Jennifer Stumpf

A year ago today

2010-01-05T20:31:00.001-08:00

A year ago today I was deliriously happy standing here on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy- handmade paper purchases in one hand, husband's hand in the other.

A year ago this week Michael took glorious photos of the Ponte Vecchio from the viewpoint of the Ufizzi museum.

Brunelleschi's Dome. We climbed the narrow stairway clear to the top at dusk. Certainly one of the world's most beautiful views....

One of those spectacular views... Firenze at dusk.

*sigh....* No matter the cost, it's best to live without regrets. Captured forever in my heart and memory, I'm so very glad we went...

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

Before we left for Christmas holidays, Richmond had the thrill and then the misery of more than a foot of snow. Here is the misery of it--- our newest car was the only car out of dozens that managed to have a tree fall on it. Fortunately enough snow fell prior to that the damage was minimal small dents and easily taken care of next week in the auto body shop.

Undeterred, we packed up and headed four hours northeast to visit my parents for Christmas eve, day and Boxing Day. Maggie and Lucy (looking a little off still..) are ready for their presents. As usual, they received a pile of new toys, chewies and treats!

Christmas Day. Lucy is not feeling very well. Rainy weather flared up her arthritis and she had an upset stomach. Nothing serious and she is fine now but I felt bad for her because she always loves Christmas and understands it (the opening presents part anyway!) better than any other dog I know.

My mom's lovely holiday shirt. She painted this design on it! Isn't it beautiful? I think she needs to start marketing them.

The view of the front room, Christmas morning. Mom and Dad cut a Charlie Brown tree from their property and set it up. I love it!

Some of my parent's ornaments. They decorate so beautifully every year. Old heirloom ornaments and figurines, lights and pine. I enjoy it all so much.

Christmas dinner at my parent's house with my folk's next door neighbor. My mom made a wonderful dinner of turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings, offset with vintage Christmas tablecloth, plates, and my grandmother's beautiful candelabra.

My husband started with a bad cold the day before we left, so I hurried to get things ready to go so we could get the germ factory out of their house. In between snoozes, Michael took this photo from the drive home on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. A lovely buttermilk sky...

Happy New Year everyone!

a little of this a little of that

2009-12-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

Working on presents and such for Christmas. These earrings and accompanying bag went out yesterday. Maybe I'll list some similar on etsy one of these days but etsy isn't lighting my fire right now so I am concentrating on other things. These sterling hammered hoops and faceted turquoise drops are lightweight and rather sweet, every day earrings to wear.

The bag that went with it. I adore making these!

I heart my local quilt shops. Aren't these fabrics fabulous?? Not to mention the threads. My husband checked out my burgeoning supply of silk and cotton threads and declared I have quite enough in the shade of pink, green and blues of every hue.

In the evenings after my husband's work is done, we take time and drive around looking at lights. This is my favorite, probably because it is so very weird. It is a cement truck that has lights circling the body, all blinking so it looks like the mixer is turning and then more lights at the tail on the ground blinking so it appears as if lit cement is pouring on the ground. I love it! I even filmed it. Again, my husband shook his head and put the car into drive... This company does this every year and I look forward to it with great anticipation, making Michael drive way out to the west end of Glen Allen to see if the cement truck is out and lit yet. =)

More random photos. Recently we worked at a llama farm on a piano repair. I spent part of my time when I wasn't needed (which was most of the time), walking the farm. These guys were very interested in me and Lucy. They came running from every direction and watched us intently the whole time we were there. Who knew llamas were so social?

Finally, Mr. Mango sleeping on his new L.L. Bean fleece blanket for our king size bed. Of course we got the big bed for the animals. Pshaw! Did you think it was for me?

We are expecting a heap of snow tonight, not my favorite thing at all. I ran around like a nut earlier today refilling dog prescription, getting presents for the furry kids at Petco, browsing Barnes and Noble and hitting the dollar store for gift wrap and ten for a dollar candy. I made the mistake of walking nonchalantly into Trader Joe's for a few things. Bah! People in line to the back of the store, on all aisles. So I hit the free coffee stand, the free wine stand, the free nacho stand, and left. Then I hit the not free Starbucks and drove home. Happy weekend, everyone!

one new listing/Mango antics!

2009-12-09T21:41:00.001-08:00

First things first-- a new etsy listing. all things work out hand stamped sterling silver pendant. This is one hefty pendant and would look lovely by itself on a chain or grouped with some other trinkets of your choosing, mix it up a little! Now available in my shop http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

Now, moving on to other things. Isn't Mr. Mango a sweet orange boy? So quiet, so peaceful....

So deceptive!! Here he is on his little kitty perch. This is my husband's work space for a commissioned drawing that HAS to be completed by Christmas. Naturally, Mango has decided the only, only, only suitable object to scratch his little chinny chin chin is Michael's white charcoal pencil.

He's making his move! Come on-- give it to me!

Aaaaahhhh..... Success! That feels soooooooo gooooooood.....

