Inspiration - Song Titles

First Row: Hush, Chelsea Morning, Shelter from the Storm

Middle Row: Good Day Sunshine, California Dreamin', It's a Jungle Out There

Bottom Row: Coconut, Heart and Soul, Rainbow 'Round My Shoulders

Since each of my jewelry pieces is unique, I try to come up with a different "name" for each of them. I  realized recently that very often when I look at the finished piece, whether it's because of the shape or colors of the beads or their arrangement, the first thing I am reminded of is a song. I only hope, since my taste in music is very eclectic, that other people "get" the references.

Video Review by Heather Anderson

This video review of three of my necklaces, along with pictures and kind words about my work, was just posted on Heather's blog, Latter Day Shops.


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SUMMER SALE of Unique Handmade Necklaces

Now I know what the brick and mortar retailers face at the end of every season....clearing out older merchandise to make room for the new. I have made several new necklaces using beads with autumnal (finally got to use that word in a sentence) hues but I don't want to have too many items in my etsy shop at one time.

So, I have moved several necklaces (and not just those with a summery color-scheme!) into the SUMMER SALE section of my shop. The necklaces are now priced at only $15-$16, marked down from their original prices of $18-$24.

They reflect the full range of necklaces I create...some with silvertone chain, some with goldtone chain, some with felt beads, some with vintage ribbon and lace and some with recycled cotton t shirt yarn.

New Additions to My Shop's SALE Section

I put some more of my long, light necklaces on sale. You'll find them (and others) in the Sale Section of my shop. Every sale necklace is either $15 or $16 (marked down from $21-$24). I'm trying to make room in the shop for several new necklaces that have a more autumnal (is that a word?) feel. I think it's my way of urging Mother Nature to "send away" the heat and humidity that the country is suffering through.

Inspiration - Alfred Hitchcock

I am a film buff! I grew up watching "old" movies on television. Several of my favorites were directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It wasn't until I took a film course in college (and we watched North by Northwest six times) that I began to appreciate why his films are so captivating. To name just a few: the unusual camera work and editing (think shower scene in Psycho), stories about everyday people in everyday places, mistaken identity, psychology, great pairings of male and female characters and actors, the use of music and graphic design...I could go on.

To this day, if there is "nothing to watch" on the 150+ channels I have on cable and I notice a Hitchcock movie (even North by Northwest!) as I am scrolling through complaining that "there is nothing" to watch, I will watch it again. I will wait for the director's cameo appearance. I will say the famous lines along with the actors and I will notice new things in the "film" (so much more accurate when talking about Hitchcock!).

Sometimes when I am looking for a name for one of my new pieces of jewelry, usually a necklace, Hitchcock's films come to mind. I think of adjectives I'd use to describe the finished necklace like dramatic, elegant, unpredictable, unusual, classic etc and then the name of one his films "pops" into my head. Oh well...even if my potential customers don't "get" the reference, it's one way of paying homage to the "master."

the famous profile and my Notorious and Vertigo Necklaces

PS Did you know that Notorious (1946) is famous for a scene in which Hitchcock got around the film censors' rule that kisses could not last longer than three seconds with some clever editing? The kiss between Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman became as "notorious" as the film's title.

Long, light, eco-friendly, affordable and SOFT!

About a year ago, I started seeing scarves made out of t shirt yarn on etsy. I liked the fact that they were made out of recycled cotton t shirts and that they were soft against the skin, especially the skin at the back of the neck! I found some wonderful suppliers of t shirt yarn and started fooling around with using pieces of it to anchor vintage beads in my necklaces. The only thing it limits me from doing is including several heavy beads in any one necklace....but I don't like "heavy" anyway. I have plenty of fun, colorful vintage plastic beads that are very light in weight and I can also include some of my favorite handmade felted wool beads which are light AND soft.

I now have enough of these necklaces listed in my etsy shop to create a special section for them. Please take a look. They make great gifts and are particularly popular with teenagers, college folk and anyone who likes casual, affordable, eclectic jewelry.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes...Knees and Toes!

a fun collection of "head to toe" ensembles!

