Jewelry Update

Now that I've figured out how to work with filigree properly, naturally I've got to take it to the next level, right? Well, I've stepped up and started layering the filigree to create some truly spectacular pendants (I say this without a single bit of ego ... it's the pieces I use that I love and what they become, not my skill). I mostly had silver pieces this round, and I'll try to have more brass and more bright autumn colors the next wave. You'll notice that I love the wheel buttons, dragons, and pansies this time around. I don't know when I'll get tired of them; I do love them so.

I also had some drama with new staging props, since the Etsy front page tends to favor a white background, and I'm a contrarian and prefer a rich, dark, textured background. Well, they can take my dark background (at least for non-gothic pieces), but I'll be damned if they take my texture, too.

I went shopping last week, looking for certain things that I can use, and wouldn't you know it, after 2-3 hours, I found nothing. So I came back home, sulked and regrouped, and then started looking around the house for new things to work with. I found a large off-white pillow sheet, a mirror, a white feathered hat, and a pewter plate. I'll still use my black velvet for the gothic pieces, but we'll see how this new staging translates in my store. I actually find it harder to manage light in the lighter background, so I'll have to play with it a bit.

Some of them are already up in my Etsy shop, and some are yet to come over the next week. Most of the ones below are the more ornate ones, but I've also got some simpler ones in the mix.

The Other Magdalene: Elegant and Eccentric Jewelry



Soul in Flight butterfly necklace


Rose Window Spirit of Fire necklace - Easily my favorite of this group of wheel buttons.


Pansy II necklace - I love the way it's only partially purple, with the white.


Pansy III necklace


Neovictorian Bride V necklace - Isn't she just beautiful?


Juliet necklace


Jasmine earrings - Named for the flower, not the princess.


Foliage necklace


Dragon Guardians necklace - One of my favorite fantasy pieces.


Cloud Dragon bracelet - I made a bracelet. This just doesn't happen often.


Winter Moon necklace


Blood on the Moon werewolf necklace

HP-themed Giveaway

I know this is short notice, but maybe that'll make it more fun. I'm giving away two necklaces that were made completely independent of Harry Potter that nevertheless fit in with it very well.



Draconian necklace
Griffin Pride necklace

The giveaway contest starts today, June 27, and ends Monday, July 3, at 11:59 p.m.

Here are the conditions of the contest - each thing you do gets you an extra ticket in the drawing:

1) Tell me your favorite HP character and why in the comments. Are you a huge fan? Do you ship anyone? Are you a Gryffindor or Slytherin (or Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw)? Will you be going to the last movie on the opening night? (One ticket)

2) Go to the Etsy links and heart which one you would want if you won (you do have to pick). Post in the comments that you've done so. (One ticket)

3) Post about this giveaway on Twitter and Facebook. Post in the comments that you've done so, with a link to your accounts if you can. (Maximum one ticket each)

4) Post about this giveaway on your blog. Post in the comments that you've done so, preferably with a link. (One ticket)

5) From now until the end of July 4, if you purchase an item or items of mine, you get one ticket per $10 (and I will round up, so a purchase of $36 dollars will count as 4 tickets). Post in the comments that you've done so.

Be sure to include your name and e-mail where I can contact you.
The people hearting the Griffin Pride necklace will be in a separate drawing from the Draconian necklace.

After midnight on July 5, I'll draw names and post the winners on this blog!


Have fun, and share with friends.

(If you have any trouble posting, you can send your info to my email at theothermagdalene(at)yahoo(dot)com.)

Starstruck

So I have some very cool news regarding my jewelry-making that I'm finally able to share:

One of my necklaces is going to be in a movie! My From the Shadows Gargoyle Guardian gothic necklace is going to be in the movie Beyond the Farthest Star. According to the costume designer who purchased the necklace today, it's not just a costume piece but a major plot point. An adopted teen with a gothic fashion sense meets her biological father, who is interested in coming back into her life. He gets her the necklace because he thinks it's something she'll like, and she ends up wearing it for about half the movie. Family-friendly movie that might end up as just a DVD release, sure. But I'm damn tickled at the whole situation!

The costume designer also said that she found several possible designs on eBay and other stores, but she liked mine best, and the director pointed at it and said it was perfect for what they were going for. She'll keep me apprised of what's going on and whether there will be a screening. They're shooting in Dallas, and part of the contract for shooting somewhere is that you have to purchase a certain percentage of props and costumes and stuff like that in-state. So the fact that the necklace she wanted was in Texas, and close to Dallas, that was just a bonus.

I'm beyond thrilled. :D

Featured in Summer Treasury

All those autumn treasuries, and I suddenly get picked for a wishful summer treasury. My "Throw in the Beach Towel" necklace was selected for the A Warm Summer Breeze Treasury.

