Collaboration

I really do love working on projects with other artists. I had a wonderful opportunity to work with my dad again on a comission for a friend of mine. Her partner loves to fish and she wanted to give him a damascus fileting knife for Christmas. So, my dad created a beautiful blade with a handle of blue dyed maple. He sent that to me and I followed the color and design of the knife to fashion a sheath and black suede bag complete with glass fish button. It's a real blessing to be able to share these projects with people whose work you admire, let alone that being family. I feel pretty lucky that way.

A New Home

A favorite piece of mine, found a new home this past weekend.  I realize that for me, this is one of the greatest blessings of selling my work - knowing that it goes to just the "right" person.  I don't always get to see where they go or to whom they are for, but I do believe that every piece is made for someone in particular, and sometimes it takes awhile for that person and the piece to find one another.  Once it does happen though, the connection seems quite obvious to me.  A dear friend bought this necklace for a family member that has had a really rough year and is in the process of re-centering and re-defining herself and a fresh new life.  I know my friend chose this with such care and deep love, and as I watched her make her choice, I knew just how much this was meant for her loved one.  This piece is is all about finding a place of peace in the center of one's being.  It includes semi-precious stones, and of course silver and glass.  In particular there is a circle - symbol of perfection and completeness or wholeness, and a heart for perfect and unconditional love.  Knowing the story of my friend and her family member, I am both thrilled that this is the new home it is going to and it makes perfect sense to me now that this is whom the piece was made for.  I just love when that happens.

Would You Kiss These Lips?

Well....look at that grinning face...would you kiss him? I'm trading kisses at Artfest next week!...Well....Fish kisses, that is.

I have been having an absolute riot making these little babies for trading at Artfest. I'm taking some artistic license with the theme, which sea monsters. I figure even sea monsters need friends...and as we all know now, "Fish are friends, not food!" So, I'm making sea monster friends in glass - and kissing ones no less! I tell you, I've never giggled so much and so long in my studio while working as I have for this little project. As soon as the eyeballs and then the lips go on, I'm howling at their quirky little personalities that just instantly light up. Each one is completely unique. Such fun.

If nothing else I think I now have sufficient training in creating kissable lips, I might consider applying as a surgeon in Hollywood. What do you think?!

Featured: How Cool Is That?

Our local publication has run an article about me as an artist....so very neat!  I remember being a little girl at home and thought it was so cool that my dad was written about in our home newpaper about his stock car racing, and all the races and trophies he'd won.  When I was very little I said "I'm going to win trophies some day, just like you!"  Well....this little article kind of feels just like that.

One World, One Heart...in the Nick of time!

Well....I just love this idea of OWOH - the brainchild of Lisa Swifka. And, this is a great excuse to get back to the blog on a more regular basis. Funny how other work can get in the way of creative activity and blogging. So Kudos to Lisa for inspiring me. Here's how this lovely project works - in Lisa's own words:

I created this event in 2007. The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way. 2007 had roughly 85-90 participants and many connections were made because of it......friendships that are still going strong. We had a strong showing the first year for sure, and then in 2008 we had just about tripled that number. This is more than wanting to win something.......that is only the means.......in the end it's about finding kindred spirits. Someone who may be fairly new to blogging, not sure how to navigate, find others and have others find them....Some are long time bloggers and in some cases well known in the art community. Whatever the case it brings all of them together. This is an INTERNATIONAL event that has and had participants from the US, Canada, France, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Malaysia, Brazil, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, England,Wales, Slovenia and more. It transcends geographical location, socio economics, political affiliation, religious beliefs......it's a coming together like the giant community we are on this planet. If only it took a simple giveaway to create PEACE everywhere, in the mean time here we give from our hearts. We are not solving the worlds problems nor are we curing anything nor are we changing the world. We are merely generating a closer community between humans through blogging. What more could I ask for, my little idea has surpassed my wildest dreams of what it could become.


So with that I join in this fun adventure of giving and connecting with artsy bloggers and kindered spirits. On Feb 12/09 I will draw from all those who leave a comment on this post, and the winner will take home this lovely heart pendant. It is Lampworked Italian glass on a short sterling silver ball chain - appropriate I thought for a "One Heart" give-away...all hand made by me.

Here's what you need to do to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. Everyone is welcome to enter, just be sure your comment takes me back to you, if you are not a blogger, make sure to leave a email address where I can reach you.
3. On February 12th a random winner will be drawn from the comments left. I will notify the winner and announce it on my blog. This little glass token of love will be sent to its new owner.

Good Luck Everyone....I'm looking forward to meeting some new art loving friends!

Rainbow Dots

I haven't put together any jewelry pieces for awhile, but I was playing around with a variety of colors and made a bunch of sample beads to see how they looked over black. They were sitting on my work bench crying out for a new life and so I strung them into this fun bracelet. I'm finding it actually goes with lots of my clothes. I just like that it has a happy feel with all these wonderful bright dots!