Showpieces

I've been throwing myself into making some larger and time consuming necklaces, made from hefty amounts of sterling silver.

I love chain, but I don't like wimpy chain. That said, I also don't like signing my life away for a foot of chain. The silver market is scary. Luckily I found something I like in a good weight that doesn't hurt too much at a local store. It was on sale. I think I'm going to have to hunt down something similar in larger quantities.





















I've also taken a JOB at my local bead store. I like this place and it seems they're short so this may be mutually beneficial. It's an odd thing, though. I haven't had to show up to work beyond rolling out of bed and hitting the computer or the bench in well over 2 years, not including the year I was laid up. This will be interesting. Discount is good though, basically wholesale pricing.

Made a mosaic

mosaic9367301
Originally uploaded by ensojewelry

nothing new on the enso side of late to report in detail - yet. But playing with flickr toys is always satisfying.

Happy er...whatever....

http://wondermark.blogspot.com/2007/10/343-in-which-holiday-heralds-dissent.html

Just click that. Really.

The only comic I read religiously these days.

Winners Garnets and Ginger

The September challenge was fun - I wound up with a pretty good showing, but didn't end up voting for myself - there was some work which really blew me away including this, the winner, from Manek Lady.

Isn't it just amazing?

In local news, I've found the best scone in Minneapolis. It's at Cafe Maude which I just can't say enough great things about. Whether you opt for the buttermilk, or the blueberry ginger, you will find it has a palatable texture, something most scones totally fail, amazing flavor that only actual butter and good ingredients will give, and best of all, an appropriate size, so you can feel momentarily naughty and not like you are indulging in the dietary setback from hell. No overinflated Starbucks sawdust packet - this is a thing of beauty. Get the blueberry ginger (yes ginger, just the right amount, too) and pair it with the chai teabag and go stroll in the southwest metro rain by the creek.

I did.


Now that I'm warm and dry, I've been playing more with those garnet marquise beads:




Rhodolite garnet, 24K plated delicas, a little goldfilled clasp. Something elegant and quasi-ancient looking.

Moon ladder earrings

Moon ladder earrings
Originally uploaded by ensojewelry

These brios are carved so beautifully that I kept the beadwork minimal. Simply so much fun to make. They are one of those great items that you can take from day to night really effectively.

Ah, kind of makes me almost miss working in an office, having the kind of job that demands thinking through your wardrobe choices. Now I try to match sweater to sweats.

Chartreuse

Chartreuse
Originally uploaded by ensojewelry

Here's my September Challenge entry. The theme is "show your colors." Well, being someone who works mostly with sterling, showing a color was about as close as I can get, and I picked this vibrant and autumnal Chartreuse.

Did you know it's a drink and not just a color? I didn't till my mid-20's.

It's the kind of drink you fall in love with the wrong person over and sing songs loudly in public for the first time in your life.

This is a little more staid, but not too much.

Teamin' up

I'm a member of the Etsy Beadweavers street team - between a very active yahoo group, a flickr group to show off our designs and this great blog, there's a lot of great beadweaving unity to go around.

I've been an admirer of Bev Herman from noeasybeads for a long time - Bev is one of the celebrities of the beadweaving world, and it really tickles me to no end that I'm in a group with her. I'm not sure that everyone else in the group is really aware of this fact, and I'm not going to really make that much of a big deal about it, but seriously, I have to suppress squeals of fangirl.

Today I added this to the shop:




I had the most inspiring nugget of chrysophrase to work with, and wanted to make a more slender goldfilled cuff. It's kind of a watchband design. I'm pleased with it.