Rock Stone Treasures

Clearing the Clutter

2010-11-07T17:46:00.000-05:00

Well I've been putting it off for months but something had to be done. The disorganization in my jewelry studio really started to take it's toll on me. I have so much stuff and couldn't find half of it. But not anymore. And tomorrow I'll have the beautiful photos to prove it. They're going to be nothing short of miraculous.

So until then, I thought I could share this new treasury that I found and had no idea I was even in it. Here it is; it's so pretty.

Here's the link so you can see more.
http://bit.ly/aPpq28

Until tomorrow then.

My Bad for Not Blogging, My Good for Curating!

2010-10-29T13:45:00.000-04:00

I had every intention to keep this blog up but I haven't. I will.

Until then, I wanted to share a new treasury I just created featuring one of my favorite combinations: leopard and red. There are some amazingly talented people on Etsy and I wanted to share some of them with you. Let's hear it for handmade.

Take a look and tell me what you think. I think it's my favorite collection so far.
Here's the link to it: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ccafb0492746d91d99031da/lovin-leopard-red?index=0

You Rule!

2010-09-25T09:31:00.000-04:00

In honor of my husband who's a general contractor and collector of vintage, I made this Etsy treasury which I'm really proud of. Hope you take a look and leave some love.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c9be88ef1256d91e166961a/you-rule?index=0

I'll be back soon with updated blogs. Been busy making jewelry for the holiday season.

New Jersey Rocks

2010-08-31T09:22:00.000-04:00

Just found out my green crystal earrings are featured in this fabulous Etsy treasury. All great handmade items from NJ. Let's hear it for th e Garden State.

Garden State Rocks

Thanks Are In Order

2010-08-01T10:06:00.001-04:00

I had a very successful Christmas in July Sale on Etsy and it's all because of you. More jewelry sold than I expected (July supposedly being a very slow month on Etsy) but it was actually my best month since I opened up shop.

I've been busy making new items for the fall/winter season and will be putting them up soon. Here's a peak of what I've been working on. Love these range of coppers, bronzes and amber in the pearls and glass beads.

I wanted to make something that dangles and gets a lot of movement and light out of the beads. This is the first step.

I added some chunky amber crystal rondelles which have been sitting in my bead box for awhile now. They go perfectly with the the pearls. I'm not sure if this will be a bracelet or necklace but either way, I'm really happy with the progress so far.

This piece will be posted as soon as it's finished. Love to hear your opinions or thoughts on it.

Edison, NJ Bead Show

2010-07-18T21:01:00.001-04:00

I went to the Innovative Bead Show today with my friend Maria, fellow beadaholic and all around jewelry fanatic, where we spent many, many hours perusing and spending way too much money on some really fantastic beads. Here's some of the day's haul.

Love them all but my heart belongs to the metallic polymer clay right above. They have so many possibilities. I'll keep you posted on how I use them.

But the most fun of the day was meeting Denise who is a fellow Etsy NJ Team member and makes gorgeous silver and gold wire jewelry. She's also great at putting colors together and has excellent taste in all things beady. You really need to see her work. www.etsy.com/shop/demdesigns. I know you'll enjoy it.

Too Hot to Handle

2010-07-08T09:34:00.000-04:00

Oh this New Jersey heat.I can't remember temps in the 100's but it's not pleasant at all. I'm trying to focus on starting my winter jewelry line but I'm just sweating and can't think that far. So since I'm sitting home with the AC blasting, I wanted to look at all the stuff outside on my deck that I love. So here's what makes me happy.

My yoga frog. I've had this guy for years and he looks worse for the wear but he has to the power to crack me up.

These are a tiny part of my candle holder collection that sit outside on the deck. I've been collecting them for over 10 years and have about 50 of them in all shapes and sizes. There's one caveat when I buy them; they must be on sale. That's my rule and I'm sticking to it.

I look forward to hanging out outside again once the heat lets up. What are you doing in this miserable weather?

