Tome

I did it!

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:54:13 GMT

I finally created a 100% fair trade and earth friendly tree pendant!

Recycled sterling silver wire and CA botryoidal nephrite jade that was harvested (found, not mined) and cut by a local rock hound who uses biodiesel.

I was going to wait until after the move to create this piece, but I caved. :)

Custom tree I finished today

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:33:23 GMT

Peridot, tourmaline, amethyst, rose quartz, sterling silver

I hope she likes it!

I also made this necklace out of things I had laying around...

"Owl at Sunset"

I tried to make it so that the onyx owl (which is actually a button) "sits" on the "branch" in the jasper stone pendant:

I wonder if the moonstone "moon" makes the piece too clunky. Anyway, I had fun putting together some odds and ends while learning a new cord wrapping technique.

Trees I Made This Weekend

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:37:32 GMT

I made this tree yesterday during the full moon:

And I made a new nest tree on Saturday:

The "leaves" are aventurine and the "egg" is a 1mm moss agate. This is my smallest nest yet! I don't know if it's possible to make one smaller. Anyway, I'm happy with the way that both trees turned out.

Tiny Tree

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:49:02 GMT

It's a little smaller than a nickle:

It was a special order for a wedding...awwww! A tree themed wedding - love it!

Tree Spirit (New Style Idea)

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:43:52 GMT

Copper & Petrified Wood

I have a lot of these petrified wood slabs, and was thinking about making "Tree Spirit" pendants out of them and recycled sterling silver wire. I used copper for this prototype, and my least attractive piece of petrified wood. I can keep the cost down (cutting it more than half) on these because I'm not coiling around the frame, so it will be at a better price point for more people.

Now the question is - should I make a small collection of these in silver and see how it goes, or are my other trees so much better that I should focus all my attention on them? Hmmm...

One Month Etsyversary

Sat, 30 May 2009 22:45:21 GMT

Today marks exactly one month since I opened my Etsy store - YAY!

To celebrate, I made a treasury of some of the items I have fallen in love with on Etsy. It's called "Forget Me Not," and you can view it here: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=61762

And to celebrate further, I am offering free shipping on any purchases made today and tomorrow via LJ. Please use this promotion code in your paypal message: LJPROMO

*Shipping fees will be refunded via PayPal within 24 hours.

Cleaning House

Fri, 29 May 2009 05:47:58 GMT

I now have an Etsy shop for my extra beads and findings: http://ethbeads.etsy.com

Fun With Picture Jasper

Wed, 27 May 2009 06:43:52 GMT

I'm trying to get the gals over at craftgrrl to see Elvis in this bead. They don't see him, do you?

Today's Creations

Sun, 24 May 2009 03:59:07 GMT

My Best Tree Yet!

Fri, 22 May 2009 21:46:56 GMT

It's better than my previous seasonal tree, I think...

The secret is that I used 18g wire instead of 20g wire for the frame, and then I hammered the frame so that it would not bend as I was working the tree around it.

I also changed the way I deal with the wire ends. I usually tuck them into the coil, and this works fine but I am always worried about there being a scratchy situation in the future, but this time I spiraled the ends up and into the leaves:

Anyway, I'm real happy with the way it turned out - smooth and solid and pretty...and already sold! Now to make a new user pic... :)

Fri, 15 May 2009 18:48:50 GMT

Remember that teeny tiny little nest I made?

I worked on this for five hours yesterday, and am fairly pleased with the result.

Happy Mother's Day!

Sun, 10 May 2009 22:29:49 GMT

Look what fell out of one of my silver trees!

I also made these earrings today, a gift to me from me:

copper wire, jasper beads, niobium ear wires

I love how this jasper looks so much like sparrow eggs.

Sat, 09 May 2009 03:04:57 GMT

I now have an Etsy shop!

Sat, 02 May 2009 01:40:36 GMT

Finally, after years of meaning to, I have an Etsy shop. I opened my store three days ago, and within four hours of opening I had my first sale. I'm feeling encouraged.

Anyway, I would love feedback if you're so inclined.

http://ethora.etsy.com

Yeah, I know, I'll need a new banner...

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:14:10 GMT

How is it that I am writing a novel which revolves around bird communication...and yet I'm not on Twitter?

NaNoEdMo

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 02:01:33 GMT

"You have logged 4 hours and 50 minutes of 50 hours (9.6666666666667%) as of 3/6/2009."

I'm behind. To get back on track, I'll need to edit for about 8 hours this weekend.

It could happen.*

* Especially now that I am officially taking it easy after spraining my ankle and hurting my knee on a wet tile floor.

National Novel Editing

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:27:45 GMT

I signed up for NaNoEdMo (National Novel Editing Month) because I do well with short and structured sprints like this. I also feel like I benefit from riding these NaNo waves of creative energy...

I just hope I don't cringe myself to death as I revisit Sunshine The Bird.

For Michelle

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:26:37 GMT

"Your Birth Day"

I was three
and given a sponge...
one of those sponges that grows exponentially with water.
Me, being Aquarius and all,
I remembered a leaky pipe.
I remember sitting on the floor with the cabinet open...
Holding my sponge under the pipe below...
Watching my sponge grow.

When they told me your name, I wondered how a baby could be so strong as to mush shells.

I was three
and given a sister.
One of those sisters who grows exponentially with wonder.
Me, being three and all,
I was out of the news loop.
I was fast asleep when they announced you...
But I watched you...
I watched that baby grow.

When they told me your name, I wondered how a baby could be so strong as to mush shells.

I watched you
I watched you grow, Michelle.

Happy Heart Day

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 20:51:34 GMT

Especially you, tudgedelta!

Tonight's Dinner

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:47:08 GMT

Baked wild salmon (frozen from Costco, costs about $3.20 per piece) with potatoes, roasted beets, and sauteed swiss chard w/beet greens and garlic.

[EDIT: "The number of the feast" Jay said after we figured out that our meal turned out to be $6.66 per plate]

Happy 2/06!

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 04:07:34 GMT

To celebrate I'm going to kiss you.

*MWAH*

It Ain't Necessarily So

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:32:46 GMT

Birthday Gift to Self

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:43:39 GMT

quartz crystal, green aventurine, emerald, amber, and sterling silver.

MungBeing

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:01:20 GMT

MungBeing, which is a wonderful online magazine that you'll want to read for sure, published an excerpt of my book today. It's the part that has more to do with food than any other part of the story: http://www.mungbeing.com/issue_24.html?page=12#2006

I also have a few more excepts available for reading here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/401308

Now to make pretty the rest of the book...

Fix You (Coldplay) Young@Heart

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:48:06 GMT

We watched the film Young@Heart tonight, and it was wonderful. I went to the group's Wikipedia site to read more and learned that Fred Knittle (who sang "Fix You" in a moving tribute to a band member who had died that week) passed away today. He had a beautiful voice.