Category Archives: jewelry

A Flurry of Activity!

Good evening!

This evening has been a FLURRY of activity!! My sweetie and I are frantically getting everything ready to go down to Roseburg for the weekend. My sisters and I have rented two booths down at the Douglas County Christmas Fair, and we are going to be selling all sorts of hand made goodies! I will make sure to take plenty of pictures all weekend of everything and anything! Our good friend, Don is going to be coming over and babysitting our two little girls – thanks, Don!!! So, I know they will be in good hands!

We still have some more housekeeping to do before we go, and I need to make sure we get EVERYTHING packed into the minivan, because I am leaving work at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon to head out, and we are leaving straight from there.

I am not exactly sure what to expect from this Christmas bazaar, but I am excited to be getting to spend some time with my sissies, and to be able to sell some of my hand made bead and wire jewelry. It has been sitting in the house, some of it for up to five years, I have got to sell it, and make room for new creativity!

Back in 2007, I had opened my own jewelry business, and I did pretty well at making a nice selection of treasures, but because of some health problems that my sweetie was having, I decided that I needed to focus my attention on getting him better, so I put all of my jewelry-making supplies away. I get a little sad whenever I see them now, because I really do enjoy making jewelry, but really haven’t given myself permission to get back into making my little baubles! I think that after this weekend, that is going to really change! I would love to see myself start making jewelry again, with a focus on soldering, mini collages, ephemera, personalized memorabilia, and inspirational and sassy thoughts! 🙂 That sounds like SO MUCH FUN!!! 😉

Anyway, as much as I am enjoying my view of our lovely Christmas tree, and part of my book collection (see picture above), I have got to get going and get the rest of my to-do done for the evening, so I can go to bed before midnight!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

A Random Monday!

Good evening!

It is a picture perfect beautiful day outside this evening! I have spent a good portion of my evening up in my art studio. I have been busy dabbling, as I have a tendency to do! I am trying so hard to be an artist that in all honesty I am just frustrating the heck out of myself!

When I got home after work tonight, I decided that I was going to make a few charms for a charm bracelet that I wanted to make, but the soldering gun that my sweetie and I had picked up is just too low of quality and doesn’t get nearly as hot as it needs to be to work properly. So, that will just have to wait a little longer until I get that jewelry soldering gun that I should have gotten in the first place – save money on the unimportant stuff, splurge on the things that you will need at your disposal for as long as possible! Lesson learned! 😉

I tell myself!
“Ok, I am not going to get frustrated, I will just have to try something else.”

So, I decide to get out my resin and try my hand at making myself a motivational charm for a stacked necklace. My resin charm didn’t turn out exactly the way I had intended, but it is upstairs setting all the same, and I will know in the morning if it is something that I will be willing to wear! But from initial thoughts on it – it won’t be perfect, but it will be something I can work with. It is only my first resin piece after all!

I am just LOVING the idea of making some jewelry. I think jewelry is so unique and can really express a person’s unique style so well, and it is something that, in the past, I have been pretty good at! Plus, I just LOVE beads, wire, soldering, hammering, the idea of metal smithing – because I have never actually tried it before, and I love the way that each piece turns out! There is something very gratifying knowing that you have made something that you see someone else wearing!

I really want to perfect some of the techniques that I am learning so that I can make some really cool personalized gifts that I will be able to give away for Christmas presents this year! I know that all of the women in my life will LOVE that! I hope!! 😉

You know what would be my ULTIMATE dream…besides a happy family, and owning that farm that my sweetie and I always dream of…it would be to have a way to make a living doing something creative that feels like I am honoring my authentic self – isn’t that just a novel concept??? Sometimes I am very envious of those people who have walked away from their corporate jobs and are fulfilling their lifelong dream of making a living doing what they love. If I could incorporate jewelry, art, words, people, flexibility, and fun into a career, I would be as happy as a clam!!! Anyone hiring for anything like that right now??? LOL! Let me know, will ya?! 😉

I am a firm believer that God provides for you everything you need, at exactly the right moment, I am just impatiently waiting for my moment, I suppose! 😉

Anyway, I have finally come down for the evening, and I have decided to watch a couple of quick episodes of The Andy Griffith Show before I climb into bed for the evening while reading a little of my most current book, I Am Number Four, by Pitticus Lore. It is pretty good, in case you were interested! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening!!

ONE LAST THING: I will make sure to take a few pictures of my necklace in the morning, and share them with you tomorrow! 😉

Art Studio Makeover, Getting Close!

Good evening!

I am very happy to share with you some pics I took of my art studio/office! As you may know, I have been cray-busily cleaning, organizing, purging, and decorating this room!! I still have some work to do, but it is sooo close that I can feel it!! I am going to make fabric table skirts to hide all of the under table storage, and I am contemplating also curtaining the large bookcase in the corner, to soften the room a little more and to just hide some more of the storage!! Any thoughts?? Let me know in the comments section – I would love to here what you think!!

