Contrasts Make the World Go Round . . .

Where Would We Be without Contrasts?

Adjust the contrast too much on your computer photos 
and they either fade into a cloud of whiteness 
or are gobbled up by the darkness. 

Finding the right amount of contrast, somewhere between too dark and too light is perfect! So it is with more than photographs, too.

One element that makes jewelry look pleasing is the use of contrasts. But it is more complex in a three-dimensional world than in a photograph! Colors can contrast with each other, the bright and the dim, the bold and the reticent. In jewelry, shapes can play into this concept in many ways: large and small, smooth and rough, natural and manmade, round and square, etc. Too much of one characteristic without a balance is unpleasant — yes, this also applies to politics!

Here's the story behind one particular necklace. 

It started with this beautiful paintbrush jasper stone that caught my eye. (There are more and better images at the link above the image.) The light and dark colors that make up this gemstone are so evenly divided that there is no way to think of it as light on dark or dark on light — both are equally prominent and yet earthy in a random sort of way. I found that fascinating. At 1.5 inches in diameter it was destined to be a large pendant. 

At first a plain cord necklace seemed right. It would not distract from the beauty of the stone. But the result was too stark and made the stone seem like an abandoned creature, plunked on string. What kind of beads would show off this pendant and work with it? Nothing seemed right. So it sat for a few months.

Quite by chance I ordered a supply of various beads and discovered Czech glass faceted beads in a color called mossy green with cream and brown highlights. These man-made beads are all different shades and color combinations and remind me of labradorite with its interesting glow. I love these beads! The lights and darks of the beads match the paintbrush jasper colors. So it was back to creating again.

Placing the Czech beads side by side was overpowering and didn't display the variety of their colors well. What happened, in terms of contrast, was that the dark shades were too much and the light too few. Balance was askew. Adding light was needed. One tiny gold bead between larger beads was a step in the right direction, but not enough. Adding two tiny beads put enough bright color in the necklace to balance the darks — and the pendant. 

A few dabs of gold, in the large, tooled, bail and the toggle clasp make this earthy pendant seem like a treasure rather than an orphan. In November this item was the most viewed of any in my shop. It is still looking for a good home.

Necklace for a Bold Woman

What Came First?
The Woman or the Necklace . . . 

Does wearing a bold necklace make a person bolder? Or does a bold person pick an unforgettable necklace?

This is something I think about because most of the neck jewelry I make is not very subtle. This conundrum is not like the chicken and egg one. We know the human was first!

Let me give you an example. I was reading about some old Celtic myths and found reference to women priestesses who were guardians of the tree of life. This tree is common in myths of many cultures and is considered the source of all life. According to what I read, in an ancient time there was a class of people who were the spiritual leaders, scholars, healers, etc. and they could be male or female. (How'd we lose that?) Some of these female priestesses were guardians of the "tree of life." 

I imagined these superior beings and what jewelry they might wear. 

Precious, earthy, bold, rustic, contrasty, elegant, and lush are some of the ideas that ran in my brain. 

 This is what I created:

This is an emerald green and gold double-strand necklace. The unusual focal pendant is fancy jasper. There are also segments of fancy jasper chips to add a rustic and earthy tinge to the necklace. These gals must have loved earthy green gemstones!

Several gold-plated diamond-shaped beads with Celtic symbols twinkle amid the lush green strands. Somewhat hidden, emerald green bicone crystals add some sparkle. Square kambaba jasper gemstones and small round moss agate gemstone beads, in various shades of green, and at regular intervals,  add order and symmetry in contrast to the rugged and various-shaped chips. All these shades of green combine for a vibrant effect. A gold-plated toggle clasp seems to add an ancient feel to this piece. 

Spiritual sage, healer, guardian, scholar . . . I believe she would have loved this!

People today love it! This item is one-of-a-kind and has the most "views" of any of my items. The question remains: does a bold woman choose this necklace or does the necklace create a bold woman?

Observing the Extremes of Opposites

Noticing Those
Funny Extremes

It is my opinion that many things in day-to-day circumstances are like scenes from a comedy show!

