Packaging!

Yesterday I worked on some simple packaging for my chainsaw earrings that are to be sold at Northeastern Arborist Supply. Just wanted to show off the finished product before they start flying off the shelves!

My contact information appears on the back side, just in case the tree guys are also interested in browsing or obtaining some good illustration.

Shrinky dink-a-thon

I've been a little on the lazy side lately when it comes to posting all the jewelry I've been making, so here it is all at once on this gloomy Sunday afternoon.

These are a pair of Russian nesting dolls that I was experimenting with to make into dangle earrings last month.

They came out cute as anything, but unfortunately the red pen I had used to accent the details didn't bake well and ended up smudging when touched. There will be more of these for sure as soon as I can find a good alternate for the messy pen.

 These are a pair of hibiscus pieces that I made into post earrings for mother's day. Mom loved them, in case you were wondering.

I had been thinking about making this particular pair of earrings for awhile...

Tiny tree post earrings.

They came out alright, but I'd like to make them more eye-catching before I go any further with them.

Here are eight pairs of chainsaw earrings that I made specifically to sell at Northeastern Arborist Supply. This picture shows four of the baked pairs and four of the unbaked...

The baking process is still always interesting to me.

The bunch includes Stihl orange, magenta, glimmering gold, powder blue, and forest green chainsaws.

I still need to make a stand for all of these chainsaw earrings to live in, and the sooner the better so I can see how they do in the store! 

The Penguin and the Pickle

Here is my latest little doodle, the penguin and the pickle, inspired by Cindy Ward who loves each subject equally.

WORDS 74

I just got the exciting news that one of my short memoirs titled "The Birds" is going to be published in WORDS 74, due out this coming fall.

The story is about a friend and I at a young age hatching three eggs that we found in a nearby birds' nest. It's a rather sad memory but makes for an interesting read (if I do say so myself). As an animal lover and true grudge-holder, it's something that I regret to this very day and am still slowly learning to live with.

I'll be sure to let you all know when it is finally published and ready to read!

Mustaches for the Ladies

This past week when I traveled to Michigan to visit Kottie, I surprised her with a pair of dangly mustache earrings that I made specially for her. Now that she's seen them, you all can as well.

(And here is a rare photograph of the shrinking process,

they usually come out icky but this one can pass)

I will definitely be making a pair or two of these to sell on Etsy very soon, I'll keep you posted.

When your blood runs orange...

Today is my first full day back from Michigan and I haven't missed a beat! I made these Stihl chainsaw earrings to wear to the open house at Northeastern this afternoon/evening (www.northeasternarborist.com). The weather is perfect, there's going to be a ton of food, and now my ears are going to be appropriately adorned. What a good day.

Before baking...

 After baking...

 And ready to wear.

Good Morning, Michigan!

As some of you may know, I am currently on vacation in Michigan visiting with Miss Kottie Gaydos, only the best roommate one could ask to spend their entire undergraduate life with. It only took a year since we graduated for me to be able to visit her, but here I finally am! On Wednesday I flew into Detroit and made this illustration on the plane. It was an extremely short flight so it filled the time well...

It was inspired by the lovely weather I was flying into as opposed to the gloomy Jersey skies I was coming from...so really it should say sunny detroit I suppose. Oh well.

Also If I'm quiet on here for a few days, now you know why!

Save it for a Rainy Day

Inspired by all of these April showers and overall awful weather, this is a little something I've been working on here and there whenever a gloomy day gets the best of me. Ironically, I finished it on a sunny day because I'm ready to put all of this rain behind me already and smell some May flowers!

A matching embroidery will be in the works very very soon.