Friday, May 25, 2012

My Current Obsession

Not much jewelry making going on over here. Unless you count what I've been doing at Michaels (did I mention the craft store I work for is Michaels?)... which I don't because it's not MY jewelry.

This is the reason for my non-jewelry making:

Source: catalystcupcakes.wordpress.com via Rose on Pinterest

Yep. Macarons. I'm obsessed. Sorry to my Pinterest and Instagram peeps who have been inundated with macaron pictures and doodles. I'm not eating them (though the only reason is that I can't find a local ~~dealer~~... I meant French bakery). I have a series of small illustrations in mind.

My favorite here is the big pen and ink sketch... Tea cup is a thumbnail of an illustration idea. That dark purple cookie was my first color attempt. I think the cookie in the bottom right is adorable.

Marker attempt. It's closer to what I want in an illustration but I was having trouble getting the texture right. See, macaron's have "feet" and they have a bumpy/crunchy texture. But I did these cookies in green... my favorite flavor is pistachio, which is green. YAY!

Last night's watercolor attempt. The texture is a little better. I'm not happy with the filling. Or the shadow at the bottom but it's way closer to what I want.

Soo. Yeah. This is what I'm currently obsessed with. Jewelry will come back. I have designs waiting in the sketchbook and new beads that came today so don't worry! Beady love will return soon :)

Have you had macarons yet? What's your favorite flavor?

One last sketch before I go. A gypsy dancer! YAY!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

And the Winner Is...

Commenter #20! Lisa S! Congrats! You've won the silk sari ribbon!

Lisa, I've sent you an email. If you don't see it in your inbox, perhaps it's caught in your spam folder! I'm going to be sending you your ribbon (and some extra goodies as well) soon!

Thank you to all who entered! I'll be doing another giveaway soon!

Happy Saturday, all! <3

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Inspired by: Morocco

[[Enter my silk sari ribbon giveaway here!]]

Source: flickr.com via Rose on Pinterest

I've been doing a lot of reading on ethnic fashion and today, I was in Morocco.

Source: axis5.photoshelter.com via Rose on Pinterest

Bright colors.

Source: lifestyle-from-amsterdam-to-marrakech.com via Rose on Pinterest

Beautiful wraps.

Source: shop-morocco.com via Rose on Pinterest

Gorgeous jewelry.

I'm in love.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Silk Sari Ribbon Giveaway!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!

Thank you!!!!

I'm so in love with silk sari ribbon. Especially the ribbon above. It's a rolled ribbon and the width can vary from .5 inches up to 1 inch. I love the color variation and how soft the ribbon is. And you know what? I'm giving away the above ribbon!

It's 4 1/2 yards. So many people have expressed how much they want to try working with silk sari ribbon but haven't yet. This is a good amount to play with!

All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog and you'll be entered for the giveaway! I'll pick a random comment on Saturday, May 19th. Be sure to leave an email or a link to your blog so I can contact you if you win!

~~BONUS ENTRIES:~~
~~-Share this post on Facebook~~
~~-Let your Twitter peeps know about this giveaway on Twitter~~
~~-Pin this blog entry onto Pinterest~~

~~That's up to 4 entries! Make sure you leave a comment for EACH time you share this post.~~

Yay for silk sari ribbon! :D

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

5/15 Tuesday

-Last week was a rough week. The boyfriend's car died and I had to drive him around which I was happy to do except he was stressed which made me stressed and for two people living paycheck to paycheck, the amount that was spent on gas set all my bills back this month. Just. From. One. Week. SIGH.

-Been so sleepy lately. But only in the day time. Isn't that great? Up all night and sleeping all day. I'm going to admit to being depressed about my "job." And a dip in sales from my jewelry biz. Yep. I'm depressed.

Lilac Breasted Roller- Ink/markers on bristol board

-I put "job" in quotations because I don't work unless I have students. And I don't have students. Haven't had students since March. I'm rather depressed about that. I've done everything they tell me to do with "marketing" and it's not working. I could go on a huge rant but I won't. You never know who will find my blog :P Did I say I'm depressed?

