Instant Karma Limited Edition Bracelet

This fine silver bracelet was designed for the Chinese Auction at The Holly Heilman Cancer Fund’s Harley Poker Run held this September.  Please, check out their website!  They do a lot of great things for cancer patients!  I wanted to get involved and give to a local charity, and this seemed to be a good fit.  I was drawn to this charity because of the death of a friend from cancer this year, and because one of my coworkers’ daughter had just been diagnosed with leukemia. 
www.hollyhcf.org

Get Instant Karma!   This bracelet will be offered for sale for the next 12 months only.  50% of the price of the bracelet will be donated to the Holly Heilman Cancer Fund, an organization that financially assists cancer patients and their families.

Instant Karma  is designed using handcrafted fine silver hammered links, blackstone hearts, and a pink cat’s eye bead. The bracelet is oxidized using a non chemical, toxic free process.  The diamond links represent the chaos that cancer brings to one’s life, the black hearts represent how our hearts feel when a loved one is battling cancer, and the pink bead represents hope…

The photo depicts the original bracelet and your bracelet may differ slightly;  each bracelet is individually handcrafted!  Please be sure to include the length desired for your bracelet!

Instant Karma can be purchased at Pixe’s Treasure Chest and Pixe’s Treasures!

What is it about September that you love?

Last month we discussed the general care of your handmade jewelry. This month, the topic is storing your handmade jewelry.

To keep your handcrafted jewelry looking new, storing your pieces properly is important. Always store your jewelry in a dry place. Leaving it in the bathroom will only cause it to tarnish quicker…This is fine if you like that look.

If your jewelry came in a plastic bag, store it there…it prevents tarnishing and will prevent scratching.

Storing is easy…just keep in a clean, dry spot, and your jewelry will look like new for years to come!

 

 

September Sales

This month, Pixe’s sale is going to be a bit different! Since September is my birthday month, I’m having a great big celebration the week of my birthday! See the calendar of events below for the special in person sales! I’ve been working hard to make lots of new pieces for this event!!

Newsletter subscribers can take advantage of an additional discount! Sept. 14-30, 2009, You can receive an additional 10% off your purchase online only at Pixe’s Treasures, or at my Etsy site! You must use the coupon code PIXESNEWS to receive the discount. I will refund the discount via Paypal. Remember, you do not have to be signed up to Paypal to use a credit card with Paypal checkout!

 

 

Calendar of Events for September, 2009

 

Leesport Farmer’s Market: Every Wednesday. I can be found in

Building #1

~~Wed. Sept. 9, 2009: Leesport Farmer’s Market: Everything will be

30% off, except custom orders.

~~Sept. 11, 12, and 13: Hay Creek Festival open until 9a.m. to 5 p.m.

Everything will be 30% off, except custom jewelry

orders.

~~Sept. 26, 2009: “Harleys for Holly” sponsored by the  Holly Heilman Cancer Fund at St. Benedict’s Picnic Grounds on Route 10.

I won’t be there, however, a bracelet I’ve designed especially for their Chinese Auction will be!

Help support this local organization that assists families of cancer patients!

 

Share the love!! Feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends, family, and coworkers! They too can take advantage of the sale prices!!

 

Wishing you all a wonderful, peaceful,  and safe month of September!

 

 

Mich

September, 2009

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Hello Friends!

I’d like to send a big thank you to everyone who visited at the Apple Dumpling Festival and made the week such a great success!  Despite the threat of bad weather, and actual rain,  we kept a positive attitude and had a great time!  We’ve also made  many new friends along the way! 
Congratulations to all the earring winners!  I hope you enjoy your new baubles!

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July Sale!

Necklaces will be on sale for the month of July at 20% off!  Earrings are still on sale at 15% off till the end of June!  Newsletter subscribers get to take advantage of both sales online at

Pixe’s Treasures until June 30, 2009. Please be sure to use the codeword “julynews09″ when ordering!
The reduced price for necklaces won’t show up on the website until July 1st.  If you would like to order a necklace, I can either send you an invoice via paypal, or issue a refund via paypal within 24 hours.  Any questions, please feel free to ask.  You can email me at mich@pixestreasures.com. 

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I decided to tweak an article I previously published about buying handcrafted jewelry, and share it with you this month.

Buying Handcrafted Jewelry:  Pricing

Seems to me,  the first place to start the discussion on buying handcrafted jewelry is pricing.  Let’s face it, it is the first thing I look at,   and I  know price is the first thing you look at. 