Here I am, for instance, trying to promote my jewelry and art creations and being oh so diligent. But the things that seem to sell are the silly ones. Take this for instance:

Bah Humbug Ornament

This ornament is one people just love. You have to admit we all can relate to it, even if only a secret admission! This is a photo of a real hippo and he lives in Florida! I love to visit him and watch him enjoying the attention of his daily visitors. Sometimes he seems to be an entertainer and other times he is just like this image, collapsed! We're not that different from him!  But I work so hard to promote my "serious" jewelry! These sell, I think there is a joke here.

Cooking Is Fun
Well, Maybe Not

Cooking is not one of my favorite things. Probably because it takes a lot of practice to do well, plan ahead, and schedule the whole process. And then there is the mess to clean up! Bah Humbug!

Bah Humbug Apron

There is a lot of joy in my belly when I wear this when cooking! It brings more pleasure to the chores than the act of eating. Well, almost as much. What is it about proclaiming our attitude to those watching and even to just ourself that makes us happy? This apron is a mental health adjustment tool and people who buy it understand.

Could It Be . . .

That items we create, sell, or purchase, are all made and bought for mental health reasons? Think about that. 

Look around. There is the huge woman at the gym with a water bottle that cost more than her whole outfit. But it affirms her place in the "fitness world" to herself. How many sports cars are owned by retirees? We all know a wealthy person wearing old ratty shoes because they cannot let themselves think they have some money. This is the stuff of comedy skits. It is part of being human. Things are not what they seem and may be the exact opposite!

Perhaps I am just silly and for that reason must make and sell serious jewelry. 

Many of my ornaments and jewelry designs are on display here where you can follow my Pinterest boards.

Choices in a World of Plenty

The Mystery of Choices

While muddling through a hurricane of choices 
these last few days I pondered the nature of 
choices and how strange they are. 

The instigator of this mental process was the purchase of an iPad. Well, sort of. I have had one for a few years and decided to upgrade. The decision came down to just a few choices: black or white, how much memory, with or without cellular service. Simple decision for me: white, big memory, wi-fi only. Done.

It arrived two weeks ago and still sits in the box. I'm waiting until I get a cover or case for it to prevent scratches. My used equipment, blemish-free, is sold used for decent prices.

Getting a case should be a simple choice. I want a case that covers the back of the unit, not a fancy cover that acts like a tipsy stand. My hunting and buying is mostly done online on Amazon and eBay. I started there and found one case with more than 4000 positive reviews. Wow, that is one to read about. It must be more than great -- perhaps it does miracles too! The most recent reviews are for the case in question but the majority are for earlier versions which are different sizes and shapes. Can these really be all reviewed together?

Some cases were listed at selling prices under $10 and their reviews said they were the same or better than the $79 case from Apple. Other people said these cheap cases broke, came unglued, smelled bad,  aggravated the dog, or worse. Besides, will I feel good with something costing several hundred dollars living in a $6 case made in an overseas sweatshop? Oh, the iPad itself is made overseas in a not-so-sweaty shop.  So . . .

Off to Staples I go with a coupon, but they don't have any cases for the new iPad. Then I trek to Office Depot, nothing for that model either. This is after being assured on both websites that several cases are "in stores." Then to Best Buy. They have plenty according to their website and my eyes glaze over seeing their huge selection. People were grabbing them up like free candy! I scanned the boxes for a back-only cover, not hard plastic. Oh, if said cover is compatible with a front cover it will have one side mostly missing as a place for a hinge. So I want a back cover made to stand alone and be incompatible with a front cover. Oh, I found one!! The only one in this store.

After a few minutes of clenching the precious box, I read the small print and learn it is for an obsolete (wrong size) iPad. Then upon further scrutiny I realize this plethora of cases is 90% for old model iPads! Some people are going to be very unhappy!

Every night the past week has had a vigil of online searching for the case. Hours and hours of searching. I learn that there are: leather cases, PU leather cases in which case PU means pseudo, vegan leather which does not come from an animal, hard plastic, soft plastic, silicon, TPU plastic also called soft rubber, and gummy plastic, yuck! Sometimes the exact same images are used with descriptions referring to any of the above materials. How can that be? How can the same thing be both hard and soft, real leather and PU leather? How can these be sold for $2 or even $6??

