Orion Designs

Work Table Transformation

2012-01-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

What a difference a few days can make. My last post prompted some great input from my artsy friends Patty and Brandi. I'll be ready to photograph and list a whole bunch of those interchangeable pendants when I return from my annual trek to Tucson.

-- I always say that I go to Tucson to buy gems, but this year, it seems equally important to go there for a break from our extremely cold (sub-zero) month of January --

Working on the above mentioned project spurred me into action. Kind of love when that happens. I've been working on a series of duet and trio necklaces. The process of selecting pairs of gemstones and trios of gemstones is really the most fun part of this. Here's a look at the completed dangles. Now all they need chains, clasps and prices!

It's always good for me to use a bunch of gems right before I go to Tucson. That way, I can convince myself that I actually need more. Right.

I'll close with a great picture of Jet during our walk down to the inlet the other day. He's the most handsome guy! He doesn't seem to care that it is -15!!

What's on My Work Table?

2012-01-25T11:15:00.000-08:00

I haven't done one of these posts in a very long time! It's not that I haven't been working on jewelry projects, because I most certainly have. I just don't seem to think to blog about it as often as I used to. But this project is a little bit different and was begging to be documented.

I found these interesting pendant bails in Tucson. They allow the wearer to pick and choose which pendant they want to wear. A perfect item for those who want versatility in their jewelry!

In the above photo, you can see that I've wire wrapped several briolettes and a few still need to be wrapped. The above mentioned bails have an opening and secure closure which holds the hanging briolette. It may be easier to see how this works in the photo below:

These bails rest very nicely on a snake chain or any sort of link chain. But I suspect it would work really well with a leather or satin cord as well, for a more casual look.

My biggest problem with this new product is how to market it. Should I offer them with individual drops? Should I make duets? Trios? Obviously, the price will be higher, the more drops I offer with each bail. And how do I approach this if I want to sell them on etsy? Should the duet selections (if I go that way) be fixed, or should the buyer select the desired stones? My guess is that would be a nightmare, involving too many convos and extra photo-taking, just to make a single sale.

If you have any suggestions for me, please share them with me!

Vintage Glassware

2012-01-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

Last week was our 14th anniversary, so we went out to dinner. We don't often eat dinner out (lunch, yes, dinner, no), so this was sort of a big deal. We went to a little place called Paris Bakery & Cafe in Anchorage. We've eaten there before, and have never been disappointed. This dinner was no exception. The owner/chef is really from Paris, so this is as authentic as you can get in Alaska. The bakery items are to die for.

Anyhoo, we got to Anchorage a bit early and decided to go one of the few antique stores in Anchorage -- Lazy Dog Antiques downtown. I really didn't expect to find anything because I wasn't looking for anything. We were just killing time until dinner hour arrived.

Wouldn't you know, I found an amazing set of glassware! The set includes 4 tall glasses and 4 highball glasses. They look very fancy and very Mad Men to me!

We decided to donate all of our plain, nothing special glasses to make room for these lovelies. Makes a drink of water seem like a very special activity! Happy anniversary to us!

A New Necklace for a New Year

2012-01-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

The first new item in my etsy shop for 2012 is a stunner, if I do say so myself. I started with a circle I fused from fine silver wire. After hammering it for texture, I started to add dangles of white keshi pearls and pink tourmaline. It sat like that for a week or more before I decided how to complete the necklace. Once I found that gorgeous ruby briolette, the necklace came together pretty quickly.

To see the necklace from some other angles, click on the photo. It will take you directly to the listing in my etsy shop.

Sapphire and Seed Pearl Necklace

2011-12-30T13:47:00.000-08:00

Each year, right about now, I donate a piece of jewelry to be auctioned during the KAKM Art Showcase. KAKM is our local public tv station and the art auction is a huge fundraiser. It is televised for three consecutive nights in mid February. I find it very exciting to watch my handcrafted jewelry getting ever increasing bids during this live auction every year.

The piece I selected for this year's auction features lots of little sapphire briolettes and a series of tiny white seed pearls. The base is a piece of sterling silver wire that I shaped by hand and hammered flat for strength and to make a nice surface for the seed pearls to rest on.

Emerging from the top of the wire work are small rondelles of crystal quartz, leading to sterling silver oval rolo chain, one of my favorite chain styles.

And a couple more photos of it:

I don't usually do that type of wire wrapping because it takes a lot of patience. Patience that I generally lack. But this time, the piece really needed it and once I put my mind to it, it didn't take as long as I thought it might.

Chocolate Sambuca Cookies

2011-12-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, I had to buy a bottle of Sambuca (the tragedy of being completely out of Sambuca is something I'm still coming to terms with) to make this recipe. Of course, Rick had to take a sample sip before I used it in the cookie recipe, just to make sure it was up to par. By the way, the finished cookies do NOT have an overwhelming licorice taste ... it's just right.

Chocolate Sambuca Cookies

12 oz semisweet chocolate (I used 1 1/2 cups of chips)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup + 2 TBSP flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup almonds, ground pretty fine
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP Sambuca

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Melt the chocolate & butter in the top of a double boiler (or in the microwave). Allow to cool a bit. Beat together the eggs, 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in combined flour, baking soda, almonds, melted chocolate and Sambuca. Chill for several hours or overnight.

Put 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in 2 different small bowls. Roll 1/2 TBS of dough into balls. Coat with regular sugar, followed by powdered sugar. Set on ungreased cookie sheets about 2" apart. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. They will puff up and have a lovely cracked finish. Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring to racks.

Brazilian Coffee Cookies

2011-12-18T13:08:00.000-08:00

This is another new recipe for me. I've had this recipe marked in one of m y cookbook pamphlet thingies for several years and decided this was the year to finally try them. Now I wish I had done it sooner!

Brazilian Coffee Cookies

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 TBS milk (or cream)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 TBS powdered instant coffee (I used Folger's crystals and I like the look of the specks in the dough!)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix sugars, butter, milk, vanilla and egg until well combined. Stir in remaining ingredients, blending well. Shape into 1" balls (mine were bigger, so I didn't get the correct yield). Place about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten to about 1/8" thickness: grease the bottom of a glass, dip in sugar and press on each cookie, re-sugaring as needed. Bake at 400 for 7 - 8 minutes.

These cookies are crisp on the outside and nice and chewy on the inside. What more can you ask from a cookies?? If you're sensitive to caffeine, you might want to use decaf.

Lemon Bars

2011-12-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

As promised, I will share with you my latest recipe for Lemon Bars. I know I've made them before, but never with this recipe. I think I like these better than any I have ever made previously!

Lemon Bars

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter

Cut butter into mixture of flour & sugar until all pieces of butter are quite small. Press into ungreased square pan. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes

Filling:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 TBSP flour
2-3 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

Combine eggs & sugar, mixing well. Stir in remaining ingredients until combined. Pour over partially baked crust. Bake for about 18-20- minutes.

Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Yummy lemony goodness

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

2011-12-14T17:33:00.000-08:00

I started my holiday baking today, but I'm not foolish enough to think that the things I baked today will actually last until Christmas. I live with Rick, after all.

Lemon Bars were first on the list, but I haven't cut them yet, so I'll share that recipe with you when I can get a photo of an individual bar. A photo of the uncut bars, still in the pan would be dumb.

The second thing I baked were these lovely cookies. They sort of melt in your mouth ....

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

1 cup butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 oz (1 square) of unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 1/4 cups flour (I used King Arthur's White Whole Wheat, but you can certainly use white)
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP cocoa powder

Cream butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Blend in vanilla and melted chocolate. Add flour and salt, blending until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Shape into 1" balls and place on cookie sheets. I did not grease the cookie sheets because I have non-stick ones. If you don't have those, you probably want to grease your sheets. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely (this can be done on the cookie sheets -- no need to transfer to cooling rack).

In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup powdered sugar and cocoa. Roll the cooled cookies in this mixture.

Makes about 4 dozen.

If you're admiring the lovely leaf plate holding the cookies, I purchased it at the Bad Girls of the North craft show from Lynn Marie Naden (Contours by Lynn Marie). She has a shop in Homer, Alaska and can be found at several galleries around the state.

Leftover Turkey

2011-11-27T18:16:00.000-08:00

Those of you that have read (and possibly made) some of my recipes, know that I do not often turn to pre-packaged or canned goods. This recipe for leftover turkey is an exception that I'm happy to share with you because it is SO GOOD!

The original recipe was given to me by a friend in Reno, but I've made several changes that I think make it much better. It makes a huge casserole, so get out your largest baking pan!

Turkey Pasta Casserole

1 lb pasta of your choice (I've done this with bow-ties, ziti, rotini -- they all work well)
6 cups of cut up, cooked turkey
4 stalks of celery, cut up
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can tomato soup
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cook pasta until slightly underdone. Saute the vegetables in a small amount of oil until tender. Mix all of the ingredients (except the cheese) in a large bowl and turn into a large, greased baking pan. Bake for about an hour at 350. Sprinkle the cheese on top and heat just until melted.

This recipe originally called for spaghetti, but I like it much better with any of the shapes I referenced above.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you still have some left over turkey so you can try this recipe. If not, you can always use chicken.

Sale in My Etsy Shop!

2011-11-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

That's right folks, I'm having a 20% off sale in my etsy shop. Follow these simple instructions and your discount will be applied automatically!

When making your purchase, use the code NOV20 in the coupon code field. Click the blue "Apply Shop Coupon Code" (it will be on the right hand side of your screen) and enter the code in the box that appears. Don't forget to click "apply".

This Coupon Code will be available through end of day Saturday, November 12. Happy shopping!

The New Floor .... and a little bit of Jet

2011-10-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

I LOVE MY NEW FLOOR! Yes, I screamed that at the top of my lungs. I feel like a grown-up now that my floors are not made of plywood any more. We're no longer living in a house known for it's dorm-room-chic qualities. Alright, we still have some funky things going on, but for the most part, the house is done. Amen. It's only been 14 1/2 years.

You probably think this is a nice hardwood floor. You would be wrong. It's linoleum. Yup, linoleum. The manufacturer uses a photograph of wood and somehow adheres it to some really heavy duty linoleum. There's even real wood-like texture going on here.

A friend of Rick's, who has installed many hardwood floors over the years, made the comment: "Why would anyone get real wood?"

