Taming the Tangle

What's all the buzz about?

Kim Caisse of Bee Design and I caught up last October at the Historic Shaw Art Fair... quite a treat since we hadn't seen each other at a show in about 3 years. It turns out we each radically changed our show schedules for similar reasons.

Kim crouched down behind some of her asymmetrical earrings. She is so great at creating interesting color combinations. All designs ©Kim Caisse

We used to see each other twice a year at the Philadelphia Buyers Market, a wholesale show geared towards buyers looking to stock their stores with American-made craft. The tricky thing with wholesale shows is that you get known and categorized for a certain style and look, yet we all want to explore new directions and continue to grow as artists.

More asymmetrical earring designs! Gotta love the fun shapes and colors. These types of flat, abstract designs are what Kim has been really known for over the years. All designs ©Kim Caisse

Some people handle this in different ways. It seems that each Kim and I felt a desire to step away from that sales venue (temporarily we assume) so we could expand artistically without the pressures to strictly adhere to our styles that we show. Not that either of us has radically changed... Kim still creates ceramic and silver jewelry, and wire is still my main medium.

 

Kim creates some of my favorite bumpy pieces ever! These hoops are too fun. They are a great sample of her dimensional work. ©Kim Caisse

Yet there's a freedom to creating and exploring without wondering how something fits in your line, will it appeal to the same buyers, can it be displayed and marketed the same way. How can I emerge fresh and capture new attention again? Sometimes an artist just wants and needs to create without the constant judgement.

New directions can also generate fears... does the new work step on someone else's toes or cross into their territory? Will it sell? Does it fit into my style? Will people see that new artistic growth positively? etc.

Kim has created a line of the cutest pendants ever! They are a new foray into representational designs. I was torn between a skull with rhinestone eyes and this rocket... which was more emblematic of my theme for the year (blast off!). My snapshot does not do it justice. ©Kim Caisse

To see more of Kim's work, visit her Bee Design Etsy shop, which is fairly new, so if you see something here that's not in her shop, message her through Etsy for more information. All prices in the photos are from 2011 and are not guaranteed. Her shop also has super cool ameoba soap dishes!

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As a side note, I just had a tough learning experience.... I have the habit of writing my blog posts directly into the Typepad editor, which does not have an auto-save function. When I thought I was closing another window, I accidentally closed the window of my original post and lost the entire thing. This post was originally longer and more detailed, but I didn't have the energy (or memory!) to re-create that. I've even taken classes that tell you to write and edit your blog in a word processing program... only bring it into the blog editor when you are ready to add links and post. This is a painful first... I plan to change my ways after this experience!

Do you prefer post earrings?

If you prefer post earrings to French hooks, do not be afraid to request a custom modification to allow for this. I have many options available for post earring tops, and in some cases I can even modify post-style earrings to be clips.

Here are two recent adaptations of hook to post earring designs. I do try to bring a selection of post earring styles to each show (and many are available in my Etsy shop), yet if you don't see what you are looking for or fall in love with another style, remember that it is worth it to truly get what you want and have it made for you. It requires a little patience -- yes, we all love instant gratification -- yet it's wonderful to get personal attention to your design needs. And as an artist I learn a lot working one-on-one with clients rather than always trying to guess the next design someone will fall in love with.

These Pearl Box Dangle Earrings are so beautiful, delicate looking, and lightweight. They are definitely one of the designs that I think of wanting the simplicity of a hook. I've tried these earrings on a tiny simple post before, and the balance is all wrong, yet look below at the modification a client and I formulated by brainstorming during a show.

Pearl Box Dangle Earrings, oxidized silver and white freshwater pearls, ©2012 Kathy Frey, photo by Grant Boyle

 

Pearl Box Earrings, custom modified with large square posts, which provide nice visual balance and support. Notice that the Pearl Boxes also have dark grey pearls on the oxidized silver wire, which tie in beautifully with the brushed silver highlights on post of the earring... a beautiful silver/black combo. ©2011 Kathy Frey (snapshot)

These types of modifications can also be requested via email. If you can accurately explain to me what you are looking for by piecing together designs from my Etsy shop and website or by explaining your desired outcome, I can usually make it work (I will let you know if otherwise).

