Only a few...

Well, I wasn't as productive as I had hoped to be this week.  The girls started school on Monday.  So far we are settling into the school routine quite nicely.  Although it is only the first week, and things always start off well.  It is maintaining it long term when the problems start!  I have been making the girls a nice breakfast every morning and packing their lunches.  They are finally at an age where they can completely get themselves ready without too much prodding from me.  And that gives me time to make pancakes, blueberry muffins and smoothies.  :)

I love them so much.  Even though when you make the decision to have babies, no one tells you that you will have to experience growing up all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.  When it comes right down to it, they are the most important things in my life.

I've come to a point in my work where I am not beating myself up over a lack of productivity.  Where I am not setting unachievable goals for myself.  I guess I have finally begun to relax.  I think that it is actually making my work better.  Just coming along more slowly.

I had been neglecting some things in the pursuit of growing my little jewelry business.  Among them my exercise routine, and what I choose to eat.  I have made a conscious effort to correct these things.  It takes some of the time I used to spend creating, but in the long run the need to maintain my health is much more important!  Life is continually growing and changing, and I finally feel like I am beginning to enjoy riding the wave instead of bucking against it.  My silver and stones will always be waiting for me, and working with them is that much sweeter when I know that I have put myself and my family first.  

So, without further ado, I have completed a few new pieces this week.

These have all been listed in my Etsy shop.  I am in love with the Turquoise earrings.  And the Queensland agate and Hessonite Garnet pieces have all been inspired by the Fall season, which just can't get here fast enough for me.  The Queensland agate was cabbed by Ed from Stones in Motion. 

That's it for this week!  I have more pieces that need to be finished, and I hope to have those completed next week.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and for those of you in the US, enjoy your long Labor Day weekend! :)

Back to School!

I sent my babies off to their first day of 2nd and 5th grade today.

We really needed to get back on a schedule. I hope to be able to spend more time at the bench. I have a bunch of half completed projects that are just waiting on me to be finished and shown to the world!

I hope your Monday is as good as mine! :-)

Paying for it

Yesterday, I had about 4 hours to work in my shop. Even though I had earwires and clasps to make for orders, I was dying to get this design idea out.

Ugh. I got the first row soldered on beautifully. The 2nd row had one wire curl giving me fits. In the process of trying to make that sucker solder I melted my project.

I haven't done something like that in ages. New charcoal block and I just didn't gauge the heat right.

What a waste of a day! Although in the process of making earrings I think I discovered that the design would be great for the collar on this:






I haven't decided yet.

Well off to those earwires and clasps then. Have a happy Wednesday all!

Sugar skull study

Sugar skull in Elizabethan collar

Gemstone Layering Necklace

This necklace has so many different gemstones in it! I think it will go with just about everything in your wardrobe.

Ruby, Garnet, Turquoise, Tourmaline, Lapis, Aquamarine, White Topaz, Various Jaspers, Moonstone, Yellow Sapphire, Citrine and Sterling Silver.

A melody of my favorite stones. The colors have a great Indian Summer, Autumn vibe.

Fly

The listing pretty much says it all.  I have a tendency to get hooked on certain elements.  Like the beaded chain.  I'm working on another one that I'm going to leave plain to be worn as a stacking necklace.  I really love the all sterling handmade link.

Cuffs for Stacking

You may have seen my little how to yesterday on how to put on a cuff bracelet, and this is the reason why:

Pebble Cuff

Diamondback Cuff

Leaf and Berry Cuff

Orbit Cuff

Hammered Cuff

All together now....

I had an urge to have silvery jingle jangle on my wrist,  so I made these.  I love wearing them all together!  They just feel good. 

Listed in my Etsy Shop.

How to put on a metal cuff bracelet

First a confession.  I took a class last year in which one of the projects was making a copper cuff bracelet.  So, I'm sitting there watching the instructor and one gentleman forming a cuff on a stake.  I'm the only woman nearby, and  they hand the cuff to me to try on to see if it fits.

I try to jam it on right above the wrist bone thinking that since that's where the cuff sits when worn, that must be where you put it on right?  I couldn't get it on, so I give it back saying it doesn't fit.  Must need more forming.

