What's new

I'm plugging away over here. Filling orders, running kids to practices, watching things bloom, running, feeding everyone and everything under my care including 6 new baby chicks...I swear there's not much cuter. Anyway, enjoy a couple more necklaces before I slip into the weekend. A simple and new version of my double-stranded black, and a very dark purple. I'm not a purple fan but when I saw this particular bead I knew I had to snatch it. So very pretty. Here's to a wonderful weekend and a great big wish for warmer weather!

Bring on the bells

Some time ago I introduced a little red bell necklace to my shop, I don't know if you remember it or not, but it became a quick favorite on Etsy and all that I had, sold out. I couldn't duplicate the bells exactly, but luckily my searching turned up some different red bells and a few other colors so now I have a few new styles to show you.

First, the one at the top, that is sort of a blue-ish green swirled with tan that reminds me of the earth as it looks from far off in space. I know, kinda out there on that analogy, play along.

Then the green one with brown beads below,

and finally a re-creation of the favored red and carolina blue color combo below.

My last bead store trip unearthed a whole host of goodies that I can't wait to get my hands on, so stay tuned for more new styles to hit the shop in the coming days and weeks.

Spring is finally upon us and as the weather turns so increases my jewelry-making. As I throw off the winter bulk, warm my skin by the sun and hope for the first bits of a tan, I find myself awake with ideas, perhaps more ideas than there is time. But then you've heard that story....

Back in black

After searching for just the right beads to replace my favorite black ones that I can no longer buy, I've found success and have two new necklaces to share.

They may look similar to what you've seen in the past, but trust me, there are some subtle differences, especially with the second one.

I hope you'll enjoy, from my shop, the first necklace here and the one below here. The fruits of my Friday afternoon labor.

Confetti and horses

I went ahead and made a second version of the necklace I posted about last. The vintage glass button pendant is smaller and it's kind of fun to wear both necklaces at once.

The following hats are the result of a custom order, based on the one in my shop. A woman wanted some of my organic hats with horse appliques for herself and her horse friends for Christmas. How fun, I'd love to see a group photo. And I finally hung my vintage hat stand in my office and used it. It's a much more cooperative model than the live version (aka 6-year old daugher). Enjoy.

Taking time

Today I had the time, or rather I took the time to make a few things and listed this one in the shop.

It had been a long week, and it was a very long day yesterday. I attended (and helped coach--yikes)my son's team during his first adventure with a local Lego Robotics competetion. I can assure you that was an event like none other but one I'm sure to be involved with for years to come as evidenced by his one statement, "This is one of the best days of my life, Mom. I want to do this next year, all through middle school and in high school too." Oh boy, how can a mom argue with that?

I was a reluctant participant at first, but especially after yesterday I fully realized the value of the experience and how it pertains to his life now and in the future. The boy is well on his way to a world I know very little about but his talent is clear and his focus is undeniable, even enviable.

So after dragging myself out of bed this morning with a sore body and big bags under my eyes from sheer exhaustion from the day before, I settled myself in the office and proceeded to dig through beads. A few orders were filled and I had the chance to play around. It was just the slow day I needed.

Because life is just that fast...

This is a recent addition to the collection sitting in a little box on the old treadle sewing machine that sits in my office/studio. My husband's great grandmother used to make clothes for her children and grandchildren on this very machine. It still works. It still has all its parts. It still has the orginial manual and some random patterns from the 1950's or thereabouts.

Somehow she had time to make entire outfits for multiple children multiplied over years and spanning generations. I make one little necklace and can't find the right time to take the photos needed to be able to list the thing in my Etsy shop. But that's the name of the game right now and we're not even nearly the busiest family around. On purpose.

I blinked and my youngest has two front teeth coming in, likes a teeny-bopper pop radio station and knows what "skinny jeans" are and loves them.

My middle child turned into a serious bookworm, fan of anything that makes her laugh and has a knack for making things disappear (this irritates her mother).

My oldest is somehow now a football player (in a baseball/soccer player's body), expert on amusement rides and walks around like he's a teenager.

All the while their father and I struggle to keep the wheels in constant motion. Work, house, animals, kids, fun, dinners made, groceries stocked, allowances doled out, sporting events attended, not to mention a zillion other little things. But then you know that. Your house probably seems the exact same way.

Still at it

Little by little I manage to make more. The summer schedule will hopefully be conducive to more creative time than the school year when time at home is consumed by homework, a schedule to adhere to and a zillion things happening all at once. It is so nice to be able to slow down, even if just for a bit.

Here are some new variations on the familiar theme of simple, yet intricate summer neckwear. They can be found here and here. Enjoy.

New

As summer fast approaches and the wardrobe shifts to open necklines and unconstrained clothing, so increases my jewelry selection. Perhaps the best thing about making jewelry is that I have an ever-changing personal collection.

I make, I pass on, I give, I sell, I re-make. I couldn't be happier.

If you're looking for simple, these pieces fit the bill. Any of them. But you can't get more pared down or easy going than my basic black. It goes with practically anything. Or, at least that's how I wear it.

Thank you

This post is for the co-workers that stop me in the rehab gym and tell me they read my blog the night before. It's for the others who tell me they want every necklace they see me wear. It's for my new friends, old friends, work friends, unknown-never-to-be-met friends who tell me they faithfully read.

