Happily Ever After

 This necklace was commissioned by Abby's (she's the bride) good friend. The vintage brass whistle is so she can TWEET about everything she does. The photos were the favorites of her fiance. He also provided favorite verses for the word pendant. The necklace was hanging among some other one-of-a-kind necklaces in one of my display cases. Abby shrieked with delight when she saw it! She is adorable.

 These lovely young women were all college friends and are now living across the country - they came together for a weekend of "Domestic Bliss" to celebrate Abby.

Abby donned the goggles, lit the torch, melted some glass and decided this was her favorite sort of Domesticity. She's my kind of girl.

Congratulations, Abby. Best wishes for a long life of Happily Ever After with your {much younger} man.

My Name Is Rachel And I Am A Doodler

 I've been doodling while waiting. Sometimes I go overboard with the curlies, but I'm just learning. I was influenced/motivated/inspired by Lindsay Letters. She writes beautifully.

 Below is the handmade leather journal I'm doodling in. It is beautiful. I bought it at an Artitudes event two or three years ago and have been 'saving it' for....

I don't know what. So I decided to use it. If someone from Artitudes ::lynnie:: knows where to find these, I will post it.

 Rumple was jealous that I posted a pic of Scootch, so here he is with his face right in the camera.

Hello Girls

I don't think I've posted a picture of my chickens for awhile.

(Scootch either)

Trash To Treasure

 Start with a beat up old box. My friend Patty from Liberty House gave me this one. Nail it back together. Add a wooden heart with wings. Varnish it all.

 Cut some PVC Pipe to fit. Glue all the pieces together. Add some little wood holder-uppers.

Voila!

 It's my new glass rod holder!

 If that doesn't make you feel all tingly and happy, you must have the flu.

PS. The MRI wasn't that exciting or terrifying. Remember the Ministers of the Silly Walk on Monty Python? They wanted to add the way I walk to their long list of silly walks. It was just the push I needed to find out what the pain is that makes me walk like a goof. Thank you for all the concern and care. Makes me feel loved.

Checking Things Off The List

 Photo Collage. Done.

Stained Glass Frame around it. Done.

A Ton of License Plate Letters. Done.

It is unusually satisfying to check these tasks off the 'to do' list.

That and an MRI this morning. Done.

Happy Hour starts at 5....almost.

Simple. Complex.

 I just finished these (and a bunch more) leather wrap bracelets for an order. The stones are moonstones and agates. Simple, elegant, fun. I'm going to make more.

 I was given the challenge of making a necklace out of a some beautiful amber colored beads. There were a few requests - use the silver-tone face, rosary style beading, incorporate The Sun card into the design.

 

 sun rays...

 Ta Da!

Torch-Fired Enameling

 A couple years ago, I took an emameling class at the LUX in Lincoln. Loved it, but haven't had the time to set up an enameling station and work at it. So... I bought Barbara Lewis's book "Torch-fired enamel jewelry", cut some copper tubing, and yesterday made the beads above. I shall call them "burnt macaroni". Yuch.



Those crusty pasta beads won't stop me from trying again...

Happy. Happy x 5.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

and

HAPPY 5th ANNIVERSARY TO
TWO DOG POND!

It's true. I have been making soldered glass pendants since 2004. We moved to Two Dog Pond in 2005. On December 31, 2006, I quit my day job and on January 1, 2007, started Two Dog Pond Jewelry as a full-time adventure. Time flies when you are doing what you love!

Thank you to everyone who has helped make my dreams come true.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

That adorable child is Sweatshop Baby's brother, Cael. I babysat those two New Year's Eve. My friends Shelley and Fred brought over hats, leis and noisemakers - four sets. Within an hour, several were missing and the toilet was flooded and Sweatshop Baby was sweetly saying "pee. pee."  Ha.

The Lauritzen Gardens

We decided to take a few days and shop and stay in Omaha to celebrate my birthday early. We stayed at the Magnolia Hotel - lovely - our friends Fred and Shelley met us there and we had a fun time exploring the Old Market and dining at the Twisted Fork. Friday we toured the Lauritzen Gardens (right before 50% of our party got too sick to carry on...)

We're replacing lots of the light fixtures in our home, so I have an obsession with them right now. Isn't this lovely? 

 The pointsettia and model train exhibit is up through mid January. I can't keep a pointsettia alive for more than 10 days. This exhibit has been up for two months and all the plants are gorgeous.

 bridges built of sticks...another of my current loves.

 

 

 Happy Birthday to me. (Tune in my head...)

 Happy New Year to my Friends and Family and All Of You!

Pretty treats for the birds were everywhere outside.

Things That Are Round

 On Christmas Eve afternoon I made a few bracelets using leather and ball chain and lampwork beads I had made.  I like them so much that I plan to make more.

I used some bootie yarn (the yarn I make booties with) to crochet a jar of balls. Just because. I have a hard time doing nothing, so filling a jar with balls seemed like a good idea while sipping my end-of-the-day cocktail...

 I was delivering some jewelry to Liberty House and had to take a quick peek at all her lovely vintage goodness when I spotted this HUGE roll of woven strapping. I would like to make some bags, and this would be perfect for the straps!

 As I had promised myself that I would play with my new glass rods after I finished up the majority of my orders, I pulled some wonky stringers and then made some beads which will end up on bracelets like the ones at the top of this post.

just look at the green, orange and red one with it's pretty star!

Surfacing

Christmas orders just about did me in this December. It was great! Since December 1st I've had orders for 367 necklaces and 52 ornaments. That's Incredible! Thank you! Above are some necklaces I assembled for a friend. She showed me what she wanted with what, and I put them together. That was yesterday. Since December 1st, I've been getting up at 4am and working on orders. Most of them were one-of-a-kind custom pendants. Three hours later the sun would come up and look like this outside my studio window:

 I would work until the sun went back down... then have a cocktail. Most days have been 12-13 hour work days. Maybe I work slow....

 Here are a couple of favorites:

  

  Wait - I have to show you this. We have 15 big fat hens. They are all molting or lazy. Usually we get one. ONE. egg a day, which means that I had to buy store eggs. THEN look what someone laid. Doesn't that look like an add for "be yourself"?

Above: the lace from the wedding dress. Hand made. The customer had seven made for family. Beautiful.

These glass rods arrived and have been my motivation for getting orders done so I can make beads...

Again - thanks to everyone who ordered pendants and ornaments. And to everyone who came and shopped here at Two Dog Pond...Merry Christmas