Julia Catherine

And the winner is...

2009-06-23T10:18:00.002-04:00

"Little Galaxy Rings" Submitted by ThePaperBlueBird.etsy.com . Thanks so much for all the submissions for this months contest. Make sure you sign up for my mailing list to the right of this blog post to be notified of future contests and upcoming events!

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

June Contest Starts NOW!

2009-06-01T16:34:00.005-04:00

This month's contest is a "Name Game" Contest. Your mission... if you choose to accept, is to name the rings below. A little bit about this ring. It is a new style I have created. They are a limited edition ring. Each one is handcrafted from large gauge sterling silver. Each one is one of a kind. So while they will all be similar in style, no two will be exactly alike.
I just can't figure out what to call these gorgeous rings!

What will you win if your name is selected? The winner will be awarded 2 pairs of my little berries earrings. One pair for yourself and one pair to give away or to Pay It Forward, and of course bragging rights! Your name will be posting in each listing for this amazing ring. As always the winner will also be extended the offer of free shipping on any shopping in My Shop. As well as the 15% off any other purchases they wish to make from my shop.

So leave your name suggestion (entry) as a comment on this post and of course leave your email (entries without emails will not be considered) Entries will be accepted up till June 19th and the winner and name will be posted the following Monday June 22nd.

Have you joined my mailing list?? That's the little widget, over there>>>>
If you did you will receive advanced warning to monthly contests and exclusive discounts.

I look forward to reading all the names you will submit.
xoxo
JuliaCatherine

June Blog Contest Starts Soon!

2009-05-27T17:41:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone! Hope everyone is well and had a happy and safe holiday weekend. After a brief break from monthly contests I will be starting one again coming up in June. June's contest will be a "Name Game" contest. I have a gorgeous item that needs naming! The winner of June's contest will be awarded 2 prizes, both the same. One to keep for yourself and the other to Pay It Forward (PIF) to a someone in your life. For full details before anyone else be sure to join my mailing list in the top right section of this blog. Full details will be posted on this blog the first week of June, mailing list members get a sneak peak the end of this week.
xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Perfect by Nature...

2009-05-25T11:40:00.008-04:00

Wow it has been awhile since I have posted! I finally had a chance this morning to get out and take some gorgeous photos of the plants and other things growing in the yard here at home. Those who know me, know I have a love taking photos of all the amazing things nature creates. Really close up photos.

For more photos please visit my F lickr photostream.

As for me? Im going to get back outside, weed my garden a bit and then lay out and soak in some of this amazing weather. Enjoy the day everyone, and be safe.

xoxo
Julia Catherine

Stylish Storage Solutions!

2009-02-17T15:15:00.004-05:00

If your like me, you are always limited with your space and looking to create more space. Especially with an 'attic room'. Slated ceilings etc. With the help of my mother I finally got around to building myself a book shelf. No longer will my books have to sit in a pile next to my bed! Now my lovely (new) terrarium also has a home too.

So first we took a trip to our local lowes store and purchased some 8x1 pine board. We looked for a board with as little knots and possible and as few blemishes as we could find. Then I selected some corner molding to create a ledge on my shelf. I wanted a ledge so that I could know any items I might place on my shelf will be secure (knick knacks, candle holders etc.) I also selected these lovely L brackets that have a bronzey scroll design on them instead of the ugly ones. Carefully chose my nails. I bought 1 inch brads to nail the ledge to the shelf, 1 inch finishing screws to screw the bracket to the shelf and 1 1/2 finishing nails to screw the shelf to the wall.

With the help of my mother the boards were cut and the edges of the ledge were mitered. I just love mitered corners!! I matched up the corners and glued the ledge down using wood glue, clamped them down and waited 30 minutes before nailing the brads into the ledge. Then I used a bit of 'plastic wood' to fill in any screw ups I made :/ After letting that dry for another 20 minutes I got my handy dandy sanding block out and sanded down any rough edges through the whole shelf, even rounded off some corners. I gave the entire shelf a good dusting and then stained it using a walnut stain we had left over from another project(use plastic gloves while staining). I only did one coat yesterday and let the shelf dry till this afternoon.

I attached the fancy brackets to the shelf and then the shelf to the wall using a level of course. And now im lovely shelf is complete :) The entire project cost me about $29 and that is enough wood and screws for another shelf.

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Vegan Black Bean Soup- Recipe Courtesy of YCHRISTINE

2009-02-16T19:05:00.004-05:00

A favorite recipe that I have made twice so far and works out perfect everytime. Very quick and easy, well worth taking the time to make this instead of opening a can of some crappy store bought soup.

"Pureed black beans and tomatoes are combined with vegetable broth to make a nice thick base for this soup, which hosts celery, carrots, onion and corn.
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 pinch black pepper

4 cups vegetable broth

4 (15 ounce) cans black beans

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1.	Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
2.	Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

The recipe in it entirety can be found here

I strongly suggest the following substitutions. 2 cups frozen kernel corn. I also did not have fresh celery so I used a tablespoon of celery flakes and a can of stewed tomatoes instead of crushed. Great with a grilled cheese sandwich, baked potato. Even better the next day as lunch or leftovers. I hope you will give one of my favorites a try!

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

February Contest Winner Announced!

2009-02-16T09:22:00.001-05:00

And the winner for February's Contest is...

Beth W. Of Rose Bush Designs!

Congratulations Beth and Thank You to all who participated in this Months Contest. The answer to the riddle was my "Classic Pink Pearl Studs" There were many entries that were correct so it came down to the random number generator. Each entry was assigned a number then the number was picked at random.

Remember to sign up for my mailing list so you can be notified of special contests here on my blog and exclusive sales and coupons, only for mailing list members.

xoxo
Julia Catherine

February Contest

2009-02-05T19:12:00.005-05:00

This month's contest is to solve the riddle related to an item in My Shop.
The riddle to solve is:

"In the section for your ear
You will surely be near,
Find the studs that are pink
And you've got the right link!"

How do you win? What do you win?
Just shoot me an email to juliacatherinejewelry@gmail.com Use the subject "Blog Contest" in the subject line and copy and paste the link or the name of the item that the riddle is referencing.

If there is more than one person who submits an answer they will be submitted to a raffle to win my 'Floating Heart Earrings"! Now remember that as always the winner will also be extended the offer of free shipping on any shopping in My Shop. As well as 15% off coupon for any other shopping they would like to do.

Mailing list members have already gotten a head start! Make sure you join so next time you can too.

Good luck everyone! Answers will be accepted up till February 15th, all correct answers will be put into a raffle and drawn on the 16th.

xoxo
Julia Catherine

p.s. Comments have been disabled for this post so answers aren't mistakenly left as posts.

Tuesday's Finds- Italy In Honor of "eat, pray, love"

2009-02-02T19:24:00.004-05:00

I just started ready Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Love, Pray:One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" The book is about Elizabeth's travels across the 3 countries. So far she has traveled to Italy and that's what today's finds are all about! ITALY! The book is great so far, I highly recommend it!

alebook67's- buonconvento,tuscany watercolor original painting.
A sunset view of Buonconvento, a small village near Siena in Tuscany. The detail of this is amazing for a watercolor. This artist was born in Florence Italy where he lives and works as a professional artist. All his artwork comes matted on black, which really makes the artwork POP. Still a fairly new artist on etsy, show some love.

Lots more artwork of Italy in alebook67's shop.

Whichgoose's Roman Leaf Crown
A little Julius Cesar for all of us. You could go roman or Greek with this one with this gorgeously detailed leaves in metallic colors. Handmade by whichgoose.

Lots of AMAZING headbands for all ocassions in this shop.

ThePigAndThePeacock-Roman Neroli Shea Butter Soap.

This soap is infused with spicy, flowery, sweet neroli and exfoliating orange peel. Can you say LUXURIOUS?

Also made with shea butter which is amazing for skin care. So smooth and moisturizing. Help your poor skin through this dry, dry winter. Many more flavors in this shop. Check them all out.

I hope you all enjoyed this weeks tuesday's finds. Hope to meet you back here sometime soon. Also be sure to check out more great "Tuesday Finds" today on The Awesome Chicks of Etsy Blog. (sponsored by the ladies of ACE)

xoxo
Julia Catherine

P.S. Make sure you sign up for my mailing list to the right, february mailing going out soon and giveaway starts soon too!

Crummy Yummy Mac & Cheese Recipe

2009-01-28T18:47:00.007-05:00

As you can see, I have a way with cheese. Yet another creamy cheesy delicious recipe. Im not that good at recipe writing so please excuse my lingo here. It looks like a really big complicated thing but its really not, and it tastes wayyy better than anything i have ever made from a box. Its worth the time to make something tasty for your family. They will thank you!

Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees

2 1/2 Cups Elbow Macaroni
Kosher Salt
1 Egg, scrambled
Sauce
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Diced Onion
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
Red Pepper Flakes to Taste (i do like 4 big shakes)
2 Tbls Flour Heaping
2 Cups Milk (I use 1%)
1 Cup Reserved Cooking liquid from pasta
5-6oz Cheddar Cheese Shredded

Crumb Topping
1/2 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs, i like Italian style
3/4 Tsp Chili Powder
1/2 Margarine, Butter or Shortening

Boil your pasta according to package directions, make sure to salt your water if you want your pasta to taste like anything. The general rule is to salt it like the ocean, please use kosher salt for this. Because of the cheese in this recipe i suggest slightly less. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid just before you drain your pasta and set both aside.

The Sauce: Put in a small saucepan the olive oil or other oil. heat on medium to medium hi temp and add your diced onions and red pepper flakes and 1/2tsp kosher salt, saute till the onions are softened up for the most part. For this next part i recommend using one of those rubber scraper type spatula deals. We are gonna make a ROUX!! I think that's what it's called officially but don't let it scare you away from this recipe. To your oily situation you are going to add your 2 heaping Tbls of flour. You are going to mix it all around with your rubber scraper and you are going to mash down those little flour lumps with your spatula. mixing mixing mixing, smoothing smoothing smoothing. At first you will notice that uncooked floury smell, once you cook it for a couple minutes and incorporate all the flour into all the oil mixture you will notice that smell will dissipate. Now add your milk about a little at a time. Add a little and mix it all really well together, cook for a minute till bubbly (at this point i get out my whisk) mix mix, add, mix mix add. When you have about half of it in there it will look like your making mashed potatoes, this is totally normal. Keep mixing. Once all your milk is added let it bubble along a couple minutes and add your cheese choice. mix mix mix. it will get really thick, add about a 1/2 cup of your reserved cooking liquid (or the same amount in milk if you don't mind) Work quickly here and be very attentive. Kick that temp back to medium once this all bubbles up. Make sure to stir every couple minutes.
Crumb Topping: Now this works like making any crumb topping for pies etc. Mix all your crumb ingredients into a bowl and fork around it to create crumbs.

