Etsy Metal Finds

Turquoise is proposed by some to be the next big color. It seems to be a color of happiness and joy. So, here is to a year full of happiness and joy....and turquoise to brighten those winter days!


Clockwise From Top Left:

Blue Interior of Steam Train Photograph 4x6 by henatayeb
Lovebirdies Vase by redhotpottery
Half dozen baths-not-bombs by katevw
Ruffled Skirt by tasifashion

New Year, New Music - What we're listening to in the studio

The Dirty Projectors

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Regina Spektor

Hem

The Avett Brothers

Stephen Lynch

Blind Lemon Jefferson
Son House

The Kinks

Andrew W.K.

Snowden

Charm Swap Five Progress

Charm Swap Five is underway, the deadline for finished charms is January 31, 2010. As with previous swaps, each of the 20 participants creates 22 charms - one for each swap member and one to be sold in the EtsyMetal shop along with a bracelet that features all of the charms. Sales from this swap will go to a charitable arts organization, yet to be determined. SimplyMega, Tuizui, and Alphabettispaghetti were early birds and have have completed all of their charms. As for the rest of us, some have vague ideas, some have working prototypes, and a few will undoubtedly work right up to the deadline (I'm in the last group).

Alphabettispaghetti's wonderful spoon charms in progress:

and all completed:

SimplyMega's WIP pictures:

and her fun mixed-metal charms:


Tuizui's enameled charms made from argentium silver and PMC:

Experimetal will be creating her charms in the style of her silver necklace with captured steel ball:

sarawestermark says, "I've been toying with the idea of hollow charms with a stone setting. I think I might do a more moon or lunar surface with holes, but these were my prototypes. They are .75 inches wide."



CynthiaDelGiudice fold-formed copper WIP


Maggie J says her charm design is, "inspired by my new button rings I've been making. I have blue topaz, citrine, amethyst, peridot, and possibly garnet that size, so there will be a variety of colors."

KathrynRiechert plans "to do little jeweler amulets. Each will have a quartz crystal on it and there are several different messages I've decided upon."

And finally, MarKaplan's WIP in textured silver:

Watch for more CS5 updates as we approach the January 31 deadline!

Week One of the Ring-a-Day Challenge

Nina Dinoff's Ring-a-Day Challenge has begun with a BANG! Several EtsyMetal members are participating and countless other artists have joined in the fun. Here is a sampling of the EtsyMetal members rings from first few days...

January 1, 2010

1. RAD #1 1/1/09, 2. New Year's Ring (RAD #1 - 1/1/10), 3. Ring a day 1, 4. Ring a Day | Day One, 5. #1 Ring a Day - Jan 1, 2010, 6. Ring-A-Day Challenge 2010 #1, 7. ring a day 1, 8. ring a day 1 - january 1, 9. ring a day #1, 10. Ring a Day Challenge 1/365, 11. Mike-010110, 12. Ring a Day 1/365, 13. rachelle-010110, 14. day one, 15. RAD #1 1/1/10, 16. Ring A Day- Jan 1st, 2010, 17. ring a day 1/365 (mosaic), 18. 01 01 2010 Etsy Metal Ring A Day Challenge, 19. Ring a Day 1/365, 20. Day1-Ring 1

January 2, 2010

1. Ring a Day, 2/365, 01.02.10, 2. Tired (RAD #2 1/2/10), 3. Ring-A-Day Challenge 2010 #2, 4. 01 02 2010 Etsy Metal Ring A Day Challenge, 5. RAD (#1 1/2/10), 6. Ring a Day | Day Two, 7. RAD #2 1/2/10, 8. Ring a Day 2/365, 9. Mike-010210, 10. Ring a Day 2/365, 11. Ring a day 2, 12. Rachelle-010210, 13. ring a day 2...caulk ring, 14. day two, 15. ring a day #2, 16. Ring A Day 2/365, 17. RAD 1/365, 18. RAD #2 1/2/09, 19. RAD 2/365 (sp), 20. Ring A Day- Jan 2nd, 2010, 21. Day2-Ring 2

January 3, 2010

1. Ring a Day Challenge 2010 #3 'Ode to Sarah' aka 'The Angry Tangerine', 2. Not available, 3. 01 03 2010 Etsy Metal Ring a Day Challenge, 4. Ring a Day 3/365, 01.03.10, 5. ring a day 3 - january 3, 6. Ring a Day 3/365, 7. Green Blade (RAD #3 1/3/10), 8. Rachelle-010310-2, 9. Mike-010310, 10. Ring a Day 3/365, 11. RAD #2 1/3/10, 12. RAD #3 1/3/10, 13. RIng a Day | Day Three, 14. Wire Wrapped Red Flower Ring RAD, 15. ring a day 2...control, 16. Ring A Day- Jan 3rd, 2010, 17. RAD 3/365 "the duel" (on), 18. Ring A Day 3/365, 19. RAD #3 1/3/10, 20. RAD #3 1/3/10

January 4, 2010

1. Ring a Day - 1/010410 Gaffer Lily Ring, 2. Ring a day - #1, 010410, 3. RAD #4 1/4/10, 4. R A D #4 01042010, 5. Ring a Day | Day Four, 6. Not available, 7. RAD 4/365 "twisty tie", 8. day three, 9. RAD 4/365 - Back to Work, 10. ring a day 4...wire rope, 11. Chiseled Moonstone (RAD #4 1/4/10), 12. Rachelle-010410, 13. RAD #4 1/4/10, 14. Mike-010410, 15. ETSYMETAL Team Challenge Ring a Day, 16. Ring a Day, 4/365, 01.04.10, 17. ring a day 4 - january 4 , 18. day four

Please visit the Flickr group pool to see more amazing and unique ring submissions from other artists: Ring-a-Day.

2010 January: Blog Carnival

Welcome to the Etsy Metal Blog Carnival!

So you ask, "what is a blog carnival?"
It is group of Etsy Metal members who will collectively write a article on the monthly subject. We will be blogging this the first Monday of each month.

Our topic for January is:
"My Favorite Object"

We hope you enjoy reading about our inspirations and musings on life!

Victoria Takahashi - Experimetal

Danielle Miller-Gilliam -Danielle Jewelry

Stacey Hansen - Wildflower Designs

Rebekah Timlin Meddles- Lunasa Designs

Sara Westermark - Sara Westermark

Beth Cyr -BCYR Jewelry

Ashley Akers -Ashley Jewelry

2010 January Monthly Challenge!

This months theme was "Haiku!"

EtsyMetal Team January Challenge was to make a piece that is inspired by the Haiku below,

and then write your own Haiku that was inspired from the piece you just made!

metamorphosis

of a fallen leaf saddened

in springs warm embrace

Sara Westermark

Amid the chaos

A tender leaf split in half,

The tension released.

Victoria Takahashi
anticipation
new growth with scents of changes
yet to come our way

February Monthly Challenge is:
"Garnets & Valentines!"

Ring in the New Year

Happy New Year from Etsy Metal! We are beginning 2010 with a new team challenge: a Ring-a-Day in January. Etsy Metal member Nina Dinoff suggested the idea and several members jumped on board. The challenge is open to anyone and everyone (not just EM folks)! Please join in on the fun! The idea is just to make a ring a day...out of anything. It can be a twist tie, a donut, an old t-shirt, or a 7 hour gold ring...whatever you like or have time for. The hope is that you will do this every day, wherever you are. Join us and post your daily pics in the flickr group: Ring a Day. We will be blogging the rings weekly....so stay tuned...