minimalist schminimalist.

I think it's become fairly obvious that I am not a minimalist. Never have been. Never will be. My studio might be the prime example of that. Well, and the fact that we have 12 dogs and two cats. I find it hard to understand the minimalist concept/aesthetic. I mean, I guess I get the idea of not being tied down by a bunch of "stuff". And I do find my attachment to things to be pretty irrational at times. Like the time I laid on the hood of the car I had just sold and bawled my eyes out. Or when I was five and cried crocodile tears as my grandmothers old sofa was hauled out and the new one brought in. Obviously this is not a new aspect of my personality.
Some of my "clutter" is useful, some is nostalgia, some is sentimental, some is inspirational, some just makes me smile. For example: this bulletin board is VERY useful. It has my to do's, my assistant's to do's, ideas, and my photo of Raymond Burr. Very useful.
My desk. Pretty much all useful. Full, but useful. And my brand new Jonathan Adler mug that I am in love with and I am fairly certain it makes coffee taste better.
I have photos and magazine clippings stuff all over the place of things that inspire me, my collection of Perry Mason DVD's is at the ready, and this painting by Susan Gibson makes me smile every single day!
...more useful info, measurements I need to remember, bubble gum wrappers I need to keep, song lyrics written on scraps of paper, and little photo of Viggo Mortenson to swoon over from time to time.
I also have stacks and stacks of little bowls. In my kitchen I have stacks and stacks of big bowls, but in my studio these little bowls hold solder, jump rings, cut outs and saints for bottlecaps, random beads, and my uncle's gold tooth is in there somewhere...
It may seem odd and random to any one who doesn't know me. But I think to everyone who does know me it is probably pretty much just what you'd expect. This last photo is probably one of the more important things in my studio - my collection of prescription bottles, fabricated by me for my senior show my last semester of college. These remind me of where I've been, of what I've learned, both emotionally and educationally. It's not for every one - thank goodness.

August Birthdays

Yes, this month was Preacher's birthday. His 12th birthday. No matter how many times I say it I still pinch myself. You can tell by this photo how thrilled he was to be having a birthday - at this point all he knows is that it involved wearing a paper cone and annoying elastic strap on his head for point one second. The reason this is all he knows is because his horrible-rotten-no-good mom has not arranged his birthday party or made his cake. I know. I suck. After all he has been through you'd think I could get my $&#* together and have a big blow out. But as my dear friend Casey pointed out today "Preacher is VERY smart, but I don't think he knows that it's not August anymore." Perhaps she is right. So, Preacher will be having an early September party I think.
August also happens to be my birthday month. I'm pretty certain that this is still my best birthday photo to date so it's what I am still going with. Not to mention I much prefer the number of candles on this cake to the number of candles I would have on a cake this year. So, happy birthday me and happy birthday Big Man.

It's a Living

Do you remember that sitcom in the 80's? It's a Living with Jillian Anderson? When I typed my title for this post the theme song for that show went playing through my head. It is scary to think what information I have purged in order to retain a theme song for a show that I am pretty certain most people don't remember. I have a whole brain section dedicated to tv theme songs in fact. I do. Alice - check. Silver Spoons - check. The Love Boat - che, oh, who are you kidding, we all know that one!

Anyway, this has nothing to do with what I wanted to share and am so excited about! So excited and spazzy that I went into a whole diatribe on 80's pop culture. So, here it is: one of my necklaces is in this months issue of Southern Living!!!!! Whoo Hoo!
I love it!, It's one of those "how to get this look" bits. Very cool. And I am featured in an outfit with freakin' J.Crew. I'm big time. Well, I'm not really big time but it feels pretty big time. And the bit from the outfit wearer is pretty sweet...
So, if you wanna "get this look" you can create your very own necklace like this one on my "Build Your Own" page.

I gotta say, it's pretty fun getting exposure like this. I mean, obviously it's good for business, but it's Fun seeing something that you made in print like this. I think I'm on a free press high right now.

the verdict is in

No kids for us. Matthew (my not-so-little little brother) is leaving for college tomorrow and it is killing me. How do you parents do it? If I'm a wreck over my brother imagine how I would flip out over my own kid. Thank God dogs don't go off to university! Geez.

I need your votes!!!

