What's up today...

I'm working on reading a large book on raising a pet bird. I wanted to share this cute picture from the book. Once I get through this book I'm going to focus on jewelry books and share my thoughts with youa bout them.

Dream Inspiration

Please enjoy the dreamlike work of Lisa Juen.

Check out the baby!

I got to meet my baby bird for the first time today. We don't know yet if it's a boy or girl. So for now I'm calling it a he. I got to hold him for over an hour and he fell asleep in my hand. So cute and adorable. I can't wait to take him home!

Sharing more of Las Vegas

Don't you love this floating crystal chandelier. That was an unbelievable amount of working spacing each crystal perfectly! It sparkles and I love it!

Remembering Las Vegas

This year I didn't get to go to JCK Las Vegas since I'm not longer working for BMAC. On the way to one of the shows last year I walked through one of the luxurious hotels that had this great lantern display I wanted to share with you all. They were spectacular.

Today I'm gathering the jewelry images I actually want on my website, so I've been going through old photos and memories.

I've really spent a month not doing much, trying to adjust to Cleveland. I've decided I'd do better if I keep myself busy. Hopefully this will cause me to have more to post!

American Jewelry Design Council

I always like to keep my eye on what the AJDC is up to. Every year the members have a jewelry challenge, they are presented with one word, such as, 'tension' 'spiral' or 'flight'. They have to use this one word as inspiration to design a piece of jewelry. Take a look at their site, scroll down and hit 'click to enter'. I love seeing all the different interpretations!

Love this!

Please go and check out Katz! Such fun furniture design, it makes me want to design my own furniture! I need a table saw!

Happy Belated 4th of July

Resin jewelry inspiration

London based jewelry designer, Vicki Purnell makes unique resin and perspex jewelry. This ring reminds me of blowing bubbles.
Here are a couple other great resin jewelry sites:
Sarah King
Situ
Miyakawa Mie

My baby bird!

I just received the first photos of my baby bird! I'm so excited! He or She will come home with me the beginning of September!

Right now I'm in Maryland and tomorrow I'll be packing up my studio, located in my parents barn. So that once we have the house I can move all my tools in!

Fun Art

Yesterday i hung out with my new sister and mom in Canton Ohio. People in that town are trying to revitalize the down town and had new artwork up. Above is the Giraffe I saw, there was also a blue monkey and a sea turtle! I thought the giraffe was the cutest!

I also have some great news that will lead to lots more jewelry posts. Joe and I have made an offer on a house and it was accepted. Officially we will get the keys the end of July. All of August I'll be working on the house and gradually moving our things in. There is a great room in the basement that will work as a studio, I need to install ventilation and bring my tools up from MD. Once I have some good pictures I'll share them!

Inspiration

I'm going through a pile of paperwork and found a piece of jewelry I've always loved (well I found an image). This piece was made by Patricia Madeja and the wheels on the bracelet move, it reminds me of an amusement park ride!

Welcome Home!

Since most of my friends and family will probably never see our apartment I’m giving you a personal tour! Welcome to Reserve Square Apartments. I believe there are over 600 apartment units in this building.

As you walk into the apartment the kitchen is to the left and the closets on the right. The dinning room table is ahead. Also ahead is a whole wall of window, most of it looks out to another building.

Here is the dinning room table and the wedding gift pile. Since we’re moving soon we don’t want to unpack fragile things since they’re packed well now. The the right on the wall is a painting Joe bought at an art auction while we were on our cruise in Europe. We love it!

This is Joe’s aquarium with his gecko Alex. He resides on a book shelf and is very smart (osmosis). I have taped a gecko advertisement on his aquarium to give him motivation to get a job! If one gecko can pull it off he can too!

To the right of Alex’s cage is the door we just came through from the hallway. Most of the closet on the left is full of empty boxes from moving. Since I knew we'd be trying to buy a house soon I saw no use in getting rid of good boxes.

Here is one side of the kitchen.

Then the other side of the kitchen with fridge magnets from Trippworx.

This picture is of all the stuff hidden in the kitchen under our breakfast bar space.

Another view of the kitchen table.

Then a view of the rest of the room, including my desk area. The red chair is a very old chair I have repainted several colors. It's a great way to brighten up a room, by changing the chair color.

This desk I got at goodwill, it was $75 but I got them down to $25. It's art deco and I love it!

My bookshelves are to the right of desk. Full of great jewelry making books! I buy books far faster than I actually read them, I'm trying to get through them all!

Then here is a view of the living room and a look out the window.

Another view of the family room. That white chair with the swirly cushion was an awesome dumpster find. I already owned the cushions and they fit perfectly on the white chair. Great for reading!

Our couch.

This is the main bathroom decorated in a Paris theme. (Thanks to Joe's Mom!) I have some great pictures I have taken of the Eiffel tower when Joe and I were there. I plan on printing at least one of them and framing it in the bathroom.

This is the second bedroom. I’m not going to show you much of it. There is a twin bed and then boxes of art supplies and juggling stuff. This is the old kitchen table that I use as my drawing desk in the second bedroom. It’s a great space to design!

Here is the master bedroom. This bed has been in my family for generations and I love it! It's a brass bed with iron work painted white.

The bed has brass knobs that unscrew like in the movie ‘Bed knobs and Broomsticks’

My comfy Poang Chair from IKEA! I highly recommend this type of chair.

The view out the window next to the Poang Chair, we can see Lake Erie from this window!

Here is my dresser. Both my night stands and dresser are used. I sanded, repainted, and added new drawer pulls to them. I love my furniture and it’s built out of solid wood, I can repaint it anytime for something new!

Here is the master bath. Joe picked the world map shower curtain, too bad it’s backwards when I’m in the shower, I might learn more.

This is a view down our hallway (we’re at the very end of one hallway). It makes me think of a horror movie where the hallway never ends! Ahhhhh!

Here is the elevator on our floor. The door on the far wall goes out to an outdoor stairwell.

Here is a view from the out door stairwell.

Here is a view down to the street from the stairwell. I’m wearing my favorite sparkly shoes!

On the fifth floor is a great gym! This is the deck outside of the gym.

View from the deck.

Another view from the deck. I use the deck to practice juggling tricks.

My attempt to take a picture of our entire building. It’s an enormous building with two towers. We have a grocery store, about 20 restaurants, a college, several other schools, and a four floor garage.

Oh and if you want to come and stay, there is also a hotel in the building, Embassy Suites.

Then a view of our tower, to the left from East 13th street.
Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Recent Jewelry Creation

This is the latest piece of jewelry I have made, they are fine and sterling silver lily of the valley earrings. I made these to go with my wedding dress. I had to create a flat template of the flower, pierce it out with a saw and then dome it to see if I made the petals the right width. I really love how the sheet metal is fine silver and has a white glow.

Baseball!

Last night I went to my first Baseball game in 10 or 15 years. We saw the Indians beat the Cardinals!

Here is me with Ketchup, he's a hot dog! I even bought my own baseball cap supporting the Indians! It was fun!