Soul Humming

Objects and Elements Contest

Remember the tintype pendant I posted a little bit ago? I made an especially sparkling toggle clasp for it that is entered in a contest at Objects and Elements...

The circle part of the clasp is taken from a shiny, vintage rhinestone earring. For the toggle, I drew a bead on each end of a 16 gauge sterling silver bar. Then, I wrapped it with a bit of variegated red fabric that was given to me by a dear friend. Next, I completely smothered it in tiny faceted garnets and freshwater pearls. As you can see there are two small, light colored pearls nestled amongst all the red. I frequently am inspired by the work of Vincent Van Gogh. His color palette and style really turn me on. One of his paintings that I am drawn to again and again is his Irises, the one with all the blue flowers but only one white.

As I was wrapping the toggle with the abundance of red, I started to reflect on Irises. And I thought of how some say it is symbolic of Van Gogh's loneliness. And, I don't want to be alone. Typically, I am a very solitary loving creature. But, after dropping my children off at summer school for the first day, I missed them and needed two little light pearls to symbolize their sweet selves.



This concept also ties in to the story of the whole piece. The pendant has the word Joy etched under the serious face of a pink-cheeked lady on an old tintype. I want to believe that even though her jaw is set and she looks a bit austere, that she knew happiness even in times of hardship. The necklace features some of my favorite sorts of beads and stones. There are big chunks and balls of red coral, a seriously oversized smooth garnet that looks like a gumball, Bali beads, a bead from a sweet friend, and a bumpy blown glass bead that reminds me of an octopus or alien space ship.




Stamped into the back of the sterling silver pendant, it reads Open Your Heart to Joy. This serves as a reminder that in each moment there is the opportunity to be happy. It's a matter of choice (and sometimes the right shoes). :0)

If you feel so inclined, please visit the Objects and Elements site this weekend and vote for my clasp. Better yet, stop by my Etsy store and buy it for your very own. :0) Thanks, friends!

Seven

My sweet friends Jennifer and Francie each tagged me with a blog award recently. Thank you, friends.

Francie's award is The Premio Meme which, as she tells it, "... is designed to recognize unique voices and visions on the Web as well as to promote fraternization amongst bloggers of all sorts." I do like unique voices and visions and I can handle a wee bit of fraternizing. Jen's award is the Kreativ Blogger award. Both awards come with the same sort of game play in which I am to list seven interesting or unusual facts about myself and pass it on to seven people. I always find this very difficult. But, here goes...

1.  Anklets and toe rings sort of weird me out. But I've had my nose and belly button pierced. Go figure.

2.  I was once a singer in a band.

3.  I almost never watch the news or read a newspaper...on purpose.

4.  I believe in everlasting life.

5.  I believe in magic.

6.  If I could go sky diving right this minute I would gear up and do it.

7.  I much prefer confrontation to passive aggresiveness. I think that if you have a problem it is far better to work it out than to go around worrying or whining about it. It isn't always easy but I think you learn much more and have deeper relationships this way.

I will now break the rules and not pick anyone else for this award. Sorry but I would rather not (just another weird thing about me, right?) ;0) But, if you want to list seven interesting things about yourself, consider yourself tagged. And please leave a comment here so I can come read them!

summer, summer, summer

"We have a hunger of the mind
which asks for knowledge of all around us,
and the more we gain,
the more is our desire;
the more we see,
the more we are capable of seeing."
- maria mitchell

this week is the one free week for us. the kids begin summer school on monday. my oldest is taking an art class that sounds awesome. i may have to squeeze my hiney into one of those teeny plastic chairs so i can play along. but for now, this week has been about exploring, seeing, and playing. we've been to the book store for new reading material, to the Discovery Science Center to build robots and make short films, and yesterday we headed south with friends to run rampant through the San Diego Wild Animal Park.

my sons amuse me like no one else can.

and, as every mother can attest, they grow up so quickly.

so it is important to let them have days where they act like monkeys and try to make fire by rubbing two sticks together. i think these three were the most wild creatures of all we saw at the wild animal park.

they are so sweet.

they are so curious.

they are so joyous.

they are unique.

they are beautiful.



and they are magical.



"There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." - Anais Nin

Grow, my sweet boys, grow.

New Bits

I barely have had time to work on anything let alone take photos or list at Etsy. So here's a couple quick pics of recent new bits. Summer is here! Enjoy your sweet selves!!

 

Celebrating

We're celebrating twelve beautiful years
of wedded bliss here today.

And, happy Father's Day to all the
Dad's out there, including my own!

Mail Art Collaboration

Over at the Guild we're prepping for a new collaborative project about which I am very excited. It's a painted faces envelope round robin. Basically, we each start with an envelope measuring at least 9" x 12", paint on a background and a face (or two or three or four), put our name and addy in the return label and mail it to one of the participants. Then, when you get an envelope in the mail you add to it with more painting, collage, sewing, and so on until it has made the way through the whole circle.

So I started on my envelope today. I couldn't find one the right size at first. Then I came across one that had my son's Little League team photos in it. Perfecto!

It is covered front and back with graphics so I hit it with a couple layers of gesso and some masking tape to hold the flaps down.

Then I put down some color and a couple of old foreign postage stamps.

I added some red tape and drew in the face.

I began to refine the image and build up the features.

Finally, I got to a place where I was ready to stop (plus the kid gets out of kindergarten in six minutes and I'm covered in paint).

She was exactly what she wanted.

The hardest part is not finishing. I need to leave something for the other girls to work with. I don't want to send them something they are afraid to cover or add to. That's the fun of it. The thrill and risk of sending it off and seeing what someone else does to it. More to come...

