Star Wars Lego Earrings in the shop!

I recently listed 3 new earring sets in the shop.  All made from Lego Minifigures.  Meet the Stormtroopers, Chewbacca and Yoda!!

I have sets of Super Hero Earrings coming very soon!  Check for them at www.creativityismessy.etsy.com

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!!

Here are a few faves from my shop that are sure to please!

“Gnome Love, Like Our Love” Tiny Terrarium Necklace with Loving Gnome Couple

The Mr. and Mrs. Bottle Cap Magnets (also come in Mr. & Mr. and Mrs. & Mrs.)

“Love Potion” Necklace

Set of 3 Valentine’s Day Bauble Rings

“Love Birds” Necklace

 

 

Peacock Bullet Earrings are back!

I recently renewed my listing for my “Pretty Peacock Salvaged Bullet and Chain” earrings after they were featured in the Etsy finds last Friday.  They sold right away!  Now, I’m offering a chance to get your hands on these gorgeous earrings in case you missed the first opportunity. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/74774813/pretty-peacock-salvaged-bullet-chain-and

I have a pair for myself that are a bit shorter and without the chain, and I get a ton of compliments on them!  They are stunning earrings!!

But hurry!  I have a limited number of peacock feathers left, and all feathers have increased in value since the last time I purchased them.  I don’t know how long I can keep them at this price!

The “Beautiful Outlaw” Earrings

I just posted these gorgeous earrings last night.  Made from salvaged 9mm bullet casings, these earings make repurposing look GOOD! 

"Beautiful Outlaw" Earrings

Plus, no only are the bullets “recycled”, but the pieces of chain are salvaged excess pieces from previous projects – too small to use… up until now!  Talk about Eco-Fabulous!!

I’m thinking that I may need to keep a pair of these beauties for myself.  And while I’m at it… I may just need some boots to go with!

We will be friends until we are old and senile…

 

I thought of my best friend Katie when I was making this bottle cap necklace.  I once gave her a card that said “We will be friends until we are old and senile…  And then we’ll be new friends again!”

Here is my ode to BFFs everywhere!

Available for only $18 at CreativityisMessy

Avatar Contest

No, this is not a contest about the movie with all the blue people…

 

This is a contest where your opinion could win you an AWESOME prize!!

I recently decided to change my “Avatar” for my company.  For those that don’t already know, an avatar is an image that represents a company or person.  Kind of like a logo.  My current avatar is the picture you see on the right hand side of a woman with a heart drawn on her hands.  I use this avatar for my Etsy Shop, Facebook, Twitter and this blog.

Why change (some may ask)?  I originally picked that avatar for this blog, long before I started my company, Creativity is Messy.  I chose it from a site of “free avatars” instead of using an actual picture of myself because, at first, I wanted to be as anonymous as possible.  Ya know, in case I ever wanted to B & M about my job or people… which I totally don’t do 0;)  I just didn’t want my “opinions” to be used against me in any future litigations.

However, as the blog developed, it became about me, my crafts and eventually about my business.  Now I want an image that reflects that somehow.

So here is the deal.  Below are 4 images that I am considering using as my *New and Improved* avatar (some could still use a little altering and some better photography- but you get the general idea).  Comment below, tell me which ONE photo you want to vote for.

Option #1

Option #2

Option #3

Option #4

By simply giving your opinion, you will be entered into a drawing for an AWESOME prize.  And what do we have for the contestants today?  A brand new car!!!  WAIT!  NO!! Sorry, I went all Price is Right for a moment there…

By simply giving your opinion, you will have a chance at winning an adorable little terrarium necklace.  You will have your choice between a cute little mushroom terrarium or a nested robin’s eggs terrarium.  These necklaces are made with moss (real, but preserved) and polymer clay inside a tiny glass bottle with a sealed cork lid.  They hang from an 18″ long steel ball chain (not shown here) and sell for $24 in my shop.

“Is there some way to get additional entries, Tera?” you might ask.  Ah, you all know me so well….

Post a link to this contest on your Facebook and receive an additional entry.

Tweet a link to this contest on twitter and receive another entry.

What?!?  Your not a fan on Facebook, and/or you don’t follow me on twitter?  WTH? 🙂

Become a fan of Creativity is Messy on facebook = one more entry.

Be one of Creativity is Messy’s “Tweet Peeps” on twitter = another entry baby!

Send me a YouTube link to a 30 second publicly shared web video of you ranting about how amazingly awesome I am, how much you like my Etsy shop and how extremely cool all my products are, and I will give you 5 additional entries.  Come on!  I dare ya!!  Please?

