Featured Artist Jeweler on Pacific NW Handmade: BluKatDesign on Etsy

BluKatDesign featured on Pacific NW Handmade! Necklaces, earrings, button magnets, ornaments and hair sicks

 

Featured Artist/Jeweler on Pacific NW Handmade:

BluKatDesign on Etsy

By Heather O’Cain, BluKatDesign

So proud to announce my work is featured on this beautiful new facebook page, Pacific NW Handmade! Click on the photo to take you to the article with all of my social media links and Etsy shop! This site is currently looking for artists to feature. I love the idea of connecting with artists in my area and seeing their work. If you are not from the Pacific NW, check out the following for your area:

Rocky Mountain Handmade   Midwest Handmade   North East Handmade   South East Handmade   South West Handmade

 

Are you an artist that needs some free publicity, love to network with other artists or do you love finding new handmade artists? Comments welcomed!

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Extra Special Valentines Gift Ideas for Her, Handmade with Love

Valentines Gift Ideas for Her, Handmade with Love

By BluKatDesign on Etsy

Need some unique extra special Valentine’s gift ideas she will love? Handmade gifts are the best because they are handmade with love! Check out my Etsy store, BluKatDesign for hundreds of unique gift ideas. The following are just a few of my favorites. A one-of-a-kind heart ornament would be a great choice for a romantic vintage lover. These ornaments are made with vintage cookie cutters, vintage keys, scrap papers and some come with matching boxes. She surely would treasure these forever:

Valentines gift ornament with box

 

Lacy Valentine’s Day gift ornament

Vintage cookie cutter heart ornament and box for Valentine’s Day

 

Having a nice romantic dinner at home?  Add a nice touch with this wine charm angel made from a cork:

 

Wine charm angel make from a wine cork!

 

Of course, jewelry always make a great gift. BluKatDesign specializes unique handmade jewelry. Hearts are romantic and special for Valentine’s Day or any day:

 

Sparkly heart necklaces are perfect for Valentine’s Day!

 

Heart earrings made from an old Rosary

 

See more Ideas for Valentines Day, Check out BluKatDesign on facebook:

 

Are you feeling crafty? Check out my tutorial on making nail polish glitter pendants or magnets:

Valentines Day DIY Glitter Heart Pendants or Magnets Tutorial

 

Find more Valentine’s Day Ideas here on Pinterest:

What kind of Valentine’s Day gifts do you love to give or receive? Comments welcomed.

The Best Polyvore Alternative for Fashion Lovers and Bloggers, Etsy Sellers

 

The Best Polyvore Alternative for Fashion Lovers and Bloggers, Etsy Sellers

By BluKatDesign on Etsy

 

Early last year the very popular fashion Social Media site Polyvore was sold and shut down suddenly. This  left a lot of us fashion lovers, bloggers and Etsy sellers who loved this platform  without the ability to make sets by clipping favorite articles of clothing or accessories. There were some sites that claimed the would get a “clipper” soon or phone apps that kind of worked but are a pain to use. Then I stumbled across URSTYLE, so far I have found this site to work almost identical as Polyvore! I only wish we could find our followers and favorite designers now! Click on photos to take you to URSTYLE and for set details:

See some of my old Polyvore sets here:

How To Wear Upcycled Vintage Jewelry For A Modern Look

How to be Edgy and Bold With Accessories

Do you miss Polyvore and much as I do? I think this is by far the best alternative and hope to see you there! Do you know of any other sites? Comments welcomed!

Two Creative and Simple Gift Wrapping Ideas

Creative gift wrapping ideas using an ornament

 

By BluKatDesign on Etsy

 

Even some of us creative types have a hard time wrapping presents!   I like to use decorative bags, so easy you just wrap the items in tissue then toss in a bag and tie a bow! To make it more special you can repurpose on old ornament or buy a special handmade ornament from BluKatDesign on Etsy and find a fancy a fancy tag! Last year I discovered boxes with prints like the one pictured above, these make wrapping so simple!

 

Tie a special ornament from BluKatDesign on Etsy and a nice tag to a bag for a special gift

 

Repurposed cookie cutter ornament

 

For smaller gifts, simple paper punches make from old Christmas cards or wrapping paper make festive decorations on gift boxes:

 

Gift boxes from BluKatDesign on Etsy

 

Find more ideas here on my Pinterest board: Gift Wrapping and Packaging

 

 

Like what you see? Do you have any tips on gift wrapping! Comments welcome

O Christmas Tree: Nostalgic Upcycle With Vintage Cookie Cutters and Old Christmas Cards

O Christmas Tree: Nostalgic Upcycle With Vintage Cookie

Cutters and Old Christmas Cards

 

