~resolutions

happy new year! 

i am not one to make resolutions unless it's to not make resolutions, but then some things happened that i guess could be a new me but it all started in late 2014. 

right around the recycled art show in december.

inviciti dangles, stacks of numinosity beads, raggedrobyn beads and old love

an old friend, who i had run into over the summer, texted and wanted to get together. i was a bit busy so i committed to getting together after the show. we had a lovely lunch together, reconnected and now look forward to doing some art-days together. she was my books arts teacher when i went to prescott college and is a wonderful visual artist. she's also the head of the NEA, so we have a lot to talk about. i look forward to those days of creativity with her as well as the politicking.

numisticks, raggedrobyn beads and my pit fired clay beads with antique glass

it was then that it dawned on me that i do not make enough time to be friends with others. i'm a bit of a recluse. you know, like that little spider that only shows up when it was convenient for it or its been disturbed? so i made a mental note and called a few old friends. made play dates and had a blast. now that my winter break is sliding into home plate, i made a vow not to stop. it's been so much fun!

enameled tin by numinosity, raggedrobyn beads. sundries of love

but it didn't stop there. my husband and i got new phones for christmas. we now have complimentary phones and he found an app on it for your health. we are hooked! you plug in some stats and it sets goals for you. steps to be taken daily, calories to tuck into and calories burned. 

we started using it with ease. it's so convenient!

numinosity criffles, raggedrobyn beads, sundries, antique shell button blanks

i've struggled with being overweight for 7 years now. new meds packed on twenty pounds, a decrease in exercise and increase in age didn't help so on went another 20 and so on. at the moment i am, in my opinion, 50 pounds over weight. at 200 lbs i actually feel pretty good, i don't really see it in the mirror but look at the size of my cloths and freak. i already feel better now that i'm tracking, and competing with the hubs is kinda fun! being pre-diabetic and overweight, i see this as a good thing.

inviciti dangles, numinosity criffles, vaseline beads. love

i have always tried to keep a food journal but failed miserably. this morning i realized this app is my journal! duh! a food diary in my pocket. it stores all of my data and even shows graphs for visuals. i'm absolutely hooked! i've already lost some weight. pretty fucking exciting if I do say so myself.

domed beer bottle caps rounds, chippy red enamel, glass beads

then the art happened. the recycled art show was amazing. it was very emotional as my buddy and booth partner had passed away in august, so i was in this huge booth by myself. i hung a gossamer type curtain to cut the booth in half as it was too depressing. i nearly sold out that weekend and rekindled even more old friendships. it was the best show i've had in years! but i came away from it thinking that it might be my last unless i can find a booth partner. i just cannot fill a 10x10 space and i seem to be drifting away from recycled as you can see from most of my recent jewelry. i have tons of supplies and let myself ignore them unless i could combine them with something recycled, 

but assemblages are fun and i'm not going to be held back by limitations any more. no siree!

from a thousand years ago. recently resurfaced. 

i feel like all these things coming together ended up being resolutions per se that fell in my lap. i am now part of an assemblage group that puts out art challenges. very fun and keeping me busy with pushing my craft. and i start my masters as a reading specialist next week. 

it's all good with new beginnings.

so, here's to a happy new year everyone. 

full of life, and whether good or bad, i'm ready to roll with it all.

~having fun enameling

made some earrings

a little at a time as i conquer the boards. 

xoxo

~newbie

many months ago, as a newbie to the national boards, i waffled back and forth on what to do with crafting jewelry and my shop. open.close.open.close.destash.quit. as i became more in-tune with the process and figured out the scope of the project, i realized i was simply unsure how crafting would fit into my new life (working a ton beyond my existing workload) yet it never really left, did it? no siree. i even find now that, as i ruminate over passages and lesson plans and video taping and how to reach my students, i go putter while i process. it works! not only can i create and play, but doing just a little something every day has had a rewarding effect. you all didn't believe i could stop and you were soooo right! i just needed to find the fit. so whether i'm packaging a sale, making something new or uploading something i've never listed before, i am still in the national boards mindset. thinking.thinking.thinking. i spend so much time thinking and doing and creating and being. it's exciting to say the least. today i've listed a choker i made before the recycled art show. it's great with a plunging neckline! xoxo

new here today

~love and faith sunday earrings

found here

s'more goodies~

keys and more keys...

my son and his girlfriend just moved closer to college. as a result, i received a gift. as they readied to get the new key to their new apartment, she bestowed upon me her key collection. collecting since she was a little girl, i received hundreds of keys in various shapes, sizes and age. i'm a lucky girl not only 'cause i have her in my life but because i now have more keys then my husbands huge key chain!
here are a few of my favs and some of the loot:

here's to opening doors!

~shadow box challenges

ah, the third shadow box arrived brimming with luscious goodies and the contents continue to challenge and delight. here, a knotted choker of color, color color from ~shipwreckdandy~ a serious departure from my norm i feel this piece is.

then some earrings made with criffles ~numinosity beads~ sporting polymer clay beads from the box.

more box beads. the red ones came along with the wire touch already added. so i paired them with yummy pink glass. it's nice that many of the gals who added to the box added in twos.

and finally a large turquoise bead from box number one found a home at the bottom of this necklace. eeee, this took me some time as i chain connected vintage glass beads. unusual mixture of texture. cool to the touch.

~playing with tin

i see so many lovely handmade adornments created from vintage tin. soooo pretty, cool and eclectic. i decided to have a go at playing with the cookie tins i have (i've made jewelry from old rusty tin cut from dump cans, but not from nice new cookie tins)~so away I went! The following pieces were cut from this years cookie tin from my mommy (so, MODERN not vintage). she sends the BEST cookies every year and the family just can't wait for them! even my oldest, who is out of the house, will call and ask us to save him some. oh course, we DO!

 from here

 new here

and new here too

so, on this cold, snowy, overcast day with the Christmas lights on for cheer, i share with you! i gotta tell ya, on days like these i go into a funk so the lights and the creations really help out. the inspiration from other fine artists is always lovely and helpful to the old mental health as well. below you will find my inspirations and links. cheers!

 from tribalis

 from fanciful devices

from read between the lines

i'm afraid i'm having a darned hard time finding the artist that inspired the cones, but i thank them for their creativity as i do all of you lovely loves!