:discomedusa:

october etsymetal blog carnival: etsymetal & me

so who/what exactly is etsymetal, you ask- apart from being the only topic i ever seem to blog about these days?  etsymetal is an international juried group of metalsmiths who sell on etsy.com.  i have been a member since october 2006, shortly after i began selling on etsy.  (thank you beth cyr, for contacting me about the team!)

 we work together to promote our shops, our team, and metalsmithing in general.  as most of us work at home & sell  online in relative isolation, it's particularly exciting to be able to check in with each other on a daily basis and talk shop.  i consider the members to be my friends & co-workers, and am so happy & proud to be a part of this great group!

   i am extra-fortunate to have met a number of members in person.  my first etsymetal meetup was with rubygirl & Experimetal...we went out for drinks and pedicures!  good times...  since then, i have spent time with  catherinechandler, TreAnnelli, creativedexterity (who is an old classmate, too), nanopod (my 'cosmic cousin'),  clarestoker, jessitaylor, LivelyHood, and ninadinoff.  next week, i look forward to meeting with SarahHood!

(photos clockwise from top left: LivelyHood, ninadinoff, SarahHood, nanopod & discomedusa, LivelyHood & discomedusa & rubygirl, Experimetal)

please check out this months' participating members' blogs:

1.Catherine Chandler http://catherinechandler.blogspot.com
2. Danielle Miller http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/
3. Victoria Takahashi http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/
4. Inbar Bareket http://www.inbarbareket.net/
5. stacey http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com
6. caitlyn davey http://discomedusa.typepad.com
7. Nina Gibson http://ninagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/
8. Beth Cyr http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com

also.... (from the etsymetal blog)

EtsyMetal is having a 4th Anniversary! To celebrate this occasion we will be having 4 $50 gift certificate giveaways the last 4 Fridays of October. You will have 4 chances to enter in to the giveaways, but you only have to do #1.

#1 Sign up for our new email list! It is really easy - see that big button at the top of our blog that says "Subscribe for our Newsletter" - click there!

#2 Blog about it! Write a blog post and leave a comment on the etsymetal blog post with a link to your post.

#3 Tweet about our anniversary linking to this blog post - then comment on the etsymetal blog post with a link to your tweet or twitter acct to let us know!

#4 Facebook it! Post a link to this blog post on your facebook page and let us know by leaving a comment on the etsymetal blog post.

Here is the schedule of our drawings:
1 - Oct 8th
2 - Oct 15th
3 - Oct 22nd
4 - Oct 29th

If you sign up for our newsletter the first week, but your name is not chosen - your name will remain in the hat! Each person can have up to 4 entries and depending on when you enter - that could mean 16 chances to win! Each winner will only be able to win once - so there will be 4 different winners. The winner will be contacted directly and will be posted on the blog the Friday morning of the drawing. The gift certificate can be used at any EtsyMetal Member's shop. Specific instructions on using the gift certificate will be emailed directly to the winner.

In addition to each weekly drawing - EtsyMetal members will celebrating by having individual sales! Each Friday blog post will list the shops having sales. The first round of sales will start Friday Oct 8th.

So to recap:
Sign up for our newsletter!
Help us promote!
Buy handmade jewelry and be happy!

Happy Anniversary EtsyMetal! It's been a great 4 years!

Rules/Details:
Gift Certificates may not be awarded to an EtsyMetal Member. Each person can only win one time. Gift certificates must be used in entirety at one member's shop - no splitting of the $50 will occur. No cash will be 'refunded' to the winner. The winner will work directly with the seller/etsymetal member of their choice. EtsyMetal will transfer the $50 to the seller/member's shop when the transaction has been agreed upon. If the amount is over $50 the winner will be responsible for paying the seller the balance (unless otherwise discussed with the seller). If the amount is under $50, no cash or credit will be given to the winner. There is no technical expiration date, though we encourage winners to shop soon while all our members are sprucing up their shops and putting items on sale!

 

 

 

etsymetal blog carnival: back to school

for this month's etsymetal blog carnival, team members are writing about our education experiences and asiprations...

i am a self proclaimed 'education-junkie' and am constantly taking classes or researching classes to take. 

out of high school, i first attended Bard College with as an intended biology major.  i probably should have taken a year or more off after high school instead, as i had trouble focusing on school at that time, especially that 8:30 monday morning calculus class...

while at Bard, i began making and selling some simple chainmail jewelry, which piqued my interest in seriously studying jewelry design.

after one year, i decided to take that time off afterall and moved to providence where i took some continuing education classes at RISD and began an apprenticeship with RISD jewelry grad Jasmine Winkler Stobbe.

i then moved to boston and was accepted to Massachusetts College of Art.  after four years at MassArt, i received my BFA in 3d fine art- as a small metals major (and unofficial glass minor.)

while in art school, my designs were largely influenced by my long standing passion for biology.  my junior year, i enjoyed an exchange option with the nearby pharmacy school, taking an interesting and inspiring class called 'herbs and nutraceuticals.'  during this class, i began to think that perhaps i could or should pursue a career in health science...

after graduation, i moved to portland, oregon where the dreadlocked-art-school-grad niche was filled thousands of times over...job opportunities were few & far between... so i decided to explore other facets of my tangle of interests...

i then split my focus between discomedusa designs and classes at Portland Community College towards a certification in medical laboratory technology (which was the closest program geographically & interest-wise.) in 2006, motherhood threw me for a loop and i have been taking a hiatus from school ever since.  this fall, i had planned to enroll in nursing school at SUNY Delhi... but birthed my second son instead!

next year- nursing school!  (though i have been looking at food science & nutrition programs elsewhere... we shall see!)

please check out the blogs of the following participating  etsymetal members:

victoria takahashi - experimetal - http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/
caitlyn davey- discomedusa- http://discomedusa.typepad.com
Thomasin Durgin - metalriot - http://metalriot.blogspot.com/
Danielle Miller - http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/
stacey - wildflowerdesigns - http://wildflowerdesigns@blogspot.com
Ann Hartley - http://annhartleystudio.blogspot.com/
Konstanze - Nodeform - http://nodeform.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr - http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
Jenny Baughman- http://ridgeschool.blogspot.com/
Kathryn Cole - http://www.kathryncolejewelry.blogspot.com

etsymetal blog carnival: food for thought

this month's etsymetal blog carnival topic is one of my favorite things to think about...food!

i don't think of myself as a 'foodie' per se, but i definitely spend a lot of time thinking about food, researching food, preparing food, talking about food, ...and eating!

the two books on my bedside table right now are 'the ominvore's dilemma' by michael pollan and 'real food' by nina planck.  both are extremely well written and completely fascinating!  i love learning about the chemistry of food- the reality of why some foods are better for you than others.  (i admit that i can be kind of a jerk about this- especially to my parents!  though i am happy to see that my partner now actually reads the labels of the food he buys!  one goal being to exclude high fructose corn syrup from our diets completely)

i've been a vegetarian for 20 years, and while i have been interested in introducing fish and grass fed meats into my diet, i can't seem to get past the psychological block that i've built there. 

over the last couple of years- while coming to terms with the expected and necessary demands of maternal domesticity, i've been cooking up a storm! (especially since moving to a rural area where i can no longer bop out for a yummy meal at any number of urban eateries!)

anything with garlic, garbanzo beans, and or avocado has my attention & affection...my favorite studio snack (great for dirty hands!) is an avocado, halved & de-pitted (but still in its skin) with the cavity filled with hot sauce...grab a spoon & enjoy!

one of my favorite meals to make is a spinach and mashed sweet potato quesadilla...yum!

to my great shame, i haven't started an outdoor garden yet at our woodland home, but our hydroponic cherry pepper plant has a good 20 peppers on it!  over time, we'd like to expand our indoor garden to include all of the ingredients needed to make rockin' hot fresh salsa at a moment's notice (plus strawberries- another favorite- if only conventional strawberries didn't use such awful pesticides!)

one last tidbit: as i've blogged about before, the environmental working group offers this chart of the best & worst when it comes to pesticides...

please check out the blogs of my fellow etsymetal members, as they share their thoughts on food: nina gibson
http://ninagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/2010/08/blog-carnival-food-for-thought.html
victoria takahashi
http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/2010/08/blog-carnival-august-2010.html
stacey hansen
http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/08/etsymetal-blog-carnival.html
thomasin durgin
http://metalriot.blogspot.com/2010/08/things-i-eat.html
inbar bareket
http://www.inbarbareket.net/2010/08/food-for-thought.html
lauren anabela beaudoin
http://www.creativedexterity.com/Blog/files/8cd60b25b0de7eeecb525fada2fa5173-6.html
maria whetman
http://fluxplay.blogspot.com/2010/08/food-for-thought.html
beth cyr
http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/2010/08/blog-carnival-080210-food-for-thought.html

ann Hartley
http://annhartleystudio.blogspot.com/
cynthia delgiudice
http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com/
caitlyn davey
http://discomedusa.typepad.com

l'ouvriere

i've loved candles for as long as i can remember & have been exclusively obsessed with beeswax for years.  every year, i treat (or am treated) to one or two luscious-smelling candles, which i ration for as long as possible.  imagine my delight upon meeting local candle-making goddess, l'ouvriere, who was equally delighted by my jewelry!   a most delicious dinner & trading session later, i now have a bag heavy with her amazing wares- enough that i need not be so stingy with their use!

