with. One of my favorite color combinations is a rich navy blue that is paired with antiqued brass. Antiqued brass has a burnished dark gold color that works so well with the dark blue. I have made a few pieces that have this.

The necklace is lariat styled, featuring a simple antiqued brass chain that ends in a cluster of navy blue flowers~ it is worn with the brass ring in the front, with the cluster threaded through it. I like how the earrings turned out~ they are bold, swinging, and dangling. These, too, end in a small cluster of flowers. I was going to go with a streamlined earring, with three flowers in a line instead of the cluster at the bottom, but I love how the cluster has more visual appeal.

I am very much inspired and in awe of costume jewelry from the past century. If anyone is interested in this subject, there is a wonderful book out there called "Fabulous Fakes" by Carole Tanenbaum. It has a gorgeous array of pieces that the author has in her collection and has included for show in this book, illuminating what women wore in the past decades.

Bouquet Lariats

2008-09-29T13:58:00.000-04:00

I am still on my little journey through making necklaces. I had an idea for a necklace that fit perfectly with the style of earrings that I make. Glass flowers are one of my favorite mediums to work with, so I incorporated them into a lariat necklace. I really liked the end result. I made a couple of them to match my earrings.

The Caribbean Cluster lariat~

This necklace is very simple, and I believe that my focus is on how the colors, the copper and the beautiful opaque turquoise hue, compliment each other. I personally love the shape of these flowers~ they dangle together in a cluster so well!

Necklaces

2008-09-29T00:58:00.000-04:00

I used to be a huge fan of making necklaces. I stopped for a time, because I wasn't entirely satisfied with them. I also had trouble taking their pictures. I recently found an awesome Etsy store, BluewaterStudio, and ordered some vibrant colored Czech beads. They really inspired me to use them in necklaces. I also found a necklace style that I love~ the lariat. I combined these beads and the lariat style to make very simple and bold necklaces. The beads are the center of attention, as their vivid colors draw the eye. I made two lariats using copper and brass chains.

The orange beads makes me think about pumpkins, and best of all, pumpkin pie. I love the orange and the copper~ the color combination brings a lot of warmth. Brass and green are a wonderful color combination as well~ they remind me of Ireland!

Flowers...and more flowers!

2008-08-04T04:12:00.000-04:00

I've been pretty obsessed with flowers these days. There can never be enough colors for them. I've been working on a few projects for my shop that I'm pretty proud of. I've taken those awesome little lucite flowers and paired them with brass caps and Swarovski crystals. The frosted flowers go really well with the opaque brass. A couple of examples of these earrings are below:

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T04:15:00.000-04:00

In honor of the holiday, I want to feature something green. Okay, before I go any further, I want to say that by now, I am a little sick of corned beef and cabbage, after serving it all last night; I did taste it, and it's not that bad. It's...an aqquired taste. But I want no more of it!

I fell in love with these green glass bell flowers some time ago~ they are called wasbi, and they have a beautiful matte finish. I have ued them in hopes of making some pretty bold looking earrings, and I am happy to say, I really like the feedback I am getting. These are the earrings I am most proud of (they are at left). I was about to put a lighter and delicate pink bell flower on these wonderful sterling earwires, but something told me to put beads that would contrast more, so I used these wasbi green flowers.

I would also like to promote something else that is green. I just received this in the mail from one of my favorite bath and body shops on Etsy, DressGreen (http://www.dressgreen.etsy.com/). It's this wonderful hand salve, called "Green Thumb Hand Repair". It's made of all these wonderful butters and oils that are good for my hands! I tried it on my hands and they make them very soft. I have a problem with my right hand after I burned it kinda badly a couple of years ago~ the skin gets really dry sometimes and starts looking like its peeling. This helps it! I love everything from DressGreen, and I haven't yet tried everything. Her pictures make everything look gorgeous~ they all scream "Buy me!". I have one of her lip balms, and when I run out I want to try another one of her flavors.

2008-03-16T02:36:00.000-04:00

I have had my eye on this necklace for a while now. It is handmade by Etsy artist cynthiagiudice (http://www.cynthiagiudice.etsy.com/). I have never been someone to wear copper, though I like its look. But the way this necklace is made is stunning, very freeform and bold.

I am also not one to wear a lot of jewelry, as I don't want to lose it at work, where I spend a lot of my time. I couldn't show it off, and it really deserves to be shown off. I don't have a very elegant job where I can dress up. So I like to look at pieces like this and imagine myself wearing it~ the kind of job I might have, what I could be wearing it with. If I ever do buy really pretty things, I'm not just buying the piece, I'm buying a dream of someday not having a job where I get so dirty (I work in a restaurant as a cook), and having the freedom of wearing something beautiful.

This is something I did spluge on some time ago~ I love bracelets, and I love big chunky bracelets the most, my favorite being those made of leather. This large leather bracelet, made by etrelles (www.etrelles.etsy.com), is made out of a belt, and has a celtic symbol etched onto it. I have gotten a few compliments on it. This is actually a piece I do wear to work~ it's not delicate and dainty, but I can still show it off. I am much less worried about losing it. It's one of my only jewelry staples.

My Inspiration!

2008-03-15T04:18:00.000-04:00

The only thing that is wrong with this gorgeous picture from Etsy photography artist lauri (http://www.lauri.etsy.com/) is that it's not on my wall! But it's on my computer screen for now, and I have a chance to revel in it. I love the clean lines and the sharp colors of this picture~ the red poppies, well, pop. I definitely would like to incorporate this into my jewelry. Awhile back, when I first started to meander (one of my favorite words now) in jewelry making, I used to love sparkly things, the Czech firepolishes and then onto the Swarovskis. I especially loved the opal toned colors.

But I have changed gears, and am happy with what I've come up with. These earrings have clean lines and sharp contrasts, making the baby blue flower beads that I adore so much really pop. I don't think silver would have done too much for the blue~ it would have washed it out. But copper really brings out the brightness.