Ah, the life of Mr. Mango. Fat kitty extraordinaire, we love him so!

blue bird bag

2009-12-03T15:28:00.001-08:00

I am just having too much fun making these little bags... This little blue bird bag was completed last night and is in the mail today.

Such an infinite variety of colors, fabrics, dyes, threads, shapes.... I love it all.

This holds a pair of commissioned earrings but it is the perfect size for small eye glasses, cosmetics, pens, or a little bag to hold the odds and ends of your pocketbook. Should I sell them on etsy?

do not be afraid

2009-12-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

One of my favorite bible verses put onto sterling silver with added natural and vintage elements. Now for sale in my etsy shop http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

We travelled up to Wallops Island to visit my parents for Thanksgiving. While there my husband took these photos of Assateague Island at twilight.

Ibis in flight. Quite something to see and I am very sorry I missed it in person but happy Michael captured them on the camera.

The day after we devoured a good portion of Mr. Turkey and trimmings, we did what all nutty Americans do even though we know it's a bad idea-- we went shopping on Black Friday. My mom, my husband and yours truly all trekked up (with Lucy and Maggie, who refused to be left at home, in tow as well!) to Delaware to go outlet shopping. Afterwards we drove the 1/2 hour to Dover to stop at T.J. Maxx and a few other places before heading back to my parent's house. It was a long day and the dogs did very well considering they were in the car (although walked frequently) for more than eight hours. We did very well with our shopping bags too, scoring good deals on bedding at L.L. Bean, as well as jeans, thermal socks, sweaters, shirts, and the list goes on.... Here I am with my husband in his favorite Steelers jacket, enjoying a stop at our favorite Rehobeth Beach Starbucks.

And with my mom. One grande eggnog latte and one grande mocha latte, non fat milk with extra whipped, please! Oh, and some cookies, too, thank you very much, even though we ate enough to choke a cow the day before...

My dad opted out in favor of showing his photographs at a one man art show. He did well with sales for this time of year and in the economy.

Saturday my mom and I went, where else? Out for some more shopping excursions, although this time at a local school craft show. A lovely painting now graces our wall and some hand painted Christmas ornaments are stowed away awaiting the arrival of our Christmas tree. Hmm.. did we get something for anyone other than ourselves either day?? I don't think we did...

My husband worked on some pianos at churches on Saturday and Sunday we drove home, full of good food, good times and anticipation of heading back in a few weeks for Christmas!

We are going to Williamsburg this Saturday to spend the day. Walk on Duke of Gloucester Street, look at lights, eat a good dinner and the best part- choose our Christmas tree! Oh, boy, I love the smell of pine at Christmas!

This year, as last, we are doing all hand made gifts, except for a couple small things. I am a few days away from the panic that set in last year when we did the same and it was days before Christmas and madly wire wrapping and making books and painting and everything. Hopefully this year will be a bit more calm without preparation for a big trip overseas looming.

Tonight? We are off to the historic Byrd Theater in Richmond to see one of my favorite movies of all time-- Julie and Julia. *sigh*!! I am still obsessed. It's out on DVD in a few days but I may not be able to wait til Christmas!

each necklace comes with a bag sorta like this one

2009-11-21T18:38:00.000-08:00

It's been a rather quiet Saturday for a change and I've spent most of the day kinda tired and ready for a nap that just wouldn't come easily, even though I crashed in bed at 3 p.m. for a while. Too many things to think about...

At any rate, each memory necklace I make comes with a lovely freebie bag such as the one pictured in these shots-- all hand made, with machine and free hand embroidery, interesting textures of batik, recycled thrift shop fabric, couture silks- you name it, I'll pair it together. All cotton and silk threads. For some reason, polyester threads don't do well in my sewing machine.

Make a wish, people, it's almost Christmas-time!

Vintage cut steel button (purchased at a rural Pennsylvania antique show this past summer) with silks, tulle and hand made multi-colored sash.

Time to play with Mango and wear him out a little, then hit the bed early for a change. My husband is seizing the moment and energy to work on his drawing.

Saturday night married life-- full of excitement!

another twinkling memory necklace

2009-11-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

I used up the last of my really beautiful stash of fabulosity-quality faceted round amethyst for this memory necklace that is being shipped out tomorrow. All silver wire and chain, with bottom dangly stones of super lovely green tourmaline, citrine, pearl, green aquamarine and rubies.

This is the requested stamping on the pendant reverse. What a lovely quote...

I've been happily finishing this necklace up and making the collaged fabric bag that will hold it. In this disposable society, where electronics rule and everything is old and boring and tossed away as soon as it hits the stores, I feel honored and humbled to create small works of art that hold something so precious, something that can't be bought for a high enough price, for any price-- memories. "Oh, you are too nostalgic. Come on, live in the present!" Yes, but live for yesterday too and for all the days and people, homes, dogs, cats, travels and so forth that came before it, for that is from whence we become who we are, hopefully a good thing. Reminiscing doesn't necessarily lock you in the past, it teaches you about who you can be today and in the future.

