The next project is in the works...

Immediately after finishing the "My shoes are flesh" pillow sham for Kyle, I came up with my next project.
Behold, a soon-to-be-cross-stitched work of freakish amazingness:

Thoughts? Suggestions?
Elan requested that the next one say "Happiness is a warm bun" with a cheeseburger.  Personally, I want to do something with bacon on it.

He likes it!

Because I wasn't able to be at the official unveiling of my present to Kyle, a video was taken of his response to the gift.

Here's Kyle, unwrapping his brand spankin new cross-stitched pillow.

I am so proud!

Whammy.

Oh! Oh yeah!!!

And I just updated my website. Still unsure of the actual purpose of having a website, and a blog, and a shop... so much social media!
Anyway, check it out. Let me know what you think.
Need more content? Less content? More pretty pictures?

Well, I just so happen to like being Old School

Occasionally I get "teased" at the office for my penchant for old-lady items.  Like my sweet-ass grandma sunglasses (purchased from the sweet-ass grandma herself... not mine, but I'm sure she's someone else's, right?). Or that really cool wool cardigan/coat/thing that turned out not to be grandma-y but Austrian all along.

(Actual grandmother and actual glasses not actually shown)

However, I am delighted to inform you of my latest and greatest passion.... Cross Stitching!

Yes, the needle, the embroidery thread, the "Bless this home" jazz. I'm totally channeling your grandmother in the early 80s. When I informed my boyfriend of this fantastic new creative outlet for me to explore, he commented "Um, isn't that kind of something that old people do when they can't do anything else?"

Hell no, I say.  Hell no.

Check out my first success! A gift, of course. Can't keep this kind of genius to oneself, now can we?

...Back on track?

Yes, I have apparently stopped writing in my quote-unquote blog. But wait, what's this? Some sort of Winter Holiday Miracle sent from the shiny feathery things in the sky? Let's just say yes, and not spend any more time thinking about it.  

   

In the mean time, I have actually been quite productive. Look at all these pretty pretty necklaces! All sparkly and shiny and old/new! 

I quite like them, if I may say so myself. You may say so too, if you choose.

And while I won't promise to write to you all nightly, like the diary I had in fifth grade, I will promise to write stuff. You know, like, when it occurs to me that I've done something worth writing about.

(PS - I have new things in the shop! Yay! OMG! Wowzeroni)

My distaste for permanence

Good morning, my many mystical muffincakes!

Today I am lamenting the permanent qualities of permanence.  I'm not really the type of person who does well with making decisions that cannot be unmade. Example: I'm in a buffet line ready for dessert. What do I pick? The pie? The cake? The ice cream?  All three, obviously, because then you don't risk regrets.

So, you wonder, what in the world is this girl rambling about?  The name! The Mighty Sprout! I keep wanting to change it as I think of things that I like more.

Wouldn't MossMoss be a nice name? Or Victorious?

I'm tempted, dear friends, tempted indeed...

Mission failed.. for now.

Well, it looks like I won't be selling my pieces at any of the Providence Open Markets this summer! But, as they say, que sera sera... right?
And I made a (feeble) attempt at contacting a real live shop person about putting my work in there. Not so much luck. As my boss occasionally tells me, I need to grow some cojones.
Life is just a work in progress, right?

If only I was super wealthy...

Stuff I want (that I can't make):

this pretty house.

Any one of these gorgeous wallets.

Despite the fact that I no longer wear backpacks, this "rucksack" is pretty rockin'.

And this lovely floral bracelet (although I'm totally wishing it was a ring).

Permanent decisions...

After having a good third of my favorite mole lopped off for "testing," I realized with a rather large amount of embarrassment about how much I like that freakishly large freckle.  If it was gone (due to some not-so-awesome melanoma-thing), I would feel completely lopsided.  

So that's when I started thinking to myself, my little lovely friendersons. "Perhaps," I thought, "it is time to acquire another inky bit of artwork on my body.  (Yes, Mom, I can hear you groaning from here)  I'd like something on the back of my shoulder.  Sort of planty... fern-ish... floral.  Yup.

