a photo shoot

a couple weeks ago I had a photo shoot with a friend from high school, Alicia Holman. it's something I have been meaning to do. I have no pictures of me, professionally taken that aren't from my dancing days.

Alicia came over on a Saturday morning and she began clicking away. Alicia brought her little assistant, her beautiful daughter, who was such a joy to be around and provided the entertainment for the morning.

I will say I felt really silly most of the time, having all that attention focused on me, not my jewelry. And I really wasn't quite sure what to do with my facial expressions. Alicia finally said, "you CAN smile, you enjoy making jewelry don't you?" Which made me laugh and relax.

So here are the photos... I love them! Thank you, Alicia!

Soldering.

Alicia asked me what my favorite tool was... definitely my old refinished rolling mill my Dad gave me.

Forming a 22K gold bezel. The stone is an amazonite. {I really should have had a manicure for this}

Look what a maniac I am with that hammer!

preparing wire to be a ring shank. I promise I do enjoy making jewelry... my face just doesn't show it!

This is a shot of my new studio. I love the color of the walls... matches the aqua blue I use in my logo and packaging.

A few head shots with my favorite tool.

This was the photo I was most excited about. But my fortune cookies look so small compared to my large noggin!

studio 05.01.2010

holy stones... I got in spring cleaning mode this morning and finally organized all my stones (those few that I have to set...HA!) Looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me!

2010, a new decade?

I'm not sure if I have been so busy and I didn't realize, or I'm just not that smart, but today it really sunk in that we are entering into a new decade. I don't know how I missed this!

What makes it even crazier is it has been 10 years since the y2k scare, I visited California for the first time, I graduated from high school, and I moved away from home went to college... Part of me thinks that it really doesn't seem like it's been 10 years. But when I try to think about what I was doing back then, what I was thinking about, what I hoped to be when "I grew up" I realize it really has been 10 years.

If you would have asked me in 2000 where I would be in 10 years my answer would be: a clothing buyer definitely not working for my dad anymore. I would be married by 24 with 2 children living in San Francisco and very, very happy.

However, today I am working for my father by day and jewelry artist by early morning and night. I am single at 28 but dating a wonderful man, childless and technically petless, STILL living in Atlanta (but finally visited SF this year), and still figuring out what I want to be "when I grow up." But I have to say, I am very very happy where I am right now walking into 2010.

I said I wouldn't post until the new year, but I couldn't resist. All of this has got me thinking and when I get all thoughtful I think it should record it in history! (it doesn't happen all THAT often!)

Before I really sign off until the new year I wanted to let you all know that I have some very exciting new designs that I will be releasing in the new year. And here's a little sneak peak of one idea:

This ring is a new series called rock candy rings that I will be expanding on, along with my gumdrop rings. Each will be one of a kind and resized to fit to order. They are not yet available in my etsy or big cartel store but when they are, rest assured, you will be the first to know!

Here are also some future gum drops rings.


I hope you all have a very happy new year!

number 14

This past weekend I began work on my first item on my 28 to-do list; number 14 organize my studio.

My studio has always been in my apartment, beginning in the kitchen of my studio apartment, then moving to the 2nd bedroom of a 2 bedroom apartment, then the dining room of a 1 bedroom apartment, and now in the hallway of my 1 bedroom apartment. I am very unhappy with the location of my studio as I have no room and I end up spreading out to the dining room, kitchen and living room, much to Dan's dismay.

I thought the space issue would be over because Dan and I were moving out of our apartment at the end of September into a house. But alas the stars did not align and to save our sanity we chose to renew our lease for another 6 months. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel...my Dad offered to let me to set up my studio in an unused storage room at work.

So this past weekend I thought it was the perfect time to move because Dan was out of town for a bachelor party. {I am one of those annoyingly independent people who thinks they can do anything, including lifting heavy objects, with no help at all} I had hoped to be all settled into my new space by yesterday and as you can well imagine, not a one box is unpacked but things are starting to look a little promising...hopefully!

a day in my studio

It's very unusual that I have a full to day spend working in my studio. I had big plans for Monday, I was going to make rings, assemble chains, and maybe work on a new creation or two. Unfortunately I only got through assembling my chains before I had been in my studio for 8 hours.

These are my tags that I solder onto my chains, so that all my jewelry has my logo on it.

lunch {pasta salad}

work shoes {slippers}


getting set up for production. time to solder some teeny-tiny jump rings. {3 per chain to be exact!}

snack time. {cherry creamsicle}

All set up for soldering the hooks on the back of my initial pendants.

My initial pendants. {m, a, e, j, d, m, b, g, k, d}