Ode to the Etsy Challenger

Pippit Carlington, the instigator of all this Etsy-artist-90-day-blogging, also the beloved leader of the Art Jewelry Collective of which I am also a member, is a jewelry artist that describes her style as "contemporary tribal." Her organic aesthetic is a direct result of her diverse heritage of Iroquois, Hawaiian, Russian Jewish and French Canadian and her love of nature. Not content to only create beauty (which she does in spades), she also incorporates her social and political interests to inform her pieces to educate the observer. A formally trained artist, Pippit received her art education at Callenwolde Center for the Arts, The Atlanta College of Art, and Atlanta Jeweler's School and Studios. In addition to her jewelry, she works also in acrylics, watercolor, drawing, and clay sculpture, and has shown at numerous shows and galleries.

Diversity is not only in her background, but in her work as well, with something for all styles and perspectives in her shop at Etsy, Giftbearer. From classic simplicity as in the braided gold ring above, to modern ethnographic like the Many Muses Gemstone Hearts necklace also shown.





One of my favorites is her Fall Finery necklace featuring carnelian. Yummy. So many pretties - check out her blog, too, if you get the chance.

Art Jewelry Collective gets into the Fall Mood

A lovely post on Fall foliage-inspired art jewelry includes one my favorite pieces. If only Fall would come to central Texas (I promised not to fuss about the long "summers" here, but it is technically running 15 degrees ABOVE normal right now - ack.). Forecasters promise a change next week. We'll see.

Elastic Zucchini

I must confess, I am clueless as to why the shop of Etsy artist Ren Adams is named Plastic Pumpkin (hence the tongue-in-cheek title of this post). Now, an explanation is given in the PlasticPumpkin blog, and I do get the quirky and fun part and how that ties into the art. What Ren does offer is fun, and it is also philosophical, and intriguing: artwork and crafts for the discerning (and playful) collector. Ren works in a variety of media: mixed media assemblages, pencil, marker, acrylic, Chinese brush painting, watercolor, oil pastel, pen & ink, etc., finding something special and engaging about each artistic method and taking every medium seriously. Plastic pumpkins? Nowhere in sight. Only beauty everywhere you look. Memorable name, though...method in the madness?

In the words of Ren Adams: "About Ren Adams"
-------------------

I've been doing artwork my entire life (even scribbled in my own baby book) and for me, it's more than a "hobby" or "job" it's a state of mind and a fulfilling pathway. I can't NOT do it. I simply must. If I'm not drawing, painting, or otherwise expressing myself (however badly), I'm not in harmony with everything around me.

Art is a sensation, a sense of humor, a sense of elation, a tantalizing window... it's pure energy, pure thought, and pure darkness, and pure light.

I explore themes, people, and places that intrigue me...

I'm also a Taoist and a lot of my artwork reflects my spiritual pathway (the art of compassion, simplicity, and patience). I practice Qi Gong meditation and enjoy artists who aren't afraid to be themselves.

The art of Plastic Pumpkin Designs has heart, as well, and as would be expected from an artist who creates through spirituality. In support of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Ren donates 50% of the proceeds from the sales of certain pieces in the EtsyPink section of the shop.

So take some time out of your day for a look at intriguing, beautiful art in a shop who's name you're not likely to forget. Also, for more detailed information about this Albuquerque, NM artist, check out the website.

Maybe I'll start a band under Elastic Zucchini, if it's not taken already.

Pizazzzzz

I'm always excited when I come across another scientist that has also embraced the right side of their brain in creative pursuit. Not that science is not in fact very creative. To be a great scientist, one must constantly ask new, unasked questions in the pursuit of the next level of truth. That is a very creative process. (But it is an iterative process that can get bogged down in the left, analytical side. There's a reason a lot of people think science is "boring"!) And any study of nature will reveal unspeakable beauty if one just keeps their eyes open. For me, it is the microbial and molecular world. For Etsy artist Patricia Vener, her scientific call is to the stars. She holds a Masters Degree in Astrophysics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy NY, has worked as an astronomer and still teaches astronomy as an adjunct professor for University of Maryland University College. But she's more than an astronomer, she is also an artist. She has provided a painting illustration for an astronomy textook, and has illustrated a children's book, "Papa Cardinal Finds Breakfast" by Sandra Wellborn.
At her shop SilverDragon you can find exquisite jewelry creations of uncommon detail and color, inspired by Native American beadwork techniques. Drop by to see for yourself, and find out more on her Dragon's "Lair".

