Gritty Jewelry

Lucky Horse Shoe Necklaces

Kim — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:02:29 +0000

I like making things that people might want to wear on a regular basis like a modern day talisman. A necklace , ring , or earring that you feel might bring you luck. With this said was the start of my “Lucky” line of jewelry. In this line so far there are , four leaf clovers , lucky pennies , and horse shoe necklaces. The newest being the horse shoe. While cutting and making these necklaces I realized quickly that I wasn’t sure which way was up……….

So I had to do a tiny bit research , and what I found was It really doesn’t matter! It depends on what kinda luck your looking for.

Open end up means you’ll collect luck and open end down means your spreading the luck around! Sounds pretty sweet to me.This first round is with open end up but others pointing down are coming soon. Thank you mister Phil Holden for taking such wonderful photos of the jewels!

Earth Day Gritty Style

Kim — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:44:10 +0000

To celebrate Aveda in the University Village is hosting a Jewelry party! And Gritty was invited. This was a perfect excuse to use up some of that found plastic that I’ve been collecting off the streets of Seattle.

See, do my part! I’m making sure this plastic doesn’t make it in to the Puget Sound!

Speaking of the Sound, 20% of my sales are going to the Puget Sound Keeper Alliance.

Here is their mission,

To protect and preserve Puget Sound by monitoring, cleaning up and preventing pollutants from entering its waters.

With that said please come and join us for Earth Day. Check out local jewelers, support this amazing charity and enjoy complimentary hair styling services!

5:30pm until 8:30pm.

2622 NE University Village St., Seattle, WA 98105

Cigar Box Guitar Necklace

Kim — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 06:04:32 +0000

Well as you guys might know , I’m a southern girl who lives in the Pacific North West. Yes, I eat grits , black eyed peas , boiled peanuts , and hoe cakes ………………………

I hadn’t been home in a while , four years to be honest . The mom was not so excited about that. Due to my big bro getting hitched to my best friend the time had come to go home! I had a wonderful trip to Florida and saw people I had not seen in a long time. One of these friends now owns a small production company called Cracker Swamp Productions they feature artists that have roots in blues. I love this music, when it’s heart felt and well played you’ll easily win my heart! So this was when I learned of ………….. The hand made music movement!

Awesome. Don’t make fun cause I know people have been making their own instruments sense man beat two sticks together in an orderly fashion. Hehe

Hand made guitars! Anything you wanna make a guitar out of , no rules , no holding back. One string or six strings? Frets or no frets? This seriously inspires me.

So I decided to make a cigar box guitar necklace. This thing turned out just how I wanted it to. Its hand fabricated from copper and sterling silver. The charm took a total of 9 hours to make.

This was the first of its kind and I’m very proud. Please check it out! And as always Thank you Phil Holden for taking the photographs for me.

March Already

Adam — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:23:54 +0000

Spring approaches and Gritty charges onward. We’ve got some shows coming up, with a special focus on The Muddy Roots Music Festival this August in Cookeville, TN. We’ll divulge more on that later, but this spirit possessed the bench and a cigar box guitar charm was born.

It all starts with some fire…

Burn!

A tidy box forms.

It begins.

Some pieces get cut and soldered to the box.

Assembling.

The unit assumes the basics of shape and form.

More assembling.

The charm sports all of its attachments with some crafty soldering and spends a little time drowning in the solution that takes some of that shine away. This is kind of like the metallic version of a nose powdering.

Dirtied down and drying.

Finally, steel wool removes the dried solution and gives way to that perfectly filthy-clean patina.

The finished product... A gorgeous Cigar Box Guitar Charm.

And thus births the combination of two great loves: music and jewelry! Expect some similar-minded pieces to be forged in the very near future.

Day dreams about Gritty in the new year

Kim — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:43:27 +0000

We are in the new year by almost a month. I have definitely taken sometime off from the bench but I’m ready to get back to work. Now I find myself daydreaming about things I wanna do with Gritty. This summer I will be applying for Renegade an amazing show, and it means if I get in I’d get to travel a bit! Another one coming up this summer is Seattle Founders Day Festival it’s a pretty new event but its’ in Belltown.My home even when I don’t have an address in Seattle.Very close to my favorite coffee shop Bedlam! Jewelry would not be made with out coffee.

Some other things that should happen in the new year………..

New Bench!

New Gritty Designs!

More collaborations with Tako Fibers!

