and when you thought that the elections and voting were over...

...now there is another thing for which everyone needs to vote. yes, it is very important, too! by voting for my friend, annie, of mohop shoes, you may help her win this great contest that could hook her up with $10,000! this will allow her to take her absolutely fabulous product line of sustainably sourced wooden platform shoes and procure the tools she needs to go bigtime!

on a side note, why is a semi-celebrity's product eligible for voting consideration? that just seems wrong. all the more reason to vote for the little guy (well, gal in this case).

if my glowing endorsement isn't enough to push you over the edge, just let the picture of annie's product below do the trick.


you have until november 20 to help annie make her dream come true. get to voting!

fun times with botanical casting

i am very happy with how these castings turned out. the creepy looking little succulents cast beautifully since they burn out so nicely as they are pretty much just water and wax. i am not quite sure what i will do with all of them yet, but, considering i risked looking like a crazy woman by digging in the bushes of public places to procure some of the specimen used for the final castings, i will definitely figure it out. i do have a pretty good idea as to what i will do with the pistillo-looking plants directly below, but am not sure if my idea will actually work in practice. they are pretty delicate. you might notice how some of the little balled ends are actually missing. i figure some of the metal didn't flow all the way through the hollowed out form in the investment, while others snapped off while work hardening in the magnetic tumbler. i have no idea what those little guys are, but managed to dig them out of some bushes that had ivy looking leaves.

the below is a casting of a snipping from one of the two cedar trees that flank either side of my backyard.


the below is one of the many sedum castings i made from the giant sedum plants that grow like weeds in my backyard.below is one of the creepy looking succulents. i love them. i snagged them from a large bed of succulents that sits in front of the studio where i cast them.
an even creepier looking succulent. i love the little plant inside the plant (look closely).
below is the least creepy of the succulent castings.

i have a few lost wax castings that i need to finish up and will post here. those are taking a little longer since i actually carved the wax and they definitely require a lot more finishing than pieces that are essentially made perfectly by nature.

what can brown do for me? apparently, not much.

dear ups driver:

being a modern gal, i like my living quarters to be equipped with all the finest in newfangled technologies--a garage door opener, an electric dishwasher, etc. one of the fanciest contraptions i have is this thing called a doorbell. it is quite nice. if someone pushes it, it makes a very audible noise that lets me know that someone is at the other side of the door. what a concept! like the united states postal service, through rain, sleet, snow or gloom of night, the doorbell always delivers on its promise to make a loud noise when someone pushes the button. so why is it, dear ups driver, that you refuse to try out this handy invention? okay, i know advances in modern technology can be scary things, but there is always the backup option if it is too much to handle all at once--knocking the door. from where i have situated myself all day waiting for this delivery that i have to sign for, i could have heard that, too. from where i was in my house i was even able to hear your truck drive away after you slapped a "UPS InfoNotice" on my door telling me that you have made your final attempt and that nobody answered. i would have been more than happy to answer had you made me aware that you were at the other side of my door.

next time, you know what brown can do for me? ring the damned doorbell.

signed,

desperately seeking my delivery

my type of news

this news from the onion is worthy of posting here since it is most newsworthy.

i have always found the onion to be my favorite hard-hitting news provider.

happy columbus day.

rediscovering inspiration

so, i have had a dry spell for the past year with yen jewelry. there are several reasons:

• an overall lack of inspiration;
• a boredom with the style of work that i have perfected over the last few years;
  
• a dismay in seeing said style--frames meticulously wrapped in fine wire--is becoming more commonplace and widely made;
  
• the cost prohibitive nature of gold and sterling (it is only getting worse);
  
• disappointment that the techniques i have used over the years get more and more tedious to produce in quantity;
• my fingers hurt from all that wrapping of fine wire;
• the maintenance of the business and production time required for the sale of existing designs (that stinking tight wrapping again) keeps me from having time to create new designs; and,
  
• did i mention and overall lack of inspiration?

since the idea of hanging up the torch does upset me (and the fact that so much has been invested in my studio), i decided i need to do something about it. i am taking classes this quarter in lost wax (i have taken a workshop before, but never a full-course), more advanced stone setting and i just finished an intensive in enamel. i figured if i couldn't find inspiration and new approaches that will allow me to improve my production after this round of courses, i might just have to hang up the torch.

today was the conclusion of my enamel intensive. at first i figured i could check enameling off my list since it just wasn't speaking to me. today that changed. lo and behold, you can watercolor enamel! having a background in drawing and painting, and my past focus was watercolor, i goofed around with the colors that the studio had on hand by painting over some domes i created and enameled with a coat of soft white. i wasn't expecting much when i slapped on some color (i didn't go to great strides on design since i was strapped for time) and put them in the kiln. to my surprise, they turned out great. the picture provided doesn't do them justice, but trust me.i also played around with transparent enamel colors. again, the picture does no justice since the colors are absolutely beautiful. i have big plans for these enameled domes.

