As (hopefully) many of our various and sundry followers know, Twinflame Studios has somewhat withdrawn from Etsy due to personal disagreement with some of their recent changes in policy. We still have a presence on their site, to support other artists, but we no longer sell through their company. This has gone on for some months, with no internet shop presence for the Studio, but our dry spell is (also hopefully) over.
Fox has discovered another online marketplace, set up much the way Etsy used to be. Their listing fees are percentage per sale - as in we artists only pay if we sell! Over the next few days, I'll be posting listings at Foxfire Musings, as a sort of test run to see how well the website works. It's all active and ready, just in time for the holidays, so have at! If there's a piece you've been eyeing in our FB or deviantART gallery, feel free to request it be listed for sale.
Support (real!) local, handmade, etc, this holiday season. Try out scottsmarketplace.com instead, and let me know what your experiences are like!
Showing posts with label Jewelry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jewelry. Show all posts
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Artist's Sunday, Winter Edition: the Frosty Sea
This Artist's Sunday is dedicated to another of your Artful White Fox's favorite precious stones: pearls!
Pearls are another organic gem; that is, one not formed by mineral crystallization (think quartz crystals), much like amber or jet. Pearls are made by oysters, when a grain of sand or something else irritating gets inside their shell, they secrete a substance called nacre which builds up in layers to protect the oyster's delicate flesh from the irritant. Many oyster farms are dedicated to pearl farming, and often seed the oysters with specially shaped irritants in order to get specially shaped pearls. They're the June birthstone (funny story, this is why my Mom hates pearls... she doesn't like that pearls are her birthstone. I told her I'd trade if I could - mine's blue topaz, which is ok, but I do love pearls). They are also a big favorite for weddings.
This is my time of year, my own personal perfectly uncomfortable and yet fitting juxtaposition... my birthday is on the Winter Solstice. If you know me, then you know I am a scrawny bit of 5'3" with no extra body fat to speak of (too high a metabolism), and before you think, "lucky girl" let me just say that it's a pain the butt... but that's for another post. The point is... I get cold. Very cold. Very easily. Any body heat I create just doesn't stay inside unless I'm wearing plenty of layers, even indoors. So I was born at the height of the time that causes me the most physical discomfort. So I find other ways to enjoy the season... and looking for gemmy inspiration in the middle of the frozen wasteland of winter is just as good as any other.
What gemstones come to mind when you think of winter sparklies?
Pearls are another organic gem; that is, one not formed by mineral crystallization (think quartz crystals), much like amber or jet. Pearls are made by oysters, when a grain of sand or something else irritating gets inside their shell, they secrete a substance called nacre which builds up in layers to protect the oyster's delicate flesh from the irritant. Many oyster farms are dedicated to pearl farming, and often seed the oysters with specially shaped irritants in order to get specially shaped pearls. They're the June birthstone (funny story, this is why my Mom hates pearls... she doesn't like that pearls are her birthstone. I told her I'd trade if I could - mine's blue topaz, which is ok, but I do love pearls). They are also a big favorite for weddings.
This is my time of year, my own personal perfectly uncomfortable and yet fitting juxtaposition... my birthday is on the Winter Solstice. If you know me, then you know I am a scrawny bit of 5'3" with no extra body fat to speak of (too high a metabolism), and before you think, "lucky girl" let me just say that it's a pain the butt... but that's for another post. The point is... I get cold. Very cold. Very easily. Any body heat I create just doesn't stay inside unless I'm wearing plenty of layers, even indoors. So I was born at the height of the time that causes me the most physical discomfort. So I find other ways to enjoy the season... and looking for gemmy inspiration in the middle of the frozen wasteland of winter is just as good as any other.
What gemstones come to mind when you think of winter sparklies?
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Artist's Sunday #10: Thanksgiving, or "and now, for Something Completely Different."
I'm going to change it up a bit this Sunday, and instead of featuring other artists' works (yes, I know, that was the entire point of Artist's Sunday and all that), I'm going to present a story, and call for you artists, crafters, writers, and all you other creative people out there to do the same. I'm going to tell you the story that best demonstrates why I continue to create and share my art.
