HAPPY CYBER MONDAY and a FREE pocket mirror!

Cyber Monday is like Black Friday..ONLINE! I've got a special in my shop to celebrate the craze! I love a good deal, so why not GIVE one?

TODAY ONLY:
For EVERY item purchased from my shop you will receive a FREE pocket mirror.
This is endless, so stock up on your goodies and get some stocking stuffers and hostess gifts while you're at it!

Offer ends at midnight tonight, so RUN to THE SHOP!!
(okay, click, not run, you don't even need to get out of your jammies.)

POPKO.ETSY.COM

How To : Remove tarnish from your silver jewelry, with chemical free, eco-friendly kitchen ingredients.

Tarnished silver jewelry. FIX IT! How? Grab a few kitchen ingredients and you are on your way to shiny and new looking silver!
Sterling silver is mostly pure, but it also has other metals in it. It is usually stamped with the .925 symbol indicating sterling. This means that it is .925% silver, and .075% something else, another metal. Basically, when silver comes in contact with the elements it can tarnish (oxidize) and turn a myriad of colors. For example, when I go to the beach for a length of days, I notice my silver gets raggedy looking sooner than when I am in my dry home. Keeping your metals in a ziplock baggie will prevent the elements from doing this for a little longer as well. Jewelers also offer special bags or even acid free tissue to store your goodies in. If you notice, some of your silver will tarnish at different rates as well, but theres no way for us regular ol' people to know what that extra metal in our silver is. So when you Do happen across a tarnish-happy item, this is a great way to solve it in an eco-friendly way.

Here's a great way to make a chemical free potion that will instantly ZAP the tarnish off your silver. I love this method because my polishing cloth cant reach into the crevaces of chain links, and this can.

What you need:
boiled water
ceramic or glass bowl (not metal)
aluminum foil (a few inches, not that much)
baking soda


1.First, boil a few cups of water.

2.Prepare your bowl. Put the foil into the bottom of the bowl, in a little square, just so you can lay your jewelry on top of it.

3. Put a few teaspoons of baking soda onto the foil. I don't measure, and probably use waaay too much. The ratios here have never affected my outcome.
(see how brown, reddish the chain is? yuk!)

4. Put your jewelry on top of the baking soda (or near it as you can see in the photo).

5. Pour the hot water over the whole thang.

(under steaming hot water)

6. KABLAM! Instant, and I mean, INSTANTLY the silver should look silver again.

The tarnish should disappear. If its still a little discolored, you can wiggle the bowl a little to work it in. Dont rub the baking soda on your items though since it can scratch it if its not dissolved.

7. Wash your jewelry with clean water. The baking soda leaves it a little slimy.

(drying on a paper towel)

DONE!

note: dont try this on metals you are unsure of. dont try this if there are components you are unsure of i.e. wood, stones, etc. okay, just had to say that. i bet if you google this, someone else will answer all the q's I havent answered here.

edit/addition:
Look at this AWESOME comment I received about this post!

Blogger Lisa B said...

Thanks to you, I've now cleaned 22 necklaces, 6 bracelets and 10 pairs of earrings this evening. Who knew a few simple ingredients would clean some of the items that have been making me crazy trying to detarnish? You're a genius. Or at least a good passer-alonger. ;)
HURRAH! Thanks LisaB

Show time! Shop Western Mass for the Holidays

If I'm not in my studio, you can find me here!

Apple Pie Festival Southampton, MA Nov 21, 9-2pm
(nice community show with lots of raffles all day, fresh pies and kids events plus- my mom is at her own table next to mine!)

Bizarrest Little Snowflake Bazaar Amherst, Ma Dec 5, 9-4pm
(with great live music in a cozy venue, beautiful show)

stART at the Station Worcester, MA Dec 6

Stars & Skulls Hadley, MA Dec 13, 10-5pm
(hip and crafty, benefits the roller derby, fun day, lots of cool stuff)


On December 14th, Im guessing, I will be found in bed, or getting a massage, or cooking soup and relaxing next to the fireplace with a glass of wine, no, bottle of wine and gorgeous assistant john, and hopefully after all of this, it will be fancy soup....