now i really want to get a kiln and all the required beginner items. i really want to get the one the instructor has, which is a smaller version of the kilns in the classroom studio. i figure everything will set me back $2500-$3000, which is a bit steep, but i guess it is a small price to pay for a renewed excitement. also, the idea of getting away with using copper, without worrying about tarnishing on the wearer, excites me since i can put more time and artistry into my work, which will compensate for the use of silver and gold. i sometimes feel that the cost of materials i use hold me back design wise, since time coupled with expensive materials can make items cost prohibitive or make it where my profit margin is low in order to price a piece at a point that will motivate people to purchase.

i will make sure to share pictures when the pieces using the above enameled domes are completed.

soon you will be mine.

after years of admiration, can't wait to meet you and hang out with you more often. we are going to have a lot of fun, kid.

i just hope u.s. postal service will not responsible for your whereabouts. i shudder at the thought.

a plea to my postal carrier.

dear postal worker:

why must you always give me the mail of others instead of mine? i really don't need to know what the credit card balance is for the lady across the street. i don't need to get the postcard reminding the guy next door that he is due for his semi-annual dental exam. ewwww, i really didn't need to see that one catalog that didn't belong to me. okay, while i didn't mind getting the "bon appetit" that was meant to go into the box 4 spots above, did you really need to tear up my "us weekly" in exchange? i will give you some credit that you managed to deliver it to me in some form that week. did you have to lose a pile of my bills? where is my "instyle?" with all the proper deliveries i make of the mail i am receiving, i feel like i am working, unpaid, for your employer. please, u.s. postal worker, spare me the grief and get some eye glasses. i am sure your government funded insurance plan includes vision, right?

signed,

desperately seeking mail

ode to mom

so i made a huge mistake in my previous post. i made mention that i planted the hydrangeas. that was quickly corrected by my lovely mother, who is a very literal lady when it serves her cause or argument. actually, my mother operated the shovel back when those were planted, so she was the one who planted them, not i. since my mom is one peach of a gal, i thought i would not only retract the claim that i, individually, planted those hydrangeas, but put up a post all about her.

my mom is known for many things: her discriminating taste for tchotchkes; being an highly experienced car passenger; maintaining her elite status as a slot machine high-roller at the casinos; having some very strong political opinions that are polar opposite of mine; possessing masterful wallpaper hanging abilities and keen sewing skills; and, most importantly, her love of dressing animals like humans.

i would like to elaborate on the last characteristic. this started with our dear golden retriever, sassy. sassy was just as her name--a sassy ol' broad. if sassy were one of the "golden girls" (rest in peace, estelle getty), i figure she would have been bea arthur's character, dorothy zbornak. sassy was incredibly smart and knew exactly what she wanted. she would always talk smack back to us and didn't let us get away with most things that humans slip by dogs, such as dressing them up in goofy outfits. my mother tried to throw a hat on her here and there, but i don't think, aside from the red bandanna, she ever found success during sassy's 16 years on this earth, since that sassy ol' broad of a dog was having none of that. then came along our second golden retriever, abbie. abbie was a smart dog, but on a different level than sassy. abbie was more of a dog's dog in that she could be easily tricked into things if it meant getting extra pets or a treat. this opened the door for my mother to feed her deep seated impulse of dressing up dogs. over the years, it was as predictable as my father's caterpillar cards that the holiday season wouldn't be complete without a picture of abbie in various holiday gear--santa hat; antler headband; new and improved antler headband with jingle bells; you get the point. i always felt bad for abbie, or any dog who gets dressed up in goofy outfits, but my mom insisted that abbie liked it. sadly, abbie passed after about as many years as sassy had under her belt. the memories will live on since we have many pictures of her, with and without the festive wear.

on to their most recent addition to the family--cricket. cricket came from the local humane society. mom, who came to decide she wanted a smaller dog, as she and my father are getting older, got her when she was a tiny puppy and after the humane society declared she was a terrier and lhasa apso mix and would stay small. it is now better evident that cricket is more likely part giraffe, part border collie. with that said, mom really loves the dog and no phone conversation is complete without many stories about cricket's life. being that cricket is more of the abbie variety of dog--will do about anything you ask her if you offer a pet in return--mom wasted no time to pull out the accessories and the camera. i think i saw it all when my mother sent an email the other day to proudly announce that cricket, in bespectacled glory, made the front page of the local newspaper. it is like my mother has fully come out of the closet and announced to the local community that she likes to dress up dogs. bravo, dear mother, bravo! your unapologetic eccentricity will always be a source of my entertainment.

