Precious Metals

Holiday Orders and Shipping Deadlines

2010-12-07T12:28:00.002-06:00

2010 Holiday Orders and Shipping Deadlines

During this time of year, in my experience, the USPS can run a few days behind their normal delivery schedule. Therefore I can not guarentee delivery by 12/25 unless orders are shipped Express Mail. If you would like your purchase shipped Priority or Express please contact me prior to ordering for a rates.

Below are my recomendations for orders placed in my etsy store.

Custom orders or orders with personalization (ex. Design Your Own Charms, Handstamping/Engraving, Specific Size Requests) should be placed by 12/15 to qualify for FREE Domestic First Class Shipping

Non custom order or orders that do not require Personaliztion should be placed by 12/17 to qualify for FREE Domestic First Class Shipping.

Review: Rio Cold Mold Two Part Compound

2010-11-10T12:26:00.016-06:00

Rio Grande's Cold Mold Two Part Compound

Price: about $25

My Goal for this Product: To create 3 dimensional PMC charms

The Bottom Line: Easy to use and affordable. A must have for metal clay artists.

My Review: I couldn't be more pleased with the product! You get a good amount of the product and will be able to make many molds. The compound comes with complete instructions that are simple to follow. All you have to do is combine equal amounts of each part, no additional mold or release agents are needed!

Tips for Using this Product: The compound beings to harden quickly, so have the object you intend to create your impression from ready to go before you being mixing the two components. I like to test the impression on a lump of Play Dough before committing to making a mold from it. Sometimes the object I'm using (ex. the pattern on a spoon handle) doesn't create a deep enough impression to make a good mold from.

My first molds with Cold Mold Compound

My charms after firing in the kiln
(unfinished, I still need to apply the patina)

Rio Grande has a great video about how to use Cold Mold here (after the wax carving demo)

Earring Sale Going on NOW!

2010-10-19T10:28:00.003-05:00

I'm having an Earring blow out sale right now in my Etsy shop.

Earrings starting at just $8

with FREE SHIPPING!

~Sterling Silver~

~Pearls~

~LSU and Saints Colors~

~Vintage~

http://PreciousMetals4u.Etsy.com

LSU Tigers Treasury by Tulipstrunk2010

2010-07-11T10:15:00.003-05:00

I'm in a Treasury!!

LSU Tigers Treasury
by Tulipstrunk2010

Custom Order: 13.1

2010-06-13T21:36:00.003-05:00

I've been slacking on posting photos of my custom order lately but I wanted to make sure you saw this one.

This custom order is a gift for to 2 sisters.
The recipients had lost their mom a year ago, and has spent the last year training for a half-marathon to raise money for leukemia research (which is what their mom had). To mark the occasion, their friend ordered each a special charm engraved with their initials and the distance of the half marathon.

Most Important Custom Order EVER!

2010-06-05T22:26:00.003-05:00

This afternoon, I put the finishing touches on a bracelet I had been working on this week. I turned to show my 3 year old and she said "Oh mommy, that is so pretty. Is it for me??" I felt so bad!! Out of all the jewelry I've made I have NEVER made anything for my biggest fan!! (I'm a terrible mother) So, after a quick explanation why she couldn't have the adult size bracelet, we jumped in the car and headed to the supply shop. I told her to pick out 4 of her most favorite charms and mommy would make a special bracelet just for her. At first I was impressed b/c she seemed to be sticking with a theme; dolphin, seahorse, fish, train?!? Oh well, it's her bracelet. I added the "L" as a special surprise.

She's already gone to bed so she will get it tomorrow morning (Sunday morning = DONUTS!!). Hehe, it's so tiny!

Farewell to LOST

2010-05-17T18:43:00.006-05:00

I know the purpose of this blog is to discuss my jewelry and related topics, but I thought I'd change it up a bit and share a few pics from our Farewell to LOST party this weekend.
(we are such nerds! but it was fun!)

My husband and I in Dharma jumpsuits
with my sister and her hubby dressed as Jack & Kate

It was pretty funny to open the door and
see my sister holding a shot gun. LOL! Also, it had been raining so they had the perfect wet, running through the jungle from Smokie look.

The Apollo Bars were my fav! My sis made 'em! Don't they look awesome!

Here Comes the Bride(s)

2010-05-03T19:30:00.005-05:00

With wedding season fast approaching, I wanted to share a few unique order's I've had lately for some special brides and grooms.

This first 'token' is a gift from a special friend to the happy couple. It is going to be incorporate into the brides bouquet. The bride had lost her mother and the groom had lost his father. The inscription reads "always on our minds, forever in our hearts" with the wedding date in the center. The backside is engraved with the brides mother and grooms father. The heart/crystal dangle in front represents her 'something blue'.

And this oval charm for Matthew and Meghan will be hung from their unity candle during the ceremony.

Congrats to both couples! Thanks for letting me be a part of your special day. Best wishes to you both!

Class Project - Copper Leaves

2010-04-21T20:54:00.002-05:00

Last weekend I took a metalworking class where we learned several techniques for working with copper. Our class project was to create copper leaves. We learned how to bend, texture, cut, form, soften, and harden the metal. Many of the techniques I already knew, but it was fun to spend time with other jewelry enthusiasts and learn new tips and tricks from the other students and teacher.

Here are the leaves I created in class while practicing the techniques:

After class, I was in such a jewelry making mood, I came home and made this cuff bracelet
(soon to be in my shop as soon as it's finished)

I made the Etsy Front Page!

2010-04-18T15:53:00.002-05:00

I just happened to check CraftCult.com Sunday afternoon and discovered I was featured on the front page of Etsy!! I'm beyond excited!!

And the Winner Is...

2010-04-01T17:20:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all who participated in my
Etsyversary Hide & Seek Contest

I put all the entries in a bowl, shook 'em up and let my 3 yr old draw the winner.

Congrats to:

Yamarilet P. from Kenner, LA

Yamarilet will be receiving a pair of sterling silver fluer de lis earrings!

Aunt Tala's Jade

2010-03-25T12:01:00.005-05:00

My great Aunt Tala lived to be well over 100 years old. When I began making jewelry my grandmother gave me one of Aunt Tala's old necklaces: a strand of jade pearls. The necklace had been broken many years before and the stone had just been sitting in her jewelry box. I'm working on diving the stones into several pieces of jewelry so that each woman in my family can have one.

Here are 2 pieces I created this week using wire wrapping techniques I learned from
Beautiful Wire Jewelry
by Irina Miech

Handmade Louisiana: Cards for Cancer Drive

2010-03-20T14:39:00.005-05:00

Wanted to share some photo of my precious angel helping mommy make
handmade cards for
Cards for Cancer

(scroll down to learn more about Cards for Cancer)

She is very excited about her artwork

and that it was going to make "them feel all better".