I love red, I want a red case! But this iPad has a much thinner border around the working part of the screen and the edges. I'm not sure reading books with a red border around the pages would be eye-friendly. Some red cases have a large border on the front of the iPad covering its beautiful white surface. Nah!

I'm thinking I have to return the iPad. I have spent countless hours looking for a case and am no where. Wait! I'll buy that Apple case that everyone says is hugely overpriced. It comes with a front cover which I do not want. But I cannot justify paying such money for a dumb case. Maybe I have to return the iPad. Why is it impossible to make a choice? Now this is getting to be a fascinating study of the decision process. It is not that there are too many choices, it is that the listings online are misleading and make me feel uninformed. I'm worried about the prices being too low. Why are the reviews supposedly for one item really reviews for several very different items all mixed in?

I can't make a purchase. Another few days of scurrying around the exact same mental crumbs and poorly edited listings for iPad cases that continually refer to iPhones makes me a crippled consumer.

There are not too many choices. There are choices without all the data. Choices with incorrect info and missing item views (what are they hiding!) prices that barely cover shipping costs. It all does not seem logical or practical or wise for any seller. That's what is wrong.

I'm promoting some of my own creations on Pinterest and Twitter. I'm cautious about my listings being accurate and photos showing what needs to be seen. I've edited every listing to eliminate ambiguity if possible.

Here's one listing:

Images: closeup, full length, clasp shown. The text outlines the dimensions, materials, and more. I hope anyone who checks out this listing does not fall into the decision quicksand that gobbled up my purchase of an iPad case. 

Dichroic Glass Is Incredible!

Dichroic Glass Is Incredible!

With a name like "dichroic" this material sounds a bit frightening, but it is really beautiful! Made of fused bits of glass, dichroic glass jewelry is incredibly shiny and sparkles with metallic shimmering. It is an attention-getter. Photographs cannot really capture the sparkle. I have several dichroic glass pendants for sale in my shop, this one shows an interesting multi-color pink one.

Everything on sale until Dec 2 in my shop.

Need a Dangle Charm?

What's a Dangle Charm?

Need to add a big of spark or school colors to your backpack or purse? For this reason the dangle charm was born. These are about 1 to 1.5 inches across and have a small swivel clasp incorporated in to the design. There are many color combinations available. 

We know of some of these that dangle from belt loops, but most ride around on gym bags, backpacks, computer cases and zippers. 

See these and more on Zibbet.

Special Sale on Zibbet

Zibbet CommUNITY Sale

Many shops on Zibbet -- a great place for handmade, vintage, and craft suppliers -- will be participating in a sales event Nov 29 to Dec 2. Some have already begun their sales. Click on the ad in the right column to see participants.

http://www.zibbet.com/Lehane  Is my shop and the rainbow items shown here are all on sale. The charm portion is handmade chainmaille which can be finished with a swivel for hanging on a backpack or purse, or it can be attached to a keyring, or it can be a pendant on a cord necklace. We can also upgrade the cord to leather with a sterling silver clasp if you wish.

Check out my shop, the sale has just begun! All prices have been reduced 20%. You won't see that again.

What Is It that Drives Us?

What Is It that Drives Us?

I've been pondering what might be the hidden force that makes us do what we do. I'm not thinking of the ordinary daily chores, but the incredible, sustained effort some of us unearth to undertake massive tasks. And not necessarily lucrative tasks, at that.

I started thinking about this because many of my friends in the world of online selling are experiencing the busiest time of year. Most create what they sell and others sell what those creating may need. They are all trying to stock their online storefronts, an annual cycle known to all entrepreneurs.

But this season is different. You might say our online landlord has caused some of us look for greener pastures. This means my driven friends, and count me too,  are now undertaking hundreds of hours of extra work to "move" all their many items. I know moving a brick and mortar shop could not be so demanding. Every title and description and item tags which you may not even notice must be edited, one by one, item by item.

