Treasure Hunt Success!

One thing I love doing is finding interesting earrings.  


I search high and low for them--just like I am known to sniff out beads when in coffee houses or home improvement stores.  I am pretty picky about my earrings, too--they can't be too heavy, for instance, and I prefer them not to be tacky.  (Although some may debate that there are appropriate times for giant sequined turtles with sunglasses.)


Most of the time, I just like finding them for myself (you know, to wear), but every once and awhile I will find some that just beg to be dangled from a hairstick.  Rest assured, most of the time I make my own dangles...  but some earrings just need to be put on a hairstick.  That's what I did with these sticks, after all:

(Those are my Fish Scale hairsticks, which have actually sold...  the full listing can be seen here:  http://www.etsy.com/transaction/26522406  Pardon the blatant self-referencing--I was just so happy with how they turned out!  *grin*)


Anyway, the whole reason I brought any of this up is because I have recently come across another pair of earrings that I'm itching to make into hairsticks.  Imagine my delight when, in the store, I came upon these little numbers:

Here, have a closer look...

Aren't they darling?  Honestly, little dangling owls!  *coos*  I will love them and hold them and name them George!  


...or something.


I have always been found of owls, and even more so since reading Kathryn Lasky's Guardians of Ga'hoole series a few years ago.  I even heard an owl outside this evening, bustling awake after a long day of rest.


So, my plan is this:  as soon as I unpack all of my beads (which are still in boxes from the recent move), I'm going to make owl sticks!  Yep, sticks with cute little dangling owls!  I already have ideas of what different beads I'm going to use...  oh, the possibilities!  *happy sigh*


It's been a good day.

In honor of the upcoming movie...

I will be the first to admit that I have not actually read the Twilight series.  I have never really been intrigued by vampires, sparkly or otherwise.  I do, however, know most of the story through osmosis--it is rather difficult not to know anything about it, I suppose, considering how prevalent it is nowadays.  (Well, that and the fact that my best friend enjoys it and I, subsquently, enjoy listening to her talk about it.)


I have also noticed that there is a lot of Twilight merchandise out there, and some of it is rather ghastly.  (Well, unless you happen to like bright pink glittery vampire teeth with enough rhinestones to qualify for Mardi Gras.)  So, with that in mind, I couldn't help myself.  I decided to make something classy for those people who enjoy Twilight, but do not want to go around wearing "Team Jacob" or "Team Edward" t-shirts to work.


So, here you go!  The first set, for the more vampire-inclined, is called Cullen Fangirl:

And the second set, for the werewolf-lovers, is called Gift to Emily:

These items, and the stories that I decided to tell through them, can be found here:


Cullen Fangirl
Hairsticks:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/50051616/twilight-cullen-fangirl-hairsticks
Earrings: http://www.etsy.com/listing/50051326/twilight-cullen-fangirl-earrings


Gift to Emily
Hairsticks:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/50050972/twilight-gift-to-emily-hairsticks
Earrings: http://www.etsy.com/listing/50050654/twilight-gift-to-emily-earrings


I do hope that I can find more of those charms, because I would actually like to make a pair of each for myself.  (Well, and for my aforementioned best friend...)  Until then, I will consider myself quite accomplished, having made classy Twilight merchandise.

Ooooo, lookit the pretties!

I completely forgot that I have something to show, after all!  Yay!

This afternoon, I spent some time outside crafting.  Where I am living now has a beautiful backyard, complete with trees and wildlife and a big hill perfect for sledding (in the winter, of course).  

While spending time in the outdoors sounds lovely and environmentally savvy, however, I should mention that it was actually pretty miserable.  It was very hot and humid and I was baking in the midday sun, all the while smelling like sunscreen and bug repellent.  (I have very pale skin, so I was lathered up in SPF 30 and feeling much like a sundried tomato.)  Although my efforts to bond with nature may not have been successful, at least my crafting was!

So, here you go!  Look at the pretties:

And here they are again, up close:

And I didn't stop there.  I made several more where those came from, including these geektastic Hogwarts pendants!

I decided to go with silver/blue for Ravenclaw as per the movie, as opposed to bronze/blue as per the books...  Although slightly off-putting to my bookish snobbery, I decided that I do wear silver and blue a lot more often.  

And, for extra love, have an up close view of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, complete with chain!:

Overall, I am very pleased with today's endeavors, even if I did get slightly burnt despite the sunscreen.  Maybe tomorrow, if I am feeling the need to create, I will do so in my air-conditioned cave of a room.  Or maybe I'll forget that resolution completely, and once more decide to experience the great outdoors in all of its sun-baking goodness.

