Upcoming Birthday Bash - Sale in the Shop!

When? Friday - March 19th

Where? All my shops:

http://www.rockyourwire.com/

http://www.rockyournose.com/

http://www.rockyourbelly.com/

Come and join in the fun and savings!

Sneak Preview

Sort of a 'back to my roots' line - the URBAN Elegance collection is a marriage of copper and sterling - hammered, antiqued, wrapped, and otherwise funked. I absolutely love it and think the earthy tones are appealing and inspiring.

I love to add the patina slowly...darkening the hammered copper and then polishing it to an earthy brown. Too fun. You followers get a sneak peek - the listings will go up in the shop on Friday for the newest pieces in the collection.

Honey Drops:

Swansong (these have a matching necklace too):

A great big chunk of moonstone necklace that really needs a cool name. Help me anyone?

Mulberry Twizzles (matching necklace will be posted too!):

Pop by the shop on Friday to see the rest www.RockYourWire.com

What's New - What's Hot

Over the holidays, I created a new line of pretties called, "Urban Elegance". These pieces are a bit more earthy and raw; combining oxidizing process on copper and sterling silver. I introduced matching earring and necklace sets and they have been SO well received. I really love the edgy look and plan to do some more. I'd love to get my hands on some flashy labradorite briolettes - hmmm...do I smell a shopping trip on the horizon? ;)
I adore the look of these blueberry pearls with the antiqued copper....simply yummy!

The Year of the Guitar Pick

Holy smokes am I busy cutting out both sterling and copper guitar picks! Stamping and lovingly polishing them to a gleam - that's how my days are being filled. In Chinese culture, there is the year of the ram, the year of the monkey, etc... so I have dubbed this "the year of the guitar picks" in my mind.

Every now and then, as an artist and an entrepreneur, we stumble upon something, or a few somethings that just take off. For me, it's been the nose jewellery and now these picks. Perhaps it's the authenticity factor. I wear nose jewellery and I play guitar (ahem...when I have time). Not a great player by any means but I have fun with it and I rock pretty good around the campfire. I came up with the idea of doing a copper pick because I hadn't really seen it done and I love copper. It's been a good seller all year but this holiday season, they - along with their sterling silver cousins - are simply flying off the shelf.

I'm so glad I took the week off my regular job!

Much Ado About Millimeters

This chart is a reference for all of my shops jewelery creations - please print to confirm your size.

The world of millimeters (mm) can be a frightening place when you have no frame of reference. Feel free to use this chart to help you find your way. Cheers!

Quick Tip About Tumble Polishing Metals

When I excitedly bought my Lortone tumbler to make all my sterling silver and copper shiny and pretty, I carefully read all the information I could find about how to correctly tumble polish my pieces.

I learned that I should add the shot, then my pieces, and that the water level should be about 2/3 full - just under 3/4; depending on how many pieces were in the bucket. I learned that I needed a burnishing compound of some sort - the first time I bought some with my tumbler to be on the safe side, although I had heard that "Dawn" dishwashing liquid would work equally well.

I set out to find some "Dawn" but it isn't available in my area of Canada - perhaps not at all in Canada. I wondered how Dawn could be that much different from any other dish soap for the purpose I needed it, and despite all the advice I'd read that Dawn was the only choice, I used what was beside my sink one day, which is "Sunlight". Guess what? Works perfectly! I would have no hesitation to go ahead and use a couple squirts of whatever you have on hand.

Aging

I am aging. It's not that I didn't know this interesting fact but today it feels more real to me. My daughter turns 19 years old today, and for a kid living in BC Canada, it is a milestone. No longer considered a child, they are granted the right to vote provincially, buy cigarettes (oh my how I wish she wouldn't) and drink alcohol. So for me, that means my daughter is no longer considered a child - ergo, I am definitely aging.


I'm only 41 - I like the word "only" in that sentence. In many ways I feel younger than I ever have because I am comfortable in my own skin. I'm no longer plagued with as many questions and concerns about who I am and how I fit into this universe. I have more confidence in my decisions than I did when I was younger and I believe in myself in a way I didn't know was possible in the past. I know me. And I am aging.


It is a strange thing this aging process. Just when we get really good at life...when we're getting it figured out...we are on our way toward leaving it. An odd reality but I suppose that's how it is meant to be. We are born to learn throughout our days and when the time of learning is over, it is done.


Not that I think I am close to that by any means! Like I said, I am only 41 :) It's just that now I am able to grasp the concept that I am finite. That I too will be over. That I need to make my mark - my indelible impression on this planet in a timely fashion because time really will cease to exist for me at some point - of this I am now certain.


I am grateful for the days I have and I intend to find my own way to be of service to this planet...this life...this experience. Cheers!