Getting reading for Girl's Weekend......

so much stuff, so little time!

 Well the Annual Girls Weekend is less than 2 weeks away, and to my joy today is the day I get to sort projects out for the trip.  I always swear I'm just gonna pack enough projects to keep me busy in Cathie's workroom, but I always seem to try to haul half my studio to her's.  She never seems to mind but Jerry always complains about how much stuff he has to drag up and down stairs.

The problem is when you create jewelry, you have to have CCM --- Creative Critical Mass.  You have to have a huge stash pile of stuff, because when that creative urge hits you have to have what you need at hand... or you lose it.

Yes , you can sketch it out, but sometimes you loose that magic movement and you can't make the piece work right a week later when you purchased whatever new item you needed --- or when you finally get home and figure out where that perfect bit of material got stored away.

So I tend to stick to projects that I already know the "recipe" to... and take extra stuff just in case.  It usually works but then again, I always feel extra creative when I get around my best buddies.  They Recharge my batteries on multiple fronts, not just creative.

This is what my back table looks like most of the time.... 

My little piece of the political process

Pocket Watch plate with regulator still on it, added agate ... top is vintage watch face earrings.

During the Caucus process not only do we pick who we think should be running for president, we also pick delegates for the convention and elect people to the platform committee.

I've never really been involved with politics before, and I guess I figured this would be a great way to start.  The process to pick platform language has been a very interesting, and it's sort of reassuring how democratic it all is and how much thought can actually go into the final platform.  (course I'm a Democrat, so my experience might not match a Republican )   There is at least 1 more meeting before the county Convention on March 12th, and then our job is done.  The the planks go to the county level, then state and eventually to the national committee.  It will be interesting to see what's left by the time it get's to the national level.

Capturing the light....

The crystal looks "dirty" in the pic, but it's not, it's just picking up my hand and the chain underneath it.  

I really like how this turned out.  I had this really lovely piece of vintage crystal, unmounted but with the full back point-ie part.  Most of these types of crystals are called flat backs because they have, well a flat back.  Makes them easy to work into jewelry designs since most jewelry designs are flat-ish in nature.  I knew I wanted to use a clock gear as part of the mount, but clock gears are pretty flat by nature.  I finally decided to use a prong brass mount and use the gear as the base... since I didn't want to poke the eventual owner to death, I carefully created a gap to make the piece thicker.  Now just the very tip peeks out.  Also since the mounting is really open, it lets the crystal do it's job and captures the light.  Since this is metal rubbing against crystal, I used E6000 glue and lined the hole of the gear and let that dry before I added the crystal.  So if someone is looking at the back, they might think it's glued in, and it's not.. that's just me creating a "rubber" grommet to protect the crystal. 

I just love when making jewelry feels like building! 

Since I'm in a sparkly mood apparently, I added a crystal drop.  

You can see the layers in this picture.  Also you can see the crystal is absolutely clear 

Work in progress......

OK, I've got 3 out of the 4 done actually, the the bottom left I'm still working on.  Finished pics coming soon.

Time for Shopping!!! >>>>> and new antique shop in Des Moines

Being winter, its time to shop and source new materials for my Mechanical Romance line.  So after work today Jerry and I visited the newest antique mall/ shop in Des Moines... Ye Old Antique Shoppe  located  at 3005 Merle Hay Road.  It's next door to a locksmith and across the street from the gas station on the corner of Merle Hay and Urbandale.  It's just been open for a few weeks and they are still getting some vendors in and settled, but it has real potential and I've added it to my mental list of places to check out every few months.

Best part is the owner Chip is very personable and friendly... so if you are in the area and in a antique / flea market mood, give it a go.  (SHOP LOCAL!)

This weekend is also the the flea market at the Fairgrounds, 9-4pm at the 4-H building, and also this weekend at the fairgrounds is another antique show ANTIQUE SPECTACULAR  - 

Now there seems to be a cost for this, but heck the big flea market is absolutely free.

