A New Addition

A little secret, I grew up across the Hudson River.
Way back when, I could see the far away silhouette of the Statue of Liberty on a smogless day from our apartment window. Needless to say, I often catch myself wearing the mascot color of Manhattan... black.

So no surprise that I ended up making an Onyx gemstone bracelet (one with a little bit of a Southwester twist of course!)

Just For Me

This one I made with just me in mind. I listed it in my little hobby etsy shop, but might take it down for myself. I think it is the most original button that I have ever found. I know the button was made in Italy, but there is just something in the pattern that has me daydreaming of an adventure to Thailand, Morocco, or maybe Bali. I just started to reread Eat, Pray, Love last night. Travel Lit is my ultimate weakness. Shhh don't tell!

I really love these faceted summery citrus Jade beads.

Color Me Happy

When I was a little girl, I would collect rocks, falling in love with the different shades and textures of each one as if it were a true treasure. Remember those days, when something had worth just because it's beauty made our hearts skip a beat? Back when it did not matter what was acceptable or what had the highest price tag? I do too!

Well some things never change. I am still collecting rocks...
I have a little assortment of stone, glass and wood beads that sit on my desk, just because I love them so much. No other reason needed. They are my favorites from around the world. From the tiniest string of faceted labradorite to the sunny yellow hand dyed jade circles.

Studio Sweet Studio

Studio Sweet Studio. It has been less than a year since I began dabbling in anything artful, that is, after an extensive almost life long leave from creativity. You see, I mistakenly believed for a decade too many that life was about being practical, pragmatic and any other boring old "p" word Webster could come up with.

But I am not like that anymore. I have a new perspective. Exciting things happen when you believe they can, especially when you wiggle your way towards them... inch by inch... your heart always filled with hope.

We (the husband, our dog Maggie Mae, and her two cats Lucy and Kung Fu) have been cramped in a little one bedroom apartment for years. But by the end of this upcoming summer that is all about to change. The best part?

For the first time I will have my very own room for a Studio! I threw a little caution to the wind yesterday in preparation and purchased/put together a real live work table. Six months may seem, to some, like a long way away, but it will be here before we know it. I promise. And I am so incredibly grateful for it.

In anticipation, I am also, of course, pouring over home and cottage magazines at the bookstore trying to determine what elements will turn the new house into home. Our home. Love is a given. A few muted earth tones against splashes of white and a lot of natural light will go a long way as well...

One of my favorite interior design blogs is Decor8 by Holly Becker, the image above is from one of her posts. I could definitely see myself cuddled up there. Couldn't you? Speaking of interior design blogs, Apartment Therapy is a good one too. Just in case you are curious.

Inspiration Abounds Here

There should be a neon arrow, one that can be seen from space that points to the blog of artist Kelly Rae Roberts and it should be accompanied by a sign that reads "Inspiration Abounds Here".

Not only is her art (shown above) downright uplifting and eye catching, but she says these things... the kind that get under your skin and warm your soul.

Things like....

- it's an exciting time with open road possibilities
- transform whispers of dreams into real life living
- it's amazing to me that we can simply wake up one day and decide upon a dream and then before you know it, you're taking steps toward that dream. and before you know it, you are living that dream. i seriously love this part of living.

Her book, Taking Flight is one of my all time favorites. Even on a bad day, it makes life all delicious again.

Aluminum and Florals

After much debate, I have decided to utilize aluminum as the metal for all of my bracelet/cuff bases, bypassing both silver and brass because... I like the comfy, lightweight feel of aluminum. It is tarnish free and allows for slight adjustments resulting in a better fit for you.

Fun Aluminum Facts:
- Aluminum is 100% recyclable. (Yah recycling!)
- It is the 13th element on the p. chart. (Okay, this fact is not so fun!)
- It is the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust. (Who knew?)
- Aluminum sheets were used for the intricately hand painted Traditional Taiwanese Floral Mural by Michael Lin outside of the Vancouver Art Gallery in celebration of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad. (Try typing that three times fast!)

Floral designs can be transcending, reflecting the possibility of all the hope and beauty that blooms in this world and Michael Lin (to me) is the ultimate master at creating them. Here is a short artist video interview that I recently stumbled upon. I always find it fascinating to listen and learn about the life experiences an artist pulls their inspiration from. Especially this one.

Photo by Flickr: PiscesDreaming

New Year Resolution

New Year Resolution # 1
Live your wildest dream.

Well, it is January 2010, which is incredible. 2010! It even feels a little sci-fi to say. And it has me thinking. Mostly about the last ten years of my life. How I have spent them. How I have not. And about what I truly want to endeavor upon over this next decade. That is how New Year Resolution #1 came about. Live your wildest dream.

And what is a wildest dream you might wonder. For me, Earthen Adornments is it. I have always wanted to do this, to take an artistic pursuit or two and dedicate some real time to it. As far as I can tell, for me, 2010 seems to be just as good a time as any.

And so far, this year has started with a bang, so to speak. I have unexpectedly joined ranks with half of the nation and find myself rather unemployed at the moment. But we both know how life works, when one door closes another opens. In between looking for new work, I will have enough downtime to pursue this new adventure, aka New Year Resolution #1 - Earthen Adornments!

I am off to quite a start too. As serendipity would have it, I ran across Erin of OrangeInk on etsy. In just a few days we were able to finalize the concept of the logo above. And I L-O-V-E it.

Next up on the to do list:
- Research materials suppliers.
- Design my very own website.
- Sketch new floral designs (my favorite).
- Try mixing new dye colors and finishes.

All in all, I know 2010 and I just met, but I have to admit I am already quite smitten with its anything is possible attitude.