a small victory for me

i am so excited to see my hydrangea bushes in full bloom. while most people would take this for granted, i am beyond thrilled since this took me four years to achieve this. the first year i planted them, they already had flowers, but were small. the second year, i decided to be clever and fertilize them. i instead killed them. year three, i didn't realize you don't prune the dead looking branches in the winter, so the third year was spent just growing the plants back. year four, no fertilizer, no pruning. so, basically, i just neglected them entirely and they are huge and full of flowers. each day they change color. i love the gradation of colors in these pictures. i know you can manipulate the colors by changing the acidity of the soil, but i am not even going there. oddly enough, all the bushes, while all in nearby locations, are coming up in different colors. the beauty of these flowers are inspiring me to try some new things with metal and color, so be on the lookout for some future posts on some of the projects that have been based on these plants. hopefully the experiments in metal will not take as long to achieve success as they did with these bushes. i don't have the patience!

a dark knight during the light of day

so the man of the house wanted to go see the new batman movie on friday. i certainly didn't object since: 1. i enjoyed the last one; and, 2. christian bale is a beautiful, beautiful man. since, in some ways, i am like an 80 year old woman, matinees and early dinners are my friends. being the party animal that i sometimes can be, we went to a 5:00 PM show (yes, this is considered a "late" movie for me). we saw that all the later showings were already sold out--not that it would have impacted when we would see it. there was a little setup in the center of the theater's foyer that was roped to form a queue for each evening showing of the movie (the movie was showing every 30 minutes or so). as we were casually heading towards the theater in which we would be watching the film--no line needed for the 5:00 PM show--i noticed the type of thing that sometimes makes me shake my head at the human race. what i assumed was a father and son go to the front of the roped section and set up lawn chairs. to be clear on this, they actually brought lawn chairs to sit at the front of the line. yes, these guys were sitting at the front of a then non-existent line for a future showing when they could have easily gone, sans the lawn chairs, to the 5:00 PM show that was playing in the theater just to their immediate rights. the man of the house and i brought no lawn chairs, purchased no advanced tickets, showed up at around 4:30 PM and got to sit in good seats to watch the entire movie before these guys. methinks these two probably waited in line for a new iphone, too.

on to the movie. the man of the house can't say enough about the greatness of this movie. i enjoyed it, too, but felt: 1. it was a little too long for my tastes; and, 2. christian bale's beautiful face was covered too often by that mask. heath ledger was brilliantly creepy as the joker. it certainly demonstrated what a real talent he was. one thing that very much confused me was why the mayor of gotham was wearing so much eyeliner. was that part of his character? did the mayor of gotham (who, coincidentally, played "batmanuel" in "the tick") have a circa 1980s simon lebon fettish? it was about as confusing to me as why christian bale's voice turns to one of a 300 pound man who just walked 3 flights of stairs as soon as he puts on the bat suit. anyhow, minor confusions aside, since i have two thumbs to offer, i give it two thumbs up!

the coolest notecards ever.

i believe i have mentioned here before that i still enjoy writing letters that require postage stamps. this is especially the case for thank you notes. i just find it to be so gauche to thank via email. i thank my mom and dad for instilling this belief. growing up, after every birthday, holiday or significant even that resulted in the receipt of gifts, they would hover over us as we wrote all our thank you notes. 1. they had to be sincere in nature; and, 2. always include a mention of the item given. as a kid, i didn't understand why it was so important that we write these things right away. i get it now, as i certainly notice when i have given gifts for weddings, graduations, etc. and don't get a thank you note in return or just a tacky email thank you. if someone puts the thought and effort into getting you a gift, please find it in your heart, time and budget to buy an envelope, a piece of paper and $.42 (i am sure that will change before we know it) to thank the gift giver.

nowadays i always enjoy receiving letters and thank you notes from my parents--my dad in particular, due to the unintentional comedy they provide. i still have saved all the letters he wrote me in college that warned me about the dangers of accepting drinks from strange guys and having my tire pressure below 30 pounds. those two topics made it in every letter. while most "letters" from my parents come via email nowadays, the handwritten thank you notes still arrive. my dad has been using the same thank you cards--now referred to as "the caterpillar card"--for at least 5 years now. "the caterpillar card" is just that--a card with a painting of a colorful cartoon caterpillar on it with "thanks" written over it. birthday thank you card--the caterpillar card; father's day thank you card--another caterpillar card; Christmas--yes, the catepillar; random gifts or post-visit--that damned caterpillar. i swear he bought a case of these things once and probably has hundreds of them left. i figure they were on sale. my dad now will tell me over the phone, "hey, nicole, we got the (insert gift here) today. i need to get around to sending you a caterpillar card, but just wanted to let you know the gift made it here safely." while it has become a running joke in my household, those cards always make me smile. my mother, on the other hand, never seems to use the same kind of card twice. but she is the type to notice if someone sent out the same Christmas card that they sent 5 years earlier. sometimes she does add a little note to the caterpillar card, though.

