Out of the Box...!!

About a week or so ago, my jewelry pliers (finally) came out of the box...!! Since we've moved, I've used "other" pliers, but not my "main collection" that I use mostly for jewelry done in my studio... My pliers seemed just as happy as I was, carefully unpacking them from their constricted transportation/storage box... I'm sure we will all be much happier to get moving again, producing some nice new stuff :)



The week before that, things all came together, furniture-wise. That felt really good, as it had been a struggle to fit all the pieces that I wanted to be in the room, and to keep each working "zone" as logical and condusive as possible. It all came together at some point with a *CLICK* when I brought in a bookcase that wasn't really needed in the living room, but would fit in the (otherwise "awkward") corner of my studio "nook"... Because of the slanted wall along that side of the room, I turned the bookcase (with a slanted top on it) around to face the wall, letting the back of it face the work area. The shelves are still accessible from the open side, and the back of it can now be used as a bulletin board... (see photo above)



Little by little, things are getting "out of the box" and it's "all coming together"... You may have noticed that there does not seem to be much going on in terms of creative projects themselves within my studio space yet... And you are RIGHT!!



It seems like most of the *color* in here right now is in a few storage containers here and there!!



Of course, most of my storage containers, and furniture, too, are pretty *neutral* in color... Kind of like most of my clothes!! Because, as much as I *LOVE* color, and I love to use color in my work, I really *LOVE* the feeling of wearing, and being surrounded by, neutrals. I think it makes me feel more *grounded.* ;)


Thanks for visiting my new studio, and my blog... I look forward to sharing more soon...

- Dawn :)

We've Moved... Now---Back to Blog

Well, well, well... I haven't posted in my blog here in many, many weeks!! Probably the biggest reason for that is that I MOVED!! (well, to clarify: my *residence* moved, the blog didn't move!! ;) I was working on pieces to post here for my "100 Pieces" challenge, but I was having trouble getting photos posted. At the same time, Chris and I were painting and preparing the new place to move into... Packing, sorting, packing... And at some point, the "photo station" and lights, etc, had to be uprooted... and all the precious works in progress (and finished works) had to be carefully packed up...

Then there was a lot of: Moving, moving, moving...

(see above photo -- this was the back of moving truck #2 -- Chris was driving the U-Haul truck, and I was following along in my Jeep -- notice the Bethlehem Steel Stacks in the background... For those of you who aren't familiar with the Lehigh Valley, those are very large distinct landmark structures!!)

Out of the Lehigh Valley... a bit more South now, but still in Pennsylvania.(We both enjoyed living in Bethlehem very much, but we also enjoy our new location very much... And, we are closer to my family now, which is really nice :)

Then there was more moving stuff... Unpacking, sorting, stacking... More unpacking, sorting, stacking... (Still unpacking, sorting, stacking...)

And then we had **several snow storms** spread over a relatively short period of time... And, low and behold, somewhere in between shovelling and unpacking... We set up our **space** a little more, unpacked a few more treasured **items**, had a couple of really nice **meals**... And everything really started to feel more like * * * H O M E * * *

So... Now it's time to get back to some ***Creating for Joy!!*** I have, of course, done many "creative" things in the past few months, and I will write about some of those things here... Also, there are some new "creative" things I want to do, and share here, too... *****Here are just a few things that I really want to do:

1. I want to learn to be "photo-posting-independent." Taking photos is easy for me (okay, they may not be the BEST possible photos, but I can do it pretty good!!) The trouble I have is getting them thru my computer and onto THIS page here... I can do it from my iphone camera, but not from my "big" camera. So, that is a big thing on my list to do. It's mostly a "technical" thing, I think.

2. I want to take **better** photos. (Which means learning how to use different settings on my camera, working with lighting, etc.) This one may be a lifelong pursuit, and that's okay. I would be really happy to learn more... Taking photos of my own work, as well as photos of people, nature, architecture, etc.

3. I want to continue posting work that I've "created", and to finish the "100 Pieces" Design Challenge that I was working on before.

4. I'd like to post other things I've "created" as well--including new work and archives.

5. I want to post more regularly on my blog, and DEFINITELY post more **photos**!!!!

... and many more things ... which I look forward to sharing here ...

Thanks for reading this--I'm so grateful to have a place to share!!

Enjoy!!

- Dawn :)

More Photos... Coming Soon...

Photos for these past few posts coming soon!!

Still working on the photos.....!!

Sorry for the delay!!!!!

# 23

# 23

***Special Order Necklace***

This necklace is made of Peridot chip beads, with sterling silver beads and clasp. I'm including it here because it is a piece I "created," although I did not do much to "design" it. The customer wanted this (very) long strand of Peridot chips strung, for her granddaughter, in a fairly secure way. So, I used a very strong beading wire (nylon coated steel,) and fastened crimp beads about every two inches for the entire length of the chain (over 30 inches total.) That way, if the strand should break, the beads will not ALL fall off of the cord, just what is within the broken part could.

Enjoy!!

- Dawn :)

# 22

# 22

***Love these earrings!!***

Semi-precious stones (amazonite & smoky quartz,) are individually wire-wrap-looped with sterling silver, and connected to a hand-forged/hammered sterling silver triangular spiral dangle.

NOTE: These earrings go with # 21 (and these are NOT for me to wear!!)

Enjoy!!

- Dawn :)

# 21

***A bracelet for ME!!***

This bracelet contains several of my favorite stones & materials, in "chunky" form... Each bead is individually wire-wrap-looped with sterling silver, and connected to the next piece. Semi-precious stones (amazonite, smoky quartz, and bronzite,) are combined with quirky fresh water pearls... Mostly neutral earth-tones, with a touch of fresh, sweet blue.

I made the first one in this series for myself, because I wanted to experiment with the clasp. This handmade sterling silver wire spiral clasp (which I love in itself,) did not work with this bracelet the way I wanted it to... So I am still experimenting... (I just want to post it here to share my process of exploration...)

Enjoy... and stay tuned for more on THIS bracelet!!

- Dawn :)

#’s 17 18 19 20

***(More) Short & Sweet***
4 Pairs of Earrings with Short/Medium Dangles
Beads include Stones/Glass/Ceramic/Sterling Silver
All on Sterling Silver Wires

Included here are one of my FAVORITE's... I call them "Fiesta Donuts" (can you guess which ones they are?!?!)