earthcharms

Reconnect

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:09:00 +0000

I see and sense the separation everywhere. The news reporters telling us to beware of anything and everything. The fences built higher to block our neighbors out. The windows covered in iron bars, as if our homes were jails.

Women walk by me with their heads down, looking at their shoes. This subservient stance makes my heart ache. Think of all the things they miss while trying to avoid your eye contact! They have been made to fear a smile from a stranger.

Community dies while the individual is taught to sit in their fortress, strong on their own, never to ask for help or show a sign of weakness. Emotions are shoved into stomach ulcers and migraines until an act of violence purges it in one fell swoop.

You want a horror story for Halloween? Well, that horror story is called Separatism.

The truth is: it isn't more dangerous out there now than it was fifty years ago. Now we just have 24-hour news channels competing for your paranoia and the internet spreading lies and fear faster than Southern California's wildfires. The truth is: now we lock up our children with video games and microwave meals rather than allow them to ride their bikes and climb trees, then we wonder why they have diabetes and no friends. The truth is: no one wants to get involved for fear of retaliation. The truth is: when my boyfriend suffered a psychotic break and was hurling furniture at me, none of my neighbors called the police no matter how hard I screamed.

The question is: are you ready to fix this?

Step 1: Choose Positivity. Perhaps you are having a terrible day, week, month, or even year. Everyone has been there at some point in their life. Raise up your head and face everyone. Don't walk facing your shoes, or you'll suffocate your throat chakra and block your communication. Make eye contact with the people who walk by you. Smile, say "good morning", reconnect without fear.

Step 2: Be Grateful. Once a week, make a list of five things you're happy about. No "buts" allowed. "I am happy because the flowers in my garden look beautiful today." "I am glad because my car runs." "I am grateful for my ability to bake great cookies." Nothing is too mundane for this list! Rejoice in the little things that make your life worth living, and forget about the greed and mass-consumerism you've been told to embrace.

Step 3: Be Kind. Try to offer two unsolicited compliments every day. You'll find a world of wealth in the smiles you'll create.

Step 4: Question Your Anger. Most of the time our anger toward someone else is rooted in anger toward ourselves. When you find yourself angry, really probe into the reason why. Write it down and forgive yourself. We judge others so harshly without thinking about it, and it's very unhealthy. Neutralize your judgments and anger by adding an obvious statement to the end of each, like "The sky is blue." Your brain should eventually realize how useless these judgments are.

Step 5: Don't Confuse Your Wants With Your Needs. Does it really matter that your neighbor bought a new car and you can't afford to? How full must your shopping cart be before you're happy? Is that really happiness? Do you want that person in your life because you enjoy them or because they serve a purpose to you? Is a brand name really better? Is your event going to be so much bigger and better than so-and-sos event was? Why? Who are you trying to impress? What do you really need in your life? Think about it for a moment. Make a list. Okay? Now try to stop saying "need" when you mean "want". Take the pressure off yourself.

Reconnect.

It's almost here...

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:07:00 +0000

Autumn is just around the corner. I can smell it in the cool breeze every morning, and feel it on my skin as the sun sinks down to the horizon earlier and earlier.

This time of year is always filled with promise for me: the blazing heat of summer is about to end and soon I'll be simmering huge pots of apple cider for my friends. I'll be baking pumpkin bread and ginger snaps, putting together my Halloween costume, decorating my home until it is nearly unrecognizable, harvesting the last of my summer garden's fruits, and busting out the heavy coat and scarves!

It's time for horror movie marathons with your friends! It's time to put away your nasty leaf-blower and get some exercise using the rake! It's time to relish in hearing electronic screams coming from every general store! It's time to dig through bins of pumpkins for that perfect one! Or two... or three...

Come on, Autumn, let's go have some fun.

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Do something different. Get a little knotty at earthcharms.

earthcharms on Etsy... disappearing?

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:06:00 +0000

Well, yes and no.

