white agate pendulum necklaces

As I said in my last post I'm going to be sharing a lot of new Sadie pieces here over the next few days. Previous pendulum necklaces were made with grey quartz, these are made with a beautiful banded white agate. One is accented with a vintage brass tassel charm, the other has a working brass fan with an etched dragon motif. You can find them both in the Sadie shop now. Thanks for taking a look! I'll be sharing an exciting new project here tomorrow morning.

core samples

Can I just say that this week is going by waaaaay too fast? Jeff and I are moving in about ten days and we are nowhere near ready! Sure, we have like six boxes in our apartment, but they're pretty much all empty, and the ones that are packed Jeff took care of. I have been busy busy busy making things for the two shows that I have coming up at the end of November and beginning of December (check out the sidebar for more information about Sadie holiday events). Part of my pre-holiday updates included adding new silver dipped amethyst core samples to the Sadie shop, including a listing for a special deal on two amethyst core sample necklaces. This evening I just wanted to share a couple of photos with you of these new pieces. I'm really happy with the way the top image turned out. It's given me some inspiration for how to set up my displays at Portobello West and Got Craft.

Oh, and I picked up Mindy Kaling's new book (normally I'd get it at the library, but I'm kind of boycotting the Vancouver library right now because they keep finding bedbugs in their books!!!) and I'm really enjoying reading it everyday during my seabus commute. My favourite line so far:

There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it.

So true. Have a great week, everyone!

let me tell you about a necklace

antique locket and crystals

Now, I'm not in the business of using this blog to only talk about the jewelry that I make because I enjoy sharing a lot of different things here, too. But having recently reopened the Sadie shop and with (if you can believe it) preparations for the holidays in mind, I've been making lots of new stuff with the materials that I picked up this summer in my various travels around the Pacific Northwest.

The necklace that I want to tell you about actually incorporates an antique locket sourced from the Middle East by an amazing curator of rocks and jewelry pieces that I've come across. I handpicked the lockets that I brought home with me, making sure every part of them was in good working order. I then found three amazing, tiny crystals (an instant collection that comes wrapped in fabric if you get one of these necklaces). After stringing the lockets on oxidized black chain, the final design element is left up to you. Whether you choose to take along a Herkimer diamond, citrine chunk, or piece of red zircon is a choice you get to make whenever you wear this little beauty. Take a look at the listing in the Sadie shop for more info on the stones. I'll be back tomorrow with some Friday favourites! It's almost the weekend!

weekend worship

Today was all about catching up with friends. First coffee in the awesome mug that Jeff bought at one of our new favourite Seattle shops: The Field House. We discovered this place when we were walking around Ballard this week. Ballard itself we discovered a couple of years ago when we went down to Seattle to see Richard Buckner. Lola and I met up with Emily and Hazel for a walk and ended up getting caught in a freak hail storm a few blocks from home. After our epic weather adventure I met up with Ivy to go buy CS5 (nerds) and return our studio keys for our deposit. We failed on both attempts and the crazy weather returned. A Thai lunch saved the day.

Tonight I'm looking forward to watching Tina Fey host SNL. I just finished reading her book, Bossypants, and kind of loved it. Now that I know a lot more about her I think she's even more awesome. I'm going to be making lots of jewelry tonight to fill a couple of orders and start getting ready for the BLIM market that I'm doing here in Vancouver on May 22nd. Mark the date if you live in Vancouver. It would be great if you swung by to say hi at Heritage Hall!

traveller's talisman necklace

Since Jeff and Lola and I are on a little trip right now I thought I would list one of my favourite new pieces, the traveller's talisman necklace. You can find it now in the Sadie shop. It's made with a double-terminated rutilated quartz point and a vintage brass charm. Find out more details by following the link. Later tonight or tomorrow I'll share some photos of where we are in this amazing world called the Pacific Northwest. Days like today make me love this part of the planet more than anywhere else that I've been. There is definitely a summer breeze coming into our hotel room off the ocean and Lola is being a freak on the balcony and barking at anyone who walks through what I guess is her parking lot below. This afternoon we ate grilled cheese sandwiches in a park that overlooks the port and mountains. (I know, I know...it sounds like we haven't left Vancouver, but we have!) We enjoyed afternoon cupcake time at our hotel (for real) and now have to nap a bit before engaging in more power shopping. Yay Canadian dollar! Yay Alberta driver's license in Washington (no taxes for us!)! Friday we're back to work and school, so this mid-week mini vacation is much needed. I hope you're having a great week, too.

two new things...

Just a quick post today to give you a head's up on a new Grizzly Cave Explorer in the Sadie shop. This is the last of the grizzly bears that Jeff and were making things with over Christmas. The diorama and the first Grizzly Cave Explorer are gone, but I finally found the perfect stone for this last little figure!

I'm also adding a new amethyst druzy necklace. Amethyst is the February birthstone and it's totally my favourite stone right now. Thanks to all of my new followers and commenters, by the way. You make keeping this blog going even more fun!

UPDATE: So, moments after I posted the latest Grizzly Cave Explorer I was contacted by a buyer, so you'll notice it's now reserved. I promise, however, that there are more Cave Explorers on the way soon. And don't forget about the lumberjack in the shop. He doesn't photograph particularly well, but he is super fun in person! Check him out!

a few new things...

I have been making some new pieces for the Sadie shop this week using some amazing quartz stones. The first one is a substantial polished quartz point on a beautiful Japanese 14k gold rolled chain from my New York trip. I love this chain so much and sadly I've almost run out of it. Perhaps I'll just have to back to New York someday soon to get more. Just kidding, I'm much more likely to swing a mail order than another cross-continent trip any time soon.

The second photo shows some of the clear, white and black rutilated quartz that I've been lucky enough to get my hands on. I love the variations in these stones and the fact that they are double pointed. They remind me of Herkimer diamonds and are just so unique.

Finally I'm able to post one more pink and green rutilated quartz necklace. I'm hoping to locate more of these teeny tiny amazing crystals soon, but until I track some down, this is it. One of my friends called this the "dirty crystals" necklace while another called it her "magical pan flute" necklace, either way, it's one of my favourite Sadie pieces. Everything will be posted in the Sadie Etsy shop later this afternoon, if it's not already there. There are silver pieces, too, if you're not the gold type. And just seven more sales until the win at one hundred contest happens! If you've purchased something from the Sadie shop you're already entered. Thanks, everyone! Have a great weekend!

agate geode cavers by sadie

Here they are! The first cave explorer necklaces were received so warmly that I've made some new ones. These crystal-filled agate geodes are all one-of-a-kind and contain a miniature 10mm tall cave explorer...with one exception. Yup, that last one there is a grizzly bear, and it measures in at a huge (by comparison) 15mm. The figures are all fixed securely within the depths of each crystal cave and have been chosen because they relate well to each unique geode. Surfaces are polished. Chains are silver. Find them all in the Sadie shop.

As I mentioned earlier, it's been a busy weekend and will likely be an even busier week, so until I can post again, please check out some of my favourites from blogland this past week:

A look at an Erin Templeton photo shoot over at Clever Nettle.
Trends come and go at Lune Vintage.
And, oh no, already?
Gift ideas for under $50 at I go by Katie.