unicorn meat

2010-03-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

Man, stupid Blogger/Google is discontinuing service via ftp so now I need to migrate my shit. I'm ditching google and going with wordpress probably. Because I'm sick of Google and all their world takeover shit. I like my blog being a free agent.
Even if no one reads it.
I changed my etsy shop name and logo and stuff.
I just wanted a "brand" that suited my personality, and the jewelry, better.
Too bad I slapped "Pansie Designs" all over EVERYTHING. Whatever, I'm still a beginner, now's a better time than any.
Hopefully soon I can take some real photos of my jewelry to go along with it.
Here's the new banner:

I'm struggling with photography, and yearn to orchestrate some elaborate photoshoots featuring actual people. The biggest obstacle for that I think is wardrobe. .. and my social anxiety, I guess.
I used to do all kinds of stuff, reaching out for favors from photographers and models and stuff. I guess I felt like I had more to offer back then.

Anyway, here's a few things I finished recently:

apparently I need to learn about some thing called "white balance" or something like that.

Next post I'll share some unrelated flickr photos that I aspire to emulate.

2010-03-09T16:05:00.001-05:00

It bums me out that a memoring is still unavailable for my purchasing enjoyment.

it's a ring.. notepad. MAN

jewelry interview: Skinner Studio

2010-03-07T21:11:00.003-05:00

Skinner Studio has all these different approaches to resin in her shop.. casting, coating, layered, domed over images.. combines with polymer clay, natural materials, found images... and more. BUT they all comprise a really cohesive collection. When I first paged through the shop I could get a sense of a motivated crafter with tried methods and a subtle yet distinct style. What more can I say? Lots of pictures here.

Tell me about the origins of your interest in resin.. early experiments, ideas, etc.
My interest actually started with an interest in PMC, or precious metal clay. I was reading a book about PMC and it had a section on using resin like an enamel. It was the first time I'd really even noticed that resin existed, and it looked so exciting! When we were dating, my husband had given me a necklace that was a tiny rose bud encased in clear resin. It was and still is my absolute favorite piece of jewelry, and my first attraction to resin was to see if I could make something similar. The hardest part was finding blooms timy enough, but I was really pleased with how they turned out.

Some pictures of my first floral pieces:

My next experiment was painting within layers of resin, and using multiple colors of resin and swirling them together:

As a successful etsy seller, what have been some of your favorite comments/compliments on your pieces people have bought?
The atlas jewelry pieces carry special meaning for many people, and I have been told multiple times that a gift recipient literaly cried when they received their special present. Another sweet, sweet customer bought some of my real rose resin pendants in memory of her brother, who used to give yellow roses to her and her mom. I made them simply becuase I thought they were pretty, and I was so touched that they could be so important and special to someone else.
how do you stay motivated? Do you have a specific time of day or days of the week that you work?
Usually, I'm motivated by my custom orders - so I HAVE to work on them, no procrastinating! When I have to make a batch of resin for a custom order, I always make extra and use it to try out some new ideas, or just make more of the same items. It keeps me moving forward!

I probably work at least a little every day - I am on the computer every morning (spending way too much time I must admit), and usually pour resin in the late afternoon or early evening. That way, they can lie undisturbed through the night while they cure and are ready to take to the next step when I wake up in the morning.

Have you had any big challenges or disasters?
I can't think of any real disasters - I've had plenty of spills, but I work on an old table and try to wear my less-than-favorite clothes so that there are no tragedies.

My biggest challange is being balanced. I have 2 little boys at home, so I need to make sure everyone (and the housework - ugh) get the attention they deserve. It's so easy to get involved in a project and before I know it, half the day is gone! I really try to limit my working time and try to go somewhere fun and interesting everyday.

Any particular future ideas or other skills you want to learn?
My latest obsession invloves combining resin with clay. I have lots of ideas that seem fantastic in my mind, but when it comes to implementing them it's much harder than I imagined. I really love the contrast of bold bright resin against the crisp white clay:

These are my first experiments (pretty rough, as you can see) but it's given me a better idea of what is required and I'm thinking of ways to refine my ideas.

