How to say Thank You in a more creative way

While I was in the shower tonight I got to thinking about all the custom pieces I've been making lately.  And one of the things I started thinking about was how great these pieces are for saying thank you to someone.  So here is a little list I put together of people that you might want to say thank you to in a more creative way than the norm:

• babysitter...have a custom steampunk pendant made with your kids birthstones and some things she really likes (examples: stars, moons, music, etc)
• teacher...a simple necklace with a few pretty stones to wear instead of candles or gift baskets
• a friend who has recently helped you out...a pair of earrings that are not like ones you can get at a store
• bridesmaids...after a wedding give them a steampunk pendant with the stone that symbolizes the month you were married
• a friend who is down on their luck...a pendant with stones that are known for improving luck
• a therapist who has really helped you...a necklace with stones that symbolize clarity or focus
• a mother or mother-in law that has helped with a baby shower...a steampunk pendant with the little one's birthstones
• a friend who helped you move...a bracelet with their favorite color stones
• a hairdresser who did your hair for a special occasion...a pendant with bright stones

Here are some of the custom pieces that I have recently made just to give examples:

Labradorite pendant

Pendant made with the person's personal stones

Custom steampunk pendant symbolizing the family for mom

And the daughter's family steampunk pendant

Talisman pendant for good luck

Earrings were made custom to match the necklace

Earrings made custom to match the necklace

Bracelet for increasing luck in all areas of one person's life

A birthstone necklace for someone's loved one

A birthstone pendant made for the wife of a very thoughtful husband

A necklace to match a pair of earrings that were won in a silent auction of mine

And these are just a few...there are sooo many more I've made.  

Boy do I love getting diamonds in the mail :)

What a great find in my mailbox today!  I got diamonds :)  And of course, the minute they came in I had to start playing around with them figuring out what I wanted to make.

I made three different pendants tonight.  None are listed yet on Etsy but I've put previews up on Facebook.  And I'll share them here too :)

Here is the first one. 

And the second one

And the final one :)

Busy with a capital B!

Shipments of supplies in = me making lots of new things!  And between things to do with my girls and my hubby and now making new things means I am busy with a capital B!!!

I've made quite a few new pieces in time for Valentine's Day...and sold quite a few too.  Here are the recent additions to the Etsy shop:
This stunning pendant is  "Fever". It is a long glass tube vial filled with over 1 carat genuine rough bright yellow diamonds with a red round cut diamond that stays stationary in it. So packed with diamonds that they don't move around much at all. The pendant is reversible, you can either wear it to show the red diamond or on the other side you only see the yellow rough diamonds. You'll can get a different look out of it each time you wear it. Such a beautiful pendant and so unique. You are going to be more than happy making these a part of your jewelry collection! If you are a lover of all things unique and one of a kind, something like no one else will ever have, then this is for you!! These pendants are hard to photograph because of the glass but the red diamond in here is bright and deep in color. The contrast between the red and the yellow is just spectacular! You'll love it!!   http://www.etsy.com/listing/92052374/captured-love-fever-genuine-red-round

And this beautiful pendant (one of my all time favorites) is  "Perfect". It is a long glass tube vial filled with over 2 carats of bright, rough mixed white diamonds and a .15 carat genuine light pink radiant cut diamond. And just to note, my scale weighs light, so the rough diamonds most likely weigh much more than what my scale says. This pendant is sealed and cannot be opened. The bail on this pendant is 925 sterling silver. It hangs beautifully, and is reversible...the other side is open just like the front with the pink diamond but you'll only see the white rough diamonds. The pink diamond does not move as the rough diamonds are tightly packed in there to hold it in place. Such a beautiful pendant and so unique. You are going to be more than happy making these a part of your jewelry collection! If you are a lover of all things unique and one of a kind, something like no one else will ever have, then this is for you!! These pendants are very hard to photograph. The pink diamond is so light in color and has amazing sparkle to it. Pink diamonds are normally very expensive and since I was able to get this at a fantastic price, I am able to make something that is affordable for you. :)   http://www.etsy.com/listing/92077456/captured-love-perfect-genuine-15-carat

