Metalicious musings

Is it bad to drink during lunch?

2012-01-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

I mean, really.

Rules of parenting: Tips on feeding children

2011-11-16T15:11:00.000-08:00

Children are such angels, aren't they? Yeah, mine are, too. And they eat everything I make for them! How do I do it? By following these no-fail tips on what to feed your sweet angel:

1) Basically if it has parsley or any other tiny green, black, brown or red specks in it you might as well throw it in the garbage. Because no one is going to eat it.

2) Any kind of soup or sauce had better match the color of your toddler's shirt. Trust me on this.

3) If it's got any kind of string, leaf or seed in it, it will end up on the floor. So if you think they are eating it, take a look under your child's chair. As my great-grandfather used to say, "Now you see it, now you don't." Oh, you'll see it.

4) Chicken nuggets are a food group unto themselves. So are peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And pizza. If your kid doesn't like any of these then you'd better take him/her to the doctor because there is something very wrong.*

5) Even a 'little bit of cheese' is too much. A 'little bit of...' well anything is also too much. The exceptions are butter, salt and sugar. Kids love these spices so don't be afraid to use them. They're on the food pyramid somewhere.

6) Bread and butter is a great dinnertime option. Mommy needs to feel like you ate something today, sweetheart.

7) Macaroni and cheese is best when it's the boxed kind. Don't bother to make it from scratch, you will end up crying alone in your room.

8) Don't make anything from scratch. Only use pre-made, frozen, boxed or canned foods. In fact it's best if you just have to add water and microwave the damn thing so you can feel like you've cooked something. Kids love preservatives and it will make them live longer.**

9) Kids love to go to Grandma and Grandpa's for mealtime. So feel free to indulge them that one request. The grandparents love this and will probably feed your kid something healthy like an ice cream sundae. Win-win!

10) When all else fails put the kids to bed and drink a few glasses of wine. That's mommy's best medicine. Oh, you thought it was hugs?

*I am not a doctor but I like to google things on the internet so I can pretend I am.
**See?

The importance of good craftsmanship

2011-09-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

That is a really boring title. But hopefully what I have to say is not boring.

My mom came to visit last week and was wearing a cute necklace by a mass manufacturer. "Oh this? I've had it forever, I just never wore it before."

By the end of the 2 hour visit, the glass heart in the center had fallen out. I offered to fix it for her (what good is it to be a jeweler if you can't fix your mama's jewelry?) but she said, "Oh this wasn't expensive, don't worry about fixing it if you don't have time."

Garden marker by MonkeysAlwaysLook

WHAT?! No matter how little something costs, you should be able to expect to wear it a few times without it coming apart. But it started me thinking about hand crafted work vs. mass manufactured work.

Once I started my own business selling jewelry made with my own hands, I started to seek out a higher quality of merchandise for myself and my family. Whether it was a coffee table or a new rug, I found that instead of going for cheap and not caring if something broke I felt much better buying handmade, hand crafted, heirloom quality items. I know it's a tough economy, and things are tight over here in Metaliciousland, but I'm finding that I don't have to replace things when I go for high quality from the beginning. It costs more right now, but when I still have it in 5 years it is actually saving me money because I don't have to replace it each year, or every 2 years.

Our coffee table from a large manufacturer lasted 6 months before the leg started to wobble so badly we needed a new table ASAP. So I paid 2x the amount of that coffee table for a hand crafted, USA made, beautiful solid wood coffee table. AND we were able to work directly with the artist to get the size we needed. He was super nice, delivered it in person and it made me feel good to support another artist's business. A year and a half later and it's still beautiful and solid even though my 2 boys and 2 cats give it a daily workout. It still holds up my feet at the end of the day, no wobbles. I have no doubt it will last for years.

This is in our entryway from RecycledBrooklyn.

So reason #1 to buy handmade, high quality items? It saves you money.

Reason #2 to buy handmade, high quality items? You're supporting a real, live person. And his/her family. Who will in turn support their local people, and their families. And so on...

And reason #3 for buying handmade, high quality items? Customization. You can have whatever your heart desires if you just ask. You get real person, who gets back to you in real time, who takes pride in and loves what they do and it will show in how your item is made, how they communicate with you and the longevity and quality of the piece.

So before you go to your big-box retailer please consider buying handmade first. It's good for all of us!

9-11

2011-09-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

Every year, for 10 years, this date still makes me catch my breath. I worked about 20 blocks from the Twin Towers, and lived close enough that I could walk 5 minutes to work. That morning I stood in the middle of Varick Street staring South taking pictures of the first burning tower, as the 2nd plane hit. Our boss told us to come inside where it was safe, we had no idea what it all meant, or what it would come to mean. The panic, the bewilderment, the terror, the heartache all unfolded as the whole world watched those beautiful icons and the almost 3,000 people trapped inside crumble before our eyes. My city, my country, the whole world had changed in the blink of one sunny September morning. The heartache is still palpable, the people are still gone, the war is still going.

I've never written down what happened that day, it's not necessary, I'm alive and that is more than enough. I still cringe whenever I hear a low flying plane, but was a horrific day for everyone, whether you were here in the city or not. Everyone remembers where they were, wherever they were, when the towers were hit. My heart goes out to people who lost loved ones in the attack, almost 3,000 brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandfathers, grandmothers died that day. That grief will never ease.

We all lost something that day, and I, for one remain shaken. I can't forget that day, and I can't forget the sacrifices of all the people who fought that day and are fighting still to this day. I am forever thankful to everyone who has given their life, and continues to put their life on the line for me, for my country, for my children's future. And amid the devastation I have learned that resilience is the single best thing about being human.

Writer's Block

2011-07-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

If I could make my blog in metal, I would. It's not that I don't like to write. Or that I don't have anything to say. But writing isn't my best medium of expression. I will sit and stare at the blank screen and it's as blank as my mind. But put me in front of a bench and I'll make you an entire encyclopedia in metal.

Photography also makes my blog more interesting. But then I have to photograph stuff and upload it and edit it and then upload it to my blog... are you bored yet? Yeah, that makes two of us (hi mom!). If you really want to see what I'm up to more regularly make sure you 'like' Metalicious on Facebook by clicking HERE.

I think it's been a little harder because I've been out of my studio for almost 2 weeks. That's like putting a muzzle on me. I was able to do some work today, but it was sllllloooooowwwww because I wasn't able to bring all my tools with me. My flex shaft in particular, it's like my right arm.

So I have 3 more weeks of working without my flex. Oh and having my boys around all. the. time. kinda gets in the way of any work time, too. But honestly I'm treasuring having them around, it's summer, we're chillaxin' and swimmin' and travelin' and it's a blast. I'm so happy to have this time with them and my mom (who has been kind enough to allow me to take over her dining room and turn it into my temporary studio). I feel like the luckiest gal, sans flex shaft.

Talk to me in 3 weeks. We'll see how hunky-dory I'm feeling after 24-7-nonstop-mommy-all-the-time-barely-makin-jooray. I'm sure my own mother will hate me by then.

Well, that's all my

What rhymes with bathroom?

2011-06-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

I am a terrible person. As I write this I'm eating only the red and purple Spree candies out of the tube. I pity the person who eats yellow after orange after green after orange in the hopes of finding just one red or purple one. I don't play that way. I pick the ones I want and I eat them, the rest go in the garbage if I can't pawn them off on my husband or son.

The topic for today is: bathroom renovation. We live in a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment in New York City. That's right, I said ONE BATHROOM. And guess what? It doesn't have a tub. Surprise! The guy who lived here before us was in a wheelchair and had the tub removed, the sink lowered (with no storage underneath) and a neat wooden seat installed into a gigantic, 2-headed, roll-in shower. Now I could think of about a hundred swingers who would love that kind of shower. But I live with a 6 yr old and a 1 1/2 year old and the only swinging they do is from the monkey bars at the playground. Did I just use dirty euphemisms regarding my children? As I already said in my opening paragraph, I'm a terrible person. But that's not the point. My point is WE DON'T HAVE A TUB and what kind of parent deprives their child of that fairytale childhood event: bath time!? *pops purple Spree into mouth* You betcha.

Up until now we've had the largest of the small kiddie tubs to bathe our older child in. The first 3 years that was perfect, but now my 6 yr old's legs and head hang over the sides if he tries to 'float,' god bless him. And we're using one of those tiny baby tubs for Chubbles (have I mentioned the size of his haunches) and the situation is at maximum capacity.

So it's time to renovate and put in a tub. I have had to find alternate places to live for me and the little boys for the entire month of July. I could bore you with the details of life at my mother's house in New Jersey, or I could lie and tell you we're spending the entire month in a beachfront hut in Tahiti. You decide what you want to hear and go with it.

I'm heading out tomorrow after Asher's last day of Kindergarten (which I'm completely sublimating else I start welling up with mommy tears and apron string nonsense). *sigh* And I'm going to try to make it work, running my shop from an alternate location (and hopefully poolside). Hope you like Hawaiian Punch with your Modern Rock studs, baby.

I'll be back in the Big Apple in August, hopefully with a lovely 6ft soaking tub to come home to. Happy Summer, people!

I am love

2011-06-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been SO into hearts. Sterling hearts, pink gold hearts, tiny yellow gold hearts. I think it has to do with the fact that my baby is already a year and a half old. Not a baby anymore but a toddler. I love my kids so much and my husband and I realize how lucky I am that they are in my life.

A few years ago I lost 2 babies at the end of my first trimester. And it put me into such a depresson. I carved this necklace as a way to heal from the miscarriages and I now smile whenever I wear it.

So now that I have 2 kids, and having gone through so much to have them I am thankful. Just plain thankful. And full of love for them. So I went to work at my bench carving some hearts. The first one started out like this just really simple and modern and soft:

It's also available with a customized hand stamped message like this one:

But then I wanted something smaller so I started carving again, here are some of the pictures of the process:

It's hard to keep it even, and can you see how tiny it is? It kept flying out of my fingers as I carved it, but I finally finished it up and made this sweet 10k pink gold bracelet with it:

But then I wanted something in the middle. I had one large and one small. I needed a medium. I know, I know, I'm never satisfied!!! But it was all worth it because I made this personalized hand stamped necklace for all the moms out there. I'll list it in my shop soon, I promise!

Until the next time, remember to love one another!

Casey Kaufman rocks Metalicious Jewelry

2011-06-02T06:55:00.000-07:00

Sweet, sweet Casey Kaufman creator of the cool fashion blog Strawberry Freckleface is wearing Metalicious jewelry! And she totally rocks it.