For more info on Cards for Cancer and how you can participate
scroll down a bit more or click here

A Modern Twist on a Family Heirloom

2010-03-18T12:49:00.003-05:00

My cousin challenged me to come up with a modern way for her to wear an antique family heirloom. This beautiful brooch belonged to her grandmother-n-law. My cousin, who's not a brooch wearing kinda girl (neither am I), wanted a simple yet sophisticated way to incorporate it into somthing she could wear almost everyday.

By connecting double chains to the filigree work on the brooch, I was able to create this simple necklace.

Here Comes Baseball Season

2010-03-13T16:56:00.004-06:00

The last few days have been filled with orders for Baseball Charms!
Here are a few I've finished recently:

I also made this sweet tag for my Mother-n-Law. She sell diaper bags and baby items on Etsy and wanted to include a zipper pull on one of her custom bags. Check out her shop here - http://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchesFromTheSouth

Handmade Louisiana: Cards for Cancer

2010-03-09T18:04:00.003-06:00

The first annual

Cards for Cancer

will take place on

April 10, 2010

and Handmade Louisiana (a group I am a member of)

is among the groups participating in the event.

What is Cards for Cancer?

Cards for Cancer is a worldwide event focusing on letting people with cancer know others are out there thinking of them. Having cancer can often be lonely. Sometimes something as simple as receiving a card provides an uplifting of ones spirit. Cards for Cancer sponsored by Spirit Jump and Bloggers Unite.

Groups participating in Cards for Cancer have the opportunity to honor someone who has been touched by cancer. Handmade Louisiana had chosen this year to honor the memory of Jonathan DiLeo. Jonathan was an amazing person and a friend to everyone he met. He was the best friend of one of our member's daughter and he is greatly missed every day.

Each group chooses a cancer center to deliver the cards to on or before April 10th. Handmade Louisiana will deliver our cards to the Mary Perkins Cancer Center in Covington, LA. In addition to the cards, some of our members have offered to donate items as small gifts for the patients who received treatment at the center. We hope that these offerings of comfort and hope help cheer and lift up the recipients' spirits.

To learn more about Cards for Cancer please go to http://cards4cancer.org.

If you'd like to make a card or donate a small gift to the patients at the center please contact me for more details at PreciousMetals4u@cox.net

Etsy-versary Hide & Seek Contest

2010-03-01T11:30:00.002-06:00

I'm celebrating my Etsy-versary

by having a
Hide & Seek Contest!!!

Starts: Monday, March 1st

Ends: Wednesday, March 31th

How to play:

First, find three of the Hide & Seek logos (like the one above) hidden within three separate listings in my shop.

Then, send an email or Etsy Convo to me with the following information:

1. Links to all three items with the Hide & Seek images.

2. Your Name and Address to mail the prize to.

3. Your prize choice (select from list below)

No purchase necessary!

All entries will be collected and a drawing will be held and the prize winner selected at random. The winner will be announced Thursday April 1st

right here on my blog!

The winner will get to select ONE of the following prizes up for grabs:

Prize #1
A pair of Hand-Stamped Sterling Silver Earrings

Discs are 3/8" and you select the design stamps
(Disc and earwires are sterling silver)

Prize #2
One Stretch Necklace

You select the color beads and charm

Available colors:
Black
Purple
Slate Grey
Silver Blue

Charms:
Cross
Giving Tree
Tiger Face
Tiger Body
Fleur de Lis (SOLD OUT)

You can DOUBLE or TRIPLE your chances to win by leaving a comment and letting me know you've done any of the following:

Blog about this contest and provide a link.

Tweet this contest and provide a link.

My Apprentice

2010-02-28T11:36:00.008-06:00

Taking 'Arts & Crafts' time to a whole new level!!

Just wanted to share a few photos my husband snapped while I'm teaching my 3 yr old daughter how to make a textured pendant from scrap silver.

After a quick lesson in what we can and CAN NOT hit with a hammer, she's eager to start banging!

BANG, BANG, BANG

Next we squeeze, squeeze, SQUEEZE with the hole punch pliers

Daddy, DADDY! Look what I made!!

Then mommy oxidizes and polishes it.

So Close!!!

2010-02-25T19:43:00.005-06:00

I ALMOST made the Etsy Front Page!!

According to CraftCult.com my
Sterling Silver Textured Ring
was chosen by Etsy as an
alternate choice
in a Front Page Treasury List.

(That means that if one of the items on the front page had sold,
my item was an alternate to replace it.)

It's always been a goal of mine to make the front page, maybe now that I'm on their radar I might make it!

Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!!

2010-02-20T22:14:00.001-06:00

A custom Pet ID/Collar Charm for a sweet kitty named Lilly

Let's Stay Together

2010-02-18T10:04:00.019-06:00

This morning I received the nicest email from PragyaK of ArtoCrat: Home Art Prints & Posters. She said:

Hello,

Love your work and blog! I wanted to post this comment on your blog but the comment link is broken or something. Anyways here it is-

"It was so nice to stumble across your blog. I've just read through 3 posts and I'm hooked :) Is there a way I could get your daily posts in a email? Tried the RSS but it just takes me to a page filled with words! LOL!"

So I thought I'd take this opportunity to share a few solutions with everyone out there that might be experiencing the same dilemma! There are multiple options for getting your Precious Metals fix ;-)

1. Blog RSS Feed

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a Web feed format used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines or podcasts. An RSS document (which is called a feed or web feed or channel) contains either a summary of content (teaser) from an associated web site or the full text.

To subscribe the RSS feed simply click the Blog RSS link
This is going to bring you to a text/document of the same webpage. At the top of the page you should see a yellow subscription box. Click Subscribe to this Feed.

Next a confirmation box should appear. Click the Subscribe button.

Now you should see a message that says You've Successfully Subscribed to this Feed

Open MS Outlook. Under the RSS folder you should see a folder for Precious Metals

2. Facebook Fan Page and Twitter

Whenever I create a new blog post I always post a link to it on my Facebook Fan Page. My Fan Page is also linked to my Twitter account. So any updates to the Fan Page are automatically posted on Twitter. On Twitter I also post any new listings in my shop, but I don't post new listings on Facebook.

Become a Facebook Fan: www.Facebook.com/PreciousMetals4u

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/PreciousMetals4

3. Followers

If you have a Blogger.com account you can opt to "follow" a blog. Simply locate the Followers section of the blog and click Follow

You will be asked to login to a account (I use google)

Once you sign in you can select to Follow This Blog

Now when you login to your Blogger account you'll see the blog listed in your reading list

4. Comments

My friend Rachel, from Sohaus, also had issues with comments not working correctly on her blog. This is what she found that solved the problem:

If you want to comment on any of the blogs, you need to sign into your google account. If you've already typed up a comment without signing in, and you hit "post comment", you'll get a thing saying this couldn't be processed. Just click on "more options" and it will let you sign into your account and then your comment will show up in the feed.

