I want to wish everyone out there Happy Holidays!!!  May they be filled with love and beauty!  See you in the New Year!

Surprise!  I'm having a Holiday Sale in my Etsy Shop.  Hop on over for 20% off the entire shop!  This sale runs through til Tuesday Morning!  Enjoy :)

Although I have not been making new work (I still have a good amount of stock available), I have been using my creative energy in other ways.  For one, wedding planning takes up quite a bit of time and energy.  Between shopping for dresses, and gathering addresses for all the guests, creating spreadsheets, and designing invitations, there's a lot to be done.  

Other than wedding planning and working, though, I've started volunteering.  This past weekend, my fiance, Dave, and I, volunteered at Potluck in the Park (through Hands On Greater Portland).  We served warm meals to around 450 people in need, most of them homeless.  It is one of the only places, not associated with a church, for people in need to get meals on the weekend, and they have not missed one Sunday in 19 years.  When I was 14, and hanging out downtown with a lot of homeless kids, I remember seeing the Potluck in the Park trucks at this location, and was so glad to see that they were still operating.  Even more, I was so happy to be able to help.

After we finished for the day (we were some of the last people to leave), Dave and I looked at each other and agreed that even though times may be tough, at least we have each other, a roof over our heads and food to eat. 

I have been hesitating writing this post for weeks.  Perhaps I have been in denial, hoping the situation would change somehow. Here goes...

A few weeks ago, after many long months of being mistreated, taken advantage of, and basically being paid slave-wages, my fiance Dave quit his job.  I had watched my lovely partner go from an energetic, happy man, to a despondent shell of his former self.  With the bad economy, he stuck out this job simply out of fear of not finding more work.  Honestly, it was like coming home to an abused house wife every day.  I finally told him "Honey, follow your heart.  If you need to quit, then quit."  So he did.  Luckily, the financial adjustment hasn't been so bad. (And on the up-side, he just got a new job..starts in a couple weeks!)

However, this meant that I needed to take on more work as a nanny.  Did I mention we're getting married next August?  So, on top of all our normal bills, we are paying for our own wedding.  I am now working around 50 hours a week as a nanny, and when I get home each night, I just don't have the energy to go into the studio.  Any parent can relate to the insane amount of energy it takes to be at home all day with kids, followed by having to cook and clean and maintain a house.

I am taking on a few projects (and looking forward to a rather empty weekend coming up), as commissions, but I'm not "producing" work.  I have all these beautiful stones and bezels sitting, waiting to be set and made into beauties, and I just don't have the energy.  It is honestly breaking my heart. 

As much as I may look at other careers as paths for myself...nursing, occupational therapy, etc.,...I am a maker at heart.  I have had to go many months without making jewelry before, and the emotional effects are bad.  I have to do something creative, preferrably involving soldering, hammering, and sawing.  I am now considering putting up some parameters at work (restrictions on evening shifts, etc.) so that I can save some energy and get back into the studio.  Wish me luck, and hopefully you will see dribbles of new work soon!

That's right!  My honey, David, proposed to me a little over a week ago!  And at 4:45 a.m., just to make sure it was a surprise :)  We are both so excited.  I have been flitting around getting the venue booked and setting up registries, etc., so jewelry-making has taken a bit of a back seat, but I'm hoping to get back into it this week.  I have far too many gorgeous stones laying around to just ignore them :) 

EtsyMetal, a fabulous Etsy Street Team that I belong to, is 4 years old this month!  To celebrate, EtsyMetal is hosting giveaways each week, and a bunch of members are hosting sales in their shops each week!  This week, I am holding a 20% off storewide sale in my Etsy Shop.  Hop on over and check things out.  I will be adding new items this weekend and throughout the week.  Enjoy!

EtsyMetal, an Etsy Street Team I belong to, is turning 4 this month!  As part of the celebration, I will be having a huge sale in my Etsy Shop starting Friday, October 15, through Thursday, October 21.  I will be listing new items in the next couple of days and hope to see you there!

October Topic: EtsyMetal & Me
When/Why did you join? Is it what you expected? What does it mean to you to be a part of the team?

I am so honored and grateful to be a part of the Reality Vs. Illusion show in Sydney, Australia.  It opens October 7th and runs through October 19th.  If you are in or around Sydney (or know someone who is), please stop by to see it!

A little more info from Sonya Scott, Curator:

"Reality and Illusion.....an ambiguous combination of two ideals strongly opposing the other, yet, oftentimes embodying the very essence of what they are not"

Please join us at Gaffa Gallery on Thursday 7th October for the opening of Reality Vs Illusion, a group exhibition featuring:

Tamahra Prowse
Kimberly Williams
Sean O'Connell
James Looker
Catherine Chandler
Joanne Piper
Rita Clinquart
Chris Ditsas
Felicity Cain
Penny Snars
Ears

Curated By Sonya Scott.

