etsymetal blog carnival: nobody's perfect

well, you don't have to say that twice!!

tell us about a piece gone awry or a funny story about something that didn't go as planned...

*first i should say that my development as an artist depends on my screw-ups. i have never been 'shown' a technique. i might read a bit online or ask a question or two, but i really learn through my mistakes.

*now for a story of mess ups that makes me want to cry even now....

over the summer i worked on a massive ring with a large handsawn flower on the side of a slab of bezel set stone. it was a lovely piece of agate i had won on ebay with a bit of druzy in the middle. i decided that i just could not part with the stone and would keep this massive ring for myself. while traipsing the pieces from my workroom to my living room where i would set the stone, i dropped the stone on the tile floor and chipped the tip. CRAP!! i set everything aside for months and finally set the stone to have the tip ground off and polished. thank you http://theagateworks.etsy.com. when i got the stone back i took off the ring band, pulled off the bezel, made a new bezel, put the ring band back on and was thrilled to be finishing my new ring. once again, while moving all the pieces to set the stone i drop the stone on the tile floor and crack it in half. really, what is the likelihood that i drop the same stone twice and ruin it? needless to say, i do NOT have a new ring and wasted precious work hours on something that cannot be fixed.

to read about my com padres mistakes and mess-ups, go here:

Silentgoddess -

Gracebourne -

2Roses -

Inbar Bareket -

Anne Walker -

Beth Cyr -

Michele Grady Designs-

TK Metal Arts -

Evelyn Markasky -

blog carnival

etsymetal shares:

what is your most coveted tool?

why?

how would you use it?

the tool i have been wanting for ages is a rolling mill.

i sure it is a simple thing compared to my compadres' studios,

but i would love to have one.

i would love to add texture to my leaves and flowers.

i love the 2D feel of my work, but i would like to add a bit of depth.

if any of you want to help me in acquiring one,

just go to my shop and buy some lovelies.

to see what everyone else wants, check out:

Beth Cyr

2Roses

Elizabeth Scott

Tosca Teran

AdobeSol

Nodeform

etsymetal blog carnival

hyacinth
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

and yes, i am returning to the land of the living....

Tell us about other kinds of art and craft you do.
What other media do you work and play with?
*my mother and i both realized i did have some artistic potential when i played with clay. you can't really go wrong with pinch pots.
*i learned to crochet and knit and enjoy making super simple scarves and hats.
*i also dabble in watercolors.

How often do you get to create?
*unfortunately, i do not play with clay or watercolors as often as i should.
*i crochet and knit when i watch horror movies at night. the repetitiveness is very relaxing and i even get something accomplished.

Does it relate to or inspire your metalworking?
*sometimes.
*colorways in yarn definitely inspire my enamel work.

check out everyone else's crafty endeavours here:
etsymetal blog

business success secrets...

set up
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

crap i am so late posting this....
and let me add that i kind of laughed at this topic as soon as i read it.

*What does it mean to you to be "successful" in business as an artist?
at first success was simply measured by selling enough jewelry to pay for more supplies.
now, i do feel much differently even though i cannot say that i am successful.
i want to sell my jewelry consistently and this means both itty bitty earrings and my one of a kind pieces.
i want to receive a small amount of commission work.
i want to sell enough jewelry to pay for a class (taking into consideration that this means travel and childcare.)
i also want to be a member of professional organizations and respected by my metal peers.

*How do you walk the line between creativity and profitability?
i feel that walking the line between creativity and profitability is something that all artists must struggle with.
i do make simple, inexpensive earrings that make great gifts, but i have tried to make sure they 'fit' with my other pieces. i chose stones and colors that i like and would wear.
and that is about as far as i go......
i know i seem to mention this constantly, but i do not have to live off of my income.
i want jewelry making to stay my creative outlet and to remain fun.
i worry that when my boys grow up i will have to grow up too.

*What is the best thing you've done for your business?
i have no secret recipes for other artists.
i do not have my own website and i do not have a brick and mortar shop.
i do not wholesale to huge upscale boutiques or send my jewelry to celebrities.
but for me the best thing i have done is to continue to learn and grow.
i started out wire-wrapping and stamping metal and now i have so much more to offer the public.

