Steampunk Ladies

Right. There were three items in this post. Blogspot ate one of them. I had a massive sulk and refused to write up the missing part. So here's two pair of earrings-- perhaps next week I'll get around to the others.



Okay, so not precisely steampunk, but definitely victorian vintage inspired. These are the first three in a new series I'm (slowly) working on. It's half jewelry, half fiction and it's stupid how much I love doing it.




Edith Rose -- $15 USD

South Dakota, 1885

She swore when she moved west she'd never let another person call her Edy. That was a name for a school marm, for the shy spinster woman that she was in Connecticut. It was not a name that would go on a byline-- and that was why she left, wasn't it? Newspapers in South Dakota wanted her, against all odds. West was a new chance and she was determined to be called Edith.

But when the stagecoach came to a sudden stop and the door was thrown open, she felt the countless hours of bravado diminish and pure instinct take over. There was a gun in her face, a demand for money, and when she reached into her bag for her pocketbook she grabbed the little revolver instead.

"Christ almighty," the driver said when the masked man was dead and his accomplice had fled into the night at the sound of the gun. " 'Scuse my language, lady, but I wasn't expecting all that from a little thing like you. What's your name anyhow, Miss?"

Old habit took over. "I'm Edy Rose," she said, and her voice didn't shake. "But please, call me Edith."






Moira Flannery-- $15 USD

Boston, 1879

"What do you want?" The man who had walked into the small room Moira somewhat idealistically called a shop was foppish, with pale golden hair and clothes that were barely suited to walk the streets in, let alone enter a dirty steamsmith's shop.

He looked at her cooly, but made no sign that he was offended or even surprised. "I'm looking for a steamsmith," he said. "All my inquiries have lead  me here. And I pay well."

No nonsense, then. Moira felt herself warming to the man in the doorway. "What sort of work?" It didn't really matter-- whatever the work, she could do it. 

"Work that is... not strictly legal," he said. A look of uncertainty passed over his face while he spoke, only to be carefully schooled back into his original, slightly arrogant calm. Moira smiled.

"Then you've come to the right place." She walked to the door. "I'm Moira Flannery, and I can build anything you can dream up."

Let your freak flag fly

Yeah, so, March is the Devil Month. Which is why we've skipped straight to April here on the blog.

Yes, that's exactly it. >.>


So this installment is about embracing weirdness, character, and just plain freakiness. I'm still accepting custom commissions, if you care to email me at egrothem [at] gmail [dot] com. As always, email me to order anything you see here on the blog. Comments on the blog are welcome but won't necessarily net you the earrings.



"Aphrodite" -- $20 USD HOLDING

I made a pair similar to these about five months ago, and the most fashionable person I know snatched them up immediately. And, these are even more beautiful than those, if I must say. And I must.

If you're bold or if you want to be, get these. Silver hooks, glass and shell beads.



"Ariel" -- $20 USD HOLDING

Another under-the-sea type pair, though these are more The Tempest and less The Little Mermaid. The blue is stunning, and yes, they don't quite match, which I think is perfect for mecurial Ariel. Is this sounding like a horoscope to you? If so, I predict the upcoming weeks will see you kicking ass and taking names with these earrings on.

Gold hooks, glass, jasper and rolled paper beads. As always, part of the profit for these earrings goes back to the bead for life organization.




"Claudia" -- $15 USD

Remember the babysitters club books? No? Well I do. Claudia was the "artsy" one and as such, my hero. Re-reading the books is worth a laugh-- Claudia's fashion is a little, um, shall we say dated? But these earrings are an homage to her and her thirteen-year-old, artsy-fartsy, I-do-what-I-want attitude.

We all need it. Buy them, wear them, rock them. The picture is a bit poor, apologies, but the colors really are bright and fun in real life.

Silver wire and hooks, glass beads.



--

That's all she wrote, darlings. Enjoy the spring, feel good about yourselves, and spend your money on awesome handcrafted things. Makes the world go 'round.

Welcome to February! It's snowing where I am, for the millionth week, so this sale is distinctly spring-flavored.

**ATTN: I'm currently accepting custom commissions. This is something I frequently do at shows and for my friends, and they seem to like it. I suppose I could rustle up some recommendations from them but they're a shiftless lot and likely to lie anyhow. Just trust me on this one.

Feel free to comment or email me to set up a custom set of earrings-- bracelets and necklaces are also a possibility. I have a pretty wide inventory of beads, materials, and colors. Drop me a line, give yourself exactly what you wanted.







"Spring Neon" -- $20 US

Bright and shiny because winter's bringing me down. Glass, polished stone, and NEON PINK rolled-paper beads. Gold hooks, plastic stoppers.





"Drop"-- $20 US

Another pair with a bright rolled-paper bead as the focal point. The rest is polished and painted glass. This pair is quite simple and pretty in person, a nice accent for a showy outfit or just for everyday wear. Silver hooks, plastic stoppers.