while my dad has a penchant for caterpillar thank you cards, he also has a short list of guys (living and dead) that he finds very worthy of his admiration. this list includes: clint eastwood (as dirty harry especially); charles bronson ("death wish"--back when i was in college, my dad even gave me a sock of quarters to use for self defense, but was saddened to learn that i used the quarters for the laundry room); steve mcqueen ("bullitt"--while this has to be one of the slowest car chase scenes ever, it still excites him); herman munster; mickey mantle; walter payton (aka "sweetness"); and, jimi hendrix. i always like to give him things that have some short of tie-in with these men of greatness. given his love of thank you cards, how clever would it be to get to send him a thank you card with one of their images? this is where the lovely tristan brando of the bella bella company comes in. if being a pr genius and the nose behind the successful monyette paris and other perfumes were not enough, she has also taken up stationery by using some of her original art and illustrations. i found the most lovely surprise from tristan in my mailbox the other day. lovely mini note cards that feature some of my dad's manly icons and a couple of my style icons. i can't wait to surprise my dad with notes written on dirty harry and steve mcqueen note cards. i am sure those will be special enough to him that he will write a thank you for the great thank you card...

...using a caterpillar note card, of course.

note cards above by the bella bella co.

summer drinking

not too long ago i discovered what is starting to replace what has always been my favorite go-to cocktail--the mojito; introducing the caipirinha (pronounced "kai-pur-een-ya"). what is so great about these drinks is that you can pretty much add any fruit you have in the fridge to the base recipe and it always tastes great.

to make a simple caipirinha:

• put a few lime wedges and a couple teaspoons of ultra fine sugar in a glass and muddle
• add ice and 2 oz. of cachaca
• shake, pour and serve

my favorite variation:

• 2 oz. cachaca
  
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 oz. coco lopez
  
• ¼ lime
• glass of ice
  

be sure to get your free muddler (only $2 for shipping) from LeBlon. happy sipping!

goldfinger

i always felt i can identify with johan van der smut. not that i participate roller disco or have ever engaged in an evil plot to take over the world, but it is because i love gold. i also love silver. not just the metals, but items that are gold or silver in color. i can't get enough shoes that are gold or silver-sandals, flats, heels, athletic shoes, etc. it doesn't matter. i must have them. it is a sickness. i even recently had a pair of air max 97s custom made in gold, and one pair made in silver. yes, i am fully aware they are tacky, but that is what makes them so fabulous.

i also love chanel cosmetics. although their nail polishes are pretty salty in price, i am willing to pay up since the colors are usually pretty and the stuff seems to resist chipping for a week to two. no other nail polishes i have tried seem to last more than 2 days before chipping. each season i like to buy their limited edition colors and always buy an extra or two as part of my elaborate, but never realized, plan to sell the excess bottles on ebay once they are unavailable in the stores. a year or so ago, it was all about black satin. spring 2008 it was all about the blue satin and azur (which really looks best when you paint the azur over the blue satin). the newest limited release colors came out a few weeks ago--gold fiction (gold), fantastic (a pinky burgundy) and kaleidoscope (a silvery, gunmetal color). yes, gold and silver nail polishes. it was a happy day for me. so i picked up a bottle of each, and one extra of the gold fiction (yes, the always unrealized ebay plan strikes again). i also picked up some of the gold powder highlighter and a tube of glossimers in gold light.

now for the report: the gold polish is lovely on, but, much to my dismay, it chipped within a few days of wear. this is odd for chanel polish. and the fact that this color costs $30--more than the price of your average chanel polish colors--for some reason really doesn't make me too happy about this. the glossimers in gold light is lovely by itself. i am sure it would look great over a base of lipstick, too. the gold highlighter powder is a little too glittery for my liking, but i will probably still use it sometimes. the "fantastic" polish looks great on my toenails. i figure it will look great on the fingers, too. lastly, i have yet to try the silver polish, but that comes next. i will make sure to pair it with some of my best fabulously tacky silver shoes.

sunglasses, heat waves and careless waiters (in no particular order)

well, the aero 57mm glasses decided to never make another appearance. being the OCD type that i am, it haunted me until i finally caved and purchased another pair. i took a gamble this time and purchased some off ebay since the person had some good feedback for selling authentic pairs. lo and behold, the real thing arrived in my mail only three days later, so i had them in time for my all too short, last-minute trip to california. while i am still beside myself for losing the original pair in the first place, it stings a little less to know i got another pair below retail. i just hope i am not supporting tony soprano or something of the like. i don't see how some of the ebay resellers get the goods they get, but i don't think i want to know! my only beef is that i don't like the case that came with them. i miss my old case. i just hope that someone out there is appreciating their jackpot find and takes good care of them.

