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Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Product Showcase: Starry Night

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Here is a fact that almost everyone who knows me will tell you – I love stars. I’ve always been fascinated by them, both the actual stars in the night sky and anything with their shape on it. I’m so into stars that I even have 12 of them tattooed in various places on my body! This week, I’ve rounded up some fabulous star-themed handmade goodies for your enjoyment.

The inspiration for the earrings up top started with the finish, which Caroline, the artist, discovered by accident one day while working with a piece of silver. She realised that just by using a steel file, she could create a wonderful shimmer effect on the surface of the silver. Caroline has always loved star shapes in jewellery – “I feel the shape is simple, yet fun and also timeless…so what would be better than a star that gently shimmers in the light. ”

I love this print by Deb of Champignons, it reminds me of looking up at the night sky and feeling very small indeed. Deb was inspired by the juxtaposition of big things like cosmic hares and stars and tiny things we treasure and keep safe. She says, “I’ve always liked the idea of tiny world systems, there’s nothing to say that worlds have to be giant, either, so there might be tiny worlds all over the place, with stars and hares and even smaller worlds within them.”

How adorable is this zombie/stars colourful print? “The idea behind the little zombie lovers is to share some love!” says designer Rhi, who intends the expression of the zombie about to recieve the heart to depict warmth, shyness and surprise. Rhi paints these designs with the hope that someone can give the painting to another, as a gift that says ‘I love you’ in an alternative way.

Nautical stars like the ones in this cushion cover remind me of my husband, who has one tattooed on his forearm. Ruth was inspired by her daughter, who loves skulls and pirates – she also thought the red and black stripes were very piratey! “I just love being creative with fabric, it is a bit of an obsession!! I am always looking out for beautiful, luxurious and quirky fabrics.”

Chocolate and Steel

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Chocolate and Steel: I specialize in fine silver jewelry that uses reclaimed silver. Most of my pieces are created using PMC (precious metal clay). PMC uses silver that is reclaimed from film negatives and x-rays. That silver is ground to a powder and mixed with an organic binder that makes is malleable like clay. So, when I work with it it is in clay form.

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After I have created something wonderful for you I fire the piece in a kiln and the organic binder burns away completely and what is left is just he pure silver. MAGIC – wha-la! The final piece is polished, oxidized, brushed, and so on and so forth.

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With metal clay I am able to translate my organic inspirations onto an industrial material. So goes the name “Chocolate and Steel”…the combination of organic and industrial, soft and strong, sweet and solid.

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Now an independent designer living in Los Angeles, I wake to discover new inspirations everyday. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to do what I love. I have many hobby-like activities, but creating jewelry is my passion.

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Melissa Lew Jewelry

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lariat necklace from the transcendence line

Melissa Lew has been an artist her whole life. Some of her fondest childhood memories are of making jewelry with her mother. These days, in addition to her graphic design day job, she is also a painter, a photographer, a classically trained pianist, and of course, the designer and sculptor of her own jewelry line.

cherry blossom themed necklace

The current Melissa Lew jewelry collection includes four lines, with four themes: Transcendence (cherry blossoms), Prosperity (goldfish), Longevity (Asian dogwoods), and Resilience (transfers of Melissa’s paintings on bamboo). Melissa uses mainly recycled, sustainable, and eco-friendly materials to create her jewelry, including recycled fine silver, stainless steel, and bamboo. All her recycled fine silver jewelry is hand carved, so every single piece is completely unique!

Although Melissa has wide-ranging experience in the visual and performing arts, her interests were focused into jewelry making partially through her exposure to recycled fine silver. The material intrigued her, and she found it was an excellent medium to translate her passion for her Chinese heritage into a personal, wearable form.

“I love how personal jewelry is,” she says. “I love that instead of being hung on a
wall or placed on a pedestal, people wear it and enjoy it.”

transcendence cuff bracelet

Her inspirations come from her Chinese heritage, and from the deep reverence the Chinese have for the natural world. Classical Chinese proverbs, symbolism, and tradition all play a part in the creation of Melissa Lew jewelry.

bracelet from prosperity line

Melissa taught herself how to make jewelry, which is unsurprising for someone attracted to all types of art and handcrafting. She had always been interested in sculpture, and jewelry-making, the way she does it anyway, is just like sculpture on a very small scale.

In addition to her love for recycled fine silver, Melissa also hopes to experiment with other recycled metals, including copper, bronze, and gold.

awakening pendant

Melissa Lew Jewelry has won several awards and has been shown in exhibitions locally and across the country. Most recently, locals may have seen her jewelry adorn the models at DC Fashion Week in February.

Not surprisingly, Melissa’s DC-area customers are drawn to her cherry blossom themed Transcendence line. She supposes that the extremely popular National Cherry Blossom Festival here makes it easy for locals to form a personal connection between the understated flower and their hometown.

transcendence earrings

You can find Melissa Lew jewelry online and at local arts and craft shows. The next one will be the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market in Arlington, Virginia on June 12. Melissa’s web site is updated regularly with news on her upcoming events and appearances, so check often!

It’s All in the Details

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Over the years I’ve seen bows popping up everywhere, and while I would have previously called bows just a trend – they’ve become a classic mainstay now as far as I’m concerned! Interestingly enough – I decided the theme of this post yesterday when I saw a gorgeous example on the front page of Etsy, but today all these bows have taken on an even a greater significance for me. Because when you’re making a bow, essentially you’re tying a knot. And – my cousin got engaged tonight! So you should probably expect some handmade wedding posts from me as I’m so excited to help her with all the planning. She and her fiance have already decided that the wedding will be next summer, so that means the next few weeks she’ll be researching venues and soon after that shopping for a wedding dress!

Now – back to the topic at hand, bows! I’ve found some fun items to feature today, from a variety of Etsy shops.

Secda has a very sweet Etsy shop, Secdus, where she sells pillows – many embellished with sweet bows. During the day Secda helps design lingerie for her families business, but after work she likes to create for herself as she finds it really relaxing.

bow pillow

Lime Green Modern has a beautiful Etsy shop featuring her own metal work. I’m pleased to learn that she makes her own silver pendants and ear wires by hand in her studio, all out of reclaimed and recycled silver. The second I saw her bow necklace I knew I had to post about it.

bow necklace

Lamorez lives in Malaysia and loves to sew! How sweet is this red purse I found in her shop? Made of canvas, because of it’s size you could use it for pretty much anything: a diaper bag, school tote, an every day purse, and the list goes on!