I would really love to learn some metal working skills - using shears, hammers, and dangerously hot soldering tools...
But that's still going to be in the future - one thing at a time for now.

Some of my favorite pieces:

Also check out her resin supplies shop and blog for even more awesome photos of ideas and works in progress.

Thanks for sharing all the photos, skinnerstudio!

Resin, Acrylic, Plastic Jewelry at American Craft Council in Baltimore

2010-02-25T22:20:00.003-05:00

This weekend is the big ole American Craft Council show at the Baltimore Convention Center
I checked out the site for some resin & plastic jewelry to be seen and I can recognize a few of these artists from books.

Debra Adelson

Velina Glass

Sarah Hassler

Karen McCreary

Show Biz: From Vaude To Video narrated (part 4 of 4)

2010-02-15T17:30:00.000-05:00

Oh, I didn't realize I hadn't posted this yet..

Part 4: 1940 To Date FROM TV TO 3-D with the actual voices of Hildegarde, Ezio Pinza, Perry Como, Danny Kaye, Eddie Fisher

George Jessel
Show biz Part 4
RCA Victor (1953)

for fun..

2010-02-14T18:00:00.002-05:00

I haven't been making any jewelry and it's killing me! I have a lot of ideas but everything's all over the place with the snow...

.. work, moving my 'studio', having a leak in my 'studio', making my house presentable for my new roommate...

Anyway on that tip I thought I'd post some pics of what I've been doing, since it sort of is part of my creative projects.
I really enjoy creating "environments," but I find the quest to be full of obstacles (such as clutter, electronics, paper, etc)
so far, this:

has become this:

this room:

has become this:

(from opposite ends. I have big plans for that mantle thing)

In other efforts to kill time I read some of the comics from my friend's 2009 list here. I plan to post my thoughts shortly.

jewelry interview: Pulp & Paisley

2010-01-31T18:25:00.004-05:00

Pulp & Paisley's etsy shop has been one of my favorites for awhile now. I like the big necklaces loaded with beads and loops accentuating patterned discs. The color combinations are appealing to me..

You mention you've been making jewelry for 10 years.. how long have you been selling? What inspired you to start?
In 1997 I got a job at a bead store in Ottawa and I worked there for four years until I went back to school. I learned a lot while I was there and needless to say, accumulated quite a collection of beads! I finished school, got married and while on my maternity leave in 2005, I began to make jewelry again. My son was a good sleeper, so while he napped, I made jewelry, which is more fun than cleaning! I got an enthusiastic response (on my jewelry, not my messy house), so I started selling in a local shop and then craft shows and then a few more shops and then more craft shows and now I'm on etsy!

You have a very distinct style, do you remember any jewelers or particular pieces of jewelry that have "influenced you"?
There are so many incredible jewellers but I can't think of anyone off-hand or any pieces. I will see pieces where I think "Damn! I wish I'd thought of that!", but then I'll move my work in a completely different direction.

What (if anything in particular) has provided inspirations for jewelry items you've made or in your shop?
I've always been inspired by interesting colour combinations and now that I'm using paper in my jewelry, I feel like my head is going to pop off with the endless selection of paper patterns and colours. It's always changing and never boring for me.

Any other types of crafts or hobbies you like to do on the side?
I love sprucing up thrift finds when I can, but mostly my jewelry and my family (I have two little kids) consume every waking moment!

Any other new ideas/plans/things you want to learn?
My to-do list is enormous! I can't seem to make things fast enough, so that I can get onto the next idea, but my husband and I are planning to start blogging this spring, which will be an interesting endeavour and I think I might jump on the moustache (jewelry, not grow one!) bandwagon for the summer....and my hot air balloons are coming soon.

