Pixe’s Newsletter October 2009

Pixe’s News

 

http://www.pixestreasures.com

 

Volume 1 Issue 4

 

A warm hello!

Oh! This is such a fun time of year! The fall weather is upon us, the kids, and adults are gearing up for Halloween! I’m even considering dressing in a costume for Market Wednesday Halloween week! Hmmm…What shall I be?

Caring for your handcrafted jewelry

This is the last installment for caring for your handcrafted jewelry. This month the discussion leads us to cleaning.

If you store your jewelry properly, cleaning is easy. But for those of us who forget to put our jewelry away safely, and leave it on the vanity in the bathroom, tarnish does become a problem.

The best way to clean jewelry is either with a soft cloth and some warm soapy water if it’s truly dirty, then polish with a jewelry polishing cloth, then dry the jewelry thoroughly. There are jewelry cloths on the market that both clean and polish jewelry, and that’s what I use!

I caution against using any chemical or fancy cleaning systems for they can change the appearance of any stones in your jewelry. Besides, these chemicals are probably toxic, and no good for us anyway.

Following all the tips in the previous newsletters should help to keep your jewelry looking like new for a long time to come!

Introducing…

Treasures for Charity! Get Instant Karma!! Limited Edition.

Last month I designed, and donated a bracelet for the Holly Heilman Cancer Fund to be given away at their Chinese Auction.

This bracelet is now available to you and can be seen at Pixe’s Treasures. 50% off all sales from this bracelet will go to the Holly Heilman Cancer Fund. Hopefully, next year I will be designing a new piece of jewelry for them! Help support this wonderful cause!

Save Some Copper Sale!

Since we all like to feel warm and cozy in October, all copper jewelry is on sale for the month of October, and has been marked down 15%. Copper is such a beautiful, and warm looking metal, and may just help with those cold weather aches and pains!

Calendar of Events

Every Wednesday.. .. .. .. .. .. .. Leesport Farmer’s Market, Building #1

October 10 and 11, 2009 .. .. .. Stoudtburg Village Arts and Craft Festival

Stoudtburg Village, RT. 272, Adamstown, PA

We look forward to seeing you!

Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to your friends and family!

 

Wishing you all a warm and wonderful month of October! Have a happy, and safe Halloween!!

Mich

http://www.pixestreasures.com

http://www.pixestreasurechest.etsy.com

http://www.pixe1.wordpress.com

 

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Treasures for Charity: Instant Karma

Introducing…Treasures for Charity!       Limited Edition! Instant Karma I Fine Silver Bracelet

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!

Pixe’s News September, 2009

 I love the month of September! When my son was younger, it was back to school, and peace and quiet for a few hours. Now, as I’m older, I look forward to the cooler fall weather, and the changing leaves! I find so much inspiration in fall…It is truly my favorite season!! Perhaps this fall, I will fill the gas tank, grab my sketchbook, a few pencils, and take a fall foliage drive!

What is it about September that you love?

Caring for your Handmade Jewelry, Part 2

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

Pixe’s Picks Feb. 25

Welcome to this week’s Pixe’s Picks where the coolest Etsy shops are showcased!  This week I’m showcasing lauraprentice and appleblossomfl!  Kick back and enjoy your stay!!  To view a larger pic, just click on the thumbnail!

Slate House

 

 Give a warm welcome to lauraprentice , who creates mixed media art! 

Laura tells me this is how she got her start:   I’ve been making art my entire life, my dad is an artist so it has always been a part of my life. I got really serious about it my senior year of high school.

Etsy was chosen because:  I figured that if I could get paid to do what I love, why not?

Her fave from her shop??  I am really excited about my mini house drawing series that is in my shop right now, it’s a mock-up for a larger project that I am working on outside of etsy but it’s really cute and has been fun to work with.       Slate house is part of her mini house series.

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

Odds -n- Ends

Along with some of my fellow SATeam members, I’ve been trying to create an item a day.   Well, as usual, life gets in the way, so It’s been more like 2 items every other day!  So, I have been busy in the dungeon putting these little pretties together this evening…

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!!  🙂

Pixe’s Picks for Feb. 11, 2009

Good morning, everyone!!  Welcome to this week’s Pixe’s Picks!  This is the place to be to see the coolest shops on Etsy!   Obtain your beverage of choice, sit back, relax, and give a warm Pixe welcome to GrannysKnits and Art4ever!  If you would like to see a larger picture, just click on the thumbnail!

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

Turkey and Black Bean Chili Recipe

Happy Monday Everyone!

Since winter is upon us, and my neck of the woods is potentially looking at some more snow, I thought I’d share my recipe for Turkey and Black Bean Chili!  It’s a great way to warm up, and healthy, too!  I hope you enjoy!  Feel free to tweak it to suit your tastes!  Oh!  and this is great to make in big batches, it freezes really well!!

Turkey and Black Bean Chili

• 1 TBS. olive oil
• 1 LB. ground turkey (I use the one lowest in fat)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 TBS chili powder  (I also add some extra chipotle chili powder)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 jar (16 oz. ) chunky salsa
• 1 TBS. sugar
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bag frozen corn (I use bird’s eye steam in the bag)
• 1 small can tomato paste  (6 oz)

1.  Heat the oil in a 4-qt saucepan over medium high heat.  Add the turkey, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and garlic.  cook until turkey is well browned, strirring frequently to break up meat.

