Earning 500 Hearts has been an Interesting Journey

I just hit a pretty cool milestone. I woke up this morning to see that 500 people have hearted my Etsy shop. On Etsy if you truly love someones work you can bookmark or "heart" their shop as a favorite. It bring a smile to my face that I have earned the hearts of 500 people. I think any artist constantly questions their work. You may love what you create but that nagging feeling of wondering if anyone else will like it plagues everyone. This morning's surprise was a little boost in confidence. I always enjoyed making my jewelry, I am hoping to branch out this year and learn how to make a variety of new things. Well thank you for all who support me and here's too earning my next 500 hearts.

Plastic Fantastic and Traveling Dreams

1. Indian Summer Pin 2. Asian Floral Bangle 3. Polymer Clay Pendant

4. Autumn Bangle 5. Twilight Ring 6. Turquoise Beads

7. Filigree Heart Locket 8. Rose Hair Pin 9. Resin Bangle

Above are some of my Polymer artist crushes. I am trying to dabble into the world of resins, polymer clay and DECO clay. I bought Sharri Haab, Resin Jewelry Book earlier this year. I am happy to report that I might be able to resuse all of my metal clay molds to create resin jewelry as well. Once I have some reasonable experiements done I will show them to you.

I have some outstanding news! I will be in Italy this May for eight days! I am so excited, we will be traveling from Venice to Florence and then to Rome. This trip has been in the works for two years and now we are finally going!

Thursday's Theme - A Touch of Luck

1. Four Leaf Clover 2. Luck of the Irish 3. Luck of the Irish

4. Lucky Key chain 5. St Patrick's Day Bolero 6. Celtic Moon Clock

7. Celtic Art 8. Shamrock Tea Towel 9. Lucky Shamrock Scarf

This Thursday's theme, if you have not already guessed, is Saint Patrick's Day. Saint Patrick's day is next week and I composed a variety of inspirational pieces to fit this Thursday's Theme. It is amazing how many symbols we have to conjure that elusive edge in life called luck. Horseshoes, four leaf clovers, rabbits feet, the number seven, stray eye lashes, wish bones and rainbows. Lord knows I am superstitious; I knock on wood, wish on stray eye lashes and I would never kill a lady bug. So do you have a good luck charm or maybe a superstitious routine to capture that lovely lady called luck?

Tulips, Hearts, and Bronze Stars oh my

Some new Bronzclay pendants. I have a lot of items floating around my bench right now. I just finished the above three pendants this week. They still have a lot of polishing and finishing work but I am pleased with how they came out. I call the pendant on the upper left my tulips, hearts and stars pendant; the second located on the left is another Victorian flower pendant and the last pendant is a version of my Victorian Flower Charm. I am not sure about the patina on the tulip, hearts and stars pendant. I am never happy with the patina on my bronze pieces. Not to mention they always look silver in the photos. Hopefully this weekend I get get some good light to take some better photos, it so hard to take pictures at night.

Determination Delivers Delicate Details

I have received such good treasury luck lately that I thought I would return the favor. The above treasury is called Determination Delivers Delicate Details. I have been working on a pretty intricate seed bead bracelet lately. I will show you pictures once I have finished it. Hopefully I will finish it before the 2011. The endless stringing of seed beads inspired this treasury. My latest bracelet work brought the thought that determination delivers delicate details. Enjoy this treasury it will be around for two more days.

Tidings of Comfort and Elegance Treasury

Behold the power of the treasury on Etsy. I have been a huge slacker in grabbing treasuries lately. I have forgotten how useful they are in promoting oneself on Etsy. I made a sale the other day and I think it was largely due to the Thoughts of Christmas Treasury, Kristi of Dream Some Designs put me in. I grabbed a treasury today with the theme Tidings of Comfort and Elegance. Hopefully this treasury will give the talented artists listed above some well deserved promotion.

