Friday, November 30, 2012

Fa La La La La...

It's the holiday season, and I'm finally back on track (no thanks to Sandy and a week without power). So thankful that all my household had to deal with was no lights and no heat. Our home and neighborhood fared well, which is something we are immensely grateful for. That being said, the storm did set me back a bit with beefing up the collection and filling orders for the "hap- happiest season of all". But the creative train is chugging along, and I'm psyched to show you my latest lovelies.

First up, some gorgeous necklaces with a hint of industrial toughness.
Triple Crown Charm Necklace

Gunmetal Steampunk Necklace with Gear Charms
Next up, some of my favorite things to make: One of a kind key chains. So fun to create, and they make great stocking stuffers. Some lovely ladies cleared me out of my entire stock at my pre-holiday showcase in October (Woot!). Here are my latest.
More to come! Let me know what your faves are. Til next time!

Friday, September 28, 2012

We All Secretly Want to be Rock Stars, Right?

I'm a pretty classic girl. I'm nuts about items with staying power and femininity. There's also a side of me that loves to add a kiss of Edge here and there. I know I'm not alone! In the spirit of embracing a little Rocker Chic, here are some fantastic finds from the magical world of Etsy that'll help any lady tap into her inner Rock and Roll siren. Cue the pyrotechnics!

Romantic Floral Crown with Gothic Black Roses by Paramount Vintage
Could you just die?? This gorgeous black rose statement headband channels Florence Welch, and has a bit of femininity without being too sweet. The black color and size of the roses brings it out of sweet and into bold, Goth glamour. After all, a Rock Goddess isn't sweet, is she? This swoon-worthy goody is brought to you by the San Diego-based Paramount Vintage, a beautifully curated and designed collection of Vintage and handmade clothing and accessories. Luckily for you, the floral headbands are handmade, so pay a visit to Paramount Vintage and order one to grace your locks. Onstage with a mic, or in your bathroom with a hairbrush, you'll be convinced of your star power!

Gold Tipped Black Leather Feather Necklace by Love at First Blush
Leather feathers? Yes, please! I love an interesting use of leather. Love at First Blush's black leather necklace really gets the blending of girly glitter and badass just right. Hand cut from Italian lambskin, and adorned on one side with gold foil, how can you not want one of these gracing your neck? This Canadian designer has an amazing collection of feather and leather offerings (with a bit of gold, of course!) that will have you saying, "Mine, mine, MINE!" Seriously. Take a virtual stroll through Love at First Blush's shop. You'll fall in leather feather love too!

Hand-patinaed Black Textured Brass Triangle Earrings by Balanced
Balanced is one of my favorite Etsy shops, because the collection has a clean roughness to it. Sounds a bit contradictory, but one look at this jewelry line and you'll get it. Sharp, smooth shapes and lines, roughened up a bit with interesting applications of patina give a deliciously distressed look to the pieces. These brass triangle earrings with "scratched" patina treatment and lacquer seal are wickedly sleek and stylish. And this Dublin-based (by way of Northern California) designer ships internationally, so not even The Big Pond can come between you and your little slice of Rocker Heaven. You're welcome!

Recycled Marilyn Mansion CD Necklace by PYRocks
Here's a recipe for you:
Take a Rock and Roll scholar who's spent years in the high end jewelry market,  mix in a jaw-dropping personal collection of chunky/sparkly/dramatic jewelry, add a love for making music into wearable art, shake well... and you get PYRocks. This line of recycled CD jewelry isn't just super cool--it's made with a strong focus on quality and detail. The CD's are cut with precision, sandwiched between two layers of plexi, and hand-riveted together with nickel wire. All of these CD-to-necklace creations are suspended from stainless steel chains. In addition to what's in the shop, PYRocks will custom make a necklace from any CD you desire! Simply send in that CD you played for a year straight (you know you did!) and it will return to you as a wearable symbol of groupie devotion to your favorite band. So pull out that box of old CD's from your closet and take a peek at the PYRocks shop!