I'm going to tell you the story that shows most perfectly why I am thankful for the talent and skill and opportunity to make art and share it with the world. (See what I did there, I worked in Thanksgiving. Hee hee.)
In truth, the point to Artist's Sunday was, is, and will always be communion between like-minded individuals. Whatever our internal disagreements - over mediums, materials, techniques, pricing, advertising, etc., etc., etc. - we are still artists, still of like mind, still creating beauty to share with the world.
So here's my story:
Now, it's your turn! My call out to all you other artists this Sunday, is to dig deep (or maybe not so deep?) and find the story that best displays why you continue to make art in spite of all the mud that life flings in your face.
Live, Love, and Make Art
-your Artful White Fox.
I'm going to tell you the story that shows most perfectly why I am thankful for the talent and skill and opportunity to make art and share it with the world. (See what I did there, I worked in Thanksgiving. Hee hee.)
In truth, the point to Artist's Sunday was, is, and will always be communion between like-minded individuals. Whatever our internal disagreements - over mediums, materials, techniques, pricing, advertising, etc., etc., etc. - we are still artists, still of like mind, still creating beauty to share with the world.
So here's my story:
It was the Stone Mountain Highland Games of... oh, several years ago, back when I was first learning some of my now-favorite techniques and mediums, back when I was still affiliated with the Wild Highlanders, selling my jewelry under their aegis. I had just finished some classes at a local jeweler's, on Precious Metal Clay(PMC) and chainmaille jewelry. The PMC pieces I'd made went on the table next to my beadwork, my purposely primitive ogham pieces and equally (but not as purposely) primitive wirework... and what do you know, the PMC got the most attention that year. Part of the class had been on how to create a PMC box and include gems in the piece. Mine was an (I thought) ugly little abstract trapezoidal thing with three little gems embedded in the random, pointless swirls on its face.
Someone didn't agree with my assessment of the underestimated little box, however. A woman stopped by the tent, browsed over my now-ex-husband's handmade knives (the Wild Highlanders tend to celebrate the more ancient and primitive Celtic ways over the more modern Bonnie Prince Charlie stuff), and then gave my jewelry a quick, brushing glance. Now, I'd seen this woman stop at several other tents, give their merchandise that same brushing glance, and move on. I noticed she was wearing jewelry from a couple of the other artists at that Games, namely Marc of Kent and the Crafty Celts, and with an idiotic, delusional certainty, I just knew she'd pass by my work, same as I'd watched her do at the other tents.
I was dead wrong. It took her less than five minutes to decide she wanted that ugly little box. I was thrilled, because her eyes sparkled with a delight that lit up my life. Now, un-remembered to me, this dear lady was the same customer who had, the year before, purchased an antler pendant inscribed with a harp and the ogham for Taliesin the Bard. I told her a little of Taliesin's story, and as things will go, I'd forgotten the incident. If you've ever been a vendor at a craft fair, you know how it goes; so many people stop and chat, some purchase and some don't, but it ends up being hard to remember faces after a while. So, anyway, I told her how excited I was that this particular little piece was going to a good home, and she looked at me in this piercing sort of way, and told me that the Taliesin piece had been a blessing. It took me only moments to put it together - the Taliesin piece had been one of my favorites, after all - and as soon as she saw the recognition in my face, she went on to explain it. She was a harpist (harper?), specifically playing the Celtic lap harp, and she'd fallen out of practice for a few years before purchasing my Taliesin piece - health, life, etc getting in the way. The pendant had been like a talisman for her, inspiring her to get back into playing, and she wore it every time she sat down to practice. Due to my work, my art, this dear lady had gotten back into doing something she loved, that warmed her heart and blessed her spirit.
Come to find out, she was the wife of one of the Games commissioners, and her purchase of the ugly little box came just as some inner commission politics were trying to edge the Wild Highlanders out of the Games. She and her husband (who was proudly wearing one of my ex-husband's knives in his sock), argued our case to the Games Commission, and ultimately won.
Not only was my art instrumental for this lovely lady's own artistic life, but it aided in avoiding an unpleasant situation and the loss of the biggest Games the Wild Highlanders attended. And this is why I continue to make my art... because it touches lives, in ways I can never predict, and I can't wait to see how the ripples spread.
