Cosmo's Moon jewelry

Second street school auction 2012

2012-02-16T16:32:00.000-08:00

Going to the 2nd street school silent auction at the Hotel Congress (Tucson) on Friday night?
Look for 2 items from Cosmo's Moon- a sweet brass Snail necklace
and a Gift Certificate to use as you please in my etsy shop, "Cosmo's Moon Jewelry"
Second street is a wonderful Preschool here in central Tucson. The school teaches in the "Reggio Emelia" approach- the children have a huge outdoor area to spend their days exploring their world, and the teachers are wonderful in their helping these wee ones learn how to navigate their world...
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/SSCS-8th-Annual-Silent-Auction--El-Corazon-.html?soid=1103262434435&aid=tOqpibm2hrA

If wishes were horses

2012-02-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

Just found this pic while looking through an old notebook- This is a picture I took of my horse in Italy (Polish Warmblood mare, named "Schilla") I had her on half lease for the first year and a half that we were living there. I rode almost every day (in this setting).

This pic was taken about 2 months before I had an almost fatal burst appendix.

I ended up in the hospital, and then was in bed for about a month. During which time I made the concious decision to concentrate on my metalsmithing, and basically leave my love affair with horses for a while. It was a BIG change of direction, as it was incredibly difficult to say goodbye to this sweet and beautiful mare.

That was 1998- she was 14 then, so I imagine that she is now in her big pasture in the sky now. I hope it is as beautiful as this image.
xo- OK, I'm going to go cry now- :-) sniff- M

Metalsmithing Class- register now!

2012-02-14T13:51:00.000-08:00

Anyone interested in taking a Metalsmithing class with me can sign up now for the next session of classes through Tucson Parks and Rec.**

I teach a Metalsmithing Basics class at Randolph center (on Alvernon, just S of Broadway)

Start your week out fun! Class is held Monday mornings from 9-12.

The session starts on March 11th and ends May 5th.
sign up now, here at the Parks and Rec website- http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/parksandrec/
I hope to see you there!- Maureen

Metalsmith Fashion

2012-02-06T21:57:00.000-08:00

http://skreened.com/metalsmithstees/hammer-time

One of the things that I've been working on while I'm recuperating is making T shirt designs for my metalsmithing group "Metalsmiths Unite 2.0". (If you are a metalsmith and on facebook you may want to check out the group- it is really hopping!)

I've been enjoying this change of medium, and now want to share them with you- here is a link to this design, "Hammer Time"

The shop is called, "Metalsmithstees" and it is on Skreened.com . I am adding new designs, and announcing the new designs on the Metalsmiths Unite 2.0 wall. I have enjoyed having them to wear to the studio, and to the Tucson Gem show. (where I got some beautiful beautiful stones!)

Go check out Metalsmithstees at: http://skreened.com/metalsmithstees (and stay tuned for more designs)

ciao- Maureen

P. I. T. N.

2012-02-02T22:39:00.000-08:00

OK, I just have to say, this adventure with chronic pain is kicking my ass. Ironically, it's not a pain in the ass that I have-- it is (literally) a pain in the neck.

Theory is that I must have started the neck damage as a little pixie- I must have knocked my neck out of alignment when falling off the sneaky little ponies that I clung to while learning how to negotiate cavaletti and crossrails (it's a horse thing, poles on the ground and a little jump)

I had spinal surgery Dec 8- to repair the damaged discs and cluttered vertebrae that have been plaguing my well being for many years now. I was under the impression that this was a much faster healing surgery than it now seems like it will be. I'm miffed. I really feel lied to- I was told that I'd be 5-6 weeks tops out of regular activity, then I could play tennis or whatever. Well, don't laugh, I do actually play tennis- (I suck getting to the ball on time, but have a pretty good backhand)

I digress.. So, it's now almost 2 full months past surgery and I'm STILL in more pain than before the surgery. I'm getting a taste of living with chronic pain. and it ain't purty.

The worst is at night- when you are just there alone with your thoughts, trying to fall asleep..... and then reeee reee kreee kerreeeeek! your shoulder starts zinging and your arm shoots with electric pulses from shoddy pinched and frayed nerves. It's like that mosquito in the cabin, or the drip drip drip of the faucet... it's crazy making. And it keeps you awake.

So, you lay there thinking, "hmm, is this just a temporary pain, will it go away?" and "is this really that bad? (why am I tensing up so much?)" which ultimately leads to " I probably need to take some pain meds- get ahead of the pain....but, do I really need to?"

this conversation goes on and on, you get up...walk to kitchen, have water- get ice pack- back to bed, icepack in your neckbrace, oh that feels better, I bet I fall asleep now.....ok, sleep time, get the right pillow, move the dog over, pull up blankets... shhhhhhhh.......

reee reee reeeh hkerrreek kreee......

Oy vey.
This really is a pain in the neck.

I'm laughing, otherwise I'd cry. Thankfully, my family is really supportive, and I don't have to go work for anyone else (though I've had to cut down on the goldsmithing for hire jobs for now) I can't imagine having to deal with this AND try to hold down a 9-5 job. Don't get me wrong- I'm still working daily in my studio and office- but I make the rules, #1 being that I call the shots, and if there is a day when I need to goof off, I goof off. Oh, and if I had to deal with the general public everyday I think I'd be the nastiest bitch on the face of the earth. (count your lucky stars)

So- in summary...
Ponies are sneaky.
Surgeons lie *cough* stretch the truth re: recovery rates.
Yeah, I play tennis and I'm 5'1"and no, you really don't want me as your doubles partner.
Chronic pain is butt ugly.
and annoying, especially at night.
Your thoughts go to 11 when you are contemplating sleep strategies while in a bout of insomnia.
Nerve pain feels like electric shards and aching rivers of green sludge.
You should be happy I'm no longer a barista.

and with this, I've taken up another few moments of the witching hours where everyone is asleep
(but me)

Buona Notte, Sogni d'Oro- Maureen

When is too early to FB?

2012-01-31T16:48:00.000-08:00

I have a modern dilemma- one of my son's little buddies wants to "friend" me on FB. I'm thinking...no......Nooooo...NOOOO! (or at least not until I get my privacy settings really fine tuned.)

Anyhow, I'm thinking 9 is awfully young to have a FB account- (thankfully my 9 year old has no interest in Social Media, yet...but it's coming!) What do you think? is there a "magic age" when social media use is appropriate?

I almost always err to the side of keeping my child innocent as long as possible, limiting computer use is at the top of my list.

Nooooo, I'm not saying that using computers is bad (that would be pretty hypocritical of me, FB group girl) I'm simply trying to get an idea of how my son's generation is digesting modern technology.

New Metalsmiths Unite Tees!

2012-01-16T21:45:00.000-08:00

after thinking about it for a very long time I finally sat down tonight to create a Tee shirt design for my group "Metalsmiths Unite".

(if you don't know what Metalsmiths Unite is...the abbreviated version is that it is a metalsmithing community that I founded in 2008 on facebook. It's become a really interesting and dynamic community- one that merits cool tee shirts!)

Here is the link to the listing: http://skreened.com/metalsmithstees/mu-2-chain-and-flux?direction=asc&field=order&query=&start=0&count=20

I've got the design up on my new Shop I've opened on Skreened.com called "Metalsmithstees". I will be posting more designs soon! (including one with the original Metalsmiths Unite Bench Pin avatar!

ciao- M

DIY custom size your nose ring hoop

2011-12-31T19:35:00.000-08:00

Custom Sizing your hoop-

want a slightly smaller nose ring hoop? there's no need to exchange/buy another one if you are ok with having me lead you through how to size it down yourself.....

Supplies Needed:
Nail clippers
Nail file
Pencil

1)trim a small (1/8” or less at a time) piece off of the un-balled end of your nose ring (use nail clipper- it should be strong enough to cut this thinness of silver)

2)once you have the perfect size use your nail file to sand the clipped end smooth

3) slip onto pencil point and bend your hoop closed again ( this will keep your round shape for you)

That should do the trick- I also have a little video on how to properly open and insert your nose ring - it's on YouTube at; http://youtu.be/Wk-z4JqOlhU

If you want a new sterling Nose ring hoop, I do have them always in stock in 22g and 20 g thicknesses- please visit my Etsy shop at: http://cosmosmoonjewelry.etsy.com to see what's in stock!

and if you want to keep up with my newest designs:  Cosmo’s Moon Jewelry on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cosmosmoon

Ciao- Maureen

Stolen designs? Use Social media!

2011-12-16T13:12:00.000-08:00

I'm involved in a few groups of highly talented jewelry designers and metalsmiths. Many of us sell our work online, or at least exhibit images of our work online. This leaves us vulnerable to be copied by big foreign "companies" that are trolling the internet and craft markets for designs to rip off. It is a big problem, for both the designer and the public who are duped by these scammers.

stop © theft in the arts!

Designers of course are being ripped off- their creativity being xeroxed and slapped on an inferior "product", which is equal to outright theft. Customers of these copycat outfits are partially to blame, because they have bought into the theft , lured by false promises and shoddy imitation. It's nothing new- Nike, Luis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Pucci and Fiorucci have all had their designs stolen and sold on the street. The only real difference is that now the pirates are pillaging individual artists instead of corporations (which have the power of lawyers and the money to protect their goods and ideas).

What can a single artist do? Many of us are already undervaluing our work and so doing are under paying ourselves. Even in good times thinking of coming up with thousands to commence a legal defense is usually out of the question.
What can we do? USE SOCIAL MEDIA to spread the word!

We are freshly entering a new era- Illustrated by global changes such as the Arab Spring and protest movements such as the Occupy movement. One person can effectively disseminate information worldwide with very little effort in very little time.

One well written blog post that is shared, one tweet re-tweeted many times, posts in all group pages, across all social media platforms with links and images and discussions can be the starting point for illumination- We as artists can shine the light on this problem, flush out the cockroaches hiding in the corners and effectively educate and warn our communities and customers. All there needs to be is a plan.

So- this is what I propose- (as a start) ......
Anytime a piece is found to be illegally copied (ripped off) GET LOUD!
Post as many specifics that you can without opening yourself up for legal problems yourself (put the spotlight on the specific company/entity.)
Let other artists know what is going on-
ask for a re-post or re-tweet.
Artists- Re-post! the longer the chain of shares and re-tweets the more information is spread through the community, which will keep the conversation going, keep the community vigilant and bring us together as a force to be reckoned with.

Knowledge=Power

Above all- don't let the assholes get you down. Copycats have been around since the dawn of mankind, it's not going away. There is even a truism that says that copying is a form of flattery. (though someone who is losing business because of these rip off hyenas certainly isn't flattered, they are irate- for damn good reason!)

Power to the artists, come together as a community- let's keep this topic on the front burner and get organized to help protect our original designs!

And customers, remember- cheaper really does mean cheaper. If you value handmade, the artist has to get paid!

ciao- Maureen BZ
Founder, "Metalsmiths Unite!"

December news from the BZ Homestead

2011-12-05T20:54:00.001-08:00

this pic is from a few years ago- an oldie but a goodie!

Hi Everyone-

FYI: Maureen needs mending
I am going in to the hospital on Thursday Dec 8 to have surgery on my 2 ruptured discs in my neck. (an artifact from my many years of being a test pilot for ornery ponies)
This will put me out of commission for a few weeks. I am going to keep my etsy shop open but will have some delay in shipping after this Thursday (I don't know how I will be feeling about standing in lines at the post office, so I will be bribing my best friend and Husband to take packages there for me...at least until the chocolate runs out)

RE: My holiday schedule for shipping/shop closure schedule........
(for http://cosmosmoonjewelry.etsy.com )
I will be closing for the Christmas break starting on Monday Dec 19th.
LAST DAY FOR SHIPPING before Christmas is December 20.
I will re-open the shop on Monday December 26.
Thank you for all of your support this year- I really appreciate it- Have a wonderful Holiday season- Merry Christmas,Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Buon Solstice, Auguri and Cheers to you all
<3 Maureen

Hi Ho Holiday sale!

2011-11-24T00:32:00.001-08:00

My Etsy shop, "Cosmo's Moon Jewelry" ( http://cosmosmoonjewelry.etsy.com ) Is having a Holiday Sale!! prices on Bracelets and Pendants are marked down 15% for Thanksgiving weekend! Shipping is FREE to the USA, and very reasonable everywhere else. Get your Holiday shopping done early and Choose from a beautiful variety of handmade lovelies while they are in stock!
(sale ends Cyber Monday Nov 28 at midnight MST)
I have another show on Dec 3rd, where many pieces are sure to be sold- this is your best chance to get the piece that you've had your eye on (or to send a wish list to your honey for your holiday gift)
I've also got Gift Certificates available this year as well- Perfect for that someone you know who LOVES fabulous jewelry and Loves to choose their special piece themselves.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving to all my US readers- and to those of you from afar, have a great Thursday!
Ciao- Maureen
ps- please feel free to share this post on your wall/tweet/email a link to your friends.

November December news!

2011-11-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

Open studio and Holiday Sales

Hi there- Now that the candy and costumes are behind us I thought I'd take the time to update you on the goings on here at Cosmo's Moon...

Cosmo's Moon studio has New designs for Fall/Winter 2011- This season I've added Sugar Skull designs (straight from the desert southwest) , Snails Lady bugs and Monster heads (for great kid's gifts) a beautiful Cuff bracelet featuring scenes from the Holidays in Florence Italy (available in Brass, White bronze, and Steriling Silver -by special order) and for our foodie friends a Bottle and Goblet design called "in Vino Veritas" (In wine, truth).

Plus, of course I also have a new collection of my classic strap bracelet, cuffs and chain bracelets, a variety of gear pendants, unique handmade rings and one of a kind designs.

In November I will have a few events that you may want to mark on your calender.

the first it the annual Tucson Open Studio Tour, which takes place Nov 12 + 13 from 11-5pm both days. I will be there in my garden studio (which will get it's annual cleaning for the occasion) and I'll have a large selection of work for sale - in fact, this is kind of the preview to my larger sale (at the Tucson Museum of Art ) the next weekend. I will have the largest inventory during Open Studios - If you have your eye on something, you may want to pounce Now or during the Open studio event- because after Open Studios, I'll be at the Tucson Museum of Art annual Artisan's Marketplace (the TMA sale) for three days of busy craft market!

The TMA sale will be held from

Nov 18, 2011 through Nov 20, 2011
10:00 am - 5:00 pm

New this year! Tucson Museum of Art's annual Holiday Artisans' Market is newly expanded featuring more artisans, food vendors, a kids play area, a live music stage, and more! Museum galleries featuring the highly anticipated exhibition: Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present will be free and open to the public all weekend. Bring the whole family for a fun filled afternoon at the Museum!

The following weekend ( November 24-27th) is Thanksgiving weekend- I will be enjoying this with my friends and family in Tucson this year. I will have work available for sale by appointment only on "Black Friday" and throughout the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. If you want to schedule an appointment to come and shop at my studio please contact me at MBZmetals724@gmail.com and we can set a time and date!

And my final sales event this season will happen on Saturday December 3rd at the Tucson Waldorf School's Holiday Craft fair. This event is near and dear to my heart- Our son Cosmo goes to this wonderful school, and I cannot say enough about how much we love it there. This fair will be a perfect outing for the family- there will be games and activities for children, handmade crafts and family friendly homespun entertainment. This event is also a great opportunity to learn about the school and to see the beautiful new buildings on the River road campus.

After all of those events, I will be taking a break, taking care of myself and family - and will have my work available only through my online shop at http://cosmosmoonjewelry.etsy.com through the Holiday season.

