Merry Craftmas Everyone!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with friends, family, fun, and perhaps a little bit of creative play time! Sending much love for the holiday...

Michelle
xoxo

Bling On The Holidays...

I thought I'd share some more images from my recent jaunt into jewelry making before I go ahead and retire my flat and round-nosed pliers for awhile! This found object necklace is chock full of buttons, baubles, sewing notions and even a vintage jingle bell. I chose an off-white monochromatic color scheme because it complimented the silver patina perfectly. If it doesn't go to a good home during my December showcase at the Oceanic Library... I may just keep this one!

This wedding bracelet is a fun and whimsical statement for that bride-to-be! With silver and pearly-white charms, embellishments and more, this themed piece has an extra-special set of charms made with beads that spell out "YES" and "I DO". It would make a perfect gift from your Prince Charm-ing!

These two golden pieces were made for each other... and gathered from flea markets years apart. A gorgeous opal bracelet-turned-choker, with a deconstructed pin, hung with vintage gold chain makes this piece a simple but elegant necklace. I'd wear it with a throwback party dress or even a tee shirt and jeans.

Keys, keys and more vintage skeleton keys! I have a whole bunch of them, but run out of ideas for what to do with them. So when a vintage metal pin matches the steely grey-blue patina of an old key, it's a great opportunity to combine the two for added interest. Pair them with some vintage costume beads and the door is now open!

And this time I did something a little different... creating necklaces out of squished pennies. I love squished pennies! I've made bracelets with them before, adding tons of beads and charms that went the themes of these awesome 51¢ souvenirs... but they take quite a while to create. I wanted to make something for my jewelry show that would be a great gift at a better price point... and these embellished copper keepsakes were just the thing.

So now it's time to retire my jewelry tools, put away my beads, baubles, charms, and head out into new territory! I've done some really hard thinking this year and I'm going in a different creative direction for 2014. Stay tuned...

Don't Mess With My Candy (Apple)!

After a very quick two weeks of jewelry-making... I needed a bit of play time again. I felt like painting, but I wasn't sure what to paint. Then I remembered that I had a bunch of drawings in my sketchbook.

I had done them awhile back... in an attempt to find my own personal style (which I'm finding out is a constant quest!). So I thought, these sketches are very much me... let's see how the candy apple looks in paint!

I also thought it might be a great addition to my current gallery show, since I had sold a couple of pieces already. But when I finished the painting, I loved it so much... I decided to keep it!

Oh, and I have no idea where the eye patch (complete with a red rhinestone heart) came from... it just popped into my brain while I was working on the piece. I think I really wanted to get the point across, not to mess with my candy! And a 3D element on any of my pieces always adds that touch of whimsy I love so much.

The Accidental Jeweler...

What happens when you make a plan in November of 2012 to be the Jewelry Artist of the Month at a local library in December of 2013? Well, if you're like me... you totally forget... then you get a phone call 10 days before the month starts, and you scramble like mad to make some jewelry!

So I broke out my stash and pulled pieces that spoke to me. My process is usually... go through silver junk and take out what calls to me... go through gold stuff and take out what appeals to me... go through beads that match... and chains that coordinate. Begin!

I got to pair new goodies with old goodies, which is always fun. I had this two-tone metal bracelet with floral accents for ages... and just recently found this cute little garden party hat to complete this piece!

I was channeling my love of everything Irish when I created this 'Oh, Blarney' charm necklace! I just love using tons and tons of monochromatic and metallic matching mementos. Lucky me!

This was my absolute favorite creation this time around. But it didn't even make it to the show, as it was snatched up after I posted it on Facebook! I do love that it's going to a good home.

I made jewelry every day — and even into the night — for almost two weeks. And even though my little helper is as cute as a button... she didn't get as much done overnight as I had hoped she would. Oh, well.

It was great to take a break from all the painting I did this summer. I got a quick and unexpected reminder as to why I collect these shiny baubles like a magpie... and how I love turning memories of the past into wearable mementos.

