The EtsyMetal team February challenge was “Chinese New Year”
This year is the 龍 Dragon year (January 23).
Get inspired by the Chinese art, culture and colors and excite us!
Happy New year !!!
For the Chinese New Year I’ve made double sided pendant.

On one side I’ve etches Yin Yang dragons and set two violet CZ.

On the other side I’ve bezel set a gorgeous purple and gold Cacoxenite in Amethyst stone freeform cabochon by Ron Duncan.

Well…

I really wanted to open a shop on eBay. I have few shops on the net without problem with great support.

I’ve decided to give it a try…

I bought something in double by mistake and decided to do my first auction sale on eBay.

So far so good….. I had one bid on less of what I paid, but that was fine with me. I’ve sold this item. I got payment after sending my buyer at least two invoices. I ship the item immediately registered and entered the registration number as requested.

The buyer after two weeks began to bother me with emails that she haven’t received the item. Finally she open a call on eBay. From here all was and still is a nightmare!

I’ve got mails from eBay, from the customer not one – few .…. I felt that I am pushed to refund the buyer ASAP …. and so I did….

I was called a ripper and so on…. and believe me – I am the last to rip someone for 6 dollar.

On her last mail she said that if she gets it she will consider whether to keep it or send it back – but I will have to pay for the shipment !

I never heard from her after that.

In the mean time I tracked the shipment…. The buyer received the item over three weeks ago. I never heard from her that she did got the item…. In our mails she said that if she gets it she will consider whether to keep it or send it back – but I will have to pay for the shipment !

Today, I was looking for a place to contact eBay regarding this issue – but wasted too much time on it – couldn’t find the place.

So… If you are planning selling on eBay, take into consideration that they are well insured the buyers but not the sellers.

I am not going to sell on eBay until they change something.

Our December team challenge is very special.
The challenge due date is November 30.
“The Ganoksin Project”
“Thailand is currently facing its worst flooding in 50 years. Floodwaters have swamped more than two-thirds of the country, submerging complete towns. Hundreds of lives have been tragically lost. Rice fields and businesses of millions of families have been severely impacted.”
The Ganoksin Project Needs our Support!
EtsyMetal team challenge for December is:
Create a charm for a charm bracelet. The bracelet will be for sale on EtsyMetal shop.
All will be donated to help the Ganoksin Project !
http://www.ganoksin.com/dab-announcments/thai-floods-journal.htm

I made the chain bracelet and the tag. I etched the Ganoskin logo on one side and EtsyMetal on the other.

Participants in this challenge are donating charms, all will be connected to one big bracelet.

The charm bracelet will be available for sale on EtsyMetal Shop early December. All will be donated to the Ganoksin Project !

Premiere: November 9, 2011
The artists must create a piece of art that illustrates a headline which strikes a cord with them.
Hmmm. 19 kids and counting prego again or fumbling Rick Perry?
Pick your favorite headline and have in it by midnight Nov. 16th.

In this challenge the artist were taken to “The New york times” for inspiration.

I don’t really like to reading news papers anymore.  All headlines make me so sad – almost every headlines are bad news.  in addition, they are more political and more yellow than ever. I really don’t like to read the News but I like reading good articles with good writing.

I’ve decided to make my own headlines.

“No New = Good News” and I think it say all.

I choose  to add 7 pearls to the sheet of newspaper cut from fine silver.

Why 7 pearls?

Cause – 7 Is a lucky number.

Why pearls?

Well….

There is a phrase in Hebrew that in translation is “pearls of language“ in a way it’s like “pearls of wisdom”.  For me the pearls symbolize the reach of language which is missing recently.

Have a great day everyone!

I jumped on the first and second WOA episodes.

Last season I was able to see the episodes on line. This season – I couldn’t find it online, even with payment services like I-tune – I can’t watch it in Israel. This makes my life hard to get into it as I did on the first season.

Episode 3: Make It Pop
Premiere: October 26, 2011
The contestants must create a piece of POP art that captures the popular culture of their time.

Jugh Adams, Art of the Sixties: “The sixties witnessed an explosion of artistic expression. Everything seemed possible in the name of art, and countless critics, and even the artists themselves, sought to explain and justify it all.”

As a young student on the late 70th, I was super inspired by the 60th artists the “POP Art Artists”. The art was minimalist with patterns and “strong” colors.
I made this pendant with inspiration of Robert Indiana.
Sterling silver, Fine Silver, Torch enamel .”

EtsyMetal street team is 5 years old ! YAY !

We are an international gang that share together almost everything, I mean it!

We  all have shops on Etsy, we all do metalworking, we all share our knowledge, we all help each other, we are 24/7 together.

Project Runway Challenge:
For this episode, exotic birds serve as the inspiration for the L’Oreal Challenge. The designer’s must really step up their game when Tim reveals that during judging they will go head-to-head with one other designer putting one in the top and one in the bottom.

Our EtsyMetal Challenge Translation:
Create a piece (or two) using the birds, Charming Cockatoo, Watchful Owl, Audacious Amazon, or Sultry Raven. You may use the color pallet of the L’Oreal Limited Edition Collection, Colors Take Flight or the birds themselves.

Sterling silver, Etching, Gilders Paste, Multi-color agate beads.

Before I speak – I made a small collage of an amazing photographer, painter, Singer, teacher, artist… and the list is full of Gail Hadani photography. In her photography, when she want unique atmosphere, Gail is painting her own unique backgrounds. Gail is the most amazing women I know and a great inspiration to me!

