Changes in my life.

As I've been thinking of ways to improve my craft, online shop and jewelry, I am bombarded by thoughts of natural vs. unnatural. (chemicals, toxins etc.) As the new year approaches, I've realized that I want to be healthier, more environmentally friendly and an overall happier person. This affects both my craft and personal life... physically and mentally (spiritually too).

When it comes to jewelry, I'd rather use a lemon/salt solution to clean brass then Brasso. I'd rather use vinegar fumes or heat to darken it rather then highly toxic chemicals. And I've realized I don't want to use cancer causing glue. sigh. Oh, and I read this today too.. I guess it really pushed me over the edge in wanting to be chemical free. It has been on my mind for some time though.

http://extras.sltrib.com/china/

Now, when it comes down to food.. well I'll write more later.

Holiday Giveaway Winners

I just couldn't wait until tomorrow!!

For every item you purchased in November, your name went into a hat, (a Detroit Tigers hat to be more specific), and after vigorous shaking and mixing, my husband pulled out three names.

The winners are:
Flyswims
WhisperedTrees
Admsonart

Hurray! Each of you will be receiving a pair of earrings in the mail.
Enjoy!

-Eva

Good old Apple.

Finally my computer is back from the shop. I missed it! I've been using my husband's computer - a noisy and hot dell desktop. It actually made the computer room a few degrees warmer then the rest of the house. It got the job done, but I'm glad to have my Apple back.

So, tomorrow I will announce the winners of the Holiday Earring Giveaway. Be sure to check here to find out. If you are a winner, I will contact you via etsy convo and they will be shipped out promptly to ensure enough time for gift giving. (to yourself or a loved one :)

Holiday Giveaway

Hi Guys.
I have something special to announce. I'm doing a Holiday Giveaway. For every item you purchase in the month of November from my Etsy shop (Green Leaf & Owl) you will be entered to win one of three pairs crystal and sterling earrings. For example, if you purchase three items, your name will be entered three times to win.
Please see the earrings at: My Flickr Site

All those who have already purchased items this month will be entered to win as well. The three winners (picked randomly) and announced Monday, December 3rd. Earrings will be picked randomly for each winner as well.

First Craft Show.

The entire table
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

It was an experience, that's for sure! I'm glad I was able to participate even if I didn't do as well as expected. Perhaps I need to find craft shows that are more my style and less country and crochet. :) Not that there is anything wrong with these things, but I felt out of place around the majority.

Get ready Etsy for some brand new GL&O pieces. Thanks to all those Etsy members around the country and world for supporting Green Leaf and Owl. I appreciate every one of you!

I may be doing a once or twice a month give away. Check my blog soon for an update.

New things.

New necklaces for my craft show...
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

Here is a glimpse of some new necklaces... they are for my craft show next Saturday. But perhaps I shall make more.

If you are looking to feed your paper addiction, check out my new shop:
Piping Hot Papers

Here you will find an assortment of gift tags, envelopes of all sizes and other papery goodies made from recycled paper, high quality cardstock, new colorful papers and fun vintage images. RunAliceRun and I decided to do this to clear out shops of the paper goods and organize them into one shop.

Craft show is 11 days away...

More!
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

... and I'm just finishing up my displays. I'll take a photo of my earring display soon. My husband made it and it is the best earring display I've ever seen. I'll also be sure to take a photo of my booth at the show.

I've had my table set up for the past couple weeks just to make sure I have everything made. The other day I found my son running around the house screaming with a pendant in each hand. He loves the birds. :)

Stickers made with my Xyron Machine!!!!

Fun stickers
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

I LOVE this machine. It is just the sticker one... maybe one day I'll buy the laminating one too. I designed this sticker for my mom's shop, Run Alice Run. I designed it in Photoshop and printed on photopaper. I punched it out with a 1 3/8" circle and fed it through my Xyron. Tada! The perfect touch to packaging.

I'm also using old, vintage books to make fun stickers as promos to send along with my orders. It's fun to recycle.

This sticker machine is relatively affordable. Use your Joann's coupon! The refills aren't bad either.

A custom order

A custom order
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

These two pendants are coming along nicely! I'm loving the paper change from polymer. Yes, I still like polymer, but this is fun too.
I've used my new antique silver-plated 18mm settings. Bluebird and Swallow will have a good home soon. :)

Paper Boxes

Paper Boxes
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

I've been on a paper box kick the past couple days. I found a neat tutorial on Etsy's Storque. (here)

So, I've been ripping apart my old design magazines and organizing my workspace with tiny, recycled boxes. woo! My son keeps playing cards in his.