Add your sauce to pasta and mix really really well. Right at the end add your scrambled egg and stir really vigorously so it doesn't cook. Pour your pasta and sauce mixture into a semi flat dish (mine was 8 1/4 inch Pyrex) even it out and sprinkle on your crumble topping. Place in your oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or till the crumb topping darkens up a bit and the sauce gets bubbly. Enjoy! About 8 side dish servings or 4 main dish portions.

I like to do the red pepper flake and chili combo for this but if you like a savory 'situation' you might try and add some thyme instead. Get creative with things you know you like and you will not be disappointed. You could skip the red pepper flakes and chili powder all together and sub the cheddar cheese for pepper jack! That would be spicy and delicious!

I hope you will all try this recipe and let me know how it is, if you have any questions just shoot me an email and i will try and clear up any confusion. juliacatherinejewelry@gmail.com

Make sure you all join my mailing list so when i start my February giveaway and send out the months coupons you can get the exclusive scoop!

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Tuesday's Finds- V-Day Gifts for Friends and Family

2009-01-26T11:20:00.009-05:00

I always like to get a little something special for special friends and family members. Just a little something to let them know your thinking of them. Here are a couple of my favorite finds for this occasion.

nuvonova's Pink Deco Doll - blank notebook

Love this one. 120 pages to draw, journal or doodle on. The cover is a drawing of a doll made entirely from shapes. Get some photo corners, i think this one would also make a great scrapbook. Measures 6x4 inches.

novonova also has many other sketchbooks in her shop.

Flameworks' Black Raspberry Vanilla Vegan Soap.
The best gifts in the world are the most luxurious. Flameworks soaps are so fragrant and lather amazingly. I have purchased from this shop on many occasions before for gifts, whoever your buying for, they will thank you. Simple as that. All of the scents in this shop are amazing, black raspberry vanilla is my absolute favorite though.

Just buy the whole shop, it's all awesome.

Jenngee's Coffee Corset
A stylish way to be Eco friendly. Friends don't let friends use ugly paper cuffs. Such a creative idea originated by Jenn. Just use and reuse, keep your hands protected and help the planet a little. (every little bit counts) This shop is also offering free shipping for a limited time. This shop make coffee corsets for anything them you could imagine. Check out this entire shop.

Thecupcakemint's Chocolate Covered Strawberry Vegan Cupcakes
OH MY GOSH. I just had to say it. How is it possible these look so delicious and are vegan too? Im not sure how thecupcakemint does it but they do. Share these with friends and family or better yet give one to your object of affection and tell him or her you made them, you know what they say about hearts and bellies, right? Maybe not a wise idea there actually, i could never make anything that pretty. Even better if you live within 25 miles of the seller, they will deliver for free. Located in NJ.

Just check out the whole shop for delicious gift ideas, and stop drooling.

I hope you all enjoyed today's finds!

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

And The Winner is!

2009-01-26T06:47:00.003-05:00

With 68% of the vote, Jillian of EternalImages ! Congratulations Jillian you are the winner of the first pair of Winter Blossom Earrings. Thanks so much for the winning name. These earrings are available for purchase by clicking here.

Thanks also to everyone who submitted entries to my January Blog Giveaway Contest. All of them were really good and it was hard enough to pick two finalists.

February's contest will be starting up soon, so make sure to join my mailing list so you can be notified on how to get in on it. All mailing list members are also the first to be notified of sales, and get free coupons too! So sign up using my mailing list widget to the right.

xoxo
Julia Catherine

Quick Recipe- 3 Bean Salad

2009-01-25T16:25:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite quick, easy and healthy recipes of all time. 3-4 bean salad. Normally eaten cold, it makes a great topping for salads or just snacking throughout the day. In my house this does not last very long at all. I have recently found that this recipe is even more amazing when made with organic canned beans. Also tastes best when you let it sit and marinate for a couple hours or more.

1 Can red kidney beans
1 Can green beans
1 Can Chick/ Garbanzo beans

1/2 medium onion diced
1/2 green or red bell pepper diced
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 cup oil
1/2-3/4 cup apple cider vinegar (depending on your taste)
1 1/2 Tbls sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Open all your cans and rinse all your beans in a colander, set aside to drain.
Dice up your onion, pepper and garlic, add to a large bowl.
Add oil,vinegar and sugar, mix. Add your rinsed and drained beans. Wait a couple hours. Enjoy.

As i always say, mix in whatever you like to this recipe to make it your own. Use whatever beans you like, most of the time i make this with a yellow wax bean too. Salt and pepper to your taste, as well as vinegar.

Let me know how you like this one!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Executive decision! New 50% off section

2009-01-23T10:53:00.002-05:00

In an attempt to avoid overcrowding in my etsy shop I have made the decision to mark down selected pieces 50%. Currently there is about 20 items in this section. Clearing out these items will make room for many new items and bring a cleaner more cohesive look to my shop. I will be letting these items expire and will not be renewing them, so act now. Click here to visit my 50% sale section.

Thanks for checking in!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Tuesday's Finds- How Presidental

2009-01-19T21:05:00.005-05:00

I thought I would do today's finds in honor of our new President Obama. History making day for America!

palomasnest's BE THE CHANGE tiny text bowl
A little ceramic trinket bowl that measures 3 1/2 inches in diameter and has the words "Be The Change" stamped on the inside. I think this is perfect because you are reminded of this message every time you go to put your rings or other small items in it. Palomasnest ships this item within 2 days. I dare you to be the change today.

Other items tagged "obama" in Palomasnest.

Ohyeahstudios' President Obama 11'' x 8'' mixed media art print
A limited edition blue and red President Obama mixed media print on heavyweight textured paper. It is ink and oil based enamel paint. It is signed by the artist and ready to be framed and hung on your wall. I love this one in particular because it is in Red White and Blue. Ohyeahstudios ships within 24 hours, so you can having this hanging on your wall in just a few days. Be sure to check out all the other amazing work by this artist.

Other items tagged 'obama' from ohyeahstudios.

on eplaidaunt's Michelle and Barack Hair Barrettes
What and amazing idea. Photos of the couple have been edited by this seller and printed on 100% cotton buttons. A portion of the proceeds for this item go to Americans for the Arts Council.

Other items tagged "obama" from oneplaidaunt's shop.

Have any ideas for my tuesday finds? email me JuliaCatherineJewelry@gmail.com . Be sure to check out my tuesday finds on the Awesome Chicks of Etsy blog today with an MLK/Obama Theme.

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Zucchini Fettuccine Penne...mmmm

2009-01-18T17:49:00.005-05:00

Sort of a funny name. I made this delicious dish tonight for dinner. The idea came from taking a couple of my favorite things and combining them for something really amazing. Has anyone noticed I love sharing what i cook?

Zucchini Fettuccine Penne
1 box of Dreamfields or Barilla plus Penne Pasta
1 1/2 cups cooking liquid from pasta reserved (more for thinner consistency)
3 tiny Zucchinis or 1 Large
1/2 Cup diced sweet onion
5 Cloves Garlic diced (average size)
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tbls minced fresh flat leaf parsley
3-4 Cranks of the Pepper Grinder
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese (from the jar, fresh never works for this)
2 Egg Yolks

Kosher Salt

Start your pasta in a large pot. The average cooking time of Penne is 11 minutes, salt your pasta water with KOSHER salt. This is very important if you would like your dish to have any flavor. Feel free to omit for health reasons but its very important otherwise. You want to salt the water to the taste of seawater. About a half a handful of kosher salt does the trick for me.

Put your olive oil in a large frying pan and heat on medium - high heat. Chop your onions and dice your garlic-put aside. Chop your Zucchini into quarters. Once your oil is a bit hot, add your onions then Zucchini then garlic. This order is important so you dont burn your garlic (its nasty if it burns) Stir it all up. Add like a teaspoon of your kosher salt to this. If not much is going on kick the heat up a bit. Separate your eggs-put aside.

Before you strain your pasta be sure to reserve your 1 1/2 or more cups of liquid-put aside. Pour your pasta back into your large pot you boiled it in. Your zucchini onion and garlic mixture will be ready when the onions turn a bit translucent and everything is slightly soft. not mush, soft. Add oil, zucchini, garlic, and onion mixture to pasta. Add also your Parsley, Oregano and Fresh Cracked pepper. Mix well till pasta is completly coated with everything.

Add the Parmesan cheese and approx 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Put back over medium heat. Stir Vigourously for 3-5mins!! Add the yolks and STIR VERY VIGOROUSLY! You do not want to scramble your eggs. The dish will become very thick at this point, add the rest of the water, keep stirring and over medium heat for another 3 mins and you will end up with a lovely dish.
I hope you all will try this out. Feel free to add whatever spices you like, more or less. Cooking is fun! Experiment! If your a meat eater i guess you could add like chicken?

xoxo
Julia Catherine

P.S.
Don't forget to vote for the january giveaway to the right>

Just Lou...

2009-01-17T19:36:00.003-05:00

I took this sweet photo tonight and just wanted to share. It's my little-love-of-a-cat Big Lou. Caught during his favorite activity "sniffing". The thing he is sniffing is a little toy. You press the button on the head and it plays like circus music, moves in circles then meows 3 times.

Don't forget to vote on the winner for January's Blog Giveaway to the left.
Sign up for my newsletter too, that way you can be notified of future sales, giveaways and COUPONS!

xoxo
Julia Catherine

January Giveaway Finalists

2009-01-15T06:46:00.004-05:00

So last night I printed off all the names and consulted my 'associates' on the best name for these earrings. Click here to read more on my January Giveaway. My Favorites are the following

Winter Blossom Earrings -Submitted by Jillian of Eternal Images

Le Jardin de Monet (The Garden of Monet)- Submitted by Jules of Whimsical Peacock Arts

Please cast your votes using the 'widget' to the right of this blog post on my blog sidebar. Voting will continue till January 26th, then the winner of the earrings will be announced. So keep checking back and make sure your favorite stays on top! Don't forget to also join my mailing list so you can be notified each month of sales and giveaways!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Tuesday's Finds-Oh Deer!

