Fall, Onward

I sure hope you got my humor in the last post.  Moving on, gracefully of course, the weather around here has been varying within 15+ degrees for the last few weeks.  One day is skin-burning weather while the next urges you to wear a sweater over a t-shirt.  Much to my surprise, today is one of those sweater weather days, as is/will be the rest of the week, which so drastically differs from a short week ago.  It's finally feeling like fall around here.  So it's not quite my fault that I recently began to crave drinking coffee and eating dark chocolate all day long--a questionable coping mechanism in anticipation of more crisp, late autumn weather to come.  All I need for accompaniment is a good read, and the afternoon is set.  Fall, onward, I say!

On the EmeraldCut shop front, I've many new designs swirling around in my head for late autumn/winter.  One of these new pieces, which is shown above, is now for sale in my shop.  It's a vintage book-page words poem on birch, which gives the work a festive, rustic, wintery aesthetic.  Will share more items once I put my ideas into motion.  Thanks for all the support.

New in Shop

Ready for some new-ish shop listings?  These arose as a deeply felt collaboration between shop and heart.  Following my instinctual leanings, these items are conceptually different from my other shop listings, but I fully feel that growth and evolving as a creative being requires a duly exploration outside of prescribed comfort zones, sometimes.  I will of course continue to offer handmade jewelry, but will at the same time add a few odds and ends here and there that inspire me--and hopefully you as well.

* * *

I've been busily dreaming up new book page-inspired designs, in addition to figuring out how to incorporate writing services into my EmeraldCut shop.  The new book page listings in particular are a culmination of ideas that I've been toying around with for awhile now.  A few of these book page goods were created specifically for weddings--filled with a nostalgic, bookish glee, of course.

Some recently conceived, book page listings:

Packets are handmade from the decadent text:The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan,
filled with California Poppy Seeds.  See listing here.

Book page envelopes made from a book of your choosing!
Listing is for 10 envelopes; custom orders are welcome.  View listing here.

Tiny book page confetti in maple leaf shapes.
Fun for display, scrapbooking ephemera, etc. View listing here.

Writing services, a unique shop addition, are now officially offered at EmeraldCut.  Currently, there is one shop listing option: a custom biography.  If you are looking for an editor rather than a writer, contact me for pricing--price depends on writing length, type, etc. 

Listing is for a custom personal biography in an electronic Word document.
Preserve your family stories for future generations.  See listing here.

 Last new listing:

These fragrant little Thumbelina Leigh Lavender stems are my favorite, so I am sharing them!
Purchase them here.

New Spring Work

As in jewelry, that is.

* * *

We try our best to raise our children well, provide them what we can, hope they will do better than us in terms of serving humankind--and beyond.  Our legacy, our hopes and dreams, are instilled, imprinted.  In a fatal swoop, it is chaos.  Yet the legacy lives onward, goodness prevails.  For we must believe that goodness and kindness will indeed prevail.

A Spring 2013 Sneak Peek

Happy 2013!  Here's a sneak peek of new pieces to be added to my shop in the spring:

 Sunstone, citrine, and yellow gold necklace

 Golden tourmaline and yellow gold necklace

Amazonite, gold-filled tube beads, and yellow gold necklace

I'm pretty proud of how these pieces turned out, all warmth and glow.  Follow me on Pinterest to see the rest of the Spring 2013 additions as they are added to my shop.

Stay warm, cozy, and optimistic...

Holiday Goods

Are you ready for the holidays?  I'm sure not, but I'm stocking up my shop with some holiday goodies for a visual fete, or at least in theory--see below.

These new items will be slowly trickling into my shop, all by month's end (crosses fingers).  Hope you are having a blast of a week--the weather has been fickle in these parts as of late... 

Autumn-Inspired Designs

With the changing of seasons are new EmeraldCut designs inspired by warmth and most of all, vivid, fall hues; an exploratory stroll in the post-summer woods wearing a cozy sweater-jacket, a well-worn pair of jeans, and warm boots to warm the crisp chill in the air...

 Stones: amethyst, garnet, opal, green aventurine, rainbow moonstone, tourmaline, peridot.

