Wild At H'art

It's About Time!

I know....I haven't been around for months and months. Life happens, and I am learning that blogging will easily get left behind if one doesn't make that conscience effort to be committed to doing it. I am, I admit, a procrastinator. Those that know me, and those that know of me, pretty much know that about me. It is something I should be working on to overcome, and I am. Can I commit to that? Yes...this is my vow. To give at least one entry a week. Just one, I think I can do that.

Since my last entry, we have moved. Now that right there is a pretty good excuse for falling behind. We were 4 people living in a small 2 bedroom house. Now, we have a 4 bedroom house. And there's a shop off the garage. Should I say, a 'Girlied-Up Man Shop'. I LOVE this space. I have all of my big boy tools set up dow there, like the bench grinder, drills and hammers, tumbler for glass and rocks. All kinds of cools stuff. Back to moving though...We (especially me) had accumulated a large mass of art and jewelry making supplies. Everything had to be packed up, moved and unpacked. It would have not been a big deal if I didn't have so much 'stuff'. But I do, so it was a major deal. We did it, but it has been a job finding everything. There are boxes and boxes in the garage that need to be gone through and either donated or discarded. So much for moving...

In October, I was published in Stampington's Jewelry Affaire! That is a big deal for me. I am so honored. They do such a great job photographing your pieces. I am also in the newest issue, which is available April 1st, but I got my copy yesterday. It's such a great magazine, with SO much eye candy and inspiration. I also have a piece in the most recent issue of Belle Amoure Jewelry. It's an oyster shell piece. I love oyster shells, but what to do with them? Wear them!

I will be setting up my wares for my community to see and purchase at the Port Angeles Rock, Gem and Mineral show. Another jewelry artist, miss kaylie, has so kindly offered to share her booth with me. this is my first attempt ever at this sort of thing. I think it'll be fun. Do stop and say hello if you make it to the show. Of course I've been working like a mad woman trying to get ready for this. Personally, I'll be glad when it's over. Don't know that this sort of selling will be my niche, but I'll give it a  fair go.

Lots of other things to post about, but my to do list is LONG today and I have to work besides. I WILL be back....and soon! 

*hugs*

 

I am still alive! I'm finding that blogging isn't coming too easy for me. I am still determined to do a blog, and to get better at it. The biggest reason why I haven't been on here for so long is because I was using my daughter's computer, and in June or July it died. to the point that the pc repair guy said to go buy a new computer. So, now that the problem is resolved, no more excuses, right? right!
Good news! I am happy to let you all know that I am published is the October 2011 issue of Stampington's Jewelry Affaire! What an honor! and they do such great work with the photography, going to such lengths to make us look good. I actually have four projects featured, I am so thrilled! If you see the magazine, let me know what you think. Besides my work, there is a lot of beautiful and inspiring work in this issue.
As I sit here trying to connect with someone, it's kind of a strange feeling. I don't know that I even have any readers, but I am determined to make a go of it. It's almost 2:30 am. The house is quiet, I can hear the rain falling outside. October on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington is typically a wet month, growing colder from week to week, soon the first frost will appear. i do love to hide away in my art studio when it's like this, put on some music and see what these hands can come up with. When summer did finally arrive here in August, it was so beautiful, I had to stay outside as much as possible because I knew it would be a short summer and soon would be wet and cold again. But even though we're forecasted to have more of the same tomorrow, I shall be wearing my flip-flops and enjoying the sunshine and warm breezes as I enjoy a week in Southern California! I am excited, yes! Just a little! I will be visiting my friend Lynda, who I mentioned in a post in June when she came up here. We will be going to Glitterfest, the Long Beach flea market, a gem faire and I am very pleased and excited to have the opportunity to meet Beth Livesay, editor of Jewelry Affaire! It's all going to be good, I am sure. It will be like a big treasure hunt, with a lot of visiting too.
Now, it's going on 3 am and I am getting very sleepy, and have a lot to do tomorrow. I promise to not have any more 3 month delays. Have a wonderful Tuesday. ciao...

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Thisis a Deryn Mentock, Something Sublime button. She is an awesome artist, check out her work, and classes here.

It's almost vacation time, and my friend Lynda is coming up to spend and celebrate her 50th, so I thought it appropriate to crown her with this dazzling crown I put together for her. It is made with lamp banding for the base, crystal beads twisted onto wire and several pieces of beach glass thrown in for temptation. Several years ago when Lynda lived in Edmonds and so did I, she taught me how cool beach glass is. Now, I'm hooked, and beach combing is a favorite past time of mine. And there are some great places around here to glean beach glass, so we will be spending some time doing that while she is here. Hopefully, she'll bring the sun with her, it's doggone cold here today!