What drives us to accomplish these things? Perhaps it is a search for perfection, a dream of sales, a chance to excel. I've been thinking about all these things because today I finally completed moving my online shop and all 282 different items! To celebrate the sale scheduled for Thursday to Dec. 2 is starting today in my shop right now. Ahem, see the discounts.

Many items I sell are pendants which come with cord necklaces. You can now upgrade the basic cords to gorgeous round leather cords in your choice of four colors and with a sterling silver clasp. Make your choice a customized one!!

Small Business Saturday,
Black Friday,
Cyber Monday, 

What do they have in Common?

These are days with lots of buying and selling going on! And the online world is just as important a player as the local shops.

Many shops on Zibbet are participating in a special event called a CommUNITY Sale, November 29 to December 2. Each shop has its own specials and they are all posted in one spot so you can easily find the items you might like, see the discounts and possible discount codes, and click to go right to those shops.

Click on the CommUNITY Sale button on the right to see the list of shops involved in this event. The list is expanding every day, probably right up to the sale date.

My shop zibbet.com/Lehane is participating, hope to see you there!

My New Shop Is: 

www.zibbet.com/Lehane

There is a lot new! In fact I recently removed thousands of hours of work represented in over 300 items listed on Etsy. Why? Like most things, there is no simple reason. Many factors were involved. But Zibbet is a somewhat newer company and I just like the vibe there. How's that for scientific?!!

I have a few new items and most of the old ones now listed on Zibbet, thanks to many marathons of brainless editing, copying, pasting, and rewording. Now I can finally get back to more creative things.  Here are a couple of new designs:

These pendants vary in color only. They are all the same size in the real world, about inch in inside diameter for the large rings. They are available with black cords or with colorful leather cords. This link will show more of these triad pendants.

These designs are simple and eye catching. I really like making them. The three-ring combo glides freely on the outer large ring. The number three is also one of those mysterious and symbolic concepts which appear in many ancient civilizations. Perhaps we tap in to ancient wisdom when wearing this trio of rings pendant. 

What's New in My World?

My New Shop Is: 

www.zibbet.com/Lehane

Hectic Times Are Here Again

I,  and some other creative types, have been listing and selling our handmade items, craft supplies, and vintage offerings through the website called Etsy. A small group of us, from the reportedly million sellers there, has been working as a team to promote each other's items as way to drive views to our shops and hopefully sales. It worked well.

Recently some of us decided to sell from other venues, but we are still working together. We created Group2020 as our focal point and are promoting it with business cards, tweets, blogs, and pinterest. We are all veteran business folks, but our Group2020 is very recent.

Check out our shops! We are proud to endorse every shop on the list.

Latest New Item, Chainmaille Medallion

Rainbow Colors and Red Leather Cord

Some of my newest chainmaille items are shown in the last post, but here is a new one. This is my favorite because of the bright colors and red leather cord. More than 130 rings were used to create it! Each was opened and closed to create this multi-layer pattern.

If you want to see more info about this item you can find it in my Zibbet shop. I have a section there with many more chainmaille pendants in various styles and colors. 

Going to a Renaissance Faire?

Going to a Renaissance Faire?

If you are heading to a Renaissance Faire you may be interested in these new chainmaille creations of mine. I call them pendant medallions because they are quite detailed. They are about 1/2 inch deep and most about 2 inches wide. Add them to your outfit and be transported to a time where nobility wore such jewelry.

These are available in several lengths and most use round leather cords or black fabric cord. All have a hook and eye clasp.


They use between 120 and 150 individual rings which are opened, woven, and closed. These items and other chainmaille pendants are for sale at my shop on Zibbet.com.

Click each image to see more details on Etsy.

On Sale Now!

Quick Short Sale

on Certain Earrings

Here's the link for a sale on handmade earrings, many with crystals.

Necklaces Made for Summer

Wearing necklaces in the summer is tricky. Can't be too dressy with casual clothes or too casual with a nice outfit. On top of that, you probably want to have something just a bit different.

I made these pendants just for summer. They can be dressy or casual and are somewhat unusual. These and more are available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Some use a black cord necklace and others use a chain. More will be listed in the coming days. You have to admit, these three-dimensional pendants are eye-catching!

