The Pendant Studio

 Aimee, the Michigan based owner of The Pendant Studio on Etsy.com is one crafty chick. She makes and sells soldered pendants, Pandora-style pendants, custom charms, keychains, magnets, gift tags and any personalized item that you can think up.  

Lucky Four Leaf Clover Copper Patina Pendant

Ready made pendants in the store feature motivating messages and funny sayings. The images are sandwiched between two 1" glass tiles. A decorative frame is then soldered around the edges and a soldered silver plated jump ring acts as a bail.

I love this, You can email a photo and The Pendant Studio will turn it into a memory you can wear!

Custom Photo Pendant Charm

Or, order a really sweet custom initial pendant

Customized with Your Initial

This is a fantastic idea! Instead of sending a boring card for the big event, ( baby's due date, Party Invitation, Wedding, and more), send a pendant and you can bet nobody will forget your big day

Save the Date Custom Pendant

Aimee's  pendants are unique and very well priced. They make great gifts and and will arrive nicely packaged with tissue paper and an organza drawstring bag.

There are so many pendants to see in the shop, and the choices for custom pendants are as vast as your imagination. Consider a pendant for any message you want to send. They are fantastic, personal, and unique. Aimee is so creative and loves working with mixed media and more. Let her design something just for you.

(Make sure you visit the clearance section, and for a limited time, Aimee is offering a free gift with purchase.)

Find out more at The Pendant Studio Blog

Thanks for reading,

Norah

MyaBruce Designs

 

THE CARDS

What started as a creative way to send announcements and invitations for her children has turned into a full blown custom photo card company for this already multi-multi-tasking mama.

 

And if Leah, of MyaBruce Designs was not busy enough, she has added a collection of fantastic personalized  jewelry to her repertoire.

Leah can take your special photo and make unique and unforgettable invitations, announcements, thank you notes,note cards, stationery and more! You work with her every step of the way to assure the perfect photo card for your needs.

Leah's Additional Pendants for her Silver Necklaces

THE JEWELRY

Girls Personalized Budding Turquoise Necklace

For this pendant, Leah paired up with the photographer who had ordered the pendant

"I Shoot People" Pendant 

The choices for her personalized jewelry are limited only by your imagination! You work together to create the perfect piece of custom jewelry.

Personalized Bronze and Gold Set

BLOG:

I told you that Leah of Mya Bruce Designs was a multi-tasker. Please, check out her blog to learn more about her jewelry and see lots more pictures.

AND, read all about Leah's efforts in Darfur and her human rights activism. You will read about a very inspirational woman and how the efforts of one can subsequently move mountains.

Leah founded "Be Their Messenger" !

It has been my pleasure to tell you about this shop and its owner. Thank you so much for reading,

Norah

Please leave a comment, and follow my blog to really make my day!

Pretty Mums Earrings in Magenta

For some, a sunny day is mood altering. For those lucky people it is almost impossible to have a bad feeling when the sun is shining.

Spring bud Fabric Brooch in Peridot

For me, color has the same effect. Certain colored  objects, environments, clothes or jewelry just make me happy.

When I took a stroll down the virtual aisles of  Your Are My Sunshine  I just felt happy. It is as if you are in a garden of color. 

Like a Monet Necklace in Blue and Yellow

Recycled Fabric Fairy Pink Hairpins with Pink Seedbeads

Nina specializes in handmade fabric flower brooches, fabric flower hairpins, rings, earrings, bracelets and statement necklaces using a rainbow of colors to bring sunshine to your outfit and your day.

                                                     These are my absolute favorites!

Bobbypin Set: Glitter and Rhinestone  Snowflakes

At You are My Sunshine you will fine an entire collection of ethereal and splendid bridal and wedding pieces.

So beautiful they make me almost want to get married! Well, maybe I can work the pieces into a nice Summer outfit instead.

Frayed Roses Fabric Flower Necklace

 This piece is so unique!

Bracelet Corsage with Fabric Flower

Color works magic by communicating with our emotions. It  inspires, energizes, soothes, and enlivens. Take a peek at the one of a kind, handmade brooches, hairpins and jewelry  at You Are my Sunshine and "feel the color".

My Heart is Yours: Fabric Flower Statement necklace

 More of Nina on the Web:

Nina also runs an all vintage, must-see, shop on Etsy at

http://www.mysunshinevintage.etsy.com 

and

She authors a fantastic blog at

http://www.ninainflorida.com

Thank you for reading.

Leave a Comment, better yet, follow me and make my day!

Norah

Featuring: Redemption Art

THE DEEPER MEANING OF ALOHA

www.huna.org

For those who follow the path of Huna, or are fortunate enough to live in Hawai'i, it is common to use the word Aloha in greetings and farewells and in expressing love. But the word means even more, it is a way of life.

Besides these common meanings, the word Aloha holds within itself all one needs to know to interact rightfully in the natural world. These insights describe an attitude or way of life sometimes called "The Aloha Spirit" or "The Way of Aloha".

Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain - it is my pain. When there is joy - it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken. The earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for, to cherish and to protect. This is Hawaiian - this is Aloha!

 

What do you do when the kids are grown, the nest is empty, and  twenty five years of working full time and raising kids are behind you?

