A Few New Listings to Share

I've recently completed a few new pieces for listing on Etsy, ArfFire and Zibbet.  Keep an eye out for them as they'll most likely be listed this week.  Meanwhile, here they are for you to preview:

The first is a long antique brass, prehenite and Czech glass bead necklace that I put together with wirework.  The necklace is 84 inches long and doesn't contain a clasp.  Rather, it is designed to be wrapped around your neck or waist as many times as you like.  In addition to the stones and Czech beads, the necklace contains several Vintage antique brass pieces and brass links.  I love this piece because it is the perfect color for me and it so very flexible.  I've also created a pair of coordinating chandelier earrings.  Check out these pictures...

Next, I've created a classic necklace with a chain made from various green jasper beads and sterling silver beads and bead caps.  The pendant focal is also made from green jasper.  I found these beads when I was walking through the International Gem and Jewelry Show in downtown Baltimore a few months ago.  The pendant was the first piece to jump out at me.  It reminded me of a Monet impressionistic painting.  I immediately stopped and reached out to touch it.  Of course, once I've picked it up, it almost always goes into my goody bag.   I knew it would make a beautiful classic piece.  Let me know what you think about it.

Another piece I recently completed is made from some wonderful, absolutely striking, green kyanite beads that I found at the Earthstone booth at the February Tucson Gem and Jewelry Show.  Earthstone is a wholesale only dealer who has amazing quality stones.  The last time I visited them in Tucson, I walked away much poorer than I was when I arrived.  However, their stones are so beautiful that I can never resist.  In addition to the green kyanite beads, this necklace contains some beautiful green lampwork beads that I also found in Tucson and a few Swarovsky crystals.  All the accent pieces are sterling silver.  Here are the pictures.

My last new piece was made from a few beads I purchased recently in Dallas.  This piece is made from Czech glass beads and sterling silver.  The pendant focal is something I found a year of so ago at the Tucson show.  This is a design that I haven't done before but that I thought would make a fun necklace.

At any rate, you can find all of these new items on Etsy, at www.jillsjewelry.etsy.com; on ArtFire at www.artfire.com/users/jillsjewelry; and on Zibbet at www.zibbet.com/jillsjewelry.

The Amazing World of Etsy - Part III

Here are my remaining favorites from the first 500 pages of my Etsy search.  I hope you enjoy them.

My first favorite is a lovely wirework bracelet from Stella Rordan.

You can find Stella's work at www.stellarordan.etsy.com.

This lovely necklace is from Paul A. Elliott whose work you can find at www.paulaelliot.etsy.com.

This wonderful necklace is very simple, feminine and very beautiful.  It was designed by Amaia whose work you can find at www.amaia.etsy.com.

What wonderful earrings!  They are sparkly and have amazing movement.  I love them.  Designed by vanini.  You can find her work at www.vanini.etsy.com.

Finally, my last favorite is another piece from Vanini.  Her work can be found at www.vanini.etsy.com.

As you can see, there are endless surprises on Etsy.  It is amazing to me that there are so many talented people out there who make such beautiful jewelry.  I never tire of looking through the amazing world of Etsy.

The Amazing World of Etsy - Part II

I've now had a chance to review the next 250 pages from my Etsy search. Here are my favorites from those pages:

This first necklace is from Karen Sugerman Designs.  She has a very appealing style and I almost always have some of her pieces on my favorites list.  You can find her shop at www.karensugarmandesigns.etsy.com

My next favorite also comes from one of perennial favorites, Marie Wu Designs.  Marie also have a very pleasant style.  You can find her shop at www.mariewudesigns.etsy.com

Here is a lovely design from Comer Neal Design.  You can find this and all his other designs at www.comernealdesign.etsy.com

Next on my list is this wonderful piece from Town Country Jewelry.    You can find this and all of their other work at www.towncountryjewelry.etsy.com

I'm actually surprised that I like this next necklace as much as I do.  It is very simple yet I am drawn to it.  This one is by Off the Chain Jewels located at www.offthechainjewels.etsy.com.

I have a few more to list in this section but since I'm running out of room, I'll list them in another post.

Enjoy checking out my favorites.

The Amazing World of Etsy

Those who know me know that I LOVE jewelry.  I specifically LOVE handmade jewelry.  So, of course, I'm a huge fan of Etsy and other handmade sites such as Zibbet and Artfire.  I have store fronts on each but my Etsy store remains my favorite and most visited site.  Here are my particulars if you would like to visit any of my sites:  www.jillsjewelry.etsy.com; www.zibbet.jillsjewelry.com; and http://www.artfire.com/users/jillsjewelry.

One of my favorite ways of exploring Etsy is to pull up all jewelry on Etsy and then order it from  highest to lowest price.  The I've been known to scroll through the pages and actually look at each item.  As of yesterday there were 2,050,003 items in the jewelry category.  I probably do this about once per month.  In addition to recharging my creative batteries, I just enjoy the amazing variety of creative endeavors that is reflected in the Etsy collection.  Every time I think I have finally developed "my signature style," I look through what's available on Etsy and I see something totally different that I really like.

I began a new journey through Etsy yesterday and I thought I would show you a few of my favorites on this trip through.  So far I've looked at 250 pages.  Each page contains 40 items.  You do the math...I have a long way to go.  Sometimes it takes me a month or so to make it through.  However long it takes me, I truly enjoy every minute.

