back on the radio, WZMB 91.3

Finally, I've been wanting to blast some new tunes from ECU's very own radio station, WZMB 91.3 (livestreaming) for awhile. But not to worry, I'll be on air today 10am-12pm.

Here is a very tasty new song, from a bad-ass Latin American group, Bomba Estero, my friend Sarah West introduced me to. I'll have some of them playing in the coming weeks.



Bomba makes me long for days on the beach in Panama with my cousins, or dancing at some club.

Enjoy! And don't forget to tune into me, DJ Lestat from 10am-12pm, every Tuesday and Thursday. Pin It

I gotta say, It was a good day

Made two sales yesterday at the Uptown Umbrella Market!

This happy customer walked away with her black coral branch earrings.

I've got new items in my Etsy shop....don't forget to check'em out.

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Deer Antler earrings - new on my Eilisain Etsy

Some more fun earrings to wear this summer. I'm having fun using all the interesting shapes of deer antler. Thinking of carving into them soon...

These look awesome with a strappy blouse or dress!

Small deer antler earrings. *Deer antler was naturally shed.

Thanks for poppin' on by.
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Bad artists copy. great artists steal - Pablo Picasso

I just stole that blog subject!

Scoutie Girl wrote a great article on artistic inspiration and what is considered 'stealing'.

It's sticky subject and one I run into myself at school. I've had that feeling once, of someone ripping off 'my idea' but was it really my idea when the pattern I cut out could be found in so many other places, in nature or anywhere else?

At times I've worried that if I look at too many art jewelry books, magazines and websites I'd be too easily influenced. But I can't stop my hunger of analyzing and also being inspired but other metalsmiths. So that is why I expand my sources and places of inspiration.

This is a good quote in the article:
Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. (more...)- Jim Jarmusch.

Read on...

What do you consider stealing?
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new goodies

Since yesterday was my day off (pool and lounging - it was SO sweet!); today was my work day. And I got quite alot done. I was motivated by a G-chat convo with a fellow metalsmith - I couldn't be out done and not get into the studio myself - as he was going to work in his studio early in the morning.

Anywho, I continue to work with deer antler, now having a bit of more innocent fun and play. Below are new earrings with black coral twigs.

And some other fun projects below; my gold nugget no-solder tab set deer antlers. I made these for two purposes; to show my students how to make a small pin using tabs and easy mechanisms.

These were quick photos I took before leaving the studio. I'll have upclose shots of the earrings tomorrow.

Deer antler earrings and black coral

Another shot.

Tube rivet sample for the beginning metals I teach at Emerge.

Golden nugget no-solder brooches. $15 each - soon to be uploaded on my Etsy site.

Another shot.

Backs of my no-solder brooches.
(Roller printed lace on the back for an extra touch).

These lil' nuggets will be on sale this Wednesday at the Umbrella Market in the Downtown G-Vegas area.

Hope you had a great weekend and thanks for reading!

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Song of the Day: The Day is Coming by My Morning Jacket

Oh heavens, this is magical, Erykah Badu presenting Jim James and My Morning Jacket "The Day is Coming" ... an expansive, lilting and rising song.



I think I'm in love with a new song!
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Lisa Walker interview

Inside the studio of metalsmiths/jewelry artists is always fascinating...


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Ring a ling a ling

Hmmm, favorite kind of jewelry, No. 1 would be rings and then earrings!

If you're like me, a metalsmith and earring fan, then you may want to enter into this book. An international book on earrings with a profile about the artist and their work. Nabbed it from 18kt.




Try it, you just may get published (that's what I'm telling myself)!
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last day of printmaking

I've really enjoyed this class, I learned quite a bit in a short amount of time. However, the class was also draining, standing most of the time, cranking the press bed and constantly editing and proofing. I have a new found respect for printmakers.

Here are photos of Matt Egan, our professor, showing us how to screenprint. It was a quick demo and has me wanting to learn more. However, I'm slowly considering it, as Egan is a demanding professor.