Little Treasures

Marcy Lamberson is an Etsy glass artist who self-proclaims that she loves making people smile through her whimsical beads and sculptures. I have no doubt that she's surrounded by a lot of smiling folks!

She has the wonderful work situation of a sunroom studio overlooking her garden and birds, squirrels, chipmunks and occasional wandering possums. To our enjoyment, she sometimes makes them into beads, too, complete with clothes and jewelry, and turns them into little fun glass treasures.

Glass artists always amaze me, working with a 2000 degree torch and creating colorful amalgams of seemingly delicate glass. Most of Marcy's glass, in fact, comes from Murano, Italy, the center of the beautiful glass world. But strength is important for creations that are meant to be worn like beads, and every piece from StudioMarcy is kiln annealed for durability.


You can find out more about Marcy on the Etsy Glass Artist website and her blog .

She adds new beads almost daily, so stop by StudioMarcy often. You, too, will be amazed at her whimsical art, and the incredible detail she works into each and every piece.

be-dee, be-dee, be-dee, that's all folks!

Passion in Pictures

A woman with a passion for photography, Tiffany Teske from Banff, Alberta has loved photography since she was given a 110 camera at the age of 7, to capture memories on a family trip. She didn't have a direct path into professional photography, but took a few side trips along the way. She studied ballet, creative writing, and art in high school but did not take photography classes. Instead, she was "the after school photography club" and was taught by a science teacher how to use the darkroom. The chemicals got into her blood, and after roaming the US for 5 years (Arizona, Florida, Connecticut, & New York) she settled in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, population 200, and home to Sugarloaf USA, and decided to go to University for.... nursing? Well, fate stepped in, and after one summer color printing course and some credit mishaps on the school's part, she switched her major to photography and graduated from the University of Maine at Augusta with both an Associate of Arts in Photography (Magna cum Laude) in 2000 and a Bachelor of Arts Joint BA in Art and Photography (Magna cum Laude) in 2002. She now lives in Banff, Alberta, Canada, with her husband and toddler, Quinlyn.

If you want to know more, feel free to check out the About Tiffany section on her website at www.oldesage.com.


Her favorite materials are... TMAX and HP5 black and white film; Polaroid peel apart films for transfers and emulsion lifts; all kinds of paper; fiber based prints made in the darkroom; hand coloring markers; archival mats; black metal frames for sleekness and gold gilded frames for romance; silver and copper jewelry components; gel medium; bamboo tiles; poker chips; bottle caps; watercolor paper. Her aesthetic is one of ethereal beauty and romance, with a wonderful eye for line and balance.

Take a visit over to Tiffany's Etsy shop and see for yourself what beauty can be created from her passion for photography - it will be worth the trip, I promise.

It's Elemental, my dear Watson

Etsy Buy Handmade Elements by Dawn

Element - refers to the shape, form, mass, line, texture, pattern, light, and color of a design.

One of my favorite jewelry artists on Etsy is Dawn Brandt from Kenosha, Wisconsin and her shop, Elements by Dawn. Dawn is particularly drawn to creating pattern and texture in her pieces. Through pattern and texture, her designs take on movement, visual and tactile interest. Through the use of color and form, she communicates emotion and energy. Dawn's pieces range from simplistic shapes and lines, evoking a sense of calm; to heavily textured with bold colors and lines, suggesting passion.

Her obsession with circles, spheres, disks, and symmetry is expressed throughout her designs.

Dawn is constantly learning new techniques, as well as perfecting traditional methods of metalworking and design.

