Wednesday, December 31, 2008

1000markets


there are so many new handmade websites popping up lately. as an artisan this growing support of the handmade community is very encouraging. so far etsy has continued to stand out above the rest and has remained my favorite, but i just learned about 1000markets which just might give etsy a run for its money. this is a great site for buying and selling handmade goods, its only been up an running a few months, but i predict that its going to be quite successful.
the layout is crisp and clean and visually pleasing. the interface is very user friendly and the selection of merchants is outstanding. browsing for products is a little challenging as there is no way to search categories, you can only view random shops or search by keyword. since this is such a young website, and they are working very diligently at making improvements on many aspects, including searching products, we should let them slide on this one for the time being.
i joined last week and set up shop. so far i have been very pleased and am excited about finding this new venue, which has so much potential. i definitely recommend checking it out if you love handmade products. its another great way to buy directly from independent artisans.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

recycled fur jewelry

winter has finally arrived. time for hot chocolate, crackling fires, scarves, mittens and all things warm and cozy. while doing some christmas shopping on Etsy, i came across some beautiful jewelry made from reclaimed fur. perfect for a crisp winter day.


caterpillar earrings by Sara Lagacé, saralagace

poofda mink ring by Rebecca Sefcovic Uglem, beckaboodle


creamy mink brooch by Art Jewelry Online


recycled mink fur bracelet by Karine Eyamie, Mizdragonfly

spinning recycled deer fur necklace by Tessa Rickard, dolldisasterdesign

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

handmade market



last saturday, november 8, i was a vendor at The Handmade Market in raleigh, nc. i always enjoy this show, but this time was particularly enjoyable because of the great new venue that The Handmaidens choose. we were at Marbles Kids Museum, in a nice size, well lit room. as a bonus there was a huge wall of windows so we could see outside. i had a great time and got to meet some amazing artists as well as catching up with some i had met at prior shows. this show always draws a crowd, so i did not have time to look around at all the wares as much as i would have liked, but i did manage to find time for a delicious lemongrass cupcake from Sweet T Cakery. i can always find time for cupcakes.

you can check out a picture of my table below, as well as work from a few of my favorite vendors from the show.


frances post earrings by betsy carr of foundling


kristen townsend from mood swing makes beautiful but edgy jewelry using vintage components. i especially love these new cuffs.


mikel robinson creates amazing mixed media pieces and fine art prints


sara westermark's organic designs are a personal favorite

Friday, October 31, 2008

happy halloween

horray, halloween is finally here! my favorite holiday. unfortunately i have to work tonoight so i don't have any exciting halloween plans. we will probably watch a horror movie tonight after work, my vote will be for for Nightmare on Elm St. its one of my favorite scary movies, not to mention johnny depp has a bit part, which makes almost any movie worth watching (well any movie other than secret window or the astronauts wife).
its only 3pm and i have already had my first halloween fright while unloading groceries from my car. as i was getting the bags from the trunk, i glanced at the van beside me and saw a head sticking out from the space between the tire and the fender. it startled me so much that i actually dropped one of my bags on the ground (luckily i dropped the bag with the boxes and toilet paper, so i did not break anything). i find mannequin heads super creepy to begin with, and especially when they are sticking out of a car. i did not have my camera with me, and by the time i had a chance to go back down to the parking lot someone had moved it. i wonder what other eerie events the day has in store.
in honor of holiday, i decided to showcase some of my favorite examples of handmade spookiness. all available on etsy.
i love this "black scraggy cat print" from elle j. wilson


"darla the devil girl" is just one of the many amazing dolls by Colleen Downs of Loopy Boopy


i would hang this "catch me if you can" plate by Re Jin Lee of bailey doesn't bark on my wall year round.


"tabby girl" necklace from Maid of Clay


an awesome "skull and cross-utensils fruit cup" by folded pigs

this "black kitty ring" by studio.halo is definitely on my wish list.


i wish my cats would wear this adorable tutu by jiniaj. but since i can't even get them to wear their collars, i know they will never go for it.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

pumpkin!

i found this recipe for Saskatchewan Mashed Pumpkin on Pumpkin Nook and thought it sounded delicious. the recipe, contributed by Christina Mader from Saskatchewan, Canada, is as follows:

ingredients:
3-4 cups pumpkin, cooked, mashed
1 onion
2 tbs olive oil
1 bell pepper
salt
pepper

directions:
1. To cook pumpkin, clean one pumpkin and peel it. Cook until soft. Then, mash it with a mixer.
2. Re-heat mashed pumpkin in a large saucepan.
3. Thinly slice an onion.
4. Fry the onion in olive oil till brown.
5. Add browned onions to pumpkins. Mix in.
6. Add coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

we decided to give it a try. never having attempted to crack open a pie pumpkin before it turned out to be quite an adventure. who would have thought something so small would be so hard to open. after several unsuccessful attempts using 4 different knifes i decided to bring out the heavy artillery.
making progress
the guts
cooking
mashing
ready to eat!
although it was a lot of work the results were delicious, and it was a fun way to spend the afternoon. not to mention, i got roasted pumpkin seeds with old bay as a bonus.

