Paints and Plates

A couple of years ago I had the ultimate score at the thrift shop—a large box of plain white plates and matching tea cups. The plates are the kind with the little circle indent where the tea cup sits, perfect for serving hot cocoa and cookies. These would be perfect to paint and give as gifts to all the little girls in our lives.

I decorated many of these sets as gifts and saved the last 2 for my girls, on which I planned to paint their favorites things. For 2 years now. And still haven't. Which brings us to yesterday, another rainy day with boredom setting in. So, I set the girls loose with paint and their very own tea sets to decorate however they pleased. The finished products were colorful, imaginative and just-how-they-like-it. Which, I know, is better than anything I could have designed and painted.

We use Pebeo Porcelaine 150 paints—water-based paint that you can cure in your own oven. Just paint and then bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. The paint is non-toxic, permanent, and dishwasher safe. You can use it on ceramic, glass, metal, and terra-cotta, among other surfaces.

I am thinking another visit the thrift shop will yield all kinds of new pieces we can paint. Maybe we'll go today. Since it's raining. Again.

Summer Sale

I am making way for some new pieces, so a few of the old ones (including the one pictured above) must go. Check out the "SALE" section of my shop.

Kitchen Therapy

All this gloomy June weather combined with the start of summer vacation has lent itself nicely to staying inside and cooking. We have happily whipped up some treats the kids have been wanting to make, some more involved recipes, and some of the usual staples. So in the three days of vacation thus far we have made: chocolate chip cookies, glazed nuts, a handful of fresh juices (peach-blueberry the fav so far), chocolate-covered strawberries, creamsicles, cheesy popcorn, 4 different kinds of bread, strawberry-orange popsicles, and watermelon agua fresca—whew!

With bellies full, we watched the sun peek out this evening for the first time in eight days. That's my cue to close up the kitchen-as-entertainment for a bit so we can rediscover the backyard. Find out what got pummeled by the downpours, what has bloomed, and what has been utterly unproductive in the absence of sunlight. And so life outdoors returns, if not a bit late.

For now, I'll relax with my husband (more on him soon!) and enjoy a watermelon agua fresca, with a little rum added, and drink a toast to the King of Pop.

Easy On-The-Go Art Kits

I have written before about the quandary of the ever-present kids' birthday party on our family calendar. With so many gifts to give, I am always looking for ideas for presents that won't be quickly tossed aside or broken.

For a recent double birthday party, these felt pencil (or crayon) rolls, accompanied by a nice sketch book were the perfect thing. They were simple to construct and used basic materials—100% wool felt and a bit of ribbon. We did ours in bright colors and arranged the pencils and crayons in a rainbow. On the pencil roll, we added an extra pocket for a pencil sharpener—which turned out to be the birthday boy's favorite thing! We embellished the outside with the childrens' initials and used their favorite colors to make these perfect on-the-go art kits.

Felt Pencil Roll idea and instructions are from The Creative Family, by Amanda Blake Soule.

Doughnuts

Warm, soft, and sweet, these homemade doughnuts were the perfect undertaking for a Saturday morning. My mouth was watering when I found this recipe for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts online.

As a family who used to live in the land where Krispy Kreme stores abound, we crave the unmatched experience that is eating one (or two) of their doughnuts. And while the final product didn't quite compare to the real thing, it was—by all means—a delicious substitute.

Attack of the Chickens

Scratched up dirt and rolled rocks...

Trampled tomatoes...

Gravel strewn around the yard...

And one hen who has decided to eat her own eggs (eeewwww!)...

The chickens (more about them here) have been ruling the roost lately—scratching, trampling, helping themselves to the lettuce, and wreaking garden havoc in general. Looks like the time has come to take back the yard. We have our work cut out for us—fencing the rest of the not-yet-fenced gardens, mending trampled veggies, raking dirt and gravel back to where it came from, and replacing the painted rocks back to the borders they make.

As for the hungry hen? We are not so sure. Suggestions welcome.

A Necklace for Lupus

I was recently asked to design a piece that would be auctioned off at a fundraising event for the Lupus Foundation of New England. This is the necklace I created to reflect the sentiment of empowerment and hope for people living with Lupus.

The Lupus Necklace:

A burst of stars, a surge of hope.

The design for this necklace started with the logo for the Lupus Foundation of New England—a small cluster of shooting stars. But as I learned more about Lupus, I came to see that this complicated disease is often vague and without pattern. Considering that, I arranged the stars in a random, asymmetrical order. The two tiers of chain illustrate the support and education available to empower those living with Lupus.