The last few months have been....epic, to say the least.  For my small metalsmithing practice, I have rarely been so busy.  I have certainly not had huge projects back to back that make me into some crazed, obsessive, insanely focused work machine.

I'm not complaining...I love the busy-ness and drive to create.

However, I am so dearly looking forward to taking walks with my loved one again.

Being able to sleep in.

Being able to go to sleep *before* midnight!

Not being a zombie at work.

Cooking meals and watching movies together (as opposed to a combination of frozen food + salad and movies playing on my iphone while I am working on jewelry and Dave is sitting at his desk).

Three more nights of metals work.  One day of a jewelry sale.

And a 6 day dog sitting adventure...then I will be back to normal.  Aaaaah. 

I can't wait to relax in a bath on...October 11.

First, a disclaimer....I do not have a "professional" product photo set up, so these photos are not the highest quality.  When I get the lockets back (if they don't sell), I'll be taking much better photos with a much better set up.  I hope you enjoy!

I will be posting a video more about the techniques and inspiration behind the lockets tomorrow.  Thanks for looking!

A few weeks ago, as I was heading into what I call "crunch time" with the lockets, I started planning our grocery list according to how much time I knew I would have.  Not much time at all.  Normally, I LOVE to cook.  There's something about creating a beautiful meal from scratch that is so rewarding (much like turning a sheet of metal into something beautiful and wearable).  In addition to loving to cook, I am also highly aware of the nutrition we take into our bodies through food (thanks to having dabbled in being vegetarian, vegan, and raw foodist before). With all that in mind, I thought I would share a few little meals I have "discovered" as being great time-savers:

2 Fried Eggs

or

1 C. Lowfat Organic Yogurt with 1 handful Lowfat Blueberry Meusli

or

1-2 rice cakes with low fat cream cheese and smoked salmon

3 Vegetable Samosas with a heaping salad and Cilantro dressing

or

Steamed Potstickers with steamed Broccoli

or

Roasted Chicken pieces in a heaping salad

or

Two spring rolls with vermicelli noodles and sliced veggies, with Peanut dressing

Grapes

Apples

Bananas

Rice Cakes

Baby Carrots

Hummus

I love these options, and there are many more.  Mostly, I've just chosen a food I like (i.e. Samosas) that are easy to heat up (they're usually frozen, from Trader Joe's), but I'm definitely looking forward to getting back to cooking lovely pastas and roasted vegetables.  Sometimes if I know a week is going to be busy, I'll also cook a huge pot of soup to sustain us for a few days, and that helps break up the monotony of the other meals. 

Bon Appetit!

9 years ago today, I was in Sydney, Australia.

I'd been there for about 6 months, going to University.

I lived alone and had very few friends (being the only white person in a school full of mostly Asian students was very difficult).  Luckily, my studies kept me extremely busy.

My boyfriend at the time and I were just about to go to sleep, when he received a text message from a friend

"Turn on TV, watch WWIII"

World War III?  Was that a movie?

At first we looked at the images thinking "What is this?"

And then....

it sank in.  Oh.  Dear.  God.

We've been attacked.

We stayed up all night watching (it was morning in the States).

The next day at school, I fielded questions and condolences and watched the news at each opportunity.

When I came home and was walking towards my house, I saw a rainbow arch over the ocean, in the midst of a storm.  My heart soared.  I thought "how...appropriate".  Hope in a time of utter disaster.

I ran to get my camera from my apartment, and dashed out to the cliffs above the ocean to get this shot.  I needed to remember that piece of hope.

That everything would be alright.

I never realised how much I loved America until I lived overseas.  I don't always love how it's run, or the things that have been done in it's name, or the crazy consumerist culture.

But those rolling hills, arching mountains, flowing rivers.  The people...the lovely, amazing people.  I love them all.  What I felt that day was a crazy mixture of grief, aching sadness, disbelief, and stubborn hope.

Americans are fighters.  It's bred into us.  We will never be beaten down.

But I also hope that we can find common ground with those who are different.

I hope that we can remember that we ALL ended up here because of our ancestors travels.

And that we are all diverse and yet, a family.

America, I love you, and today, I remember those who we lost and who gave their lives for others on September 11, 2001.

I was there,

you were there.

It was a three story house, with low linear windows across each floor.

A thick divider, then more window above.

We talked about the future

how you liked it now,

but knew it wasn't practical.

