Buzz, Buzz, Buzz

I have got a major creative bug right now! I'm buzzing back and forth from my jewelers bench, to my computer, outside to take the photos, back to my bench...just a buzz, buzz, buzzing around. I have so many more new things that I want to make and list. I figure I better take advantage of this now, I can't tell you how many times I have sat at my bench just blankly staring at all the metal and stones, trying to figure out what I was going to make next. I would assume it's quite similar to writer's block...I hate it when that happens.

So here's a new bracelet that I listed today, and hopefully I'll be able to get some meditation/prayer beads made by this weekend. Sales have been a bit slow on Etsy, but I'm definitely keeping busy. I'm off to make some earrings now!

My Oops Ring

This is my "oops" ring! It's listed in my shop now and I really hope there's someone out there who can enjoy it. Here's what happened, I recently purchased a book that showed how to make this wire wrapped ring, so I was excited to jump at the chance to make it. Well...I didn't pay attention to the size, I was just happily creating the ring. So the size is my oops, it's a size 11 and too large for my fingers...so sad because I love this design and the beautiful green Jade cabochon that I purchased for it.

My items for the event!

These items are part of The Spirited Autumn Event! For this event I will be offering a ♥FREE♥ pair of Mini Ball Stud Sterling Silver earrings for each item purchased with the TSAE tag. Also I will refund any shipping charges for purchases over $30 during this event!!

I Forgot...

I completely forgot to post pictures of my pendant when I finished it! Refer back to my June 1st post to see pictures of the process that I used to make this pendant.

I did end up using faceted Labradorite and Smoky Quartz rondelles as accents. I wanted to keep the wire wrapping around the Koroit Opal matrix very minimal as I didn't want to take away from the stone itself. I love this pendant, its my favorite, most worn and most lost piece of jewelry that I own! When I say most lost...well I've found it in the garbage, hidden behind my jewelry box, under my computer..among other places. No it didn't fall off...I just tend to lay it down wherever and it's never in the same place twice :) Yes I've learned my lesson as I don't want it to end up in the garbage and actually losing it for good!

Oohhh so close!

September 1st is my one year anniversary with Etsy. My goal was to reach 100 sales by then and I'm 1 sale away!

I've been thinking a lot about what to do for the person who makes that 100th purchase. I have a little gift box ready to go that includes a pair of my GRACE earrings adorned with Labradorite, tea, and a coupon for 15% off of their next purchase in my store along with the item that they purchased. I figure it's my way of showing my appreciation for making my 1st year at Etsy a memorable one! So visit my store if you'd like to receive this free gift!!

Below are my 3 newest listings!

ORBS - Coral and Sterling Silver Hoop Style Earrings

CHARMED - Aquamarine and Sterling Silver Charm Necklace

WISHES - Sterling Silver Wishbone Style Earrings

Updating Photos

I've not only been changing things in my life but I've been updating the look of my shop on Etsy. The first thing was finding a banner that was me, something feminine, inviting, earthy, and Goddess oriented. After testing a couple of banners that I purchased from some great graphic designers, it still didn't represent me the way that I wanted it to. So after literally spending hours making around 50 banners, running the gamut of colors, fonts, designs....I've finally found something that represents who I am. I couldn't imagine putting someone else through all of my wishywashiness....they probably would've refunded my money and ran as fast as they could...hehe. The banner on my blog is the same banner that I use in my Etsy store. I'm pleased with what I accomplished and it's actually rewarding to know that I made it myself.

Along with changing my banner and business cards to match, I wanted to change the background that I use for my photos for continuity, something rustic and earthy. What I had in mind was granite, but unfortunately none of the local home remodeling stores here or around my area sell small slabs of polished granite or natural stone *sigh*. BUT...what I did find was a great piece of wood that has a rustic texture of paint and paper...it works. And so far I've been completely happy with the pictures that I've taken using it. It's a slow process, updating all of my photos, but I should have them all updated by the end of the week.

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to work on some wire wrapping projects that I've had on the back burner for sometime now. Oooo and my dad picked up some great cabochons for me! I'll be sure to take a pic of them and post them here for everyone to see. So many ideas and so little time to create them, but eventually I'll get to them!

