Adorn Me jewelry - beautiful, unique, handmade jewelry, plus size to petite

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:04:00 +0000

I have no aspirations to be a food blogger -- I love making jewelry too much. But once in a while it's fun to share a recipe. Be warned, though, I don't do measurements, but instead cook by feel, so these measures are approximate. If you are an experienced cook you'll have a feel for the amounts that seem best to you.

the sticks should be crusty on the outside, with fabulous bits of hardened cheese

Fresh mozzarella cheese has to be one of life's gifts. Well, cheese in general is. I like to buy mine at Costco, where you can get a nice size block for about $5.

- Cut sticks about 1/2" to 5/8" on all sides, and about half as long as the width of the block of cheese, depending on the size of the block. Cut enough for about a dozen sticks.

- 2 eggs

- I probably use about 1 1/2 C bread crumbs (you can use corn meal, too, if you like.

- 1 tsp. dried Italian herb blend spices

- Pepper to taste

- Some good garlic salt

- Canola oil for frying

- Toothpicks

Pour your oil into your skillet (if you have a fryer, all the better, frankly) and heat on very low, just to warm up the oil so that it takes less time once you're ready to start frying. DO NOT use olive oil. Olive oil has a low flash point and cannot cook these as quickly as you need for them to cook, which is why using a fryer is really optimal.

Beat 2 eggs by hand in a shallow bowl. Let rest for a minute, and while the eggs are resting, pour your bread crumbs onto a paper plate, or whatever you like to use for breading. Add your Italian herbs and pepper to the bread crumbs and mix.

Dip your cheese sticks into the egg mixture, using a toothpick to hold them. I find a toothpick works better than a fork, and certainly better than your fingers. :c)

Transfer the cheese to the bread crumbs and coat well, patting a bit if needed for it to stick. Dip into egg again and then bread crumbs. I put the finished sticks onto a plate that has been dusted with bread crumbs.

Heat oil to a high temp, though not so high that the oil reaches its flash-point, and then transfer sticks to the pan, half at a time. Fry quickly, so that all the cheese doesn't have the time to run out and you're left with basically cheese-flavored breading.

When the sticks are brown, transfer them to a brown bag or paper towels to drain for a minute and sprinkle your garlic salt over them, both sides. I love Costco's Kirkland Signature brand Roasted Garlic & Mediterranean Sea Salt Grinder. It grinds up the salt and the pieces of dried roasted garlic together. So I grind some of that on at the end. I don't like to put it in the bread crumbs. because garlic can become bitter when fried, so I find it works out better that way. You can also grate some Asiago cheese on top, too.

Lovely crusty little bits!

If you want to have them all hot at the same time, you can either use two pans, or do them in two batches, putting the first batch on a pan in the oven set at about 180-200 degrees or so.

These are great dipped in marinara sauce, honey mustard dressing, bleu cheese dressing or ranch dressing.

Dig in! :c)

Pin It

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Thank you to Megan of Etsy Bride for featuring our Garnet Red Bridal Necklace in her fabulous blog. I sometimes take a peek at what she's doing over there, because she always puts together great items and color schemes.

Thank you so much, Megan!!

A new look for the new year...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Happy New Year, all!

2010 was a year full of ups and downs for us: my son and I not living so far apart, which is wonderful beyond words and has allowed us to design jewelry together more often; starting a successful new business venture (Fallen Angel Brass®) with a friend; the collapsing health of a loved one; problems with my own health; moving over the holidays, and other assorted wonderful and not so wonderful happenings. All in all, I'm wishing for all of us that we enjoy good health, friendship and love in our lives, rich working and/or business lives, personal fulfillment, burgeoning financial success and more.

My son, James, and I wish all of these things for you and yours. :c)

Latest treasury...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:05:00 +0000

The Fall Indie Handmade Market

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 16:29:00 +0000

Their look has changed but the important stuff is still the same!

Been participating in the Handmade Market for perhaps a year and a half steady now. It's a great venue run by the lovely Jessica, a dynamo of a woman. You can find all manner of handmade goodies there, as well as special deals. Adorn Me is offering 20% off (if you use the code found through my shop in the Market), as well as free shipping on orders of $50 or more (pre-discount!). So, come see our shop there and save! And if you are an artisan and you decide to have a 'booth' there, tell Jessica that Tina at Adorn Me sent you. :c)

Thank you, Heather!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:16:00 +0000

Heather of Nifty Knits did a wonderful write-up on me on her blog. Please check it out and even comment. :c)

Thank you, Heather, and thank you to those of you who go over there to read and comment!

