LWM: CAT Leggings!

Listening to. . . The new Brandi Carlile. I seriously can't stop listening to her newest album The Firewatcher's Daughter. It's a bit folksy, a bit pop, with great stories woven into it all. Enjoy! 

Wearing. . . The most amazing CAT leggings. Love these so much. In case you simply must have a pair, they're from NooWorks in San Francisco. 

And making! Well, I've been busy on so many designs lately, it's hard to narrow it down to just one, but if I had to, I'd say I've been making bunches of these covetable Featherlight necklaces. I'm slowly getting all of the colorways into my Etsy shop. Finally too! This is something I had hoped to have done a couple of months ago. Feels good to be rolling these out. 

I hope everyone's weekly is providing all you're hoping for!

Of Interest Lately

Back when I still had my blog over at Blogger, I intermittently posted about what was catching my eye on the inter-webs. I want to bring that series back to this blog as it's a great way of sharing both what's inspiring me and my work, but also what's keeping me focused and grounded, and, no less importantly, simply what's fun and entertaining (to me and maybe to you!)

1. The Two Most Important People in Your Life to Hold You to Your Dreams - a great read if you're looking for encouragement in following your dreams (especially if it's a bit "off the beaten path.")

2. Astrology for April 2015 (by Sarah Varcas) - I LOVE this website for updates on the general astro-weather, especially when there are BIG things happening like eclipses. My love of astrology springs from a belief that everything in this universe is inter-connected in ways that we don't fully understand. I think astrology is a beautiful working metaphor for this way of thinking. 

3. Maryanne Moodie's amazing woven art - if you follow me over at Instagram you know I've recently taken up weaving (very, very much on the side). This woman's work is so inspiring to me. 

4. Michelle Tea's memoir, How to Grow Up - during my recent sick days I finished reading this great book. I discovered this woman's writing back in my early 20s. She's a bit older than me (early 40s) but the way she writes about growing up when you're not the person who takes the straight shot to steady job, marriage, kids, is very relatable to me. 

That's all for this week. Short but sweet. What has caught your eye on the inter-webs lately? I'm always overwhelmed by the wealth of amazing folks and work just waiting to be discovered! 

Spring Time Sale is Here!

Good morning my fine blog readers and followers! I'm just dropping in today to officially announce the yearly Tangleweeds spring sale. Head on over to the Etsy shop and use coupon code "springtime" (all one word) and you'll receive 30% off your entire order. There's a great selection of new designs and classics to choose from. (And more new designs coming later this week and next!) Sale runs now through mid-April. Enjoy!

Full Circle ~ It's Been a While

It's been a good while since I've dropped in on this blog! Quite frankly, the month of March proved, well, challenging to say the least. Many things do seem to come in threes, and that was sort of how March went. I was juggling too many things as the month blew in, then family came to visit and the juggling went from elegant to frantic. Then, amidst it all, my computer's hard-drive decides it's time to CRASH. Lastly, right as I'm trying to get back to work, new computer hard-drive installed (along with increased memory), I get sick. And not just "oh, I've got a little cold sick" but full on fever and all the yuckies that come along with it sick. 

I spent the last week and change chilling out at home. After an initial attempt at going back to work too early, I realized I was only going to get better if I gave myself over to rest and recuperation. I read a bunch, worked on my current weaving project (but only a bit as even this proved a bit exhausting) but mainly I rested, drank buckets of tea and cuddled with the kitties. 

And I had lots of time to reflect. Leading up to getting sick, during those weeks of juggling priorities and to-do lists, I just kept finding myself thinking "I really need a break." But I just kept on keeping on, kept on waking up early everyday even when all I wanted to do was sleep in, kept on with all of my goals and to-do lists when all I wanted to do was go take in a matinee at the theater down the street from my studio. When I look at it all, it starts to make sense that I got sick. It was the only way I was going to give myself the rest I so sorely needed. 

The only takeaway I have from all of this, is a reminder that I need to always put my health and well-being first. Even when it feels like I might not meet a self-imposed deadline, or blog enough, or list those new pieces on Etsy, or whatever it might be. I feel like this is a lesson I've had to learn time and time again, and that with each turn it sinks in a bit more thoroughly. 

I'm back on the horse, so to speak today, and it feels good. I'm 98% better, and taking it slow today with lots of breaks and moments to pause and rest. Being my own boss does make that a whole heck of a lot easier! 

(a small collection of nature-ephemera I found laid out at the Berkeley farmer's market last week ~ a little reminder to pause, breathe, and enjoy the everyday magic that's all around me)

March Giveaway Winner!

Today's the day! Announcing the winner of the $50 gift certificate to the Tangleweeds Etsy shop..... Sheila, you are the randomly chosen winner!!! Please send us an email to tangleweedsjewelry@gmail.com and we'll send you the details on how to use that gift certificate. To everyone else who entered, thanks for all of the sweet words about our designs. We'll have another giveaway like this in the fall, so check back often!

And on a quick side note: things may be a bit quiet around here while our main computer gets its hard-drive replaced this week. We'll be back to the blog next week with new editions of Full Circle and Listening-Wearing-Making!  

Just a few days left!

