When I ran across Jesika Jack’s shop, I was so impressed with the focus behind the idea. Her pieces are beautiful. I couldn’t help but write a quick post on her jewelry line.

Leo Constellation Necklace by Jesika Jack on Etsy

Virgo Constellation Necklace by Jesika Jack on Etsy

The necklaces are quite a statement piece. If they’re too much for you, take a look at some of her more compact necklaces or even her earrings:

Southern Cross Constellation Necklace Spiral Motif by Jesika Jack on Etsy

Southern Cross Constellation Disc Earrings by Jesika Jack on Etsy

Makes you want to wear your stars, huh?

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#12 - March Destashing Done!

Part of the process involves thinking about the background I use to shoot my jewelry photos. I know I’ve struggled with selecting backgrounds and improving my current look. With this “break”, I’ve felt that it was time to think of a new look, a new feel for my jewelry before I come back full force.

This past week, I decided to be deliberate about searching for a new background. I originally started photographing with flowers as a prop. I know that I’ve always loved flowers:

But you have to admit, sometimes their beauty can be distracting.

You also already know I favor feathers:

But “been there, done that”… a lot!

The thought crossed my mind to use a bed of glass beads:

Yet, I figured it would make it difficult to photograph the jewelry laying flat. Which has left me to narrow down my new background selection to two choices. This first one I found by chance:

I’m in love with the idea of the bokeh background, but I’m not sure how I feel about the glass as a “stand”. I think changing the color of the glimmers to something that will compliment the colors in the jewelry would be a good idea, too… in theory.

The other choice was to go with something dark, but with a pattern like so:

Right now I’m partial to the brown mat. But I need your help bloggy friends… looking at these photos, I want to ask your opinions. What do you think about these last two photos in regards to a background? I want to avoid buying props for both backgrounds, so I’m looking for some direction from you!

This post is part of the 52 Weeks of Blogging Your Passion {affiliate link} series by Tara Gentile of Scoutie Girl. If you’re interested in participating in the group, pick up her e-book today! {affiliate link} You can start at any time.

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Browsing through the gallery, I thought I would recreate one of my favorite Valentine’s Day themed pieces with an additional flourish. I just finished and posted them on the site today, so here are a few pictures of the earrings in process:

My tools and the jewelry components needed to create the earrings.

Sometimes, stones look great until you get them under the light…that’s where you can really see the flaws and cracks which make some stones unusable. Most wire work starts with a base frame. Depending on how much tugging and pulling you may do to create the piece, some jewelry frames need a little hammering or chasing to give them additional strength.

The dowel helps me create the original circular frame and aids me in keeping the design’s shape as I guide and tug the wire. Other tools have their jobs, too.

Once I’m satisfied with a design, I’ll find a place out of the way to clip and secure my wire. Otherwise, I work the tails into the designs until they disappear.

These earrings are the final result. You can find them here.

So, did you like my additional flourish?

This post is part of the 52 Weeks of Blogging Your Passion series by Tara Gentile of Scoutie Girl. If you’re interested in participating in the group, pick up her e-book today! You can start at any time.

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Teaching my first class this Friday!Join the treasure hunt Saturday the 19th!Gift Giving Tips for Jewelry

From today until Monday, December 21st, get 15% off all jewelry! Use code “LASTCHANCE” at checkout. Also, you get FREE SHIPPING for orders over $50!

If you let me know if you are a newsletter subscriber or a Facebook Page Fan and you’ll also get an additional free gift with your order! Who doesn’t love stocking stuffers…especially when they’re free! So shop now!

Don’t forget…cutoff dates for my holiday shipping deadlines are coming soon! These are the last purchase dates that I can guarantee arrival before Christmas within the U.S.:

First Class Mail – December 18th
Priority Mail – December 18th
Express Mail – December 22nd

Make sure to plan ahead and place your orders early! And if you miss these dates, there are always gift certificates.

Finally, the winner of this month’s gift certificate has been announced. Check to see if it was you!

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Christmas in Central ParkWhat Christmas Time Means To Me...After Christmas Sale Starts Today!

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Labradorite, Peruvian Opal and Swarovski Crystal Chandelier Wrap Earrings…Flashy faceted labradorite teardrops are paired with smooth Peruvian opal and Swarovski crystals to create these eye-catching chandelier earrings. The silver has been oxidized for an antique finish.

The earrings are 2″ (5.08cm) long from the top of the earwire. The circle of the chandelier is 3/4″ (1.91cm) wide from one side to the other. All silver is sterling.

These are one-of-a-kind. Once they are sold, I cannot remake this pair of earrings!

$51.00 – $25.50

Sorry! The day has passed and this Holiday Deal is done. Go check out the latest Holiday Deal in the series!

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On the 10th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 2nd Day of Holiday Deals...On the 6th Day of Holiday Deals...

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Apatite, Shell and Crystal Chandelier Wrap Earrings…These eye-catching chandelier earrings are made with beautiful Israeli cut apatite, Swarovski crystals and teal-dyed mother-of-pearl rounds accented with Bali components. The silver has been oxidized for an antique finish.

