January and a Sale!

January is quickly approaching, and the new year is almost HERE!

New year, new goals.

Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

Henry David Thoreau

.......

20% off anything in my etsy shop…

now thru the month of January!

Enter “January2012” as your coupon code...I have decided that 2012 will need a fresh start. I am working on beginnings, on building, and on re-focusing. Not saying I am not PROUD of my work this year....the opposite really! The work I have made this year has changed my attitude on jewelry, on what is possible in metal, on where I would like to go in this wonderful deep water of metal....I have loved creating all of my pieces this year, and would say these have all been strong design. good work. solid construction. and the PROCESS i so dearly want is evolving, every day.

There are things I would like to change though...techniques, designs, processes....all this stuff I have been doing, but would like to take more time to revel in. I would like to slow down, and THINK about what it is I am building, and why. I want more. and better now than never...right?

I would like to offer a sincere thanks to the folks in the past year who have made rag and stone a success! I could not do the things I do, be the person I am today, without my little etsy world, my little blog, my amazing friends, my man, the sales I have made online and out in the grass during farmers market, the art fairs.....and YOU. My dearest moments this year have been in connecting with people, whether in the real or in the cyber-form. and Thank you.

Much love. much love.

I am so excited for this NEW year, the possibilities I feel are endless, and I can’t say how invigorating it is to step into a new year with no job, no responsibilities, a little schooling to finish, and a LOT of STUDIO time.

Talk about exciting.

I also came across this awesome little tutorial…in a blog called Kab's Creative Concepts I suggest you read!

The message is about creating not just a resolution for 2012, but an actual growing path....

it's called One Little Word and I think it's a fabulous idea.

and i wasn't going to reveal my word. rather....let it marinate. but........no fun!

I think my word for 2012 is

BUILD.

Building myself as an artist, building strong and well-rooted pieces of work, building a business, building exposure, building a great foundation….

It just seems right. A good word to focus on. 2012 is BUILD.

(I have a feeling this is not the end of that word.....only the beginning....dun dun dunnnnn)

Do what you love.

Know your own bone;

gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.

Henry David Thoreau

Happy New Year,

Because it truly is new.

"I swear it's december"....said tex.

"but where's all the snow?"

Went for a lovely little skate-ski yesterday out on the lake behind Jesse's dads house. Beautiful afternoon. and just enough snow for the outing. Such lucky kids, tex and I, out on the ice.

Any less snow and it would have been a chore.

it was PERFECT.

Hope your holidays are treating you well!

I am enjoying the rest and relaxation...

and looking forward to a new year!

Galen's bolo tie.

with cow Elk Ivory and Turquoise.

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There's a story here.

about a girl behind the bar.

who wanted nothing more than to make pretty things.

out of metal.

She enrolled in classes.

she you-tubed.

she took notes.

she bought all the gadgets.

she built a studio....

well, actually, boyfriend did.

She also had another job.

besides loving metal.

to pay for the gadgets. and the metal.

serving beer.

good beer.

sometimes lots of it.

in a small town.

in a small bar.

to good people.

for the most part.

Galen is one of those people.

and this is a piece promised for....oh.....2 years.

better late than never. right?

check that one off the list.

He is one of the few patrons at the brewery....

who actually was interested in what little miss bartender did...

when she wasn't bartending.

He gave her tips, and a huge piece of railroad track...

made just for her into an anvil.

to make pretty things on.

finished to a polish.

and painted dark.

just for looks.

It's nice to know that there will always be room for a few dreamers.

and there will always be a way to make those dreams reality.

with a little luck... a little beer....

and people who believe in you.

Merry Christmas.

Firsts and Finalities

Merry Christmas Everyone!

First tree at 545 west 8th street.

and Tex's first ornament...a hedgehog.

The hedgehog, or Hedgie, is the only toy

I have ever known Tex to play with. Ever.

so it fits.

Lots of firsts this year.

Went to Alaska.

and Kayaked in the Ocean.

Bought a house. gulp.

Took my Jewelry to some "Art" shows.

Moved a building.

Did some soul-searching.....

and quit my day job.

the one with a paycheck.

That last one is starting to sink in.

kinda.

