TVDNJ and Carrying On in the Convention Circuit!

Posted on July 19, 2013 by eldwenne

Wow, what a weekend!! The Vampire Diaries Convention in Parsippany, NJ came and went so quickly I’m still reeling!

I arrived late Friday night to set up and be ready for the Gold Pass patrons that were there to pre-register.

The location of my table was ideal – I was literally five feet away from the autograph table where a couple of very special guests would be greeting the fantastic TVD fans!

What a challenge it was to arrange my table – I created soooo many new pieces and I just wanted to be able to put them all on display at once. Logistics being what they were, unless I rented three tables it wasn’t happening, lol!

So I tried my best to artfully arrange my wares and my table did receive a lot of attention.

Cluttered, yet classy….I think

This was an incredible learning experience for me. I learned that I do absolutely adore selling in person as opposed to online. I mean I do need to keep a strong online presence, obviously, but nothing takes the place of being there with someone and working with them directly to get to the perfect piece they are looking for, or didn’t realize they were looking for!

Not only were the patrons there amazing, but the other vendors as well. I got to meet some very special people, such as Zephyr and Kierstin. They specialize in autographed posters and photos of celebrities. I can’t tell you what an amazing view I had the entire weekend of a GORGEOUS signed pic of Jensen Ackles directly across the way….sigh….

Then there was the mom and daughter team of Joan and Joanna – a dynamic duo to say the least!

I also met a great couple of best friends Jezzalyn and Lauren. They were looking for matching bracelets to represent their friendship.

The lovely Monica bought a pair of earrings and put them on immediately – warmed my heart!

Zephyr, Kierstin, Joanna, Joan, Jezzalyn, Lauren and Monica are going to be featured next week, so keep your eyes on this space!

I’ve been getting asked “What were your biggest sellers?” – well, I had a couple of really big hits – my wrap necklaces and a lot of my pentagram jewelry.

My wrap necklaces were a big hit! This is my Goddess Spirals Gunmetal Chains and Angel Wings piece

The Ladies of TVDNJ – They will be featured next month, so watch this space!

Also up there were my stamped necklaces.

Damon Stamped Necklace

Stamping is a new medium for me (please refer to my last post “Stamping out The Vampire Diaries – Jewelry That Is!”). I had so much fun doing it and am still enjoying exploring its potential that I’ve come up with a TON of new stamping ideas.

Imagine this – five silver circles stamped with the most memorable quotes and word associations of Supernatural!! Here are some descriptions of what I have on the drawing board:

Dean’s bracelet:

Son of a Bitch

Pie

Eye of the Tiger

Awesome

Jerk

Sam’s bracelet:

Moose

Spectacu-lacular

Salad

Bitch

Clowns

Castiel’s bracelet:

Angel

Trenchcoat

Pizzaman

Ass-butt

I’m God

Crowley’s bracelet:

King of Hell

Morons!

Let’s Make a Deal

Son of a Witch

Hello Boys

I even came up with a other bracelets celebrating Bobby, Charlie, Gabriel, Dick Roman – I can do pretty much any SPN character, just let me know if you have an interest in someone specific or if you want a combined bracelet!

Now, back to the TVDNJ convention!

As I mentioned earlier, my table was so close to the autograph table for a couple of special guests.

First to come in and sign was the most beautiful Torrey DeVitto! She was so stunning and treated each and every fan as if they were the most important person on the planet. A true, genuine person.

My daughter, Raven, insisted on giving her a present! She grabbed one of my geode necklaces (because she said it matched Torrey’s shirt) ran over and gave it to her. Torrey very graciously took the gift and immediately put it on!

Later on came the charismatic Charlie Brewley! He was very upbeat and also treated everyone very nicely.

Raven said we can’t give Torrey a gift without giving one to Charlie as well, it wouldn’t be fair. So I tore apart my table trying to find a piece that could remotely be considered masculine. Aha! I found something!

I had a very simple dalmation obsidian stone on a black cord. Great! I lean over to retrieve a gift box from my bag on the floor. And promptly stumble over my own two feet and land on my rear end. I look up and I see one of the Creation people trying to help me up, the volunteer at the table with Charlie AND Charlie, all looking over at me with their jaws hanging open.

The Creation lady asked me if I was ok. “Aside from an extreme case of embarrassment, I’m fine,” I replied.

I then looked over at Charlie and said, “Yes – I AM always this graceful. But this is actually your fault.”

“What did I do?” he laughed?

“I was trying to get a box so my daughter could give you this.” I said and walked over with Raven, so she could hand him the necklace.

