shop feature: GENTLEMANSEMPORIUM

Every so often I like to do a shop feature. This shop is super cute and unique...she has stuff for GUYS!! Rose spent years in Italy and now lives in Florida. I love her favorite quote and I can't wait to make the super authentic Italian recipe she shared!   

Tell us about you!

Hi! My name is Rose Fieldhouse, and yes: I am a crafter.  

Tell us about your shop!

My GENTLEMANSEMPORIUM was opened because one day my mother-in-law gave me an old jewelry box. She said she would never do anything with the items in it. I opened that box and memories of yester-year flooded back. I did some on-line research and found out that because of sites like Etsy, with sellers promoting their vintage items and shows like Mad Men bringing the Style back in to the public's eye, it just felt right!
My father is retired from the Navy and I can remember so vividly when he was not at sea, he was home with us and watching TV. I was forever exposed to the world of the Rat Pack, Carol Burnett and The Lucy Show, old Hollywood movies, The Ed Sullivan Show, TV shows like Get Smart ~ The way women and men dressed, to me was ...the way it should be. I find myself, now, looking at the way women and men dress and ask myself: 'What happened?" and I feel as if we just got lazy. Because it is easier to throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and say 'yeah, it's ok. that's how everyone else is dressing'....but OH! A Lady in a dress, with pumps and hair done up right - NICE; and a man in a suit, tie, shiny shoes - NICE and SEXY!

Where in Florida do you live?
I live in the most beautiful city ever! After I finished high school I was given the opportunity to move to Italy and live in Rome for 13 years. What a wonderful experience! But now I have moved home to St. Augustine, Florida and I really would not want to be anywhere else! I married the true love of my life and I am able to live near my family. I am home.

You lived in Rome for 13 years! Tell us about that!

A most wonderful experience! I consider myself extremely lucky to have had that opportunity. My mother's sister is a Nun in Rome and right after high school we were visiting and the hostel that the nuns ran was in need of a hire-in to help with room service, cooking, etc. and they kidded with me saying "you should stay!" ....so I did. After a year of working as a live-in with them I decided to move out and find another job (quite frankly it was hard to get a date when I told the guys that I had to be in at 10:00 at the Nun's place!). I found an appartment living with 4 other girls - German, Moroccan, Austrian and Roman (Now THAT was a mixture of culture that all of us learned from! ) and after a year of odd jobs I finally found my place working as Assistant to a Notary (which in Italy is much more like a lawyer). He was a kind and helpful man that put up with my American ways and gave me a dictionary so that I could rapidly learn!

How has your time in Europe impacted you and your creativity?

Living on my own, right after high school and for the first time on my own budget, forced me to learn to be self-sufficient and resourcefull. If I couldn't afford a gift I would make one; Instead of spending ridiculous amounts to decorate I would create my own art work; if home repair was needed I taught myself to do it; when I couldn't spend more money on clothes I would take what I had and re-invent it.

What is it about being creative that you enjoy?

I simply hate waste. Taking objects that are already around and giving them new life just seems natural. Our ancestors had to learn how to use the materials available to survive, yet we are often too easy to throw something away if it does not work...or to run to the store and just buy something because we think we 'need' it.

Do you have any Etsy shops you love?

Redmarionette. Her creations are simply adorable, you can see the love and care that go into her work.

Why should people buy handmade?

We need to get back in touch with our culture. All of us have 'somewhere' our families are from and somewhere along the line the women were sewing, knitting, cooking, weaving, while the men were farming, carving, building, welding... appreciating these skills for what they are: art forms, is a step in the right direction to get us grounded again.

Why is recycling important to you?

I grew up listening to my mother tell stories of being a little girl and going to the house of the village seamstress to wait for her to sweep her house, when she swept the debris out the door my mother was able to pick out pieces of string that she had discarded. My mother would then use that string to sew pieces of rags together to make dresses for her dolls.

And I flash forward to today - bigger scale - and I see, first hand, people that throw away perfectly good things because they 'don't like it anymore' . There are people who are forced to live without yet there are people that choose to waste. Does this make sense to anyone?!?

Where does your interest in Vintage and Antiques come from?

