Featured Customer of the Month: Judy G!!

Posted on May 31, 2013 by eldwenne

This marks the beginning of a new feature of Down to the Wire – every last Friday of the month will feature one of you beautiful people!

I had the pleasure of meeting Judy at the Salute to Supernatural Convention in Whippany, NJ earlier this month.

We hit it off straight away because as you read on, Judy and I are like two peas in a pod over handmade jewelry and what it means to us. Here is a pic of her wearing my Silver Vine Garden necklace.

Hi Judy, please tell us a little bit about yourself, anything you’re comfortable sharing; family, work, philosophy, etc. Also, if you have a website or brick and mortar business, please feel free to talk about that too!

My theory is that even Disabled and/or Handicapped people still like to look good (ie: pretty jewelry).
I am 45 yrs old and am disabled due to Fibromyalgia and Rhuematoid Arthritis along with many other health issues.
While I can no longer work due to my health problems, I still want to look as best as possible – – so I do get my nails
done and a pedicure every month; and I love jewelry. I believe no woman can have too many shoes, purses or jewelry.

I’ve been married for 19 years. No children just pets (2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 parrots, 1 hamster & 1 chinese water dragon)
I come from a large family with an old-fashioned upbringing.
However, I have always been a very adventurous, free thinker with a huge interest in the supernatural.

Here is Judy wearing Forest Green Crystal Bali Sterling Silver Bead Cap Earrings

Do you have creative outlets? Tell us about them and if you have photos of your work, please feel free to share!

I used to enjoy doing lots of different types of crafts but my hands don’t always cooperate anymore, so I now read books and keep
up to date with family and friends on Facebook & Twitter.

Here is Judy wearing my very popular In the Mist ring – check out her beyond awesome pentagram nailwork – I’m sorry, Judy. I’m going to need to plagiarize that and do it on my own nails – I LOVE it!

What draws you to handmade jewelry as opposed to store-bought, factory manufactured pieces?

I like handmade jewelry because 1st no two pieces are alike and 2nd I’m supporting someone in their business.
But mostly I think when a person crafts something (jewelry) they add a piece of their soul/spirit into the item
and that I believe is what draws me to the pieces.

This is Judy wearing my original design – my wrap necklace. This particular piece was extra special because it includes the Tree of Life motif hanging from the chains – one of my personal favorites! My wrap necklaces are very popular and Judy makes this look even more amazing than I could imagine!

What types of pieces stand out to you, for example, wire work, crystals, etc and why?

I actually like crystals/gemstones/minerals the best, but also like wire work too.
Again the spirit or soul that goes into making each piece of jewelry has a calling of its own
to the perspective buyer.

Here’s a closeup of the wrap necklace – doesn’t Judy completely ROCK this???

Is there something specific about Eldwenne’s Fantasy – Quality Handmade Jewelry by Jodi Zulueta that stands out to you? (Don’t be afraid to say no, Lol!)

From the first time I saw Jodi’s jewelry I felt drawn to it.
It is all beautiful.
Each piece has its own spirit and charm.
From casual to dressy she has something for all.
The work that has gone into piece of jewelry is stunningly gorgeous.

This is Judy wearing Turquoise, Red Glass, and Clear Crystal earrings – they are a perfect complement to her, don’t you think?

Wow, thank you so much Judy! You and I have so much in common. We both feel very strongly about the connection we have to handmade jewelry. I agree with you, there definitely is a part of the artist’s energy that is bonded to each piece. And I’m honored that you wear my jewelry so proudly.

There is no greater compliment than to see you wearing my jewelry – I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to share some very personal things about yourself. I know you’ve inspired and touched many souls that are reading this!

As I mentioned earlier, Judy and I met at a Supernatural convention last month. The experience of meeting with her face to face and getting a glimpse of the woman who wears my jewelry was so rewarding on many levels.

It’s experiences like that that have made me decide to forge ahead on all thrusters to accept Creation Entertainment’s invitation to sell my jewelry at all future Supernatural and Vampire Diaries conventions!

