experimetal

EtsyMetal 5th Anniversary Sale!

2011-10-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

"new works!"

by Victoria Takahashi

Many EtsyMetal team members have decided to join together and have a "5th Anniversary sale" for this landmark year. So below I compiled a list of all the shops that will be having some kind of special offer, discount, or free shipping, just use the coupon code "ETSYMETAL" at checkout time!

Have fun looking around!

Event runs Sunday October 16th through Saturday October 22nd

Thanks for visiting!

Victoria Takahashi

*all items in my shop will be 10% off.

(*no discount on reserved lisitngs)

www.experimetal.etsy.com

***

discomedusa http://discomedusa.etsy.com
metalriot http://www.metalriot.etsy.com
Inbar Bareketwww.inbarbareket.etsy.com
markaplan www.markaplan.etsy.com
bcyrjewelry http://bcyrjewelry.etsy.com http://BethCyrWeddings.etsy.com
Juju By Sarah http://www.etsy.com/shop/JujuBySarah
Maria Goti http://mariagotijoyas.etsy.com
wildflowerdegsigns http://wildflowerdesigns.etsy.com
AdobeSol http://AdobeSol.etsy.com
Silentgoddess http://silentgoddess.etsy.com
Shirlee Grund http://shirleegrund.etsy.com
Lichen and Lychee http://lichenandlychee.etsy.com
Under Distress Jewelry http://underdistressjewelry.etsy.com
Hartleystudio http://www.etsy.com/shop/hartleystudio
ReaganHayhurst http://www.reaganhayhurst.etsy.com
Panicmama Jewelry http://panicmama.etsy.com
alisa miller http://alisamiller.etsy.com
LaJoailliere http://lajoailliere.etsy.com
Cynthia Del Giudice http://cynthiadelgiudice.etsy.com
L. Sue Szabo http://www.etsy.com/shop/lsueszabo?ref=si_shop
Erin Austin www.erinaustin.etsy.com
Jennifer Lawler www.jenlawlerdesigns.etsy.com
Michele Grady Designs www.MicheleGradyDesigns.etsy.com
SimplyAdorning www.simplyadorning.etsy.com
NRjewellerydesign www.nrjewellerydesign.etsy.com
Karla Wheeler Design www.KarlaWheelerDesign.etsy.com
Quercus Silver www.QuercusSilver.etsy.com
Kathryn Cole www.kathryncole.etsy.com
Ashley Akers www.ashleyjewelry.etsy.com
Ruby Iacuaniello www.etsy.com/shop/iacua
Sarah Hood Jewelry www.sarahhoodjewelry.etsy.com
Rebecca (Lunasa) www.lunasadesigns.etsy.com/
howlindoggie http://www.etsy.com/shop/howlindoggie
LivelyHood www.LivelyHood.etsy.com

medallions, tongues and a totem!

2011-06-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

"medallions, tongues and a totem"

Here is another handful of goodies I just listed in my Etsy shop :)

As always thank you so much for your support, you all make it possible for me to do what I love to do!

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope you all get to give your poppas big hugs this weekend!

rockin' some RAD rings

2011-06-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

A new round of RAD rock rings

More from the 2010 Ring-a-Day project finally listed,
slowly but surely It's happening...
and dang it feels good!
:D

gesture rings

2011-05-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

1. rad 9 "nine" (on), 2. rad 73 (on), 3. RAD 309, 4. RAD 312, 5. RAD 333 , 6. RAD 334 , 7. RAD 298, 8. rad 17 (on), 9. rad 74 (on)

I am releasing more RAD rings today. It's funny as it feels like there is this never ending abundance of these rings in my house, they are hiding in my studio, on my walls as decoration, hiding in spots reserved for inspirational objects, they are looking at me as I look for them to gather for you, they are everywhere. I will be listing them here in my Etsy shop. Releasing these little oddlet RAD rings are like a big deep breath of fresh air to go with the lovely sunshine around here! Hello Spring!

groupa coppera

2011-04-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

A new group of dark richly patinaed Copper pieces. I love Copper always have and always will continue to do so until the end of my days. And that is my final answer :)

I have listed 2 articulated crows from the Charm Swap 7, my little articulated bird charm prototype, a big Fight not Flight #3 ring, and my Ring a Day #363 small wing ring in my Etsy shop today.

I can finally free these things from my sweaty fisted death grip. Sometimes I just have to emotionally hang onto items for some mysterious reason. If anyone knows the answer to this phenomena please fill me in, I would love to be enlightened so I can change it. I find it kind of tiresome that I cannot let go and detach faster, especially since I am making them with the intent to share with others, doesn't quite make any sense now does it!?

"Have a great day everyone!"

For the love of a nation

2011-04-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

Japan items for donation

I haven't forgotten my promise to myself of trying to continue to help the Japanese people. It is still tearing and ripping at my heart and I want to do what I can however small and insignificant it may seem, it makes a difference I know it can. My friend shared this perfect quote with me today, I think this is exactly what I am trying to say!

"Even though you can't physically see a tree growing, it doesn't mean it's not."

I have made a few more simple bracelets (4) like the first round, they are on a stretchy cord with freshwater pearls and a center piece of coral. And I will be adding a 1.25" Japan button with a graphic that was specially made and generously donated by Nakisha VanderHoeven.

I also have made a new style of bracelet (6) for the cause. It still has freshwater pearls, but I found a neat crackle resin bead and I also handmade Sterling Silver hook and eye clasps for them. These will also include a 1.25" button with your donation/purchase.

You can access my items for donation with this direct link.

"Thank you!"

Donations to KOBO for Japan

2011-03-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

This piece was donated to KOBO of Seattle for their "Artists for Japan" Benefit Sale last weekend.

Yes I am a little slow in posting here, but I at least wanted to tell you of their wonderful news.

KOBO an the community raised over $86k from their benefit sale last weekend, and 100% went directly to the American Red Cross to help Japan! WOOOOOo!

The setup was very cool, the people picked out what they wanted and walked over to a station of computers and they made donations (for the art objects) directly to the Red Cross. It was a very smooth efficient process and it was very well organized.

I thank KOBO for hosting that event, the artists and community for joining together and for the generosity of everyone involved, I just want to say thanks for everyone working together to achieve the same goal, to help others in need, THANK YOU EVERYONE for a beautiful job!

Also donated were some buttons that my good friend Nakisha VanderHoeven drew. I donated the buttons and she made wonderful little white rabbit graphics. I wanted to let you know that Nakisha will be offering button packs with original artwork in her BlueDogRose Etsy shop soon, with 100% of the proceeds being donated to Japan. I am hoping to also make some more bracelets/button packs to be donated as well (soon) I will keep you posted on our progress.

Another raffle held last week by another good friend named Diem Chau of TinyHaus. She has raised almost $7k from her raffle, donated to the Japanese Red Cross. I am so honored to be surrounded by good people! Go Diem Go! Thank you sister :) And thank you all for reading!

A little bit of quartz, mmmm.

2011-03-19T20:50:00.000-07:00

I was able to gather up and make a few goodies last week while I was completely overwhelmed with the news from Japan. As hard as it is for me to imagine their pain, fear and strength with dealing with this situation, I must pull myself from my own fear and sadness as I am actually finding myself getting a bit of anxiety and depression happening, my heart feels tight and I still in shock. I was able to make a handful of simple bracelets to collect donations for the American Red Cross, this kept me busy, feeling productive, and feeling like I am doing something to help, so I am going to continue making bracelets for donation this week as well, and will more than likely always have something in my shop now for donation to the Red Cross for the Japanese. I just do not know what else I can possibly do to help so I will make, blog, network as much as I can for now.

Oh! And I need to shamelessly and proudly plug, that the EtsyMetal team is putting together a really neat raffle to collect funds and as of right now there will be a at least one spectacular charm bracelet for the cause. I will keep you posted as it gets more clearly defined.

Ok a few more mentions of more raffles I have heard of below! Please check them out :)

*EVENTS:

Seattle Kobo sale March 26/27

*RAFFLES:

TinyHaus
RagPets
SewPixie

ParFae
*ITEMS; please see each individuals shop for details:
BlueDogRose Original Paintings
Catherine Chandler
Shannon Conrad
Mark Kaplan
Konstanze of Nodeform
Kathryn Cole
Danielle Miller
Chuck Domitrvich
Erga

Please Help Japan!

2011-03-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have probably heard about the recent natural disaasters that rocked Japan, and also now their not so natural disaster that is happening. I want to try and help in any small way I can. My heart is truly breaking for the people of Japan.

I have made some token of appreciation bracelets for sale in my Etsy shop.
All the proceeds from these sales (minus fees) will go straight to the American Red Cross.
Below are some of my friends and the things that they are offering to help fund Japans' Disaster Relief, THANK YOU !

