a little locket love

When I was a teenager, I wore a locket everyday. For a long time it was empty, with no photo inside. Eventually I got a boyfriend and I put his picture in it.

He cheated on me and made out with a eighth grader. It broke my heart and I removed his photo and cut it into tiny bits. We reconciled but not really. I mean, how do you really get over something like that when you are sixteen and naive to the cruelty of the world?  

Boys came and went but the locket stayed empty.

And then I met Sugar Daddy. Journey's end in lovers meeting. Bill Shakespeare said that. My husband's photo is still in it today.

I just wish I could find the damn thing.

1928

Bijoux d’Odalisque

earrings nation

baby jewlz

And yes, more polymer clay jewelry from yours truly.

Again, if you see jewelry posted here that you would like, please leave a comment with email or contact info and I will reserve it for you. The necklace above is $35.

spankin new

New month!

New jewelry collection!

New iMac?

I hope so.

Please visit the Secondsister shop. I will be loading new jewelry into the shop over the next week or so. I really want that new Mac. I'm saving up like a little kid who wants a bike. It's old school but it is uber satisfying. Help a sister out and buy some jewelry would ya? 

oh my,butterfly

Royal Buffet

Necklaces available here.

potterybarn

Elizabeth Kartchner

whisper

I meet the dawn with a new perspective this morning. I walked around my garden in my slippers and bathrobe inspecting and diagnosing. A little snail bait needed here. Some anti fungal needed there. The sun peaked over the ridge and warmed my face. The whole world seemed to whisper~ slow down now girl. Take a breath. Focus.

I went back inside and cleaned up my stamp carvings. I put away my inks.

I think today I will pack our bags. I will make sure Thom has plenty of clean underwear and pajamas to take. Finnigan is going to the groomers. I will make a run to Trader Joe's to pick up some items my little sister requested. Today is all about taking care of business. No more time for craziness.

However, if at the end of the day, I find an hour or two to create, I think I will finish this pair of earrings. You know, just a little something to bide the time. We leave tomorrow.

sofia masri- "favorite thing" #4

Let me just start off by saying that I love Sofia Masri's work so much that as I was writing this post and looking through her fabulous shop, I couldn't help myself, I had to buy something. Here are my new earrings that I simply can't wait to get. Merry Christmas to me!

Sofia Masri is a Chicago-based jewelry artist with a background in fine art and fashion design. Her line of porcelain jewelry was born out of a desire to produce original accessories in a beautiful medium. Porcelain's plastic quality and refined texture lend themselves perfectly to the intricate patterns that make her jewelry so special. Inspiration comes from favorite vacation spots, cities once called home, places she hopes to explore, seasons and nature, and endless hours spent sifting through treasures at antique shops.

Here are just a few of the many many treasures in Sophia's shop.

If you are a fashionista or know someone who is, you simply must click over to the shop and pick up a little somethin', somethin.

Okay girls, here is your chance to win your own pair of Sophia Masri earrings! Simply leave a comment to be in the drawing on Dec. 15th. Sophia has generously offered to send the winning gal a pair of her Espresso Swirl earrings in the photo below. They retail for $28.

inspiration

Well girls, welcome to December. I feel like a large truck has just raced by and I am left standing, dazed and windblown. The holiday was lovely, just not long enough to regroup before the storm.

The giveaways for December will be all grouped together starting on Friday. Everyday, for 10 days, I will feature an amazing artisan and have a giveaway. You can still enter to win the earrings from the previous post by helping me promote the giveaway!

Also, I am on schedule to release the new mini collection on Friday! I thought I'd give you a little peek into some of my inspiration for the pieces I have created.

these are a few of my favorite things

This post is dedicated to Rachel and Ivory, who always say that I am their Oprah, their link to the finer things in life. If only my giveaways where as outrageous as hers!

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes

Silver white winters that melt into springs

These are a few of my favorite things.

Captain von Trapp: Fraulein Maria, did I or did I not say
that bedtime is to be strictly observed in this household?

Maria: Yes, well the children were scared of the thunderstorm and… You did, sir.

