Saturday, June 6, 2009

Making Jewelry and a Summer Jewelry Giveaway!


Handmade jewelry is all the rage right now, it seems. There are wonderful Etsy shops with dazzling creations on the web and you can't stop at an arts and crafts fair without seeing multiple jewelry vendors.

This is great, because who doesn't love handmade items? But, even the lower-priced handmade items just aren't in my budget right now. Do you know that they actually expect you to buy textbooks when you are in graduate school? Do you know how much a $100 or $150 text cuts into my fashion budget???


So, what's a girl to do? Do without (which is no solution at all) or make her own! And making your own jewelry is so easy! You could have a wardobe full of unique items for the price of one or two individual pieces if you shop carefully.


Almost any craft or hobby store carries findings, beads and pendants in various shapes and sizes. Those half-off coupons for Michaels or Hobby Lobby can really cut your costs. If you don't have a hobby store in your area, you can get supplies online at Rings & Things, and the prices are unbelievable. Don't overlook yard sales and secondhand shops as sources, either - any costume jewelry can be taken apart to yield pieces for custom items.


I don't even have fancy jewelry pliers - I use hemostats. Trust me - if I can do this, any of you can do it, too. Use your imagination and play around with different arrangements of rings, beads and pendants. You'll have fun, and if nothing else you can make your own Christmas gifts this year!


The jewelry shown in this post is my most recent work - I wanted something casual and summery and inspiring. And I thought of all my sources of inspiration over the past year, and all of you came to mind. So, to thank all of you for all of your support this past year, I am having a little giveaway.


I am giving away the custom necklace pictured here. The pendant is base metal and it says, "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." It's a quote by Aesop, and I think it is particularly appropriate for the bloggers I know. :)


It is shown below with the matching custom earrings I made - also included in the giveaway. I did not put the earrings on because I knew I would be giving them away, and I didn't want to risk sending any of you any tiny little microbial visitors. I'm considerate like that! :)


The chain is thrifted from some costume jewelry I got at an estate sale - it is white metal but I don't know the composition. The ear wires, however, are new. If you choose to reuse ear wires or ear posts in your jewelry I recommend sanitizing them carefully!


The jewelry (necklace and matching earrings) will be *boxed* in a special surprise for the winner, but that will be for the winner to discover. :) If this jewelry is not your style, perhaps it is better suited for someone you know - I would be delighted to know that it had been given as a gift to a loved daughter, or granddaughter, or niece, or what have you!


To enter, leave a comment on this post. Because I think multiple comments are fun, each extra comment (up to five total) will count as another entry. If you choose to mention this giveaway on your blog, I'll give you five extra entries, but please be sure to mention that in one of your comments so I can credit you.

I'll take comments through 6 p.m. Eastern time on June 14th; I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner and then I'll mail the package out as quickly as I can and hopefully you can wear your summer jewelry on the first day of summer!

Good luck! Enter early and enter often!

******A hint on the box: it's from France, from a region that is famous for porcelain. :) ******

27 comments:

Connie said...

How cool is that! I love the Aesop quote, Terri, and the jewelry you made is lovely. Very generous of you to hold a giveaway, especially when you have so much going on right now.

Anonymous said...

Wow Terri! You amaze me with all the creative crafts you make. What a fun and thoughtful giveaway.

andrea said...

I LOVE THAT QUOTE

in fact it's in huge print beside another quote I like tacked to my wall at work :)

you are way too busy to be doing giveaways but I'm in ;)
and I'll be posting on my most visited blog (agility addict) too

do you want 5 new entries on old posts - or do ones already made count? I actually haven't caught up with you much lately so suspect new comments will be easy peasy ... and probably done before you get a chance to answer this - you super woman you!

Terri said...

Thank you Daisy & Mildred!

Andrea, I mean five on this post, because that way they're easy to count and I need easy right now! :) So you can respond to yourself, or to someone else - doesn't matter. It just makes me smile to see multiple comments.

