Bleh Weds

I know that's exactly what you want to see when you visit a blog "bleh" but there you go. It's been crazy busy and chaotic at work with no signs of slowing down in any way. I've had some jewelry ideas that I've been percolating but by dinner and house pick, it's just too late for any studio time.

I did invest in an awesome metalsmithing book that I think will be bedtime reading for tonight. I think some of it might be a little over my head but I'm giving it a go.

Also, I got confirmation for visiting the Neon Graveyard on the Vegas trip. Woo hoo!

Chandeliers Everywhere

I love chandeliers and was thrilled to see this pendant at Michael's. I wanted to keep it simple so I had the black stone beads and just used the annealed steel (I love the black on black scheme with wire and bead) to make the chain and closure. I think I'm getting better at these closures and the wire wrapping. I really have been trying to use some of my existing supplies and just supplementing with a few things here and there. So far so good.

My next plan is to use several pieces to make a charm necklace type thing. It's inspired by Deryn Mentock, Kelly Snelling and Amy Hanna . It's still in the percolating stage so I'll keep you updated as it develops.

Findings

I got some fun goodies in the mail. I love all the yummy silvers, pinks, and greens in addition to the regular chains. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them but I think I've got some pendants and charms that are just waiting for these babies. :)

I've just finished reading Kat Richardson's latest book and it was awesome! It's an urban fantasy but she combines folklore, history and fiction beautifully. I highly recommend this one.

Charming

These went out in the mail for the Alphabet Swap I'm participating in and I have to say that it was pretty cute to see all of these little moo cards bagged up and ready to head out. The charms will be posted once everyone receives them but I will give a hint that I had to buy a drill press and enlist the husband's aid in their creation but I think it was worth it.

The weather here is overcast and in the 70's. This is not Texas, it's heaven!

Charm Necklace

This is a quickie necklace I made for my friend Suzanne. She's one of my favorite people. She has a knack for finding the good in almost everything and everyone and while that could be annoying if she wasn't also kind of snarky and sarcastic. Definitely one of my favorite people. I found these great pendants at Michael's and I knew this one was her. I added in a vintage Lady of Fatima charm just for good measure.

Happy Labor Day!

The weekend theme has been home improvement and to that end I made my husband climb up on a very tall ladder and hang my number plates (I love typography in all forms) which I love in a way that's not entirely healthy. I.E. making my husband climb up on a very tall ladder to hang these above the mantle. I'm really happy with this particular vignette now - even if the plates are slightly off balance - don't tell him. We aren't acknowledging it after the drama that was the hanging on the high ladder. :)

We also picked up a couple of dining room chairs from West Elm. The others are on back order so we can finally eat at a table - if we so choose to - mostly it finishes off the dining room/library/bar room that has become our dining room. Actually, I really like it. It feels slightly pub-ish. We also got a drill press but I'm not ready to display those pics just yet.

On the art front, this is a piece I made this weekend and am absurdly excited that I had all of these elements already. Typically I go and buy a zillion beads, wire, etc then end up using mostly things I have. Not this time! I gathered all my elements and made short work of them while catching up on season 2.5 of Battlestar Galactica. I watch in my studio since my husband can't stand even hearing anything related to the show. He also only liked Doctor Who when Martha was on so I'm back to square one there as well. Anyway, I love this necklace with the combination of pottery beads, quartz and metal piece all brought together with steel wire. Where has this wire been all my life? :)

Now, I'm headed out to the Knox/Henderson area (almost downtown part of Dallas with some funky shops and larger stores like Crate and Barrel, Z Gallerie, etc) for some patio time at the Cafe Toulouse - maybe some Mac & Cheese as well. Hope you guys had an awesome Labor Day weekend.

Happy Monday!

Muses

I've got some of my favorite inspiration pieces framed and on the studio wall where they are the perfect muses. Two of these are prints from Emily Martin and the other is from the Saint Victor Diaries. I love them and think they look awesome!

The Perfect Pink Shoes

I've found the perfect pink shoes and my husband bought them for me! Strangely, he has issues with my previous habit of spending $50 and getting 5 pairs of shoes that lasted for two months. Now, it's buy the nice shoes that last for 5 years hence these perfect pink shoes that are now on my feet. They are incredibly comfortable, pink and they have sparkles! Yes, I'm in girl heaven! I may even sleep in them.

I had avoided the ubiquitous feet pics for such a long time on this blog but I had to cave for these. I guess I could've taken their pic without the feet but somehow that seems kind of lonely. You'll just have to put up with the deformed and strangely tall second toe. At 5'2 I'll take height in any form I can find! :) Also, I love the new line of OPI specifically for Sephora. They have all the great matte colors except Metro Chic which I can't find anywhere. Damn that perfect color.

Hi ho hi ho off to sleep I go

I'm choosing to believe all of these very nice and smart people who say I need more sleep and am heading to bed early. I have some nifty pics of work in progress but that'll keep me up for way more than my bed time since I'm 105 and have to go to bed at 8:30. Also, I've got a migraine percolating that I really want to head off. 

Hope everyone's having a terrific Friday and heading into a fabulous weekend.

More Lisa Kaus inspirations

A co-worker of my husband's requested some tins of her own so I made these for her this weekend. Thanks to a tip from Tina these dried in a jiffy!

Bad Day

This was not the best day ever. I'm going to bed and hoping for a better attitude. In the mean time, I day dream about my favorite place, the British Museum, and walking through Russell Square. Where's your daydream refuge?

Weds

That's the brilliance I'm working with here. Weds sums it up. I have not fallen off the planet but it feels like it. It's been super busy and rainy here lately (rain is fine though and it's not a million degrees anymore!). Even so, I'm planning our fall getaways. The husband and I are driving to Las Vegas in mid-October with a weekend trip in Santa Fe so any must see sights along the way are appreciated (Bo, I'll bribe you with Twisted Root for some road trip to-dos). 

The pre-Halloween weekend I'm going to California to take Cindy Forrester's classes. I'm sharing a room with the lovely Kecia and darling Jen from Art Nest.  And that should tie in nicely with Silver Bella in November.  Oh yes, girliness and art fun will be had!

Buttons, buttons and more buttons

I finally got the studio put back together enough to risk getting my button maker out. I didn't want to get it out before in case I lost pieces parts but it's so easy and straight forward that I needn't have worried. This first batch is all Wizard of Oz themed and will be sent to my sister in Kansas. I hope she likes them. The others were just betas but still turned out well.

Art Show

Every year, well the last two, we've had an art show at work. Last year I got second place in the jewelry category but this year... Best in Show! Which by the way, is a fabulous movie. Anyway, my Louvre box brought it home for me so go me!

Mostly that was the best news of the day since I spent the rest of the day fighting a serious migraine. I had to take the hard core drugs at work and my friend Mark had to drive me to Rolland's office so he could take over carpool duty. Not pretty my friends. The Olympics and the late nights are killing me. I have the headache to prove it!

Uneventful

It's been a really quiet week here in McKinney (for all the Prairie Home fans out there!). We're still working on getting the house back to normal but mostly we're watching TV and catching up on the Olympics - plus a few other items to make room for more Olympics. The plan is to settle into the living room, the one normal room we've got at the moment, with a pot of tea and cheer on the US. 

Hope you guys had a great weekend! I promise more interesting things next week - hopefully!