The (Ri)Charmed Life: earrings

Showing posts with label earrings. Show all posts

Nice Oyster

That is, nice SPINY oyster! What are you visualizing? If it's a clam type shell covered in long spikes, you correct. Here's one I have in my collection of shells.

Can you imagine stepping on one of these at the beach? Fortunately in modern times they inhabit the waters of the Pacific Ocean and not the Gulf of Mexico. These are actually in the scallop family and are sometimes called Spondylus, which is Latin for "spines on it's back". Historically, these were used as currency in the early Andean culture. Now they are mainly found in southwestern, Native American type jewelries. Let's end this natural history lesson with a fun little fact. These often are born male and then change to female when they are older!

I put together a treasury on Etsy that shows the range in jewelry that is currently available. View it here. Below are some of my favorites from it.

From Navajo master silversmith Albert Jake, available at the Bugz Store

By Ecuadorian artists, La Perla, available at Organic Jewelry by Allie

Scott Grady ring available at Classic Southwest Jewelry Design

Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.html

Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.htmlS

Spondylus more commonly called the Thorny Oyster

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/facts_5728030_spiny-oyster_.html

posted under bracelet, earrings, etsy, Indian, jewelry, lesson, native american, oyster, red, ring, shell, southwestern, spiny, spiny oyster, spondylus, TBEC, TheRicharmedLife, treasury | 0 Comments

The Dilemma

So I picked up these gorgeous pendants at Joann's this morning and turned them into earrings. They look really cool on and I've had several compliments and "Where did you get those?". I'd love to sell stuff like this in my Etsy shop. However- my brand identity lies in including either fair trade or locally sourced or recycled vintage elements in every piece I make.* I feel like that's one of the few things that makes my shop stand out a little on Etsy. I guess I have to hold to that, even though it would be so easy just to slap earring backs onto a lot of premade stuff from Michael's or Joann's. But that type stuff is already on Etsy- in hoards- so I guess it really isn't much a dilemma after all.

They match my page!

*That's also not to say I don't ever buy from those stores. Some supplies I can't get elsewhere for reasonable costs. Still every piece in the shop has to have at least one component that is fair trade or locally sourced or vintage.

posted under boho, branding, costs, craft store, dilemma, earrings, etsy, fair trade, Joann's, local, Michael's, recycled, Richarme Jewelry Designs, sourcing, vintage | 1 Comments

It's Both

from Friday, June 30, 2012~

The earrings are vintage and in my Richarme Jewelry shop.

The dish is also vintage, but in my The (Ri)Charmed Life shop.

I'm trying to be more consistent at cross photographing items from both my jewelry and my vintage shop. It's not a hard thing since my vintage shop has lots of dishware and boxes that's ideal for showing jewelry. The other angle is that if you can give someone an idea of how a vintage piece could function in their own living space, you're half way to making the sale.

posted under asian, dish, earrings, function, items, photographing, Richarme Jewelry Designs, sales, space, TheRicharmedLife, vintage | 1 Comments