Black Keys!

I just saw the Black Keys at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston. Amazing!! I danced like a maniac. Also, note my stylish neon green ear plugs. Always a necessity at concerts!

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Scenes from an apartment

Some new stones I just got that I'm rarin' to make into rings!

Our hutch, one of my favorite parts.

From right: glass coke bottle we got from the World of Coke in Atlanta three summers ago on a massive road trip, that is always displayed in every apartment we get.

A Turkish tea set I picked up in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

A glittery shaker from Crate and Barrel that I never used.

A big, beautiful yellow gnome pitcher.

Tiny bottles of Jim Beam (not mine!)

A pretty vintage vase that I think I put a flower in once.

Our new awesome table we picked up from an art fair! The top if made from a piece of old barn wood.

Where the magic happens! My little work shop! It looks so messy and un-magical, but it's pretty magical. Sometimes.

Happy weekend!

Custom Hot Dog Necklace

I made this necklace for a customer whose sister has 4 dachshunds! She is also allergic to metal so it had to be on a leather cord. I love it!

finished!

After staring at my messy work bench forever, I decided to take the plunge and make a pearl and caviar necklace. This is what turned out!

Do we like it? I think we like it. It's so petite and dainty.

New Blue Dru(zy)

Drusy is hard to photograph. This stone has such an awesome center of crystals, but you can barely tell! Grr.

In other news, I officially have jeweler's block. Help! What should I make today??

Item #3

I thought it was Wednesday all day! What a shock. It's like waking up in the morning and being soooo tired only to see that it's just 5 am and you can go back to sleep! I have another day!

Since I had a glass of wine (with orange flavored seltzer mixed in...yum! and refreshing!) I didn't want to do any silversmithing, but I did finish up a necklace I made a couple of days. At first it stated off as a big hair piece (which it still might go back to!) but for now it's just a mega honeycomb!! I want it to be bigger, but this will do for now. How has your Tuesday night been?

Item #2

Here is the second item of the day! I still have to make a third...but I will, I promise!

I accidentally made teeny tiny bows, and thought they'd be just darling hanging from pearls. Aren't they? Aren't they just darling?

Now, for the third item of the day..

Hit 'em with kindness!

I woke up this morning and realized I had to make this ring.

Item 1 of 3 for today! Number two coming up soon!

Day 2- THE CHALLENGE BEGINS

Today is my second official day of working from home. So far I went to Trader Joes, made an egg sandwich and a mug of coffee, and watched the Today Show.

Productivity=low.

Tummy=full.

Caffeine level=growing.

I am making a new camera pendant today, and have big plans for a polite knuckle ring and big bow dangle earrings. Hopefully I'll post some more pictures of my favorite little parts in the apartment today. I think I want to try to make 3 new things a day to post on Etsy. For a week.

ATTENTION: I hereby vow that today until Friday (baby steps) I will make and post three new items a day. How do you like them apples?

The ring above is a vunderful pearl engagement ring I made for my new favorite customer. Isn't it lovely?

New place

So, this is my first official night in our new apartment. Anxiously awaiting Mad Men, setting my my work bench, and stamping jewelry boxes with unicorns and R's. I guess it's a pretty great Sunday night!

That is still my favorite part of the apartment.

Time for ginger ale! More good things to come to this blog, I promise!

New ring and things

Tomorrow the move to our new abode should be complete! Just setting up my new studio. nervous! in other news, i finally got around to making a few new things, including this neato ring. It's sterling silver with an amethyst in a 14k gold bezel. It will be hard to part with. What's that awesome background, you ask? It's a silicone ice cube tray I found for $3 yesterday, and I wish I had a THOUSAND MORE. It is amazing to display rings for craft fairs, not to mention photos. What a great find.

Drool

Emily and I recently saw a CB2 magazine, and I have a new hobby. (looking through their website). Some of my favorites:

Oso Plates

Ceylon Pitcher

LOOK AT THIS. It keeps your cucumbers and tea leaves separate from the water!! Even though I love eating the cucumber in the glass when I'm done with the water...this is still amazing.

un homme/une femme vases

Must. hold. Back.

PSsst

Only three days left to enter to win a pair of bow earrings from Monster Bites, an adorable website! Go over, comment, and hopefully you'll win!!

good gravy!

SO. We just finished moving everything in to the new apartment, now I just have to set up my studio in the extra room. yikes! how daunting. i'm a wee nervous to be working from home since i'll expect myself to make the most coolest things 24/7. which obviously isn't going to happen.

we did just finished FINALLY putting together the red ikea couch. first it was missing screws, so B went back to get. Then the next day he realized they were the wrong screws, so he went back again. Then the next day he realized that the two arm rests were for the same sides. CRICKEY. so today some delivery guys brought us a brand new couch, took away the old couch in pieces, and, many sweaty hours later, I'm sitting on it. It smells like new couch, which is a little bit like Thai food, apparently. I put the two dog statues on Ben's stereo speakers (which, my parents bought instead of going on a honeymoon when they got married).

