Here is one of my own recently created Etsy Treasuries: Summer Favorites.

If nothing else, you can’t argue that the Ocean Jasper ring is simply to die for.

The glass and copper are secured to a leather cord via hand-wrapped sterling silver wire. The copper has been patinated to bring out the depth of the etching and create a rustic feel, and the silver has been polished to a high shine.

The piece secures with an antique silver plated clasp.

Necklaces measures approximately 17″.

*Please note that each piece is individually handmade. While the overall design will be consistent with the photo, there will be minor variations each time. Each piece is unique!

*We interrupt regular programming to bring you a this-is-too-ridiculous-not-to-post entry. Because when parenting 5 kids, this is just another thing that frequently occurs Between the Lines.

So, yeah, the other day my youngest daughter went to her meet-and-greet at preschool. She insisted on wearing a striped shirt with plaid shorts. And, yes, I let her. Because, hey, I’ve got a nearly 10-year-old who wears athletic shorts and a Star Wars shirt (the same ones) every. single. day. So pardon me if I’m a bit ecstatic that his younger sister is thrilled to choose a (new, clean) outfit every. single. day. (Even if it makes you a bit woozy to look at it).

After she saw her classroom, we talked about what most excited her, she said, “My cubby!” And I said, “Wasn’t it red?” To which she replied, “Red. Rojo.”

What?

So I said, “Do you know what ‘blue’ is in Spanish?”

“Azul.”

“Green?”

“Verde.”

Kid didn’t miss a beat. And yes, I’m totally letting everyone around me think (until they read this post, at least) that I’m spending several hours a day working my tail off to raise a bilingual child. Little do they know that her extreme prowess in bilinguality (yes it’s a word, as of this very moment) is really merely a testament to the amount of time she spends in front of Dora and Diego.

Parents, take note. My sister recently took my niece (who is also 3) to an aquarium to see the penguins. Imagine her surprise when my niece announced, “Those are macaroni penguins.”

And they were.

Or when my daughter announces at the zoo that she’d like to see the Spectacled Bears or the Pygmy Marmosets, I stand a bit taller, and ask (loudly), “What honey? You want to see PYGMY MARMOSETS?” and envision all the other parents around me thinking, “Wow, what’s her secret?”

No big secret. Just a little lady with a cute bob haircut, an always matching outfit, and a partner-in-crime who happens to be a map.

The 3 layers are secured together by sterling silver rivets. The entire piece has been gently patinated, brushed, and fire painted to give it rustic, elegant character. For me, the most fun in creating this piece comes with the fire painting process. Each piece of copper produces varying hues — from oranges and pinks to blues and purples. It’s hard to know exactly how each will turn out since such a variety of factors plays into why and how the copper produces each color. But I’ve never met one I didn’t like!

Fits wrist sizes up to 7.5″

*Please note that each piece is individually handmade. While the overall design will be consistent with the photo, there will be minor variations each time. Each piece is unique!

Is that too deep?

This piece is hand-forged, hand-hammered, oxidized copper with a unique clasp connection. Sterling silver wire weaves waves of the bracelet together, and on some of the copper wire sit silver plated beads which represent some of the “bumps” that pop up along the way, seamlessly working their way into each of our stories.

This bracelet measures 7″

These modern, dress-up or dress-down earrings look great with everything and are perfect for everyday wear or a special evening out! They are a surefire conversation starter, and when the light hits them just right, they produce an amazing sparkle!

Sterling Silver hand-forged wires connect to vintage mercury buttons via wrapped sterling posts.

The earrings drop approximately 1 1/4″.

FREE SHIPPING on these earrings! They will arrive in my signature rustic brown gift box topped with a whimsical flower.

As a “secret” little component, the phrase TRUST YOURSELF has been stamped onto one end of the cuff so that when you look down, you will be reminded to do so.

The cuff has been patinated to give it a slightly rustic quality. If you’d prefer yours polished to a high shine, please just let us know in the comments when you place your order.

The cuff measures 6″ long x 2″ wide (and is slightly adjustable by gently squeezing).

Each piece is individually handmade. Please allow 1 week for production time.

*Note: Each piece is individually handmade, so while the overall design will be exactly as seen in product photos, each piece will have unique characteristics.

The button is set in a silver bezel and mounted onto a sterling silver back plate. The button has been “cross stitched” with 14k gold-filled wire.

The piece sits atop a double sterling silver ring. The ring has been just slightly hammered, and its ends have been artfully worked into balls.

This ring is a size 6. My mark (a cursive E) is hand-engraved onto the bottom of the bezel as is the word Joy. No one else needs to know it’s there; it serves as a simple reminder to its owner to find joy in less-than-likely places.

The size of the button plus the bit of back plate I left as a neat aesthetic feature measures approximately 7/8″ in diameter.

This piece is one of a kind.

A hand forged, hammered, highly polished piece of copper is engraved with one of my favorite phrases: “The soul is here for its own joy. -Rumi”

I believe this saying serves as a great reminder that amidst all the running around we do, our spirits are simply hoping to enjoy the little things we tend to miss in the fury of “doing it all.”

Handmade sterling silver jump rings connect the copper to top-quality and leather suede lace that softly wraps around your wrist. Silver plated beads both accent and size the piece.

Artist’s mark is hand engraved on a separate piece of copper that hangs unobtrusively just behind the focal point.

Copper focal piece measures approximately 2″ x 9/16″. Adjustable up to approximately 8 1/2″.

So I said to myself, “Self, it’s time to go and do something else.” After all, sitting and trying to will a piece into creation is not the same as creating a piece.

So I spent the day in the garden, reading magazines, and hanging with the kids.

The next morning, I sat down in the studio, and suddenly, it was there. This piece almost literally came together before my eyes. My fingers couldn’t work nearly as fast as whatever it was that was driving this creation wanted them to!

In the end, what lay before me was one of my very favorites.

A Bali or Thai silver bead of one of the most peaceful faces I’ve ever seen (on a bead, anyway) is topped with a brown wooden bead and a sterling silver cone bead that acts like this peaceful fellow’s hat. He hangs from a chain that has, at its base, an antique skeleton key. When this key came to me, it was covered in rust. But a day-long tumble and a little elbow grease later, its restored to its natural beauty while still maintaining its rustic charm and character. On its side, I hand-engraved the word Faith, and on its back the artist’s initials.

I was initially perplexed because I wanted to use a gunmetal chain, but I didn’t have nearly enough on hand. After letting my mind rest for a day, it became clear that that small piece I had on hand was all I needed; the piece wanted a combination of gunmetal and vintage bronze chains, finished with a gunmetal toggle clasp.

Space for Faith serves as a reminder that with Faith, everything works out as it should.