Year end

The past three months have been fairly quiet here on my blog.  

I've been deliciously busy, and had my best Holiday season ever!

Like everyone else, I have been mulling around goals for the New Year.

I don't really do resolutions any more.  It seems they never quite manage to stick.

My parents have been here to celebrate Christmas with us, 

and are leaving back to Nevada on New Year's Day.

Monday the kids will be back in school and I will be ready to hit the bench with the vengeance of one who hasn't been able to work the way they want to for 2 weeks.  

I can't wait.

I will be around here more in the New Year.  Things will finally settle down now that the Holidays are over.  

I do want to leave you with some pics of my recent custom work. 

Some of the pictures aren't that great, but you'll get the idea.  ;-)

I hope you all have a Happy New Year!!!

Here's to the best year ever in 2012!!!

Merry Christmas!

Our gingerbread house has so much candy on it that I'm expecting a cave in at any moment ;-). I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Winners!!!

I had very close to 100 entries for my annual Holiday giveaway!

So I drew 2 names to win a charm necklace!

First:

Thank you so much to new fans and old, 

for reading my words,

for loving my work.

For being here when I need to vent,

or have a question.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your support!

I look forward to a New Year and getting to know all of you a little bit better!

So, without further ado:

The Winners Are:

Lorelei Eurto

and 

Stephanie Silva

Ladies, you have your choice of available charm necklaces in my shop!

You can view the section here

Email me with your selection!

amymarez@yahoo.com

Congratulations!

Giveaway ends tomorrow!

If you haven't entered my giveaway, enter now!  The deadline is tomorrow!!

Click Here

Service Announcement!

Hello all!  Just a little FYI.

I have removed all the made to order items out of my shop on Etsy, 

and deactivated all products in my own shop hosted by Big Cartel.

I just don't have time to make anything else!  

I am going to be lucky to finish everything I've already taken on.

My last shipping day before Christmas will be on December 20th.  

All orders must be placed by December 19th in order to make it before Christmas.

Anything purchased after the 19th I cannot guarantee that it will make it on time.

(this applies to orders in the US only-International deadline has already passed!)

This Holiday season has kept me delightfully busy, but I am starting to feel the pressure this week.

Lots of things to be done, and lots of parties for the kids.

  

Well, off to it then.  Have a great day all!

 

Arthur Christmas

If you haven't seen it, go see it! Take the kids, they'll enjoy it too.

Listed

I had better luck with pictures today.  These necklaces are both listed in my shop on Etsy. 

Have you guys noticed I've had a thing for gallery wire lately?  I don't know why I have eschewed it for so long! 

I realized this morning that in the next week there are 101 things to be done.  But if I make it through this week everything will be A ok..... At least I hope anyway!  :-)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone!  We are taking the kids to see Arthur Christmas this evening.  I'm looking forward to it! 

Preview of new pieces...

Sterling and Labradorite

Bleeding Heart w/ Garnet

Dendritic Opal and Sterling

Back of the Dendritic opal

I had another pair of earrings, but I'm not happy with them.  Some things work, some don't....what are you going to do?  ;-)

These pics are a preview.  The light isn't that great today, and I need to retake most of the photos I took today in the yucky light....

If you are interested in reserving any of these pieces, please contact me at amymarez@yahoo.com otherwise I hope to be back tomorrow with better pictures!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and are enjoying the magic of the Holiday season!

When buying handmade goes bad...

I read this interesting blog post this morning on my friend Nancy's blog.  I kinda felt the need to share.   I've been lucky to have only one semi bad experience as a buyer from sellers I've found on Etsy.  And it was a supplier.  Anywho... Beautifully worded Nancy!  We all have personal problems, but when they start effecting your work you need to be professional and shut down business. 

I could never leave a customer hanging like that.  I wouldn't be able to sleep at night.  Letting a situation get out of control like this is bad for the Handmade community.  It feeds directly into the fears of buyers.  "What if I never get what I ordered?"  "What if I pay my hard earned money to this individual and I never hear from them again?"

It reminds me to be thankful to every one of my customers who took a chance on me for the first time.  I'd like to think that after the first transaction with me people realize I am on the up and up.  But guys like this, whose work is gorgeous BTW,  give buying handmade especially online a bad name. 

Such a shame....

The Three Fates Cuff

I showed you guys a work in progress pic of this cuff on Wednesday, and here she is all ready to go:

I got a request a couple of weeks ago from a lovely lady who wanted a sterling cuff based on my Three Fates Necklace  

I've always wanted to make a sterling cuff!  It was an excellent learning process and I was happy to have the challenge.  I can't call it a complete success until I hear back from the lovely lady regarding the sizing.  So until then, I'll keep my fingers crossed!  :-)

I hope you all enjoy your weekend!  And thank you so much to all you fabulous ladies out there who snatched up a trio of my quartet yesterday!  You all made me smile.   :-)

Earrings!

Winter's Day ~ Sterling Silver
*sold*
(can be made to order if you are interested)

Hurts like Heaven ~ Yellow Sapphire, Turquoise, Sterling Silver
 **Reserved**
(can be made to order if you are interested!)

