In the Studio :: almost finished

Has it seriously been 2 months since I last posted???  Just thought I'd pop in with a quick update.  Here are a few bits and pieces laying around my work table.. just waiting for some finishing touches.

Tiny tourmaline leaves wire wrapped to a sterling silver oval.  I love tourmaline!  I don't work with it often because frankly, it is so expensive!!!  I purchased a strand of these tourmaline leaves last year at a gem show and have only made one completed necklace using these beauties.  It was purchased before I had the chance to list it online.  Now I've started this focal piece... and can't decide whether to wire-wrap the leaves all the way around, or do something asymmetrical.  What do you think? 

Some oxidized sterling and gemstone pendants (top to bottom: phrenite, lepidochrosite, amethyst)

Glass droplets in a new design.  I'll probably make this available in several different color combinations.  What color combos are you partial to??

Gold plated pavé beads in crystal and sapphire blue.. and a beautiful vintage brass bead with Austrian opalite crystals.  These will probably be necklaces.

Simple and elegant gold plated twig earrings with stick pearls.  I think these would be perfect for a candlelit dinner.  :)

So what are you working on at the moment?

P.S.
I know I mentioned a giveaway.  I actually had one on Sandy a la Mode a week or so ago, but didn't have a chance to blog about it.  But if you follow me on twitter or facebook, you knew.  ;)  If you missed out on that one, don't fret, I'm planning on another one, right here on my blog.  I'll make it special since you've been so patient with me. :)

Looking Up

Things have been looking up around here... at least I've been looking up.  How could I not, with skies like this??

I see a sky-diving bunny, what do you see?

 I don't know what weather patterns (besides insane heat) have contributed to such gorgeous clouds in the sky lately, but the skies have been incredible to look at every day!

The clouds have been massive, voluminous, fluffy, pure white entities you wish you could jump into.

...it's the stuff that daydreams are made of...

My kids call them Toy Story clouds (like the ones on the wall in Andy's room).  And speaking of kids, they are keeping me worn, I tell you!  If you are a work at home mom and juggling motherhood and keeping on target with running your own business, while maintaining sanity, please share your secrets.  I'd love to feel like I'm doing things right at least one day a week.  Xp (that is me looking pooped)

But I feel positive.  Being a mom is the toughest job, ever.  Ever ever.  But it's one I wouldn't trade for the world, and would probably do all over again if I could (don't ask me that on a bad day though).  And I can't help but think that..

...if parenting didn't feel like the toughest job in the world, then I must not be doing it right.

So I am celebrating today!  I'm celebrating the fact that my back is in knots, my hair is a mess, and I'm still in my pajamas on a Friday afternoon, still trying to enjoy my morning coffee (one sip at a time).  It is Friday, right?

And I'm celebrating my kids..and motherhood... stressful moments and all!  All the craziness just makes the calm moments that much sweeter. 

 I hope you'll find something to celebrate today too.  *cheers!*  :)  Here's to a lovely weekend!

PS.  These sky photos were taken with my phone camera and posted via Instagram. If you instagram, you can see more of my daily photos at "envedesigns"...please come and say hi! :)

She is the reason...

 ...why I've been missing the past few months.

Lexington was born April 20th (I know, I'm a smidge late on this post).  I can't believe she's nearly 3 months old now!  For those of you who follow me on facebook, twitter, or my new instagram addiction account (@eNVeDesigns), you've had many glimpses of this little lady already.  She, along with her big brother and big sister, are keeping me beyond busy.  My energy is zapped and with whatever free time I feel like I have, all I want to do is close my eyes for a micro nap.  But life has never been fuller and I hardly remember what it was like before Lexi came along.  It's like she's always been around.  Needless to say, I have to dust off this blog of mine... and update you on some things... like the fact that my Warm Hearts Necklace is gone!... I've been waiting for it to turn up in the mail somewhere, but it's been many months now and nothing.  Anyway, that will be another post.

So for now, I'll leave you with this smiling face.  In the meantime, follow me on instagram if you're there!  It's the quickest way for me to connect now.  I'll be posting jewelry works in progress (as soon as I get more than a minute to work on jewelry again), my "photo a day" pics, and random snapshots of my daily life.  And I'll be back here with more notable happenings.. like a giveaway.  I think it's time for one, don't you?  'Til then, my friends! 

P.S.  I'm having a huge summer sale in my Etsy shop right now.. 30% OFF everything!  See the coupon code in my shop announcement!

Finding Extra {in the} Ordinary :: my wish garden

Photo A Day Challenge - Days 13 through 16

Day 13 :: something I found

Two 4-leaf clovers I found while on a walk through the forest with my husband.

