Non-Spiked Inventory!

This week's challenge: make Visual Kei pieces that do NOT contain spikes, for my customers that want something a little more understated and less in-your-face.

I was rooting around through my vintage stash and came across a 3-strand vintage chain necklace I'd made awhile back. I decided it was doing nothing for me as is, and set about looking for something that might match it that wasn't acrylic spikes...and found nothing.

So I dug a little deeper and dusted off a box of random jewelry stuff I never got around to unpacking and found some really awesome hematite pendants, and decided that because the chain was so elaborate that's all they really needed.

The result:

Simple, but edgy and elegant and rather versatile. :) They can be Visual Kei or they can go on a more simple wardrobe. I like that the pendants have taken a little bit of a beating, it just makes them look edgier. :) 

These are up for sale in the Etsy shop! They are $15 each. One of each shape is available: 

• Cross
• Open Heart
• Hollow Heart

I also found some really awesome vintage buttons at the thrift store this week that had a dark, gothy look. Because they stood out so well on their own, I decided rings would be the best way to showcase them. 

These are also up in the Etsy shop, $5 each. They sit on silvertone adjustable ring bands, that are a size 6 unadjusted. They're quite comfy. I wear one on my index finger, adjusted to a size 9. Again, one of each is avalable: 

• Fancy Filigree Ring
• Black Hexagon Ring

More non-spiked creations are coming. Stay tuned! 

This week's Visual Kei Finds: 7/28/2012

In my online travels I often stumble across a lot of pieces of jewelry and clothing that, while aren't specifically tagged or marketed as Visual Kei pieces, could easily fit the bill. After all, VK fashion started as a meshing of punk and Victorian styles. :)

I've decided to start posting what I find, in the form of a weekly Saturday blog post. :) Most of what I find is usually on Etsy, but you may see som

e stuff here from deviantART or eBay as well.

This week I'm starting off with a few pieces from the Etsy shop pink80sgirl. Her jewelry has a romantic theme to it, and many of the pieces she makes also have a dark, Victorian feel to them that lends well to a VK wardrobe.

My favorites for the week are her Forest Green Glass Pendant:

...and her Vintage Opal Dragon's Breath Ring.

I adore this ring set by refuse to be usual on Etsy:

And last but not least, these gorgeous fingerless gloves from Zen and Coffee Designs:

That's all for this week's VK finds! I'll be posting more next Saturday! :D

STOLEN ART IN PORTLAND AREA - PLEASE HELP

A friend of mine had was unloading for a show this weekend when a box of artwork and assorted books was stolen from her.

A full list of the stolen artwork, complete with photos, is here.

Her deviantART journal with further details is here.

If you are in the Portland, Oregon area please keep an eye out for any of these and contact her immediately if you happen to come across any of it.

New Necklaces!

The fabric store down the street from my house has all sorts of goodies, and among them is a big cardboard box that has scraps of mesh and netting, which I snapped up greedily some time ago, even though I had no idea what on earth I was going to do with them.

(I'd like to digress a bit here and do some shameless plugging for the SAS Fabric stores in Maricopa county. The store I frequent the most is in Tempe, but they have one in North Phoenix that has AMAZING formal and bridal fabrics and notions. If you're a sewer/crafter and are planning a trip to Phoenix, you must check these stores out!)

Then I discovered the huge bead store over by where I work is now carrying acrylic spike beads. (Insert another shameless plug for Beads Galore International here, another must-visit store for beaders and jewelry makers everywhere. They get their fair share of cool random things too).

I had some fancy crosses and some other large pendants that I'd been stashing away for something epic and a simple chain or cord just wasn't going to cut it. In usual chaotic fashion it all came together into a collection of necklaces I'm super-excited about. :)

Fancy Cross Spiked Netted Necklace - $30 USD

One is already reserved, but I have one more left!

Smokey Gray Cross Necklace - $25 USD

Red Rose Netted Spiked Necklace - $25 USD

I have a few more pendants I'm going to turn into netted necklaces, and now I'm on the lookout for even more pendants that will work with this design. :)

Stay tuned!

The Team Magma Project

   I am super excited to be part of the Arizona Team Magma cosplay group this year! :D


   We're going to be making our debut at Saboten Con in September. I will be Courtney, one of the admins.

   For those not familiar with Pokemon...


   Team Magma are the bad guys in the Pokemon Ruby game. Their aim is to expand the land and remove the oceans. Their enemies are Team Aqua, who want the exact opposite: to flood the world with more oceans and eliminate land. 


   More info at the Bulbagarden. 


   We're in the planning stages. I've drawn the technical flats for patternmaking, and we're going to have our first meeting this month. I'm so excited! 


   We still need people to cosplay Mack and Tabitha, but I know we'll get that worked out at the meeting. We're going to be going as canon as possible for this. :) 

I will keep everyone posted!

New Blog!

Hello everyone!
This will be the official blog of the d.Kei Etsy shop! :D There will be lots of fun posts here about the shop, upcoming events and collections, and other random Visual Kei related fodder. xD

That is all, for now. :)