Stunner

Some things are meant for greatest.

In this case, the above treasury of handmade beauty graced Etsy's front page this morning. Created by Swept from the Sea Designs,

this collection included my brooch as an alternative, but the powers that be gave the little brooch a front row seat!!

Thank you!

AND, don't forget.....only 5 more days to enter my giveaway!!

This is the piece up for grabs!

Porcelain Caffeine

I'm beat.

All I want to do is sleep. A persistent chest/sinus thing and long nights awake have done me in. However, rest I can not as a lively 3 1/2 year old rules the nest.

Which, I suppose, is all for the better.

To add some needed zest and excitement to my day, I played with some new super amazing porcelain cabochons from Maggie at Magpie Pottery.

Maggie has very, very lovely work in her shop and I urge you all to take a peek.

I will be incorporating these little masterpieces into my button cluster

necklaces and pendants,

like this one.

I'm still tired, but creatively I'm wide awake!

Sketching Clusters

I have a long list of to do's, get done's, and remember to call's. Occasionally, running this studio, this self-contained little business of mine, is an overwhelming job for this CEO (I hate to admit this, but it is true...I'm not Wonder Woman after all).

Unfortunately, the part I love the very most gets pushed away and forgotten from time to time.

To remedy this troubling situation, I have been forfeiting sleep to get some much needed designing accomplished.

After the house has settled, I retreat to the studio, close the door, and bury myself in creation. Here's some photos of my latest assemblages.

This lovely collar neckpiece in the works will be heading to a funky new boutique, Salty Teacup, in Portland, Oregon.

The good news is I have 5 new cluster brooches and necklaces in the works. The bad news is that I'm really, really tired after a few sessions of late night design work.

G'Night!

ps...if you have not entered my giveaway, click here!

Tuesday's Newbies

Here's a preview of two new pieces to join my shop later today. Later after I perform the Mommy Helper duty at my daughter's preshool...later after I struggle to get her to eat her lunch...later after a much needed visit to her pediatrician to look into an ear problem. Perhaps then I can find a good chunk of time to devote to my new pendants.

In other news, I am exhibiting on papernstitch from February 21st to March 22nd. Have not been to papernstitch? You must go NOW! Hand selected and handmade beauties all on one site!

Wanna enter a Quench-tastic Giveaway? Click HERE!

Front Page Blues

I found my diamond dome ring on Etsy's Front Page! Thank you to Call Me Mini for this spot-on curation. That aqua/robin's egg blue color transports me to my happy place.

And that place is here.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Happy Sunday everyone.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Giveaway!

*giveaway has ended*

OK, folks! Here it is. A Quench-tastic Giveaway! Here's the rules:

TO ENTER:

FLeave a comment in today's (2/19/10) posting and become a follower of my blog if you have not done so already. If you do not follow this blog, your chance is forfeited.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

FIn addition to the above requirements, tweet about this giveaway and my little blog on your Twitter account! Please leave a comment with the link to your tweet! This will get you another chance for this lovely pendant.

FBecome a follower of Quench's Facebook Page. Leave a comment on my wall indicating which blog follower you are. Doing so will provide you with one more chances as well.

The Quench-tastic Giveaway will end on March 5th at 12:00pm EST. I will announce the winner around 4pm or so that day. Good luck!

A Giveaway in the Making

The universe was good to me this past week. Thank you, powers that be. Appearances in blogs, moments on Etsy's Front Page kingdom, the Etsy Fashion Week Voter (thank you for voting....my ring did not make it to the top five, but we're ok with that), and a very exciting future collaboration helped fan the fires of creativity and boost my wavering confidence.

To return the positive energy and keep it floating about, I'm having...*drum roll please*... A GIVEAWAY!! Be on the lookout tomorrow afternoon for my latest blog post featuring the finished giveaway prize. In these poorly lit photos is the giveaway piece (work in progress)...and, yes, there will be a vintage button or two involved!

