SOTW - PunkyJane

Our Wedding Day Mark Your Calendar Necklace

Happy October, folks! Our Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week comes to us from Sandy out in California - PunkyJane Jewelry. 

If you're in need of something personalized - PunkyJane's collection of hand stamped and personalized jewelry and accessories is the first place you should look. Names, dates, quotes, silly sayings - The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. There is a little something for everybody! Moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, brothers, sisters, friends, dogs, cats... Hamster? (Coming soon, perhaps.) Sandy's attention to detail, superior customer service and quirky/clever sense of style set her work apart. She is often inspired by her two favorite artists - her daughters, Hannah and Ella. "They have a way of looking at things that inspires me every day," says Sandy. "We could all use more of that child-like vision!"

Through online and print research and some good ol' fashioned trail and error, Sandy has honed her metal stamping over time. Her background as a graphic designer has helped her tremendously, "I love playing with letters! Now I just play with a hammer and steel stamps instead of the latest software from Adobe." 

Sandy is certainly a Twitter pro - Here's what she has to say for those just dipping their toes in the Twitter pool - "Have fun with it, but don’t expect too much. It takes a good mix of social media to help drive business, so don’t put your eggs in one gorgeous handmade basket (purchased on Etsy, of course!). I love the simplicity of the connections you make. Also, don't automatically follow everybody that follows you. Only follow the folks that interest you."

Here's another fun bit from Sandy - Not only does she collect erasers, but if stuck on a deserted island, she'd be eager to continue her Words with Friends games, "Do I have WiFi? Or 3G? Please? If so, my iPad so I could play Words with Friends! Okay, seriously...a raft, matches for a fire, and sunscreen. I burn easily."

Personalized Periodic Table Element

Now that you know a bit more about the mind behind PunkyJane Jewelry, be sure to take advantage of the Shop of the Week sale going on - 

Use the code PJSOTW for 15% off anything 

in my Etsy Shop, October 3-9, 2011.



Etsy Shop: PunkyJane.etsy.com
Twitter: twitter.com/PunkyJane
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PunkyJaneJewelry
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/punkyjane
Pinterest: pinterest.com/punkyjane

Shop of the Week -- FirebirdHouse

Introducing FirebirdHouse, the Etsy shop of Kristen Evans, and our Etsy Twitter Shop of the Week. FirebirdHouse offers books, jewelry, and home accessories. The common theme? Kristen loves using reclaimed and recycled materials as well as new. She says "I really love old things, especially books, and I am passionate about not losing a piece of history to the trash can or the landfill if I can help it." Her ultimate goal is to make everything that comes out of her studio a true work of art that is also useful and unique. It is not surprising that she is inspired by beautiful vintage items, everything from "furniture to an Art Nouveau book", she says.

Browsing FirebirdHouse, it is evident that her work is, by its very nature, unique and one of a kind. Kristen thrives on this variety: "When you work with vintage, you get used to the fact that every piece will be different. I am constantly challenged and inspired by what I do."

While Kristen is talented with updating vintage jewelry, her true love is vintage books. She is looking to move more into bookbinding and has just signed a gallery contract to do just that. How exciting to be able to do what you love most...and be recognized for your work! Congratulations, Kristen! She plans to migrate her FirebirdHouse inventory over to journals and other bookbinding efforts to reflect her changing focus.

Kristen is an accomplished Twitter user. Her only secret? "to interact as much as I can. My twitter-hood is a fantastic group of people, and I find them encouraging and inspiring." Conversely, to bring traffic to her shop, Kristen lists consistently (usually several times a week) and she uses posterous.com to post links to her new work in multiple places at the same time. "These are the best ways I have found for bringing people...to my shop."


