Chat…Just Because

We are settling into our newest routine now that there are two teens, instead of three, at home. Madeline is well on her way in LA, and while I know she misses us, she is immersed in doing something she adores. How lucky?! Would that we all could be as passionate and engaged in our interests. Elyse is already in rehearsals for the first play of the school year, and Parker is well into hockey games, tourneys and practices. It’s still quiet at home: Either the kids aren’t there, or they are studying. Not a big change from when Madeline was home, just less ‘stuff’ laying around. Tucker, our littlest fella, is always reminding us with his darling personality and boundless energy, to live in the moment and not take anything too seriously.

While jewelry production has been limited the past few months, it’s only because it was important for me to make my time with the kids a priority. I think many people may assume that once your children have reached the point where they are self-sufficient, you have all kinds of time on your hands. True, some time IS freed up when you don’t have to care for them 24/7, the way you used to when they were infants and toddlers. For me though, I’ve found I wanted to spend as much time with my teen kids as possible, because once college, jobs and life happen for them, there may not be as many opportunities to be with them. Such is life. And so it follows that I’ve tried to fill my time listening to them, being there for them and just appreciating the young adults they are becoming. Make no mistake though, my creative outlet is still on solid ground and is about to enjoy a resurgence in the coming weeks. So be on the lookout.

While we’re on the subject of changes, I’ll make this smooth segue into the new season. I always enjoy the settling of summer into fall. I could speculate about why for hours, but I’d rather keep things simple at this point, so I made up this little list of what makes me happy about this season. In no particular order, of course.

1. Crisp air
2. Cinnamon and pine scented candles
3. Colorful trees
4. Sweaters
5. Chili
6. Pumpkins
7. Boots
8. Messy leaves on the ground
9. Carmel apples
10. Bonfires outside; cozy fires inside
11. Pinecones
12. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies
13. Scarves
14. Flannel sheets
15. Blue jean jackets
16. Bright blue skies
17. Vibrant sunshine

Do you agree? What did I miss?

I have a thing for dragonflies. I’ve known it for a while, but who else really needs to have this information, right? Ah, but a blog is for sharing, so share I must.

I’m not talking a freaky, obsessive dragonfly thing. It’s just that every time I see a dragonfly or a picture or other representation of one, I usually stop and consider its beauty. On a very few occasions, I have purchased items that include dragonfly images, but nothing over the top or even remotely noteworthy.

So what’s the attraction? I mean, we’re talking about an insect for heaven’s sake. A bug, for all intents and purposes. And anyone who knows me, knows I’m a totally girly-girl, who while I don’t faint, flee or shriek at the sight of small crawling or flying creatures, I also don’t go out seeking their company on purpose.

There just seems to be an inherent beauty and freedom about dragonflies for me, I guess. I don’t think about their life cycle, what they eat, how they survive, or even how they look close up. I just see them for what they are at that moment, flying in front of me or illustrated on the pages of a publication or in a piece of art. They catch my eye and pull my focus. Their delicate wings are a blur, their flight pattern is fleeting and unpredictable. I think I like them because they remind me to stop and appreciate them at that precise moment in time.

Since I have this little issue with dragonflies, I decided to research the symbolism behind them and found that they represent different things for different cultures, but the ideals are similar: Happiness, renewal, positive life force, hope, change and love. Ah-hah! These are all of the ideals I strive to embrace and project in MY life! No wonder I’m so enamored of them. Coincidence?

I wonder what other beauties of nature catch your eye? Hummingbirds? Swans? Eagles? A rosebush? A simple daisy? A cherry blossom tree in full bloom? A bubbling brook? A majestic snow-capped mountain?

Part 5 of 5
In my final post of this series, let’s address the reasons why your skin may turn green (or possibly black) after wearing rings, bracelets, or other metal jewelry, and what alternatives you might consider if this is an issue.

Usually the green coloring left on your skin after contact with a metal is due to oxidation. Those with highly acidic skin will experience this reaction, even with sterling silver in some cases. Oxidation can also be hastened in highly humid weather. One other reason for green finger is an allergic reaction to the alloys used in the sterling silver or gold. An alloy is a metal made up of more than one element, and when used with sterling silver and other metals, make those components highly durable. Usually it is the nickel alloy used in inexpensive jewelry and the composition of your unique body chemistry that will cause a green reaction on your skin.