Just last week a client fell in love with these Triple Stack Satellite Earrings yet wanted a post. She saw in my Etsy shop that I made posts with heavier silver wire, so she explained that her first choice would be to have all the balls with the same wire size, or if that wasn't possible to make the post from the heavier wire, oxidize it, and hang 2 sattelites from it. It was nice to have options for approach.

Triple Stack Satellite Dangle Earrings, oxidized silver and white freshwater pearls on lever backs, ©2012 Kathy Frey, photo by Audrey Keller. These are the earrings a client wanted modified to a post style.

 

Black Silver Ball Stack Post Earrings, ©2012 Kathy Frey, photo by Audrey Keller. These earrings showed a ball post option if I couldn't keep all the wire the same size. This wire is much too thick to put pearls on, yet oxidized it might complement the satellites.

I emailed the client and clarified that she wanted a slight gradation of size from smaller to larger on the earrings. I have done post earrings with this thinner wire, which requires soldering the wire to an earring post... often a technical struggle when dealing with such thin wire that likes to melt and get way too soft, yet I was confident that I should be able to create this style as long as the soldering fairies visited me (hooray, they did).

Triple Stack Sattelite Post Earrings, oxidized silver with white freshwater pearls, ©2012 Kathy Frey (snapshot). Here are the wonderful results! The client and I both agree.

Personally I love earrings of this style where you get the best of both worlds... a post with some feminine dangle. In some cases the Triple Stack Satellite Dangle Earrings may be too long, and bringing them up to sit on the earlobe solves this issue. I'm not sure why I'd never tackled making these before... I'm so glad that someone requested them!

So don't be shy about asking for custom modifications. Do know that, yes, generally posts are more expensive than French hooks since there's more metal, more time if soldering is required, as well as the cost of hefty silver ear nuts to keep everything in place and hanging upright on the earlobe. Yet you get the joy of finding the perfect piece for you while working directly with an artist.

Why did these earrings take more than a year to make?

Yesterday I finished a pair of custom earrings that have taken me more than a year to complete. This is ridiculous, and I'm lucky that I have a very patient, artist-supportive patron. So, I'm opting to celebrate rather than feel guilty.

In that 1-year time span I have moved my home and studio, worked through artist blocks with The Artist's Way program, taken classes, done more than a dozen art fairs around the country, moved my mom into a nursing home, filled orders, finished other custom pieces, and done lots of fun stuff too... yet none of those things specifically points to just why it took me a year. So, I'm going to explain it a little bit just for fun.

Here's where the conversation started:

Client: I'd like a pair of clip earrings in your anemone series, like the Gradient Anemone Ring you created.

Me: Okay! I've never done anything like that, but I'm sure I can figure it out. It might take me a while.

Gradient Anemone Ring, photo by Larry Sanders, ©2012 Kathy Frey

That's not an exact, verbatim transcript of our conversation, but it's pretty close. I know from my very own experiences, that I should write out for myself the steps I think the project will require, estimate the number of hours as a range, and then estimate the cost also as a range, and then get a deposit to start the project. These steps are ideal because they make everything more concrete. They are essential for any project, whether doing website updates or creating custom jewelry.

The other thing that's just one of my personal FEAR creators, is that the client sent images of some other jewelry of similar designs but totally different mediums. This starts a fear reaction for me because I've been accused of copying other artists' work even though I rarely look around at a lot of other work... I've found it's the kiss of death for me and opens up the pits of despair because I feel like everything has been done and my vision is not unique. This fear reaction is not something I realized until taking The Artist's Way class... I don't have the perfect solution for fighting it yet, but I do know just to push on and keep working rather than be paralyzed.

So, right off the bat, I'm afraid and have a vague project that on the surface seems easy enough yet has no deadline. I did do some work up front because the client wanted a coating on the wire to help preserve the gradient patina. I'm shocked that even a year later I'm still learning pointers. I did opt for a light lacquer, and I want to explore other lacquer options and even the possibility of wax for certain pieces, yet I know from many experiments over the years that I need to maintain the structural integrity of the pieces and prevent webbing between the wire wraps.

