My vow to get organized. Just watch.

Steve's band Strawfoot had a show on Friday night at the Lucus School House in Soulard. That place is very cool. No smoking. You do not find that in St. Louis very often. They played along with "The Bottom's Up Blues Gang" and a burlesque act. I was curious to see what this burlesque act would be like. It was great! The girls were very theatrical, a little silly, but fun with their plungers and yellow plastic cleaning gloves dancing around on stage taking most of their clothes off. This was after their solo act. They climbed up on stage and danced around. So silly. Before that my roomate Beth and I went to our friend's parent's house who just so happens to be the chancellor of Washington University. They had a bowling alley in the basement. That's all I think I have to say.

It snowed this weekend! Unfortunately it did not last very long. There are very few lingering remnants of snow. I need at least one good snow a year. I love the snow. Not too many people agree with me here in St. Louis, but I think it is beautiful. It always puts me in a good mood. Although it was not the best snow we ever had, Steve and I pretended like we were snowed in. We watched movies all day and I made butternut squash soup. And we drank Bailey's and coffee.

My goal is to get extremely organized. I have to be one of the most unorganized people that I know. My car is a mess! and it is brand spankin new. I am going to get so organized that I am able to produce a piece of jewelry every day, I wrote a children's book a long time ago that I have yet to illustrate. On my snow day, I created a couple of characters for the book, and am going to try to work a little on that each day, and also am going to teach myself how to sew. I need a variety of things in order to keep my interest and creativity at it's peak. I made a bracelet today. My first bracelet...I have not decided if I am going to put this one up for sale yet. The more I look at it, the more I like it, but I did not like it when I first finished. I am always like that though. I spend so much time on something, and when I am done, I have trouble not hating it for a little bit. So here it is:

"Branch" Bracelet--a piece a day
(sterling silver, vintage tin)

Ugly hands

I have man hands. All of this filing and cutting. Wooh! And I about cut my finger off today. Those damn birds. But I think they turned out nicely. I'd wear them around my neck. I love making jewelry, especially this "a piece a day" thing, because I have a new accessory to try out every day. Not that I am wearing the merchandise, just making sure that it lays nicely, or nothing weird happens while it's on. So back to my hands...they are crusty and a tad black as you might see in the picture. (which will be posted soon...my batteries died in my camera) They smell like liver of sulfur, not that I have not washed them. And they hurt, I am not complaining, I just find it comical about how ugly my hands have turned. All of the nails are uneven because I file a chunk off of a different nail everyday. There is no point in a manicure because it would be a waste of money being that it would last about five minutes after I started filing jewelry. Liver of sulfur is also stained under my nails. MMMM! lovely. Not to mention the cool scars I have from my bite wound. It is all worth it though. Dogs and jewelry! I will give up the beauty of my hands for the two.

"Goldie Hawn" a piece a day
(sterling silver, patina on copper necklace)

Visit from Chi-town!

This weekend my friend Amy came to visit from Chi-town. Unfortunately I felt a little under the weather, but I still had a great time and am feeling better today. We ran all over town, and I don't know if it was because I was sick or because I am old that I felt so worn down. I love my friend Amy. She said that she was going to start a blog of her own, and I think that is a great idea, because she is one of the most hilarious people that I know.

Today in the news...two of Saddam Hussein's main men were hung, one, his stepbrother was decapitated from the hanging. And it was all over the news. And I would not mention it again, but I think it is rather ironic that it is MLK day and people are celebrating the execution of these men. I do not think, no matter how horrible people are, they deserve to have celebration of their deaths. It is inappropriate. I do not understand what is wrong with this world that we live in. Where do people come from that are so heartless. I wish there was a way to rid the world of all of it's hardship. I think if Martin Luther King had a choice, we would have a vigil for the two men who lost their lives today. Our world deserves better.

On the lighter side of life, I finished a pair of earrings today. They are birds. I have an obsession with birds as of late. There is something free and wonderful about them. I had a wood pecker in my tree out front yesterday, and it inspired me. I am going to start bird watching.

Silhouette of a Robin--a piece a day
(patina on copper, fresh water pearls, and 14k gf wire)

Please ignore the crappy photo. I am not quite set up yet for good inside photography. But, watch and I will improve. I am wanting to buy a new camera. Something small with a good amount of megapixels and whatever else I would need to take good photographs of jewelry and anything else my little heart desires. I took a photography class in college, and I did not really learn much, especially about digital. So, I need to relearn. If anyone has any suggestions for a compact digital camera, by all means, please let me know.

