in the sandbox this week

These are some of the beads and colors I'm playing with right now. Look for these in Tuesday's shop update at urban legend!

leaves of glass flashback

I've been doing inventory while planning supply orders, and have come across a few of my early jewelry designs. I thought it might be fun to list these pieces in my shop at their original prices, as a sort of retro sale. So starting today, and continuing until they're gone, I'll be listing a couple of these oldies for your nostalgic shopping pleasure. Have fun!

three years and counting

Today marks the third anniversary of the day I joined Etsy as a seller. It's been an incredible experience, and I feel so lucky to have met many, many wonderful people - both sellers and buyers. I thought it would be appropriate to take a look back and see how Leaves of Glass looked when I started. Here's the first thing I ever listed:

They were called Cherry Carousel, and I had to take approximately 60 pictures of them to get a picture even this clear. I wish I was kidding. I hadn't picked up a camera in ten years, and had never heard of macro.

Moving on a year to January of 2008. I had learned a bit more by then, and looking back through my listings and sales I'm touched to see how many of my loyal and generous customers came to me in that first year and are still fans. Thank you so much! I would not still be here without you. Lakeshore Earrings:

Moving on to last January, I came to this listing. By last winter, I'd developed a signature style of photograph that included a crumbling book binding as background. I'd also received generous advice and friendly council from seasoned sellers, made dozens of friends whom I cherish, started this blog, collaborated with customers on some very special custom work, sold over 1,000 items, mentored more than a few new sellers myself, and learned to listen to my father's voice in my head. I don't know that I've ever told him this, but every time I answer a convo or work through a thorny problem, I hear my dad editing me. He's a good writer, a temperate and kind-hearted man, and he masters his ego more successfully than anyone else I've ever known. Thank you, Dad. I love you. And I love these vibrant, knobbly blue beads. Note to self: check beadboxes for more Capri beads. Capri Earrings:

Shortly after this listing, I decided to launch a second shop, separating my designs with vintage Lucite from the vintage glass line. I took a break from Leaves of Glass for personal and professional rest, and worked on developing the new shop and a new style of photograph. This second project is still a work in progress - I floundered around for a while, and there's a horrible maudlin section in my Sold listings that shows a style I liked, but never mastered in terms of quality or visual pop. I'm constantly reevaluating my photographs and trying new looks, and at the moment my shop has settled into an amalgam of styles - basically I just choose whichever style I feel best suits the particular piece I'm photographing. I'm still not happy with it, but I've made my peace with the idea that I'm never going to be happy with it. Moving on...

Here's a new pair of earrings I listed today, the first day of Year Three. And yeah, the photograph is bugging me. But as always, I'm in love with the beads. That particular passion never seems to fade, and finding new pieces to design with is still my favorite part of this work.

Thank you to everyone who helped me, befriended me, sought my advice, and liked, promoted and purchased my work. It's been a privilege, and I hope to know you for a long time to come. To thank you, and because it's become a tradition for me, I'm having an anniversary sale in my shop. Stop by anytime!

crush month: day 29

Betty the Retro Robot Waitress

My very first Etsy love: Artsy. When I first discovered Etsy, way back in November of 2006, Cat Bishop's shop was the first thing I loved, and it's still one of my favorite stops. Cat is a gifted artist who works in vintage and found objects to create sculpture with a tremendous sense of personality, color and movement. She's also a fellow vintage bead lover, and she's generous and fun. Here are a few of my favorites.

Gertrude - Bowling Pin Babe

LADY MARMALADE recycled vintage object sculpture 1000 PIECES no.23

(Lady Marmalade is my one who got away - I still wish I'd bought her when I had the chance.)

HOUSE LOVE vintage object sculpture couple 1000 PIECES no. 69 and 70

9 LIVES CAT vintage tin sculpture 1000 PIECES no 128

20% off all weekend!

Leaves of Glass is having a 20% off sale all weekend - Friday, November 26 - Tuesday, December 1. Item listings in my shop have been edited to reflect the sale prices, and all orders will be shipped on Wednesday, December 2 to arrive in plenty of time for the holidays. Happy shopping!

introducing a design change at urban legend

pop rocks necklace

In order to offer some lower price points, I've started using gunmetal components in several of my designs at urban legend. I'm really excited about this, as it allows me to offer lots of new durable, high-quality bracelet and necklace designs at about half the price I've had to charge in the past. For my customers with sensitive ears - don't worry! All of my earrings hooks are still sterling silver. I know several of you rely on me to provide high-quality irritation-free hooks, and that won't change. But you'll start to see several necklaces and bracelets made with gunmetal wire and chain in my shop. If you prefer sterling silver in any design, please contact me - most designs can be reproduced in sterling for an additional price. This change only affects my jewelry in the urban legend shop; my designs at Leaves of Glass will continue to be made and listed with sterling silver. Here's a sampling of what's already available in the new gunmetal line at urban legend; look for lots of new pieces to start listing in the next two weeks. I encourage your input on this change; please feel free to contact me with any comments, questions or concerns!

baggage necklace

orchid thief necklace

nomad bracelet

and then it was my turn.