Anyway, I will stop teasing and show you some pics of where I am at today! (Click on any picture to show larger) 😉

See, there is still a HUGE amount of stuff in this room, but it is organized like NOBODY’S business!!! 😉 This room is going to do some SERIOUS multitasking, collage, painting, jewelry making, office, writing, library, and guest room!!! WHEW!!! No wonder it has taken me soooo long to get it this clean!!! 😉

I just hope that beautiful art studio equates to beautiful art work being created!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Note to Chunky Dunkers: I can’t wait to see all of you tomorrow evening!! 😉

Tarte!

Good evening!

I wanted to share with you some more pics of the FABULOUS little shop that I had my jewelry class at on Sunday, Tarte!!

Right from the entry way, this little shop is a welcoming feast for the eyes!!

Sparkles, and baubles, and trinkets, oh my!!

I just love the feel of their scrumptious fabrics, and yummy goose down pillows!!

They even make keys look tres chic!!

This gives me so many ideas for fun and creative ways to display my own jewelry collection!!

I could just go home with one of EVERYTHING!!!

Who knew mannequins could be so inspirational??!!

I just DROOLED over this large antique-inspired sign!!

Hello, please wrap this up, I will TAKE IT!!! 😉

What a comfy looking reading spot!!

Every where you look in this store there is more couldn’t-you-just-pee-your-pants ADORABLENESS!! I know that might be hard to imagine, but just go with me on that!! 😉

Isn’t this the sweetest little boutique??? The only downside to it, is that I wish I was at least 3 times as large!! This place is a cross between Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Amelie, and Penelope all rolled into one!! This is probably mu number 1 FAVORITE little boutique for FABULOUS treasures, and inspirational ideas for my own GROWN-UP-GIRLY-WONDERLAND!!!

Poor Jason, he is not going to know what hit him!! I sure do LOVE THAT MAN!! 😉

“Nothing bad could ever happen [Tarte]”!!! 😉

I couldn’t have said it any better myself!!! 😉

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

A Charming Day!

Good evening!

I wanted to share with you the jewelry class I was fortunate to take yesterday! 😉 I spent the day up at the Tarte store up in Aurora, Oregon. The shop is ABSOLUTELY DIVINE!! I could LITERALLY purchase EVERY SINGLE THING in that store and decorate my house with it! EVERYTHING is my style to a T!!

The room that we had our craft class was EXACTLY the way that my craft room SHOULD be!! 😉 I have thought about how to describe it to you, and words just could not describe how girly glam this room was!!! The room was basically draped with an indoor tent for grown up girls, and there was a gigantic chandelier right in the center of the room, dripping in beads.

Here are a couple of pics:

This is a large parachute that they sewed tulle to. Isn’t that INGENIOUS?!?!?!?

Do you see what I mean?? You just couldn’t help but feel the girl glam vibe that was in that room! That was P-R-I-C-E-L-E-S-S!!

They had a place setting for every one of us women, there were 15 of us. These were just soooo charming, and I now want to work from a silver tray from now on! What do you think??

So chic!! 😉

The lovely, Terri Brush was our instructor, and the first thing we learned how to do was to design, etch and form copper bracelets – this is a good project for working your arm muscles!! There was SO MUCH POUNDING going on!!! WHEW!!! 😉

Next, we got to play with solder!! Using some old keys, we coated them in solder and played with some letter stamps! That was fun!! (Just in case you can’t read these, they say “Dream Big” and “Inspire”)

What came next were create mini collages to place inside of charms that we then got to solder!!! This was my FAVORITE part of the entire class!!

Here are the backsides of my charms, the previous picture was a view of the front of the charms! I literally could have done this all day!! They are short and sweet, and HIGHLY gratifying!!! 😉 I am planning on using these to make a couple of charm bracelets!!

and last but not least! I got to play some more with the letter stamps, and I decided to make one last charm for my bracelet! but, this one ended up being MY FAVORITE OF THEM ALL!!!  This is my sweetie’s and my initials, and the date of our wedding!! I LOVE that the letters and numbers are all catty-wompous! It just seems to make this one all the more charming!!!

They left us at each of the place settings, it is a, dare I say it, a charming box of chocolate!! It is decorated so chicely, that I have a feeling that this little package will NEVER be opened!! 😉

I have ALWAYS wanted to learn how to create these charms and I am soooo THANKFUL that I have finally acquired this skill!! Terri is a gem, and this class was really a fun way to learn all of these fun jewelry making techniques!! I would highly recommend this class to anyone fortunate enough to be able to take it!!

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉

A Lovely Tuesday Evening!

Good evening!

I wanted to start by sharing with you my art project from this past weekend!! It turned out rather nicely, if I may say so myself!! I completely changed what I was going to do from my original design, but I am soooo in LOVE with these happy colors!!! It is official that glass fusing is NOT my medium! I really don’t have the patience for this art, and although it did turn out beautifully, I am going to keep looking!!