So My fingers are crossed I'll find something junky to make into great jewelry this weekend!

bangle bracelet made from the paper line up bar from a 1920's L.C. Smith typewriter

Wednesday and perfect lazy day

Love and bullets... yep, that's a casing, with a lovely quartz crystal point, painted dragonfly with a "love" charm.  I could almost like guns at this point.

I've been trying to work overtime on my days off -- I know it won't be around forever.. but some days you just have to be lazy.  So Tomorrow I plan to laze around in the studio - ALL DAY! - and hopefully make some magic while wearing pj's.  I'm making a cheese ravioli casserole tonight, which I can just nuke as needed all day tomorrow and I've got my old standby of cheese and crackers.  I have a stack of Alan Rickman movies to choose from, and lots of lovely bits to play with.  So unless that other shoe drops.. you know, the one that's always hanging over our collective heads at all times... it's gonna be just about a perfect day.

Which makes me wonder what is your idea of the perfect, soul restoring, lazy day? Would you want some alone time, family time, catch up with a good book, watch movies?

Take a walk in the sunshine - visit your best friend?  Do date night with your hubby or sig other?  Hang out making cookies with your kids?

Whatever makes your perfect day, I wish each and everyone of you gets one in the near future.

Alan Rickman

Vintage enamel flower parts make up these stacked component earrings.

Variety of recent earrings, most using some vintage bits.  

.

A couple of weeks ago we lost a great actor: Alan Rickman.  Now the funny thing about Mr. Rickman is  I adored him as an actor for years before I really "knew" him.  

The Movie that did it for me was Galaxy Quest .  Rickman plays Alexander Dane / Dr. Lazarus, a cross between Mr. Spock and Warf - the whole movie is probably one of the best parodies of star trek, and science fiction tropes, period.  I shan't discuss plots in case you haven't seen this movie, but Rickman is so damn funny in it!  Actually the whole cast seems inspired, and if you haven't seen it before, it's definitely worth chasing down... both Netflix and Amazon have it streaming.

Anyway, the second time I watched it ( when it was first released to video) I got to thinking, hm.. he seems really familiar!  believe it or not, in 2000 we had the internet!!  just not conveniently on our phones.  Still one quick trip to the IMDb and I realized I've seen him in all kinds of things!!

And for the next several years, when I realized Alan Rickman was apart of the cast I could sit back and know some part of the movie would be unforgettable, cause he would make it so.  The man never disappoints.  He's the shinning redemptive grace of Prince of Thieves, the wonderful, steward hero of Sense and Sensibility, and the deliciously ambiguous Snape in the Harry Potter series.

The sad fact is I haven't seen all of his movies, and now I really really want to.  So copied the list from the web, and as I watch, rent and what have you, I'm gonna track them all down this year and enjoy myself some great Brit acting.

Alan Rickman will be greatly missed by all his fans, friends and family.

Iowa Caucus Time Folks

Vintage Watch face, crystal, american brass stampings.

The amazing thing about DVR is you get to skip past the commercials, which is fantastic, especially in Iowa right before the caucus.  Unfortunately I can't completely escape them -- I actually got what I think was a Cruze ad, or just a generalize conservative republican group spot against Trump on a free cell phone game app.

What I found really offensive about the ad is it made me ALMOST LIKE TRUMP!  gahhh!

I feel dirty, and need to brush my teeth.

I don't like Trump, he's a bully.  He lies and gets away with it because he's rich.  What message are we teaching our children that we don't call him on everything that comes out of that mouth?

Anyway, the ad was trying to smear Trump because he's pro-life , once supported Hillary and the democrats in general, and is fairly liberal on many social issues .  Or he was... the man changes his opinions based on what he thinks will get him elected as many times as he changes suits.

Still the tone of the ad was very negative, even if all the negatives in my books would be positives, the intent was not good.

I have to admit to a certain bias to the Dems, but so far the Dems are so darn .. civil... in contrast.  As things heat up between Hillary and Bernie, I can only hope that continues.

I think I'll just stop playing games on my cell phone until after Monday night.

Still If you are in Iowa and are not planning to Caucus --- well, that's darn near anti-Iowan.  Besides it's fun!  
It's Politics at it's most democratic -- you vote with your feet.

