heartsabustin

Wondrous Wire Wrapping

2012-02-25T13:22:00.000-05:00

I missed a couple of days this week - time tends to get away from me some when I'm busy. So, here's a collection today of some absolutely stunning wirework from Etsy.

Clockwise from top left: TouchofSilver ; bodzastudio ; vanini ; and caroleaxium - several of these ladies are on the Wired Team with me on Etsy. I'm just in awe of their fabulous wire working abilities.

Marvelous Monday - Lampwork

2012-02-20T09:25:00.000-05:00

I've been purchasing some really lovely lampwork beads lately, and I LOVE these artists on Etsy.

Clockwise from upper left: radiantmind - I purchased from them recently - fabulous work; BeadworxAZ - a seriously talented Etsy Chat buddy; lorilochner - I've loved her work since I first came to Etsy; and AnneLondezGlass - I found her on the Etsy Success Team. Amazing work from amazing artists - being that my dad is a stained glass artist, it's no wonder I fell in love with glass at an early age.

Have a fabulous day!

Quilts!

2012-02-16T10:14:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that I love quilts. I love looking at them, I love shopping for fabric, and most importantly, I LOVE MAKING THEM! So, I decided to showcase a few quilters I've loved on Etsy for a long time. I'm going to attempt to do this more often - I've been a lazy, lazy blogger lately, and a new project is good for me. :D

So, the Etsy Quilties!

From the top going clockwise is btaylorquilts - Art Quilt potholders; SonyaBensonQuilts - baby quilt with hand dyed fabrics (YUM); SewnNatural - I adore the simplicity of that baby quilt, and warmnfuzzies - cathedral window pillow (I really need to try one of those).

Fabric is so fascinating, and there are so many fabulous ways to put it together.I can't wait to go play!

Y'all have a wonderful day!

Anatomy of a Purse

2012-02-03T09:55:00.000-05:00

So, I'm creating a new purse, and I thought I'd post some progress photos to show how something so gosh darned cute can turn into something so posh and elegant. Don't mine the backgrounds - I'm in my sewing room, which is usually anything BUT posh and elegant. LOL

The first ruffle added to the body - right now, I'm doing the ruffles by hand, but I do have a ruffler for my machine.

The second row - I was going to go all the way down the front with the ruffles, but I liked it like this so much, I just left it alone.

Here, the purse body is done - all interfaced and top stitched. I need to pull some stitches out that are showing in the upper ruffle, but that's basically it. I started the lining this morning, also, but it wasn't quite ready to be added to the purse, and after about an hour, my eyes started crossing. I'm not a marathon seamstress - I tend to go in bursts, but get a good bit done when I sit down.

I've also discovered that a purse is only as good as the interfacing you use in it. Just a helpful tip I thought I'd pass along.

Flower Pins

2012-01-20T11:17:00.000-05:00

I know, two posts in one day - I'm on fire. There's been a lot going on in my soap shop, but I've got other fun things going on, too. I've started trying to sift through the vast amounts of fabric I've got, and these little flower pins are what I've come up with. I'm listing these on 1madwoman.

Pink and Green Cotton Flower Pin

Mauve and Sage Green Silk Pin

Wool and Silk Flower Pin

I'm still doing purses and custom bridal work, which is SO much fun, but I wanted a way to use up some of those awesome silk scraps - I just HATE throwing them away.

I'm going to try to keep posting here (waves at Grandpa). I slacked off bad the last couple of months, but to be fair, I was kinda busy. :D Y'all have a great day!

New Soap and Lotion for Valentines

2012-01-20T08:54:00.000-05:00

I've got some new nummies up in SouthernTwisted as of yesterday. Chocolate Covered Strawberry lotion and soap - awwww, yeah.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Soap

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Lotion

I made the strawberries myself to use as props. Oh, the things we do for our art. It was a total sacrifice to have to eat that strawberry when I was done. Yes, indeedy. Okay, not really. I mean, who DOESN'T love a chocolate covered strawberry? And I'll have to say, those were some of the better strawberries I've gotten lately.

What is Soap?

2011-11-08T13:43:00.000-05:00

I've often been asked the difference between the stuff I make and the stuff they sell in the stores. So, here's the difference.

Soap is a hydrolyzed salt - the result of the chemical union between a fatty acid (oil) and lye (sodium hydroxide). When it is done correctly, the lye is all gone, used up in the process of saponification, or the transition of the two ingredients into soap. That is what I do - it's called cold process. This is different from hot process, but we won't get into that yet. When your grandma or great-grandma made soap a hundred years ago, they used the cold process of making soap. Grandma didn't know about saponification values, and the careful measuring I do was not done back then. Old fashioned lye soaps were often too harsh, a result of too much lye and not enough fat.

Grocery store soaps (unless you can find the brand called Grandma's or Octagon Castile) are detergents. They use chemicals to make their soaps, and they also take the good stuff out of the soap. Handmade cold process soaps retain their glycerin, which is a humectant (draws water out of the air), which is much better for your skin. Detergent bars often use harsh chemicals, and to my nose, even harsher scents. I haven't used a commercial bar of soap in many moons, and a lot of the reason I started making my own soap is because I'm allergic to the chemicals in the grocery store detergent bars.

Now, that doesn't mean you can't be allergic to a bar of cold process soap. However, you are less likely to be, and any soaper worth her salt (ha ha ha) will be happy to work with you. I do offer an unscented soap bar in my shop - the only thing I added to it was some jojoba oil as a "superfat" (extra oil added after saponification has occurred) to make it more nourishing. Jojoba oil is the closest thing in nature to our skin's own sebum.

Giveaway!

2011-10-17T15:48:00.000-04:00

I'm part of a giveaway at Belle Fluer Photography's blog. Go take a look, and enter to win a delicious gift set from Southern Twisted Soaps! Just click on the title of the post to be taken to her site!

My New Article is Out!

2011-10-10T15:34:00.000-04:00

As a lot of you know, I was selected to appear in Jewelry Affaire magazine this fall. The issue came out on October 1st. This fire opal wire-wrapped necklace is the one that was featured. I am so excited about this newest feature. I added my blog address to my information, so hopefully, I'll see some more followers!

So, now the big question is - do I go ahead and relist this piece, even though I don't have it in my possession yet, or do I wait until I get it back. Decisions, decisions. I have another piece that will be in Jewelry Affaire's April 2012 issue, so you'll have to put up with more dancing and excitement from me next spring. :P

Welcome to the Mad House!

2011-10-03T15:12:00.005-04:00

I realized that I had not posted to my blog in a while just the other day - it's been over a month! I've been busy - there's a lot going on! First of all, I've been working on new items for heartsabustin:

And new items for 1mADwoman:

I've also opened a new shop on Etsy called SouthernTwistedSoaps. I've been adding cold process soaps in fun, fall scents and some lotions too! I've even done some sets of face scrubbies in wonderful cotton yarn - I have some of those, and I just love them.

www.southerntwistedsoaps.etsy.com

I try to add new items to my website as well, but I've been so busy with fall gardening, I've forgotten to go over there, so I'll post again when I have some more items listed.

