H-Town in pictures

I love my city. I don't love the weather and the traffic, but that's another post. Anyway...I love the buildings, I love the noise, I love the diversity of its people. In 2005, my husband and I took our cameras Downtown and walked around the Theater District taking pictures. The result of our lovely afternoon is a collection of six images that made it onto my very first set of stationery: Inked, by Rara Avis - [Downtown Houston] Collection.
I've since expanded my stationery line, but I continue to get requests for these cards and images. I've added them to my notebook and journal collection and have given them as gifts on several different occasions. And now you can too.

Cheers.

What should I call it??

This morning I completed the first two designs of my "idea" session yesterday. But now I don't know what to label this line. All of my stationery has it's own label, but not my jewelry. I could marked it under my Signature label, like the cards...both the stationery and the jewelry have a similar feel: minimal & graphic, but still pretty. I think that's what I'll go with until I think of something else (or until one of you guys suggest something better!).

So here are the first three earring sets. I'm working on a few more, and I'll probably do at least one or two necklaces too. These are different from yesterday's scans, but the concept is still there. I had more stuff to think about and not enough brain space to hold it all.
All three sets are made with sterling silver and 14K gold filled wire with sterling and gold vermeil findings. The anchor rings and hoops have all been hammered to create light catching surfaces. All the stones are faceted (mystic topaz on the left, amethyst on the right), and the chains are flat cable. The result of the entire combination is pretty sparkly, but not too in-your-face. I call it "sneak attack sexy."

I've yet to post these on my Etsy store, but that's the next step. Have a look there soon if you'd like to buy a pair.

Cheers.

Different by desgin

"Romeo and Juliet," "West Side Story," "Smallville"...okay, so maybe "Smallville" is a stretch, but the idea is there: boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy is not fated to have girl. Suffice to say that in the movie biz, there's nothing new under the sun. In fact, one can say that about most industries. Jewelry design is no exception.

It's tough to be a jewelry designer and create something truly unique. Everyone has a pair of chandeliers, a pair of gemstone drops, a pair of diamond studs; everyone has a gold bangle and a single charm necklace. The challenge then becomes not to create something new, but to reinvent something old, to innovate, to improve.

Looking through some photos the other day, I stumbled upon a shape and an idea. The idea swam around in my head for a bit before it finally drove me nuts and I had to get into the shop and start twisting. Turns out, it was a pretty good idea. See for yourself:

Now, this is not a great graphic (I scanned in the first two earrings...too lazy to photograph). But the idea is nice: mixed metal hoop bases with dangles and chains. Work with me here... I don't have a soldering torch. I really, really, really want one, but until I get one, I've got to improvise. So I twist hoops. But I don't like your standard twisted hoop, so I covered the twists with gold wire. And that's the framework for the whole collection.

Now you're probably thinking that it was very silly of me to share my idea before I've completed my work...someone may "borrow" the idea and use it for their own. And you are probably right. But I like to share my process, I like for you to be able to see what actually happens inside my head. I think that it's more fun that way.

So if you "borrow" my idea, give it back. Or at least wait for me to develop my line and then give me your feedback. Who knows...I may even create a piece named after you.

Cheers.

Mixed metals are cool

There's something so cool about mixing gold and silver. You can't look pretentious with only a smattering of gold, but the combination looks so rich, you'd swear it was "designer." And by combining the two, you get jewelry that you really can wear with everything.
I created these earrings for a friend's birthday. She's got great style, and I wanted to give her something that looked very chic and modern but still had an artisan flair. But nothing too flashy...that just wouldn't be right. So a simple double silver hoop with gold wire wrapping and tiny smoky quartz was just the ticket. The earrings are just shy of 1.5" long, so they're appropriate for both daytime and evening wear. They're sophisticated enough to wear to dinner, but laid back enough to wear on the weekend.

I think I'll make a pair for myself.

Cheers.

Great handmade goodies...for free!

Much like the Sampler, the Happily Handmade Giveaway is a great way to discover new designers and to get some pretty nifty stuff. But it's one step better...it's free! Each quarter, 50 + 1 grand prize winners are chosen from a random drawing of entries to receive a basket of all sorts of handmade goodies.

Their site has links to all past and present contributors, so go check them out and enter the contest through one of the sponsor sites (you can't do it directly from their site). You might uncover a great new designer along the way.

Cheers.

Sites I love to surf

Here are my top favorite sites right now (today, at this instant...they may change later):

Blogs:

• Oh Joy! - a blog about a girl named Joy and what she finds interesting and pretty
• WhipUp.net - a blog about handcrafted stuff from all over
• Design Sponge - a blog all about design...store fronts, magazines, fashion, art, etc.
• Cupcake Bake Shop - recipes, photos, and everything cupcake. Diet..what diet?

Shops:

• Elsewares - recycled, indie, and handcrafted furnishings, clothing, paper goods, and other fun stuff
• Branch Home - everything here dedicated to sustainable living. Go on, plant a tree.
• Unsung Designers - Mostly clothes, but some acessories and wares from indie artists
• Stars and Infinite Darkness - ditto the Unsung description

And that's it for this particular moment in time. Go check 'em out.

Cheers.

Laissez les bons temps rouler

It's good to be from the south. It's especially good to be from south Louisiana. Technically, I'm not from south LA, but my momma and my husband are, so that's good enough for me. Besides the beautiful swamps and vibrant culture, there is the food and (of course) the Mardi Gras. And yes, it is "the" Mardi Gras, because in South LA, that holiday is an actual living, breathing being.