And here's Jet on his new bed, after his grooming yesterday. I wuv him.

New Earrings in My Etsy Shop -- Finally!

2011-10-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Now that the Great Flooring Installation of 2011 is complete, I'm finally back to work in my studio. There's nothing like a little renovation to get me motivated again. My studio was completely empty for several days as the floor was installed, so I took the opportunity to sort through stuff, clean and rearrange a bit. While it looks the same (to the untrained eye), it feels very different to me. In a very good way.

Without any further delay, I'll share with you two new pairs of earrings in my etsy shop.

Midnight Blue Pearls

Concave Cut Green Amethyst

Stay tuned -- I have more earrings to come. The photos need to be edited, blah, blah blah. As usual, click on the photos to go directly to the listings in my etsy shop.

A Brief Update

2011-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

I know you have all missed me and my posts terribly. And I do feel bad about being absent from my blog lately. But I actually have some good reasons, which I will cover in a minute.

First, I'd like to report that our Bad Girls of the North craft show in Fairbanks was a huge success. We think that there was a record turnout on Friday evening. If I was a shopper, I think I would have left! I don't do well with huge crowds.

My house is a disaster zone. In preparation for new flooring (actually, it's my house's first real flooring ever -- we've been living with plywood floors for 13 years. very embarrassing to admit this here), most of our belongings and furnishings are packed up and living on the deck under blue tarps. For those of you not familiar with this strategy, it is very Alaskan to use a multitude of blue tarps, wherever and whenever you can. I'm not a fan of this look, but given what we need to do, this is a necessity.

As many of you know, my studio is located inside my house. Yes, my entire studio has been dismantled and will not be back to normal for a few more days. This timing is far from brilliant, as we are in the middle of craft show season. The actual floor installation will take place on Monday and Tuesday. It is only after that, that our lives begin to get back to normal. Rick is certain that I will be searching for missing items all winter long and he's probably right.

No pictures of this disaster are available. I'm not proud of how our house and deck look right now. The neighbors are concerned for our mental stability at this point.

On a brighter note, Jet is having a blast running around the near-empty house. There are few places where his toys can get stuck!

Thanks for sticking with me through my long absences.

Preparing for the Bad Girls show in Fairbanks

2011-09-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Later this week, we drive north for our 12th annual Bad Girls of the North craft show in Fairbanks. It's a long, long drive that takes most of the day. We will leave on Thursday and get up early to do the show layout on Friday morning.

I made several small adjustments to my jewelry display last year, so I have no new display items for this year. But I will change it up a bit so it doesn't look stale. And ~~most~~ all of my jewelry is new and fresh. There is one strategy change I will introduce, that I'll try to explain here.

One of my best selling necklace styles are my pearl mixes. As a refresher, you can look at this post from a few years back. The earrings that I make to go along with the necklaces are usually simple, single pearl drops, matching one of the pearls in the necklace. They are sold separately from the necklaces, but I display them together. It never fails -- there are always several customers who purchase only the earrings, leaving the necklace without a matching pair of earrings. This year, I decided to make about 20 pairs of varied single pearls drop earrings for these people to choose from! I will display them all together in a little basket. Hopefully, this will prevent the lonely necklace syndrome.

We'll see.

Jet has a Play Date!

2011-09-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

Jet is now 11 months old and weighs in at about 82 pounds. That's a lot of dog, isn't it? He's finally big enough for a "fair" play date with Murphy. Murphy is the gorgeous labradoodle that lives across the street. He's about 120 pounds!

Last week, I snapped some photos of them playing together in ~~Kathryn & Timer's~~ Murphy's backyard.

Looks rougher than it is.

Rick with Jet and Timer looks on.

(Murphy's not really biting Jet -- it just looks that way)

After only 10 minutes, the two of them are panting like, well, like dogs.

Poor Blitzen had to stay in the house. She doesn't play well with others. And she's old.

State Fair -- Food Photos

2011-09-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

I only have time for a quick post with some photos of some of the food we've eaten during the past week.

Blue Corn Tamale (with all the toppings)

Pork Chop on a Stick (after a few bites)

Baked Potato topped with Cheese, Bacon and Sour Cream

And I decided to live-on-the-edge and get a feather hair extension. I kind of love it. The gorgeous earrings are from my friend Brandi at Caties Blue.

The Great Pumpkin Scandal of 2011

2011-09-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

Alaska is famous for the giant vegetables that grow here. Each year at the State Fair, the pumpkin weigh-off is a very big deal. The same with the cabbage weigh-off, but we'll just focus on the pumpkins for now.

A 1723 pound pumpkin (can you say HUGE?) was disqualified because of a tiny hole. I really don't get this. Why does a hole disqualify a pumpkin? This was not adequately explained for me. I guess pumpkin judging rules are quite severe.

The winning pumpkin was a mere 1287 pounds. Still pretty unreal looking. Not at all attractive in the traditional pumpkin sense. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

This is a photo of a completely different pumpkin, which weighed only 859 pounds. I must have missed the bigger ones. How could I??

If this tale really captivates you, you can read the full story here.

Pigs and Bonsai

2011-09-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some more highlights from my stroll around the barn the other day at the Alaska State Fair.

There is something super cute about baby pigs. Can't explain it. It just is. The mama pigs, not so much.

And a different set (litter?)

The bonsai display was amazing, as always.

I forgot to take a picture of the unique lunch item we found yesterday. It was called a Chicken Parfait and not only was it clever, it was quite yummy. In a clear plastic cup, make layers of mashed potatoes and shredded barbequed chicken. Top it with a cherry tomato and barbeque sauce!

Later in the day -- I guess you could call it dinner -- we had the most fabulous crab bisque and shared an order of coconut crab patties. Delicious!

In the Barn at the Alaska State Fair

2011-08-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a slow sort of day at the Alaska State Fair -- the crowd was light until after the Charlie Daniels concert. And even then, the demographic was all wrong for the kind of things we sell.

I took the opportunity to visit the animals in the barn. Ever since I've gotten to know Pricilla and Abby, there is a special place in my heart for goats.

The goats were especially cute this year. They love a little head scratch.

And fresh hay is always welcome.

How about this little cutie?

Who added this sheep to the mix? He/she was exceptionally soft.

As I said, yesterday was slow, so we ate a lot. We ate a seafood platter (fried, of course) and it was delicious. We also enjoyed a bunch of Macho Nachos with the works - chicken, beans, guacamole, olives, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa. And the day wouldn't be complete without a batch of freshly baked cookies from the Hoop 'n Hula cookie booth. They provide hula hoops for you to practice with while you wait for your cookies to finish baking. Quite a treat, really.

If you are interested in all the food we have to choose from, have a look at this page. Every day involves quite a few decisions. And just in case you were curious, we did indeed eat a bucket of donuts from the Rollin' Donuts booth the other day. The bucket was cute and now it's empty.

Alaska State Fair -- The Weekend Report

2011-08-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Opening weekend at the fair is always crazy-busy. The unseasonably ~~cold~~ cool weather and rain on Friday and Saturday made those days a little less crazy-busy than usual, but that's ok. Sunday was gorgeous and warm. The crowd was huge and in a buying mood.

I took this set of photos before we opened last Thursday.

These are our short sleeve t-shirts. Love the colors we chose.

And our long sleeve t-shirts. Not loving these colors as much.

Cindy's metal art is always a great attention getter. We've already sold the sheep that you see between the 2 doors, the rooster on the ramp and one of the "Bad Dogs".

I have not yet eaten a pork-chop-on-a-stick, but I did have chicken-on-a-stick (from the same booth) last night for dinner. It was steaming hot in my mouth, hence the stupid look on my face :)

You don't really want the whole list of stuff we ate during the first 4 days of the fair, do you?

Alaska State Fair

2011-08-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

I've been very busy getting ready for the Alaska State Fair, which opens tomorrow. Eek! Our fair building is pretty much ready to do business, with just a few last minute details to take care of. I managed to remember to take a few pictures of my jewelry displays in the booth.

Here's the main part of my display. Above, you can see one of Cindy Shake's metal ravens, which have proven to be top sellers for us over the past few years. They practically fly out of the building -- yes, I made a funny. Below, I've displayed some of my hand knit scarves (on a cleverly disguised broom stick).

This is a smaller jewelry display area, which tends to be a bit dark. I love the green lamp Carol contributed to the display. Above is a view of our ceramic mugs, insulated travel cups and plastic water bottles (BPA free, of course). The color selections on those items were wonderful this year.

Lastly, my earring display, with another metal raven for protection! Off to the left you can see a snippet of our brand new lovely pink fleece vest. We're hoping it will be a big seller for us.

I plan to share more photos of the inside of the building and of the fairgrounds in general. And my coverage of the fair wouldn't be complete without a photo of me eating a pork-chop-on-a-stick!

Work Table Update

2011-08-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

Now that the necklaces are completed, priced, tagged and stored, it's time to get back to making earrings. I spent most of last Sunday making pairs of gemstones, adding to the batch you saw in the necklace post. I really have my work cut out for me with this huge number of pairs! It will probably take most of a week to complete this batch of earrings.

Click on the photos to see some finer detail.

Do you see any pairs you really, really love? Most of these pairs will end up in my inventory, waiting for craft shows, the state fair or wholesale/consignment orders. A few will probably get photographed for my etsy shop.

Golden Summer Cake

2011-07-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Rick came home from the store the other day with a ~~buttload~~ lot of nectarines. Who asked him to get any nectarines? I didn't. Once I got close to the bag of said nectarines, I knew exactly why he bought them. They smelled heavenly. But they were all ripe, so I had to spring into action and figure out how to use a bunch of them fast. There was no way we could eat them out-of-hand fast enough.

A quick search located this really great recipe.

Fruit Topped Golden Summer Cake (my name, not theirs)

1 cup flour (thanks to my friend Patty's recommendation, I used King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp Fiori di Sicilia (this is my addition to the recipe and I must say that it made a huge difference, but it is completely optional -- you could try some lemon extract instead or leave it out entirely)

2 nectarines, cut up

1/2 TBSP sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp nutmeg.

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and mix completely. Add flour, baking powder and salt, stirring to combine. Turn into greased 9" x 9" pan. Scatter fruit over the batter and sprinkle with sugar/nutmeg mix. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

I know what you're thinking: those don't look like nectarines! and that isn't a square pan!

