Metallo Bianco Jewelry

Moving sale...

2011-08-15T16:18:00.001-04:00

(taken on my phone)

This Summer has been an interesting one...to say the least...and is going to end with a bang...a good one! That picture up there of that door will mean nothing to anyone but me...that is my new place...I bought a loft I have been thinking about for awhile and will be moving soon! I am so, so excited!

But I am packing up and will be closing up my shop for a bit until I get settled.

So I am having a sale and then will go into 'vacation mode' at the end of the week.

I am offering everything in my shop at 30% off!

just use coupon code: moving

www.mbjewelry.etsy.com

If you have had your eye on anything for awhile

this would be a great time to scoop it up at a great price.

While I hate moving, this is an exciting one for me so I will be back with updates!

Sunday...what to do?

2011-07-10T11:49:00.000-04:00

When I got up this morning all I wanted to do was work on jewelry...I have been working on jewelry more and more lately...which is good. I thought I had lost the desire to make jewelry for awhile there. Anyway, as I sit here and sip coffee I realize tomorrow it is back to the office and now I am not so sure about staying in and working on jewelry. I feel like I need to get out, take pictures and do something that will stretch this weekend out just a little bit longer!

I did finish up a few new things yesterday...

This cute little faceted Rose Quartz cab has been sitting in my workbench drawer for probably 2 years so I decided to finally use it. My hesitation to use it I think came from the fact that it is a pink and a little dainty...but the wide Sterling band balances it out nicely I think.

I was trying to figure out what to do with some thick Gold filled wire I had left and I LOVE the way these necklaces came out. I love the contrast of the gun metal ball chain and the brightness of the Gold.

This necklace is very simple but so cool.

the necklace below is actually really long...it hangs down below the chest. I need to get some better photos of it (being worn) because these pictures really don't do it justice!

Of course Penny was by my side...bored to death. She is staring at the window in this picture like, 'Can we please go for a walk now?'

But now I have been on my computer waaay too long this Sunday morning and need to get up and do something. Monday mornings come too fast.

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

I'm here, I'm here!

2011-06-30T20:37:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time...too long, I know. So let me attempt to put an end to this blogging lull of mine! A super quick re-cap...what the heck have I been doing?

Well...I am desperately trying to practice taking better photos. I am participating in an online photography workshop and have been trying to keep up with my attempts at 'self-portraits' for my Flickr group. Here are a couple...

...but I have been taking photos of others too! This is my neighbor Keeley on her way to an Indian wedding...she was so gorgeous!

and then there is Penny...she hasn't moved much since I last blogged!

and a few new pieces of jewelry...

One rainy day I didn't really feel like working at my bench...I just wanted to play so the results of putting a few random bits together from here and there were...

So there is the quick re-cap. I have been keeping up with many of you...although I haven't really been commenting much! I am going to really, really try to get back in the swing of things as far as blogging.

Hope this jogs your memory on who I am...will be back soon! :)

I love patina...

2011-04-18T21:04:00.000-04:00

Mostly, the only time I use patina is to bring out details on things that I have stamped (I use Liver of Sulfur gel and I really hate the smell) but lately I have all of these ideas for oxidized pieces. Here are a few things I made this weekend. I had planned on oxidizing all of the silver pieces but I chickened out...I couldn't resist a few shiny Silver pieces!

And this bracelet...yeah, this one is for me. I am not keeping it because I love it so much, I am keeping it because I made it to small and this thing isn't coming off of my wrist. I do love it though! I wear it with my set of Gold bangles.

I can't wait until I have some time to work on some more new things. I think the gunmetal patina would look really cool on Men's pieces.

Custom order and new rings...

2011-04-06T20:24:00.000-04:00

Sunday was a productive day...until I was forced to go with friends to sit on a patio and have margaritas. :) It was such a gorgeous day and I had gotten a good amount of work done so I figured it was ok!

The custom ring I worked on was a version of my 'live' ring...

The request was to have 'Vero' stamped on the ring {short for Veronica}. Here are a few shots of the work in progress...

and the finished ring...

Lately I have really been wanting some new cabochons. I have sat down at my bench and looked at what I have and thought, "I don't like any of these!". But two popped out at me all of a sudden and I made these two rings.

This druzy cabochon is so sparkly, I love it.

and this ring is perfect for those of us that tend to wear

a lot black. :)

I like the way the rings came out, I need to start trying new things with my bezels.

So I got a little work done, but my shop is pretty bare after filling a wholesale order {yay!} so I need to keep plugging...or hammering along!

Hello there!

2011-04-03T11:21:00.000-04:00

I have been absent for awhile...but I am back and so glad Spring is here!

Lately making new jewelry has been on the back burner with the exception of a few custom orders. I got a request from Lori to make a guitar pick for her little brother's 16th birthday. I have wanted to make guitar picks for awhile now, but there are so many all over Etsy now and didn't really want to do what everyone else was doing...but this was the perfect opportunity to try it out. Her request was simple, a Sterling Silver guitar pick with his three initials on it... Lori loves mixed metals (as do I) so we came up with the idea of stamping the initals on a brass plate.

I really love the way it turned out (and so did Lori...Yay!) and I think I put my own spin on the pick with the brass plate and it sets it apart a little from the other picks out there. I have a listing in my shop now for this pick and of course it can be customized. It makes a great gift!

We have gotten a lot of rain here lately, but it has been a gorgeous weekend. So yesterday while I should have been inside making some new pieces...I just could not stay indoors. Here are a few pictures from my morning walk on the Big Creek Greenway Trail...it was just perfect out.

Everytime I walk on this trail I see deer crossing the path in front of me or see them in the woods. I was glad I brought my camera along this time...and saw one on the side of the trail...she was just sitting there looking so peaceful!

and I saw this spot and thought it would be a great place to take a self-portrait for my Flickr Group (52 self portraits in 2011)....so there I am...just sipping on a little sunshine.

It is another gorgeous day out but today I have work to do. I have a custom order that needs to get out by tomorrow morning and I am hoping to make a few new pieces too. I am crossing my fingers that it will be a productive day!

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

Out with the old...

2011-02-05T13:22:00.001-05:00

and in with the new...pictures that is. I re-took some pictures of some necklaces I made quite some time ago...

and pictures of some new things...

a pretty new ring...

Here are two more of my brass plate rings with 'just be' and 'create' stamped on them.

My new 'Soul Shakedown' necklace. I love longer necklaces like this because they are so easy to just throw on but can really spice up an outfit.

This weekend is going to be a busy one, but I hope to get everything listed in my sometime this weekend. Now, I am off to the grocery store to pick up food and drinks for my Super Bowl get together tomorrow. I don't even watch football really, but any reason to entertain is a good one! I am going to try out some new delicious looking recipes from the Picky Palate. If they come out good, I will share!

Hope you all are having a good weekend!

Brooch Bouquets...

2011-01-19T19:05:00.001-05:00

So I have been in my new place for almost 7 months now and I am just getting to know one of my neighbors, Keeley....I was at her house Saturday night and discovered that Keeley and her Mom make the most amazing brooch bouquets. I really had never heard of anything like it and didn't know what to expect...and when she put one in my hand, I was in complete awe. They are stunning.

(I also thought it was so cool that there is a fellow Etsian right next door! She is also getting into making jewelry and we have 'jewelry nights' planned!)

Each bouquet is made of the most gorgeous sparkly vintage brooches all with a color theme...which is up to the bride of course!

One of the coolest things is that she mentioned some brides choose to incorporate a family member's brooch into the bouquet...maybe a family member that isn't able to be there in person for the special day.

Look at how gorgeous this bouquet is! {sigh}

Brooch bouquets are perfect for the bride looking for something completely unique with a vintage vibe. Please take a look at Keeley's Etsy shop...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InspirationsByIngrid

and you can also check out her Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Inspirations-By-Ingrid-Custom-Brooch-Bouquets/136965436354315

Wedding season is quickly approaching so if you know of any brides to be,

please be sure to share!!

Long weekend...

2011-01-09T21:02:00.001-05:00

I was off of work Friday so I had a nice long weekend. Saturday I went down to the river and was hoping to get a bunch of cool shots of the sunset.