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 22:22:00 +0000

Congratulations to Stacey -- your baby has brought you luck!

The winning number, chosen by random.org, between one and 2008, is 221 and Miss Stacie chose 225. As outlined in the rules, it doesn't matter if the person has gone over, it's about who is closest and Stacie couldn't have gotten much closer without hitting it on the head!

So Stacie, please message me with your address and the next time we go do mailing your English Garden earrings will be wending their way across the pond.

Thanks so much to all of you who have participated; it's tough because I wanted you all to win. :c)

Another chance to win...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 16:16:00 +0000

Our resident big-brain, Gin, kicked butt right out of the gate, but I had planned all along to give away two pair of earrings, so we're going to do a draw using Random.org, the random number generator.

You have from now until Saturday, September 18, 2010 to choose, and post here, a number between 1 and 2,008 (the year we opened our shop at Etsy). Whomever guesses the number exactly -- or barring that, comes closest to it, either above or below, wins. Make sure I know who you are from your post so I can contact you to get your address so I can send your earrings off to you!

Only one entry per person, please.

Aaaaand, we're off! :c)

Win a pair of our English Garden earrings!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 06:49:00 +0000

Go to our facebook page and see how many people Like that page. Then look through our store and then post here with the the number of people who like our facebook page and also links to the pieces of jewelry that correspond to the hints below. The first one to post all of the correct answer links wins these earrings. :c)

1) She went to the Elysian Fields after her death...

2) She wishes you "unpleasant dreams."

3) She is said to be the daughter of Arthur's mother, the Lady Igraine.

4) A type of fine cashmere wool.

5) An island in the Caribbean.

9/11 Tribute

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 05:15:00 +0000

Thank you to epictera for including Adorn Me's Helen of Troy necklace in this moving treasury. I particularly like the "Still They Flew" painting by rainamast.

I wanted to write something that would capture how I feel on this day and what my thoughts are, but I'm afraid the words will sound trite. This day still has the ability to make me quiet and pensive. My heart goes out to the loved ones of the victims of the terrorists who planned and carried out the death and destruction wrought on that day. To go to straight to the treasury, click here.

'A Tribute' by epicetera

Never forgotten

MarieDolphin $25	RuthSoller $25	chicalookate $8	havilandesign $30
rjcaputophotog... $30	BarcodeArt $25.00	artnuvi $150	johalila $15.00
boxerlovinglad... $250	EyeShutterToTh... $18	ChellasCollect... $18	rainamast $2600.00
ME2Designs $10	LacedupDecals $14.95	MusedBooks $13	AdornMeJewelry $29.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

"What are those little brown squares in my order?"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:45:00 +0000

I've been asked that question before, and the answer is two-fold:

1) Don't throw them away!

2) They help to prevent tarnishing of your silver and copper.

Adorn Me includes these tabs in with your order as a service, to help keep your jewelry shiny. The technology used to make these are the same that is used by NASA, the Guggenheim Museum, and smart jewelry manufacturers around the world.

These tabs provide protection from tranish for up to 12 months (keeping your jewelry in the sealed little bags they came in helps to keep the tabs fresh longer), and they do not leave any deposits on the items they protect. You can even use it for pearl and opal-based pieces, but be sure to allow your pearls and opals to breathe, as they need air, so do not seal those bags for long, if at all.

They do not out-gas like charcoal-based poly tabs or charcoal papers, and they are non-toxix, non-abrasive, and will not scratch or harm your jewelry. Each tab protects up to 30 cubic inches of container space.

So, as you can see, the tabs are in your jewelry bag for a reason, so don't throw them out. Just one more service that we like to provide -- along with rubber ear wire stoppers, protective and lovely packaging and gift enclosure notes -- to make your experience better and your purchases long-lasting. :c)

I should add that these tabs do not clean the jewelry, they only keep it from tarnishing. To clean you need something like the very reasonably-priced polishing cloth we offer in our shop. The tab only keeps clean jewelry shiny, but won't actually clean it itself. Your tarnish-prone jewelry (all jewelry, really) should be wiped clean and then polished before and after wearing and stored. Use the outside cloth to wipe clean, then the inside cloth to polish, and then a different part of the outside cloth to final polish.

