Dear Bloggie -
Sorry I haven't visited in a while. I've been busy, but I haven't forgotten about you. I just have nothing interesting, introspective or funny to tell you about. Maybe I'll get more exciting and/or clever soon.
xxxooo,
Judi

Sometimes it's not about the cereal, it's about the cold milk.

Chains Chains Chains...

Although time consuming, I really enjoy making chains. There's something about creating each link, watching the chain grow. I like seeing how the links work together and how it sits against the wrist or neck. Is exact repetition the way to go? or different sized links? My brain seems to like these challenges. Here's my newest chain, a bracelet. What I really enjoy about this piece is the dichotomy between the organic shapes and heat-formed balls, and the high shine polish finish giving it a very modern feel too. To be truthful, I wasn't really sure about this design until I had made many links and could see how they worked together. I'm very pleased with the outcome. Currently there is only the bracelet and earrings (seen in the background of the photo), but next burst of chain-making energy, I'm going to make a necklace too. The Persie Bracelet and Persie Earrings, as well as other chains I've created, are available in my Etsy shop.

Spot Curl Earrings

I got a custom order for my Speck Earrings, but without the stone. While I was playing with them, I thought it would be groovy (Yes, I still say groovy.) to have them curl around. So were born a very simple, yet stylish pair of earrings called Spot Curl.


Ok, so the name isn't so clever - ya gots a spot and ya gots a curl: spot curl - but they are dang cute. As I've been out and about, wearing my pair, I've gotten loads of compliments. The other cool thing is you can wear them backwards for just a simple wire look (don't have a photo yet). They're my new favorites.

DIY Booth Banner Making...sort of

Experiencing heavy levels of banner-envy is never pretty. I had shared a booth at a street fair and my booth buddy had a fabu banner. I wanted one too. Not wanting to wait for a "real" banner to be printed for me, I headed out to the Avery store for some foamcore to make me a banner.
- or at least a booth sign. On the way, I thought to find out if they had any vinyl that I could stitch up and paint on. "No." said Friendly Avery Person, "but you could try over there." "Yeah, but it will cost you a lot for us to do it." says Friendly Sign Guy, "Go over there. They have everything you'll want." Friendly Sign Guy was right! The Pacific Coast Sign Supply had me shivering with anticipation. If you're an art supply store and/or hardware store junkie, this place would make your knees weak too. I was able not only able to get vinyl there, but a perfect 3' x 4' finished banner with the grommets and all for the more-than-reasonable price of $8.50. The next issue was painting on it. The PCSS person insisted that I needed to prime the thing and use these (very expensive) special paints and then seal it. Yadda yadda. I asked about just using acrylic paints and was told they wouldn't stick.
Backing out of the store, I said I'd come back later for paints and took my banner home to try my acrylics. Maybe he just assumed the thing was going to hang outside in the elements or something, but, uh, acrylics totally work. That said, if I do another one, I think paint pens or somesuch would be a cleaner, faster method.
Here's how I made my new banner:
1) The rolled up banner. You can see the spot where I tested the acrylic. I let it dry and tried scratching it with my nail and erasing it and it wouldn't budge. I'm working on my dining room table as it is the only large clear space in the house...
2) The paper there is a print out of a computer design/mock-up. On the mock-up I overlayed a grid and then measured out and drew the grid on the banner. It helped me judge how to space the letters. I then sketched in the letters. As you (maybe) can see, I drew them out pretty roughly, not paint-in-the-numbers quality. It depends on how comfortable you are free-handing it as to how tight your drawing should be.
3) After I finished the basic drawing. I've pulled out my paints and brushes and picked the colors I would use.
4) Since acrylics dry so fast, I decided to start from the bottom because the smaller lettering is more difficult and I could roll it down in front of me as I worked.
5) Here I've just finished the basic lettering. I later added some highlights, in silver paint, to the Curly Girl Jewelry letters; added some decorations; and painted the border using the stitching as my "line".
6) My new finished banner!

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.