I was just saying....

On one of my other blogs, I was just ranting like psychowoman talking about how hard it is to get everything accomplished and then I logged in here and noticed I haven't posted in almost a month.  See?  It's impossible to keep up!  

Amidst all the home projects and other goings on, I am still hanging on to a tiny shred of my creative mojo though.  I managed to add a few new items to my Etsy store.

These I adore!  Very simple... crystals and silver.  Anything purple makes me happy and Purple Velvet Swarovski's make my heart sing!  

I priced this next pair at $17.95 because someone I know expressed interest in them and I do occasionally give a 'friend discount'.   Since I'm a very small business I can't buy in bulk or wholesale all the time and have to shop at local stores for my supplies.  The rose gold (over copper) crosses on these earrings alone retail for $4 each.   I was able to get them on sale but when you add in the other beads and wires, I think the price was very fair.  Turns out, she thought they were a little too long for her and didn't buy them.  But that's okay, they are still in the shop and still the same price.  :)  

I've sold assorted pairs of alphabet earrings.  At a craft fair this summer someone asked for OMG.  I had Peace, Love, Joy, and a couple others with me that day, but no OMG's.  Oh, horrors!  I hope to one day have a kit with me so I can do up names, initials, or whatever a person might ask for on the spot.   I did give the woman my business card and told her to email me for a pair, but you know once someone walks away from your table at a show they are usually never heard from again.

Christmas is my favorite holiday.   Our card list is quite long and as I mentioned in my last post, I don't send a handmade one to everyone.  I'd like to have some put aside to go with a couple of gifts for local friends/family who we'll be seeing, but don't know if I can get them made in time since I'll need to have some for a couple craft events next month.  Maybe if there are leftovers, I can use them!   If you are a cardmaker, do you design cards for individual people as you need them, or do you make assorted ones ahead to have onhand and then pick something from the stock as occasions come up?  

I try to keep a small supply of memory bracelets around.  Since most all of mine are under $10, they are easier to sell at craft events. 



Happy Monday!  Hope the week is enjoyable for you. 

October happenings

These earrings were on hold awhile ago.  My friend must have changed his mind and got his wife a different gift because he never came over to purchase them.  So they went back into my case and finally sold at a craft event I did earlier this month.   I always liked them and am glad they'll now be adorning the ears of a pretty girl instead of sitting in a plastic bag! 

This card sold the other day.  I always appreciate a sale, but feel a little bad when it's a sympathy card, knowing that person has been touched by sadness.

I have an event to attend later in the week and will have some Halloween cards with me. 

I have made alot of Christmas cards over the years but I don't send handmade ones to everyone on our card list.  Sometimes a girl just buys a box or two from the store and is happy with that.  

For the event next week, I do want to offer a few assorted holiday designs.  Guess I better get to work, huh?

                     

If you are a cardmaker, do you make them for all holidays and occasions?  If you sell cards, what is your best holiday for sales?


Hope you are enjoying a nice weekend!



hearts and fans

These two pair (or is it 'pairs' ...hmm?)  are fairly recent creations. 

Rose gold hearts/wires/beads with Swarovski crystals and black onyx. 

I don't know yet, but I think these might have to be re-worked.  They feel heavy.  Since I can't wear earrings (insert gentle sobbing here) I'm not sure if the middle beads/crystals add too much.  I know alot of people who love the dangly gypsy earrings but these seem like they might be weightier.



World Card Making Day!

World Card Making Day

I didn't know it was WCMD until a friend posted it on my wall at Facebook.  Duh, I'm cardmaker and I didn't know about this before??   Ah well, I'll get around to a few sites maybe tomorrow and check out as many designs as I can since right now I'm exhausted from a craft fair today. 

Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps is another site that looks really interesting and has alot of links for cards. 

A nice surprise

My sister won a cool prize at an event that she attended recently.  It was a basket full of rubber stamps and other items.  She wanted to keep the basket since it was quite nice but she bagged up the contents and gave them to me!   She doesn't make cards and isn't into scrapbooking either so she had no use for any of it.  