(you can order l'ouvriere candles online, or ask for local store locations.)

thank you, susan!  xoxo

 

oil spill hair mats

yeah, my man is awesome.  he shaved his head to donate hair to Matter of Trust and ExcessAccess's oil spill hair mat campaign.

hair from individuals and salons is woven to make super absorbent mats (and booms, with recycled wool, fur, & nylons) used to soak up oil.  the mats can be wrung out and used 100+ times, then composted and transformed into excellent fertilizer.

youtube video here

sign up here to donate.

love it!

i've been thinking about getting a short summer cut...& what a good cause- esp now with the dreadful BP Deepwater Oil Spill, which is  'discharging an estimated 5–25 thousand barrels (210,000–1,100,000 US gallons; 790,000–4,000,000 litres) of crude oil daily.'  disgusting. 

also disgusting: US regulators exempted BP's US Gulf project from a full environmental review.  -Reuters

ugh!

etsymetal blog carnival- ring a day challenge

this month's etsymetal blog carnival features a few of my favorite rings from the Ring A Day  project (which, regretfully, i am not participating in, due to lack of studio time- so i tell myself, though that need not be an excuse, as evident by some of the spontaneous creations below!)

i really enjoy this ice ring by danielle miller

this ring reminds me that i don't need to be working in the studio in order to create.  (a realization that hasn't led me to make any objects, though i have been cooking a lot lately...)

i love the found object/ fleeting nature & think the form is an happy & elegant accident.  mostly, it reflects the frozen feel of my own life in the midst of a desolate upstate ny winter (my first real winter in 5 years- blech!)

i love the raw simplicity of this sapphire ring by sara westermark. 

this image represents what is probably her least complicated daily ring- this lady has been making some serious rings on a daily basis!  <in awe!>

another example of spontaneous ring-making beauty by my former mass art classmate, kest schwartzman aka vagabond jewelry. 

i love the photo...& am a sucker for tentacles...

  whenever i think of the ring a day challenge, this image of the 'follicle ring' by paul phillips always springs to mind. 

it's pretty much hilarious & i love that the inset photo was taken under a microscope!

this recycled plastic ring by marthe le van of lark books

caught my eye not just for it's form & photo, but because she states that each ring is made and photographed in ~10 minutes from trash found at the office & supplies from her desk drawer.  what a great & low impact discipline to keep the creative juices flowing!

(what was my excuse again?  hmm, perhaps i'll get busy with the rings this next month!)

....& extra kudos to nina dinoff (right) for proposing this challenge and creating so much momentum within the group!

please visit my fellow etsymetal members' blogs for their ring a day picks!

Alisa Miller http://alisamiller.blogspot.com

Colleen Baran http://seeseebe.blogspot.com/

Danielle Miller http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/
stacey hansen http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com
Chris Parry http://chris-parry.blogspot.com
kerin rose http://kerinrose.blogspot.com
Sara Westermark http://sarawestermark.blogspot.com/
Victoria Takahashi http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/
Su Trindle http://quercussilver.blogspot.com/
Nina Dinoff http://ninadinoff.blogspot.com/
Maureen "Cosmo's Moon" BZ http://cosmosmoonjewelry.blogspot.com
Thomasin Durgin http://metalriot.blogspot.com/
Colleen Baran http://seeseebe.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr http://bcyrjewerly.blogspot.com
Caitlyn Davey/discomedusa http://discomedusa.typepad.com
Catherine Chandler http://catherinechandler.blogspot.com/

the symphony of science

when my dad (professional bassist john davey) sent me this link from the listserve of SUNY oneonta's music department with the comment 'finally, a good use for autotune' i clicked on the main link, but didn't explore any of the videos.  upon his urging, i did & i now must share with everyone!

john boswell's project 'the symphony of science' is 'designed to deliver scientific knowledge and philosophy in musical form' 

as a science geek & electronic music aficionado, i can't resist projects like this!

windfall

 phew, i had such a blast taking a mini vacation from mama mode and travelling to boston for the weekend!

 

  i am so appreciative to karin bremer of windfall designs for giving me a lift to northampton, thus greatly facilitating the first leg of my trip.  so here's a special shout out for her and her lovely designs (and thank you also to martha for more fun conversation & delicious sandwiches.  if you need chair caning/ weaving services in upstate ny, she's the woman!) 

you ladies rock.

 (i hope the twist show was good for you!)

ban blood diamonds from zimbabwe!

i wanted to take a moment today to promote the latest Avaaz.org petition to ban Zimbabwe blood diamonds. 

'Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe has sent his brutal army to seize control of his country's diamond fields. 200 civilians have been murdered and profits from our wedding rings are used to fuel violent political conflict.

Official diamond regulators meeting in Namibia this week will decide whether to suspend Zimbabwe and stop Mugabe selling his blood diamonds on the world market.'

etsymetal blog carnival- unusual custom requests

many thanks to the lovely andes cruz for coordinating the etsymetal blog carnival (a thematic monthly blog entry) november's theme: your most unusual custom jewelry request.  i wasn't planning to play, as i can't really think of anything extremely unusual....i do get many requests for expanded earwear that are beyond my capabilities or would be astronomically expensive to create...but as for things i have actually made...

the largest, most interesting plugs that i have made as custom orders have been 1" diameter.

sadly, by the time i finished the 1" silver matrix plugs, my customer had stretched to 1.5", which is a substantial amount more material & weight.  i am hoping that she will be happy with a pair of wood plugs with silver inserts- a collaboration between myself & aesthetics body modification (love them!)

as for the 1" pair, they are on display/consignment at five & diamond, 510 valencia st, san francisco

please check out the other november blog carnival participants

(there are only 2 this month, it won't take much time!):

Bijougirl - http://www.amandaconley.blogspot.com

Andes Cruz- http://andescruz.wordpress.com/

xoxo

wheels for henry

thru oct 31, i will be donating 15% of my online sales to Wheels for Henry- an online bazaar to raise money for a conversion van for Reading Frenzy (portland OR) proprietess Chloe Eudaly to accomodate her son Henry's wheelchair and other support gear. 

even though i don't live in portland anymore, i still feel close ties with the community there & have great appreciation for such generous community actions.

(plus chloe has been a customer of mine, sporting these large silver blade earrings you can make out in this photo as her signature earrings for many months, so i figure it's the least i can do!)

there are dozens of other artisans participating- please do check out the complete list here.

fifty years of exploration

i simply love looking at this map of the past 50 years of space travel!

this smaller version barely does it justice- check out the original national geographic image by sean mcnaughton here.

would someone please let me know if there is a (licensed) poster available?

 

the path less pedaled

since july 30, fellow etsymetal member laura crawford (tangerinetreehouse) & her partner have been 'on an open-ended bicycle tour around the US

(and, hopefully, the world!)'   how inspiring!

they are blogging about their adventures and the stories of 'folks who have made a go at living a "life less ordinary"' 

laura has packed a bare-bones metalsmithing kit & continues to make & sell work in her etsy shop!