You would age, so would your wife.

This would do for now.

There was a forest behind

those glass windows, divided by grey.

We laughed about the other night

when I had a vodka and wine

so easily drunk.

We laughed,

spent hours together

And then it faded and I said a quick goodbye.

See you next time, Pops.

(Don't stay away too long this time.)

Happy Birthday,

I love you.

Here are a few more process shots of Locket #1.  This locket is full of challenges, and part of me is considering doing it over again.  Probably won't though.  Right now i'm making a faceplate for it to give me more working space for hinges.  Luckily, I JUST realized what I've been doing wrong.  I'll explain in my next little video!

When I went to make this faceplate for the locket, I started by tracing the body of the locket onto a file folder, and drawing lines across it at certain points to then draw the curves of my frame around somewhat symmetrically.

I trimmed the edge of the drawing off, and then used an xacto knife to cut out the inside.  I then traced the outlines of the faceplate onto copper. 

I also glued the outlined paper onto the copper so that it wouldn't move when I did the piercing.  The mistake I made was to not double check the body of the locket with the drawing before piercing out the center.  As it stands, the faceplate is difficult to solder onto the body of the locket accurately.

However, just writing this post has helped me realize exactly what I need to do.  I tacked the faceplate onto the body of the locket with a couple chips of solder initially to make sure it was in the right place.  That didn't work.  

So, I'll remove the faceplate, then transfer the drawing onto what is currently the body of the locket and pierce it out there.  Then, I will solder the locket onto a backplate.  Oh, how I wish I'd thought of this sooner!  But hey, all of these mistakes are just making me into a much better metalsmith.

Today, while I was working on one of the lockets for the Reality vs. Illusion exhibition, I decided that it would be a fun idea to make a video documenting my creative process, and share it here on the blog via YouTube.  I used my Canon G9 to make the video, so it might be a little fuzzy.  I'm new at videos and definitely hoping to get better at it.  I'm also hoping to have videos on here more regularly, of processes, tutorials, and little tips and tricks.  I would love to hear any feedback you might have!  

Also, if you like the video, feel free to share it by clicking the share buttons below.

Thank you!

If you have multiple shapes that all need to be the same size(see above hinge plates), but are a bit uneven upon cutting out, you can glue them together (I use crazy glue or rubber cement), allow to set, and file them all to the same size along the edges. After edges are filed to your desire, you can just heat them up to burn off the glue (DO NOT breathe in fumes), and stick them in the pickle to clean. Good luck!

What can I say? I work in chaos. It drives me nuts but it works at the same time. It has something to do with keeping pieces out that I'm still working on and that are inspiring me.

This weekend has been a "getting down to business" type of weekend....taking care of details for an exhibition (oh, why does writing an artist statement have to be so hard?), cleaning house, setting up a website for the new joint venture with Dave (details coming soon), and getting things done, generally speaking.

I'm glad for this little break in metalsmithing, to be honest. Yesterday I said "waiting for motivation is for amateurs", which I strongly believe to be true. If you wait for inspiration or motivation, what you produce will only be produced sporadically. Of course, there is that small population who seems to be inspired *at all times*, and I find myself a bit jealous of those people. However, I have learned through experiences at art school and in life, that sometimes you have to Just Do It (thank you, Nike). My motivation has been lacking this past week...I'm not sure if it's because I've been recovering from a cold or what, but it has been a struggle. One thing that has helped has been to put on a TED talk or documentary in the background, which keeps my interest and keeps me in my seat for a good amount of time. If I have been unable to physically work on the pieces I'm working on, I at least try to do research for parts of them, or like today, work on my artist statement.

Do you wait for inspiration/motivation? What do you do when you are struggling with motivation?

Marian Hosking is one of Australia's foremost contemporary jewelers. Having studied at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in the 1960's, she has a wealth of experience that she brings to the field of metalsmithing. She has been an integral part of the jewelry and metalsmithing community in Australia.

Her work evokes much of the natural world, where Hosking finds inspiration. Through a variety of techniques such as piercing, casting, and drilling, she transforms elements of the natural world into stunning silver beauties.

When I saw her work recently, I found the clean lines and graphic elements refreshing and invigorating. The aesthetic is the kind of aesthetic that continually inspired me during my studies in Australia.

If you would like to explore more of Marian Hosking's work, please have a look at her website. There are fabulous images of many many more pieces, as well as a little video on her way of creating, and her inspirations. Enjoy!

(note: the Inspiration posts are simply little insights into me and what makes me tick. I hope you like them!)