My work will be available all month long at the Oceanic Library in Rumson, NJ. And 20% of all my jewelry sales go directly to the library! So if you're local... go check out my vintage upcycled creations this December!

Oceanic Free Library
109 Avenue of the Two Rivers
Rumson, NJ 0776
732-842-2692

Cyber Monday Sale!

After an incredible discount-focused weekend at those big box stores, I have to ask myself, "How can a small art business compete with such low prices on mass-produced goods?" This is how — I don't. I have to look at it like this... they can't compete with me! I'm unique, friendly, real, approachable, honest, flexible... and everything in my shop was made by me... with Love!

So I invite you to shop this Cyber Monday, but also to shop hand made. Shop my shop. Hey, I'm not afraid of shameless self promotion! And, just because I like you... I'm offering 25% everything in my Yesterday's Trash Etsy Shop — Monday, December 2nd for an entire 24 hours until midnight EST. Just enter the code CYBERMONDAY when you check out. You'll find lots of unique items made from vintage, found and everyday items including...

Rag Dolls! Like these fun and whimsical cupcakes!

Upcycled Jewelry! Made from vintage items, interesting finds, and antique pieces and parts... like this metal purse necklace using an upcycled coin purse, vintage brass and enamel baubles and filled with the most gorgeous faceted red crystal beads!

Tons of Carnival & Circus Fun stuff! Including arcade-inspired Knock-Down Dolls, Shadowboxes, Side Show Banners and more!

Mixed Media Art! Including shadowbox-framed collages and some really weird and interesting stuff too! And Prints! The newest addition to my shop... prints of my original art. Lots of fun and whimsical pieces to choose from. 

So skip the malls, don't fuss over parking, avoid the crowds... and be a Cyber Shopper. Shop loud. Shop proud. Shop in your underwear if you like, because I can't see you! And... Thanks!

Visit my Etsy Shop!

~Michelle
    xoxo

Giving Thanks...

On this day that we call Thanksgiving... I thought it would be a really good time to ponder that prefix a bit more...

THANKS

On any given moment of any given day, I'm most likely rushing around... trying to get stuff done... completing my daily tasks... doing household chores... working on freelance graphic design jobs... or making something creative to sell. In those same moments, there are constant worries and fears as well. Where is my next dollar coming from? Do I have enough energy to keep up this pace? What's up with all these health issues? Can I even afford health insurance? Is our town safe from another storm? Is our house?  There are too many to list.

But lately, I've been making it a practice to say "Thanks" at the end of every day. Thanks for the good stuff that's happened. And thanks for the not-so-good stuff too... for there are lessons and learning and growth in those! But in doing this, I've realized that I have so much to be thankful for. That every moment of every day is a thankful moment. And most moments — when I stop and think about them — are actually pretty darn good. And that any worry I usually have is picking up on events of the past and projecting them onto my future. In other words, they haven't even happened!

So I think to myself, that right now... in this moment... everything is fine. And I say... Thanks!

It's My Party!

Recently I got a new graphic design client, and I'm doing some work for an events company. They needed someone who could create logo designs for clothing and apparel that are given as gifts at their parties... mostly for teens. So I would have to come up with modern and cool looks for Sweet 16 parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and the like. Certainly pushing the boundaries for me, as most of the designs have to be create!

Because now I have to think like a teenage boy (no, not those kind of thoughts!)

Or a 16-year-old girl! And because these logos are ultimately screen printed, it creates additional challenges to be limited with only 2 or 3 colors.

But logo design is one of my favorite things to do. It kind of incoporates all my graphic design skills. And the themes I design for are pretty interesting.

They usually include the name or initials of the coming-of-age star of the party and the event date. I create small logos for the fronts and bigger designs for the backs of sweatshirts, hoodies, tees, and more.

Okay, so I have to admit, some of this stuff is pretty fun to make. I mean, pink and white on black with a disco ball and some bling? Yeah... that's my kinda work.