Sneak Peek :: long or short

Lavender Blue

I've been thinking about additional ways to make earrings more versatile and came up with a simple idea... the long or short earring... (one you can wear long or short). I'm not quite sure what to call this design just yet, but that's as good as it gets at the moment. If you can help me come up with a clever name for this design, you can win a pair of my new long-short earrings! :) Hmm, maybe I can have a name game for this design like Nicole of Lillyella.

Kryptonite

I'd love some feedback on what you think of this idea. Should I add it to my collection?

These two pairs are one of a kind and will be available in my shop soon. If you'd like to reserve either pair, please convo or email me. In the meantime, you can check out the new items I listed today.

And tune in tomorrow for a brand new featured artist spot!

FP at last!

I just found out that my current treasury made it to Etsy's Front Page this morning (@ 6 am)! It's been a while since I've been selected because FPs are hard to come by these days.

In other news, I got a little photography time in this weekend so I'll be back later with some more sneak peeks and hopefully will have time to add new items to my shop! I hope you'll check back!

Have you snorted yet today?

A friend shared this video and I laughed so hard I actually snorted! Oh how I wish I could do these things with a straight face on!




I just love hidden camera pranks like this.. catching people in their natural reactions. I also love Ellen.. and her haircut! I wish I could sport that short of a style and not feel like a little boy. One day, I'll get enough guts to go super short.. it's getting there. I've always been a huge fan of short hair, but ever since having a baby, I've been chopping it and chopping it. So much easier to manage.. anyway, I'll stop my random monologue now before it gets out of control.

Happy Thursday! I'm so excited it's almost the weekend! :D

eNVe Designs GIVEAWAY :: on Lillyella's blog

Nicole of Lillyella has kindly spotlighted me on her incredible blog! Please stop by and check out my spotlight feature. You can also enter to win earrings of your choice from my eNVe Designs etsy shop!

Sneak Peek at some new items...

As promised, here's a peek at what I've been working on lately. Fresh items to be available soon! I know I'm a bit behind schedule, but better late than never, right?

So here's some of what you'll be seeing in my etsy shop and on envedesigns.com soon:

I've been enjoying mixing metals.. e.g., sterling silver with gunmetal, oxidized silver with unoxidized silver, oxidized silver with gold.. so you'll be seeing several pieces along those lines.

I love making my signature wrap and thread necklaces so there will be lots of those to choose from! Styles will range from classically subtle and sleek, to pieces that will definitely capture some attention. I've also incorporated other metals (antique brass, gunmetal, antique copper) into this design, along with the traditional silver and gold pieces I've designed in the past. I also came across some gorgeous vintage Italian brass keys that I've made the focal of several wrap and thread necklaces! Pictures of those to come.

You'll also be seeing lots of juicy colors to liven up your spring and summer!!! Featuring genuine rubies, various shades of chalcedony, amethyst, peridot, garnet, carnelian, apatite, aquamarine, jade, aventurine... and probably more I can't think of off the top of my head.

I'd love to hear what you think! And if you're interested in anything you see in particular, feel free to email me (contact@envedesigns.com) and reserve it. The two wrap and thread necklaces pictured above are not going to be available through my sites.. they're on their way to a boutique in New York! But if you're interested, I can design something similar for you.

And if you want to be the first to know when new items are available, along with exclusive discounts and specials, you're welcome to follow my blog and subscribe to the mailing list (email to subscribe@envedesigns.com).

I'll be back for more sneak peeks as soon as I get a chance to take more photos. Now back to work before my son wakes up from his nap! :)

Have a lovely Monday!

thank you for being a friend...

Doesn't this necklace just tickle your tube socks? You can find it at TrashedClothing. I totally giggled when I came across this necklace on etsy. Brought back memories of my little sis and I watching the Golden Girls on tv back in the day. And we were in middle school at the time! Not sure how we were able to relate to this show, but for some reason, we watched it all the time. Maybe it was because we didn't have cable. Good times. :)

Anyway, I just wanted to take another moment to thank some lovely people for making my week rock!

I was lucky to be on etsy's front page again in the past couple weeks, thanks to the lovely ladies at veroque, uncorked, and pianobenchdesigns. Thank you for including me in your brilliant treasuries!

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And thank you to Jennifer, from jleighdesignz for giving me the sisterhood blog award! I'm honored that you chose my little blog corner as a recipient of this award. I will proudly wear that badge. :)

VERSATILE FIND :: the modern-day locket

If you haven't guessed by now, I love versatility...especially versatile jewelry! And this week's versatile find is just that. Cat, from Polarity and Uncorked makes some of the most clever, ultra stylish, and modern jewelry you'll find anywhere. And the best part is that all of her jewelry is eco-friendly! I'm a huge fan of her locket jewelry in particular, which are made from recycled steel auto parts. How cool is that??

