Friday Favorites October 10, 2008 and Studio Time

I've been slack about blogging this week. I've been running myself crazy with meetings and the day job, leaving very little time to create. I had a Treasury for my favorites for today, but sadly, it has already expired. Some of the featured items sold, too, I think, but here it is!

One of these days, I'm going to buy out tljessup's shop. When I win the lottery, or the government gives me another surplus check, Ha! Ha! I just love his/her photos. "Pod" is fantastic!

Last weekend, I did into the studio and made these brooches and pendants. I love the Baroque and Renaissance alphabets and images, though, and I just bought a color laser printer, so I may have to do some more...

Friday Favorites October 3, 2008

This new treasury features my favorite bird, the beautiful Cardinal. I have one as a regular visitor to my office window, and he inspired me to create a treasury for him and his friends. I am also a huge fan of South Carolina's own James Dickey. I say South Carolina's own, although he was actually born in Atlanta, Dickey, was Poet-in-Residence at the University of South Carolina in Columbia from 1968 until his death in 1997. The title of the treasury, "Hours of the Cardinal", and the subtitle "A Half-Inch of Blue Sky", are from his collection of contemporary poems.

I am a huge fan of ara133photography's work, and her photo of a fat little, female colorful cardinal is way up there on my list of favorites from her shop.

I am also very excited that my friend and fellow Lowcountry, SC resident, Helena of SnowPondPrimitives has FINALLY decided to open her Etsy shops. Helena actually has two etsy shops, HelenaCStudios and SnowPondPrimitives. Helena is a wood carver and painter, and her Bird On A Bowl, featuring a red cardinal, is the first item she has listed. Helena is a very talented artist, and I cannot wait to see more of her things listed. So, hurry up and get that shop filled, Helena! Your adoring public is waiting!

PCAGOE October Challenge - Day of the Dead

There are some interesting entries in the PCAGOE monthly challenge for October, the theme of which is Day of the Dead. Vote for your favorite, including this decorated skull from Tejae of Tejaesart, beginning October 1 through October 3 at PCAGOE.

!naM detnelaT ylsuoireS enO teeM

My fellow PCAGOE member, David Vanover, a/k/a Revanov, IS a seriously talented man. He also has a wicked sense of humor, so if no one else gets the title, I'm sure he will!

David is based in Washington, D.C. He works primarily with polymer clay and precious metals as a medium for his jewelry design. The results are really stunning, the purest examples of form and function existing harmoniously in one piece. David has only been designing jewelry for the past year, and it just goes to prove what I've always heard, that you either have "it" or you don't, and David has "it": Talent in spades.

I have many favorites among David's work, and have spotlighted his Sunspots bracelet (which I think is sheer genius), here on the blog and in an Etsy treasury, but I'm bringing it back, along with a few more of my favorites from his shop.



I love the way the toggle closure is part of the bracelet design. I could have wracked my brain for a hundred years and not come up with that little twist. Fabulous!

David is one artist whom I am certain will always remain true to himself and his truly unique vision. It won't be long before everyone will know the name Revonav. Talent like his won't stay hidden for long, and I hope his star burns white hot bright for a long, long time.



Distant Red




Soft Thunder




Wife On Mars

Friday Favorites September 26, 2008

I created this treasury, which I call October Road, for my Friday favorites this week.

The weather outside today is crisp after a good, soaking rain last night, the wind is blowing, the leaves are turning and stirring, and I was compelled to seek out some Autumnal inspiration.

The Adluh Flour Mill is a landmark in Columbia, South Carolina, and was created by fellow South Carolinian Hilariagalleries. I'm a sucker for vintage advertising signs and labels, and this treasury features some really splendid ones, and some classic graphics in the Dick and Jane book from fleaflyflo. Who over 40 doesn't remember Dick and Jane and Sally and Puff (I always loved Puff!) and Weekly Readers. This nostalgic treausury makes me think of Autumn and Vintage Americana, but it also takes me back to my childhood. It's a sentimental favorite for sure.

At Tara In This Fateful Hour

This is my new treasury, titled "At Tara In This Fateful Hour", after Madeline L'Engle's poem, Patrick's Rune. It was inspired by ara133photography's stunning photo of the same name. I love the smoky blue and teal colors, and how the items have more than their color in common, which I think gives it depth.

I featured another of Ralph Nuara's pieces. I just love his work, and I always find something in his shop to inspire me when I'm creating treasuries.

The photographers took center stage in this one, however. In addition to ara133, I included Studiolyon's Sunset Palm 2 and metaleyelash's Cheerio Concerto No. 5; and Eyeful's Seed. They are all on my Christmas wish list!

Here is the full text of the poem, Patrick’s Rune by Madeleine L’Engle:

At Tara in this fateful hour
I place all Heaven with its power
And the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And the fire with all the strength it hath,
And the lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along their path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness:
All these I place
By God’s almighty help and grace
Between myself and the powers of darkness

Please help me get this treasury to Etsy's front page! If you love it as much as I do, please visit it and give it some love and clicks! It is steadily moving up the list, but more clicks combined with more comments will send it to the top! Thanks so much!

PCAGOE Artist of the Week - Pollyhyper

This week, I am delighted to get to interview Holly of pollyhyper, a member of the Polymer Clay Artist Guild of Etsy, or PCAGOE. Holly is in charge of our monthly newsletter at the guild, and she does a wonderful job.

So, Holly, tell me a little about yourself.

I'm 32, married, with 2 dogs and 2 cats. I'm obsessed with contrast and find the extremes of light and dark very visually appealing.

How long have you been crafting, and besides polymer clay, what kinds of materials do you use in your creations?

I've been crafting forever - I was one of those children who LOVED to make things - anything - and, if possible, sell it. I had a friendship bracelet and sticker business in grade school. Needless to say, it was not the path to prosperity.

Who or what inspires you?

PCAGOE members inspire me, showing me how far one can take polymer clay in so many different directions. I'm inspired by everything around me - nature, man-made items, light and shadow, great films and directors like Jim Jarmusch who bring the beauty of a great photograph to every frame of his films.

What is your favorite technique?

I'm a little obsessed right now with light and dark and creating silhouettes of all kinds.

What do you like best about being part of PCAGOE?

Constant learning, camaraderie, exchange of ideas. If I have a question, or am thinking of trying something new, someone in the PCAGOE always has an answer for me!

Other than Etsy, where could someone find your work?

Right now, you can see some of my photo restoration work at my website, secondimpressionphoto. In the near future, I'll be working with hippiecrap on some collaborative jewelry.

When you have free time, how do you like to spend it?

Free time? What is that? I have vague memories. When I do have free time, I like to spend it at home - I'm a homebody - crafting, cooking, gardening, or just spending time with my husband.

What are your goals for your craft, and where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I'd really love to get to the point where I can take this craft to more of an "art" level. I'd also love to be able to at least supplement my income with money made doing art so that I can go part-time at my day job and be able to devote more time to art.

Now for the fun stuff!

Favorite Food or Cuisine? Indian

Favorite Color? Purple

Favorite Song or Musical Artist? Jeff Buckley (although it's hard to choose just one!)

Favorite Book or Author? The Time Traveler's Wife, also anything by Neil Gaiman or Christopher Moore.

Favorite Movie, Actor or Actress? I admit it, I have a big thing for Vince Vaughn.

Thanks, Holly! Great interview, and amen on brother Vince. He's a hottie! To see more of the featured items and other items Holly created, click these links.

Love Potion #9 Necklace
Victorian Miss Framed Pin and Pendant
By The Seashore Mixed Media Necklace