Handmade for the Holidays!

With the Holiday's just around the corner, It's time to start thinking about what to wear to those Holiday parties, family gatherings, and of course, start looking for gifts.

If you are wanting to support your local economy more, seriously consider buying handmade! Whether you shop online Via places like Etsy, or Artfire, or shop at local weekend markets, small locally owned gift shops that sell items made by local artisans... It all makes a difference! Sometimes it takes more planning than that last minute trip to the mall, but I think you'll find a great satisfaction in buying something directly from the person who made it!

 Finding unique, one of a kind gifts is a fun and interesting way to shop! I think the recipients of these gifts feel the thought that went into their selection and enjoy getting something not everyone else will have.

My Etsy shop right now has lots of items that are ready for the Holidays and beyond! Jewel tones are really big this fall/winter and I have plenty of beautiful vintage jewel pieces to choose from!

I have a full schedule for the next two months of Trunk shows and Weekend Markets, so if you've had your eye on something in the shop, don't wait too long! A lot of things I am not able to get more of!

I've added a lot more crystal earrings and bracelets to my shop! I have quite a few that are not listed as well, so if you see something you like, but are wanting a different color, I may have it in stock, or can make it in a short period of time.. Just ask!

While I haven't had time to make bead for my Principessa Glass shop over the past few months, I do hope to get back on my torch after the Holidays and start filling my shop again!



                                            

 Whatever your plans are for the Holidays, no matter what Holidays you celebrate, I hope you have the most festive of seasons! Enjoy the people who are close to you, eat something yummy, and laugh a little more!

Different Metals...Make a Difference!

Seems like a simple concept doesn't it, but it isn't usually till you see things in action that you realize how a small change has a big impact on the overall look of the same items. What do I mean exactly? Well, I have been using a lot of vintage jewels in my jewelry designs lately and I LOVE them. They are pretty, sparkly, affordable and have a little history built into them. It's kind of cool to add these pieces to my jewelry knowing they have been around for awhile either sitting waiting in a warehouse somewhere to be discovered, or they have already lived some life and are now being re-purposed .

I love the look of antiqued brass and the way it combines so well with the vintage jewels, but not everyone likes that look, plus I also wear a lot of silver jewelry myself, so I have been finding more jewels set in silver plated brass. I have found it rather amazing, how by simply putting the same color, size, and cut jewels in two completely different settings gives such a different look. The vintage jewels are still the same of course, but the setting have a big impact on the overall look.

I have posted several pictures here of jewels in the same sizes, cuts and colors.. the only difference is one is set in antiqued brass, the other in silver plated brass. Take a look and you'll see what I mean. I like having the option to offer the jewels in both metals. I wear them both and find they both go with anything. For those with a strong preference one way or the other, you have choices! I still find more things in antiqued brass than silver, but I have a supplier I am working with to get more variety. You'll see more of both versions, along with necklaces and bracelets in both metal options in my Etsy shop, Juniper Gems in the weeks and months to come. Thanks for stopping by!

So Much New Stuff!

I have so many new things to share! It's been way too long since I last put up a post, but I have been busy working on quite a few projects, with a few more things I still have yet to accomplish! I have ventured into some new areas of jewelry design. One was inspired by my Daughters amazing ability to do collage art. I was sitting in her room and noticed the note books she was required to cover for school, sitting on her bed. She had done the most elaborate and interesting collages on them! It got me thinking about all the pendants I had seen becoming so popular using digital art in many different forms, but I ultimately settled on soldered glass pendants as the right thing to work on with Emily.

I have been blown away by her creativity and the way she can wield an exacto knife! She will sit and cut out the most intricate details with great precision for hours! I feel like I am learning a great deal from her doing this project, just watching her in her own creative process. I have a few of the pendants currently listed in my Juniper Gems Etsy shop, with many more to come.