The last time Kelley and I went down to the river I couldn't find the trail to hike back up the hill because all of the fallen leaves had covered the trail...so I put a ribbon on a tree so I could find my way back up the trail...

especially since it was going to be dark when I left

*are you laughing at me Kel?* :)

But there was no need for the ribbon...I quickly discovered I was on the wrong side of the river to get any type of good sunset shot. LOL. So...with a little time left I hiked back up the hill and drove down the street to a park along the river and just took a few shots while I watched the sun go down.

Today I made one of my 'explore' rings for Abby in a different size (tiny!)...

and I got my 'time flys' ring ready to ship out. My Aunt Diane bought it and I am kind of sad to see it go, but I am happy that she is going to be the one to wear it.

and it was a pretty cold day today (for Atlanta) and it is supposed to snow tonight so I was in the soup mood...and tried a new recipe for Macaroni & Cheese Soup! I got the recipe from the Food Network Magazine. It was supposed to be a 'lightened' up version of Macaroni & Cheese...I don't know how 'light' it was, but it was really good and I will definitely be making it again!!

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend and hope a great week is ahead for all of us!

I didn't know whether I should laugh or cry...

2011-01-04T17:58:00.000-05:00

Sunday I was working on this ring and I was SO excited about it...I mean giddy excited. Kyanite is one of my favorite stones and I was so excited that my attempt at putting the silver accent balls all around the bezel was successful. It was certainly an exercise in patience. I was even thinking, "maybe I should just keep this for myself..." and then quickly dismissed that thought because it was really in my opinion one of the prettiest rings I have made in awhile.

So I am carefully running the burnisher along the bezel with a huge grin on my face...and then my hand slipped...and the stupid burnisher chipped the Kyanite. And this is the point where I wasn't sure if I should cry (well not really) or laugh. I mean, I had an excuse to keep it now right!? So I laughed. And now I have a new ring. There have been several times where I have met someone and told them I make jewelry and of course the first thing they ask is "really!? what do you make?" and I have none of my jewelry on so I give them my card and tell them to check out my shop...horrible opportunity lost and frankly...embarrassing. So now I will have something to wear.

See the big chip right there towards the bottom??? And it is not just a surface scratch...you can really feel it when you run your fingers along it.

I mean look how good it looks on!!!!

Ok, I am over it. Promise.

I also finally got some ideas

on how to use some brass sheet I got in Philadelphia and made these rings...

I am excited to make something else using the ball accents around the bezels. I am thinking that I am going to be doing that a lot. And I have a lot more ideas for the brass sheet too...now all I need is time! One of my resolutions (because it is only a week into January and I have a lot of them) is to spend a lot more time making jewelry...

Here is to sticking to our New Years resolutions!

I decided to go with simple...

2010-12-30T19:41:00.000-05:00

In my last post I mentioned I wasn't sure what to do with this labradorite pendant...whether to hang it from a simple sterling chain or hang it from wire wrapped beads...

...but last week I wanted to wear it and quickly

put it on a silver chain...and it was perfect ...all by itself.

Oh! And I finished this ring...finally. I had tumbled it last week and saw some spots that didn't look so good...I needed to sand it a little bit more. But it is done and I love the way the Ruby looks against the oxidized silver. One side of the band has 'dream/live' hand-stamped on it and on the other 'live/love'...I love the way it came out!

...it all goes by so fast!

2010-12-26T15:29:00.001-05:00

Isn't it amazing how fast Christmas goes by?

I really hope everyone enjoyed their holiday and hope you cherished every little special moment. I am still enjoying time with family, but wanted to share a few pieces I made last week. I closed my shop just for a few days, but will be re-opening and listing these new items tonight.

Look at these gorgeous Australian Moss Agate rings...they are BIG!

I love this square cabochon...it reminds me of trees on a snowy mountaintop!

And I love the rich purples and milky white of this druzy cabochon pendant...

with a special message stamped on the back...

and this dreamy druzy ring...

After finishing this Labradorite pendant, I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it simple and hang it on a silver chain or maybe have it as a pendant on a strand of small wire wrapped Labradorite beads...but I am leaning now towards keeping it simple and hanging it on a chain.

I'd love to hear what you think!

One more day!

2010-12-24T11:38:00.001-05:00

Even as an adult I find it difficult to sleep on Christmas Eve.

Yuletide excitement is a potent caffeine, no matter your age.

~Carrie Latet

A dog's life...

2010-12-18T20:02:00.000-05:00

So last night I had finished up some work at my bench and sat down for a few minutes to relax and found myself to be the sole attendee of 'Friday Night Fights'...

Penny vs. Oscar

I love animals. No matter what is going on in life, they are oblivious to it all and their sole purpose in life is to eat, love...and make us laugh.

Aww....

Look how scary I can look Penny!

Wait! I was just kidding!

This one is my favorite...legs up in the air...they look like they have had one too many drinks and are having a grand ol' time!!

They look so angry here!!

and in the end...still the best of buds. :)

Weekend Work...

2010-12-13T20:04:00.000-05:00

This weekend I finished up a few custom orders and was able to start on a few new pieces for my shop. I haven't been listing as many new piece as I'd like...the days just seem to fly by, but Sunday was productive and I hope to finish up several things this week...and will share pictures soon!

It actually snowed this weekend {yes, snowed!} and cloudy skies haven't really provided the best lighting for jewelry photos either. While the snow isn't sticking to the ground it is nice to see the sparkly flakes floating by. Usually it doesn't snow here until January or so...and while the possibility of a white Christmas is fun...it is FREEZING!

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season, embrace those special little moments!

**Oh! And...last minute shoppers...here is a great opportunity:

Starting Monday December 13th through Friday December 17th I am offering

15% OFF and FREE SHIPPING!!

Today....

2010-11-07T18:35:00.001-05:00

Some days I feel like being at my bench and doing metalwork and other days I just want to play...with beads and things....

Is tomorrow really Monday? Ugh... Need. One. More. Day.

Back Online....

2010-11-06T18:48:00.000-04:00

After a week of computer problems, I think I am good to go now! Here are the things I wanted to share with you a few days ago....

Set of three stack rings hand stamped inside with the message

" ...just let it go "

and this Sterling Silver bangle hand stamped with

" I felt it shelter to speak to you ~emily dickenson "

Have to get caught up and get these listed! Not having my computer really threw me off...is it horrible that I am completely addicted to my laptop?

Latest stuff...

2010-11-02T19:14:00.000-04:00

So a couple of nights ago I was on somewhat of an earring kick I suppose....

Sunday I finished a ring I had been working on....(will be listing it shortly!)

Oh! I have been meaning to take a picture of my new packaging for a couple of weeks {just a little late}. I got these great customizable hang tags from Home Grown Gems. With new 'Peacock' satin ribbon from Paper Source {one of my favorite stores ever}, my chocolate brown boxes from Bags & Bows and these great tags...I have my new packaging for Winter! I love the Peacock blue and

I have some other new things I am excited to share, but they are not quite finished yet....will hopefully get the final touches done and some pictures tomorrow and will post soon! Hope everyone is having a good week so far.

I know where everything is....I swear.

2010-10-28T18:41:00.000-04:00

I hadn't planned on working on jewelry today. I walked by my bench, turned on the lamp, looked down at everything laying there and the wheels just started spinning. Ten minutes later, I have two new rings started. Sitting there working, head down...I haphazardly grabbed a tool from here and there and put it down basically wherever my hand was at the time and then I thought, "uh...where is my metal file? I know it was right here..." and I looked up and saw that my bench was a complete mess. Then I thought...I am sure there is some sort of profound quote out there like, "a messy workbench is a productive one"....or "geniuses work best in a mess"....right?

Listed a few new things..

2010-10-22T20:31:00.002-04:00

Listed a few new things tonight... remember my first attempt at setting a watch face into a ring? Didn't go so well the first time...but I like how it came out exposed, without sealing it with anything (above), and it fitting just right into the bezel....

and here are a few other new things ....

Today I got some supplies that I had ordered from Rio Grande (yay for mail!!)and tomorrow morning I am going to pick up some Silver sheet so hopefully this weekend I will be able to spend most of my time making new things! Hope you guys had a great week. Have anything special planned for the weekend?

I'm here!

