The Secret Garden...

Remember that book? And the movie?



Well, this little guy wasn't inspired by it, but he reminds me of it. Little guy? I suppose I should say girl, seems like a garden necklace would be feminine rather than masculine.



I haven't really been into filigree-wrapped things in the past, but I see how they can be unique and pretty, so I tried one all of my own. I used a polymer clay disk that I stamped and painted, which seems to have turned out well. There are a few more disks in my drawer waiting to be wrapped on a rainy day. (Err, snowy day?)

Not only are these necklace cuties, but the reserve of them is just as charming, I think.

Don't you?

Copper, pearl, trees...

I've had this hammered copper circle sitting around for a couple months and only today did I make something from it. I was inspired by all of the copper circle/hoop things I'd been seeing and I said, "Hey! I have that one I made somewhere around here..."

Only this is thinner than the norm. But I kind of like it. It's something I'll probably wear on my wedding day - maybe.

Unless I chicken out and do the normal silver and pearl thing.

(But that's months away....so, I digress)

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Something else I've been meaning to mention is my ACEOs! Once I find my tin full of them (I've been cleaning my crafting area and suddenly can't find where I put it!), I'm going to start listing some stuff in my other Etsy shop: midnightbluart

This is an example of one. Well...kind of. This has been in my other shop for what seems like a YEAR. It expires in a month...poor ACEO!

Well, that's all from me for tonight!

A New Take on an Etsy Fav

I always stop and click on someone's listing of circle or square, chunky wooden pendants on chain. They're simple, fun and go with anything. However, I always thought, "I should make myself one...but make it with something that would make it more personal"...so I never bought one from an Etsy seller.

(Even though those sellers deserve sales!)

So, a few months later, in my Etsy shop, I have a new take on this popular necklace:

While it's a secret as to how it's put together, this wooden pendant encasses a shell on one side, and is organic and lovely on the other...and it's completely gorgeous!

It hangs from gunmetal chain - just one of the choices that I'm going to have, as I plan on listing a few more of these! Wouldn't it look good on antique copper, antique brass, antique silver and bright silver chain too?

I've only had a few views of it so far...I only listed it about 2 hours ago...I hope to get up to 50 by the end of tomorrow! So, go check it out! See all of the angles of this unique necklace! Like, the organic side:

Another new item in my shop is this Dark Chocolate Lava Cake Necklace for only $22.00 in :

It is chock-full of shiny black, simulated onyx beads in 6mm and 8mm rounds and an off-center focal -- a large square lava rock bead.

I've started making necklaces like these because of the soothing, repetitiveness of wrapping the beads in wire (even though it's a killer for the arthritis in my wrists!).

But, in the end...I think it's worth it!

Who else out there in blog-land (or Etsy-land) has something in their shop that's a twist on something popular at Etsy? I'd love to see!!!

Stupid Cupid...go start my car!

So, I made it home after a night of crazy occurances and freezing temperatures of MINUS 50 degrees. I've slept a little, had a few bites of chocolate, and now I'm blogging - all of which has barely begun to lessen the harshness that was Saturday night.
But it's okay for now...for I have listed two new things on Etsy...and I'm now going to shamelessly promote them, as I feel I have earned it :)

(Well, The Boy has earned it more, but he has no interest in blogging, and shall leave it up to me!)

Ahhh, Frame Pendant Necklaces, how you satisfy my crafting cravings...how you dress up a t-shirt and jeans outfit into something more...how you hang like a little work of art from a neck....how you, Okay, okay....enough, right?

I got carried away. Valentine's day is four days away - so I can't help it!

My fav. Valentine's-y items on Etsy:

This really beautiful titanium ring caught my eye, and now I wish I wore rings! The simulated ruby heart reminds me of watching Dorthy tap her heels together on The Wizard of Oz!

ShadeJewelry is the maker of this fine piece - everything he makes is stunning, but this one caught my eye first thing because of the upcoming holiday. Great craftsmanship, and great feedback! (It looks like I might have to really start to save up my pennies!)

surly on Etsy has this one of a kind ceramic piece listed -- Red Open Lotus Heart
...I can't get over the detail. Ceramic artists are the artists that I'm truly jealous of! They have the best materials to work with...different temperatures to be around...and they can experiment whenever they want and usually end up with something awesome in the end.

surly, if you're reading this - I'm coming over to steal your doodles and random drawings and make them MINE. Hehe :)



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More Valentine's Fav's to be posted on my next update...stay tuned! <3

An abundance of things!

We were supposed to go to the Andy Warhol exhibit tonight with my sister and her boyfriend, but the weather is too terrible to venture out. It's blowing snow like crazy and the windows are shaking and rattling...I imagine the roads are just crazy. (The city is slowly but surely running out of the salt/sand mixture that they use for time like these..hopefully this is one of the last storms this winter!)

So, we're having a cozy night. I'm wearing one of The Guy's comfy sweatshirts and editing some photos of necklaces - what else is new!?

I'm hoping that earrings will start selling in my shop. I never really made earrings before, but I've started to because they're like small little treasures and almost everyone can afford to buy a pair.

I used to have tons of earrings in my ears back in high school. 3 holes in each ear made for a good palce to display neat little gems...and for 4 years, I had a neon greeny-yellow eyebrow ring in my upper right ear as an earring.

I really like these Amazonite briolettes paired with the coin-shaped, faceted wooden beads. They make me happy! (I think because they feel earthy to me...sky and trees almost)


These "Leafy Citrine" earrings are cute too..more elegant than the other pair. I realize that the dangling chain is a bit of a fad at the moment, but I've kept the lengths short and almost plump, so they're a bit different than the other ones you can find.

The leaf charms are so cute. I've been using them in different things lately...even though it's winter! But I think they're charming :P

The citrine really reminds me of lemon cough drops or candies - the see-through-ness of it all, I suppose!


Speaking of candy - how about Blue Slurpees? Okay...not quite candy, but delicious and sugary nonetheless:

Everything that I've been making lately seems to have come from something I like...a memory, a taste, something. So, when I finally got my notebooks in the mail (from iamerica, on Etsy ) I was so excited! Now, I have spaces to write out my Ideas and Notes and they will be safe. Otherwise, with all the scrap paper around here, who knows where my ideas may end up lately? Plus they're really pretty. I'm not that much of a girly girl, but I just love these!



Lastly, I posted about them in January 15th - my Frame Pendant Necklaces.

Some of them can be made into 4 necklaces in one, depending on what I use. Here are two that are completely convertible and reversible, so they are 4-in-1!

Necklace #1 - showing only 2 ways:

Necklace #2 - showing only 2 ways also: