Sawyer LOVED his 2nd birthday!! He made us relight his candles about 5 times because he had so much fun blowing them out! heehee!
His older brother's had a lot of fun teaching him about birthday's... and helping him unwrap his presents.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by my etsy shop for the special Sawyer's birthday sale!!
In other news: I will be closing down my etsy shop soon. Don't worry! This is only temporary as I pack up our house in preparation for a big move!
I will still have one of a kind pieces available up until our move (sometime at the end of February) but, for the time being, will no longer be selling my made to order pieces.
Stay tuned here for more updates and details about our move! {hint: we are probably not going to have to endure Michigan winters any longer}
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Today is my youngest son's birthday! Sawyer turns 2!
I remember when Sawyer was born - I said, "this is the first good thing to happen in the month of January in a looong time". I've dealt with a lot of death in this month - it was so good to rejoice in life in the hardest month of winter! So today we rejoice!
My little red headed child is the spitting image of my Irish grandmother Aggie who died 5 years ago on January 20th. She was not just my grandmother - but the one, strong, irreplaceable matriarchal force in my life. I miss her intensely.
In honor of Sawyer's second birthday I am having a sale in my etsy shop. Check out my shop announcement for details: http://www.lunasadesigns.etsy.com/
Sunday, January 11, 2009
"Lipstick" resin earrings
My new lipstick resin earrings!
I decided I needed to work with what I have - in preparation for moving - and one thing I have (that I haven't used in a long time) is A TON of epoxy.
One of my favorite workshops in school was learning how to use 2-ton epoxy as resin. We learned how to color it ourselves (using things like eye shadow), make molds, and do simple bezel settings like these. That was.... oh.... 10 years ago now... hah!
And I'm just now getting back into using the techniques - out of necessity more than anything. I must use up some of my supplies before our big move (wherever that may be) and I'm determined to have some fun while I do it!
These are a cheap little addition to my shop right now at $22 a pair. Sterling silver post earrings with your favorite maybelline lipstick inside. hah! Just kidding... It's resin... Hard as a rock. Please don't try putting it on your lips.
It won't work.
I decided I needed to work with what I have - in preparation for moving - and one thing I have (that I haven't used in a long time) is A TON of epoxy.
One of my favorite workshops in school was learning how to use 2-ton epoxy as resin. We learned how to color it ourselves (using things like eye shadow), make molds, and do simple bezel settings like these. That was.... oh.... 10 years ago now... hah!
And I'm just now getting back into using the techniques - out of necessity more than anything. I must use up some of my supplies before our big move (wherever that may be) and I'm determined to have some fun while I do it!
These are a cheap little addition to my shop right now at $22 a pair. Sterling silver post earrings with your favorite maybelline lipstick inside. hah! Just kidding... It's resin... Hard as a rock. Please don't try putting it on your lips.
It won't work.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
So, I've been a fan of the I Ching (or book of changes) for a long time... I made a necklace about 3 years ago for the first Detroit Urban Craft Fair and decided to make some more this past week.
There is no easy way to explain the I Ching if you're not already familiar with it. To explain my necklace, I will simply say that it is an ancient collection of linear signs to be used as oracles. A sort of Chinese form of divination, if you will. Although divination is a very shallow, superficial explanation.
The quick explanation of the lines: Each line (and whether they are broken or unbroken) has a meaning... each set of 3 lines has a meaning. 2 sets of 3 lines put together has a bigger meaning....
I like to randomly place lines on a necklace and then look it up later. This one was particularly significant. My husband and I have been trying to remain calm under a lot of financial pressure lately. He recently lost his job and we are looking for work and a new place to live... A lot of changes... A lot of our life is thrown up in the air... When I looked up the meaning of these lines in my book of changes - it just made sense. I think I'll give this necklace to my husband.
Here is the short version of the meaning:
Treading {conduct}
above - The creative, Heaven
below - the joyous, Lake
The name of the hexagram means on the one hand the right way of conducting oneself. Heaven, the father, is above, and the lake, the youngest daughter, is below. This shows the difference between high and low, upon which composure, correct social conduct, depends. On the other hand, the word for the name of the hexagram, TREADING, means literally treading upon something. The small and cheerful [tui] treads upon the large and strong [ch'ien]. The direction of movement of the two primary trigrams is upward. The fact that the strong treads on the weak is not mentioned in the Book of Changes, because it is taken for granted. For the weak to take a stand against the strong is not dangerous here, because it happens in good humor and without presumption, so that the strong man is not irritated but takes it all in good part.
