Christmas in July sale

It's that time of year for my annual sale.  Enjoy 15% off with coupon code CIJ15

You can use the coupon on my website http://gypsymoondesigns.com/ and/or in my Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/Gypsymoondesigns

Thanks to all my wonderful customers who have been shopping my annual sale so far!  At the moment my Etsy shop is offering a wider selection.

Sale ends July 12, 2015

Handmade nature jewelry

Today I want to share with you my nature inspired jewelry. Heron necklace I gave this beautiful brass pendant a blue patina finish and topped it with an opal turquoise glass bead. Last week I took it down to the Clark Fork River and shot pictures of it. Love the rushing water behind it! dragonfly necklace My best seller is this beautiful Verdigris Patina dragonfly. If you look closely you can see an ear of corn on the bottom wings. I love this charm so much because it reminds me of the Zuni Indian story of the Corn maiden and dragonfly. A short version is that the people were in the middle of a food fight and this really upset the corn maiden. A little boy made a dragonfly out of corn stalk and it really pleased the corn maiden. She forgave the people for their waste and to this day the dragonfly can be found fluttering about the corn. blue dragonfly necklace If you are in Helena, Montana my nature jewelry can be found at Frayed Sew. Also, the Arboretum in Flagstaff, Arizona carries my dragonfly jewelry. Of course, I would love you to visit my online shop too at Gypsy Moon Designs

small hoop, big hoop, double hoop...Bohemian hoop earrings!

I love hoop earrings! Part of it is they make me think of my sweet Mom. If you ask her what type of earring she likes it is always big hoop earrings. So, today I thought I would share a variety of my designs on my blog here. Bohemian hoop earrings This design I created about six months ago, same with the one below. On the Bohemian hoop earrings with the mint glass, I gave the inner hoop a Verdigris Patina finish to. I love the combo of copper and patina. The mint glass has a cool glow to it is the sunshine! double hoop earrings Living in majestic Montana inspired the next two pair of hoop earrings. I dangled feather charms with a Verdigris and dark patina from the center of a hammered brass hoop...really like the rustic look mixed with the shiny brass. The deer are every where here in Montana...I love them so much, even though it makes gardening a challenge. bohemian feather earrings deer earrings For a couple of years now I have been designing these smaller hoop earrings. I love dragonflies and the Coptic cross reminds me of the 4 directions Native American symbol. dragonfly earrings Coptic cross earrings What I love about these hoop earrings are how light they are. I really love creating earrings that are big yet easy to wear. If you have enjoyed my designs, feel free to drop by my shop Gypsy Moon Designs. When you get there enjoy 10% off with coupon code BLOG10. Thanks!

Bohemian earrings with silk tassels

It's that time of year when I start to prepare for my Summer craft shows. When I saw these beautiful silk tassels from Rajasthan, India I just knew they had to part of my designs! gypsy earrings I hand painted filigree charms and on some I added little mirrors. Mirrors are said to ward of the evil eye by reflecting back bad spirits. bohemian earrings with mirror I have lots of curl hair and find earrings get lost in my long hair. I made a pair for myself and you could see them through all my hair. I found while wearing them that I often reach up and play with the tassel...they are so silky, how could I resist! boho earrings The tassels come in so many lovely colors...I especially love the hot pink. statement earrings I couldn't resist making a really long pair in green and purple! These would be a blast to wear to an outdoor concert. hippie grunge earrings I love to patina metal. So, on this big pair of earrings that I like to call Hippie Grunge I added some patina grasshopper charms and recycled silk sari fabric. The fabric had some flower sequins on it which add a cool summer look! This pair was so fun to create! colorful bohemian earrings My favorite color combo! I painted the filigree wheel in a two tone of blue and green, then added this neon green silk tassel...love!!! Stop by my shopGypsy Moon Designs and enjoy free shipping! You can use coupon code FREESHIP. Good only within the U.S. Also feel free to follow me on Facebook to catch my newest creations. Gypsy Moon Designs on Facebook

Handmade Valentine's jewelry

Who, being loved, is poor? ~Oscar Wilde

The day of love is fast approaching. I have been busy in my studio creating jewelry with heart charms that are hand patina-ed and pretty carved Mother of Pearl roses.

I really had fun creating this long key necklace. I'm a huge fan of Tom Waits and love his song Blue Valentine, so I just had to make a blue heart!

For the rest of January I will be busy creating Valentine jewelry so please drop by and checkout my Valentine section in my shop: Valentine jewelry. Happy day of love~ “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ― Laozi

Turquoise jewelry Southwest and Bohemian designs

Getting ready for the holiday season here at Gypsy Moon Designs. I love the colors turquoise blue and royal blue together: very watery. So, I have been in my studio working on designs in my favorite colors.

Loved making this beauty! It's a multi strand necklace with a real bohemian vibe. I've become addicted to antiquing metal. I hand patinaed the dragonfly charm and the copper chains. You can see close up photos in my shop. Multi strand turquoise necklace. Soon I will be working on more layered necklace.

Chunky and yummy is this southwest turquoise necklace. I really like disk shaped Turquoise stones. Large oval stones of Lapis Lazuli look great with the rich sky blue color of this natural quality Turquoise. chunky turquoise necklace I also created a limited run of turquoise earrings with some of these stones.