Here are the 3 pieces she's wearing:

Brass shark tooth necklace

Metropolis Duo Skyscraper ring

Bold knuckle ring

Thanks Casey, you make my jewelry shine!

New Jewelry Ideas!

2011-05-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

Some of you may recognize this ring from my Etsy shop. It's a modern sterling silver band that I inlaid with rough yellow diamonds. Teeny, tiny diamonds. The most gorgeous colors of gold and brown, they are nearly edible. But enough about my eating disorder.

I got a request from a customer to make this ring with black diamonds which required some time and research. I finally found a stone cutter who sells conflict free diamonds from India. And look at what I found!!

White ones that range from creamy white to dark silver...

Black cubes that are the size of ground pepper, if pepper were extremely rare and expensive...

and of course more yellow rough diamonds...

Stay tuned for the new pieces, I'm going to take the next few weeks to focus on carving models that will fit these tiny stones. Let me know what you think, do you like them?

SALE! SALE! SALE!

2011-04-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

It's Mother's Day! In honor of all the wonderful moms out there, I'm having a HUGE sale!! Everything in my Etsy shop has been marked down 20%.

While supplies last, all items will be shipped with FREE gift packaging!

Nothing is more perfect than giving Mom jewelry for Mother's Day. Metalicious jewelry will make your Mom feel loved!

Get there quick, the sale ends May 11th!

When I don't make jewelry

2011-04-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

One of the people I most admire is Anne-Marie Faiola, the owner of Brambleberry, Otion and a self-proclaimed Soap Queen. She has loads of ideas and energy which are infectious. I got infected by a recent post on her blog about making whipped shea butter hand creme and it looked so yummy I wanted to make some immediately!! So this post is inspired by Anne-Marie, who totally rocks!

It looked super easy so I invited my 6 yr old to help me out, it was lots of fun! And it's cute to see him use it every night, too.

I ordered all the ingredients from Brambleberry:

Ingredients
14 oz Shea Butter
5 oz Coconut Oil (76 degree melt Coconut Oil)
6 ml your choice of fragrance oil
pipettes
Electric Mixer
4 ounce jars

Asher and I picked out the 'buttercream and snickerdoodle,' 'jasmine' and 'sweet grass' fragrances and we made 2 batches mixing them in different ways. We came up with the names 'Jazzy Coco' and 'Damp Grass.' Makes me laugh!

So once I ordered, I couldn't wait to get it all! I know, I have no patience. Until finally I got the shipment...

and we quickly unpacked it....

In addition to Asher, he brought his friend Hima, the stuffed cat who wants to help.

And then we got started, basically you just mix everything together just like baking. Easy! The shea butter looked delicious.

mixing,

and finally it's finished!

Wow!! And the final product all ready to give as gifts.

Thanks Anne-Marie for such a great project to do together with my little guy!

What about Love?

2011-03-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

I had the dumb luck to run into an old friend of mine on the street a few weekends ago. Pat is an incredible spirit, always looking on the bright side of things and a joy to be around. We worked together at a jewelry company years ago and were both so happy to see one another and catch up on each other's lives. So there was lots of hugging and jumping up and down when I saw Pat.

As it turns out, he's getting married! And he asked me to make their wedding bands, right there on the street. Sweet! He's been together with his partner for 25 years and they are making a documentary about their journey together and what has led them to finally get married after all this time.

I love being a small part of people's journey and creating a set of wedding bands is one of my favorite things to do as a jeweler. I feel lucky whenever I get to work with a couple taking such a big step together, it's amazing to make such an important and symbolic piece of jewelry.

Once we set up the appointment, Pat told me that his camera guy was going to film our meeting. yikes. I am not a fan of seeing myself on film (not that it happens often. okay never.) it just kinda freaks me out. But I was determined not to let that get in the way of helping two people find the perfect rings for their union. It's not about me anyway, it's about them. And they are adorable.

Here I am, all dolled up for the meeting...

I'm wearing a silk dress (with pockets!), my faux diamond studs and my pyramid necklace. Oh and MAKEUP. And I wore a ponytail since I couldn't figure out what to do with my hair, which looks like this on a GOOD day...

And I used hair-straightening shampoo but it's just as frizzy. Just let me be angry about it.

Well the meeting went just fine, we laughed, we reminisced and we talked about their wedding. They are having a beautiful ceremony in a redwood grove in California, surrounded by friends and loved ones. I suggested my bark texture rings in bronze. And their faces lit up, in that way they do when you know something fits just right.

A bit more about the couple. Directly from them: "Pat and Stephen are getting married in every state that currently allows same-sex marriage: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire. They are also getting married in California, where the legal status of same-sex marriage is still unresolved. Their final wedding will be in Washington, DC on their 25th anniversary. "

I'm so honored to be contributing in a small way, to make such meaningful rings for people who truly define love and commitment. Pat and Stephen, you are an inspiration.

Collaboration Nation

2011-03-08T06:36:00.000-08:00

One of the things I like to do to give myself a jump-start in creativity is to work with another artist. It can get kinda lonely all by myself in my studio doing the same thing over and over again. So I look to my friends and other artists to get some artistic inspiration.

Last year I was very fortunate to meet an amazing, talented, smart, creative, successful and hilarious new friend: Lorrie Veasey. She's down-to-earth and so generous with both her time and her work, PLUS her gigantic studio is 2 blocks from my apartment/workshop. And she has two adorable kids around the same age as my oldest so they get together and nerd-it-up big time. Then we get to drink wine and laugh lots and lots. She's a really goooood friend. Anyway, she's a ceramicist by trade and a snarky commentator-on-life at heart. And I'm so lucky to have met her.

Lorrie has been listening to me complain often about my photography. And in her usual, uber-generous fashion, she offered for me to come by her studio and use her photo set-up. Oh, and some of her work as props for my jewelry. It was loads of fun, nice to be out of my own space and great to see her work up close and personal.

Here's a shot of my ring on one of her ring holders:

And here is her ring holder in it's entirety:

And it's already sold, but I know she'd make you another one if you asked her very nicely.

I love Lorrie and I love all of her work, it's really hard to pick a favorite. Honestly, I don't have to because her pottery is so affordable! And they make perfect gifts (as my friends and family already know).

I just gave this one to my husband for Valentine's Day:

And at one of the craft fairs she sells her work at, I bought this handmade collage:

This one made me get all choked up, because she made it for me. *blush* WHO DOES THAT?!

Lorrie does. I'm so lucky that she picked me to be her friend. Thanks for being my inspiration Lorrie!

It's MARCH!

2011-03-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

And I'm drowning in ideas. Promotions, advertising, honing in on my target market, new designs, new customers...

Sometimes I feel like I've got so much on my plate (that I put there) that I'll never finish anything. ACK! And that's when I sit down, eat some chocolate, and take it one thing at a time. I find that organizing things on my desk helps me organize my thoughts and gives me the feeling that I have some control over my self-imposed-chaos.

I take time to go through my orders, order castings and gemstones as needed, then hang them on a magnetic board on the wall behind my desk. Done.

Then I go through my expense receipts, bills, and assorted crap that has somehow landed on my desk (thank you, sweet husband). Then I do the old FTP. File. Toss. Pile. If I've dealt with it: File. If I haven't looked at it/don't need it: Toss. If I don't know what to do with it yet: Pile. I like to work in piles and I admit it's one slippery slope toward being on Hoarders for me.

I apologize to whomever that pile belongs to, but thought the cat butt sticking out was hilarious. Schaudenfraude at it's best.

So that said, I am going to continue my FTPing in the hopes that it will give me some energy to continue to plow through the piles and get on with my work. That said, I just posted a fantastic new ring in my Etsy shop. Whew.

Jewelry Tool Junkie

2011-02-26T05:50:00.001-08:00

I am completely and unapologetically addicted to making jewelry. And eating chocolate, but that's not what this post is about. I had a decent year of jewelry sales last year so I figured I would put the money back into Metalicious AND BUY SOME JEWELRY TOOLS. Plus some of my vendors were having major sales so how can a girl resist a jewelry tool sale???

I know it sounds like an excuse but my flex shaft motor was dying. For reals. And I'm always looking for ways to improve my production time. So here's what I bought:

-1 magnetic pin tumbler

-1 new pickle pot

-2 flex shafts

-2 sets of wax sheets

-1 set of inverted cone burs

And the question my sweet husband keeps asking me: WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO PUT ALL OF THIS STUFF???

Just between us, I'm working on getting more sales this year so that I can invest in a real studio space. *winks* Think I can do it?

peek

2011-02-18T03:58:00.000-08:00

Here are 2 wholesale orders ready to get shipped out. Bagged n tagged. Total chaos.

Metalicious: The Love edition

2011-02-11T06:43:00.000-08:00

Well it's a special day today, I'm sharing my blog with a few others who are writing about Valentine's Day. Please take a peek at their blogs here:

Andrea Davis: Pure Food Nutrition: Valentine’s Day Chocolate: Good & Good for You?

Ann Mehl: A Man and His Word on Valentine’s Day

Artists & Fleas: Gift Guide: From Brooklyn-Tough Love, Show Your Love, and Lovely Little Licks, Bites & Nibbles

The Bitchy Waiter: Fuck Cupid

Brooklyn Flea: You Gotta Have Heart

The Experimental Gourmand: Valentine’s Day Special Dinner

Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market: A Blog Affair to Remember
Kumquat Cupcakery: My Messy Pink Kitchen

Markets of New York City: Love is in the Air: Three Great Valentine’s Dates at the Markets

The NewNew: What Makes Valentine’s Day Sweet to Me

And now a little something I 'cooked' up:

Well, I've come to realize something about myself lately. I'm a terrible cook, but a fantastic baker. Cooking is for people who can experiment and taste soup and know exactly what spice to add that will make it better. Baking is for people who like to follow directions. And eat yummy sweets. I say yes to both of these things, hence I am a fantastic baker. My apple pies are tender yet crisp. My breads are chewy with a crunchy crust. My cookies are buttery-licious. And I don't say this because I'm a baking egomaniac, I say it because my husband rates my baking as 'restaurant quality' good. This from a man who has eaten at places like Per Se, Bouloud, Babbo, etc.

With Valentine's Day coming up, I've also come to realize that I like to bake to show my love. It's also a great DISTRACTION for my 6-year-old and I while my 1-year-old sits at my feet alternately yelling up at me and pulling out all my tupperware bowls from the lower cabinets. Stinker. Not only does it keep us all from pulling out each other's hair during the winter months, but we end up having something delicious to share with my husband when he gets home after dinner.

Here is Asher and our concoction from last year's baking event. Red velvet cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Not restaurant quality but totally fun to make! And yes, I used a box mix for these.