Susie said...

Okay, please throw my name in the bucket for your cute jewelry. I can't believe you made that! You are such a creative person. Wish I had some of that talent.

Regarding your comment on my blog. wondered how far away you lived from Gatlinburg. We had a wonderful time and yes, ate lots of pancakes from the Log Cabin. We love eating breakfast there.

Jennifer said...

I love that quote! We've been reading through Aesop's fables this year as part of our homeschool, and we actually read this particular fable just this past week ... love little coincidences like that!

The necklace and earrings are just beautiful! I, too, love to pick up old jewelry so that I can take them apart, but not to make my own jewelry ... instead, I like to use the pieces in sewing projects. But someday I'd like to try making some jewelry for myself ... I just so happen to have two hemostats (one from each daughter's birth LOL!) I just might make myself some soon ... or maybe I'll just wait and wear yours ;) (crossing fingers here!!)

I'm going to post about this on my blog and will leave another comment when I do ... thanks!

Jennifer said...

Okay, that didn't take too long ... I posted about your giveaway here:
http://house-hill.blogspot.com/2009/06/yes-i-know-its-late.html

Terri said...

Susie, we're not far from there at all! I'm glad you enjoyed your visit - it's been very nice here lately!

Jennifer, thank you for stopping by. I love your blog!

Debbie said...

You are very talented! The necklace is beautiful. Thank you for holding such a great giveaway.

Debbie

vwestermeyer said...

I love the jewelery and the hints you gave to help others start designing their own. And I have a daughter getting ready to start grad school so I understand the budget!!!

Wolfie said...

WOW.... awesome job on the jewelry!!! WTG!!!

You are so creative!!!

WOLFIE

Pear tree cottage! said...

Hello! from Australia, I have just adored visiting your two blog pages today. very much.

Lee-ann

The Giveaway Diva said...

wow how wonderful of you!! thanks so much!!

simple~needs said...

okay, chickie, is there anything that you CAN'T do??!!!
good grief, terri those are awesome!!
i want to win.. but in case i don't....... can we buy a set??

Terri said...

Debbie, thank you for the compliment, and for stopping by!

VW, it is a long hard road, but I think it'll be worth the trip! :)

Wolfie, you are the creative one! Now if you'd only get over your sewing hang-up and get to work on that quilt you want! :)

Lee-ann, hello! How's the weather over there?

Giveaway Diva, thanks for stopping in!

Kim, I can send you detailed instructions on how to make your own - or maybe I should just post a tutorial! :) You all would come up with something far more creative than I, I'm sure!

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

Very cool Terri! I love it! Great giveaway.

Janet said...

What a fun giveaway and I love the quote. I think a tutorial would be so helpful to many including myself!

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

Hey Terri! Hubby and I went to see Star Trek last night. You were right, it rocks! I can't wait until it comes out on video. I sure would like to see it again.

Terri said...

Amy, we enjoyed the movie so much! Like you, we'll definitely see it again on video! :)

Janet, I'll try to post a tutorial after my comprehensive exams in two weeks!

Terri

Heidi D said...

How very pretty. :)

kate said...

how very generous of you! i lvoe that quote!!!

glittergurl04 @hotmail.com

Thistledew Farm said...

Terri - you do good work! Can't wait to see what you come up with when you have actual time to spare on all the fun projects in your head waiting to escape! Fun Fun Fun

em's scrapbag said...

I would love a chance at the lovely jewlery you made. What a great reminder of a dear friend.

Anonymous said...

Wow - just beautiful. I'd love to be entered for a chance to win.
Jan.

Anonymous said...

I'm also enjoying looking through your blog - happy to have discovered you!
Jan

Chicken Herder from Westville said...

Neat necklace, you think I might be able to do jewelry? I am all thumbs. I would sure like to try!

Love giveaways..and would love to win!

TC said...

I like jewelry too. What's a man to do with a feminine piece if I win?? I reckon I could give it to my "boaddl."