Nova Scotia Beach Glass Jewelry ~ ETT SOTW

Whenever I walk along the beach, I look down for interesting things like shells and glass. But I never seem to find the amazing pieces of seaglass (or mermaid's tears) that Lori Stewart, of Nova Scotia Beach Glass Jewelry on etsy does! And then she turns these treasures (that come from man-made trash) into lovely works of wearable art: pendants and necklaces.

Lori appreciates the history and romance behind her chosen material. She says there is nothing so soothing as to handle seaglass. Interest in her work is growing. "I've been asked to do a home party...plus several stores have expressed interest in displaying my necklaces."

To celebrate being this week's SOTW Lori is offering

FREE shipping for the month of May (to Canada and the US)

AND a sale: 25% off orders over $100.00

To learn more about Lori and her work, follow her on Twitter and Facebook and read her blog!

New ETT Shop of the Week ~ is ME!

You can read the entire post at the Etsy Twitter Team blog. To celebrate my "Shop of the Weekness," everything in my etsy shop is 20% off (not including S/H) through Sunday, October 25th. Just write ETT in the "notes to seller" section when you make a purchase and I will send your refund to your Paypal account!

It makes me feel very "warm and fuzzy" to be on the receiving end of all the great things the ETT members do for each other, especially when you are the Shop of the Week!

ETT Shop of the Week ~ Joslin Jewels

Sheridan Joslin, of Joslin Jewels, creates wire wrapped and beaded jewelry. But all it takes is one look at her shop and you can tell immediately that her art involves so much more than "just" wire and beads!


“Whether simple or intricate, I meticulously craft each piece of jewelry I create. I use only fine metals and carefully selected gemstones. Each piece is original and most are one of a kind. I love gemstones as much as I love a good puzzle. Making intricate wire jewelry is like a challenging puzzle. It involves shaping and forging straight wire into intricate designs with no soldering -- only wrapped connections. It's an art that dates back thousands of years, and many of the techniques used today are the same as those used in ancient times. With only a few simple tools and careful manipulation, a skilled jewelry artist can sculpt wire into beautiful works of wearable art.”

And that is exactly what Sheridan does with her work. Check out her shop and be amazed!

Follow her on Twitter . Read her blog. Become her fan on Facebook.

Special Deal until 9/27/09: Buy one or more items over $25.00 and choose one item worth up to $25.00 for FREE! Simply enter "etsytwitter" and the name of the item you would like to receive for free in the Notes to Seller box during Etsy.com checkout.

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE Ends Monday!

The Etsy Twitter Team's BACK TO SCHOOL SALE ends Monday, September 7th.

All the items in the Back to School Section of my shop are 25% off the listed price.

Refunds will be sent to buyers' Paypal accounts after purchase.

Going back to school CAN be fun!

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE Continues at threepeats Jewelry

Everything in the Back To School section of my etsy shop is 25% off (including S/H) through 9/7.

Refunds will be sent to buyers' Paypal accounts after purchase.

The Etsy Twitter Team BACK TO SCHOOL SALE starts today!

The Etsy Twitter team BACK TO SCHOOL SALE starts today and runs through September 7th.

Check out the team's blog to get all the details.

In my shop, everything in the BACK TO SCHOOL section is 25% off (including S/H). Just write ETTBTS in the notes to seller section when you purchase something and I will send you a refund via Paypal ASAP. All the items in the video below are included!

Going back to school can be fun!

threepeats Items Selected for Recent Etsy Treasuries

Desert Sky Dangle Earrings $8.00
Mint Condition Earrings $9.00
Lemon/ Lime Necklace $20.00
Cherry Red Dangle Earrings $8.00

Suzanne@threepeats

that's Headley ~ ETT Shop of the Week

Ginny Headley Maserang, of that’s Headley!, creates artisan jewelry. Her shop features bracelets, necklaces, earrings, jewelry for special occasions and holidays, and has a unisex section. Proceeds from the sale of items in her shop's “Hope for Whirled Peas” section benefit Fisher Houses. (For more information about this fundraising effort, please see the listings.)