Italian Red Ruffle Stilettos 5x7 Fine Art Print by Captain Cat
A wickedly red pair of stilettos? Mounted and framed on your wall? Total Rocker Chic. Captain Cat Collective has a cornucopia of cool art, fashion and collectibles in their shop. The Dynamic Duo of Oregon-born artist/designer Zelda English and Portuguese painter/musician Rodrigo Neto are the creative engine behind this stylishly quirky collection. Their objective? "The invigorating pursuit to piece together a world scape of absolutely delicious proportions." I'm sold! Wander through their world and find designer shoes, original paintings and photo prints, vintage home decor, terrariums--it pleasantly boggles the mind. Check out their shop. You'll want to stay awhile!

Victorian Style Black Sheer Blouse with Lace Trimming by Dark Margot
When you go to Dark Margot's shop, she asks you to reveal your dark side. And her collection of leather, plaid and lace fashions will make you want to do just that. There's a great rocker feel to all her made-to-order clothes, combined with sexy, ladylike silhouettes and materials. This black sheer blouse with lace trimming at the front and shoulders has a romantic feel and design, yet the sheer fabric and metal flower buttons add a not-your-Grandmother's-blouse attitude. And it's versatile enough to go from daytime to nightlife--what every Rock and Roll woman needs! Visit the shop and see what beckons to your dark side!

If you're liking what you see here, check out other great Rocker Chic finds here. What's your favorite piece?

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

New Items!

I've put my nose to the grindstone and created some lovelies that I'm really excited to add to the Accessory Showcase collection! I'm loving the whole mixed metal trend, so much of what I'm doing will have that feel for Fall/Holiday. Here's what I've completed so far. There's more to come. Would love to know what you think!
Brass Steampunk Gear Dangle Earrings with Indigo Oval Stones

Autumn Antoinette French Charm Necklace

Victorian-inspired Black Tear Drop Charm Earrings with Copper Beads

Mixed Metal Boho Earrings with Fringe, Copper Beads, and Brass Textured Disc Charms

Antique Silver Eiffel Tower Earrings with Copper Beads and Fine Chain
Modern Boho Necklace with Faux Wood Bronze, Red and Aqua Charms

Wind Down, Focus Up!

Summer was a whirlwind of activity. Sadly, no ocean front getaway, but I did have some good times with the fam. Now, as summer winds down to its final few days, I've been settling in and focusing on getting some goodies made for Fall/Holiday!
Check out my little slice of Heaven:
There's loads more trinkets and baubles in my stash, but this is a good place to start!  A little Boho, a little Steampunk, a little Industrial Chic... Can't wait to see what develops!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

A Little Boho Chic

I've been going a little Boho-crazy lately. Mixed metals, charms, buttons, antique brass--LOVE blending these things together in a beautiful mish-mash! My latest lovelies totally embrace the Boho Chic style (some mixed with a little nautical--what's a summer must-have without a little nautical?).

Check out the newest additions to the collection!

Antique brass Boho necklace with mixed metal nautical charms

Antique brass "Y" necklace with key, bead and woodland charms

Boho Chic brass key chain with leaf, rosette and nautical charms

Gold finish Nautical Boho key chain with mixed metal charms and beads

Silver key chain with nautical charms and ocean-hued buttons

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Into the Woods You Have to Go...

I recently procured some lovely squirrel charms to make a one of a kind necklace as a gift for a friend. This girl is NUTS about squirrels. No pun intended. They are her favorite creature. I really enjoyed making her necklace, and picturing the squeals of delight when she opened her package to find it. Since receiving it, I don't think she's gone a single day without wearing it. It's so gratifying to make a gift for a friend that suits them so perfectly, isn't it?
And since I've got some leftover squirrel charms, I've started working on adding new pieces to my "Into the Woods" story in the collection. Whimsical, vintage-inspired and rustic are the words that come to mind when I look at these. Enjoy, and maybe one of these will make you squeal with delight!
Into the Woods brass keychain with
leaf, key, rosette and squirrel charms

Into the Woods brass Y necklace with
bead, key, rosette, leaf and squirrel charms

Feminine with a Kiss of Steam

I've been working on new items for my "Iron Flower" story in the Accessory Showcase collection. I've always seen flowers when I look at gears. I love the idea of making industrial components look feminine, don't you? Check out these new lovelies!
Copper Steampunk bracelet with gear charms

Antique brass Steampunk dangle earrings with copper and brass
gear charms, on brass chain

Copper Nautical Steampunk necklace with starfish and gear charms

Friday, June 8, 2012

London Calling!