There you go! I hope this helps so of you navigate the Blogger world and stay in touch with your favorite blogs.

Working with Precious Metal Clay

2010-02-17T20:07:00.001-06:00

This is my process of working with metal clay. I don't go into the detailed step-by-step of how it's done because there are so many great books out there (listed below) that do it so much better than I ever could. The purpose of this post is to share with clients how their jewelry is made.

One of my favorite mediums to work with, Precious Metal Clay, is a clay-like substance that is made of small particles of pure metal (such as silver) mixed with an organic binder and water. Metal clay can be shaped or cut just like any soft clay, by hand or using molds. After the clay dries, it can be fired in a kiln where the binder burns away, leaving the pure metal.

When working with Precious Metal Clay, or PMC, I use a large number of tools to mold, cut or shape the clay into the piece I'm trying to create. I've worked with rubber stamps, steel lettering stamps, cookie cutters, PMC molds and impression templates. One of the great features of PMC is that you can use simple household objects as tools. Really, anything that will make an impression in the clay can be used, but avoid aluminum tools as they cause chemical comtamination.

My favorite technique is to make impressions from objects that have special meaning. You may have seen the Antique Flower Impression Necklace where I used an antique silver sugar bowl my grandmother gave me.

(TIP) When I find an object I want to take an impression of, I use Playdough to test if the object will leave the desired impression before attempting it with the clay. For example, I tried many times to take an impression from antique flatware only to discover the markings in the flatware were not deep enough to make an impression in the clay.

Once I am ready to work with the clay, I lay out all the tools I'm going to need on my work space. PMC can dry out on you fairly quickly. (Esp in the the winter when I'm blasting the heater to keep warm) So I want all my tools within reach.

(TIP) I always talk through a 'plan of action' before I begin.

"1. roll out the clay with this rolling pen (touch the pen),

2. cut the clay with this cutter (touch the cutter), etc..."

This mental check list helps me determine if all of my tools are ready. If I'm really feeling obsessive, I will even make a mockup of the pieces I'm about to create with Playdough first.

Once everything is in place, I open the clay and get to work cutting, shaping, molding, whatever the piece calls for.

As you work, the clay becomes dry and leathery. Keep a spray bottle of water close by to remoisten the clay. I keep my scraps in an airtight container with a tiny damp sponge at the bottom.

Once I'm finished, I prefer to allow my pieces to air dry overnight. Some people use hotplates to speed up the process.

Once dry, the clay pieces have the consistency of chalk. If they aren't handled gently, they could easily crack or crumble. At this stage, I use fine grit sandpaper to smooth out the edges and create a smooth surface. (TIP) Fingernail files also work great to gently sand thicker pieces.

Next, the pieces are placed into a kiln where they are fired at a temp of 1100 degrees for 20-30 minutes. The firing process can take several hours as the kiln takes time to warm up to that high temp, maintain that temp for half and hour, then cool back down.

Once the pieces have cooled completely, they still aren't finished. They come out of the firing process hard as metal but with a dull, white, ashy finish. This is because the firing process has caused the surface of the silver to become crystalline which must be smoothed down and polished. A quick 'bath' with soapy water and a stainless steel brush does the trick.

Afterwards, you are left with a pieces that shines like a mirror.

This mirror finish is fine for some pieces, like this simple ring. But to make those impression pieces stand out, I usually oxidize my designs in a solution called Liver of Sulfur (which smells like rotten eggs). This solution causes the silver to artificially tarnish. Simply polish off the tarnish from the areas you don't want it and you're left with the contrasting black on silver.

There you have it!

That's my process of working with metal clay. I know I didn't go into the detailed step-by-step of how it's done, but there are so many great books out there that do it so much better than I ever could. Some of my favorites include:

The Art of Metal Clay by Sherri Haab

and

Magical Metal Clay Jewelry by Sue Heaser

If you are interested in learning more about working with Precious Metal Clay, I suggest taking a class at your local jewelry supply or bead shop. PMC can be a pricey medium to work with, so make sure you love it before making an investment in the tools.

Custom Orders: I Pick Dharma

2010-02-17T19:33:00.001-06:00

Being a huge, HUGE, LOST fan, I was pumped about this order!!

And a guitar pic necklace charm:

The backside:

Have a Little Faith

2010-02-16T17:30:00.002-06:00

A custom order this week: a sweet little charm that will be incorporated into a bracelet.

Business is Going to the Dogs

2010-02-16T17:18:00.006-06:00

My Pet ID Tags are quickly becoming my biggest seller. I sold 4 yesterday alone and I had another one ordered this morning. The backside is engraved with their owners phone number (no shown for security reasons).

My New Corner of the World

2010-02-14T14:04:00.016-06:00

My friend, Rachel, of SoHaus Interior Design posed an interesting question this week on her blog:

"Do you have a design dilemma?

Submit your questions to me and be featured on my blog!"

So I challenged her to turn my dining room into a studio for my jewelry design, but still be able to use it as a dining room when the occasion calls for it. She had some brilliant ideas - you can read the full article here.

As my husband and I began discussing her suggestions it dawned on us:

why do we need a formal dining room anyway?!?!

In the 5 + years we've been living in this house, we've used our dining room maybe twice. Why are we hording all that space?!?! After taking some measurements and discussing the logistics, we decided to dismantle the dining room completely and use that space as husband's office (he works full time from home). Currently, his office is in a spare bedroom. Once that bedroom was cleared out, I could use it as my office/DESIGN STUDIO!! YIPEE!

Wanna See?

So here is the dining room before.

(See, even before we weren't using it as a dining room.)

And After

And now, his old office is mine!!

All the china has been put into storage (I know, my mother almost disowned me) and my china cabinet is now holding all my designs.

The whole move took only 1 afternoon, but in the process I was also organizing, cleaning out and throwing away as much as I could. Over the past year, I have collect quite a lot of jewelry supplies, beads, and findings. So as part of my clean out efforts I have opened a second Etsy shop

Lagniappe and Leftovers

Where I will be selling my extra beads, vintage buttons, and misc jewelry supplies that I don't want or need! Cause one man's trash, is another man's treasure!

Custom Order - K+M

2010-02-13T20:19:00.002-06:00

Here is a custom order I worked on this week. Double stack pendants with "K+M" above the date "7-17-10".

Custom Order - Always and Forever

2010-02-11T16:13:00.001-06:00

A personalized Guitar Pic Necklace

A Stroke of Genius Weekly Artist Spotlight

2010-02-02T11:15:00.006-06:00

I'm so excited to be featured, with my husband, on this weeks

A Stroke of Genius Artist Spotlight!!

Jen, from Simply Inviting Cards & Keepsakes has included us in a double feature article about our Etsy Shops and hobbies.