3-17-11 "update"
I have run out of bracelets and have donated all your monies collected to the AMERICAN RED CROSS in the amt of $134.40! yay, thank you all so much! I will be adding new items in the next couple of days, please do not forget to check back, thanks!

3-17-2011 SEATTLE FUNDRAISER EVENT @ KOBO March 26 & 27!
If interested in donating artwork for sale please go to contact page.
OR if you want to just do some shopping for a great cause and aquire some beautiful new art, then go visit KOBO! "100% of funds collected will go towards Japan aid."

Nakisha of BlueDogRose has created the bunny graphic above. She is selling the originals in her Etsy shop and all the proceeds are being donated. We also will both be offering 1.25" buttons of her bunny images soon.

Diem Chau if TinyHaus is having a raffle! Please see her blog for more information.
2 family portrait sets are up for raffle!? And all the proceeds are going to disaster relief :)

Catherine Chandler is haviong a "Red Cross Sale" in her shop March 14-31. 10% off everything + $10 of every sale goes to the Red Cross.

Shannon Conrad from RubyGirl Is going to donate 20% of the sales of anything from my Kikyo Collection for the month of March.

Mark Kaplan has three pairs of earrings and he is donating ALL the proceeds to either the american red cross or doctors without borders, buyers choose which...

Konstanze from Nodeform says through March 31st, I am giving 10% off rings from The FLOW collection and will be donating 10% of the sales of those rings to "Architecture for Humanity" for reconstruction efforts in Japan.
*Use coupon code FLOW10TSUNAMI to get your 10% off for all rings from the Flow collection only.

Kathryn Cole says 50% of the proceeds from the sale of my cherry blossom bangles and my cherry blossom rings will be donated, ALSO through March 31st, 25% of all other sales in my shop will be to the The Red Cross for disaster relief in Japan.

Danielle Miller has 100% of ALL OF THE PROCEEDS from these earrings will be donated to the American Red Cross: Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund.

Erga will be donating 50% of each sale of this specially made piece to a Japan relief fund for each necklace purchased.

Chuck Domitrovich of DownToTheWireDesigns is offering I am going to give ALL of the proceeds from these earrings to your choice of either Doctors Without Borders or the American Red Cross to help fund their efforts in assisting with the relief effort in Japan.

***Please be careful about internet fraud and donate only to reputable well known non-profit organizations***

*****THANK YOU!*****

Charm Swap 7 has begun!

2011-03-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

Charm Swap 7 has begun and I am working on a articulated bird themed piece this round. I'm just working out all the little design kinks before I dive in and make the 22 pieces. It is a really exciting project for me to be involved in. The best part for me is the anticipation as we watch everyones charms start to evolve into mini works of art! And of course getting the package in the mail and opening the box and touching them all for the first time!

Charms from Swaps 1,2,3,4,5, & 6!

Above are the charms I have made so far for the 6 EtsyMetal team swaps. And below are the teams completed bracelets. Bracelets 1-4 are living in their new homes now and CS6 necklace/bracelet was just listed yesterday! And CS5 Bracelet will also be listed soon!
ALso if you want to keep up on the teams progress with me take a peek here!

Ring-a-Day, The Aftermath.

2011-03-03T16:29:00.000-08:00

Ring a Day Project 2010

Well after making only about 215 rings out of 365 for this online challenge I was enlightened and I was a also bit relieved. Overall I believe in my heart that this was a fantastic learning experience for me and basically I really just had alot of pure darn fun exploring the many facets of what can be constituted as a ring!

What does a girl do with over 200 rings?

She sells some.
She trades some.

She keeps quite a few.
She gifts some to friends.

She submits some for shows.

She promos some for giveaways!!!

She donates proceeds to animals foundations.

She leaves them in random public places, just for fun.

These pieces on the left are the ones that have been listed in my Experimetal Etsy shop, I will be slowly uploading most of them in small batches at a time.

Some of my Ring-a-Day pieces will be featured in the Lark 30 minute ring book (launch April 2010) and Ring a Day project (I think the launch is fall 2011)
I will have a small handful of these that will be in the Ring a Day show held at the Punch Gallery in Seattle, being held in conjunction with the Society of North American Goldsmiths(SNAG) Conference 2011.

And also I have a few select pieces at the Facere Gallery in Seattle.

So yes it has been an exciting year being involved with this project and I feel I have gained so much from participating in this worldwide online challenge, thank you to all who were so supportive and participated through out the year! Bravo!

below are the direct links to the rings I listed today :)

R1030 Little labbie, R1031 Little labbie, R1032 Bunny,

R1033 Ladybug, R1034 Greenie, R1035 Moon eyes,

R1036 Hans, R1037 Phallus.

Blog Carnival: November 2010

2010-11-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

"So what is a Blog Carnival you ask?”

It is EtsyMetal members who write an article on the same topic on the first Monday of each month.

November Topic:
"Business Success Secrets"

What does it mean to you to be "successful" in business as an artist? How do you walk the line between creativity and profitability? What is the best thing you've done for your business?

These were the question asked of us to talk about this month. Well this is another difficult one for me as I do not consider myself "in business." So I will try and describe how I am successful emotionally which makes me feel successful in my heart.

Success for me is not measured in a monetary way at this point in my life. Success is being happy and productive with my artwork and home life, to achieve the feeling of accomplishing something I am proud of really is the bottom line for me right now. I do not consider my jewelry a "business" and to say it out loud right now it really kinda turns me off to think of it in that aspect. I am one of those people who does not make a production line at this time, although perhaps in the future I will take this road again.
I make a few of this and a few of that depending on what I am craving to make at the moment. I know it is not the best way to function by any means for finances sake, but I pay my bills, feed my pets and fill the fridge and I am able to keep my sanity and I am relatively very satisfied with my life.

I am still learning about myself and figuring out and what direction I want to go. I thought I would have it all figured out but I do not. So I am guessing my journey and success in life will be the never ending learning process of growing and learning everyday to become a better person.

"Success for me is having a happy passionate loving heart."

I wish oodles and oodles of success to everyone!

Thanks for visiting me!

Below are other EtsyMetal team members thoughts on this months interesting insights on how other jewelers view this topic!

2Roses

Jenny
Beth Cyr

Twigs and Heather

Purified Bill

Nina Gibson

Nodeform

Gaby / India y a la Luna
Norsola
Stacey Hansen
Elizabeth Scott

Blog Carnival: October 2010

2010-10-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

"So what is a Blog Carnival you ask?”

It is EtsyMetal members who write an article on the same topic on the first Monday of each month.

October Topic: "EtsyMetal & I"

Hi, my name is Victoria Takahashi and I am an addict. OK I'll admit it! I love my street team and what it has done for me. This month's blog carnival for EtsyMetal is in celebration of our 4th anniversary.

Below are 3 questions we were asked to reflect upon and share our thoughts.

When/Why did you join?

I am a founding member of EtsyMetal, I was invited in by Chuck Domitrovich in October of 2006. He actually convinced me to join persuading me with the thought of having a support system within an Etsy based online community of other metalsmiths. He was also the one who convinced me to join Etsy in the first place too!

Is it what you expected?

Both yes and no. I'd have to say it's better than I had expected, I have gotten so much from this group in terms of emotional and technical support, comradery, friendship, accountability, resources, challenges and so much more. We have grown as a group and have had normal growing pains and an innumerable amount of great wonderful moments. We are a work in progress and are learning as we grow and I am honored to be a part of this community.

What does it mean to you to be a part of the team?

It means a lot. For reasons I have mentioned above. To reiterate a little bit deeper, I have met many of our team members in person. If I had not gotten the chance to talk and interact and get to know them in our forum beforehand I would probably never of even crossed paths with most of these people and therefore missed out on meeting some pretty special folks. A very important personal aspect of being on the team for me is I use it as my place to share thoughts and to ask questions and to answer them and help where I can. I also ran the EtsyMetal team challenges committee and that was a very inspiring project to be involved with. Currently I am on a bit of a hiatus from running the challenges committee, as I am trying to work out some time organizations problems, hee hee, so thanks Nina Gibson & Inbar Bareket for taking that on! I have one more thing to add, I personally am not on this team for publicity or advertising, I believe there is a misconstrued public image that that is what the team is about. In my personal experience I find for me that we are more of a personal social network of metalsmiths.

If you want to find out more about EtsyMetal or how to sign up for the bi-annual jury please go to this link!

And please see some more team members' response to this months topic! "Thank You!"

catherine chandler

danielle miller jewelry
inbar bareket
wildflower designs
discomedusa
nina gibson designs
bcyr jewelry

Blog Carnival: September 2010

2010-09-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

"So what is a Blog Carnival you ask?”

