Monday's Millinery Musings: The Poetry of Hats

BY GUEST BLOGGER JENNIFER

There are so many wonderful comments that have been made about hats over time. Here are a few matched with hats I have made.

"Milliners never seem to have any difficulty discovering geometrical shapes wholly unknown to mathematicians." - Evan Esar

"I myself have twelve hats, and each one represents a different personality. Why be just yourself?" - Margaret Atwood 

(This is my beautiful sister-in-law, Tracy, modeling the hat she wore to the Saratoga racetrack)

"Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her: if you can bounce high, bounce for her too, till she cry, Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you!" - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

"The hat is not quite sensational enough. Add a mass of black veiling..." - Christian Dior

"I wear a hat when I go shopping. I get better service." - Mademoiselle Staffer

Happy Birthday Mum

It's my mum's birthday today - so Happy Birthday to you!  Hope you have a wonderful day.  We'll chat when I've landed!

Pink Sherbet Photography

Birdland Creations In the New York Times today!

I am included in a slideshow in the New York Times online today - entitled "Suddenly the world is their market"! Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/08/15/business/SOAPBOX-5.html

I haven't been able to see a paper yet as I just arrived in the UK but my friend Jennifer said it's printed in the Business section on the Soapbox page! Yeah!!!!!

Here are some screen shots of me and my work from the slideshow!:

Humphrey and Trisha the lovebirds are very excited - as are all us birds at Birdland!  Can't wait to get a copy in my hands!!

Weekly Bird in the Hand

As the saying "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" is all about gratitude for what you have..... here is my list of this week's bird in the hand events and things that made me happy.

1. I'm sure it'll be no surprise if you've read my blog this week that I am appearing in the Sunday New York Times tomorrow.  For that, I am extreeeeeeeeemely grateful - and equally excited!

Photo by ShironekoEuro

2. I was found for the NYTimes article from my store on Dawanda - so yeah for Dawanda!!

3. I'm flying back to England today for a quick visit so Virgin Atlantic and the pilot and staff etc definitely get my gratitude...assuming I get there safely...

Sister72

Friday night....

Hmmm....it's Friday night what should I do......

Oh goodie - here's Trisha.....

" Fancy going out with some friends sweetie?"

Hmmm. I guess not.  Quiet night in for two instead.....but then we are lovebirds so I guess that is good!

Hanging perch

A customer  inquired a few weeks about my "perched" ring. She asked if, instead of it being a ring, the bird could be hanging in a circle for a pendant/necklace.

Luckily the customer was not in a hurry and was kind and patient, as I had a trip planned and other unexpected things crop up - but I finished her necklace today - "Hanging Perch".

I like the photo below - he looks like a happy little bird:

I think it works well as a pendant too.  Hoping she likes it.

Look who's heading into the kiln!

OK! Get in line....time to get going:

 Good little birdies - all quite orderly - except for one!!!  And off we go:

Don't worry, it'll be nice and cozy:

And when you come out, you'll be so precious!

My New York Times Interview!

I've had an exciting couple of days and have been eager to share it with you.

On Friday I was approached my someone from the New York Times saying that she wanted to include me in a photo essay on selling handmade online.  You can imagine how excited I felt and wanted to tell everyone, but I also wanted to wait a while and see if it was all going to turn out OK and my answers etc fitted in with her article.

But yesterday I had a 2 hour photo shoot at my studio. The photographer - Peter DaSilva was great and I really enjoyed it.  He took photos as I created some of my Humphrey and Trisha Lovebird earrings, photographing all the different stages.  Above is the Humphrey that I made for him.

Then he took lots of shots of me in the studio which was quite a challenge. If you haven't seen my studio, it is a tiny attic space where you can only stand up in the middle of the room!  He had to crunch himself in odd little spaces to try and get shots of the room - looking quite the contortionist!

Then today I had a brief telephone interview -  just answering a few general questions on where I sell online etc - and as it is a photo essay,  that will be captions to photos rather than script. I have no idea how much, how big, how small, how many photos, how many other people etc there will be - but the article is scheduled for this SUNDAY in the Magazine.

