Aquashella-Handcrafted Jewelry

New things!!

2009-04-25T20:08:00.001-07:00

I have been a real recluse lately. Nose to the grindstone, or in my case, I have been in the studio working with copper, sterling silver and a torch, oxidizing and polishing, hammering, twisting, pounding.. you get the picture. I took some really quick pics of things to give a peek of what's to come!

The lariat line is what I am really excited about. Roughly 19 inches long and no clasp!

You simply put it on and flip one end over the other and it stays!

I just got inventory of some great summer stones Melon, Celery, Tangerine, Dragonfruit, Blueberry, Lemon just to name a few colors. Mix those with oxidized sterling and it looks great... More time needed in said studio... that said, time for me to get back to work!!

Upcoming Craft Fairs!!

2009-04-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! I have been so busy creating things for the upcoming spring season!!

A few shows I have coming up are:

May 2nd (Saturday)

Hickam Art Fair~ I'll be located in the same spot as always (booth#4) in front of the stage.

May 9th (Saturday)

Pride 4 Ewa ~~ Off Geiger and Keanunui past the elementary school.

July 18th &19th

Haleiwa Arts Festival

Hope to see you all there! Each event is a big one so get there early for the best selection!!

Updated pics for Spring and Summer!!

2009-03-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

I've been busy since the holidays making new jewelry and getting ready for the upcoming show season.

A few of the shows I am trying to get into are:

Hickam Arts and craft fair May 3rd

Waikiki Spam Jam April 25th

Pride 4 Ewa May 9th

Haleiwa Arts Festival July 18th & 19th

I'll keep you posted.

I am also working on a lot of metalsmithed pieces in Sterling silver and copper. Really cool stuff and when I am thru taking pics I will post them!!

Craft show at the Topa Center, Honolulu

2008-12-09T17:15:00.000-08:00

Two days of a craft show in Honolulu! Met lots of great, fun people and I am waiting on supplies to make the custom orders!

I thought this was going to be my last show of the season but another vendor, who wouldn't be able to attend, sold me her booth and I managed a 3rd on Sunday! Phew!

I will be posting everything I have on my ETSY shop (www.aquashella.etsy.com) this week!!!

I am busy taking new photographs of things and the camera battery pooped out so it's charging. go figure, right?

Tomorrow is another day and I will resume with a fully charged camera battery and sally forth.

Hickam Craft Fair!!

2008-11-15T22:54:00.000-08:00

OK, I am beat but I am so psyched that I had to write this real quick before I go to totally veg out. Today was the Hickam Craft Fair and I was signed up and totaly looking forward to it. Sat 9-3. But Friday night it was pouring.. It was still pouring when I went to bed a little after midnight too! I woke up at around 5:30am to the sound of heavy rain... Still? Seriously? I peeked out the window and it was soaked and getting soakererered. Crap!

Will the Craft fair even happen? SO, I laid in bed and made a deal with God. If he could give us a rain-free day I would donate 5% of my sales to a cause I had in mind. If I went over a higher amount I would give 10% to this cause. I made coffee and got ready and by 6:30am it had stopped raining... No kidding... It was hot and humid all day but no rain and sales were GREAT! I knew he heard me! At 3pm when the show ended and we were all packing up it started pouring again! Like a timer went off when the show ended!

I totaled up sales and I am happy to say that I have a hefty check to offer a family that wants to take their sick child to Disney World. I think the best part of the day was knowing I am able to give more than double what I originally expected. I am really thankful that the rain stopped and I am really blown away that I really think GOD was listening!

Thank you everyone who helped me reach a great goal today, my customers are the best. NO one knew what my goal was today. Just me and God. Thanks God!

Heres what new!

2008-08-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

I have had the opportunity to have large chunks of time to my disposal lately as my 3 kids are ALL in school. This is the first time since 1991 that I have had this kind of 6 hour time slot to fill with my own time! You can't even imagine how nice it is to get the torch out and completely take over the kitchen with all the flammable liquids, solder, MAPP gas and metal and really get some good things done with no interruption!

IT has really opened me up to doing more time consuming projects and really coming up with some good ideas...ahhhhh I will show the things I am currently working on here soon!

Here are a few of the things that I have ready for sale...

Aquashella Handcrafted Jewelry is....

2008-07-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Gearing up for a lot of Craft Fairs in the coming months!

I have announced on my ETSY site (www.aquashella.etsy.com) that I am listing pictures of most of my One Of A Kind jewelry pieces here on my BLOG for you to see and find what you'd like to purchase or have me make for you.

I am doing this because my jewelry has been !selling out! at craft fairs and shows and I cannot afford (timewise) to keep it listed on ETSY to then take it off each weekend for a show, so, Take a look here, find something that you would like to purchase and email me at aquashella@earthlink.net and I will then post the items(s) on my ETSY site for you to purchase there. I have already taken orders and I am making special order pieces and I am loving it!

If you have any questions regarding shipping, packaging (you'll receive each piece beautifully wrapped ready for gift giving, or as a treat to yourself!) please look at my ETSY site and it is all there under policies.