Appreciating vintage/antiques may be considered, by many, to be a pricey hobby. But let's look at it more as a way to recycle - repurpose - re-use what is already here on earth amongst us. A way to do our part and be green. It is so easy to think that you need a new set of silverware just because you lost one of the forks - are the rest of the forks you have not good now? Or better yet - break out that silverware that is sitting in the attic. It's only precious to someone that wants it. Be the one that wants it!

What other interests do you have?
My wonderful husband and I started a Boy Scout Troop when our son crossed over from Cub Scouts and now that he and his friends have earned Eagle we have started the Venture Crew, which is co-ed! We enjoy the time we spend learning together with the kids and I am very happy to be a part of that!

What do you do for fun?

My husband, son and I are Disney fanatics. Whenever we get a chance we go! We often have to plan it in to our schedule, but we happily try to make it there once every 2 months or so. Our next trip will be for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on Halloween! We are going as Thor, Loki and Sif! I am making the costumes ...of course!

Everybody loves food... Do you have a favorite recipe (maybe one you brought home from Italy!) that you would like to share?

A simple dish, Pasta alla Siciliana - Saute about 4 garlic cloves in a little olive oil with as much red chilies as you can handle, then add fresh tomatoes  (or a 28oz can) and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly reduced, throw in about 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, 3 tblsp capers and about 1 tblsp tomato paste  and continue to simmer a few more minutes. Add 2  8oz cans tuna in oil  - with all the oil, and pepper to taste. Throw over your 1lb cooked pasta and .....Buonissimo!!

What is one of your favorite quotes? Why is it meaningful to you?

"You were much more muchier (then)...You've lost your muchness."  - the Mad Hatter.

Because it reminds me that we can be more. We often settle on the lesser we can be or do, and accept that it is ok. If we settle on the lesser we ourselves can do, how can it be possibly fair to expect more from others? or fathom that others think that we are not as less as we present ourselves to be?

Where can we find you?

gentlemansemporium.etsy.com
((working on setting up the facebook now!))

the art of taking photos

so living in pittsburgh makes it rather difficult to take photos of my pieces. the weather is frequently gray, cloudy, sometimes a bit rainy. there are definitely sunny days, but let's be honest... it isn't just a coincidence that we all have low vitamin d levels around here!
i had such a hard time with blah, flat photos of my items, with no pop or vibrancy. it is so important to have photos that let the customer feel like they are holding the item in their hand. photos that really show the fine details of the item. photos that actually reflect what the piece looks like in real life!!
so this is what i did about it!!
i had seen a few websites that had ideas about making light boxes and all that. with a 4 year old, i couldn't have a contraption like that sitting around. i then discovered a little how-to for using the sun and things around the house to create the perfect image.
first, i found a window that gets sun shining directly in.
i put a tv tray up against the window and made sure that the top of the tray was a bit higher than the window sill.
i put a piece of foil, shiny side up, down and then covered it with parchment paper. i then tacked it down so it wouldn't have too many wrinkles.
i then found a regular old copy paper box lid. i took a long sheet of aluminum foil and taped it to the outside, shiny side out. finally, i took some parchment paper and put it over the window. it helps to soften the light coming in from outside.

it was that simple!!
place your item with it's back to the parchment paper over the window. 
using the box lid, find the sun and direct the light coming in from the window onto your item.it's good to have something to prop up the lid or hold it in place, or to have a tripod for the camera. you will need extra hands for this!
oh, and always mess around with the light settings on your camera, too. i have found that adjusting it to a +1 is good for my camera and the natural light i have.
this is the difference.....                                

what are your little tips and tricks for taking good photos??? i'm always looking for new ideas!

and the winner is.....

congrats to the winner of my first giveaway from Sarah's Soak Shoppe ~  Melissa from MissKnits! Her comment number was chosen using random.org. she will be receiving the delicious-looking prize handmade by Sarah- one Chocolate and Vanilla Handmade Bar Soap with Shea Butter and one tube of her Vanilla Lip Balm. thanks again to sarah for sponsoring this awesome giveaway!!!
stop by Melissa's blog and congratulate her!and don't forget to stop by her etsy shop too. she has such an array of adorable items. it has been so rainy here in pittsburgh- i would die for one of those neckwarmers right about now!

oh, and keep an eye out for my next giveaway...

i'm on etsy weekly!!!

hi everybody! look at this super feature of In Metal Jewelry on Etsy Weekly!
it would be SO awesome if you could stop by and show some IMJ love!
http://etsyweekly.com/?page_id=288
thanks :o)

sarah's soak shoppe GIVEAWAY!!!

cotton scented bar soap

Here's an awesome GIVEAWAY that I am really excited to host and be able to share with you! Sarah crafts some of the most wonderful items that are actually good for you. Who doesn't like using stuff that's good for you??? She has an array of products including soaps, lotions, lip balms, scrubs, facial masks, and cuticle salves. Before I talk about the giveaway, let's get to know her better!

