Elektra Jewelry Design

Tucson Gem and Mineral Show

2012-01-09T07:03:00.000-08:00

I have been away from my blog for ages and thought it was time to post a video that all jewelers and jewelry, mineral lovers might appreciate. I will be attending the annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show for a few days and needless to say, I am really excited. I found this video on a friend's blog that gives a good overview on the show. This will be my second trip to this amazing event and I hope to be better prepared this time. I am in the process of making lists of exactly what I hope to see as this show is overwhelming to say the least. Hopefully being somewhat organized will help me make the most of my limited time there. I would greatly appreciate any tips or comments that can help me try to navigate this show in a timely manner.

Handmade Lampwork Beads to inspire the Jewlery Artisan

2010-11-09T08:46:00.001-08:00

I was fortunate enough to find the amazing shop of Lori Bergmann this morning and had to share her beautiful items with my readers. This interview was done by another wonderful artist Brenda of Brenda's Jewelry Box who has some truly unique jewelry pieces.

If you and I met… say at a bead show, "wink-wink," what would you tell me about yourself?

Hi! My name is Lori Bergmann and I’m so glad to meet you! (shaking hands and winking back). I’m a bit of a “Renaissance” artist because I love to dabble with a variety of artistic mediums and techniques—you name it and I’ve probably tried it or am planning on it someday! I’ve been an artist all my life and after college, spent a good chunk of time as a graphic designer and then worked as a full-time freelance scrapbook and paper crafts designer and writer for magazines and company consultant for about 10 years. But I’m currently obsessed with making my own glass beads (lampworking) and incorporating them into my jewelry designs. I moved to Washington about 4 years ago and am enjoying living here with my wonderfully supportive hubby, two slightly hormone-unbalanced teenage daughters (most people say that’s normal, right?), and two hairy dogs that like to shed and drool on anything that breathes. (Okay, enough about me—let’s go check out some more booths together!!)

From Lori's `Sparkle Series` ~ Silver & Gold Sparkle Spheres

How did you get started making your beautiful lampwork beads?

About 5 years ago, I was attending an annual trade show for the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) and saw a company offering “make-and-take” fused glass pendants and also had someone demonstrating how to make glass beads on a small torch. I was immediately smitten, as I’ve always loved watching glass blowers at work and there’s just something about how light shines through glass that is totally mesmerizing to me. I took one of their basic bead making workshops later that year, bought my kiln, and started collecting other supplies and tools. But I was still busy doing other freelance design work and then we moved, so I didn’t set everything up and get serious about it until about 2 years ago. I learned mainly on my own, by playing and experimenting, reading every book on lampworking I could get my hands on, watching You Tube videos, and joining a great online community called Lampworkers Etc. (www.lampworketc.com).

Your muse is calling you, beckoning you to create...where do you get your ideas and your inspiration from?

I get most of my inspiration by things found in nature, because I feel that God is the greatest artist of them all and looking around, seeing all the amazing colors, patterns, and textures in the world never fails to sweep me into a creative mood. But the graphic designer in me also loves clean lines and geometrics, so I often combine the two ideas into my work. I’m always on the look out for inspiration in anything I see—whether it’s a texture from a home decor magazine, a color combo from a Target store ad, a vintage doodad from an antique shop, or native patterns seen during my travels. I like to keep my eyes and ears open, and constantly jot down ideas and sketches in a small notebook to reference later when I’m in the mood to work on them.

From Lori's `Twilight Series` ~ Twilight Marquis

What drives your passion to create?

I think I’m one of those people who was born needing to do creative things—in one form or another—or I just don’t feel fulfilled inside. I love working with my hands, interpreting my thoughts and feelings into something tangible and unique that no one else in the world has.

Name an artist or designer (past or present) that you would love to meet and why?

I would love to meet Leonardo Da Vinci. Not only because I’m a big Renaissance fan and adore all things Italian, but I think his personality fits mine in that we both love artistic and mechanical/graphic design, as well as enjoy a variety of other intellectual pursuits. I would love to pick his brain, watch him at work, and learn more about the person who left behind such a legacy of amazing art and ideas that were light years ahead of his time.

What can we look forward to from you and your work in 2011...any big plans or events?

I always seem to have at least a hundred different design ideas swirling around in my head at any given time, so I couldn’t even begin to guess which ones will fight their way out over this coming year? LOL But I definitely plan on working more often with metal clay and combining it with my glass beads. I’ve also been planning to do animal portraits and/or sculpture work for quite a while now, so I think you’ll be seeing some of those soon! I have an article scheduled to come out with Bead Unique magazine and am hoping to do more published work throughout the year.

Lori makes the cutest acorn beads, and I just had to share my newest favorite, `Ivory Swirl Acorn Bead.` For all you Autumn lovers out there, this is a must have for your Fall designs!

This is just a small taste of Lori's gorgeous art glass beads. To see more of her beautiful designs, visit her etsy shop @ Ashlyn Design. But don't go yet! Lori has donated an exclusive 20% off discount coupon towards any 1 item in her etsy shop for one very lucky reader who will be chosen in a random drawing by me this Thursday, Nov. 11th. Also, you can visit Lori's blog to view my interview as well and enter for your chance to win an exclusive 30% off discount coupon towards 1 item in my etsy shop too. :)

To enter the drawing for Lori's coupon, leave a comment here on my blog. For 2 more opportunities to win; (1) help spread the word about my and Lori’s etsy shops and our special coupon drawings on your own blog and/or (2) “liking” my and Lori's Facebook pages (Lori's page) and (my page). Please add a separate comment for each of these things and include a link back to your site, along with your email address so I can contact you if you’re the winner. Good luck!

Thanks to Lori for giving us a sneak preview into her crafty world!

A Virtual Craft Fair

2010-09-29T17:27:00.000-07:00

A Day at the Craft Fair

by Donald T. MacKinnon

candleguy821

Saturday, a day I patiently waited for. Today is the day of the virtual Country Craft Fair featuring talented artisans from places near and far away. Forecasters predicted crisp clean air and pleasant comfortable temperatures for this mostly sunny day. It is perfect weather for looking at the beautiful handmade creations while walking from one artisan's booth to another. You never know I might even find some special gifts for the fast approaching holidays.

I think I may be one of the first ones here, but as I looked back, the parking lot was filling up fast. The crafts people worked hard they earned a break in the weather and received it. Admission was $2.00 to cover costs of running the fair, a very reasonable fee in my opinion. This is a very big event, as I looked across the fields ahead at the many booths and artisans eager to show off their works. There had to be an acre of tent-covered tables comfortably spaced across the close cut green field grass. Several large trees served to add shade, and contribute to the wonderful Country Craft fair ambiance.

After walking by several craft displays, something caught my eye as I approached the booth of Elektra Jewelry Designs, displayed amid an array of unique jewelry the likes of which I had not seen in a long time, was a stunning bracelet. A card under the bracelet display stand had printed on it this description: A very fancy jeweled cuff, handmade with 12-gauge sterling silver wire, and smothered with pearls, rose quartz, silver spacers, and Swarovski crystal. As I gazed at the beautiful work, the Artisan greeted me and offered to model the bracelet for a couple of photographs.

Jeweled Cuff

"The work is beautiful," I said as my glazed over eyes stared at the piece. The woman introduced herself and told me the sad story of her camera breaking. She mentioned that I could get the piece later on by contacting her through the Etsy On-line store using the "Contact Artisan" feature.

While she was setting the beautiful jeweled cuff on its display stand, a pair of earrings, "oh, these are very pretty, the luster and color is amazing" I said. I snapped a couple photos for later reference. A small card under the display stand, described the earrings as a pair of peach drop pearl earrings, hung on gold vermeil caps and ear wires.

Peach Drop Pearl Earrings

"Dina I enjoyed your booth, but there is much more to see," I said while carefully storing her business card in my camera bag. Elektra Jewelry Designs is a store I will visit again while shopping from my computer I thought as I turned toward the next booth on my list.

Opps, I have to stop here first, an unbelievable assortment of smells pulled me toward the Soapy Blessings booth. "Look at all these handmade soaps, got to have some," I said to myself. A lovely person walked over and introduced herself, "I am Patricia, you look like you need a little help to locate the source of a particular smell," she said. "Yes, I smell cranberries, which one of these" I said, as she handed me a round piece of soap saying, "try this one, Cranberry Orange Spice Soap". I read the label under the display plate; the soap has a cranberry fragrance mixed with orange essential oil, a touch of musk, sandalwood, and moss to give a sweet smell with subtle woodsy undertones.

Cranberry Spice Soap

Cranberry Spice Soap Closeup

"Yes perfect, please wrap a bar up and one of these also", I said while pointing at the dish with the printed tag Irish Cream Soap under it. Printed neatly on the tag, were these words "handmade soap using the dessert wine Irish Country Cream fragrance that is mixed with a small amount of Creme Brulee for extra richness."

Irish Country Cream Soap

The soap, I could smell the Irish Cream from where I was standing outside the booth. What a great way to start your day, a nice hot shower using one of these elegant soaps from Soapy Blessings to relax and get ready for the world.

Thanking Patricia for the fantastic soaps, I walked along the row of artisan displays until I saw a most interesting display of unusual candles at Valerie's Essentials, along with some free tootsie rolls and mints. Look at this candle, it is a scented candle, but more than that, it is a fish bowl with glass seaweed and a glassfish with real seashells all embedded in this clear wax called Gel. The booth had row upon row with gel candles having different themes. Some had no fish at all, but beautiful seashells imbedded in the gel. There was even one for golfers. The Artisan was busy with another customer so I took the time to look around the candle filled booth.