Thanks again, Katie!

Owl Swappie with birthday hat by skunkboy creatures.

peep show

I'm very pleased to bring you, for your sneak peeking pleasure, the first look at my new fall line for urban legend. I'll be posting sneak peeks all this week, and these designs will start listing in my shop early next week.

yes, please.

I was doing a little late summer browsing and found good stuff by clever people. I'm just sharing because I like you.

Let's start this wish-list off with a bang. This is Agatha Crispie. She's my latest obsession, and she's made with loving care and hand-glittering by andreakett. $56

Are you looking for the perfect hat? The one that will set you apart and make your eyes even bluer and your step even springier? Me too! Look no further, here it is. Vanessa Kensington 1960's Bubble Hat by BoringSidney. $55

Quirky, tweedy, adorable perfection. Pinstriped Whale Skirt, by unelephantrose. $38

I love everything about this scarf - the skinny shape, the colors, the pattern, and the fact that Fray not only designed and crocheted it, she also dyed and spun the yarn. One of a Kind Moving Forward Scarf. $78

nivenglassoriginals is another new obsession of mine. Her shop is chock full of these clever fused glass brooches, made with plenty of style and personality. Harlow Diva Brooch. $18

Any excuse - and I mean really, any - to buy a new bag. I love this Green and Grey Multi Dot handbag by apinkmilk. $117

I love DivineRose's bright and chunky jewelry. She has a wonderful eye for color combinations, and of course I'm a sucker for anything made with vintage elements. This stunner is on sale! Floral Charm Bracelet - Lemon Lime Turquoise. $75

Ok, really. How cute is that?! Gothic Chic Felt Mounted Deer Head with magnet by PlanetFur. $12.50

Fresh, summery, and clever.
Lemon and Lime Resin Ring by pennydogaccessories. $16

first annual killer pop rocks sale!

Welcome, welcome, step right up to the First Annual urban legend Killer Pop Rocks sale! A huge section of my shop is marked down 25% - earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Sale prices are listed, so there's no need to wait for an adjusted invoice. Have fun, but don't mix pop rocks and pepsi, and please, please - don't eat the jewelry.

Etsy Buy Handmade urbanlegend

decadent pleasures

Is there anything more indulgent than a nap in the middle of the afternoon? Now that it's summer, and I'm lucky enough to be at home, I'm in a frequent nap zone. The only thing that can increase my pleasure in a good nap is if it's a really sunny, hot day and I can turn on the air conditioning, draw the blinds and really shirk some responsibilities. A good nap on a sunny day requires one perfect accessory: an eye mask. Don't panic, I have just the thing. Before you unplug the phone and fluff the pillows, take a minute to complete your nap ensemble.

Annie Wilson, the stylish and hardworking creator of poetic & chic, has launched a line of handmade accessories using vintage barkcloth fabrics. I'm the proud owner of one of Annie's vintage barkcloth eyemasks, and it's increasing my nap enjoyment immensely! These pretty masks are beautifully made, with a cool and luxurious 100% silk black charmeuse on the back, and just a handful of deliciously fragrant lavender hulls sewn inside. They smell heavenly, and they block out those fierce afternoon rays to perfection.

Sourdough products are currently available on Etsy, and you can read more about Annie's wonderful designs at Sourdough online. In addition to the essential eyemask, she also makes adorable jackets with chic lines and retro fabrics. If you're in San Francisco, look for Sourdough at the Renegade Craft Fair on July 18 & 19.

Now go slack off, ladies; I salute you!

etsy in action: i'm peckish.

1. Choose Your Own Pickle Adventure Pack
2. Vanilla Caramels
3. Cherry with Honey and Balsamic Vinegar
4. Kumquat and Tangerine with Vanilla
5. Black Licorice Caramels
6. Pickled Golden Beets
7. Spicy Garlic Dill Pickled Green Beans
8. Tomato with Vanilla Beans

A short and sweet post this week, my darling followers. I don't have time for writing; there are pickles to be eaten, and duty calls. This week's Etsy in Action is in praise of edibles. I've barely scratched the surface of the delights available in Etsy's Plants & Edibles category, but I have three scrumptious sellers to recommend.