The other technical challenge was to master soldering clips. I practiced by making other simpler designs for this same client so she could test them out and let me know which clip styles she prefers. I learned a lot about soldering spring mechanisms... they cannot have heat! So that led to exploring cool gels to use during the soldering process (which I much prefer to disassembling the mechanism... so hard to reassemble!).

I also made the mistake of not sketching concepts of my own. I kept mulling over how other artists had tackled clip earrings and realized that I didn't have the know-how to do what they did. This is okay! I'm self taught and always try to come up with interesting design solutions on my own... I'm a trained designer after all. My problem was mulling this over rather than putting pencil to paper. Anytime I make something concrete, I make much more progress. When I actually did sketches, my confidence returned, yet I knew more experiments were ahead of me.

Sketches, no matter how rough or basic, get you out of your head and into reality. This shows a couple of my concepts.

I knew I had to figure out how to group the branches together with something more substantial than wire (which was what I did for the ring and other pieces in this series) because I needed to solder it to a clip.

Based on my sketch (the bottom one... way more aesthetically pleasing), I was able to do a simple paper mock-up. This helped me to figure out other supplies and tools I would need: specifically a doming set and silver discs (the paper mock up helped me to figure out the size).

I still wasn't sure if I would be able to make the cone from sheet metal, so in the meantime of buying supplies/tools to experiment with, I made an Artist Date with Suzanne Himmler of Riverwoman Design who was willing to teach me metal clay... I wanted this as a backup medium for forming the cones. I even made a sample of the shape I wanted in bronze clay... way too heavy for earrings but good for me to play around with (and a more accurate model than paper). I knew I could make them in silver clay if needed.

Bronze clay cones, essentially a 3D sketch... and a fun artist date.

Another fear thing gets triggered for me... for some reason I have a hard time playing in the studio and trying new things that may or may not work, so my doming set sat in the box for months! How embarrassing is that? I really do want to play with it too... it's such fun to make metal dimensional. I seem to put pressure on myself that I need to be able to sell everything I make... this is not conducive to trying new things and entering new territory... so I'm working on that. A lot of times it means playing in copper and other less expensive metals than silver, so that's where I will head next.

This photo served as proof that I finally had the earrings underway. It was also a good reality check... I could finally supply a cost estimate based on time (I did not charge for learning and tools along the way since those are things that will benefit me).

Making the branches themselves was the easiest part because this is comfortable territory for me, yet I had not made tiny branches in a couple of years... they take forever! For custom work, I time myself so I know exactly what to charge. At this point (about a year in) I finally contacted the client with a snapshot of the progress and an estimate to make sure she wanted me to continue with the earrings and take them to completion. I had been in contact several times, but not very often... it's hard to believe it took me so long to get an estimate and explain the concept approach.

The good news is that the project was a go! So I wrapped, applied patina, and then the real procrastination (ha!) began when I had to face working with metal and soldering... still what I perceive to be a weak point in my skill set. Some day I want to splurge and take an intensive either at Revere Academy or an art camp such as Penland.

Applying the gradient is stressful, especially on small pieces, yet it's still one of my favorite processes since I never know exactly how it will come out.

And by the time I was moving on the project, it was also time for me to head on the road for a month of shows. I tend to have bursts of motivation before a big deadline yet run out of time to finish all the projects... hence my desire to cut down on travels but how will I motivate myself without those deadlines? A conundrum I'm willing to tackle.

For the final push, this week I told myself I couldn't work on inventory for upcoming shows until I had 2 custom orders done, this being one of them. I have a lot of new designs that I'm itching to explore (some of them involving doming), so I decided to just force myself. Once I'm in the studio and creating, fear falls away. One piece had to go in the scrap bin, but that's just part of learning... it's no biggie. And I gave myself a goal for finishing... the weather has turned absolutely gorgeous here, so I told myself in the morning that if I finished the earrings I could go play a round of disc golf later in the afternoon. Yesterday I went out and played a great round because I had the guilt off my shoulders.

