Thursday, February 21, 2013

More February Features. Etsy Treasuries

Etsy has gone all green again with St Patrick's Day looming ahead!

Here are a few more recent treasuries to share and say  
A BIG THANK YOU 
for.
I am always grateful and honoured to be included.

 

Lynn of Lynn's Creative Crochet is the uncrowned Queen of Treasuries.  Week after week she puts together beautiful lists of hand picked items to promote fellow Etsians. Thank you Lynn as ever, for featuring my Celtic pendant in 'Spring In Ireland.'  You are a gem!
This beautifully fresh treasury titled 'It's Just around the Corner!' was put together by Linda owner of Blue Jacaranda. You can sense the excitement about Paddy's Day in the title itself and I'm so grateful to have my lime sea pottery pendant included. Thank you Linda.


 
And here is a tonne of love from Ireland, 'Ireland's Beating Heart' by Barney Ra Ra. Thanks for including my  onyx earrings in this romantic collection.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

February Features. Etsy Treasuries

A few more recent treasuries to share and say  
A BIG THANK YOU 
for.
I am always grateful and honoured to be included
 
A huge thank you as always for Lynn Corrigan of Lynn's Creative Crochet. who includes one of my items in a treasury just about every month.  Thanks Lynn for featuring my garnet pendant in this sweet Valentine treasury titled 'There's Still Time'. 

....And then Lynn only goes and features me in another one!!!
 Thanks so much for including my sea pottery and copper pendant in 'Peaches and Cream'.  Please do take a moment to pop over to Lynn's Etsy shop, Lynn's Creative Crochet.

A big Irish hello goes to Mil, Vam and Pam of Three Sisters Create. Thank you so much for including my Conneamara marble earrings in this timely treasury, titled 'Irish Luck.'
  This refreshing green treasury aptly titled 'Botanical' is by Dori of Hunkii Dorri. Thanks for Dori for including my green and black necklace 'Betwitched.' (Clever shop name btw!)
Another fresh list! Joanna of Gems Gallery has cleverly balanced this treasury titled 'A Little Bit of Green,  A Little Bit off Chocolate.' Thanks for including my citrine earrings!
Thanks too to Bimi of TriyaandNora for including my guardian angel charm (or pendant) in 'Mother's Day Gift ideas - What can we buy from Ireland'. Thanks for the reminder too - in Ireland Mothering Sunday falls on sunday 10th March this year.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Spring Greens. Work in Progress

After the Christmas break, I've mainly been working on custom pieces for people I know. Yesterday evening I finally got down to a crafty session to replenish diminished stock in my Etsy shop. I realised I was almost out of Connemara marble pendants so knuckled down to make a couple of pieces with St Patrick's Day in mind. Naturally, green has got to be the colour of the moment!
 My Celtic heart pendants are always popular. This is a beautiful piece of Connemara marble. 
This stunning specimen of Connemara marble is a once-off piece. I was inspired to make this Celtic Pub Ornament by one of my best and (am I allowed to say?) favourite customers. ;-) You know who you are...
 I will shortly be listing this zesty pendant made from sea pottery that I found on a Dublin beach. It is a fresh, lime colour that will look fabulous with a white T-shirt, or a summer dress. It will also stand out against that LBD, making a simple, chic statement.
And just to prove there really are 40 shades of green, this OOAK Connemara marble pendant falls at the other end of the verdant spectrum. It is a very cool shade with typical, grayish marbling. The dark, February weather here in Dublin makes it a challenge to photograph, but I've done my best to capture it.  I hope to list this special Sterling silver Claddagh and Connemara marble pendant this week. This is very much, one of a kind and will not be repeated. The stone was cut specially for me by a Galway mason. The solid silver charm is vintage from the 80s and the only one I have.

You might like.....
(from this blog:)
A little about Connemara Marble
A little about Sea Pottery
Shades of Green Seaglass

(from my Etsy shop:)
Connemara marble jewellery section
Sea pottery jewellery




Sunday, February 10, 2013

Inspirations from the Sea




Though I started out making gemstone jewellery, including pieces in rare, Irish marble, over the last couple of years, I've become a little obsessed with the amazing treasures you can find on the shore. Finding good quality, usable seaglass or sea pottery can be back -breaking work, but all the more rewarding for it. 

However, no matter what materials I am using, I find the ocean itself to be truly inspiring. I often draw on the motion of the waves when designing a piece.

Green Celtic Pendant, Chrysocolla Jasper Wire Wrapped Gemstone. Sterling Silver. WAVES  

'Waves' chrysocolla jasper pendant depicts rolling 'white horses' just before the break on the shore.

Seaglass Pendant Handmade in Ireland.  Pale Aqua Seafoam Beach Glass. Still Waters 
I wire wrapped 'Still waters' seaglass pendant to reflect the gentle sway of the water on a calmer day. The soft seafoam shade of this piece is not a colour you might often associate with the cold and dark Irish Sea or the wild Atlantic Ocean. However, our shores do see still moments and blue skies, especially in the East and South East.
 
 The photos above were taken in Killiney and in Skerries, on the East coast, towards the end of last summer. The beauty of the sea is in its ever-changing nature. It has infinite power to generate creativity. No wonder that artists and poets have always found it inspiring.



Click here to learn how to clean seaglass
Click here to learn how to care for seaglass jewellery


Sunday, February 3, 2013

Latest Features in Etsy Treasuries

A few more recent treasuries to share and say  
A BIG THANK YOU 
for.
I am always grateful and honoured to be included:
Thank you Catherine of  Crochettine  for including my pink heart ornament in this really cute Valentine treasury, 'Coeurs et fleurs'. 
A huge thank you as always to Lynn of Lynn's Creative Crochet for this refreshing treasury 'Colour me Greenish Blue.' Delighted to see my turquoise jasper pendant in the mix. Your'e a gem Lynn!
 And thanks again to Margarite of Linen Artisan for this wonderfully fresh treasury titled 'Blue Ireland Seaside.'  I appreciate you including my sodalite gemstone earrings with all these gorgeous items from the Crafty Ireland Team.