Arctida’s creations

Arctida Celebrates 300 Sales on Etsy!

2011-11-29T08:53:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! I've reached the 300 sales mark in my Etsy Store today! *picture me making a happy dance here* :) Thank you so much to all of my awesome customers who allow me to do what I love and love what I do! 100-200 sales took just over a year and 200-300 less than 10 months! I'm hoping 400 sales will come sooner than I think. Wish me luck!

The 300th sale was my Lemon Quartz wire wrapped in oxidized sterling silver *Eliza* earrings! For sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

Désirée - Vampire jewelry red necklace Ruby Garnet red Spinel in oxidized sterling silver. Handmade gothic costume cosplay jewellery by Arctida

2011-11-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

Seems like today’s youth is obsessed with vampires; the movies, the TV-shows and the books! Anywhere you look there are VAMPIRES flashing their fangs at you :) And off course the premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, which makes me so excited because I’m a huge fan of vampires too!

So I decided to combine my two biggest interests - Jewelry design and Digital Art. A jewelry peace fitting for a hot and sexy vamp girl and off course a real vampire model :) So here is what I ended up with:

I had that classical vampire in mind when I made this: pale skin, red, blood-thirsty eyes, porcelain-white teeth, dark, red lips and a gothic feel in all. I used a model shot on a white background, and the rest is Photoshop. This is my first time making a photo-manipulation with a real model, so I hope you like it :)

The necklace symbolizes drops of blood running down the neck, right after being bitten by a vampire... Guess my model is going to turn into a night child now ;)

Désirée - for sale in my Arctida and Etsy shop

Morticia - Black feathers earrings in Sterling Silver. Handmade gothic jewelry costume cosplay jewellery by Arctida

2011-10-26T00:44:00.000-07:00

Halloween!
Soon lots of witches, ghost, zombies and famous characters from movies will gather all around town, go trick or treating, scaring each other and compete in costume contests! Once a year you get to see your friends in a whole different way, funny or scary, either way you have lots of fun! and seeing all the kids dressed as Frankenstein’s monster, tiny ghosts and princesses, is such a cute sight!

My sister told me about a book, where the girl makes her own costume for Halloween, by making wings out of faux feathers and painting them black. With a black dress and her wings she became something of a ”crow-queen”. That story inspired me to make a pair of crow feather-earrings (well my earrings are made out of black rooster feathers, but you get the idea!) perfect for any respectable witch on Halloween :)

Just like my previous feather design (Diana - Guinea Hen feathers earrings) I had to make them big and bold in order to be seen underneath that pointy hat that any respectable witch have to wear :) I chose different lengths, sizes and shapes of black feathers, combined them into a 3D shape and wrapped with sterling silver wire. Afterwords I attached my feather clusters to sterling silver lever-backs to make them more comfortable to wear. and ta-da my second design for feather earrings is born :)

Morticia - for sale in my Arctida and Etsy shop

Diana - Guinea Hen fowl feathers earrings in Sterling Silver. Handmade ethnic tribal design jewelry by Arctida

2011-08-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

You know those big Native American headdresses? With long feathers, giving that majestic and wise look?

Most of the time the feathers came from eagles, but crow and hawk feathers were also used. But the eagle was the most significant source of feathers, and the warriors of many tribes had eagle feathers in their headdresses, symbolizing the accomplishments in battle.

The feathers were not only used to show status among the people in the tribes, they were also used as ornaments in clothes and plain decoration, like the dream catcher (The dream catcher were originally made to protect the sleeping children of nightmares; the bad dreams would get caught in the web of the dream catcher and be gone by the morning.). They were also used for ceremonial and religious causes, and what kind and how many feathers a person wore could tell a lot about him. The Indian chief always had more feathers in his headdress than anyone else had in the tribe.

Today people still use feathers, like decorations, hair-extensions, necklaces and earrings in many lengths and colors. Perhaps they don’t have any religious meaning and won’t point out an important individual, but they are still an important accent of one’s style.

and how can one not get inspired by all those different textures, colors and patterns that feathers have?! That exactly what happened to me :) When I saw the pretty polka dot Guinea Hen feathers for the first time I just had to make something! In order to show all the beauty of Guinea Hen feathers it had to be big, statement-like piece of jewelry.While working with the feathers I realized that they have two different kind of patterns. Big and bold white dotted feathers and feathers with smaller dots and lighter background. I decided to mix them both to get a sort of balance, the way they look in the nature. I chose several different lengths of the feathers, combined them into 3D shape and wire wrapped them with sterling silver wire. Afterwords I attached my feather clusters to sterling silver lever-backs to make them more comfortable to wear.

So here come my first design with feathers, I think they came out very pretty, don't you guys? :)

Diana - for sale in my Arctida, ArtFire and Etsy shop

Ruby - the July Birthstone

2011-07-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

A Ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, and it is one of the most expensive gemstones. It is a variety of the mineral corundum (Aluminium Oxide), ranked third in hardness after diamond and moissanite. The presence of the element chromium is what mainly causing the red color in Rubies. Any other color than red in gem-quality corundum classifies it as sapphire.

Large rubies are extremely rare and more expensive than diamonds. So in recent years it has become more and more popular with artificial lab grown Rubies (corundum), which in contrast to natural gemstones are perfectly transparent, have solid color, large size, absence of cracks and foreign inclusions. In Rubies the most important feature is the color, the transparency (unlike diamonds) is only of secondary importance and inclusions are usually considered as a proof of its authenticity and natural origin. Ruby changes color every 1000 years and reaches its full perfection only after 7000 years!

Ruby has been the most popular gemstone for thousands of years. It symbolizes love and passion, and believed to promote friendship. Ruby is a stone of power, strength and vibrant energy force. Genuine Ruby protects against evil spells, chases away depression and warns its owner of impending danger by changing hues. This is a magical gemstone that is associated with the mysteries of the World Beyond.

My jewelry pieces with Rubies that are currently for sale:

Eliza - for sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

Pandeia - for sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

Leia - Bridal white Keshi pearls earrings in Argentium sterling silver. Handmade wedding jewelry by Arctida

2011-07-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

For not so long ago I’ve made a pair of earrings for a friend’s wedding. She wanted to have simple, sophisticated, modern pearl earrings different from classic design of bridal pearls. She thought that they should be easy to wear, discreet and match almost everything so that she can use them more then just on her wedding day.

So I came up with these... Getting jewellery that matches the dress, the hair and the flowers can be difficult, and like in this case, it shouldn’t take to much attention. A pair of bridal earrings should give the bride a hint of her own *flavor*, describe her personality, the earrings should be an ingredient that spices things up! (IMHO) These earrings are for the bride that wants a bit more, not just a simple design. Nothing on the human body is symmetrical, just like these Keshi pearls. That’s why they give that interesting and eye catching look, but are still subtle and not too outstanding. Perfect for a wedding, where bride wants all eyes on her, not just the dress, the jewelry, the flowers or the arrangement. Because after all the bride is the main attraction, don't you agree :)

Leia - for sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

Chronos - Chainmaille mens bracelet oxidized blackened solid Sterling Silver. Handmade chainmail jewellery for Men by Arctida

2011-05-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

Father’s day is approaching fast which gave me a chance to extend my men’s jewelry collection. I’m continuing to explore Chainmaille and I cannot stop :) There so many waves and possibilities to connect those rings! And the result looks so differently with each wave! Also once the bracelet is oxidized and polished it gets that typical *male* look but while it is still pure silver it looks more feminine (IMHO).

So here are my latest two waves that I tried, the bracelets have been oxidized to give them a more masculine look. These are substantial, weighty and masculine pieces of jewelry for everyday apparel or a special occasion. They create a statement yet they are more flexible than a solid metal bangle.

For sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

Chain maille is an ancient art of weaving together individual rings to create simple and elegant jewelry. Each sterling silver ring is hand coiled, hand cut, and polished smooth by me before weaving the bracelet, heavily oxidizing and again polishing to a high shine. It’s finished with a simple lobster clasp for easy, secure fastening.

Alina - Golden Rutilated Quartz necklace wire wrapped 14K gold filled. Handmade bohemian chic style jewellery by Arctida.