Look for these new designs in October in my shop: 

emeraldcut.etsy.com

Weekend Work

Hope you all had a productive, relaxing weekend.  The words, productive and relaxing, may have quite different connotations--one being the act of getting work done and the latter, of supreme ease and lounging around--but these words accurately describe the bulk of my weekend, which was spent creating new business cards front 8 1/2"x11" thick cardstock and thank you notes from vintage book pages.  When I am working on a project, I leave everything scattered across my desk and on the floor immediately surround my workspace: from the many tiny sheets of paper, cardstock, and pictures, to stamps, to glue sticks and scissors.  Even my husband said (with slight surprise), "Wow," when he saw the aftermath.  Oh, the aftermath!  However messy it may have appeared, there is a relative method to my madness: see below.

Business Card+Thank You Note Set

Created thirty of these new business cards+thank you note sets this weekend from sheets of thick cardstock (cards) and vintage book pages (thank you notes).  I decided to try sage green-colored business cards, and am increasingly happy with the results--truthfully, I think that I enjoy this color more than the previous business cards, which have solely been created from already-cut brown kraft paper.

Don't know what to do with the thank you note, but like the photo?  The thank you notes can also double as a neat bookmark (see middle image).

Halloween-themed Thank You Notes

I was hesitant to change my thank you note paper from thick cardstock to vintage book pages, for book pages are both flimsier and word-heavy, but I like the tactile contrast between heavy cardstock business cards and the soft texture, and printing, of the book pages.  The printed words also give the cards an air of mystery, I think.

With a dark moth photo per note, these particular tiny cards were created with Halloween in mind--so be on the lookout for them to arrive with October purchases.

The End Products

Left to right: New Halloween-themed thank you notes created from vintage book pages--complete with hand-glued moth photos, new business cards in sage green, the "per order" set: business card, thank you note, and a coupon code to use with future purchases from my shop.

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Anyone excited for autumn?  Can't wait for autumn to arrive, but I am also content with the present time, since much needs to be done prior to the changing of seasons.  Please check back soon for a harvest sale coupon code.

P.S. Just wanted to say thank you to the wonderful buyers who take the time to let me know that they enjoy their new EmeraldCut piece(s)--your kind words truly mean so much to me.  Completely uplifting!

New Jewelry Designs (Plus Some Oldies)

Thank you to those who have given me such encouraging, kind comments over these past few days.  Sometimes self-doubt forces us to reexamine the status quo of our lives, urges us to complete the unfinished and the inherently mundane.  As much as I protest the endeavor, I know that it needs to be done. 

Getting back on the topic of this post...
This week, I actually created new pieces for my shop.  My mind is usually so preoccupied with editing and its energy-draining aftermath that I create (a few) new pieces only about once a month.  I went on a crazy creating streak this week.  A few are inspired by oldies but goodies that have sold from my Cascade Collection.

Lesson learned: 

The goal of balance is not to escape, but instead is to revive the senses to get working. 

Week in Photos (aka Happy Spring, Custom Order, and New Stones)

This past week has been a culmination of sorts: with spring in full bloom, it's been a trying task to stay focused, so I've been relying on sustained effort to meet some deadlines--with the windows open, and brisk escapes to the yard as inspiration. 

My first bridal order, which was also my very first bulk order, was excitedly completed last week.  I had the immense honor of creating bridesmaids pendants with these beautiful, AA-quality citrine briolettes:

The faceting on these briolettes are stunning...

 I hope the bride and bridesmaids are as content as I am with how the pendants turned out.  A true labor of love.

***

Escapes to the yard yielded some epitome-of-spring photos.  (I know that I have posted more than a few nature shots in the past, so please bear with my endless fascination with the great outdoors.)

This bush seemed to have bloomed overnight into this breathtaking sight.

***

I ordered a few new stones: moonstone briolettes in pale gray, peach, and white.  They are quite sturdy and large, and the stones have an earthy, warm glow rather than an overt sheen.  Ideal stones, in my opinion, for those who prefer a subtle, versatile color palette.

And, for good measure, a dramatic shot with shadow and light...

***

Now onto some theory articulation--I have to constantly remind myself, You are almost there.