It is EtsyMetal members who write an article on the same topic on the first Monday of each month.

September Topic: Back To School

Where did you go to school? "Seattle."
Are you still a student? "Always, I am a student of life."
What kind of student were/are you? "Excellent."
If you had the opportunity to go back to school, would you? "Eagerly"
Where would you study? "Wherever it took me."
What would you study? "One of my main passions and curiosities would lead me towards an artistic creative education like graphic design, product development, painting, sculpting and fashion design. Other top choices would include archeology, astronomy, science, ethology and psychology. If you know me I am a question ask-er, constantly asking and wondering "why" things are, so I think this is why the science aspect is so interesting to me. There are many more "art and creative" interests I have but these were the first that came to mind.
Sorry this months blog carnival post is a bit short! I REALLY love what I do now and I feel secure that I would not have any problems finding another outlet if I felt the need to expand, but at the present I am happy and satisfied and not done exploring my current love.Thanks for checking in!

Below are other EtsyMetal members thoughts about school!

Jenny Baughman

Beth Cyr

Thomasin Durgin

Danielle Miller

Kathryn Cole

Kostanze

Caitlyn Davey

Stacey Hansen

Ann Hartley

Project Runway: Season 1: Episode 1:

2010-08-07T21:27:00.000-07:00

Oh here we are again for Project Runway Season 8!

See the first episode on MyLifetime here.

We hear it is going to be a very emotional dramatic season per the gossip forums, and I hope hope hope the challenges are more like the older PR seasons, more wacky wacky please! I will be crossing my fingers every week! SO, a little birdie gave us (EtsyMetal team) a heads up on what the first challenge was going to be, so it gave us 2 extra weeks to prepare. On the show, the challenge was to:

"The designers must use a garment from another designer's suitcase to create a new look." SO we had members sign up and submit scrap metal they wanted to give up and we drew names. We traded and we all gave new life to someone elses scrap, we recycled their garbage into new wonderful pieces of jewelry! I will be blogging for the team as all the pieces roll in and I will add a link here as soon as it is done.

I drew jewelry designer Kira Ferrer, she gave me 3 water casting drops and 2 panels of sheet with soldered wire on it. I didn't have a game plan at all before I started and was hoping the pieces would reveal themselves to me. I took her water drops and smashed them with a hammer to start the flattening process, then I put them into my rolling mill to get a smooth uniform finish. When I pulled them out I saw very unique beautifully inspiring patterns! I then held them and pondered for a long time. I then thought I would bezel set them. I made the bezels and then it all slowly fell into place, I just kept seeing flowers, I wanted them to be a set, so I kept all the concept the same but worked with each as an individual. I am very happy with how they came out. I also have started on the 2 panels she gave me, they will be earrings and I will post them here as soon as they are finished :)

8.10.10

"Oh My God, It's a Double Rainbow"

earrings are done!

Two pairs! I sawed apart the panels Kira gave me and I have had that hilarious video from YouTube on my mind since I saw it, I sit and giggle evreytime I hear it in my head, so to honor him and make perfect use of Kira's scrap I made these earrings! I hope you watch the video, it takes a bit to load but it is really funny, supposedly he is not on any drugs, hard to believe but makes it even more cuter than ever than! here is the video link to... "Oh My God, It's a Double Rainbow"

NEXT weeks Episode 2: "Larger than Life!"

*see My Lifetime video here.
The Project Runway Challenge: The designers were asked to create a look that defines the Marie Claire woman. The winning look will be featured on a "billboard" in Times Square.
The EtsyMetal Translation: To make a mini billboard, use a base of 1 x 2" inches of any material and build your piece on or around this rectangle shape!

See you next week! Thanks for visiting my blog :)

Little Bounty of Booty coming!

2010-08-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

A very small offering this week so far. I am particularily fond of the triptych of three flowers I have been working on for the last 2 days. They were from my first Project Runway Challenge this week, yes I am late these were due yesterday, oops. I will be blogging on it soon, gotta run!

thanks for peeking in!

Blog Carnival: August 2010

2010-08-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

"So what is a Blog Carnival you ask?”

It is EtsyMetal members who write an article on the same topic on the first Monday of each month.

*the picture below is from the Sockeye 2009 Salmon season, Sara and David of NakNek Seafood brought back this booty of roe for me and boy was my family in heaven, it will be a famous food year to remember for sure, thank you!

August Topic: Food for Thought...

...as the sun gently sets it illuminates the frozen soon to be delicious golden orbs...

...as I watch and wait anxiously for the thawing to end...

...alas! it is time to season to perfection!

...now waiting in anticipation for the golden orbs to orgasmically pop between my teeth ....

"What do you eat?" I love most foods, I love salty-savory goodness and garlic. If I could eat just one thing every day and it was nutritionally complete, I would eat Salmon eggs, roe, Ikura, caviar every day all day! But being as it is all fatty oil, I think I would go into cardiac shock and look like a giant oily fish egg :) Homestyle recipe is simply to prepare it by just separating off skien, then adding lemon, shoyu and salt, marinate 1 day. I will get my homestyle Ikura tutorial up soon on the Takasissies Blog. If you need the recipe info sooner just email me!

So moving along, hmm, I love almost all seafood, raw, cooked and sometimes even living, hence a lovely Kumamoto oyster now and then! I LOVE vegetables, mostly greens like kale, mustards, chard, I also love beans, sprouted Mung beans with black mustards seeds oh my! I am getting so excited thinking about all these yummies now its hard to define favorites, but I will go on. Excuse me for being a bit scattered but there are so many lovely foods to think about! The picture on the left is a home grown Shiso leaf with a pat of rice and a generous dollop of homestyle prepared Ikura. So I love rich foods, but seafood and greens would have to top my list!

"What won't you eat?"

I will not eat Natto. Nope, never again, ew...

okay IF I was starving I might. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this Japanese food here is a "description of Natto." Ok on the positive side I think it is kinda classified as a superfood, BUT what you cannot tell from the pictures is the smell, (sour-cheesy-slimy-putrid-feet-times 1000) you cannot feel the texture, did I mention the smell? ok enough, I apologize to the Natto lovers out there may you be forever healthy and strong. The picture on the left was ironically taken exactly 1 year ago when I first smelled and tasted it!?

I will not knowingly eat eyeballs, penis, balls, colons, stomachs, brains of any animal OR anything that is wiggling, I have to draw the line somewhere. The New Years Day fish, someone always eats the eyeball. Its supposed to be an honor. No thank you. Here is a not so funny at the time story. My cousin had the NYday party at her beautiful house as usual, and one of my second cousins prepared and endless supply of the best tasting chicken nuggets I have ever tasted, everyone was gobbling them up and havind a great old time, near the end of the evening it was revealed that these amazing nuggets were not chicken at all, hmmm. Well it was delicous at the time and knowing now what they were I prefer not to eat that part of a bull. Some people were definately angry, I was a bit of a nasty joke but, I can say now I've eaten "Rocky Mountain Oysters or Cowboy Caviar." Again, moving along now...another little factoid is that I do not eat sweets like cakes, cookies, pies and candy. I can/will eat it but if I have a choice I prefer not. Well let me rephrase, I DO like some unique pieces of candy usually not your common american variety, and sometimes a slice of (salted) watermelon once in a while can be nice, but shoving a candy bar in my mouth is not even slightly appealing to me, and did I mention part of it has to do with the sticky factor..... I'm a bit sticky-phobic. :)

"Do you suggest any interesting pairings?"

It must be one of those weird taste-melding things, but I LOVE eating Sprouts and Fish, it mixes together and makes a unique almost metallic flavor, an unusual little flavor I found I liked.

Oh another I discovered last summer was to take a Tsukemono pickled Shiso leaf and wrap it around a cold piece of sweet corn on the cob, yum!

Then there is Tobitoes (my friend Carter came up w/this cute name) It is a dish that is usually served at my families potluck parties. It is mashed Potatoes, Cucumber, cooled and add BestFoods mayo, splash of seasoned rice wine vinegar and Tobiko, if it is around the holidays you can make it festive and buy red and green Tobiko! Otherwise I just use the normal orange. Creamy, slightly sweet and salty goodness!

I could go on but I must stop now! You can find some recipes on the Takasissies Blog, and I will be adding recipes there hopefully this summer I have been saving up lots of pics as I learn to make new foods!

Personal favorites:

Also I need to add this, it may be a tad bit wierd and strong for most, but if you love garlic then this might be for you! I just love it and cannot get enough when I make it, it is fried Elephant Garlic slices! Slice and fry in oil with salt until golden brown, note that they will stiffen up like bacon after you pull them out of the pan and stick onto a paper towel to soak up the extra oil, then voila eat like potato chips! yum!

OK! ok ok ok, just one more favorite, "Shishamo!"