(you can also sponder a day for $40, or donate any amount you like.)

vela creations

another great link from treehugger.com

vela creations 'is an in-depth resource for off grid living.' 

their website includes a blog about their life and sustainable homestead projects, (free) plans to make your own Chispito wind generator out of scrap and readily available materials, and a store selling off grid/ homesteading reference books.

as i am slowly working towards creating a homestead of my own, i find  vela creations work to be extremely inspiring!

their amazon shop is a great resource- in my home, we joke (but not really!) that we have all this post apocalyptic survival information bookmarked, but it will be inaccessible should we ever need it in a pinch!

freedom rainbow

 

this cute little bug caused a lot of trouble around my house when i wrapped it up as a present for my son's friend.  i have since ordered another one for him, plus a couple of extras for whomever.

made with love from recycled sweaters by FreedomRainbow in portland, oregon.

i've loved communicating with this charismatic etsy seller-  so very enthusiastic and conscientious, with a great selection of seriously huggable fuzzy friends

(each doll is 'reiki attuned. if you need some reiki for a specific reason, let <her>know ...and she will add extra sparkle rainbow magic for you!')

highly recommended!

etsymetal blog carnival- first fabricated jewelry

this month's etsymetal blog carnival topic:  'my first piece of metalsmithed jewelry'
(not including the random chainmail and chains i doodled in highschool')

this piece was an assignment for a continuing education class i took at massachusetts college of art in 1999, instructed by donna veverka.   
you can see here my early obsession with circles and negative space...

materials:  copper, brass, fabric (bug)  the somewhat awkward clasp is stamped 'thorax'
the spot price of silver was about $5, compared to $16 this week!
this was a great project to finally apply some basic metalsmithing skills- jumpring making, piercing, hammering, stamping, & tube rivets (which we're the hardest)
if i made it again, i'd probably make it in silver, solder the jump rings, and perfect the tube rivets. and make a more streamlined clasp.

please check out the blogs of these other participating members:
1. Sara Westermark http://sarawestermark.blogspot.com/
2. Nina Gibson http://ninagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/
3. Danielle Miller-Gilliam http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/
4. Beth Cyr http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
5. duckduckGoose http://duckduckgoosestuff.co.uk/duckduckBLOG
6. Caitlyn Davey http://discomedusa.typepad.com
7. Laura Crawford http://tangerinetreehouse.blogspot.com
8. Tamra Gentry http://gentrydesignco.typepad.com/
9. andes cruz - http://andescruz.wordpress.com/
10. Cynthia Del Giudice: http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com/
11. libby Rosas http://elizabethrosasjewelry.blogspot.com
12. Nina Dinoff http://ninadinoff.blogspot.com
13. Clare Stoker http://clarestoker.blogspot.com
14. kerin rose http://kerinrose.blogspot.com

yogi tea- green tea with kombucha

this past week, i cleaned my studio (a rare and challenging event!) and unpacked more from my recent move. 
i found many goodies, such as errant pieces of my personal jewelry collection, cassette tapes from back in the day,  sewing supplies, beads, and a single bag of yogi tea, specifically green tea and kombucha.
for months, i've been exclusively drinking red rose earl grey tea. from now on, i really need to get a keep as supply of this green tea with kombucha instead- I had forgotten how simply delicious it is...
and how health-promoting!

from the yogi website:
'Yogi’s special formula of kombucha with organic green tea is designed to support your immune system, fight fatigue and detoxify your body. Spearmint naturally aids digestion, and plum and lemongrass combine to create a fragrant tea with a light, fruity flavor.* Once the steeping process has released the benefits of these ingredients, you are ready to enjoy a delicious, delightful and soothing cup of tea—one that is naturally rich in antioxidants and other health boosters.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.'

additional links: more about the benefits of green tea (camellia sinensis) and kombucha (which is fascinating, and i know it's really good for you, but i still can't stomach except in this delicious tea)

i also like recycling yogi tea boxes into sleeves for shipping earrings that are too big for my regular boxes(!)

 

faux filigree blade earrings

i've been making a lot of these 'filigree' earrings lately (top), expanding the selection of my signature 'blade' earrings.  

i think of the faux filigree series as doodles for future pieces that will have handcut/etched/pierced/formed blades of my own design and making. (but in the meantime, i really like these!)

i was inspired by my friend rubygirl (middle) who uses these stamped findings(brass plated over steel, i think) in a most innovative way- she enamels them...the effect is reaery pretty!

these are are not true filigree, which is the fine craft of manipulating thin strips of metal into intricate shapes.
i emphasize this so as not to offend traditional filigree artists by misusing the term (which i do because that is what this style of stamping is called when shopping for the findings.)

i want to take this opportunity to showcase another jewelry designer who makes the most gorgeous plugs i've seen in a long time! 

Quetzalli jewelry (bottom) makes delicatly wrought silver filigree plugs and thicker gauge hoops, as well as ammonite and turquoise mosaique plugs that i am coveting like crazy!

another fun tidbit about the faux filigree exploration:

after i posted my first pair on flickr (below left), & credited rubygirl with the inspiration, our mutual friend and fellow etsymetal member-  experimetal- made a prototype for the pair on the right in response...nice job, vic, i love them! xoxo

 

melissa shoes

i first heard about the fabulous eco-frinedly melissa shoes a few years ago from a blog post by dj volvox (ari) about the fabulous shopping to be had on one of her annual visits to brazil.  i have been coveting many pairs ever since, and have only recently treated myself to a pair of the zig-zag style as a mother's day present to myself.  the last pair in size 10 i could find *anywhere* at the time was through the Inhabitat blog store (great blog, btw- i check it regularly now!) in conjuction with Kaight in NYC.

i am finally sharing all of this today, because i hear that Kaight is offering an exclusive online sale for two days only! (save 25% on all Melissa styles online. enter coupon code "melissa" at checkout to redeem. valid July 14-15. )

here's a little blurb from Inhabitat about what makes Melissa shoes so great- aside from being simply irresistably chic:
'Besides being made from recycled MEFLEX, a revolutionary breathable and non-toxic plastic, these brand new Melissa Three Strap Sandals are 100% recyclable. What’s more, the shoes are totally cruelty free and devoid of animal products. A startling 99.9% of Melissa’s factory water and waste is recycled  and the Brazil-based company’s employees are paid above average wages and benefits meaning that you can feel good about buying these beautiful “soles”.' (well, i'm sold!)

etsymetal blog carnival

my creative etsymetal buddies are always brainstorming new and exciting ways to network and promote our work... this week's etsymetal blog carnival question:   how those of you that have a clearly defined 'style' or signature style came to it? What inspired you to that signature style? And the rest of us, what inspires you to make your favorite kinds of pieces? 

i consider my 'blade' earring series to be one of my signature styles.  i originally developed this style for thicker gauge piercings, but i find it translates quite well to 'regular' 18g earwires as well.

i began making plugs and earweights while i was simultaneously managing the jewelry end of Chameleon Body Arts/The Jewelry Gallery (a popular piercing and tattoo shop in Cambridge, MA) while studying metalsmithing at Massachusetts College of Art (1999-2004.)

my initial attempts at making sellable work were extremely labor & material intensive (top right), and therefore prohibitively expensive to most of my would-be clientele.

after i moved to portland, OR with a suitcase, i began to set up a very low tech studio in my home & sold my work at various street fairs and events.

  

i thrived on the enthusiasm of my customers and took their suggestions to heart.  one recurring request was to design a closure for thicker gauge earrings that would be easy to put in, but difficult to fall out (and, of course, affordable!)

the blade earrings series emerged during this time period (middle right.)

since then, i have expanded on this theme, creating a myriad of iterations for both expanded and 'regular' gauge piercings (bottom right.)  (the original!) blade earrings by discomedusa earrings can be purchased in my etsy shop at in select boutique and piercing parlors worldwide.

(a shout-out to my friend and fellow etsymetalista, rubygirl:  thank you again for introducting me to the world of filigree findings!)

please check out these other etsymetal members' blogs for their responses to this week's blog carnival question:

http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com/ 

http://andescruz.ganoksin.com/blogs 
http://andescruz.wordpress.com 
http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/ 
http://sarawestermark.blogspot.com/ 
http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com 
http://etsymetal.blogspot.com/ 
http://ashleyakers.blogspot.com 
http://tangerinetreehouse.blogspot.com 

http://ninagibsondesigns.blogspot.com/

lucky loo loo

it's always a good day when you start by having tea and a cheese brioche with a friend!

today rachel (of lucky looloo) and i brought our boys (best buddies!) and her sweet baby to petit provence on alberta street, then on to grasshopper toy store.  

good times!

Lucky LooLoo is a great source for vintage and rockabilly-inspired necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, hair accessories and belt buckles. 

'Sophisticated and edgy, Lucky LooLoo designs are influenced by art deco architecture, modernist sculpture, vintage anatomical drawings, old school punk rock and 40's starlet elegance. Rachel continues to use real vintage jewelry elements in her updated Modern Pop Deco designs. The line includes carved Resin, Lucite, Sterling Silver and Brass. '

 

you can check out Lucky LooLoo's website to shop in their online store and learn about their affiliate program.  rachel is a contant source of inspiration as a friend, mother, jewelry designer, and businesswoman.  

omsi science pub

i'm looking forward to attending OMSI's science pub with my friend (glass artist anne phillip,featured above- bz rxn 1&2 seamoth.etsy.com)

tuesday, january 27 at the mission theater at 1624 nw glisan in portland:  ':

'snowflakes, stress, and semiconductors: do you see a pattern here?':

'Richard Taylor, professor of physics is leading the way with internationally recognized research into fractals—curious patterns found in nature that repeat themselves. 

Taylor's startling discoveries show that these patterns-within-patterns may significantly reduce stress and have interesting implications for psychology, medicine, and even the semiconductor industry. 