Her creative inspiration most often comes "from the beautiful materials I work with - I've loved pretty rocks since I was a little girl, and nothing pleases me more than to pull all my treasures out like a glittering box of crayons and have them tell me what they want to be. I love, too, the color combinations in nature, and can't keep myself from looking at a sunset or garden and imagining the colors coming together as a work of wearable art.”

She also has an etsy shop for vintage goodies called ginny's Veranda.

ETT Sidewalk Sale ~ $5 off every necklace @ threepeats!

I will be participating (along with many other Etsy Twitter Team members) in a virtual Sidewalk Sale which will run from May 17th through May 23rd. I will be offering $5.00 off every necklace in my etsy shop! Necklaces usually priced from
$17-22 will be $12-17 during the sale. The $5 (for each necklace purchased) will be refunded to your Paypal account after payment! This offer can not be combined with any other specials (such as a gift certficate).

Check out the ETT blog to see the other great sales and specials team members are offering!

I hope I've made enough necklaces!

The Artistic Process

When I was a kid learning how to write, teachers' comments at the top of my papers invariably included some version of the following: watch run-on sentences, keep it short and simple, clarity, clarity, clarity etc. I was a good student and I learned these lessons. After I finish this post I will probably go back and delete words, phrases and entire paragraphs. After all, my object is to hold your attention!

I find it amusing that in my work as a dance teacher, the hardest thing for me to do is edit my choreography or that of my students....especially if edit means cutting steps, combinations or sequences that we like. But I do it and hopefully model for my students that art can get better if you revise (RE vision) your ideas along the way.

And now, my inability to "leave well enough alone" has extended to my jewelry making. The necklace I now call Soft for Spring (it has had several other names) has not sold. It gets views and comments but it is still there in my closet. So today, I shortened it, rearranged some of the vintage beads and added pieces of vintage ribbon and lace. I know that this doesn't qualify as keeping it simple, but it is revision. If it doesn't sell soon, who knows what I will add next?

By the way, there are at least 60 words that have been edited from this post...and you will never get to see them!

Cherry Blossom Necklace in Etsy Treasury

My Cherry Blossom Necklace was included in a new etsy treasury called Tweet Tweet. The treasury was created by Jen (Thanks, Jen!) at Jenco13, a fellow member of the Etsy Twitter Team. This was one of the necklaces I made after purchasing a batch of unused vintage plastic hoop beads from johnv6, a favorite ebay seller.

Loopiness! My New Spring Line

Since I discovered a supplier of unused vintage plastic hoop beads, my creative juices have been revitalized. I have always been inspired by the materials I use rather than designing something first and then finding what I need to bring the design to life. Often those materials would come from broken or unattractive vintage pieces, but there are some vintage bead dealers that have somehow amassed large amounts (not if I keep buying them!) of unused vintage beads. One such supplier is johnv6 , from whom I have purchased several lots of plastic hoop beads.

They have inspired a series of new necklaces and earrings, which I think of (with undeserved hubris, may I add!) as my SPRING LINE.

Getting Romantic in My Middle Age

I have always been interested in vintage items and have collected many different types of vintage things over the years. One of those "things" was vintage ribbons, buttons and lace. At one time, I added them to T-shirts. I used them to wrap special packages. But mostly they sat in a bag at the back of the closet.....until yesterday. Lately, I have been admiring the way artisans are juxtaposing unlikely materials in their pieces. I purchased felted wool beads from a wonderful etsy artist called Tayny and used them in a necklace. I liked the idea that the necklace was soft and hard at the same time. And I have always wanted my necklaces to be lightweight.

Now I have started adding bits of those vintage ribbons and lace to my work. The first such Item I just listed this morning and called it Mint Romance Necklace. I made it so that the bows can easily be removed.

I'd be interested in hearing what you think...am I getting soft? Have I lost my edge?