FirebirdHouse is offering these SOTW discounts:
10% off all journals
20% off on all jewelry
No code necessary;
Prices will already be marked down!
effective October 11-17, 2010
~~~~~~~
Etsy Shop: http://firebirdhouse.etsy.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/firebirdhouse
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/firebirdhousedesigns
Blog: http://firebirdhouse.posterous.com

Written by Judy of WellspringCreations

Shop of the Week - inmyheadstudios

Our Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week is inmyheadstudios featuring altered mixed-media domino and game piece jewelry, microscope slide glass pendants, ACEOs (Art Cards Editions and Originals) by the talented Vickie Porter.

In describing her work, Vickie puts it best "I have a seriously good/bad relationship with perfectionism so my customers can rest assured they are getting top quality materials and artwork. It’s sometimes hard to tell in photos online, but the dominoes and microscope slide glass pendants have real tiny paper collages on them. I work with ridiculously small pieces of paper sometimes.

"My new line of archival prints on my domino jewelry has allowed me to reach new levels of detail for such a tiny canvas. I have been creating larger mixed media collage work in the same proportions as the dominoes. I scan and print them out in wood domino size, which is 1 3/4 inches x 7/8 inches. I usually add another layer of detail to the little collage to make the domino special."

For such a variety of beautiful and intricate results, Vickie gets her inspiration from colors, lines, and shapes (basically everything). "I simply have to create or I’m not happy. It’s like needing air." It follows that Vickie is not confined by rules, but lets her inspiration and creativity have full rein. While she may not stick to one medium, she admits, "Central to almost everything I do is paper. I love paper."

For the upcoming seasons, Vickie plans to show her work at as many shows as she can fit into her schedule. She has big holiday plans, however to add domino Christmas tree ornaments and admits to having a "couple other things up my sleeve"...so we have some holiday surprises to look forward to in her etsy shop!

Vickie is happy to take custom orders and ships internationally, too!

On the business side, Vickie is adept at Twitter (via TweetDeck) and recommends the team to "Engage! Talk. Share! Provide quality content. Comment on links posted. Retweet. Actually, I rarely tweet about my shop. I probably should tweet it more. I get irritated with Etsy sellers who only tweet their shop links. Tell me about you and what is important to you. Let me get to know you. What excites you about your work? I’m way more likely to buy from you that way."

Tweeting links can be time-consuming to research, but Vickie has a tip to share! "One of my tricks is using Google Reader to find quality content to share. I have a feed set up for the keyword “creativity”. So every morning I have a big shiny new list of articles about creativity, which is a subject I really like to read about. When I read really good articles, I tweet them. Providing this kind of content gets me retweeted a lot and that in turn gets my name out there."

For bringing traffic to inmyheadstudios, Vickie has this tip to share: Connect "with people online in a combination of places– Twitter, Facebook, Ning sites. You have to talk about you or no one else will be talking about you. Get out there! All The Universe asks is that you show up."



FREE shipping to anywhere
from August 16-22!
Discount applied through
prompt PayPal refund.
No need for coupons or codes!
~~~~~~~
Etsy Shop: http://inmyheadstudios.etsy.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/inmyheadstudios
Blog: http://inmyheadstudios.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/InMyHeadStudios
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/inmyheadstudios
Written by Judy of WellspringCreations

Shop of the Week - bellabeadjewelry

Our Etsy Shop of the Week is bellabeadjewelry, where you can find handcrafted beads, findings, and even completed jewelry made from them! They are created by proprietor, Linda Lawrence. Her art and the the Etsy shop in which she sells it, are only one of the creative sides to her life. During the day, Linda is an art teacher in a local elementary school and, as she puts it, she "plays with fire by night!"

Linda has been making glass beads and jewelry for several years. She finds it interesting and challenging because there is always something to learn and improve upon when working with glass beadmaking. Many things inspire Linda in her creations; in fact, anything that catches her eye could possibly spark an idea for a bead or jewelry design. Linda adds, "the students I teach are a huge influence on me. I adore children. They are not complicated and are so free and open generally". Linda has a very personal feel about her work and says "the love that I have for making my glass baubles comes through each piece. I want my customers to enjoy it as much as I did creating it!"