Y'all have a fantastic day!

Magenta Shoulder Bag

2011-08-29T16:17:00.004-04:00

I've added a new purse listing today, which made me very excited. I've put this on Etsy, Zibbet, and of course, my new website at www.heartsabustin.com. I've also listed some new soaps over on Zibbet - Pumpkin Spice and Baked Apple. I want to add some lotions and sugar scrubs, but I've got to get some spending money first.

Ya'll behave, now. :P

My New Website

2011-08-22T15:04:00.003-04:00

This is my newest bib necklace. Pretty, no?

I did it! I think....

I have set up my Weebly site to accept my very own domain, so when you type http://www.heartsabustin.com/ into your browser, it should take you to my very own website.

Cool, huh?

There's all this technical stuff I had to do to get it done, but it's done now, and I'm really, really excited about it. Now I have more reasons to go in and get some more stuff listed on the site. I didn't realize my views over there had flatlined so badly - I'd tried to set up my domain and I got overwhelmed by all the technical mumbo-jumbo, but I was determined to get it done.

And I did. Go me. :D

And for those of you who MIGHT be interested, I'm listing some soaps over on Zibbet. I've got Brandied Pear, Cotton Candy, Monkey Farts, French Vanilla, and Spice Market. I'll be adding Cafe Amaretto, Pumpkin Spice, and Baked Apple soon. Those are currently curing in my pantry.

Cold Process Soap on Zibbet

2011-08-03T08:24:00.006-04:00

So. A lot of you know I started setting up shop on Zibbet. What you MIGHT not know is I've started adding some of my cold process soaps to my heartsabustin shop over there. I've got French Vanilla (yum), Monkey Farts (yes, you read that right), and Spice Market. The Spice Market is a blend of French vanilla, lavender essential oil, and a fragrance oil called Madagascar Spice. That one is really amazing. I also just finished some Cotton Candy, and I'm going to add Bubble Gum, and I think Candied Apple pretty soon.

Jewelry Affaire Magazine

2011-07-08T09:20:00.004-04:00

Victorian Style multi-chain necklace

I am thrilled to announce that heartsabustin will be appearing once again in Jewelry Affaire magazine. The fall issue will come out October 1st, 2011. The two pieces featured here are the ones that were chosen to appear. The listings are taken down for now - they'll have my necklaces until close to Thanksgiving, probably.

Wire Wrapped Fire Opals on Antiqued brass with Crystal Quartz

Very Cool Vintage Belt

2011-07-02T12:08:00.005-04:00

My mother found this AWESOME belt when she was out thrifting, and was considering using it as bracelet links. She gave it to me instead, but I told her I'd cast one of the links and make one for her out of fine silver. Much better, in my mind, anyway. Isn't it NEAT? I can't wait to gussy up an outfit with this belt. :)

Ruby Red

2011-06-22T08:07:00.004-04:00

Ruby is my birthstone, so of course, I love this time of year for making Treasuries. I just had to share this one, because it's SO pretty.

How does my Garden Grow?

2011-06-09T08:46:00.005-04:00

Very nicely, thank you! They've actually gotten quite a bit bigger than this, but these were the most recent photos I had.

New Stuff!

2011-05-18T12:08:00.003-04:00

I've been having a massive love affair with Swarovski crystals lately. I can't get enough of the neato pendants they make. This one is particularly neat - it's called Crystal Vitrail and it shows so many colors when the light hits it.

Sweet perfection! Someone told me it looked like cake icing. I need to do more clutches with those gathered roses on them.

Next stop: Garden pics!

New Things Going On

2011-04-20T11:18:00.004-04:00

I'm trying to add some new pages to my blog - bear with me and excuse my dust. :P I have a gallery tab now, and I may change the design and layout of the blog - this one is beautiful, but it doesn't give me a lot of elbow room to show off my stuff the right way.

I've had some exciting stuff happening - my Jewelry Affaire pieces came back home last week, and are now listed in my shop. I've been working extra hard on bridal orders this spring, and I've got a few other things I want to do.

I did list two new necklaces today - I got some awesome Swarovski components in late last week, and I'm trying to get them listed.

Hello!

2011-04-12T15:10:00.004-04:00

Hello! How are you? Hi, there! I love this little necklace - the charm is made from precious metal clay and stamped with a sweet cursive hello. I found some stamps in the clearance bin at Jo-Ann (don't you just LOVE clearance bins??), and decided it would be perfect for charm making.

Garden Update!

2011-04-11T16:07:00.006-04:00

Four new beds towards the back of the property. Aren't the azaleas gorgeous this year?

Sugar snap peas - they're blooming and getting bigger every day!

Those are shallots - I just put them in a couple of weeks ago.

Marigolds and cucumbers - there's supposed to be a squash in one corner, but I think he disappeared somewhere.

Front Page Treasury!

2011-03-28T10:53:00.003-04:00

So I woke up this morning to find out I'd been featured in a Front Page Treasury, created by the inimitable and awesomely awesome Longwinterfarm. Thanks, Amanda!!

Metal Clay Heads Disaster Relief

2011-03-18T09:46:00.004-04:00

Good morning, everyone! The title of this blog post will take you to this wonderful Metal Clay Heads Team Treasury. We are trying to raise funds for Japan disaster relief. Each seller is responsible for their own donation, so be sure to read carefully. Please help us out however you can - tweet the link, post it on Facebook, or just click and comment, so we can get this thing HOT!

Thank you so much!

EARRINGS!

2011-03-17T16:04:00.006-04:00

I've gotten a bit more modern looking with some of my earrings. These are made using Swarovski crystals in a color called Sunflower. Rather apt, isn't it?

These crystals are made to mimic the awesome orangey pink color of Padparadscha, which is a fairly rare form of sapphire.

Dark red coral Swarovski crystals are paired with turquoise and silver beads. The wires are sterling silver wire, hammered for flare at the bottoms to catch the beads.

All the earrings have sterling silver earwires.

Spring has Sprung...

2011-02-21T13:45:00.005-05:00

.... at least in our part of the world, it has. I have one daffodil blooming with more to follow, and my camellias have been knocking themselves out this year! This light pink one is near my front door. I need to get some pics of the veggies. I've got broccoli waiting to be cut, the cabbages are FINALLY starting to head up, and the sugar snap peas have popped out of the ground.

Red Roses and Rhinestones

2011-02-18T11:17:00.004-05:00

Well, kids, March is fast approaching, and with it, the arrival of my Jewelry Affaire magazine.
Since I've got a couple of these mixed media pieces in that magazine, I decided it was time to start listing a few in the shop. As soon as I get the magazine pieces back in, I'll be listing them as well. In the meantimes, I've created a new section in my shop called Statement Pieces, and this is where these awesome necklaces will reside.

This one is made from leftover red dupioni silk and a fabulous rhinestone necklace I found on Etsy. I struggled with the necklace part - I guess I'm just gonna have to buy more pearls, because that seems to be the way to finish those off.

Have a fantastic day!

