Paper, Love, and Dreams

When you buy something handmade, you're giving a loved one a gift that someone made with their own hands. That gift was once an idea, a sketch, a dream. The artist took that idea, sketch, dream, and worked to make it something beautiful. It's a wonderful process and something amazing to witness.

I have a friend. Her name is Grace. She just opened up Paper, Love, and Dreams. It's an online boutique that sells gorgeous handmade stationary.

I know. You're thinking, "Who uses stationary anymore?"

Well. I do. And more people should.

We've become a culture that is always connected by invisible electrical signals. Texting is an everyday thing. The email inbox has replaced mail boxes. And we don't even take the time to print actual pictures anymore.

Grace's block prints are fun and colorful. Who doesn't love a tipsy hedgehog?

I know of at least 5 different people who would just light up if they got one of those cards in the mail randomly one day.

I've teamed up with my friend for a giveaway on her blog. She's giving away a beautiful set of cards she designed called "Drink Up." These cards are dipped in Cabernet Sauvignon to create an ombre effect. That's right. Dipped in wine. How clever is that?

And I designed these earrings to compliment the collection. If your name is drawn, you get both the card set AND those pearl earrings.

Hop on over to her blog and enter the giveaway. Also, check out her shop. She has this collection called "Girls" that is just inspiring. And 20% of the proceeds of a "Girls" card goes to benefit Girls, Inc.

More to Life Than Beads

I have my first show coming up in July (more about that in another post... promise) and I spent the better part of the week before last FREAKING the EFF out. Stressing over money (like always) and inventory.

Then this happened on the 16th.

My nephew's 1st birthday. FIRST! He had a cold. But certainly loved all the attention. That picture in the bottom right corner? That's storytime with me and Rowan who is adorable.

There were lollicakes. Cotton candy hair is genius, by the way. Genius... AND delicious. *nomnom*

Then the next morning, Rod and I made pancakes with Kai, my other nephew and Kian's older brother. That boy is such a picky eater... but if he cooks it, he eats it. I'm told they've already cooked through the whole box of pancake mix we bought. That middle picture? HE put the blueberry there on top of the butter.

At first, he only wanted plain pancakes, but Tita Rose made blueberry for herself. Well, he saw me making them and wanted to make them too... then... he ate them. Lol. LOVE YOU, KAI!

Then we went home. It was our anniversary week last week. We took it easy. He played guitar. It reminded me of one of our first dates... 4 years ago. <3

At first, there wasn't much creating. We went to a book store and I found a magazine called "Handmade Fashion," a British import that cost $20! Oh how I want it. He picked me flowers. I played with seed beads.

I was able to go to the bead store on Thursday. These were the lovelies I acquired. I got two Ganesha bone pendants because I want one for myself. We turned the table into our own joint worktable.

Toward the end of the week, after some much needed relaxation, he had at least three watercolor paintings done. I was frantically working with my wire and sketching out new designs.

My family is so important to me. So far, I've seen someone from my immediate family every weekend for the past 3 weeks. How lucky am I? Why am I stressing? I'm doing what I love... Sure, right now, it's a struggle, financially, but I know I can do this. My family believes in me. My boyfriend believes in me. Now, I just need to believe in myself.

How was your week last week?

BSBP: Why I Became a Jewelry Designer

Lori Anderson, the lovely lady behind the Bead Soup Blog Party, emailed us recently with an interesting idea: Tell why I became a jewelry designer. I scratched my head... Have I already told you how I decided to become a jewelry designer? I'm pretty sure I haven't... because, really, I kind of stumbled onto it accidentally.

I was working at Borders when I started designing jewelry. Right around the time I had to drop out of LCAD, I felt like I couldn't do any art. I had failed to complete art school because I was lacking funds and therefore, I had failed as an artist. I drifted around quite a bit. Threw myself into working at Borders... Oh, I still sketched, but I couldn't complete a real "piece."

Enter Beadwork magazine. I was putting magazines away and this one just caught my eye. Gorgeous designs in beautiful colors. My brain went "OH! It's just thread and beads! I can do that."

