Most Popular Item

The most popular item in my Etsy shop as of late:

The Great Gatsby
handmade book page envelopes

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Motherhood Humor

3 Buggas Design

Gypsy Fleur Brass Necklace

Huge weekend jewelry sale! 

Take 35% off jewelry* when you apply SPRINGJOY at Etsy checkout.  *Valid only on jewelry purchases.  Enjoy, and happy weekend!  Enter my shop here.

New in Shop: Raven Book Page Envelopes

If you've been following along on Instagram, the subject of this blog post - raven book page envelopes - may look familiar.  This week, I added a set of 10 of these small handmade envelopes to my Etsy shop.  Spooky and perfect for Halloween gifting or parties, these delicate envelopes can also be used for your seasonal DIY projects and function as bookish Poe-esque home decor, too.

                            

Raven/Crow Book Page Envelopes

Close-up of the raven/crow image, which I stamp by hand using a rubber stamp and archival black ink.  Layout varies slightly per envelope, as does ink saturation.

These upcycled book pages each have a different visual text layout.

No top closure allows for use as tiny gift bags - tape the top closed with your washi tape of choice and you're all set.

Size-wise, these handmade envelopes are around 4" tall x 2.75" wide.

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See the listing here.

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Custom Order

A custom order in the making for a wonderful person.  

Hope you love your custom pieces!

Sale Ends Soon!

20% off Christmas in July sale ends soon...

If you're looking for a unique, minimalist piece of jewelry, take advantage of this sale (prices as marked).  The following pieces are still listed!  Plus, enjoy free US shipping on orders over $15 when you apply the following coupon code at checkout: FREESHIPPING

In-Shop Wedding Favorites

1. Please Sign Our Guestbook Hand-stamped Book Page 4" x 6" (sold)
Received a few inquiries lately for this stamped book page sign, which has just sold.  This particular item is cut to 4" x 6", but I can stamp entire book pages without cutting them down.  I also have a few book page sizes to choose from if page thickness and length matter to you.  Word count limit is due to stamp size.

2. Custom Wedding Speech Writing Service
Perhaps my most popular writing service, my wedding speech writing service is also a personal favorite.  With the purchase of this listing, I will edit and polish your wedding speech from information that you provide--and work with you until the speech is what you are looking for (wording, tone, style, content, etc.).  My writer's credentials include a Master's degree from an accredited university.

3. Stamped Custom Initials Seed Packets - California Poppy
These handmade seed packets include upcycled vintage book pages, which I hand cut and then stamp with your two initials in bold typewriter font.  Seeds are organic California Poppy.  With a bookish touch, these seed packets make lovely wedding, bridal shower, and engagement party favors.

4. Bridesmaid or Maid of Honor Small Hand-Stamped Manila Tags
We can't forget the bridal party.  This listing is for bridesmaid or maid of honor small manila tags stamped by me using small typewriter font.  The classic font with colored twine will adorn gifts perfectly.  Attach individually to your bridal party thank-you gifts and you are good to go.

5. Wedding Website Content Writing Service
A less traditional but much-needed offering, this writing service allows for your love story and other wedding website content to be edited for clarity, content, flow, and tone.  I will need a rough draft, so I can build on your unique voice.  Like my wedding speech writing service, this writing service will help with the wedding planning process.

6. Long Hand-Stamped Name Tags - Sage Green
Another versatile listing, these long hand-stamped tags fit a first name or first-name-with-last-initial combination.  Simple yet visually appealing, I stamp each letter freehand so layout varies per tag.  Sweet as wedding place cards and favor tags--or even as gift tags, too.  See the non-twine version here.

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Interested in a variation in these designs?  Contact me via Etsy (username: EmeraldCut) to discuss the details.  See my entire wedding goods section here.

Q & A: Custom Stamped Tags

Custom Mini Bookmark-style Stamped Tags

With wedding season just around the corner, I've received some questions about the above listing for custom hand-stamped kraft mini tags.  Here's a breakdown of the Q&A:

- Can you print on these tags?
I hand stamp each individual letter, so I cannot print on these tags.  No printers are used in my stamped shop items.