By BluKatDesign on Etsy

I have an obsession with Christmas ornaments, I love collecting and and making them so this year I decided to make more and sell them in my Etsy store! I received a set of vintage cookie cutters from my mother-in-law and since I save my Christmas cards I was able to make this gorgeous set (learn how to make them too!) here: Christmas Crafts: Vintage Cookie Cutter Ornaments DIY  Now I am loving making these and plan on adding more styles of ornaments  and vintage jewelry trees next year! The following ornaments are available now and can be on your tree in 3 days: (click on photos to take you to my Etsy store)

 

Set of 5 rustic vintage copper cookie cutter ornaments

 

 

Vintage inspired ornaments made with old Christmas cards

 

Cookie cutter ornament set of 4 with birds and berries

 

 

Repurposed vintage ornament set of 5 in blue

 

These ornaments are great for a vintage or rustic Christmas theme or a classic Christmas tree. They add a nostalgic charm to any style tree and will last for years to come!  Get them in sets five, four and threes now and singles will be available soon! In addition to ornaments, I specialize in unique and one-of-a-kind handmade artisan and upcycled jewelry so be sure to check out my Etsy store for special gifts!

 

Love ornaments too? Follow my board on Pinterest: Christmas Ornamants

Like what you are seeing here? Should I make more? Comments welcome…

Christmas Crafts: Vintage Cookie Cutter Ornaments DIY

 

 

By Heather O’Cain, artist/upcycler at BluKatDesign on Etsy

 

Do you love a vintage Christmas theme?  My style is sleek modern but for Christmas I love the vintage charm! I got an early start this year in making Christmas decorations, I just finished a fabulous vintage jewelry Christmas tree last week!  I received most of the vintage jewelry and these cookie cutters from my late mother-in-law.  For making the ornaments, you will need some old Christmas cards or sheet music, pearl strands or lace, vintage jewelry, charms, flowers, ribbon, gold cord for hanging and a glue gun!

 

Make ornaments using cookie cutters, paper flowers, ribbon, vintage beads and old Christmas cards

 

Trace around the cutter on the card, then make your cut slightly inside the line

 

Hot glue the Christmas card inside the cutter then glue vintage beads and paper flowers, I may add glitter later…

Tie a cord around the handle on the back and hot glue a ribbon bow!

 

Assemblage ornament

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vintage cookie cutter ornaments

Usually I don’t get a chance to make Christmas decorations until AFTER Christmas. These were easy and quick to make so I could fit them in with all my jewelry making this year. Not sure when the tree will go up but it will be after Thanksgiving!

 

NOW AVAILABLE ON ETSY: Handmade vintage cookie cutter ornaments

 

For more Vintage Christmas ideas see my board on Pinterest: Vintage Christmas

Do you love the Vintage theme for Christmas? Do you love making ornaments? Comments welcome!

DIY Christmas Crafts: Vintage Jewelry Tree Cone Decoration

Vintage Jewelry Christmas Tree

DIY Christmas Crafts: Vintage Jewelry Tree Cone Decoration

 

Have some vintage jewelry or old costume jewelry you never wear? Well, this is a great project for you! Since I collect vintage jewelry for my handmade upcycled jewelry business, BluKatDesign, I had a big collection of beautiful Christmas brooches from my mother-in-law, some not-so-nice or broken pieces and a few strands of pearls and beads that were not usable for my jewelry making but nice enough for this project. You can find great deals at estate sales and if you are lucky, eBay! For the cone tree form, you can use a styrofoam one but I found a heavy cardboard cone with green velvet for 50% off at Joann’s, which is cheaper and sturdier than the styrofoam!

Tools & Materials:

vintage and old brooches, earrings, bracelets and necklaces

strands of pearls and beads

loose beads and pearls

pins

hot glue gun & glue

Christmas tree cone, this one is 16″, see pic below:

 

 

I arranged the brooches on the cone to see what it would look like first

 

I pinned the good brooches without using glue so they could be removed in the future if necessary and then used a hot glue gun for the rest. For filler, I made bead clusters using stands of vintage pearls (6 beads) and gluing them in a circle to scrap fabric and top with a bigger bead in the center and cutting them out when cooled:

 

 

I then used pins to fill any more spaces with beads and pearls.  This is how it turned out:

 

 

 

 

I really love how sparkly and elegant it looks. I think it would make a great centerpiece for a dinner table. This project was fairly simple but sometimes it was difficult pinning the brooches. It is so much easier to pin them to clothing than to this cone!  I cheated a couple times and tacked the stubborn ones with a bit of glue. I have seen these trees done with buttons too! The coolest thing about this project I did it BEFORE Christmas!

See more DIY Christmas crafts here: Button Crafts: DIY Christmas Wreath and Ornaments

 

Do you do Christmas crafts? What is your favorite thing to make? Like the idea of a vintage jewelry tree? Comments welcome!