Enticements

A Fabulous Fall

2009-11-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

It has been a crazy fall this year, with every weekend jam-packed with activities. It has been exhausting but fabulous! Since I have been so busy and scrambling for free moments, my new blog approach is more photos, less writing. My October in pictures...

Ofcourse, there was my first craft show!

And then my 10 year high school reunion. Yikes! Time flies...

We squeezed in our annual Shenendoah Trip. Instead of a full weekend we had to cut it to a single day.

We traveled to Tennessee for Matt's family reunion. I met his dad, Ray, and stepmom, Daisy for the first time. I had a blast and can't wait to see them again!

Had our engagement shoot...

And ended the month as Kermit and Ms. Piggy.

I'm tired just thinking about all I have done! Time for bed...Good night all!

Engagement Pics

2009-11-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

A friend that I studied art with in college has been making a name for herself as a wedding photographer. Liz Hough is photographing our wedding next year and we had some engagement pics done this past weekend with her. Check out her website... http://www.houghphotography.com. Here is my favorite one that I've got a peak at so far. We're thinking about sending this one out as a "save the date" in postcard form. More about these little cranes later...

Pictures from Art on the Avenue

2009-11-01T12:33:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures of my first art vendor experience. All in all it was a great day and I think I'll apply for this show again next year. Now that I have my display pieces made, getting ready for a show will be a lot let stressful!!! My wonderful fiance was a huge help making the display and he even hand painted the enticements sign!

Thank goodness I have wonderful coworkers who lent me the tent and two long tables!

Close-ups of the display. (Click on pictures for larger image.)

More detail shots. As you can see, I have a much larger inventory than is posted on my website. Finding time to photograph and describe each item has become almost impossible for me. (Kind of like finding time to blog!!)

Enticements at Art on the Avenue!!

2009-09-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

I know it has been forever...it seems I am always photographing and thinking of what I want to blog about but never get around to actually posting...my iphoto is full of all kinds of interesting things that you'll probably never see. I promise I'll try harder (although I'm sure at this point I've lost any readers that I had!)

Meanwhile...here is some very exciting news: I will be at Art on the Avenue this Saturday from 10am-6pm. It is my first vendor experience, so if you have time, stop by! (And PRAY for good weather!) My head has been spinning getting ready...I'll write about the whole experience when it is over...hopefully I'll have some valuable advice by then.

P.S. Mention my blog and receive the discount from above! Hope to see you there!

I have fallen off the face of the earth.

2009-06-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

No posts for the past 20 days...I don't know how I'll ever get you caught up on the craziness that my life has become. I promise to return soon...hopefully before another 20 fly by.

Off to NYC

2009-05-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

We are off to NYC today to visit ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair). There are always many cool things to see- expect many pics upon my return. The coolest of all, ofcourse, will be Matt's pieces that he will have displayed in the Meatpacking District. I am so proud of him! His hard work and perserverance to reach his goals motivates me so much. It is one of the main reasons that I started my jewelry business. I'll leave you today with renderings of the pieces he'll be showing. The first is called "Spoke Lounge" and the second is a coatstool called "Sprout."

Oh so crafty!

2009-05-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

Another thing I was up to last week (yes, the list goes on and we are not done yet!)... making bachelorette invites for my good friend Erin. I feel quite crafty! I found making them during a stressful time quite calming.

Front Page!

2009-05-11T04:31:00.001-07:00

Apparently a treasury that I was in made it to the front page of Etsy early Sat. morning. Ofcourse no more than 3 people probably saw it because everyone else was in bed! Oh well, found a screen capture on flicker and here she is.... My Blue to Green Earrings are in the bottome left corner. Thanks to morewarped for this great treasury!

Studio Take-Over!

2009-05-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

Besides the fact that I have been extremely busy, there is another reason that I haven't been able to make anything recently. As I've mentioned before, my fiance and I share a studio space. Woodworking is not the best medium to share your space with! Currently, Matt is making 4 pieces of furniture to be exhibited in NYC during the International Contemporary Furniture Fair next weekend. He is on quite the time crunch and has turned not only our studio space into his workshop but the living room and balcony as well. I think it is fortunate that we are both artists, we understand that sometimes our work has to come first. I know that this is a great opportunity for him, so for now, I'll put my creating on hold and let him take-over! Here are some pics I've taken over the past couple weeks of the apartment explosion!

