I know, I've been pretty absent lately. After house/dog sitting for 10 days in the worst storm that Portland has seen EVER, I just needed a rest. The holidays were with very little fan-fare this year, but they were nice and genuine. I'm looking forward to having a break from travel and work on New Year's Day and

....that you can find me over at the Etsy Metal blog as well? That's right. I write their weekly reviews and member features every week! Other members post tips, events, and other features as well! Head over to the Etsy Metal Blog and check it out! The blog is also a great place to find other artists and

This gorgeous pendant is my homage to the River Murray in South Australia. It features a gorgeous Australian Boulder Opal with flashes of opal forming a river-like presence. You can find this in my Etsy Shop!

This is a shorter Leaf Chain than my standard 20+ inch ones...it's about 17" long and sits on your neck as a choker. Very sexy and compliments any number of outfits. From casual to formal! You can find this, and many other goodies, in my Etsy Shop.

I love men's clothes. Not on me, not necessarily on all women, but I love men's clothes. I've always wanted to have a guy friend who I could go shopping with (or for) and basically play dress-up with :) Too bad...one of those guy friends is about 7000 miles south west of here.What do I like so much

I absolutely LOVE ornaments, and find it insanely hard this time of year to not buy every one that I fall for. Here are a few of my favorites...Heart Ornaments by StikselOrnament Card and Envelope by somethingshidinghereMedallion Ornaments by palomasnestBirds and Birdcages Ornaments by OIiveMod Ornament by meganaumanhomeRound Ornament by coreyackelmire

Calabaza PendantSymbogillis BroochJillian Moore creates amazing pieces of jewelry referencing the biological. Whether it be plant like forms or those reminiscent of organs, these fantastical creations are full of color and intrigue.You can find more of her work on the Velvet Da Vinci website.

This semester has been crazy! I'm only taking 1 class, and not for credit, at that. It's a casting and electroforming class, and out of all the classes I've taken, it has been the most time-consuming one that I can remember. There are so many steps to get the end product of what you want--far more steps than

I have mentioned Amy Tavern here before--she is one of my favorite artists, after all. I just saw on her blog that she will be part of a group show in February! She will be making new pieces on the same vein as her Line Drawings series, which I adore.

These are gorgeous! I must have them. Porcelain Feather Ornaments by Roost, can be found at Velocity.

Last night was incredible! I am so filled with pride and joy in my country and my fellow Americans, I cannot even begin to put it all into words. Tears swell up when I think of the fact that the majority of us have overcome racism, and were able to ignore all the negative propaganda, and come together

Recently, I've been taking my second casting class, and have these forms that are very pod-like. Especially in the sense of having crevices and holes that investment is very hard to get out of. I brought these castings home, and followed Beth Cyr's suggestion of using vinegar to get rid of the investment. I soaked them overnight in

Starting Friday, I will be marking many of those already-on-sale items down to 40% off the original price! That's an extra 20% off!!! Head over to my Etsy Shop for great deals on handmade jewelry for the holidays!!!

I have the worst cold yet of the season, so I thought it only appropriate to do a Friday Finds on the things I wish I had for when I'm sick...Himalayan Bath Salts w/ Lemongrass, Eucalyptus and Peppermint Essential Oil by GoddessnaturalsGrey Hoodie by larimeloomGreen and White Bump Mug by LASdesignsCheer Up Jar of Loose Tea by good4you

When soldering, there are many aspects to consider. The metal being used, shape and weight of the piece, the join that is to be soldered, what type of solder, what type of torch, etc. It gets easier the longer you're in practice. Problems don't take as long to solve.The other day, I was getting ready to solder all

These earrings are one of my favorite pairs of earrings...I wear my own pair most days and get wonderful compliments. These are now marked down 20% (from $80) in my Etsy Shop as part of my Early Bird Sale!Remember...the early bird gets the worm...time to get your holiday shopping done!!!

Monday, October 20 is the start of the Early Bird Sale!!! Most items in my Etsy shop are 20% off until November 1 (that's almost 2 weeks!). Now's a great time to start stocking up on Holiday gifts! I am also open to custom orders as well.

I've been thinking and talking a lot about Australia lately...trying to sort out my future. It looks like I may end up back there at the beginning of 2010...so tonight I'm reminiscing. One of the things I miss? Being tan and fit and happy! Having a backyard and friends to spin around with in it :) Including 5

I will be holding an Early Bird Sale soon....keep your eyes peeled!

I originally discovered Jennifer Khoshbin's amazing beetles on freshly {blended}, and only today went to explore more of her work. It's incredible! I love the sculpture using books, cutting out sections of pages to enhance an image or create a "feel" for the piece. Not to mention the adorable deer heads and animals she creates, using different papers

Indie Fixx is having a fabulous giveaway for Autumn! Head over to their blog to check out the details of their Autumn Cornucopia Giveaway. There's fabulous pieces from artists such as Becky OH!, Karalee Designs, Kutuu and many others.

Obama Enamel Pendant by RubyGirlNow, I don't normally get political on my blog...but it's an election year, and we're all bound to have our opinions.I have donated a couple pieces to a new shop on Etsy called Vote Obama. All items are donated, and all proceeds go to help the campaign. You can find great jewelry there, and

I just discovered Feral Childe, the product of two amazing designers, Alice Wu and Moriah Carlson, over at sub-studio design. I love the colors and use of different materials in these brooches!

This is what's been taking up the majority of my time recently....casting for my casting class! More photos of finished pieces soon :)

When dealing with forgiveness, whether it is forgiving yourself or others, keeping perspective can be a very hard thing to do. I am very grateful for my tough experiences in the past, because they have provided me with priceless lessons for the present and future.For years, I blamed myself for the dissolution of a relationship because I had

I recently came across this post on sub-studio design blog. Pieter Hugo has created a wonderful series of photographs of a group of animal handlers in Nigeria, who somehow have domesticated a couple Hyenas, as well as monkeys. What fascinates me is how beastly the Hyena seems and how one would ever manage to domesticate such a wild

For months I've been thinking about making this ring...finally, I did it. I call it The Fancy Ring, because well, it's just about the fanciest ring I've made to date. Sterling Silver with a beautiful Gold setting and rich Smoky Quartz. Available in...you guessed it...the Etsy Shop!

New in the Etsy Shop... fun Purple Chalcedony Stacking Rings!

New in the Etsy Shop....Faceted Labradorite Ring.

New in the Etsy Shop....Eucalyptus Dreams, featuring a gorgeous Australian Variscite!

I just saw this on Liz Steiner's blog, Atomic Rabbit. I absolutely love her progress shots! I can't wait to see what she makes with this one (I'm a big fan of shadow boxes).

Arthur Hash is a well respected artist, designer, and metalsmith. I have just recently done a little trade with him and cannot wait to see what he makes with the materials I sent him. Arthur just posted a great blog today, kind of in response to the latest on Conceptual Metalsmithing. He brings about a lot of good

I found today's artist via Amy Tavern's blog...she always features wonderful artists every week! Sabrina Meyns is an emerging designer who uses a range of materials, and I really like the paper pieces, with their fragile qualities. I've always wanted to explore with paper and papier mache, but haven't taken the time yet. Go ahead and have a