Close Call at the Fun House

You would think after 3 busy weeks that I would have many hair raising adventures to share with you.  Not so.  In fact I have NO adventures.  But a wonderful 3 weeks nonetheless.

Accomplished a bit in the jewelry part of my life.  I got a few new things made.  Reworked a few old things.  And listed a bunch of things, which always feels like a major accomplishment! 
I'm itching to do some old fashioned metal smithing after all of the romantic, delicate things I've been working on these last couple of months.  Look out hammers...here I come!

 

A Letter To My Child

These eco friendly, recycled tin earrings tug at my heart strings. A mother gazes lovingly at her child. Below her hangs a bit of text, barely visable. What motherly words of wisdom does she wish to impart to her child? What treasures has she put into the tiny heart locket hanging below her child? Is the glistening button from one of her favorite blouses of long ago? Were the hand dyed silk ribbons carefully removed from an outgrown baby bonnet? We don't know. You'll need to furnish your own details to round out the story. Further embellished with a wee brass rose, an ivory colored glass teardrop and a bumpy ivory glass bead. I've added texture to the tin for visual interest. 

I just copied the description from my listing.

 

I'm feeling so drained today.   

Must be that the weatherman just said it's 103 out!

Up one degree from a couple hours ago.

What, will it be boiling by midnight? 

Sheesh!

These are keepers.  Headpins by Kim. 

 She's just listed some very similar to these in her numinosity beads shop 

The tin is some that my imaginary friend Kathy gave me eons ago.

Which is why I couldn't part with these. 

 We found this tin while out on a treasure hunt together.

Great summer earrings.

 

 

Turkoman Goes Modern,

Roses For My Beloved

 

Already sold

Gypsy Rose Garden

 

 

These eco-friendly, recycled tin, rustic boho assemblage earrings look like a fabulous party on your ears! The playful combination of colors paired with the beautiful embossed, vintage tin create a romantic gypsy vibe. The carved red roses provide the perfect compliment to the vintage glass turquoise teardrops. Czech glass, stone beads and black chain add a dramatic flair, keeping the floral printed tin from being too sweet.

 

 

Yup, going with the cut and paste descriptions today.

I used up all my creative writing brain cells on listings this week.

The other brain cells have melted.

Yes, really.  



These rustic, assemblage, wire wrapped, hoop earrings

 will be a great addition to your casual earring collection.

 The combination of lime green, jade, deep red and oxidized metals lend a boho gypsy vibe.

Turkoman Goes Modern

Canyon Of The Disappeared Peoples

 

Soaring Birds

These are reserved.

 

 





These assemblage earrings combine beautiful vintage micro mosaics, carved bone flowers, vintage teardrops and soaring birds that I have hand colored with metal enamels, into rustically romantic earrings. Framed by lacy wire wrapping and accented with dashes of deep red, these medium weight earrings are a perfect blend of vintage and modern romance.

This feels so weird to be putting my listing descriptions in here.

Impersonal.

These earrings were inspired by a custom order I had a few months ago

working with a wonderful collection of exquisite micro mosaics.

When I work with micro mosaics now, I think of them as"Willow's Wonders"



 

 

Spoken for

 

Roller printed text on aluminum.  Oxidized and buffed.

Embellished with Petra's gorgeous Platinum droplets.

You have to see them in person to appreciate the amazing luster of this glaze.

Absolutely fabulous!

You can find them here in her shop  Scorched Earth .



This statement necklace features a harmonious combination of polished bronzite stone slabs, sterling silver and smoky quartz. The butterscotch and brown-black of the bronzite stones is enhanced by the cool reflectivity of the sterling beads and leaf clasp as well as the clear, richness of the smoky quartz.



These elegant sterling silver earrings are simple, yet sophisticated with an edge. I can't remember if the smoky teardrop beads I've used in these earrings are smoky quartz or glass. The color and clarity are beautiful, whichever they are.

Stormy Night

These striking assemblage earrings feature a harmonious combination of sparkling rhinestones, frosty lampwork criffles by Numinosity beads, textural lampwork headpins by Havana Beads, black "vinyl record" beads, matte black stone teardrop beads and matte black and white stone beads. The effect is both delicate and ethereal, yet rustic and earthy. Reminiscent of a stormy night. The soft blues of the enamel and lampwork soften the effect of the black components. 

Ok, now I get why you guys list first.

This is too easy.

I usually type it all out here and then type it again in my listing.

Just cuz I like to do things the hard way.

Wow.

Whoda thunk it?!

 



These eco-friendly, recycled tin earrings will be the perfect go to accessory for a dinner out, the office or a fun filled Saturday afternoon. I've highly textured the black and white tin, exposing the silver color of the metal. Combined with the embossed vintage Kuchi medallions, these earrings are modern, relaxed and striking.