Day 14 :: how I feel today ...HUGE

At 39 weeks preggo, one may mistaken me for a snow-capped mountain top.

 

 Day 15 :: sunset

the calm after the storm

 Day 16 :: flower

these are the first peonies I've ever tried to grow!

Countdown to baby: 4 days!

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 12 :: stairs

 

Another one I had a little fun with. :)

Baby count down: 1 week (or less)

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 11 :: where you ate breakfast

I swear that I did not eat cheerios out of a giant mixing bowl...

But baby's gotta eat!  

9 days (or less) until baby's arrival!

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 10 :: cold

ice water - my drink of choice here in preggo land

Only 10 more days until we meet this little lady!

(last week's sonogram - at 38 weeks)

If you don't see me for a little while, you'll certainly know why.  :)

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 9 :: younger you

 

This is one of only 2 pictures that I have of myself as a baby.  And now my kids have about a million photos of themselves as babies.  Gotta love the luxury of digital photography!  What's your preference, digital or film?

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 8 :: inside your wallet

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 7 :: shadow

 

I'm really having a great time with this photo challenge, searching for unexpected objects to photograph--things I would bypass every day without even a second glance.  

Here's to unexpected beauty and rediscovering your everyday surroundings!

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 6 :: lunch

Had a picnic lunch on the lawn to soak up some sun with my mom and the kiddos.

Have a Happy Easter weekend, everyone!  :)

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 5 :: tiny

 

Cheers! *clinky clinky*

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 4 :: someone who makes you happy

Two someones who make me happy.  :)  Who's your happy someone?

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 3 :: Mail

Yesterday, we received the best kind of mail... a brown paper-wrapped package filled with mystery goodies, this one arriving from my hubby's Babcia in New Jersey.  I'm guessing it's something for the new baby.  :)

Is there anything good in your mail today?

Photo A Day Challenge - Day 2 :: Color

 

The sun does some fun things to our walls in the early morning.  What does this look like to you?  

Photo A Day Challenge - DAY 1 :: Your Reflection

 

Just for kicks, I've decided to join my first photo a day challenge ever!  Thanks to June Shin, I found Fat Mum Slim's Photo A Day Challenge for April.  Today's day 1 and the theme is "your reflection".  So here's mine. :)

Here's a look at all the themes for April.  For more details, visit Fat Mum Slim. 

Let me know if you're joining in on the fun.  :)  Happy April everyone! 

In the Studio :: a look at my work space

Welcome!  Until now, I don't think I've ever formally shared any pictures of my workspace.  So here it is!  Let me tell you, it is a work in progress (and is usually not this clean and organized).  I have also recently acquired all of my father's metalsmith tools and equipment that I am dying to set up in this room so I can start learning metal techniques and exploring new jewelry designs!

My work bench is a table that my husband built from a salvaged counter top.  While in Boston, we used it as much needed kitchen counter space, now it's where most of my jewelry work takes shape from start to finish.  There are typically several different projects scattered about in various stages of completion.  The square bulletin boards are ones I made from some frames (glass removed), and cork board that I covered in fabric.  Super fun and easy!  Maybe I'll post the tutorial sometime.  The little rack that is used to hang completed earrings and necklaces is actually a wire dish rack turned on its side and attached to the wall. 

Directly to the right is a small table where finished pieces are photographed.  There's great natural light coming through the window for the first half of the day so that's all the lighting I use. 

And the only photo props I use are a sheet of scrapbook paper, my dress form, and a cluster of branches (found outside which I painted white, cut into segments, and attached to a candle holder that holds 12 tea light candles).

Then directly right of my photo station is my shipping station.  I use a baker's cart and it holds everything I need to package and ship my jewelry.  It's slightly in disarray, but it's all there and makes packaging so much more efficient.

And finally, a little happy collection on the corner of my shelf.  Vintage ceramic baby booties from simplysuzula, a little clay snowman that my son made in his preschool class this winter, a wooden carving of the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue at the Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (where my husband proposed to me 5 years ago), and one of my favorite prints from f2images.

On many occasions, I get a helper or two in my studio to help me organize my supplies.  It's actually the opposite of that, but they're fun to have around.  :)

 

I always enjoy peeking into another artist's work space, so I hope you enjoyed the tour.  I'll post a studio update once I get the metal working area set up.  I'm so excited and impatient for this to happen, but realistically, it will be a little while before it does because baby #3 will be here very soon (we're super excited about that too!), but we all know what that means... my jewelry work will be on hold indefinitely.  But do be prepared for an influx of baby pictures. :)

Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!