April: Blog-o-sphere Think Tank

april's topic :What is your favourite tool?

fun topic! however, I absolutely can not pick just one or two. every tool I use for jewelry making is so important to me and I get so attach to them!

so I'm just going to judge my favoritism in how much I attach to them. I think number one is my kiln. I use it nearly everyday and I feel like I'm talking to it when I'm working. I bought her (yes, it's "she":) from my enamel teacher about 4 years ago because it's too small for her and she wasn't using much. but it's perfect size for me and she is been so great to work with:)

next one is something I use for clean holes when I'm enameling. I put polymer cray handle on steel needle and made comfortable to hold. and it's fun because it look like finger and freak people out when it just lay on the table!

and there is something I love but I don't have... I have to go to class to use it.... is rolling mill. I'd like to own my own one day but since I can't work on my orders without "my tools" at class, I play with rolling mill!

it's been such a fun topic! can't wait to see what everybody else's favorite tools:)

Andes cruz: http://www.andescruz.wordpress.com
Shannon I'm On A Roll Koochin: http://thebassplayersdaughter.blogspot.ca
Barbara Donovan: http://barbaradonovan.blogspot.com/
Robyn Hawk: http://flyviewsandreviews.blogspot.com/
Kathleen Krucoff: http://mysticalmythicalmetalwork.wordpress.com/
Beth Cyr: http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
Christine http://sistinachapel.blogspot.ca/
WATTO (Mary) http://www.wattoonline.com/news
Laura Flavin : http://modernbirdjewelry.blogspot.com
Wendy Kelly http://www.wendykianakelly.com
stephanie clark http://thethinkingsofacoldweathergirl.blogspot.com

Happy reading:)

New Season: Giveaway & Coupon code

it's been so long since I posted anything on my blog! fist off, we moved house over the summer and just now got Internet at home. (even this posting page looks different!) second, I took over jewelry/consignment at local shop Zodiac and helping at the store every weekend on top of making jewelry for them. and just start to selling at new site "Style Outside The Box". mean while, lots of custom orders and some wholesale orders... guess what I am trying to say is I been busy! and while I couldn't make whole collection for the season, I do have some new color/new design to share!

here is new poppy color "Tangerine Orange"

new design "Key Necklace"

new earrings prototype - doesn't have a name yet!

so, here is the give away! please come up the name for my new earrings and I'll gift this prototype. I been wearing them but I'll change the ear wire. please leave comment on here or on my facebook page!

one more news! because of the rising price of metal, new site and wholesale, I had to increase price on my Etsy shop. but I made coupon code for my lovely Etsy customer who been supporting me for years!

Coupon Code: HOLIDAYS2011

25% off on all items in my Etsy shop

good through this holiday season!



Happy Crafting:)

Spring/Summer Collection Photo Collage

for some reason I just couldn't take satisfying pictures in my usual set-up so I took it outside. Saturday was great day for taking pictures! not too sunny, not too gloomy. all new pictures! what do you think...?

more new items are going to be listed in my shop this week. stay tuned!

Happy Crafting:)

Spring/Summer Collection 2011 & Private Sale

finally! I finally finished all my pieces that I can call "collection" and have some time to take pictures and list in my shop! I'll slowly adding to my shop one by one and here are today's listings.
Aqua to Sapphire Glamour Poppy on Tribal Brass Pendant with Long Bamboo Brass Chain

Three Feathers on Brass Ring Long Necklace


~*~*~*~*~*PRIVATE SALE*~*~*~*~*~
take 20% off on your total purchase at jewelrybynatsuko.etsy.com until SAT 4/30!

enter coupon code "SPRING2011" at checkout.

Happy Crafting:)

the karma of inspirations...

a while ago my good blog friend Aimee send me a link to my facebook page and say, look like somebody ripped off my design. well, I certainly see the similarity with my work but not really sure if they did ripped off my design. I'm sure I'm not the first person to use enamel discs in the design and call it "poppies". but say they got "inspired" from my poppies. and I got inspired from them and here is what I came up with. I like to call this is "the karma of inspirations"! hehe...:)

Happy Crafting & Hope for quick recovery in Japan!

