fanciful devices

How much do I love y'all's redonk comments?

2012-02-12T23:28:00.000-06:00

Juliette Williams wrote, "I might have some dismantled beehive pieces for you, by the way? ;)"

Well you might or you do? Don't tease me!

Little Brown Sparrow wrote, "I forbid you to show those ever again." Good luck with that.

stregata, "your supplies just fly into your house." OMG, right? I just got 2 convos from random people who wanna thank me for all my 'generosity' by sending me more goodies. AAAAAAGHGHGHHH!!! One of the unintended benefits of letting it all hang out, I guess.

Crepuscle.

Petra Carpreau, "If this is what the spectacularly generous elertsted was able to give away, how fantastic must her own stash be??!!!" She says her husband is ready to toss everything out the door. It's piled up everywhere. (Oh, you asked before if that was blood on that paw you sent. It was rust shmutz, from oxidizing. Gets everywhere and I don't fight it.) By the way, I love your name, Petra, but every time I see your last name I think "crapperooo".

The Sea Gone off with the Sun.

Alice, "I would never leave my house if I had all these goodies!" Exactly.

Stranger in My House.

betweenreader, "how did John Wayne end up on that stamp from Uruguay?" Oh man, you cracked me up. (Or as my mom would but it, "I crack. I totally crack.") Turns out that lopsided expression was the result of some of my ever-present shmutz getting on it... Mr. Wayne is not a revered historical figure in my country, turns out.

Fall into the Sun.

Rosie Moceri, "How can I get a Danish Christmas cookie tin to look that cool?" Warp, twist and hammer it into a crumpled clump. Then hammer it back flat. Then spend a few years of your life sanding then scratching off the paint with whatever pointy thing you can find within reach. Then get carpal tunnel.

Self-thinking.

Jen, "Holy Guacamole Batman!" Great, now I want some guacamole.

My Mind is My Temple.

NuminosityBeads, "I am trying to get over my stash hoarding." I am the anti-hoarder! Hear me roar! No, really. What's the point of having it all tucked away where no one can see it? Is it a matter of not wanting to 'ruin' it? Fuck that! That is the number one mistake folks make. Go forth, my children, and ruin shit! If nothing else, you will learn something.

The One Who Deserves Your Love.

Melinda, "I am still laughing over the term 'Supply Porn.'" I dunno what I like more, when people like my creations or my funnies. Hee, hee. *wiggles happily in chair*

The End of Greatness.

martinisfor2, "seriously...i love you..." This.... This is all happening so fast... I mean, I barely know you... You'll have to give me some time.... time to think.... I'm not saying 'no'.... I just need time...

I'm sure I'm missing questions and requests... I'm so befuddled by martinis declaration ... if there's stuff in the forum I should be aware of (questions and such) let me know. Congrats to beatnheart for being the 1st one ballsy enough to start her own new thread! Wooo-Hoooo!

Hello From Healthyland.

2012-02-08T17:30:00.000-06:00

You guys are so cute. Every last one of you wrote "glad you're feeling better" in your comments! Aww, I guess I haven't created monsters after all.

Hi new gals! Make yourselves at home, pull up a chair. We have cupcakes if you'd like any, and strawberry margaritas. Also... where did that... beatnheart! Are you hogging the crack pipe again?! *Rolls eyes for the sake of new guests* Kids, I tell ya!

So today I'm going to blog first before listing so I'm not too out of it to say anything at all interesting here... I'll think of something, hold on...

It's been all about earrings around these parts. These dicrotic cabs look sorta cosmic, hu? Petra bezels, of course.

Here we have some girly bits. I connected headpins to headpins to lengthen the drop, so they ended up with knees.

More fishing spoonage.

Needless to say, the gilding's still in full effect. All the scattered supplies all over my floor are foiled now. It's fancy.

Had to make another cuff. They're fun to make and while mostly easy, the last 2 were made stupidly difficult by the fact that I used new tin. Meaning that I had to spend hours scraping and sanding all the pint off. Really dumb waste of time.

Four different gifts went into these! ceramic charms, Petra, ancient stone discs, Corvid, typewriter keys, SacredCake and teeth, elertsted- She's the one that made those earrings that at 1st glance I thought I'd made? And I showed you this drawer of amazeball goodies of hers? Well, she sent practically all of them to me!

More of the teeth- she sent enough to fill several mouths. Sorry, Sparrow, I know they creep you out. But that's what I like about them.

She also sent a ton of rusty ol' leaves of every shape size and material.

I think these are zinc, or an alloy of zinc and aluminum. Maybe. Those are Shipwreck caps that I added this antiqueing glaze to which made them somehow shiny. I never know what the end result of anything I do will be.

OK, on to some supply porn.

I'm trying out some tooth/bezel possibilities. Some tags, leaves and branch sprigs.

The tiniest frozen Charlottes (oh, yeah, she sent two) you've ever known to exist.

A whole mess of glass doll eyes. And I think those are moose or deer teeth. And look at the tiny porcelain lemon squeezer! Eeeeek!

A buncha cool industrial bits that made me poop my pants.

Ok, The bright orange eye, I put into that antique ... candle clip christmas tree ornament thing. To try out. But the other one, in the pod? It's so snugly fit in there that I think it was placed before the pod dried out! Is that nuts? And an enamel shield that's actually a brad in the back (i.e. crazy easy to attach to anything). And also about 4 or 5 of these amazing branches with all different types of leaves on them. Including grape bunches! *Brain explodes*

More industralia. Each of these bits gets my wheels spinning in 10 different directions at once. Cuz of all the possibilities. REminds me of when I'd get a huge haul in Uruguay, then take it all out of a zillion baggies at the end of the day, review what I'd scored and just stare at everything. While creaming my pants, creatively speaking.

Tons of those Christmas Tree candle clips. Look at the porcelain wheel... pulley? Caster?

Here's the grape clusters.

Oh this orgasmic woodblock with this fancy old fashioned letter on it- A? G? Who knows. Of course I've already gilded it. And another porcelain something, and about a million alligator clips... But wait. What are those two longish flat stick things with the foil? Did she sent piano ivory as well?

Nope. That's from SacredCake. I thought it wouldn't be fair to share this German bounty without showing some faves from my most recent American surprise.

<--See those there? They're not ivory... They almost feel like very brittle plastic, but that could mean bone. You know those are getting cut up into earring dangles right quick!

Look at the little girl scout! And every imaginable kind of fancy finding. Bottle caps- ie, bezels.

This tin plate kills me. Antique African chevron glass. Some cash register keys I've already started putting bails on, this glorious little tea infuser cap, wooden toggle, piece of music box...

Oh, another bird for those bracelets that always go so damn fast! I'm head over heels in love with that Canada pin.

A little square box locket I could make some kind of assemblage in. Love the plastic rose!

All kinds of things. Including these circles onto which she etched a poem. However, I dont have the complete poem, just chunks like "were the" "if I" "pour myself"! But they're going to be awesome in earrings.

Oh! Almost forgot! From my German lot, this crazy animal... upper jaw?

It's huge. See the tusks on either side? See the little white tips coming out of the bottom? They go all the way through!

And come out quite easily. Here it looks like a hand. Maybe a sloth hand?

I could saw down the top chunk and make a serious fitted bezel from thick metal... End up with a Viking necklace or something...

Til next time, babies.

I'm Back Babeeeee!

2012-02-04T22:21:00.001-06:00

But only partially babeeeee!

Thank you guys for all that virtual chicken soup. It gave me a great big smile on my feverish face.

I'm not adding any links here, though. Too lazy.

These already sold.

Oh so not only did I have the flu- I also got my period! A one-two punch of bodily effluvia. Yum.

You know you wanna hear about it!

I kid, I kid!

I'm too tired from all this listing to make the effort to tell all the amazing stories and hilarious anecdotes of my life...

But I assure you, I got them. The stories, not crabs.

My life is non-stop adventure, lemme tell ya.

Til next time, space cadets.

AM TOO!

2012-02-02T01:07:00.000-06:00

--> I'm so sick I can't see straight. So sick in fact that I watched Bridesmaids with my husband last night and SOBBED through the whole thing. Cuz the 1st thing being sick does to me is somehow counteract all my craziness-stabilizing meds. (All twelve of them.) And I felt really sorry for the main character.
--> And it's not shiny- it gleams! There's a difference! Like the difference we spoke of a few months ago with the resin headpins that I added glittery eyeshadow to. The glittery is on the inside, deepening the inner glow, not glancing off surfaces and jabbing my eyes with sharp blades of light! Shuddup haters.
--> I've had a fever since 5 am yesterday. Be nice! Or I'll snot on you.
--> And even though I'm streaming mucus down my face I still managed to wrap TEN things. But I washed my hands first.
--> Also there's no pink in that outfit, Petra.
--> Vintajia, I don't know what 'Bogun' means- but with a better picture you'll see that button isn't boring at all. It's like those on the spoon. See, it's the girly fancy that balances out the grungy- which was the point of the pink Petra mentioned and the point of all the foil, too. See, the yin/yang thing. Shuddup.

Y'all are getting way too feisty. I'm supposed to be the feisty one around here. I've created a buncha monsters. I guess I can dish it out but I can't take it, hu? Yeah, I CAN. But I'm sick! Be nice! I don't know why I'm getting up in y'alls grills... I don't know what's going on.... no, you're an android.

And now back to our regular program

2012-01-31T18:03:00.002-06:00

Since yesterday's post was received with such enthusiasm, I braved my studio despite my sickly state to get some photos for all you patient, supportive ladies who stick by me even though I provide so little content on this here blog.... Ahem!

Here's some over-the-top girly bling for ya ^^^.

I realized I could use more than plain ol' text on these cuffs. This one sports an antique match box label.

A weird pendant by potterygirl, who by the way has a new blog. And this post features my earrings which feature her beads.....

This is a piece of a telescope. Here you can see the layering effect of the 24k gold over the faux gold. You can see that on the cuff above, too.

Here, a piece of Uruguayan amethyst druzy gets a gold edge. These tend to go up in value when they are framed by gold or silver. The process is done by dipping (I think), but I'm the queen of cheats! Or 'workarounds' as readbetween would so elegantly say.

Two rustic ceramic bezels by Jewel Identity that I spiced up w/more foil layers... Tho you really can't tell it's layers here.

You can sorta see the layers here, on the left. Turns out the real gold is paler and yellower.

This one may be done. It actually has foil but over that is a dry brush finish of white paint. And no, that strawberry isn't being warped by the photo. I warped it by rolling it in my hands. It makes sense but not in this picture. Those are potterygirl1 beads. (I've been writing it potterygirl this whole time but it's potterygirl1.) Strawberry from here. And the metal piece was a blank from my SacredCake loot.

Another druzy amethyst and some dark beads from Amth13. And 2 eggs from Jewelidentity. Too much fun.

I believe these are done. I'm pleased with the bar going across there. How did I make that bar you ask? I'll tell you...

1. I cut short bits of thick brass wire and hammered one side. 2. I threaded them through the hole I'd spent an hour drilling on these teeny things. 3. Then, I used a metal design punch- like the letter ones you hammer into sheet metal? But I turned it around so I was hammering straight into the design. The other end, I placed on the unhammered copper wire. This way, it's just like hammering without the threat of smashing the lightbulb.

Actually, unlike what this lovely illustration shows, I put the bit of wire I was hammering on my bench block/anvil/hammeringplace and let the bulb itself hang off the edge, so the wire would be flat against the bench block surface. It slipped off a couple times.
Anyways, you can use this trick to hammer anything near a delicate bit or to get into a small space the hammer can't reach.
Also, you only need one metal punch, so you can buy whatever you find for cheap, and not a whole alphabet.

Bits....

What else? Oh, this piece wasn't selling so I decided the focal needed text.

Before:

After:

Coming soon to a shop near you...

Also not foil-related:

Some more gorgeous happyfallouts.

A spoony bracelet that might need a dangle added.

What's neat about this one is that the spoon isn't hammered to fit against the top or bottom of the wrist but rather to start at the top/bottom, curve around the edge and end on the other side. If that makes sense.

I dunno about this one above. Suggestions? Ideas?

And these might need foiling and text:

Finally, I've decided my personal fashion trend for 2012 is going to be layered hoodies. Here I layered one with a plaid shirt. Look at that tomboy.

Anyways, I believe you can layer hoodies with almost anything... except other hoodies. That would cause a rift in the space-time continuum.

(I included this last tidbit cuz I know you all love it so much when I veer off the jewelry-making topic...)

Randomest of randoms

2012-01-30T17:18:00.001-06:00

First off- you guys!!! I notice you're using the forum!!! I'm so crazy excited! Even though it's really confusing to understand who's replying to who. Cuz in the 'threaded' view you can't see pictures and the text is miniscule... And I haven't been keeping up there on the forum so if you still have a specific question for me, you should still add it to the comments.
But- wanted to let you all know that anyone who is registered (it's easy though a pain, I know) can post photos OR... START A NEW TOPIC!
That's right. If you want a topic about earwax, just go ahead and start one. Please make yourselves at home.

Just looking at all those exclamation points is exhausting. That's because I'm sick sick sick. Even foiling is exhausting. I'll be fine. Since Mr. Devices got sick, he hasn't wanted juice, and I've been too lazy to make it just for me. Surprise, surprise I got sick.