Matt taping the borders of the screen, so as to prevent any acrylic from seeping in.
Matt applying the acrylic.


Matt powerwashing the emulsion off of the screen.


Our collaborative screenprint for our portfolio covers, on the drying rack.


The final product!

I was really happy Matt decided to give a brief demo on screenprinting, which I've been wanting to know more about, for awhile. Matt had each of the students make a design in black and white and then put it onto one image for our portfolio covers. My design is the moth in the middle.

Now I'm off to take my printmaking exam...wish me luck!

Thanks for reading.

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sneak preview

Went into the studio this afternoon and sat at my bench for about 40 minutes contemplating what to do first (psst. if you know me I'm can be very indecisive). But I finally got to moving and grooving with my deer antler and GOLD LEAF!

Gold leaf is so much fun, when you want to add that tacky but seductive goldness to your jewelry.

Affordable lil' brooches on the way...
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oldies but goodies

Some new shots taken with my fancy new camera...hope you like! First box clasp I ever made; small but simple.
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Janet's personal story is truly inspiring, she kept her mind and eyes open and was able to see the beauty of material and patterns.

You'll be inspired too!
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Join me at the Umbrella Market

Uptown Greenville (NC) is once again sponsoring/organizing the Umbrella Market at Five Points Plaza square this afternoon from 5-8pm and I'll be there with my co-hort, Julie DiNitto, selling our jewelry.

If you're in the area please join us, not only is there jewelry but live music, food and even a real cowboy!

Me lassoing a practice mini-bull

I promise you'll enjoy the evening if you come out AND the weather is actually cool and warm not hot and humid!

Thanks for reading.

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Song of the Day: Malaguena by Connie Francis

Oh how rapturous and flamenco-inspired is this song, Malaguena sung by Connie Francis?



I discovered her Spanish cover songs while watching 2046, a Chinese film about a writer and his love affairs...how random is that? But that is what I love about foreign films.

Here is a short live clip version of her singing:



How in the world does she carry those high notes, I have no clue but it's so awesome. Those 50's hairstyles, fashion and women are so classic and feminine, somedays I wish life (only that part of life) was still like that, when fitted dresses, beehives and kitten heels were in style.
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Growing a ring

Design / Magnetic Rings from Laurent Milon on Vimeo.

Oh this is fascinating to watch; I'd imagine this is how crystals grow but not dipped in an electro bath.

Enjoy!
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I'm on a roll - more new Etsy shop items

Deep Sea series: cuttlefish cast and faux pearls
So pretty for a night out

Close up shot

Deer antler ring with an embedded emerald;
fun with some bling in it.

Aren't you just enchanted with that peeking emerald?

Can you tell I've been on busy with new work? It's like I've got Gatorade running through my veins, or no social life! Ha, just kidding, I've been so inspired lately and energized with all the ideas and great materials i've been acquiring.

Hope you like'em and thx as always for stoppin' by!
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Epona ring

Just added a new item to my Etsy shop.

Epona ring is made from cast deer antler and then oxidized to bring out the tree bark texture of the antler.


Check it out along with other new items I've added over the past several weeks.
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Self portrait

Whew, this summer has been busy, and it's only the beginning of June!

I'm almost done with my printmaking class and I've really enjoyed it - despite feeling the effects on my body from hunching over the wood carving or my hand hurting from cutting into linoleum endlessly, I love to see the effects on paper.

Printmaking is almost like an advanced method of drawing but in a different medium. I'm not the best at drawing (especially proportional figures) however I find that printmaking has introduced me to new methods of imprinting on paper, and how to transfer drawings to other mediums, such as linoleum, woodchip board and clothing.

It is a very labor intensive craft and one that I find challenging yet gratifying.

This is what it looks like when cutting into MDF (my classmate Cristina)Other students in progress.

Below is my first 'pull' (aka draft) of my MDF (medium density fibreboard) linocut, basically you cut into the woodchip and get a relief of the image.

MDF cutting

First pull

2nd pull

Close up shot

I wouldn't say it's an exact portrait but I really love the line quality and the detail of my lips and eyes.

