Azoho and Creative Junque by Stacie

Random Thoughts

2011-05-08T10:09:00.000-05:00

~My google calendar is sooo wrong- it says I have nothing scheduled today. It doesn't know that I've got a big project of sorting & putting away my stuff from the shows this week.
~I need to find my charcoal block and my envelope punch. Can't remember where I put either but have a feeling they're at least in the same room!
~My kitchen scissors seem to be broken. "not me" did it!
~Doing a show actually inspires me to make more pieces. Not ever sure why.

~This piece sold yesterday. She loved the "Simple Reminder". Sweet.
~My kitchen is a mess.
~I got handmade stuff for Mother's Day. That means more to me than anything they could have bought & I think they know that. ;-)
~That's a really crappy pic isn't it???!!!

Howdy- remember me?

2011-04-26T08:49:00.000-05:00

I seem to lack consistency in blogging. It's not that I don't have anything to say- if we were to get together for coffee I would be able to carry on a conversation about loads of things. I think my issue is photos. I know a blog post can be dull without pix. Long ago when I started my blog, I was making mixed media pieces & it was easy to pop the piece onto the scanner & I'd have a photo. But with jewelry it's different. Camera, light tent, etc- I'm just NOT a photographer! Anyway, the Indie Craft Bazaar has come & gone. Fun show. Already looking forward to the next one. My next two shows are a couple of days apart.

If you're local to me- c'mon out. I have some new pieces & I'd love to show them to you. No photos yet (of course!) so you'll have to stop by to see them. Affordable necklaces with "simple reminders" on them. Such as: I am enough, brave, nourish, strong & beautiful, bliss- things like that. After I sold the necklace that I was wearing at the last show, I wanted something simple. Easy to throw on. They each hang on a 24" black beaded chain so they easily slip over your head- even when you're wild hair is in a ponytail. Oh wait....that's me. Anyway- I really like them. Each is embellished with a metal bloom or some similar item. Yeah, yeah....photos soon. ;-) Well- probably not until after the next two shows!

Dada is on a Thursday night. And the following Saturday is:

Art Rock is going to be another fun show. I was excited to be accepted this year. So now you know where I'll be for the next few weeks. I've been busy getting ready for these two shows. Then I'll have a break for a while where I'll be cutting some rocks. Not that I need to for new pieces- I just miss it. I have no problem just adding new ones to my growing collection!

Cross your fingers that the price of silver comes down a bit. I really don't need it at an all time high, then I feel bad if (when) I inadvertently melt it! ;-)

Year of Jewelry- Week 1

2011-01-16T10:53:00.000-05:00

After years of watching the year of jewelry, I decided to join them this year. One piece of jewelry per week, for a year. It's not that I don't make jewelry regularly- that's not the challenge for me. For me- the challenge is to finish and photograph a piece a week. This will form the habit of finishing/ photographing. At least I understand that it will form a habit & I'm hoping so!

Organic Rustic Copper Blooms

For week 1- I revisited an old design with a different metal. These rustic blooms are made of copper with a sterling center- on sterling ear wires. I wanted to use copper for two reasons- I love the warmth (and it won’t be touching skin) and I wanted to play with a patina. The patina was to be blue and I still don’t really see blue. I don't mean a hint of blue- I'm talking about a bright cobalt. And since they are sealed- I’m not getting the glow from the copper that I love so much- except for around the edges. I want to play with the process some more.

Ketchup

2011-01-07T09:11:00.003-05:00

While sometimes I really feel like I will never be caught up- sometimes, with some focus- I get there.

In keeping with my one word for 2011 (stretch) I have joined the Year of Jewelry. YOJ 2011 is one piece per week, every week. I've watched it from the sidelines for years. I've watched people really grow. And this year I am going to be one of those people. Of course I'll have to address two problems that I seem to have with making jewelry: Finishing and taking photos. This challenge will help me address both because each week something will have to be both finished and photographed.
I'm excited!

Another year - another word.

2010-12-31T09:30:00.001-05:00

Another year has flown almost completely past me. I won't go into a litany of apologies because I've become such a bad blogger. And since I don't really *do* new years resolutions, I won't promise that I'll wake up in 2011 and magically become consistent. But I am wrapping up my year. Shows are all finished for the year. This is the time of year when I do a lot of reflection, clean off my bench (hopefully), reface my hammers, spend some time with my family and; friends, and figure out my *one word* for the year to come. Next year's word, or at least what I think will be next year's word, came very easily to me. In the past they haven't.

This year my word was focus. And I tried. With some success. Better than before. I am grateful that this year new doors opened up for me. I've had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful people. And I'm sure that it will continue in 2011.

Unless my mind takes a drastic turn in the next couple of weeks- my word for 2011 is stretch. It's what I need right now in so many ways. Well that and a haircut. But haircut wouldn't work as a word for the year. LOL. Stretch. It suits me. I think I'll add it to a piece of jewelry as a gentle reminder. What's your word? You don't have to comment.....email is fine if you're not quite so ready to share.

Sterling and Tanzanite CZ

This is where I'll be on Sunday!

2010-10-15T21:53:00.000-05:00

Time	Sunday, October 17 · 1:00pm - 7:00pm

Location	Cinema Paradiso 503 SE 6th Street Fort Lauderdale, FL

Created By	Indie Craft Bazaar @ Cinema Paradiso, Indie Craft Bazaar

More Info	Come out on Sunday, October 17th 2010 from 1-7 PM for Indie Craft Bazaars "Dawn of the Thread", an indie craft fair for the undead! - Handmade, vintage, repurposed, recycled and vegan goods! - Free hourly raffle prizes (free ticket with entrance)! - DIY "Make a Caramel Apple" booth! - Live Fortune Teller: Tarot card readings, Palm readings, and metaphysical advice! - Cupcakes and festive Fall snacks (for vegans, too!) - Henna Tattoo Stand - Full bar in the lobby! FREE "TRICK-OR-TREAT" SWAG BAGS FOR THE FIRST 100 GUESTS! *Wear your Halloween Costume for a Free extra Raffle Ticket!* $3 entry, FREE parking garage! Music, arts and crafts, food, beer and prizes! What more could you ask for?! You don't want to miss this!!

SATeam Blog Carnival- August

2010-08-29T21:37:00.002-05:00

Our team has adopted the idea of a blog carnival. I'm really excited about this. Various members of the team will give their thoughts on the same question. You'll be able to follow the links around the blogosphere. Should be fun & informative. This months question is: How does texture play in your work?

You know I love this. I think that it even goes back to mixed media collage- because I love texture when I paint also. And layer after layer of paint and marks really give a piece texture and life. There are very few Azoho pieces that I create that don't have texture. I like my pieces to look old. Like they've already lived a life and have a story to tell. Each piece has a different story, but the texture plays a roll. This is a reflection of myself. I have more....um....texture than I used to. But there's good things that come with age- knowledge, patience, understanding, wrinkles. LOL. I'm not shiny new and neither is the jewelry that I create. I suppose in my mind texture equals a life that's lived, and lived well!

"Raspberry Pendant" Available

As far as the technical aspect of texture...how do I achieve it? Well I'll share a secret with you- my all time favorite texture is from concrete. I go outside and put my metal on a sidewalk and proceed to whack it with a rawhide mallet. I also have a few hammers with various "marks" on their heads that make great texture. And of course- the rolling mill. That's like a great big pasta machine for metal. And I suppose etching makes a great textured surface. And when I'm patient....reticulation is a great texture that I love to use. And of course- when I've finished a piece- I like to add a patina to show off all that lovely texture. Then I polish it again to give it depth and character. Um...this is where I say...Just like me!

"Molten" Set with a 4mm CZ: Private Collection

Click on these links to see what my talented team mates have to say about texture in their own work!

Andrea Robinson*
Bonnie
Camilla
Caron
Julie R
Kristy*
Lynn Kvigne
Nicker
Nicole Hill
Pam*
Sylvia*

* denotes a link to their blog- not the specific post- yet!

Sonora Angel

2010-08-12T17:00:00.000-05:00

An angel to watch over you. This pendant is a sonora sunrise stone and sterling silver. The stone has both bright & muted blues mixed with a reddish black. This is a stone that I cut myself. A rustic angel. Not quite listed to sell as of yet because I haven't been happy with any of the photos that I've taken of this piece. I've had months where I've been very camera challenged. Not quite sure why. I'll work on it once school starts.

Dusting it off.

2010-08-11T16:16:00.000-05:00

(cough, cough) My blog seems to be as dusty as the tops of my bookshelves. It's summer and with the kids home from school, I've worn the 'MOM' hat more than any other. We've been;

Swimming

Playing

At the movies

Hanging out

Enjoying friends

Having sleepovers

Having BBQ's

Bowling

Went on vacation

Just having fun all around.

School starts in about a week & a half and it's time to get into a different routine. No more running out for milkshakes at 9pm. But with this new routine, I'll find a quiet house and some creative time. My shop has had activity all summer, which I appreciate. My website redesign is sitting dormant on my computer until I can find some time to do what I need to do. Meanwhile....I still have about 10 days left to enjoy summer vacation, and so I will! I leave you with a photo of my boys.

Little Flowers

2010-04-06T12:51:00.000-05:00

Every year, just about this time, I want a garden. I remember my aunt & uncle's garden when I was growing up. It was huge. However, I have what is lovingly refferred to as a black thumb. No garden for me. Yes, I've tried. And I am seriously in trouble if I ever have to rely on myself for food. LOL. Serious trouble.