At least the way the Dems do it, I understand the Republican caucus are not quite as free form.

For the Dems we actually get to stand (or sit) in groups based on who you support.  People give speeches and try to lure you away from whichever camp you are in... and we vote by a show of hands on platform items for the convention.

See ya Monday

Just hanging out today

recent jewelry I've made, all incorporating vintage bits of some sort

I've got a new schedule at work but today is the first time I've really got to enjoy it... I'm working 4x10's with Wednesday as my day off.

Most normal and sane folks would be enjoying every Wednesday - but I've been working several hours of overtime instead.

Now work needs as much help this week as they have needed for months now, but through some quirk they only called up to 4 hours of OT, and I decided this was a good week to take a break.  If I'm going to sacrifice my day off for overtime, I want it to be a big chunk of time-- but still get to sleep in.

So far I've enjoyed myself by hanging out in the studio, mostly lining up new projects to work on in the coming weeks, and giving the bathrooms a good cleaning.  I recently got a new 32 incher TV for the studio, so I've been enjoying watching movies on a huge screen... It's amazing how cheap TVs are right now, and I of course used coupons and gift cards to make it even cheaper cause I'm well, cheap.  At least when it comes to luxury goods for myself. ( I really need to work on this )

The other item I've worked on today is my show schedule for next summer, such as it is.  Because we are doing a limited season, it seems like a good time to try out a couple new venues... more on that if it pans out.

So really, it's been a nice, relaxing day.

I still have half of it to boot!

The same is not the same

I really like this design.. here I've made essentially the same design but with different vintage keys and mixing the components up a little.  It's amazing how different they are in character with these little changes.  One of the bonuses of working with vintage materials.  Even when I make the "same" thing, it's not the same at all.  

Good morning !

Vintage watch face embellished , makes a lovely necklace 

Fly Home In Pictures

See the wings are now painted, patined and sealed 

Laying out process.. deciding what goes where before i drill holes and rivet stuff on 

Finished! calling it Fly Home because it felt like it.. I've been pretty burnt out creatively this winter, and finishing this piece, getting in touch with my creative side.. heaven and home all in once

The center is part of a door embellishment, very old.  The dark brown is natural patina.  A mix and clock and few bits of watch parts.  I'm very pleased  how it finally turned out!

Beady Garage Sale coming up

I've been trying to clean up the studio and get rid of stuff I don't want anymore.  Seems like the thing to do in January... out with the old, in with the new.  With that in mind I've been sorting stuff and pricing it for the Artistic Bead Annual Garage Sale / Bead Swap.  Artistic Bead is a lovely shop in Des Moines (now with a branch in Northfield MN!!) and every year Cheryl gives people a chance to sell stuff they no longer want of a beady nature to other like minded folks.  So it's truly changing trash into treasures.  Not that anything sold is trash, but if you are "over" it then well, it's not doing you any good is it?   It's in the rubble heap of your mind artistically.

I haven't had time to participate the last couple of years so I'm I'm making time this year.  In Des Moines the sale is January 23rd 10-3pm.  

I love when I can take hard industrial stuff, like a cog and a watch face, and transform it into something that's delicate and elegant to wear.... 

Anyone want to buy some lampworking stuff?

excellent books on lampworking, including out of print hard to find Passing the Flame

 About 10 years ago, I flirted with lampworking.  Now , I'm a notorious bead flirt... when I get interested in some aspect of jewelry making, I can't just merely wink-  I have to pick up my skirt and do a can can apparently.

I can't just dabble.  Part of my charm really.  (no, really!)

So when I got interested in lampworking, I had to do massive research, buy all the books I could find, watch video's, buy tools and buy glass.  Boy, did I buy glass.

After playing around for 4 odd years, I just decided I really didn't like it.  Doing it in my house was hard-- for awhile I had it set up in the basement, and with my allergies and Asthma ever worsening, I couldn't do it in the basement anymore.

Actually some of the fumes associated with lampworking didn't agree with me either.. mind you I'm very sensitive - not everyone has problems with the gas and fumes.  (yes, that might be why I rarely use hot connections anymore... that and the fact I adore rivets!!)