now on to the trip. it was on short notice, but i at least got to see some friends and family. it was nothing monumental since i was just going back to the bay area, where i lived before for years, but do want to point out to the world that i will NEVER eat at amarin thai again. yes, folks, my go-to place for years has now been added to my list of grievances. those who know me know that, while the list is pretty short and selective, it is not a list one wants to be on since occupancy is permanent. long story short, after being distracted by two trashy ladies walking by, the waiter spilled chili sauce all over my handbag--one of my investment bags. yes, i like to convince myself that my expensive bag purchases are "investments." granted i probably couldn't use them as equity for a loan, i like to tell myself they are wise purchases that have more value to them than being an attractive holder of my wallet and powder compact. *somewhere in a quaint oakland hills home, suze orman sheds a tear while picking out her blazer for the day.* as i am trying to remove the chili sauce that has soaked into the soft leather of the bag, one of the other employees checks in on me. i show her the damage and politely tell her that there is some value to the bag. she asks if i want to "talk to someone," then proceeds to tell another about it in thai. i wish i knew what she was really saying. the only "someone" she summoned up for me was the doofus, clumsy waiter who said something to the note that "sometimes mistakes happen." that was it; no attempt to make things right; no offering to at least comp our meal; nothing. well, sometimes fender benders happen, but the person causing the accident has to pay for the damage. the guy's logic that mistakes don't hold consequences was severely flawed. not really wanting to create a scene, we went ahead and tried to eat our dinner which was absolutely bland and salty. it really sucked. the quality of the food there has gone down the toilet. the combination of my disgust with their apathy towards the situation and a horribly crappy meal made me lose my appetite pretty quickly. when they had the nerve to present me with the check for dinner, after they ruined my bag, i quickly decided i would never return again and tell the world about how badly they suck, in hopes it will show up when someone is searching for them on the internet. on the other hand, lamponi thai on the eastside of the seattle area is fabulous--consistently good food (better than amarin thai--at one time i thought i would never say such a thing about any thai place), wonderful flavors and fabulous staff. i bet they wouldn't spill chili sauce on someone's bag and act like it is no big deal.

on a high note, i did manage to get a new pair of sunglasses during the trip. hopefully i will not lose these. they are oliver peoples leyla in black and gold. i need to get them tightened since they are a little too big on my head, but, otherwise, they are pretty swanky looking on me. so the short trip wasn't a complete bust.


oh, in case you didn't catch it the first time, i no longer like amarin thai and hope that others don't waste their money there. the food isn't worth the price anymore and now the service is bad. if you must go against my suggestion, please make sure you don't wear anything nice. if you are around downtown mountain view and are seeking asian food, check out totoro instead. it is a korean restaurant with good prices for what they offer. i like the kim chee and tasty chap chae. i have never tried their soon doo boo, since i am a creature of habit and get the chap chae each time. just, please, don't go to amarin thai.

came back to a heat wave here in seattle. summer came out of nowhere here, since, just a few weeks ago, everyone was still wearing fleece and scarves. each year we have been here, we get more of these heat waves per summer and they are longer each time. and to think some feel global warming is a myth... a few of my plants that i have been nursing for a couple years got scorched. that was a bummer. every time there is a heatwave here, i question why the majority of homes here don't have central A/C, especially considering the prices of homes here. it wouldn't be a huge loss to throw in a unit. the need for one is a topic of debate each time the thermometer hits over 85. as a compromise, we put in a hideous window unit in the master bedroom last year and pulled it out again a week ago. at least we can now go in there for an arctic blast.

where are you, sunglasses?

missing: 57 mm oliver peoples aero glasses in gold and amber.
also missing: my sanity as a result of trying to find said sunglasses.

i am sorry i neglected you for so long, but i didn't need you for nearly a month before this past monday. that is why i only now realized that you have disappeared. yeah, i have a lot of pairs that i could wear in your place, but, in the past year and a half, you have grown to be my favorite--my go-to whether i was dressed like a lady who lunches or a frump in a sweatshirt. i could just go and buy another pair just like you, but you know it is harder to want to spend right now when a tank of gas is costing me around $90. i have called all around town to see if anyone knows of your whereabouts, but no luck. now stop being so stubborn and come out of hiding. next week i am going to a place a where sunny day isn't considered worthy of celebration and news anchors acting like the apocalypse has come. i would like you to check it out with me. don't make me beg; it's not becoming on a woman.

