bye bye, little muffintop!

so i finally did it - in the wee hours of the morning, my sweet little muffintopdesigns shop was renamed.  i am now "the lovely smith".  while i've been trying on that name for a while and it definitely is the ONE, i am very sad to be saying goodbye to the muffintop.  new business cards have been ordered, a new etsy banner uploaded, a heartsy deal on deck and now i'm looking at revamping my packaging.  i have kept my 'colours' - it was my intention to maintain my current palette, knowing that i was eventually going to take the plunge, and hopefully it will help with the transition.  i am going to keep my blog and twitter accounts the way they are, just because i'm not ready to completely let go yet.  and really, the "muffintop" is still a part of me.

this has been a long time coming.  i think there will be a period of mourning, but i am still quite excited.  i think that moving in this direction will free me to think a little more outside the box - and better describe what i do now.  the lovely julie already refers to me as TLS - so funny but yet it was kind of the push that i needed to click the button to change my name on etsy.

thanks, little muffintop.  i will always love you!  (now i have to re-register my business name when ServiceOntario opens.  crap, i hope no one has taken it yet...)

Read more...

still thinking about the name change...

 i am still thinking about renaming my shop.  even though i am horribly relucant to let go of the "muffintop" (the one i possess in real life, not so much, sigh!) i really do feel like i should.  i know that julie and L doth protest much, and M likes the muffin stamp i designed ages ago and still use on my packaging, but i think that "jewelry by muffin top designs" does not look professional as a byline on the fashion pages of InStyle.  not that i'd ever get there, but a girl can dream, can't she?  i also seem to get a lot of web traffic to my blog and my shop by people searching for things like "muffin top jewelry" or "muffin top shop".  can i give that up?  i don't know.

anyhow, the latest name i am enamored with is "TheLovelySmith".  (i wiki-ed the definition of "smith" - here it is.)  i can envision a handcrafted wooden sign hanging outside a small, thatched roof studio cottage in the forest and me hammering over an open flame.  kind of dorky and sappy, huh?  i do kind of feel badly referring to myself as "lovely" (self-esteem is not my strong point, obviously) but it just FITS for some reason.  i don't know if i can parlay the muffin into a lovely smith, but maybe this is what i've been looking for?

Read more...

omg. the reality of changing my name.

so today, etsy rolled out to shop owners the ability to change your shop name.  i can do it, but only once.  and i am still debating with myself whether or not to change it.  i am nostalgic about the muffin top legacy (ha ha ha) and am reluctant to lose all the marketing that i have done over the past 4+ years.  however, i feel that "muffintop" does not truly represent the work that i do now and really have been seriously throwing around ideas for names. 

they are as follows:

solder & flux
solder & burn
metallique
tumbled
rock silver hammer
pyrograph (it means writing with fire - how cool! but is it too close to pyromaniac?)
sterling & solder
torch & burn (i don't know why i like names with "&" in it but i do and this is my shop)
evolved/evolve/evolutionary (no, the words individually, not with the slashes in between)
or just my last name - rainville

this "short list" is so not a short list.  i'm torn.  this is a once in a lifetime change and i don't want to make a misstep.  because i've made quite a few in my lifetime, LOL.  sigh.

Read more...

size isn't everything.

i don't know why i never thought of this in the first place, but i'm presenting the small size of my wishbone argentium sterling silver open hoop earrings.  small, but powerful.  seriously.

Read more...

going postal.

but not in the way you might think.  (although, some days, quite tempting...)  i've been wanting to make earrings with posts FOREVER, but was afraid that my soldering technique and tendency to be heavy handed with the torch would just melt the fragile little slivers of silver and become merely an exercise in frustration.  however i had some leftover bezel posts that i realized i was never going to use so i snipped them off and soldered them onto these free form oversized sterling hoops.  there was no melting!  just a little struggling to make sure the placement of the posts were correct and voila!   after a couple of hours in the tumbler and with the addition of some sweet sterling butterfly backings and they were done.  i am going to test-drive them today and see how they hold up to the rigors of court and a team meeting at the office.

hmmmm... the design possibilities are endless...

(postscript 7:24am - okay, seriously, these look WAY better on than in the pictures. plus they are light and easy to wear!!!!)

Read more...

the heartsy deal continues!

my heartsy deal (http://heartsy.me/shops/6308-muffin-top-designs ) is only on for one more day!  seriously, it is a huge discount and i'm running ahead of schedule on some orders!  thank you again, heartsy!

Read more...

i am in love. more hearts.

sterling silver open freeform heart on an 18" slightly oxidized, rolo-type chain. i like this more than the bangle. (sorry, julie!)

thoughts?