Even with very good ventilation it can bother me.

While certain aspects of making glass beads thrilled me, the overall process did not.

I realized a couple of years ago I hadn't even tried to make glass beads in YEARS.

I floated the idea in my head to sell all the materials I had gathered.. and I just couldn't bring myself to do it, at least not yet.  AT that time I had started to fuse glass ( which I actually quite enjoy --much much more than I ever had making beads) so I guess I thought to keep my options open.

So I kept it all... and thought about it once in a while.

This summer I finally made up my mind... it was time to give up the idea.  It's just not me.  Nothing wrong with it.. I have several lovely friends who you can't barely pry away from the torch!

I learned some very important things while I "flirted" with glass beads, not the least is a great appreciation for those artists that do make beads.   My hat's off to all of ya... I'll just enjoy buying them, instead of trying it myself.

So I'm looking for a buyer.  I am hoping to sell it all, but I'll consider offers on individual bits if I have to.

Lots and lots of glass rods and stringers.  Seriously, this represents over $1000 in glass.  

lots and lots of frit, including specialty frit that was beyond pricey

tools, more books, and even a crockpot with vermeil

More books/booklets on torching

Hot stix Dichroic glass rods.. again, very pricey and about $360 bucks work in 2007 dollars

chainmaile Commission - team spirit

I'm cleaning out my photo folder, and ran across this picture... A good customer ordered chainmaile earrings in Viking & Green Bay colors as Christmas presents.

If I haven't stated it recently, I do love to do commissions.  And I thought it a wonderful idea to do these earrings up in team colors!  Such a thoughtful gift for friends who are really into sports!

planning a big big trip

A bed and breakfast we will be staying at this summer, in New Mexico.  It used to be some Millionaire's private home nestled in the foothills of the mountains.  Isn't it fantastic? 

Since we are a 2 income family again, and since I won't be doing so much art jewelry selling, we decided to take big family vacation again this summer.  Since I'm a crazy person, I've already started to research the trip... get ready to laugh, cause all my friends do... In fact I've already spreadsheet-ed the entire 12 day trip and booked all the hotels.

And this is the room I've booked there! 

Done laughing yet?   Actually it's not as rigid as it sounds.  The "main" goal is the Grand Canyon, and we are driving it, which is a ton of miles and 8 states by the time we are done.

Since the Grand Canyon is such a tourist destination, you have to plan it early... would you be shocked to know that some hotels were already booked up in that area?  If you are, you have never planned a trip to a big tourist destination before.  Thinking of one right now for the summer? start booking then!

In order to place reservations for the Grand Canyon area, I had to plan out the rest of the trip as well.

Most days of travel have 2-4 hours extra in them, so we can really do a "tour" ... I love traveling when we can mender at our own pace, and stop and visit anything that looks interesting.  But I also love knowing where I'm gonna sleep that night.  So it's a mix of surprise and plan,  unexpected and known.

I really can't wait!!

Time to Slay my Dragons......

OK, I don't have pity words tonight, but I thought that was a catchy title.. and it fits this piece.  So what "dragons" in your life do you wish where gone? what Challenge do you have yet to face? Maybe today is the day......

Catch and Release.....

 I've been trying to finish a 2 statement pieces for a month or more, and finally got this one done this past week.  I call it "Catch and Release"

I'm not exactly sure where my head was when I started.. but by the time I finished I had definite ideas of what it means to me.  That might be why it took so long to finish, I knew it had something to say (I had something to say?)  but I couldn't focus.  

 Let me explain the elements of this piece... the big patina back piece is a vintage clock gear.  The gold is a vintage drawer knob base.  At some point in it's life, something bad happened to it and it got smashed and bent and cracked in places and the knob disappeared.  It would have been round and hollow and concave and about 3/4 inches tall.  It's embossed with a lovely floral pattern.  So when I got it it's was kind of a misshapen lump.  I decided if it's already broken, why not go for broke? and used my hammer to flatten it completely out, making the cracks actual rips in the brass.  Even in it's abused form it has an elegance of beauty to it.  The last vintage part is the "release" which is from a LC smith typewriter from the 1920's.

