Etsy Shop Reboot II: Teardrop Series

I mentioned in my last post that I started my etsy shop back up again, so I figured I'd take the chance to highlight some of my favorite stuff. This whole line of wooden teardrop earrings includes some of my favorites, they're all listed as part of the "Teardrop" series.

I've made a lot of different versions of these over the years, my friends call them "the yellowfish earrings", and one of the reasons I like them is because even after selling them for years I still haven't seen much else like them. I also like them because the overall design is amenable to so many different versions- the "gear drop" design, which I've made a few different iterations of,  is probably my favorite.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/54969768/festive-teardrop-wooden-earrings

https://www.etsy.com/listing/95084392/spring-garden-teardrop-earrings

https://www.etsy.com/listing/125242862/gear-drop-earrings

https://www.etsy.com/listing/95084283/ladybug-teardrop-earrings

Etsy Shop Revamp

Well, this week I decided to dust off my long defunct etsy shop... I've run out of walls in my apartment to art projects for,  and run out of furniture to paint, so I need some way to make things to avoid going crazy. I'll probably put up a few posts highlighting some of my favorite sets of things that are up there. Take a look!

In this post I want to show you this really basic line of small hoops. Basic, but super comfortable and useful!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/57888221/simplicity-pearl

These little pearl earrings are my some of my favorites, and also the thing I've sold the most of. Everyone who's gotten them loves them. The reason I like them is that they're kind of fancy but as a non-pearl-stud-type-person the hoop makes them feel more casual. They're also totally comfortable, you can sleep in them, talk on the phone, whatever.

After I liked those so much, I made a series of different versions. They're listed in the shop as the "Simplicity" series.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/95083465/simplicity-blue-agate

https://www.etsy.com/listing/95083626/simplicity-fall-leaves

https://www.etsy.com/listing/95082820/simplicity-silver

Yellowfish Shop is Starting to Get Ready for the Holidays!

I went shopping for jewelry supplies recently, which was fun in the Garment District when I lived in LA, but is much more fun in NYC's Fashion District because I can harbor the secret hope that maybe, just maybe, I will run into Tim Gunn. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that whatever he is doing is much more fabulous than obsessively digging through strand after strand of beads, but hey, a girl can dream.

I'm starting to fill up the shop for the holiday season and thought I'd show you a few of the new things that you'll find over there!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164902318/green-glass-droplet-earrings-ii

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164914839/rustic-cubes-green

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164905866/antiqued-glass-teardrop-earrings

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164918497/gear-drop-earrings-ii

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164916249/rustic-cubes-ii-red

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164907140/exotic-silver-drop-earrings

New Listings, Check it Out!

Recipes are forthcoming (I had the most delicious Thai turkey sliders for dinner, mmmm), but in the meantime, I've been busy! Check out some new listings over at yellowfish!

Tiny ladybug earrings... yes, green ladybugs! I love them.

I've been waiting to figure out what to do with these really pretty long wooden beads- I finally figured that simpler was better, and this is the result.

I also added a few to my wooden teardrop series- I think these cloisonné earrings are my favorite of the batch.

And finally, some necklaces... 

This one is just big and bright and shiny and fun, and I kind of wanted to keep it for myself

And this one is much simpler, and almost verging on a little steampunky with the chunky chain and wooden bead.

Etsy Shop Update- A New Direction!

I want to take an ever so brief break from posts about cooking to give you a little update on what's been going on over at my etsy shop. The basic idea is still the same- a mix of natural materials and metal, with clean organic shapes and a modern take on things.

But, recently I've been having some fun playing around, and have a new line of pieces with just a little more edge. With the addition of some gears, and some darker metal, the new pieces are a little edgy, and just have a little bit of a steam punk like feel, which is kind of fun.

