New work

It's been awhile since I posted new work, but I've been making new things all weekend!

A few new personal favorites for sure!!

My sister says that I have to learn to separate with my work more frequently, so...

I'll be posting items to my etsy store this week.

I am headed over to try out a friend's camera for some better closeups of my work. Hopefully, that will make easier to 'experience' the jewelry when I post them.
Until then...

Here's a look at one set that I made a couple of weeks ago for another friend.

They are turquoise and wood with silver.

Very dainty and summery.

I hope that she loves them as much as I do!

Have a great day!

:D

xx

Friday Etsy Meanderings

Good Morning!

Today is Craft Party Day at Etsy.

 

To celebrate their 6th anniversary, they have encouraged sellers to organize craft parties with other sellers in their area. Get to know other sellers, eat some yummy goodies and learn a new craft!

So fun!

In celebration of the celebration, I thought that I would feature 'crafters'.

In art school there is always the debate: what is craft and what is art?

I think that craft is in the practice: Everyday you sketch, sew, shape metal or wood, and then your personality comes through and there is the art. Some people do this more easily than others. 

Here are some crafters who have honed their craft into art and some supplies to help with your journey towards your inner artist.

Waterfall Brooch - $750    SusanThornton
Flip It Original Drawing - $25    jodidoodles 
Carved Bear Sculpture (1970) - $54   VintageStarrBeads
Flight of Fancy - $26   YuliyaArt
Large Turquoise Pendant Necklace - $42   AnnalisJewelry
1 LB of Italian Lambskin Leather Remnants - $20    santosleather


Vintage Bohemian Fabric - $18   backhomeagain
200pc 2.5mm Antique Copper Spacer Beads - $2.15   JewelryElements
6 Rainbow Moonstone Onion Briolettes - $9.99   believesjewelry
Green Topaz Briolettes & Citrine Rondelles - $4.99   believesjewelry

French Terry Wrap (made to order) - $80   sandmaiden

Succulent Mountain Stream Garden - $28   SucculentDesigns

The Majestic Adjustable Ring - $24   Flowerleaf

12 Amazonite Beads - $4.99  believesjewelry

Be Present Every Day print 8.5x11 - $20   groundwork
Little Person Keychain - $12.50  Annalela
Owl Bookmark - $5   bumblebooHandmades
Possibilities print - $45   promopocket

As you can see, ANYTHING can be your medium. You just need to work it as these artists have!!

I hope that you can get together with some crafters in your area, party it up! Learn a new craft and further your artistic journey!

Have a great day!!

:D

xx

It's lovely being green

I have green on the brain today.

Hard to say what put it there, but it's there.

So many tones. 

So cool and inviting.

Relaxing and, at the same time, energizing: it's the color of the heart chakra.

I have a meditation that I practice when I'm walking, where I imagine a pale, leaf green color surrounding my heart and growing out until it creates a huge aura around me.

Fantastic.

Try it sometime and let me know what you think!

Here's a couple of necklaces I made recently.

Both are very summery.
The left one is about 17" long, mixed glass beads with tan leather finishes.
The right one is a choker length strand of tonal malachite with a vintage metal chain and a handmade clasp.
I love both... maybe
because...

I LOVE the way green looks with blue!!

So fun and summery.

Reminds me of a sunny day on the ocean.

Have a great day!!

:D

xx

... ZiBagz ...: market day ♥ ♥ ♥

... ZiBagz ...: market day ♥ ♥ ♥: "t o market to market t o buy a fat pig h ome again home again j iggety jig little brown pen stroll through this shop.. you will l ♥ ve it!..."

The fantastic ms. proprietor of ZiBagz, Lisa, put together this wonderful collection and included yours truly! Thanks Lisa! Please check out the great shops shes put together to introduce to us. :D

Zeke Sprouts

we planted our garden last weekend (the weekend before this past weekend - you know what I mean) and this week what should appear before our little eyes...

All sorts of FANTASTIC sprouts

and new

GROWTH!!

There are even...