In the comments of the previous post, Skye said, "And that ear... you totally need a matching one, add earrings to them... then turn THEM into earrings! lol I'm sorry, but the idea of having pierced ears dangling from pierced ears is just too hilarious :D hehehe" So I had to show you.
<--Ear-rings by JewelIdentity. See, this Petra is a clever gal.
As for what I used to foil, just this- Available at any Michael's or a zillion places on the web... But then I did want some more legit gold options... or maybe I knewI'd become addicted cuz I got this in the mail:

At 1st I thought- "Why'd I order a million tiny pieces of stamped paper from Thailand? I mean, it's not the best ephemera I've seen..."

Then a teeny gold square flew out and I remembered I'd gotten a hundred little 24k gold squares! And already I see a richer gold in them... It's about as sturdy as sifted flour. And I can make the gold-square-covered-surface effect you see on old painted architecture, if anyone has any clue what I'm talking about.

Of course, since 1st starting to write this, I've tried out some of the real gold 24k stuff... How right I was when I likened it to flour. I'm now just using it to add detail over a layer of the faux stuff... Life is complicated.

Isn't it just the nature of the web that I just spent an hour checking out the Barbiedoll collector's fancyprincess website? Oh yeah, I did. Cuz you all know how much I love bright girly plastic... dolls? I got especially riveted to the 'Cultures of Europe' page because they show the different depictions of the different countries over time. Can I share? I'm sorry, I'm so fixated on this... and yeah, someone new to this blog is gonna see this and run screaming but

Italy, 2010 Russia, 2010 Scotland, 2009

Hello sexy sassy ladies!
But then...

Italy, 1993 Russia, 1997 Scotland, 1991

Where's all this poofy fabric come from?
But then....

OK, here's Russia '89 in classic Barbie smiley face and 80s power shoulder pads.
Here's Scotland '81 pretty similar to '91. I would even say they mixed up '81 and '91, this one looks way more dignified. I'm willing to bet they did... But where's Italy?

OMG she's brown!!! Wow. Thank you, 1980.
Hmmm... I wonder how France holds up as we move backwards in time?
'08- OK, they chose a slutty can-can dancer.
'97. Still slutty/lacy with poof on head.
'91. Still slutty/lacy with poof on head.
'80 Still slutty/lacy with poof on head.
Hm. Go consistency!
And yes, I realize I chose to make these images almost invisibly tiny. I just couldn't have big ol' Barbies all over my blog. Too embarrassing. Shameful even now. But I was riveted, I tell ya! Also, I've decided Italy has no real national costume. That is all. I'll be sure to post another entry soon to knock this ridiculousness off the front spot.

I JUST SWALLOWED FIRE!!!

2012-01-27T23:21:00.000-06:00

I don't know what that means but it was in my comments and I liked it.

Pythagorean.
I've been gold foiling everything within reach. It's so addictive!

These triangles came from one of a pair of earrings in SacredCake's massivestash.

The Plague.
Here's what I made from these scrapbooking frames, some cut (and very tediously sanded) tin and some paper bits.

Selcouth.
Here's my recent papered filigree. It reminded me why I'd stopped. Cutting out those zillion holes takes forEVER.
No, guys- really. Don't do it. Friends don't let friends cut out holes in paper for 5 straight hours.

Why the different bead dangles? No, I'm asking.

Understanding.
Another tin cuff with decoupage and foil. Not nearly as good as the first, but on the other hand the first didn't have the paper... so yeah, it's alright

Sky.
Here's a simple little baby. Bezel and raindrops by JewelIdentity.

I can't really tell if that's a moon or a sun.

Coal Dust Kitchen.
Here's my sink full of dirty dishes. Screw the bubbles!

I thought I'd show you some more bits Petra sent.

How adorable is it that when I suggested that she make eggs, she took it so to heart that not only did she make (and send me) regular eggs, she also added fried eggs!!!! I actually cracked up when I saw them.

I noticed her charms were smaller and the shapes were more refined. I'm really loving the black wire connectors. Lookit the fishies!

OK, hello- do you see that in the middle? Is it me or is that a thumbs up? Is that a redonk charm giving me the thumbs up? And did I just pass out from the redonkulessness?

Also- bead caps! And more redonkulesness- a cartoony cat paw with leetle claws!!! And yeah, the ear has a pierce.

Wanted to show you these. From 3 different gift boxes sent w/in the past 2 weeks. All now foiled.

And look! More foil! I think I especially like it on commonplace found objects not intended for adornment. Like the bulbs and the faucet handle. Adds the bling to the not... bling............ I dunno. I got nothing.

Sexy Sexy Sexy

2012-01-27T00:25:00.000-06:00

One of my buyers... customers? That sounds weird I don't know why... Anyway, this sexy lady has bough a few things from me and took it upon herself to show me some pix of herself bringing them to life.

It tickled me pink to see, since once something is sold, it's like if you give your baby up for adoption, you can only hope they went to a loving home...

Here she's wearing a pair of asymmetricals so she shows both sides.

Wasn't that sweet of her to send me these? Hu? Anyone out there whose bought something from me? Hu?

Also this sassy lady here is wearing one of my collar chokers with a pair of earrings from Sparrow. I don't think it's necessarily true that all of my customers are sexy ladies, but rather that only the sexy ladies want to share pictures of themselves. I mean, wouldn't you?

Hello My Dear Bloggees

2012-01-24T18:25:00.001-06:00

Turkoman.
A while ago I decided these weren't finished for some reason. Now I've decided they are. Who knows the mysterious mind of the artist. The lazy, lazy artist.

Belphegor.
I'm working on this new series which was partially inspired by a lot of contemporary high-end art jewelry from here.

So I decided to make these redonkulessly big Turkoman/Afghan beads into bold and simple pieces.

I had to hang the pods a bit low since their thickness would make them stand out awkwardly against the collarbone neck chest area place.

Blood Drinker, Heart of Flame.
Here's one that can be worn with the dangle bead toward the front or tucked in back.

The hammered copper strip is actually bezel-making wire which I never ended up making bezels with. Burnishing, man- pain in the ass!!! And rivets. No, they're not a pain in the ass, I'm saying the strip has rivets. And not articulating very well.

Dwell in Memory's Delights.
This was too bright, so I sanded it so it would be able to hold on to some acrylic paint. And used the black... i cant... sentences....
ggggggggghhhhhhh.....

And also, some less expensive neckpieces= good.

The Orphaned Mind.
What else? Some earrings. I'm still on my gold foil kick. Just give me time to mash up some more tin.

The Good in You.
And some more asymmetricals with beads by happyfallout. All I have to do is just find some pieces that combine without matching, find some way to connect them and bam. Done.

You guys. today I had a juice with oranges carrots collard greens parsley beets ginger and half a lemon. I got such a health rush from it I practically peed myself.

Here's what I'm working on.

I also received some crazy mail love from SacredCake. So much stuff in fact that I was unable to arrange things for cute pictures.

I was just randomly pulling things out going "I wonder if I could foil this? How would this look with gold foil?" And yes, that is a little sheep and a pink piggie. Wonder how those would look with gold foil?

<--So these are from amth13, whose shop isn't called amth13.

Guys- you should all make your user/blog/etsyshop names the same thing! You see how that is logical, yes? So when you comment that name will come up and then if someone links to your shop, or if your shop appears in a treasury I see, the name will ring a bell and I'll click on it!

Yes? Guys? Cuz as lovely as all your various names are... it's called marketing people! Brand identity, baby.

Oh and here are these totally bizarre metal toggle buttons shaped like bamboo sticks that came in the pack. They're so silly it's kinda magical.
Petra (also not her shop name!) also sent a crazy bag o' loot, but I just got it, and I was too lazy take more pix. Maybe tomorrow.

Let's Try a Forum!

2012-01-22T00:49:00.000-06:00

This is a forum I'm going to try embedding so you all can talk to each other.
I'll put a permanent link to it here ➚
blah blah blah

2012-01-20T18:16:00.000-06:00

Quietus.
Don't say it, I know, it's been just forever since I blogged! You all are gonna get so sick of me eventually...

AND THAT WASN"T FISHING FOR COMPS! NO COMPS! See how cool I am shortening words like that? It's totes the trend...
OK, sorry.

Vigesimation.
Check out these insane beads happyfallout sent me! Her shop's closed down, tho so don't bother. She's settling in over in Berlin where she's doing her astrophysics PhD. Cuz that just how my bitches dooz it.

So yeah, I just tossed a few earrings together without even breaking a sweat. (That's just the kind of sentence that I usually follow by some retarderie, isn't it? Watch me take the high road.)

Eccedentesiast. The happy sleepy face is potterygirl tho. And the mystery beneath it is netting. And glue.
Awwww yeah....

Understanding.
Now, what I'm really exciting about telling y'all about today.... Gold Fooooiiiiilllll!

Eh?
Eh?

So I'm totally showing a million views of it because as usual, round things like bracelets are super hard to chose a good perspective on...

Pinchbeck.
Nope, this one's a ring! Actually, originally, it was a hoop earring.

It was white with little flowers you can still see bits of. Also some paperie...

Pinchbeck.
A set of 2.

Actually, these had flowers too but you can't really see them.

Pinchbeck.

And here's a set of three. Even though it is gold, it has the barest hint of this weird antiquing glaze that makes it matte.

So let me show you some more things I'm doing with it. Remember all the fishing spoons?

Here's the artsy version, and below the regular. I actually was trying to blur out the crud on the floor, not be artsy.

That's the piece of Roman glass Numinositybeads sent me.

Sigh... I lurv it.

And since you all love my floor junk so much, here's some more:

Afghaaaaaaanistan! Oh, except for the mini colander. That's just regular old U.S. Sorry to disappoint. With my Americanness.

Some of the amazing beads happyfallout. Though in fact she sent so many, I can't even...

A buncha goodies I got in the mail. Isn't getting goodies in the mail the best? Around here I get so much, it's like Christmas everyday. Except that I get what I actually want.

So I strung up a bunch of the pale ones happy sent, to avoid the ol' oversupplypanic. You know how most people say they hoard beads? And they don't want to use their best supplies? I'm the opposite. I guess I'm a rebel like that.

Oh! So I recently got a bunch of minis, but they were metalized plastic. I oxidized most of that off and painted and sealed the pots and pans. I was clueless about what to do from there but the next thing I know I seem to be assembling a dirty-dishes-in-the-kitchen-sink type of thing. Anyone know how to make permanent soap bubbles?

Should I even go for the soap? I feel like it makes no sense otherwise. Does it make any sense?

OK. I'm nappy now. Woke up at 9!!!! It's the juice, I tell ya.

LOOKWHATIGOTINTHEMAIL

2012-01-19T03:43:00.001-06:00

Ok, by now I hope you all realized that black background was to support the action all the big on-line sites were taking to oppose the horrible SOPA bill our government is trying to pass that would kill the internet. Because they're idiots and they don't understand how the internet works.

Yeah, shipwreck, I agree, I was just tired. Although at the same time... no yeah. I was just lazy.

In case you don't re-read the comments here- why would you- I started to address some questions:

"ok you crazies-

Boot ~C still probs w/pix? i reloaded them all.

NuminosityBeads INDIA? !!!!!!!!! Oh and also- !!!!!!!

yes, owl, all of those.

la file- me too! giant boobs!

Sandra- just dont use that!!! no flux core, no rosin core. just lead-free solder. here in hardware stores its called 'specialty and hobby'. and lots of flux- paste flux i think is best. i have gel flux which is a little bit messy. I tried 'handy flux' and it did NOT work. and a block of sal ammoniac to clean the iron on."

And there, I added 3 links to the 3 different places I get supplies: etsy, ebay and amazon.

Lela Bouse-McCracken I think the Handy Flux is for super high-heat soldering or silver soldering with a torch or something. I mean, it's not all an elaborate conspiracy.

Anyways, look at these wacky fishing things I got in the mail the other day.

I also got these in the shop:Muliebrity.

SAVE THE INTERNET

2012-01-18T16:46:00.000-06:00

go here now.

Hello Personal Fan Club.

2012-01-18T00:38:00.001-06:00

--that I seem to be weirdly developing and am both loving but also totally uncomfortable about.

Dwizzen.
Lookit! Bling + Rustic = These. You know what I mean, yin yang 'n' that.

Jinn.

Which reminds me, I want to really apologize to all my non-native-English-speakers (except for Stregata), for my strange English. It's because I'm really silly and humor is impossible to translate, especially when it's just silliness and web talk. Just ignore everything I write. Like this.

El Silbo.
Stregata doesn't count because surely for her English to be this good, her German must be atrocious. (Hey! I spelled atrocious right on the first try!)

The Dead.
Here's some decoupage-age. All our talk put me in the mood. (Wiggles eyebrows suggestively.)

Here's another image of the same thing. This disc thing is from Uruguay- finally found use! The haul is starting to dwindle... you know what that means.... Is there a trip in the future for Mr and Mrs Devices?

Sylph.
Oh and I've skipped the enumeration of ingredients in some of my listings. Like here. Does it help anyone to know if the beads on top here are agate or lampwork? Are they not glorious either way? That's always been an issue for me. Why does it matter as long as it looks good? I only started naming what beads and stuff were there because I was beginning to use elements that were actually not all plastic/fake/cheap. And I wanted to show off the fancy. But, like... dude. Y'know?