When it comes to desserts, I have no resistance. One of my favorite sweet treats is strawberry shortcake. Without a doubt, I am a strawberry shortcake eating fool. Poised dangerously close to me was a dish of strawberry shortcake. As I slinked closer the strawberry scent tantalized my olfactory senses. OH NO! The strawberry shortcake was a candle made from paraffin and gel waxes.

The candle maker finished up with the other customer just in time to see the disappointed look on my face. She smiled and introduced herself as Valerie. "I must have have one of those candles," I said while pointing at the candle. We talked a little about the candle as she wrapped it up for me. She mentioned another candle maker's booth I should visit while at the fair, Candles by Donald. I said I would try, as I waved goodbye, and continued up this little grassy rise toward another booth on my list to visit.

"Ah, here it is, LindaButterfly Cards and Art," I thought, then “Look at all these cards”, I said quietly to myself. “Sir, what did you say”, said a voice with a British accent from behind the display. “There are so many cards” I said. “Yes, I try to provide a good selection, something for every occasion”, she replied, as she appeared in front of me, this woman with a big warm smile. “Hello, I am Linda”, she greeted me. “Is there something special you need or would you like to just look around?” “Just one question; all of the cards I have looked at are beautiful on the outside, but with no writing on the inside, why?” “Good question, the card cover has different meanings. This way each person who buys a card can write something appropriate to the occasion at hand. Possibly to convey a meaningful personal message or recount some past experience”. She paused a moment, “The individual can make a card so much more than just a card. Look around, enjoy looking at the cards, ask and I will help you.” I had already made my selection, "Linda, I want to look over in theLindaCaterpillar section of your booth, will you wrap these two cards up for me". I paused a moment then said,"Yes, one Winter Fir Treesgreeting card, and one Frosty Ground greeting card".

Linda's booth was divided into two sections, I was in the LindaCaterpillar section now. This section is devoted to artworks done in acrylic, watercolor, pastels, and much more. I looked at the acrylics first; while looking, a painting named Dancing Tree captured my attention in a special way. From the acrylics I shifted my gaze to the pastels where a work titled Trees by the Lake moved me, but "I like all of Linda's Art", I thought. I asked first, then took these pictures to share with you. "Linda, I have to leave your wonderful booth, it is clear to me I need much more time." We said our goodbyes and she gave me her business card with her on-line store addresses on the front, LindaCaterpillar andLindaButterfly Cards and Art.

By the Lake, pastel

Dancing Tree, acrylic

The next booth on my list was just ahead. Oh, this looks like fun, Custom Clothing and Costumes for You, the banner over the booth read. Look at all the costumes, Luke Skywalker, Snow White, Sheriff Woody, Jessie the cowgirl, Oompa Loompa, and so many more. All the props needed to take a kid well into a "make pretend world", AND all the props needed to take an adult well into a "make pretend world"; why should kids have all the fun. More than just costumes, this is handmade quality clothing. I asked the woman who designs and makes all of this beautiful clothing if I could take some photos to share. Here are a few teasers:

Custom Clothing and Costumes for You has an on-line store with listings of all the costumes. Please remember that Custom is NO problem for this Artisan.

I left the costume booth with a smile and crossed over the grassy field to another row of booths. The colors here abound as each tent roof perimeter is lined with triangular flags, and the booth front displaying a large banner with the store name, and logo. The tables covered with colored cloths and lined with ribbons, all designed to attract the attention of a potential buyer. The day continued to be pleasant with good lighting for numerous photo opportunities.

I think I will visit my friend Shelly, her boothHandmade Creations by Shelly is just a head. Shelly was very happy to see me, and put together an incredible display of handmade items. We started at a corner table where she talked about each item in this grouping of different crocheted designs, and all the time knitting a scarf. Shelly loves to knit and there is hardly a time when she is not knitting something. While looking at all the items she had knitted and crocheted, I noticed a beautiful book or album cover.

This is a very nice way to display the photo album on the coffee table. Next to the crochet album/book cover was a hand knitted felted tote bag. There were small pouches and bags that would work well with anything that fit into them. The selection seemed endless as we walked around the booth, I saw scarf's, hats, gloves, ponchos, caplets, purses, felted bags and designer collections.

Hand Knitted Woman Shawl

Hand Crochet Pom Pom Scarf

I took a few photos and said my goodbyes. The day was going fast, with the sun already getting low on the horizon. I wanted to visit Susan's booth just ahead on the left, ah there it is near that big tree. Her banner with shop name in big colorful letters,Susanneedlehands is displayed in the front of her booth. Susan loves to sew, knit, and do crafts. The tables, piled high with felted bowls, felted plates,scarves, knit bags, water bottle carriers, and even a teddy bear looked beautiful.

Crochet Storage Bowls

Handmade Knit Teddy Bear

Water Bottle Carrier

Handmade Knit Scarf

Her shop is non-profit with all the money going to various charities that can always use some cash. I could not stay long, time was not on my side I said goodbye to Susan and headed to a booth close to the exit.

This would be my last stop, I was hungry and tired, but so happy to have spent some time looking at crafts, taking pictures, and just being outside on this beautiful day. It was time to meet Kelsi and Ryan, the booth Kelsilove, like the store is a collection of everything. Many of the items are made from recycled materials, something I love to see. Kelsi greeted me while modeling her Soft Olive Green Knitted Scarf. The scarf looked beautifully warm, and very soft. Oh, thats Ryan in the other photo, Kelsi's neck is not that hairy.

Kelsi and Ryan were eager to show me a wonderful collection of environmentally friendly jewelry,brooches, scarves, photography, art, and more. Here are some Photos one of a unique brooch, and another of a pair of Big Green Bulb Earrings.

Ryan had some of his art on display. He told me of his new on-line store called On The Floor Studio where he sells digital prints of his not so digital paintings. These are great, certainly a "must see" place to go. Here are two of his many wonderful prints.

Wave of Paranoia

Look What We Found

I said my goodbyes to Kelsi and Ryan, and walked down the slight hill toward the parking lot. All the while I contemplated this fantastic day I had at this virtual country craft fair. In closing, please visit all of these artisans at their on-line stores. There you are sure to find unique, quality, handmade works of art, each and every one.

Collaborators In Cahoots

2010-09-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

Great name for a great team of Etsy and Art Fire sellers who work together to help each other build more internet exposure.

Here is just a small sample of the CIC's Creative side

What you are enjoy here:

ValerieEssentials- All Natural Yellow Soy Wax Candle in a 10oz Bubble Top Jar

Shelly6262- Hand Knit Women's Poncho

LindaCaterpillar- Dancing Tree- Acrylic

HamnaHamid- Disney Princess Snow White Top

RachaelsGarden- New Background Color Print of Original Yellow Dumptruck

SusanNeedleHands- Handmade Knit Scarf - Fluffy Pumpkin

LindaButterfly- Tree with Orange Hill - Greeting Card

SoapyBlessings- Irish Cream Soap

Kelsilove- Thick Knitted Chartreuse Cowl

ElektraJewelry- Sponge Coral and Sterling Silver with Silver Dangles

CandleGuy821- Lemongrass Essentials Oil Scent Aromatherapy Palm Wax Candle

Welcome Home Candle

2010-09-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome Home scented natural palm wax pillar candle
Written By CandleGuy821
Welcome Home, at first I thought, "what an odd name for a candle fragrance".

The fragrance description changed my mind; toasted graham crackers,
vanilla frosting, creamy caramel, and juicy raisins. While growing up,
these are some of the things I remember about coming home, my favorite
treats.
I was probably no different than any other kid. On a cool day after
school, I would come home to some graham crackers and a glass of milk.
Then there were the special times when my mother baked a cake and
frosted it with vanilla butter cream frosting. On those days when I
opened the door the smell of baking would say "Welcome Home". It might be a vanilla, chocolate or spice cake with juicy raisins, but always the frosting was vanilla butter cream.
The natural palm wax pillar candle scented with this wonderful fragrance that smells like graham crackers, vanilla frosting, creamy caramel, and juicy raisins, says "Welcome Home" with or without the glass of milk.

Autumn- A Favorite Season

2010-09-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

'Autumn Delights' by elektrajewelry

A collection of wonderful and whimsical items for the fall season.

Green, Light Brown, and Brow... Kelsilove $5.00	Trick or Treat Halloween Pla... RachaelsGarden $23
Beautiful Autumn - Greetings... lindabutterfly $4.5	Autumn Colors - ACEO LindaCaterpill... $6
Hand Knit Women's Ponch... Shelly6262 $58.95	custom mickey minnie hallowe... hamnahamid $2.99
Lemon Mint Sage Soap SoapyBlessings $4.5	Red Hot Scented Trio Candy C... ValerieEssenti... $12
Honey Drops Citrine Rhodolit... elektrajewelry $165.00	Doctor Bag - CrackerJack victoriahorner $175
Handmade Knit Scarf - Year o... susanneedlehan... $40	Transition II adriarose $150
Silk Fairy Pumpkin Set Of 2-... woolentales $14	SALE - Rose Cut Dark Yellow ... kyleannemetals $595
Ornate gold Venetian mask wi... ladyinthetower $110	Halloween Gourd Jack-O-Lante... pinchmeboutiqu... $20

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

2010-09-09T06:30:00.000-07:00

Congrats Hamna!

Each month, Kelsi, who makes Environmentally Friendly Jewelry & More,
runs our monthly team challenge.

Hamna and her beautiful costumes won the August Monthly Challenge!!