Captain von Trapp: And do you or do you not have trouble following these simple instructions?

Maria: Only during thunderstorms.

Today I have three big announcements!

First, starting November 30th, I am releasing my Secondsister mini Winter collection. It isn't a full collection, just a few pieces with lots of sparkle to wear to holiday parties and such. And. . . everything is very affordable! It is very small and limited so if you need some accessories to get your glam on, be watching!

Second, Starting December 5th I will be hosting 10 days of 10 giveaways. I contacted some of my very favorite sellers on Etsy and I will be showcasing their work with a fabulous giveaway every day. You won't believe the prizes!


Third, you have a chance to win this pair of Winter Glam earrings from the new mini collection by helping me promote my Favorite Things giveaway. Just choose between these two graphics and load one into your sidebar. Make sure it links back to Suaviloquy and leave a comment on this post giving me the link to your page where you have posted the graphic. I will pick a winner on December 15th.

I am working on adding a scroll box with the html code, which is no small task for a computer illiterate like myself. If you need this, check back in a few days, I might just succeed.

if only. . .

If only I could keep all the really good ones. Alas, sometimes I don't know how much I really love something until it's gone. Isn't there a song about that? Well, it's true. Sometimes when I go to my computer and see that something has sold, I have a moment of panic. I've always thought that I could never have a Secondsister store. Customers would come up to pay for things and I'd talk them out of it. They would have to pry my fingers open to retrieve their purchases.

It is better that I have a day or so to package it up and say my good byes. Here are a few of my long lost babies that I really regret selling.


And here are a few new ones I just listed in my shop yesterday. I am not in any way attached to any of them, although I am starting to think of outfit ideas that include the Atlantis necklace. Please feel free to buy, buy, buy.

The Brave Bracelet

Ranch Hand Bracelet

Atlantis Necklace

working girl

Here's a little sneak peak of what's to come.


I can't decide if I feel like a Christmas elf or a sweat shop worker. I have been camped at my work bench, feverishly knotting, twisting, designing and sweating. (Don't forget! September 15th, I will start listing the Fall collection in my shop. Come one, come all!) I can't wait for cooler weather- or a new indoor studio. Hummmm- not likely, better just bide my time and wait for Fall. Which could be a while. We don't see sweater weather until damn near December around here.

I am, however, having my own little Autumn season in my mind, living vicariously through the internet, the wonderful place that it is. I've been looking at all kinds of warm bundly clothes that are one hundred percent impractical for a girl like me to own. The photos for the new collection aren't helping any either. Just look at them! Don't you want to curl up with a warm cider and knit a little?

See this hunka, hunka burning love?

I've been a wee bit testy to him today. Sometimes I'd like to step out of myself and slap the back of my own head.

loose change

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

-Joe Fox from the movie You've Got Mail

I'm back from vacation, and I must say, I'm really feeling loose and ready for change. Maybe it's the season. Although where we live we don't experience much of a Autumn. This is the one and only time of year, that for a very brief moment, I miss living in Omaha. We lived in Nebraska for three years while Sugar Daddy went to school. If you live in the Mid-West, please don't take offense, but I must say, it is not a joyful place to live. Especially if you are dirt poor, starving students. But the Fall! My word, the Fall in Omaha was sensational. It lasts for exactly three weeks and then the bitter, biting cold rushes in to ruin your life.



But really, I feel ready to shake things up a little. I will be launching my new jewelry line on the 15th. I'm not sure how many pieces I will be able to get done by then. The boy goes back to school tomorrow so I should be able to spend a fair amount of time at my bench over the next week or so. I have gleaned inspiration for my product photos from the pics I have posted here. I have some really old wooden spools that have been kicking around my house for years. I think I'll put them to good use. I am also toying with the idea of using fiber. I think a ball of yarn just screams possibility, don't you?