It is so cold outside. I have these puppies, and they go to the bathroom like a hundred times a day, and it is so hard to stand out there waiting, and waiting, while they play and frolick, and don't pee or poo. They are lucky they are so cute. I kind of get lost in their silliness even with the 20 degree weather. Here are some more recent photos of the cuties. I cannot even handle how cute they are. Moose is a monster. They are only 8 weeks old, and I can hardly pick up the Moose anymore. Brownie is super smart and jumped the gate from the kitchen today because she can't live without me. But, she is in her kennel right now sound asleep. They are getting spade and neuter and all of the good stuff from the vet tomorrow. Wish them luck!

I don't have a lot of time, but I made a new piece today and I wanted to get it posted. I am applying for a couple of shows tonight, and I am having trouble deciding which pieces to submit. I never thought it would be so hard, but I think I have spent too much time with the pieces to make a good decision. Anyway, here is my new piece.

Venus--a piece a day

Finding the time

Today was my first real full day of making jewelry. I finished two pieces. It feels so good to be doing what I love to do all day. Steve and I were talking earlier about how hard it is to find time to do those things that you love. Like when you feel guilty for painting or making jewelry or hanging out with puppies because there are other things that are more important that need to be done. So, I decided to make the thing I love my job. And when I am sitting there grinding metal, I feel very happy that I now am required to make jewelry because it is my job and my lively hood.

My new plan is to make a new piece of jewelry every day and post it. Kind of like the a painting a day sites, but with jewelry. Meanwhile, I will work on bigger more intricate pieces. Today is lucky day, because I finished a daily piece, and a more intricate necklace. This will not happen every single day for a while, because I still am working at County Glass. But the contract is almost completely approved and completely complete...forilla!

"Balanced" earrings--a piece a day


"Fly Away" necklace


This weekend my ma and I stopped into a place on 12th street in Soulard called Pets in the City. I started talking about the puppies I am fostering and the woman there is a part of an animal rescue called Gateway Pet Guardians. I will post a link to their website. I am going to adopt the puppies out through them. They have a great adoption policy and are sure to find the best possible homes for the pups. I think I may start volunteering with them as well. There will be an adoption event at the Petsmart on Kingshighway on Jan. 20th. If you would like to meet Moose or Brownie or any of their other great dogs, come on down.

Dogs, and Blogs, and Jobs...and the new year.

This is the mother of the puppies. The owner said that she is part chow, but she looks like part lab to me. And do not worry, her baby maker is being fixed as soon as she is ready, so the little mama will have no more pups.

Blackie was adopted! I'm sure the wonderful family who adopted her changed her name (which I would love to know), but I am so happy that she is going to have such a great home. Fifteen acres of land and an 11 year old to love her for the rest of her life. I think she is the perfect dog for an 11 year old. I don't know if I can top that home for the other two dogs. I am becoming rather attached to the other two. It is much easier to keep my two eyes on two dogs though. Moose is a hunka burnin' puppy love, and Brownie is the sweetest little girl in the world. Their homes are going to have to be awful special.

Other news...I've applied to two shows...one in IL called the Old Town Art Fair and the other Laumeier. I will find out of my acceptance in Feb for the one in IL and in March for Laumeier. There are a lot of other shows I will be applying to, so I will keep posted.

I began cleaning my "studio" basement. I should have taken pictures before I began. If there were laws against making jewelry in such a mess, I would be arrested. It is not too late to take pictures, because although I did a ton tonight, it still looks, to the unknowing eye, like I did nothing. So I will post before and afters...Amie getting organized. We shall see. Also, I took photos of my booth and how it will look for my first show. I am sure it will evolve over the years, but this is it for now. Instead of burlap, I decided to use the fabric I bought for a table cloth as my backdrop curtains. I bought some old furniture to display my jewelry. I think it matches the pieces I have made so far quite nicely.


I am still working at County Glass (my business), so the jewelry making is not as productive as I would like it to be. However, the sale of the business is getting closer! I can smell it. And then I will be free!It was a great experience owning and operating a glass business for three years, but I would have become a maniac crazier woman if I had continued much longer. The decisions I have made for this new year feel good. I hope everyone out there is looking forward to this year as much as I am. I would love to hear about the new and exciting decisions that you have made as well.