And yeah, diamonds are forever while plastic is not... There's that. But ... well, we can't all be... there's... and my rate of production... and the listing... the time it takes...... at least the pictures are pretty.

The Vandals.
Oh! Here, these. They're made of all kinds of fake things... Though, wait. That's smokey quartz microfaceted onion briolettes. And the beads were made by hand. She used polymer and yarn! Can't remember who she was....

Aos Sí.
OK, ok. These are fake. Though the fake resin fangs are from Uruguay... But they were fake and new there. The middle connectors are real from a vintage bellydancing whatever. But the beads were made recently in some factory...

Avalon.
Also I have trouble keeping track. Hey! Check it. Bracelet. Cute? It took me forever to find what to do w/this wing. I sound like a broken record, hu?

By the way! If you want to share the pieces you've made inspired in some way by any of this stuff on or around this blog, please copy and paste the address to your blog/shop/facebook/napkinholder in the comments. I've had a recent explosion of convos that has me a tad overwhelmed. And I love all my convo buds, so I don't wanna feel like reading through them is a chore...

Theosophy.
There are some people who are too shy about commenting here, as they've told me via convos. I find that crazy endearing. I have a huge soft spot for shy people. For submissive types, you know? (Like Mr. Devices.) And artists are all super sensitive and thus non-dominating types. Except me. I used to be like that before life with meds. So I know how it is and I always feel protective of y'all. I'll like, take on a stranger who's yelling at someone in the street... I'm getting off track. You're allowed by me to be too shy to comment. That is all.

Look. It's a bezel made of a watch frame on a brass blank with a Chilean coin. But did I say that on the listing? No. Cuz if it's not impressive via visuals along, who cares?
The teardrop piece with text and the gold piece under that, they're both fishing... somethings. I just checked- they're called fishing spoons. I have no idea why that would be a thing.

OK, there actually is an interesting story here. The bone piece that seems to have an "R" on it is from my grandmother. A prisoner made it for her. But it was a prisoner of war, imprisoned during the Uruguayan dictatorship... The one the U.S. supported. Yeah, that one.
Don't lie, you've never heard of it!

Little Fay.
Oh yeah, that's right. I made little fairy-dancing-girl-looking things. Does that make me less of a man? (Less of a Chinese peasant man from the 18oos?) I don't think so.

Tír na nÓg.
And yes, these appear to be little fairies. Got a problem with that? Wanna go? I'll go, man.

OKOKOK. So. I got another couple of redonk pictures elertsted, who, by the way, is too shy to write comments here because of her imperfect English. I know, totes adorbs. But she wants to assure you all that her earrings are not for sale but rather an exercise to get herself to think outside the quadrangle. Like I told her, "germans have a reputation for being perfectionists and precise. so you went and copied my very UNperfect, imprecise earrings in a perfectly precise way! thats just funny. " You know, it's only Americans who get tense at any mention of race or nationality, so she wasn't offended. Cuz I know that's what y'all were thinking!
ANYWAYS- first I clicked on this pic:

After which I basically invited myself to live in this drawer.

And then:

After which my jaw was hanging open so long it got sore. Do you realize what we're looking at here? Casting, mold-making, lost-wax... I'm not clear exactly but it blew me away so hard I can't even. First, because jansjewels ran out of those findings that I loved so much (made anything you slapped on them look awesome), and second because... Those medals! I just happened to find them on a dirty mat laid out on a sidewalk in my teeny tiny ridiculous country.... And I used them together on a whim... It's not like there's something so right about those two specific medals that they need to be recreated. But at the same time how adorable is it that she did!!
And also, are the blue things a step in the process or the end product?
OK, forget sharing things influenced by me, nobody can top this.

And finally!
ANOTHER DAMNED GIVEAWAY!
I know, it's ridiculous.

Petra of JewelIdentity has made these redonk charms that you are now itching to get your grubby hands on. Yeah that's a tooth. She actually hasn't put the giveaway up yet. So I guess this is a tease.
Nani-nani boo-boo! See? I'm teasing.

OK, before I go, one more thing. Ever since I started juicing I am no longer living in a horrible cloud of groggy-grog starting in the morning and often lasting through the day. A horrible fog I've been living with ever since getting on my (lifesaving) meds. I'm bright and sharp and awesome! Except then today I sat in front of the computer all day. But still! I even woke up early today and that usually has me close to tears by the afternoon- just like a cranky baby.
Basically, juicing is my new religious cult and you'll never hear the end of it.

Quick Tutorial,

2012-01-14T17:36:00.001-06:00

If it can be called that.

(Alice, caffeine loosens the bowels, true. But... I'm not talking about loosened bowels. I'm talking about my husband no longer farts all day or has the kind of poops that have folks in hazmat suits searching the neighborhood for broken sewer pipes. OK, sorry everyone. As you were.) (Corvid, you will always be associated with kindness and sweetness and mysterious Asian stinks to me.)

(Janet, don't lie. You love the poop talk. You too beatnheart.) (art-rej, wipe up the drool, its getting on the junk!) (ensurdine, you made that up, right? sounds like a real thing. I read deSade in college- not for a class, mind you, just because- and it traumatized me.)

(Petra, its the walled city not kingdom. It's an entirely real place! Learned about it here on this amazing tumblr.) (betweenreader- wait baking soda does what trick? Stops the toots? But it adds a bitter taste.)

(richelle- 'a terrible postmodern mantra'- that's as awesome as "anti-earrings." You sure can turn a phrase.) (alek, Hu? Did you just... Are you saying or somehow suggesting I make you a prosthetic finger? Was that? Cuz... I don't... attaching... ... Or. You meant commission an actual medical type person, right?) (mermaiden, welcome, pull up a toilet.)

Don't forget these lovelies are still there for the taking on anvilartifact's blog giveaway:

And SacredCake is still accepting donations here, for the family of her friend who passed away.
What else? A customer exchanged a bracelet she'd previously purchased for another, so this little gal is back up:

And the final stack of pale bangles.

And finally! The lovely elertsted has shared some pictures of earrings she made after I so recklessly invited everyone to copy all my ideas. Actually, they're amazeballs:

I did some double and triple takes trying to figure out if these were actually mine or not. Apparently not.

In a couple instances the only thing that gave it away was the presence of those ball and coil bits on the ear wires. Which inspired me to do the makeshift tute above. But still! I mean, she went and purchased the exact elements in several cases! Wow. I feel truly and deeply stalked. *wipes tear*

Which leads me to... (ok, before I continue I gotta scratch this itch: you know how you get shiny bits of glue showing around a cab? You can smear some wax or even just rub a dirty finger over that and it'll make it stop shining and thus become virtually invisible.... pant pant! Though these are GORGEOUS, my eye just goes to those teeny tiny details b/c it does so on my pieces... I mean it's not that I'm a hypercritical party-pooper, though I am... and it's the quality I most dislike in my dad, but then I'm the same way!!! And I try to rein it in... and and... Argh! The humanity!)

Which leads me to this request: do you have anything you made inspired by something I made? I'd LOVE to see it and feel even more stalked!!! My heart would burst with happiness! I'd link to your shop/blog/facebook/youtube/ twitter/napkinholder! Like, for example, elertsted made this:

<--And this

And this:

I know, if she can do this what's she doing copying my goofy-assed... No, no! Not fishing for compliments! Back the truck up! Ok. That's better.

Now send me pix already.

Insert Evocative, Clever Title

2012-01-12T20:28:00.001-06:00

Hello my sweeties! Whoda thunk- 17 comments on a random post about floor junk. Aw, who'm I kidding? I love to see people's junk. In their trunk. <-I'm so sorry about that, it was both awful and impossible to resist.

Poets and Mystics.
Look, my slab of kyanite has a widdle leather jacket. Almost like a bezel. I wanna say widdle again. Widdle.

Ever had an awful song stuck in your head? Of course you have. But have you ever had the cringe-inducing theme song to Family Ties stuck in your head? After dreaming it somehow? Yeah. And somehow it's the most cringe-worthy parts that insist on themselves the strongest... Why should it bother me that every problem on that show was always resolved by a sincere heart-to-heart talk? Don't know, but it does.
Why am I going on about a show that was cancelled over 2 decades ago?

Lunaticus.
So here's a bracelet with paleness. Yes, /alien Beader, they are crimes against good taste.

The Walled City of Kowloon.
I actually toned down the saturation on all the verdigris here. I ended up with a crapload of verdigris.
I usually prefer a light touch with the ol' verdi, but I guess it looks pretty cool here.

Beatnheart, I did sell a couple lots over this here blog a good while ago. But no, I'm good now. In any case, all this stuff... well, most of it is from etsy anyways! You just have to obsessively troll through there all day and night like I do. Also, of course its about the stuff. Contrary to what G.I. Joe would have you believe, collecting supplies is half the battle.

Beggar's Velvet.
Janet, the filigrees are yours. Payable in sexual favors.

Bedlam.
Heidi, slow down. I can't understand you when you talk that fast!

ensourdine now you have to make up a drink called "dewy nipple." You have to.

Theomeny.
I like these earrings, but they're a tad top-heavy. But I like them. But ... but ...
Petra Carpreau, my floor isn't really like that. There's grime and dog hair and tiny black bits of shmutz. Full disclosure? I photoshopped it all away.

Shiva Hypothesis.

Beatnheart, you need paper, glue and metal. The metal doesn't have to be clean. I like it already oxidized. You want tissue-esque paper. The vintage kind that has aged all crispy won't work. I found a mini dictionary in Uruguay with thin, tissue-y papers I use. But they're very white so I painted the end result a bit darker. You can use white glue, like elmers. I use Golden's matte medium, its really good. I
water it down a bit. I shmear it all over, I make sure the paper's wet and plop it on, getting it in the nooks and crannies with a paintbrush. Oh but the paintbrush also has the watery glue on it. Basically it's a big mess. Thus my floor. In this case the filigree was big so the holes sorta made themselves, what with the wet. But for my previous ones I waited for them to dry then used a combo of exacto knife and dremel.
And betweenreader, no I actually didn't use LoBue's more lengthy process. That's why the tissue-type paper. I always do the quick and dirty version.
Phew!

Pinchbeck.
Check it. I got me some inspiration out of the blue. I think I, and maybe we, assume that rings are for fine silver smiths and all. But, you know, what the hell. I made rings.

What else?

Oh, anvilartifacts is having a giveaway on her blog! Look:

Also, Corvid inspired me to get a juicer. Delicious. And? Mr. Devices and I are having the best poops of our lives! His don't stink up the entire house anymore! We even had chili last night- no farting! Exclamation point!
Wanna hear more about my poops? Yeah you do.

I have nothing to say here.

2012-01-10T20:50:00.001-06:00

I thought I'd put up some pictures of stuff on my floor. I don't know why.

Where do I get this need to blog every 2 days? Ah well. Here's some filigree I papered over then totally hit a wall with. I don't think they'd make good earrings with that shape. So there they sit.

Here's these little resin frames. They're scrapbook embellishments. I know! I'm going off the deep end. But they're cuuuuuute. I cut out some backs from tin for them, then some pictures... maybe I'll darken them. That strand of beads were cannibalized from another project. I like to do that. Y'all ever do that? I do that.

Oh and here's a kuchi that I changed up. The original looked like so -->>>>>

Used the dangles elsewheres. Not baaad...

Here's this.

Here's these.
I clearly have nothing to say.

I have cute bits, though.

Hello little conquistador. Perhaps you shall conquer the heart of a jewelry fan one day...

More things in the making. With tin backings.

This is a tiny cup that I'm using as a bezel. That's a chunk of a super ancient naval offer's uniform. Some little claws from an abandoned carapace I found... where? Life is a blur in service of my obsessions...

That sounded poetic. It's not.

Oh! Yr lovely comments... That's something to say something about. Alienbeader, you should just contact her directly via etsy, easy peasy. Yes I've seen those teeth! Yum. Lol, ensourdine- 'looks like Swedish cowbells in the best sense' is just never a phrase I expected to hear. And yes, stregata, die is the singular of dice. And yes it sounds weird to everyone. Now I must go pee.

Oh, I can't stay away from all of you!

2012-01-06T18:19:00.001-06:00

Beatnheart wtf is a victorian pitch? I looked it up and found a buncha furniture.

Here's the fancy eyeball I was referring to that Janet sent me. Seen up close it has little veins and everything.

So I've been wanting to make a bunch of chokers but I keep ending up with cords that are too long. Well, too long for my mannequin and me. Most of the mannequin shots I had to weigh down the back with a little something. I dunno.

Like here, this one. I should fix that...

I made these charm bits especially random....

These too! I just collected whatever'd been sitting around forever and slung it up together.

This one's the right choker length, though. Problem here is that my mannequin is so damn perky-busted that anything long ends up bunched up in this steep valley of cleavage she's got. I know what you're thinking- I'm just jealous, right? That's a completely separate issue.

Ok, this one needs to be shortened. Goddamnit, I already have the pictures edited and everything. Poo! In any case, as you can see, this one and the following one are more the simple bold statement than the other busier ones. This one is based on a horsebrass that I actually filed down to make smaller. And this is crazy thick bronze so it took a bit.

