Flaunt It Friday –  September 10th!

Participate in 1 of 2 ways:
FIRST, post a picture  of one of the following here:

http://www.facebook.com>UnkamenGifts/269222395062

1.Your creation made from UnkamenSupplies
2. You wearing jewelry from UnkamenGifts or FavMoonGirl
3. You using 1 of our keychains or stitchmarkers from UnkamenKeychains

NEXT, get your friends to fan us and comment on your photo.

At 12 Midnight, CST, the picture with the MOST comments from others will win a $25 Gift Certificate to ANY of our shops!

♥ ♥OR♥♥
 

Comment on a photo…that simple! One randomly chosen fan who comments on the winning photo will ALSO win a $25 Gift Certificate to ANY of our shops!

♦♦fine print: enter as many photos as you would like, but ONLY photos posted between 12:01am cst 9.3.10 and 11:59pm CST are eligible to win.

You may have noticed that we have shipping delays posted in all of our shops and you may have assumed that we are on vacation. That is sort-of right, but not exactly! Here is what all is going on:

1. At the beginning of July, Leah was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a 30 day hike in Alaska with NOLS. She hiked with NOLS 2 years ago on a special hike for 14/15 year olds in Idaho and Wyoming. She LOVED her 2 week adventure and had planned to take another trip with NOLS next year.  I was calling NOLS to find out about the hikes for next year for both Leah and Byron when they offered the LAST slot for any hike THIS summer to Leah! Wow! We all slept on it and in the morning she started to pack.  Two weeks later she was in Anchorage!

Leah and I reviewed her shop offerings and inventory and made the decision to keep the shop open with the items that she had in stock. Some special orders can be filled by Ralph while she is gone. I have been taking care of the communications with customers.

Leah is returning home via a Rail Pass…meaning that she is taking a scenic train ride and stopping to see see friends and relatives along the way in California and Texas. She will be home towards the end of August…we can’t wait to see her!

2. Ralph went to MD Anderson in Houston in May for his annual post-Prostate Cancer check up and was given a clean bill of health. FOUR years now and he feels terrific with no side effects from the cancer or treatment. His Cardiologist, across the street also gave him high marks and neither needs to see him again for a year.

HOWEVER, the dermatologist at MD Anderson found a suspicious spot of Ralph’s nose. I had noticed it about a month prior and scheduled the appointment to coordinate with the oncologist and cardiologist. It was a brownish spot about the size of a pencil eraser with uneven color and jagged edges.  A biopsy came back positive for melanoma in situ…meaning cancer, but very early stages.

We made the hard decision to pack up our shop and go to Houston for treatment. We have a 40 foot Motorhome and a 22 foot cargo trailer, so we can take most everything with us. We don’t have a portable lathe or milling machine, so larger rings that require that equipment will not be available until we return home. We also did not bring our torches, so soldering will also have to wait.

Ralph has had the initial surgery for the skin cancer and we are now camped about an hour North, overlooking a lovely lake, surrounded by both palm trees and hardwoods. Ralph is currently winding rings, Byron is sewing envelopes and I am about to get back to packing up orders.

We are waiting the results of the tissue samples taken from the margins during surgery to determine if more tissue needs to be removed or not. Once an area of 0.5cm is clear, Ralph will have reconstructive surgery and we will head home!

We ALL appreciate our fantastic customers and their patience and understanding. Thanks to all of them! Please contact us with any order questions….or if you would like more information about our cancer treatment experiences.

HUGS!

Karen

Blue-Green-Purple floret bead

Susan Sheehan started out as a professional photographer looking for some way to jump start her creativity – so she decided to take a glass bead making class 7 years ago. ” Little did I know it would lead to a medium change. I’ve always been drawn to the play of light. Glass is such a natural medium for me to utilize my passion.”

Lampwork Floral Focal Glass Bead "Pink Blooms"

Susan is a “one-woman-show” and all the handmade beads she sells in her shop followed the same basic steps in her creative hands. She says that making glass beads requires a very hot flame which she achieves by mixing oxygen with propane. She melts a glass rod (similar to a dowel) in the flame and wraps the molten glass around a metal rod the size of the desired bead hole. She uses the heat, gravity and a number of tools to then shape and decorate the bead. Immediately after, the bead goes into a kiln where it sits at a constant temperature of over 900 degrees until she is done working for the day. Then she sets the kiln to anneal the bead. She explains: “The annealing process realigns the molecules in the glass, making it a strong, sound bead ready for jewelry designers and collectors to do as they wish.”