The instructor grins and asks politely, "Do you know the proper way to put on a cuff bracelet?"  Uhhhh, I guess not.....  ;-)  Well, I'll be darned if he didn't show me how it's done.  And it makes so much sense.

Putting a cuff bracelet on properly is important because even though the cuff may be flexible,  pulling it in and out of shape repeatedly will weaken the metal.  Possibly causing the metal to break!   My cuffs are made of sterling silver, hard soldered, and should last a lifetime if handled properly.  Here's how it's done:

 First you begin with the cuff bracelet.  This is one of my skinny stacking bracelets. 

 About half way up your lower arm, position one end of the cuff bracelet in the middle of the underside of your arm.  You will put some pressure, but not so much that it hurts.

After the cuff is anchored on one side, slide the other end of the cuff over the top of your arm until the cuff moves freely on your arm.

And here we are!  The cuff hasn't been distorted out of shape at all.  

The cuff can be removed in the same way.

Summertime Necklace part deux

 Laguna Agate, Turquoise, Citrine and Sterling Flowers and Fronds!

This was a custom order that a lovely lady found in my sold items and asked me to remake.

It just so happened that the stars aligned and Ed over at Stones in Motion was able to make me some more cabs of this gorgeous agate with the luscious colors of caramel, butterscotch, honey and cream.  

I had a lot of fun re making this piece.  When it was all said and done, I was mesmerized by the stone.  All the beauty that is surrounding it and that stone still takes center stage. 

 This one is the original that I made over a year ago:

The first time I made this necklace it sold very quickly, and I had a couple of inquiries about making another but didn't have the agates.  Now,  I have two more laguna agates with similar coloring that I could use to make this necklace again.  If you are interested in your own Summertime Necklace, please email me at amymarez@yahoo.com

Panther Pride

Our local high school is Colleyville Heritage High School.  I was asked to donate something to their Panther Pride night hosted by the Football team, and came up with this pierced pendant hand stamped on the back. 

The perfect personalized gift for your favorite Panther!  It can be found at my online store by clicking here:

http://amynicole.bigcartel.com/product/panther-pride-necklace

Layering Necklaces

 This first necklace has been swimming around my head for ages.  I finally sat down and made it this week.  The double sided handstamped discs spin freely on the pin that runs through the middle. 

These four necklaces were all made from my antique mold collection.  I love these necklaces for layering, or for when I want an understated look.  They make perfect gifts and I will continue to add to this series a little at a time.  When I have time I also want to offer these on beaded chains!  Whoo Hoo!  Too many ideas too little time!

I also finished a doozy of a custom order this week.  After I get the approval from my client, I'll share it with you.  And.....I have the materials available to make two more!  I've had a really lovely week, and you all have been filling my well with joy.  I've had the pleasure of getting to know a couple of new clients, and I've had a couple requests to remake items that I've made before.  After a rough start, I'm happy to say that things are looking up!  TGIF all!  I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

PS  All the new layering necklaces are listed in my Etsy Shop :-)

You can do what you want to when you're an adult...

Well, that's what we tell the kids sometimes when the complain that they don't want to do something they've been asked to do.  But I was thinking about that. 

Do we ever really get to do what we want when we're adults?  I guess it's yes and no.  Lately I have been feeling a little pressure from life.  It could be any number of things, but I do have a little bit of sadness and longing for the days when I really could do what I wanted to do. 

You know how it is.  Boring everyday stuff that has to be done.  Laundry, dishes, toilets, floors, cooking, etc.  Running the kids here and there.  Listening to them argue.  And to be honest a lot of the times I just don't really want to do most of those things.  Except running the girls around.  I really don't mind that.  But be done they must, and so I do them.  And then there are only a few hours to do what I really want to do. 

So, maybe I shouldn't tell the kids that you can do what you want when you're an adult.  Maybe I should just tell them to get used to it.   Actually, my favorite thing to tell them when they cry that they don't want to do something (like practice the piano), I tell them that I do things everyday that I don't really want to do and that's just the way it is. 

I wish it wasn't that way though.   I sometimes wish I had a bottomless well of joy to be applied to every task.  I think that right now my well is running a little low on joy, but I'm hoping for a refill soon....