Fina-friggin'-ly!

The Secret of God and Gods Mother.
All I've been doing all day is taking these pictures, editing and posting them. I have a throbbing headache.


Blazing Unnatural Light.
It feels like a caffeine headache, but I have my joe. I think it's withdrawal from the sugarfest that was Virginia. Donuts for breakfast, cake and ice cream for dinner. Can you get a sugar-withdrawal headache?


Calcinatio.
Anyshmaze, here's some stuff. There's lots more almost ready. I'm, like, manic right now, making stuff like a mad person. Also I couldn't sleep all last night. My head was racing with projects to be made. Why am I insane?


If the World Goes On.
Why can't I just be chill about it? The more stuff I have, the more frantic I get. Someone give me some advice here. Also- what the hell kinda teeth are those in the picture above? They have these knobs on top, so they don't look like alligator's or coyote's.

Oh I'm crazy about this one. It's one of my leather-cord series. Manly-leather-cord-paired-with-something-girly series. That really rolls off the tongue, hu? So yeah, this ammonite fossil is filled with glorious, pyrite-colored hematite. It friggin' glows.

The Million-Crested Sun. 

Huh. I notice it's most certainly not glowing in these pictures. Can you tell it's more than just a fossil?

The Tarim Mummies.Here we have some very unusual enameled religious medals- they're teeny!Behind the Veil of All.Here's an eye-themed grungy choker. I tried a special photo effect- can you tell?Rapunzel.Clearly, I'm on a choker kick right now. I think it's my own backlash from realizing all my necklaces are just a smidge too long. Or too long on my boney neck anyways.Those Who Came from Heaven to Earth.This cuff I've shown you already. See my effects? Get yours here.La Pule Noir.I showed you guys this one already but I changed the cord. This one is chunkier and stronger.Monomania.And this guy who I made the subtlest of changes to which only my obsessive self would notice...How did our people come to exist.And these guys who already sold!Oh, also, the giveaway is still open, y'all. I'll probably close it tomorrow or Monday.

Giveaway in Memoriam

The day of my Mother-in-Law's passing was also the day her Easter box arrived. For each holiday, she would prepare a huge box filled with holiday-themed gifts and goodies which always included something for my parents, for my niece and 2 nephews and several somethings for my doggie- as well as sending each of my family members cards separately, of course. So we didn't open the Easter box til last night and it was heart wrenching. While in Virginia, we also found a drawer stuffed with every card she'd ever received, including a separate bag full of all the cards I'd made her. I'd never sent cards, I guess its something we never do where I'm from. But when I saw how much she loved them, I started making her cards and using them as an excuse to play with all the cheesy scrapbooking supplies I'd secretly kinda drooled over...
She loved cards and flowers, birds and all the little woodland animals that came to her huge collection of bird feeders by her window. She'd be so happy to tell us about a visiting wild turkey, hummingbirds, a doe with her babies and even the stars of the show- black bears. They live at the border of the Shenandoah National Park and they loved nothing more to watch the lumbering bears munch on a pile of corn feed they'd leave for them every day. In fact, Jackie- her name- had forbidden her husband from telling us about the passing of the tiny runt bear that had been diligently trying to keep up with its mom and 2 siblings, because she knew I loved that tiny guy. She protected us like babies which is kinda why her passing was such a shock. She'd been hit by the flu quite badly but would never tell us about it.

Anyways, in her memory I'd like to have my very first giveaway! I really love these earrings, though I don't think they pictures do them justice. I've worn them (so you get my cooties-bonus!) and they are extremely flattering in the way they frame a face. The wires are hammered/oxidized sterling silver. They have tiny glass buttons and scraps of tatting from the flea markets by my husband's little town.
Leave a comment if you'd like to have them. I'll give it a couple days then have Jackie's granddoggie (as she called him) pick one randomly out of a hat.
I love you Jackie!

Previews

I thought I'd schedule a post to appear while I'm still in Virginia, since I did make a few last things I'm eager to share. So if you commented on the previous post, I can't respond yet because I haven't gotten to look at them yet.

 So This is a piece I was working on before I left for U. The round is from Sacred Cake and it has this fibrous antique Japanese paper over it sent to me by Sparrow Salvage. The black button is from Opulent oddities. The rhinestone button and woven leather cord is from U.