I am entering Preacher in the Save-an-Angel Calendar photo contest and I am fit-to-be-tied to choose a photo to submit. I just goes with out saying that he is THE most handsome boy in the world, we all know that, right? But how do I choose which photo to submit - I keep going back and forth. I have narrowed it down to these seven. So, will you help me?

First, let me tell you a tiny bit about the calendar so you'll know why Preacher would be such a great poster-boy. This is Save an Angel's 1st calendar and the proceeds from the calendar will help dogs with lymphoma receive life saving treatments. A cause after my own heart, right?

So, if you feel so inclined just leave me a comment letting me know which photo would look best in a calendar. Thank you!!! The above photo is number one.

number two

number three

number four

number five

number six

number seven

Thanks so much for helping. I would love for my sweet boy to be in a calendar that would help other dogs with lymphoma. How sweet would that be?!?

yearning...

I celebrated my birthday in New York last week. I've got tons and tons of pictures to share, but first off let me tell you this: My sweet, sweet husband got me a cake from Magnolia Bakery, possibly one of my most favorite places on earth. I always get a red velvet cupcake when we're there, but this time I got an entire red velvet cake. Dear Lord it was delicious! They make this amazing vanilla frosting, NOT cream cheese frosting like you usually find on red velvet cakes, no, this is light and creamy and so vanilla-y. Oh, red velvet cake, I miss you so.

Happy Birthday to me, two days ago.

I never thought I would be one of those people who hated having birthdays. I guess it's not really the birthday thing, it's the turning another year older thing. But I really am surprised by how much it bothers me. It's just a number, it's just another day, all those things people say. I think I've figured out that it's the whole biological clock thing. It's not that I necessarily want kids, but it's that I resent it being taken out of my hands. I think that's what the whole birthday thing boils down to in a nut shell.

So, what does that all have to do with a Smurf cake? Well, this photo was from my birthday 30 years ago. Me and Kim, still best friends and still celebrating birthdays together, for more than 33 years now. And still fans of smurfs.

My friend Kathy

Don't we all have those friends who just make us feel just completely inadequate? But not because they try to, in fact quite the opposite, they try to make you feel like you are as competent as they are. Meet my dear, wonderful friend Kathy (the one in yellow, not the dog).

We met when she found a dog and was willing to bend over backwards and sideways to save him. She's been a part of Blue Dog Rescue ever since. I could go on and on but the short version is this: her husband recently had a heart transplant and through it all Kathy has continued her Blue Dog board duties, continued to foster, continued to work full time, drives back and forth to the Heart Hospital in Houston, and runs the restaurant that her husband bought just before he got sick. She is an amazement. When I think of all she has to do on a daily basis I feel faint, but she does it all and really never complains.

Kathy has been through hell and back over the last several months and yet she always has a smile on her face, always has time to ask how I am and if I need anything, she is always making me laugh, and just being her cheerful self.

So, the reason I am sharing is this: her friends want to do something for her and for her husband. It has been a difficult time and we want to try to make things easier in any way we can. One thing we thought would help is trying to get people into their restaurant to eat - here's the deal, the food is great, people just don't know about it. So, here's the plan - if you live in Austin, on August 7th go eat at Gyros +. That's it, that's all you've gotta do. And let me tell you what to order because I am an expert: hummus with Israeli salad and an order of fries with chipotle mayo. It might sound odd, but that's what I get. It's my favorite. I could eat the hummus and pita until I explode! Other options include the falafel (very yummy!) and I hear the chicken sandwich is darn tasty too. We are also having a silent auction that day with wonderful items from yours truly, a weekend in Port Aransas, a great package from Premier Animal Hospital, GC to the Ghost Room and The Ginger Man, and a lot more. August 7th, Gyros + on the corner of Burnet Road and Pasadena (just south of Northcross Mall). So this is all I've gotta say - Be there or be square.

what put this smile on my face?

It might be that I adore this man, it might be that I have a belly full of yummy Perilla, it might be that I am headed for the Brooklyn Flea, it might be that I am on an air-conditioned train in August, it might be that I am in New York City, it might be all of the above...

That's a wrap.

See this face? This is a happy face. The week long sale is just beginning its final day and I gotta tell you, I'm pooped. I never dreamed it would be as successful as it has been. Man, you guys rock! It's been insane and knowing that I can function on about four hours of sleep is good info to have.


