I promise to get back in the game and post at least once a week from here on out. It’s not that I haven’t been inspired by beautiful handmade items lately, because I have. I’ve just been very busy making Rhymes with Twee stuff and selling at craft shows and I had a bout of bronchitis gone wild. As always, I had THE best time at Crafty Bastards in Washington, DC. This year I split a table with my lovely friend Jessica of Miss Chief Shop. I feel like it’s probably not blogged about too much since it’s rather a taboo subject, but I feel like it’s important to note that we were waitlisted this year, but still made it in. It’s hard to be rejected or waitlisted, but it happens to all of us. I will not deny that my heart was broken that I didn’t immediately get into my hometown show for a fourth year, but I knew I could not to take it personally because there are a great number of factors that go into picking artistans for a craft show, especially one as small as Crafty Bastards. We were thrilled to make it in at the (rather) last minute. Will I apply again? Heck yes. For other fairs I have been rejected from, I tend to take the “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” route. This year it worked and I made it into one that I’d been rejected from twice or thrice before. So, don’t stop believing!

On to the eye candy! These artists who use concrete as their medium in the jewelry that they made are totally rocking my world. Both make extremely different styles, yet both are so appealing. DrCraze, based in Elephant Butte, New Mexico, makes simple but striking designs out of stainless steel. He then fills the designs with concrete and crushed or pulverized glass which has been recovered from local beaches. His last step is grounding the piece to smooth the finish so it’s ready to wear. Sue Urquhart (aka LuLu Bug Jewelry), of Santa Rosa, California, makes pieces out of Precious Metal Clay (PMC) and etched brass plates she makes to give the pieces texture. Also, her blog is just lovely. This hedgehog necklace is going on my Christmas wish list because it’s one of the cutest representations of a hedgie I’ve ever seen in necklace form.

Crazed for Concrete:
http://DrCraze.etsy.com

Bug on over to:
http://lulubugjewelry.etsy.com