*~*~*~Spring/Summer Collection~*~*~* in the works

Hi:) I was very heart broken over whats happening in Japan + my son got sick + I got sick... it was very bad few days. it's still too hard for me to talk about Japan but my family there are safe + my son got better and went to school = I'm back to work!

so I'm working on new spring/summer collection and looking like it's going to be lots of feathers, tribal chic shape mix with feminine details.

Happy Crafting:)

recycling fun!

here is my "old jean skirt purse". I got the lining & scarf material at 50% off section at joann fabrics. looks so festive and vintage-y and I love it! and I actually found ton of old jeans that I can't fit it anymore (so sad...) but couldn't let go. and now that I found the way to still *wear* them I'm so happy!

when I was looking at YouTube video, I found tons of recycling idea and I made scarf out of my old t-shirt and necklace out of my old leggings! (this definitely no one but me wants to wear!)

Old T-shirt Scarf

Old Legging Necklace

if anybody like the totorial, I can send it to you but search on YouTube. there are ton of it!

Happy Crafting:)

Feathers, Feather Lady & Feather Jewelry

recently, i just had sudden urge to use feathers in my jewelry design. so just like anything else, I started to search on Etsy. and I was lucky to stumble on this wonderful shop The Feather Lady. why do I say I was lucky? first off, her shop is gorgeous! and I'm totally feather newbie so I had lots of questions. she answer every question so nicely and say in most cases she collect feathers from ground herself and clean them, wash & dry and all that! I was sold!! and the feathers I received was absolutely, breathtakingly gorgeous! every piece was very nicely packed. and every feathers are so beautiful. I feel so much care for feathers from the Feather Lady.





now I have lots of idea with theses "gems" but don't have enough time! I was going to work on them this past weekend but I got distracted by sewing... yes, sewing! I set-up sewing station in my studio at Zodiac and made purse from my old jean skirt. it was so much fun! I'll take pictures and post them tomorrow! oh, and here is my practice necklace with feather. this feather is not from feather lady but I needed to practice!

Happy Crafting:)

Riveting the Poppies

~how do you rivet those little balls without cracking the glass?

I got this question through my Flickr page. I’m no expert but I could be very cleaver & love questions like this! And I had locket order to do today so I decided to take pictures step by step. BTW, to me riveting is the single most valuable technique I learned at jewelry class. It’s opened up how I incorporate my enamel pieces into metalwork in so many ways!

You’ll need~
*one poppy disc
*brass locket
*1” - 18g fine silver round wire -And it’s important to use fine silver because fine silver doesn’t harden so you don’t have to put too much pressure hammering them.
*nail head punch –I got mine at “Harbor Freight Tools” for about $3. In jewelry class, we were using a fancy tool that has many sizes but this will do me just fine.
*stand for nail head
*riveting hammer
*small drill
*bead reamer




Let's start!

Drill a small hole on the middle of locket. Hole should be snag to wire so it’s better to start small and wider with reamer.

Make ball on one end of silver wire.

insert poppy, then locket on wire.

set ball end on the nail head punch. Punch end should be large enough to cover most of the ball but small enough to not touching the enameled surface.

Clip wire to leave about 1.5mm.

Tap on wire until they are almost flat.

file on sharp edges.

Yay, finished!

Happy Crafting:)

February 14th Talk About Blog

~What’s the most romantic piece you’ve ever made and why?




Wow, this is tough one! I made so many pieces and I try to put little romance in every piece. But as I was thinking about this topic I remember the one custom piece I made a while back. A customer requested earrings inspired from this cute quote: 'A Bird and A Fish Can Fall in Love, But Where Will They Live?' isn’t this a cutest?! And she wanted bird and fish to be like but you can tell the differences of bird and fish and in different colors. I was delighted to design & made this piece!

And most recently, I made this cherry blossom ring that I think it’s so darn romantic! The ring is on sale on Handmade Division team shop. And I’m working on necklace & bracelets next!



Now, let’s go see more romantic pieces the other team mates made!
Rickson Jewellery: http://www.ricksonart.blogspot.com/
andes cruz http://andescruz.wordpress.com/
Beth Cyr: http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/
http://barbaradonovan.blogspot.com/

Happy Valentine's Day & Happy Crafting!