Our Townhouse for Sale

Yesterday we took a jump forward and listed our house with Lampost Reality and HomesbyOwner.com.   The kids are getting older and we need more room.  We long for a yard for the kids and for a garden.  We are pricing our townhouse to sell.  Complete will all new appliances (modern stainless steel refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and energy efficient washer and dryer), 42" plasma TV and Bose surround sound system.  If you know of anyone who might be interested, please pass this information along.  We'd like to move in time to take advantage of the Obama plan!  Thanks again!

620 Cobblestone Drive: "Home For Sale at HomesByOwner.com"

Elevation

RAD COMBO 003
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

I'm working on a new series different from gemstone stacking rings because these rings contain different aspects of my work. I was very much inspired by Tomi of Metal Riot and have asked her permission to develop this idea in my voice. Her new "Elements" series is really amazing and reminds me of an organic architecture. I will incorporate my tidal pools series, roe, with different faceted and bezel set stones. I really look forward to seeing where this will go! I'm having a lot of fun doing it!

SNOW!!!

snow day Feb 13 2010 005
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

Snow is very rare here. The last accumulation that we had only stayed for 2 hours. We had about 4 inches and the kids are loving it! They went out and played, came in and warmed up, and now they are out again to finish some sort of snow igloo. I fixed them hot cocoa with leftover pink (red?) and green Christmas Marshmellows.

Meet Chilli my Chihuahua

chilli singing gets an antler
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

Chilli is my 3.5 pound Chihuahua. He is fierce, loud and loving. He is my constant daily companion. He also sings with me and with my students. He's a supa-star!!!

EtsyMetal Project Runway: Design your heart out

EMPR7.4 Design your heart out 009
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

I was originally going to make a locket, but I wanted a large hole in my heart. The hole represents our missing piece. It is that something that we are always looking for but never find. Difficulty purifies the heart and in turn becomes more beautiful. So instead of lamenting our brokeness our hearts are ornamented with gold and rubies.

sterling silver, 18k gold, rubies

Haiti Auction

Tomi from Metal Riot is graciously hosting an auction to fundraise for Haiti. I donated a turquoise and sterling ring to be auctioned off on Ebay to raise these much needed funds. The listing just went up and I hope that it will generate some money for Haiti. The bid begins at $35, so on your mark, get set, GO!!!!!

To bid on it click here.
To bid on other rings to be sold for Haiti Relief click here.

Lark Books Used my Rings on their Call for Submissions!

Last Wednesday I got a call from Lark Books requesting some photos for an upcoming press release to announce a "call for submissions" for their latest 30-Minute Ring Book. I was thrilled to let them use photos of my work and very humbled as well.

I don't know about you, but I have to work quickly to get things done in the studio. I have a family of three with my youngest still at home, so needless to say, I've been working with mastering the 30-minute challenge!

Lark Books is challenging metalsmiths and jewelry designers to submit designs for their newest book in the 30-minute Design Series.

"We challenge you to design a ring that can be made…start to finish…IN 30 MINUTES FLAT.
Artists exceeded expectations by submitting stunning work for 30-Minute Earrings and 30-Minute Necklaces, the first two books in this series. Now we ask you to join the fun!
Winning jewelers will be paid to create their designs.
Winning designs will be published in a new Lark jewelry book, 30-Minute Rings.

Proposals due March 19, 2010 (and not a second later!).

For details and entry forms, click here.
GAME ON!"

Two Stringed Lute EMPR 7:3

Two Stringed Lute EMPR 7:3
Originally uploaded by sarawestermark

This weeks' inspiration piece for the EtsyMetal version of Project Runway is a two-stringed lute from the Pacific Oceania. It was fun to work with a familiar shape. This is a shape that I'd like to explore further!

Experimetal's RAD no. 22: My favorite Ring a Day

rad 22 (left)
Originally uploaded by experimetal

Since the beginning of the year a group of international artists have been participating in a project to create one ring a day for 365 days of 2010. We have abbreviated our "Ring a Day" title to simply "RAD." We post our work on flicker in a "Ring a Day" group.

So after 31 days of straight ring making and 228 members, I had to pick one, only one favorite ring to blog on for the blog carnival. There were so many rings that I wanted to pick as my favorite ring of the day, but this one by Victoria Takahashi of Experimetal, really left an impact on me. This ring is so perfect to me in many ways. To begin with it is visually appealing in its industrial setting. I can't help but to see a bit of the 1980's version of "Superman" here. Perhaps the fond nostalgia I have at seeing "Superman" with Christopher Reeves on the screen for the first time as a young girl impacts this decision. Nonetheless, It is brilliant how Experimetal anchored the beads in this setting and then echoed the crystal towers look in the setting with the strips of sterling on the sides. Sometimes my head spins when I see another one of her pieces. She has a vision and endless creativity that I admire. To me, and she would hate that I would say this, is one of the most talented metalsmiths I know. Her work is cohesive, skillful, playful, and is distinctly hers. I hated to pick just one ring from all the other smiths out there, but there is something in this piece and in her body of work as a whole that really resonates with me. To see the rest of her work on flicker click this link.

To see more blogs featuring our favorite Ring a Days please see these arttists:
Alisa Miller
Colleen Baran
Danielle Miller
stacey hansen
Chris Parry
kerin rose
Victoria Takahashi
Su Trindle
Nina Dinoff
Maureen "Cosmo's Moon" BZ
Thomasin Durgin
Beth Cyr
Caitlyn Davey/discomedusa
Catherine Chandler