65; Om Naga Deva (SOULMATES preview!)

Top: borrowed • Leggings: Ebay • Boots: Etsy • Crystal necklace: SOULMATES (coming soon) • Rattlesnake vertebrae earring: SOULMATES (coming soon) • Chainmail bracelet: renaissance faire • rings:various (crystal ring from Hivennn)

Kathryn said this outfit looks just like the last one I photographed. No it doesn't, I say! Totally different shirt and print on the leggings, boots instead of wedges...the vest was a last-minute decision as I was going out the door. (Though I understand that she was just giving me a hard time.)

So, dig the SOULMATES necklace and earring? The necklace is pretty bland considering what other designs I've come up with in the pendant department (this is actually the first one I made) but it's one of the few I actually have completed. You'll get to see the other pendants in the future, promise! I have other crystals waiting in the wings, mostly clear quartz, but I have a collection of these curious red and black coloured clear crystals as well, that look just wonderful.


The rattlesnake vertebrae earring (yes, real vertebrae!) will be sold as a pair, obviously, but this is the one that I have done so far. I preferred to wear just one anyway, plus it seemed to fit perfectly with the outfit, so how could I not incorporate it? I'll see what I can do about making earcuffs in this style, as well.


I have opened the SOULMATES Etsy shop finally, though like I've mentioned before, it won't be running officially for another month or so. (I had initially decided to not spend any money on this project until after Christmas, but my brain just exploded with ideas when my last paycheck arrived, and I couldn't refrain!) Until then, you're more than welcome to add it to your favourites if you like what you've seen here, so that you'll be the first to see the listings go up! (For more updates, you can check out the SOULMATES twitter.)

I have every intention on making all of my jewelery as affordable as possible. At the moment it looks like my wares will cost no more than $30 per listing, and that would be the price for something really special, or for a one-of-a-kind piece. (The necklace and earrings shown here would probably cost half of that.) I've been extremely lucky in finding such affordable resources for my jewelery and I hope to keep the sale price of my jewelery low enough for people to feel comfortable buying something. I know what it's like to see beautiful items on Etsy and elsewhere and not be able to shell out enough money, and while I really do hope to make some money (and what money I make will probably go back into making more jewelry, or real life expenses like feeding my cat!) I don't intend to just bleed money out of potential customers. I've never run a shop before, but with Kathryn having taken a business class in massage therapy school, I'll have some help in trying to be the best shop keeper I can be. ♥


Kathryn was nice enough to transfer the logo I had in mind onto the computer. Saved me money that I would have otherwise had to spend! (I will be coming up with more variations of the patterning; I get bored easily.)

 

I have a lot of prep to do: buying little jewelry gift boxes, get the logo above printed into stickers for packaging, restock my suede cord (if I can even find the same colour; it's somehow eluding me in all of the stores I can get to locally) and finish my inventory. I hope to later on, after the shop is open and running, to add alterations to some rad thrifted finds and sell them as well. What would that be marketed as, exactly? Upcycled/recycled? Altered thrifted? We'll see. Might choose the latter one.

I really didn't expect to write such a massive post. I'm sorry! I guess I'm a little too excited; I've been wanting to do this since early this summer, and seeing everything finally come together is really thrilling. I'll shut up now.


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