Tag Archive for 'jewelry' Page 2 of 2

Newer Entries »

Day Twenty-Four - On rings and how we spent our evening yesterday

Published
by
robayre
on February 24, 2010
in General Update, My Artwork, Projects and life
. 3 Comments

Today I received some new ring blanks I purchased recently. I was very excited to make some paper wrapped spiral rings, like the pendants I’ve made and had success with before. They will take about 24 hours to harden and then if everything goes well, I’ll be adding them to my Etsy shop.

Once they were all assembled, I was so thrilled with the circle ones that I almost gasped at how beautiful they were.

Onto last night. (Mim and Rachel, you might want to brace yourself)

(picture by roll_initiative on flickr)

My brother, sister and I went to go see Neil Gaiman speak at a nearby high school.  If you are not familiar with Neil, he is the author of Stardust and Coraline, as well as many other books, graphic novels, his blog and even twitter. I love seeing and hearing creative people talk. It always inspires me to much that I just want to rush home to my studio and start working madly at my own art. Listening to him talk filled my inspiration well.

He first read from Stardust (which I read some years ago) and then Anansi Boys (which I want to read now after hearing him). Then he did a Q&A with the audience. I just want to share a couple things from last night.

(Let me preface this by saying that it might not have really played out like this, but it sure sounded like it to me)
Audience Member: What is your favorite thing?
Neil Gaiman: What is my favorite thing or theme?
AM: Thing
NG: I’d have to say my favorite thing is Amanda Palmer
Audience: Erupts, goes wild
AM: Actually, I said theme
NG: Oh, I really liked that question, what’s your favorite thing
hehe, I just found a twitter referencing it :)

He spoke of how, growing up, people like to do things until they are informed by others that they can’t do those things. It’s a topic close to my heart. One of my favorite quotes is “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Pablo Picasso. Neil shared an anecdote that each child is born with the ability to be a tight rope walker, and it isn’t until people tell them that they can’t, they wouldn’t be able to do it.

I could have listened to Q&A with him forever. Girls, now I can understand your crushes. Plus, I just read he’s a bee keeper. sigh.

I was featured…

Published
by
robayre
on February 16, 2010
in Cool Links, Coverage, General Update and etsy
. 1 Comment

on the blog CreatureComfortsBlog with my white on white Paper Wrapped Spiral Pendant. It’s a collection of work that was inspired by her brother’s drawing. What a wonderful article to be included in because I am in love OBSESSED with childrens’ artwork.

Check it out, and others like it at my Etsy shop!

Day Five - Quilted Rings

Published
by
robayre
on February 5, 2010
in General Update
. 0 Comments

Quick before I get to my thing-a-day, I just wanted to say 2 things. One- Last night I went to the local art league meeting and Natasha from Esther’s Place (a local fiber shop) spoke and demonstrated needle and wet felting. It was really cool to watch her layer on the fibers and I was surprised to see how similar to painting it could be. I was very inspired to explore felting some more. Two- I finally, finally, finally got my replacement check card (after “Lost Wallet Debacle of 2009″) and have decided to celebrate by reactivating my netflix account. If you are looking, you can find me crafting away with eyes peeled to the TV or computer monitor.

Okay, now back to our regular programming. Once again this is cross posted from the Thing-A-Day site, but I encourage you to please visit TAD and check out all the lovely things that other participants are making everyday. There’s lots of inspiration flying around over there.

Riffling through my jewelry the other day I found an old quilted ring I’d made years ago. I remembered how much fun they were to make, so, for today’s thing I worked on making more and decided to offer them in my shop online.

-Robyn

My previous Thing-a-day 2010 posts: Day One, Day Two, Day Three, Day Four, Day Five

Cool stuff and thanks

Published
by
robayre
on January 22, 2010
in Artists, Cool Links, General Update, etsy and life
. 2 Comments

I’ve received so many things lately and I wanted to post a long overdue public thanks and share some of these wicked cool items.

I was sent a copy of The Happy Book by Meg Leder and Rachel Kempster. I’m all about Happy so I was glad to receive it. Imagine if the Listography Journal and Wreck this Journal had a teenage daughter. I think it might be The Happy Book. It’s one of those books that encourages you to carry it around and fill it up and the more you use it the less it will look like what it did when you brought it home. The Happy Book is filled with almost 200 pages of prompts for you to fill up, paste-in, list and draw all the happy and positive things in life. One of the rewarding things about this book, and others similar to it, is that you can pull it out later when you might be feeling down in the dumps and it will hopefully fill you with joy again. The manifesto of the book is “Thinking about what makes you happy, makes you happy. Writing about what makes you happy, makes you happy. Reading about what makes you happy, makes you happy.” I had an idea when I was first reading the introduction that I’d like to keep the book in a somewhat public place (car, coffee table or carry it with me in my bag) and encourage my friends, family and acquaintances to also fill out pages in my book. That way when I opened it up it wasn’t just my happy thoughts, images and experiences, but other’s as well, and I would be able to draw fresh inspiration by other’s happy things.

