It's Not How Good You Are...

 I got this book from my cousin when I graduated law school with a simple note saying "don't let the simpleness of this book fool you," and boy was she right! As is mentioned on the Phaidon site, this book is:

"A pocket bible for the talented and timid to make the unthinkable thinkable and the impossible possible."

Two of my favorite excerpts (and a great boost for my current state of mind):

You Can Achieve the Unachievable

Firstly you need to aim beyond what you are capable of.

You must develop a complete disregard for where your abilities end.

Try to do the things that you're incapable of.

If you think you're unable to work for the best company in its sphere, make that your aim.

If you think you're incapable of running a company, make that your aim.

If you think you're unable to be on the cover of Time magazine, make it your business to be there.

Make your vision of where you want to be a reality.

Nothing is impossible.

The Person Who Doesn't Make Mistakes Is Unlikely to Make Anything

Benjamin Franklin said, "I haven't failed, I've had 10,000 ideas that didn't work."

Thomas Edison said, "Of the 200 light bulbs that didn't work, every failure told me something that I was able to incorporate into the next attempt."

Theater director Joan Littlewood said, "If we don't get lost, we'll never find a new route."

All of them understood that failures and false starts are a precondition of success... 

New in the Store: The Ultimate Punk Rock Luxe!!!!

I know I say this all the time but...BIG TIME crush on these new pieces. Stop by the Heist Boutique and have a look!

In other news, I am very pleased to have been a part of this year's Etsy Metal Clay Team charm swap! 22 members are swapping charms and we've each contributed 2 extras to make 2 charm bracelets to be auctioned off for charity. I chose to make a little assortment of my Vintage Norwegian Button charms:

Here's a look at the charm bracelet that was auctioned off during last year's swap:

 I'm so proud to be a member of such a talented team!

Why Pay More?

I found this great little article over on Scoutie Girl and I thought it was a pretty interesting read. The article discusses why it's better to pay more for the things you buy and to support the handmade movement.  Some reasons:

• You're paying a real person for their time and skill instead of a big corporation who pays less than a living wage to someone abroad.
• Break the cycle of "working to buy and buying to feel good" - instead, have more reverence for the fewer good-quality items you buy!

And on the subject of the price of handmade goods, here's another good article discussing the true cost of buying handmade. Instead of supporting cookie-cutter style and the use of shoddy materials, carefully consider what you're getting when you buy handmade instead:

• Quality - Well trained craftsmen make goods of a higher quality.
• Scarcity - Handmade = less risk of running into someone else wearing the same thing as you!
• Efficacy - You're often paying for a product you have helped create - customize it!
• Livelihood - Help support local artisans!

New in the Store: Vintage Norwegian Buttons and MORE!

Scrolled Crest Charms and Ring

 Floral Cubic Zirconium Ring and Charm

Wide Plaid Band with Sapphires

And now in the Orez Boutique, check out our new Daisy jewelry line!

Thanks for looking!

PS - Stop by the Etsy Metal Clay Team's Blog and learn more about some of my lovely fellow group members!

Cupcake Heaven

I woke up with a craving this morning. Luckily SWEET is just around the corner from my apartment.

Vegan cupcakes on Mondays and "Pupcakes" for our doggie friends...yum!

Sweet cupcakes and cakes are freshly baked each morning in the Sweet kitchen. All of the Sweet frostings, fillings and batters are handcrafted from scratch using the finest ingredients including Callebaut chocolate, Madagascar bourbon vanilla, and Bensdorp cocoa. Sweet cupcakes do not contain trans fats or stabilizers and are best enjoyed on the day that they are purchased.

New in the Store: Rings Galore (and a little SALE update!)

Distressed Tube Ring featuring a Blue Sapphire Cabochon

Four Corners Stud Ring featuring 4 small simulated Blue Zircon stones

Also, be sure to check out our sale section as a few leather/animal print earrings with only ONE LEFT IN STOCK have been majorly marked down!

Thanks for looking! xo

The Greatest Job Ever?

Question: Why doesn't my career involve taking photos of cute animals?! If I could take pics of Zero all day long, I think I would be the happiest person in the world!

New in the Store: The "Sunburst" Ring!

Stop by the Etsy Boutique and meet our newest friend, The Sunburst Ring! 

Available in the 3 colored Cubic Zirconias of your choice.