Experiment with Earrings

IMG_7614
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

In the last custom order I did for wedding jewelry, the bride sent me a photo of an earring style she liked. At first I was intimidated and unsure I could pull it off, but after looking at it more closely I was able to get the basics down. I 'm now really digging the style and created these last night for my new bride's bridesmaids. I hope she likes them! I love the colors, if I don't say so myself.

WOW

If we hadn't aleady put the deposit down on our wedding flowers, I might seriously consider this. No, these aren't real, they're made out of clay. Amazing! I wonder how heavy they are? This would be a great gift for anyone, as they'll never die and look so much like the real thing. Check out DK Designs store for more.

I'm still here!

I apologzie for the lack of posts lately. I hate to use the "i'm getting married" excuse, but yeah I'm going to use it this time. Here's a new beauty I just listed in my store, enjoy! I thought the bright colors would be perfect for a Summer afternoon concert, paired with a cute tank top and bright flip-flops.

Picnic, anyone?

Here is part of my results of my trip to the Bead Expo. Definitely spent too much money, so I need to get crackin' on new items. Good thing I just got asked to do three more necklaces, phew! This is a really light, fun, and flirty piece. The colors are subtle but will pick up just about anything you wear. It was originally two-stranded, but there wasn't enough "oomph" so I added a third strand with some brightly colored freshwater pearls. Watch tonight as I post a special Mother's Day Necklace.

Mum's Day

In case anyone is considering a custom-made piece of jewelry for your mom, I'm your girl! I've been doing a lot of custom work lately and it's been very satisfying on both ends (at least that's what I hear....). Just give me a color and the type of feel you want and I'll dream up the rest. Better than a bouquet of flowers that will just die in a few days!

What I've been up to & Bead Expo

I haven't been able to post any new pieces to my general store lately as I've been busy with custom-made wedding jewelry for two different brides. It's a lot of fun and I love the idea that something I made will be worn on such a special day. Funny though, I've been less-than inspired to make jewelry for my own bridesmaids. Not because I don't love them, but maybe instead I'll return the favor and support a fellow etsian. Or, maybe I'm just waiting for the right beads to come along.

Speaking of, don't miss the Innovative Bead Expo this weekend in Edison, NJ. I know the fiance is REALLY looking forward to it....hah! I went to one in December and found some really great deals on Swarvoski crystals and Czech glass beads. I will warn you, though, that it can be quite overwhelming!

Here are some pics of the custom-wedding jewelry I just finished. The first is for the bride herself, the second is a possible design for a set of bridesmaid jewelry. Let me know what you think! (And thanks to Nick for taking the pictures, I'm a lucky girl indeed.)

New York's Coral Reef

Institute For Figuring's "Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef"2007 exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center.

I heard about this while listening to WNYC today and had to go and explore it further. Bet you didn't know New York City had its own Coral Reef eh? Well for a limited time it does, albeit that it consists of crocheted wool and other crazy materials like shredded Target plastic bags (very cool).

About two years ago Margaret Wertheim, a science writer, and her twin sister, Christine, came up with the idea of creating a "wooly coastline" to raise awareness and honor the 135,000 miles of reef in their homeland of Queensland, Australia. The "Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef" project was born, and is now on display in New York's World Financial Center's Winter Garden. The project has turned global with participants from all over the world contributing to the ever-growing reef. If you'd like to contribute to the exhibits next installation in London, click here for patterns. To read more about it, check out this NYTimes article or the Institute for Figuring, who are the curators of the exhibit. Best of all, the exhibit is FREE, so if you're in the area make sure to check it out. As a fellow crocheter who enjoys using different types of mediums (like wire!), I'm in love with this project, especially as it communicates an important message about global warming.

Image from the Institute for Figuring

Can you guess where this is?

I made some new flickr contacts today and discovered a new etsy seller, papercutsbyjoe. He does amazing work by cutting images by hand from a single piece of acid-free black paper. I saw this picture and immediately knew where it was - do you? Some of you should definitely know.... Check out some of his other work, which even comes framed for a pretty reasonable price.

Help me decorate my hair!

