Starfish and Sand...

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New Earrings - Charoite and Fire Agate

Some time ago, I picked up a couple of strands of stones I hadn't heard of before...  I love the vibrant colors and natural variations the stones.

The first is Russian charoite.


Charoite is a rare and beautiful stone with dark and light striations, found only the Chary River in Siberia... Charoite is actually quite hard to come by because it is only found in that one location, and also due to Russian export laws, so when I had the chance to purchase an entire strand, I snapped it right up.  Russian Charoite has a hardness rating of 5-6 on the Mohs' scale, and will actually glow slightly under black lighting.

No two stones are ever alike, due to the swirling patterns and natural inclusions (which can be black, green, or orange). It is said to open the crown chakra, amplifying the connection between the head and the heart, allowing us to accept logically the things we need to let go of and the things we need to bring into our lives, making the transition easier on every level.

The other stone I've been playing with is fire agate.

Fire Agate is most frequently found in the Southwestern US and Mexico. (I was told these were mined in Arizona.) It has a hardness rating of 7 on the Mohs' scale, and is quite hard. No two stones are ever alike, some with crackling patterns, some with a bubbly look, many with both.

Fire Agate can vary in color from clear to dark brown, with layers of the iron oxide minerals limonite or goethite that create iridescence. This strand doesn't have a lot of iridescence, but it does have a beautiful, rich color, and lots of the characteristic bubbly/crackle that makes these stones so desirable.

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

November Homefront Team Sale Preview

Here are the items I'm offering in the November Homefront Team sale, currently scheduled for November 13th.  (They're marked down 40% and I discounted shipping where I could.)  

Because it's the holiday season and I want to reduce as much inventory as possible prior to mobilizing next spring, I will also be offering a 30% discount code for folks who shop the sale and/or "like" my Facebook page by November 13th, which will be good for 2 weeks following the sale. 

Item #1:

White Recycled Glass Beach Necklace (20” + 2” extender)

Indonesian glass and sterling silver

$21.00 includes shipping

$37.75 regular price w/ship

5 available

Item #2:

Stackable Vintage Style Resin Rose Rings - Set of 4 (Neutrals)

Petite Resin Roses on adjustable rings

$8.50 includes shipping

$12.75 regular price w/ship

4 available

Item #3:

Kumihimo Bracelet (6” + 2” extender chain)

Swarovski crystal, Bali Silver, moonstone briolette

$45.00 includes shipping

$77.75 regular price w/ship

2 available

Item #4:

Stackable Vintage Style Resin Rose Rings - Set of 4 (Brights)

Petite Resin Roses on adjustable rings

$8.50 includes shipping

$12.75 regular price w/ship

4 available

Item #5:

Koi Glass Tile Necklace (20” ball chain)

Washi paper, silver plated pendant tray

$8.50 includes shipping

$12.75 regular price w/ship

5 available – print varies slightly

www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyLeilani

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Gemstone setting - Garnet Earrings

One of the things I've wanted to learn is how to set gemstones. It's a little tricky, but not too terribly difficult as long as you match the proper sized setting to the stone. Here's a pair of garnet earrings on sterling posts... the stones are 8mm rounds and a bit larger than I expected, but I think they'll make a great staple piece. I didn't care much for post earrings when I was younger, but these days, I'm leaning back toward simpler shapes and designs.

What are your favorite earrings? Post, dangle? Simple hoops? Chandelier?

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

What's In Your Bag?

Roo, over at Nicegirlnotes.com, asked the question, "What's in your bag?"  If you'd like to play along, click the spiffy banner below:

In case you were wondering, here's what's in my bag:

One change of clothes, size 5T (top) 3T (bottoms), my wallet (Thirty-One wristlet), a tube of topicane, bandaids, two bags of organic bunny fruit snacks, 4 bags of Haribo gummi bears, a small case of Huggies Naturals wipes, one pink Pull-Up, a notebook, two pens, a spoon, 4 rubber bands in various sizes, two bags of Rainbow Goldfish, a box of 4 crayons, a cup of mini-Oreos, 2 Leap Pad games, and 4 combs.  Can you tell we're potty training?




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Pirate Booty

It's no secret that I love pirates. And since I have to replenish my own jewelry collection, I decided to make a pair of pirate-y earrings using these lovely skulls and some labradorite briolettes. :)  What do you think?

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Homefront Artistry Team: Mark Your Calendars! Huge Homefront Team Sale on ...

Image via CrunchBaseHomefront Artistry Team: Mark Your Calendars! Huge Homefront Team Sale: We are having a big sale to show our appreciation for all of you who support the Homefront Team! Mark your calendars for Sunday, November 13th, in honor of Veteran's Day.  The sale will take place from 7-10pm EST. 


How does this work?  Well, it's pretty simple.  


1.  Like the Homefront Team on FB: https://www.facebook.com/HomefrontTeam 
2.  Come check out the FB page at the appointed time.
3.  Someone will post a photo on the wall, along with the price (including shipping) and number of items available.
4.  If you want to buy it, be the first to comment on the photo with your email address.
5.  After the sale is done, you will be invoiced via paypal, as applicable.


It's that easy!


There's usually some girl talk, old school jams, and some other chit chat involved, so it's a lot of fun!


