back in the swing...

my hammers are at it again! after a time of focusing on other very important things in life, i have decided these lovely stones needed to find a home within some great, distressed, handmade rings!

one more little thing: today, i found a great source of inspiration in an article from lapidary journal's "jewelry artist" magazine, sept/oct 2012 (it's been sitting in my house for a month & today happened to be the right day that it would sink in!) 

it's titled "develop your artistic identity" by michael david sturlin, a great teacher that i've had the pleasure of learning from here and there. what a great article full of wisdom from this seasoned instructor on how to really create your signature style. he suggests the best way is to design always with a series in mind, with a thoughtful use of common elements & similar design vocabulary. this is the path towards a cohesive collection. he reminds us that though it doesn't happen quickly, over time with this thoughtful approach, your style will evolve into a body of work that really comes from within.

xo

order vs. organized chaos

 

 

though my life often looks like the second picture here, it's been amazing to refine myself to this extent and put up a stunning display of work this week. fresh new creations are starting to show up on my etsy page. (yes!) thanks to the a.ware girls julie + carol for giving me a goal to get me motivated and organized! yahoo!!!

babies babies babies!!!

thank goodness for casting! what a time saver this has been! (thanks to sean and james at melting point casting co.) saving time for... playing in resin! an oh-so-favorite past time... the latest batch of pendants and earrings are made with resin +: turmeric, paprika, bottlebrush petals, chryscolla and... coffee! this is when all the planning it took to get to this point all feels worth it. when i can get down and dirty and just have fun. sitting at the bench thinking "hmmmm, what would create a really nice color?"  or "what can i do with these multiples?"endless possibilities...

ahhhhhhh

i had made these resin pieces a couple months ago. they sat on the bench. they travelled around with me in little baggies, BEGGING to become something more. so i let them, despite the fact my soldering skills could use some practice. armed with a "new" old cross peen hammer, i figure its better to make work, even make potentially MEDIOCRE work, than make no finished work at all. step up to the next place. each step learning, thinking, improving, pondering, practicing, messing up, fixing, refining, finishing, wearing! each step in the process has value. and in this process, i have realized what to do better next time. this is SO worth all the effort. 

next time: make the front just as compelling to look at - as the back!

insane potential

 

this leaf called to me one sunny phoenix day on the golf course with my good friend. (the one day a year it happens!) that fine day, i carefully kept track of it, as i would any precious object i stumble upon. after holding onto it for a whole year, unsure of its permanent home, it is now to be housed in this forged silver frame, re-purposed from past projects. it will become a great piece very very soon, the beautiful skeleton and veins encapsulated in resin to be adored in this fragile state for many years to come. gorgeous!