Sometimes it's nice to disappear.

Today was part productive, part chaos, and a whole lot of throwing my hands up in the air.  After this crazy day, I decided to steal some well deserved quiet time.  I have tucked myself into my happy place, and have a crystal dish of fresh hazelnut gelato.  With each sweet creamy bite, my tensions seem to melt away.  This is hazelnut heaven.

Care and Cleaning of your Classic Keepsakse Jewelry

All Classic Keepsakes fashion jewelry is hand crafted and delicate. The metals used are sterling silver.  14kgold filled.  Sterling Silver plated.  Antique Brass.  Gun Metal.  and Copper.  Each crystal is individually set . As a result, special care is required.

- Store your jewelry in the original packaging or a soft pouch to avoid scratches.
- Polish your jewelry frequently with a soft cloth to maintain its original, lustrous finish.
- Remove jewelry before washing hands, swimming, and/or applying products (e.g., perfume, hairspray, soap, or lotion), as this could harm the metal and reduce the life of the plating, as well as cause discoloration and loss of crystal brilliance.
- Put on jewelry last when dressing and take off first when undressing.
- Avoid contact with water as can loosen settings.

- Avoid hard contact (i.e., knocking against objects) that can scratch or chip the crystal.

- Avoid contact with chemicals.

 

Should your piece need cleaning, I recommend using luke warm water and a mild dish washing soap.  Pat the piece dry with a lint free cloth, and set aside to fully air dry before storing.  There are some nice sterling silver cleaners.  Due to the delicate nature of gemstones, pearls, and crystals, I do not recommend using sterling cleaners.  If  you have no choice, I would suggest sending the piece to me for cleaning.  I do not charge to clean your piece.  All you pay is shipping to and from my studio.

If you have any questions, please contact me at classickeepsakes@live.com.

Have a great weekend!  and Sparkle on!!!

 

Twitter Tips

What is the most important thing you can learn about Twitter??

When you Tweet, who sees it? 

Sounds simple, but you would be surprised how many tweeters don't know! Knowing who will see your tweet will help make sure your tweets get the most impact. My oldest and I have little contests to see how many clicks we can get on an item with our tweets. Pinterest works around the same concepts.

If you sent a tweet without any tagging, only your followers will see it.

If you send a tweet from Etsy's Button - your followers, and anyone watching @etsy will see it. (so usually other etsy sellers)

As soon as you add a #hashtag to something you can increase the amount of people that will see your tweet. #hashtags are the most important thing to add to your tweets. Even with no followers, if you add popular #hashtags, millions of people will see your tweet.

Every shop will have different #hashtags that will attract the most potential buyers. You can play around with this yourself, or if you would like some help coming up with some trendy #hashtags, let me know. 

Here are a few generic Etsy Shop #hastags that seem to do well.

#handmade #art #vintage #etsy 

Adding a theme helps too like #steampunk #shabbychic #frenchcountry #style #trendy #gifts #mothersday

I hope you find this helpful!!   

                       

Tru Blood Love

Maybe it's just that time of year, but for some reason, my inner Vampire is crying out.  I can completely understand the Twilight clan living in Washington.  It is the perfect home for the shadow lovers.  I have to admit, while I lived in South Carolina, much closer to the home of the Tru Blood Coven.  I was indeed burnt by the constant SUN (I was melting).  Being a lover of all things Gothic and Vampire related I thought I would share with you my top 10 most magnificent Vampires.

 

Here is my top 10 list.

Deadliest Vampire-  Vlad the Impaler

 

Creepiest - Count Orlok (Nosferatu)

Sexiest Vampire - Eric Northman

Tween Heart Throb - Edward Cullen

Bewitching Beautiful - Sonja

Most Human - Stephan Salvatore

Most Romantic - Bill Compton

Lady Killer - Aiden Turner

Loneliest -Louis de Pointe du Lac

Cutest - Count von Count

 

   There you have it.  I am sure there are LOTS more worthy and aspiring Vampires out there.  Perhaps my list shall grow, until then, be-careful who you invite into your home. *Wink*

 

 

How to be a Happy Business and deal with Slow Vendors

Trust me – this is a battle I fight daily.  No sooner do I find a reliable fast shipping vendor, and BOOMMMM  - I get hit with a molasses slow shipment.

