So Much Good Stuff

I am getting so excited to release the newest Tangleweeds collection! Seriously, I think this may be the collection of pieces I'm most pleased with in the 5 years of making and creating Tangleweeds. But, that is not why I'm dropping in at the blog today. I'm dropping in to reveal the winner of the March Tangleweeds giveaway. . . Shivani, you are the winner! Send me a direct email at tangleweedsjewelry@gmail.com so I can send you details on how you can receive your winnings!

And for those of your who entered but did not win, check back here in early April, for next month's giveaway (a little hint: it's going to be a piece from the new collection!)

Along the Way

I have so many projects in the works right now that sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed. I don't like it when things get a bit un-organized, which has been happening more and more lately as I take on many of the projects that I've continually put on the back burner simply because I thought taking something more on would cause chaos to ensue. . . When I was younger I always wanted things to stay nice and tidy, but the older I get the more I realize that that's simply not possible. Not if you're objectives are to find the joy and amazing-ness in life (as much as possible). I think what I'm getting at is while I'm quite busy these days I am some how not stressing out about it as much as I would have once done. I'm even enjoying it (most of the time), and allowing a little bit of "disorganization" to happen along the way.  

This past weekend Jeff and I took his son Sean to the Berkeley Botanical Gardens. They're beautiful right now, and will be I'm sure for the next couple of months. (The roses have yet to take off yet. Give them another month or so.) The colors! Oh, so inspiring. It's funny, you would think the flowers inspired those earrings in the second photo from the top, but those were all finished by the end of the day on Friday. Those are made from pieces cut from vintage tins, and judging from the popularity of these on various social media outlets, I'll most likely be trying to get some of these into my Etsy shop soon (if they don't sell at fairs first, as they are all one-of-a-kind.) 

Sometime in the next couple of weeks this here website is going to go through a little makeover. I'm going to try to not "close for construction" for too long, but it may happen for a day or two while I tweak things to my liking. Which is a good time to remind those of you who want to: tomorrow is the last day to enter the Tangleweeds Sky Above Necklace giveaway. Contest closes tomorrow and I'll post about the winner on Wednesday. Good luck!

Vernal Equinox, Anticipation, Changes

This week's edition of Listening, Wearing, Making. . . 

This week has been a bit of an odd one for me. . . There have been some growing pains with my studio space. I can't get into the exact nature of it here, but there is the real possibility of needing to move my space sometime in the not-so-distant future. While that is exciting for some reasons, for other reasons it's making me feel unsettled and antsy. (And, actually, if anyone is reading this and knows of a possible studio opening somewhere in the Oakland-Berkeley-Alameda area and think it might be a good fit, shoot me a direct email at tangleweedsjewelry@gmail.com. I'm looking for a space with a bit of privacy, i.e. not a communal/shared space. Also, I'm willing to consider some less traditional studio spaces. )

On to what I've been listening to. . . 

In this last week, as I sat down to write this post, I realized that I haven't been listening to nearly as much music as I usually do. Instead I've been listening to the archives of many of my favorite NPR and KPFA shows. One of my favorites is last weeks's airing of Herbal Highway on KPFA. It's titled Food as Medicine. I think you get the general gist of the show simply given the title. If you have some quiet time this week, maybe while cooking a meal, give it a listen. 

Wearing. . . 

I am working from home today and realized the photos I'd taken for this post are on my camera. . . back at my studio. Darnit! So I thought I'd share a little sneak from the up-coming lookbook for my spring/summer Essentiality Collection. You can see from the photo there's going to be some new moon pieces, bangles, rings. And color: pale pink, violet, turquoise offset by pops of eggshell, matte black, and (of course) brass. 

Making. . . This week I spent a good chunk of time working on an order for Azil (a cute little shop on Hayes in San Francisco.) The above are just a few of the pieces headed to their shop tomorrow. And of course, I made a few to stock up my inventory for my upcoming craft fairs.

On the upside about my studio, working from home is lovely on a day like today. I have the doors and windows open to let in the fresh air and sunshine. Pretty perfect. Happy first day of spring everyone! 

