Artistry Jewelry

Clearance Sale! NOV 18th THRU Dec 18th!!!

2011-09-15T17:07:00.002-04:00

I'm having a clearance sale In my etsy shop All items will remain at the clearance price until sold! Many items are a full 50% off and I am adding more items discounted from my already affordable prices for one-of-a-kind, hand crafted artisan jewelry. If there is an item you've been looking at, check back to my shop often, as you may just get an unbelievable price break on it!
With Christmas just around the corner, you can not beat these prices and they'll think you spent a fortune, And did I mention that shipping is always free to the Continental USA & Canada?

2011-06-22T12:49:00.000-04:00

Do you like free prizes? Who dosn't? Visit MommysMoments Blog Bash 2011 and enter to win some great free prizes! Featuring prize packs for men, women, teens, children, and more! One of the many prizes is a gift certificate to my etsy shop! Enter NOW!

Bambo Pink Trunk Show

2011-06-15T10:08:00.000-04:00

I'm having a Bambo Pink Trunk Show with Maureen Daniels beginning today (June 15th) thru the 20th. Stop in to see this new jewelry line that has just launched!

To shop, just go to THIS link and click "shop", "find a show" and "Aprilee Lawson Party 639".
If you have been curious about the creations, now is your chance to see exactly what stylish, quality jewelry is being offered!

2011-03-25T17:45:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again, many couples are planning for their big event! What better way to get your products in front of those seeking items specifically for such an occasion?
Sign up for a virtual vendor booth at The Wedding Den
This virtual bridal show will be held on Saturday, April 2nd, 2011. The price for your virtual vendor booth? Only $5.00!
Please email them at "theweddingden@gmail.com" for details,
and visit their site

Spicy Weekend Blog Hop!

2011-02-26T09:48:00.002-05:00

Join in on the weekend blog party that features:

Blogger

Twitter

Facebook
Networked Blogs

Blog Frog

AND GIVEAWAYS!

Oxidize (antique) Your Own Components For Less Than $1.00

2011-02-24T20:37:00.001-05:00

Well, I've been working with alot of oxidized, or "antique" silver components lately. Last night, I realized that I was out of clasps! So, it was time (once again), for me to become resourceful and make some of my own. Did you know that this very moment you have all of the necessary items needed for such an endeavor? Do you have any idea how simple the process is? Heck, I'll even tell you how it works!
Now, personally...I do not eat eggs! I AM an obsessive baker, so I always have some just hanging out in my fridge. When i need to oxidize metal (always silver), I just grab my carton of eggs! That's right, eggs! I'm sure you've seen the "Liver Of Sulphur" for sale in the jewelry supply stores. Have you noticed that whenever you cook eggs, they really stink? That's sulphur, and it's a product produced by the yolk of the egg! Are you ready to "go antiquing"? Well, grab your eggs and listen-up! First, I get out my pennies! I can spare some of those!
First things first! Put (I recommend 3) eggs on to boil. I boil mine 10 minutes. You can't overcook, but you CAN under cook! Do 10 min., just to be safe! I usually only need 2 eggs, but I'd rather have too many than not enough! If you like eggs, eat the unused one!

You have to suspend your items, so I use a dark-colored thread and tie knots to keep the items from touching!

I use craft glue to affix the end of the thread between 2 pennies. If you're in a hurry, use your glue gun (being careful not to burn yourself)!!

Next, you have to find a "platform" of some kind to suspend your little "component clothesline". You'll need to wash the items when done, they'll be stinky! Put them as far back inside a gallon zip loc bag, being sure the items you'll be oxidizing don't touch anything (including the baggie).

When your eggs have cooked (while they are very hot), place 2 of them just inside the baggie. Zip the bag shut. MAKE SURE THE BAG IS COMPLETELY CLOSED!! Grab a tablespoon and begin to jab and squish the eggs. Again, the yolk is the important part of the egg!! Jab and squish until you have made the most of destroying the yolk to release the maximum amount of sulphur!
Be careful when jabbing, not to puncture the bag! Now, go make an egg salad sandwich and watch TV or busy yourself somehow for 1 hour. Now, you can let the stuff sit for well over an hour..it really depends on how dark you want the item(s) to be, or other obligations that take you away from the task at hand. If the item(s) are too dark, get out some steel wool and rub the things until you like the result.

(ABOVE is a pic of the difference between a clasp (silver plated) that I left in a similar bag for 2 hours.

BELOW are my results after 1 hour. I apologize for the blurriness of this photo. NOW, you may read elsewhere that this doesn't work on plated items, only pure silver. I refused to listen and have always used this method exclusively on silver plated components with only 1 failure! The items that failed had a vast section of very smooth, polished, plated silver. The result was very blotchy. I intend to go back to the items and experiment with roughing-up the items with steel wool prior to treating them. I have also used this product on gold plated items. Gold plated items oxidize VERY quickly, so keep a close eye on those! Good luck, have fun, and don't allow fear of failure to destroy your creativity! Aprilee

Free Shipping Extended / Plus Shipping Options To Other Countries!

2011-02-14T16:47:00.002-05:00

I've decided to extend my free shipping promotion and am also offering shipping to other countries on a "case by case" method. If you live outside of the Continental USA and Canada, feel free to convo (contact) me, and I will work with you to get the lowest possible shipping option for you! I recently sent an order (necklace & earrings) to Scotland for under $5.oo. So we may be able to come to a reasonable agreement for shipping your order!

I will be adding a line of silver and brass cuff bracelets soon, as well as some items for the brides to be out there! Stop by often! Remember, my items are my own (copyrighted) original designs! Most are one-of-a-kind, and cannot possibly be duplicated due to my supplies being limited, or discontinued items! Don't follow the pack, set yourself apart in my designs and craftsmanship! Satisfaction guaranteed!
Aprilee

Alba's Exclusive Events: It's Time For Another Round of Experts and Answers...

2011-02-07T18:42:00.000-05:00

Alba's Exclusive Events: It's Time For Another Round of Experts and Answers...: "It's 2011 and what better time to start the new year with a renewed mind. We have an exciting line up for our Experts and Answers sessions. ..."

Lovey-Dovey Blog Hop

2011-02-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

WOOOOHOOO! Forget winter and party like a groundhog, well, like it's spring? LOL! Join theblog hop that's all about meeting new friends! You can add your blog to the hoppin' list! You don't have to sell anything, etc. Let's just share! This event will be hopping from thursday Feb 3rd-Sunday Feb. 6th Come on & JUMP IN! Aprilee

2011-02-02T22:50:00.001-05:00

   It's time to make your "special one" know she's very special. Wow her with a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, gift of artisan jewelry.
                        visit my etsy shop today!
Shipping within the continental USA and Canada are free. If you are outside of these areas, leave me a message, and we'll work something out. Some out of country will also qualify for free shipping.
          DON'T KNOW WHAT TO GET????
get a gift certificates from $10.00 up to $50.00

If you see something you REALLY like, be aware that my designs/items are generally one of a kind and many materials used were only available in limited amounts. As such, I cannot duplicate (exact) items/materials. Aprilee

Valentine's Day Special / Blog Hop Special

2011-01-30T16:49:00.000-05:00

My artisan jewelry is available with free shipping until Valentine's Day! If you are a blog-hop visitor from theshoppersgalleria / bloghopping party Enter the word "hop" in note's to seller box when ordering & at the time I confirm the order, I will refund 10% on the total of your order (not including shipping). Click on the shopper's galleria for more great savings and offers!

VERY Helpful Hints!

2011-01-10T16:59:00.000-05:00

How many of these do YOU know about?

For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put
Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't
refreeze. (wish I had known this for the last 40 years!)
================================
To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for
a few hours.. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down.

The wax will fall out.
=========================================

Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped
in baking soda.. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!)..
================================
Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt
BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
================================
Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads , I immediately take a pair of
scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw
away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would
be much more economical. Now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely!
In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get 'sharpened'' this way!
=================================
Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen
peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.. Works
every time! (Now, where to put the body?)

=================================
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal
for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks.
Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows
on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak. =================================
Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely
light scent in each room when the light is turned on..
=================================
Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will
smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels
and linen.
=================================
Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3
hours prior to burning. =================================
To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the
flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt
and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
=================================
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet , simply add a drop or
two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to
a boil on stove top. Or, fill pan with water, add a fabric softener sheet.

Let it soak overnight. Food will just wash away.
================================
Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring
in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.
================================
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will
keep for weeks.=================================
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the
corn's natural sweetness
=================================
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your
forehead. The throbbing will go away.
=================================
Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future
use in casseroles and sauces .

=================================
To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area

and you will experience instant relief.
================================
Ants, ants, ants everywhere .. Well, they are said to never cross a

chalk line

. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or

wherever they tend to march. See for yourself.
================================
Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still,
leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
================================
When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to
tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and
then pull it off.. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
================================
Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer..... ..
Clean a toilet.
Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush.
The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China ..
================================
Clean a vase.
To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water
and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
================================
Polish jewelry.
Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the
jewelry for two minutes.================================
Clean a thermos bottle.
Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak
for an hour (or longer, if necessary)
================================
Unclog a drain.
Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the
drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes,
and then run the hot water.
================================

Very Interesting History Of The Origin Of Some Common Sayings

2010-12-24T16:55:00.000-05:00

Interesting History

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families
used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken &
Sold to the tannery.......if you had to do this to survive
you were "Piss Poor"

But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't
even afford to buy a pot......they "didn't have a pot to
piss in" & were the lowest of the low!

The next time you are washing your hands and complain
because the water temperature isn't just how you like it,
think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about
the 1500s:

Most people got married in June because they took their
yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by
June.. However, since they were starting to smell . ..... .
Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.
Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man
of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then
all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the
children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so
dirty you could actually lose someone in it.. Hence the
saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no
wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get
warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs)
lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and
sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof...
Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the
house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs
and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed.
Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top
afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came to be!

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other
than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had
slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet,
so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing.
As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until,
when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.
Hence: a thresh hold.

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big
kettle that always hung over the fire.. Every day they lit
the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly
vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the
stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold
overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew
had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence
the rhyme: Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas
porridge in the pot nine days old. Sometimes they could
obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When
visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show
off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home
the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests
and would all sit around and chew the fat.

