Every woman has a birthday

Every woman has a birthday, and everyone woman loves jewelry!

As a woman who has a birthday and loves jewelry, what I find even better are unique, handmade gifts!
The best gifts I've ever given or received are artsy type things like paintings, poetry, hand knit designs, and even songs. (Now the moss necklace, that is another story! See blog entitled "If you don't know Etsy...")

So the past few months, I have been making jewelry for all the birthday girls I know. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. This week, I even received two e-mails containing photos of some the birthday girls modeling their new trinkets.

My aunt Patti with her new earrings and nest pendant.

She couldn't believe how perfect they matched her b-day outfit!

My landlord Lucy modeling her new nest pendant.

She said her sisters loved it, too!

What is the best hand-crafted gift you ever received?

What do you like to make and give as gifts?



These are a few of my favorite rings....

First, get this in your head.  Do not proceed until you have watched and laughed.

Rainbows of color and bright bold designs
Bright copper wire and a glass bead that shines
Jewelry that looks like a bird's nest in spring
These are a few of my favorite rings

If you don't know Etsy....

Etsy.com is a dangerous place to find yourself on the web. I dare you to find a website with cuter things that you have to talk yourself out of buying. It really blows my mind how every single shop on there is so enticing. So much so, that you will think "My mom would love a terrarium necklace! Yes, that's it....moss inside a small glass on a chain is exactly what she needs in her life."
Click here to see "the best gift ever".

The actual necklace was painfully tiny and its contents completely unidentifiable. Now it is our running joke of what is actually inside. "Mold from my wedding cake." "Grass that was stuck to Prince William's shoe from the royal wedding". "Lint from Christian Bale's shirt off the set of Terminator: Salvation". Yep, best gift ever.

But Etsy is also useful for when you need things for your business. This is my shout out and shameless promotion of Etsy shop In The Clear, for hooking me up with the exact merch bags I was looking all over for. They shipped at lightning speed and their packaging is so thoughtful and creative! With my order, they gave me an adorable 2011 calendar, thank you note, and gumballs! Check 'em out, they might have what you've been scouring the internet for!

I gotta be me....

Skulls aren't that tranquil, and have nothing to do with the sea, unless you consider the skeletons that are tranquilly resting on the ocean floor right now. Mmm, serenity.......

If you know me, you know I love skulls and always have. If you don't know me, here is a photo of me taken a few years ago (and a few hair colors ago) that should adequately express my point:

To creep you out further, let me share that I named this file "skulllove"

Getting back to business now. I found an old bracelet that was just made of continuous skull beads. With a burst of passion, this is what was created today.

"What a nice flower neckla....wait WHAT?!"