Check out the full interview here

Custom Orders - Dogs, Guitars and a Sunset

2010-01-29T21:42:00.008-06:00

It's been a busy week around the studio (aka my dining room). I have a few minutes before the chocolate chip cookies come out of the oven, so I thought I'd share a few pics of what I've been working on.

Maddie & Max : Pet ID tags!

The backside has their humans phone number.

You Rock My World: Guitar Pick Charm

(this little baby is on it's way to Denmark)

Sunset Blvd: Bangle Bracelet

This bracelet was a collaboration from a repeat customer. The bracelet I made her before (shown below) I named 'Ocean Water'.

This time she wanted something inspired by the colors of a sunset. She sent me this amazing photo for inspiration.

The front of the disc is engraved with "listen with your heart" and the backside (which I forgot to photograph) says "you will understand".

(also an international order, this one is on it's way to Australia)

Custom Orders - Anam Cara Oval Necklace

2010-01-25T16:20:00.003-06:00

A custom variation of the Anam Cara necklace in the shop, this design is stamped on a oval dics with a second engraving on the backside. This way, the necklace can be worn 2 ways!

My 2009 Google Analytics Stats

2010-01-21T19:55:00.015-06:00

July 2009, I signed up for a Google Analytics account to track website traffic to my Etsy store and determine how effective my internet marketing was. I thought I would share some of my stats with you, cause I think it's pretty neat:

This data was collected from

July 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009

From July 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009 (a 6 month period) there were:

8,746 visits, or hits, on my etsy store. An averages of 47 visits / day.

21% (2,095) of the 8,746 were from people viewing my store for the first time.

31,536 pages were viewed. An average of 3.61 pages /visit.

People spent and average of 2:41 in my store.

57% left the store without taking further action (ex. moving on to explore the rest of the shop).

Tuesday September 22, 2009 had the greatest amount of visits in a single day with 188 hits.

What does it all mean?

Well, the 3.61 pages per visit is good. Typical websites average 3-5 pages per visit, so I'm happy with this for now.

The bounce rate of 57% - eh - probably need to do something about that. Need to get more people exploring the store instead of moving on somewhere else. Digging deeper into Analytics, I can see the keywords that typically brought people to my site and if those keywords failed. Meaning they searched Google for "bible verse charm" and ended up on an unrelated pair of earrings. Instances like that can cause someone to leave the shop asap and thereby increasing the Bounce Rate.

So where did all these visits come from?

41.6% were Direct Traffic visits, meaning they typed in the URL or clicked a bookmark that brought them straight to the store.
33% found my store thru referring sites like links I post on Twitter or Facebook
19% were search engine results like Google or Yahoo.

Who are all these people?

Google Analytics allows me to dive deep into who my visitors are and where they come from. My 8,746 visits came from 72 different countries!

Most are from the US, but did you know I'm big in the UK?!?! (me either!)

Rounding out the top 10 are:

What was happening Tuesday September 22, 2009?

On Tuesday September 22, 2009, I had the greatest amount of visits in a single day with 188 hits. I dug around to learn that 163 pages of my shop were viewed a total of 613 times. Although these visitors were all over the shop, the hot item seems to be the Copper Braille Necklace with 103 views (which sold that day). I can't seem to figure out what caused the sudden spike in interest. Any ideas? Maybe I was in a treasury and didn't know it?!?!

I think this info is so cool to look at. Hopefully I can learn more about what Google Analytics can do and how to use this data to better my store. I'm also tracking data on this blog that I haven't looked thru yet. Maybe there will be some intersting info there too!

Tokens of Affection

2010-01-21T12:55:00.004-06:00

Here is another custom order i've been working on for a few days. Made from 99.9% pure silver, these tokens hold special meaning to my customer that designed them.

(These shiny little suckers were hard to photograph b/c the mirror finish wanted to reflect everything in sight!)

I documented the entire process of how they were made for an upcoming blog post I'm working on which will outline how I create jewelry with Metal Clay!

Stay Tuned!

My #1 Fans!

2010-01-20T23:07:00.006-06:00

Tonight I started a Facebook Fan page for Precious Metals. I had been thinking about doing it for awhile now, but wondered if I really needed it. With the Etsy shop, this blog, and twitter to keep updated I figured - what's one more?!?!

(Actually, I'll probably be better about updating the Fan Page than twitter)

Click here to become a Precious Metals Fan on Facebook!

Custom Orders

2010-01-19T20:45:00.003-06:00

Here are a few of the custom orders I have been working on lately.

Say Hello To My Little Friend

2009-12-29T22:40:00.009-06:00

Santa must have thought I was super good this year because on Christmas morning I found a VULCAN JK-1 KILN

tucked into my stocking!!

Have I been to the grocery store since? NO

Have I cleaned the house since? NO

Have I fired this baby up everyday since Christmas? HECK YEAH!!

With a max temp of 2250 degrees, this hot little number is sure to light a fire in my jewelry line. (Ok, ok enough kiln jokes)

(husband keeping warm. the exterior of the kiln could reach a temp of 350 degrees, but so far the temps i've used have kept the exterior just warm to the touch)

My first few pieces...

Made from PMC3 which becomes 99.9% fine silver once fired.

The tulip pendants were made from impressions taken from these "fashionable" earrings.

And the floral pattern is an impression of an antique sugar bowl

I'm sure you'll start to see several of these pendants in my shop in the near future. Now my shop will be able to live up to it's name ~ Precious Metals!!

I Survived My First Etsy Christmas

2009-12-16T14:47:00.007-06:00

First, and foremost, I want to thank all of my customers!! This was my first Christmas as an Etsy seller. I had heard sales picked up right after Thanksgiving, but I wasn't expecting this!!

(I'm so glad I did that trunk show in November, otherwise I wouldn't have had the inventory to handle the orders. )

From Thanksgiving until today:

60 Sales
71 individual pieces of jewelry
3 return customers
2 customers who were recipients of jewelry gifts during the year, now buying gifts for others

Several of my orders were for handstamped or engraved pieces (you can see several below) and the text I was engraving held special meaning to the recipient. I was so touched to be a part of those projects. The greatest was when I started to get emails from some of my customers that their friend or family loved their gift.

So again, a big THANK YOU to my customers! Your generosity and holiday spirit is very much appreciated. You have made this season that much merrier for my family and me.

Merry Christmas!

Blessed Mother - Matching Bracelets

2009-12-15T18:50:00.001-06:00

The Christmas rush has started to slow down today. Only a few more orders to finish up and ship. Here is one from today:

150th come and GONE!

2009-12-14T19:17:00.005-06:00

Christmas orders continue to pour in. I've had several everyday helping me reach and PASS 150 sales! WOO HOO!