I hung a favorite picture by ArtOcrat above the couch for now, but I think it will need a bigger painting for that spot. Or some awesome collage of mirrors in old fashioned frames all spray painted silver! Someday, someday.

In the meantime, talk to me people, tell me things!

Pretty picture

I just took the most lovely picture of a new dainty honey knuckles ring that is about to be shipped out. The lighting is perfect!! And I know it will never happen again :(.

Please vote!

I need to know- should I buy these two hilarious dog statues for $16 for the new apartment?


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Bunnies!

Tiny tiny baby rabbits in a hole in bens yard!!!!


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Spray Paint!

My mom got me a darling little, albeit it ugly, end table from a garage sale for $3.00. I loved the shape and size, and decided to give it a new life with some spray paint and masking tape!

First it looked like this (minus the black legs- I already started painting it)

And then, plain black. Which looked pretty sharp!

And then..

Ta-dah! what do we think? I figure if we get the bright red couch from ikea it would look snazzy next to it to keep drinks on. First I spray painted the whole thing with a glossy black, and after it dried, covered the top with strips of masking tape going in every which way. Then I spray painted the whole top a bright red, peeled off the tape, and ended up with this design! Next time I think I'll do gold and black, but I am digging this too.

Finished!

Here it is! The finished product. Ben and my dad spent all day making it, and ben is tickled pink with the results. Still needs to varnished though, but it holds his records perfectly!


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Father/Boyfriend Bonding

Ben is currently outside making a record holder for the new place with my dad. It's adorable.

And hot out. I'm glad I'm inside in the air condition drinking iced tea. Pictures of the finished product to come soon!

Meanwhile, here is a photo of the hutch that will be in our dining room/studio area. We have BIG plans for it! (did someboday say mug collection display??)

Recent aquisition

I bought this little cutie for $5 yesterday at a vintage place.


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what are you lookin at?

Ben took this pic of my tonight on his b-berry. i kinda dig it. It's also the tannest I've ever looked.

Once Upon a Time...

I made a pendant. And I stamped "once upon a time there was a pretty girl" all around the bezel. I love it.

it's large and in charge.

much like the bowl of watermelon i just consumed.

don't you hate when you know you have things to do but you don't know what but you are stressed out anyway?

Finally

A new ring! I've been so busy with everything other than designing new jewelry. But today I finished a ring and a necklace! First, the ring:

I just bought this heart stamp and I think I'm overusing it but I don't care!!

Boy oh boy.

it is hot.

so. hot.

im thinkin' friendlys.

maybe a grilled cheese and tomato. some ice cream. good?

in the mean time, here are some random greece and turkey photos! sigh. i wish i was on the beach in greece again.

silly sculpture.

Couches.

Ben and I are moving to...drumroll...Waltham! We just saw a place today that we are almost definitely taking. My favorite part is that it has a fun built in hutch, perfect for all of my knick knacks! Now everyone can appreciate my cup collection.

Our major splurge is going to be a new couch. We are thinking this one from Ikea:

I'm a sucker for a chaise lounge. There is a big room in the middle too that I'm going to make into a jewelry workshop! I can't wait. I have such big plans of getting organized with filing cabinets and shelving units, but I know that won't happen. I do hope to finally hang my white board that's been leaning against a wall, unused for about 5 months. We might even take the plunge and buy a buruea! (we've been living san bureau for almost 2 years. I'm not sure why, or how. It just means lots of piles of clothes on the floor. gross.)

Anyhoo, it's been a long and sweaty day today, and I do believe it's time for an early sleep. goodnight all! tell me things!

Ladder Shelves

I'll be moving to a new place soon, and am the most excited about making a huge shelf using two ladders! I saw it in an antique store today, and can't stop thinking about getting two plain wooden ladders and painting them pretty colors, and placing painted boards across the rungs. I did some searching, and here are some lovely examples. When I finally get around to making my own, I'll be sure to share pictures!

1. http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/new-uses-for-old-things/new-uses-ladders-10000001216420/page6.html

2. http://blog.sub-studio.com/2009/02/labistanbul-merduban-shelves.htm

3.http://www.networx.com/blog/diy-ladder-bookslves---everybody-repurpo3

BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY

happybirthday to me! I must admit, a July 3rd birthday is truly delightful. And since Ben and I are still on Turkey time, we were wide awake at 4. We already drove to a pretty spot to watch the sunrise, had breakfast at the truck stop diner, bought scratch lottery tickets, won a Harley Davidson Gear prize (apparently worth $498???), and remembered that it's saturday which means TAG SALES. So now we are home, anxiously awaiting the clock to hit 8 so we can start cruisin' the yard sales. I'll keep you updated!!

i'm baaaack!

Hello everyone! I'm back from my adventures in turkey and greece. It was amazing, and over the next few days/weeks I'll be posting and writing little tidbits about it. Right now I'm bogged down with emails and orders, but will squeeze in posts as much as possible! Here's one of my favorite pictures, from a group of cows we encountered on a long hike/walk through a valley outside of Kapadokya, my new favorite place in the world. Have you ever seen such trendy cows?