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high
acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food,
causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with
tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were
considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt
bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests
got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination
would Sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days.
Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and
prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen
table for a couple of days and the family would gather
around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake
up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

When a criminal had been sentenced to hang at the gallows they would be taken by horse drawn wagon down the road past the pub to the gallows. The custom was to offer a chance for one last drink or one for the road. If the prisoner declined he was considered on the wagon.

England is old and small and the local folks started running
out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins
and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the
grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins
were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they
realized they had been burying people alive... So they would
tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the
coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell.
Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night
(the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone
could be saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.

A Puppy Christmas

2010-12-05T09:43:00.000-05:00

Everyone that has, has ever had a puppy, dog, or cat around christmas can relate to this cute rendition of the song "The 12 Days of Christmas"!
On the first day of Christmas my puppy gave to me The Santa topper from
the Christmas tree.

On the second day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the third day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Three punctured ornaments Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Four broken window candles Three punctured ornaments, Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Five chewed-up stockings Four broken
window candles , Three punctured ornaments, Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the sixth day of,Christmas my puppy gave to me Six yards of soggy ribbon, Five chewed-up stockings, Four broken window candles, Three punctured ornaments,Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the seventh day of,Christmas my puppy gave to me Seven scraps of wrapping paper, Six yards of soggy ribbon ,Five chewed-up stockings, Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments, Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me Eight tiny reindeer fragments, Seven scraps of wrapping paper , Six yards of soggy ribbon, Five chewed-up stockings, Four broken window candles, Three punctured ornaments,Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me My wreath in nine pieces, Eight tiny
reindeer fragments , Seven scraps of wrapping paper, Six yards of soggy ribbon, Five chewed-up stockings, Four broken window candles, Three punctured ornaments, Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the tenth day of, Christmas my puppy gave to me Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed, My wreath in nine pieces , Eight tiny reindeer fragments, Seven scraps of wrapping paper,Six yards of soggy ribbon, Five chewed-up stockings,Four broken window candles, Three punctured ornaments, Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my puppy gave to me, Eleven unwrapped presents, Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed , My wreath in nine pieces, Eight tiny reindeer fragments, Seven scraps of wrapping paper, Six yards of soggy ribbon, Five chewed-up stockings, Four broken window candles, Three punctured ornaments, Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me, A dozen puppy kisses and I forgot all about the other eleven days.

Author unknown

Blog Party VIP Special!

2010-11-30T13:02:00.000-05:00

During the blog party (now thru Dec. 1st) visit my shop
and receive free shipping! Simply type the word BLOG into the notes to seller box, and I will refund your shipping for your entire order upon my confirmation of your order!
HAPPY BLOG-HOPPING! Aprilee

OnlineShoppingMall Is Having A Blog Party!

2010-11-27T19:07:00.001-05:00

OnlineShoppingMall is having a blog-hopping party!!!

Come join us at the blog-hopping party
The party begins on Nov, 29th (Cyber Monday) and continues thru Dec 1st. Join us for wonderful free prizes to be given and lots of fun!! Onlineshoppingmall boasts over 700 vendors and service providers, you never know what you'll find! And, besty of all...discover new blogs, make new friends....join the Mall as an ecommerce member OR a shopper! Never miss out on all of the FREE events at the Mall!!

2010-11-09T15:32:00.000-05:00

Want to save money on beautiful, quality items? What if you could earn cash back, simply for buying things online, from the merchants you intended to buy from in the first place? Read on, o have a look, and you (like me) will be hooked!

The holidays are fast approaching. In these tough economic times, everyone is looking for ways to save money, but still enjoy the gift giving that is such a huge part of this season.

Market America can help you do just that. With many ways to shop, you will find exactly what you need. We partner with over 3500 stores such as Wal Mart, Target, Best Buy, The Gap and so much more. By clicking on the "partner stores" tab at the top of my web portal, you will have access to all these stores, and to see what they're specials are, simply click on the name of the store instead of "shop now" and all the sales, coupon offers and shipping offers will be displayed.

We also have a "gift guide" and "hot deals" tabs to help even more.

Not only will you find great deals but you will also earn from 2% to 35% CASH BACK on your purchases. You can use this on any future purchase or you can let the money accrue until you've reached $50.00 and request a check! How many other online shopping sites let you do that????

If you'd like a tour of the market america web portal, register for a free webinar being held this wednesday, November 10, from 7-7:45 PM EST. You must pre-register for this event & space is limited!

CLICK THE LINK TO REGISTER: http://bit.ly/cPxL44

In order to take advantage of all these great deals and to earn cash back, you must register on my web portal. This is completely FREE! You will only be asked for your name and email address. After that, whenever you shop, just be sure that in the upper right hand corner of the portal it says "Your Customer Manager is Kathy Adams".

Feel free to visit my web portal at any time at marketamerica.com/kathyadams

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2010-11-04T09:38:00.001-04:00

Using an online random number generator, the winner of the sterling silver earrings is "Split Rock Ranch"! Thank-you Kathy and Annie for playing!

It's That Time Of Year!

2010-10-17T16:21:00.002-04:00

Trim That Tree!

Curated By: MoonlightEter...

ArtFire.com
Indie Design

FALL GIVEAWAY & SALE!!!

2010-10-01T11:18:00.004-04:00

With fall upon us, I've decided to have a sale and giveaway for the month of October! The sale runs from now thru October 30th. During that time, all orders in my etsy shop have FREE SHIPPING, and will receive 10% off all orders! I will refund the 10% thru PayPal upon my verification of your order!

I will also be giving away the sterling silver, hand hammered earrings pictured to the left, to one lucky winner! I have listed the rules and how to enter below.

GOOD LUCK!

HOW TO ENTER:

Visit my etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtistryJewelry
and choose a favorite item, comeback here and post (in a comment to this blog post) what your favorite item is & why. (counts as one entry)

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES ARE POSSIBLE BY:
***Invite friends to follow this blog!***
They should leave a comment in this blog post stating who invited them (one additional entry for you AND them)
***This method allows for UNLIMITED amount of additional entries!***

Too Hot For You? Try THIS!

2010-08-15T13:08:00.005-04:00

Well, it's right about the time of year when everyone is pretty much tired of the constant sweating and misery of the heat of summer. MY favorite time of year happens to be winter and after last year's winter, I find myself dreaming of the blizzards to come! I thought I would provide all with a bit of cooling-off today.

You'll either appreciate the cooling images, or cringe at the thought of another winter like last year's and decide the heat isn't so bad after all.

It's a "win-win situation"!

SO, for your enjoyment, I present "Winter Of 2010--Snowmaggedeon"

July 4th SALE!

2010-06-30T11:18:00.003-04:00

From July 1st thru July 5th, All orders in my shop will receive a 20% discount on entire orders! No minimum or maximum! I will refund the 20% thru paypal upon my confirmation of your order! ALL of my inventory is included in the sale! Just remember that you will not see the discount untill I confirm your order! Hope to see you there!

Aprilee

2010-05-26T09:03:00.000-04:00

"If there's anything else you want to add, please feel free to do so.

Thank you Aprilee for giving me this opportunity to express myself not only through my creations but through words (which is also an old love of mine). You have been a dear friend to me since the beginning of my little venture and I have learned alot from you. To my fellow Artists/Designers: Dream big and never let the fear of failure stop you from going up to bat (someone famous quoted this once, but it's so true)."

2010-05-26T09:02:00.001-04:00

"10. Who are some of your favorite artists and crafters? I have so many, each artist I've seen has so many unique talents in there designs. However when I first started, I noticed right away the Victorian designs of Aprilee Lawson (Artistry Jewelry), the beadwork in Mona Peepers designs (3Peeps Designs), the exquisite designs of Teresa Rusk (Trusk4U) and Monique Couturier (Creation Roseange), also the wonderful little revamped shoes of Elsa L'Abbe. Chainmaille designers like Kristen Bailey (DreamBubbles) and Diana Hudson (Nightmaiden Jewelry). And I shouldn't forget the ones who play with fire and glass like Payton Jett ( I know there's more... alot more...)

11. What do you like to do in your spare time? What spare time? LOL. I have three wonderful girls, ages 2, 7, and 10 years. They keep me busy when I do have a moment to spare. If by the off chance that I'm left to my own devices and there's no one asking for 'mommy'. I find myself checking out different artists and window shopping online, or a nice 2 hour soak in the tub. I also still go on 'dates' with my better half, Korey. It keeps the sparks alive."

2010-05-26T09:02:00.000-04:00

"7. Where do you sell? I have my own Website which I'm finally happy with now (I switched providers/hosting three times, changed my logo three times, changed the layout three times. Yikes). I learned alot about HTML codes, scripts, php, and I don't ever want to do that again. I also have my Artfire Studio, some items in Etsy, Handmade Artists Forum Shop (which I just joined recently) and have set up a little shop on my Facebook Page. I also sell at local craft fairs and trade shows. Would love to start putting my pieces into stores (anyone interested in that, contact me, wink wink)

8. Can you tell us about some important goals you have achieved with your work? Patience. In this line of work, there are months where I haven't sold a thing. My motto is 'if you build it they will come' (I read alot of Stephen King novels). To take criticism with a smile and a nod and understand that some people just don't see my pieces as my art, basically don't take things personally.

9. What advice would you give to someone who is interested or starting out a business? Take a course in starting your own small business. Research everything there is to research about setting up a business, see whether you're willing to accept all the pros and cons of selling your art/craft. Talk to other people that are doing the same thing. Promote, promote, promote. Your pieces are the information in your resume. And like all resumes your best must show through. Be patient and willing to listen to criticism. If you are into it only for the money and not for the love of being an artist, then going into business will not work out."

2010-05-26T09:01:00.001-04:00

"5. How many hours a week do you spend in the creative side vs the business side? There's not enough hours in the week for me, since the jewelry business is so flooded, I find myself spending at least 70 to 80 percent on marketing and getting my name out there. Then there's the wonderful world of taking the best picture possible. Eventually I hope the numbers would be reversed. I think we all wish that.

6. What inspires you creatively? I believe in earth and animal spirits, that healing properties can come from crystals and stones, and that little fairies and pixies do exist. I grew up in the 70's and my parents were really into that sort of thing, I suppose it rubbed off on me, though looking at me you can't tell that I would love to romp around barefoot in a forest listening to all the sounds of nature. I'm the type to fight for justice when there's injustice, to cry when someone's in pain, and melt when I hear a child laugh and giggle. When I think of this, that inspires me."

