Back to the Paper Chase!!

By now, most of you know I am obsessed with making jewelry from tin....but I began making jewelry out of paper.  It's almost like a treasure hunt looking for interesting patterns in magazine pictures or gorgeous scenery in vintage postcards.  After copying them onto heavy paper, they are cut, placed in settings and sealed.  This necklace is going out to a friend in North Carolina soon.  The bracelet was crafted from a postcard background from 1912....so delicate.  More paper designs soon at my Etsy store, themadcutter.etsy.com!! Come visit!

Ready for Flight!

So, most jewelry makers will tell you that the last piece they make is their favorite....especially if they have been sitting in a hot garage all day crafting!!  (I'm not even bothering to type studio and cross it out anymore!!).  This little guy was hand cut from a vintage tin and then weathered, beaten around the edges, sanded, and aged with patina.  I sat back when he was done and thought, "How he LOOKS is exactly how I FEEL right now!!"  If you look at him, though, he's ready for flight...no worse for the wear.  He has inspired me to go on a flight of my own today and just do something FUN!!!

Nose to the Grindstone

Yesterday I just wanted these pieces finished.....I'm not long on patience, as people who know me will tell you!  I think the wait was worth it because I am so pleased with the way they turned out!  I was in love with the tin and knew it would translate wonderfully to jewelry...sometimes you just know it the instant you see a piece of tin!  I can't decide which is my favorite.  Both pieces will soon be submitted to the "Kentucky Crafted" artist guild for consideration.  I sure hope they wow the judges!

Tin Garden

Love love the colors in this gorgeous piece

I'm always getting ideas as I cut the tin into pieces

I cut this beautiful pink flower and plan to use it in its free form state

We have had wonderfully cool and breezy weather here today and I LOVED it....so I took to my studio garage to begin working on a new piece or two of tin jewelry.  Lately, I have been working without music or any other distraction....just listening to the sounds around me.  This tin was so pleasing to my eye with its bright colors against the glossy black background.  I've completed a few pieces and will post them soon!  Enjoy the garden!

Dear Diary....

While traveling to visit my mom this weekend, I stopped at one of my favorite haunts along the way to see if I could score some treasures.   In one booth there lay a very old and worn diary with the lock latch cut off.  Now, I'll be the first to lay it out there that I am a nosy little cuss and I couldn't resist opening and reading a bit!  I do find myself wondering how that person would feel knowing that their private (or so they thought) thoughts and feelings are now laid out for everyone to see.  I also wonder why any family member would get rid of such a treasure.  Her entries, from way back in 1938 and 1939 were so honest and sweet.  I couldn't help but snap a few pictures....

Wow...don't we all want this??

I found it so sweet that she longed for a nice home and wrote that in her diary...

As I turned to the back cover, I read this....very true, I think!  What are you sending out to the lives of others that may come back into yours??

Life is Too Short for Neutrals!

This has been my mantra for quite a while and anyone who comes in my house would testify to it, for sure.....not to mention my therapy room/office that looks like a Dr. Suess-fest!!  I'll admit it, I couldn't live in a world without vibrant colors.  When choosing colors for furniture that I paint or rooms, I often recall that first box of Crayola Crayons that we would get that for the first day of school.  The anticipation of opening that box (with the built in sharpener, of course!) was almost too much for me to handle!  When I would see them all sharp and lined up like toy soldiers, I  immediately dug in for my favorite colors: carnation pink and periwinkle.  It's no mystery that I have rooms in my house painted variations of those exact hues.  While thrifting yesterday, I happened upon a box of little spools of thread....all for $1.  Of course, I couldn't pass that up!  Even if I never use them (but I will), I could display them in my McCoy planter and just bask in the color!

A Little Treasure

Yesterday while my son was in a driving class I embarked on a treasure hunt....not hard to do when my favorite antique mall in Lexington, "Feather Your Nest" was still open when I dropped him off.  When  I saw that one booth had 50% off....my heart beat a little faster!  It didn't take long to spy this precious little board game called, quite aptly, "Sunken Treasure".  I was taken in by the dreamy colors, graphics, and just the good old feel of it!  I work with children and I know they are going to fall for this simple little game....and I'll be playing right along with them!  If you are ever in Lexington, Kentucky be sure to visit "Feather Your Nest".  It's just a charming little store and I never leave without some type of treasure!!

Off To the UK

I love knowing that my pieces are finding their way on a journey to another country....just something kind of romantic about it!  This necklace will be making its way to the United Kingdom!

What to do, what to do....

So, I've been up WAY too early today...but it's not always a bad thing!  I've accomplished more this morning than I have in quite a while.  My wheels have been turning on some new tin pieces for my Etsy stores and I have my heart set on this piece to get the juices flowing!

Peddler's Mall Scores

A trip to our local "Peddler's Mall" was quite successful today!  I've got plans for the frame (maybe a new blackboard or jewelry display?) and the cute books will soon become journals...not too bad for a cloudy Sunday!

Summer Of Love

Since moving to this small Kentucky town 6 years ago, I have taken on a yearly summer project of finding cast off furniture to paint.  I love finding the cheapest deals and transforming them...labor of love for me!  Last summer I started my "Summer of Love Flower Power" set and never finished.  I was starting up my Etsy store and this took the back burner.  Well...it's been moved up to the front burner!!  I have big plans for the ugly Salvation Army table...stay tuned!!

Two People....

I am rarely at a loss for words...anyone who knows me will tell you that!  But as I sat here staring at the empty post box, my fingers were stiff on the keys!  The best way for me to start my new blog is to thank the two people who made it happen.  First, Karen Valentine from Valentine Design and My Desert Cottage did the design work, giving me a great space with which to share my world.  I would be totally amiss, however, by not giving props to my dear friend, Sue, who has encouraged me and been my biggest cheerleader every inch of the way.  She talked me out of my doubt and hesitations about starting a blog.  Without her, I'm certain you wouldn't be reading this post right now!  I'm anxious (and a bit daunted!) to share my world of scraping and scrounging around for treasures with which to create!