2011-05-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite semiprecious gemstones to work with and to wear is Golden Rutilated Rutile Quartz. It looks like a frozen drop of water with small bars of imbedded gold. And when the light hits it just right all that gold explodes with tons of sparkles! oh and did you know what one of the names for Golden Rutilated Quartz is Venus Hair Stone. The name is based on a beautiful legend. There was once Venus, goddess of love bathed in mountain springs. Having lost a lock of her golden hair, she returned to pick it up. But the time is a relative thing, what on Mount Olympus were only a few moments, on Earth were several months! The winter came and the water in the spring along with the hair was frozen. They looked so beautiful in the frozen water, so Venus decided to leave her wonderful hair, but turned the ice into a transparent stone first (from the Greek. "kristallus - ice) so that no one can take the hair of the goddess. And ever since that time people have found a clear crystal that holds the divine hair of Venus. No wonder that gem is so beautiful! How can one not love the gem containg hair from the Goddess of Love?!

I already have earrings with Rutile Quartz for sale and thought why not make it a set, so here comes my new Golden Rutilated Quartz necklace wire wrapped 14K gold filled.

For sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

Matching earrings for sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

It’s my Birthday ya'll :)

2011-04-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

I should start by mentioning this isn’t a “big” birthday year. I don’t celebrate my Sweet 16 or have my first legal drink. I´m not turning the BIG 5-0 or hitting my retirement age of 67 (in Sweden). It’s a random birthday, a random age… yet I'm so excited! :)

Oh, and I’m not telling you what age exactly, cause I’m vain I tell ya, vaaaain :)

So Happy Birthday to me and Happy Sunday to ya all :)

xoxoxo Alecia

Key to my Heart asymmetric necklace - Vintage Retro Ornate Skeleton Key and Labradorite wire wrapped in oxidized blackened sterling silver - Steampunk Gothic Victorian chic style jewellery by Arctida

2011-04-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I’m a scientist at my day job which makes me a nerd or a geek whatever you prefer :) One of the hottest trends right now in geek culture is something known as steampunk. (Think of the works of H.G. Wells, Jules Verne and more recently, books like The Difference Engine.)

Steampunk fashion romanticizes the Victorian age. The books tend to gloss over the low points of the last century and focus on the fun aspects (dirigibles, items made of shiny brass, goggles, explorer’s and top hats, skeleton keys, Egyptology and steam-driven machines).

Being a hand-maker and an amateur photographer I couldn’t stay away from Steampunk and just had to try making something myself :) So here is the result: Key to my Heart asymmetric necklace featuring a genuine vintage skeleton key attached to a handcrafted chain made of oxidized sterling silver and Labradorite rondelles.

For sale in my ArtFire and Etsy shop.

My biggest accomplishment however is not the necklace but the costume shot of my model (my little sister) above. The ensemble was assembled by me and most of the parts are vintage clothing (except of the corset). The top hat being the oldest and dating back to 18th century Paris!

So the next step would be is gathering my courage and maybe attend the actual Steampunk convention! Who knows, right :)

Sterling Silver Chainmaille Bracelet. Handmade unisex minimalism jewellery by Arctida.

2011-03-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

Last week EST challenge's theme was "Simplicity" hosted by Kirschbits.

I love to explore new techniques and styles in jewelry making and then mixing them together. Recently I have started making chainmaille jewelry. Chain maille is an ancient art of weaving together individual rings to create simple and elegant jewelry. I love how diverse each wave looks just because I connected the rings slightly different! Anyway for this challenge I decided to try one of the simplest waves and make a minimalistic bracelet. No gemstones, no fancy clasps, no oxidation… just shiny silver rings connected to each over. Simplicity at its best don´t ya think? :)

For sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

Custom bridal jewelry set. Floating illusion pearls necklace and pearl earrings in Argentium sterling silver. Handmade Wedding Jewellery by Arctida

2011-03-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

It has been a treasured item for thousands of years. Bridal jewelry is definitely an important aspect of bridal wear. Finding the perfect dress you have always dreamed about is one of the most fun and important tasks a bride will endeavor. Finding the perfect bridal jewelry for the bride to accessorize with that dress is also fun and essential to completing your look.

There are many different styles of jewelry, so there is something that will appeal to everyone. But if you feel you want to have a classic look, a strand of pearls is a timeless choice. One of the great things about sets of pearl jewelry that are custom made for your wedding is that they can be adapted to fit in with all of your desires, whims and fancies.

Here is an example; this set was a custom order for my friend’s wedding. It consists of so called floating illusion pearl necklace and classic pearl earrings in Argentium Sterling silver.

If you are interested of ordering one bridal set especially made for you, just contact me :)

Spring themed Fine Art Nature Closeup Macro Photography

2011-02-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

The winter tightens its grip on Sweden with each day yet there is still hope… at least I hope it is :) Don’t get me wrong I love winter, snow, ice and cold but sometime a girl needs to get cheered up with some strong colors :) So I decided to decorate our living rum with a series of my spring-themed macro shots. Strong lime greens colors of nature awakening from the winter slumber should be perfect for curing any kind of gloomy mood me think :) Here they come...

The idea of making a series came from a photographer friend of mine, Irina. Check out her amazing "One Tulip story" series!

Oh and did you know that in many folklores and literatures, Green is the color of nature, fertility, life. Grass green is the most restful color. Green symbolizes self-respect and wellbeing and is the color of balance. It also means learning, growth and harmony and has become a symbol of environmentalism. Green is a safe color, if you don't know what color to use anywhere use green.
Green contains the powerful energies of nature, growth, desire to expand or increase. Balance and a sense of order are found in the color green. Change and transformation is necessary for growth, and so this ability to sustain changes is also a part of the energy of green.

Laura - Smoky Quartz minimalist earrings in yellow 14K gold filled. Handmade wire wrapped jewellery by Arctida

2011-02-21T12:51:00.000-08:00

Brrr...It's cold outside! I love real winter weather because it’s the best time for fire places, hot chocolate, and books :) That is actually how I came up with one of my latest designs! I was sitting and drinking cup of hot chocolate and the glossy rich auburn colored liquid reminded me of a beautiful Smokey Quartz (also known as Smoky Topaz) beads that I’ve had laying around. So here comes Laura - Smoky Quartz earrings wire wrapped in yellow 14K gold filled.

For sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

A little info about Smoky Quartz...

Smoky or smokey quartz is a brown to black variety of quartz. Like other quartz gems, it is a silicon dioxide crystal. The smoky colour results from free silicon, formed from the silicon dioxide by natural irradiation.

Smokey Quartz stimulates the cooperation of multiple energies toward a common goal. A wonderful stone for relationships, and for people in recovery who are part of a larger group, whether it be work, hobby, a home group, business group, or association. It is a gentle grounding stone that instills balance and harmony, and can help bring peace to you, enhancing quiet reflection during meditation without the interference of the thinking mind. This is not a quick energy stone, like Clear quartz crystal, but it has intense staying power to carry you over the long haul. Combine Smokey Quartz with Clear Quartz for lots of positive energy towards obtaining your dreams and goals, and to energize them into being a reality.

And speaking of warm and cozy… I found this wonderful chocolate brown Teddy Bear crochet pattern by Ira Rott! So cute and cuddly that you just want to hug it and never let it go :)

Oh and did you know that Chocolate can be used its medical property as well? Chocolate acts as an antiseptic, diuretic, parasiticide, and pilatory. It is used to treat burns, cough, listlessness, pregnancy, and snake bite. Cocoa has theobromine which has a similar effect to that of caffeine. It stimulates the muscles, heart, and kidneys. In fact, it can relieve congestion during colds by simply opening the bronchial passages in the lungs.

Acorns and Oak leaf handmade necklace. Pearls Citrines asymmetric wire wrapped in sterling silver pendant. Nature inspired jewelry by Arctida

2011-02-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, I’m a molecular biologist, meaning that I’ve studied a lot of so called *green* biology (flora and fauna studies). And even thought I work in the lab I love anything to do with nature which is also my biggest inspiration source for all of my Art. So here is my latest nature-inspired piece - Acorns and Oak leaf handforged necklace made of Citrines, Pearls and oxidized Sterling Siver.

For sale in my ArtFire and Etsy shop.

