Twinkle Studio

Happy Holidays!

To my dearest readers, 

Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Holiday...or anything else you may be celebrating! My sincere wishes for a peaceful and laugh-filled holiday. 

Travel safely and be well. Cheers! 

Lola sends her love, too...

Last-Minute Etsy Promotions

We're getting down to the wire for the holidays! Some wonderful Etsy sellers have promotions that you should absolutely check out as you finish up your shopping. Details on the sales are on each seller's Etsy page. 

EmmaGordonLondon - gorgeous handmade accessories including posh purses. 15% off every bag until 1/2/09 and free worldwide shipping. 

LittleBrownPen - adorable paper and self-printable items...clever! Buy-one, get-one free on certain calendars. 

KittyGrrlz - amazing handspun yarn. $5-$7 off skeins.  Free shipping the US and half-price shipping Internationally. 

MudHutt - beautiful clay art that can be personalized. Holiday-themed items marked-down. Mention "twinkle" at checkout and you'll receive an extra bonus gift with your order. Sweet! 

michellemaule - unique and catchy illustrations and paintings. 20-50% off select items. 

JBSoaps - handmade yummy soaps. 10% off soaps through 12/31/08. 

Of course my site, TwinkleStudio, is offering $1 shipping in the US and a free pair of earrings with every purchase. This Lil Rocker Bracelet would be a great option...perfect for a New Year's Eve event.  Fierce!

These are just a few of the fabulous discounts being offered by Etsy sellers during the holidays. Check 'em out and buy handmade!

Christmas...There is Still Time

The holiday frenzy is in full swing! It's my goal to stay as far away from the malls as possible. As such, I've been doing a lot of shopping on-line and love to buy handmade items from Etsy.

I can still ship items in the US and Canada for delivery before Christmas. Plus shipping in the US is only $1 per item and you'll get a free pair of earrings with every purchase before December 31. 

Here are some great choices for your holiday festivities: 

Emerald Burst Cocktail Ring $21

Crimson Crest Cocktail Ring $22 

Lucky Green Girl Necklace $61 

Tips for Wearing Holiday Jewelry to Best Accent You

Jewelry is an accessory that can make or break your holiday look. Wearing jewelry correctly will result in a smart, dazzling result where all the focus is on you! Here are 5 simple tips: 

1. Wear just one bold statement piece of jewelry and make sure your other pieces are understated and complimentary. For example, a big, flashy bracelet should be paired with a simple ring and small hoop or stud earrings. Don't overstimulate your "viewers" by attempting to bring attention to your ears, neck, wrist, and hands at one time. Choose a single focal point. 

2. Be practical and consider your activity. Heavy, dangly earrings and ten bangle bracelets are probably not a good choice for a crazy dance party nor outdoor hiking. Reserve large pieces for events when you're not going to be extraordinarily active. 

3. Necklace lengths can be the trickiest thing to determine when choosing jewelry to coordinate with your outfit. Chokers are fantastic with strapless dresses and tops. Open collar and boat-neck tops look great with a chunkier, shorter necklace. Turtlenecks and tunics are best with a longer pendant or a long string of beads. 

4. Make sure your jewelry choices are appropriate for the situation. For example, a flashy choker is not okay for an office. And a set of conservative pearls is probably not the best choice for rock concert. Pair your jewelry to the occasion. 

5. Wear size-proportionate jewelry. If you're petite, a large piece (or worse, several large pieces) would detract versus attract. If you want to wear a bold piece, try a large cocktail ring or bracelet instead of a necklace or earrings. If you're a plus-sized gal, turn it up and wear large, splashy pieces. 

 

Lucky Tara!

Congrats, Tara, for winning the Decoupage Jewelry Box! Hope this inspires you and your 6-year-old to try making one for yourself. 

Be sure to check back for another DIY Contest soon...grazie! 

Vintage Jewelry Sourcing

I literally scour the country (mostly in New York, California, and Minnesota) for the vintage gems that I use to make my jewelry. I also have some special people who help me find pieces. 

One of those special people is my Aunt Bette who finds really great and unique pieces. It's a fun treasure discovery for us to look through all the pieces she finds. Thank you, Aunt Bette! 

Jewelry Journey

I've been in Minnesota and California searching for awesome vintage gems. I'll share more details about the scavenging adventure soon, but I had to share these pictures today.

On an early evening flight, I captured the sunset reflecting off the clouds and creating this brilliant pink color. How gorgeous and brilliant! It reminds me of some of the bright pink rhinestones in vintage pieces from the 1950's. Amazing!

