The New Petal Bangle

Recently a long time customer saw the picture below and mistook the rings for bangles. 

I explained that they were rings, but that bangles like that would be a good idea!  So thanks for the great idea Karen, here they are! 

Around the Studio 11/11

A few recent pics from around the studio.  Note the doggie nose prints on the window.

I always include a little handmade thank you note with every order.  I loved the color combo in this last package.

Words, Love, and a Secret

Recently I was commissioned to hollow out a small cavity in a copy of The Great Gatsby for a customer to use to conceal an engagement ring.  It is always so fun to be peripherally involved in other people's big life moments, isn't it?  I've made wedding bands for people in the past, and it just gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling to be a part of something so momentous, even if the real players are complete strangers.  Somehow some of the romanticism just rubs off on all involved.  So obviously I was thrilled to take it on.  

And on top of loving the sentimentality of the project, I really enjoyed the process of making this hollow book with a little ribbon attached to the top of the lid to secure the ring.  And I loved and finding a great page to stop at to use as the bottom of the cavity, where the text was talking about being in love and falling in love.  What a stroke of luck that was.  I had planned to make a fabric bottom, but this turned out so much better.  I love this project so much that it will be a regular listing this in my shop now as a custom book option.

What a super romantic way to propose to a girl.  Especially if the girl is a bit of a nerd like me!

The Arm Thief

Scallywag!

October Snow

 It's beautiful, but still, snow in October just cannot be a good sign.

Wooden Playground

I love the playground at our local elementary school.  There's a little brook that runs behind the playground, and 4 slides, wobbly bridges, tunnels, and towers, and loads of different monkey bars.  Emmett and I spent an hour there yesterday clambering around and enjoying the last of the foliage and the crisp fall air. Even the light is crisp and sharp at this time of year, it has such a different feel than soft hazy summer sunlight.  Every once and a while small groups of kids come out for recess, I can't seem to figure out their schedule, and we just try to stay out of the way and Emmett marvels at all the things the big kids can do.  Otherwise we usually have the place to ourselves.  For some reason today I had a little moment when it struck me how nice it is to live in a place where public places don't get defaced by disenfranchised youth and there isn't trash everywhere.   And it is nice to be able to climb into all the little nooks and crannies without worrying what you might find.  I'm sure that sounds very square and thirty-something, but there it is.  I'll just take it as a sign that the decision to move to the country is working for me.

Around the Studio

Some recent shots from around the studio.  The last one is a little printout that TH sent Emmett into my studio with in an envelope for me.  Pretty cute little messenger.  The long necklace is actually a whole bunch of bracelets clasped together to go in the tumbler.  It'll be a necklace next though, minus all the extra clasps.  I love the randomness of it, and it looks great wrapped around twice.  I love a happy accident!