Now, it's your turn! My call out to all you other artists this Sunday, is to dig deep (or maybe not so deep?) and find the story that best displays why you continue to make art in spite of all the mud that life flings in your face.
Live, Love, and Make Art
-your Artful White Fox.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Artist's Sunday #9: Delicious, Rich, Creamy, Sensual...
...Amber.
I bet you were expecting something like "lotion" or something foodie-related... but instead today is about Amber.
Amber is a fossil; tree resin (sap) that hardened and fossilized to form the delightful gemstone that ranges in shade from an almost-white cream to a deep brown that is nearly black. There is also Green Amber and Blue Amber, which is the most rare, and found almost exclusively in the Dominican Republic. In fact, blue amber only looks blue in certain light, because of its inclusions. Some of the most desirable pieces have preserved insects or small lizards captured within. Its colors are perfect for harvesttime, blend seamlessly with silver, and go with nearly any other color imaginable. It's the perfect statement accessory, and can be found in so many varieties of color and shape that the possibilities are endless. It is easily carved, polishes beautifully, and even looks gorgeous in the raw! When in the raw, it exudes an oil that is mildly anesthetic, hence its popular usage as a teething remedy, effective for both moms and babies. Essential oils and perfumes can be made from it.
This is, in my opinion, *the* gemstone for autumn. If you've ever seen it or touched it you know what I mean. The colors mirror the changing leaves. The texture is smooth when polished, like a misty autumn day... and it's one of my favorites, if you couldn't tell.
Now, on to the arts!
I have featured this artist before, but these wearable sculptures were too perfect for this edition of Artist's Sunday, so I had to feature another piece:
Until next time...
-your Artful White Fox
I bet you were expecting something like "lotion" or something foodie-related... but instead today is about Amber.
Amber is a fossil; tree resin (sap) that hardened and fossilized to form the delightful gemstone that ranges in shade from an almost-white cream to a deep brown that is nearly black. There is also Green Amber and Blue Amber, which is the most rare, and found almost exclusively in the Dominican Republic. In fact, blue amber only looks blue in certain light, because of its inclusions. Some of the most desirable pieces have preserved insects or small lizards captured within. Its colors are perfect for harvesttime, blend seamlessly with silver, and go with nearly any other color imaginable. It's the perfect statement accessory, and can be found in so many varieties of color and shape that the possibilities are endless. It is easily carved, polishes beautifully, and even looks gorgeous in the raw! When in the raw, it exudes an oil that is mildly anesthetic, hence its popular usage as a teething remedy, effective for both moms and babies. Essential oils and perfumes can be made from it.
This is, in my opinion, *the* gemstone for autumn. If you've ever seen it or touched it you know what I mean. The colors mirror the changing leaves. The texture is smooth when polished, like a misty autumn day... and it's one of my favorites, if you couldn't tell.
Now, on to the arts!
I have featured this artist before, but these wearable sculptures were too perfect for this edition of Artist's Sunday, so I had to feature another piece:
Until next time...
-your Artful White Fox
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Artist's Sunday #6: Nerd Love, Episode 3 - the Baby Geek
This week's edition of Artist's Sunday is going to have a slightly broader spectrum, being the midway point: The Baby Geek.
Nerdy parents dress their poor hapless spawn in the paraphernalia of the nerddoms of their choice, and it's us geeky artists' jobs to make sure they have the torture devices to do it with. From Doctor Who cosplayed by a 4-yr-old to an adorable character hat, or wall art, the geeky artists' community has plenty of work cut out for them (us).
Disclaimer: Twinflame Studios is not responsible for COS (Cuteness Overload Syndrome) resulting from reading this issue of Artist's Sunday. ;)
Nerdy parents dress their poor hapless spawn in the paraphernalia of the nerddoms of their choice, and it's us geeky artists' jobs to make sure they have the torture devices to do it with. From Doctor Who cosplayed by a 4-yr-old to an adorable character hat, or wall art, the geeky artists' community has plenty of work cut out for them (us).
