Handmade Love ~ Amy Rose Moore Illustrations

I'm here today with a return to the Handmade Love series. And to say, don't buy your art from commercial shops, big box stores, or soulless chains, buy it from artists!

I have been a big fan of Amy Rose Moore's work since I was first neighbors with her at a Treasure Island Flea market two years ago. Her whimsy mixed with the natural world made me smile. Her work, through the inclusion of unexpected details, takes nature drawings and paintings and makes them into something that sparks thoughts in the viewer that go beyond the everyday.

pictured above, her Great Blue Heron watercolor hanging in my front entryway

While I gravitate to her more serious work, she also has a penchant for the funny and fun. A perfect example: penguins on ice cream?! Love it!

Another favorite of mine, pictured below: Blue Jay, Tree Frog and Dandelion. 

Growing up surrounded by nature (in Lassen County) was the childhood fodder for her love of the natural world. Quoted from her artist statement on her website: "The portraits and personalities that take shape under my pen and paintbrush evoke (in me, at least) a sense of nostalgia, not just of my youth, but of a commonality-- of universally shared emotional spaces and fondly remembered narratives." 

You can find her work in her Etsy shop, or meet her in person at one of her many events, listed on her webpage. Her work is sure to bring some of the beauty and story of the natural world into your home!
 

The Newest Collection: Connections

All of my collections are always near and dear to my heart. And they always reflect a little bit of where I'm at currently in my life personally, and the things I am focusing on and drawing inspiration from. I wanted to show, metaphorically, how the connections between two people shape and mold us into more intriguing individuals. 

At the core of jewelry design and creation are connections - deciding how and wear to connect two elements can greatly alter a design's final look and feel. This practical application of connections beautifully mirrors the real-life connections we are making all of the time with the people around us, from our lovers, parents, and friends, to our co-workers, neighbors and casual acquaintances. 

Pictured above are the Connections hoops - the title piece of the collection. I think one look at them and you can understand why they're the title piece =). I really pushed myself with this design to come up with something that was interesting, had movement, and was still a hoop. These are definitely a current favorite of mine!

(and pictured below you can see there is also a necklace version and a hoop without the stones)

To see the whole collection simply head on over to the Tangleweeds shop and select the "connections collection." And, a little secret to share (with blog readers only!), I'll be offering a giveaway from this collection sometime this month. Check back for the news on that soon!

A Return to Handmade Love

This week I just got a bee in my bonnet and had to post about all of the great handmade jewelry that I've been drooling over on Etsy. Then, I decided to look back over my old Handmade Love posts and saw that it was nearly exactly a year ago that I posted ones of these round-ups. About time! I decided to simply focus on jewelry in general this time, because, well, I'm obsessed (naturally).

 Bones and Things ~ Real Lavender Bloom Necklace

Ahh, flowers captured in a necklace. Pretty much perfection when you're as obsessed with flowers as I am. I LOVE this lady's work and actually have two of her art prints. I had a difficult time choosing just one piece to feature, but lavender is a favorite of mine, so I went with this one. What I love about her floral and plant pieces is the organic, natural shape to the resin that she traps them in. 

 Vintajia Adornments ~ Trinity earrings 

I love how the overly oxidized metal plays against the brightness of the yellow enamel on these. They're very rustic-boho-chic. This lovely maker is out of Australia. 

LJB Jewelry ~ Mixed Metal Bangle

In my humble opinion this bangle is pretty much mixed-metal perfection. This artist is based on the east coast and participates in many arts and crafts fairs out there. I wish I lived closer, cause it would be lovely to see her creations in person!

Willow Studio Jewelry ~ Spirit Shield Earrings

The enamel on these! The rusty, old look to them! Grittiness perfected! I love jewelry that has an old, rustic feel to it, and these perfectly fit the bill. They're more colorful than I usually go in for, but I think the artist has done a good job of balancing out all of the color with plenty of "grit."

Fail Jewelry ~ Mica Earrings

And, last but not least, more mixed metal, this time in earrings. This lovely lady usually does the San Francisco Renegade too, so you local folk are in luck. What I've gotta say (and this is gonna sound a little jewelry-maker-geeky) is: way to rock the cold connections! (meaning no torch work). I'm seriously impressed by the ingenuity of the design, and how effortlessly it blends into such an elegant, wearable pair of earrings. 

I hope everyone enjoyed looking at some non-Tangleweeds jewelry for a minute! I'll be back with these posts, most likely on a monthly basis, as more lovely, handmade goodness pops up in my life. Also, if you or someone you know makes really awesome goods, and you'd like to be part of my Handmade Love series, send me a message at tangleweedsjewelry@gmail.com and we'll talk!