And today I mailed these earrings to the client. Now I just have to eagerly anticipate her feedback... hopefully it's love! They are so much better in person....

I secretly want a pair for myself... I already have an idea how to adapt this to hooks.

This whole process was a great learning experience for myself. I now have some strategies for tackling fear, and I know to make things more concrete as soon as possible to see if they are even possible.

Massive mondo pods... ideas for custom modifications

When I'm designing jewelry, I'm striving for many things, especially balance of proportion, form and structure, and often beauty. Yet once I've designed a piece, it's interesting to me to play with scale. Sometimes this is an easy size up or down, but often it requires some re-engineering and re-evaluating proportions.

Back in the late '90s, I created this pair of Half-wrap Pod Earrings (originally in steel with niobium ear wires... now in oxidized sterling).

Half-wrap Pod Dangles, oxidized sterling silver and freshwater pearl, ©2012 Kathy Frey, photo by Grant Boyle

The pods measure about 1-1/2" with minor fluctuations since I make them all by hand. Then I got many requests to make small ones... here's a pair in bright sterling.

Mini Half-wrap Pod Dangles, sterling silver and freshwater pearl, ©2012 Kathy Frey, photo by Grant Boyle

These pods are a little less than 1". They are so cute! Yet I don't make them regularly since they weren't great sellers... although it was nice for clients to have size options and to open the discussion that I can make just about any size.

Earlier this year a client custom ordered a mondo 3" pair! I'd never made them so large... there was definitely engineering involved. I had to work with heavier wire, and you can see that I scaled up the pearl to keep the whole earring in proportion.

For a custom order like this, where it's more of a modification, there's no design-time charges... just cost based on creation time and materials.

The nice thing is that they are still quite lightweight even at this size. They are really quite dramatic!

So don't hesitate to request pieces at different sizes... we all have our own style and body proportion. I'm always happy to help you make the statement you want.

Return of the anemone

Since last fall with the chaos of life, I've been working hard to get "unblocked." I'm working a lot and making pieces... not feeling totally stalled out, yet there are piles of sketches that I haven't even addressed. Sometimes it's easier for me to tackle production rather than enter that squirmy realm of making something new... pulling the ideas out, engineering them, letting them take shape. Then there's the reality of setting aside that kind of exploratory time in the studio, but play is important and some of my best pieces over the years have come from these moments.

And then there's the photography and possibly fear of showing something new... and the sometimes sadness when everyone else doesn't love what you did. Or maybe they love what you did but no one bought it... making it a tough business decision to keep pursuing it.

Anemone Brooch, photo by Larry Sanders, © 2012 Kathy Frey. This brooch is in my private collection because the engineering on it isn't quite perfect. And it's also weird. I've tweaked the pin stem so it works better, yet never remade a brooch for sale because everyone thought it was so strange... which is exactly why I love it so. I would love to see some out in the world, though! So this is one to put on the "revisit" list.

Or maybe you sold a couple of pieces from a collection but never continued flushing the ideas out fully to make them more marketable.

Black Gold Anemone Necklace, photo by Larry Sanders, ©2012 Kathy Frey. This photo is one of my favorites. I loved exploring the gold against the oxidized pieces. This necklace is now in a private collection... hopefully being worn!

 

Black Gold Double Anemone Strand necklace, photo by Larry Sanders, © 2012 Kathy Frey. This necklace is one of my favorites for how it lays. It has an interesting drape that is slightly off center. The branching pieces are really special on this one, and I love the sprinkling of 14k gold. I still show this piece... it is still available if you are interested. I'm wondering if I need to revisit the clasp to make it more secure... some people are afraid of the little tiny hook... I just like how it blends in with the design.

Who knows, it's nebulous to think about yet most artists know how it feels. One year not so very long ago, I got really hyped up about my anemone series... pushing my pod forms to be asymmetrical, weirder... playing with the ideas of "growth" and "emerging."

This mis-matched pair of anemone earrings just sold at the end of 2011. They are one of my favorite pairs of earrings ever! Many comments put me off of making mis-matched earrings, but I really do want to explore more... they are so fun, playful, and intriguing to me.