Naturally Antique your Brass

Brass oxidized with vinegar and the oven!
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

I found a useful tutorial on Ebay when I bought some raw brass chain.
You can use vinegar to antique raw brass. It's a good alternative to chemicals like Jax Patinas. (Although I use those too).

In a nutshell:
- clean your brass by boiling it for a few minutes
- Pour a bit of vinegar in a tight sealing plastic/tupperware container and cover the top with old panty hose, cheese cloth, etc. I usually lay the cloth over the opening and tape it on the sides of the bowl/container.
- Place your brass findings on the cloth and put the lid on the container.
- Leave it sealed for a bit checking it every so often to check the color of the brass.

What also works:
Lightly brush a thin layer of vinegar over your brass and let it sit for awhile.
**Rinse off with water and stick it in the oven for 1/2 hour or more. (450 degrees)
Thanks Simarhra! She gave me this advice in a forum thread on Etsy.

Here is a link for the full thing: Full Turorial

New Stuff

New Tags
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

Right now I'm working on....

- Bird collage brass necklaces
- Pine cone and Leaf custom order
- Little Tree pendants
- New bird necklaces (like the Apprehensive Sparrow)
- Dragonfly, Bee and flock of birds Necklaces and pendants!

Night time woes.

My son just turned 2 on September 8th. I decided it was time to take away his beloved, (and my best friend), the pacifier. He had only been using the thing at bedtime, but really, I loved it as much as he did. It's only been a few days... maybe 5 or so, and night time has been rough. Waking up in the middle of the night multiple times like he was 2 weeks old is not pleasant, but I'm trying to stay strong. He is not going to be a 4 year old walking around the mall, sucking on a pacifier. I am pulling put my hair!!! I've been trying to compensate with additional hugs, kisses and attention. He constantly wants to be held. I think this has to do with pacifier loss. I miss it too.

Acorn and Leaf

Acorn and Leaf
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

Hurrah for Autumn, my favorite time of the year. I love the colors. Of course I prefer this olive green, but I also love the mustard yellow that seems to be so popular lately. It is the color of my 70's kitchen.

I am so excited about the new stamps I have been receiving the past few days. I have a bunch more coming and will be making some polymer pieces with them. Here are a couple new leaves I made gift tags with: Nut, Tree and Leaf Tags
I ordered the stamps unmounted and mounted them myself last night.

I found a great tutorial from MirkWood Designs .

All I needed was some sticky foam from Michaels, some hardwood I cut into pieces from the hardware store and rubber cement. I saved a ton of money and am quite proud of myself. :) The stamps don't look as clean as the already mounted ones, but work just as well.

Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossoms
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

So, I haven't blogged much in the past month. I've been preoccupied with making pendants, necklaces and other things for the craft show I'll be doing in November. First one ever! I'll probably come home with a bunch of stuff not sold. I really have no idea what to expect. This new Cherry Blossom necklace is my absolute favorite. The colors are so vibrant. The version with the light turquoise background is amazing as well.

Soon I will have all new stamps... birds, more chickadees, leaves, acorns, pine cones. New designs are on the way!!

Music music music

Find something new to listen to!

3hive.com

Moth to Flame's Mix Tape Club
hurray!

Newest...

Turquoise, sterling bracelet
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

So I went to pick up some sterling jump rings and wooden beads and my local bead shop. (that's all!!!) And look what I found! Oops! I had to get these huge, chunky turquoise nuggets. Why? Because I instantly got an idea for this bracelet in my head and I couldn't get it out. It turned out perfectly!

Hunkiness

More black and white photos, but these are vintage hunks that Aminyitray.etsy.com has made into tiny, hunky earrings! I love them and admire them from afar. I'm not sure my husband would go for hunky football players hanging from my ears. :)




"Hunk Earrings"



Check out the wonderful items in her shop! The Anatomy Tins are so great too..



"Tiny Tins - Anatomy"



Aminyitray.etsy.com

Photography that really caught my eye...

I find some really unique artwork on Etsy once in awhile that really stands out. I've decided that I'm going to post and promote it on here every few days.

