Play Date with Cristina Hurley

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours with Cristina Hurley at her studio/retail space. We chatted and made jewelry.
Cristina is on the left, and I am on the right.
Cristina was soldering some rings in this pic.
I am piercing out a cherry blossom pendant.

I really have to make some time to work along side her again. It's quite a different experience when you are not all by yourself working on your craft. I had a lot of fun!

The Perfect Public Restroom?

I used a public toilet last night.

I was at a restaurant and went in to wash my hands as I always do before I eat. This time, I actually had to use the facilities as well. Something about using a public restroom actually makes me hold it in longer than if I were at home. It's like my kryptonite, so you know 'I had to go!'. I hate the self flushing toilet, by the way. It always fakes me out...and then finally after I get it to flush with my crazy movements, it ends up flushing again. Total waste of water.

This made me think about what makes a great public restroom. It's not just important to be clean and free from clutter and odors, but as a great public restroom, it also has to be user friendly in a non germ transferring sort of way.

I really dislike the air hand driers, they dry my skin out something awful. I know that some are better than others when it comes to the environment and emissions and all that....but for me, good old paper towels work just fine. I personally like the motion-activated dispenser, but I'll take the tri-folded towel dispenser in a pinch. I abhor the crank dispenser. The crank ones with the lever is okay if I can use my covered elbow to advance the sheet, but the gear looking crank style that you can only get to advance with your fingers really bugs me. I would rather drip dry or wipe my hands on my clothes. Maybe I am giving too much information here, but if I can save a germ or two from becoming viral in your system then it's all worth it.

The most important, brilliant, and germ saving invention in bathroom design to me? A trash can next to the door. Don't laugh. This has become how I judge a great public restroom. If a restroom has paper towels and a trashcan next to the door, or an easy distance away... It gets my approval. It doesn't matter how clean the bathroom is in the long run, it's how clean you are when you leave it. If you don't have to touch anything with your bare hands while you are in the bathroom, and the things you do touch have a paper towel buffer that you can easily throw away, it's a win/win!

Trash cans next to the restroom door! Let's start a revolution!

A couple of Gems on the Cape

This past summer, my husband and I spent two weeks on Cape Cod. Even though it's close-by, we don't get down there much, and we've never really explored the few times we've been there. So this trip, we saw all we could. Here are a couple of highlights of our trip.


Parnassus Book Service in Yarmouth is a sight to see. It's a little unorganized...the books are mainly grouped together by subject, but even that is iffy. We wandered around for over an hour.


Scott was in heaven.

We found this wonderful oasis of pottery and art in Dennis at Scargo Lake, Scargo Pottery. The grounds are full of sculpture and carvings and all types of eye candy.



I love this driftwood furniture set!


Two places that you must visit on your next trip down to Cape Cod!

Pop-Up Art Loop

Last month, Scott and I visited the awesome city of Chicago.

Like most cities these days, they have a plethora of empty storefronts in the downtown area. It's sad, but just like Boston, they are appealing to artists to pretty things up.

The Pop-Up Art Loop transforms empty storefronts throughout the Chicago Loop area.


Not only are there pop-up art galleries with regular business hours like the one pictured above, but there are installations viewed by the public through the glass windows like the pictures below.


And of course, they force little cute kids to stand in windows and smile at the public as any great city does.

About this picture: These kids had the most pouty sourpusses on their faces until I took my camera out...I think they were in a time-out.

I am in love with Chicago, I encourage you to visit if you can. Don't even get me started on the architecture...that will be a different blog post!

Working on a new bracelet

Sterling silver and copper.

My first jewelry video

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Jewelry Reception Tomorrow Night

The first friday in September at Custom Art Framing and Gallery 9 will feature 4 jewelry artists, 4 different styles.

I am pleased to be participating along with fellow Boston Handmade member Cristina Hurley


Above is Cristina's beautiful Spiral Pyramid necklace.


And here is my Prince Edward inispired riveted pendant.