New Cuff and a Shoulder Bag

2011-02-15T16:39:00.005-05:00

This is a new cuff I made - I decided to add some super cute buttons to it. I love the ruffles on this - I'm not a ruffle girl for my own clothing, but it was too sweet not to use on this cuff.

I LOVE this bag - look at that fabric - isn't it awesome?! Red and black is one my very favorite color combos - ask anyone who knows me. :D This bag is pleated, fully lined, and has great shoulder straps so you can take it anywhere.

Have a great day! (HIIIII, Grandpa!)

New purse listed!

2011-02-09T12:54:00.003-05:00

I had one of these a couple of months ago, and I traded it to FoxyGirlBoutique for a set of her awesome stacking rings. This one has some small difference - hers had a magnetic clasp, this one doesn't. The lining is dark green, and I can't remember if hers had the pocket or not. I also think the flower is slightly lower down on this one than it was on Melissa's. Anyway, it's back up and it's the last one. I don't have very much left of that fabric. There'll probably be a make-up bag, and that's it.

Have a great day! (waves to Popaw - LOVE YOU!!!)

New Item in 1mADwoman

2011-02-03T16:33:00.003-05:00

So, if this Woman's Day thing DOES go down, I'm gonna have to sew, sew, and sew some more. I got started last night and finished this one up this afternoon. I'm about out of the Starry Night fabric, as my hubby calls it, but I think I can get one more clutch from it before I'm totally done with it. The title of the blog post will take you to the listing.

Front Page Feature!

2011-02-02T09:30:00.003-05:00

Thanks to the fabulous CausticThreads for such an awesome Treasury! My laptop / messenger bag (2nd row, first pic) was featured on the front page of Etsy this morning!

http://www.CausticThreads.etsy.com

http://www.1mADwoman.etsy.com

Ya'll have a fabulous day!

Bee Mine!

2011-01-31T16:52:00.003-05:00

I have a new item listed in my shop today!

Woman's Day Magazine

2011-01-29T14:44:00.004-05:00

So, on Thursday afternoon, I was minding my own beeswax in chat, when my marvelous friend, Amy, from PonderandStitch on Etsy (you should really go check out her shop!), pops in and says, "Hey, 1mADwoman, you're on the front page!!"

Needless to say, I was just a LITTLE excited - it was the 4 pm to 5 pm slot, which is HUGE.

To top it off, I got a Conversation from Crystal Tate at Woman's Day magazine (believe you me, I did a TON of research to make sure this was kosher). They want me to send a sample of that clutch to them to be photographed for some spread they're doing in the magazine. I sold the clutch that was featured, but I had JUST enough fabric left to make one more.

I'll be sending it out on Monday - *crosses fingers and toes*!!

This is exciting stuff, guys! :P

New Cuff Bracelet

2011-01-21T11:15:00.004-05:00

I'm trying something new and decided to put this one in 1mADwoman. I really love it - I think I'm gonna make a few more!

Secret Garden

2011-01-20T13:19:00.004-05:00

I've had the great pleasure of being featured on Etsy Stalker today! The lovely ladies at Etsy Stalker do just that - they stalk Etsy shops for beautiful items and show them off on their marvelous blog. This is the piece of mine that they showcased!

A big thank you to the ladies at Etsy Stalker!

http://www.etsystalker.com

Deep Rich Red

2011-01-18T09:50:00.004-05:00

I decided to make a Treasury today - just because I could. Enjoy!

Holiday Boot Camper: paperfinchart

2010-12-13T15:33:00.004-05:00

1.) You use such awesome colors in your work. Do you have a color you gravitate toward, and why?

Lately, many of the colors in fashion have been an inspiration for the colors used in my paintings. I am loving icy teals, saffron and mustard yellows, gold tones, grey blues, and rusty reds. I definitely gravitate towards hues found in nature.

2.) I see a lot of tree and nature themes - do you love spending time outdoors?

I LOVE the outdoors and really love looking for the magic in everyday things. Trees have amazing stories to tell based on how they grow and move. One of my favorite things to do is hike in the woods with my sketchbook.

3.) What is your favorite holiday tradition?

My favorite holiday tradition is exchanging ornaments with my family each year. I have a handmade ornament for every year of my life, and it's so wonderful to decorate the tree, place each ornament on it's branches, and remember past Christmases while looking forward to the one ahead.

Holiday Boot Camper: efran

2010-11-24T14:50:00.003-05:00

This is number 4 in my series on the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Campers.

1.) I love your style. What inspires you?

Thank you! I'm really inspired first by function, loving to create items of good use, and believing that function does not have to be boring. Function comes first, but I love a clean cut and classic style with whatever fun twists and details come to mind. A lot of the desing details I come up with are inspired by the fabrics and buttons I choose to use. Selecting patterns, colors, textures, and how they work together is what's most fun for me.

2.) I've worked with my mom on pieces before. What's your favorite part of the collaboration process?

The best part of working with my mom is sharing an enjoyment we have in common. We do not get to work together in person, but talking about our latest creations or ideas on the phone is a fun way to keep in touch over the distance. After she has completed a batch of purses, I have fun going through them all, getting them photographed and listed to sell. We have similar talents, but each have our own stronger interests. She is an excellent knitter and quilter, which I don't have the patience and endurance for! I like working at the sewing machine and, at times, will sew linings into the purses she has knit. We both create bags and purses, so I think our products fit nicely together in the shop.

3.) What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

My favorite Christmas tradition is Christmas Eve candlelight services. The music and singing, twinkling Christmas tree, and "Silent Night" sung to dimmed lights and candles. Growing up, we then went home to find all the presents under the tree - how did that happen?!

Thanks so much, efran - we have so much in common, it's almost scary! ;P

You can find efran at these places:

www.efran.etsy.com

www.efrandesigns.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Brady-TX/E-Fran-Designs-Handmade-Handbags-Totes-and-Treasures/86700173061?ref=ts

Have a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Black Friday / Cyber Monday Sale!

2010-11-23T11:15:00.005-05:00

I am having a shopwide Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale in heartsabustin from Friday, November 26th trhough Monday, November 29th. I will be taking 15% off every item in my shop!

I will also be running a sale over at Zibbet - probably 20% off there - so be sure to stop by and say hello!

www.heartsabustin.etsy.com

www.zibbet.com/heartsabustin

Ya'll have a great Thanksgiving!

Boot Camper #3: BrandisBowBoutique

2010-11-16T14:49:00.006-05:00

Brandi of BrandisBowBoutique is our third Boot Camper to be featured on my blog this season!

1.) Please tell us how you balance three jobs! (She's a mom, an engineer, and an Etsyian!)

Balancing my three jobs can be difficult at times. Being a mom always comes first, though. I normally use my lunch hour at work to make items and work on listings and blogging. In the evenings and on weekends, my daughter "helps" me make bows. And, of course, photo shoots are a family affair - she loves to model for me!

2.) What would you love to try - craftwise - money no object?

I would love to learn how to quilt. I think it would be fun to make nursery sets.

