pUpdates and Updates

she's growing bigger by the minute it seems

Ayer's been sick the last week and is finally feeling a little better!

poor pup

snapped this photo while she had a post-Thanksgiving slumber

get your "awww" fix :)

this is a busy week for me.

had a wonderful weekend seeing old customers and meeting new ones

now i'm working to get all their jewelry on the way!

lots of future Christmas presents

i've never felt more like an Elf!

hope you have a blessed holiday,

xx

Lynsey

Handmade Holiday Sale

15%-20% off everything in my enamel and metal shops

now through Monday!

shopping without the crowd

hope you are able to enjoy my work

and perhaps stuff some stockings,

place a small box into the hands of someone you love

or give something nice to yourself!

Thanks! And hope you have lovely beginning to the holiday season :)

-Lynsey

home on the Range

a view from our new home:

whenever i feel homesick, I look to the West

I am humbled and settled

the natural beauty which surrounds me here

keeps me adventurous and peaceful

I do miss my family and friends in the Midwest,

but hope these views are an added perk to plan a visit soon

xoxo

set them free

these poor little gals have been patiently waiting

for me to set them free...

i'm not entirely sure why i was reluctant to release these.

maybe i just wanted to spend a little more time with them?

the colors and shapes are so fun!

i loved having them in my work space

but now it's time to allow others to enjoy these pieces.

they're finally listed in my enamel shop !

the West is officially getting to me

i can't stop using brass, silver, turquoise, and quills.

items are slowly rolling into my metals-focused shop

fall's last breath

i must confess... these photos are from a couple weeks ago.

the colors were brilliant

the snow, fresh.

i wanted to share them here... it's my favorite seasonal transition :)

hope you enjoy!

had to share....

my evenings recently:

this adorable face makes working from home hard!

who could resist?

oh what a squeal leaped from my lips

when i found this at a local vintage thrift shop:

since moving out to the West...

i find myself infatuated with Southwest design,

color,

& pattern.

(it's already influencing some recent works

simple, natural, minimal, yet adorning)

helps that it's "in fashion" nowadays too

Ayer chew chew chews you!

Ayer loves sticks

LOVES them

the bigger, the better.

so with the heavy snow taking down entire tree limbs

Ayer was in heaven

here's her prized find and ensuing attack:

Workbench Wednesday

here's a glimpse into my studio this afternoon...

which had the most beautiful view

of freshly fallen snow outside the window

i'm working on restoring and repairing these beautiful

enamel heirloom pieces

this project has taken MUCH longer than originally expected.

the old solder was different

than anything i'd worked with before

and had a significantly low flow temp.

(which left the enamel looking off)

to get the enamel to "re-flow" i needed to buy a new torch.

one which gets hot with a nice clean flame

(my old one is sooooo tiny, and not hot enough to fire larger pieces)

anyways... i'm hoping to have these beauties done by November

for the patient and friendly owner :)

what's in your works this week?

-Lynsey

Workbench Wednesdays

i wanted to start inviting others into my studio more

say... every Wednesday?

here's what's on my workbench (while the pup was slumbering)

this early morning:

some prototype earrings!

hopefully i'll finish a pair for next week,

but i MUST finish custom orders first.

this is how breakfast time ends:

she's really too cute!

brace yourself

for cuteness !

Ayer (pronounced: Eye-er) is a Golden addition our family!

She still smells like puppy...

you know, something reminiscent of burnt toast?

She's a handful

between chewing, digging, jumping, accidents...

but my gosh her complete adorableness makes room for the utmost patience.

sleep hard, play hard.

we're learning alongside this sweet little gal!

anyone up for puppysitting?

it's become hard to get into the studio

with full-time puppy raising

haha, what a predicament. oh the sacrifices ;)

trying new things

my poor camera has been saved from dormancy

playing with new styles of photographing my work

what do you think? really.

my heart in its core

when summer nods to fall, that's when i feel most in touch with myself.

do you know those days: when you feel more beaming and alive in your own skin?

i'm not entirely sure why, but the summer is always most difficult for me.

that's the opposite of many people whose spirits will damper in the colder winter months.

really, nothing has noticeably changed.

calendar pages, yes.

