I have extended the free shipping deal an extra week!
Also, keep your eyes peeled for new items in the next week... Maybe even some pendant necklaces... EXCITING!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Tips for cleaning your gauged ears
These suggestions are meant to be helpful and informative, but you should always follow the directions of your piercer and/or the manufacturer for cleaning jewelry and piercings.
CLEANING YOUR EARS
While your piercing(s) are still healing, a good way to clean them is using a sea salt soak twice a day.
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of natural sea salt with 1/4 cup of warm water. Dip cotton balls or pads into the mixture and apply to piercing for 5-10 minutes. Let your ears air dry completely before inserting any jewelry.
You can also use a mild antibacterial/antimicrobial soap.
Wash your hands first. Remove your jewelry, wet hands and work soap into a lather. Using fingers, massage soap in a circular motion around piercing gently for 1-2 minutes. Allow soap to sit for 30 seconds to a minute and then make sure to rinse well removing all traces of soap and let your ears dry completely before putting jewelry back in.
Note: You should never clean newly pierced/stretched ears with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Both will kill any germs, but they also can kill the new skin that is developing and extend the time it takes to heal.
*Weird tip* If you can't sit still for 10 minutes twice a day try this: I use cotton pads because they give you a larger surface area to moisten. I wrap the cotton pad around my ear lobe and hold it in place with a small hair clip or barrette. Just make sure it is not clamping onto your ear lobe too tightly. You may look strange but your hands will be free to do other things.
Once your ears are completely healed, you should remove jewelry every time you shower. Using a fragrance free mild soap, massage ear lobes letting soap penetrate piercing and then rinse thoroughly and gently pat dry.
CLEANING YOUR JEWELRY
NATURAL JEWELRY (bone, wood, shell, etc.)
This kind of material is not for everyone. Those with sensitive skin may find that natural materials can cause irritation and/or allergic reactions.
Natural jewelry is porous and therefor can never be completely sterilized. It should never be worn in unhealed or newly stretched piercings.
Always wash natural jewelry before wearing with a mild, chemical free soap such as castile soap. (Dr. Bronner's is great). Dry immediately with a soft fuzz free cloth and seal by applying mineral, coconut, jojoba, or peanut oil. Wash and reapply oil as necessary.
Avoid showering/bathing or swimming with natural jewelry in and do not soak it. Extreme temperature changes and moisture can cause some materials to warp or crack.
POLYMER CLAY (Sculpey, Fimo, etc.)
Polymer clay jewelry is similar to jewelry made of natural materials in that it is porous. It should be taken care of in the same way you would take care of bone or wood jewelry with one exception: It is not necessary to seal it with any sort of oil. Polymer clay can be sealed with a polymer clay glaze but even when glazed it should still be considered a porous substance. Always make sure your ears are fully healed before wearing earrings made from polymer clay.
Avoid showering and swimming in polymer clay jewelry and to extend the life of your earrings it is suggested that you remove them before sleeping.
GLASS, METAL, SILICONE
Care for glass, metal and silicone jewelry is easy. Just wash with antibacterial soap and warm water. Dry with a fuzz free cloth. Make sure that with metal jewelry you are only using surgical grade materials with new piercings/stretching.
Note: It may be helpful to use a silicone based lubricant when inserting silicone jewelry.
CLEANING YOUR EARS
While your piercing(s) are still healing, a good way to clean them is using a sea salt soak twice a day.
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of natural sea salt with 1/4 cup of warm water. Dip cotton balls or pads into the mixture and apply to piercing for 5-10 minutes. Let your ears air dry completely before inserting any jewelry.
You can also use a mild antibacterial/antimicrobial soap.
Wash your hands first. Remove your jewelry, wet hands and work soap into a lather. Using fingers, massage soap in a circular motion around piercing gently for 1-2 minutes. Allow soap to sit for 30 seconds to a minute and then make sure to rinse well removing all traces of soap and let your ears dry completely before putting jewelry back in.
Note: You should never clean newly pierced/stretched ears with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Both will kill any germs, but they also can kill the new skin that is developing and extend the time it takes to heal.