2010-10-12T20:32:00.002-04:00

Work has been crazy lately and at the end of the day after I do my normal rituals of cleaning and getting ready for the next day, I really haven't been able to make jewelry. I am also out of Silver sheet...that kind of throws a wrench into things. So today when I came home from work I felt a little down, but my spirits were quickly lifted when I checked the mail. I love getting mail...I know that is a little weird, but whether it be catalogs, magazines or an Etsy purchase...any little thing received with my name on it (with the exception of bills) is always a treat. I was delighted to see that my new camera strap had arrived from Phat Straps...it has this crazy soft 'minky' lining that makes it so comfy to wear....

which is perfect timing because Thursday night I am driving down to

Pensacola, Florida Thursday night right after work for the weekend to see DeLuna Fest and I plan of taking a lot of pictures! I liked my old strap, but this strap is long enough to hang like a messenger bag so it is so easy to wear and makes the camera easily accessible when you want to take a quick shot.

I also got this great mouse pad from Mod4Arts to replace the old cruddy one I had at work..it is the little things that make your day a little brighter right? :)

So I hope you all have a great week and a great weekend! Hopefully I will have some great shots to share with you when I get back!

Best Friends & Music

2010-10-05T21:40:00.002-04:00

Last weekend I got a chance to see two of my best friends that I haven't seen in a long time. Chris and Brandy have been together forever...even before I met them in college. Chris taught me how to play the guitar and Brandy keep me motivated during never ending papers and exams (thank you Brandy!). Although they live pretty close by, we don't get to see eachother that often. I got the chance to see Chris play Saturday night with his new band and it was the perfect opportunity to practice shooting in low light situations with my new 50mm lens. Here are a few pics...

Chris plays every instrument...he is one of those talented people that can play any instrument...and play it well. Now he is playing the keyboards and running sound for the band.

The band is purely instrumental with a great mix of guitar, drums, keyboards, bass...and yes...a violin!

We got to see a few other bands too that were so talented...it was a great night!

So as cliche as it sounds...there really is nothing better than good friends and live music!

p.s. I know I am a little weird about constantly changing my header picture...let's just go with it!

My new favorite things!

2010-09-30T19:54:00.000-04:00

Remember the jewelry I said I started over the weekend? Well, I finished everything Monday night and had hoped to have everything listed Tuesday...but I had major computer problems. I vow to never buy another PC...I have my eye on a MacBook. Anyway...take a peek and tell me what you think!

Kyanite is one of my favorite gemstones. This ring has a special message..."Live intentionally"

and I think this druzy ring below is just beautiful...I named it "Notion" because I was listening to Kings of Leon while I made it.

and last but not least...this bangle with the message,

"be bold in the dreams you dream for yourself"

A rainy Sunday

2010-09-26T16:16:00.001-04:00

No hike down to the river today, it has been a rainy day and I have spent

the day here...at my bench. I love rainy days...such a great excuse to spend the entire day working on jewelry without feeling guilty!

I did get a lot done today so far (including breaking at least 3 saw blades), but nothing is done yet...I still need to sand a few things, throw everything in the tumbler, set stones and add a few final touches.

and this is me... :)

Penny kept popping up...letting me know it was time to take a break!

Meanwhile downstairs, Tracy {my roomie} was roasting some veggies and trying out an Ina Garten recipe....Butternut Squash Soup.

It turned out so good. The combination of roasted squash, apples, onions and curry sounded a little off, but it really was a wonderful blend of flavors...perfect for Fall.

Time to get back to work....hope you all had a great weekend!

Is it Friday yet?

2010-09-22T19:57:00.000-04:00

I should be at my bench right now working on some new pieces but I can't do it...I am just beat. It is only Wednesday, but the week is really dragging and all I want to do is relax, get caught up on my favorite blogs, do some reading and go to bed! I am really looking forward to the weekend so I wanted to share some pictures of this past weekend (I meant to do this Sunday...oops). One of my favorite things to do on a nice day is hike down to the Chattahooche river and just hang out for a bit.

It is an easy hike down a steep hill to the river...

There are always people on the trails, people fishing and kayaking....

my roommate and I always find our rock, take off our shoes, stick our toes in the water and just chill...

...and this is our friend Charlie that is always there fishing for Trout. Ok, so we really don't know his name, we just yell out to eachother across from the river while we are there...but I want his name to be something fun like Charlie so that is what we call him. :) He was teaching his niece to fish that day...and she is lucky to have such a great teacher because he always catches the most fish!

We met some other friends there too...

and I love the picture below...so cute!!

and then it was time to hike back up to the real world...

and we never take these stairs, but I love the way they look like they are just stairs to nowhere!

Hopefully this week will start moving along a little quicker...I know we all look forward to the weekend.

Hope everyone's week is going well so far! Come on Friday!!

If you love Photography...

2010-09-20T21:08:00.000-04:00

...then you will love this book. Promise.

I just got Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters' Guide to Shooting from the Heart. When a photograph captivates you and stirs your soul, you know it instinctively. You not only see the image, you feel it. But how do you capture shots like that with your own camera? How do you make your photographs worth the proverbial thousand words? From portraits to landscapes, still-lifes to documentary shots, Expressive Photography will not only show you why certain images sing, but will also teach you how to create your own compelling photographic images-one click at a time.

*I love this shot because it reminds me of a poster of Bob Marley that I had hanging on my wall during college!

This book is a collaborative effort of an amazing group of women. My favorite feature is that with each picture they describe how they took the picture, what didn't work...and how they got the perfect shot. Not only are the advice and pictures stunning, but it lists the women who make up the Shutter Sisters, tells a little about them AND lists their blogs. Meet this amzaing group of women here.

Finally...

2010-09-16T20:06:00.000-04:00

I used to only wear silver but over the last year or so, I have really started to love Gold and I wear it all of the time now. I have made several attempts to incorporate Gold into my rings and have failed...a lot. It has been an expensive learning curve. But I am so excited because my last attempt was successful! Turns out I was just using the wrong soldering method, but once I tried a different way it was really fairly simple!

It feels so good to have finally got it down, but I can definitely see areas for improvement and things I am going to do differently next time. Now that I know I can do it though I am so excited to get started on some other pieces! Stay tuned....

New Discovery...

2010-09-13T21:20:00.001-04:00

Admittedly, I love being featured in a Treasury...it does give me a great feeling to be hand picked!

But...with that said, I have also found a lot of my favorite shops by checking out what else is included in the Treasuries I have been in. Today I was featured in "Autumn Evening" ...

I was so delighted to discover the shop Treasure Again. I collect vintage Ball jars {I was going to take a picture, but they are all packed up!} and I fell in love with this Mason Jar Chandelier...and they are SOLAR!!

I think this would just be such a cool unique item to have hanging out on your back patio. The very first picture in the post is a great inexpensive DIY project (a set of 6 jars that you put together) that would be perfect for a special evening. Here are a few more items from the shop...

So to make those upcoming breezy Fall evenings with friends extra special...
be sure to check out Treasure Again.

Gray...

2010-09-04T17:32:00.001-04:00

I was just featured in an Etsy Treasury and I was so excited because the theme of it was gray. I love the color gray. Some might think gray is drab, but the words that come to mind when I think of gray are soft and cozy...like cashmere.

Trying out some new things....

2010-08-29T17:49:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pictures of some of the things I worked on this weekend. I played around a lot with riveting, stamping and trying different shades of patina.

I have a thing for small watch parts, I don't know why, but I really like them. I love the small moving parts, the textured metal and the tiny little crystals. This ring isn't done quite yet. After I set the watch face in the bezel, I wasn't sure if I should leave all of the parts exposed. I wanted to create a dome-like effect so I used some Diamond Glaze to enclose the ring...it still hasn't finished drying completely and I am not sure if I like it or not. I am going to make another one and skip the Diamond Glaze and compare the two looks.

The inside of the band is stamped with "It's never too late..."

Stack rings are always fun to make...

This set didn't quite come out right...

It was supposed to have been THREE rings...but um...when I was setting the stone on the third one, the bezel completely broke off. Not supposed to happen!

My dog and lazy apprentice was watching me the work whole time and pretended NOT to notice when the bezel broke off....good dog.

I have been so excited to try my hand at riveting and made these necklaces...

The Sterling discs have brass rivets and I stamped them with the words 'dream', 'grow' and 'soar'. I love the way they came out and am wearing the 'soar' one now!

