My Newest:

As soon as this long run of shows every weekend is over, I'm going to be re-organizing my studio. I've been collecting things that I want to use to organize and I've also have things that I want to live in there for my creative well-being - such as my jewelry and metal-smithing book collection. I plan to have a floating shelf with all of my jewelry books lined up on it. I just bought this one: The Complete Book of Jewelry Making by Carles Codina and I love it because of all the big full color pictures.

Susan Boyle

You have to watch this fantastic clip of Britains Got Talent. Click here.

The Refiner

The smith also sitteth by the anvil,
And fighteth with the heat of the furnace,
And the noise of the hammer and the anvil is ever in his ears,
And his eyes look still upon the pattern of the thing that he maketh.
He setteth his mind to finish his work,
And waiteth to polish it perfectly.
-Ecclesiasticus
via The Complete Metalsmith




"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord." Malachi 3:3

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

Above is a woodblock print by Laura Wilder. Check out her other Nouveau-esque prints and paintings here.

Cheekwood

Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Art Museum was free this past weekend, so we took the kids. It's one of my favorite places - even if we have to pay. The mansion had free entrance also, so we got to see the visiting Fabrege collection (for a jewelry artist - this was awesome!) and art from William Christenberry. (And of course, we saw the other art that always finds it's home at Cheekwood, among which is one of my favorites, William Edmonson, who, incidentally, is related to the Edmonsons who sold us our house.)


These photos are from Joanne's flickr photostream, and she got more good ones, so check them out.

The Lost Post

I was saving this picture to post over Christmas, but that was when my computer broke. Better late than never, right? This is my husband's grandmother (on the right) screen printing Christmas cards in 1952. Cool, right? I thought so.

Stolen

(from Waxin' and Milkin' via Love Retro Colour - two fab tumblr blogs that you should browse)
Oh, and a special thank you to Coleen from Something Just to Start for featuring me!

Eco Font

There is a new print friendly typeface in town.


Here’s the backstory: Most printer cartridges end up in landfills. The more ink we use, the more garbage we create. So Spranq designed a font that uses 20 percent less ink by simply removing as much of each letter as possible, while still leaving it readable. Basically, the whizzes got rid of the line that connects the dots to create the characters.
As if it weren't cool already, it's free to download. So, my font loving friends, enjoy and be green.
(Originally seen in Daily Candy)

Lace

I've started a new series (the first of which I've added to my shop.) inspired by the doilies that I cut into snowflakes this Christmas.

Last Minute Gifts

Some of my favorites from Etsy's Expedited Shipping Guide.

The Devil Wears Etsy

I just found out that I was chosen to be in Capitola Girl's "The Devil Wears Etsy: Holiday Spirit" feature! Pop over and take a look at her cute post and cool blog! Fun!




And Blogger is still cutting off my pictures - which I loaded as small! What gives?

Gifts for $20 and under

I've decided to forgo all the shopping crazies and shop from home instead. These are some of my favorites so far. Just sharing the wealth:
"At" symbol book stop from Barnes and Nobles : $17.95

Rendezvous wristlet from Sundance : $19.99

Tiny vintage cordial glasses from Delicious Things : $12.99



Steeping cup from The Tea Spot : $16.95











Chalk Candle from Urban Outfitters : $20

set of two medium dark gray and neon blue bowls from Etc Arts : $16

Mark your Calanders!

This will be fabulous event coming up before Thanksgiving (and hopefully before it gets shivering cold.) I'll be a vendor, along with other fabulous artisans and musicians! I'll go into detail more later about who will be playing and selling. It will be held right across the street from Rosepepper Cantina. Make plans now!

Etsy Mentors

Ever thought of opening an Etsy shop? Or do you have one, but you still have a lot of questions? Well, there is a place for you to find out everything you need to know and have someone help you through it. A couple of months ago, I joined the Etsy Mentor team. The team is comprised of other Etsy sellers who have been around long enough to have become an "expert" in certain areas. Here is a list of mentors to contact for one on one answers to your questions. Click on a members shop and send them a message if you want them to mentor you.
If you are blurry about Etsy, but no specific questions come to mind, click here to visit the Sellers Helping Sellers blog. Kept up by the team members, this blog has tons of helpful posts that cover all areas of "Etsying." Good luck and go get 'em!
(Cute card from Whatever is Lovely on Etsy!)