Other pieces are in various stages of completion, both Christmas gifts and etsy listings. Lots to do... Lots of small triumphs. It's a good thing because I already got notice that I didn't get the rather rinky dink job I interviewed for the other day, which is actually quite ok with me. Quick as it came, they must have had them typed up before I even walked in the door to begin with.

Lucy is coming back to me again and again, nudging my arm to come to bed with her, so best to give in to the doggie's whim and head on in with some needlework instead of jewelry work for a change.

My husband is busily working on a pencil drawing. It is quite beautiful and is due for his own customer in a few weeks. He's making good progress and I'll post a photo when it's completed and after it's delivered. I'm so glad and grateful that we both have absorbing art pursuits that fill us with contentment. With all that is going on, it's so important for me to have something other than the everyday worries.

bright sky over winter earrings

2009-11-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I love earrings that move or any piece of jewelry with alot of jingle. It's gotta have movement or I probably won't wear it. My wedding rings fit one into the other, my necklaces, both bought and self made, are almost all accented by numerous interesting dangles and parts. And the same with earrings. Here is my latest offerings on etsy. The smoky quartz barrels twinkled so beautifully, they demanded to be paired with something interesting and different. These remind me of a lovely winter day, the contrast of the brown, gently laid to rest winter landscapes with a clear turquoise blue sky. For added interest and movement (again) I soldered a number of hand made jump rings and allowed them large enough to freely move up and down the layers of beads, but just enough to keep them from coming off the top or bottom bead. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed creating them. =)

A closer look. http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

What a belly buster! Oh my sweet big boy, he is my little (?) love. =) This is the epitome of the lazy cat. Why lay on the floor when you can sleep on the sofa with your big orange head resting on a vintage pillow? Why indeed??

I've several orders to get finished up tonight and I am still coming down from a job possibility that looked promising but ended up disappointing. Always I am reminded how much more I like working in my studio than going out there trying to find another way. If I put all that time into making things I maybe wouldn't need the other way of life, and every time I go to a job interview for a job that is less than stellar, it motivates me back into the studio. Not many people other than those who make art themselves realize what work it is to produce artwork, jewelry, or whatever is your medium for sale. It is hard work. But I love it. What am I so afraid of?

This is definitely a coffee shop night.

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

My lovely grandparents, Virginia Louise Freet Bair and Charles G. Bair on their engagement day. Salem, Ohio.

Going through the daily motions on this rainy day, it seems fitting to remember the past. Mostly today I am thinking about Veteran's Day. I wrote the following last year, and it still is one of my favorite posts. So, here it is again...

On a grander and more important scale, I am remembering all the Vets out there, living and dead, who have done so much to protect our country. My grandfather on my mother's side was a WWII vet, stationed in the extreme remote wilderness of Attu, Alaska for several years. Some of the worst bloodshed of WWII was fought on Attu. My mom was a tiny baby when he left, a three year old when he returned. I can't imagine not seeing my family for such a long time. I can't imagine his loneliness, living in a tiny quonset hut in the freezing cold, or my grandmother struggling to support a household that included my mother, my great grandparents, and my great aunt, who was a high school student at the time, all on a bank teller's salary. This is how people looked out for one another back then. But she never complained, either at the time or years later, an admirable quality I wish I possessed.

While the war raged on, my grandparents kept up a correspondence, writing each other every day the personal and plain events of their lives, documenting my mom's development from an infant into a toddler and all the events that my grandfather was missing back home in Ohio. The letters are voluminous and detailed and they were saved by my grandmother for more than forty years after my grandfather's untimely departure from this life at the age of 51. I never had the pleasure of knowing him, a gentle and kind man, and my mom was deprived of her beloved father and my grandmother her beloved husband for the majority of their lives. After my grandmother's death in 2000, my mom discovered these letters kept in a large wooden box, preserved in order, along with tiny Eskimo dolls, postcards and the long awaited cable from my grandfather, telling his wife that he was finally coming home...

Happy Veteran's Day, everyone. Thank you for your service.

Angel stamp

2009-11-09T15:15:00.001-08:00

Wow, I haven't posted in about eight days... Since last post, I have been down for the count with the flu and still recovering a bit. Right before I hit the bed for a few days, I sketched out this image of an angel and transferred it to a rubber carving block and went to work carving it out. For several years I have had a set of sharp carving tools in various sizes but never tackled the carving block until now. I think it turned out pretty well and am using it on some vintage distressed muslin for fabric work. This item is available on http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

It was such fun carving this image that I carved a couple of pine trees, a self portrait of myself and my husband in miniature (this is hilarious), one of a dog sitting, a row of buildings and I have a few more sketched out but not yet carved. It does make a mess of rubber shavings all over the place and I keep finding them everywhere, even after I clean up with vacuum and attachments.

I see hand carved rubber stamped images for our Christmas cards this year. =)

Otherwise I am just applying for jobs since business is so terrible for my husband in this recession. I read yesterday that acquiring a job these days is akin to getting into Harvard. Very encouraging.... But I keep looking anyway. I'm pretty sure I could get into Harvard if I wasn't so old....

