EJAG Hide and Seek Contest ~ WIN PRIZES!

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

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!

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!!

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

Grand Opening!!!

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

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!!

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

Custom Order - Batter Up!

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!

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!

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

Gratulerer Med Dagen Laura Marie!

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!

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

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

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

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!!!

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

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!

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

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!

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

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

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

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....

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!!!

(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!

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.