Due to the way the pieces are made, each one is totally one of a kind, which also raised my price point. When I showed them, sometimes the negative comments hurt, especially when I loved them so.Yet mostly the feedback was positive... not sure why the negatives sunk in so much.

Anemone Ring, photo by Larry Sanders, © 2012 Kathy Frey. This ring never sold because many people were daunted by the idea of wearing something so tall, yet the attention it has received got my work in numerous magazines and books... and most importantly it was fun to make! Sometimes you just have to let your inner workings as an artist show... not everything has to be about sales.

Now that I'm looking back over this series, I'm so happy to see all the good things that did come out of it. Publicity, sales, and design... that's why it's time to revisit it as well as some of those other ideas I've shelved.

Gold Anemone Double Strand Necklace, photo by Linda Savitz, © 2012 Kathy Frey. This was one of my efforts to combine the weird with the glamorous. It's my "from the sea" piece where I've mixed in Tahitian pearls and natural keishi pearls around the chain. I chose pearls that were naturally weird and organic, much like the shapes I wrapped to mix in. There are also raw diamonds in the mix for sparkle and a sandy texture... I liked making that connection with the pearl/ocean theme. This piece is also available and currently on show at Rare Gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Many people comment on it trying to find a recognizable form (like a shoe, the most common comment)... I'm hoping it will reach out and speak to the right person who likes the organic oceanic feel.

Last year I got a custom order for a pair of anemone clip earrings... it's taken me almost a year to face them. And now I'm jazzed again and want to make more pieces in this series! Artistically I felt like it was a strong direction for me because it's so hard to wrap and construct the asymmetrical pieces... I like that challenge for myself. And with the earrings I'm working on engineering different ways to join the branches together that doesn't feel so cumbersome. I will have to charge what I have to charge... which is something all artists have to reckon with. Yet I'm lucky to have a supportive fan base.

Proof that a new piece in the anemone series is underway! Thanks to my special client for pushing me back in this direction.

The books are back in stock!

This year I'm tackling a new system of organization, which is somewhat similar to one of last year's resolutions. I loved my paper tracking system of to-dos and such, yet there's an appealing aspect to going digital. More about that in a later post (especially since they might co-exist).... that's just a little lead in to explain why I was out of stock of "Elegant Wire Jewelry" for so long. Simply, I kept forgetting to order them!

I had jotted that reminder down onto a scrap of paper during a show when I sold the last copy. That paper then got mixed in with receipts, business cards and other post-show scrapple. It did not get thrown away, yet I've never had a place to put all those notes or transfer what's written on them. Then, maybe a week before my next show, I would think -- oh no! I need more books! -- yet there wouldn't be time to have them shipped and I would then shove the thought to procrastination land.

This photo is actual proof that my books are back in stock! You can order them from me in my Etsy shop where I will send you a signed hardback copy. If you would rather have a paperback (unsigned) copy, you can purchase those elsewhere online since I don't carry those at the moment.

Hopefully I will have books with me at my next round of shows... can't say for certain since I'll actually be flying (gasp!) so will have to gauge it based on weight, so order now while I'm in town and ready to ship to you! Winter is my favorite crafty time of year... it's a great time to hibernate inside.

If you already have my book, it would be GREAT if you would review it online (either at Amazon or Barnes and Noble), it really makes a difference to people who don't know me or my work. And, if you aren't happy with the book, drop me a line and let me know why. I've started to get requests for a more advanced book but haven't quite wrapped my head around what types of projects would call out to people and how I could present them in a way that appeals to you. All feedback is appreciated.

Food for thought on MLK via WTF

Hello, patient readers... I'll get caught up on all the goings on over the past couple of months (maybe... if it seems pertinent...). For now I'll just hide behind the "I've been busy" excuse, which means on days like today when I'm finishing a big order and have to just hunker down and get it done, I plug in and listen to something. Some days I enjoy an audio book (if you want to know the geeky side of me, I will reveal that I'm listening to George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series... I've read them previously, but it's been so long that I wanted a refresher before jumping into the newest "A Dance with Dragons." The audio books are more performance, and a great way to re-experience the books).