Well, I don't live in Louisiana anymore (I went to school there), but I still manage to have a crawfish boil every now and then. And I always attend a Mardi Gras celebration. My particular party of choice is my cousin's bash in Austin...its complete with beads, gumbo, crawfish cornbread, king cake, bread pudding & rum sauce, and the world's best knock-you-on-your-butt Mardi Gras punch. Woo-hoo! But the best part may be that since it's a family event, you don't have to flash anyone to get your beads. You just have to walk through the door. But this year, I'm bringing my own -- and you can too (well, not to my party...but you get the picture).
I created this Mardi Gras bracelet for those who like a little more sparkle than can be had with the regular plastic beads (like me). In the traditional colors of purple, gold and green, this bracelet is crafted from gold filled wire and adorned with hand wrapped clusters of amethyst, chalcedony and freshwater pearls. It's finished with a gold filled "pearl clasp" so it's easy to put on by yourself.

I made a few, so if you'd like one, visit my Etsy store to purchase. Cheers.

Everyone Needs a Signature

The word "signature" conjures up different images for different people. It could be a stamp of approval, something you're know for, or a binding agreement. In my case, is a line of stationery that bears my personal touch...my artistic and creative signature.



Each Signature cards begins with white 98lb felt-finish cardstock. I then choose different combinations of handmade artisan papers, wire, beads, glass, die-cuts, and anything else I find interesting and create a story for the front of the card. The back side of the card is printed with the Signature logo and stocking information, so it looks as if the sender (that'd be you) purchased the card at some swanky boutique (but I won't tell). All adhesives used are acid free, and any embellishments that could poke or stick you (like the wire on the inside of the card) are covered with a transparent vellum sheet. The idea here is to let the recipient see that the cad was handmade...not something that you find is a standard "store bought" card.

Single Signature cards (4.25" x 5.5") come with both inner vellum and outer felt-finish envelopes. The outer envelope is made from heavy 70lb text paper and has a deckle edge on the back flap. The inner vellum envelope protects the card from the weather or other en route disasters, though I don't recommend that you use the PO as the first method of deliver for these cards. They're pretty enough to be tucked in a gift or delivered by hand.

During holiday times, Signature cards are offered in sets of 5 (cards measure 3.5" x 4.875"). These cards do not have inner envelopes, but you can choose between vellum or felt-finish outer envelopes. The vellum one are great for gift enclosures, the felt-finish for mailing.

Visit my Etsy store for all the Signature cards currently in stock. Cheers.

The White Tree

FINALLY! I've actually gotten a chance to post. Whew! This is the first of quite a few for today, so here goes.

The White Tree is a line of stationery that I produce. With all the talk about global warming and dwindling resources, I thought I'd do my part to help make art out of trash. Well, not trash exactly...magazines.

A small aside here: I LOVE magazines. I read a lot, but I like to flip through a magazine. I can be very interested and pour over it for hours, or I can be flipping through one because I really don't have anything else to do (rarely happens). I always have a mag in my car; most of the time I have one in my bag. They're great for passing the time between client meetings.

Okay, enough about my love for the things...now to the good stuff.

The White Tree products are made from 99.9% recycled materials (not the glue, staples, coils, or the labels...the binding stuff). The magazines come from either my personal stash or from the community. The envelopes, paper and cardstock used are from the Neenah Evironment line...100% recycled paper with 20% post consumer fibers. The outer envelope is a "brown bag" envelope made by a company called the GreenGrocer. For the life of me, I can't find their website, but the site that carries them verifies that they're made from 100% post consumer waste. So there you have it...art with heart. HA!

I currently produce 5 different sets: Lifestyle, Fashion + Music, Spaces + Places, Art + Design, and Houston Mags. Let me elaborate:

• Lifestyle: Publications like Real Simple, O, Self, & Body + Soul. These cards are generally more pastel in color. They have food items, room layouts, clothing pictures...all sorts of stuff.
• Fashion + Music: Magazines like Nylon, Jane, Lucky, Flaunt, InStyle, Rolling Stone, GQ, & Details. Anything goes here -- crazy rocker portraits to Jimmy Choo articles. The colors are generally more vibrant and the layouts are erratic.
• Spaces + Places: Geared more toward the art of a well planned space, these cards can be very colorful. They can also be very subdued -- but they're always pretty! I use Domino, Dwell, Architectural Digest, and Discover to name a few.
  
• Art + Design: If any of these cards are made for guys, these are. Magazines like How & Layers are turned into really neat stationery. These types of magazines already concentrate so much on their layouts, the cards pretty much make themselves. Urban graphics, grungy text, and cool effects are in a lot of the artwork, so these are perfect for a guy or a girl.
• Houston Mags: H-Town! We have a few publications here that I use, mainly old issues of Envy and 002 magazines. Sometimes I use others, but I stick to those for the most part. A lot like the Fashion + Music and the Art + Design categories, these cards are generally bold colored and flashy. And they have Houston stuff...

One last note. For each set, I try to coordinate the 5 cards by color & layout (but I do take some leeway...don't get picky!). I also used the same magazine for all 5 in a set to keep the page finish the same.

These cards are great...you never know what they'll look like until you open the package. Visit my Etsy store to view more pics (and BUY them!).

Enjoy.