crafty goodness. and a good cause!

one of my 'creative' goals this year was to participate in one craft show/vendor event this year (babies sure take up a lot of time so i am starting small) and it looks like it is going to happen (else i lose my booth fee!) so i have been working on some new things and bringing back some old designs in order to fill up the space that i've been assigned.  some previews...

double duty for the bulletin board that usually hangs above my desk at the office

new pink (yes, PINK!) whisper-thin hoops... i am test-driving them as we speak to see how they hold up.  but they sure look pretty.

so i will be at the "Women/Men That ROCK!" event in Newmarket, ON, helping to raise money for "Look Good Feel Better", an organization that helps people with cancer get through treatment and beyond.  the details are HERE - tickets are only $10 and is all ages!  i am donating a portion of the proceeds to this cause too - because it's amazing. 

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Rizzoli & Isles... and The Lovely Smith! (not to mention another Nerdy sighting)

so last week was pretty momentous for my little bitty jewelry line.... my earrings showed up on the gorgeous Carla Houston on one of my favorite shows, TNT's Rizzoli & Isles on this season's episode 16!  it was so amazing to see them live in action and know that she loved them too.  thanks as always to The Artisan Group for the opportunity!  you can get a pair of your very own HERE.

the girls and i were also amazed to see Rosanna Pansino wearing her fingertip knot ring on her Nerdy Nummies "PI Day Pie" YouTube episode - and no one wears it like she does!  you can get one from me HERE!

it's always so gratifying to see people wearing my designs and makes it all worthwhile.  next up - i think i will be doing my first craft show in FOREVER, so stay tuned!

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geeking out... over nerdy nummies & Rosanna Pansino!

so my blogging has taken a backseat to practically everything else in my life.  this, in particular, can be attributed to my family taking over every computer in the house to watch YouTube.  sigh.  i am hoping that my new LG Android phone will help solve that problem.  (it definitely has helped with my new Instagram addiction.  thank you, Android!  let's hope i can figure out the blogger app!)

my almost-6-year-old daughter loves Rosanna Pansino, the awesomely geeky baker girl from Nerdy Nummies, and we love watching her.  so, she gets it into her head that we need to send her some jewelry.  we pick a ring (as seen above), and off it goes into the mailbox to Nerdy Nummies heaven.

today, i am scrolling through Instagram and...

YIPPEE!!!!!  needless to say, we are BEYOND thrilled.  and of course, it looks perfect on her!  thanks, Rosanna - for supporting us indie handmade artists!!!!

want one for your very own?  check it out HERE - you can pick from sterling silver, rose gold filled, or Rosanna's 14K gold filled version!

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the art of neglect... and a pre-holiday sale!

so i've been quite neglectful of this blog and i'm sort of embarrassed.  i look back at past posts and like seeing where i've been and what was inspiring.  so now, i am posting again - admittedly, because i'd like to show off some of the things i've been working on in the rare spare moments i've had between the family, The Walking Dead, and the day job. 

gifted to the stylist of "BONES" - not sure if they'll use it, but i sure love mine!

fingers crossed - these babies were chosen for an unnamed TNT network show - i'll let you know when the episode airs!

the latest incarnation of my fidget rings - 'jewelry for anxious people' as dubbed by my friend Anne-Marie from 'do not faint'

i've been working on expanding my "fidget" jewelry.  i've had some amazingly positive feedback from customers who have said that their fidget rings from my shop have worked better than any therapy or medication to help them with their symptoms.  seriously - it makes everything - EVERYTHING - worth it and fuels me all the more to keep making them.

and of course, in celebration of the holidays, from today until December 1st, 2014, everything in my shop is 15% off with the coupon code "NOVEMBER15"!  it's not to early to start your holiday shopping!!!!!

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what makes you beautiful.

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breakfast muffin.

lucky for me, I have had the whole March Break off with the girls, which means lots of crafty goodness.  which includes cooking.  in between batches of chocolate chip cookies, I macgyver'ed the sausage pancake muffin recipe that S from work was tempting me with all week.  the recipe S used is here and is much more complicated that I have time for, but she did make it and she said they were wonderful.  I adjusted it for me and here it is for you to try.  it's probably the quickest and easiest recipe EVER. seriously.  breakfast bliss in a muffin cup.

you will need:

- pancake mix and whatever the box asks you to use - water, milk, eggs, etc.  the mix I used only asked for water.
- precooked and cooled breakfast sausages (I used breakfast leftovers)
- shredded cheddar cheese

mix up enough pancake batter for the amount of muffins you want to make.  cut up the breakfast sausage into bits and insert into the batter.  sprinkle the cheese on top.  bake at 350 degrees till the batter is set and the tops of the muffins are golden brown and the cheese melted.