Well if you are Connie from Redemption Art, you skip not a beat and  re-awaken the creative “you” that lives within, and open a store full of art, both new and upcycled,  vintage, retro, and redeemed pieces, all inspired by the spirit of the Aloha lifestyle.

                           I  think this was in my dream last night: I grew up in Hawaii. Now I live in a wonderful little cottage in the Hawaiian rain forest, right below the district of Volcano. My garden is growing, the chickens, dogs and cat keep me laughing, the creative person that has been dormant, is once again alive. I am grateful! Oh no, this is Connie’s real life, and a dream life it is!                                                                               
Connie yearns to bring joy to the hearts of others. The Aloha lifestyle shapes her life and  transcends to her business where her goal is to insure the utmost in quality service resulting in total customer satisfaction.

Vintage Hawaiian Valentine Anthirium Brooch

                                                                                                                                                                                                     A   visit to Redemption Art on Etsy is like taking a stroll into Connie’s little brick and mortar shop that resides in a 100 year old building in Hawaii. So many fun and affordable vintage products reflect the melting pot of ethnicities that have made Hawaii her home. In between the memorabilia, you find real earthy or "aina" hand made art, and you can feel the welcoming smile of the proprietor.

1950's Hawaiian Vintage Solid Brass Buddha

Feast your eyes, to visit click here.

Give yourself a gift today and visit Connies Blog, Island Buzzy, here.

A, ala, watchful, alertness

L, lokahi, working with unity

O, oia'i'o, truthful honesty

H, ha'aha'a, humility

A, ahonui, patient perseverance

Thank you for reading,

Norah

I would love it if you left a comment, you can really make my day by becoming a follower 

 

Efrat Deutsch

Spotlight on Efrat Deutsch, Toronto, Jewelry Artist Extraordinaire

Often in my daydreams I fancy myself as an artist living in Toronto in a loft on the water, speaking French, and dressed effortlessly stylish.   Then I look around and realize I am still in NJ, squished in my bedroom studio, in my sweats. Efrat is the fake me! She is an artist. And lucky for all of us jewelry lovers, jewelry is where she focuses her talent. She painstakingly designs each piece and  each piece benefits from a solid foundation of form and function that was learned while Efrat was achieving her BFA as a goldsmith.

 

A sunflower was Efrat's inspiration for these gorgeous earrings. She created the flower pattern using a rolling mill and then hand cut the shape from a sheet of brass and also plated the piece herself using 18k gold plating. 

I would be remiss if  did not mention how Valentine's day is around the corner. Get ready to drop some hints, girls.

Efrat was in inspired by a beautiful flower that was missing a leaf, when she designed these earrings.

  

This artist finds her inspiration in nature, as well as the urban world in which she lives.
If I had to put a name on her style I would call it, "Geometric Organic."  

As in nature, no two of her pieces are exactly the same.

Efrat's creative process is compelling, and I was so pleased to find great sequential photos of some of her projects in her blog.  Even better, Efrat is holding a giveaway of one of her jewelry pieces! To enter, click the blog link above and you will find the instructions for entering.

I am so happy I got to share this incredible artist with you. It is no fun keeping your new favorite find to yourself.

Thank you for reading,

Norah

 http://www.etsy.com/shop/efratdeutsch       http://efratdeutschjewelrydesign.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Efrat-Deutsch-Jewelry-Design/111142605597975?ref=ts

Please leave a comment. You can really make my day by following my blog!

Spotlight on Sandy Vern

 

Having spent most of my life in the city, I must admit I was never exposed to the art of soap making. It truly is an art, and Sandy Vern is The Soap Artist

Sandy has told me a little bit about her process:

Her soaps are made from scratch using the old-fashioned cold process method of combining various oils, butters, and lye in just the right amounts to create a luxurious soap. All of her  soaps are made  in very small batches to ensure precise quality control over the entire 
process. 

After curing for 4 - 6 weeks, she hand-cuts and individually packages each soap. You know you are getting a soap that is finely crafted and one-of-a-kind! Her packaging is so pretty you will not want to open it!

Blue Cocktail Earrings

 Born in Massachusetts, and living in Connecticut, Sandy divides her time between caring for animals and honing her self taught crafting skills. Sounds like a dreamy life to me.  She just opened a second Etsy store that will showcase her whimsical earrings and stitch markers. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/simplysandysthings.

Jolly Ranchers

Two of her many earring themes are cocktails and candy!

Berry Soap Popsickles

 Sandy also taught me about “melt and pour” soaps and the artistic details involved in this process. In these molded soaps she uses a combination of quality goat milk and Shea butter bases, as well as oatmeal and honey bases.

Molded soaps come in any shape or color you can imagine and make great little gifts. Sandy is  happy to take custom orders. Most items can be custom made with your choice of colors and scents. 






What a great gift idea for a theme wedding or Party!

Pink Grapefruit and Lavender Bath Bombs

 


Other items to look for in Sandy’s shop are hand knit washcloths, exfoliating soaps, whipped Shea butter, lotion bars,  lip balms, and bath bombs.

I know you will want more of Sandy, so here are all of her addresses across the web:

http://sandyvern.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/simplysandysthings

http://theadventuresofsandyvern.blogspot.com/

Vanilla Daisy Soap

Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment down below, and you can really make my day if you "follow" me

Norah