For the most part,  handcrafted jewelry is  more costly than mass produced jewelry.   When purchasing mass produced jewelry,  what do you actually get?   You get a piece of jewelry that thousands,  if not millions,  of other people are wearing.  You don’t know who made, where it was made, or the conditions at the factory where it was made.  When purchasing handcrafted jewelry,    you will get a piece of jewelry that is one of a kind,  or very limited in the number of pieces available.  Only you , or at most, a few other people will be wearing. Even if the seller has more than one piece of an item,  each item is still one of a kind because each piece is handcrafted.   It is very difficult to make two pieces of jewelry exactly the same;  each stone is different, and I cannot seem to bend wire the same way twice!  You can also request a custom piece of jewelry be created for you, which I love to do!!  Buying handcrafted jewelry is a really great way to show off your individuality,  and show off your personal sense of style!!   So, that said, let us talk about pricing.

There are a few factors to consider when pricing handcrafted jewelry.

Cost of supplies.  .  I try  to find bead and metal suppliers with the highest quality product and the best pricing so I can offer fair price to my customers. 

 
Time spent designing the jewelry .   Most jewelry artists have visions of what they want to create.   Many of  sketch our ideas and then have to search for the materials needed to create our next masterpiece.  Then we have to put it together to make sure it works and matches the vision.

Time creating the jewelry.   Once we jewelry artists have our vision,  we need to create.   Some pieces take longer than others.  Simple pieces are less time consuming then others.   It take me much less time to string a necklace than it does to to individually wire wrap each bead and link them together.

Another aspect to consider with pricing is you get what you pay for.   A simple piece of handcrafted jewelry can be inexpensive, however, a more intricate piece that is very inexpensive could raise some warning flags. Is the jewelry made with materials the artist claims?  Is this truly handcrafted, or mass produced and being passed on as handcrafted?

 These are a few factors that are considered when pricing handcrafted jewelry.  It really does take time to create handcrafted jewelry .  For example, it takes me well over 30 minutes to create one sterling silver bracelet:  I make the links, wire wrap the beads, create the clasp, then put it all together.  My goal is  to present  a high quality, beautiful  piece  of jewelry to you at a fair price.

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Where to find Pixe in July:

Throughout the month of July, Pixe can be found:
Every Wednesday at the Leesport Farmer’s Market, Building #1 from 9a.m. to 7 p.m.

Virtual Craft Show at Cafe Handmade

You can enter contests there, view the virtual craft show, and vote for best in show!  (Vote for Pixe!)  A really cool place to hang out!

African Turquoise Moonlight Crystal

Be sure to check Pixe’s Treasures for  the most up to date schedule of events, such as craft shows!

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends, so they can take advantage of this sale, too!!

If there is something you would like to read about, please send suggestions!

Have a wonderful, and peaceful day!

Mich  

Pixe’s Treasures  

http://pixestreasures.com

The Pixe Newsletter Welcome to Pixe’s Treasure Chest’s First Newsletter! I’d like to thank all the wonderful people we met at The Topton Street Fair for making our day a success!! When no one was watching, I could be found singing and dancing to the tunes! It was a wonderful day, and we really had a great time!! Thank you!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With this newsletter, I’d like to give my reader’s advance notice of sales at Pixe’s Treasures, special sales for my readers from time to time, articles about handcrafted jewelry, articles about gemstones and the stones I use when creating my jewelry, and where Pixe’s Treasure Chest can be found in person! You are also offered the opportunity to suggest topics of interest you’d like to discuss, and as always, I’m more than happy to answer any questions you may have! So, onward to the most important order of business…June’s sale!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Earrings will be on sale, starting June 1, 2009 at 15% off at Pixe’s Treasures ! As a reader, you are entitled to take advantage of this discount now! This gives you first choice of the earrings offered for sale. If you make a purchase using PayPal or a credit card between 5/28/09 and 5/31/09, the difference will be refunded to you. After June 1, 2009, the prices will reflect the discount! Check back often, as new items will be added to Pixe’s Treasures! Happy Shopping!!

June’s Birthstone Wearing your birthstone is supposed to bring you good luck! Birthstone jewelry is a great gift to give; either to yourself, or to someone special. The birthstones for June are Pearl, Moonstone, and Alexandrite. I’ve decided to bring you a little info about Alexandrite ; I think it is one of the most gorgeous, and fascinating gemstones out there! Alexandrite is as beautiful as it is rare. This stone is named after the Russian Czar, Alexander II, for it was discovered the day the future czar came of age, in April 1834. Isn’t that a great birthday present, having a gem named after you!!! What is it that makes alexandrite so beautiful, and so rare? It’s beauty comes from the ability to change colors in different light sources. Natural sunlight makes alexandrite appear a bluish green, and in indoor lighting, it appears purplish/red. Alexandrite’s rarity comes from being only mined in a few places in the world where all the right elements came together to form this lovely stone. Alexandrite from Russia is believed to be the most beautiful, and is the most valuable. Most alexandrite jewelry is made using synthetic, or lab grown stones. These are almost as pretty as the real ones. Good stones will exhibit a color change. The alexandrite stones I use are a purple color inside, and a teal color in sunlight. Very pretty! Throughout history, many gemstones have been attributed to mythological and healing lore. Individuals believed, and still do, that wearing certain stones achieve desired affects. Alexandrite is known as the “Good Omen Stone”. It may also assist one’s ability to center the self, build self-esteem, and improve on a person’s ability to experience joy. It is also believed to inspire creativity and the imagination.