Linda's main goals for her Etsy shop are to work smarter, try new things, and keep bellabeadjewelry stocked. Her take on it? "Its hard juggling it all but I believe good planning is key!" Tweeting must be hard for Linda to work into her busy schedule, but she uses Twitter to entice her followers into "popping over to my shop, blog or visit our shop of the week". Linda feels her greatest tools are her blog (to direct people to my etsy shop) and her newsletter.


bellabeadjewelry is offering a
15% discount
for the week of July 26, 2010
~~~~~~~
Please visit bellabeadjewelry!
Shop: http://www.bellabeadjewelry.etsy.com
Blog: http://www.bellabeadjewelrybylinda.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BellaBellaBeads

Written by Judy of Wellspring Creations

Shop of the Week: SouthPawStudios

Our EtsyTwitter Team Shop of the Week is South Paw Studios, which offers handcrafted jewelry by Toledo, Ohio artist Katy Mims. She not only makes necklaces, bracelets and earrings, but she has a unique bridal line. Her styles incorporate faceted gems, Venetian glass, pearls and precious metal. As she puts it, it "brings the jewelry to life."

Here is my interview with Katy!

Me: What do you want your customers to know most about your products?

Katy: I feel that I offer functional jewelry that you can wear everyday with jeans and a simple white t-shirt, yet you can wear it to a formal function if preferred. I don’t want my customer to seem pressed on the thought of “I love this necklace, but where am I going to wear it?” I want them to be more, “I love this necklace, and I can wear it with anything”. I want there to be “No Fuss”. Jewelry shouldn’t be complicated, it should be enjoyable. That is why I feel I create jewelry that is much more appealing and affordable to a wider range of woman, from the younger jewelry lover to the seasoned shopper.

Me: What inspires you to create?

Katy: I get inspiration from everything from a shower curtain, to sunsets. I know that sounds cliché, but really there are great color combinations in sunsets. I also get my muse from new supplies. I really have an addiction to beads and gems. I buy way to much stuff, but I just cant help myself. Having new supplies really keeps me excited to sit at my work bench for hours on end.

Me: What is your favorite thing about your craft?

Katy: This question is tricky, but when I sit down and think about it, one of my favorite things about my craft is it is very competitive, but that keeps me on my toes. I like a little friendly competition. With jewelry, I love that everyone can take part in this particular medium. It is a little piece of wearable art that you can take with you and wear with pride every day, to work or even the grocery store. It makes art become functional. I love that it is an appealing part of the art world that seems to be able to survive even in the hardest of times.

Me: What are your Twitter tricks of the trade?

Katy: I really don’t have time to log in and out of all the accounts I use online on a daily basis, so I use Facebook, primarily to twitter from. I used to use Tweetdeck, but it started to have some glitches a little while back, and I just couldn’t seem to find the right patch. I am sure it is fixed by now, but again, TIME! So anyways, I linked my Facebook fan page to my Twitter account and “whola” I get two birds with one stone (no birds were actual harmed in this sentence) and only have to type something once. I may not seem like much, but it is a time saver for me and works just great.

Me: What is one of your business resolutions for the New Year?

Katy: I really want to beat each month’s sales, compared to last years, and have my profit margin higher as well. To achieve this I feel a combo of getting more money per piece, and as well as tighten down on my expenses / cost of goods sold (COGS) will help me reach my 2010 business new year’s resolution.

This week, Katy is offering a special Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week Discount! 15% off all regularly priced items, now thru May 2nd. Enter code “Etsytwitter15” in message to seller during checkout. Discount will be refunded via Paypal.

ALSO: special promo item, these earrings will be on sale for only $7, regularly $16, no code necessary.

Etsy Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/southpawstudios

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SouthPawStudios

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/SouthPawStudios

BLOG http://southpawstudios.blogspot.com/

Main website http://southpawonline.com/

Bead website http://www.etsy.com/shop/southpawsbeads

Written by Judy

It's Homecoming!

Fall air as crisp as a freshly picked apple, blue skies, the boom blat of the band, and of course, legions of fans all awaiting the big game- what could be more fun in the fall than Homecoming?

For our friends in other parts of the world, a little information on Homecoming is probably in order!