I am staring at the last boxes of custom orders for Christmas.

holy moly.

This month has flown by.

I haven't been out of my studio space since thanksgiving really.

Things are starting to look very small.

Jewelry stuff is small.

tiny.

incomprehensibly so lately.

I think it's time for a break.

my eyes could use a break.

You should see the list I made myself.

and all of it crossed off....

(insert fist-pump here)

yesssssssss.

done.

so I did what any christmas loving fool would do.

i made cookies.

frosted ones.

with sprinkles.

not so small. more forgiving. sloppy fun.

I hopefully will squeeze in a ski this week.

snow hasn't quite made it's usual appearance here.

and the ski hill is hurting.

someone said they saw dirt on the front side of the mountain today.

sticks and stuff out of the little snow we do have. eew.

not exactly ideal conditions.

Pray for snow.

(I think the snowflake cookies should help)

the month of ivories...

Hunting season for Elk here in Montana comes to a close right after Thanksgiving...

meat in the freezer. if you're lucky.

And if you're REALLY lucky, a set of ivory for the keeping.

or.....for the wearing.

Weird little things. They are actually teeth, or remnants of tusks.

These are Bull Elk Ivory. Big-uns.

Cow Ivory is a little different. Flatter. Thinner.

Ivory is so interesting.

Prehistoric.

Evolution is cool.

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I just cut them flat with my jewelers saw, clean them up a little.

and presto! a unique little cab for the Elk-hunter's wife!

Bull ivories and turquoise for graham's wife....

these were the first set I've made.

Chelsea's post earrings made out of Bull Ivory. Sweet.

and these are Jake of all's for his mama.....

(bungalito-mover and Elk-hunter extraordinaire)

one good guy, right?

They're cow elk ivories.

Very different looking.

but still really pretty.

Funny how nature can do that.

And I think these are my favorites....they're for Richard's lovely lady.

Owahee Jasper with cow ivories....pronounced Oh-wahhh-he.

Love that jasper. So I made her a pendant too.

a-we-some.

Who would have thought that Christmas this year would have been filled with remnants of hunting season here in MT. Great Christmas gifts, i'd say.

Off to eat some elk of my own... Meatballs.

and someday I'll make my own earrings with the Elk Jesse shot this year down in Dillon.

New Concept: Jewelry for myself.

sweet!

handmade

handmade [ˌhændˈmeɪd]

adj

(Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Crafts) made by hand, not by machine, esp with care or craftsmanship

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Thinking today about this word.

about this concept.

especially in a time of year where gift-giving can become such a chore.

when it's not supposed to be a chore.

the holidays are for remembering the ones you love.

It's supposed to be fun.

and as I am reminded again and again,

and samantha june says it well....

it's all about the love.

I love handmade stuff.

and I know I've said this before.

If I didn't, I sure wouldn't be doing this.

attempting a living....well.... making stuff.

And I have to say, Missoula's show just nailed it in for me.

Good show. Great people.

Really great.

I bought handmade soap, a candle, and even some of Natalie's mini-food. found here.

an itty-bitty yule log, a cauliflower, carrots, and one leek...to be exact.

set right next to Jesus in our ridiculous nativity I found in a second hand store years ago.

(Jesus has one arm missing, the wise men look like Japanese Monks, Joseph is at least a thousand years old, and Mary is a little cross-eyed....)

I wanted one of what everyone made.

I wanted to take little pieces of these people home with me.

Because THAT's what it's all about folks.

Acquaintences or no, I love that people MAKE. That they LIKE to make.

and it can be silly, or serious. Functional, or not at all.

but....

it's all made with love.

and that's all that matters......

GOING THERE.....

taking pictures of myself when I was meaning to take pictures of what I was looking at : )

duh.

then I realized it. what a dork.

you should be driving, idiot.

and COMING HOME.

not too shabby either.

and the hipstamatic (sorry, getting old yet?).

makes everything hip. and cool. and i love it.

look at that sexy truck.

Jesse's not half bad either.

Missoula is only 2.5 hours from Whitefish, but sometimes feels like a world away.

I am glad to escape to the "big city" when I need a little art and music,

but I gotta say.

I love where I live.

And the drive,

the travel time,

well,

it's not so bad either.