Yes in the fact that I refuse to keep renewing items on Etsy for 20 cents a piece to keep them from expiring. I do not like the expiration dates, and I really do not like the fact that they encourage you to renew items to compete with other sellers for attention (especially with the influx of supply sellers and all the machine-made junk that is sneaked in). It just reeks of corporate greed.

As a consequence, my once 9-page store has shrunk to 3 pages and since I haven't been photographing and listing new items lately, will probably continue to shrink.

The good new is: all those lovely earthcharms creations can be found on 1000 Markets. I find it to be a much better venue for a number of reasons. The only downfall there is the current lack of international shipping. If you are an international buyer, I will be happy to list anything you see in my 1000 Markets store on my Etsy store so you can purchase it. Just let me know!

The Craft Faires are here!

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:23:00 +0000

After months of me stressing out about not finding any venues to sell in, I finally have my foot in the door. I had to take a step in bravery that I usually consider then discard: I wrote a letter to a new craft faire organizer and told her I would be a great addition whatever she was doing! She called me up and praised my boldness (she used another "b" word, actually), and sent me an enrollment package.

This Sunday, July 19th from 10am-4pm I will be selling at the Sonoma County Artisans & Crafters Faire at McDonald's Mission Plaza in Santa Rosa, CA. I have high hopes for the traffic in the area, as I know it's always busy there.

The following Sunday, July 26th I will be selling in a private community on the Russian River. I did this last year and had so much fun!

I can't wait to not only show everyone my new jewelry lines, but also unveil my bath & body products to the public for the first time. Hopefully it will motivate me to get it all online as well.

Needless to say, my products will not be available during those times.

I am very excited for Sundays!

Gemstone Show

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:58:00 +0000

I am a rock geek. I love gemstone beads, to be sure, but to know about the mineral makes the beads so much more special. How they form, where they come from, the shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties of minerals are all so fascinating.

I was lucky enough to find out about a gem show that takes place this weekend in San Rafael. I met up with a friend there this morning around 10am and didn't leave until 2:30! A hotel that I could never afford to stay in hosted the event on their second floor. Yes, I braved the elevator. Yes, I made a fool of myself. What can I say? I just don't have the inner ear for elevation changes like that!

There had to have been 30 rooms full of brightly-lit display cases. Each case containing vast treasures. I probably looked like a silly tourist brandishing my camera at everything that sparkled, but I really don't care. I wanted to capture just a tiny fraction of the unbelievable specimens I got to see (and I touched a piece of rhodochrosite that would sell for $150,000!).

Amidst all the sparkling expensive chaos, I managed to find a strand of beads I just couldn't leave behind (neon blue apatite rondells, if you're curious). I was gingerly stroking the strands of emeralds, sapphires, and rubies but they were just a tad out of my price range! I did manage to find a small cabinet piece of wonderfully translucent green fluorite for $20 and a lovely chunk of quartz points for my sister's birthday.

If you would like to see all of my pictures, just click here to view the album.

I had a great time and will definitely go back next year!

Gluten-free attempt, Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:04:00 +0000

Today is day 1 of me attempting to eat gluten-free for 21 days. All was going well until I picked up a loaf of gluten-free bread at Trader Joe's and it felt like I was holding a brick! Completely turned off by unappetizing brick bread, I opted for gf crackers instead (not the worst crackers I've ever had, but nothing I would look forward to buying again). I also picked up gf ginger snaps to try out (pretty good, but oddly gritty finish).

After browsing gf recipes, it became clear that in order to bake I would need potato flour, potato starch, and rice flour at the very least. I will go ahead and assume that I can find these things at Whole Foods. If not, my craving for bread and cookies may send me into psychotic fits.

Another item high on the list of things to buy is gf soy sauce. I am a CSA member, so I get a big box of fresh veggies every week. If I can't stir fry and/or saute them in soy sauce, then my recipe list will be nearly useless! I have to keep reminding myself that at least I can still use my beloved extra virgin olive oil, which I go through almost as fast as water.