Other times I listen to podcasts when I want a change or have tasks that take an hour here, an hour there... they keep me going for shorter-term attention spans. I have a list of about 16 favorite podcasts that I keep track of on Stitcher, although my all time favorite one is WTF with Marc Maron, which I discovered maybe 6 months ago. Marc is a comedian, and his podcast is based around his interviews with fellow comedians yet we also get to know about him through his periodic monologues. The show is always thought provoking, and it has enlightened me in many ways, and re-opened my love for comedy. I really got hooked on the show when he spoke with Lisa Lampanelli ("The Queen of Mean"), whose comedy I always had a hard time with because I don't generally find mean-spirited humor funny. What a difference to get a glimpse behind the performance image, though... she seems so nice, sincere, and open. I have since heard her tell a story on the Risk podcast (a new fave that I was just introduced to), which was hilarious, poignant and touching.

When a podcast or program can help me to be more open minded and truly re-evaluate my own perceptions, while also entertaining me, then I'm in. I've also become obsessed in my dream world with the idea of imitating WTF slightly by starting a podcast of conversations with art fair artists, since, like comedians, we are also performers in a way... sharing our perspectives and experiences in a visual manner. We have our pack mentality, we understand road life, we celebrate highs and lows, and we have jealousies and rivalries with those who "make it." It could be nice to put some words to that and get to know the people as just people, where it's not so daunting to approach an artist as a person and start a discussion.

Today was a slightly different WTF than what I had experienced before. Comedian Todd Glass, who apparently had been on the show before, asked to be invited back specifically so he could come out of the closet publicly while simultaneously having an interesting discussion. The conversation was riveting, and I learned so many things and gained a level of understanding that never sunk into my head during PC training at Smith College. It has been ingrained in me over the years to be sensitive to what people want to be called, referred to, etc. etc. Which still boils down to naming and classifying, which, yes, has its purposes at times as an easy handle. Yet what Todd wanted to get across was that rather than focusing on that minutiae (albeit important) to "prove" your open-mindedness was rather to prove it with actions of another sort. On a small level, we can improve our vocabulary... rather than call something "gay" or "retarded," think about what you really mean and then say that.

On a larger scale, if you are around someone who refers to something as "gay" (I mean the slang usage here), rather than singling them out and putting them on the defensive about their usage, maybe make a passing remark such as "I'm not sure why our sexuality entered into this. Why do you really not want to go to the party?" or whatever it is that was being slandered. Todd felt frustrated at times during the interview, like he wasn't making his points clear, and now I understand with trying to paraphrase. By all means, listen to the WTF podcast rather than just rely on my feeble attempt to explain the monumental shift this made for me in my head.

One of my favorite stories was how to deal with a heterosexual guy who says he just can't imagine sleeping with a guy or the idea of two guys having sex. Todd brings up the notion of imagining the guy's sister or Mom having sex, which of course is followed by more extreme cringing, and then driving the point home that in general none of us thinks about the details of other people having sex. It's not something we have to think about or even talk about unless we want to (and, in general, that's the role that porn plays)... there are so many other things to discuss about relationships other than the details of sex (which are also okay to discuss if desired... Sex with Emily is another favorite podcast that I follow to get different sex perspectives since it can often be taboo to discuss in detail with friends). I just like how he made that point in a way just about anyone can understand.

My whole purpose in writing this post was to rejoice in the fact that on today, Marting Luther King, Jr. Day, it was truly refreshing to feel like my mind was opened to another's perspective. To see that I can broaden my horizons and make changes within myself that might help to move us as a culture forward. Especially on a topic that I don't understand why so many people get so up in arms about it... as adults, we deserve to give and receive love with whomever and however we want.

Designing asymmetrical earrings

I just discovered Jewelry Making Daily when Tammy from Interweave Press contacted me about featuring a pair of my earrings in her post about mis-matched earrings.