Host a fashion show with the lovely Nicole Jackson!

Well, that’s all for now!

Thanks for taking the time to look,

Gritty Kim

Thank you!

Kim — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:21:02 +0000

A Big THANK YOU to everyone who made this a great holiday season. When I think of all of you who purchased jewelry from Gritty for yourself or a loved one it makes me smile. To see so many people dig what I do is awesome! Now, I would love to see photos of you wearing your jewelry. Post yourself on my facebook and receive 20% off your next purchase. Plus I would get to see your cute faces!

Who doesn’t love a discount?

Kim — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 07:17:19 +0000

Hey you last minute shoppers!

If you’re in Portland or Seattle your jewelry can easily get to you in time for the holidays!

How about 20% off handmade artisan jewelry? Go to my etsy and buy something for your Gritty friends and family, use coupon code 122011. If you’re not shopping for Christmas, that’s o.k. too. This discount will run till the end of the year.

Happy Shopping,

Gritty Kim

Urban Craft Uprising

Kim — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:42:27 +0000

After many years of applying to Urban Craft Uprising they finally let me in! All at the same time I felt nervous and excited. I couldn’t wait to design new jewelry and displays to show them off. What I came up with I was very happy about. Jewelry wise, horse shoes and clovers were added to my “Lucky” line, and “Oddities” got a few new rings and necklaces. Photo-shoot to happen soon!

Emily from Tako Fiber and I drove up From Portland together for the show. It is always so much fun ride up with Em. Not to mention her family put me up with a place to stay…….. and they fed me! Also we showed some jewelry we collaborated on. Embroidered jewelry! It went over so well we have to make more.

The First Day……………

We had two hours for set up the first morning……… I could have used five! I was so nervous; thank goodness Adam was there to calm me down. The doors opened and from that moment we were swapped. People looking, talking, asking questions (I love telling the story) and trying things on. But no sales! I started to get worried! But after everyone made there their rounds with their maps in-hand marking little stars next to the people they wanted to go back to see, things got MUCH better. After selling the first cleaver, that’s what everyone wanted. My “Weapon” line went over so well. I won the hearts of many 8 year old boys that day with the cleavers, daggers, and machete’s. Next thing you knew it was 5 o’clock and the doors were closing.

The Second Day……………

This day was good. Just as busy! Not as nervous and just really excited about the reaction everyone was having. Getting to tell my story, the story behind to jewels and meeting people that were just as excited about what I do was amazing. On this day I sold one of my favorite one of a kind pieces. I called it “screwed” it was hand fabricated by me with a screw mounted in it I found while riding my bike! Towards the end, I pretty much lost my voice. It was very difficult to get words out at the end of the show, and now I know why…….10,000 people showed up!

The Good and the Bad check list, things I think went right. Things I could have done better.

The Good

* My Square credit card reader….merchants get one

* My helper Adam

*The range in my prices

*Amount of inventory

* Second day booth set up

The Bad

*First day booth set up (I have some ideas for the next show)

*No time to put food in my tummy

* Should have gotten Inter-webs at my booth

Thats it for now – I can’t wait for the next show and thanks for looking and coming out.

Working in my pajamas

Kim — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:27:58 +0000

I’ve had quite a bit off time off of work for Thanksgiving and (not to sound bitter) my boss took a working trip to some tropical island. So the studio has been closed. It has been great! Much needed quality time with my bench. However, I do miss my co-workers a bit! Hi you guys!
One of the things that is not suffering from all this time off is my inventory! I’m super pleased with the amount of things I’ve produced, because of this I’m taking so time to create new one of a kind pieces. I’m about to set a large black onyx in a setting for a necklace I made last night!
Alright, I better get back to work.
See you at the show.

Getting Ready!

Kim — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 04:34:44 +0000

For the holidays! Urban Craft Uprising is happening in a matter of weeks! I’m so excited. After many years of applying, I finally got in. Oh my nerves………… but my displays and all the new jewelry I’ve made, I’m really happy with. It always works my nerves but I’m very happy to show my whole collection. To see all the jewels laid out and displayed in one place is just amazing. There really is no other way to see someone’s’ collection. Not to mention the one of a kind pieces you don’t normally get to view. So I really hope you come to the Seattle Center this December 3rd and 4th to get a sneak peek at what Gritty is doing new for the upcoming year, and of course all the other hard working artists.