Bespangled Jewelry

Mother's Day Sale, 15% off!

2013-05-06T22:23:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, May 12th!

I don't run sales in my shop very often, but Mother's Day is one of the special times I like to offer a discount for loyal fans and readers. Don't worry, it's not too late to order online if you're in the US! All orders placed this week will have an expedited processing time so that your items will be shipped within 1 business day of purchase.

Use coupon code MOMSDAY through May 12th for 15% off anything at BespangledJewelry.etsy.com!

SHOP
Earrings // Necklaces // Rings // Bracelets

I have over 120 lovely handmade jewelry items to choose from, including rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, charms, and pendants. You're bound to find the perfect gift for your special mom! Here are a few of my most recent favorites:

I love this gorgeous necklace, made with a pretty soft mint green chalcedony pendant and a one-of-a-kind sunstone druzy chunk, delicately wrapped in fine 14k gold filled wire. Both pendants hang freely from a delicate gold chain. The larger mint pendant can be removed so the druzy can be worn alone. Necklace is also available in another version without the orange stone if you prefer!

This fabulous cluster bracelet features over 50 natural gemstones - including peruvian blue opal, blue turquoise, green turquoise, citrine, smoky quartz, and cultured white pearls - dangling from a lovely textured sterling silver chain. Handmade silver spirals accent the charms playfully, and this bracelet fastens with a hand forged sterling silver hook clasp.

Wear it day or night, casual or dressy. It's a great spring or summer style, and perfect for the beach too!

Speaking of fabulous, these beautiful cluster earrings are great for dressing up your favorite pair of jeans. Beautiful bright blue turquoise drops hang below a soft cluster of white pearls, clear Swarovski crystals, pale aqua amazonite - all suspended from a textured sterling silver chain.

Handmade spiral headpins accent the cluster for a fun spring or summer look. Also great for the beach!!

All Bespangled Jewelry comes packaged ready for gift giving, tucked inside a pretty teal organza drawstring bag inside my sweet handmade kraft pillow boxes, tied with a ribbon!

SHOP
Earrings // Necklaces // Rings // Bracelets

Monday Musings :: Look on the Sunny Side of Everything

2013-04-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

"Promise yourself to look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true."

(excerpt from "Promises to Yourself", also known as The Optimist's Creed by Christian D. Larson).

Rosemary Orange Biscotti {Recipe}

2013-04-26T22:10:00.000-05:00

'Biscotti' is an Italian word, meaning 'cooked twice'. Essentially, biscotti are toasted cookies, usually made in a long flat shape which are perfect for dunking. These flavorful little treats are your morning coffee's soulmates, but don't be afraid to try them to add a little crunch to some vanilla ice cream!

This is an original recipe, adapted from another original recipe of mine - these sweet Rosemary Orange Walnut Cookies that I made for Christmas. They were absolutely delicious... but are made with butter. When I made them, I remember thinking they would make amazing biscotti, and wishing I had made them a little healthier too.

I have been cooking with grapeseed oil for several months now. It is a wonderful oil, with a neutral flavor, lower in monounsaturated fats than olive oil, and more Vitamin E per serving. I'll be honest though, the reason I bought it in the first place was for beauty purposes (I heard it is an excellent moisturizer and helps minimize fine lines around the eyes. More on that another time!). But after running out of olive oil, I began using it in the kitchen as well and enjoy it in homemade salad dressings and stir fries!

I saw that Pompeian - the brand of grapeseed oil I have been using - was having a recipe contest encouraging bloggers to create a recipe using grapeseed oil instead of butter, and I thought it was a perfect opportunity to test my Rosemary Orange Walnut Biscotti recipe!

I think they turned out great...But they sure didn't last long around here. I've already committed to making a double batch next time. I hope you'll like them too :)

UPDATE 05/05/13: This recipe was chosen as a semi-finalist in the Pompeian "Time to Change Your Oil" recipe contest! I would LOVE it if you would vote for me! Public voting ends 5/12.

6 of My Favorite Spring and Easter DIY Craft Tutorials

2013-03-20T01:13:00.000-05:00

With Spring in the air and Easter just around the corner, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite tutorials to celebrate the new season. I feel like it was just Christmas... I'm not sure where the time goes, but luckily I always have a bunch of season and holiday-appropriate craft tutorials in my back pocket to share.

