Saw, Solder, Sand, Repeat…

Here's an example of just a few of the pieces I've been working for the Etsy Vancouver show for Etsy's Made in Canada Day, September 27th (find me under the dome of the "ice rink" at Robson Square!). 

There's a lot more where that came from but I'll break it up into several posts. 

More in a few days! 

xo

Check this baby out!

I had to hold onto these pictures for a little while because this one was being given as a gift and I couldn't ruin the surprise! Well, the flashy hunk of amethyst and silver you see below has happily found her way home so now I can share!

Isn't she a beauty?! It's a good thing it was claimed before I even built it otherwise I surely would have kept this one for myself. 

♥  

I've got my nose to the grindstone trying to pump out some work for the big Etsy Vancouver show coming up in a month! And filling orders. Be advised that I may have to put the shop on vacation for a short stint so I can focus solely on building stock. But we'll see... 

Keep an eye right here and on my FaceBook page for some sneak peeks of work that will be available at the show. 

Snippets of Summer

And once again I've let the blog fall to the wayside… 

You've been keeping me so busy in the studio! I am incredibly grateful! It has been a struggle just to keep up with my orders this summer and I couldn't be happier about it. With the kids being out of school and all of the fabulous summertime distractions this city has to offer, it has, unfortunately, also meant that studio time is at a premium and I haven't had much of a chance to add anything new to the shop in the way of one-of-kind work--but I'll have some news about that in a minute!

In non-jewelry-but-still-creative news: after taking a bit of a hiatus from photography (except for product shots), I've been slinging my camera over my shoulder again before heading out the door in the mornings and trying to capture at least a few shots every day. It feels good. 

So… some pretty big news on the work front!

I applied to and have been accepted to show at Etsy Vancouver for Etsy's big Made in Canada Market on September 27th! As a general rule I don't really do shows (nor do I use the term "as a rule"), so this is a kind of a big deal. Mark your calendars and come out and see me and my jewelry (and the work of many other talented Etsians) at Robson Square. 

Once again I'll be a busy little Canadian beaver building up stock for the show until then. And for those of you who aren't local, the good news is that whatever doesn't sell at the show (there is sure to be plenty) will go into the etsy shop afterwards. So there should be a good supply of new ready-to-ship work available, just in time Christmas. ;)

My next post should have some fun shots of some pretty fabulous pieces I've been working on lately. I'm just not allowed to share them yet! 

Until then...

Xo

Forest Nymphs

The girls and I had to entertain ourselves all weekend as Dr. Foxy was a very busy beaver (hmm... mixed metaphor? oh well, it stays). 

We managed okay, my little forest nymphs and I.

Oh, and as promised I listed a couple of new rings. There's still a turquoise Wonderland Ring on the bench that's being a bit of a boor, but it should be up sometime this week. 

 SOLD

Available here

It was a busy week in the shop! I spent today restocking necessities in the shop and filling some made-to-order orders. 

A day making wedding bands is always a good day. 

Thank you all for your lovely support! It means the world!

xo

Simon Says

Three new turquoise rings in the shop tomorrow.

Don't miss them!

We're All Mad Here

The Mad Hatter: You're not the same as you were before. 

You were much more... "muchier." You've lost your "muchness." 

Alice: My "muchness?" 

The Mad Hatter: (Points to Alice's heart) In there.

I recently re-watched Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland, and was inspired to create a line of rings for the Muchy Alice at the end of the film. Warrior Alice. The Alice who can slay a dragon! 

Or maybe... maybe they're actually for the Alice at the beginning of the film. To remind her that she *is* the Alice at the end of the film...

Wear this ring and summon your muchness.