I am issuing a challenge to all of you. I am in love with this style of hairpiece for my wedding day. However, look at it, it's wire and beads, something I have a LOT of. My first attempt at doing something similar came out horrible, like a mess of wire and beads on a bobby bin. I think I was using too soft of a wire (28g). Does anyone know where I could find a tutorial or instructions for this type of work? Isn't it gorgeous? I'm thinking of wearing it post-ceremony once my veil comes off.

A good use of Post-Easter Peeps

I hate marshmallow peeps, a fact that my mom would often get mixed up around Easter time when she'd give all the Cadbury eggs (yum!) to my sister and all the peeps to me. So here's a great use of them that I found on Realsimple.com. Although, it does turn peeps into somewhat of a voo-doo doll. Pincushion, voo-doo doll, whatever suits your fancy. Just spray some craft sealant on your leftover peep and voila!

Jersey City Love

I'll be the first to admit that I like Jersey City a lot more than I thought I was going to. When Nick and I first moved down here from Boston, I had in my mind that we were going to live in NYC or we weren't going to move at all. I thought, "what's the point of moving all that distance if I can't live in Manhattan? Brookln & Queens would have been ok too. But then, we started seriously looking around and decided that we really didn't want to be eating easy mac and rice-a-roni for the next year. Been there, done that in college. What's the point of living in one of the greatest cities in the world if you can't enjoy it?

Our first trip to Jersey City was a complete bust. I hated it. I told Nick that there was no way I was living there. Turns out though that we just hadn't discovered the best of what Jersey City has to offer. Granted there are still parts that are "frontier lands," as one real estate broker put it, but it has a lot going for it, including the best pancakes I've ever tasted at the Brownstone Diner & Pancake Factory and a "wedding cake martini" that is to die for at the Bar Majestic. So, in honor of Jersey City, aka "New York's six borough," I present to you some fine wares from other J.C. sellers. Enjoy!

Yarn from seller stickyfingers that makes me drool

Cute mini-hearts from blacklilys

Clock-winder pendant from katrinbird

Items for your Spring wardrobe

Yes, it's only 45 degrees in New York City today, but that's not keeping me from thinking about fun items I could add to my wardrobe this Spring from etsy. Check out these lovelies:

From etsy seller daphnenen
From etsy seller felted

From etsy seller Ananya

Spring Sale

I am generally not one to have sales on my site, but the ushering in of Spring and saying goodbye to Winter has me in a generous mood. From today, 3/20/08, through the end of Easter Sunday, 3/23/08, I'm offering $5 off any one item in my store. Upon checkout, enter "blog" into the comments area and wait for a revised invoice from me before making your paypal payment. This offer is also good for your family and friends, so pass it on!

A must have for any newlywed...

Is there someway I can add this T-shirt to my Kohl's or Crate & Barrell registry? If anyone was to purchase this for me they'd definitely be forever in my good graces! Nick on the other hand.... In any case, check out wifeville and all the cute apparel they have.

Need a coffee break?

We all have those moments during the day when you need to escape for maybe five minutes from the phone, the email, and just work in general. Here's my favorite go-to stress reliever site, it's got a series of super-cute games that are addictive and fun, so don't say I didn't warn you!

Orisinal Games

Here comes another bride....

Custom Bridesmaid Necklace Order
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

Just wanted to share a creation I worked on over the weekend for a fellow bride and her bridesmaids. I searched around for a while looking for some dark chocolate beads to go with her dresses, and finally found them this weekend in Caldwell, NJ. I crocheted together three types of freshwater pearls and then mixed in some Swarvoski crystal to make it sparkle. I'm really happy with how it turned out, hopefully her girls will be, too! One down, three to go....

Just a little peek....

For those of you who are curious, here's a little peek of where we'll be celebrating our wedding this summer. The first picture is of Babcock Lake itself, the lake where my grandparents and now my parents own a "camp." When I say camp, this generally confuses people, as it's really more of a cabin. It's my family's version of "outdoor camping" if you will. The second (excuse the side view mirror) is of the community center where the party and BBQ will happen. It's quaint, but very cute and the beach for swimming is right down the road. Now just picture it a little bit "jazzed" up and you got yourself a party!