To me, this is taking the negatives life throws you (and boy life's got a good pitchin' arm) and making it as positive as you can and letting the still bad parts go...

Now a online friend said that she thought I meant fishing... so yeah, releasing fishes is good too.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! and new year's hopeful ramblings....

This is a picture from maybe a month ago, honestly my desk top hasn't changed much.  I'm still working on the big wings necklace and most of the stuff pictured here!

 It's kind of been a rough year both physically and emotionally.  I won't get into details because well, except for my family it's boring.  And it's private.  But how well you are doing in life reflects in one's art and that's taking a beating the past few years as well.  Add in how essential income from the business has been the last few years in keeping my family safe.   All the stress of living on whatever I make in my day job and in my jewelry business.  The stress of family health issues, my health issues, and various other life stuff.

Don't get me wrong, I have never considered my jewelry as a hobby, but until the last three years, any money I made in the business was pretty much used in the business, or I might fund a family vacation or something.  The business income was for extras in life, not the essentials.  Or more pretty somethings to turn into jewelry!

Cog from a clock, new key, old typewriter key.  I really want to express myself more this year in my jewelry, and part of this is letting go, or releasing some old baggage.  

The last 3 years most of what I made became mortgage payments and electric bills and food on the table.  I'm very grateful I had the ability to make the business work to help float my family, but I can't say I'm not very relieved that I don't have to going forward.

I felt right after the season ended in November, and still feel to some extent, burnt out.  Artistically, emotionally, and just about any -ly you can think of .

Don't get me wrong- it's not all been bad!  But it's been busy and stressful - and i'm tuckered out.

I've decided 2016 will be low-key.  The last several years we have done 18-20 or more shows every year.  (I just looked and one year we did 27 shows, most between May and October!!! )

This year we are going to do maybe half that.  I might look at galleries again.  If I'm not doing such a punishing show schedule then doing galleries is much more possible.  Or I might not.  I don't really have new year's resolutions per say, but I do plan not to stress as much.  I want my bliss back when I do jewelry.  I want it to be more like therapy again instead of deadlines and profit driven and scary.  I want it to be apart of my happiness again, not part of my stress of making ends meet.  Overall I  don't think I've been particularly happy the last few years.  I haven't had time for it.  I need to slow down, if not actually pause or stop.

If I have a watch word for this year, I think it will be "thoughtful".   So many decisions in the last few years were based on the stress of immediate life demands.  I want to be able to sit back and make decisions that don't feel so damn rushed.  I want to be able to spend more time contemplating my jewelry as my art.   I need to find the time to be happy again.

 I still plan on writing my blog 2-3 times a week in 2016.  I plan on doing Downtown Des Moines Farmer's Market this summer , if they will have me and for how ever many slots they allow.  I'm hoping I can beef up my etsy store with more offerings.  Anything more than that, I will think about... calmly, deliberately, and with an eye to my happiness.

It's going to be an interesting year!!

Here's the general outline of my statement piece... now working on the embellishments.  I love how the colors turned out on the wings!

Taking a break for the holidays

Hey Guys I'm taking a break on the blog -  be back in January .  I wish everyone a happy Christmas and a merry new year!  

Cheerful owl locket broach

Aunt Betty

I've been listing to swing and 1930-40's big band the last few days.

I've always enjoyed this music... it's so energetic and full of vitality-- enjoyment for enjoyment's sake.  The best years were during WWII ( at least from this 60's baby's worldview)   But my Aunt Betty died this week, my Dad's last remaining sibling and I can't thing of her without thinking swing.

She was a nurse during WWII, and married a fly-boy ( well, she married 2, but her first husband died during the war).  That connection has set Aunt Betty firmly in swing mode in my brain.  I honestly don't know if she even liked swing, but living in the times she did I'm sure she did.

She was born in Waterloo Ia, but lived most of her adult life elsewhere.  For most of my life she's been in California or Arizona.  So I've only met her in person a handful of times.  Still I feel she had quite the zest of life, and boy, that's swing music.