Every autumn I like to create earthy jewelry with Ammonite fossils. Ammonite fossil necklaces are very popular in my shop. This week I am busy creating more. This one is my current one with stunning green Turquoise. Red Tiger Eye stones are my favorite to combine with green Turquoise.Ammonite necklace

So that is what I have been designing the last few days. I have some new patina earring designs being patina-ed at the moment. (On my windowsill!) They should be in my shop in a few days.

Julie : )

Patina Jewelry

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

I discovered this fun site Animoto where you can create short videos for free. : )

Magazine Feature ~ Bohemian jewelry

Exciting news for Gypsy Moon Designs! I am going to have my jewelry featured in a magazine called Meets Obsession.

They are a online magazine that is having their inaugural print issue come out this fall. Check out their online mag here.

I sent a dozen pieces of jewelry and am eager to see if they all will be featured. When I get my copy I will share with you all.

What is so cool is the editor contacted me via my online shop Gypsy Moon Designs. If you love art and fashion magazines you may want to order their first issue like I did. You can order their magazine here.

Locks of Love

Two years ago my then 7 year old niece Loni decided to start growing out her hair for the organization Locks of Love. If you're not familiar with Locks of Love they are a non profit that provide hairpieces to disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

Now at 9 years old, Loni was ready to donate her silky long hair. When they cut her hair it was 12 1/2 inches that she donated.

Of course it doesn't stop there. My sweet and very special niece announced she is going to grow it long again so she can come back in a few years and donate again to Locks of love.

I am so proud of Loni and amazed at her giving spirit at such a young age. (She is as cute as can be with her new hair style too!)

Greenough Park, Missoula

A magical place right in the heart of Missoula.

Greenough Park on a rainy spring day.

Rattlesnake Creek runs thru the park making it a perfect place to cool off on a hot summer evening. Today it threatens to flood.

Watch your step!

The Park is 42 acres of pristine beauty.

Earthy Ammonite necklaces and Ravens

Ammonite necklace

I love the organic, earthiness of fossil jewelry. Last night I photographed a few necklaces and got them online this morning.

Ammonite necklace

This bold chunky necklace is one of best sellers at all the craft shows I do. The bone pendant dangles from black leather cord.

Spiral leather cord necklace

It had poured down rain all day yesterday. As soon as the rain broke I went outside to shoot photos. All these ravens swooped in and were hanging out!

The whole driveway was full of them. But, I guess they are camera shy! When I started photographing them they flew up to the top pf this old Cottonwood tree.

With a few hanging around watching me as I worked!

Hope everyone is having a great week. : )

Summer shows

If you are in Missoula this summer you can find Gypsy Moon Designs at the Missoula Saturday Market every Saturday, May through mid October.

I will also be at the best show in town, the Missoula Made fair on Sunday, June 26th.

To see a list of vendors for the Missoula Made fair, check out their website.

Hope to see you this summer!

Bohemian Copper and paper earrings

feather and copper earrings

In the summertime I make these fun earrings. I make them in the summer because I use my torch on the front porch. Just to cold in the winter to torch!

Tribal Copper earrings African mudcloth

I hand shape copper wire to make funky frames for interesting paper. I love the pattern of these African inspired earrings.

paisley apple blossom earrings

What I like about these earrings is that they very unique, funky and super light to wear. They take around 4 to 5 days to create. I really enjoy mixing paper and copper together.

I have more styles in my shop:
Gypsy Moon Designs

Bohemian wedding jewelry

First, let me say Happy May! I love the month of May with all it's newness.

You are a casual, earthy kind of woman and you are getting married. Congrats! Now, what jewelry will your bridesmaids and you wear? Diamonds and pearls just don't express your bohemian personality.

Over the years I am seeing more brides turning to unconventional jewelry designs. Why not, it is your day after all!

bohemian shoulder duster chandelier earrings

round summer white earrings

white bellflower wedding earrings

These are some of the earrings I have sold recently to brides. There is just something special knowing that my designs will be worn by a bride. Makes me feel good! : ) Thank you lovely brides for expressing yourself with bohemian jewelry!

Songbird's Branch: Get Real: Montana Woman Moves Confidently away from Etsy.com in Business Website Launch

I was interviewed on a wonderful blog. Go check it out. It is full of wonderful info and I am tickled to have been interviewed!

Songbird's Branch: Get Real: Montana Woman Moves Confidently away from Etsy.com in Business Website Launch

I am hooked on patina jewelry

large patina hoop earrings


Last year I started experimenting with patina and I have become addicted to the process. So far I am using the cold process with Verdigris (turquoise blue) and Ocean Blue.

arabesque patina earrings

I find myself constantly looking for copper and raw brass charms to patina. It takes a good five or more days of applying the patina to metal to get the results I want.

orange bohemian chandelier earrings

When I was young I was a painter and I find patina a fun way to add color and texture to my jewelry. It fulfills the painter in me!

verdigris patina necklace

If you are like me and just love the rustic look of patina jewelry then please keep an eye on my shop Gypsy Moon Designs