Celebrating Local Design

2009-05-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

After returning from an amazing weekend, it was back to work. Later in the week, Matt (my fiance) had an event to attend at the Design Within Reach in Adams Morgan. The event celebrated local furniture designers, and one of Matt's designs was being exhibited. Here is the bench that he made by hand in the bedroom of our last apartment. Also shown are two of the prize-winning pieces- a bookshelf by Tippy Tippens and a lounge chair by Christian Wicha.

One of my favorite things about DWR is the variety of lamps that they have. I am going to need a large house to furnish all the lamps that I would like to buy. Here are some shots I took while hanging out at the exhibition...

I'm baaaaaaack

2009-05-10T14:43:00.000-07:00

So I have had a crazy-busy couple of weeks and my blogging has suffered because of it. Ready for an update? You might want to grab a cup of coffee and get comfortable- this may take awhile. It all began with an unexpected wedding. One of my oldest friends, Joffrey called me on Tuesday with news of his wedding on Saturday. Luckily, I had no plans- I knew the weeks coming up would be busy so I had left the weekend open to mentally prepare. Instead of chilling out, I caught a ride to West Virginia on Friday night. Joffrey and Kelly took over their friends Joy and Kevin's house, an adorable cabin in Harper's Ferry. It was a gathering of their closest friends and family, everything about it was just a genuine celebration of their love without the frills and stress of many weddings. The most touching part of the whole weekend was seeing how happy Kelly's eleven year old daughter was and how the three of them have come together to make a family. I hope that when I get married, people will feel love like I could feel from Joffrey, Kelly, and Brody.

I think I'll break the rest of my story up into chapters...stay posted, more is coming (and this time I mean it!!!)

I'll explain tomorrow

2009-04-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

So I ran out of time today...but I'll explain my weekend and this picture tomorrow. As you can tell, it was beautiful and romantic...and so unexpected!

Two Treasuries

2009-04-27T03:11:00.000-07:00

Found out about both of these last night. One treasury features a piece of glass jewelry and the other silver. Thanks to Magillie and Astashtoys for including me in these beautiful treasuries. Don't worry, I will still post about my amazing weekend tonight!

Busy Weekend!

2009-04-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I missed my usual Saturday Seller post because of a crazy, wonderful and unexpected weekend. I'll explain in detail tomorrow! But for now, I want to show you some of my latest bead purchases to spice up some of my silver jewelry. I have a special affinity for glass beads (imagine that- me liking glass!)...in the first picture are hollow glass beads and the second is a colorful variety of czech glass beads. I think I am also going to make some hollow silver beads for my next firing (whenever that may be!!).

Happy Earth Day

2009-04-22T18:57:00.000-07:00

I took this picture outside of my apartment on Sunday. I think the buds all opened on the same day- I walked outside and was taken back by all of the pink that had magically appeared!!

Spring Give Away at Nfall2rt * Design Studio!

2009-04-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

Visit Nfall2rt * Design Studio to enter her Spring giveaway. The grand prize is a sampler pack of 5 spring designs note cards.

One way to enter the drawing is to visit Nancy's shop, pick out your favorite item and comment about it on her blog. Finding something you like should be easy- Nancy has a wide variety of items and everything is beautiful. Choosing just one will be the hardest part! There are also other ways to enter and you can have your name entered more than once! So click here to see more details.

My two favorite items (couldn't pick just one!) are from Nancy's Contained Series. I love how she translated a (mostly) two-dimensional concept into a piece of jewelry (and you know how I love rings!!).

Give Them a Break

2009-04-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

I have been saving this compilation of young Etsy shops for a treasury but I have had no luck getting one lately. I'll keep trying but thought I would go ahead and share these sellers that are trying to get a start on Etsy- and let's face it, it's not that easy. So go check out their shops and give them the break they've been waiting for!

Row 1: Elin Art, Jennifer Bingham, MiniCyn, Vintemporary
Row 2: Silver Enticements, Villarreal Ceramics, Creations Libellule, Sass & Peril
Row 3: Dajoli, Andi's Prints, lovemaestore, Magillie
Row 4: Melissa Beach Photography, A Little World, Rich Ant, Materia Textil

I love Kutty!

