Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter and Happy Spring! Hope your day is filled with flowers, friends, family, sunshine, rabbits and chocolate!

Process Shot of the Week

I made this weird thing this week.

Quote of the Week

A whole poem this week, because it was too good not to share.

Things

"What happened is, we grew lonely
living among the things,
so we gave the clock a face,
the chair a back,
the table four stout legs
which will never suffer fatigue.

We fitted our shoes with tongues
as smooth as our own
and hung tongues inside bells
so we could listen
to their emotional language,

and because we loved graceful profiles
the pitcher received a lip,
the bottle a long, slender neck.

Even what was beyond us
was recast in our image;
we gave the country a heart,
the storm an eye,
the cave a mouth
so we could pass into safety."

~Lisel Mueller

Etsy Adds

Three new additions to the Etsy Shop. See them here.

Process Shot of the Week

I learned the basics of traditional jewelry rendering as part of a design and production class I took back in undergrad. I enjoyed it then and go back to it every so often, in a vain attempt to get good at it. I think it stems from always wishing I was one of those people who could draw really well. (Yes, I know, anyone can learn to draw, but for me, the learning curve was steeper than my patience.) I decided to get back into rendering this week as something to do in the evenings to relax (ha!). Something that would allow me feel productive without necessarily being on my "to do" list, and also fit my limited home workspace.

None of these designs are originally my own (except the giant one). They are Arts and Crafts era pieces, two of which were actually done in silver. But, I already have my gold colors mixed up, and didn't feel like devoting pallet space to silver. Besides, I think silver is more difficult to render convincingly, and I want to get better at the basics. Practice, practice, practice, I suppose.

Happy weekend!

Quote of the Week

". . . I am going to listen for the water at the edge of things . . ."

~Anne Lamott

Weekly Walk: Pattern

There's a lot of wrought iron and brickwork in New Bern, which leads to a lot of pattern. Living downtown, I walk to many of my destinations, or just to relax, and I try to make sure that I always have my camera with me when I do. Here's a few shots from my adventure yesterday.

More Etsy Adds

A few more recent adds to the shops: Mica brooches, enamel and peals and vintage map cover books.

Happy Weekend!

Shop Paper here.

Shop Jewelry here.

Process Shot of the Week

A line up of brooches waiting for me to get my act together.

Quote of the Week

"Stuff your eyes with wonder."

~Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Etsy Adds

Been working on updating both the paper shop and the jewelry shop. Lots of new books and also some mica earrings. More to come later this week, so check back often!

RIP JPM

I found out this past week that John Paul Miller passed away last weekend at the age of 94. John Paul Miller was one of my metalsmithing idols, ever since I watched him receive the SNAG Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cleveland Conference. I never got to meet him, let alone work with him, but he was still a huge inspiration to me during my formative years as a maker. Here are just a few of his pieces to commemorate his passing.

View from a Saturday

Sorry for the complete and utter lack of blogging this past week. It's been a little crazy lately, with my grading reaching critical mass and preparing for last night's Art Walk. After some tidying and laundry this morning, I decided to catch my breath a bit and take a walk around town. It's such a beautiful spring day here, I thought I would take a little time to enjoy it, before the crazy starts up again on Monday. Here are a few shots from around New Bern.

After 2 months of living here full time, I have yet to see Nicholas Sparks, who lives in compound along the Trent River. Apparently, he's a bit of a recluse and may, or may not have 5 kitchens.

Quote of the Week

"And don't look to be saved by any one thing, person, machine or library. Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die know you were headed for shore."

~Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Finished Works

A few recent (from the past month or so) finished works.