September 2015 Gallery and Recap

September 30, 2015September 30, 2015 ~ Seeking Spirit Designs ~ Leave a comment

It’s hard to believe that today is the last day of September.

Me at craft fair — Me at the OFF Center Folk Art Festival in downtown Albuquerque

This month, I participated in one craft fair. I didn’t sell too many things, but the atmosphere was pleasant and I learned from it. Looking ahead, I’m trying to sign up for at least one craft fair a month through the holidays.

It’s been hotter than usual for this time of year: the high temperatures are still lingering in the low 90s and high 80s. It’s definitely feeling more like Fall at night and in the mornings, though.

This past weekend, I went on a hike with my dad and his friend and saw some of the fall colors. I came out of the forest, turned, and saw this:

The Sandia Mountains, late September 2015

I’ve also been busy making things.

A custom-made hair accessory with silver plated chain and wire wrapped abalone pieces

I made two more pairs of filigree flower earrings, this time with glass leaf beads. Now for sale in my Etsy shop!

I hope to create more custom orders, some seasonal and holiday items, and more. I’m looking forward to seeing how Fall inspires my creativity.

September 1st Snapshots

September 1, 2015September 2, 2015 ~ Seeking Spirit Designs ~ Leave a comment

I had the realization that business social media account-wise, I tend to post a lot on Instagram, occasionally on Facebook, sometimes on Pinterest, and rarely here. My intention is to start blogging more.

I’ve been working hard – prolifically making jewelry, figuring out prices, planning for my next craft show (on September 13!), editing my digitized oracle cards on Photoshop, putting up a few new items on Etsy, and getting ready to go away for Labor Day weekend to visit my love.

So, here’s a taste of what I’ve been up to recently:

I found these brass flowers at a local bead shop/art gallery and knew I had to make them into earrings. Brass Flowers with Lapis Lazuli Leaves Earrings. Up on Etsy here.

Triangular turquoise in sterling silver. Also on Etsy. Seen here with a beautiful piece of selenite, one of my recent favorites from my stone collection.

Ways to Make a Wish Card - I see this as a birthday or general encouragement card. It's blank inside. Here on Etsy. — Ways to Make a Wish Card – I see this as a birthday or general encouragement card. It’s blank inside. Here on Etsy.

Collage/mixed media piece in progress. I wonder what it will become. At this point, I know it will have more layers, but I’m not sure beyond that. There’s something really soothing about creating with glue and paper.

I took this photo early Sunday morning. I woke up because the moon was still so bright, and then decided to get up and take this picture.

Moonglow, Sunday night. I came back home after seeing live music, and turned around to see this. The picture doesn’t capture the full beauty, but it does capture some of its essence.

Bracelets!

August 27, 2015August 27, 2015 ~ Seeking Spirit Designs ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been on a quest to diversify my jewelry inventory and add to my available collection. In this case, this has meant playing with bracelet designs.

Copper ridge bracelet with with jasper, red tiger's eye, and onyx beads — Copper ridge bracelet with with jasper, red tiger’s eye, and onyx beads

It’s been fun to pick out beads and come up with different ideas.

Sometimes I play with the design several times before it feels right.

Lapis and Labradorite bracelet during the design process.

Finished: Lapis and Labraodorite Copper Twist bracelet and Jasper and Wood Bead bracelet

Jewelry design is such an intuitive process for me, and it’s so satisfying to see the finished products. I’m looking forward to making more!

My jewelry making journey

June 7, 2015June 7, 2015 ~ Seeking Spirit Designs ~ Leave a comment

When I was in late elementary school through middle school, my father dated an artist – a potter, to be specific. She made everything from teapots to bowls to rattles, all with a fanciful and semi-Southwestern flair.

I always got the feeling that she didn’t know what to do with me as an adolescent. However, she did know what to do with me as an artist.

Her studio was an artist’s playground. Of course, she had clay. She also had the materials for stained glass, jewelry making, collage, and much more. I could spend hours there creating. She also showed and taught me some things: how to make a bowl from a mold. How to solder stain glass together. How to make earrings with beads and headpins.

Of the techniques she taught me, jewelry making stuck with me most. I made several pairs of earrings and put them up for sale at my dad’s yoga studio. While it would be years before I would return to the basic wirewrapping techniques, they somehow stayed with me. Years, later, my boyfriend’s mother gave me a wirewrapped pendant. I loved it and wondered if I could make something like it. She gave me some copper wire to experiment with.

I didn’t until I held a piece of blue kyanite in my hand, a stone that my mentor told me would be good for psychic protection. “Are you going to wire wrap that?” She asked. I resolved to try, and used the copper wire to wrap the piece, complete with a spiral in the center. And that was my more recent beginning with playing with wire and stones.

I wrapped a few stones after that, and then resolved to really learn and refine my techniques this past fall. I took classes. I spent hours experimenting and practicing, and discovered what worked for me.

Agate Pendant I made after taking a class in February

Now, I have my own materials and a solid collection of stones. I am still learning and playing. Sometimes, I have a design in mind. At other times, the wire and stones speak to me and turn into something that surprises me.

Sometimes, I think about when I started making jewelry, how exciting and rewarding it was to create a finished piece. And honestly, it still is. It’s often the activities that I enjoyed when I was younger that suit me best now as an adult.

Quartz and Copper Pendant from March 2015

Someday, I hope to have my own studio, full of all kinds of arts and craft supplies. There, perhaps I will teach someone else a technique, and this will inspire them to create for years to come.