Here's a list of participating stores... each can list up to 25 items, so you can just imagine the craziness that will ensue:


ArmyChic4Lyfe http://www.armychic4lyfe.etsy.com/  Jewelry and More
Quitecrafty http://www.quitecrafty.etsy.com/ Crocheted Items
Epicycledesigns http://www.epicycledesigns.etsy.com/ Custom Eurogame Accessories
TheChameleonsAttic http://www.thechameleonsattic.etsy.com/ Handmade Items and Vintage Treasures
DancingBearsTeaHouse  http://www.dancingbearsteahouse.etsy.com/  Signature Teas
HeatherStrickland  http://www.heatherstrickland.etsy.com/ Elegant Monograms
TheNaturesThread http://www.thenaturesthread.etsy.com/ Reusable Cloths
HHSIX http://www.hhsix.etsy.com/  Crocheted Items
LilSoulja  http://www.lilsoulja.etsy.com/  ACU Personalized Gifts
CamelotsTreasures http://www.camelotstreasures.etsy.com/ Fashionable Doll Clothes
ThePupEmporium  http://www.thepupemporium.etsy.com/ Dog Accessories
ChersDivynWalls  http://www.chersdivynwalls.etsy.com/ Wall and Car Window Decals
Pedalingdesigns  http://www.pedalingdesigns.etsy.com/ Custom Cards, Posters, and Graphics
SaraRubendall  http://www.sararubendall.etsy.com/ Banners and Avatars
WordBoards  http://www.wordboards.etsy.com/ Wordboards and Signs
2LittleFriends  http://www.2littlefriends.etsy.com/ Unique Accessories
RuralInspirations  http://www.ruralinspirations.etsy.com/ Jewelry
ChineseAcademy  http://www.chineseacademy.etsy.com/ Quilled Creations
NicoleMichelles  http://www.nicolemichelles.etsy.com/ Purses, Totes, and Accessories
SueRunyon  http://www.suerunyondesigns.etsy.com/ Jewelry
Sweetpeatreasures  http://www.sweetpeatreasures.etsy.com/  Jewelry
Kbails84  http://www.kbails84.etsy.com/ Paracord Wristbands
SWCreativeCreations  http://www.swcreativecreations.etsy.com/ Home Decor
SimplyLeilani  http://www.simplyleilani.etsy.com/ Jewelry
EmsReCreations  http://www.emsrecreations.etsy.com/ Shadowboxes, Picture Frames
BrankletsNBling  http://www.brankletsnbling.etsy.com/ Jewelry
CarterGray  http://www.cartergray.etsy.com/ Handcrafted Cases and Wallets
HeartmadeCreations http://www.heartmadecreations.etsy.com  Clothing and Dresses

All I can say is, be there or be square.  I am totally eyeballing me some loose teas, vinyl wall decals, and goodies for the dogs.  If they have a challenge coin display, I am ALL over that, as well.  LOL.

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Another class at Bead It! Kailua: Bangles of Gold

It's no secret that I love our local bead store, Bead It! in Kailua.  This past weekend, I was delighted to get a seat in one of their newest classes, Bangles of Gold.  To make a long story short, it was a GREAT class, and I am REALLY excited about the things I learned!

Since the class teaches you how to solder gold filled wire, it's actually quite challenging, but the instructor, Brendan (also the owner) is really experienced in jewelry making and very enthusiastic about teaching.  Using the materials on the class supply list, I was able to make 4 bangles and 2 rings.  

Granted, I chose to cut apart two of my soldered joints so in the 4 hour class, I was able to attempt 8 solders.  Plenty enough to get the technique down enough to be able to replicate at home.  Not to mention the class handouts from Bead It are always terrific.

Up until this point, I've more or less avoided working with gold.  First of all, it's too expensive to really experiment with.  I mean, one troy ounce of gold is over $1700!   Still, I really dislike gold plated anything (except maybe vermeil).  Actually, I hate silver plated too.  It's just not durable.  Surprisingly, I really like the look of the gold filled wire.    Not to mention, $57 for half an ounce of wire, retail, is a little high, but not completely out of reach.

Yay!

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Limited Choke Dog collars

A couple of weeks back, my dogs decided to escape the yard. They were apprehended by stranger kind enough to coax 150 pounds of fur into the back of their car and drop them off at the nearest vet.  They weren't wearing their collars or tags because I normally keep a choke chain on them.

Well, what I didn't realize is that they are actually better off with their collars and tags even though I get more control with the choke chains.  Not to mention their collars are as old as they are and I wasn't too nuts about the selection for large dogs.  So, I made my own collars for my spoiled puppies.

But rather than make a collar that slips over their heads when I need to restrain them (for example, when strangers come to the door), I decided on a limited choke collar which give some control, but doesn't tighten enough to pose as much of a strangulation hazard as a choke chain.

I added an extra d-ring to hang their tags from.

Not bad for a first try, huh?


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Where I Live, There are Rainbows

My brother hates when I say this publicly but I really don't care for most Hawaiian music.  Most popular Hawaiian music these days consists of people singing country ballads with a ukelele.  It wasn't always like that.  One that I've always liked is the Hawaiian Lullabye.  It's short and simple, and something I used to sing to my son when he was little and we lived on the Mainland.  

What I didn't know is that it was written by a father who was singing to soothe his critically ill infant daughter.  Well, I guess it was also written to soothe himself.  There is nothing worse as a parent, to see your child struggle and not be able to actually fix it.  (In case you were wondering, his daughter did survive.  Although she has permanent brain damage, she works for Easter Seals helping ill children.)

There are so many things beyond our control in life.  But we can always choose to see things in a different light.  

Where I live there are rainbows
With life in laughter of morning
And starry nights
Where I live there are rainbows
With flowers full of color
And birds filled with song

I can smile when it's raining
Touch the warmth of the sun
I hear children laughing
In this place that I love

~from Hawaiian Lullabye, 

by Peter Moon and Hector Venegas

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