Not just any ring

I make wire wrapped rings....but I wanted to learn how to make the prong style...and had no clue how to go about it. Well one night while browsing through Etsy...I stumbled upon MyWiredImagination. A wonderful artist who's wire wrapped jewelry is impeccable... and sells prong ring tutorials and kits. These kits come with everything you need including the stone, she also has upgrades available if you fancy a different size, color or type of stone. I awaited anxiously for my kit to arrive (I received the tutorial by pdf format in an email and the supplies were sent to me). Well I received my supplies yesterday...and decided I would make my ring this morning. The picture above is the result!!! I just love how it turned out...her tutorial is awesome and very easy to follow. The lavender stone is large and gorgeous! I couldn't be happier with the results and I'm so very thankful for sellers like her who don't mind sharing their wire wrapping designs!

Thank you Bobbi....I enjoyed everything about the step by step tutorial, the pictures you included and will cherish my ring for many years to come!

Latest Project

This is what I've been busy working on this weekend. I purchased this stone from Stones In Motion on Etsy. He cuts all of the gems himself and is a wonderful person to chat with. The stone is a Koroit Boulder Opal Matrix.


First I did a rough draft of what I wanted the pendant to look like. Then draw the frame and put it on a soft piece of wood and place nails along the inside of the outline. I then wrap wire around the nails...along the outside of the right side of the moon, and the inside of the left side. I then spent a very long time cutting the swirls making sure they looked uniform not only in size, but design as well.


This is how far I've gotten, it's not finished yet. I'm still trying to figure out how I want to wire wrap the stone to keep it in place...and especially making it so that it doesn't take away from the beauty and flash of the stone. So there in lies my dilemma, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. I'll be adding a few other very small faceted rondelles of Labradorite, and Smoky Quartz within or around the swirls. I'll be sure to make a post when I've finished the piece. Thank goodness it's for myself, so I can take all the time that I need without any pressure.

Mini's

I had a custom request last week for some tiny hoops similar to the one's I already carry just alot smaller. I wasn't really sure if she would like them because they were so small, but she was extremely happy and she thought how great they would be for her second hole piercings. She ran to the bathroom and put them on...ohh how I wish I had my camera...she already had my larger hoops in her first holes then put the Mini's in the second...ooo so cute! Really they turned out to be the perfect size for that second hole. So I decided to go ahead and make some for my store. I've also added small gemstones to them. I've made myself a few of them, and she was right they are perfect for those upper piercings...I don't have to worry about a clasp or anything...and they're so comfortable. My customer also pointed out how great they would be for a younger child.

I've sold a couple of the wire wrapped stones on my other blog, and I've received some custom requests for the same style just different stones. So I've been pleased with the results from having that page.

Other than that I haven't been up to much. I need to post the astrological signs that I posted about earlier, but I haven't had the time yet. I'll be sure to get that done as soon as I can though.

Things will be changing soon with my job so I'm not sure what my schedule is going to be like. Right now I feel like I'm a yo-yo, I'm being switched back and forth from day shift to late shift and it's oh so messing with my sleep. Though I'm a night owl at heart, when I work the late shift I tend to go to bed at 3am and I'm up by 10am. Then the next day I'll work a day shift so I need to be to bed by 12:30 and I have to be up by 7am...though it's close to the same amount of sleep....going to sleep at 12:30 is nearly impossible *sigh* With my new job duties I'm wondering if I'll be able to pick my own schedule....I can only hope!

Calypso

This is my newest addition to my Etsy store. Faceted briolette's of Peruvian Opal and Amethyst nestle together on this Sterling Silver necklace. I’ve also added an Amethyst charm at the end of the chain for that finishing touch.

Opal is one of the most powerful stones for the soul. It mends broken hearts and restores inner harmony.

Amethyst is extremely beneficial to the mind, calming or stimulating as appropriate. When you meditate, it turns thoughts away from the mundane into tranquility and deeper understanding.