We're Frolicing!

As a kick-off to selling jewelry on-line, we're sponsoring the blog frolic!

I've been an avid frolic! reader for quite some time and just adore Chelsea's fresh and neato posts. Check it out for yourself by clicking here!

Glam Gifts for Girlfriends That Won't Break Your Bank

Budgets are tight this year, but that doesn't mean you can't give a fantastic gift to your girlfriends. With a little creativity, your fabulous gift will be cherished all year long. Here are some ideas:

1. Handmade jewelry -- While you may not be able to afford diamonds or pearls, you can give a one-of-a-kind piece of sparkly jewelry by choosing a handmade piece. There are thousands of independent jewelry designers, all with a different style and specialty. I have sparkly, stunning options starting at $10...just click here!

This shimmery cocktail ring is only $18.

2. Infused vodka -- Even if you're not Martha Stewart, you can easily turn a bottle of inexpensive vodka into a special gift. Pour vodka and your favoring item (pineapple is delish!) into a sealable glass container, let set for 3-5 days. Remove the label from the vodka bottle and make your own. Separate the vodka and the flavoring item. Pour the vodka back into the original bottle. Voila!

3. Magazine subscription -- For less than $20, and sometimes around $10, you can give a gift that keeps on giving for a full year. Choose a magazine that's she would not choose for herself, but that inspires her the entire year. Give your friends different subscriptions and every can share magazines.

4. Mix CD -- Bring back special times by creating a mix CD of your shared favorite music. Or introduce your girlfriend to some new music. Make a personalized paper case insert with wrapping paper or stationary.

5. Evening bag -- Buy a simple, inexpensive evening bag at a discount store and embellish it yourself. Glue on sequins, rhinestones, or satin ribbon. Pin on a vintage brooch. Or swap out the handle with a long, fancy necklace.

DIY Jewelry Box...Plus You Can Win It!

The girls on my holiday list this year are receiving adorable, one-of-a-kind jewelry (or treasure) boxes! So cute and functional. Here are the steps to make one of your own.

Leave a message on this post and you can win this jewelry box! Drawing will be held on December 12.

STEP 1
Supplies:
- Wooden box (This one came from Michael's for less than $5)
- Modge Podge
- Small sponge brush
- Decoupage sealant
- Fabric or paper (this size box used 1/3 of a yard of fabric)
- 2 squares of felt

STEP 2
Cut your fabric or paper into different sized shapes and size with your smallest one being about .5"x.5" and the largest about 3"x3". If you're going to use fabric, cut with pinking shears to minimize the fraying (I learned this the hard way!)

Remove metal hardware from the box and put into a very safe, covered container. The screws are very, very tiny and quite easy to lose if the container is spilled (believe me!).

STEP 3
With the small sponge brush, paint on a thin coat of Modge Podge approximately the same size as one of the pieces of the larger fabric. Place the fabric on top of the Modge Podge and push out the bubbles. Put a coat of Modge Podge on top of the fabric or paper. I like to use a lot of Modge Podge so that the fabric is basically soaked. You don't need that much, however, for paper. Repeat this step until the entire top and bottom are covered. Don't cover the inside bottom of the box as you're going to put felt here.

STEP 4
After the Modge Podge has dried for about 24 hours, spray with a decoupage sealer. You can find this in all kinds of finishes including super glossy and matte. This stuff is toxic! Be sure to go outside or, at least, in the garage to use it.

You'll have to do several sessions of spraying because you'll want to make sure all the decoupage is covered. Spray thin layers versus a single thick, globby, runny layer. Allow each coat to dry for at least 2 hours and the finished product to dry for about 24 hours.

This step is absolutely necessary because without it, the Modge Podge will get tacky anytime it's humid as it's water-based.

STEP 5
Put the hardware back on the box. I've found that the screws actually fit better and more firmly if you put a little bit of tackly glue on them before screwing them back in.

Cut pieces of felt that will fit perfectly in the bottom of the box. Glue these piece with basic tacky glue. Consider using a piece of contrast-colored felt for a special surprise inside of the box. I've also used crafting foam for the inside and that's really great, too. The foam is actually easier to work with than felt, but it's a bit more expensive.

STEP 6
TA-DA! You're finished. There are lots of fun extras you can add on the box at this stage including small letters to spell names or special dates, rhinestones, glitter, or sequins.

Remember to leave a comment to be included in the drawing for this fun jewelry box on December 12. Grazie!