You can order it in a variety of ways but my personal favorite is deep fried, no batter added. Shishamo is a little fish(smelt?) that is heavy with eggs, as you can see in the picture. As far as I know they usually are thrown in the fryer frozen. And they always have eggs in them.

Latest discoveries:

Takana Roll @ Sushiland, it is pickled Mustard Greens maki sushi roll. I just bought a little can of pickled mustard greens to try out I hope they are good!

Kale chips: dehydrated with red bell pepper, garlic, cashews, nutri-yeast and other goodness. If you get the opportunity to try these somehow I highly reccomend it!

Double D Meats: has this incredible Brie, it comes in at random to my butcher and is cut from a giant wheel, it is packaged there in house, there is no info on the label, very inexpensive, and it is the most amazing brie I have had locally yet! Sadly is that they are always out! Its probably best they are always running out. :)

"What is your favorite studio snack?"

This is a hard one because while I work I cannot be touching greasy foods, I really do not like to eat with my hands because of obvious reasons. So usually I pick at dried pickled ginger and salted dried plum we call sourballs. It is kind of considered a candy maybe, but it is not really sweet, more of a snack, but really too salty to be considered a food snack. Something you can pick on tiny bites with very strong flavor. Which reminds me, I am out of both right now! Natural Style Beef Jerky is also an easy studio snack for me. I love to eat Vlasic Dill Pickle Sunflower seeds while walking the dogs, but I have not mastered the "mouth only" technique and cannot eat them in the studio, maybe someday!

So I do not eat in my studio much. My favorite drinks are an Italian soda without cream. I make it with a splash of Monin syrup, and Club Soda with a tiny drop of Peppermint extract over ice with a straw! These are my current favorite flavors, Lavender, Jasmin and Rose. If you have a Cash & Carry in your area they have wide selection and cost right under $5 a bottle.

Ok this is all I have time for I could go on forever and ever, tee hee hee :) Here is a link to my Flickr Yummy Food File if you want to take a peek at more (tr)eats!
Thanks for reading I hope you had fun here, below are some team members that have blogged on the same subject this month, thanks for reading and have a great day and eat lots of great food!

nina gibson

stacey hansen

thomasin durgin

inbar bareket

lauren anabela beaudoin

maria whetman

beth cyr
cynthia delgiudice

ann hartley

caitlyn davey

Work of Art: Jewelry Challenge: Season 1: Episodes 1-7

2010-08-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Work of Art aka "WOA" is a new (hopefully continuing) television series that is airing its first season here in 2010. It runs along the genre of Project Runway but is directed towards all medium artists instead of fashion designers. I have been hosting this project with my fellow EtsyMetal team members and it has been a very fun exciting challenge so far, it seems we are able to translate the shows challenges to make them jewelry related quite nicely. Currently we are on Episode 8: "Opposites Attract" to be due on August 5th. Below are the first 7 episodes I participated in. To see ALL the groups pieces please go to the EtsyMetal blog. Most of these pieces will eventually be for sale in my Etsy shop.

1. Episode 1- Self Reflexive, 2. Episode 2: The Shape of Things to Come, 3. Episode 3: Judging a book by its Cover, 4. Epidode 4- Sticker Shock! a>, 5. Epidode 5- Art That Moves You, 6. Epidode 6- Open to the Public, 7. Epidode 6- Open to the Public-pt 2, 8. Episode 7- Childs Play

Episode 1: Self Reflexive

"The artists size up their competition and are randomly put into pairs for their first elimination challenge. They learn that after only one night together, their mission is to create a piece of art that captures the essence of a fellow competitor."
"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation"
After you get your partner, you will each take your perception of thier essence and create a piece that Is YOU but reflects something you feel about them. I drew Bijougirl's name! She makes beautiful jewelry. I have not ever met her in person but she is my fellow team member. Her work feels romantic, feminine, graphic and palyful. She uses flowers often in her pieces, so this aspect really stood out for me and I chose to make some flowers to reflect her feminity and a symbol she uses often.

Episode 2: The Shape of Things to Come

Title "Amblyopic Opera Glasses"

"For their second challenge, the artists are taken to an appliance graveyard filled with televisions, toaster ovens, and an array of broken electronics. Using the trash heap as their canvas, the artists are charged with transforming one man’s trash into another man’s piece of art."

"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" Participants should take a old electronic found object and incorporate it into thier piece, OR if you do not want to use alt materials then feel free to just use the idea of one for inspiration!

Episode 3: Judging a Book by its Cover
The contestants meet the President and Publisher from one of the largest book publishers in the world, who guides them through the impressive history of the marriage of art and literature. For their elimination challenge, the artists are charged with creating innovative cover art for a classic novel.
"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" This week choose between list of the sevenbooks below and make a representation of the book. Pretend it will be the jewelry piece that is sold along with the book when it launches. Something that reperesents characters or the book idea in general. "I chose Alice in Wonderland-Through the Looking Glass".

Episode 4: A Shock to the System

Title "Sticker Shock"
The challenge for the contestants was to make a shocking piece of art.
"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" Exactly the same as the contestants but interpreted into a piece of jewelry.
This week I decided to make a play with words, on the show most everyone did a sexual or grotesque theme. I felt that would of been way to easy and I really didnt feel insoired by the theme so I took another direction. In my Etsy shop I listed this simple ring for $1000, I took a screen shot and left it for a few weeks until someone flagged me and I had to take it down per terms of use policy with Etsy. It was fun while it lasted!

Episode 5: Art That Moves You

Title "Fuel Injected"

In this episode the contestants are given a fleet of cars and told to drive them through New York City, ultimately arriving at the Audi Forum. An artist’s city often serves as a source of inspiration, and for their elimination challenge, the artists must create a piece of work that is reflective of their experience driving through the streets of Manhattan.

"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" Please make a piece that involves "cars" somehow!
"For this challenge my dear sweet partner says, "why don't you make an engine?" I said, "No." So he begins to show me all these car parts and I stop him when I see these freaking gorgeous Hilborn fuel injector stacks. Please let my heart be still, I do not think I did these beauties any justice but they definitely were all my inspiration for this piece. Their wonderful shapes is a favorite of mine so how could I not indulge? The little stacks in my ring wriggle around in the setting. Materials: Sterling Silver, Oxidized and Fabricated"

Episode 6: Open to the Public

"EtsyMetal Charm necklace"
In this episode 6, The remaining artists are challenged to create a large-scale, outdoor installation piece. The artists must put egos aside and collaborate effectively in order to create a public art masterpiece in just two days. The challenge culminates in a public viewing.
"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" For this episode we asked participants to all make a charm, these charms are being mailed to me as we speak. These charms will be put onto a handmade charm holder and the be available in our "public" EtsyMetal Team shop. *Click here to see the charms!

Episode 7: Childs Play

Title "The ModernMacaroni"

The artists find themselves in the Children’s Museum of the Arts, filled with finger paint portraits and crayon collections. Their challenge is to create a work that is symbolic of the moment their artistic expression began, using only kid-friendly materials to create an adult masterpiece.

"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" Last week we asked our team members to create a piece that has some personal connection and representation to their childhood.

For this challenge I was kind of stumped. I could not really pin down a pivotal point in my childhood where I decided I wanted to be an artist or anything like that. I have many memories of just always creating while I played, making dirt roads and towns for my Tonka trucks (I did not play with dolls), melting crayons with a magnifying glass into pools of swirling colors on the patio, building crazy contraptions just to turn the light off from my bed using string and eye screws, contraptions to dump beads on your head if you snuck into my room unannounced. I just liked to draw and make things. Feels pretty much like what I do now! So this little modern macaroni necklace is an iconic symbol for every ones childhood. I think it may be the one thing almost most of you can remember making as a youngster? So I took the easy way out and made the familiar for everybodys amusement and memories.

Next Week Episode 8: Opposites Attract

The artists are paired and must create works about opposing forces:

Heaven and Hell

Male and Female

*
Order and Chaos

"EtsyMetal Jewelry Translation:" For this episode we are asking our team members to make a piece that depicts both opposing forces, pick one of the three pairings!

2010-07-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

I'm in the mood for love and...

Labradorite!

I have been missing using my favorite stone something fierce, and I have had several requests lately to make some pieces with Labradorite. So they have inspired me to sit down and do it! So hopefully by the end of next week I will be posting bunches of earrings and perhaps a few necklaces that are Labby inspired for those of us who adore this stone, thank you!

8.02.10

Ok its taken me a extra long time to get my meager little offerings up into my shop. I hope to be making some major labradorite pieces coming up soon, I didn't quite satisfy the labby urge and I got a little sidetracked as we are doing double-duty Jewlery Challenges fopr the next 3-4 weeks. It is one of my small addictions this last year, it keeps my creativity in motion. So I'm just sayin' I'm not done yet!!!! hee hee hee....