Reading labels is turning into a depressing thing. The hash browns I enjoy for breakfast have wheat in them (because potatoes are just not enough, it seems), many sausages contain gluten, and my favorite Ben & Jerry's flavors have cookie bits in them!

I am not even going to touch on the restaurant factor today. I'll spare you that much whining.

It's a sad day for this pizza-loving, cookie-baking, oat-adoring bread-a-holic.

New Body Goodies

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:21:00 +0000

Last night I made the first attempt at Skin Salvation, which is a formula for scars, burns, eczema, psoriasis, and very dry skin. It contains cocoa butter and macadamia nut oil, so it naturally smells like dessert! It's also 100% food grade, so if you really feel like tasting it you can. I did encounter a problem: I poured the mixture into two tins and in the second tin the oils separated from the solids. I cut into the salve in the first tin after it had finished setting to see if that had separated too, but it didn't. I'm thinking the mixture needs to stay pretty warm and I need to keep stirring it like a maniac while I'm pouring it. Skin Salvation is going to come in nice big (2.5" in diameter) 4oz tins. The printer labels look awful, but I don't have many other options right now. Besides, you don't need to pay for a label when the product is quality!

I also made some tubes of mandarin orange lip balm, and tart lip balm (lemon, lime, and grapefruit), and some more gentle face scrub. I cut down on the wheat germ oil in the lip balm mix so the essential oils would have more of a fighting chance to smell good. But my nose has been stuffy ever since the tree pollen levels rose at the beginning of May, so I can't really tell how well they turned out! I have samples of each at work with me today and I'm going to make other people smell them. Make, not ask. Haha.

Also ready to be photographed and put up for sale are: mud mask, tile & tub scrub, and body butter bars.

I like being a mad scientist.

Klunk getting chin scratches

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:09:00 +0000

Klunk getting chin scratches
Originally uploaded by salyx

My cat Klunk is sick.

The vet yesterday informed me that she has a lot of fluid in her abdomen. So much, in fact, that the x-ray didn't show any of her guts. Her heart and lungs are visible... but her heart has a murmur. He told me that these are serious symptoms and recommended a cardiologist in Rohnert Park. He mentioned the possibility of congestive heart disease.

I fell apart. I honestly could not breathe. All the air was getting stuck in my throat. I was crying so hard I couldn't see straight. My baby, my best friend, my constant loving companion...

Klunk and I came home to a 90F apartment. Both miserable. I was losing my mind. I called my friend Kaci and asked if she would be willing to buy me a portable swamp cooler and I would pay her back when I could. She tried, but the local stores don't carry them. She and her husband Dave came over and bought me one online. Then they took me out to dinner, which was a saving grace because as soon as we got to the pizza place I realized I was STARVING. I also called my friend Travis and he offered to take me to the pet hospital and of course I agreed.

Today I stayed home from work. I slept in as best I could, with one hand on Klunk at all times. I used my nervous energy to clean up around the apartment, as it needed it desperately (I had to do dishes THREE TIMES to catch up). I left to run errands (GO to refill water jugs, bank to deposit checks from mom, dad's work to pick up the DVD I left at their house, the gas station because my gas light turned on, and Video Droid to drop off the late DVD). Travis was there when I got home. I fed him lunch as a thank you, then we packed Klunk up and drove to Rohnert Park. Before getting into the car, I popped half a klonopin (leftover from a panic disorder I struggled with for years). It was a good call except for the fact that I'm not used to the stuff anymore and Travis had to keep propping me up. The people at the pet hospital are REALLY nice. They all told me how much they loved Klunk because she's a patient and cuddly girl who doesn't fight. They did two sonograms and drew fluid. Klunk's heart murmur has nothing to do with the fluid build up, and is something I only should have checked on once a year. The fluid isn't a horrible color, but they aren't sure what's causing it. They are going to contact me tomorrow after doing lab work on it. I called the vet and he said the blood tests were negative for viral issues and her kidneys and liver are functioning properly.

