DIRT FEST 2012!!!

DIRT FEST 2012!!!

First off- what an amazing weekend. Outdoors, fresh air, perfect weather, bikes everywhere....beer everywhere. 

What more could you ask for?

Well- 

Every person there was absolutely fantastic. The riders, the demo guys, Dirt Rag crew etc.

Perfect.

I highly recommend figuring out how to get you and your crew there next year!

www.dirtragmag.com/dirtfest

As for my personal journey, I just want to share a few pictures- too many words are overrated... 

...you do see all of that Oskar Blues beer sitting there...right?

The Erra Creation Booth

 father 'n daughter - one pair of earrings split <3

Colorful reclaimed chain - key chains

Custom PBR and reclaimed chain candle for someone special <3

...O YEAH! Bicycle Pinball. Rock on Lee!

I hope you enjoyed a little of my journey this past weekend!

Cheers~

Go Women!

Not only was yesterday, Sunday May 13, 2012, Mother's Day and Race for the Cure, but it was also CycloFemme - Celebrating Global Women's Cycling Day  - Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Empower the Future.

How awesome - right ?!?

I had the privilege of hanging out with some of these awesome women before their ride yesterday here in Pittsburgh. Gave them some pretty and fun reclaimed bicycle earrings to wear...and got this fabulous shot of their CycloFemme tats for the ride.

Rock on ladies!!!

Want more info CycloFemme? Visit them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CycloFemme

Cheers~
Nicole @ErraCreations

BUSY BUSY BUSY...WOOT!

heya friends
It's wicked busy over here in the Erra workshop- and wouldn't have it any other way!
Some fun things that have happened- since I'm not the most up to date blog-type.

-Creating some wonderfully funky wares for The Friends of the Riverfront: Trailmix(er) fashion show!!!
June 16 http://www.showclix.com/event/220313

-We did the first Pittsburgh Bike Expo- and its was soooo fun!

-Gearing up for Dirt Rag magazine's Dirt Fest in May (sorry- pun was maybe intended...)

-Commissioned to do lots of cool duds for weddings coming up, like cuff links from vintage typewriter keys and bike chain parts https://www.etsy.com/listing/96337737/bicycle-chain-cuff-links?listing_id=96337737&listing_slug=bicycle-chain-cuff-links, boutonnieres (for prom groups too!), favors...you name it! So honored to be a part of so many wonderful events!

-...and the zipper rings...can't keep 'em in stock! Want one- or a notification before they are for sale online- email me! shoperra@gmail.com

Cheers!

p.s. all of the dates for Erra Creations 2012 Vermont Farmer's Market Tour are finalized!

Newly Formed Crafters

I don't want to take full credit for this, but it seems like so so soooooo many people in my life are just becoming "crafty"! It's large amounts of fun...all day long emails and texts from everyone. The security guard for the building (at my "real" job) keeps making all these way fun things for her daughters room. Friends that used to make jewelry (and sell it BIG time on the west coast) thankfully making jewelry again. Even my engineer/farmer (yes both full time) buddy in the mid west calls me with " can you make something out of this....my nieces need something with this..."

Positive creative energy all day long.

So is it a new "trend" that won't last- like the 60's/70's arts and crafts movement? Or is there some awesome way we can keep it going and going, despite exhaustion. Lets see what insane amounts of social media and Red Bull will do for all us artists...

Phew! The Holiday Rush is Over...

Hope you had a wonderful holiday! But I'm glad all of the rushing is over!
Back to making lots of goodies for all to see and buy!
Check out www.etsy.com/shop/erracreations for the latest additions!
And as always for the latest news on shows and fascinating things- like Erra Creations on Facebook!
cheers
n

The Thrill of the Hunt: In Search of Stuff

What do you do when you wake up on Saturday morning? Make coffee, read the paper, clean up dishes from your dinner party? That all sounds fine and dandy, but for me, I need a super recharge at the end of my 8-5 week sitting at a desk........

Enter: the hunt.

The hunt can happen anytime, anywhere. Walking around the office building, driving sown the street, talking to people you meet at the pub, but the most fun is Saturday morning garage sale digging. It seems that everyone has all this "stuff" that they don't know what to do with anymore, and yes, my mission is to find this "stuff" it's funkiest practical new use.

Take bicycles.
They are the urban-green movement's new best friend. No fuel (except for that extra burrito) and no icky exhaust outputs.
Alas-they aren't perfect. You've got blown inner tubes, bent rims, worn out cassettes, rusty broken chains....
And yes, I have found some funky, yet stylish ways to reuse these bits for you and the home.

Get This Necklace!

Christmas Ornament!!

 Here is where you can find these earrings!

Christmas Ornament!!

It's a New Beginning

Sigh, relief! I'm Nicole and I'm the founder of Erra Creations. I started out this spring wanting to make jewelry for friends and family just by reusing bits and pieces of broken jewelry I had sitting in my dresser drawer. And then an agreement with a friend that we would start our own Etsy shops, and what ever money we made by October we would compile together and have girls night out on the town.

It all went a little differently than planned....
My friend never started an Etsy shop, and I created a business!!! Woot Woot!
A business, really. Like tax id numbers, vendors licenses- you name it. Scary- but OUTSTANDING!
So, I took the plunge last week and bought my domain: www.erracreations.com and the site is now in the works.

So why am I writing all this? Who knows! But I do know that my head is constantly spinning with everything I could and would be doing, if only there were enough hours in the day (sound familiar???)
And Erra is way more than reinvented jewelry at this point. I make everything from light switch plates to Christmas decorations to vases to bicycle jewelry, everyone's favorite! And it's all out of reclaimed materials. I absolutely hate wasting things and it's just wicked fun to come up with a new life for something.
I know why I'm writing this! It's because absolutely everything is connected and everything is influenced by everything. So...I think it will be fun to see what influences me most and what random goodies I will come up with next.

Check out Erra Creations on facebook and Twitter and www.etsy.com/shop/erracreations ...and all that good stuff

Love, peace, and taco grease-
Nicole