Dates to remember:
Nov 12-13....................Tucson Open Studio Tour
Nov 18-20...................Tucson Art Museum Artisan's Marketplace
Nov 24.........................Thanksgiving
Nov 25- Dec 2..............by appointment and online sales
Dec 3...........................Tucson Waldorf school Craft Fair
Dec 4- 20.....................online sales (mailed in time for Christmas)

Thank you for your interest in my Creations!
Edgy, earthy, handmade jewelry direct from the artist's studio.
Indie design meets old world craftsmanship and quality,
influenced by the beauty of Arizona's Sonoran desert and the cobblestone streets of Florence Italy...that's Cosmo's Moon.

ciao- Maureen Brusa Zappellini- owner, designer, metalsmith

a Horse a Horse

2011-10-16T23:37:00.000-07:00

My kingdom for a Horse! or Queendom, if you want to be picky..:-)

I've now listed a pendant design that I am resurrecting
http://www.etsy.com/listing/83957419/jumping-horse-pendant-in-white-bronze
It's a piece I originally designed in the early 90's- I used to make these as pins- (well, similar to this, I've done a bit of subtle refining on the design. ) but now I'm re-working them and making them as pendants (because I tend to wear pendants more than pins now- not very many jackets and pins needed here in the sunny southwest- plus, I think pendants are much more popular)

I love this Horse- and I find that I can "read" it as a few different characters- the Event horse, coming off a drop fence during cross country, a Cave drawing horse, a frolicking pony in the paddock, a bucking rodeo horse, a Lippizaner performing airs above the ground, a reining horse setting up for a sliding stop.... It is the essence of an exuberant equine- and for me, that's one of the most beautiful things in the world

I wore one in brass today when I went to the TRAK fall festival. that's a really great place to bring your kids, by the way. (TRAK, by the way is short for "Theraputic Ranch for Animals and Kids", and is located at 3230 North Craycroft Road, Tucson, AZ 85712 phone #(520) 298-9808 info@traktucson.org

My favorite part of the TRAK event was the "horse apple bingo"- the paddock was sectioned off in a grid, you bought a ticket for the section, at 2 pm the horses were let out in the paddock and where the first "horse apple" was "deposited" the owner of the square won a flat screen TV! I've never seen so many people excited about horses pooping! LOL , no I didn't win :-P

Tucson, we have a problem

2011-10-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

well, I have a problem. This past year I've been struggling with pain issues due to a couple of ruptured discs in my neck. It has forced me to rein in my activities some, and I've dropped a few projects (Box a Month was one casualty).
At this point I've done everything non surgical to try to get relief from the pain that is coming from a pinched nerve(s) on my left side. It has made my left arm numb and increasingly painful. After exhausting all other therapies it is evident that I either live with constant nauseating pain or I go under the knife for a discectomy.

my "good side"

I have an appointment with a pain specialist this week, and surgery scheduled for early December (which may get moved up if they can't find a way to make me somewhat comfortable between now and then)
I just wanted to let you know what was going on- I know I haven't been posting much on my blogs lately, and this is the reason why.
I'll be fine I'm sure- but until then- I've got to rest and take care of myself so I can be a good mom for my sweet kiddo.
ciao- Maureen the ruptured disc queen

The Copper show! (call to enter)

2011-10-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone-
About a month ago I was asking for people to come up with a list of artists who work primarily in copper- Here's the reason why! I wanted to get people to start thinking about this upcoming show.
It will be one of the SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) sponsored shows that will be held in Phoenix next May during the SNAG conference.

I encourage you all to submit your amazing creations that feature copper as it's main (75%) material.
The SNAG shows are an excellent way to get exposure within our field and the surrounding community. Mesa arts center (where the show will be held) is already a hub of cultural activity in the greater Phoenix area, so we are thrilled that they will be a huge part of the conference- they will be holding multiple exhibitions at their beautiful venue- and they throw magnificent openings!

Here is the text of the Call to Enter: please feel free to share this with any copper artists/ groups that you think may be interested. We are thrilled to have master Vessel maker/copper smith David Huang as the juror, and we are looking forward to a magnificent show!
thanks in advance for your entries -
Maureen BZ (+ Danielle Embry and Charity Hall- exhibitions committee for SNAG Phoenix 2012)

CU|29: Contemporary Work in Copper
Call for Entries
In conjunction with the Society of North American Goldsmith's (SNAG) 2012 Conference in
Phoenix, Arizona, Mesa Art Center is presenting the exhibition, CU|29: Contemporary Work
in Copperfrom April 6 to August 12, 2012. Copper, our 29th element, is prized for its excellent
malleability, conductivity, and ductility. Arizona is the leading copper-producing state in the
U.S.
This juried exhibition will feature contemporary artwork that is made primarily of copper.
In addition to contemporary work, the exhibition will highlight exquisite copper vessels created
in Santa Clara, Mexico borrowed from several private collections throughout the region. Mesa
Contemporary Arts will be showcasing five exhibitions during SNAG and will be a destination
spot during the Friday night gallery crawl.

Juror: David Huang is a renowned metalsmith known for his raised copper vessels. Widely
exhibited throughout the U.S, David Huang’s work is in many private collections and museum
collections, including the Muskegon Museum of Art and the Kamm Teapot Collection.
Publications include 500 Metal Vessels –Contemporary Explorations of Containmentby Lark
Books (2007) and “Inquire Within: The Holloware of David Huang” , published in Metalsmith
Magazine(2008). He currently lives and maintains a studio in western Michigan.

Eligibility: Open to any artist working in copper. Pieces submitted for consideration must be
original in design and composed of at least 75% copper. Artwork may include but is not limited
to jewelry, vessels, sculpture, and wall pieces.

Submissions: Artists may submit up to 3 artworks for consideration for a $25 fee. Entries must
be submitted as digital images in JPEG format on a CD. Image resolution must be 200 dpi, with
6” as the longest dimension. Digital images should be named as follows:
LastName.EntryNumber.jpg (EX: Doe.1.jpg) Detail shots should be labeled as follows.
LastName.EntryNumber a.jpg (EX: Doe1a.jpg) Limit detail shots to 1 per piece. Also, include a
PDF document on the CD that contains Artist contact information (name, address, phone
number, email) AND the following information for each piece:
Artist Name
Entry Number
29
Cu
63.55
Title
Dimensions
Materials
Label this file as: LastName.pdf (EX: Doe.pdf)
Submissions and the $25 entry fee, payable to Arizona Designer Craftsmen, must be
received by November 18, 2011.

Mail entries to:
SNAG Exhibitions Committee
c/o Charity Hall
P.O. Box 3615
Tucson, AZ 85722

Transportation/Shipping:Artists are responsible for transportation of work to Mesa
Contemporary Arts. Artworks may be hand-delivered to MCA or shipped to arrive on or before 5
pm March 16, 2012. Work being shipped must be packed in a re-usable shipping container.
Artists are responsible for checking with their shipper regarding insurance and correct packing
procedures. Mesa Contemporary Arts will not be responsible for breakage because of incorrect
packing or insufficient container. Artists will be notified of work that arrives in damaged
condition. Cost of shipping artwork to the exhibition is the artist’s responsibility; MCA will pay
for return shipping and insurance of artwork within the contiguous United States, via standard
UPS only. If any other carriers are requested for the return, the artist will be responsible for the
cost and scheduling.

Liability:Insurance will be carried by the City of Mesa on all works for the duration of the show
(April 6 to August 12, 2012). The usual exclusions will apply for loss or damage which occur by
any event beyond the control of the City.

Agreement:The artist agrees to maintain entry for the duration of the exhibition. Submission of
an entry constitutes permission to photograph work for publicity and educational purposes. All
entries must be of original design and personal execution. Artwork may be for sale atthe artist’s
discretion. A 25% commission will be retained by MCA on all sales.

Calendar:
November 18, 2011 Submissions must be received
January 15, 2012Artists will be notified of acceptance/denial via email
March 16, 2012Work must arrive at the Mesa Contemporary Arts by 5 pm
May 25, 2012Member’sVIP Reception: 6-7 pm;Public Reception: 7-9 pm
April 6-August 12, 2012 Exhibition Dates. Work will be shipped out for return during
the week of August 27th, 2012.

Questionsmay be directed to SNAG2012exhibitions@gmail.com

Put a Skull on it!

2011-09-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

click on image to go to listing for this Skull pendant

It's the end of summer, and around Tucson the creative community begins to conjure up their creations for the annual All Souls procession for Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead, a Mexican holiday honoring loved ones who have passed away) It's a big deal in Tucson- and it also marks the time of year when we are finally able to enjoy cooler weather- essentially, Late October is our "Spring is sprung" time- when everyone rejoices in being able to spend some time outside after a very long scalding hot summer.

While NYC is the "Big Apple", Boston has chowder, and Portlandia creates "put a bird on it!", Tucson is a Skull town, with a rich Mexican traditions that permeate the hardened dusty soil..... Put a Skull on it Tucson! :-)

In Vino Veritas

2011-09-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

click on image to be taken to the shop listing for this piece

Perfect gift for wine enthusiasts! Sterling silver Sommelier's adornment- depicts a bottle pouring into a goblet with the words "In Vino Veritas" (In Wine Truth) engraved in the silver surfaces. This piece is a whimsical and elegant necklace that conveys your passion for fine wine and food. New design for Fall 2011

Measurements-
pendant Bottle- 1 3/4" x 1/2" Goblet 1" x 1/2"
strung on a beautiful 17" stainless steel mesh chain that is adjustable to 16" (Longer chain can be special ordered- please contact me vie Etsy for details)

I currently have only 2 of these on hand, and will be also posting a pair of earrings (mismatched, one bottle one goblet) later this week. This piece will also be available in other metals,I'm hoping to have them in stock for the holidays in brass and gold (gold is by special order only)

"In Vino Veritas" - "In wine, truth"- click here to read more about this ancient saying

Salute!- Maureen

Arizona Designer Craftsmen and SNAG conference 2012

2011-09-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

This is an AZ Metal Artist Call for Entries In conjunction with the Society of North American Goldsmith's (SNAG) 2012 conference in Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix Airport Museum is presenting the exhibition, Metals and More
February 24, 2012 – September 30, 2012 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

To the Artist: Phoenix Airport Museum is seeking artworks crafted of metal or alternative materials from artists working in metalsmithing and/or jewelry. The artworks may include but are not limited to jewelry, vessels, sculptures and wall pieces. Artworks will be chosen by Phoenix Airport Museum curatorial staff based on how well the piece shows an understanding of the medium and mastery of techniques used.

Eligibility: Arizona artists working in the metal arts field that are members of Arizona Designer Craftsmen (ADC) and/or SNAG may submit a maximum of four artworks for consideration. Completed and/or proposed works may be entered. Original artworks by artists working in the metal arts field will be considered.

Submission: Submissions must be received by Friday, October 14, 2011 and include the following:
A cover letter of intent listing artworks for consideration along with descriptions, dates, dimensions and materials Artist contact information including name, address, phone number and email address Images of completed and/or proposed artworks (on a CD and printed out) Brief artist statement about the particular work

Questions may be directed to airport.museum@phoenix.gov or 602-273-2105
Images: A maximum of 12 images may be submitted – four artworks plus two details per artwork. Images must be digital; on a CD in JPEG format, 200 dpi and sized approximately 4 x 6”. Include a print out of all the images. Digital images must contain artist’s last name and title of artwork in the file name.

Transportation/Shipping: Artists are responsible for transportation of work to Phoenix Airport Museum. Artworks may be hand-delivered to the Museum’s off-site facility or shipped. Work being shipped must be packed in a re-usable shipping container. Artists are responsible for checking with their shipper regarding insurance and correct packing procedures. Phoenix Airport Museum will not be responsible for breakage because of incorrect packing or insufficient container. Artists will be notified of work that arrives in damaged condition. Cost of shipping artwork to the exhibition is the artist’s responsibility; Phoenix Airport Museum will pay for return shipping via FedEx unless otherwise indicated by the artist at time of acceptance.

Liability: Insurance will be carried by the City of Phoenix on all works while in possession of Phoenix Airport Museum.
Agreement: The artist agrees to maintain entry for the duration of the exhibition. Submission of an entry constitutes permission to photograph work for publicity and educational purposes. All entries must be of original design and personal execution. Phoenix Airport Museum reserves the right to refuse an entry if upon arrival the work is found to be poorly executed or inappropriate for public display.

October 14, 2011 November 18, 2011 February 3, 2012 February, 24 – September 30, 2012 October 1 – October 12, 2012

Calendar
All submissions must be received Artists will be notified by email of acceptance/non-acceptance Accepted works must be received Duration of exhibition Return of artwork
Send submissions to: Phoenix Airport Museum 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
T-3, L-3, west mezz. Phoenix, AZ 85034

Arcosanti

2011-09-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we took a trip to Arcosanti Arizona. Arcosanti is a remarkable living laboratory project that was conceived by Italian architect and sculptor Paolo Soleri (b 1919). In this blog post I will give a short review of our stay and point anyone interested to the Arcosanti website for information about this inspiring project.

A view of the main building holding the Bakery, Cafe, Gallery and Reception area

The most simple way to describe Arcosanti would be that it is an experimental city being constructed by volunteers from around the world (most often architects, artists and free thinkers). It is currently housing between 20-100 residents, who live and work there year round as volunteers and students of the philosophies of Arcology http://www.arcosanti.org/theory/arcology/main.html .The Website for Arcosanti will also tell you about their beautiful silt cast bells and has a detailed schedule of their exciting performances and events .

a selection of bronze silt cast bells available in the shop

A short history:
"In 1970, the Cosanti Foundation began building Arcosanti, an experimental town in the high desert of Arizona, 70 miles north of metropolitan Phoenix. When complete, Arcosanti will house 5000 people, demonstrating ways to improve urban conditions and lessen our destructive impact on the earth. Its large, compact structures and large-scale solar greenhouses will occupy only 25 acres of a 4060 acre land preserve, keeping the natural countryside in close proximity to urban dwellers." (from the Arcosanti Website http://www.arcosanti.org)

We decided to visit Arcosanti after hearing about the incredible performances that are held there on a regular basis.Not being a huge fan of crowds I thought it would be interesting to go there during a "down time"- in the heat of the summer- to simply experience the setting (and to "cambiare aria" (change air) before settling into our school routine for the year. )

Daisy by the pool. Note the "pod like" artist studio with circle windows in the distance

I think it was a good choice, because we had a peaceful few days, however, the heat was quite oppressive so I'm thinking that we would not go in August again. I really have a hard time dealing with extreme heat (though I live in Arizona) so I did more reading than hiking. (Cosmo and his Dad hiked in the early mornings).

There is also a pool on site that we very much enjoyed at the end of the long hot days. I look forward to going back in the cooler months to experience the trails and landscape more completely. I could even see going by myself for a few days in order to retreat and work on a project.

MBZ in the "vaults" - the largest performance/meeting space at Arcosanti

One idea I have is for interested participants of next year's SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) conference to take a field trip to Arcosanti to observe their foundry and daily silt cast bell production. At the very least, I would recommend a visit to the Cosanti foundation (closer to the conference, in Scottsdale) which is Paolo Soleri's home and sculpture studio. (Cosanti is also open to the public and has daily tours.)

Arcosanti Arizona is located about 35 miles east of Prescott and a little over an hour north of Phoenix. (It took us about 3 1/2 hours to drive there from Tucson) For more information see http://arcosanti.org
and you can also find the Arcosanti project on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1069939853 .

New colorful Designs that don't break your piggy bank!

2011-08-10T16:00:00.000-07:00

I've just started listing some new pieces in my etsy shop that I've designed to be perfect for every day "go to" pieces - and I've made sure to keep them in the economical "perfect for a gift" under $40 range.