Thanks for looking!

"getting a bit caught up"

2010-07-08T18:04:00.000-07:00

"...and having way too much fun in the process..."

Ahhhhhhh... today is beautiful, sunny and hot! a pleasant surprise as I have not been watching much TV if any lately. I have been working hard and making lots of goodies for friends, my Etsy shop and I also just started back up doing a new WOA jewelry challenge with my EtsyMetal street team. I am feeling all charged up a bit lighter and a bit happier today, the sun does wonders for my spirit!

1. N928 , 2. E932, 3. R926 , 4. B927, 5. Not available, 6. B931, 7. E929, 8. B927 B931 shown worn, 9. N930

Above are some new pieces I will be added to my Etsy shop today!

Have a beautiful day my friends!

Blog Carnival: July 2010

2010-07-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

"So what is a Blog Carnival you ask?”

It is a group of EtsyMetal members who write an article on the same topic on the first Monday of each month.

July Topic:

"If I couldn't make jewelry, what would I be doing instead?"

("If I wasn't making jewelry, what would I want to do instead?")

I noticed there was the word "couldn't" in there. So this would probably mean I was broken in some way and I don't think this was the exercise intended. So I will think, "If I wasn't making jewelry, what would I want to do instead?"
Ok, so if I had to make a career change now for whatever reason, it would depend on the reason, but lets say its a midlife job/passion change? Well after walking away from my computer just now to think a bit, I've thought about what I was interested in before I started creating jewelry. I was very interested in Graphic Arts. I think ultimately I just want to be a designer. Of what? I do not know. But the fun addicting part to me is coming up with the ideas. When I was around 12 I wanted to use my art to get into possibly the advertising or product development aspect, I was young but thought this might be a way to love what I did for a living. I felt so much pressure and had no idea what I really wanted to do when I grew up, it was actually a really hard place for me to be at and was a big internal battle... Then instead of getting the guidance I should have I became a teenager, everything as I knew it flipped-upside-down-inside-out-and-all-around and here I am now, here I am thinking and reminiscing about where my life might of gone, and where it still can!

I always say half seriously that I would have fully devoted my life to the humane treatment of animals. I feel that my life has taken many turns which did not lead me down that path, but I know in my heart it is something that brings up an emotion that rips my soul out. I think for me it is about all the unnecessary suffering and pain caused by the greed of some humans. I eat meat, I wear leather. I am just as lazy as the next person. I am not perfect by any means. But it still hurts. So I guess I am a bit of a hypocrite, this exercise was the simple question and if I could start over (or had to) I could probably sacrifice my life for this cause.....

Thanks for reading, and please do not comment and debate about animal rights and write any negativity in my post, it will be deleted. I am not writing to open any can of worms on the subject, thanks.

Also please see more blog carnival entries from my fellow EtsyMetal team members below!

Thomasin Durgin/MetalRiot

Ann Hartley/HartleyStudio

Brooke Medlin

Maria/Fluxplay

Stacey Hansen/WildflowerDesigns

Inbar Bareket

Beth Cyr

thank you....

2010-06-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

"...you have waited quietly for so long... you teach me very valuable lessons...."

I just want to take a minute to appreciate all the patient, supportive and kind people in my life, as you are teaching me how to be patient, supportive and kind. All the nice things people have done for me, you’re teaching me how to be more giving to others as well. And the ones that are there for me when I really need to talk, (you know who you are) you make me feel emotionally safe and teach me also how to listen when others need to talk.

I am very grateful today for the wonderful people in my life and for all the things the universe has provided me with.
And I really just wanted to say,

"Thank you, and I hope you have a wonderful day!"

Blog Carnival: June 2010

2010-06-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

"So what is a Blog Carnival you ask?”

It is a group of Etsy Metal members who write an article on the same topic on the first Monday of each month.

June Topic: "Studio Mascots"

"I am pleased to intoroduce you to some of my closest friends and confidants!"

This months topic wanted us to describe who if we had any studio mascots. Well of course I do...Doesn't everyone? The collection you see above is my view from my bench where I sit, they are on my window sill. There are more scattered about but these little ones I like to keep together as they can be a handful when they get in one of thier moods. They seem to get really excited if I am hammering alot and then they start to cliff dive. It is kinda funny but really annoying as they always get stuck and I have to stop what I'm doing and retrieve them or else they sit and cry! I think they like the attention, sigh.... Now the monkey on the left, boy is he a stinker. He was supposed to be adopted to a friend of mine but they never came to get him so he stayed with me and now I am kind of sorry that I just didn't go and drop his bannana butt off on thier doorstep late at night. We have come to a manageable relationship now, but sometimes I swear!....

I seem to aquire alot of little friends, they find me when I go on walks, gifts from friends and strangers, and on my travels I always try and bring a new member home with me and many other mysterious ways they DO come into my like often and I welcome them always with open arms.

They watch over me when I work, they tell me stories, sometimes they even beg to be included in a piece I am working on, who am I to say no to one of my little friends. Sometimes I send them off to a friend in need of a little cheering up, or if they are really bad I will leave them possibly in a bathroom to be picked up by some naughty child at some random business , that will show em! This is thier purpose for me. Inspiration, secrets, smiles and companionship.

Have a great day and if your interested in reading more please see the EtsyMetal members blogs below!

Ann Hartley

2 Roses

Nina Gibson

Stones & Bones Girl

2010-06-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

stones ♥ bones

Hi! I just made a tiny batch of Stones & Bones last week. And was barely able to get them listed, as my grumpy computer is being so difficult! I have been planning new ideas with new treasures and tools, working on my new destash-shop called ExperimeNtal and Spring gardening is here! So I am really excited at being busy! I am picking up lapidary equipment and an extra jewelry bench today (for my friends to come over and play with me) and something also very special that I am going to hold out on from telling anyone just yet!

I started my yearly Shiso (Green Perilla) plants and they are having a very slow start but I am very hopeful they will keep coming up as the conditions become more to thier liking. I may have made a mistake and used my 2008 seeds. I am aiming to have 30 plants this year, enough to share with my family and favorite sushi chefs in town. If you are interested you can buy the seeds from the Kitazawa Seed Company. If you are in the Pacific Northwest area its not too late to start them still! It's so worth it if you love to eat Shiso. If you want to see my progress from previous years you can peek here. People say it is hard to grow, it is, but I suspect they just need patience and the perfect temperature conditions, and once it starts it grows fast! Also in Seattle you can find the seeds at Uwajimaya in the Spring time.

Bye for now and thank you for reading!

I am "happily" running off to pick up my new tools and machines today!

"insert jumping for joy movement here!"

somethings old, somethings new, adieu~adieu!

2010-05-08T00:08:00.000-07:00

~Adieu Adieu a sweet farewell to you~

As another week goes by another group of goodies are leaving the nest. And I as well am leaving the nest to fly across the country to see a beautiful little place called Elmira.

I will keep my Etsy shop open, but will stop shipping from May 11th to the 20th and will resume any shipping on the 21st. Thank you so much for your support and happy words!

N908 "I'm So Blue"
Project Runway Challenge
Season 6: Episode 7: "Blue"

"Blue" was created for a EtsyMetal Jewelry Challenge. Our challenge that week in October 2009 was to make a piece of jewelry that incorporated the color blue in it somehow. This is a found blue feather that I bound onto a piece of enamelled cooper with a fine silver scroll design. Then I made a fine Silver bezel and used a piece of slide glass and carefully set it on top to honor the creature who wore this feather. Read more here...

N909 "True Love"
Project Runway

Season 7: Episode 4:

"Design Your Heart Out"

This weeks EtsyMetal jewelry challenge was about The American Heart Association, they asked the designers to design gown to be worn at an AHA and Campbell’s sponsored social function. Therefore, we asked our designers to make a piece of jewelry using "the heart" as inspiration. I decided to try and make a classic antiqued Valentine style, with a modern twist. I pierced and cut out the base design from the Copper sheet, then I made the heart, I cut and formed its puffy shape. I then torch fired enameled a rough-hewn surface on the entire piece, then placed all the components in their place. Oh and on the back there is a secret Sterling Silver "true love" hand stamped. Read more here...

E910 "Raggedy Ann's"
Project Runway

Season 7: Episode 2:

"It's all about the Burlap"

This challenge was a crazy one for me. I was quite stumped by this material. I managed to squeak out barely in time a small pair of earrings for this challenge and I now affectionately call the Raggedy Ann's. They Burlap is bound in between Sterling discs with thread and the edges were dipped in dye. They hang from simple fabricated Sterling ear wires. Read more here...