Three Times a Bridesmaid Earrings

Three Times a Bridesmaid Earrings
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

Yes, I have been a bridesmaid MORE than three times but I am lucky enough that the old curse has not fallen upon me! Haha! In anycase, I created these earrings and thought they would be beautiful for a Spring or Summer wedding. Not all of my own girls HAVE pierced ears (funny, I don't either), so I'm not sure if i'll be making these for them or not.

This was weekend was a success, simply because I didn't do much of anything! Here's to resting up for a few busy months to come.

Caribbean Cruise Necklace

Carribean Cruise Necklace
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

Anyone feel like a cruise? Inspired after two of my bridesmaids who have taken tropical vacations this winter, I put this one together with shades of greens and blue that reminded me of the waters around the Caribbean. I photographed it with some sunglasses and the swimsuit I plan on wearing on our honeymoon in Hawaii!

As I recently started my job, I'm not able to take vacation but hopefully someone who can will snatch this up to wear by the poolside!

Another Etsy lovely

Yes, I still have cupcakes on the brain, I can't help it! But now, I bring them you in a different form. This time you can wear it, but not eat it!The maker of this "Pink Cupcake" lotion is SpaTherapy Works, one of my favorite sellers on etsy. I did some Christmas shopping over there and loved the products I purchased, especially the all-natural deodorant (who doesn't want to smell like a bluberry muffin all day?!) I also admire this seller for her photography and the way she incorporates different elements into her pics. Ok, I now promise to stop obsessing over cupcakes. Off to make some lotion purchases... A collection of these and some bubble bath would make great attendant gifts, don't you think?

"Gerbera" Daisies

photo couretsy of Tasha Owen and theknot.com

The flower that I'm going to use as the focal point of my wedding are "Gerbera" Daisies. No, not Gerber, "Gerbera." I personally had no idea that you had to add on the extra "a" until I started tooling around theknot.com. I'd like to try to find a way to "creatively" use them in each element of the wedding, and I found this picture on the knot, courtesy of "Brittany and Steve, an Outdoor Wedding in Tacoma, WA" Why do I love it? Becuase a) it's fuschia with b) a Gerbera daisy! Perfect for the chairs or church pews. In anycase, I thought the picture would be fun and "springy" to share on a day like today when it's going to reach 60 degrees in NYC!

Friday Night Date Necklace

Am still trying to get back into the swing of things by creating and posting new pieces in my store. Now I just need some special someones to BUY them! But, judging from the number of views my new items have been getting, I feel pretty good in the fact that at least people are LOOKING. I think this one is one of my favorites now. It's all Fire-polished Czech beads that I purchased at a bead expo in NJ. Therefore, it's a true one-of-a-kind that I won't be able to repeat. It truly came out beautiful, if I don't say so myself. The three strands are somewhat loose, so the piece will move with you as you "sashay" along.

I photographed it with a cute shoe and some blush to give the idea of a "date night," even if it's just you and a girly Netflix movie.

I'm still here!

Spring Shower Necklace
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

For those of you who thought maybe I had disappeared, think again. Here is my latest and greatest. It was done with thoughts of all those baby and wedding showers you'll be invited to this Spring and Summer, like my own wedding shower! Check out my etsy store or flickr set to see more pictures.

My heart, be still

(photo courtesy of Flickr user Anita Jamal)

Those of you who know me well know my fascination/obsession with cupcakes. Even before they made their current resurgence, I was a big fan. They're a little piece of heaven with endless creative opportunities. For our wedding we are going to forgo wedding cake in favor of a cupcake tower, so you can imagine my excitement when I found the blog Cupcakes Take the Cake that describes itself as "All Cupcakes, All The Time...Everything you ever wanted to know about cupcakes from true cupcake fans." Needless to say I am now planning a lunch break trip to Magnolia Bakery, despite the -2 windchill in NYC today.

Thanks JJMFinance!

Just want to give a shout-out of thanks to JJM Finance for featuring me on his blog. He's got a cool thing going on, and describes himself as a " creative accountant and CPA that wants to help your handmade business thrive." The shop has a series of software tools that help you manage all of the "behind-the-scenes" aspects of running an etsy shop that all too often crafters find confusing or neglect. My favorite is the "Raw Material Organizer." I'm adding it to my "must have" list right now.