One of the things I love most about Springtime is the beautiful and vibrant colors that come out to play again after a long winter's nap. I hope you find something here that sparks your fancy and gets you itchin' to put your craftin' pants on and take 'em out for a spin!

1.) Cute and Colorful Pull-Apart Papier Maché Easter Eggs (with treats inside!)

(notmartha.org)

I love pretty much anything papier maché, but these are made with one of my favorite craft supplies -- tissue paper -- so I love them even more! Plus, these little cuties are designed to break open and reveal a secret stash of sweetness, so in my book, you can't go wrong!!

Sweet Treat Ideas for St. Patrick's Day!

2013-03-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

I was hoping to be able to come up with a special recipe for you just for Saint Paddy's day, especially since I love green so much, but I'm afraid I've been spending too much time gawking at other people's treats on Pinterest and well, you know. I lost a few weeks in the abyss :/

Anyway, at the very least, I thought I could put together a recipe roundup of some of the most awesome ones I found so that I appear somewhat more productive than I actually have been. Heheheh.

Now that I've got this post out of the way and no plans for the weekend, I have plenty of time to bake!! I think I'll start with #2 and make the cupcakes and the cake balls at the same time...but then, I may as well go ahead and make the Green Velvet Whoopie Pies (#4) while I'm at it. But I really don't want to miss out on the Minty Creme Cocoa, so I should really try that one, and I don't imagine it would hurt to make some cookies to dunk into it so I will either bake the Frosted Sugar Cookie Shamrocks or the Mint Chocolate Chips....but I can't really decide which one... Oh DEAR what have I DONE??

1.) Leprechaun Hat S'mores from the HostessWithTheMostess

Monday Musings: Be True to the Best that is in You...

2013-03-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

"Promise yourself to live in the faith that the whole world is on your side as long as you are true to the best that is in you."

(excerpt from "Promises to Yourself", also known as The Optimist's Creed by Christian D. Larson).

DIY Crepe Paper Rosette Heart Frame {Tutorial}

2013-02-13T14:37:00.000-06:00

My good friend Kat (of Kat Spencer Photography) mentioned that she was going to be setting up a photobooth at the Special Arts Festival in Garland this month. She told me about the awesome kissing booth that she was building, and said she was making mustaches and other fun props for the kids to enjoy. "Would you want to help?" she says. "Are you kidding?? You had me at 'mustaches'!" I said.

Well, actually, she had me at 'photobooth'. I won't deny that I am obsessed lately.

Anyway, I thought it would be cute to make some heart-shaped frames as props, and I wanted to practice my crepe paper flower rolling technique...hence this project was born!

How to Draw a Heart Without a Template {Tutorial}

2013-02-11T14:53:00.000-06:00

I realized suddenly at the beginning of a project how spoiled I have been by the ease of finding templates online for any shape I could ever need to make. Just print and trace or cut out...without ever giving it a second thought. Hearts are particularly easy - I can just use the heart shape tool in Photoshop and stretch or squash the heart to the right dimension and enlarge or reduce the size until it's just what I need, and print it out.

However, what happens when I need a HUGE shape - too big to print out? Hmmm, do I trust myself to be able to draw a perfectly symmetrical heart on a piece of posterboard? Uh...no. So I came up with a plan.

Here's how to draw a symmetrical heart without a heart-shaped template to trace!

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Strawberry Yogurt Hearts - Easy, Sweet, + Lowfat Valentine's Treats!

2013-01-29T13:29:00.000-06:00

These sweet little pink hearts are SO easy to make, and are a healthy Valentine's Day treat. Eat them as they are or use them as toppers on cupcakes, ice cream, cake, or brownies!

New Year's "Resolutions" ~ More...Happy!

2013-01-19T16:27:00.001-06:00

I just happen to be of the mindset that typical New Year's resolutions suck. I mean, why would we want to start out the year by making a list of all the stuff we love but are going to make ourselves not have or do anymore? Or all of the things that we hate do do but decide we need to do those more often... On what planet does that make for a HAPPIER life? Not my planet.

Here's how we do it at my house. Make a list of all the stuff we LOVE but don't get to enjoy enough of, and resolve to enjoy MORE of those things.