The most exciting thing I have done otherwise is color my hair. Grey be gone! yes!! Nothing real exciting for color-- just a golden brown. No red hair or white blond spikes. I keep thinking I may have an interview I'll have to look normal for. Or a Harvard application.

the pumpkin patch/a few new etsies

2009-11-01T20:17:00.001-08:00

I've listed a few more of these neat little fabric swatches to my etsy site. So far, no buyers. I think they are sooooo cute and for anyone who adores vintage, stained, rumpled, frayed bits of fabric art like I do, these are wonderful sewn onto a quilt, a fabric journal, a purse, or whatever you want. I made a few for myself to sew onto collaged fabric purses and they look fabulous. So there is my plug for my etsy shop for the day. =) http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

One more listing! I believe in so many things.... do you?

Michael and I bought our pumpkins this year from a country market where they had three wonderful patches to choose from. They had one patch with cut pumpkins, where we got these, and two with cut your own from the stalk. And they had gi-normous cut from the stalk pumpkins in their main market. I fell in love with all of them, which wasn't difficult for me since I love pumpkins to the point of dreaming of the day when we may live somewhere where we can try our hand at growing giant pumpkins. I'm talking HUUUGE pumpkins, like were on the PBS program last week, 1500 pounders! Fascinating! I read books about it, read online about them and their growers. I know. It's weird. Anyway, we already had one big orange pumpkin, and here he is perched on his kitty beanbag, looking a little peeved that we bothered his favorite big kitty resting spot. What an expression... Mango Man! We love you anyway, big guy.

Michael choosing a little pumpkin.

So many choices!! I picked a big one. Sadly enough, we've been so busy we haven't had time to carve them and now it's already going into November 2. We still plan to do it.

What else is going on.... We're like many Americans who are self employed these days, watching our ship slowly sinking at the same time as we are waiting for another better ship to come in. Hopefully my husband's business will pick up this week. Michael just finished restoring a grand piano and shipped it out to the customer. Now he is working on another but day to day jobs are scarce. It's kinda scary, folks.

This morning, since it was pouring buckets of rain, we did something revolutionary and cleaned our apartment. Michael took to spraying nasty smelling stuff into the moldy shower and I took the rest of the apartment-- a fair exchange, I thought. Afterwards, we took Lucy out in her little red doggie raincoat, got her rubbed down and wistfully settled in the apartment, then took off to go see Michael Moore's latest, Capitalism- A Love Story. We knew alot of this was going on, of course, but what an eye opener. We both laughed and cried throughout the movie, it felt so much our story and what we relate to with our every day living. After the movie, of course it was all we could talk about. Then it was on to Costco and then home.

Tonight I've mostly rested in the big warm bed with a big orange kitty at my side and a sleepy dog on the other, working on my stitching projects. I'm sure not many people outside my family know that I am an avid needleworker and love it probably more than any of my other creative endeavors. Someday I would like to design cross stitch charts but for now I am quite satisfied when happily stitching that of others. To explain what all I am working on would require another blog altogether, which may not be a bad idea. =D

Tomorrow is another day. I have my list ready!

a few new items with lots more to come

2009-10-28T19:11:00.001-07:00

I'm delving into fabric art, as I am making art quilts. These sweet little bluebird stampings are too lovely to resist on my own work, so they are to be offered up for sale on etsy tomorrow...

this is the cutest teeny tiny postcard on overdyed distressed muslin. so sweet!! about ten more to go on that front... have to work on the photos tomorrow and then upload. i'm spent tonight!

LOTS of new etchings, themes this time of vintage Paris. Each set is a mis-matched set of scenes and items pertaining to vintage Paris. Voila, mon cheri!

Check them out at http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

believe. There is no other way...

http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com

moonlit forest

2009-10-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

I have a high stack of pendants (I know you thought I was going to say pancakes, but no. but I would like some of those too...) and etched charms to list on etsy but etsy is not cooperating with me today. I managed to list this moonlit forest copper etched pendant photo and am still having problems that hopefully will resolve overnight... At any rate, this one is on http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

It is a rainy, rainy day here in Richmond, dark and dreary. Dank and dark and dreary and I cannot get motivated this evening. It's a good night to lay in bed, watch movies and work on needlework.

I've been working on various projects all day-- etchings, sewing, cleaning up and running errands but it's hard to get real motivation going. Just when I was going to leash Lucy up and take a good walk, it started to really rain, not just drizzle out, so it was a quick out and back in again.

For cheap entertainment, I've been photographing funny pumpkins in our neighborhood.

I particularly like the top one. Something about the teeth make me laugh.

A bright-shinier day tomorrow, I hope...

a visit to the parents

2009-10-21T18:36:00.001-07:00

Two days ago my husband and I loaded up the dogs and went to visit my parents. While there, Michael did work for some churches (tuning pianos) and a neighbor. My mom and I went to the beach, loaded up the dogs and bought the most beautiful mums from a very friendly Mexican fellow, got groceries, washed loads of laundry (our laundry facilities are terrible where we live- scary place...) and in general we all got caught up after not having seen each other in several weeks. First thing my parents showed us from their beach walks in New England? A big tray full of sea glass collected along the shores of northern Maine. Beautiful! My mom picked a handful out for me to bring home and drill so she can make some lovely things with them. Last night we were treated to a full screen show of the New England pictures, with whale watching and the works.