What do you think? hope you're enjoying the summer - thx for stoppin by my blog.

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Black Branch Coral hoop earrings = HOT

I stayed in the studio most of this afternoon working on these beauties - I'm just in love with them!

Black coral is just so gorgeous and sensuous, beautiful curves and elegant as all hell... I apologize, I think it's all the jewelry dust and studio work went to my head.

On sale, now on my Etsy site. Get'em now while they're HOT.

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linograph

I spent most of the weekend working on my 'linograph', part of my printmaking class. It's a method of cutting into linoleum to create an image or pattern and then transferring to paper with ink. It is ALOT of work, especially if you do something complicated like a snake!

I barely got an time to work on my jewelry which bums me out but I really want to get an A in my class. I still have to run into the studio early this morning to touch up the print and run several more. My wrists were hurting so bad last night! Ok, enough complaining...I think it'll be worth it.

Hope you enjoyed the weekend and thanks for reading!

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A happy customer

I spotted Aileen wearing her new beaver teeth earrings last night at the Uptown Art store. I was sad to see them go but the happiness on her face makes it worth it!
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Klimt02: Mosa, Edgar jewelry design unique handmade jewelry images jewelers

Klimt02: Mosa, Edgar jewelry design unique handmade jewelry images jewelers

Just got my monthly Klim02 newsletter and gazed upon Edgar's new work...I'm drooling and crushing on his work, travels, experience...and him! Check it out....

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Embossed cards

Some close up shots of my embossed cards. I'm really psyched about them, they provide a consistent and professional look to my jewelry.

The above embossing was the second try, with smaller text and
with Jewelry at the bottom...geez that was a test in my sawing skills!

Here is a very general guide to how I embossed my cards - it was very simple, even if you don't have a print roller, you could still emboss cards or paper.
What I did:

• Print out my logo, but in smaller text; pasted the paper onto a sheet nickel silver (someone left out the perfect size in the studio) or any other cheap metal
  
• Pierced out the words (was not an easy task), file and sanded the metal smooth,
• Then I placed my pierced nickel silver on the print roller,
• moistened the BFK paper (special and soft),
  
• then rolled it through so that it embossed my paper and voila, I have my own packaging paper!
  

And larger text of Eilisain.

I plan on adding color to the text, I bought some purple ink and plan on trying it out this weekend. We'll see how that goes!

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My first outdoor market

Yesterday was a great day for Greenville's 1st Umbrella market of the summer.

Julie did a great job of setting up our table, I got to the market a bit later because I had to work but it was perfect timing - the sun was just beginning to move away and not be so blistering hot and humid.

And we both made sales - so that made us happy!

Julie and I at our booth
(I don't know why I look glum, I was in a great mood)

My handmade embossed cards!
I'm so proud of my marketing skills, and using the printmaking equipment.

Awesome displays, arranged by Julie.

Pretty seashells decorate the table and display Julie's jewelzzzz.

I had this pretty market-goer model one of Julie's necklaces,

she was wearing the perfect top for it.

If you didn't make it out to the Umbrella market or live too far away, you can always check us out on Etsy. Eilisain Jewelry and Julie DiNitto Designs.

Thanks for stoppin' by my blog.
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Uptown Greenville Umbrella Market

If you don't have any plans, and live in the Greenville, NC area come out this evening to join Julie DiNitto (former student and friend) and I at the Uptown Greenville Umbrella Market, from 5-8pm in the 'downtown' part of Greenville, across from Starlight and Winslow's Tavern.

I'll be selling most of the jewelry I have on sale at my Etsy site, like these rockin' earrings and jewels. Julie will have her fabulous gemstone necklaces on sale as well!

Black coral branch earrings, $20

The Uptown Greenville market is an annual event the city of Greenville sponors every summer to promote local business', food, art and entertainment. There is a facebook page too, check it out for more info and whose going to be there.

Julie DiNitto stone necklace.

Thanks for reading.

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