I am so thankful to be home tonight!! Work is a little on the stressful side, so to get back to my haven at home is pretty nice!! My official plan for this evening is to go for a nice swim, take some random pics, and to do a little magazine reading!! Doesn’t that sounds DIVINE???

I hear that the new publication of Where Women Create is out!! I went to one of the local craft stores to find it, and no luck! So, you know what that means, I am going to have to have a Border’s date this weekend!! I am sure that Jason won’t mind!!!

Speak of the devil!! My lover just got home!!! and he is carrying McD’s!! Ok, so much for healthy meals, but at least it is only a happy meal!! That is something right!??!? 😉

Talking about having to keep searching for my artist’s medium, I have a couple of new adventures coming up in the next few weeks! The first thing is that in two Saturdays I have a mixed media collage class that I am going to take with the Kaiser Art Association. This pic is an example of what kind of art we will be doing in this class:

Then the next weekend is the a vintage home show, The Farmhouse Show up in Turner, Oregon that I will be able to take a Ton of pics of, and hopefully come home inspired and maybe with a couple of new treasures.

Then, I am taking another art class, but this time it will be a Jewelry Metalsmithing, soldering, and Cuff Bracelet Class given by Terri Brush Designs. Here are pics of two of the designs that we will be learning how to make:

See what I mean??? AND if I can figure out how to finagle it, I want to go to ANOTHER home show in Spokane, Washington the first week in June!!!

If all that weren’t enough, I am doing some research now into a women’s artist retreat over in Idaho! I KNOW that I need to go to that, I just have to work on the logistics!! Mamma can’t be in two places at once! So, we will see!!

Well, with all that said, I am tired, and I really need to go hit the hay!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Sunday Evening Update!

Good evening!

Ok, so I realize this morning I said it was Saturday – WHOOPSIE!! That was just wishful thinking on my part, I am sure!!!

Jason threw his back out today, so all of my semi-grandiose plans changed to just minor, stay-at-home kind of plans, which has still been pretty good!! I have spent some time working on editing the pics for my Look Book. It is going to take me much longer than just one day, but I am soooooo excited to see it when it is finished!! I promise I will take pics and post them when I am done!

That is it, I got nothin’! I think my brain has taken a mini vacation! So until tomorrow…

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉

 

 

Saturday of Fashion!

Good morning!

Today, it is time to get creative!!!

I am spending my Saturday morning putting together my own personal fashion, Look Book!! This is a 3 ring notebook of pics of all sorts of things about fashion. Clothing, outfits, hair, makeup, shoes, accessories – all sorts of pics that I hope will inspire and influence my own personal sense of style. So, I am set up with scissors, rubber cement, tons of white cardstock, and over a year’s worth of collected pictures, and cutouts from various fashion magazines!!! I have been collecting them for so long, and the stack was getting precariously high, that I figured I had better do something about getting them put into my look book, or else the whole stack was going to end up in the rubbish bin because I am sick of it all sitting there and not being used. The very thought made me feel ill, so here I am dealing with the seemingly never ending stack by putting it to good use!!!

I will place them into a three-ring notebook organized by tabs:

  1. Outfits – maybe Day, Work, Evening, Formal???
  2. Clothing
  3. Shoes
  4. Jewelry
  5. Other Accessories
  6. Lingerie
  7. Outerwear
  8. Hair/Makeup/Nails/Skin Care

I am not sure what else, this is a living work in progress!! So, once I am finished it might look COMPLETELY different then what I envision now! I will keep you posted! When I am finished I will make sure to post some pics so you can see too!! 🙂

Have a FABULOUS morning!!! 😉

It’s Snowing!!

Good afternoon!

I know I am getting to my posting late, this is twice in the same week!! Don’t worry, I will get it back together in the morning!!! LOL! 😉

Can I tell you, it is snowing!?!?!?! Well, it is!!! Ok, so nothing too substantial yet, but we are hoping that we wake up to a Winter wonderland!! THAT WOULD BE DIVINE!!!

Jason is running around the house singing “Let It Snow Let It Snow Let it Snow!” Man, he makes me smile!!! HAHAHAHA!!! If I could film him without him knowing, you would hear him singing, but you would ALSO see him doing his “Let It Snow DANCE!!!” HAHAHA!!!

I thought tonight I would take some time to do something creative off of Polyvore and share it with you! Polyvore is one of my FAVORITE web sites to REALLY waste some time having fun on!! It just seems to be a fun and easy way to put different outfits together with accessories, shoes, etc.

Here is a work outfit:

Here is a day with the girls outfit:

Here is a date night outfit:

I am off to spend some quality time with my sweetie!!! OH and let’s not forget – I will be praying for LOADS OF SNOW this evening!!! LOL!

Have a FABULOUS evening!!! 😉