Countenance Jewelry Featured in Etsy Treasury

'Fading Away' by GoodMemoriesCafe

Rescued Vintage Tool Box... fadedprairie $36.00	Vintage 50s Cat Eye Glasses.... CollectableSpe... $70.00	VINTAGE HANDBAG MADE IN MACA... uncommonstuff $55.00	1930s Tan Mesh Oxfords Size ... lousybeatnik $35.00
Smoky Quartz Bracelet, Sterl... CountenanceJew... $55.00	Simple Primitive Rag Doll fr... theprimitiveho... $22.00	Faded Denim Flower in a Cup ... tekaandzoe $32.00	The crux brandmojoimage... $26.00
set of 6 frosted drinking gl... ModishVintage $30.00	INCREDIBLE 1950s Pale PINK C... VintageFrocksO... $225.00	Vintage Celluloid Collar Box GoodMemoriesCa... $45.00	Russia3 - Faded pink coloure... tomokotahara $32.00
Vintage Baby Pink Lace Satin... SkivvyLuLuVint... $48.00	DIGITAL Download SCAN Antiqu... fadedtatteredr... $3.99	VIntage Kodak Bantam 35mm Be... C3L35T3 $16.00	Fading Glory Fine Art Print ... wondrousstrang... $12.50

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Laying Up Treasures

On Etsy, if you time it just right, you can create what's called a Treasury, a selection of other people's work that you put together in an artistic way. I really paid attention last night when I knew I might get the opportunity to create one and was so excited when I was successful. This is the first Treasury that I've created, and it was so much fun I'm sure I'll try again sometime.

With Easter coming up next month I felt the crosses were even more meaningful, and I was thrilled with all the artistic interpretations of this beautiful symbol of faith. My Treasury was in place until March 13th. Thanks to everyone who visited.

Uncomplicated Is Beautiful!

I really love spending time putting together clusters of gemstones to make jewelry. The process of choosing gradations of color for a "fade" is just pure enjoyment to me. Spending an hour or two attaching all the little stones to a chain to cluster them just so is nothing less than happiness itself.

But there are times when a gemstone is so beautiful it just begs to hang around by itself with minimal embellishment. That's what I let a batch of Botswana agate do the other day. I spent an afternoon culling through them and pulling out matching stones to make earrings. I then put them together with some sterling silver components and attached ear wires. The earrings are very simple. The stones speak for themselves.

My First Front Page.... Hopefully Not My Last!

I can't believe I missed it, but about a week ago a piece of jewelry I have for sale on Etsy (middle picture, top row) was featured in a Treasury created by another Etsy jewelry designer, JennyBunny, and landed on the front page of Etsy. Fortunately, another user (monaraebeads.etsy.com) was kind enough to send me a congratulatory message. Otherwise, I'd never have known. Etsy is a wonderful community of very giving, thoughtful artists!

Getting on Etsy's front page is a big deal in Etsyland! To be in someone's Treasury is a real compliment. It means the curator somehow came across an item in your shop and liked the photo enough to use it when they had a chance to incorporate it into their Treasury. I've never attempted to create a Treasury myself. In the first place, they are very hard to come by as only a limited number can be created and posted at any given time, and it looks like it would take time, patience and of course talent, to make a good one. To see what I'm talking about, go to http://www.etsy.com/treasury.php and check it out for yourself. To see the current front page Treasury, go to Etsy.com.

Treasuries are picked by Etsy staffers to appear on their front page for some limited length of time. Unfortunately, not all of them make it. When it does, it gives all of the sellers in the Treasury free advertising and exposure, but most importantly of course, it provides that oh-so-coveted 15 seconds of, well, not 'fame' exactly, but a sense of affirmation that what you're creating is appreciated by other artists. Yes, that is a very big deal!

Many thanks to JennyBunny and Mona Rae Beads! Oh, and to Etsy, too!