My favorite Etsy purchase of late is my Choose Your Own Pickle Adventure from sardineandanchovy. In between sneaking cold, crisp dill green beans out of the fridge, I tweet about it, I text about it, I call people to talk about pickles. The Choose Your Own Pickle Adventure pack offers your choice of three types of pickles from a tempting selection. I went with Garlic Dill Green Beans, Spiced Peaches and Golden Beets. Each one is a perfect, briny, sweet or savory revelation. I've been eating peaches for breakfast and dessert, beets with my dinner, and green beans whenever I want. That's right, I'm a grownup. On summer vacation. I can have a pickled green bean at 2 a.m. if I want.

An earlier but highly recommended purchase was from lemonbird jams. I discovered lemonbird when she was featured in Daily Candy this past winter, and the happy find coincided with an obsession for roasted pork loin. Cherry with Honey and Balsamic Jam was a serendipitous match for a perfectly juicy, caramelized roast. I also bought Tomato Jam with Vanilla Bean, which was a sweetly subtle treat and wonderful on toasted multigrain bread.

My first order from CaramelJubilee was intended to be a gift for my father. I'd noticed her intriguing black licorice caramels and was pretty sure my dad would be crazy about them. I ordered a half pound each of vanilla and black licorice caramels. They arrived, and out of a strong sense of public service (really, I couldn't send a gift of food without making certain of it first, could I?) I tried them. One of each. I'm a lifelong fan of vanilla caramel, and these are lovely: rich and smooth and definitely a superior vanilla caramel. But the licorice caramels were the stuff of instant addiction: also rich and smooth and with a hint of vanilla, and the most scrumptious, perfectly balanced burst of black licorice! Yeah, my dad didn't get any of that particular order. I sent him something else. I don't even remember what. However, last Christmas, I got over my selfish greed and sent him a package of black licorice caramels, and I was right: he is crazy about them.

Snack on, shoppers.

i'm bringing shiny back

After a week of rest, followed by several weeks of designing, making and (arduously, with great angst) photographing my new summer collection, I am very proud to introduce Dark Gardens. My new collection was inspired by poisonous and medicinal plants, with a touch of childrens' fantasy and fairytale lore thrown in for good measure. These designs feature some really lovely, very old glass beads in a cobalt-lime-violet colorway. The beads are mostly dark, so I've balanced them with quite a bit of sparkle and bright metals to try to convey a modern line that echoes Art Deco design and the formalizing of nature.

I've also restyled my photographs, so my shop looks quite a bit different than it did a month ago when I went on vacation. It always takes me a while to settle into a new approach, but overall I'm really pleased and proud of the way this collection works together. Please stop by Leaves of Glass and have a look, and thanks for all the good wishes and excitement that kept me going while I was putting Dark Gardens together!

etsy in action: tiny art

I live in an incredibly small space. I love my studio apartment, and as studios go, it's quite livable (separate kitchen, lots of light, enormous closet space). That being said, trying to maintain a small business and my daily life in the same limited space stretches the laws of physics and poses a decorating challenge. I never want to live without art, so I've learned to populate my home with small but effective art. Small pieces of sculpture cluster on my bookshelf and nestle in plants. Groupings of aceos and small prints hang on windowframes or lean on stacks of supply boxes. Magnets are one of my favorite tiny art forms, and I manage to find small magnetic surfaces all over my home to display a great graphic or a little piece of hilarity. Here are some of my favorite tiny art purchases from Etsy. Shops are listed below, with links.


A. Boleyn aceo on stretched canvas by stilettoheights
B. Good Luck ceramic bird by sproutstudio
C. Red Cross embroidery sampler by miniaturerhino
D. Always magnet by mincingmockingbird
E. Baby Jackelope by skunkboycreatures
F. Moss terrarium by TheOakLeaves
G. Ceramic magnet by CircaCeramics
H. Small wooden house sculpture with recycled tin dress cutout by shixie

*My original plan for this post was to take pictures of these pieces in my home, but it quickly became apparent that if I waited to have time for that, the post would never happen. Therefore, the "in action" part of this post is a little sketchy, but I promise my home really is decorated with all this tiny art!

etsy in action: big city linen bag

My Big City Linen Bag
(vintage orange enamel flower pin by cookoorikoo)