This one has saddle hardware, a moose tooth and the cross-bar is a hat pin of some kind that SacredCake gave me ages ago. Finally found the perfect place for it! And ceramic tooth by Happyfallout.

Speaking of holy pastries, here's another bird and kuchi bracelet. This one I painted white highlights on both metal pieces. I need to wax them though.

Finally, these guys. Oh my gosh, I got these druzies from a box of gifts ages ago. (And the sterling silver earwires from ScaredCake! Sheesh girl, you're everywhere.) But they were so dang square, I didn't know what the heck to do with them. Here I made these ghetto bezels and pierced them to line up with the druzy pierces. Ehhh? Ehh? Yeah.....
Oh and the beads are gaea and potterygirl. Yet they're the same color. Mind. Blown.

(Note: SacredCake is doing a raffle to help a family of a friend who just died in a traffic accident. I won't even comment on the bizarre surplus of car crash related deaths. Anyways, every tiny bit helps, I know because of all the folks who sent $4 in to my raffle that it truly adds up.)

Coming soon: eyeballs

2012-01-05T16:35:00.003-06:00

I got me some creative ADD right now so be patient while I try to finish some tons stuff. I seem to be in a bits-making zone and less an assembling-bits-into-anything zone. Meanwhile, give some love to my friend Janet on her new blog and shop. Also my other friend Petra at her new blog.
These St. Lucy's are for fancylinda.
While you're waiting for me, please also visit these insane amazing and super inspiring tumblrs I've recently discovered. Miss Mary Quite Contrary, penabranca, and मण्डल. You will be glad you did. No, seriously. OK, fine whatever, don't spend 5 hours clicking through pictures, see if I care.

OK Party People!

2012-01-01T17:23:00.003-06:00

I gots me THREE new shrines up. Well, this first one I'm just deciding it's a shrine. I call it Domestic Fetish. I can't decide which of these 2 should be the 1st pic. Petra aka JewelIdentity made me this sweet bezel.

And it's got dollhouse miniatures! Squeeeeee!
Goddamn I've had that spoon/ladle thing for 50 years and finally used it.
Another Petra-fied one:

The Fingers of God.

Petra-fied. As my little nephew used to say, "I so fanny." And he really was. Funny- not fanny! (Especially all you sickos from the UK and thereabouts. I know what that means over there. Pervs.)
Thanks go out to Happyfallout for this name/narrative.

The Goddess Eye.

And finally my leetle eye. I love me some body parts. It may go back to some sick fascination I have with the sick fascinations of Catholicism. Not only in terms of torture, which is ingrained in the history of Europe and thus a necessity for becoming a Saint, but also in the weird symbolism, foremost being the disembodied heart. (Long pause as I realize I have nothing more to say about that...)

P.S. Thank you, La Fileuse, for forgiving me my faux-pas. HAHA! See what I did there? That means 'false step,' if I'm not mistaken. Which now I'm convinced I am.
Goddamn it.

2011-12-30T13:42:00.000-06:00

OMFG now I'm actually turning red in shame for having mis-translated bonhomme. Damn you Frenchies! I'm embarrassed. Way more than I should be. Seriously. (Shake it off. Shake it off.)
And dina I think it's today. But how much to charge?!?!? Damn you pricies!

2011-12-28T21:11:00.000-06:00

OuKay, all these boogers are finally up:
Angels of Torment. Saddle Gems III.Saddle Gems II. Bellibone.Dweomercraeft. A Moiety.Enthrall. The Mendicant.
Of Bondage. Zanzibar.

Took a bit cuz there was a fever in the interim. And a night of strangely loud barfing by Mr. Devices. We're good though.
Here's the next batch (she says in the tone of someone delivering a bag of cement).

I used to make little compositions somewhat not totally dissimilar from this. I'm not going back to my roots, I just had this little box is all. I am rootless. I'm feeling goofy fr sum reezun.

'Member I showed you these cutesy little shriney pre-made masonite stupid things that I feel like a fool with my pants on the ground for getting but couldn't resist? (Pant pant). Am I, like, lame-onaide for being drawn to dumb kits and stuff that should be left in the scrapbooking isle? And why am I drawn to them? Is it the lure of a shortcut? The desire to play with the other kids' toys? Hu? Hu?

Hu? Hu? Why aren't you answering meeeeeee?!?!?!?

Even these earrings are little bezely compositions. Actually, these have been waiting half-made on the table forever. (I love me a half italicized word!)

Here's a big chunky choker. I don't know if you've noticed, bloggees, that every so often I bust out a huge bead chunky choker. Ai laiks um.
What else what else what else.
Oh! Fucking finally sent out all the packages. Oh wait- except for the actual winner of winners grand prize lottery pick Paula Bonhomme! I emailed her at the email on paypal and nuthing.
So if anyone knows this so-called Paula French-for-Good-Man, can you help a sister out and ask her to contact me? Cuz she also happened to give a PHAT donation and totes deserved to win. Also the amount of $ increased her chances, you know what I'm talking, I don't have to explain this ridiculousness of a sentence that never ends I'll be stuck typing forever- AAAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!
I know it's a tiny batch today, but I have some half-made things.... Wait! No! No excuses! I realized I have to somehow obtain a more level-headed attitude towards my makings or I'll loose it. It's like I'm on a hamster wheel. And it's not because I wanna be spending any less time on this and start showering or anything, don't get me wrong. I just realized I haven't done any soldering or metalwork or more involved projects that take more time because I have so much stuff connected to so many ...
Lets start again.
All of my supplies, they cause a mental image to appear of a potential project or two they could be put into. More supplies = more ideas and crap flying around my head thus causing oversupplypanic, as I've explained before. Lately I've just been reaching for the fastest projects just to make enough room in my brain to stay sane. I have to slow down.
Oh and convos! I'mna answer them every other day! Ok, that's not true, but no more than once a day. And if you don't like it you can stick it up your cake hole! (Which is an incorrect use of 'cake hole,' I know.)

Finally!

2011-12-24T00:17:00.002-06:00

After forever without showing y'all new stuff, Mother Nature has finally honored Chicago, Illinois with more than 30 seconds of sunlight.
So here's some stuff:

These ^are a re-make of these--> that I just loved too much to be done with. Seeing the originals now I realize I forgot the little labradorite dangles. So they're not done.
Ok, in real life neither pair looks anything like a pair of cartoonishly round boobs. Let's make that clear. I would never put boobs on your earlobes, ladies.

Some more hyper colorful ones with these bird cabs that I got from any of a million etsy supply shops and painted to be more interesting. See, I can be cutesy. Cutesy is just one 'r' away from crusty. And an 'e'.

Here's these glowy-colored scarabs on hammered wires with leather cords and neat ear posts.

These 2 pairs have similar formulas. They invert colors/beads and they both have this finding that swerves around the first dangle. Why did I do this? Who knows.

Anything new to report? My 3 year old niece diarrheaded all over our downstairs bathroom today. That was unexpected. What else? Sparrow is doing well. She's in good spirits and glad to be re-bonding with her awesome brothers. The one who'll be living with her is another 'multicreative,' as she calls it, so I'm hoping to see some photos of what he makes while they're together. I'm hoping they inspire each other and she'll have more eye candy for me soon. An aunt suggested she make her jewelry a hundred times bigger to hang on the wall. I would pay to see that.

This has a little MOP-lidded pillbox and some kind of undersea creature both from Uruguay.
Oh I also got Making Connections by Susan Lenart Kazmer as it's now in paperback and it's making me feel like a connections retard. I gotta put stuff on stuff with more stuff...

Here's another long focal necklace based on a piece of saddle hardware. There's a mini colander, a zodiac charm, pewter cross, antique spoon, part of a sewing kit with a chunky crystal and bead strands. The long charm with some globby beads, the 1st one is ancient. And the dangle on the lengthener chain is a giant chunky raw garnet.

There's also a teeny claw/tooth of clay from the assload sent to me by Petra. And Afghan tribal metal bauble. I'm seeing more Afghan stuff everywhere- is it just me? Is it something about a greater peace there meaning more exporting, or is tribal just more popular among jewelry makers or what?

These odd little guys have Indonesian glass and wonky pods by stillpointworks. I darkened them. This is all memory wire. I got a spool of it in one of y'alls unexpected box o' gifts, I'da never bought myself any. Its amazing for very large ear wires that need to be extra strong.

Oh, here's another long one. This is an antique cast bronze piece of hardware from Uruguay. And you can see an Indian stamp, a little vial from Opulent. What's in it? Half a desiccated insect maybe? Beats the crap outta me, as my dad likes to say. Strands with labradorite, these neat thick links.

Haven't shown you any before-n-after redos in a while.
I wasn't happy with these I threw together from some more of stillpoint's charms:

So I divided the pair and made these in the last batch:

And now these:

Asymmetrical earrings are just more interesting I think. Also ones that aren't just thrown together with no inspiration.
There was also this one which was way over the top and the strands weren't working at all:

So I simplified and butched it up with a little tribal crusty . . . -->

Much better. Maybe. I don't know. Somewhat better. Yeah. Better.
Thank you all for so many lovely, funny and uplifting comments. You all make me so happy. This is why I blog so often. Just the comments! You could write, "Hi I'm drinking coffee," and that would be enough. Sure, it wouldn't be my favorite comment of the day. It'd be my least favorite. Unless it was so random that it was funny, then it might be my favorite. Basically it can only be my favorite or my least favorite, is what I'm saying.

And in parting let me just say, Human Centipede Menorah bitches!!!!

Suppl-eye candy. (Get it?)

2011-12-21T20:30:00.000-06:00

(Blog randomness while I wait for the winners to contact me.)

Numinosity sent me these! For no reason! She made the glass head pins and
the metal tubes coated in glass. And yeah, that's Roman glass. I know!

And look at this haul.

I feel all wacky after having been out of the studio for FOUR consecutive days. Now I'm in there and it's like I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. Busy with this 'n' that, blogging, cleaning. Yes, cleaning. We're having family over for Christmas and we thought they might like to breathe something other than dog hair. So I went on a cleaning spree. I took out vent/grate things and vacuumed out all the dust in there, went under Bingo's bed to the fuzzy world beneath, scrubbed the bathrooms, vacuumed the mess o' cables under the computer table, vacuumed under the bed here that I sleep in but was originally hubs'. And I kept bumping the hose tube around a couple books/albums he has down there, vacuuming those too. Kept feeling some longish thing bumping around. I suddenly see what looks exactly like the handle of a handgun. I kinda freak. I nudge it with the vacuum hose and realize its a rifle!

Petra sent me this crap load of awesomeness.

And I just got so pissed and shocked. Hubs has been hiding a rifle under the bed I sleep in! His fucking hick ass dad must've insisted he bring it to Chicago for, like, self defense, which makes no sense. And I kept thinking of what I was going to say and how he'd be all shamefaced... and I'd be like 'Give it back to your dad and we'll never speak of this again!" or something equally dramatic. Also "You know me, you know my values, you know my ethics! How do you THINK I feel about fire arms in my house?' etc.

So hubs gets home. I'm telling him how I vacuumed everything.

LOOK! That is a pig snout. Have you ever seen a teeny ceramic pig snout before? No, you haven't.

Leeetle hoof.

"And guess what I found under the bed?'
He's like "What?"
"What do you think?"
"What, I don't know!"
"You don't know?"
"I don't know!"
"A fucking rifle!"
"Oh yeah, the prop I used for my final project in Film 208" or something to that effect.
"WHAT?"
"What? Did you think it was real?"
"WHAT?"
"Wait- You thought it was real?"
"Bbbbbbuuuut.... "
"You thought it was real?!?!"
"Guuuu...."

My favorite of all is this tiny house-shaped bezel.

"Oh my God are you insane!!! A sawed off shotgun under the bed where Bingo's toys roll under and he crawls in there to get them? Are you crazy?"
"Nnnn-.....uh..."
"It's plastic! Didn't you notice?"
"I didn't take it out! It felt really heavy against the vacuum hose."
"What the hell would I be doing w/a sawed-off shotgun? Do you know how illegal those are?"
"I don't know what kind of gun it is!"
And then there was him laughing and me just sitting there with my mouth hanging open. Him asking if I'd told my parents next door- which of course not. Me having to rewind all the angry discussions I'd been having with him in my mind for the previous few hours....

Little shrines and windows from one of my guilty pleasures,
Alphastamps. I couldn't resist!

And Bingo bouncing happily around us which he does at the sign of any animated conversation.
That was my day.

Gorgeous crusties from shipwreckdandy.

This was an incense holder. I spent 5 hours cutting off the top and bottom so I can use them for bead caps while making the center thing small enough to use somewhere. Best-smelling dremeling I've ever done.

More Kuchi to maybe make bracelets.

Pile of Indonesian babies. And on top you can see some scutes Janet made. She molded them from real alligator scutes (an external bony or horny plate or large scale. Yeah, I didn't know what that meant either.)

Winner, winner chicken appetizers!

2011-12-19T21:20:00.001-06:00

Having collected a total of $1725, the raffle is now closed. The runners-up are:

All photos from Sparrow's amazing flickr.