news flash: kathy griffin still my hero

i am pretty excited. she is coming back to town this fall. i was able to score some pre-sale tickets and good seats. last time she was in town, i wasn't able to get in on the pre-sale and forgot to wear my glasses to the show. all i saw was a blurry bundle of red hair on the stage, but she was still hilarious. i think she may have been wearing extensions since it was bigger than ever. can't wait, can't wait! in the meanwhile, i will just enjoy the newest season of d-list on bravo.

kathy griffin is my hero

that's all. i felt it needed to be said.

and for some more new earrings

these are meant to complement the new swiss blue topaz tear necklace and new green amethyst round pendant necklace. of course, they also may be worn alone. these, and all the other new items, will be available for purchase on the website shortly. they are both much smaller than they look. the tears are only about 1" and the green amethyst earrings probably are a little over 1" in length, when you take the dangling stone into account. i am starting to think i need model pictures for all the jewelry, so there is a better sense of scale. that is one disadvantage to having jewelry pictures with white backgrounds--it is hard to tell the sizes of the pieces.

some new earrings

these earrings are very small in size, so they were a little more complicated to make. they are made of oxidized sterling, citrine and iolite. they are made to complement the sunset necklace--posted one topic prior--but could certainly be worn alone. these will be on my jewelry site shortly. enjoy.

more new designs

not much new to say, but wanted to share two pictures. these are two more pieces in the new line. it is an extension of my bollywood obsession. i have also been into victorian-looking and antique items lately. i am trying to incorporate those looks into the current designs; hence the use of oxidized sterling silver. as always, i created these beauties using my hands, jewelry tools and a torch from raw materials and did not simply use cheap and boring store bought components that seem to flood the market when looking at jewelry that is available. call me a snob, but what is special about a piece that just anyone can make themselves with little effort? although it takes hours for me to make each piece, and i could probably make more if i just caved and made simpler pieces with manufactured components, it is worth the effort at the end. carefully handcrafted pieces just look nicer and more original. i am still debating if i want to offer the designs in gold.

although these are not on my jewelry site yet, you can check them out, along with the necklace seen a few posts below, at hitchcock in seattle. they are celebrating their 2 year anniversary today by having a party at 5:00 p.m. at their new location in the madrona neighborhood. although this is late notice, check it out if you can, or make it a point to stop by their shop sometime in the near future. they offer really beautiful and unique pieces and are just swell people.

this weekend, i shall be working on complementary earrings for the recent designs. i will keep you posted!

back to my nerdy roots

i will admit it. i was one of those kids who collected minerals. lots of them. while all the other girls would drool over thew newest barbie in the sears wish book, i was the kid who asked for the rock tumbler set. i had it all--pyrite (more commonly referred to as "fools gold"), tiger's eye, crystal, various types of quartz, etc. i didn't actually do much with these minerals other than look at them, which was enough for me. in the past several months, i have wanted to get back to my mineral loving roots and figure out a way to tastefully add things like druzy, geode slices, stalactite and dendritic agate to my designs. i have been casually sourcing for minerals that inspire me. i am in no rush since i figure my pieces will be one-of-a-kind and not part of any particular line i have going on currently. take a look at some of my recent finds. i have some preliminary ideas, but they require a lot of tweaking and planning before i jump in. these are amethyst from uraguay. aren't they lovely?

more odes to bollywood.

i love bollywood films. although i have no clue what the people are singing about, i just find everything about them fascinating--from the coy ingenues, to the group dancing, to the poor audio quality and often grainy pictures. my favorite part about the films are the vivid color palettes and the over-the-top clothing and elaborate accessories that the actors, mainly the females, wear. this obsession of mine has inspired many of my handcrafted jewelry designs, including the Maya earrings, which are my all-time most popular earrings to-date. they are also some of my most complicated earrings to make, as i hand form the spade shaped frames one-by-one.

it is now time to add to the collection with some new bollywood inspired beauties, as i have a sketchbook full of "ode to bollywood" waiting to be created. luckily, i am finally getting around to turning the sketches and concepts that have been lying around for months into reality. the below will be available at Yen Jewelry very soon. the hand formed pendant is constructed from sterling silver and various shapes of faceted sky blue topaz. the pendant hangs from 18 inches of combined chains--satellite chain and curb chain. the silver is oxidized and buffed to reveal some of the silver. i think this look helps the topaz stand out and also really highlights the intricate coiling details on the piece.


if all goes as planned, more of my sketches will come to life soon.

i hoard, therefore i am...