Hope that you all are having a wonderful week.  I truly cannot believe that it is already May 1st!  This year is flying by way too quickly for my comfort level, but one must stay optimistic...and just breathe.  

P.S. In honor of Mother's Day...from now through Mother's Day, 5/13, enter MOTHERSDAY20 at checkout for 20% off your order in my Etsy shop.  

Solid Opals for Sale

It's been an ongoing process of oscillating between yes and no with these beautiful solid opal cabochons...of whether or not to list them for sale in my shop.  I've realized that I cannot hoard them any longer, although their beauty is quite breathtaking: these little gems gently lift me out of creative funks by just looking at them.  Truthfully, these opal cabochons would better suit someone who could actually do something with them.  A metalsmith, I am unfortunately not.  They would be perfect for a pendant, or perhaps for a ring.  Opal is soft stone, so care must be taken when worn. 

I've listed one for sale:

Freeform Solid Opal Cabochon 20mm x 13mm / Light Opal, Green, Blue, Orange, Waxy

If you're interested, please click on the above image's caption to view the listing.  For my blog readers, convo. me for a discounted price.

New Handmade Business Cards: A "Go"

A few months ago, I blogged about taking my shop in a slightly new direction with the inclusion of handmade business cards in place of my tried and true, professionally-printed ones.  These new handmade cards were to be created from Kraft cardstock and a custom-made stamp that my husband purchased as part of my Christmas gift last year.  While not as sleek and "pretty" as the professional variety, the new cards would provide a refreshing, simple change to my shop aesthetic, making nearly every part of my product and packaging "design" handmade by me (this, of course, excludes the packing/raw materials and baker's twine, etc.).

This month, I made the executive decision that this roughly-hewn plan is a "go."  And after polishing off the edges in the business card prototype department (i.e.: stamp and sticker placement), I am truly excited about this little change of EmeraldCut scenery--which is not quite a little change to me because since my Etsy shop's inception, I have had professionally-printed business cards.

Here are the two designs (out of the original five) that I have decided on:

The sticker with the rings is from my Etsy profile--I also have stickers of a raw citrine point.  The hand-carved rubber maple leaf stamp is from CraftingCasa.  My shop name/logo/url stamp is from clever thursday.  This is my trial run with handmade business cards: let's see how they go.

A beautiful weekend to you all!

New Items, Song Lyrics, and Coziness

Gothic Faceted Pyrope Garnet Drop Pendant

A metallic, deep cherry-red garnet with sparkly faceting.  I need to preface this: I believe that the metallic coloring is a coating.  I do not usually go for visibly-colored or altered stones in my designs, but the metallic color on this garnet makes the faceting really "pop," in an eye-catching sort of way.  Also, the coating does not drastically alter the cherry-red color of the garnet; it just makes it darker...and metallic. 

Cognac-Colored Raw Citrine Point Pendant

Yes, the stunning raw citrine point pendant above is my favorite of the recently-created bunch, described here.

Faceted Chalcedony Nugget Pendant

A heavenly, mellow chalcedony pendant with natural, made-by-Mother Earth coloring.  I love natural chalcedony (i.e.: not dyed).  Too many stones on the gemstone market, in particular chalcedony, are now dyed in obtrusive, rainbow colors to suit current trends; interesting forms of supply and demand.  I prefer classic to trendy, any day.

And onto the cozy...

From Resale Religion

And the lyrical beauty...

From my husband: framed song lyrics of "Parade," handwritten by Rachael Yamagata herself.
The pretty lace Kraft envelope (hand sewn, I must add) to the left of the framed song lyrics was created by crazyquiltz.

P.S. A thought: I am promoting consumerism on all levels in this post, which is fine by me (today)! Sometimes we all need a little creativity boost to elevate us out of the late winter blahs.

Lastly, a little reminder: my shop will be closed starting next week--from March 13th-March 20th.  Come March 20th (or, in all honestly, maybe even a little later), reinvigorated I will be!  Fingers crossed. 

March Update

It's been pretty quiet here.  Adjusting, anxious, but also ever so hopeful and determined in knowing what I need to do.  Taking little breaks from the leaden ball-and-chain act of writing, I have been dreaming up some new pieces for my shop...