This year, however, we are going for the gold: red velvet chocolate chip cookies with cream cheese frosting. From scratch. I have to admit, I've already made them once and my husband deemed them the 'most amazing restaurant quality cookie sandwiches and you need to sell these people will want them' good. So we're going to make them again.

What are you making/baking/cooking/buying/giving/getting for Valentine's Day this year?

Well hello February

2011-02-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

You've jumped up and bit me in the arse! I just barely got through January and now it's FEBRUARY?? Where does the time go? Between the snowtastrophes and my son having scarlet fever (I thought that went out with the 18th century, but NO it hasn't), I have been barely able to take a breath.

So let's talk about what's been happening around here besides all this weather and illness... BORING. I have exciting news to share! My jewelry has been selling at Uncommon Goods!! eep! I am so excited that they actually said yes to selling my work... and ecstatic that my pieces are actually SELLING! yahooo! I was just featured in their Valentine's Day catalog (and a lot of whooping and hollering and jumping up and down happened here when they asked me), and their lovely buyer sent me this link to their latest newsletter, featuring moi:

Coolness! And on another note, I have been making some new work just in time for Valentine's day. I carved a teeny tiny version of my J'adore necklace. I call it the mini wink heart, the texture winks at you like it's covered with diamonds! So cutie pie and available in my Etsy shop.

I also made a sweet little star ring, to match my baby stella necklace. *swoon* I don't know about you, but hearts and stars bring me back to my teen years, all braces and freckles and z. cavariccis. This is my sophisticated and elegant take on it in sterling silver... many, many years later.

I've also been a busy bee making a Metalicious jewelry collection for men. That's right. Men's jewelry. Here's one of my favorites, it's kinda like a wide-coin-edge-cool-texture band ring that lots of guys have flipped for. Rugged but cool. Edgy meets urban. Perfect, like your guy. Okay, stop laughing. Check it out here in my Metalicious shop on Etsy.

Well, hope to see you again. Before March. In the meantime, pop in to say hello on my Facebook page. Or leave a comment here on my blog. I don't bite. Well, not without being provoked.

New year, new things

2011-01-11T14:37:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a new year and you know what that means. Lots of inspiration, energy, enthusiasm. And then it's Jan 2nd and I'm all fizzled out. I don't know why we put pressure on ourselves to turn a new leaf on January 1st. What happens the rest of the year?

This year I didn't make any resolutions. Because I still had some leftover from last year, and when I think about it... I am making resolutions all the time!

I have a few that I've been working on for a while now.

card by Oakmother on Etsy.

I resolve to set up and use Quickbooks regularly.
I resolve to write my business plan.
I resolve to get my new website up and running.
I resolve to get 10 more wholesale accounts this year.

Whew, I'm tired just thinking about these. But at the same time I'm excited now matter how much Math (Qbooks) and Writing (business plan) make me want to fall asleep!

And of course my resolutions include working on increasing my line. I've got some new designs making their debut for Valentine's Day. Then Mother's Day. Then Spring. And so on. And so on. New Years will come and go. But resolutions go on forever.

What are your resolutions??

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T06:04:00.000-08:00

For those of you who celebrate it, Merry Christmas! This is the Fallingwater gingerbread house by Melodie of Garden Melodies.

And for everyone else, enjoy your day of peace, rest and Chinese food!

A quiet moment

2010-12-14T14:51:00.000-08:00

I just finished a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Baking them, not eating them. That will come later. The boys are playing in their room (and they are making noise so I know they aren't dead). So I have a minute or two to myself, which is a luxury when you're a work-at-home-mom. Or a working mom. Or a stay-at-home mom. A minute of peace is luxurious.

And in quiet times I start thinking about how lucky I am. Looking at the tree (we have a tree!), baking cookies (without breaking the mixer) with my boys (I love my boys) and being able to write a blog (I have a wireless laptop-- whoo hoo!). I am so lucky and thankful for all the things that make me so happy in my life.

Over the past year I've learned so much about my business. Who my customer is and why they buy from me. What will make them come back. Where I want my business to go/grow. I've also developed some really strong wholesale accounts that are taking care of me during slow times with my Etsy shop and my website. Again, it has been a lot of hard work and research and soul-searching but I'm at a place that makes me ecstatically happy. Yes, I've got a long way to go but I'm on a path that I've chosen where I make my own choices and that makes me content.

I'm looking forward to continuing to recuperate from back surgery and childbirth and all the physical stuff I've gone through this past year and a half. I'm also looking forward to re-designing my website to be super awesome and jam-packed with bejeweled goodness. New designs need a new platform to show them off! And continuing to develop my business in a way where I can be a metalsmith and a mom and a wife and a daughter and it all makes me, well, happy.

Happy holidays, thank you for a wonderful and fulfilling year! And whatever you celebrate this year, and I wish you all the joy in the world.

Hot off the bench!

2010-12-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

I don't know if it's the fact that I'm getting sleep (now that my soon-to-be-1-yr-old is sleeping through the night- hallelujah!), or the energy of the holiday season... but I have been cranking at my bench the past few weeks!

This piece is sooo luscious! It's part of my wrought collection that is inspired by the wrought iron gates on some of the buildings here in the city. I love metalwork-- here I combined that with my love of juicy colorful gemstones! It's available to come live with you right now, for $138 in my Etsy shop.

I've also been putting together a kickass men's collection. After thinking about what guys like and what they wear I created some tough looking nature-inspired pieces. Check 'em out:

This ring reminds me of a coin edge or a bottle cap. In any case, I hand-carved it in wax and had it cast into sterling silver, then I finished it up to look sa-weet! It turned out really cool and I'm proud to present it to you, for $52 here in my Etsy shop.

And this one is probably my favorite. It looks like a weapon, a spear or knife. But cooler and not as obvious. Solid sterling silver, $52 here in my shop.

There are lots of other rings and necklaces for guys in my men's section. Check 'em out. I'm so psyched about finally having a real men's jewelry collection!

Let's see some more lovely items for ladies, because let's admit it, we love jewelry!! It's totally an addiction, am I right?

Okay, okay, this one is a one-of-a-kind piece I made last week. It's recycled sterling silver that I melted and re-formed into a sweet pendant and I set 4 blueberry-colored sapphires into it. I adore it and hope you do, too. It's available for $58 right here.

And another necklace, because a woman cannot have too many of them, a precious sterling silver hand-carved and textured circle necklace. I love the eternity that a circle represents, and this one is organic and still modern all at the same time. It's $68. More pictures are available in my shop.

There's more coming, too! Check out my shop for new stuff each week... and more... and more....

Here's a sneak peek so... keep your eyes peeled!!

You don't like my jewelry?

2010-11-17T06:56:00.000-08:00

That's okay, you won't hurt my feelings. It took me a while to 'get' it but someone explained it to me in a really nice way: there's a reason that so many sodas (or pop if you will) exist on the market. Some people like Coke. Some like Pepsi. Are you a Sunkist? Fanta? Or Sprite fan? Maybe 7-up. Club soda. Ginger ale. Root beer. Grape Crush. Dr. Pepper. Orangina. Coke Zero....

You get the picture, right? There's something for everyone-- because we are all unique individuals therefore we have unique tastes. And not everyone is going to love everything. As a marketer, I have to find out who my customer REALLY is, what motivates them to buy from me and what keeps them coming back. It's a marketing game but I think it's so psychological. And it's really hard to figure out, I'm still working on it-- so Metalicious will always evolve to please my customers.

Now, if you're not a Metalicious modern jewelry lover I've got plenty of other jewelry-making friends with such diverse and high-quality styles that I know you'll find someone to love! I'm a proud member of the JET (Jewelry on Etsy) team, you can find us here. We are a group of fun-loving jewelers from all over the world! I love every single person on the team, and their work is as diverse as each pocket of the world we come from.

We're having a trunk show on Etsy on Sunday, November 21st at 8pm EST. We'll be featuring, virtually, the unique work of our members. Ready to get some shopping done?? Now is the time! On Sunday just click HERE to get to the lab-- you need to be a member of Etsy but it's really easy to sign up. Click HERE to sign up for an Etsy account, you will not be spammed, I promise!

Here's a li'l preview of what kind of jewelry will be featured:

Customized baby handprint earrings are $39 from LittleBrownBird.

Um, notice the names???!!! Yes, I own a pair of these thanks to Barbara from CapitalCityCrafts.

Love ya Barbara!

A sterling silver hand-carved acorn pendant-- so sweet! Just $75 at CapitalCityCrafts.

Gorgeous handmade lampwork beads and sterling silver, this bracelet is $139 from CoolJewelryDesign.

Lovely earth-toned necklace torsade, $48 from AbacusBeadCreations.

Perfect for gifting! Teal pearl double strand necklace is $60 from BeadzNBling.

Almost good enough to eat! These rock candy dangle earrings are $18 from SatinDollCo.

Well I don't want to spoil everything!! So join us for some fun and festive shopping, I know you'll find something you LOVE! See you Sunday.

The perfect "I do"

2010-11-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

I remember getting engaged (800 years ago). I had 3 rules for my (poor) sweet boyfriend-soon-to-be-fiance in what he should NOT do for the proposal:

1) Do NOT propose in public. Contrary to popular belief I am very shy and don't like too much attention. So no jumbotron proposals or announcements by maitre d's in front of entire restaurants for me thank you.

2) Do NOT propose near a body of water. I am extremely spastic and a giant dork. I was sure that if he proposed near the water I would start waving my hands around, jumping around and would accidentally send the ring flying into the water never to be seen again. Major bummer. And did you ever read about this guy?

3) Do NOT put the ring into food. Especially dessert. We all know how much I love my desserts and I imagined swallowing an entire ring without batting an eye in my haste to finish my chocolate mousse. Dessert + Ring + Me = Stomach Pump.

Needless to say, he did a wonderfully sweet proposal (although he did put the ring on a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery. And of course... I didn't see it because I was so intent on picking which one I wanted to EAT).

Five years later I started making alternative engagement rings. My Modern Rock rings are eco-friendly, conflict free and kinda cheeky. And I love my customers, I am humbled that they choose my rings for such a momentous occasion. There are so many great ideas for the newly engaged couple. From some of my favorite shops on Etsy, here are some more sweet ways to say, "I do."

This ring holding dish is $10 at SayYourPiece.

A unique ring bearer pillow for $39.99 at BraggingBags.

Cool cufflinks for him are $45 at TheCufflinkMaker.

Adorable save-the-date magnet. 25 for $42 at TerrillsTiles.

Lovely wedding card is $3 at LemonTreeLaneAus.