Did You Know . . .

Here's Something that

People Like — Choices!

Not everyone knows that all of our chanimail keyrings or charms can be ordered in any of the configurations shown in this image: with a keyring, with a black cord necklace, or with a swivel hook.

Why? We originally made them as necklace pendants but someone asked about a way to hang on of these chainmail ornaments from their backpack. Soon the swivel were in place! The keyrings were next.

Take a look at all the chainmail ornaments or charms or pendants we offer on Etsy. Let us know if which of these attachments you want: keyring, necklace cord, or swivel.

Something fun and comfortable!

What's Better than Fun? How about Comfort!

These newly created bracelets are fun and comfortable! They are made using a mix of EPDM rubber rings -- actually silicone-free latex -- and anodized aluminum rings. The result is a bracelet that has some stretch and does not need a clasp.

To see more images of these items, click the links below:

black and pink bracelet

blue and green bracelet

pink and purple bracelet

Sale on Keychains, Key Rings and Bag Ornaments

We got them in all sorts of color combinations

Get one with your choice of a keyring or a swivel. You pick. This flash sale last a few days and then it is gone.

Check them out on Etsy!

Jazz Up the Ordinary

What to Jazz Up for Next to Nothing?!?

We all love that little pizazz that makes us and our stuff just a bit special, a tad personalized. Yet, we would rather not spend a lot of cash on trivia. Oh, the dilemma!

I created some chainmail dangles or charms for just this purpose. You can hang one from your

backpack, your keys, your belt loop, or anywhere else. Pick your colors and jazz up that gym bag or purse or computer case. 

Thing of the possibilities!  These are not big. The circular portion is just about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Check them out  in my Etsy shop.

 

By Now You Know . . .

I make jewelry and sell it online.

For a limited time there is free shipping on any item purchased from my shop as long as there is a Celtic symbol in the item and it is mailed to a USA address. Use the code CELTIC at checkout.

To see a group of these items, click here.

St Patrick's Day for Free Spirits

Calling All Free Spirits!

So you feel compelled to wear something green for St. Patrick's Day. And you know you just hate doing something because it is expected. What to do?

I created this double strand necklace just for folks like us. We like to follow traditions, but just a bit and not too much. The double strand necklace boasts silver Celtic knot beads, so very right for St. Patrick's Day. But this necklace is not typical green, it is a gorgeous shade of blue and includes jasper gemstones as well as crystals. 

Blue is known as a calming color and who doesn't like that! So with this necklace you can mock tradition and dress up elegantly in a color like faded denim. I call that just fantastic.

To see more images of this necklace and for purchase info click here. To see some of my other Celtic-inspired necklaces and earrings click here.

Just made today

Hot off the Workbench

Did you ever wonder about how something like this comes to be? Sit back and listen to the story of this necklace.

The beautiful swirling pink and purple pendant, made of dichroic glass has lived here for a while and never quite found compatible beads to be part of a creation. So it waited.

Recently some gorgeous beads appeared on the horizon and they were available in many wonderful colors. I got some blues, some greens, and some great earthy colors. But pink is not one of my favorite colors at all. I suppose it is a credit to the beads that I even looked at the pink ones! They are not solid color, but swirl with various pink shades, some light, some dark and some nearly transparent. Each is unique.

I do know someone who loves everything pink and so I thought of her when making this necklace. I now had the pendant and the larger pink beads, but what else would work? if you don't know anyone who works with beads, here's a little secret -- they are hoarders and collectors. So eventually many, many candidate beads were pulled out, lined up, threaded on a wire and examined for compatibility. They all failed the test. Some nice colored beads looked good -- they were on sale when purchased -- but they were erratic sizes and crazy damaged shapes. No. No. No.

Then the lowly translucent amethyst beads stepped up, somewhat shy, and they were so perfect to showcase those pink beads. To see more pictures and for purchase information click here.

St Patrick's Day Gear

Are You Ready for St. Patrick's Day?

Check out my St. Patrick's Day gear. Here are just twelve of the fun designs that are available on a range of items from shirts for men, women, kids and dogs, to mugs, hats, cards, postage stamps and more.

