December pieces

So, this is what I've been making over the past couple weeks or so....



A simple bead from a far-away land (probably southeast Asia), with brass chain fringe on a soft leather chord


Love the detail!





A vintage brass bottle with a brass charm and a Nazar, or evil eye.....

Kinda creepy.....





With this one I took a really cool old brooch, and I ripped the sharp part out (I always do...I dont anyone to lose blood when wearing my shizz). I put it on a chain, and the added another chain with a cool brass piece similar to the one on the bottle necklace.

I think they compliment eachother well....


It's strange, because there's no marking on the metal at all, but the stones appear to be those low grade emeralds and rubies you always see in mid-level Indian jewelry. They're definitely some kind of semi-precious stones, and the green is probably something from the Beryl family....the red could be garnet, but it looks like what they call "Pidgeon Blood" rubies to me....





This is one of my absolute faves! An awesome snake centerpiece holds a gorgeous citrine briolette. It hangs from black chain with black spikes....badass....total badass.

I think the gold and black work well together



There is a little discoloration on the snakes....I like that too....makes it REAL.

More pieces coming in a couple days!!!!

Patti Smith style

So, I've been reading the book, "Just Kids" by one of my favorite women in music and art, Patti Smith. Its a sort of memoir of her friendship with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe. I'm still in the middle of it, but so far I love it. I also love her style, which is the epitome of cool.



I was always very drawn to tomboyish style. She's got this great blend of beatnik and punk, my two favorite aesthetics.





I also think she's really beautiful.




I first got into her when I saw this album cover. As a jewelry designer, I was super drawn to the body chain she's wearing. Its delicate, but tough at the same time. Like an heirloom made into something new.




These are actually her boots. I want them.....





Badass!

Heavy Artillery

This necklace is freakin CRAZY. I made it out of lots of remnants of other things.


I love old rhinestones, especially when the piece has some missing, or discolored. It makes them look very punk rock.There is a bracelet in here, and also a part of vintage costume necklace.


This is one of those toy gun things you can get from those toy machines in grocery stores. You put 50 cents in or whatever and then out comes this little plastic egg witth a toy gun in it....how twisted is that?


This is a vintage earring-turned pendant.

Together its beyond a statement piece, its like armor.

Bags that don't suck

Ok, I'm just going to come out and say it...I have a bit of a bag substance abuse problem. I have a crap -ton of purses, it's true, mostly because I carry my entire life in my purse. When you're out of the house from 9am to 1am, OR on tour for several weeks, the bag you choose to carry is important. Now, as much as I love awesome bags, I absolutely LOATHE stupid ones. The shiny pleather ones, the ones with logo's all over (save vintage/70's Dior and the like), the ones with chinzty hardware that doesnt actually DO anything....a lot of the "It bag" craze has gotten me annoyed. And while there was a time when I longed for the "Stam" bag or others like that, I now really mostly just dig bags like these.....


LEATHER FREAKIN BACKPACKS
You just can't go wrong! Style, timelessness, POCKETS.....absolutely awesome



I like that this one looks old as hell.






I have some major hippie tendencies. I eat organic food, use natural toothpaste, enjoy hiking, etc....
I also really dig gorgeous bohemian/ethnic textiles, especially in bag-form!


This one was actually from an etsy store, Dazzling Lanna. Awesome pieces currently for sale!




Vintage Morracan tapestry bag....



Wow...just, wow.


Along the same crunchy lines, I also really love vintage tooled leather.






I also love the rustic, and utilitarian.

Vintage canvas and leather tool bag. Definitely won't feel like a priss with that thing.



Woven raffia and leather! Rustic and cute.



BUT what I really truly am feeling the most right now is.....the classic....the cram-able....the BUCKET BAG!!!


The basic bad-ass. Black leather! This one happens to be Hermés, but we don't have to be quite that bourgy, do we? I KNOW there are kick-ass ones out there in the world for less than, like, five grand.



These two are actually re-worked vintage Coach bucket bags from a site called Green Girl World. I like the tough embellishments.

So go forth! There are lots of stylish ways to carry your tools, without feeling like one.

November pieces

So, these are some of the necklaces I have been working on this month....




This on is made from an antique door hinge....maybe its from a box though or something, I have no idea. When I saw it, it was about to be thrown away. I rescued it, and made it into one of my favorite pieces. The black and gold together is really cool, and the quartz keeps it from being too antique-y.



I like working with these old snuff bottles a lot. They have a rakish traveler vibe to them. This one is shaped like a fish, and hanging from a thick industrial chain. Raw metal drops give it more hutzpa.



This piece is really simple. Different metal spikes on a chain...I may do more to it, not sure....




This necklace has several awesome charms on it. A locket, a filigree jug, an ax, moss agate, and a spike are all represented. Like a jumble of random, and confused heirlooms on a wayward chain.

New Pieces

Made some new pieces over the past two weeks....

This one is all sterling silver, made of basically three men's bracelets, and a silver claw pendant.



This one is made of two sterling chains, with feather charms, and one bottle pendant, and one pendant with quartz and garnet.



This one is made of a vintage rhinestone brooch (missing some stones, but that makes it cooler), chains, and a jeweled sword charm.




This one I made by taking apart a vintage carnelian belt.



This multi-strand has an amazing focal pendant.

Fall/Winter inspiration board

Here some things I'm really feeling right now, that are influencing what textiles and pieces I source, what I want to make, and what I want to dress like. The central theme to all of this, is texture.

I'm really into panne velvet, I have a few pieces, and I'm always looking for more, especially the really old stuff.


These 1920's wrap things would be awesome as coats, over jeans.

The texture is really lush, and fancy, but it could look very rock and roll too...

This piece is cool, because of the lace. Its super old, but has a cool, timeless vibe.

Another thing right now I'm really into, is woven leather...

This bag is freakin' awesome. Woven leather can look super bohemian, European, classic, and kind of Americana, all at once.



On shoes, it seems super confortable, because it really allows the feet to breathe.

I have always been, and always will be: really into Edwardian (Pre WWI) lace. I'm not knocking Victorian, or 1920's either, its all rad!


That super feminine vibe would look great mixed with either vintage army, or work wear....

Images were taken from ebay, and google. All these items are old as hell, older than me for sure...that makes them cooler than me too.