2009-01-12T16:43:00.007-05:00

Just for the fun of themes, today im featuring Deer themed items that I have found on etsy.

ShoopTiles32 Deer Coaster Set of 4.

Im a big fan of coasters, this shop has tons of amazing tile coasters. They are made from vinyl then placed onto the tiles and sealed with 3 layers of sealant. They also have cork 'feet' so nothing scratches your coffee table. This shop is really amazing. Only 10 items sold so far, but i can see a promising future. I better not see any rings on those coffee tables!

bluetricycle Printable, Giftable-Fawns Stationery a nd Mini Cards

What an amazing idea. bluetricycle offers many downloadable and printable graphics that you can use over and over again. When your order is recieved the shop owner just emails the graphics to you and you can print them in the size of your choosing on your own cardstock. I can see these being great for thank you notes and just about anything. Formatted to print in different sizes and even comes with templates for creating envelopes. Very economical and since they are .pdf files you don't have any shipping costs at all. Im eyeing a couple of bluetricycle's items for my own use.

sewluckygirl-Peppermint Pink-Sweet Little Baby Deer-Throw Pillow

Gorgeous 10" deer pillow made from handmade appliques, upcycled vintage fabrics and other materials. I could never resist puffball fringe a day of my life. This shop has just a ton of interesting originally designed pillows.

Have any ideas for my tuesday finds? email me JuliaCatherineJewelry@gmail.com . Be sure to check out my tuesday finds on the Awesome Chicks of Etsy blog today- Theme "chicks"

Don't forget there is only a couple days left to submit your names for my january giveaway.

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Mmm Java Chocolate Chunk Cookies :)

2009-01-12T05:49:00.005-05:00

Another snowy day yesterday. One of my top ten snowy day activities is baking! Around Christmas time my neighbor had given me this recipe for these awesome Java Chocolate Chunk cookies and I haven't had time to make them for myself till yesterday. The recipe makes about 4 dozen, give or take depending on how big or small you make them. Completely delish! enjoy!

Java Chocolate Chunk Cookies
¾ cup butter
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 (11.5) oz package semisweet chocolate chunks (I would have used a bit less.)
1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Combine butter and coffee granules in small saucepan. Cook over med.-low heat until
Butter melts and coffee disolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and let set
Until room temperature. (don’t let it resolidify)
Combine flour,soda,and salt; stir well.
Combine butter mixture, sugars, egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed
w/ electric mixer until blended.
Gradually add flour mixture, beating @ low speed until just blended. Stir in walnuts and
Chocolate chunks.
Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.
Bake @ 325 for 12-14 minutes.( more depending on oven) Let cool slightly on sheets; then
transfer unto wire rack to cool completely.

****
Don't forget to enter my January Blog Giveaway Contest. Just enter what you think they should be named and win the earrings! I will be collecting names till the 15th. Good luck everyone!

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Awesome Chicks Of Etsy

2009-01-10T07:03:00.003-05:00

So it's prettymuch official. Im part of "Awesome Chicks Of Etsy" Here's my initiation photo. It's me in my Pj's. Why did our group leader pick that as our initiation. I think its because we are etsy sellers and most of our time is spent sipping coffee in our PJ's while we list, chat and promote online. I guess it's sort of a sorority of etsy sellers, that do fun things to promote and entertain each other and our followers. We are not an official etsy team, just a group of sellers with common interests. So head on over to our blog and see what its all about. Don't forget to follow, it will be worth your while. Stay tuned.

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Big Lou in Pet Wars and Circle Circle Dot Dot Earrings

2009-01-09T10:41:00.005-05:00

Last night my neighbor turned me on to this social networking site for pet owners. It's like myspace for pet owners. I love it. Head on over to http://www.zootoo.com/petwars and get your vote on. If you see this guy (big lou). Make sure you vote him cuter! When you join you can also collect points for your favorite animal shelter.

Another new item today. Yeesh im on a roll here. 2 new items listed in 2 days. These I call 'circle circle dot dot earrings' I had to. These earrings are made from 2 circles. The first is a highly polished flattened circle and the second is a highly polished and slightly hammered dotted circle hoop. Both measure 1/2 inch and are forged from solid sterling silver. The earwires are handmade sterling silver kidney wires. The entire earring dangles 2 1/2 inches or 6.35cm. Very chic and classy. Perfect for everyday wear, with a twist. Love love love these. Might have to make a pair for myself.

xoxo
Julia Catherine

New Sweetheart Necklace and Ice!

2009-01-08T10:43:00.005-05:00

This morning I posted my new sweetheart necklace for '09. A perfect size floating heart pendant. Handcrafted from sterling silver. This design is similar to a heart pendant I have created before. The overlap at the clef of the heart makes it unique and gives it a bit of dimension. This heart is a free floating heart so it may hang at times from either arch of the heart or sometimes even up side down. The necklace is completed with a 16 inch sterling silver cable link chain. Chain closes with a spring ring closure, all jump rings have been soldered closed. Really gorgeous! thinking of making one for myself. head on over and check it out.

We had a bit of rain and ice yesterday. Not nearly as bad as the ice storm last winter but the trees were hanging pretty low. Luckily we did not have any power outages in the area that I have heard. I took a photo of our poor butterfly bush encased in ice. Although there is a sort of beauty in this photo, I can't wait till spring...
xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Tuesday's Finds-UniqueDichroic

2009-01-06T14:28:00.008-05:00

Today my Christmas gift arrived in the mail from Australia. I purchased a Tree of Life Etched Glass Pendant in rainbow colors from uniquedichroic.etsy.com The seller, Deborah is extremely talented at what she does. She hand etches every one of her tree of life pendants. So although some are similar, no two are ever exactly alike. The pendant I purchased was the one below with the colors of a beautiful sunset in the background.

My buying experience was a total pleasure with Deborah. She was very prompt in answering conversations. She let me know that she received my order and when it was shipped. Another big plus was that her shipping rates were fair too. Free shipping to Australia and just $2.50 to the US and all other countries. The necklace arrived in a nice little pouch with a business card and a nice note handwritten from Deborah. All necklace from uniquedichroic.etsy.com come with a neoprene rubber necklace cord that can be customized to any length you need, so you can wear it right away! The photos do not even do this necklace justice, it's even more beautiful in person.

Hope you will all check out her shop :)

xoxo
JuliaCatherine

P.S. Don't forget to name my earrings in the contest below to win them! And join my mailing list to receive monthly coupons>>

January Blog Giveaway Kickoff

2009-01-05T11:25:00.009-05:00

This month's contest is a 'Name that piece' contest. The pair of earrings below are the ones that need a name! They are faceted amazonite quartz roundels with cranberry czech glass flower accents atop each. The ball end headpins and earwires are both sterling silver and handmade by me. These earrings dangle 1 1/8 inch. I see lots of possibilities for names but im going to leave it up to you all.

It will go like this. Leave your name/title suggestions (up to 5 names) as a comment on this post along with your email address. On the 15th i will take all the entries and pick my favorite from the bunch. Those few will be posted to be voted on in the form of a poll right here on my blog. Readers of this blog, and your friends and family will have till January 26th to vote. Make sure you give them the link! Then i will take a tally of all the votes and the winner will be selected. Soon after i will post the winner right here on my blog. (PLEASE make sure you leave your email, etsy shop URL or Flickr URL so i may contact you!)

The winner will win the earrings they named, and free shipping on any other purchases they would like to make in my shop. (don't forget to sign up for my mailing list to the right so you can get discounts too!) The earrings will be posted using the winning title/name and the winner will also be given proper credit in the listing also. "proper credit" in this case also includes a link to your etsy shop right in my description. Here they are! Good luck everyone! If you have not already also make sure to join my mailing list to the right of my blog posts, this way you will be notified of these giveaways, coupons and sales before anyone else!
xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Snow Day and Christmas Goodies!

2008-12-19T16:30:00.007-05:00

Around 10.30 this morning the winter storm that has been making its way across most of the northeast arrived here in northern NJ. The weather channel says snow is falling at a rate of about 1 inch or more per hour. Total snow expected 7-12 inches. As an optimist i prefer to look on the bright side of things, that is instead of saying %*&#%* about having to shovel the snow i just say- It's great cardio! and if you use the squat and lift technique its just as good as an eliptical machine! The photo was taken around 4.15 pm from the front door.

Between snow shoveling this afternoon i made my chocolate dipped pretzels to give out to everyone. I hope we can all stay out of them so there is enough to give as christmas gifts :/ I bought 2 bags of UTZ pretzels and a bag each of white chocolate and milk chocolate chips. I made up my usual double boiler (glass bowl on top of a pan of water) I did all different combinations white with chocolate drizzle, chocolate with white drizzle, chocolate with hollyberry sprinkles etc. Although my white chocolate and crushed reeses cup idea didn't work out too well im very pleased with everything else. You are no doubt jealous right now? Don't be! Next time your picking up some groceries pick up a bag of pretzel rods, some chocolate chips, sprinkles and don't forget the waxed paper! Put on some christmas carols and enjoy the sweet, sweet smell of being able to create some delicious treats to share with your friends and family this holiday season.
xoxo
Julia Catherine

And the winner is...

2008-12-16T18:01:00.002-05:00

Kari of Wide Eyed Musings! The winner of a pair of my famous apple green drop earrings. Thanks so much to everyone who joined my mailing list and this giveaway. My next giveaway will be announced the first week of January. If you joined my mailing list you will be receiving a short email the day when it is announced.
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Drawing Today for My First Blog Giveaway

2008-12-15T06:37:00.003-05:00

The winner for my first blog giveaway drawing will be drawn this evening at 8pm Eastern Time. The winner will receive a pair of my famous apple green earrings free. The winner will also receive free shipping on any other purchases they would like to make from my shop. If they spend over $25 that shipping will be upgraded to priority mail for no extra charge. Keep in mind that all items received from Julia Catherine Jewelry are boxed and wrapped with a gorgeous burgundy ribbon, ready for gift giving. Wrapping paper can be added as well at your request, for free. So its really effortless holiday shopping, the easiest this whole season!