His and hers sterling silver wedding rings. $75 for the matching set, handmade by me.

What's your engagement story?

I still love you, I promise

2010-11-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

It's not you, it's me. There's just not enough time in the day to be a mom, a jeweler, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a cook, an organizer, a friend, a writer, an entrepreneur, an accountant, an errand gal, a saleswoman, a marketeer (yes, marketeer), a website designer, a photographer, a life giver, a cow (yes I said cow), a sick person, a well person with an 80-year-old back, and on, and on, and on. *sigh*

We're all busy. I get it. But I don't have to like it. And it's not like I'm deciding if I have time to get a pedicure, that's not what I'm talking about here. You know that.

I love being busy and feeling necessary. And I do lots of things to make sure I'm both of those things. But some days I feel like this...

So on those days when I feel overwhelmed by all the leaves, I need to do this...

and just jump right in!

Happy weekend.

My workspace is a problem.

2010-10-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

As all two of you know (hi Barbara, hi Lisa) my workbench is located in a corner of my bedroom. Right next to it is a giant wooden wardrobe that is jam packed with my shipping, polishing, beading, etc supplies. I live in an apartment with crazy high ceilings but only 1200 square feet to fit my 2 kids, 2 cats and sweet husband and all of our worldly belongings. So you have to build up, not out in this space. That's why in the other corner is a very tall, skinny shelf that has my packaging and craft fair materials on it. It's VERY tall and VERY skinny but it does the trick nicely. This is me standing in my Metalicious space.

Once you get past the fact that my hair is up-- again-- and I am not wearing any make-up-- again--- what you don't see is my bed. Well you can kind of see it peeking up right in front of where I'm standing. Because it's RIGHT THERE NEXT TO MY BENCH.

I dream of having an office where I can have actual dedicated spaces for all the parts of my job that I NEVER HAVE TO PUT AWAY EVERY TIME I USE THEM. But space in New York City though easy to come by... is very hard to afford. Rent for a 475 sq ft dump is a mere $1750 A MONTH. *faints*

So... I work out of my bedroom but it feels like I'm working in here most of the time.

Not to mention that working from home means I pass by the dishes in the sink and then put them into the dishwasher. Then I notice a spill from breakfast on the table. So I wipe it down. As I'm doing that I see all the toys that the kids left in the living room so I put them away. And THEN I feel like I can start working. Until I see pajamas someone left on the floor so I fold them and put them back into his room. And while I'm in there I see some toys that were left out...

You can see where this is going. And this is my life.

But I have dreams!

How to make your own Leaf earrings

2010-09-30T10:34:00.001-07:00

Yes, I love to use parentheses (I use them frequently). But let's move along to my bench shall we?

{NewNew} Tutorial of the day: How to make your own leaf earrings.

You will need:
22 gauge sterling (or copper or brass) sheet
sterling earwire (see my previous tutorial)
heavy duty cutting shears
400 and 600 grit sandpaper
drill with bit (I use my flex shaft)
fine-point sharpie marker
dapping block and large rounded dap
hammer for dapping punch
hand file cut 2

Step 1:
Sketch an outline of the leaf onto the sheet metal thusly (yes I said thusly):

Step 2:

Using shears cut out your shapes. You can clean up the edges in step 3 so don't worry about perfection. In nature leaves are all different shapes and sizes:

Step 3:

Use your hand file and then sandpaper to smooth out the edges:

Step 4:

Using your punch and block, add a nice domed shape to your leaf. Again perfection is not the goal here. This is handmade work people, we are imperfect at best.

Step 5:
Add your satin finish using your sandpaper. Start with 400 and finish with 600. I like to move the paper around in tiny circles to make a uniform texture. Wax on, wax off.

Here is what mine looks like when I'm finished. Almost there:

Step 6:
Drill a hole. There are many drills, even hand drills. I used my flex shaft but you can use a dremel or anything that can hold a skinny drill bit in it's jaws (how big should the drill bit be? Big enough so the hole it makes will fit your earwire through it).

Step 7:
Thread your earwire through the hole and voila! You have an earring! I make both halves at the same time so that they come out looking similar but you can do it any way you please! And yes, your fingers will be this dirty after working at your bench for a few hours, too. Thanks for reading!

Asymmetry

2010-09-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

So here's a sneak peak of a piece I just sent to be cast. I'm so excited about it!!! It's not as symmetrical as it looks in the picture and it will have a nice jumpring at the top to fit a chain through it! WHOOO HOOOOO!

Do you like it? *holds breath*

I'm craving a new bag from Tiffany's

2010-09-11T05:40:00.000-07:00

I want a bag from Tiffany's new handbag line. Yes, I realize they are mostly about marketing. Yes, I realize that $500 for a bag is ridiculous. Yes, I realize that I don't go anyplace to warrant wearing a Tiffany bag on my arm. But I WANT ONE.

Intellectually I get it. But there is something magical about the simple, generic-ish designs that makes me WANT one.

That magic, for me, is Tiffany blue. I am in love with the Tiffany blue color. I love it so much I want to eat it. It's creamy and sweet on it's matte-finished smooth boxes and I want some of it on top of pure vanilla ice cream. But my biggest problem with Tiffany's has been that I could never WEAR the color, I could never OWN the color. Because all of their jewelry is either silver or gold. Not Tiffany blue.

But that has all changed now. The game is on. And I want a Tiffany blue handbag to go with my Metalicious jewelry.

I would carry the Morgan clutch to all the fancy dinner parties I imagine myself going to. Look at how the baguette 'gems' give it a modern feel:

And the TRT: Tiffany Reversible Tote would become my son's new diaper bag plus I could bring home that baguette loaf for dinner. Who cares that it's only large enough to carry a big wallet? I clearly have one to be able to afford it. *sashays away*

Maybe if I carried both of the above bags PLUS this Avenue Shopper Tote I could fit a diaper. Or the baguette. Or a pair of Christian Laboutins. Or maybe it would become a tiny beach bag.

*sigh* Thank you for indulging my whimsical trip to if-I-was-a-gazillionaire land! What are YOU craving?

New York Fashion Week 2010

2010-09-01T20:05:00.001-07:00

From Sept 9-16 New York City will be abuzz when designers gather to show their latest collections for Fashion Week. For the first time ever, Fashion week will be at Lincoln Center, the mecca of all things artsy-fartsy.

In past years it was held in Bryant Park, just a few blocks from the Jewelry District (where you-know-who spends waaay too much time).

As I walked by I couldn't help but get excited to see the white tents going up in Bryant Park each year. There would always be lanky models, sulky fashionistas and crazy designers flitting around the area being filmed by large numbers of camera crews and paparazzi. Here is what it looked like:

And the energy was palpable, you couldn't help but feel the excitement of new clothing lines being 'born' inside of those tents. Plus I'm not naming any names but someone I am very close to watches Project Runway, who is having their show on opening day at 10am. MAKE IT WORK!

Just between us, I have never been to a fashion show. But this is what I imagine it looks like:

So. Now it's at Lincoln Center. One of the most beautiful art/theater/music 'campuses' in the city in my opinion.

I have seen many classical concerts, theater, performance art, super high-end craft fairs and of course, ballet, Jazz, swing dancing and opera here. *sigh* It's the home of The Julliard School, the Mostly Mozart festival, New York City Philharmonic/Ballet/Opera and now the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. You might remember it from that scene in Moonstruck when Cher goes to see an opera and weeps. There is so much culture in that one spot that I bet you can see it from outer space.

So alas I won't be seeing the tents this year. Or the leggy models, pouty fashionistas or oodles of paparazzi. The runway will have to go on without me. Unless of course I can score a ticket to one of the shows...

Summer Lovin'

2010-08-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

So I've been spending my summer trying not to get tangled up in myself and my everyday, exhausting routine of being a mom. My 'baby' is now 8 months old which means he's getting wise to what makes mommy tick. What I'm saying is that HE HAS BECOME VERY GOOD AT MANIPULATING ME.

Those eyes...

That smile...

The incredible squishiness...

But that's not the point. My point is that he is keeping me up at night and distracted during the day. So I haven't had much time to make THE JEWELRY. And it haunts me. THE JEWELRY haunts me the way a really good date haunts me. I dream about it. I replay all the good parts. I come up with new things we could do together on our next date. *sigh*

I have made a few new pieces the few times when THE JEWELRY and I went on a date. Like this uber modern sterling silver and blue sapphire bypass ring. Unique and perfect for your best friend with the September birthday.

and these knuckle rings. Contemporary, urban, chic, sophisticated and really cool. The best part is I have made them available in either sterling silver or golden brass:

But you've seen what THE JEWELRY is competing with. And he's getting smarter every day. I am in big trouble, aren't I?

A tutorial!

2010-07-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

Now you can make your own sterling silver earwires. Handmade! By YOU!

Here is a down-n-dirty tutorial about how to make your own earwires. Please note that I photoshopped my fingers to remove all cuts/abrasions/hangnails that are all part of being a jeweler.

You will need:

22ga sterling silver wire
1 pair chain nose pliers
1 pair flat nose pliers
1 pair flush cutters
1 pair flat nose pliers (not shown)
1 pencil
1 small piece of 400 grit sandpaper (not shown)

Step 1: Cut off 1" length of 22 ga wire using flush cutters. These are the flush cutters and wire, be careful when you cut, the wire likes to fly across the room. Make sure it is pointing down at your workbench (or someone you don't like very much. did I just say that?)

Step 2: Sand the sharp edges of the wire flat. Do this by holding the wire perpendicular to the sandpaper. Hold it toward the bottom or else you will bend the wire where you don't want to. Like so:

Step 3: Make a loop at one end of the wire. Put the tip of the round nose plier to the tip of the wire and hold it firmly (but not so firmly that you crush the wire-- this will take some practice). Turn the plier so you make a circle out of the wire like this:

Step 4: Almost there! Put your pliers down and hold the loop in between your fingertips. Take your pencil and wrap the wire 2/3 around the pencil like this:

Step 5: Take your flat nose pliers and make a slight bend in the long tail part of the earwire, I usually make mine so it is slightly below the original loop. Check it:

Step 6: I promise, you're almost done and for being such a good reader I will give you a cool tip at the end. Now clip it:

Voila! You have made an earwire! You can either sand it as I showed you before:

OR... you can use a neato tool that rounds the wire ends in a flash! SURPRISE! A cool tool trick, it's called a (duh) Wire Rounder and it is basically a cup bur that has been mounted in a wooden handle:

That's it! Thanks for reading, hope you liked my tutorial.

hello blog

2010-06-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

I miss you. But I'm tired.