TO ENTER:

FLeave a comment in tomorrow's (2/19/10) posting and become a follower of my blog if you have not done so already. If you do not follow this blog, your chance is forfeited.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

FIn addition to the above requirements, tweet about this giveaway and my little blog on your Twitter account! Please leave a comment on tomorrow's posting with the link to your tweet! This will get you another chance for this lovely pendant.

FBecome a follower of Quench's Facebook Page. Leave a comment on my wall indicating which blog follower you are. Doing so will provide you with one more chances as well.

The Quenchtastic giveaway will end on March 5th at 12:00pm EST. I will announce the winner around 4pm or so. Good luck!

Piece of the Tropics

Here's a new piece that will go into my Etsy shop later this week! This little baby was in the planning during this blog post. I'm pleased with the finished pendant. Gosh, do I have more ideas and designs for this collection!

This pendant is a recycled sterling silver dot with 18k gold jump rings, a sterling chain, and a 22k gold bezel-set apatite stone which is the exact color of the Sea of Abaco in the Bahamas. Apatite supposedly enhances insight, creativity, and confidence. I just see a lovely stone that makes me crave some warm tropical water!

Vote Now!

"Truth is not determined by majority vote." ~Doug Gwyn

I'll keep that quote in mind for the next six days. My nickel silver oval ring with Ceylon sapphire is among some very edgy, modern, and fresh creations in Etsy's Voter. The voter titled Which Fashion Item Rules the Runway celebrates NYC's intoxicating Fashion Week. Honestly, I don't follow fashion trends. As an artist, I express myself through metal and relish pushing the limits of conventional jewelry design and techniques. Now for a little background about your candidate, the ring:

Hand dapped and gently planished nickel ovals were soldered together to create a hollow structure. The nickel silver surface is peppered with slight pits, scratches, and discolorations to emphasize its urban warrior character. The hand tapered ring shank is 18k royal yellow gold. At the center of the oval, is a whisper pale blue Ceylon sapphire set in a 22k gold bezel. All handmade and worth every penny!

So, my ring needs your vote. I need your vote. How thrilling it would be to be one of the five top picks! Yes, I am shamelessly campaigning, but my heart is true and we promise not to raise taxes.

Patience is a Virtue?

I have a hard time with patience. When I become inspired, motivated, or obsessed (as my husband calls it), I research, invest, rework, edit, and tweak until I achieve my goal. For the past year, I have dedicated countless hours to my "shop" on Etsy... much to the chagrin of Mr. Quench as the daily order of things suffers. However, the bulk of my business is online and as a business owner, I must tend shop to achieve success. Convenient, yes. I can run my whole business with never getting out of my pajamas if I so pleased.

However, Etsy is also home to thousands and thousands of other jewelry folks. With all of my listing and relisting, photo editing, treasury making, and general networking and cavorting through Etsy's vast online neighborhoods, one would expect that my goals of robust sales and front page appearances are common. Not true. Honestly, I get down right discouraged. If you were a tiny microphone inside my head, you would hearing me screaming like a 4 year old "Pay attention to me, Etsy!"

Then, something like this week happens. A front page appearance twice! My work featured in several treasuries. And good sales as well. I'm reinvigorated and my faith in the Etsy world is restored. I wish I knew how to bottle a great week such as this one. However, good weeks are fickle in the online e-commerce world of ours. Perhaps I should find some bottled patience to aid me through the slower weeks. Here's wishing all of your patience and pacing in reaching your aspirations!

Can You Read This?

I love this button in my latest ring. I bought a set of four from a vendor at a good old Maine flea market. Genuine plastic (like the pairing of those two words?), translucent, and finished with some lovely foreign text. I suppose I could google some of those words and find their origins. Nah, I think a good mystery deepens the interest of this ring. What do you think?

Are you Game?

I landed myself a treasury late last night purely by chance. In celebration of all things Valentine's and slightly naughty, I came up with this treasury titled Love Game. No, Lady GaGa is not a favorite of mine, but I do like the term. Please visit these shops for more fabulously sultry wares!