Handmade Division "Talk About" August Edition

This month's installment of the talk about blog for Handmade Division "Talk about something you'd like to create, that you maybe don't have the skills or technology to do currently? "

One of the many dreams I have is to design formal evening gowns and jewelry together - a fabulous necklace and designing the neckline around the necklace, that sort of thing. My sewing skills are pretty limited - and well, no sewing machine! ha ha! In theory, teaming up with a clothing designer would work too, but then time becomes more of the constraint. I love the idea of creating really ornate and non-traditional 'fine' jewelry with more of a focus on the metalwork and not so much on using as many diamonds as possible!

I'd also love to forge out an entire bustier of sterling silver, completely contoured to custom fit someone's body. how fun would that be! My skills are a bit on the rusty side of forging and raising, and I'd definitely need some new tools!

Make sure to check out all the other participating members!

Blog Carnival 08.02.10 - "Food for Thought: What do you eat? "

(image - c/o the coconut bliss website)

This month's Blog Carnival for EtsyMetal is:
Food for Thought:
What do you eat? What won't you eat? Do you suggest any interesting pairings? What is your favorite studio snack?

What a fun topic! And quite interesting for me. My first inclination is to say 'everything!' but that is quite far from the truth! I'm vegan, so I don't eat any animal products (no meat, no dairy, etc) Fruits and vegetables are some of my favorite things to eat so it doesn't feel like I avoid anything. and honestly, if it's vegan, there isn't much that I won't eat. I love ethnic food and am particularly fond of Thai and Indian food... and Mexican and Italian and Mediterranean and Chinese. My husband and I cook a lot, though I have to admit he does a bit more than I do :) I like to be creative and sometimes make things that he doesn't think are so great - I think he just has a more discerning palate than I do :)

Oh, actually I did just think of this weird fungi thing at an Asian vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco that was not so great and was kind of like chewing on a rubber band - so after trying it, I left the others on my plate.

What is my favorite studio snack... hmmm...That's tough. I guess it kind of depends what mood I'm in. I think my snacks run to full gambit of healthy to junky. Today I had an apple. Sometimes it's crackers (I do love a triscuit) or a bite of leftovers (the other day it was spicy basil tofu and eggplant) and sometimes it's a cookie. Or if I feel particularly stressed, hot or overwhelmed - it's a few bites of ice cream. Now I know you are thinking "But you're vegan" Yes, yes I know. I remember loving real ice cream until it started not loving me and I actually quit eating ice cream before I became a full fledged vegan. In the years since then, there has become a demand for dairy alternative ice creams. And coconut milk ice cream is one of the most amazing creations ever. I had some soy ice creams now and then when the craving would hit - but it was good, but coconut milk ice cream is in a category all of it's own. I do love coconut, so that helps, though many of the flavors don't have a particularly definitive coconut flavor. I also really like that they aren't made w/ sugar, but agave nectar instead ( do try to stay away from sugar). There are usually only a few ingredients - which is also a huge bonus (can't say the same for the soy ice creams) and so far every one I have had is incredibly yummy. And it likes me too. My particular current favorite is Luna and Larry's Organic Coconut Bliss Cherry Amaretto. It is truly amazing.

I have experimented w/ making my own and so far coconut w/ lime is a real winner. I have yet to try using guar gum to make the right consistency, though eating it right away is just fine - one day when I have all that time on my hands...

As far as recipes to possibly share... hm... I don't do recipes much - kind of like most of my jewelry, I just wing it. We do have a lot of great vegan cookbooks that we sometimes look at for ideas, but we usually just adapt them to whatever we feel like that is similar.

Any interesting pairings... hm... i love apple and peanut butter sandwiches. I think that's probably the oddest thing I make. I wasn't so much on banana and peanut butter - too much mush. But a thinly sliced apple w/ layers of peanut - yummy!

Make sure to check out the other participating EtsyMetal members (some may not have posted yet, but check back for updated links)

ninaG

vic - experimetal

wildflowerdesigns

tomi - metalriot

ann hartley

cynthia del guidice

caitlyn/discomedusa

Inbar Bareket

Lauren/Creative Dexterity

Maria/Fluxplay Jewellery

Blog Carnival 07.08.10 - If you couldn't make jewelry, what would you do instead?

This month's EtsyMetal Blog Carnival topic is "If you couldn't make jewelry, what would you do instead?"