Introduction to Elysia

Ever since I started making jewelry, this is the kind of jewelry I wanted to make. Richly textured pieces inspired by fantasy, mysticism, magic, enchantments, myths, both established and created by me. It's one step down from steampunk, which I would like to tackle as soon as I get a full grasp on creating items for this series. Elysia is a derivation of Elysium, the afterlife fields of the Greeks. It's not quite heaven, but it is sometimes referred to as a synonym of heaven. I also like the taste of the word, sibilant yet smooth, more than other names I considered.

When I am not making jewelry, I write supernatural short fiction and novels, so creating these jewelry pieces also enables me to create stories for each piece. Take, for instance, the "Trellis" necklace story or the "East of Eden" necklace story. Each item is micro-fiction, and while Elysia is certain the most expensive and time-consuming series I've done so far, it is also one of the ones closest to my strengths. The pieces require wire-wrapping beads onto chains, adhering buttons and cabs, counting out chain links, layering brass filigree... and this is only the beginning. I still have supplies for another wave or two, although I hope that this is the series that catches on. It epitomizes the objective of my store, which is to create elegant and eccentric jewelry. I only hope that other people appreciate the series as much as I do.

Each one of the Elysia pieces is awesome, but my favorite has to be the "Opium" necklace, with a Czech button that can either be interpreted as poppies or poinsettias.

You can find the first wave of Elysia necklaces and earrings here.

Preview of Elysia

This is a preview of a necklace for my www.theothermagdalene.etsy.com shop. Elysia is a design series inspired by the fantastic, characterized by the colorful, the fanciful, and the fictional. It's slow-going and it's taken a little more financial effort than I'm used to, but I think it'll be beautiful in the end.

BIG 30% OFF END OF SUMMER SALE

The prices on these items are insanely low in honor of the end of summer. Full of ice cream sundae jewelry, a Summer Highlights series, and roses made from soda cans, it seems that my www.magdalune.etsy.com shop is made for summer.

My ice cream sundae jewelry is made with old-fashioned, nostalgic ice cream and soda shoppes in mind. They vary from the smaller pieces made from stones and the larger ones made from glass. You can also ask for custom flavors. Most of these are under $15 now, with a few even under $10!

My Summer Highlights series is made with huge, bold, and colorful resin beads that remind me of the best things about summer: beach balls, sand, ocean waves, Jello... Most of these are under $20 now, nearer to $15.

The soda rose series consists of soda cans folded to look like small roses. These are now between $10-20.

Stop by the shop over the next week or two and take advantage of these prices that do not happen often. You can save around $5-8 on some items.

Progress Report

Over the last month, I came into a bit of freelance money, and since I give myself half of that money to put into buying supplies, that meant that I was able to go a little crazy with new components. So weeks regularly felt like holidays for all the packages that I received. And suffice it to say, I'm excited about all the new components, although I still have more to buy as the money gradually comes in.

Once I finished my last freelance gig and let my hands rest from carpal tunnel syndrome and muscle strain (typing injuries are not fun), I got started on new jewelry pieces. As of now, most of my pieces are only partially constructed as components come trickling in. But I'm ecstatic about my fall and winter designs. I tend to make jewelry that's more appropriate for the colder seasons anyway - it's simply my preferred aesthetic. However, there's a sort of rush that you get when you're making something new, when you deviate from some of your old styles. I get to really experiment with layering, gluing, and wire-wrapping in a way that I haven't really done before. It's rough, raw, and occasionally frustrating, but I have quite a few products that just keep getting lovelier and lovelier.

A few things I'm trying, aside from using glue for cabochons:

- I've come up with a new series to stimulate some activity on my first shop. There is not much more that I can do regarding ice cream sundae flavors (except get more expensive components and making them appeal to a different subset of the population, which I'm considering), and the soda roses are incredibly time-consuming for something that really hasn't taken off. So be on the look-out for "Fruit Salad," brightly colored glass and acrylic jewelry that practically glows. They look awesome.

- Layering brass filigree and glass components. Gluing in general is new to me, but gluing filigree requires a little finesse in order to keep the glue from being seen or felt.

- Some of my necklaces are not going to be as minimalistic in my second shop as they have been. I want to dive into more fanciful and fantastic items that draw on the imagination. Keep an eye on my second shop for the new series "Elysia."

What I love about both of my shops is that they don't tie me down to just one or two styles. I can go pretty nuts, limited only by my ability. And in that respect, I'm still learning. My wire-wrapping is getting a little better, which is good because it's probably one of the more frustrating disciplines for me since I go through wire that I don't want to waste.