The bills for this so far are: $1432.85 and will only climb while we look for a diagnosis and try to find treatments.

I have decided to not have a birthday party, but instead have a Craft Sale for Klunk. All I need is a venue and people willing to help me spread the word.

My state of mind is scared but pretty positive. Klunk isn't acting differently at all. She's still my crazy kitten, just now she's full of fluid possibly caused by a failing organ. I hope with all my might that it's something we'll be able to treat with pills or injections or regular draining.

Please light a candle for my Bugg Bugg. Thank you to my angels: Kaci, Mom, and Travis.

Sick Day

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:51:00 +0000

New
Originally uploaded by salyx

I called in sick to work today. I haven't been sleeping well all week and it finally caught up with me.

Sick days mean earthcharms days...

I've made 13 new earrings! They're a full spectrum of fun gemstones and all but one are Budget-Friendly Beauties, which means they'll all sell for under $10! People have been asking for more small pairs of earrings, so here they are.

We're talking: carnelian, agate, citrine, prehnite, apatite, kyanite, amethyst, fluorite, rhodochrosite, labradorite, moonstone, and larvikite. Something for everyone!

(And yes, this means I've found my camera)

25 Albums that Made Me Me.

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:21:00 +0000

Music has had a huge effect on my life and my creative process. Here's a list of the 25 albums that had the biggest influence on me over the years, in no particular order.

25 albums that had a huge impact on me, and my favorite song from each:

1. Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes - Crucify
2. John Prine - Sweet Revenge - Sweet Revenge
3. Sunshine Blind - Liquid - Release
4. Nine Inch Nails - Broken - Gave Up
5. Bon Jovi - Keep the Faith - Bed of Roses
6. Live - Throwing Copper - Lightening Crashes
7. Switchblade Symphony - Serpentine Gallery - Gutter Glitter
8. Credence Clearwater Revival - Willy and the Poor Boys - The Midnight Special
9. AFI - Sing the Sorrow - Miseria Cantare (the Beginning)
10. Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers - Americano - Switchblade
11. Fiona Apple - Tidal - Shadowboxer
12. The Cruxshadows - The Mystery of the Whisper - Sympathy for Tomorrow
13. Joan Osborne - Relish - Pensacola
14. Jeff Buckley - Grace - Hallelujah
15. The Dreamside - Faerie Child - Faerie Child
16. Psychotica - Espina - Soldier of War
17. Heather Nova - Oyster - Walk This World
18. Placebo - Black Market Music - Peeping Tom
19. Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion - Judas
20. Linda Rondstadt - Greatest Hits - Long Long Time
21. Rasputina - How We Quit The Forest - The New Zero
22. Tool - Aenima - Forty Six and Two
23. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells - Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
24. The Rolling Stones - Through the Past Darkly, the Hits - Paint It, Black
25. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon - Dark Side of the Moon

O Camera, Where Art Thou?

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:15:00 +0000

My camera has gone missing!

Since my place of residence is only 13x22 feet, it's not likely that I missed it while frantically searching for it this morning.

It isn't a great camera by any stretch of the imagination, but it's what I could afford and it does the job (most of the time). I can't even imagine where it could be (besides perhaps at my parents' house?)! That's what I get for not using it much lately, it ran away! I bet it packed up the remote and tripod and ran off with them to smite me.

Well, that hurts, camera. I'm upset that you would leave. I wanted to take a picture to brighten someone's day today, and now I cannot.

Harumph.

Remember the good times, Camera, and come back to me soon.

Scrub-A-Dub-Dub

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:56:00 +0000

My mother cursed me with sensitive skin.

I absolutely love bath and body products, but finding one I can use sometimes proves to be a strain on my patience. Mineral Oil? No thanks! Lanolin? Makes me itch. Avocado oil? I'm allergic. Shea Butter? Makes my lips peel when it's in my lip balm. I'm also highly opposed to fillers and dangerous preservatives.