Yes, Humphrey - you can take a bow! You did well yesterday.

I hope you'll share in my excitement and get a copy on Sunday.    As luck would have it - I will be getting off a plane in England on Sunday morning  for an expected visit back there so won't even be able to see it until I get back ......... unless I can hunt down a copy over there. However there is also a NY Times  magazine version online but not sure if they include everything.  You know that I'll be looking there anyhow!

Mondays with Marly - Transforming Spaces

BY GUEST BLOGGER MARLY from Studio 28

I admit it. Both Angie and I are addicted to home renovation shows. We love to see how unappealing rooms turn into beautiful, stunning spaces. We have had our share of renovation experiences here on Spring Street, and although they are stressful to go through, the end result always makes it so worthwhile. I bought this little house on Spring Street twenty years ago. I was delighted that it came with a downstairs apartment as it provided extra income to help with the mortgage.  Being close in proximity to two large universities has always made it easy to find tenants, but after a flood caused some damage in the spring of 2008, it was the time to renovate and upgrade the apartment. We also wanted to reduce the size of the apartment so Angie and I could have more studio space downstairs and access to our storage space.

I always love looking at before and after shots, so I thought I would let you see the renovation process we went through that summer.  I’ll focus on the galley kitchen section of the downstairs apartment. It’s always a bit nerve wracking when the workers come in and totally gut what was previously there. No turning back now. Thankfully, we had a contractor that we knew and could trust!

As in the most dramatic renovation T.V. shows, the contractor informed us that the wiring and pipes behind the walls were a nightmare. The small kitchen ceiling was hiding twelve junction boxes. I could see by the look on the contractor’s face that this was not a good thing.

Obviously, a previous owner had been a bit of a “do-it- your-selfer” with very little knowledge or expertise! Also, the plumbing was old and pipes needed replacing. Ah yes, a bit of drama and added dollars to keep things exciting!

Now that the wiring and plumbing were fixed, we could focus on the fun stuff!

Angie and I decided to save some money by designing the new space, purchasing bathroom and kitchen cabinets and accessories, and by doing all the painting ourselves. After the summer was over, I really didn’t want to see another paint brush for a very long time.

How exciting to slowly see the transformation taking place. Here is the final result. I even had fun making a collage (seen on the far wall) from Japanese papers and the left over paint from the kitchen walls. Talk about art that matches the surroundings!

We were so pleased and excited about our new, sweet, little downstairs apartment. And we were able to reclaim some room downstairs for ourselves. All the work has really paid off! We still can hardly believe its the same downstairs each time we go down to our studios. Just wish we didn’t have to rent out the apartment! We could take turns living down there. But it is that time of year to rent it out to another grad student....we are now screening through tenant applications! We’ve had great tenants, so far! Wish us luck on finding a new one!

Sunday's Spotlight - A Flick through Flickr

BY GUEST BLOGGER PETE

You, dear reader of this blog, may well know all about "FLICKR" and may have been using it for years.  However, there might be just one reader who has no idea what "FLICKR" is.

Ruth introduced me to FLICKR about 18 months ago and until that point, although I had heard of it, I didn't even realise that the spelling was "FLICKR" and not "FLICKER".  How backward can you become?

Basically, FLICKR is a site for showing off your photographs.  However, once you get started on it you'll find yourself picking up all sorts of photographic tips and improvement ideas.  The membership forums usually have someone who will answer your questions and be able to help you undertake all manner of adaptions to your photos.

You also make FLICKR contacts or friends quite easily.  FLICKR has, quite literally, thousands of groups open for you to join - each group offering a specific aspect of photography.  For example, I am interested in kaleidoscopes and there are a number of groups with large memberships who share my interest.  There are also groups for photos of cities, towns, villages, hamlets etc, all over the world.

I started and administer a group under the heading of "Cathedral and Church Flower Festivals".  It's one of the smaller groups - minute compared to most - but it has plenty of members' photos in its pool.