I had a great and welcome response to my uber-sale last week. And now I am cobbled by my children and a husband who decided I need to be tortured by said children by leaving me ALONE with them for 5 DAYS.

So I am writing, my dear blog, to tell you that you're my only friend. And I wish you could change diapers and wake up with the baby at 4:30 and 6 am. And that you could make his lunch and take the big kid to school tomorrow morning so that I could sleep in. And would it be too much to ask if you could rub my feet once in a while? Or how about making me a nice, strong martini? How about one for the kids, too?

That way we'd all get some sleep around here.

Metalicious Jewelry is on what?

2010-06-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

SALE! 25% off and I've been adding newness all week. Check 'em out:

Two rings are better than one. Buy the set on sale 'til Saturday for $148.50.

6 mini moderns in sterling silver on sale for $165. That's $27 per ring!!!

But only until Saturday. Buy the stacking set in my Etsy shop.

One more newbie will be making an appearance sometime tomorrow.

Keep checking back at my shop, I know you're gonna love it!

Cake!

2010-06-12T17:11:00.000-07:00

eek! I can hardly stand it! My birthday is one of my most favorite days of the year. I like it so much that I celebrate the whole week long! I have also been known in the past, to celebrate the entire MONTH for my birthday.

But those days are past and I am a mom now and it's not so much about me anymore. (Don't tell my husband though, I still love his little notes and gifts and pecks on the cheek as reminders that it's still about me sometimes).

This year since I can't share my cake with you (usually something chocolate-y and sickeningly sweet that is so big I can have leftovers for breakfast for a couple of days) I am celebrating by having my first-time-ever-birthday-sale in my Etsy shop.

Starting tonight at midnight through midnight June 19th I will be offering 25% off everything in my Etsy shop.

That's right, a percent off for every year I was born (if you believe that I've got a bridge to sell you).

People, get your running shoes on because the sale is about to begin!

The machine

2010-05-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

Some days I feel like I have so many ideas I'll just pop and that I don't have enough time to make everything I've 'invented' in my imagination. Other days I'm happy to do my repetitive work, filling orders for things I've been making for years or organizing my workbench or ordering supplies. I can't make the donuts every day, (no matter how much I love them). Today was one of those days that I'm happy for the repetition. I have been at the computer all. day. long.

What am I doing all day on the computer (my lovely husband likes to ask me, too)? Well the part of selling online I find most challenging is actually listing items for people to purchase in my shop. Listing consists of editing photos and writing the descriptions. Oh, and figuring out pricing. I hate math. Anyone who has visited me at craft fairs knows that I always have my best friend helping me out. Not only is she fabulous, kind and generous. But she makes a damn fine cash register. Literally.

So here I am editing, writing, calculating. And it's really tough for me. But I listed some items that are part of my Muse Collection but have never been online and feel really good about them. They are simple but very powerful and I really love making them. There's something satisfying to me when I can use a hammer and bang on sterling silver and end up with something wearable and chic. It's just something I love to do. (I'm also singing along to the Glee soundtrack, it helps balance out the pain of doing math).

Anyway, it's all part of building my business. One brick at a time.

I just wish I didn't have to do the math.

I wish I could take better pictures.

2010-05-04T18:54:00.001-07:00

That is all. Carry on.

This just in...

2010-04-29T19:32:00.000-07:00

Slowly the feeling in my left foot is returning. This means the nerves in my back are starting to regenerate. Yes, it's exciting!

In fact as soon as I started to feel tingling again I was so excited that I had to do 8,000 toe raises to show everyone how much better I was feeling. And I think I injured my foot from overuse. So I'm still limping.

But it's all good. And it sure beats lying on a mattress on the floor of my kitchen for 6 hours waiting for painkillers to work and then having to go to the hospital via ambulance. What? Was that even me?

I've also been sneaking in some bench work and finished a sweet diamond engagement ring, a sapphire bypass ring and I'm in the process of making some cute new earrings with the tiniest sapphires in them. Orange ones. eep.

Working girl

2010-04-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

I'm always searching for ways to grow. Maybe it's because I'm a Geminii, or maybe it's because I'm a Type A personality, or maybe it's just because I am a daredevil at heart and love taking risks. Whatever it is, it makes me open to new challenges. And it drives my husband crazy.

As I sit here typing-- I've just finished an application for a 4-week business course to help me focus on growing my business in this tough economy. I am also answering e-mails from customers, re-listing items in my online shop and noticing a spoiled-milk smell and realizing it's the baby spit-up on my shoulder since I didn't change my shirt because I started working as soon as I put him to bed.

I just love to be busy! If it were up to me I'd be running Metalicious, being the go-to-Mom at school, singing in an a cappella choir, running 4 miles a day, making a wholesome dinner for my family from locally sourced ingredients, impressing my Mother and Mother-in-Law twice a month by hosting them at a fancy tea wherein their grandsons perform Mozart on the grand piano we don't have, going out to dinner with my husband every other week looking as young and thin as I did the day we were married, and having a perfect hair day. every. day.

Instead I choose to be okay with the fact that my hair usually looks like this:

and my business is still small enough to run out of the corner of my bedroom:

and the fact that both of my 'Moms' really enjoy being around my kids even when they are crazy beasts,
and that every once in a while I get to be the hero and read a story or sing a song with my son's classmates,
and that my husband loves me in spite of my crazy hair, crazy kids and messy Metaliciousness all over our house (and the fact that I've never-really-lost-the-baby-weight).

What is my point? I guess I don't really have one. I have twenty. And they are all calling my name.

GIVEAWAY!

2010-04-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank ALL 3 OF YOU for reading my blog. Now is your chance to win the chic Metalicious Glimpse necklace you see to your left.

What do you need to do? Go to my Etsy shop, pick out your favorite piece and post it here in the comments. The 35th post will win. It's that easy.

Ready? GO!!!

Back to the future

2010-04-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

Health update: I am getting lower back surgery next week to remove the damaged part of my S1 disk. It is said disk that has been pressing on my sciatic nerve causing me pain, limping and all sorts of reasons to go to the hospital. Good times here in Metaliciousland.

But the neurosurgeon gave me a 90% chance of getting the feeling back in my foot and leg. So it's all good (except the part where I can't bend or pick anything up for 6 weeks-- including my baby). I should be good as new in 3 months.

Thank you all for your kind words, thoughts, hugs, and all other ways you have supported me through this bizarre health crisis.

Here is what my back looks like now:

heh. heh. heh. Okay fine, it's one of my best selling necklaces, The Goddess.

But for now I still have Hope.

The Things I Think About

2010-03-20T16:48:00.001-07:00

1) Why do I love my children the most when they are sleeping or when I am on a date with my husband?

2) Doctors should not be attractive. It just makes things awkward.

3) Why is it that even if my husband takes out the garbage, recycling AND empties the dishwasher I will still get mad at him for not putting his socks in the laundry basket? But really, why MUST he leave them next to the bed?!

4) THINGS I WANT: another torch with a full range of torch tips, a smaller saw frame, a bigger saw frame, more needle files (specifically half-round cut 2 and 4), a soldering pan, spray-on flux, an entire set of hammering t-stakes, some delrin to make my own forming blocks, a jumpring maker, a smaller tap and die set, a dead blow hammer (not as dirty as it sounds), another foredom motor with a quick-change handpiece, a rubber mallet... on and on and on.... oh and if I could have an extra room added to my li'l apartamento that would be nice, too.

5) I wish I had blank business card-sized pieces of paper that I could write stuff on and give to people. So if a stranger is having a great hair day, or their zipper is down, or if the guy they are with is treating them horribly, or if they are crying, or anything really... I could write something nice on the card and give it to them. Then quickly leave the subway car because I don't want to get punched.

6) I am the reason they don't put wheels on adult sneakers.

7) Why do I STILL sweat and giggle when I'm nervous? I'm almost 40 for heaven's sake, yet I'm still a social idiot.

8) Holy shoot, I'm almost 40.

9) 40 is the new 30, right?!!

10) I also desperately want you to like me and will smile and be overly nice to you until you do.

Beans and pillowbeans

2010-03-17T19:09:00.001-07:00

Beans and pillowbeans
Originally uploaded by metaliciousjewelry

This is what happens in my house at night.

The best cure for depression is jewelry

2010-03-10T16:51:00.000-08:00

and chocolate. and this picture I found when I googled 'depression.'

That's right people, I'm depressed. Between post-partum, 2 hospital trips in one week and now I can't walk without a limp... it's been tough going. Imagine me limping along and pushing my 3-month-old in a stroller as we walk around the city. Where are we walking? To various spine doctors (not to be confused with spin doctors, although I'm sure they are related) where I put on yet another washed out hospital gown and I show them how I can't stand up on my tippy-toes because I CAN'T FEEL MY FOOT.

You know what I hate the most? Those gowns. The color isn't flattering on ANY complexion, not to mention the fit. And how is it that no matter how tightly I tie the top, it always slides open and falls down? And how on earth does that other tie-- the one on the side-- even work? I can never find the other part to tie it to so my XXXXXL robe that is already falling off my shoulders now also reveals my underpants.

Anyway, the best medicine for me has always been chocolate, I mean making jewelry. Okay, both. (I'm a Geminii for heaven's sake). So here's my latest, inspired by the person who is my shoulder to cry on, my best go-to babysitter, my cheerleader, my mom.

Here's to you, Mom!

Baby's Got (bad) back

2010-02-27T06:07:00.000-08:00

So I was rushed to the ER of St. Vincent's in the West Village on Tuesday night. I have been fighting with sciatica for 2 months now and sciatica finally won. I ended up flat on my back on the kitchen floor writhing in pain. My sweet husband brought a mattress for me to be more comfortable but I felt more like I was back somewhere in 1994 at a bad frat party. But I digress...

We were in touch with my orthopedist all throughout the day. After 6 hours of taking narcotics (prescribed of course) I wasn't any better. I couldn't stand, walk or worst of all... use the restroom. It was time to go to the hospital.

I don't know how it happened but the two female ambulance drivers were straight out of the Naked Gun 33 1/3 movie. The gurney didn't fit in our elevator so they had to put me in a wheelchair.... now did I mention that I COULDN'T EVEN MOVE without excruciating pain? They didn't care, I got up to my hands and knees when my back started spasming and I started screaming. The next thing I knew my arms were wrapped around a soft, fleece-wearing woman with my face jammed into her bosom. I was still screaming, shaking and sobbing. Finally I was in the chair, holding myself up with my arms, sitting with one cheek hanging off the edge and still sobbing and shaking. And did I mention I hadn't showered since the morning before? Anyone who knows me knows what my hair looks like when I don't shower-- think medusa meets Gene Wilder.