the little red hen

Little Red Hen Bracelet

One day as the Little Red Hen was scratching in a field, she found a grain of wheat.
"This wheat should be planted," she said. "Who will plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
Soon the wheat grew to be tall and yellow.
"The wheat is ripe," said the Little Red Hen. "Who will cut the wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the wheat was cut, the Little Red Hen said, "Who will thresh the wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the wheat was threshed, the Little Red Hen said, "Who will take this wheat to the mill?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
She took the wheat to the mill and had it ground into flour. Then she said, "Who will make this flour into bread?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
She made and baked the bread. Then she said, "Who will eat this bread?"
"Oh! I will," said the Duck.
"And I will," said the Cat.
"And I will," said the Dog.
"No, No!" said the Little Red Hen. "I will do that." And she did.

the scoop on the big party with a side of design sunday

Every summer we host a dinner party for our friends. We haven't had one since we moved into our new house. It takes time to get to know people. For me, it takes a while to make friends. I am, by nature, a shy person. I decided when we moved that it was time for me to break out of my shell, turn over a new leaf, and make a specific effort to form new friendships. It hasn't been easy for me. I have to force myself out of my comfort zone on a regular basis.


But here's the thing- in the last two years, I have met more interesting people than I ever expected. I have become friends with people from all walks of life. There are a few areas where I feel that I have been blessed beyond what I deserve and my friends fall into this category.




I had around forty guests at my party last night. I had friends from England, Australia, Vietnam, Canada and South Africa. I had Catholics, Mormons, Jews and Protestants. I mixed the Democrats with the Republicans in hopes that no one left offended. And to my knowledge, nobody did. My friends mixed and mingled and formed their own new friendships. For me, just watching my friends become friends made it a really fun night.

This year I decided I needed to do more than just a host a party. I solicited handmade items to be raffled off at the end of the evening. I made a couple pieces of jewelry and put together a "box of romance" with about five different gift certificates in it. My sister-in-law of Whatnots jewelry donated a gorgeous necklace that was very popular. I had embroidered items from Deliciousdesigns and a handmade crazy apron from my good friend Jenny. Tami Foulger is starting a small flower design business. She has a background in interior decorating but she has also worked as a florist. She went with me to the flower market and helped me with my center pieces. She also donated this fabulous arrangement to the raffle.

Tami is my pick for Design Sunday. She is really good at non-traditional flower arrangements. She has a great eye for color and texture. If you live in the San Diego area, and are interested in her work, leave a comment and I'll get you her contact information.

After all was said and done, we raised $220 dollars which I will be sending to Craft for China.

roots

Sugar Daddy likes to say- you can take the girl out of Utah, but you can't take the Utah out of the girl.

We took a picnic up to North Fork Canyon. This is the place I learned to cross country ski when I was a child. This is where I went to Girl's Camp and learned how cruel girls can be to each other. This is land that my father knows like the back of his hand. Today, I took my son there and stood at the waterfall and watched him cry big crocodile tears because we wouldn't let him scale the rock wall. It seems he got a healthy dose of the Campbell gene for outdoor adventure.

I find my western roots are peculating to the surface of my life. I love that there are so many country western stations here. I love that just up the street from my parents house the Barker family still runs a small dairy farm. Although my home town has grown and is no longer the "Mayberry" I once knew, it still has a small town feel. People still smile and wave from their pastures as you drive by.

The Skipping Stone necklace was one of the first things I listed on Etsy. I have sold every one I have listed. I picked up a few stones on our little hike tonight. I can't wait to get home to my work bench to make them into jewelry.

the things they carried

"And the boy loved the tree very much and the tree was happy." - Shel Silverstein

Boo Radley Necklace

What tiny treasures rattle around in the bottom of your jewelry box? In your travels, have you ever picked up a shell, a cool pop top, a skipping stone? Do you keep your children's teeth as they fall out?

I find that for most of my life I have been a bit of a squirrel. I gather and stash all sorts of tiny things. To me, they are like the crumbs of bread that Hanzel and Gretel dropped to find their way back home. My little treasures lead me mentally back through the years, back to my childhood. When I am old, I will gather up all my whatnots and create the most meaningful work of art. It's on my life list.



A friend of mine suggested I start making a few pieces of jewelry that weren't priced as high as the pieces I have been making. I think it was good advice. Here is a little necklace for only $15.

North Shore Necklace