For those of you who know me or who often read my Etsy listings...have noticed that I always include the metaphysical properties of the stones that I use. For me, these meanings are extremely beneficial, though I only list the emotional healings these stones can provide...they can also be used for ailments. I often wear jewelry based on how I'm feeling...more than what I'm wearing. I love it when I get a request for jewelry to help assist one's feelings, or emotional state. The emotional properties of the stones are my specialty, though I have created items for medical ailments...it is a much deeper study and understanding of the stones. All of this intrigues me, though I can't guarantee that these stones will cure one's ailments, in my own personal experience it has definitely helped.

Another thing I like to do is divinations. I love palm and tarot readings, numerology and astrology. I haven't by any means mastered these, but they are quite interesting to learn. My latest focus has been astrology and love signs...and I have been blown away by what I've learned when two signs get together, whether it be friendship, love or just a business partnership. I actually have people that I've done readings for, or who just have questions about their own Sun sign and another sign of someone they're interested in....I'm always amazed at the results...and they too are often amazed.

I'll have to do some posts of combination signs of myself and the relationships that I've had...no names of course...but just to share what I've found to be true and what I've found to be not so true.

If anyone out there wants me to do a combination of signs for your own comparison, leave me a post and I'll put it up for you.

I Survived....

prom weekend! The girls were gorgeous and the guys were handsome of course. For those of you who have teenage kids, you can understand the weekend I had.....I know I have a few more grey hairs after this one. I think mostly because we had a lot of rain, hail and intermittent snow, and my kids who don't have a lot of highway miles under their belts were having to drive quite a ways to their dance location, and even further for dinner with their friends.

I've tried my hand at oxidizing...and I'm not sure how well I really like it. The process or actually the solution that is used is quite toxic and being acid it's sure to burn the skin with the smallest drop. I know that I in no means have mastered it, and don't know if I will because I'm so uncomfortable working with it. I think what I may resort to doing is oxidizing the natural way using eggs, I just can't seem to keep eggs in my house though with the kids.

I've also recently been working with briolette stones. The wire wrapping can drive a person nuts. I tried it a long time ago and after only having one pair turn out after many feet of wasted silver, I gave up. Well I think I've finally gotten the hang of it, and really enjoy doing it. I've been amazed that I haven't had more than the usual silver left over. It's funny how you can write off something because it simply does not work for you then all of a sudden you try it again and voila, you've done it! Hmm...I'm just noticing that I must really like this paper, I've used it with all of these earrings..hehe

I've been bad....

bad about posting to my blog! It's been busy with prom on Saturday, baseball, and my work schedule being all wonky! So I thought while I've got a few minutes before I need to package up some orders that I would post a little somethin'.

I made and posted this pair of Blue Chalcedony earrings today...left to make the Lemon Drops necklace and when I checked back in...those earrings were sold. Then while I was taking photos of the necklace my Chakra pendant sold. Wooohooo...so it was a good day on Etsy.

This week hasn't been so good for my back though. I've had sciatica flare ups in both legs and muscle spasms to no end....uuugghhh! I can't sleep on my back...it's either one side or another, but I "trout" alot which is basically flip-flopping from one side to another. Well when I woke up, I was on my back and that was the beginning of a rough 2 days. It's almost been 4 years since my auto accident...you'd think I'd be used to it by now....but that's not the case.

On to brighter things....I finally bought a Blackberry Curve (red)...love it. At first though, I was really bummed because I could access my Etsy store but I couldn't log in to renew or respond to convos. So I posted a help in the Etsy Fora...and low and behold there were so many of us that couldn't login. But some sweet Etsian posted a link to Operamini...what a life saver! After I downloaded that application and made a few tweaks to my phone...voila...I can login, renew and reply! So to pay it forward in a sense, I posted a step by step "how-to" in the fora for those having troubles and it seems to have helped. I love that while I'm on my lunch break I can check in to see how things are going in my store...and I'm also lovin' how easy it was to link all of my emails to my phone! Pretty much...besides the back pain...life is good!

Well, I've listed a couple more pendants to the link above. It's been a slow going process, and I just haven't been really motivated to make more jewelry...what is wrong with me?! I have all of these ideas/designs in my head but today I just couldn't sit down and work with anything. So, I've written my ideas down and hopefully tomorrow my head will be in a better place to start creating some new designs.

