Just Jonesin' - Jewelry, Art and Other Stuff

Shutting down, starting anew...

2007-02-21T22:37:00.000-05:00

Shutting down... I have decided to shut down my Etsy shop for the time being. I love selling my jewelry, but I don't feel like this is the time for it. I have other things I want to persue and and put my time into and I also feel I need to organize better before I start it again. Oh, I forgot to mention the SIX packages that have gone AWOL recently!!! (Darn post office!!!)

Starting anew... I want to focus on actually DOING. Doing my art, making my jewelry, being a mom.

I also want to become a La Leche League Leader, and this will take some of my time also. I have a feeling this will also be a new source of artistic inspiration for me. This is an area I truly am passionate about and I desire to spread that passion - the passion of actively being a mother - to other mothers who feel the same.

How slack am I?

2007-02-05T16:59:00.000-05:00

I really have no good excuse for it. Even though we have all taken turns getting sick, and my son broke his arm, but I still have no good excuse for not blogging. So today is a new day, and I am going to do my best to blog at leat once a week, so everyone knows what's going on!!!

For the birds!

2006-12-13T09:42:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when you have a bunch of bamboo tiles that you don't know what to do with! I took some varnish and tinted it blue with watercolors. I took old sewing patterns and painted over them with the varnish, and I cut the images from an antique book page that I had purchased. A few layers of varnish over top that and Volia!! I wired them together with a very thin copper wire and brown bugle beads and finished it off with a copper toggle clasp. I am going to have to shorten it, as it is too big for me (that's a miracle, because most I make end up being too short!) Sorry for the crappy pic, I'll get a better one.

He who Holds the Key...

2006-11-02T17:15:00.000-05:00

I made this for my Mom today. I used a book as a base, so I guess it could be considered an altered book, but I thought of it just as a base. The key actually holds the tin in place. The vial will hold whatever my Mom wants to put in there that reminds her of my dad (he died this past March). The key is attached to the same eye screw that the vial hangs on. I like it... I think it turned out good. I'll be making another, but instead of the vial it will contain a vintage picture... that one will be for sale.

What a day for the camera to break...

2006-11-01T14:58:00.000-05:00

So, here I go out the door on this BEAUTIFUL sunny day and... my camera won't work. The one day I actually get motivation to take pictures of my recent work and this is what I get... Oh Cruel World!!!

Organizing the impossible...

2006-10-22T21:26:00.000-05:00

So, being the toatlly UNorganized person I am I have a ton of stuff sitting around in boxes. Often times I go looking for a particular item and I can't quite place my finger on it. I have also gone out and purchased more of said item thinking I had used what I had... only to find out weeks (or even months) later that I had said item all along!!!

So this weekend I have taken on the daunting task of organizing all of my craftiness in one place (instead of boxes everywhere). Sometimes I feel like it's a total waste of time because the only thing I seem to be accomplishing is making an even bigger mess. But I know that, once it is finished, it will be so much easier to find things. I have already found SOOOO many things I forgot that I had (and things I knew I had, just couldn't find)!!!

I have officially worked for two days and still have at least ten more boxes to go through! Although the boxes are small (like two shoe boxes could fit in them) they are all packed to the rim!!!

Oh, if only there was such thing as an "Easy" button!!!

Train of thought... Collect me...

2006-10-18T20:45:00.000-05:00

How do I get my name out more? I want to be collected. I want my work to be coveted by my customers... Hmmm... I want. Maybe I should change my point of view. What was it that Crystal said in her blog? "For art's sake..." Maybe I should be doing that instead of trying to make items that would sell. Maybe I should not try so hard and just do for a change. Make stuff I like. Try new things I have been wanting to try.

I think today I shall try some new things. Maybe I'll start that alterd book I have been dying to start, but scared to. Or maybe do a little Papier Mache?

I could also start on my camera lens project. I bought this on ebay and was going to use the entire thing as one project, but I think I will use the lenes separately and the box for something totally different... I want to do something "Ocean-y" with the box for some reason... it seems to be telling me that. I would love to do an ocean themed mixed media something-or-other on the outside and in each space on the inside do a piece of ocean-y jewelry. But would six jewelry pieces for a set be too much? Should I do three jewelry pieces and and something else - little shrine like things maybe - in the other three spaces? Oh goodness, I think I'm even more frustrated than when I started this!

