Earrings....

Urchin~Solid Sterling Silver

Peacock~Bronze and Sterling Silver

Love Conquers All~Fine and Sterling Silver

Summertime Earrings~Sterling silver, carved citrine, turquoise

Rio~ Fine and Sterling Silver with River Shell Beads

Grapevine~Copper on Sterling Silver

Knowing me the way you do, you're not surprised to find out that I made earrings too are you? :-)

These are all listed now in my Etsy shop.

In other news:

I am still agonizing about getting ready for shows this fall.

  I want to tweak my display a bit. (just not sure what it is I want to do!)

And I'm throwing around an idea in my head about a build your own charm necklace.

I could make some small bezel set stones, some metal charms, bead drops, gem clusters, etc, etc,

all individual in little segmented trays.  

Have several chains.  Different lengths, metals, some beaded, etc...

Then customers could pick and choose what they wanted on their necklace.  

What do you guys think?  Do you think people would like that?

Hmmmm.....

One happy girl...

Have you guys seen these things?  Feather Locks?

It is the latest and greatest and of course my nine year old had to have one.

I saw an article on Yahoo awhile back about how they latest trend was to put fly ties in hair.  Sure enough, they are the feathers that are used to tie flies for fishing!  Who would have thought?

So, with her Birthday money burning holes in her pockets, she asked me to order her feathers for her hair.   So, being the good Mom I am, I found some on Etsy and ordered them.

A couple of days later I got an envelope in the mail with a little bunch of feathers.  

She's lucky she looks cute, and is oh so happy.  

And that it was her money, because whooowheee! They are pricey for a few little feathers.

Oh well.  Can you put a price on that happiness?  

Summertime....

Now, that we are officially in Summer, I am in full summertime mode...

This necklace  has gone through many name changes.  Most inspired by that luscious hunk of laguna agate cut by Ed over at StonesinMotion.  Ed's stones are just magic to work with.

 I thought "mmm...Honey"

 "Butterscotch"

 "Nectar"

And I realized that she is all of these things, and something else too.  

A tribute to all things summer.  I've gathered all of the summery goodness and poured it all into this piece.   You will be able to put this baby on in the dead of winter,

And you'll still feel Summertime.

Half here and half there...

I mentioned our on going project of moving my studio 

from one room to another bigger room.

So, we got rid of 90% of the stuff we had in the girls playroom.

I consolidated my books on our massive book shelves,

and we moved my bench and tables in there yesterday.

It's nice to walk in there.  So clean, not cluttered at all...

I almost don't want to disturb it with the rest of my stuff.

But move it I must, because I have work to do.  

I got an amazing commission.  A piece for a baptism from the GodParents.

I kinda like it when someone is specific with what they want. 

It makes it easier to know what they are looking for, and how to please them.

On the other hand, if they are savvy enough to design, they probably also have a picture

in their mind of what the piece should look like. 

This is a thoughtful Godmother, who researched crosses to find one that would be special and whose symbolism would be special to the child.

St. Hans's cross.

A latin phrase on the back.

The baby's name on the chain extender.

St. Hans's cross.  That one is going to be a challenge!  But challenges are good.  I don't challenge myself as much as I should anymore...

So, I'm off to getting the rest of my studio moved.

Have a good week all! 

I hope to have some new work to share later this week.... :-)

In the absence of focus...

I just mailed off the application and $ for the art show in October. 

And I am totally psyched out....

I've completely lost my focus.

My mind is going in a hundred different directions, looking for a place to settle.

I just don't know what to make.

Well, I have some ideas....

But last year, I spent a lot of time putting together some lovely smithed pieces with stones in sterling.

I also spent a smaller amount of time putting together very simple bead earrings.

I did the best with the earrings, and only sold one piece that I really had to fire up the torch to make. 

It was disheartening to say the least.

But I don't want to complain as I still did better than many of my booth neighbors...

This year, I want to make the most of my time and focus on pieces with low price points.

The problem is, it's much more fun to make statement pieces!

What do you guys think? 

If I'm going to go through the effort, I might as well make stuff that has a chance of selling right?

Basket weave...

I got a basket weave stamp for leather on Monday, and haven't stopped basket weaving since.

So.  Much.  Fun!!

It's time to start stocking up for the art show in October at my church! 