Homecoming is an annual tradition in the United States. The University of Missouri at Columbia is often given the credit for establishing this tradition as far back as 1891, and it has evolved ever since.

People, towns, high schools and colleges come together, usually in late September or early October, to welcome back former residents and alumni. It is usually built around a central event, such as a banquet, and a game of American football or, occasionally basketball. Activities vary widely among schools, but usually consist of a football game played on the school's football field, activities and dances for students and alumni, and the coronation of a Homecoming Queen and King.

So come join us on the gridiron for a little tailgating party with drinks and great food, then dance the night away with specials and goodies designed to finish Homecoming in style.

For those who like their drinks with a little style, this Tailgate Mimosa is just the ticket:

Prep Time: 1 minute
Ingredients:·

• 1 oz Orange Juice
• 3 oz Champagne
• 1 oz Chambord Liqueur
• * If you are at a tailgate, just eyeball it!*

Preparation:
Pour Chambord and Orange Juice into a tall flute. Add Champange. Add a rasberry or strawberry for garnish and enjoy!!!

and for an awesome tailgate appetizer, this dip will have your guests preferring food to football ;)

GUINNESS AND CHEDDAR DIP

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 ounces Guinness stout
• 6 ounces grated sharp Cheddar
• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Assorted crackers and crudités

Preparation

In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until soft, 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a food processor and let cool.Add Guinness, cheeses, caraway and paprika to food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a serving bowl, cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with crackers and crudités.

Serves 8


Everyone can wrap up warmly for the game and still look good with these:


Jaybird Designs
15% off all custom orders, 10/8 - 10/11 with code "Go Team" in message to seller at checkout.


But there's more to Homecoming than good food and football! There's a dance to prepare for, and a chilly night to think about as you party with friends after winning (hopefully!) the game. Ditch your varsity jackets at the door, and wrap yourself up in elegant hand-knits so soft you'll want to keep them on all night long.

Foxy G Knits

HandmadebySandi

Feed your craving for elegance and be the belle of the ball with sparkling jewels you'll want to wear over and over:

Mindy G Jewelry Boutique
Free Matching Pair of Pink Swarovski earrings the purchase of this bracelet. Use "Homecoming" in message to seller at checkout.

My Sassy Glass

Smutopia Jewelry

Southpaw Studios

Is your style more funky, cool and casual? Then guitar string bracelets, chunky natural stones or carefree flip flops may strike just the right note:

Pretty Cheap Jewelry
Free Journal with any purchase of $25 or more. All journals are handbound, hardback and perfect for notes, phone numbers, and appointments! Just ask for it when you check out.

HandmadebySandi

Show off your natural goddess away from the gridiron with these feminine pieces, from Linda B 142 Jewelry

25% off 10/8-10/11 with code "25Home" in msg to seller at checkout. Refunded via Paypal.

Or, for those who love their jewelry "green" as well as truly unique, try an upcycled circuit board pendant that will get you compliments long after the dance is over:

Beadwork By Amanda

Get 5$ off any $20 order (not including shipping ). Use HOMECOMING in msg to seller at checkout. Discount refunded via Paypal.

And creating a special scrapbook of the day's festivities is a perfect way to remember it:

Scrap With Style

20% off on everything in the shop 10/8 - 10/11 with coupon code HOMECOMING in msg to seller. Shipping fees not included. Refund made via Paypal after purchase.

More to come tomorrow, with great main dish recipes, some Homecoming trivia and more fabulous finds from the Etsy Twitter Team, so be sure and check back!

Kristen

Shop of the Week: Joslin Jewels

Sheridan Joslin, of JoslinJewels.etsy.com, creates, in her words, “fine wire wrapped and gemstone jewelry”. But if you take one look at her shop you can see that it involves so much more than that. Just saying “fine wire wrapped and gemstone jewelry” about her shop is like saying the sculpture David was just sculpted out of plain old marble and is no big deal! Her work is intricate. Her work is simple. Her work is the kind of art that the artist makes the infinitely complex look like it took no effort at all to make and that, my friend, is the hallmark of a great artist.

“Whether simple or intricate, I meticulously craft each piece of jewelry I create. I use only fine metals and carefully selected gemstones. Each piece is original and most are one of a kind.”