He looked at it and appeared to like it, I think, lol! He then asked me a bit about my jewelry making, said hi to Raven, and I went back to my table to try to salvage what was left of my dignity.

I want to point out that I do not have photos of the celebrities because there are very strict rules in that you are not supposed to take photos of the celebrities while they are at the autograph table and I respect the rules laid out by both the celebrities and Creation Entertainment.

So overall it was an amazing time filled with fantastic people, learning experiences, and more inspiration to “carry on” and continue my journey on the convention circuit.

Raven was also very inspired by the weekend and told me that she wants to become a jewelry designer when she grows up. I’ve never received a greater compliment.

Raven taking a very well-deserved rest after working such a hard weekend!

I’d also like to thank all of you who have been wonderful customers and those who have been such supporters that have donated to my Go Fund Me Page:

http://www.gofundme.com/EldwennesFantasySPN

It’s because of support like this that I’m able to get my small business started. I still do need a little boost in order to successfully complete the convention circuit for the remainder of the year, if you could please pass my link along I would greatly appreciate that!

Remember, every donation receives a gift certificate worth MORE than the donation amount! And it never expires – so there’s no time limit. It’s good until ya spend it!

Thank you, everyone!!

Stamping Out Vampire Diaries – Jewelry, That Is!

Posted on July 9, 2013 by eldwenne

Yes, I am SOOOOOOO excited about this coming weekend! On Saturday, July 13 through Sunday, July 14, I will be at The Vampire Diaries convention in Parsippany, NJ. I’ll actually be there the evening of Friday, July 12 for any VIPs coming in!

A great friend of mine suggested I branch out into stamping to see how what I could come up with.

I don’t get out of my comfort zone often enough, so I welcomed the challenge.

I invested in a stamping kit, some beautiful silver discs, and some tools so that I could shape the discs, and I was raring to go!

You see Damon up above, here is Stefan and Elena:

I had so much fun making these. I also learned a couple of new skills. Stamping is not as straightforward as you may think and it takes some concentration to get the desired effects you’re looking for.

And to make the pieces more interesting, I hammered the discs into domes for some dimension.

The finishing touches are a gorgeous bead and black satin cord.

Now you all know me, I need to tie in some Supernatural action, right? Check out my license plate necklace:

I also created so many new pieces, such as my pentagram cuff bracelet, Medusa ring, and my Blue Aurora Borealis and Copper necklace:

Pentagram Cuff Bracelet

Medusa Ring View 1

Medusa Ring View 2

Blue Aurora Borealis and Copper Necklace

I’m really looking forward to meeting you at the Vampire Diaries convention this weekend, please do come by and say hi!

I will also be selling gift certificates at the convention, but if you want more bang for your buck, if you make a donation via my Go Fund Me page: http://www.gofundme.com/2kwx90 you’ll receive a gift certificate worth MORE than your donation amount which is good towards all jewelry in my etsy shop at http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com! The gift certificates never expire – they’re good until you spend ’em!

For example, if you donate $25, you receive a gift certificate for $50! For a $50 donation you recieve $75! for $100 you receive $125! and it keeps getting better – It’s a great opportunity and you’ll be helping a woman jumpstart her small business dream.

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

Featuring My Customer of the Month – Julie Anne Rhodes and the Vampire Diaries Convention Countdown!

Posted on June 29, 2013 by eldwenne

This is the second customer of the month feature and I’m SUPER excited to present Ms. Julie Anne Rhodes!

Julie Anne is a huge jewelry fan. As a matter of fact, her nickname is Jewels!

Julie Anne and I have much in common, including being incessant workaholics, creative souls, and devoting time to give back to others.

She and I connected by way of her phenomenal site: www.personalchefapproach.com – we worked together to create a pendant that Julie Anne sold out of her shop and we donated 100% of the proceeds to a charity that was near and dear to her heart.

Here is the stunning Julie Anne wearing Jodi’s Jewel for Jewels, our collaborative effort to fundraise against children’s hunger.

From there we just hit it off and she’s been an endless source of inspiration and support to me. She’s literally transformed my household with her Personal Chef Approach, aka PCA.

1. 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 include that info here!

First and foremost, I’m a mom to a beautiful daughter. I’m also the proud owner of the Personal Chef Approach.

Family comes first and in this day and age where time is a commodity, I strive to provide ways for families to eat better together.

Julie Anne’s website – http://www.personalchefapproach.com – incredible food and company await you here!

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

My work is a creative outlet – I paint with flavor! I am constantly challenging myself by experimenting with different ingredients and flavor combinations.

I’m also an avid art fan – I’m always on the prowl for inspiration!