It's Friday, the weekend is upon us...make it a good one, make art, or at least do something creative. Keep your eye open for something surreal. I have the weekend off, so I am planning to finish up an embroidery project for a collaborative quilt project. I haven't embroidered for years, but it's coming along. The needle and thread in my fingers feels like an old friend, and I may do some for myself. Or someone else. I used to do a lot of embroidery, ribbon embroidery and cross stitch, along with crochet. When the kids got older and didn't require my attention all the time, I dove head first into paper arts and painting, now into jewelry making. Oh yes, I still need to get some work in that jewelry folder for all to see. I will, and also, Somerset's Jewelry Affaire has chosen some of my work for the next publication due out October 1st! I am excited about this, as I haven't been published very much. A couple of years ago, their publication "Home" featured some wire crochet birds nests I made. That was exciting. Somerset magazines by Stampington & Company are beautifully put together, each edition is a collectible. Some craft stores carry them, and so does Barnes & Noble and Borders.

I have much to do, saying "ciao" for now....have a good weekend!

I have been working on (playing with) freeform crochet, a new technique. I thought it would be easy peasy since I am pretty good at crochet. I guess I learned when I was 11 or 12, but I never thought to try freeform. I am loving this, although i think it works a little different than I first imagined. This piece in progress is still just one piece of thread. But I think typically, you would tie off your thread and add on anywhere with another piece of thread or yarn, even a different color and type of fiber, and begin. You can also stitch together different pieces to form a larger piece. I have seen some stunning work on Etsy that has inspired me. It is very easy, not having to follow a pattern, just your heart. But I am just playing at this point and not really making anything yet.

It has been a busy couple of weeks. I work part time at the hospital as a phlebotomist, and we have been so busy, especially just before the end of the shift it seems to explode with ER patients so I end up staying late to help get caught up. Then there's art and family. It seems like I make art and then in my spare time, I hang out with family. It should be the other way around, but i just can not help myself. I think it must be some kind of disorder, but it is one I choose to have. But in truth, I do hang out with my family a lot. My son /Ryan, 25 is living with me and currently going to school at the community college. My daughter Sarah lives here with her 6 year old, Elijah, who is the absolute apple of my eye. Sarah works at a pediatric clinic, and Elijah is a busy little boy that is wrapped around my heart. We live in a very green place on the Olympic Peninsula, bordering the Olympic National Forest. It is beautiful, peaceful, quiet, but usually wet and dreary. One of our favorite things is to go to a beach and find treasures, be they glass, rocks or shells. Sometimes unexpected pieces of metal. The other day, Elijah had a whole pile of rusted metal for me, for my art. He totally gets me! He is always picking up flotsam and jetsome for his grandma. I love it. Here's E. I am still learning how to put pictures onto my blog, wish I could crop it, but haven't gotten that far yet.

bon jour, the sun is trying to come out, and this little guy is trying to reach upwards. I love how ferns are spiraled when they wake up from their winter's nap. The yard is looking so shabby these days. The big problem is that so often it's raining and no one, especially me, wants to work in the yard when it's raining. We have some nice days, but on those days, we are so impulsive to load up the car and take off for the beach. Or go for a hike, Or anything else besides work. But I just looked at pics of my friend Tilney's yard this morning, and wow...her hard work is paying off, and giving me inspiration at the same time. I think Saturday will be a good day to get the yard tidied up, If it doesn't rain.

Welcome to Wild At Heart!

I finally decided to jump in, so here I am. Looking forward to making new friends, keeping connected to old ones, and sharing my art and interests. In the blog world I am a kindergartner, so I appologize for my simplicity. I promise I will get better as I go.  I wonder if I will be able to post pictures from my cell phone? I bet so, I just need to learn how.  I still need to work my way through all the add-ons and bells and whistles, but wanted to break ground today. All the other stuff will follow. 

I've been working on some pretty cool jewelry the last few months, so when I get it figured out and have the time, there will be an album so you can see.  Last year, I took the best ever online metalsmithing workshop by Stephanie Lee. I learned so, so much! Check out her blog sometime. I think there is a link here, if not, I will see about getting one. (still learning) But I have been making jewelry ever since. Once I get my blog up and running, I will start on an etsy shop.  

Well, enough for today. I don't want to bore you, and I really need to get some other chores done!  Thank you for stopping by, and do come back!