Come see our stores at Etsy and at Zibbet.

White Mystic Topaz...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:47:00 +0000

If you've never seen highest gem quality white mystic topaz you're missing a real treat. They sparkle like diamonds, and the colors refracted are mesmerizing.

These gem quality, positively delicious rainbow mystic white topaz faceted pear briolettes are, bar none, some of the most gorgeous, luxe stones we have in stock. They are totally clear, but pick up and refract the light to spark off a range of colors. They are simple in design: just the gorgeous topaz wrapped in oxidized sterling silver, hanging from ball end oxidized sterling ear wires, and are approximately 1 1/8" in length, from top to bottom.

I'm a huge fan of moonstone and these are even lovelier than the finest moonstone . These stones are topaz, not quartz, which means they are of a much higher quality and greater hardness and durability. Their clarity is superb, having a classification of VVS, or AAA quality. Magnificent! You may find them here.

. . .

Now, on to the next pair of white mystic topaz earrings! These are longer, at 2 inches, and use beautiful little silver and marcasite 'S" connectors. They are One Of A Kind (or, OOAK)!

Elegant in design, I hand-wrapped these gorgeous brios in shiny sterling silver and hung them from silver and marcasite connectors and semi-circle sterling silver ear wires. Their design makes for a long -- but not too long, slinky design. You may find these earrings here.

All Of Our Jewelry Is Shipped Low Cost, Worldwide! When you order, your jewelry will arrive to you in a glossy black box with an note card inside. If your purchase is a gift for someone, you can send us a note at Etsy when checking out and tell us what you would like hand-written on the card. This is then boxed and wrapped up in either a black or sparkly silver ribbon, all ready for gift-giving!

Adorn Me has a Facebook Fan Page where you will find news and discounts that are exclusive to fan page members. Our deep discount 24-hour sales are always fun, but those are for members only.

Happy Shopping!

For those who have ever wondered...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:28:00 +0000

I really love VickiDiane's popular Artists Exposed series of treasuries at Etsy, because I like to see what my fellow Etsians look like. It puts more of a face to the store, makes it more personal. I have participated before, and she asked me to again, soooo...

Why not head on over there and click around, maybe make a comment, and give Vicki, who has one of the biggest hearts on Etsy, a nice hello. :c)

Adorn Me Guest Blogs at Niftyknits!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:18:00 +0000

Presentation is important. So is protecting the creations one has made that a valued customer has purchased. We try to keep both of those thoughts in mind at AMJ.

Heather of Niftyknits requested I blog about how I wrap my sales items for AMJ cutomers' purchases for her So much yarn, so little time blog. You can find my post right here.

Please go over, take a look and leave a comment.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 May 2010 02:40:00 +0000

Vote is still on until the 14th of this month.

Still stumping for votes for my butterfly necklace -- mine is number 1 of 12 entries below.

Please vote for my necklace if you think it's worthy.

Just removed the voter, as I believe the voting is over and I think I came in second.

A hearty THANK YOU! to those of you who voted for Adorn Me's necklace. :c)

Please Vote For Madame Butterfly

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:36:00 +0000

I think it's been a year now since I've imposed upon you to beg for votes. I only enter this contest once or twice per year (the end of the year one is a biggie but I was too busy making jewelry to enter last year *grin*). Soooo, here goes...

Will you please vote for my design in the Vintaj Design challenge for May? Well, if you like it, that is. :c) It's the first one -- number 1, named Madame Butterfly. I don't do a lot of these contests, so I won't be bugging you with this stuff very often, promise. :c)

"Madame Butterfly" I used to have a wonderful little garden in the back of my house, which was on a bit of property. We weren't far from town, but because of the way it was situated, it felt like it was far removed. This garden, where daffodils, dahlias, cosmos and strawberries grew, was my favorite place to wake up. I'd turn on the mister attached to the irrigation system and watch the hummingbirds and butterflies dip down into the mist and fly back up -- just enough to cool off a bit on a warm day. I'd sit and drink my tea with honey and draw in my sketch book. It was the most Zen way to begin my day and I miss that. Daffodils and butterflies are inexorably tied together in my mind, and I knew what I would make when I read the challenge theme for May, "Daffodil Walkway." As you can see from the photo, every bit of this necklace is made of Vintaj materials but the stones, which are various kinds and colors of crystals, and one little golden-coated glass melon bead up on the chain.