The earrings pictured above have wonderful lines. I like how the shape of the ear wire comes down and makes the jewels look as if they are in a bowl. The wire wrapping appears flawless. These earrings would go with almost any outfit from daily casual to dressy business to elegant evening wear.

“I love gemstones as much as I love a good puzzle. Making intricate wire jewelry is like a challenging puzzle. It involves shaping and forging straight wire into intricate designs with no soldering -- only wrapped connections.

“It's an art that dates back thousands of years, and many of the techniques used today are the same as those used in ancient times. With only a few simple tools and careful manipulation, a skilled jewelry artist can sculpt wire into beautiful works of wearable art.”

And that is exactly what Sheridan does with her work. Check out her shop and be amazed!

Follow her on Twitter @joslinjewels
Blog: joslinjewels.blogspot.com
Become her Fan on Facebook: facebook.com/JoslinJewels
Second Etsy Shop: BijouxRomantique.etsy.com
Second Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/BijouxRomantique

Special Deal until 9/27/09: Buy one or more items over $25.00 and choose one item worth up to $25.00 for FREE! Simply enter "etsytwitter" and the name of the item you would like to receive for free in the Notes to Seller box during Etsy.com checkout.

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

All photos copyright to Sheridan Joslin/Joslin Jewels

Etsy Twitter Team Shop of the Week: In My Head Studios

34-year-old artist Vickie Porter, owner of In My Head Studios, has a passion for paper. "I love everything about paper-the way it feels, the sounds it makes, the colors and textures. It has dimension, and I try to use that in my work."

A self-professed perfectionist with an eye for detail, Vickie's exquisitely crafted pendants create miniature spaces that call to mind old letters, or the box of special treasures you had as a child.

Says Vickie, " I have to make art like I have to breathe! I intentionally keep a messy desk so I can be inspired by the play of papers together. I have WAY more ideas for art than time to do it in!"

Using scrabble tiles and upcycled vintage dominos as the base for her pendants allows Vickie to "create something new from something old" and the addition of beads, dangles and charms give the beautiful pieces texture and movement.

An avid Twitterite, Vickie uses her three Twitter accounts not only to "connect and form relationships with people. I talk to them, post useful links, and funny stuff" but also to "share my creative process so people get to know my craft as well as me. I strive to have people think of my work when they think of me."

In addition to working fulltime as an artist in her home studio, Vickie is also leader of the 175-member Etsy Twitter Team. "Running the team is truly a joy and a blessing to be part of! The members have created such a close community-I'm really proud of that." Recently, she made the decision to help start up and run the Facebook Fans of Etsy Street Team (FFEST) with several other women. "They are all very talented and I am really excited about this new venture!"

In My Head Studios is happy to do custom pendants. "If you dream it, I can do it!" and ships jewelry all over the world. " I guarantee you will love wearing your pendant as much as I enjoyed creating it!"

On Twitter: @inmyheadstudios

On Etsy: inmyheadstudios.etsy.com
Her Blog: inmyheadstudios.blogspot.com

SHOP OF THE WEEK SPECIAL:

15% off all orders (not including shipping).

Discount refunded via Paypal.

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

Shop of the Week: Nikky Lee Designs

Nicole Husnik, of NikkyLeeDesigns.etsy.com, creates stunning handmade jewelry and very professional photographs. I like the juxtaposition of her work styles. The two seem to complement each other nicely in terms of design, color, and composition.

She says about her two styles, “They're both a passion that I don't think I could live without. Every jewelry piece and photo I take is made with beauty and pride in mind.”

What inspires Nicole to create? “Mostly nature and its ability to be beautiful with such little effort.” Her work seems to require little effort, too, and that is a hallmark of excellent design and craftsmanship. She chooses many different styles of beads and stones to work with. Some of her work is funky and some of it is more traditional beadwork.

Her favorite thing about her craft: “The pure exhilaration when a piece is finished, or a photo turns out, just as I hoped... amazing feeling of satisfaction!”


What are her Twitter tricks of the trade? “Lots of personal tweets, cross promo tweets with personal promo scattered about. Share the love and it will be returned!” Nicole tweets a lot for the team and is always at the ready to retweet a sale, special, or just good news from other Etsy Twitter Team members.

Follow her on Twitter @nikkyleedesigns

Read her blog: www.nikkyleedesigns.blogspot.com

Special for this week: Free earrings of her choice with any jewelry purchase $15 or more. Enter code "Feature Shop" in comments at checkout.