To make this happen, I’m trying to raise funds to cover the travel expenses; this is a brand new venture to me and I know that doing these conventions this year will set the stage for me to continue doing this for a long time going forward!

And you can help make that happen!

If you donate to my Go Fund Me page, you will receive a gift certificate for my jewelry for a GREATER value than what you donate!

For example, if you donate $20, you get a gift certificate for $30. If you donate $25, you get $40. If you donate $50, you get $75. If you donate $75, you get $100. And it just keeps going up!

If you visit my Go Fund Me page and donate, you will receive your gift certificate code and you can start shopping in my etsy shop http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com right away!

My Go Fund Me Page: http://www.gofundme.com/2kwx90

I’m also very excited to announce that I will be interviewed by Suzy Brandtastic on talkshoe radio online on June 14th from 3pm-3:30pm! More details will follow but please come tune in!

Thanks again, Judy!!!

If you’d like to be a featured customer of the month, please email me at eldwenne@yahoo.com.

More Supernatural Inspiration and Wiccan Dedication Charm Bracelets

Posted on May 24, 2013 by eldwenne

I think the art directors for Supernatural are geniuses. The sigils and symbols they design are absolutely beautiful. You WANT them to be real!

Just look at the anti-possession tattoos our fearless leaders have – brilliant as the sun they represent.

Or the sigils that send angels back to oblivion temporarily – are they not art-worthy??

Yes, this is what runs through my mind while I watch the show. I want to design pieces based on ancient sigils, symbols, lost languages.

I’m easing into the process and decided to tackle the symbols for the elements.

My first piece is the symbol for earth. I wanted to use a stone that best represented earth so I used amethyst.

This is currently available in my shop http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com

http://www.gofundme.com/2kwx90

Another aspect of Wiccan jewelry I started exploring is what I’m calling a ‘dedication bracelet’.

It’s a charm bracelet that is devoted to a specific deity. My first one is to the goddess Diana; Goddess of the Moon,,the Roman version of the Greek’s Goddess, Artemis.

I wanted to capture some of the many aspects of Diana, as you can see below, which is also available in my shop http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com.

Other deities that I am currently working on include Athena, Anubis, and my personal favorite – Demeter.

If you have a specific deity or theme you’d like, please email me at eldwenne@yahoo.com and I’ll gladly create it for you!

Supernatural and Vampire Diaries fans – I’ve been invited by Creation Entertainment to sell my jewelry at Supernatural and Vampire Diaries conventions!

I have a lot of gorgeous Wiccan and Pagan pieces! New ones uploaded every day into my shop: http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com

I need help funding the travel expenses – if you donate to my Go Fund Me page, you will receive a gift certificate for my jewelry equal to (sometimes more than!) the amount of your donation!

Fossil Jewelry, House Calls, and Dealing with ‘Um, is that a satanic thingie?’ Questions

Posted on May 17, 2013 by eldwenne

Thanks to a couple of really cool individuals: Eve LeStrange and George Volkman, I was able to explore a new material in my handmade jewelry journey – fossils!

Eve is a gothic horror writer extraordinairre and her site is: http://www.evelestrange.com

Eve and George gave me the most gorgeous examples of fossilized ferns imprinted into deep blue rock.

Fossils are believed to have magickal properties that ward off negativity. What better way to keep the baddies away than by wearing a fossil as a talisman?

All of the below pieces are available for purchase in my shop: http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com

Jewelry house calls are something that can be more than just a glorified Tupperware party.

My jewelry house calls are about engaging the group, creating a workshop atmosphere without the monotone lecture.

How fun is it when I bring over a project to do and we got a bunch of adults and kids sitting round together learning how to create their own handmade works of art??

When I do a jewelry house call, I make sure that each person works on a piece that fits their personality – handmade jewelry is all about being unique, human, and YOU.