So how do you qualify for this giveaway? Simply join my mailing list to the right of this post. By joining you will be entered to win tonights giveaway, notified of other giveaways as well as future amazing sales and upcoming events in my shop. So make sure you join and check back later on today to see if you won, also take a peek at my shop to peruse my amazing handcrafted jewelry, i have a ready to ship section and orders over $25 before shipping get a free upgrade to priority mail.
xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Cha-Cha-Cha CHIA- Cat grass planter

2008-12-11T19:14:00.005-05:00

As tacky as it might sound I have been thinking of buying a chia pet for some time now. So this year when i saw the advertisement for the new Chia Pet Cat Grass Planter i was very excited. See we have this cat who likes to go outside and walk on a leash and eat grass. Since winter is here that is just not an option for him. This planter costs $15 and i found it at my local rite aid while picking up some cold medicine. It comes with everything. The planter is made from ceramic and has tweety bird and sylvester the cat on it. (looks a bit like our guy mittens!) It comes with just the perfect amount of dirt and two packs of seeds. The grass itself is a mix of oat grass and wheatgrass. The only thing it does not come with is the plastic they ask you to over it with after you plant your seeds. So tonight in about 10 minutes i planted my cat grass and it says the seeds have an 80% germination rate in about 4 days. How exciting! I will let you know how it turns out!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Mosaics!

2008-12-10T05:54:00.006-05:00

My mosaic candle holders are finally completed! I think they came out amazing. I made them by color. I did reds, oranges, yellows and a hint of purple and those are my 'sunset' colors. Then i did shades of blue and green. It only took me a couple hours each day for about 3 days to complete these projects. I bought the glass holders at walmart for barely $1 each and the glass is scrap glass from my moms stained glass. I think what took the most time was 'prepping', which was cutting the glass into small mosaic type pieces. The next step was gluing them onto the candle holders with an adhesive. The one i used was specifically for mosaics, you can use E6000 if you have that. I let them dry overnight after placing the mosaic pieces on the glass candle holders. Then it was time to grout.
I have tried grouting both ways. The first one i spread out the grout with and old butter knife and squished it into the crevices and scraped the excess away. On the packges it says to put on a glove and do it with my gloved hands. I must say the gloved hand was ALOT easier, and goes by much quicker. Then you wait about 20 mins and come back with an old green scrubbie pad and kind of buff off the excess. Wait overnight and go back with a moistened sponge and voila!
I think when the 3 are lit they look a bit like christmas lights but they will be given as separate gifts in a gift set to different people. Looks amazing!

xoxo
Julia Catherine

(P.S. Don't forget to sign up for my mailing list to the right! To get amazing sale notifications and qualify for my giveaway in only 5 days!)

A gift for the musician in your life & what i did on my day off.

2008-12-08T15:33:00.004-05:00

So today I created the perfect gift item for the musician in your life. It's a guitar pick necklace. The guitar pick is handsawn from thick 20 G sterling silver. Then it goes through a series of filing and polishing to round and smooth the edges and create a near mirror shine. This particular item can be engraved with 'let the music guide you' or can be made plain, with or without the 16 inch sterling silver cable chain. I chose for this one to hang from its side to be a bit different from your average guitar pick necklace.

Yesterday i decided to take a day off and work on some little gifts for friends and family. I bought these little glass votive holders in the crafts section of my local store for about $1 each then took some scraps from my mothers stained glass projects and sorted them by color. I decided to do blues, sunset colors and greens. I spent quite a bit of time selecting colors and cutting them into little rectangle and square shapes. Then using tweezers and some adhesive i carefully placed each shard into place. I let them dry overnight and i plan on grouting them with white grout later today. I will check back in with more photos as i complete them.
Thanks for stopping by! Dont forget to join my mailing list to the right of this post to be entered in my giveaway for a pair of my most popular apple green earrings!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Etsy Shop Review: Spoiled Kitty Cat Toys & Accessories

2008-12-06T15:30:00.001-05:00

Every year for Christmas I like to get a little something unique for my fur babies. You know- the four legged ones with pointed ears? I had been looking at SpoiledKitty and the crochet cat ball toys for a week or 2 and i just decided i HAD to have them or rather, THEY had to have them. It didn't really matter the color, i dont think they are picky. I decided on the peacock purple. I chose these toys because

#1 They are handmade by a cat lover who I know is looking out for my pets!
#2 They might cost a bit more but are well worth it because its not mass produced crap, that may kill my little loves.
#3 Im supporting the handmade movement
#4 They are made from 100% acrylic yarn which I knew my kitty kids would love because it gets stuck on their little claws.
#5 Packed in is 100% certified organic catnip!

I recieved my package in the mail today. My cats knew EXACTLY what was up the second I set the package on the table. They all showed up! I cut the envelope and took out the little organza type drawstring pouch with the catnip and toys inside and started distributing them. My cats did exactly what I had thought they would. First they investigated, then they played! Miss Anne did that little put the toy into the mouth and kick it deal. Big Lou is more of a toy flicker. And Callie is a trouble maker because while i was taking this photos she was right behind me spilling the catnip is the baggie all over the floor. Typical! I highly reccomend you visit Sonya over at SpoiledKitty and get some of these for your fur babies this holiday.
xoxo
JuliaCatherine

Oh Yes The Holidays Have Begun...

2008-12-06T06:27:00.006-05:00

Yesterday afternoon into the evening I printed shipping labels, set up and packed the second half of my orders from last weekend. I was so happy my sale was such a success. Thank you everyone! So That was my task yesterday afternoon and evening.

Next for me it was making thank you notes for my orders. A long time ago I decided to start making my own instead of buying them. It's alot less expensive especially when you have a high order volume. I like to buy something called "luxury stack" which is a smaller size stack of pearlized gorgeous papers from my local craft store, ACMoore. These measure 6 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 if i remember correct. I use my cutter and scorer that I have purchased a long time ago for my personal use for making cards for friends and family as well as scrapbooking! I cut them in half lengthwise around 3 1/4 inches then score them across the middle at about 2 1/4 inches. I then take my nifty stamp, ink it up and stamp the entire stack with the word 'thank you'. After they all dry i go back and fold them in half and put and elastic around them.

The entire stack of 'luxury papers' costs me about $10. This last time i managed to be at my local store on a day they were having a sale, so this last time they were $6. Just a little time and effort on my part and voila! I have about 300 thank you cards. Lasts me awhile!

Last night was a busy night for me! For dinner I hadn't put out anything for the meat eaters earlier that day so it was going to be a meatless dinner (yay) I wanted a baked potato but that wouldn't have been enough of a full meal for the meateaters. I thought if i made it a soup that would count!
Baked Potato Soup!
5 large russet potatoes
1 rib celery diced
1 medium sweet onion diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed and diced
1 tsp kosher salt
3 dashes ceyenne pepper
half a brick of cheddar shredded
Boulion cube for 1 cup- chicken i guess for meat eaters? I use Vegetaable
a small bag of broccoli-cook in the micro till done
3 cups milk
3 Tbls flour
3-4Tbls oil (olive i love)
1 cup reserved potato cooking liquid
Cooked and crumbled fake or real bacon
I peeled, cut and cleaned all my potatoes and cut them into bite sized pieces, then put them in a pot barely covered with water. Boil till potatoes are tender to your liking. In another larger pot i heated my oil over MEd hi heat then put my diced onion, celery and garlic. Sautee for a couple minutes then add your kosher salt. If your using regular salt use less. When your onions are translucent add your flour and mix it all together, break up the lumps. You will start making a roux this way. Slowly add your milk. It will be really thick till you get nearly 2 cups in the pot, i would say. Adding it slowly will prevent lumps! Once you have it all incorporated and brought to a light bubble (keep stiring frequently!) then reduce your heat to med. Add your cheese. Stir it all in. Add your boullion cube to your 1 cup of potato cooking liquid from your potatoes. mix it up. add it to the pot! add in everything else including your cooked broccoli (cut in bite sized pieces) Mix it all up. bring back to med hi heat till its bubbly and then when all your cheese is melted your done! If you like a vitamin B boost add about 3/4 -1 cup of nutritional yeast flakes!
Hope you all enjoy my recipe, im not exactly a recipe writer but im good at coming up with them! Dont forget to sign up for my mailing list to the right>> to receive notifications of great sales and be entered for my giveaway!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Announcing My First Blog Giveaway!

2008-12-05T07:52:00.004-05:00

If you have already subscribed to my mailing list there is no doubt your enjoying the little coupons and tidbits about upcoming sales and new products. But if you haven't subscribed! Your really missing out. Especially now. This month I will be taking all the people who sign up and have signed up for my mailing list and picking one lucky one to win! Enter NOW to the right of this blog post. My mailing list is a double opt in- so you will have to click a link to the email that is sent to you. Once you do that, your smooth sailing! You will also be notified of any future sales and giveaways.

This months giveaway item will be a pair of my most popular Apple Green Drop Earrings. They are a $16 Value. This is absolutely free including free shipping and free shipping on any additional purchases you wish to make from my shop. Just join my mailing list to the right! Winner will be drawn this December 15th!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Cheshire Cat

2008-12-05T07:42:00.006-05:00

I just had a couple photos i took last night of my amazing cat- Big Lou. In the first photo you can see he has a little smile on his face. Hes quite the Cheshire Cat! Enjoy!

xoxo
Julia Catherine

Applied and Accepted- To Trunkt!

2008-12-04T06:47:00.004-05:00

Im very excited to report that after thinking about it for awhile I finally applied to Trunkt- The Wholesale Directory of Exceptional Art and Design And was ACCEPTED! Although I have thought of applying in the past, this was my first application and I was accepted. A little more about trunkt. View my portfolio here.
Below are the 3 photos I used on my application, which become your first 3 portfolio photos if you get accepted.

xoxo
Julia Catherine

Romantic Things...& A Big Thanks!

2008-12-03T22:21:00.009-05:00

How romantic are these 2 new items I just listed in my shop today? The first is this 'love note necklace' It is handcrafted from sterling silver and has the word "LOVE" engraved on the front. Its a sweet necklace on its own. My thought/design process before I created it was thinking it would be even more amazing if the back was actually personalized with a love letter or better yet, something like "Will you marry me?" and a date on the back. She could wear her marriage proposal on her neck and remember that moment every time she looks at it. Or maybe something not-so-serious like "Thinking of you always"

The second item is these earrings I call "snow white earrings" they remind me the first real snow of the winter. A certain serene, calm, quietness. They are made from sterling silver handmade findings, 10mm rock crystal beads and white freshwater pearls. They are perfect to wear with nearly everything as they are clear and white.