To combat tarnish, many times metal components used in jewelry are plated with rhodium, a member of the platinum family. Rhodium is highly lustruous, does not normally oxidize and will protect the jewelry from interacting with your skin. So silver rhodium is an excellent choice in keeping the the verdigris (and tarnish) factor down and out.

Other hypoallergenic metals you may want to consider for your jewelry if you’re prone to green skin or allergies would include titanium, black PVD titanium or noibium.

˜And so ends my little tutorial. There is much more information available about metals in jewelry, but hopefully I’ve covered enough in this series to pique your interest and arm you with a bit of knowledge that you can use for future jewely purchases. If you have any other questions, please send them my way and I’ll do my best to provide you with what you need.

Oh! And for those of you not familiar, Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West) is the title character in L. Frank Baum’s book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” on which the award winning musical, “Wicked” was based. Madeline and I saw the show about five years ago in NYC with the original Broadway cast. T’was awesome! Obviously Elphaba was the green witch, and her name is made up of a variation of the author’s first initials.

Part 1: Let’s tawk
Part 2: Embracing differences
Part 3: This or that?
Part 4: Out, damned tarnish!

Part 4 of 5
Now that you have an understanding of the types of and options with your metal components, you should also know why certain metals may darken or tarnish. What’s up with that and why do some things tarnish easily and others don’t?

Tarnish is the result of the sulpher in the air reacting to the metal in the jewelry, a process called oxidation.

Pure silver doesn’t tarnish, sterling silver’s partner in crime — copper — does. (Remember from Lesson 2, sterling silver is made up of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper). And it will tarnish more quickly in humid conditions. In addition, other external variables such as lotions, perfumes and your own body chemistry can affect the rate at which sterling silver tarnishes. That’s the case whether the copper is part of sterling silver or if it is in jewelry by itself. It will get darker over time.

How can you stop the tarnish? Wearing and handling your sterling silver jewelry will actually help slow down the oxidation process because the oil in your skin coat the silver and protect it from oxidation. While not wearing your items, store them in a ziploc sandwich bag (NOT a heavy plastic PVC bag though) with a small strip of anti-tarnish paper, which absorbs moisture and prevents tarnish. Please note: If the silver item also contains pearls, store it a jewelry box where the air can circulate, along with your anti-tarnish strips. Pearls need a bit of moisture. But that’s another series, right?

If your sterling does become tarnished, a light rubbing with a silver polishing cloth will ususally remove the offensive darkness. If the tarnish is difficult to remove, your best bet is to have a professional jeweler clean and polish your sterling silver items. There are commercial dips or solutions that are on the market for jewelry, however I’ve read that they damage the silver over time and it loses its luster. You should never use the solutions if your sterling silver jewelry includes gemstones though. Gemstones just need a gentle rinsing with mild soap and water — except for opals and a few other fragile gemstones that only need a wipe with a tissue.

If you wear a lot of copper or other easily tarnished base metal, a coat of clear nail polish applied to the metal will offer some protection for a time, or you could try using a product called Renaissance Wax to coat your copper items. Wearing your copper necklaces over your clothing, rather than next to your skin, will also delay the oxidation process a bit.

Next up: Lessons in metal: Part 5; Hello, Elphaba?

Part 1: Let’s tawk
Part 2: Embracing differences
Part 3: This or That?

Part 3 of 5
Now that you have some information about precious and non-precious metals, let’s look at another element of considering your jewelry components: The plated vs. filled options.

Plated metal findings, gold plated or silver plated, simply refers to a thin layer of either, that has been electroplated to a base metal. While the plated gold or silver components use real metal, the layer is usually so thin that it can be easily scratched and wear off quickly, exposing the base metal underneath.

A more expensive option to gold plated, but with the look of gold, is jewelry that uses vermiel components. Vermeil (pronounced as ver-MAY) is gold that has been coated to a sterling silver base. The gold must be at least 10K and meet a certain thickness requirement to be considered vermeil. Highly tarnish resistant, it is a long lasting and lovely alternative to gold jewelry. Vermeil is used in some Just Because Jewelry designs, and is noted as such in the appropriate production descriptions.

Gold filled components are yet another gold option and are considered a much higher quality product than plated materials. Precious metal of at least 10K gold is mechanically bonded to a base metal. The layer of gold is much thicker than the thin layer used in gold plated items, and the results are considered long lasting. All of the gold chain and wire used in Just Because Jewelry pieces is gold filled, including this necklace. Read more about it here on the Web site.

