Statement Flower Hemp Necklace; Favorite Styles Of Jewelry?

Hello! I wanted to take some time this morning to sit down, and make a post on here before I really start my day. I love waking up to a quiet house, sit at my computer with my coffee and check emails. I hear all the birds chirping and squirrels scuttling right outside my window. It makes me miss living in a quieter area. But alas, I cannot sit and daydream all day.

I made this necklace the other day that I feel turned out beautifully. 

I fell in love with this pendant when I first seen it, and had to purchase it.  

I have been very into the color blue for the past few months, and this bronze and turquoise flower just looks gorgeous. It has a faux pearl in the center which gives it a little splash of white to brighten the flower. Its has 3 rows of metal "petals" so its sturdy, and not some flimsy pendant that you're scared of breaking.

I used these blue/green( in the photo they look blue but in person they have a slight green tint as well) dyed quartzite beads to compliment the pendant, and give the rest of the necklace a little something.

I also used a few decorative knots, because I think they can class up any hemp necklace :)

And finally,  I closed the necklace with a knotted loop and a dark toned wooden bead. This makes it really easy to take on and off, and the knotted loop keeps you from struggling to put the bead through multiple loops. 

What do you guys think? 

It is available in my Etsy shop if you are interested in purchasing it!

Etsy Shop

What are your favorite styles of jewelry? 

Beads, Pendants, Where do you buy them?

I have been reading a lot of posts on various bead/jewelry groups on Facebook and many discussions I have read are based upon where people get their supplies. I am all about finding the best deals on pendants and beads, but since I do not make jewelry with a whole lot of sparkle and metal I find it harder to find unique beads and pendants.  I take advantage of a lot of stores in my area, but I also buy online. A lot of fellow artisans refuse to buy items from eBay or other auction sites because they feel as though it is a little sketchy.  Now, I don't disagree with those thoughts, but I do buy off eBay due to price. I have had a few duds, including an unfortunate event in which I bought a rose quartz pendant that turned out to be cut in the shape of a swastika. They had taken photos at specific angles to hide 2 of the cuts in the pendant. I saw two of them and I figured, hey, I can maybe do a little wire wrapping to dress it up a little, and hide the two cuts. Little did I know I was going to receive this:

So, eBay may hand you a couple turds every now and then, but I think overall its the best place I have found so far, price wise. I do have a few select shops on Etsy that I purchase from, but for the most part it tends to be in stores in my area and eBay.

Its hard to keep up with my bead addiction, when everything seems to be priced so high. Sites that these people have talked about being "bargain" prices are just untrue. I will not specifically name the sites, but I find it difficult to get what I want at a decent price without having to buy a bunch of the same thing. I try to maintain a one-of-a-kind jewelry setting. Some pendants I will use more than once, but I always make the patterns different and try to give it something a little extra to keep them from looking the same. 

If you are a jewelry artisan where do you get your beads from?
and if you are just a jewelry fan, do you care if someone has the same handmade piece, or would you rather have a one-of-a-kind item?

Cheers!

Jen

Macrame; Necklace; Rose

                                     

This is a necklace I recently made. When I started making the necklace, I originally planned a completely different pendant.  However, the pendant I chose had a bale that was too small, and at the time I didn't have any rings to throw on it to alleviate the situation, so I switched out the pendant for this the pink rose. Although the small glass beads don't exactly math the pendant, I think it compliments the necklace enough to give it a little something, while keeping the pink rose as the focal point.  

It wasn't exactly what I had planned, but I'm content with the outcome. What do you guys think?

This necklace is currently available in my Etsy shop. You can view it here.

Also, You can keep up with my jewelry endeavors on these social media sites:

Facebook

Pinterest

Instagram

Tumblr

Share your social media links! I'd love to check them out! :)

Cheers!

Jen

Jewelry, Jewelry, Jewelry; Peace, Love, and Knotty Hemp!

Hello!
      My name is Jen and I started my own jewelry business under the name Peace, Love, and Knotty Hemp. I create macrame jewelry using mostly hemp, but I also work with wire, bamboo and other materials.  I started creating jewelry during childhood. I learned how to make friendship bracelets and keychains when I was in Girl Scouts and continued on making mostly plastic beaded jewelry for myself and friends. Around 2008 I was hanging out with a friend who showed me her little stash of beads and charms she purchased at craft show and she taught me how to do a few knots. From there, I was hooked. I started selling jewelry in 2010 and started my business officially in 2013.

     I am creating this blog to share my work with others, I would love to interact with fellow artisans and fans of handmade jewelry. I love talking beads and techniques, unfortunately my close knit group of family and friends can get rather bored with it. So I am seeking fellow creators and fans to discuss jewelry! 

     I will show photos of projects and finished pieces, as well as beads/charms/pendants from my stash! I encourage everyone to share their photos too! Leave comments, and interact! I love talking to people and meeting fellow jewelry artists :)


Questions for readers:

Do you create jewelry?
Do you buy/sell on Etsy?
Where are you favorite places (online or offline) to sell/buy jewelry?