Here is my new collections of favorites from the first 250 pages.  Enjoy.

www.LataGems.Etsy.com

www.JewelryByShannon.Etsy.com

www.MadeByOlga.Etsy.com

www.KatZahranJewellery.Etsy.com

www.JimmieJoyJewels.Etsy.com

Happy Graduation

I'm in Dallas, TX this week to celebrate my nephew's high school graduation.  I'm not exactly sure when he grew up but it is pretty shocking to look at him.  He is heading off to University of Arkansas in the fall.

In addition to celebrating with Ben, my sister's son is here with his relatively new wife whom I had not met until yesterday.  They live in Brazil so we don't get a lot of chances to see them.  I'm so glad that I've finally gotten to meet her.  She is delightful!  I'm not sure what she sees in Kevin but I guess love really is blind.

It is interesting how family relationships work out over the years.  In my immediate family, I'm closest with my oldest sister.  This is true even though I was only 6 years old when she moved out of the house to get married.  We didn't really get to know each other until after we became adults.  I spend a fair amount of time with her either at my house in Baltimore or at her house in Dallas.  Sisters are fun, for sure.

It isn't that I'm not close with my other siblings as much as it is that I just don't get many opportunities to see them.  We are spread out all over the country and for whatever reason, Fran and I just make more efforts than anyone else.

Back to Ben...He is a super kid.  He played high school baseball and has always be a bit of a sport freak.  We were laughing last night remembering how he used to drive us crazy when he was younger because he just wouldn't (couldn't) sit still.  Now, he is very laid back and it is sometimes difficult to get him off the couch.  Ben, I'm very proud of you and of who you are becoming.  It has been great to be on the sidelines watching you grow  and change with every year.  Well done.

To Ben's parents (my niece Tracy and her husband Jeff)... Well done too.  You have managed to raise a responsible, well-rounded young man of whom you can be very proud.  I know you worry about him going off to college in the fall but I predict that he will do fine.  You never  think your kids are ready to be on their own.    Your lives will be changing dramatically as well.  No more sporting events.  No more date nights.   No more going upstairs 15 times in the morning to make sure Ben gets out of bed.  Although he won't need you as much as he has in the past, I know from experience that you will never stop worrying about him.  You'll wonder what he is doing on the weekend.  You'll wonder who he is dating.  You'll wonder whether he'll be able to drag his ass out of bed in the morning,  Even so, you've transferred all those responsibilities to him.  You're new role is to  sit on the sidelines and make sure you are there when he needs help or a shoulder to lean on.  Without a doubt, Ben will be making his own way in this world.  You can rest easy knowing that you've prepared him well.

New Studio and Store on Zibbet

I now have my newest online store up and running on Zibbet.  Zibbet is a another wonderful site that focuses on handmade creations.  It is currently smaller than Etsy and/or Artfire but it is growing.  The site is easy to search and it's easy to purchase although, looking is free.  You can add favorites like you can on Etsy.

Here are a few of my new listings:

Remember to check back often because I'm building the store.  Hopefully, I'll be adding new items every day.  If you hurry, you can be the first person to buy from my Zibbet store.  www.zibbet.com/jillsjewelry

The Perfect Bead Store

I've been searching for the perfect bead store for several years.  I have visited some that come very close but most of the time I'm completely disappointed.  First of all...to all owners of beading supply stores, you cannot stock only the most commonly used components.  For example, I was in a beading store the other day that only stocked 8 mm beads.  WTF?  Who even thinks that is a good idea?

If I were running a bead store, I would understand that each beader is different.  They like using different techniques.  They are attracted to different colors, sizes and materials.  Therefore, in order to run a "great" bead store, you have to stock all kinds of things.  You need sterling silver and gold wire.  You need memory wire.  You need craft wire in all colors.  You need wire gauges from 14 to 38 and you need hard, 1/2 hard and dead soft in each.  You need copper wire.  You need silver plated wire.  You need every crystal every made and all types and sizes and colors of seed beads.  You need high quality and special cuts of gem stones.  You need faceted gem stones.  You need silver findings, silver plated finding, gold findings, copper findings, brass findings.  You need Czech Fire Polished beads.  You need beading wire. You need thread, needles, and crochet hooks.  You need tools.  You need everything that can possibly be used to create a handmade masterpiece.

If you approach your beading store with this in mind, I promise you, we will all come.  We'll drive extra miles to get to you and spend more money that we have ever spent anywhere else.  I'm currently living in Baltimore and I have been looking for this type of bead store for almost one year.  It just doesn't exist around here.  This is a constant source of grief for me and is probably responsible for my grumpier days.

If you are lucky enough to have a great bead store near your home, please let me know where it is.  Brag on them.  I would like to visit it.  I've been known to drive great distances to visit good stores.

I'll share just one more WTF moment I had at a beading store in Baltimore.  The back wall was loaded with gemstone beads of all sizes and types.  However, it was behind a counter and they won't let you have access to it.  If you tell them which strand you are interested in, they will show it to you but you are not allowed to touch them.  How can you buy beads without touching them?  It is physically impossible for me to buy without touching.