Saturday, May 26, 2012

Bloggissimo...'bout time I put up another post

Lucky first sale of the season up here. 
Rough  steel "filigree" and lampwork with relic patina-ed copper bits from the Ukraine.

I've been really putting in the time in the studio since we arrived back north.
Encouraged by some in-person jewelry sales at my first shows of the season, I've been dedicated to making more to beef up my line.
In addition to that I have been encouraged by you all that have been indulging in my 'crusty'
line of beads on Etsy so I've been attending to keeping that part of my shop beefed up as well.

Some of you that have been following me for awhile may have heard me whining plenty about the paleo- dial-up internet service that I was forced to endure out here in the Alaskan boonies.
Never mind that we live too close to a functioning military base that's supposed to ward off  missile attacks. ( I can even hear Taps playing from my house)
It wasn't enough to warrant good internet service. We broke down and signed up for satellite internet and  I am oh so happy about it.
Imagine the inverse of all of my previous whining turning into delighted crowing.
Now with my shop rolling along with the help of you good people I can save money by not making the 100 mile trip to the big town to do a midweek farmers market. We're talking $40 in gas money alone for that trip.
I still however am making the Saturday trip to my favorite Tanana Valley Farmers Market because it's fun and mostly lucrative and we usually have some other sort of townie errand to do anyway mixed in with a little bit of social too.


"Afrolaska"
now listed on Etsy

I've been employing my new model Callista to sport some of my newer designs.
She's still getting used to the camera.
I find that her boobs are a little less than forgiving when allowing for a graceful drape of some of my designs... not like real lovely ladies

also now listed on Etsy.

I had a stash of Thai silver chandelier type earrings that I had abandoned and have now revisited  with oxidization.
Oh yeah, these take me ten times longer to make than my former earring designs but I'm happy with the look. You all know what I mean.
The long dangles are copper torched enamel "matchsticks" that I made last year but never used.
I need to make some more of them. My punchy tool lost its part in the trip from South to North but I have secured some replacement parts from Beaducation that are also in transit from South to North.
Those delicate little pale blue ceramic beads were from a Fanci Forum trade with Robbie.
She made them herself and I quite adore them.
The little dicey ones are vintage African beads.
there's some kyanite in there too.

I thought it was about time that I tried designing with one of my "studnicks"
My friend called it a flaming studnick when I paired it with one of my pointy headpins.
I like that... "Flaming Studnick"
There's a vintage split keyring, mala beads and one of those cool relic bits from the Ukraine.
Those little green bead caps are some that I dapped and torch enameled last summer too. 
What fun it is to find supply stashes of stuff I actually made myself but had never used.

 Boho Whorl
One of my mega crusty whorls in action.
Taking it up a notch in size and complexity.
A touch of dichro in there and some of my new vintage steel cut nails from the 1970's hardware store that decided to open and sell out its remaining stock. I bought all of the packages!

vintage African glass spacers, crusty beads and raw ruby nuggets  & quartz crystals

lampwonk!


I love the antifreeze color of this especially once it's been crustificated
See? Like these here "criffles"


"Summer Smoke"
Some more of Robbie's ceramic beads... the triangle ones.
Smoky quartz briolettes.
Oxidized of course.
The kind of work that makes my hands hurt!

"Sari Silk Trim"
Some vintage metal buttons and Murano antique "gooseberries"
more smoky quartz and citrine

Pay no attention to that background there.
If you were guys I wouldn't have to tell you that.
back to something more simple
A couple of my crusty beads with my torch fired enamel bead caps.
I think they's go well with the Flaming Studnick necklace don't you?
I found these hammered headpins that I had actually made myself  a couple of years ago. What fun to actually use them. 

I have been planning to give you all a studio tour  but we've had such a succession of grey days that I haven't been inspired but It has definitely given me impetus to keep my nose to the grindstone in the studio.  Next on the docket is some fabric play just to mix it up a little.
That and some yardwork. Just planted all my flowers and am prepping the greenhouse
although here you could just call it preparing moose snacks.


24 comments:

  1. Beautiful pieces, really lovely. Love the crusties below, too & your wonderful post all about your coming journey. Great images ;)

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    1. Thanks Emma, so great to see what you've been up to. I'm inspired by your fly-away earrings.

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  2. Wow. I am in serious love with your work, and want about 70 pairs of your earrings and that Afrolaska necklace.

    Beautiful!

    xoxo Juliette

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    1. OK, you can have 70 pairs as long as you only take apart half of them to make your own beautiful earrings.
      Thanks!

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  3. Wow. I am in serious love with your work. Would love to get about 70 pairs of your earrings, as well as that Afrolaska necklace!
    Beautiful.

    xoxo Juliette

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  4. Blimey Kim... .you've been a busy bunny.....fab work you never cease to amaze me .......go girl !!.......and the shapely Callista you can't go wrong ...xx

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    1. I felt just a bit naughty when I was papering her you know.

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  5. Beautiful work, my prolific friend! -sus

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    1. Thanks Sus, all that midnight sun !as you well know

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  6. Afrolaska is my fave, wow you have been busy girl, melting away up there in the garageMahal!!! It's hot, humid, yucky and stinko here. I will probably give you a call tomorrow, kids on the way for a visit. Hope all is well in Coreyland. xox

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    1. Thanks Corrine, making the most of some dull grey days. Good for gardening though. Sticky already in New England?

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  7. I so want the Necklace and Earrings in the last two photos... are they sold yet ?

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. No, not even listed yet. Will message you with details.
      Thanks!

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  8. moose snacks! must be a bit frustrating, yet very funny to read! love them criffles. <3

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    1. I meant to link your can -can legs in a post. Maybe you can email me the image so I can can put them in the next post if that's alright with you of course!

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  9. Love the double headpin looped earrings!
    ...and the rest. Especially the necklaces.
    Looking forward to the studio tour.

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    1. Those double headpin ones are actually all looped up as one piece of steel wire and then I'm torching the ends on after the "filigree" is made. Just a bit trickier but I'm liking how its working.
      Thanks!

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  10. hmmmm. torch fired enamel bead caps. love and want.
    great new work Kim..
    your firing on all cylinders....fab stuff...

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  11. All of your fabulous new work is a welcome sight! Have missed your blog. One great new piece after another. The northern air must be agreeing with you in a big way! The antifreeze criffles are screaming "buy me"! Can't you make them stop?! :)

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  12. Sounds like you are off and running - with gusto!
    Yay for the satellite!

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    1. And now I don't have to get off of the computer every time we have to make a phone call or expecting one. That crimps my style!

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  13. "If you were guys, I wouldn't have to tell you that"...hahaha! Oh Kim, you are one busy bee. Love to see so much more jewelry work of yours, recently. And your sputnics, of course. Keep up the awesome work!

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    1. I've been putting ever so much more time into it and the hubs is going to be gone most of the summer so that will give me even more time to make theeengs!

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  14. I'm not surprised that first pair sold and loving the Abundant Blue pair too.

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