So what does all of this mean in terms of jewelry durability and tarnish? Ahh, Grasshoppah. You must return for the next lesson very soon …

Next up: Lessons in metal: Part 4; Out, damned tarnish!

Part 1: Let’s tawk
Part 2: Embracing differences

Part 2 of 5
To continue our tutorial about metal, I wanted to provide you some brief guidelines about the metals you may encounter in bridge and costume jewelry. Metals are divided into two broad categories: Precious and non-precious.

1. Precious metals — include price when included in jewelry. Just Because Jewelry uses mostly sterling silver components, so let’s talk a bit more the different types of silver available.

Sterling silver is a combination of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. Silver is harder than gold, but softer than copper. It is the whitest of metals and considered the standard for fine jewelry.

Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, but is typically too soft to use by itself in larger objects. It is highly tarnish resistant though, and can be fused without the use of solder.

Argentium silver is a relatively new silver. It is 92.5% pure silver, but the 7.5% metal it is combined with is called germanium. This particular silver is highly tarnish resistant and extremely hard and lustruous, because apparently, germanium loves oxygen, the component that interacts with certain metals causing darkening or tarnish. I don’t have a chemistry degree, so I’ll defer to this Web site if you’d like more information about germanium’s affair with oxygen.

2. Non-precious metals or base metals — traditionally include copper, brass, tin, zinc, nickel and lead. Because these metals are inexpensive, you may not need to invest a lot of money in jewelry made with strictly base metals. Base metals can be used on their own but can also be treated to include a thin layer of gold or silver to simulate the look of a precious metal. Here’s the rub … literally: Depending on the type of metal, the length of contact with your skin, the amount of perspiration on your skin, the air temperature and a host of other variables, this layer will wear off eventually, exposing the base metal underneath.

Some people allergic to base metals, even in the small amount of copper contained in sterling silver. If you experience any redness, itching or soreness after wearing your jewelry on your fingers, wrists, neck and ears, you may be allergic to the metal it is made of. Allergies to nickel are the most common, so be aware of any skin flare ups when you are wearing your jewelry.

Next up: Lessons in metal: Part 3; This or That?

If you missed Part 1 of Lessons in metal: Let’s Tawk, click here.

I’m often asked about the types of metal materials I use in my jewelry designs. Some people are allergic to certain metals and most want to make sure they are investing in a quality item that won’t turn their necks, wrists, ear lobes and fingers green! I thought a short series of posts about the differences in the metals commonly used in bridge and costume jewelry would be helpful. The posts will appear over the course of the next week or two, to keep things moving. While there is much information to share, I will give you the basics to understand what you are buying. Educated consumers are the best!

Part 1 of 5

To begin, the metal parts of any jewelry item are often called findings. Basic findings include earring wires and posts, clasps, extenders, chain, wire guardians, crimps and scrimps, jumprings, headpins, bails, cones, connectors, spacer bars and metal beads. All of these types of components or findings can be made of any variety of metal, including copper, brass, silver and gold.

Most jewelry contains one or more of these findings, and it is important that you know what materials you are buying, so that you can make a judgment about how much money you want to spend. For example, you are going to pay dramatically less for the cute, plastic, trendy jewelry sold at Target that is finished with silverplate findings or base metal, than you would a piece of handmade jewelry that uses semiprecious gemstones and sterling silver or goldfilled findings. It all depends on your taste. If you’re looking for something classic and long lasting, you’ll likely need to spend more money for the quality materials and workmanship.

Next up: Lessons in metal: Part 2; Embracing differences

Recently, one of my fellow bloggers decided it was the right decision to devote more time to the production and sale of her product (beautiful couture bags) and therefore would need to stop blogging. It takes a great deal of time and dedication to run a blog. And in addition to her being an entrepreneur who handles all aspects of her business, she’s a wife and mother to teenagers, which we all know requires endless love, energy and attention. I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision for her to let go of it, as I’ve struggled to balance many of the same things as she has. I’ve mentioned in more than one post that if I just had a few more hours each day, I could get X, Y and Z finished. I applaud and admire her for making a decision that is right for her.