The first time I baked this cake, I used nectarines, but had to double the recipe to be able to use more than 2 nectarines! The next time I baked it, not only did I double it, but I was finally running low on nectarines, so I added a bunch of fresh cherries -- a delightful combination! The latest version (in the photos) uses both blueberries and cherries -- another delightful combination!

I really overloaded it with fruit, which doesn't seem to affect the recipe, but the berries did sink a bit. I don't see this as a problem.

This cake is especially good topped with some vanilla ice cream.

What's on my Work Table?

2011-07-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

While Jet is still taking huge chunks of my time, I'm forced to figure out how to get some actual work done in preparation for the Alaska State Fair and my fall show season ... and keep up with consignment orders and hopefully some additional wholesale orders. Just typing all that has exhausted me. I'm getting old.

Since earrings are the "bread & butter" of my business, I've spent what time I could keeping those earring boxes full. The boxes are finally bursting at the seams so I recently switched to making some sterling silver necklaces.

What you see here, in the two bottom rows, are a bunch of pendants -- trios and duos -- ready to be put on chains. The pendants are fun to put together. I enjoy finding interesting groupings of gems. The cutting of the chain (I buy the chain in bulk and cut it to length, then add a clasp) and assembling the necklaces is quite boring.

In the two rows above the duos and trios are paired gemstones for earrings. As I said, I'm taking a reprieve from the earring making, so these will have to wait!

*Hint -- click on the photo to get a much better look at some of my gemstone combos!

Making Earring Cards

2011-07-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

One of the less glamorous aspects of making jewelry (seriously though, are there any truly glamorous aspects?) is the need for earring display cards. I've always made my own, using Corel Draw.

Three times in the past 14 years, I have had to upgrade my version of Corel and I live in fear that my existing files will not be compatible with the newest version. I did my last upgrade this past December and all went well, so I'm probably safe for another 5 years or so.

Since I have not been able to give up this task to a commercial printer, I continue to buy 80 lb cover cardstock and print my own. Cutting them has become a science for me. I'll take you through the process and if you fall asleep, I'll wake you when I'm done.

Each sheet (printed front and back) is printed with 12 cards on it. The cards will measure 2" x 3 1/4" when cut.

First I cut them vertically.

Then I cut them horizontally.

My not-so-heavy-duty paper cutter will only cut 3 sheets of this cardstock at a time, so I print in multiples of 3. This batch was 9 sheets. Why don't I get a heavier paper cutter, you ask? I don't have a good answer for you.

The completed stack.

And the back, printed with "Sterling Silver". I leave space under that to write the names of the stones in each particular pair of earrings.

ARE YOU STILL AWAKE?!? PAY ATTENTION -- THIS IS EXCITING STUFF!

Now I bet you're wondering how I put those little holes in the cards that hold the earrings. I'll tell you anyway.

Years ago, when I first started this silliness, Rick saw me using a safety pin to poke holes in the cards. Granted, I didn't need very many cards back then, but still, this was the height of ridiculousness. He built me this little low-tech gizmo that works like a charm.

It is simply 2 pieces of plywood connected with a hinge. On the right, there are 2 small nails. I put a batch of cards upside down over the nails and close the little "book".

Why upside down? Because the nails make a bit of pokey-outie when they go through the paper and that looks terrible on the front of the cards.

Now they're ready for earrings!

A funny story:

I customize the back of the cards with either Sterling Silver, Gold Filled or Niobium. One time, I printed a small batch (3 sheets) of Gold Filled cards with a serious typo. I left out the "l" in Gold. Yes, there were some God Filled earrings out there. I have no idea how many people even noticed. I didn't until I used the last card.

An Ambitious Cooking Project :: Egg Rolls!

2011-07-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

I've made these egg rolls at least one time in the past, if I can believe the notes I made in the cookbook. It was at best a dim memory. So this recent attempt felt like the first time ... all over again.

The internet abounds with recipes and I will provide mine if you request it, but for now, I'll simply entertain you with photos of my egg roll experience.

Preparing the filling of cabbage, onions, carrots and water chestnuts, with a tablespoon (or so) of soy sauce and about a teaspoon of sugar:

Whisking the extremely thin batter -- in one direction only! -- while the pan in heating:

The pan is lightly oiled before I pour in the batter. Pam worked better than liquid oil, as it gave a more even coating. The pancakes are thin and cook relatively quickly. The trickiest part is turning them to cook the other side.

They are stacked under a moistened towel to keep them soft. I think the recipe made 8 or 9.

I wasn't able to get a photo of the actual filling and rolling and forgot to get a photo while they were frying. So here is a picture of the finished product:

I served them with a selection of 4 dipping sauces. We ate every single one. And then we had dinner. :)

New Metal Projects

2011-06-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Remember this post? It features a pendant I made while in class at Volcano Arts back in April. Now that I have my new miniature jeweler's bench and a small drill press, I decided there were no more excuses -- I had to start actually making some things.

Starting with the same design featured in that blog post, I made 2 more pendants. For this first one, I etched a piece of brass and free-cut a circle-ish shape. Because most of the brass is hidden, you can't see the gorgeous leaf pattern that I etched. The black layer is a ready-made circle of anodized aluminum I found in my stash. The center piece is sterling silver that I stamped with the letter "S" around the edges. The 3 layers are held together with a rivet I made from 14 ga copper wire. The bail is also copper, with a sterling rivet to attach it to the pendant.

The bottom layer of the next pendant is a piece of copper from a sheet that I patinated (about 4 years ago -- I still have plenty of it left!) with an ammonia and salt concoction that I learned from Linda & Opie O'Brien's book Metal Discovery Workshop. The middle layer is another piece of anodized aluminum that matches the aqua patina below it very nicely. The center is a copper circle that I stamped. The rivets and the bail are also copper.

This last piece is one I started while still in class 2 months ago. All of the complex sawing was done in class, without a plan for how I would finish it. This is sort of a no-no, as I've been taught to have a plan (thanks Christine!). Having a plan ensures that all of the steps are completed in the proper order. I can't tell you how important this is in a metalsmithing project. Because of my lack of planning, I ended up with plenty of scratches that could have been avoided, and stupid time-wasting work-arounds.

Taking that into consideration, I think the piece turned out great! I'm especially proud of the back, where I can show off my improved riveting skills:

I am so pleased with all of my pieces ~~ *pats self on back*

Sale in My Etsy Shop!

2011-06-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

I'm having a sale in my etsy shop! Use coupon code SUMMER20 to get 20% off your entire order. This will be effective through Saturday, June 25.

Happy Shopping!

Aging Eyes ... Sigh

2011-06-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

People of a certain age ... ahem ... will know what I mean when I say that I simply can't see the small stuff any more. In all honesty, it's been going on for years, but I've been using some work-around techniques. I'm extremely near-sighted and my glasses correct for distance vision. When I take my glasses off (they are progressives) and hold my beads really close, I can see them perfectly! I was finally getting tired of this silly work-around and invested in an optivisor. The one I purchased has 3 interchangeable lenses of different magnifications. So, when my eyes get even worse (is that possible?) I can change out the lens.

Why did I wait so long?!?!?! This might possibly be the most important tool in my arsenal right now. Plus, it's so flattering:

All I can say is that it's a good thing I work at home. Alone.

New Earrings in My Etsy Shop

2011-06-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've continued to add new earrings to my etsy shop. I sell necklaces too, but earrings are the bread & butter of my business, both online and locally.

Solar Quartz & Faceted Pearls

Lapis Teardrops and White Pearls

Copper Circles with Brass Wraps

You can click on any of the photos to go directly to the listings. There are lots more, as I've been trying to add at least one new item per day. I've also decided to let some older listings expire. So, if you've had your eye on a particular piece of jewelry, now is the time to make your purchase. Hint: check the back pages of my etsy shop to see some of the oldest items that will expire soon.

Please don't hate me for sharing this .....

2011-06-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

My regular readers know that I enjoy cooking and baking. But a girl is still allowed a day off and a break from the kitchen, right? So when I saw this item on etsy's front page, I immediately clicked the "add to cart" button. Wouldn't you???

These are the most gorgeous gem-inspired truffles. The package also includes macaroons. Click the photo to go directly to the listing, so you can see what I mean. I have not yet received them, but I will let you know when I do!

Artist Spotlight :: Karen Whitworth

2011-06-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

I met Karen on Twitter -- yes, on Twitter! I quickly became a great admirer of her work. She is an extremely talented artist and a delightful young woman. We had the opportunity to meet in person last week. We had for an amazing lunch at Turkey Red in Palmer, where I've never had a disappointing meal.

The purpose of the meet-up was to complete a trade. Karen wanted some of my jewelry and I fell in love with her chickens. She made me a giclee print of the chickens, which she embellished with additional paint. It truly looks like an original!

Be sure to visit her website to see all of her amazing work.

Garden Art

2011-06-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

It's about time I shared with you Rick's latest creations. In April, he was invited to participate in a show at Artique, in downtown Anchorage, focusing on the garden. He created two amazing pieces of garden art, which I'm happy to say, sold very quickly! Then he made two more.

on display, at the gallery

and another, photographed at home

back at the gallery

There was one more that I don't think I have a photo of. What you may not be able to see in these photos is that each sculpture has a small insect that Rick created from reclaimed parts and other stuff.

He has since created two more pieces for the upcoming show at the botanical gardens. Will share photos of those later!

Jet Learns to Swim

2011-05-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we went for a hike in Eagle River -- along the North Fork. This is part of Chugach State Park, which has countless trails and facilities. The hike is an easy one (thank goodness!) and it was new territory for Jet. He was so excited when we reached the river.

At first, he simply waded in, but quickly got bored with that. Against my advice, Rick let him off the leash and Jet made a mad leap into the water. To the surprise of all of us, it was way deeper than it looked and Jet immediately sunk! How was he to know what the water would be like? I thought he was a goner, but he quickly surfaced and started paddling like crazy, making his way to the shore. Once I regained my composure, I hugged and kissed the wet monster, so happy that he was still alive.

All he wanted to do was dive in again, but I forbade it. Enough was enough and parts of the river were moving swiftly. I was afraid he would carried away by the current. It's been known to happen and I wasn't taking any more chances.

