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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

DLPom Jewelry Giveaway: Trio of Interchangeable Leverback Earrings

There is nothing ordinary about this jewelry giveaway!

A pair of interchangeable leverbacks can sport my purple amethyst lotus drops, Bali sterling silver diamonds, or the ring drop freshwater pearls. Three pairs in one! All sterling silver findings.

This giveaway is hosted by my Etsy shop, DLPom Handcrafted Expressions.

This giveaway is open to adult, U.S. residents only. It ends on Monday, August 11 at 11:59 P.M. Central Time.  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

Hand Stamped Initial Pendant, Mixed Metal Jewelry on Etsy

A new item in my Etsy shop, Coil and Flame, that resulted from a custom order that I decided needed to stay as a custom listing.

This three dimensional pendant has a flat, textured, copper backdrop with a domed, sterling silver hammered center that is hand stamped with one initial. 

Even cuter, a tiny heart is soldered to the backside.  Each piece is hand engraved by me.

The whole pendant is oxidized, rebuffed, and tumble polished to give it a rustic, aged appeal and to highlight the metal around the stamped initial.

These work well on a medium, short chain...or, a longer, heavier chain. They make wonderful, personalized gifts!
       
~Dana @ Coil and Flame
DLPom, LLC

Shop for this Pendant

Urban, Modern Bangle Bracelet

This design happened by a happy accident as I was trying to create a project to learn tube riveting. 

The result was an oval, copper bangle that has a section of half dome sterling silver wire, tube riveted in fine silver.  This mixed metalwork design is hammered for texture, and tumble polished to bring out the highlights of the metals.

Sleek, modern, and fun.  This is a "go-to" bracelet for everyday, casual wear.  It is perfect solo or paired with other oval bangles or leather wrapped bracelets! 

    I make these in small, medium, and large sizes.

    Check out my Etsy listing for more details.

    Dana @ Coil and Flame

Etsy Treasury Feature

Ken of sparklequest on Etsy was kind enough to include my Hell's Canyon petrified sequoia wood cocktail ring in his treasury, Petrified Fossil Wood: Another of Earth's Treasures. I'm always excited when one of my items is well-liked enough to be included in such a collection of beautiful things. Please have a look at Ken's shop, and the lovely treasury on Etsy!

~D.
DLPom, LLC

And the Winner is . . . .

Thanks for all of the great participation in my soap butt giveaway! Drumroll......and the winner is: Shari D.

I will be emailing Shari shortly so she can receive her soap!

Thanks again! Watch for another giveaway, coming soon.

Dana @ Soap Sense
www.dlpom.com

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

And the Winner is.............

Thanks for all of the great participation in my soap giveaway!  I gained a lot of information about soap "favorites" too.  Vanilla and lavender were definitely at the top of the list.

Drumroll......and the winner is:  Hannah W.

I will be emailing Hannah shortly so she can choose and claim her soap.

Thanks again!  Watch for another giveaway, coming soon.

Dana @ Soap Sense
www.dlpom.com

Soap Dishes 101

For anyone out there who is a handcrafted soap junkie, this soap dish might be just for you!  Handcrafted from upcycled mesquite wood, it has generously spaced slats for the ultimate care of your handcrafted soap bar.

Handcrafted, cold-processed soap needs just a little bit of extra care to get the most mileage out of a bar.  It needs to air dry between showers or baths to avoid the "sticky goo" syndrome that just wastes soap down the drain.  A washcloth, loofah, or scrubbie will also allow your soap to generate the most lather and bubbles without being wasteful.

Give your handmade soaps some TLC, and each bar will be around a long time!  This soap dish will be listed on Etsy shortly...just follow the shop link below to get the details.

-Dana @ Soap Sense
DLPom LLC

Can't Wait to Design!

   

I received some gorgeous stone cabochons in the mail the other day from Ron Miller's Etsy shop, rondmil50.  The cut and polish are exquisite -- I was in awe and so very pleased when I opened my package!  Of course, the fun part is getting to create a design around these.  I'm thinking about a large cocktail ring for the teardrop shaped, Crazy Lace Agate.  I think the others will be pendants, probably with solid colored gemstone accent stones...onyx for the Charoite oval, and citrine for the gray/golden Crazy Lace Agate?  We'll see!

O.K., back to the studio!

-Dana
Coil and Flame
DLPom Handcrafted Expressions
Soap Sense
www.dlpom.com

Earring Fun!

I truly enjoy making a variety of earring designs.  Some are simple.  Some are complex.  Some are elegant.  Some are casual.  But no matter what design or style...they all receive the utmost attention to spectacular workmanship.  Here are two NEW pair from DLPom Handcrafted Expressions.  The first pair are just sterling silver.  The second pair, with garnet nuggets, are too cute!

 

Enjoy!

~ Dana

http://www.dlpom.com/

Spring Green Jewelry in Prehnite, Prasiolite, & Peridot

The three "P's" of spring green jewelry:  Prehnite, Prasiolite (also known as green amethyst), and Peridot!  Prehnite, with its opaque, green hue is a neutral stone with casual appeal.  Prasiolite has brilliant clarity for an elegant touch.  Peridot, the darkest green of the three stones, can swing either way depending on the cut of the stone and design of the jewelry.

Here are the spring green jewelry examples from my shop:  The first is a sterling silver washer necklace with a prehnite briolette, hand wire-wrapped in 14 kt gold fill wire. 

The second is an elegant pair of rectangular, prasiolite earrings in sterling silver. 

Finally, a cute little padlock pendant with a peridot cabochon. 

I'm ready for spring!  Happy shopping for spring green jewelry!

~Dana

http://www.dlpom.com/

Coil and Flame on Etsy
DLPom Handcrafted Expressions on Etsy

Too Cute Pendant for Valentine's Day!

A tiny, understated, hand forged heart with abstract curls and asymmetrical drops of sterling silver.  When you don't want to SCREAM "Valentine's Day," this may just be the perfect accessory!  Click the pic to find out more...

~Dana

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

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

Summer Lentil Lampwork Jewelry!

These blue and green lentil-shaped lampwork beads just spoke to me the other day, and I had to turn them in to something summery, fun, and one-of-a-kind.  The earrings are really quite simple - suspended from rope rings and my own hand-formed and hammered earwires.  The matching bracelet is spectacular...I'll leave that for my next jewelry post.  Happy shopping at my original bead shop, DLPom Handcrafted Expressions on Etsy.

Summer Shore Lampwork Earrings in Sterling Silver on Etsy

~Dana

Soap, Soap, Soap SALE!

Time to do a little soap rack clearing.  New bars are moving in, and it is time to clear out inventory to make room.  Also, I'm reworking my soap labeling...so the old labeled soap has to go!

In order to expedite this effort, I'm having a 15% Off Soap Sale while supplies last.  Just use coupon code "FIFTEENOFF" at checkout.

Happy soap shopping on Etsy!  Just click the banner to go!

Dana @ SoapSense on Etsy