Taylor has applied his studies to art, showing how fractal patterns in the work of abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock can distinguish a real Pollock from a fake. Come hear about this amazing intersection of art and science.'

we'll see how it goes- we were turned away from an omsi science pub talk about nanotechnology, which made us very sad.  fortunately, we caught it at another venue a few months later!

heifer intl.

as i finish up my (very last minute) holiday shopping, i turn to heifer international in order to donate livestock to struggling third world families in the name of my grandmothers and in-laws.  

i've been meaning to do this for the past many years, but somehow i always get caught up in making something or buying trinkets...  

i think these gifts will be very well received- twice over!- and i can print out a card and be done with it!

there are many similar programs i've seen advertised, but i especially like that heifer intl has no specific religious affiliation.  

my mother first introduced me to this organization, telling me about a regular project she organized with her students, raising money for reading books.  you can sign up to start your own heifer team here!

my mother, dr. k.a. black, is a professor at SUNY oneonta, and the co-author of 'a comprehensive guide to reader's theater' (with many more works to come, especially now that she finally has her long-awaited home office-library-writing room!)

pdx boutiques

 the crafty wonderland super colossal holiday sale was really fun-  it's too bad that the weather put such a damper on things!  it was great to see some of my favorite portland crafters: luckylooloo, rubygirl, studio acorn, urbana, scrumptious suds, loot, salmon st. studio, curlygirlglass,and more- with a huge thank you to cathy and torie, as always!

i bought lovely gifts from steel toe studio (above)and coqu usagiuma maho (below).

 i was planning to do one last holiday sale- the 2nd annual winter solstice sale at PSU (which was cancelled).  

looks like i'll be making a circuit of boutiques around town to buy my last minutes gifts! (i.e. all of them)

i'm hoping to find the time to visit some of my favorite shops around town, for gifts, covetous window shopping, and general retail-appreciation:  redux, seaplane, olio united, pistils nursery, pin me apparel, ella's boutique, robot piercing, gilt,  foundation garments, chapter four,  powells books, mirador, andy & bax,  grasshopper, thinker toys, switch, and more...

looking forward to exploring the city a bit!  i've been spending too much (yet not enough!) time at my bench!  

pdx boutiques

 the crafty wonderland super colossal holiday sale was really fun-  it's too bad that the weather put such a damper on things!  it was great to see some of my favorite portland crafters: luckylooloo, rubygirl, studio acorn, urbana, scrumptious suds, loot, salmon st. studio, curlygirlglass,and more- with a huge thank you to cathy and torie, as always!

i bought lovely gifts from steel toe studio (above)and coqu usagiuma maho (below).

 i was planning to do one last holiday sale- the 2nd annual winter solstice sale at PSU (which was cancelled).  

looks like i'll be making a circuit of boutiques around town to buy my last minutes gifts! (i.e. all of them)

i'm hoping to find the time to visit some of my favorite shops around town, for gifts, covetous window shopping, and general retail-appreciation:  redux, seaplane, olio united, pistils nursery, pin me apparel, ella's boutique, robot piercing, gilt,  foundation garments, chapter four,  powells books, mirador, andy & bax,  grasshopper, thinker toys, switch, and more...

looking forward to exploring the city a bit!  i've been spending too much (yet not enough!) time at my bench!  

crafty wonderland super colossal holiday sale- pdx

sunday, decemeber 14th, i will be vending at the crafty wonderland super colossal holiday sale in portland, oregon.  last year's event was a HUGE success- a line around the block all day!  

to accommodate the anticipated crowd, this year's show will be at the oregon convention center, 777 ne MLK.

crafty wonderland is a monthly event (feb-nov), that is held the 2nd sunday of every month at the doug fir lounge.  (i vend a few times a year there)

for those of you who won't be in portland, you are always welcome to check out my industrial-tribal creations for sale in my etsy shop

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a natural history museum in portland,OR ?! yes, please!  

the proposed museum will combine science and art to create exhibits about environmental preservation and ecology, focusing on oregon's dramatic biological and geological diversity.

the oregon natural history coalition is working on making their grand vision a reality....they will need a lot of help! if you are as excited as i am about this project, check out the onhc website& join the coalition!

tonight is their first fundraiser: 

 Cafe Reese, 1037 NW 23rd Ave. on Monday, October 27th from 6-9pm.

• Silent auction
• 50/50 Raffle
• Free appetizers
• 20% of beer and wine proceeds will support our mission to create a Natural History Museum in Portland. 

  

tonight i'm looking forward to attending amy tavern's trunk show at seaplane!

i had the pleasure of working as amy's studio assistant for a number of months when she lived in portland-  she is every bit as delightful as her lovely jewelry!  

amy's signature styles incorporate steel, gold, and silver into simple, yet artful & high wearable designs, as well as dramatic one-of-a-kind studio jewelry pieces like the jellyfish necklace (right).

she uses eco-friendly 'harmony metals' from hoover and strong.  

amy's west coast trunk show tour schedule:

(also check out her website- it's very easy on the eyes!)

seaplane pop up shop
friday, oct. 24 from 7-10pm
919 nw 23rd. st. ground level
portland, or

velouria
saturday, oct. 25 from 2-6pm
2205 nw market st.
seattle, wa

rare device
saturday, nov. 1 from 12-4pm
1845 market st.
san francisco, ca

carol young|undesigned
saturday, nov. 8 from 12-6
los angeles, ca

happy birthday to myself and my fellow libra and etsymetalsmith beth cyr (bcryjewelry)!    

beth has been very supportive of my work, and is a constant an inspiration to me in the ways of etsy success and pursuing a healthier lifestyle (yoga, etc).

beth specializes in fusing argentium silver into detailed organic shapes.  she has also been busy making some kick-ass wedding rings!

you can follow beth's adventures in jewelry making on her blog, as well as her etsy shop.

beth, thanks for being so fabulous!

xoxo

 how thrilling- i emailled peter a link to something i like and it came in the mail a week later!

and i do love them! these toebiter tabi slippers from zerkahloostrah are made from recycled sweaters and have great detail.

(they also fit perfectly within my rainboots & it's getting to be that time of year...)

daphne also specializes in handmade bags...and shoes!  shoe  samples and custom orders are available in her etsy shop.

thanks, daphne!

i feel so outraged and helpless against the latest chronicle of american economic and political SNAFUs....
i will surely be voting next month, but who knows what good that will actually do :(
money talks, of this we can be sure....
i strongly believe in voting with my dollar whenever possible.

one way (possibly the only way, considering that almost every dollar of mine goes towards food!) that i exercise this ideal is by purchasing organic foods, locally grown when available.  this serves the dual purpose of showing my support for organic farming, and making healthier choices for myself and my family.

sadly, i am not independently wealthy (but rather an artist and a mom) and i am hard-pressed to afford  to buy any food, let alone any fancy expensive food....but the health angle is very important!

happily, i've found this handy  chart distributed by the EWG (environmental working group.) 
it ranks the top 45 fruits and vegetables in terms of pesticide contamination (even after washing & peeling).  now i can easily prioritize the organic items on my shopping list!

also, check out stonyfield farms' (yummy yogurt!) website, where they will donate $1 to the EWG for every click.  they also have coupons.

The Full List: 43 Fruits & Veggies

RANK	FRUIT OR VEGGIE	SCORE
1 (worst)	Peaches	100 (highest pesticide load)
2	Apples	96
3	Sweet Bell Peppers	86
4	Celery	85
5	Nectarines	84
6	Strawberries	83
7	Cherries	75
8	Lettuce	69
9	Grapes - Imported	68
10	Pears	65
11	Spinach	60
12	Potatoes	58
13	Carrots	57
14	Green Beans	55
15	Hot Peppers	53
16	Cucumbers	52
17	Raspberries	47
18	Plums	46
19	Oranges	46
20	Grapes-Domestic	46
21	Cauliflower	39
22	Tangerine	38
23	Mushrooms	37
24	Cantaloupe	34
25	Lemon	31
26	Honeydew Melon	31
27	Grapefruit	31
28	Winter Squash	31
29	Tomatoes	30
30	Sweet Potatoes	30
31	Watermelon	25
32	Blueberries	24
33	Papaya	21
34	Eggplant	19
35	Broccoli	18
36	Cabbage	17
37	Bananas	16
38	Kiwi	14
39	Asparagus	11
40	Sweet Peas-Frozen	11
41	Mango	9
42	Pineapples	7
43	Sweet Corn-Frozen	2
44	Avocado	1
45 (best)	Onions	1 (lowest pesticide load)

(top left- Oregon Tilth certification seal, which adds an increased level of respectability to organic growers:
'Oregon Tilth is a nonprofit research and education membership organization dedicated to biologically sound and socially equitable agriculture. Oregon Tilth offers educational events throughout the state of Oregon, and provides organic certification services to organic growers, processors, and handlers internationally.)

if you live in the bay area,  check out the third radical jewelry makeover (creating new hotness from old busted junk!)