A Moment of Calm...

From where I am now sitting, I'm looking out a window upon a tree backlit by a twilight sky.  I keep trying to think of something to say here, but all I can think is contentment.

So, even despite my silence here, life continues.  In the middle of adapting to a new environment (had to move at the end of last month, and am now living with my in-laws), I am grateful for a chance to just sit and look out the window...  and listen to the plucky frog that has decided it wants to serenade me with its croaking song.

*waves*

It has been almost a month since I last posted…  and, wow, a lot can happen in a month!  Illnesses and work projects, coupled with house issues (we had to throw out both of our couches) and a twisted ankle (not my ankle, but still acquired while disposing of said couches)…  ah, the wonders of being an adult!

That being said, I did want to put something here to let it be known that my shop is still open and I am still making new things to sell…  I’m hoping that March will bring more of an opportunity to share some of these wonderful things! (And hopefully also a new couch...  I am getting a little tired of sitting on the floor...)

Valentine's Day Sneak Peak

My thoughts on Valentine's Day...


I have mixed feelings about Valentine's Day.  For quite a long time, I had no Valentine...  After all, it wasn't until I was a senior in college that I had a boyfriend (who, happily, is now my husband).  So, I was the single girl who bought myself chocolates and flowers on February 14th, and tended to avoid romantic movies.  Even today, happily married, I am not much for pink and foofy displays of affection.  


I am, however, very fond of stately expressions of love.  For example, my favorite flowers are roses--not to be cliché, but because I love their depth, the way their petals unfurl, their silk velvet reds.  I enjoy the deeper shades of Valentine's--reds and silvers, velvet and damask, rich dark chocolate truffles and creamy ganache.


And so, while thinking of designs for Valentine's Day this year, I tried to incorporate that feeling of stately love.  I am happy with the result--both the Winter's Masquerade set that I posted earlier, and my newest creation:

I plan on posting it to my store very soon...  I am just trying to come up with a fitting story to accompany it.  Keep a look out for when it goes live!

Random Fun: Science!

Can you guess what these are?

For those of you who guessed "those are polymer balls that expand when exposed to water, currently drying in a sieve!", you would be correct.


In my last foray into a craft store, I ventured into the science fair section--the part with children's microscopes, ant farms, test tubes, and astronaut ice cream.  It's the section that I loved when I was little (yes, I was a nerd)--and the section that I still love now (yes, I am still a nerd).


While all of the bigger sets are quite expensive, I was delighted to find that there are a lot of smaller sets for under $10.  And so, I bought a packet of "slippery spheres"...  or, in other words, polymer balls that go from 2mm to the size of large marbles when exposed to water.  I put them in a bowl of water on the counter.  The constant excitement at watching them expand--and the subsequent delight to find that they bounce--was well worth the $4.00!


And, because I find delight and inspiration in the slightest things, here are pictures of the venture.  To start with, here are the spheres right at the beginning...

And here is what they look like after a few days (the smallest next to the largest):

Something else fun about these spheres is that they actually shrink when no longer exposed to water.  Once dry, you can start the entire process over again.  And so, here you can see them being dried out:

Of course, I have yet to figure out how to incorporate them into any of my jewelry...  After all, it is hard to work with a substance that has to be perpetually wet.  Yet, I find them beautiful to just stare at...  and wonderfully fun to play with (did I mention that they bounce)?


The world that we live in never ceases to amaze me...  I am living proof that science can be fun.


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Fine print:


For all you fellow nerds, here is the Wikipedia article on polymer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer


And, for all of you fellow nerds who feel the desire to replicate my experiment, here is the link to the actual set that I bought:
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/store/item.aspx?ItemId=113382&dep=25&cat=60&subcat=10&Search=Y


Basically, the idea is that polymer in the spheres creates chemical bonds with the polarized water, causing the water to be absorbed and the sphere itself to expand.  It's a simple enough explanation, but I find it fascinating how it actually does it.

I'm on a roll...

I just posted some lovely silver and red items...  Just in time for Valentine's Day!*

Hairsticks -- http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38828212
Earrings -- http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38828037
Necklace -- http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38827784


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* - I usually don't like doing anything over the top for Valentine's Day...  I try to keep things understated and elegant, something that you would want to wear other times of the year.  I think this set accomplishes this goal quite nicely...  I have started wearing my set already, and have gotten compliments on them.