So, for Friday the sale is this: buy a Metalsgirl gift card in ANY amount and I'll double it. Yes, double it. Now you can get that ring you've been wanting or get a couple of impressive gift cards for holiday gifts. Whatever you want! It's good for anything on my website, custom, close out, anything. Happy Friday everyone!

work, work, work

This week has been all about work. So much work that I actually started to fall asleep sitting up just a few minutes ago. Glad I didn't have a torch in my hand. But it's been wonderful. So many orders and such nice notes from customers to go along with those orders. Sometimes I have to pinch myself - who gets to do what they love day in and day out? It's surreal some times.


So, Day three of sale extravaganza is in motion. This one is actually my favorite. It's not the biggest sale of the week, but it's far and away the most personal. Today is the one of a kind sale. 30% off of everything on that page. I love making jewelry, I love making all of it, but the one off items are just a tiny bit more fun. I give myself permission to go anywhere with it, any shape, any color, no color, resin, stones, mixes of chains and patinas and metals, no rules. Sometimes it results in something I love and adore and want to keep and sometimes it a big fat oops. But even the oops are okay because they give me insight into new do's and don'ts. So, here are a few of those pieces that resulted from a fun day of playin' on the playground, so to speak.

yep, it's day three!

It is day three of my sale-o-rama! ~buy ONE get ONE free Bangle Charm Bracelets~ Check it!!

hmmmm...

So, don't get me wrong, I adore what I do for a living. I love, love, love it and I am the luckiest girl in the world for getting to work at home creating things all day. But for some reason my blog posts about jewelry are dull, da, dull, dull, DULL. While my posts about my dogs are more, I think, vivid, passionate I guess. Not sure what I think about that. Not sure why my passion for what I do doesn't come through like my adoration for my dogs does. But I mean seriously, look at that face!! He kills me. He is laying on the arm of the couch as if he were a 12 pound cat instead of a 60 pound pit bull. I guess Pasqual just has such a large personality, as do most of our dogs, you just can't help but gush.

But, this moose bangle has loads of personality as well. Seriously, I think it's freakin' adorable. And I can say that because I didn't make the vintage moose charm, I just put it together with the little vintage pearl and the white resin and herb charm. But it's a pretty cute combo if I do say so myself. Per-SON-al-a-tee! Imagine if you were wearing it - people would say "oh, do you collect Moose's?" Is it moose's or just moose for the plural? Oh, anyway, they might think "She must be from Canada." My point being that it would evoke a reaction possibly, add to your already charming-I'm-sure personality.

My whole point of this post is getting dreadfully lost. Day two of the week of sales is already in full gear even though it is only three hours into day two (yes, it's 3am!). The sale of the day is Buy 2 close out items and get the 3rd FREE! Yes siree, Free! So hop on over, or lope on over as I think a moose would do, and check out the plethora of close out items. I am afraid that Mr. Moose here might be gone already. But if you have your heart set on Mr. Moose just shoot me an e-mail or leave me a comment and I can make one for you. But seriously, the sale has only been going for three hours and things are already fuh-lying out the door!

50% off earrings

Today: 50% off earrings. Tomorrow: well, you'll have to tune in to see. But it is five days of sales and five days of free shipping.

In these economic times I doubt jewelery is high on most people's priority list. But I have such loyal customers, such fantastic tried and true shoppers and they are still buying. So I thought I'd offer up a couple of deals to make the shopping a little easier. And it helps me too. Win win.

Oh, and if you're curious about the display props - those are pill bottles with song lyric prescriptions. When I was in college, about to graduate, everyone has to participate in a "senior show". Most of us spent the entire semester gearing up for this gallery show of our work. My work was a series of pill bottles. Anti-depressants to be specific. I etched a "prescription" into each bottle. They were really song lyrics. I cast sterling silver bottle tops and hung a medicine cabinet in the gallery. I was really proud of that piece.

I don't get to do much sculptural work these days, but it's pretty cool that I can use that last college product in my work today. very cool.

attachment issues

Don't you just love this hammer? Okay, so maybe you might not love it, but I absolutely adore it. I bought this hammer for my very first semester of beginning metals. That was, um, almost 15 years ago and this is still my favorite hammer. My dad had to use his favorite tool, duct tape, to reattach the head to the handle, but other than that it's perfectly perfect. I'm just a a girl in love with her hammer.