On a side note! I would like to thank everyone who stopped by Nov 28th-Dec1st for my Black Friday 4 Day Sale. It was an amazing success! To be notified of future sales beforehand sign up for my mailing listing to the right here on my blog! In the future I plan on scheduling giveaways each month for my mailing list members, so get on the list!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

YouTube.com Video Business Card

2008-11-29T10:16:00.003-05:00

Take a peek at my new video business card! Sale is still on at my etsy store. 25% off. Don't forget thats only on selected items, my best selling items actually. You can use the coupon in this video for another time or any other items that are not currently on sale. Don't forget to join my mailing list (can be found to the right on this page) to be notified of these sales before they go live!

xoxo
Julia Catherine

Black Friday 4 Day Sale!

2008-11-21T12:09:00.003-05:00

The holiday season is upon us! Thanksgiving is only 6 days away and many of us are thinking of the gift giving season. Next week on Black Friday thru Cyber Monday my shop will be having a sale on my most popular/best selling items at 25% off. All items will be marked down to reflect their sale prices, descriptions and titles will show items that are on sale and their original sale prices. All sale items will be placed in my special "Black Friday 4 Day Sale" Section of my shop. These sale prices will be available for 4 days only, from November 28th - December 1st. Items will not likely be offered at these prices again. So be sure and get your shopping done!

And as always additional items are only an extra .50 cents shipping within the US. Also remember every item purchased is always shipped in its own individual Julia Catherine Jewelry Signature box with a burgundy ribbon, ready to be given as a gift.
Hope to see you soon ;)
xoxo
Julia Catherine

There Baaack! Acorn Earrings 08 Edition!

2008-09-12T16:24:00.005-04:00

Just as promised the fall Acorn Earrings are back! This years edition is a bit larger and different from last years. They feature a 12mm faceted smoky glass bead that is capped with an antiqued brass acorn top cap. For a finishing touch i added a vintage swarovski bead in a golden citrine color. The earwires and headpins are sterling silver and are of course handmade by me. The headpins and earwires have also been oxidized to bring together the two metals. These earrings are $18 and are only available at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com for a limited time! Perfect with my favorite fall basic- brown! Brown is my new black.
xoxo
Julia Catherine

New Items!

2008-09-10T18:01:00.006-04:00

September 10th. Summer is nearly gone and fall is quickly approaching! Before I know it, its going to be time to go apple picking and make a huge vat of applesauce and 2,000 apple pies!

I have created a special necklace especially for fall this year. The fall leaf necklace. I have taken a vintage brass leaf stamping and refurbished it just like new. Brass is an amazing metal composed mainly of copper so now it shows that warm brass color. The chain is sterling silver and is connected using sterling silver rings which are soldered closed for security. The chain has been oxidized and sanded in spots to create contrast.

The second new creation for fall is the filigree bowl ring. This piece is also created from brass and sterling. I have taken a piece of vintage filigree, carefully formed it into a bowl shape. I forged a sterling silver ring for the band. I used the same band as my thicker stackable band rings. Then carefully joined the two pieces to create this statement piece. Both have been polished to a bright shine! Also available in oxidized finish as well. Each of these rings is handmade each time it is ordered. So that means, whatever size you need is possible!

For those who loved them last year or missed them last year. The fall acorn earrings will be making a comeback very soon. I am also working on a new incarnation of holiday earrings for the upcoming season.

More new items to take a look at. Large Sterling Silver Hoop Earrings- Available in any size, just contact me. 7mm Hammered Sterling Silver Band- Made to order in any size. The Apple Green Drop Earrings-Have also become a staple in my shop, now with sterling silver and available all year round!

Thanks so much for coming back and reading, hope to see you soon!
xoxo
Julia Catherine

Updates.

2008-09-10T17:55:00.004-04:00

So it's been awhile! I had been blogging fairly regularly then in may i had broke my foot and things like blogging fell by the wayside. During that time i was still filling orders a couple days a week. Instead of my normal 2-3 day turn around, i was at about a week. Thank you so much for the support of my family, friends and customers during this time! So now im back and better than i ever was! I have been creating lots of new things and looking forward to the holiday season.
xoxo Julia Catherine

New Spring Items

2008-04-25T08:56:00.005-04:00

Im really pleased to bring new spring items to my customers at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com. These are a few of my most favorites.

The Tiny Iolite Earrings. These earrings are very small 4 x2mm faceted Ioilite beads on my handmade sterling silver headpins, then i have wrapped a ring and nicely coiled the wire. Then hung upon my handmade sterling silver earwires. The entire earring has then been oxidized to a gorgeous patina for an aged look.

The Flower Stud Earrings in Sterling Silver with 14kt Rose Gold Centers. I made a pair of these for myself. The size is so nice, about 3/8 of an inch, it takes up a nice portion of your ear lobe. Nice and light, not heavy at all. Made from sterling silver with 14kt rose or pink gold centers for a lovely added touch. Perfect for summer and super classy.

The Flower Stackable Ring is pure perfection. These rings are sold individually but custom orders for multiples are possible, just ask. 2 are pictured to the left along with a set of my stackable 4 ring sets. They look amazing, simply lovely!

So stop on by JuliaCatherine.etsy.com and take a look at ALL my new spring items, these are just a few of my new offerings for spring.
xoxo Julia Catherine

Nearly a year and counting.

2008-04-17T06:48:00.002-04:00

I have been making jewelry a long time and selling these creations. Last year around this time (may 2nd) i had just discovered a site called etsy.com. The day i found out about the website i joined up. So now nearly a year later i have accumulated 1091 hearts (users who favorite me) and 324 sales as of today. I just wanted to thank all my customers and everyone in the etsy community for being so supportive and loving my jewelry. I have learned a ton in this time. I have improved my design and design execution skills as well as things like the photography of my jewelry. I never could have imagine the doors selling on etsy would open to myself and my jewelry. Thanks for all your support members of the etsy community!

Featured Artist on HollyWest's Blog

2008-03-26T09:45:00.003-04:00

A week or two ago I was reading on the etsy forums and saw a call for interviews by fellow metalsmith Holly West. I responded and was selected to be a featured metalsmith on her blog. Take a look at it here, very exciting! Thank you very much Holly!

Spring Sale!

2008-03-18T11:26:00.005-04:00

JuliaCatherine is running a SPRING SALE! All earrings and rings in my shop are $2 off. This includes my new 14kt yellow, white or rose gold stackable rings, Sterling silver stackable rings all NEW and old earrings and other rings. All Necklaces in my shop are $4 off.

How to get your discount-

Add your items to your cart and go through checkout and type "SPRING" in your notes to seller then continue till you get to the "pay now with paypal" page and then simply wait for an adjusted invoice from me before you pay with paypal. Just go to http://JuliaCathe rine.etsy .com to start your shopping!

Spring Fever!

2008-02-28T10:35:00.007-05:00

I think i have spring fever! For the past couple weeks it's been snowing and ive been creating. Nothing better than spring to inspire new creations.

The apple green drops are back by popular demand! Now with all sterling silver components, including ear wires and the wire wrapping wires. I have also brought back the 'paisley pink' Earrings with a few alterations like handmade copper headpins and ear wires. The change is a gorgeous addition to the earring. I think you will love it! Take a peek at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com and see what new spring items i have to offer. Here is a few!

Super Bowl Sale!

2008-01-29T06:52:00.000-05:00

A super bowl sale- This one's for the ladies! Now till 2/4/08 buy any regularly priced item in my shop and pick any item from my 'clearance' section for free! The free item must be of equally or lesser value of course. Just add both items to your cart and complete your checkout information. Submit your order then wait for a revised invoice from me before paying with paypal. Then get your lovely items in the mail. So that means if you buy this lovely necklace and you get these lovely earrings for free!

Hope to see you soon!
xoxo Julia Catherine

Countdown to SNS- Sale Announced!

2008-01-12T03:32:00.000-05:00

In a little less than 10 1/2 hours my first monthly SNS of the year will kick off! So whats it mean? Tonight is the only time this month my shop will be participating in an SNS. The sale includes:
$4 Off All Necklaces
$2 Off Any Pair of Earrings or Ring
These price discounts CAN be applied to sale items as well.

There will also be a secret item in my shop, That means if you find the secret item- you get it for free and just pay the postage to send the item. So 5pm EST tonight! Don't forget to stop on by JuliaCatherine.etsy.com and get your favorite items at a discount!

So how do i get my discount? Your going to add your favorite items to your cart, then your going to go through checkout, Type 'SNS' in notes to seller, type your delivery address and select paypal as payment then dont pay yet, I will send you a revised invoice to reflect your savings. This will be delivered to your email inbox.
Thanks so much- See you tonight!

xoxo Julia Catherine

SNS Tomorrow!! Keep an eyeball out!!

2008-01-11T10:08:00.000-05:00

With the new year came new jewelry at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com and also some new plans. This year Julia Catherine Jewelry will be participating in one SNS (saturday night special) Sale per month. That's one saturday a month you can count on saving money on your favorite pieces of jewelry, secret free item(s) in my shop or free shipping. SNS sales start a 5pm EST and end by 6am EST Sunday morning. So stop on by this weekend, do a little shopping, search for my free secret item and have fun!
xoxo Julia Catherine

Valentine's Day Items

2008-01-09T11:05:00.000-05:00

Well Valentine's Day is upon us! Just about 5 more weeks till it's that day for sweethearts. I have created a few new *special* things for Valentine's Day. First item is this sweet "kissing sweethearts necklace" i have made this one from nearly all vintage materials. The Brass chain, the brass charm and Flower are all vintage. Keep in mind there are only 6 of these necklace available. So this would be considered a Limited Edition. This would be a cute gift for your sweetheart or anyone who collects valentine's day things. Mention my blog in your notes to seller and get free shipping on this item- just make sure to wait for a revised paypal invoice!

The second new item is a sterling silver handforged heart pendant. This is a classic style, i have created and elaborated on this one many different ways. This particular one is a cross over heart made from 16 gauge wire. The wire has been formed, soldered and then hammered on both sides to create this awesome finish.
xoxo
JuliaCatherine

What's New Julia Catherine?

2008-01-08T12:30:00.000-05:00

I haven't blogged in a bit, but don't think i haven't been busy. That's why i haven't been blogging because i have been so busy!

