new / tests

this is a new design that i am debating including in the ACC show. i haven't invested in as many color&material options for it as i have invested in some of my older designs because it is so new ... but we'll see. it is an evolution of the design below - which i'm fond of conceptually and form-ally (??) .................................... but am not 100% confident about functionally. because the two layers are loose, when the pendant shifts even slightly while wearing it, a small slit of light is revealed because the side of the top piece is so narrow. not sure how i feel about it yet....

weekend progress

the frigid, severely-below-zero weather is back in minneapolis and is making it easy to focus on making and preparing my jewelry (instead of heading out for a "quick" ski on the groomed trails at the public golf course just a few blocks from our house.) here's a shot of some of the progress i've been making ... i've made slight adaptations from a previous design - narrowing 3 itterations down to this one for the show. (i'll also offer it in bloodwood, walnut, sand-blasted translucent and yellow.) this is a long pendant and is intended to be worn over a piece of clothing with a crew-neck or turtle-neck.

"make my day" award

first wendy, in california, and then kirsten, in melbourne, honored me with the "make my day" award today - i'm so touched that i'm blushing! i sometimes wonder if anyone (besides myself) is (proof) reading this little blog of mine -- thanks you-two ... you're on my list as well!

this is how the award works:
1. write a post with links to 5 blogs that make your day;
2. acknowledge the post of the award giver
3. tell the award winners they've won by commenting on their blogs.

i'm a newcomer to this blog world - so my list of blogs-that-make-my-day can pretty much be found in the column to the right, but here are some thoughts on a couple of them & two random-throw-ins that i don't have listed links to:

1. uniform studio : i've known martha for many years - first through the minnesota-architecture community and now through our respective design/making endeavors. i'm endlessly inspired by her!

2. assemblage : an architect, mother, maker across the world in australia who i have recently discovered and love to check-up on -- it also fascinates me to learn about and think about the architecture and design and seasons in her world ...

3. dozi : wonderful graphic/paper design ... go to her flickr and look at the print materials at her wedding - lovely!!!

4. dan wilson's blog-thing : a minneapolis musician/grammy winning-song writer/rock star who is using his voice and talent and passion to speak out and make a difference. he's fantastic in concert, his music/lyrics get into your bones and i absolutely love the fact that he has stayed in minneapolis and that he is PROUD of what that means -- even if it means that we are passive-agressive ;)

5. dooce : this woman writes a letter to her daughter every month - i've wanted to do the same, but her eloquence intimidates me and i've failed to do so as of yet.....

thanks to all who might be reading & please feel free to comment if you haven't in the past!

new ...

i've been "test-driving" these earrings for the past week (nearly everyday) and have decided that i like them - i'm adding them to my ACC offerings.

by the way - the American Craft Council has officially announced the New Wave Craft artists and section ... getting exciting and nerve-racking at the same time!

gold??!!?!?!

i should start by saying that i have never worn a piece of gold jewelry in my life - no kidding. i think that people/families tend to be gold or silver people/families and mine was definately a silver (steel, gray, black metal etc.) family.

so, you can imagine my dilema when i found an awesome dress to wear to a dinner on the eve following my brother's wedding that was navy blue with an empire-band with GOLD stitching. perhaps i could have passed on the dress because of it - but really, i couldn't. (it's one of those dresses that makes you feel really feminine and sexy.)

so, it left me with a little design problem and it is one that has come to fascinate me. "Could my jewelry designs handle gold??" it is really an exciting idea -(particularly given my opening-statement re: my blatent generalization about people being gold or silver people)- that i could possibly appeal to a realm of people who would normally not even consider looking at my jewelry. it is an on-going experiment of mine - but i thought i would share this design that i adapted to go with my dress.

to adapt my HOLLOW necklace: i used a longer and less-rigid chain so that it would hang lower (deep V) and gold-colored rings for the connections. upon discussing with my husband and graphic designer-brother (not the one getting married) - the gold in combination with the acrylic it has a really "edgy" feel to it - almost 80's-ish. i don't think i intended for that to happen but it is interesting how things can take on a life of their own!