There's something so glorious about sunstone, and I'm not just referring to the stone's upbeat, coppery-orange hue.  I like the way that it glitters: not too flashy, but still a beautiful, understated "statement" piece.  That sounds redundant, but I believe that any piece of jewelry can be a statement piece, even if it is on the not too flashy (and/or tiny) side.

Natural confidence--or synonymously, being comfortable in one's own skin--emanates from within; it is in how you carry yourself.  So, it is really an illusion (i.e.: mass-marketing campaign) that wearing jewelry creates confidence and will make you feel better at the end of the day.  Jewelry, to me, adds to the emanation-from-within process in a spiritual manner--amplifying one's aura, vibe, whatever you want to call it. Coincidentally, it is no wonder why I photograph most of my jewelry from certain angles that "catch" the light: areas where the inside and/or outside of the stone is illuminated and can be seen in a photograph.  The beauty of a piece of jewelry, like the beauty of a person, truly emanates from within.

Here are some new sunstone pieces:

Also, more hand-selected citrine and amethyst points are now in-stock, ready to be created into pendants. This weekend, armed with a mug of hot tea and probably Rachael Yamagata on repeat, I will be busily (and happily) creating more point pendants to add to my shop.  A semi-deft description of these beauties: the amethyst points are luscious, varying shades of plum purple; the citrine points range in color from an earthy, light amber to a rich, deep brown.  Out of this stone selection, my favorite is a mellow, cognac-colored citrine point.  

Lastly, a heads-up:
My shop will be closed for (at least) a week in mid-March, so that I can take a little time for myself.  I plan to reopen my shop sometime in late March. 


Wishing you all a very happy Friday.

New Inspirations

I think that this is the longest span of time that I have not blogged in awhile, but sometimes I find the greatest, soul-fulfilling inspiration away from my computer.  It's actually quite strange: for me, being online is just so loud at times, although there is no actual face-to-face contact--nor is there actual auditory noise.  Maybe it's the jumble of words, which tend to morph and mesh together into unintelligible phrases when I am staring at the computer screen for too long.  Or perhaps it's the countless acts of self-promotion, the endless waves of it, that I see everywhere online (something that independent brick and mortars don't overtly take part in).

Yes, I know that this blog is a semi-shameless act of self-promotion.  Need some substantiating evidence?  See below:

I created a pair of earrings for my mother-in-law from her vintage necklace chain, composed of long, golden scrolls.  I bent the scrolls (her idea), and added anodized, golden-colored niobium ear wires (a naturally-recurring metal that is great for sensitive ears) and peridot stones.  The finished product just glows, so I had to document it!

Last week, my husband and I visited our local brick and mortar bead/stone store: he graciously paid for the stones of my choosing.  The stones were a unique assortment of colors, shapes, textures, and sizes...

...chalcedony nuggets and ovals, pyrite-esque garnet pears, carnelian rondelles, garnet coins, a large (and flashy) labradorite focal stone, and a few oldies but goodies--smooth iolite nuggets and a citrine one, as well.

*****

 Last night, after a very stressful day, my husband took me out to dinner: which was preceded by a drive by an awe-inspiring and moody, vast body of water.

So all of this leads me to think: this past week, however stressful it was (or actually, how panic attack-invoking I willed it to be), was also punctuated with numerous moments of soul-stirring stillness and innate beauty--if I paused my self-imposed freak out mode, and just looked around (a natural act, but one that requires some level of levelheadedness to fully enjoy).  I am thankful that I did just that.

Wishing you all a thoughtful, calming day.

New Business Cards

I've been working methodically on and off over these last few months on my shop: changing the slogan a bit, having a shop stamp made (with the new slogan), and deciding to create my own business cards, rather than having them made for me.  The last decision was the most difficult to make because my handmade business cards look so different from the shop-made ones; but change is sometimes a necessary step to take in order to move forward.  Also with this decision comes packaging concerns--specifically, how do I incorporate my handmade cards into my existing aesthetic?  Not enough color or alternately, too bland?  Will the business card be visible in the bubble mailer?  Is it too plain?  Simply too boring?