While browsing thru other types of handmade acorns I found this very cool tutorial on how to make felted wool acorns by Tonya Utkina. Aren’t they simply adorable :)

Oh and did you know that acorns and oak tree are sacred in many cultures and has long been seen as a symbol of strength and power. Because the acorn only appears on a fully mature oak, it is often considered a symbol of the patience needed to attain goals over long periods of time. It represents perseverance and hard work.

Ares - Infinity chain link mens bracelet in solid heavily oxidized Sterling Silver. Handmade Industrial chic for Men by Arctida

2011-02-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

As we all probably know, today is the Valentine’s Day which usually means presents :) I don’t know about you ladies but I find it very troublesome finding gift for guys. Last year though I found a great handmade and practical solution for my hubby! Black fingerless gloves for him from Socksandmittens on Etsy and psst… they have more colors than black :) It was actually those gloves that gave me an idea to start my own jewelry collection for men, so thank you Tanya for inspiration :)

And on that note, here comes my second men’s bracelet – Ares, this design it is made of hand forged oxidized Sterling Silver infinity shaped links.

For sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

Oh and more jewelry pieces for men are on the way....

Arctida celebrates 200 sales on Etsy!

2011-02-11T17:11:00.001-08:00

Woohoo! I've reached the 200 sales mark in my Etsy Store today! *picture me making a Happy Hippo dance here* :) Thank you so much to all of my awesome customers who allow me to do what I love and love what I do! I'm hoping 300 sales will come sooner than I think. Wish me luck!

The 200th sale was my Golden Rutile Quartz wire wrapped in gold filled *Alina* earrings! For sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

and here is the rest of my *Alina* series

Citrine and Gold filled

Pink Amethyst and oxidized sterling silver

Labradorite and oxidized sterling silver

Deira - Artisan necklace Amethyst, Crystal Clear Quartz, Peridot, Ruby, blue Sapphire, Smoky Quartz and sky blue Topaz wire wrapped in 14K Gold Filled

2011-01-29T10:16:00.000-08:00

~Deira ~
Handmade contemporary coiled gemstone necklace wire wrapped in Gold filled with multi gemstones - Amethyst, Crystal Clear Quartz, Peridot, Ruby, blue Sapphire, Smoky Quartz and sky blue Topaz.

This necklace was originally made for my own private collection back in 2008. But after getting a request for the same model from two co-workers and a neighbour, I thought that maybe this design wasn’t as boring as I thought from beginning and decided to list it in my shops :)

For sale in my Etsy shop and my ArtFire shop.

Ruffled Gemstone Hoops earrings tutorial - DIY step by step wire wrapped jewelry instruction - My second tutorial!

2011-01-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

My second tutorial is finally finished! It is now for sale in both of my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop!

With this tutorial you will learn how to make a pair of beautiful ruffled hoop earrings using wire and various gems and beads. The design can be adapted to include different size of ruffles, a mix of wire colors, beads and gemstones, making each one unique, yet if you need to make the same design over again, it can easily be done. In addition to earrings, you can use this technique to make bangles, pendants or brooches!

Here are a couple of variations of this design that I have already blogged about:

Electra - Labradorite and oxidized sterling silver hoops

Lenae - Peridot and copper hoops earrings

Nivi - Sterling Silver Hoops Earrings

European street team Challenge - New Years Eve Glitz & Glamour!

2010-11-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

Yaaay, I won EuropeanStreetTeam’s challenge hosted by bijouxdellostregatto! The New Years Eve is approaching fast so it is time to choose you wardrobe for the last party of the year :)

As I am the challenge queen for this week, the theme will be .....

New Years Eve Glitz & Glamour!

Basically anything that shines glitters and sparkles and would be perfect for that glamorous party with champagne and fireworks :)

Looking forward to your entries!
Deadline is 29th of November, 22.00 (CET) Monday night. Only new items will be accepted!

and here comes the entries!

The 1st entry: Ayawedding

The 2nd entry: Bijouxdellostregatto

The 3nd entry: VixLpCreations

The 4th entry: Ingermaaike

The 5th entry: DemyBlackDesign

The 6th entry: Dindi

The 7th entry: Lucietales

The 8th entry: Arctida

The 9th entry: SoleDeVita

The 10th entry: Staroftheeast

The 11th entry: AngelPearls

The 12th entry: LeelaBijou

__________________________________________________________

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Monday 29th of November !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the winner is VixLpCreations with these gorgeous Peacock feathers earrings!

Cyanobacteria - Asymmetric contemporary oxidized sterling silver necklace with Green Agate for your favorite Geek Chic

2010-11-19T13:31:00.001-08:00

I’ve been thinking about making an addition to my Microbiology collection for some time now… This time I got inspired by Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae and blue-green bacteria). They are probably best known for the extensive and highly visible blooms that can form in both freshwater and marine environment and can have the appearance of blue-green paint or scum. Because these blooms are toxic, it is common to close the affected beaches and thus many people get really upset with these little bacteria:) So it may surprise you that the cyanobacteria are actually one of the largest and most important groups of bacteria on earth.

…just a little bit of mandatory nerd (= science) talk now :)

Cyanobacteria are aquatic and photosynthetic, which means, they live in the water, and can manufacture their own food. Because they are bacteria, they are quite small and usually unicellular, though they often grow in colonies large enough to see. They are the oldest known fossils, more than 3.5 billion years old, in fact!

Many oil deposits are attributed to the activity of cyanobacteria. The oxygen atmosphere that we depend on was generated by numerous cyanobacteria during the Archaean and Proterozoic Eras. Prior to that, the atmosphere was unsuitable for life as we know it today.

Another great contribution of the cyanobacteria is the origin of plants. The chloroplast with which plants make food for themselves is actually a cyanobacterium living within the plant's cells. Sometime in the late Proterozoic, or in the early Cambrian, cyanobacteria began to take up residence within certain eukaryote cells, making food for the eukaryote host in return for a home.

So here is my new Cyanobacteria necklace, and for those who do not care about science as much as I do, a simple pretty abstract neck piece :)

For sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

As you've probably guessed these last pictures are microscope shots of the Cyanobacteria colonies and my visual inspiration :)

Cinderella - Golden Rutile Quartz 14K solid yellow gold earrings. Handmade wire wrapped jewelry by Arctida

2010-11-15T10:38:00.000-08:00

This week EST challenge's theme was "Cinderella" hosted by P8Accessories.

I started to think what kind of jewelry could Cinderella wear to a ball to match that beautiful dress and most important the shoes! Because that’s what most of us probably picture when we hear *Cinderella* - a pretty, tiny, sparkling, missing crystal shoe :)

Anyway, I thought that huge faceted Crystal Clear Quartz briolettes would be a perfect match for Cinderella’s crystal slippers and since it is a ball with a prince why not make it luxurious and wire wrap it in solid 14K gold! In the end to make it even more sparkly, I chose faceted Quartz briolettes with gorgeous golden rutiles. A perfect match for Cinderella’s golden hair, don’t ya think :)

more pictures are coming soon...

What is Gold Filled Jewelry vs Gold Plated and why buy?

2010-11-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

When deciding on a gold jewelry item there are always many different terms that come up. The most popular are Solid Gold, Gold Filled, and Gold Plated. It is important to know the differences between Gold Filled jewelry and Gold Plated jewelry when making your choice. Solid gold is of course an exquisite piece of jewelry. Gold filled is the next level and is an amazing, quality alternative to solid gold. Gold plating is the lower level and these items tend to tarnish and can often times turn the skin green.

Gold Filled: Gold filled is an actual layer of gold-pressure bonded to another metal. Gold filled is not to be confused with gold plating as filled literally has 100% more gold than gold plating. Gold filled is much more valuable and tarnish resistant. It does not flake off, rub off or turn colors. As a matter of fact, anyone who can wear gold can wear gold filled without worries of any allergic reaction to the jewelry. Gold filled jewelry is an economical alternative to solid gold!

Government Regulation: Gold filled items are regulated by the government. These items are therefore so much better then gold plated which has no regulations at all. Gold filled jewelry is made from solid gold and filled with other alloys such as rhodium (a member of the platinum family), brass, and sterling silver. Gold filled wears, looks and lasts like solid gold because its outer surface IS solid gold. Everything you can see and touch is pure gold. In the jewelry industry the quantity of gold must be at least 1/20th by weight of the total product.