2010-05-26T09:01:00.000-04:00

"3. Every artist has a personal “creative process”, can you explain yours? I do my designing at night, usually in bed trying to fall asleep. I have a bad habit of not writing things down and most times I would forget what I was designing by the time morning rolls around. When I do remember by morning time, that's when I start collecting all the materials I need and just do it. I feel that if I didn't remember what I wanted to do before, then it isn't worth banging my head against the wall. If I do remember, then it's something that I would be proud of."

2010-05-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

"4. When people start doing their art, they tend to try a lot of different things before settling down to something that resonates with them, how has your work changed since you began? I believe I really 'matured' from my humble beginnings of making simple bracelets and earrings. I felt as though I had so much creativity wanting to come out that just stringing pretty beads wasn't enough for me (Mind you I've seen some gorgeous pieces that involved 'just stringing beads', but it just wasn't in my creative brain to design beyond one strand of beads in a sequence). I started going into wire wrapping (I can do some rings now, but for the life of me can't seem to wrap up a stone to be a pendant), studied up on different crystals and stones and discovered the wonderful world of using other metals besides silver (copper is my favorite). I like using dark earthy tones in my creations, I tried using more bright colours, but it just doesn't 'speak' to me as the earthy ones does, chalk it up for being a Virgo I suppose. Then again, I am a little colour blind on certain colour shades (some greens look blue, purple looks red....) so I stick to the colours I can see. Others have told me they like my style. I never really thought my creations had a classified style, just something I felt at the time I created it. Right now I'm doing chainmaille and am learning all the different weaves, coiling the wire and cutting them myself. I feel this might be my niche as I always loved metal jewelry (that Virgo in me again). However I'm sticking to copper, silver and some earthy colours (gunmetal, browns) and to give it some pizzazz, reds and blues. I'm also incorporating my earthy stones into the chainmaille now. However, I've been known to flitter, so I'm sure there's another technique out there waiting for me to discover and fall in love with."

2010-05-26T08:56:00.001-04:00

"1. How and when did you start making your craft as a business? My business started back in January 2009 listing only a few pieces into Artfire (I only had maybe 5 bracelets then). About 2 to 3 months later and with a few more pieces in hand, I expanded to other venues, and eventually I started my own website. At first I wasn't planning on making this a business, but because I love to shop and I found myself with oodles of jewelry making material, I had to make some money for my spending habit. Plus this allowed me to stay home to work and take care of my children (3 girls) at the same time. I have a background in office management/human resources, accounting, retail marketing, and have helped small businesses set up before so that aspect was easy for me. Through online tutorials, flipping through magazines and studying how pieces were put together I commenced practicing my new found skills with my children's broken jewelry. (For the longest time, they would spend their money on the stuff you get in the chain stores in the mall, cheap mass produced things. Yuck)

2. Do you remember the first piece you ever made? My first piece I made from scratch and using my own design would be a necklace I made for my Nana at Christmas back in 2008. I used different Swarovski Crystals to represent the children's and grandchildren's birthstones. It was a long necklace that she can easily slip over her head. She still wears it to family get togethers."

Featured Artist -- Penny Of "Saniki Creations"

2010-05-25T09:42:00.002-04:00

How and when did you start making your craft as a business?

My business started back in 2009 listing only a few pieces onto Artfire (I only had maybe 5 bracelets then). About 2 or 3 months later, a few more pieces in hand, I expanded to other venues, and eventually I started my own website. At first I wasn't planning on making this a business, but because I love to shop and I found myself with oodles of jewelry making material, I had to make some money for my spending habit. Plus, this allowed me to stay home to work and take care of my children (3 girls) at the same time. I have a background in office management/human resources, accounting, retail amrketing, and have helped small businesses set up before, so that aspect was easy for me. Through online tutorials, flipping through magazines, and studying how pieces were put together I commenced practicing my new found skills with my children's broken jewelry.

(For the longest time, they would spend money on the stuff you get in the chain stores, the mall. Cheap mass produced things. YUK!

NEW! Gift Certificates At ArtistryJewelry!

2010-04-27T16:36:00.003-04:00

If you want to give your mother a gift that you KNOW she'll LOVE, I've got just the thing! I have just added gift certificates to MY ETSY SHOP !
I have a gift certificate for anyone's needs. The values range from just $10.00 up to $50.00. And, you can combine them when purchasing my jewelry and accessories! These gift certificates are in compliance with Maryland State Laws. Here is some information about my gift certificates:

I am offering the option of gift certificates, in an effort to make gift giving easier for shoppers! My gift certificate program is in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, in which I reside.

BUY MY GIFT CERTIFICATES WITH CONFIDENCE!

* no expiration dates

* no fees or penalties regarding use

* No charge for shipping within the Continental USA & Canada! Everyplace else, shipping fees as stated.

* In the event my shop should close, the buyer of any unused certificates will receive a full refund of any unused/portion of unused, certificates purchased.

Upon purchase, the buyer (of the gift certificate) will receive:

**email confirmation, to include your own unique, individual, code (required to utilize certificate).

**An actual gift certificate which includes your unique, individual, code. Stated on the certificate.

##EXTRA SERVICE (No addl charge): You may convo me at any time to request your coupon code if you've forgotten it!##
___________________________________________________________
I will provide the extra code reminder service only through ETSY COVO,
NOT via email in an attempt to protect your privacy. Thank-you! Aprilee
_____________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED IN MY "SHOP POLICIES" SECTION:
Upon ordering gift certificates, I will email you a gift certificate code and send a copy of the denomination of the certificate you've purchased as a card, with the gift code specified inside the card. When using a gift certificate as payment, simply choose "Other" as your method of payment and enter the certificate code (provided inside the card and in your email, in the "notes to seller" box. If there is a remaining credit balance on the value of the coupon, a new coupon for that amount will be issued, along with a receipt/invoice. Please see the item description(s) listed with the gift certificates for more information on my gift certificate program! These gift certificates will remain available and constant.
Thank-you,
Aprilee

CALLING ALL VINTAGE JEWELRY COLLECTORS!

2010-04-14T17:14:00.003-04:00

I have just listed a stunning "Trifari" jewelry find!
You may inspect the necklace HERE

Here is a photo of the ornate clasp and design! For more details, click on the word "here" above! Ask any collector, I have priced this at least $150.00 less than current market value & conition is exceptional! Aprilee

FREE Polymer Clay Classes!

2010-04-04T15:38:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wanted to make polymer clay jewelry? There are many other things you can craft with polymer clay besides jewelry as well! I have just posted the second installment in my "Polymer Clay 101" learning series! You can go at your own pace, and I will be discussing everything! Why make the same mistakes I've already learned from? Since I am posting this series on my Wordpress blog, the lessons will always be there for you to refer back to! And, you can leave questions in the comments area, which I will answer! So join me here:
http://handmadeartisanjewelry.ismyblogs.name/

My "Spring Romance Collection" is growing Daily!

2010-03-26T11:32:00.001-04:00

The Site That "Pays It Forward" Every Day!

2010-03-25T15:37:00.005-04:00

Let me ask you a few questions. When was the last time you actually saw someone "pay it forward". When was the last time you actually got something for FREE? I mean COMPLETELY FREE? Are you convinced that a sense of fellowship and sharing are things of the past? If you yearn for a friendly place to go where others meet and assist one another in the spirit of genuine friendship and caring, I would like you to invite you to Come visit us and see all that is offered completely free, including membership! Here is a small sampling:
*Advertising-FREE
*Mentoring/being mentored-FREE
*SEO Training-FREE
*Vendor Show Inclusion-FREE
*Frequent Promotional Events-FREE
*Many Diverse Groups/Pleasure & Business-FREE
*Fun Contests-FREE
*Mall Facebook Page
*Mall Blogs
*All members blogs on the site are on feed into the internet!

I could keep typing for a long time, but I would rather you come and see for yourself! Not only are all of the services FREE, when was the last time you could buy a main page ad spot for $3.00 for the entire month! It's not a limited time special, it's the normal price! For all of this and more....See YOU at the Mall!

Visit Online Shopping Mall

I'm Back!

2010-02-21T15:15:00.004-05:00

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKK!!!!

I have been offline (seemingly forever)! I changed IP providers, only to find that the new provider's internet was down more than it was online! I went back to Verizon, but my moves resulted in my not having internet service for about half a month or longer!
While I was unable to access the internet, I focused on creating new items! I will begin listing them tomorrow (Monday 02/22/2010). We had three blizzards (basically) in a row, here in Maryland and I took alot of pics and videos! I'll share one with you now, but I have so many to edit & post!

I enjoy hand sewing, I find it very relaxing. I will say no more, other than alot of hand sewing went into the creation of a new line I will be launching on March
1st! I've named this new line of items my "Spring Romance Collection". I hope everyone enjoys my new line of items and are excited as I am about them! Aprilee

Why Is My Plated Jewelry Turning Dark? Why Won't My Crystals Sparkle?

2010-01-09T11:52:00.002-05:00

I thought I might take some time to discuss jewelry care and cleaning! Most of the items I sell are plated. Plating means that although the metal used is "base metal" (usually brass, sometimes aluminum), it is coated a number of times with sterling silver or actual gold! When something is plated, they apply multiple layers of the precious metal over the base metal to keep the plating from wearing off! Plated jewelry will darken (tarnish) due to the fact that it is actual sterling silver or gold!
Any time you wear jewelry, you should always wait untill last to put your jewelry on! It's best not to expose your jewelry to hairspray or perfume. Your jewelry also picks-up naturals oils produced by your skin! All of this, plus simply being exposed to oxygen lead to one thing....dull, darkening, (oxidized) jewelry, be it crystals or metal!

If you have plated or perhaps you even have "toned" jewelry, DO NOT use ANY of the liquid jewelry cleaners! Though they say they will not harm plating, I have a more effective, SAFER, much less costly way to clean ALL of your jewelry including Sterling Silver and Gold!

This is what I do, and it works great:
Buy a SOFT (usually childs) toothbrush for use exclusively when cleaning jewelry.
Use whatever you have on hand...liquid soap, shampoo, ANY mild cleanser. Place the jewelry in the palm of your hand (just in a pile, one necklace-pair of earrings at a time). Apply a small amt. (one squirt) of liquid soap/shampoo into your palm on top of the jewelry. Let some water pool in your palm & gently swish the toothbrush on the jewelry. Rinse well & place on a plush handtowel. Repeat for a;ll you are cleaning. when finished washing~gently roll the towel-up (with the jewelry inside). Get a lint-free cloth and dry each piece gently, by hand. This makes all of your crystals & metals look like new!