-I woke up to a parking ticket. I forgot it was street sweeping day today and left my car in the street. So, when I finally managed to get out of bed, shower, and leave the house at 4pm, there was a nice, pale yellow piece of paper on my windshield demanding money from me. Well, get in line buddy :P

-There's a magazine I submit to regularly. I've been in almost every issue. I missed the last deadline (TODAY)... I know it's not a big deal but... well... it kind of is... to me anyway.

Ostrich Egg Shell Beads. WANT

-The only thing keeping me sane is this project I have in mind. It's a great project. I got a lot of work done on it two weeks ago. And I started it back up last night but I can't really say anything about it because I don't want to jinx it. But, it has something to do with jewelry. So that makes me happy.

-Oh. The boyfriend got a car two days ago. So he's not so stressed out anymore. And he's keeping me together.

-Espresso helps as well.

I found this lovely article on 15 things we need to give up to be happy. It's a great article. I hope I can apply this to my life because posts like these are terribly depressing. I would much rather be doing... oh I dunno... a silk sari ribbon giveaway...

Say... now there's an idea :P Come back tomorrow!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Button Swap Reveal!

It's here! IT'S HERE!!! The Button Swap Blog Hop! WOO!

Let's get started.

Here's what my lovely partner, Shanti, sent me.

Such pretty buttons! I decided to play with 2 of the shank buttons. I'll admit, I was not as creative as I would have hoped, but my muse is on vacation, apparently. Or focused on drawing and painting. ANYWAY, here's what I made.

This sparkly shank button makes a lovely and elegant focal. I used teal and mint green beads in the necklace to give it a bit of playfulness. I'm not the best at making necklaces but I do adore them. I used to think I was terrible at making bracelets but I think I've gotten over that little bit of self-doubt. Hopefully, I can get over this bit as well.

Now for my next piece.

I'm so in love with sari ribbon. And I decided to use the long shank button in a bracelet.

When I saw this sparkly focal, I knew I had to have it. I knew it would work wonders in another "rustic elegance" piece.

Here's what I came up with.

I know. A button as a clasp. Not too terribly inventive but this bracelet makes my body dance with happiness. Seriously. I put it on and I can't help but shake my wrist to get the danglies moving and then my shoulders move and before I know it, I'm in a down right boogie. Lol.

I still have three buttons to play with. I'm going to do some hopping and hopefully get some inspiration as to what to do with them!

Want to hop with me?

Alice Peterson and Kim Bender

Angie Blasingame and Billi R.S. Rothove

Billi R.S. Rothove and Angie Blasingame

Birgitta Lejonklou and Pam Farren

Bonnie Coursolle and Tania Hagen

Brenda Salzano and Hope Smitherman

Cat Kerr and Heather Powers

Cece Cornier and Jeannie Dukic

Celeste Thurston and Christine Damm

Christine Damm and Celeste Thurston

Christine Stonefield and Dana James

Cilla Watkins and Lori Bowring Michaud

Cindy Wimmer and Mimi Gardner

Cynthia Machata and Julia Johnson

Cynthia Riggs and Lori Finney

Dana James and Christine Stonefield

Diana Ptaszynski and Erin Prais-Hintz

Emma Thomas and Rebecca Anderson

Erin Prais-Hintz and Diana Ptaszynski

Erin Siegel and Sharon Borsavage

Heather Powers and Cat Kerr

Holly Westfall and Sally Russick

Hope Smitherman and Brenda Salzano

Jayne Capps and Kim Dworak

Jeannie Dukic and Cece Cornier

Jenna Meyers and Kristi Harrison

Jenna Tomalka and Karen McKillip

Jenny Davies Reazor and Sandi Volpe

Julia Johnson and Cynthia Machata

Kalaya Steede and Kylie Dickman

Karen McKillip and Jenna Tomalka

Karen Mitchell and Renetha Stanziano

Karla Morgen and Mary Govaars

Kay Thomerson and Shannon Chomanczuk

Kim Ballor and Laurel Steven

Kim Bender and Alice Peterson

Kim Dworak and Jayne Capps

Kim Roberts and Partner unable to participate at this time.