Additionally, she is a full-time student, wife, and mother of two boys. She enjoys listening to music of all types, especially industrial, techno, a little ska, and classical. Dawn is a self-diagnosed coffee and cheese addict.

She blogs here - check it out!

Compliment Bait

*Chainmaille and Artisan Sterling Silver Jewelry with Gemstone Accents*

The designs by Etsy artist Lunachick combine quality materials, including natural gems, precious metals, crystal and organics such as pearls, amber and shell, to make for a truly unique wearing experience. Her shop offers lots (count em...LOTS) of one-of-a-kind artisan jewelry pieces. From bracelets to chokers, earrings to necklaces, she's got something to please just about everyone who visits (and shops!) there.

Abbi makes a point to use the most unique gemstones she can get her hands on: unique colors, cuts...the more unusual the better! She specializes in chainmaille and sterling silver wirework designs with gemstone accents.

Her design goals include a desire to bring about a positive change in mood to the wearer, and she believes that jewelry should be expressive and bring attention and compliments. Who doesn't love a compliment, for cryin' out loud???!!!

Don't see what you're lookin' for? Custom work is available at no extra cost, and inquiries are more than welcome. Take a trip over to her shop or blog, and get to know Lunachick even better.

Purple Reign

Well, I did it, I finally created another wire-woven cuff like I created for the Spring 2007 Beads4You Challenge, except this time I upped the ante a bit by using semi-precious amethyst and freshwater pearls as the main beads involved. This cuff has over 250 beads handwoven with sterling silver wire over a flexible stainless steel frame. It would make such a glorious addition to anyone's wrist for a special occasion this fall. I may have to make a habit of creating these gems - they're fun to make and beautiful to boot!

Oooooh, sparkles.......

I don't know why sparkly things are so attractive to many of us, well, many of us of the female persuasion, but there it is. That little bit of light that catches our eye, and when we spy the object that cast the spark, we pick it up, we smile, and then we say, "Ooooh, sparkles."

I think fellow Texan SparklyStrandz knows exactly what I'm talking about. In fact, here's what she says in her own words:

"I've had a love for crafts, especially crochet for over 25 years ever since my grandmother taught me at age 5. It was probably the best thing she could have done for my parents because it would keep me busy for hours. During college, i developed a love for beads--not just because they're sparkly, but because beads have such a rich history to them from around the world, and can be made from almost anything imaginable. Also, as an occupational therapist, I am able to use a variety of crafts and activities in my therapy to make it more fun!

I combined my love for crochet and beads and began making jewelry, baby onesies, hats, and all sorts of gift items about 10 years ago. "Sparkly Strandz" is an online store that you can visit and create your own jewelry by choosing the right color bead, wire, and length you want for that perfect piece!!"

But not only does she understand sparkly, she definitely has a handle on cute! What Texas baby should not have these? So much the better to start learning the two-step as soon as they're walking, don't you think?









And despite recent performances which will not be mentioned here, nor will comments be allowed that disparage my alma mater in any way.....Hook 'em!

Do check out all the fun and sparkly things at SparklyStrandz and find out about her views on the world at her blog. I know you'll be glad you did.

Relax. Smile. Be.

Simple words of wisdom from Etsy Glass Artist, Ginger Black. Her art definitely inspires that middle concept of joy.

In an e-chat with fellow Etsy Artist Patricia C. Vener, aka Silver Dragon, Ginger had this to say about her work:

"I am in love with colorful, melting, flowing glass. Soft Italian glass called Moretti is what I use to create all my lampwork beads. It’s called soft because it melts at a lower temperature than the hard glass (borosilicate) that Pyrex dishware is made of. My favorite thing about making beads is that there is always something new I can’t wait to try: dot formations, stripes, flowers, fish, adding metals, sculpting - the list is endless! My next adventure in glass is to try fusing where you melt layers of glass together to create an array of items from earrings to dishes."

Her joie de vivre is also apparent in her Bio on Etsy in that she finds "bliss in making glass beads and solace in running, pure yee-ha joy on a snowboard and otherworldliness in a kayak."




I think you can find all that and more in her beads, don't you? To find out more, check out her shop at Ginger Black Glass, and her blog.