Now, as most of you may have noticed, I’m Wiccan and proud. Many pieces of mine either contain Wiccan/Pagan imagery or can be used for Wiccan/Pagan needs such as talismans.

How many times have you been asked, “um, that star thing – that’s the sign I’d the devil! Are you a satan worshipper??”

Imagine that question coming up at a jewelry house call – awkward doesn’t even begin to describe the vibe….

I have to calmly explain that the star represents the elements. The triple moon represents the three phases of the goddess.

Once you get into the feminine empowerment aspects of the goddess, it usually paves the way for their acceptance, understanding’ and either a ‘tell me more’ or ‘ok, understood, let’s make that woven pentagram necklace now.”

Now you probably think this blog is all over the map and disjointed but I really can connect the fossils, the house calls, and the education pieces together, I swear!

The introduction of these fantastic new materials, fossils, has given me an entirely new medium to explore, to share with my house calls/workshops, and to help others understand the potential and beauty of natural materials in art.

Supernatural and Vampire Diaries fans – I’ve been invited by Creation Entertainment to sell my jewelry at Supernatural and Vampire Diaries conventions!

I have a lot of gorgeous Wiccan and Pagan pieces! New ones uploaded every day into my shop: http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com

I need help funding the travel expenses – if you donate to my Go Fund Me page, you will receive a gift certificate for my jewelry equal to (sometimes more than!) the amount of your donation!

http://www.gofundme.com/2kwx90

Supernatural Opportunities and It’s a Wrap!

Posted on May 10, 2013 by eldwenne

Last week’s Supernatural Convention in Whippany, NJ opened a HUGE door for me – Creation Entertainment has asked me to vend at more of their events!

There are 2 Vampire Diary conventions and 4 Supernatural conventions – I am beyond excited!

The schedule:

– The Vampire Diaries Official Convention 7/13/2013-7/14/2013 in Parsippany, NJ

– Salute to Supernatural 8/23/2013-8/25/2013 in Vancouver

– Salute to Supernatural 10/11/2013-10/13/2013 in Toronto

– Salute to Supernatural 10/25/2013-10/27/2013 in Chicago

– Salute to Supernatural 11/22/2013-11/24/2013 in Los Angeles, CA

– The Vampire Diaries Official Convention 12/14/2013-12/15/2013 in Orlando, FL.

If anyone will be at any of these events, please come say hi to me! If you mention my blog, I’ll have a special piece reserved just for you as a special thank you for your support!

One of the most popular pieces that sold at the convention was my original design – a wrap necklace.

I take memory wire and adorn it with gorgeous seed beads. Then I wire-wrap a focal stone. The finishing touch is adding chains with either crystals and/or charms, which hang down to the shoulders.

This is my Tree of Life wrap necklace.

This is the Goddess Spiral Wrap. The design concept is the same, however, I played with the idea of having two different lengths of chain.

The necklace was made with chains of equal lengths, however, I decided to wrap one side of the chain around a little more to see how it would appear with asymmetry.

All of the necklaces can be worn symmetrically or asymmetrically. I think asymmetrical is a bit edgy.

This is my Keys wrap. I wrapped Swarovski red crystals to silver skeleton keys – this was a convention favorite!

I then started playing around with wrap bracelets.

I used the same keys here as I did in the necklace, but I wrapped glass pearls on them to complement the gorgeous glass pearls in the wrap.

So now that I know what the attendees of the conventions are looking for, I know what work is cut out for me in terms of designing more pieces and having adequate inventory to cover all of these amazing upcoming events!

I set up a Go Fund Me page so that I can hopefully attract donations to cover all of the travel and supply expenses I’m going to need in order to attend these conventions and make them a success.

The link to my go fund me page is below. All donations will receive a gift certificate to purchase jewelry in my etsy shop: http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com – it’s a win/win!

http://www.gofundme.com/2kwx90

Thank you all for your amazing support and I look forward to seeing you guys at the conventions!

This is the start of an incredible journey and I look forward to taking you all with me!