* B E R R I E S ! *

The loveliest gift of all of summer's splendid gifts.

and speaking of 'gifts' I received this wonderful little bum radish in my groceries and just

HAD to

SHARE!

and all morning, Zeke's been celebrating my birthday (which is next month)

...

those are 'candles on cakes' in case you were wondering.

Each one came with a 'Happy Birthday Mumma.'

Yummmmm :D

He's so adorable <3

Have a great day!!

xx

:D

Friday Etsy Meanderings

Good Morning, good morning!!

I hope that it's a good one so far.

It's sunny here and I've been outside 5 times (to move the sprinkler, but still) I forget how wonderful it is to be out in the cool morning sunshine, the birds are singing and flying here and there,
kids huddle together clutching their backpacks, still in their morning fugues -
it's not long for them now, vacation is almost here!

Not surprisingly my meanderings took me to all things BIRD!

Here's a tweety collection

:D

The Aviary Lavender Sachets - $18   Mireio

Bird Bookmark Set (5 pieces) - $3   charmingzakka 

Hummingbirds Vintage Gould Reproduction - $18   Oldimprints

Lovely Lydia Watercolor Print - $10    fourteeneighteen

Fraktur with 36 hearts - $5   THEODORADESIGNS

And for those longing for another locale
that's not me.   really.    I swear.

Some wonderful etsians have turned old maps into fantastic little items for your home - aren't they great!
They both can be customized with the map of your choice.

Birds of the World custom - $15   silverymoonart

Vintage Map Coasters custom - $28   CarolinaCottage

Of course, one of them is a bird ;D

I love this swirling exotic vase and these batik cosmetic bags.

Vintage Royal Haeger 'Exotic' Pottery Vase - $180    BarkingSandsVintage

Persian Cosmetic Bag - $25   SISTERBATIK

And these vintage items seem to inhabit a cool dreamy space of possibilities...
too poetic? - you'll just have to live with it ;D

Dragonfly Upcycled Flatware - $28   Mudgoddess

Vintage Embroidered Tiffany Blue Scarf - $28   janet5643

although I've never really been a traditional jewelry person,
Tiffany Blue has always been one of my favorite colors and I love vintage flatware, and I love dragonflies so is there anything more wonderful
than a dragonfly made of vintage flatware!!
yikes.
perfection.


And since I got a little chill out there this morning, I got sprayed by the rotating sprinkler
while I was moving it,
I just had to make sure that you saw
these cozy items
they are perfect for these last cool mornings before summer really gathers its strength.

OOAK Handknitted Cashmere Shawl - $285  duende74

Wire Moon Pendant - $57   mayahelena

Yoga Sock Pattern - $5   natalya1905

and the necklace is JUST FAB!!

That's all this morning, my sweets. We're off for a little medieval r&r in the lovely Port Townsend.

To the beach, to the beach we go and if we're really good, maybe a ferry ride too!!

Have a great weekend!!
:D
xx

Inspiration

There are lots of different things that can inspire art.

Look at the pictures above.

Different but similar.

do you see the similarities?

do you think I'm really reaching for similarities?

I LOVE to see the elements that are the same in different items.

sometimes I am the only person who sees those similarities...

until all the pieces fall into place.

 and I have always felt that as an artist you have to be willing to be that person who sees what others don't.

It's a little like that sesame street game 'which of these things is not like the other' only on a deeper level.
And
it's 'which of these things IS like the other'
I look at textures, colors and qualities of color. Yes, qualities of color: intensity, tone, combinations of undertones and for jewelry how a color resonates in one material as opposed to another.

We'll have to go a little back in time for another example of inspiration.
Because it's a classic spring day around here

cloudy with sunshine

so back we go.

to a snowy drive in January up on the plateau above our plateau, that's what I said.
the photo on the right obviously shows the edge of the world
;D

The earrings I made are opaque blue glass beads and hand formed and hammered silver wire.
They hang 3".
Just an example of how simple materials and inspiration can make something beautiful.

simple lines,
swirling like snow,
pale blue and silver capture the cold swirling snowy day
driving long hours of highway lines.
:D
Take a look around and see what inspires you today!
Have a great day

xx