Susan's Fave - Mermaid Glass Bead

Susan gets a lot of  inspiration for her bead designs from the New England coastline that she says she is “fortunate enough to live near.” She makes wildflower and seascape type beads. As an example of the ideas that come to her from her beautiful home surroundings, Susan says her favorite bead to make is her version of a Mermaid. “She is my most detailed bead and it takes a fierce level of concentration to make her. But when I get it right, I’m very happy!”

Jungle Love Floret Bead

One of her best sellers is a bead she’s been making for 6 years. It’s a floret bead with a simple design that is very versatile for jewelry designers. She says, ” I can custom blend colors to make just about anyone happy and do a large amount of custom orders for this design.” Susan does a great deal of this custom work for jewelry     designers – giving them exactly what they need.

Susan really enjoys making her lampwork glass and Pandora-style beads and adds, ” I am thrilled with the “add-a-bead bracelet” craze.My desire to make floral beads and my passion for color make it a lot of fun. I make bracelet beads during most sessions because I can be as flighty as I wish and make one of every color combination that crosses my mind.”

Purple Grape Crush Floret Bead

Hydrangea Floral Lampworked Glass Bead Set

Susan says she loves learning new techniques and has reached a place in her glass work where the challenges are harder. She has a few designs using silver that she is beginning to reveal and is currently working on a version of a Merman. “I’m afraid he is a tough one, as making arms is a big hurdle for me. But as I line up the prototypes and decide which step to take next, I am overwhelmed with the joy of discovering glass. He may never see the light of day and that’s OK. The journey is such an experience”

Here at Unkamen Gifts, we think Susan’s beads are absolutely lovely and a wonderful compliment to our jewelry. Check out Leah’s use of one of Susan’s flower discs. We will be finding ways to work Susan’s beads into our jewelry as often as we can – ’cause we LOVE ‘em!

“Softly he brushed my cheek, then held my face between his marble hands. ‘Be very still,’ he whispered…..”
In anticipation of the latest Twilight book, we are having a SALE on all items Jet Black and Crimson Red through June 30th. Visit us at unkamengifts.etsy.com, and favmoongirl.etsy.com

TWILIGHT SALE

Dad….our teacher, confidant, and best friend.
We can help you remember him this month with our 50% off Father’s Day Sale on  Weekend, Unisex, and Mens’ Jewlery. Visit our site and take advantage of our special offers until the end of June!  Check out Father’s Day Specials on Leah’s  Favmoongirl.etsy.com  site too!

Plant Pots by Kim Wheaton

Kim Wheaton of Kim Wheaton Ceramics on Etsy started out with a couple of classes in clay throwing 8 years ago as a junior in college and fell in love with the dirtiness of it… “that from, quite literally, a clump of mud I could create an object that was not only appealing to look at, but that was also functional and very accessible to people.” She credits an amazing and inspiring teacher for leading her down the path to her career in ceramics.

Kim creates all her pieces on a kick wheel, as opposed to an electric one.  “I like that my whole body is involved, and I actually get a pretty good work-out between wedging the clay, kicking the wheel and using my arm strength to get the clay centered!” Her studio is in an extra room in her house and she does all her firing and glazing in her basement where her kiln is located.  Kim finds her work with ceramics to be both therapeutic and rewarding and she genuinely enjoys the process.  “There is nothing like the feeling of wet clay being molded in your hands.”

Gorgeous Green Pitcher and Tumblers!

While she’s always open to new things, Kim focuses on functional, reasonably-priced pottery that people can use every day.  She makes several styles of mugs and bowls, along with pitchers and tumblers, business card holders, flower pots and coasters.

One favorite piece that Kim loves to make aren’t actually thrown on her kick-wheel – her stepping stones. She can customize these for those who live local to her DeKalb, Illinois home, who bring their children there to make foot impressions in the clay. Then she stamps the child’s name and the date into the clay as well – and presto! – a perfect keepsake! She also customizes her dog dishes by stamping your favorite pet’s name right on the bowl. She loves doing custom work for people but adds, “Because the process of creating a piece, letting it dry, firing, glazing, and firing again can be quite lengthy, it usually takes a month or two for a custom piece to be complete.”

One of Many Magnificent Mugs!

Although she wasn’t expecting it, (since there are so many to chose from on Etsy) Kim says her mugs are her most popular items. “I keep making them and people keep buying them!”

Kim tries to keep things seasonably relevant and interesting in her shop.  That means that lately she’s been working on pieces suitable for summer – pitchers, tumblers, juicers, bird houses and stepping stones. Come the fall, she’ll be making more mugs and soup bowls, or who knows what? Just drop by Kim Wheaton Ceramics anytime and see what’s new!