There's my inspiration.  Not sure how I feel about color.  Feel free to um... send me some motivational words to push me closer to the dude with the needle.

Holy Poodle Poop! Animals in clothes!

Hold your freakin' horses, Batman! Do you see that ewe over there? Dressed in plaid?
Well I do. Here.
And let me tell you, there isn't much in the world that I love more than animals in human clothing. It's sooooo gooooood!

Please note: I recognize that this is not a ewe, as I had forementioned. I chose the image after. And upon searching for ewes dressed in plaid, I came up empty handed.

First try - feedback?

I had this whole conversation with a cashier while buying a bottle of wine yesterday.  She liked my tattoo, and we started talking about feathers and jewelry making and all sorts of fantastic things like that.  She mentioned that she makes feather headbands, and I thought to myself "Hey you! You should try that! Don't you have bags of feathers to use?"
And then I told myself "yeah, yeah i do."
So I took that bottle of wine, which I refer to as Creepy Baby Wine (as it has a picture of a creepy baby on the label) and went outside with my supplies.  My end result was this:

A good first try, I think.  Perhaps it needs more feathers?

It's coming down!

Late For Dinner by Jenny Schultz Designs 

Ahhh, for once I am thankful for rainy weather.  The past week has been unbearably hot, I think some people may even call it "sweltering." Although it is Saturday, and thus one of the few days I get to enjoy the great outdoors, I am thrilled to see it pouring outside.

Maybe now I won't have to water my garden!

This kind of weather reminds me of when I was young and tried to see if the wind could carry me away. I'd grab an umbrella and hook myself up to the deck with a dog leash (so I wouldn't fly too far away) and then jump when I big gust came.

I suppose that it comes as no surprise that I never got very far.

One Jump Won by EttieOglePress

Etsy Says: Track it, baby!

I applied to the Providence Open Markets for three slots in early Autumn.  While before I was secretly hoping I wouldn't get accepted, I'm now hoping that I will, just to move all these necklaces, rings, and earrings off my studio table! It seems, however, that they don't check their email as often as I would like. Bummer, POM, bummer.
So, if anyone sees any opportunities for jewelry vendors in the future let me know!
In other news, I have once again started opening Etsy's emails.  As boring or overly-ambitious as many of them may be, I gave one of their more recent suggestions a shot.
Google Analytics.
Yup, that means I can sort of, somewhat, somehow, maybe be able to see how many people view my site.
I know, I know, it's nothing super groundbreaking. But I'll give it a go. I mean, if Etsy says...

New prices and shiny rings for fingers!

I've updated my Etsy shop with two new rings (made from upcycled vintage pieces)! Let me know what you think of them. Honest friends are good friends!
I've also lowered my prices. We're still in a recession, right?
Check it all out here!

It's easy to be green.

July is almost here and I'm definitely feeling the heat. With only one window box AC I've discovered that my dog has the right idea: sleep in the basement.

But at least the sunlight has a nice impact on some things! I took some photographs for those of you who can't swing by and see the deliciousness in person.

While I have yet to use the cilantro, I have fallen in love with having mint on hand to make some delicious mojitos.

Can you believe this pepper? It's huge! I mean, it's not really huge. but I've never grown peppers before so this is pretty exciting.

I have two varieties of tomatoes growing; Roma and Cherry. I just ate my first homegrown cherry tomato today, delicious.

This photo might not show it, but my snap peas are out of control. Seriously off the hook.  Too bad Elan won't eat them!

The really nice effect of having all this growing is that I am suddenly inspired to cook with my homegrown food.  I just made my first batch of hand-made (no machine) basil and garlic linguine.

Maybe now I can get chickens?

Open Market... For real.

I re-applied, as an unreserved vendor, to the Providence Open Market.   Elan and I will, hopefully, be sharing a "booth," showcasing my jewelry and his art.  Also, I plan on selling cupcakes made by graduates of the Amos House's Culinary Education program.
And, at the risk of sounding like I'm trying to sell something, I'd like to brag about my lunch today.  My dear friend Mark and I stopped by the Friendship Cafe (Amos House's new restaurant) and ate amazing pulled pork sandwiches.  Finishing off the meal with a large red velvet cupcake was um... the icing on the cake?