2009-04-14T15:02:00.000-07:00

So, I've been feeling pretty crappy and stressed out since last night. Basically, H&R block SUCKS, and Mary Jane who works there sucks even more. After having made an appointment over a week ago, I was off to get tax help last night (the first available appointment they had). I was feeling good, I had all of my jewelry information organized neatly in files and I was finally going to figure out how to work Enticements into my tax preparation. Wrong. When Mary Jane discovered that I had a small side business she told me that there was no way we could finish that in our hour long appointment (keep in mind- when I made the appt. I checked that I needed help with a small business return). She didn't have an extra minute to give me and why hadn't I added things up. (LET'S SEE- MAYBE BECAUSE I NEEDED HELP. I don't know what is deductable and all that other crap.) Long story short, I was turned away. After sitting in the parking lot crying for 10 minutes, I decided to call to speak to a manager. "Ring, ring. This is Mary Jane, I am the manager" AWESOME. Better Business Bureau and Cooperate Headquarters: get ready, here I come. Next, I sat down at irs.gov and tried to figure things out and started to cry again.

Tonights task: file an extension and get some professional help after the tax craze is over (and it won't be from ANYONE at H&R Block).

So we've established that I HATE Mary Jane, but maybe you are asking why I Love Kutty. I didn't think there was too much that could cheer me up today until I opened Etsy in my browser window. I scrolled up and down looking at pretty things and then something caught my eye. My Orange Creamsicle pendant was a featured item in an Etsy news article written by etsy administator, Kutty! This is my first time on the front page or being featured. My piece is now featured among the Editor's Picks for awhile. Smile. Take that, Mary Jane.

Take a look at the article here. See me at the bottom!

Silver Enticements first Treasury

2009-04-13T18:25:00.001-07:00

A Pop of Red is my first treasury for silver enticements. Yay. My Red Burst Pendant is in the upper left corner.

A Colorful Mix

2009-04-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

Check out this eclectic mix of items, compiled by Dafna Schwimmer Dagan. My Water Drop Bracelet is in the bottom right hand corner. Check out Dafna's shop for some beautiful sterling silver and semi-precious stone jewelry.

Corporan Glass

2009-04-11T06:47:00.000-07:00

I really consider fusing glass as the first step in my adventure. I plan to learn how to lampwork (using a torch and rods of glass) and one day, when I have lots of money and can afford to attend a workshop, I will learn to blow glass. I am a huge fan of Dale Chihuly and teach my art students about him (click here to see one of our sculptures inspired by him). I would love to run off to Washington and be one of his sidekicks.

Corporan Glass by James Corporan has the most beautiful blown glass I have seen on Etsy. Corporan lives and works in New York and has seven years experience. On his etsy profile, he has a link to this video of him blowing glass...pretty cool!

Things I want

2009-04-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

My birthday is coming up in less than a month so I figure I better start making what I want known. I had this treasury on etsy earlier in the week and never got around to posting it here. As usual, my desires are heavy on the orange side!

Up and Running

2009-04-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

I've got my new shop, silverenticements, up and running! Right now I've only got 3 items posted...slow and steady. Thank goodness for my wonderful man who helped me with my new banner and avatar!

About Me

2009-04-09T12:01:00.001-07:00

So I realized as I was reading my little "about me" blurb to the left that it now contains some false information. (Don't ask me what made me decide to read it- as if I didn't write it or know about myself). About a month ago, I got engaged...so my wonderful boyfriend is now my wonderful fiance. He proposed in our "studio/shop" on a snowy Monday when we both stayed home from work. I was still in my pjs napping on the couch when he called me in to see the wonderful woodsy mess he was making in our shared space. I believe my first words were "Close the @#*$ing kiln!" Oh well, he still decided to ask...my beautiful ring was hiding among the wood shavings....

Silver Enticements

2009-04-08T19:18:00.001-07:00

Back in June, I took a graduate course in precious metal clay jewelry, shortly after I began fusing glass. With these two new skills, I decided to just do it- get my own kiln and start a little business. When I first started Enticements, I posted both fused glass and silver in the same shop. Now, though, I really feel that I've established a good look for my original site with the fused glass and the silver seems out of place. I'm thinking of opening a new shop just for the silver but I am still contemplating the name. I thought about keeping it simple...enticements2 or something like that, but I don't know. I guess I could think of something completely different, but I think I want to keep enticements in the name for a common thread and searching purposes. I'm leaning towards silverenticements...what do you think?

I'm feeling neutral...