Bat Cave, NC

I brought my sister and my mom with me to North Carolina. We drove the mountain highways through the quaint, picturesque towns of Bat Cave, Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. I've decided I want to move there.

An Excerpt:

"A long time ago I went to a concert with my friend Rebecca. Rebecca can sing better than anybody I've ever heard sing. I heard this folksinger was coming to town, and I thought she might like to see him because she was a singer too. The tickets were twenty bucks, which is a lot to pay if you're not on a date. Between songs, though, he told a story that helped me resolve some things about God. The story was about his friend who is a Navy SEAL. He told it like it was true, so I guess it was true, although it could have been a lie.
The folksinger said his friend was performing a covert operation, freeing hostages from a building in some dark part of the world. His friend's team flew in by helicopter, made their way to the compound and stormed into the room where the hostages had been imprisoned for months. The room, the folksinger said, was filthy and dark. The hostages were curled up in a corner, terrified. When the SEALs entered the room, they heard the gasps of the hostages. They stood at the door and called to the prisoners, telling them they were Americans. The SEALs asked the hostages to follow them, but the hostages wouldn't. They sat there on the floor and hid their eyes in fear. They were not of healthy mind and didn't believe their rescuers were really Americans.
The SEALs stood there, not knowing what to do. They couldn't possibly carry everybody out. One of the SEALs, the folksingers friend, got an idea. He put down his weapon, took off his helmet, and curled up tightly next to the other hostages, getting so close his body was touching some of theirs. He softened the look on his face and put his arms around them. He was trying to show he was one of them. None of the prison guards would ave done this. He stayed there for a little while until some of the hostages started to looked at him, finally meeting his eyes. The Navy SEAL whispered that they were Americans and were there to rescue them. Will you follow us? he said. The hero stood to his feet and one of the hostages did the same, then another, until all of them were willing to go. The story ends with all the hostages safe on an American aircraft carrier.
I never liked it when preachers said we had to follow Jesus. Sometimes they would make Him sound angry. But I liked the story the folksinger told. I liked the idea of Jesus becoming man, so that we would be able to trust Him, and I like that He healed people and loved them and cared deeply about how people were feeling."
-Donald Miller Blue Like Jazz

Pipe Cleaners=$1 , A Day of Imagination= Priceless

Does Evil Exist?

I read this story on the blog, "What You Got 2 Say" and I loved it enough to share it with you:

One day, a professor of a university decided to defy his pupils.

He asked, “Did God create everything that exists?”
A student answered bravely, “Yes, He did.”
“…everything?” asked the teacher.
“Yes! Everything.” Was the answer of the student
“In this case, God also created evil, correct? Because evil exists.” Said the teacher.

The student had no answer and remained in silence…..

The teacher was delighted at the opportunity to prove one more time that God was only a myth.

Suddenly, another student raised his hand and asked: “May I ask you a question, professor?”
“Of course you may”, replied the professor.
“Does cold exist? asked the student.
“Of course.” answered the professor, “Did you never feel cold?”

“Actually, sir, cold does not exist. According to studies in physics, cold is the total and complete absence of heat. An object can only be studied if it has and transmits energy and it is the heat of an object that transmits its energy. Without heat, the objects are inert, incapable to react. But cold does not exist. We created the term cold to explain the lack of heat.”

“And darkness?” continued the student.
“It exists.” replied the professor.

“Again, you’re wrong sir; darkness is the total absence of light. You can study light and brightness, but not darkness. The prism of Nichols shows the variety of different colors in which the light can be decomposed according to the longitude of the waves. Darkness is the term we created to explain the total absence of light”

And finally, the student asked “And evil, sir, evil does not exist. God did not create evil. Evil is the absence of God.

Now it was the professor’s turn to remain silent….

Well if you are wondering who the student was, he is none other than Albert Einstein. What a great thinker he was.
(image above is from this great flickr photostream)

Art Department

I love the photography of Ruven Afanador and this site: Art Department, is a good resource for tons of well loved photographers and their work. I got lost for several minutes over there. Very inspiring, indeed.

The real you

Love this photo. It's from here.

Kenneth Parker

I'll be out all day, but for now, you should go browse the gorgeous photography of Kenneth Parker.