S says to pour syrup on the tops before you eat them but I prefer mine without.  I am sure bacon or peameal or leftover ham or maybe even smoked turkey would work just as well.

you're welcome.  seriously. 

(I think I've gained 5 pounds.)

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distance.

oh, christina perri. how did I miss this one? being a former "twilight" fan (I don't know if it's because I'm now an old lady but the glitter has worn off) I will admit that I fell under the spell of ms. perri's 'a thousand years'. however, this song - made even better with the addition of the fabulous jason mraz - is the perfect blend of melancholy, heartbreak and yearning. yeah. sappy, I know. chalk it up to little sleep, overwork, and winter blues, perhaps? too bad.

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oxidized.

so I am sure that the dude who requested photos of this ring oxidized isn't going to order it but it was neat to dig out the liver of sulfur compound and play chemist for an afternoon.  I love how the dark patina roots itself deep into the details, which really makes for an amazing look.  I think I like it.

 

 

here is the ring right after being dipped in the solution.  it was a beautiful blue-black but it obscured the detailing.  probably after some wear it would have buffed the black somewhat, which might have revealed the detailing some more, but I'm not a huge fan of this look.  

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it's time.

I've been spending a lot of time with the radio lately - it feels like I've been buried in paperwork at the office - but it's given me the chance to find some new favorites and rediscover some old gems. hello, imagine dragons.

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custom made.

some of the most beautiful things I end up making come out of the mind of someone else.  I am just loving this gorgeous stack of sterling rings.  who knew the spinnerettes could look so stunning along with the other textures here?  (too bad they are too small for me or I would have considered stealing them.)

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new.

have been working on some new ideas and a pretty fantastic custom order.  above - twelve skinny stacking rings - six in sterling, six in 14K gold fill - as per a customer's request.  love love love them.

another view of the rings. 

some mini fingertip rings - not sure if they're shop-worthy yet but I quite like them.  I am afraid to test drive them though in case I lose them.

and a larger size version of the wavy fingertip ring.  reminds me of the sine/cosine wave that they taught us in trigonometry.  too bad I failed trig - this would have been a nice tribute to the subject.

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marry me.

I've had the honor of having been asked to make jewelry for several weddings over the past few months.  I love the idea of brides giving my rings to their bridesmaids!  these 14K gold filled knot rings are heading off to a wedding in Georgia.  oh, love.

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resolute.

so of course new year's day has rolled around and in the fresh crisp light of morning I am happy to close the 2013 chapter of my life and put it away. as always, making resolutions come to mind as it does to millions of other people and I set myself up to fail. therefore, I am setting a different type of resolution this year - the kind of resolution that fosters my creative side and will be easy to keep. nothing to do with losing weight or aiming for a promotion at work, but a concerted effort to try to stay inspired. I will spend more time listening to music... spend more time with my girls... spend more time sketching and really taking a wide eyed look at the world... spend more time making jewelry... and taking the time to just breathe.

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holiday.

so I am seriously guilty of abandoning my blog. in the return back to work and the end of my maternity leave and then the rapid onset of the holidays, this little space has been neglected. i'm hoping in the new year I can get back to posting - resolutions, much? watch this space for boxing day and new year sales - they are coming up and you can save big!!! in the meantime, I am posting my favorite Christmas song - a bit of a guilty pleasure - and wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season.

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round and round.

I've always loved the open hoop concept and now I have a new design in the shop - with a nod to my art history background.  Spiral Jetty, anyone?  you can get your own pair right HERE, right now!

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a daily dose giveaway!

so i'm giving away a set of these amazing tiny open heart earrings - they're ecofriendly (they're made from reclaimed wire) minimalist and romantic - over on the Daily Dose of Handmade blog!  gifted to select members of the press at this year's Primetime Emmy Awards, i'm so proud to be giving a set to the lucky winner!  you can click HERE to check out the details and enter!

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new in the shop...

showing off some new creations - I have been working on my bezel settings as well as some new additions to the Celestial line and the fidget rings.  thoughts?

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chapel song.

yup. my new favorite song - we are augustines, where have you been all my life??? OMG SERIOUSLY.

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fly me to the moon.

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500 miles.

like a lot of other college freshmen, i loved the proclaimers. some 20 plus years later, this version has made it's way onto my playlist. longevity, much?

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