Here's a couple pics of my "new" Spiral Collection...I tossed around a few titles...Around the World In A Day...Orbit...and many others, but none of them really clicked. I just wanted the name to be a description of the design. I normally have the easiest time with names...but for some reason this was not one of those times. I've had these pendants made since Saturday...and I finally settled on Spiral last night. It really is a sweet and simple design...I love how quickly they can be interchanged to match anything you wear.

First Tree of Life Custom Order

This is a custom order for someone who saw me wearing the Hessonite Garnet Tree of Life. She requested green, gold, black Tourmaline and a square frame. I really like the earthy tones of the Tourmaline in this pendant.

Since my last post I've received 4 orders, each one takes 2 days to make because I have a day job I can only work on them during the evenings. So as of right now I'm focusing on my store, and the pendants, then I'll make more pendants to post for sale here.

I love the creative outlet jewelry making offers!

Wire Wrapping

I've been trying my hand at making Tree of Life pendants after seeing one while browsing the internet . After making my first one I realized that one of my Etsy street team members also makes and sells them, so out of respect for her I won't be offering mine for sale in my store. I've made a couple without stone chips which is what's most commonly seen. I've never really cared for them, I'm not sure if it's because of the chips, but I really just like the organic look of the wire alone.

Last night I made a few sterling silver frames for the pendants, a tear drop, square and a rectangular one. Tonight I wanted to work with the tear drop frame and decided to add stones. I don't have any chips other than turquoise...so I used some of my small faceted Hessonite and Rhodolite Garnet rondelles. I'm really pleased with the results and I think I'll have a hard time parting with this one. I know I've said that before, but everything about this pendant screams, "Keep Me!!" LOL

After I've made a few more I may list them here on my blog for purchase. So stay tuned!

My week so far....

It's been a couple of days since I've posted anything. The grove of trees in front of my house is no longer there, torn down to build houses. It has been horribly sad around here. I can't hardly stand to look out my window let alone walk outside. What once felt protected and secluded now feels exposed and unsafe.

Onto a brighter subject...It's been a busy week planning for the Thanksgiving get together. Two dinners this year because of everyones work schedule. I can feel a turkey burn-out coming on!

The pictures in this post are the newest items in my store. I've sold two more pieces and one of them was because a very nice fellow Etsian featured me in her blog. She is going to be my Decembers Featured Artist of the Month, so be sure and check back for that. Business has been good, and I'm definately looking forward to the upcoming holidays. Ohh and I've also been accepted into SRAJD (Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designer), I can't wait until it's posted so I can start using the logo.

My mom is very excited about a gift she bought me...she wants to tell me, but I keep stopping her and that is sooo unlike me. I always want to know what my gifts are! I'm just excited to buy gifts for my niece, Abi. She'll be 6 months old and should be alittle more active....I love the baby stage!

Custom Rings

I'm now offering custom sized rings in my Etsy Store! I made this one using an oval Garnet and 18 gauge sterling silver wire. I used a diamond file to make sure the ends of the wire wouldn't catch on clothing or scratch the skin. I just made one for myself because I liked how it turned out...and it's my birthstone. I really like the look of the birds nest ring but there's already a few people selling them on Etsy so I thought I would do this instead. To me it has a real organic free form look, and I'm pleased at how comfortable it is on the finger.

Lepidocrosite in Quartz Pendant

This is my new pendant that I was also talking about, I'm definately making myself this soon. I just love the colors and sparkle in the stone.

The cough is worse today, and I feel totally wiped, but I'm getting ideas for some new pieces, so I'm off to create.

First International Shipment

Okay, so yesterday I mailed it off. I had to send it first class instead of priority...holyman priority is expensive when shipping internationally. Thank goodness for small towns and small town postoffices. Mine was so helpful yesterday :D

I just posted a new pair of earrings, and I have a wire wrapped pendant that I made. I'm not sure if I want to part with the pendant though. I've had a ton of compliments on it and I've just really grown attached to it. The focal stone is Rhodochrosite with 4 Tourmaline beads hanging from it. I picked the Tourmaline to accent the different colors in the Rhodochrosite. Decisions...decisions...decisions

I guess if that's my only dilema for the day then I'm doing pretty darn good!

Here's a few new items I've got for sale on Etsy