updating since November!

This is a necklace I made a few weeks ago.  Probably is a little hard to tell but it is a domed piece of copper held together with brass eyelets and silver wire.  How long have I been out of the loop?  Last time I placed an order for silver I think it was around $18 an ounce.  Imagine my shock at yesterday's prices!  Upwards of $39 an ounce! :-O I think I'll be using up what I have and then working with lots of lovely colored copper wire and base metals!  This piece was one of those immediate ideas that came to me and I just sat down and banged the whole thing out, except for the blue colored copper, which took longer for a nice patina.  I am really liking the look of stacked flat beads and metal elements these days and as always, I love gemstone drops!  This one is a gorgeous faceted citrine tear drop.  I have very little sterling chain left.  *sigh*  When will prices come down, people?  I really like silver chain with my pendants!

A close up of the pendant.  Because I cut out my own round copper pieces, I don't always get them perfectly round (even though I try!).  Consequently, when I use the dapping block, sometimes the pieces get a bit wonky and warped  out of shape.  After I hammered and banged (and annoyed the neighbors to no end), I was bemoaning that this piece didn't come out perfect on both sides to match evenly.  WAAAAAAAA!!!  BUT!  I then discovered that if I held both wonky domed halves together and held them tight, then lightly tapped the perimeter with my little hammer, each wonked half conformed to the other and it fit perfectly, wonks and all!  This one is not yet for sale, but probably will be soon on my long, long empty etsy shop.  Just for the heck of it, here is the link http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

Many things have happened this year of 2011 so far.  Painful still is the death of our sweet dog, Lucy.  We had her for fifteen years, since she was 10 weeks old, when I found her broken and bleeding by the side of the road, having been thrown from a car and abandoned.  We were lucky to have her for so many wonderful years and she is missed to no end.   Rest in peace, Lucy!  You deserve it and we will see you again, sweet girl!  August 1996- February 23, 2011.

Ah....  still makes me cry.  Hasn't been that long.  But we are still inspired to save another little life via animal shelter rescue and even though it hasn't been very long, we have started looking for that little critter that clicks with us.  It's not like there is a shortage of dogs or cats or other critters for adoption and life is too short and precious to wait!

What else?  I splurged and treated myself to a Bernina sewing machine.   I taught myself to crochet and LOVE it.  Needlework is still a passion, especially tambour embroidery.  The University of Kentucky School of Fine Arts is calling my name again in May for the next advanced master class in tambour embroidery.  The instructor has taken and completed the coveted Lesage school of professional couture, and he is most excellent at his art.  I am in awe of his abilities.  Since I can't get to Paris for the several hundred hour class myself, I head for Kentucky once a year for a week to learn all I can from Bob Haven.  Most exciting!!

Hope life is treating everyone well.  It there is anything that I continually learn, it is that we need to be kind to each other.

My husband and I are heading out for an evening power walk now.  We both are trying to get into better shape.  Ten hours prone in a chair at work has not worked wonders on my physique!  

checking in

Hi there! I've been long lost from the jewelry world and have not made a single piece of anything in a while... To catch anyone not in the know up to speed, here are my activities & passions of late:

I've gone to work full time for state police again. Yeah, yeah. Again. This takes up HUGE swaths of my time!

Needlework has intensely captured my imagination again and much of my spare time (heh. what spare time?) is spent bent over my tambour work (for which I have signed up for the next University of Kentucky School of Fine Arts master class in May- woo hoo!!), or an embroidery hoop, or free hand with cross stitch (mostly subversive cross stitch because it's more fun!)

www.postcrossing.com has brought me immense pleasure, introduced me to new and wonderful people around the world and I'm happy to have made one very special new friend in particular in Britain. Check it out!

Our sweet dog Lucy is almost 15 years old now and requires special needs care at this point. She is on pain meds, melatonin to help her sleep and Hills Prescription B for brain health food. So far she is holding steady but it's increasingly difficult. So when I am not at my ten hour shifts at work, I am spending time walking her and just being with her while she is still on this side of the hereafter.

Still working on numerous sewing projects and saving for my dream Bernina sewing machine!

Thanks to my cool friend in the UK, Michael and I spend as much of our time off as we can indulging in our new passion-- geocaching. We both love it! Good fun, outdoors, minimal expense, spend time together. What else can you ask for? www.geocaching.com

Oh, yes. Cleaning, cooking, laundry, shopping. The usual drudge everyone deals with. For now, I may as well take the "beads and jewelry of" off my banner (in fact, as an after thought, I just did). My jewelry bench has collected serious dust.... Honestly I have just lost the mojo for it for the foreseeable future, and I'd rather wear the pieces I've made than sell them. :D

In case anyone was wondering what I am doing in this photo rooting around in the bushes, I have just found my first geocache and am examining the treasures! Woot!

Mostly Sewing

I've been so busy with working full time again, it hasn't left the time to set down and organize my thoughts well enough to concentrate on coming up with new jewelry designs. So I have been doing some sewing, just to keep creativity flowing. Here is a bag I just finished-- the pattern is called Bow Tucks Tote and it is from Quilts illustrated by Penny Sturges. I've been itching to use my newest Heather Ross Far Far Away 2 fabrics-- they are the moons on the top portion and the orange moon pocket. The bottom is pretty blue corduroy from Joann's and the handles are from Red Rooster Fabrics The Quilter's Kitchen Collection by Jennifer Chiaverini. To make life easier, I eliminated the ties on the sides that the pattern called for.