The key things to remeber: GENTLE swishing, you CAN make your jewelry look new!

Holiday Eating Tips!

2009-12-22T12:06:00.004-05:00

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table
knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave
immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can...and quickly. Like fine single-malt
Scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt Scotch.
You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who
cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going
to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me……………..have two. It's later than you think. It's the holidays!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy.
Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your
mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or
whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports
car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control
your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other
people's food for free. Lots of it. Hellooooooooo?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New
Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is
The time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like
frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position
yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before
becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of
shoes………….if you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat…Have a slice of each. Or,
if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always
have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor
Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the
mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, for God's sake..... have some standards.

10. One final tip: if you don't feel terrible when you leave the party
or when you get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.
Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the
corner.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Please Vote !!

2009-12-07T12:17:00.004-05:00

Please vote for my "Earth's Fire" Necklace if you aree a FaceBook user! Here is the link: http://apps.facebook.com/promotionshq/contests/13347/voteable_entries/1849120?order=votes
Thank-you, you can vote daily (I would Greatly apprecciate it)! Here is what the picture looks like! Aprilee

Sale! And Pics From My Last Live Sale (In November)!

2009-12-02T16:35:00.004-05:00
I recently (November) attended a live craft sale in one of the towns close to where I live. I really enjoy these events, mostly because I just enjoy meeting new people and chit-chatting! I have another such event coming-up this weekend in Port Deposit, Maryland! I took a few pictures and thought I would share them with you! Aprilee
I have decided to reduce the prices of some select items in each of my Etsy shops. All of my reduced/Sale items can be found in the "Destash Jewelry SALE" sections in my Etsy shops. I also decided to allow my handsewn floral headbands to remain on sale as well. Supplies are limited to those items, and there is no end date for this special event!

While I was at the November show, This Lady's lamps caught my eye! No photo could ever do these lamps justice! They are STUNNING, and I intend to purchase at least one! I had to rack my brain to figure-out where I could use them! You may contact me thru my email if you are interested in these lamps. they are of good size, and again, absolutely STUNNING! Here is my email: ArtistryJewelryStudios@verizon.net
And here is the pic of (just some) of her lamps! By the way, upon asking this lady if I may take a photo of her beautiful lamps, she expressed how greatly she appreciated my asking permission! When at shows which showcase the handmade items of others, please be polite & respect the artist by asking before you photograph any of their items! Please be courteous! Aprilee

Handcrafted Headband Sale!!

2009-11-28T11:59:00.003-05:00
I've just marked-down all of my handsewn, floral headbands in my VictorianFantasy Etsy shop! These headbands normally sell for $30.00 ~ Now untill Tuesday, you can buy them for only $20.00 each! One of them is even less! If you browse other headbands of the same style on Etsy, you will see that they normally sell for $30.00 and up! This is a great deal and only have 4 to offer! See the here: VictorianFantasy Headband SALE

Black Friday Thru Cyber Monday Sale!

2009-11-25T11:50:00.002-05:00
    I just wanted to post a quick note telling everyone that I will be offering Free worldwide shipping beginning 11/27/09 thru 11/30/09 in both of my etsy shops! If you compare the quality of my work with other shop's (of the same quality) prices, you will find that I offer the best bargains on artisan, handcrafted, jewelry. All my own exclusive designs!
   I feel that everyone deserves the finer things in life, and my shipping within the contenental USA and Canada are ALWAYS free in my two shops!
Visit my shops and I'm sure you will agree!   Aprilee
Visit My ArtistryJewelry Etsy Shop
Visit My VictorianFantasy Shop

Christmas With a Capital "C"

2009-11-18T17:43:00.001-05:00

*Twas the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday !*
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet
MERRY CHRISTMAS

My Beautiful New Blog/Banners and Avatar Sets!

2009-11-05T15:03:00.002-05:00
   I love getting new banner sets from Dale at SeaDreamStudio on etsy! She offers so many unique designs for any type of seller! Her banners and avatars are already sized for you, all you have to do is download them. She also always makes sure she has everyting just as you want it! She is very kind and dosen't mind making changes to suit your needs!
   I am tempted to buy everything she creates, they are all so irresistable! She has recently added Holiday/Winter themed sets,
with close to 100 different designs to choose from! Her prices are great and her designs so professional! I just love bragging about my new banner/blogger sets because of how beautiful they are and how satisfied I am as a repeat customer! I wouldn't buy my graphics from anyone else..... Dale's service and quality can't be matched! Visit Dale's etsy shop today at: http://www.seadreamstudio.etsy.com/
See my new matching banners/avatars from Dale in my two etsy shops! My Artistry Jewelry Shop    My Victorian Fantasy Shop

only 9 Weeks Until Christmas!!!

2009-10-29T15:33:00.002-04:00

   It is SO hard to believe, but there are only 9 weeeks left untill Christmas! I hope everyone will visit my two etsy shops, as I am adding new items daily in preperation for Holiday shoppers!

I have added many more bracelets, as shopper's have requested more bracelets in both of my shops! Visit my facebook fanpage to access a facebook/twitter exclusive discount that is applicable in both of my shops!            Aprilee

Can't Toterate heavy Spray and Perfumes Air fresheners?

2009-10-25T13:41:00.001-04:00
My mother and I suffer from terrible nasal allergies! I can't go into a candle shop, due to my severe reaction. I recently decided to try a product from DCC, one of my close friends sells their products! Well, I absolutely love it! I got an electric shoe warmer with Gardenia scented Scoopables! You can really vary the heat, it's not an open flame, and the scent is gentl, but very noticable! I am a regular customer now! Here is what my friend Kathy Adams has to say about DDC:

"Diamond Creek Candles has been in business since 1998. We take great pride in all of our products which include, our own Diamond Chunk Candles, traditional candles such as pillars, jars and votives, as well as our Scoopables, wickless candles that are melted instead of burned. We also have glass warmers and "high heel" warmers in which to meltAll of our scented candles are hand crafted using the finest wax, lead-free materials and exotic blend of oils. Our scented jar candles smell great and burn with no wasted wax, no tunneling, and no sooting.
Our scoopables are made from pure vegetable wax which makes them a perfect choice for people with allergies.
With over 100 scents from which to choose, and many styles of warmers, you are sure to find something you will like.

Find these/and more Candles HERE
Visit Kathy's Ecclectic Mall HERE:

Kathy Adams

Little Wrist? Let's Make It Fit!

2009-10-12T14:46:00.000-04:00
    My Ma (Mother) is a very tiny woman! She is less than 5 feet tall, wear size 2 children's shoes, and I make bracelets for her! She cannot buy them due to her small wrist size! Well, I had made a number of bracelets for small wrists and had just begun listing some when it occurred to me that it wouldn't be a big deal to make ALL of my bracelets available in custom lengths!
   So, I am going to add to my etsy shops storefronts that ALL of my bracelets can be made to any custom length to please the buyer! (Their will be a maximum length of 8".). I will offer the custom length of your choice as a FREE service in both of my shops!
    I have no idea why it took me so long to realize that it would be quite simple to offer this on all of my bracelets! So, now you can browse my bracelets with confidence, knowing that I have YOUR size!                         Aprilee

Let's Talk Witches, Conspiracy,Hysteria, And A Popular Saying!!!

2009-10-05T19:13:00.001-04:00
I feel crappy! I've got a virus, the flu, the "oinkers" (LOL!), who knows! Anyways, I watch ALOT of documentaries. Right now, there is a very informative documentary about "Witch Hunts" the "Origin of Witches" on :The History Channel. Basically, All you could ever want to know about the hysteria that was that horrific era in time!
As it turns-out, "Heinrich Heumler" (in Germany), with another German, wrote a "Manifesto" on Witches, hunting witches, dealing with them, etc. The Manifesto stated that Women were "Lustfull, decietfull, evil" and "Witches" fornicated with the Devil in wild orgies on the Sabbath! They assumed women, who were midwives, and healers with herbs, were at risk of using their powers for evil! Back in such puritan times, celebacy was assocciated with Christianity, and so the Devil, with lust and fornication!
The Manifesto also stated that you should never ask "are you a witch?" but "when did you become a witch?" The law stated that a "witch" could only be executed upon a confession of being a witch! This is where the saying "the third degree" originated. There were three degrees of tourture. The third degree was always fatal. One infamous tourture was called "the floating of the witch". They would bind someone and toss them into the water. If you floated, you were guilty, and would be excecuted. If you sank and drowned, you were innocent! Prior to their inevitable death, "witches" had to implicate other "witches". Willing to do anything to end their agony, they named others. "Oddly" enough, when an official's wife was accussed, the "witch hunt" abruptly ceased. This all started with a game played by a slave with two young girls in which a raw egg was cracked into a glass of plain water, creating a makeshift "crystal ball". They would ask questions of it and "see" images in the mixture as "answers". During one such session, the "egg" told one of the young girls that her husband would die. The young girls (basically) "threw a fit" and the slave woman was accussed of casting an evil spell upon them.
"Wicca" is a very popular belief system. It is followed by a great many people. In in no way involves "devil worship" and instead is based on celebrating the changing seasons and belief of a continuing cycle of life. Their (Wiccan's) motto: "Do what you will, but harm none".
Here is one of the many online articles related to the "witch Trials" and "Witch Hysteria" available on the internet:Timeline: Witch Hunts In American History

I've Many Changes To Share With You!

2009-10-01T14:50:00.002-04:00
Well, I have begun International Shipping, and FREE Shipping (within the Continental USA and Canada)! I intend to keep these options as standard in all three of my shops!
I have begun adding items to my new "Fuzzb" shop, in the "OnlineShoppingMall Marketplace" within Fuzzb!
I would apprecciate your stopping by for a visit!

I have also just finished totally redoing my general website! I would greatly apprecciate ANY feeback! Negative feedback is welcome as it helps me improve my
sites/services!
http://www.Artistry-Jewelry-Studios.webs.com/

Here is my banner from my new Fuzzb venue shop!

CLICK BELOW:
http://Fuzzb.com/shop.php?user_id=102815

I will be featuring papercrafts, Christmas Ornaments, Hats, Crochet Items, all sorts of new items!

All handcrafted with love and care, I hope that I will see YOU there!!                     Aprilee

"Demonic" Dusty!

