Five Great Gifts To Give

It’s Tuesday, and that means we have Five (5) Great Gift ideas for you!  We are pleased to bring you two new Etsy shops, a returning shop and an odd or end here and there.  These gift ideas range from jewelry to Children’s Room Decor (and is it ever cute).  

One of the new shops is Lucky Stars Hawaii, with these very cute Devoted 2 U Heart (Swarovski Elements Series) Earring w/Pink Swarovski 8 mm Pearl dangling from Heart Chain – Sterling Silver, are available in the shop now!

 Description: Total length of this adorable earring is about 2 1/4 inches. The Swarovski Devoted 2 U Heart is a stylishly asymmetrical version of the classic shape. All components are sterling silver.

(Blogger’s Note:  Valentine’s Day may be over, but don’t forget, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduations, or just to say I love you!  These cuties will do the trick!)

Next, another new shop, ThumbAlina Lane with this wonderful Alphabet Animal Silhouettes Art Print.  Brighten your child’s room with this fun, colorful print!

Description: This listing is for an 8×10 art print professionally printed to order on heavyweight archival matte paper with high definition archival inks.  

NOTE:  Frame and mat are not included.

**This listing has several options, size and color are just a couple.  Have a look for complete details.

(Blogger’s Note:  Grandparents, new parents, relatives looking for a fun, educational and interactive gift, that doesn’t require batteries?  This is the one.  Quality time can be had with your special little one learning the Alphabet, animals and a color or two.  I bet they can be printed in your child’s room color scheme!)

Our returning shop is Wire Witchery, with this spectacular Tiger Eye and Garnet Pendulum. 

Description: This pendulum is made with a highly faceted tiger’s eye bead on 18 gauge copper wire. Its accented with two micro-faceted garnets and a copper yarn ball bead. The grabber is a hand twisted spiral of copper and gold colored copper wire with another garnet. 

(Blogger’s Note: The unique focal bead is worth giving this a piece a look!)

A new offering from my own shop is this twist on Chain Maille.  Golden Spiral, is crafted from gold tone base metal jump rings, this continuous pattern spirals and twists throughout the bracelet.  Great for men or woman and comes in a variety of metals and jewelry wire, including, sterling silver plated, hypo-allergenic, gunmetal, copper and brass.

Being the crafty woman that I am, I like to hand make gifts sometimes. Not everything needs to be purchased, even though all Etsy gifts are hand made, and the idea is to provide you with unique and purchasable gift ideas, it might be fun to experiment yourself.  Although I am not sure if Cuff Links are in fashion any more, this is a simple, easy, low cost project.  

Instructions:

Check out your local Thrift stores, they are a goldmine of unique and easy-on-the-wallet finds.  Look for a pair of unadorned, plain, flat face Cuff Links, make sure they are a complete set.

Once home, clean them up, if they need it, let them dry thoroughly. 

With a small brush and a paint color of your choice. paint the face of both Cuff Links.

Add a design, his initials, a stencil you find interesting, dots, whatever suits your fancy (ladies, no flowers please).  Keep it small and simple.  Let your pieces dry thoroughly.  With some acrylic spray or brush-on sealer, (Clear Nail polish works in a pinch) lightly coat the surface of your Cuff Link Design (this will protect your design longer).

Once dry find a box, wrap them up and gift them!

(Picture is taken from image search on internet)

 

NOTE:  This would also make a fun project for the kids with plastic buttons or other things that they might like to personalize.

Thank you for stopping by and having a look at some of the beautiful things offered by people from around the web!

In My Studio – Chain Maille Weaves

Over the weekend I taught myself new chain mail weaves.   I am always on look out for new patterns, ideas and ways to improve my skills or provide a variety of design and styles.

The Spiral – “Magic Maille”- This is a fun and super simple pattern that I am hoping to incorporate it into some pieces.  The problem with this pattern is that in order to maintain the twist it must be made as an “eternity” chain, no clasp, no beginning or end. Below is a 8-1/2″” eternity bracelet in base metal gold tone manufactured jump rings.  The “Magic” part, when the chain is loose, it has a very light twist and looks open and messy, with a couple of turns of the wrist, the chain becomes a slinky, silky, and fluid spiral that rolls over itself and undulates across the length of chain.  The set of pictures in silver shows the process of twisting the chain.  You can make it as twisted or loose as you like.

Finally, after all the jump rings are connects and tidied up, you have a very pretty eternity wave or spiral chain.

The detail photos below, show just that, the detail of the spiral as the jump rings are linked or locked together.  In silver and gold base metal jump rings.  Different metals and colors lend the piece a different look although it is the same pattern.

Gold:

Silver:

The Celtic Knot:  I love it when friends find things that they think I can do and pass them along to me.  Shelly Moody of Green Witch Designs found this photo of a stunning pair of earrings. Unbeknown to me I actually had instructions on how to make this weave in a note book!  My images are not cooperating this morning, so I borrow the image Shelly sent to me.  (I will replace it later today)

 Why only two patterns?  Because I am only one person, and capable of just so much.  It does take time to spin the correct size jump rings, unless I am using manufactured or pre-cut rings.  Chain Maille, like any other craft, is a process.  Opening, linking and closing the rings is done by hand, and I mean by hand, a pairs of pliers in each hand and off you go!