Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Elphaba, a necklace of Oz

Elphaba
[for sale here on Etsy]


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A magnifying glass hangs from a long lariat necklace of vintage style pale yellow cathedral beads, matte onyx, swarovski pearls, and olive green goldstone.

The necklace is 25.5 inches long, and does not include a clasp.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Harvest Bat necklace

Harvest Bat
[for sale here on Etsy]


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An adorable wooden bat hangs from a chain of copper, red tigereye, and matte black onyx. All links were wrapped in copper wire entirely by hand.

Necklace is 21 inches long, the pendant hangs down two inches, and includes a copper colored toggle clasp.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Bleached Bones necklace

Bleached Bones
[for sale here on Etsy]


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A Djebah coin, from Catherynne Valente's 'The Orphan's Tales' books, with a deep red Swarovski crystal, hangs from a length of white agate, shell, mother of pearl, and coral woven through with white ribbon.

Necklace is 18 inches long, and includes a clasp of silver plated copper. Djebah pendant is polymer clay, and about 1.5 inches long.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Farewell My Automaton, a Steampunk necklace!

Farewell My Automaton
[for sale here on Etsy]


Display your affections for your favorite love, whether they be flesh and bone or metal and gears ... or perhaps a combination of both.


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A working heart-shaped padlock hangs from a length of pearls, Czech crystals, and vintage style cathedral beads in a rainbow of bronze and gold tones. A translucent golden ribbon weaves around and through the beads like mist.

This necklace is 19.5 inches long, the padlock is 1.5 inches long. The padlock itself clasps the necklace in front, and included are two matching keys for opening the lock. (not pictured)



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Strawberry Owl earrings

Strawberry Owls
[for sale here on Etsy]


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Two rhodonite owls with white catseye, wrapped by hand in silver plated wire, hanging from sterling silver earring hooks.  Each earring is two inches long.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

House Targaryen, a Game of Thrones necklace

House Targaryen
[for sale here on Etsy]


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A necklace worthy of the true rulers of Westeros. Black agate nuggets wrapped in silver plated wire with dark red garnets and black onyx.

This necklace is 18 inches long, and includes a sterling silver toggle clasp.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Violet Owl Earrings

Violet Owls
[for sale here on Etsy]


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Two flourite owls with Czech crystals, wrapped in gold colored wire and hanging from sterling silver earring posts. Each earring is 2 inches long.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Absinthe necklace

Absinthe
[For sale here on Etsy]



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A magnifying glass in a baroque, copper colored setting hangs from a long chain of green and copper. Aventurine, flourite, malachite, and Czech crystal beads compliment each other in a most elegant manner.


Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Gone Fishing earrings

Gone Fishing
[For sale here on Etsy]



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An accomplished cat is a happy cat :-)

Adorable wooden pendants of cats with fish, wire wrapped in copper with real sea shells. On sterling silver earring posts.

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Chocolate Mint earrings

Chocolate Mints
[For sale here on Etsy]



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Two adorable hand sculpted chocolate-mint halves (which are sadly actually made of polymer clay, so please do not eat the jewelry), with cats eye and Czech crystal beads, on sterling silver earring wires.



This weekend, I'm at DragonCon! Yay!  Although as an attendee rather than a vendor. Hope your summers conclude on a similarly epic note ;-)

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Year of the Horse necklace

Year of the Horse
[For sale here on Etsy]



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A carved wooden figure of a horse, wrapped in copper wire, hangs from a chain of onyx and red tigereye beads, with turquoise blue glass cathedral beads in a vintage style on copper colored wire.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Fuchsia Ravens earrings

Fuchsia Ravens
[For sale here on Etsy]



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Black agate ravens and large fuchsia glass crystals, wrapped in silver plated wire, hanging from sterling silver ear wires. Each earring is 2.5 inches long.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Fruit Bat earrings!

Fruit Bats
[For sale here on Etsy]



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Two carved wooden bats and dark red garnets hang from sterling silver earrings, wrapped by hand with copper wire. Each earring is about 2.25 inches long.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Gold and Fuchsia earrings

Gold and Fuchsia
[For sale here on Etsy]



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Large fuchsia glass crystals, faceted onyx beads, and petite pressed glass drops wrapped in gold colored wire. Hanging from sterling silver earring wires, each earring is 3 inches long.



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Winter Frost Earrings

Winter Frost
[For sale here on Etsy]



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Earrings of clear quartz crystal hand wrapped in silver plated wire, with sterling silver ear hooks. The leaves are real leaves, dipped in silver and antiqued to make a strong but delicate statement. Each earring is 3 inches long.

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Lavender Raven Earrings

Lavender Raven
[For sale here on Etsy]



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Large glass crystals in a delicate lavender blue, black agate ravens, and silver plated wire, wrapped by hand. Includes sterling silver earring hooks.

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Swan Family Earrings

Swan Family
[For sale here on Etsy]


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Carved wood pendants of a mother and baby swan hang from sterling silver ear wires, with amethyst and matte onyx beads wrapped by hand in silver plated wire.