2009-09-23T14:29:00.001-04:00

"Demonic" Dusty!
Originally uploaded by Artistry-Jewelry-Studios
Well, I returned from "Dusty-sitting" Sunday! It was a very "rough go" after last Friday evening. Poor little Dusty has recently developed an allergy to fleas! He is getting along in years and these types of things tend to occur in doggies as they age.
He was very grumpy! I too, would be grumpy if I were constantly itchy and being bitten by fleas! He was in so much discomfort that the first night I was there, I got up and bathed him at 1am to relieve his itching & help him sleep!
Every evening, prior to my going to bed for the night, I would insist he went outside & "potty". With each evening he grew increasingly reluctant to go out! Well, Friday evening, he decided he'd had enough of me! He got quite violent, even lunging towards me! Then, I began thinking that maybe he was "The Doggie GodFather"! LOL! After my climbing into bed, closing my eyes & relazing, I hear this light growl...
he was standing by the head of the bed, right in front of me growling!
He let me know that he was mad at me & wouldn't soon be forgetting this! I guess I should be glad that I made it home with all of my appendages intact!
I called his mommy yesterday to check on him & she says he is quite happy and relaxed now! I am very glad to hear that and I don't fault him for his behavior! Usually we have a "love-fest" when I babysit him. And I hate to be bothered when I'm sick, so I understand that he just wanted to be left alone! I love him dearly & he will always be "my little boy"!
The accompanying video is a mild one, He sometimes acts this way when he just wants to sleep, but I want him to go outside before I go up to bed!

OnlineShoppingMall's Fuzzb MarketPlace!

2009-09-10T15:08:00.001-04:00

   I am SO excited about the latest development at OnlineShoppingMall ! As many of you know, I am one of the Administrators at The Mall! I LOVE being there, you couldn't hope for a nicer group of folks! I will be waiting to impliment my International Shipping at my etsy (and Fuzzb) shops untill October, as I will be doing a major overhaul of my regular shiipping fees, and limiting my online venues (shops)! I can now be found on Etsy and Fuzzb. As I impliment my changes, I will only be found on those two sites/venues.

     I have already begun setting up my shop at Fuzzb! My new shop can be found here: "Aprilee's Artistic Expressions"
My new (Fuzzb) shop dosen't include the word "jewelry", as I will be offering all sorts of handcrafted goodies in this particular shop! Many items simply will not be listed in my etsy shops, and will be exclusive to my Fuzzb shop! I intend (as a part of my shops makeovers/revamping) to offer all items as FREE SHIPPING on a permanent basis, when shipping within the Continental USA & Canada!

       Again, I will be leaving for vacation in a frew days however, I will be returing with a vengance!   I look forawrd to seeing you all upon my return on Sept. 21st!
                                                                   Aprilee

EJDSS Team's September Giveaway!

2009-09-07T11:54:00.001-04:00

I belong to a wonderful, talented, group of jewelry artisans on etsy! The "EJDSS Street Team" (Etsy Jewelry Design and Supply Shops). Each month a giveaway is hosted on our Team Blog, here on BlogSpot! I would like to invite everyone to visit our blog and enter for a chance to win a beautiful item of handcrafted, artisan jewelry! It is ALL FREE! Each month the prize is awarded, the winner announced & shipped free! Please join us in our fun endeavor! Aprilee
The EJDSS team September giveaway is going on now! Please visit our blog to enter and win this fabulous bracelet! Giveaway is open internationally and ends Sept.30.

http://www.ejdssteam.blogspot.com/

******I will be on vacation (offline) from 09/12/09 thru 09/20/09******

Happy Bithday Harvey, My Brother, My Friend!

2009-09-02T18:01:00.000-04:00
   September is always a sad time of year for my family. My brother Harvey passed after a lengthy illness, and it seems rather than being easier with the passing years, it actually gets more difficult. Harvey was only 13 months older than me, so we grew-up as playmates. When we got older, I looked forward to the times when he would ask if I wanted to go for a ride. Back then you could drive all weekend on a couple dollars! We would just ride around town, sharing what we were both up to lately. Who we were dating, any problems, and funny stories.

My brother actually ended-up marrying a nice girl that we had grown-up playing with! (small world)! My brother had one daughter prior to falling ill & she was under 2 when he was hospitalized.
His wife stayed by his side and visited him in the Nursing Home for all of the 22 years he was there. Harvey had been very active in the Church and I've never known a more compassionate and gentle soul!
I guess that is why he is so greatly missed, for the type of person he was.

Whoever quoted that "only the good die young" must have known him. He will be forever in our hearts, and I am confident that I will see him again someday.

International Shipping!

2009-08-25T17:46:00.003-04:00

For a very long time, probably six months now, I've been thinking about shipping internationally! Being relatively new to ecommerce, that seemed a very frightening journey into uncharted waters! After having done some research and received some really great advice and help from my fellow "EJDSS Street Team" members, I've finally decided to "take the plunge"! Beginning in September, I will ship internationally! I will have my shipping rates clearly listed, no surprises!

###ALSO: I am going to begin offering certain items with FREE shipping, which will not expire!###
I am going to have to do a bit more research concerning what my policy will be on those items as far as shipping THOSE internationally, but hope to be able to offer the same FREE shipping on those selected items on an interenational basis as well! So, if you have wanted to purchase my creations but were thwarted by my limited shipping, visit my etsy shops next month and I welcome your business! As I have stated, there will be no mystery abou8t my affordable rates and feel free to contact me through my etsy shop, or the email I have provided, here on my blog with any shipping questions!
Aprilee

2009-08-16T10:19:00.003-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Join in on our ONLINE CHAT at the Online Shopping Mall for Gabbriella's Sampler. If you are a seller or a shopper you can join in on our chat on Thursday August 20 at 6PM eastern time in the chat room at the Online Shopping Mall.

http://onlineshoppingmall.ning.com/page/mall-chat

We look forward to meeting with you & answering any of your questions you may have for us. With the upcoming Holiday Season approaching us you will want to find out what Gabbriella's Sampler has to offer you! So mark your calendars now & we shall see you then!There you can find out more about how to be a contributor, sponsor or buyer of Gabbriella's Sampler! You can learn the plans of the upcoming Holiday Sampler which goes on Sale on November 7.

***WE WILL BE GIVING AWAY A SAMPLER BOX FILLED WITH A FEW SAMPLES TO 1 LUCKY WINNER! ALL YOU NEED DO IS SIGN INTO THE CHAT & ENTER INTO THE CONVERSATION TO BE ELIGIBLE.***

We wll be tracking who is online with us & a randomizer drawing will be held after the chat & the winner will be announced on http://gabbriellascloset.com/ Friday August 21. Sign up to be in any of the upcoming samplers (September,October,November Holiday Sampler) and you will get a bonus entry for each month you sign up for. All we ask is that you be sincere about participating because we plan our supplies & space accordingly. Looking forward to meeting with you!

2009-08-11T13:09:00.002-04:00
Mall Madness Summer Savings Event

We’re going mad with our Mall Madness Summer Savings just for YOU at our vendor party at the Online Shopping Mall. Come on over and have some fun and games. Our Mall Vendors/Service Providers have been rendered delirious by the searing late summer heat! NOW is the time to take advantage of their "Mall Madness Summer Savings!"You will receive a Free gift from the mall with purchase the night of our vendor party. And don’t forget to bring a friend cause who knows if you bring a friend, we may have a surprise in store for you.Party

Details:Date: Tuesday & Thursday-August 11 & 13When: 6 – 10 PM Eastern Time

Where: Online Shopping Mall Chatroom

SEE YOU AT THE MALL!

2009-07-31T16:58:00.011-04:00

****Sizzling Summer Clearance!****

Take 10% off your entire order (no minimum) ~PLUS FREE SHIPPING!!~
For the entire month of August in both of my Etsy shops!
***Items in my "Fall/Winter 2010" Sections not included***
This is your chance to own handcrafted, artisan, jewelry (most one-of-a-kind)!

HURRY
because when they're gone.....they're gone

***Shipping will show in listings as "free"! ***

10% will be deducted from your order at the time of my confirmation of your order through PayPal! Shoppers who choose to pay by USPS Money Order will receive an email receipt of sale, stating amount of discount, reflecting new amount of order due!

A Tale Of Unrequited Love And Perseverance

2009-07-26T18:56:00.005-04:00

The turtle closest in the photo to the right is the REAL turtle! Below is the photo of him having his dinner! He is a sweetie!

My neighbor across the hall, in our
apartment building talk quite often! She is a lover of the backyard birds and like me, is constantly battling the squirrels over her potted plants, which the squirrels LOVE to destroy! About a month ago she began telling me about her visitor who "comes a courting"! We live along the back of the building, with our patios about 20 feet from the wood line! I played in these very same woods when, as a child I lived in a duplex just up the street! If you step about 5 feet into the woods, they turn swampy! My Ma chased a huge snapping turtle off our patio a few years back. But that's another story!

My neighbor (Anita) not only has potted plants on her patio, she has the odd decoration. One of those decorations is a cute, Plaster turtle! Now, this plaster turtle is painted and although it doesn't look real, it has attracted the unfaltering attention of a local turtle! The turtle loves to snuggle-up with the plaster turtle, happily passing time just sitting there by it's side! This turtle appears reliably on must days! If I have some over-ripe fruit or lettuce that is passing it's prime, I take it to Anita. I was fortunate enough to meet "Mr. Turtle" (who remains un-named) the other day! I snapped a few pictures of him!

When Anita went out onto the patio to give him some Kiwi fruit & lettuce, he stuck his little neck out & turned his head to the side, looking at her as she spoke to him in a soothing tone! She greets him and feeds him! He is still just a bit shy. When she quickly bends down to sit the food before he, he jumps back a bit. She couldn't find a suitable water dish for him, but I had one that was quite perfect and happily donated it! When the harsh Maryland winter closes-in he will be sadly missed! We hope he will return to take comfort in his sweetheart next spring! He can't get love from a plaster turtle, but he certainly has captured the hearts of Anita and I!

Don't Miss The July "Mall Crawl" Event!!!!