This one features one of the largest cut diamonds I can fit into a glass vial pendant and is named  "Always". It is a long glass tube vial filled with .42 carats of bright, rough mixed white diamonds, .40 carats of bright yellow rough diamonds, and a .41 carat deep orange oval cut diamond (which is technically considered to be a half carat solitaire). And just to note, my scale weighs light, so the rough diamonds most likely weigh about twice what my scale says. This pendant is sealed and cannot be opened. It hangs beautifully, diamonds moving in the tube so that every move of your body shows a different look. The orange diamond stays pretty much right in the middle of the white and yellow diamonds. But they all move around freely so you'll get a different look out of it each time you wear it. Such a beautiful pendant and so unique. You are going to be more than happy making these a part of your jewelry collection! If you are a lover of all things unique and one of a kind, something like no one else will ever have, then this is for you!! These pendants are very hard to photograph. The orange is so bright and deep in color. Very unique!  http://www.etsy.com/listing/92056446/captured-love-always-genuine-41-carat

And these stunning beauties sold today, pretty much as quick as they were listed:
"Patriotic"

"Spirit"

And this one, which was a custom pendant made like "Pride"

So as you can see...busy busy busy!

Diamonds are a girls best friend ;)

Nothing excites me more than opening my mail box and finding diamonds in it!  LOL  Today I got a great shipment in the mail...blue marquise diamonds and round red diamonds.  So beautiful!  And of course I had to make things right away. 

One of my favorite ways to showcase diamonds is by mixing rough and cut diamonds.  The pendants I made today are similar to ones I have made before but still very different and very unique.  Recently I sold a stunning blue round cut and white rough diamond pendant on Etsy.  It was very, very popular so I wanted to make something that caught eyes the way that one did.  So I made these lovelies.

This one is a blue marquise cut diamond with lots of larger yellow diamonds surrounding it...so packed that they don't move.  This pendant is reversible...one side shows the blue and yellow, the other shows only the yellow. 

Then after it was made I thought about how pretty the yellows would look with a little round cut red diamond.  And boy was I right, what a pairing.  I just wish the red showed just how bright it is in the pictures.

After that I thought about how I also like the diamonds to be free moving so I paired up a blue marquise, red round, and clear (white) round cut diamond and get a stunning, unique, patriotic pendant that will get everyones attention.

And finally I found in my drawer of goodies a .41 carat deep orange oval cut diamond that I didn't know at the time what I wanted to do with so I got creative with it too.  I mixed it in with larger yellow rough diamonds and little white rough diamonds and came up with this stunner.

They can't be found on Etsy just yet, but if you see one you like I can give you a price.  :)  And with Valentine's Day coming up...keep in mind guys...diamonds are a girls best friend ;)

TGIF: end of a busy week!

This has been such a busy week for me!  Normally my weeks are kind of slow, not much going on and not much leaving the house, but this one...whew!  Glad it is Friday!!

The silent auction on my Facebook page to clear out some inventory went well.  Glad to be making some room on Etsy so I can get some Valentine's Day stuff listed.  Put more items on sale on Etsy and created a whole new section just for Valentine's Day (this link should take you right to it:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/DirtyGirlDiamonds?section_id=10643100).  Everything in there is heart shaped or has to do with love and romance.  A word to all you men out there trying to figure out what to get your love for V Day...women love jewelry!  And nothing shows more thought than something that was handmade (even if by someone else) or custom made just for her. 

Speaking of custom made, this week has been busy with custom pieces.  One I still have to finish but two are done and on their way.  This is one that was made that I have to admit, I absolutely love!  This is going to be a gift for a very lucky lady on her birthday and is a 34.12 carat genuine amethyst:

Talk about a stunner!  I hope she loves it too!!
Then there was this necklace that I made.  Sunstone and a sun face on silver plate.  Really turned out nicely and matches perfectly the earrings that were won in the Pet Helpers silent auction:

I love doing custom work.  Besides the fact that it gives me a chance to create something new, it also is amazing to see other people's creativity come through in what they are looking for.  Plus there is such an amazing feeling that I get when I make something for someone that makes them happy.  I actually feel like an artist when I get to do this.  :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

Another passion of mine...pets!