So new things are JuliaCatherine.etsy.com Where do i start? When i started on etsy i was hoping to build a customer base by creating inexpensive-well made- costume jewelry as well as offering my metalsmithed jewelry creations. Doing this i was hoping to build a customer base quickly and have a following of people while i slowly add more handforged artisan pieces to my shop. This- i feel has been successful. I have built a fan base and they just cannot get enough of my creations. With the new year dawning i was anxiously awaiting the arrival of many new supplies. These supplies ranging from Sterling Silver wire to strands of gemstone beads. For many weeks i had been sketching and having all these ideas rolling around in my head.

There are many new pieces in my etsy store as well as the old favorites. New styles and the older styles.

One new favorite is the pebble earrings. They are made from lengths of sterling silver wire, shaped into off shaped rounds/ovals and then soldered and hammered. For an extra touch i have added green aventurine and blue agate beads that almost look like a fringe. These earrings are pretty long, but would feel amazing cascading down your neck.

Another favorite is the pearl bowl ring. The pearl bowl ring is based on a ring i saw in an antique store. That ring was made of gold nugget and a pearl in the center. My take on the ring is a more modern version in sterling silver.

I love this scroll necklace. This is the second i have made and each one is different but the same basic design. That is why i love it. Each is unique just like the wearer.

Keep coming back to read more about my newest creations!
xoxo Julia Catherine

The Project of the Year!

2008-01-07T07:20:00.000-05:00

The new year has brought new ideas and new creative focus for many. A fellow crafter has started a project called the "create -a- day" project. The create a day project is current a blog in which crafters post their newest creations in daily. I blog about my newest jewelry creations, my ideas for the project and my other craft projects. The idea of the create a day project is to inspire people to CREATE something everyday. Even if its not 100%, we want you to put your mind and your hands to work and do it. The Create a day blog is also someplace you can turn to for inspiration, if your having a dull day and need a bit of a pick me up. So please click on one of the links and take a look at the blog, join if you feel like you can make the promise to create something everyday and contribute to the blog. Thanks for reading!
Julia Catherine

Gift Guide-Your Coworker or Secret Santa

2007-12-05T10:04:00.000-05:00

Love it or hate it, buying gifts for coworker or the office secret santa is a necessary evil. I personally love it! Are you stuck? Allow me to make some suggestions from the wonderful selection of handmade jewelry i have at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com. If your looking to spend about $25 the Swarovski pearl and Earrings set is a good way to go. I personally love the look of pearls and chain combined. This necklace is gorgeous. Just click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

The "earthy" co worker. The leafy brass branch earrings would be great for her. They are made from brass leaf stampings and embellished with vintage beads, green flowers and other earthy toned beads.

Your bestest girlfriend co worker- you whine over how so and so is a jerk and how your boss doesn't know how to tuck in his shirt or tie his tie because his wife left him. She would probably love the sterling silver tear necklace with a blue chalcedony accent bead. Or a pair of sterling silver circle earrings.

Your lady boss- If your boss is a lady no doubt that she LOVES earrings. You want to get on her good side. These earrings are my one of my personal favorites. The filigree drop earrings, with a swarovski crystal accent bead. They are only $15 at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com but she will think you spent way more. These are sure to get you in her good graces for at least another year.

So whichever you choose, im sure you have made an awesome decision. and I make it super easy too. Everything from JuliaCatherine.etsy.com comes in a gift box with a signature burgundy red ribbon. All ready to give!

Gifts for your childs KEEP teacher, YMCA counselor or other daycare.

2007-12-04T09:57:00.000-05:00

For the people who have the job of taking care of your children all year round. The YMCA counselors, KEEP teachers and other daytime caregivers/ babysitters. There are a ton of items that they would love from JuliaCatherine.etsy.com but you can understand most of these items may not be child friendly.

These are people you may not chat with alot but want to get them something nice. Do they wear earrings? If so I would like to suggest the leafy bits earrings. They dangle a modest 1 inch, and are very petite otherwise. These are probably best for caregivers of school age children.

For caregivers of younger children a bracelet may be a better idea for worktime. This gorgeous bracelet made with round faceted brown and red glass beads is gorgeous and doesnt have alot of charms or any things that could risk hurting baby.

Of course you don't need to buy her something she can wear to work. Caregivers have lives outside of caring for our children. Im sure you could find many other things from JuliaCatherine.etsy.com that would be sure to please! And when in doubt JuliaCatherine.etsy.com has Gift certificates! Just shoot me an email at JuliaCatherineJewelry@gmail.com if you would like a denomination that is not listed. Useable on any items in my shop and NO expiration date.

Gifts for Your Best Friend Or Sister

2007-12-03T11:10:00.000-05:00

The gift giving season is in full swing and JuliaCatherine.etsy has a ton of things for great gifts. Today im going to spotlight a few things i think would be great for your best friend or sister.

Circle Jewelry is HOT this season and so are hammered metals. Why not take it a step further and buy your Sis this gorgeous Hammered Sterling Silver Necklace. Handmade by Julia Catherine this necklace is a gift she is sure to LOVE, I know I would! Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Why not go for a matching set? Juliacatherine.etsy.com has earrings to match the hammered sterling circle necklace. There is the single circle for a more demure friend or sister.

Is she a bit more daring? Then may I suggest the double sterling hammered circle earrings? YES I said DOUBLE! These are amazing and perfect for a night out on the town. Maybe a girls night out? I would say so.
So whichever you pick im sure shes going to love anything from JuliaCatherine.etsy.com. Stay Tuned for more great gift ideas! And as always to cover all bases you can add priority mail shipping and/or insurance to your order to ensure quick delivery!

So Busy!

2007-11-30T07:02:00.000-05:00

I have been so busy lately with getting ready for the holiday season I have barely had a chance to blog about anything new. I made a necklace yesterday that i just HAD to blog about though. Its an artisan piece that i handcrafted. It's Very Exciting!Please stop on by to JuliaCatherine.etsy.com and take a peek.
This wonderful necklace is made from a 1 inch by 3/4 of any inch piece of sterling silver sheet with holes that are reminiscent of a saxophone or musical note. It has been brushed to give it a lovely matte finish. The very unique pendant measures 1 inch by 3/4 of an inch. The necklace is 17 inches long and is sterling silver cable/tiffany style chain. It closes with a spring ring closure. This item is handmade right here in the USA. Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Let The Holiday Shopping BEGIN!

2007-11-23T00:50:00.000-05:00

***BLACK FRIDAY SALE!*** At JuliaCatherine.etsy.com
Take $2 off every pair of earrings or ring and $4 off every necklace. Make sure to use promo code "BlackFridayBlog" in your notes to seller at checkout. Please wait for a revised invoice before paying with paypal. Stop on by!

Item of the Day 11/22/07 Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T04:53:00.000-05:00

Today's Item of the day is this really pretty angel wings necklace. Only available at Juliacatherine.etsy.com This necklace is 18" inches 43.2 cm long made from vintage goldtone chain and brass wings. I have put a gorgeous black patina on the brass wings to bring out all the little details. They show very nicely. I have taken this 18 inch chain and dangled each wing from it. The one hangs shorter at about 2 inches long or 4.8cm The longest hangs 3 1/2 inches or 8.4cm down. This necklace is embellished with 4 swarovski crystal briolettes and closes with an antiqued brass lobster claw closure. A very nice necklace to keep the angels with you always. It is regularly priced at $38 but for today only it will be $34. Till 7am tomorrow. You can purchase this item by going to JuliaCatherine.etsy.com or go directly to this listing by clicking the photo. Type "Angelblog" in at checkout and get free shipping on this item. Just make sure to wait for a revised invoice before paying with paypal! Thanks for reading and having a Happy Thanksgiving!

Item Of The Day 11/21/07

2007-11-21T06:45:00.000-05:00

Today's item of the day at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com is these lovely Leafy Brass Branch Earrings earrings. These earrings are made from a leafy brass branch that is accented on top with a wasabi green opaque glass flower with a clambroth color vintage bead center, a deep red czech glass bead and a vintage square picasso bead. These earrings dangle 2 inches or 4.8cm from handformed goldtone earwires. Perfect with an updo! Great for a nature lover!These earrings are normally priced at $17 but till tomorrow at 7am they will be just $15. Type "blogleaf" in at checkout and enjoy free shipping when you purchase this item. Just remember to wait for a revised invoice from paypal before paying. This particular earring is one of a kind, as Im not able to get a few of the beads again. These are only available at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Item of the Day 11/20

2007-11-20T07:09:00.000-05:00

Today's item of the day at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com is these lovely earrings that are made from a 7mm Cream Rose` Swarovski pearl that has been capped with a gorgeous red czech glass flower. These earrings with dangle just about 2 1/4 inches or 5.4cm from your ears. The kidney wires are handmade by myself from silvertone metal. These earrings would make great holiday earrings. The snow white pearl and the bright red of the flower just brings reminders of the holidays for me. These earrings are normally priced at $14 but till tomorrow at 7am they will be just $12. I have additional pairs but these would still be considered a holiday limited edition. These are only available at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Item of the Day 11/19/07

2007-11-19T11:09:00.001-05:00

Todays item of the day at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com is this luxurious pair of 11mm swarovski pearls in a deep burgandy color each earring has a deep purple vintage crystal dangling from it. These earrings dangle just over 1 1/2 inches or 3.6cm from handmade goldtone wires which are extended on the back to add drama to both sides of the ear. These earrings are regularly priced at $15 but today only are $13. Click the photo to the left to go straight to the listing. These come packaged in a white gift box with a signature red ribbon, ready for gift giving. Type "blogger" in your notes to seller at checkout and get free US shipping on this item today only. Please wait for a revised invoice from paypal before paying. Remember this item is only available by going to JuliaCatherine.etsy.com

Item of the Day Starts today.

2007-11-19T11:03:00.000-05:00

Everyday this week I will be featuring something called "Item of The Day". Everyday i will feature a lovely item at a discounted price. It was be at that price for 24 hours and will return to its normal price the next day by 7am. This price is ONE DAY ONLY. These items will be new items and some of my more favorite items. I hope you enjoy it. Please stay tuned.

My newest (most favorite) Creation.