I have also started playing around with making resin pendants in various forms. It started out as something to compliment the components I have been using in the long necklaces I have been making, but I found a lot of the bezels a bit larger than what I wanted, once I bought them, so I made them into altered art pendants with a resin glaze coating. I have both silver plated and antique brass versions available.

I have been making more jewelry pieces using antique brass, and love every piece! I adore the vintage style that the antique brass evokes. It is such a wonderful metal form to work with and I find it to be very versatile. I have many more things planned with this style. I am really enjoying the vintage jewels I have been incorporating into my designs. They are beautifully sparkly and have a bit of history involved.... I always like that aspect. It feels like you are putting a little bit of a story into each piece.

This past weekend I took a class from Canadian Lampwork artist, Kerri Fuhr. I found her to be the most delightful person and a fantastic instructor! I am eager to get back on my torch and see how I can develop the concepts I learned into my own work. I am very inspired by her beautiful work. She brought many pieces with her and had a trunk show going on at the studio where the class was held. The pieces are even more beautiful in person than I had imagined. I would have loved to have treated myself to a piece of her jewelry, but since these classes don't come cheap, I had to settle for the opportunity to look at and touch them.

As I have mentioned here before, I post items on my Facebook, and I am now doing so prior to listing them on Etsy, to give my Facebook fans/customers a little advantage. If you aren't already a fan of my Facebook page, it's quite easy to become one, if you have a Facebook account. There is a link on the right hand side of the page here that has my Facebook on it, just click "Like".  I don't have set times that I list items, but I am doing so with greater frequency with the Holidays coming up.

I am trying to keep more stock in my Lampwork glass shop, but with so many things going on, it has been challenging. Plus things tend to get purchased quickly off Facebook, and often never even  make it the point of getting to Etsy. I need to post thing's here more often so my post don't drag on forever!  Thanks for stopping by!

New Jewelry Pieces!

 Finally I have made and listed some new jewelry pieces in my Juniper Gems shop on Etsy. It has taken me a while to get things together since I started selling beads online at the beginning of this year, but I hope to continue to be able to add things on a regular basis.

I made a couple of necklaces, which is a fairly new thing for me. I wanted to do something that utilized the Pandora style beads I make, but in a different way than the traditional bracelet or a single bead slid onto a chain for a necklace. When I bought a troll bracelet for myself last year, I noticed in their catalog that they had a necklace concept, kind of lariat style necklace, that is anchored with a large silver charm. I have since seen several people doing different variations on this same theme. I wanted to do something that was unique to my style, so I have decided to make my version anchored with my pretty, plump, lampwork hearts. The chains don't have clasps on them, (unless you want one) and are long enough to slip over your head. This allows you to change the Pandora style beads that come on the necklace with others you may have or if you purchase more, giving you the ability to change the look of the necklace with ease.

I am also taking some of the vintage skeleton keys I have been making beads on and making necklaces out of those. They have a very vintage style to them, using antique natural brass chain, wire and charms, as well as Swarovski crystals, pearls and anything else I think looks good!

I have some new bracelets listed, with many more in the works, all featuring my own artisan made lampwork beads. I am finally doing what I set out to do when I learned to make beads! I wanted to be able to make beads for my own designs and have them be exactly what I wanted, not buy what was available from other bead makers. I have always loved buying beads, but often times, I couldn't get exactly what I wanted, or too many of one thing, not enough of another... Now I am finally utilizing my own skills to suit my needs! I really like this new aspect! I of course will continue to sell my beads, but up until this point I wasn't making them for my own jewelry designs.

I have really enjoyed the growing relationships I have made with all the people I have met through facebook. I post all of my bead and jewelry listing there within a short time after I put them up on Etsy, so it's a good way to see what is new, quickly and easily and stay connected with all the goings on in my crazy life! If you haven't already become a fan, pop over and become one today! Be sure to stop by my Etsy bead shop Principessa Glass and see what is new, and Juniper Gems for jewelry listings. Thanks for stopping by!