brides maid special

my brother is getting married this weekend and my sister and i are both bridesmaids. our future sister-in-law wants us to wear pearls ... my dress has a pretty low-cut neck line so i made this necklace (& earrings) for me to wear and made a shorter version for my sister to wear. these special one-of-a-kind sort of things have proven to be good for inspiration! ... so inspiring that i've been sketching-out some new ideas for some new (official)spring pieces -- can't wait to really test them out after the ACC show....

i also received a "small" reorder from the WALKER for valentines day - (they sold 17 pieces of my jewelry in december!) - and then may place a larger order after i return from baltimore -- this sure is getting exciting!!

testing the collection

work in progress

after being sick for over a week, i have picked-up with my preparations for the American Craft Council retail show in Baltimore in February (22-24) - i'm trying to maintain perspective and my cool. as i mentioned before, i will be 1 of 15 artisans that will be featured in a special section called "New Wave Craft" - this is the very first year that they have created this section in the show. i'm not sure if that creates more or less pressure???

well anyway, i am really enjoying the process and am finding beauty within each step. i have the tendency to get caught-up in the serendipitous qualities of material in the process of becoming a product. as much as i care and take pride in the finished details, i equally am in love with the imagery and visual quality of things/moments that are created along the way.


i love the pattern left behind after sandblasting ... and the soft/fuzzy feel of my sandblasted acrylic pieces soaking in water ... and vibrantly wet. i tend to dwell and swoon and get lost in their calmness.....

production mode

in november of last year, i applied (along with 90 other artisans from around the country) to be featured in a special section of a one of the largest craft shows in the country. i was accepted and will be 1 of 15 artisans displaying and selling their work in a space designed and underwritten by the organization that puts the show together (not sure if i am supposed to announce this yet-so am being slightly vague)(more later) i'm honored to be chosen and super-excited to be given an opportunity to take part in a show of this size and magnitude (and $$cost$$!)
so, this means that nearly every waking moment that i am not working or cleaning or mothering - will be spent in production-mode! at certain times, it feels as if my mind is going to explode with all the other things i need to be considering (packaging, pricing, take-away promotional info, selling accessories, packing process == as my sister and i will be FLYING to the show, everything must fit in suitcases!) YIKES!

i must keep everything in perspective and take it one step at a time. step 1: production of wood pieces. i've added cherry to my wood-offerings and must admit i'm totally in love with it right now! it is lighter than the walnut and wenge but still much warmer than a maple.

here you can see the blue acrylic, cherry and walnut versions of the rolling-TOPO necklace. i am making some ground....breathe...........

everything is "on the side" of something else

during the day, i work for my dad - who is an architect. in the past year i have worked on a variety of projects doing a variety of things from construction documents for a small cabin on the north shore of lake superior; to printing stunning images of projects that we've submitted for different awards; to specifying lighting or selecting furniture for clients. in many ways, i do a lot of the "side things" that surround the architecture that help it be great. the latest issue of METROPOLITAN HOME Magazine shows an example of one of the coolest "side things" that i've done for SALMELA Architect: i helped stage/produce the photo shoot of a client's house for the magazine. you can see my name along side the amazing linda o'keeffe (whom i first met over 10 years ago helping her with a different photoshoot.) it was great fun & i feel so lucky!



















the funny thing is - i often tell people that i make jewelry "on the side" - i also help my husband souliyahn with the schematic design of silvercocoon projects "on the side" and then of course i am the mother of a 2 year old boy and i live in a house that needs to be cleaned and i eat food that needs to be cooked..... and you get where i am going with this. everything that i do is on the side of something else. in my twenties, my biggest worry was that i liked to do too many things and that i would never be able to focus on one thing. in my mind i had somehow predetermined that i needed to do ONE thing in order to be happy or successful or legitimate. well, i am embracing a new philosophy - i can do more than one thing and the things can (and do) inform eachother in ways that can be magical. i am grateful for the variety in my work and grateful for the opportunities that i am given to do so many fun and challenging things. 2008 is my year to really approach my life from the many 'sides' that inspire me and keep me moving forward ...