But, it seems that I'm in a flower phase with metal. Not sure if these are more like Frogbit or Spiderwort Lily. Both are flowers with three petals.

Cute little posts for spring. In the shop now. Maybe one day I'll figure out the other.

More treasuries!

2010-04-03T21:39:00.000-05:00

Our etsy team (SATeam) loves treasuries. And I'm always honored to be included in one. This week I've had the pleasure of being featured in two.

This one featured my sterling drops. Imaginative name isn't it? Yes, naming things = my nemesis. This lovely treasury was curated by Jewlie from JewlieBeads. Her store boasts not only finished pieces, but some wonderful tutorials!

This one was curated by Birgit from TwoSilverMoons. This time my newly photographed Word nerd earrings were featured. I made a couple new pair last week. Birgit is also a metalsmith & her shop is full of shiny silver.

Both teammates have drool-worthy work! And are really nice people too. Yay SATeam! Yes, I know that these photos are larger than usual, wanted you to be able to see the detail.

Until next time!

Need a Name

2010-02-26T23:16:00.000-05:00

Ya know, when I had my children- I had no problem picking our their names. But for shiny pieces of metal...I'm stumped. Any suggestions as to what to call these? Can't list them without a title- LOL.

Oooo, that bottom photo is a bit blurry too. Hmmm. They are sterling little circles with little dangling pearls. They are rustic and sweet. And I've got a few different colors of pearls & some jaspers. But I can't seem to wrap my head around a proper name. If you think of something- email me at stacie {at} azoho dot com. Please. And thank you. ;-)

Quote Worthy

2010-02-20T08:34:00.001-05:00

Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.

~Wayne Dyer

Baby Blooms

2010-02-16T17:35:00.000-05:00

The baby blooms here. Both in post and dangle.

I love these little guys. Myself, I prefer the dangles. They are no fuss earrings and I like that. A lot.

Life has been so busy lately. Running here, running there. A busy month for cub scouts. My little guys look so handsome in their uniforms, and it sure does this Mama proud when one of them does a flag ceremony. Mama's boys are growing up fast. Very fast.

Until next time!

I saw an angel

2010-02-14T06:54:00.002-05:00

Last October I wanted to make a pendant for myself. I knew which stone I wanted to use, it was the first Sonora Sunrise that I cut myself. {For my first stone I didn't grab the part with the vivid reds & blues, this stone is more muted} When I was almost finished, it looked like an angel to me. Then someone else told me that they thought it was an angel. It wasn't intentional, just serindipitous. So the angels were born. This one is mine & I've cut stones and started setting for two others. One of those will be a necklace and the other, maybe a brooch. Those who know me know how much I love angels. I like this one, it suits me just fine! ;-)

Quote Worthy

2010-02-13T08:33:00.000-05:00

The greatest thing in the world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.

~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Time Flies...

2010-01-31T23:56:00.001-05:00

Earlier tonight I posted to my FaceBook page that I just can't believe that it's the last day of January. I can't get a grip as to where this entire month went. I spent time with my family. Lots of Cub Scout things. Celebrated birthdays, mine included. Went camping. Must have supervised hours of homework. But it's over. Gone. Quick as that. What I *didn't* get done was much creating. A few things here & there but nothing that's actually finished. The world is whizzing by & I'm having a hard time catching up.
Today in my rock workshop I did manage to finish three cabs that I'll set soon. Here's a lousy photo of these pretty rocks ;-)

Left to right:

Chinese Writing Stone

Sonora Sunrise

Picture Jasper (also known now as another name which I seem to be too tired to remember)

**edited to add...it's Red Creek Jasper...it's all coming back to me now.

They all want to be rings. My apologies for the photo, but you get the idea. Until next time.....

Happy New Year- Welcome 2010

2010-01-01T15:53:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who's followed by blog, visited one of my stores and has become a part of my life. I am grateful for you. Last night we had a great time with friends at a super "kid friendly" party. I was amazed at how late the kids were able to stay up. It was a good time with good friends. And I hope that the new year is *just like that*!!!!

While everyone in my family is home for the holidays- I've had no bench time & very little creative time. I've been enjoying their company. But next week we resume normal life. I've loved having them around...but YAY for normal life!

Wishing you & yours an abundance of all things good in the new year.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T00:11:00.004-05:00

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. I know there are a few people who read this! LOL. May you enjoy a day filled with love.

My neighbor, a lovely old Italian lady brought over this cake for us. We're so blessed. This little ditty boasts some Jack Daniels. Whee. It's very good stuff!

Ask Stacie

2009-12-08T17:52:00.004-05:00

Customers and friends regularly ask me questions about their jewelry. I thought I"d try blogging about it because many of the questions are the same. One day I suppose it would be a good idea to get an FAQ onto the website, but this really isn't the time of year to be planning new pages. Know what I mean! So here's the first question:

Which dip should I use to clean copper jewelry?

Whoa. Please don't ever dip your jewelry into any chemical. Some clean by stripping away the dirt, which also strips away bits of metal. And chemicals aren't good for stones of any kind, especially soft ones. And since you may not be aware of which are softest....stay away from it. Now- what you can do is this....put down your drink & swallow you coffee- I don't want anyone laughing & spewing their beverage onto the screen! Ketchup. Yup- you read that right- ketchup. Squirt a bit into your hands, rub it onto your piece (not on stones), rinse & buff with a soft cotton cloth. Voila- clean. Lemon juice works too but it's sticky. So there's your tip for today. ;-)

While I have your attention I would like to show you a beautiful treasury that I was honored to have a piece included:

This beauty was curated by TwoSilverMoons. Thanks so much for including an Azoho piece!

That's all for now....till next time!

Name your price sale!

2009-12-07T16:13:00.003-05:00

Last sale before the holidays folks! I'm calling this one the "Name Your Price" sale. Here's how it works-
Purchase any item from either my Etsy or Artfire shop and you can name your price on a pair of tiny dots. Use the dots as a gift for someone else or a gift for yourself. You can name any price you'd like! $13, $10, $5, $2 or even FREE! Name your price in the notes to sender & I'll send off a revised invoice if it's necessary. So go on....take advantage of me as much as you'd like until Midnight Eastern time on Sunday December 13, 2009.

These are the tiny dots- wonderful versatile little things that they are- great for a 2nd or 3rd hole. Or even for a young person. So what are you waiting for??? Click away! And thanks for supporting an Indie Artist. ;-)

Special note: There's an Artfire Kiosk on my Azoho Fanpage so you can shop directly from there- without ever having to leave facebook or sign up for an Artfire account!

Can you believe it's December?

2009-12-01T22:37:00.003-05:00

Where in the world is time flying to? This is crazy and it seems to be going at the speed of light. I'm not really prepared for the holidays. So what else is new? LOL. I's like to show you a piece that I'm proud of-

I cut the stone myself, then set it & ended up with this beautiful lariat. The stone is Sonora Sunrise, a few posts back I posted a photo of the rock. Earthy and organic looking with a "signature" bloom. One of my friends pointed that out to me recently....that the bloom has become my "signature". I have fun making them. Earlier today I listed the lariat HERE. I'm so very tired and in need of a good night's sleep, so that's what I'm going to do! Till next time.

S

Back in the groove baby!

2009-11-03T11:07:00.004-05:00

I got back to my torch a couple of weeks ago. Felt good. I've got a few pieces that I'm working on that are angels with bezel set stones. And a lariat with a bezel set Sonora Sunrise. Beautiful!
I've got a sweet little ring with a green aventurine stone. Pretty. This one is in the shop already. I've fallen a bit behind in photographing it seems.

That all aside....this is what's on my mind today. I belong to a wonderful street team on etsy. The Starving Artists Team. A talented bunch who I've gotten to know better this past year. This month we're doing shop critiques. Today is my critique day. My teammates will be telling me how to improve Azoho on Etsy. I'm looking forward to it but am a bit nervous too. LOL.
Well I've got to get to the bench...I've got some filing to do!

Rest in Peace Daddy...

2009-10-08T08:04:00.006-05:00

Last week, on October 1, I lost my Daddy. He spent the week in the ICU where they tried to stabilize him, but he was too far gone. He was a Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother and Friend. Him & Mom were married for 51 years. I think it goes without saying that I'll miss him. Although strong when he was younger, the last few years had left him fragile. I will always remember him as a gentle soul. I'm like him in many ways except that I'm waaaaay feistier. And I'm not sure that anyone who knows me would ever use the word gentle to describe me.

Altimeter, Belt, Control, Cable, Canopy. He taught me this when I was about 9 years old. It's the things that you check before you take off in a glider. He loved to fly. Now why I still remember this, but can't remember to call my eye doctor to get a copy of my prescription- I don't know. ;-)

He wanted to be cremated and spend his eternity with his girls, down here in Florida where he spent over half his life. But well intentioned relatives started the process to bury his remains up north, in a place where his "girls" won't get to visit him. We (My sister & I) don't get to travel much & Mom's not going to be able to travel much either. So this really is goodbye. I am comforted by memories and can smile through my tears.

Please pardon this sad post....needed to get it out into the universe.