Close up of pocket. Yes I did all the free motion meandering embroidery myself and I think it came out ok. What didn't, I hid under the pocket. :-)

The finishing touch-- a large vintage bakelite button for easy open & close. I love the smiling moons and the matching yellow thread. This is a great pattern and easy to sew up, once you get past the front pocket (thanks, Cheryl!).

Since I have quilted pincushions, a wallet and another bag under construction, plus a sewing tool bag, a knitted bag and a hexagon crochet project going on, it's busy enough to keep me going for a while.

earth elements boho bracelet

Moving in a new direction with my jewelry making. Usually I make necklaces and earrings but now I am bitten with the bracelet bug. Why didn't anyone tell me they were so much fun to make? This is my first one. I wanted an earthy, organic bracelet with movement and rich color.

These natural green beads are actually nuts. Aren't they cool? I put a Thai silver leaf between them. The cord is distressed leather and has fabulous lampwork glass beads by Ellen Dooley nestled between the tied knots. Barely visible in the above photo is a tiny square Thai silver bead with carvings on it. So cute! Also I ran out of silver wire (horrors!) and I am tired of regular brass or copper wire so I used art wire for the first time. I can tell you I am a total convert. The spools come in all sizes and colors (it's treated copper that won't tarnish) and make the components pop! plus adds lots of interest. Here I used a green artwire to wrap the leather cord and a reddish brown to wrap the skull bead.

Gorgeous chunky red tiger eye bead next to tiny earthenware bead by unknown artist and on the other side a beauty of a green lampwork bead by Ellen Dooley. Carved bone flower...

The charms are a carved bone hand & skull, and a brass fertility goddess. I particularly love the oversized snappy brass clasp. It looks like it would weigh a ton but it is really light and comfortable. For ease of movement with larger beads, the bracelet is a comfortable 8.5". Go see it now on my etsy store: http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

Have a great weekend!

keep calm & carry on

New on my etsy listings is this necklace, featuring a hand stamped pendant, smooth rutilated quartz with lovely metallic striations, two beautiful sparkling geodes and quite a bit of cable link silver chain- 32 inches. This one hangs to my belly button. :-)

I stamped Winston Churchill's famous quote on what has to be called a "slab" of silver, as it is 14 gauge- quite substantial. It is textured with various hammers and as I always do, add patina and a good rubbing to soften it up and let it shine, all at the same time. The geodes I purchased at a rock show a while ago. The open slice is agate with crystals, the reddish orange one is carnelian with crystals. They just bling bling in the sunlight!

For those who look at that smooth stone on the left and say, "what the heck is rutilated quartz?" Well....

Rutilated quartz is a form of the mineral, quartz, that has attractive, needle-like inclusions of rutile. It is often cut and polished to use in jewelry and is prized as a metaphysical stone. Rutilated quartz is mined in many countries, including the United States, Australia, Norway and Brazil.

Close up of that lovely geode. I just love agates! http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com

in beauty may i walk

The beautiful Navajo Beauty Walk poem is the inspiration for my latest creation. The main premise of the poem I've stamped on lightweight brass disc, with added texture and lovely patina.

I do so love Ellen Dooley's incredible lampwork glass beads. These worked perfectly for the natural earth elements theme of this piece. Isn't this cool green just lovely, and the brown speckles make it all the more beautiful.

A first for me-- and I am totally in love-- Saki's bronze metal toggle. And of course, another gorgeous speckled lampwork bead from Ellen Dooley.

River rocks are so soothing. This one is super smooth to the touch.

In beauty may I walk... see it for sale on http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

Every year in Richmond, the area below downtown called Shockoe Bottom becomes a way-station for migrating Purple Martin birds on their way to South America. Every year Michael and I manage to miss them for one reason or another. This year we made a point to see this spectacular spectacle, and with my parents visiting we had added incentive since my dad is a professional wildlife photographer.

Richmond train station, Shockoe Bottom at dusk.

The Martin's are quick and difficult to catch on camera. This is one of my favorite shots my dad took, right before several thousand birds spiraled into formation and dove into the trees next to where we were all standing. Every night at least 15,000 birds take their nightly snooze in the trees at the Farmer's Market at Shockoe Bottom. It was an awe inspiring experience and we are heading down there again this evening to take it all in, all over again.

My Boy Mango

Yes, I am blogging about my cat. Here he is in his favorite spot (other than tucked under my arm) on my side of the bed waiting for the sun to come back out. He is a sweet and sour boy, my Mango. You never know what you're going to get but when he's sweet, he is very, very sweet.
The Mango Kitty Condo.
Since I have no jewelry to show, owing to life in general and getting ready to host relatives from Germany in particular, I can at least show my latest most fabulous find. Every Saturday morning until the first weekend in October there is an antiques market on Monument Avenue in a parking lot. It is within easy walking distance from our apartment and my new favorite haunt. Here is a swatch of 12 and a half yards of vintage 1960's lightweight home dec fabric I scored for twenty bucks. My husband was kind enough to haul it home for me, still on the huge rolled bolt. But I carried our old dog Lucy, who wilted in the heat and pooped out early. Hmmm.. who got the better deal? Anyway, isn't this fabric the greatest? There are more colorful combinations, this is just a piece. I foresee zippered bags, wrapped bags, shoulder bags-- bags, bags, bags! :)
One last shot of my fat little pink-bellied boy. All 23 pounds of him. :)