HOORAY!!!!

Hamna makes clothing and costumes for adults and children

What to Do for the Flu

2010-09-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

This article was written by a good friend and colleague, Donald McKinnon.

Eucalyptus scented handmade natural palm wax pillar candle

A handmade natural palm wax pillar candle can be the perfect gift during the cold and flu season. This is especially true for a natural palm wax pillar candle scented with the fragrance Eucalyptus. The aromatic natural palm wax pillar candle is 3 inches in diameter, 4 1/2 inches tall and weighs approximately one pound. In this candle, I combined premium Eucalyptus candle fragrance oil with a pure natural Eucalyptus essential oil and added the 50/50 blend to the natural palm wax at a level equal to 6% of the total wax weight. This is the maximum recommended by the manufacturer. During cold and flu season, this candle can make breathing much more comfortable for some people. You see, the koala bear is not the only mammal that craves this aromatic leaf and its oil. People love this scent also, for opening up sinuses and clearing a stuffy head during the cold and flu season. The hot and cold scent throw is very good. After lighting the candle, the fragrance will find it way into every corner of a small room. The rich lime green color of this candle combines with the silvery lime green surface crystal formations common to this very special premium natural palm wax pillar blend. Palm wax is excellent for making pillars. The candles will burn with no soot or smoke, and longer than similar size paraffin candles. I love the unique surface features characteristic for this type of wax. Each candle is one of a kind with its fine detailed surface crystal patterns. When burning a palm wax pillar keep the wick centered within the candle diameter and burn no more than 2 – 2 1/2 hours at a time for a 3 inch diameter candle. Allow the candle to cool then trim the wick to approximately 3/16 to 1/4 inches if needed. Since the wicks I use are engineered to self trim I recommend trimming only when absolutely necessary. A wall will remain as the candle burns down allowing the light from the flame to produce an interesting effect as it shines through the crystal laden walls and candle body. Eventually as the candle burns down the walls will slowly erode leaving little waste. Any unburned wax can be used in a wax heater and the wonderful aromas will continue for those of you wanting to get 100% use from your natural palm wax pillar candle purchase. I use this candle in my indoor studio (back room) where I package, and wrap candles. The candle works great for me when I get a "stuffy" nose. It gently opens up my sinus's. I think the candle is sweeter and not as harsh smelling with this 50/50 blend. Stop by my store and look at this candle and my other candles. There is a great deal to see.

Glorious Harvest Days

2010-09-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

Our morning glories look like an elephant with his head and trunk raised up along the fence.

Harvest time is every gardener's delight. This year we had one of our finest gardens, despite the invasion of the hideous horned tomato worm and very little rain. The photos above show just how much I enjoy this garden.

First Signs of Autumn

2010-09-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a collection of wonderful pastels and a beautiful greeting card by my friend and collaborator Lindacaterpillar. She has two shops on etsy which feature her amazing art work.

The weather today was beautiful, tinged with that last-day-of-summer-first-day-of-Autumn feeling.

The trees haven't turned yet but they soon will.

The leaves haven't fallen yet but they soon will.

The glorious colors of Autumn aren't here yet, but they will be, soon. Find this beautiful card in this shop.

This year's pine cones haven't fallen, but they will do, soon.

Have you seen my Linda's two Etsy shops? In one she sells art; pastels, watercolors, acrylics and photographs.
In the other she sells cards made using that art. Come and visit her, revel in color, beauty and unique work that she has there waiting for you!

Today her beautiful pastel of a yellow Autumnal leaf was chosen to be in this Etsy Treasury:

My Secret Pal

2010-09-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

Well, the secret is out! My amazing team member Trish of Soapy Blessings planned this great activity to boost our team spirit. Trish chose names from a "virtual hat" and we all sent surprise gift packages to each other. Here is the adorable gift that I received:

I plan to put the cute crocheted flower on my favorite winter hat and the jeweled pad and funky pen are now a permanent fixture in my jewelry workshop.
Thanks so much to Susan and to Trish (who makes handmade soap) for planning this event.

Collaborators in Cahoots

2010-08-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate enough to be a member of a wonderful team of collaborators. We share ideas and knowledge on ways to promote our products on the Internet. Today I am giving you a preview of three of these shops.
Three Collaborators Team members' shops:

Today, let's look at this shop:
SusanNeedlehands Handmade Knitwear, Home Decor & Crafts

Now for Shelly's shop. Shelly knits and crochets ponchos, hats, scarves, shawls and accessories.
Take a peek at her purses & felted bags.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you visited Hamna's Etsy shop?
Her shop is full of Handmade clothing and costumes for adults and children
Just look at these marvelous dresses!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a photo of one of my teammates. She says,"This morning I went on a bike ride. You can see I am using a water bottle carrier - and it came from this shop!"

You might also like:
My water bottle carrier
Come Check Out A Beautiful Shop!
Featured in Susanneedlehand's blog

Fire and Ice

2010-06-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

Take a look at two wonderful etsy treasuries here:

Fire and Ice

2010-06-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Tips for Promting your Website

2010-04-27T22:53:00.000-07:00

As a member of the baby boomer generation, I have struggled with getting exposure to my little shop on the Internet. When I first began listing my jewelry items in my shop, I had no idea where to even begin. I did feel confident that people would like my pieces, if only I could take decent photos and have my work visible to enough people.

I thought I would share some tips that helped me get started and perhaps if you are new to this, you may find these beneficial.

1. Get your name out here using as many venues as possible. Since I was still a beginner, I did not have the money to spend on my own website and decided to list my items with Etsy.com and Artfire.com which allowed me to list and sell my work without spending an arm and a leg! I joined facebook, stumbled upon , flickr, twitter,forums and artists groups just like this one. More about that later.

2. You need an avatar and banner that represents your work and that you use consistently to let people know who you are. My work is influenced by my Greek heritage and so I use this avatar to represent me.jpg" border="0">

I use this as my banner:

I feel that it is important to be consistent and not keep changing your image so that people can identify you.

3. Get help. I can't stress this enough. Since I am computer challenged, please don't think I did this without help. My banner was made by a graphic designer on etsy and my niece did my avatar. Since I had no experience with photography and had no idea taking photos of jewelry was so difficult, I found a local person to help me with photoshop elements. I still struggle endlessly with photos, but if you could have seen the first ones you'd know, "I've come a long way baby!"

4. Check your statistics on Google analytics. Learn about keywords and how to make your titles and descriptions visible on the Internet. There are many tutorials on these subjects.

5. Don't give up. If you are not a computer whiz, you will spend many hours figuring out how to do what you need to do. This can get very frustrating and it won't happen overnight. I have been doing this for 4 years and I am just beginning to get more consistent sales.

6. Join groups that help you promote

One of the groups I have joined that has helped me is Collaborators In Cahoots.

You will need to find a group that is right for you. I belong to a few now and they have provided a wealth of information, not only about promoting on the web, but also sources for my jewelry needs.

7. BLOG. I am guilty of not keeping up to date on mine, but blogging is a great way to meet new people, gain knowledge and make yourself visible to search engines.

2010-03-25T14:03:00.001-07:00

http://ping.fm/3gs6G

Another Way to Promote Your Merchandise

2010-03-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, trying to get exposure through the Internet, you may not have considered the power of slide shows and videos. I know that most digital cameras have the ability to record short videos and that is certainly an option. Have a family member or friend record you while you introduce yourself and show items from your online shop. People like to connect a face and personality with the shop owners they buy from on the Internet. I am a member of a group of sellers Collaborators in Cahoots that help each other promote. One of my dear friends from this great group of people made this slide show for me while I am recovering from recent surgery. It was the nicest gift I could have received and as soon as I am able, I plan to record a video of myself with my latest jewelry items. Our group of artisans also has a shop on etsy which you should not miss .

How to Make the Best Use of Etsy Treasuries !

2010-01-30T13:14:00.000-08:00

I am sure many of you remember Jessica Rabbit from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?". She was the epitome of hotness. This is what can help drive Etsy Treasuries to the front page which is where you want them to be. It will also help your items be seen by more viewers. This "How To" comes from my teammate and friend on Collaborators in Cahoots, a wonderful Etsy team. Try following these tips to see if they will make a big difference in getting your next treasury to the FRONT PAGE!

The main point of a treasury is for your item to be seen by as many people as possible, people who may be possible customers.

There are many pages in the Treasury list. Potential customers are not going to wade through every single page to see dozens of treasuries.

Treasuries can be sorted by anyone looking, in several ways. They can order the list by alphabetical name of curator, by expiry time and by "hotness."

Hotness is the one thing we can have a hand in. A treasury gets hotter when a mixture of the number of comments and the number of clicks and possibly something else makes the treasury move nearer the first page of the treasury list.

It is far more likely that any potential customer who likes to sort by Hotness is going to see this Treasury, rather than see one on page 5 or page 10. Hotness matters for those who sort by hotness.

Above each square is a tiny gray number. That shows the number of times that photo has been clicked.

Each person viewing gets 12 clicks. Once you have clicked, and left a comment, then your work starts as you now have to persuade as many other people as you can to do the same; click and comment.
Put the link on Twitter.
You can take a screenshot, upload the screenshot to Flickr, put the link to that photo on Facebook (which will then upload as the Treasury pictures) and write the link to the treasury under that.
You can blog about it.
The message to get out is that clicking will help all the artisans in this treasury.

There is room on a Treasury for about 42 comments. When that space is full up, people can still click the photos.