2007-11-15T10:24:00.000-05:00

My newest creation at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com is this Filigree flower necklace that I have embellished with czech glass crystals and a small yellow vintage flower bead in the center. The centerpiece of the necklace is actually a pin i have found while i was antiquing in a nearby town. I have taken the pin, which i believe to be brass and removed the pin finding from the back. Then i took this pendant and gave it a nice dark patina. After all this i burnished it with a metal bristle brush to give it a nice shine. I then added a chain and the other beads. The result is this gorgeous necklace. Whats old is now new again!

Etsy Front Page!

2007-11-13T18:11:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening I stumbled upon a very welcomed surprise. I have been in about 4 treasuries this past week. 3 of them were with my limited edition peppermint earrings and the 4th one was my pair of cream patterned earrings on kidney wires in a treasury by MaryMary called "great gift ideas!" It was very exciting and I was able to get a screen shot of this special ocassion! That pair of earrings managed to accumulate over 300 views in the short time the front page was up and my shop JuliaCatherine.etsy.com had 19 users add it to their favorites. It sure was an exciting evening!

Christmas Limited Edition Just Listed!

2007-11-03T10:40:00.000-04:00

As of this morning the limited edition Christmas Peppermint and Swarovski Crystal Earrings are available for purchase! Only 16 pairs will be made and only 12 will be available for purchase in my etsy shop. These earrings are great pre christmas gifts and also great just to show your christmas spirit! Click here to go to JuliaCatherine.etsy.com or click on the photo of the peppermint earrings to go directly to the listing.

Fall SALE!

2007-11-01T15:33:00.000-04:00

Today is November 1st! Thanksgiving will be here before you know it! Many of my great fall pieces are now on sale at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com.
Insane right? Some favorites too. The oak leaf necklace with matching earrings is now only $26 and the absolute LAST pair of my acorn earrings with swarovski pearls are now only $8.75. These items are going to go fast so click here to see the 8 fall items on sale at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com Perfect for all your fall ocassions!

Special Limited Editions

2007-10-23T07:34:00.000-04:00

As a regular part of my collection at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com, from time to time I do limited edition items. Typically in relations to the seasons. My last limited edition nearly sold out in less than 4 days. There is a single pair of that limited edition left. Click here or on the photo to go purchase them.

My next limited edition will be for sale in the coming weeks. But here is a sneak preview. They are a Holiday earring. They are made from a vintage peppermint bead and accented on the bottom by a clear Swarovski crystal bead. These are very much inspired by the Christmas Holiday for me. The peppermints reminds us of the sugar plum dreams dancing in our heads. The Swarovski crystals are reminiscent of the snowy magic we all dream of for Christmas day. The light dances over the Swarovski crystals like Christmas lights dancing across the snowy icicles on a late Christmas afternoon. Gosh I just can't wait now. I will be making 16 pairs of these earrings. A few will be given to friends and family so estimate that only about 12 pairs will be available for purchasing. Like I said before though these are not yet available for purchase on JuliaCatherine.etsy.com but will be in the coming weeks.

Thanks for 100 Sales!

2007-10-22T16:42:00.000-04:00

This weekend JuliaCatherine.etsy.com reached 100 sales and 400 hearts! Thanks to all my customers for helping me achieve my goal of 100 items sold- Till Sunday Oct 28th all orders placed will include a gift of Swarovski Pearl Dangle Earrings. No minimum order. The least I can do to thank you all for your continued support. Stop on by!

Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designer

2007-10-17T11:39:00.000-04:00

I have recently applied to become part of the SRAJD organization. Well actually it was about a month ago. I just heard back last night and got my banner and number. You can find out more about Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designers, or becoming one by going here.
My number is 1180 and my banner is below! It's exciting being apart of this.

Falling into fall...

2007-10-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

Fall is in full swing right about now! Everyone loves this season between summer and winter. The changing colors of the leaves and the smell of fall! For the occasion i have created some GORGEOUS pieces for fall, all of which can be found in my etsy store. My absolute favorites are these few things.

The Oak leaf charm necklace. The oak leaf is made from an Oak Leaf Charm Iridized in Beautiful Autumn Colors, This charm has been Iridized and has gone through a process of blending colors and having several coats of Polyurethane to protect the finish. Colors are Fade Resistant. It's absolutely GORGEOUS! I have embellished the charm with other charms of czech glass beads and swarovski pearls in a beautiful golden color. This particular necklace comes with a matching pair of earrings. Click the photo to go directly to the listing.

The second fall item im featuring is the Almost Fall Cluster ring. It's sort of like that time around late September where there is still alot green on the trees but just a hint of those fall browns and goldens peeking through. I have created this ring using goldtone wire, a pea green vintage czech glass bead, russian amazonite, a maple leaf glass bead, pressed czech glass green trumpet flowers and on the underside chocolate brown vintage glass beads. This ring comes in a size 7. Click on the photo to go directly to the listing in my etsy store.

The last (but not at all least) for my fall picks is my Vintage Picasso Bead and Swarovski Pearl Earrings. The Top bead is a Pressed Czech Glass flower bead in picasso color, dangling from that is the vintage picasso bead, The vintage picasso beads are so gorgeous, they have such great detail and beauty in them. And dangling below that is 3 small swarovski crystal pearls in an olive color. The swarovski pearls bring that finishing touch to these earrings. I dont think they would be quite the same without the pearls to finish them off. You can go directly to the listing in my etsy store by clicking on the photo of the earrings.

For these and much more fall jewelry take a peek at my etsy store- http://JuliaCatherine.etsy.com
Now all we need is some pumpkin pie!

Only from Julia Catherine Jewelry!

2007-09-18T11:21:00.000-04:00

I have created these gorgeous Floating Floral Earrings. These earrings are unique in the way the flower sits up from and does not dangle, allowing you to see the full beauty of the wonderful flower beads. You can only get these from Julia Catherine Jewelry.
I currently have these earrings listed in a few different colors but will have many more to come. So keep an eye out for those! Only Available at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com

A little touch of modern...

2007-09-05T12:38:00.000-04:00

So im pretty excited about 2 of my new jewelry creations. Both are a but modern and different. The first is a pair of earrings made from sterling silver wire, shaped to a modern leafy shape then embellished with a single Red Carnelian bead on each. The ends have been hammered to make sure these beads stay on these earrings and adding a nice extra touch of modern! This pair is available for purchase in my etsy store. here is the link! The second pair is the most unique! I have taken a couple lengths of sterling silver wire and shaped them. One into a spiral type shape and have embellished with some very nice yellow jade. The next wire i shaped and put through the eye and added a few more yellow jade beads. These i call mobile earrings because they move nice like mobile.. but for grown ups! Buy em here! These and all of my other 'blogged about' creations can always be found in my etsy store for purchase. JuliaCatherine.etsy.com
Thanks for reading!

Cats like my jewelry too..

2007-08-02T12:30:00.000-04:00

After all the times my little Miss Annabelle has helped me create beautiful pieces of jewelry I finally have proof from other etsy user. That CATS like my jewelry. This photo (a bit dark) shows Annie the cat browsing my website JuliaCatherine.etsy.com You too can admire my jewelry by clicking the link in the last sentence! Enjoy!

Mommy where does designer jewelry come from?

2007-07-23T11:27:00.000-04:00

If you ever wanted to know how plain old metal becomes designer jewelry here is a little show for you. Well I didnt take a photo of the plain wire but here goes anyway. First I start out with 2 lengths of 8 guage sterling silver wire. I then heat and shape them to my desired shape. After doing this I let the metal cool and place it in a solution to take off the impurities that accumulate during heating. When thats over I placed the 2 shapes over each other in the desired position. Solder them together. Once again let the metal cool and soak in a solution for awhile.

After that I decided I did want to use that stone I had set aside. In this case I have a marquise shaped amethyst that is 1.47 carats in size. The two shapes together form a perfect marquise crevice to add this stone. The next step is to place the stone in the crevice and mark where I need to add prongs to set the stone into the pendant. Prongs are soldered on! We are almost there!

Lots of polished and filing later the pendant is ready to have the stone set into it. The stone is set and everything is polished once more.. This piece is ready for it's close up!

Hope you enjoyed this blog as much as I enjoy bringing this to you! This piece is now available on etsy along with all my other designer creations! Thanks for looking! New items are listed daily at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com

More beaded necklaces.

2007-07-17T12:46:00.000-04:00

Yes I have been busy.. again. I recently made a few more beaded necklaces. These are even more exotic than the last ones. This time I have very large coin amazonite paired with smaller russian amazonite and black onyx beads. This is my first time working with Amazonite, I have to say i really love the stone. Just a gorgeous color. The necklace is finnished with sterling silver findings. Then there is the ever-so-interesting Turquiose and Mauve Pearl necklace. I really love this unique combination. I don't recall seeing the two mixed that often. But what a good combanation it is. The bright Turquoise with the softness of the pink pearl. Of course also finnished with sterling silver findings. Just perfect! As always these and much, much more available at my website JuliaCatherine.etsy.com, New items added daily! Thanks so much for reading!

New Fall/Winter Line-Sneak Peek!

2007-07-13T12:38:00.000-04:00

Currently (Im a little late) Im working on new jewelry for my fall/winter line. (date for launch posted soon) I just wanted to post a photo of my favorite item so far. This gorgeous pair of earrings. A few items in the line will have the title "winter dreams" This is one of them. So as I hunt and gather materials, ocassionally I will post blogs with new things I have made along the way and other information on available dates. Please enjoy this little tidbit.. For now.
In the meantime please check out my etsy shop JuliaCatherine.etsy.com and snatch up my summer items while they are still available! Thanks so much for stopping by!

PMC stands for precious metal clay!

2007-07-12T15:59:00.000-04:00

Recently I got my PMC starter kit in the mail. First I guess I should talk about what PMC is. It stands for precious metal clay. It's a clay that is just like any other clay you shape it and dry it then fire it.. Only thing is when you fire it it doesn't come out as ceramic it comes out at SILVER! It is also made in 22 kt gold I believe. How does this happen? Im not totally sure on the process but it's something like this. The clay is made from liquids and other binders with sterling silver particles. When fired all those things are lost and what is left is pure silver or gold. There is a tiny bit of shrinkage but not much to balk about. Im able to make jewelry in many shapes and even use impressions of molds or stamps. Very interesting stuff to work with. Last night I made my first item. I made a freeform disc with a floral like pattern on it. It antiqued or oxodized it with a black patina and all the sudden you have this gorgeous piece of jewelry! Im looking forward to working more with it in the future. For now this piece and a few others are available on my site for purchase at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com.