Christmas in July

2010-07-05T14:38:00.000-04:00

It's that time again for a little shameless self-promotion. Etsy is holding a huge Christmas in July sale so I'm offering a 20% discount of all jewelry and free shipping to the US. There are some great deals in my shop so please, take a look around. You may find something you really like.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RockStoneTreasures

Here Comes the Bride (Sort Of)

2010-07-01T17:14:00.000-04:00

I'll be celebrating my sixteenth wedding anniversary this summer and it occurred to me that I've never created any bridal jewelry whatsoever. And I like bridal jewelry; it's typically pretty and usually dainty and should enhance the gown. And I had all the beads in my stash and didn't have to buy a thing. A rare occurrence in my world.

I've been creating a lot of lariats lately and wanted to apply the design to a bridal necklace. It will be doubled and finished with a pearl and crystal dangle or a crystal briolette. Obviously it's still a work in progress but so far I'm liking it. I'll post the finished piece (with a better photo) when it's complete.

Oh Deer!

2010-06-28T19:36:00.001-04:00

I took my camera outside to shoot photos of my flowers at dusk, only to realize how badly the deer have ravaged my garden. This is the worst year I've experienced and it's not letting up. So as I was getting down in the dumperoo about the situation, I came upon this one lone daylily, the only one left in bloom and still standing tall.

This shade of orange is one of my favorite colors for jewelry but it's really hard to find in beads and stones. I've searched for Czech glass because they make every possible color of the rainbow, but not this one. If you have any suggestions on where I can find something similar, please be kind and let me know.

Feels Great To Be Noticed

2010-06-26T08:02:00.001-04:00

Just found out my lariat necklace is featured on this beautiful Etsy Treasury designed by Wintergarden, a fellow seller on Etsy. Blues and greens are my favorite color combination and I'm so honored she included my work. She makes fabulous jewelry using yarn and stones which is available at etsy.com/shop/wintergarden

Fall 2010 Color Trends

2010-06-23T07:00:00.003-04:00

Pantone has released it's Fall 2010 color forecast and I'm very excited about he possibilities for jewelry.

I always adored Lipstick Red and they've included my all time favorite jewelry color turquoise which they're now calling Lagoon. Sounds good to me and I'm glad they're not only using it for summer. Living Coral and Woodbine make a beautiful palette as does Endive, Golden Glow with a hint of Chocolate Truffle. I actually have a lot of beads and stones in many of these colors and I can't wait to get to work. What do you think of the color forecast?

Head Over to The Best Bead Give-A-Way Ever!

2010-06-22T08:08:00.000-04:00

Denise Yezbak Moore, accomplished beader and very nice person, is hosting "The Best Bead Give-A-Way Ever" on her blog. And this truly is the best give away I've ever seen. The colors are fabulous -- blues, turquoise, reds, silver, earth tones and some gorgeous silk yarn.

Head on over to her blog to find all the details and sign up. Of course, I want to be the lucky winner since the only thing I've ever won in my life is a $20 gift card to the local bagel shop, and I'm striving for something a bit more substantial. But if you win, I'll do a happy dance for you.

Here's the link:

deniseyezbakmoore.blogspot.com/best-bead-give-way-ever

Best of luck to all.

Follow Up on the Plan

2010-06-17T17:15:00.002-04:00

After experimenting with different silver findings for the unfinished bracelet I wrote about in my last post (see below), something was bothering me. The silver was just sticking out too much and didn't seem to coordinate well with the colors in the bracelet.Of course, I hadn't thought about finishing the piece until it was time to finish the piece which is the way I always do things but it's also a major time-waster.

Then it struck me. Bronze. It makes so much sense. Perfect. The bronze works really well with the acrylic flowers and pearls; giving it a vintage feel which I love.

I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out, and even made earrings to coordinate (not match as I'm not the matchy matchy type). My whole point here is that you don't always have to have a plan in mind when starting a new design. Sometimes you just need to step away, clear your mind, and then the ideas start flowing. Do you plan your designs in advance or do you just wing it? I'd love to know.

To Plan or Not To Plan?

2010-06-14T16:40:00.001-04:00

It's rare that I have a design in mind before I begin a new project and while spontaneity is great for the creative spirit, not having a plan can also be a real real time-waster. Like today.

I spent a good chunk of time working on this bracelet, carefully choosing the color pearls I liked and working in the resin flowers I've had for awhile, but now I can't decide how to finish it. Silver might look too heavy but I need something sturdy that will take some wear and tear and still look great. Sometimes just stepping away from a project and taking a break can get the ideas rolling. Which I really hope is the case today.