''Radical Jewelry Makeover is many things. It is a traveling community mining and recycling project and a creative art and education project, teaching makers how to produce contemporary, innovative jewelry from recycled sources and proudly placing responsible jewelry in the hands of the consumers. The overall project is meant to raise awareness of the connection between mining and metalsmithing as well as showcase innovative making.'

this  ingenious project was designed by Ethical Metalsmiths co-founder Christina Miller and Susie Ganch,  metalsmith.

the crucible joins in the fun (offering a free RJM class for students who have previously taken a jewelry class at the studio), as well as the metal arts guild and a host of other schools and studios.  the final pieces will be displayed and sold at velvet da vinci.

 

• check out the RJM blog for information on past, present, & future events!

 

i was fortunate enough to make the etsy front page today with this ring.  i receieved two messages asking about the gold ring in the photo, which i included specifically to promote daedalsmith.clint fulkerson.)  not only is clint an exceptional jeweler, he's also an amazing illustrator- such intricate detail goes into all of his work!

check out his blog for lots of eye candy and insight into his artistic/scientific processes... (growing crystals, excavating vertebrae, walking in the woods, and lots of drawing!)

clint graduated from massart a couple of years before i did, then succeeded me in teaching lost wax casting classes at diablo glass and metal.  just before i moved to portland in 2004, he finished a set of gold commitment rings for me and my partner.  i still wear mine everyday!

here are a few images of his more recent work, grabbed from his website.  (clint,  i love these! where can i buy prints?!)

oh, joy!  a new neal stephenson novel!

'Philosophy! Theology! Global catastrophe! Adventure!

Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" pulls off what most writers would never dare attempt -- it is simultaneously a philosophical argument and a ripping good yarn.'

review by Andrew Leonard on salon.com.

also for your persual:
the official site & a reading on longnow.org

(books ordered through this link to amazon.com kick back a percentage of the profits to the long now foundation-

'established in 01996* to develop the Clock and Library  projects, as well as to become the seed of a very long term cultural institution. The Long Now Foundation hopes to provide counterpoint to today's "faster/cheaper" mind set and promote "slower/better" thinking. We hope to creatively foster responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years.')

my copy is in the mail!  i can hardly wait!

thanks for the tip, rebecca!

 

an assortment of my gauged earrings can now be found at five & diamond in san francisco, a high-end 'sci- fi- wild- west- steampunk- victorian- circus- leather- hobo- sideshow- bad-ass- brothel- rock-roll' boutique.' (more reviews available on yelp)

needless to say, i'm thrilled and hope to have found a good niche for my work!

5&diamond showcases the designs of the 'nomadic-artist and entrepreneur team of phoebe minona durland and leighton kelly...the upscale piercing line Tawapa (below, left); one-of-a-kind jewelry Bootleg; the unique leather accessories of Wild Card (below, right); and Black Sarah women's apparel.'

the store sponsers many events and trunk shows- i plan to make my next trip to san francisco coincide with an event!  you can check with them on myspace for event updates.

5 & diamond is located at 510 valencia st.  (could they be more perfect?!)

i just picked up some castings from studio acorn, a 'married team that makes lots of fun things' here in porland.  

casting was one of my favorite things to do when i was in school (massart, boston 2000-2004), but sadly, i don't have my own equipment yet...

in the meantime, beth at studio acorn does a fantastic job and is much more dexterous than i am at adding the tiny sprues that have increased the success rate to almost 100%!  (thanks, beth!)

studio acorn's own designs are simply flawless- sweetly stylized designs 'influenced by (their) love of Japan and all things kawaii.'

more 'jewelry that's cute like you!' on their cute new website and in their etsy shop.

hello. my name is jessi. i'm a ringaholic.

the other day, while i was oggling jessi taylor's work at redux, i resolved to finally write this post!

i met jessi last summer at a craft fair & was immediately taken with her designs, craftsmanship, creepy doll display, and general way of being....
knowing knew she could do well on etsy, i urged her to open a shop &join etsymetal.
about a week ago, jessi celebrated her one year etsy anniversay ('etsyversary') with more than 250 sales!

yay, jessi!!!

both her website and etsy shop have tons of great photos of her work, plus fantastically whimsical  and compelling descriptions.
like me, jessi is 'a bit obsessed with post-apocalyptic scenarios.... and not in small part because post-apocalyptic styling is HOT.' 

oh, how i love the 'battlestar ring!' (above right- that's battlestar galactica for the uninitiated!)
she also makes a fierce eyeball ring (below left) and has brought us the mangle (man-bangle, below right)

yep, i'm a fan!
(now if only i could get a photo of the fabulous gauged omega hoops i saw at last year's craftywonderland....forget a photo- i need the real deal, jessi! xoxo)

hooray!

i finally brought some pieces over to redux, the cutist, most densely packed & well merchandised store in portland!
(tamara must get sick of me saying so every time i visit...but really, it's remarkable!)

redux features a broad assortment of innovative designers, including many old friends and new (with related blog posts pending...) cyberoptix, lucky looloo, jessi taylor, & rubygirl.

located across from the doug fir lounge, redux is a convenient and necessary stop on any shopping tour of portland (just not on a monday or tuesday)

(thank you, tamara, for being so fabulous!)

also from the days at miko was born my friendship with gillian (whom i love & adore & miss terribly!)
over the last ten+ years, we often talked of all the creative projects we would embark upon together, but we have yet to collaborate!  (because i up and moved to oregon!)  

while i've been busy developing my jewelry business, gillian and terrence began DISTRO.Y, a specialty silk screening business.  they print their own collaborative designs (top right), as well as images by artists they admire (including Star St.Germain, middle right.)

gill has also been working on her own higher end line, The Void Above, featuring garments made from 100% organic cotton and TENCEL®, which she has hand dyed, cut and placed by hand, embroidered & screen printed (bottom right)

many many thanks to both gill and tea for all of their support over the years! (including- but hardly limted to- hosting discomedusa.com on Punkhost....one of these days i'll put a proper webpage together!)

(wishing two of my favorite people much success on all of their (ad)ventures! xoxo)

one of the first people to inspire my love of stretched piercings was jaime lakatos, my predecessor in the flogger-making department at miko exotic wear in providence, ri (circa 1998.) 

we recently reconnected via myspace, and i have enjoyed looking at her portfolio, which i wanted to promote here. 

some of her work is for sale at skeletonart.com(feral gallery).

jaime's work is 'strongly visceral and unnerving...' and i love it! 

(someday....!)

 

as a portland-based etsy seller, i am a member of the pdx etsy street team.
(which, btw, is having their final summer show at the psu park blocks/farmer's market this saurday, august 9- see website for details.  i will not be vending at this event, for lack of time, money, and energy- but there will be dozens of other friendly and talented  crafty vendors, along with yummy food and produce, and live music)

one of the many benefits of being a part of this very active street team is pdx etsy tea time every thursday.
enjoying a day without babysitters and enticed by the promise of other toddlers, i finally made it to one last week!
hosted by autumn of autumn comfort candles (all natural hand poured candles in hand cut recycled glass bottles) with a photography tutorial by leah pellegrini (glass mobiles and other fun), it was the perfect way to spend the afternoon! 
thank you ladies!

i was inspired to make my own ghetto-style light box from tissue paper and a cardboard box....it's such an improvement over holding some filters in my teeth, the camera in one hand, and a light in the other...!

still working on mastering the subtleties of photographing jewelry, but i'm very happy with the light quality!
(shown here reflecting off of a most deliciously satisfying pair of 10g sterling silver earrings.)

'hip, not hippie'- as i like to think of it- treehugger.com is 'the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream. partial to a modern aesthetic, [they] strive to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information.'

i'm a fan.

with diverse categories including fashion&beauty, design&architecture, food&health, science&technolgy; treehugger uploads more than 30 posts a day.
i spend hours every week exploring the web through the treehugger portal!

features include investigations into the most shamefully wasteful packaging, as well as more eco-friendly packaging innovations (such as tofu packaged in a ballon, top right);  better, cheaper LEDs; and green building trends (such as the green roof on this building in fukuoka, japan, built in 1995, bottom right)

there is also a lively community of people offering insights and criticism in the forums, as well as on individual articles.

and don't miss treehugger's 'how to go green guides: in depth actionable articles to help you get off your duff and step into the green future'! (green your lighting, your baby, your sex life, etc)

my brother is currently studying architecture at portland state university. i think he's going to be very good at it; he has keen design sensitivities...
for years, he's been talking about the arcosanti project in arizona. he hopes to finally take a workshop there within the next year.  if he likes it, he plans to study there for months and to get some real hand-on experience.