The two other jewerly artists participating are Tammy DeWolfe and Jane Bailey. Both of whom I could find no web presence, so their designs will be a surprise! :)

Come hang out and have some wine and light refreshments with us on Friday, Sept. 3rd from 6-8pm.

BH Somerville Marketplace

The Boston Handmade Somerville Marketplace is rescheduled for Sunday, July 11th, 3 - 7pm due to unfavorable weather on Saturday.


Exhibitors represented in above photos:
left, Lush Beads, Member of Boston Handmade
middle, SepiaLepus, Invited Exhibitor
right, Pink Sequin Designs, Member of Boston Handmade

I hope everyone who was planning on coming out on Saturday will be able to come on Sunday!

Capturing the Process

I love taking 'close-up' pictures of what I am working on, and the steps to get from start to finish. It's fun to see the process this way. I am also trying to improve my photography, so there will probably be a lot more of this nonsense.

In this photo, I am cleaning out a drilled hole with a fine needle file.



I love the challenge of capturing a great image. This image is not so great...
I'm cutting some small jumprings in this photo. Don't be confused by the chain hanging off the sides, those are safe from the saw. I am cutting a small coil off the larger coil falling to the left.



Making an aloha bracelet.



I love to share the process, thanks for looking.

Scrap play

I like to use odd spaces in my sterling silver sheet that would otherwise end up as scrap.


What would you call these little goodies? I'm thinking 'Happy Raindrops'.



These will most likely end up to be post earrings...an awkward pair. Love it!

Skull vs. Army of Circles

Who do you think will win this faceoff?



I'd put my money on the skull.

Looking Forward

The bridal party jewelry is finished. Whew. One piece was especially a challenge for me, but all is good in the world now. I think the pieces came out fantastic, and I know the bride will love it all. Feels good to finish.



So, I am now in furious production mode for the Boston Handmade Somerville Marketplace. I hope to have a bunch of these ideas in my head transfered to sterling silver in time to showcase them there. For some odd reason, I feel like I never have enough inventory. I pretty much know the demographic for this show since this will be my third year. I hope to accomplish lots in the next 3 weeks! stay tuned...

I am also looking forward to sharing my tent with Foxontherun photography. I love the vintage style printing of her photographs. It will be interesting sharing my tent with a complete stranger, but I do look forward to it.

I'll leave you now looking at this sweet cuff!

Chinatown

Pictures of Chinatown inside and out.

Boston Handmade in my workspace

As I sit at my workbench cranking out Aloha flowers for bridesmaid jewelry, I am surrounded by Boston Handmade.

This little monkey was a grab gift from Crystal at the annual BH meeting in January. He has been hanging right in front of me ever since.

This tiny oil painting is by former BH member Kim Weineck. I love it so much, it reminds me of Prince Edward Island.

And possibly the most used item on my workbench (it doesn't always have a beer on it) is this coaster from Lucie Wicker. Another BH swap gift from a previous year. I have the twin at my desk at the day job. Love, love, love.

And, if you haven't seen enough mess....here is my happy hole where I can sit and saw, saw, saw...

New FB fan page!

I just started a fan page on Facebook for nancyrosetta. So far it only has some pictures of finished jewelry and jewelry in progress photos.



Please 'like' my page.

Thank you! :)

Handmade Goodies

These are the items I bought at the Sheepshearing festival last Saturday.

A really cool apron from Fussy Gussy. I love the cowgirl with the guitar!


A coptic hand bound journal from fellow Boston Handmade member White Sparrow Bindery


And a total impulse buy from Chikako Mukai. A gift for my step Mother, Chikako. Just because.

Above is the back, which is what caught my eye.
Below is the front detail.

I think she'll love it!

Sheepshearing Festival in Waltham

Last Saturday, I went to the Sheepshearing Festival in Waltham at Gore Place Scott went with me, and we met up with Kerry and Jaye and a couple of other friends.

These are some pictures I took.



















We had a great time. I bought some stuff. Pictures of stuff I bought will follow. I love craft fairs, especially when I'm not working them!