Paint It Cherry Red

Well, even without my camera, I gotta put something up that I'm working on, so readers, you'll have to deal with the less-than-perfect photo for now.

I introduce you to: Paint It Cherry Red, a brooch that incorporates the lovely colors of red (red garnet, red coral, and red Czech glass) into a mosaic technique against a hand forged sterling silver frame. In case you missed it, you can see the draft version of this brooch here.

These were quite fun, and took up most of my weekend! I made the frame out of 16g wire, and then hammered it to flatten it. Then, I used 18g wire to wrap the ends together tightly and form the pin. On the opposite side is also an 18g wrap that holds the hook for the pin to fit in.

Notice the one on the left has a defined set of Czech glass beads going up the middle, from the bottom left to the top right. I designed this one a little differently--I added this strip first, and then "mosaiced" (I think I just made up that word) each side of the brooch separately. I hope to post these next week in my Etsy shop.

Speaking of Etsy, have you started to put together your shopping list yet? Here's a few pointers: Check out my post on shopping picks for the holidays. You might also want to read up on this "Handmade Pledge" that's going around, especially in light of all of the recent toy recalls we've been seeing on the front pages. Need a quick refresher on the recalls? Check out fellow Etsy Blogger AliciaMae's article at: http://www.quazen.com/Shopping/Gifts/Christmas-Gift-Alternatives-to-Recalled-Toys.57776.

That's all for now...four days 'til I get my camera back!

Can't wait to click click click...

Shop Etsy for the Holidays!

Today’s entry is related to the Etsy Bloggers Street Team Blog Carnival. The theme? Christmas Gift Ideas! This one is going to be soooooooo easy, as I’ve already been doing Christmas shopping on Etsy. Not to mention, I’m trying to stick with the Handmade Pledge as much as I can, because gifts that are crafted by hand are much more unique and meaningful than those that are mass produced.

What this nice little entry will do is give you an idea of some of the wonderful items that are available on Etsy…I’m trying to stay practical and reach a broad audience. I’ll provide five items below that would serve as a great Christmas gift…if you don’t think so, you’ll at least be exposed to the wide range of goodies available! Also, please keep in mind that I’m not going to let you know if these are MY specific Christmas gift items…I have friends and family reading this post, so I don’t want to spoil it, of course! Anyway…enjoy.

Scarflettes!

These are one of the coolest items I’ve seen on Etsy so far. They’re like a little mini neck warmer, without all of the extra material that goes into a scarf! Many sellers are going to be offering scarflettes as the cold weather sets in; my favorite so far is from AllInStitches. The color combination is fabulous, and it matches just about everything I own!

Hats!

My hair was short for a very long time, but now it’s long once again, and so I LOVE wearing hats (they just didn’t look right with the shorter ‘do). Etsy sellers have a fabulous line of hats available, in all different styles. I need to get one for every day of the week! One of my favorite sellers that specializes in hats is BKMHattitude. I love this one especially…practical ‘n funky.

Toys!

Yep, I love toys. Especially ones that are handmade, of course! This little creature here is brought to you by NattyStuffs. I just love it! And, I can tell you that I’ve already bought one, and the quality is fantastic. I can’t wait to buy more!

Pottery!

When I decide to break down and redo my stoneware theme for my kitchen, I can tell you that nothing will come from Target or The Bon Ton. They’ll come from someone who specializes in pottery, like khphillips. His Mudstuffing Pottery studio has some amazing items, all done up earthy and practical, just like I like ‘em! This lovely set I have pictured here is one of my faves because it would be the perfect addition to my kitchen, especially the colors. I am certain that YOU have friends or family members that would love this!

Handbags!

Handbags are a very popular item on Etsy…there are a ton of fabulous sellers, each offering different styles, color combinations, and themes for their handbags. The one I’ll mention here is HerRoyalMajestyBags. HRMB’s items are absolutely lovely, with styles that accommodate anyone’s taste. Not to mention, her descriptions for her items are a joy to read, and I’m sure the Queen would be delighted if you visited her shop! She has a wide variety of offerings, and stands behind the quality of her work. From what I’ve noticed just by running into her on the forums, she’s an all around great person, and a pleasure to converse with.

So, that’s it for now. As you can see, I only listed a small number of items…I wish I could list more, but I have work to do for my own store, silly! Now, get out there and BUY HANDMADE. Your friends and family will love you for it, and you’ll be considered the best gift-giver EVER. Happy shopping!

Santa Fe Teardrops Earrings

Happy Friday, everyone! Tomorrow is my day off, but you'll see these earrings in my Etsy shop on Sunday.

Today I bought a new lightbox to use for my photographing. See the following article at: http://www.theswitchboards.com/articles_professionalphotos.html. Very helpful!

I also got some new lamps to use with the lightbox so I can hopefully brighten my pics up a little (without so much Photoshopping!).

Finally, I took the "Handmade Pledge" today. See my banner in the left nav bar, or check out the buyhandmade.org web site. It promotes the shopping and purchase of handcrafted items rather than those that are mass produced. What a great idea!