Any suggestions on what type of finishing or clasp that would work with this bracelet would be greatly appreciated.

Pearls and Girls in History

2010-06-08T15:41:00.002-04:00

June is my birth month so it's a great time to explore the official birthstone, the pearl. When I was just a wee little girl, I didn't like the idea of a pearl as a birthstone. Thought it was boring. I wanted something more glamorous like a diamond or emerald. What was I thinking? There's nothing more classic and stylish than strands of pearls draped elegantly on someone's neck, or a small perfect pearl dangling from the ears. Plus they've been around since forever and never go out of style.

First, some interesting facts:

Pearls are the only gem created from a living organism.

It's been reported that Cleopatra dissolved a pearl in wine and drank it to prove her love to Marc Antony. Sounds odd but we've probably all done worse.

The ancient Greeks thought pearls would promote marital bliss and that's why brides still wear them to this day. All you need are pearls, girls.

How fabulous does Audrey Hepburn look with these pearls draping down her back? Pretty amazing, right?

Now how about my favorite member of any royal family?

And my not so favorite member of any royal family, her mean mother-in-law Liz? She's hiding her pearls under her jacket but we know they're there.

And of course we can't forget the nice Liz. Her pearls are truly spectacular.

These Mikimoto pearls were given to Marilyn Monroe by then husband, Joe DiMaggio. I'm sure there are pictures of her wearing them but I just love the way they look in the gorgeous box.

Do you have any photos of your favorite gals in their pearls? Please share and I'll post them here.
Happy Birthday to all the June babies out there.

Memorial Day Weekend and Trying to Work

2010-05-30T11:40:00.002-04:00

It's Memorial Day Weekend and too beautiful outside to stay in and bead. but I've got so many jewelry projects on my desk that need to be finished. I've made the mistake of taking my supplies out to my backyard to work there which was fine until the first strong breeze came along and swoosh, pearls, crystals, jumprings, headpins, scattered all over the deck. So I"m stuck inside.

These are some items on my desk that I hope will get me going. Gorgeous chalcedony which I've had for awhile but haven't used. Someone should be wearing these colors now; they're so summery and go with everything. I think I just got an idea.

One of my bead boxes is filled with Chinese crystal that I got at a bead show in NYC. I have so many colors to choose from that sometimes the selection gets a bit overwhelming. But I love looking at the box filled with all of these beauties.

I invested in some new jewelers tools and wow, what a difference they make.. These are by Lindstrom, made in Sweden, and are considered the Cadillac, Mercedes (fill in your own analogy) of tools. These are by far the best purchase I made. Plus I'm told I'll have them for life. Skeptical, but we'll see.The rest of them are from when I just started out beading and are good old workhorses.

Anyway, I'll think of a good compromise that will keep me outside and finish my projects. And my next post will be about my new website that's under construction. Can't wait to share.

Westwood, NJ Craft Fair

2010-05-23T20:15:00.003-04:00

I had a great afternoon at the annual Westwood, NJ Craft Fair, where my friend Maria and I got to meet and talk to some great beaders and jewelry designers. We saw some beautiful stuff and everyone showing their crafts were so willing to chat and share. I haven't been to a good show in awhile and this one was pretty special.

There's something about train stations that remind me of the days before air travel when very cosmopolitan passengers boarded at their station with their Louis Vuitton trunks filled with the fashionable clothing of the day. The men were so dapper with their top hats and spats and the little girls were so cute with big bows on their heads and dresses made in beautiful fabrics that buttoned up the back.

Ok, let's get back on track (hee, I made a funny).

This booth was our favorite. The artist and designer Maya makes fabulous jewelry and handbags but she also makes her own displays out of resin and they were amazing. Really great work.

There were so many jewelry booths to browse in with some really unique designs.

Last by certainly not least; Maria tasting something very spicy at the olive and pickle stand. Love that face.