Its kind of funny that I came up with this topic and that now I'm thinking of all kinds of qualifications! Can I not make jewelry b/c there is something wrong with my hands, or b/c I've suddenly become allergic to metal or a freak accident and all the creativity was sucked out of me? Haha! So... I've decided I'll pick a few different things.... depending, you know, on what the reason is for not being able to make jewelry.

My first easy answer is painting. Its one thing that because I make jewelry, I don't really seem to have time or make time for it anymore. I really miss it. So if I had to get rid of all my jewelry tools/equipment and use my studio for something else, it would be painting!

Beyond that, I would be a yoga teacher! It IS one thing that I continue to make time for, so if I couldn't make jewelry or have a studio, I would teach yoga. Though at some point in the future, I'll probably be doing that as well as jewelry, so I'm not sure if that counts for a proper answer....

And then I have all these other ideas of things I would like to do. Combined with yoga, I've become extra fascinated with anatomy, health, and nutrition. And I really love plants - the idea of being an herbalist or botanist or some sort of scientist is really appealing.

I think I could go on and on if I had to think about alternate lives I could have led if jewelry weren't what I'm totally in to. But maybe that is too far off topic!

Make sure to check out all the other participants for this month's blog carnival:
Victoria - experimetal
Tomi - metal riot
Ann - hartleystudio
Brooke Medlin
Maria - fluxplay
stacey - wildflowerdesigns
Inbar Bareket

Starting to get caught up!

Starting.... but not quite there yet. There are still lots of orders to fill, but after getting most of the batch all mailed out, I don't feel behind anymore. Depending on how much I get done this week, I just might start to feel ahead! wooohooo! Course, for me, I don't feel ahead unless I get orders mailed out two weeks early. Mailing something out on time seems to be late. I'm hoping I can let go of that feeling and realize that on time IS on time! I'd hoped to get some new designs made and listed soon, but it might be August before they're up! We'll see.

On the yoga front - I'm pleased to say I have successfully been able to do some aspect of my practice every day since the teacher training ended, whether its a busy day and all I did was a quick hatha practice, or a relaxing Sunday where all I did was meditate! My first practice class teaching session is coming up on Monday the 16th. I hope I'm ready by then! Luckily the 'students' are my fellow trainees. Great for feedback!

Back in the Saddle...

during one of our many practice teaching sessions

Not that I was entirely out of any saddle... just side saddle maybe! But I am back to work on the jewelry front. The first two weeks of yoga teacher training were amazing. Despite the excessive heat through about half of it (heat indexes over 100) - it was fantastic. It was definitely one of those life changing experiences and wonderful to share it with so many fabulous people who are now very much like family.

Over the next 6 months we'll continue to practice teaching, do some studying and a few other homework tidbits, then in January we'll have the second two weeks.

The ring business isn't quite as jumpin' in January, so I think it'll be a little bit easier in that aspect. Though I'm quite pleased that I was successfully able to take the two weeks this summer and come out of it not stressed at all. I guess 2 weeks of yoga helps with that, regardless of how intense it was!

I've got a new batch of waxes full in the kiln this morning and am headed off in just a few minutes to cast again for the first time in almost 3 weeks!

The Before and Afters

Just a quick post! Hair officially shortened! I absolutely love it. My dear friend Maranda did an amazing job - if you are in the Chattanooga/Ft. Oglethorpe area - you should check her out at Serenity Salon! She caught me mid laugh on the befores - the shot before was even goofier! And it all got donated to Locks of Love. Its the third time I've donated. I kind of feel like if I'm going to get it cut - do it all at once and donate!





And I washed it this morning - what a HUGE difference. I'll save tons in hair conditioner!! ha ha!



and ps - the shirt is one of my fabulous new pieces by my friend Gaby - who is not only a talented jeweler - but is a goddess as far as I am concerned in making clothing that is amazing. You should check out her shop InnerEvolution. I got several pieces from her and LOVE them all.

Where I've been and Where I'm going....

So this title sounds a bit more 'deep thinking' than its really meant to be, but it might be fitting!

I've been really busy that last two weeks wrapping up all the custom orders for any June/early July weddings. I will be taking two weeks away from the studio for a yoga teacher training course starting on June 5th. I will be back in the studio on June 21st - but during that time, I will not be making any jewelry! I'm pretty excited on many levels.