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Summertime, catching up!

Hello all! I hope your summers (or winters, on the other side of the globe) are full of awesome so far :-D

I've spent the whole summer so far trying to figure out, and maybe fix, my health problems. Results have been mixed to say the least. My symptoms persist, but some illnesses and common family problems have been ruled out. On the other hand, western medicine can't treat what it can't diagnose. So I've also been experimenting with a gluten free diet, cutting back on refined sugars, and seeing an acupuncturist.

This past weekend I finally had enough energy to photograph a backlog of 'new' pieces I finished between January and May, which had not sold at Wicked Faire of the Steampunk World's Fair.  So now I can finally upload them to the Etsy shop. Progress! Accomplishment! Hooray!

While I'm not sure if this means I'm definitely on the road to permanent recovery, or if I'll be able to get back into my old shiny habits again permanently, at least I have some shiny things to show you all for the next few weeks ;-)

And while this is by far NOT a financial emergency (bless you full time job and health care plan), purchases made in my Etsy shop definitely go towards medical costs and zillions of blood tests. So if you have room in your budget, go take a look around and thank you for your interest!

Luv,
Chrysilla

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Artistic Inspirations, a homework assignment ;-)



I haven't had the chance to participate in the course yet, although I've been reading Le Professeur's blog for a long while, in part because of the chronic fatigue I'm still dealing with. But this month there was a happy coincidence and I finally get to play! Although they were not made just for this challenge, so I hope my instructor will be lenient ;-)

Recently I found a stash of polymer clay "art pieces" that I made waaaay back for Salon Con. And then misplaced. But they're back now, just in time for the Steampunk World's Faire. I had planned to make more of them, and now I don't have to, which is a bit of a relief.

Before I closely studied this art period, my knowledge of 19th Century art was Mucha and Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Which are wonderful! But something about the stark black and white drawings of Beardsley just made them so dramatic and refreshing. I made a project of incorporating some of his work, and that of other illustrators, into my own work as I got more interested in Victorian aesthetics.

First, The Black Cape by Aubrey Beardsley [for sale here on Etsy]

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This elegant pendant is printed with Aubrey Beardsley's drawing The Black Cape, on polymer clay. It's layered with a variety of finishes and glazes for an antique metal look, but is much lighter than metal or glass. Swarovski crystals dangle from the bottom of the frame, and the pendant hangs from a vintage chain of acrylic amber beads.
I wanted to balance out the simple, stark drama of the illustration itself with an extremely gaudy frame. I think it works :-)


Next, Lady Godiva by William Holdman Hunt [for sale here on Etsy]

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This necklace showcases a picture of an illustration by William Holdman Hunt for Tennyson's poem "Godiva" printed on polymer clay. Lady Godiva prepares to disrobe herself in a frame of gold and silver.


I have a bunch more, but these were the only two that already had Etsy listings before the interregnum. Except for this piece, which was slightly damaged so I may keep it for myself afterall:

The Stomach Dance
by Aubrey Beardsley, from "Salome."

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Polymer clay with glaze and metallic finishes, Swarovsky crystal, and vintage chain with acrylic amber beads.

This one was my absolute favorite, but now there's a bit of blue ink on the black and white picture, leaked from goodness knows where. So... mine now!

Also, I just recently became reacquainted with this music video, and noticed some very clear artistic influences ;-)




This last piece was the only one to find a happy new home at Salon Con, not so ironically as a gift for the editor of Goblin Fruit Magazine ;-) (Free online poetry magazine! Go look!)

Buy from Us with a Golden Curl
, one of Dante Gabriel Rossetti's illustrations for Christina Rossetti's poem "Goblin Market."

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Polymer clay, a variety of glazes and finishes, and Swarovski crystals. Includes vintage chain with acrylic amber beads.


Go forth, worship the shinies :-)

Queen of the Cat People, class with a cult following.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Slytherin Formal necklace

LinkSlytherin Formal
[For sale here on Etsy!]


Black ribbon weaves around rich dark onyx, black lava, and wire wrapped green goldstone, with dark green Czech crystals and a carved horn pendant. Includes a sterling silver toggle clasp and silver plated wire.

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Onyx is a stone of grounding and balance, relating to the first Chakra and balanced Yin and Yang energies. It can encourage and attract happiness, good fortune, and higher inspiration, as well as reduce stress and encourage self control.

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While some cultures associate the color black with death and decay, it was also associated with fertility and potential by the Ancient Egyptians, because of the fertile black silt left on their lands by the ebb and tide of the Nile River.

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Green is often associated with wealth, good luck, tranquility, money, growth, and ecology. In flags and heraldry, green is often used to represent the health and abundance of a nation's own land. However, it often appears in Celtic folklore to represent, attract, or warn about the presence of faerie in human territory. In the case of Slytherin House, it probably also mirrors ambition-fueled jealousies and a desire for wealth and abundance, in addition to magical forces.