Planning a Garden

This last week was a study in contrasts: I worked on my taxes (almost done!) and attempted to catch up on a bunch of misc. paperwork. But then, come the weekend I had time for some creative projects and plant/flower shopping at Flowerland nursery in Albany. I think I had worked my "practical", logics-based brain muscles so much during the week that come the weekend all I wanted to do was play and make things and stretch my creative legs!

Above is some of the mess from my projects this weekend. I made one of those dream catchers with twigs and sticks and doillies that seem to be cropping up everywhere. (The project is hardly my original idea, you make it your own in the "ingredients" you choose. . . kind of like cooking.) It was a lot of fun and the perfect kind of weekend project as there's no pattern to follow, you just kind of go for it and improvise with the tools you have as you go. Below is the finished piece! I'm hoping to make some more to give as gifts. . . 

Some beautiful delphinium flowers from one of my afternoon walks through Jack London Square. I love these flowers; they were some of my favorites as a child. I even remember, once I got my first job at the age of 16, going down to the local nursery to buy some to plant in my parents' backyard. One of the plants I picked up from Flowerland was a purple variety of these. 

This is Mingus. He's my neighbor's cat and he is a GIANT love-bug. He also has the funniest/loudest meow I've ever heard come out of a happy cat. He kind of sounds pissed off and annoyed but the whole time he's purring and rubbing against you trying to get as much love as possible. 

Some shots (courtesy of Jeff) from our Sunday trip to Flowerland. Honestly, all these years living here and I'd never gone to this magical little place. It's so quaint. (At one point I said to Jeff "Even the bathroom is cute here!") There's a carefully curated selection of flowering plants, edibles, succulents, small bushes, and gardening paraphanelia in their small indoor shop. (They also carry a small slection of jewelry. . . I seriously want to get Tangleweeds into this shop if I have my way.) Jeff and I picked out a variety of flowering plants, mainly for some large planter boxes in our front yard. Hopefully, once it all makes it's way into the ground I'll post some pretty pics here.

Lastly, amidst all of the paperwork and taxes I did squeeze in some time to make jewelry (of course!). That second photo is a shot of some of the goodies that were dropped off at Gorgeous and Green in Berkeley late last week. And, yup, they now have some of my newest designs! If you're local and itching to get your hands on some of these new pieces, head on down to 2946 College Ave in Berkeley. They stock a gorgeous selection of hand-crafted goodies, and they have the best floral shop in town! 

Spring, Skirts, Bangles

This week's Listening, Wearing, Making. . . 

I've been obsessed with Buena Vista Social Club this week. There's something about their music that is pairing really well with the gorgeous spring weather we're having here in the bay area. 

Wearing. . . As I already mentioned the lovely spring weather, it's been calling for sandals and gypsy skirts. 

Making. . . Lots of bangles! I'm so glad to have bangle designs as part of the Tangleweeds collection finally. I love bangles myself and on the days when I put more thought into my dress I like to wear lots of them! The "clinky" sound they make is like music throughout the day.

My day is full-to-bursting, so I better hop on over the the workbench while it's still early. But you know I'll be heading outside for a lunch break just to soak up more of this beautiful weather!

Flowers, Craft Fairs and Photo Shoots

If you follow along with my Events page, then you know this past weekend I had two fairs: First Friday at the 25th Street Collective and Jack of all Trades in Jack London Square (both in Oakland.) Both events were great fun. I always love meeting new people at these fairs, and courting new customers!

The display pictured above is from my Jack of all Trades booth.

Part of my display from First Friday.

This last week I also finished up taking photos for my next collection. Above is an outtake from my second photo shoot for my spring/summer collection. I can't wait to release all of these new pieces officially!

It's really been warming up here in Oakland these last few days. Flowers are blooming everywhere and their gorgeousness simply makes me pause. Above, periwinkle in my backyard.

A flowering aloe on my afternoon walk. 

I took some time on Sunday to re-pot some of my indoor plants. This succulent got a new home in the pot pictured. I found it at a Goodwill a couple of weeks ago.

Lastly, some handmade components that went into orders that shipped out last week. 

I've gotta get dinner finished up for the family. I hope everyone is having a great start to this new week!

High School Art Teacher

This week's listening, wearing, making. . . 