Even though I have hundreds of stamps, these are all from the company 'Stampin' Up!' and I don't have many of them so I was thrilled to accept her generous gift.

Now maybe someone can give me a little of their spare time so I can start playing with all these goodies.   I could really use a few extra hours!!  I can't believe it's already Thursday night!   I have a craft fair this weekend and still have display cards to make, 'PHILS' earrings to finish, and a couple Halloween cards to get ready......

Better get back to my craft room.  

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Waiting... waiting....

My sister was kind enough to take a bag of my jewels to her office recently to show  co-workers.  Cool, eh?  However, since it's the end of summer, a few ladies were on vacation so she kept the bag to show them upon their return.  Now she's away on vaction!!  But she assured me that when she returns, she'll show the others who wanted to take a look.

Of course, I'm wondering.... what sold already?  She said there were a few sales before she left.  Initially, it was a pair of abalone earrings she bought from me and was wearing in work that someone admired.  So I did include a few pairs in the bag.  Hmmm.... did these sell?? 

Or maybe one of my abalone bracelets found a new home??

The holidays ARE coming... 95 days until Christmas!   Maybe someone was thinking ahead and purchased these red dangles for themselves or a gift? 

OR with all the drama that sometimes goes on in her office, maybe someone found these whimsical ones to be appropriate.   

Ah, maybe it wasn't any of those items that sold.  The Phillies sure are HOT this year and I did send in some of those PHILS earrings (see post below), so it could have been a pair or two of them, or a stretchy bracelet, or ... or ... or ...

OH this is an exercise in patience!  

 

Assorted designs

This card sold awhile ago but I came across a photo of it while updating some picture files.  I always like it.  I used ripped mulberry paper and little paper flowers.  The tag says 'kick up your heels' and in the corner is embellished with a gold victorian shoe. 

Love the saying on this one.  :)

I had a raincheck for Bazzill paper at one of our local craft stores.  It finally came in, so I can get back to making box envelopes for my handmade greeting cards.  I don't pair one up with every card I make, but as long as I can get this paper at a reasonable price I do prefer them to flat envelopes. 

This set was originally part of an order that didn't end up going through.  Recently, I offered to make a donation for a friend of a friend who is going thru treatment for cancer.  She's choosing some alternative therapies for part of her recovery, and since medical insurance generally does not cover those things family and friends are having a benefit for her.   So this set will soon have a new home!  I restrung it to make a bit longer and put a different toggle on to change it up some.    

If I wore earrings I would sooooo wear these!  Whether you call them rainbow or chakra earrings they are COLORFUL!

SALVATION earrings
We were dead in our sins (black)
Until Christ shed his blood (red)
Which washes us white as snow (clear)
Now we have the eternal (green)
The Holy Spirit dwells within us (blue)
As a sign that we will one day
Be in Heaven with the streets paved in gold (gold)

These have been popular lately.  We have a great team in Philadelphia!  I have to deliver a pair this morning, someone is coming over today to pick up 4 pairs and few pairs are being considered.   I have a couple assorted designs.



Abalone beads are very pretty.  They have such a nice range of colors to them and go with lots of crystal accents and charms. 

Have a happy Friday and wonderful weekend! 

Your attention please!!!

Ron from Moi Review Blog contacted me about doing a review on my handmade greeting cards.  I feel very honored that something I truly love to do is appreciated and admired.   Ron has been in the beauty and retail industries for many years and initially he highlighted my Etsy store because I make jewelry and that's fashion-related! But since I am now including my cards there for sale he asked about doing another review.  Yes!  Absolutely!  

So if you'de be so kind, please stop over and check out his kind words.

For a change ....

My girlfriend asked me to create her a few special cards.  One of them is for her hubby's 50th birthday.  She wanted something that had to do with woodworking/carpentry/painting as he is skilled in those areas. 

For the card, I used mixed media paper with good weight to it, and then on top a dark wood grained paper.  It's embellished with stickers of rulers, t-square, hammer, pencil, and 5 0 stickers on little tags with those foam dots I like alot that make things pop out! 

What I did differently this time was to use a piece of scrapbook paper for the envelope.  I generally like to use thicker paper, but since she doesn't have to mail it I thought the crackle paint paper was quite appropriate for this card. 