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

I like the personal touch that handmade jewelry has. Every piece is unique and I feel like it’s made just for me.

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

I find something to appreciate in all kinds of pieces.

5. 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!)

Jodi puts her heart and soul into every piece she makes and it shows. I always get tons of compliments when I wear her jewelry!

Julie Anne wearing earrings I designed made of Bali sterling silver and Swarovski crystals. These are available in my shop!

Wow, thank you so much, Jewels!! I am fortunate to be a member of her site. Working my tail off every day leaves very little time to plan and cook healthy meals for my family and thanks to her, I’ve been able to do just that!

Please follow Julie Anne on Twitter @julieannerhodes as well as @therovingstove. Her FaceBook page is always a fun place to visit her as well: https://www.facebook.com/therovingstove

My daughter, Raven, is such a huge fan of your recipes and always looks forward to meals!

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your hectic schedule – I’m sending goodies your way!

Next topic on the agenda – gearing up for the Vampire Diaries convention in Parsippany, NJ! Whoo hoo!! I’m so excited and I’ve been cranking out tons of new pieces, including pieces that read “My Heart Belongs to a Vampire”, “Werewolves vs Vampires”, “Peace, Love, and Supernatural” (I know, it’s not Vampire Diaries related, but I have t tie everything in to Supernatural, you know that!)

My Heart Belongs to a Vampire Necklace – available at http://www.eldwenne.etsy.com

And very importantly – please visit my friends at http://www.carryonsupernatural.com – they provide a huge support network for Supernatural fans that are in need of a little help from their friends. I designed a bracelet celebrating the fantastic work they do and it’s available to purchase through their site. Every purchase will result in $5 being donated to support their hard work!

Keep Calm and Carry On…Peace Love and Supernatural

If you’re coming to the convention next month, please come visit me! Id love to meet you!

Here is my convention schedule for both Vampire Diaries and, of course, SUPERNATURAL!!

– 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.

My traveling jewelry business is just in its infancy and I’m really in need of support, so I’ve set up a Go Fund Me page that gives all of you incredible incentives! http://www.gofundme.com/2kwx90

Every donation receives a gift certificate towards any jewelry in my shop: www.eldwenne.etsy.com

If you donate $25, you get a gift certificate for $40! If you donate $50, you get $75! If you donate $75, you get $100!!! Ad it keeps getting better!

The gift certificates never expire! So you can hold onto the as long as you want! They’re only gone when you’ve spent them!

Thanks everyone and I hope I see you at one of the conventions!

Carrying On, Knowing My Limits, and WOW, There Really Are Some Really Great People Out There!

Posted on June 21, 2013 by eldwenne

As you all know, it’s been a year. Sick husband, lost my job, major car accident, and now – my eleven year old son has been diagnosed with depression.

It’s enough to overwhelm anyone, I’m pretty sure. Trying to stay positive in the midst of it all is quite the challenge, but I’ve had some help.

I stumbled upon a phenomenal website, Carry On – Family Don’t End with Blood. It’s a support group that is focused on the fanbase for Supernatural. It’s a tremendous resource for support; an extended family.

To quote from the site http://www.carryonspn.com :

“Carry On is a place for the Supernatural family to stand united against the evils of this world, as well as our own personal demons. It is a safe place, where you can come and know that you are not alone.”

I was so inspired by this community of selfless people that I designed a bracelet to celebrate the good work they do:

The charms read “Keep Calm and Carry On”‘ and “Peace, Love and Supernatural”

This bracelet is in their shop here: http://www.carryonspn.com/shop.html

For every bracelet sold, I will donate $5 towards their cause which helps fund al lot of the amazing projects they do!

Other examples of great people: Susan Newman, aka Suzy Brandtastic did a radio interview with me! She’s a branding guru and her site is:

Brand

To hear my interview, click here: http://www.talkshoe.com and look at the Past Interviews section – mine was on 6/14/2013.

Knowing my limits – with all of the drama that I’ve been taking on, I did have to let something go. With a heavy heart I resigned as the Events and Workshop Chair for hob’art, a cooperative gallery based in Hoboken.

One of my friends, a beautiful artist named Heather Leigh Corey, is also on the board and knew of the challenges I’ve been facing as of late. And you know what she did? She put me in touch with two MORE phenomenal people, Stacey and Clem Lespinasse – photographers who VOLUNTEERED their services to professionally photograph my jewelry!!

The photos came out so beautifully – an example is below!!! If you would like to hire Stacey and Clem, they can be reached via the following:
BrowsersOnline.com 201-298-3444

And here’s yet ANOTHER example of people being wonderful in our hard times – my van was confirmed unfixable.