Check it out!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68892099/industrial-wood-necklace

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/54746600/gear-drop-earrings

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/68540110/series-of-gears-earrings

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68539040/butterscotch-chains

But, never fear... the new things haven't replaced any of my old favorites- in particular, my best sellers, the line of tiny pearl earrings (I have a pair and seriously have worn them pretty much everywhere), and the Tear Drop series of wooden earrings with various beads. 

 

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/57888221/simplicity-pearl

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54969768/festive-teardrop-wooden-earrings

Anyways, just thought it'd be fun to share my non-cooking activities of late!

100th Sale!

Hurray! I finally reached the 100th sale in my etsy shop!

I think in celebration, I'll have a holiday giveaway... if you comment on this post letting me know which piece in the shop is your favorite, you can win a pair of the teardrop style earrings (with whichever beads inside you like best).

I'll draw a winner on Christmas Eve!

Little flowers- summer in your ears!

Ok, to wrap up my end of summer series, here are a couple pairs of earrings I've made recently. I'm not normally a super flowery person, but these little beads were just so cute I had to use them for something.

First up, Hanging Garden Earrings, which are lightly hammered sterling silver curls spiraling down with little orange and white flowers on them.


And next, the Little Bite of Spring earrings. Now, these have a little story- basically, the 'stems' are repurposed out of a necklace I got while I was in Japan. When I got it, I had no idea what it was made of- it almost looked like silk cord, it had such an interesting blue green texture. Then, when I accidentally broke it, I realized that it was really made out of very very teeny tightly wrapped springs. (if anyone knows what this is called, I loooove it and would love to buy some, but I don't know how because I have no idea what it is called). So, I thought it was perfect for these little stems because it gives an otherwise really simple pair of earrings a sort of interesting texture.

Hammer Time, Part Deux

So, I previously posted about my growing obsession with hammered sterling, maybe because at the end of a long day its nice to come home and disturb all my neighbors by flattening things on my teeny anvil. Its the little things, really.

Anyhow, I really like how the pieces that come out are still sort of organic looking, but have the shine and durability of sterling. Anyhow, I've been doing some more of that lately, and here is whats come out...




Additional pictures and such of many of them are available at my shop.

Hammer Time

Now that I have a little more room to work, I've recently started getting into hammered sterling jewelry. I've always liked wearing it, so now its exciting to be starting to make some. Plus, what better kind of hobby is there than one that lets you simultaneously be productive and bang the cr@p out of something! (my neighbors may be somewhat less enthusiastic, though).

Here are some of my recent efforts... I like that this group of pieces have this vibe thats both rustic and modern, but also really simple. You can see some of them at my etsy shop (I might keep the bracelet, though ;-)...

Mermaid Spirals

I've had these stones for quite a while, but never used them because I wasn't sure about their crackly appearance. But, while going through my random leftover supplies a few weeks ago, I ran across them again and thought I'd see how they looked in context... and, I love how they turned out- something about the silver wire and the sort of rustic looking texture make me feel like they're seaglass even though they are quartz. They got their name because they remind me of something that would have fallen off an old ship, sunk to the bottom of the ocean, and been kept for years and years by a sea nymph or mermaid (because yes, it turns out, sometimes my imagination is cheezy like that).

So, cheezy story or not, here they are in all their glory, and you can see more about them at my shop...

The Accidental Photographer

This is kind of funny, the other night I needed to take a picture of these earrings to show a customer, and since it was dark out I couldn't use my usual photo set up. So, I took this on the top of my laptop (silver mac), on the coffee table, in the glow of the TV. Of course, since I didn't plan it, put almost no effort into it, and probably can't re-create it, it came out way cooler than the rest of my photos! Ah well, at least I have this one!

Tiger Wood

I ordered these awesome ebony tiger wood beads a few weeks ago, and have been waiting to figure out just what to do with them. I ended up combining them with these dyed freshwater pearls I have, and love how it turned out. I especially like how the pearls are side drilled, so that they are all offset from each other. There is something about the tone of the pearls that almost makes them look like metalic rivets, giving this sort of industrial feel to it even though all the materials are natural. I really want to keep it, but have resisted, and listed it here...