Friday, October 17, 2008

schmap



i was just informed that on of my photographs from the Historic Voodoo Museum in New Orleans was included in the 5th edition of the Schmap New Orleans interactive travel guide. you can see it here in the tour du French section. this is perfect timing as we returning to New Orleans for vacation next week. New Orleans is my favorite city to visit and i am counting down the days, almost hours, until our super early (6:00 am, eek) flight out on monday. i can't wait to get back to the French Quarter. i love its sense of history and charm and of course the food. i'm already planning meals, crawfish etouffee for dinner the first night and beignets at cafe du monde every day for breakfast.

my included photo

and another photo from the museum.

jackson square

statue of joan of arc

Thursday, September 11, 2008

wings



i stumbled across a great find recently, WWII era brass military plaques. these were leftover stock which never had pin backs soldered onto them. they are so detailed and made from such nice heavy stock, and have inspired some new steampunk designs which i am incorporating into my line. a few are already available in my etsy store. the rest will debut on saturday at the Designer's Downtown Market in raleigh, nc.

top picture- "fraction wings"- sterling silver, brass wings, typewriter key

"submariner bracelet"- hand forged sterling silver chain, brass submariner plaque

"icarus necklace"- sterling silver, brass wings, antique tintype photograph

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

hello japan!

its been a while, but i have returned to my long neglected blog. its been a busy summer. i have attended some wonderful local craft fairs, added some new designs to my line, and collected supplies for some great new fall pieces which are arriving in my etsy store as we speak (many, many more to come in the next few weeks).
the most exciting thing that has happened to me this summer was my interview with the japanese web magazine flashfilm.com. flashfilm is a lovely online magazine showcasing designers from around the world. i am very honored to have been selected as a featured designer. to see my debut into the world of japanese fashion, check out my interview here (english version).

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

nostalgia


when i got out of my car after work today, i noticed my favorite spring scent was hanging in the air. honeysuckle! i took a look around and found the source. i think they have been blooming for a couple of days already but i have been sick so i had not noticed. i have always associated the lovely scent of honeysuckle with the start of summer. as a child, my sister and i would eat nectar from the inside of the flower. you pull of the blossom and then grab the bottom and pull out the stamen. a drop of sweet nectar follows. that sweet taste and lovely aroma always take be back to those lazy summer days of childhood.

Monday, April 28, 2008

gearing up for a show



this weekend i will be at one of my favorite local shows, the handmade market. if you are in the raleigh area stop by, they always have a wonderful group of truly amazing vendors. the show is held on saturday, may 3 from 11-5 pm in downtown raleigh @ vintage 21.

the last few weeks i have been quite busy as most every free moment has been spent building up my inventory. most recently my day was dedicated to making stackable bangles. i've been working on some new designs that incorporate reclaimed watch parts and vintage tintype photographs. i addition i will be introducing a new concept ring at the show, that i am very excited about. more information about the rings will come in a later post.


silver, freshwater pearls, watch case, tintype

silver, steel watch movement, bloodstone, freshwater pearl

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

today in picutures


i broke one of my favorite antique sake cups today. i knocked two of them off the shelf but one landed in the pages of a catalog and survived the fall. i think i will make a bracelet or pendants out of the shards.


a new bangle design. bright yellow and just in time for summer. oxidized silver, copper, vintage glass beads. available in my etsy store.


oxidized brass earwires. these are now available as part of my handmade supplies section on etsy.

Monday, April 14, 2008

todays find


i had a bit of free time today so i decided to check out A&B Supply Fixtures in raleigh. i just learned about it a few weeks ago, and today i realized i've really been missing out. its a huge warehouse of new and used retail display items. they have pretty much anything you could possibly want. used display cases, shelving, vintage cash registers, mannequins, a giant hot dog holding a sign. hiding in one dusty corner was this amazing bust form. it was the only one there, brown leatherette on a black wooden base. it has a sort of vintage feel to it, and is going to be a great addition to my craft fair display, and an interesting conversation piece in my apartment in the meantime. i was able to snap a quick picture just before it started to rain, you can see the dark clouds rolling in, in the background.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

new button rings

i just added two new button rings to my etsy shop. more comming soon.

oxidized silver, vintage glass button
i really love this new version of my button rings. its great for those who like the style of my other button rings but do not like wearing large jewelry. the smaller button give this ring a delicate and romantic look. i think i would look great stacked with plain oxidized silver bands.

oxidized silver, vintage glass button
the blue paint on the top of this button has partially worn away, leaving this lovely textured surface.

Monday, February 4, 2008

organic photography


i found this beautiful weathered shell and was inspired to retake some photographs of my work. i love the suede-like texture, the sculptural feel, and the beautiful color variations of it.


bud bangle
silver, copper, vintage glass and acrylic beads

fossil necklace
silver, iron, ammonite fossil, freshwater pearls