R911 "Torri Gate"
This little guy is a special piece. It originated from the Ring-a-Day project. I cannot spill all the beans yet, but this was special prototype. It is made of 12 gauge Sterling Silver band, a 4 gauge Copper rod, and has been oxidized to an antiqued finish. I call it Torri gate as the form reminds me of all the iconic shapes of Asian temples and gates...

N912 "I've got a heart on for you"

This little red enameled heart is on a delicate Sterling chain. It has little glass beads that have been torch fired and fused to the surface. You may have remembered using this slumping technique when you were in summer camp?

N913 "Meow"

I made kitty jewelry for my veterinarian at one time. I have never worn it, but saved it in my keeps box. I do not have a kitty anymore, so I was hoping she could be adopted to a good home and get the love she deserves. She is made from black frosted seed beads on beadalon wire with a handmade Sterling clasp. The Sterling pendant has a domed back with a sitting kitty silhouette.

E914 "Flowered"
I was just playing like I like to do and made these upside down Sterling Silver flowers. They will simply swing and shimmer lightly from your luscious lobular lobes.
Tee hee hee ok I am being silly now, but you get the idea!

E915 "Slinky"
These earrings have 5 delicate rings soldered to each side. They have a shiny gunmetal finish on the Sterling Silver. There are 2 generous drops of clear Quartz hanging from each.

E916 "Cluster"
More drops of the clear Quartz that I love so much, they remind me of liquid and I just love how they can illuminate and feel so watery! These have chain bits w rings on the ends to add fun and bunchiness to them.
They have a shiny gunmetal finish on the Sterling Silver.

N917 "A Bird in the Hand"
I love birds. I love the proverb that is associated with this piece. It is basically saying, be happy with what you already have.
I am forever grateful for my life and the special people in it. This is a great reminder for me to be thankful. It is a Copper bird with 2 leaves that stand for "2 birds in a bush" on a oxidized Sterling Silver chain.

N918 "Wings"
To fly with to be free to walk as light as air...These are my favorites this week. The chunkiness of shape, the blend of silver added with the Turquoise just make me very happy. These are Sterling Silver and Turquoise.

N919 "Not Your Ordinary Doily"

This piece I would have to say is my antonym-interpretation of something feminine, delicate and clean otherwise known as a doily. It is fabricated of Copper and Sterling Silver which has been oxidized for this lovely ancient antiqued look.

Blog Carnival: May 2010

2010-05-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

"So what is a Blog Carnival you ask?”
It is a group of Etsy Metal members who write an article on the same topic on the first Monday of each month.

May Topic: "Motivation"
This is a huge topic. Not as innocent as it seemed to be when I said, oh, this will be an easy one... not.
I will be attacking this with a who what and where approach.
Ok, let the soul searching begin!

1. Who: I think about the question of who, I come to the realization it is not only me and my inner need to make things, conquer design puzzles and to find an appealing solution to find visual balance. It is also to receive validation from my family and friends from a job well done; the people who's opinions mean so much to me. This is "the who” that I work for besides myself.

2. Why: Because it is the only thing that I love to actually do, my art. I love to make things, to create. It is my only real passion. The feeling when I make something I love is priceless to me, and then to have someone else love it too is just an amazing feeling and emotion to experience.

3. Where: I used to think I needed to be alone, the quiet, no drama, and perhaps I was tired of driving back and forth to my former studios.... And maybe the grass is greener on the other side. However, this year I am feeling reminiscent and I think I miss being around other creative spirits. I miss the unusual energy in my soul it used to give me... maybe it was a subtle form of being accountable, I cannot really explain, but I can compare, being in both situations on and off for many years I can appreciate "BOTH" situations. Today I long for the company of other artists physically around me. Working online only now changes the atmosphere a lot and it is a brand new playing field, I am slowly adapting and reevaluating my new life and my current needs.

4. When: I think I am most motivated to work in the evening. BUT. I am currently trying to change this habit. See ramblings here...

5. How: The obvious is personal fulfillment and then you have the ol’ pesky financial needs, the need to survive really makes a great motivator to work at times!

Below are more member's thoughts on motivation!

Nina Gibson

Stacey Hansen
Danielle Miller-Gilliam
Maria Whetman
Ann Hartley / HartleyStudio
Beth Cyr
2Roses
Brooke Medllin

Please say hello to round 3!

2010-04-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

So I am sporting "round 3" of my Spring purging session! I am letting go of 3 more pieces from the Project Runway series I xxx in for the last couple of seasons. And I just have to tell someone, this feels darn good to be letting go! Its very liberating. I tend to hold on to things, but I suppose it is my slow process of letting go when I'm good and ready to. I swear I am getting better at it. My father says to me all the time, I cannot take it with me when I die so I might as well let it go." ...well, yah, but....

Season 7: Episode 1 "Five"

Flickr photos

Etsy listing

Challenge description:

This week's challenge was a little vague to me. Tim Gunn asked the designers to run and grab as much Mood fabric they could in 3 minutes. Then he said, "Now only pick 5 of them that you love, and make something that represents and speaks about you and your style."

For some examples some ideas were to use 5 stones, patterns of 5, the actual number 5, what does 5 mean to you? Does 5 have any special significance to you?

At the time I was kind of stumped by that weeks theme, I began thinking that this would be easy, well, after sanding all my finger tips off I have a "Five" to share with you. I went to the rudimentary basics of this challenge and literally made a 5. I fabricated a large hollow form made of Copper. I then oxidized it and left a soft warm finish." Measurements: h 1.5/8" x w 7/8" x d 3/8".

Season 7: Episode 3 “The Metropolitan Museum of Art”

Flickr photos
Etsy listing
Challenge description:
This is a very exciting challenge! We were asked to browse around the infamous “Met” and find a piece of art that inspired us, and to then make our own personal interpretation of a classic piece from anywhere in their archives, it could be a past or present exhibit or something from their permanent collection. I found more than one! but I narrowed it down to this odd little find. It is Untitled and dated 1844 *see it here and is of American or European descent, and is made of Coral. It was a gift from Mrs. Edna S. Crawford, 1945. Accession Number C.I.45.32.7a–c

This piece was inspired/interpreted by the odd little simple object with no name and no description. It was made of Coral and little pillow sachets I believe from what I could see from the photos. I made a sort of talisman charm necklace because I thought the objects were some form of protection because of the sachets. Materials: Sterling Silver, Copper, Topaz and Coral.

Season 7: Episode 7 “Hardware Store"

Flickr photos
Etsy listing

Challenge description:

The challenge was to create a look that the components were found from a hardware store.
So I made the Washer Envy Necklace. I kept it simple. On the show, there was a horrific hot pink string washer bathing suit made. I love washers and felt they were misrepresented and misunderstood, so i felt the need to make this piece to honor the "washer" and its sweet perfectness as individual roundly-object-thingamajigs. So I wanted to be able to show them in all their simple beauty. Materials: Sterling Silver chain, Steel, Brass, Oxidized.

Spring has Sprung!

2010-04-28T00:56:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, the mornings at my place have been wonderfully quiet and very productive! and my cup fulleth of creamy coffee... I have been trying to switch over to an earlier schedule, as I think this may relieve that sense of not enough time in the day. On one hand I love to sleep, morning sleep to exact, the sleepy warm snuggly cozy drunken slumber in and out of consciousness is my bliss... Another pro is being up early I accomplish a lot more in a day and feel quite proud of myself, so is the self worth better than the self indulgence? Ok so of course there is the con side. I also love to be up in the late evening as the world is quiet and there is no reason for me to leave the house, no pressure to have to run errands, it's lovely. But since I can't have it both ways I will keep on trying out this new early thing.

But right now as I write I am being really naughty, I am up again in the late evening hopefully not sabotaging my new schedule! OK, I am so excited I just had to post. I have been very productive and have been making earrings and having alot of fun! I wanted to let you all know they are now in my Etsy shop.
I miss feeling this sense of accomplishment. I think I was feeling a tiny bit blue this winter season, but finally I am feeling more energized and happy as the days are brighter, warmer, longer and the sun is starting to shine again, spring is here and the planting is about to begin!

Hello Spring!

Turquoise Swing earrings

Swinging Sweet Bluebird Earrings

Delicate Rings

Little Labbies

Labradorite Rain earrings

Long Double Shielded Stone earrings

Sea Fan earrings

Olive CZ Drop earrings

Rayna earrings

setting them free....

2010-04-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

Alas! I must admit I am having (just a wee tiny bit) fun letting the children leave the nest. It is quite liberating to watch them fly on to their new lives! 2 of these pieces are from the Season 6 EtsyMetal Project Runway Jewelry Challenge. All these pieces will be available in my Experimetal Etsy shop! And if you like what you see, you can view a few more trinkets over on Flickr, I try and post them there before they go to the big orange Etsy. oh pssst~ I sell exclusively on Etsy at this time, no where else.
Thank you for all the kind words and support you all have share with me!

