Finally a Giveaway!

Hello all! So I have finally got myself motivated to do a giveaway! Yessiree, I am running a contest on my facebook page and the winner will be announced Monday afternoonish and that lucky person will receive ANY item in the dorkorama jewelry ArtFire shop up to $50!! Yeah, Fifty whole bucks! Heck if you get something on the lower price range, you could get two pretties-four if you count the earrings individually ;)
To enter, simply share dorkorama jewelry with a friend on FaceBook, and comment on my page. Pretty sweet, eh? For further temptation I will depart with a few pictures of new items in the shop, all under $50.
<3 Dork

Perfection couldn't be this beautiful

I have this one little Sapphire briolette that I absolutely love. Not a very glamorous looking gem at first, and not what immediately springs to mind when I think of a sapphire. But what I always hope to get across in my jewelry is that there is often something amazing and complex and well, beautiful when you get look past the surface and my coveted little gem is one heck of an example. Here is a picture of it in a necklace I ended up dismantling and never got around to re...um, mantling.

See, it looks ok there, you can see it's facets, it's got a cool steely silvery color, and even some color play. What you can't see, that I just couldn't get in the pictures, is a little bit of rutile inside, and when light passes through and bounces around and off of the rutile within the highly refractive stone it creates an amazing spider web effect! While trying to figure it all out I came across some amazing pictures, this one in particular captured the effect beautifully with a microscope. 

Isn't that crazy? I say leave the flawless stones for someone else, especially with imperfections like that! On second thought, I wouldn't mind the flawless stones too! Til next time, Dork

randomness

I have been watching too much TV lately. But without it, I would never have heard these little gems~the first kinda describes me, the second is morbid and just made me giggle.

"I talk a lot, so I've learned to just tune myself out" - Kelly Kapoor, The Office

While surveying the sight of a mass suicide, Fringe's wacko genius Walter Bishop said, "Like a flash mob. But suicide."

I told ya, random post

Nuh-uh?!?! Sweet vintage goodness!

So yours dorkly was strolling in beautiful burgeoning downtown Bangor the other day when a Store Closing sign caught my attention. The shop, DownEast Coins and Collectibles  is a little tiny shop I had overlooked but I can't resist a sale and they had some pretty blingin' costume jewelry in the window that I thought would be fun to re-purpose.
What I found inside makes me kick myself for not checking it out sooner! Really cool stuff, but it's moving quick!

First, I found a pretty picked over box of used buttons, no surprise, I'm sure the hardcore thrifties snapped them up first. But I still managed to find a few great ones including some old Mother of Pearl ones and a cracked but beautiful jet Victorian mourning button.

Then I came upon the stamps. A few totes overflowed with every variety of postage stamp. I scored an eclectic mix of vintage and newish stamps.

Neat, huh!? I love how many of them are cancelled too. Maybe one was on a love letter, or a Dear John letter, or *gasp* the electric bill.
Even though I haven't been making them as much lately, I instantly thought of domino pendants. I made this one as soon as I got home as a test run, and I definitely will be making more! Hope I don't enrage any philatelists

!

And last, because I was short on time and headed to metalsmithing class (to work on enameling, check the shop!) I didn't get to paw through the jewelry much, but one piece in a case caught my eye, it wasn't almost free like everything else but a decent deal and worth it~an almost flawless vintage, maybe antique, Waltham pocket watch!

The crystal front is missing but otherwise it is in pristine condition, is in a gold filled case, with beautiful textured silver gears, and is on a latching cord, I could add to my belt loop! Or my vest if it was a Vest-y Pant Suit kinda day! I may part with it if I decide to upcycle it into a necklace or something, but for now I'm keepin' it! Makes me feel like a gentleman AND a scholar.
Til next time <3 Dork

Sick of winter sale!!

So right now everything in my artfire shop is 20% off with coupon code sickofwinter. For real! Go Now!

Luck O The Irish!

Check out my new St Patty's Day necklaces!

What better way to show your Irish pride-or at least celebrate St Patrick's day than with a sparkly green onyx shamrock!  Available at Dorkorama Jewelry!

Fierce Philip Treacy

Today I was flipping through the massive March issue of Vogue, when a stunning photo of beautiful flame-haired Karen Elson in the most amazing hat/headpiece/fabulous thing stopped me, check it out-

!!!!!!! Right? It was also Philip Treacy hats that they had to design looks around on the most recent season of Project Runway.

Here are a few of my other favorites,

And last but not least, like any good Mainer I have tro give props to Mr. Treacy for his Lobstah hat!

<3 Dork

Dork goes metal! And an artist you should know...