Show Biz: From Vaude To Video narrated (part 3 of 4)

2010-01-26T22:41:00.004-05:00

I was trying to consider what created the demand for records like this, and what happened to that demand. All I could think of was NPR segments.

Part 3: 1929 To 1940 WHEN WALL STREET LAID AN EGG with the actual voices and music of Morton Downey, Ben Bernie, Rudy Vallee, Arthur Tracy, Bing Crosby, Helen Morgan, Ben Lillie, Jimmy Durante, Cole porter, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, Kate Smith

George Jessel
Show biz Part 3
RCA Victor (1953)

Next time:

Part 4: 1940 To Date FROM TV TO 3-D

Show Biz: From Vaude To Video narrated (part 2 of 4)

2010-01-12T22:49:00.000-05:00

non related image. I have this poster.

Part 2: 1920 To 1929 THE ROARING TWENTIES with the actual voices and music of The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Sophie Tucker, Paul Whiteman, George Gershwin, Irving Caesar, Franklin Bauer, Maurice Chevalier, Charles King, Helen Kane, Gene Austin, Wendel Hall, Vaughn De Leath, Jones & Hare.

George Jessel
Show biz Part 2
RCA Victor (1953)

Next time:

Part 3: 1929 To 1940 WHEN WALL STREET LAID AN EGG
Part 4: 1940 To Date FROM TV TO 3-D

Jewelry Interview: whizzbangle

2010-01-11T18:30:00.005-05:00

I love the simplicity and colors of the bangles created by Bronwen, aka whizzbangle on etsy. I admire the simplicity, restraint, and lack of candy sprinkles. Amateur that I am, it's hard for me to resist the urge to throw in one too many ideas in an effort to be super-original.
However, as you can see from the whizzbangle shop, it is possible to make an impression without a ton of rhinestones, glitter, and candy.

What led you to take an interest in resin? What other materials have you enjoyed working with?
Resin was just something I saw on a TV segment while I was in hospital recovering from a hernia operation. They made bangles, I like wearing bangles. It was a natural progression.

Other materials I have used with resin include glitter and Pearl-ex powders as well as normal resin pigments. I have experimented with spice powders after making a batch of kasoundi (spicy tomato chutney) and seeing the colours of the turmeric and paprika and chilli as you measured them out. Coffee beans, beads, an old shirt, my falling apart Birkenstocks... I am really enjoying the creative challenge of making these inclusions work with resin and work as a bangle.

Why do you prefer to make bangles over other jewelery?
I have never liked to wear a watch, but I really like to wear bangles on my left arm. I think I like the way they respond with your activity, dancing wildly with big hand gestures, resting while you work at the computer, the odd 'clank' to remind you they are there.

I've noticed a lot of resin artists/sellers on etsy and the web are in or come from Australia. Is there a particular reason that might be?
I can't think of any particular reason... Resin is an interesting medium that lends itself to many applications - from beads to pendants to bangles - and on a small scale. And maybe they saw the same segment on a lifestyle show that I did and thought "I can do that". Maybe there are others who saw the potential for resin drops and spatters all over their husband's workbench!?

What kind of feedback do you get selling at the market, especially from "non crafty" types?
I get really good feedback from markets. I have set up my stall to be a bit "different", so people are intrigued. I think people like to touch the bangles, see the colours in sunlight (and twilight at one market), feel the clink/clank as they slide down your arm... all these things are missing from online selling, so I think a market stall really complements a site like etsy.

Do you feel that some people look upon resin as just plastic and not understand the value?
I find almost the opposite... polite scanning of my stall at first, but then when they discover they are RESIN bangles, polite looks turn predatory.

Any other jewelers whose work you covet or admire?
I do like Dinosaur Designs. I hadn't heard of them until I got into making bangles myself, but the colours and shapes they use are fabulous.

WHIZZBANGLE on etsy.

---
In other etsy news I joined a "team."

so I may be posting about that now and then.

