Valentine's 2013: My Etsy Gift Picks

My Valentine's 2013 Etsy Gift Picks

February: Live a little and focus on your loves

As February dawns on me, I am focusing on the things I love the most, my favorite people, my passions in life, my hobbies. This is the month when I can go all out and pamper myself and the people most special in my heart. Sending sweet messages to my family and friends, gift wrapping cute goodies to kids and passing around valentines cards to one and all near to me.

I cherish all that life has offered to me, have a wonderful set of parents who let me dream and supported me in every pursuit of mine. I have a wonderful husband of 7 years who continues to be my best friend. My always there brother who I have always relied on. And our wonderful pug who knows only to love.

This is also the time on reflecting the goodwill of your heart, and realizing its importance, how you can develop positive thinking and actions of goodwill and charity and learn to love unconditionally. Keep negative feelings like remorse, jealousy, fear and violence in check and focus on giving, sharing, forgiving and loving. There is love all around me, I see it in the sun, the flowers, the birds nature and the sky.

Since I am a jewelry designer, I put together some of my favorite necklaces that evoke feelings tender into a collage. Which is your favorite?

My Heart on a Chain

I simply love this necklace..its so cute, pretty and minimalist trendy. A barely there tiny heart charm on a slender sterling silver chain sitting at 17.5 inches. I feel like creating valentine necklaces all next month, lets see how that goes...but for now, the My Heart Silver Necklace is up for shopping at Sparkle Chains. Under $20.

My Heart Silver Necklace from Sparkle Chains

Wire-Hoop Earrings Tutorial

Simple Hand Formed Wire Hoop Earrings

I love hoop earrings - as I'm sure many of you do. Hoop earrings are stylish and modern, and go well with many different outfits and occasions. They are also super easy to make. The one we will learn to make today is the wire hoop earrings, made from a single piece of 18 or 20 gauge wire. With beginner jewelry making skills and some commonly used jewelry making pliers, you can make these at home in all different colors and sizes.

Tools and Supplies Required

• 18 or 20 gauge wire of your choice (for practice, use copper or any other inexpensive wire). You will need about 8 to 9 inches of wire for each earring (total 16 to 18 inches of wire for a pair)
• Chain nose pliers
• A marker pen
• Flush/Side cutters or wire nipper tool
• Rawhide mallet & steel block (optional, for straightening wire)
• Metal file or burr cup
• Flat nose pliers
• A round cylindrical object about 1 inch to 1.2 inches in diameter (in this project, I used a glue stick tube about 1.1 inch in diameter).

Method:

Step 1: Cut about 8 or 9 inches of 18 or 20 gauge jewelry wire of your choice using flush cutters. Make sure the wire ends are neat and flush cut (straight cut). Here, I am demonstrating using 18 gauge copper craft wire from Bead Smith.

Step 2: Form the circular shape by using a round solid object as template (glue stick tube or any round cylindrical solid object that you can find which is 1 to 1.2 inch in diameter). Form the shape in such a way that one end of the wire is slightly longer (approx. 2.2 inch) than the other (approx.1.8 inch) ( see the two images below).

Step 3: Use flat nose pliers to grip the longer wire at the point of intersection of both the wires and make a right angle bend on this wire (making the wire perpendicular).

 Step 4: Keeping the wire form on the glue stick or your circular template, proceed to wrap the shorter wire around the longer perpendicular wire using your chain nose pliers (or your fingers). Make two complete wraps around the shorter wire.

Step 5: Cut off excess wire after wrapping using flush cutters and tuck the ends in using chain nose pliers.

 Step 6: Remove the hoop from the template. It should be a wrapped circle with a long upward tail.

Step 7: We will now make the attached ear wire using the remaining perpendicular wire. For this, bend the straight wire downward about 0.5 inches away from the wrap using a

pencil/pen as template. 

Step 8: Use your flat nose pliers to add a little kink in the wire at the bend.

Step 9: Leaving about 0.4 inches length of wire after the kink, snip off remaining wire using flush cutters. This will be the part that goes through your ear so make it as long or as short as you like.

Rounden the wire end (that goes through your ear) by rotating it in a burr cup (see image below) or you can use a metal file to file away any sharp ends.

Your wire hoop earrings are ready! See how easy it is? Now make the other earring to complete the set.

Some More Tips

• You can forge these earrings for texture using bench block and chasing hammer.
• You can alter the size and shape of these earrings using different shaped and sized circular templates.
• You can also use different colored wire for making several of these earrings.

Design Seeds: A rich source for palette/design lovers

I chanced upon design seeds while searching for color palettes for my latest necklace designs. I am glad I found this wonderful source of colors and palettes. It is a fabulous destination for all things color and I'm sure designers all over are finding the trends in Design Seeds as a helpful medium. History: Design Seeds was started in 2009 by Jessica as a way of bringing a design blog and to create a color/palette based journal and blog online.
If you haven't already, do take a look at her wonderful website!

Design Seeds is a color/palette searching website

Beautify your neck..

https://www.etsy.com/listing/121647432/birds-necklace-swinging-love-birds-gold

https://www.etsy.com/listing/121942817/turquoise-blue-necklace-beach-wedding

Some  new designs from my Shop that are currently up for sale! I love mixing metal with colorful faceted glass and swarovski and crystals. Adds drama and contrast to timeless styles. I have done this in the above two designs. Which is your favorite?

My Fave Etsy Finds this Week

While commuting in a train or waiting in line at the post office, my favorite pastime is to browse Etsy. I love being able to find cute little shops that sell wonderful things ranging from cards to curios to sweater to vintage to steam punk necklaces. I try to add these shops to my favorites list to shop later. Here are some products I found that are drool worthy this week..

Custom Silhouette Pillow from LePapierStudio on Etsy

Natural linen throw pillow with customizable family pic! Isnt this cool? This wonderful item is from LePapierStudio on Etsy. Check out this silhouette shop to find silhouette jewelry, journals, cards, napkin rings and more!

All Natural Kitty Egg Crayons for Kids from kittybblove on Etsy

Fun colorful all organic crayons for kids , its so much more interesting for the young ones than an equivalent regular crayon. These are handmade in Oregon by a mom and pop team. Authentic and makes a great gift for a child! Check out the shop kittybblove on Etsy.

Golden Yellow Tote Bag from Yorktownroad on Etsy

I love the casual and vibrant look of this linen tote handmade by carol gilbert from San Francisco. Her shop is yorktownroad which houses multi color totes like this one, wallets, scarves and accent pillows. I love the pleated look and the free form design in her creations. 

Do you shop from Etsy, or just love to browse around? What are your top finds or faves this week?