3.) What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

My favorite Christmas tradition is on Christmas Eve. My family gathered at my mom's house, and everyone opened a new pair of pajamas. Then we would sit and listen to my grandmother read to us "The Polar Express." Last year was my daughter's first Christmas, and we are now starting our own traditions. This, of course, includes a new pair of PJs and "The Polar Express"!

Holiday Boot Camper: poppyseedcats

2010-11-11T12:54:00.005-05:00

Poppyseedcats is a fellow Boot Camper and a Chatter as well, so I know her fairly well. I asked her a few questions about her shop.

1.) Tell us about needle felting.

Needle felting is a process that uses unspun wool and barbed needles to create the desired shape / critter you want. I really enjoy the process but get my needles confiscated regularly by my boyfriend for pricking my fingers.

2.) How long, on average, does it take you to create your felted pieces? Your wire sculptures?

To create a Fluff Egg takes an average of 2 -3 hours, but my wire sculptures can take up to 30 hours to complete since they are very complex and don't use adhesives.

3.) What do you love most about the upcoming holiday season?

If I had to choose something, I would say I enjoy all the nibbles and dips!

Holiday Boot Camper: MyBedLinen

2010-11-09T13:45:00.005-05:00

Etsy admin Daniellexo is running a series of blog posts and Forum threads dedicated to helping sellers get through the busy business of the Christmas shopping season. So, in Week 7, Danielle challenged us to reach out to bloggers - rather than reaching out to be written about, I've decided to be a writer for the thread. I've got three shops lined up already, and if you are a Boot Camper and would like to be featured, just send me a convo to heartsabustin on Etsy.

My first victim - uh, interviewee - is mybedlinen. I asked her a few questions, and well, she answered them.

1.) You were a fashion designer in Spain. What inspired you to do bed linens?

As a fashion designer, I used to do very upscale clothing, mostly in black and white and other dark and elegant colors. In mybedlinen, I did a 360 degree change and can work with colors in a way I have never done before. I just love it!

2.) You spend time in Israel and Spain. What do you love the most about each country?

My favourite things about Spain are the food and the beauty of the island where we live. It's green and lush. In Israel, it's my family and friends.

3.) What else do you do when you're not sewing?

I love reading, cooking, and walking.

Raised Garden Beds, Part Two

2010-11-05T12:53:00.005-04:00

So - here we are, about a month later. The cabbages (left) look great, don't they? They're starting to head up now, and the red cabbage is starting to get some nice red to it. A couple of the plants are small, and we've not had a terrible time with rabbits - at least, not yet.

I did see a squirrel marching around in there, and I think they're digging holes, but that's easily remedied . The plants seem to be fine so far.

These are the broccoli and collards - you can also see to the right and just behind the broccoli (which are in the front), the radishes I planted from seed about week after these were all put in. Those have just about another week or two, and I can harvest those. Nothing like a raw radish right out of the garden and rolled in a little salt. YUM!

This is the onion bed. As you can see, I've got a BUNCH of red onions. The lettuces are looking fabulous (and taste fantastic, I might add - no bitterness at all). The garlic has just come up - I was getting a bit worried about the garlic, but since I've never raised it before, I decided to be a bit more patient. Two days later, they were up. :D

I had a marvelous salad for lunch today with my lettuces. So far, the raised beds have been a great experiment, and my husband is already looking for ways to put MORE beds in the yard.

YAY!!! :D

New stuff!

2010-11-01T16:28:00.008-04:00

Well, I haven't been feeling well lately - ear infections tend to run rampant this time of year around here - but I've still managed to get some stuff done. Here's what's coming up!

This is a new denim clutch with a BIG satin rose on it. I had some fabric that had some stains on it. I couldn't get them out, so I figured some roses would fit the bill nicely. All those folds and intricate petals hide all sorts of fabric flaws. So cute, no?

These next two are what I've been working especially hard on. I'm submitting these pieces to Stampington & Co. for their jewelry magazines. You may have seen them - JewelryAffaire or BelleArmoire Jewelry. These are really beautiful, high-quality artist's magazines - the sort you keep around for inspiration and whatnot.

Since I have to actually send these pieces in, I can't list them yet. I'm pretty nervous about doing this, but I'm also VERY excited. I do hope they make it into the mags in some capacity. Dare I hope for a front page? I do, but if I don't get it and I still get in, you'll still have to peel me off the ceiling when I get the news. :D

Isn't this one just drop-dead gorgeous?

New Shop!

2010-10-22T10:47:00.003-04:00

I love Etsy - I'm not leaving Etsy - however, certain circumstances have come about that have made me think Etsy does not care a whit about its sellers. Therefore, I have spread some of my eggs over to www.zibbet.com - I'm there for now under heartsabustin. I don't know if I'll open another purse shop there yet, or not. We'll see about that later. I got their Basic Account, which is free, and you can list up to 25 items.

I'll explain more about the circumstances to which I am referring later.

I just wanted to let everyone know what I was doing for me!

See ya later!

Raised Garden Beds

2010-10-06T11:25:00.006-04:00

We've been talking about doing these raised beds for three or four years now. We got the frames at Sam's - they're made out of recycled plastic. Then we bought - yes, bought - compost (we needed a lot, and my composter didn't have enough!) from a local garden store. Half a yard of that plus several bags of various composts from Lowe's, Wal-Mart, and The Home Depot (sadly, don't buy the stuff at the Depot - it's not that great), huge bales of peat moss and bags of vermiculite. All those are worked together in thirds and then we shoveled that mixture into the beds.

Hubby took some furring strips (1" x 2" x 8' long strips of wood) and cut them to make grids in the boxes. This is how you divide up where you're going to put your plants. They're planted in square feet (roughly, in this case) - and certain plants can be doubled up, depending on how much soil they need. That upper photo is the broccoli I planted - it's in rows. We decided we could more broccoli in a smaller space if it was in rows.

I'll get more pics posted as soon as we get more plants in!

New Treasuries

2010-09-16T16:13:00.007-04:00

I don't do two Treasuries in one day usually, but I had to. The themes were too good to ignore. Enjoy!

Honeycomb:

Misty Morning Treasury

2010-09-14T15:46:00.002-04:00

This one is so pretty I just had to share.

Busy as a bee!

2010-08-31T10:39:00.004-04:00

I have been so super busy lately! That's a great thing, and here's some of what's been keeping me busy!

Bible cover for an airman at Pope Air Force Base:

He (?) came into chat looking for a Bible cover in digital camo - Ask and ye shall receive!

I added a strap to this clutch for a repeat customer:

I've got a couple more things in the works, but I'm gonna tease ya with them until I get them done.

Have a great day!

Crossed Fingers

2010-08-23T07:50:00.004-04:00

All right, happy blog followers - I have jumped in feet first to something I'm pretty sure I'm ready for. I submitted photos of a mixed media bracelet I made several months ago to Metal Clay Artist Magazine. The editor was looking for some mixed media pieces to put in their next issue. I'm really, really, reallyreallyreally excited, which means I'm totally sick on my stomach right now. LOL Here's a pic of the piece, as I reshot it (hope it's not too big - I reset my camera to 6 Mp):

She wanted the piece to incorporate the mixed media together, and I thought this one fit the bill nicely. The backpiece is metal clay, and after it was finished, I added the grapes, leaves, and tendrils in polymer clay and baked those in the oven on the PMC piece. The strands of the bracelet are rhodolite garnet and peridot. The clasp has a metal clay grape cluster I need to shoot, as well, but I thought this was good enough to send her for now.