Poinsettia Earrings ~ Sterling Silver and Garnet

Wheel in the Sky ~ Sterling Silver and Sleeping Beauty Turquoise
*sold*
(can be made to order if you are interested!)

Embellished and embossed sterling silver, with little pops of color!

Please contact me if you are interested in any of these pieces.

amymarez@yahoo.com

More pictures can be found on my Flickr page:
Click Here 

Giveaway Time!!!

Would you like a chance to win one of these necklaces?

Sterling and Rainbow Moonstone

Sterling and Silver Moonstone

Sterling and Melanite Garnet

Sterling and Aqua colored Chalcedony

Sterling and Lucite

Sterling and Garnet

Sterling and Faceted Pink Opal

All you have to do is follow me on FaceBook or Twitter!

Here is a link to my FaceBook page:
Click Here

Here is a link to my Twitter page:

Click Here

And of course Follow my Blog!!!

After you follow me, leave me a message saying that you are now following me, and you're in!

One entry for each follow, and if you already follow me, leave me a message so I'll know.

I will take all messages from my FaceBook page, Twitter and my Blog and lump them together to draw the winner(s).

If you leave me a message on my Blog, please leave individual comments on where you are following me.  It makes the tallying easier for me!

 

So here is the deal.

For very 50 entries, I will giveaway one necklace.  Winners choice of available charm necklaces from my Turkish Delights Collection in my shop.  So share this giveaway with friends!  The more entries, the more necklaces I giveaway!

Thanks for playing!  

:-)

Contest ends on Wednesday December 14th at noon CST

WIP Wednesday

Custom sterling cuff after my Three Fates Necklace

Garnet and Sterling Silver

 I am wavering a bit on a name for this ring.  

The hand stamped band is along the same vein as the Turkish Delights charms I made awhile back.

The deep red of the garnets make me think of a Turkish Sultan.  

(and most specifically the Sultan's Harem)

Garnet is such a sexy, sultry color...

 I must say I am quite pleased with the band.

I am amassing quite a collection of stamping tools.

Using them in this manner makes me think of Zentangles.

I just start stamping and one thing leads to another.

I use this stamp and that to fill in spaces.

There is something about the repetition and methodical concentration 

stamping by hand requires.

And,

I got a new squarish ring mandrel that is supposed to produce rings

the true shape of the human finger.

The shape is very comfortable, and keeps the ring in place quite nicely!

 I really needed repetitive this week.  

My heart has been heavy for some time now.

Thank God for my work. 

I don't know what I would have done without it recently.

*

I went back to a favorite design element of mine.  

I just love the four stone cross.

Texture galore.

Heavy gauge sterling silver and gallery wire bezels.  

Yes, I think her name is the Sultan's Harem.  

I just can't get away from that sense of the

exotic

when I wear this ring.

US Ring size 8 

or made to order in your size.

amymarez@yahoo.com

*sold*
still available as a made to order item though!

Wishing you all...

I am happily baking away this morning, pumpkin and pecan pies.  

Mixing, sauteing, stirring, roasting.  All in preparation of a bountiful feast!

Thank you all so much for being here, reading my words.  Supporting me, and my work.  

I have really come to love this online community I am a part of, I am thankful for you all.

As a way of saying "Thank You"  I have begun my annual Holiday sale. 

This will be the last sale of the year, and will end on Monday November 28th.

Use coupon code Holiday2011 at checkout in my shop on Etsy to get 15% off your order. 

And don't forget fans and followers can always get free shipping by using the coupon code Gratis.

I have a lot to catch you all up on after Thanksgiving. 

And I'm mulling around ideas for my annual Holiday giveaway as well.  

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of good food, family and friends!!!

Magic Moon Necklace...

My daughter came into my studio this morning and said, "Momma, this is a pretty necklace!  You sure have been making a lot of moon things lately..."  I can't deny it.  I have been on a bit of a moon kick.

2 faceted rainbow moonstones flank an 8mm smooth round rainbow moonstone on a magical crescent moon.  The back has been stamped with wavy stars and my initials with a swirly bail.  The chain is a delicate by sturdy cable chain that has been oxidized and left black.  It closes with a hand made hook clasp and closes at 16" and 18".  All Metal components are sterling silver, and have been created by me save the chain.

If you are interested in this piece, please email me at amymarez@yahoo.com. 

To view more pictures of this piece, please visit my Flickr! page.
You can find the link to the right of this post -------->

Starry Night...

 

~Starry Night~

These asymmetrical earrings are made up of two cabs of Koroit Boulder Opal (cut by Ed on Stones in Motion on Etsy), and a faceted silver moon and star.

My first attempt at a hand made prong setting!  I had a lot of fun with these earrings.  I've been hoarding the stones for some time, as I am wont to do.... 

The rivers of purple blue opal running through the boulder peak in and out, here and there in these stones.  And of course, I couldn't capture the beauty of the opal rivers amongst it's boulder home.  

And, I am still on a moon kick.  With stars.  There is just something about working with stones that flash that make me think of the moon.  And I am drawn to working with flashy stones right now.  I have a Magic Moon necklace on my bench as we speak!

These earrings are available for purchase.  

Please contact me at amymarez@yahoo.com

*sold*