find out other secrets here

blog carnival : back to school

psych
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

where did i go to school...
mississippi state university

am i still a student...
unfortunately no
if it was up to me and money (and time with my babies) was not an issue, i would be in school forever
and i really do mean forever
the plan has always been for me to go to grad school and just one hang ups is choosing from so many interesting subjects

what kind of student was i....
how do you describe students?
i was a psychology student and took as many criminology classes as i could work into my schedule
i tried my hardest to get all of my classes before lunch so i could read/study/whatever in the afternoon and evenings
i got married after my freshman year and stuffed 3 full years into 2 years and just one summer
that meant 20+ hrs every semester and 9+ hrs both summer terms
it also meant that i had to get a special piece of paper signed by the dean allowing me to take extra classes
i also worked on the same level as two grad students (doing research) with a social psychology professor
and through all this i managed to graduate summa cum laude

if i had the opportunity to go back to school, would i...
i think i have made this obviously clear, yes, yes, and yes

if so, where would i go and what would i study...
i have no clue what school i would choose
that would depend on the course of study i finally settled on
between my psych degree and really getting into metal i wanted to delve more into social psychology and criminology
i worked in the forensic building at the state's mental hospital and found it really interesting
i took four semesters of russian and would love to use it in some way
that would of course require more study
i am also into epidemiology and disease and history
and now that i have found metal, i would love to really take some art classes and some business classes

find out what everyone else wants to study here:

etsymetal blog carnival

homemade chocolate ice cream
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

food for thought.......

what do i eat?
well, i prefer chicken to red meat, fruits to veggies, and chocolate to vanilla.
as far as preparation goes, deep frying is the way to go.
i would eat fried chicken everyday of the year if i thought my heart could handle it.

what won't i eat?
honestly, that list is too long to really even begin to answer.
i enjoy plain (and salty) food.
i do not like things like onions and peppers touching my tongue, but i don't actually mind the flavor.
if i eat anything chinese or mexican, its a really watered down version.
plus, i like to sniff things before i try them so i don't waste time trying to get a gross taste out of my mouth.

do i have any interesting pairings that i would like to share?
obviously not, i am far to plain for that.

what studio snacks do i eat?
maybe a couple of pieces of candy.
my studio time is so limited that i don't really need to snack.

do i have a favorite recipe that i would like to share?
sure, i have been into homemade ice cream and homemade cookies lately.
a couple of weeks ago i made some really dark (almost black) and rich chocolate ice cream.
you can find the recipe here.
the two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa turned into two heaping tablespoons of special dark cocoa
and the two ozs of semisweet chips turned into some semisweet chips since i just poured some directly from the bag.

to see what everyone else is eating check out:

ninaG

vic

tomi

ann
http://annhartleystudio.blogspot.com/

cynthia
http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com/

caitlyn/discomedusa
http://discomedusa.typepad.com

Inbar

Lauren

Maria

Beth

what will i be when i grow up?

281/366
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

or what would i focus on for a career if i did not make jewelry?

that's a hard one.
first off, we would have to start with the assumption that i neither have children or make jewelry.
i decided well before i got pregnant that i would stay at home with my boys as soon as i had them.
continuing along that train of thought, i would have to choose some type of research, most likely social psychology, or maybe something related to disease and history or epidemiology.

i have b.s. in psychology and while in school i did some research in the field of social psychology.
i really enjoyed it and have always been a people watcher.

i also have a mild obsession with plagues.
(i know, morbid.)
i read plenty of books on the subject and never tire of it.
i would love to be out in the field tracking outbreaks and helping communities better prepare for prevention and containment.
i think i could also handle teaching courses on the topic.

but with two boys at home, even if i did not make jewelry, i will still be fixing meals, buying clothes, cheering at sporting events, and helping with homework.

check out what everyone else would be doing here:

victoria/experimetal
tomi/metal riot
Ann/hartleystudio
Brooke Medlin
Maria/fluxplay
Inbar Bareket
Beth Cyr

what exactly motivates me to create??

minis
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

it depends; it could be:
nothing
or
everything
or
an idea that begs to be translated into physical form
or
a desire to keep nature near me at all times
or
an urge that i cannot quench until i have accomplished something that is all my own
or
a desire to adorn others with lovely, sturdy accessories

each urge and motivation plays some part in the time and effort i put into creating each day.
when i am not motivated or sick or tired, i just don't create.
when i am energetic or have too many ideas or have a show to stock, i create.
and i wish it was just that easy. but i do get concerned when things i love don't sell. i do get anxious in this economy as i realize that my jewelry really isn't neccesary for survival. at this moment, i do not depend on my jewelry income to sustain my family, so i try not to let lack of sales or the crappy economy dictate my design estethic.
it doesn't mean that it is easy, but i just try to focus on creating what i enjoy when i have the time and energy without obsessing on the saleability and practicality of some designs.

for more insight into motivation to create see:
Nina Gibson
Danielle Miller-Gilliam
Victoria Takahashi
fluxplay Ann Hartley
Beth Cyr

my creative process

'studio'
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

how do i plan and organize for design?