I do have a bracelet she gave me some years ago.  She mailed it to me, and I was so ticked and frankly blown away. it's a Indian woven bracelet backed in leather.  She got it when she was a kid visiting a reservation, so it's probably 75+ year old now.   But it really must have meant something to her to hold on to it so many years.  She said her Dad bought it for her.  And she gave it to me.  That means something to me, and it's in the same treasure box I keep other mementos that are dear to me.  

Aunt Betty had a temper, and her nature could be, well prickly.  I remember me and my Dad beating her and her partner at trivia pursuit.  She got hot.. but then I was being a teenager in all my glory and probably gloated just little 2 much.  Dad and Larry (Betty's hubby, who was a great guy) laughed their heads off, which probably didn't help either.

I remember her Graciousness.  Jerry and I visited her and Larry in California on our honeymoon at their house.  They were tremendously accommodating, entertaining us for the day and treating us to a very fancy Mexican restaurant.  Their house was a showplace, though strange to our Iowan eyes-- due to water rationing concerns, their garden was mostly very artistically placed rocks, hearty shrubs and tiny trees. Oh, and a few palm type trees.

I'm afraid in later years I've not had much contact with Aunt Betty... she had Alzheimer's and after Larry's death, she seems to have had more "bad" days than good.  She was in a nursing home in Arizona when she died.

Rest in Swing Aunt Betty.

Last show of the Year.... Beaverdale Holiday Boutique!

Seriously, if you are gonna do a church "craft" sale, then Beaverdale Holiday Boutique is the one to do.  This is the 38th year!   Over 100 amazing vendors spread throughout the Trinity school, and best of all, the library becomes a huge bake shop.  I have to admit I adore a good bake sale... cookies and bar cookies and all kinds of treats!!

it runs Fri night 6-9pm, and Sat 8-2pm

This is my last official show of the year  - and probably the last Trinity show we will do.   With Jerry a full time school teacher, it's hard for him to get time off to do a show on a weekday, and disruptive to his students.  So going forward I won't be scheduling something like this.  Heck, it's not easy for me to get the time off either!

With the huge variety of vendors, I often start my Christmas shopping at this show.  Grab some buddies, come out and shop, eat and say hi.


There is a charge to get in, $4.00, and there are drawings throughout the weekend.

Happy Birthday to Ramona !

I had special guest last evening in my studio!   Turns out a very special customer's birthday was Nov 4th,  and what she wanted most was more of my jewelry in her collection.  Wow!  That's such a compliment -- how could I disappoint her?  So here are a few pics -- studio is as clean and neat


I should have gotten photos of her and her hubby, but I never think of that when people are here.... Anyway, I hope your Birthday Treat was everything you hoped for Romona!  Thanks so much for coming over.

yep, more file pictures

yep, I know, I need to get new pics taken.. but isn't this cute?  Old clock gear, and dragonflies and a crystals.  I even used this really cute paperclip style vintage chain on it.  I think I still have this piece actually  as it was made just before the last couple of shows in September.

optometrist lenses hoop earrings

OK, this is from this summer, I'm cleaning out my old pic files and I haven't gotten around to taking pics of what I made this week so old is it.  They are long gone, but they are in the category of CLEVER.  If I'm allowed to think myself clever.  (It's been a rough week actually, so please allow me to be clever at least in my art - I need the emotional pick me up!!)

I bought earlier this year a small stash of Optometrist lenses.. you know the lenses used to check out what your eyeglass prescription should be?   These are really old ones, probably 1920's or before.  Anyway, I bought this lot of them, and a few didn't have the glass still in them, so they are just the frames.  Well I took one look at them and realized they make the kewlest instant hoop earrings ever, and what gal cannot get by without at least 1 great pair of hoops earrings?   They sold the very first show I had them at.    I made a great necklace with one and it's also long gone.  I have a few left, and I've left them in my huge play stash on my back table.. so more to come.  Just probably not hoop earrings, as I only had these without the glass.  Seriously, if I ever find more of them, with or without the lenses, I am buying them.  Then maybe I'll make me a pair of hoops!