'In 1970, the Cosanti Foundation began building Arcosanti, an experimental town in the high desert of Arizona, 70 miles north of metropolitan Phoenix. When complete, Arcosanti will house 5000 people, demonstrating ways to improve urban conditions and lessen our destructive impact on the earth. Its large, compact structures and large-scale solar greenhouses will occupy only 25 acres of a 4060 acre land preserve, keeping the natural countryside in close proximity to urban dwellers.

Arcosanti is designed according to the concept of arcology (architecture + ecology), developed by Italian architect Paolo Soleri. In an arcology, the built and the living interact as organs would in a highly evolved being. This means many systems work together, with efficient circulation of people and resources, multi-use buildings, and solar orientation for lighting, heating and cooling.'

-arcosanti.org

while looking for images of arcosanti, i learned of the 2008 ecocity world summit, 'bring(ing) together the key innovators, decision makers, technologists, businesses and organizations shaping the conversation around ecological and sustainable city, town and village design, planning and development.'

the ecocity blog links to arcosanti, as well as many other ecocity projects.

it's so exciting to discover people working to shift the paradigm towards a balanced, low impact existence! 
(here's hoping!)

yes, i am obsessed with greenhouses.  and completely fascinated by hydroponic gardening. 

when i think about what i would like to be doing with my life 20, 30, 40 years from now, i'm pretty sure it has something to do with working in a hydroponic greenhouse.

the idea is simple- give plants a constant dose of exactly what they need to flourish.
the result- much greater yields, with an extremely high degree of efficiency (a hydroponic greenhouse uses as little as 1/20 the amount of water as a regular farm to produce the same amount of food)

in stores, i generally opt for foods i know to be hydroponically grown (e.g. peppers labelled 'hot house') there is no concern about contaminants in the soil, and many (most?) hydroponic farms do not use pesticides.   regardless, it is difficult for hydroponic growers to achieve 'organic' certification, either because states require soil to qualify a farm as organic, or because of the difficulty inherent in reconciling the 'organic' nature of the growing media.

there is a ton of great information on the web and in print, as well as many commercially available systems. 
i was prompted to write this post when i came across this comprehensive tutorial for making your own 11 plant garden (above). i'll look around some more and post some of the best links as i find them. 

does any one know any universities with strong hydroponics programs?

before there was Etsy... there was deviantArt!

DA is a place where artists can upload their images (photos of 3-d work or 2-d artwork available as prints through the site's printing service)  i don't spend very much time on this site these days (but you can still view my gallery!), but i have discovered many fabulous artists there (see my favorites!)

i wanted to take a moment to promote a kindred struggling artist, ladybomb photography (jennifer lumbley), who has many lovely prints available.  jennifer's eye is drawn to some of my favorite aesthetics: macro-botanical and organic growth vs industrial decay.

thank you for the eye-candy, jennifer!  love the greenhouse photos!  (can't stop thinking abot greenhouses!  i want one!)  good luck!   xoxo

living in portland is great because it is a destination city!
this past week,  i hung out with nina dinoff, a fellow etsymetal member visiting from NYC.

nina's lovely silver and gold jewelry is inspired by modernism, embracing pure form and simplicity.  

her other line, swizzlet, is made from making molds of vintage swizzle sticks, cocktail picks, & findings and casting them in metal. ....so fun!  (i am now the happy owner of one such seahorse cuff bracelet! (below)

(thank you, nina! xoxo)

nina's visit was also a great excuse to go out with the other portland etsymetal ladies!

(i always enjoy hanging out with rubygirl, my new friend catherinechandler, and i finally got to meet TreAnelli!)

looking forward to Experimetal's visit soon...

...who's next?!

hey, all!
i'm still around...!
many many posts have been backing up, so stay tuned!

been busy travelling and preparing for the
mississippi ave street fair this saturday

portland, oregon

10am-7pm,  north mississippi avenue

 music, food, and  local vendors, you know the drill...

i will be vending my handmade sterling silver and copper jewelry (gauged and 'regular') 

along with my friend anne, the glass artist behind SeaMoth  (right)

also there will be Robot Piercing, promoting their new store (now with tattooing!)
as well as vending Angry God's amazing gauged jewelry!

i keep coming back to these photos on the website of sculptor miwa koizuni

especially to the PET project ('making something from nothing...'),
an increasing collection of marine organisms crafted from plastic bottles.

i am always excited to see artists successfully using trash (or any creative use of our industrial nutrients.)

i think it's really upsetting that so much is wasted; we worry about running out, but we don't think much about what we throw out!

(also on miwa's site: make a kite from shopping bags- it really flies!  instructions here)

opportunity for artists:

lark books seeks images of original work to feature in the gallery of Fantastic Plastic by David and Robin Edgar. (info here) to be released in Fall 2009.

'Fantastic Plastic will capture the artistry of recycled plastic. From fun and funky to elegant and thought provoking, all sculptural forms will be considered and all types of plastic innovation will be welcomed.'

my sweetie finally bought his tig welder! 

(granted we'll need many more tools to fully enjoy it....)
hooray, more tools!!

thus dawns the age of collaboration and a more serious studio! it's about time!

here is one of his first jewelry designs, a stainless steel ring to go with my 'annelid' series.

shown with one of my new ring designs, compound eye ring, fabricated from an up-cycled clip on earring (limited edition of 4, two remaining), for the etsymetal insect challenge.

modeled by the fabulous alaraca, an important new friend i met as an etsy customer half a continent away

thank you, sandra, for all of your support!  xoxo

stay tuned for more stainless steel jewelry, furniture, and accessories!

(is it weird to covet a publishing service?)

i am completely enamored of pinball publishing (here in portland), and look forward to getting some high-quality, eco-friendly promotional materials printed, using soy-based ink and recycled papers.

i met founders laura and austin whipple through our mutual midwife (the highly recommended ellie legare);
not only are they lovely and welcoming people- whom i really want to support!- their products are seriously impressive! 
(one example being the first in their series of designer cards: hare illustration by brent wick- printed with gold and black ink on recycled chipboard stock...luscious!)

portland natural history museum

a natural history museum in portland,OR ?! yes, please!  

the proposed museum will combine science and art to create exhibits about environmental preservation and ecology, focusing on oregon's dramatic biological and geological diversity.

the oregon natural history coalition is working on making their grand vision a reality....they will need a lot of help! if you are as excited as i am about this project, check out the onhc website& join the coalition!

tonight is their first fundraiser: 

 Cafe Reese, 1037 NW 23rd Ave. on Monday, October 27th from 6-9pm.

• Silent auction
• 50/50 Raffle
• Free appetizers
• 20% of beer and wine proceeds will support our mission to create a Natural History Museum in Portland. 

  

amy tavern

tonight i'm looking forward to attending amy tavern's trunk show at seaplane!

i had the pleasure of working as amy's studio assistant for a number of months when she lived in portland-  she is every bit as delightful as her lovely jewelry!  

amy's signature styles incorporate steel, gold, and silver into simple, yet artful & high wearable designs, as well as dramatic one-of-a-kind studio jewelry pieces like the jellyfish necklace (right).

she uses eco-friendly 'harmony metals' from hoover and strong.  

amy's west coast trunk show tour schedule:

(also check out her website- it's very easy on the eyes!)

seaplane pop up shop
friday, oct. 24 from 7-10pm
919 nw 23rd. st. ground level
portland, or

velouria
saturday, oct. 25 from 2-6pm
2205 nw market st.
seattle, wa

rare device
saturday, nov. 1 from 12-4pm
1845 market st.
san francisco, ca

carol young|undesigned
saturday, nov. 8 from 12-6
los angeles, ca

beth cyr

happy birthday to myself and my fellow libra and etsymetalsmith beth cyr (bcryjewelry)!    

beth has been very supportive of my work, and is a constant an inspiration to me in the ways of etsy success and pursuing a healthier lifestyle (yoga, etc).

beth specializes in fusing argentium silver into detailed organic shapes.  she has also been busy making some kick-ass wedding rings!

you can follow beth's adventures in jewelry making on her blog, as well as her etsy shop.

beth, thanks for being so fabulous!

xoxo

zerkahloostrah

 how thrilling- i emailled peter a link to something i like and it came in the mail a week later!

and i do love them! these toebiter tabi slippers from zerkahloostrah are made from recycled sweaters and have great detail.