The photos are all the rings I made in the last week and a half - it was a HUGE push - which is why I haven't been around here much! I wanted to make sure everything got done that needed to be done. I got them all finished and then some. There are a few more rings I'll be finishing up today that aren't in the photos - though I think they may deserve their own photo finishes. :)

I'm also really excited to be embarking on my yoga teacher training journey. The first session is 2 weeks this summer. The second session will be in January of 2011. I haven't been this excited about something in a long time... well, I don't know about that. I'm a pretty excitable person. But this does feel different in terms of it being a major life changing experience. I'm debating blogging about it over the next two weeks. If not during, I definitely will after it is all over.

I'm very interested to see how it affects my jewelry as well. I haven't taken a two week break, well, since I started my business full time in 2006.

Oh, and I'm getting my hair all chopped off. Big Changes! I'll post some before and after photos :)

Handmade Division "Talk About" May Edition

Our snow leopard team is now Handmade Division!

This month's topic is:
What item do you most treasure made by another artist? ( if there is one) If not, how about what would you *like* to have?

When I read this topic I was really stumped. I've got quite a few pieces that I feel all serve a different purpose and I'm not sure I have ONE that totally stands out. So I decided to pick my most recent acquisition - a fabulous ring from Bill Martin of purifiedart. It was one of those cases where I saw a few he had done on flickr and just totally fell in love. So he made one special in my size and I put it on before I got out of the parking lot of the post office. (picture above) Its utterly fantastic. I think of it as a futuristic or alien artifact. I'm not usually very flashy when it comes to wearing rings, but I do love wearing this one. It totally makes me feel special :) So right now, thats my favorite!

Make sure to check out everyone else's posts!

Andes Cruz - andescruz.wordpress.com
Jewelry by Natsuko - jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com
Tosca - www.nanopod.wordpress.com
Susan Moloney - susarto.blogspot.com
WATTO- www.wattoonline.blogspot.com
Ceeb Wassermann - mettledesignstudio.blogspot.com
Rickson - RicksonArt.blogspot.com
Tamra Gentry - jewelrydesignchronicles.wordpress.com
Purified Art - purifiedart.blogspot.com
Sandfibers - SandFibers – sandfibers.blogspot.com
ArtJewel Designs - artjeweldesigns.blogspot.com
Kerin Rose - kerinrose.blogspot.com
Abhaya Fibers - abhayafibers.blogspot.com

HandMade Division Blog - handmadedivision.wordpress.com

Good Morning!

I was up early this morning - its 7:00 and I'm done with all my computer stuff, which for me is cause for major celebration. So I thought I'd take a few minutes to do a pointless blog :)

I woke up with this song in my head this morning and listening to it has put me in a lovely mood and much more awake than I was an hour ago! I'm off to finish my tea, do a bit of a morning yoga practice, and start on all those waxes I need to be working on.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

(oh and ps - though i rarely watch the full videos - i watched most of this one - wait for the girls w/ the boomerangs... what?! makes me giggle though.

Blog Carnival 05.03.10 - "What motivates you to create"?

What motivates you to create? In a down market when things are not selling well? When you are tired? When life makes you busy?

This is a pretty interesting topic - especially since it is similar to what inspires you to create. Though to me, there are some distinct differences.
The automatic answer is "I have to" but that is on so many different levels. I feel an internal compulsion most of the time to create.

Though now that it really is a business - I'd say that my customers are my biggest factor. I feel responsible to everyone that orders a piece and pays for it. Once the order is made, I write it down on my desk calendar and on my erase board calendar. I feel an obligation to get it done as soon as I can. Because this is my job, it's what I do every day (well, weekday. I do take most weekends off). I do have days where I feel less than motivated to work on a specific piece - but if that is the case, I just delay it by working on something else! So I'm still always getting work done.

I also think that 'being successful' is a motivation for me. I've always disliked the idea of the 'starving artist' and wanted to instead be a successful artist! Hm... and maybe now that I'm thinking about it, this might be my biggest motivation. Even growing up, I wanted to be successful in whatever I was doing, whether it was getting all A's or working really hard on a drawing. (apparently learning to play the guitar didn't fall in to that category, playing the clarinet did though!)

I guess in the end, a really short summary would be that I am very driven and motivated naturally - and on days when I may rather sit and read a book or watch tv, I rely on the expectations of those around me to make me feel responsible and keep going.

1. - Nina Gibson
2. - stacey hansen
3. - Danielle Miller-Gilliam
4. - Victoria Takahashi / Experimetal
5. - Maria Whetman
6. - Ann Hartley / hartleystudio
7. - Brooke Medlin
8. - 2Roses