A call for etsy artists

Ok, who's going to be the one to create and sell these for $10/pop? (thanks to my sister for passing this along)

Spring Awakening Necklace

Spring Awakening Necklace
Originally uploaded by CarolineGraceDesigns

I took a stab at "styling" again with my Spring Awakening necklace. This time I used my golosh boot and a daisy. I think it came out really pretty!

Etsy fave of the day

My new favorite etsy seller is petite ami. Ok I admit it i'm a little biased, the artist behind these wonderful paintings and prints is one of my close friends from high school, Miss Amy M! I knew back then that she was fiercely talented, and now I'm glad that the rest of the world and etsy community will know it as well. The girl sold her first item within 24 hours of putting it up! My personal favorite is this set of animal print cards, better steal them fast before they go....

101 hearts!

I remember when I got my first "heart" on etsy. "Wow! Somebody likes me, they really really like me!" I'll admit that I still obsessively check on my hearts everyday. I think it's a fun way to build community and I've discovered some great etsy sellers through hearting as well.

A few days ago I hit 101 hearts, woo hoo! I promised to celebrate when I reached 100, so that extra one is nice icing on the cake.

They're here!

I posted a new pair of earrings to my shop last night that were inspired by the winter season. Or, rather, the LACK OF winter sesason here in New York City & Jersey City. But my most recent trip to upstate New York had plenty of snow for me to work some inspiration from.

I'm also trying a new photo technique where I'm going to "stage" my items using some props that evoke the feeling I want the buyer to get out of each piece. This was an idea I got from a recent Etsy Storque article, and I think I like the results.

What do you think? Let me know.

Caroline Grace Designs Update

Over the next week I'll be working on a new design of earrings that I've come up with. I made a pair over Christmas for my sister and my future mother-in-law, and they both seemed to enjoy them. It involves using the same crochet method that I make my necklaces with, except this time I'll be using single and double crochets instead of just chains as I do normally. Picture small snowflakes made out of beads and wire.... hmmm I have you intrigued now don't I? Keep checking back as I'll be posting the final product to my etsy store.

Yes, I knew it was the one.

I'll admit it, I didn't realize my fiance was "the one" when I first met him. But as time went on, well, he grew on me, what can I say? Can't say I had the same experience this weekend when I went wedding dress shopping. My mom, my sister, and I entered RK Bridal at 9:30 and were set up with an assistant named Aisha right away. She was amazing and had a better idea than any of us as to what would look good on me. About ten dresses later, I knew I had found THE ONE. No, I didn't start crying, I just couldn't stop smiling. I didn't want to take it off and there were threats about calling security! ;-) I won't be posting any pictures of it until after the big day, as I want it to be a surprise for our guests. Well- most of them- there are definitely some female friends and relatives who will get a sneak peak. For now, I'll just say I LOVE it, and I can't wait until I wear it to say "I do" to my best friend in the whole world. Awwww.....

Cute Cake Topper!

My favorite wedding website is weddingbee.com. It has real brides with real budgets and real brains who are very into DIY projects. One of the "bees" had this cake topper made by an etsy seller for her wedding. I think it's adorable! The groom is into music so he has earphones, while the girl birdie has glasses as she's a self-proclaimed geek. I have a feeling Lauren Alane will be a very busy girl for a while with her new popularity! Check her out.

Spring Awakening

Last night I put together this unique combination of amber beads and a moss-green pendant that I've had floating around for a while. It reminds me of the month of March, when tapping trees for maple syrup is at its peak and just the slightest of green grass can be seen peeking out of the snow. It's a shorter necklace at 15", but I can always add on an extension if need be. I named it "Spring Awakening" partly after the colors I used in it, and also after the Broadway show I have tickets to Saturday night!

This weekend will be round #1 for wedding dress shopping. Maybe I'll get lucky and won't need round #2? Wish me, my sister, and my mom luck!

I'm just so productive

Here is another latest and greatest. I have to give credit to my 3 y.o. newphew Noah for this one. We were in a bead store in Washington D.C. and he came over and told me "Patty I have to SHOW you something!". Being all proud of his find he brought me over to this wall display with a huge variety of German plastic and lucite beads. I'm generally not one for lucite and plastic, but these were too good and too unique to pass up. Here is what I did with them, more pics are on my flickr page. I coined it as a valentine's day necklace, but it can really be worn anytime of year. It's very sweet and feminine but the black beads give it a slight "edge."

