Monday, November 2, 2015

Teacher Gifts - Practical Jewelry Ideas

OK - so this is a personal blog. I'm a retired teacher and I received many wonderful gifts over the years I taught from many wonderful students. But the ones I most appreciated were the practical ones.

For example, one family gave me a set of white board markers in all colors available. That was particularly fantastic because I was teaching in a very poor, inner city school. White board markers were worth their weight in gold - and in all those colors - - - well, it sure made things nice for the students and me.

With that in mind, may I suggest Key Chain ID Lanyards as a possible teacher gift?

For the animal lover, we have several, including:


Pandas



 Dalmations



Labs



And more Dalmations


For those who want something a little more elegant, we have







We have these and more at RivendellRockJewelry.Etsy.Com  Come browse and find your Christmas or Holiday gifts. We include free gift wrap and ship via USPS Priority Mail within the USA.




Sunday, July 5, 2015

Christmas in July - - AGAIN????

I know.  Christmas just ended and now here are all the early, early, early - - -  well you get it.  Yes, for some this is just another marketing trick, but I think it can be more.  This is a good time to check in with our feelings of hope, help for those around us, hospitality, and our moral compass, just as we do in November and December.

Yes, it is a "Hallmark Moment" as the two Hallmark channels run their Christmas movies, all rather simple, sweet and predictible - smaltzy - but we need a little smaltz in our lives to center us.

Now as to the other part of Christmas in July - the sales. As a small business owner and jewelry designer Rivendell Rock Jewelry, I am offering a store wide sale - 10% off all items from July 6 to July 12 in conjunction with other Etsy shops.

Didn't find something you like? You will find many gorgeous, handmade items from small crafters and artists listed at STATTEAM "Christmas in July" SALE Promotional Blog July 6-July12   Please be sure and check it out.  Here are artists who create unique jewelry, crochet and knit pieces, paintings, pottery, and more ways to trick out a horse or pony than you can ever imagine!

As for my jewelry, I can't let you go without highlighting one or two pieces, (or maybe three) can I?

For a practical jewelry item, check out our ID lanyards - for example



Trending bracelets with a flair - for example



And the perfect Summer time earrings - 



P.S.  We all know that Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, but how many knew he wrote quite a few Christmas stories?  I didn't - check my next blog for more about this wonderful author and his connection with Christmas.




Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Eclectic Gone Wild

Tony and I love designs that combine different eras, cultures and mediums, but we really went wild recently with our new line of stacking bracelets.

We started with a bead loom, something associated with Native American tribes. Then we found some patterns from the Medieval Europe that sparked our imagination and had us drawing designs on graph paper with colored pencils - shades of elementary school. We mixed Czechoslovakian and Japanese modern beads to create the patterns. Then we finished each bracelet with ultra-suede ties again in a bow (very modern and vegan friendly) to Native American design and Pony Express beads reminding us of the Gold Rush period of California history. Finally, we designed them to stack - so they are ultra-edgy and modern.

The results are so gorgeous that we will be adding to this line in the future. But rest assured, while we will continue with the concept, we will never duplicate any bracelet. We want everyone to be confident that when they wear one of our designs, they have a unique, one of a kind piece of jewelry.

Oh, and in case you didn't get our announcement, we have changed our name from Exotic Treasures Jewelry to RIVENDELL ROCK JEWELRY. We can be found at Rivendellrockjewelry.etsy.com




https://www.etsy.com/listing/230261672/rambling-rose-loomed-seed-bead-bracelet


https://www.etsy.com/listing/229918380/blue-teal-green-and-gold-loomed-seed



https://www.etsy.com/listing/228057114/hand-bead-loomed-medieval-rose-seed-bead




https://www.etsy.com/listing/227956213/loom-beaded-medieval-design-stackable

https://www.etsy.com/listing/229993131/green-cross-and-pearl-seed-bead-hand



Monday, March 9, 2015

Name Change

We changed the name of our shop on Etsy from
Exotic Treasures to Rivendell Rock Jewelry [Rivendellrockjewelry.etsy.com]  We had two reasons for the change.

First, we moved.  We are now up near Coloma and Placerville, California, near the old gold discovery site.  We named our new property Rivendell after the Elves home from the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit books.  Not that it is that grand, nor does it have anything like the water that is so much a part of the original, but because it is a peaceful, quiet place.

Second, we had a few people think that there was something erotic about our jewelry, given that the word "exotic" is frequently associated with such things.  That is the furtherest thing from the truth.

We will be keeping this name for our blog for a few more weeks, but will be starting a new one soon.  We'll list that name here, along with the new URL.