Dad, Michael and I took Lucy for a long walk past the horse pastures and down almost to the bay. Along the way, Dad, a retired wildlife biologist with a keen eye, found umpteen neat insects on the road that I almost squashed for not having the good eye. Above, Dad and I stop for a photo op along the trail home.

Big hairy spider Dad found on the walk. It was HUGE and sluggish. Dad said it was cold. Good thing- I didn't want it jumping on me.

Mom finally had her bon appetit moment in the kitchen last night with Julia Child's boeuf bourguignonne.

Yes it was most delicious! Yum!!!

Now we are home again and I have a boatload of jewelry orders to complete and mail out, plus so many new ideas swimming in my head I sat down for quite a while tonight and wrote them all out, plus a to-do list so long I had to quit out of practicality.

Don't anyone faint but next time I will have new jewelry components on etsy and here!

Foliage Fancy

2009-10-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased to be included amongst the talented artists in the new Fall issue of Stringing magazine. My necklace, a copper and silver creation titled Sit Under A Tree, is on page 40. The pendant is reproduced and for sale on my etsy site http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com. Before the magazine came out, I wanted to make the pendant available on my etsy site. Since my memory failed, I searched and searched through my photos, trying to recall if I made the stamped bar with copper or sterling and could not remember. So, finally giving up, it's created with sterling silver and went live a few weeks ago. Now that I have the free artist's copy back from Stringing, I see it was in fact made with copper. Go figure. I'm leaving it with sterling online, unless someone requests copper, as it is just as attractive, goes with the rest of the piece just as well, and is just as step-by-step tedious to create and wire wrap either way.

Foliage Fancy! Speaking of which, the leaves are really turning brilliant reds, orange, and yellows in Richmond. This is my favorite time of year so I'm really savoring it and drinking it all in. Maybe one of these days it will stop raining long enough to take a proper walk through our neighborhood. Today & yesterday we had record low temps in Richmond. yay! I love it!!

It's to rain all weekend, thwarting our yard sale plans tomorrow. A good day to stay inside and create some lovely new things, and also to head out and see the new Michael Moore movie we're both itching to see- Capitalism, A Love Story. I'd also like to go see Julie & Julia again but it's my husband's turn to pick a flick.

Have a lovely, fall filled weekend, everyone! Go buy a pumpkin, drink a pumpkin spice latte, take a leisurely walk or drive- enjoy life!

find magic in the moment

2009-10-09T07:52:00.001-07:00

It's been a long couple of weeks, people, after I had a mammogram (it's breast cancer awareness month, by the way!!) and a small lump was detected. My parents and husband rallied round. I am so thankful to have such a loving family. A biopsy was performed last Friday and then a long wait over the weekend for the results. Monday evening- the call from the doctor's office. Thankfully, thankfully- benign. Of course me being me, I assumed the worst from the start and my mind raced with fear for a week and a half in between mammogram and biopsy and then over the weekend until the good news. I literally felt frozen with dread- a new and terrible feeling. I was so glad to have my family here (they canned the first leg of a long planned vacation to be with me) to help keep fear at bay. It's definitely a reminder that we're not here forever. I still feel a bit strange now, like I should have some new lease on life or something, although it is indeed something that literally thousands of women go through every day. Still I am trying to figure it all out. Otherwise, as usual, creating things makes me feel good, satisfied and purposeful.

After the storm passed, I made this. It's available in my etsy shop http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

This pendant is in the current issue of Stringing magazine, page 40. It's also in my etsy shop. These orders, piled and ready to be boxed and shipped, kept me sane during the last two weeks.

As always, Lucy and Maggie keep me laughing and loving. My lovely parents have resumed their journey north. I hope they have a wonderful time and see glorious leaves, blue skies and stunning scenery. My husband and I keep on keeping on, here where the skies seem just a bit more blue than usual.

birds on wire

2009-09-23T16:20:00.001-07:00

I guess I'm in a flighty mood because my pendants are all sprouting birds. Now available in my little etsy shop http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

A mix of metals. The opposite side of this domed pendant has a single stamped bird under the sun.

I'm working on some submissions for not only jewelry magazines, but fiber magazines as well, with several interesting projects in the works.

My parents visited this past weekend, leaving their little dog with us for autumn doggie camp, while they travel in the Northeast. Since my mom and I saw the movie Julie & Julia, we have both become veritable Julia Child freaks. Since we saw the movie, we have been deeply coveting the original non-book club Mastering the Art of French Cooking book. My mom, who has a vast cookbook library, called my husband last week before they visited, all excited! What could be going on? Well, she knew she had the part two book in book club version, but! She rooted around in her vast cookbook library, in a hidden away part of a cupboard and VOILA! She found an original first edition copy of Part One Mastering the Art of French Cooking! We both screamed with excitement! And she didn't even remember she had it before... Goes to show, folks-- never throw anything away! I, being of meager means, have been drooling over the first editions on Ebay but they are going for HUGE prices. Good heavens.