N893 "Iconic" Australia Season 1: Episode 5
This week’s challenge was to make an Iconic statement from the 60-70's era. I had just recently seen a couple of huge smiley faces around town and was starting to see them everywhere that week, haunting me in fact! On tire covers and wine bottles!? So I knew it must be a sign from the metal gods to make a giant un-smiley emoticon that week! On the reverse concave side it is a sad smiley. I am very guilty of overusing the emoticon, and try to limit my use, but I can't seem to shake the habit obviously! So this piece is almost 3.5" across, Copper, Enamel, leather and Sterling Silver.

N894 "The Getty" Season 6: Episode 12
This piece was interpreted from a Bronze medallion called "Disk with a Bird" in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Our challenge was to find something that spoke to us and to make our interpretation of the piece of art.
This is made of Copper and Sterling Silver. It is a hollow for which is approximately 1/4" thick. The bird rocks back and forth and his 3 layered little wings swing around as well. The medallion part spins freely. It hangs from a heavy Sterling chain.

N895 "Pop-Challenge!" Season 6: Pre-Finale
OH the pain! This week on the Project Runway challenge all our EtsyMetal Designers took a consensus and asked for an extra week postponement as they were up to their eyeballs in metal, they were working on their mini-collections and needed more time. Heh-heh but as a penalty (and so we had something to post on the blog) we were asked to do a "pop-challenge" for that week. The challenge consisted of making a piece out of limited materialsand only 48 hours!
1 x 2" of Sterling or Copper
3' of wire
So I made a Sterling Silver pendant which captures a steel ball bearing that spins inside, it is about 1" across with a rough hewn patina. As you can see I was able to keep within my material constraint! It was very fun to have limitations!

Blog Carnival: April 2010

2010-04-05T20:23:00.000-07:00

"So what is a Blog Carnival you ask?”

It is a group of Etsy Metal members who will collectively write an article on a monthly subject. Blog Carnival happens the first Monday of each month.

April's topic:

The Creative Process:
"How do you plan and organize for design?”

I think this month’s topic is closely related to last months for my particular style of creative process. I am highly influenced visually by shape and overall feel. I do not think I organize in any particular way.

I can share with you what I’ve been thinking about for this last week’s project and how it is manifesting. Last week I wanted to design a crab claw ring. My muse is this beautiful crab claw in the picture above, and forgive me if one of you my dear friends have given this to me and I do not mention you, please speak up as I have misplaced where it came from, but I do know it is the only specimen I have of this crab breed. And perhaps I even ATE this particular claw myself.

OK, so for starters, I will mention I am a little bit of a pack rat. I collect it’s and bits constantly just like a little Bower bird. I collect them not to attract a mate but to create! So moving on, I just love-love-love this particular claw. I love its shape, its being. This is where it starts. I usually will not cut cardboard models out unless I cannot solve a problem with a function I want it to have.
So as I was making a mock up for the movement of this piece I saw how beautiful again the simple silhouette of this form would make for my 365 Ring-a-Day (RAD) project. I thought I could catch 2 birds with one net. And use the progress of building these rings in steps for my RAD project and Blog Carnival. SO for this project ultimately I will be making the pinchers pinch, 2 versions to come hopefully for this Tuesday and Wednesdays RAD rings. I will post them here when finished.

So this is pretty much how it is for me. I live in the moment with my designs and I more than always will sketch it out if it’s a little more intricate than normal. Sketching helps me take ideas and work them into wear ability regarding comfort, balance, functionality and feel. I figure if I am going to put effort into something I want to make sure I am on the right path of my desired outcome. As I’m sure it is with all my metalsmith and artistic friends, things can change at any given point and that’s the magnificent part of creating. So I am open to looking for new ideas while I create and may stray from the original concept to find something that catches my fancy, I am very in the moment spontaneous creativity. I cannot say I am organized in the least bit, in fact I am severely scattered and have a secret wish to be a little bit better organized someday.

*we were also asked for a studio shot of our work area, so here it is in its messy glory!

Thank you for reading tidbits of my brain thoughts, I hope you could relate or get something useful from it!

Below are the participating EtsyMetal bloggers, and see how they tackled the question!

Thomasin Durgin/metalriot

Su Trindle/QuercusSilver

Inbar Bareket

Stacey Hansen

Nina Gibson

Danielle Miller

Corliss & John Rose/2Roses Maria Whetman

Beth Cyr

Blog Carnival: March 2010

2010-03-02T02:15:00.000-08:00

Etsy Metal Blog Carnival

"So what is a blog carnival you ask? "

It is group of Etsy Metal members who will collectively write a article on a monthly subject.

We will be blogging this the first Monday of each month.

This months question was:

"Create an inspirational 20 things to do,

to kick start creativity."

1. Clean and organize your work area.
2. Sit in the middle of a "clean" room with your sketchbook. (and your favorite snack of course)
3. Go on vacation. (with sketchbook)
4. Write a list of techniques you want to learn and start at the top.
5. Take a class or ten!
6. Do something not jewelry related at all, like cooking new recipes, gardening is a lovely one, even if it is only pulling weeds which I actually like doing, go figure....
7. I go to the beach, and find treasures. This will almost always evoke new ideas for me.
8. Take yourself to coffee, alone is the key for me, with sketchbook of course!
9. Work on taxes, organize something or clean the house or the worst, pick up pup-poo.
When I have to do things I dislike, it makes me appreciate being in the studio again very quickly.
10. Buy a NEW sketchbook! AND a new mechanical pencil!!! This is always a good day :)
11. Go thrift shopping, shoe shopping, or get a haircut. (any excuse will do for these things)
12. Join a Ring-a-Day project for a year. (warning: potentially hazardous to your mental health)
13. If you are involved with an online community, I highly reccomend joining in on a group challenge. Or even challenging a Flickr friend to a "Duel." I swear it is perfect motivation to cure a slump.
14. Buy a Creative Whack a Pack. I LOVE this deck. And read Sark Inspiration Sandwich series.
15. Think of things to make and sell, then give proceeds to a favorite charity.
16. Go to a friends house and try a new craft of some sort together!
17. Try to experience as many new things you are comfortable with, new things = new ideas.
18. Sleep late every day for a week, then you will feel behind and have to work! Or simpler just leave everything to the last minute and you will hopefully get alot done quickly!
19. Challenge yourself to create/design with unconventional materials. It is more difficult than you'd think!
20. Last but not least, Unplug!

Basically I think my approach is drawing, so I try to carry my sketchbook everywhere, and I rely heavily on it as my creative tool. I love to draw, so this might not be as fun for everyone as it is for me. I think keeping your creativity active and being able to design new things takes a bit of practice. I feel its like training your brain to always be open to recieving it. And always in the background it is working. But after awhile it is just part of who you are I think. I also think that it is very personal and your motivation for being creative/artist whatever also takes a role on how you create. Ok I better stop, I feel a long ramble beginning.

Oh, I almost forgot about this! Now mind you it doesn't happen every day like this, only when I can tap into that state and have some conciousness and realize I am there. This method is in the morning right before I am waking up. When you are in that state where you can kind of hear the outside world but you haven't opened your eyes yet and you haven't realized ya gots to pee. It is this perfect mindset and time I can be quiet enough to focus and think of new designs. Then when I get a good idea I want to test out, it gets me excited enough to get out of bed! I have to get up so I can remember the ideas. It’s been a productive creative time for me, and I'll take it however I can get it!

Have a good day and thank you for stopping by and reading my thoughts!
I can't wait to read my fellow metalsmiths creativity tricks, I do not let myself read thier Blog Carnivals until I finish mine, It's like my dessert!
So please join me below in reading others' March’s Blog Carnivals!

Chris Parry

Sara Westermark

Katie Miess Kohlhagen

Thomasin Durgin/Metalriot

Beth Cyr

Catherine Chandler

It is time to let go

2010-02-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

I seem to have this new habit of hoarding my own pieces that I make. I do not think it is necessarily a bad thing that I do this. But I do know it is not condusive for me to finacially keep most of them. I have analyzed over and over why. I have come to the conclusion that they can be like my pseudo children, something that I put alot of energy and time into, and then to just stick a price on it and sell it really sucks for me. So while I may hoard way to often, I actually do let go when I am good and ready to, is this normal? perhaps not, but who is normal really? I just need to spend a little time with them before I shove them off the high dive.
So next step is, [insert big scary music] sorting. This step has taken me about a month to decide which ones I can part with in round one of my jewelry purging. (as my lovely organized sister calls it)
I decided I can keep the ones I will actually wear, or will hang on my wall as Art. I think I can live with this sorting method.
So the above photo shows the pieces I am letting go this round, and below are the listing links where they can be found, thanks for looking!
Season 2: Episode 9: Flower Power
Season 2: Episode 3: Blazing Color Orange
Season 6: Episode 10: Pick-a-Place
Season 6: Episode 11: Complimentary Look
Season 6: Episode 5: Newspaper
Season 6: Episode 6: Create a Character

Blog Carnival: February 2010

2010-02-02T02:06:00.000-08:00

"So what is a blog carnival you ask? "

It is group of Etsy Metal members who will collectively write a article on a monthly subject.

