Branch necklace

I love to make these copper leaves! I have had this necklace in my brain for a while and I finally had time to fabricate it. I just listed it today on etsy, in time for holiday shopping.

Now introducing! Largest Simple Plain Hoops!

Here is the largest hoop that I feel comfortable doing. It measures 1 and 1/4 of an inch across. It is completely hand fabricated by forming and hammering.

Free shipping through Cyber Monday!

Early start on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday!

I decided to offer free shipping from now through Cyber Monday at my etsystore! I've already had three sales from this promotion! So please if you have some gifts to get for the holidays, please stop by and get free shipping until Monday at Midnight!

Two of my new pieces have already sold--the new leave earrings and the new leaf pendant. Of course my other sale was a pair of hoops!

I just listed my largest hoops and my smallest hoops!

LEAF gets an update

Well lately I've had so much fun with my rolling mill and dried leaves that it has changed how I'm doing my copper leaves. My first version had a punch in the middle with the forged edges of the leaf. I used a high polish to make this leaf really shine.
Now, I cut the leaf shapes, roll them through the mill and then score them down the middle. Of course that is all the easy part! Then there is plenty of filing the edges and then sanding.

All the sanding has made my carpel tunnel begin to act up. So now I'm wearing some wrist guards. I suppose that I should quit typing too!

See my before and after pictures

Keep eyes open for SALE

Well, I'm gearing up for a huge Holiday sale in my etsy store. I want to sell the old stock, so that I can be motivated to make some new pieces. Sooooo, keep an eye out for some of my old works to be on sale in the SALE SECTION of my etsy store.

Yesterday was lovely at Port City Pottery. Once I was all set up it was fun to greet everyone. Hans remade our wedding cake for our event (not looks, but taste), complete with hazelnut layers, apricot preserves and swiss buttercream. It was lovely and reminded me of our wedding! (I didn't tell him that it kinda slid in the car and the sides were all messed up) I think that was his signal to say "I miss you sweetie" because I've been working so hard lately. Everyone at the event loved it--I made sure that I had 2 pieces! YUMMY!

Louise did such a beautiful job organizing the event and it was lovely to see all her work out in one place. She has such gorgeous scarves and wraps. I'm not a wrap wearing person, but I'm really contemplating one wrap in particular.......I'm not going to tell which one.

So after all of this sale stuff, I was feeling completely beat, but I had to go to a rehearsal for the installation of a new rector at St. John's Episcopal Church. Now most of you know that I'm a classical singer too. I was going to help with their choir at the last minute, which is typically called being a "ringer". I was exhausted and hoped that I could muster some energy to sing. Anyway, Lisa Nichols runs an organized and fun rehearsal and has a dedicated group of singers, so it was fun to sing with them. Everyone was so happy to have me there and was so complimentary of my singing--made me feel like a super star! (Don't worry Larry, I'd never leave you!) It was a lovely way to end the busy day.

Today is the Day!

From 2pm to 8pm TODAY come join Louise, the PCP Owners & Members and myself at the Wearables Art Show at Port City Pottery and Fine Craft in the Cotton Exchange Downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. Its a Holiday party! I'm going to have fun, if I can get there in one piece......

I'm still putting earrings on earring cards and running around the house. Finished putting together some etsy orders that came in overnight. I have even been so busy that I've forgotten to get coffee. This is a first!

Coffee, yum--with a flax seed cookie. There, there, I'm much calmer now.
Well, who knows what to expect, but as long as there are people there to talk to, I'll be happy as a clam.

See you there!

"Wearables" show with Scarfitup!

I'm in high gear getting ready for a show at the Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts Gallery tomorrow with fiber artist Louise Giordano. The gallery is located in lovely downtown Wilmington in the historic Cotton Exchange. It is the only local gallery solely dedicated to 3-d art in Wilmington.
Louise Giordano of scarfitup is doing a ton of work in organizing this event. Wow! Louise you sure do make my head spin!!!! Everyone from the gallery has graciously donated items to be part of the every half-hour drawing. From 2pm to 8pm there will be a drawing for incredible artwork from many of the artists in the gallery.

Port City Pottery is now in its 2nd year and things couldn't look brighter. There are 21 local artists represented and we all come in 3 times a month to work in the shop. Sales are still going up and that is very encouraging amidst this economic downturn. Earlier this year Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts was awarded the Most Innovative Business Award by the UNCW Business School. I am so blessed to be a part of this amazing group of people. "Working" is so fun!

Of course there will be a cake from Apple Annie's made by my sweet husband, Hans Westermark as well as many other goodies. Apple Annie's Bake Shop has been in business for 26+ years and has supplied Wilmington with the finest baked goods for all of those years. I know they work hard to bring you the very best and I'm in love with anything they do. My husband has been decorating cakes there for 16 years and works 6 days a week. (I'm particularly fond of the pecan rings, cheesecakes, hazelnut cakes, and anything chocolate. My truly guilty pleasure is eating the white cupcake frosting!)

I can't wait for this event and I know that it will be so much fun!!!! Come say "hello" and get into the spirit of the season. You will also get a chance to see our complete fall lines! (And if you can't resist you can buy some of my work too!) :D

The Handmade Market

This past Saturday, Hans and I went to Raleigh, North Carolina for a craft/jewerly show at the Marbles Kid's Museum, sponsored by the The Handmade Market. Their slogan is "because mall is a four letter word". It was lovely, the organizers were delightful, and folks seemed to enjoy my work. It was well organized and there was a lot of incredible work. I was delighted to trade at the end of the show with several vendors. I got the kids some really nice Christmas presents. This picture is a bit fuzzy because it was on Hans' iphone.

One more Etsy Metal Atlanta Picture!

L-R:
Danielle Miller, Me (dumb guffaw, as always), Ashley Akers, Lena Echelle, and Chihiro Makio

Etsy Metal at the Atlanta Contemporary Jewelry Show

This past weekend I attended the 2nd Annual Atlanta Contemporary Jewelry Show. The artists in the show represent the pinnacle of contemporary jewelry in the United States. Two of etsymetal's members were represented at this prestigious invite only show--Danielle Miller http://www.daniellemillerjewelry.net/
and Lena Echelle http://www.lenastudio.com/.

While in Atlanta I got to visit with Alicia Istanbul http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5179902 and Ashley Akers http://ashleyakersjewelry.com/home.html. It was great to get to see all of these etsy peeps face to face. I feel like it was a reunion and not a first time meeting. I also got to visit with my talented brother in law, Leif Westermark. We gave him some of Danielle's abacus cufflinks for his birthday and Christmas. He LOVED them.

I got to meet one of my hero's in the metalsmithing world face to face. Harold O'Conner is a world renowned artist who's work has been featured in all the Lark Jewelry Publications, Jewelry Artists by Lapidary Journal, Art Jewelry, and Metalsmith, and his work is in galleries all over the world. For more detailed information please see http://www.haroldoconnor.com/album/index.html

















Lena talking with Alicia and Ashley watching the cases.

Goodbye Enigma Garnets

This past weekend I did a show in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was a lovely show featuring arts and crafts with lots of moms with cherubic infants. In the midst of all this domestic happiness, one of my very favorite pieces was stolen. Enigma garnets was a piece that I drew in my dreams and then fabricated upon waking. I am still "in love" with this piece and I lament its loss, not for monetary reasons, but for sentimental ones. (it was $250) Should you see it, please let me know--I know that it is unlikely, but I'd like to have it returned and will not press charges.

Now I'll have to get cases to show my work in and that makes me a bit sad.

Good bye, enigma garnets.