March

These earrings are made with Swarovski crystals, both in clear and the beautiful color of Aquamarine.  I've been working on birthstone color jewelry and these are for the month of March. 

"If you can picture the cerulean blue waters of the Mediterranean, you will understand why the birthstone for March is named Aquamarine.  Derived from the Roman word "Aqua," meaning water, and "mare," meaning sea, this pale blue gem does indeed resemble the color of seawater.  The ancient Romans believed that the Aquamarine was sacred to Neptune, the god of the sea, having fallen from the jewel boxes of sirens and washed onto shore.  Early sailors wore aquamarine talismans, engraved with the likeness of Neptune, as protection against dangers at sea. 

The association with water led to the belief that the Aquamarine was particularly powerful when immersed.  Water in which this gemstone had been submerged was used in ancient times to heal a variety of illnesses of the heart, liver, stomach, mouth and throat.  Aquamarines were also used to reverse poisoning and to aid in fortune telling."

~ The above was quoted from the website About Birthstones where you can learn different facts, myths, and trivia!

Yikes, I'm neglecting THIS blog too!!!

Really, it's just been busy lately.  My son is now finished high school so there were things to do, celebrating to be done.  We had some family over the night of graduation and then last night we had another small party in honor of our graduate.  Good times!  

So let's see... what's new in the jewelry world??  I booked space at what I thought was going to be a BIG craft fair a couple weeks ago.  Vendors from a few states were to attend.  A home show was going on.  Even some equestrian events were planned during the day.  So it seemed there would be a large diverse crowd to show my crystal creations to.   NOT!!!   I did have some sales but a few of them were from girlfriends who came by to see me.  Other visitors to my tables who made purchases were smaller... a few memory bracelets here, a few bookmarks there, and some stretchy kids bracelets.  I was surprised that none of my red, white, and blue crystal earrings sold this time with the 4th of July fast approaching.  Well, you just never know about craft fairs or what people who go to them will spend their money on.  The Tarot card reader near my tables was doing pretty well.  Many times I looked over and she was sitting with someone under her tent.  Even my girlfriend, who had never had a palm/card reading before, spent $35 to get some information.   That woman left with alot more money in her pocket than I did and she had very little to pack up.  I had to deal with tables, displays, unbagging and rebagging maybe upwards of 100 pieces of assorted jewelry, tablecloths to fold, my case to organize, etc.  And I still have many new pieces that need to be priced and some older pieces that need to be cleaned.  I do use plastic to keep the tarnish down, but also since potential customers touch and hold some things it's good to just freshen it all up now and then.  

I have no other fairs booked right now.  There were a couple that I considered but for one reason or another chose to pass on them.  I may grab free table space at a bar/restaurant one of these summer nights.  The place does a weekly event, I think to support breast cancer awareness.  For a donated item that goes to their raffle you can go for a couple hours and display some of your merchandise.  I've heard it's hit-or-miss for crafters/companies as sometimes patrons just want to eat/drink and not bother with purchasing anything else, but a girlfriend told me last night she would hang out with me if I wanted to do it so I may take her up on that. 

I have 2 small card orders to do, a few possible earring sales, and a pair of earrings to be delivered and money collected for.   Oh, and also when my sister gives me the okay, I'll put a bag of assorted jewels together for her to take to her office.

A girlfriend loves dolphins and said she'd be interested in a pair of earrings when I found charms to put on them.  Thanks, Artbeads!  Found these nice silvery ones offered there.   I hope she likes them.  I used mother-of-pearl shell beads and Swarovski crystals in the design as well.  MOP beads are mostly black/grayish but there are hints of pink and other colors.  Very shimmery in different lighting. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you are all enjoying a nice weekend!

Befriending brass

I noticed a small line of natural brass components for jewelry (Vintaj) that my local AC Moore store carries and have wanted to try out a few of the pieces.  Then I read about the company online and saw more of their products and really liked what they have to offer.    

I don't think I've ever used brass in my designs.  I definitely still have a deep passion for crystals and silver!  But I'm being drawn to vintage items more and more these days so I thought I'd try adding a bit of brass and see what I came up with.....

