New Items!

I've managed to list 7 new items in the last 4 weeks and am aiming to get a few more listed in the next day or two. I have added 4 hats, a great open work scarf, a gorgeous necklace with a stunning art-glass focal bead, and this AMAZING cape/shawl. Still to be listed - 4 more scarves, 3 more hats, about a dozen pairs of earrings (many in my fabulous crystal-pear cluster/crystal cascade style) and a half dozen or so fabulous necklaces. Please check my shops and stay tuned!
Etsy Shop
ArtFire Shop
OH, and here's some sneak peaks:

I love custom creations - part 1

I had the fantastic opportunity recently to make a necklace for a good friend of mine, Renee. We'd been spending a weekend in Monterey last summer and she saw a 3-strand pearl necklace and she was just drooling over it. Then she looked at the price tag, sighed and walked away. Because she is a dear friend, and had so recently done a million things (including preserving my sanity and helping me finish making my veil the night before) for my wedding, I offered to make her something similar, just for the cost of supplies, and my time and skills would be a gift. Well, I ended up finding pearls that were so perfectly "her" that they could've been custom dyed for her. Mauves and golds and peaches and all pearly... so nice. I strung the pearls on silk cord, pale peachy-pink in color that blends right in, and knotted the cord between each pearl to protect them from rubbing against each other. I made three strands in consecutive lengths, and then found the perfect clasp from one of my favorite Etsy sellers (Lily's Offering) for supplies. So I finally got the necklace made for her by the end of January (that's the other thing about custom jobs where I don't charge for my time - they happen "when I get around to it") and she didn't mind how long it had taken at all and was totally thrilled with the necklace. I liked the result so much, I plan to make more. I don't have very many of "her" pearls left, but I did purchase a bunch of other colors and shades in the same size/style and will be making more in the future. Here's a couple of pics of what I've since named "The Renee Pearl Necklace". If anyone would like something similar, feel free to contact me through Etsy or Artfire and I'd be delighted to make one in other colors. Though unless you're also a dear friend, my time won't be free for you! :)

New Etsy Treasuries!

I've been featured in a couple of treasuries since the last time I posted. Please check out
"Sac Etsy Team is a Passionate One" and "Silver and Gold" and click on the links to all the talented artists (including me!) and leave a comment if you feel so inspired. :)

In other news, I finally got all kinds of awesome photographs taken of almost everything not currently listed in my shop. I still need to get pics of the earrings, but in the mean time, I have LOTS of photo re-sizing to do and then a ton of items to get listed. Stay tuned for more new things soon!

Knotty Things

I made a new Collection on ArtFire - hoping to draw some traffic to my shop, and to a bunch of other talented artists! Please check it out:
Knotty Things

Pearl and Lace - Etsy Treasury

Yay! My pearl and crystal cluster earrings are featured in an Etsy Treasury! Please check it out:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d40d2878a738eef88d955d2/pearls-and-lace

Welcome Back

Well, after a busy and crazy time leading up to the holidays, and a rather nice time enjoying them, I am jumping back in to the creative mode. I had lots of buying supplies and laying out what I needed for making things and not putting any of it away before the holidays and I've finally almost finished getting all my beads organized. I'll post a pic when I have my table all set. My awesome husband helped me pic out the table and encouraged me to have a crafting table in the first place and it's been SO nice to work at. We got our digital camera replaced in mid december and I finally had time to take pics of some of my newer items last weekend. I'll get them tweaked (cropping, re-sizing, that's usually about it) and get new items listed in both shops soon. Check back here for updates!

The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of other things

And now, in honor of my FIFTH sale to someone I've never met before, I present a view into the MAPS part of my life. I love what I do. And yes, I realize this makes me a HUGE geek and I'm totally okay with that. And yes, I made the map myself using ESRI's GIS software and basmaps. I chose the projection (there's a lot of different ways to display a world view map, even a partial world view) and selected the cities I've shipped my handmade creations, and even though purple is definitely not high on the list of acceptable colors in professional cartography, I took the liberty of making the title block my favorite color. :) I also added a star for my hometown, since I've sold at Midtown Bazaar a few times and even got a commission for a hat that I mailed in town. When I have 5 more sales to add to this and post the updated version.