We will be blogging this the first Monday of each month.

1. MetalRiot, 2. Danielle Miller, 3. Mike Stromberg, 4. Nina Gibson, 5. Laurie Brown, 6. Laurie Brown

February Topic:

"What is your favorite Ring a Day ring"

I interpreted this as to pick my favorite of "other participants" rings they made so far!

Well I could not just pick one ring so out of 3,150 photos of rings, I painfully narrowed it down to 5 which was very hard, as there were so many fantastic rings made so far in this crazy challenge. You can see all the rings here.

Thomasin Durgin: Kite ring

When I saw this whimsical beauty and It just made me smile.

See more of Tomi's rings here.

Danielle Miller: Growth

Now this piece has such a beautiful elegant form.

It is just breath taking to me, a definate sculpture for the hand.

See more of Danielle's rings here.

Mike Stromberg: Kitty Fishin'

I love this. I love love love kinetic pieces.

I think Mike made such a fine fun ring and it is surely one of my favorites!
See a video he made of his ring in action here.

Nina Gibson: Bubble Wrapped

I just love this image.

If I were to wear her ring of bubble wrap I would not be able to resist popping it.

See more of Nina's rings here.

Laurie Brown: Walnut Box with Secret Trap Door

This is such a wonderful piece.
It has a secret trap door on the bottom that opens when you take it off. This ring is pure magic! See more of Laurie's rings here.

Please check out these EtsyMetal member's blogs below to see who thier favorites were!

Alisa Miller

Colleen Baran

Danielle Miller

Stacey Hansen

Chris Parry

Kerin Rose

Sara Westermark

Su Trindle

Nina Dinoff

Maureen "Cosmo's Moon" BZ

Thomasin Durgin

Beth Cyr

Caitlyn Davey/discomedusa

Catherine Chandler

EtsyMetal Project Runway Jewelry Challenge Season 7.2 "Burlap"

2010-02-02T00:02:00.000-08:00

This was my last entry for the EtsyMetal Project Runway Jewelry Challenge. I had put this one off until the last possible minute thinking I had it in the bag. I was going to make Kanzashi fabric flowers out of my burlap. Well after I tried to assemble my first flower I realized it was not going to work as my burlap was too dense! Uh oh, I started to panic, I had to post this by noon that afternoon. So I cut some burlap circles and dipped them in dye, then fabricated the Sterling discs and sewed the circles to the metal. Needless to say I was not very inspired by this weeks material but I knew I had to get something made in time, it is my personal goal to complete this challenge every week. I fondly call these earrings Raggedy Anns :)

To see some really wonderful burlap pieces from other EtsyMetal team members please click here!

Monthly Challenge: January 2010

2010-01-05T11:08:00.000-08:00

This months theme was "Haiku!"
The Etsy Metal Team January Challenge was to make a piece that is inspired by the Haiku below, and to then write your own Haiku that was inspired from the piece you just made!

"metamorphosis
of a fallen leaf saddened
in springs warm embrace"

Victoria Takahashi

"anticipation

new growth with scents of changes

yet to come our way"

"I fabricated this piece from Sterling Silver, some dried little plants and some faux grass clippings. When I oxidized the Sterling Silver it ended up having this beautiful greenish luminescent hue to it, which was also then enhanced by the Resin.

It reminds me of a tiny little dream scape scene of a place in time where you could sit quietly and think, I imagine a gentle crisp breeze that carries the scents of the freshness of Spring coming..."

The next Etsy Metal Monthly Challenge is:

February: "Garnet & Valentines!"

Blog Carnival: January 2010

2010-01-02T19:54:00.000-08:00

Etsy Metal Blog Carnival

"So what is a blog carnival you ask?"

It is group of Etsy Metal members who will collectively write a article on the monthly subject. We will be blogging this the first Monday of each month.

Topic: "My Favorite Object"

One of my many jobs was to clean the railings of this 6 floor building, it had railings on every floor with an open atrium than runs all the way to the top with a skylight. It was beautiful. I just tried to find pictures of it and nothing, zip, zero. Maybe it was not as gorgeous as I remembered!? Better off I suppose not tarnishing my so fond memories....

I would take my rubber gloves, a toothbrush, strips of rag and a bucket of water with Simple Green mixed in it. I would start at the top floor and by the time I finished months down the road it was time to start at the top again. Did I mention I had to dry it as I went because we did not want the ornate iron railings to rust. It was mind numbingly painful. I of course only would be on that project for just part of my day, and yes I tried to avoid it as much as possible after awhile, all of a sudden painting offices, cleaning spots off the carpets, snaking the sewer in the Old Seattle Underground became way more fun than breaking my back on the railings!

So this locket was born. I gave it to my sister for a thank you present because she gave me all the basic tools I needed to be able to feed my new fire and also her husband created this job customized just for me. They were nurturing me. If she hadn't given me those tools I probably would not be making jewelry today. It allowed me to work from home and to be able to explore it with out any boundries. It would of been nearly impossible for me to afford to buy the those basic tools as the cost of start up is very 'spensive, and at the time just using class time my growth would of been slow and maybe non-existent, as I am a all or nothing type of person. I do not know how my locket came back to me, but she gave it back to me for some reason I will have to ask her why now again, hmmm.... I believe I am just holding on to it for her, so it really is not mine, but I will forge ahead with my memories anyway.

Many more are arising from that time now. I had dreadlocks, piercings, I played guitar in a band, and I was taking jewelry classes. I met a creative social wizard named Maia on the front porch of the building, as I was a smoker back then and you know how all the smokees hang out on their breaks and she introduced me to my now friend Nakisha (aka Bluedogrose), and to this day we still get to hang out once in a while, these two are some of my oldest and dearest friends I am still in contact with on a regular basis.

So this is my favorite object today and these are the memories it captures for me... I am now realizing how a special object can hold so many different collections of thoughts.....
This was really nice for me to reflect upon, thanks for reading!

This is so hard to pick just ONE item, so I will need to put it in a desperate situation of a scenario of what would be important to me, as there are too many to even count. Some with more significance and others less but all have meaning to some degree... what OBJECT would I mourn over if lost.... If there was a fire and all my humans and fur babies were safe and I could run back in to grab a keepsake.

My first instinct to say is my jewelry dresser (box) or my computer and camera, my wallet. But those are too practical for the intensive purposes of this topic.

So this is a super duper hard thing for me to decide, but if I had to pick something for TODAY as my mind changes like the weather around here, it would be....

...my first piece of jewelry I made that I was actually proud of. It is the foundation piece that made me feel I was on the right track as to finding my passion. I made this window locket when I was working as a janitor for a beautiful historic building in downtown Seattle called the

2010 RAD: Ring in the New Year!

2010-01-02T03:14:00.000-08:00

*see more pictures of this ring here

Happy New Year!

Day 1 of 365 days begins now.

I am starting my creative new year with a project called "Ring a Day." The goal is to make one ring a day for 365 days, yes one entire year! This is pretty much the only rule, you have to make it on that day, no sooner nor any later. You can use ANY material you like, from a simple rubber band to a all day masterpiece. Your choice! And I suspect that on many days I will have to resort to a twist tie or another simple object if I have to, and I will do it with no shame! I am going to try my absolute hardest to complete this challenge.
My personal goal is to use this as a motivational tool to inspire my creativity and give me that push to get me into my studio every day and do what I love to do best.

I am going to try and make "similar related pieces" and list them on Etsy, but the originals from this project I will be keeping for awhile. I will be consolidating my progress through out each week and posting here about once a week, so please check back!

Also please check out the links below to see some really fabulous designs of all the participants in this worldwide project!

Etsy Metal Ring-a-Day Blog AND Flickr Ring-a-Day Group

July 17, 2010

here is an overdue progress update,

I made it to ring #100
Monday July 19, 2010 will be day 200 on the RAD calendar.
I am tempted to begin again, oh so tempted. I wrote this post earlier determined to start again, but after a few phone calls and a few realistic thoughts I think I need to hold off. I am a all or nothing type of personality and it pains me to start in the middle, so as of today I am not jumping back in. I want to play and I miss you dearly my sweet RAD. But today I will trust my instinct and decline your offer.

You can see all previous 100 RAD rings here.