It only made sense that my next venture be simple and natural body care. I want all the goodies: scrub, bath oil, lotion, lip balm... only stripped down to the basics. I want kaolin clay and apricot kernel meal. I want wheat germ oil and grapeseed oil. I want candelilla wax so my products can be vegan-friendly.

I started with the face scrub. I've been making and using my own for two months and I know it's perfect! Then I made a cooling and a warming bath soak, followed by bath oil. I'm still working on the lotion and lip balm, but they won't be too far behind!

The other project close to my heart is natural home care. In December, I stopped using store-bought, chemical-laden products to clean my house. I used to get rip-roaring headaches from housecleaning, and now I don't. I hope to share with you my tile & tub scrub, toilet cleaner & drain maintainer, and multi-purpose cleaner (which is a natural pest deterrent!).

My thought is this: If I'm not supposed to touch it or breathe it in, I don't want to clean my house with it!

I hope you're as excited about my new creative direction as I am!

You Are Important

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 22:02:00 +0000

Survivor
Originally uploaded by salyx

Last night my mother told me that her friend, Joanne, had passed away. Joanne was a vibrant, loving person. She had an amazing energy around her that I really enjoyed. My mom loved her dearly.

Joanne put off getting a pap smear for eight years. She didn't seek medical attention until she had been hemmoraging for two weeks straight. She made it through a round of chemotherapy, but the cancer came back and spread so quickly. Mom was lucky enough to spend two days with Joanne right before she died. Mom told me that Joanne's legs kept moving like she was trying to get out of bed, but mom would calm her and say, "Yes, sweetie, you are going to leave... but your body isn't coming with you."

I am sharing all of this because you need to know that you are very important. If you weren't around, someone out there would miss you very much. Even if you can't afford medical insurance to cover the cost of a visit to the doctor, there are many low-cost clinics out there that can help you.

It is amazing how quickly "It's nothing" can turn into "I'm dying".

A few days ago one of my best friends contacted me, asking that I make a pair of earrings for a colleague of hers that has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. They are the earrings in the picture, and I hope they do some magic.

Warmer Weather

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:47:00 +0000

Every February in Northern California has at least two weeks of warm weather. It was January, then suddenly it feels like May. The sun, though still riding low in the sky, lights a creative fire in me that I cannot contain. This has been happening for as long as I can remember: the tingle of excitement starts down in my feet, as though Mother Earth is passing her happiness up through me. My legs want to move more, so I have to go out for walks and bike rides. My insides feel silly, and I laugh with more ease. Then it all goes to my head and I MUST create. I must clean house and bake treats and sew and color and make jewelry. My mind is spinning with creative energies! I close my eyes and I see a sea of red & pink hearts, candles, and gemstones.

This is a mid-point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. They say this is when the animals would begin to lactate again, and people of long ago would know spring was on its way.

I guess in a way I still feel this ancient current of excitment.

The Moving Process

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:18:00 +0000

I am through with the stressful part of moving (finding a new place to live), done with the strenuous part of moving (getting all the furniture moved), and am now dealing with the annoying part of moving (moving all the little things, cleaning up, just wanting to be DONE).

Needless to say, my creative process has taken a back burner to bubble wrap and packing tape. My new home is the smallest place I have ever lived, but I can afford it without a roommate. What's wonderful about it (besides the double-paned windows!) is it looks very much like an adorable artist's studio. I packed all my jewelry-making supplies into it last night, and now cannot wait to get working! I think the cozy and quiet environment will be perfect for me.

It also forces me to clean up after myself or suffer the fate of drowning in a pile of junk. ;)

Another Gem Faire, another dollar... or two or three

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:32:00 +0000

I showed great restraint at the Gem Faire this time around (and I will be saving up for April's Faire!).

I purchased some really great focal stones: rhodonite ovals tiger eye star carnelian donuts moss agate donut mother of pearl donuts

And a few strands of beads: dark blue kyanite (who needs sapphire?) rhodochrosite rectangles fluorite medallions faceted sunstone nuggets hand carved sunstone ovals mixed stone briolettes (sadly there are some mystery stones)

Usually I come home with so much swank that I don't know what to do with myself! I'm still really happy with my new treasures, and I think I'm going to work with that tiger eye star first.