Sources:

 International Colored Gemstone Association: http://gemstone.org

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysoberyl

http://www.alexandrite.net/chapters/chapter8/index.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In June, Pixe can be found at: The Leesport Farmer’s Market every Wednesday in Building 1

The Apple Dumpling Festival, Sinking Spring, Pa June 15-June 20

And don’t forget to check the website for the “codeword” for a special discount before you come see us!!

Hope to see you soon!!

Have a wonderful June! –

 Mich

Pixe’s Treasures http://pixestreasures.com

If you would like to sign up for this newsletter, and take advantage of advance notice of sales, please email me at  mich@pixestreasures.com.

Just want to let everyone know I’ve moved my blog!  My new home is pixestreasurechest.blogspot.com.   Over the next few weeks, I’ll be fixing things up and making it like home!  Be sure to come and visit!!

Mich

Slate House

Be a Seed Print

Pixe’s Picks:  Laura has a great shop filled with her original artwork;  she even has handmade paper!  How cool is a green shop!!  My fave is her Be a Seed Print .   I may be interpreting this all wrong, however, I think the message is to encourage us all to grow and nurture ourselves, others, and the world around us.  Be sure to give Laura some love!

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You Put the Lime in the Cotton Candy

Now if you would,  please welcome April, from appleblossomfl!  She creates some beautiful, one of a kind jewelry!  April has been creating jewelry for a little over 3 years, and this is how she tells me she got her start:  My SIL got me sucked into beading! She had taken a class with a friend for fun, got hooked and then lured me in the next time I saw her.

This is the reason April chose Etsy:  I stumbled upon Etsy from a post on Craig’s List. The first time I saw the website I was extremely interested in selling (and buying of course). I really love the sense of community here.

Tell us your favorite item from your shop:  Right now, my favorite is my You Put the Lime in the Cotton Candy necklace. I love the bright colors and making the bead balls is really fun! My favorite changes all the time though.  I’ve made some earrings recently that I’m pretty partial too!

Little Birdy

Pixe’s Picks:  April has some very pretty beaded, and wire worked jewelry for women and little girls.  She also makes book thongs…a great idea, I think!!   My favorite is the Little Birdy Scrabble Tile Pendant!  This is such a classic design with the black and white…wearable with just about anything!

These are this week’s Pixe’s Picks!  Thanks for dropping by, and I hope you enjoyed your stay!  Please leave a comment for these wonderful Etsy artists…They would love to hear from you!

Have a peaceful, safe, and creative week!

Mich

Shana Bag Lions

Meet Kelly, from Keirning!  Kelly sews bags, and right now, her shop is a work in progress!! 

This is what Kelly tells us about her crafting life:  Well, I started crafting at sewing at a very young age. My great grandmother, grandma and my mom were all talented at sewing and made a lot of their own clothes. We are just a creative bunch. I’m inspired by the things I can’t find. I am very picky when it comes to material things and can’t see spending a lot on something I could make myself. I would have to say the most difficult thing is finding time to sew and create. I am a full time graphic designer and only find time at night to sew. My Shana Bags are named after my sister. She owns more make-up than anyone I know and always needs something to put it all in. I came up with pattern by trial and error and with help of a plastic container lid for the curve of the flap.

This is why Kelly chose Etsy as her selling platform:   I found etsy through a friend only a few months ago and have enjoyed seeing all the great ideas out there. For the new year I hope to design and create more bags. I already have ideas from my other sisters, as they want a bag named after them too!

Shana Bag Pink and Green

PIXE’S PICKS:  I really love Kelly’s little bags, and can’t wait to see what other bags she comes up with !  She also has some Christmas stuff in her shop, including some really cute ornaments.  This is my favorite from her shop, the Shana Bag Pink and Green.  I just love the flowers on it, and pink and green is one of my favorite color combos, for it reminds me of my Grammy, who was a major influence in my life, crafting,  and otherwise!

European Square Chainmaille Bracelet

Now let’s welcome Nicole, of nicolehill! 