Identification
The stamp on the article of jewelry must indicate both the weight of the gold in the piece and the karat of gold used. A stamp of 14K 1/20 means that the jewelry piece is 1/20 gold by weight and that the gold adhered to the metal alloy is 14 karat gold.

Lifetime Products: Gold-Filled items are generally considered lifetime products, and the gold layer will not wear off, as it will in electroplated products. Gold filled jewelry is often called the wave of the future because it offers all the same characteristics as solid gold such as strength, durability and beauty….but at a fraction of the cost!

Lenae - Contemporary style organic Peridot hoops earrings in solid copper. Handforged Jewelry by Arctida

2010-10-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

This week EST challenge's theme was "Pumpkin and other autumn fruits" hosted by dinafragola.

As I’m still hooked up on my latest ruffled hoop design (Nivi and Electra earrings) I thought I'll try to make one pair in Autumnal fruits, harvest inspired colors. So here is my new pair of hoops: Lenae - Lime Peridot solid copper hoops earrings.

Do you want to make a pair of hoops like this your self? Here is my tutorial for Gemstone Hoops earrings!

Electra - Contemporary organic Labradorite hoops earrings in oxidized sterling silver. Handmade Jewelry by Arctida

2010-10-07T06:09:00.000-07:00

Last week EST challenge's theme was "Stripes" hosted by Staroftheeast.

I decided to explore further my Nivi earrings design by adding some gemstone beads and creating visual effect of stripes. I think it came out pretty stripy, what ya think? :)

Do you want to make a pair of hoops like this your self? Here is my tutorial for Gemstone Hoops earrings!

I love the way Labradorite beads flash with that intense Electric blue fire so I decided to name my new earrings - Electra :)

Mona - contemporary sculpted sterling silver pendant with green Agate, Quartz and Peridot. Handmade Jewelry by Arctida

2010-10-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine saw my Harmonia necklace and totally fell in love with the central stone (Emerald green Quartz). So she decided that she wanted to have a pendant with the same focal except not as girly and formal in style but more contemporary and modern. So after a very long time playing around with designs here is what I came up with: Mona- contemporary sculpted sterling silver pendant with green Agate, emerald green Quartz and Peridot.

Simple industrial Masculine bracelet in heavily oxidized Sterling Silver. Handmade Jewelry for Men by Arctida

2010-09-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

I have finally finished, photographed, post-processed and listed the first piece in my new jewelry collection for men! I’ve been planning, sketching and trying out new designs for some time now and as you guys probably know it always takes time with new things! Anyway the last piece of the puzzle was to shoot my new bracelet on a real life male model. My hubby graciously agreed to step in (like he had a choice!:) and ta da… Hermes - my first men’s bracelet is officially for sale :)

For sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

And psst, before I even finished writing this post the first piece was sold! Yay! but don’t you guys worry, I can make more :)

Oh and more jewelry pieces for men are on the way....

Nivi - Contemporary style sculpted handforged Sterling Silver Hoops Earrings. Organic Jewelry by Arctida

2010-08-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

This week EST challenge's theme is "Antarctida" hosted by LAccentNou.

Being “Arctida” off course I had to participate! We are talking about “my” twin sister here :) I decided to make something simple, cold yet beautiful, just like all that ice and snow in Antarctica… So here come my "Nivi"- silver hoops earrings with ruffled look which remind me the way icebergs, glaciers and snow-covered mountains reflect in the cold icy water.

Do you want to make a pair of hoops like this your self? Here is my tutorial for Ruffled Hoops earrings!

This beautiful shot by Rita Willaert was one of the inspiration sources for this challenge.

The Latin word “Nivi” has its origin in the word “Nix” meaning snow. I thought it would be perfect for these earrings :)

Domani - Amethyst and Peridot coiled artisan earrings in 14K Gold Filled

2010-08-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

This week EST challenge's theme was "Morocco" hosted by creationsbyeve.

For this challenge I decided to revamp one of my older designs - Domani. It looks very ethnic but not quiet what I was looking for! And so I improved it and made it more bling-bling, more exotic and spicy, more glittering and shiny, simply more Moroccan :) and here is my new Moroccan version of Domani with Amethysts, Peridots and Gold filled.

For sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

Darlene - Gil Elvgren pin-up girls inspired necklace in 14K gold filled with Citrine, Garnet and Rubies

2010-08-08T16:14:00.000-07:00

This week EST challenge's theme was "Gil Elvgren pin-up" hosted by oneperfectday.

After checking out his work I’ve got inspiration to make something gorgeous and sparkly for those beautiful cleavages that his girls have :) Off course it had to be in red and gold tones as it seems to be an appropriate color combination for pin up in my opinion :) So here is my Darlene – Champagne Citrine, Garnet, Gold and Ruby coiled artisan necklace.

Perhaps something this girl wouldn’t mind wearing… :)

Darlene (Bedside Manner), Gil Elvgren 1958

Thespia - Geometrical gemstone circle pendant and hoops earrings with Agat, Amethyst, Apatite, Carnelian and Ruby in 14K Gold filled

2010-07-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

Last week's EST weekly challenge's theme was Mathematics hosted by Kraplap. I decided to make a coiled pendant shaped as a simple circle. When it was done I thought that it was too boring and so I added a bit of color splashes to it :) When I figured, why not making a whole set in this bright and vibrant gemstone combination and ta da ... Thespia - set with pendant and hoops earrings was born :)

For sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shops

Silent Blues - Fine Art Nature Photography - Forget Me Not Closeup

2010-06-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

The summer is here and so is the time for long walks out in the nature. So here is my latest macro from the woods :) A close up shot of Forget me not flowers - Silent Blues.

Amelia - Sky Blue Topaz and Citrine Gemstone Flower pendant wire wrapped in Sterling silver

2010-06-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

This week challenge's theme was "My favorite flower" hosted by Sofia-Sobeide. As those of you who know me have already figured out, I looove making gemstone flowers! So this theme was perfect for creation of my next Topaz flower pendant :) Ta da... Amelia - Sky Blue Topaz and Citrine sterling silver pendant.

For sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop.

and here are some of my previous Gemstone Flower jewelry: Fleur Bleue necklace, Fiore Grazioso necklace and a couple of rings :)

The Awakening - Fine Art Nature Photography - Spring branch closeup

2010-05-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

The new week is here and so is the new theme for the weekly challenge :) This week it is ...walking, hiking, nature! hosted by BHB Kidstyle. Such a great theme now when the weather is just perfect for taking those long nature walks. So here is my entry, a closeup shot of a sprouting branch in the woods - The Awakening

Fanny - Mystic Pink Quartz onion briolettes simple earrings wire wrapped in 14K Gold Filled.

2010-05-22T07:44:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about making a cute summer necklace for my 4 years old daughter and then I saw these adorable Mystic Pink Quartz faceted onion briolettes, I knew they were perfect for my project :)

I haven’t decided yet what I will do for my daughter… so little time, so many ideas :) but in the mean time I’ve made a pair of simple earrings for the grown up girls who love pink and gold! Fanny - cute, girly and shiny with tons of sparkle!

Fanny - for sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

Photographic Gemstone Mandalas - Fine Art Abstract Macro Kaleidoscope

2010-05-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

As those of you who know me has probably realized at this point, Digital Art is one of my biggest passions in life :) and especially part of making gemstone mandalas. Even my signature avatar is a tiny version of one of my mandalas. So I thought I will post one that is missing here on my blog - Amethyst Radiance.

The origin for this Mandala is a macro shot of gorgeous faceted Amethyst gemstone that I used in one of my jewelry designs - earrings Niolle

and here is the whole collection of my mandalas so far :)

Harmonia - Art Nouveau style green gemstones sterling silver necklace with Agate, Citrine, Prasiolite, Peridot, and Quartz

2010-05-04T04:32:00.000-07:00

The prom time is approaching and I got inspired by it :) I wanted to make something luxurious yet delicate in the same time and in fresh Spring colors. So here it is… Harmonia - Art Nouveau style hand forged sterling silver necklace with Green Agate, Citrine, Prasiolite (aka green Amethyst), Peridot, rock crystal Quartz and emerald green Quartz.