Thank you and Have fun browsing thru Aquashella Jewlery,

Jane

Aquashella- Handcrafed Jewelry. New Designs!!! I am so excited!!!

2008-07-17T22:42:00.000-07:00

I can hardly wait to post them! I do not have much on my ETSY site right now because of moving and also I have so many shows coming up that I have to make enough supply. I thought I'd put a lot of my stock up on this blog-website instead of listing it on ETSY. That way, if any of you would like something I will make it for you on request, just email me and we'll work it out. I do this for a lot of people so please, feel free to contact me. It's never a bother and I am never too busy to make something when a piece of jewelry "finds you".

I love to make things in my new little studio. Lately I have been listening to the Beatles; Abby Road, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and another greatest hits type album put out by The Beatles.. I kind of go on jags of music listening when I am in "the zone" I guess it's mostly by circumstance because rather than change the CD I will just push the Play button again and repeat whatever is in. I have gone thru Neil Diamond and Martin Zellar who is lead singer for the defunct Gear Daddies- Sad sigh.... go on, Google em! Gear Daddies. You can't not like them!! Especially the song "I want to drive the Zamboni" Yeah, no, the Zamboni is the truck that resurfaces the ice skating rink. My spellcheck keeps highlighting Zamboni? Ughh... So if you though driving the Zamboni was something dirty your out of luck...

Here are a bunch of new designs I have been making. Please leave comments! I appreciate your input.

Here They are!

**Click on each picture to see an enlarged view***

quick pics of my life...

2008-06-04T13:32:00.001-07:00

My hubby, my boys, my girl, my nieces and nephew... and a pile of mango's I need to peel and make jam with... Why are the mango's with family pics? I don't know, but I am going with it!

New Jewelry!

2008-06-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

These three are just a few of what's to come. I am really loving making the "double" strand necklaces. Although they are time consuming to make because I wire-wrap each stone and connect them individually. They are incredibly strong and the chain I use is also soldered links so that adds to the strength.

Ringo Starr is singing Octopus's Garden in my head each time I start one of the fab Octo-necklaces. I love these guys and was glad when I could find the guys in brass with Sterling silver plate. What a great combo!

The 3rd is a vintage inspired necklace with lava stone, brass wire and a classy brass pendant.

I have so much to put on ETSY but I am having a tough time mustering up the patience to wait for the pics to upload!!! If they upload at all! It can take up to 15 minutes just to post ONE piece of jewelry! If anyone alse has any advice on how to make it go quicker please email me!! Aquashella@earthlink.net

I have tried making the pics square b4 uploading... Sometimes its quick, sometimes its like turtle slow..I am talking a one-legged turtle.a one legged SEA-turtle..On LAND!

Plane Identification

2008-05-26T20:18:00.000-07:00

Since I have disclosed that I live directly under the "shallow end" of the flight path of Honolulu International Airport AND that I can identify say a C-5 just by the earthquake rumble and insane noise it creates. I decided to post video of said flights.

I pride myself ( in my head and own little world) that I can tell the difference between an old

DC-8 and a 747. Aloha air had the noisiest high pitched squeal to them. Sorry they went out of business and all but sheesh, I don't miss that noise!

JAL 747's fly so low overhead that they create wind turbulence that turn into mini-tornadoes that sometimes rip 12 ft palm fronds from the coconut palms here! "Look out kids!"

Here are a few video (yes, I am that geek that takes video of them!)

Once, a United flight was coming in really low. I mean strangely low. I watched it coming well, basically right towards me as I stood in my yard... when all of the sudden it pulled up and started lifting up dramatically back on course... "What the heck? You fall asleep up there?" I though he was going to let er down right in the lagoon!

Now promise me that for the C-5 super duper huge plane you will have your volume (go ahead and turn it up now) on full volume...its no joke. This IS how loud it is. If you'd really like to re-create the scenario just grab the sides of your desk or wherever you have your computer set up and rumble it like a subtle earthquake for say 45 seconds...

The fighter jets are pretty cool too...

I really need a life...

New Fun Stuff!

2008-05-22T20:46:00.000-07:00

new stuff not yet on ETSY...

2008-05-22T20:40:00.000-07:00

Its about time for some new jewelry!!

Coconut Palm Cubbies

2008-05-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

Again, today Super Jody taught me how to weave this little guy. Surprisingly it was easy... ANd this is coming from me, who cant really even knit!

I have to trim the wackadoo's off the sides once it dries. I am afraid if I trim them now it will all unravel!

So, here it is!

Aloha! It's already heading to the end of MAY!!!

2008-05-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, where does time go?! I have been busy and I have been making a lot of goodies for the Etsy site! Phew! I sold a lot during the shows and jewelry was dwindling and I was waiting for re-supply shipments and they quickly shipped here from all my great suppliers and I am back at work!

A few of my good friends have left and are in the process of leaving the island to move to the mainland so we have been getting together and palm weaving- I love it! I'd hate it if it weren't for my friend "Super-Jody" who knows how to do everything! And she can knit without looking at what she's knitting! Then she felts it! Felting is when you take your knit item and put it in the washing machine and shrink it. You can make bowls, purses and anything really. anyways... Here are some pics of Super jody palm weaving.. We made hats this day

Super Jody is leaving in June... So we are getting our "weave on" till then.