*Weird tip* If you can't sit still for 10 minutes twice a day try this: I use cotton pads because they give you a larger surface area to moisten. I wrap the cotton pad around my ear lobe and hold it in place with a small hair clip or barrette. Just make sure it is not clamping onto your ear lobe too tightly. You may look strange but your hands will be free to do other things.
Once your ears are completely healed, you should remove jewelry every time you shower. Using a fragrance free mild soap, massage ear lobes letting soap penetrate piercing and then rinse thoroughly and gently pat dry.
CLEANING YOUR JEWELRY
NATURAL JEWELRY (bone, wood, shell, etc.)
This kind of material is not for everyone. Those with sensitive skin may find that natural materials can cause irritation and/or allergic reactions.
Natural jewelry is porous and therefor can never be completely sterilized. It should never be worn in unhealed or newly stretched piercings.
Always wash natural jewelry before wearing with a mild, chemical free soap such as castile soap. (Dr. Bronner's is great). Dry immediately with a soft fuzz free cloth and seal by applying mineral, coconut, jojoba, or peanut oil. Wash and reapply oil as necessary.
Avoid showering/bathing or swimming with natural jewelry in and do not soak it. Extreme temperature changes and moisture can cause some materials to warp or crack.
POLYMER CLAY (Sculpey, Fimo, etc.)
Polymer clay jewelry is similar to jewelry made of natural materials in that it is porous. It should be taken care of in the same way you would take care of bone or wood jewelry with one exception: It is not necessary to seal it with any sort of oil. Polymer clay can be sealed with a polymer clay glaze but even when glazed it should still be considered a porous substance. Always make sure your ears are fully healed before wearing earrings made from polymer clay.
Avoid showering and swimming in polymer clay jewelry and to extend the life of your earrings it is suggested that you remove them before sleeping.
GLASS, METAL, SILICONE
Care for glass, metal and silicone jewelry is easy. Just wash with antibacterial soap and warm water. Dry with a fuzz free cloth. Make sure that with metal jewelry you are only using surgical grade materials with new piercings/stretching.
Note: It may be helpful to use a silicone based lubricant when inserting silicone jewelry.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Featured Style: Tentacles!
This style seems to be my most popular so far. It has three times as many views as any other listing and my first three sales were for variations of this item. Here are some of the varieties that have been sent out.
This is the most recent pair I have sent out. I liked this one so much I think I will be making myself a pair just like them. They have just a little bit of shimmer to them which I love!
These are two pairs that were made as a faux gauge. They turned out great, you can't even tell they are faux when they are in!
These were custom made as a gift for the sweet guy in someone's life. What a great gift idea! You can find so many awesome things to give on Etsy!
This is the most recent pair I have sent out. I liked this one so much I think I will be making myself a pair just like them. They have just a little bit of shimmer to them which I love!
These are two pairs that were made as a faux gauge. They turned out great, you can't even tell they are faux when they are in!
These were custom made as a gift for the sweet guy in someone's life. What a great gift idea! You can find so many awesome things to give on Etsy!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Things have been picking up!
It has been about three months since I started selling items on Etsy and things are starting to pick up! I am really enjoying the chance that I have had to spread my love of crafting and share my work with people from all over. Things started off right away when I set up a booth at a local gallery stroll here in Salt Lake . It was a blast and I made quite a few contacts including Wee, an awesome chick and amazing artist from Illustrated Life Tattoo. We decided to set up a small selection of earrings in her tattoo shop and I even got to join her in the grand opening party for her shop at a local club, The Paper Moon.
Things have been plugging along nicely and I have decided to start working harder at getting the word out there about my shop. I am not much of a writer but I hope that you will enjoy following along with my rambling adventures in crafting and creating and Etsy selling.
If you have the time, hop over to the facebook page and "like" us. It is a great way to follow along with news.
Also, I would like to give a great big friendly shout out to my first customers, Kimberly Miner, Melanie Bagwell and Liz Gorinsky! Thanks guys!
Things have been plugging along nicely and I have decided to start working harder at getting the word out there about my shop. I am not much of a writer but I hope that you will enjoy following along with my rambling adventures in crafting and creating and Etsy selling.
If you have the time, hop over to the facebook page and "like" us. It is a great way to follow along with news.
Also, I would like to give a great big friendly shout out to my first customers, Kimberly Miner, Melanie Bagwell and Liz Gorinsky! Thanks guys!
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