Q & A

This flower is in my porch basket. I love it, but I do not know what it is. A friend of mine is asking as she wants it too. If anybody knows, let us know, please!

Friday Gift Guide

Summer is on its way out and starting to miss many flowers... New collection of floral gift ideas by Irina will help to deal with the loss :) 

There are only few samples of what you can fin in our new Gift Guide. Visit it to discover more ideas!

My gems. Enameled "stone" that a friend of mine gave me

When my virtual friend Irina Belinskaya sent me a gift that she made for me (you can read here about it), she also included this enameled piece. This is something very Russian that people buy when they go there as tourists. Russian people themselves also like it and wear filigree jewelry with enamel a lot. 

When I unpackaged my gift, some packaging paper fell out and was picked up by my dog. I am glad Irina mentioned that there was something for me for jewelry making! I started searching and found this:

New jewelry in my online shop

Cute dainty necklace with a natural pearl

Maple leaf pendant necklace

Fluorite flower earrings

Maple leaf donat necklace, sterling silver, 24k, pearls

Copper bracelet with a white bronze maple leaf charm

How to clean your jewelry at home and save money

When we buy jewelry it is all shiny and sparkly. Then time passes by and we realize that it needs cleaning. What should we do? Maybe take it to a jeweler? This is an option. However, there are a few ways that you can try at home, so you do not have to go anywhere and spend your time and money.

Lucky charm bracelet, sterling silver

Make sure you are keeping your jewelry in a jewelry box. The pieces should not touch each other to avoid scratching. Scratches cannot always be removed easily (you might be surprised how much it could cost you, depending on the job!) Keeping jewelry in Ziploc bags is maybe not fancy, but that protects your silver jewelry from tarnishing. (This is how I keep jewelry that I make for sale).

If you have silver without stones or silver with hard stones (agate, jasper, garnet, diamond, ruby, topaz, sapphire, quartz - to name most common), the best way to clean it as follows:

Take a china, a plastic or a glass bowl and line it with a piece of aluminum foil. Put your jewelry in, add some baking soda (not too little) and pour boiling water over it. Leave it there for 30 seconds. Then get rid of water and look at your jewelry. Do it again if needed, then rinse.

I would not do it if my jewelry had pearls, coral, turquoise, amber, glass stones (crystals, rhinestones, etc.)  or other soft or porous stones in it. Instead do it a little bit differently. Mix baking soda and toothpaste 50/50. Apply the mixture onto your piece, avoiding touching the stones and leave it over night. Then use soft toothbrush to clean it and then rinse it. 

Diamonds can be cleaned with ammonia. Just let them soak in 4 parts of water + 1 part of ammonia for 15 minutes. Then use a soft toothbrush if needed.

Gold jewelry can be cleaned with the white vinegar if the stones are hard. Soak it in the white vinegar for 15 minutes, then use a soft toothbrush if needed and then rinse.

Pearls, turquoise, coral and glass stones can be washed with a piece of damp soft cloth and soap. Do not soak them!

There is also a type of jewelry that cannot be cleaned by brushing or soaking at all. I give this ring as a sample. It is inlaid with cold enamel. For jewelry like this you may use only jewelry polishing cloth that you can purchase at a jewelry supply store (it is inexpensive and you will use for a long time for any of your jewelry, gold or silver)

Wide sterling silver ring with a squirrel ornament and black enamel

I hope these simple tips will help you to keep most of your jewelry clean without spending any money!

Monday Jewelry Quote

Australian opalised fossil shell necklace, sterling silver

Home Decoration Ideas

I have not looked outside today yet, but I do not need to do it anymore to know that it is fresh August morning, just like in new Anna's collection. It gave me the exact feeling that I got yesterday when I went out to water my flower baskets... cool morning. Autumn is on its way...

To discover what else the featured shops have, visit the Guide's interactive page.