Sharing My Favorites

As a jewelry seller, I sell a respectable amount of items, although not nearly as much as I would like. Each one of my sales are special – I have not yet reached a point of being blasé about sales. Each one is unexpected; each one gives me that frisson of excitement. However, it is an extraordinary pleasure when my favorites (and everyone has favorites) are selected. Recently, two of my favorite necklaces were sold to different people, and it was a genuine pleasure to send them off, knowing that someone else would love them as much as I did.



My dark red carnelian beaded necklace “A Cordial Greeting” was my first necklace I made with more expensive supplies, and I fell in love with it the minute it was finished. I had been wanting to make something inspired by my love of the Dracula story for a while, and this was my first attempt at the gothic. Naturally, it inspired me to make an entire series based on it. Just a week or two ago, the necklace went off. I may or may not replace this one in my shop – I’m not sure whether I have enough carnelian. But I shall certainly try.



Just a few days later (when it rains, it pours), “Crystal Vial” was sold to a woman in Greece! It was my first international order, and “Crystal Vial” was easily my favorite necklace in my entire collection. It was also my first creation specifically for the new shop. I had bought the chandelier drops months ahead, knowing that I desperately wanted to use them for gothic pendants once I knew how to wrap wire. First I made a necklace for the shop, and then I finally made one for myself. I wear it a few times every week, and it’s such a strange but lovely feeling to know that someone halfway across the world will love it as much as I do. In her feedback, she said it was her dream necklace, and I’m so glad that she agrees with me. It’s what you might call my shop’s signature necklace, and I hope I can make another one in the month ahead while I’m creating for fall.

Suffice to say, it is not the excitement of commerce that really gets me creating. At best, my sales comp a small percentage of my supplies that I buy. However, I get excited knowing that other people have the same aesthetic taste as I do and can enjoy the things I create in their daily life.

What I Do

Autumn Nights earrings

I have two stores. One has ice cream sundae jewelry, soda rose necklaces, and bold and colorful resin ball necklaces. I call it my casual and kitschy store for cute and fun items. My other store was made so that my first store didn't seem cluttered with too many themes. I like a variety of things in one place, but too much variety ends up looking like a junk store and doesn't look consistent. The second store is for my elegant and eccentric jewelry that can be dressed up or down. Most of it is elegant with a dash of eccentric - some nostalgic, some gothic, some romantic, but they all have a quality about them that's a class above my fun shop. In both shops, my staging for the themes are varied, but there still seems to be a thread of consistency, even among the most different items.

I don't like to be tied down by one or two themes. I create jewelry as something to occupy my hands, as a form of art therapy. It's a little above hobby and more into artistic expression than I originally intended back in October 2008. I'm still finding my footing as a jewelry artist, and I imagine it will be some years ahead before I find what really sets me apart from other people. Right now, I think it's more to do with my photo staging than the jewelry pieces themselves, although they are lovely and I want most of them for myself. :) In just a few months, I've played with any number of styles just within my new shop (I need to reacquaint myself with my other shop, but I haven't been inspired lately ... or at least I can't afford the inspiration). I began with destash bead lots and remnants from other projects, playing with color and simple design. I still like the simplicity of a beaded necklace, but now my tastes are running toward to the more intricate. If you check out the progression of jewelry pictures at my second shop, you'll see a noticeable change in supplies and artistic temperament. You may also notice that the photography has changed slightly.

I'm constantly growing, constantly changing. Fortunately, I've given myself two very open-ended Etsy stores to work with - they were created with the knowledge that I was probably not going to do just one thing. I want to do everything as it comes to me, skill set and finances willing. I anticipate honing those skills even more over the next few months in the areas of necklace design, steampunk, wire-wrapping, and hopefully some chainmaille. The worst part is the waiting to be able to afford the tools and components to begin. But I'm excited anyway.

Sunday Showcase (late)

Cephalopod necklace

I was sitting at work today and finally realized that it was Monday rather than Sunday, and I forgot to do a showcase.

I cannot solder or weld, and glue is messy and unreliable, so the only alternate sometimes for a good hold is wire-wrapping. Most of the time, like for most of my beaded necklaces and earrings, a simple closed curve is strong enough, since I use 18-20ga half hard wire. However, in the above case, when the tentacles were too wide for a simple closed curve, I have to defer to wire-wrapping.

It is not my favorite thing to do, and I don't always like how it turns out in other people's items, much less mine, although I know that other people like it just fine (so I usually leave it when I'm pleased enough). But in the few cases where I've wire-wrapped, I've taken the slightly eccentric route rather than the ordered one that I mostly prefer. For a plain solid hold, the wire usually goes around twice so that not too much attention is called to the wire - the bead should be the focus. In this case, the beads are the accents and the curve was so wide that more rounds were needed. And I was pleasantly surprised that the messier look worked with the eccentric feel of the piece.

Selected for Treasury

My "hard to fake a blush" necklace was chosen for this lovely garden Etsy treasury!