"Nameless" - $15 US

I love the shape and underwater-like colors in this pair. Very unique. Polished stone, silver hooks, and plastic stoppers.

HOLIDAYS (Sale Post #4)

Happy December! It snowed here today, and those two factors combine to wake the beast that is the holiday season. Oh, you know it's coming. There's no avoiding it.

But I will make it easier on you, oh yes I will. Have some pretty. Buy it, wrap it up, send it to somebody who deserves a little shine. Even if that person is you.

"The Riddle" - $15 USD

These orange frosted glass beads remind me of the golden treasure riddle from The Hobbit-- a golden treasure inside a box with no handles, doors, or a lid. Figure it out your own self, yep.

Metallics and glass, with gold hooks. Plastic stoppers.

"Fool's Gold" - $15 USD

These earrings are eye-catching and down to earth at the same time, and for whatever reason they remind me of the Gold Rush. (I don't know, I just work here, people.)

Stone with metallic accents. Gold hooks, plastic stoppers.

"Venom" - $20 USD

The red rolled-paper beads are really spectacular in this pair. They're sleek and classy, and just a little dangerous. As always, $5 will be donated to the Bead For Life project.

Glass and paper beads. Gold hooks, plastic stoppers.

"Tiffany"- $15 USD

Named after a friend with a purple obsession. People who see this pair in person are immediately drawn to them.

Glass with plastic accents. Silver hooks, plastic stoppers.

"Como" - $15

After the Italian lake. These earrings are actually the same length, despite what it looks like in the photo. The blue is also more striking in real life.

Blue and copper painted glass. Gold hooks, plastic stoppers.

Stay tuned for some holiday discounts over the next week or so. Get 'em asap to guarantee shipping. Email me at egrothem [at] gmail to claim your pair.

Sales Post #3

"Summer" - $20 USD

Painted glass beads and paper bead focal points. Really flashy, fun colors. Silver hooks, plastic stoppers. This pair is sweet and vibrant in person. As always, $5 from this pair will go back to the Ugandan Bead For Life project.

"Villainess" - $15 USD

These beads are mostly glass, with some crystal-cut plastic accents. Silver hooks, plastic stoppers. This pair is a sort-of fusion between prom night classic and over-the-top drama. I think they lend themselves well to costuming and evening wear.

"Riverbed" - $20

Stone and glass beads-- they live up to their name. Silver hooks, plastic stoppers. This pair is quirky, a lot of oppositional texture. The blue-green glass beads are a particularly striking color, brighter than they appear in the picture.

"Cape" - $20 USD

Colored glass and square-cut stone. Silver hooks and plastic stoppers. Like the "riverbed" pair, this set plays a lot with texture and shape. The variable color of the stones (light gray to nearly black at certain spots) and the unique shape make this pair simple but fun.

Contact me at egrothem (at) gmail (dot) com to order a pair. As always, each pair is one of a kind, so it's first come first served. Right now I'm accepting paypal, cash, and local checks (that is: I'll only take your fake money if I know where you sleep and can find you).

I'll be working at a jewelry part on the 22nd of November, so I've been busy making new pairs. I anticipate having some left over, too, but right now you're getting the first crack at the new pairs. Enjoy.

Sales Post #2

"Green Dream" - $20 USD SOLD

These puppies are green. I love them to bits. Ugandan bead-for-life beads, silver hooks, plastic backs. Seriously, these are spectacular. Don't let them get away.

"Riot" -$20 USD

Another fun, fierce pair. Buy them if you want a little extra courage, or a bit of flash. Very dramatic. Ugandan bead-for-life red beads, silver hooks, plastic backs.

Remember- $5 from every purchase of the bead-for-life earrings goes directly back to the organization.

Get 'em while they're hot, kids. Email me at egrothem (at) gmail (dot) com with the name of your choice in the subject line. As always, each pair is one-of-a-kind, so if you don't get there first I can't help you. Paypal is currently the only payment option, unless I happen to know you in my offline life, you lucky devil.

Peace.

Sales Post #1

"Rich Stuff" - $15 U.S. SOLD

I made these while watching "The Goonies," can you tell? Pirate treasure! Real stone and painted glass beads are the majority of this pair. Gold hooks, plastic stoppers.

"Steampunk Chandelier"- $15 U.S. SOLD

This pair is far more luminescent in real life, espeically in natural light. Mostly colored glass beads. Gold hooks, plastic stoppers.

"Pop princess"-$20 U.S.

These are so bright and cheerful you can't even imagine it. The large beads on the bottom are rolled-paper Ugandan Beads for Life (beadforlife.org), and $5 from the proceeds of any earring using them will go straight back to that organization.

Email me at egrothem at {gmail} dot com to claim your pair. Put the name of the earrings in the subject line, please. I accept only paypal at this point-- possibly I'll make an exception for people I know offline, but for now, paypal it is.