Disclaimer: Twinflame Studios is not responsible for COS (Cuteness Overload Syndrome) resulting from reading this issue of Artist's Sunday. ;)
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Artist's Sunday #2: Re-kindling Persephone
Been awhile since the White Fox did Artist's Sunday. The blogging life often gets superseded by other things. The holiday season was... taxing, and time- and energy-consuming. So, apologies, dear readers, but here we go again!
Since childhood, your White Fox has been fascinated by mythology and folktales. My favorite stories to read were the Greek myths of Persephone, Hephaestus, Artemis & Orion, the Graces, the Muses... well, you get the idea. There was a phase of obsession with unicorns - and not fluffycorns, by the way - the old stories, the real stories of unicorns that would rip you open with that horn of theirs unless there was a virginal maiden nearby to calm him. I checked about a dozen old books about unicorns from the library that summer and read, and read, and read... these days, however, I'm convinced the unicorns were just randy old goats...
*ahem* I have always adored and been obsessed with dragons of all shapes and sizes. As I grew, I discovered other mythos - the Celtic stories of the Warrior-Queen of Connacht, Cu Chulainn, the Morrigan, Arawn, Arianrhod, the Cailleach, Cerridwen, Bloduwedd, Rhiannon & Llyr, the Tuatha de Danaan, Lugh... other tales, such as the stories of Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca, or Amaterasu, or Inari and his kitsune, or the Jade Emperor, ancient /Mesopotamian mythos, such as Inanna, Ishtar & Ereshkigal, Enlil, Gilgamesh & Enkidu (which she's actually been fascinated with because of an episode of Star Trek: the Next Generation. Extra points if you can name the episode...). The Egyptian mythologies, too, of course... like the story of how the gods had to get Sekhmet drunk on blood-wine to get her to stop taking her job too seriously and slaughtering all the humans. Most recently it's been a fascination with the Phoenix, and re-kindling of Persephone...
This Artist's Sunday is dedicated to Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.
She was born to Zeus and Demeter, and was beautiful, and much-loved by everyone, gods and humans alike. Even Hades could not deny her beauty, and he also loved her, so much that he opened the earth one day and stole her away while she was collecting flowers on the plain of Enna. He was so quick that no one but Zeus and Helios, the all-seeing god of the sun, noticed.
Demeter's heart was broken, and she wandered the earth searching for her daughter, until finally Helios revealed what Hades had done. The grieving mother was so angry that she withdrew herself from the earth, causing the earth to cease to be fertile (fecund...). Zeus took action, knowing that this infertility could not continue, and sent Hermes to Hades, to make the god of the Underworld release Persephone. Hades agreed, but not before he had given Persephone a pomegranate. Eating from the pomegranate bound her to the Underworld, and she is forever fated to live there for one-third of every year. The rest of the year, she lives with her mother, Demeter, and there is joy and life in the earth.
When Persephone must return to the Underworld, Demeter refuses to let anything grow. This is how winter came to the world.
Some say she loved Hades in return, and ate the pomegranate seeds on purpose, so she could be with him, and Demeter would still allow the earth to grow. Personally, I prefer this version of the tale, but I'm a hopeless old romantic at heart...
And now a little more eye candy for your savoring, before I sign off on this Artist's Sunday:
the Artful White Fox
Since childhood, your White Fox has been fascinated by mythology and folktales. My favorite stories to read were the Greek myths of Persephone, Hephaestus, Artemis & Orion, the Graces, the Muses... well, you get the idea. There was a phase of obsession with unicorns - and not fluffycorns, by the way - the old stories, the real stories of unicorns that would rip you open with that horn of theirs unless there was a virginal maiden nearby to calm him. I checked about a dozen old books about unicorns from the library that summer and read, and read, and read... these days, however, I'm convinced the unicorns were just randy old goats...