Here are a few new pieces- Colorful disc earrings (soon available in many more colors)

Copper, brass and sterling disc earrings, colored with durable powder coating enamel paint

for the listing to one of these pairs of earrings click here

Another new design are these small forged sterling silver hoop earrings with disc beads. These earrings are great for both men and women (and will soon have a large variety of colors as well)

for the listing to a pair of these hoop earrings click here

And, have you noticed how expensive silver has become? I thought it would be a good idea to give my customers a less expensive option- I have been stocking things in bronze, but have now decided to make these pieces also in yellow Brass- which has a great bright yellow color.

Here are a pair of my gorgeous Ying Yang hoops, now available in brass!

to go to the listing for these Ying Yang Paisley hoop earrings click here!

OK- that's it for today- I will post my next batch of new offerings soon- I'm stocking my shop for the winter season- trying to get everything done and on line before I go back to work as a goldsmith for my winter-spring job. (when I have much less time for creating new designs)

Thanks for looking- I hope you are having a great summer

ciao- Maureen

Newpaper Feature

2011-07-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

The Tucson newspaper (The Daily Star) ran a feature article on me last Friday-

my studio- draped for summer coolness

I thought I'd share it with you- here is the link http://azstarnet.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/article_242a2442-8105-53f6-9e25-37259c35ecd9.html . There is a good image of my signature strap bracelets and an artsy picture of me working at the bench (yes, I like working in a darkened room)
Thanks for reading- please feel free to share this with your creative friends:-) ciao- Maureen

the hissing of summer lawns

2011-07-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

Well, it's monsoon season again in Southern AZ- last week we had a series of storms every afternoon- it was exactly the thing that us Tucsonans long for at this time of year- Clouds and rain!

I know, it's strange to love clouds and rain- especially if you are from another part of the planet- I remember when I moved here from Boston (almost 20 years ago)that I thought I could never get enough sunshine...and the old timers would shake their heads and give a knowing laugh...
"Oh, just wait , little Yankee Girl..that sun will get you!" And they were right.

It's almost cumulative- those first few years here I think I was still thawing out from my years in New England. I was outside all summer long- be it 100* or more- riding my horse- hanging out with friends by their pool (they were in the shade)...and enduring each drive in my non-air conditioned 66 Plymouth Fury with a sense of adventure. Hey, I was innocent! I had yet to arrive at the crossroads- I was still thawing out.

Around 3 years in- I finally had enough. enough heat, enough HISSSSSS of the cicadas hanging out in the mesquite trees, enough of being burned by my steering wheel. Enough already of the heat! I was ready to move on- go back to New England- and perhaps get a Masters degree. So- I lined everything up- get tickets to fly to Boston to scout out living possibilities- and you know what happened? Two weeks before I was scheduled to fly, I had a chance meeting with a very handsome Italian Physicist. He worked for the U of A- we were married within a year, and have now have been listening to the Cicada Symphony for 16 years together.

I have to say I still mind the heat- 100+ degrees - even if it is a Dry Heat- is still 100+ degrees. an oven is and oven is an oven. I even "cooked" a kid in the Tucson summer- Cosmo will turn 9 on July 24.

But there is a certain weird camaraderie between Tucson's summer society. we give each other "knowing" looks as we scan the skies for clouds.
It's a Tucson thing, you may not understand......however.....
You May be from Tucson if.....................

You can pronounce”Saguaro”, “javelina”, “San Xavier”, “Ina”, “Tanque Verde”, and “Cholla”
from June-October you can fry an egg on the hood of your car
Bragging season? October-April
Whining season? May- October
You think someone driving wearing oven mitts is clever.
You think 60 tons of crushed red rock makes a beautiful yard.
Vehicles with open windows have the right-of-way in the summer.
You no longer associate bridges or rivers with water.
You know a swamp cooler is not a happy hour drink.
You can hear the weather forecast of 110 degrees without flinching.
You can make sun tea instantly.
The best parking is determined by shade…..not distance.
You know that “Valley Fever” isn’t a disco dance.
Hotter water comes from the cold water tap than the hot one.
You actually burn your hand opening the car door.
Sunscreen is sold year round, kept right at the checkout counter.
You put on a hat and fresh sunscreen just to go check the mail box.

:-) ciao ciao- Enjoy the Monsoooooooons- MaureenBZ

June's Box a Month

2011-07-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images of the latest in my "Box a Month" series 2011.

I have given myself a personal challenge to create a handmade metal box or container every month this year- It is a challenge I created for myself to stretch my metalsmithing and design skills to a different (larger than jewelry) scale. I also am keeping my pewtersmithing skills sharp by re-visiting my pewter bench on a monthly basis. I'm enjoying the challenge of working bigger, and am hoping to continue this project throughout the year. My wish would be to have a show that exhibits my box a month collection at the end of the year.

"Octo Krakken Portal Box" June 2011
It's hand fabricated in pewter with a domed and patinaed copper hinged lid. and resin coated pewter tentacles
This piece has a hidden compartment inside the box (a box within a box) to hold secret treasures/ valuables.
Measurements are 4 1/2"x 5 1/2" round

opening the portal

This container has a hidden "Box within a box" compartment, shown here- I always love to make a little surprise in these pieces- I feel that it adds a special-ness to the object (similar to how cool it was to find a hotwheels car with doors that open...you know that feeling, right?) here are a few images that show the hidden compartment...

Oh, and one more thing about this piece...I developed a latex allergy halfway through completing this box. I found out about it after spending 20 minutes with latex gloves on (while working with the resins on the box's tentacles). I worked those 20 minutes- closed my studio and went to bed- when I woke up the next morning my hands were bright res and blistered! I've heard of allergies "coming out of nowhere"- and now I believe it!

Anyhow- here's a pic of my hands (and the bottom of the box) one week after the initial reaction...Yikes! I'm happy to say that my hands are now looking much better- 10 days after the fact. I've thrown out my latex gloves, bought some nitril gloves instead, and am looking into allergy websites to get information on what I should now avoid because of this new reaction.

I'm learning something new all the time! All's well that end's well-
ciao for now- Maureen

PS- yes, I will be listing these box a month pieces in my etsy shop soon- I will announce their posting in my Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/cosmosmoon
Come join Cosmo's Moon fans by clicking "like" on the Facebook page, where I reveal sales, open studios, Etsy discounts and coupon codes and introduce "sneak peeks" of my latest designs!

featured on become.com

2011-06-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

It's such a nice surprise to be featured on another website-

This week I was honored to be featured at "Pocket Change" at a shopping resource site called become.com. Click Here to see the page
Thank you to whoever picked my page for the feature- I always appreciate the exposure!

I hope you all are having a great summer-
ciao-Maureen

red hook

2011-06-21T17:34:00.001-07:00

red hook , a photo by cosmosmoonjewelry on Flickr.

Here I am Modeling my embossed and spray-painted aluminum "hook" earrings- They are a new style that I'm really loving to make (and wear) I love big earrings, but don't like the feeling of being dragged down by heavy earrings. I can recall some very sore earlobes in the '80's when I wore a pair of big blue glass and brass earrings that were amazing, but super super heavy. That was 20+ years ago and I STILL remember it!
These earrings are also versatile - they can be worn hooked front (like here) or back- and because they are aluminum they are big but LIGHT! (sterling silver ear wires)
I'm listing a few of these tonight (in red and green (they glow in the dark too!)
I mean, come on....who doesn't like Glow in the dark? :-)
I hope you are having a great summer- We are facing 111* here in Tucson tomorrow... I am setting up the pool tonight!

The Trail Ride bracelet

2011-06-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

A unique and artistic Horse and Nature Bracelet. Inspired by the many hours of trails I rode on when I was kid. And dedicated to the great trail horses in the world who give us their best with generosity that literally shaped civilization. Think about it- where would we be without the assistance and devotion of horses?

click on picture to be taken to this bracelet's Etsy listing

They certainly brought me on a journey in more ways than one! yes, I learned responsibility, devotion, a good work ethic, humility, and gave me a profound love of the natural world. (and while I'm at it, to be truthful, they also did a number on my vertebrae...which I am dealing with currently- actually, I only blame one bratty pony for my current tender neck...his name was Sprite- and he used to throw me after every jump by yanking his head down for grass....little brat!)

me, on pony- NO HELMET! (it was the early 70's) and my sister Amanda. My first riding lesson :-)

Anyhow- I do love my equine friends- and I miss the ritual of the end of the day, going out to the barn while my horse munched on hay- and just listening to the munch munch munch of contented horse teeth.

please give your ponies a smooch on their velvet nose for me!- <3 M

Confession and regrets

2011-06-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

OK- it's been about a week since the SNAG conference in Seattle- last week at this time I was dining with a group of fabulous people from the conference in a great restaurant- trying to figure out what exactly a "dunkle" was..(lol, I still don't quite know, but I think it's like a turkey duck chicken thing)

Anyways- I'm writing this because I have a regret and confession- While I did go to the SNAG conference I feel like I really didn't even see half of the speakers- and I don't know why! Well, one thing was that I was kind of at the end of a longer trip- I went up early to teach a class...by the end of the week I was missing my family and dog really acutely. so, there's homesickness... And then my !!*^)^?***&(* neck started acting up again. (disc issues, long boring store- suffice to say OUCH!)

I'm really baffled how I could have gone to the conference- and not have seen so many things! I don't know- I think I kind of "checked out" when I saw how many people were there (over 900 attended).
I don't like crowds- but I've never been really phobic (I don't think) but maybe that had something to do with it- feeling a little displaced, hurting and kind of tired....OY VEY I'm kind of angry with myself for missing out on so many tidbits!

well- I did have a really good time- Maybe the trick will be to actually stay IN THE SAME HOTEL as the conference- even though I was only about 5 blocks away it was a disconnect- perhaps I could have left my heavy laptop in my room and returned every once in a while if I needed.

Le so< I guess what I want to say is- I'm sorry I didn't get to see/do everything I wanted- and I know there were more than a few people I really wanted to connect with but for some reason didn't.

OK- now that this is off of my brain I'm going to stop beating myself up about it and move ahead- Next year is the Phoenix conference- and I'm working on getting a few things together for that one- I will stay at the hotel- will most likely have my hubby and son with me and if we can- I'm bringing my Daisy dog too- she's my rock.

If I missed you at the conference- sorry- I hope you had a delightful time! And I'll look forward to seeing you online , at the Yuma Symposium, and/or in Phoenix next May!
ciao ciao for now- Maureen
PS- have you heard the Whaley studios interviews from the conference?
Jay did a great job chatting with a bunch of interesting SNAGsters-
I even got a shot at the mike- My interview is about 3/4 of the way through the DAY2 interviews (right after Rachel Timmins and before Andrea and Les from NC Black) check out all the interviews Here

post SNAG hangover

2011-06-01T10:38:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended the SNAG conference in Seattle Washington with about 900 other metalsmiths. It was one of the largest conferences ever- and incredible to see that quantity of talent in one (big) room together.

I considered Blogging during the conference but decided that it would be better to simply direct you to some friend's blogs, who were diligently working on blogging the conference. so...
here are a couple of links....

fromWinona Johnson- http://artbywinona.blogspot.com/
The semi- official Flickr group- http://www.flickr.com/groups/snag2011/
The Crafthaus blogs from Jillian Moore and Katja Toporski found here- (on Crafthaus) http://crafthaus.ning.com/group/fluxsnagseattleconference

I will hopefully be rested and ready to re-start myself in a few days...in the mean time, I'm hanging out with my kiddo and relaxercizing in the Arizona heat.
ciao- Maureen BZ

.

Pewter Workshop

2011-05-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I taught an intro to Pewter workshop for a lovely group of people up here in Seattle Washington. (I was introduced to them by a client that has become a friend- who is now hosting me at their gorgeous home on Camano island- just north of Seattle)

Me and the Northwest Creative Spirits guild

I really enjoy teaching- especially when I can delve into more detail with a subject. We spent the entire day on Pewter- and we could have gone for another few days easily- The entire group got a taste of working with pewter, and left the class excited to go try some stuff on their own.


demonstrating simple pewter casting

I'm hoping to bring pewter to more curious metalsmiths in the future!
Do you have a class that is curious about working with pewter? I'd be happy to schedule a workshop!
ciao- Maureen BZ aka "your Pewter tutor" :-)

Taking risks

2011-05-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

next weekend I'm one of the participants in the Society of North American Goldsmith's trunk show-
And I've been wondering how much experimental work I should be bringing to the trunk show-

I'll bring my one of a kind work, which is interesting and "sale-able" but the multi media stuff is pretty risky.....and I love it! in fact- I'm really feeling a move away from my more traditional metalsmithing work towards my more eclectic sculptural pieces.

Hey, I figure if I don't show it at the SNAG conference (which will be loaded with creative people with developed aesthetics) where would I consider showing it? It's kind of a leap- but I'm going to go for it- at the very least I'll be the girl with the crazy stuff on her table....(and I'm sure I won't be the only one)
Safe schmafe, I'm laying it on the line at the:
SNAG Member Trunk Show and Sale
at the Westin, Seattle
1900 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA
May 29th from 3PM until 5PM
in conjunction with the 2011 SNAG Conference - showroom location off main lobby

The Deluge

2011-05-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

Hi there Metalsmiths -
is your email box flooded with new emails from all of your new groups? mine is!
As much as I love my groups and getting mail I find swimming through those emails in order to find "real" emails a bit of a mess, so I've decided to turn off the email notices from a few of my groups.....Don't worry- you will still get Facebook notifications- they just won't send stuff to your email account :-)
sometimes you just have to tweak things a bit...

Adjusting your email and notification settings- with the "upgraded" groups
here's the way to do it:
for those who are part of this group or would like to be, but don't want your mailboxes flooded with notifications...

go to Edit Settings(top left of this page) and deselect Email notifications. then save settings

You're not done yet!- in order for you to really turn them off you need to jump through a few more hoops......

2. Under the "email notifications to: youremail@blah blah blah" you will see
"to turn off all emails, edit your notification settings"- (click there)

(you will be taken to another larger window with a long list of settings for your Profile, Groups, Pages...etc)

3. scroll down to "groups"-then click "change email settings for individual groups" ( it's the last thing listed-in blue text)

4. there you should go to another window that has a list of your groups- The groups that you want to get emails from , check the box- the groups that you do not want to get emails from Uncheck the box.

5. at this point you need to click "save settings" and that should do the trick...until Facebook changes around more things, which will drive me crazy once again....

Please forgive me if you have had too many notifications from this group- it is Facebook's doing- I'm simply the humble metalsmithing messenger :-), trying hard not to get to the point of introducing my Mac to "Mr Hammer...LOL

ok- that's all for now- I'm off to slay the dragons!
ciao- Maureen

Facebook Flubs it again

2011-05-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Facebook users-

Click the image to go to the "original" Metalsmiths Unite group

re: the archiving of your already established group....(I just went through this with my group of over 1200 members, Metalsmiths Unite)

if you are an administrator of a "group to be archived"
I just wanted to let you know how the whole thing worked out for us- because you may save yourself a lot of hassle in the long run.
last week:

we were informed that our page was to be archived

and told that if we didn't update that we would lose all of our members and most of our recent posts.

then we weren't given an "update" button for our group- only a link to making a new page.

Not having a date of when they would archive the page led me to believe it could happen at any time- and that I would lose the membership and information that our group had accumulated over the past 3 years....

So......I made a new group- invited my friends, notified all the members of the old group....and started re-establishing the community.....