We spent part of our time over the weekend trolling the thrift shops in search of an older edition of this cookbook and today I stopped at another Goodwill, still searching in vain. Until I come across a treasure, I am consoling myself with the fortieth anniversary edition. Price? $24.95 from Costco. That's more my speed.

Keep checking back on my etsy site, if you wish, and...

Bon Appetit!

bird under sun/bird under stars

2009-09-15T14:44:00.001-07:00

I've been working with copper and nifty blue patinas lately, after having purchased a lovely blue patina copper pendant necklace from the amazing Amanda Davie. I fell so in love with Amanda's beautiful creation, this my most favorite necklace of all my necklaces, that I asked her how on earth she did it. She told me, I got my ideas in order, set up my little chemical lab, shoved the cat out the door, put my pieces of worked copper inside, and then waited. and waited. and waited. After 1/2 a day and one full night, I eagerly opened up the container. And found the pendant that I so carefully constructed was black. Yes, it was black. I felt sick.... Not a lovely blue, not a glowing turquoise or even a faint green. Black. So, persevering creator that I am (read OCD at work...) I made another. Waited again. SAME RESULTS!! I'm totally puzzled by now. WTF?? I did everything right! But, it didn't look bad with the black as it worked into all the nooks and crannies, but I wanted blue. *sigh* So I tried an unorthodox method not highly recommended because of mess. And I waited again. Got up yesterday morning and dashed into our studio, kind of expecting the usual. But, no! It was bea-oooooo-tiful blue blue blue!! And here is what I created with it:

A double sided domed pendant with tinkling bell inside, secured with brass eyelets. Does anyone know how much I LOVE cold connections? Anyway, let me get a hold of myself. Isn't the blue lovely? A bird under the sun stamped on one side...

A bird under the crescent moon and star on the other. Paired with some gorgeous twinkling gemstones, an elegant little pewter bird from mamacita beadworks, a vintage brass clip, vintage brass chain and sterling clasp and voila! It is for sale right now on my etsy shop http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com. Go take a look!

September 13 found me a birthday boy in my household. My husband turned 47 on Sunday, which called for special events all day long. Above, something we eat about twice a year, real peppercorn hickory smoked bacon, care of our neighborhood butcher shop. It was absolutely divine.

Morning, honey! Nice bed-head. Happy birthday! He wished for whole grain blueberry pancakes and real bacon with lots of syrup and butter. Coming right up... Yum. Good stuff.

We spent a good part of the day lounging. And eating, apparently. Here is the man himself on his big 47, looking a bit spiffier in front of a homemade roasted walnut and carrot cake with cream cheese and zest of lemon frosting. We took it over to our artist friend's house and shared, both so we could have a little socializing with friends and also so we wouldn't eat the whole cake ourselves. Two kinds of ice cream, hot fudge, strawberry sauce, fresh raspberries, whipped cream and coffee rounded out the binge. Oh, and Michael and I went to a Chinese buffet right before and ate three plates each, plus tackled one heck of an amazing sushi bar. By the time of this picture, I was seriously wishing for two things: an antacid and an elastic waistband.

Earlier in the day... a kiss from my girl Lucy. What a sweet dog she is. She turns 13 this month. And she loves carrot cake.

Last night we walked til we could almost drop and I made a huge pot of vegetable soup. Cooler air is coming, I can almost feel it. More blue pendants are also coming.

new etsy listings/visiting the parents

2009-09-04T16:35:00.001-07:00

This etched copper pendant with silver swing bar is now up for sale on my etsy site http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com. It was created with the upcoming fall and winter seasons in mind, a nod to Zen mindfulness in the quieter months of contemplation, or so I would like it to be. This pendant is featured on a necklace design of mine that is in the soon-to-be-on-newstands Stringing magazine fall 2009 issue.

"The Forest" etching on copper. This deep etching is the single version of the above. Now available on http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

I am at my parent's house since this past Tuesday, to celebrate my dad's birthday and to spend some time with my mom and dad for almost a week. Yesterday my dad took us out on the beach in his four wheel drive truck, where my dad looked for interesting photographic opportunities and my mom and I went searching for interesting shells or whatnot. Can you believe we were really cold out there?? This is us huddled together wishing we had brought down parkas (seriously!) and examining a wood pegged log that washed ashore during the last storm. My dad thinks it to be vintage mid to late 1800's ship part, due to the sturdy wooden pegs. My mom and I, naturally, thought it would look smashing in their yard with flowers around it, but it's not legal to remove such things :( and also, the sucker weighed a TON. Yes, I tried to lift it.

More interesting things washed ashore in the form of this fishing boat, ran aground during the summer, emptied of its fuel and left to die on the beach. I don't know why it wasn't able to be towed or removed. On the beach there were hundreds and hundreds of small horseshoe crabs, all dead or dying, again I don't know why, but they brought a plethora of shorebirds to the area. My dad, having been a wildlife biologist, knew all their latin names but the only ones I knew at a glance were the obvious pelicans and oyster catchers. Dozens of pelicans were congregated around this boat, a delight to watch.