*ahem* I have always adored and been obsessed with dragons of all shapes and sizes. As I grew, I discovered other mythos - the Celtic stories of the Warrior-Queen of Connacht, Cu Chulainn, the Morrigan, Arawn, Arianrhod, the Cailleach, Cerridwen, Bloduwedd, Rhiannon & Llyr, the Tuatha de Danaan, Lugh... other tales, such as the stories of Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca, or Amaterasu, or Inari and his kitsune, or the Jade Emperor, ancient /Mesopotamian mythos, such as Inanna, Ishtar & Ereshkigal, Enlil, Gilgamesh & Enkidu (which she's actually been fascinated with because of an episode of Star Trek: the Next Generation. Extra points if you can name the episode...). The Egyptian mythologies, too, of course... like the story of how the gods had to get Sekhmet drunk on blood-wine to get her to stop taking her job too seriously and slaughtering all the humans. Most recently it's been a fascination with the Phoenix, and re-kindling of Persephone...
This Artist's Sunday is dedicated to Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.
She was born to Zeus and Demeter, and was beautiful, and much-loved by everyone, gods and humans alike. Even Hades could not deny her beauty, and he also loved her, so much that he opened the earth one day and stole her away while she was collecting flowers on the plain of Enna. He was so quick that no one but Zeus and Helios, the all-seeing god of the sun, noticed.
Demeter's heart was broken, and she wandered the earth searching for her daughter, until finally Helios revealed what Hades had done. The grieving mother was so angry that she withdrew herself from the earth, causing the earth to cease to be fertile (fecund...). Zeus took action, knowing that this infertility could not continue, and sent Hermes to Hades, to make the god of the Underworld release Persephone. Hades agreed, but not before he had given Persephone a pomegranate. Eating from the pomegranate bound her to the Underworld, and she is forever fated to live there for one-third of every year. The rest of the year, she lives with her mother, Demeter, and there is joy and life in the earth.
When Persephone must return to the Underworld, Demeter refuses to let anything grow. This is how winter came to the world.
Some say she loved Hades in return, and ate the pomegranate seeds on purpose, so she could be with him, and Demeter would still allow the earth to grow. Personally, I prefer this version of the tale, but I'm a hopeless old romantic at heart...
And now a little more eye candy for your savoring, before I sign off on this Artist's Sunday:
Live, Love, and Make Art
Ever Yours,the Artful White Fox
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Foxfire Daily: Worktable
Fox's work today: some crystals, a chunk of raw (unpolished) amber, some painted bone bits, an ear cuff, and a delicate little labradorite pendant. Still practicing the basket-weaving technique. Better photos coming, I promise!
And a Wyrmling Interlude... the 2-yr-old decides it's time to practice her color words with Mommy's pens. This is what homeschooling looks like for an artist.
And a Wyrmling Interlude... the 2-yr-old decides it's time to practice her color words with Mommy's pens. This is what homeschooling looks like for an artist.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Studio News: New listings on Etsy
pendants, earrings, and chainmaille, oh my! Feel free to browse, comment... and buy!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TwinflameStudios
Brought to you by Fox of Twinflame Studios.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TwinflameStudios
Brought to you by Fox of Twinflame Studios.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Foxfire Daily: Happy news, and a Bonus Quote
I've managed to re-acquire a good portion of my materials and jewelry pieces that had gone into storage last summer!
What does this mean? It means I've got new(old) stock available that will be up on deviantART and Etsy soon. AAAAAANNNDDD it means I have new(old) beads and stones to play with!
I'm a very happy Fox right now.
Further details on what's in stock again soon as I go through it all. <3
Also - Fox's Quote of the Day:
Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other. It is the place of confidence. It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts. It is the spot where expressions of tenderness gush out without any sensation of awkwardness and without any dread of ridicule. ~Frederick W. Robertson
What does this mean? It means I've got new(old) stock available that will be up on deviantART and Etsy soon. AAAAAANNNDDD it means I have new(old) beads and stones to play with!
I'm a very happy Fox right now.
Further details on what's in stock again soon as I go through it all. <3
Also - Fox's Quote of the Day:
Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other. It is the place of confidence. It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts. It is the spot where expressions of tenderness gush out without any sensation of awkwardness and without any dread of ridicule. ~Frederick W. Robertson
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Foxfire Daily: Materials, Price, Design
I was browsing some of the jewelry pages I watch, from Facebook to deviantART, and began to hear the rant muse in my head. I notice the differences in style and materials and workmanship... and then I start to twitch at the terrible disparity between cost of materials and what the so-called artist is charging for a piece made from three-dollar faux-bronze components, or fake pearls that should only be worn by a six-year-old at a fancy church function, or... ah, well, the list goes on.
