Why Is My Plated Jewelry Turning Dark? Why Won't My Crystals Sparkle?

I thought I might take some time to discuss jewelry care and cleaning! Most of the items I sell are plated. Plating means that although the metal used is "base metal" (usually brass, sometimes aluminum), it is coated a number of times with sterling silver or actual gold! When something is plated, they apply multiple layers of the precious metal over the base metal to keep the plating from wearing off! Plated jewelry will darken (tarnish) due to the fact that it is actual sterling silver or gold!
Any time you wear jewelry, you should always wait untill last to put your jewelry on! It's best not to expose your jewelry to hairspray or perfume. Your jewelry also picks-up naturals oils produced by your skin! All of this, plus simply being exposed to oxygen lead to one thing....dull, darkening, (oxidized) jewelry, be it crystals or metal!

If you have plated or perhaps you even have "toned" jewelry, DO NOT use ANY of the liquid jewelry cleaners! Though they say they will not harm plating, I have a more effective, SAFER, much less costly way to clean ALL of your jewelry including Sterling Silver and Gold!

This is what I do, and it works great:
Buy a SOFT (usually childs) toothbrush for use exclusively when cleaning jewelry.
Use whatever you have on hand...liquid soap, shampoo, ANY mild cleanser. Place the jewelry in the palm of your hand (just in a pile, one necklace-pair of earrings at a time). Apply a small amt. (one squirt) of liquid soap/shampoo into your palm on top of the jewelry. Let some water pool in your palm & gently swish the toothbrush on the jewelry. Rinse well & place on a plush handtowel. Repeat for a;ll you are cleaning. when finished washing~gently roll the towel-up (with the jewelry inside). Get a lint-free cloth and dry each piece gently, by hand. This makes all of your crystals & metals look like new!

The key things to remeber: GENTLE swishing, you CAN make your jewelry look new!

Holiday Eating Tips!

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table
knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave
immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can...and quickly. Like fine single-malt
Scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt Scotch.
You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who
cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going
to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me……………..have two. It's later than you think. It's the holidays!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy.
Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your
mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or
whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports
car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control
your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other
people's food for free. Lots of it. Hellooooooooo?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New
Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is
The time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like
frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position
yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before
becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of
shoes………….if you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat…Have a slice of each. Or,
if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always
have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor
Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the
mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, for God's sake..... have some standards.

10. One final tip: if you don't feel terrible when you leave the party
or when you get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.
Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the
corner.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Please Vote !!

Please vote for my "Earth's Fire" Necklace if you aree a FaceBook user! Here is the link: http://apps.facebook.com/promotionshq/contests/13347/voteable_entries/1849120?order=votes
Thank-you, you can vote daily (I would Greatly apprecciate it)! Here is what the picture looks like! Aprilee

Sale! And Pics From My Last Live Sale (In November)!

I recently (November) attended a live craft sale in one of the towns close to where I live. I really enjoy these events, mostly because I just enjoy meeting new people and chit-chatting! I have another such event coming-up this weekend in Port Deposit, Maryland! I took a few pictures and thought I would share them with you! Aprilee
I have decided to reduce the prices of some select items in each of my Etsy shops. All of my reduced/Sale items can be found in the "Destash Jewelry SALE" sections in my Etsy shops. I also decided to allow my handsewn floral headbands to remain on sale as well. Supplies are limited to those items, and there is no end date for this special event!






While I was at the November show, This Lady's lamps caught my eye! No photo could ever do these lamps justice! They are STUNNING, and I intend to purchase at least one! I had to rack my brain to figure-out where I could use them! You may contact me thru my email if you are interested in these lamps. they are of good size, and again, absolutely STUNNING! Here is my email: ArtistryJewelryStudios@verizon.net
And here is the pic of (just some) of her lamps! By the way, upon asking this lady if I may take a photo of her beautiful lamps, she expressed how greatly she appreciated my asking permission! When at shows which showcase the handmade items of others, please be polite & respect the artist by asking before you photograph any of their items! Please be courteous! Aprilee

Handcrafted Headband Sale!!

I've just marked-down all of my handsewn, floral headbands in my VictorianFantasy Etsy shop!  These headbands normally sell for $30.00 ~ Now untill Tuesday, you can buy them for only $20.00 each!  One of them is even less!  If you browse other headbands of the same style on Etsy, you will see that they normally sell for $30.00 and up!  This is a great deal and  only have 4 to offer!  See the here: VictorianFantasy Headband SALE