Rings

I just found the most amazing blog. This chick is totally OBSESSED with rings. If you have a few hours (or days) to kill, check out The Carrot Box to see the largest catalogue of the craziest rings on the internet. She inspired me to find the wildest, most creative rings on Etsy. Here are my picks. I want them all.

"The cage encases a sterling silver flower. It has been painted with nail varnish. The point of using nail varnish, is so the ring can be colour co-ordinated with your chosen colour on the day. Then simply paint over it, when you change your colour again." Holy cow! Available at the awesome chrisparry etsy shop. Articulating Talon Ring, made of Sterling Silver and BrassSterling silver ring, veneered with walnut. I might actually buy this one.

Sterling silver, flamed worked and blown glass. One of a kind. At Nanopod.

Yeah, this one might me mine one day too. From boundearth.

Ring inspired by the geodesic domes of Buckminster Fuller and the growth of triangulated structures in nature such as ice and crystals. From KarenAnnDicken.

Mating Earthworm Cocktail Ring
Patchwork textile ring by kjoo.

Historic Half

I have no idea how I did it, but Sunday morning I ran the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was such a fun day. 5000 runners, 13.1 miles! The course was nice, and the weather was perfect, cool and overcast. My time (2:19) is far from impressive, but I impressed myself that I finished at all! I can't believe I'm saying this, but it really wasn't that hard. I think I sort of zoned out for most of it and just kept moving my feet.

This is me, getting close to the finish...that last mile was so exciting, with people cheering, the finish line in sight! Happily, I'm putting my running shoes away for a while-I've got a swim across the East River to train for!

Monarch Necklace

Look what I just found on Etsy! I love this so much (obviously, duh). I think I might have to buy it for my little niece Megan, who turns five tomorrow. Everyone in my family has one of my monarch butterfly necklace that my Mom gave as memorial gifts when my Grandmother passed away. It would be great for Megan to have her own kid version.
This monarch butterfly wing is hand sewn and made with black, orange, white, and yellow fleece. It was made by weirdbuglady (who has the best user name ever) and is for sale here.

Linked

I can never manage to leave Michael's craft store with only the things that I had on my list. This time it was these pretty glass circles and rectangles called "Linked" from Plaid Enterprises. I just could not leave them in the store because the lovely colors had my mind going crazy with their potential.

This is my first experiment with them. I traced the inside shape then cut and foiled glass and wings to that size. The tricky part was putting the copper foil on the inside of the glass links, but after some fumbling, I had it looking pretty good. I soldered them together with some decorative soldering and a wire loop for hanging. I think I can get them neater, closer to perfect next time, so look for them in my Etsy in the future.

I'm really excited to use them in a stained glass panel. They would make great raindrops, a design element I explored a few years ago in this piece. Water is always a motif that appears in my work, and this glass has me ready to re-visit some old ideas.

Books

I'm reading The Tin Drum, by Gunter Grass. It is a sad and strange, but lovely book. My impression of the book before reading it was that it was a WWII book; which it is, but it is much more too. What has really surprised me are the magical elements, the fantasy, and the weirdness...just not what I expected, but enjoyable so far.

Maybe the best part of the book is the edition I have borrowed from the library-cloth bound, with one of those attached ribbon page markers, I just love the feel of it. I wish more books had this kind of detail. Check out the beautiful end papers at Drawger. Beautiful.

I've been seeing some really amazing work being done with books:Artwork by Jennifer Koshbin. Brian Dettmer: Book Autopsies

And some great Etsy artists are working with books too. I am in love with this bookshelf by Mineisclouds.

It is custom made, designed to hold your favorite books with all the tops even. I am drooling over this. The Boyfriend would probably call it impractical, but I think it would be a very special place for my most favorite of favorite books.

Cool book sculpture by Paperfaerie.

Original hand drawn line design over a vintage 1960's chemistry text page. "Morphine," by pygletwhispers.