Color Story

2010-05-22T17:18:00.003-04:00

My rose bushes are in full bloom and nothing inspires me more than their stunning color. I went to the garden center today and found annuals in vivid oranges, purples and yellows to plant in my containers. That's one of my favorite annual treats; mixing and matching flowers in various hues and arranging them in funky old pots. So many of these colors remind me of colors I like to use in my jewelry. The bold color of the roses make me think of bronze; the two together would be spectacular. The bright pinks would look great with silver and blue grays. Orange and purple is a wonderful combination any time of year and works well with crystal accents. As I keep my garden going this summer, I hope to come up with color palettes I never thought of before.

Which Earrings are Right for You

2010-05-20T09:39:00.006-04:00

Here's a great blog post I just found on choosing the right earrings for your face. Bet you didn't know that dangles are best for someone with a round face as they make it appear more elongated. I had no idea. Read all about it right here.
copperreflections.com/handmade-jewelry-blog/

My First Ever Etsy Treasury

2010-04-23T13:51:00.003-04:00

Just created my first ever Etsy Treasury. It's loaded with beautiful butterflies from wonderful crafters who sell on Etsy.I've gotten such a wonderful response on it. Here's the link.
Etsy Butterfly Treasury/

The Color Edition

2010-04-07T14:48:00.005-04:00

If I had to choose one source of inspiration for my jewelry designs, I'd have to say color. Big, bright, bold delicious color. I love combining shades of color that are unexpected and aren't typically paired together but somehow really work. Color wheels work well for some, but I get my best results when I just experiment by arranging beads and stones next to each other and see what pops out at me.

I went through my photos and here are some color palettes I'd like to use in my work.

These Adirondack chairs were sitting in front of a store that I found on a trip to the Jersey Shore (yes, that Jersey Shore). The individual colors are nothing special alone, but when grouped together, they really work well. I like.

This shot below is is of my outside deck taken last summer. I love arranging baskets and pots of flowers and grouping them together on funky outdoor tables or whatever I can get my hands that have various heights. There's nothing like sitting out there and staring at the colors. Perfection. It just occurred to me that I buy my flowers the same way I buy my beads; get an assortment of color and hope they all work.

Here's a simple stretch bracelet I just made with bright orange and lighter celery green colors. Love the combination of colors, plus I feel brighter as soon as I slip it on.

What are your favorite colors to work with? Inquiring minds want to know. Have a great, happy and colorful day.

Happy Easter, Happy Spring

2010-04-04T09:24:00.001-04:00

It's Easter Sunday, the sun is shining here in Jersey-land, my friends came to visit for
the weekend, and life is good.

To celebrate the day, I've rounded up a few of my designs with great spring colors. Color is one of the reasons I love making jewelry; the possible combinations are limitless. I've been using a lot of metal and pastels together because they're unexpected and provide contrast to each other. When I combine colors that I really wasn't sure would work together and then they actually do, well I'm a happy camper.

Here are some of my combinations. The weather today is spectacular so I'll be outside looking for more colorful inspirations.

Rock.Stone.Tween Treasures?

2010-03-26T09:32:00.001-04:00

Deciding whether to tap into the tween jewelry market so we've created some designs as prototypes to test the waters. Those tween girls are a tricky bunch. Here's what we have so far.

My tween son thinks his contemporaries will like these, but then again, maybe they won't. Decisive much? So we're test marketing to our target demographic to get opinions right from the horse's mouth. Any opinions of your own? Please share.

I'm Featured on a Beautiful Blog

2010-03-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

What an honor to receive an email from artist and fellow Etsy seller Gracie Wieber telling me she included one of my bracelets on her blog Artists/Artisans. It's part of her Karma Collection, a weekly feature of artists selling on the web.

This is a first for me and to say I'm excited is, well, ridiculously understated. I'm ecstatic. Please read it and browse her fabulous paintings and jewelry made of fibers. Great stuff.

Thanks Gracie!

The Whole Bead Show, NYC

2010-03-22T20:02:00.001-04:00

Back from the Whole Bead Show at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC, where my friend Maria and I did some serious retail (bead) therapy. The selection was immense; we spent hours touching and feeling and picking up hundreds of strands of beads. Here are some that made it home with us.

Rondelles in all sizes and brilliant, gorgeous colors. They'll be great with bronze for a vintage feel, and with lots of silver for something more modern.