And for a quick P.S., there are two of us - this is not a royal we that we use.  We're a mother-son team of jewelry designers.


Saturday, March 7, 2015

Pretty, Practical, and Security Conscious Jewelry

Whether we like it or not, security has become an important element in our lives.  Wearing identification badges is a large part of that. From teachers to nurses, doctors to cruise passengers, ID badges and the lanyards to hold them are a big part of our lives.

That’s the grim side; now for the fashionista side.  Pretty lanyards that coordinate with our clothes and match our personality are far better for our emotional and professional wellbeing that those slightly scruffy woven types handed out by companies, complete with advertising logos.  For example, here is an elegant, sophisticated lanyard that would coordinate perfectly with a business suit:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/82959566/pearl-swarovski-and-seed-bead-id-badge?ref=shop_home_active_3


For something softer and a bit more feminine, the same design is executed in pink:



https://www.etsy.com/listing/83830058/beaded-lanyard-pink-swarovski-grey-pearl?ref=shop_home_active_1



 A rustic, tumbles gemstone model is great for those who prefer natural stones:



https://www.etsy.com/listing/82961057/lapis-lazuli-blue-lace-agate-lanyard?ref=shop_home_active_2



 And for those who like animals, or work in places where cute lanyards fit in perfectly you can wear:


https://www.etsy.com/listing/221531984/id-badge-lanyard-dalmations-dogs-red?ref=shop_home_active_10




https://www.etsy.com/listing/223435429/labrador-puppy-id-badge-lanyard-puppy?ref=shop_home_active_6


https://www.etsy.com/listing/223534764/panda-lampwork-and-green-seed-bead?ref=shop_home_active_4



The thing to remember though, is while we may need to concentrate on security and safety, we can do so while still remaining true to our fashion style.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The Green Dilemma

It's almost St Patrick's day, and for those of us who just cannot wear green, this day can be problematic. If I put on a pale green dress or blouse, someone will be handing me a basin. If I try a dark green scarf I look so sick someone is calling 911. I love green, but I just cannot wear green clothes.


Then one day, I tried on a green necklace. Just some polished rocks like this one 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/154024459/copper-pendant-necklace-stone-pendant?ref=shop_home_active_23

and everything changed!  For some reason, my face doesn’t turn green when I wear green jewelry.  

Now, I design and make a whole line of green jewelry, both for those of us who are green challenged and for those who just love the color.


https://www.etsy.com/listing/161003593/chryosprase-and-copper-teardrop-pendant?ref=shop_home_active_22


https://www.etsy.com/listing/200848884/dark-green-clear-crystal-bead-lace?ref=shop_home_active_1


https://www.etsy.com/listing/103024576/emerald-sterling-silver-chandelier?ref=shop_home_active_15


Check out my shop Rivendellrockjewelry.etsy.com to see more

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Most of our posts are centered around fashion and jewelry, but sometimes other subjects take the front.  There is much discussion in our country right now about "fairness."  This story provides an interesting opportunity for meditation and discussion.

I heard an example of how destructive Envy can be.  It goes like this:

Once upon a time, two men opened competing shoe shops right across the street from each other.  Each man was so envious of the other that they spent their days sitting outside their shops to watch customers entering the store opposite.  If one saw a customer entering the shop of the other, he was so eaten up with envy that he could not see or think of anything else.

And so these two men continued, year after year, envying each other and failing to realize their own accomplishments, because they obviously had accomplishments – they were both still in business.

One day, a woman entered one of the stores and told the owner that she would grant him one wish.  He could wish for anything – long life, good health, great wealth – anything at all.  The only condition was that whatever he wished for would be doubled for his rival.  So if he wished for long life, the other shoe store owner would life twice as long.  If he wished for great wealth, his “rival” would receive twice as much. 

The man thought long and hard, and after much calculation, told the woman that he wished to lose one eye.

How blind are we, when we look at our neighbor and envy what he or she has?  How distant are we from enjoying life, if we want others to lose what they have, what they may have worked hard for, or even been lucky enough to have received?  How far away are we from this man if we are even urging the government to take from others and redistribute it so we get a “fair share,” not of opportunity, but of outcome?  How many of us are willing to give up one eye, just so our neighbor is blinded?


No, I am not suggesting we leave the poor to fend for themselves.  We must, as a country, provide opportunities for all, and a true safety net for those who cannot take advantage of those opportunities.  But, no matter how “unfair” it may seem that some have great mansions, fancy clothes, luxury cars, and all the trappings of wealth, taking that away, by force or even by law, will not make anyone better off in the long run, as a study of history and economics will show.