BloodMilk Jewelry
Deborah Rubin
CabariBeads.com
Alice Peterson
Lauren Faulk
Renate Starke-Krammer
Mary Newton
Anne Lichtenstein
Cindy's Wicked Good Beads
Lori Anderson

You can convo or email me to give me your address and request a specific lot. I'll do my best, but no promises. And no fancy wrapping. It's going to come to you in old cereal boxes and you're gonna like it!
And the grand prize goes to Paula Bonhomme. Again, convo or email me your address.

I haven't been properly addressing your lovely comments- first, numinosity, the kitty was part of the image on the kvlt images thread. It's funny, see? Oy vey, joke failure.
Stregata- you're viewing the cat from above. It's not totally off.
All the rest- yeah, I've been convoing with her everyday. Sometimes, the pain meds make her pass out while she's writing and it looks like this: "Oh I liked that one neckkkkkkkkkkkkkkk" so that's been entertaining.
When it 1st happened, a broken rib punctured her lung but that's mostly fixed.

Now she has a bunch of bones to heal and some movement to regain. From her last convo:"i've gone to rehab instead of home, so i'm still technically in hospital. it's a fancier, more quiet hospital though, with better food and carpet on the floor, so going for walks is nicer. I'm hoping to only be here for 3 days cause i really don't want to be here on christmas day. "
Her brothers are preparing her home for her arrival by bringing in a big ol' lazyboy armchair. Her older brother came home from the UK to take care of her while she heals up. In Australia, the government pays people who have to leave work to care for an invalid (doesn't that make you feel like this place sucks, oh fellow Americans? Sheesh.).

But it's going to take several months for that to kick in so the $ we've raised will greatly help with groceries, cab rides (since they don't have a car now) physical therapy sessions and bills.

Also, she is completely stunned by all the love and outpouring of goodwill. And me too! All you goofballs saying how amazing I am for doing this- I just googled how to stick a donate button in your blog, stuck up some pictures I'd already taken of a necklace that never sold, and basically watched agog as the dollas rolled in. Raffles are the tits! I want to do everything in my life in raffle format from now on. Don't know how that'll apply to cleaning the house and listing new items, but I'll figure something out.

I just don't know how to thank you guys. This whole community is the 1st group of people I've ever truly identified with, the first group I've been 100% happy to be a part of, virtual as it may be. And now this experience has warmed my black and shriveled heart.

Now it's just grey and limp! (Groans from the audience.)

OMG Rafflage!

2011-12-18T14:32:00.001-06:00

On regretsy (which yes, happyfallout, I do read every day, you douche-canoe) they're always raising money for some etsy seller in need or another. The selected recipient of said cashstash is subsequently all flabbergasted and humbled at the response and generosity. I now know exactly how they feel!

I expected to raise two to three hundred tops. I wasn't steeling myself for disappointment or anything, that's just how much I honestly thought I'd raise. As of last count, we have $1,358!

I'm so blown away that all I can do is offer more prizes. And you don't have to do a thing- I'm going to pick names from the already-massive list in the last post's comments and my exploding Paypal. The first category is called "The Curio Cabinet." Oh yeah, there's categories up in this!

So this would be Lot C1. Tiny salt shaker, doll hand, Indian fabric stamp, vintage horse brass.

Lot C2

Antique silk ribbon with bullion.

Lot C3

Antique puffy framed wall hanging. The image is printed on silk, the frame might be pewter.

The next category is "Instant Collection"

Here's Lot I1

Wooden fabric stamps from India.

Lot I 2

A selection of vintage horse brass, oxidized.

Lot I 3

Another assortment of horse brass.

Lot I 4

In keeping with the horse motif, rusty saddle hardware.

Finally, "For the Gypsy."

Lot G1

Couple bangles.

Lot G2

Earrings from pieces of tobacco box and findings missficklemedia sent me.

Lot G3

Gorgeous ceramic pendant from happyfallout.

So there you go. If I pick your name, you need to send me your address. You can etsy convo me or email at marinarios@yahoo.com. (I am on etsy all day, just so you know, and on yahoo rarely). First ask, first serve. So you can request a lot... (I mean 'one of the lots', not 'make a lot of requests' sheesh!), but it might not be available so I suggest you select a few preferences. I can NOT have these to you by Christmas. I cannot swap out this for that, measure anything or take more pictures from different angles. I'm trying to make this easier on myself. And they'll be sent when they're sent! So stop hassling me!

"I'll cut-chu!"

To express the awe that my dark, jaded soul is experiencing at your largess, I share the image above. Mr. Husband got it from a heavy metal site he visits daily, on a forum called "The Thread for Real KVLT Images" (that's 'cult' for all us noobs). He also picked out this other kitty for me:

Some people asked when the drawing would be. Like I have a plan! But I suppose I'll pick the winner and TEN runners-up by next post and you know I don't go 2 days without posting. So that should give you no idea.

Raffle Fundraiser

2011-12-15T18:07:00.018-06:00

My dear artwife SparrowSalvage, without whose guidance I wouldn't even have a blog, much less this over-bloated sense of self, has been in a terrible and tragic car accident. She is going on her 3rd week in the hospital recovering from injuries. Her mother, with whom she lived, did not survive. She has a tough-as-nails attitude though and is just focusing on healing. On the plus side, she is lucky enough to live in Australia so she won't end up homeless for having the gall to survive a horrific crash. But we all know that a few weeks without working means no cash flow.

SO! I'd like to raffle off one of my pieces to raise some moo-la for her in case she wants to eat at some point, or some other such indulgence.

The tickets will be $4, and you get a free ticket if you comment with a link to where you blogged, tweeted, or facebooked about this, and provided a link back here for your various minions. Can you tweet a link? Who knows, I just blog because it's the only one of the 3 that allows you to make your space all purdy.

For all you gals who are broke-ish but want to do something- spreading the word to the etsy community would be better than gold. Though if you want to send some gold, you know, I won't refuse it.

This dainty choker has a strand of vintage nacre rosary beads, a strange little key, French art nouveau coin and a citrine sterling-dipped dangle which are all from Uruguay. The scrap of fabric was sent to me by Sparrow herself. It's adjustable from 18-20.5 inches.

Click this donate button or the one on the upper left sidebar to buy tickets. Please remember to donate in multiples of $4!

narratives, new crap

2011-12-15T17:08:00.001-06:00

Understanding.

The Ultimate Why.

FIRST- You win, you little douche-canoes! I added some names and cool quotes I had to the remaining no-name listings... Opinion on removing narratives seems split 50/50. And by 'seems' I mean I have no idea. So if you don't go read, analyze and memorize the quotes I think I'll have to shank somebody.

Nothing.

The Pearl and the Mouse.

The Dying Martyr.

Also, I made these new things.

His Transcendence in Plain Sight.

Turning Air into Fiona.

As always with bracelets I never feel like one picture shows the whole thing so here's three. Or as my students would say, tree.
Ares from Chaos.

Nudder bracelet:
War Madrigals.

Amphora.

This amphora, which I think is made of a light fixture, was sent to me by my bud Janet of JL3JewelryDesigns. I mean, as a gift! She's the one that gave me the glass eyes?

So I just strung some beads, made a pretty stopper and slapped a price tag on it!

Now, Janet and I are having lots of discussion on her name. Since she is soon to make the jump from gallery only to online presence, I want her to have a spiffier name than JL3JewelryDesigns. However, she has her business cards and earring cards already printed w/her brand as is. What do you think? She's also published a ton in Somerset... I dunno.
I'm now going to immediately post another blog entry just because I want to be able to send people to this fundraiser I want to do. And when they get to it, the entry shouldn't start w/me inexplicably calling them 'douche canoes'.

You Guys!

2011-12-13T00:27:00.002-06:00

I forgot to bluuug!!! These!!! Cuz I'm duuuuummb!
Numinosity! You're awesomesauce extract!!!
Exclamation Mark.
Yeah, Ok, so you liked the narratives. But of the things I listed yesterday, for example, 4 have already sold. So there's 3 hours of my life that would've been down the the toilet. Or something. I'M EXHAUSTED PEOPLE!!! THERE ARE JUST NOT THAT MANY INTERESTING THINGS THAT COME IN APPROXIMATELY ONE PARAGRAPH FORMAT! AND LISTING SHIT TAKES FOREVER! I WANNA DO ANYTHING ELSE!
CAPITAL LETTER, EXCLAMATION POINT!!!!
Pant. pant. Even when people give me tidbits, I still have to edit it into presentable shape and blah blah blah....
I'm a drewely maker, not a plagiarist/writer/editor!
(p.s.- I wore real pants today- jeans. not pjays. like a person.)

Winners and Streamlining

2011-12-12T02:48:00.000-06:00

Ensourdine sent a poem that gives a peek into some of the issues I delt with as an ESL teacher that I'd like to share. From here.

here

Dearest creature in creation,
Study English pronunciation.
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy,
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye, your dress will tear.
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.
Just compare heart, beard, and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how it’s written.)
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as plaque and ague.
But be careful how you speak:
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.
Hear me say, devoid of trickery,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles;
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
Solar, mica, war and far;
One, anemone, Balmoral,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;
Gertrude, German, wind and mind,
Scene, Melpomene, mankind.
Billet does not rhyme with ballet,
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.
Blood and flood are not like food,Nor is mould like should and would.

I don't think this is even one tenth of this poem, but I didn't wanna rile up any of my rowdier bloggees who may be antsy to learn of winners and all. In any case, because of the above and some other comment ridiculousness I don't even think I quite understood, ensourdine gets the 1st pair of earrings. Convo me, lady.

Well, any time I feel a need to feed my ego, I'll just put up a giveaway and soak in the love. Man. I'm sayin'!
Here I chose those earrings because they seemed to have no hope of selling...

Here

Second winner- Debi, I know you wanted the 1st pair. Everyone did. The second pair feels pathetic and unloved, so treat them kindly. And convo me. A while back a different Debi won something, right? Not you? People come and go around here quite a bit. Hard to keep track.

Here

I just listed a ton of things, and for the 1st time I did it relatively fast and painlessly. I think it's been coming on for some time- a streamlining of my listing process. When I started my shop, I rarely saw folks using quotes and 'narratives' that didn't simply describe the item. Now I think lots of people do. Well, lots of my friends do anyways. (Damn, I have a real live circle of friends for the 1st time! Virtual though they all may be. I mean, I have sorta before, had vague circles, but never one where I felt 100% identified with and uplifted by and effortlessly understood in .... well, I was also not yet medicated and even more of a mess than I may or may not be now... what was I talking about?) And I ran out of literary inspiration a while ago. And like I've said, you can't fight yourself. It's time to face facts- I no longer want to have the literary narratives. Harumph. Do you guys even read them anymore? I skim over other people's quotes without even noticing.
And this is all time and energy that can go straight back into making! Yeah. Even though happyfallout just sent me a bunch of new, wonderful astrophysics factoids. Sigh. Maybe it'll come back but my linguistic side is burnt out.

So just look at these and shut it! These have ancient roman glass, beads by potterygirl and happyfallout and another vintage afghan one... and some soulless factory made findings that I made look good (insert sassy snap).

These are sort of the pale version of the above. With aquamarines. Ooooohhh... Didn't notice til later that one of them had a misshapen globular head pin practically dripping from below. But they're pretty nice anyways, hu? Right? Yeah? So I don't have to re-do them right? Anyone?

Now these have factory made flower cabs that I went and painted. And guess what? Nobody stopped me. They have polymer nubbies from shipwreckdandy. And waxed cord that I got some of the watery paint on. And rhinestones! Yup. And nobody stopped me.

Here we have some more painted floral cabs originally made by evil, polluting, capitalist factories in Asia where- guess what? People also need to eat! Oh, I said it.
And if it weren't for these factories, we wouldn't have massive amounts of cheap goods at our fingertips - like when you're sick and get some decongestant? And it's not a huge sacrifice which you have to pay for in installments, like they do in Uruguay? Or when your kid needs a new notebook for school you can get one without your kid offering to drop out of said school? Like happened to one of my Mexican ESL students, thus ending her education at the 4th grade? Cuz she felt bad for her parents (seeing how much they hoped she'd drop out b/c they didn't know where they'd get the money) and just said don't worry I didn't really want to go, even though she secretly loved school? Because of the one notebook? Same story for all my students....

(Shakes it off) Sorry, don't know where the rant came from. (Keeps shaking self like wet dog since there's so much more rant to rant in there...)
Um, the little drop beads are also shipwreckdandy. Yeah.

And etcetera.
As you can see here, I've been acquiring some lovely elements made individually by artisans. These being, of course, so superior to the aforementioned factory bits that I barely have to toss them on an ear wire and bam! Done.

Here.
More or less. Maybe lessish, but it feels like more. (?)

And here.

What else?

And also.

Oh, I did some laundry today!! Like a person!
And so on.

And tomorrow's going to be all about packaging. And sending. Aaaaand.... maybe I'll go crazy and herd some of the doghairtumbleweeds you see roll by in our living room. Or assemble and consume a vegetable or two.... Exercise? My boobs are swollen, though.... some stage of da pims or another... walks off grumbling to self...

Giveaway Babeeee!