I think I've regaled all of you with country music for enough weeks in a row. Today I wanted to share this decideldly pop song from my high school days! I was in love with this song when it first came out but didn't think it was "cool" enough back then so I pretty much kept those feelings to myself. Now, I don't really care if my music tastes are "cool" enough, so I'm sharing it here for the entire world to know about. (Those teenage years! When I look back I wonder how any of us survived!)

Wearing. . . Here's where the title of this post comes in. I got this dress for a mere three bucks at the Treasure Island Flea a couple of months ago. (Yes, I love to shop at the same events that I sell at!) This dress just seems like the perfect dress for a high school art teacher. And I've been told by a few friends that I dress like one. Which I take as a HUGE compliment of course =). 

Making. . . I think I've been saying this for the last few weeks, but I'm still mostly working on the new collection. That's going to change soon as I make the time to make more of my classics and build up my inventory stock for my many spring and summer craft fairs. Here's what will be my last sneak peek of the new collection until I release the look-book and put the items up in my Etsy shop. It's always hard to say which pieces are my favorites, but in this photo I'm loving the necklace on the far right and the earrings on the far left. 

Yesterday I finished taking all of the photos of the new pieces. Today I'm back in the studio. Tomorrow I'll be at the 25th Street Collective for Art Murmur in Oakland. A Tangleweeds trifecta of very different types of days! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. And don't forget to enter the Tangleweeds Giveaway if you haven't already!

Tangleweeds Giveaway

Hello hello everyone! I've been teasing all of you long enough! This month marks the first Tangleweeds Giveaway for 2014 (most likely to be monthly from here on out.) I have to say, it was hard picking out just one piece to offer up to a lucky someone, but after much deliberation I decided to offer my Sky Above necklace in cream. A piece inspired by lazy summer days watching birds soar overhead in a bright blue sky. I have been day-dreaming lately about how I want to spend my summer "break". . . 

To enter this contest, simply leave a comment on this blog post about what your favorite season is and why.  I'll be randomly selecting a winner towards the end of the month and will post the results here on March 26th. Only one entry per person please!

Good luck!

Mercury Retrograde is Over!

Has anyone else been feeling the Mercury Retrograde? This last week I had so many technical difficulties and strange mis-haps that I was starting to think I'd be better off spending my week in bed with my cats and a few books. Not really, but I did do that come Wednesday evening! At least Mercury went direct on Saturday. Phew! While I'm not a hard and fast astrology believer, I think it's a nice metaphor for talking about how everything relates to everything else. . . 

Below, my week in snapshots. (Also, read to the bottom for important Tangleweeds Giveaway info!)

Top to bottom:

1. A shot from my lookbook photoshoot. Boy oh boy was that day interesting. It was raining all day, which made for an interesting and challenging photo-shoot. But it came together and I can't wait to share it in early April.
2. Arlo and Otis and a good book. This is how I spent a few of my evenings. My week pretty much demanded it!
3. Raindrops on calendula flowers in my backyard. I planted these a couple of years ago and they're doing marvelously. I planted them so I could harvest them for tea but so far I haven't had the heart to cut these gorgeous flowers down!
4. Really awesome owl tumblers and ice holder at an antique mall in Sacramento. Jeff and I had a brief getaway this past weekend. We spent a couple day and one night in the capital and did a bunch of thrifting, antiquing, and record shopping. 
5. A shot of me busy at work. My work bench is always a mess of scrap metal and pieces in various stages of "almost finished."
6. The last two are my parents' dogs. The first one is Avery and the second shot is of my mom and Amber. Amber was a dog they found on the street recently and took in. She's getting along quite well with Avery (who's a bit of a senior-doggie).

Lastly, I'll be offering my first Tangleweeds Giveaway this month! Tomorrow morning I'll post about it and how to enter. Anyone is welcome to enter!

New Favorites Old Favorites

A quick edition of Listening, Wearing, Making as I have to run off to the city soon. As the title suggests, this post is all about new and old favorites. Starting with a new (to me) favorite band, I See Hawks in LA. Loving their most recent album, Mystery Drug. This song is off of that album. (Think country-rock with great harmonies.)

Wearing: two old favorites. This bear-print dress and these boots. The boots are great what with all the rain we've been having and the dress is so so comfortable. 

Making: lots of new designs! Here's a sneak peek at some of the colors and shapes you'll be seeing in the new collection soon. 

Gotta run to the city soon. Have a great weekend everyone!