Keep your fingers crossed - I wanna get published!

Have a great day - I'll see you soon.

Snowflakes!

2010-08-05T10:05:00.005-04:00

Hello, happy blog followers! I have been mucho incommunicado lately, haven't I? LOL - it's been busy busy at heartsabustin's house! I had to share this necklace and earrings with you though. I did not make the pieces, but I did make the charms for the lovely BeadyEyedMonster (the title will take you to her shop).

I made these charms at her request a couple of months ago, and don't they look supersweet on these gorgeous snow-themed pieces she made? I just love them. Thank you so much for your business, Miss Monster!

(Waves HI to her Grandpa! *KISSES*)

The Glorious Fourth

2010-07-02T12:37:00.005-04:00

This weekend celebrates the 234th birthday of the United States of America. I found some really beautiful items on Etsy and put them together in this Treasury.

Have a wonderful, safe Independence Day, and don't forget to thank the people around you who have served to keep us FREE!

Call for Artists

2010-06-24T17:00:00.004-04:00

This is a cause that is dear to my heart and has been since I was a senior in high school. The Holocaust Museum of Houston, Texas, is calling for artists to create butterflies to represent each of the 1.5 million children that died by the Nazi's hands during World War II. The curators have collected nearly 400,000 butterflies to date. The show is scheduled to run in the spring of 2013.

For additional information, you can go here:

http://www.hmh.org/ed_butterfly1.shtml or send an e-mail to

butterflyproject@hmh.org

The address to send your piece to is:

Holocaust Museum Houston
Butterfly Project
Education Department
5401 Carline Street
Houston, TX 77004 US

I found this information in the Metal Clay magazine I picked up yesterday and was quite pleased to see this great outreach effort. I plan on sending in a butterfly myself - will you?

New Treasury

2010-06-17T10:47:00.004-04:00

This Treasury is just too pretty not to share.

Here's the link to it so you can see it in all it's Treasured gloriousness. ;P

www.etsy.com/treasury/4c12ba80cfd8eefa006ff8e/amethyst-green

I do love finding pretty new things to drool over - it makes me happy. ;P Ya'll have a great day!

Etsy Finds!

2010-06-05T10:16:00.002-04:00

This past Thursday, I was privileged to be featured in an Etsy Finds e-mail under 1mAdwoman. I sold the clutch that was featured and got a marvelous order for six more clutches for a group of bridesmaids. It was extremely exciting, and I'm pleased and very honored to have been included.

Here's a link to the Storque article that I appeared in:

www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-the-world-is-your-oyster-8576/

Thank you so, so much to all the kind people who congratulated me, and most especially to Brandy of brokenhallelujah, who let me know I was featured in the first place!

The Silversmith

2010-05-31T16:37:00.003-04:00

Some time ago, a few ladies met to study the scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse:

"And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Malachi 3:3

One lady decided to visit a silversmith and report back to the others what he had to say about the subject.

She went accordingly, and, without telling him the reason for her visit, begged the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver. After he had fully described it to her, she said, "Sir, do you sit while working at the refining of silver?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am," replied the refiner. "I must sit and watch the furnace constantly, for if the time necessary for refining the silver is exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady saw at once the beauty and comfort of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

God sees it necessary to put His children into the furnace, but His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His widsom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.

Before she left, the lady asked one final question. "How do you know when the process is complete?"

"That's quite simple," replied the silversmith. ""When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished."

-Author Unknown

One Mad Woman

2010-05-27T16:57:00.006-04:00

I opened another shop last September with the notion of making banners for fellow Etsyians. I've done pretty well with it, but when I decided to use up my fabric stash on purses this past month, I decided to change 1mADwoman over to my sewing arts. It seems to be pretty popular - I've gotten tons of positive feedback from everyone.

I inherited leftover fabrics from my paternal grandmother when she decided to give up most of her sewing. I also got a bunch of stuff when her best friend made the same decision. There were some great pieces, but some of them were just not "me". The Aqua Blue Handbag came from one of those great pieces that I can't wear. There's just no way. This Mustard Yellow clutch is the same way - I could wear it, but there really wasn't enough left to do anything with. I got two purses out of instead. The best part is, I'm reducing the amount of stuff that might just get thrown away. Recycling CAN be fun and cool!

So far, the only things I've had to buy are the magnetic clasps I use for the clutches and some of the medium sized purses. It's been tons of fun, and I hope you get a chance to go check it out!

http://www.1madwoman.etsy.com/

And the winner issssss........

2010-05-20T12:31:00.002-04:00

Elle!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated. Elle, convo me or e-mail me, dear, and we'll get you all set up! I will run another giveaway soon-ish - I promise. You are all awesome, and I appreciate all the hard work that ya'll put forth. Thanks so much! :)

GIVEAWAY!!!

2010-05-13T10:18:00.003-04:00

HEY, HEY, HEY! Guess what, happy followers?? It's GIVEAWAY TIME! That's right! It's been a while since heartsabustin has done a giveaway, but it's spring, it's gorgeous out, and who doesn't want to get something cool?

So, here's how this is going to work. One lucky person will get a $20 Gift Certificate to my shop. That will be $20 off anything in the shop - you lucky dog, you! Want to know how to enter? It's sooooo easy!

1.) Go to my shop, pick out your favorite item, and leave a comment here on the blog. That equals one entry.

2.) Tweet or post on Facebook about my giveaway - that's another entry EACH. (1 for Twitter, 1 for Facebook - one each per person, please!)

3.) DOUBLE your entries - BUY an item from my shop, and you will be entered TWICE to get another item for $20 off.

You have from now until noon on Thursday, May 20th to enter.

Annnnnnd, GO!

Let's Meet ..... Matt Allen Photography

2010-04-27T16:25:00.004-04:00

Mr. Matt Allen - http://www.mattallen.etsy.com/ - is another awesome artist I have met in that fabulous world of Etsy Chat. He's the first one who assured me that the new camera I'd gotten for Christmas was indeed a wonderful find. He's a bit of a camera nut, and his photographs are just stunning. Of course, I'm a bit of a photography nut - I love finding people who can turn a piece of equipment into a magic making machine.

1.) You are a camera nut. What's your favorite in your collection and why?

I have to answer this very diplomatically, in the same way I'd answer if you asked me which of my kids was my favorite. I like them all equally, but on any given day there may be one I'm more focused on than another. Lately it's been a vintage Praktika 35mm camera that has taken top spot.

2.) What's the best photography trip you've taken?

This would have to be a tie between the cruise I took to Alaska and a trip last Spring to London. Alaska was amazing because of the wilderness. It was just incredible to walk along the hiking paths that were once covered by massive glaciers, and the opportunity to go out in the bay and photograph humpbacks was something I will never forget. London had an entirely different aesthetic because of the city feel, but it was as equally fun to shoot.