Picasso Petunias

2011-05-28T17:55:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again ... time for flowers! While I'm not much of a gardener ...

don't judge me for not liking dirt under my fingernails, please

... I do love to have lots of flowers around all summer long. There are many wonderful nurseries where we live, but I tend to shop at two specific ones: P&M Gardens in Eagle River and Perennial Gardens, right in my neighborhood! I like to hang a healthy looking (ie - ready made) basket by the front door. This year, these Picasso Petunias really caught my eye.

The challenge will be for me to keep this planter looking this good for the next 3 months!

My Miniature Jeweler's Bench

2011-05-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

I received my new jeweler's bench and Rick helped me set it up a couple of weeks ago. He also had me compile a list of things I needed. He gathered up what he could from his stash of extra stuff, minimizing the amount of money I needed to spend on new stuff -- yay Rick!

While I have a hand held dremel, I do not have a flex shaft and really did not want to spend that much money right now. My dremel can do most of what a flex shaft will do, but drilling has always caused me great problems.

(think drilled hole through finger and a quick trip to the emergency clinic for a tetanus shot)

So I decided to order a mini drill press from Rio Grande. Like the jeweler's bench, it is heavy and costs more to ship than it costs to purchase. I placed the order for the drill press yesterday and was thrilled to discover that it was out of stock! Why, you ask? Because Rio has that great policy that all backorders are shipped for free. I have to wait a week (what's a week?) for it, but it will ship for FREE! I can't stop thinking about what a great deal that is.

Of course, when the customer service rep told me that it was out of stock, I immediately asked if they were out of stock on any other heavy things that I needed. She actually laughed at my cleverness :)

Graham Cracker Bars

2011-05-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

I must have made this recipe a dozen times or more. It's that good. And different enough to keep your tasters guessing.

Graham Cracker Bars

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup butter (I use 1/2 cup and it's fine)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
9 (or so) graham crackers
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, beating well. Add milk/vanilla combo alternately with mixture of flour, salt & soda. Blend thoroughly after each addition.

Place 1/3 of the batter in a separate bowl. Add the melted chocolate and the walnuts. Spread in a greased 9 x 11 baking pan.

* This will seem impossible -- you will think you don't have enough batter to cover the bottom of this size pan. Just do the best you can and don't obsess about spreading it evenly.

Arrange (about) 9 graham crackers over the batter. (Sometimes I can fit 9, sometimes I can't. Have no idea why).

To the remaining 2/3 of the batter, add the chocolate chips, stirring well. Drop by spoonfuls over the graham crackers and spread to cover. Again, this will seem impossible. Just do it.

Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. When cool, cut into bars.

Picture This!

2011-05-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

Picture This -- that's the name of the gift shop/art gallery in Eagle River that has been carrying my jewelry for about two years now. I recently called to see if they needed more stock --

note to self: next year, call before Mother's Day

-- the always unexpected, but always welcome response was YES!

I brought my awkward load of ~~stuff~~ fine jewelry into the store on Tuesday morning. I carry it in this bag that I purchased from this etsy shop. My cases fit so nicely!

Michelle, the store manager had already warned me that the purchase would probably be limited. To make a long story short, she had a hard time deciding which earrings not to purchase, that she ended up making quite a large purchase: 68 pairs of earrings and 11 necklaces.

While that did not wipe me out, it did put a serious dent in my earring inventory. On the way home, while I stewed about selling so much at wholesale, I tried to focus on the positives:

-- I did not have to use 79 gift boxes

-- I did not have to use 79 pieces of tissue paper

-- I did not have to use 79 business cards

-- I did not have to pack & ship 79 pieces of jewelry

Wholesale? Hell yes! The only other time I get to sell in such large quantities is at a show, when I still need to use the boxes, tissue paper, business cards, merchandise bags, etc. Plus, I have to be pleasant and all smiley-faced for hours on end. This wholesale meeting took about 1/2 hour. I can be pleasant and friendly for that short time period with ease!

As a side note, I gave a pair of earrings to Michelle as a gift. Have to keep her happy, don't I??

Jewelry Making Tip :: Front and Back

2011-05-10T15:21:00.000-07:00

After stacking beads on a headpin for creating a pair of earrings, we most often make a wrapped loop in order to attach the drops to earwires. I make 2 types of wrapped loops: neat and messy. But that's a topic for another post. This post is about the neat type of wrapped loop. Chances are, you have a favorite method of creating said wrapped loop. Take a close look at the last pair of earrings you made. You will notice that they do not look the same when viewed from the front as they do when viewed from the back.

This first photo shows one drop facing one way and the other drop facing the other way. Can you see the difference in the wrap? This may seem like a minor point, but in a simple pair of earrings, if each one is not suspended from the earwire in the same direction, it can really stick out like a sore thumb.

I won't try to tell you which way is right and which way is wrong, I only suggest that you assemble both earrings the same way. I always hang my drops as seen below, because I see this side of the wrap as "the front". You may see it the other way. Just be consistent!

Lots of New Earrings in My Etsy Shop

2011-05-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

I have been on an earring-making freight train since late February. I needed some for wholesale, some for consignment and some for my etsy shop. Here are a few that I recently listed.

There are more, but this was getting to be a boring sort of post. Click on any of the photos to go directly to the listing.

The Tragedy is Now a Success!

2011-05-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hey, remember this post, about the chipped ruby in zoisite briolette? I finally made time to try my idea of building up the chip with modeling paste. What I had on hand was molding paste, often used with stencils.

I sculpted a bit of it onto the broken area, with a piece of wire in the hole. Then I removed the wire and let the paste dry for about 2 hours. I proceeded to wrap the stone with sterling silver wire as I normally would and viola!

If you can't tell, the one on the right was the broken one. The molding paste was white and a bit of it was showing, so I used a black sharpie to cover it up. I am pretty pleased with these results.

Volcano Arts Wrap-Up

2011-04-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoyed my posts about the items I created during my class at Volcano Arts. Thanks for all of your comments. I'm anxious to get started using the skills I learned there, but there's a big hurdle. I don't yet have all of the tools I need, nor do I have a suitable space. Rick has some things he's supposedly gathering for me. The rest, I need to order from Rio Grande.

One of the main things I need is a bench of some sort. My current workspace is a desk and that will not do at all. Christine has several benches set up around her classroom/studio to accommodate a bunch of students. This is the table-top bench that I was assigned to. Christine had it "loaded" with all of the basic tools one needs to work with metal. More specific and single-purpose tools were available to us as well. All in all, her studio is a dream.

This bench is available for purchase through Rio Grande. I plan to buy one from them and I'm trying to figure out what surface I can actually set this on! My studio needs a serious makeover.

Volcano Arts Part III -- A Ring

2011-04-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

I had never made a ring prior to this project -- not even a wire-wrapped ring. Sure, I've purchased plenty of lovely rings, but now it was time to make one.

Disclaimer: this project was truly a joint effort between myself and Christine, the owner and instructor at Volcano Arts. I screwed up enough aspects of this ring that I required her assistance more often than not.

Starting with 18 ga brass sheet, using the rolling mill, we rolled a texture onto both surfaces. Then we cut the sheet to the desired width (about 5 mm). I then filed all the edges and rounded the short edge that would be exposed on top. A photo would be helpful at this point.

Working with a ring mandrel and rawhide hammer we Christine finally made the ring round. This took a verrrry long time. Drilling holes for the rivets came next. Making, inserting and setting the copper rivets was the last step. This brief description makes this ring sound simple, but trust me, it was anything but.

The problems included a broken drill bit in one of the holes, unmatched rivets, a rougher-than-I'd-like interior where the rivets are. Other than that, I LOVE this ring!

Will I make another? Probably ... someday.

Volcano Arts Part II

2011-04-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

As promised, here's a look at the second piece of jewelry I created during my class at Volcano Arts.

Some of the details --

The bottom circle was sawed --freeform again! -- because I wanted the edge ruffled instead of being perfectly smooth. I sawed it out of the same piece of etched brass as the dome on my first pendant.

The middle circle was made using a disc cutter. Using a riveting hammer, I made a starburst pattern, then domed it in a dapping block. Finally, I ruffled the edges with pliers. It is nickel silver, an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel.

Christine, my instructor and the owner of Volcano Arts, created the center piece by melting copper scraps, which turned into a ball. I forged it flat-ish, letting it retain its rustic look.

The rivet holding all 3 pieces together is one I created from 14 ga sterling silver wire. I cut the bail from copper sheet and it is connected to the pendant with another handmade sterling silver rivet.

A peek at the back of the pendant, where you can see that I did a much better job of setting the rivet.

The last thing I did was patinate, with a quick dip in liver of sulfur, followed by a very light polishing with 800 grit polishing paper.

My last project was a ring and I'll share that with you soon!

Volcano Arts Part I

2011-04-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

I am home from my week long class at Volcano Arts. My creative juices are flowing and my mind is trying desperately to keep up! I had a fabulous time learning some basic metalsmithing with cold connections.

I managed to complete 3 pieces of jewelry and came home with another one partially done. I'm planning a series of blog posts (3 or 4) to cover all that I want to share with you about my week -- I hope I keep it interesting enough that you'll stick with me throughout.

There was only one other student in the class, so we each had a lot of one-on-one time with Christine, our instructor. This really worked to my advantage, as well as the fact that I had some very specific ideas as to what I wanted to make. I had even done some sketches -- I rarely do that, but I think that might change now.

The processes involved in my first project included etching, sawing, filing, riveting and patinating. I had big plans to photograph each step, but I completely forgot about that, so all I have are photos of the finished product.

This angled photo shows you the dimension I was able to achieve with the design. I sawed the circle, including the bail, using a jeweler's saw. This gave me an immense amount of confidence in my sawing abilities and it was a great way to start the week. The domed piece in the center is a piece of brass that I etched using a gorgeous rubber stamp. It is actually a large rubber stamp -- this small piece was stamped out using a circle cutter. You'll see where I use more of that etched image in my next project - stay tuned!

Here's a view of the back, showing you some complex sawing for a beginner like me. The base piece is copper that I patinated. The rivet is one I made from brass wire. Yes, the back of the bail is quite scratched. I learned that it's easier (and a whole lot smarter) to avoid making scratches in the first place, than it is to remove them later.