In the shop here 

(sorry, the turquoise one is already gone, but I promise there will be more!). 

~~~~~

I've had a rather unproductive couple of weeks in the studio (sick kids, pro-d days, just some-of-those-days, blah, blah, blah), but it all turned out okay since these rings were the final result and I am so so in love with them. I have a few more things near completion on my bench and will definitely be making more of these also!

I trust you all had a good Halloween. Halloween is always kind of a big deal in our family. It was always our favorite, but then our "little" one decided to come into the world on that day five years ago and now it's especially extra special.

And I have to say, Vancouver does Halloween well. 

We had so much fun trick or treating last night.

I've never seen a neighborhood so in the spirit.

So many spooky houses.

Grown ups playing witches and ghouls and goblins.

Fireworks!

Even honest-to-goodness fog.

It was straight out of a movie set. 

Couldn't have been more perfect.

Happy Friday, my friends!

xo

Cat on a sill in late October (a short photo series)

Oh, and a few new items in the shop. ;)

Hope your Monday is moving along smoothly!

Color Therapy

Today I spent a couple of hours stringing beads. It was meditative and the resulting color explosion made my heart happy. Though I suppose that also could have been due to the sunshine that graced us with its warmth on this glorious autumn day. 

A Vancouverite never takes a sunny day for granted. 

I ended up gifting these babies away, but they were just a beginning. These seed beads popped up in some of my designs last week and now they're just begging me to incorporate them into some work in a bigger way. 

Stay tuned. 

xo

First Fruits

The first fruits from my new studio. Finished, photographed, and listed in the shop!

I have several other pieces in various stages of completion on my bench which may or may not make it into the shop this week. I probably won't get as much time in the studio this week (I've got appointments, parent/teacher conferences, house guests to prepare for and Canadian Thanksgiving to shopping to do!), but I feel pretty good about what I finished last week!

More soon!

xo

All moved in and back at the bench!

Oh dear lord, it's good to be back to work!

 I was so afraid that I'd get back to my bench and not remember how to do anything, or worse, not have any ideas! But that has not been an issue. I've really only been at it two days (between the late school start here and sick kids and sick mommies and a lovely visit from my parents and various other obstacles to getting moved in to my studio, I didn't get to finally sit down for a full day of real work until this past Wednesday -- and then of course the kids were off school on Friday!), but I can already tell that this is going to be a really productive space for me. The energy is just right and it feels so... 

GOOD!

I've reopened the shop, but so far with just a few of my made-to-order listings (Wedding Bands and Simple Dimple Earrings). I hope to have a pile of one-of-a-kind pieces finished and ready to list within a week or so. I'm working on several rings, some earrings and a couple of necklaces. Can't wait to hold some finished pieces in my hands again! 

And yes, the few of you who have been patiently waiting for me to finish up custom work will be hearing from me this week (your stuff is there in that pile, I promise!). If you've paid a deposit, I'm on it. If we've just talked about custom work, you might want to contact me again as it's highly likely I've forgotten what we talked about at this point. ;)

The best news of all is that the kids are doing great at their new school. I mean really, really great. It couldn't be going better if Stephanie and I had scripted it. So thank you to all of my friends and family and fans who sent us love and prayers and positive thoughts because it's working.

xo

Wait... Where'd it go?!

The week, that is. I feel like it slipped right through my fingers!

Not that I have nothing to show for it. In fact, considering I've been single-parenting it again this week I think I was actually quite productive! But thank the good lord that the Foxy one gets home tomorrow. 

I'm exhausted.

I added a couple of things to the shop today. I still have a boulder opal necklace that didn't make it into this shop update, so that one will come some time next week. For now I've got two new rings. This first one I'm really excited about. It's my first time working with faceted gemstones. It's not a flat-backed cab, it's a brilliant-cut amethyst and its light-reflecting goodness reaches all the way down to the bottom of the four layers of sterling sheet that make up this piece. 

You're not just a cog in the machine

You're unique and beautiful

 and you bring your own brand of sparkle wherever you go.

Also in the shop now is this "little" aventurine number:

Something about the green color of this ring felt very calming to me so I added the word "PEACE" to the band.

So despite my raw fingertips and the fact that the house is complete and utter disaster, it was darn good week. And now  I'm off to put the little one (who at this very moment is emptying the contents of the junk drawer onto the dining room floor) to bed and then I just might tidy up the house a little. And then I'm going to poor myself a glass of wine and take a bath. 

Happy weekend my friends!

xo

OH!! And just because I'm in a good mood on this Friday the 13th, I've decided to have a little weekend sale. Use code JUSTBECAUSE at checkout to get 20% off anything in the shop this weekend.

Finally Some New Work!

I know, it's been a while! I've been busy working on custom work, caring for sick kids, and, well, other stuff. But I finally have some new work ready for the shop. And more coming. 

Here's a preview:

Vintage Orange Glass set in sterling silver with hand pierced leaves sprouting into a dainty sterling chain

Carnelian and Sterling (size 6)

and finally, moonstone (size 7)

All will be in the shop tomorrow.

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

xo