Things are going swimmingly!

I have taken the leap of faith and doing my jewelry full time.  Once I made that decision and took that step, things have really taken off thanks to my wonderful clients and friends.  I have taken it in a little bit different direction due to one of my wonderful friends nudging me a bit, well, more like shoving but so glad she did!

For some time now I have had an idea rolling around in my head about taking my glass lampwork fish and giving them a home in a fish bowl.  I did not have the details figured out but had parts of it figured out.  My friend saw what I had started and told me she wanted it in two weeks.  Period.  She needed it for her desk at her new job which she was starting in two weeks.  So. . . . . . . off I went to get it done and these are what I came up with!

Now, I am on a roll!

Ok - Another Food Post!

My last post was about food and so is this one!  I guess since I don't make things special very often, I feel the need to share!  So . . . . .  I found this great blog called Peas and Thank You.  It has some wonderful vegan  recipes.  All of the ones I have tried have been wonderful!  My family (non-vegan or vegetarian) have also enjoyed them.  Well a recipe for homemade pop tarts intrigued me.  

I do not like box pop tarts at all but my husband and son do so I thought I would give it a try.  I made the first batch following her directions and they were yummy!  Today, I decided to change it up a bit.   I make little tartlets.  Perfect size for a treat!  

The filling is homemade apple butter using my husband's great grandmother's recipe!.  They are wonderful! I also changed the icing a bit.  I just used powdered sugar with a little bit of water instead of milk.  

(can't even tell the difference and then they don't need to be refrigerated).  I am going to try them with sugar cream pie filling also without a "lid".

A Little Heart

I am trying to reorganize my life a bit.  I am trying to make the important things first and the not so important secondary.  One of the top priorities in my life are my family.  In three short weeks, our daughter will be returning to college and our son will be back for his second year of high school.  Time is going by quickly.

This morning I made muffins.  Easy, quick, just add milk to a mix muffins.  To add a bit of fun and send a bit of love to my family, I made them in heart shaped silicone muffin cups.  By the way, this is the first time I have used them and I LOVE them!

Enjoying Sunday

I am enjoying today, creating and staying cool.  My children are off with their friends and my husband is in his man cave, otherwise known as his garage.   

Starting out this morning, I thought I would make some pendants similar to the ones I have been making.  I laid them out then saw some of my copper wires that I had melted the ends into balls.  They have a great bright pink color so I thought I would bend the wires into interesting shapes and solder them into place.  Well, after going to my soldering area, they came out a bit differently but I like!

Not finished or polished yet, but soon!!!

Websites and Such

Well, I am trying very hard to keep up with my website and promote it, etc.  I have spent the morning getting my mobile site up and going.  I had my husband take a look at it and realized that I think so differently than a man!  WOW!  Hopefully the changes I made will make it easier for males and females to navigate my site.   Here are some of the additions I made today!   I would appreciate any insight and suggestions for improvements.  Unfortunately, I cannot sell directly from my mobile site.  Maybe soon! Hopefully.

1. 

Time for Creating

I have started reading "Creative Time and Space - Making Room for Making Art" by Rice Freeman-Zachery. It is a book about how several successful artists find time to make their art and get everything else done also.

 It has taken me quite awhile to say that I am an Artist.   I didn't feel worthy of the title  but now I am proud to say that yes, I am an Artist!  And I am taking a huge step forward in my creative journey and will be doing my art full time, well mostly full time. (I have another obligation to take care of also, but that is another story).  Safe to say, the majority of my time will be working on my jewelry and making beads.  

I have read lots of business books and how to sell, keep records, track stuff, yada, yada, yada, blah, blah, blah.  I am not saying that it was not worth reading but I feel that things such as that are not what I was looking for.  People that make their living by making and creating things are much different than say a distributor of finished goods, or someone who provides a service.  The mindset is completely different.  There is a flow to creativity and sometimes it is hard to get in the flow and most of the time when you are in the flow, you don't want to get out, no matter if your kids need to eat or you have to pay some bills, do laundry, or pick your son up from soccer.