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

Shop of the Week: Beadwork by Amanda

I’ve personally had the pleasure of getting to know Amanda Preske, the woman behind BeadworkbyAmanda.etsy.com, over the last year doing the local craft fair circuit in Rochester, NY. She is a chemistry student at Rochester Institute of Technology. Her love for science shows in her artistic endeavors as her beadwork reminds me of complex molecules. She creates pendants using recycled circuit boards with resin as well as beadwoven necklaces and bracelets. She can turn her circuit board pendants into key chains if you so desire.

“I've been making jewelry for half my life! When I was about ten years old, one of my aunts gave be a box of seed beads in an assortment of beautiful, sparkly colors. I've spent many years since then teaching myself how to weave beads on and off a loom as well as other beading techniques. I've recently discovered the versatility in creating with resin. I love interacting with people from all over the world and believe that customer service is of utmost importance when selling my jewelry.

“I absolutely love color, so creating usually starts with a tube of really fun beads. I love the tropics so don't be surprised to find bright colors and a touch of the Caribbean! I also find inspiration from fabric scraps, scrapbook paper, and interesting focal beads.”

On Twitter she loves “to follow what people are doing and help if I can. Since I am a senior studying chemistry, I once helped someone with their chemistry homework through Twitter. I think that actively being a part of Twitter is more enjoyable than robotically posting.”

Amanda is also a member of several Etsy teams: Etsy in Color Team, Etsy Teens and Young Adults Team, Etsy Beadweavers, and Rochester New York Etsy Street Team.

Follow her on Twitter @amandapreske
Read her blog at beadworkbyamanda.blogspot.com
Find her on flickr

Special for this week: All items are already marked down 15%. Mention "Etsy Twitter Team" at checkout and she will include a free gift!

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

Shop of the Week: Sumiko Shop

Evelyn Palazzin, of SumikoShop.etsy.com, creates gorgeous jewelry and accessories for women. Her shop is filled with lovely items and the photographs are beautiful, enticing all who stop by to take a look and make a purchase. Evelyn lives in a tourist town by the sea in Italy. Her creations have an old-world charm about them.

“I have always had a passion to create, to recycle items, and to invent and process things from scratch. I don’t consciously think of myself as an artist BUT as a person who always loves to create and learn new techniques. After I became a mother, I used my free time to create jewellery and accessories for myself and my friends. That was also about the time that I discovered Etsy and the world of eShops.

"I have always had a passion for sewing clothes for myself, but I also loved unique and original accessories, and I found such joy in creating them, or seeing people wear such items. I spend countless hours searching for new materials and findings for my jewellery. It’s inevitable to get an idea or inspiration after such intense consideration of materials. Sometimes just studying them creates images of the completed item in my mind.”

If you never become famous with your art, would you still think it was a route worth taking? “Certainly. The joy of art is in its creation, its appreciation, and its ability to enrich the mind. We must not think of art as a means for fame and wealth, but as a way of expression, to keep the mind active, and as the wholesome way to live fully, daily. If success and fame comes, then it comes as a surprise.”

Follow her on Twitter: @SumikoShop
Read her blog: SumikoCreations.blogspot.com

Special Offer for the Week: Free shipping worldwide. Mention “Etsy Twitter” in Message to Seller and shipping will be refunded.

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

All photos copyright to Sumiko Shop/Evelyn Palazzin

Shop of the Week: Rocki's Supplies

Deb "Rocki" Adams, of RockisSupplies.etsy.com, creates “handcrafted metalwork findings & jewelry in a variety of finishes using Sterling Silver, Fine Silver, 14k Gold Filled & now Copper”. Her signature pieces are Elfin Ear wires and they are stunning. “A couple years ago, when I was selling in my old Etsy shop, I made my own ear wires for my jewelry and started getting requests for my Signature Elfins. So, I started selling them in that shop and it took off from there.” What a nice way to get a start in selling handmade supplies!

When you look at Rocki’s Supplies shop for the first time it’s easy to assume the items are not handmade simply because they are so perfect! But her jewelry findings really are handmade!! It’s amazing! Including handmade findings in your handmade jewelry would definitely increase the value of your work as a whole. Plus you’re buying handmade for your supplies and everybody wins!