2009-04-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

...about how to complete my casual weekend outfits. You see, I have many clutches in my closet but they are just a bit too fancy for my typical weekend evening activities. I need a clutch that can be carried with jeans, a tee, and flip flops and not look silly. I figure a neutral color would be best, like a gray or off-white. Here a few clutches from Etsy that I am contemplating...but I can't seem to make a decision. (Which means here I am again...about to go out without the finishing touch on my outfit!)Row 1: Yorktownroad, Infusion, Moop
Row 2: AMDcustomdesign, MadebyHank, Nfall2rt

I tried.

2009-03-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I tried to do it all...get ready for my art show, post blogs, get sleep, etc. I failed. The blogging was the first thing to go...then the sleeping. Alas, I have finally recovered from the stressful job of displaying elementary art work (I probably make it more stressful than it needs to be, but that is my perfectionist nature). All in all, it was a successful day. I will not go off about disrespectful people - mostly adults- and my very stressful, high-traffic location. I will try to focus on the positive...like the fact that my display stayed in tact despite these people and my location! More than half of my students that had work on display came to see it which is a big improvement from my first year when I had 1! Here are some highlights from my school display at the arts festival. Don't worry, after today I'll take a break from the elementary art world and get back to my jewelry and other accessorizing!

click on images to enlarge

Super Mouse and Count Quackula

2009-03-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

Count Quackula is an evil villain who tries to steal all the cheese in the world...but thanks to Super Mouse and Annabelle the Lion (see prev. post) who ties him up with her jump rope, the world is safe once again. (The actual story written by Super Mouse's creator is way cuter than my summary!)

One more day until the art show....

Isabella, Mr. White, and Gwen

2009-03-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

More characters from my 5th grade art club students. Isabella the Cheerleading bunny is very enthusiastic and constantly hopping around and shaking her poms. Mr. White enjoys surfing and is a vegetarian (except for the one fish skeleton in his mouth!) Gwen is an artist who loves Van Gogh, Picasso, and Dali. Can you believe these all started as empty water bottles? Recycling is so cool!

Valentina and Anabelle

2009-03-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

Two finished products.... Valentina the Poetry Peacock and Anabelle the Olympic Jump-roper. Click on the images for a closer look- Valentina has wire-rimmed glasses and a quill pen and notebook (adhered with velcro so they can be removed) and Anabelle is very sporty with her sweatband, tennis shoes, jump rope and gold medal.

A Week Dedicated to my "Real Job"

2009-03-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

So, as many of you know, I am an elementary art teacher. This week is the second most stressful week of my year (the first being the week of my school art show). Saturday is our county-wide art show and I have to haul about 75 student projects to display at a local high school on Friday night. On Saturday, I will camp out at my display from 10 am-5pm and then pack it all up. There is a large amount of preparation that goes into this 7 hour show.

In honor of this stressful week, I will be posting a series of projects that show why I get out of bed each morning to do what I do. Several posts ago, I briefly mentioned some animal sculptures that my 5th grade art club students were making. We started with water bottles for their bodies, then sculpted aluminum foil for their heads/arms/legs etc. Once they were built, we covered them with plaster craft. The picture below is a few of these sculptures at that stage in the process. Starting tomorrow, you will begin to see some finished products- they are amazing. The students did a fantastic job of making their pieces unique, each with its own personality. Right now they are writing stories to go along with their animals- many of them bringing their sketchbooks to lunch so that they can work on it. I love their enthusiasm and imagination - it is what keeps me going (even during stressful weeks like this).

Shoe Fever

2009-03-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

all images by crafttastrophe

Some people get spring fever this time of year- I get shoe fever. Seriously, I can single-handedly stimulate the economy with my shoe addiction! That's why today's featured etsian is going to be a big problem for my wallet. Craft Tastrophe is a cute little shop with hand painted shoes and other accessories. There are plenty of bright colors and playful designs to give a unique punch to your spring and summer wardrobe. Go check it out!

Orange you glad its sunny?

2009-03-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

In honor of this gorgeous sunny day, my new orange shoes and happy toes, here are some awesome orange items from some wonderful etsy artists.

Row 1: Corporan Glass, The Understory, Bayan Hippo,
Row 2: BoyGirl Party, Robins Egg Pink, Craft Tastrophe, Unless Someone Like You
Row 3: Kikko Soapworks, The Orange Bell, Fabbiz,
Row 4: Leeski, Valentina Design, enticements, Bunny with a Toolbelt

These little piggies love....

