a christmas diy!

i just love pinterest.  i love getting holiday inspiration and i try to accomplish at least one or two of my favorites.  well, i completed my first of the season!  i absolutely adored the look of these white christmas ornaments from bazar & co with festive words and stars on them!

white christmas boules collection

i knew that i could turn this into a diy with some plain white christmas ornaments and a paint pen!  i love the writing font as well, so i tried to copy it as close as i could while still keeping it easy and free-handing it.

well, i couldn't be happier with the results!!  it took hardly any time at all...perhaps 20 minutes at the most.  i can't wait to put these into a cute little container and display them for the holidays!

i'm tempted to pick up a few more and go to town making a bunch of these babies!  what do you think?

flashmob 3rd place!

i absolutely love creating treasuries.  and i am on a couple teams that have phenomenal treasury curators.  so, when i am blessed with a third place win in one of the challenges, it is an honor!  this weeks theme was "ataraxia", defined as follows:  Ataraxia (Ἀταραξία "tranquility") is a Greek term used by Pyrrho and Epicurus for a lucid state of robust tranquility, characterized by ongoing freedom from distress and worry. It is a calmness untroubled by mental or emotional disquiet. It is a suspension of judgement, an absence of dogmatic beliefs, and a dissociation from fear, all while free from the influence of passion's elixir. It is associated with friendship, trust, virtue and affection.

i was inspired to create three treasuries with this theme, but one in particular was about my personal life and the peace i find within it.  this was my third place entry.  i hope you enjoy! (the actual treasury can be found here)

     

'ataraxia... pieces of me' by AveryBethDesigns

featuring slowfirepapercraft and americangraphics
www.etsy.com/teams/9309/treasury-flash-mob

Witchy Woman - summer h... TiffanyDearbo... $15	Tranquil Photo, Still L... BitsofLifeIma... $30	Black Pug Art  print - ... paintmydog $47	Fine Art Print Unbeliev... RoselightStud... $75
Preservation - approx 1... karinelizabet... $15	Handmade marigold paper... SlowFirePaper... $18	Vintage Mirror Home Dec... nowvintage $38	Learning to Sin - FREE ... caryndrexl $57
Horizon Emotion - Fine ... BOHOPAGEprint... $20	Beautiful Decayed Aband... InGodWeRust $24	10" x 10" Art... AmericanGraph... $22	Artistic nude woman on ... tree3art $25
Two Girls 8x12 Fine Art... TheLightFanta... $25	PLAY - Photograph, Prin... theotherjeani... $30	Piano Photography, Dark... ellemoss $30	Surreal portrait - Girl... erikakvictor $20

Treasury tool by StylishHome.

 

tumble time

i was gifted a tumbler for my birthday to use in my business.  i have been so excited to try it out and see the difference in my pieces after a little tumble.  well, i finally tried it out!

here is what i am using:  the lortone 3A 3lb tumbler.

i decided to try out a metal-only piece first.  the piece definitely came out shinier and full of a gorgeous luster.  however, note to amateur tumblers:  google how to keep necklace chain from getting tangled BEFORE you try it out for the first time.  boy was that chain a mess!

overall, i am VERY excited to try out more of my jewelry in this lovely machine.  this time with some tricks to keep my chain from getting all twisted-sister on me!

new packaging

i am so very excited to receive my new batch of packaging supplies!  and even more excited that i finally went through my initial batch!  i really liked what i had initially, but i wanted to invest a little more and so had some custom earring cards made.  i am also switching up my box color a little bit...it is actually what i originally wanted to go with, but now i can make it happen!  as soon as i go through my original ribbon, i will likely change that up slightly as well...though perhaps only by narrowing down my options!

i can't wait to get all the supplies in and use them!  if you want to see what the new packaging will be, come check out averybethdesigns and place an order for you or a loved one!  the new packaging will be in place after the holidays!

one last day to get your orders in in time for holiday shipping!  come check out the shop and order by december 18th!  if you want to place an order after the 18th, send me a convo on etsy and we can work out an upgrade in shipping.

happy holidays!!

the process

i have been finding myself inspired to create lately.  i have a small, but decent collection of gemstones and materials that i continually look through and find myself moved to create different pieces.  i love how various stones look together.  a pair of earrings can look so very different when one single gemstone is replaced!

i think my favorite thing about creating jewelry is the creative process.  i love making one of a kind pieces.  i am able to use whatever stones i am moved to use in that moment and then create a piece.  perhaps i have enough stones to make another, but overall, i create a piece and then look to see what inspires me next.  i know that it causes more work for me on the selling end of things...coming up with names, writing descriptions, but honestly i love all that too!  i used to write poetry when i was younger and i miss it quite a bit.  writing jewelry descriptions and giving them names taps into that creative energy i miss so much.

i have to be careful not to just shop and shop for gemstones and components.  i will see various stones and metals and HAVE to have them for a piece.  i hold myself back almost every time, but it is rather difficult.  i am hoping that once my sales pick up (crossing fingers) that i will be able to indulge a bit more in this aspect of making jewelry.  i love searching for pieces that i can envision using in one piece or another.  already my style and tastes have branched out.  i thought i would stick to pretty simple items, but my mind is wanting me to go farther and more creative.  it will be wonderful when i can act on that!

i have added a bunch of new items to my shop and still have more coming!  it is so exciting to see my little etsy shop grow!  i hope with more and more people seeing my shop and my jewelry through various avenues, that soon it will take off and i can do a little happy dance of joy.  heck, if the happy dance of joy i did after my first sale is any standard to go by, it will be one *heck* of a happy dance!


patricia
http://www.etsy.com/shop/AveryBethDesigns