Jewlz

So I may have mentioned before that I LOVE jewelry. One day I hope to have a little treasure chest full of sparkling stones and rocks. And I also hope that one day people have treasure chests full of jewelry made my by own little fingers.

Slowly, I've been preparing to launch a jewelry shop on Etsy (if you haven't been, you need to go... after you read my blog of course!). Travis bought me a bunch of supplies for my birthday - resin, molds, wire, beads, jewelry pliers, pin backs, earring thingies. I've just been too busy and tired to make any progress, but every once in a while the mood strikes me and I need to act on it.

Yesterday we had an insane sale at work, and I bought a bracelet made of beads that I liked. I had first thought about making a ring, but then realized I would have to go out and buy a thicker gauge wire than I had. So I took out my supplies and thought, and eventually a pin emerged from the jumble.




Unfortunately the pictures are a bit blurry. I couldn't fuss with the camera, and the pin is kind of small (about 1.5 inches from the bottom of the large teardrop bead to the top of the small pink bead, and about 1.25 inches wide). It's very pretty in person. I'm in love with the colors. This pin was a really excellent project for me because not only did I play around with wire wrapping (each protruding bead/cluster is held on by a small wire), I got to do a little soldering. Last week Travis made some sort of loop pedal or something and had the soldering iron out. As usual (haha) Travis didn't put it away, but it gave me an idea. At the end of each bead/cluster there is a little solder bead holding everything in place.

Well I'm very proud of my handiwork and can't wait to make some more! Maybe this time next year my little dream will be a reality.

Melt, please.

Yesterday I woke up to beautiful white flurries. It was a mostly perfect snow-- sticking to trees but not really effecting the street. Well for the better part of the day. It really was the kind of day that is meant to be enjoyed from a comfortable bed. Or a beautiful mountain lodge if you are so lucky to have one.

I wasn't lucky enough to enjoy either. So I drove to the retail job with cold wet feet. I arrived safely, but did not feel safe from the shopping bug. It lays dormant in my bones until new merchandise arrives. Sometimes I can fight it off by just buying one small item, but this relapse is kind of out of control. Don't worry! I haven't bought anything yet. But I know it's just a matter of time. I'm going to lay out my budget and make the necessary cutbacks to cure my ailment. If I don't buy coffee for a month, that's like $25. Not enough... maybe all those late nights at the hospital will buy me that new rose colored dress I've been eying up.

If you know me in life, you probably know that I mostly wear black. Not because I am a recovering goth or because I lack wardrobe creativity. I just like black. It's easy. Everything matches. I have always loved black and I always will. But lately I've been contemplating cream. And rosy mauves, taupes, grey lavenders, plums, and ohmygod possibly even some blues. It feels so strange to be drooling over a beautifully architectual cream sweater. I'm trying to come to terms with this new color pallete attraction, but I think my closet may be unrecognizable in a few weeks. That is if I can make enough cutbacks to fund the cure to my winter blahs. Because when it comes down to it, this seasonal bug I catch is probably just a symptom of the Winter Doldrums.

So while the snow was beautiful as it fell, I'm ready for it to melt away. I want to bear my decollete in a lightweight knit sweater. I want my freshly painted toes to peep through some delicious nude open toed pumps. I want to eat small sandwiches on a lovely quilt in the park. I think I need to live some place warmer and cheerier. Philadelphia can be so dirty and grey.