Va-Va-Va Vintage!

2007-07-11T16:25:00.000-04:00

I think I have really flipped for vintage! Recently I purchased some vintage beads. Mostly Czech Glass which is my favorite. They are truly unique as they are only available in limited quantities. The photos are a sampling of my work using vintage beads. The earrings are like a topaz or champagne color with individually wrapped seed beads in the center that look like flower stamens. The Pendant is a similar style flower in a purple swirl color. The wire acts like sort of a branch or a stem for the flowers. Very lovely look on a ribbon necklace. They are available on my site for purchase at JuliaCatherine.etsy.com while in my shop search my shop using the keyword 'vintage' to see all my vintage items. Thanks for taking a peek!

Just Fabulous!

2007-07-10T12:38:00.000-04:00

I was playing around with my supplies yesterday and starting making the most fabulous thing. I take a cable type chain (oval links) and wire wrap a bead on each link of the chain. The resulting piece looks like a beautiful cluster or a bunch of grapes depending on the shape of the beads. Simply fabulous! I made the first as a pendant. I used Sterling silver and very nice beads that were citrine, blue topaz and amethyst. They are all different sizes and wouldn't quite work for any other project so being the resourceful person that iam I came up with a use for them! The earrings are made from silver plated chain and these delightful seaglass type beads. They are all different shapes, some are frosted and some are polish finnishes. I really love them! Of course these and many other pieces are for sale on my website JuliaCatherine.etsy.com
New items added daily!

Crazy for tassels...

2007-07-06T15:02:00.000-04:00

I have just started doing something a little different. I take very small seed beads and wire wrap them. When they get put together they have the look of tassels! It's such a pretty look I recently made 2 pairs of earrings with this look. It's kind of time consuming but well worth it! All these earrings are available on juliacatherine.etsy.com for purchase as always!

A little detour...

2007-07-03T17:44:00.000-04:00

This week im on vacation (sun-thurs) for everyone who knows me you know that vacation means boredom! I always have to keep busy! So I decided to bring out the paint and do a few paintings. Painting Art has always been apart of my life. As a child I would spend everyday after school watching my mom make jewelry at work. Every summer I would watch my grandmother paint gorgeous works of art. I made two paintings last night. Very simple ones. They are basic and clean. I really love them. But don't worry make gorgeous jewelry is still my biggest passion! These paintings are available for purchase on my etsy site along with my jewelry at juliacatherine.etsy.com

Classic Design... Modern Flair

2007-06-30T11:02:00.000-04:00

I think a lot of my jewelry has a classic design but with a modern flair. I have interesting color/gem combinations. Like a simple gemstone bead necklace but alternating colors/gemstones and shapes of the beads even. Here is a perfect Classic design modern flair example. This necklace that i call "tiffany pearls" you have the classic tiffany style toggle and heart clasp and then I have added a string of multicolored pearls to it. Classic being the tiffany heart and toggle and modern being the pearls. Multi colored pearls are so fashionable right now. This and all items i feature on my blog are available on my etsy store. JuliaCatherine.etsy.com

Perfect For Each Other...

2007-06-28T17:33:00.000-04:00

My most recent listing on my etsy site. Juliacatherine.etsy.com
Is this perfect matching set of a Vintage Beaded 2 strand bracelet and matching earrings. The Vintage beads on the bracelet are individually wire wrapped to create this two strand bracelet. The bracelet is even finished with a handmade hook and eye clasp i took a little extra time and made one this time. It adds such a unique touch to the bracelet. The earrings match perfectly with the added touch of the swirl on either side. These vintage beads were such a great find. they are almost the shape and size of an M&M candy and they have white and salmon pink with little flecks of gold in them. Gorgeous!

Newest stuff...

2007-06-25T12:02:00.000-04:00

So the newest things that Iam listing on juliacatherine.etsy.com are my simple but lovely gemstone necklaces. I have always made them in all different kinds of gems but the ones im currently listing are my Red Jasper and Jade Necklaces. These gemstones have metaphysical meanings to them. Metaphysical meanings of Red Jasper
Known to protect against hazards of the night.
Lucky stone for Actors.
Eases emotional stress.
Brings Courage.
All colors of Jasper will help balance the vibrations of the body.
Red Jasper helps with the sense of smell. It also promotes physical energy.

Jade
Attracts Love, Protective Stone, Brings Money

Whether you believe in metaphysical or not, they are really nice necklaces that will look fabulous on you all year round!

Orphaned Jewelry in need of good homes!

2007-06-21T15:29:00.000-04:00

So now that I have 100 items listed in my etsy shop I figured I really should run a sale. So go take a look and make sure when you place your order that in 'notes to the seller' you type that your a blogspot reader and you will get free first class shipping! Most items are discounted 20% or more. Here is the link. Click here to view sale items!

Hammering Things Out...

2007-06-20T13:36:00.000-04:00

My newest love. I made a pair of earrings yesterday, listed them and they sold in less than 2 hours. Can you imagine how pleased i was. I made them by cutting piece of sterling sheet into the shape i want then i heated it up a bit and hammered it out! It creates such a nice finnish when you highly polish it. I decided to embellish the leaf earrings with some peridot swinging in front.

So today I decided i would make another piece. This time i thought a 4 leaf clover shape would be nice. So again i did the design, cut it out, heated and hammered it. Again i used the peridot beads to hang in front. These are made from a bit thicker metal and have a nice cling/ ching sound when you move them.

Another favorite new item...

2007-06-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

The other day I took a trip to the Rock and Gem store and looked at a ton of beads and found 2 strands perfect for what i was looking to make. I wanted to make a necklace that 2 contrasting colors. What i picked was perfect! I bought a strand of 12mm howlite beads. Howlite is ussually dyed to look like tourquoise but this is howlite in its natural state. White with some matrix.

The second strand is made from a created or manmade stone called blue goldstone. It has little flecks in it that look like glitter. I took both strands and added some other elements in them to make it a little more interesting. I added clear crystal quartz beads throughout and sterling silver bali beads. For a much more detailed description please visit this listing on my etsy. here.

Something a little different...

2007-06-16T10:36:00.000-04:00

Last night I was playing around with some wire and decided to try something new. I did these swirls and made these awesome earrings. The beads I used I also wire wrapped to pull it all together along with those handmade hooks I have been making.

More new favs.

2007-06-14T12:12:00.000-04:00

The other night Ii made these earrings. They are totally created from wire, down to the hooks. The hooks are also filed on the ends to make sure its totally comfortable for the wearer. I love these cirlce shaped hooks, they stay in so much better than the more traditional style french hooks.

Kinda like my signature...

2007-06-11T19:19:00.000-04:00

Today i was scrolling through my file folder on my computer and noticing that alot of my earrings have a common element included in them.. Take a peek.. tell me what you think it is!

New to this blogging thing...

2007-06-11T11:45:00.000-04:00

So this is my first blog post! Im just excited to talk about all the new things im making everyday! Like last night. I was making earrings and decided to make my own earring wires. I thought they would make the earring more pulled together. For certain styles i think it's needed to make your own earring wires so the design "flows" more. When you see these earrings you will know what i mean. Its more of a sassy, put together feel that it creates. Im going to be posting them soon on my etsy site. The address there is juliacatherine.etsy.com i hope you will take a look!

Julia Catherine

And the winner is...

June Contest Starts NOW!

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Perfect by Nature...

Stylish Storage Solutions!

Vegan Black Bean Soup- Recipe Courtesy of YCHRISTINE

February Contest Winner Announced!

February Contest

Tuesday's Finds- Italy In Honor of "eat, pray, love"

ThePigAndThePeacock-Roman Neroli Shea Butter Soap.

Crummy Yummy Mac & Cheese Recipe

Tuesday's Finds- V-Day Gifts for Friends and Family

nuvonova's Pink Deco Doll - blank notebook

And The Winner is!

Quick Recipe- 3 Bean Salad

Executive decision! New 50% off section

Tuesday's Finds- How Presidental

Zucchini Fettuccine Penne...mmmm

Just Lou...

January Giveaway Finalists

Tuesday's Finds-Oh Deer!

ShoopTiles32 Deer Coaster Set of 4.

bluetricycle Printable, Giftable-Fawns Stationery and Mini Cards

Mmm Java Chocolate Chunk Cookies :)

Awesome Chicks Of Etsy

Big Lou in Pet Wars and Circle Circle Dot Dot Earrings

New Sweetheart Necklace and Ice!

Tuesday's Finds-UniqueDichroic

January Blog Giveaway Kickoff

Snow Day and Christmas Goodies!

And the winner is...

Drawing Today for My First Blog Giveaway

Cha-Cha-Cha CHIA- Cat grass planter

Mosaics!

A gift for the musician in your life & what i did on my day off.

Etsy Shop Review: Spoiled Kitty Cat Toys & Accessories

Oh Yes The Holidays Have Begun...

Announcing My First Blog Giveaway!

Cheshire Cat

Applied and Accepted- To Trunkt!

Romantic Things...& A Big Thanks!

YouTube.com Video Business Card

Black Friday 4 Day Sale!

There Baaack! Acorn Earrings 08 Edition!

New Items!

Updates.

New Spring Items

Nearly a year and counting.

Featured Artist on HollyWest's Blog

Spring Sale!

Spring Fever!

Super Bowl Sale!

Countdown to SNS- Sale Announced!

SNS Tomorrow!! Keep an eyeball out!!

Valentine's Day Items

What's New Julia Catherine?

The Project of the Year!

Gift Guide-Your Coworker or Secret Santa

Gifts for your childs KEEP teacher, YMCA counselor or other daycare.

Gifts for Your Best Friend Or Sister

So Busy!

Let The Holiday Shopping BEGIN!

Item of the Day 11/22/07 Thanksgiving!

Item Of The Day 11/21/07

Item of the Day 11/20

Item of the Day 11/19/07

Item of the Day Starts today.

My newest (most favorite) Creation.

Etsy Front Page!

Christmas Limited Edition Just Listed!

Fall SALE!

Special Limited Editions

Thanks for 100 Sales!

Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designer

Falling into fall...

Only from Julia Catherine Jewelry!

A little touch of modern...

Cats like my jewelry too..

Mommy where does designer jewelry come from?

bluetricycle Printable, Giftable-Fawns Stationery a nd Mini Cards