Sumptin Special

Whenever I'm searching for favorites from Etsy to feature in the Etsy Treasury (user-chosen collections to share with others on Etsy here), I turn often to one of the most colorful and beautifully photographed jewelry artists on Etsy: ALilSumptinSumptin. Eva has the most fabulous eye for selecting unbelievable lampwork focal beads, and then she pulls them together to create adornments to treasure.

Her inspiration? In her own words: "Whimsy brings me great joy and touches that little girl within me. Most of my creations reflect this aesthetic and frequently incorporate two things I love and enjoy: flower gardens & dogs. All my pieces are one-of-a-kind, oftentimes containing handcrafted Artisan Lampwork glass beads - wonderful little works of Art in themselves."

An artist focused not just on beauty, but integrity as well, she chooses all of the Artisan Lampwork beads in her pieces that have been properly kiln annealed by each respective glass artist to ensure long-lasting durability. She is a member of the SRAJD, so you can be assured that you are dealing directly with the jewelry artist and not a reseller, and she gives back to causes that are important to her through her sales of Paws for a Good Cause items. Guilt-free shopping for bling - who knew?


Do check out her shop and her blog to find that "lilsumptinsumptin" special for yourself or a gift.

Sew much fun for you

Etsy Buy Handmade So and Sew Crafty

A delightful Esty crafter can be found in Karen Copeland who is the artist behind the Etsy shop So and Sew Crafty. Her love of home and family is so evident in the wonderful items available there. She has been sewing for over 30 years, and makes everything from dog costumes to baby quilts.

Talking with Karen, she had the following to say:

How did you get into your craft? My great grandmother taught me to sew when I was about 4 or 5 and I was hooked. My mother and her mother were talented seamstresses, painters....just plain "crafty" people, and I suppose I inherited that from them. And believe me I am thankful to them for that!

What inspires you? Fabric! Sewing is my salvation! When I get in my sewing room I can forget about just about everything else. I love to take a flat piece of cloth and turn it into something great for people to wear or just enjoy looking at.

What challenges you in your art? I love doing custom work, especially work with no set pattern, like designing, sewing, and fitting 11 majorette costumes for the local high school band!

How long have you had your shop? Just over a month.

Do you consider your shop a job or a hobby? Neither! I don't consider sewing a "job" but it takes a great deal more time than a hobby!

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? Don't give up! Just keep promoting both on and off Etsy!


To find out more about this crafty sewer, check out her blog, or MySpace page.

Visions of Paradise

Etsy Buy Handmade KbyKareen

Let me introduce you to Kareen Kjelstrom, an Etsy glass artist who decribes herself as a simple girl with dreams of being a jewelry designer in Paris. She has her life there, now, making jewelry and trying to break into the scene. Inspired by life experiences and daily beauty in Paris, she loves travel and adventure which create for her a wide canvas from which to dream and imagine new designs.

Handcrafted jewelry designs are her specialty. Kareen uses a high temperature propane/oxygen torch and fine Italian (Effetre) glass to make unique beads, then uses those beads in hand created sterling silver pieces. All her beads are made free-hand, without a mold, and all beads are kiln fired for strength and durability. Oh, and all her beads are unbelievable gorgeous!

Previous to Paris, Kareen lived in Santa Monica, and her jewelry and she were featured on HGTV's Crafters Coast to Coast. A TV star!


Her mother is from Tahiti, so you will find that many of her pieces include blues and greens....which she describes as coming nowhere close to the intensity of the colors in paradise. I would disagree, but then I've never been to Tahiti. If her beads are any indication as to its beauty, then it truly must be paradise.

I asked her "What do you love about your creations?"....."I love to wear my jewelry. And, I love that each piece is unique and made by my two hands. I love that it is impossible to duplicate any of my beads, even if I tried."

I'll bet you'll love her creations, too, so check them out at her Etsy shop or website, and take a visit to her blog to learn more about her.