3.) Where would you like to go next?

I would love to go to Italy to take pictures. I've been on a bit of an urban / city photography kick, and being able to take pictures in nearly any city in Italy would be amazing. The history in those buildings is unmatched. It would be a lot of fun to try and capture that beauty.

4.) Who is your biggest inspiration?

This changes a lot, and mostly it's due to whomever I am seeing for the first time. A while back, it was Kharsh after I had seen an exhibit of his portraits at the Boston MFA. Recently, I've found inspiration in Jay Maisel, mostly for his approach to street photography. I love looking at photos - I get inspired all the time by new photos I see.

5.) Money no object, what item on Etsy would you most like to have?

Tough one! But these caught my eye the other day - http://www.etsy.com/listing/43610590/cmaera-cufflinks-with-Swarovski-crystal -

perfect for a photographer. ;-)

Be sure to go visit Matt and the artist he featured - http://www.cosmicfirefly.etsy.com/ - to see more of their amazing work!

Brandy Kayzakian Rowe

2010-04-20T18:54:00.006-04:00

Now, here is someone who is most definitely interesting! Another of my chat buddies, Brandy has been amazing to get to know, mostly because she is a really amazing artist. Having grown up with parents as artists, I "get" what she's talking about when a lot of other people don't. I think that's why we get along sooooo well.

http://www.brandykayzakianrowe.etsy.com/

http://www.wgscandleco.etsy.com/

1.) You have two distinctive shops on Etsy. Tell us about them.

My first shop was created several years ago with prints of my watercolors and scrylic paintings. I hadn't been bitten by the Etsy bug at that point and neglected it for a few years. When I opened Wandering Gypsy Candle Company here on Etsy, I took a new interest in my art shop and also began making and selling sterling and glass pendants of my artwork.

My candle shop began by offering my shot glass candles - specially crafted votives that fit snugly into funky recycled shot glasses. I then added my Zodiac novena candles, little Laughing Buddha candles and now tea lights and tarts! Needless to say, Etsy has become a favorite part of my day and a wonderful way to share my art and craft!

2.) I want to hear about your time photographing in Mississippi.

My first photography series was born out of the love I feel for the Mississippi Delta region. I was born and raised in the Deep South and music has always been a part of my soul and consciousness. Fresh out of college with my degree in Art Education, I began working for The Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, TN. My job was to coordinate and teach art lessons to underfunded schools across Memphis, northern Mississippi, and eastern Arkansas. I visited a new school every day. In six months, I had taught well over 11,500 students!

Since my job was to travel the highways and back roads of Memphis, TN, and northern Mississippi, I stumbled onto many juke joints. The parents and locals started to brag about their wonderful local musicians and even took me to a couple of shows. It was then I discovered all Clarksdake, MS, and all that the Delta had to offer. I was in love! That was the beginning of my first series, The American Delta. I spent just about every day of an entire year attending shows, festivals, and street performances, documenting as much as I could. It was heaven!

After that year, my husband was ready to move to a new part of the country. We chose the Pacific Northwest, since my hubby loves much cooler weather! We moved to Seattle first, and I became very homesick. After a few weeks of moping around, I began to paint from my Delta memories. We spent five months in Seattle and then moved to Portland, OR. I discovered the jazz scene in Portland and once again found my musical muse. I spent the next year documenting the jazz culture there. Both The American Delta and Rebirth: Jazz Profile can be seen on my website, http://www.brandykayzakianrowe.com/

3.) Who is your biggest female inspiration?

Oooooh, good one! Hmmmm, as a teen I loved Artemisia Gentilischi. Later on I developed a deep respect for Frida Kahlo. Honestly, my bigger inspirations are Galilieo, Vincent van Gogh, Michael Mann, and anyone who holds steadfast to their artistic and ethical morals.

4.) How did you meet your husband?

It's a whirlwind story! I was living in Texas and just thrown out my no-goodnik, rockabilly musician ex. That night, I logged onto MySpace to delete the band account I maintained for him and on the main page there was this gorgeous "new" person. Stunning, and piercing eyes (!! I love this girl!!). I read his profile, which was filled with philosophical rants and intellectual queries. That is something that is hard to come by on MySpace, and in the real world, for that matter. I wrote him a quick note commending him on his character. I never thought anything would come of it, especially since he lived in Richmond, VA. To make a long, insane story shorter - nine days later we were living together in Virginia, a month later, we were engaged, and five months later we were married. It's now been a little over five years of happy marriage! :)

5.) Money no object, what on Etsy would you buy?

Oh, wow! So much! To narrow it down, this gorgeous ring by Hollywood Rings:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/43506281/vintage-huge-pawn-turquoise

And this adorable copper travel trailer by silentgoddess! (I have lived 35 places in my 30 years, crossing the country and back!)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/42470385/lets-go-camping---made-to-order

Broken Hallelujah

2010-04-13T15:57:00.006-04:00

The first one of these seemed to be a big hit, so here's the second interview. Brandy with http://www.brokenhallelujah.etsy.com/ is another wonderful Etsyian I met in chat. She and I also happen to live in the same town. Have we met? Not yet! But I sincerely hope we do, and soon!

1.) You're in school right now. Tell us what you're studying.

I'm hoping to become a graduate student at UNCW (University of North Carolina at Wilmington) next fall to get my masters in Marine Biology. I'll be joining the lab that studies whale and dolphin morphology, i.e. how their bodies are made up and how that allows them to survive in their aquatic environment. I'm particularly interested in looking at muscles and how they use their muscles to store oxygen for diving and locomotion.

2.) When did you start crocheting?

I first learned to crochet when I was young. I used to do all sorts of crafty things back then. When I got into junior high, I sort of fell out of all that. Once I was in college, I needed something as a stress reliever that would keep my hands and mind busy. So I retaught myself to crochet using videos on the web. I've been crocheting for over 4 years since that date.

3.) Who is your biggest female inspiration?

My biggest female inspiration is my mother. She is successful in life, by my standards. She has a great career she is very good at, she has a loving family, and has been married to my father for over 25 years now. She still follows her dreams. I would love to be as successful in my job, marriage, and life. She works very hard to achieve what she wants and at the same time raised both myself and my sister. I love my mom, very much.

4.) How did you meet the love of your life?

Andy and I (who are tying the knot this July!) went to junior high together. We were in two different crowds then, so I didn't really remember him much. He ended up moving out of town in high school, but we went to the same university. He first contacted me on Facebook, and the we started hanging out together before school started. It wasn't very long before we were dating. We'll have been together five years in September. I am very excited to get married to him this July!

5.) If money was no object, what item would you most like to have on Etsy?

This probably the hardest question you could have asked me. I would absolutely love to buy hand spun and hand dyed yarn here on Etsy. It is so lovely, and one day I will treat myself to a skein. I also really love this convertible dress (I thought about getting one for the wedding): http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35091240 . But there are really too many lovely things to choose!

(That one pic is actually Brandy - isn't she cute?!)