Opening a FLICKR account is straight forward.  It costs absolutely nothing and provides you with a limited amount of free storage for your photos on the internet but no restrictions on the number of groups you can join or other folks' photos that you can view.

For a small annual subscription you become, in rather pretentious FLICKR language, a "PRO".  Now you can upload as many photos as you wish as often as you wish.

There is also the possibility that some of your photos will be published.  A number of mine have been been.  The latest - last month - you will find on www.stepupfinance.com/down-town.  My photo is the rather weird one at the beginning.

You're also quite welcome to visit my FLICKR site - Peter 2010

and Ruth's FLICKR - Birdland Creations site as well.

Give FLICKR a go if you haven't already.  Basically its not going to cost you a penny or a cent!.

Weekly Bird in the Hand

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I have decided to instigate a weekly blog post about all the things that I am grateful for and happy about that have happened during the week.  As my "bird in the hand" jewelry symbolizes being grateful for what you have now - I'm calling it my Weekly Bird in the Hand. 

Photo by Leoncillo Sabino

Week ending 08/07/10:

• Members of Vajra voices - the quintet I sing with are performing tomorrow afternoon in SF and we've been rehearsing together this week.  It's so wonderful to sing together and pay such attention to detail to what we are doing.  I have so enjoyed it this week and look forward to tomorrow.
• Enthusiasm of friends - I had some exciting news this week which I'll share here soon - and when I told some friends on the EtsyMetalClay team it felt so lovely to hear their excitement for me too.  It was very heartwarming.
• The telephone - this week being able to make international phone calls just seemed to be what was needed.  Emails, texts and other things just wouldn't have done it - so thanks to Alexander Graham Bell and everyone else who makes it so easy to pick up a phone and talk to family thousands of miles away.
• Giant Steps - we are going to a non-profit gala event this evening for Giant Steps - a therapeutic horse riding program for people of all ages with disabilities.  What wonderful work they do.

• Figuring out my new tap and die set to make screws and threads in my jewelry and having fun trying it out.
• Lime green - the color just makes me happy!

Photo by AndyRob

 What made you happy and feel grateful this week?

Messenger bird

I've been trying a few different pin finding styles lately.  I so like pins - and always get comments when I wear them - but unfortunately, they aren't big sellers.

Anyhow - in my trying different styles, I tried a stem pin - not sure if that is really the correct name....  I made a simple silver bird, riveted his wing on and then attached the pin.  Idea for jackets and coats. The bird looks like he is on a mission - thus I've called him the "messenger bird".

A bird in the hand - ring

I seem to gravitate to the saying "a bird in the hand......" as a symbol of gratitude.  I really like the saying and in the past I have made a few necklaces depicting it.  But this week I've made it into a ring which is adjustable to whatever size you need it.

I saw a little comedy skit about the saying on television this week.  It was a mock up of the Antiques Roadshow and this woman had brought in a white porcelain-looking hand with a colored bird on it.  They discussed the history and art and style etc, very seriously....and then the guy turned to her and said " and as for what it's worth........I think it's definitely worth two in the bush"!

I've decided I'm going to do a regular - weekly - 'bird in the hand' post on Saturdays.  It'll be my post to say what I am grateful for each week........ A little summary of the good things that have happened that week.  The first one will be this Saturday, so I hope you'll come by and read my  Weekly Bird in the Hand.

Keep Flowering - Faux bone ring variation

You may recall that for my latest Master Muse challenge, one of the rings I made was an interchangeable flower ring where you could make different parts of the flower and swap them in and out with different colors.

The ring shown here is the same design and this time, instead of having different pieces to change out, I just colored them a different color on each side so you just  unscrew the ring, turn the pieces over and screw them back together when you want a different splash of color!

The ring is bold - so I colored it boldly too!  I find I am wearing  a lot of coral, peach, orange colors - and my favorite sweater has some purple in it - so you can see where these color combinations came from!

Robert Dancik has just joined the team of Master Muse and his Faux Bone ring project is shown today.  He is actually the originator of Faux Bone so has used it extensively. Hope you'll go and check his out.