One more photo of the completed piece. Not bad for a freehand sawed circle, huh?

The Last Big Pile of Snow

2011-04-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

There are still small patches of snow all over my neighborhood, but this mountain at the Birchwood Airport is still pretty huge. We've been taking our walkies to the airport because the inlet is a very ugly combination of melting snow, ice and mud.

My men, at the top of Snow Mountain:

I will be out of town for a week attending a metalsmithing class at Volcano Arts in California. See you when I return!

What's Old is New Again - Artbeads Bloggers Challenge

2011-04-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

This latest Artbeads challenge really spoke to me. I immediately had an idea which would incorporate a polished shard of fossilized walrus ivory from St. Paul Island, Alaska. I have quite a collection of this lovely material from a local native man that I met a craft show several years ago. His relatives on St. Paul live a subsistence lifestyle and make a portion of their income from collecting and polishing this naturally shed ivory. Vintage glass beads were also on my mind. I went the the Artbeads website to select some lovely brass items to complement the ivory and glass.

In the vast Findings category at Artbeads, there is a section called Links, which is where I found and fell in love with antiqued brass diamond deco elements. Now to find some coordinating brass beads. There were a couple of lovely choices in the Beads category.

I wrapped the ivory shard with some brass filigree from my stash and suspended it from a brass ring (also from Artbeads Findings category). I added a rusty antique skeleton key and a few vintage glass beads in pink and green. Keeping with that color scheme and working in a asymmetrical manner, I continued to add beads and brass elements up both sides of the necklace. This necklace had to be long to balance the large components that I was using -- it would have looked silly at 18" or even 20". The final length is about 26". The measurement from the top of the circle to the bottom of the ivory is another 4 1/2" -- this necklace makes a statement!

Laying the necklace flat, I was able to capture some of the details a bit better:

A close up of the ivory section of the piece. Here you can see the beadcaps I found on the Beadcaps page at Artbeads. They are embracing an olive green vintage glass bead.

A better view of one of the beaded segments and the yummy diamond deco pieces:

And one more shot of the whole piece which really showcases the warmth of the ivory and brass:

It's worth mentioning that shopping for this piece at Artbeads was made quite simple by one's ability to shop by material. I could go directly to the Base Metal category and find matching components so easily.

Disclosure: Artbeads invited me to join their blogging community. I receive these products free of charge in return for honest reviews. I have not been paid for doing this.

Jet Sees His First Moose!

2011-04-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

The day started normally. Woke up. Started the coffee. Put the leash on Jet for his morning walk. Step out the door. We stopped dead in our tracks. SCREAM! Well, not a real scream -- more of an internal scream. Jet started barking -- real barking. What caused all this hysteria? A moose in the driveway. This is pretty damn close -- too close for comfort, so I dragged Jet back in the house. He would have to 'hold it' until Rick could help. I've been a bit scared of moose ever since my friend Nancy was trampled by one about 6 years ago.

While Rick took Jet for his morning outing, I bravely went on the deck and snapped some more photos, never getting too far from my front door.

That house is across the street, where Murphy the 125 pound labradoodle lives. He and Jet love to play together in the snow. It's really fun to watch them.

I thought she was leaving at this point, but she was just reacting to Jet's barking.

Here, she's heading back to those yummy willow branches she was working on.

No zooming on this photo, just to give you perspective on how close this moose is to our house.

Not Bad for a Sunday

2011-04-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

While we woke up to what looked like a serious blizzard, the sky finally cleared off. The 1" of snow melted quickly, leaving me very little to complain about!

I was quite productive for a Sunday, even though there were plenty of puppy distractions. This photo shows 23 pairs of earrings. I made one more pair after taking the photo because 23 simply did not feel right to me. Silly, huh?

For the past few day, a pair of Bald Eagles has been hanging around our neighborhood. I can't get enough of them and I finally remembered to bring my camera on our afternoon walk with Jet. The eagle mating season is probably in full swing this far north and the pair, who mate for life, are probably building or rebuilding a nest. I only saw one of them today.

It's amazing how easy they are to spot when there are still no leaves on the trees. I hope they hang around a while.

Rutilated Quartz

2011-04-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

I've made a couple of new pairs of earrings that are variations on a theme. I tend to do this variation thing a lot. I listed two of the pairs yesterday in my etsy shop.

Rutilated Quartz with Garnets:

Rutilated Quartz with Peridot:

I'm sure I will find more rutilated quartz pairs to continue this theme. Some of the little beads I plan to add are aqua blue cz, citrine, black spinel, crystal quartz, carnelian. They probably won't all end up in my etsy shop, but will instead be consigned or sold wholesale. Later in the year, I will make more that will be part of my show inventory.

Spring Moose Sighting ...

2011-04-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

... in our backyard!

After dinner last night, Rick looked out the window and spotted a big mama moose and what looked like a 2 year old calf with her. I took these photos out the window, so they aren't very clear.

Here's the baby. Pretty big, isn't it?

I couldn't get a great shot of the mama, but you can see her head on the right side of the tree.

These are the first moose we've seen around the house in months. It never ceases to amaze me that these enormous creatures are just wandering around the Anchorage bowl!

Ruby in Zoisite or Oh, The Tragedy

2011-03-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

I have posted about this lovely stone in the past, here. I decided to go through my remaining specimens to find some additional pairs for earrings. You know how I love to make pairs. I found several suitable pairs and listed one of them in my etsy shop. Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

I found a couple more pairs, one of which is causing me great consternation and frustration. The top of one of the stones is severely chipped. So badly in fact, that even after two attempts at wrapping it, I set it aside to wait for a better idea.

As you can see, that's a pretty decent pair, considering the random patterning typical of ruby in zoisite. Here is a close up of the chip. It breaks my heart.

I thought the wire wrapping would hide the chip, but all it really did was accentuate it. I'm considering using some modeling paste to "build up" the chip area to give the stone the same shape as the other one. If anyone has tried this, please let me know. Or, if you have any other ideas on how I can make this work, please share. Thank you!

can you take some more Jet cuteness?

2011-03-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

Our adorable puppy dominates almost every aspect of our lives. Events are scheduled around Jet's needs, as it should be with such a young puppy.

Saturday, we went for a long walk to the inlet. He was very well behaved (most of the time).

With his dad ...

Inspecting his shadow ...

Looking cute for the camera ...

He was so well behaved that we did the same exact walk on Sunday with Rick's friend Jeff and his dog Kaylee. Jet only tried to hump her once. Or twice. So embarrassing. She was so not interested in this little whippersnapper!

Totally Green

2011-03-23T17:11:00.001-07:00

No, I'm not talking about my eco-friendly lifestyle. I'm talking about a brand new pair of earrings. These chrome diopside briolettes really spoke to me when I found them in Tucson. I suspended them from fine silver circles I fused from wire and added a bunch of vesuvianite (often mistakenly called vessonite, which is not the name of any stone) rondelles.

These earrings have lots of movement and the two different greens really work well together. You can find them for sale in my etsy shop. Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Pricing Your Work

2011-03-22T14:39:00.000-07:00

My friend Brandi has put together an ebook (free!) that covers every aspect of pricing your work. This guide is specifically written for artists. Brandi did an outstanding job of tackling this difficult and sensitive subject.

See her blog post about it here.

Even if you're not interested in the subject of pricing, you should have a look at her blog, brandi girl. It is visually stunning and joyful. Brandi has an eye for color and composition that is evident in every blog post and every piece of jewelry she creates. While you're at it, visit her website. You won't be disappointed in her spectacular jewelry. I own a few pieces myself and I can attest to her meticulous attention to detail.

Puppy Kindergarten

2011-03-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

All three of us have been going to school. Every Thursday night we go to Puppy Kindergarten. Whether or not we graduate is still up in the air. I never thought I'd be back in school at my age!

The best and most fun part of class is play time -- kind of like recess in people kindergarten. Watching all the adorable (about 10 of them) puppies running into each other and jumping over each other is hilarious. They're mostly still pretty klutzy, which adds to the cuteness.

Jet and a male Great Pyrenees sniffing each other as class starts. Not a great view of either one of them, but cute anyway. They tend to be the two puppies that play the roughest. That's Zumi in the foreground. She's a German Shepherd-Husky mix.

Here's Jet and his dad, after play time. Two Australian Shepherds (litter mates) are in the foreground. Jet attacked one of them earlier and it ran away whimpering. If this class has a bully, it's Jet. Not so proud of that, but he is at least 6 weeks older than most of the other pups.

The Great Pyrenees is so gorgeous, I decided he needed a picture all his own. He's so fluffy!

The two Shelties are perfectly behaved. They are older and belong to the class teacher. She demos all the commands with both of them and they do whatever she says. That's a testament to her abilities. Let's hope it works out for us.

New Blue Earrings

2011-03-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

I recently listed two pairs of earrings with some of the new stones I purchased in Tucson. Before Tucson, I felt that my inventory was severely lacking in blue gems. I remedied that by finding some kyanite, iolite and lapis.

Iolite and Aqua colored Cubic Zirconia

Kyanite and White Pearls

Now I feel better about my Blues situation!

Vintage Finds

2011-03-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

I reported for Grand Jury selection today, along with about 150 other people. There were several people I knew there -- 4 of us know each other from the Alaska Bead Society! What are the odds of that?? Anchorage has a population of almost 300,000 as of the last census, so this seems quite remarkable.

Anyhoo, I did not get selected. This does not have anything to do with me, the selection process is completely random. I'm only slightly disappointed.

Moving on ...

I've been meaning to share some of these great vintage finds from our trip to the southwest in February. I found this beautiful little metal box in an antique store in Apache Junction (at least I think that's where it was!). The metal is probably base metal with a worn gold plating. I adore the huge red hunk of glass adorning the top. This is a really cute item, measuring only 1 3/4" x 1".

This next item also has a huge hunk of glass, only this time it's purple. I scored on this antique scarf holder in a store in Prescott. This makes up for the fact the I know I overpaid for the red box :)
This baby has a diameter of about 1 3/4".

This next item was given to me by a friend in the Alaska Bead Society. It's a not-too gaudy, but quite large brooch featuring clear glass hunks. This one, I plan to deconstruct for use in a mixed media jewelry project. It is 2 3/4" long and would probably rip a hole in any article of clothing you tried to attach it to!