Etsy Finds - Art I Want

1. Cinder and Smoke 2. Last Rose of Summer 3. Prairie Path

4. Unpredictable 5. Through Woodland 6. Natural Patterns

7. Beach Series I 8. Ditch Plains Shoreline 9. Sea of Tranquility

It's hard to believe that two years ago this July my husband and I bought our first house in Champaign. If you told me three years ago I would own a home, I would tell you that you were nuts. Up until three years ago, I was quite use to living in a very small city apartment. Out here in the suburbs we have a lot more elbow room but one thing remains the same; empty walls. I am guilty of loving artwork but never being able to make up my mind on how to decorate my living space. Two years in this house and I still have uninspiring, empty walls. I love all types of art work but I can never find art that really goes with the feel of a room.

Anyway I am on a mission to tackle the very empty rooms in my house and the ones listed above have been on my Etsy favorite list for a while. Enjoy and have a great weekend everyone.

What Am I About Anyway?

Catherine Witherell of Happy Day Art tagged me the other day with the subject of "If you were going to write down the things you were about at this particular moment or day in time, what would they be?" She talks about what she is currently about in her Blog.

This summer is turning out to be extremely busy. I really need to organize myself. With a full time job, studying for the professional engineering exam, keeping on top of my Etsy Store, my blog, and keeping my commitments to friends, family and my EMC Team, I feel a little stretched. I also feel like I am trying to balance my time between two different worlds. My engineering job requires me to pass my professional engineering exam this fall. This will require a lot of studying and taking a review course in Chicago (2.5 hours away). I am also attending two metal clay workshops at the MetalClay World Conference in July. So there is my engineering life and then there is my metal clay artist life. So for my two worlds I have two lists:

Clever Endeavor to do list:

copper etching

breaking button habit
being a consistent blogger
fused glass
jewelry party in August
consignment at Glass FX
bezel settings
rings
earrings
art fairs
polymer clay
enamel
resin

Engineers to do list:
check to see if application has been accepted
sign up for PE Exam Review Class
sign up for October exam (a lovely 8 hour exam)
buy all review books (you do not know how much these cost its disgusting)
make a study schedule and stick to it!

And did I mention that I am hitting the big 3-0 this August. Yikes where the heck did my twenties go? I think keeping a very detailed calander may be in order soon.

Tuesday Treasuries

A couple of different treasuries to talk about this Tuesday. I was able to capture a treasury for the team, I called it My Metallic Identity. I figured I would try and feature all of the cool custom lettering one can do with metal clay.Check out this lovely treasury, it will around till Friday.

I was in two treasuries this week. Thank you to my team mates for placing my Starfish Pendant and my Victorian Leaves Pendant in the treasuries below. Check out Oh my starry eyed surprise Treasury.

Wicked Sense of Humor

1. Bucking Bunny Tee 2. Silver Pug Pendant 3. Reverse the Curse

4. Embroidered lipstick 5. Chewbacca Mouse 6. Coffee Stencil

7. R2D2 Cufflinks 8. Grenade Soap 9. Cool Beans Tee

I like how my weekly Etsy Finds proves that I am a geek from Massachusetts. The Reverse the Curse Photo is a famous little sign on Storrow Drive. The Red Sox fan that upgraded the reverse curve sign is indeed brave. If you have ever driven on Storrow drive, you know how crazy that road can be. The curvy road, the highways speeds, and the extremely aggressive drivers make Storrow Drive very dangerous at times. So my hat is off to whoever hanged upside down over Storrow Drive to make this little masterpiece. Yankees Suck.

"Cool Beans" is a Massachusetts catch phrase. You think it would mean something was wrong or bad but actually its the opposite. Cool beans is usually used if you are happily surprised or excited about something. It took a whole semester while at college in Pennsylvania to be broken of my habit of using the word wicked as an adverb for everything. College was wicked cool. I still however use "cool beans" from time to time and the folks here in Champaign, IL still don't get it. We won free tickets to the game, cool beans!