Here are a few more custom Christmas orders from over the weekend:

Ho Ho Ho! Santa's Hard at Work

2009-12-09T21:57:00.005-06:00

I've been hard at work making sure my custom orders get turned around as quick as possible. Partly b/c I'm hoping I'll be busy with more, but mostly b/c I want to make sure everyone's gifts arrive in plenty of time. Here are a few more gifts, some ordered today!!

Hard at Work

2009-12-08T22:28:00.005-06:00

I'm beginning to feel like one of those little elves in Santa's workshop! I love it. I wish orders came in like this all year long. Here are a few more Christmas orders shipping out this week:

More Christmas Orders!

2009-12-05T18:24:00.005-06:00

I was happy to have several 'inside projects' during the nasty weather Friday afternoon. I was able to knock out (haha get it? knock out! i made a stamping joke!) most of my custom orders. Like I said before, I so appreciate my Christmas orders. I'm so touched that someone would want to give my jewelry as a gift to friends and family. Here are some of the latest orders from this week.

First, 2 guitar picks with special messages from mother to son.

A custom engraved necklace:

Then 2 Baseball/Softball charms! Go #10 and #13!

And finally, an inside joke b/w two friends!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

2009-12-03T12:52:00.009-06:00

I had heard that Etsy sales picked up right after Thanksgiving, but as this is my first holiday season as an Etsy seller I didn't really know what to expect. Well sales have been flowing in everyday!! I'm so thankful for all of my new, and returning, customers! They have made one precious little princess's Christmas merry and bright!! (but she doesn't know it yet, shhh! it has training wheels and rhymes with 'mysickle" heehee!!

Here are a few custom orders I've been working on:

Look at these CUTE kids! These photo charms were for a repeat customer. Its fun to see her son growing up!

Husband Featured in Our USA Magazine!

2009-11-21T16:52:00.002-06:00

In this months issue of Our USA Magazine, Chris is one of the featured Etsy sellers highlighted in the 2 page article!! (Page 60-61)

(Sorry about the poor photo, I took it with my phone)

The write up reads:

Turning Point Wood Work

With years of wood crafting experience, Chris Adcock, the artist behind Turning Point Wood Work, has taken his passion for hand craving and turned it into functional art. In his Etsy shop, Chris sells a variety of hand carved pens and pencils all made from blocks of wood. Apple, Redwood, Cypress, Walnut, and Mango are just a few of the exotic timbers featured in his shop. With a variety of fountain pens, roller balls, and pen and pencil sets, Turning Point Wood Work has something for everyone.

Contact: Chris Adcock
Web: TurningPointWoodWork.etsy.com
Email: TurningPointWoodWork@cox.net

Custom Order - FCA Charm

2009-11-21T16:45:00.004-06:00

I'm starting to regret hording the inventory I created for my trunk show. It's gonna take MONTHS to photograph and list it all in my etsy shop! As I'm sitting here listing new items, I thought I'd share a custom order from last week:

A simple charm stamped with "FCA" and a cross.

Beads and Bubbly!

2009-11-14T20:48:00.010-06:00

I had my first 'show' Friday night! A big thanks to my Mom, Rachel, Patty and Kristen for all their help!! I couldn't have done it without you!

Display of Husband's handcarved pens.

http://TurningPointWoodWork.etsy.com

My display of featured Etsy Sellers:

Bathgasm

My Tiny Dancer

Emma Jacoba Nason Graphic Designs
Yellow Beatle Bugg

Duchessa

You can see all the photos of the event here - Click Here

Latest Custom Orders

2009-11-12T21:07:00.007-06:00

I've been neglecting my blog lately as I scramble to get ready for my first SHOW!!
Rest assured, I haven't been neglecting my custom orders!

All you need is LOVE, LOVE

An Askew Handstamp Necklace

I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart

Anam Cara (Soul Friend)

Looking forward to posting all about the show (with photos) this weekend!

My Secret Garden Bangle Charm Bracelet in a Treasury

2009-11-06T15:36:00.003-06:00

My Secret Garden Bangle Charm Bracelet is in a Treasury today!

Check it out here --> http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=91995

Latest Custom Orders

2009-10-28T13:33:00.004-05:00

This first order is going to be a gift from one friend to another. the inscription is "anam cara" which is Gaelic for "soul friend". This is the second piece I've created with this inscription. The charm is strung with a topaz birthstone crystal.

The second order is a 1" handstamped charm with the inscription "where no words are, there is love and there is you".

Husband Featured in 1st Etsy Treasury!

2009-10-22T14:33:00.003-05:00

Husband's shop was featured in an Etsy Treasury today! I'm so proud.

Check it out here http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=89239

Promote Your Shop at my Jewelry Show

2009-10-16T20:09:00.006-05:00

I had this listed as an alchemy request and Etsy took it down.

My friends are throwing me a home party to showcase my jewelry. i'd love to have a display dedicated to all the wonderful handmade sellers out there. i can hand out samples of your product or other promotional items.

I WON'T BE SELLING THESE ITEMS FOR YOU

just handing out free promotional items and samples (like small soaps or business cards) to whom ever picks them up. if you would like to dontate a door prize that showcases your product that would be great too!

PLEASE NOTE: this will be totally at your expense. you will pay to ship the items to me. if you want the leftover samples returned, you will pay to have them shipped back to you.

ABOUT THE PARTY: i plan on sending out 100 invites to women around my community. they will be anywhere from college students to grandmothers and all ages in-between. i assume/hope most will be looking for christmas gifts and such as that. my hope would be to setup a few baskets/table with various samples and promotional items from other handmade sellers to help spread the word about etsy!! if you are interested please email me and i will provide you with an address to ship whatever you'd like.

i will need ALL items by the first week of November.

(also remember to vote for me in the eJAG Autumn Contest here)

Autumn Abundance Challenge

2009-10-15T16:48:00.005-05:00

Please vote for my piece

"Harvest Lariat"

in the

Etsy Jewelry Artists Guild's Autumn Abundance Challenge

October 15th thru November 1st, 2009!

See all the contest entries and

VOTE HERE - http://www.etsyjewelryartistguild.blogspot.com/

Custom Orders

2009-10-15T15:39:00.006-05:00

I shipped 2 custom orders out today. The first, His & Her sterling silver cuff bracelets. The outside is stamped "Jordyn" and inside "02-15-09"

Next, 3 charms for the Class of 2011!!

Wow, did I really graudate that long ago (class of 1997)?!?!

Smithsonian Jewels Exhibit

2009-10-13T16:51:00.003-05:00

Check out my slideshow of photos from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's Jewel and Gemstone Exhibit, including the Hope Diamond.

Butternut Squash Featured on JayKayKnits

2009-10-12T18:39:00.003-05:00

I just returned home from a wonderful vacation in Maryland to find that my Butternut Squash Necklace had been featured on JayKayKnits Blog!!

Custom Order - Tiny Tags

2009-10-06T10:34:00.001-05:00

My latest custom order! A Tiny Tags necklace with a third charm added.