I know that this issue is nary a concern to most, but it is of paramount importance to me.  It is my shop, and is therefore an extension of my soul.  Not too get all Existentialist on you, but my shop is truly a window into my creative process, and my work are little parts that comprise a whole--the whole not only being my entire shop, but also my meticulous nature and aesthetic.  I enjoy creating each piece; I take the time to write a thank you note to each buyer; I wrap items carefully.  So adding a new business card to this mix is a bit daunting, to say the least, when you already have a set system going.  But it will all be fine.  That, I am sure of--as I freak out a bit over the potential outcome.

All in due course, I remind myself.  All in due course.

Mad About Citrine

Citrine points, that is.  I started my Etsy shop a year ago with raw citrine and amethyst point pendants.  An amethyst point was the first item sold (to a lady in Japan!).  Citrine points have continued to be a bestseller for me, and I thoroughly enjoy every aspect of creating, photographing, and listing them for sale in my shop.  My favorite items to photograph are raw citrine points: the varied shades of yellow seem to glisten and bask in the sunlight; each angle of a raw citrine point is very unique, as well as its shape and color gradient, ranging from pale, minimalist yellow to an earthy, deep amber.

Optimistic.  The metaphysical properties of citrine include helping to foster creativity and gently lifting one out of depression.  To me, citrine looks like sunshine, embodied in stone form.  Here are the raw citrine points recently listed for sale...

A Wee Bit Premature

I am a little early in writing this blog, but that's okay with me.  Actually, I was going to hold off on writing anything semi-coherent for at least the next few days.  However, my mind is yearning for some interaction, while my body dryly states, "Can't you hold off for another few days?"  My arm is even sore.  But live with it, I must.  I believe that my brain goes nuts in this head of mine if not allowed a daily dosage of blog reads, posting, and creating of some sort--whether it be writing, jewelry, or another art form.

A bunch of vintage jewelry has been listed for sale in my Etsy shop.  Currently, I am about halfway done with listing these new items, and plan to finish listing new vintage jewelry (the term sounds contradictory, doesn't it?) within the next few months. 

Currently listed vintage:

Adding vintage jewelry to my shop was to be an experiment...new jewelry vs. old jewelry, popularity, etc.  So far, my vintage pieces have garnered far more views than my new pieces have within a similar time period!



I am finalizing my Etsy shop's 1-year anniversary details right now.  Look forward to a blog post within the next few days for details (i.e.: HUGE coupon code!) and blog reader exclusives!  (Sigh, I can't believe it's nearly November.  October flew on by without leaving anything behind in its wake!  Well, except for a few pumpkins and falling leaves--can't wait for late autumn weather.)

Newly-Listed Shop Items

I listed some new fall/winter items in my Etsy shop today:

Lapis Lazuli Brass Necklace

Unique Claw Trio Brass Necklace--Amethyst, Tourmaline, and Prehnite

Rough Cut Clear Quartz Nugget Pendant

Smooth Carnelian Nugget Pendant

Back to my quietude, listening to Adele's in-home, live version of "Someone Like You," on repeat (which I prefer over the album's quick-paced version of the song).  So soul-stirringly vulnerable and achingly beautiful:

New Items for Fall

Window to the Soul--Brass and Peridot Pendant

Autumn Harvest--Sunstone Rondelle Pendant

And there is more to come--please check back, as I will be adding new fall pieces to my Etsy shop soon!

P.S. Labor Day sale!  Enter the coupon code "25OFFSALE" at checkout to receive 25% off* your order.  Coupon codes cannot be combined with other coupon codes/promos, or used on HELP JAPAN items and gift certificates.

My Photography

I'm a little nervous about this, but last night, I listed two photographs for sale in my Etsy shop.  My photographs are so highly personal that I may actually take it personally if they don't sell.  All joking aside, this is the first time I am selling my photography--a new direction for me.  The vast unknown about how these photographs will be received makes me twiddle my thumbs in fright, but I am optimistic, as I always try to be. 

The Arrival / New Beginnings--5x7 Print

 

Nostalgic Empire State Building Panoramic--6x9 Print