Show Biz: From Vaude To Video narrated (part 1 of 4)

2010-01-04T22:05:00.003-05:00

How about a good ole serial?
Hide yourself underneath 1000 blankets and listen to records on the computer.
It's easier to click a mouse under a blanket than to move a turn-table arm. Unless you have a "snuggie" I guess.
You've heard George Jessel on at least one of my other uploads.
On this recording he's not really doing comedy.. just narrating. Reading from this book.
This record has 4 parts.

Part 1: 1904 To 1920 WHEN VAUDEVILLE WAS KING with the actual voices of Jimmy Durante, Smith & Dale,Georges M. Cohan, Harry Lauder, Fanny Brice, Nora
Bayes& Jack Norworth, Will Rogers, Enrico Caruso.

George Jessel
Show biz Part 1
RCA Victor (1953)

I appreciate the mention of Bee Palmer.

Next time:

Part 2: 1920 To 1929 THE ROARING TWENTIES
Part 3: 1929 To 1940 WHEN WALL STREET LAID AN EGG
Part 4: 1940 To Date FROM TV TO 3-D

Bonus: searching for any fun facts on this record led me to this unrelated blog which does however have a nice thing about Brittany Murphy and some old timey actresses.

Pin-up bracelet giveaway w/Java's Bachelor Pad

2009-12-26T23:10:00.003-05:00

This is exciting!

To kick the New Year off right, Bachelor Pad Magazine has another special Twitter give-away just for you. It's really easy. First, make sure you're following Bachelor Pad Magazine (twitter.com/bachelorpad). Then come up with your best answer to this question:

* Tell us your swingingest New Year's resolution!

Details...

update

2009-12-02T23:41:00.003-05:00

Haven't had time to update because I'm trying to finish a lot of things for Handmade Mart on Saturday.
Here's a pile of stuff half done:

Despite the holiday weekend I'm exhausted of work and have a hard time motivating myself to come home and start working on jewelry.
The feedback this weekend will help me determine how much time I should be dedicating to the resin jewelry this coming spring. I'll be doing another metalsmithing class either way; learning anodizing and other techniques to add color to metal so resin or not, I'll get to keep it colorful.
I'll be back later next week with a song and hopefully another jewelry interview.

jewelry interview: Anne-Miek Bibber

2009-11-23T20:33:00.007-05:00

I came across the photos of Anne-Miek Bibber's jewelry on Flickr, and thought it'd be a good start to some profiles of people making interesting jewelry out there, particularly with plastics.
Anne-Miek Bibber's Flickr has some nice photos of experimental jewelry made with a wide variety of materials.

How long have you been making jewelry and do you have any particular kind of training?
I have been making jewelry since childhood, always collection broken pieces from old aunts and my mothers friends. I was always creating, drawing and painting. I finished art school, the "Rietveld Akademie for fine Art" in Amsterdam and later I took courses silversmithing and pottery. ( I made lots of ceramic beads too.)

Do you ever sell jewelry or do you just make them as art-objects?
I do sell some of my jewelry, sometimes as "art-objects" but some women are brave enough to wear big bald pieces, like my two meter button necklaces! And the "Rose-garden collection is even quite popular, beacause light and colourfull and easy to wear.

Have you or anyone else ever worn some of your more experimental, large pieces out into public at an event, etc?
I wear a big piece myself on an opening night, often with a hat and a long skirt. So lots of my friends do not recognize me, because I love to be comfortable in jeans and a teeshirt.

How do you feel about jewelry in relation to fashion, for example are the pieces you create more like "sculpture" or could you envision creating jewelry for fashion shows and shoots?
I love "sculptural" but I always make sure, a necklace really fitts a human body!
I feel my process of creating is too slow to keep up with fashion, and worse I do not have the "feel", the "touch", needed to be in the fashion-rat-race.
But than many Dutch fashion desingers make long-lasting-fashion. So I really do not know, it depends on your definition of "fashion"!!