The earrings are almost 2″ (5.08cm) long from the top of the earwire. The circle of the chandelier is a little over 3/4″ (1.91cm) wide from one side to the other. All silver is sterling.

These are one-of-a-kind. Once they are sold, I cannot remake this pair of earrings!

$59.00 – $29.50

Sorry! The day has passed and this Holiday Deal is done. Go check out the latest Holiday Deal in the series!

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On the 12th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 5th Day of Holiday Deals...On the 3rd Day of Holiday Deals...

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Bromeliad Cascades – Amethyst, Pink Pearl and Opal Chandelier Earrings…Reminiscent of beautiful bromeliad cascades, these absolutely gorgeous earrings remind of a flower garden in full bloom. With two jaw dropping onion brio focals totaling over 20 carats worth of flawless and beautifully faceted AAA Amethyst, these earrings are not for the faint of heart. Hovering below is a bed of faceted Amethyst rounds and pink dyed button pearls, with a beautiful pink Peruvian Opal faceted barrel bead. All of these beautiful components are securely handwired to a wire wrapped frame and hang from handshaped vermeil earwires.

Due to the size of the Amethysts, these earrings are more on the heavy side weighing in at approximately 1.25 ounces each.

This piece is part of my “Inspired” collection. Inspired by Jujem71′s photo Matchstick on Flickr.

The earrings are 2 5/8″ (6.67cm) long from the top of the earwire. All metal is 14kt gold-filled or vermiel.

These are one-of-a-kind. Once they are sold, I cannot remake this pair of earrings!

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On the 12th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 10th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 5th Day of Holiday Deals...

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Hint of Christmas Earrings…It’s the middle of the year, but the bright green of these little beauties remind me of Christmas! Made with bright green dyed chalcedony and vermeil components, they’re a great little pop of color.

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On the 3rd Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 7th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 4th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Peach Holiday Garland Earrings…Bursting with a cluster of peach keishe pearls and deep pink rhodolite garnets, these disco cut smoky quartz balls are just to die for. Topped by a smaller smoky quartz faceted round, these earrings are festive for any occasion.

The earrings hang approximately 1 1/2″ (3.81 cm) from the top of the ball post. All metal is 14kt gold-filled or vermeil (22kt gold heavily plated over a sterling silver core.)

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On the 4th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 3rd Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 12th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Beer Quartz Shield Earrings…Rich and intoxicating, I fell in love with these beer quartz shields as they laid on the gem vendors table. Paired with vermeil spacers, they are simply decadent and timeless.

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On the 3rd Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 4th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 7th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Green Holiday Garland Earrings…Bursting with a cluster of green keishe pearls and deep pink rhodolite garnets, these disco cut smoky quartz balls are just to die for. Topped by a smaller smoky quartz faceted round, these earrings are festive for any occasion.

The earrings hang approximately 1 1/2″ (3.81 cm) from the top of the ball post. All metal is 14kt gold-filled or vermeil (22kt gold heavily plated over a sterling silver core.)

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On the 7th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 1st Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 8th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Ice – Rock Quartz and Rutilated Quartz Earrings…One of the better finds at the last gem show I attended last year was this spectacular strand of rock quartz shards. Their shape reminds me so much of biwa pearls. With these earrings, I’ve paired them with black rutilated quartz coins with distinctive rutile markings, accented with bali spacers.

The earrings are approximately 1 1/4” (3.175 cm) long. All metal is sterling silver.

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On the 11th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 5th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...On the 6th Day of Holiday Deals 2009...

For the 12 Days of Holiday Deals, I’m offering one item on my site at a discount of 30% – 50% off the original price of the item. You only have until midnight EST to make your purchase on my limited edition pieces the day I post them on my blog. So if you want this item, don’t delay. Tomorrow, this deal will be gone!

And as a little extra to everyone who stops by during my 12 Days of Holiday Deals, for each item purchased or each comment left (1 each a day), you’ll get entered to win a $50 gift certificate to my shop! That’s 24 chances to win over the course of 12 days!

The Prasiolite Heart Vermeil Earrings…As one of my favorite gemstones, I know that Prasiolite is always a great choice for many outfits. With the light misty green tones paired with bright vermeil components, these earrings are perfect as classics.

The earrings are approximately 1 1/4″ (3.18cm) long from the top of the earwire and 1/4″ (0.64cm) wide. All metal is vermeil or 14kt gold-filled.

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January

Garnet (deep red in color) – Symbolizing love & passion.

February

Amethyst (purple in color) – Symbolizing luck & good health.

March

Aquamarine (pale aqua in color) – Symbolizing happiness & understanding. An alternate birthstone for June is Bloodstone.

These pieces were made by Katja of Katja Adams Design, Debbie
of Crysallis Creations and Holly of Bijoux d’Odalisque, respectively.

April

Diamond (clear in color) – Symbolizing eternal love. For a less expensive piece, you can look for jewelry created with rock quartz.