Exciting news for yours dorkly, I have finally gotten to take a few of those long desired metalsmithing classes! My pal Amanda, is an uber talented silversmith and I have had the chance to spend two afternoons with her learning different things. First class, we made etched copper cuffs! Etching copper and brass is something I have been wanting to do and is a relatively easy and economical process, and the results are pretty much always bad-ass! In the process of making the cuffs I also learned some basics of sawing and cutting metal, and some shaping and forming techniques. And I filed and sanded in more ways than I knew existed. The pieces may look rustic, but they don't feel it!
The end result of that class and the techniques I learned are already popping up in the artfire shop, like these two lovelies:

Night Shift

 

 

Unisex Steampunk Cuff

The second class I worked on pick and chip soldering with a torch. The end result of this class doesn't have the same boo-yah instant gratification, but are also really important basics, and ever since ideas keep popping into my head for projects and then I realize..."Hey, I can probably actually do that!" And I did make myself a pretty snazzy bracelet, with every single link cut, shaped, soldered, pickled, shaped again,and again, and again, and oxidized, by me.

See!
Well, enough about me already! And now for something completely different!

Kindred Images and Creations are imagined and created by a very talented lady just down the road in Brunswick, Maine. Her shop features an eclectic mix of photographic prints captured with a keen eye, delicate, lovely and feminine jewelry, and some super unique steampunk pieces. And to top it off she is also a very informative blogger!
I like too many things in her shop to narrow it down, so this is a bit of a random sampling...

Garnet Chaos Bracelet

Add caption

Definitely worth taking a look around! I never fail to be surprised by her creations.
There's that writers block again~well, at least I got this far! Till next time-Dork

Maine Jewelry and Art Shop

One very exciting piece of news that I haven't shared here yet-Dorkorama jewelry is now available in a new location! In early January the Maine Jewelry and Art shop opened in downtown Bangor, and Dork was chosen as one of their artists! I stole the description from the Facebook page because it says it best, "A gorgeous downtown Bangor gallery featuring the art of over a dozen Maine artists! Jewelry, pottery, fiber arts, painting, sculpture and more. Funky and elegant gifts for everyone, in every budget!"
Everything about the place so far is great, from the location, (96 Harlow st, across from city hall), the amazing artists that sell there, (including my craftylove the Dreaded BagLady!) and especially the three rad ladies who opened it.
Amanda Coburn of Riverside Jewelry Design, Roxanne Munksgaard of Maine Peace Works and Anne Reigstad of Ymir Glass Design are the wonderful and ambitious ladies responsible for opening the shop, and each is also a crazy talented and distinct artist as well.
Amanda makes beautiful, bold sterling silver and copper jewelry, utilizing a variety of skills and techniques, resulting in unique, imaginative jewelry that begs to be worn!

Roxanne, the spitfire behind Maine Peace Works is an inspiring artist who creates lovely jewelry with a variety of gemstones, glass, metals and even hemp. Her thought provoking series of "Broken Peace Pieces" is especially inspiring. She has incredible amber pieces as well!

Anne Reigstad is the creative force behind Ymir Glass Designs. Her dichroic glass creations are out of this world cool! Amazing vivid colors and sparkle from the dichroic coating make her glass pieces one of a kind and versatile.

Pretty fab, eh? I am working on online stalking the other great artists from the Maine Jewelry and Art shop so I can share their great work with you as well. I will leave you with a few of my new pieces, ciao~Dork!

Storm Cloud Necklace

Emerge Necklace

Deep Blue Earrings

slow jams, tear jerkers, and baby makers; the Valentine's Day mixed tape

Well phooey I have not posted in a while, I'll skip the proclamations of my devotion to you readers, and be honest-I really dig you but I'm not great with the whole commitment thing. So even though I have a hand written reminder to blog more often dead center in my eye line at my work space, I will probably still flake =/

But hey, I have been thinking of you, and to show my love, I made you a mixed tape. Well, kinda...
For Valentine's Day this year, I wanted to design pieces that were not cliched or too theme-y. I run into this with each holiday, I hate the thought of a pretty bauble only being worn once a year. I wanted them to have some sort of meaning besides "It's Pink".
My favorite gifts from a loved one, or one you hope to love is a music mix. I am not a purist and against a mixed CD, but to me the mixed tape is just so much more iconic, and cool!

Once I got this idea for the Mixed tape collection in my head, ideas were coming faster than I could write or sketch them out. I asked my friends and family, and my facebook fans for their top picks. It's great how I have gotten to hear so many people's stories of what their favorite love song is, and the reasons why. It's really a surprising commonality among everyone, AM radio soft rock shmaltz gets to us all, one minute we are going about our day, and suddenly you are lost in thought, misty and nostalgic to the tune of Night Ranger's "Sister Christian".
Six unique pieces have been created and listed so far, with hopefully more to come! A big snowy agate druzy piece invokes the classic song "Baby It's Cold Outside" from almost 70 years ago,  to the more contemporary White Stripes "In The Cold Cold Night" with an edgy cluster of sexy gems!