Party Prep

2009-10-05T21:45:00.005-05:00

My friends have graciously offered to host a jewelry party for me in November.

We are calling the event

"Beads and Bubbly!"

Since this is going to be my first "show" I've been busy trying to figure out displays, pricing, inventory and how to accept special orders. My guest bedroom has become ground zero with all my pieces spread out across the bed.

I've been churning our new work everyday trying to build up my inventory so I have enough to make the event worthwhile. I was torn between holding the new items for the party or posting them now in my Etsy shop. But since I've been spending all my time designing and constructing, I haven't really had time to post any of them.

I'm really excited about my new Bangle Dangle rings which I hope will be a big hit at the party.

And also this vintage brass ring with cabochon inset. I have 2 ready for the party, one purple Amethyst and one red Garnet .

And the Winner Is....

2009-10-01T15:47:00.002-05:00

Watch the drawing for my Platinum and Pearl Drop Earrings Giveaway "Live":

A big THANK YOU to all who took the time to complete the survey!

Congrats to the winner
Amy S.
from Shreveport, LA

Custom Order - Braille Charm Necklace

2009-09-24T14:19:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I've made one of these, I'd forgotten how much I like this necklace. I need to wear mine more often I guess. The initials here read "CMH"

Custom Orders - Mixed Metals

2009-09-16T15:33:00.005-05:00

Two custom orders this week!

For this first one, I worked with the customer to come up with the prefect layout/design. We went back and forth between a few before coming up with this triple layer, handstamped design. I think it came out great!!

And then an order for personalized tiny tags necklace! I just love how powerful this simple design can be. Clean, classic and elegant.

The Giving Tree Necklace is featured on hN Crafts!

2009-09-16T15:18:00.003-05:00

My Giving Tree Necklace is being featured on hN Crafts blog this week as part of her Shopaholic's Weekly Gift Guide!!

Check it out at http://hncrafts.blogspot.com/

Thanks hN Crafts!

Win a Pair of Platinum & Pearl Drop Earrings

2009-09-15T19:56:00.005-05:00

Win a FREE Pair of Platinum and Pearl Drop Earrings!!

All you have to do is complete this short 9 questions survey and you are registered to win!

Click Here for the Survey

The winner will be randomly selected from all entries on October 1, 2009 and announced here on my blog!

The Fine Print: Contest is open to EVERYONE and ends at midnight (central U.S. time zone) September 30, 2009. The prize will be promptly shipped via US Postal Service to the winner. Shipping address is collected at the successful completion of the survey.

Call me Buffy the Silver Slayer

2009-09-13T16:08:00.005-05:00

(ok that post title is lame, but you get the idea) Husband got a high speed buffer for his pens (check out Turning Point Wood Work) and he got a special wheel and polish for my jewelry!! Here's me polishing up the rings I made during the week.

Now, that's not very nice...

Burning Down the House!!

2009-09-10T23:48:00.009-05:00

It's after midnight, but I am so fired up (pun intended) I had to get this blog post up tonight!!

My MicroTorch came in today!! As soon as my dear daughter went to sleep I fired that puppy up and started fusing and soldering everything in sight. Ok, maybe not everything...

I must admit, I was pretty nervous the first time. I was afraid I was gonna burn myself or something around me (totally valid if you know how clumsy I can be).

But everything turned out great!! I made 2 sterling silver rings. The "womans" ring is a size 5 1/2 and has a textured finish. The "mens" ring is a size 8 1/4. As soon as they get a good polish and buffing I'll likely be listing them in my Etsy shop.

And just as a little teaser....

Say HELLO to my little friend!! She's almost finished. They lemon colored gemstone is sooo yummy! Oh I just LOVE her!

A Little Something For The Bride

2009-09-08T17:18:00.002-05:00

You may recall a few weeks back, I created a set of tree necklaces for 4 bridesmaids. Since that time, I've been working with the bride to create a custom piece for her to wear. She wanted something similar to match/reflect her girls necklaces but a bit different and special for her. We decided on a delicate bracelet with the same tree charm as her girl's necklaces.

What's In A Name?

2009-09-02T10:31:00.007-05:00

I am a member of a nonprofit organization that provides community service to children and their families in the areas of education, health, and arts and cultural enrichment. Every year, our organization holds a premier holiday market/gala/silent auction as one of our major on-going fundraisers that provide the necessary financial resources for our organizations operation and our projects around our community.

This year, one of my friends in the organization asked if I would like to donate a piece of my jewelry for the Silent Auction. It took me zero seconds to say YES!! I decided to make something really special, and here it is! Made from 10 feet of sterling silver wire, the 15 byzantine links are connected with larger sterling silver rings. The entire piece is 18" with a handforged S-clasp at the back.

The sad part is, my pretty little necklace doesn't have a name!! I need your HELP! Comment on this blog post with your ideas or suggestions.

The Giving Tree Necklace made a Treasury!

2009-09-01T15:20:00.002-05:00

My Giving Tree Necklace is currently featured in an Etsy Treasury!!

Check it out here http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=66768

(it will expire Friday Sept 4th)

(A Treasury is a member-curated gallery of short-lived lists of 12 hand-picked items each. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme or just whoever they like. The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy. Admin often choose an exceptional Treasury list to promote to the Etsy homepage)

EJAG Hide and Seek Contest ~ WIN PRIZES!

2009-08-30T12:55:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is the last day of the EJAG Hide & Seek Contest!! You can win free jewelry!

Check out the prizes and all the details at

http://etsyjewelryartistguild.blogspot.com/

Peace Dove and Bible Verse

2009-08-25T22:36:00.003-05:00

This custom design sterling silver necklace turned out really beautiful. The Bible verse is handstamped on 2 overlapping disks with a peace dove charm.

The verse is: "and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us"

A Forest of Trees!

2009-08-24T23:02:00.004-05:00

I'm always so honored when someone selects one of my designs for their wedding jewelry. These 4 tree necklaces were hand-drawn/stamped as 4 bridesmaid's gifts for an October wedding. The back of each was handstamped with the wedding date.

Two Bits, Four Bits, Six Bits, a Dollar!!

2009-08-24T22:30:00.004-05:00

A custom order for the new OLOM Cheer Captian! How cute is that little megaphone charm?!?!

Grand Opening!!!

2009-08-22T21:20:00.007-05:00

I am very proud to announce the

Grand Opening of my husband's Etsy shop:

Turning Point Wood Work

** 2 minutes after he listed this fountain pen he got his first 'heart'!!**

Custom Order - Congrats to a Friend

2009-08-22T16:22:00.005-05:00

A custom version of the Askew Handstamped Necklace, with the word "friends" on the front and "flammable" on the back. This necklace will be a gift from one BFF to another in congratuations on her new baby! How exciting!

Play EJAG Hide and Seek!!