2011-12-09T20:42:00.000-06:00

Giveaway prize #1

OK, first and foremost, we have ANOTHER muthafucken giveaway. This time it's to celebrate a true milestone- 200 followers on this here blaag! Dude. That's tons. When I started, I didn't even put the follower widget on the sidebar because I didn't want to think about the fact that I had no followers- and proly never would. Or so I thought. Then one day I suddenly realized I'd been getting a comment here and there and just fell out of my chair. Later, I realized I had 18 followers and I was so blown away I ran through the house yelling "EIGHTEEN people committed themselves to my blog!!" and etc. I have to say I had previously made a concerted effort to have a serious blog, back when I was trying to do Art, and it went nowhere. Same
with a previous etsyshop. I approached all the jewelry stuff with much diminished expectations. And as the buddhists say, when you let it go is when it comes to you. Or something like that.
So, to celebrate the glory that is this bloog, I'm giving away not one but two sets of earrings. So there'll be 2 winners. Just leave a comment.

Corvid Delights- Ouch- joke failure on my part. I mean to say "Oh you do go on, you flatterer you!" In an old-fashioned Southern lady accent. Like an old movie. Not like, 'you babble endlessly.' Honey, I know folks who babble endlessly and you ain't it.
Man, joke failure hurts.

Giveaway prize number 2. These because they've been sitting in the shop untouched for forever. And yeah, it's a bit shabby chic compared to my usual stuff, but damn it. I'm not all tough and cynical.

These bangles are up in the shop. They're the more earthy ones.

stregata- But I can't find any links to FAUX shmnuchibluchi. But I think if I meld some solder on the copper sheet and smoosh it with something, I can faux it up with the best of them. Except that I have no copper sheet and have been too lazy to pull out the solder works for quite a while now. And by 'lazy' I mean overwhelmed by other projects.

Janet- Huh-hu. Skidmarks. Yr gross.

NuminosityBeads- If you actually ask for wire at a hardware store, they'll show you their telephone wire or something. Wait. I have a follower in Mexico? *blush*. So to her I quote:

"Andale-andale arriba-arriba!"
- Speedy Gonzalez. (That ought to impress any Mexican, right?)

Petra Carpreau-Yeah, the 1 time in 10 years I managed to exercise was an OFF day. That was actually 3 days ago and I haven't exercised or showered since. Maybe I'll get my ass up and do some now. It was Zumba! Tanned, buff people in skintight fluorescent exercise clothes? Sheer eye-pain. Bring it!

Anonymous left a question on the post before last- "Do you still want questions?" To which I say "Grrrrrl! You know I do!" I just love to hear myself talk, haven't you noticed? I went from encaustic to jewelry via collage. Encaustic was too hard, collage I couldn't find a direction in and suddenly I got the idea of gluing some of my cute papers on bits of wood and linking them up together.

Here's something I dug out of my virtual attic for you. Man, sends shivers down my spine to remember all the ugly crap I made. This isn't even the ugly crap. Not showing you that. But also- I used to work 10x harder back then than now on everything. Because I had no clue what I was doing. And don't get me started on the photography. Ugh, unwelcome trip down memory lane. Sometimes for no reason it freaks me out to go back to a previous headspace. It'll freak me out to find that my high school still exists, and music I listened to then will literally make the hair on my arms stand up. This goes for almost any period of my life I haven't recently had to re-acquaint myself with. Those of you who don't like to watch movies more than once might understand. It's like you don't want to have to live through it again.

Another image of the bangles that are up now.

But ANYWAYS, y'all should always try to leave comments to the most recent posts or else I might miss them.

And drop a comment here for the earrings. Or don't! Jeeze. Don't make me no nevermind!

I love me some questions.

2011-12-06T15:46:00.001-06:00

But first, some newbies.

The cords are too long. But it's cool- I can shorten them per customer.

stregata- Banging my hand?!?! OH YEAH! On your blog. Now, WTF is this faux shibuchi technique?!?!!?!?! I searched high and low and all google would give me is a million different links to your blog!!!! AAArrrgghhh! And you refer to it like something you've been chatting about but as far back as I can go you never explained! Oh the frustration!!!

amth13 You basically spend all day out of it, hu?

Gardanne OK, but I'll expect royalties. To be paid in beads.

Sarah Smith- I have a very exclusive supplier of steel wire. You may not have heard of it- Ace Hardware?

accusedredemption- Yes of course it is sealed. I mean, that's easy! The same adhesive you put it on with. In this case that glaze ... what's it called... it's everywhere... you're probably sitting on a bottle right now. Whatever- any adhesive works, even Elmer's Glue. Or slap some sticky boogers on it and go with it!

Oh Corvid, you do go on!

OMG- Another thing I'd forgotten about (picking up last post's thread of how I'd forgotten about bead caps) is spacers!! I've been having so much fun rediscovering the world of basic supplies. Next you'll hear me wax poetic on the wonders of jump rings. "You gotta try 'em. They really hold things together!"

The real news is that yesterday... I exercised! For the first time in maybe... well, over a decade. Yeah. And I showered. Momentous day all around.

Crapballs- remember how I was going on about what a hassle reserves and stuff are? Well, on that topic, this piece is available again.
<--

Oh but wait! I got some ear goodies.
I'll list later. I need to spend some time with my poor hubs who has the day off.

Shops, Earring Smorgasbord

2011-12-03T18:42:00.001-06:00

Finally figured out who commenter 'Steph' was! Which, yeah, you should all know about. Her shop is vLaDtHeBaT. Wait, I just got it. Vlad the Bat! I thought it was some wacky Belgium last name or something... (Oh and also, it is all very reasonably priced for those of you who never get ceramics for lack of funds.)

And I got the saddle (?) rings from montanacamp for the redonk price of $4.50 per lot, and they came in 3 lots.

What else? Gracias Paula- ¡Sos mi segunda fan en España! (Creo que deberia decir 'eres' pero como soy Uruguaya digo 'sos,' lo siento)

I just finished a bunch of earrings yesterday. OK, I started and finished them yesterday, I just finished editing the pictures now. All day editing!

This pair here -->
Is actually not finished- I have to connect one moonstone strand and then hide all the crimp beads. I often do this with a teeny strip of fabric wound on with a teeny strip of wire.

I made a bunch of my utee head pins using these spear pins I had a ton of and no use for. I had no plan for them but ended up using them in almost every pair here. In fact, I had no plan for anything when I started mucking about with these beads. I usually have at least a vague idea so this was disconcerting. There was a lot of wire breakage as I undid and redid things. I thought it would lead nowhere, I just started putting caps on beads, adding links, thinking they might be of use later. But I ended up with some decent pieces.

It's been forever since I used beadcaps. They sort of zoned out of my conscious. I got some recently though and they really fancify a bead. Especially these on the right add a middle eastern touch- don't they?

I also never use bails. Never think to! So I got some to see if they lead anywhere.

I'll be listing these tonight or tomorrow. I'm sick of sitting in front of the computer! I'm sick of my own lazy ass! There's a horrifically bad movie on TV and I'm too lazy/zoned to change it. I get stuck in these modes. Like I have to pee so bad but can't get myself unglued from what I'm doing to get up and go. Ugh. Actually, it might be part of the reason why I get so much jewelry made. I just keep tinkering at it cuz I can't get myself to stop. I always think of this Asian guy I heard of who died after several days straight of playing some video game without going to the bathroom, eating or drinking water. One of these days, poor Bingo and Robert will find me slumped over on the floor, pliers still in hand, 2 cartoon Xs over my eyes...

Goodies n Goofies.

2011-12-01T17:22:00.002-06:00

Louise- So where'd you see the blocks?

Lookit! From potterygirl.

Petra- Badger skeleton? Toss it in the trash! Err... I mean to say, you need to go to a sweat lodge with a cabal of village elders, strip to the waist and chant the magical incantation-- I DON'T KNOW! (Lol, it's like my students who thought just cuz I was a teacher I knew all. "Maestra, why do muscles get bigger when you exercise?" Umm... for biology, we have a GED class...)

So children, what do we do when we don't know? That's right. Apparently, you need beetles and peroxide. And if that's not enough to put you off it, I dont know what.

Random stash.

Oh and I was scolded for not selling it for 240 by sparrow and 260 by Janet. Stop scolding me guys! I'm flying by the seat of my pants here!
Amth 13- You do know I don't necessarily know what the hell yr talking about, right? How the bracelet connects to this bird you're going to somehow torture?
Grubbi- Thank you! I love what you did with your beads, too.
accusedredemption- 108 and 75. lets not talk about pricing anymore. It's like talking to artists about mutual funds or something. Like, numbers and money- the two worst things ever. Oh wait no, that's Republicans and pedophiles. Haha. .. kidding...(as all the Republicans reading this reach for their firearms, lol.)
Janet- Thundersnow? Sounds made-up to me. Sweeps week for the weatherman maybe?

I got all these goodies today. These are amazing bits of horse... saddle... somethings. Among them, however, are these huge ones that I'm simply not cruel enough to attempt to hang off some poor woman's neck. But they'd make great display pieces if you find a wall stud. These a not unsubstantial, if you know what I mean. *winks suggestively just to confuse the hell out of everyone* (--> "Hu? Was that a double-entendre? But what could the secondary entendre possibly be? Now I'm even questioning my primary entendre! Something about wall studs? I no entendre!")

Weird ones and bigass honkers. Ideas?

Which calls to mind an instance long ago- the one and only time my overpolite hubs ever allowed himself to be openly baffled by my mom's crazy accent. It just so happened that I'd been privately commenting on his pleasant bubble butt just before hand. Especially considering he is white white white- Southern, of German stock, so pink-white one guy once called him a fetus, he has a nicely rounded buttocks. Anywho, directly after, with the family around us, he happened to make a comment about us Rios' tendency to, I don't know exactly, proly scream at each other all day. At which point my mom declared something that sounded like "Robber (cuz that's how she says Robert) You no-ass!" "WHAT?" "You nooo-aaaassss!" She said slowly so he'd understand. He turned right to me and with an expression of terror said, "Marina, what is you mother saying?" Between pissing myself with laughter I spitted out, "You know us!!!!!!"
And everyone lived happily ever after.
Tho this is by far not the wackiest thing Mom's ever said.

WIP

See, my mom's a doctor, and all her attention goes to that. Everything else, she just lets sidle up to her conscious any which way. Seeing her non-doctor side daily, the kind that called rice krispie treats 'crispy rispies' and valedictorians 'queen victorians', I'd often wondered how she'd managed not to kill anyone at work. Now as an obsessive myself, albeit with making pretty things and not saving lives, I understand all too well. The other day I asked her what my nephew Carlos dressed as for Halloween. She said, "A jinja!" "....you mean... a ninja?" "Yeah, something like that." "...Okaaaay...."

When I later saw a halloween photos, he was dressed as Darth Vader.

WIP I'm getting nowhere with.

Oh, but I could write a book about things my mom's said. Really. The time she meant to say "I'd like to try scuba diving," but instead busted out with, "I wanna do Scooby Dooby." The time at a fancy hospital gala, an old and respected CEO flirtatiously asked if he could get her anything from the buffet and instead of saying she'd already filled up on hors d'oeuvres she said "I had too many ordeals."
It's endless, really. And no, she doesn't do it on purpose.

What the hell was I on about? Lost track as usual. Can you tell I had way too much coffee?
Oh, I'm doing some more dramatic necklaces w/long focals, as you can see in the image above.
This one may be done:

Cuz there's a whole butt-load going on already. Tho I do have some tiny precious rondelles that would match the color scheme beautifully as strands. But where would I even put them?

OK, I just spent all day blogging instead of getting anything done. Damn you, Blogger!

Bracelets and Stuff.

2011-11-29T16:37:00.001-06:00

Imma list these later today, girls. So chill.

Remember ages ago I made a bracelet with a triangular Kuchi and one of these bird stampings sent to me by SacredCake? That everyone went shitbats over? Well, here's another. Took forever to get around to it because it wasn't doing it for me. Then I suddenly had it next to this amazing earring bit that was also sent to me by SacredCake! Don't you love it when things come together like this? Craziness.

Ages ago, you saw this pig piece in my last Uruguay haul. I wasn't planning on making it into a necklace, but there you go. I made a bezel from a tin cigarette case. Except maybe it needs a fiber tassel. Something about it... Actually I think someone favorited a necklace with similar playing blocks and tassels. And as you now know, I love to steal ideas.

Where the hell did I see this thing? Anyone? Some blog somewhere...

Ok, here's this. And yeah, I broke the middle finger off this hand piece by doters. I'm not gentle with my stuff. I may have shoved it about along with boxes and such. What should I do? I couldn't find the tip in time to save it, haha. No but I couldn't find it.

ANOTHER piece sent me by SacredCake! What's up with that? And as you can see, I dry-brushed it pink. Idea stolen from Sparrow earrings.

Here's this. The metal was some random thing from Uruguay that looked like a book cover. But it didn't open and close so why? So I curved it into a bracelet. And a small chunk of woven belt capped with folded cigarette tin metal and to the links between the 2 I added those Afghan buttons. Or Turkish. Crystal dangle from Corvid who is doing some adorable destash listings. Oh shit! Went for the link and her wacky destash assortments already sold. It's all about the photos. Look:

Oh, petra, I don't mess with bones. I tried once and my house still stinks. My father in law who actually does taxidermy professionally thought it was hilarious that I tried to boil the dried flesh off a muskrat skull (it was vile) cuz they are infamously stinky. I got that bone from ShesSoWeird who sometimes actually buys things from etsy to have them sent directly to me to make something from. She's the one that had the idea of the bangles. Actually, the beadcap the crystal there is in is from a repair necklace she had sent to me. Anyways, do a search for 'animal bones' in the supply section, there's tons of lovely specimens, like so:

So today is another in a series of insanely grey days here in Chicago. (Cuz guys, I'm from Uruguay but live in Chicago. Disappointing, I know.) So I thought, if you need a little sunshine in your day, like I do, you can watch this. Before doing so, you have to turn on the sound.