Read more...

more hearts.

sterling silver bangle with three hearts - one 14K gold filled, one rose gold filled and one sterling.  not sure if i'm 100% sold on this one... but it sure is delicate and lovely.  thoughts?

Read more...

we are in love.

the result of some late-night wranglings with the torch and precious metals.  my 'we are in love' ring -  totally delicate and lovely.  silky sterling silver matched with a rose gold filled rustic handformed heart.  bangle and earring designs to come as well - thank you, julie ellyn for the midnight BBM support & inspiration!!!!

Read more...

rings.

i am extremely proud of this stacking set - a custom order for a fabulous client.  twisted, beaded, half round and skinny stackers all combine perfectly.  yup, i'm showing them off.  gorgeous, right????

Read more...

hammering away.

i have been off for the last little while from the day job, and have been mulling (more like hammering out) over ideas on how to expand the whole jewelry design business.  i've been cleaning out my workspace (yes, i still have much of my crafting stuff in boxes.  i'm slow, eh?)  and sorting and seeing what i have in stock, hoping it will inspire me to make some new things. 

i have had the opportunity to participate in three marketing ventures, and i am hoping it will help gain some needed publicity.  the first is a project by the fabulous sugarchills called 10xNine.  you have to check it out - i am featured in this wonderful collection.  we are tempting entrants with a $90 gift card to any of the shops included in this treasury!  there is also a discount code while the feature runs - if you use the coupon code 10xNine, you can get 10% off anything you purchase from the shops featured!

etsy has also rolled out an ad project - it's still in its infancy but of course i had to jump on the bandwagon.  you can check out the write up/explanation here.  similar to google ads or the ads on facebook, shops can choose to purchase "impressions" for a minimal cost.  i started with their $5 for 5000 impressions, and am hoping that it will bring some more traffic to my shop.  any attention is good attention, right?  mine starts today, so let's see what happens.  i haven't had much luck with the showcase ads, but perhaps this is a better way to invest my advertising dollars.

last but definitely not least, my second heartsy deal will be going live next thursday (next wednesday for VIPs!)  i am not going to disclose the discount this time, but let's just say it's bigger and better.  *wink*.  so go sign up!!!!

Read more...

curvaceous. (not me, the earrings!)

i've been working on some decidedly curvy designs lately, and these are ones that have passed muster.  (my workspace is littered with remnants of copper and silver wire!)  these are lovely, with a little bit of a punky edge to them, but still quite feminine.  almost like a question mark, these are lightweight and seriously fabulous.  and, like all of my other open hoops (yes, i know i am using the term "hoop" quite loosely but i don't care) these are made of reclaimed sterling silver.  eco-friendly and cool!  seriously.

(not being very curvaceous, it might be the case that i'm living vicariously through these earrings.  sigh.)

Read more...

working. and not working.

 i have been blissfully off work for a week.  while it was planned vacation time, i find that it has served more of a stress leave than a vacation.  it's so amazing how spending time with your kid and family can really make the awfulness of work stress seem far away.  i know that when i go back on tuesday (yay, long holiday weekend!) things will start up again, but i'm hoping that i will be rested - and zen - enough to handle it all.  i'm thinking that september really can't be any worse than august was!

that being said, i also have been working on new jewelry offerings... i knew the time off would be good for my brain!  so check out the thick sinple 14K gold filled band (first picture) and this marvelous (if i do say so myself!) wedding ring stacking set!  matching a recycled "diamond" solitare with a beaded band and plain stacking ring, this is just fabulous.  alternative, yes.  romantic, even more so.  and an indication of more designs to come. 

Read more...

harvest wedding - a treasury!

how could i not be totally honoured to be included in this lovely treasury? my rose gold knot ring shines among these beautiful picks. makes me want to have a wedding.

Read more...

a picture says a thousand words.

i've been working on my product photography lately - any online shopper will tell you that photos of your items are crucial.  for me, the pictures speak volumes and i would like to think that my photos give an idea of what my creations look like.  it's hard for me to want to purchase something that has been taken on a bedspread with a flash (and sometimes the time and date stamp, no less!) no matter how wonderful the item is. 

i have had to get used to our new house and new lighting conditions, since natural light is my favorite and this house is oriented oppositely (yeah, i don't know if that's a real word, but this is my blog so who cares?) than our old one.  the paint the previous owners had in the living room was a creamy, buttery yellow (did somebody say that 70's show?) that cast a horrible reddish tone on every jewelry photo i took.  now that we've gone with a more neutral taupe, it's totally changed for the better.  who knew it would make such a big difference! 