Cutting Rocks

2009-07-22T10:35:00.004-05:00

When I was a little girl (I know, this statement brings on yawns & rolling eyes!) I used to collect rocks. They've always fascinated me. Fast forward to now. (I know- a really quick trip down memory lane) I'm a little obsessed with metalsmithing. And I'm loving my classes, although sometimes experiments can be costly- LOL. Anyway, I wasn't finding stones that I liked, in shapes & sizes that I wanted to work with. So...this semester I'm taking a cabbing class in addition to the metal fabrication class. There's plenty of new equipment & tools for me to learn how to use and I'm enjoying sourcing out rocks to cut. Last week I learned how to properly use the 12" oil saw. My hands were stinky with a foul smelling oil- but I cut a rock into slices (called slabs). Before class started I got some rocks to cut & cab- here's a pic of one:

This one is called Sonora Sunrise, a newish find from Mexico. (And from what I heard- "all the rage" at Tucson this year) It's Chrysocolla, so it's got lovely blues and Cuprite, so it's got earthy reds. With some black mixed in (Tenorite)

New Earrings Listed

2009-07-11T09:33:00.003-05:00

Finally got a decent photo of these Bloom Earrings. Very rustic, organic. I just love them. The texture is fantastic. I have a pair too & they are very comfortable.

Gotta post & run....I'm off to class! Yay!

Included in a Beautiful Treasury

2009-07-10T10:58:00.003-05:00

Jen K of TheBlueDress selected a pair of my earrings for this gorgeous treasury. She made mention that the old green of the 70's is coming back as the new green. I love green & happen to be in a sort of "green phase" right now. But do this: check out Jen's shop! She is so talented with metals it just blows me away. I always look forward to her posting new work. We are on the SATeam together & I've got to say.....she rocks! Thanks Jen!

Independence

2009-07-02T22:55:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine sent me an email. She always forwards funny things but this one was different. It said that there is a rock in Iowa on HWY 25 that kids have painted for years. Graffiti, names, stuff that kids would do. Always changing as the next kid makes his mark. But a teenager painted over it months ago & nobody has touched it. I thought it was perfect to share with you today. The artist's name is Ray "Bubba" Sorenson II & I understand that he's a teenager. Check this out:

We need more teens like this one! Happy 4th & thank you to all the men & women that made & keep us independent.

Etsy Gift Guide & Free US Shipping

2009-07-02T10:31:00.004-05:00

Who knew that even a "not so great" photo can be picked for a gift guide? LOL. This weekend there is a Free Shipping promo going on at Etsy. My shop, Azoho , is participating in the promotion. Etsy put up the gift guide/ limited time promotions & I was happy to see that my Bloom ring is in the guide. Sure wish I had a better photo to put into that listing. ;-)

I wanted to share this with you. Last Sunday I woke up with a nasty sore throat, still sore so I'm going to go have some nice warm liquid. Stop by the store & take advantage of the free shipping promotion!

Bloom...The Ring

2009-06-05T22:06:00.003-05:00

I know I'm just dropping quick photos & running....life's been that way. But I wanted to post a pic of a new ring. I haven't been able to get a great photo to post it in Azoho yet, but I'm close. It's a "bloom" ring. I love it. Wearing it on my pinky right now. Earrings are close to finished. And a ring with a little bezel set stone is finished except for some patina & polishing (& setting the stone). Hopefully some time in the metals studio tomorrow morning & I'll get it all done. Then photographs. The last part is still the tricky part for me.
The kids are almost finished with school for the year. At this point I'm usually thinking that I'll have more time....but this year I'm not kidding myself. My time will have to be stolen moments here & there. Unless I can work out some sort of schedule. Hmmm....will have to give that a try!

Class Ring

2009-06-03T09:28:00.001-05:00

I wanted to show you a photo of a ring I made in my fabrication class.

I like it because it's rustic & organic. I picked a stone that has a higher profile on one side- almost looks like it cracked while it was being cabbed & they went ahead & polished it anyway. It's got character! For my metal head friends...The tricky part was the braid. It's 24g twisted wire that I had to solder before it was soldered on next to the bezel. The challenge was NOT to melt it- heating it up twice with a #3 tip on the torch. Anyway...I love this ring & wanted to share it with you.

Need a name

2009-06-02T21:17:00.002-05:00

These are cute little studs. I was going to add them to the shop tonite, but then realized that I can't seem to think of a proper name for them. LOL. Any ideas? They are smaller than the nuggets. And I've got some in colors also. A bit of air dry enamel on the end adds a little splash of color. So....if you can think of a name for these- I'd appreciate your comments or tweets! And I thank you in advance!

Choices....

2009-05-12T09:43:00.001-05:00

A couple pairs of hoops, larger than the ones currently in the shop.

What goes around....

2009-05-10T22:09:00.006-05:00

I snagged another treasury this weekend. This time I featured the fantastic talents of the SATeam. Here's a snapshot:

It seems that everything I was working on this week had some sort of circle in it, so with circles on the brain I just went with it. But they're nice circles aren't they?

Was going to post a link but the treasury expires tomorrow. So instead- I'll just post a link to a team search instead! Almost 5000 items of handmade goodness. Nice.

PS- Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mamas out there!

Mother's Day Sale

2009-04-24T15:04:00.003-05:00

The Starving Jewelry Artists Street Team is having a Mother's Day sale this weekend on Etsy. This is a wonderfully talented bunch. If you search "sateam" you'll find a plethora of gorgeous goodies for any special woman. Mom, Grandma, Aunts- anyone who is special to you who deserves a special gift for Mother's Day.

Don't wait to the last minute to pick up a gift. That's the Motherly advice that I get- so I'd thought I'd share that!

Sale ends Sunday (4-26-09) at midnight and started a few minutes ago!

Tiny Bubbles

2009-04-15T07:33:00.005-05:00

Every so often I have some frustrating torch time. Where it seems I melt things constantly. Never wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth- I save it. Afterall- who knows what it could become one fine day! Some of these were supposed to be head pins which ended up too short for what I needed them for. So on a better torch day I balled up the other end too. They happened to be on my bench next to a lonely pair of rectangle hoops that just needed something else before they felt done. You know the feeling right? So they were lovingly wrapped around the hoops to finish up this pair of earrings. I like them but have been undecided about whether they need a patina. Any thoughts or opinions? If so- tweet me. Otherwise, these will be listed on 1000 Markets soon.

BTW- you can find me on twitter @StacieWilliams

edited to add: Thanks for the tweets! They're in the store now

Azoho

2009-04-02T13:01:00.001-05:00

Azoho is coming........soon

Accepted to a new venue

2009-01-10T12:21:00.005-05:00

Last weekend I was accepted into the juried site 1000 Markets. It took a couple of weeks to set it up and to get the nerve to apply- LOL, but I did. I've been doing a happy dance all week working on some pieces to list. Let me tell you a bit about it.....

First- since it's a juried site, the quality is outstanding. The site design is beautiful and user friendly. It uses Amazon payments for processing your orders. Don't we all have an Amazon account already? LOL. I know I did. In addition to the stores, there are markets. A combination of various shops with some sort of theme. Like being in a city and heading to their market to see what their locals have to offer. It's an exciting place to be and an exciting time to be there. Still in "sneak peek" mode. I really love it there and was moved by there beliefs. Check it out & spread the word, it's a great place to shop for quality handmade items.

(The logo isn't a link but there are links in the post- seems I'm forgetting my HTML right now!)

2009-01-03T11:33:00.002-05:00

A pair of rustic hoops that will be for sale shortly. Getting ready to launch a hoop-cessories line. Most women I know have their favorite pair of hoop earrings. Hoop-cessories are add ons to hoops to dress them up or add a splash of color. Like changeable little charms for your hoops. Still photographing some items, but they'll be available soon.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that another year has zoomed by with a fresh new year just waiting to unfold. I tend to be very reflective this time of year. From Christmas till almost mid January (my b-day), reflecting on the year past and planning for the year ahead. And that's the mode I'm in now.

Wishing you a very happy new year filled with creativity and an abundance of all things good!

Snagged an Etsy Treasury!

2008-09-12T14:56:00.002-05:00

I was able to snag a treasury last night and I filled it with some of my favorite things from some of my favorite people/ vendors. It looks pretty snazzy and has rec'd some great comments, stop by & give some love ;-)

I've added the link, but it expires Sunday night 9.14.08.

I got the coolest thing on Etsy!

2008-08-31T16:15:00.005-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I pulled up the Etsy homepage. I like to see the treasury that made the front page. Yes, I prefer this to going somewhere to shop, I haven't been to a mall in years. Anyway, towards the bottom the newly listed things scroll by. I saw this photo

I was instantly intrigued, not even sure what it was from the thumbnail. Clicked thru & actually went oooooo and fell in love. Purchased it right away. Now the details, this is hand thrown stoneware from Marsha at DovecoteDesign. It's a jewelry bowl. Marsha has created a bowl complete with a column to put your rings and holes around the edge for earrings. I absolutely LOVE the color, she calls it rutle green. I call it gorgeous. It came lightening fast, packed so well that it could have been drop kicked & it would have made it to me safely. And it now resides on my dresser holding my adornments. Lovely. And I think this would make an awesome gift for someone! Here's photos from the listing, used with Marsha's blessing:

Now can you see why I fell in love with it! Isn't it awesome? Mmmmmmm. Check out her store, DovecoteDesign to get one of your very own. I've got my eye on a few bowls in this same color. ;-)

Treasury

2008-08-30T19:06:00.008-05:00

My pink amethyst necklace is featured in an Etsy Treasury. This always makes me so happy. It's in good company in a treasury filled with pinks & browns. Lovely! Thanks Kat. ;-) Please stop by & give it some love. (Yes.....everytime I've typed the word 'treasury' I've made it a link.....shameless promotion I say!)