Do you have a particular favorite material?
I love glass & ceramic beads and gems, alas for big bold pieces not very practical, a necklace made from these materials will be very heavy, and cause a bad back and pain in the neck....That is the beauty of cups, deodorant-roll-on-balls and other plastic stuff it is very light and so comfortable to wear.

If your favorite material is not something traditional, are there any traditional materials (eg metal, wire, gemstones, beads, polymer clay, resin) that particularly appeal to you?
I love amber, bone and coral very much too, great colours and structures and above all a very nice warm feeling while wearing, alas those materials are quite expensive when I want to make a real big piece. I know investments pay back, but I am a better artist than a business-woman :-(

more of Anne-Miek Bibber on Flickr

Autumn Serenade

2009-11-22T20:10:00.003-05:00

Happy November Sunday. Next week I'll hole up in the kitchen baking pies and swaying around to mellow old big band songs like this one.
With the mild air outside and the smell of leaves I can't stop myself from remembering this same time of every notable year before this one.
I had a great weekend actually. I went to see the Jesus Lizard and Double Dagger on Friday, and enjoyed company of old friends before a good show.
On Saturday I went to see Twilight : New Moon and laughed a lot. I took my dog on long walks.
I could wistfully remember this weekend next year, perhaps.

Harry James and his Orchestra
Autumn Serenade
Columbia 36838 (1945)

2009-11-16T23:00:00.003-05:00

500 Plastic Jewelry Designs: A Groundbreaking Survey of A Modern Material
Lark Books

I finally got this new book in the "500 Series" jewelry books.
Just about every plastic material imaginable is in use somewhere in this book. Styrofoam, silicone, legos, rubber, acrylic sheet, repurposed materials, resin.. even the exhausted "resin with candy sprinkles" approach is artfully presented here.
To put it cheesily, it's like having my dream gallery exhibition at hand.
It makes me feel like all my hours each week of looking at jewelry online is in vain, that I have only ever come across a handful of these artists.
A review without photos doesn't do the book justice. Unfortunately there aren't many online so I'll demonstrate some items by some of the jewelers in the book:

LianaKabel

margauxlange

Karen McCreary

Liaung Chung Yen

Mary Donald

2009-11-15T22:09:00.004-05:00

Here's another (semi) displacement song by a bluegrassy brotherly duo.
The Delmore Brothers were commercially successful and it's not hard to tell why. A lot of their songs are full of uplifting "pep."
I just love this little number, and I wish I were listening to it in my car with this city at my back.

The Delmore Brothers
Going Back to the Blue Ridge Mountains

on jewelry in photos

2009-11-10T17:10:00.000-05:00

One thing that I like to imagine is fancy photoshoots with my jewelry.
When I take classes, the creative process is driven by an art jewelry aestetic, encouraging creative design. But that doesn't work so well for me.
Personally, I like fashion jewelry. I like a lot of jewelry from J Crew. I love contrived editorials in magazines. I collect inspiring photos in a scrapbook and from that I draw ideas for jewelry. I think about clothing and settings and I try to envision where my jewelry would be fitting. I sometimes think about jewelry, inspired by other ideas for complimentary clothing and styles that I won't make the effort to create. So I focus on the jewelry.
In the course of my fashion magazine perusal, I've been drawn to photos that really showcase the jewelry. My favorite magazine for this is Zink. I don't know what I'd do without Zink. Almost every issue has an editorial that's heavy on the jewelry.

Now this one's on the corny side but I selected it because unlike the other photos I have here, it features a touch of color.

I love necklaces and boobs. Or jewelry on nudes, in general. As you can see, Zink is big on that.

In these ads, the jewelry is well displayed. Too bad it's not that cool.

I really like to see photos where jewelry is well integrated with clothing and yet entirely noticeable. Some of these are actually from Teen Vogue, which is my second-favorite american fashion magazine. Unfortunately I cropped some of them before the "whole picture" was of interest to me.
The Zink photos are great, but too consistently they leave out color. Searching the internet for "jewelry editorial" turns up lots of results from this epic shoot from "Flair" magazine (Italy, I believe):

I love this kind of effort.