If you would like to see more photos and info about the necklace, you can see it in our store here.

Thanks in advance to those of you who do vote for Madame!

Loving Lucite

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:13:00 +0000

One of Adorn Me Jewelry's favorite materials to work with is Lucite because it's so diverse, and in most cases is comparitively inexpensive while giving a very luxe look. While many often think of Lucite being strictly translucent, it actually comes in in many degrees of opaqueness, colors, and texture. We always love working with vintage components, and almost all of our Lucite used in our designs is vintage.

In our Vintage Metro Line, we carry a wide array of lucite jewelry where we use vintage beads made in the 1930's - 1980's, and give them updated, Modern look (in some cases a Mod look). Adorn Me Jewelry's entire Vintage Metro Line can be found here in our "Vintage Elements" section.

One of our best sellers -- and a sweet, fun, Springish pair of earrings are our Elle - Vintage Bead Earrings with a Modern Twist! Below vintage, crystal clear asymmetrical lucite beads hang one smooth round, opaque, baby pink, vintage lucite bead. The finishing touch is a fabulous asymmetrical, vintage lucite bead that's translucent pink! The entire piece is hand wrapped with shiny copper wire, and hang from shiny copper lever back ear wires. More information and photos can be found here. These are a must for pink lovers out there!

Our Champagne on Ice, Vintage Bead Earrings with a Modern Twist feature a vintage, clear, asymmetrical piece of lucite "ice" that has been placed between round, vintage lucite bubble beads -- the "champagne." They are all hand wrapped with antiqued brass wire, and hang from antiqued brass lever back ear wires, and are 3 1/8" in length. Lovely and fun! More info and pics can be found here.

Another one of Adorn Me Jewelry's favorites is our Lan a - Vint age Teardrop F aux Pearl e arrings. These sensuous beauties feature pale baby-pink, vintage lucite teardrop-shaped faux pearls. To add more glamor to these lovelies, 3mm white round Swarovski crystal pearls and 4.5mm simplicity-cut Copper Shadow Swarovski crystals have been added to the bright pinkish copper findings. More info and pics can be found here.

An unusual vintage lucite piece for the pink lovers out there is our Chinese Lantern necklace in very pale iridescent pink. This necklace's focal point is an 11mm vintage ribbed and pebbled lucite bead that glows a soft, pale baby pink. All of the findings used are a deep gray gunmetal for contrast and feature a 2mm gunmetal round bead. The little 'lantern' hangs from petite gunmetal chain with a heart-shaped parrot clasp closure. More photos and info can be found here. We also carry matching earrings which can be found here. If you like this particular design, but would prefer it not to be in pink, take a look at these. This design features 12mm copper- and gray-colored vintage ribbed and pebbled lucite beads. The matching necklace can be found here.

If you're a lover of spring green, AMJ's Iridescent Peridot Green Vintage Bead Flapper Earrings are for you (plus they happen to be on sale)! They're 4" in length (including the ear wires) and feature big 18mm vintage lucite rounds that have the loveliest iridescent peridot green swirling pattern which dangle flapper style, from Vintaj Natural Brass findings. More photos and info can be found here. Full of fun, movement, and wonderful color!

A piece that uses more lucite than any other is our Charlotte Redux - Vintage Romantic, Art Nouveau Era necklace (which also happens to be on clearance). This stunner features a large natural brass swallow stamping that is surrounded on each side by 1" long, clear, twisted, vintage lucite beads, which really sparkle. They are interspersed with antiqued brass-colored lucite beads with an Art Nouveau floral design and strung on etched antiqued brass chain. More photos and information can be found here. This lovely piece is simple, yet intricate, and would be a wonderful item to add to your collection!

