40 days and 40 nights...

Lent is a day away and after a lot of reading, thinking and talking, we have come to a realization that Lent does not mean "give up meat", it means give up whatever is not making you a better person, the person you want to be and the person that God intended you to be. I can live without meat on Fridays as I can eat fish 24/7 if I need, even pasta, but take away the chocolate and you're dead meat - literally. So, that was my thought on how I'm about to approach Lent, I'm giving up chocolate for those 40 days and 40 nights. It will be hard, totally, I couldn't agree more. And maybe I will be cranky most of the time, but it will be well worth it to be able to control an addiction. I want to control chocolate, and right now, chocolate controls me. I will update on this, as well as log in if I lose any weight (crossing fingers here!), but for now, back to work - I write this as I chew on my last Rolo of the day... I'll miss you guys.


- Maybe someone should buy me one of these *wink* :) -

Another one of those sale days!

Today I woke up to my most recent customer's return to my Etsy shop: she took three lovely pairs of earrings! Well, this post will be made once she receives her items because I sent her a little thank you gift with a lot of meaning: the symbol of breast cancer survivors (you'll understand more if you read her reply to my first email).


I wanted to send her a little something (it's her birthday when she receives the package!) but it had to be special, handmade and one of a kind, and something I knew she would love to wear. So this was a great solution, completely handmade and, even better, made especially for her. D, I hope you loved your birthday gift!


(I actually wrote this on Thursday but I couldn't post it until my customer got her package as she reads my blog and I didn't want to ruin the surprise!!!)

I won a thread killer!!!

So, what is a thread killer you might ask... Well, on Etsy, there is a page where the community meets, called the forums. There, fellow Etsians (another way to call the members of this community) unite to praise, ask, complain, promote, and such, about Etsy. Each post on the forum is called a thread, and he or she who is the last post on a thread is the so-called "thread killer". There are many other great features to investigate on Etsy but apparently the forums is where everyone gathers to vent :)

Well, I usually am one constant thread killer - too many threads around to post on - but this last time was a glorious one, as by killing the thread with the 10000 (yes, that is ten thousandth) post, I became a winner of a wonderful Steampunk ring from Catherinette Rings!

It came beautifully packaged in it's own shiny padded giftbox and it was a delight to try it on as it slid perfectly on my finger. It is so intricate, it is amazing to think how they were able to accomplish that composition of wire and bead. And, to top it off, they make custom orders to size, so if you want a ring that is not in your size, you only have to wait a couple of days more! Mine was here in 3 weeks, but considering it ships from Canada and I'm in Miami, that is excellent timing. Anyway, I just wanted to share this and give you all a nice shop to go peek in! (Other than mine, of course!)

So, apparently more and more people are on Etsy...

But this one is a great store. Rosie O'Donnell decided to sell her crafts online (mainly her hand painted Munny's by KidRobot) in order to support her organization Rosie's Broadway Kids.

Her store is almost empty now as she has sold 70+ in one month! There are many people out there who are doing everything possible to support the art education in kids, kudos to them! She offers free shipping with each original Munny, which is signed by her. It's a very good idea if you like Munny's and love to support organizations. Follow this link to get to her Etsy shop!

The reason I was so emotional yesterday...

After sending my package out last night and going out to dinner (breakfast for dinner at IHOP is the greatest thing), I got home and checked my email. There was an message from my first customer replying to my Thank You note. I would like to share it with everyone because it really touched me. I'm extremely grateful that my jewelry is touching someone else's heart:

" Maria,

I actually think I found you indirectly from Jacki Donaldson's blog @ cancerspot.org as she often refers readers to other websites/blogs. Well some of those blogs leave the "next blog" button available and I think that is how I actually found you. The reason I think this is because I have your blog saved in my favorites instead of your Etsy Shop link. I guess it is just coincidence that we met!! But I am very glad we did.

Since you responded with such excitement, let me tell you a little bit more why I am so interested in your pieces. First, green is my favorite color so I just had to have the bracelet. Second, I will be 48 on the 24th (24+24=48!) of this month so lavender signifies my birth month. Third, I will be a 3 year breast cancer survivor on my birthday. So when I saw the one-of-a-kind lavender buttercup drop earrings with 3 flowers during my visit to your site last evening I just knew that I had to have them. If they arrive in time, I will wear them on that day to help me celebrate 3 years of survivorship! I bet you never thought your jewelry would do something that amazing!!! I had been browsing your blog/shop for a few weeks but these earrings made me a buyer. I think before then I just couldn't choose!!

It gives me a smile to be "your first sale!" I work with many women who love jewelry so please send a few business cards and I will pass them out. Of course, we will all be fighting over your unique jewelry.

I look very forward to receiving your package and just love that you are putting so much effort into it to make it special. That will serve you well and tells me how much you love what you do!

To life and sharing a piece of your heart!
D."

As you can imagine, I cried tears of joy. I tried reading this to my husband only to stop mid-sentence because I was smiling but crying at the same time. This was a very thoughtful email where she shared so much about her, and that means a lot to me. Thankfully, she let me post this here, to share with all of you. This is one reason I love Etsy, I love blogging and I love jewelry. You never know whose heart you're going to touch. Thanks for that email D!

First sale, and it's a double!

Today I decided to give Etsy, the Heartomatic, Plurk, Twitter, and all related to selling jewelry a break. I found it really hard not to get near the computer, tried to convince myself I had to search something online (there is always the Yellow Pages...!), you know, the works.

After getting pizza for dinner, and an ice cream for dessert - ohhhh the guilty pleasures of life! - I come home and couldn't help but look. And, to my big surprise, I made a sale! A double sale!

Now I understand all the excitement that comes with a sale: butterflies in my stomach, smiles all over the place, thinking how I'm going to make that package perfect as I would like to receive it myself.

Here's what sold today, yay!





Now, back to making that the best package ever!

Featured in a blog - I'm honored!

I didn't get a chance to blog about this yesterday, but Ruth from Allover Art interviewed me and posted the interview on her blog! Ruth makes beautiful wearable art and custom paintings. She is a really talented and sweet person. I was really honored as I had the opportunity to tell everyone about my jewelry and my inspiration and she gave great exposure to my items still buried under all that Etsy madness. If you want to read more about it, click here. Thanks Ruth!

February Color Trend

February is here and with it comes a new birthstone: Amethyst.
Image by: Feng Shui Fusion.

I've always loved amethyst because of it's varieties in tones. It can have a it's lavender tone mixed in with little white, a little bit of clear stone, a mix of both or none at all. It has been known as a stone used when seeking abundance and prosperity. Amethyst is also used for meditation and when you need help in seeking a path.

This stone mixes in perfectly with one of the colors of the Spring 2009 Fashion Color trend: Lavender.

Image by: Healthcare Vision.

The color, inspired by the lavender flower, has been always considered a feminine color, as it's a soothing mix between light blue and pink. It can be mixed with dark colors, such as brown or dark green, or simply combined with a darker or lighter shade of the same. Add some green or light blue to it, and you have a spring color that can be used in clothing, accessories or decoration. Lavender is girly yet mature, sexy in many ways and sometimes reminds us of summer sunsets - who doesn't love it when the sky has purplish hues?

To honor this month and the fashion forecast, I made these earrings, following the color and the girlish characteristics of lavender. They are made with sterling silver and lavender buttercup flowers. You can purchase them here. There is only one pair available!

This is only one of the many colors chosen ahead for spring collections, I will be writing about more as they come into my designs.