Kristi Harrison and Jenna Meyers

Kylie Dickman and Kalaya Steede

Kym Hunter and Lynda Moseley

Laurel Steven and Kim Ballor

Linda Djokic and Patty Gasparino

Line Labrecque and Teri Baskett

Liz DeLuca and Lorelei Eurto

Lorelei Eurto and Liz DeLuca

Lori Anderson and Niky Sayers

Lori Bowring Michaud and Cilla Watkins

Lori Finney and Cynthia Riggs

Lynda Moseley and Kym Hunter

Marianna Boylan and Tracy Statler

Mary Govaars and Karla Morgen

Mary Harding and Stacie Florer

Maureen Baranov and Tracy Bell

Melissa Martin and Theresa Fosdick

Michelle Hardy and Peggy Johnson

Mimi Gardner and Cindy Wimmer

Nicole Valentine Rimmer and Niki Meiners

Niki Meiners and Nicole Valentine Rimmer

Niky Sayers and Lori Anderson

Pam Farren and Birgitta Lejonklou

* Pam Ferarri and Stefanie Teufel (will share their reveal on a later date)

Patty Gasparino and Linda Djokic

Peggy Johnson and Michelle Hardy

Rebecca Anderson and Emma Thomas

Rebekah Payne and Sue Kennedy

Renetha Stanziano and Karen Mitchell

Rose Binoya (<--YOU ARE HERE) and Shanti Johnson

Sally Russick and Holly Westfall

Sandi Volpe and Jenny Davies Reazor

Shannon Chomanczuk and Kay Thomerson

Shanti Johnson and Rose Binoya

Sharon Borsavage and Erin Siegel

Shirley Moore and Veralynne Malone

Stacie Florer and Mary Harding

* Stefanie Teufel and Pam Ferarri (will share their reveal on a later date)

Sue Hamel and Terry Carter

Sue Kennedy and Rebekah Payne

Tania Hagen and Bonnie Coursolle

Tania Spivey and Teresa Gagne

Teresa Gagne and Tania Spivey

Teri Baskett and Line Labrecque

Terry Carter and Sue Hamel

Theresa Fosdick and Melissa Martin

Tracy Bell and Maureen Baranov

Tracy Statler and Marianna Boylan

Veralynne Malone and Shirley Moore

Thank you, Cindy, for hosting this challenge! I loved it! <3

Saturday, May 5, 2012

One Color Blog Hop- Yellow!

[[When I upload pictures from my camera, the pictures are half solid gray. So, I've uploaded some pictures I posted on instagram while I was working on the projects and took pictures of the finished pieces. They make me cringe. I'm so sorry :( ]]

Sally asked us to pull out a color from a crayon box and create something beautiful with just that one color. So, I jumped at the chance to play.

The colors we chose from were black, brown, purple, green, blue, orange, yellow, and red. Now, because I thought I wanted a challenge, I chose yellow of all colors. Why? Because, I don't work with yellow very much. I don't even use gold tone metals very often. So, I thought, "Let's make this a real challenge."

Well... challenge me it did...

My first piece...

Copper wire frames and pale pale yellow seed beads. and yellow crystals. If you look at the sketch and the final pair of earrings, you'll see I ditched the dangle clusters.

After finishing the wire wrapping, I thought, "OH MY GOSH! Copper isn't yellow at all!" So... I moved on to another project.

I've been seing a lot of silk sari wrapped pieces and wanted to try my hand at one.

I hammered 18 gauge wire and started wrapping. It looks like a dream catcher. I added a lucite flower dangle and broke up some golden chain with yellow crystals.

It's really quite comfortable to wear. I love the crystals and the silk together. Rustic elegance, I think. And the dark yellow crystals are such a deep, rich yellow, I think I'm in love.

I didn't go too far with my designs, I admit. I bought a lot of yellow beads and did so many sketches but... just couldn't make them work out except for this necklace. Maybe I'll revisit this design later. For now, this necklace makes me happy and it makes me giggle wearing it.

Now! Time to go a'hoppin!