One of my all-time favorite Etsy purchases is my Big City Linen Bag by tortillagirl, which I bought last summer and carried every day for months. This week I'm singing her praises by showing off the Spring 2009 outing of this treasure. It's beautiful, it's sturdy, and best of all, it's machine washable (an essential in my case). This week, my Big City bag has toted the following with grace and ease:

* One wholesale order and a handful of individual orders, to the post office.
* One wholesale order to a local boutique (where I put the bag on a vintage theater bench, and despite the fact that it was full of my stuff, shoppers admired it and thought it was for sale).
* Assorted book purchases:

Thursday Next, by Jasper Fford

Mothers and Sons, by Colm Toibin

Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman

*My current commuting reading: The Best American Non-Required Reading, 2007 edition
*Current issue of W Magazine
*One pound of fresh kolache, apricot & raspberry, from a local bakery
*Macaroni & cheese leftovers after meeting a friend at a pub
*Health insurance renewal documents
*A purchase from stilettoheights.etsy.com, retrieved from the post office (gorgeous!)
*One bottle of sauvignon blanc
*One bottle of chardonnay
*One green sweater
*One green umbrella
*Pliers, chain, wire and beads for an order I finished at the office
*Shipping supplies
*...and myriad other daily necessities that travel with me: phone, mineral makeup from pinkquartz.etsy.com, assorted loose pairs of earrings, wallet, notebook, camera, flash drive, gum, a small forest of pens, change, and used train tickets that grows like moss in the pockets, and on and on and on...

Thanks, tortillagirl, I love my bag! You can buy one here:

Big City Linen Bag by tortillagirl

handmade hurts so good: black & blue

I'm feeling a little tender at the moment, so my color combo of the week is black and blue. Edgy and soothing all at once, how satisfying! Shops featured are listed below, from left to right.


1. VerreEncore
2. eggagogo
3. margauxlange
4. prettypennydesigns
5. twilightandfiligree
6. johnwgolden
7. CircaCeramics
8. brindakaydesign
9. malam

countdown to creative renewal time, plus some incredible deals for spring

In a little less than 24 hours (10 p.m. on Sunday, April 19), I'll be closing Leaves of Glass for a six week hiatus while I take a break. I'll be back in early June with new work; my other shop, urbanlegend, will remain open. I'm having a store-wide 30% off sale to clear the way for new work, and I wanted to post some other incredible deals here at the same time. (Sale prices in Leaves of Glass are an additional 30% off the prices displayed; sale prices in Coo-koo-ri-koo, LemonStory and twilightandfiligree are as marked.)

The enchanting cookoorikoo is having a sale on all her yoyo jewelry. Gorgeous fabric necklaces, earrings, bracelets and fascinators are all 30% off. Shana has a fantastic eye for color and design, and I know from personal experience that her jewelry is beautiful and always gets lots of attention when I wear it. Check it out!

Also planning to take a break at the end of April is lemonstorynyc. A selection of her graceful kimono dresses are on sale. Don't miss out on unique handmade couture.


I recently discovered twilightandfiligree, maker of sensational leather bags. Visit her spring sale section for deals on unique handmade leather purses.

concrete blush: more matches made on etsy

When I posted some Etsy pairings of grey and yellow last week, I asked for suggestions for other color combos. The lovely phydeaux suggested blushy pink and charcoal, so I'm starting these matches off with her delectable Spring Peonies Scarf. It may be warming up elsewhere, but Chicago is still enduring bone-chilling winds and sporadic sleet. Wrap up warm with phydeaux's scarf, and for a toasty and feminine pulled-together look, pair it with boringsidney's Simply Smashing cloche in gray.

I am in some crazy, crazy love with madebyhank's Tough Ruffles bags and pouches. Pair this tasty pencil case in warm pinks with sohomode's Circle Wrap Skirt for just the right touch of ruffled prettiness.

Wear these sensational Pink Crystal Ball Earrings by laurrose with ShySiren's Smoke and Mirrors Necklace for shining, delicate touches of sparkle.

utilemud does such a magnificent job pairing greys with vibrant colors in her simple and stunning tableware that I don't even want to look for a match for her - these pieces are their own perfect match.

I'm absolutely cheating here, because it was too good to pass up. This heavenly vintage 1950's party dress has sold, but check out dustyrosevintage's shop for other vintage goodies. This Flor de Lotus ring by masaoms echoes the lovely full skirt with a gritty, modern touch.

dustfurniture makes sensational kooky furniture that adds a tipsy sense of joy to any setting. Put this table in the front hall and let it keep good curvy company with dolangeiman's framed original collage.

Again, post your suggestions for color pairings and I'll keep an eye out for more goodies for next week.