And We're Off!

This time tomorrow (Seattle time) we will have touched down, be wearily searching for our bags and hoping everything arrived safely, and headed over to the festival grounds to begin setting up our booth. My nerves are shot- but in a good way. I think I managed to bust out 200 pieces- not all of them are enameled, there are beaded earrings in my Beaux Style, and hairpins, but it is A LOT of work for me. Let's just hope I come back with less then I left with. Above is our booth placement, unfortunately they listed this chickadee as just "Chickadee" but at least they linked us all properly. We are in Alki Court which is near the art center and the literary center. Hopefully a little more quiet then the stadium center, but with lot's of traffic. The vendor list is impressive, I feel honored to just be among many of these fabulous artists. I hoping to post a few pics and news from Seattle while I'm there, but we'll see. If you are a Seattle reader, or are headed to the festival, stop by and say hello! Wish us luck!!!!!

HA:08

I'm in! so is this chickadee!!! What a lovely surprise as we scramble with last minute runs to Ikea and staying up till 3am working on our secret collaboration. Oh don't you worry, I'll post pics of our creative collaboration shortly....

Harmony

I recently set up an account with Hoover and Strong, a whole sale metals and jewelry supply company. I am very excited to be working with their materials as all their metals are %100 recycled- meaning they refine scrap metal purchased from jewelers and other businesses. Mining is an extremely dirty and degrading business, the production of one gold ring can produce up to 5 tons of environmental waste. Hoover and Strong are committed to using the earths existing metal supply rather then strip mining to produce new metals. H & S also only offer conflict free diamonds and fair trade gems- not that I use diamonds or precious gems, but it makes me feel good knowing that I am not supporting unethical gemstone mining. Check out their website to see all their green steps to re-use materials and conserve energy.

Fresh From The Kiln

New pieces for Bumbershoot, waiting their turn to be sanded, polished, and put on to cord, chain, ear wires, or pin backs. I hope to get 20 more pieces fired today, and then I'll feel like I might have enough work for a 3 day show. I just shipped a 40 pound box out to Seattle filled with packaging materials, display items, etc. Let's just hope it makes it there in one piece and on time. Sigh. Wish me luck!

Dragon in the Garden

Look what I found in the garden this morning!!!





I couldn't quite capture how luminous of a blue it's eyes were, he is gorgeous! Jewelry inspiration???
Happy weekend everyone, I'll chained to my bench in preparation for Bumbershoot. Cheers!

When life gives you tomatoes, make tomato sauce?

We have tomatoes coming out of our ears. Every morning I go out to our modest little garden and pick a huge bowl of tomatoes. I eat tomatoes on my eggs for breakfast, tomato and mozzarella sandwiches for lunch, spinach and tomato salad with dinner, I made roasted tomato and goat cheese pasta- enough to feed a family of 8, tons of bruschetta, give them away by the bowl full, I even took enough tomatoes to the beach to feed 6 of us for a week. They won't stop coming!!! Sigh, it could be worse, I could have tomato blight and be singing the blues about my lack of tomatoes. Anyone with some good recipes for cherry tomatoes? Please??

New Design

Here is a new necklace design I am working on. 2 enamel on copper hand sawed ovals with gunmetal chain. The larger oval hangs just below the collar bones, while the smaller one rest on just on the collar. I've been wearing my version around and have been getting good feedback. They will have their public debut at Bumbershoot, but look for their internet debut later this week in the shop.

I'm Baaack!

What happens at the beach, stays at the beach....! After a weeks worth of sun, sand, margaritas, Thrashers fries, Coronas, Sopranos episodes, crabs, espresso, mint juleps and wine on the beach, my fun has come to a screeching halt. I can't quite seem to comprehend that I need to be preparing to take this show on the road to Seattle in less than 2 weeks. gulp. Wish me luck.

"Downy Ooohhshun hun!"

Pronounce the above title exactly how it is written out loud- that is baltimorean for "I am going to the beach for vacation, friend!"

Ahhhh, I am looking forward to a week of hot sand, cool breezes, squawking gulls and children, fried delicacies, cold beers and no worries. I am disconnecting and relaxing, see you after the 17th!!!

Make it Work!

After major reorganizing and cleaning, I am so happy to get to work again in the studio space.

I can actually determine what is on my shelves, and I have a whole bench set up for my torch now.

A "clean" table for packaging and working with paper.

My bench with all my tools organized!

Kiln area with the trivets and enamels organized. Phew!

Clean Sweep

So, here is my studio space. Sigh.

It is a disaster.

I have been procrastinating on cleaning and organizing.

But I can't take it anymore! The next few days will be devoted to a complete overhaul. Check back to see my progress- or lack there of....

Boston Tea Party

I went to the Boston area for a friend's wedding this weekend, hence the lack of posting last week. It was smashing, and I am sooo glad I didn't have to work at it (recovering wedding photographer remember?) and could enjoy myself. One day we ventured into Salem and I got to experience 2 of my very favorite things in one day:

Witches- we went to the Salem Witch museum and this a "witch crossing" lane.

Pigs!!!! This is Olivia, a 3 month old Vietnamese Pot Bellied pig. She was giving me a kiss!
It's back home and back to work!