Only one pair of earrings were made...I love the little key holes and the chunks of faceted Aquamarine make them seem like little treasures!

My days flew by (as the weekends always do) and I can't believe it is time to go back to work tomorrow.

I am going to relax for the rest of the night and will start taking pics and listing the new stuff this week.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Bead Fest 2010 ~ Part III

2010-08-29T09:35:00.000-04:00

I have been making jewelry ALL day today and just put a few things in the tumbler. As I put my 'works in progress in the tumbler', I thought it would be the perfect time to wrap up my Bead Fest re-cap and talk about the people I got to spend time with...because they are the source of my renewed inspiration.

The best part of traveling to Philadelphia for Bead Fest was not the beads, or being in a new city, or the weekend away...but the friends that I got to meet and spend time with.

Kelley and I have known eachother for years through work (we both work for AT&T), but we have just become close in the last few years when we discovered that we both had similar interests. Although we do live fairly close, we don't get to see eachother much. It was so good to see her away from work...and away from everything really...when we could talk...and just be.

Kelley is the one who told me about Lori and her jewelry. I quickly became a fan and a loyal blog follower. I really look up to Lori. She makes incredible jewelry, takes great photos, blogs like crazy and manages to still be an amazing person. I don't know how she does it, but I want to be just like her when I grow up! See that necklace I am wearing up there? She gave that to me the first day of our trip after she had seen that I blogged about it. How sweet was that?? So when I was showing the girls some of my jewelry one night...she really liked a seaglass ring that I made...and I told her, "It's yours!". She wore it for the rest of the trip!

Nancy and I had never talked online and didn't know eachother at all. From the minute we met in the airport, I knew I liked her.

Of course I had seen Nancy's Etsy shop, but what I didn't know was how talented she was. Nancy is a potter, has her own line of beautiful hand made ceramic jewelry and is also getting into metalwork...and she is completely self taught. She is such a cool person and I wish she lived closer.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Diane Hawkey and Melanie Brooks. We had dinner together that Friday and Saturday night and it was so nice to spend time and connect with such creative, talented people.

The weekend in Philadelphia was such a great trip, but what I will remember the most is the people that I met. I have been through a tough time recently and meeting these special women has added back that spark I needed. What a wonderful trip.

So it is time to take my things out of the tumbler...pictures soon! Hope you all are having a great weekend.

Bead Fest 2010 ~ Part II : The Goods...

2010-08-25T18:49:00.000-04:00

Cabochons, beads, tools, wire, findings, chain....

I swear, we shopped for three days...a total of probably 12 hours and if my budget had allowed anymore, I would have shopped more. At the top of my list of things to buy at the show were cabochons. Here are a few that I picked up...

...and strands of yummy gemstones...

I also got a new metal stamp set in a cool new font, a daping block and some other fun stuff.

The best part of this trip was all of the talented artists I got a chance to be around. My creativity is sparked again and I feel inspired again. I will tell you more about these special people tomorrow!

Hope you are having a great week.

Bead Fest 2010 ~ Part I

2010-08-23T12:01:00.000-04:00

Just got back from Bead Fest late yesterday afternoon. It was such a wonderful trip and there is so much to talk about so I figured I'd better break this up into parts! I stayed with Kelley Thursday night so we could get up early and ride to the airport together.

We were so excited to go and see Nancy and Lori that we had a video chat!

In the morning, we were both so excited. I could barely sit still in my seat...and of course Kelley and I took some pictures.

We arrived in Philly around 1:30pm and were greeted by Lori and Nancy at the airports...it was so nice to finally meet them in person!

Lori drove us to the hotel and we checked in and immediately went down to the show. Staying at the hotel where the show was a huge plus. The first day I was really so overwhelmed at how big the show was and I figured it would be best not to buy anything the first day. So the first afternoon was spent looking around and took everything in....

There was SO much to look at and I am glad that I just looked the first day and didn't buy anything.

But I certainly made up for it the next day! Tomorrow I will share some pictures of what I bought.

A special trip...

2010-08-18T20:45:00.000-04:00

A trip I have been waiting for is finally arriving!

Destination: BEADFEST 2010 / PHILADELPHIA.

I am so excited...not only because this is a huge event that I have never been to in a new city, but I am also going to be meeting some new friends. Kelley and I will be flying to Philadelphia and meeting Lorelei and Nancy who are driving from New York to meet us. This will be the first time meeting Lorelei and Nancy in person! I am so excited...I have been dreaming about all of the cabochons and beads that I am going to buy. A lot of the times I buy supplies online and end up disappointed when the items arrive...this is a chance to be exposed to new vendors across the country and actually hold what I am looking to buy. The thing I am most looking forward to is spending time with the girls...I really couldn't ask for a better weekend...girlfriends, a new city to explore and shopping!

Kelley is a great friend that I don't get to spend enough time with. She has been making the most amazing glass 'egg beads'...there is a waiting list for them!!

Can you imagine...people lining up for your creations? {sigh}

Here are a just a few of her egg beads...

Lorelei is someone I have admired and want to meet for a long time. She has endless creativity and is always an inspiration. Here are two of my favorite items of hers that are in her shop right now...I am in love with these earrings and this necklace.

...and I am so excited about meeting Nancy. She is a potter and jewelry designer who is often featured in magazines like Belle Armoire Jewelry and Jewelry Affaire. Look at these amazing ceramic pendants and components....

I am going to be in amazing company and I am so excited.

I will be back Sunday evening and can't wait to show you lots of pictures!

A Rainy Saturday

2010-08-16T19:19:00.002-04:00

What better thing to do on a rainy Saturday but make jewelry! It poured...all day. Perfect! I organized my supplies and made a few things...

I experimented a little with my new *gel* Liver of Sulfur.

Until now I have only used the powdered form (or small rock like chunks). After experimenting, I have decided that the gel is so much easier to work with. I always had difficulty getting the powder to completely dissolve. The gel was smooth and honey-like and melted perfectly when mixed with water. The gel is also said to have a much longer shelf life. I brushed the chains below with the Liver of Sulfur solution and it came out with this great look. I used a brush on only parts of the chain. I love how it is different from your normal patinaed pieces because some of the silver is left to shine through.

The result, an aged look, but with a unique modern twist.

I also made this necklace...I love Aqua Chalcedony and think it looks amazing with Gold!

A faceted Smoky Topaz pendant and a beautiful turquoise hand-made glass bead by Kelley's Bead Studio.

and a bracelet...

I made a few more things, but the pictures I took ended up being awful....but I should have everything listed by the end of the week.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Slowly coming alive again...

2010-08-04T19:05:00.000-04:00

My Etsy shop is open again (yay!) and I am slowly adding back older pieces, some on sale and a few new things. One thing I didn't think about when moving was the challenge of photographing my jewelry in a new environment...that may sound like it isn't a big deal, but lighting is everything...and I think I finally had it down! Here are a couple of new things and I think the pictures turned out pretty good..but I am definitely going to be trying new things/backgrounds.

I am kind of stuck in the moment as far as metal work because I need to find a new soldering table. My old one is too big to fit in my new space and right now I have nothing to use...I need one just the right height and just the right width...so the hunt is on for the perfect table! New items are on the way!

Just what I needed...

2010-08-03T18:24:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like a rush of creativity inspired by finding talented jewelry designers that make you want to do more and to do everything better. Introducing...

Tanja Uler

I am in love with Tanja's simple and modern design...each piece has a look that is just all hers and the craftstmanship is amazing. I love rings {sigh}.

CRAVE : Vol. III

2010-07-22T21:02:00.000-04:00

crave (krāv)

transitive verb craved, craving crav′·ing

                                                         1. to ask for earnestly; beg

                                                     2. to long for eagerly; desire strongly

                                                            3. to be in great need of

While I am in the midst of moving, I am dying to get my studio set back up so I can start making jewelry again. For now, I am browsing other's creations...

I LOVE this tray and think it might have to go right on top of my new dresser, it would be perfect to drop my keys and jewelry and other stuff in...

Five Section Tray { AmongstLovelyThings }

A few years back I started collecting vintage Ball jars and found this great shop that all of these great items made from Ball Jars...I love this dispenser!

Vintage Blue Quart Mason Jar Dispenser { MidwestFinds }

The last thing I need is another handbag, but wow...I would love to have this for the Winter...