Here is my list for 2013... {I made it into a print & a pillow at Society6!} It's going to be a great year :)

"More...Happy" throw pillow at Society6

Rosemary Orange Walnut Cookies: My Very Own Gourmet Recipe

2012-12-28T16:38:00.001-06:00

The other morning I woke up with an idea for a recipe. I don't know where it came from, but I couldn't get the thought out of my head. I kept wondering what it might be like to try a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe with rosemary and walnuts instead of chocolate chips. Wait...what??

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DIY Lemon Butter Lip & Skin Balm in Altoids Tins

2012-12-15T23:33:00.000-06:00

This rich Lemon Butter Balm is amazing and extremely versatile. You can use it as a lip balm, cuticle cream, moisturizer for hands, feet, elbows, knees, body, etc. It is deeply moisturizing and will do wonders for your winter dry skin, and it has a lovely subtle scent, which reminds me of honey lemon tea.

Of course you can play around with the 'flavors' by adding essential oils to the mix. I really only used the lemon extract because I had it on hand and didn't have any lemon essential oil around, which would have made for a stronger scent (you would probably only need several drops instead of 2 tsp of extract).

I poured mine into Altoids tins because I happened to have a giant stash saved up (I used to keep them for jewelry making supplies...back when my stock was small enough to fit in these tiny containers :). Plus I thought they'd be kinda cool and they're the perfect size to stash in your purse!

A Peek inside my favorite Craft Book: Decorative Crafts Sourcebook review

2012-12-13T08:30:00.000-06:00

For me, choosing a favorite craft book must be like what a mother would feel like to have to choose a favorite child. I don't have any children, but I do have a shelf full of amazing craft and hobby books full of project ideas and inspiration. I cherish each and every one of them for different reasons, and they are all equally special to me. And they really do light up my life!

However, I don't think I'll hurt any of their feelings if I did have to choose, so for the sake of not having to change the title of this post, I'll go ahead and tell you what my favorite book is...for today.

Decorative Crafts Sourcebook from Amazon.com

This Decorative Crafts Sourcebook is one I almost always turn to first, when I'm in need of an idea. It is a 300 page encyclopedia of techniques with pages and pages of step-by-step how-to's in each category for Paper, Fabric, Metal/Wire & Wood, Ceramic & Glass.

But not only does it give you hundreds of incredible techniques, it goes on to give you projects which use some of those techniques within each category.

For example, some of the techniques are embedding leaves or other botanicals into handmade paper, or dyeing paper with tea or beets. These bars of handmade soap are wrapped in handmade paper embedded with leaves which is dyed with tea, and embellished with a pretty ribbon and sealing wax. So, it uses a combination of a few different ideas, and the result is simply lovely!

Peppermint Schnapps Hot Cocoa {from scratch} Recipe

2012-12-12T17:22:00.000-06:00

What better way to warm yourself right down to the toes this holiday season than with a rich, homemade hot cocoa spiked with Peppermint Schnapps? This tasty winter treat is an adaptation of my Bourbon Hot Chocolate recipe. I know I love chocolate and mint together, so I thought I'd sub the bourbon out for some Peppermint Schnapps and see what I got.

Well? What did I get? Heaven. And here's the recipe!

Monday Musings: No Pressure, No Diamonds

2012-12-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

"No pressure, no diamonds."

I love this quote by Thomas Carlyle, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite people to turn to for inspirational nuggets and tidbits of wisdom. He was a Scottish satirical writer and historian during the Victorian Era, whose social commentary was considered quite controversial.

This particular statement caused me to reflect upon my own habits and productivity, and if I'm honest, I do some of my best work as an artist under pressure. Restrictions force me into creative problem-solving mode - an area in which I can truly shine. And if it weren't for (self-imposed) deadlines, I would probably never get anything done!

How do you work under pressure?

Original photo by Paul Hocksenar via Flickr.com (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), adapted by Jessica Barst

Delight in the Little Things:: Monday Musings

2012-11-26T07:30:00.000-06:00

I took a little walk the other day. I was in a contemplative mood and the weather was glorious, and I found myself downtown with a little bit of time on my hands so I took a stroll. As I was walking I realized that the littlest things can bring me such great joy - something as simple as these beautiful little leaves on a rusty grate could bring a sense of happiness to my heart and a smile to my lips. I had to capture that moment, put a frame around that feeling to keep and remember forever.