Going Au Supernatural Part Deux, No Bathroom Issues, and the Joy of Epiphanies

Posted on May 6, 2013 by eldwenne

Going Au Supernatural Part Deux, No Bathroom Issues, and the Joy of Epiphanies.

Going Au Supernatural Part Deux, No Bathroom Issues, and the Joy of Epiphanies

Posted on May 6, 2013 by eldwenne

Well hasn’t this been quite a weekend…I ventured over to the Hanover Marriott, located in Whippany, NJ, to vend at the Salute to Supernatural Convention.

I never did an event of this scale before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. One thing for sure, I didn’t expect Misha Effing Collins coming over to check out my wares.

The below photo: My starstruck daughter, Raven is beside me, my 8 year old son Phoenix is next to Misha, and my unimpressed husband, Merrill, is standing behind Phoenix. Said unimpressed husband did ask for, and receive a fistbump from Misha so that he could walk around saying he was “touched by angel.”

I was very fortunate to have the best vendor neighbors, hence, no bathroom issues (refer to previous post). One of my neighbors was a fabulous gothic horror writer, Ms. Eve LeStrange. (Her husband, George, was gracious enough to take the above photo of Misha!) I purchased both of Eve’s books: ‘Widdershins’ and its sequel, ‘Solitary Fire’. I started reading ‘Widdershins’ and I’m HOOKED!

If you want to get to know Eve LeStrange a little better, please do go to her website: http://www.evelestrange.com

My other neighbor, Shannon, produces incredible T-shirts for us Clifhangers – fans of Clif Kosterman, the bodyguard for Jared Padaleckicki and Jensen Ackles – the main stars of Supernatural.

Clifhangers can follow Clif on Twitter via his handle @bodyguardforJandJ

As soon as Shannon’s website is up and running I’ll make sure to post it here because I have to tell you – I have never worn a more flattering, well-designed T shirt. She also sells beanies!

Selling face to face to my target audience – I was in HEAVEN. I was surrounded by like-minded people who appreciated handmade jewelry. I did very well and I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!

As I was completing a transaction for one of my wire-wrapped geode necklaces it hit me. Hard. Why am I NOT doing this on a full time basis? The epiphany hit me like a freight train (please excuse the trite expression but seriously, I had to sit down when it occurred to me!!)

With that being said, I’ve decided to aggressively pursue the convention circuit! I’ve even been asked by Creation Entertainment to join them as a vendor for their upcoming Vampire Diaries convention in Parsippany, NJ this July!

I will also be doing the Supernatural Conventions in Toronto in October and in LA in November.

So it was an incredibly profound experience for me on many levels. But the most amazing part of it all was that I realized that I was finally in my element – being my own boss producing jewelry I am extremely proud of, meeting fantastic people from all over the world.

The little Winchester Sandwich didn’t hurt either (psst – I’m wearing my Clifhanger tee):

So a HUGE thank you again goes out to my fave neighbors, Eve and Shannon!

If anyone sends a little love to me via a convo at my etsy shop: http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com – you’ll get 20% off discount code!

Going Au Supernatural, Too Legit to Quit, and What if I Need the Bathroom?!?

Posted on April 28, 2013 by eldwenne

Here we are again with a complete nonsense title and you’re bracing yourself for who knows what…

I promise it won’t be too bad on the crazy scale – I think!

Anyone watch the hit show Supernatural? Or is it more sense to ask who DOESN’T watch this amazing show??

I am so super psyched because as of this Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5 – I will be in the same breathing space as the wonderful people who make this show so spectacular – its fans and actors.

A vendor’s table has been rented (oh my god this better work – it’s expensive as hell!). I will be pitching my wares in person to the crowds at the Supernatural Convention in Whippany, NJ!

Now I’ve done the flea market route, but this is different – my target audience will be there, not the senior citizens asking me to justify why I can’t charge $2 for a Swarovski crystal necklace.