A Bama

2009-11-05T09:40:00.002-05:00

Lately, this has been my favorite song about a place. As I've listened to it repeatedly, I've found it more and more moving.
At first I found the harmony pleasing. I realized the song is just the same thing.. over and over. A song like that has to be special. See also: Carter Family. Just the same pretty thing over and over.
I thought "I could sing this as 'West Virginia' instead of 'Alabama." I was wrong. I'm not sure if West Virginia has all the same crops and the same scenes mentioned in this song, but even if it does, this song deserves to be kept intact.
The Bailey brothers are actually from Tennessee. This song was recorded many times by Alabama natives the Louvin Brothers. Everything seems to point towards Charlie Louvin as the originator of this song.. but it seems like the Bailey Brothers recorded this in the early 50s at the latest, and the Louvin Brothers years later. Maybe not, I dunno. Anyway I like the Bailey Brothers more. Their music is more old timey.
The lyrics amount to one the most passionate odes to a homeland that I can think of. Very descriptive and sentimental. Without the usual bitter lament of moving to a big city and wasting time. This song makes me want to go to the beautiful places that I love, up in the woods and all around the Appalacians. The leaves are turning colors right now. There's not enough trees in the city to appreciate them.

The Bailey Brothers
Alabama

PS One last thing.. WHAT IS "CERISA"??

2009-11-02T21:33:00.006-05:00

The Real Wizard of Oz: The Life and Times of L. Frank Baum
by Rebecca Loncraine

This book drove me nuts, but it was ultimately somewhat enjoyable. As the title states, this is a life and times book. My main gripe was the way the "times" were tied into the story.
She's like: "[Baum] might have went to" this thing. Or: "might have" seen this story in the news. "Must have" thought ____.
I hated the constant speculation about what he might have done. I'm no Barry Paris but I believe there has to be a better way to get that idea across without sounding so goofy. Regarding a road that Baum saw as a child, which was made out of hemlock:
"However, the planks became worn.... and the old planks frequently had to be replaced. Fresh hemlock is a liight yellowish color... the famous Plank Road would have curved, like a yellow band, through the countryside." REALLY? OK WOW IT'S GREAT TO KNOW ONE TIME WHEN HE WAS A KID HE MIGHT HAVE SEEN A ROAD THAT WAS SORT OF YELLOW SHERLOCK LONCRAINE.
Despite these glaring flaws, I was satisfied by my reading experience, because I had never read a book about Baum's personality and the chronology of his writing career. I didn't find this book a chore to read - in other words a child would enjoy it, or a normal person could read it in one sitting.
I want to say something nice to balance out my criticism. The cover design is nice. Red metallic ink. The glimmer of ruby slippers on the big screen must have looked a lot like red metallic ink to the designer when the designer was young.

PS - Baltimore: If you want to read this or any of the previous 3 books I "reviewed", I am giving them to Book Thing or to you personally, so you can enjoy them for free.

2009-10-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

Back to jewelry...
I am going to be doing my first craft-fair type thing on December 5th, Handmade Mart.

So I have some packaging and display considerations to be thinking about.. as well as having enough items to sell.
I'll be sharing a table with my pal Bendependent so hopefully I won't feel too awkward. This stuff is old hat for him so that would be embarrassing. I'm not exactly nervous but I am a socially awkward person and no kind of salesman so we'll see how I deal.
I really want to get some sales rolling so I can continue my hobby.
I've made some photo-jewelry pictures from my beloved frogstyle frogs, and some victorian cigar labels

and continue on with the rings and rhinestones

Be back soon with more music if my computer will let me.