My new creation

Here it is! Available for purchase in my etsy store. This piece is made out of a variety of glass and czech fire-polished glass beads. It's finished off with a pressed glass pendant that has a soft, matte finish to it. I love it! Hard not to keep this one for myself.

The New Mommy Necklace

I know how mommies put all of their energy and time into their new bundle of joy, and often there's barely enough time left in the day for them to even do small things like shave their legs! I created this necklace for any new mom to slip on and instantly feel glammed up and more beautiful. Put this on, hand the baby to Daddy, and go get yourself a manicure!

The creative juices have returned!

Last night I made my first new piece in a while, I'm going to call it "New Mommy," after my friend Kristel who just had her first baby, a little boy named Ethan. I love how it turned out, it has shades of blue with some hints of pink in it and a blue circle pendant on the bottom. I'll be posting it tonight so keep your eyes out!

Nothing like a few sales to get your juices going again. I had fun the other night doing a custom piece for one of my favorite customers, and my friend Juli from Boston purchased the Ice Skating Rink necklace. Yay for sales! We'll see what else my creative forces have in store for me.

I realized the other day that I enjoy the work I do as a grant writer for the same reasons I enjoy creating jewelry. In both cases, you're starting with nothing, a blank slate, or just a handful of random beads. In the end, you've got this great "masterpiece" that you can put your stamp on and feel proud of. Making "something" out of "nothing" is a wonderful feeling, especially when it's something like a grant that might make a difference in someone's life, or a piece of jewelry that might make a woman feel that much more confident and beautiful.

A unique Valentine's Day Gift

I found this in my Daily Candy New York edition today and felt the need to share with everyone. My fiance and I are big fans of Nintendo's Wii. I particularly enjoy it because I can beat him in a number of Wii games, unlike some of the other system's games out there. This would be a great Valentine's day present for any Wii lover, it's two "Miis" made out of chocolate! You can choose between milk, dark, and white. Too good to pass up. Available online at Paul Pape Designs.

Etsy fave of the day - A fellow Jersey girl

Here is one of my favorite new items, and sellers, on etsy. This pearl ring is from Julia Catherine Jewelry. It has a pearl, just like my pretty engagement ring. Just because I'm also a jewelry etsy seller, doesn't mean I can't appreciate beautiful items when I see them. She has so much great stuff, I really encourage you to check out her store. The designer is also a fellow Jersey girl and contributor the EtsyNJ Yahoo Group, so I feel the need to give her an extra shout-out!

Needing some inspiration....

Not sure what it is, maybe its post-holiday blues, engagement excitement, or this darn cold I've come down with, but I haven't been inspired as of late to create anything new for my etsy store. I've instead done some knitting on a pair of socks I'm attempting to make, but last night that turned into a fiasco. I need some creative energy sent my way to get me back on track!

By the way- save the date- Patty and Nick are getting hitched on Saturday, July 12, 2008!

Etsy fave of the day

Ok I admit it. I've only been engaged a week or so but I've already bought two bridal magazines and thoroughly checked out the "wedding" category on etsy. Wow- I had no idea that I needed so much "stuff" to get married. During my browsing I found this lovely item that I am truly in love with. I would love to design my dress around it. It's a Pearl and Crystal Vine Cuff made out of freshwater pearls, Swarvoski crystals, and jewelry wire. It's from Nanda's etsy shop, who is from Bangkok and has a wide variety of lovely items.

It's true!

Yes folks, this is not a test. We're not foolin' ya or pulling one over your heads. On Christmas Day (night, actually), I received this pretty little sparkly item to wear on my ring finger. It came complete with a bended-knee proposal to which I said "yes" to. I absolutely love the ring. I'm not a diamond kind of girl, and pearls are my favorite stone. Nick and I are hoping to have a somewhat-casual, fun wedding in July or August in upstate New York at my parent's cabin at Babcock Lake. It will be complete with swimming, boating, and some damn good BBQ. Here's a pic of the ring, more details to come soon!