Another one of our Lucite items that happens to be on sale is our Amber Twist Vintage Bead earrings. Hanging from large sterling silver kidney wires, the 19mm x 15mm vintage lucite beads sparkle and emanate a firey warmth when the light hits them, and are capped with antiqued sterling inverse heart bead caps. More info and photos about these beauties.

Another lucite best seller is our Pashmi na en Copper, Lush Vintage Bead earrings. The color of these is really such a beautiful pinkish copper. These leverback earrings feature intricately carved copper colored vintage lucite flute beads that hang from handmade ball end rosey copper head pins and are topped by with tiny little copper ball beads and 4mm bicone crystals in a newer Swarovski color called "Air." The complimentary color contrast between the bead and the crystal is lovely. More info and photos can be found here. Simple, yet intricate at the same time.

Our last featured item is our newest lucite addition, Pods - Otherworldly Vintage Lucite Bead earrings. These highly textured earrings feature vintage brass tone lucite organic styled beads that look like leaf pods. They hang from antiqued brass lever back ear wires, and have a small brass teardrop that dangles below the pod. More photos and info on these earrings can be found here.

If you would like to see more of Adorn Me Jewelry's Lucite pieces, please check out our "Vintage Elements" section.

If you would like to join the Adorn Me mailing list, where you will find news, contests and exclusive email-subscriber discounts and virtual coupons, drop us a line giving us your email address (we do NOT sell or pass on your email address or information to anyone). Adorn Me also has a new Facebook Fan Page. Come visit for news and also discounts that are exclusive to fan page members.

Our next shipping date is April 24th.

Happy Shopping!

Add Some Sparkle to Your Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:10:00 +0000

As the sun starts to shine though the dreary clouds, we thought it would be a good time to showcase some glass jewelry for that sun to shine through! Using glass in jewelry is fantastic since it comes in pretty much every size, shape, and color imaginable. Plus, in most cases, it's very affordable. Glass jewelry is also very easy to keep; the wearer just needs to be gentle with their glass jewelry while wearing and storing it.

One of our newer designs is our Spring Solstice - Verdigris Brass Hoop and Orange Melon Earrings. These Bohemian earrings feature a 12mm soft orange givre glass melon beads hanging through the center of distressed verdigris treated brass. More info and pics can be found here, in the listing.

Another new glass creation are our Blu e Hawaiian - Hand Hammered Sterling and Czech Glass earrings. On hand-hammered sterling silver ear wires, 8mm opalescent faceted milky jonquil yellow Czech glass beads are sandwiched between 5mm deep aqua faceted rondelles with a celsian coating. These are simple and sweet earrings that would be perfect for all occasions, and are particularly great for those who prefer short, non-swingy earrings. More photos and information on these darling earrings can be found here.

Our next featured item is our Luminous Yellow Pineapple Quartz earrings. They have been wrapped with gold filled wire. The focus of these lovely light yellow earrings are faceted harlequin diamond-shaped opalescent Pineapple Quartz (which is actually not a stone, but glass). They are top-drilled and wrapped with gold-filled wire and hang from gold filled fish hook ear wires adorned with lovely little gold filled stardust beads. Simple and stunning. More info and pics can be found here.

Adorn Me Jewelry's Sapphire Blue Glass and Copper Necklace's focus is a sapphire blue table-cut Czech glass bead. It has been paired with round sapphire blue Swarovski crystal, a tiny 1mm copper bead, handcrafted copper ball-end head pin, a beautiful antiqued copper Tierra Cast saddle bead cap and antiqued copper chain with a heart-shaped clasp. For more photos and information on this beauty, please click here. We also carry matching earrings which can be found here.

Our Garden Path, in Aqua - Vibrant, Flowery Czech Glass earrings scream Spring! The 10mm Picasso treated, faceted aqua Czech glass rondelles hang invitingly below grass green flower bead caps. Sitting atop the green flower bead caps are little, teal vitrail-coated faceted Czech glass crystals. More info and pics can be found here.

AMJ's fun Hand Blown Hollow Glass Disc Earrings feature dynamic 20mm disc shaped hollow blown glass beads in aqua with chartreuse swirled lines that are nestled between two 4mm clear swarovski bicone crystals with an Aurora Borealis (AB) coating, and are strung on sterling silver ball-end headpins which hang from long sterling silver kidney shaped ear wires. More info and photos can be found here.

