Studs

I have a few piercings in my ears (8 to be exact) and I wear earrings all the time but would you believe I don't actually own any studs?  Really really.  I was wanting to wear some the other day, but not having any provides a problem for that.  So what did I do? Went searching on Etsy, naturally.

1) Rojo Button Earrings by babblingbrookes
2) Twisted Circle Earrings by Lana0Crystal
3) Tangerine Turquoise Speckled Stud Earrings by NaturalAmber
4) Yellow Rosebud Earrings by Nomsa
5) Button Earrings by amberike
6) Middle Eastern Muse Earrings by veryvintage
7) Light Blue Mushroom Earrings by Bijunea
8) Ship Wheel Earrings by CsCharms
9) Bullet Earrings by eazymode

Blackbird Jewelry

On our adventures in Asheville, NC last week, we went to go see my Uncle's studio which is part of the Cotton Mills Studios.

This space is shared by a number of artists including painters, potters and fiber artists.  Mixed in was a jewelry artist with some very intriguing pieces, Blackbird Jewelry.

I love her Back Beads and the silver earrings and necklaces, don't you?

More adventures were enjoyed and more photos and shops to share!

Miniature Painting Jewelry

I came across HeatherKent the other day on Twitter when she posted pictures of her new work (proof Twitter does work!).  I fell in love immediately and am >this< close to giving into my inner desires.

She does custom pieces, so you can get your very own, personalized piece of wearable artwork!

Which necklace is your favorite?  (I'm loving that green tree one, personally :) )

The Cutest Necklaces I've Ever Seen

I love animals, I love silver jewelry. marymaryhandmade puts the two together and she does it in such a cute way!

How can you not fall in love with these critters?  That baby sloth has been in my favorites for ages! 

I love the way she uses simple but colorful backgrounds, it really makes the pieces speak for themselves.  Not to mention, she also makes inanimate objects cute and smiley!

Lovely Things from Helpful People

In case you don't know, the sellers on Etsy are some of the most helpful, generous people around and this post is to celebrate the wonderful things some of these people create :)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/42351013/lucite-glass-brass-necklace-margot

 'Margot' by Balanced

http://www.etsy.com/listing/42820595/handcrafted-sterling-silver-organic

Handcrafted Spiral Nest Ring by amyjoavnet

Musical Notes Necklace by ellesbeads

These lovely Etsians helped me to get my blog to post directly to my Facebook Fanpage and fix a little problem I was having last week.  Do you have any stories of Etsians helping Etsians?  I wanna hear 'em!

Interview and Giveaway from tartocstreasures

There is a new giveaway this week! This week's giveaway is from tartocstreasures, the maker of unique and colorful jewelry in between her nursing and her life :)

Read on to learn more about her design process, and where she finds her inspiration!

How would you describe your aesthetic? What kind of person do you see wearing your jewelry when you create it?

As far as aesthetic: I prefer to use natural stones and arrange them in color combination that is both eye catching and unique.

I see people wearing my items as someone who enjoys having a unique handmade item of their own to wear, either free spirits or more conservative of any age

Where do you find most of your inspiration for your pieces?

Whenever I get inspired and picture what I want to make in my head, I find time. If I dont it just ticks away at me and I can't wait to see how the finished product looks.

I get inspiration in many different ways, from a color combo someone is wearing to inspiration from the great outdoors, to inspiration from my love of animals and the sea. Every time I sell a piece it is like I am giving away a piece of myself as I put my heart and sole into each item I make.

tartocstreasure's is offering up her Patriotic at Heart Memory Wire Bracelet (shown above) to one of my lucky readers!

To Enter:

-First and foremost, you must visit tartocstreasures and leave a comment on which item is your favorite from the shop

-to gain another entry, follow this blog and leave a separate comment saying you are!

-to gain another entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a separate comment so we can all see

with every comment, please leave a way for me to get a hold of you so I can notify the winner as soon as possible :)

That gives you 4 ways to enter this giveaway!

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, November 29, a winner will be chosen by random number generator and notified on the 30th. Don't delay, go visit her shop now!

Interview and Giveaway from hotpinkchick

Ready for this week’s giveaway?! I am :D Although I can’t win, I am excited to send off another great item from another fantabulous Etsy seller.

This week’s giveaway is sponsored by hotpinkchick. Bonnie, the woman behind the magic, is mother to both human and fur babies. While she loves bold color, she also favors clean lines and understated elegance. Read our interview to learn more about this amazingly talented woman:

Where did you first learn how to design jewelry?

At my dining room table with my daughter and her friends. I'm only half kidding there. I've always been creative and grew up in an artistic family, but jewelry making was a happy accident. My daughter loved to bead when she was very young and we had a beading party for her birthday one year. I liked it so much I eventually started making 'big girl' pieces for myself. Then friends, coworkers and ladies at the grocery store (seriously) wanted to buy them, so I began selling. Over time I continue to learn, grow and develop my own style and realized I had truly found my passion.
What motivates you most to continue with your craft when you are just having a down-day?

Creating is like therapy for me, so motivation is never a problem. I'm new to Etsy though, so it's easy to have down days when you're trying to find your footing in a new venue. It's alot of work getting your name out there, but instead of getting discouraged, I just get to work. Making new pieces that I'm proud of is my biggest motivator.

What is the best advice anyone has ever given you regarding your craft, your business or your life?

Love what you do and never give up. The two really go hand in hand for me. If you love what you do, you'll stick with it and the longer you stick with it, the more likely you are to succeed.

Don't forget to visit Bonnie at her Facebook page, or on Twitter!

And now for the Giveaway!

Bonnie is offering one of my readers their choice of color in these wonderful Christmas earrings! Frosted beads, antiqued brass, long dangles, what’s not to love?

Interested in learning how you can win a pair for yourself?

To Enter:

-First and foremost, you must visit hotpinkchick and leave a comment on which item is your favorite from the shop

-to gain another entry, follow this blog and leave a separate comment saying you are!

-to gain another entry, tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a separate comment so we can all see

with every comment, please leave a way for me to get a hold of you so I can notify the winner as soon as possible :)

That gives you 4 ways to enter this giveaway!

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, November 22, a winner will be chosen by random number generator and notified on the 23rd. So what are you waiting for? Get started!