Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Still Treasured :-)

I'm in a lovely Etsy Treasury today, among such illustrious artisans as Parish Relics and Emblems! Wow! Go look!


A treasury of Anachronistic Gems


New jewelry content to update ... argh, I can't promise anything right now. I'm still making new shinies but its slow going, photography is becoming a problem, and there are a LOT of other things going on in my life right now. Balance continues to elude me.

Rest assured, I'm still mailing out all ready-made pieces in a timely manner, and there are plenty still up on my Etsy store.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Present and accounted for!

I'm still here! I just needed an extended break from most of my usual habits and responsibilities, so I could build them back up into something more functional. Beadwork got heaped into the "keep" pile, thank goodness.

I also had a creative block for a couple of months, but divine intervention and financial pressure is getting me back into gear again. I'll feel that much better just working on work to sell again, even if my sales don't actually increase. Every little bit helps these days.


My latest project is experiments with wire wrapping. I own a variety of un-drilled objects, collected over many years, that I would rather see added to jewelry than collecting dust in a bowl on my dresser. Mostly semiprecious stones and the like.

And wire is kicking my butt so far, especially free-form. The more exact a pattern I have to work with the nicer the outcome.

It is often a good thing to run into an artsy technique that you suck at. Builds character and if/when I finally get it, I will understand it that much better.


I tried putting my seed bead kit back together last night, but could not find my thread. I don't remember the last time I made a new spiral necklace. But I've completely scaled back on in-person sales, and they haven't been at all popular on Etsy, so there is not a big rush to work on them again. Although I would like to finish up all of my seed bead supplies. The seed bead kit was also convenient to take to work for my lunch breaks. If only I could find my thread...


There was a big push in my life to clean up my home. It has remained very tidy for weeks. Setting up my light box for more photos will not be as big of an ordeal as it used to be. But first I need to make more shiny things to photograph.

Cya soon!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Vacation, all I ever wanted!

I am in the middle of a sort of stay-cation from my wide variety of pursuits and hobbies, including jewelry, photography, and blogging.

Its so hot in NYC that my jewelry muse seems to have fled for cooler climates, leaving me on my own. Instead I've been reading, cleaning house, and decluttering my life and work space. So when she gets back we can return to worshiping shiny things.

Don't worry, after Labor Day weekend (and DRAGONCON!!) things will return to normal around here ;-)


To tide you over, this is me in a spiffy Egyptian inspired collar and earrings I will probably wear at the con:

P1140964

Polymer clay, gold leaf, stamps, metallic glazes, garnets, and sterling findings.


Queen of the Cat People, class with a cult following.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Lavender and Silver Horn Ring

Lavender and Silver Horn Ring

[For sale here on Etsy!]

Once I tried making head-wear horns out of polymer clay, but I quickly realized it's been done before. So I invented a way to mount them into rings and other flat woven bracelets.

Introducing, Horn Rings!

P1160875 - Lavendar Horn Ring (R003)

This light, curled horn is the perfect accent for any kind of faerie, nymph, or satyr costume.

The claw is made of polymer clay with a light metallic finish, which makes it MUCH lighter than a metal claw. It also won't tarnish. The ring itself is woven by hand out of purple and clear seed beads. Ring size 9.

Queen of the Cat People, class with a cult following.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

New Auction for BARCC!

This week I have a piece up in a Blogathon Auction for BARCC!

Some very awesome people put together a combo auction & blogathon every year. This summer they've asked for pieces themed around violence against women. At the same time I finished reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin, and was inspired by similar themes in her wonderful novel. Introducing,


IMG_6610a

And then I heard a voice, except it wasn't a voice, and he asked, "Do you love me?"
And I said, "Come and I will show you," and opened my arms. He came to me and pulled me hard against him, and I did not see the knife in his hand. No, no, there was no knife; we had no need of such things. No, there was a knife, later, and the taste of blood was bright and strange in my mouth as I looked up to see his terrible, terrible gaze...
But what did it mean that he made love to me first?


-The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, by N.K. Jemisin.


IMG_6610b

Snowflake obsidian, frosted quartz, white agate, labradorite, garnet, sterling silver knife charm. Metal bending all done by hand, and the bead chain necklace is 20 inches long.

IMG_6610c


It's been up for a day and a half by now and there have been no bids at all. So sad! Hopefully it picks up soon.


From the auction website's intro page:
The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) is the second oldest rape crisis center in the country, and one of the biggest, with a staff of 20 and a volunteer corps of 120+ who put in hours equivalent to 19 additional staff members. We have a 24-hour hotline and medical advocacy program (medical advocates go to the hospital with survivors for evidence collection), a community awareness/public education/outreach program (which is really unique and ever-expanding), legal advocacy, legislative advocacy (we helped change the law on restraining orders recently so you can get one if you're not in an intimate relationship with your stalker, go us!), case management, and counseling (up to twelve sessions). BARCC provides all of this and more completely free of charge, and we are able to do so partly because of you.

Every penny of this auction goes directly to BARCC so they can continue to provide these services for survivors and their families and communities throughout the Boston area. Buy wonderfu things for a good cause!



Queen of the Cat People, Class with a cult following.

Mabon Magick

Mabon Magick

[For sale here on Etsy!]


P1150823 - Copper Pentacle

The pentacle is a common symbol in pagan circles, relating to the five elements, mastery of the four elements, etc. But it also relates to the orbit of the planet Venus, the five terminating points of the human body, and the five wounds of Christ. This symbol can be found in many different cultures around the world. Like Crowley said, in one of his more lucid moments, "Every man and every woman is a star in the sky."

P1150830

This rustic copper pentagram is set on a necklace of genuine malachite, brightly contrasted with more copper beads, copper tinted glass beads, silver-toned metal, and a sterling toggle clasp. The necklace is 18.5 inches long. Colors evoke thoughts of both summer and autumn, as the leaves turn from green to red gold, Midsummer through Samhain ;-) For the earthy pagan girl, or guy, in your life.

Queen of the Cat People, class with a cult following.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Ravens in the Library!

Last week my friend's new album Mischief came out! Yay! It is wonderful and magically delicious!!!! S.J. Tucker is super awesome at everything she does :-D

And most especially, it includes a recording of her song "Ravens in the Library" which is one of my favorites. I've been waiting for it to be available in MP3 format for at least a year. Squee!

<a href="http://music.skinnywhitechick.com/track/ravens-in-the-library">Ravens in the Library by SJ Tucker</a>

And why is their music on a jewelry blog? Well, first it's Friday. Second, I'm in a library. Third, I made a shiny tribute to this song a few months ago ;-)



P1180568

Song inspired, artist approved! :-D

Part of the "Summer Reading Sale!" Marked down from the original price for a 15% discount.

Black agate, reconstituted onyx, frosted quartz, sterling silver, and OODLES of Swarovski crystals! 17 inches long.

P1180575

Hours of study flying by,
Words soaked up by beady eyes,
Long debates into the night,
Pages flying everywhere.
Seek the language word by word,
Like the black and clever bird,
never let it bring you down,
All the things we haven't figured out.

My friend bids me come and see
The ravens in the library,
setting quiet pages free!

If you're not buying anything from my shop today, please go to her website and purchase some of her amazing music!
http://www.skinnywhitechick.com


Queen of the Cat People, class with a cult following.