Our last featured item for today is our stunning Aur a - Amazingly Colorful Vitrail Aurora Molded Glass Teardrop Earrings. These smooth, teardrop molded glass pieces have a vitrail finish that catch the light and sparkle every color of the rainbow! Simple gunmetal hardware's used to not detract from the stunning glass teardrops. More photos and info can be found here.

Adorn Me Jewelry caters to all body types, so if you prefer your necklaces or earrings longer or shorter, please convo us and we'll do our best to accommodate your needs.
AMJ can found on Twitter, and now on Facebook. Come check us out there for additional specials!

Happy shopping!!

Milk or dark, it's your choice.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 22:39:00 +0000

I choose both! :c)

I'd like to announce a new design to both the Fractal Girl and Adorn Me Jewelry stores. You'll find a discount for a quantity of three in the Fractal Girl store.

Based upon a British WWII poster, this perfectly describes my motto. You've seen the chocolate lover's version here first, folks -- this is the original.

An 11 x 17 poster, professionally printed on quality 100# glossy book stock. I give a discount on larger quantities, just drop me a note to inquire.

Enjoy and share with friends and fellow chocolate lovers!

AMJ doesn't usually do prints, but from time to time you will find one or two there; Fractal Girl is all about prints (and destash, but that's not the store's main reason for being).

Look for more artwork from both Adorn Me and Fractal Girl!

Thank you to Krystle of dkjewels!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:41:00 +0000

Thank you to Krystle of dkjewelsfor featuring our
Aqua Flame Rose Ring in her gorgeous pastel Easter treasury at Etsy!

How to create, and catch, a Etsy Treasury - For Newbies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:08:00 +0000

I've had several people now ask me how to make, and find, a Treasury. I figured maybe I'd lay out some basic information for those of you who want to make a Treasury but don't know where or how to start.

Start here: the Poster Sketch at Etsy. Bookmark that page. It is where you can lay out the items you want to put in your Treasury and can see just what they'll look like once you catch your Treasury. The easiest way to add items is to go to the page of the item you want to add and copy the last 8 numbers in the listing URL (after "listing_id="), as you see in the photo to the left. Then click "edit" so the item field opens up. Then paste the item number into the field for each item in your Sketch, and then click "edit" again. You should now see the item you want to add to your treasury. Once you have them all added, as well as four alternates, you can drag the items around to arrange and re-arrange until it's just how you like it. Just so you know, you may choose one of your own items, but admin will not use your treasury for the FP if you do -- but if they like your treasury enough to use it for the FP they will usually switch your item out before using it. I never put my own items in my treasuries for that reason. Plus, it just seems like inappropriate self-promotion to me, but YMMV. Also, for the same reason keep in mind that you should not use more than one item from the same shop.

Next, here is a great site, Craftopolis. It's a great resource for us Etsians, and especially those of us who pay attention to, and like to create, treasuries. Go there and type your store name in the field and it will show you if you're in any treasuries. Bookmark it now. That way, it will automatically load showing the treasuries you're in without you having to type it in each time. If you click the Treasury Clock tab near the top it will tell you how long it will be until each treasury opens up, Main and Treasury West (TW for short). If you click the name of the Treasury (Main or TW) it will take you to the main page for that treasury.

The main treasury has to drop below 333 treasuries before you can get one. TW has to drop between 222 in order to get one. You want to be there as soon as it drops -- the second it drops. You want to click on the Expiration arrow until it's pointing up, so you can see when the various treasuries expire, and you want to see the ones that will expire the soonest. The page self-refreshes, so you don't need to refresh it as it counts down. As a matter of fact, if you do try to refresh and it's too close to the time when it's going to open, you might miss it. Just leave the treasury window open. When I know it's going to expire soon I keep it to the left of my monitor, so I can see the numbers as they drop out of the corner of my eye, while I work in another browser page to the right. Be aware that some people delete their treasuries before they expire, so that the treasury can open up earlier than you think, so if it says it opens in 2 hours, say, keep that window open and keep an eye on it, as it will likely open up sooner than that. When it gets close enough (just a few away, if it's only going to be a few minutes, and not like an hour or something), I stop working and have the treasury window front and center. Have the name of your treasury ready and copy it to your clipboard so that the second it drops below 222 or 333, depending upon the treasury, you can scroll down to the bottom of the page and click in the box, do a Ctrl+v and paste the name into the box and hit Enter immediately. You want to do this fast, because you can lose out in a few seconds if you're too slow. Then you just go and start pasting your items and your alternates into the new treasury and viola!