My lovely parents, the evening after my dad's birthday, posing before chowing down on a couple of pounds of Alaskan king crab legs, giant steamed shrimp and the best corn on the cob I've had in years. Mmmm. good stuff.

We've had a wonderful time and I still have the weekend before heading back to Richmond. Michael has headed to PA to his own large family reunion, so I am here alone with the doggies and my parents. Home is where your heart is, don't you think? xo

all things work out

2009-08-25T20:29:00.000-07:00

This sentiment hangs over my work bench. I look at it every day. It is taken from an old framed poem that was in my grandfather's workplace in Salem, Ohio (Deming Pump Company) more than fifty years ago. After it left the factory, it went home to my grandfather's next door neighbor and colleague, where it hung on the wall for decades until he went to rest and it was sold at auction. My dad bought it and gave it to me. I've had it for years. The frame is beat up and weathered. The paper is brown and the glass is wavy from the elements but the title says it all. All Things Work Out. And it goes like this:

Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,

Because men do what they often shouldn't,

Because crops fail and plans go wrong,

Some of us grumble the whole day long;

But somehow in spite of care and doubt,

It seems at last that things work out.

Because we lose where we hope to gain,

Because we suffer a little pain,

Because we must work when we'd like to play,

Some of us whimper along life's way;

But somehow as day must follow the night,

Most of our troubles work out all right.

Because we can not forever smile,

Because we must trudge in the dust a while,

Because we think that the way is long,

Some complain that life is all wrong;

But somehow we live and skies grow bright,

And most things seem to work out all right.

So we'll bend to our troubles and meet our care,

For the cloud must break and the sky grow fair,

Let the rain come down as it must and will,

But we'll keep on working and hoping still;

For, in spite of grumblers who stand about,

Somehow it seems all things work out.

The copper version is in my etsy shop now

http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

But I like the sentiment so much I made a silver version, too, but it's going to be a necklace on etsy tomorrow, unless I can find more thick 14 gauge silver like this one in my stash. I crinkle domed the copper one and distressed it with texture and liver of sulphur, then brush and polish. And there is a copper domed one that is a necklace but I ran out of light before I could take more photos today and post on etsy.

sweet surrender

2009-08-24T19:34:00.001-07:00

I made this little pendant with my etching pen on brass. It's kind of hard to see from the photo but in person the words are much more pronounced. It's on etsy now http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

The last few days have been lots of work but mostly the kind of work that contributes to helping pay bills (our piano tuning/restoration business) and not so much working in the studio. I've spent a few hours in there playing with metals. Tomorrow's post will be photos of those finished and on etsy. I've discovered the joys of the dapping block, the big metal set I got about two years ago but had been too intimidated to take the oily block and tools out of the sticky bag, wipe them all off, and use them. Now that I've jumped off the proverbial high dive, I'm sawing out circle after circle and dapping away into some funny shapes that aren't perfect but work with the piece anyway, and some that look much better, more perfect, although I'm trying hard to have more fun and not so much perfection because that only leads me to feel kinda rotten.

I sell books on amazon marketplace. It's some extra income, sometimes more than others, from books I find at yard sales, book sales, thrift shops and so on. A few weeks ago I found three rare Alice Starmore knitting books each for a buck a piece. I about fainted with joy. One in particular, I wanted to keep but put up for sale anyway. Well, I immediately sold the first two to a woman overseas for almost $300 (I told you they were rare). And just when I was bemoaning not going to Beadfest, I got up this past Saturday morning and found I sold the third and most expensive Alice Starmore book (Aran Knitting, for anyone who knows of it). And a dilemma ensued. I suddenly had an unexpected windfall to go to Beadfest on the cheap. Granted, the bag of beads bought with that money, after tolls and gas money, would probably fit in my change purse, but I was sooooo tempted to go anyway 'cause I'm feelin' sorry for myself, like I'm not having much fun these days. Thought about it a little while, decided I would feel better about myself, better about our household, if I stayed my ground and stayed home. And so I did. But, feelin' kind of rotten anyway, although I'm not sure it's really about the bead show, 'cause there's lots of those all the time.

Life is fraught with worry, full of stress. I guess it is for most people. I'm just trying to keep in the moment and concentrate on what I need to do to keep going, keep trying, and not look back so much.

This, a most favorite John Denver song of mine, has been playing in my head for weeks, and it sums up my feelings. Yes, I am a total square. I even saw him in concert twice, God rest his soul. Best concerts I ever saw.

Here are the lyrics...

Lost and alone on some forgotten highway
Travelled by many remembered by few
Lookin for something that I can believe in
Lookin for something that Id like to do with my life

Theres nothin behind me and nothin that ties me
To somethin that might have been true yesterday
Tomorrow is open and right now it seems to be more
Than enough to just be there today

And I dont know what the future is holdin in store
I dont know where Im goin, Im not sure where Ive been
Theres a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the livin, I dont need to see the end

Sweet, sweet surrender
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air.....

