Jewelry Keepsakes, and other Handmade Surprises

Super Sweet Pink Necklace - $12.50
Mixed media; a miniature jar filled with pink sparkle dust, bow, pink Czech crystal on a 17” antique raw brass chain.

Autumnleah is an eclectic Etsy shop containing unusual costume jewelry, scrapbooking, hand-sewn children’s clothing, and other handmade items. This sole proprietor lives in Dallas, Texas, and has a degree in graphic design. She’s a stay-at-home-mom, so running a small art-based business out of her home provides just the balance she needs to give her fulfillment while she is home with her child.

Some of her most interesting pieces are her necklaces which are made with a combination of materials and have a romantic and sentimental, almost Victorian flavor to them (see the pink one at top and the black rose below).

Black Rose Necklace - $9.50
24” base metal chain with black rose and silver bow, red leaves at the top.

This next piece was created using decoupage, drilled, and sprinkled with glitter, for a homespun somewhat antique look.

Hope - $7.50
The heart measures approx. 1.25" inches across and the ribbon is 18" long; Choice of either a light pink or a brown ribbon necklace with your purchase.

And last but not least; she offers a package of 4 online store banners (1 for each season). This is a very clever idea. I’ve seen lots of people offering store banners, but this covers all the bases.

Four Seasonal Store Banners -$10.00
One of a kind; they measure 760px by 100px each
(Above is a sample)

Autumnleah is currently running a big sale. Nothing is over $15.00. Prices are perfect for those on a budget.

To see more handcrafted creations go to;
http://autumnleah.etsy.com

To learn more about this seller and what she’s involved in read her blog;
http://autumnleahdesigns.blogspot.com

Sprinkle On A Tablespoon of Magic

Vintage Style German Hot Pink Glass Glitter
2 Oz., comes in an embellished takeout box

The owner of wanderlustNpixiedust is an ex-flight attendant who loves to collect bits and pieces of ephemera, vintage and antique. She sells these on Etsy, many as craft supplies, some of them quite unusual. Looking into her store is like looking into Grandma’s heirlooms tucked away like treasures in mysterious drawers and enchanted boxes.

Some very clever packaging, using take-out boxes for a number of her items.

Especially interesting is her collection of glass glitter, and mica flakes, which will look
beautiful, used in many types of hand-made projects.

Hot Pink and Blue German Glass Glitter
2.5 Oz. of each color (5 Oz. total)


Christmas Pure Silver and Holiday Red Glass Glitter
2.5 Oz. of each color (5 Oz. each)


Sparkly Fall Orange German Glass Glitter
2 Oz.



Cupful of Mica Flakes
1 Oz. only $3.95
Cup included
(Have a white Christmas whether it snows or not!)

These cute Mushroom Note Cards would be nice to go on presents.
Set of 4 cards




And this take-out box filled with orange and fall-colored craft supplies is a clever little pack of stuff to make things with.
4 lengths of vintage orange poly lace,
2 lengths of vintage black bias tape,
10 orange tickets to use however you choose,
2 yards of WIDE burnt orange florist ribbon,
1 new bottle of black fabric paint
a sample size of beautiful rich, orange glass glitter

To see all the other goodies she has in her shop go to:
http://wanderlustNpixiedust.etsy.com

and to learn more about the seller check out her blog:http://wanderlustnpixiedust.typepad.com

The Elements of Style

Dawn Brandt of ElementsbyDawn has been selling her jewelry on Etsy since August 7, 2006, and loves geometric shapes with texture and pattern in them. Looking at her work one can tell that she incorporates circles into a lot of what she does, from Chainmaille to hammered textured cuffs and sterling, copper, and fine silver disks, to using round beads and chain. Experts have said that the round form is a shape humans are naturally drawn to, so if this is any indicator Dawn’s future will be bright.

When asked what techniques she would like to learn she said, “I’d like to be able to add more color, and thus some more dimension to my designs. Enameling, resin, and Prismacolor colored pencil are a few of the materials I’d like to incorporate into my designs. I’ve dabbled with Prismacolor, but haven’t perfected the technique yet.” Dawn describes it as a technique that blends the traditional methods of painting on canvas and coloring/drawing on metal. There are two ways to accomplish the results. One involves sandblasting the metal to give it "tooth" (which is not the method she does), and the other uses gesso; the method she uses. Then to prevent the surface from weathering over time and the color from coming off she uses an acrylic sealer.

Dawn is currently working on a collection due for release in the Summer of 2008. It will feature colorful vintage glass, vintage Swarovski crystal, and vintage Lucite.

Among the trade magazines she subscribes to are The Crafts Report, Art Jewelry, and Art Calendar. The Crafts Report has many useful articles on the business of crafting, Art Jewelry Magazine helps keep her abreast on new techniques and emerging artists, and Art Calendar keeps informed on national and local arts and craft shows.

For anyone just starting out in the jewelry crafting business or even just thinking about transforming a hobby into a bona fide business, she recommends the book Marketing and Selling Your Handmade Jewelry by Viki Lareau. This easy to read book covers many of the basic aspects of starting out in the crafting business.

If metalsmithing is your interest, The Complete Metalsmith – Pro Version by Tim McCreight is invaluable!

The book Dawn is currently reading is, How to Photograph Absolutely Everything by Tom Ang. “I am hoping to improve my photography skills, as product photography can really help or hinder your success in an online environment.”

Dawn belongs to The Art Jewelry Collective, WIST (a local Wisconsin street team), and will be exhibiting at the ART vs CRAFT show on December 8th in Milwaukee.

This artist accepts Checks, Money Orders, and accepts credit cards through both PayPal and ProPay. She also sends out a quarterly newsletter for those customers who would like to be notified when new pieces are available for sale.

Be sure to check out her whole collection at http://elementsbydawn.etsy.com/