The Lupus Necklace—a delicate chain paired with a shiny burst of stars is a beautiful way to honor this cause.

For more information about this necklace click here.

***The Lupus Foundation of New England is having their fundraising event on Thursday, June 18th at the Liberty Hotel in Boston. Tickets are available at the door and there are a ton of incredible and generous items up for auction. Find out more about the fundraiser and learn more about the Lupus Foundation of N.E. here.

Craft Hope for India

The wheels are a-turnin' as I scheme up what I will be making for Craft Hope's newest call to action.

For Project #3, Craft Hope has teamed up with the Miracle Foundation to supply beanies, blankets and booties for babies/toddlers in India.

Here's your chance to make a difference while doing what you love. It's a great opportunity to get together and knit with your friends, start sewing with your kids, or organize your local group to craft a few items for those little babes that could use some warmth and comfort.

If making things by hand is not your usual M.O., Craft Hope will be posting patterns and instructions soon. If you are a knitter, crocheter or sewer, gather up your stash and get to it.

You can get all the details on Craft Hope's Project #3 here.

Studio or Workshop?

I am never sure what to call it—Studio or workshop. "Studio" sounds artistic, refined, and peaceful. "Workshop" sounds rustic, industrial, and well, a bit elvish.

Tucked into a corner of my basement, partly under the stairs and an arm's reach from the hot water heater, my space is both of those things—a studio where I design my jewelry and a workshop where I fabricate it.

It is cool in the summer and chill-to-the-bone cold in the winter. It's gray all around, as most basements are, but the splashes of color I have added give it just enough life. A nearby window brings in some natural light, which is one of my favorite things about the space. A Radio, iPod player, TV, fan, and portable radiator provide all the creature comforts I could ask for. I consider myself lucky to "commute" down the stairs into a space that has everything I need to design, saw, forge, and solder tiny works of art.

Call it what I may, my sometimes studio, sometimes workshop is an all-the-time pleasure.

Food, Inc.

I recently began thinking out loud about starting a farmers market in my town. I was abruptly stopped in my tracks trying to clear the very first hurdle, and quickly realized that there will be numerous hoops to jump through before this thing gets off the ground. My motivation to organize this market is partly selfish (I don't want to have to travel so far to get local produce) and partly the product of my growing frustration with industrial farming.

The food industry is a topic that I think about often, so I was excited to learn about the film Food, Inc. The documentary explores how much we really know about the food we buy and, more importantly, eat.

"In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the the American Farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment."

You can learn more about the movie here. Find out where you can see the movie here, and see a list of 10 simple things you can do to change our food system here.

Bubble Ring

I have been getting things together for the Coolidge Corner Arts Festival this Saturday (6/6). Going through all my pieces, polishing and touching up each item to get them gleaming and ready for their place in an eye-catching display. I was giving this ring the once-over when I realized I haven't posted it in my shop yet.

Bubble Ring
A fun cocktail ring! A large oxidized dome is set into a ring that hides a mirror inside. The shape of the bubble's "highlight" was cut out to reveal the mirror's reflection. The blackened dome is a beautiful contrast to the shiny mirror and the polished silver body of the ring.

To read more about this ring or to purchase, click here.

Unexposed Talent: Macky Designs

I am loving the graphic quality of these Custom Pop-Art Illustrations created by Natalia of Macky Designs.

"Because you're unique, let's make you into a cartoon!" Just send her a hi-res version of your favorite photo of yourself, your pet -- whoever -- and Macky Designs will turn it into a funky pop-art illustration. What a unique gift that would be.

She also makes custom pop-art illustration wedding invitations that are definitely not your run-of-the-mill invites.

Check out the Macky Designs Etsy store or visit her website to learn more about Natalia and her illustrations.

The House You Grew Up In

I stumbled upon this item a few days ago and haven't stopped thinking about it. The La-La Theory, a little "zine factory" in Philadelphia, recently published The House You Grew Up In, an anthology of short essays by 17 different authors.

Katie, the mind behind The La-La Theory, thinks about the house she grew up in often, so she sent out a call for submissions to read what some good writers had to say on the topic of a childhood home. In response, she got "these wonderful, pithy pieces from writers in the US, the UK, and Australia. Sad, quirky, funny, varied, honest--that's what these stories are."

My parents moved from the house I grew up in (top photo) a few years ago. I drive by that house with my children every now and then, wishing they could go in and smell how it used to smell, hear the creaks in the stairs, and know the trick to turning the key in the front door lock. That house belongs to a new family now, and so the cycle continues...