From a 2010 blog post. I couldn't make the seed beads hold the rivoli in place.

Epic. Fail.

I can't tell you how many incomplete projects I STILL have sitting in a plastic box from 2009. Oh, they started out pretty enough but maybe I couldn't find exactly the right size seed bead and then it threw the whole project out of whack. Or the tension was wrong. Or the needle(s) broke. Whatever the reason, I just couldn't do bead weaving.

But. Then.

I found... wire.

My first piece published in Jewelry Affaire

And I never looked back. I think my love for seed beads stems from the fact that I so desperately wanted to be a beadweaver. I tried so hard but just couldn't do it. So I wrap them up instead. And they come in so many beautiful colors and sizes! I love that they add such detail to pieces... they're tiny gems!

I've added leather and cord to my list of tools I love and now I'm learning to play with metal. It's such an awesome learning process and I don't think I'll ever stop growing, learning, making mistakes... HAVING FUN!

Jewelry gives me an opportunity to express myself. To add some beauty to our world. And I find myself loving it like I never thought I would. I can actually FINISH pieces, which I used to struggle with when I was just drawing and painting. I even finish paintings now...

Something about making pretty things just makes me happy. And that's ultimately why I do what I do. To bring smiles and happiness to my life and to the lives of those who like my jewelry.

So why did you become a jewelry designer?

Mew-mew Earrings

Have you seen the movie "Thor?"

One of my favorites.

Well, these earrings were inspired by his hammer, Mjolnir (or "mew-mew" as one of the girls calls it in the movie :P).

These are up in the shop right now. Sea glass and copper... Such a lovely combo. So lovely, in fact, that this happened...

They're waiting for payday so they can have earring wires. Lol.

My sister loved these so much, she asked me to make her a necklace. That one is currently waiting for payday as well... because, well, a necklace can't be a necklace without a chain. :P

I've been on an earring kick lately because these are also a new addition to the shop

Am I too late in the game for the feather trend? Are they still in? All I know is I've always loved feathers. These were bound together with floral tape and then a fold-over crimp was added.

Fun times.

Me and My Sketchbook

 I've been using my sketchbook a lot lately.

Lot's of new jewelry designs leaving my pen.

And the best part is actually bringing those sketches to life.

I love it.

Inspired

I ADORE working with wire. I love wrapping it and hammering it. I love the feel of the spool in my hands and the snap sound it makes when you cut it (or it breaks from over working/pulling too hard).

I've taken to wire wrapping Czech glass beads and lucite flowers. The above will become necklaces tomorrow (I said that yesterday on Instagram but I mean it today... I think :P). And I'm hoping to get started on the sketches below.

I like the wire wrapped beauty in the upper right hand corner of this sketch. I'll be practicing my asymmetry skills here.

This one will be a lariat. I need to get my little hands on a crystal or maybe even a large acrylic drop. Something dramatic for this necklace.

I've been sketching a lot of designs lately. Not just of wire workings but also of future components/beads I want to try making. YEP! That's right! I'm saving up to buy a soldering kit and make my own workstation. I'm not entirely sure yet what I need but it has to be portable because I have a feeling I'll be doing my work in the backyard as my room doesn't have very good ventilation.

SO! To get started, I'm going to try my hand at making some little components. The lovely Keristen Giles, one of my bloggy heroes (along with Shannon LeVart, Marie Dodd... so many others), has posted a little tutorial on how to make your own coil crimp ends. Since I LOATHE the ones they offer at craft stores, I'm going to try my hand at making some. Check out her post here.

Wish me luck, people. I've never had luck with these blasted crimp ends but Keirsten makes it seem easy-peasy. Good God, I hope so. :P

Gold and Blue

I made this necklace a few weeks ago. It was inspired by an outfit my cousin wore to Christmas... And the color combination gave me three other designs.

I'm starting to love gold tones. I used to only like silver and copper but gold is really pretty too.