 As you can see, I'm really into this rustic leather. This dragon was also a gift from Sacred Cake!  I finished off the ends of this bracelet cuff by bending strips of brass sheet metal.

I showed you this compass in the U-haul. Here I danrkened it, matched it with some chain from missficklemedia and an antique pocket watch chain closure, with more woven cording. I like the fine delicate device with the thick masculine leather.

Speaking of which- this is a perfect example of using the rustic, masculine to tone down the ... maybe frivolousness of the baroque antique frame.

I don't know but I'm particularly proud of this big hammered closure and the ring its hooked on to. I found a bunch of cloth-covered electrical cording tucked behind some boxes at Abuela's house. I washed it twice but still got my hands all dirty when handling it so it will be getting a thick wax coating to seal it in.

Temporary Shop Closing

Due to the very sudden passing of my kind and wonderful mother-in-law, I'm going to be in Virginia for the next week. I will not have access to the internet, but I'll be back next week. I love you guys and will have more for you soon.
I couldn't resist snapping some shots of a few packages going out today.

Earring Extravaganza!

Camelidae.
I can't believe I made all of these yesterday.
Rubedo.
I used a bunch of these strand connectors I got at a jewelry supply in U.

They seem to organize things for me quite nicely, without me having to think too much.

Catacombs of Malta.
These earrings above are a collection of tiny, precious gold medals and bits.

These were almost done before I left.

A Cloud of Raindrops.

Qutn.
These too are from before I left, but I got the spear-esque head pins in that same shop in U, which I'm psyched over, since they're they only things large enough to keep in these beads with they're unreasonably large holes..

Those Who Came from Heaven to Earth.
These cylinders are jade, I think, from an artisan who put those cute tops on them. The stones cost more than the antiques most times.

Like these stalactite amethyst slabs with druzy tips are dipped in gold.

Elizabeth.
So since I wasn't shy about spending on these, I've priced them a bit high. I mean, for me they're high. But then I don't know. The ear wire here is sterling, the bits are precious, but the strand connector is some base metal, imported from Hong Kong or something.

Landschap.
And yet I know this mix is aesthetically the best. I guess I worry that the person who would spend for fine and special bits would not approve of non-special bits.

Concussion Idiophones.
Oh, these castanets are from my previous trip! I was very blocked on them and then was all "Duh! Earrings!"

Tooth and Nail. 
These tusks also came from that one supply store-aren't they cute? They're shell and resin, I think.

The Figa.
I think all the earrings are because I'm too overwhelmed to make anything else. Especially anything that involves a lot of unpacking.
Phew. I'm a makin' machine!

From Before Stuff

Before I left for the big U, I made some stuff. So here it is.
When the child was a child.



When Stars Explode.

Hey check it- I decoupaged my mannequin. No more shiny grey plastic. I don't know if she's done...

Haecceity.
The bone game piece and military wings I actually got it last time I went you-know-where but hadn't used it yet. Seems wrong, hu? I mean, to go back for more when I still had some left...)

So that's what I did all Saturday- got paper and glue all over myself and took all these pictures.

I Dream About It. the owl is Spirited Earth. The clasp is an enameled head pin by missficklemedia.
Nonce.
The Fourth.
This focal piece is the Uruguayan shield with wings. I think before I left I wanted to use up any bits from the previous visit so that I didn't feel like I was cheating somehow.

When He Wastes The Plain.
Again, the lock is from Uy. The big ass milagro I mae myself of course, using embossing sheet metal.

Chain of Being.Still haven't started making with my new theeengs. Damnit.I've stopped increasing the contrast on my pictures. What do you think? Yes? No?
Oh and I just realized my little sister commented on a post here! Whu? Hu? (I knew something was up when a commenter addressed me as 'Mar'.) Worlds collide! So I had to go back and quickly scan for anything incriminating... which makes no sense at all. Like, would I be putting up nekkid pictures of myself here? Though I did here on the convos end some thumbs up on the cleavage I was I was rocking unawares in that pink tank top.... My little sister read my blog! Awwww! The last thing she said about my work was hilarious- "So you're really going with the 'old' thing, hu?"
Hi Carmela!!!