Make sure to post your additional entries in the comments as well, so that we know how many times to enter your name into the contest.

Contest ends Sunday, April 10th at 11:59 pm.  I will select the winner at random on Monday morning. 

Good luck!  And don’t forget to tell your friends!

**Sorry, but this contest is for residents of US and Canada only**

Gnome Sweet Gnome

I have alway had a little thing for garden gnomes.  I recently put together a little window terrarium and put it next to my craft table and found the cutest little guy to live in there.  I have named him Gnicholas.

This is Gnicholas, my window gnome

Inspired by Gnick and his beautiful home, I have been working with polymer clay in attempt to make small gnomes to fit inside little terrarium necklaces.  The process has not been easy, to say the least.  I’ve been trying my hardest to make the gnomes as itty-bitty as I can, but it is pretty difficult to get them small enough to fit through the mouth of the bottle.   Several attempts have fallen just short… by a nose, literally (the nose on the gnome stuck out too far).

After many attempts, I did manage to successfully make this little guy….

Not sure what I should name him....

 

I have been able to put together a few with little mushrooms and robins eggs as well.

I’m hoping that if I step away for a bit and come back to my little gnomes, the process might go a bit easier.  We’ll just have to see!

I’m so impressed with myself….

I just love it when I get an idea, and the darn thing actually works out!

A few months ago, I acquired 4 rusty, vintage skeleton keys.  Typically, I would just seal them and then use them in jewelry.  However, I wanted to give these particular keys had quite a bit of rust to them so I thought it would be cool if I added a “patina” look to each of the keys before I sealed them.  Not having any idea how I was going to do this, I headed to Michael’s and began brainstorming (or as my husband calls it, walking up and down every damn aisle 4 or 5 times).

After all was said and done, I decided to try the simplest method I could think of to add the patina look.  I simply grabbed a small bottle of turquoise craft paint and a sponge brush and headed home to experiment.

I added a little bit of paint to each of the keys, and then wiped them with a damp cloth to make it look more natural.  Once I got the look I wanted, I sealed them with a clear spray sealant and let them dry.

My favorite finished key

Now I just have to find a good “aged” chain and a few dangles to accent it.  You should see the finished product very soon in my shop!

**UPDATE**

Just listed!  Rust and Patina Vintage Skeleton Key Necklace.  Check it out here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/67324034/rust-and-patina-vintage-skeleton-key

Preparing for Valentine’s Day

I have been really busy preparing for Valentine’s Day!  Besides adding some new, valentine-themed items to my Etsy shop, I have also been decorating my home for the holiday.  Yes, I decorate for Valentine’s Day!

My favorite “decorations” that I adorn my living room with in preparation for February 14th are some vintage “Valentines” that once belong to my grandfather and great-grandmother.  I only have 4, but I have them in protective frames and display them on my mantel every year.  My favorite is this sweet, but small, heart-shaped valentine that was addressed to “Frankie”… otherwise known as my grandfather Frank.

It is just too sweet!!

I also have a Valentine that was from my Great-Grandmother addressed to my Great-Great-Grandmother.  What treasures!

Here are a few photos items that I have recently created and listed in my Etsy Shop.

 

And there will be more to come!

Worky-Work… Busy Bee!

I still haven’t quite been able to meet my goal of posting here at least once a week, but I’m working on it.  As soon as Christmas is over, I am hoping it will become much easier.

In the mean time, I though I would share some of the items that I have been working on…

My “Choose Your Color” Recycled T-Shirt Necklace has been very popular this holiday season.  It has been featured in numerous treasuries and blogs, and even made it to Etsy’s daily email “Etsy Finds”.  I have received an immense amount of exposure because of it!

Considering each one is custom-made, I have been keeping extremely busy with orders for these.  Each necklace takes me several days to put together.  Here is a pic of (just) one I just finished this week…

I also have been working on some wedding jewelry for a friend of mine.  She is having a destination wedding in Hawaii and I am putting together a necklace and some earrings for her big day.  Here is a picture of the necklace…

And for those of you that don’t know, my daughter Angela has been working really hard on her Etsy shop, The Germaphobe.  She is currently selling the most amazing goats milk and shea butter soaps!  Scents like Apple Pie, Pumpkin Vanilla Cheesecake, Hot Cocoa and Creme Brulee have been filling our basement!  She is also selling sugar scrubs and sanitizers – and they all smell wonderful!!  Check her out!

If I don’t make it back her next week, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

x0x0,

Tera