And to spread a little more love, everything in the Dorkorama shop on ArtFire is 15% off until January 31st! Have a look around, maybe something has been made, inspired by you and your love's special song!

"In Your Eyes" Necklace 

Inspired by The Beatles "All You Need is Love"

Ciao my lovelies! <3 Dork

Unexpected SurprisesI

Howdy folks~it's gonna be a quick one, hate to blog and bolt but I am in full on production mode for the holiday shopping season and also Dorkorama jewelry will be in a new store opening right here in Bangor, Maine in our ever growing downtown, Maine Jewelry and Art. So, not much time for blogging, but I promise in the January holiday hangover in the frozen tundra of Maine there is nothing to do but blog!
Hearing about the new store carrying dork gear was such an unexpected and wonderful surprise much like (weak segue,sorry) these amazing garden quartz beads I came across. Or maybe rutile quartz. Also I think technically phantom quartz. Sometimes trying to sort out the stones makes me more confused. BUT the point is how unexpectedly amazing and interesting and lovely these beads are. I just needed to share! So with pics I peace out. Til the next time~Dork

Ice Age

  

Ice Age

Cyber Monday Sale,

Oh golly gee dorkblog followers I have been a bad blogger!I have been having a sale in my shop for quite a bit and I don't think I mentioned it. Today for Cyber Monday I am offering freeshipping to US and Canada if you use the code 'holiday' and 15% off until midnight tonight!
AND, because I neglected you my wonderful blog followers, if you send me a message mentioning the blog I will enclose a free gift! I will try to make it a little something to go along with your purchase or if nothing fits one of my handmade glass or scrabble tile pendants! What a bargain. So go! Quick! Shop! <3 Dork

 

Swiss Blue Topaz

 

Ice Floe

 

Orbital

 

Peace on Earth

So what is....rutilated and tourmalinated quartz?

If you are a dork follower, of either this blog or a Dorkorama jewelry customer, you are probably used to seeing some of the unique stones I love to use, but maybe you are wondering, "whattheheckisthat?" I am going to attempt to answer that question, in the easiest, least convoluted way possible. I am not a gemstone expert by any stretch of the imagination, so I may make mistakes here, I am open to learning.! Please feel free to let me know.
Today i am going to focus on Gold and Copper Rutilated Quartz and Tourmalinated Quartz.. Normally quartz, are preferrable if they are  free of inclusions and usually it's pureness, transparency, and color (smoky, lemon, yaddayadda) determine the quality and the name. The stones I love most throw those old rules out the window. Rutilated Quartz, and Tourmalinated Quartz both are enhanced by what is included within them. The clearness and clarity are still desirable, but mostly to enhance the visibility of the inclusions.

Rutilated Quartz or Rutile Quartz: Also called Venus Hair Stone and Cupid's Darts. Quartz is the most abundant mineral on earth, and when it meets another mineral, sometimes they will hit it off and in Jersey Shore terms "Get it in". When this happens and it's icky, we call it an inclusion and it makes the stone less desirable.
But when it is titanium dioxide it is called Rutile and also can be really freakin' gorgeous. The color can vary from gold to orange and copper red. It will usually be listed as either Gold or Copper Rutilated Quartz depending on the color or if mixed by the dominant one or simply called mixed rutile quartz.

Mixed Rutile, Sterling Silver Suspension Necklace

Copper Rutilated 14K Gold-filled Necklace

Oxidized Sterling Silver Gold Rutile Quartz Necklace

A friend and I recently were pondering why they have stopped calling them venus hair stone, it sounds so lovely! But then we thought of the venus hair razor for ladies, and how it even come in gold, red and black, just like leg hair! The black hairs are of course,

Tourmalinated Quartz is kind of easy to pick apart once you understand what rutilated quartz is. Tourmalinated meaning that the inclusions within the quartz are black tourmaline. This one shares the same nicknames as the others, it only varies by what is inside. I absolutely LOVE this stone. It's bold black splashes and spikes never fail to inspire me. It is so graphic, and yet abstract. Even the lower grade stuff, normally the B or C grade with snowy opaque crystal still looks super cool! It also goes so well with the antiqued silver I love!

Interconnect Necklace, Tourmalinated Quartz Sterling Silver

Blizzard Necklace, Tourmalinated Quartz Oxidized Sterling

Tourmalinated Quartz Earrings-KA-POW

 Well there! We learned something and I worked in some shameless promotion, not bad! Now with your new knowledge you can discuss the difference between the two and make strangers think you are a professor or something! Next time I will get into the Mossy's Moss Amethyst and Moss Aquamarine! And hey we only had one mention of Snooki! <3 Dork