The rhythm of my day is familiar, typical even,

and yet, deep inside i always feel different come late September.

maybe i'm like an autumn fruit to harvest.

an apple or pumpkin

small summer tart growing sweeter in its core

my colors grow bright as the nights cool and the days are sunny and crisp.

i like to take full advantage of my spirit from autumn to spring

it's my time of new pursuits, adventures, determination

if you've followed my work for these past 4 years...

you may notice that new projects tend to bud most in the fall/winter months for me

does your spirit show itself more brightly at times?

can you anticipate when? are you a spring flower? a summer strawberry?

xx

Lynsey

3 years later

this piece has been patiently waiting

for 3 years

yes... i didn't have a clue what to do with it for that long

i coveted it. keeping in my creative spaces

places where i would paint, sketch, or hammer

holding it. turning it in my hands. wondering.

sometimes i personify objects

imagining they have feelings

i used to do this with my toys as a child

feeling guilty for spending more time with one than another

if this piece contained feelings, i think it would feel at home

these pieces of ribbon, metal, and enamel strike a harmony

as if they exist to be with one another

i am eased with its completion

a long time in the making

but well worth the wait !

do you have any projects on standby?

what's keeping you from them?

-L

underneath

i'm looking for a little more

beneath the surface of my flesh

into the depths of my mind and spirit

my jewelry is following the lead

something more

lingering quietly beneath

i think so often our potential is covered

by the judgment of others, past experiences,

and unfortunately our own critiques

but it still exists!

our potential will always exist

it takes courage and love to push through

and take a deeper look into what we can be

how we can live better,

love better

i believe love and acceptance can be contagious.

starting within

breaking the opacity and shining outward

our soul can then shine.

we can recognize beauty because we've pushed away our own fog.

time to be bold

while the size of this little fellow isn't overpowering

the cut and color are strong

(i've had a thing for simple and bold pieces lately, yeah?)

i just returned from a brief visit home

i was able to visit my grandfather

(thank goodness he had a recent turnaround in health)

my parents, new parents (in-laws), brother and his lady,

a best friend, and man's best friend (Lucy)

but my goodness how much i missed my husband!

it was a trip where i felt reconnected to many things

family, friendship, and faith

i returned with a feeling,

a need to fulfill a deeper purpose.

push myself to connect further to the people i love

and extend myself to help those around me

on strength

personal strength comes in many definitions and forms

i want to exist unwavering;

bold and unabashed.

sometimes my self-critic gets the all too much

of my time.

she whispers words of doubt.

when weak, i listen too closely.

there is another part of me i wish to embrace more often;

a warrior spirit:

kind and sturdy.

i firmly believe that each morning we can make a choice

of who to be

what to believe

plot the course of our day

my 2/3's year resolution is to doubt myself less

to play more

experience what each day offers

and to be more bold.

these earrings are trinkets of strength.

the color reaped from roaring embers.

i will bare similar shields from my lobes

so that when i look in the mirror

i am reminded of the strength i contain

and choose to embrace it

what choices do you make to ensure a good day?

L

giveaway notice!

if you reading this and wishing for

a free pair of handmade enamel stud earrings

you're in luck!

please zoom over to my friend's (Jamie) blog:

http://spilledmilkformoms.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/giveaway-verre-encore-handmade-alpine-dew-drop-earrings/

she's a new mommy :)

offering stories, insight, and inquiry into life with a little one

these earrings are perfect wearables

(especially if you have little tykes which threaten your lobes)

good luck!

-Lyns

*shooosh shooosh* dusting off the shelves

yes, it's been a while

since i've been settled enough to really pour myself in to my work

hear this:

NEW in shop today

Whispers from the Waves earrings

i love where my work has taken me throughout the years

ever more so, i'm able to follow my own intuitions

to new frontiers

and golly, i owe so much

to everyone who has supported my work along the way

(so much!)

heading into the fall, my wish is to push forward

continue exploring in metal and glass

i'll try to invite you into the studio more often

and hope you'll stop by

xx,

Lyns

new digs (studio)

a glimpse into my new studio in the making

so i can be making

things are coming together. a few weeks in.

i'm trying to get all set up

eager to try new techniques and approches

fresh designs

i reckon moving new places is to be mirrored in my work

what keeps you moving?

xx

down the aisle & across the country

rain is good luck from my understanding

we're on to brilliant and fresh beginnings

it's been nearly a month since we exchanged vows, took each others hands, and celebrated our commitment and relationship with each other and loved ones.

our wedding was a joyous experience

amplified by our love

and those surrounding us with theirs'

i wanted to share a few favorite photos

major photo credit goes to Haley O'Brian: http://www.haleyobrianphoto.blogspot.com/

she captured our moments beautifully :)

(Shannon Dils also took one of these pics! thanks! )

and so our story together grows.

we're settling into our new mountainous surroundings

in the heart of Colorado

hope you're taking the summer extraordinary places!

love,

Lynsey