I had so much fun!

I did my last scheduled class with Michael Sturlin this weekend and this is what I got to make. We did forged bracelets. The silver ones we're done after I had practiced on the Barbie versions. We started by working with copper in a small scale version so mistakes wouldn't be taken out on the expensive fine silver wire. A couple of the small versions fit Bailey and she wanted to model them for me.
I should have a few of these versions available in my shop soon. This was too much fun! I'm working on a few new designs incorporating enameling and some cold connections. Thanks for looking. Have a great week!








H

Garden Party

So I went to my forged bracelets class today with Michael Sturlin and it was wonderful. I'll post pictures later since I have one more day of class with him. Anyway his wife is a Thai Chef and I got some of the last of the salad greens from her garden to have for dinner tonight.
In the blue bowl are the croutons that I made from the bread in the green bowl. They are so easy, you should give it a try. Really super easy and oh so much tastier then the kind you get at the store made in a bag. A great way to use up old bread or heels that no one wants to eat. I know you have a bag in your kitchen that you put them into because you're going to 'feed it to the ducks' or whatever. So now you know what to do with them. I'll give you a recipe if you want one.
We added some cheeses and tomatoes and a grilled steak and oil and balsamic vinegar and we we're set. In fact there isn't any left.



Now its getting a little sappy in here! I hope you all had a lovely Saturday. I'll post pictures of the class bracelets sometime this week.

H

Mary, Mary how does your garden grow?

I know that's not a very original title but it works! Well that just has be the cutest thing ever! That is a little baby basil plant trying to poke its little leaves out of the dirt! I needed to embrace my inner chef (I did graduate with a degree in culinary arts - really I did!) and at least grow some things that my family could eat! Bailey and I just started with herbs for now but we plan to add more as the planting season comes around again. She also has a little tomato plant growing and she is very proud of it. There is nothing like the taste of food fresh from the garden. Tomatoes are my favorite! I will be sure to post more picture of our little garden. You are of course all invite over for dinner. I've also decided to start making some bread on a regular basis because well its just too easy not to! I'll post about that too.
I'm not sure what this has to do with jewelry or jewelry making but since all these things inspire me I thought I would post about the fun we are having here!

basil, parsley, and chives

Have a wonderful weekend!

H

Not New But...

I thought I would start putting down on 'paper' so to speak why I make some of the items I make, even if it just so I have something to look back on later. So today I'm going to write about the tiny heart ring.




Well it should come as no surprise that Bailey is my inspiration behind this little ring. I don't remember all the details but I do remember thinking that I would like some other rings to go with my sets of stacking rings. So I asked Bailey what she thought - sometimes I get some really great responses so I just had to ask! For some reason she is in LOVE with Valentines day. It wasn't near Valentines day but she still loves it! Anyway she said that I should make a ring with hearts on it for her to wear on Valentines day. Well I was already making the tiny heart post earrings so a tiny heart ring seems perfect! (That's her chubby little hand in the 1st picture.)
So I guess I need to ask my muse more often what she thinks I should make! I hope you're all having a good week.

H

Monkey's and Pink Little Girls

So my little monkey got to wear her monkey costume today. She was so excited to have a tail! We we're doing pictures for her upcoming dance recital. She is in 2 dances. The 1st one is a monkey dance and the second one is 'Pink is for little girls'. I can't tell which one is the favorite yet but I do know that I have Halloween taken care for this year and maybe next year!

She loves to pose. On the pink dress I think she looks like one of the 'ladies' from an old west picture place. You know when you go in a dress up like you came from the 1800's, well and it doesn't help that she walked around with her hands on her hips and knee up. But she is quite an actress! I can hardly wait for the teens!

H

This might seem odd but...

I've been asked many times why I don't make big pieces of jewelry like everyone else makes. 1st: I have nothing against the big pieces but they just aren't me. 2nd: I'm not going to make things just so they sell. Everything I make was/is because it reminds me of something in my life or I think the person that I was thinking of when I made it will like it. As an example the Dots:

I was thinking of my sister Hayley, she is the model on these too, when I was first making these. She has 4 holes on each side and she likes to mix the earrings up. By that I mean she doesn't like them to match. So these are perfect for her. The idea has just expanded from there into over 125 designs to choose from and into rings as well.

Another example are these charms. 'Have Your Cake and Eat It Too' and 'Cupcake with a Cherry on Top' these we're inspired from my sister Holly who is a pastry chef. She is the best pastry chef in all the land!

I know she will laugh and say she really isn't but I think she is amazing!

I don't think of my business as work and I fear that if I started to make things 'just because they would sell' or because they are 'big' right now I wouldn't be myself. And I just got to be myself. I like tiny things and I know I'm not the only one. I just had to get that off my chest since I was asked that again and its been rolling around in my brain on why/how to answer it yet again. Have a wonderful weekend. H

I Love Flowers!

So I thought I would start your weekend with some beautiful flowers. I took these pictures today and just had to share. Have a wonderful weekend!

H