I got a request for a crocheted tote bag resulting from a website visitor who was looking at my larger crocheted totebag, which is actually good for overnight use, and she wanted something smaller and elegant enough for the office and everywhere else.

This is what I came up with, in the spruce green color of her choice:

The featured bag shown above is a special order a customer asked us to make for her. She wanted a smaller not so bulky everyday tote bag with clean lines in a single color with no trim, easy to open and shut, secure, and elegantly casual ~ something she could take to the office as well as the beach. I came up with this idea for her and she absolutely loved it! Hence my Casual Elegance Everyday Tote Bag Line was born.

The tote bag is 12 inches wide by approximately 13 1/2 inches long. Easy open and close double drawstring, generous shoulder strap that can be fashionably knotted up to become as short as you like, and a close stitch so nothing will ever fall through. The bag is unlined to allow slight stretchiness. Crocheted from 100% acrylic yarn.

Color shown is spruce green. You may custom order this bag in the color of your choice ~ simply contact me and let me know what your color preference is for your custom order. I will let you know availability of color at the current time you inquire.

She absolutely loves it! I’m pleased!

The shawlpin is gold plated with 14 karat gold filled findings (the pins used to string the beads and pearls and the gold loops) and coordinates perfectly with the tote bag colors.

To find out more about this crocheted designer tote bag, or to order, simply click here.

Fancy jasper is a delightful and beautiful gemstone, smooth, opaque, and naturally colored in so many different colors and shades. I’ve been fortunate to work with mauves, reds, blues, greens, yellows, purples, and lavenders, and all shades and hues in between.

Fancy jasper is a form of quartz, it is solid, and a lovely study of the marvels that nature can produce. I thoroughly enjoy working with this gemstone, not only due to the wonderful color varieties, but I get a good feeling when I work with this gemstone. It’s so soft, subtle and full of those muted woodland tones.

Here are some of the fancy jasper beaded jewelry pieces I have at Jewelry Collectibles:

Fancy Jasper Gemstone Satin Copper Beaded Sterling Silver Bracelet

Pretty fancy jasper gemstones set off nicely by alternating mauve and light green satin finished Czech glass beads between the fancy jasper and fancy copper metallic Czech glass beads. Sterling silver beads and self locking lobster claw clasp.
Length: 6 1/2 inches
Jeweled 1 inch extender
$25.00

For more info on this bracelet or to purchase, click here.

Fancy Jasper Gemstone Satin Copper Ankle Bracelet

Pretty fancy jasper gemstones set off nicely by alternating mauve and light green satin finished Czech glass beads between the fancy jasper and fancy copper metallic Czech glass beads. Sterling silver beads and self locking lobster claw clasp.
Length is 10″ to 11″ with 1″ jeweled extender chain

Can be custom ordered to a different size.
$24.00

For more info on this fancy jasper ankle bracelet or to purchase, click here.

Fancy Jasper Gemstone Green Crystal AB Drop Earrings

Genuine green fancy jasper gemstone beads, light emerald green aurora borealis Celestial Crystal™ bicone beads, sterling silver hooks.
Length: 1 inch
20.00 NOW $12.00

I am having a 50% summer sale on all earrings at Jewelry Collectibles, so in order to find out more about these pretty fancy jasper earrings or to purchase, simply click here.

Fancy Jasper Gemstone Crystal Necklace Set

Necklace: 6mm and 10mm multi colored fancy jasper gemstone beads highlighted by clear crystal aurora borealis Czech glass rondelle beads, sterling silver accent beads, satin finished lead free pewter floral toggle clasp.

Bracelet: matches necklace exactly. Clasp is a sterling silver self locking lobster claw clasp.

Earrings: single drop earrings with 6mm fancy jasper gemstone beads and a single 10mm fancy jasper gemstone bead in the center of the drop. Sterling silver hooks.

Necklace length: 18 inches; bracelet ~ 6 1/2 inches with 1 inch gemstone extender; earrings ~ 1 1/4 inches.

$85.00

To see the entire necklace set, which includes a beautiful matching bracelet and earrings, or to purchase, click here.

I have other jaspers, such as leopardskin and moukaite jasper gemstone beaded jewelry, but I’m going to save them for another time. I really wanted to put the spotlight on the loveliness of fancy jasper gemstone for today!

To see our entire stock of beaded, crystal, glass, pearl and gemstone jewelry, visit Jewelry Collectibles today. To see our entire stock of wedding, prom and formal dress beaded jewelry, visit Wedding Jewels!

Many many people in our disposable fast paced society do not realize that artisan made items are NOT a new age, novel item. Ever since Henry Ford started the production line way back in the early 20th century, the mass consciousness of the shopping public has forgotten almost all things but mass produced items. Often these mass produced items, whilst being cheap, inexpensive, or whatever you want to call them, are made so at the expense of the laborer behind the scenes who basically works their A$$ off to support their family in their dirt floor hut on a whopping $.05 a day.

Since the beginning of the world, there has never been mass production. That’s right, think of it. For the 20 centuries since Jesus Christ walked on this earth, and for millions of years before that, since Creation, there was never such a thing as mass production. Items were produced by artisans, artists, and skilled laborers who weren’t quite at the “artisan” level but who possessed some definitive skill in their chosen area.

Hunting, cooking, farming, wine making, stone masonry, glass making, clothing making, baskets, jewelry, makeup ~ all of the early civilization without exception have made their mark in one or more of these fields. And, yes, Noah DID build that ark out of instructions from a Higher Authority, NOT a Wal-Mart crafters kit  ……….

Needlearts, such as sewing, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, cross stitch ~ all were invented and embellished upon long before we came upon them and learned them. To even think that any one of us might have “conceived” an item of today is not only ridiculous, it show a complete lack of respect and ignorance for the ancient crafts that were started so many centuries ago. The same with jewelry, and virtually any other artisan craft of today……. we are merely preserving the integrity of the craft and growing with it as today’s materials and techniques allow.

To impress upon the mind of the average shopper that artisan made items have more value than mass produced is often a difficult task. As before mentioned, our current society seems to live and breath mass production.

I feel, and this is just MHO, that the idea of “value” is what’s missing. When one purchases antique and vintage items, often artisan made, there is a “value” of time, antiquity, and unique-ness that surrounds the item like an aura. When one purchases artisan made items of today, despite the overwhelming resurrection of real and true artisan work even in this modern age, the idea of “value” is not there, at least not in the shoppers heads.

Which is why it is important for every artisan, crafter, artist and the like who produces unique, original hand made items, whatever they may be, to soundly and firmly impress just that on their shoppers and website visitors. If you truly make unique things, no one can duplicate them, hence they truly are “one of a kind” and “unique” and they are just as unique as the individual who purchases them. That individual will NEVER see someone wearing the same pair of earrings, the same shawl, the same stained glass vase.

Every artisan, crafter and artist must, for the sake of the artisan craft which has been around for centuries, impress this upon their visitors and customers. Each piece is unique as you are. It, no matter what it is, is and will become a cherished heirloom item and each piece is a contribution to tomorrow’s antiques. Each piece has infinite, irreplaceable “value”.