Here's the pic:

Museum of Science

2008-08-14T22:48:00.003-05:00

This is the last week of summer for us as school starts next week. So we've been trying to cram in some fun stuff. I knew there was a MOS in Ft Lauderdale, but that's almost 2 hours away & with gas prices being what they are, probably not going to happen. My oldest LOVES all things science. A Mom at Karate told me yesterday that there was a MOS in West Palm Beach. So this morning after a couple of errands, we headed down there. I grabbed my camera on the way out. Not because I wanted to schlep it around all day (days like this I wish we'd bought the smaller, lighter model), but I really was hoping to get a pic of my little one with his hair all standing up from the plasma thing. It does it on slides so I thought this would be funny. Things to do next time.....bring extra batteries for the camera or charge them & feed the kids first because they have nothing to eat there.

Took us a little over an hour to get there. VERY COOL PLACE! We were there for over 5 hours, couldn't tear those kids away. Next month the "Grossology" exhibit comes so I'm certain we'll go back. My batteries were so dead that the photo of the mastodon bones didn't come out right. But I did get two photos, they creep me out but they're really cool.....in the light of day. They have an ancient Egypt exhibit, complete with mummy.

Creepy but cool huh? The signs said that they couldn't tell if it was a girl or a boy without causing harm to it. But they do know that it's a little over 2400 years old, and it was well cared for because there's gold on the face (you can see it close up), and that it probably died from the crack in the skull & the fracture in it's leg. They said it was about 5 years old but it was small. Like the size of a 2 year old today. But what's REALLY creepy.....I was sitting next to it for a really long time while the kids were exploring & you can actually see it's hair. Not sure if you can in this pic....

So all in all it was a really fun day & we can't wait to go back. Next time I'll check the batteries! They had so many cool things in the Egypt exhibit. There were containers, forgot what they're called, that they used to put the organs into. There was a sarcophagus. A mummified raven. And a really old necklace with lapis in it. And a lapis scarab, they believe from a piece of jewelry.

I enjoyed the gem & mineral exhibit and the underwater exhibit- fish I've never seen before. But the little one picked out all of his friends from "Nemo" LOL.

Just wanted to share this before I went to bed. Hoping that this little guy won't show up in my dreams tonight.

A Fresh Coat of Blog Paint

2008-08-10T21:43:00.002-05:00

After years of the old template- it was time for a change on the blog. I really wanted 3 columns. So....here it is. Not quite finished but I've looked at HTML & CSS until my eyes are crossed, so it's time to give it a rest. The new template, the 3rd column added~ that's the part that made me buggy~ without losing any significant data. I'm a happy girl & I'm off to bed. ;-)

A great trend

2008-08-05T17:30:00.005-05:00

I got gas today and it was only $3.89. I never thought I'd refer to that as "only", but just a couple of weeks ago I paid $4.18 so I think this is a great trend. And milk is really high too....$4.49. We need a cow.

On the jewelry side of life, here's a new pair of earrings. These tabs are etched with vintage text (from the late 1800's) and sterling ear wires were soldered onto the back then smoothed into shape. Added patina, tumbled and polished. Once I get a few more decent photos I'll add them to the shop. Hope you like them!

It's here, it's here, it's finally here!!!!!

2008-08-03T23:44:00.011-05:00

I almost wished away the whole summer because I knew it would be almost over before this book came. Such is the way when you pre-order. But last week it finally arrived and I'm so excited.

A Charming Exchange

The photos are delicious. You can see the detail in each piece. The projects are fresh. New (to me) links, one's that I've never seen before. My head is still reeling from all the incredible eye candy.....but the best part....the instructions for the projects are well written and stepped out. Even a jewelry newbie could make beautiful pieces. It's written in Kelly's voice....just like she was sitting there next to you. It's about jewelry, it's about sharing, it's about collaboration (one of my favorite things!), it's about making some awesome pieces of art jewelry. I totally love this book. (It's right up there with Semi-Precious Salvage by Stephanie Lee) I feel inspired and can't wait to get some bench time. If you love swapping, charm swaps, making jewelry....this is a book that you should have. But it won't be on your bookshelf, this is the book that stays on your bench. The one that you grab to have a peek at to get your creative juices flowing while you're listening to your 'tunes' and sipping your coffee. Job well done ladies! You guys ROCK.

Photo used with Kelly's blessing ;-)

Some new things

2008-08-02T00:41:00.005-05:00

It's late and I should be sleeping. But instead I'm going through some photos. Took almost 100 pictures off of my camera tonight so I've been tagging and sorting. But here's a few that I wanted to share.

This first one are some inchies that I did for a swap on the BookArtz group. They are 1 inch square. I did 16 of each color & rec'd some wonderful returns. They were fun to do.

These are the the beginnings of the pile of returns that I sent back from the charm swap that I hosted. I wrapped up the packages before I stuffed them into envelopes. They've been received by the participants and everyone is enjoying their returns. It was another fun swap. I had started to make a second set, ended up using some for fill ins, and a few became earrings before I was even finished- I'll have to grab a photo of those too.....I liked those!

Copper and sapphire swarovski crystals for a swap on Adornmentz. The copper was treated to a heat patina then hammered around the edges for texture.

Oh, these are terrible photos. But they are on the other side of the country now so these pix will have to do. For the same swap- copper washers hammered, then married with indicolite swarovski crystals.

And lastly, for the same swap, hammered and heat treated copper together with emerald swarovski crystals. The theme was earrings using swarovski crystals in case it wasn't obvious. Although I don't use them very often, I did really like this design. I'm going to do some more with little gemmies. Iolite, garnet or moonstone- I've got some pretty little rondells of those 3 stones. And all three would be pretty with copper. Notice how there's a crystal on the ear wire too? It was a nice touch to bring the design together, however.....I think I should have given them a LOS dip. Next time.....it was an after thought. I should have the returns from this swap in the next week or so. Looking forward to it!

More pieces out of the tumbler and photographed.....but it's time to me to head off to dreamland.

Be happy!

BookArtz Charm Swap

2008-06-26T19:36:00.005-05:00

I almost forgot to post the pic of these charms. We're doing a charm swap and here is a few of my offerings. I'm looking forward to adding some of the charms from this swap to my bracelet that I always wear.....you know the jingly one.

I cut the copper sheet, used my new dividers....straight lines can be a beautiful thing. Then I filed the edges and corners. Drilled holes. Tumbled them. Grabbed some pages from an old book (1920's) and started tearing & burning. The smell of vintage paper burning isn't pleasant. Then I used gel medium to adhere the paper. I scanned this before I added jump rings so that I could get a better scan. Then I added the jump rings & bagged them up. Twenty five of them. Well I made more, but 25 are for the swap.

My oldest had a look at them while I was working on them & said they looked like something from the movie National Treasure. Then I realized that I had made them right after we watched the movie. Sometimes it amazes me where inspiration comes from, when you aren't even paying attention or looking for it. That's the best kind!

Lots of other things going on around here. I do have some pieces that need to be properly photographed. I envy people who have the knack to hang a piece on a tree and have an awesome picture come out.....I still struggle with every photograph. Lighting is my main issue.....and I'm still working on it.

www.BookArtz.com

2008-05-02T18:30:00.006-05:00

After taking some time to consider and plan -I made a decision. Although I'll say the walls are unpainted & it's unfinished and unpolished- I'm ready for people to drop on in and become part of the community.

BookArtz.com is a community for mixed media and altered artists. It's open to everyone and costs nothing to join. You do not have to be a member of the yahoo group to join us. You can blog, visit friends and neighbors, post pictures and be inspired. I think that the community will continue to grow, as the yahoo group did, and before too long it may be a booming metropolis. If you're a vendor and would like an opportunity to advertise to a targeted audience, please let me know. I'm very happy about this and have had some great feedback from people so far. Why don't you pop on over, you do NOT have to be a member to check it out! Hope to see you there. ;-)

Love those pearls!

2008-04-12T08:46:00.006-05:00

I'm currently having a serious love affair with pearls. Although earrings are the only items that have been finished and photographed, there are rings, bracelets & necklaces in the works. And today I hope to put the finishing touches & photograph a whole wad of them.

Last night, after I ordered our pizza, I posted a pair of gray peacock pearl earrings on Etsy. And I'm happy to report that they were sold before I went to bed. I love it that others love pearls as much as I do. Pearls just make a girl feel special and with contemporary design.....it's just the icing on the cake. My earrings have been simple, and that's what makes them so versatile.

Mmmmmm, like candy

2008-04-11T18:02:00.004-05:00

My postman, Roger, likes delivering mail to my house. He appreciates the mail art that I receive almost as much as I do. I can see why he likes it, after all- his day is spent looking at boring plain envelopes......then he gets to mine. The envelopes are artfully decorated, and postcards always have art on them. Well, as much as I like receiving mail art, I also like getting little nondescript envelopes. I know when they're coming and wait with anticipation so I can bring it in and open it up to lovingly fondle the contents. This is a horrible pic of today's little envelope.

They are all faceted briolettes. Some dark amethyst puffed marquis, pink amethyst pears, swiss blue topaz hearts, garnet ovals and different colored aquamarine drops. I'm still really excited about them, such a nice sparkle. And this time, I drew the design first, THEN ordered the stones. LOL- so many of these already have plans. I hope the pictures of the finished pieces are better than this picture! Since I still haven't put away the silver, I think I'll go see what I can put together.

Metal Pix

2008-02-14T18:37:00.004-05:00

Ahhhh......loving the new camera. Didn't get much time to play today but just enough to get a few pictures. Still inside at my desk- but here they are:

These are some sterling stackables that I've been wearing on my thumb for the last month. I love these. The hammered texture makes them glimmer in the light. More of these in process & they will be added to Etsy.