So that's how I was brought out of my apartment, into the lobby where my superintendent watched in horror as I shrieked and wept as they put me on the stretcher and proceeded to BUMP INTO EVERY WALL, DOOR JAMB AND LAMP POST in the short distance between my lobby and the ambulance.

Finally I was in the ambulance, safe and sound and sobbing. This pain was worse than labor by far. The gurney ride into the hospital was more of the same BUMPING into everything. It was to the point where other people in the hospital were rushing to help them 'steer.'

Luckily the ER wasn't too busy and I was able to get some more narcotics. The physicians assistant would try one thing and it wouldn't be enough to relieve the pain so he'd try something else. I ended up taking everything from oxycodone to dilaudid before I finally was able to NOT FEEL ANYTHING. THANK YOU SCIENCE.

I spent the next 2 days doped up and was finally able to walk on day 2, thanks to doctors sticking two 5" needles into my spine for something called a cortisone epidural. Good times. Here's what I saw most of the time in the hospital:

I came home yesterday, took a delicious shower to wash off 3 days of no-shower-hospital-gook. And I made it right before the giant snowstorm of 2010. Here was the view the morning I left, it's looking downtown from the West Village. My favorite place in New York City.

Hopefully I'm on the mend. I'm still taking many addictive narcotics and have an MRI and doctor's appointments the next few weeks. I need to get better so I can get back to taking care of my boys and making my jewelry. In my opinion, the glass is always half full. I'll make it!

peek

2010-02-16T08:00:00.001-08:00

O Karaoke

2010-01-26T08:40:00.000-08:00

I love singing but I'm not a big fan of singing in front of people. Let me clarify, I come from a Von Trapp type family and we all can sing, and in high school I performed in musicals and accapella groups. And I love Glee. But the truth is I have severe stage fright when it comes to singing in front of people (just like Barbra--ha).

Karaoke is genius and can be so much fun (especially when my tone-deaf husband sings Mr. Roboto in falsetto, it makes me cry). But it can also be horrifying if you pick the wrong song and it makes people cringe and feel sorry for you and walk away to get another drink, hoping that being by the bar will mute you somehow.

But I still love it, and a few cosmos with a splash of sour mix help anyone hit the high notes in a 'Heart' song. Ann and Nancy Wilson are goddesses, no question.

I believe there is a true art to picking the 'right' karaoke song. First you need to know your audience. Are they hipster kids who have no clue who Wonder Woman is and would vomit if they heard you sing Copacabana? Or are there lots of Big Band aficionados who will applaud your version of Nat King Cole's L-O-V-E? In any case, you need to know who you are singing to. No matter how much you love 'Careless Whisper' it ain't gonna get people clapping along.

Also, fast songs are more likely to keep people from covering their ears. Even if you suck people will stick around because they think the song is going to be over soon because it is fast. And you need to pick a song that fits your vocal range. Women, this means a low song. Don't try to sing anything by Judy Garland because you will sound like a cat in heat. Don't ask me how I know, just trust me on this. So think of songs you like that are sung by a man. Or Joan Jett.

If you feel your song is bombing, there's not much you can do. But don't give up, there's nothing worse than a karaoke song with no one singing it, it's akin to listening to Muzak. So give it your all. This means you should wave your hands, shake your butt and sing like there's no one in the room with you. Because probably at this point, it's true.

I don't do a whole lot of karaoke, but I do like to analyze it. Based on my attending, singing, bombing and rocking karaoke I have some ideas as to what songs are less apt to leave you Dancing with Yourself. So with no further ado, here are my top 10 favorite karaoke songs:

1) I Love Rock-n-Roll
2) Bohemian Rhapsody
3) Don't Stop Believin' (or any Journey song really)
4) On the Radio
5) Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
6) Fat Bottomed Girls (or anything else by Queen)
7) New York, New York
8) The Lady is a Tramp
9) Fame
10) What a Feelin'

Thank you!

2009-12-22T11:08:00.001-08:00

Thank you!
Originally uploaded by metaliciousjewelry

Barbara from Capital City Crafts sent me these gorgeous earrings as a 'mommy' present! They have baby handprints and one says "oliver" and the other says "asher" for my boys.

Mary from Little Brown Bird made them by hand.

I'm so lucky to have such wonderful and talented friends!

Happy holidays from my Familicious!

2009-12-19T18:24:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all happy holidays and best wishes for a prosperous New Year!

My best work is babylicious

2009-12-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

Here he is, my baby Oliver was born on Wednesday, December 9th!

Asher has some questions...

2009-12-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

We put up the nativity set today. Asher had some questions:

"How did the holy spirit get Mary pregnant?"

"Why did God have a baby Jesus?"

Looking at the decorative moss all over the manger, "Wow, that's dirty."

"We need more hay."

"Where are the horses?"

"What's myrrh?"

"Where's the gold?"

"Does Frankincense smell bad?"

Looking at one of the 3 kings, "Is his beard trimmed?"

"Where is the holy spirit?"

It's going to be an interesting Christmas.

From the bottom of my metalicious heart.

2009-11-26T07:04:00.000-08:00

Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. I have so much to be thankful for, but this post is not about me. It's about you.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me, my work and my shops this year and always. I am humbled by your generosity, positive encouragement and help to keep me afloat during this difficult year. You all rock. And I am thankful for each and every one of you!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy holidays to YOU!

Now it's time to say goodbye...

2009-11-08T20:02:00.000-08:00

aw, don't worry it's just for a little while. Since the deadline for special orders was Monday, November 9th I will only be shipping in-stock items until November 30th, when I will temporarily close up shop for maternity leave.

You can browse all in-stock items in my Etsy Shop.

T-minus 4 1/2 weeks until baby day!!!

Chocoholism thrives in NYC

2009-11-01T11:16:00.001-08:00

My son is a clone of his father, I hear that every day and darn it, it's true.

Well, there's one thing besides allergies that my boy inherited from me: Chocoholism. So we were VERY excited to go to The Chocolate Show a few blocks away. That's him in front of a haunted house made entirely of-- you guessed it--- chocolate.

Although the show was smaller than it has been in past years (this recession is even hitting me in the sweet tooth), there was still enough chocolate sampling to give us both enormous sugar comas. A few of my favorites, always milk chocolate:
2Chicks: try their bark! I loved the blueberries and nuts and... and.. and...
Berkshire Bark: my favorite was their Pretzological bar filled with caramel, pretzels and peanut butter.

And if my husband is reading this, here's our next vacation spot: I want to go here, so does our son.

We can't wait until next year.

Big pimpin'

2009-10-22T20:06:00.001-07:00

DSCN0356
Originally uploaded by cccraftstudio

Well, here I am at the Madison Square Park Mark't! The market runs until November 1st and is located at 23rd and 5th Aves. Please come by to visit, you can find out when I'm working here: http://www.shopnycraft.com

There are 6 other fantastic artists sharing the booth with me so there is something for everyone!

And wow, look at my prego belly! eep.

Pressure!!

2009-09-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Lots of excitement here getting ready for our little bundle of metalicious to arrive. I'm in my last trimester so I'm working hard to stock up my best sellers so I can keep them in my shop while I'm on 'maternity leave.'

I also have a 3 week show coming up so I'm making lots of new things for it. SO much to do, and also getting in some time with my 4 1/2 year old who just gets funnier each day.

Oh, and we need to get a bathtub put in (don't ask) and a wardrobe built (for the metalicious headquarters storage unit). *sigh*

eep! So much good stuff happening, just wanted to share!

A simple postcard

2009-09-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

The Creative Center had a benefit tonight to raise money to support their cause. They bring the Arts to people living with cancer. In preparation, they asked for 4 x 6 postcards created by artists to be donated to help raise money at the event.

Well, I have a hard time considering myself an artist. I think everyone is an artist, we all express it in different ways. But I wanted to help such a great cause, so I made my very own Metalicious version of a postcard. It's made from a sheet of copper that I hand-tooled.

I hope it helped! Click here to find out more about The Creative Center.

JET sale this weekend only!

2009-09-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

JETSALE : WEEKEND DEALS 25 - 27 September 2009

Snuggle up this weekend with some great offers from the JET team on
Etsy. Whether you're looking for something special for a birthday,
would like to accessorize your outfit for the upcoming Halloween fun,
or are already looking forward to the Christmas season - you'll find
plenty of jewelry and accessories to choose from in the JET team
SALE.

JET team comprises of a large number of artisans who handcraft and
present for sale their own creations directly to you. There are many
styles of jewellery to choose from, and if, on an odd chance, you
don't find exactly what you're looking for, you can always request a
custom item. Supplies, clutches, bags, hair accessories, scarves, pins
and many other items are also included in this promotion.

Shop local with us! Whether you're in US, Canada, UK, Australia, Asia,
Brazil, or Europe - you'll find a shop close to you as our members are
located all over the world!

To take advantage of JET team SALE, visit any of the shops in the list
below & note the Shop Announcement on the home page. Each shop has
it's own special discounts during this weekend, but each request you
either to contact them for a custom/reserved listing mentioning
'WEEKEND DEALS', or, alternatively put 'WEEKEND DEALS' in notes to the
seller at the checkout in order to take advantage of the discounts.

http://3squares.etsy.com
http://abacusbeadcreations.etsy.com
http://adroitjewelers.etsy.com
http://Angeliquescreations.etsy.com
http://artmadebytammy.etsy.com
http://beadifuldesigns.etsy.com
http://brookejewelry.etsy.com
http://capitalcitycrafts.etsy.com
http://cocosgreenhouse.etsy.com
http://combustionglassworks.etsy.com
http://cooljewelrydesign.etsy.com
http://cooljewelryjr.etsy.com
http://crystalimpressions.etsy.com
http://danugs.etsy.com
http://dashery.etsy.com
http://designsbycher.etsy.com
http://divinedesignbyforet.etsy.com
http://emotionaloasis.etsy.com
http://erikaprice.etsy.com
http://foret.etsy.com
http://forettwo.etsy.com
http://grandmamarilyns.etsy.com
http://grandmamarilynstoo.etsy.com
http://intheraw.etsy.com
http://jdsgemsnd.etsy.com
http://jemsbyjbandcompany.etsy.com
http://jewelry24seven.etsy.com
http://justicejewelry.etsy.com
http://littlebrownbird.etsy.com
http://littlebugjewelry.etsy.com
http://lotusstone.etsy.com
http://lucidjewelry.etsy.com
http://malves1009.etsy.com
http://marciejanedesigns.etsy.com
http://metalicious.etsy.com
http://michon.etsy.com
http://nightskyjewelry.etsy.com
http://ovgilliesdesigns.etsy.com
http://satindollco.etsy.com
http://sendinglovegallery.etsy.com
http://stoutdg2.etsy.com
http://sugarpanda.etsy.com
http://thebrasshussy.etsy.com
http://urbanmetal.etsy.com
http://vitrine.etsy.com

Fall 2009 Shows

2009-09-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

Here they are! Come and visit me!!