Steampunk style seems to attract a large number of people taking pre-made elements of a brass or copper color, sometimes silver, and stringing them together and calling it jewelry. Now, while I do a lot of beadwork which, I'll admit, is essentially the same thing, I have to protest when someone goes to their local Michael's craft store, picks up half a dozen cheap metal findings, and slaps them together in a majorly haphazard fashion... and then has the guts to put it up on Etsy for 3-4 times what they paid for materials! I know, I've done the research. And I'll admit, I've gone to Michael's and picked up some of those bits and bobs to make some things, but I don't generally sell them in my shop or at shows - those, I play with for fun, or use as inspirational ideas for some of my other design elements. Those little components - the keys, the birds, the gears, the vintage-style filigree - can be gotten for a few bucks, and people sell pendants and necklaces of these things for upwards of $40. The best work I've ever seen done with these was a little shoddy solder-work to affix two or more pieces together that really don't match in the first place.
Now, there are a good number of steampunk jewelry artists that do actually work at their product. Many of them hunt down their components with care. They typically use authentic watch gears and actual vintage or antique bits in their work, and most of them tend to be very fair in their pricing, AND they are careful as to their materials - a lot of the cheap little components you get at craft stores are who-knows-what kind of alloy (in other words, you don't know if that pretty little bronze-colored pseudo-vintage style pendant you picked up at Michael's the other day contains lead or other toxic metals. No offense to Michaels - you can actually find quality components there for decent prices). My big complaint about these cheap little pieces that hobby-crafters expect you to wear, is that they can often contain sufficient amounts of toxic metals to make a measurable impact on your body, and these hobby-crafters don't always do their checking, or even know that they should be.
Personally, I try to make sure that the components I use in jewelry are lead-free pewter at the very least. Excepting that, I use sterling silver or jeweler's brass or a true bronze. Yes, it makes them a little more expensive, but it should be worth the extra money to create something that is actually safe to wear. This is one of the reasons I haven't done much "steampunk" jewelry. It's damn hard to find components that are steamy AND safe, for a price that isn't ridiculous.
And what about some of these sixty and seventy dollar pieces (or even the forty dollar ones) that are made from haphazard lumping-together of random beads that may or may not color match? Or people that don't realize that their lovely beaded strand is too much for the pendant they're trying to put it with. Lack of design sense applies to the crafter AND the customer. Something is only worth what a person is willing to pay for it, right? Too often, it proves true in the most wrong of ways. I see true artists put heart and soul into their work, only to have it passed over for a hobby-crafter's cheap attempt at making something to sell. The problem here is that the hobby-crafter often makes more money than the true artist, unless the true artist is very, very lucky.
Now, I truly have nothing against hobby-crafters. Some of my best friends are hobby-crafters. But they enact their hobbies with sense. And that is what I'm getting at... be a sensible hobbyist!
It's a ridiculous world. If I could make one request to the handmade community at large (to both hobby-crafters and professional artisans and everything in-between) it would be: Please, please consider the true worth of what you're trying to sell. Don't undercut the artists who spend hours and good money perfecting one piece, but don't overcharge for a piece that cost you virtually nothing to make, either.
And don't underestimate yourself, either.
Steampunk style seems to attract a large number of people taking pre-made elements of a brass or copper color, sometimes silver, and stringing them together and calling it jewelry. Now, while I do a lot of beadwork which, I'll admit, is essentially the same thing, I have to protest when someone goes to their local Michael's craft store, picks up half a dozen cheap metal findings, and slaps them together in a majorly haphazard fashion... and then has the guts to put it up on Etsy for 3-4 times what they paid for materials! I know, I've done the research. And I'll admit, I've gone to Michael's and picked up some of those bits and bobs to make some things, but I don't generally sell them in my shop or at shows - those, I play with for fun, or use as inspirational ideas for some of my other design elements. Those little components - the keys, the birds, the gears, the vintage-style filigree - can be gotten for a few bucks, and people sell pendants and necklaces of these things for upwards of $40. The best work I've ever seen done with these was a little shoddy solder-work to affix two or more pieces together that really don't match in the first place.