Tell us about you!
My name is Sarah, and I am a social worker by day, and a crafter at heart!  You name it, and I've made it - but I didn't find my true love until I starting soaping.  It was a wonderful moment of 'this is it! this is my dream!'  My boyfriend and I have been taking little steps over the past few years to live more simple, sustainable lives - I make all of our own cleaning products, most of our toiletries, we grow our own veggies each summer, and I try not to purchase anything I don't need or can make myself!  Our next step is building our little cabin in Alaska - not completely off the grid, but a step forward!  I definitely consider myself a modern day homesteader-in-training.

How did you come to find yourself on etsy?

lavender bar soap

I first discovered Etsy a few years ago when I was looking for a fun birthday gift for my boyfriend.  I chose to launch my online shop through Etsy because it's such a well known site and I knew it would increase traffic to my business.  I've been amazed by it's success in such a short period of time and I am so truly grateful for every single purchase.

What is it about being creative that you enjoy?

It is such a stress reliever!  Using your own two hands to create something that you or someone else will love is the most satisfying thing in the world.  I also need to feel productive all of the time, and crafting fits the bill perfectly.  I also love to bake, and soaping has so many similarities - I always say that you've made a good bath & body product if you want to eat it when you're finished!

coffee sugar scrub

Why should people buy handmade?

Basically everything we need can be handmade by someone, and it's probably going to be much better quality than something out of a factory. You'll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping to support someone else's dream!  If I had my way, we'd all spend a lot more time making things we're good at and sharing them with the people around us.  We all have special skills - let's share them with each other!

 

Do you have a favorite recipe that you would like to share? 

In honor of summer coming, here's a great, easy picnic dessert:  Grab yourself a tub of Cool Whip and a box of strawberry Jello mix.  Make the jello super concentrated (think 1/4 of the recommended amount of water).  Mix it up with the Cool Whip, toss in some strawberries/blueberries/blackberries, and put it all in a shortbread or graham cracker pie crust.  Let it set up in the fridge for a few hours and you're ready to go!

whipped body butter

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
Antarctica, hands down.  Seeing the one place on earth that has never had a native population, where the animals aren't afraid, and is just completely pristine has been a dream of mine for awhile!  I actually looked into working seasonally in Antarctica, but it turns out they don't really need social workers...  Handmade soaps, perhaps?

Here's a pic I had to add at the bottom of this little feature. It's of my son's Easter basket which you usually wouldn't think has anything to do with soap but this year it did! I ordered a felted soap from Sarah for him and it was a perfect addition! Sarah made a super cute felted soap, personalized with a big T for Tyler, in his favorite color, green! It was adorable and Tyler just loves it!!

now let's get to the GIVEAWAY! 

win a scrumptious way to pamper yourself

Sarah is offering one bar of her Chocolate and Vanilla Handmade Bar Soap with Shea Butter and one tube of her Vanilla Lip Balm. Both are handmade in small batches using only the best ingredients (ingredients that you could actually recognize, pronounce, and feel good about using!)

Here's how to enter:

**Follow In Metal Jewelry's blog and Sarah's blog! Comment here telling me that you have done so. This is mandatory.

For extra entries you can do the following, leaving a separate comment for each (upping your chances to WIN!):
+1 Favorite Sarah's Soak Shoppe on Etsy
+1 Favorite In Metal Jewelry on Etsy

+1 Like In Metal Jewelry on Facebook!

+1 Like Sarah's Soak Shoppe on Facebook!

+1 Post on YOUR facebook about this giveaway!