I made a pirate choker for my Aunt Ira with mother of pearl and fresh water pearls. I hope she likes it. I'm working on two other pieces for my Aunt Ronda. One I keep changing the stones... it started with kyanite and fluorite, but now I'm using apatite and smoky quartz. I hope I get it right soon!

Know what you're buying and selling: the feldspars

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:33:00 +0000

Shimmers
Originally uploaded by salyx

I have recently seen a lot of larvikite being sold as spectrolite. I thought I would jump in here and straighten things out.

First of all, we will start with labradorite.

Labradorite (calcium sodium aluminum silicate) is a stone that doesn't look special until you see what we like to call "the flash". The surface of the stone shows off an amazing array of colors (sometimes a full spectrum). A mineral resource describes it this way, "Labradorite can produce a colorful play of light across cleavage planes and in sliced sections called labradorescence." Labradorite tends to be a dull grey/green in color until you see the flashes. Most of the flashes you see will be blue, aqua, green, yellow/gold, and orange.

Specrolite IS labradorite. It is the labradorite with the most intense colorful flashes, the highest quality mineral specimens. If you Google Image spectrolite, you'll see it's labradorite with the flash on full blast.

Now how about larvikite?

Larvikite is a feldspar like labradorite. This means it also has the flashy properties. However, larvikite is a grey and black stone with blue and white flashes. Larvikite is known by many names, including: Birds Eye Granite, Black Moonstone, Blue Norwegian Moonstone, Blue Pearl Granite, Blue Granite, Norwegian Pearl Granite, Emerald Pearl, and Pub Stone. It is not, however, a granite or a pearl by any means. It IS related to moonstone (which is also a flashy feldspar like labradorite).

Larvikite is not spectrolite! The colors of these stones are easily distinguishable.

Beautiful.

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:01:00 +0000

I have been lucky enough to witness a host of beautiful things this month. Thankfully I am the type to carry my camera around with me.

Most recently I witnessed a very bright double rainbow while in a Trader Joe's parking lot. This was the second rainbow Travis and I saw that day, and we were both overjoyed!

Earlier that day I was taking pictures of his new place, and caught a lovely sweeping shot of his huge front yard with big puffy storm clouds above.

A few weekends ago I remembered to take my camera out only AFTER the jewelry party had been packed up. So I took a picture of the beautiful tree we shared a room with!

And last but not least, on December 1st I looked up at a potted datura and was stunned by the sunlight shining through this magnificent trumpet flower.

I feel very lucky to have moments like these, and they certainly influence my work. Deep blue skies, twinkling lights, intense rainbows, delicate flowers, rich green fields, and threatening storm clouds all work their way into my brain and translate through my fingers into pieces of jewelry.

It's Not Me, It's the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:45:00 +0000

After a crash course training session at Easy Spirit, I was given a Nine West Outlet store to manage. This store was described by my district sales manager as "the red-headed step child store". It had poor numbers and a bad history of mis-managing. I took that store, washed its face, made sure it knew it was pretty, and treated it right. The numbers soared! Every quarter we averaged a 20% gain over the previous year's sales. We were the best-performing store in the district. Managers from other stores started calling me for advice, even though I was a newbie and rather young. My staff and I took every contest that came our way by the horns, winning tin after tin of goodies. Our disctric manager called me "the golden child" more than a few times during conference calls. I KNEW how to sell!

That was a few years ago. I have since left the store for jobs with schedules that allow me a social life and a tad more sanity. I started making jewelry to sell online, thinking my great selling skills would somehow help me out... but wait! An online buyer can't see my enthusiasm! I have no billboards! No corporate backing! The online malls I'm in are exponentially bigger than the mall my shoe store was in! Where did my Golden Child sales go? They're lost in a sea of digital jewelers...