2009-03-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

Orange shoes!!! I have been dying to wear my newest pair of shoes- orange patent leather peep toe wedges by Chinese Laundry. (((I just bought the gray pair when I was trying to find a good link for you- I hope you're happy!))) I'm not going to lie- the little piggies on the inside make them that much better. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and 68- I think I need to go plan my outfit around my shoes right now! This little piggy cried "weeeee weeee weeeee" all the way to her closet!!!

P.S. Coming soon- a beautiful compilation of etsy items inspired by my orange shoes- ooooo weeee!

Pucker Up!

2009-03-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

All of these lemons and limes are making me drool! My ring (1st box, third row) is in some amazing company in this treasury made by Sharon Clancy. Check out her own beautiful work at www.sharonclancydesigns.etsy.com and www.iheartglass.etsy.com. To see the full treasury and check out some of the other lovely items featured, click here. Hurry, it expires before midnight tonight!

Bunny with a Toolbelt

2009-03-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Bunny with a Toolbelt is my new favorite shop on Etsy. Hilary Pfeifer is the creator of these adorable and whimsical wood creatures. It is interesting that I ran across her shop because my 5th grade art club students are currently creating personified animal sculptures (pictures coming soon). It is so great to show my students that there is someone out there making a career for herself in this way!

In addition to Hilary's quirky characters for sale on etsy, she has made artwork and installations that have been displayed across the world. For a closer look at many of these pieces, visit Hilary's website, hilarypfeifer.com. You can also keep up with her on her two blogs, www.hilarypfeifer.blogspot.com and bunnywithatoolbelt.blogspot.com.

Happy to be Smoke Free

2009-03-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Governor Kaine signed a bill that will make bars and restaurants in VA smoke free by Dec. 1, 2009. Smoking areas will have to be confined to seperately ventilated rooms. I know I speak for many (the non-smokers!) when I breathe a big smoke-free sigh of relief. I thought this day would never come for VA, a tobacco state. Now - if I could just get my cute little yorkie, Razor, to break the habit....

A Parade of Green

2009-03-03T18:09:00.000-08:00

In honor of Saturday's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Old Town Alexandria, I have compiled some beautiful greens for you to admire. I've also placed links below to visit these wonderful artists' sites!
Row 1: goodbloom, Bellabejeweled, enticements, Adalaclothing
Row 2: tracychong, sewnsunday, swirlyhats, kalla
Row 3: atouchofvintage, ureshii, gretchenmist, polishedtwo
Row 4: marshallarts79, sofiamasri, cserdan, peajaysea

Today's Forecast

2009-03-03T16:18:00.001-08:00

No joke! Today's forecast in northern Virginia is actually "Partly Sunny with a high of 41." Click here to read my pondering on the phrase. Click here to see this beautiful treasury up close and personal.

Even better is Saturday's forecast: "Partly Cloudy with a high of 64!!!"

Let my piggies free!!!

2009-03-03T08:14:00.001-08:00

These little piggies are tired of being wet and cold. Don't get me wrong- I love that I got 2 days off of work because of snow, but I think I'm truly ready for spring. It's not just me either, my toes are ready too. They are tired of being stuffed inside of socks and shoes. They need sun and air!

Look at all these beautiful options stuck in my closet, just waiting to see the light of day! I really feel that I am able to express my personal style better through my summer shoes than my winter shoes. Bright colors and fun patterns are my love!

I think I'll visit Zappos now and make myself feel better by buying a fun new pair of sandals that I can't wear yet.

Come on Spring!!!

Hunting for a Treasury

2009-03-02T07:36:00.000-08:00

So I've never made a treasury on etsy before. You can only get one when there are less than 333 lists, and often there are somewhere around 750. I believe it takes some math skills and a little bit of luck (i don't have much of either). But I decided that I really need to try hard to get one this week to pay back all the people that have featured me in theirs. I think I have calculated that around 6:30 tomorrow morning might be my opportunity, that moment when list 334 expires and I find my own treasury.

I was playing on Poster Sketch last night and I think my treasury will look something like this. I looove these colors, they put me in the mood for spring. I figured that I better be prepared so that I don't just throw random things together. Maybe my treasury will even make it to the front page (yes, I know I am getting ahead of myself)! Hope you enjoy all these pretty things....