Large Violet Patent Leather Hobo Bag { patkas }

I thought these fabric boxes were a cool idea...and I actually have the three books shown in the picture, how weird is that??

Three Lovely Fabric Boxes { Nestings }

I love scarves...and this is so affordable, I want one in every color!

Ruffle Scarf { Textilemonster }

Weekend Photography Challenge....

2010-07-01T19:30:00.004-04:00

D5000 55mm f/5.6 ISO 1600

So if you haven't noticed, my jewelry shop is closed...just temporarily!

I am moving, so I am faced with the arduous task of packing up my studio {sigh}. Random beads, chains and papers are everywhere...so this is going to take some time! I have been trying to decide whether I should organize now while packing or organize when I am unpacking. The procrastinator in me has decided: just wait. My shop should be up in the next month or two. In the meantime I have been using the one thing that doesn't have to be packed until the last minute...my camera!

My favorite site right now is Digital Photography School. This fun and informative website is a community of photographers of all experience levels who come together to learn, share and grow in photography.

The BEST feature of this site is their Weekend Photography Challenges.

I love having some sort of focus for my pictures over the weekend...even if I don't stick completely to the assignment I always learn something. A past challenge focused on texture...but somehow I ended up taking a TON of flower photos!

Here are a few:

D5000 55mm f/8 ISO 200

D5000 55mm f/8 ISO 320

D5000 55mm f/5.6 ISO 1600

D5000 55mm f/8 ISO 400

This Weekend's Photography Tip:

How to Photograph Fireworks

Perfect! You have a couple of days to read the tips to ensure your photos
of the holiday weekend turn out great.
Pictures don't need to be perfect, but it is amazing what a few helpful tips can do!

For those of you learning photography, you will love this site. Enjoy!!

A few photos...

2010-06-16T20:51:00.000-04:00

I am still in shock from the message that appeared on my camera display as I was clicking away at my nieces first ballet recital in Washington DC...the message that told me my memory card was corrupt.

Corrupt memory card = Loss of all photos on card

Luckily, the night before I had downloaded the photos from our day to my computer...here are a few:

*This card read

"Happy Father's Day 2010

Sgt Henry E Smith KIA 11/17/65

Love, your daughter

Susan Smith Eudy"

I had a lot more great picutres, but unfortunately this was all I had dowloaded! DC is a great city and I can't wait to go back and explore some more!

On the road....

2010-06-14T21:08:00.002-04:00

After driving for 10 hours from Atlanta to Washington DC,
I wondered what in the world I was thinking driving that far...

...until I saw my niece Olivia....

I completely forgot about the drive....what drive?

Will share more pictures soon!

Day off...

2010-05-29T10:13:00.000-04:00

I had yesterday day off and it was so pretty out that I didn't want to spend a minute inside. But I had procrastinated enough and now only had an hour or two to make a co-worker my Meridian ring and drop it off to her at the office. I like to work on a couple of things at a time so that while one piece is the pickle solution, I am not just sitting there idle, so I decided to make a ring with a Ruby cabochon that I have had for a long time and used my favorite gallery wire for the bezel. I love the way it turned out!

So I got these both done in about two hours (50 mins in the tumbler), brought the ring to the office and spent the rest of the day lying by the pool!

The plan for today was to spend the day by the pool too and then have a few people over to BBQ, but I don't think the weather is going to cooperate, so we will see.

I hope you all have a great weekend!!

Maleah Matthews Photography

2010-05-23T13:01:00.001-04:00

My favorite shop right now is Urban Design featuring photography

by Maleah Matthews. I love the vintage/modern style photography. Her shop offers not only offers prints, but also notecards, bookmarks and gifts.

She also has these great calendars...

and postcards...

and I just bought these two bookmarks this morning....

I really love her shop , you should definitely take a look. For the month of May all prints, 8x12 and smaller are BOGO FREE! Print of equal or lesser value is free! Check out her blog too!

Rings, rings, rings!

2010-04-19T19:57:00.001-04:00

This weekend was all about rings for me. The first two rings below are my favorite! I love that they are big chunky rings and the colors of both stones are just amazing. The Peruvian Opal is so pretty

and the banding on the Agate is so unique.

I also made these little rings...

One of my goals for the day was to work on a men's ring as a custom order for a co-worker...he had a specific design in mind (the wide band) and knew the stone he wanted (Lapiz)....I like the way it turned out and I have found I really enjoy making men's jewelry...I guess it is just something different.

and the other thing that had to get done was to make my Stroke of Luck ring in a larger size for an order...

My creativity is at a halt for the moment...I am anxiously awaiting some new cabs to come in that I ordered recently. I was bummed today to not find the package waiting for me! For now, I will list the new rings and hopefully my cabs will arrive tomorrow!

I hope you all have a great week!

Orchids...

2010-04-14T19:29:00.001-04:00

My Mom grows the most absolutely beautiful orchids. My obsession is jewelry, her obsession is orchids. I absolutely love flowers, I always have...but I couldn't grow a fern if I tried. My Mom's sun-filled room of blooming orchids is awe-inspring.
Take a look...

Aren't they just beautiful? Did I already say how much I love flowers?

New Seashell Components...

2010-04-10T10:41:00.000-04:00

I am so excited about these new seashell components! When I ordered them, I really just got them because I thought they were pretty, but had no idea what I was going to do with them. I was looking at them yesterday and wondered if I would be able to drill through them. My first attempt didn't go so well..the shell broke apart...I think my drill bit was too big...

So I switched the bit out for a slightly smaller one...

And it worked! Whew!

So I drilled a few with just one hole in them and then drilled others with two holes on each end. The pieces with two holes drilled in them I used in this necklace....

I love super long necklaces right now. This one hits below the chest and looks so great on. I used the shells all along the chain...I LOVE the way it looks!! The pendant is a vintage engraved brass tag with the word *Hope* on it and a Mother of Pearl angel wing.

There were two shells that were pretty similar in size and shape...perfect for earrings! I kept them simple, I think the shells are so pretty on their own!

I can't wait to make some more things with them! What do ya think? Do you love them? Not so much?

The thing with Gold is...

2010-04-07T19:16:00.001-04:00

My favorite jewelry designs are ones that incorporate a bit of Gold in them. The most perfect ring to me is a Sterling Silver ring, with a big beautiful chunky stone (maybe Aqua Chalcedony?) and a Gold bezel. A co-worker of mine purchased a set of my Gold hand hammered bangles and just asked me the other day if I could make her two more! Of course!

It had been a long time since I bought any Gold supplies. The only two items of Gold on my list was 2ft of Gold filled wire and Gold solder.

Just to put it in perspective...

Less than one square inch piece of Gold Solder: $52.00

{as opposed to the bag of pre-cut Silver solder I bought for $2.80}.

2 ft of 12 ga Gold filled wire: $45.53.

Yikes. I will make the bangles this weekend and use up every little piece of wire I have left to use in other designs (I can melt the little pieces into small accent balls)...but that will be the last Gold I buy for awhile! With my shop as slow as it has been lately *sigh*, it isn't in my budget to spend so much on it considering it would make up a very small piece of each design. It is not a cheap thing to experiment with! I have burned up quite a few Gold bezels and could just kick myself for the amount I know it cost me. It is a good thing I love Sterling Silver so much!

Seaglass Rings

2010-04-03T10:29:00.000-04:00

I just finished up these rings last night and I can't decide if I like them or not! Recently I bought a few pieces of seaglass and was so excited to make a couple of pieces into rings! But now, I don't know. I'm not really pleased with the bezel of the one on the left and I don't know if I like the brushed finish. I decided on the brushed finish because I thought it went well with the worn, matte look of the glass.

I do love the one on the right.....

I have a few more pieces of glass so maybe I just need to start again, try some different bezels, pair the glass with other stones...something.

Hmmm.....

Just listed..the first of my Men's collection!

2010-04-02T17:55:00.000-04:00

I just listed the first piece in my Men's collection. I have made a few Men's rings before and they never quite make it into my shop...but I did list this Men's Leather Knot cuff bracelet! More to come...

{pictured alongside the women's cuff}

You can find it in my shop here!

Dazed and Confused...