The color green denotes balance, harmony, and stability hence the name of the necklace :)

Juno - Mystic Peacock Quartz contemporary style organic hand forged pendant in Sterling Silver

2010-05-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Ooopsie! Haven’t written here for a while I see :) anyway, here is my latest piece of jewelry which is an entry in EST weekly challenge. The theme was "Winding" and was chosen by Nancy van den Boom. I checked out the definition and thought it would be perfect to try to manipulate thick wire into some kind of cool shape and accent it with gems. So here is my new baby: Mystic Quartz organic contemporary style hand-forged pendant in Sterling Silver.

Juno - for sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

The Mystic Quartz reminded me of a peacock which is a symbol of the ancient Greek/Roman goddess Hera/Juno, hence the name of the pendant :)

My Destash Shop is OPEN for business :)

2010-04-14T02:35:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to do theis for ages but now I've finally taken time and opened a destash shop on Etsy, ArctidasSupplies. For those of you who may not know the term, it refers to the crafting supplies and sundries that a person collects. It can also refer to items that can be reused in projects (extra pieces of fabric, random buttons, etc.).

Like many artists and crafters, I've collected a huge pile of beads and findings hoping to use them in various projects. Also, like many, these items fill a lot of space and will probably never get used by me. So, I decided to find them new homes with people who may actually put them to good use! :)

In my new shop you will find my tutorials, high quality precious/semiprecious gemstones, steampunk vintage findings, pearls and metal findings, both handmade by me and commercial. If you are looking for something to inspire your next project, please stop by :)

Tree of Life tutorial

Ruffled Gemstone Hoops earrings tutorial

Champagne Citrine smooth briolettes

Vintage French Skeleton Key

It’s my Birthday!

2010-04-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

It’s my birthday! Yep, I’m officially older and wiser today! Well maybe not wiser but older all right :) and is it customary to give flowers on ones birthday, here is my latest floral shot for you :) Suncatcher - Abstract Yellow Tulip Closeup.

Violante - Pink Amethyst and Peach Pearls wire wrapped and coiled asymmetric lariat necklace in Sterling Silver

2010-04-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

The Sun is shining, the weather is warm and so the short-summer-top-season is approaching :) So here is a sparkling lariat necklace for those pretty summer tops! Violante - Pink Brazilian Amethyst, Peach Pearls and Purple African Amethyst in Sterling Silver.

Violante - For Sale in my ArtFire, Etsy and DaWanda shop!

Pink Revival - Nature Macro Photography - Abstract Floral Hibiscus Closeup

2010-03-23T04:15:00.000-07:00

The spring is finally here and so I’m starting to work with "obligatory" spring Macro shots of different flowers :)

Pink Revival - a macro shot of a beautiful hot pink Hibiscus after rain...

and here are some shots from previous spring...
Ode to the Swedish Flag - a closeup of a sunny Forsythia Blossom

Little Sun - a closeup on fiery Gerbera Daisy

New colorful handforged wire wrapped earrings in 14K gold filled and Argentium sterling silver

2010-03-17T03:50:00.000-07:00

I’ve been working a lot lately! Totally swamped at my regular job (I work with cancer research at Karolinska Institute here in Stockholm, Sweden) with deadlines for presentations and applications and so on, and so on… I also got a couple of complicated custom orders from Russia, which I’m very happy about but off course they also take a lot of time. And on top everything we’re redecorating our home :) Which is a lot of fun, but takes forever!

Anyway, I tried to be a good girl and squeezed in a couple of new pieces in Spring colors :) So here are my freshly made pretties:

Hedera - Green Onyx and Peridot geometric earrings in 14K Gold Filled

Nika - Pumpkin Orange Smooth Chalcedony earrings in 14K Gold Filled

Catalina - Ametrine and Argentium Sterling Silver hoops earrings

They're already in my Etsy shop and just waiting for their new owner!

Domani - African and Brazilian Amethyst, Citrine coiled earrings in 14K Gold Filled

2010-03-11T10:08:00.000-08:00

I have open an Arctida shop on yet another venue but this time it's not in English it's in Russian - Ярмарка Мастеров! :) and I have already gotten my first custom order that will go to Moscow! Yay :) The customer wanted to have her own pair of my Domani earrings but with some variations.

Domani - for sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

African and Brazilian Amethyst wire wrapped leverback earrings in 14K Gold Filled - Minimalism collection

2010-02-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

Here comes another addition to my "Minimalism" collection.
Anya with African Amethyst and Leda with Brazilian Amethyst both in 14K gold filled.

Hand forged woven wire wrapped rings with Gemstones and Pearls in Sterling Silver

2010-02-16T02:01:00.000-08:00

Here comes my latest handforged woven wire wrapped rings with Gemstones and Pearls.

The first one has a gorgeous Prasiolite (aka Green Amethyst) and Peridot gemstone flower attached to woven wire wrapped sterling silver base. The gemstone flower is one of my favorite designs and even though I’ve already done dozens variation (for example Fleur Bleue and Fiore Grazioso), I'm still surprised how different the flowers look with various gems. The base was made with a guidance of Gosia Domańska's wonderful ring tutorial!

The second ring has a basic base design just like my previous rings and the 3d flower is composed from huge Citrines, Keishi Pearls and Garnet beads.

Arctida Celebrates 100 Sales on Etsy!

2010-02-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to see that I reached the 100 sales mark in my Etsy Store yesterday! Yay! :) Thank you so much to all of my awesome customers who allow me to do what I love and love what I do! I'm hoping 200 sales will come sooner than I think. Wish me luck! :)

The 100th sale was my wire wrapped Tree of Life necklace in Copper and Peridot!

and as it seems, my Tree of Life necklace becoming my best seller, I decided to introduce another variation in Sterling Silver and Peridot.... Ta Da! :)

Pandoras Beauty - Fine Art Nature Photography - Abstract Succulent Closeup

2010-02-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

I have finally seen James Cameron's Avatar movie and I was completely blown away! Not by the story (obviously) but by the whole new world what is pictured there. It reminded me a lot the Pandora planet from Soviet Science Fiction writers brothers Strugatsky books but I won’t go into that now :) Anyway that computer animated world has given me a lot of ideas and I think I’m going to make a whole collection dedicated to Pandora planet.

So here is the first piece :) Ta da… Pandoras Beauty - a macro shot of a Succulent plant. It looks almost like something living in Pandora's forests...

oh and I found my earlier piece that could have been from the same forest, what do you think? :)

My NEW Handmade Luxury Collection - Solid 18K and 14K Gold handforged jewelry with high quality Gemstones

2010-01-24T09:31:00.000-08:00

I’ve been working with solid gold for a couple of years now, mostly 18K as 14K is not that popular here in Sweden and almost always as a custom orders. But I think the time has come for me to finally start making my "own" creations in solid Gold. So here comes my first two pieces...

Eos - Smokey Quartz, Citrine and Solid 18K Yellow Gold Earrings

Calypso - Sky Blue Topaz, Citrine and Solid 14K Yellow Gold Earrings

Wire Wrapped and Handforged Rings - My first attempt in Copper and Gold Filled

2010-01-16T00:39:00.000-08:00

I have finally bought ring mandrel! Yay :) So here are my first attempts at making wire wrapped rings. The first one is classical spiral ring in Gold Filled.

The second one is an improvisation of the spiral ring. I tried to make a Rose in copper :)

The third one is a very simple adjustable triple band men's ring in Gold Filled. The ring has been hammered for texture.

I've also made a couple of rings that are more complicated and have Gemstones incorporated in them. I'll be posting pictures here very soon :) So stay tuned...

Alina - Natural Intense Electric Cerulean Blue Fire Flash Labradorite and Antiqued Silver Wire Wrapped earrings

2009-12-18T11:32:00.001-08:00

When I started making gemstone jewelry my favorite shape of the gems was micro-faceted drop shaped briolettes. I still like them but now days it seems that I’m only buying smooth polished briolettes of different colored gemstones. I love the way their buttery surface catch the light with tons of sparkle. So here are my latest beauties: Alina - Intense electric cerulean blue fire flash Labradorite and oxidized sterling silver wire wrapped earrings.