I am talking too much ! No words needed….Please take a look…

You can explore her work in here:

http://www.gailhadani.com/

If you need a unique special photographer and you are in the states – you are most welcome to call her. You will not regret the moment you see Gail!

so….

You know the moment that you “Just Know”?

well… I have it.

Some will say I am a witch. I have those flashes that I feel thing and they happened.

Today I am going to tell you a little story about an amazing artist that I’ve met when I was 15 and she was 19.

My late uncle Ilan Hadani was 11 years older than me. Ilan studied in the USA and he met a girl – Gail Kesselman, they hardly knew each other. She told him she is traveling to Israel with a friend, and he told her he has a family in Israel, and here the story begins.

He told my parents that two girls he just met are coming to Israel, and asked if my father can pick them from the airport. As usual Mr. big heart (my father) agreed and  we went  to the airport together. The moment Gail entered the car – I  was fascinated. I couldn’t let her go with her friend – I adopted her to me, and all my family were after me, totally in love with this young lady – in few days she was part of my whole big family.

We shared my room and we had so much fun together. We teach each other songs – she thought me Italian love songs, American country songs and French songs (she is a great singer – she is an opera singer, she write music and operas), I thought her Israeli songs and we sang together days and nights.

In our small talks I asked Fail if she is going to marry my uncle – she laughed at me and said – I hardly know him and I am still a child.

Gail left back to the states and I hoped that one day our ways will be crossed.

Gail finally married my uncle Ilan, and they lived in NY, and raised two girls. Gail officially is my family forever and ever.

What is a Blog Carnival ?

It is EtsyMetal members who write an article on the same topic on the first Monday of each month.

This month topic:

“Lets Talk About Food!”
The weather is cooling, Fall cooking season is ’round the corner. Tell us about some of your eating habits, philosophies, favorite foods and share a seasonal recipe!

I love cooking. My son always asking me to open a restaurant and I am always answering NO.

For those of who knows a bit about me – I always say that I am always adding a dash of love to everything I do.

The story begins when I was a kid. I use to stand close to my grandmother when she cooked Like Danielle is doing to me….

I will describe ma grandma Shoshanna (Meaning – Rose flower) in few words. She was a little lady (at age of 10 I was a head taller  than she), with a beautiful soprano voice that used it whenever we asked. She was my favorite cook and my inspiration (I still remember the tastes). She was born in Israel to a colonist family. She had strong roots in here. She was a nature wild girl and I really loved her attitude to everything – she was “MODERN” much more than my mom  (sorry, I’m swept away). She used to cook with herbs and only used salt and black paper. She had a little garden with herbs and fruit trees. She cooked very simple but the tastes were divine. when I asked her how it taste so good she used to answer me that she added a dash of love to it. I hold it in me all the time. My mother always say that I am the only one that cook like her.

In time I developed my cooking skills and I have very modern kitchen.

On the last two months I am going back to my granny cooking in my kitchen – more simple cooking with less spices – more Jewish home cooking.

For this Saturday I made a Cholent (in Hebrew – Hamin). One big casserole with layered ingredients that is simmered in the oven on low temperature for at least 12 hours.

In the base I fry 2 big onions, than adding 1 Table spoon of sweet Moroccan Paprika, 1 tablespoon sugar and 4 big garlic gloves chopped. I keep stirring it and when I fill it’s ready I am  adding 1 cup dry white beans (soaked in water overnight) and 1/2 cup pearl barley I cover this with water and stir all. This is going to be my first layer. I now taste and season with salt, paper, soy sauce, you can add wine, coriander seeds and I think that’s enough .

On top I put the meat and I like to add some chicken. Around it and on top I arrange potatoes slices, eggs (whole with the shell), I love adding kishke  (a sausage casing or a chicken neck skin stuffed with a flour-based mixture) and Jachnun (a traditional Yemenite Jewish dish). I covered everything and seal it and put it in the oven at 100 degrees Celsius.  I do it usually in the evening. In the morning I taste it to fix the seasoning and put some of the sauce on top and I pump out all the fat. That’s it !

here are the dishes came out of the casserole and (not a good picture) me !

See what is cooking in the kitchens of my  Etsymetal friends !

Cynthia Del Giudice – http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com

kate jones – http://www.katejonesdesign.blogspot.com

Twigs and Heather- http://www.twigsandheather.blogspot.com
nova of sweden – http://www.nova-designs.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr – http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
Nodeform – http://nodeform.blogspot.com/
Rebecca Bogan – http://www.AdobeSol.com/blog
Panicmama Jewelry – http://panicmama.blogspot.com
Evelyn Markasky http://www.evelynmarkasky.com
2Roses: http://www.jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
Jenny Baughman (Gecko J): http://ridgeschool.blogspot.com/

Project Runway Challenge 9.8 – “What women want”:

In this episode, the challenge was to design a look for a client’s wife/girlfriend.

Our EtsyMetal Challenge Translation:
Choose a look from the episode and make a piece based on what you feel the client would like to go with the garment the designer made.
-or-
Ask a man to describe what his wife/girlfriend would like – please provide the design specification you were given and photos of the outcome.
Make it work!

My pendant was made with a stunning Rutilated Quartz Long Tongue Cabochon made by Mark from StoneTemple, 9K yellow gold, fine silver and sterling silver.

The tongue measures 13.8 x 10 x 38.6 mm’s
Weight: 30.7 cts.