Everything Fabulous to Make Your Eyes Pop

Meet PopKo, one of the most colorful, fun, and successful artists on Etsy. A sculptor by degree, she lately has been playing with glass, and can mosaic anything, paint, cut, grind, weld, stencil, glue, print, stitch, create or assemble anything that she think needs it. And she can tapdance, too! Better yet, she studied with Robin Hood at the University in Nottingham, or so she claims. Maybe she has some pictures to back that up? You'll have to check out her blog to look into that!

I especially love the way she takes her appreciation of the simple beauty of mosaic glass tiles and transforms them into elegant adornments. She has so many beautiful tiles on hand, you can even design your own custom! What could be more fun than that?

She's a member of Etsy Glass Artists (EGA), and you can check out their website to find even more cool glass artists from Etsy.

Smellin' Sweet

Etsy Buy Handmade A Rose by Name

Today I'd like to introduce you to the Etsy shop A Rose by Name. Beautiful, awesome beadwork is the name of the game for this Etsy seller.

She was kind enough to e-chat with me and offered these insights into her art and craft:

How did you get into your craft? I started beading with my daughters well over ten years ago when the bead critters were popular among the elementary kids. I became addicted and the beads just got smaller and the designs and concepts more refined.

What inspires you? Just about everything...patterns, colors, books, music, time periods, anything.

What challenges you in your art? I've had so many ideas running around in my head at one time that I often have trouble getting a single one to form coherently and it can get frustrating.

How long have you had your shop? Since January of 2007.

Do you consider your shop a job or a hobby? Though beading started as a hobby, I would prefer it were my career since it's already my passion!

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy shop owners? Stick with it and promote whenever and wherever you can. It's still slow for me, but I won't lose hope that it'll pick up!

To find out more about this fabulous artist, check out her blog, too. You'll find some amazing work. Buy Handmade!

Jewelry Artist and Author Linda Chandler

Etsy Buy Handmade Jewelry by Linda

Okay, so I'm in Michael's this afternoon picking up some generic supplies, when perusing the books over in the beads aisle I come across Getting Started Making Wire Jewelry. Now the amazing thing is I intended to feature Linda Chandler this very day for this site as one of the wonderful Etsy artists I've come across. Are Etsy artists cool, or what?!!

Linda began making jewelry even as a child and grew up designing and handcrafting one of a kind pieces. She is inspired from designs of nature to basic functional pieces and combines the two into literal works of art. Linda is a master craftsman in many facets of jewelry making. Whether it be silversmithing intricate filigree designs, weaving wire into almost impossible patterns or stone setting, her foremost enjoyment comes from the design to finish of her amazing pieces.

Linda has been a vendor on Etsy for well over a year and finds it a welcome change from the traditional Art Show scene that she spent many years taking part in. She feels that Etsy is a wonderful and lucrative avenue in which to share your designs, meet fellow artisans, and share tips and techniques. Watch for her latest designs on Etsy as she is continually adding them to share with her following of buyers that enjoy her amazing work. You can visit her on her own website and her Flickr site. And look for her wonderful teaching expertise in a bookstore near you!

Etsy Artist My Fairy Babies

There are so many wonderful things to find on Etsy, with its literally thousands of artists of handmade goods. My Fairy Babies makes so very cute fantasy art items for kids and babies. This is "Lolly". Isn't she adorable? What a fun lovey this would make for a little girl who loves fairies.

The shop is the creation of Hyla Waldron, who also sells at Faewood Creations

I interviewed Hyla, and here's what she had to say about being an Etsy artist:

What inspires you? My children inspire me, artists that can draw fairies inspire me, and nature is a also a huge inspiration!

How long have you had your shop? Since June 2007

Is this a job for you or a hobby? A hobby, it is something that makes me feel like I am my own person outside of being a mom. What I wouldn't give to turn this into a successful business though and be able to have my husband stay home with me and our children.

How did you get into your craft? When I was pregnant with my third child, Guinevere-who is now 9 weeks old, I was looking for fairy items to buy for her and came up empty handed every where I looked. So I decided to make my own fairy items for her.