Nicole only recently started making jewelry, but you would never know it from looking at her designs!  This is how she tells me she got her start in jewelry making:  I started making jewellery in May 2008; I’d been buying handmade artisan jewellery before then, and loved it, and wondered if I could make similar things (my budget for jewellery buying was sadly rapidly shrinking; my love for shiny things, not so much!) and then I found my local craft store. A bit of encouragement from friends, and I was away!

Nicole chose Etsy as her marketplace because:  Etsy was the first place I found that let people set up shop to sell their handmade crafts; it was cheap (given that I didn’t have much confidence that anyone would buy my things to start with, that was important!) and it had an established community – I learnt a lot from other artisans by reading the forums before I set up shop and continue to do so, that’s something I really value about Etsy!

This is Nicole’s fave item from her shop:  My favourite thing in my shop is probably my chainmaille; I love all the pieces I make, but I particularly like the square-wire maille I’ve made – European Square Chainmail Bracelet is one of my favourite pieces, because it’s just so shiny! (Can you see the magpie tendancies in me yet?) I also really like “Huntress Moon“   The idea came to me on the train back from work one evening, and I had to make it as soon as I got home; something about the larvikite and sterling spirals combination really appeals to me – it was a tough choice to put it up for sale rather than keep it!

Secret Garden Pendant

PIXE’S PICKS: Nicole makes some really fabulous chainmaille!   I really had a difficult finding a favorite…until I saw this wonderful pendant, The Secret Garden Pendant!   I love the freeform work of the wire, and it reminds me of one of my favorite books as a child….we all have a secret garden that we go to….

That’s all folks!  Be sure to leave a comment here for these fantastic artisans, and visit their shops!  They really have some wonderful offerings for you!!!

Wishing you all a peaceful, safe, and creative week!       

Mich

Midnight Rainbows

It’s no secret my fave drink these days is a dirty martini, so,  I would like to  share my “perfect dirty martini” recipe.  Please remember…no drinking and driving, and please drink responsibly!

• 2 ounces gin or vodka.  I prefer Sapphire Blue Gin
• 1 ounce extra dry vermouth
• 1.5 ounces olive juice. I use Dirty Sue olive juice

Pour all ingredients in a martini shaker with ice, shake once or twice,  pour into your fave martini glass, pop in  a few olives, and enjoy!

Now, someone is going to have to have one of these for me because I have to work this weekend, and won’t be able to have one until Monday morning!  I’m a nightshifter…my 9 am is like your 5pm!! 

Give a warm welcome to GrannysKnits, who designs and hand knits baby and toddler sweaters.  This is how she got her start:  I taught myself how to knit when I was in first grade,my grandsons are 10 and 2 and a half,so I’ve been knitting for a few years:-)!  She found Etsy through a coworker who crochets.    Grannysknits fave item is the  Unique Letter Sweater, and considers this to be her “baby”.  Each sweater     is different, with different colors and letters !

Pixe’s Pick!  My fave is the hand knit black and white tweedy baby sweater.  I really like the muted colors and the teddy bear buttons are a real perk!!  Even the little tykes need to look great!!

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Now let’s welcome Jennifer, owner of Art4ever! First off…I must apogize to Jennifer for running her spot a week later than promised…my less than stellar organizational skills got me in trouble!   Jennifer  just opened up shop in December, and she wants peeps to come see her!   

 She tells me she has been making jewelry for about 7 years and has  learned through trial and error. This is how she tells me she got her start is crafting:  I have been creating/crafting things out of all kinds of media for most my life, always exploring new medias.I love beads, all kinds, glass, stone, crystals, etc.

What is Jennifer’s fave item?:   My favorite item right now is one of the items I have featured in my shop. The Amber Anenome bracelet. It has matching earrings that are swinging drops! It is my favorite because is was so fun to make and I love the amber colored beads!

And why Etsy:  I choose etsy after lots of research! Etsy was the only real supporter of true handmade items by artists and artisans. I like how they fully support all aspects of selling/creating/promoting your talent, and they truly give me a feeling of community in the massive world of cyberspace! Yey to Etsy and many thanks to Etsy for giving the opportunity to share and display and sell my creations!

Pixe’s Picks!  Not only does Jennifer create some fabulous jewelry, she is also a clay artist!  I love this Matte Leaf Jewel Box…It really appeals to the nature lover in me!  The soft, muted shades, and the leaves make this a gorgeous treasure!!!  It is a fabulous one of a kind piece of art!!

That’s this week’s Pixe’s Picks!  I hope you enjoyed these very cool shops!  Don’t forget to leave a comment here for them, they would love to hear what you think!!!

Wishing a wonderful, safe, peaceful, and creative week!!      Mich