In order to become a vendor, I needed to take the plunge – take my jewelry business and go the legal route – I am now officially a registered, legal business entity – whoo hoo!

The only challenge I’m really nervous about is the fact that I’m going to be alone, at least on Friday. WHAT IF I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM??? I think I’m going to have to strike some crossroad deals about my bladder for the day….or just hope I have friendly vendor neighbors.

I’ve spent the past several weeks in a creative binge – I cranked out close to 200 NEW pieces, in addition to my current inventory.

Some experimentation resulted in some fantastic new designs!!

This is my wrap necklace. I’ve done so many different versions of it but this is one of my first and I am so proud of it! It’s called “The Mermaid’s Folly”

Other pieces that I am really excited about are my woven pentagrams, found objects, Wiccan charm bracelets, wrap bracelets (smaller modification of my wrap necklace concept) and of course, more fun with my Jewelry in the Raw series!

I wanted to create a woven pentagram:

Using found objects was a blast – take a gander at my square plate with flowers:

One of many different Wiccan charm bracelets:

Wrap bracelets – LOVE this and made one for myself!

And one of the newest additions to my Jewelry in the Raw series, a gorgeous clear quartz geode ring!

None of these pieces are going to be available online – only in person at the Supernatural convention. Of course, if they do make the trip back home I will be adding them – to my BRAND NEW WEBSITE!!

http://www.eldwennesfantasy.com is in the process of being built and I anticipate it being completed within the next two weeks. I will let you know when the doors have opened with some really fantastic celebration offers!

My etsy shop, http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com, of course is still open for business as usual and I have many fantastic creations there ready for the picking.

If you email me at eldwenne@yahoo.com with the words ‘GOOD LUCK AT THE SUPERNATURAL CON’, I will send you a coupon code for a 20% discount off any item in my etsy shop (not including gift certificates).

So wish me luck! I’ll try to grab some pics for my next post to show you how absolutely amazing the Supernatural fans are!

Lady and the Vamp, Adventures in Goth Jewelry, and Mother’s Day Gifts CAN be Hip!

Posted on March 30, 2013 by eldwenne

To Goth or not to Goth – that kinda was a question I asked myself a while ago. I went through a Goth stage in my life (one of the original goths and very proud of it!), and it’s still a piece of me that is engrained pretty deep.

I still refuse to wear anything other than black, although I do have the rare exception here and there – I’ll throw on a deep forest green once in a blue or a gorgeous merlot, but most of the time – black is the old/new/forever black for me.

Wearing black always gave me a strong sense of security. I mean what other color takes off 10 pounds, hmm?

When it comes to Goth jewelry – it’s really hard to veer away from the stereotypical; bats. famgs. spider webs, lace – not that there is ANYTHING wrong with these, as a matter of fact I adore these design elements and still use them for my daughter’s jewelry.

But I wanted to find the “sophisticated goth” path….and I think I’ve found it! And in some pieces, I actualyy (GASP!) use colors other than black! Well, ok, the main colors are black but look how red just pops in each piece and still retains it Goth dignity!

Now let’s take this a step or five further – Mother’s Day is nigh….yes, the day where mom pops open the card for the ever-present gift card…or gets the umpteenth 1-800-flowers delivery, or kinda noticed the quick run to Sears’ jewelry section.

Mother’s Day doesn’t necessarily need to be TRADITIONAL. You can start the new tradition by getting Mom (especially the hip and cool moms that introduced you to The Cure and Siouxsie) the best, one of a kind jewelry that screams with their personality – mine! All lack of modesty aside, getting mom something that is about who they are and their personality is what it’s about, right?

AND if you want to stay traditional, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all – I make spectacular custom made charm bracelets! Here are some that I’ve made for moms, sisters, best friends, etc and are all still available as custom orders in my etsy shop: www.eldwenne.etsy.com

Now let’s take this a few more steps forward – what about throwing your mom a jewelry making party? Or if your mom isn’t the hands-on type but wants a unique piece made before her eyes – it sounds like she needs a JODi (Jewelry on Demand) party! The best Mother’s Day gifts, no??

