WOYWW: New Shop Assistant

This may be more of a What's Under Your Workbench Wednesday.  For everyone over for WOYWW, who haven't heard yet...we got a puppy!  Meet Bella, the newest shop assistant.  She is second in command to her older and more experienced apprentice, Reuben.  They work very well together.

The pups were very busy this week helping me with orders.  I don't know how we ever found time to dream up new designs.  I am sure it was Bella's fresh new creative outlook that inspired us all.  But I am happy to report that there are a few new rings in the shop.

Tools and Art Around My Workbench

Click HERE to go to the rings section of my shop 

Reuben & Bella, Busy Helpers

I have actually been really swamped with homework, I am taking four college classes online, so it is a full time load of credits.  And they aren't kidding when the class description advises that you should expect to spend more time on work for an online class, than one on campus.  There is just a ton of busy work.

All I really want to do is play with my pups and work on jewelry!  The end of the semester can't come soon enough.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you all have a great WOYWW, and a great week!

Hop over to The Stamping Ground to be amazed by other artist's workbenches.

Inspiring Crazy

Crazy in the shop again.  Because that's what artists do.  Get crazy.  I listen to loud folk music, or Eminem, or maybe Joni Mitchell...you never know.  I drink tall mugs of cold coffee.  If it's afternoon, maybe it's a cup of red wine.  I let it all go, time disappears, and all there is, are hammers, torches, sawing, filing and sanding.  LOVE it.

How do you get your crazy on?

(Visit some more artists over at WOYWW and my friend Chandra for a dose a style!)


AND>>>If you are interesred....Check out my **Giveaway** for a sweet pair of heart earrings that I made over at Clussster!  Just in time for Valentine's day. <3

Welcome to My Studio & What's On Your Workbench Wednesday (WOYWW)

Earth & Sky Ring

 I worked all day yesterday and while I was working, I thought to document some of the process I go through to make my jewelry.  I love seeing work in the middle of it's journey.

I actually had two projects going.  I had to make a pair of my best selling earrings, the Isis Hoops, for an order that goes out this week, and I wanted to make a ring with a new turquoise cabachon I just got.  You can see many of the steps in the photos.

I also took a few pics of my workspace, isn't it a fun mess?  I really can't work in a clean space, it is so much more freeing for my creativity to be surrounded by clutter.  I have completely collaged the entire wall space around my workbench with art and collages I've made and posters of concerts I've been to etc.  Being surrounded by all of that visual and sentimental stimulus helps me find that creative place.  I also always listen to music, lately the Indigo Girls album, "Come On Now Social" has been on repeat.

I am taking huge advantage of my free time right now because I am needing to make up for a serious lack of alone time over the winter break, and also because I have signed up for spring classes (ugh), and will probably become totally consumed by college busy work in no time.

I have to make sure I put time aside to create, because that keeps me happy.

Here's a track from that Indigo Girls album, "Peace Tonight":

What's on My Workbench Wednesday

Earrings From Tarnished & True

Antarctica Statement Ring

I've joined in with some other artist bloggers in showing my work/progress in the studio every wednesday!  (It is the button on my sidebar that says WOMWW if you're interested in joining in too!)

I had a lot of fun making a bunch of dangly beaded earrings.  You may remember that MyBoy gifted me a new hammer...well I tried it out and look at all the fun texture I added to the metal teardrops!  I love texture (and hammers).

Maybe the piece I am most proud of to date is this big turquoise ring!  It took me forever to make it, and some serious trials, sweat, and blood...but isn't it fantastic?!?!  I love to push myself when I am designing, and this ring was definitely above and beyond my comfort level.  I must have soldered that bezel four times before I got it to sit solidly.  Working in metal certainly isn't forgiving, that's for sure, so I am just thrilled to have finished this piece (I am in love with the stone!).