This color combination makes me think of Spring. The cold blue color and the warm gold tone... I know it's silly, but cold and warm for me is Spring. :P

SIDENOTE! If you look up under my blogger banner, you'll see a link to my Etsy shop where I'm selling some of my old magazines. $5 per listing... and they're good magazines too. Beadwork, Bead and Button, Beadstyle... Lovely but I need to clear out space. Check them out if you have a chance. They're listed here.

Pretty Sure I'm Obsessed...

... with making these bracelets O_O

I will be having a giveaway next week!

There's a conference I want to attend in March... MUST RAISE FUNDS >.< Still no job. Things were looking ok with sales last week but no sales yet this week. Must keep thinking positive!

I think I'll go blog hopping tomorrow. I haven't visited blogs in while. YAY!

Stupid Sleeping Pills and Tub

I'm still having trouble sleeping. Last night, at around 1am, I took a sleeping pill and fell asleep a few hours later feeling very loopy.

I woke up this morning... ok... really, around noon... and was very very groggy. But I had to get up.
 

I got in the shower... and I slipped. I fell out of the tub, hitting my lower back on the edge and landing on the stone floor more or less my upper back.

At the instant of falling, my instinct was to twist so I would fall on my back instead of my side... I think I would have hit my ribs against the tub instead of my back if I didn't twist.

My arms came up over my head and I remember holding my neck up so I wouldn't hit my head on the floor.

I know it sounds silly but I really feel I was lucky. I lay there afraid I had hurt my back pretty bad. My legs were all tingly and I crawled out of the bathroom and called my boyfriend. Of course there was crying and I was freaked out but I'm actually ok.

My lower back hurts, my left shoulder and neck are sore... it all hurts something awful but I am ok.

Thank you, God. I was so scared.

How pathetic is it that, for a few seconds, my major worry as I was on the floor was having to go to the emergency room? Not that I might have done real damage to my back or maybe I really did hit my head but that I would have to go to the emergency room and I couldn't afford it?

Life is so short. Too short for me to worry all the time about money and where I'm going to live in the next few months.

And I am just so tired of being stressed out and worried all the time. It's keeping me awake and affecting my health. And I know that I can't just stop being worried all the time but I am going to make (another) effort to try.

C'mon, Life. Let's get this party started.

My Poor Shop

Been working on pretties for a submission.

All of the above are now in a padded envelope at my editor's office. My favorite is the first pair of earrings.

I've also been working on some affordable single wrap bracelets. Probably price them at around $6 each.

But even these pretties won't be making it into my shop right now. They're going off to a fundraiser sale for my cousin's home school group on Friday (I think...), along with some studs and hair accessories I've been making. So busy... and none going into my shop.

I must make something for my shop. I must... maybe tomorrow. But for now, I think I can make a few more bracelets before dinner...

Amusing Musings on My Muse

Is it weird my muse is a woman?

I asked my boyfriend about muses and he thinks mine should be a man, but I've always thought of my muse as "she" or "her."

A voice that speaks to me, guides my hand, opens my eyes to new possibilities. That is my muse.

I imagine her as a sister-type woman.

Or a motherly figure. 

A voice that nurtures my artistic endeavors. 

It's quite possible that I am insane. :P

A New Found Love

I've found a new material to love. Waxed Irish linen cord (or thread... whatever makes you happy).

I still love copper, mind you, but the colors this cord comes in... just makes me giddy.

 Charming Double Wrap Bracelets

 Branching Out

Leafy Wrap Bracelet

My blog and jewelry making has taken quite a hit the last few months. And I've been pushed to the limit, I tell ya. I'm forcing myself to work less hours so I can focus on my jewelry and blog more. Why? Because, right now, my job is not worth the stress and the attention it gets on the days I'm not physically at work. 

I'm starting to have nightmares about work. That's a bad sign.

So. I am taking back my life and moving forward. I know this sounds familiar since I've done this once (or twice) before. I'm hoping this time it sticks.

Be prepared, my friends, for regular blog posts, comments on your blogs (I love reading them, but haven't had the time to offer real comments), and of course, more jewelry.

Check out the shop for my wrap bracelets. Branching Out and my Leafy Wrap Bracelet (featuring a Marsha Neal button!) will be in the shop later tonight!