I think I wanna keep one of these...

2006-10-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

Okay, this past weekend I worked on these:

And I had SOOOO much fun! I really enjoyed making them. They are simple charms, but I wanted them to be that way. The Lady was from a vintage lingerie ad (thanks again, Crystal!) with a crackle paint printed background paper.

The Phesant(?) was from what looks to be an old German encycolpedia page. on the back of that charm is text from the same page. I think they turned out really well!

I AM the Toothfairy!!!

2006-10-04T16:05:00.000-05:00

Okay inspiration was a little short not too long ago... then I purchased some supplies from Other People's Flowers. Now, ideas are pouring out!!! And here is the next installment: "I AM the Toothfairy!"

Composed of (unused) silver dental crowns, pearls, seed beads and sterling silver, this will definately turn into a conversation piece for the wearer. The bracelet will be available on Etsy, I am going to give the earrings as a gift!

By the way... "Survivor", the Art Doll is currently on Ebay - check her out!!!

Pictures of "Survivor"...

2006-10-03T10:37:00.000-05:00

Almost done! I still have to put her name on her base. I also want to make a pretty card with explainations for the symbolisim. So, without further ado....

In the beginning:

Lion detail:

Finished (almost) Product:

That's All Folks!!

My First Art Doll!

2006-10-03T07:54:00.000-05:00

I made my very first art doll today!!! I am so excited... I now just have to put the finishing touches on it and I'll be done. Her name will be "Survivor," in honor of breast cancer awareness month. Her dress is pink - the official color of breast cancer awareness. In one hand she holds a Circle with dangling Swarovski crystals symbolizing friends and family (the old Girl Scout songthat goes "a circle is round, it never ends - that's how long you will be my friend..." popped into my head as I was making her). In the other hand she holds a lion, symbolizing her courage and strength. Circling her wrist is a bracelet of glass seed beads. Her face was made by Willow Moon out of polymer clay. I am going to add a tiny religious charm to the back of her "head", signifying faith. I think it's a catholic charm, I'm not sure (as I am not catholic).I think it shows the Virgin Mary. I am just meaning for it to signify faith of any kind (not to mention it was the smallest one I have). She will also have a sterling silver awareness ribbon necklace. I am so very excited about her... pictures to come tomorrow when she is finished!

Working hard...

2006-10-01T22:50:00.000-05:00

I am actually trying to get stuff done this week. I started sorting through my oodles of supplies today. I also started logging my inventory. Next year I plan on selling my wares at my very first Fair, so I am trying to do doubles of everything - one for Etsy, one for the fair.

I purchased some Ephemera from Other People's Flowers Etsy Shop.
The batch (which, if you read this Crystal, was wonderful) included pages from an old hymnal. These, I have decided, will become the background images for Mrs. Jones' Memorial shadow boxes. I have four of them to make. Three of them will have this background... for the last one I would love to find a few images of angels to use along with some pretty decorative paper. I'm not sure, but I have some Ideas!

On the Jewelry and accessories front, I have an obssesion with buttons and all things "vintage". Pins and brooches will be my next endeavor.

I am putting together a collage of child's play... pictures to come as soon as I complete (which is no telling when, because I am not one to start something and finish it straight through). Sometimes you just have to let it marinate...

Well, Ta Ta for Now... I must get some shut eye!

Back to Basics

2006-09-26T20:59:00.000-05:00

Jewelry making has been a more recent endeavor for me (I only started within the past 3 years), but I think I want to spend a bit of my time on other forms of art again. A recent purchase has inspired another mixed media streak in me, So watch for artsy-fartsy stuff mixed up with my jewelry!
For now I leave you with some new jewelry I have been working on:

Starting out...

2006-06-14T22:47:00.000-05:00

Yay! I have been meaning to start a blog for my business for a while. Someone on Etsy started a post about finally putting together a blog, so I thought I might as well go ahead and do it.

Tonight I will be working out a few new jewelry pieces that I have in my head.

Hopefully this weekend (while at the beach) I will be creating patterns for a few purses that I wanted to make, and possibly make up a prototype.