Interview with erinf115

2010-04-06T13:18:00.009-04:00

I have decided to start trying to interview some fellow Etsyians, and the easiest way to do this is to start with the ones I know! I met erinf115 in chat a couple of months ago, and we hit it off big. So, here's the inaugural interview!

1.) What is punchneedle and how did you get started creating with it?

Punchneedle is essentially an ancient rug-hooking technique shrunken down onto a much smaller scale and uses a special twice-threaded hollow needle, embroidery floss, and weaver's cloth.

My mother is a quilter and takes trips each June to quilt shows in the midwest with her quilting buddies. She came back from a trip years ago raving about this new technique she saw. She swore that I'd love it, she even bought me a kit. Moms are so smart. I don't know how she knew!

2.) You have an interesting "first" job. Tell us about it.

I sing and play guitar in a Celtic Folk Band called "Sonas" (Gaelic for "happiness") www.myspace.com/sonasfiddlers , which has been incredible - I still have to pinch myself when I say "I sing in a band." We've got two albums out, which can be purchased on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. I'm also an actor and am currently working with the Attic ensemble in Jersey City, NJ, on the musical "working", which opens at the end of this month.

3.) What is your favorite time period in history and why?

Without a doubt - Tudor England. I have been reading biographies, history books, and historical fiction at a feverish pace. Henry VIII was a dynamic, extraordinary, and charismatic tyrant of a king surrounded by some of the most intriguing personalities of his age - men and women who have left behind such vivid memorials of themselves that sometimes it feels like you can reach out across the centuries and know them personally. Six of those people were, of course, the king's wives. They each differ so much from each other in personality - I can't read enough about them.

4.) Who is your greatest female inspiration?

It's a tie between Anne Boleyn and her daughter, Queen Elizabeth I. This was a terrible time in history to be a woman. Even a Queen was subordinate to the will of her husband. Women were brought up to believe they were vastly inferior to men, indeed the "only imperfections in God's Creation." Women, even noble women, were rarely educated, but both Anne and Elizabeth were lucky enough to be tutored throughout their lives. They were both highly intelligent and outspoken women. Poor Anne had met her match in Henry, though, who quite literally stalked her for seven years until he obtained a divorce and married her. He then executed her after only being married for three years. Elizabeth would never marry - refusing to be subordinate - which was unheard of at that time. She became England's greatest monarch and led England into a Golden Age all on her own. She was quite extraordinary. Fun fact: Queen Elizabeth would take texts and translate them from Latin to French or Greek and back again - for FUN, much like we would do Sudoku or a crossword puzzle.

5.) Money no object, what piece would you most love to have from Etsy?

I'd love one of LoopyBoopy's dolls - they are just incredible!

www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41820240

http://www.erinf115.etsy.com/

New Soap!

2010-03-12T10:38:00.005-05:00

Well, I've been obsessed with PMC for so long, I was afraid to jump back into the soap-making. However, it is like riding a bicycle - you hop on and start pedaling! I've made several batches of soap over the last week or so - mostly for end-of-the-year gift basket purposes. That, and my mom is demanding soap. LOL The one pictured above is my Peach Cobbler soap - Misty over at WickedSoaps departed with some of her scents for me as part of our Great Quilt Adventure, begun over the summer. (You can see pics of her quilt in the July and August archives.) I made the soap, tinted it orange (which turned out better than I thought it would), and crumbled old soap leaving over the top. This one smells awesome. It's olive oil soap superfatted with cocoa butter. Yum - my!

The one over to the right is the one I'm super-proud of, though. I used coffee instead of water when I mixed the lye - this turned the soap batter a wonderful color of light cafe au lait. Then I scented it with chocolate chip cookie scent. Need I say more? It smells like heaven, and my mom shrieked that she didn't want to EAT the soap, she wanted to bathe. Then she asked when was she going to get HERS?? I told her, unless she enjoyed using soap that wasn't cured yet, she was just going to have to wait her turn. She decided to wait. ;) LOL

Floral Design Challenge

2010-03-10T13:11:00.006-05:00

The first Design Challenge of the Metal Clay Artists thread went very well. We had a great time, and the creativity and ingenuity of artists will never cease to amaze me. We had ten entries that were voted on and they were ranked Olympic-style. There were three "gold medal" winners, but when it came time to pick our next challenge, Robin rolled the dice and came up with http://www.silverblueberry.etsy.com/ as our ultimate winner. Congrats to SilverBlueberry. Our next challenge will be to come up with a bracelet using our preferred metal clay of choice. I've ordered my next batch of ArtClay Silver and can not wait to get started - I've been having some truly marvelous ideas. Tally-ho!!!

(The finished piece at the top of the blog is SilverBlueberry's - I haven't gotten far enough along to set stones yet.)

Metal Clay Design Challenge

2010-03-02T17:45:00.006-05:00

I have been participating for some time in a Metal Clay artists forum thread on Etsy. It's a fabulous place to go to ask questions, admire other artists' work, and in general, just have some fun. I have met some great people there, and we have a blast. There is a great range of people - some have been working with metal clay for years, and some of us are total newbies.

Recently, AdornedbyRobin of www.adornedbyrobin.etsy.com, suggested a Metal Clay Design Challenge - each person was to submit a piece with a floral theme. We would then vote on our favorite pieces, and whoever gets our "gold medal" will get to choose the next Design Challenge theme.

What you see above is what I came up with.

I love polymer clay, and I think it formed the basis for my PMC work. I decided it would be super neat to combine the two. So, I did! There have been some truly amazing pieces posted for this Challenge, and as the Metal Clay Treasury Queen, I will be putting together a Treasury of our pieces in the next couple of days for all of Etsy to see. There are some wicked talented people out there, and I happen to be in contact with some really great artists.

Well, I was going to try to give you the link to the Forum thread, but it won't let me. *sniffle* I'll post the Treasury, and you can find it then. :)

Quick Change

2010-02-01T15:45:00.005-05:00

Well, in case you haven't noticed, there are some new changes at heartsabustin. My mom has started her own separate shop at http://www.cherrylippedroses.etsy.com/ with her vintage pieces. I'd love it (and so would she!) if you went over, said hi, checked her out, and left her some hearts. I know there are more than a few of the hearts on heartsabustin that belong to her!

I'm also anxiously awaiting my next shipment of PMC - the FedEx web page says it won't be here until the 4th, but hey, a girl can always dream they show up sooner, right?? RIGHT????

LOL!

Anyway, the picture above is of one of the three hearts I did as a custom order for my son's pre-school teacher. I've got two more customs from her - she wants them as pins - and one of his other teachers wants two of them as keychains. My only regret is I didn't start doing this sooner!

And I'm up to 94 followers here! Hi, everyone! Whoot!

More PMC Fun!

2010-01-18T10:18:00.005-05:00

Okay, so everyone got to have a good laugh over my butane torch mistakes. It's not like I was being shy about - the Facebook fan page was FULL of my whining about how I couldn't get the torch to fire properly. You wanna know what this idiot was doing wrong? I was holding the stupid thing at the WRONG angle. *slaps forehead* DUHHHHHHH!