And here are the rest of "Alina" series part of my "Minimalisme" collection

Golden Rutile Quartz and Gold filled

Pink Amethyst and oxidized sterling silver

Golden Citrine and Gold filled

Golden Citrine and oxidized sterling silver

My First Tutorial - Tree of Life Wire Wrapped Pendant Step by Step Jewelry Instruction

2009-10-31T06:49:00.000-07:00

My first wire wrapped jewelry tutorial is finally finished! Yay! *Happy dance* I knew it’ll be hard to make something for the first time but this hard?! It took me for ever to finish it! Anyway it is done and I hope you guys will enjoy it! :)

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The concept of a many-branched tree symbolizes that all life on Earth is related and has been used in science, religion, philosophy, mythology and other areas. It could represent a mystical concept of the oneness in all things, a metaphor for common descent in the evolutionary sense, and a motif in various world theologies, mythologies and philosophies.

This is the first tutorial in my series of up and coming tutorials for the wire jewelry artists. With this tutorial you will learn how to make my version of classical Tree of Life pendant using wire and various gems and beads. No soldering required! Although it is described as an intermediate project, the tutorial contains so much detail that any level of enthusiast is able to make the piece.

Buy my Tutorials on Arctida, ArtFire, Etsy or DaWanda

Pele - Modern Handforged Sterling Silver Leaf Hooks earrings with Genuine Black Lava Cubes

2009-10-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

Here is another try of the new materials for my Tribal collection.

~Pele~
Tempestuous Pele is the goddess of the Volcano, with all its power and capriciousness. In ancient Hawaiian chants, she was described as “She-who-shapes-the-sacred-land” and her temper was known to be both as abundant and dangerous as the lava.

Pele is for sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

Iredale - Modern Handforged Asymmetric Hoops Sterling Silver earrings with Genuine Cowry Sea Shells

2009-10-15T00:42:00.000-07:00

I’m continuing to explore different materials and here is the latest creation in more of the primitive, organic and ethnic looking style for my Tribal collection.

Beautiful Genuine Cowry Sea Shells are attached to leverbacks earwires. The total length including earwires is approximately 1.5 inches long (~ 40 mm). The shells measure ~ 22x12 mm.

For sale in my Arctida, ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

The name of the earrings is originated from the Latin name of these beautiful Cowry seashell - Cypraea hesitate Iredale

My Coiled Jewelry - Wire Wrapped and Handforged Sterling Silver, Copper and Gold Filled Jewelry with high quality Gemstones

2009-09-29T04:26:00.000-07:00

Another mosaic made with Flickr toys :) This selection incorporates some of my coiled jewelry.

Most of them can be found in my Etsy shop or made to order.

Monday Moodboard - Autumnal Beauty

2009-09-28T02:36:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the beautiful colors of Autumn, here is my first "Monday Moodboard" selection :)

1. Orange burst felted scarf/shawl by JaneBoFelt
2. Burrito on Salad 1/12 miniature by PetitPlat
3. Tutti Frutti bracelet by Staroftheeast
4. Harvest bag by JuliaFelt

How's your mood today? For more moodboards, please visit Fleur Fatale's blog

Minimalism collection - Wire Wrapped and Handforged Sterling Silver and Gold Filled Jewelry with high quality Gemstones

2009-09-12T05:56:00.000-07:00

I love Flickr toys! It makes collaging of ones work so much easier and most important so much Fun! So here is a little summery of my Minimalism collection made with Flickr toys Mosaic Maker :)

1. Alina - Pink Amethyst and Oxidized Silver 2. Nimue - sky blue Topaz and Silver 3. Alina - Golden Citrine and Gold Filled 4. Kyra - Pink Amethyst and Silver 5. Alina - Golden Rutile Quartz and Gold Filled 6. Eliza - Lemon Citrine/Quartz and Oxidized Silver 7. Eliza - Golden Citrine and Oxidized Silver 8. Nimue - sky blue Topaz and Silver 9. Kyra - Mystic Golden Citrine and Silver 10. Anya - Amethyst and Gold Filled 11. Kyra - Swiss Blue Topaz and Silver 12. Leda - Rock Crystal Clear Quartz and Oxidized Silver

Autumnal Equinox - photographic Mandala - Digital Art Abstract Citrine Gemstone Macro Kaleidoscope print

2009-08-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

It has been ages since I made a new mandala/kaleidoscope piece, and I really missed it :) So when I’ve read about this weeks challenge theme - Fall is coming! (chosen by Sumiko). I knew it was my chance! I’ve had this wonderful macro shot of Golden Citrine Faceted Cubes

and I had a feeling it would be perfect for a mandala, I just needed the excuse to sit down and make it :) and ta da... a new mandala is born - Autumnal Equinox.

And even more good news, tonight I have finally passed the 1500-hearts threshold on Etsy! Yippy *making a happy dance* :)

Lea - Hammered Rustic Organic Tribal Talisman necklace with Rough Natural Beryl, Labradorite, Sterling Silver and Leather cord

2009-08-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

So, I’ve decided to try something new here…more of the primitive, organic and ethnic looking style....

The focal pendant is hand formed (by me) from sterling silver wire and hammered for texture. The silver has been oxidized to achieve more of an antiqued look and slightly polished. Inside the loop I placed rough and naturally shaped Beryl. The necklace is threaded with black leather cord and fastens with a lobster clasp and extension chain, which I've finished off with a Labradorite polished rondelle.

Totally Tutorials and my How to Make Moisturizing Hand Cream Tutorial

2009-07-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Very exciting news! My "How to Make Moisturizing Hand Cream" Tutorial made it onto this really awesome blog called Totally Tutorials, that posts tutorials on how to make anything and everything you can possibly imagine. Yay! I hope you guys enjoy it :)

and even more good news :) I'm making my first wire-jewelry tutorial, that will explain how to make my version of the "Tree of Life" pendant. It is only a couple of days work left, so stay tuned :)

New collection - Modern Handforged Sterling Silver Leaf Hooks earrings with high quality Gemstones

2009-06-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes all you need is a simple piece of jewelry with a touch of sparkle to make you look gorgeous. My new collection is just about that! Simple, elegant, organic design with striking gemstones that you can wear anywhere!

The earrings are made of sparkling beauties with superb clarity and gorgeous faceting which catch the light with tons of sparkle. The gems hang on hand forged, lightly hammered and polished sterling silver ear wires formed as leaves, made by yours truly of course :)

Kyra - Swiss Blue Topaz Faceted Nuggets and Sterling silver

Kyra - Mystic Golden Citrine Faceted Cubes and Sterling silver

Kyra - Pink Amethyst Nuggets and Sterling silver

Mad Scientists of Etsy (MSOE) monthly challenge - "Cretaceous Ocean"

2009-04-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

So the April is almost over and here are the results of the monthly challenge from Mad Scientists of Etsy (MSOE). This month’s challenge was a creation inspired by the theme of "Cretaceous Ocean".

…just a little bit of mandatory nerd (= science) talk now :)

The Cretaceous was a geologic time period approximately 145 to 65 million years ago. It was a period with a relatively warm climate and high sea level. The oceans and seas were populated with now extinct marine reptiles, ammonites and rudists; and the land by dinosaurs. At the same time, new groups of mammals and birds as well as flowering plants appeared. The Cretaceous ended with one of the largest mass extinctions in Earth history, the K-T extinction, when many species, including the dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and large marine reptiles, disappeared.
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So I’ve decided to try my new acquired skills in digital drawing and create underwater scenery what could’ve been seen at that time. I’ve used my own shots of the Triops (tadpole shrimp or shield shrimp). Their external morphology has not changed since around 220 million years ago, which would mean that their early relatives were much bigger but looked exactly or similar to what these little guys look today. The rest of the scenery was digitally drawn in Photoshop by yours truly :)

Maja - Art Nouveau Antiqued sterling silver earrings - Apatite, Peridot, Prasiolite and sky blue Topaz - "Spring" challenge

2009-03-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

Last week’s theme was - Spring, picked by Palepink.

So here is my vision of Spring in Apatite, Peridot, Prasiolite, sky blue Topaz and Silver - Maja earrings. The name comes from Maja, who is the Oscan Earth-Goddess, and an ancient Roman Goddess of springtime, warmth, and increase. She causes the plants to grow through Her gentle heat, and the month of May is probably named for Her.