The photographs on PrivateView.etsy.com aren't the usual pink flowers and blue water. They are photos of hazy, smoky dreams. They are images of memories lost, forgotten or just buried deep within the vault. (This is my opinion of course...)
I love the work of Private View!

Take a look!




"Memories - Fine Art Photography"

See more Photography & Digital Art by Victor Lampreia

Green acorns?!?!

green acorns?!?!
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

My new favorite pendant. The colors are perfect. I don't know about your display, but mine captures the Acorns color exactly. Maybe I should paint listening to Feist more often. Here


Ok, I must run off to bed before I pass out. My eyes are so bleary and I keep misspelling every other word.

OOhh

I'm taking a break from painting a batch of birds and leaves (pendants). I have a couple of mums that are looking just perfect. I'm back from a bit of time off I took because of some health issues. However, I'm back and better.

While I've been painting I've been listening to Feist. Her new album The Reminder is amazing. You should download it from iTunes or buy it. And be sure to listen to the entire album with earphones. That's the only way to truly absorb and appreciate the music.

Anyways.. I hope to post some new pendants in the next week or so. Be on the look out.

A bug story...

Yesterday I was washing dishes or painting.. something like that out in the kitchen. Benny was playing in his tent out in the living room when he suddenly started screaming and crying.

I go running out to see what's wrong... and find him pointing to a black bug-like object on the floor in front of him. (He is screaming and crying dramatically and saying "spi-da") It was a piece of carpet. I even showed him and picked it up... he ran away screaming.

This made me think... do I react that way when I come across a spider or earwig? Possibly. Larry thinks I'm making him into a pansy. I really try to NOT freak out when a spider jumps out ready to attack me. I try.

Inch worm!!!!

Inch worm!!!!
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl

A cute little inchworm hanging out on my cute little son's shoulder.
Yes, I'm afraid of bees, spiders and worms, but this inchworm didn't creep me out too much..

Benny had no idea it was there.

My love and hate relationship with resin.

My love and hate relationship with resin.
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl.

I really want to make resin pendants. REALLY BAD... but I found out it's tough to make pendants and I don't have the patience. But, I'm going to try and try again until I get it right.

I've made 4 or 5 that haven't turned out and I've given up for awhile. I thought the one of my husband in his silly b-day hat would turn out, but I must have put a bit more resin the hardner in the mix, because it never fully cured and is sticky. What a great pendant that would have made.

That resin on the chickadee leaked under the paper, and the squirrel had tiny bubbles embedded far below the surface.

I'll get it one of these days. Can't wait!

Thanks.

Thanks.
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl.

Yesterday I received my first thank you card (in the mail) for one of my pendants. I couldn't believe it! It really made my day. I love to receive feedback and I love when others enjoy my artwork and jewelry, but I've never received a tangible object like this. It was so nice. :)
Oh, and it was from an artist... who paints with acrylics... on canvas. (Amazing looking pieces... ) I was so flattered she liked my work.

Oh, little bird! Stop flying into my window.

Oh, little bird! Stop flying into my window.
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl.

Bird pendants never get old to me. Maybe to some people, but I think you can never have too many birds. This little guy is a favorite. I love turquoise anything. Unfortunatly, he is gone for the time being... hopefully to revisit soon.

I want to start making some pendants from vintage illustrations... but the whole copyright thing is scaring me off. It seems complicated. I don't want to think something is in "public domain" and then find out it's not.

This website has helped: www.copyright.gov
But seems a bit complicated.

New Pendants

Some new pendants
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl.

I've already posted a few of these on etsy, but some I'm still working on. McTweets needs a little redo and I've got to touch up the birds. Soon they'll be added to my etsy shop.

Calla Lilies

Calla Lilies
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl.

These are a pair of my favorite earrings.... I might just take them down from etsy and keep them for myself. Sometimes it is hard to post things, send things... when I like them so much!

So I might begin to make some pouches

Inside of the pouch
Originally uploaded by Green Leaf and Owl.

Sometimes I like to do more then just polymer and beads. I think I'll make a small line of pouches (zipper and snap) and test out those waters. I prefer larger pouches myself... then I can stick everything in them. My newest one is 6" x 7" and I've claimed it for myself. Once I perfect my technique and make a few more, I'll post them on greenleafandowl.etsy.com.

Hmm... but what materials, colors, sizes...

Soon I will add..

something interesting here. Must get my little guy who just woke up from his nap.
Then it is off to the post office to send some packages!