As an aside, one poor photo ruins the whole treasury. There is no way Admin will choose for Front Page a well curated treasury where there is even one poor photo.

A Divine Sisterhood

2010-01-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

I am very fortunate to be part of a wonderful group of 5 girlfriends who have known each other for over 30 years. During that time we have all shared happy occasions and unfortunately, our share of sad ones too. Each one of us brings something unique and special to the group . I am not the "sister" that has a way with words but wanted to share this anyhow. We have supported each other through divorces, broken hearts, births, deaths, surgeries and sickness. We have traveled together, laughed and cried together and tried to be totally supportive even when we disagreed with each other.
In honor of our special bond, I made each one of us the bracelet you see above with the funny name we call ourselves. This name actually came to be from one of the X husbands of one of our "sisters."It has significance only to us, but somehow seemed to fit. If you are lucky enough to have friends that you love and support leave a comment here.

The Beauty of Lampwork Beads

2009-11-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

The photo above is the piece I antiqued in liver of sulphur.

I am excited about my latest piece featuring gorgeous lampwork beads in great shapes and delicious colors. I purchased these beauties at the Philadelphia bead show last summer and have been anxious to use them in an interesting design. The copper wire seems to really enhance the colors in the beads as well as blend beautifully with the bronze toggle. I can't decide now whether or not to oxidize the bracelet in liver of sulphur to give it an antiqued look. I know that the copper will oxidize over time naturally and I do not not wish to change to color of the toggle which is so beautiful just as is. Any suggestions? Please leave feedback and let me know what you think. I will also post a photo of a bracelet I did oxidize in liver of sulphur for comparison purposes.

Harvest Candles

2009-10-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but this is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the exquisite fall colors, pumpkins, candy corn and especially Thanksgiving. Having my family close and celebrating with a wonderful turkey dinnerbrings me great joy. Part of this annual tradition in my home includes decorating with pumpkins from my garden, lovely fall candles and linens to match. I have just visited the wonderful shop of Donald Mckinnon.
His fall candle selection is absolutely beautiful and any of his candles would be a perfect addition to your tables, fireplace or just about anywhere in your home. The colors and scents of his candles are so appealing that you can almost smell them just by reading Donald's perfect descriptions. he also gives you tips for caring for the candle . Visit his wonderful shop today!

A Wonderful Street

2009-10-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

Do you live on a wonderful street? If not , you can add this street to your home and feel wonderful whenever you look at it. Linda Williams ,the artist who painted this incredibly lovely and cheerful acrylic has many beautiful items in her etsy shops. She carries, watercolors, paintings, graphite, pastels and altered art in her Lindacaterpillar shop. The colorful magnet and greeting card you see here are located in her Lindabutterfly shop. You won't go wrong with a visit to either shop. Linda carries wonderful original works of art that will warm your heart and put a smile on your face!

Roman Glass Necklace

2009-09-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

These photos are long overdo. I wrote about Roman glass in my last post and here is another lovely piece I made with this ancient glass. The iridescent quality of this glass makes it a perfect element to use in jewelry design.

A Love Affair with Roman Glass

2009-09-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

I don't recall how or when it happened, but the very first time I put my eyes on a piece of jewelry made with this amazing glass, it was love at first sight. Perhaps it was at the Boston gift show where I visited the booth of some amazing Israeli jewelry designers who had incorporated Roman glass into their designs. I think it is the colors of the glass and its iridescent qualities that I find so appealing.

Here is a little information about this ancient glass:

The earliest man-made glass was first produced over 2000 years before the Roman Empire. Core formed and cast glass was produced, although in small quantities in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was often made to imitate semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise.
Glass vessels were initially available only to the very wealthy and only in rather diminutive sizes. They were manufactured by core forming, casting, cutting and grinding, The invention of glass blowing around 50 BC brought glass vessels to the general public in vast numbers, mass produced in great variety of forms and hence brought ancient glass into the reach of the modern collector of even modest means. One can nowadays own a Roman glass bowl, or drink form a Roman glass beaker, or wear ancient jewellery where glass was used widely.

Recently I was able to purchase some lovely Roman glass beads and design a few new pieces with these ancient beads. Stay tuned for more photos of my new jewelry pieces.

Team Work

2009-08-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

As you know, getting your items seen on the Internet is a labor intensive and complex endeavor. I have been working with a fellow teammate to feature our items together in the hopes that both items will become more visible on the Internet. Lindabutterfly and I are members of a wonderful team of artisans who work together to help promote our products and websites. Linda is and artist whose incredible work can be seen here and here. We have recently listed two of our items together on our etsy shops to be sold for a discounted price. We thought that these items complimented each other beautifully and would make a wonderful gift item. The listings for these items can be seen on our etsy shops. They can be purchased in either Linda's shop or at my shop. This experience has been a great deal of fun and we think you will be as pleased as we are with the results of our team work.

For Your Girly Girl

2009-08-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have little girls that love girly, feminine accessories will enjoy the handmade items offered by Gayle of Whats Her Name, a wonderful Etsy shop. The items featured here are certain to put a smile on the face of your daughter, niece or any little girl you might know. Gayle also caries handbags, spa items, bookmarks,card and wall hangings in her eclectic shop. Pay her a visit today to find something special.

Do you Love to Crochet?

2009-07-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

I am a knitter and have just learned some basic crochet stitches. I know I am always looking for new and exciting patterns for my knitted items. Sandy of Sandy's Cape Cod Originals is one very talented lady. Not only does she crochet the most darling items , but she designs patterns as well. Her shop features some very unique and adorable crochet patterns, like the ones you see here. She also sells items that she has crocheted, should you decide the that your crocheting skills are lacking. Be sure to visit Sandy's shops and stock up on wonderful patterns for your children or grandchildren.
Put a smile on the face of a friend or family member when you present them with a lovely handmade crocheted gift.

Sugar N' Spice

2009-07-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

Sugar and Spice and everything nice, that is what little girls are made of... Pay a visit to Olivia Reyes delightful etsy shop to find the most delightful little girls' dresses and bows. These darling dresses would be perfect for a special occasion like a wedding. The bodice of the dresses is made with silk duponi and lined with bridal taffeta. The floral designs of the skirt bottom are soft and feminine. So take a look and treat that special little girl with one of Olivia's beautiful dresses or bows. Shipping is free.

Jewelry from the Heart

2009-07-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

These are a few of the beautiful pieces found in Debi Levine's etsy shop. Debi's jewelry is unique and well designed. Her shop not only features pearls, but semi-precious stones and swarovski crystals as well. She also carries some Baha'i pieces that are quite beautiful. Visit

Debi's One Heart Jewelry shop here and you won't be disappointed.

A Professional Look

2009-07-06T08:32:00.001-07:00

I have been wanting to have a banner made for my tent to achieve a more professional look and to draw customers to my booth at craft shows. I was fortunate enough to stumble across the etsy shop of Paul Wilson at Wilson Graphics a few weeks ago and worked closely with Paul to achieve the beautiful banner you see here. Not only was he patient and creative, he gave me information about how to send large files through email. Paul sent me a number of proofs before we agreed on the final look for the banner. If you need a banner, promo item, decals or wall graphic do not miss this shop. I am thrilled with my purchase!

Original Art for the Home and Garden

2009-07-05T09:17:00.001-07:00

I have just had the pleasure of visiting Rachael's Garden , a wonderful shop on etsy. Karen, the shop's proprietor, has some wonderful original art for your home and garden. Folk art has always appealed to me. I love the bright colors and primitive designs. Karen's shop carries these items as well as adiitional folk art and original paintings for the home. Her birdhouses are so creative and the detail is amazing. Just perfect for your garden. Karen is happy to do custom designs for you. Just send her an email (convo) when you visit her shop.

Pirate's Booty

2009-07-02T22:22:00.000-07:00

Are looking for some fun and a great game to play ? Go to http:// etsy.com and then click on community. Find this thread which I have copied for you below. Have fun and good luck!

PromoPixie says:

COME TREASURE HUNTING! WIN SOME LOOT!

Win ye some LOOT from
Collaborartors In CAHOOTS!

THERE BE TREASURES HERE!!!

Aaaarrrgh....
In each of the shops listed below,
ye will find TREASURE, well hid ya know....
For no treasure worth its weight in gold
Is easily plundered and pillaged I'm told!

So search these shops well, leave no stone unturned
Or ye will miss finding that which ye long yurn
It may be loose coin or full treasure chest
Hark lad! Look closely..tis your best bet ;-)

Take note of thee findings, make thee a full list
Then convo it ONLY to yer host, me Pix!!
DO NOT Post your findings within this live thread
Or Pirates will find ye, and that ye would dread!

"Whats in it for me?" You stand there and ask?
Just wait and see...The Prizes be VAST!
Does EVERYONE win?? Nay, I reget
Here be the rules, in stone they are set!