And these are charms that are in process for swaps. Not quite finished.....just had to take pictures for practice sake.

Hey Anne Marie......recognize these backgrounds?

Better Pictures

2008-02-14T08:42:00.004-05:00

I'm on my way to better pictures. As soon as I really figure out how to use the camera. Look at these earrings:

Now, this picture was taken with them sitting on my desk. Using the overhead lights, macro setting & the flash. Because it had only been 5 minutes since I opened the book & turned it on for the first time. So I haven't experimented with any white balance settings, or used the light tent, or- gotten to the page in the manual that shows me how to turn the flash off. But, this is the same pair of earrings that I posted on June 7th. (scroll down for the ugly pictures) I was shocked & excited about the detail in the stones- you can't even see that with your naked eye.....well I can't! I never put them up for sale because the pictures were so bad. Originally I was going to keep them, but ya know....gotta support my buying habits somehow!

So.....I'm on my way. And so very happy about it. Just gotta figure out my new toy! Woo- hoo!

Fire!!!

2008-01-18T19:40:00.000-05:00

Well the good kind ;-) This past week I've had some long overdue creative time. While I did start painting some backgrounds, I spent most of the time "playing" with my torch. I've made quite a few stackable rings. Some I added a jump ring & added some crystals. Some I added a bezel & a stone. Some I left plain. I've also been cutting & doming discs. I've got a batch I need to tumble, then I think they'll become earrings. It feels good to have had this time, hope it continues. And I need some quality camera time this weekend so I can show you some of the pretties I made.

The painted backgrounds will likely become little notecards & Valentine Postcards for swaps on BookArtz.

My wish for you....

2008-01-01T16:31:00.000-05:00

Happy new Year. I'm looking forward to so much in 2008. Here's "My Wish"

I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.

But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

That's a song by Rascal Flats, just says what I'm thinking.

Tomorrow our schedule gets back to normal. I'll miss having everyone around but I've sure piled up a lot to do. LOL. Happy new year & may it be one of the best yet!

Where the heck ya been?

2007-12-24T14:19:00.000-05:00

Sorry 'bout that. See- my muse tends to take a hike in August (And April), my brain is filled with other things. Then I was doing a big project........then I had other things to catch up on, you know how it goes. Anyway- haven't disappeared. And although it looks like I've become a blogger without obligation.....there's projects started- so that's a good place to start.

Wanted to wish everyone the happiest of holidays! Hope you're spending time with people that you love doing things that you love to do. This really is a magical time of the year.

Welcome to Holland

2007-08-20T21:03:00.000-05:00

I was reading my email & somebody had this in their signature. Yes, it's really long for a signature. But it amazed me at how fitting it was for me to read this today. Today of all days. In my mind there's a little angel just letting me know that she's thinking of me too and I know that she knows just how much I miss her.

WELCOME TO HOLLAND (By Emily Perl Kingsley)….
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this:
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans: the Coliseum, Michelangelo's David, the gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills – and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy ... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away, because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss.
But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you many never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.

Hailey Grace Williams 8.20.02 - 4.14.04

Mixed Metals & Pearls

2007-08-04T13:21:00.002-05:00

This first pair marries different metals- Sterling, copper & stamped brass. Also a bit of hardware and some Greek ceramic beads. This is a fun pair!

These beautiful white coin pearls have such a beautiful iridescence. Simply added to a long kidney wire, this is simple elegance for everyday wear.

I'm impartial and of course I love them both. Guess which to pick would depend on one's mood at the time.

Same basic shape (Sold)

2007-08-04T11:34:00.001-05:00

I'm really enjoying making these earrings. This pair includes some green jasper. I'd like to make another similar pair for myself, this pair already is sold. Will also make a pair in sterling as soon as I can lay my hands on my smaller pliers which I still can't find. (It involves a child & hiding things) I've been using my other pair, but I really do favor the missing ones. Maybe this is just a way of pushing me to get the Lindstrom's that I'd really like to have.
I've spent an inordinate amount of time on a bracelet this week. It's been more wrestling it than any kind of wire wrapping. Causing me many more grey hairs. Seriously it annoys me when a simple piece of metal can get the best of me. I've got some things to do today, then I'm going to twist it into submission, or scrap it & try again another time. I didn't think it would be too difficult when I started....well, ya know how that goes.

Anyway- just wanted to share these beauties with you. Another pair that has a great swing to them.

Adornmentz

2007-07-24T15:39:00.000-05:00

For a little while now I've wanted to be a part of a yahoo group dedicated to art jewelry. I'm enjoying putting things together, and the "hunt" in thrift stores for special pieces. I've spent more than I'd care to admit on silver, pearls, gemstones & such. In the last few months I've gotten a few issues of Belle Armoire & have fallen in love with some of the jewelry in there. The jewelry issues are on their way. Anyway- looked around & didn't find what I was looking for. Mixed media Jewelry using some usual & some unusual elements. So- time to start one. I'm in the process of setting up Adornmentz now & will be adding people and sending out invites in the next week. I thought maybe some small scale charm swaps. And a show & tell Tuesday. And a monthly charm lottery for starters.

Found objects and repurposed vintage pieces, metal and paint, resin and vintage papers, clay and gemstones, rusty things and swarovski crystal? If you make beautiful adornments with any of these- then Adornmentz
is a place to check out.

I'd love to have ya & see what you're up to! I hope that this group can grow to b provide as much fun as I'm haing in BookArtz right now. LOL. Currently working on a house shaped & themed skinny book.

Earrings & Update

2007-07-16T20:19:00.000-05:00

I seriously love these earrings. And I'm torn between listing them on Etsy and keeping them for myself. And someone else has already expressed an interest in them. LOL. They are antiqued copper with green glass. They have a fabulous swing when I hold them up. And I think I finally took a decent picture. I photographed about 4 different things yesterday before storms rolled in and I lost my good light. So I hope to post more pictures soon.
Website update: I've done some redesigning but haven't uploaded the new stuff yet because (of course) I broke some things while I was doing it. Seems weekends are the only time I can really get some work done so it'll probably be next weekend before anyone but me sees the changes.
Swap update: The house chunky has been announced on BookArtz so I'm starting my pages for it & been wrapping beads here & there for Patti's bead swap. It's all good. ;-)

The last ET Deco

2007-07-09T20:18:00.001-05:00

The last Eiffel Tower deco from the RR. Mailed this off today to it's owner, hope she'll be happy with it.

Art time has been scarce lately, but this afternoon I got to work on a couple of things so hoping I'll have more to post soon. Yup- I'm not nearly as prolific as some of my art buddies!

Goodbye Robin..........

2007-07-09T16:21:00.000-05:00

I received an email a few hours ago that Robin Whittemore passed away today. Makes me very sad for her family.

Heaven's got another angel today.

Tagged

2007-06-12T17:56:00.000-05:00

Hmmmm. Karen tagged me. 7 random facts about me. For some reason I always have a tough time with this, ya know, don't want it to sound stupid or mushy or anything. LOL. So it takes me a few days.

1. I LOVE italian food. Cover it with cheese & sauce and I'll eat it, and a lot of it.

2. I'm very sarcastic by nature. Not sure if people can tell online, but in person I am. And......so are my children. (There's a payback for ya!)

3. I'm a list lover. I've got lists everywhere, for everything.

4. I like Nascar. Really really like it. Have for years. And then my oldest discovered it, so now I have company ;-)

5. I'm a "glass is half full" kind of girl. Ever the optimist & always finding something positive.

6. I drink chocolate milk at night. Either before I go to sleep or I wake up in the middle of the night & mix some up.

7. I'm a night owl. Much prefer nights to mornings and if I didn't have to get up early- I'd stay up much later ;-) I have more energy then and can get more done.

There ya go. 7 random facts about me. So.....if you're reading this- consider yourself tagged ;-) Post a comment with your blog addy so we can read more about you!

New Earrings & Consistency

2007-06-01T09:16:00.000-05:00

Ya know, I have a hard time being consistent. I get distracted & bored easily. So when I decided to sell on Etsy, knowing that I would have to be consistent about listing things.....well I'm finding it hard. LOL. I made 6 pairs of earrings last week. Had nightmares trying to get decent pictures, although when I used DH's camera, the pix did turn out better. Cropped & saved them. And made a promise to myself that I would list a pair every couple of days. While still playing with new designs. So.....here's my listing for today.

I love this swirly pair. This is another pair that I made for myself too and every time I wear them people comment on how cool & unique they are.

Just wanted to share those......and be true to the commitment that I've made to myself. And how long can I keep this up? We'll see! ;-)

And yes.....that's the same pair, the difference in colors in those two pix make my lighting problems ever so obvious. The green jasper is the color of the first picture. It's forest green.

Hoping to spend some quality time this weekend tweaking on the site. So I may not be around so much in the groups. And boy oh boy do I have some catching up to do on the blogs that I like to read!

Too Much Nature....