Dog Days

2011-03-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

We have both -- well, all 3 of us really -- been so busy with Jet-based activities. Walkies many times a day is a necessity when your bladder is still pretty small. Training and practicing sit, down and stay multiple times a day. Jet's attention span is still very short, so several abbreviated sessions are required.

Still, we made some time for a long, long walk down to the inlet for some play on a very long rope. He needs to burn some of the puppy energy.

First, we must investigate underneath this specific tree.

On our way to the inlet, Jet investigates something in the woods. I think it was just another tree.

Taking in all the open space at the inlet.

My lame attempt at a Jet Film.

Three New Pairs of Earrings

2011-03-08T16:59:00.000-08:00

I've been very busy rebuilding my jewelry inventory, working with Jet and getting the house back in some semblance of order after months of ignoring it. You'd think I would learn not to let things go for so long, but I never do. My blogging has been moved to the back burner and will probably remain there.

For the first time in my life, I've been summoned for the Grand Jury. I'm actually quite excited about it and hope I get selected. This probably sounds crazy to you, but I think I'll find it very interesting. I have to report later this month and will find out at that time if I will serve.

In the mean time, here are three new pairs of earrings I've listed in my etsy shop.

I purchased a ton (not a literal ton, but a lot) of those wavy discs in both sterling silver and gold vermeil. I love the way they look together, as in the last pair of earrings. I'm working out a bunch of designs using them.

Click on any of the above photos to go directly to the listings.

He's A Handful!

2011-02-28T09:50:00.000-08:00

I guess I really forgot how much work it is to train a new puppy. Jet, our new little (not for long though) Giant Schnauzer is truly a handful. He's testing his limits with us every step of the way. It's tempting to go the easy route and simply give-in, but we know better. Slowly but surely, we are making progress with him. The most difficult thing has been teaching him to walk in a controlled manner on a loose leash. This will probably take a few weeks.

With his favorite squeaky toy.

Taking a drink of water, with his toy nearby.

And basking in the sun without a care in the world. Probably dreaming about his toy. Yes, he is very relaxed and his legs are spread wide open. No shame.

Some New Earrings

2011-02-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Even with the new puppy taking so much of my time (not complaining, just explaining), I was able to complete some new earrings and even made some time to photograph them and list them in my etsy shop.

smooth green amethyst with a cluster of soft pink pearls

a cluster of amethysts

moonstone teardrops

Click on any of the photos to go directly to the listings. Thanks for looking!

My Little Jet Engine

2011-02-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Right now, Jet, our brand new Giant Schnauzer puppy is like a Piper Cub. The truth is that he will be a 747 Jumbo Jet before long. I swear, I think he's grown in the 3 days we've had him!

I snapped this photo after we took those ear bandages off:

One ear is a little floppy, but we have a vet appointment soon and will find out the ins and outs of this silly ear business. If I had my druthers, I never would have had his ears cropped and I understand this is against the law in England. How civilized!

An Exciting Day in the Potter Household!

2011-02-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

We got a new puppy today! YAY! Last week, my friend Carol sent me a link to a listing on Craig's List for a 4 month old giant Schnauzer. I shared it with Rick and he did some stealth research with our friend Cindy, who has 2 giant Schnauzers. She must have said the words that Rick wanted to hear because he quickly made the necessary phone call and we were on our way to Anchorage.

He had his ears cropped about a month ago and they still need to be bandaged up -- it makes him look a bit like a bull with horns! He's so adorable ... we've decided to call him Jet.

Wish us luck!

Artbeads - Winter Enchantment

2011-02-15T11:27:00.000-08:00

I was invited to take part in Artbeads winter blogging program. The theme this time around is Winter Enchantment. While the possibilities with this theme are endless, it said "white, white, white" to me. That's pretty much all I see out my window this time of year.

Artbeads is chock full of of items that suited my needs. I started with a 30 mm (can you say huge?) Swarovski Navette drop, from the Pendant category on their website. I also selected Snow Jade beads in both 4mm and 6mm. These are from the Gemstone category. While I wasn't really sure what my final necklace would look like, some ideas were forming in my mind.

I used lots of 20 gauge sterling silver wire to suspend the pendant. While 20 gauge may seem heavy, the size of this pendant really required a substantial "support" mechanism. It looked completely out of balance with lighter gauge wire.

I created clusters of 4 mm snow jade and 4 mm faceted Czech glass beads (from my stash) to dress up the necklace. I finished with a series of 6 mm snow jade rounds, which lead to lengths of sterling chain. At the very end is a hook clasp (also from my stash) with an extender.

Isn't that pendant striking? Forgive the photos -- I always have the most trouble with white and clear jewelry items. The next photo gives you an idea of the clasp and extender.

And here's Marilyn modeling the necklace for you:

All of these components were a pleasure to work with. Some of the snow jade beads were chipped around the hole, but this is not uncommon with stone beads. The crystal pendant was securely packaged to avoid any damage in the shipping process. Once again, Artbeads has satisfied my beady needs!

Disclosure: Artbeads invited me to join their blogging community. I receive these products free of charge in return for honest reviews. I have not been paid for doing this.

Gemstones from Tucson - Part III

2011-02-14T13:55:00.000-08:00

While I still have many strands of gemstones, I'll finish this series of posts with only 2 additional photos. Wouldn't want to bore you to tears.

From top to bottom: moss aquamarine, hot pink chalcedony (a bit too hot for me), black spinel and minty green chalcedony.

From top to bottom: deliciously smooth turquoise briolettes, green onyx teardrops and moss amethyst. I bought 2 strands of the moss amethyst. That patterning in that particular stone is so inconsistent, I thought I might have a better chance of making more pairs if I bought 2 strands.

Gemstones from Tucson - Part II

2011-02-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

Continuing with yesterday's theme, here are some more of the lovely gemstones I found in Tucson.

Beautifully rich citrine teardrop briolettes, faceted marquis rose quartz briolettes and a graduated strand of labradorite teardrop brios.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a calibrated (as opposed to graduated) strand of gemstones??? All of the vendors told me that many designers prefer the calibrated stones, but very few gem cutters make them. This seems to be a case of the supplier not fulfilling the demands of the marketplace. One vendor mentioned that it is more efficient (in terms of rough stone usage) to make graduated gemstones. This sort of makes sense to me, but I don't like it. Not one bit.

Smooth moonstone brios, cute little kyanite brios and oh-so-useful peridot brios.

There will be one more post tomorrow with more stones. Then, I really need to put them away and get back to work!

Gemstones from Tucson - Part I

2011-02-12T11:46:00.000-08:00

As promised here are some of my purchases from the recent Tucson gem shows. We spent 5 days there, which was about 1 1/2 days too many for my budget. I ended up buying the same exact cut of one stone twice, simply because we were there too long. C'est la vie.

Chrysophrase (or is it chrysoprase?), rubies and lovely little glossy lapis briolettes.

Green Quartz (that's the one I bought twice -- love that marquis cut!), amethyst and rose quartz.

More to follow ... in another day or so. Thanks for sticking with me!

We're Home!

2011-02-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

After over 2 weeks in the desert southwest, we are home. And it feels really good to be here.

We spent some time in Las Vegas visiting my brother and my nieces. It was great to see them -- had not been there since Heather's wedding, over 2 years ago!

When we left Vegas, we decided to spend some time in Prescott, Arizona, which we both loved. It's a smallish city of about 40,000, with a vibrant downtown and cultural scene. Jerome, Arizona, an old mining town was another one of our stops. Since the mine has closed, the town has become very artsy, with lots of galleries, boutiques and fine restaurants.

Also on our itinerary was Scottsdale, where we once again visited Celebration of Fine Art. It was amazing as always, to see artists at work and have the opportunity to converse with them and share stories. Mesa was another one of our stops, where we did some antiquing. I found some fun vintage jewelry, which I will share with you later.

We ran into some unseasonably cold weather around the usually warm state of Arizona. One morning in Prescott, it was 10 degrees! We didn't travel 4000 miles for that! As we left Mesa, heading south to Tucson, we stopped to take a photo of this normally flowing fountain:

FROZEN SOLID!

Yes, the sky was a brilliant blue and the sun almost hurt my eyes, but the temperature ... brrrr!

Stay tuned for some photos of my gemstone acquisitions over the next few days.

Fun in the Sun

2011-01-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

Soon, we are headed south to warmer and sunnier places -- a visit to my brother's family in Las Vegas followed by our annual stop at the gem shows in Tucson, Arizona.

Both of my etsy shops are in vacation mode, but I will have access to email, should you feel the need to contact me.

I may find the time to blog while away, but no guarantees on that!

See you in mid-February!

My First Pair of Knitted Socks

2011-01-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

It was with some trepidation that I started knitting a pair of socks a couple of weeks ago. There were parts that were sort of tricky, but overall, it was not as bad as I was expecting it to be. For me, it all came down to not overthinking it. I'd heard and read about how challenging "turning the heel" would be. I found that if I followed the instructions, one step at a time, it wasn't difficult at all.

Doesn't this apply to so many things we tackle everyday of our lives?

Here are some pictures of the completed socks. I used Lanaloft (by Brown Sheep). It's 100% wool sport weight yarn. This means that it will need to be hand washed -- luckily, my washing machine has a hand wash cycle.

A close up of the heel.

I love the way this self-striping yarn "patterned-out". The best part? They actually fit!

I've already started a second pair with sock weight yarn, which is much finer and proving to be a bit trickier.

Cool New Book

2011-01-19T15:08:00.001-08:00

I saw this great tutorial on my friend Shari's blog, and decided to give it a try. You know I have all the supplies (and then some) to make a few of these cute books. Wanna come over and make some books with me?

Last week, I found this Naga Bar by Vosges in the secret chocolate cabinet (it's secret because Rick doesn't know that's where I hide the special chocolate). If you've never had a Vosges chocolate bar, you have not lived. Seriously. But I digress ... back to book making.

I kept this project really simple by including only 2 signatures (the bundles of pages within a book). The size of this little box was perfect for 2 signatures and it would not have held a third!

I still need to figure out how to best decorate the ends of the thread you see at the top of the book. Maybe I'll add some seed beads ... in chocolate brown.