Oh blackberries, how you warm my heart.

As I may or may not have mentioned, my friendly mcfriendersons, I am a quasi-baker.  Certainly far from a professional, I learned to bake from my mother and practiced in the middle of the night so no one could witness my failed attempts.

Blackberries scream Summer to me, and with all of the gorgeous weather we've been having, I needed to bake a delicious summer dessert. I found a recipe for Blackberry Buckle, which I re-named to Blackberry Sparkle, at Bless Her Heart.  

Very delicious, I promise. And, the first of many summer desserts, since my friend Jessica sent me two fantastic recipes that I can't wait to give a go at!

New in the shop!

I just added a new piece to the shop! This necklace is a result of a day spent with my dear friend Lindsey, whose jewelry is quite honestly to die for (seriously, Lindz, get a shop).  

I consider most of my jewelry to be rather simple, or minimal.  With this necklace, I really tried to push my personal boundaries to create something that was new for me, but still something that I would wear. 

Thoughts, questions, constructive criticism?

By the way, my new photo model, the dress form, is thanks to my mother.  It might be about as old as I am, and I think that completely adds to its charm.

Springing up!

Check it out! My first baby tomato is growing! I was checking out the garden today after work. I cant lie, there's really nothing better than the smell of vegetables growing...

This just in:

Huuuuuuuuge sale on plants at Home Depot. My mother totally predicted this, but I had to see it to believe it!
We just bought a beautiful, tall, pear tree for $20.
Seriously. Go there.

Happy new necklaces

I've been spending a few spare hours a week hunched over my workbench. The majority of my pieces lately have been constructed out of antique jewelry, reclaimed chains, and nice little rhinestone thingys that just look so pretty I want to get a bedazzler and cover everything with sparkles.    

Garage? What garage?

As I mentioned a month or so ago, the "great RI flood of 2010" turned my garage into a big, deep, pool of mud and soggy drywall pieces.  After a rather interesting, and certainly entertaining, engage with people on craigslist, we got a guy to tear it down and trash it for just $700.  Then, we got some other guy (also craigslist) to drop off 14 yards of dirt.  Apparently this included a free trimming of our bushes, as his massive dump truck drove over our hedges. Kind, right?

We got way too much dirt. So I finally got the chance to build my raised beds!

We took a two-tiered approach, using the tallest tier as a little wall when you pull into the driveway. 

The top tier is for flowers and flowery bushes, which should fill out quite nicely in the upcoming summers.

The bottom tier is my favorite. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, zucchini, cucumber, peas, chives, cilantro, mint, basil, thyme, lavender, and some other things that have started popping up but I completely forget what they are.

Ohhh I love summer.

Hurrah! Unreserved Open Market!

Thank you all for your insights on doing the Providence Open Market. I realized that 5 days (and $300 something dollars) is way too much for me to do.  So, I sent a nice little email to the Open Market people, who kindly allowed me to re-submit as an unreserved vendor.
Now I just have to pick which days!

Some say soon, you can come visit me here! And, if we're all lucky, little Mausley pup will be there signing autographs!

I know, I know, right? Cutest dog EVER.

Huh. Well, now what do I do?

Serious dilemma, my virtual friends!  You may recall two posts ago that I mentioned the Providence Open Market hadn't responded to my application. At first I was bummed. Then I was happy. Then I got a response; an invoice for $325 for my reserved spaces. 

OUCH.

So.... should I do it? Or not? Before, I thought it was a really good idea. Now, however, I can't really picture it. I'm back to the whole "I have to get up WHEN?" thing. And of course, the threat that I won't sell enough to break even.  

$325? 

Thoughts? Ideas? Anyone up for an e-brainstorm???