Oh, and Debi- it was $200.

I'm Back!!

2011-11-28T00:05:00.003-06:00

I could say I've been busy with Thanksgiving, and y'all wouldn't even question it, would you? After all this time together, you don't know me at all!

In fact, I've been having artistic ADD and working on multiple projects at once. You guys'll be pleased. More dramatic theeeengs.

Meantime, I made some more pale bangle stacks just for destash and because I'm going through withdrawal after all those big sales.

So here's the first one. It has some bits of color here and there.

As usual, I can't believe anyone would buy these for more than 10 bucks, but I priced it crazy high so Sparrow wouldn't scold me.

So, the second stack is this girly one:

Random strap of leather from white belt. Lots of white strings and cords. Plastic! And then lampwork and Czech glass and polymer and stones, too. So it's not all crap. And the plastic is vintage. *shrugs*

Oh man, I've had that damn fish forever.

I didn't bother buying a ton of fillers this time .... I got a life to live here.

Like today I actually went to a movie for the first time in a couple years. Saw my 1st 3D and have the headache to prove it. Yup, had a hot date with my parents. I picked the movie Hugo and both of them really liked it which in my family is nothing short of a miracle.

The last stack is the more rustic one. What else do I have to say about this? Not a thing.

So Louise, yeah, I been married for 6 years now. (I'm just now getting to the comments of the post before last.) I wear a plain band from before I made jewelry. And I know it's good gold because after all the patina chemicals I've gotten all over it, it's still like new. If it weren't gold, it would have barnacles on it by now and not be so comfortable while working.

Photographs from the blog becoming a book isn't doable, ye old weird one. Photos that are the right size for the websimacles are too small for physical reality.

What else? Oh, anonymous! I don't think papaya was ripping off those photos as they're not pretending that they shot the pictures themselves. Being that they're a card company, they do have to keep an eye out for copyright. Moreover, just like some commenters say my style is easily recognizable, I think Anakata Katkin's is absolutely recognizable. She doesn't just slap the photo on a background (the way amateur collage makers tend to), but colors it, embellishes, incorporates and has fun with it.

I dunno. That's just off the top of my head. Like, incorporate what has gone before to evolve what comes next. A ton of culture is accessible to us in our society so using images from the past feels very authentic to me, just like making fake old things that incorporate real old things and make new things look old feels somehow right too. Or whatever.

My husband just yelled over, "You peed a whole bunch last night, hu?"

So I should go since he's clearly trying to initiate a deep conversation.

ART THEFT MANIFESTO

2011-11-25T14:17:00.001-06:00

Culture is at it's most fertile when it is shared.
In whatever discipline- from the sciences, to cartography, to art, when our knowledge is shared, it grows exponentially.

By way of example, let me show you a lovely Kalighat painting made as a temple souvenir in India circa 1800s and sold to visitors for what amounted to pennies.

Now, lets look at a Matisse's famous "Le bonheur de vivre."

Another Kalighat here and below, a Picasso.

The modernists were famously influenced by non-Western art in which they saw all classical aesthetic principles flaunted. In shifting their paradigm, they broke their own rules. They felt free and continued breaking down their rules and traditions, thus allowing, for example, the image on the right to lead to the one below.

Another famous example is Japan's Edo Period, which was triggered by contact with the Dutch, or the Renaissance, which began with an influx of Greek refugees to Italy, blossomed with Arab knowledge brought back from the crusades and continued with increasing trade with Asia.

In the 80s and 90s, I used to hear a lot of talk about sampling in pop music being a form of theft. However, I only learned about "Under Pressure" because of "Ice Ice Baby" (I was an immigrant! I was jamming to samba or something) and the sampling furthered tremendous developments in hip hop.

You might say those are abstract cases, or instances of inspiration as opposed to theft. In that case lets consider some examples of the most blatant theft I've seen. In this blog entry, Anahata Katkin lines up her original cards on the left, and Pulp Cards knockoffs from the UK on the right.

Pretty awful, hu? That is, pretty awful knockoffs- lacking the fun and glowing loveliness evident in the originals. But guess what? Pulp Cards has disappeared and Anahata's shop Papaya is thriving.
Clearly, her artistic success keeps her going, while the half-assed copying was sustainable neither at the business end nor in the creation process.

I sometimes receive convos alerting me to a shop or item that seems copied directly from a design of mine. My knee jerk reaction is like a little kid who yells "Mine!" and yanks back a toy s/he wasn't even actively playing with. But immediately after, I loose interest. And so far, no one has taken food off my table.

When I started, I would look at things by OpulentOddities and think, "I wanna play with pretty old things!" I'd see a piece of hers with rhinestones and think, "Rhinestones! Why didn't I think of that?" and rush out to buy some rhinestones. And so I started to develop and learn. I had so much fun that I continued despite having no clue or guidance, no knowledge or ability to see what worked and what didn't. Eventually I found my aesthetic, or 'voice'. However, I continue to see exciting artists who do something that makes my ears perk up and my muse say "I wanna do that!" It keeps me energized and full of ideas, and keeps this fun.
When asked where their inspiration comes from, people always say, among other things, "from everyday life." What a maddeningly tired answer. It has been studied (citation needed, I know) and it turns out that artists get most of their inspiration from other artists! Why else would we spend 10 hours a day combing through the interwebs? Why else would you be reading this now? So that means when people say they get inspiration from everyday life, they're actually stealing a line they got from interviews of other artists! Mind-boggling.

In summation: I'm going to steal from you! Try and stop me. And you're welcome to steal from me.

(Note: bibliographica wrote a lovely post in part about moi so go read it. Also, thank you for your lovely comments as usual. from now on before I list anything I'm going to say it's too important to list and everyone will clamor to buy it!)

2 more

2011-11-21T16:32:00.001-06:00

Exiled Stars.
I've just listed these.

I've also just finished but not listed this necklace.

I feel like this is a special necklace, potentially very symbolic to the person who buys it.

I pulled out all the stops, packing it with special bits.

Like here is an oragami lily made of copper mesh that my friend sent me, and a couple of roman glass beads on strands of moonstones, vintage amber glass tubes and Mali clay.

I feel reluctant to list it! Like it's just going to be another too-expensive-for-anyone-to-buy piece that sits in the shop forever. And I'm not ready to subject it to that yet.

But if I sent it somewhere for publication, it would be out of my sight for forever. Sigh. I'll decide in a day or

What else? I'm working on..... a manifesto!

Is that not redonk? An artist with her manifesto. Sheesh. Thing is, it's not like an "Art Manifesto." It's more like a declaration to all silly craft bloggers like me. About ideas, culture and theft.

New Babies.

2011-11-19T19:01:00.004-06:00

OK, here's what's new for this week.

Rooster in Light.
So guys. I just got my visit from Aunt Flo, I feel ill from too much coffee and I may have just overdone it on Indian food... Uuuuugh.
That word is hard to elongate... 'Uuuuggggghhhh?' 'Uuuughghghgh?'

Here's a kitchy fun pair of asymmetricals with a big fat pearl Corvid gave me, a rooster from Uruguay and one bright green happyfallout bead.

Ultimate Limits.
I actually showed you these a while ago but they're back. One of my abandoned reserves.

The Longing.
I have a feeling this one's going to be popular because you girly girls love you a frozen charlotte. But don't forget to notice the happyfallout beads, the huge tourmaline... I'm not feeling settled about it though. The balance is off... Someone might want it as is but there's something off with the weight. I mean, the physical weight because the head wants to sink to the middle and then the thimble stops making sense. And then my sentence stops making sense.
I might rework it when I'm less menstrual.

Check this out though. See the letters stamped in the one under the thimbled one? It reads "enegma." No, not a typo. Rather, it's a play on something silly I once wrote here. Apparently I wrote "I'm an enigma wrapped inside an enema." So happyfallout commemorated that in this bead. Which makes me feel, I dunno, famous.

Between the Stars.
Here's something with a miniature. It also includes an antique mechanical pencil, an 'icicle' from a Christmas decoration Sparrow sent me, a couple of gorgeous Victorian buttons and some gorgeous art beads. Oh and a 'Turkoman' metal button at the base of the hook.
Notice I've been doing some metallic leather cording lately? Well, I have.

I'm finding this more adorable that I should admit to finding my own creations. Surely when it fails to sell, I'll do a 180, but I'm going to enjoy it for now. yay.

Ghost of the Illicit Kiss.
This chunkiest of chunky pyrite was sent to me by my friend Anastasia I told you about that sent me all sorts of things? And I used a bunch of happyfallouts here. When I said the finish looked like charcoal she said it basically was, cuz she made them w/a raku process by which they end up coated in carbon. Sigh.... Sounds hard.

The locket dangle has some found poetry that explains the name. Justifies the name? Translates into the name? Whatever. Focal bead by Grubbi, tribal dangle thing sent to my by Sparrow, and I'm sure she has no recollection of it. I banged it into a flatter sort of thing.

Futility.
Here's one with a pocket watch frame to organize the focal. I havent done a circle under a horizontal line in a while. Pyrite and white beads from Anastasia, tooth and skull by happyfallout, and lovely talisman from a new discovery- Happy Mango Beads. Lots of happiness all around in any case.

Is it too busy? Cuz I kept the necklace part simple. Simple for me. Cuz I'm a complex lady. I'm an enigma wrapped inside... Oh wait, I already made that joke. But I dont' know if this one is trying too hard. Do you know what I mean?

Om Mani Padme Hum.
Oh I'm so ridiculously excited about this one. The graduated row of faceted pastel lovelies from SpiritedEarth. Nugget beach stone from somewhere on etsy. I rubbed it with dirtwax. African sandcast from HappyMango, as well as the long yakbone baby. And then my musketeer from Uruguay.

Everyone was crazy over this ring -->
I made with another figure just like it so I was saving this one for another ring, but it was just too perfect for this. So damned European and dark, it was the only thing that could balance all this tribal pastel.

Squeeee!
In fact I saw a number of these musketeers while I was there, but didn't think I'd need to stockpile. Now that I'm no longer teaching (day job) I'm burning through my haul so fast I'll surely have an excuse to go back much sooner. So next time I'll have to keep an eye out.

Oh! I forgot to tell y'all: 4 days ago was the 3rd birthday of fancifuldevices, my shop and super hero alter ego. Only my dad remembered, cuz I sure didn't. Sweet, hu?

FAQs, Earrings, Ceramic Bead Wonderland

2011-11-16T15:21:00.001-06:00

1- I added a FAQs column, lower left. And below that, a picture of what I actually look like. Did I use the blur tool to make my skin look extra creamy? Did I de-yellow my teeth? Nooooo, of course not! What, what makes you say that?
(Oh but the doggy's jowls are all him. It's why I'm cracking up in the picture.)

Cosmic Escatology.

2- I got a butt load of new earrings to share.Enlightenment is the Absence. There were actually up before and somehow disappeared from the shop, the inactives or the sold section. Anyways, they're back.

Dark Flow.

Cosmic Foam.
Many of the names of these were given to me by HappyFallout, which more about below.

Phantasms.

The Barbary Corsairs. 'Memeber I was saying about more minis in things?

Oh and here's a bracelet:

The End of Greatness.

3- Remember I told you about my new astrophysicist etsybud? Here? Well, I received a package from her in the mail yesterday full of beads she made for me. Let the pictures do the talking because I get choked up.

Charms to dangle from thick steel loops. Couple teeth to freak out Sparrow.

Every imaginable texture and treatment.

All kinds of muted colors. Swoon.

Look at the heavy brushstrokes and pressed-in patterns.

"Inverted gaze of a solipsist."

To save you guys the trouble:

Solipsism- The philosophy claiming that the self is the only thing that can be known to exist.

And yes, this is the reverse.

The big one reads "emperor of entropy." !!!!!!!!!!

Metal stitching here. Razor blade focal

Oh the speckles! The speckles make me forgive the shine entirely. And the blue with the crackle? squeeee!

Dark ones with a particular sheen that makes me ... artgasm. If that's a thing.

See the one will the green crackled glass?

It's reverse side is the main one below-->

So now I gotta chose?

Here's the front and backs of these, though no one can say which is which.

(Note: Crap I forgot to add a link to her shop.)

See how some have a little bit of glass in the recesses? If I understand her notes, those are from seed beads she put in there! Whoda thunk? (Cuz, you know, glass melts in the kiln. Duh.)

OK, so and but well. They came in a bunch of baggies each with a slip of this adorable antique paper. And on the reverse she included a little note on how she got the effect featured in that baggie of beads. Being me, the very first thing I did was to empty out all the baggies into a big pile. So... But it's not like I'm going to be investing in a 3 ton kiln any time soon, so it's ok. In any case, she clearly put a good chunk of time into these, and had a lot of fun experimenting.