- Can I have longer words stamped?
Longer words mean that the tag will be longer (see image above for a visual).

- Why can't I purchase these tags at a bulk price?
The cost reflects the unique handmade qualities of my work.  I cut the cardstock and stamp each letter by hand, as well as use archival permanent ink, hole punch by hand, and add the tassel manually.  All cardstock in shop is acid-free and lignin-free--this particular cardstock is a thicker 100lb. weight.  Basically, you pay for quality and my meticulous nature.  As always, shortcuts are never taken in my work.

More EC | TIW wedding goods can be found here.

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Have a question?  
Please convo me on Etsy (username: EmeraldCut) or leave a comment below.

New Jewelry Designs

Two Dainty Pink Amethyst Dangles
(Best friends jewelry or interchangeable earring drops)

Fiery Raw Citrine Point Pendant - Copper Wire

Small Rose Quartz Cluster Pendant

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New jewelry designs will be added weekly!  

Visit my shop here.

Book Riot Feature

via Book Riot

As I was perusing my Etsy Stats yesterday, I noticed that my Literary Tall, Dark, and Brooding Card had received 20+ clicks.  Weird, I thought, because it was unusually high traffic for one little hand-stamped card.  Then I saw bookriot.com under my traffic sources.  A-ha! I said.  Visiting their site, I scrolled down the homepage and saw my simple card as an article's main image (see above).  What a nice surprise!

Clicking on the link, curiously titled "Book Fetish: Romance Edition," my interest was piqued.  Scrolling down the page, I find it.  There among other tongue-in-cheek book-inspired goods is my card, smack dab in the middle of it all:

via Book Riot

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This is an exciting event because it's the first time my work has been an article's main image.  It's also my second Book Riot feature--nearly two years ago, my origami hearts were included in a BR Valentine's Day article, which I documented here.  Thank you, Book Riot!  

Shipping Deadline Reminder + In-Shop Deal

A reminder that there are just three more days left for US orders to be placed in shop for Christmas arrival.  The international order deadline has passed, but I will continue shipping through 12/23.  Due to blustery weather and USPS, I cannot guarantee when packages will arrive, but there is a Priority Mail shipping upgrade available per listing for more timely delivery (crosses fingers).  Once, I even had a holiday order go through a few states before finally arriving at the buyer's doorstep--thankfully, she was very understanding.  The holidays make for interesting stories, indeed!

I'm getting orders out in 1-2 days from now until Christmas.  In your package will be positive thoughts for all and a short shop bio, plus handmade complimentary gift tags (see above image) for joyful, festive gifting.

via Instagram

The above photo is of some of my ready-to-ship handmade jewelry, a few of my favorite bracelets and pendants, actually.  Lots more in shop, although I haven't gotten around to creating more point pendants--a few remaining ones are ready for purchase.  I also added a flash sale on selected items (type "flash sale" in shop search), so stop by for some gorgeous pieces and holiday deals, if you're so inclined!  Thanks for shopping handmade, and for sticking by me through the years.  I'm eternally grateful.

New in Shop

Write More Large Manila Door Hang Tag

Geometric DIY Gift Tags

Rustic Large Oak Slice Table Numbers

Ethereal Smoky Glass Pendant with Pearl

Large Thank You Sign Plaque for Wedding Display

Cloudy Skies Pendant

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Many more designs to come in time for Valentine's Day.  

Visit my shop here.

Autumn Inspiration: Book Page Leaves

A few nights ago, I came up with an interesting (if not mundane) idea: trace a dried autumn leaf onto upcycled book pages.  These were not any ordinary book pages--they were gently hand-cut from Sylvia Plath's esoteric poetry collection, Ariel.  This being said, I felt that I had to treat these pages with the revered care that they deserved.  The results are as shown here, with each delicate book-page leaf traced and cut by hand (no die cuts or stencils were used), allowing for slight variances per leaf due to issues related to hand-eye coordination and the physical act of cutting paper with scissors.  Like autumn leaves, I was afraid that these paper leaves would crumble under my fingers; fall between here and there.  But no, they're sturdy enough for the Plath lover to read bits and pieces of her work on each.  It's just the stems that are delicate enough to fall if tugged slightly, which you can see in the image below.