RULES:
1- search all shops on the list to find the 'hidden treasure' icons-they are all different, so keep a sharp eye!
2- compile a list containing the page links of where you've found the treasures (I suggest using the notepad feature or word)
3- convo ONE FULL LIST ONLY (all 21 treasures) to PromoPixe.etsy.com DO NOT send seperate convoes for each finding or your contest entry WILL NOT be considered.
4- Game will run until JUly 6th
5- At game end, all CORRECT/COMPLETE entries will be placed in a random drawing to win great prizes!!
THERE ARE 12 PRIZES TO BE WON!
(viewed here: www.pixienook.blogspot.com)
6- One entry per complete/correct list

-----------------------------------------------------
HIDDEN TREASURE LOCATIONS:
1. PromoPixie.etsy.com
2. LindaCaterpillar.etsy.com
3. AprilsOriginals.etsy.com
4. Ginabee.etsy.com
5. ValerieEssentials.etsy.com
6. WhatsHerName.etsy.com
7. RachaelsGarden.etsy.com
8. CapeCodConsignments.etsy.com
9. ShadesOfVictoria.etsy.com
10. GoodeGear.etsy.com
11. MarysMaids.etsy.com
12. Tinkerick.etsy.com
13. CandleGuy821.etsy.com
14. Krishenka.etsy.com
15. OneHeartJewelry.etsy.com
16. 2Kute.etsy.com
17. AdornYourself.etsy.com
18. ElektraJewelry.etsy.com
19. BijouxBoutique.etsy.com
20. KawaiiBuddies.etsy.com
21. Tias.etsy.com
---------------------------------------------------

*~*GRAND PRIZE!!!*~*
WIN ALL 4 Bonus Treasures found in DAVEY JONES' LOCKER!!!
Make any purchases from any of these 21 shops during your hunt, include your transaction link(s) to your complete list and get BONUS ENTRIES for the Grand Prize of Davey Jones' Locker!
( Seen here www.pixienook.blogspot.com )
EVERY PURCHASE from any of these shops will each count as seperate entries!

EX: purchase 1 item from "shop A" and 2 items from "Shop B" = Get THREE seperate entries into the Grand Drawing!

The Power of Promotion

2009-07-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

All of us who have online shops or services are aware of how important it is to promote ourselves on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, but that is only one part of what you can do to make your goods or services stand out from the crowd. Promo Pixie on etsy.com is a shop that can help you get your name out there. Melissa , the shop's owner has come up with some wonderful ways to help promote your items. She offers banner, avatars, business cards, note cards, buttons ,tags, bags and many other interesting items to show YOU off to the world. Here you see some items that I think are wonderful promotional tools.

Bag It!

2009-06-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Today I am featuring the lovely etsy shop of April Vinson. Her shop aprilsoriginals features bags and tissue holders in glorious colors and styles. A lady can never have too many shoes or bags and Aprils Originals certainly provides wonderful selections. If you need a clutch for evening, a laptop bag, makeup bag or zipper bag to hold anything your heart desires, you can find it in April's etsy shop. Here are some that caught my eye.

Wine and Roses

2009-06-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite things are wine, roses and strawberry shortcake. In fact, whenever I am enjoying any of these items, my only regret is that they are so short lived.

Valerie of Valerie Essentials can provide these items and more in a longer lasting product that you will enjoy again and again. Her charming etsy shop has a collection of wonderful candles handmade by Valerie. You can ask her to make a custom candle or choose from the many selections in her shop. Here you see my favorites.

Posh Period Pieces with Pizzaz

2009-06-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

If you say that too quickly your tongue will be tied! You will be more than tongue tied when you take a look at the stunning offerings of Posh Adornment. This etsy shop carries one-of-a-kind antique, vintage and estate jewelry and other accessories. The items are from about 1840 to 1945 and include Edwardian, Victorian , Art Noveau , Art Deco and many other period pieces.

I have posted a few of my favorite posh pieces here and urge you to visit this lovely shop today!

Fresh Look for Banners and Avatars

2009-06-09T18:09:00.000-07:00

Have you wanting to add a new look to your online shop? If so, take a peek at the bold graphic designs of Quaydesigns, who is a newcomer to etsy. He recently opened a new shop on ETSY and offers bright and interesting designs such as the banners you see here to anyone who wants a new banner or avatar for their shop. He will be happy to do a custom design for you . Just contact him through his etsy email.

The Perfect Wedding Location St. John- Part 2

2009-06-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

I recently spent 5 glorious days in St. John at Caneel bay in the US Virgin Islands. While we were visiting, three or four weddings took place at the the farthest end of the property,Turtle Bay Point. While exploring the 7 incredible beaches at Caneel Bay , I happened upon the pre-wedding preparations at the estate house on Turtle Bay. The photos can't do justice to the beauty of this spot.. I have been married for 30 years, but if I could do it again , I would choose this location, even if I had to save up for 10 years to afford it.

Flora and Fauna of St. John,Virgin Islands- Part 1

2009-06-03T08:08:00.001-07:00

I am taking a little diversion from my usual posts. I love traveling as much as designing jewelry and was lucky enough to have traveled to St. John, US Virgin Islands this past week. My husband and I spent 4 unforgettable days on Caneel Bay and I had to share some wonderful photos of the exquisite tropical flora with you.
Besides the beautiful flowers and crystal clear aquamarine waters, donkey, deer, birds and mongoose are inhabitants of this gorgeous 170 acre resort property. I tried to capture the mongoose on film but they were just too fast . Stay tuned for more photos and Turtle Bay Point which is an incredible wedding spot.

Better than your Mother's Pearls - Part 2

2009-05-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

June's birthstone is pearl . See this post to learn more about how this beautiful gem is created. This coming month I will be featuring some classical and also unusual one-of-a kind pearl jewelry pieces in my etsy shop. Here is a preview.

Better Than your Mother's Pearls - Part I

2009-05-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

June is pearl month. The pearl is one of the most fascinating and mysterious of all of nature's gemstones. This video is fascinating and gives a great perspective on the difficult and tenuous job of pearl farmers. It gives a greater appreciation of the value of these beautiful gems . If you are a June baby consider yourself fortunate to have the pearl as your birthstone. In the next few days I will be posting some lovely pearl jewelry.

New Earring Designs for Spring and Summer!

2009-04-30T17:23:00.001-07:00

Here are some of my latest earring designs. They are all one-of-a-kind pieces made with genuine A to AAA+ quality gemstones. All of the findings are made with 14k gold filled wire and gold vermeil (18K gold layered over sterling silver) and some have matching necklaces. Any of these earrings would make a lovely gift for Mom or birthdays, graduations, etc. I can also do a custom design if you prefer. You can find these items and others on my website.

Crocheting A Necklace

2009-04-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

I recently learned to knit and have been knitting up a storm all winter long. I have found the knitting videos very helpful when I get stuck on a specific type of stitch or need to review what I have already learned. I have wanted to try crocheting with wire so I bought myself some fine gauge artistic wire in silver, gold and brass and added some stunning swarovski beads . I was very happy with the results and plan to make some beautiful pieces with pearls and perhaps silver beads . Now that I can crochet, hopefully I can add some trim to the next sweater that I knit.

An Interesting Proposal

2009-04-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

I was recently commissioned to make a necklace for a customer who lost a loved one and would like to carry the ashes around her neck in a sealed vessel. She informed me that she had seen the above necklace on flickr.com and would like to hang the urn type pendant on the handmade necklace instead of the spiral that is usually the focal piece of this design. I didn't think this would be possible since I do not not solder, but apparently she has someone who will seal the ends of the tube that I will hang from the necklace. I came up with the above piece to hold the ashes and hope that this is what my customer had in mind. We all need a little challenge to get the creative juices flowing. To be continued...

Afghan Jade Necklace

2009-03-30T17:45:00.001-07:00

Well thanks to the help of some kind people on Etsy.com, I was able to get some information on the stones I purchased in Tucson.(see this post) Apparently both the dealers were correct when they told me that it was Afghan Jade, which is a type of serpentine. I was very pleased with the way the first piece of jewelry made with these interesting stones turned out. The smoothness of the stones and earth toned colors seems to be further enhanced by the carnelian center bead and the two kinds of brass findings I used to finish the piece.

I gave this necklace to one of my closest friends for her birthday and she was very pleased. There is nothing like a handmade gift for a special occasion. I look forward to making another piece of jewelry with the remaining stones and will share them here when I do.

Name That Stone!

2009-03-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

I purchased these wonderful matte finished beads from a dealer at the Tucson gem and jewelry show in February . He told me that the green and yellowish stones were jade from Afghanistan. I loved the colors and shapes and the stones were so reasonable, I decided to purchase the strands you see above. Recently , at The Whole Bead Show in Manhattan and saw the very same beads and the dealer told me that the stones were serpentine. If any of my readers out there can identify these stones I would be greatly appreciative. Tomorrow I will feature the lovely Serpentine or Jade necklace I made with these stones.

Marvelous Mineral Oddities

2009-03-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

Amazing shapes and colors! Hand Carved Turquoise Wild West Scene

A Favorite Cartoon Character

An Amazing Arch and Maze

Where Did He Go?

I was fortunate enough to attend the final show at the Tucson Gem show in February with a friend Robyn Hawk who I met through an online jewelry forum. She acted as my personal guide and give me a tour of the wonderful exhibitions of this year's show. The theme was mineral oddities and we marveled at the amazing shapes and stones on display. these photos give just a small sampling of the wonderful exhibits we saw that day.

Paula Radke at the Tucson Gem Show

2009-02-28T07:51:00.000-08:00

I had the distinct pleasure of visiting the booth of Paula Radke at the Tucson Gem and Mineral show last month. For those of you in love with dichroic glass, not many artists can hold a candle to the beautiful designs and work done by Paula.

Dichroic glass is defined by wikipedia as "glass containing multiple micro-layers of metal oxides which give the glass dichroic optical properties." Wikipedia states that"The main characteristic of dichroic glass is that it has a transmitted colour and a completely different reflected colour..." The color of the glass changes according to wavelenghts that are either reflected or pass through the glass. The results are dazzling.

Spending time in her booth was truly exciting and I walked away with some gorgeous glass that I can't wait to use in my designs. If you haven't seen Paula's work check her website and enjoy!