Slide into summer with a 50% savings  on all  our gold filled, gold plated, and gold colored jewelry !!  Looking for the perfect Birthday, Graduation Day, or Anniversary gift?  Check our  Half Price May Sale items today!!!

Check out the May Sales at Favmoongirl’s shop too…like these Flower Power Swirl earrings!

You CAN Do-It-Yourself - with our great kits!

Do It Yourself jewelry? Sure! With the right supplies and a bit of guidance, you too can make simple chainmaille jewelry for yourself or a beautiful gift for a friend. To help the aspiring chainmailler get started, we have put together a number of kits that are available in Ralph’s shop, Unkamen Supplies.

The first is A Rainbow Chainmaille Bracelet Kit, and it includes all of Ralph’s expertly made, wonderfully colored jump rings in just the right quantities (plus spares of everything-so don’t worry if you mess up a couple) plus easy to follow instructions and even a nice sturdy clasp. (All you need is the pliers.) This bracelet is great for beginners in chainmaille and/or jewelry making because the weave is easy to see, it progresses quickly and the results are SPECTACULAR! The finished bracelet measures 7 1/2 inches and will have an additional 2 inches of adjustment. We’re sure you’ll be very pleased with the finished product and proud of yourself as well!

Rainbow Bracelet

Ralph’s  enameled coated copper jump rings make this DIY project so easy because the ends are smoothed, the rings are consistently sized and they have a good temper (meaning there is very little spring back and only a small amount of force is required to correctly close them).

If you like the bracelet, you’ll LOVE the matching Rainbow Chainmaille Necklace Kit! (Pictured at top) It’s everything needed to make the matching necklace and it’s just as easy as the bracelet. Your finished necklace will measure 18 inches and will have an additional 2 inches of adjustment.

Blue rainbow necklace

We also offer both the bracelet and necklace kits in Blue Rainbow Chainmaille, an alternative for someone who really loves all the beautiful shades of blue. (In case you’re wondering, all of these Rainbow and Blue Rainbow Chainmaille pieces can be found in Leah’s shop,  FavMoonGirl, as already finished pieces!)

Next, we have a kit to turn you into a jewelry maker extraordinaire! When you show your friends this piece and tell them you made it yourself, they will be shocked and amazed! (OK, well…they’ll at least be impressed!) It’s our Celtic Flower Kit and it comes with 66 jump rings in the exact gauge, diameter and colors to make a beautiful Celtic flower pendant or charm. You’ll also receive the instructions on how to weave the rings into this intricate flower. All you have to do then is hang it on a chain, or cord, or whatever you’d like!

A Finished Celtic Flower

Another popular kit we’ve put together for the beginning jewelry-maker out there is our Two Pairs and a Spare Earring Kit.  This kit contains everything that you need to get started in making 2 pairs of earrings. – maybe one for you and one for your BFF.  You’ll receive all handmade enameled coated copper components that are both durable and colorful. The kit includes 5 simple ear wires, 5 swirly head pins, and 25 of our 20 gauge, 4.0 mm jumprings to make your own creations. (You may add beads or charms of your own choosing.) No specific instructions are included with this kit.

Two Pair and a Spare Kit - in Fantastic Fuchsia Pink!

The earring kit is available in 11 vibrant colors: Orchid Purple, Red, Kelly Green, Peacock Blue, Silvered Peach, Rose Gold, Silvered Blue, Fuchsia Pink, Silvered Pink, Peridot Green and Lavender.  We also offer a Two Pairs and a Spare Interchangeable Earring Kit in Silver Plate. With this kit, you get 5 interchangeable ear wires, ten 20 gauge 3.0 mm round jump rings and ten 20 gauge 6.0 mm triangle jump rings. This earring can be changed up by switching out the part that dangles from the earwire, easily and quickly – giving them the ability to play several roles in your jewelry selection!

Mix and Match with this Interchangeable Earring Kit

So don’t be afraid to give jewelry-making a try. You can create some pieces that are truly your own. With kits from Unkamen Supplies, it’s easy-peezy!

Everyone who has ever ventured into making chainmaille jewelry knows that there is a learning curve. You have to start with the basic building blocks (or jump rings!) and learn how to work with them to create a finished product.  We decided to make some helpful instructional videos and post them on YouTube for the general public to use.  With the right tools and the right steps to follow, we’re sure you can painlessly make yourself some beautiful simple chainmaille jewelry.