***Update: I got my treasury!
Check it out!

Warm colors...

2009-03-01T19:04:00.000-08:00

Maybe they'll bring warmer weather? I must say, even with the chance of a snow day tomorrow, I am ready for spring!! Thanks, Magillie, for warming me up on such a cold day! My Caramel Studs are pictured in the first box in the third row.

Flower Power

2009-02-27T20:08:00.001-08:00

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

2009-02-26T18:29:00.001-08:00

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

2009-02-25T20:33:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-24T14:26:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-02-21T08:06:00.001-08:00

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

2009-02-14T05:36:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2009-02-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-13T16:38:00.000-08:00

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....

2009-02-07T07:11:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

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 sho p 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!

Ringing in the Weekend

2009-01-31T09:13:00.000-08:00

When I was a child, Saturday mornings were dedicated to watching cartoons. Now I sit down with my cup of coffee, open my laptop and browse etsy. Every Saturday morning I will share with you one of my favorite etsy sellers.

I am a ring fanatic. I own more rings than any other type of jewelry. I think the reason I like them so much is that I get to look at them as I wear them! Earrings and necklaces are easy for others to admire, but I don't get to admire them myself. Don't be surprised if many of my Saturday morning posts are about rings...

I am obsessed with Jasmine Scott's resin rings. They are big, bright, and bold...just up my alley. Each ring is made completely by hand. From what I understand, it is an involved, painstaking process. Scott makes her own molds for her vibrant resins and then sculpts, sands and polishes each ring for hours to achieve these beautiful, unique results. I want them all!

Besides her colors, I think her playfullness and juxtaposition of opaque and transparent resin really attracts me to her pieces. It is something I am trying to achieve in my own glass jewelry.

This last ring pictured here is MINE! I received it as a Christmas present. I had been coveting it forever and when it sold, I was devastated. Imagine my joy when it made its way back to me! The name of this ring is Ferrari...probably as close as I'll ever get to owning one!!!

To view and purchase one of Scott's rings for yourself, visit her site at www.jasminescott.etsy.com.

Wrap it up!!

2009-01-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

I love wrapping presents and feel a little depressed after the holiday season is over and all of my beautiful wrap-jobs have been torn to shreds. As a cure for my wrapping withdraw and as a thank you to my wonderful customers, I will be offering complimentary Valentine's wrapping through February 14th. Enjoy!

A break from creating to see history in the making!

2009-01-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

Today I had the day off from work...the perfect opportunity to get some jewelry made! Living just outside DC, though, I had to take the opportunity to go see the inauguration of our new president, Barack Obama. We woke up at 4 am, layered up and set out to catch the CUE bus (Fairfax City's transit bus). There we waited and waited and waited. Finally, the bus came and dropped us at the metro station. It was then we realized that the line for the metro wrapped all the way around the block and into the parking garage! 40 minutes later (much quicker than we predicted) we borded the metro and even got seats - thank goodness because by 2 stops later standing people were squeezed into all the remaining space and yelling "NOOOOO" whenever anyone else tried to enter.

We arrived at the mall and staked out a spot in front of the WWII. We had a wonderful view of the Capital, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. And 3 Jumbotrons! Aaaaaand then we froze for 3 hours before Obama was sworn in. My toes were numb and every part of my body ached but at that moment, I forgot all of it and witnessed history. It was amazing to be part of a gathering of hope, love, and enthusiasm. After Obama's speech was over, I was hugging people I didn't know! It was a great day...one I'll remember forever.

Enticements Studio - Home Grown

2009-01-19T17:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Enticements! In my first post I am giving you a sneak peak up-close and personal look at my home studio. When I first started fusing glass in my home, I was living in a one bedroom apartment. My boyfriend, Matt, and I shared his workbench, sometimes he was doing a project with wood and sometimes I worked with glass. Did I mention the bench was right next to my bed?? Ouch!!

Soon we upgraded to a two bedroom apartment and we were in heaven with our new studio space! Matt has one side of the room for his bench and woodworking tools and I set up my glass shop on the other side. I turned a large dresser from Ikea into my workbench, it works great because of the storage. We turned another shelf into my glass shelf, look how pretty and organized it is- ROYGBIV! And finally, my beautiful kiln...I love her! I'll take a picture of the next batch that comes out so you can see the inside.