Turquoise

2009-02-21T13:55:00.000-08:00

Before leaving for Tucson, I had resolved to purchase some turquoise and wanted to buy authentic turquoise ,not the stuff that has been ground and glued together. Fortunately , I read the blog of Robyn Hawk who also participates in the bead on a wire forum and followed her advice to visit the booth of Stephen Mauldin. There, not only did I find some beautiful beads from the Castle Dome and Nacozari mines but Stephen had some great stories to tell as well.

While looking at the beautiful strands of turquoise he had displayed in his booth, I came across one that different from the rest. It caught me eye and I asked the price. He seemed quite surprised that I was holding this strand and explained to me that it had been missing for quite some time and he thought that perhaps it had been stolen. Apparently, this strand came from the Castle Dome mine that was closed in the 70s due to excessive blasting from the copper mines. It is part of a stash of over 3,000 lbs. of Castle Dome turquoise that was sold when the mine closed. Stephen was smart enough to purchase this beautiful turquoise and that is the reason I found this lovely strand. From what I read, Castle Dome is still mining some turquoise, but it is not the same quality of the older turquoise before the mine closed. I haven't decided whether or not I will keep the strand to make something for myself or not. At the present time , I am leaning toward keeping it. Stay tuned to see what I did make with the other strands I purchased. The beads are very similar to sleeping beauty turquoise and are a bright, clear, (little or no matrix) robin's egg blue. Stephen has just opened a website where you will be able to purchase some wonderful things. I know I will be doing just that in the near future!

Tucson Gem and Jewelry Show 2009

2009-02-17T17:29:00.000-08:00

These Venetian Murano glass beads are so beautiful!

These are just a sampling of some of the lovely gemstones I am planning to use in my newest designs. I purchased these stone from Lilly's Bead Box at her tucson booth and you can find her on etsy.

I just returned from my very first visit to Arizona. The purpose of my trip was to attend the Tucson Gem and Jewelry Show to purchase gemstones and gold and silver findings for my handmade jewelry. Today I will write a bit about the show itself and will continue to add photos and information over the next week or so. For those of you who have never been, it is a must see and for those of you who have been , I will offer my insight and personal opinions on what to avoid and what not to miss.

Needless to say,this show is extremely overwhelming and scary for a first time visitor like me. Here is what I learned from my experience:

1. Don't get to the show too late. I arrived after many of the bead shows were already over. Although I may have gotten better bargains at the end of the various shows, I felt that I missed seeing the best of the gemstones,beads and lamp work beads.

2. Be very wary of fakes. There is so much cheating going on. For example, many beaders, including myself, are very fond of Karen Hill Tribe beads. I discovered while I was at the show that some unscrupulous dealers are selling "Karen Hill Tribe" which are not fine silver and some are even silver plate and over lead.

3. Know your stones and ask the dealer questions. If they can't give you an answer or guarantee quality,walk away.

4. Double check totals. Have a calculator with you.

5. Have a budget set in your mind and keep careful records of exactly what you spend each day. It all adds up quickly.

6.Be wary of the vendor that calls you over to his booth and then changes his price because you walk away.

7. Try to purchase items you can't find at local shows or stores

8. Leave time for sightseeing because Tucson has some wonderful attractions.

I will be showing you some awesome photos of my travels in Tucson and also photos of some of the mineral oddities seen at the Main Event show which is held on the last weekend of this amazing 2 week event.

Loving Onyx

2009-02-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

I purchased some stunning black onyx stones while on vacation in Sarasota a few weeks ago and have been busy making jewelry with the stones. The shape and size of these beauties inspired me enough to use almost all of them up in the three one-of-a-kind designs you see in this post. I rarely use all of my stones up like this, preferring to save them for a rainy day, but these stones were begging to be used. My only regret is that I didn't buy more.

If You are in Sarasota - part 2

2009-01-31T07:38:00.000-08:00

If you are visiting Sarasota, Florida don't miss the fabulous museum ,grounds and home of John and Mable Ringling. My last post gives a little information about the Ringlings and their lives. I showed you some photos of the grounds and the exterior of the magnificent Ca d'Zan. (house of John) If those impressed you, the interior of this home is truly incredible. John and Mable had traveled extensively and modeled their home after the beautiful palaces and grand hotels of Venice. I took photos of their bedrooms, living room ,bathrooms and especially the ceilings which are breathtaking. The artist who painted the ceiling depicted the dance styles of the era in the corners. Stained glass windows of different colors were used for some of the windows so that the different colors would reflect on the floors of the mansion. The bathrooms were amazingly modern for their time. You will be happy you spent a day at the Ringling museum to admire these beautiful treasures of our history.

If you Visit Sarasota...

2009-01-27T18:29:00.000-08:00

Don't miss the Ringling Museum and the Ca D'Zan , the 36,000 square foot home of John and Mable Ringling. The mansion of John Ringling, the circus Baron, was built in 1924 for 1.5 million dollars and boasts 41 rooms and 15 bathrooms. It was built for John Ringling and his wife by architect Dwight Baum and builder Owen Burns in Venetian Gothic style. In their travels around the world, the Ringlings greatly admired the palaces and hotels of Venice and used photos and postcards to help the architect design this amazing home. The art museum carries john Ringling's amazing art collection including paintings by Rubens, van Dyke, Titian and El Greco.

The grounds of the museum and home are spectacular and feature Mable's rose garden, the secret garden and the circus museums.

The photos I took, can't possibly do justice to this amazing place but will perhaps tempt you to make a trip to visit this wonderful 20 acre waterfront property. Her are some photos of the grounds and exterior. Stay tuned for part 2 to see some of the spectacular rooms in the Ringling mansion.

Before and After Part 3

2009-01-14T19:12:00.000-08:00

These photos represent the after part of this 3 part post. After spending quite a bit of time polishing my bracelet with #0000 steel wool, I put it in my tumbler along with some rings I wanted to polish and voila the finished piece is ready. This one was a custom order and went right out in the mail . I was pleased with the results and would love some feedback.

Before and After -part 2

2009-01-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

This is part 2 of my post about working with liver of sulphur- the ugly part. My first post demonstrated how my finished bracelet would look without antiquing it in liver of sulphur. This photo show the very same piece after a quick dip in the smelly sulphur solution. Kind of scary I think. It almost looks like the entire piece has been destroyed. Stay tuned for part 3 when I will unveil my now antiqued bracelet.

Before and After

2009-01-11T20:11:00.000-08:00

I have previously blogged about the amazing results you can get with a piece of jewelry using liver of sulphur. I thought it would be interesting to show my latest piece of jewelry before during and after antiquing the piece with liver of sulphur. For all of you out there who are a bit anxious about working with liver of sulphur, it can literally transform your artisan jewelry. Although this particular bracelet is lovely as is, it becomes even more beautiful after treating it to a bath of liver of sulphur and then giving it a whirl in the tumbler. I would love to hear what you think! Step 2 or the ugly part of this process will be posted in the next few days.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-29T18:43:00.000-08:00

I am offering 40% off on the first three items shown here in my etsy shop. Please contact me through etsy if you are interested. The sale ends on Jan. 5th.

I have been very lax about my posts trying to catch up with holiday orders and frantically knitting a scarf for my husband which I did manage to finish before Christmas. I finally made time to go through my inventory and decide which items I will discount heavily before the end of the year. I am thrilled with my new earrings, seen above, made from Wirebliss' excellent tutorial. I have been wearing them frequently because they seem to compliment so many outfits. I am even keeping a pair for myself ,something I rarely do as a jewelry designer. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and I wish you a great 2009!

Business in a Closet - Part 2

2008-12-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

I am really happy with my new set up. I have room to store everything I need and when I am finished working my materials are stored and out of site. This will be the next best solution to having my very own workshop.

Here we see assorted containers and the Grecian head I use in my displays. I have room for everything needed for my shows in this closet too. My tools fit nicely in the blue and white tupperware container.

Most of my materials are stored in labeled drawers.

Business in a Closet -Part 1

2008-12-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

I don't think this desk even warrants a comment. It was not a worktable, that's for sure.

What a mess! My tools were kept on the bed in the large Tupperware bin you see on the bed. Behind that is wire of different gauges. My magnifying visor is in the foreground with miscellaneous bills and paper work. This was not an ideal working space to say the least!

This is where I originally stored my bead magazines and references.

Today my youngest son arrived home from a week and a half long cross country trip. He had been living in LA hoping to pursue a career in film and is hoping for some better luck here in NY. What does that have to do with business in a closet you wonder? Until this morning my workshop was my son's bedroom. It was the only room in the house that was warm enough and had room available for my rolling carts of drawers ,wire ,tools, tumbler, and all the paraphernalia I need to design jewelry and run my business. Actually the room never worked well because the desk was too small and I used my son's bed to lay out my pieces. Parts of my jewelry pieces were constantly dropping on the floor, rolling under the bed and disappearing, never to be seen again.

Now everything is stored away neatly in a closet. I moved everything to my dining room , a room we only seem to use for holidays. I will now work on my dining room table and when I am finished working for the day , everything will be put back in order and out of sight. I think it just might work. Of course , I can still dream about having the perfect workshop with built in shelves . a huge worktable and a pegboard to hold different gauge wire. Maybe some day... Stay tuned for my new business in a closet!

The Ultimate Gift Part2

2008-12-08T17:57:00.000-08:00

I have finally found the time to write part 2 of this post. Holiday time is just soooo crazy and stressful. I have one more holiday boutique to do this week and perhaps when it's over I can relax a little. In my last post, I mentioned two people who are kind enough to share their wealth of knowledge, give tutorials and business advice to those of us trying to promote our businesses on the Internet.