It's for my husband, his grandmother, my in-laws, my brother-in-law, his girlfriend (can I say that yet?), and the extended family who also read this ramble.

It's for the friends I know who help promote and for the friends I don't know who surprise with their accolades. And of course for my customers, new, repeat and wannabes, I'm grateful for you all.

You get the point. It's for all of you out there who don't have to read but for your own separate reasons still do. It's for the ones who call me 'artist' and 'creative', I thank you all and am so happy that you keep coming to visit.

As I have nothing more, today I'll leave you with some of the latest uploads to my shop. In order they are barely yellow, simple silver and early purple, this last one made specifically for Sheila and named after my earliest blooming and oldest country iris that look so pretty right now. Maybe tomorrow I'll show them to you.

Smile, it's Saturday

Spring wakes me up and I find the urge to start making more jewelry. I'm a casual sort of girl that likes t-shirts, jeans, flowy skirts and flip-flops and these simple necklaces seem to fit. I wear them constantly because they're easy, comfortable, simple yet intricate and I can change them whenever the urge hits and I often do.

I've added this new one to the shop.

And the next one was added yesterday and sold in just a few hours. I love it when that happens.

I was under contstant supervision during the photo shoot.

Happy Saturday!

Job hopping

Growing up I had a friend whose mom seemed to change careers every few years. She started out as a nurse, then became a full time mom of three and dabbled in photography for a bit, art, then real estate, back to nursing and then eventually retirement.

I don't know if she could never make up her mind, if she didn't really need to work, or if she just had so many different interests that she flip-flopped from one profession to another. Whatever the case, I think of her as I flit from one thing to the next, often overlapping all three of my supposed jobs.

One is serious and bona fide career, the next is motherhood and the last has sprouted from a hobby, and the near necessity of giving my brain a creative outlet not related to anything but just that.

So please enjoy some recent additions to the shop. First we have garnet and glass followed by pinkish and finally red raspberry. And then you'll please excuse me while I go nurse allergies, a bloody nose, do laundry, tend to the weeds, plant the new rosebushes and peonies, water the grass and line up playdates, all while I take a "break" from my real job. Happy working everyone, I hope you enjoy what you do.

Old favorites

I've had quite a few local requests lately about my jewelry, if I'm going to sell at the market again this summer, if the jewelry can be found on my website, etc. etc. I used to rely on the market as an easy way to show my pieces without having to spend the hours it takes to photograph them halfway decently and then load them into my Etsy shop.

But I've decided not to sell at the market this summer and so my online shop becomes the central place to showcase my wares. The decision is bittersweet but most definitely the right one for me, for the family. And, the best part is I get to go to the market just for the fun of visiting and purchasing all the good stuff that it has to offer.

So I'm experiencing what a joy it is all over again to be model and photographer, editor and shop owner, copywriter. Taking also into account the fact that I hate (yes hate) having my picture taken the whole process is a laugh.

But here you have the first two, my little red raspberry



and cherry blossom.



So please enjoy and stay tuned for coming attractions. I may be auditioning new models soon, we'll see how much of myself I can take.

Letting it be

Today we are lazy. More like, the kids are. I got up a little later than normal but still took a morning run with Sunny, then started in with orders, work stuff, laundry, you know the drill. Then after late morning errands I tried to coerce everyone into going to the pool, well, maybe I didn't try too hard, they seemed not to hear me when I suggested it and I could tell they'd slipped deeply into summer-zombie-kid mode and I decided the best course would just to let them be. To let laziness take over if that's what the day held, to stop trying to force what wasn't happening naturally and follow the course for the day, whatever that meant.

That's how we ended up here:

To clarify, that's how they ended up there, with John stuck in his relentless pursuit to win solitaire (the old-fashioned kind) every time he plays and the girls glued to the furniture.

We really aren't a bunch of couch potatoes here and so I let them indulge every once in a while, after all, who can be on the go constantly and it be a good thing?

Anyway, it's giving me time to write, take pictures and make more jewelry. A good day all around.

Little things

I change by not changin'
at all
small town predicts my fate
perhaps that's what no one wants to see

~lyrics from "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" by Pearl Jam

I felt like this today, when finally even the dialup internet connection failed us after the storm last night. Like the world changes around me and all I can do is watch. Yet I've thrust myself right in the middle of it without the means to truly participate, with this shop, this blog, a real business. Two more weeks says Comcast. It's been since February. I won't belabor the point, just know that this extremely patient girl is now finally out of patience. It has happened.

Feeling defeated, I started to once again look on the bright side, find the silver lining, see the glass half full and make some lemonade. It started with the apple that fell prematurely from the tree in the backyard, placed delicately atop the picnic table by our dog, Sunny. Nice.

Then I noticed the dried bits of gardening along with some gloves and a pile of dirt left by the girls.

And I was taken with the green of the zucchini, the little ones that are picked on time and the ones that hide under humongous leaves only to be found later and treated like buried treasure by the kids. "Look, mom! Look what Allie found! It's huge!" A smile spread across my face.

I slowed down, I took deep breaths, I participated in the day set before me. But, I wish I didn't have to say this, my frustration didn't completely go away. I'll work on it again tomorrow.

I had time to make some jewelry and some hats and booties, even with the 2-day sleepover that was still in play and 4 extremely tired and delirious kids, the pool, craziness, all of it. I promised to show you some so please enjoy.






Even a self-portrait of sorts. I think that's enough.