The other thing I was doing wrong? I was holding the torch WAY too close to the pieces I was trying to fire. That's why the previous pieces bubbled the way they did. The piece shown above is the one I finally fired correctly. I thought I had fired this one wrong - turned out, by freak chance, it was the only one I fired correctly!

The pieces - when fired properly - look like they've got a coating of crud on them. They do - when they're fired, there's a coating of oxidation that needs to be scrubbed off. I didn't realize that's what I needed to try until I went back and re-read my handy dandy book I bought.

The best part of all this? I got a four necklace custom order for Valentine's Day. It's been pretty cool! Ya'll have a great day!

Precious Metal Clay

2010-01-12T15:05:00.004-05:00

First, the link below is a lonnnnnggggg definition of what PMC actually is (Wikipedia is awesome, isn't it?): The short definition, however, is that is tiny particles of silver, gold, copper or bronze suspended in an organic binder (the "clay") that burns off as the piece is being fired. Silver can be fired with a handheld torch, but I believe the other metals must be fired in a kiln. Since a kiln costs $700 and the torch only costs $20, well, you can see why I went the way of the torch.

For now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precious_Metal_Clay

Second of all, firing PMC with a hand-held torch properly is my newest, biggest challenge to overcome, because it ain't as easy as you might think it would be! I discovered that if the torch is too close to the piece, it will actually physically move the silver around. Hence the reason the heart looks a little "funky". It also made the hole I put in the flower go away. The torch has to be moved around in a circle for even firing, so this is going to take some serious finesse to learn how to do it "just right."

The other thing, which I didn't anticipate at all, is the fact that loading the fuel into the butane torch is proving to be a rather large roadblock. I'm a reasonably intelligent, well-educated lady - yet I could not for the life of me figure out why I wasn't getting the fuel into the torch. I do believe the expert of the house (AKA my husband) is going to have to tutor me on that one. I'll let you know how it turns out. ;)

I have other pics to show you, but I've decided to break this up, and I figure the torch thing would be enough to keep you rolling for a few moments. I do have other pictures posted of the process on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/heartsabustin.

Later, ya'll!

We've been stalked!

2010-01-08T08:33:00.003-05:00

Beatrice and Violet have been kind enough to include us in a wonderful feature over at the EtsyStalker blog. I can not thank these kind ladies enough for featuring and saying all the very nice things about us that they said. They featured one of my polymer clay necklaces, and it was just a wonderful, wonderful feature. They also featured one of my buddies along with me, Rose over at http://www.2kutekreations.etsy.com/, so there's a shout for her as well. Whoo hoo!

I just had to share the awesome news!

http://etsystalker.com/

schin - Illustrator

2009-12-09T15:05:00.005-05:00

This illustrator - of http://www.schin.etsy.com/ - is, simply put, amazing. Her pieces are amazing, her colors are vivid and fabulous, and I would happily own every piece she's got in her shop. The one's I've pulled here are my absolute favorites, though, especially the geisha piece. I've become utterly fascinated with geisha ever since we watched "Memoirs of a Geisha" several months ago, and then I read the book. Amazing story - one that I highly recommend if you haven't read it.

I met schin through chat, and was just blown away with how awesome her stuff is. Even more importantly, she's a great person, and I find that in itself to be remarkable. There are few people who are nice, but this girl is right up my alley! Having grown up with two remarkable artists in the household (my parents) and another one in my grandmother, I am particularly picky about the artists I truly love on Etsy. I refuse to look at watercolors (or just about anything else, seriously) that aren't up to my expectations, and those are high. If you've ever seen my mom's work, you'd understand why. Schin comes right up to those expectations.

I would love for you to check this girl out - she's got some fantastic stuff, and I believe she's the cover artist for a couple of magazines recently. You'll have to see her shop announcement to see which ones.

Ya'll have a fabulous day!

Link to my mom's work for the Great Smoky Mountain Wildflower Pilgrimage:

http://www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org/wildflower/Information/2003_winner.cfm

ImagineStudio

2009-11-14T12:00:00.003-05:00

Will you please just take a look at how GORGEOUS Lyse Marion's stuff is?? These are all digital images that she has created for her amazing, marvelous, wonderful store on Etsy. All of her prints are limited edition giclee prints, which is a process that creates vivid and wonderful images. Lyse and my mom started up an Etsy friendship several months ago when Mom started using her prolifically in Treasuries. Lyse is one of the sweetest, nicest people I have ever talked to, and my mom adores her. When I complained I couldn't think of anything to blog about, Mom promptly begged me to feature Lyse and her work. I couldn't think of a better person to showcase.

Please stop by Lyse's shop and be amazed by her fabulous work. The title of the blog should take you there, but if it doesn't, here's the link:

www.ImagineStudio.etsy.com

Have an amazing day!

New Etsy Friend

2009-11-03T19:48:00.002-05:00

I have made a new Etsy friend, and as is my habit, I am going to feature my new friend. She's a bit more than a friend at this point - she supplied me with the lovely lady you see in the top of the picture. I bought her a couple of weeks ago and finally had a chance to put her to use. I mixed her with rhodonite, Swarvoski crystals, pearls, and Czech glass beads. She is quite stunning, if I do say so myself, and a good deal of the credit goes to Regina at www.artrageousclay.etsy.com .

Her pieces are ceramic and cover pieces of recycled egg cartons, which makes the centerpieces much lighter than it would be normally. The one I got has a combination finding on the back that allows it to be used as a brooch or a necklace - I chose to turn her into a necklace. As you can see, she sells the pieces already put together as jewelry, or if you're truly daring, you can buy one and try to turn one into your own gorgeous work of art.

Regina has another shop at www.firedupladies.etsy.com, a facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/artrageousclay, and Twitter at www.twitter.com/firedupladies. I follow her at all these places, and I think you should, too. ;)

Thanks for allowing me the chance to brag on a fellow Etsy artist. Love ya!

Lightbox

2009-10-05T16:36:00.005-04:00

I have discovered the need lately for a lightbox. It's been fairly rainy and cloudy thus far this fall, and that means I need to find an alternate way to shoot my jewelry. It was about time for me to upgrade the way I shot my photos anyway, and every girl needs a new project, right? (Okay, well maybe not - I always have about fifteen projects on my plate!)

Here's the outside of it - I took a carboard box and cut "windows" in it on four sides and covered them with white fabric held in place with tape. The inside has a piece of white posterboard in it - I think mine measures 14" x 22" - which is just right for my box. I have a larger piece, but I may use it for something else. With kids in school, posterboard is always a useful thing to keep!

The lamp is something I found at Wal-Mart - it is a clip-on lamp and cost about $10. I need one more - one isn't quite enough, even as small as the lightbox is. I love how well the pictures are turning out. I need to go get some scrapbook papers or something to use as backgrounds for some visual interest. My dad does stained glass windows - http://www.ottolinistudios.com/ - and I'm thinking about hitting him up for some glass pieces to use as well.

Here's the link for the tutorial I used to make this lightbox - how big you want yours depends on how big your objects are and how much "stuff" you're using as props.

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-lightbox