7 songs

2009-10-26T21:53:00.000-04:00

I pulled this 10" 33 1/3 compilation out of a box of records I haven't looked at in a long time. It reminds me of record shopping, and when I used to get really thrilled in record stores and seek them out in my travels. I believe I got this at Rock & Roll Collectibles in New Orleans but that's just a hunch. The best thing about discovering old music was knowing nothing about it... I had no idea quite what I actually liked, so any venture to buy music would result in some random purchases. Those times may be behind me, but this is the kind of record I get excited to find even still. I'm sure it's not rare. It's not really that great. But it's got this.. essence. It's a 10", so it resembles a 78. It must have been promotional - it has a press clipping pasted onto the sleeve. That's probably the clincher for me.
And here I am turning it into a cluster of heartless mp3s. As if it still has some value without the motion of setting a needle on it. I left it nice and scratchy so we can pretend.
Download:
Curtain Call Series Volume 4
Marlene Deitrich - Ben Bernie - Libby Holman - George Jessel

Back, Back, Back to Baltimore

2009-10-16T21:45:00.005-04:00

This song appears to have no relation, other than title, to "Back, Back, Back to Baltimore" sang by those racist vaudevillians Collins & Harlan.
I'd seen that sheet music before and assumed that this recording would be my peek into it's questionable content. I had already formulated thoughts in my head about the times when people decide it's appropriate to re-record racist songs, changing the lyrics to make it seem okay. And whether a song is worthy of doing that. That can be a post for another day, because I've got some examples.
So..... Zeb Turner is some rockabilly guy, and apparently a local DJ here in Baltimore (and DC).
I guess this record is from the early 50s. It's cool that he wasn't just some guy who was cised on the original "Back to Baltimore," but it leaves me with little to say.

Zeb Turner
Back, Back, Back to Baltimore
King Records

hey a burlesque thing

2009-10-09T21:21:00.001-04:00

Exotic World and the Burlesque Revival from Exotic World on Vimeo.

2009-10-09T15:35:00.001-04:00

I've been trying to finish more items to list on etsy and so I haven't sat down to put any records into the computer lately. I have been listening to a lot of Pissed Jeans "King of Jeans." That inspired me to put together a jewelry-working/driving playlist including some Surgery, Slug, Eyehategod and Drunks With Guns.
On the complete opposite of the spectrum, when I'm walking to and from work or the grocery store I am still listening to Metric's Fantasies. I pick a song and listen to it for a few days then start feeling another song and so on.
There are times to put on background music and there are times to listen to songs. My mom used to get irritated with my dad's repetition of particular songs. I think she associated it with the irritating way the radio forcefeeds pop songs to the public, and perhaps with the airheaded pop music zombies that she detested.
I wanted to agree with her about the shallowness of song repetition, but before long I couldn't help myself. Whenever I was home alone I'd have my stack of records ready, waiting for my family to pull out of the driveway so I could queue up my current favorites. The knees of my jeans always became worn out due to kneeling on the floor and scooting around to gather my music. The holes created from doing that were never in the spot where cool people cut their jeans. My holes appeared lower than that, so I could never really play off my holey jeans.
When I am repeating a song that I like - (or even just a part of a song that I like), I am hearing the different parts. I'm memorizing the structure and I am homing in on whatever it is that made an impression on me.
Sometimes I ponder what it means to like a particular band/musician/group/whatever. Am I a fan of ___ or do I just like some of their songs? Sometimes one, sometimes the other, sometimes both.
Well anyway I'm going to go see Wye Oak this weekend and Eyehategod in a few weeks so you know.. music music I still care about it a little bit.

I made a heat box to cure my resin, since I've finally got some professional grade stuff to work with.

I used it a few times with Easycast anyway, and it made things cure up faster but with more bubbles. I should have known better.

However, it did help harden a piece that I may have mixed poorly or put too much pigment in. It came out of the mold kind of bendy and bad for filing/finishing but it came out of the heat box ready to get sanded up:

I decided to make a Christmas ring:

I'm working on more picture jewelry:

I got a stupid potpurri candle warmer because I think I can use it for creating/duplicating my wax models.

I have some other pieces to finish but I'm basically fixated on my rings.

those are the last three rings that I put on etsy.