how it's made

When looking at many of my silver components, people often ask me, "Did you make that?" and "How did you make that?" and "Do the pieces come like that?" and "Who taught you how to do all this?" etc. etc. Most things I make are handcrafted. Bracelets, clasps, pendants and many different spirals. I learned how to make these components the same way I learned how to do a lot of things in life: I taught myself. To show how these pieces are made, I decided to do one of the things that I do best...a step by step of "how it's made."

Step 1. Sterling silver comes in a coil. I decide how many feet I want to buy, and I buy it. (This coil is 40 feet).


Step 2. I eyeball the amount I think it will take to make a design that I have in my mind. I measure it and cut it. When I figure out how many inches it takes to make a certain component, I of course, use a measuring tape from that point on.


Step 3. Silver doodling. I doodle with silver. That's really what it is.


Step 4. "Hammer on it!" During this process, I usually hammer pieces that fly across the room and I then have to get up, look under the couch, in the corners of the room, etc. etc. Sometimes I lose the smaller pieces. It's pretty annoying.


Step 5. Finished product. Add a sterling silver chain and a little bling-bling Swarovski and there you go! I am actually making 30 0f these crosses right now to sell at the Grecian Festival in Worcester, MA in June. Each cross is unique.


Thanks for asking!

my life in mobile uploads

The Maine Distracted Driving Law was written for me. I just know it. It's just a matter of time before I get pulled over... Forgive me fans for I have been busy. It has been 6 weeks since my last blog. No worries, I have chronicled my life in mobile uploads. I LOVE mobile uploads. I am border-line obsessed with taking pictures with my phone. Sometimes while driving. Here is what I've been up to...

1. In March I went to a women's retreat in York, Maine. I had to take a picture of this grandmother with her grandchild in a harness. I know sometimes it is necessary, so I'm not knocking the use of these. It is VERY difficult to take advantage of the mobile upload opportunity, and you can notice by the angle of this picture that I actually had to turn my head around to take this picture. I'm a safe driver, really.


2. York beach in March. In a tank top and shorts. Enough said.


3. My aunt gave me champagne for my birthday. A couple of friends and I decided to pop it open on Pine Point. My favorite beach. Onlookers were very jealous.


4. April is Autism Awareness month. As a special educator, I try to educate students and staff with updated information. This year, each class in 1st and 2nd grade made an autism ribbon, which was displayed in a front lobby window. There are 16 ribbons in the lobby windows of our school. They look amazing. I am so proud of our school. It was a very time-consuming project but well worth it!


5. I LOVE my friends. LOVE THEM. They are beautiful and funny and refreshing. We were driving downtown the other day and there were 2 dogs: a german sheperd and a golden retriever. My friend, Jenika, LOVES goldens. Angie proclaimed that she loved german sheperds. Angie then said, "Oh my god, it's US, except dogs." How could I NOT take a picture. Again, I had to turn around to take it. Maybe I should stop driving and sit in the back seat to take pictures. I love my friends.


6. Sunsets. Beautiful. Especially when setting behind a dunkin' donuts in Westbrook.


7. My first campfire of the summer...wait. Oh yeah, it's still spring. Oh well. My first campfire this calendar year.


8. I FINALLY framed my Michael Garbutt photo from Australia. It's been sitting in it's mailing envelope for a good month. LOVE IT.


9. Can we just talk about my life for a minute? Because this is what it looks like. It drives me crazy, but I have no choice. I have no other room to make jewelry. Ah well....


So there you have it folks. My life in mobile uploads. Hopefully I never write a blog about being pulled over for distracted driving....