With lots of help from Ornamentea, I've authored my first e-book! I'm extremely excited to present to you, Punk Chic Jewelry: 16 DIY Jewelry Projects to Add an Urban Edge to Your Wardrobe. The book is available on Amazon.com as a kindle edition e-book. Anybody can read kindle books, even without a kindle device. Simply download the FREE kindle reading app for your PC, Mac, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Just look for the Kindle Reading App on the right sidebar of the Amazon book page. I don't have a kindle and I downloaded the app, myself. It was quick and easy!
I had an absolute blast coming up with jewelry projects for this book. It was such a thrill to explore the design style of “Punk Chic” and how I wanted to interpenetrate it. Punk is an exciting, hard-edged genre of fashion that I felt drawn to create around. That’s interesting because I would consider punk to be a little outside my comfort zone. I think that’s exactly why I find it so intriguing! The projects you’ll find here are the result of a personal journey. I pushed myself just a little. I challenged myself to design something against the norm and outside my usual aesthetic, while still being relevant and fashion-forward.
Modern punk fashion or “Punk Couture” is a mix of anarchy and glamour, a more grown-up version of old-school punk. I created jewelry that is street cool yet sophisticated , edgy yet elegant, tough yet pretty and sassy yet playful. I adore every piece. In fact, I can’t wait to order more supplies from Ornamentea.com, recreate each piece for myself and add them to my own collection of jewelry to wear all the time. With a palette of shimmering gold and silver tones, mixed metals, black, white and neutrals, the jewelry pieces in this book are versatile. They’ll go with anything in my wardrobe and they mix and match well with each other. Most importantly though, these projects are easy and fun to create and the finished jewelry makes me feel hip, happening and oh-so-chic when I wear it!
I’d like to thank Cynthia Deis, Queen Bee of Ornamentea for believing in me and my ideas. Because of her, I’m able to design whatever I want from Ornamentea’s vast inventory of supplies and materials. Cynthia makes it easy for me to create fun, fashionable DIY jewelry projects. I love designing for her. I’m proud to consider myself a member of the big O family. I look forward to our journey ahead and continuing this wonderful partnership. Click here to read Cynthia's blog post about our journey to creating this book! I’d also like to thank Caitlin Palmieri. My tutorials for Ornamentea and this book would not be possible without her. She works graphic magic! Her eye for style and design are right on point.
Last, but not least, I'd like to thank you, the reader of this book. Without you, none of us would be here doing this. Thank you for your interest in this work and for your support. I appreciate you more than you know. I hope you enjoy the projects in this book as much as I did creating them for you (and me).
Need some inspiration for Punk Chic Style? Follow our board on Pinterest!
I have added this to my wish list for when I have the wiggle room in my budget. It looks like a great book and I hope that it does well.
ReplyDeleteShaiha, thank you so much for your interest. I do appreciate it very much.
DeleteI cannot WAIT TO READ THIS! Wish I had had access to it when I was actually taking my first baby steps using cord and macrame. It looks mind expanding!
ReplyDeleteCONGRATULATIONS! XOXOX jean <3
You bring beauty wherever you go!!! as well Cynthia is also a remarkable and spectacular lady! Great work!
love, jean
Thank you, Jean! You are so sweet to me. :) And, Cynthia is amazing! Love her. Did you get your review copy? If not, check your email. It should be in there by now.
DeleteHow cool Erin - congratulations on this awesome book! I normally am not a fan of the 'messy-chain' style jewelry (my self diagnosed OCD freaks out - LOL!!), but the necklace you have on here has totally changed my attitude!! And, all these other designs have taken my inner 'edgy-rocker-girl' and shaken her up!! Love all these 'punked-out' designs, they are just too fun!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shel! I know, I totally understand. I'm a bit of a perfectionist myself and I like everything nice and orderly. Before I started making the projects for this book, I found myself really into the whole drape-y chain look, but trust me, I've done my version in a very orderly and systematic way!!! I think that must be why it is appealing to you. I think you would really enjoy making this look in the way I show in the book. ;) There's part of me that does like that messy, random look, but I could never design jewelry that way.
DeleteI've seen a few pieces from you lately that have this edgy look to them. They are so cool. I think you would really enjoy this book. There are so many design styles I'd like to explore. I like a lot of things about everything. I felt like I just wanted to branch out a little. It's really exciting to play around and experiment with style. I think that's what I enjoy most about jewelry-making. Design styles rather than techniques.
Thanks again for your encouragement and comments. I appreciate them so much!
I bought the book this morning! I used the free Amazon app reader (since I don't have a Kindle) that works with tablets, smart phones & laptops -- and it worked beautifully. Love the ideas & inspirations of your jewelry art & cool design collection, and the added bonus of enjoying & supporting an independently published book.
ReplyDelete"Punk Chic" is an intriguing collection -- not only because your jewelry designs are edgy, hip & oh so cool -- but because the jewelry reflects elements of multiculturalism that make it inclusive to modern jewelry design & modern women. For example, I can pick up one of my favorite Latina magazines, written completely in Spanish, and within those pages are spiked earrings, chain jewelry, gold & black motifs, and many wonderful components like those reflected on the pages of"Punk Chic" and thought of from mainstream culture as a kind of progressive, sexy motif. I'm delighted! I feel as if Latina style has been brought from margin to center. "Punk Chic" is Latina Chic! Cynthia Dies is very fortunate to have you as a designer -- you've written an important jewelry design book, one that is leading edge & culturally diverse, progressive and beautiful!
Muchas gracias!
Rita
Rita,
DeleteThank you so much for your amazing comments on my e-book! It makes my heart so happy to read what you had to say. After I read it, I just sat back and basked in this wonderful feeling. You just made me feel so good! I'm particularly delighted that you think the designs are multicultural. You are so, so right! I've seen this style being embraced from Japan to Latin American and everywhere in between! In fact, I pinned some images to the "Punk Chic" Pinterest board of some photo shoot around the world featuring this edgy, modern look.
I also consider myself a lover of culture. If I could travel around the world, I would. Instead, I like to have an experience of travel through designing jewelry. I love to infuse my jewelry designs with flavors of different cultures all around the world. I also like to stay current and on the cutting-edge of things in fashion. So, for you to reflect all of these things in your comment, you have no idea how happy that makes me!!! Gracias!
Congrats Erin! This is so awesome. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Or, well… a copy on my Kindle or whatever! :)
ReplyDeleteKelsy! Yay! I'm so happy to see a comment from you. :) Thank you, girlfriend! <3
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