Hoboken Art & Music Festival
Sunday, September 27, 2009
12-6pm
Hoboken, NJ

Madison Square Park Pop-up Market
October 9 - October 31st
11am - 8pm
23rd St & Madison, NY, NY

Chelsea Crafts-- Handmade Fair
October 17th
11am-6pm
320 West 21st Street, NY, NY

Clothes shopping!

2009-09-01T06:05:00.001-07:00

Not for me silly. I'm 7 months prego and big as a house! For my 4 1/2 year old son. Whooo hoo!

For those of you who don't know, let me tell you that everything looks good on 4 1/2 year olds. Even feather boas and skinny leg jeans. But I digress...

Buying clothes for boys stinks. They will wear practically anything at this age ("except skirts." mine says, "those are for girls." hmmmm. who is planting these ideas in his little head??). The reason it stinks is because boys clothing stinks.

Unless you are way into sports and enjoy dressing your son like an inner city basketball team player. Your other choices are the uber-snobby-expensive lines of boys clothing that will make my kid look like he belongs to a prep school polo team. *shudder*

So you have your choice between making your kid look like a sports nut or making him look like a WASP.

There is really only one store that is more helpful in dressing your kid like a cool kid without the team logos or 100% cashmere. It's H&M. My metrosexual husband and I agree that most of the time they toe the line between cute (because lets face it 4 year olds are still cute) and cool.

So here are my picks for my nerdy-chic kid...

And if he was a baby rockstar...

Time to get out the door and get shopping!

Fall 2009 Stylewatch... studs

2009-08-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

I've been watching this trend grow over the past 2 years. Remember the bedazzler? Well now the faceted 'studded' look is finally hitting the runway.

It's a rocker punk type style from the 80's reinterpreted for the 00's. I scoured to find some of the greatest hits online and am bringing them to you.

P.S. As an 80's baby, this is one of my faves.

Studded Pelmet mini-skirt from TopShop. Super sexy and very wearable. Now where did I put those skinny legs?

This delicious bag is from Marc Jacobs. Uber expensive por moi but there are tons of similar options in all price points. Wear it and get funny looks from your mother-in-law. Oh wait, that's just me.

Now you're talkin' affordable AND adorable. Available at Forever 21 in stores only. When you want to get in touch with your inner punk princess. Or you can make your own using the fabulous bedazzler mentioned above.

Yeah, these are mine. Don't say I told you so... but you can buy them here.

I'm excited.

2009-08-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

I realized today that I use way too many exclamation points when corresponding via e-mail with people. One of my lovely customers told me that I crack her up because I'm so energetic. I am? I'm pregnant (read: tired), entertain a 4-year-old all day long and work in between whenever I can. I'm exhausted. But I use a lot of exclamation points!! So it seems like I'm SO EXCITED!! ALL THE TIME!!! YEAH!!!

Right now I'm sitting, slumped, on the couch with my feet up on the coffee table (who really uses a coffee table for coffee anyway?) and the computer in my lap. I'm so excited I can barely keep my eyes open!!! Whoo Hoo!

Hee. hee. hee. That picture above is from 2 years ago and I was playing miniature golf. And I truly was excited.

A few of my favorite things...

2009-07-25T20:04:00.001-07:00

I was browsing through my favorites on Etsy today, the talent on that site blows me away. As a Geminii I am entitled to change my favorites at will, but for today at this moment here are some of them...

If I had less boobs and a ballet-dancer's body (mind you I'm 5 months prego), then this is the dress I would wear. Seriously hot stuff from, who else but BlackVintageDress.

And wouldn't this bangle, or better yet a stack of them, look great on my model-dancer-actress-skinny wrist? Yeah, I think so, too. Rock 'em at GurlyGirl's shop.

Hmmm. I'd forgo the skinny bod for a truckful of these! It's like crack-wrapped-in-chocolate. Yummy deliciousness from SugarMohawk.

This is too flippin' cute. It's so cute I want to eat it, but in a good I-don't-have-pica kind of way, you know? You don't know. Look it up. And check out the other adorable sweeties at MoonsCreations.

Over and out.

Summertime finally

2009-07-21T05:28:00.001-07:00

After a month and a half of rainy days we finally had some sunshine. I've been keeping busy (but how many block towers/cookies/books/roller coasters can a person build/bake/read/make with her 4 year old).

AND I also mean busy at the bench. I made a new piece that has the same curvy line as my Goddess set, but I set a gorgeous purple amethyst nestled into the curve. The end result is contemporary and sparkly. You can find out more about it in my Etsy shop.

And there's more to come!

Curvalicious

2009-06-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

Another new addition to my bubble collection. These Goddess Earrings have been requested by my customers for 2 years and I finally was able to make them. They match my Goddess necklace . Thanks for such a great idea, my customers totally rock!

And they're in stock just in time for my weekend Bubble sale in my Etsy shop. June 26-28th you'll get 10% off any piece in my bubble section .

Fun and a little feisty, just like yours truly.

Hot off the bench!

2009-06-24T08:04:00.001-07:00

Here's the first item I've been working fast and furious on to add to my bubbles collection. Every gal needs hoops, why not have some with that extra somethin-somethin? They'll be on sale this weekend, June 26-28th but get 'em before they're sold out!

You can find these cuties in my Etsy shop .

Happy shopping!

It's coming...

2009-06-23T06:11:00.001-07:00

My super-duper Bubbles sale! Coming this weekend only, June 26-28th and the first time my bubbles are on sale. 10% off if you use the code "bubblicious" in the notes to seller. I will refund you via paypal when you buy in my Etsy shop .

And keep an eye out for some brand spanking new bubble styles!

Sneaky Peak!

2009-06-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

Oooh, lots of new things are brewing here in my Metalicious brain. I am feeling really inspired lately and have been lucky enough to have had some time at my bench.

Uninterrupted time is pretty much non-existent when you have a 4-year-old at home. There are roller coasters to build, dirt and rocks to collect and science projects to create. But I've carved out some time and put the pedal to the metal.

Here's a sneak peak at what's coming up for the summer at Metalicious. Just in time for my SUMMER BUBBLES SALE which will happen June 26-28th in my Etsy shop .

Upcoming Milestone

2009-05-21T05:07:00.001-07:00

I'm quickly coming up on 200 sales in my Etsy shop, woo hooooo!! I am so excited!

As a great, big thank you I am giving away a free necklace to the person who is my 200th customer! You can see all my handmade jewelry available here in my Etsy shop .

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who helped me reach this milestone (yeah, I mean you!). You rock!

Cosmos Cuff

2009-05-11T10:18:00.001-07:00

This great, big cuff is an Italian antique. I love the shape and softness to it. What a statement piece!

Welcome!

2009-05-04T19:37:00.001-07:00

To all 2 of you reading my blog!

Thank you for your support.

Upcoming Milestone

2009-04-30T14:20:00.001-07:00

Spring Fever

2009-03-31T18:02:00.001-07:00

I'm totally a victim of Spring fever. I've been in the cabin for too long and I'm about ready to burst. I do have some new things brewing so once the sun comes out, so will the new stuff. Here's a sneak peek.

With a lot more to come! Stay tuned.

Zen and the art of surfing

2009-03-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

I went to Hawaii last week. It was raining the first two days but I've come to accept rain on vacations as part of my family curse. So what did I do? I surfed. For the first time ever. And I stood up. Every. Time.

I can't take all the credit though, I had a fantastic teacher who also happens to sell on Etsy. Click here to see he and Kristin's amazing work. Seababe offers jewelry that is chic and cool with an edge. It's all handmade by them in Hawaii. They are also super smart and sweet to work with. I love their work, please check out their shop!

Wax carving

2009-03-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

It's something I never thought I could do, carving. I was never any good at working with clay or even carving Ivory soap bars on camping trips in Girl Scouts. Even now I still surprise myself when I finish a wax carving, that it turned out looking like what I intended it to.

Here's a brand new piece that I carved last weekend. It took me about 3 1/2 hours to carve it, but I had to take little breaks in between. Usually when I start swearing I know it's time to walk away from my bench.

Step one, start with a block of wax:

Step two, saw off a slab and trace pattern onto the block:

Step three, saw out a rough shape:

Step four, shape with files, fingernail, rough cloth, whatever ya got:

Step five, using burrs carve out the back of the piece and create a bail:

Last step, smooth it out until it's perfect and ready for casting:

Stay tuned for the final piece...

Studio Sale time!

2009-02-13T07:39:00.000-08:00

Going on right now, get 20% off the entire Modern Rock Collection in my Metalicious Etsy Shop.

Inspiration comes when you least expect it

2009-01-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

This morning while running errands I saw this quote in a subway tunnel: "Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence."

It reminded me that even in very small ways, the things I am doing to build my business will eventually help me succeed and reach my goal. As a (very) small business owner, sometimes the challenges seem insurmountable. I have to remember to be the dripping water and not the stone.

My sincerest thanks to everyone who helped me take Metalicious from an idea to a work-in-progress. I am grateful from the bottom of my metalsmithing heart. Happy 2009.

Mod 70's Cuff

2008-12-28T05:25:00.000-08:00

Made by Van Der Straeten in the 70's, this cuff bracelet is sterling silver with a gunmetal finish. Isn't it great?!

Wax on, wax off

2008-12-16T09:51:00.000-08:00

No, this isn't one of my wax-carved rings. My filing & piercing class at F.I.T. is finally over.

I took the class as a way to break the monotony and hone my skills. And honestly, how hard can it be to file? I've been doing this for over 10 years, right?

Within the first two weeks I was getting Ds and Fs on my projects. I couldn't file a flat surface and keep it completely flat. And I couldn't keep a surface 90 degrees from it's side. And after filing the same thing for 3 hours in each class, your fingers numb, your eyes blurry from staring at a tiny piece of metal... and to know that I was getting Ds... I just wanted to give up. I was a terrible jeweler, what was I doing trying to make a living doing this? My work stinks. I stink.

I felt like a failure, but I also knew that I was learning a lot about myself. I learned that when I'm not 'the best' at something I will give up quickly so that I am not seen as a 'failure.' I also tend to make excuses why I'm so bad but everyone else is so good (I have a kid, I don't have time, they have plenty of time, etc.). The truth is that everyone has something that could keep them from being great at what they do. The truth is that the ones who succeed are the ones who don't give up.