2007-05-29T21:38:00.000-05:00

Ya know, I'd like to think that I love nature. But when push comes to shove, I'm an indoor girl who likes to watch nature through the window while in the comfort of cooled air. It's not that I dislike it, I think that most little critters and things of that sort just scare me. I had always dreamed of living out in the country, or a ranch- or a farm.....but then reality hits- I'd be a mess. Since we've moved up here (about 4 years now), I've had more encounters with things than I'd like. Which brings me to today. Today was the first day of summer vacation. School is finished, the boys are home.....all day. So the day was going nicely, minimal fighting. Lunch was in the toaster oven & I decided to grab the mail. I was waiting for something that I had ordered so of course I run to the mailbox every day. I had already been out front a few times this morning. And every time I head out the door, there's someone behind me yelling- I wanna come too.....and they never close the front door. It's just what they do. So the trash went out, the recycle stuff went out later, more trash....then I run out to get the mail. One said he was coming too- I just hollered back....stay here- I'll be right back. I walk to the mailbox....nothing yet. I'm walking back to the door wondering where in the world my mailman is because it's been so sparse lately & my mail is never like that. I come around the corner to the front door & let out a scream. A very loud, shrieky scream. There's a rather large (3') snake at my front door. Now I just know that any second one of my boys is going to open the door, and that snake is going to be as surprised as them.....someone might get hurt....then he can just slither into my house. I'm freaking out. I get closer & move to close the screen door, at least that way if the boys open the door the snake can't get in, and I can ask them to open the garage so I can get a broom or something to scoot the thing away. Just as I shut the screen door the snake darts & ends up between the screen door & the front door. Well now I'm really a mess because if the door opens.....well- you can imagine. I reach in again to open the screen door and he comes back out to just in front of the door. Yup.....he's looking at me.....I'm looking at him. (And no.....I don't believe that he was anywhere near as frightened as I was) I get the screen door closed. Whew! I pick up a little rock & roll it next to him.....in the hopes that he'll scoot away. Seems he's as stubborn as I....again....then finally he just slithers on his merry little way. I back up to see my oldest looking out his window. He heard the commotion & decided to look out his window instead of opening the door. (Yes....we have a little Guardian Angel) And the little one was deeply engrossed in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. My hands shook for quite a while after that. Then about an hour later I was sitting on the porch out back (indulging in my nasty habit) and there was another snake (smaller- 2') slithered by & up a bush after a lizard. My oldest walked out onto the porch just in time to watch that. See I'm okay when there's a wall, window, screen or fence between us. LOL. And then later.....Mr. Snake went back by the other way. Towards the palm trees (that we need to trim this weekend). Seems that's where they run to....should make for some fun yard work. So.....too much nature. Ugh. BTW- we don't think the snake is poisonous but we're no experts & frankly....I don't want to be close enough (again) to get lots of detail.

On a happier and more relaxed note, I posted another pair of earrings to Etsy tonight. A dainty pair of Petite Pearls. I like these ear wires, they are squared and sit in your ears ever so nicely. You can't see them in this pic but if you click on the link there's a pic of the ear wires.

Technique Postcard

2007-05-26T13:57:00.001-05:00

Every month Karen posts a link to a technique on BookArtz and then there's a postcard swap using that technique. This one was just a blending of acrylic paints but here's the postcard that I mailed off. I love the pic of this guy!

Finished tumbling a batch of metal so there should be new jewelry pieces soon. I'll post them here as I photograph them to post on etsy.

New Earrings

2007-05-14T12:47:00.000-05:00

I love these pearl earrings. They are oxidized and that gives the wire wrapping such dimension. I've just listed this pair in my Etsy store. All of the findings: the oversize ear wires, the jump rings and the headpins were made by myself. Then I wrapped the pearls, oxidized them and hand polished them to a beautiful shine. (Can't tumble pearls). They have a nice swing to them as the pearls move around as your head moves. And the color feels very much like spring to me. Someone will enjoy these for a long time. ;-)

And there's one more pair....

This pair starts with a scroll made from a vintage dictionary. It's then wire wrapped in sterling silver and a spray of gray and peacock pearls dangle from the bottom. My camera didn't pick up the iridescence on some of these beauties. This pair can also be found on Etsy. This is similar to the pair that I made for myself (a few posts ago) and I got so many comments by email and people walking up to me that I thought I'd make another pair. The only difference with this pair is I've used the oversize ear wires on these. The sterling findings on this pair were also made by me.

I also made my Mom a pair of earrings for Mother's Day but didn't get a photo of those. And today after weeks of waiting.....a very special pearl order was delivered. Loads of pretties in that box & I can't wait to get started playing with them. I got some copper, black, peacock, green and this batch has some larger pearls.

I've been tagged

2007-05-07T20:35:00.000-05:00

Been tagged by Laurie. Seven random facts about me. Hmmmm.

1. I'm no good in the morning until I've had coffee. Then I drink it all day to stay properly caffeinated.

2. I can't eat when I first wake up. Must be up for a while before I want food. Or want to cook food, to the dismay of my family.

3. I love the sound of thunder- the rolling kind. Not so much the loud crash of lightening that's in your neighborhood.....just the rolling thunder of a distant storm.

4. I'm not real fond of the beach during the day. It's great at night or in the evenings, but I don't like it on a hot day. It's a shame since I live so close to the beach & all- you'd think I'd enjoy it more.

5. I prefer to be chilly than to being warm/ hot. Again....strange since I reside in Florida.

6. I love the smell of fresh cut grass. In my neighborhood it's great just to sit on the porch on a Sunday morning drinking in the smell of the grass while enjoying my coffee.

7. I'd love to have more children. DH says we're done but I'd love more. It's no secret. And when our children are running around or misbehaving my DH teases me about wanting more.

Okay.....there's 7 things about me. If you're reading this and you haven't been tagged yet....then you're tagged! And leave a comment letting me know where to read your seven things, leave an email address if I can respond to you.

Scroll Charms

2007-05-03T15:29:00.001-05:00

I really haven't been around too much on the "boards" or here. I've been working on things that aren't art related. But I did want to share some of these with you. They started out for a charm swap but I think I'll use them for some things that I've got upcoming. I did a few in silver also that I'll be making into earrings, but I think these will be a great addition to a charm bracelet. The green ones are made from hand painted paper & the other from a vintage dictionary. These are done with copper with a swirl at the bottom. See that lone swirl at the bottom? I do everything in stages. First the scrolls, then they are sealed. Then it's time to wrap the scrolls, and swirls to go on the bottom. There's a lot of wrapping/ twisting at the same time.....a lot of hammering at the same time.....and then wrapping & twisting. As the pieces are ready to be assembled- they go into a bag to keep the tarnish to a minimum until I'm ready to put them together......then I'll grab a handful to "age" them. Copper gets a lovely warmth to it after a few weeks of sitting out.

I really haven't been able to spend the time in here to make things, but here shortly I'm hoping to get in here to wrap up some things. But I will say that my idea journal is filling up.

Time to go get dinner ready.......if I could get the little ones to cook I'd have more creative time.......we're years away from that happening! Thanks for stopping by. Sometimes I'm amazed at how many people come by for a visit ;-)

Operation Hokie Hope

2007-04-21T07:40:00.000-05:00

Wonderful idea Delaney, thanks for putting it all together. After a tragedy like this, many of us want to do something but don't know what we can do. Also posted it to BookArtz. Here's the info:

Operation Hokie Hope is a greeting card drive meant to gather physical representations of our prayers and thoughts of hope for those at Virginia Tech. Please send your greeting card with your sentiment written inside to:

Operation Hokie Hope
2308 S. 17th Street
Rogers, Arkansas 72758

All cards received will be mailed in a large box to the appropriate parties at Virginia Tech.

New Earrings- Paper & Pearls

2007-04-14T00:11:00.000-05:00

Those that know me know what a tough day today is for us. DH did a major project to keep his mind busy. But it wrecked my creative space until the "improvement" is done. LOL. So I didn't get as much done as I had hoped~ I was rather hoping to keep my mind busy too. On a better note, the improvement is in the space where I create so it should allow me more room & better storage for all my junque!

I did finish a pair of earrings & dug out the camera to take a pic. (yes I know....still need better pix) These are sterling silver & a variety of pearls with a vintage paper "bead". I really like these, they are long & feel kinda sexy swirling around. The drop just happens to be a great length. This pair is for me but I think I'll make a similar pair for my etsy space.

I'd love to hear what *you* think of them!

Chunky Funky Pearls

2007-04-07T22:10:00.000-05:00

While I still haven't completed any pieces, I did receive some awesome stuff that I ordered~so I can play. I fell in love with the dark green baroque pearls as soon as I saw them & had a few ideas about what to do with them. Since they actually spoke to me I had to have them, I sort of wish I had bought another strand too. When I got them they were a bit smaller than suggested but I still love them. LOL. I also got 6 strands of other beautiful freshwater pearls and some other stones and some silver. Gotta go now......I'm going to spend some quality time with my pliers.

Nothing New

2007-03-25T16:18:00.000-05:00

ROFL- Yup I'm posting to say that I don't have anything new to post. For some reason I haven't been creating anything (but a mess....). And down to my very soul I know that I need to create something- anything and soon. So- haven't fallen off the face of the earth yet- just haven't had any creative time so I have nothing to share. Let's hope that changes very soon- for sake of my own sanity

Happy St Patrick's Day

2007-03-17T15:26:00.000-05:00

I've always loved this fun filled holiday! Enjoy yours. ;-)

Lucky Charms

2007-03-16T20:11:00.000-05:00

No I haven't fallen off the earth or been abducted by aliens or anything exciting like that. Just keeping myself busy. Thought I should post a pic of the charms I made for the latest charm swap I've signed up for & yes- I'm thinking maybe one more after this one ;-)

Find a penny pick it up- all day long you'll have good luck!
Give the penny to someone new & they will have good luck too!

It's against the law to alter currency.....so lets just call them copper coins ;-) I hammered them, then cleaned them up with 0000 steel wool. Then I outlined the rim with a sharpie & wrote something on each one. Etched them with PCB*** etchant then buffed them again. I made spirals with 20g copper wire & S links and jump rings with 18g wire & hammered them. I connected a charm to an S link & added either a spiral or a tusk with some seed beads then closed the link.