Click on this image to go to the "new" Metalsmiths Unite 2.0 group

a week went by....and guess what? Facebook then added an "upgrade" button to the original group- making all of the re-organization absolutely a waste of time, and essentially dividing my "metalsmiths Unite" group. (Which is now cut in two- as "Metalsmiths Unite" and Metalsmiths Unite 2.0)

Needless to say I am really irked by the way Facebook fumbled this transition- if they had given a schedule to the upcoming archiving I wouldn't have been afraid of losing my group, and if they had put an upgrade button on the group in the first place I wouldn't now be sitting on a divided group.
And I know for a fact that there are many many more groups out there that are going through the same thing-
it's as if Facebook had NO CLUE as to how to transition to a new format- and no clue as to haw to inform their users how to make the transition.

They yelled "Fire" into a crowded theater....waited as people panicked, blew out the candle then opened the exit doors

Nice job, Facebook.

April 2011 - la Fiorentina piccola10

2011-05-03T10:08:00.001-07:00

April 2011 - la Fiorentina piccola10, a photo by cosmosmoonjewelry on Flickr.

Here is my piece for April's "Box a Month" (BAM!)
Hand fabricated embossed pewter box with tooled leather interior. 4" x 5" x 5".
The surface embellishment is roller printed from a pattern I created this Christmas while spending the holidays with family in Florence Italy. (I couldn't keep myself away from my makeshift studio that I maintain at our apartment)
This piece represents the refinement and rustic nature of the center of Florence- (Minus the graffiti) I will be making one with graffiti soon, I'm sure.

Metal Prices and the effect on Craft

2011-04-20T15:13:00.000-07:00

The number says it all- today Silver prices shot up over $45 dollars an ounce. I've never seen it so high- well, never have been really tuned in when it was high before...

In late 1979 I was in 8th grade, in Durham New Hampshire. We had just moved there from Newark Delaware a few months before. One of my memories of that time was a discussion that happened in one of my classes about the rising cost of silver- This was the time when "the Hunt brothers" (Nelson and William Hunt) attempted to corner the world market in silver. Prices from Sept 1979 to January 1980 silver prices rose from $11.00 and ounce to $50 an ounce.

I recall one of my classmates very excited by this because he and his brothers had been given silver stock as a confirmation gift earlier that year. At the time- the rise in prices didn't mean much to me- it only left me with a pang of "missed opportunity" and a renewed interest in my mother's jewelry box.

(don't worry, I never took anything- I just would dream of each piece of silver making me "rich" like Richie Rich, the comic book character)

However- this price increase that we are going through now is making me think very differently- I am now in my 25th year of working as a silversmith- I use silver every day, and it's price makes a huge difference to me and my business. I have a couple of shops online where I sell my silver and mixed metals designs- I chose to work in silver because it was an affordable way to start a career in jewelry. I also love silver's color and workability- It's one of my favorite materials- and it keeps getting more and more expensive to buy! which, in turn forces me to increase my prices in my shop...

whimsical abstraction necklace for sale in my Etsy Shop, "Cosmo's Moon"

Why? because I have to think about replacement cost of my work- if one piece sells, I need to replace it- even if that piece originally cost me $20 to make, with the increase in metals prices on the market, my replacement cost increases as well. In essence, if I sell a piece for the material cost when the silver prices were in their $20's, I would take a loss- because the piece couldn't be replaced for that price anymore...it would be replaced at the current price of metals (plus manufacturing cost)

Wait....what? Manufacturing cost? That's right!- Manufacturing cost is added to metal when we go to the silver supply store and buy silver. You see, the metal has to be alloyed (alloying is when you take a pure metal and you add another metal to give a certain characteristic to the metal- for instance sterling is 92.5% pure silver mixed with 7.5% copper), Then the manufacturer makes the alloyed metals into forms, like sheet or wire. We metalsmiths in the US usually buy our sterling in these manufactured forms. (there is an argument also for making your own alloys, but that's a different subject all together, which I will leave for another time)-So, if metal prices are at 40$ an ounce- we are paying $40 plus manufacturing cost (which is variable, depending on the manufactured form) for our supplies...that's a great deal different than a few years ago when we thought $10 an ounce was outrageously expensive!

So- as each trip to the silver store gets more and more expensive, I find myself faced with a dilemma- do I buy more silver? will it go up even more? can I afford to invest in more supplies right now, or do I have to re-consider my materials?

Well, I'm doing a little of everything- I'm not swearing off of silver completely- It is really a necessity for certain items like rings and earrings- But I'm not "stocking up" either.

It's a game that many 'smiths are engaged in right now, whether we want to be or not- the silver lining (no pun intended, but it's a good pun, huh) is that the rise of metals prices will have an effect on the value of skilled work. Hobbyists who have been flooding the silver jewelry market will be looking at their hobby supplies differently- due to the high "start up" cost of silver.

I believe that in the coming months there will be a further separation of professionals vs hobbyists, similar to the separation between those who work exclusively in gold vs those who work in silver. Effectively raising the perceived value of silver as a metal, and the idea that it is a metal mostly used by professionals.
I could be wrong, but that is where I see the trend heading.

That being said- I don't believe that this augmentation of silver prices will make "silver smithing as a hobby" become a thing of the past- it's just becoming more expensive to "start"- and therefore less new (inexperienced) craftspeople working in silver on the market.

My hope is that those of us who continue our silversmithing will raise the level of silverwork to a new level of craftsmanship- Therefore giving "new polish" to one of humankind's oldest crafts.

and, with that off my chest- I'm heading out to my studio to make some beautifully crafted pieces... in silver!
ciao- Maureen BZ

deadlines, good bad and ugly.

2011-04-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well, not really bad..

There are still a couple of days left for a few important deadlines-

one, we in the US know is that taxes thing (which is actually due on the 18th this year)

another thing you may know about is the deadline for VIDEO submissions to the SNAG Seattle (click here for more info)...which has had a DEADLINE EXTENSION until April 29th (Yay!)

and finally-...--
the deadline which I know you are all working on (right?) is for Exhibitions proposals for the SNAG Phoenix 2012 Conference....."the Heat is On"
and that one is the most pressing, due on APRIL 15th! Friday!

find out more about submitting proposals at the PDF link found HERE, under Phoenix conference please submit proposals! I'd love to have Metalsmiths Unite represent in Phoenix- my home state!!

(**ps, full disclosure, I'm on the exhibitions committee for the Phoenix conference)

check out the fabulous brand spanking new logo for SNAG Phoenix!

isn't that a super cool logo? or, is it Hot?

:-) ciao- Maureen

Open Studios

2011-04-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

It's time for the Spring Open Studio tour here in Tucson!

to find a comprehensive list of participating studios please go to Zocalo Magazine online- where you will find maps and info about the studios that will be open to tour.

I will have my space open on SATURDAY ONLY-
I'm tidying up my studio today, so that it will be spiffy clean - believe me, you don't want to see it in it's normal unruly state!

If you are in Tucson, come on by next Saturday (the 16th) from 11-5 to see where all the magic and metalsmithing happens :-) I'd love to see you!
ciAO- Maureen

patina-palooza

2011-04-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

It's patina week here on Mabel street- I brought in a bunch of samples and did a little demo in my class Wednesday morning- then today, I had a client ask about putting a patina on a pair of gauged grommets.

in short, it's the vapors that do the reaction on the metal- makes it grow a surface of blue crud aka "patina"

I thought it might be interesting for my readers to see as well- give a peek "inside the studio" for non-metalsmiths as well.....so- without further ado...... Here's a quick look at putting a beautifully textured blue patina on copper-

Here's a fun project- if you have a piece of copper (you can get a plumbing part from the hardware store) take a handful of sawdust, put it in a ziplock bag- add a bit of non-sudsing ammonia (to get the sawdust damp-(not too wet) add about a 1/4 teaspoon table salt....then mix it up (shake the bag around)


put your clean copper in the bag, cover it with the sawdust solution and SEAL the bag shut to keep the ammonia vapors inside, doing their magic...every hour or so go and check on it...

take it out of the bag- and lightly rinse- being careful to not rub the surface- pat dry, put it under a light bulb to warm up and dry completely.. the piece will appear that it hadn't changed much at first, but with drying you will see some patina/changes in color.

continue to bury the piece in sawdust mixture and check every hour or so to check the color development.
stop when you are happy with the colors-----be careful not to build too heavy of a patina surface, because it will tend to chip off. (the sawdust will get pretty grungy looking after a while.. that's ok, as long as it continues to have a strong ammonia odor)

Some NOTES:
Once I'm happy with the patina color I like to seal my patinas with either clear butcher's wax , renaissance wax, or a light application of clear spraypaint/fixitive (very light application only)

it's best to experiment with patinas on small sample pieces before you dive in and try to patina an important piece-

remember to use good ventilation, the fumes are really strong!

This is just one way to develop color on metal- there are many tutorials online and in books- There are many patina recipes and techniques- and many opinions... :-) it's up to you to decide which works for you, and how you want to use it.

Patinas are surface color only- they don't go "into" the metal, they cling to the surface- When you design a piece for patina make sure you don't use them for anything that will get lots of wear and tear (like a ring) or, if you do put it on an exposed area, you need to put a protective structure on top of it to avoid abrasion...

take lots of notes, do some variations (use distilled water/add more/less salt/ammonia, change sawdust type to different coarseness/wood type) and enjoy watching your metals morph into something beautifully colorful!


top right piece is unpatinaed copper- then clockwise, blue patinaed copper with liver of sulfur base, the three samples on the left are all copper with an ammonia, salt and sawdust patina.

Have fun-
may the flux be with you- ciao- Maureen

Seedboat gallery show

2011-03-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I got it all done in time! Here's a peek at my portion of the show Opening tomorrow at Seedboat Gallery in Silver City NM.

painted pewter pendants

Mixed media bracelets and earrings


Hybrid pewter and mixed media containers

still running

2011-03-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

like a chicken with it's head cut off-
doing more than I should, working like a madwoman in my studio, and fretting about getting it all done on time! I know I've been neglecting my blog- I'll be hopefully finding more time available after next weekend's opening...so, until then.....
ciao- M

BZ BZ busy

2011-03-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

I've had a few topics lately I wanted to blog about- The Japan disaster, the rising cost of metals, the digital submission process...among others...
so, I'm jotting this down now- that way , once I'm finished doing all of this extra work in my studio I'll actually get some time to sit down and really write.
It's all a balancing act these days...I'm getting work ready for a show in April (Seedboat gallery in Silver City NM- opening April 1st) an open studio (mid April) Tucson fashion week (end of April) and the SNAG conference in Seattle (end of May). Plus, I've picked up an unexpected teaching gig, and I'm working for a local Opal dealer by making bezels.

New castings March 2011

OH, and yesterday I got my new castings back from the casting house (not like I have any time to finish them....)
I've always thought my initials sounded like "am busy" MBZ....
I think there's a conspiracy here! LOL

OK- I'm off to make some money for travel this summer-

Tucson, keepin it subversive

2011-03-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

Tucson is a really laid back place to live- ample space for studio and gardens- I think we have pretty cheap rent too (though I haven't rented in years)
we spend a huge amount of time outside- so those of us with Seasonal Affective Disorder have no problems at all- Here in southern AZ we have so much sun it's almost maddening.

When I first moved here (from Boston in 1992) I was told that the few white puffy clouds that were in the sky made it a "cloudy" day...and that one day I would be just like all the other Southern Arizonans, who plead for a drop of rain to eek from a feeble cloud.....they were right!

When it rains here it's like a party- everyone goes to the window and the porch and slurps in the smell of wet creosote bush and desert ozone. You should see the tweets about the rain- Tucson Tweeps all bombard their twitterverse with exhalations of joy. The plants green up, and birds tweet merrily.....All is good with the desert world..for about 15 minutes. Then it's back to sun sun sun sun sun sun sun.......The rarity of rain can explain why Tucson is also the home to Rainwater Harvesting and our local RH guru Brad Lancaster.(check out his book and website here)

Tucson is unlike most of AZ also because it is a patch of Democratic Blue in a sea of gun totin' whoop it up red Republicans. (ok, I'm exaggerating there, got a bit carried away with my stereotypes, but we are really a Democrat haven in a red state) There are often motions for Pima county to succeed from the rest of AZ. While Portland keeps it weird, Tucson keeps it subversive.

It's awful that Tucson got "on the map" this year from the acts of a lone disturbed individual. But it was heartening to see the community pull together in the wake of the tragic shooting spree. We all have a lot of healing to do- and us subversive liberal artsy fartsy Tucsonans are keeping it real down here in the Olde Pueblo.
ciao for now- M

next phase, workshopping it out!

2011-03-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

Every independent artisan has to find a balance of studio /teaching/office/family. Since I has Cosmo, I've been spending time here in Tucson, mostly working in my studio/office, and concentrating on my mom duties the rest of the time. I haven't had much opportunity to really shop out my teaching skills, until now, as Cosmo is growing up and becoming more independent... I am announcing my next phase- "work shopping it out"!(WSIO)


me in my studio

Would you or your metals organization like to have me come and teach a workshop? I've been teaching on and off for the past 15 years, (in Italy and the United States) and love to demo/ answer questions/lead you though investigations. Many of my students continue with their metalsmithing to this day- and a few of them have had a good deal of success, getting teaching gigs themselves, and one even recently got accepted to the ACC show in Baltimore!

I want to teach short workshops on different metals techniques (I have a huge list of techniques that I'm qualified to teach- got a technique you are interested in? ask me, I most likely have taught it) and I'm also interested in teaching design challenges, or teaching about social media and online marketing.

I am currently on the books to teach a fun mixed metals workshop at "the Ranch" near Seattle in May- (just before the SNAG conference) I'm also looking into the possibility of doing a pewter workshop in the area around the same time, or in July , when I plan on escaping Tucson's heat to go visit my sister in Hood River Oregon (and pick/eat cherries in her orchard)

SO, as I am currently getting my schedule booked for teaching workshops this summer through December.Anyone want me to come and teach? I have some spots open and would love to come mix up some metals with your group at your studio! You can contact me at bzap724@cox.net and we can schedule a call to chat about your group's needs, and see if we can put something on the calender!

off to the studio now- may the Flux be with you!ciao-M

Hi Ho Hi Ho to the Yuma Symposium I go

2011-02-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

Every February for the past 32 years a group of artists and creative thinkers make the trek to Yuma Arizona to attend what has now become known as the Yuma Symposium.
It started as a backyard barbecue after a visiting artist lecture series at AZ Western College, and has grown to an annual event with hundreds of enthusiastic attendees. The Yuma Symposium is self described as this:

"The Yuma Symposium is comfort food for hungry artists.
The presenters come from around the country to share their work; and like a potluck with great friends you know it’s going to be good. We bask in the warmth of Arizona’s winter sun while forming bonds that may last thirty years or more."

One of the things that past attendees know is that the Symposium actually unofficially starts weeks before the actual event- This is the time period in which we begin to create our pins for the annual pin swap, which happens the first night of the conference, at Lutes Casino (a local watering hole).

There are differing attitudes about the pins-
As a Business card-some artists really concentrate on making a specific statement with their pins- showing their aesthetic sense, and usually having a web address on the back.
As a joke- these are the quirk pins- with rubber chickens and googley eyes..
As a creative excercize- these pins are the ones that the artist has done a bunch of experimentation and the pins are jumping off points for their own work for the rest of the year (I tend to make these kinds)
As a process- where the pins are made within a certain constrained time- mass production of a certain form- made with love and speed.
and then there is the mystery pins---that leaves you guessing (usually pretty funny too)

I thought I'd show my blog readers my batch of pins, before they get dispersed to the winds...
so- here is an image of a few of the 35 pins I've created for the Pin swap-
they are made with an experimental process that I've been playing with- one that reminds me greatly of the work I used to do in my years as an art student at the Museum School in Boston....


a few "Yuma Pins" for the Symposium 2011

Just to give you a side by side comparison to my old art school pieces, here is an old image of one of my works from 1988- I am in the far left corner, to give you a sense of scale...