You can also add a kind of tag line right under the name, and put a link to your blog, or a cause, or something interesting, if you like.

Now, give your treasury a good start by clicking each active item. You do this for two reasons: first, to make sure that none of them are sold; if they are, replace the item with an alternate or something else you've just found that seems like it would be perfect. Also, you are allowed to give your treasury one view, so you're starting your treasury off with views.

When you click on each item, you can hit the "contact" link on that item and tell the person you have added them to your treasury, and paste in the URL of your treasury so they can go see. This is within Etsy's rules and is not considered to be spamming or a violation. Many people like to know when their item is in a treasury and most will go look, click and comment, which is what you want. Some will even write you back, thanking you. It's all part of being friendly neighbors, promoting each other and maybe even getting to know someone new and wonderful. I've made several friends this way. There are SO many fantastic Etsians that it's heartening and makes it feel like a real community, and not *quite* so small a fish in a big pond.

You can also tweet your treasury, list it on your blog and/or your FB fan page, and the front of your store page if you like. Treasury-making is fun, and looking at them is fun, too. When you look, it's always nice to click the items and leave a comment. It's not compulsory, but is a friendly thing to do. Have fun with it!

Hope this has helps. Happy Treasury making! :c)

I Heart Handmade's Virtual Spring Craft Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:56:00 +0000

Adorn Me Jewelry is I ♥ Handmade's featured shop today. If you've never been there, take a look. You'll find all manner of handmade items there. You can find our page here.

Right now, we're running a special! If you use the code, "I can't wait for Spring!," you'll receive 10% off your entire order. Plus, we still have our low cost worldwide shipping!

I ♥ Handmade is being run by Jessica at Indie Icing, a well-known blog about all life and kinds of things, but she also featured handmade artists, artisans and crafters. If you're any of the above, take a look at I ♥ Handmade and consider participating in their online craft shows.

Why is fit important?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:26:00 +0000

You see the perfect necklace in the display case -- the color, the design -- you can actually feel your pupils expand. It is love at first site. You try it on and it feels as if you're wearing a choke chain. Because of the style, even one of those practical but generally unattractive extenders won't work. Defeat.

Many women who are either much smaller, or larger, than 'normal' have the experience of finding jewelry that either cuts off the blood supply or falls off.

Fit is important for a number of reasons, but the reason I like best is that jewelry is supposed to make us feel better. It glimmers, we lust, then buy and anticipate wearing it. Often it can be a sensual experience when it comes to the feel of various kinds of stones and the smoothness of the metal. It's hard to enjoy oneself or feel good in one's jewelry, if a necklace that was made to rest between the clavicles is actually a choker -- a choker that feels like it's choking us. Likewise, when one is very thin it's difficult to wear a bracelet that just will not stay on and slips off too easily. True that it's sometimes easier to make a thing smaller than to try to enlarge it, but not always.

My experience growing up was one of disappointment in bracelets, rings and necklaces (forget anklets -- lost cause), because I could just never find any that fit, and I've always refused to make myself uncomfortable trying to fit in, literally and figuratively. This is why I started making my own jewelry at the age of ten. This is also why it's so important to me that your jewelry feels good on you, makes you feel good to wear it, and that it fits just as it should.

At Adorn Me Jewelry we take the fit of your jewelry seriously, so please know that unless it says in the shop listing that it's not adjustable or cannot be made to size (a rarity, but it occasionally happens -- like with our The Birds and The Bees bracelet) everything is able to be made in your size, whether you are so petite that you find yourself having to shop in the children and young miss section (like a friend of mine has to do), or whether you are large enough to have no options of brick and mortar stores and have to shop online on through catalogs.

A dear friend had a simply beautiful multi-strand freshwater pearl necklace that her husband had given her years ago, and she had gained weight and hadn't been able to wear it for a number of years. I worked with her to design a new necklace that fit her the way she wanted it to, and we even had enough left over for a bracelet. This sort of thing can be done, and it gives new life to pieces that you either can no longer wear, or that you never really could wear for reasons of fit.