I was surprised that the dried autumn leaf held up to my heavy-handed tracing around it--only a few bits of the edges fell off.

Now my immediate concern is what project(s) to use these book page leaves for.  I have some winter packaging ideas for these, since the stems are so delicate, instead of listing them for sale.  Perhaps some holiday-ish acrylic paint or layer of sealant will do the trick?

Etsy's New Guidelines

Disclaimer: This is solely my perspective as an Etsy seller of handmade goods.

Etsy's new policies regarding what can be sold on the site as handmade now blurs the distinction between handmade and mass production.  I understand that this decision legally opens the website up to a whole new seller-manufacturer demographic that Etsy will greatly profit from--to be fair, these manufacturer-type shops have always been present on Etsy, albeit by not being forthright about their manufacturing process--but at the same time, these new guidelines constrict the creative process that drives many other Etsy sellers who make the deliberate choice to create and sell goods that they themselves--and not a manufacturer--conceptualize and mold from start to finish.  

It takes hours, days, and sometimes weeks for the creative process to unfurl.  This creative process includes not only the conceptualization and molding of a product, but also the intellectual property, photography, and shop listing writing--which adds up to hours spent on quality control, which is then reflected in shop prices.

The mass production of jewelry, for example, brings prices down so low that it is difficult for someone like me, who hand chooses each stone and carefully creates each piece without having to worry about creating x-amount of items per hour, to compete.  Even if the same materials are used.  However, it's the Etsy buyer who is ultimately given the choice of where to shop, but how influential are the new Etsy policies on this choice?  Only time will tell.  The rallying cry, "Shop Handmade" now has a new face.

I just hope with all my heart that Etsy takes a long, hard look at its newly minted corporate-type guidelines because handmade is, at its heart and soul, priceless.  

Indoor Decor: Memories

Left to right:
Creamer with spout: stayarthomemom
Organic white bud vase: honeyandheat
Tall brown vase: StoneworksPottery

(In the white bud vase is a portion of the dried thyme bouquet from our yard, which I blogged about here.  The doily is from a local brick-and-mortar teashop/antiques shop.)

I've never been much of an interior decorator in any sense of the word, so when I saw that these pottery pieces fit well together--in an eclectic sort of way, it genuinely made my day.  It's kind of like life in that respect...a mish-mash of occurrences and daily routines that are not outwardly connected in any meaningful or tangible way.  That is, until something interesting happens, and you see that each step taken has gradually lead you to your current situation, your current frame of reference.

I realize that it's probably not a good idea to compare life to the accumulation of things, since life is immeasurable and priceless, and commodities, well, always have a price on their heads.  However, in this life, we accumulate things that we place value on, whether it be intrinsic or overt, so commodities are, in a way, a somewhat accurate measurement of our lives, revealing what we hold dear.  In an instant here; in an instant gone--but always an insight into the lives left behind.

Odelae: The Woven One

Remember the piece from the handstitched journal shop Odelae that I adoringly blogged about in January?  Well, I now own the large version of it!  My previous journal went ka-put last month--the cover separated from the pages, the binding came undone, and the pages were entirely filled up--so I was well due for a new one.

I wanted my new journal to hold up to weekly use, its pages and outer covering to aesthetically reflect its usage as a word-heavy, artistic open canvas.  One with a nostalgic, handmade feel would be perfect.  So I decided to ask the kind Erica (the lady behind Odelae) if she would custom design a large The Woven One journal--and lucky me, she happily obliged.  Now, the large version has its own listing, as seen in the above photo.

A little about the new journal / my review: 
Recycled paper is used for the pages, and handmade paper for the signatures.
Leather is soft and flexible, yet strong and sturdy as the outer covering.
Journal's spine design and pages are hand-stitched with "hand tools: awl, needle & thread, ruler, bone folders, manual hole punch & a steel blade" (quote taken from listing).
A leather cord gently fastens around the center of the journal, allowing for easy, closed book transportation.
Journal fits snugly in hand, and can easily be stowed away in a large handbag or travel bag.
Paper signatures are hand sewn and securely held in place.
Pages are easily turned--they even stay relatively flat--and are of a substantial weight.
The leather is easily scuffed, which adds to the rustic cabin feel of the piece.
Layout/design accommodates those who are left-handed!
Journals are customizable: see the various spine designs, paper color choices, and dyed leather covers.
An extra large-sized journal would be a nice addition to the shop.