3 Day SALE on Magnetic Glass Lockets + New Pocket Mirrors!

November 11-14, Magnetic Glass Lockets are only $23 (reg $28ea), so GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT! These usually sell like hot cakes, so get yours at a steal just in time for Holiday gift giving. They work for everyone because you can personalize whatever goes inside.

MAILING LIST SUBSCRIBERS get two extra special deals involving butterfly jewelry AND pocket mirrors...OOH LALA! What could it be? Join the list on the top left of the page to find out.
hint: it involves FREE stuff. YEAH!

New Butterfly Wing POCKET MIRRORS (yes, cool) are now in the shop! I'm still pressing more and more and more and more, so keep an eye out for your favorite. These are awesoem stocking stuffers and girlfriend gifts. That's why they come in a little drawstring pouch!

Watch us build the Lobster Pot Christmas Tree TODAY

Provincetown: Maritime Christmas: A tree (with crown) made from lobster traps & wreaths
Originally uploaded by Chris Devers

Here we go! Watch us live Saturday and Sunday:
http://www.provincetownview.com/

Sneak Peek! New Butterfly Wing Things! and a lobster pot christmas tree...

Holy toldeo, this is going to be a good one! I'm releasing them next week but couldn't wait to show off the firsties of the batch.

Real Butterfly wing pocket mirrors. YES!
I have to price them out, take photos for the shop, and make enough for the show next week.
(Have I mentioned that yet?)

Right now I have to put work away and get PACKING! Where am I going?
Truro, of course. o the tip of the state for the weekend!
I'm going to the Cape to build the Lobster Pot Christmas Tree in Provincetown, MA.

(base layer of the 2008 tree, note the trailer full inthe background)

Its my dads project, and the family builds it together. He makes the topper, which is a whopper of a topper if you ask anyone. This is the 5th or 6th year we've done it. After this weekend I will remember how many. In any case, its BIG- both in size and impact and BIG on love! We love doing it, the town loves it, win win.
Updates about the big build after the weekend. Ciao!

(cant resist putting a bow on the 3 year old. 2008 tree pre-topper)

oh yeah, and theres a live webcam too! I'll plug in the link in the morning so you can watch me climb and stack about 80+ lobster traps into a pyramid formation. What are YOU doing this weekend?

One weeek 'till TWIST!

yes, yes, I'm in the show!

yes, yes, it's very very good!

click on any image to visit the website

Quick Look - blue morpho butterfly wing

blue morpho butterfly wing, jewelry
Originally uploaded by PoPkO!

This is one of the best ways I've captured this pendant. What do you think?
I'm going to be a little scarce this week due to a biggie show coming up (that and 5 more after that!). Thought I'd show you what I did today and also mention once more that there's still a sale coming up. Its not going to be everything, but it will be good! Oh- and Ive decided that one half of it will be for MAILING LIST SUBSCRIBERS ONLY! So look left <-- and sign up!

Martha Stewart Craft Room Contest!

image via martha stewart contest courtesy of bluepoppyjewelry

Show her your craft room! I know you all have one..so now all you have to do is wash those 12 old coffee mugs lying around, open the curtains, scrub your desk, take out the trash, move the newsprint off the floor, wrangle your paintbrushes, replace the tape, water the plant, hang pretty spools of ribbon somewhere, recycle the beer bottles, hide away the candy wrappers, put out something that looks crafty, and take a photo. Easy peasy!

image: bluepoppyjewelry studio

Marthas got a contest that ends 11/11/09. I don't know the prize or the real details, but even if you dont want to enter, but like to look at everyones craft rooms like me, head here. And also click here to see all the pretty rooms (entires) to inspire you to get a cleanin'.

Your Crafts Room

"Martha created a crafts room in her attic where
she keeps all of her crafts supplies organized.
Where do you create your projects? Share
your own creative refuge now!"

Deadline: 11/11/09

ps- theres only 58 submissions, and it looks to me like there a lot of room left for your studio to win! (unless I beat you to it!)