"Galloping Spiral Rosette" 1988

The piece is made of carved and painted styrofoam- I made a bunch of similar works- all with a motif of stone walls, shapes and movements. I believe they mostly have been destroyed at this point- Incredibly hard to store and transport, I gave up on these larger scale pieces, and have been exploring similar ideas in my metalsmithing...

Just for fun, here is an image of some of my similar pieces I've created using my metalsmithing skills-
these bracelets come directly from the same line of exploration as my early large scale works- but are MUCH more simple to store, and are fully transportable to boot!:-)

currently available at http://braceletworkshop.etsy.com

OK, rambling over for now- I've got to go check on my pins- hopefully they are all dry and ready to be packed up for the Yuma journey
I'll be taking lots of pics at this years symposium- will blog about the experience when I return-
ciao for now!- Maureen

NPR and PBS funding emergency (again)

2011-02-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

Congress is currently voting on possible cuts to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcast System (PBS)- I think it would be catastrophic for our culture of information and for the future of how we receive our news and entertainment if such vital programming had their funding cut.

what kind of road are we on?

Yes, I donate regularly to every funding drive (and I endure the fund drive interruptions of programming) Because I believe strongly in the intelligent programs that these services provide.
I'm really concerned- so I fashioned this email to my representative......

*****************************************************************

To the representative of my district (for me it is Raul Grijalva)

I know you are a supporter of education and funding for the arts- which is one of the reasons I have voted for you- that being said-

I'm really concerned about the proposed cuts to PBS and NPR- I believe that they are incredibly valuable tools for our country. PBS and NPR are the cornerstone of news and information for all of my family- from my 8 year old son, who teaches me new things every day that he has learned on PBS kids- to my Astro-Physicist husband - who loves to geek out to the science programs- and for myself, an artist, who enjoys a variety of subjects from all the programming PBS provides.

AND NPR has become my staple radio station in the car and in my studio- I have practically eliminated the need for commercial news programming due to NPR's fine and consistent reporting.
Plus, the enrichment from all of the shows from Science Friday to Radio Lab and Studio360- they provide a balance in our increasingly mindless world of "information" provided by Fox news and the like.

We cannot let the bullies on the right destroy our media culture by cutting funding to our essential balanced programs. I really feel that it has become a war on progressive thought, where right wing hysteria and propaganda has become the manna for the huddled masses to consume.

I for one want nothing to do with the meek flock of zombies that are frightened by their own shadows- grasping frantically to their fear and greed- while stomping on the heads of rational minded citizens.

In that- I want to encourage you to fight to keep the already meager funding for PBS and NPR. I know that you are in that corner already- but I wanted to let you know you have my support- as well as the support of many of my friends.

Thank you- keep up the great work- (signed__________)

***************************************************************************
a bit wordy, perhaps- but that's the way I roll-
and you know I had to mention zombies. it's contractual..lol

to find info about these cuts and contact info on your representatives check out http://170millionamericans.org
please share this information on Facebook and elsewhere (twitter, your blog...etc) find the 170 million page on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/170Million

ciao-MBZ

Professional Development Seminar

2011-02-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

The Professional Development Seminar (PDS) happens right before the SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) conference in Seattle this May. I went to the one in Savannah and was very happy with the copious amount of good information that would help me hone my professional practices- In fact, I think that seminar was really what spurred me into creating the framework of websites and projects in which I currently work.

If you are heading to SNAG Seattle (or, if you are an artisan in the NW area looking to develop your professional skills) I would highly recommend you register for this seminar. It is a separate event than SNAG- so it is self advertising through word of mouth on the internet and otherwise (so please feel free to copy this post and spread the word)

Here is the official info:

Professional Development Seminar

"Having the ability to listen to the pricing discussion from the Houston conference was food for my soul. Both constructive and insightful, it enabled me to hear how other makers create, price, and market their work. In times such as these, this kind of information is priceless." -Jan Mandel, Wearable Art Jeweler
SNAG produces a Professional Development Seminar every year during our annual conference. The Seminar delivers three hours of concrete information that will change the way you approach your work and the way you do business.

Professional Development Seminar 2011

Click here for flyer

Niche Marketing: A Targeted Approach
There are more ways to market our work than through the standard venues that most of us are already using. Our Niche marketers emiko oye, Hilary Pfeifer, and Deb Stoner will share how they came to recognize and develop new marketing opportunities.
Their experiences offer insight to:
•Discover new markets;
•Create new work catering to specific groups or demographics;
•Find a marketing void and fill it;
•Or simply begin the search…

Photography in Flux: Technical Issues, Media and Style

From the accelerating evolution of digital images to the ethics of image manipulation, the world of photography is changing rapidly. Is your photography up to date? Is it an effective tool? Our presenters will look at the current technologies and trends in art and craft photography and address key issues that affect how your work is seen and interpreted. Hear from the pros, including professional photographers Douglas Yaple, Roger Schreiber, and Christopher Conrad.

Topics include:
•Are you being judged by the style of your images?
•How much post production is acceptable and who should do the work?
•Current trends in background and composition.
•The model or the pedestal?
•And much more...

Saturday, May 28, 2011
9:00 a.m. to noon
The Westin Hotel, 1900 5th Ave, Seattle, WA

Free with SNAG conference registration or $40 at the door to attend only the Professional Development Seminar (which also includes Vendor Room admission on Saturday).

THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES during lunch: The Professional Development Seminar is followed immediately by a brown bag lunch with our speakers. All artists and craftspeople are invited to participate, whether they are attending the conference or not. Lunches will be available onsite to purchase.

Questions from the audience are encouraged. Ask during the seminar or send your question in advance to: Harriete Estel Berman.

Request for advice re: plating

2011-02-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking about buying a set up for plating/electroforming. Metals prices are just not helping me these days, and I found that my bronze pieces simply don't sell as well as my silver- BUT my silver is getting more expensive, and I'm seeing a drop in sales. :-(
so I thought I'd try plating my bronze pieces silver, and my silver pieces with gold.

I was thinking about getting a plating set up- one that also can do electro-forming and was looking at the one offered by Rio- http://www.riogrande.com/MemberArea/ProductPage.aspx?assetname=335600&page=GRID&free_text=plating
I wanted to know if any of you have this set up, and if you like using it-
also , does it work as a plating set up as well? How about anodizing niobium? I have a bunch of Niobium from a past workshop that I'd love to use...
thanks in advance for your advice-
ciao - Maureen

superbowl 2011

2011-02-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

I 've always wondered what the big deal was with Superbowl Sunday. What, you watch a bunch of gigantic men run into each other and throw a ball around? oh, and there's beer?
sorry, but YUCK. just not appealing at all.

I just don't have the football gene- unless, of course we're talking about European football, Soccer (or Calcio as they say in my hubby's homeland). It's the European championships? I'm glued to the tv. It's part amazement at their skill, part animal lust- hey, those guys are hot. just sayin.

SO....why am I posting about something I'm not interested in? Superbowl? no, Super Bowl, yes!
a few years ago I was on Crafthaus and saw a post from a friend Wendy Edsall Kerwin- she was inviting craftspeople to join her in "the Superbowl challenge"- which is, she explained, not about watching football (which you can do anyways) but actually Making a SUPER BOWL on Superbowl Sunday!

WELL- that sounded just right to me! I'd been wanting to stretch a little, make some non-jewelry metal pieces- and this was the perfect opportunity. Last year was my first try- I decided to just be experimental with the whole bit- especially since I don't own any forming stakes- SO..I raised like a cave woman. Stump, Rock, Metal. *grunt* here's a link to the little video of the making of..super bowl 2010..


Super bowl 2010. Pewter and car paint. Stump formed

This year I decided not to do any raising- I'm having some issues with carpal tunnel (typing this with braces on) and I just didn't want to be ouchy. SO...I decided to free-form patch a bunch of scrap together and play with that.I used scrap brass and copper and collaged them together in small groups- like this-

------------------------

then I stitched the groups together with brass wire and formed a crude bowl form. From there, I filled all of the (intentional) holes with a "secret sauce" mix of grit and adhesives. At that point I hung up my apron for the night. I have a video of this part of the process posted on my youtube channel here.

The next day was a bit of refining the form, and filling any extra holes that didn't 'take" the first go around. Yesterday I completed the piece by filing, sanding and burnishing some areas to enhance the layered metals, and I also painted on the gritty areas and interior of the bowl . (I have a fondness for light colored interiors of bowls- I like the way it can optically "flip" the concavity into a convex form) so- here it is--------------------> the finished piece

Maureen Brusa Zappellini's Super Bowl 2011 from the side..

the bottom (makes a cool bunny stand)

If you are interested in seeing the other fabulous handmade bowls from other artists participating in the Super Bowl challenge, you can find a collection of images at the Flickr group "Superbowl 2011" here

and to see Wendy Edsall Kerwin's blog "hammermarks"here.

Congratulations to all the artists who participated- the images of new pieces are being added daily, and they are all wonderfully unique and creative. I know I'll be looking forward to next year's Super Bowl, and I'll be rooting for team Artisan! (go team!)

:-) ciao- M

BAM! My "Box a Month" project

2011-02-01T21:19:00.000-08:00


"Celebrated Anxiety" 2010 multi-chambered handmade pewter box by Maureen BZ

last year I endeavored to make a ring a day- it was challenging, to say the least- and I ended up dropping in and out of the practice- I ended up with a total of 150 rings that I created for the project- some very sketchy and fun- some elaborate and some just downright ugly. I got a lot out of doing the project- it was good to stretch and open some new channels of my creativity, so I'm glad I did it....but....

But, I'm over it- just not doing the ring thing this year- yes, I'll be making them for my online shop ( http://cosmosmoon.etsy.com ) and I will be taking orders for custom rings as well- but I've decided that I really don't want to continue with obsessively creating rings- (yes, there is a group for Ring a Week this year- making incredible pieces, which I love to see, but I'm not joining in)

This year, however I AM going to be taking on a personal challenge to make a "Box a Month" (BAM!). The one thing I never have time for it seems is my larger pewter work, so having this monthly challenge will be a great way for me to work bigger and think in more sculptural terms.

Having said this- I must admit, it's already February and I haven't finished January's box...but I'm giving myself an out on this because I needed to set up my pewter studio again (and my new band saw)
I Do have a piece about 80% finished, so stay tuned - I'll be posting pics of it later this week

OK- I've thrown my hat into the ring (officially) so.....*yawn* I'm off to sleep now
ciao ciao!- Maureen

The origins of Bracelet Workshop

2011-01-24T11:44:00.000-08:00

I have a new Etsy shop- called "Bracelet workshop".
For 10 years or more I've been making a particular type of bracelet- They are made of many different bead like components (that I design and craft by hand) and strung on a leather bracelet strap with a buckle closure.

I started making them when I was in Italy,
I came up with the idea in a funny way- first, I have to say I have never been able to wear bracelets- they drove me crazy- I just simply disliked having metal on my wrists. Well, one day I noticed that my cat's collar was looking a bit scruffy...I decided that I needed to replace it- so (instead of measuring it) I put it on my wrist to remind myself to go buy a new one.

My sweet kitty, "Chet" 1991-2002

And then I went on my way, tra la la throughout my day...going to the workshop, stopping at the Irish Pub for a Guinness on the way home (only a wee one, I'm not much of a drinker), doing some errands...then home, dinner, and sleep.

The next morning, I realised that I had worn that silly cat collar all day and night- never remembering it was even there. HMMMMMMM, interesting...that got my little metalsmith's mind clicking away...

Maybe it wasn't the bracelet that I disliked on my wrist- it was a matter more of comfort and flexibility.. after all, the cat collar did have studs of metal on it- but it didn't bother me at all!
hmmm, veddy intervesting! I started to think of how I could use this information in designing comfortable, wearable bracelets.Then I had my ah-hah moment.....

I guess being away from the southwest gave me permission to do something so blatantly southwestern. *shrug* who knows-

close up of buckle closure and concho slide backings on a "vegan"rubber strap bracelet

basically, I thought of a riff on a concho belt- using the same type of "slide" backing that enables the piece to be slid onto a belt. This would make the pieces independant of each other, allowing space for leather (or rubber/ fabric) to break up the metal backings- making the bracelet less "metal" feeling (while still being very much metal on the front side of the bracelet)plus, it added the flexibility I loved, and the leather (which reminded me of my many years as a horse back rider).Additionally, the buckle closure on the bracelet made it possible for these bracelets to be completely adjustable for most sizes of wrists.

some components and straps available at "braceletworkshop" on etsy

The components that make up these bracelets became "slide bead" conchos- I make them as little sculptures, sketches, technical explorations....they are unique to themselves, and I still find them to be incredibly satisfying to make, because each one of the handmade ones are an exploration. (either technical , material or artistic)

Whew- I just wanted to do a short blog post today! LOL-
all of this origins of the bracelet is my way of introducing my latest project- my new store "Bracelet Workshop" ( http://braceletworkshop.etsy.com ) Where I am now selling my bracelet straps with buckles and slide bead concho components separately, as Build-your-own bracelets.
I'm excited about this venture- I think that the store is unique and will appeal to many people- bead collectors, artists, people searching for unique gifts...and anyone who wants to have a truly unique piece of designer jewelry that they helped design themselves.

OK, I've had enough typing today- I'm heading to the studio to make some cool stuff-
please feel free to share this blog post on twitter/facebook and help me get the word out about my new shop- I'd really appreciate it
ciao for now- Maureen BZ

healing

2011-01-12T14:10:00.000-08:00

Tucson Arizona-
It's a beautiful day here today- blue skies and sunshine- and a peaceful sensation of hope and healing.
Last night, I walked to University Medical Center- less than a mile from my home- to visit the memorial shrine and to pray with my fellow Tucsonans for the healing of the victims and their families.

The president arrives in Tucson in about an hour - to attend a memorial service for the victims and to offer words and leadership to begin the path to healing and recovery. I pray that his words are heard by Gabrielle, and that they give her strength in her road to recovery.

*paz*-M

and another thing

2011-01-09T15:26:00.000-08:00

As I continue to process all that has transpired here in Tucson, I search for reason and solutions.

It's plain to see that the young man who "allegedly" went on this rampage has a deeply troubled mind- and that his actions in the previous years have been clear indications of someone who needed mental health support.

My heart goes out to all who have been touched by this tragedy- I personally know more than one of the wounded. Fine people, going about their business, in their attempt to make this world a better place. In the coming days the shock of the events in Tucson will slowly diminish- and we will continue our lives as before-

However- My hope is that during the healing process we can also see and acknowledge that our services for the mentally ill are inexcusably underfunded - and that in the healing period that follows our priorities for funding are re-examined- with a concentration on helping our troubled citizens find the wellspring of healing that they -(and we as human beings and as participants in modern society)- so desperately need.

M

my thoughts on senseless acts of violence

2011-01-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

I'm home again in Tucson- just getting our feet under us, we hear of our friend and congresswoman being shot by a confused and twisted youth.