This evening I would like to mention a lovely lady whose work I featured in this post. I contacted her about featuring her work for my holiday shopping guide and wrote the feature including photos of her beautiful jewelry pieces. I have done this for many artisans and usually, but not always, receive a thank you and a nice comment on my blog. Maureen of Cosmosmoon went one step further. She made a ring just for me, which I now wear everyday . How special to receive a gift from a person I have never met just for writing a feature about her work. This act of kindness made my day wonderful and is what makes the holiday season special.

The Ultimate Gift

2008-12-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

Choosing gifts for loved ones can be stressful or can give you a great sense of accomplishment and joy as you select a gift to put a smile on someone's face. In my opinion, the greatest gift and one that can only bring deep satisfaction to your life is being what I call a natural helper.
For the past year and a half I started a new endeavor in the jewelry design business. I learned how to set up a shop on Etsy, started my own business, learned how to take decent photos of my pieces and correct them on Photoshop. I have also learned a bit and I do mean the smallest little bit about SEO and how to promote my site on line. All of these skills did not come easily because I am truly computer challenged. I out am not part of the generation of computer mavens.
The Ultimate gift for me was the wealth of information and kind words I have received from people I have never met or spoken to in person. These are people who are willing to share their secrets of success without worrying about giving out information that could potentially bring success to others in competition with them. Two people that stand out in my mind are Contrariwise, another jewelry designer and Timothy Adam Designs ,who does modern metal jewelry furniture and art. Both of these artisans are successful and talented and yet find the time to give incredible tutorials and advice to others like me who are struggling through this process. Their information has been incredibly helpful and valuable. Don't miss their wonderful blogs, Contrariwise Ramblings and Timothy Adam Designs . I thank them both for their gifts. Come back tomorrow for part 2 of this post.

Holiday Boutique -Part 2

2008-11-28T19:13:00.001-08:00

Here are the rest of the promised photos from my Holiday Boutique show. Getting a group of artisans together to show and sell their items is a great way to get publicity and new customers. It's also a lot of fun!

My Holiday Boutique 2008

2008-11-27T19:16:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks I have been extremely busy with preparations for two holiday boutiques. The first was held at my friend's home in Pennsylvania and the other was held at my own home. I have always looked for unusual, handmade gifts for my friends and family and find most of my gifts at craft shows or the boutique shows at my friend's home. This year I decided to do one myself and was pleased with the results. Everyone enjoyed the food and had fun shopping in a relaxed atmosphere. The show featured my own jewelry as well as handmade scarves, pottery, an exquisite handmade lamp, hand knit baby booties and more. Stay tuned for more photos tomorrow...

Finding Motivation

2008-11-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Do you sometimes feel that all the effort you put into your work isn't worth the time spent? Do you get into a funk and lose faith in your ability to create or to motivate your students if you are a teacher? Having trouble impressing your colleagues or your boss or even yourself with your work lately? I just viewed this short video and loved the quotes and sent it out to my sons. Thought I would share it here . http://thejoymovie.com/ Take a few minutes to take a look at this and send it off to some friends.

A Home for Your Feathered Friends

2008-11-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

I found the perfect items for the bird lovers on your holiday list. The etsy shop of http://birdhouseaccents.etsy.com/ carries the most charming birdhouses I have seen. These handmade homes come in many different styles, shapes and colors. The two birdhouses shown here caught my eye because of all the little detail work and great colors. The camper would make a great conversation piece and look adorable in your yard or on your deck. Any bird would be proud to call one of these dellightful creations home! Take a look at all my HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE suggestions and get your shopping done early.

Favorite Things 2008

2008-11-04T19:41:00.000-08:00

Debbie Lawrence of Bird on a Wire has just released her lovely holiday catalog. Favorite Things 2008. Inside it you will find 70 pages chock full of great gift ideas. Debbie was kind enough to include my items on pages 42- 44 of this wonderful gift catalog. You will find all kinds of great holiday gifts in this catalog such as stationery, luscious hot cocoa, adorable children's shoes and many other interesting items. Don't miss it and then take out out your list and get that shopping done before Thanksgiving.

For the Men in Your Life

2008-11-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

This item really blew me away as a truly unique and unusal gift for a man. It is one of the outstanding pieces of Steampunk Jewelry offered byhttp://edmdesigns.etsy.com

This is just one set of amazing cufflinks offered by this artist. I chose them because I think they ooze class.

I wondered exactly what steampunk means so here is the definition by wikipedia:

"is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or a presumption of functionality.
Steampunk is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a similar fanbase and theme of rebellion, but developed as a separate movement (though both have considerable influence on each other). Apart from time period and level of technological development, the main difference between cyberpunk and steampunk is that steampunk settings usually tend to be less obviously dystopian than cyberpunk, or lack dystopian elements entirely.
Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual craftpersons into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk."

This item caught my eye as a nice gift for one of my sons. The shaving jelly contains aloe which is always soothing on the skin. I love the packaging and the idea that a lip balm for chapped lips is included. This shop http://ibrodar.etsy.com/ is another one with unusual gift items . Don't miss it!

This luscious brown scarf is handwoven with lambswool and silk by http://davyjones.etsy.com/

who has some beautiful offerings in his shop. Make sure to visit his shop today for top quality handwoven items.

Finding the right gift for my guys is never easy. I have two sons and a husband to shop for every holiday season and of course birthdays and other special occasions. I spent the morning searching etsy for some fine items for men to add to my HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE and although it was challenging I found some pretty nice offerings. There are multitudes of gifts available for women and children while the men seem to get stuck with another boring shirt or tie. I chose three different shops to show you for excellent men's selections.

Stackable Rings

2008-11-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

If you are a jewelry "nut" like I am, chances are you might wear lots of rings. My rings never come off my fingers and that is one of the reasons stackable rings work well for me. I can enhance my lovely petite rings with another one of a similar material or with a design that will make the ring next to it stand out like a frame on a picture. In my quest to add wonderful selections to my HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE, I discovered the newly opened shop of http://cosmosmoon.etsy.com/. She has been doing metalsmithing for over 2o years and has some outstanding pieces in her shop. Her stackable rings would make a lovely gift for that special lady in your life. The bracelet featured here is one of an award winning series of incredible one- of -a- kind pieces. I had to include it in this post!

Magic, Fairy Tales, and a Sprinkle of Whimsy

2008-10-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

The magical artwork of Victoria Vusova has captured my heart. After browsing her wonderful shop, I knew her work would be perfect to add to my HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE. Her brightly colored works of art will put a smile on your face. Reminiscent of the fairy tales that enchanted me as a child , I chose these beautiful pieces to feature. Do not miss her shop at http://vusova.etsy.com/ and think about making one of her pieces of art a gift for that special person on your shopping list.

Too Early for the Flu?

2008-10-28T17:15:00.000-07:00

That's what I thought! I even have an appointment in a week or so to get my vaccine. I noticed a little scratchy feeling in my throat about a week ago, but didn't think much about it. Then it was like a small bomb went off in my nose. I've been through 3 boxes of tissues, containers of homemade chicken soup, lots of Advil, night sweats, fever and there seems to be no end in sight. I thought maybe some of my cyber friends might have a flu remedy to recommend. I thought that humor might work and have been looking a flu cartoons. Thought this one was kind of cute.

Something Special to Hold your Treasures

2008-10-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

As you know, I have been featuring some very talented artists for my Holiday Shopping Guide and hope I can help you find something special for a loved one to make that shopping list disappear. Buying handmade items is always appreciated because your gift will be unique and probably a great match for the recipient's personality. I love today's selection because these items are one-of -kind, handmade and beautiful. Think of all the wonderful treasures you can store inside one of these gorgeous boxes. Contact the shop owner to find out about other designs which are not yet listed. http://twistedsisterarts.etsy.com/

A Great New Game- Cyber-Tagging!

2008-10-26T11:39:00.001-07:00

Just received a note from a old cyber friend of mine that I had been cyber-tagged. Ooh, what a nice gesture from Phyllis M. at http:/personaltreasures.blogspot.com. This a social networking game and the rules are easy.

*Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
* Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
* Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
* Don't forget to let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Facts about Me:

1. I am a recently retired school teacher who substitute from time to time and makes one-of- kind jewelry much of the time.
2. One of my favorite things to do is to travel to a new place.
3. I love Italian food and enjoy cooking as well.
4. I have the best friends possible-they are always there for me.
5. My golden retriever Sonny is feisty but very lovable and loving.
6. I am surrounded by males- my wonderful husband and 2 sons and of course Sonny.
7. I enjoy conversing with my cyber pals.

I am tagging:

Giftbearer http://artlifenewsblog.blogspot.com/
Cryztalvisions Creation http://cryztalvisions.typepad.com/
Kala http://chalkhillstudio.blogspot.com/
Unique Women http://www.uniquewomeninbusiness.blogspot.com/
Dorana http://dorana.blogspot.com/
A Breath of French Air http://allthingsetsy2222.blogspot.com/
Glitter Star http://glitterstardesigns.blogspot.com/

Home for the Holidays

2008-10-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

I love being in my home for the holidays. It's warm and cozy by the fireplace, delicious food is readily available and wonderful aromas fill the air. My home is comfortable and decorated with art that I enjoy seeing every day. Many years ago my brother brought me a painting done on plaster which he found on a trip to Greece. It looked as though it had come straight from the walls of an ancient dwelling. That painting was one of my favorite gifts and still is to this very day. A gift of art can be very special and become an item that adds to the beauty and warmth of a home. The shop of Lupe at http://artgarden.etsy.com/ carries beautiful prints and paintings that would make a lovely addition to a home. The print she calls Visions of Home is the one that first caught my eye . The girl you see through the door could be me coming in from my garden. It inspired such a feeling of warmth and tranquility in me that I had to add this artist to my HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE.