THANK YOU! To my Wonderful Customers!

2008-05-03T21:05:00.000-07:00

I have the best customers in the world! I was sooo happy to see everyone who showed up to the Hickam Arts And Crafts Fair!

IT was great weather (well, it IS Hawaii!) And I was situated between super nice people who helped me get my new canopy up.

I was shocked to sell more than half of my jewelry! I was so flattered that so many people liked it, it was humbling.

I better get busy for next weekend!!

NEXT on the calendar:

Pride 4 Ewa Sat

May 10th at 8 am (hello coffee!!) till 5 PM

Located off Ft Weaver Rd on Iroquois and down to Keanunui (sp) and left at the lights to the huge field at the end of the road. I'll be next to the pony rides (Hah, no, I didn't pick my spot!)

Spring Jewelry Coming soon!!! Email me if you need some now!!

2008-04-25T16:33:00.000-07:00

Spring Jewelry!!!!

2008-04-25T16:28:00.000-07:00

Getting ready to show off the spring jewelry at Pride 4 Ewa May 10th!

I'll have more of this on the ETSY site soon!!

Pay it Forward-Rwanda Baskets and Bracelets

2008-04-06T18:44:00.000-07:00

You know... a lot of us like to have nice things... How about us buying our "nice " things for a good cause. A really good cause.

http://www1.macys.com/campaign/obracelet/index.jsp

You'll have to copy and paste as I was unable to make a link... Please do this! as you don't want to miss this great story!!

Its amazing...you NEED to hear this story!

Or search Rwanda baskets at macy's

These people do this for OTHERS!!! How good does that feel? ahhhhhhhh

Made in Hawaii

2008-04-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

New Jewelry

2008-04-05T15:46:00.000-07:00

a vintage-esque look

Some of the new jewelry

2008-04-05T15:42:00.000-07:00

A busy few weeks!

2008-04-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow, we have had a lot going on here.. A few visitors and finally my brother and his family have been here all week. Sadly, they are leaving tonight :(

It was a good excuse for slacking off but now I have a lot to catch up on.

I uploaded a lot of new items on the Etsy site and I really hope everyone likes them.

Pride 4 Ewa 2008

2008-03-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

I am really excited to report that I just received my reservation form to join the crafters at a huge community event in Ewa Beach, Hawaii!

I met the lady who is in charge of it, bless her heart, noticed my booth at a recent little "swap meet" and wanted my jewelry to be at this event. Its pretty big and I am pretty excited...

Of course I have to wait till May 10th to be there. It will give me plenty of time to create some really great pieces for Spring/Summer.

Time to get busy!! I've got lots of cool stuff on its way here that I can't wait to get my hands and tools on.

Welcome In and take a look around!

2008-03-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

So, after years of making stuff, creating stuff, tearing stuff apart and redoing "stuff" painting and making... I am finally putting my creativity into something I can...well, put my creativity into. Simple, right?

There are not enough hours in a day nor enough time to do what I have working in my head. The wheels are always turning and I curse the clock! Which reminds me of the Twilight Zones episode where the guy gets the stopwatch and he can stop time. McNulty used his power to rob a bank... and he was well, a complete greedle that was accused of setting the art of conversation back 1000 years and well, I would only use the stopwatch to add a few hours on each work-day, and maybe for a nap or two? And Yessss of course I would share it with people! It'd be bad karma to do otherwise, right?

Anyways, I love making things and I love being inspired by creative people. Being around creative people just feeds the need to do more! That and reading really great literary authors. I am the nerd that either buys used books online en masse or I am at the bookstore sitting on the floor reading everything I can.

Now, I am trying to put my energy into making really great, wearable, unique jewelry.

Advantages? Making things that other people love and want more of... and I get to wear my own stuff!

My inspiration comes from color, form and feel. How girly? huh? I usually get an idea while I am falling asleep or I'll dream it. I have gotten up at all hours of the night/morning to write things down and look things up or start making things...

It takes a long time to find the gemstones I want to use. I hate when they are ordinary, so I look for things that are unusual or extremely pretty. Then I try to put them to use how I imagine them. ANd imagine how hard it is to find the things that you DREAM of? Good grief!

The most time consuming thing of all isn't making things at all. It is the time I take to create websites, paperwork, tags, bags, shipping invoices and all that other stuff that is soooo unfamiliar for me and a creative halt. Well, maybe it's not so uncreative after all. It takes a consumate professional to love book-keeping. I suck, but I can manage enough to send pretty things to people who want them! Let me worry about the paperwork! You just order what you like! ok!? Your my utmost priority!

The ETSY site is new and I am so new at it that I am freaked out making it. Just jump in and fix it as you go... I guess that'll be my motto for now?

SO far I have shown my work at craft shows and made things for friends. I was invited to do another show for mothers day for an event for Ewa By Gentry. I'll post more about that later...

You can email me at aquashella@earthlink.net

Cheers for now,

jjj