2009-07-22T18:50:00.004-04:00

YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS the July "Mall Crawl Event" at http://www.OnlineShoppingMall.ning.com/ Visit the Mall from this Friday, (July 24th) thru Friday (July 31st) and take advantage of a wide assortment of vendors/service providers offering all sorts of UNADVERTISED SALES AND SPECIALS!! The "OnlineShoppingMall" is over 300 members strong! Members sell all manner of products and services! The participating members are listed on the main page! Simply click-on their avatars/banners and you will visit their Mall page! You can read all about their sales/specials, even see slide shows of their products! If you like what you see, you are only a "click" away from benefiting from this exclusive Mall event! Visit the Mall now and get a sneak peek at just some of the great deals you can benefit from! All specials and participating members will not be listed untill the first day of the event! But remember! The Mall Crawl special UNADVERTISED discounts only apply during the LIMITED TIME!

So....SEE YOU AT THE MALL!!!

The Spirit Of Fall Is Within Me!

2009-07-20T12:31:00.002-04:00

Well, we've been having a few cool, breezy mornings here in Eastern Maryland and thoughts of my favorite time of year have me dreaming of frosty mornings and new-fallen snow! Winter is the most beautiful time of year! I have always marveled at the beauty of the iceladen, bare tree branches, shimmering in the sunlight on a morning after an ice storm! I have been in a "creative funk" lately! And I couldn't figure-out why? I've come to realize that I am (quite simply) terribly bored with summer!

When I decided to begin designing for my "Fall/Winter 2010 Line", I have so many projects floating-around in my mind that I want to do, I can't get anything done quickly enough! It has been so long since I've picked up a crochet hook, I couldn't resist making the collar (pictured at the top of this blog) last night, I have polymer-clay "fall leaves" patiently awaiting my finishing touches on the dining room table, and a 99% complete necklace hanging on my dresser drawer knob in my bedroom! I doubt I will be listing the pictured collar until mid August, but I am gleefully creating cold weather jewelry & accessories!

I have also been working on my blog this morning & striving for the "magic 100 fanbase" on my "Facebook Fan Page"! I would greatly appreciate your clicking-on my "Facebook Fan" widget & joining my Fan page! I ALWAYS fan all of my fans with fan pages of their own! Well, I think I'll go daydream about rosey cheeks, noses, and Holidays with friends and family!

Aprilee

ALL THOSE BORN 1920-1979

2009-07-14T17:06:00.003-04:00
My brother & I

I received this as an email from my sister-in-law, and EVERY bit of it rings true to me!! I vividly remember ALL of this. (VERY fondly, I might add)! I wanted to share this with everyone else who was blessed with these memories! Here it is:

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers ho smoked and/or drank w hile they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no child proof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bag. Sometimes we would ride on our mothers laps or on the rear dashboard. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day.And we were OK. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ridedown the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chatrooms....... WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATIONS!

I felt that this was worth sharing......where has it all gone?????... sad

I know More Than One Reason Why "The Hatter" Was MAD!

2009-07-13T12:11:00.002-04:00
Well, I've had a rather interesting weekend! I have been wanting to add a selection of Cloche' Hats, (popular in the period of the 1920's) often called "Flapper Hats" in my "VictorianFantasy" Boutique! And I would never sell anything that I didn't create myself! I have sewn since my middle school "Home Economics" class! I don't sew very often, but it's alot like riding a bike in the fact that once you've figured it out, you're pretty much good to go!

So, I purchased a sewing pattern for a Cloche' hat! I spent almost the entire weekend trying to figure-out what I was doing wrong! As it turns out, the pattern was for a CHILD'S hat! I am NOT a quitter, so I simply took the pattern pieces and began drawing free hand alterations to make a new pattern suitable for an adult's head! Well, I LOVE changing things and decided that since I was basically making my own pattern, I prefered a different shape to every part of the hat with the only exception being the brim!

I'm over halfway finished with the hat's construction and with my new version of the pattern, I will have quite an assortment of Cloche' hats, in fall/winter colors to add to my Victorian shop by the end of August! Upon the debute of my hat line, I will post the history of Cloche' hats here, in my blog!

I wanted to share the story (facts) behind the sayings "Mad as a hatter" and "The mad hatter" ("featured in "Alice In Wonderland") The information below was taken from "Wikkipedia":

"At one time Danbury Ct. was the hat capital of the U.S. there was about 10 hat factories and they made hats from pelts of other natural hides. the way they kept their shape was to block them and in the process of making the hat mercury was used. The hatters inhaled this mercury fumes and the chemical got into their system eventually killing of brain cells. They would go to the local tavern after work and would start fights because their judgement was impaired. They were called Mad Hatters"

Join Me At THE NEW ArtistryArts Selling Venue!

2009-07-03T09:40:00.002-04:00

Well, just when I thought things couldn't get any better at the "ArtistryArts" selling venue, it has! Sharon "Owner, ArtistryArts" pulled the venue site offline, and came back in two days with a brand new, Beautiful selling venue! The new venue still has all of the options that sellers love, such as it's "Layaway" option

for buyers and sellers! We (the sellers) all knew of the coming changes, because Sharon let us sellers decide what direction the venue would be taking! How many selling venues not only involve you in their major decisions, but actuall let YOU decide??? Between the Layaway feature & seller-friendly site owner, selling there is a "no-briainer"!

There are also more things to love about selling on "ArtistryArts" venue! One flat monthly fee! That's right! A mere $5.00 per month gets you unlimited listings, FREE featured items status, NO selling fees when amn item sells,

a auction option! There are just WAY too many perks for sellers on this site, go see for yourself! While you're there, take a peek at my store! I am in the very early stages of setting-up, but will be adding items daily! See you there!

Aprilee

ArtistryArts Selling Venue:

Monday'as Featured Artist ~ Teresa of etsy's "Trusk4u"

2009-06-28T17:23:00.003-04:00

I have been friends with many talented jewelry artisans and Teresa of "Trusk4u" has been a close friend for some time now! Teresa is a fellow member and Moderator, of the "EJDSS Street Team" that I also belong to! She donated the beautiful jewelry that will be awarded to this month's winner on the "EJDSS Team Blog"! She handcrafts her beautiful designs using many mediums and techniques! I hope you will visit her shops!

Here's Teresa:

"I have been a creative and resourceful person ever since I can remember. My first real crafting love was sewing, and I have tried countless other crafts. Jewelry making started as another hobby, but has grown into an obsession! I love everything about it from choosing the materials and actually designing something beautiful! Selling the piece is the icing on the cake!

I am always looking to learn new techniques and expand my knowledge and skills I am happily married, have two grown children, and two dogs. My roots are in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (the portion that is on top of Wisconsin), and I've spent most of my married life in the Chicago metro area. We've lived in North Carolina for several years now. I am a proud member of the "Etsy Jewelry Design and Supply Shops Street Team"!

Here are links provided by Teresa! I am sure you will find wearable, works of art stunning!

http://Trusk4u.etsy.com/

http://Trusk4u.winkelf.com/

http://Trusk4u.ArtistryArts.com/

***Teresa also sells locally at "Whimzee LLC", a craft co-op store in
Hillsborough,NC

Oxidize (Antique) Your Own Components For Less Than $1.00!

2009-06-24T11:38:00.003-04:00

NO! It's not Monday, but a landslide of unfortunate events has hampered my posting! It's a great day today, So....I (being in a GREAT mood) realized that there is a fanatabulous (i'll make-up any words I wanna!) trick/tip that I can share with other jewelry artists! This WILL save you bundles of cash, AND it's much easier, actually less messy, and far less a negative experience!

As you know, I have recently opened-up a new etsy shop (Victorian Fantasy), featuring Victorian Style creations (among other things)! Nothing says "Victorian/Vintage" more than "Antiqued" or "Oxidized" metal components!
I'm sure you've all seen "Liver of Sulpher" available at most jewelry supply shops! So, I did a bit of research on using it (I jump at the chance to research ANYTHING! LOL). The general feedback on "Liver Of Sulpher" Was that "it is best used outside, due to the overwhelming horrific, odor"! Personally, I refuse
to be literally run out of my home by a product! Then, I began thinking that I don't care WHAT you want to accomplish....there HAS to be an "earth/user-friendly" alternative!

"Google-Time"! And here's what I discovered!: "Liver Of Sulpher" works in antiquating metals because SULPHER is the chemical component that is responsible for the oxidation of the metal & oxidation is the antiqueing agent!

NOW: Sulpher (I'm sure you already are aware of THIS) smells kinda like the sewer backed-up! LOL! Funny, but TRUE! How do hard-boiled eggs smell? They smell NASTY! Why? SULPHER!!! Here is a link to a site explaining exactly how to do , that I am doing RIGHT NOW (see pic @ top of this post)! The bail picured has not been buffed yet! After oxidizing you may buff-off as little or as much as you would like of the darkness! OH! And it says "Plated metals" won't work?...Bulldoody! 99% of the components I use are plated! One in a blue moon, it dosen't work! But I've ONLY used the egg method & failed only once! SO, gop ahead & use plated metals, my only advice would be, never use less than 2 eggs for plated metals! Aprilee

HERE'S THE LINK! HAVE FUN!! http://http//beading.consumerhelpweb.com/basics/reference/oxidize.htm

2009-06-15T08:51:00.006-04:00

Today's featured artist is Dale McLain! She is a graphic artist with a shop on etsy and a website filled with beautifully done graphics products of all kinds!

I would encourage you to visit both sites! Dale is the graphic artist I employed to make all of my matching banners and avatar for both my business & my three shops, as well as my new blog banner! Here's Dale!

I have had 485 sales on Etsy... most of them since last October when I began selling digital graphics. I think people are attracted to my graphics because they are detailed and created with pretty images and harmonious colors. A banner usually takes me about an hour to make. I take great care with selecting and laying out the elements I use. Of course, custom work takes considerably longer. I work diligently to incorporate the desires of my clients into their designs. All of my work is one of a kind.
I am self-trained in graphic design. It is a delightful medium that feels like magic. It is so fun and the possibilities are endless. I am constantly learning new techniques.
I have always been an artist and have worked in many mediums... painting, collage, altered art, assemblage, jewelry making, etc. The coolest thing about digital work is that everything I need is right in my laptop. There is no clean up! When I'm done I shut my laptop!

SEE ALL DALE HAS TO OFFER! HER LINKS ARE LISTED BELOW!!

MALL CRAWL SPECIALS~UNADVERTISED SALES!