quite simply, i don't.
somedays a design pops into my head and i rework it until i am able to create it in metal.
other days i dig through my stone stash and stare at them until one screams to be made into something.
i never, ever sketch.
and really, it is that willy-nilly.

often, i find myself wishing that i had the discipline and skill to sketch, but its just not in me.
and for now, this very unorganized system works for me.

to find out about others' creative process check out these blogs:
Victoria Takahashi
Thomasin Durgin
Su Trindle
Inbar Bareket
Nina Gibson
Danielle Miller
Corliss & John Rose
Maria Whetman
Beth Cyr

get inspired

earth
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

what do you do when you aren't inspired?
that is this months blog carnival topic.
well actually, we are making lists of an inspirational 20 things to do, to kick start creativity....

i personally find that i am more likely to be at a loss for time when i want to create rather than a loss for ideas when i have time to make.
however, i do think this is a great topic for getting out of a rut.
it can be fun to play on one idea or one theme for a while, but then i want to move forward and learn more skills or try another design.
here are things that i have either tried or think would work for myself to get out of a creative rut:

1. participate in a group challenge - for me that's been the project runway jewelry challenges
2. clean up my bench junk - take all those odd leftovers cluttering the bench and make something, anything
3. make time for my boys - if i spend all the time i can with my sons, i find that i have more ideas than i know what to do with when i do get to work
4. make custom work - its not always something i would do unless asked, but it does get me thinking
5. take care of little things - like bills, doing laundry, making lunch, etc....when i have other things stacking up, i can't focus on making jewelry
6. pick a theme - make only red things for a week, use only metal, etc
7. try a new technique - whether it be easy or hard
8. read a book
9. take a break from anything jewelry related for a couple of days or a couple of weeks
10. play in another medium - for me that means picking up some yarn and knitting or picking up my paintbrushes and watercoloring
11. pamper yourself
12. make something for yourself - what i would wear is not always EXACTLY what i make for others
13. enjoy nature - there are so many colors and shapes in nature that it is almost impossible not to get inspired
14. buy something new - this sort of goes along with trying a new technique, but buying a couple of new cabs often gets me thinking in new ways
15. use alternative materials - embroidery floss and plastic bags definitely make me think in new ways
16. enjoy other artists work - seeing what others are able to do allows me to expand my definition of what is possible
17. meditate - just take time to let ideas come to you, its not necessary to force them
18. talk it out - sometimes discussing a creative rut with another will open up a dialog for suggestions for new work
19. enjoy new music
20. sketch - i never sketch, ever, but i do think grabbing a stone and sketching out ideas would help someone regain some momentum

and if you don't think my ideas will work, go check out my friends:

yep, it's that time again

time again for etsymetal's monthly blog carnival.

this month we were challenged to pick our favorite ring from the current ring a day pieces.

how unfair!!!!!

i have been so inspired, impressed, and amused.

i have been introduced to new and old talent.

i have been awed at some of the projects

and some of the alternative materials that have been made beautiful.

but, i did decide to narrow it down to two of my absolute favs:

shannon, of rubygirl, has been sandcasting lego pieces.

this is my favorite so far.

i am not sure whether i have legos on the brain because of my five year old

or because i am so impressed with these fun pieces.

danielle, of daniellejewelry, always does esquisite work.

i have been lusting over her rose cut diamond and leaf rings for a while now.

but this new ring has me absolutely amazed at her vision and talent.

the wonderfully organic piece is simply breathtaking.

to read what everyone else thinks about our ring a day challenge see:

alisa miller

beth cyr

caitlyn davey

catherine chandler

chris parry

colleen baran

danielle miller

kerin rose

maureen

nina dinoff

sara westermark
su trindle

thomasin durgin

victoria takahashi

so its barely the new year...

bottles
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

and i have committed myself to yet another project.

several members of the etsymetal team have been participating in a monthly blog carnival and i have decided to join.
this month's theme was "favorite treasure."
i chose my collection of (mostly vintage) bottles of dried flowers.
the bottles themselves are all significant, even if only for a simple reason.
most have been collected on trips or given to me as gifts.
the dried flowers are even more significant.
the flowers have been collected from proms, from youth trips, from vacations, and from weddings.
they came from bouquets, from gardens, and even from the side of the road.
most of my possessions can be replaced by rebuilding, printing, or purchasing, but these vintage bottles and their dried flowers cannot.

check out these other participants:
Victoria Takahashi
Danielle Miller-Gilliam
Rebekah Timlin Meddles
Sara Westermark
Beth Cyr
Ashley Akers