Getting Married in the Morning Cake Toppers

2008-10-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't been adding as many items as I would like to my handmade HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE because I have been looking for unique and interesting choices . My choices for today ,vary in price according to the amount of detail the artist puts into her creations. When I stumbled upon these amazing cake toppers, I wished I had a wedding coming up in our family. What an amazing gift for a bride and groom or someone celebrating a special anniversary or event! The artist fashions her little polymer clay caricatures after the photo that you provide to her. The results are whimsical and delightful, as you can see here. She also carries Christmas ornaments, jewelry displays, market totes and other unique items in her shop.

http://speckimage.etsy.com/. She is truly a talented artisan.

3 Pairs of Lovely Little Earrings that Won't Break the Bank

2008-10-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

With the holidays rapidly approaching we are all thinking about gifts for people that will stay within our budgets. I chose three pairs of earrings from my etsy shop that will put a smile on your lady's face and will keep you smiling too. All are made with genuine stones and quality findings. I used carnelian, quartz, moonstone, pearls, prehnite,copper, gold vermeil, and sterling silver to make these one-of-a-kind unique earrings. These items will be sent in a lovely pouch or little gift box, if you prefer. Please visit my shop to purchase these earrings or other one-of-kind jewelry designs.http://elektrajewelry.etsy.com/

Handmade Jewelry Findings

2008-10-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

Do you have a jewelry designer on your shopping list? One of the most thoughtful gifts I received in recent years was a gift certificate to my one of my favorite bead stores. The shop of http://rockissupplies.etsy.com/ carries handmade jewelry findings that will complement many types of jewelry designs. This etsy shop has many different styles of ear wires and some very pretty clasps. I am sure the artisan on your list would love these wonderful handmade supplies.

Ginger Peach, Pomegranate,Chocolate Orange, Margarita

2008-10-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

No, these are not the names of my favorite drinks. They are yummy sounding lip balms by http://barefootbathandbody.etsy.com/ These and other incredibly wonderful sounding soaps and soy candles all found in this etsy shop would make an excellent gift item this holiday season. All the soaps are made with high quality products which contain no animal fats. alcohol, sulfates, or harsh detergents. they are very mild and excellent for sensitive skin. Only the freshest and best ingredients are used in these handmade items.

Just for Tots

2008-10-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

Start your holiday shopping early and buy handmade! I have been searching the web to feature some wonderful gift items for your friends and family and will be posting here right through December. I remember when my boys were little I was a big fan of onesies (a one piece baby size tee shirt) because they were easy to put on and were soft and comfortable for my babies. I discovered some really cute ones in the shop of http://bellflowertextiles.etsy.com/. This shop carries burp cloths,blankets and other handmade items which just might be perfect for the people on your list. There are some adorable items for big brothers and sisters too.

Tooth Fairy Pillows

2008-10-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a handmade gift for your little one or perhaps a grandchild ? These very special handmade tooth fairy pillows are so adorable. The designer offers many choices for boys and girls. The are filled with non allergenic material. Here are a few of my choices. Visit the shop and see for yourself. http://www.kennaandcompany.flyingcart.com/index.php?p=home

Handmade Holiday Shopper's Guide

2008-10-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more satisfying than finding the perfect gift for all those lucky people on your holiday gift list. I have been buying handmade items from wonderful artisans for many years. Sure, I do hit a few malls and maybe even Bloomingdale's during my holiday shopping trips, but most of the time I start buying early at craft shows that I attend or from one line sites that sell handmade. The gifts I find in these places get the biggest smiles and are the ones my friends and family still talk about. I thought it might be nice to give my readers some suggestions, shops to visit and helpful hints to make your shopping experience pleasant and easy. I am beginning with an artist whose work I have admired on etsy for a long time. His work appeals to me because it is very modern and has a strength and beauty that is quite unique. His art is done in steel and other metals like copper and aluminum. Although his shop carries mostly jewelry, Tim also designs sculptures, furniture and other interesting items some of which I chose to represent here. Please visit his etsy shop at http://timothyadamdesigns.etsy.com. You can read more about his work on his blogs.http://timothyadamdesigns.blogspot.com/ and

http://blufuse.blogspot.com/ .

Sterling Silver Wirework

2008-10-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

My extensive hours of reading blogs and looking at artisan's etsy shops have really paid off! I was fortunate enough to find the amazing blog of Contrariwise Ramblings at http://akacontrariwise.blogspot.com/ and subscribed to it immediately. First of all this blog makes me smile. The author has a great sense of humor and writes with a very personal tone that makes you feel like you have known her for years. Secondly, she has some great tips and tutorials on her blog. In other words, in my humble opinion, it is everything a blog should be !

Besides having a wonderful blog, this artistic lady does some amazing things with wire work sterling silver jewelry as you can clearly see. Take a look at her wonderful work at http://contrariwise.etsy.com/.

A Brick House Full of Novelty Fabrics

2008-10-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

BRICK HOUSE FABRICS is a wonderful etsy shop that features a multitude of novelty fabrics. From companies such as Schumacher, Braemore, Covington and P. Kaufmann these novelty fabrics showcase a person's interests, hobbies, and maybe even memories. Do you collect SPODE

CHINA? If so then you may love the fabric shown here. I love flowers, especially tropical hibiscus, which is why I chose to feature this fabric. The shop http://brickhousefabrics.etsy.com/ has so many choices you are bound to find one you love.

Mary Janes N' Hightops

2008-10-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for some really unique and cute items for newborns and toddlers then you must visit the shop of http://pinkmarshmalllows.etsy.com/ You will find the most darling shoes and other delightful items for the littlest people on your gift lists. I went wild over the items I chose to show here and there are many other offerings in this great etsy shop. Here is the shop announcement.
"PinkMarshmallow's Shop Announcement
Welcome to the Pink Marshmallow Boutique!We offer offer unique and trendy boutique-style items for newborn, infants, and toddlers. In our sweet & trendy shop, you will find items like satin tied mary jane shoes with coordinating appliqued tops, infant lounge sets, big girl lounge sets, decoupaged shoes and more treasures. We specialize in wonderful and unique items for babies and children, as well as stylish items for mom. We pride ourselves on having unique selections and are always creating new and spectacular items to sell in our little Etsy Shop. Check in Daily as each day, we will be adding more items!** Halloween and Christmas selections are in the works! If you have anything special that you would like to match or to see, convo! I'd love to chat **"

Poetry in Motion

2008-10-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

I have just had the most pleasant visit to the shop of Jennifer Gordon, writer and mixed media artist. Her beautiful work is for sale on etsy at http://stilettoheights.etsy.com/ where you will find original works of art , prints, illustrations, journals, cards, mirrors and jewelry. Her prints have an ethereal look about them , many featuring women who appear to be lost in deep thought. It was hard to choose the photos I wanted to feature here because I liked them all. I chose Amelia as one of them because she was a woman I greatly admire. These beautiful works of art are truly poetry in motion.

Origami Art

2008-10-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

The etymology of the word origami comes from "oru" meaning folding and "kami" which means paper. This amazing art form originated early in Japan's history with Samurai warriors exchanging folded paper gifts to express good wishes and with origami butterflies that were used in wedding celebrations to represent the bride and groom. The etsy shop of http://meekiyua.etsy.com/ has adorable origami people called "meekiyua" that the artist uses to adorn tags, door hangers, stationary,dolls, and totes. I chose a couple of my favorites to show you, but please visit this delightful shop to read about "meekiyua" and the history behind these wonderful little people.

A Touch of Whimsy

2008-10-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Get in touch with your bohemian side and take a look at the wonderful shop of http://meplusmolly.etsy.com/ . I am sure you will be delighted with the wonderful items in this shop . The lovely clutch bags you see here are made with made pieces of fabric and decorated with sequins and other embellishments. These bags are perfect to carry your necessities and have a shabby chic turned elegant look about them. This shop also carries handmade brooches and Christmas items. All the pieces are handmade by the artist . Here is her bio.

"After working for many years in the retail industry I am now working part/time and designing and creating my pieces of textile work.Art, craft and design have always been a huge interest to me. Evident from the years spent studying various courses at art college.Inspired by textures, lines, mark making and especially colour, ideas for the creation of pieces are gathered from the surrounding flora and fauna in the English countryside.I use a combination of new materials and a lot of fabric fragments to create my accessories. Creating items that are unique and individual out of beautiful remnants of fabric. A process that is hugely satisfying for me as a designer-maker and for those that purchase my 'one of a kind' items. It also means that my items have a much 'greener' outlook to them by using what would have been otherwise discarded fragments of fabric to create them.meplusmolly is inspired by my Nan Molly, an extraordinarily stylish lady who had an accessory for every outfit and every occasion!If you would like to enquire about custom orders or trade prices then please don't hesitate to contact me.

Happy browsing x"

For Your Littlest Lady

2008-10-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

Little girls love pocketbooks. They enjoy carrying their belongings around in their bags just like mom. The etsy shop http://threelittleladies.etsy.com/carries adorable skirts and matching tote bags for the little ladies in your life. Her handmade Halloween tote may just be the perfect treat for the upcoming holiday-sure to put a smile on a cute little face!