I'm hosting a GIVEAWAY!

That's right folk!  I'm hosting a giveaway for another artist: Jon Fine!  I've featured Jon's work previously on my blog as well.  He's asked If I would host a giveaway promotion for him on my blog and I said I'd be most happy to. 
Jon makes wonderful woodwork creations.  He is 55 and currently lives and creates in south New Jersey.  His creations are truly wonders to the eyes.  He makes a little of everything from coat hangers to door frame decorations, picture frames to clocks.  And this month, he has been gracious enough to donate not one, not two but THREE items for a giveaway to you, my loyal readers!

Here's how it works: each time you do one of the following things you will be given "chances", meaning your name will go in my "hat".  To make certain that I am fair in drawing a name from the hat, I will have my dear BF do so and will make sure to take pictures.  That way you will all know it was fairly drawn.

Ways to enter

Leave a comment on this blog~ 1 entry

Follow this blog~ 1 entry

Follow Jon's blog~ 2 entries (http://finewoodcrafts.blogspot.com/)

Become a follower of Jon's blog~ 2 entries

Become a fan on Jon's Facebook~ 1 entry (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fine-crafts/103696063001695?Created)

Follow Jon on Twitter~ 1 entry (http://twitter.com/JonPSU77)

Tweet about this giveaway~ 2 entries

Make a purchase from either of Jon's shops~ 5 entries

(http://twitter.com/JonPSU77 , http://www.artfire.com/users/JonFine)

Please notify me either in your comments on this blog or by email (divapixie25@gmail.com)  proof that you have done one or more of these things for entries.  Links to your tweets, purchases, comments etc. will be enough proof. 

And NOW.... the fabulous gifts!  One prize will be awarded each week for the next 3 weeks.  The prize for this week's giveaway is..... a wonderful wine bottle and glass holder!

This prize will be given away on September 7th, a week from today!  Now, get out there and enter!  Free stuff.... you just can not go wrong.

SALE ends SOON!

Today is the LAST DAY to get 25% off everything in my studio!  Take advantage and purchase that jewelry piece you've been eyeing of those destah beads for that special project today before the prices go back up. 

LOTS of great items to choose from.  Remember, prices go up at midnight tonight!

Moonstone

Moonstone is certainly an intriguing stone.  Whether it's the opalescent grey moonstone, the white whine with the blue flash of rainbow moonstone or the soothing smooth color of peach moonstone, it's certain to catch the eye and entrance you.
I first became interested in this stone in high school.  I had a strange dream one night about being trapped in a cave made of some kind of opalescent stone with hints of blue.  I wasn't sure what it was but I was fascinated by it.  The following weekend, I found a pendant at a local festival made of the same stone as the cave in my dream!  I was absolutely in love and purchased the stone at once.  I still have that necklace (and matching earrings I purchased later) to this day.
My new found fascination led me to research the stone further.  I discovered that moonstone is supposedly a stone of dreams.  It brings peaceful, restful sleep if placed under a pillow.  It's a stone of divination and psychism.  This is because it is associated with the Moon Goddess.  It is a sacred stone in many religions.
Moonstone is also thought to be a protective stone.  People wear or carry moonstone with them on long journeys, especially over water. 
Moonstone also comes in different color varieties.  Rainbow moonstone is a beautiful white stone that have a shimmer like mother of pearl.  It also has a flash of light blue when the light hits it just right, much like labradorite.   Peach moonstone also has this mother of pearl like shimmer but is a much more smooth shade of peach or light orange.  Grey moonstone has a quality like trapped fog.  It almost seems to swirl in the light.
Whatever your reasons, I hope you will add this stone to your jewelry repetoire.  It is definitely a stone with wearing and working with!

AJG August Challenge

I am a member of the Artisan Jeweler Guild on Artfire and we just put up our August challenge blog this morning.  I have a piece entered in the challenge but there are MANY wonderful choices.  The theme this month was Artist's Choice... so we each chose one of our favorite pieces to be entered.  Please go check it out and vote for your favorite!
http://artfireajg.blogspot.com/
Here's the piece I entered.

Piece in progress....

... but now I need help.  I need some input about what to make this piece into.  A pendant?  Necklace?  Brooch?  Something else?

Any ideas out there in blogger land?

A new piece in progress

So, I haven't done a piece in progress post in a while.  And now I have a piece in progress to share.

A friend of mine from back in MN was looking over one of my recent steampunk pieces and remarked that it was lovely.  She then lamented that she has longed to see a steampunk necklace, pendant or brooch that has a skull and cross bones and wings.  Her Steampunk costume persona is that of an airship pirate.  I decided that day to order some brass embellishments and get after that idea. 
I started with an old vintage rhinestone buckle.  A lot of the rhinestones are missing but it still has a lot of shine to it.  I then wired swarovski crystals around the oustide.  I added the brass charms and am now about halfway through adding cogs and other watch parts to it.  I haven't decided yet if it should be a pendant or a brooch.  I also think it needs some additional wire work and perhaps some more beads....

Recycled Vintage piece

I took care of my sick bf all weekend.  But in between fetching him water and making meals I did manage to create another new piece.  This one is made around a piece of broken vintage costume jewelry.  I simply took the rhinestone encrusted piece and did some wire magic around it adding various crystals and beads.  Then I added some antiqued brass chain and voila!  More vintage bling.