These pieces were made by Ginger of MsBellee, Sheela of
Eclettica The Atêlier and Holly of Bijoux d’Odalisque, respectively.

May

Emerald (deep green in color) – Symbolizing love, fidelity & goodness.

These pieces were made by Asta of Anastassias Atelier,
Heather & Mel of Heather & Mel and Jo of Gemheaven, respectively.

June

Pearl (lustrous white in color) – Symbolizing peace, beauty, nobility & purity. An alternate birthstone for June is Moonstone.

July

Ruby (red in color) – Symbolizing love, strength & devotion.

The second and third pieces were made by Anna-Karin of små blå
and Holly of Bijoux d’Odalisque, respectively.

August

Peridot (pale green in color) – Symbolizing success, dignity & protection. An alternate birthstone for August is Sardonyx.

These pieces were made by Amy of Amy Olson Jewelry,
Catherine Marche Jewellery and Susanna of Suzy Q Jewelry, respectively.

September

Sapphire (blue in color) – Symbolizing purity, truth & sincerity. An alternate birthstone for September is Lapis Lazuli.

These pieces were made by Anna-Karin of små blå,
Catherine of Modeste Parisienne and Lotta of Silverknuten, respectively.

October

Opal (rainbow in color, but also found in blues and pinks) – Symbolizing beauty, success & happiness. An alternate birthstone for October is Pink Tourmaline.

November

Citrine (yellow in color) – Symbolizing hope, fidelity & health. An alternate birthstone for November is yellow Topaz.

The second and third pieces were made by Ann of Beadiful Things
and Jennifer of Lee Ohio Designs, respectively.

December

Topaz (orange/brown/blue in color) – Symbolizing wisdom and courage. For a less expensive piece, you can look for jewelry created with Whiskey Quartz stones. Sometimes they are the same as jewelers may not know the difference between the quartz and topaz stones as seen with the naked eye. An alternate birthstone for December is Turquoise.

From traditional to modern, ancient to mystical, there are sure to be numerous variations in charts. Ultimately, the best stone selection is one that has meaning to the recipient, whether that happens to be their birthstone or not.

Are there any differences in lists that you use for selecting birthday stone jewelry? Let me know!

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However, two weekends ago, I was doing some organizing and found the pair of earrings I was working on for the September 2008 challenge theme: “Cocktail-Inspired Pieces.” Since I found myself with some spare time, I decided to finish them up.

You can see my original inspiration here. I’ve never had a mojito myself…(I know! Considering that I’m Puerto Rican, you’d think I would have tried one by now), but I’ve always loved the color of the drink. Since I’m not a drinker, this may be as close as I ever get!

Love them as much as I do? Visit the shop page for more photos and to read more about the Mojito Earrings.

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I was disheartened to find that I only had one response. No one seemed to have stories to share. That thought made me sad.

However, with only one person responding, that meant that they were the winner of my little gift:

Christine, send me your mailing address so I can get these little baubles in your hands! (And sorry I am soooo late following up…seems to be my M.O. these days…) ;)

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That doesn’t mean that I’ve been doing nothing, though! Check out the earrings I just finished for one of my customers:

Much darker than the pair of earrings they are modeled after, but as far as I’m concerned, they are even more captivating and exotic. Can’t wait to hear back from her when she sees them!

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For more information on these earrings and additional pictures, you can find them here in my shop.

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Huge November Giveaway at Modish!A gift for a friend, by a friendWhat was lost is now found...and recycled!

Have you checked out this blog? Colleen of Living Life One Day At A Time runs a blog with plenty of product reviews and giveaways. Last year, Colleen contacted me regarding participating in her blog. I don’t normally do product reviews, nor do I run giveaways often, but Colleen was convincing (and very pleasant to speak with) and won my trust.

So, stop by for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate to A Pretty Rock. With plenty of other giveaways running currently, it’s definitely worth the visit.

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GIVEAWAY! Get a new pair of earrings!Traveling TodayGIVEAWAY at Simply Wired Custom Jewelry!

• Moses described Amethyst as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews.
• Ancient Greeks believed that wearing Amethyst jewelry would prevent intoxication, going as far as crafting drinking vessels and amulets in this stone.
• Greek mythology states that Diana turned a nymph whom Bacchus loved into an amethyst; hence Amethyst is also known as the Bacchus stone.

• Tibetan monks considered Amethyst to be sacred to Buddha. They fashion rosaries from it, believing it to be an excellent stone for meditation.
• Egyptian royalty believed that the tears of the gods had stained the Quartz purple and created the Gemstone as it is today.
• Egyptians also used the stone in intaglios.
• In early history, purple dye was scarce and expensive and therefore reserved for garments of royalty. Due to its hue, the Amethyst gemstone followed suit.
• Due to Amethyst’s symbolism of spirituality and piety, it has adorned numerous churches and crosses. It is also worn in rings and on rosaries by clergy members.
• Amethyst is the gemstone for the 6th wedding anniversary.

Did I miss any other interesting facts on Amethyst? Let me know!

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