As an artist, there is nothing worse then having your product listed, and not being able to get your hands on the raw materials.  I am seconds away from creating my own supply shop!!!  One you can count on delivery….  If you need it priority – It’s as good as in the mail.  Here I sit today.  I can’t tell you how many orders are waiting for sterling silver chain…..  My usual supplier is “out of stock” so I priority mail chain for 3 other suppliers.  None of which I have in hand….  The “holiday” has slowed them down….  Seriously????  Cause the holiday didn’t slow my buyers down!!!!  

Maybe the better question is, how much back stock is good for a small business.  Believe me when I say, I wrestle with this EVERYDAY!!!!!!  I have huge back stocks on items that seemed to be popular…then, a few days later, that all changed….  Now, no one wants those, they want something else!!!!  

Lesson learned…. Keep gazillion feet of sterling chain and wire….  Crystals you can find anywhere… you can get them faster from China then a warehouse 40 min from your home.  I try to always have at least one of everything I sell online in stock at all times.  But it seems that things sell in groups.  I will sell 5 necklaces of the same type in a week, then not one single one after.  I am not sure how to explain it, but trust me when I say, if I find out – you will ALL KNOW!!!  There is nothing worse than paying extra shipping costs to get things fast because your supplier is SLOW.

Ok, off soapbox and looking for a nice glass of wine and a pretty picture to look at…… Off into the sunset I walk....in a field of amazing flowers... vendor issues are all drifting off into a blur of unrecognizable business life....  Sweet scents of my favorite soaps and lotions call me into a dreamland I visit each night.  I bid you good night, and happy shopping (and shipping) in the morrow.  Luv ya!!!!

Scents and Senses

First of all, I want to assure you, despite the fact that I don't have any pictures to adorn this post.  It's really me.  I am coming to you tonight from my laptop.  This is usually a place of calm, a place of serenity.  I don't do business here.... this is my haven.  This is where I come to when I want to get away. 

I know I made a blog post

a while back about "Girl Baths".  They are a ritual of mine that I have passed on to my daughter.  I don't know how many of you understand or even have similar rituals.  But this is time that I hold very dear.  I soak in a warm bath......I add the oils that I like.  I use only the best quality soaps, shampoos and lotions.  It's time to cleanse my spirit of the days stresses. I clear my mind of all my daily trials.  I open up to new and creative thoughts and dreams.  I guess it is as close to a meditation time that I ever get.  I really allow myself to completely relax and reflect.

Tonight, as I lay in the piping hot water, surrounded by what I consider my personal luxuries I realized something.  Lately there have been some changes in my house.  I am struggling with how to say this without getting to personal.  The sweet scents that bring me my personal serenity, are beckoning me to sleep.

Perhaps another night I can share with you some of the amazing things I have learned about myself, and the scents I surround myself in.  Until then.  Good Night Sweet Ones.  Be safe, be strong, and sleep well.

When I think of Blue. Azual.

 Song: Sarah Evans

Woke up late today, and I still feel the sting of the pain.
But I brushed my teeth anyway, got dressed through the mess and put a smile on my face.
I got a little bit stronger.

Riding in the car to work, and I'm trying to ignore the hurt.
So I turned on the radio, Stupid song made me think of you,
I listened to it for minute, but then I changed it.
I'm getting a little bit stronger, just a little bit stronger.

And I'm done hoping that we can work it out,

I'm done with how it feels, spinning my wheels
Letting you drag my heart around.
And ohhh
I'm done thinking, that you could ever change.
I know my heart will never be the same,
but I'm telling myself I'll be okay.
Even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger.