2009-06-11T16:29:00.005-04:00

Online Shopping Mall is having it's popular monthly
"MALL CRAWL" EVENT

Visitors to the Mall will shop EXCLUSIVE UNADVERTISED SALES for a LIMITED TIME only! This is the perfect event for those seeking deals and specials offered by artisans & vendors and all who treasure one-of-a-kind finds!

June's Mall Crawl begins Friday, June 12th and ends Friday, June 19th You will not want to miss THIS event!! See what our newest Mall Merchants have to offer you. You are bound to find great products and gifts that you just have to have.

While you're shopping, take time to browse all of our stores listed at Online Shopping Mall. Here is just a sample of the variety of of stores you will find at Online Shopping Mall:

Baby / Children / Jewelry / Accessories / Gifts / Speciality Gifts / Boutiques / Health & Wellness / Arts / Crafts / Home Decor / Food / Kitchen / CookWare / Bridal & Wedding Stores & Services / Supplies /

DON'T MISS-OUT ON THESE LIMITED TIME DISCOUNTS!!!!!

http://www.OnlineShoppingMall.ning.com/

SEE YOU AT THE MALL!!

My Little Boy

2009-06-08T06:30:00.003-04:00

Normally, I feature an artist on Mondays. It has been a busy weekend for all, So I will not be doing the promised feature until Friday, My apologies! I will instead, tell you about (the loves of my life) my two toy poodles! I had two poodles. Suzie was an apricot toy and Heidi was a white tiny-toy! They were polar opposites! Suzie was extremely obedient & loving, whereas Heidi had a mind of her own & listened to me only when she felt like it, or I insisted!

I Appreciated their individuality, which is why the only time I insisted that Heidi do as I said, was when it was very important! Those were my babies, my children! They've been gone quite some time now. It's easy for me to write about them, but anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I can never talk about them. It always results in my crying. I miss my babies so!

There is one bright spot! My Aunt & Uncle have a poodle named Dusty! Whenever they go away, they let me babysit Dusty! How I appreciate the chance to love-on & care for a poodle! I call Dusty "my little boy" and he is quite content when he is with me. My Aunt & Uncle know they needn't worry about him when he is with me! And Dusty loves to love on me! Yesterday Dusty arrived at my door! He is asleep in the bed right now! I will have him until Wednesday, so I am very happy now. He is a little sweetheart!

New Services Available In My "VictorianFantasy" Boutique!

2009-06-05T13:06:00.003-04:00
Hello all! I have an exciting new announcement! I will now be offerring shoppers in my "Victorian Fantasy" Boutique, the option of ordering some select earrings in multiples AND/OR different colors (of your choice)! For instance, if you would like to order a pair of Swarovski earrings that are available as "custom color choices", I will custom craft a pair for you, in the color Swarovski Crystals you desire! There will be NO ADDITIONAL FEE involved!

If you would like to take advantage of ordering multiples and/or different colors, simply click-on the "Contact Seller" graphic on the right side of my main "VictorianFantasy" Boutique page!
OR
You could just convo me, right in my Boutique, telling what you would like! I need NO DEPOSIT & you are under NO OBLIGATION! will then add your item(s) to my Boutique as "Custom order for ........". I would appreciate it if you would notify me if you change your mind and do not wish to purchase you item(s)! That will allow me to offer them to shoppers visiting my Boutique!
Here are a few links to earrings in my "Victorian Fantasy" Boutique that are available as such!:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26041205
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25841581
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24590144

You won't want to miss Monday's blog! I will be interviewing an etsian who's
talent leaves me in awe! And, her speciality is not jewelry! You'll not want to miss this talented artist's interview!
Aprilee

2009-06-01T09:31:00.002-04:00

Summer Sale-abration Vendor Party! JOIN US!!!

Join us at Online Shopping Mall for our "Summer Sale-abration Vendor Party"We are fortunate to have an eclectic mix of very talented artisans/vendors at The Online Shopping Mall! We have Stunning One-Of-A-Kind Handcrafted, artisan Jewelry ~ Luxurious Spa-Style Bath & Body products ~ Sweet Fragrant Candles ~ Handcrafted Cards & Gifts ~ Decorative Accessories ~ Earthy, Natural, Beauty products for skin and hair! ~ And SO MUCH more …These are just SOME of the products that our talented Online Shopping Mall merchants will share with you. Stop by and take advantage of CLEARANCE, sales & specials. We will have fun games with wonderful prizes! EVERYONE that makes any purchase during the party, and the night of the party, gets a fabulous FREE GIFT as a special thank you.So join us as we celebrate "Summer Sale-abration" at Online Shopping Mall by stopping by our online vendor party on Tues, June 2nd and Thursday, June 4th at 6-9pm EST/ 3-6pm PST at Online Shopping Mall’s chatroom at http://onlineshoppingmall.ning.com/. Click on Mall Chatroom at the top of the main page (here’s the link for the chatroom: http://onlineshoppingmall.ning.com/page/mall-chat).

2009-05-29T08:42:00.002-04:00

Today is a very special day for me! I am an active "tweeter", and was fortunate

to have "met" fellow Jewelry artist "Tracy" of "LimeGreenModern" on ETSY!

She was kind enough to answer a few questions and share her wonderful creations! I have included her etsy mini below, I am sure you will agree with me, that her workmanship is infallable and her designs stunning! Seh was kind enough to answer a few questions! In keeping with her shop name, Tracy's responses are shown in green text! ENJOY!

*What do you attribute to your success? Promoting my shop is always a work in progress. I attribute my current sales to date by doing as much as I can to make my shop searchable, such as good Etsy tagging, Google Base, Twitter, etc. to keep my shop high up in the search engines. I also have a second shop on "1000 Markets: http://www.limegreenmodern.1000markets.com/. I am the manager of "The Rocky Mountain Market", a great group of artisans, all from the Rocky Mountains. This is an amazing new venue that I like, and I enjoy having two shops!

Do you have formal training, or are you "a natural"? I don't have any formal training, other than a couple classes for the PMC (precious metal clay) pendants that I do. I started making jewelry in college, and then just got busy with life, so hadn't done it for a long time. I decided to pick it back up and discovered ETSY, so I was hooked from there!

Have you made any video tutorials? As of now, I have not made any tutorials, but it's definitely something I might think about in the future! I have plans for my own website in the near future, so I would love to include a variety of topics

on it, a shop, tutorials, blog, etc. all in one spot!

I would encourage you to visit Tracy's shop, tweet here, and follow her blog!

You can find me on Twitter, as I am shamelessly addicted to that: http://twitter.com/limegreenmodern. I like to post random observations, daily happenings, and a dash of shop talk every once in awhile, and follow people who do the same. I also have a blog, which I am trying to get better at not ignoring, where I write whatever pops into my brain when I feel like I need to post.

http://limegreenmodern.blogspot.com/

I hope everyone enjoyed my interview with Tracy of "LimeGreenModern". Please take a moment to enjoy her handcrafted metal-works, you will not be dissappointed! I will be posting a new blog entry this coming monday. I hope you enjoy your weekend! Aprilee

Cleaning Your Jewelry! (Stones,Pearls,Plated)

2009-05-25T10:49:00.002-04:00
Alright! So you've got a collection of different types of jewelry, can you just clean it all in the same manner? The answer is a resounding NO! Before I begin, I would like to advise you that if you are cleaning a particular Gemstone, Semi-precious included, you should first visit http://www.FireMountainGems.com You can find-out how "hard" your particular stone is! Some stones are VERY soft and should NEVER come in contact with water! If you care about your jewelry, please understand what you are dealing with, prior to attempting to cleaning it! And whatever jewelry you may have, NEVER wear it in the shower, pool, ocean, etc! The first thing I would like to mention is the MOST important! If you own a rhinestone piece or ANY stone set mounted in a metal "jacket". NEVER allow the piece to get wet!!! Water/liquids will settle in the jacket under the stone, resulting in something called "dead stone". It's pretty self descriptive! The stone will be permanently discolored (usually black), and forever ruined! Buff such pieces with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth ONLY! Swarovski Crystals should be cleaned in the same manner!
SWAROVSKI PEARLS: NEVER expose to liquid! Dry buffing cloth ONLY! SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS/PLATED METALS: Do NOT use Sonic Cleaners!!! (Especially for Plated Metals)! Never use boiled water or commercial liquid cleaners! They contain Ammonia and/or Alcohol and can DAMAGE Plating!
CHAIN & NECKLACES: They retain their brilliance and shine when you store them in a HANGING position! VINTAGE COSTUME JEWELRY: This jewelry was actually intended to be disposable when it was manufactured .! You must use EXTREME CAUTION when attempting to clean this type of jewelry! I would recommend first using a lint-free, soft buffing cloth. If the jewelry is very dirty (and THIS ALSO WORKS FOR VERY DIRTY RHINESTONE OR "JACKETED" JEWELRY: Just dampen (not dripping wet, just damp) a buffing cloth with a mixture of water and a very small amount of a VERY MILD soap. Gently buff the piece with the damp cloth. Immediately drying it with another dry buffing cloth!
I hope you will find this information helpful! I will be featuring a fellow jewelry artisan on Friday! I'm keeping her identity a surprise! You will NOT be disappointed! Her items are stunning! ALSO: I am adding my email in the bottom section of my blog! If you have ANY jewelry-related questions, I would be happy to assist you! And please sign-up for my mailing list!
DO YOU "TWEET" TWEET ME AT "ARTISTRYJEWELRY"!

The History Of "Swarovski"

2009-05-22T11:55:00.003-04:00
I know that everyone is familiar with "Swarovski Crystals", but few probably know much about the history of the company itself. So, I thought I might present a brief, but substantial history of Swarovski!

Daniel Swarovski founded the company in 1895. His goal was to create a precision faceting machine for the cutting of Austrian Crystals. He was assisted in this process by Franz Weis and Armand Kossman. They built their own production plant and perfected the formula for flawless crystal-cutting from 1908-1913.
Aurora Borealis was to be their next innovation! Swarovski unveiled this new finishing technique in 1956. The AB finish is created by coating the crystals with an almost inperceptable layer of metal. That is what produces the rainbow sparkle effect of the AB finish!

1973: Paperweight & keyring commerating The Winter Olympics
1974: They began creating Crystal animal figurines "Silver Crystals" (still popular)
1977: Swarovski creates a new synthetic stone "Cubic Zirconia"
1999: Crystal tattoos that can be applied directly to the skin are introduced

Swarovski celebrated it's 100th anniversary by building a spectacular theme park named "Swarovski Crystal Worlds" (in Austria). It is a land of imagination and beauty, with it's landscaping, water-works, labrynith and spectacular lighting!