For all my blog readers that email me at eldwenne@yahoo.com with the words, “I LOVE YOUR BLOG” will get a 10% off a JODi party or a two hour jewelry workshop!

Wedding Season, Supernatural Overdosing and Did I Just Become the Avon Lady?

Posted on March 20, 2013 by eldwenne

Try to wrap your brain around that title for a moment…I’m still trying, actually.

Being unemployed (in the traditional sense) has been a blessing in so many disguises. There’s so much clarity that I now possess, or at least now have access to, that simply wasn’t available before. And no thanks to immersing myself in some Sam and Dean ala Supernatural…sigh….that really does the brain (and eyes!) some good. All eye-candy aside – the writing on that show is fantastic and does actually expand my brain cells a bit. Mix that up with the newfound clarity and some wonderful things happen.

So with that let out to dry, let’s talk about wedding season for a moment, shall we?

Having planned my own wedding all those years ago, I still look back to that time with great fondness. Yes, really. Both my husband and I had a total blast calling the shots since we paid for everything ourselves. Very few people dared to challenge us since they knew our retort was, “Oh, you think we should do X? Are YOU paying for it?”

It was glorious!

What I spent a lot of time fretting over was the bridesmaids’ gifts. Being a jewelry designer, you’d think I would’ve just cranked out some pieces and called it a day. Can you believe I didn’t even make their jewelry?? I was too busy controlling, er, WORKING with the DJ to get the music just right.
Looking back I do regret not making their gifts. To (over)compensate, I came up with a fantastic offer.

Wouldn’t it be the nicest gesture to show your bridal party that not only here is the jewelry that you better effing wear on your special day, but have them CREATE it themselves? Throw them a jewelry-making party with the jewelry hostess with the mostest. Sorry, I truly couldn’t find something less trite.

I will go to your home or venue, sit down and design the pieces right then and there with your bridal party. I’ll teach them how to manipulate wire, how to use the tools, how to create a working design that will last far beyond your wedding day. It’s fun, it’s the whole chick-flick bonding thing, alcohol can be added to the mix for some interesting design inspiration, and it adds another fond memory to planning your wedding.

And the bridesmaids will forever be talking about how fun it was to create something and flaunt it to the masses. A special keepsake.

A wire forged piece can be a fun activity

With that in mind, I’m now offering a whole new line of JODi (Jewelry on Demand) parties:

Children’s parties where I come to the home and using your chosen theme create charm bracelets or necklace/earring/bracelet sets.

Charm bracelets are so versatile and customizable – perfect for kids!

Wedding entertainment – I will go to your wedding with a table set up for your wedding guests to enjoy some jewelry making. Their favor from your wedding will be made by their own two hands. The components will be items of your choosing that have significance, be it found objects, color themes, etc.

Found Objects are great ways to create an elegant yet simple design

The old fashioned jewelry workshop – I will go to your home and do a wire jewelry design instruction workshop.

So with all that in mind, I realized, wow – I’m going to be spending an awful lot of time in people’s homes – have I just become the Avon lady?? Not to worry – I’m not handing out crappy lipstick samples. Just don’t step on the rug in bare feet – you might step on a Swarovski here and there…

Anyone interested in having a jewelry making bash for your princess or to thank your bridesmaids, or to get me into enjoy your wedding while I entertain your guests with some fab jewelry making activities – you can contact me at eldwenne@yahoo.com.

If you mention ILOVEYOURBLOG in your email to me, I’ll knock 10% off the price of the package!

Jewelry in the Raw! Free Leather Cord Offer!

Posted on March 6, 2013 by eldwenne

I’ve been bitten by the raw gem bug. I got my hands on some absolutely gorgeous raw stones. Not only do I have some beautiful clear quartz crystal points, but some geodes filled with calcite, amethyst, quartz as well…sigh… This … Continue reading →