Birthday Gift Exchange

2011-01-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

On Monday, Carol & I got together to exchange birthday gifts. Both of our birthdays are in January and we usually just pick a date and "do lunch".

The gift I chose for her would not have done well spending too much time in the car (it has been well below zero for several days now), so I basically invited myself to lunch at her house so I could deliver her gift personally. Hehe.

(have I mentioned that she's a fabulous cook?)

Here's the item that I bought for her that will not withstand the cold:

It's an Calamondin Orange tree! I bought it at Mile 5.2 Greenhouse in Eagle River. They tell me it will flower and produce fruit year-round. Maybe under Carol's care this will be possible, but most certainly NOT in my hands!

She surprised me with a gorgeous ring from an etsy shop I had never seen before. Here's the ring:

Have a look at this amazing shop: Arts Gallery

I think we both were very happy with our gifts. AND, lunch was awesome!

New Necklace : White on White

2011-01-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

I suppose being surrounded by the white stuff inspired me to make a very white necklace. The focal point is a beautiful moonstone briolette. Part of the chain consists of white freshwater pearls securely wired together. The remainder is oval rolo style chain (my favorite, but generally more expensive that regular cable link chain). Click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Ever since I've started using the "auto" feature on my ~~too-complicated-for-me~~ digital camera, my results have improved dramatically. Imagine that. I decided that I didn't have anything to prove, so I calmly switched to auto and I felt an immediate sense of relief. Apparently, my camera is smarter than I am. And I'm ok with that.

Environmental Impact Statement

2011-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

I, do hereby solemnly swear to be more environmentally conscious in the year 2011.

There, I said it out loud. I feel like I'm pretty good at this already. I recycle whatever is recyclable in Alaska (we are limited because of our remoteness -- it is no longer economically feasible to recycle glass up here). So, what else can one woman do?

This may seem trivial, but I plan to use a lot fewer paper towels in the future. Of all the things I see in my garbage, paper towels really jump out at me. How will I do this, you wonder? Meet the un-paper towel:

This amazing product is the brain child of Athena Creates on etsy. I purchased the 52 pack, but she offers smaller sets as well. They are machine washable organic cotton. Brilliant, I say! I just received them yesterday, so I can't do a full report, but I feel that these will help me achieve my goal.

A New Sweater

2011-01-08T14:11:00.001-08:00

I've been working on this sweater for a few weeks now, knitting almost every evening for a couple of hours. The yarn is a fabulous blend of wool and silk. At first, the randomly spaced little white nubs annoyed me, but now I like the way they look.

Against the advice of Roberta, good friend and owner of the local yarn shop, I followed the directions for a size XL. It's huge. I should have made it in size Large, as Roberta suggested. The good news is that I like the way it looks with a cotton turtle neck underneath and I really don't even need a coat to go outside!

Now, I've started to knit my first pair of socks!

Bittersweet Anniversary

2011-01-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today, Rick and I celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. Why it is bittersweet is a long, complicated and heartbreaking story. I'll keep it brief.

Many of you know that I was married once before. Bob and I were married for 13 years before he died tragically and violently, exactly 2 months after that anniversary.

Today's anniversary feels like the saddest type of milestone -- I've now been married to Rick the same number of years that I was married to Bob. Two months from today will also be a difficult day -- almost as difficult as the actual anniversary of Bob's death, which I dread and suffer through every year.

I've pretty much been in a sad state for the past few days in anticipation of how I would feel today. We just went for a long walk, which helped immensely, as the view of Denali was spectacular.

A normal life includes a mix of pain, heartache and hopefully lots of joy and happiness. All of those things combine to make us whole, complete people.

Hug your loved ones and do it often.

Rick Requests ... Chocolate Pie

2011-01-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

I asked Rick what he wanted for dessert on New Year's Eve. We were having some friends over and he was cooking cioppino

(sorry, can't share that recipe -- his version is Top Secret)

so dessert and appetizers were my job. I scoured my recipe file and did not find anything worthy of New Year's Eve, so I selected this book as my next possible source for a good recipe:

I have been collecting Pillsbury Bake-Off books for about 15 years and found this beauty at an antique store several years ago. Now, of course, it is available on Amazon (click the photo to go to the listing there). This book is from 1959, when the Bake-Off had only been going on for about 10 years. It is a treasure trove of old fashioned recipes.

Looking in the cream pie section, I found a delightful recipe for Coconut Shortbread Chocolate Pie. Now that sounded festive enough for a New Year's celebration.

Coconut Shortbread Chocolate Pie

Crust
1/3 cub butter
2 TBSP sugar
1 egg yolk
1 TBSP cream
1 cup flour
1 cup coconut, cut up (I used unsweetened thick shavings and they were perfect for this)

Cream the butter. Add the sugar, combining well. Blend in egg yolk and cream. Add the flour gradually and mix well. Blend in the coconut. Press into bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie pan. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes. (yes, those 2 minutes can mean the difference between just-right and burnt coconut).

Filling

3/4 cup sugar
3 TBSP cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups milk
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten 1 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in top of double boiler (over boiling water). Gradually blend in the milk. Add the chocolate. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick (this always takes a bit longer than I think it will). Stir a little of this hot mixture into the egg yolks. Then add the yolks to the hot mixture, still stirring constantly. Cook about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Cool at least 20 minutes.

(my chocolate did not fully melt, but I decided I liked the way it looked with the little darker brown specks throughout)

Turn the filling into the pie shell. Chill. Serve with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

Happy New Year!

Etsy Shopping ... yes, it's for me

2010-12-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

As luck would have it, there was a nice pile of money in my paypal account right before Christmas, so I bought myself a few presents. This etsy shop is my latest obsession. I purchased these 2 cups with plans to own lots more from this talented potter.

You really must check out Creative With Clay. I'm sure you will be amazed by the explosion of color in this fun yet functional pottery.

Kahlua Chocolate Walnut Squares

2010-12-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe I've been making for years and it never fails to please.

(one does not need a fork to eat this -- I just want you to think I'm civilized)

Kahlua Chocolate Walnut Squares

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup Kahlua
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 TBSP Kahlua

Cream the butter with brown sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup Kahlua, flour and baking powder. Fold in chips and nuts. Spread in greased square baking pan. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes. Brush the top with the 1 TBSP of Kahlua. Cool completely. Spread with Brown Butter Icing. Cut into squares. Or rectangles. Or triangles. Or don't cut it at all and eat the whole thing yourself. I won't tell.

Brown Butter Icing

2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP Kahlua
2 TBSP milk or cream
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Brown butter in small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Meet Marilyn

2010-12-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

I recently decided that I ~~needed~~ wanted a dress form form as a photo prop for my scarves and necklaces. I had been using a glass vase for modeling my scarves and I must admit, it was quite lame. For my necklaces, I was using a display easel/bust similar to the ones I use at craft shows. This worked alright, but longer necklaces never looked quite right on the easel.

I searched ebay and with the help of another etsy seller, found the perfect dress form. Of course, shipping to Alaska added significant costs, but I was willing to do it anyway. Then, a friend suggested a I post a wanted ad on Craig's List. Within one day, I had a response from a woman (former seamstress?) who no longer wanted hers! I picked it up yesterday.

Meet Marilyn:

She's simple and basic and precisely what I was looking for. Yay for Craig's List!

Earrings with Vintage Components

2010-12-21T10:08:00.000-08:00

This is almost the last of these vintage brass twists. At one time, they were part of an antique necklace that I purchased at one of those antique malls we so often visit on our trips Outside.

(for those of you that don't live in Alaska, the term Outside refers to the lower 48).

I had lots of them, but sold all of the earrings I made with them. This pair, and maybe one other, are all I have left. They are incredibly interesting elements -- embossed, twisted and framed.

From the bottom, where there is a convenient loop, I added dangles of black vintage glass beads. It just seemed right to use vintage beads with these vintage twists. Click the photo to go directly to the listing.

New Iolite Earrings

2010-12-20T11:23:00.000-08:00

I've had these iolite briolettes for a couple of years, but had a hard time making pairs of them. On the strand, they all looked the same, but in reality, there are variations in size, color, shape and drill. I know this is an old refrain, but it's a consistent problem (?) in the world of beading.

Even these two stones aren't an exact match. There is a slight color variation and the sizes aren't identical either. Such is the beauty of handmade jewelry!

If you must have these earrings, click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

Video Share

2010-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

An online friend of mine tweeted about the video. It is a must see video for anyone who has ever done a craft show.

(If anyone can tell me how to resize a youtube video so that it actually fits my blog, I would be ever so grateful)

Rethinking : Selling Online

2010-12-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

Yes, I've been doing a lot of thinking about this lately. No, I have no immediate plans to close my etsy shops. All I've been doing so far is thinking.

You're probably wondering what is prompting all this deep thought. Even if you're not wondering, I'll tell you anyway.

As many of you know, I sell my work at craft shows, the state fair, on consignment at galleries and wholesale to gift shops. All of those sales venues result in Sales In Bunches. I've never actually counted the number of sales at any one of those venues because it does not seem like a relevant number. Only on etsy is the number of sales visible and attention-getting. I always measure the success of my business by the amount of money I make.

ALERT -- the crux of my deep thinking is about to be revealed

Why does it make sense to sell (and ship!) items one at a time halfway around the world?? Okay, sometimes it's 2 or 3 or 4 things at a time. And sometimes it's only a quarter of the way around the world. But I think you get my drift. Selling online in small quantities is not only the polar opposite of earth-friendly, it's inefficient and expensive.

Think about all of that packaging and time involved in getting each individual parcel ready to be shipped. When I look at the etsy sector of my business, I sometimes laugh out loud at the sheer silliness of it. I'm sure there's a better word than silly, but that's what is coming to mind right now.

I have no alternative to what's going on with online shopping, but I hope this post has prompted you to think about your online selling and shopping habits.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

New Emerald & Tourmaline Earrings

2010-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've had this graduated strand of chubby emerald rondelles since Tucson (last February) and finally started using them. Does anyone else do that? Save up your most special beads for several months before actually cutting the strand? And have I mentioned that I really, really dislike graduated strands of gemstones? I use most of my gems for earrings, and matching up beads from graduated strands can be ridiculously time consuming. But I digress.