Black Silver Mismatch Pyramid Stack Earrings, photo by Katie Lime, ©2011 Kathy Frey

It's a great inspiration boost, and it reminds me of way, way back in the mid-90s when I did a huge series of mis-match charm earrings like she mentions (wine & corkscrew, scissors & thread spool, hammer & saw, etc. etc.).

Tammy did a great job of finding examples on Etsy. She shows earrings by Susan Dyer, an artist I know from the show circuit, and she also mentions Mia Montgomery, whose Etsy shop I immediately feel in love with for her truly asymmetrical/mis-matched earring designs.

Okay, I'm inspired... time to step away from the computer and sit in front of the jewelry bench!

How do you nourish your inner child?

The concept of "inner child" has been coming up for me a lot lately... it's addressed often in the book "The Artist's Way," a program I'm following as best I can to get creatively unblocked. The term also came up in a yoga class I went to yesterday where we hugged blanket rolls in place of our inner child.

As someone who was very adult-like at an early age (latch key kid at 7 with a full set of chores and dinner to put on the table every night), and as someone who always wanted to just be an adult already, I feel I lost touch with child-like things before I really had a grip on them. There are several things that I have a child-like enthusiasm for: rollercoasters, popcorn, and peanut butter to name a few, and indulging in these things does make me feel younger and more carefree. On a rare occassion I'll even have a "do nothing" day, yet when was the last time I watched Saturday morning cartoons or didn't feel guilty about one of these indulgences?

My new approach to feeding my inner child is doing anything that makes me feel free (and guilt free, too, if possible)... like dancing, singing out loud to the radio even though I have a terrible singing voice, wearing silly cotton panties, putting my hair in pigtails, or making a new outfit or piece of clothing. I recently got a bike -- don't get me wrong, I've had bikes as an adult -- yet there's something about a new bike that makes me feel giddy and kid-like again. I'm mostly using it for errands to help cut down on gas usage and to start getting back into shape (not very child-like conscientiousness), yet I'm truly enjoying myself (okay, the last uphill home does take a lot out of me) and my inner child says "wheeee!" every time I let loose and coast down a hill.

Some people I know buy fun socks to treat their inner child. Or collect rocks, bones, and interesting found objects. The best part is that there are no rules. You and your inner child can have fun secrets which means hopefully it will come out and express itself more in wonderful creative ways. For me I'm coddling mine and working on being less self-conscious... hopefully she'll come out to play some day so we can make big fun sculptures and crazy conceptual jewelry together with no concerns about what's right or wrong... it'll all just be in the doing and freedom of creating.

Recession-worthy gold

Have you seen my new vermeil pieces at a recent show? While working with a Chicago customer of mine who wanted a gold bangle but not the solid gold price tag (we are talking many thousands of dollars with today's market), we discussed the idea of vermeil -- a high quality, extra-thick (also government-regulated thickness) plating of gold over sterling silver. She was willing to be patient while I ran tests with Red Sky Plating, and the results are fantastic! She now has a beautiful gold bangle to round out her collection.

Square Riverstone Bangle, Cube Sculpture Hook Earrings, and Cube Pendant in 24k vermeil, snapshot from a recent show, ©2011 Kathy Frey

The Riverstone Bangle comes in at about $1200, although price can fluctuate with the market. The necklace and earrings are less than $300 each! This is very exciting, and a great way to get a gorgeous look. These prices are also for 24k gold, which is pure gold... the color is so warm and brilliant. Vermeil can be done in other karats -- 14k and 18k are common to match other pieces in a collection, which also brings the cost down a bit. I also want to do some tests with rose gold and green gold for some color variety without a high investment on my part.

The other exciting option is rhodium plating, which is what most white gold is plated with to give it that brilliant shine. I've done this over sterling. It looks almost like sterling but slightly shinier. It's a great option if you want a piece to remain tarnish-free yet still have the look of silver. This will make the cost of some of my pieces higher, but it's totally worth it to have low-maintenance jewelry. I will also do some tests where I matte the wire before plating to tone down the shine... so many options, so little time!

If you have any questions or want to special order any pieces, contact me directly since this collection is not available in my Etsy shop yet.