There are other designs, but these are a good sample. I found myself disgusted with so many fun St. Patrick's Day shirts with bogus stereotypes being promoted. So I came up with these designs.

All are from a genuine Irish gal with roots through Philadelphia, Boston, Cambridge and Canada.

To see more click here.

Created Yesterday

How Cool Is This!

When you create jewelry there are a lot of bits and pieces that get put away and forgotten when a current project gets all the focus.

I ordered some new beads and was looking for elements that were already here and which would work well with the color of the new beads.

Voila! This pendant surfaced. The pendant is turquoise jasper and the photo shows how it seems to have daubs of light and dark greens and blue and near white colors. It was purchased for the pleasant appearance but never really got any attention, until now.

My new beads seem to have the same colors! Blues, greens, areas near white. I thought this was an amazing combination and created this necklace yesterday. The beads are czech faceted rondelles and I used beads caps to separate them from sets of 3 seed beads. The seed beads are light and dark green. This is a stunning piece and the mix of blue and green is soothing and yet spectacular.

To see more photos and information about this necklace and pendant, please click here.

New Item, Created Yesterday

I recently purchased some interesting beads and these earrings are one of the results. The faceted beads are a mix of green and blue colors with a picasso finish that adds a bit of browns here and there. The result is that these manmade beads look like gemstones!

I added three seed beads--the center one is a bit lighter than the other two--and bead caps north and south of the beads to create the drop on these dangling earrings. The leverbacks are gold plated. To see more about this item and for purchase information, please click here.

Check the Calendar, Next Month Is St. Patrick's Day

Spring is almost in the air now and the world will soon start to get a tint of green. I created this double-strand necklace to celebrate spring and St. Patrick's Day as well as the heritage of the mythic Celtic women who guarded the tree of life.

The necklace uses Celtic symbols and several kinds of gemstones. I added a dime to the image here to show the relative size of the elements used. For more info and photos as well as purchase specifics, please click here.

Incredible Colorful Necklace

Add Some Sparkle to Your Life with Color

I was amazed to discover this incredible handcrafted necklace online this morning. The vivid colors and variety of bead shapes combine for an incredible piece of jewelry.

To learn about the various elements used here, see more images, and access purchase info, click here.

Wearin' of the Green!

You have to admit that many gals love to wear something green for St. Patrick's Day. When I was growing up some girls in South Boston would color their hair green for the holiday! A bright green, stupid-looking hat was my begrudged choice. 

But somewhere between those extremes, where good taste remains, there are better choices. I created these earrings for the sensible place where a touch of color is just perfect. The ear wires and Celtic knot beads are silver plated and the emerald crystals are from Swarovski. You can get more details here.

My Irish immigrant grandfather always talked about identifying those who dared not wear green and making them learn a lesson by painting a certain part of their anatomy green.

Not sure if they really did that or not, but I always wore a green hat just in case he was serious.

Sea Green Earrings with Oxidized Copper

Spirals and green agate gemstones make these earrings fascinating!

These beautiful earrings are handcrafted by a very gifted jewelry artist. The colors work perfectly well together and the contrast of shapes is stunning. 

To see more images of this item and for additional details and purchase info, click here.

Thoughts On . . . I Love Red

Where did this attraction start?  

Perhaps it was seeing the very special birthstone bracelet and ring with the tiny red stones that got me started. It was only years later that I realized my birthday was supposed to be July but ended up in August. No worry, I claim red as my favorite color anyway.

Or was it on the way to elementary school?

Across the street from the school was a fire station with the most shiny red trucks I had ever seen.  I loved those gorgeous trucks and decided there was nothing better than being a fireman, riding the red truck and also rescuing people. 

The red crayon always was the shortest . . .

Why did the red crayon always get so short so fast? It was baffling. 

Marching in red

The little town where I grew up had a band and a baton-twirling squad. With feet too small for my boots, I marched in parades showing off my red outfit with lots of jiggling fringe and a fantastic cowboy hat. My whole childhood in one pair of marching boots way-too-big to way-too small.