...overloaded with stuff.

so i decided to join the etsy bandwagon, although i am probably a day late and about $3 short. while i am not going to use it as a platform to sell my fabulously handmade gemstone jewelry, because i have put far too much time and effort into www.yenjewelry.com, i am going to use it to sell off gems, beads and findings that i have hoarded for far too long. i will probably sell a few older design that i want to get out of my inventory, too. although i am new to the whole etsy thing and still figuring it out (it is like a little society over there and i feel a little out of place still), i will try to post a few things every day. i have about 100+ things i want to unload, so i am offering bargain basement prices. a lot of the things i will be selling at a huge loss, since it will be a bigger gain to clear up some space in my work studio area!

now get to shopping!

diamonds on the soles of her shoes


i just read that the woman that created "juno" is having a moment of self-pity since she agreed to wear a pair of $1M shoes to the oscars, but didn't know they were $1M or that she would be attached to an oscar night publicity campaign for wearing them. how dare they subject her to such cruel and unusual punishment? what abuse!

this is where i go, "oh, no she didn't." i can't say much about her movie, "juno," since i simply refuse to go to see a film where the "look at me, i am indie" factor is so contrived that it looks like the wardrobe and set crew robbed an urban outfitters. come on, the lead character talks on a hamburger phone! gag. i can say that she is lame by acting so put out by the fact that she was so shamelessly conned into wearing some shoes that cost $1M, and, oh goodness, she might have to take a picture or two in them. talk about someone who really is taking herself and her importance far too seriously. she has been in the public eye for 5 minutes and is already playing diva? i am not even in the movie business and i know well enough that nothing comes for free in life. designers aren't offering her their wares since they just are feeling philanthropic or because they think she is a nice person; they want the publicity they will get in return every time ryan seacrest asks, "who are you wearing?" if she is having such issues with the idea of being used, she should just wear her own frock to the event and move on. don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk. you can't have your cake and eat it, too (hmmm, how many cliches can i think up in a row on this topic?).

hey, ryan, when i am watching the red carpet tonight, will you at least tell us who she is when she comes by? i know i am certainly not alone in saying i wouldn't be able to pick her out of a lineup. hey, maybe the laugh is on the shoemaker in the end. nobody will even know who she is to bother looking at her feet.

as far as the shoes go, the shoes themselves aren't that special and look pretty lunch lady like, but those kwiat diamond clips on them are gorgeous. i will take a pair! i better get to work on an oscar-worthy movie so i can be shamelessly conned into wearing the $1M shoes next year. i promise, in advance, that i will play nice and not complain!

insomnia sometimes leads to bad shopping choices.

i like sleeping at night. i like tv. i like shopping. i don't like when i can't sleep at night; but when i can't, i like that i can enjoy tv and shopping. here enter infomercials and shopping networks. i am a fan of them all. from the high quality productions made by guthy-renker and QVC to the cheaply produced favorites that include, but are certainly not limited to, any of kevin trudeau's questionable discoveries and the dual action cleanse program, which is hosted by klee irwin, who eerily resembles john waters.


i can watch ron popeil for hours making chocolate pasta, setting his chicken and forgetting it after he injects it with flavor (he even has qvc alum, steve bryant, forgetting about the chicken with him now), spray painting his bald spot, making turkey jerky and going on an impromptu fishing trip. i so enjoy being hypnotized by the eyebrows on the juiceman, jack kordich, although my loyalty remains with jack lelaine. pulling a semi while rocking a one-piece, belted pantsuit always wins my heart. who can resist cathy mitchell and her GT Express 101? you know, her kids just love it. now why her kids still live at home, since they have to be at least 45, baffles me. throw in some chef tony, erik estrada selling me prime land parcels on beautiful lake shastina, chuck norris completing a solid workout on the total gym while magically keeping his toupee in place, the man with english accent who sounds so smart when selling his red devil grill and a little bit of greer childers; no wonder i can't sleep at night.

i have actually been lured to make purchases--some of which were better choices than others.

best infomercial buys:

1. proactiv: judith light--or as tony danza would say, "ANN-JUH-LUH!"--convinced me to buy it after watching her pushing it on qvc. i have used proactiv for about 7 years now and am often stopped in public by strangers and asked what i use on my skin. when i tell them of the virtues of proactiv, people often ask incredulously, "that stuff on tv?" i can't express enough how great this product is for me. i have converted many people.
2. oxyclean: it works! actually, anything i have tried that is endorsed by billy mays is a winner, with exception to kaboom for toilets. maybe my toilet bowl is bigger than industry standard, but that stuff does not foam up like he claims.
   

decent purchases:

1. the firm (the one with the bench step): i fell for this one since the infomercial was full of southern girls talking about how the program got their bodies in the best shape ever. being a southern girl, too, i figured, "well, they wouldn't lie to me!" i can say that if it didn't blow out my knees, which were bad from years of running, this would have made the short list of best purchases.
   