Chocolate

If you are fortunate enough to live by a Trader Joe's, I highly recommend these:

You buy them frozen. Just put them on a paper lined baking sheet to proof before you go to bed, give them a light egg wash in the morning, then bake. Voila!

Fresh, flaky, tender hot chocolate croissants! These are so dangerous.

The are full of very dark rich chocolate which is not too sweet but not bitter. They are perfect with a big mug of French Roast on a gloomy June day like the one we've got going on here.

I was hoping to paint today. But, we have house painters here. They are currently scraping the paint off the shutters on my studio window. It's a bit loud and distracting. I can't decide if I should just get out of here or turn up the music and fling my own paint.

Last week, before I lost my Big Dog, I was working on a lot of new jewelry.

Now I'm not even sure where I put it all. I'm a bit more scattered than usual, behind on what I should have already done and sort of frazzled. Once I get settled and find things, I'll be sure and post them. I need a major stocking of shelves in my Etsy store. Soon the kids will be out of school and hopefully I will have a bit more time to actually work on things. Something tells me I may find that there is less time to work on things but I'm hopeful.

Lastly, thank you so very much to everyone who wrote to me about my Big Dog. It has been an incredibly difficult experience. I have been having a really hard time of it. So your kind words, friendship, and support have truly helped to lift me up. Thank you all so very much.

So Sad

Rest easy, best old friend

Dutch
aka Big Dog

March 1, 1994 - June 6, 2009




I bet God throws a fast Frisbee








before i was married,
these were my roommates.
they're all gone now.

A Trillion or Two

Here are some lovely new earrings I made today while the boys were with their grandma. They are hand forged sterling silver bowls that I gave a nice antique patina with the torch.

And inside each little bowl there dangles two carats of highly faceted sky blue topaz in a trillion cut.

I love this beautiful and unique cut and wish I had more of these! I may just have to track some down.

They are available in my etsy store.

SPW - String

the day is over in an hour and i've only just realized that today is wednesday. so here are some silly self-portraits by a very tired girl to celebrate self-portrait wednesday.

i hope you all can have a laugh with a little piece of string or something frivolous to lighten your load today. 'sending blessings to all you wonderful people!

more

today i am wishing for more, more, more...


more time



more love



more solitude



more silence


more color



what are you yearning to have more of today?

Etched Copper Framed Tintype Pendant

Last night I went to Fullerton with Pip to see Nancy at the Gilding the Lily trunk show. We had a wonderful time (once we finally arrived. Pilar and I have a habit of getting off-track every time we set out for the Lily). Not only were there many gorgeous things to purchase but there were many fabulous people, a happy little bull dog, awesome food and delicious wine. It was just what I needed to end up the week.

I got several tiny little tintypes from Nancy and I got up this morning and spent the day working on this necklace which features one of them. It was a lot of work for me but also very enjoyable. The only thing I would have changed is all the chemicals involved. Working with acid and liver of sulfur in the same day is a lot of smelly business. I've not made any serious metal work for a while and just finding my tools was a big task (and not finding some very important tools created major extra work).

The necklace features etched copper on front and back to create a frame for this handsome hatted fellow. I also riveted on a small bronze heart that I made. The back has an etching of a little landscape drawing that I did. It could also be worn on this side.

The chain is pretty hefty and comes in at about 22" long. It has a hand forged sterling clasp with a brass chain and double-sided holy medal dangling from it.

This piece is currently for sale in my Etsy store.

Pilar's Milagro Class

If you are in the Southern California area this weekend, then you need to sign up for my amazing friend Pilar's fantastic fabric milagro class. It is taking place this Saturday in Fullerton at Gilding the Lily. Don't delay! Call Today! :0)

Pilar dyes her own fabrics for these beautiful, spiritually rich pieces. They are hand sewn, embroidered, and given a vintage look with lots of sparkle, too. She gave me this one for my birthday and I just treasure it. Pilar is such a super smart, hilariously dry witted, wonderful person. You are sure to have a super fabulous afternoon in her class.

SPW

self portrait wednesday. the real me sitting here clicking at the keys looks less peaceful, i'm afraid. i'm meeting a friend for coffee at 9:30 a.m. so i decided to wait to actually have coffee. but i feel all crotchety and stiff and disheveled. my hair is kind of stupid. my dog is ripe and really needs a bath. he is sitting right next to me with a nonstop assault of my olefactory glands. cough, cough. it's not so good for the air in here. and june gloom is upon us. it is gray and cold and very unlike summer every single day until about two o'clock.

i should have made a cup of coffee already.

New Shop for Books

Sara Harley has opened a new Etsy shop to sell copies of the fabulous PAWS for Charity books. If you have yet to get your copy, I highly recommend it. My favorite is the hardcover edition. It is such a sweet little book filled with gorgeous works of art and will make a great gift for the animal lover on your shopping list. And all the proceeds go to breast cancer charities. How can you beat that?

Something Better

...by morning i had vanished
at least a dozen times
into something better...

-mary oliver

Self-Portrait Wednesday

paint on my face, dressed in an apron,
with my big dog in glasses.
yep, that's me.

play along and post a self-portrait today.

Everyday Artist Studio

 

I'm guest blogging today at the Everyday Artist Studio with Jenn Mason. Be sure to check it out for some fun creativity exercises.

like a red flower

have you ever seen anything in your life more wonderful
than the way the sun,
every evening,
relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon
and into the clouds or the hills,
or the rumpled sea,
and is gone--
and how it slides again
out of the blackness
every morning...
like a red flower.

-mary oliver

Guild Pages

here are a few more pages for the altered guild's third paper bag book with a painting & poetry theme.