2009-08-21T13:06:00.001-05:00

EJAG HIDE & SEEK : For details on how to play and win a fabulous prize visit http://etsyjewelryartistguild.blogspot.com/

Custom Order - Batter Up!

2009-08-16T22:21:00.001-05:00

My second baseball charm sale this weekend!

I wonder if any of these all-stars will remember me when they go pro? ;-)

Custom Orders - Let's Hear It For The Boys!

2009-08-16T00:58:00.007-05:00

I've been cranking away at several custom orders this evening and couldn't go to bed without sharing them with all of you!

First up, 7 Groomsmen necklaces. These are made with a 7/8" sterling silver disk under a 5/8" copper disk. Each one is strung on an 18" leather cord. This was my first sale for men's jewelry (hopefully not my last!) and it was a nice change from my usual orders.

Next, a baseball charm for #7 Connor! Hope he has a great season!

The Giving Tree Necklace on Indie Parade!

2009-08-12T10:14:00.002-05:00

My Giving Tree Necklace was featured on the home page of Indie Parade today!!!!
http://www.indieparade.com/

Gratulerer Med Dagen Laura Marie!

2009-08-10T19:00:00.004-05:00

Gratulerer med dagen Laura Marie!! (I hope that's how you say it!)

This necklace was a special design for a birtday gift for a customer in Norway! The two handstamped pendants read "little sister laura marie" and is strung with a heart and green crystal charms. I hope she has a wonderful birthday!

Sales! Orders! Contests! OH MY!

2009-08-06T23:45:00.007-05:00

WOW! It's been a busy week (do I saw that every time?). I've had orders flooding in this week and it's been GREAT!! Two of my college friends purchased multiple items for birthday gifts for various friends and family. I was really touched by their overwhelming support and kind words about my designs. My sister was sad to see Heavy Metal sold because she had her eye on that one!
Another order that I was thrilled about was a pair of earrings a bride bought for her fall wedding!! I designed a necklace named Snow Drops with a matching set of earrings. The earrings sold the DAY AFTER I listed them in the shop!

Then, just yesterday, another order for The Giving Tree Necklace (shipped to Canada!) sent me to the bead shop for supplies. This design has been very popular so I'm crafting up a 'sister' design with a silver tree and brass or copper background. Basically the reverse of the existing necklace. Stay tuned to the shop for it's debut!

So after working hard all week on filling these orders I decided to spend tonight getting some of these designs buzzing around in my head finished. The Harley Davidson bracelet is done; a new LSU Bangle bracelet is finished; and a Honey Jade and Copper necklace I'm gonna name Butternut Squash are all awaiting to hit the shop! Hopefully tomorrow...

Oh! And as part of the eJAG Promotion Committee, I'm organizing a Hide and Seek Contest! More details on that to come, but right now I'm gathering the prizes and info on those eJAG members interested in participating.

....there just aren't enough hours in a day!

A Little Something For Me

2009-08-03T11:42:00.003-05:00

The best part about being a jewelry designer is making stuff for yourself!! ;)

I made this sterling silver necklace last night. I had to special order the sterling silver lily charm b/c i don't trust my PMC skill enough to make my own (and make it that small). Then I handstamped my daughter's name on a tiny heart tag.

Custom Order - Medical Alert Bracelet

2009-08-03T11:28:00.004-05:00

This custom order was my 50th sale! Time to set a new goal. Shooting for 100!

A Medical Alert bracelet handstamped with 'diabetic' on the backside. I hope it never gets used in an emergency!

Custom Order - A True Friend Always

2009-08-02T21:19:00.003-05:00

My Personalized Sterling Silver Cuff Bracelets are becoming a hot item! This is the second one sold this week. I love 'em b/c they are so lightweight and delicate.

Custom Orders x 3!!!

2009-07-31T19:23:00.007-05:00

It's been a busy day in the design studio. I've had 3 custom orders this week.

First up, a customer purchased this awesome necklace from another Etsy seller and had me engrave the back with a special message.

Then a sterling silver cuff bracelet. This one reads "compassion before reaction".

And finally, a varation of the My Secret Garden Bangle Charm Bracelet where the customer had me add a handstamped sterling charm which reads "thing of a wonderful thought". I hope you think wonderful things about it!

This bracelet is also my first international sale! This week I opened the shop up for international orders. PreciousMetals4u is going GLOBAL!! LOOKOUT WORLD!

A Very Special Custom Order

2009-07-30T12:33:00.004-05:00

On many occasions, I send my jewelry out into the world never to hear from it again. Last week I had an order for 4 jewelry tags hand stamped with the word "love" on one side and "always" on the other.

I knew they were going to be incorporated into 4 bracelets but that was it. Then my customer, Cara, shared the special story of the bracelets with me:

Cathy, of EDCCollective, is making the 4 bracelets that will include your charms. My beloved Aunt was diagnosed with ovarian cancer a month ago and after surgery last week, it was determined that it's stage 4 and terminal. My Mom has been having an incredibly tough time with this, and I wanted to find a way to show her that I am always there for her, so I decided to request some mother/daughter jewelry on Etsy. After sorting through a number of bids, I was inspired to expand the idea a bit, and now there will be 4 bracelets - one for my Mom, my Aunt, my cousin, and one for me - and each will have our four birthstones plus my grandmother's (who passed away 10 years ago) in crystal on a sterling silver chain. I really like the handstamped charms I've seen on Etsy, and wanted to incorporate a personal message that way.

Thank you to Cara and Cathy for letting me be a part of this special project. The finished bracelets are beautiful and will be treasured by your family!

I Feel So Special!

2009-07-24T15:10:00.003-05:00

I GOT MY FIRST ETSY TREASURY!! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!

(A Treasury is a member-curated gallery of short-lived lists of 12 hand-picked items each. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme or just whoever they like. The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy. Admin often choose an exceptional Treasury list to promote to the Etsy homepage)

Check it out!! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=72044

Custom Order - Jewelry Tags

2009-07-23T23:37:00.003-05:00

These 4 jewelry tags are 1/2" and handstamped with the word "love" on one side and "always" on the other. Double sided stamping can be difficult. You have to stamp with just the right amount of force to make the impression, yet keep the impression from becoming visible on the reverse side. I've only be able to accomplish this with my smallest precision stamp set. These tags came out really great! They are going to become part of 4 bracelets being created by another Etsy jewelry artist.

New Tools!

2009-07-23T10:54:00.007-05:00

Today I had my largest single jewelry sale to date. I'm gonna save every penny of it for a rainy day - - YEAH RIGHT!!! I've had my eye on a 12 PC JEWELER'S METAL LARGE DISC CUTTER PUNCH TOOL SET for awhile now and finally have enough cash to get it!! BEST DAY EVER!