“My tag line pretty much sums it up that my findings are more than supplies, they are ‘Handcrafted Pieces of Art For Your Artistic Creations’ - I truly put my heart and soul into my work and although my days are quite long, I value the integrity of each piece I make and customer care is most important to me. I appreciate each customer and am thrilled when they share their creations with me - makes my heart happy!”


What inspires Rocki to create? “I have this inner fire that I never knew existed until several years ago - out of bad situations come good things. You know, ‘when life throws you lemons, make lemonade!’ I honestly eat, sleep, dream, and wear metal - including my mouth! Yep, braces. I have come up with new creations in the weirdest ways - from relaxing in my pool, looking at fixtures around my home, walking through hardware stores - you name it. Even my hubby gets into coming up with ideas! But, I must say that my customers inspire me tremendously! From brand new requests to tweaking some of my current work, I have made some very cool findings.”

Special Offer for this week only: For any purchase made during the week of this blog feature, she will include a small free sample, one per customer. All you have to do is mention you found her via the "Twitter Blog Feature" in "Message to Seller" at time of purchase.

Follow her on Twitter: @RockisMetalwork
Read more on her blog: RockisRocknBeads.blogspot.com

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

All photos copyright to Rocki's Supplies/Deb "Rocki" Adams

Bridal Daze: Great Gifts!!

Family and friends of the bride and groom can go handmade for the wedding, too! There are so many items that need to be purchased for a wedding from gifts for the bride and groom to thanks you gifts for the bridal party. The Etsy Twitter Team has some awesome gifts ideas for the big day!

Scrap With Style

Specializes in scrapbooking needs for many occasions. "I love scrapbooking and I'm excited to share these wonderful scrapbooking products with you! I have lots of page kits, coordinating papers, ribbons, albums, chipboard, rub-ons, and other embellishments!" This is a great shop to help your happy couple create memories to treasure!

12" x 12" Scrapbook Page Kit: Timeless Love

This page kit is "timeless" with pretty floral and black and white images, plus I love the touches of red! Great for couples, engagements, love, wedding and even family photos!

Chipboard Layered Album Kit: Our Story

This kit includes everything you need to create an album similar to the sample I've shown here. I love the colors and textures in this kit and I love chipboard!!

I Love You Printed Ribbon: 1/2 inch wide

Super cute ribbon to add to your scrapbooking!

Special Offer: 15% discount in this shop this week -- enter code "Bridal Daze" in Message to Seller at checkout and receive a refund of the discount via PayPal!

Wayside Violet

Many brides have chosen to have Wayside Violet make custom coffee cozies for the bridal party. Personalize the cozies with the bride's wedding colors or other colors of your choice. These make great thank you gifts for the coffee lovers in your life!

Sale: Free shipping on bridal orders!! To redeem type "Bridal Daze" in message to seller at checkout.

Purple Lemon Designs

Monogram address stamps are great bridesmaid's or groomsman's gifts or gifts for the happy couple!




Threepeats

Do you need unique, handmade gifts or favors for the special women involved in your BIG Event? Are you into recycling? This shop is for you!!



All pairs of long, light, dangle earrings (made from recycled vintage beads, chain and ribbon) will be $2.00 off during the Bridal Daze Event (a 25% discount!). Refunds will be posted to your Paypal account after purchase.

Soap Rehab

Made-from-scratch cold process soaps, lotions and other bath and body products... time-honored methods but with a modern kick. Natural yet effective ingredients are used to create products that are detergent free and paraben free. Now you can get clean and feel good about it, too. Bath and body gifts are a special way to say you care about someone!

Pink Champagne Heart Glycerin Soap

Sereni-Tea Shea Body Butter

Blackberry Lemon Drop Pedicure Duo


Fat Daddy Sweets

These would be perfect as favors for a summer wedding! White Chocolate flavored with fresh lemon, just the right amount of tartness and sweetness, reminiscent of sitting on the porch on a warm summer afternoon enjoying an ice cold glass of lemonade. You'll be hard pressed to eat only one at a time!


I hope you have found some new ideas for gifting handmade! Anyone of these gifts would be perfect for almost anyone!

Don't forget... we have a giveaway going on for a Prize Package including a Wayside Violet coffee cozy, beautiful jewelry, and gift certificates and coupons to Etsy Twitter Team Shops. Leave a comment to enter! Commenting closes Sunday, June 14th at midnight!

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