Wordless Wednesday: Summer Paradise

DLPom Featured on Entrepreneur Site Gritway.com

I have been truly honored today with a feature by gritway.com.  They tell the stories of hardworking, inventive, and "gritty" entrepreneurs, featuring a new story each Monday, Wednesday, & Friday.  Read it -- you'll probably learn something new about me, and be inspired by other entrepreneurs across the globe!

Gritway 009: Artisan craft turned business: http://t.co/YSqIu8TIDt @DLPom #startup #artisansoul #craftlife #smallbiz

— Gritway (@Gritway) July 28, 2014

Gritway 009: http://t.co/9pKTKcqDjH For #artists looking to build a business around their craft. @DLPom #startup #ArtistToWatch #CraftHour

— Gritway (@Gritway) July 28, 2014

Join the Jewelry Giveaway: Mixed Metal Pearl Earrings

I purchased some copper washers awhile ago and wanted to make some mixed metal link earrings.  This pair is what resulted!  I added an ivory, cultured pearl drop as a striking contrast to soften the look of the hard, textured metals. 

These casual earrings have several articulation points for maximum movement.  They will twist and turn to catch the light.  Even though the repeating pattern is one of circles, the earrings are quite long and linear, too.  They measure about 2-1/4 inches from the top bend of the earwire.  All sterling silver and copper!  If left unpolished the copper will age to a warm patina over time.

This is a limited edition of just 5 pair - so you will not see anyone else wearing these!  The pair for the giveaway is No. 1.  They are hand engraved by the artist (me) and numbered on the back side.  The other pairs will be for sale in my Etsy shop, Coil and Flame...just in case you fall in love with these and don't win them!

This giveaway is open to adult U.S. residents only, and ends on Monday, July 14th.  Be sure to check back daily for the most chances to win!  Just enter through Rafflecopter below.

TIP:  Try refreshing your screen if the Rafflecopter box does not show.

Best of luck!

Thanks for participating!

~Dana
Website


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Etsy Treasury - Copper Turquoise Earrings

Thank you to Chris from CkshopperVintage on Etsy for featuring my Copper Turquoise Fringe Earrings in the Etsy Treasury, Fringe Benefits. Please check out the great items in this treasury and Chris's vintage shop.

~D.

Tackle it Tuesday - Finishing Earwires

"Tackle it Tuesday" will be a new feature on my blog where (hopefully) I'll be sharing a tiny (or maybe not so tiny) tip for making your jewelry or soapmaking crafting better. I am a huge proponent of attention to detail in my work, along with working efficiently, and *trying* to stay organized with all of my supplies. I hope to bring you "ah-hah" moments, ideas to springboard your crafting from beginner to pro, and ways to improve your crafting time productivity.

Even better, other crafters around the world have a wealth of information to share about their handcrafted work. And this will be the place YOU can share a link back to your blog for any "Tackle it Tuesday" tips you have recently written about on your blog.

So, let's get started! Today's "Tackle it Tuesday" challenge is for all earring makers to finish their earwires.

What do I mean by "finish?" I'm talking about the end of the wire that goes through your piercing first. I see so many commercial and handmade earwires with blunt and/or prickly ends that it makes me cringe just thinking about putting those earrings on. You and your customers will appreciate a more finished product once you can tell the difference. Even if you use flush cutters to make your own earwires, the ends are blunt, and therefore more uncomfortable to put on than they need to be. 

Here is an example.  These photos are commercial earwires - the first earwire has a rough, pinched end, the second earwire has been smoothed:

All you need is a small piece of extra fine sandpaper. Round off the blunt or pinched end and remove any burrs by gently rubbing the wire end at an angle on the sandpaper. We aren't looking for a sharp point, just a rounded, smooth end to the wire.

If you have a tumbler with steel shot, just add a little water and a splash of Dawn dishwashing soap and tumble for about an hour to polish the sanded end, and add a little extra hardness to the wire.

You're done! You and your customers will notice the difference.

Now, it's your turn! What crafter's tip would you like others in your field to know about on "Tackle it Tuesday?"  You may enter your link below...but please visit and comment on at least two of the other links that inspire you!

Walking Stick Earring...GIVEAWAY!

Another giveaway...this time, a short pair of my walking stick earrings from Coil and Flame on Etsy!  Hand forged and silk-textured - all in sterling silver, they measure 1-1/2 inches from the top bend of the earwire.  The earwires are hand formed in standard 20 gauge wire.  My customers who have purchased these just rave about how they are now their favorite, everyday pair of earrings! 

