Flower Power

Tomorrow morning I'll be leaving bright and early to join my friend Erin at the florist. I am super excited because I enjoy making flower arrangements and plan to become a florist (right after jewelry designer and ceramist-ha). Ok, so maybe not really but I am definitely interested to see the florist's ideas for Erin's wedding.

If the florist doesn't work out, maybe she could go with this person, Diane Phillips, who specializes in making floral arrangements out of polymer clay. Check out Diane's shop at dkdesignshawaii.etsy.com. It is amazing how real these look! Here are a few that I think Erin would like....

Thursday Sweet Treat

This is my new "Spring Rain" series created for the inspiring Thursday Sweet Treat. Natasha, the creator the Sweet Treat posts a theme every Friday. Your "assignment" is due the following Wednesday evening, and everyone's pieces are posted on Thurday. It is inspiring to see people's different ideas and read the positive and supportful comments. This was definitely the jump start I needed to get me back in the studio and stocked up for spring. I will work on posting these items in my etsy shop in the next couple days.

Ironically, I think we are in for some spring rain tomorrow! (And then back to winter temperatures again- will it ever end?!)

Giving Back

I am very fortunate that I have been able to pursue my adventures in art and even more fortunate to sometimes profit from something I love doing so much. When my coworkers decided to join Relay for Life (a 24 hour relay fundraiser for the American Cancer Society), I was excited to participate. I decided to use my skills and have a jewelry fundraiser. I made stud earrings in Bel Air School colors (blue and white). 2/3 of every order will be donated directly to the American Cancer Society. It was a lot of work, took a lot of time and organization, but we raised over $300 (and now our ears look good too!) Here is a small portion of the mess I made getting the earrings ready to go.
If you would like to make a donation to the American Cancer Society, please visit my page at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/alyssatice. Even the smallest donation helps!

Two Treasury Tuesday

In addition to yesterday's Canary treasury, check out another treasury featuring my Black Moon bracelet. This one is called "The sun has gone down..." It definitely has a introspective feeling to it. I really like some of the featured illustrations, especially "A Moon Light Walk" by Harold St John.

A Peak into Spring

Etsian, Jessie Hohmann, created this beautiful treasury that exudes the feeling of spring. My earrings, Not a Cloud in the Sky, are placed 3rd in the second row. This combination of yellow and blue makes me feel cheery and this treasury has inspired me to get to work on my spring line of jewelry. Get ready for some more sunny color combinations! Thanks Jessie for including me in your treasury!

(I wonder if it is a coincidence...the last treasury I was in was called "Dear Jessie" and this treasury was created by Jessie! Hmmmmm...... )

I just need more TIME!

This week has been a hard one for me. I feel like everything has been building up and piling up and I'm not getting a single thing done. My classroom (I am an elementary school art teacher) has exploded, I'm not getting any new jewelry made, I am neglecting my blog, I need to take photos to post new items on my website. Did I mention I locked my keys in my car at work on Thursday and had to use my long awaited planning time that morning to have a coworker (thanks, Becca!) drive me an hour and a half round trip to get the spare key? OY. It has just been that kind of week.

So my featured seller today is SparklePaw. These illustrations are just so simple and cute, they bring a smile to my face. This little beaver is one of my favorites, I recently purchased several cards from SparklePaw as well as a pocket mirror.

Now this busy beaver has to go do something productive...laundry- EWWW.

I LOVE Ceramics

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! In honor of the love I have for my new kiln and the art of ceramics, today's featured sellers will be ceramists you can find on Etsy.

My first pick is by Kim Westad. Her Petal Vase with Pebble Design in Aqua is beautifully crafted. Smooth, fluid, and pleasing to my eye.

Second is a White Porcelain Berry Bowl by Isabellea Bramson. Useful for washing and draining berries, but its interesting texture and shadow make for a perfect meeting of function and beauty.
The third piece is a Porcelain Bud Vase by Stepanka. Her texture and experimentation with glazes (something I need to do more of) are inspirational. Her bud vases and wall pillows are like mini three-dimensional canvases, each one a unique piece of art.

The Luckiest Friday the 13th EVER!!!

What could possibly make me more happy than having my own kiln? I'll tell you! Having two! And even better than that, my newest kiln can fire ceramics and it's huge! AND IT WAS FREE! I am on cloud nine right now and a little hyped up if you can't tell!

Long story short...one of my friends at work hooked me up with her friend who was trying to find a new home for his kiln. I, of course, immediately jumped at the chance despite the fact that I had no information about it. The hand-off happened this afternoon and I was a little nervous, especially since it was Friday the 13th. Would I regret this decision? As soon as I saw her, I knew we were meant to be...fate had brought us together. This was the luckiest day ever!!!

Reality check: No, I haven't plugged her in yet. And, yes, there are a few things that need fixing, like a switch and the kiln sitter. And I definitely don't have anywhere to put her or plug her in where I live so she's living in my parents' basement for now. BUT IT IS A FREE KILN! Yay! I'm just going to enjoy my happy moment and worry about those things later....

Aren't we cute together? One step closer to getting back in to my ceramics!

A Link to my Links

A fellow etsian, Magillie, included a pair of my glass cuff links in her treasury called Dear Jessie. I have a few different pairs available on my website...and I have a few new ideas for cuff links that I may try out this weekend. Thanks goodness for long weekends!

Goin' to the Chapel....

Well, not quite. Today I am off with my friend Erin to a tasting for her wedding. So Erin's got a ring on her finger, but for many of us ladies, we are still waiting for our bling to come. I say why wait for a man! We all deserve bling NOW! Here are two artists that I love because of their alternative approach to the traditional "diamond" ring. The first ring comes from metalicious. Her metal diamonds come in many different styles and cuts. The second artist is thebeside. These rings have actual settings with chunks of metal set inside rather than a diamond. Both are a modern twist on the traditional diamond. I think I'll be treating myself to some faux bling for Valentine's day!

A Few Treasures

One of my pendants is currently featured in a treasury on Etsy.com. Treasuries are an opportunity for the members of etsy to selflessly promote their favorite items. My friend Nancy, of www.nfall2rt.etsy.com, is not only skilled at snagging coveted treasuries, but also designing them. Color choice and placement are a deliberate artform for her.

Help me return Nancy's love by visiting her shop on etsy. She has a variety of tempting handmade items in her shop. Her sense of color is most evident in her beautiful scarves. Remember, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today. 6 more weeks to enjoy a warm, snuggly scarf!