I have always been an animal lover for as long as I remember.  It is all thanks to my dad.  I have a huge soft spot for any animal needing help, as my mom still jokes...I was always bringing home the strays (which included in her mind my ex boyfriends).  From the time I was a baby we had a dog.  Then as I grew older we had other pets...a guinea pig, fish, hamsters, other dogs...and then there was our baby raccoon.  Long story short a mother raccoon was killed and we got special permission to raise her 1 day old baby.  Rascal was one of the best pets ever.  But he had to be released back into the wild before he turned 1 year old.  Then there was a baby squirrel, Chichi,  that we raised and released into our back yard.  For a while he'd come visit, but then he stopped.  And my baby duck who was blind, Henry, who despite the vets prognosis got his sight back, but then had to be put to sleep due to an infection that was killing his bill and feet.  Then I had a ferret and a few rats....all wonderful pets but passed on in their time.  Then I had my cats, Yoshi and Chezi, both Oriental Shorthairs...one of the two breeds that I am not allergic to that bad.  Yoshi was my baby, my first ever cat and my first pet while out on my own.  Age caught up with him and we lost him two years ago this month.  And now, 2 dogs and 1 cat.  Our two dogs are both rescues, Bella and Cocapuff (Poof for short), and both came from Pet Helper Inc.  Our cat, Kage, is an Oriental and one of the sweetest guys ever.

We have helped to foster dogs through Pet Helpers, which is something that I love doing.  Bella was actually a foster of my husband's before we got together, and he decided that she had found her home with him.  Fostering is such a rewarding experience all around.  For Jed and I, we are getting to help out with animals that need a home while looking for their forever home.  The girls are learning what it means to help animals.  Yes I think they'd love all the animals to stay here forever, but they are learning that what they are doing by playing with the dogs and showing them love while they wait for their homes is an important thing and keeps them out of shelters and possibly keeping them from their deaths. 

One of the things that I think a lot of people don't realize is how many pets are out there looking for homes, and how many are being put down because shelters can't find homes for them.  That is why rescue groups like Pet Helpers are so important.  The organization is all run by volunteers.  There is no shelter, only foster families.  Pet Helpers takes care of vet bills for the animals they take in, which in some cases can run into the $1000 or more range, and provides the foster families with the things they need for the animals they take in...puppy pads, litter, food, toys, collars, leashes, crates, kiddie pools for birthing, etc.  And all of this is made possible from donations and fund raisers.

That is why I am doing the silent auction for them.  Any little bit that we can make for them will really help out.  And 30% of all sales will be going directly to Pet Helpers.    All items will be starting at only $3...and if something sells for that amount that means Pet Helpers gets $0.90.  Might not sound like a lot at first but think of it this way...that will by a couple cans of cat food, or a couple cans of dog food, or almost 1 toy or collar at the dollar store.  Or pay for postage on two letters that they have to send out. 

So here is the info on the silent auction and how you can not only help Pet Helpers but also get some great jewelry for yourself:
* The items will be visible at 8:30am tomorrow (1/17) morning in the following album (currently you can view preview pics here):  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.359086500774568.105461.163803963636157&type=3
* Bidding will be from 8:30 am until 10pm on 1/17.  You can bid by either commenting right on the photo or by email if you are not a Facebook member or want your bids to remain anonymous.  The email to send your bids to is:  dirtygirldiamonds@yahoo.com   Winners will be contacted after 10pm by either email (if that is how you bid) or right on the photo if you bid there.
* If you need items shipped it will cost a flat rate of $3 for items in the US and $5 for outside of the US.  All payments need to be paid by paypal or arranged by other means with me.  If you are local we will arrange to meet and you can pay by cash, check, or credit card.
* There are no set bidding increments, bid however you like.
* Most importantly, please remember this is to raise money for Pet Helpers and even a small bid will help :)

Any questions can be emailed right to me.  Hopefully Wednesday I'll have great things to report back!!!