You can get these lockets in a necklace, bracelet, ring, or earrings. Each comes with a set of 3 interchangeable locket faces to suit your changing wardrobe. There are a ton of different designs to choose from. You can even get your locket lids personalized with your own photos or definitions of your choice! And if you get all the jewelry pieces (i.e., a necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings), you'll have 12 different interchangeable faces to play with... so the sky's the limit! You can also use the locket to store interchangeable items too... like daily reminders.. or important inspirational messages to yourself (..or phone numbers.. and pictures of boyfriends). just joking about the last part. ;) Hopefully your partner is versatile, but not interchangeable.

Do you have a versatile find?? Please send them my way!

my new camera is here!!!

Oh happy day!!! My new camera arrived yesterday and it is beautiful! After much thought and research, I decided to go with the Canon Rebel XS. It's the model between the xti and xsi and I felt it best suited my needs (as well as the bank account) at the moment. THANK YOU ALL for your valued input!!! I can't tell you how helpful it was to have your suggestions. I can already tell that this camera and I are meant to be.. and how do I know this? Just yesterday, I was notified that I was the lucky winner of the Shabby Straps giveaway at Fabulous Fun Finds! What are the odds of that?? It's kismet, I tell ya. It was tough to choose from these camera straps, but in the end, I went with the brown and blue stripes (pictured last).

I figured that if I ever wanted my husband to wear the camera around for me, he'd have less of an excuse not to (i.e., the girly patern on the strap doesn't match his outfit). ;)

I can't wait to finally take some pictures! Hopefully I'll have time to play around with it this weekend. I'll also be able to show you many of the pieces I've been working on lately! Be prepared for more random postings around here!

Happy Lucky Friday the 13th!!!

VERSATILE FIND :: the perfect spring dress

I must be aching for spring and summer to arrive already if I'm browsing for a nice breezy spring dress (even though I'm too pregnant to wear anything this cute yet)!

Can you believe that this is the same dress?? It's the Chameleon Dress ($127) by isadoraclothing. You can't get much more versatility out of a dress than that! I love that you can achieve a conservative look as well as something more evening ready.

And what about this beautiful Organic Wedding Gown ($360). You can get married 4 different times with the same dress and look different every time. ;)


Do you have any versatile finds? Please send them my way!

FEATURED ARTIST :: f2images

This week's featured artist is the lovely Emiko of f2images. I am certain you're already familiar with the amazing talent that she and husband Mark pour into their photographic art. I was immediately captivated by their work the second I discovered their etsy shop this past year. To me, their photos have a certain unmistakable quality to them.. reminiscent of beautiful dreams or memories.. overflowing with a mixture of emotion, thought, and sincerity. I challenge you not to be moved by their images.

I personally own Pieces (pictured right) and I just LOVE it.

Be sure to check out her special offer below! Thank you for your time, Emiko! :)



......................... the interview .........................

The first 3 random words that pop into your mind:
Cat, camera, sushi

What's your favorite read of all time?
I'm ashamed to say, I'm not a big bookworm. Some of my favorite magazines are Photoshop User, Rangefinder, and Marie Claire, Real Simple, Lucky, and How.

Any guilty pleasures?
Any form of chocolate....mmm....chocolate.


If you could be any place in the world right now, where would it be?
California

(Ok, now onto business)
How would you describe your work?
Experimental. I like to try a LOT of different things photographically. I wish I was more focused...no pun intended ;)

How long have you been at it?
Since early high school ( 19 years...gulp), I've been very enamored with photography.

So for you, is it an innate talent or practice makes perfect?
A little of both. I use a lot of Photoshop, it's definitely a blend of knowing what you want, and being able to execute it. Sometimes successfully...sometimes not!

From where/how do you find inspiration?
Literally everywhere, fashion, art, other photography, nature, graphic design, I could go on.

What was your most memorable creative experience?
Probably starting my Etsy shop. Didn't know how it would go. Especially with SOOOO much beautiful photography on Etsy....didn't know how my little shop would fair, but it's turning out better than I'd hoped.

What do you do when your inspiration and creativity is tapped?
First, just stop, and chill. Try to do regular non-creative things. Then I may pick up some magazines, look at ads, take random drives around town, and just observe. Usually it doesn't take long to be back in the swing of things.

Any memorable low points that you've learned from?
Not really, I've been very fortunate to have a network of friends on Etsy that make it easy to focus on the good.

What is your formula for success?
Do I have success?...lol I don't know. I just try to create images that hopefully connect with people on an emotional level. Although I admire the photography of so many others, I try to have original ideas. I've done a little advertising on blogs/websites/magazines, but honestly don't know how fruitful the little paid ad spots are? I have gotten wholesale business through Trunkt, which was super cool.

Was there a moment when you realized that you'd achieved success?
Just recently reached my 100 sales mark. For me it means so much. It's only been through the love from others either kindly including me in treasuries, or blog features that this has happened.

Any advice for those having a bad case of artist woes?
Try to see/think outside of your craft. Inspiration can truly come from anywhere, and if you allow yourself to be open to that, you will grow beyond your own expectations.