Industrial Revolution

2009-08-21T16:53:00.001-07:00

Steel Trapeze Necklace.

More and more I am moving away from convention and loving the look of organic materials, many of them found, some of them hardware store finds, paired with simple lovely delicate chains, stones, beads and glass. This new necklace is an example of the direction I am currently enjoying. Now available on http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

I pounded this piece of steel until the animals fled the room and most of my tools fell off my bench and my beads scattered everywhere from the cracks in the floor, behind the door and even nestled in the (clean?) kitty litter box which sets next to my bench. Tiny serrations line the perimeter of the steel. Oh, how I love tools that do special things to add character to a piece. I am dying for some new texturing hammers...

Stick pearl trapeze earrings. Now available in my etsy shop. These pearls literally spin around on this silver wire, so they are fun to play with and pretty, too. Faceted green and yellow aquamarine stones stack under silver and steel wire, with silver ear wires.

Alas, Beadfest is upon us and this grounded girl isn't going to market. I have no will power, and the limits of the bank account to contend with. The fact that I have bags and bags and little containers in six huge bins spilling over with past bead purchases that have not been used and probably largely forgotten, is deterrent enough. In addition to losing ten pounds, I am also determined to rethink how I do my jewelry and that means not attending every bead show within a two hundred plus mile radius every time they come to town and using material found and already purchased instead.

My husband is hard at work in his non air conditioned shop. It was 105 degrees today and it is still hot and extremely muggy now at 8 p.m. I must go check on him now and take him a cool drink, make sure he's not slumped on the floor with heatstroke.

Happy weekend, everyone. Get out of the heat and create something beautiful!

a few adjustments

2009-08-16T18:41:00.001-07:00

Make that, feathers necklace almost finished, from yesterday's post. OCD overcame me and I took the single leather strand off. I tried this necklace on as I had it yesterday and it just didn't lay right. The lone mustard strip was just not enough, weight-wise, to balance out the other side with the heavier (although fine) chain and amethyst strand. It bothered me so much I went to bed mad at myself last night that I couldn't seem to get it right. Grrr....

A new day today, lots to do other than this necklace but into the studio I went and just sat down and went to work. Mango, of course, put in his furry two cents worth... Of course he agreed that mustard was still the color to use. ;)

He's usually on top of whatever I'm working in, not laying on the bookcase when I'm in the middle of jewelry work.

Anyway, instead of just going with more chain and thus jacking up the price, I took the leather off (thus tossing the carefully wrapped silver wire into the recycle bin, which is pretty full to begin with...), cut three more strips off the hide, slid a few lovely mellow yellow lampwork beads onto the slimmer two strands, made a larger wrapped loop, re-attached both ends of all leather strips, and voila! It looks more balanced, is sturdier, and most important, has a very lovely non-droopy drape when worn. Ahhhh.... I feel ever so much better. Now, to get it on Etsy before midnight is the question http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com. It's getting late and my household is still pretty lively. My husband has classical music booming in the living room where I'm typing this and the television blasting from the bedroom. Mango is dragging a toy mouse on a string around the apartment while howling his head off, and Lucy is on the bed barking for me to come to bed and sit with her (this is her old dog thing. why else would I have anything to do but sit with the Lu on the bed all day long?). How do I think at all?? Plus we have resolved to start walking again instead of coming home or finishing up work and just flopping like we've been doing for months. So we're walking soon as I'm done with this blog entry even though it's 10 pm oh yes we are. I am determined to lose ten pounds before Christmas!

Super cool necklaces coming later mid week. I promise you probably haven't seen anything like them anywhere...

feathers necklace- finished

2009-08-15T18:19:00.001-07:00

We are back from our trip and somewhat back in the groove. This week, other than recuperating from a pretty exhausting whirlwind schedule, I worked this pendant up into a necklace. It's a rather dramatic piece and I wrestled with whether the mustard leather meshed with the rest of the piece but the idea is to pick up one color in the bottom stones. I put it with green leather first, then decided not. Then brown and it was too plain. So I picked the deep yellow hue of the citrine briolette and found a lovely mustard leather to match. Four strands of fine sterling round chain and linked faceted amethyst make this a lovely assymetrical piece.

Isn't the fine silver textured circle to die for? I got a packet of them on etsy a while ago and have been wanting to use them. Look for them and more lovelies at Prolifique on Etsy.

The pendant is hand stamped and edged with texture. The stones dangling from the pendant are stick pearl, citrine, amethyst, watermelon tourmaline (at the bottom), spinel, yellow and green aquamarine.

All chain is sterling with patina. Here is a closer shot of the mustard leather and the chain. For added interest I put in a strand of faceted amethyst.

I'm really pleased with how this turned out. AND I got to sign my name on the back with my new etching pen. I have a hand stamp that I use as well that my husband designed and had custom made but using it on thinner metals causes a shiny spot to appear on the front of the design. Not cool. The etching pen is so useful and fun to work with and it's perfect for signatures on finer metals.

This piece will be available http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com tomorrow.