Promotes handmade, hand-stitched book arts and bookbinding techniques, literacy, and the satisfying, self-reflective act of journal writing.

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In Erica's work, each stitch has a structural and/or visual purpose--it is a continual joy to trace their woven beginnings and ends during periodic writing breaks.  Thanks for such a beautiful, solidly constructed journal!

Jersey Weave Sweatshirt

Earlier this month, I attempted to create a jersey-weave sweatshirt from a DIY/tutorial by the talented Sophie at The Forge.  I spent days staring at Sophie's creation, looking at it from all angles to analyze the intricacies of her work, particularly the perfectly curved, checkerboard-style lines in the front of the sweatshirt (which the jersey shirt is woven through, hence the name).  Sophie's secret weapon: a fabric marker.

My secret weapon: the inability to follow directions--and as a consequence, reinterpreting them...

Without a fabric marker, I free-handed my sweatshirt lines with my trusty box cutter (thanks, husband).  Roughly two days later, with half the t-shirt cut up and woven through the sweatshirt, I was finally done.

Thoughts on my course of action:
The lines ended up looking slightly off-kilter, organically curving across the front of the sweatshirt.  (Note to self: you can't see the cuts you make in dark-colored fabric.)  I also did not cut out the collar of the sweatshirt, which detracted (I think) from the "slightly trendy/cozy" appeal of the initial design.  My chosen color combination was also reminiscent of holiday sweaters; the front of the sweatshirt was slightly heavy due to the weaving of fabric.

An issue I had:
The sweatshirt fabric tears slightly if you pull on it after lines are cut, so I am unsure of how Sophie was able to have the lines so close to one another without accidentally making two of her cuts (in separate, one-on-top-of-the-other lines) rip into one.  Also, don't pull too hard on the jersey fabric because the front of the sweatshirt bunches up, leaving the piece looking ruched/ruffled.

However, my result is a very unique sweatshirt.  I can see why Sophie cut out the collar and part of the sleeves--she has a great eye for matching details.  I, on the other hand, don't care so much for matching, so my creation is perfect for me. 

Ready for a comparison?

Note: the sweatshirt looks better on a model than hanging from a hanger on the door.

The Forge's sweatshirt:

Which was inspired by the now non-existent site pups-paris.com design:

My end product:

Yes, I would recommend this project for a Christmas gift if you have the time and patience to work slowly (especially with the cutting and fabric weaving), and if you can be gentle with the fabric.


Feel free to leave a comment!

And the Winner Is...

The winner of my Etsy shop September giveaway is...

At the last minute, I decided to have a second runner-up...

...whose prize is a Botanist's Set of Five Envelopes (sans inserts).

Congratulations to the September giveaway winners!  

(I will convo you on Etsy about your win later on today.)

 It's been a blast having my first-ever giveaway--thank you for the warm reception.

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

Best Buds

Doll and bird handmade by GoHeyJudy.

My Judy doll and my newest addition, Ferb, are best buds...and after seeing them together in all their cool cuteness, it dawned on me that they are 100% handmade, right down to Judy's meticulously hand-sewn hair.  Someone made them: took the time to design them, cut the fabric just so, stuff them; sew them.  For me, looking the process-plus-end product, rather than just the finished product, does indeed bring about a sense of wonder, of awe really, to the definition of handmade. 

To that end, I hope you don't mind me sharing some photos of Ferb:

Check out that rockin' hair and those cool shells!  I can readily imagine Ferb gracing a shelf, a collector's box, or even hanging sweetly above a little one's crib...

...and let's face it: yellow gingham makes my day brighter.

If you're interested, visit GoHeyJudy's shop here.

Wishing you all a fruitful August weekend!