2. windsor pilates. if it is good enough for daisy fuentes, it is good enough for me. i grew bored of it, but it was good while it lasted.
   

if it didn't work once, why did i try again purchase:

1. the firm (the one with the weights): i don't claim the firm as being a bad product, but blame my lack of sense for buying it... again. i have no idea why i thought this would be any better on my knees than the last version. these women obviously like exercises that strain bad knees. to make up for the lack of a bench, now they just squat and lunge constantly. also, their accents that i once found to be cute are just now annoying and grating. i am sure this would be a great program for those without knees like those of an 85 year-old, retired carpenter.
   

the worst purchase ever:

1. six second abs: yes. for shame, i fell sucker to this concraption. i paid about $60 for some piece of plastic with rubber bands on it. too embarrassed to try to resell it on craigslist (then someone would have to pick it up and see the idiot who bought it in the first place), i just dropped it off at the goodwill truck and sped off before the guy receiving it could see my face.

the yet to be determined purchase:

1. zumba fitness: the first time i watched this, i couldn't stop laughing at the weird little dude who invented it. he goes by "beto." i was secretly intrigued and decided to watch it again the next time i flipped on it. finding the idea of holding little cha cha sticks and dancing around like one of jlo's uncoordinated backup dancers intriguing, i ordered it. the verdict is out since i haven't received it yet, but i am feeling good about it. hey, if d-listers like eva la rue, stacey keibler and vivica fox approve, it must be great! i would never believe that they just were hard up for a few bucks and some tv time. never!
   

so, do you have any favorites that i must know about?

caucuses: i still hate them

it appears i am not the only one who hates the caucus system.

looks like he isn't liking it too much right now either.

soapbox time: caucuses

may i honor my right to freedom of speech right now and talk about how i think our current electoral process is a joke? at least how it was handled by the political parties in washington state yesterday was.

i am incredibly annoyed right now with the fact that the parties of the state of washington still use an antiquated caucus process for making party decisions in the current presidential race. although the state also has a primary, and the state spent millions to create a process that is more convenient and accessible for voters (and, likely, more accurate), the parties ignored that and decided to go the way of the ancient and hold caucuses all over the state yesterday. being that this is the first time i have experienced one of these, i can say i and many others who come from states where the parties honor a more progressive primary voting system were very confused when we arrived at the "voting" location (which i had to spend 20 minutes on the internet to find--how in the world did people know where to go before the internet?) and i was told that i would not be able to drop off my absentee ballot, but would rather have stand around in an overcrowded auditorium and literally "caucus" to determine who would win the washington delegate vote for my party of choice. i certainly wasn't the only confused person there.

i am all for upholding my duty as a citizen of the United States by being a registered voter, and subjecting myself to the horror that is jury duty, so i may vote for my elected officials. but, as this great nation (and the world as a whole) progresses by creating new technologies that allow us to do things in a more streamlined and efficient fashion, why doesn't someone step in and say enough to this ridiculous caucus process? i can say that what i entered yesterday was chaos. half of the people, who most likely moved here from other states that got rid of this system long ago (i being included), were wondering and saying, "what the hell?" even the volunteers couldn't seem to answer our questions. it was like they were just told to show up. not preparing myself to spend an entire afternoon in an overcrowded, stuffy elementary school auditorium doing Lord knows what since the volunteer couldn't quite tell me what i needed to do to make my choice of candidate known, i left without voting. now i know that my vote during the state run election won't even count since the decision was already made yesterday. although my main excuse was just not wanting to spend my afternoon in such chaos, what about the many people who had to work yesterday and couldn't attend if they wanted; or those without transportation options (the public transportation system in many areas here is poor or non-existent); or those who needed to stay home and care for their dependents and couldn't find someone to step in for a few hours? do these voices not count? this certainly isn't very a democratic process since it is exclusionary to those who can't set aside the time for caucus, but would like to cast a ballot.

so now i can take my absentee ballot and run it through the shredder, since it is of no use at this point. the decision was made for me and countless others in crowded auditoriums across washington state. why we can't all move to a more unified and progressive election process across all states baffles me. selecting our president is a heavy responsibility, and the process should be set in a way that is convenient and easy for all. this might help increase the number of people who vote.

2008 resolution

i think i just came up with a new year resolution.

okay, maybe it is a month belated, but it still counts. being one to never make resolutions, i am thinking i going to stick with this one.

my new year's resolution is to become a hero. not just any hero, but a guitar hero. i have always wanted to learn how to be a real guitar hero, but, as like most great of my plans and purely genius ideas, i never got around to it. i do play a mean recorder and can karaoke with the best of them, though.

maybe i am a little behind the curve, but i have recently learned that with just an xbox 360, a stringless guitar, an hour or so of time wasted per night, a little eye strain and a solid case of gamer's finger, i can finally become the guitar hero that i always knew i could be. now i, too, can live the dream. i am now accepting applications a bass player, lead singer and drummer, since i see a rock band in my future.