Meet reclaimed NJ!

I met this most amazing artist a few years ago.  Ben Wurst proudly creates cherished objects from salvaged wood.  An avid outdoorsman, naturalist, artist and photographer, Ben puts it all together with his woodworking. From simple rustic ornaments to tables, they are all carefully crafted with masterful details.

Rather than trying to rewrite his story, I will just send to to read what he says very well in his Etsy shop.

If you love nature and discovering the wonder in simple treasures, you will love what Ben creates.


View his website and blog here.

Shop local, Jersey style!

Just a little reminder to shop local. You'll make a difference to a real person, who may just be your neighbor!

Creative Horizons

I know a wonderful group of very creative jewelry artisans on Etsy, the JET team. We love helping each other grow our businesses. One of the discussions lately has been about expanding our creative horizons. To think "out side the box" of our usual style, and challenge ourselves to make something new and different. This idea was inspired by several of our members who are always expanding their skills by exploring new a different crafts .

One of these shops is EmotionalOasis.  You will find everything in this shop from beautiful beaded and wire work jewelry designs, to the fantastic fused glass game boards. Here is just one of them.

JemsbyJBandCompany decided to explore the word of fashion and created this very feminine necklace. It  features genuine rose quartz, crystals and pearls on a beautiful silver tone chain.

Peg of AbacusBeadCreations is a prolific artist who must eat, sleep and dream about beads.  Her shop is chock full of wonderful designs for women, and she is branching out to making unisex designs that are great for men as well as women.

Always the adventurer, Nicolle of SilverCanyons loves to try new skills. You will find only a few items in her shop, but a huge variety of designs and techniques, from beaded sterling silver, to enameling and casting.  I really love this textured sterling silver ring.


My challenge was to return to doing extreme fashion design. I love making jewelry that can be worn any day, any time. So to make a bold statement item was a bit of fun.  I found some beautiful vintage lamp crystals in a stunning shade of blue. And look what happened!

 There is so much to see it you search the tag "jetteam" when you visit Etsy.  From earrings to handbags and fused glass, you will be amazed at the wealth of designs you will find.  You can read more about the Jewelry Esty team here.

The Winter Challenge

Welcome to the EtsyNJ Team Tuesday blog hop! This is our very first edition.
Here in the Northeast, some weeks we are are stuck in out homes for days on end... too much snow, or rain, or too cold, too windy.
It can be a real challenge if you have children to keep them away from the boredom monster.  Here are a few fun items I've found on Etsy that may help you win the battle.

The Enchanted Cupboard is full of great wooden playthings... And there are dolls and playsets for girls AND boys. Check out the astronaut !

How about some crochet or knit playthings? There are many shops you can visit: Made by Melissa,  Creations by Danielle, Chimera,  and Snoodle Studio just to name a few.
If your children are creative and love crafting, be sure to visit DribsNDrabs for scrapbooking supplies.
Remember, shop local, shop handmade!

Garnets for January

Garnets have been used in jewelry from the ancient times. The most familiar color is deep red, but they may range from red to yellow, green and black. There is even a rare variety which changes color throughout the day! Garnets are rumored to help with business success and protect travelers. Garnet has been known as a stone of purity and truth as well as a symbol of love and compassion.

But lets' talk about the jewelry here. You can find lots of beautiful garnet jewelry from the JET team on Etsy.

First, some beautiful earrings from Sending Love Gallery. Sterling silver with rhodolite garnets and fresh water pearls. A sweet and simple design!

In a more romantic mode,  these sterling silver filagree earrings  from the Brass Hussy will make you feel feminine and flirty!

Lastly, I'll show you a lovely stacking ring in sterling silver in my shop. But don't stop looking here! Head over to Etsy and search the tags "jetteam, garnet" under "Handmade". You'll find dozens of beautiful jewelry creations to fulfill your garnet cravings.

Reclaim, Repurpose Creative!

Two of the shops participating in the OM Baby show specialize in reclaiming and repurposing items, creating unique one of a kind objects quite different from the original materials.

Kecia says of her shops:
Lemoncholy's Studio (keeshagirl4.etsy.com and lemoncholys.com) practices the 4 R's: recycle, reclaim, reinvent and then re imagined. i am a mixed media and jewelry artist and i like to take vintage castaway items and turn them into modern, exciting edgy pieces. All my jewelry pieces are one of a kind, never to be duplicated using such items as a vintage sterling silver teething ring to an old German porcelain doll. You'll see lots of texture and opposing elements such as rust and rhinestones. I feel my pieces all have a story to tell with their humble history.
Claire Baker has a wide variety of products in her shops. She is eco-friendly in her repurposed products- from cardboard wallets to plarn totes, as well are beautiful sewn market bags. You can see her creations at Copabanas on Etsy and at 1000 Markets



These are just two of the fabulous creaive shops that will be participating in the OM Baby show on July 11! Don't miss this great opprotunity to shop.