Last year I wasn't terribly busy around the holidays, but I did sell 18 items online between November 1st and December 20th. This year, despite all my networking and better photographs and opening new venues, I've sold 2 and traded 2. I have to say, I started to lose faith in my product!

This past weekend really helped to open my eyes. On Saturday I spent six chilly hours selling at an odd warehouse gallery craft fair. The crowd wasn't all that big, and was an interesting mix of hippies and the artsy affluent. On Sunday I spent four warm hours selling at a jewelry party in an old Victorian, hosted by a friend's family. Again, not a huge crowd, but a nice group of chatty women talking about being budget-conscious this year. Thrifty or not, these two small crowds bought enough of my jewelry, ornaments, and postcards to pay my share of the rent this month. My faith has been renewed.

The internet is obviously not my best venue, but I will continue attempting to sell here. I think it's important for all of us to remember not to put all our eggs in one basket. Some people have a knack for selling online, and some of us are just better at getting in-person transactions.

And in case you were wondering: yes, people buying things has gotten me back into making things!
Just listed:
Blue Planet Earrings
Flash & Glow Necklace

Last Day!

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:23:00 +0000

It's the last day to take 15% off your entire order!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
earthcharms.etsy.com

I have to say: I'm pretty disappointed that I haven't sold a single thing! I guess that means more for the people coming to my jewelry party on December 7th. I get to try out the Etsy and 1000 Markets vacation features and take my wares to be seen in person. I'm really excited about that and hope I can sell enough to buy a few gifts for my family!

Etsy Fest Holiday Sale

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 01:10:00 +0000

***Esty Fest Holiday Sale!***

From Thursday, November 27th through Monday, December 1st (PDT), your entire order is 15% off! Either wait for a revised PayPal statement from me, or get a 15% refund after purchase.

Happy Holiday Shopping!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
earthcharms

That blog post below got some attention. :)

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:09:00 +0000

I'm featured on the 1000 Markets Community page!

121101

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:11:00 +0000

121101
Originally uploaded by salyx

We at earthcharms do not recommend eating Christmas lights (especially the flavorless white ones). We do, however, encourage the taking of interesting and inspired self-portraits, because you are beautiful. Yes, you are. Don't argue. Even if it takes 30-something tries sitting on your bedroom floor with your camera propped in front of a mirror so you can see what the camera sees in the reflection and trying to hit your remote control and get in place correctly (WHEW), it's still worth it to get one really nifty shot.

This picture is actually from two years ago, before I got into crafting. I've never taken a self portrait this cool since... maybe I should try. ;)

Why Macrame?

noreply@blogger.com (earthcharms) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:02:00 +0000

My mother taught me (and my Girl Scout troup) how to do basic macrame back in 1990. I didn't use it again until May of 2007. It seems so random when you think about that 16-year gap, so what happened?

I had been making very simplistic beads-on-a-string necklaces, but it turns out that a single strand of waxed linen will fray and snap over time. I had to think of some way to reinforce it, and suddenly I recalled macrame. At first I wasn't very good. I will openly admit that. My knots were loose and uneven, just like my memory of being 10 years old. As I experimented with it, my technique improved and so did my bead-buying habits. Pretty soon, I was branching my knots out. I never looked at a book or online tutorial for this, I just make it up as I went along. I was so very proud when my first pirate choker was finished, and the response to it was universally favorable. I started adding different colored waxed linen into the mix, and after some experimentation I came up with the button-style choker.

Though I eventually did give in and start buying chain for more traditional necklace styles, I will not give up the macrame. Many of my customers love tying on their necklaces and chokers, because then they fit perfectly! I've also been told by some of my customers that they love my pieces because they have metal sensitivities that otherwise limit their jewelry options. I understand that the word "macrame" itself conjures up visions of hemp plant hangers and owls on faux wood-paneled walls with shag carpet and avocado green furniture. My macrame involves no hemp (it's too thick for my beads and I find it itchy on my skin), and I'm certainly not selling you 70s styles. This is macame for the 21st century.