Updated Etsy Shop

  Ok I updated my Etsy shop with affordable designs and terrific forged details. If I can't tempt a frugal shopper with these prices than I'll be scratching my head for sure!

My Mom's Banner

  You guys will be so surprised to hear what I have been up to this last week. I've been making ordinary, every day jewelry! Super affordable jewelry, which I hope to get into the shop through my daughter's hands, but she has been too busy yet to do the photography and sales uploading.

   It surprised me to see a style of my own develop very quickly in this type of work. I'm on my fifth day of churning out jewelry and getting faster every minute, also am getting new ideas every minute.  And it surprises me that I am actually having fun at this!! I dragged my feet for so long....
  While I make tons of rings and earrings.....here is my Mom's banner finally up for us all to enjoy.

Mom, looking at your banner again, I think it is just darling!! I have one more block to still develop on mine.

My Cloth Banner Part One

  I prefer to post on the blog at least weekly, but lately it is getting harder and harder to accomplish anything in one weeks time. Many of my current designs are taking me an entire week to finish, rather than several days or an evening.  In the back of mind I wonder what will be the fate of my Blog if I decide to make projects that take two weeks or a month? Do I even possess that sort of patience anyways?

  I am also thinking about my life in general. This artist journey I started 1.5 years ago, I see now, is not something that will end.  Following a creative path is always going to take an enormous amount of time and energy as long as I am physically able to do it. So, how do I make room for my other needs in such a full life? How will I live going forth into this future I see?

  These are not angsty thoughts, just a beginning understanding that I may need to change course at some point, or make adjustments in order to carry on with this path I started down. I may not be able to keep the Blog up so often in the future:(  But, I'm not ready to make that decision today!! I love blogging!

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  This week I am working on the Mary Hettmansperger banner project that my mother and I started a 6 weeks ago. Until the banner is knocked out, there won't be any wire work done. The banner is taking a heck of a lot longer than I expected and I wanted to get a post done for my Blog, so here is half my banner to view for now.

  My mother and I collaborated on making the banners together, but embellished our banners seperately. I'm trying to get some good pictures of hers to show you also, so you can see how each is different.

  Each banner has 5 blocks, I decided to make my blocks themed. From top to bottom they are: Universe, Sky/atmosphere, People, Earth, Under the Sea.

It took me all week to get 2.5 blocks done:(

Universe:

Half completed Sky:

Under The Sea:

Twined Cuff

  This bracelet gave me an emotionallly wild ride. Often times I have a very set idea in my head of what I want the finished design to look like. The problem with that way of designing is that it's much more easy to be disappointed with the finished project.

  I had to force myself to finish this design because the weaving wasn't as neatly and evenly done as I envisioned it would be. I also smashed a couple of the copper beads with a hammer accidently :)

  When I finally got to the very end (weeks later) and was able to bend it around a bracelet mandrel and shape it, I was very surprised to find myself as excited about the design as when I first imagined it. I just love it!!

 I wear a lot of grey in my wardrobe and I love how copper looks with grey. The copper cuff with peacock pearl accents and my new grey dress are going to look terrific.  I mean they DO look terrific, as that is what I am wearing right now. And I'm going grocery shopping like that:) hehe

  It's about 2.5" wide.

Catching Up

  I'm surprised almost two weeks has passed since I posted jewelry pics, it feels like just yesterday I posted the twined cuff. I've been busy getting myself into too many projects. More than one jewelry project is half completed, and more than one household project is in some stage of incompletion.

  Today is my daughter's birthday and here are two earrings I made for her. I'm not sure she won't be disappointed with them, but I'll find out tonight.

  One of my half completed household projects is getting my wardrobe updated and in order and sorted out. I handknotted myself a necklace to match some clothing. It's blue peitersite, sterling and hematite.  I even wore it doubled up with my coiled labradorite necklace. It was bold of me to do that since both necklaces have largish beads, but I had fun and they looked great together!

  Almost done with second twined bracelet, should have a pic up before the weekend is over!!
 

Give Away at Lorena Angelo's Blog

  Lorena is having a give-a-way if you sign up and leave a comment on her blog. Lorena is a metalsmith who specializes in art clay with a mexican ethnic flare using plenty of skulls and roses.

Check her out!  http://blog.lorenaangulo.com/