It has been extremely helpful to me to read how the artists in this book handle their schedules, creative process and concept of time.   Lisa Lichtenfels, a fabric sculptor, said that she has noticed that if her friends are creative types, they can go for long amounts of time without talking and then when they do see each other again, it is like no time has passed.  However,  her friends who are not creative types,  are hurt if she doesn't keep in touch with them regularly.  I thought that was so interesting.  As I think about my friends and family members for that matter, this is so true.  Humm, this explains so much!

I am not done with the book yet.  I am reading it slowly, taking in all the nuggets of insight and inspiration.    I just started following Rice's blog, Notes from the Voodoo Cafe.  She is quite the character but has loads of info and fun stuff.    Also check out Lisa Lichenfels figures, they are nothing short of amazing!

Light Bulb Moment

I have been made aware of something yet again.  This has happened more than once to me and I haven't really paid attention to it but the other day a friend of mine's husband said this to me, "Why don't you have any of your jewelry on?"  Fair question to which I have no answer, except, I just don't pay attention I guess, alot of the time.

When I think back to the past week, past months really, I haven't had any of my pieces on.  It is not that I don't like them, it's not that they wouldn't go with my outfit, it is just that I didn't pay attention.  I usually always wear my watch - for functionality, my wedding ring - most of the time, unless I am doing something really yucky, and a right hand ring - my mom's wedding ring, she is gone now so it is very special, and that is about it.

 OH MY!  What am I thinking?  I make earrings, bracelets, necklaces, rings, keychains, and who knows what else and I am not wearing any of it.  When I think about it, there are several times I have sold pieces that I was wearing, right off of me.  I am missing out on being a walking storefront and billboard for my business just because I am not paying attention.  As they say in Despicable Me - Light Bulb!

Well from now on,  unless I am cleaning and scrubbing (which I do occasionally!) you will see me with  at least one of my creations on!

Transforming Bullets

I have made rings and earrings along with some other things from bullet casings that people have given me.  I have ventured out into etching and doing a little patina.  These are some things that are in progress.

Found Copper and Lampwork Fish

I have had this idea rattling around in my head for quite some time.  Not sure exactly how I would do it but that some day I would do it.  Well, all the stars have aligned and the pieces are coming together! 

I have made lampwork (Glass) fish for quite some time.  They are not true to life, which my son points out quite often. He says one of them is sick because of how the fin droops - whatever!  They are more on the whimsical side with big fins and big sometimes red lips!  They just might make you want to kiss a fish!   Anyway, I thought it would be cool if I could make  a miniature underwater seascape with them and metal. 

Over time, people have given me all sorts of things.  My husband found some sheet copper in the middle of the street one day and I have been making rings out of it.  A friend was redoing his kitchen and there was old copper wiring that he removed and gave to me.  Then I was in Tuesday Mornings a few weeks ago and found a vase that like a fish bowl but is very flat.

Hummmmm . . .what if I put them together?  Well, this is what I have come up with. 

It is not complete yet but has a good start.  I am going to do some kind of sand on the bottom I think, not sure yet.

So off I go to work on it some more!

Brass Bullet Bracelet in Progress

Well, I am enamored with the etching!  I have so many ideas but have not had much time to really explore yet but this is what I have managed to do so far.

First I started out with a bullet that I had removed the end from.

 Flattened it out

Drilled holes in the pieces for connections

Mask off back and add design

Etch and clean the brass pieces

 Add the jump rings to connect the bracelet

I am working on a cool clasp but I have not started it yet!  That is still in my head!

Etching - FIrst Try

I love the look of etched metal but had not tried to attempt it until today!  These are first things I have done.  I did the design freehand so I am hoping for more detail as I get better.  This has opened up a whole new area of design for me!