Vintage prisms....

I just got a new batch of these vintage chandelier prisms... I love them! I have so many ideas for things to make. I've previously made necklaces out of larger ones, but I think these smaller ones are really cute. They're small but still funky. Here are my most recent creations... they are made with oxidized sterling, since I recently learned to oxidize (although I think I'll save all that for another post). You can see them on etsy here (top) and here (bottom)...

Liquid Hot Mag-ma

Well, maybe not liquid hot, but you know, artistic license.

I'm reeeaallly excited about this. I got some lava beads (yes! lava!) and have been making all kinds of things with them. They're really cool- they have been carefully cut into beads, and polished, so they're shiny and smooth, but they're still porous and very rustic and edgy looking. I really like how everything is turning out, its just totally different than my other stuff, which makes it fun...

This is my "Manly Man Lava Keychain"

and my "Red Hot Lava Necklace"

Something new v.2

As a follow up to my tree, I made a silver leaf.

Unfortunately, I didn't list it, because I was all excited and wanted to try it on. Then I wanted to wear it to work. Then everyone liked it. So basically, that was the end of that. Now its mine, all mine.... mwahhahahahahha *insane maniacal laughter*

(ummmm.... yeah, so clearly its been a long week.) Anyhow- here it is...

Trying Something New...

This is my new thing, I keep trying to make little silver and glass tree branches or trees... I'm still trying to figure out how to perfect it, but it'll get there eventually! this is last nights most recent prototype...

She's crafty...

Well, today is a good day because it marks the triumphant return of my trusty computer (RIP: hard drive AND ram, wahh). Unfortunately in addition to being computerless, I have also been un-crafty (because enough days in a row without constant email access and a Go Fug Yourself fix will sap anyone's spirit), but before I totally lost the fire, I made these earrings.


I've been on this kick of making twisty wire pieces because I like making them so they hang sort of wrapped around each other but don't actually touch, which can take some tweaking (and occasionally some swearing and tossing about of wire scraps in a way reminiscent of the Swedish Chef). I really like them... plus, I also love the way the picture came out, so thought I'd give it a bit of a shameless plug.

Not Your Grandma's Pearl Earrings

So, a while ago someone asked me to make her a pearl necklace for her med-school interviews. I've never really done much with pearls, because I figured most pearl necklaces look pretty much the same, I don't actually know how to properly knot pearls anyways, and there just wasn't a lot to do with them. But I made a basic necklace, and I ended up with some extras and... yeah, so it turns out I was totally wrong.

The result is, I have now made it my mission to make a series of totally non-boring non-conventional pearl earrings. I love it! Pearls are actually kind of fun, they have a really pretty texture and shine, and there is just something different about them. (you can see some of the earrings here and here). Hmm, maybe I'm tapping into my inner Jackie-O? Nah, she'd never wear these... ;)

Super awesome first sale necklace

This necklace has a special place in my heart. Partly because I just really liked it, and thought the beads were cool (although, the idea of using something with words I can't read always makes me a bit nervous... hopefully it didn't say anything in particular). But, the real reason is that this was my first sale on etsy! Getting the email about this was what lead me to dance around my office for a while (thank goodness for office mates who work from home!) and then proceed to gloat for the rest of the day. Obviously I've managed to get over myself by now, but its still an awesome feeling to get those emails!!



Silver Moon Necklace

Here's another old one... (well, semi-old, or something like that). I found these silver tube beads in the jewelry district in downtown LA and could never quite figure out what to do with them. I also had these mother of pearl squares lying around, and had used up about half of them but wasn't sure what to do with the rest. Finally one day, after a little free time spent digging around in half-forgotten supplies, I came up with this. Now that its all together, I can't believe I hadn't thought of it earlier... the silver and the mother of pearl look perfect together. It's so shimmery and elegant, but also so simple, its definitely one of my favorites.