For The Matriarch

Last weekend I went to a baby shower. I sat at a table with a bunch of girls who were seniors at Orange High the year I started working there. It's so fun to see them and be able to call them friends. One of the girls had me create a bar necklace for her and when we started discussing the necklace at the table, the girls were shocked to learn it was I, who had made it.

Not only did the table conversation create some business, but Sheryl also decided to announce while opening my gift that I hand stamp and what my website is. While Sheryl is simple and opted for a round sterling silver circle with just the letter "T," another one of her friends at the shower went for something I have never done.

Gina just married the love of her life and her in-laws are making their first trip to California from London this weekend. It is her mother-in-law's birthday and Gina wanted something special for her. She told me that she wanted a necklace with the husband, all the kids, and the grand kids on it. Now I am not a fan of the overlapping necklaces where all the blanks are singular and then strung on the same chain. I know it's a popular look, but I've never shown it on my site because it's not my preference. This project has made me think differently.

Gina tells me that there are 14 names that need to be represented and she wants the necklace to be a mix of charm shapes and colors and for it to look "chunky." After some back and forth via text, I got to work. I will admit this was a really fun order for me.

This is what I started with:

I decided to pair the married couples onto blanks to eliminate 2 extra blanks and keep the cost down for her. The husband is on the large circle with the cut-out heart. I then used a mix of 14k gold-filled and sterling silver circle, square, long rectangle, and heart charms. The square charms I decided to turn so they became diamonds. I was originally going to use flowers until Gina informed me that flowers are not her mother-in-law; she's edgier than that :) Pablo is a grandchild that died before birth and so she asked for a cut-out heart for him and I think it's unique and helps him have a special charm that will stand out for those who understand.

From there I then balanced them out and threaded then onto the chain:

Now the necklace will not lay like this when worn. Thanks to my friend Brittney, who offered to give it a try so I could see it, she and I immediately fell in love once it was put on. The charms do come together, but if you were viewing from a distance you would think its one of those popular statement costume jewelry pieces that are so popular right now. Yet when you get closer, you realize it's a very personal and special piece.

Thank you so much Gina for coming up with such an awesome idea. I hope your mother-in-law loves it as much as I do.

This is a custom piece so price varies based on number of blanks and style used.

Hot Mess 14k Gold-Filled Hand Stamped Bar Necklace

I think the best thing about this business/hobby is when a friend contacts me and says, "can you do this?" 

This time is was Erin. I've known her since college and she is an Internet shopper. She came across a bar necklace that was constantly sold out, so she text me.

Hot Mess 14k Gold-Filled Hand Stamped Bar Necklace

$30

And as Kim says, "I think that is such a funny term we have adopted with a little endearment."

Sterling Silver Bar Necklace

After mastering the 14kt gold-filled bar necklace, I decided I should probably sell sterling silver ones as well. 

So here it is.

The lettering is offset, but could also be centered.

I first took a picture of the necklace left as is after stamping.

And then I blackened the hand stamping.

Sterling Silver hand stamped bar necklace on a 16 or 18 inch chain.

Can be blackened or left in it's natural state.

$30

Hand Stamped, Personalized 14kt Gold-Filled Bar Necklace

These seem to be all the rage right now and I think they are really cute.

It is my first venture into 14kt gold-filled.

This all started when a past high school student inquired about a necklace. I had never made a bar necklace before, but decided it was worth the experiment, even after I suggested she just use the Etsy shop she originally saw the item at.

The process turned out to be pretty easy and I guessed well on the sizes of jump rings and chain I would need.

Once again, Kim scored. She was coming out this weekend for a visit, so I asked what she wanted on the necklace and then hers became my tester.

The top one is Kim's. It is hammered with her husband's initials and a heart and then blackened. The one below it is Sam's. It is just stamped. She decided she preferred it that way.

 14kt Gold-Filled Bar Necklace personalized with up to 8 characters/designs attached to a 16-inch chain. (I will eventually have an option for an 18-inch chain)

$30

"All You Need Is Love" ~ Sterling Silver Necklace

Probably close to a year ago, Kim text me a custom request from Arizona. The person wanted 4 names as well as the family name included on the necklace.

Since I had done nothing like that before I immediately went to Etsy and started searching.

From that search, came this creation:

Which led to a few weeks ago when Kim tells me that she wants a necklace like Veronica's necklace. She's just not sure what she would put on it yet. Kim is famous for having great ideas, yet they aren't always so easy to create. This is where a friendship like ours becomes favorable for her, because she knows I will attempt to do it no matter how difficult.

This morning I was bored and had not much to do, so I decided to start on the design she wanted. 

This is how all the jewelry starts:

It comes pre-cut, without holes, and then I go to work stamping letter by letter.

The finished product:

Sterling Silver "All You Need Is Love" Necklace

$35

And this is when I acknowledge why our friendship is one in a million and why it has lasted so long. It's a friendship that is mutual on every level. In this case, she gets her idea created and she gives me an awesome idea to list in my store!

Engagement & Baseball/Softball

Thankfully the holiday shopping season is winding down.

At least the orders for me to fill have all but stopped. I did get one more request this morning and kindly shipped to NY via Priority Mail so it would hopefully arrive on time.

I have been busy. My Etsy shop has been crazy. I'm not complaining, but it's nice to have it slow down especially with the kids now home on winter vacation.

My friend Cheryl text me late one night last week. She needed a favor. This is usually in most cases followed by a picture from another Etsy shop that someone found and wants me to recreate.

Cheryl's first of four daughters was going to be getting engaged and she wanted a cute little necklace to commemorate the event.

Here it is:

And yes..she said yes and was completely shocked.

This sterling silver circular disc is between the size of a nickel and a dime (19mm) so it's not so big and states the idea she came up with simply. Includes an 18-inch sterling silver chain.

$20

Then I had some down time and have had some charms that I have been wanting to experiment with. Kim's boys are no longer playing on the same baseball team so I decided to use that to finally test these cute baseball/softball charms.

A small sterling silver circular disc (19mm) is paired with a sterling silver charm featuring a glove, bat, and ball. Includes an 18 inch sterling silver necklace (not pictured).

$35 (per necklace)

Honoring the Friendship That Is Family

Twelve of these went to Arizona:

Sterling Silver Cuff Bracelet hand stamped with "family forever * friends forever"

$35