 

The detail on these foliage bead caps is just delightful!!!

The decorative window connectors I used in these earrings are really cool too!

Great detail on both sides! 

Even though I have a very small business and cannot usually buy in bulk, I will look for sales and specials on components like these if they go over well with my friends and family.  And I have a craft fair coming up soon too so I'll be hoping for some feedback there. 

What is your favorite type of jewelry to make?  Any specific material you use all the time?

Have a wonderful day, and thanks for stopping by!  

Cards, cards, and more cards!!

Oooh, I wanted to use that combo of papers for awhile now... ahhhh....

I still love tulle... and my paper crimper!

I have lots of assorted butterflies.

Quite a nice saying... 

I think we might give this one to our BIL.  His birthday was last month and we haven't had time to visit yet.    He does seem to appreciate my handmade cards though... so ... 'just because' we didn't get to see him on his birthday, we're still thinking of him anyway... 'just because' he's a pretty cool guy. 

                    

Always good to be grateful!

I heart this card in a big way!!  The reds, the ripped paper, the crimped shiny tag, the stamped gratitude, the white ribbon.    All of it.  I just adore it. 

And I'm very grateful to those of you who stop and leave me a comment.  Makes my day!!  Thank you.  xo 

Do you send/give many greeting cards?  Do you make them or buy them?  If bought, do you buy handmade or from a store?  Do you like funny cards or more serious ones?

I used to buy those little 'Shoebox' greetings from Hallmark.  They were cute and the prices were good.  Now, I make my own of course, but our family have always given cards for assorted occasions. 



Vampire Jewelry Blog Hop

The Musings of Mystic Pesto is hosting a fun blog hop with 'Vampire Jewelry' as the theme!  Awesome, yes!??  I think so.

When I first read about it, I was immediately drawn in because the header for my new blog features a bracelet that is RED and BLACK!  I think it was a sample that I made for someone who wanted to see a few things in those colors.  I still have it since it's a bit longer (8 1/4") than the average size bracelet so I might have to restring it... maybe even for myself .... shhh!

As far as vampires go, I think Anne Rice has written many awesome books on them.  Her characters are dark and sensual.  She brings horror to you in a very erotic way.  I haven't read everything in Rice's collection but I do have quite a few books of hers tucked away in my bookcases for when I'm ready to delve back into that sinful decadence again......

The following bracelet is new to my collection!!  I recently started doing birthstone color jewelry and this matches a pair of earrings I just highlighted in a post for January's theme of Garnet.  I wasn't thinking about vampires when I made those earrings but they would definitely work for the bloodsucker theme.  

The larger glass beads are red but in some lighting they almost look black.  I think a vampire would wear this piece, don't you?!  

Here's another bracelet with black onyx beads, Swarovski crystals, a few seed beads and Sterling silver spacers.     

These necklaces were in my craft case and will be going with me to a few upcoming fairs.  Since they seemed to fit in with the red/black vampire colors,  I took new themey photos ..... 

It was alot of fun to participate with this theme.  If you want to see what wonderful pieces others have posted go right over to The Musings of Mystic Pesto and click on those links!! 

February

The birthstone jewelry project continues.....

New pieces are for February.  The first is a bracelet made with a 10 mm round clear Swarovski crystal (Ohhhh...how I love those big clear beauties!!), and other assorted Swarovski's in turquoise and amethyst colors, glass beads, metal bead caps and spacers and a heart toggle.   I included the color turquoise in this bracelet because that is the planetary stone for those born under the zodiac sign of Aquarius.  But since Amethyst is the planetary stone for Pisces, it works for that sign too. 

The earrings are made with Swarovski crystals in the Amethyst color, 8 mm round and 4 mm bicone, and have 14k gold-plated ear wires and goldtone beads. 

I read somewhere that Amethyst were once more valuable than diamonds!   Of course, these days it's available everywhere and I'm sure the prices are much more reasonable. 

Amethyst is associated with spirituality, sobriety, wisdom, and can help to stabilize those who struggle with addictions.   It is a member of the quartz family.