Now, there are a good number of steampunk jewelry artists that do actually work at their product. Many of them hunt down their components with care. They typically use authentic watch gears and actual vintage or antique bits in their work, and most of them tend to be very fair in their pricing, AND they are careful as to their materials - a lot of the cheap little components you get at craft stores are who-knows-what kind of alloy (in other words, you don't know if that pretty little bronze-colored pseudo-vintage style pendant you picked up at Michael's the other day contains lead or other toxic metals. No offense to Michaels - you can actually find quality components there for decent prices). My big complaint about these cheap little pieces that hobby-crafters expect you to wear, is that they can often contain sufficient amounts of toxic metals to make a measurable impact on your body, and these hobby-crafters don't always do their checking, or even know that they should be.
Personally, I try to make sure that the components I use in jewelry are lead-free pewter at the very least. Excepting that, I use sterling silver or jeweler's brass or a true bronze. Yes, it makes them a little more expensive, but it should be worth the extra money to create something that is actually safe to wear. This is one of the reasons I haven't done much "steampunk" jewelry. It's damn hard to find components that are steamy AND safe, for a price that isn't ridiculous.
And what about some of these sixty and seventy dollar pieces (or even the forty dollar ones) that are made from haphazard lumping-together of random beads that may or may not color match? Or people that don't realize that their lovely beaded strand is too much for the pendant they're trying to put it with. Lack of design sense applies to the crafter AND the customer. Something is only worth what a person is willing to pay for it, right? Too often, it proves true in the most wrong of ways. I see true artists put heart and soul into their work, only to have it passed over for a hobby-crafter's cheap attempt at making something to sell. The problem here is that the hobby-crafter often makes more money than the true artist, unless the true artist is very, very lucky.
Now, I truly have nothing against hobby-crafters. Some of my best friends are hobby-crafters. But they enact their hobbies with sense. And that is what I'm getting at... be a sensible hobbyist!
It's a ridiculous world. If I could make one request to the handmade community at large (to both hobby-crafters and professional artisans and everything in-between) it would be: Please, please consider the true worth of what you're trying to sell. Don't undercut the artists who spend hours and good money perfecting one piece, but don't overcharge for a piece that cost you virtually nothing to make, either.
And don't underestimate yourself, either.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Etsy shop now stocked!
Jewelry up for sale on Etsy! Thanks for browsing... and hopefully buying! :D
Twinflame Studios Etsy Shop!
Twinflame Studios Etsy Shop!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Fox and Dragon's blog: Handmade jewelry and other crafts.
Also on Facebook, Pinterest, deviantART, and Etsy for convenient access. Photos of our work can be found on Facebook and deviantART. Purchasable items can be found on Etsy. Also see links at the top of the sidebar. Please visit our various and sundry pages, add us, and tell your friends and family!
We use whatever mediums happen to be at hand. Fox prefers gemstones, antler, bone and metals, but has been known to try her hand at sculpture with polymer clay, and the occasional bit of wood or leather work. Dragon will put his hand to whatever strikes his fancy next, though he has done a little of everything from wire pendants to metalsmithing and woodworking. His latest - polyclay and bonecarving.
What's upcoming in the Studio's plans? We'll be exploring our own lives in sculpture and carving, with items such as offering bowls, wands, prayer beads, jewelry, spiritually inspired art... and whatever else strikes our fancy.
We use whatever mediums happen to be at hand. Fox prefers gemstones, antler, bone and metals, but has been known to try her hand at sculpture with polymer clay, and the occasional bit of wood or leather work. Dragon will put his hand to whatever strikes his fancy next, though he has done a little of everything from wire pendants to metalsmithing and woodworking. His latest - polyclay and bonecarving.
What's upcoming in the Studio's plans? We'll be exploring our own lives in sculpture and carving, with items such as offering bowls, wands, prayer beads, jewelry, spiritually inspired art... and whatever else strikes our fancy.
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