2010-03-27T10:11:00.000-04:00

Kelley gave me the new Adobe Photoshop CS3 and I have been playing around with it for what seems like hours and to tell you the truth...haven't really made much progress as far as learning how to use it! I did download the Pioneer Woman's actions and those have been a lot of fun, but on my own...well, I am mostly confused. Sometimes I think to myself, "This is the coolest program ever!" and other times I just want to revert back to using Corel Paint Shop Pro because that is what I have always used and am comfortable with...but I won't! I WILL learn Photoshop! The picture above is one taken last week when I was in Florida visiting some old friends and I just love it for some reason! I used PW's actions to enhance it and I love the way it turned out. Now that I have been at the computer for about 2 hours drinking coffee I am about to go for a run and start my day.

Hope you all have a wonderful Saturday!

New Leather Knot Cuff Bracelet

2010-03-23T20:18:00.004-04:00

So I have been wanting to somehow incorporate leather into my designs and maybe starting a separate collection, but not with simple leather cord necklaces...I wanted Silver to be the main material and the leather an accent. A rush of ideas weaving leather through Sterling have poured in lately so I got started on them today when I got home from work.

First I cut the low-dome Sterling Silver wire into length for a cuff.

I used a Sharpie (the greatest marker ever) to mark the measured areas where I knew I wanted to drill my holes, stamped it with .925 {to indicate Sterling Silver}and gave it my signature 'mb stamp', Next I rounded the corners with a metal file and sanded it with semi-coarse jewelers grade sand paper.

Now I needed to drill the holes. I start with a small drill bit on the Flexshaft to get the holes started...

after all of the beginning holes have been drilled, I move on to a bigger bit to get the holes large enough to allow the leather cord to fit through...

When all of the holes are drilled to the appropriate size, it is time to start weaving the leather cord though each hole...

When stretched tightly, a secure knot is secured on each side of the bangle. After tying the knots, I brushed them with E6000 Adhesive to help keep the knot a little extra secure....

I cut off the excess cord and it is done!

I still need to sand the cuff a bit and I am still trying to decide if I want to keep the matte finish..or go for shiny...but I am leaning towards the matte. But it will soon be listed in my shop!

What do you think? I have a TON of design ideas floating around in my head with leather incorporated and will be getting started on them in the next few days, so check back!

A gift gone awry...

2010-03-13T15:07:00.000-05:00

A while back, my good friend Kelley brought back some cabochons from her trip to Philidelphia for BeadFest 2009 {and I am going this year...yay!..but more on that later.}. I was so blown away that she thought of me on her trip and brought the cabs back for me. She is such a great, great person and I really cherish our friendship. Here are the stones she brought back.

I have made a couple of rings from the cabs she brought back and have sold them, but I really wanted to make her a ring using one of them as a thank you. And I did. She knew something was going on when I asked her what size ring she wore, but she didn't know what I am making. I was SO excited when I finished the ring and could not wait for her to get the package in the mail and call me to tell me how excited she was and how much she loved it. And she did! She loved it....but the ring didn't fit. {gasp}We are still wondering what the heck happened with the size thing...she had a ring sizer and I know I made it the size that she told me. I am so disappointed that it didn't fit and so sad that she doesn't have the ring that I made to say thank you! The ring is on it's way back to me now and will be listed in my shop soon. The ring was made with much love so whoever gets will be super lucky! Isn't it pretty?!

Kel...I am not sure what my plan is now...but I WILL make you something, I just need to figure out what! :)

What I am reading now...

2010-03-09T17:40:00.001-05:00

The E Myth

{Revisited}

Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What To Do About It

~Michael E. Gerber

My friend Alicia recommended that I read this book. Alicia's drive, motivation and business accumen has always amazed me. I first met Alicia in 2008 when she opened Pekuliar Treasure Boutique. I was lucky enough to sell my jewelry there in a co-op environment. While the boutique is no longer open, her and her husband own a successful catering company here in Atlanta...Loveable Foods. Watching her build a business from the start and witness the challenges of being a small business own has offered a lot of insight into just how tough it is and I absorbed as much knowledge from her as I could. We were recently in contact and I immediately commented her on her new company's website..it was awesome. Everything on the site flowed well and was immediately engaging...and everything just came together. She has a great ability to create a brand...not just a product...but everything...a desired quality product, creative marketing, advertising strategies...she is a 'big picture' thinker. To do this successfully is hard! She raved about this book and suggested I read it right away! I will let you know how it is when I am done reading it!

If you have any other books like this that you really liked, please share!

A Good Weekend....

2010-03-07T18:53:00.002-05:00

am going to use the beautiful weather this weekend as my excuse for not making any jewelry...not a single thing! It has been so cold here for the past couple of weeks that when weather like this comes along, I just cannot stay inside. Saturday was my day to complete my 'To Do List'...not always fun, but a must. I got a ton of stuff done Saturday, so today was a day to relax.

As you know, I have been looking for a dressform forever. Today, I continued my search at Canton Street Antique Market in Historic Roswell, Ga. This antique market is over 16,000 square feet and is always so fun to walk around. I had a goal today though...I am going to find a dressform to buy. Today.

Well...while I found a few of the nicest dressforms I have seen...NONE of them were for sale. {sigh}

I am finding this is often the case, I think dressforms (good vintage ones) are just so hard to find, that when you do get one...you are not going to let it go. Hre are a few pictures from the antique market...

and...the dressforms...

I just knew today would be the day that I could walk out with my dream dressform...and no luck.

To eat my sorrows away, the next stop was lunch at Ceviche...an awesome little Mexican place right across the street from the antique market.

Some chips, salsa, a glass of wine made and the most awesome nachos in the world made me forget about those dressforms...for now.

So that was my day...I hope you all had a great weekend!

A favorite worth sharing...

2010-03-05T20:16:00.002-05:00

I noticed that 6 out of my 15 'Etsy :: Favorite Listings' are from
MARLEY & LOCKYER
and I think it is time to stop being selfish and share this wonderful shop with you. I love pillows..on my bed...couch, love seats...wherever. I love pillows. Lots of 'em! The downside? Pillows can be expensive! Especially if you like to change them as often as I do. The solution - buy cushion covers. Buying covers is nothing new, but finding special, unique, handmade and affordable pillows is...well, impossible. This is where this great Etsy shop comes in. Maryley & Lockyer offers super simple, elegant French insipired designs. I think the light colored, casual style is just perfect for Summer.

Here are a few of my favorites:

and look at these cute Easter tags! They would be the perfect touch to add on presents for my nieces!

This shop deserves your immediate attention!

And the winner is.....

2010-03-02T07:54:00.000-05:00

Jen M (Jen Morris)...you are the winner of my Bliss Necklace!

The number 13 was actually a LUCKY number this time! :)

Thanks to everyone for entering...I loved hearing about your favorite pieces of jewelry!

Jen, just send me an email (cas@metallobianco.com) with your address and the necklace will be on its way shortly!

Hope you all have a great week!

Beautiful Weather * Productivity

2010-02-27T19:01:00.001-05:00

I finally got a chance to get in my studio and get some work done! Today was a beautiful day, all of my 'chores' were done and with all of the windows open and the sun shining in, I got an early start and had a great day. I finished three new rings.The first ring, is this intriguing Tibet Agate 'Heaven Eye' free form cabochon ring...I love the black border of the ring and the unusual markings!

I was excited when I got the two stones below a few weeks ago...the shell like stones remind me of the beach...and I am very homesick for the beach lately. This square stone is a gorgeous iridescent gray color....

and I think this pink round stone is still reminiscent of the beach and very sweet...

I hope to get these listed tomorrow in my shop! Hope you have had a great start to the weekend.

My First Giveaway!

2010-02-23T21:20:00.003-05:00

I am finally having my first giveaway and I am very excited!!

I have been blogging for over a year and wanted to do something to celebrate my 100th post! What in the world have I have been talking about? I want to give something back to my readers...thank you for coming back from time to time...it is amazing how blogging can bring people together.

Up for grabs is my Bliss Necklace.

I love this necklace because it is simple, unique...and you can wear it with jeans or dress it up. The matte finish makes add the perfect amount of softness to the Gold for a delicate feel.

So what do you have to do?

Just answer the question below by, Midnight Feb 26th!
I will randomly choose the winner using the cool website http://www.random.org/.