My wonderful car is not a fire engine

But is is red and I am so happy riding in it. 

So many reasons I love red. I created this necklace of tiny red beads with an abstract dichroic glass pendant. For more details, click here.

Razzle and Dazzle Them

If this stunning pendant and necklace fails to get the attention it demands, perhaps it will mesmerize anyone who sees it!

This is one of my favorite creations. The swirl of colors captured me as if some mysterious force were pulling me in to a vortex of the unknown. But the incredible bright colors soothe away all fear and promise happiness and fun.

For a few more images and purchase info, click here.

A Tip for the Practical Gal

Spending wisely and also being stylish can both be accomplished, especially with handcrafted items.

Some of my friends like to wear a bit of green for St. Patrick's Day. They wonder how to to that, not spend a lot of money, and also look great.

These handcrafted earrings are one example of how to do that. Of course the color is right, but there are certain beads here that are very special. The top and third beads are about 60 years old! They reflect many colors, including pale purple, sapphire, amethyst, green, fuchia, and more. They are no long made!

These "vintage" beads have not been used and were made by Swarovski, also the maker of the emerald crystals in the earrings.

Be festive, be happy, and know that you can purchase something for St Patrick's Day that will work with many outfits throughout the year.

For more details and purchase info click here.

Are You Bold Enough? 

Here is one of my favorite necklaces! I made it thinking about what kind of bold woman might wear it. 

the necklace has two strands with gemstones, crystals, different colors of beads -- but the strands are not symmetrical. The crystals, large gemstones, and gold Celtic knot beads are scattered around both strands!

Whoever wears this piece dares to break out of the expected, balanced, dutiful kind of jewelry we see everywhere. 

An item like this "speaks" to me when it is being created and asks to be restarted when its bold personality is not properly expressed. This necklace was ultimately pleased with its eccentric persona!

Are you bold enough for it? For more details, images and purchase info, click here.

The Envelope Please . . . 

We just announced a coupon code for 20% off my items selling on Etsy. 

To take advantage of this offer, and perhaps purchase something for St. Patrick's Day, go to my shop and use the code BLOG1153 at checkout. This coupon is only good until midnight 1/13/13 eastern time. the following links will take you to various types of items to make your search easier.

For all earrings, click here.

For dichroic glass pendant necklaces click here

For crystal pendant necklaces click here

Celtic inspired jewelry click here

See all my items selling on Etsy click here

I hope you find something special from among my handcrafted jewelry items! 

Leverback Earrings, Celtic Knots and Emerald Crystals

Just a Touch of Green Tis All

You still have time, but we are getting near that day when women want to wear just a touch — or more — of green. St. Patrick's Day, March 17!

These earrings are a subtle and yet obvious homage to the world of green. A Celtic knot is centered between two emerald Swarovski crystals.

No need for anyone to have Irish ancestors to enjoy this interesting set of silver plated earrings. For more details and purchase info, click here.

How Do They Count Those Stitches When Knitting?

It may seem like a mystery how people can keep track of their knitting, but here is one beautiful way to do it.

These knitting stitch markers or row counters do the job and hey look great, too. For more details, additional pictures and a way to purchase these, click here.

Starry Sky Stud Earrings, Hypoallergenic Titanium Posts

Brighten Up the Day or the Night with these Fantastic Earrings!

Need a little attention, but in a subtle way? Think about what these wonderful earrings can do for you! They are actually hand-painted and use holographic glitter.

For all the details, more images and purchase info, click here.

Sometimes the Mundane World Can Be Boring
Isn't That When It Is Time for a New Piece of Jewelry!

This piece is gorgeous and not like anything you may have seen! When I first saw it, my eyes kept studying it wondering just how it created such a sense of wonder and curiosity. The link below includes more details, more images and a way to purchase. 

Copper Wire Necklace, Zigzag Necklace, Copper Spirals, Blue Porcelain

Click for details

Woo Hoo!! We're kicking off a new year with Google+. Posts here will also go to our Google+ page. You can join our circles on Google+ and if you like my handcrafted jewelry, card and print designs, etc. Join our circle there and be ready to find some coupons just for circle members.