Small dangle charms wrapped with silver are perfect for charm clusters on necklaces.

Lampwork bead for a pendant.

Hill Tribe Silver flower pendants and clasps.

Peace. Love. Happiness
For the wee, little girls.

It was the first time I went to this show and thought it was very well done and met some very friendly fellow bead enthusiasts picking their way through all the goodies just as we were. Of course we spent way too much moolah but that was the point.

Internet Inspiration

2010-03-11T20:28:00.002-05:00

In my quest to figure out the perfect social media marketing plan to sell my jewelry, I've come across some super-talented people who are not only great crafters, but savvy marketing experts as well (those with the right and left brains that are actually in sync). Many of them share their success tips and offer up words of wisdom to the rest of us out here.

Bess Callard, a graphic designer from Vienna, Austria has a blog I'm absolutely crazy about. It has a mellow and peaceful feel and her writing style is sparse yet filled with little gems. Read it here --The English Muffin Blog and be sure to check out the cool little zebra on her page.

Crafting an MBA is written by Megan Auman who is an artist, crafter, athlete, teacher and small business guru. She does a great job reminding her readers that it's one thing to create a great piece of art or a unique new craft, but in the process you also have to think like a CEO. Yup, we've got to have a plan and she's can easily guide us through that. Reading her blog is a must for getting your craft biz off the ground.

Happiness is Bold Color

2010-03-10T14:40:00.006-05:00

Just back from visiting my dad in not-so-sunny Florida. But lousy weather is a good excuse to go bead shopping which I did and had a ball.

First I found these gorgeous hanks of seed beads in a mix of my absolute favorite colors -- various shades of greens with just a hint of blue. I'll mix them with some more colors in the same family and get to work on a bracelet or necklace with oodles of strands. More is more, as I always say.

I got these turquoise nuggets for Christmas and have been staring at them ever since. When I first saw them I thought they were too raw and chunky but after playing around with them, I've changed my mind.

Here's a bracelet I made and I think it's pretty cool. Funny how taste can change. Plus they feel great in your hand; so much texture. Next up, a super-chunky necklace with the same stones.

My next post will be back on the subject of social networking. I've got lots of new tips and trends to share.

Shameless Self-Promotion Section

2010-03-01T19:17:00.001-05:00

New necklace I just listed on Etsy. Love the colors.

PR, Jewelry and How to Sell Stuff

2010-03-01T19:11:00.000-05:00

When I recently decided to turn my serious jewelry-making hobby into a business opportunity, I thought, well ok, I’ll create my designs, post them online, do some word-of-mouth and email marketing, and the sales would pour in. Yes, I’ve got quite the sense of humor.

A quick Google search of Handcrafted Jewelry Designs turned up 11,800,000 hits. Narrowing that down to Handcrafted Beaded Jewelry which is more specifically what I make, didn't help much -- 5,660,000 including mine. Big problem but I've got some ideas.

Professionally, I’m a public relations consultant, working for more years than I care to count for large corporations and small, local businesses. (Bear with me, there is a connection here). The industry has changed dramatically from the old-school practice of writing a press release, sending it out to contacts at various media outlets and getting a story written about whatever it was I was pitching. But that was then.

Today it’s all about online social marketing which is vast and overwhelming but I’m going to figure it all out and sell some jewelry. I'm an eager student determined to be an expert at Twitter, FaceBook and the rest of them to see if all this new stuff actually works. I'll routinely post my results and let you know the good, the bad and the profitable.

Any comments, suggestions, advice, opinions are always welcome.

2010-02-15T15:59:00.004-05:00

Just a day of trying to organize all my beading stuff which is taking over. Any good tips or suggestions on storage? I'll take them.My bead habit needs some organizational skills.

This desk is a mess!

These are the teal version of the blush earrings I posted yesterday. Really pretty color

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T18:02:00.004-05:00

This is a great day to start a blog -- lots of love for my family and friends, now and always.

To celebrate the special day, I made this bracelet for my friend Sarah. It was "commissioned" by her young son who wanted something with a heart on it. Hope she loves it and that it always reminds her of him.

I just put these new blush or champagne-pink earrings up on Etsy. I love the color. I'm dreaming of spring. There will be lots more of these in great colors.