Do you have any advice for fellow Etsy Shop owners? Don't count on Etsy to make you successful, you really have to market your work everywhere and tell everyone. Make sure you always have business cards on hand.

Anything you would like to add? I will keep making my fantasy items for kids and one day this will be huge!

You can find out more about Hyla by visiting her blog, too.

I participate in a variety of promotional activities with a fabulous group of jewelry artists from Etsy known as the Art Jewelry Collective. Our next big joint venture is a full page ad in Ornament. This wonderful magazine has been around for more than 30 years, and "supports the richness and diversity of the art and craft of wearable art in a stunning visual display of creative work. The only international magazine covering all aspects of personal adornment, Ornament provides a wealth of information on contemporary, ethnographic and ancient jewelry, clothing, beads, and costume.

Each issue features profiles of prominent and emerging artists, reviews of important museum and gallery exhibitions, marketplace venues, and other insightful, multifaceted coverage.

Ornament is read by artists, collectors, craftspeople, designers, gallery owners, retailers, students, teachers, researchers, and museum staff in the United States and more than seventy foreign countries. Ornament is circulated to paid subscribers and distributed in the United States at newsstands and bookstores through CMG Distributors, and through Disticor Direct in Canada." (Ornament Media Kit information).

Here's a sneak preview of the ad:So many pretties from some very talented artists, I can't believe that I'm part of this wonderful group. The ad will be in three issues (October 2007, December 2007, and March 2008), and I could not be more excited about this opportunity for exposure. Let's see where we go from here!

Sorry to be away for so long, but we've been moving from Illinois to Texas.....and we're finally here, with all our boxes, in San Antonio. Yea!!

In the meantime, (cue trumpet fanfare), I am honored to announce that the bracelet I created for the Spring Beads4You Challenge won the Anything Goes Category. This challenge is twice a year on Etsy, and a given set of beads is used by entrants to create whatever, and the resulting creations are judged by an outside judge. For this challenge, the judge was jewelry artist/author Tammy Powley. The Anything Goes Category is for entries that use either items in addition to the bead set supplied, or multiple sets of beads. I used two sets for this bracelet, hence its category. The other category is Only the Beads. Self explanantory, I would say.

Winner for the Only the Beads Category is an especially lovely three-tiered necklace by LavaJewelry

All the entries can be seen on Flickr

I'm very proud of this bracelet as it really stretched my technical and design abilities, and I'm very honored to have it win the competition. You can read more about the bracelet and see more pictures in my Etsy shop

What an amazing day for me on
Etsy! I am in four - count 'em - four Treasuries! For those unfamiliar with the concept, "treasuries" on Etsy are user-selected lists of 12 items they found especially beautiful. Sometimes they follow a theme, or a specific color scheme, and they last for about two days, with only 150-170 lists available to view at any one time. To make it into four at once is just unbelievable. Also, the front page of Etsy shows items for sale, and is most often taken from one of the Treasury lists - it all adds up to a lot of free advertising and exposure. Sweet. We'll see if one of these actually makes it to the front page.

Thanks to PearsonMaron, jenniestephensart, giftbearer, and sakurakittycreatives for liking something of mine enough to take the time to include it in their beautiful lists.

Berrysprite on Etsy

This week's special is all about a wonderful seller on Etsy that my daughter just loves - berrysprite. She makes just about the cutest amigurumi creatures you have ever seen. I think if I were to let her, Mackenzie would buy out the store. Check out some of Mackenzie's favorites in the sidebar. Too cute!

I feel like a real artist - three of my pieces are currently on exhibit at the Springfield Art Association's Emerging Artists show. There is a lot of wonderful art on display there from students who attend their classes (see here for their summer schedule - boo hoo, I'll be moved to Texas by the time these classes start up again.)

Two of the pieces are currently for sale on Etsy (Gaia and Sedona), and one (Shopgirl) I'll list when the show is over June 9.

There are so many fabulous artists on Etsy. Beginning this week, I'd like to introduce you to the ones I call my favorites. I'll post their shops, their blogs, if they've got one, and some of the wonderful creations in the margins as a mini display. Let me know if you like them too. Better yet, give them a visit and your patronage. Buy Handmade!!