Mad Scientists Exposed!

2009-02-23T10:42:00.000-08:00

My team Mad Scientists of Etsy (MSOE) including yours truly :) has been featured in VickiDianeDesigns’s famous “Artists of Etsy Exposed” series... Yay!!! Thank you so much dear Vicki :)

Award? ... I'll take it :)

2009-02-15T12:52:00.000-08:00

I have been awarded the highly coveted and somewhat elusive Marie Antoinette Award by the sweetest, prettiest and simply the best... Anna Karin of Små Blå.

according to AK blog's description and I quote:

...this award is only presented to members of the Community who has accomplished outstanding feats among their peers and others. Who has wowed the world with their plain awesomeness and who by that, inspire others to go on forth and make this world a better place. Natural beauty has probably something to do with it too...

as you can see it is kind of hard to see what this award is for, but I'll take it anyway :)

Here are the rules:
1. Please put the logo on your blog.
2. Place a link to the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate at least 7 or more blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message on their blogs to tell them.

And my nominees are (in no particular order):

1. Amanda of Amandayudesign
2. Marianne of byMarianneS
3. Devi of Glasfaden
4. Alessandra of Ixela
5. Susanna of SuzyQJewelry
6. Ana of Nanouke
7. Inger of Ingermaaike

Mad Scientists of Etsy (MSOE) monthly challenge - "Photosynthesis"

2009-02-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

So the January is over and here are the results of the monthly challenge from Mad Scientists of Etsy (MSOE). This month’s challenge was a creation inspired by the theme of "Photosynthesis".

…just a little bit of mandatory nerd (= science) talk now :)

Photosynthesis is a metabolic pathway that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of Bacteria, but not in Archaea. In plants, algae and cyanobacteria photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen as a waste product.

Now isn't that convenient for us, people and animals that need oxygen to breathe :)

So I've decided to make two entries - both are flowers (duh!?), because they are pretty and Photosynthesize :) The first one is a Flower necklace with gorgeous Sky Blue Topazes and Green Agate rondelles.

The second one is a macro shot of a beautiful pair of Crocuses that I took last spring.

The February month’s chllenge is "Mycology", now that should be fun :)

"The Unbearable Lightness of Being" - weekly challenge

2009-01-12T05:23:00.000-08:00

So it is Monday today, which means the dead line for of the weekly challenge. This weeks theme was a creation inspired by the Milan Kundera's book "The Unbearable Lightness of Being"(chosen by this week's boss HeliS).

I have always enjoyed photographing. I‘ve got my first camera when I was 10 (I think) and I’ve been taking pictures non-stop ever since :) First it was just a hobby, when later on it became of necessity for my jewelry business as well. I’ve got lots of positive responses about pictures that I take for my jewelry so it was only a matter of time before I would collect the courage, take the plunge and start posting my digital work :) and so I’m at the last step now…Mandalas was easy, most of us still have that little kid inside who is amazed by the kaleidoscope pictures :) Posting my nature shots is much harder because there are so many amazing Photo artists out there and I don’t really think I’m at their level yet, but maybe with your help and critique I will get there some day :)

Anyway, here is my entry... "Unbearable Lightness" - a macro shot of beautiful Snowdrop flowers that I took last spring ( cant wait for this spring to come, now when I have a new camera! :) I felt that tiny white flower-drops was a perfect interpretation of "Lightness", yet they seems to be just a bit too heavy or "Unbearable" for the plant to keep them up towards the sun...

Craft your favorite quote! - weekly challenge

2009-01-10T05:33:00.000-08:00

Last week’s theme was - Craft your favorite quote! …the craft doesn't have to include the actual quote, just be inspired by it...picked by DinDi.

I chose my favorite Albert Einstein's quote - "Two things are infinite: the Universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the Universe." :)

The quote gave me an idea to make a focal in the necklace shaped as an ancient "Infinity" symbol.

Rabies virus - Modern Oxidized Sterling Silver pendant with Garnet for your favorite Geek Chic - MSOE monthly challenge "Louis Pasteur"

2009-01-07T14:18:00.000-08:00

So the New Year has passed and I’ve been busy busy busy bee :) Two challenges, one vacation, Huge Holiday and a lot of cases of flue in the family … it was tiring but the challenges and vacation was fun :)

So here comes the first challenge from Mad Scientists of Etsy (MSOE). This month’s challenge was a creation inspired by the theme of "Louis Pasteur".

…just a little bit of nerd (= science) talk now :P

Louis Pasteur (December 27, 1822 – September 28, 1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist best known for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and prevention of disease. One of his great achievements was that he created the first vaccine for rabies.

Rabies (From Latin: rabies, "madness, rage, fury") is a viral zoonotic neuroinvasive disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in mammals. It is most commonly caused by a bite from an infected animal, but occasionally by other forms of contact. If left untreated in humans it is almost invariably fatal.

...so after a time of consideration I decided to make a pendant shaped like a Rabies virus :) Ta da!

Rabies virus pendant - for sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

(4 small pics on the right are electron microscope shots of Rabies virus)

Return of the Vikings - weekly challenge

2008-11-26T09:52:00.000-08:00

This week’s theme was "Vikings with a hint of upcycling" picked by VKnO. I’ve wanted to try making nature collages for quiet a while now and thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to do so. I decided to "upcycle" two of my Nature shots and combine them with some digital drawing which resulted in - "Return of the Vikings". I still have tons to learn about collaging but I think it came up rather believable for a newbie :) or what do you think?

This photo was used for the sky. I took this picture last summer, up in the Northern Sweden, very close to the Norwegian border.

This photo were used for the sea. It was taken on one of our vacations in Egypt :) I only had pictures of the northern sea when it is stormy and I wanted on this collage for a weather to be relatively calm. So I chose this shot...

The rest of the details such as sun, mountains and boat were digitally drawn in Photoshop. It took me several days to do that (probably because I'm a newbie) but I'm rather pleased with the results... for now :)

African savannah - weekly challenge

2008-11-10T12:48:00.001-08:00

So it is Monday today, which means the dead line for of the weekly challenge. This weeks theme was – Africa (chosen by this week's boss CreationsbyEve). I found this gorgeous shot of savannah and got in the mood...

So here is my vision of African savannah in green Onyx, green Agate and gold filled - Adeola necklace. The name Adeola has Nigerian origin and means "The Crown", which in my humble opinion is perfect for this necklace :)

Oh and today is a glorious day for me on Etsy, I got 1000 heart! Yay! *making a happy dance* :)

Ancient Spiral Coiled pendant with Sterling Silver and Pearls - "My Home Town" challenge

2008-11-03T13:45:00.000-08:00

This week challenge theme was - “My Home Town….Anything that inspires you thinking back to the old days. Good memories or even bad memories…melancholy or pure bliss…”, picked by Mirthquake.

I tried to think about something that brings my thoughts to my home town and I came up with, the old stone labyrinths, so called ”Troy Towns”! This type of labyrinth, marked by large boulders can be found through out whole Scandinavia. From Iceland to within Russia there are more than 600 of them; many are several hundreds and some times even thousands of years old.

So here is my entry - Ninevia pendant. The name Ninevia is originated from “Nineveh”, the name that has been used by some locals for the “Troy cities”.

Space - The Final Frontier

2008-10-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

Since I was the host for the last week’s challenge, I didn’t want to still the ”glory” from my team-mates so I decided to post this after the challenge is over :) So here is my entry in the EST weekly challenge - Science Fiction (see the post bellow, October 8th).

This digital painting is drown completely from the scratch in Photoshop! I did not use any downloaded templates or copy/paste parts. This is my first attempt in digital drawing using "Space" as a theme. Hope you like it :)

Science Fiction - EST weekly challenge!

2008-10-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

So here are the entries from our talented EST members for the theme "Science Fiction", picked by yours truly :)

and the winner is ......

Daniel, also known as SwedishJewels! His girlfriend Jealousydesign, has graciously agreed to "loan" her blog for the next challenge :)

Weekly challenge’s winner!

2008-10-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

As those of you who’ve read my blog probably already know, our Our European Street Team has been having weekly challenges and this week *surprise, surprise* I'm the WINNER! (drawn by ArtMind at random).