One other things before I go...Saturday on Facebook I did my Shout Out Saturday.  Here it is, please check her shop out...her things are really amazing!

Shout Out Saturday featured business: Simple Minded Bath Co.
Clarksburg, WV. She started it because she has very sensitive skin and had a hard time finding anything that she could use. Everything... she uses in her soaps and lotions are all organic and premium ingredients. I personally love the solid lotions, I use the one named Tan Lines and let me tell you…it smells sooooo great and isn’t greasy at all (a big pet peeve of mine of most lotions). She has an Etsy shop where you can find her wonderful products http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimpleMindedBathCo and she will sell locally (I’m picking up some soap from her tomorrow). And she has a great sale going on right now so don’t miss it! You can also find her shop page here on FB at http://www.facebook.com/SimpleMindedBathCo?sk=info and when you like her page, let her know you found her through DirtyGirlDiamonds. Not only are her products wonderful, but so is she! I know for sure you won’t be disappointed so please check out Simple Minded Bath Co.

Time for me!

Thankfully the past couple days I've gotten to bed early enough to stay up when I get Gracie off to school.  That has given me more time than normal to work on my jewelry.  What I can get done in one uninterrupted hour in the morning is amazing.  Just this morning I made four new steampunk pieces.  And I got them and the four I made yesterday and the custom piece sealed. 

Over the holiday I decided that one of the things I need most now is more time for me.  I will always be a mom to my girls and a wife to my husband, but I also need to be me. I need to make me as happy as I try to make them.  It kinda reminds me of a quote, "If momma's not happy, no one is happy."  So I'm doing more and more for me all the time.

So these mornings have been a blessing.  Fire up the Keurig, sit down with my box of pieces and let the inspiration flow. 

Here are some pictures of the pieces I just finished.  They aren't done drying and aren't listed yet...but I think they turned out well :)

The "Ahha" moments

Sometimes when I sit down to my little jewelry making are...my hubby's desk that I have overtaken...I have a perfectly good idea of what I want to make in mind.  Then there are those times when I have no clue whatsoever on what I could make out of something.  Most of the time it is the latter.
I sit down, lay everything out and play with pieces like they are my youngest daughters building blocks.  "This one goes here, that one goes there."  "No wait, that doesn't work!"  (I've left out the mumbled curse words that exit when something doesn't go just right.)  And then, if I'm lucky, there is this moment...what I call my "Ahha" moment.  All my blocks, if you will, fit. 
That is what happens every time I make something for my New Life Collection and my Adorned Collection.  Those never have an idea before hand.  And lets face it, I can't draw worth a darn, so I don't pre-plan my works by drawing.  I just do. 
Lately I've been having so much fun with these two lines.  Especially the Adorned Collection.  I like taking something that is pretty on it's own and giving it my own flair.  I've been dabbling in the steampunk area too which to me is one of the most fun of all.  It gives me complete creative control.  Plus, I enjoy taking things apart.  Finding things at thrift stores and junk sales are exciting to me.  I buy them up and then can't wait to pull them all apart and make something new.  For me, since lets face it I'm still learning, pendants are the easiest to make.  But there is still the element of not knowing what I'm going to make out of them.  Then there is the "Ahha" moment when I start visualizing all the elements going together. 
I play out a little story in my head...this gear goes there and this on top of it like they are trying to work together but just can't make it, and this diamond accents here because it is the dream they are trying to reach.  (I know, corny, but it is what my mind does while I'm designing.) 
When done, I have this piece that maybe I'm the only one that completely understands it, but you just can't take your eyes off it.  It is unique.  It is funny.  It went through my "Ahha" moment.
Here is just one example of that moment, "Guardian of Time".  It is a sold piece.