DID YOU KNOW? The Swarovski Company also produces optical products, abrasives, and grinding tools?

I hope you enjoyed my brief history of Swarovski! On Monday I will be blogging
about the PROPER way to clean your crystals! Aprilee

A New Direction

2009-05-18T17:24:00.002-04:00
I've been trying to figure-out exactly what to do with this "blogging" thing! I've seen many tutorial-type blogs. Some blogs are about the author's day to day life. With so many tutorials in the "Land of Bloggin' " I've decided to concentrate my effort on those who purchase and wear the creations of those (such as myself) who create those pieces with love and care!

My blog has been stagnant for so long! I was being pulled in different directions, and I wanted to offer something different! So this will be my mission! I will begin faithfully blogging twice per week, every Monday and Friday! I think many folks probably would enjoy knowing the Swarovski Story! I'm going to blog about that very subject this Friday! I will give you a little "teaser"! Did you know that the "Aurora Borealis" finish was CREATED by Swarovski!

Stop by here this Friday and I will teach you everything you could ever wish to know about Swarovski!

My Jewelry Can Be Purchased On "Lay-Away"!

2009-05-09T13:29:00.002-04:00
Did you know that "ArtistryArts" selling venue has a "lay-away" option? I have my "Artistry By Aprilee" shop on that venue! If you see an item you would like to buy, but don't want to pay the entire amount all at once, visit my "Artistry By Aprilee" shop at "artistryarts", I just may have it listed there!!!

If you see an item in either of my two etsy shops and would prefer to buy it on a layaway basis, there is a button in the section to the right in my etsy shops that says "contact seller". Just let me know which item you would like to see offerred on a layaway basis at artistryarts! Please be sure to view my listings in my Artistry By Aprilee shop, as the item may already be listed as layaway there! I will add the item as layaway in my "Artistry By Aprilee" shop at artistryarts venue!

YOU CAN REQUEST AN ITEM BE LISTED AS LAYAWAY AT NO OBLIGATION TO YOU! If you change your mind & decide you are no longer interested, that is fine! I will not contact you, I respect the privacy of others! The item you request should be available in the artistryarts venue, as layaway, within 48 hours of your request! As I said, I will not contact you regarding your request, I will simply make the item available! If the item is sold or placed on layaway by someone else, I cannot be responsible as I will not "hold" an item.

You can find my "Artistry By Aprilee" shop on artistryarts at:
http://www.ArtistryByAprilee.artistryarts.com/

I Am Now A Member Of "Cambridge's Who's Who Among Professionals"!!

2009-04-24T10:03:00.003-04:00
I was recently notified of my nomination for acceptance to receive this honor, and I have been chosen!!!I finished my interview yesterday afternoon and have been approved/accepted!!!

I will be receiving a certificate, etc. soon!!! I am SO excited and honored!!!

"Dear Aprilee Lawson,Congratulations on your acceptance into Cambridge Who’s Who among Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs! We appreciate your taking the time to complete a membership application and biographical interview."

Jewelry Displays, Your Handy Helpers!!!!

2009-04-20T11:54:00.003-04:00
I was just utilizing one of my jewelry display items for a use that I (most) commonly use it for, and thought I would share this useful tip! I have an easel-back necklace display that I commonly use when constructing necklaces & bracelets! I have a tendancy to add dangley-things to my designs! I have found that utilizing my easel display makes constructing these types of projects SO much easier! And, I spend much less time having to go back and make adjustments!

First, I make the body of the necklace (clasp and all) and place it on my display easel. I have found that by using the outermost notches on the easel, I get a "truer" drape to the necklace! Once I've draped the necklace, I begin adding my dangles. This really results in a perfect composition! Nothing turns-out to be added backwards and I can immediately tell if I might need to re-think my design! I might end-up adding more/different items than originally planned!

All-in-all, this is a "painless" way to embellish a necklace or bracelet design
without having done the whole thing, only to find either mistakes or that the design just dosen't seem to "work" at all! In my opinion it's a much better option to constantly taking a piece on & off to see if it's correct OR having to re-do things alltogether! ALSO, when utilizing a display item to add things, go right ahead and pull the "bit" your working with out & away from the display! It's like having an assistant model and hold your work for you!

Try this and I promise you will never do things the way you are presently doing them now! Who knows, maybe you will come-up with an additional use that I am unaware of! If you do, please let me know!

Anything that makes designing and constructing jewelry easier is a blessing!

Aprilee

EJDSS Street Team "Mother's Day Promo"!!

2009-04-13T17:35:00.003-04:00
***PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES***
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Our EJDSS Mother's Day promotion starts April 17th and lasts until May 1st! Several winners and multiple prizes per winner! Check out our team blog for details and a preview of the prizes to be awarded!

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MALL CRAWL SPECIALS~UNADVERTISED SALES!

2009-03-22T16:04:00.006-04:00

Every month, members of http://www.OnlineShoppingMall.ning.com
host a "Mall Crawl"! It is a short period (Friday thru Sunday) in which members of
the Mall, join together in an Unadvertised Shopper's Event!!

THIS CRAWL WILL OCCUR 3/27 thru 3/29

The OnLineShoppingMall is over 200 vendor/service providers strong, and growing!
The list of mparticipating members is always posted on the main page of the site, during the event. From the main page, you can link to a participant's business page and choose (from the information/pics on the member's page) if you would like to click-on a provided link to that merchant's site!

These "Mall Crawls" are held on different weekends, once per month! You need never miss a Crawl! There is a newsletter sign-up widget on the main page, sign-up and you will receive an email alerting you to each upcoming crawls dates! Every month different vendors choose to participate in these Crawls, so you are sure to always
find different, exciting vendors and offers!

It is refferred to as a "Crawl" because the deals and vendors/services are so great,
you'll get through every last site, if you have to crawl to do it!

A SELLING VENUE FOR $3.00 PER MONTH? YES!

2009-03-20T14:08:00.003-04:00

Let's Stimulate The Economy!
In our effort to help stimulate the economy & Artistry Arts, we are lowering membership fees to $3/ month. This change will take effect after the current invoicing cycle. Current members will still receive the same great features and benefits, but at a lower cost.We hope these efforts will stimulate you to tell everyone you know about Artistry Arts. Because when we grow YOU grow!And to stimulate you even more....we are offering FREE lifetime memberships!

Get Your Free For Life Membership!
Refer 5 friends to Artistry Arts and get FREE for life membership. This is a limited time offer so act today!Your referrals must open a store and post at least one item, and they have to use your name in the "how did you hear about us" when registering with the site in order to receive your credits.To get an early start, Please forward this newsletter to all your friends!

Artistry Arts just celebrated their first month anniversary on March 16. and we've made some exciting changes to the site in this short time.We are now featuring random artists on the homepage and we're currently working with an SEO to optimize the site for search engine placement as well as a web programmer to add some extra listing features to the site.We've also added a new forum to the site. If you were a member of the old forum and received an email stating that you were banned. NO ONE was banned from the forum and we apologize for that error. We hope that you will revisit us at our new forum.Our first ad campaign is set to begin THIS Saturday and we expect to see some brisk activity on the site in the coming weeks from this target advertising.
If you registered during our 6 months free membership drive, we encourage you to get your Artistry Arts store open in preparation for new visitors.As we grow we'll be adding new categories as needed. If you do not see the category that best fits your items, please let me know and I'll be happy to create new categories for you. Thanks,Sharon!!

FIRST MALL CRAWL!!

2009-02-26T18:04:00.003-05:00
Online Shopping Mall invites you to join us at http://onlineshoppingmall.ning.com for our first "Mall Crawl" shopper's event to be held Fri-Sun, March 6 through March 8, 2009 at the Mall!! The Online Shopping Mall is a family of product/service providers offering everything from One-Of-A-Kind, handcrafted items to web hosting services!

Each month Online Shopping Mall will be hosting a "Mall Crawl"! These Crawls will consist of unadvertised specials offered EXCLUSIVELY to visitors to our site! http://onlineshoppingmall.ning.com

Never miss a Crawl!! Join our "Preferred Customer mailing list" and NEVER miss a Crawl!! We will NOT SPAM you! You will only receive pertinent information of up-coming Crawls!

SEE YOU AT THE MALL!!!

CHECK-OUT MY "ARTISTRYJEWWELRYSTUDIOS" PAGE TO SEE MY SPECIAL
"MALL CRAWL" OFFER!!!

Making a Perfectly Symmetrical Twist (without a Pinvise)!!

2009-02-21T16:34:00.006-05:00
I have always loved wire wrapping! I have often admired the perfection of other's precision wire-twisting! After doing some research on the subject and methods of symmetrical wire-twisting, it seemed that the technique could only be achieved with a tool called a "Pinvise". I discovered that not all suppliers carried that tool! I also felt that the price was a "bit much" for a tool that I wouldn't be using on a regular basis (call me frugal). It just seem highly unlikely to me, that the desired results could be achieved only with one particular tool!! I was also unsure if I could "get by" with a single tool, or did I need two?
Well, I was fortunate enough to have found "Mickey Baskett's" book "Wonderful Wire Works" in my local Library! And much to my delight, this "font of knowledge" includes Complete instructions for making a device that delivers perfectly symmetrical wire twists!!! THE COST.....UNDER $3.00
All you need are two cotter pins and a thin, large diameter metal washer!
HERE ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS!!

SO, If you're getting ready to engage in some precision wire-twisting:
PUT AWAY YOUR WALLET AND VISIT YOUR LOCAL HARWARE STORE!!
HAPPY TWISTING!! APRILEE

Welcome to My Blog!!

2009-02-18T15:34:00.004-05:00

Welcome to My Blog!!

The first subject I am preparing to "blog" on involves (decorative) wire wrapping!! One of the first techniques I learned about jewelry construction was wire-wrapping!

I feel that 20 gauge wire is a bit too "flimsy". I've tried working with 18 gauge wire, but found it to be too "stiff" and unyielding! I was lucky enough to have checked-out a book (at my local library) that has been such an inspiration!! YES! You CAN work with "heavier" gauges without undertaking a "wrestling match" with the wire!

I will be busily constructing a few new creations with this wonderous new (to me) material!! I am eager to show you the results and describe (for you) It's ease of use!

Aprilee