I just wanted to drop in at the blog today to remind those of you who haven't entered my March Giveaway for a $50 gift certificate to the Tangleweeds Etsy shop, you have until the end of the day Sunday the 15th! All you have to do is leave a comment on the original giveaway post over here. 

I'll be announcing the winner here on the blog on Monday the 16th. Good luck!

Full Circle: Dreaming about the desert

I think it's the gorgeous weather in the bay area these last few days, but I've been dreaming about the desert quite a bit lately. The photo below is from the painted desert in Arizona (source here.) Dreaming of hopping in a VW bus, packing a cooler full of food, a tent and a few good friends and just hitting the road for a while. There's been this tug-of-war back and forth within me: a desire to really put my nose to the grindstone with my work, and a desire to get away from it all for a bit. 

So, I've made a compromise of sorts over the weekend. I had an "office" day in my backyard. It was gorgeous out, the calendula is in bloom, and my cats LOVE it when I work from home (especially in their backyard.) I remind myself that there will be time for road-trips later this year (hopefully in May, more on that later.) 

In the studio I've been busily prepping some new pieces that I will be stocking my Etsy store with this week and next week. Below are a bunch of new colorways that will be available in my Featherlight style necklace. The Featherlight has been hands-down one of my most popular designs, and I often have new colors available at the fairs I sell at. This year I'm trying to make more of an effort to get new work photographed and into my Etsy shop so those of you not so close to the SF Bay Area can shop from them too!

(last photo above is from First Friday at the 25th Street Collective here in Oakland)

Also, my studio assistant, Alice, is back in town and will be back at the studio tomorrow. I am SO happy for this. Not only because her hands make some of my designs faster than my own, but because I'll get to hear all about her trip to see family in New Mexico - a little vicarious living on my part for now. 

I hope everyone's Monday (remember the time changed, don't forget to move that clock one hour forward if you haven't already!) is off to a wonderful start!

Full Circle: Bits and Pieces of Home

Last week was one of those weeks that's really really great but really really busy. Mainly because of the tradeshow I was wrapping up at. By the end of the week though, there was slow time, and time for cooking at home, and working on crafty projects (other than jewelry =).

Below, an order all packaged up and ready to ship off to The Potting Shed in Fairfax, a corner of my display at the SF Gift Tradeshow, and my new favorite Tangleweeds necklace, the Double Moon Lariat.

Gotta package up more orders today from that aforementioned tradeshow. Don't forget to enter our March giveaway too! It's a good one!

March Tangleweeds Giveaway

March is here! Wow, how the beginning of this year is flying by! I have to say I woke up pretty excited this morning, because I knew I'd be offering a new kind of giveaway to my wonderful customers: a $50 gift certificate to my Tangleweeds Etsy shop to use as you please. 

Some details: The $50 gift certificate can only be used for items currently listed in my Etsy shop (not at a local boutique and not for custom work.) You may use it to buy an item for less than $50, in which case you will have an available left over credit with Tangleweeds until June 30th. You may also use the gift certificate towards an item for more than $50, in which case you will owe Tangleweeds the difference. Lastly, the certificate will expire on June 30th. 

For this giveaway, as always, I simply ask that you leave a comment on this blog post. This time around I'm gonna be a little selfish: tell me what it is about Tangleweeds jewelry that you love! Always good to get some feedback on my work, as an artist it's all too easy to get trapped in your own whirling thoughts.

I'll announce the randomly chosen winner on Monday the 16th. Feel free to spread the word about this giveaway to your fellow friends and family. And good luck!

LWM: The Ones you Know

I titled this post "the ones you know" in honor and awe of all of the amazingly creative and talented and driven folks I am lucky to call my friends, family, and in general compatriots of this handmade life that I'm living and improvising on everyday. It is a hustle, but it can be very fulfilling. There's a reason so many makers use the hashtag #everydayimhustlin on their Instagram and Facebook posts. 

So, in the spirit of the "ones I know", I wanted to share this mix put together by my boyfriend. You can find him blogging about all things Smoothday and AOR (album oriented rock, I spell it out 'cause I needed it spelled out when he first started dropping that acronym) at his blog FM Version. If you like your rock smooth and 70s flavored you're gonna love this.

Cloudcasts by jeffboozer on Mixcloud

Wearing - One of my favorite dresses from Field Day in Oakland. The dresses and skirts created by Field Day are so comfortable and practical yet pretty-making at the same time. And the owner, Trinity, is a lovely soul, someone I feel lucky to have met. With a thrifted cardigan and TailFeather earrings from Tangleweeds. (And yes, that is my cat Otis, photo-bombing my outfit shot =). 

Making - lots and lots of my Drape Necklaces. My, oh my, how popular they were at the tradeshow I just finished up at on Tuesday. I love making these, but I especially love having my assistant to help, and since she's out of town for the next week, it'll be my two hands for now. 

Well, folks, today is packed to the rafters with things that need to get done! Which means I am behind on a few things I promised last week, pre-tradeshow. I should have known better than to commit to much of anything for the week following the tradeshow, but I have a tendency to think "yeah, sure I'll somehow manage to get it all done." My point: new pieces won't be going up in the Etsy shop for a couple more weeks, and I'm postponing my next giveaway 'til next week, next Monday to be exact. It's gonna be a good one tho, so I encourage you to check back here on the 2nd! 

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!