Ever since my bare feet could hit the ground, I have been surrounded by grass, pasture, trees, and home grown food. For a while, we had a garden that my dad tended...I distinctly remember him yelling at the horses because they found their way into it and ate a good deal of the vegetables and broke the fence. I was probably around 5-7 years old at the time, and I think he decided to pause with growing vegetables after that. However, we were lucky enough to have resident cherry, apple, and plum trees on the property, as well as blackberry and raspberry bushes. There is nothing better than fresh fruit picked and eaten right away. At my mother's house, there were cherry trees and sometimes a garden that would yield copious amounts of squash and tomatoes.

In addition to all the food grown at home, there were fishing trips, hunted deer and elk, fresh food from farmer friends, and trips to pick huckleberries and mushrooms in the mountains. There have definitely been times in my life where I had no access to a garden and no opportunities to get out into the wild to pick my own (mostly during my college years), although I thought about it often. I also discovered in those college years that I am almost incapable of keeping house plants. That poor luck, paired with my cats' affinity for eating houseplants, has reduced my collection to mostly succulents.

Last year, I started reading a collection of books by Michael Pollan, such as In Defense of Food and The Omnivore's Dilemma, as well as Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. They inspired me to start shopping at the Farmer's Markets and work towards growing my own. Recently I also finished Plenty by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon.


These books inspired me, as well as the movements going on around the world of growing one's own food, and this year, with the help of Grow Great Grub by Gayla Trail, I started my own veggie garden, otherwise known as my Army of Pots. We live in an apartment with no access to garden space (although the courtyard houses 2 blueberry bushes, 2 persimmon trees, and 2 asian pear trees as well as herbs!), and I know that the community garden plots around here are booked full, so I decided to make my own. We have tons of tomatoes, some squash, sugar snap peas, peppers, lots of lettuce and basil, and a few carrots. And today...I found our first peas! So, I am inspired and celebrating! I am also hoping that the summer will officially start soon so my plants can look a little less sad and a little more prolific.

Without wanting to sound like I'm preaching, part of why I am inspired to grow my own food and shop at Farmer's Markets is simply because I want to support my local farmers, a more local economy, and keep these crafts alive that have survived for centuries before big agriculture. The importance of preserving a variety of foods and plants goes beyond our health as humans--it feeds into our health as a planet. Much like the loss of indigenous languages and animals, the loss of plants can have a profound effect on our environment and culture, now and in the future. I am simply making small steps to support what I can.

I hope you all can find inspiration in the world around you, as well, for it is full of beauty and wonder.

Sometimes, you just have to make a little oven (especially if you only have one torch to work with!)

I just spent the better part of an hour 'researching' about David Neale, a goldsmith in Melbourne, Victoria in Australia. I regularly read CLOG, a blog by Craft Victoria, and their post on Neale caught my attention today.


Educated initially through an apprenticeship through a local goldsmith, but more formally at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Neale creates a variety of jewelery and objects. What I like about his work is the graphic quality of it. Whether the object itself is inspired by nature or animals or something else, much of the time it has been given a layer of paint, a different color, or texture, and that bit of color really breaks it out of the norm and grabs my attention.

In addition to the jewels he creates, I love the personality behind the artist...or what personality I can derive from his blog. It is definitely worth a read (or a few). My favorite story so far is how he started apprenticing with a local goldsmith when he was about 17. I hope you enjoy...


David Neale is showing work currently at Metalab in Sydney (Surry Hills), and has a great interview on Metalab's blog as well.

What do these two objects have in common?

They're both part of the lockets I am creating for an exhibition...

....I don't like them to be dying in my home, per se, but there can be something really beautiful about them. They way they change colors and textures, the different shapes they take on. There is something serene in their transformation.

After being rained in for the past four months, the Portland area was blessed with some sun over the weekend. Dave and I took full advantage, too! I am going to be his assistant at a wedding this coming weekend, so I wanted to get used to his Canon 30D that I'll be using. We went for a few walks, and rejoiced with a barbeque Sunday night. It was....fabulous!

Some very sweet girls up the street own this well-made lemonade stand...



Apparently the pedestrians frequenting Mt. Tabor often carry popsicles...




Mmmm...mango and chicken sausage, potatoes, and summer squash. All finished off with an orange juice lemonade mixture...

Ocean Jasper Necklace with Tourmaline



The Dalles Mountain Buttercup Necklace


I finished up a couple of new necklaces today and wanted to share with you....

I will soon be listing some pearl earrings to go with The Dalles Mountain Buttercup Necklace and I hope to start another charm necklace soon. For now, I need to start on some exhibition pieces involving my dreams...

You can find these beauties and others in my Etsy Shop!