I mostly blame TV- and it's power to influence minds in a hypnotic manner. What we have now (on Fox) amount to hatred pep talks- speeches and propaganda that twist facts and incite hatred and violence.
There is an amount of responsibility on cable news media that has been whittled away, using the first amendment not as a support of freedom, but a weapon of freedom.
It is a sticks and stones mentality that needs to be re-thought. Names DO hurt people- we as a country (and the world) need to create a more respectful dialogue within our disagreements, otherwise senseless acts of violence will continue, with ugly words and ideas being the root cause.
As my son's Kung Fu teacher says at the end of every class- "Use words to uplift and create, not to destruct and put down"
-peace-M

these are some people in the neighborhood....

2011-01-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

Here are a few images of people in the neighborhood where we live in Florence-
Classic Florentini- in a colorful setting- just off the tourist track- a few steps from Palazzo Pitti

This gentleman has been selling books at this shop for decades-always open!


if I want to chat, I go visit Gianni Morganti in Piazza Santo Spirito- a great place for specialty items for the kitchen

Che c'e di bello?

2011-01-04T03:57:00.000-08:00

What is beautiful here?

reflections in the fish pond at Boboli gardens

Florence is a city of contrast- there are certainly problems, as with most cities, but she also has much beauty. Today I thought I'd share some of the beauty- (after all of my griping about the brutto- ugly- graffiti)so- here are a few of my favorite images of la Bella Firenze.....

the Neptune Fountain in front of Palazzo Vecchio

lets hear it for the Nonne!

2011-01-02T07:17:00.000-08:00

Today we went to visit with Guido's mom, who lives outside of Florence in a hillside village.
Guido grew up there, and it is where we still find his childhood friends and their mothers.

Today it was pretty mild out- not raining or too cold, so we brought Nonna Itala (Guido's mom) out to visit with her neighbor Eleanora (who just turned 92 on New Year's day). Two independent souls, growing old in Settignano. Three cheers for the Nonne (Grannies)!

admission

2010-12-31T10:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, after bitching about the graffiti I have an admission to make: I too am a terrible scofflaw.
It used to be that you could take photos (without flash) in most of the churches and museums here in Florence- but with the advance of digital cameras (where everyone can get reasonable images even with a $100 camera) many places have outlawed cameras, even without flash.
The theory among us common folk is that the museums and churches closed to photography once they saw their gift shop sales diminishing and realized that tourists wouldn't buy books if they were able to take somewhat reasonable pictures themselves. So, instead of "no flash" symbols there are now "no Camera" symbols.

but sometimes you just can't help but take a risk.........

:-) M

(Breakin the Law, Breakin the Law!)

Florence: choked with grafitti

2010-12-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

My husband is from Florence and we have spent a lot of time here- living full time from 97-2000 and since then we return about once a year. We live in the central historic part of Florence- near Brunaleschi's Santo Spirito and around the corner from Piazza del Carmine. It's a real florentine neighborhood- a bit off the big tourist track, and filled with colorful characters and dramas.

Around 2006 when I came for a visit I noticed something- the city was starting to be touched with graffiti- I took this image then because it was so unusual to see spray painted graffiti in the historic center...
How was I to know, it was the shape of things to come?

Since then, we've returned a few times, and each visit I see more and more tagging and disrespect for this city's cultural masterpieces. Two summers ago when we were here the big news was that they found some exchange student (not American, thankfully) who was spray painting the Duomo. Having been caught, he was sent back to his home country's justice system- I'm hoping he got his due.

Here are some images from Easter 2009-

on the doorway of Santo Spirito

down a side street (OK, I admit, I actually kind of like this one...)

coca cola assasina

and this year, I'm noticing even more graffiti- (these images were taken tonight on via Maggio- a main street on the Pitti palace "Oltrarno" side of town-where a celebrated Medici mistress resided )

in fact, the streets that were being painted over 2 years ago have now stopped re-painting- it looks as though they've given up hope- I can only hope that the money that had been spent on re-painting is now being spent on youth programs that can help channel this creative/destructive energy into meaningful skills- I doubt it, but, I hope, nevertheless...

whoa! clip clop clip clop......
*getting down off my high horse*

Sorry, I just get so bothered by the inaction here- this city is so important culturally, but life here isn't all "Room with a View". I think this issue needs a bit of attention, or the world risks losing a real Italian Gem.
- from Florence-
M

Surreal Christmas

2010-12-26T15:04:00.000-08:00

We went out to eat with some friends last night here in Florence-they are Another multi-national couple- he is Florentine (and a long time friend of Guido- since preschool) and she is Brazilian. So, for something different- we made plans to eat a a new Brazilian restaurant just on the outskirts of the city....

thankfully, our car was bigger than this cutie that is parked on the street across from our apartment

Well, driving in Italy can be hairy- thankfully Roberto was quite cautious- but we ended up getting hopelessly lost- to the point where we had to ask directions (thankfully the man we asked ended up having us follow him- which was really sweet) and we arrived at the center where the restaurant was located, found a tiny parking space that we barely squeezed into- and we headed up to the place.

OK- here's where I start sounding like a crabby old fogey.

The restaurant was an exercise in the absurd- a house band at full volume, playing like their life depended on it- a woman shaking and shimmying at the band (you know, like the drunk girls do at a whitesnake concert) Television monitors broadcasting some Brazilian music show (unrelated to the band) and - here's the topper- an Italian Kid Rock impersonator bartender, playing the COWBELL like it was going out of style. (MORE COWBELL!)

yeah. um.....ok- we ended up staying there because we knew that was our only chance at finding a place open on Christmas night...and I have to say, the food was not bad- the beer definitely was essential...and I picked up a few skanky dance moves.

But let me tell you- if you happen to be in Florence, and someone offers to take you to a Brazilian restaurant outside of the city- bring your earplugs, a taste for fried bananas -not bad- and a sense of the absurd.

as for me? I'll be at my local trattoria enjoying my pasta and vino

Christmas night Campanilismo

2010-12-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

it's Christmas eve and the bells are ringing

their tones echoing off the wet cobblestone pavement

accompanied by the roar of the

river Arno- it's banks

swollen from months of heavy rains.

Campanilismo

is the love of neighborhood church bell.

For traditional Italians

it trumps the ringing of the cell phone.

is the sound of Home

and warms the soul

fresh cooked pasta

paired with a nice Chianti

(hold the Fava beans, please)

Merry Christmas

from Florence

Cosmo

2010-12-24T06:11:00.000-08:00

was named after this guy- Cosimo di Medici. this piece is located in the Piazza Signoria of Florence Italy. I've always loved this sculpture- the patina on it is fantastic! Plus- look at how gorgeous the horse is- I'm such a sucker for equine beauty

luggage

2010-12-23T01:51:00.000-08:00

oh yeah, after 33 hours in transit....it turns out that they lost Cosmo's suitcase.

So now he's re-wearing the same outfit that I hand wash nightly- that, and this goofy Italian sweatsuit that I bought him in our neighborhood children's clothing shop. I think he looks like an Italian gymnast- pretty cute! We are hoping to find his suitcase today, when we go wade through the "ocean of suitcases" we've been told is at the Florence airport. until then...Cosmo's working on his floor routine

Finalmente

2010-12-22T11:49:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it to Florence- after a grueling 33 hours of travel! It usually takes at most 20 hours to get here from Tucson- but yesterday- or was it the day before?- we flew into Frankfurt right when they were getting hit with another snow/freezing rain storm.
Needless to say, the airport was in chaos- it had already shut down a few days before from another epic storm, and they were still scrambling to get passengers on planes since that shutdown...
In fact, we met one family of 4 that had flown in from San Francisco 3 days previous- and they were scheduled to return to Frankfurt in 2 days (after what should have been 5 days in Florence). It's a trip they will always remember- and hopefully they are able to have some good memories too.

Porta San Niccolo' from the banks of the Arno. December 2006

So- We are here now, in our funky Apartment in Florence- it's in a bit of chaos from now being lived in, so we've got some work to do- but I'm sure it'll be in better condition in a few weeks...Our tenant was a bit of a pack rat, so there's lots of stuff to sift through.
I've also discovered that my USB plug is on the fritz so I can't download any images today. I'm going to buy a new one hopefully tomorrow- and then I'll post some of the images I took on our walk tonight.
(Florence is all decorated with Christmas lights, and it is raining, so there are lots of beautiful reflections framed by Renaissance architecture)
OK- I'm off to go eat pasta-
arrivederci- Maureen

Ciao!

2010-12-11T15:27:00.000-08:00


Santo Spirito, Florence Italy

Please note: I will be closing my etsy shop from Dec 16 to Jan 12 for winter vacation. I've lined up our house sitter / dog sitter and I'm packing my bags- heading for "the old country" to spend some time with my Italian friends and family- bringing Cosmo to visit some of the museums and sights in the Florence area while I'm there, plus visiting jewelry studios where I used to study and work...
(I will be blogging about places we go during our visit here on my blog- hope to give you a unique view of Florentine life and holidays )
I look forward to re-opening with some new designs and innovations for my jewelry line in January!
(I'm pretty excited about this new thing- will be working on it's organization during the break as well)
Wishing you safe and Joyous Holidays-
ciao= Maureen

Floral confection

2010-11-26T21:13:00.000-08:00

Why I love this piece:
I consider this piece to be pivotal in connecting my craftsmanship and solid jewelry skills with my more eccentric painting and sculpture fine arts background.
This is the work that I have been creating for over 25 years.
This piece represents the culmination of a design journey starting with cardboard and Styrofoam sculptural paintings that I made during my art school years- to my current jewelry lines and aesthetic. (integrating both my whimsical one of a kind work with my production line and paintings)
Anyways,
that's a bunch of words that just mean I think this is a really cool piece.
I just listed it in my shop tonight- you can find it at:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/63043586/floral-confection-sculptural-art-brooch

ciao!- M

Just as Promised...

2010-11-25T20:16:00.000-08:00


the Tucson mountains, from the foothills of the Catalinas- Tucson AZ 2010

ahhhhhh! I'm just home from a lovely thanksgiving dinner I had with friends-
yes, I ate too much- it was great to be with friends who I think of as family and just share
a wonderful meal. I'm hoping next year that my whole family can be together- but this year Guido had his turkey dinner at the telescope with the scope director (whose wife brought up a Thanksgiving feast!)and a bunch of Italian astro geeks. We missed having him here, but are glad that he got a bit of holiday time while up stargazing and telescope tweaking.

Anyhow.....
as I promised on twitter last night, I'm announcing here my coupon code to be used for a 15% discount
this Black Friday through Cyber Monday ( from 9:00pm Nov 25- Nov 29 11:00 pm mountain time)
in my etsy shop "Cosmo's Moon"-

here it is: holidays2010
how it works:
during checkout you will have a section asking for a coupon code- just type this in and etsy will recalculate your order total to reflect the discount. This is a new feature on Etsy- and I am thankful that I can now finally set up a promotion this way! (I imagine you like it too!)

So- have fun this weekend- if you are coveting something from my shop make sure you send a link to my blog to your friends/family- I'm sure they'd love to know about this special offer as well

ciao for now- Maureen

Thanks

2010-11-24T14:20:00.000-08:00

for being a friend- for the times you stopped what you were doing in order to help-
for knowing when to listen- for your sense of humor- for letting me have a bite of your cookie-
for knowing not to call before 9am- for the push I needed- for opening new worlds- for accepting my imperfections- for teaching me how to cook a turkey.....
for all this and more- I thank you, husband, son, friend, sister, nieces, aunties, mom, dad
Have a wonderful thanksgiving
gobble gobble!
M

OK, I love my dog

2010-11-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

here's my sweet

little Pit mix rescue dog, Daisy-

she's healthier and much more vocal than

6 months ago when she came into our lives, sick with Valley Fever , covered with Ticks

and with a cut on her pink eyelid that was making her miserable.

Now

She's on her Meds, recovered from Tick fever fighting Valley fever

gained weight and is eating willingly,

sleeping in luxury (yes, on my bed) and sports a pink argyle sweater in

the mornings when the desert air is a tad chilly.

couldn't imagine life without her

am grateful.

❤

Fall 2010 Open Studio Tour

2010-11-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

I am having open studio this weekend- if you have been contemplating a piece in my shop you may want to act on it before Saturday...many pieces find new homes during Open Studios....don't want you to miss out!

( By the way, if you are looking for my listing in the TPAC website- it can be tricky..
my listing in the artist's list is under "M"- they alphabetized it according to the artist's first name for some reason....not sure exactly why.......)

I hope to see you there!
ciao- Maureen

a map to my workshop is HERE on Google maps,
My studio will be open from 11am-5pm
both Saturday Nov 13 and Sunday Nov 14th.

Special Offer!:

mention this blog post and get 10% off any item during Open Studio Weekend

(online and in person)

(discount will be shown as a refund on paypal if you are purchasing on line. Mention this Blog post while ordering to receive your discount)

thanks- ciao- M

first last and in between

2010-11-02T11:35:00.001-07:00

first last and inbetween1
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

An image from yesterday and today-
the gigantic copper bangle (lower left) is the first piece of jewelry I made in Art school (1985) and a recent ring of the day is just to the right of the bangle...with various rings of the day in the background and reflections of my and my son's paintings in the glass.

My display case is full of ring of the day rings- unfortunately I'm losing steam on the project lately- mostly because I am currently a single mother- with my husband in Italy , taking care of his mother.

I've decided to make a ring when I have the time- and not sweat it if I can't get to it- I have one more ring to go to make it to 150, and I think I'll be stopping there.

Much respect for those few fabulous metalsmiths who have found a time warp and have been able to keep their ring a day practice going- rain or shine!
ciao for now- M

pretty and deadly

2010-10-26T19:11:00.001-07:00

pretty and deadly
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

It's finally cooling off here in Tucson- enough to be able to take a little hike in the desert. We went to Catalina State Park last Saturday morning with Daisy to walk the Romero Canyon loop (a relatively easy scenic desert trail). Thankfully, I had my eyes open and I spotted this beautiful creature just crossing the trail. I knew that we have snakes that look like coral snakes (but aren't) here in southern AZ they are pretty common, called Kingsnakes...BUT what I didn't know was that we also have coral snakes here (apparently someone forgot to tell them that our coral is long gone)

I took this picture so that I could identify the snake when we got home and to my surprise I find that it is a Western Coral snake (venomous and potentially deadly). So glad my son and my dog kept their distance (I did too- used a zoom on this image)

Here's the little rhyme that is taught to identify these two critters apart:
"Red touches yellow, could kill a fellow"
"Red touches black is a friend to Jack"

I'll remember it now! :-)
Happy trails to you!-MBZ

Affordable alternatives

2010-10-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, silver is becoming more and more expensive-
I'm watching the market price go up on a daily basis- it's almost to the point that I won't be able to replenish my stock of silver supplies without raising my prices on my silver stock! YIKES!

Anyways- I totally appreciate the being on a budget thing-
that's why I've just added a less expensive alternative to
some of my gear pendants- They are in Yellow bronze and are on "sliding clasp"
adjustable cord.

gear heart pendant in yellow bronze with sliding adjustable cord $35(pictured here)

I will also have one of these tree huggers on a sliding cord listed soon-
just have to finish them up and take some pics- they are the same as this listing, but with a sliding cord (also $35) I can list one of these for you if you are interested- just let me know

oh yeah- I don't have the compass pieces in bronze just yet- will have them in stock most likely in December/January. Hopefully in December...early. That's what I'm shooting for- Bang!
:-)

Ring a day- Il Maestro

2010-10-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

Titled "Il Maestro" extravagant gestures and impeccable taste for drama envelop
this phantom's being.

Made from Pewter, a broken skull bead and a bit of enamel paint- this is the ring for today..... (the ring shank is his bowed legs- fits size 8 (american)
"tis the season!