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my work.  I leave you with a quote I was recently inspired by:

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
~Pablo Picasso

What I've Been Making

Persimmon Triangle Earrings

Lapis Lazuli Teardrop Earrings

Emerald Green Turquoise Earrings

Chunky Wire Wrapped Aventurine Earrings

Charming Bird Necklace

Lost Stone and Feather Ring

Whew!  I've been busy!  I guess we all are this time of year.  I have been looking forward to sharing this new work with you all.  Favorites, anyone?  I love making earrings because they make so quickly, but making the more complex items, like rings, is so gratifying because of the difficulty of the process.

I wanted to get some work done in the studio before Thanksgiving takes over all of my time.  I am so looking forward to dinner and a whole day for nothing but my little family.  For me, Thanksgiving Day is honestly my favorite holiday.  You don't have the stress of presents, like Christmas,  just the day reserved for quality time with each other.  That's my kind of holiday.  I can't wait!

Gratified Fridays: Studio Time

It's Veteran's Day!  Why am I so excited....it's a holiday for the kids, so no school.  That means we get to bum around the house all day.  I plan on working in the studio, which I have been meaning to do all week, and I bet the kiddos will be right beside me cooking up their own crafty projects..sculpy, painting, drawing...they always surprise me with their innovations.  Hopefully I'll have some of my own!

So this friday, I am grateful for getting in some studio time and for having no other plans at all.

Happy 11-11-11, everyone!

New Rings

Fun new rings are posted in my shop Tarnished & True on Etsy.  Go on over and see!

Do What You Want

Last night one of my dreams ended in musical format with all its characters singing, "just do what you want, just do what you want...".  The gist of the dream was something about selfishness leading to great things, taking time to do what you want produces better output of our energy than if we were to trudge along through life doing what we thought everyone else wanted us to do.  Very Randian philosophy, I know.

>>>Here's what I want to do:

Soldering Torch (while working on a handmade chain)

My Home Studio (complete, minus a better chair)

Fun Metal Tools and Metal and Beads and More Fun

Hammers

Today is definitely dedicated to working hard in the studio, I'm full of new ideas...and since I'm out of sterling wire to complete the current piece I'm working on, I'll just have to move on to a new project.

Sneak Peek, Work in Progress

"Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do." ~Anon

Stacking Bands and Rambunctiousness

With all the productivity going on around here,  I have a large enough inventory to feel like a real shop on Etsy...you may be wondering how I get any work done with the kids and all.  Well, I just let them do whatever they want and we're all happy.  Here they are during another long bout of posting listings to Etsy that went on this morning.  Yes, it is past noon and they are still in PJs.  But look how happy:

This is the favorite sport of "fluffy stair jumping" where the kids take every pillow in the house and fill the stair landing to create the perfect landing zone for jumping down a flight of stairs.  I still think the risk of this misadventure is worth the free time I get out of letting them do it...knock on wood!

Breaking in the new Studio

A lot of patience and a lot of work has gone into getting here:  my own studio.  This is no corner in the bedroom, no makeshift late night adaptation of the dining table, and not the floor strewn with art materials.  This is the real deal.

Before:  Matt Building the Bench

After:  Reuben Guards the Bench

First Work in Progress

Fruits of My Labor:  Turquoise Silver Pendant

I need to decorate a bit more and paint the wall, but I was too excited to start working!

Work Space Dreaming

As the washer and dryer are running in the background, and I'm about to head out into the sunshine with the dog (instead of changing the wash)...I'm dreaming about the work space (metal studio) that is coming together for me in the garage.

Things that make a sweet workspace:

1)  Good Lighting:  I think a funky industrial light would be a good choice.

shopstyle.com

2)  Comfort:  An old comfy couch is a must, for daydreaming up brilliant designs, or staring off into space, or maybe an inspirational nap.  (I would love to try and take on this patchwork re upholstery project myself...fun!)

thisnext,com

northcarolina.inetgiant.com

3)  A functioning work bench:  Here are some benches in other working artists studios for inspiration.

sarahhoodjewelry.com

karenkeit.com

alexhorstjewelry.com

These next few weeks I will be busy putting something similar together for myself.  I can't wait to post before and after photos of my work space, because that will mean that I can get to work!