Read more...

little buds (of creativity).

this weekend, i grabbed some time to put some orders together - and realized i hadn't fired up my torch in a week.  A WEEK!  i don't think that that has happened in a very long time, but recently it has felt that things have been moving a mile a minute (i.e. renovations, entering an apartment after evicting someone and being attacked by fleas, working about 10 hours overtime, and being robbed) and there has been no time to stop and melt anything.  it actually made me a little bit sad because i know that taking a few minutes to make something - or even sketch or research a new design or technique - really helps me center myself.

after everything was resting nicely in the acid bath, i cut some 18 gauge wire and got to making it molten for my new stacking ring design.  based on my open bud hoop earrings (i'm still wearing mine!) these rings are a perfect match!  each of them have a lovely organic feel to them, with a unique texture and look to each of them.  i am a huge fan of artistic randomness, or happy artsy accidents, and because i really don't have much control over the whole melting process, i love how it all turned out.  they are delicate and earthy and modern all at the same time - and also perfect worn individually, or in a huge stack with plain skinny bands.  i think i'm in love!  (again.)

Read more...

itty bitty earrings. swoon.

so i've been licking my wounds and am now determined to hone my hoop earring technique.  and i've started making these miniscule, diminuitive, tiny little hoops.  totally awesome.  and great for those gals - like me - with multiple piercings. i have 3 pairs in now and they are just great.  lightweight, shiny, and - the best part - made of reclaimed silver!  now that is swoon-worthy!

Read more...

the open hoop. again.

 yes.  i am obsessed.  the idea of the open hoop earring is floating through my brain all the time lately (that and that darned katy perry song "california girls" - the mini is crazy over it and we've listened to it about 50 times in the last two days - don't ask) - probably because i have about 10 feet of gorgeous, reclaimed sterling silver sitting on my worktable and i can't stop myself from fooling around with it.  (oops.  that sounds kind of dirty.)  i just pulled these babies out of the tumbler and i think they are my new favorites.  they are a larger version than the ones i made earlier this week and are more along the lines of my "wishbone" earrings.  they are lightweight and just full of silvery shiny goodness - the little rustic balled ends are also a nice design element, i think.

i had asked my friend julie for her feedback on the earlier version and she said that she preferred the "wishbone" design rather than the crossover.  (like L, julie has impeccable taste and is a fantastic model for my jewelry - not the mention the inspiration behind the original mini open hoops)  and i think i have to agree.  i'm loving the more improvised, informal shape of these, as well as the softer lines and rounder forms.  i think that i'm going to make myself a killer iTunes playlist, melt a little metal, and go a little larger with the next set of earrings. 

hmmmm.  stay tuned for more.  i'm psyched.

Read more...

open hoops.

lately i've been thinking of other design possibilities for the 'open hoop'.  i have found that for someone accident-prone like i am, that these types of earrings seem to be the best choice.  not only are they lightweight and easy to wear, but they are less likely to fall out or be pulled out of shape (or out of my ear) by a small toddler.  i also love the organic look obtained by melting the end of the wire into a little ball and these on the right encompass all of those qualities.  i like the modern, linear quality of these - kind of a like a little punctuation mark for your ears (or maybe a safety pin?  punk throwback, much?) can't beat that, now can you? 

Read more...

good bookkeeping. (and no, that doesn't describe me)

i am sooo not a bookkeeper.  or accountant.  despite the fact that a lot of my real job has to do with money and spreadsheets, i'm really an artist deep down.  which means i am numerically challenged.  (but don't tell my boss that)  i finally had some time to sit down and sift through the heartsy voucher information from two weeks ago - initially i had been keeping great records (yay me!) at what vouchers had been redeemed and what balances were left over, if any - but as orders came in and then the strike happened, well, let's just say i got a little derailed.  so i used the heartsy csv feature and imported my voucher information into an excel spreadsheet and cross referenced with my etsy account.

(for all you sellers thinking about running a heartsy feature - take it from me and keep on top of your vouchers from the get go.  then you'll save yourself the trouble of sitting down for a couple of hours digging through everything.  heartsy has a fabulous csv export feature.  use it.)

so far, there have been 39 out of 75 vouchers redeemed (or partially redeemed).  not bad, seeing as how over the past 12 days i've been able to get almost all orders made, tumbled and packed.  the only delay has been the canada post strike (which is now OVER and the mail gets moving on tuesday!  thank you, L, for the txt message updates).  not too shabby!  (and also means i have to go on a supply run for sterling but oh well.  like shopping for precious metal is a bad thing.)  and i feel organized.  at least for today.

Read more...