THE JUDGEMENT
Treading. Treading upon the tail of the tiger.
It does not bite the man. Success.
The situation is really difficult. That which is strongest and that which is weakest are close together...... The situation is one in which we are still not bound by any obligations of social intercourse. If our conduct is simple, we remain free of them. We can quietly follow our predilections as long as we are content and make no demands on people.
The meaning of the hexagram is not standstill but progress. A man finds himself in an altogether inferior position at the start. However, he has the inner strength that guarantees progress. If he can be content with simplicity, he can make progress without blame. When a man is dissatisfied with modest circumstances, he is restless and ambitious and tries to advance, not for the sake of accomplishing anything worth while, but merely in order to escape from lowliness and poverty by dint of his conduct. Once his purpose is achieved, he is certain to become arrogant and luxury-loving. Therefore blame attaches to his progress. On the other hand, a man who is good at his work is content to behave simply. he wishes to make progress in order to accomplish something. When he attains his goal, he does something worth while, and all is well.
The situation of a lonely sage is indicated here. He remains withdrawn from the bustle of life, seeks nothing, asks nothing of anyone, and is not dazzled by enticing goals. He is true to himself and travels through life unassailed, on a level road. Since he is content and does not challenge fate, he remains free of entanglements.
This is only about 1/4 of the meaning! Maybe I'll post more later on but I think this sums up the meaning sufficiently enough. At least in relation to our lives right now.
Hopefully not too boring for you!
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
marigolds?
I started to make this necklace EONS ago! Seriously. I think I posted a picture of it in the EtsyMetal Street team forums - last year... 2 years ago?? Half finished. Asking for everyone to MAKE me finish it. It was the handmade chain that pushed me over the edge. :) I dare anyone to try making a chain by hand with a 1 year old (now 2) tugging at your leg. hehe! um.... no, he wasn't tugging at my leg really... I don't let him get that close while I'm soldering! But still... You get the picture, I'm sure.
It is finally finished - and waiting for someone to wear it!
I'll be posting it in my etsy shop soon!
It is finally finished - and waiting for someone to wear it!
I'll be posting it in my etsy shop soon!
Monday, January 05, 2009
Miatta and Sawyer
There are a lot of changes going on in the land of Lunasa Designs! Some changes are really, really good; like my sister Mara and her Husband Ryan finally getting their little girls, Miatta and Nowai, from Liberia! {Miatta is pictured with my son Sawyer - her new cousin}.
Other changes are not so good at the moment. Like many, many Americans right now, we are feeling the affects of the recession. My husband lost his job in November due to downsizing. At first we were excited about moving (we're wandering fools at heart) and excited about new opportunities for him. Two months later, with no job in sight, we're starting to panic.
I'm not sure what this means for Lunasa Designs at the moment. I'm feeling at my most creative right now and am motivated to make my business work... But I have no idea where we'll be moving or when - or if our new place will support a studio and business. I'm feeling sad about the prospect of closing down. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time - and while I have Scott home to help with the kids, I'm creating, creating, creating...
At least I'll have a stockpile of jewelry while we are packing and moving - whenever that shall be.
Here's hoping for bigger and better things to come our way!
Peace and love to all.
Other changes are not so good at the moment. Like many, many Americans right now, we are feeling the affects of the recession. My husband lost his job in November due to downsizing. At first we were excited about moving (we're wandering fools at heart) and excited about new opportunities for him. Two months later, with no job in sight, we're starting to panic.
I'm not sure what this means for Lunasa Designs at the moment. I'm feeling at my most creative right now and am motivated to make my business work... But I have no idea where we'll be moving or when - or if our new place will support a studio and business. I'm feeling sad about the prospect of closing down. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time - and while I have Scott home to help with the kids, I'm creating, creating, creating...
At least I'll have a stockpile of jewelry while we are packing and moving - whenever that shall be.
Here's hoping for bigger and better things to come our way!
Peace and love to all.
Me and my family of boys!
Almost 7 years of me bugging Scott to get a family picture taken.... an "official" family portrait.... We finally have one. I guess it was good that we waited until we had all of our boys. Although one with just us and Connor 7 years ago would have been nice too. I'll take what I can get! ha ha!
This picture wouldn't have been possible without my mother in law and sister in law - We dragged all of our men and children down to the portrait studio to get a BIG family portrait done (and smaller family portraits). Fun for us. Not so fun for the "boys".
This picture wouldn't have been possible without my mother in law and sister in law - We dragged all of our men and children down to the portrait studio to get a BIG family portrait done (and smaller family portraits). Fun for us. Not so fun for the "boys".
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