Have a good day all...

Feeling good....

I'm not sure I've shared with you before that I am a moody person.

I naturally sway a bit to the depressed side, but I've found I can control it if I exercise regularly.  I envy those people who are naturally happy....but not so much that I haven't learned to accept myself the way I am.  

I am always shooting for even keel...

But today, I actually feel really good!  I have a nice cardio high working...I actually made a few sales at the retail shop!  And I am feeling inspired to make more things for Faithful Treasures.  

People actually paid retail for something I made!

And I didn't sell myself short on what I wanted for the stuff either. 

I generally find it gauche to see posts....."like, omg!!  I just sold my blah, blah, blah....sprinkling sales dust....teeheehee"

I mean I know people are excited to make a sale.  Believe me, I know.  I get very excited every time I sell something.  But it always sounds braggy to me.

But I'm just so excited I had to tell!

Anyway...I made a few pieces for Faithful Treasures.  Mainly hand stamped name pendants, and one necklace...

~Faithful Heart~

I tried out a different bail than I usually do.  I soldered the jump ring to the top of the disc rather
than drilling a hole.  I like this look much better.  It also allows more design space.

I also used the same star that I used in the Teacher's gifts.  I really like them quite a lot.  And stars are pretty popular down here in the Lone Star State....

I'd like to continue to grow my line of hand stamped name jewelry.  I'll eventually add these to one of my online shops.  Actually probably both of them.  My poor Big Cartel store is in desperate need of some inventory...

Oh, and I forgot to tell you.  Another reason I'm happy is that we are slowly but surely working on moving me into the biggest available room in the house.

It is technically supposed to be a formal living room.

But we really aren't "formal" people.  ;)

So, it's been my library and the girls' playroom since we've lived here.

The girls are getting older, and they don't really need a play room anymore.

So...It's going to be my new studio!

We custom ordered a door for the room so visitors won't walk in and go  "oh, a work shop.....nice....".

We loaded up a bunch of the girls' junk, and moved it out of there last night.

I will post pics after the move!

Have a fabulous day all!  :)

Slow start...

Picture not really relevant to the post, but pretty to look at!

Another teachers gift....

Today is day one of summer vacay with the girls home.  So far so good.  They are watching some movie they recorded on the Disney Channel, and I am doing a really good job at putting off starting my day.

Plenty to do, I just don't feel like doing any of it.  I suppose I'll be fine once I get started.  

I always hate reading cryptic blog posts.   Especially juicy ones.  You know the ones.  The ones that hint at   a juicy tale.  A good old fashioned she said this, she did that.... blah, blah, blah.... but never give your the gory details.  ;)

Well, I'm about to get cryptic.  And really it's the only way to go.  You don't want to be dragging all your dirty laundry out. 

I'm feeling much better as of yesterday, but the few days prior to that were kinda rough.  

I've been trying to sort out in my own mind what would cause some people to behave the way they do.

Why they would feel it was necessary to go out of their way to do hurtful things.  

Why they would suddenly turn on you.  Try to turn others against you.  

By my age, I really had assumed I wouldn't have to be dealing with stunts such as these. 

Once you get past the initial sting of a perceived hurt, you really only have two ways to go.  You can fight back, or you can just go on down the road.

I've always been a go on down the road type of person.  

Don't get me wrong.  I will fight back if necessary.  

But, I choose my battles.  I decide who and what is important in my life.  I decide (for now) how I will let someone else's negative actions affect my kids.

So, I'm going to go on down the road...and I won't look back. 

Well, maybe I will look back.  Just to see how such actions will back fire.  Because they always do.  It may not be today.  Or tomorrow, but when you go out into the world with the intent to hurt others, you will inevitably get it back double.....

This week...

Lavender

Imprinted lavender leaves with amethyst and peridot....

Flower no. 3- Watermelon Summer

This is no. 3 in a series of metal flowers I've been making this week.  I'm hooked!  After my creative rut, I feel like this discovery in manipulating metal has opened up my mind and my heart.

I'll be listing these later as time permits.... Today is the last day of school and I'm off to run girls here and there!

Have a fabulous Friday everyone!  :)

Teacher gifts...

Just finished this very second...

The last day of school is tomorrow!  

The girls are soooo ready for summer.

  

:)