And eventually, one day in the middle of a 3 hour filing torture-- I came to accept these things as part of who I am. And I embraced them. Yes, I'm not the best but I can work hard to get better. Yes, I don't have a lot of time but no one else does either-- they make time and I need to make time, too.

Today I marched in with my final project. There were a lot of mistakes but I worked really hard to make the piece, spending over 12 hours on it, and was so pleased of how far I came in the class. So I proudly handed my ring over to my teacher. A smile slowly formed as he turned it overatnd over in his hand. He pointed out the mistakes and I nodded in agreement. Then he said, "This is some really good work." Then he leaned over and wrote in his book, "A."

Trunk shows!

2008-12-11T18:10:00.001-08:00

Upcoming trunk shows:

Sunday, December 14th 12-6pm
Artez'n
444 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Wednesday, December 17th 6-8pm
Fact & Fancy
75B Hoyt Street, Brooklyn, NY

New stackable set!

2008-12-10T20:53:00.001-08:00

you get 3 rings...
Originally uploaded by metaliciousjewelry

I'm so excited to present the latest in Metalicious stacking sets. A gorgeous blue iolite twinkles on a softly squared band. On each side are textured wink bands I carved from wax and had cast into silver. Available in my etsy shop!

Cyber Monday

2008-11-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

Are you ready? All this talk about Cyber Monday has me all revved up for some sales! I'm having a 20% off sale on my website. All you have to do is enter HOHO2008 upon checkout.

And I have a special sale section in my Etsy shop. Some great holiday deals, stocking stuffers, etc.

Come on by for super Cyber Monday Metalicious style!

Geometry ring

2008-11-21T09:19:00.001-08:00

Geometry ring1
Originally uploaded by metaliciousjewelry

I love geometric designs with an organic twist, that's how this ring was born. It's featured in my etsy shop.

Check out the bangle that goes with it!

Metal madness!

2008-11-16T13:24:00.001-08:00

It's getting down to the wire (ha. ha.) for holiday shopping. Black Friday is coming up fast and furious and what do you have to show for it? A discount code for some fabulous jewelry at Metalicious.

That's 20% off everything on my site!! Get on over there and place your order before Dec. 1st to be sure to get your pretties in time for the holidays.

And thanks, as always, for your love and support.

ETSY here I come!

2008-10-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited. For 2 reasons.

One: I'm going to meet a cyber-friend and fellow jeweler Madelynn Smith-Cassin aka OneGarnetGirl in person for the first time tomorrow night! I bought her blue iolite ring above and LOVE it. If that's not good enough...

Two: We're going to do a Virtual Lab at Etsy, the site where we met! It started out as a whimsical "Let's go visit Etsy because that's totally hilarious and dorky" and turned into a workshop about polishing techniques. Wahoo!

Look for us on Friday at 2pm at the Virtual Lab link above, hope to see you there!

Lalique

2008-09-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

Did you know Rene Lalique made jewelry? I saw a show featuring his work and was amazed by the beautiful details and creativity in every piece he made.

This one is calle "La Princesse Lointaine" and shows a medieval female figure with a greyhound in a wooded scene. It was named after the central character, played by Sarah Bernhardt, of Edmond Rostand's 1895 play. Click on the picture to see the detail, it's breathtaking.

Ah, the drama.

Tarnish-buster

2008-09-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick and easy way to remove tarnish from your sterling silver jewelry, it's safe for most gemstones and pearls.

Tarnish-Busting Formula
1. Choose a plastic or glass (never metal) pan that is deep enough so that when filled with water your tarnished jewelry will be covered.
2. Put a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour near-boiling water into the pan.
4. Add a couple tablespoons of baking soda to the water.
5. Place the tarnished jewelry onto the piece of aluminum.
6. If necessary, add more baking soda to the dish until you see the tarnish coming off your piece. You should get a slight bubbling effect with an odd metallic odor.

Let me know how it works for you!

Introducing... MODERN ROCK

2008-08-11T12:23:00.000-07:00

I'm officially unveiling my latest collection right here, right now. Every woman deserves diamonds, I've made them affordable so you can have more than one!

My collection is made from sterling silver, I carved the 'gems' to look like faceted diamonds-- the big guys are over 2 carats in size!! Stack 'em up and wear 'em proudly. These aren't your Mother's diamonds.

Jena at Modish.com was kind enough to give me a shout out. Thanks Jena!

Coming down from vacation

2008-08-09T05:18:00.000-07:00

*sigh* We just got back from spending a week at the beach. "Down the shore" is what the Jersey girl in me says. Any way you say it, it was a blessed, gorgeous, relaxing, sunny, crazy ole time!

Time to start up the gears once again and get moving on toward the end of summer. Boo.

Can you see me?

2008-08-02T06:09:00.001-07:00

here's a cool, new widget:

Excitement for the day!

2008-07-23T12:47:00.001-07:00

I was on the front page of one of the sites I sell my jewelry on! Whoo hoo!!!!

Why is this exciting? Because it brought me 500 views to my one piece of jewelry and about 40 people made me one of their favorite shops there.

Look here.

Bubble Magic

2008-07-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

More delicious bubbles, fun fizz for the fingers!

I'm taking the summer to enjoy my family so productivity has slowed. This, however, does not stop creativity. I'll be back to full blast for the Fall.

I am obsessed...

2008-06-24T19:42:00.001-07:00

with watch fobs. Help me.

Trunkt Amazing Artists

2008-06-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

I am honored to be a part of the Trunkt Amazing Artists book series. I am featured on page 14 here.

Very exciting! Thank you Trunkt!

Riveting.

2008-06-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

I've always loved rivets. And lots of texture. Years ago I made a set of wedding bands where I riveted 2 bands together with 6 tube rivets evenly spaced all the way around. The inner band was silver and the outer was brass. I used silver tubing as the rivet to contrast against the brass. They turned out really cool but I learned that you have to shape the metal into a round ring first, then rivet through the bands.

So here's another take on the tube rivet using brass tubing on sterling silver sheet that I carefully pounded using two different striking heads.

Available here: at my etsy store.

Studio Jewelers

2008-05-28T19:11:00.000-07:00

I am constantly coming up against a conundrum. Do I want to be a studio jeweler or do I want to be a production jeweler ?

My training was in studio jewelry, however most of my work experience has been in production jewelry. These are easily reproduced items made from wax carvings I make myself. Or I reproduce my pieces from a handmade original that I then mold for casting.

So my heart and eye is with studio jewelry, but my mind and wallet are with production pieces. It's definitely an internal struggle but it pushes me to find a way to combine all my skills. I'm taking some time to think about my next steps. I have fleshed out my bubble collection and need to photograph it. Then I will make a focused mailing to boutiques I think my stuff will fit into. I'm really excited about the time I've had to work on my collection this year, no matter what happens I'm proud of my work.

Spring shows

2008-04-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

It's time for some Spring craft fairs! I'd love to see you there, I'll be debuting some brand new collections that you don't want to miss!

Hoboken Art & Music Festival
Sunday, May 4th
Washington Street, Hoboken NJ
11-6

In Good Company Shop for a cause
all proceeds benefit Nest
Thursday, May 8th
16 W. 23rd Street, 4th Fl
6:30-9

Bleecker Street Art Fair
Saturday, May 17th
Bleecker Street, NYC
noon-6

BBC American Craft Fair
Sunday, May 18th
Bedford Street, NYC
noon-6

Brand New Foam!

2008-04-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to introduce my brand new Foam necklace! It is part of the expanding bubble collection at Metalicious and is available in 3 Spring colors. Take a look!

http://metalicious.com/foam-necklace-p-770.html

Coming to a website near you...

2008-04-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

Bubbles. I'm expanding the collection and I'm thrilled with the new pieces! I can't wait to share them with you, stay tuned!

The price of silver

2008-03-05T18:44:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, a young woman who never cared much for jewelry fell in love with the process of jewelry making. It was a complete accident-- because the ceramics class she wanted to take was closed. The only thing left was metalsmithing and she was hooked. Tthe price of silver was around $4/oz. That's a lot to a young woman with not much money in her bank account so she scrimped and saved and savored every scrap of sterling she could get her hands on.

Today the not-quite-so-young woman has started a jewelry business. It's a small one, but a business nonetheless. Silver is now $20/oz and will be even more by the end of this month. As fate would have it this woman has started her business when the cost of goods has become more expensive than anyone has seen in 15 years. 5 times as expensive. I've got the most uncanny timing, huh?

Here are my latest prized creations. The crinkle hoops-- brightly textured and handmade by yours truly, the not-so-young-woman with the increasingly more expensive business habits.

Metalicious musings

Is it bad to drink during lunch?

Rules of parenting: Tips on feeding children

The importance of good craftsmanship

9-11

Writer's Block

What rhymes with bathroom?

I am love

Casey Kaufman rocks Metalicious Jewelry

New Jewelry Ideas!

SALE! SALE! SALE!

When I don't make jewelry

What about Love?

Collaboration Nation

It's MARCH!

Jewelry Tool Junkie

*peek*

Metalicious: The Love edition

Well hello February

New year, new things

Merry Christmas!

A quiet moment

Hot off the bench!

You don't like my jewelry?

The perfect "I do"

I still love you, I promise

My workspace is a problem.

How to make your own Leaf earrings

Asymmetry

I'm craving a new bag from Tiffany's

New York Fashion Week 2010

Summer Lovin'

A tutorial!

hello blog

Metalicious Jewelry is on what?

Cake!

The machine

I wish I could take better pictures.

This just in...

Working girl

GIVEAWAY!

Back to the future

The Things I Think About

Beans and pillowbeans

The best cure for depression is jewelry

Baby's Got (bad) back

*peek*

O Karaoke

Thank you!

Happy holidays from my Familicious!

My best work is babylicious

Asher has some questions...

From the bottom of my metalicious heart.

Now it's time to say goodbye...

Chocoholism thrives in NYC

Big pimpin'

Pressure!!

A simple postcard

JET sale this weekend only!

Fall 2009 Shows

Clothes shopping!

Fall 2009 Stylewatch... studs

I'm excited.

A few of my favorite things...

Summertime finally

Curvalicious

Hot off the bench!

It's coming...

Sneaky Peak!

Upcoming Milestone

Cosmos Cuff

Welcome!

Upcoming Milestone

Spring Fever

Zen and the art of surfing

Wax carving

Studio Sale time!

Inspiration comes when you least expect it

Mod 70's Cuff

Wax on, wax off

peek

peek