(they also fit perfectly within my rainboots & it's getting to be that time of year...)

daphne also specializes in handmade bags...and shoes!  shoe  samples and custom orders are available in her etsy shop.

thanks, daphne!

organic produce guide

i feel so outraged and helpless against the latest chronicle of american economic and political SNAFUs....
i will surely be voting next month, but who knows what good that will actually do :(
money talks, of this we can be sure....
i strongly believe in voting with my dollar whenever possible.

one way (possibly the only way, considering that almost every dollar of mine goes towards food!) that i exercise this ideal is by purchasing organic foods, locally grown when available.  this serves the dual purpose of showing my support for organic farming, and making healthier choices for myself and my family.

sadly, i am not independently wealthy (but rather an artist and a mom) and i am hard-pressed to afford  to buy any food, let alone any fancy expensive food....but the health angle is very important!

happily, i've found this handy  chart distributed by the EWG (environmental working group.) 
it ranks the top 45 fruits and vegetables in terms of pesticide contamination (even after washing & peeling).  now i can easily prioritize the organic items on my shopping list!

also, check out stonyfield farms' (yummy yogurt!) website, where they will donate $1 to the EWG for every click.  they also have coupons.

The Full List: 43 Fruits & Veggies

RANK	FRUIT OR VEGGIE	SCORE
1 (worst)	Peaches	100 (highest pesticide load)
2	Apples	96
3	Sweet Bell Peppers	86
4	Celery	85
5	Nectarines	84
6	Strawberries	83
7	Cherries	75
8	Lettuce	69
9	Grapes - Imported	68
10	Pears	65
11	Spinach	60
12	Potatoes	58
13	Carrots	57
14	Green Beans	55
15	Hot Peppers	53
16	Cucumbers	52
17	Raspberries	47
18	Plums	46
19	Oranges	46
20	Grapes-Domestic	46
21	Cauliflower	39
22	Tangerine	38
23	Mushrooms	37
24	Cantaloupe	34
25	Lemon	31
26	Honeydew Melon	31
27	Grapefruit	31
28	Winter Squash	31
29	Tomatoes	30
30	Sweet Potatoes	30
31	Watermelon	25
32	Blueberries	24
33	Papaya	21
34	Eggplant	19
35	Broccoli	18
36	Cabbage	17
37	Bananas	16
38	Kiwi	14
39	Asparagus	11
40	Sweet Peas-Frozen	11
41	Mango	9
42	Pineapples	7
43	Sweet Corn-Frozen	2
44	Avocado	1
45 (best)	Onions	1 (lowest pesticide load)

(top left- Oregon Tilth certification seal, which adds an increased level of respectability to organic growers:
'Oregon Tilth is a nonprofit research and education membership organization dedicated to biologically sound and socially equitable agriculture. Oregon Tilth offers educational events throughout the state of Oregon, and provides organic certification services to organic growers, processors, and handlers internationally.)

radical jewelry makeover

if you live in the bay area,  check out the third radical jewelry makeover (creating new hotness from old busted junk!)

''Radical Jewelry Makeover is many things. It is a traveling community mining and recycling project and a creative art and education project, teaching makers how to produce contemporary, innovative jewelry from recycled sources and proudly placing responsible jewelry in the hands of the consumers. The overall project is meant to raise awareness of the connection between mining and metalsmithing as well as showcase innovative making.'

this  ingenious project was designed by Ethical Metalsmiths co-founder Christina Miller and Susie Ganch,  metalsmith.

the crucible joins in the fun (offering a free RJM class for students who have previously taken a jewelry class at the studio), as well as the metal arts guild and a host of other schools and studios.  the final pieces will be displayed and sold at velvet da vinci.

 

• check out the RJM blog for information on past, present, & future events!

daedalsmith

 

i was fortunate enough to make the etsy front page today with this ring.  i receieved two messages asking about the gold ring in the photo, which i included specifically to promote daedalsmith.clint fulkerson.)  not only is clint an exceptional jeweler, he's also an amazing illustrator- such intricate detail goes into all of his work!

check out his blog for lots of eye candy and insight into his artistic/scientific processes... (growing crystals, excavating vertebrae, walking in the woods, and lots of drawing!)

clint graduated from massart a couple of years before i did, then succeeded me in teaching lost wax casting classes at diablo glass and metal.  just before i moved to portland in 2004, he finished a set of gold commitment rings for me and my partner.  i still wear mine everyday!

here are a few images of his more recent work, grabbed from his website.  (clint,  i love these! where can i buy prints?!)

anathem

oh, joy!  a new neal stephenson novel!

'Philosophy! Theology! Global catastrophe! Adventure!

Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" pulls off what most writers would never dare attempt -- it is simultaneously a philosophical argument and a ripping good yarn.'

review by Andrew Leonard on salon.com.

also for your persual:
the official site & a reading on longnow.org

(books ordered through this link to amazon.com kick back a percentage of the profits to the long now foundation-

'established in 01996* to develop the Clock and Library  projects, as well as to become the seed of a very long term cultural institution. The Long Now Foundation hopes to provide counterpoint to today's "faster/cheaper" mind set and promote "slower/better" thinking. We hope to creatively foster responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years.')

my copy is in the mail!  i can hardly wait!

thanks for the tip, rebecca!

five & diamond

 

an assortment of my gauged earrings can now be found at five & diamond in san francisco, a high-end 'sci- fi- wild- west- steampunk- victorian- circus- leather- hobo- sideshow- bad-ass- brothel- rock-roll' boutique.' (more reviews available on yelp)

needless to say, i'm thrilled and hope to have found a good niche for my work!

5&diamond showcases the designs of the 'nomadic-artist and entrepreneur team of phoebe minona durland and leighton kelly...the upscale piercing line Tawapa (below, left); one-of-a-kind jewelry Bootleg; the unique leather accessories of Wild Card (below, right); and Black Sarah women's apparel.'

the store sponsers many events and trunk shows- i plan to make my next trip to san francisco coincide with an event!  you can check with them on myspace for event updates.

5 & diamond is located at 510 valencia st.  (could they be more perfect?!)

studio acorn

i just picked up some castings from studio acorn, a 'married team that makes lots of fun things' here in porland.  

casting was one of my favorite things to do when i was in school (massart, boston 2000-2004), but sadly, i don't have my own equipment yet...

in the meantime, beth at studio acorn does a fantastic job and is much more dexterous than i am at adding the tiny sprues that have increased the success rate to almost 100%!  (thanks, beth!)

studio acorn's own designs are simply flawless- sweetly stylized designs 'influenced by (their) love of Japan and all things kawaii.'

more 'jewelry that's cute like you!' on their cute new website and in their etsy shop.

jessi taylor

hello. my name is jessi. i'm a ringaholic.

the other day, while i was oggling jessi taylor's work at redux, i resolved to finally write this post!

i met jessi last summer at a craft fair & was immediately taken with her designs, craftsmanship, creepy doll display, and general way of being....
knowing knew she could do well on etsy, i urged her to open a shop &join etsymetal.
about a week ago, jessi celebrated her one year etsy anniversay ('etsyversary') with more than 250 sales!

yay, jessi!!!

both her website and etsy shop have tons of great photos of her work, plus fantastically whimsical  and compelling descriptions.
like me, jessi is 'a bit obsessed with post-apocalyptic scenarios.... and not in small part because post-apocalyptic styling is HOT.' 

oh, how i love the 'battlestar ring!' (above right- that's battlestar galactica for the uninitiated!)
she also makes a fierce eyeball ring (below left) and has brought us the mangle (man-bangle, below right)

yep, i'm a fan!
(now if only i could get a photo of the fabulous gauged omega hoops i saw at last year's craftywonderland....forget a photo- i need the real deal, jessi! xoxo)

redux pdx

hooray!

i finally brought some pieces over to redux, the cutist, most densely packed & well merchandised store in portland!
(tamara must get sick of me saying so every time i visit...but really, it's remarkable!)

redux features a broad assortment of innovative designers, including many old friends and new (with related blog posts pending...) cyberoptix, lucky looloo, jessi taylor, & rubygirl.

located across from the doug fir lounge, redux is a convenient and necessary stop on any shopping tour of portland (just not on a monday or tuesday)

(thank you, tamara, for being so fabulous!)

DISTRO.Y/the void above

also from the days at miko was born my friendship with gillian (whom i love & adore & miss terribly!)
over the last ten+ years, we often talked of all the creative projects we would embark upon together, but we have yet to collaborate!  (because i up and moved to oregon!)  

while i've been busy developing my jewelry business, gillian and terrence began DISTRO.Y, a specialty silk screening business.  they print their own collaborative designs (top right), as well as images by artists they admire (including Star St.Germain, middle right.)

gill has also been working on her own higher end line, The Void Above, featuring garments made from 100% organic cotton and TENCEL®, which she has hand dyed, cut and placed by hand, embroidered & screen printed (bottom right)

many many thanks to both gill and tea for all of their support over the years! (including- but hardly limted to- hosting discomedusa.com on Punkhost....one of these days i'll put a proper webpage together!)