My first is Enthral, who makes absolutely fabulous jewelry. She's a kindred spirit with me in her love of vintage buttons and beautiful wire work in her pieces. She's all about eco-considerate art, recycling and re-using materials to make beautiful new creations - how fabulous!

You can see her Etsy shop at Enthral, and her blog at Enthral's blog. Check it out!

Found a fun little sign generator via my Flickr Group - One of a Kind -

check it out:



Isn't it cute? Make your own at www.tankmiche.com

Mother's Day is almost upon us. How about something fresh and a bit unusual? This delicate Mama Peapod should do the trick. The "pod" can have up to six "peas" of any mix of boy/girl - blue/pink in any order. Need more peas? Just add more pods! Happy Mom's Day!

There is something so enduring about the classics....well, duh, that's why they're "classics"!! This time around I'm talking about the combo of turquoise, red coral, and sterling silver - a Southwestern classic for jewelry. I fell in love with these absolutely bold and beautiful "vertebrae" beads of red bamboo coral. Combined with genuine turquoise and sterling silver, they make for a necklace of timeless beauty, but definitely not for the faint of heart. Luscious!

I am so loving this necklace, I had to share. Cherries are so fun and trendy now, but most of what is out there is plastic or base metal. Not my cup-o-tea. So I did some up in quartz and sterling. Now there's a bowl of cherries!

I call this piece my Gaia Necklace, because the ryolite stones are so primordial looking. Wonderful swirls of green and tawny tan. I set the cabochon on a disc of sterling, swirled wire around it to form the bail, and decorated with fun little pops of sterling granules. Rich and earthy, don't you think?

Classes at the Springfield Art Association, under the oh-so-fun tutelage of Ms. Meghan Tippy, I have entered the wonderful world of silversmithing. I really enjoy hammering out cuff bracelets, and I added some custom wire wrapping to this piece. Lovely nuggets of southwestern American turquoise I purchased last summer in Sedona are the perfect turquoise color of the skies there.

Holiday time continues: Pumpkins are perfect for either Halloween or Thanksgiving - gotta love that gourd!

To celebrate, I offer FREE gift wrapping on any purchase in that's Headley!

Inspired by Creative Challenge #20 – what does Etsy mean to me?

The beginnings of this necklace began before this particular challenge. It started as it always does – with my various beads of stone in front of me, and my asking them – what do you want to be? I had three stones who had spoken before, and they asked again to be brought together, but something was missing. So I waited. A few weeks later, a larger stone arrived, made of the same material of one of the stones in the group that was waiting patiently for the spark to bring them together again. But again, something was still missing. Then the Creative Challenge and the idea came – the linking element to bring all into focus – an aura of silver.

The piece fell together quickly, as destined pieces do. So for fun, I looked up the folklore of the stones and metal. The large focal stone, in a faceted oval, and smaller stones in octagonal coins are olive jade. Jade – the stone of serenity, longevity, and self-realization. The next stone is peacock blue apatite in faceted ovals. Apatite – the stone to promote creativity and discern the truth within. The last stone is citrine, in small discs, and it also promotes creativity. And last, sterling silver, the metal which serves as a mirror to see our true selves.

Was this chance to pull these materials together? Am I reading what I want out of the folklore? Maybe so, most probably so. But in the end I got what I wanted – a piece to reflect what Etsy means to me: a chance to create, to strive to be the best I can be, to see myself as part of a thriving community of artisans. To show my true colors.

I just love the Kenyan Womens' Shelter Project kazuri ceramic beads. After I made the bracelet, I decided to make a companion necklace, but this necklace I will donate to a fundraiser for my daughter's school, rather than sell at my shop.

It's a multicultural event, with all sorts of food and activities. The necklace will be sold at silent auction. I hope it does well for the school. I'm very excited to work with the kazuri beads, as they are produced and sold by fair trade, and as such produce real economic results for the women who make them. That really can't be said for the majority of beads produced in the world, and that's a sad state of affairs.