Summer's First Earrings

A new batch of summery earrings, all carded and ready to go.

Mom

Published in the Ithaca Journal on June 25th, 2013.

Margaret E. Hotelling, age 75, of Ocala, Florida passed away on June 15th, 2013.

She was born in 1938 to Mary (Hurlbut) and Gilbert Kapp in Troupsburg, New York. She graduated from Ithaca High School in 1956 and married Kenneth R. Hotelling Jr. on September 28th that same year. Margaret was a long time resident of Ithaca and worked for many years as the office manager for Dr. James Orcutt in Collegetown.

She was an accomplished seamstress and craftsperson who delighted family and friends with her creations. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend whose presence will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her husband, Kenneth; her daughters, Lucinda (Richard) Storms and Mary Jane Newhart; her grandchildren Corinne, Brian and John Newhart and Margaret Storms; her brothers Lloyd (Joan) Kapp and Gordon (Eileen) Kapp; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister Betty Silvin. A private service will be held in Shunk, Pennsylvania in September.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to:
Alzheimer's Association, 1850 York Road, Suite D, Timonium, MD 20193

Absolute Faves

Ok, so they're not very springy but they are my current favorite earrings.
As in, everyday, day after day fave earrings.

They have flame red headpins made on 19g black steel wire, vintage rhinestone rondelles (scrounged from a broken garage sale necklace) and a pair of hand carved bone skulls. I have made three pairs of these - all the ladies dig 'em. There will be others just as soon as I find more of the rhinestone bits.

Harebrained Scheme

In my case it should be hairbrained scheme.

Photos of people who came up to me showing off that they were wearing my glass button ponytail elastics.

Trunk Show at The Memorial Art Gallery

I have a trunk show coming up.

It's in the gift shop of the local museum - if you're a Rochesterian come on down.

It should be a fun, there are all sorts of special events going on that night in the museum.

Charmed Hello Kitty

Another outlandish charm bracelet.

This one started with a plastic glitter Hello Kitty charm from a kid's necklace.

I added all sorts of found object treasures and shiny crap. Unicorns, fake teardrop pearls, an Eiffel tower, a pair of rhinestone disco balls and a bunch of pastel plastic hearts.

The heart of the bracelet is a collection of my lampworked beads - some gaudy dichroic nuggets, a big watery encased aventurine ball, some pink bubbles, and lots of other fancies.

Sometimes, less is not more. Sometimes, more is more.

Earring Freak Out

 I don't know how you prepare for Mother's Day but I do it by making lots and lots of earrings.

Stay tuned for part #2 of the spring earring freakout.

Terriers & Towers, Clowns & Crosses

Found object earrings.

Man, it's tough to find things in pairs.

Bollywood Charm Bracelet

It's a completely over the top, jangly, colorful charm bracelet.

I'm having a trunk show at the Memorial Art Gallery later this month and the curator wants pieces made with found objects. The overall event is called "It Came from My Attic" and I am delighted to be included.

Good thing I have a massive stash of garage sale found object goodies to work with

This piece has, at it's heart, a bracelet made with my glass flowers and leaves. To that I've added lots of vintage plastic charms and brightly colored Indian bells. I got to use all the vividly colored anodized aluminum jump rings I impulsively bought ages ago - I knew they'd be perfect for something, someday.

I don't even know what this plant like thing is that is encased in resin (above). It was originally on a keyring.

It was lovely digging into my stash of charms and making things, and I have been a busy beaver the past week. I can't wait to share pics of all the found object earrings, bracelets and necklaces I have been fabricating.

The Mother Of All Craftaculars!

Hello Rochesterians!
I am hostessing another Craftacular.
Something new for spring - a Mother's Day flavored version.
It's downtown at the Rochester Public Market on Sunday Mother's Day, which is also the first Flower Sunday at the market. So come on down and get some petunias for the garden, coffee from Java Joe's and shop the pretty jewelry, pottery, quilted items, fabric bags and pouches, felted toys and whacky pin back buttons.

p.s. Java Joe's "Best Coffee at the Market" is in #55 (the big white brick building)

Red Bud Necklace

Inspired by the grand show that the flowering trees are putting on this spring.

A new necklace - Red Bud
Glass, pearls, sterling silver and bronze.

The glass is Cim's 'Sangre' in the centers with applied petals of clear and Cim's 'Pink Champagne.'

The clasp is sterling silver and the links are bronze.

She Runs With Scissors

I sew once a year.
A weekend quilt retreat hostessed by my gal pal Margaret.
I load my mom's old singer into the car and head for the hills (of the Finger Lakes).

I've attended for five consecutive years -
sadly it takes a long time to finish a quilt if you sew so infrequently.

A few random springtime snapshots from the grounds of the resort where the event happened.
The peepers (frogs) were out and singing for love.

Just look at the view from my sewing machine.

Springy Pearly

I'm still madly drilling pearls - making their holes big enough to hold 20g wires.
It's currently my favorite way to make simple earrings with glass headpins.

Get out your lovely stash of pearls - who doesn't love playing with pearls?

Drilling them is a snap with a dremmel and a bowl of water.
Yes you have to do it wet, don't be breathing all that weird pearl dust.
Use a diamond coated reamer and whirrrrrrr away.

This trio of earrings have black steel headpins (with lampwork ends) paired with sterling lever-back findings.