* Describe your favorite piece of jewelry.

It can be anything...earrings your best friend gave you...or an old necklace you found in your Grandmother's jewelry box!

**I will ship the necklace anywhere...yes, even outside of the US! Everyone is eligible. Only one entry per person please! When I announce the winner on Saturday, you will simply need to email me with your information so I can get the necklace out to you.

Good luck and CHEERS to blogging!

*UPDATE* I am going to extend this just a bit....you now have until Midnight on Monday March 1st to enter, I will choose the winner Tuesday March 2nd!*

The process...in pictures!

2010-02-21T12:40:00.000-05:00

My last two sales were two of my favorite pieces...ones that I wear all of the time.

My Four Star Stack Rings ~

and my Reflection Bangle..and my customer requested a pair of them ~

I took a few picutres while making the pieces and thought you might want to see the process! There is a lot left out of course, but you get the idea! I made the rings first...

Next the bangles...

and voila...the pieces were made and ready to be packed up and shipped off!

Hope you enjoyed a quick insight to 'the process'!

Devilish Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

2010-02-13T10:47:00.001-05:00

YUM.

Ok, I know they aren't the prettiest muffins {hence the attempts at throwing a little confectioners sugar at them to make them a little prettier}...but you will completely forget about that when I tell you that

1 Muffin is only 180 calories and 2.5 grams of fat!!!

They are DELICIOUS and could not be easier to make.

*just a note...the dominate flavor in these is CHOCOLATE...with just a hint of pumpkin.

My friend Tracy told me about these muffins awhile back and after two cups of coffee this morning, I was motivated enough to try them! It did help that it was only two ingredients mixed in a bowl. I mean...seriously?

They are best when paired with coffee...and nibbling at them when you are sitting in front of the computer catching up on your favorite blogs! :)

Ingredients

• 1 box devils food cake mix

• 1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin

(not pie filling!)

Directions

Mix together. Do not add anything else that is mentioned on the box. It only takes these 2 ingredients. That's all. Mixture will be very thick (and you will be tempted to add something, but don't.) Place in muffin tins, sprayed with non stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. This makes 12 muffins.

*I added pecans to mine this morning...and next time I might throw in a few chocolate chips!

If you try them, let me know what you think!

} A few (not so cheesy) Valentines Day ideas... }

2010-01-24T19:16:00.003-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I DO like Valentines Day, I just feel like there is so much pressure put on some to buy gifts..just to give SOMETHING. To me, most things made specifically for Valentines Day are a bit cheesy.

I love flowers and chocolates of course, but sometimes something a little unique is nice to get! So...here are a few things that I thought would be really cute for loved ones AND friends!

All of these items are from quite possible my most favorite store ever...Anthropologie.

The above picture is a Valentine in a Bottle! How cute is that?? Use these petite scrolls to leave love notes in unexpected places; leave one blank and see if you get a reply back. Includes three blank scrolls.

I really loved these {below} because I collect vintage postcards...return to a time of romance and send your beloveds one of the glittery Victorian-era motifs housed in a keepsake tin. By Cavallini. Set includes two each of 6 designs

And if you don't quite know what to write on the blank scrolls for your bottle, I am sure you can find a few good things in this book! ...and then give it as a gift! A collection of heartfelt, profound, and even funny ruminations on matters of the heart. After all, as Plato says, "At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet."

I really loved the card below because you can do this on your own, without buying the set if you are so inclined. I only wish I had thought of this on my own! Stitch your own sweet nothings on this crafty valentine card. Thread the needle through the pre-punched holes and spell out "love" inside a heart. Done by yourself you can 'sew' all kinds of cute messages on the cards!

Make someone happy and send them a little something to put a smile on their face...especially if they will be alone on a holiday that can really make you feel like crap if you are!

Quite possilbly the easiest, best soup ever!

2010-01-22T22:26:00.001-05:00

SHERRIED TOMATO SOUP

So I have only posted two recipes...this being the second...my first was my Potato Cheese Soup. Do you see a trend? Yes, I {love} soup! I got the recipe for the soup below from The Pioneer Wo man. I will have to talk about her in another post...maybe two...well, who I am I kidding, I could write about her all day long. She is seriously my hero. I have been sick for days and to me, there is nothing that can make you feel better when you are sick but soup. And bread, of course.

This recipe is THE easiest and the most delicious tomato soup you will ever taste. I paired it tonight with cheese bread. Provolone or Mozzarella would have been my first choice, but all I had was Monterey Jack with Jalapenos and I figured 'what the heck'...and it was heaven. Serving it along side of Grilled Cheese Sandwiches is also delicious!!

Trust me, if you have 30 minutes, you have enough time for this soup.

Nothing this decadent should be this easy!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Difficulty: SUPER Easy Servings: 6

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons Melted Butter

1 whole Medium Onion, Diced

1 bottle (46 Oz.) Tomato Juice

2 cans (14 Oz. Cans) Diced Tomatoes

1 Tablespoon (up To 3 Tablespoons) Chicken Base

3 Tablespoons (up To 6 Tablespoons) Sugar

1 pinch(es) Salt

Black Pepper To Taste

1 cup Cooking Sherry

1-½ cup Heavy Cream

Chopped Fresh Parsley

Chopped Fresh Basil

Instructions

Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent. Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste.

You are probably saying is that it? Yep...that is it. Now go make it and enjoy!

Blissful Indulgence

2010-01-19T20:51:00.002-05:00

I hadn't planned on blogging tonight. After work, I had a list of things to do and not nearly enough time to do them in...and working on jewelry is unfortunately not part of my schedule tonight, so I am kind of bummed. While I sorted through the pile of mail on the counter, I plucked a delightful looking catalog out of the pile...one that I hadn't seen before called Cambria Cove. My friend Tracy recently called me "the catalog Queen"...hmm..I don't know if that is so much a coveted title, but it is totally true. I LOVE to look at catalogs...not necessarily to buy things, but just to ooh and ahh over all of the lovely things in them. Cambria Cove is definitely going to be in the {READ} pile from now on. Here are a few things that I really loved and wanted to share with you!

...how adorable are these Robin's Egg Soaps? AND...yes, they come in the cool jar!

How cute are these Mini Ceramic Candles by Voluspa? And they are on sale for $8...the perfect thing to stock up on for your friends birthday that you almost forgot!

..and nothing can be better than eating ice cream...until you are scooping it out of these Waffle Cone Sundae Glasses by Maxwell and Williams. Mmm...ice cream.

To tell you the truth, I never thought about buying a butter dish...until I saw this Brasserie Butter Dish by Comptoir de Famille . How pretty is this? Just another reason to reach for the butter!

So...when I am lounging around...I am usually wearing a t-shirt and jeans with flip flops or boots (depending on the season of course)...but let's just pretend for a second..when I lounge around I wear a robe just like this from the Silk Road Collection. . Right. Moving along!

Cambria Cove should definitely be in your {READ} pile. This catalog/website is just full of really lovely unique items...check it out! Back to my 'to do' list...

A Few New Things...

2010-01-10T18:58:00.004-05:00

So I know it has been awhile, but I finally have a couple of new pieces to share!

I am VERY excited to show you this ring...I started out just making a wide Sterling band and had planned on hammering it, but I really wanted to incorporate Gold into it somehow and a hand-formed horsehoe seemed perfect because I could always use a bit of luck. love the way it came out and have a few other ideas in mind for different designs, I am so excited to get started on them!

First...my favorite..stack rings! A set of four hand-hammered Gold rings...

I made these great 'Twig' earrings in both Gold & Silver. They are so much fun to make and they look amazing on. It is incredible how flattering these simple, long and lean earrings are..they are 2 1/2 inches long and frame your face perfectly. I even made a pair (in Gold and Silver) for myself, because I just love them.

My shop is still in 'vacation mode' so these aren't listed yet. I am still struggling with some changes I want to make with my shop so I am just going to focus on making new things for now and hopefully everything will come together soon!

THE HAPPINESS PROJECT

2010-01-02T17:09:00.003-05:00

I recently heard about "The Happiness Project" and think it is a great book to start the New Year with!
What if you could change your life without really changing your life? On the outside, author Gretchen Rubin had it all—a good marriage, healthy children and a successful career— but she knew something was missing. Determined to end that nagging feeling, she set out on a year-long quest to learn how to better enjoy the life she already had.