With three young kids and my career depending on being able to get to conventions and shows, and virtually no money, how the heck were we gong to get through this? Simply getting another vehicle wasn’t an option. We’re just not financially able to support that.

The wonderful guys over at Aamco, our mechanics, worked with us so that we could purchase a vehicle that one of their managers owned. It’s also a van, and it runs even better than what we had! So a major thank you goes out to them too!!

This really did validate that there are some very kind, generous people out there.

I want to pay it forward, and I’m now offering added incentives for anyone who is donating to my convention fund – you will receive a gift certificate worth MORE than your donation amount!

For example, if you donate $25, you receive a gift certificate to get $40 worth of my jewelry here on etsy! For $50 you recieve $75! for $100 you receive $125! and it keeps getting better – It’s a great opportunity!

Simply go to my Go Fund Me page http://www.gofundme.com/2kwx90 and make a donation towards helping my handmade jewelry business travel the convention circuit!

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 (and sometimes more than!) the amount of your donation!

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

Support Supernatural Fan of the Month, Life Lessons from Asbury Avenue, and I Stopped and Made the Roses

Posted on June 7, 2013 by eldwenne

It’s been a week. Yup. Quite a week. I’ll start with the fantastic part of it first.

There is a most phenomenal site called http://www.supportsupernatural.com. Yes, it’s about promoting the TV show Supernatural, but it’s SO much more than that.

The fantastic leaders of this site, Heather and Lindsay, also tie in their love of the show with giving back to those in need. I’ve been the art teacher for the Hoboken Shelter for the past two years, so giving back to the community is very dear to me.

A quote from Support Supernatural’s About Us’ page:

“Fundraising for charity is a big part of what we do. In 2008, we raised over $6,000 for charity. In 2009, we raised over $18,000, over $30,000 in 2010 and have reached our $30,000 goal in 2011. Our continual goal with fundraising is to garner positive publicity for Supernatural as a fandom. Supernatural without a doubt has the most passionate fans in the world!”

Here’s a link where you can see these beautiful ladies being recognized by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles for their tremendous efforts:

http://www.supportsupernatural.com/aboutus.htm

So now you can only imagine how THRILLED I was that Heather and Lindsay chose me as their Fan of the Month for June!!!

If you’d like to read their interview with me, you can find it here:

http://www.supportsupernatural.com/fotmJune13.htm

I am absolutely HONORED to be acknowledged by such wonderful people who do such amazing things. Thank you so much, Lindsay and Heather!

So now here’s the not-so-fantastic part of my week. I was in a major car accident. My husband and three of my children were also with me. I – of the perfect driving record, CAUSED the accident.

We were on our way to Asbury Park. Our first beach trip of the summer. Just a little over a mile away from our destination, on Asbury Avenue, I rear-ended a car. Who rear-ended a car. Who rear-ended a car. Yes, 4 vehicles, including mine.

I zoned out. My brain was on autopilot and by the time it registered that the cars in front of me were stopped and not moving, I hit the brakes, but not in time to stop from hitting the car in front of me, causing the horrible chain reaction.

The absolute amazing thing is that no one was injured. My van – not too sure. The car in front of me – really not sure. But again, no one was injured and that’s all that matters.

Let me tell you something. I am the first person to call people who drive slowly idiots, those who drive too fast maniacs, (George Carlin would’ve been proud), and if you dare forget to put your turn signal on, well, my vocabulary devolves into something that would make a sailor blush.

So here I am, just caused a major accident. A completely avoidable one. And. You know what happened? EVERYONE involved couldn’t have been nicer to me and my family. Not one cross word, not one curse, not one “what the hell were you thinking.” Even the police of Neptune City were extremely helpful, kind, and didn’t make me feel like the idiot I was.

I’ve been officially humbled. I need to stop and smell the roses, allow people to be human, and be grateful of the fact that we’re all ok.

I designed the Rosette Ring as a result of the accident. I wanted something beautiful to come out of something that had all the potential to be tragic, but thankfully something watched over all of us involved in the accident to make sure we were ok.

Roses are sacred to the Goddess – it represents all things feminine; empowerment.

I wanted to capture that feeling in a piece that can be worn as a totem.

I also have some other very good news – I’ve made some changes to my gift certificates available through my go fund me page!

Want a gift certificate for my handmade jewelry that equals more value than what you pay for it? Simply go to my Go Fund Me page: http://www.gofundme.com/2kwx90 and make a donation towards helping my handmade jewelry business travel the convention circuit!

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 (and sometimes more than!) the amount of your donation!

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

Thank you again to Support Supernatural and the Neptune City Police Department.

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

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):