Blogging is a wonderful way to maintain contact with current and potential customers, and during this unprecedented economic time, is a great tool to build and maintain awareness of your product or service. However, it also requires (at least in my case) a lot of time to plan and schedule topics, write, edit and review the posts, and then if appropriate, research a photo or take my own photo to include in the post. I can’t tell you how many blogs I visit regularly that include stunning photos, or even regular ol’ stock photos that get me thinking, “gee, maybe I should include more pictures in my posts to get the attention of my readers.”

It has been only recently that I’ve given myself permission to NOT include a photo with each post even though the entry may look a bit blah. I was putting too much pressure on myself to take, locate, download, resize, adjust and position a photo to make it look great, when photography really isn’t my bailiwick, y’know? I noticed I started putting off posting my entries until I could find a suitable picture to accompany it, then it would be several days before I could post again. I love when I take a decent photo, but I just can’t and don’t want to compete with the other bloggers out there in this way. This one change alone seems to have freed up some space, if only in my head!

And while there are different reasons people begin to blog, one does begin to wonder after a while if the blog is reaching an audience or not. Comments from readers can sure go a long way to just give that little boost of reinforcement that someone is out there and gives a hoot. Regardless of comments though, writing a blog is yet another way to communicate and build a relationship with readers and customers. But it isn’t the only way. We all need to follow what works best for us.

I’m comfortable with how I operate right now, and look forward to tweaking and adjusting as necessary as I move forward with my business.

Thanks to Sheri for her comments and her blog, and I wish her all the success she deserves in her business endeavors. She recently launched her newly redesigned Web site, Sheri Gayle Couture, so please visit to check out her gorgeous work.

I was tagged again, this time by the lovely Maricel at Sweet Posy Designs. Since I was recently tagged just a few weeks ago (check it out here), I had to enlist the brainpower of my wonderful family to come up with seven more random or weird facts about me. Mind you, having your family tell you what they think is random or weird about you is an eyeopening and potentially uncomfortable experience. Sheesh! Nevertheless, I was able to cull seven printable items about me, and so without further ado, the results appear below, in no particular order. 

1. I luuuv sushi.
2. I love shoes, but CANNOT stand shopping for them, so therefore, I wear what I buy until I am forced to shop for more, at which time, I drag myself out, curse that I have to get them, and thus continue the vicious circle.
3. I don’t like wearing turtlenecks.
4. I have the freakish ability to twist my thumbs into such a position, that I can totally wig people out!
5. I sing all the time while driving in the car (y’know, my inner rock star coming out.)
6. I love the scents of jasmine and gardenia in candles,and during the holidays, I burn candles that smell either like cinnamon, spices or pine (mistletoe).
7. I won a trip to Branson, MO as a ticketholder while attending a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.

As part of the tagging deal, I also need to tag seven other bloggers, so here you go ladies. I can’t wait to read all about your weirdness … I mean, all about the weird or random facts about you.

1. Nailah at Beauty Maven
2. Sahar at FatFighter TV
3. Kathleen at Buddhafly
4. Caroline at Pink Lemonade Boutique Bags
5. Melissa at Sea of Glass
6. Kristen at Stuff for Sprouts
7. Lisa at City Living Baby

Pondering the upcoming holiday season and thinking about all of the goodies I’d love to get for everyone!

Saw my daughters’ high school production of The Outsiders on Thursday and plan to go again Saturday night. Madeline has the part of Cherry and Elyse is in the ensemble. It was very well done, and Madeline did a wonderful job! Then in December, they’re both in DramaRama’s production of RENT – The School Edition. Madeline has the part of Joann in that one and Elyse has several roles. Could there be more drama and singing in my house?!

Thinking about doing another Master Cleanse … It’s quite the commitment, but one I am willing to make.

Thoughts of enjoying a lazy afternoon with Don in front of the fire and drinking a nice glass of wine are dancing in my head.

Wondering how to make an exercise program a regular part of my daily schedule … hmmm. It’s been done before; I just have to remember how.

Hoping my daughters will make some chocolate chip cookies soon (k, that won’t work with the Master Cleanse, but a girl can dream, right?)

That said, trying to talk Don into making a healthier version of his yummy stuffing for Thanksgiving. He’s actually agreed to make less of his sinful stuffing and make a separate, more nutritious (if that’s even possible) stuffing recipe. (Baby steps, people.)

Planning to have another Just Because Jewelry giveaway on Monday, so I need to draft the post and create the item! Stay tuned.