All Souls Procession

2010-10-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Every year in Tucson we all are waiting with baited breath for Halloween- It is the time that Tucsonans look to for many reasons-

One, yes, is that Halloween is fun, and there is candy and costumes and parties. BUT That's the way it is all over the US- so it's not particular to Tucson....

Another reason is that Halloween (late October) is the time when our temperatures finally drop to reasonable levels. It is when we are able to go outside for longer than 10 minutes without risking heat stroke. (and for that we all are thankful). I for one am looking forward to spending more time in the garden.

The big thing that many Tucsonans look forward to isn't candy or coolness- It is the chance to honor their departed loved ones during Dia de los Muertos and the All Souls Procession. Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday that is a beautiful (slightly macabre) way to honor your ancestors.

We celebrate DDLM in Tucson with our own flair- many people hold remembrance dinners, shrines are created and tended, and one glorious night, Tucsonans gather at the All Souls Procession- draped in their skeletal finery. The procession is now in it's 21st year- starting out as a small group of friends, it is now a major event- with thousands of participants and even more spectators. The procession is for everyone young, old, live or dead. It's path meanders through Tucson's downtown area- ending at a vast open space- where Flam Chen's fire performance and the burning of the giant urn (in which participants have placed remembrance prayers for their loved ones) truly amazes even the most cynical arthags.

I'm looking forward to the procession- preparing myself to deal with crowds (being 5'1" makes it a bit difficult to be in a throng of people) And prepping my wardrobe to take part in Tucson's way of honoring our dearly departed.

Sugar Skull jewelry

In the spirit of the season, I have created a limited edition line of sugar skull pendants and earrings.
They are made with embossed and painted aluminum- the earrings have sterling findings. Now available in my etsy shop and in person at Bohemia gallery, Tucson.

Nonna

2010-10-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

Nonna means "grandmother" in Italian- This is a post about my Mother in Law who lives in a hillside village outside of Florence Italy.She is now 88 years old, and still living by herself (by her choice)

We have seen a decline in her mental state over the past few years, with a noteable decline within the last 6 months. So much so that Guido (my husband) had purchased a ticket to go to Italy in early November - with the plan to convince her that she needed to accept help in her living situation.

This is a picture I took of Cosmo and his Nonna (grandmother) in December 2006.

Well, last Monday the world spun just a bit too fast and she took a bad step and broke her leg. Luckily, she was out walking in her village and she was brought to the hospital by ambulance. (we have been fearing a fall in her house- knowing that she wouldn't be "found" for a long time) She was operated on successfully on Wednesday, and is possibly getting out of the hospital today.

The problem is- her mental state.She is quite confused about where she is- thinks that she is at home- and what is happening- she claims that I have been visiting her- While we know that some of this is due to the medication we have also begun accepting that she is experiencing some form of dementia.

It has become clear that we cannot bring her home again, for her own health and safety.

Guido is currently with her in Italy- he cashed in his vacation time and is staying for a month (if not more) his mission is to find her a safe and reliable living situation. We don't know what her reaction will be to not returning to her home, but because of it's layout it may not be possible for her to be there. SO- we have no choice but to put her in a nursing home in Italy-

It's tearing us apart- we really wanted to bring her here -to the US- to be near us so we could oversee her care- BUT-----she isn't a US citizen, speaks very little English, and wouldn't have medical insurance. I guess sometimes circumstances make our choices for us, but this is a bitter pill to swallow.

I am hoping by writing this here that one of my brilliant readers could have information about how we could bring her here..I know it's a longshot, but we are just distraught about having to leave her somewhere without our supervision. Moving back to Italy is a very last resort possibility- it would mean that we both would lose our jobs (and I would lose my business that I have been intensely creating over the past few years) and our son would be uprooted from his school (though some time learning Italian would do him good)

thanks for reading this- If you have any suggestions I would like to hear them- until she is in a good situation we will be a divided family. I can handle it- but for our son, it stinks. I guess I should feel thankful that I at least know that My husband isn't at war- and that I don't have to worry about his safety on top of it all.

thanks once again-

ciao ciao- Maureen

venturing into print ads..

2010-10-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Holidays are coming soon and my new line of jewelry is becoming available in my shop- I've got a handle on my website building...and I'm ready to go and sell some really cool pieces!
So- I've decided to take out a couple of ads in a few appropriate magazines- this is what I'm thinking about putting in the Tucson local hip glossy mag Zocalo....

the other ad is in the SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths) showcase in the slick American Style magazine ...which is a different imageto suit their clientele. (it's a more formal ad, with a single beautiful piece as the image) I haven't seen the proofs yet, but I think it should look really good.

anyhow- my next ad that I need to work on is an online ad- I'd appreciate suggestions for sites to advertise on- I've done FB ads already but wasn't impressed by the response- where else?

thanks for your input-

ciao for now- Maureen

.........and when I have more time I'm going to write about our saga with an aging parent who lives 6000 miles away....To be continued....

what is this RAD pack anyways??

2010-09-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

I thought you'd never ask!
You probably know by now that I am one of a group of artists participating in the "Ring a Day" project.
in this practice of doing a ring a day there is a community of metalsmiths who have committed to making a ring every day this year...and with that you could guess that every once in a while we hit the creativity wall.

it happens like this- you wake up, have your coffee/tea/smoothie, walk into your studio, look around and kind of feel....un-inspired. AAACK! what to do what to do? well, here's where the RAD (ring a day) packs come in...ta daaa! rad pack to the rescue!

LOL, ok, maybe I've had too much coffee this morning...
To explain- the RAD pack is a bag of "mystery items", all wrapped up individually in kraft paper- in these little paper pods are objects donated to the artist from another artist- Items that the donor has perhaps had lying around their studio for a while, or things that they would like to see you respond to.
the rules are simple- NO PEEKING! (which includes fondling , shaking or x-raying the items)
the packet you pick for the day is yours to do with what you will....but it is meant as a source of inspiration. yes, you can smash it, burn it, set it, make fun of it, cover it in plastic, make an image with it...on and on...here's the thing- you are to use it as an inspiration for that day's ring.

basically, it lights a fire under your creative ass.
I've done a few RAD pack rings- yesterday I picked our a beautiful rectangular faceted smokey quartz-
which I immediately groaned and thought..."oh , I really don't want to make a formal setting today"
and then, I thought....Wait a second! I don't have to do anything formal- I just have to do what I want- make it my own- enjoy the hunt, the experience of creation....
as Old Blue Eyes said, "Do>Be>Do>Be>Do"
so...this is what I made....the Smokey Quartz is the rectangular stone- everything else were odds and ends from my studio. I loved the subdued rich color of the quartz, and paired it with a gorgeous little zig zag seashell I picked off the Beach a few years ago on the island of Elba. The jaunty attitude of the stone paired with the pearl, shell, and twisted silver is reminiscent of the fishing boats in the island-

I hope this explains the "RAD packs" - you can find other examples of Ring a day creations at the official ring a day Flickr photostream here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/rad2010/
I'm off to my studio now, to follow the muse
may the flux be with you- ciao- Maureen

sept 27 lil country gal wedding ring3

2010-09-27T22:13:00.001-07:00

sept 27 2010lil country gal wedding ring3
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

I love these old fashioned clothespins- they HAVE to be wooden- can't stand the plastic ones...

this piece is another of my free formed rings that I make for the ring a day project. The rings I am making for this project don't necessarily have to be wearable- they don't have to make much sense- they don't have to be anything! And that is what I find so intriguing...

when I go to my studio I have a bunch of things I want to complete for the day- on that list is a ring...can be anything it wants to be- made of anything that calls to me...and can be as fast or slow and detailed as it is.
a zen ring- it IS because I follow the creation- never really knowing if it is gone over the edge, never really sure where it will lead. The creation is in the moment, and it is sheer freedom.

Ring a day a journey that allows me to take risks, and one that has opened a spring of creativity! I know I can't have a winner every time, and giving myself the permission to fail is one of the best gifts an artist can give to themselves.
Keep it real, baby!
:=)

New website!

2010-09-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

Handcrafted Confections

Cosmo's moon jewelry.com is still active, but I have decided to have my main website be at http://mbzmetals.com instead.
After struggling with loading (on the phone with my website midwife tech support for 1 1/2 hours last night) it magically decided to crown this morning and it is now a newborn website on our vast internet cosmos.
(see, clever huh, beginning and ending with the word Cosmo....) :-)

confection Sept 20 # 120

2010-09-21T20:11:00.001-07:00

confection Sept 20 # 120
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

Here's a ring that's not a ring- it is, in fact a piece that I did in order to have a good photo representation of my work...and that's the complicated part...

Which work? the production steampunk granola goth work that I sell on Etsy? the whimsical found object stuff I show in galleries? the painted work? the formal jewelry? and let's not forget the pewter...

the story of my career- I am in many places at once- and sometimes it's hard to really pinpoint a category. Even back when I was a "painter" I was a "sculptor" as well- often building up forms in Styrofoam wood and cardboard as I painted..kind of like Frank Stella- but not as gigantic.

Anyhow- I see in this piece a correlation to many different angles of my work- some whimsy, a little goth, a touch of sculpture and painting as well. The piece is a brooch(horizontal and vertical) that can also be worn horizontally as a pendant. It's for an Ad in a magazine, so I'm going to bring it to a pro photographer for a glamor shot... No Hallmark filter please! LOL

It's as if my work has finally started to settle into a groove..and I'm excited to see where this integrated path leads!

the TAG project

2010-09-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Last year when I went to Haystack I met a remarkable artist named Wendy Maruyama.
She is "an artist and educator from San Diego, California and have been making furniture/art since 1970. My work is often inspired by extended residencies and visits to various countries such as France, England, Japan, Korea and China."

me (disheveled) and Wendy one late night in the Haystack metals studio (her husband Bill is just over my shoulder)

Wendy was the instructor for the wood studio while I was a student in the metals studio. Our paths crossed through her husband, Bill, who -as a non-artist- decided to participate in the metals class while Wendy was teaching in the wood studio. Bill's workbench was directly behind mine, so I was there when Wendy would come visit the space- (And her personality just lit up the room).

I didn't know much about her work until I saw her presentation a few nights in to the session. Now, I've been to hundreds of visiting artists lectures over the years, but never one that moved me so deeply.
Her furniture is beautifully crafted, and also filled with wit and humor- sometimes with embedded videos and imagery.
(you should check out her work online at http://wendymaruyama.com/home.html )

The piece that moved me to tears was her current project , the Tag project (executive order 9066) .
where she has been working on "making all 120,000 tags, for all the Japanese Americans who were sent to all the camps." Wendy states "I feel that the sheer numbers and the scale of these tags will convey to all who view this that the internment was a massive project that was to affect an entire culture of people and their future generations."

Even as a whitebread caucasian girl the the horrors of WW2 has it's fingers in my family history. My husband's father was imprisoned at Mathausen (Austria) at the end of the war- he was only in the camp for 5 months, but left deathly ill, with his health never to recover. On the other side of the world my Brother in law's family was a Japanese American family living in the Columbia river gorge in Oregon. The son (father of my brother in law) was in active service in the US army (in Italy) and the family was forced to leave their family farm to live in a "camp" in California.

I know that somewhere in the bunch of tags are the names of my niece's grandparents and great grandparents. People who did nothing against our country, in fact, were producing fresh delicious healthy fruit. They worked an honest living but were punished for their ethnicity.
(I see this prejudice is echoed today in the way my home state of Arizona, as we expel our migrant (usually Mexican) farm workers...just saying...)

This weekend I am going to spend a few hours brewing coffee and dipping paper tags into the brew in order to age them to appear historic. I imagine a bottle of wine will be uncorked. I'm hoping a few of my friends will come to help. And Wendy, I can't wait to see the result of this tremendous project...

xoxo- M

Alternative Wedding

2010-09-14T17:48:00.001-07:00

florette w blu1
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

So, this is my ring for today- it's a new use for an older (flower) design that I carved out of wax about 12 years ago (and had it cast)- A classic design, certainly inspired by Italian artistry, it's really a good example of some of the work that I was doing around the summer of 1999 , while I was living in the center of Florence Italy.

The flower form is beautiful and voluminous, but sometimes hard to get a good image, because of the multiple surfaces. I think I got a pretty decent image this time...

I'm starting to create some jewelry for alternative weddings and indie brides and this is one of the engagement rings. I also make these as post earrings- perfect as a bridesmald gift with a variety of stone choices and metals to choose from.

available online at my etsy shop http://cosmosmoon.etsy.com

Social Media and the arts

2010-09-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Interviews and podcasts....
Whaley studios is a jewelry and metalsmithing school in San Diego Ca. For a little over a year they have been broadcasting interviews and discussions with metalsmiths, jewelers and leaders in the world of crafts and metalsmithing services.

Yesterday I did my 3rd interview- with Greg Masters, the media guru of Whaley Studios. The subject was social media- and how important it is as a tool for metalsmiths and craftspeople. The sound quality of the podcast is iffy at first, but it improves as the discussion goes along, at around 20 minutes in...
you can download and listen to the archived podcast at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whaleystudios/2010/09/09/metalsmith-benchtalk-with-maureen-bz-brusa-zappellini

You can also search the podcast archive for interviews with metalsmithing notables such as
Michael David Sturlin, Charles Lewton Brain, Harriete Estel Berman, Wendy Rosen (of the Rosen group's Niche magazine and shows), Andy Cooperman, S.N.A.G.'s Executive Director Dana Singer...
etc etc...
(I like to upload these podcasts to my ipod and listen to them while I work at my bench)
enjoy the show!

abalone component combined

2010-08-31T14:11:00.001-07:00

abalone component combined1
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

Today's ring was a product of salvaged components that I had made at least 5 years ago, combined with seed bead inlays and another component ring with abalone and jet inlays.
it's been really interesting to me to use these "pre-made" components (they were all made by me, but never used in jewelry before) I feel like I am resurrecting these little possibilities, giving them new life as rings.
The process is really fast because I'm mostly just re-arranging the pieces and composing them as new. It feels like I am making collage, and that is a really satisfying thing :-)
you like?

one of a kind Brooch

2010-08-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

Arcing Abstract brooch

This is one of my series of one of a kind pieces that I started making this year, called "Bundled Treasures"....

They are inspired by the little treasures that I always pick up when I take walks out in the desert, the mountains, the city or the seashore. I am constantly taking in every visual detail, and finding little treasures of shapes and colors, just scatted about the world, waiting to be found.

The Bundled Treasures series is my was of incorporating these found objects into my artwork. I've really enjoyed making these pieces, the playfulness of the design reflects a whimsical and poetic aesthetic.

Just listed! click here for more info

Elise and sharkey's day

2010-08-23T13:36:00.001-07:00

Aug 23 2010 sharkey's day
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

I cracked one of my teeth last week, went to the dentist this morning. It's been filled, and now I'm hoping it's not just a temporary fix.

so I had to have a dental theme today for my "ring a day" ring.....

After the dentist I was in my studio listening to All songs Considered....and they started playing William Burrows and Laurie Anderson's collaboration of "Sharkey's day"

Now, I hadn't heard that song since High school- when my music geek friend Elise introduced me to Laurie Anderson's Music.
"it's Sharkey's day...it's Sharkey's day today..."

I had these shark teeth hanging around from the last gem show...and a spool of old cloisonne wire. they seemed perfect materials for a ring.

So, you see...in a roundabout kind of cosmic way it is Sharkey's day today. So why not commemorate it with a ring? :-)
**Dedicated to Elise MacDonald**

Web site newly Launched!

2010-08-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

One of my projects right now is to create a website for myself and my jewelry that is independent of Etsy. Don't get me wrong- I love Etsy, I simply want to have a gallery page, where I'm not only selling my work but also showcasing my designs.

