in progress

I finally went out and got the right tools and now I am making myself an awesome grass belt. I cant wait to wear it.

2 thoughts: Leather is really fun. Everything is better when you have the right tools.

PS. I may even make a cuff or key chain in this pattern for the shop in the next few days. Exciting stuff!! :)

Lucy assisting.

Hope everyone is having a great week! Mine has gone super fast, I suppose because of the holiday. But that sounds good to me! xo

try

found here

Earth Day and Easter Eggs

Happy Earth Day!

I hope today we all get to go outside and see a blue sky and feel the sunshine on our faces and appreciate the loveliness that is this world.

And since Earth Day happens to coincide with Easter this year what better way to celebrate both then with using natural dyes to dye your Easter eggs.

credit

You will need:

eggs

various vegetables and spices (see color list below)

white distilled vinegar

Color options:

blue - red onion skins or red cabbage

green - spinach

yellow - lemon or orange peels or turmeric

brown - coffee

orange - yellow onion skins

pink or red - beets

Instructions: 1. You will need an individual pot for each color. 2. Place eggs in the pot and cover with 1/2" of water. 3. Add items for dye. 4. Add 2 tsp vinegar. 5. Bring to a boil. 6. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

This method cooks the eggs as you dye them. If you prefer you can cook the eggs separately. Just follow the above instructions to prepare the dye without adding any eggs to the pot. Then put cooked eggs into the dye to add color after the dye has been prepared. The longer you leave the eggs in the more vibrant the colors will be.

credit

Recipe found at the Spotted Sparrow.

new work: delving into leather

A few weeks ago I started delving into a new medium.
Leather.
And goodness gracious have I enjoyed it.
It did give me a little trouble at first, but once we worked through our initial introduction period I think leather and I are going to get along just fine.

I began our friendship by making some cuffs.

Here are some of my first efforts:

Each cuff has been hand tooled,

painted, shaped, and punched

with love by me.

***
Restore cuff

in blue, natural, and green

A cuff to remind you to allow yourself times of renewal and restoration and rest. Because without that time of rest you cant continue to grow and give.

***

Grow cuff

in green and shades of blue

I am a girl that loves trees. And this tree is one of my favorites.
I love this tree for its patience, wisdom, strength and quiet calm. This tree is steady through wind and rain and sunny days.

***

Falling leaves cuff

A cuff to remind you of the beauty of allowing the old to pass away and embracing the new.

***

Grow cuff

in blue and green

I am a girl that loves trees. And this tree is one of my favorites.

I love this tree for its patience, wisdom, strength and quiet calm. This tree is steady through wind and rain and sunny days.

***

Restore cuff

in orange, blue and green
blue moon edition

A cuff to remind you to allow yourself times of renewal and restoration and rest. Because without that time of rest you cant continue to grow and give.

*

Because sometimes a day needs a splash of orange.

***

Cowgirl cuff
in blue

For a girl who likes to keep things simple.

These will be trickling

into the jewelry shop

throughout the day.

Have a lovely day dears.

-Susie

camping and some northwest love

This weekend I spend some time

with some great people

in the great north western outdoors.

***

The Clackamas River

***

***

I shot a gun for pretty much the first time ever.

(technically I shot one once when I was 11 but for a number of reasons I don't think that counts)

***

I liked the 22.

***

Coordinated shooting.

I even tried the BIG gun.

***

***

Some of us floated the river.

I opted to stay behind and read next to the river,

which was quite nice.

***

It was a good trip

and its good to be home.

nesting and feelling restless

I've been settling in

and thankfully have been busy with

job interviews.

Now its time to wait.

And soon will come the time to make some decisions.

and as I have been thinking about these upcoming decisions

I read this:

"Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced,

not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious,

but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature."

- Tom Robbins

and it has occurred to me

that maybe its time to do something

wild and playful and just the littlest

bit rebellious.

Maybe now is the time to

make the LESS responsible choice.

my second blog ever

So, I am already a book maker and have been for some time. And i love it. But i have had an itch to try some other things as well.
So the other day, i bought a book and ordered some sterling silver (since I live in a small town and there are very few things you can just walk into a store and buy) and built a bench.
And now i am trying my hand at silversmithing.
and let me just tell you that so far i adore it.
more to come...