They're all packaged up & awaiting a few more swappers before this swap is swapped out & returned to their happy new homes.

I did get my dapping block, but haven't had much time to play yet. I think we're all settled into our new routine now so if I can stay awake at night I'll get some stuff done. Of course night time isn't the best time to dap.....that'll have to be done during the day. Loads of ideas into my journal so all I need now is time.

***PCB Etchant is the etching solution for copper (Ferric Chloride) - available at Radio Shack.

Twisted Ring

2007-02-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

This is the first ring that I've made. I actually made it last month, but since I couldn't scan it- took longer to post. It's the same ring, just photographed in the shade & in the sun. MUST work on photography skills!

Anyway.....it's made from 16 gauge copper. I've been wearing it a lot. It's a simple design but I like it. I made it before I got a ring mandrel, or I would have sized it a bit differently. And next time I order silver, I'll get some 16g and make one in silver. I also got a couple lampwork beads to make a similar ring with, but the hole is too small for 16g so I'll probably make that in 18g.

Comments welcomed ;-)

Silver Hearts is finished

2007-02-17T09:59:00.000-05:00

Because I'm scanning instead of photographing, I'm not sure how much difference you'll see, but the piece looks totally different. No longer the shiny bright silver, it's now aged & worn looking. I prefer this look for this piece. This will be packaged up and sent to it's new home with my next mail run. I sure hope she likes it.

Silver Hearts

2007-02-13T19:52:00.000-05:00

This is a bracelet that I'm making for a friend. I want to artificially age it now so it'll have a little bath in some yummy smelling liver of sulfur. (Yes- I'm being sarcastic because the stuff smells horrible!) Then I'll tumble it, polish it & take a pic before I send it off to it's new home.

This bracelet is made from 18 gauge sterling silver. It really looks pretty on, very feminine. A swan clasp will hold it together. I really like this clasp- I thought it would be hard to attach the bracelet or fall off or something like that, but it's a great clasp for the pieces that I've done so far.

The charms for the swap on ArtTechniques are starting to come in. I rec'd so much inspiration from the other charm swap blogs that I'd like to do one for this swap too. Just need an okee dokee from the participants. I posted a message asking for permission but only a few have responded so far- we'll see how it goes. I could always just add a page to my website.

Website.....yeah- haven't had much time to spend on it the last week. Been trying to wrap up a few things. "All in good time", one of my mantras that I seem to keep repeating.

I am going to spend the next couple weeks trying to finish things to add to my little space on ETSY. I did post the "African Pin" that I posted here in August. I'd keep it if I was going out into the world every day, dressed for a job......but that's not my life right now.

Currently working on a Spring Collaborative Swap for BookArtz, some decos and I'm building a necklace around one of the Mother of Pearl pendants that I wire wrapped. All projects are coming along! Will post as they finish ;-)

More Charms

2007-02-10T08:19:00.000-05:00

I was just looking through my blog & had a sudden realization that I forgot to post these charms. (Yup....I'm sooooo loving charms!) These I made in November but mailed them in to the hostess in January. These are for Amber Dawn's swap on the ICE Group. It's a 21 for 20 swap. I spiraled copper, hammered it then added beads & wrapped a loop. Yup, lots of practice on spirals & wrapped loops. Once I was more comfortable I made the wire bead & the heart one. I like that one. The puzzle pieces were primed, painted with 3 colors (Navy, Sage & Copper) and sealed with varnish on the sides, top & bottom. Holes punched then sealed again. Some have text added to them. Added purchased jump rings. I'm excited to be getting the swaps back although I know (from being a hostess myself) what a daunting task they have ahead of them. ;-) I can be very patient, it'll be well worth it in the end.

One more charm swap & this one I'm hosting. My charms are a smattering of ones I've made and ones that I've been playing with. Have been doing some experimenting. More playing with wire & some other things. I will update more about this soon because like the other swaps....I want to start a blog to have a somewhat permanent/ long time record of this particular swap. I've got the go ahead from the list Mom's, now I just need to get it set up & stuff. This weekend will be dedicated to wrapping projects up & working on the computer. ;-) I've got to back it up, upgrade some programs & I want to do some tweaking on my settings.

Another Paris Deco

2007-02-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

Honestly....not sure that I like this one. But it needs to go on to its next destination by mail tomorrow so it's gotta fly. This is in one of the decos for the RR in the BookArtz group. While I know what I don't like about it, I couldn't "fix" it without starting over. I used a napkin as a base for my background & didn't like the way it looked, then I didn't seal it before adding a glaze so it muddied it up. So I added more color with the neocolor II crayons. Have I mentioned yet this month how much I love mine? Even though I've barely scratched the surface with various ways to use them, I love the way they add a bit of color to what I'm working on.....and I like them smudged a bit. ;-) Tonight is the Superbowl & if the game is a snoozer then I'll get started on the next Paris deco in my pile, if not then I'll start it tomorrow.

I need to make more hand painted papers though.....I've hit the bottom of my pile. So I'll also be cleaning off the workspace in that part of my room here & starting on some of those.

Bold & Chunky

2007-01-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

This is the first bracelet that I made. I was practicing techniques. It's made of 18g copper, unakite & black onyx. I finished it about a month ago, just now posting it. See- I was going to photograph it, but nooooo- I scanned it. (This way I'm not the only person who sees it!) The pics don't do it justice though- it's bold & chunky. I've been wearing it & it's really grown on me. I love the swan clasp & the spiral charms give it movement & a bit of a jingle. The unakite stones are wonderful colors- shades of green with touches of a salmon color. And now it's not so shiny, it's a bit aged. LOL. I was going to artificially age it, but time is saving me the trouble. I'm proud of me ;-) And yes- I've started one in sterling silver. But personally- I'm growing quite fond of copper.....it's got a warmth & a glow that I find very appealing. And no.....it doesn't turn me green.

Creative Junque

2007-01-29T10:53:00.000-05:00

Since this is the name of my website, I thought it would be a good idea to do my blog in this name also. So I suppose I'll start the task of moving things over. LOL. How do I move the comments? There have been so many nice ones.

Another thing to add to my to do list!

Later that night.....
Well here I am....all settled in. ;-) All the old entries are here, I added in the comments because they make me smile so I didn't want to lose them. Now I can get on with things. Except that I'm tired so no pix tonight. LOL

Oh So Charming

2007-01-28T13:20:00.000-05:00

Here's a sample of the charms that I made for Dawn's charm swap on Art.e.Zine. There are 25 for the swap. I started with a scrabble tile. Adhered paper from a vintage dictionary page then sealed it. Drilled my holes & added sealer. I added some color with various Caran d'Ache Neocolor II crayons then smuged and blended. Then sealed again. Then I added the image, and sealed again. Some images have accents of color from the crayons that are also sealed. The sides are finished with metallic paint pens. I needed large jump rings & I wanted them to be sturdy so I made them out of 18 g wire & work hardened them with a rawhide mallet, then tapped them with a hammer for decorative purposes. These were fun to make & I hope that people who get one will enjoy my charms.

Copper Hearts

2007-01-27T13:31:00.000-05:00

This is a scan of the hearts link bracelet that I finished last week. It really looks nice on my wrist. I wanted to do it in copper first because I was having "issues" with the jump rings. First they were too small & it didn't lay flat, then they were too big & they stuck up too high. Then they were just right. As soon as I finished this, I started a silver one. I think I'll add a couple more links to this & turn it into an anklet. Maybe a bead danglie by the clasp too. And in my typical "overdoing" it, I've got plenty of heart links left. In silver & copper. I like copper, it's got a very warm feel to it.

Seriously I need to stop scanning the jewelry & take photographs. LOL. But the scanning is so much faster. I have another bracelet made. I'll try to photograph it today. If not, I'll scan it tonight.

I'm not really sure why this picture seems so small. If you click it you can get a bigger view.

Forty Two

2007-01-12T01:35:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday & in a way that seems kind of old when I write it like that. LOL. But I only feel old sometimes ;-) Went on a bit of a shopping spree today & had some yummy chocolates after my delicious steak dinner. It was a nice day. No art to post though- didn't do any.......didn't do any laundry today either so that's a good thing!

Happy New Year

2007-01-07T01:31:00.000-05:00

I love the new year. I tend to spend the first couple weeks of the year (up till my b-day) reflecting on the year past & planning for the year ahead. Still in that mode I guess. And watching my DH work on his website so much really makes me want to add some finishing touches to my own so that I can share the address with my friends & family. Right now it's just too......empty. LOL. Anyway- I needed to post my lottery entry to the group so I thought I'd post it here too. I scanned it instead of photographing it (I'm on a deadline here & taking the picture, playing with lighting.....it would just be late!), so it looks a little wonky to me. (They are both circles, not wonky like the one on the left looks in the picture) A pair of sterling silver hoop earrings, hammered for stability. The theme was winter & I thought the colors of the beads with the silver helped convey that. At least winter in my mind. LOL. Realistically- it was 82º today. Doesn't feel much like winter. I digress.....
I'm working on a bracelet right now. I'll post when I've finished it. LOL- just remember that there's a bunch of different projects going on in here so I'll probably finish something else first.

Geeze.....Another one?

2006-12-29T23:33:00.000-05:00

Yup, more on the Paris theme. LOL. I might have mentioned that there's decos going around in round robin style & they've all got the same theme. Honestly I did this one weeks ago. But a dear friend mentioned that I'm not updating my blog enough so I thought I'd post a pic of this. Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays so far. After New Year's I think that things will get back to normal around here.