I'm approaching this as if it was a piece of art- keeping my pages pretty fluid,
adjusting and honing the site as an evolving entity. Translation: This new site is a work in progress-
I'll be adding to it as time goes on- and when I publish new pages I'll be posting it here.
Here's the new site: Http://cosmosmoonjewelry.com right now it's very visual- many images, not much info, which is how I like my sites:-)
Let me know what you think!
thanks- Ciao- Maureen

Nancy Lee's ring

2010-08-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

So... back a few months ago I posted on my Facebook status that I would do a bunch of my "ring a day" ringsInspired by my friends- I asked those interested to post their ring size- and I would try to make a ring using the things I thought I knew bout them as inspiration.

and then, School Vacation happened. LOL, not that there was anything wrong with that... But, it did mean that I would be taking time off from my studio to hang out with my kid and hubby. So I did.
NOW, I am re-entering the studio, brushing off the list of names, and peppering my ring a day stream of conciousness with a few "inspired by you" rings.

Ring #1 in the series is inspired by Nancy Lee. I only know her over the internet, and what I know is that she is a metalsmith, has a great smile and sense of humor, and recently opened a studio space in Indiana called "Flame Art Studio". I've been hanging on to this flame lego piece all summer long- when I saw it I knew it was perfect for her ring!

Aug 16 rad **Sproing!

2010-08-16T18:07:00.001-07:00

Aug 16 rad **Sproing!
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

I said what I meant and I meant what I said.....
here's the new beginning of school, and my new start of making a ring a day. I'm enjoying making these adjustable rings- they have a nice freedom about them and they are super comfortable too.

The torch fired piece is one I made quite a few years ago- it's been on my workbench , begging for a leading role. today is it's big break!
Bravo, enamel!

revving back up- ring a day

2010-08-11T18:08:00.000-07:00

well, school's almost back here...Cosmo starts 3rd grade on Monday.
Which means that I will be returning to my full time studio practice!

and with that...Ring a Day (once more into the brink of madness!)

I figured I'd give a warning- and mark a starting point once more.
I am committed to further my explorations, and hoping that my long absence
won't be looked upon poorly. I simply had to make a choice
to go on hiatus during the summer, so I
could spend more time with my growing-like-a-weed kid!

so, to all of you who told me your ring size...back in the spring when I posted
"Ring a day, for you"...be on alert! I'm going to tackle that list first!
:-)you have been warned!
ciao- M

Summer Pomegranate

2010-08-03T19:37:00.001-07:00

Summer Pomegranate
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

every summer my clothesline gets invaded by a huge Pomegranate bush. we have hundreds of pomegranates at the end of summer.
Does anyone know a good trick for juicing these things? we usually just end up with a big mess:-P

Handmade Benefits

2010-07-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

What are the benefits of buying handmade designs from the artist vs. assembled or mass produced jewelry?
Original designs...Craftsmanship straight from the artist... a knowledge that your piece was produced by a person, not a machine...the possibility that your piece's value will increase as a piece of art (and it possibly could end up being requested for a retrospective Museum show some day)
Plus** beautiful handmade craft proves that "They REALLY DO make things like they used to!"**

Cosmo's Moon Jewelry is my online outlet for handmade, original, eclectic and edgy jewelry designs. Now stocked with pages of colorful original handmade jewelry and accessories
Just sayin' :-)

Locavore ring

2010-07-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

We maintain a home garden on our 1/4 acre lot in midtown Tucson. (although I'll admit it looks pretty shaggy right now due to the heat and the monsoon season's storms...) This current garden is now 3 years old and we have got it to be tuned to producing some sort of food crop year round.

That's right- year round!We are still doing fine tuning- figuring out what crops to grow when and what we need to add to this sandy desert soil. (thanks to the winter rains the peaches were AMAZING this year)

There is always tons of gardening to do- mostly weeding and mending irrigation lines- but we all enjoy the work- and feel that it is important to note how much work it takes to produce a single tomato. that knowledge humbles us- makes us feel our solidarity with the land and those who make their living off the land.

We are moderate locavores- meaning we make a conscious effort to choose locally grown foods when possible. Locally grown food is fresher, and it uses less fossil fuels to get from the earth to the market.
Plus, if you shop at the local farmer's markets you get to know the people who are growing your food (raising the chicken/beef). Some of the ranchers are quite handsome too...;-)

on that note- Here's another "Textie" ring-

(the pic is of my hand, harvesting a few of our amazing artichokes this spring)

Celebrate your commitment to the Locavore movement with this

cool handmade mixed metals text ring!
Sterling and copper ring custom made to your size specifications. (sizes 4-9)

new blogger templates

2010-07-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

Just so you know, if you come to this blog and see it looking different...I'm just playing with the new Blog templates and backgrounds. Re-arranging the furniture and trying out new upholstery...
I'll be interested to hear comments- I think it's fun to try on new "blog clothes"- and I don't even have to worry about if it makes my blog look totally dorky! :-)

hello, hello..?can I complain again?

2010-07-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

Yet another phone book landed on my doorstep.
HOW MANY of them do we need??? I'm starting to think that there is a phone book/recycled paper industry connection..I keep recycling them, they get printed on their own recycled paper. Kind of like the snake eating it's tail. I guess the good behind this logic is that eventually we'll be getting phone books so saturated by ink that they are completely black....

Text Rings- Story

2010-07-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45934959/word-story-silver-text-ring

What's so important about Stories?

There is a powerful connection with our past and the possibilities of the future in stories. They comfort people, teach, enlighten, and inform our world.
This ring is an ode to stories of all kinds- His story, Her story, Our story. Celebrate your imaginative storied self. Read, listen and learn. Storytelling is an art-it is the stuff of inspiration.

seriously spammers...

2010-07-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

I mean, really! stop trying to post links to your chinese soft porn on my blog.
it's so not sanctioned, neither here nor there

Hit the road, Jack!

get lost applesauce! PPPPtttllllpppp!

Tucson's summer playground

2010-06-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

When temperatures reach the 100*' s here in Tucson you can bet that many Tucsonans go find their "hide-y holes" to hunker down and wait out the heat...most often a cool house with the lights off, or the comfort of an air conditioned store, museum or theater...oh, yeah, and there's also the bars...
But when you feel the call of the wild, and have the need to breathe fresh air- you head for the mountains!

This image was taken at Windy Point, along the Catalina Highway- the road to Mt Lemmon-
Mt lemmon is Tucson's playground away from the heat of the summer- we drive up for a cool weekend nature walk in the summer and fall- Winter is when you can actually do a little sledding (and bring a cooler full of snow down from the mountain...)

Right now, -late June- we are in the beginning of what is called "monsoon season"- it's one of my favorite times here in the southwest deserts- yes, it's terribly hot- and the cicadas are driving us all crazy with their incessant hisssssss...

In a few weeks we will be treated to some invigorating (and dangerous) storms that appear in the late afternoon. We all start searching the sky for dark clouds...sniff the winds for that Sonoran creosote perfume...and we rejoice as the skies crack open and pour down their sweet sweet rainwater.

Until then, we'll be in our hide-y holes...waiting for the storms

talk about

2010-06-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

Today's "talk about" blog for the "Handmade Division" team -Do you consider yourself only a XXX artist, or do you work in multi media application, and/or draw techniques from other fields to use in the on you're working in?

Funny you should ask that- I do consider myself to be primarily a metalsmith, I am certainly most comfortable working in metal, Have the most formal training in metal...However, I recognize that I am transforming into a multi media artist. And I think that my internet involvement has something to do with this transformation.
I'm now back to my roots as a Photographer on Flickr- dabbling with Video on youtube, playing with mud in a Pottery class making things in Leather to appeal to my equestrian roots, and getting my urban edge on with graffiti/spraypaint and industrial rubber flooring....
I play with whatever my muse tells me- I follow my bliss and allow myself to make things that are just ridiculous nonsense that fulfills my experimental urges.
So Now I guess you could call me a tinkerer

Please be sure to stop by the other blogging participants. I know I can’t wait to go see what they’ve got stashed away…..
Andes Cruz: http://andescruz.wordpress.com/
Thomasin Durgin: http://metalriot.blogspot.com/
Jewelry by Natsuko: http://jewelrybynatsuko.blogspot.com/
Lisa Hopkins Design: http://lisahopkinsdesign.blogspot.com/
Abhaya Fibers http://abhayafibers.blogspot.com/
ArtJewel Designs http://www.artjeweldesigns.blogspot.com/
Susan Moloney http://susarto.blogspot.com/
Tamra Gentry http://jewelrydesignchronicles.wordpress.com/
Bill Martin http://purifiedart.blogspot.com/
HandMade Division Blog http://handmadedivision.wordpress.com/

About those pics of trash in our desert

2010-06-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

It's 103* outside today in Tucson- almost impossible to go outside to check the mail
I stay inside on days like these- I drink lots of water, protect my skin with sunscreen and
eat fresh fruits to keep me hydrated.

You can bet that right now, somewhere in the desert
to the south of Tucson a mom, dad, son or daughter
is risking their lives trying to get to a better future for themselves.
Some won't make it.

YES, There are filthy, littered "rest stops". These are the last stations of shade and rest for the
poor people who have made the ill-informed decision to risk their lives by trekking through our scorching deserts trying to find a better way of life and help support their families

The areas are routinely cleaned by humanitarian aid workers like
the good people of Humane Borders http://www.humaneborders.org/
and Derechos Humanos http://www.derechoshumanosaz.net/
as well as other organized groups of concerned citizens

unfortunately sometimes the humanitarian workers also find corpses...of people who have been lied to-
Migrants that have been taken advantage of by their "coyote" (guides) and have been led to their deaths in the Sonoran desert.

This immigration issue is a terrible problem in many facets and there needs to be a wholehearted
compassionate and legal solution to the problem that Many people (both American and Mexican)
are living and dying for.

Many won't even be found until their bodies have decomposed into
skeletons. It's the horror that is lived every day here in southern Arizona
- and we desperately need better policies that will
help prevent these tragedies while protecting the lives and properties of the good people who live in the border areas.

The SB1070 bill doesn't address the real issue -which is that of the desperation of poor people who have little other hope in their lives than to find a crappy job serving us privilaged Americans-
In my opinion, SB1070 only enforces a policy in a way that has been described as unconstitutional by
it's critics, and held up as a battleground solution by it's cheerleaders.

Without deep discussions, humane legislation, organization and planning we can only expect that the
cycle of illegal immigration, death and deportation will continue it's ugly circle.

ok- rant over.
peace- MBZ

Muse of the North

2010-05-31T17:10:00.001-07:00

leather bracelets 201013
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

every once in a while I get the urge to work in Leather.
Lucky for me, I live in a town that has a good leather supplier (the leather factory/Tandy leather) so I have fast access to diverse tools and supplies and beautiful supple leathers.

this is one of the leather bracelets I made this spring. I love pairing the softness of leather with the solid structure of handmade metal elements. I think my love of leather originates from my years of working with horses as a youth.

I was a horse obsessed kid- ask anyone who I went to school with- they'll roll their eyes and agree- the only other thing I was ever really excited about was making things- Art, industrial arts and the like.
when I work with leather I feel a connection to my horse loving roots- I feel the pull of my Irish ancestors, and the soft muzzles of all the horses I have had the privilege to encounter.

This bracelet I made when it was still quite cool here in Tucson- cool meaning that I didn't have to have the A/C on while in my studio-

Deerskin, white and brown leather, brass heishi and sterling

metal elements with turquoise and coral chip inlays

This piece comes from a different muse- She was singing her song of encouragement from the northern winds. I imagined her as an old Eskimo woman, wintering with expertise in the North- calling her enchantments to nature, and encouraging my leather working mania in a soft, wise song.

I hope I meet her again.

Cosmo's Moon jewelry

Second street school auction 2012

If wishes were horses

Metalsmithing Class- register now!

Metalsmith Fashion

P. I. T. N.

When is too early to FB?

I have a modern dilemma- one of my son's little buddies wants to "friend" me on FB. I'm thinking...no......Nooooo...NOOOO! (or at least not until I get my privacy settings really fine tuned.)

Anyhow, I'm thinking 9 is awfully young to have a FB account- (thankfully my 9 year old has no interest in Social Media, yet...but it's coming!) What do you think? is there a "magic age" when social media use is appropriate?

I almost always err to the side of keeping my child innocent as long as possible, limiting computer use is at the top of my list.

Nooooo, I'm not saying that using computers is bad (that would be pretty hypocritical of me, FB group girl) I'm simply trying to get an idea of how my son's generation is digesting modern technology.

New Metalsmiths Unite Tees!

DIY custom size your nose ring hoop

Stolen designs? Use Social media!

December news from the BZ Homestead

Hi Ho Holiday sale!

November December news!

Open studio and Holiday Sales

a Horse a Horse

Tucson, we have a problem

The Copper show! (call to enter)

Put a Skull on it!

In Vino Veritas

Arizona Designer Craftsmen and SNAG conference 2012

This is an AZ Metal Artist Call for Entries In conjunction with the Society of North American Goldsmith's (SNAG) 2012 conference in Phoenix, Arizona

Arcosanti

New colorful Designs that don't break your piggy bank!

Newpaper Feature

the hissing of summer lawns

June's Box a Month

featured on become.com

red hook

The Trail Ride bracelet

Confession and regrets

post SNAG hangover

Pewter Workshop

Taking risks

The Deluge

Facebook Flubs it again

April 2011 - la Fiorentina piccola10

Metal Prices and the effect on Craft

deadlines, good bad and ugly.

Well, not really bad..

There are still a couple of days left for a few important deadlines-

one, we in the US know is that *taxes* thing (which is actually due on the 18th this year)

another thing you may know about is the deadline for VIDEO submissions to the SNAG Seattle (click here for more info)...which has had a DEADLINE EXTENSION until April 29th (Yay!)

and finally-...-- the deadline which I know you are all working on (right?) is for Exhibitions proposals for the SNAG Phoenix 2012 Conference....."the Heat is On"and that one is the most pressing, due on APRIL 15th! Friday!

****find out more about submitting proposals at the PDF link found HERE, under Phoenix conference**** please submit proposals! I'd love to have Metalsmiths Unite represent in Phoenix- my home state!!

(**ps, full disclosure, I'm on the exhibitions committee for the Phoenix conference)

check out the fabulous brand spanking new logo for SNAG Phoenix!

isn't that a super cool logo? or, is it Hot?

:-) ciao- Maureen

Open Studios

patina-palooza

Seedboat gallery show

still running

BZ BZ busy

Tucson, keepin it subversive

next phase, workshopping it out!

off to the studio now- may the Flux be with you!ciao-M

Hi Ho Hi Ho to the Yuma Symposium I go

NPR and PBS funding emergency (again)

Professional Development Seminar

Professional Development Seminar

Professional Development Seminar 2011

Request for advice re: plating

superbowl 2011

BAM! My "Box a Month" project

The origins of Bracelet Workshop

healing

and another thing

my thoughts on senseless acts of violence

these are some people in the neighborhood....

Che c'e di bello?

lets hear it for the Nonne!

admission

Florence: choked with grafitti

Surreal Christmas

Christmas night Campanilismo

Cosmo

one, we in the US know is that taxes thing (which is actually due on the 18th this year)

and finally-...--
the deadline which I know you are all working on (right?) is for Exhibitions proposals for the SNAG Phoenix 2012 Conference....."the Heat is On"
and that one is the most pressing, due on APRIL 15th! Friday!

find out more about submitting proposals at the PDF link found HERE, under Phoenix conference please submit proposals! I'd love to have Metalsmiths Unite represent in Phoenix- my home state!!