Here is my entry that won the theme "Cute": Fiore Grazioso - Aqua Quartz, Copper and Pearl necklace. The name means "Cute flower" in Italian :)

The whole point of the weekly challenge is to motivate us to create new things and I’m glad I’ve participated this time (duh!), it “made” me try completely new style, new techniques, new materials and on top of everything I won! Woohoo!

Since I’m the boss of this week the new theme will be … “Science Fiction”! I can't wait to see what my team will come up with :)

Natural Homemade Beauty Care Tips - Facial Masks

2008-10-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

After getting a couple of request for face mask recipes, I have finally found the time to write this post :)

Nourishing and Moisturizing mask with Avocado, Honey and Yogurt
This face mask is moisturizing, nourishing, smoothing and full of vitamins and minerals. It is perfect for dry and mature skin.

1 Avocado
1 tbs Honey
1 tbs Lemon juice
1 tbs Yogurt

Combine avocado, honey, lemon juice and yogurt in a blender. Let the mixture stand in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Apply mask on your face and neck and let set for about 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water or just wipe off with a damp wash cloth.

Gentle peeling mask with Tomatoes
Tomatoes is a wonderful source of fruit acids (AHA = Alpha-hydroxy Acid). Fruit acids loosen the “glue” between dead skin cells and the cells fall away (aka peeling effect), leaving your face very smooth and soft.

1-2 Tomatoes
10 ml (2 tsp) Honey
4 g Cosmetic corn starch or 1 g Xanthan gum ***

*** if you don’t have cosmetic corn starch (or just do not want to use it), add as much cornmeal, oatmeal or any binder of your choice, as needed to produce a paste.

Combine tomatoes, honey and cosmetic starch/cornmeal/oatmeal in a blender. Apply formed paste to face and let set for about 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Cleansing fruit mask
Great homemade mask that helps you clean your face skin from the dead cells and blackheads

50 g Pineapple
50 g Muskmelon (any melon for that matter, except for watermelon will do fine)
100 ml Water
8 g Cosmetic corn starch***

*** if you don’t have cosmetic corn starch (or just do not want to use it), add as much cornmeal, oatmeal or any binder of your choice, as needed to produce a paste.

Combine pineapple, melon, water and cosmetic starch/cornmeal/oatmeal in a blender. Apply formed paste to face and let set for about 10-15 minutes. Gently wipe off with a damp wash cloth.

*** Enjoy your homemade skincare products :) ***

Oh and here is my latest addition to the “Minimalisme” collection, "Alina" - earrings with flawless Golden Citrine smooth pear briolettes.

Minimalisme - EST weekly challenge

2008-09-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

This week’s challenge “Minimalisme” was picked out by JKphotography. Here is my entry: Simple sterling silver earrings with beautiful Pink Amethyst smooth pear briolettes.

Alina - for sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

This theme gave me an idea to make a whole collection of simple yet gorgeous pieces of jewelry, so here are a couple of examples: "Eliza" - earrings with flawless Champagne Citrine smooth teardrop briolettes.

"Leda" - earrings with Rock Crystal Clear Quartz step faceted spiral briolettes. For sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

"Nimue" - pendant with gorgeous sky blue Topas faceted pear briolette.

and "Naiada" - gold earrings with gorgeous sky blue Topaz faceted pear briolettes. For sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

Frost - EST weekly challenge

2008-09-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

This week’s challenge theme is Frost and was picked by Ingemaaike (the winner of the last week’s challenge). I started to Google through internet to find a picture that would inspire me and found this gorgeous shot at National Geographic.

I chose a macro shot of a gorgeous Rock Crystal Clear Quartz briolette that I used in my “Neda” earrings and here is the result – my “Frost” Mandala :)

and here is yet another addition to my “Minimalisme” collection: "Nimue" - earrings with gorgeous sky blue Topaz pear briolettes, which seems to be perfect for this theme too :)

for sale in my ArtFire, DaWanda and Etsy shop

S. pneumoniae bacteria asymmetric necklace - rock crystal clear Quartz oxidized sterling silver - "Microbiology" monthly challenge

2008-09-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

I have just joined the coolest team ever on Etsy! (apart from my EST team of course :) It is called "Mad Scientists of Etsy (MSOE)" and most of their members are scientists who posses an artistic dominant gene :) Yay, I'm not alone!

This month’s challenge was a creation inspired by the theme of "Microbiology", how cool is that! My master thesis project was about S. pneumoniae (Streptococcus pneumoniae) bacteria, so I felt that this could be a perfect opportunity to show them in artistic way :)

Warning! Science talk now... :)

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a normal inhabitant of the human upper respiratory tract. S. pneumoniae can cause pneumonia, as well as infections in other parts of the body such as in the bloodstream (bacteremia), lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), bones (osteomyelitis), joints (arthritis), ears (otitis media) and sinuses (sinusitis). Usually, they are seen as pairs of cocci (spherical or spheroid shape), but they may also occur singly and in short chains. The primary virulence factor (or in other words the ability of a microbe to cause disease) of pneumococci is their polysaccharide capsule (which can be seen as a "halo" around the cells on the last pic). It is non-toxic but helps bacteria to evade the host immune cells.

Tutorial - How to Make Homemade Cold Process Lavender Soap with Shea Butter

2008-08-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

I’ve been promising to post a recipe of homemade soap, so here is my own recipe of handmade cold process soap scented with Lavender and Patchouli 100% essential oils, which is especially good for dry skin.

Equipment:
· 2 mixing bowls, preferably stainless steel or tempered glass
· A cake mixer or a blender.
· A thermometer, scale and a rubber spatula
· Several measuring cups and spoons
· A microwave or a stove top (clean is good, sterile not necessary)
· Container/mold with cover
· Lots of paper towels
· Rubber gloves and safety glasses

Ingridients:
Olive Oil ~ 7.9 oz (225 g)
Coconut Oil ~ 4.4 oz (125 g)
Rice Bran Oil ~ 1.8 oz (50 g)
Cocoa Butter ~ 1.8 oz (50 g)
Shea Butter ~ 1.8 oz (50 g)
Alkanet root powder 1 ¼ tbs

Lye (3% superfatted) ~ 2.51 oz (71.2 g)
Water ~ 5.3 oz (150 g)

Additives:
Jojoba Oil ~ 0.53 oz (15 g)
Lavender and Patchouli essential oils ~ 0.4 oz (12 g)

Directions:
1. Suit up in safety goggles, gloves and long sleeves.

2. Add the lye to the water. Stir well taking precautions to not breathe in the fumes. Set the mixture to the side and allow it to cool to approximately 110F (~45°C ). You can put the lye water mixture outside if you are not in a well ventilated area.

3. Add all your fats and oils together and melt. Allow them to cool to approximately 110F, or within 5 degrees of the lye water.

Since I only use natural colorants, I had to prepare my Olive oil with Alkanet root powder in advance, hence the deep purple color of my oil mix.

4. Add the lye water mixture to the melted oils, carefully. Stir vigorously until trace occurs. Trace looks like a thin pudding. A stick blender will help speed trace along.

5. At the end of your trace, add extra oils (superfat your soap) and essential oils of your choice.

6. Pour your traced soap mixture into your molds.

7. Pop out after 3 to 5 days, cut it in bars and allow to sit for a full 4 to 6 weeks to cure and finish the saponification process. Recipe yields approximately 4 bars of soap, 4.5 oz (~ 125 g) each.

Van Gogh’s Starry Night - EST Weekly Challenge

2008-08-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

I love our weekly challenges! The original idea came from Kreativlink and the whole point is to motivate us to create new things. I’ve wanted to increase my collection of mandalas for a while but never found the time or just had too many ideas at the same time and couldn't pick one so I gave up on making them. And now, it is a perfect timing! Each week, we have a new challenge and I can finally chose just one idea and execute it.

This week’s challenge, Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” was picked out by Staroftheast.

Vincent Van Gogh "The Starry Night"

The colors of that painting reminded me a Spectrolite, which is is the most valued variety of Labradorite and can display the whole spectrum of colors. I chose a cobalt blue one with a splashes of yellow, orange and a little bit of red and voilà - another mandala :)