How to take a photo that sells

Today is my Eye Candy Day, when I find something in Etsy, something extraordinary that is made of beads. Svetlana Dubinsky makes lots of very very nice beaded jewelry. Her pictures are also very very nice, so nice, that you cannot pass by them. For example, this picture of her earrings! Aren't they the sweetest earrings ever? :)

Swarovski crystal earrings by Svetlana Dubinsky

Autumn Gift Ideas

Autumn is coming... really? Does not feel like Autumn yet. At least here. Does it feel like it at your place?  New Irina's collection of the gift ideas will give you that feeling for sure! Thank you for the reminder, Irina! :)

Colors of Autumn curated by Irina on Etsy

(you will find a lot more finds if you visit the collection)

Charoite for an Art Nouveau pendant

This stone is charoite and it takes its name from the river Chara in Russia. This is the only place it was found. As I've heard everything that could be taken had been taken out of the mine. Funny enough I tried to buy some charoite while I was in Russia for a trip, as I thought it would be cheaper there (Australian opal and Australian chrisoprase was cheaper in Australia!). Well, Russian charoite is more expensive in Russia than anywhere else! Go figure... So I bought mine on ebay :) (the color in the picture is not quite right, it looks a bit darker here than in real life).

The shape is nice, but rather unusual. I thought it would fit an organic Art Nouveau design.

Boxes by Charles Marion Russell Buccaroos

I am adding one more gorgeous box into my virtual jewelry box collection. Another box I could not pass by :) The idea of this box is very unique. The box and lid are constructed of wooden picture frame moldings. The artist says: "The design possibilities are endless for these boxes so please do not hesitate to contact me if you have a special theme in mind". So, if you like, please, don't! Here is his etsy shop.

Back to School gift ideas

What to give as a gift to a kid who is going to school soon? I did my own research. A few years from now I will need it myself too :)

A cool vintage desk or a computer table. A lamp for the table too!

• Computer table by ARTEMANOdotUS
• Antique school desk is in thejunkhaus shop
• Wooden desk by MINIATURAFR
• Cool lamp by  OBJECTSofINDUSTRY

Pencil holders for the new table!

• Pencil holder by DINDINTOYS
• Pencil holder by jaukudesign
• Leather wrap for notebook and pencils by leatherfinerwork
• Wooden desk organizer by Woodstorming

A laptop case!

• Laptop case by LittlePigeonCrafts

Vintage map and a vintage globe (perhaps the parents will be happy to receive it, more than the kids)

• Antique map by iCanvasART
• Vintage globe in86home

Bookends!

• Book ends by TabDesign

Books for the bookends!

• Vintage Charles Dickens Works in CopperAndTin
•  Wooden book rack by OldAndCold
• Printable school planner by TopsyTurvyPrintables
• School planner by NutsforPaper

Bookmarks for the books!

• Book divider byDesignAtelierArticle
• Bookmarks by JewelMango

A chalkboard:

• Wall calender by Rozemake
• Chalkboard wall decal by brownshades
• Frames chalkboard by ShugabeeLane
• Vintage chalkboard by RehabVintageLA

Don't forget a chalk pencil!

• Chalk pencil by rusticcraftdesign

Table calendar, a modern one or a vintage one.

• Vintage Russian table calendar in USSRvintage
•  Printable desk calendar by DigitalArtParis
• Printable desk calender by SkyGoodies
• Desk calender by ruffhouseart

Earphones, for studying foreign languages, of course!

• Earphones byketchupize

Backpack, a cute+functional one, or just a functional one.

• Backpack by Everlights
• Backpack by  LadyBirdesign

Autumn is coming, so, maybe, a scarf?

• Scarf by reflectionsbyds
• Scarf, fingerless gloves and a headband by Solandia

An iPhone case: a nice one, a cute one or a cool one!

• iPhone case by BasementTwentytwo
• iPhone case by iCaseBeauty
• iPhone case by JuliWine
• iPhone case by JonEicher

First Day of School cup (is there a confusion in the faces? :)

• Cups by LightedBottle

Monday Jewelry Quote

...but I tried...

Gemstone bracelet with a sterling silver clasp

and I failed... just as I was supposed to, so it's ok :)

We made the front page of Etsy!

One more time Irina proved to be an awesome treasury curator! Thank you for including my square pendant!

Sunday Interior Design Guide

Great finds for home decoration by Anna today! The color combination gives me a feeling of August, when it is still warm, but you are aware of coming Autumn. Perfection.

Discover the items from the interactive page of the Guide.