The background was some hand painted paper. There's an old postage stamp from France & some french text. The picture & some scrap paper, the eiffel tower cut out is leftover from my chunky pages, then a bit of ink & some neocolor crayon for the blueish. I love those things ;-)

Edited to add comment:

Karen Campbell said...: I love this, Stacie! Someone is getting back a beautiful book :)

Pendants & Herringbone

2006-12-10T23:31:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been bitten by the jewelry bug again. There are some things that I want to learn & some techniques that I want to do over &amp;amp; over again (until they're second nature to me). So I've dug out my jewelry things & have been playing a bit. Well- until the whole family got sick- that's not left me with much time. Although I've got a lot to learn, I still thought I'd post some pix. LOL- Easier said than done. These little buggers are hard for me to get a good shot of, I'm not a very good photographer to start with. So, blurry pix aside- here's a few. Quite a diverse group I know. I'm thinking I need more beads- LOL. Actually there IS a class that I want to take next month, we'll have to see how it goes. Until then I'll just keep on playing as time permits.

Remember Paris

2006-10-22T22:29:00.000-05:00

Here's a preview of my pages for the Paris Chunky book on BookArtz. I'm really happy with the way they turned out. Acrylics for the background, inks, reproduction of a vintage postcard, vintage paper from a dictionary, more acrylics & neocolor II crayon. I'm excited about this book. I just love chunky books. The thrill of opening the envelope & looking through the book over & over just soaking in all the details & the love that went into the pages. Sigh.....I'm looking forward to this.

Just posted a mini book swap on BookArtz tonight. I love to have a reason to make a book, otherwise I don't seem to make the time for it. But that was the point of posting the swap- many people that I know are like that.

Edited to add comments:

Cathy J said...

Oh Stacie! I can't wait til your package comes in the mail!! Love the whole thing and stamping Remember with white is soooo smart. It just brightens up the page. Lucky me to be a receiver!!
CJ

11:47 AM

Keri said...

Love this! The little cutie carrying the Eiffel tower and her hand bag, I'm sure for a magnifique day of shopping is tres chic!

9:09 PM

Stacie said...

Thanks guys- you're so sweet to comment ;-)

S

7:50 PM

Anonymous said...

Your work is top notch Stacie. I really enjoyed looking at it.

1:00 PM

Stacie said...

Thanks Jane- I appreciate you taking the time to look & to comment

Stacie ;-)

11:15 PM

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!!

Teeny Tiny Collage

2006-10-15T22:28:00.000-05:00

After seeing these tiny 1 x 1 collages on Christi's Blog- I just had to give it a go. Boy oh boy.....this is small! There's not much room for anything & I found the hardest part to be- cutting out the images. When time permits.....I'll make more. ;-) I see them popping up on various blogs so I'm sure I'll be swapping them soon. It is certainly a great way to use up scraps! And I need that since I save even the tiniest pieces.

Edited to add comments:

Patty M said...

Stacie, Love your little 1x1's. I have worked on puzzles but this is another challenge. Will have to try. Great Blog.

1:56 PM

Keri said...

This is the first time I have seen such tiny pieces of art. I love them. You're right, it is hard to cut out such tiny things. It's also hard to get to much detail in such a tiny ploace. You did a wonderful job. You have also inspired me to use up those little scraps I usually toss away.

9:11 PM

Stacie said...

Thanks ;-) Between these & some altered business cards I'm using lots of scraps up. Guess I'm really jsut making room for more!

S

More Paris

2006-09-30T22:26:00.000-05:00

My mind has entered a fantasy world for a little while. Well not so much fantasy because I did have the good fortune of visiting the city of lights when I was younger, in the early 80's. It was a long time ago. But.....my mind gets to go back there because of some projects that I have coming up. A Paris Chunky book, which I have been painting backgrounds for the last few days. And a deco RR with the same theme. I know.....normally I don't like deco RR's, but it's on BookArtz & some wanted to do a deco but have never done one before- so that's the way it was set up. Here's my deco.

Did you ever finish a project then want to change something? For some reason I thought that piece of paper should overlap the black piece......till I was done, now I don't like it. But it was too late to change it. Now I know next time I won't do that! ;-) But I did like all the layering on this.

The binding was new for me but I really liked it. I've got another one started but it's on the back burner right now so I'll just work on it when I'm in the mood. Really want to finish this chunky book first.

Not so Vintage

2006-09-11T18:51:00.000-05:00

This is a spread that I did in an AB. I think my friend Brigitte will be surprised. She's probably expecting something a bit more vintage. I hope I don't disappoint her. There ARE a couple strips from a really old bookpage. It wouldn't be from me if I didn't add that! ;-)

Edited to add comment:
Stacie! I love this page. I am impressed with your original artwork and the fact that you don't use much of the premade artwork (stickers...lol) that so many of us use. This is just a really neat page!

Cathy

Happy Birthday Baby

2006-08-31T00:06:00.000-05:00

My youngest turned 3 today. Seems like just yesterday we were awaiting his arrival. Had some yummy chocolate cake that the boys helped me make. His party is this weekend but we couldn't let the day go by without cake!

Not much art time since school started. I do have somethings to upload but not tonight- I've got to get some sleep, that alarm will ring early tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Baby!

Lottery Entry- Out of Africa

2006-08-11T22:21:00.000-05:00

This was my offerring for our lottery on the deco group. I haven't worked much with this theme so I really enjoyed this. It didn't scan well- it's brighter in person. The red is more vibrant & the gold is bright. We'll know Monday who will win this & the other gorgeous entries for this month. I'm feeling lucky though!

It's an altered condom. I made the poly clay piece with a mold. There's fabric, paper, mesh, lumieres, a button and fabric paint on this piece. I attached a pin thingie to the back so it could be worn as a pin. I really should try to get a better picture. LOL.

Been very busy with family things so this is the only thing that I've done all week. I'm hoping to have a creatively productive weekend. ;-)

Altered Postcard

2006-07-26T22:19:00.000-05:00

This is a postcard that I did using the technique from Try it Tuesday by Claudia Roulier. This was a new transfer technique for me & I had some challenges- probably due to the humidity. I will definitely do more of these as I really enjoyed the process.

BTW- people are getting their Shades of White book & are really happy with it. :-) It was a great project.

I'm working on a couple of decos tonight, but I think I'll head off to bed as the layers aren't dry yet. I'm hoping to finish up quite a few projects in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments.....it really does make me smile.

Edited to add comments:

audrey said...

This turned out great. Love the image.

3:14 PM

Stacie said...

Thanks Audrey, it's from Art-e-zine. I should put a link to that in my sidebar. Note to self.......add that. ;-)

Hey Audrey- I'm in FL too. Port Saint Lucie to be exact.

3:40 PM

Jeri said...

Great work - I like it!

2:27 PM

Binding the Shades of White Chunky Book

2006-07-11T22:17:00.000-05:00

Here's some pics of the table during binding. These books look great & really fat. Back to binding!

**Took these pix the other night but due to some blogger script reason, wasn't able to upload them. There's lots more now.....I'm about 2/3 done & looking to be done this weekend. Yippee!

Edited to add comments:

Keri said...

Shoot, why weren't you more persistent about making me join this project? LOL
Love them!
Keri

12:58 AM

Stacie said...

Thanks Keri. Not sure that you would have enjoyed making 30 of the same thing! But the book really is beautiful. Next theme is Paris (Cathy's hosting) and then Home. I'll let you know when they're announced. ;-)

S

8:30 AM

kelly rae said...

those look so amazing. i love all things white!

3:26 PM

Stacie said...

Thanks Kelly- it was a fun project & the books turned out very nice. I appreciate your comment. With all the color you use in your work I'm surprised to hear you like white! We'd love for you to join us for our next book~ it's the BookArtz group, link is in my blog. ;-)

S

Mail Art

2006-06-18T17:46:00.000-05:00

Guess I haven't really finished much this week. Been spending toooooooo much time on the computer. Website isn't much further along as I veered off on a Photoshop tangent. So, more computer stuff to do but not much to show for my time.

This is a mail art piece that I did manage to finish this week. My postman is loving the mail art as much as I am. ;-) This piece started it's life as a cabinet card that I've collected. And of course some vintage text & music sheet worked it's way into the piece.

Edited to add comment:

Keri Pettit said...: Stacie, This is so pretty!! Pretty in a great big gourgeos way!
VEry creative. Love the colors, textural look, the girl. Well, all of it!
Keri

Finished the Altered Purse

2006-06-02T23:35:00.000-05:00

Well, really first I altered a pair of jeans & made a purse, then I altered the purse. This was for a swap. I got the pair of jeans at a thrift store. I used lumieres, acrylics and staz-on inks. The trims are glued on with fabric glue. Still not sure if I like it better with or without the belt, but now that's up to it's new owner. ;-)

Edited to add comments:

tammy said...

Stacie - I'm so happy to be the new owner! And, I'm partial to the belt! LOL! The more danglies and sparklies the better in my book! I'll treasure it always!

3:09 PM

Stacie said...

Thanks Tammy~ I'm looking forward to the next one!

Stacie

4:43 PM

Keri Pettit said...

The belt is a keeper. Great project! Do you need Tammy's address it is, 2547 Quail Canyon ... LOL

8:24 PM

Stacie said...

LOL- that's funny! Thanks for the compliment~ it's already at Tammy's house....in her studio pix it's hanging up on her shelves. When I get all my swaps cleared out I do want to make another- or two. And I think for this next purse swap I'll try something different. ;-)

Stacie