These simple yellow leaves so sweetly arranged as if posing for a painter and resting while he mixes his colors - French grey, vermilion, violet, and ochre - are now frozen in time as a reminder to keep my eyes and heart always open to make sure I don't ever miss another perfect moment just like this one.

"Delight in the little things." ~Rudyard Kipling

Green Clean: How to clean a pot with baking soda

2012-11-23T14:00:00.000-06:00

I love to cook...but I despise doing dishes. And it always seems that the things I like to cook the most leave behind the most terrible pots and pans to clean; like the kind that require soaking for days and still somehow take a 30-minute scrubbing. Well, I have a trick to share with you that will save you a ton of hassle; no soaking and no harsh chemicals required, and only a teensy bit of 'scrubbing' (which is actually more like just wiping with a sponge, you'll see).

The last time I made my Homemade Maple Pumpkin Butter (yes, you're gonna want that recipe) was when I really put this trick to the test. The process of cooking it on the stove and then baking in the oven in the same pan really left behind a horrible caramelized burnt pumpkiny maple sugary mess. This technique worked like a charm as you can see from the photo!

I thought this might be a timely post, knowing there are probably tons of you putting off doing that pile of dishes you have soaking in the sink after your Thanksgiving feast - which I hope was amazing by the way!

DIY Wine Cork Stamps - Mustaches for Movember

2012-11-17T15:26:00.000-06:00

Thankfully, I am unable to grow a mustache of my own. But I can support Movember in other ways... I just made a donation and now I'm spreading the word! I hope you'll consider making a donation as well. Here's a peek at what Movember is all about:

During Movember, men (called "Mo Bros") grow mustaches for the month of November to raise money and awareness for men's health - very serious but generally un-talked-about issues such as prostate and testicular cancer. Read more about Movember here. You can sponsor a particular Mo Bro and his 'stache, or you can make a general donation to the cause.

Now, let's make some mustache stamps!!

DIY Etched Glass Mugs {Tutorial}

2012-11-14T17:47:00.000-06:00

I've been collecting these glass jars for a while now. I love them! We use them as mugs for everything at our house: water, tea, beer, wine, and even my famous homemade Sangria (that's the beautiful berry-hued beverage in the photo).

I always thought, they're jelly jars but they have handles on them. Surely I'm supposed to save these and reuse them, right? In fact, I think the only reason I tried the jelly in the first place is because I wanted the jars...but it turns out the jelly was pretty good, so now I have a full set of 12...at least. (BTW, if you can't find these jars of jelly in the store, you can buy the empty jars online here, at Amazon of course.)

And I've always wanted to try etching glass, but I was always a little scared by the warnings on the bottle of etching cream. Seriously...the whole side of the bottle is dedicated to hinting that terrible things can happen if you don't follow the warnings. "Call poison control immediately if"...and "seek medical attention immediately when"...and "wear gloves" and "wear goggles" and "use in a well-ventilated area". That's enough to scare off a clumsy dummy like me...at least for a bit.

I finally got brave and bought a bottle of Armour Etch and tried it, and I'm happy to report that there were no injuries. Now, if you're going to try this at home boys and girls, PLEASE read all the info on the container before using this extremely harsh chemical. And be aware that the chemicals can also etch aluminum sinks and metal faucets, so have a plastic bucket of water ready for clean-up and be careful what you touch with your messy gloves.

NOTE: this is my experience with Armour Etch, and instructions may be different for other brands or products so do your research before you get started! In fact, I'll share my original failed attempt at this project using a different (horrible, awful) product that I urge you to stay away from...at the bottom of the page.

Now that I have those disclaimers out of the way...here's how I etched the glass mugs!

Pyrite Stone Swing Necklace in 14k Gold Filled or Sterling Silver

2012-11-12T16:11:00.000-06:00

This precious necklace is one of my new styles, and features 14 gorgeous natural faceted metallic pyrite nuggets and a lovely, delicate cable chain. It is part of my Yoga Inspired Jewelry collection, because Pyrite has so many wonderful healing properties:

Pyrite makes a wonderful energy shield, blocking out negativity and fortifying and strengthening the mind with positive, energized thoughts. It enhances mental capacity and protects on a physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. This wonderful stone activates the 3rd Chakra (Solar Plexus).

