Hello, beautiful weekened!

Wow has it been a long, long week. I’m so glad it’s Saturday. I’m at the kitchen table watching Torin’s dragons duke it out, wondering if I’m the only one who thinks that Caillou’s laugh is the most annoying thing on earth. (Well, besides Diego’s tendency to end every.frickin.sentence with an exclamation. Look at Baby JAGUAR!!! Let’s open the RESCUE PACK!!! Watch Mama pull her HAIR OUT!!!)

Yeesh. The things we put up with for kids.

But I have lots of things to share today! First, the unexpected lovely gift of a netted scarf from artisan Rita Bartholomew of Knots Indeed (blog) (website).  I signed up for her Craft it Forward project about a year ago. 

Lookee what I got!!!

It’s deliciously soft and fluid.

In case you were wondering, Torin is more interested in showing off his newly lost tooth than the scarf, but you get the idea!  (If you want to see some of my Craft-it-Forward projects for others, check my Flickr page.)

Next, a new listing! I wove this bracelet on my loom yesterday after spending some time plotting spring adventures on Kent Trails. I was in the middle of another project, but you know what it’s like when inspiration hits.

Finally, wanna see what I’m up to, and hope to finish today? It’s a pattern by Carol Dean Sharpe called “Scrolls”, available on Etsy. CD’s version looks lovely and classy, but I was in a bad mood and wanted stark and cheery and bubblegum happy. So, I went with bright green and bright pink.

It makes me happy just looking at it!

I’m just under 2/3 of the way done, so I might get it done by the end of the day. I’m just gonna put Modest Mouse on repeat and ignore the occasional furious screams of Quinn and Torin. *evil laugh*

In other news, I got my tax return money yesterday! w00t! I’m going to make an excursion to my local bead store, BeadQuest, today to blow some on metalsmithing tools . I’m thinking a torch, some stamps, a saw, and some sheet metal. Sooo exciting!

Happy weekend! :)

Some of My Favorite Jewlery Makers

I love Etsy.

I know a lot of people have issues with Etsy, but I fundamentally see it as a place to set up shop - and that's about it. I think that all your relationship cultivation (which is what really leads to sales) happens elsewhere, such as through Facebook, Twitter, blogs, stalls at local markets, and wearing your jewelry where people ask about it.

Through social media, I have come to know some wonderful, amazingly talented people, and have since become patrons of their Etsy shops. These women have inspired me, their friendships get me through cold days, and their jewelry brings me much needed beauty in the midst of long, colorless winters.

Carol Dean Sharpe of Sand Fibers is a continual source of inspiration for me. She is the first Etsian I really got to know, and I love following her tales of her 3 dogs and warm New Mexico life next to a Pecan Orchard. She is always kind and has a wonderful, thankful spirit. My favorite Sand Fibers pieces I'm lucky enough to own:



Kristie Roeder of ArtisanClay is another of my favorites. Her unique and absolutely magical beads, cabochons, and other art pieces are stunning, and really match her lighthearted, beautiful personality. Hers are probably my favorite beads to use. (If you want to see pieces I've made using ArtisanClay pieces, you can check out my Flickr page or my shop.) I also own a necklace by her that I love:


Finally, Jennifer Ledford of Tocadora Leather is another amazing artist whose work I consider my personal crack. It was hard to choose just a handful of the ten (yes, 10!) cuffs of hers I own. She is a musical wonderwoman.


Check out their shops. You won't be disappointed:)