+1 Tweet about this giveaway!

the contest will end at midnight on saturday the 14th.
the winner will be chosen using random.org.
(please make sure to post your email in your comment if it is not on your profile)

lovely blog feature by Fulltime Adventure!

http://fulltimeadventure.blogspot.com/2011/04/loving-me-some-etsyinmetaljewelry.html
take a peek at this lovely little blog feature by kathy at Fulltime Adventure! she found me through the Upcyclers giveaway that i am currently sponsoring and loved the pieces so much she wanted to blog about it! thanks kathy!

i'm sponsoring a GIVEAWAY!!

i'm sponsoring a GIVEAWAY!! and it's my first! the winner will receive this beautiful pendant, handmade from upcycled glass! this one of a kind piece is a striking red with yellow edges. it looks like a frozen flame!
i would be so thrilled and honored if you all could enter to win! here's the link!
http://love2upcycle.blogspot.com/2011/04/giveaway-from-inmetaljewelry.html

upcycling blog feature!

http://sofiastreasurechest.blogspot.com/2011/04/upcycle.html

check out this awesome blog featuring my upcycled rosette pendant!
yay for upcycling!

BNR round 2 going on now!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4db8299847f26d91bbdcd975/open-perfect-for-mamas-day-bnr-round-2?page=4#comments
here's the link for the BNR going on right now until 3pm EST!
i have two featured spots so i'd love it if you would stop over and show some love!!
and don't forget my current coupon for 10% off your purchase ILOVEMYMOM10

glass part 2

so once i bring the shards home, they get a good cleaning. they are individually washed with soap and warm water, dried, and then shined up nice and pretty. here's a pic of a handful of glass all dried and shined up, ready to be made into something fabulous. i go over every edge and point to make sure it isn't sharp. i love the rough and unique edges of each piece, but i will rub my fingertips over the edges and on some fabric to make sure it doesn't cause damage. if there are any issues i use some tools to grind the sharpness down to make a safer edge, still leaving it rough and varied. i think one of the most interesting aspects of the pieces is how asymmetrical they are. (i am a libra so i typically like balance and symmetry, so this is odd for me!) each piece has a shape that suits it better for vertical or horizontal hanging. the thickness of the glass determines how deep or bright the color is. the size determines if it will be a suncatcher or pendant (some are interchangeable if you like big statement pieces!) i'm thinking of trying to make some earrings and outdoor mobiles soon. we'll see what else i come up with! i'll take suggestions if you have any!

hidden treasure: the glass shards

this is just a small portion of my stockpile of glass shards. aren't there are so many beautiful colors?? holding each piece up to the light really shows you the striking shades. it's hard to see just how amazing they are, but this is how i found them- covered in dust and dirt, all piled together.  i found these at Creative Reuse Pittsburgh, where i get a lot (most!) of my materials. they were all on a shelf, separated by color, stored in huge plastic pretzel barrels. because they were kinda in a corner i had passed them by a couple times before finally noticing them. i went back again and again, each time sitting on a big spool of hot pink ribbon, holding each piece up to the sun shining through the giant window in order to see the color. i looked at each piece for shape and break, handpicking some for pendants and some for suncatchers. so much fun- like a treasure hunt! each piece has beautiful striations. some of the break patterns are parallel and some are rounded and swirly. every piece is as one of a kind as you can get.

monday bnr!

hi all!
this is just a little fyi that i am going to be in a bnr on monday, april 18th from 11am - 3pm, EST. here's a link to the preview if you would like to browse around:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4da8725d75626d9127b47600/preview-only-perfect-for-mamas-day-bnr

hope to see you there!

reward for the hardest job ever

so Mother's Day is fast approaching and i wanted to get the word out that i am having a SALE in honor of the hardest job ever- being a mom!
get your mom a gift that is as wonderful and unique as she is. i bet i've got the perfect thing, in the perfect color!

enter coupon code ILOVEMYMOM10 for 10% off.
and if you convo me at the time of purchase letting me know that the gift is for your mom and that you are a mommy yourself, i'll send you a special free gift!! 

if you are a mom, there is nothing wrong with getting a little somethin' somethin' for yourself!
as a working mom, don't think i don't treat myself every once in a while :o)

ps.... i love special orders!

here's a pic of my mommy, my son, and me down the shore 2009.

a match made in heaven

jennasaurus: haikuesday 9: "Where did my keys go?Not in my purse or pocketOh, they're in my hand......"

crafts and haikus? yes please!
check out this super fun feature!

i'm in a blog feature! yay!

 the feature of the week is me! take a peek!
Teslas: Crafting in College: Feature of the Week: "Every Friday I will showcase one of my follower's so we can find out more about them and their art. This is the second lucky person to be fe..."