Then yesterday she told me the most amazing news. She got offered to (what's the verb?) do/obtain/complete her PhD in Berlin!
Her astrophysicist PhD! And here I'm proud of being able to just spell 'astrophysicist.' I'll sound so worldly dropping that into conversation, though- "So I was talking to my Lithuanian friend who's getting her astrophysics PhD in Berlin..."
I can see me dropping that into conversation at the dog park. While still in my pjs. With my perma-bedhead. While rolling on the ground with the other dogs... I'll sound so worldly.

Supplycandy and tips.

2011-11-15T18:55:00.007-06:00

Recent goodies from here and here.

OK!
I'm all better. I worked out ma pims.
Here's my blogging secret... though I never knew it was a secret til a week ago I mentioned it to Sparrow and Blue Hrr Moind.

'Kay, 'kay: Open one window to your blog 'new post' page. Open another window to your etsy shop or anywhere else on de websicles. Click on your item you wanna blog about. I'm going to pretend you are all me and all wanna blog about whatever you just posted to your etsy shop.

I think Imna cut these down for pendants. Didn't realize they'd be huge. Beads from.

And this.

Click and drag the image right into the blog post you're working on. And there it is. Resize if necessary. Then, click back to your store front or whatever page the item was on. That is to say, the page on which you have to click the thumbnail of the item to get to the item page (?). Click on the title and drag it to your blog post.

Some WIP.

Now, not only do you have the name of the piece, it's clickable, just as it was where you got it from. Anything clickable on the webs can be dragged into yr blog post and continue to be clickable when you publish your post.That is all. I learned this by, well, trying it. Overall a great strategy in life.

These are from here and here.

Here's another "secret"- use eyepins for everything. Forget wire wrapping. Or at least put it aside for a minute. (<-- Here's an example.)

Get an eyepin, put a bead through it, loop the other end, hook it on to something, close loop, repeat. In 2 minutes you'll have a new necklace.
These necklaces are examples. You can click to enlarge.
Heh? eeeh? Whacha think? Clever, no?
Unless you already figured this out yourself in which case you're all "duh!"
Or as my mom says, "Da!" Which means yes in Russian, so that's confusing.

OK. Thems yr tips. On to the next thing

Lookit. Minis to add to necklaces. (from) I've always intended to use more dollhouse miniatures in my work. Also, those chunkachunk pyrite were given to me! By an etsybud and buyer, Anastasia. She sent me a huge box of semiprecious pendants and stuff ages ago. Still haven't used them all.

Also, a new etsybud send me the realest most amazing antique glass eyes. Here is her outdated website. (Sending pressure vibes for her to update it.) Her new stuff is even better! Here's a page of publications, mostly Belle Armoire Jewelry. Click on all the images and keep clicking.

Another eye, more pyrite and druzy from Anastasia, beads from Gaea and Spirited Earth. Oh! and lampwork from here.

Remember my post about these sticks? Both their buyer and seller sent me some!!!

Oh but that's nothing compared to what else I got.

But I'ma hold on to that 'til tomorrow. I'm the blogginest blogger in blog. Blog.

2011-11-14T17:31:00.000-06:00

Hello ladies.

Here's what's new in my shop:
No more reservations! Life is too short. Used to be, though, reservations were no problem. Then, people would buy stuff reserved for others. So I'd have to open my photo editing program and write 'reserved' in a way that was presentable so folks could still see the item and not just a generic 'reserved' image you see sometimes. Cuz I still wanna be able to see the item!

Then, I'd have reserved items sitting there for MONTHS... and people would be all 'Can you just unreserve this and re-reserve that? And remove the shipping fee and describe the origin and molecular composition of each element used in the making of this third listing before I decide whether to reserve it?"
So that's been fun.

Also, no more checks or money orders. While most people who have used checks and money orders have been fantastic customers, the trouble makers ruin it for the rest of us.

I'm still offering layaways with payment in installments but if I don't get one payment per week, I'll have to return the payments thus far minus my etsy and paypal fees.

Wow. I sound bitchy. Da pims, you know.

I'm even slightly upset at people buying up the bangles when all these legitimately nice items into which I've put, you know, thought are just sitting there... Damn you for giving me your money!

Breathe deep... deeper.... pass out from such deep breaths.....

...Go click on cute overload to get sanity back... consider rewriting every word here b/c all your buyers might hate you from now on...

...Decide 'fuck it' which seems to be your go-to lately...

Decide to go make packages. Promise your readership to be back to your old chipper self next time.... Be glad said readership is made up of females who totally understand your mentioning PMS ever 3 weeks or so....

Random Bits Before I Leave Civilization.

2011-11-11T21:24:00.000-06:00

"The choice of professionals worldwide! When mixed into oil colors, this non-yellowing wax and resin mixture strengthens the paint film against shrinkage and cracking, sealing out dirt, air and moisture. Dorland's improves luminosity and clarity of all colors with no chance of muddiness ...." blah blah blah...
I actually have that huge 45 pound drum of it pictured here. See, once upon a time, long before fanciful devices was even a glint in my eye, I had a dream of being an encaustic superstar. Encaustics are a mess and unless you have a whole studio with amazing ventilation, just... ugh.
After all that was over, I still had all the accouterments. I was on Keith Lo Bue's site, the part that described his workshops, and what do I read in the list of supplies to bring? Dirt. So I started rubbing things in dirt but then there was loose dirt all over everything.
In a moment of brilliant brilliance I suddenly remembered this monster jug of goop I had and rushed to mix some with the dirt right out of my avocado tree's pot. (I have this tree my father grew from an avocado pit, like 27 years ago.) From that moment, little by little, I discovered that there's nothing this stuff won't do. Marital problems? Rub some wax medium on it. Only recently, after deciding to reveal my magical wax, did I actually bother reading the label. There I was surprised to find: "Excellent for .... metal objects.... Unexcelled as a protective and permanent sealing medium." So it's not like I discovered a whole anything.
Still doesn't explain why I have the 45 pounder. See, I got this gift certificate... whatever.
I have to go pack. I'm going to Wisconsin for my niece's 3rd birthday. Just writing that I'm overwhelmed with a sense of cuteness. Like the cuteness of turning 3 or something.
So everyone just chill while I'm gone and when I come back I'll tell you more stuff.
While I'm gone here's some clicks to click, all recently discovered via Brown Paper Bag.

Everything in Sabine Timm’'s Flickr is amazing. Check out her beach garbage critters, her mini interiors and her sketchbook.

Collage constructions by Jacob Whibley.

Check out his Flickr.

And this is Dan Rocca

Oh, and a parrot fell in love with this watermelon half.

2011-11-10T16:58:00.000-06:00

OK. This pile I said was spoken for is no longer spoken for. But before any of you speak for it, a warning: it's gonna be expensive. Really. Not because I think this is inherently worth that much, but because of the invisible hand of the market.

Read up on your Adam Smith. (Or don't, really.) It's called capitalism! Supply and demand! Last stack I priced at a whopping $85 took about 10 minutes to sell. So, $90 here we come.

One thing I do notice, if I put it up on the blog before listing it in the shop, you crazy ladies get yourselves all worked up and are chomping at the bit. By the time it's in the shop it has a ... 38.6% higher chance of selling right away. (Percentages makes it sound legit.)

Anyways (I sure say 'anyways' a lot on my blog), I have the colorful bangles. I just need to oxidize the 'filler' bangles, which really do make every stack look better. Just trust me.
But to give you a taste, and get you chomping at the bit like the pack of horses I apparently think you are, here's some eye candy.

It's a gray gray day, so the Sparrow Glow™ might be crapping out on me. But the crazy bright colors make up for it....

As for the comments:

Stregata- RIGHT?!?!? Remember when you were the only one who commented here? And you would always make sure to do so, giving me my needed encouragement... I felt like you were my mom going "Good girl!" And I totally loved it!!!

Dad was once like, "Oh this lady stregata, you can't sneeze without her going 'great job!"

And I'm all, "Remember how growing up you never once said anything I did was any good and just assumed I'd somehow know I was a good person even though all you ever did was criticize and point out my failings? Remember that? So back off my blog mom!"

(My well-meaning pops, science genius but zero people skills.)

Numinosity- aw, shucks. Big XO right back atcha! Thanks for checking in. *feels all warm and fuzzy*.

Yes, Janet, I meant you too. Really! Anyone. Except for the fact that the invisible hand of the market is making these piles expensive and I feel like an asshole charging my blog buddies so much...

SO, with that in mind. I have an assignment for you all.

Step 1- Pick your favorite colorway. Do like me, I do pales, darks, amber/brown/whatevs, or colorful.

Step2- Pull out every bead and bit of torn fabric that even vaguely falls into that colorway that you have no real plan for.

Step 3- Get every bit of wire you can find. Your thick and stiff stuff will be the bangle base. I use steel wire from the hardware store. No, Amth13, no memory wire. I have some, but I'm not going for the wound and tight look but rather the loose and stacked look.

4- String your beads and also charms all willy-nilly. The willy-nillier the better. At least, I think so. Don't worry about balance or anything. Cuz with these, all you need to achieve balance... I mean, what kind of balance are you even talking about? I guess the overall pile will provide its own balance. Balance shmalance.

5- Make a loop at one end of the steel, and then thread your beads through. That should be before step 4, I know. I'm a goof like that.

6- Start the same for your fabric ones, just wrap your fibers and yarns and ripped strips and wind your thinner wire to keep them in place. If the fabric wrap is still sliding all around, thread your wrapping wire through the eye-loop of the bracelet. You can even thread your ribbons through there to keep everything snug. But it's also not necessary.

6.5-Did you cut some of your base wire too short? No prob! Get an eyepin or 2, toss some beads on that sucker, link it to your 2 base end loops.

7- Oh, yeah. You have to finish the other end w/a perpendicular end loop that can hook on to your first end loop. Pull and smoosh a bit to get the bracelet into roundish shape.8- Pull out your bottle of oxidizing serum. Drip some into the bottle cap, dip your handy paintbrush in there and paint it on the ends and all visible wire. Here's a tip- you can get the black galvanized steel from the Hardware store so all that will need darkening are places where you cut or the ridges on your pliers scratched. Especially in the fabric ones where the cloth tends to soak up a ton of the oxidizer and much goes to waste, this is useful. On the other hand, steel is super pokey, so make extra sure to turn your ends into the fabric and poke them in and squeeze your final wraps tightly. Did that make sense?

9- Final step. Actually, you could consider yourself done. Or, you could get a pile of thin bangles as I linked y'all to 3 or so posts ago. You could also do as I do to give your fabrics that old leathery look and smear them with this magical stuff I've never really told you about called wax medium. It's awesome.

I was actually keeping it a secret as something to put in my book if I ever wrote one. Thing is, if I ever do, it'll be years from now since all I want to do now is make. Also, folks will buy that for the pretty projects, not for the amazing secrets revealed. Also, I hate the thought of keeping secrets from... well anyone who bothers to come here... anyways, if you're here you're the people most likely to buy a book from me, so it makes no sense.

OK, wax medium. It's amazing. Use it to seal rusty metal. Use it to age and strengthen fabric. Mix it with dirt from your back yard and shmear it into wire and/or cord wraps to get the look of something that's just been unearthed from an archeological dig and has that sealed-in-grime look. Smear it on top of resin pieces to get rid of the shine! Also glass and glue!!

Then wash your hands with Lava soap. I love my Lava soap!

What else? Oh! I actually gave these a dip in a little canister of water mixed with black acrylic to tone everything down. The bead ones, not the fabric ones. So if your results are too bright, try that.

Phew!

OK, that's enough for now. Petra, I'll give you some blogging cheats and shortcuts next time. I'm spent. Also, if I don't have enough pictures to put between the written bits, many of you seem to space out. Like, I'll probably get several convos going, "Are those bangles I saw on your blog for sale?" And I'll have to be all, "Umm... if you read those little words between the images you'd know that I'm just waiting on the filler bangles which you'd know what those were if you read those little words..." Or better: "Sorry to bother you but I saw these lovely bangles and was wondering if you could tell me how you make them."

And then I'd have to take a good hard look at myself and admit I skim other people little words between the eye candy on their blogs, too.

2011-11-08T16:32:00.000-06:00

Here's the last neutral bangle stack in a while.

Next several will be colorful, seeing as I seem to have made about a million of them.

OK, Kathy, how about this: I will let you reserve a set if it's something you see on the blog before it's listed.

Cuz that's easy for me, and even keeps me from some of the ass-pains of listing. So I'll put up pictures before listing and you can tell me which you want. Or something. (...aaand insert smooth transition here....)

You guys! Do y'all know how much I love you all? How much joy I get anticipating comments and deciding what to post about?

This is my entire social, life, too. I never had friends who liked the stuff I like. So I'm just so thrilled with my travesty of a social life!

And I know I've missed a bunch of questions and stuff along the way. I totally treasure all the comments though, even if I seem to be ignoring them when I'm busy trying to post pix of the new stuff.

Any question I don't address, just ask again. As anyone who's ever asked me for something custom can attest, I respond best to pestering.

Recently I went back through a bunch of comments on my blogger comment page- it's amazing! How much love I get! It's redonk!

I wanna spread it around some more. Start a charity to share love with the unloved.

What else? Never know how to end these thing.

Ta-daaaaa!

(How's that?)