We currently have five YouTube instructional videos that you can view for yourself. The first of them is the perfect starting place, because if you can’t perform this simple function, maybe making chainmaille is not for you! (But we’re SURE you can do it, especially with our clear and complete set of instructions to follow)

Jump Rings and Tools of the Trade

In this video, entitiled “How To Open A Jumpring”, Ralph demonstrates the correct technique for both opening and closing a jumpring. It’s a very basic and precise demonstration with well-explained steps, showing you the right tools to use (pliers that can be bought at UnkamenSupplies, as a matter of fact) and what to do as well as what NOT to do! Following Ralph’s steps will ensure that you end up with a well-closed ring that is smooth to the touch and damage free!

The next video takes you a couple of steps further along to making actual chainmaille jewelry. It’s called “How To Create Simple Chainmaille Weaves”, and the name says it all. Ralph leads you through the steps to create a basic 1-into-1 weave (which is a simple chain formed by looping single jump rings into each other in a continuous pattern) and a 2-into-2 weave (which is, you guessed it! – connecting 2 rings into 2 rings to form a slightly more complex chain).

A Pretty Little "Mobius" Flower Necklace

“How To Weave A Mobius” is another of our YouTube instructional videos that might interest the beginner in chainmaille.  In this short video Ralph takes you through the easy steps of taking 3 jump rings and weaving them together into a very common element in chainmaille jewelry, the mobius flower. You can dangle a mobius (or several) from a chain to make a pretty “flower” necklace, or you can string these flowers together to make a chain of mobius links.

Behold! A Beautiful Blue Bracelet!

The demonstrating job  is handed over to Leah in our next video, as she walks the viewer through the basics of creating a blue rainbow necklace or bracelet (from a complete kit sold in UnkamenSupplies). In the video titled “Blue Rainbow Chainmaille Necklace Tutorial” Leah takes the time to show the proper jump ring opening and closing techniques as well at the beginning, and then shows all the materials required before she starts the demonstration. This bracelet or necklace features jump rings in 6 colors of blue in a 2-into-2 pattern and will impress your friends when you show them and tell them you made it yourself!

You Can Make This Sea Flower Ring Yourself! REALLY!

The last video that we have on YouTube isn’t really chainmaille, but it’s a piece that Leah loves to make and sells in her shop. It’s called “Sea Flower Ring Tutorial” and this attractive ring is made of colorful beads and silicone rubber tubing. The final product is a gorgeous, flexible, flowing ring that can be made to any size you need. It’s fun and youthful and a real eye-catcher! Follow along with Leah as she guides you through the simple steps and you’ll soon have one of your very own!

As time goes on, I’m sure we’ll make and post more instructional videos on YouTube. It’s fun and we really like to help new people get interested in the wonderful world of handmade jewelry. So stay tuned!

Byron, cutting fabric for pouches

Here at Unkamengifts, we think handmade is  best, even when it comes to the little things.  Of course,  Ralph winds and cuts our jump rings from American-made wire for our own handmade creative jewelry, and we sell his handmade jump rings to other chainmaillers as well. But we’ve taken our handmade pledge one step further, and we make our own cloth pouches and envelopes to safely send our customers’ treasures on their way to them. When I say “we”,  I actually mean “Byron”. Our 13-year-old son has taken on the job of “shipping material production”, and he does it well! Using 70% recycled decorative deluxe scrapbook paper, Byron cuts the sheets down to a size that will make a finished, closed envelope that measures 10.5″ X 6″. (Never wasteful, we use the excess paper to make matching bookmarks, which we include with each order!)  Then he sews the front and back of the envelopes together with a zigzag stitch on our old sewing machine.  The finished product is attractive and strong – easily standing up to the rigors of the US or international postal services! (So you KNOW they must be sturdy!).

Also, when we sell a finished piece of jewelry to a customer, each piece gets it’s own little handmade cloth pouch, tied up nicely with a ribbon.  We think our  pouches give that little extra touch and provide our customers with a nice place to store their jewelry, or, if the jewelry is a gift for someone special, it comes to them already gift-wrapped!

Perfect little pouches!

Byron also makes each handmade pouch all by himself.  He cuts the fabric to size and sews them up on a daily basis as we need them. We use a variety of fabrics and ribbons to make our pouches, but Byron has  favorite fabrics that he likes to work with, so we try to remember that when fabric shopping!

We’ve heard from several customers how much they enjoy our beautiful  envelopes and pretty pouches, and we’ve passed the compliments on to Byron!