It has been years now and I am still so grateful that Rosa Murillo saw my website and sent me an email introducing herself. We have become friends and I treasure that. She calls me, I don’t answer (hehehe), but we’ve skyped a couple times and I am always thrilled to see a new blog post on her site. She is such a creative inspiration to me (although she’d probably cringe at my liberal and frequent use of that “i” word). She sent me a wonderful package before Christmas and it contained the ring above. I don’t see anymore in her shop right now, but she’s made a bunch here. I commented on one and low and behold she sent it to me. I love it! Of all jewelry I love rings the most. But not just any ring. Believe it or not, I’d put my nose up to a tiffany diamond ring, but I can’t say no to a piece of artwork adorned on my fingers. Thank you again for the lovely ring, Rosa! I’m compiling a package for you and hope to send it soon, but really, what is soon? You know me, and that might not be until summer, wah wah wah.

This ring came from my new penpal (through the penpal party) Angie of PangeaStore. I have a special place in my heart for lockets. It probably stems from watching the movie Annie too many times as a child. At any rate I admired the rings from Angie’s Etsy shop that have eensie teensie little lockets on them. When her next letter arrived it had one in it! oh my goodness. It’s a ring, it has a locket and it’s miniature! I know, I know, I almost fainted. I’ve been thinking about what I need to put inside of it. I was going to just print out tiny pictures, but then this week I saw this post on the Black Apple about lockets with tiny drawings in them.

And finally this week I stopped by the P.O. Box and was delighted to find this scarf from Trisha at Made During Sleepytime. I had entered her giveaway for this super cozy and stylish scarf and WON IT!  I wore it all today and love it so much that I think I will need to follow her tutorial and make myself a couple more. Honestly though, Trish, you should sell these. I’d probably save myself the aggravation of sewing it and just buy more from you :) Love it!

Thank you Bumblesea

Published
by
robayre
on July 20, 2009
in Artists, Cool Links, Coverage, General Update and Projects
. 1 Comment

Have you seen the breathtaking jewelry of Bumblesea? I know I’ve spent time gazing longingly at Jennifer’s work, dreaming of rewarding myself (for who knows what) by purchasing one of her lovely pieces.

Then, can you imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered the other day that she featured my work on her own personal blog. I was absolutely thrilled. I think she must be a kindred spirit as she said she has wanted a room with fake plastic grass (rather than carpeting) since she was a child, and she apparently hates Metallica (according to her bio blurb). Well, Jennifer, I’ve never had a fake grass carpeted room, but I incorporated the stuff into almost every art class I took in college. And as for Metallica, well, I went to a music festival once where they headlined and I made sure to exit well before they came on because I loathe them sooooo much.

Not only did she feature me, but then the next day she used one of my paintings to illustrate her post. I feel loved.

Thank you so much Jennifer, you made my day!

And since she asked about my ecosphere. It’s still going well. I think most of the tiny water flea-like things have perished, but the snails, and the brine shrimp-like creatures are thriving. I don’t know if it is just me, but the plant’s roots seem to have grown deeper as well.

The thing that is so cool about the ecosphere is that, although it is just a jar, each and every time I sit down and begin gazing long enough I discover new life. For example, just now I discovered an almost microscopic, white creature, with what looked like it had a shell, but was swimming around freely. How cool, huh?

resin art ring and grass

Published
by
robayre
on May 13, 2009
in General Update, My Artwork and shop update
. 0 Comments

stars + grass = love
snails=awesome
get it in my etsy shop now

 

Grass has always been a theme in my artwork, even from early college, or late high school days. I’ve made grass sculptures, grass jewelry, grass paintings. One time I made a hammock that had grass growing on it.
I wish I had taken a picture of that.
My first mail art postcard (above) was stars and grass, before I even knew what Mail Art was.
I’ve recently had a great idea for using grass in a new to me medium. More coming soon…

new to the shop

Published
by
robayre
on May 11, 2009
in General Update, etsy and goals
. 3 Comments

I’m still here and proud to say I’ve ridden my bike to work everyday that I’ve worked this month. One week down towards my goal for a month. I love it. It’s only taking me 11 minutes now, almost as fast as it was to drive, strangely enough. Plus I get to work and feel all invigorated and ready to go.

Months ago I purchased these pendants to make pieces encased in resin, but with the round shape I was really stumped. They just sat in my studio until a couple of weeks ago when it finally came to me.

I saw some of these crafted magazine bowls and got inspired to use the technique, but only in miniature for my pendants.

 

 

I love how they came out, the texture, lines and colors. I ended up making several in different color combinations.


I’ve also added another resin ring that I really love to my shop.

I will be adding new items each day this week, so please check back.

my favorite necklaces

Published
by
robayre
on February 10, 2009
in Artists, Cool Links and General Update
. 0 Comments

I have had the above picture in my mind for a long time now, years maybe. I love jewelry, and my taste leads toward the atypical and unconventional. Please visit the flickr page for this picture, and move your cursor over the image to see the artists. Most are handmade and all of them are treasured. There is one missing, a necklace from queenthings, but I have hopes it will turn up again.

Newer Entries »