Likewise, if you see something in our shop that you love and you would like it larger or smaller, contact us and we will be more than happy to make sure your jewelry feels good on you and fits like it should.

My newest Treasury, "Pink."

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:02:00 +0000

Took almost two weeks to finally nab a treasury (usually my timing is pretty good for treasuries, but not this time), so here it is. Been in a pink mood lately, obviously. From top left...

Vintage glass vase Blenko reproduction, by Westbourne Grove

Necklace - Felt Beads mixed with Vintage Plastic Beads in Peachy Pink, by Glorious Hats

Fairy pendant chandelier in white with roses, by Ginger's Choice

Gentle Rain - Pink Quartz Sterling Silver Earrings, by Strands of Light

All Fringe Baby Blanket Photo Prop, by Crickets Creations

Pink Silk... Czech Glas Earrings on Brass Hoops, by Bead Stylin'

Gold washed pinkie lilac rondelle Czech glass faceted 7mm x 11mm beads, by Treasures by Karen

Pink Chippy Side Table, by Extra Virgin Home

OWL Purse Modern Patchwork Quilted Drawstring Gadget Diaper Bag, by Hoganfe Handmade Handbag Originals

Breathe... rose fine art photo, by Leaping Gazelle Studios

Gelato in Venice, by Bijoux d' Odalisque

Champagne and Peach pearl bracelet, by Handmade Jewelry and Original Artwork by Pamela Jean Lacasse

Thanks to all for making such lovely creations!

Shimmer and Shine

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:05:00 +0000

Plus a surprise!

Adorn Me Jewelry is staffed by a flock of magpies! We all just love all the pretty sparkles and snatch every bit of sparkle we can find, so you're bound to find a piece of shimmery and shiny jewelry to add to your nest! :c)

With the wedding season quickly approaching, many future brides are starting to wonder what they should wear jewelry-wise and what to get their bridesmaids. AMJ has a wedding and occasion section that might help you out! We carry a lovely Trinity line of necklaces and earrings that come in a wide array of sizes and colors. Our Trinity en Large Necklace, Glimmer and Shine on your special day - bridal and prom focal point is a prismatic 15mm clear Swarovski crystal faceted briolette with the most beautiful AB (aurora borealis) coating ever. It sparkles in ways the camera simply cannot capture. The matching earrings can be found here. The Trinity collection comes in two sizes of flat briolettes: 11mm and 15mm. The first photo is of the en Large (the 15mm) and the second photo montage is of the regular Trinity brios (11mm).

The Trinity line comes in a variety of colors, as you can see in the photo, and although we have the Trinity line in the Wedding and Occasion Jewelry section, these pieces would be beautiful worn with anything! Adorn Me Jewelry's entire Trinity line and other special occasion jewelry can be found here. If you're interested in something custom made for your special day, please contact us and we'll be delighted to work with you!

The next item we'll be featuring is our Femme Mysterieux, Vintage Elements necklace featues a large, vintage, irregularly shaped lucite pinch bead in the most intriguing hue that is a cross between teal and emerald green. In most light it is deepest emerald green, but in the right light, it looks a bit teal, too. The bead has antiqued brass bead caps and little faceted teal Czech glass fire-polished beads with a vitriol coating at each end and is on an antiqued brass chain. More photos and information can be found in the listing here.

The last item we'll be featuring is our Snow Princess, Modern Simplicity - Huge faceted Rock Crystal Quartz Necklace. This necklace features a huge, 2 inch, clear rock crystal quartz that hangs from a sparkling Italian sterling silver Giotto Chain. It is finished off at the end with a Tierra Cast toggle and a smooth, tiny 10x5mm Vintage Czech glass teardrop wrapped in silver wire. More info and photos can be found here.

If you see something you like here and would like to receive a 10% discount, come see our own page here at I Hear t Handmade's Seasonally Inspired Market. Right now, we're running a special! If you use the code, "I can't wait for Spring!," you'll receive 10% off your entire order. Plus, we still have our low cost worldwide shipping!

Our next shipping date will be the morning of Saturday March 13, 2010.

Happy shopping!!