Each month, Gretchen pursued a different set of resolutions—go to sleep earlier, tackle a nagging task, bring people together, take time to be silly—along with dozens of other goals. She read everything from classical philosophy to cutting-edge scientific studies, from Winston Churchill to Oprah, developing her own definition of happiness and a plan for how to achieve it. She kept track of which resolutions worked and which didn’t, sharing her stories and collecting those of others through her blog (created to fulfill one of March’s resolutions). Bit by bit, she began to appreciate and amplify the happiness in her life.

The Happiness Project is the engaging, relatable and inspiring result of the author’s twelve-month adventure in becoming a happier person. Gretchen Rubin’s story will inspire readers to embrace the pleasure in their lives and remind them how to have fun.
*Synopsis from Barnes&Noble.com

If you have read this book already, I would love to hear from you!

2010-01-01T15:14:00.002-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We will open the book. Its pages are blank.

We are going to put words on them ourselves.

The book is called Opportunity

and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

- Edith Lovejoy Pierce

I wish everyone a very happy new year!

It's all over...

2009-12-26T13:10:00.000-05:00

It is so sad the day after Christmas, realizing that the holidays are over. It is time for family and friends visiting to return home and in two days it is back to work...and back to normal life. So sad. I had a wonderful Christmas with my family and wish it could have lasted just a litte bit longer. Now, I am faced with some major cleaning and organizing! Thankfully, I LOVE to clean and organize. :-) I know, I'm weird.

My Etsy shop is on hiatus for the time being (just for a couple of weeks). I want to reconcile all of my records for the year (in anticipation of tax time), organize my inventory and work on some new ideas I have for my jewelry in the upcoming year. I will still be making new pieces though and will be posting regulary to show you what I have been up to...so stay tuned!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and hope you get a chance to rest before normal life resumes!

Ornament Gazing...

2009-12-19T09:31:00.000-05:00

So last night I did what I had been looking forward to all day...I sat in front of a fire with a glass of wine with friends and just hung out, looked at the tree, talked about past holidays and just got really excited about Christmas. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is decorating the tree and pulling out the handmade ornaments from the 80's and ones acquired along the way. Here are a few of my favorites!

But the ornament gazing is over...and I am about to get started on start checking things off of my to do list for the day! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

A TYPICAL EVENING

2009-12-08T20:41:00.001-05:00

I walked into my studio today with three custom orders to begin working on and a bangle to make. After seeing the shape my studio was in, I reailzed I needed to prioritize. The bangle was for a sale that I already made, so it was top priority (a few of my items are made to order) and getting that finished and packed up to mail was my main goal for the evening. I am one of those people that have to have everything pretty much straightened up around the house before I can relax and get started on things that need to be done {I know, I am a little weird}. Last night I walked into my studio and realized that it had been quite awhile since I had straightened up in there. Was there a hurricane that had rolled through Atlanta that I wasn't aware of?

This is how my studio looked when I got ready to work....my desk....

My workbench...

I mean there is just stuff everywhere...I don't even have enough room to write on anything...

so the first task was to clean...

Ok...things are somewhat organized and I can work now! On to making the bangle. The first step is to cut the low dome Sterling Silver wire and stamp it with my signature 'mb' stamp, as well as a .925 stamp, which indicates that the piece is made of sterling silver.

Next I shape the wire and file the ends to so they are flush and ready to solder together....

Once the seams are flush, it is time to solder...

Once the bangle has been solder, quenched (cooled off) and pickled (to remove the oxidation), it is time to shape the bangle on a mandrel with a leather mallet...and then hammer to give it that great texture...

Once the bangle has been shaped and hammered, it is all ready to be put in the tumbler to get polished! The tumbler is filled with steel shot, dishwashing liquid and water.

I leave the bangle in the tumbler for just over an hour to give it an amazing shine...

and voila...the bangle is done!

My task is complete and the order is packed and ready to go! The same customer also bought my

'First Chill Necklace'...one of my favorites.

Thank you Cindy...I hope you LOVE them!

Ok..going to bed now! :)

Laughing is good...

2009-12-07T20:04:00.008-05:00

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself."

~Ethel Barrymore

POTATO CHEESE SOUP

2009-12-05T16:00:00.000-05:00

So I have never posted a recipe before, but I absolutely love to cook and thought it would be a good idea to start sharing recipes! It is a cold day here in Atlanta...it even snowed here a little this morning! One of my favorite things to cook on days like this is soup. Nothing can warm you up and make you feel cozy like homemade soup can! This Potato Cheese Soup came out so, so good and I think you will love it!

Ingredients

3 large russet potatoes

2 tablespoons finely minced celery

1 tablespoon finely minced onion

1 tablespoon grated carrot

2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

2 slices bacon, cooked and drained

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

Directions

-Peel potatoes and chop into bite-size pieces.

-Make sure vegetables are minced into very small pieces- carrot should be grated, not shredded.

-In a large saucepan, combine vegetables with chicken stock, salt, and vinegar over medium heat.

-Bring to a boil, then turn down heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

-In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and milk.

-Remove saucepan with vegetables from heat and add flour and milk mixture.

-Return pan back to heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes or until soup has thickened.

-Add 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese to soup and simmer until melted.

-By now the potatoes should be tender and falling apart.

-If not, continue cooking until soup is as thick as you like it.

*I love creamy, thick soup...but this next step is optional!

-Remove 1/2 of the potatoes from the pot with a ladel and set aside in medium bowl. Using an emulsion blender, puree soup in pot until you’ve reached the desired consistency. If you don’t have an emulsion blender, let the soup cool for about 30 minutes and, working in two or three batches, puree some of the soup in a conventional blender until smooth. Place pureed soup in a bowl and puree the remainder in the pot

-put remaining potatos back into the pot and stir

-To serve, divide soup into 2 bowls.

-Divide remaining 1 tablespoons of Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheeses and sprinkle on the soup.

-Crumble bacon and sprinkle evenly over the cheese.

-Top off each bowl of soup with chopped green onion.

YUM..this soup is SO good. If you try it, I would love to hear how it came out!

{ SALE! {

2009-11-30T18:36:00.004-05:00

Tired from shopping the malls? Sit your little feet down, grab your laptop and take advantage of my sale!
I am offering 20 % off...of EVERYTHING!
Not sure what to get just yet? No worries, you have until the end of the week (Friday)! Thank God for online shopping. This is only for my blog peeps...but as long as you tell your friends the code, they can enjoy the savings too!

Just enter the code: [Iloveyourblog] in the 'notes to seller' and I will send you a revised invoice!

www.mbjewelry.etsy.com

BACK HOME

2009-11-29T10:05:00.000-05:00

We just got back home yesterday from North Carolina...we had such a good time. Now that I am home I have a huge list of things I want to get done {hopefully today!}...including getting a Christmas tree and start decorating the house in addition to the normal weekend stuff...grocery shopping and laundry. I am going to get started on my list, but here are a few pictures from the winery I told you I was going to! The Childress Winery is such a beautiful place and I don't know about you, but Christmas decorations almost make me giddy...and they had everything decorated...it was so beautiful!

CHILDRESS VINEYARD & WINERY

2009-11-27T11:52:00.000-05:00

Today I am going to lunch and a wine tasting at Childress Vineyard & Winery in Lexington, North Carolina. I have visited once before and I loved it...but I didn't get good pictures last time...but I definitely will today! Childress is a 35,000-square-foot facility. Besides the yummy wines and scrumptious restaurant, the building is just gorgeous! Designed by Winston-Salem, NC architect Kyle Troxell, the stone and stucco building, with its ornate terra cotta roof is inspired by the Italian Renaissance architecture of rural Tuscany. The winery's interiors are the creation of Wolf Design Group in Atlanta, GA. It makes it easy to pretend I am in Italy for the day! I will share pictures as soon as I get home {Atlanta}!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2009-11-26T13:41:00.000-05:00

I am following my friend Kelley's lead here...

I am most thankful for:

Family

Friends

Our health

House

My dogs

Good food

Good wine

Tear inducing laughter

Late night conversations that you never want to end

Soft blankets

Fires in the fireplace

...I will keep the list short, but these things are what I am most grateful for right at this moment. I hope you all have a wonderful day!