A Flag Waving Weekend

Over the long weekend we were granted plenty of time to complete some of the projects we've had on our family's wish list.

My husband completed our new patio (just in time for BBQ season -- hooray!) and my girls and I made these fun flags. We finished this "Birthday Garland" in time for our daughter's upcoming party, but we will surely be using it for all our future family celebrations. I have a sneaky suspicion it will be used as a decoration in the girls' bedroom between gatherings, too, as they can't seem to get enough of it.

The beauty of the fabric garland is that you can make one to fit any occasion, holiday, special person, or season. I also like that they are reusable, cutting down on party waste.

The idea and instructions came from the book The Creative Family. The author, Amanda Blake Soule, also has a ridiculously inspiring blog called Soule Mama.

Unexposed Talent: Stephanie Corfee

I am excited to share Stephanie Corfee's illustrations with you for today's Unexposed Talent.

Stephanie is an artist who creates images that will capture you with their intricate details and fun colors. She describes her work as "bohemian and wild, meticulous and restrained. It's just like me...a mirror to my true self."

Her newest -- and most ingenious -- item (which will be available in a few short days) is her "You Color It" pages. These sophisticated coloring sheets are black and white versions of her art for you to customize in the color scheme of your choice. What a great idea!

Stephanie is in the process of rolling over her older Etsy Shop into her New Etsy Shop . You can find her work for sale in both shops, for the time being.

Inspiration Station

It happens to everybody, artists and non-artists alike. A lull when you just can't seem to find direction -- in designs, in daily routines, in what to cook for dinner, and in life itself.

Inspiration is the cure-all, but it is inevitably gone when you need it most.

But it is there (resist the urge to roll your eyes here). We simply forget to recognize that the dogwoods bursting pink and white are inspiration. That funny comment from a child? yup, inspiration. So is that interesting scribble, drawn long ago, in your sketchbook, and the seedlings reaching upward. The friend who just competed in her first triathlon, the silent gesture from a family member, the cat slinking across the lawn -- all potential inspiration. Aromas, textures, sensations...you catch my drift.

Look with fresh eyes and you are bound to find the spark that will get you heading in the right direction again.

Cuff Links

Cuff links. I have intended to design and fabricate some of these for quite some time now. The two pairs I recently finished made their debut at the craft show I participated in a few weeks ago (see previous post here). They received lots of compliments and I was even approached by a bride-to-be who asked if I could design a pair of custom cuff links. They would be a heartfelt wedding-morning gift for her future groom -- what a great idea!

At last, I have expanded my line of products to include pieces for men. And it is no coincidence that they are available just in time for Father's Day and wedding season ;)

Check out the new Millipede Cuff Links (shown above) here and the Dimple Cuff Links here.

Happy Birthday, chickens!

Last week marked the first birthday of our crazy chickens, Rocky, Boxy, Feathery and Princess (as you may have guessed, they were named by our small children).

We celebrated their first year with a "cake," made of rice and corn (their fav foods). Our feathered friends clucked happily while they gobbled it up, but we took a pass on having a slice of that treat.

Our first year of raising chickens has been full of memories -- those tiny fluff-ball chicks, their big move into the new coop, the FIRST egg!, the time they escaped while we were on vacation...the list goes on and on, and they still manage to amuse us endlessly.

Our family takes great pride in having chickens as pets and egg producers. We highly recommend it! Anyone interested in learning about raising backyard chickens can read more here.

Unexposed Talent: IMH Designs

IMH (In My Hands) Designs creates bold and beautiful clutches that would be the perfect accessory for your summer soirees.

This week's Unexposed Talent makes each of these high-quality clutches by hand in a variety of fabrics from casual to formal, traditional to modern. There is a clutch for every gal's style in this shop.

A portion of all sales will be donated to charity, making your purchase rewarding in more than one way. (Read more about crafting for charity here.)

Visit IMH Designs' Etsy shop to see their full selection of cool clutches.

Matryoshka Mania

Ever since I saw the crochet pattern for the Roly-Poly Matryoshka Dolls (see previous blog post about this here), I have been smitten with those little Russian crafted souvenirs. So, to satisfy my craving for these nesting dolls, I have put together a little gallery of some of my favorite Matryoshka-theme crafted items. Enjoy!

(clockwise from top left:Orange Nesting Dolls Wall Decals, Organic Lavender Matroyshka Doll, Babushka Brooch 024, matroyshka cupcake decorations -- set of 16, Needle Book x Matroyshka in green polka dot, Nintendo DS Lite / Camera / Gadget Travel Case )

If, like me, you want to know a little more about them, read the history here.