Bead Day. Elena Noel's beadwork

I could not pass by such an extraordinary work! Enjoy with me today's eye candy :)

Friday Gift Guide. Pink Dreams.

New gift guide made by Irina has arrived. It is a great idea to look for the gifts by color! Pink is a perfect color to go by when you are choosing a gift for a girl :) Not all girls like pink, mind you, so you should check that first. 

This is not the whole Gift Guide here, by the way ;) More pink gift ideas here (visit the same page if you are interested in anything you see here)

Ammolite for an Art Nouveau pendant

One more ammolite from my collection of ammolites. This is a small pendant-to-be again! It is nice to have them, but I like jewelry at least twice the size. Two small pendants is enough for this sketch collection :)

New jewelry in my online shop

I have not been adding anything new in my shop for a while. There are new arrivals there now! Fresh from the tumbler :)

Rainforest necklace with the deer, rainbow moonstones, labradorite and freshwater pearls

Wide silver band with a cluster of freshwater pearls

Big maple leaf silver necklace with Swarovski crystals

Monday Jewelry Quote

I'm wondering either :) 

Pearl bracelet with a polar bear charm

Sunday Interior Design Guide

Wow! This collection of home decoration ideas by Anna is delightfully beautiful, just a treat for the eyes! I will need to discover what other items the features shops have:

Getting some exposure on the front page :)

On the front page of Etsy as a curator today!

And one more time! 

Friday Gift Guide

Our little team is starting something new today. Our Gift Guide is going to have more items in the collections. More items to choose from! Very exciting! 

While August is still here it is still possible to choose a summer gift and be able to enjoy it. Irina created a nearly 5 page long gift catalog with the Sea theme in mind. 

I've cut a few lines from it for a quick preview for you. Visit the catalog's interactive page in order to see these items as well as many other.

On the front page of Etsy in Europe!

Once again my square silver necklace made appearance on the front page of Etsy in Europe! 

That made me look at how many people have saved it into their Favorites... Over 1000! Wow!

Turquoise cabochon for a small Art Nouveau pendant with calla lilies

I sketch big pendants usually. However I have small stones also for the small pendants. I find that it is more challenging for me to design a small piece of jewelry than a big one. It should have minimum details and still  look unique. I think I should challenge myself more often :)

Monthly Wedding Guide

When I've received new awesome Wedding catalog from Anna, my eyes instantly focused on that Moroccan lantern! I love pierced items whether they are jewelry or lanterns :) However, the Moroccan style lanterns I love especially (look what I had found earlier for my blog!)

If you would like to see the featured shops, please visit the interactive page of this Wedding Guide.

Metaphysical properties of crystals in jewelry that you are giving as a gift

I wrote a blog post on how to choose a jewelry gift for her last week and mentioned there something that inspired a new post today. If you are trying to give a piece of jewelry with a crystal to a girl who is into to the metaphysical qualities of the stones, you should research those qualities first. 

Good news is that most people are interested in the stones that have actual crystal structure (and therefore form a natural crystal). Most of those crystals-of-interest are quartz related: rock crystal, citrine, amethyst and rose quartz.

Silver pendant with a quartz point

You can find lots of detailed articles on the metaphysical qualities if you like. However, my post is here to help you with general information if you are planning on giving her a crystal jewelry. 

Let's keep it simple:

1. Rock crystal is beneficial for protection. It clears away negative energy. It can also help particularly with concentration and studying. Quartz is also a stone of harmony, and is even helpful in romantic relationships. Quartz is a Master Healer stone.
2. Amethyst is a meditative and calming stone. Amethyst is used as beneficial when dealing with legal problems and money issues. It is also used to protect one from thieves, and to protects travelers. 
3. Citrine has energies of good fortune and good luck. It is well known in crystal work as a success and prosperity stone to the point that it is called the "Success Stone". Citrine is also a happy stone. It can bring happiness to the person who carries or wears it. 
4. Rose quartz is the same as pink quartz. Rose quartz is often called the "Love Stone". This makes rose quartz a stone for every type of love: self-love, family, platonic, romantic, and unconditional. Rose quartz is often used to attract love, for love spells and charms. It also brings peace and calm. 

If you know for a fact that she needs a specific crystal that is not listed here, visit this web-site and you will find it.