This made me happy

I got two compliments from co-workers on my upcycled earrings today.  That's always a nice feeling!
And, I received an email with an image of someone enjoying their new Mighty Sprout necklace!
Hooray for lovely things!

Open Market, Inspiration, Astonishing Heir

Hello my friendly mcfriendersons!
I'm sitting here on my couch, having not five minutes ago eaten an entire container of blackberries, watching the surprisingly interesting flick Helvetica.  Not being one to sit still for more than four minutes, I thought I would take this moment to do a bit of multitasking...
I spent a good amount of time last week creating more of my upcycled earrings.  I'm running a bit low on findings, but that doesn't concern me.  I'm in the process of discovering what Ebay can offer in the direction of interesting jewelry supplies.

(Oh, a word of warning... All images from today's post are taken on the not-so-fancy iPhone camera. Ironic, since my last chat was all about the importance of photography)

I spent 85% of my Saturday shoveling and raking 13 yards of topsoil across the giant hole in my lawn. The other 15%, excitingly, was spent at the local antique store's rare sale. I scored a lot of new materials to play with, lots of rockin vintage rhinestone items.

I've found a happy new direction to head in... I'm all into pins right now. Think military awards of honor meets feminine jewelry meets funky found items.  Mmmmm delicious, right? 

I'm looking forward to some of my latest Ebay purchases to arrive, which will allow me to really bring my ideas of these items into fruition.  Feathers, tiny guns, leaves... rough and frilly at the same time. 

I know what you're thinking though.. "that's all well and nice, but what about the whole Providence Open Market dealy?"  Well... I haven't heard back, which I'm going to consider a blessing in disguise.  $85/day is a bit much for my measly budget, and as I mentioned before... I really don't feel like waking up that early.  But my "being okay-ness" is a new thing.  As of last Wednesday, I was dying to get accepted.  

Then, Thursday happened.

(ooo... what happened on Thursday?)

I was trying out the new spring menu of the all-amazing Farmstead with some friends downtown when we walked by Heir.  Haven't heard of Heir? You must not live in Rhode Island. Or read any of the really popular design blogs. This place makes my heart beat faster and my wallet try to escape my pocket.  Tyler Doran, a man with an eye for uniquely delicious patina'd items and a fantastic talent for interior design, mentioned that he may, just maybe, might, sort of... have a little space for my work in his store.

Yes.

Yes, I am pee-my-pants excited.

So, I guess we can all look forward to more items coming fresh out of the studio.  

And seriously. Seriously. Go to Heir. If I haven't brought you there yet, just go. It's to die for.

Hangin In There

Still waiting to hear back if I was accepted as a vendor... If so, I've got a whole lotta makin' to do!
In other news, I'm looking for new inspiration for materials.  If anyone has a thought, feel free to let me know!

Etsy Says: Take better photos

Well hello, friendly friends!  

You may remember last week's Etsy Says, where I failed miserably at all but 1 of the ideas. And, in case you have been holding your breath since then... No, I haven't had any success joining an Etsy team.  So, I guess I actually failed at ALL of the ideas. Let's see what I can do with this week's suggestions!

So, Etsy has sent me three tips for "Quick and Easy Photos."

1.  The Right Camera.  

The first thing you learn is that you do not need a trillion dollar camera to take good pictures. Great! Because I didn't want to go and buy another camera... cause I don't have the money.

Then, we learn about lighting. Natural is the way to go! Some of the photos I took for my Etsy shop were at night, and you can definitely see the difference. They're really grainy... 

vs 

Alright, point taken. I will re-shoot those later. You know... when there's daylight!

2.  Photo tips!  

These were pretty interesting, and reminded me that I need to take a little bit more care with my photos. I just get all anxious and want to shoot, so I don't care too much about whether the light is going down... That, and better composition.   Okay, I'll wrap that up with the one above.

3. Take photos that are worthy of the front page.

Yep.  See above.

Okay. So I have learned that I need to re-shoot and take more care with composition and light. Great! So umm... I can't really do that right now. But if anyone has good thoughts on what would be appropriate to shoot my jewelry on... let me know!