Contest runs through Monday, July 2nd, and is open to U.S. and Candian participants.  Just enter through Rafflecopter below.  Visit daily to better your chances of winning via a random, automated drawing.

Value:  $32.00

TIP:  If the Rafflecopter entry box does not show, try refreshing the page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coil and Flame Jewelry Featured in Etsy Treasury!

Lexi from TheLostNova on Etsy was kind enough to feature my aquamarine necklace in her Etsy Treasury, "No Rhyme or Reason."  Please drop in and have a look at the other great items featured in this treasury by following the link.

~Dana @ Coil and Flame
www.dlpom.com

Soap is on My Mind...

Soap must be on the minds of Etsy treasury creators today.  Two of my Texas Blooms Series soaps, Bluebonnet and Gardenia Goat's Milk, made it into two different treasuries:





Enjoy!

~Dana

Choose your Turquoise Stone...I'll Make Your Ring!

I'm so excited about this design!  The gorgeous prototype belongs to my sister-in-law.  She chose the turquoise cabochon from my collection, and I made this cocktail ring in her size.  The half-dome band is so comfortable, and while the ring is larger in size, still so comfortable to wear.  Drop by my Etsy shop, Coil and Flame, and choose your stone for a unique, one-of-a-kind ring!

Until next time,

~Dana

Bracelets Galore!

I've been on a bracelet kick the last few days.  Once I got all my bead boxes open, I sat on the floor in my crafting room and just mixed and matched for hours.  There is something therapeutic about playing with beads!

My first creation was the bracelet to match the lampwork earrings I posted previously.  I designed it around a large, Thai Karen Hill Tribe puffed seashell.  It has floating roap rings for a little movement and is the perfect summer bracelet.


Summer Shore Lentil Lampwork Bracelet

The second bracelet was a very unexpected combination.  I picked up these stunning botswana agate square beads and paired them with merlot garnets.  It turned out to be a very striking design, if I do say so myself!  The colors in this bracelet are very transitional from summer, to fall, to winter.


Earthworks Agate and Garnet Bracelet

 Until next time.

~Dana

Raising Sand Treasury on Etsy

Kara of BeadedandButtoned was kind enough to include my Desert Palette Necklace from DLPom Handcrafted Expressions in her Etsy Treasury. Some gorgeous Southwest colors here!

Gemstone Mania to Win a Pair of Custom Earrings (We Have a Winner!)

I wanted to do something a little different with my custom earring giveaway this time around. All you need to do is be the first to identify the semi-precious gemstones in the jewelry below. You'll have to figure out where to get hints if any of them confuse you, but check the comments because I may also be giving some clues along the way!

Here's the fine print:

1. The winner's custom earrings may be choosen from any of the semi-precious gemstones and metal findings I have in inventory - see my Etsy shop, DLPom Handcrafted Expressions for ideas! I will work with you to achieve a design that you love!

2. You may post more than once if you want to correct one or more of your answers, however you need to repost ALL of your answers, not just the corrections. Your latest post will be considered your answer.

3. Contest ends when someone correctly matches my list of semi-precious gemstone names -or- by Saturday, January 24th, 2009. At midnight on the final day, the recipient with the most correct answers will win, and any ties will be broken by random drawing.

4. Only U.S.A. and Canadian participants, please. Be sure to leave an email or link so I can contact you if you win! I will post in the comments section as soon as I identify the winner!

Good luck!

Jasmine Soap - A Hit!

My Jasmine Tea Soap has been one of my bestsellers lately. I had been wanting to make a tea soap for quite awhile and a few months back created this soap recipe trying to also capture the scent of the spring-blooming jasmine vine in my own yard. In my mind, this soap needed to be an uplifting but not over-powering floral, with a soothing texture...just like a warm cup of sugared, jasmine tea!

I was extremely pleased with how the very first batch turned out! And it seems others are more and more pleased with the soap as well. Karen, one of my treasured soap buyers from Etsy, featured it on her handmade inspired website, Straight Talk on Natural Living.


She has written numerous reviews on various handmade soaps, focusing on their characteristics as shampoo bars. And even though my Jasmine Tea Soap was not originally intended for the scalp and hair, it has found a niche for those needing a soap with hair conditioning qualities, "especially in the dry winter months, it is perfect!"

Happy bubbles and conditioning for all those handmade soap addicts out there!