~ *Centerpiece measures 1.5" long*.
~ Necklace is 16" long and fastens with a handmade s-hook and eye clasp.
~ All metal is your choice of 14k gold filled (shown) or sterling silver.

*PLEASE NOTE sizes described above, as close up photos may make items seem larger than real life*. Questions? Don't hesitate to ask!
All Bespangled Jewelry comes wrapped in a sweet organza bag tucked inside a handmade pillowbox, tied with a lovely ribbon. Your items are always ready for gift-giving!

Funky Finds: A Holiday Shopping Experience (Fort Worth, TX)

2012-11-09T23:33:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm sad to say I won't be at this craft show after all. VERY sad, since I have been looking forward to this event since last March. It was a tough decision, but after a full day of random dizzy spells and light-headedness, it doesn't seem like the smartest idea to spend the weekend away from home and on my feet for 2 days. The idea of even loading up the car makes me slightly queasy, so as unhappy as I am to have to miss the Funky Finds Holiday Shopping Experience, I think it's best.

BUT... I hope that if you're in the DFW area you'll still stop by and see all my amazingly creative friends & get a jump on your holiday shopping while supporting handmade!

The Artful Bead
Barefoot in the Glass

Handmade Hooligans

Just Off Normal

Laughing Crafter Studio

Splendor Vendor

The Steady Hand

What's My Future Stationery

Here's the scoop:

Funky Finds is held at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Center and is always FREE admission, family & pet friendly. This is a 2-day event that you won't want to miss! Dates and times are as follows:

Saturday November 10th, 10am-5pm

Sunday November 11th, 11am-4pm

I know my friends would love to see you there to kick off your Holiday Season!

❋ Thank you for supporting handmade! ❋

DIY Pillow Boxes - Make your own handmade gift boxes (video tutorial + free printable)

2012-11-05T14:42:00.000-06:00

I am so very excited to share this tutorial with you for several reasons...

✧ This is my very first YouTube video EVER! (Mini backstory: I graduated with a filmmaking degree 12 years ago and this is the first time I have made a video since then...and it feels great!)

✧ This marks the first time I've told anyone about a very super duper secret project I've been working on for several months now...a brand new website dedicated to jewelry making tutorials! (still very much a work in progress, but this is a huuuuuge step!)

✧ I love to share my DIY tips & tricks! Enjoy :)

Rich Bourbon Hot Chocolate with Boozy Whipped Cream Stars {Recipe}

2012-10-30T19:50:00.001-05:00

I made some delicious Bourbon Fudgesicles this summer, and as I was whipping them up I made a mental note to come back and tweak the recipe for a yummylicious hot chocolate beverage when the weather was right. The recipes are very similar, but the main difference besides the serving temp is that this hot chocolate can have more booze because it doesn't have to freeze (too much alcohol would prevent popsicles from freezing, as the booze lowers the freezing point of the mixture).

This wonderfully rich chocolatey recipe is perfect for a sweet romantic night at home with your honey by the fire on a cold winter night. It is pretty strong, so if you want to switch out some of the bourbon for a bit more water, that would be just fine, depending on your preference.

I would also recommend making the whipped cream first if you want to make the cute little star shapes, since it needs a few hours in the freezer to work. Enjoy!
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Pumpkin Carved with Cookie Cutters - Stars and Hearts

2012-10-28T17:35:00.000-05:00

I actually carved my pumpkin several days ago, but I'm only just finally getting around to posting a photo. I figured this might be my last chance, since it's almost Halloween!

Homemade Maple Pumpkin Butter Recipe (with free printable labels)

2012-10-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

This delicious homemade Maple Pumpkin Butter is a wonderful autumn treat - thick and spreadable, perfect on toast or apples or bagels, or even ( - if you're not afraid of a pumpkin overload - ) some warm homemade pumpkin scones.

Packaged in these sweet little canning jars and tied with raffia or ribbon, I think this recipe makes a wonderful gift for coworkers or hostesses, on its own or as part of a gift basket full of other goodies!

(I'm including the link below to download the free printable for the labels I made, in case you'd like to use them too!)
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