When not hard at work on your designs, what would we most likely find you doing?
Either working (at Kohls), chilling with my hubby and four cats, watching a movie. Downtime is critical for keeping creativity fresh.

In a parallel universe where you are not an amazing artist, what would you be?
Definitely a comedian. I'm a huge goofball and love to make people laugh.

Anything else you'd like to add that I didn't ask about?
I truly appreciate the support I've gotten from other Etsy shop owners. I encourage you all to buy Etsy or handmade or local, whenever possible. It means so much.

What are some of your favorite etsy shops?
I'd like to preface this by saying that this IS the impossible task. So I will list a few that I've recently favorited items in. Kaylim (so glad she's featured seller!), Lillyella, The Peach Tree, June Shin, Elliwill, Aliette, Kareemrizk, Heirloom08, and Elle Moss. I could keep going. I could easily blow my paycheck on Etsy!

What's at the top of your etsy wish list?
This glass memory locket

Any suggestions for my next featured artist?
Also tough question. So much talent on Etsy. Here are some thoughts in no particular order: The Photo Zoo, Jennifer Morris Beads, The Peach Tree, Sarah Seven, Kathi Roussel, June Shin, Emma Lamb, Esther Coombs.

And, as a fun tribute to my inner psychologist... "what might this be?"
Could it be the dot of possibility. Open to endless interpretation, with no wrong answer, just different perspectives.






.......................... end interview .........................

Emiko is graciously offering 30% off ANYTHING in her beautiful shop (except sale items)!!! Just mention "Enve Blog" in the Message to Seller when checking out. 30% refund will be refunded to you via Paypal. Now is your chance to adorn your home or office with some truly unforgettable images! (this offer is only good for one week so act fast!)

I'm brimming with gratitude...

I've been so swamped with trying to squeeze in time to work on my spring pieces that I haven't had much time to blog about all the nice things that have come my way in recent weeks. So please allow me to take this time now to thank everyone for making my days that much more special.

Just yesterday, I was awarded the "Kreativ Blogger Award" by Botanical Bird. (Be sure to check out her etsy shop for some beautiful jewelry!)

Here are the award rules!

List 7 things that you love and then pass the award on to 7 people...tagging them and letting them know they won! You can copy the picture of the award and put it on your sideboard letting the blogger world know you are a KREATIV blogger.

So here are just 7 (of many) things I love (in random order):

1 :: weekends with my husband and son, doing just about anything.. undivided time with them is so precious to me and always recharges me.

2 :: an amazing meal with great wine

3 :: exercising my right brain... so being creative in any way, whether sketching, painting, playing my piano, thinking about how to decorate a room, writing poetry or journaling, creating jewelry... and exploring photography (once I get a new camera!)

4 :: going to live concerts and music festivals (which is actually how I met my husband)

5 :: going to live stand-up comedy shows

6 :: traveling!.. and just exploring the world around me, locally and beyond.

7 :: rollercoasters.. the bigger and badder, the better!

And here are the 7 people I'm passing the award to:
Lillyella
Nanouke
The Peach Tree
Stimulated Mind
Phydeaux
Olivebites
Xenotees

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Thank you carboniferous, for featuring my earrings in your blog post! It's my first blog feature so I was super thrilled to be included.

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And last but not least, THANK YOU to these talented etsians for including me in their masterfully curated treasuries that end up on etsy's front page. It's funny, I don't really get featured in a lot of treasuries, but I've been so fortunate to be a part of a few the brilliant collections that get selected for the highly coveted (especially these days) FP. Just yesterday, I was surprised to be told I was on FP twice!

Thanks to Veroque and Meetalls! Please visit their shops for absolutely delectable jewelry!



And the previous couple weeks, I was also included in these FPs by Nansglam (where you'll find amazing jewelry) and BrownBunnybyIris (where you'll find hats with brilliant personality). Thank you SO MUCH ladies! I hope you'll visit their shops as well.





I'm always floored by how kind the people on etsy are and am so thankful for the folks I've met so far and for those I continue to meet through this community! Keep on rockin'!!! :D

With so much gratitude,

Incredible giveaway at chocolateandsteel

Thanks to Nik at Lillyella, I just discovered a (new to me) shop that I will be keeping on my radar! You must check it out: chocolateandsteel. And what's even better? She is having an amazing giveaway for the ring pictured above! Stop by her blog and enter for yourself. :)

Blog Makeover!

It's about time that my blog got a new look. Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I stayed up late last night to work on this new layout and it's still in the works, but here it is. What do you guys think??? Better? Worse? Doesn't matter?

I've also been trying to get some jewelry pieces finished (still not quite there). I'd show you what I've done if I had a working camera, but alas, it's still broken. If you have thoughts or suggestions please visit this post. I'm still trying to decide which camera to buy, but I think I've decided on the front-runner.

I'll be back later this week with a weekend special so be sure to check back!