I made a pair of these right before the Bad Girls of the North craft show in Fairbanks in September. They sold pretty quickly, so I made another for the Anchorage show. But they did not sell, so I listed them in my etsy shop.

I topped the emeralds with a tight cluster of earthy, multi- colored tiny tourmaline rondelles. The combination is rich and warm. If you feel you must have these, simply click on the photo to go directly to the listing.

A New Scarf Pattern

2010-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

I rarely enter contests or giveaways, but in this case I'm glad I did -- because I won! Brenda from Phydeaux was offering a giveaway of some knitting patterns from her etsy pattern shop. I won my choice of 2 patterns and have already completed one. This is the pattern I just completed:

I did not use as bulky a yarn as the pattern called for -- mainly because I wanted to use yarn that I had in my stash and none of it was super bulky. Here's my version in a slate-ish blue wool/alpaca blend.

The pattern gives the scarf a really nice texture. I'll probably make this scarf again and again!

What, you don't knit? Then you really should check out Brenda's shop of hand knit accessories, Phydeaux. Her work is absolutely lovely.

Auntie's Beads

2010-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was approached by Auntie's Beads to select some items from their huge selection of beads and beading supplies and blog about them. After much deliberation, I selected some 10 mm lapis beads and a super chunky variscite bead/pendant.

The lapis beads are beautiful and quite glossy. I have not yet decided how I will use them, but I will definitely post it here when I do. The size of these beads is consistent and they have such nice metallic pyrite inclusions. That's one of the characteristics that I love about lapis. That and the rich, bright color, of course.

This variscite pendant is like no other stone I've ever seen. I do have some variscite rondelles in my 'stash', but because they are relatively small, they don't have the impact that this stone has. The color is a bright apple green (love that) with lots of interesting cream colored matrix.

Keep checking in for progress on how I will use these gorgeous stones.

Pamphlet Stitch Books

2010-11-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Using the same method that I used in these books, I made some more. Mostly made with beer 6-pack holders, these books were a blast to make. For this set of books, I actually added closures, which I had not figured out during my previous session. Each one has 28 pages and was completed with the simple-to-do pamphlet stitch.

I sewed a button on each of these 2 books above and used coordinating ribbon to close them. Fun, huh?

The 2 books on the left in this photo use elastic closures and the 10% off book has a button/ribbon closure.

The most fun part of these books is choosing the coordinating papers, buttons and ribbons. I also love that these 6-pack holders have found new lives and are not destined for the landfill or the recycle pile.

I still have plans to make some books from Monopoly property cards!

Textured Copper Necklaces

2010-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a bunch of new snow, which was great because it covered up all of that nasty ice! Plus the house smelled great all day and we had a nice quiet dinner -- just the two of us. Perfection.

OK -- BACK TO WORK!

Recently added to my etsy shop, these two necklaces are made from copper sheet that I cut, filed, hammered and patinated. This first one is pretty simple, so I added the 3 metallic burgundy glass beads in front, for a little accent.

Next up, a similar copper panel. This time I used my alphabet stamps to add the word peace along the lower right hand side. A simple yet important message.

These necklaces are super affordable and will really appeal to a wide range of ages. You can go directly to the listings in my etsy shop by clicking on the photos. Don't forget to use coupon code NOV2010DISCOUNT to get 15% off your entire order!

New Notecards

2010-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Since my show season is over and all of my stores and galleries are stocked, I decided to take some time to restock my notecards. I sold close to 100 of them at the Bad Girls show! I keep a small basket of them at the very end of one of my tables and think of them as a way to make a little extra money. It works!

I tried a new technique -- well, new to me. It's actually quite old -- it's from the February 2007 Technique Junkies Newsletter and is called Dazzling Windows. It involves transparency sheets, Sharpies, clear embossing and glitter.

While making this first card, I must have been a little distracted because I forgot the step where it says to add the glitter. Hence, not much dazzle. But hey, it's still pretty.

Determined to get it right, I made another card, this time with glitter. Not sure if you can see it in the scan, but there is plenty of dazzle in this one.

And a reminder -- 15% off your entire order in my etsy shop. Use the code NOV2010DISCOUNT in the nifty new coupon code field and the discount will be applied automatically. This code will be valid through end of day Monday, November 29!

Holiday Sale in my Etsy Shop!

2010-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Starting now, I'm offering 15% off your entire order from my etsy shop. Simply enter the code:

NOV2010DISCOUNT

in the brand new Coupon Code field upon checkout and the discount will be applied automatically. How cool is this new feature?!?

This offer is valid through end of day Monday, November 29. HAPPY SHOPPING!

Here's a new pair of earrings from my etsy shop:

These earrings feature robin's egg blue briolettes of chalcedony and small apatite rondelles.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

2010-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

This yummy recipe is perfect for the season. The combination of these wonderful flavors will delight your taste buds! The recipe makes 2 loaves.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 cups flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I substituted 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp each of nutmeg & ground cloves)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 16 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce ( this is an old recipe - the cans are now 14 oz!)
1 16 oz can pumpkin (I only had a 29 oz can -- you can't imagine the higher mathematics that ensued trying to figure out how much I needed -- just get the right size can, please)
2/3 cup oil
4 eggs
3/4 cup chopped pecans

The recipe I had copied from who-knows-where contained no mixing directions, so I just mixed it all together in whatever order I grabbed the ingredients. I don't think it matters for a quick bread recipe like this one.

Anywho, turn into 2 greased loaf pans and bake at 350 for about 65 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out of pans and cool on racks.

Stampsmith November Challenge

2010-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

http://After much procrastination, I finally made time to work on my November challenge from the Stampsmith yahoo group I belong to. One of the reasons I was procrastinating was because the product we create had to use at least one Stampsmith stamp and be Thanksgiving themed. I couldn't see where any of the Stampsmith images I have (and I have a lot) could be interpreted as Thanksgiving oriented. So I said "screw that" and I just picked one.

The project was to make a card and gift bag into which one will put gifts for and elderly person who might need some goodies for this holiday.

Here's my card, which as you can see, is not too exciting. Nor is it very Thanksgiving-y. I see some autumn in there, however.

And here it is tied with ribbon to the gift bag I decorated.

Much better. And a close up of the bottom of the bag.

I'm so glad I signed up to participate in this challenge. It has forced me to work within the deadline and try some stamping projects I never would have done otherwise.

New Boots!

2010-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

One of the benefits of living in a cold, snowy place is that one needs boots. A variety of boots is always a good idea. I mean, seriously, weather conditions vary considerably and every woman should have several pairs of boots.

I have my practical red boots from Land's End, which are warm and have a super non-skid bottom. One slip on the ice was all it took to convince me that this feature was necessary. I have a pair of black lace-up Blondo's for dress-up. For as dressed up as I ever get, these are good enough. I've had both of these boots for a few years, so I could not find photos of them on line -- not to worry, it would not be exciting anyway.

What IS exciting however, is this pair of boots. No, they're not really warm and I have my suspicions about the gripiness of the sole, but hey, they are gorgeous!

Am I stylin', or what??

If you are at all interested in shoes and boots (who isn't?) you must check out the El Naturalista website. Their styles are wonderfully different and the color selection is incredibly fun.

New! Concave Cut Whiskey Quartz Briolettes

2010-11-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is a cut one does not see very often. I did a search on etsy, and only 32 pairs of earrings showed up -- a minor miracle!

The color of these whiskey quartz stones is warm and rich. It's sort of a cross between, well, whiskey, Dijon mustard and honey. Sounds like a fine marinade to me. hehe

And the matching necklace ...

Click the photos to go directly to the listings in my etsy shop.

Bad Girls of the North -- Anchorage Show Re-Cap

2010-11-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

All that preparation. All that stress. All those questions and doubts. And now it's over. In summary, it was a huge success. Turnout was phenomenal -- my friend Nancy couldn't find a parking spot on Friday evening and gave up and went home. I don't like hearing that, but parking is a bit out of our control. People were creative and parked along the shores of Lake Spenard. I think they're lucky that they didn't get towed away.

I managed to walk around before we opened to the public and took some photos of artists as they were putting the finishing touches on their booths.

Here's Vicki Prewitt hanging her fabulous paintings.

Kathy Peters, one of my favorite potters, always has a wonderful selection of bowls, plates and mugs.

Here's Rick, mugging for the camera. His booth, along with mine and Carol's (and a few others) were in the pre-function area (hotel-speak for lobby-ish), so we had to be ready for business about 30 minutes earlier than the main rooms, to accommodate the early arrival of anxious customers.

Chelline's booth full of hand painted silk art is always visually stunning.

Deb Ives of Posh House makes fabulous outerwear that makes you glad you need a winter coat!

Have a look at Cindy Shake's blog for photos of some additional booths. Stephanie Uttech-Tonino also has a blog with some great photos of her booth.

Preparing for the big show ...

2010-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

This coming weekend is the annual Bad Girls of the North craft show at the Millennium Hotel in Anchorage. As I prepare for that event, I will be scarce in these parts.

Not only is it my biggest show for selling jewelry, it's actually a double whammy because I, with my partner Carol, organize this monstrosity! This will mark our 13th year of producing a craft show in Anchorage and I must confess, we are both tiring of it. That does not mean we will stop, but we are feeling our ages, for sure.

Now that I'm down to only 3 shows a year, this is my last show for the season. Yay! I can spend the remainder of November and December working on my etsy shop, trying to exceed last year's sales on that venue.

If you're local, please stop by the Millennium on Friday evening (can you say cash bar and free hors d'oevres?) or Saturday. If I have time, I will take some photos to share with you next week.

Potholders

2010-11-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. A seemingly boring, dull and drab topic. BUT NO! Potholders can be beautiful and artful.

Ever since I became a 'maker', some 14 years ago, my appreciation for handmade has become prominent in my life. I wouldn't consider buying a set of potholders at Target or Walmart (I haven't stepped foot in a Walmart in years). Where did I go when I needed new potholders? Why, Etsy, of course.

Surprisingly, I did not find a multitude of regular square potholders, which made my decision making quite simple. The ones I did find, however, were absolutely gorgeous. I selected these beautiful, miniature works of art from b taylor quilts.

There are all sorts of quilted goodies in that shop. She doesn't stop at potholders. Briana makes placemets, quilts, nesting bowls, coasters and an assortment of other items.