For those of you who haven't ever read any of my listings,

you are probably rolling on the floor,

laughing your everything off.

Tribal Shields

 

You might have seen these before.

I'm listing the earrings that were featured in a Belle Armoire Jewelry article

of the same name.  Will list more as they sell.



 

 These were reworked a bit and re-listed.

I added the soldered wire frame around the mother of pearl

and Kuchi top portion.  Just what they needed!

 

 

 

 

Lovers Eye

These rustic Lover's Eye earrings speak of romance. The vintage French text and Lovers eye encased in jewelers grade resin, framed within a soldered wire frame evoke a sense of longing. Hammered heart shapes along with fancy twist rings and drops adorn the simple shape, adding an additional bit of visual texture.

Tribal Shields

 

Similar to those pictured above, only larger

and the verdigris patina is more pronounced in this pair.

 

Soaring Birds 2

 



Also reserved.

Do these look familiar? Very similar to the previous pair.

Had a request for another pair when the first set was reserved. 



So that's the sum total of my jewelry accomplishments. 

 

 I have been working on something else.

 

Which should provide the much needed comic relief of this post.  I've been working on a second Etsy store.  Well, ok, I haven't been working on it much till just recently.  Even though the shop opening date lists November 2012, we all know that's ludicrous as it still isn't open.  Here's my lame attempt at getting the banner "just right".  Yes, I meant it to look like that!

AnvilsAttic

Isn't that how banners are supposed to look?  Like a fun-house mirror?

Sure, it is!  Works for me.

  

So then, what sort of things does one list in a fun-house-mirror-type-of-shop?

 

Stuff like this......

 

 



Vintage itty bitty Japanese figures complete with a gorilla.

Everyone needs an itty bitty gorilla, don't they?

 

Or how about a.....

 

kitschy flamingo vase!

 

Surely we all need this!



or a vintage cocktail shaker complete with recipes.

 

 



I absolutely adore these crocheted hotpads.

I have two for sale.  This one and an aqua one.

A vintage Singer sewing accessories box. 

 



If none of that makes sense to you for a fun house, the next thing surely will.....

A mini village! 

 

For hours of playtime fun!

 



There might also be one or two tasteful things pop up from time to time

 



Audubon bird prints

owls flirting by moonlight 

I bought these beautiful prints for props to photograph my jewelry on.

I'm keeping the ones that look best with the colors I most often use in my jewelry

 and sharing the rest.

 



How about something a bit less demure...

 

HAHAHAHA

 

I have a few of these "bodice rippers".

I buy them to cut them apart.

The juicy and colorful dialogue always seems to add that certain something

when I need to add a saying to a piece.

But these are too fun-I couldn't bring myself to destroy them.

So I will offer them for sale.

 

When I get around to listing things.

 

What I have already learned is that photograghing larger items of

all materials, sizes and shapes, makes taking pictures of jewelry

look like a walk in the park.

 

I've taken a slew of pictures and think I'll have to redo most of them.

Ugh.



 

I'm hoping that trying to run two shops doesn't eat me alive!  hahahaha
I always thought it would be easier to have a shop
where you don't have to make the items before you sell them.
Now I can see that figuring out pricing, shipping, etc is a challenge.
Surely, there will be many more moments of comic relief ahead!
Yes, I am more fully appreciating the amount of work
those of you with two or more shops juggle on an on-going basis.
Kudos to one and all!

So while the above picture expresses how I'm feeling at the moment....

 

 



 

this is how I usually feel.

 

Our art comunity is so helpful and encouraging to one another,

I'm honored to be a part of it. 

 

You've all been absolutely great since I opened my first shop and began writing this blog.

Can't imagine how I would have done it without all of your kindnesses, helpfulness
and many many answers to my tech-challenged questions.

Sincere thanks to all!

That about wraps it up except for
a triple-header with the animal pictures this time...

as I was trimming the roses last evening,  just before dark,
this thing was mere inches from my hand
(thank you Mr. Wonderful for alerting me to it's proximity.  Phew!  Close call!)
then the Mr. proceeds to tell me about the wolf spider he saw in the front yard.
The one that was the size of a crab or a small bird.
ewwwwww.

At which point it took all my self control not to go screaming like a girl.
Did I mention I HATE spiders?
ugh.
and snakes.

I hate spiders and snakes.
Except for snakeskin.
I like that.
Recently one of our friends offered me the rattlesnake that bit their dog. 
All they want is the rattle.
Which means that hopefully I can have the skin and the vertebrae.
I've located two, count em, two taxidermists in the area.
Yeehaw!
Not to worry, the dog survived.  The snake didn't.


So that is the sum total for our adventures since last time.

Enjoy till next time!

Sawatdi (goodbye in Thai)