This punch set will allow me to cut my own stamping blanks in various sizes: 1/8", 3/16, 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4", 7/8" & 1"

This opens up a whole new world for me! Now I start offering more sizes and different metals than before. Nickle Silver, Gold, Copper, Sterling, etc., etc. Instead of purchasing the premade discs, I simply purchase sheets of the raw metals and cut-to-order!

Custom Order - Francesca & Roman

2009-07-21T12:45:00.002-05:00

The orders keep rolling in (keep 'em coming!). This sterling silver necklace has two 3/4 sterling silver disks, handstamped, and hung on a 16" sterling chain.

Custom Orders - 2 of 4

2009-07-20T11:45:00.007-05:00

I have 4 custom orders right now. Here are the first 2 I finished this morning.

First up, an emoticon jewelry set. These were fun to make! :)

And a variation of the Askew Handstamped Necklace. A sterling silver oval handstamped with the name "liam" and a heart below, centered on a 16" silver plated chain.

Now I'm off to the post office to get these in the mail!

Custom Order - Happy Birthday Gabby

2009-07-16T14:27:00.005-05:00

Another Penny Charm order! I love making these. This is a special birthday gift for a customer's niece. I hope she loves it!

And the Winner Is....

2009-07-16T10:39:00.005-05:00

Congrats to LuMysticJewels! Winner of the Etsy Jewelry Artist Guild's Sizzlin Summer Contest!

Thanks to everyone who voted. My piece, Solar Flair, finished in 2nd place!! Not too shabby. There were over 800+ votes cast, the most votes every for an eJAG contest. The next contest will be held in the fall so be sure to look for my next entry!

Play Ball!!!

2009-07-12T12:16:00.005-05:00

(Don't forget to vote in the contest -->)

It's been a sports theme weekend in my 'studio'. First up, a custom order for 2 hand drawn softball pendants. These came out sooooo good!

Next, I sold my last GEAUX TIGERS lariat necklace. I'm gonna have to shop for new sterling silver tiger charms next week or come up with a new design....

And finally, in keeping with my sports theme, I stamped this little football charm. I don't know what I'm gonna do with it just yet. Keep an eye on my shop and I'm sure you'll see it one day soon!!

Several Custom Orders!

2009-07-09T22:55:00.012-05:00

Between encouraging people to vote in the contest (which you can do on the right side of this page) I've been working on several custom orders!

First up, an engraved plate. The customer plans to attach it to a picture frame/shadow box holding a sand dollar. How cool! (it says Destin, FL 2009)

Next, a charm bracelet. This one turned out really pretty.

And finally, a special order for an old friend. A guitar pick for her dad's b-day.

...and a little something for herself! She's an extremely talented photographer and painter and wants to call her studio Bird on a Wire.

Sizzlin Summer Challenge - Solar Flair

2009-06-30T11:14:00.013-05:00

Vote for my piece in the

Etsy Jewelry Artists Guild's

Sizzlin Summer Challenge

July 1 - 15th

VOTE HERE - http://www.etsyjewelryartistguild.blogspot.com/

I had to design a piece that was artistic yet wearable and within the theme. I call it

Solar Flair

This necklace is a Byzantine Crown pattern made from copper.

It started out as nothing more than a strand of wire on a bolt.

Each jump ring was molded and cut by hand.

The back of the necklace is composed of 18g copper. As the necklace comes forwards, it gradually tapers into larger 16g copper rings to form the Crown. A fire red glass bead is fixed at the center. The clasp is also forged by hand from 14g copper wire. The entire piece took 3 days to create.

Precious Metal Clay Class

2009-06-27T15:09:00.005-05:00

This morning I attended my first Precious Metal Clay class. We worked with PMC3 (3rd generation Precious Metal Clay). Each member of the class got 10grams of PMC3 to work with and I was able to make these 2 pendants and still had some PMC3 to bring home.

Precious Metal Clay looks and feels like modeling clay. You can mold and shape it into almost anything. After being fired in a kiln at 1290 degrees, the finished pieces are 99.9% pure silver. They can then be oxidized (like mine are) or left a shiny silver.

I also made this little fall leaf, but I haven't committed to a necklace style to attach him to...yet.

Lights! Camera! Action

2009-06-18T22:57:00.005-05:00

Check out my new light box!!! My wonderful husband built it for me! I attempted to make one myself this afternoon out of an old Pampers box and tissue paper....it didn't work. He whipped this baby up with some scrap lumber and old t-shirts. It's pretty sweet and works soooo good!

2 Custom Orders

2009-06-18T15:10:00.004-05:00

As I scramble to finish my To Do list before leaving town, it was nice to take a break and work on these pieces.

This was for a return customer who wanted 2 photo charm necklaces.

And a Penny Charm necklace!

Metalsmiths In Action (MSIA)

2009-06-17T15:14:00.002-05:00

I am a proud new member of Metalsmiths In Action!!!

So who are the Metalsmiths In Action?......

A group of Etsy Metalsmiths and Metalsmiths-in-training who are:
~ Actively supporting, teaching, and promoting one another.
~ Working to bring knowledge of the art of Metalsmithing to the general audience.
~ Doing our best to give back to the community through our own charitable causes in a team store.
~ Actively trying to lead people into this art form and to help them expand their knowledge of metalsmithing skills.
~ Providing current information regarding materials, tools, supplies, exhibits, contests, schools, etc....
~ Providing an opportunity to share with other metalsmiths without the strict regulation of a jury process.
Come see our team website at:http://metalsmithsinaction.webs.com/

Come to my YART SALE!!

2009-06-11T14:37:00.002-05:00

I'm having a YART sale!! From now to the end of the month, select items in my shop are 20-60% off.

Click HERE to see the discounted items.

YART = Yard + Art (like a garage sale). It's the newest Etsy craze.

Say Cheese!

2009-06-10T14:22:00.002-05:00

This week I submitted my Etsy store for a Shop Critique. A shop critique is just what you think - other Etisan's visit my store and give feedback on anything from prices to descriptions to how to better classify my products to increase sales. The majority of the feedback was about my photography. Everyone feels my beloved blue/white china plate is too distracting a background to be used as my primary product photo. See, each product is allowed 5 photos. The primary photo is the one used in your shop. When looking at my shop as a whole collection, it was hard to distinguish the piece of jewelry from all the blue backgrounds. Their suggestion was to replace each primary photo with picture featuring the piece on a solid background. Then the remaining 4 photos could be on the blue plate or mannequin.

So....I gave it a try and rephotographed 2 pieces. And, they are right. It's much easier to see them when looking through my entire shop. Now I'm in the process of rephotographing as many as I can. It's not too time consuming, cause I only need 1 photo of each, but it is a bit of a chore. Oh well, if it gets me more sales then it's worth it!!

Speaking of sales....I hit up the Thunderbird Supply Super Sale last weekend and my shipment arrived today!! Be on the lookout for new pieces in the shop!