(wishing two of my favorite people much success on all of their (ad)ventures! xoxo)

quarantine projects

one of the first people to inspire my love of stretched piercings was jaime lakatos, my predecessor in the flogger-making department at miko exotic wear in providence, ri (circa 1998.) 

we recently reconnected via myspace, and i have enjoyed looking at her portfolio, which i wanted to promote here. 

some of her work is for sale at skeletonart.com(feral gallery).

jaime's work is 'strongly visceral and unnerving...' and i love it! 

(someday....!)

 

pdx etsy tea time

as a portland-based etsy seller, i am a member of the pdx etsy street team.
(which, btw, is having their final summer show at the psu park blocks/farmer's market this saurday, august 9- see website for details.  i will not be vending at this event, for lack of time, money, and energy- but there will be dozens of other friendly and talented  crafty vendors, along with yummy food and produce, and live music)

one of the many benefits of being a part of this very active street team is pdx etsy tea time every thursday.
enjoying a day without babysitters and enticed by the promise of other toddlers, i finally made it to one last week!
hosted by autumn of autumn comfort candles (all natural hand poured candles in hand cut recycled glass bottles) with a photography tutorial by leah pellegrini (glass mobiles and other fun), it was the perfect way to spend the afternoon! 
thank you ladies!

i was inspired to make my own ghetto-style light box from tissue paper and a cardboard box....it's such an improvement over holding some filters in my teeth, the camera in one hand, and a light in the other...!

still working on mastering the subtleties of photographing jewelry, but i'm very happy with the light quality!
(shown here reflecting off of a most deliciously satisfying pair of 10g sterling silver earrings.)

treehugger

'hip, not hippie'- as i like to think of it- treehugger.com is 'the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream. partial to a modern aesthetic, [they] strive to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information.'

i'm a fan.

with diverse categories including fashion&beauty, design&architecture, food&health, science&technolgy; treehugger uploads more than 30 posts a day.
i spend hours every week exploring the web through the treehugger portal!

features include investigations into the most shamefully wasteful packaging, as well as more eco-friendly packaging innovations (such as tofu packaged in a ballon, top right);  better, cheaper LEDs; and green building trends (such as the green roof on this building in fukuoka, japan, built in 1995, bottom right)

there is also a lively community of people offering insights and criticism in the forums, as well as on individual articles.

and don't miss treehugger's 'how to go green guides: in depth actionable articles to help you get off your duff and step into the green future'! (green your lighting, your baby, your sex life, etc)

arcosanti

my brother is currently studying architecture at portland state university. i think he's going to be very good at it; he has keen design sensitivities...
for years, he's been talking about the arcosanti project in arizona. he hopes to finally take a workshop there within the next year.  if he likes it, he plans to study there for months and to get some real hand-on experience.

'In 1970, the Cosanti Foundation began building Arcosanti, an experimental town in the high desert of Arizona, 70 miles north of metropolitan Phoenix. When complete, Arcosanti will house 5000 people, demonstrating ways to improve urban conditions and lessen our destructive impact on the earth. Its large, compact structures and large-scale solar greenhouses will occupy only 25 acres of a 4060 acre land preserve, keeping the natural countryside in close proximity to urban dwellers.

Arcosanti is designed according to the concept of arcology (architecture + ecology), developed by Italian architect Paolo Soleri. In an arcology, the built and the living interact as organs would in a highly evolved being. This means many systems work together, with efficient circulation of people and resources, multi-use buildings, and solar orientation for lighting, heating and cooling.'

-arcosanti.org

while looking for images of arcosanti, i learned of the 2008 ecocity world summit, 'bring(ing) together the key innovators, decision makers, technologists, businesses and organizations shaping the conversation around ecological and sustainable city, town and village design, planning and development.'

the ecocity blog links to arcosanti, as well as many other ecocity projects.

it's so exciting to discover people working to shift the paradigm towards a balanced, low impact existence! 
(here's hoping!)

hydroponic gardening

yes, i am obsessed with greenhouses.  and completely fascinated by hydroponic gardening. 

when i think about what i would like to be doing with my life 20, 30, 40 years from now, i'm pretty sure it has something to do with working in a hydroponic greenhouse.

the idea is simple- give plants a constant dose of exactly what they need to flourish.
the result- much greater yields, with an extremely high degree of efficiency (a hydroponic greenhouse uses as little as 1/20 the amount of water as a regular farm to produce the same amount of food)

in stores, i generally opt for foods i know to be hydroponically grown (e.g. peppers labelled 'hot house') there is no concern about contaminants in the soil, and many (most?) hydroponic farms do not use pesticides.   regardless, it is difficult for hydroponic growers to achieve 'organic' certification, either because states require soil to qualify a farm as organic, or because of the difficulty inherent in reconciling the 'organic' nature of the growing media.

there is a ton of great information on the web and in print, as well as many commercially available systems. 
i was prompted to write this post when i came across this comprehensive tutorial for making your own 11 plant garden (above). i'll look around some more and post some of the best links as i find them. 

does any one know any universities with strong hydroponics programs?

ladybomb photography

before there was Etsy... there was deviantArt!

DA is a place where artists can upload their images (photos of 3-d work or 2-d artwork available as prints through the site's printing service)  i don't spend very much time on this site these days (but you can still view my gallery!), but i have discovered many fabulous artists there (see my favorites!)

i wanted to take a moment to promote a kindred struggling artist, ladybomb photography (jennifer lumbley), who has many lovely prints available.  jennifer's eye is drawn to some of my favorite aesthetics: macro-botanical and organic growth vs industrial decay.

thank you for the eye-candy, jennifer!  love the greenhouse photos!  (can't stop thinking abot greenhouses!  i want one!)  good luck!   xoxo

swizzlet

living in portland is great because it is a destination city!
this past week,  i hung out with nina dinoff, a fellow etsymetal member visiting from NYC.

nina's lovely silver and gold jewelry is inspired by modernism, embracing pure form and simplicity.  

her other line, swizzlet, is made from making molds of vintage swizzle sticks, cocktail picks, & findings and casting them in metal. ....so fun!  (i am now the happy owner of one such seahorse cuff bracelet! (below)

(thank you, nina! xoxo)

nina's visit was also a great excuse to go out with the other portland etsymetal ladies!

(i always enjoy hanging out with rubygirl, my new friend catherinechandler, and i finally got to meet TreAnelli!)

looking forward to Experimetal's visit soon...

...who's next?!

mississippi ave street fair

hey, all!
i'm still around...!
many many posts have been backing up, so stay tuned!

been busy travelling and preparing for the
mississippi ave street fair this saturday

portland, oregon

10am-7pm,  north mississippi avenue

 music, food, and  local vendors, you know the drill...

i will be vending my handmade sterling silver and copper jewelry (gauged and 'regular') 

along with my friend anne, the glass artist behind SeaMoth  (right)

also there will be Robot Piercing, promoting their new store (now with tattooing!)
as well as vending Angry God's amazing gauged jewelry!

PET project

i keep coming back to these photos on the website of sculptor miwa koizuni

especially to the PET project ('making something from nothing...'),
an increasing collection of marine organisms crafted from plastic bottles.

i am always excited to see artists successfully using trash (or any creative use of our industrial nutrients.)

i think it's really upsetting that so much is wasted; we worry about running out, but we don't think much about what we throw out!

(also on miwa's site: make a kite from shopping bags- it really flies!  instructions here)

opportunity for artists:

lark books seeks images of original work to feature in the gallery of Fantastic Plastic by David and Robin Edgar. (info here) to be released in Fall 2009.

'Fantastic Plastic will capture the artistry of recycled plastic. From fun and funky to elegant and thought provoking, all sculptural forms will be considered and all types of plastic innovation will be welcomed.'

team davey/booth

my sweetie finally bought his tig welder! 

(granted we'll need many more tools to fully enjoy it....)
hooray, more tools!!

thus dawns the age of collaboration and a more serious studio! it's about time!

here is one of his first jewelry designs, a stainless steel ring to go with my 'annelid' series.

shown with one of my new ring designs, compound eye ring, fabricated from an up-cycled clip on earring (limited edition of 4, two remaining), for the etsymetal insect challenge.

modeled by the fabulous alaraca, an important new friend i met as an etsy customer half a continent away

thank you, sandra, for all of your support!  xoxo

stay tuned for more stainless steel jewelry, furniture, and accessories!

pinball publishing

(is it weird to covet a publishing service?)

i am completely enamored of pinball publishing (here in portland), and look forward to getting some high-quality, eco-friendly promotional materials printed, using soy-based ink and recycled papers.

i met founders laura and austin whipple through our mutual midwife (the highly recommended ellie legare);
not only are they lovely and welcoming people- whom i really want to support!- their products are seriously impressive! 
(one example being the first in their series of designer cards: hare illustration by brent wick- printed with gold and black ink on recycled chipboard stock...luscious!)