I have a major rabbit problem in my back yard right now. There were two last year and now there are five this year. That's why the Buckling Bunny Tee Shirt got a snort from me. I can't catch the little critters and they seem to like to eat anything. Maybe wrangling them cowboy style would be such a bad idea.

The I'm Pregnant Coffee Stencil made me laugh out loud. Talk about waking up in the morning. No caffeine needed after that little tid bit of news. I don't think I could ever break the news to my husband in this matter. First I don't think he would notice and second I don't think he would find it that funny.

I am a nerd, therefore I love Star Wars. I love the R2D2 cuff links in Cufflinks shop and I absolutely love the Chewbacca mouse. If you have never been to the House of the Mouse please check out her shop. It is ridiculously cute and you will definitely find your next desk mate there.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Tuesdays Treasuries

I am a big goof, there is no denying that. I love my crazy treasury titles though. Below is the latest treasury I was able to snag for the EMC team, it called the The Fonz digs Bronze. Aaaayy, its good stuff go check it out.

I was also in a treasury created by Nicola of Muranosilver. She placed my Silver Tree Frog in her Malleable Metal Treasury. Thanks Nicola! Check out the treasury she created below.

Very Late Sneak Peek

I was very lazy this past weekend and never got around to posting pictures of my new bronze pieces. He's back! King Arthur is back in my line up. I have also added a new piece. I have been calling her my Geisha Pendant. My husband doesn't seem to like the name though. Both still need some polishing work but I am pretty happy with the results. Have a great weekend everyone.

King Arthur

Geisha Pendant

Gifts for my Mom

I know Mothers Day was a week ago. But my Mom's birthday was this past Monday. Lots of birthdays in the month of May for my family. The list of beauties below are some items that I think my mother would love.

1.Pearl Silver Shell Necklace 2. Custom Portrait 3. Louisa Earrings

4. Shell & Pearl Rose Ring 5. Seashell Star 6. Heart Bowl

7. Sweet Elegance 8. Cellini Spiral Bracelet 9. Cheerful Handbag

Tuesday's Treasuries

My Etsy MetalClay teammates are very sweet. Karena of kaleprimitifs and Lori of Modadimango place me in their treasuries this week. Thanks guys!

Karena has added a few new bronze pieces to her shop, I love her new Posies in Bronze Earrings.

Karena Posies in Bronze Earrings

Lori has added several shells pendants to her store. I love her new starfish and sand dollar pendants. But the oyster shell is my favorite. It reminds me of home (sniff.)

Lori's Sea Shell Pendant

Tuesday Treasuries

I was lucky to be in three treasuries this week. One of those treasuries made the front page. A big thank you to Lori of Modadimagno designs for placing my Tri-Tulip Pendant in the "Think Shiny" EMC Team Treasury.

I am also currently in the "For the Knight" Treasury that is currated by Oncetraveled. My Checkmate Pendant is in the "For the Knight" Treasury. Oncetraveled has a cool store, she reclaims vintage stamps and turns them into pendants on recycled scrabble tiles. I like the one that is listed below.

Oncetraveled India Pendant

Going Around in Circles Treasury

I was able to snag a treasury for the EMC Team. Getting a treasury on Etsy can be a frustrating waiting and refreshing game. Nothing is worse than lurking on the treasury page for hour, having your poster sketch waiting to go, your treasury title copied and ready to paste and then after frantically refreshing your computer after the magical number 333 expires, seeing that the treasury list is now 642 and you have nothing to show for your efforts. I was able to capture a treasury spot last night. Below is my "Going Around in Circle Treasury", please visit and comment on this little beauty. It will be around until May 2.

Tuesday Treasuries "Some Summertime"

Lori of Moda di Mango was kind enough to put me in her Some Summertime Treasury. I love all of the seaside critters in this treasury. I can't to visit my parents during the Fourth of July. Nothing like sitting out on the beach or chilling out on the boat to celebrate your holiday weekend. My Celtics are giving me heart burn at the moment. Hopefully we can close the series out in Boston.