So, I'm kinda psyched about the upcoming London Olympics. I'm not a huge sports fan, but somehow when the Olympics are on, I get excited about watching the best of the best compete in their chosen sports. Plus, as my husband wisely pointed out, when the Olympics are on, there's always something on TV.

I have yet to travel to England, despite having several relatives there, but I've always had a bit of a fascination with it. And some day, I shall cross that pond! In the meantime, to gear up a little for the big event, I've created some fun, London-inspired key charms for the Accessory Showcase collection. Check them out!
London keychain with "Underground" pendant,
steel washers and red and blue beads

London keychain with red phone booth pendant,
suitcase, antique car, boot and teardrop charms

London keychain with Union Jack pendant,
compass charm, and red, white and blue beads


Thursday, May 31, 2012

This Just In!

As you may have noticed, I have a thing for antique brass and gold finishes. I love jewelry that has a hint of Vintage while still looking clean and new. I'm also a fan of a bit of Steampunk. These elements are what inspired my latest work. Check out the newest members of the Accessory Showcase family!
Antique brass necklace with ornate oval and crystal pendant,
and fleur de lis and miniature key charms



Antique brass dangle earrings with fleur de lis
and gear charms, on oval link chain
Copper Nautical Steampunk charm bracelet with
starfish and gear charms

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Front Page News!

Hope your Memorial Weekend was a pleasant one! It was a hot and humid one in the Hudson Valley, but it was busy with family and friends visiting, and the requisite (delicious) backyard barbecue. Etsy addict that I am, I created a military-themed treasury in honor of the holiday, and it made the front page! Woot!


Among the shops featured were Carl Christensen photography and home decor, Star Gazing Lily personalized gifts, and Rabbit House Vintage.
Congrats to all the talented Etsians who were featured, and may it bring you happy sales!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Primary Colors: My Faves of the Week

My fellow Etsians never fail to delight and surprise me. My latest stroll through Etsy furnished me with some fantastic finds from designers worldwide. Here are some worthy of sharing. Stop by these shops and show some love for all that is bright and bold!

Fave #1: Elifus Jewelry
You wanna talk about bold and bright? Elif Ustunel, a designer from Istanbul, has created a collection of felt and yarn jewelry that makes your inner child "ooh" and "aah", while being daringly sophisticated for the grownup in you. Major statement necklaces with large spheres in rainbow colors; treble clef earrings; tribal-inspired bangles--all make for an unforgettable collection. Here's a little taste of what you'll find when you visit the Elifus Jewelry shop on Etsy. You can also find Elifus on Facebook.
Red Fringe Fiber and Felt Necklace
Treble Clef Necklaces
Neon Felt Cuff Bracelets

Fave #2: Bayan Hippo
To a handbag junkie like me, finding bags that are stylish AND useful make me jump for joy. And fellow Etsian Bayan Hippo delivers. A gorgeous color palette paired with simple, attractive shapes is what this designer does best. Every bag is more than a showpiece--they can carry your books, phones, makeup bags--all the necessities. They double perfectly as diaper bags too, which, I can tell you, is a HUGE plus for the style conscious mom. Having a fashionable handbag to incorporate into your "with kids" lifestyle is wonderful. Check out their Etsy shop to find your favorite bag!
Flamenco in Carmine Red Canvas
Fora in Yellow and White Striped Canvas

Euphoria in Teal

Monday, May 21, 2012

It's a Charmed Life: Part 2

I'm back after a bit of a lapse (shame on me!), but have been a busy camper creating more items for the Accessory Showcase collection. The newest additions are more handmade, one of a kind key charms! Great for adding some fancy to your keys or the zipper pull of your favorite handbag. I've hand selected delightful charms and glass beads and lovingly assembled them to create key charms that are truly special. Check these babies out!