Bake-A-Lite Beauties

I've recently been making an effort to go through the jewelry supplies I already have in the house. I thought they were cool when I bought them and it's time to start making stuff with them. A while ago, I bought these vintage Bake-a-lite cubes. They are sort of big, a bit more than an inch square, and I just knew cool jewelry was waiting to happen with them. I was right. Here is the first piece I've made with them. It was a piece that designed itself as I went along. I had a vague idea when I set out, but it veered and swerved and said no, go this way. I'm very happy with the way it's turned out. I love the combination of industrial and suit of armor, with a skoach of art deco. The brushed back oxidation gives it a great antiqued look. I also have these cubes in a tealy blue and a gold brown tan. Many new ideas are brewing.

Beach Day

Being that it was 100 degrees in Portland yesterday, I decided to take the dog to the beach for a cool-off. I didn't feel like driving all the way to the coast, so I thought I'd check out Sauvie Island Beach for the first time. Sauvie Island is just a teeny bit north of Portland on the Columbia river. It's quite pretty with farms (and u-pick fields!), homes, wildlife preserves and long stretches of river beach. It was Tuesday and I figured - since I got a late start - that the beach wouldn't be so crowded. Silly me. On a hot, sunny Portland summer afternoon the place was packed. The pictures don't really show just how many people were out. It was like Coney Island! Ok, maybe not that bad, but I was surprised. Who are all these people? Don't they have jobs? They can't all be stay-at-home crafters... Although I didn't get a swim in because I had to keep an eye on the dog, the cold river water was luscious to wade into. Kana had a blast charging into the water after her tennis ball and got very irked (see photo) at me for making her lay down and rest a bit. If a dog can glare, this would be it. We weren't there nearly long enough, but I'll be back soon.

Confetti Necklace

Bright and fun, this new necklace is created from vintage (70s) translucent plastic bingo tokens. I've had them for a while and kept pulling them out and putting them away. I finally (really) cleaned my workbench and decided to tackle some of these projects that kept calling to me. So here it is. I call it Confetti Necklace (and it's for sale in my Etsy shop). The vibrant colored discs stand out from the oxidized sterling chain they are connected to. I only have a few sets of the tokens and I'm thinking I might make one of these for me. I also really like the picture I took here on the upper left.

Do the Hussy

Everyday Loops

Years ago, I had a very simple pair of small hoop earrings that I wore all the time. Like 24/7. Sleeping, showering, whatever, they could be left in, so I always had earrings on even when I wasn't thinking about it. The other day I was digging through my earrings looking for a pair that met those criteria: simple, sturdy, hooked closed, plain but with a smidge of style. Sort of a fancy earwire. Couldn't find anything that I wanted, so I made some*. This is what I've come up with. I call them Everyday Loops (and they are, of course, available in my Etsy shop). I'm big and I have lots of hair, I wanted something bigger than the old pair I used to wear so they had some presence on me. I've also made a smaller pair for those that like it like that. I'll have pictures of the smaller ones in my shop soon.

*I love that I can do that!

Berry Berry Wonderful

The day was stunning and sunny. Not too hot. I was picked up (by Leah /Leah Pellegrini Glass and Amanda/Bread and Badger) and whisked off to the fun of berry picking on Sauvie Island. The strawberries were already done for the season, so we went for the blueberries and the raspberries. One in the basket, one in my mouth. Plump and bursting with sweet juiciness. Two for the basket and one for my mouth. Oooo, look a ladybug. Basket, mouth. The bushes were so laden with fruit we could be very, um, picky about what we picked. On to the raspberries. Basket, mouth. Mouth. Mouth. Loves me some raspberries. After we'd gotten our take at Kruger's Farm, we went off for some unbelievable cherries. The trees dripped with fruit. Basket, mouth. Some we could pick standing on the ground, and some fun was had on the orchard ladders. I took so much that I thought I wouldn't be able to eat it all myself, but it's gone. (and my camera batteries died and I finished them before I got any pictures...) You know they taste even better when you've picked them yourself. None of this silly pie/tart/smoothie making for me either. I've finished it all off straight from the basket. To my mouth.

My Year in Portland

In June, I celebrated my one-year anniversary in Portland. Here are a few things I’ve learned in that year:

• All work and no play makes me a dull girl – to myself and to everyone else – and more than a bit neurotic.

• Portland is an incredibly wonderful place to be an artist/crafter in. There are tons of people who also craft and the community itself loves and supports crafting.

• People in Portland do not believe in rain. Unless the water from the sky is falling extra hard, which it doesn’t do too often, people tend to just ignore it and act like nothing is different than a sunny day. Since during some times of the year it rains a lot, this is a very healthy mindset to have.

• You can’t swing a mildly sedated cat without hitting a coffee shop. In Portland, caffeine is one of the 4 basic food groups. Beer is another.

• People in Portland actually do take time to stop and smell the roses. Being the “City of Roses,” they are everywhere, in every shape and color. I often find myself sniffing blossoms and I see other people doing the same.

• Crows are really very clever, quite mean and terribly noisy.

• Closed-toed shoes are considered dressing up. Unless they are bike shoes.

• One of the nice things about living in a smaller city is that, although I’ve only lived here a relatively short time (and never leave the house – see the first bullet point), I already run into people I know when I am out and about. It’s nice. It makes me feel connected to the place.

Airport Zombies

You know them. People who are brought to the airport 4 hours early by Super Shuttle or who land in some hub like DFW or Charlotte at some God-forsaken hour like 4am with a 3 hour layover. The Airport Zombie. They've already done Pizza Hut, perused the magazine covers for hints on how to get those swimsuit-ready abs or achieve the perfect orgasm, contemplated buying a Charlotte gift mug or a DFW plastic snow globe, had a Cinnabon, and now wander the concourses very slowly with a blank expression and vacant eyes and a venti Starbucks. Be kind to them.

New Favorite Bumpersticker

You Say It's Your Birthday...

Ok, you don't really say much of anything, but after all this time, I find I do understand most of what you try to get across. Anyhow, my girl is 12 years old today. Ancient in doggie years and pretty damn old for a pitbull.

Kana is my best friend and constant companion - hardly ever much farther than 6" away... If it weren't for her, I'd probably be more nuts than I am.

Happy Birthday Kana!

I'm on a Vintage Lucite Bender

I admit it, I fell in love. I love the color, the design, the size. The second I saw these vintage Lucite flowers I knew exactly what the rings would look like. There you go. These wonderful burnt-orange (what? pansies?) flowers are big, but lightweight. They are riveted to a heavy gauge sterling band. Fun, but sort of sophisticated too. Definitely love. I bought all they had, which was only a few. I call it the Lamore Ring.

Then, I saw these too groovy beach-ballish, chinese-lanterny, fluted beads and I had to have them too. I've paired them with a long, slender brass tab. The are called Riviera Earrings in my Etsy shop. They make my jewelry making heart sing! Unfortunately I was too slow on the uptake. I only got a few when I saw them; when I went back... gone. All gone. I nearly cried - until I found other Lucite cuties.

Now: No. More. Supplies. I have WAY too much in the house and need to make with what I have before I allow myself to spend on anything else. Really.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

My dear old father is turning 89 today! There should be a lot more candles on that cake. To me that's crazy old, but I know someone else who's turning 90 in a couple of weeks.

Happy Birthday guys! You're amazing!