Doesn't happen over night, but you turn around and a months gone by,
And you realize you haven't cried.
I'm not giving you a hour or a second or another minute longer.
I'm busy getting stronger.

And I'm done hoping that we can work it out,
I'm done with how it feels, spinning my wheels
Letting you drag my heart around.
And ohhh
I'm done thinking, that you could ever change.
I know my heart will never be the same,
but I'm telling myself I'll be okay.
Even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger.
I get a little bit stronger.

Getting along without you baby,
I'm better off without you baby,
How does it feel with out me baby?
I'm getting stronger without you baby.

I'm just a little bit stronger.
A little bit, a little bit, a little bit stronger.
I get a little bit stronger. 

Proud “Southern” girl, born and raised in the North.

I was born and raised in Seattle Washington, and proud of it.  But a few years ago my family was transferred South Carolina.  The move was very difficult.  I left everything and everyone I knew behind.  To top that off, the people, the culture, the way of life, was so different.  It was like I had moved to a foreign country.  

It took me a while to adjust.  When I walked into a shop, I would be greeted right away.  Not just with a hello, but with a person that was really interested in me and where I was coming from, and how their little store could help me. 

People talked….. A lot!  Every time I left the house I would end up meeting someone and learning a little more about the community.  I thought it was so weird to have men run to open doors for me, and children saying “Yes Mamam, and No Mamam”. 

My neighbors came by my house several times to say hi, and welcome within the first few days of moving in.  As time went on, it wasn’t just a welcome; they kept coming by, with how are you?  And what can I do to make things easier for you.  The local Bible group is praying for you, and so many gifts!  Every time I turned around there was someone giving me something.  Sometimes I didn’t even know them.  It wasn’t necessarily something of monetary value; it was a book about family, or flowers for my dinner table.  It was a phone call when times were tough, and a hot meals left on my door after I had my baby.  No one ever expected anything in return.  This is just how people in the south live.  This is how they treat each other, and even a “Yankee” that just moved to the South.

I recently moved home, back to the north.  I have been here over a month.  I haven’t met one of my neighbors, and yesterday a man leaving the grocery store let a door slam on me while I was juggling my 8 month old baby and my purse.  My first thought as I barely caught the door was just…wow.  That would have never happened in South Carolina.  I think our country needs to take a good look at our values, and maybe we all need a little of the south in us.

Playing with Porcelain

One of the new mediums I have been using is Porcelain clays.  I have made some intriguing   English Medieval style Medallions  However, porcelain was believed to have originated in China.  They began exporting Chinese porcelains of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to Europe.  Kings spent their fortunes paying alchemists to recreate the opulent pieces the imported.

We are much luckier today, and I can try and create small pieces reminiscent of centuries ago in my own Kiln at home!!  Right now, I have been concentrating on medieval designs, Chinese symbols, and a beautiful flower from India, called the mehndi flower.    I have even gotten some Celtic symbols, following my own heritage.  

 I will be unveiling more as I perfect my techniques.  Every piece I have been working on has tons on symbolism and history behind it.  I think everything you wear should mean something to you.  I like to think that your most prized possessions have a way of finding you, and not the other way around.  Cheers to all of you that follow your artistic dreams and create new and wonderful ways that we can all work on expressing ourselves.

 

Game of Thrones

Once a quiet and meek child, we watched Daenerys Targaryen grow from a shy obedient sister, to a true warrior queen.  

 I have to admit, the ending of season one “game of thrones”, was bitter sweet.  We saw the loss of so much true love, and evil has its cold grasp on the realm.  Regardless of the heartbreaking ending, I can only hope that there is a world of hurt heading towards the Lannister’s, lead by the true Khaleesi.   

This may be a picture of the actress, but these are the pictures that is burned into our minds.




 

I was impressed to see the explosive growth of the main characters in this season.  They are all different than they were just a few episodes ago.  It is exciting to watch and wonder what is in store for us next.

 “Fire cannot kill a Dragon.”