Go forth, be geeky ;-)

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Bast Pentacle Earrings

Bast Pentacle Earrings
[For sale here on Etsy]


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Several of my friends have fallen in lust with this set, which is appropriate ;-)

Fine handmade wire wrapped earrings. Sterling silver Bast pentacle and tiny pentacle, with large and small lapis beads and frosted quartz crystal. Ear hooks are also sterling silver, and the wire is silver plated.


The pentacle is a common symbol in pagan circles, relating to the five elements, mastery of the four elements, etc. But it also relates to the orbit of the planet Venus, the five terminating points of the human body, and the five wounds of Christ. This symbol can be found in many different cultures around the world. Like Crowley said, in one of his more lucid moments, "Every man and every woman is a star in the sky."

In Egyptian myth, stories of Bast range widely from solar to lunar, warrior to lover. In modern times this feline figure is often revered as a goddess of love and pleasure. And felines, of course.

Lapis lazuli, called the Stone of the Heavens by ancient Egyptains, is deep blue fleked with golden pyrite inclusions. It is a stone of mental awareness, intellect, and psychic abilities related to the sixth chakra. Associated also with the Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Saggitarius, and the Virgin Mary, lapis also encourages love and kindness, a charitable and giving spirit, and radiation of the Will. This stone brings a clarity and peace of mind reflective of the deep, dark blue of the night sky glittering with stars.

Clear quartz, or rock crystal, is popular with New Age and magical practitioners for its ability to receive, store, amplify, and transmit energy. It is also used in modern technology for its ability to store and transmit electricity. It is associated with the seventh chakra for its clarity, reflecting and encouraging clarity and focus of the human mind, and it is considered to be a source and reflection of the divine light.


I did nicely photograph a couple of items before I got sick ... last YEAR... so I uploaded them to Etsy. These earrings and the next necklace post. This winter I took sub-par photos of the pieces I made for Wicked Faire which I may post here for posterity. However, they are not up on Etsy yet.

Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Still alive, promise!

Hello cobwebby web blog, I apologize for my continued absence!

On the downside, my exhaustion, brain fog, and lethargy went on much longer than September. It is actually still going on. I went to the doctor around Thanksgiving to ask if I had a hypothyroid disorder, because those run in my family. After many tests, some of which were botched or gave false positives and had to be done over, she finally called back in early January. "Actually, your thyroid is a tiny bit high. But did you know you had mono once?" Um... no? "Yeah, you don't have it right now, but you tested positive for the antibodies."

Now our working theory is that back in March-April 2011, when I had one very long-lasting sinus infection followed quickly by two smaller ones, I also or actually had mono. And the thing about mono is that there is no real treatment for it other than to stay home and sleep, the disease burns itself out within about a month. When it burns itself out, however, it burns you out with it. Many people get it actively for a month, but then don't feel up to snuff again for six months to a year afterwards. For some folks it becomes a chronic condition. But the good news is that I know what it is (was?) now, and the cause was no where near as bad as I feared.

I am the sort of person that feels most fulfilled, happy, and stable when they are doing things. When I feel stuck in a rut, I go out and do something new and different. Putting me in a situation where I physically and mentally can't go out and do new things, or even keep up with my usual things, is my own Special Hell. In fact, the only treatment for this condition is to not do things! So aside from the physical problems, I'm driving myself 'round the bend too.

I read up on Spoon Theory, and in counting my own spoons realized I had the energy for either jewelry production *or* internet marketing. Not to mention my camera is also out of whack. So I opted to make lots of new stock for Wicked Faire 2012, and that turned out to be a good and profitable decision. Faire was great this year! I'm glad I am getting back in the saddle for vending at events, but I still spent most of it sitting behind my table and let the con come to me.

Between con prep, some anxieties at work, and more anxieties at home, I was badly drained for the weeks following Faire. Again I put aside my writing and jewelry projects and opted for my less brain-active sewing habits (not to say that sewing is not creative, I see lots of people do incredible things with it, but I just match fabric + pattern and press buttons). And soon I will have to put all that away again to make more shiny things, because...


Good news: I have been accepted as a vendor for Steampunk World's Faire this May! My birthday is also that Saturday, so yay for being surrounded by my fellow costumed weirdos on my special day!

Less good news: That means putting production of shiny things over photos, Etsy, and blogging for a few more weeks or months until I'm feeling better.

Hopefull news: At *last* year's Wicked Faire, a fortune teller told me that I'd be sick for most of 2011. This year she told me I'd be feeling better within six months, and back to normal by next year. I was feeling a lot better after Winter Break, actually, but all that energy dribbled away again by late Februrary.


I really can't plan or forecast what's going to happen with my blog, twitter account, or Etsy shop. There is no plan to quit or take anything down, but I can't begin to guess when I'll have the energy and not-foggy brain to keep up with them again. Maybe next week, maybe this summer, maybe not until 2013. But I will still be making the shiny things, off grid for a while :-)

<3 Chrysilla