2. Add tomato paste and stir to blend.

3.  Stir the broth, salsa, sugar, beans, and corn into the saucepan.  Heat to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low.  cover and cook for 30 minutes.  Stir the chili occasionally while cooking.  Serves 6.

I top it with a little fat free sour cream and low fat shredded cheddar cheese, and make some garlic bread to go with it!!  Buon appetito!!!!

Pixe’s Picks! Jan. 28, 2009

Welcome back to Pixe’s Picks!!  This is the place where the really cool Etsy shops are featured!   This week I’m featuring ArtisticFlair, and Nyblaque…Visit their shops, and give ’em some love!  Just click on the pics to see a larger view!!

Breakfast at Tiffany's

 

Let us welcome Deb, from ArtisticFlair to Pixe’s Picks!  Deb tells me she has  been crafting for as long as she can remember. “I started selling my jewelry at art shows before my son was born about 8 years ago. I went on a hiatus when my son was born and then slowly started taking ceramic and glass classes. I got serious about it again doing art shows about 3 years ago. I’ve been selling on etsy for just about a year now. ”

And this is how she got her start in her craft:  I have always loved to create and Artistic Flair is a name I came up with after delving into many different mediums of the art world. From years of jewelry making to learning the many techniques involved with ceramics and the use of my kiln, my interests took me to the wonderful world of glass fusing. I am fascinated with the way glass changes during the fusing process, the often unpredictable results and the beauty of the finished product.

We all want to know why Deb chose Etsy:  I was a member of etsy long before I started selling here. I really liked the site and what it had to offer. I started selling here as a means to get my things out in the cyber world.

And what is Deb’s fave piece in her shop:  My Audrey Hepburn piece:    She is the true definition of elegance and beauty – a timeless diva! I had so much fun creating this piece and was more than thrilled with the outcome. She will be hard to part with!

A Little Bit of Italy

Pixe’s Pick:  I was hard-pressed to decide on a favorite…Deb has some really great items in her shop!  Not only does she create these wonderful framed pictures, she also makes jewelry, cuff links,  and glass cabs!  I chose A Little Bit of Italy as my fave!   Being the good Italian girl that I am, I love the subject!  This is definitely a OOAK piece of art!

XOXO

 

Let’s give a warm Pixe welcome to Andrea, from Nyblaque!  Andrea started crafting at the ripe old age of 15 by making jewelry pieces and drawing clothing designs as a hobby.  She tells me:   Well, I have been “hobby making” with jewelry for 17yrs but I decided to design jewelry as a business for 3yrs.

And this is why Andrea loves Etsy!  I found Etsy through a Google search of handmade online shops when I realized Ruby Lane was too expensive for me, and I love the community Etsy seemed to offer.  Plus, Etsy is based in my hometown,  NYC so that was a definite plus:)!

Andreas fave piece in her shop is the XOXO Wooden Key Necklace, even though she says she has a new fave every week!!   “I made it with these great wooden reproductions of vintage typewriter keys. I have already made earrings with then that sold like crazy in 6 weeks!”

Trimmed Bleached Peacock Feather Earrings

Pixe’s Pick:   Andrea has some really fantastic jewelry in her shop!  However, since I tend towards the natural and/or unusual,  I really love these  Trimmed Bleached Peacock Feather Earrings!  There is still some soft color to them, and they are really just gorgeous!  Any peacock would be proud to have feathers such as these!

These are Pixe’s Picks!  Two really cool shops that Etsy has to offer!!  Take a peek and see what other goodies they have to offer!!   Wishing you a wonderful, and peaceful day!!!

Mich

WoofWear Jewels Update

Sky Fairy

 

 

I just got back from my meeting with the doggie boutique owner, and she loved my WoofWear Jewels!  She bought all 18 charms that I showed her, and wanted the doggy themed jewelry roll that I had made to present them to her, to use as a display!  I’m so excited!  I made my first wholesale sale to a shop owner that I didn’t know personally!!  yeah!   We are also talking about  making some charms with initials on them! 

 

If you are in the Reading, PA area, be sure to visit Godfrey’s Dogdom on Rt. 625 in Mohnton!  She has a great shop with all kinds of great things for dog lovers!!

Wishing everyone a wonderful and peaceful day!!

Mich

Procrastination! My big day is almost here!

Ok, I know you are all wondering what my big day is…Well, I’ll fill ya in on the secret!!  Tomorrow, I have my first sales presentation to a dog boutique owner, that I do not personally to know, to try to hawk my WoofWear Jewels.    Pray tell, what are Woof Wear Jewels???  They are charms you attach to your dog’s collar to make those cheap ugly dog tags look really cool!!!  Total bling for poochies!  My Miss Sophie loves hers!!!

Am I ready for this…NOOOOOOOOOO!!!  Will I be ready Tuesday??  You Betcha!!!   I’ve got my sales pitch in my head, and ready to go!!!  I just have everything else to do!  Like make a  little jewelry roll to display them to the owner, make some extra samples…..But, I can do this!!!    Yes I can, Yes I can!!!   Nothing like a little procrastination to make the hands work faster!!!  And yes, this is normal for me…if I made NewYear’s resolutions, ending the procrastination would be one of them!    I have found that when I google “procrastination”, there is a lot to read….perhaps I’ll get that later…

So wish me luck!!!

Hoping your day is wonderful and peaceful!!!

Mich