Christmas 2008

I just got back from spending Christmas in St. Louis , and I wanted to post a photo from Travis and my first Christmas in Indianapolis. I hope you continue to enjoy this festive time and have a wonderful new year!

STL Trunk Show

I had a great time this weekend in St. Louis participating in the Santa's Cause fundraiser for COTA. First I went to a fabulous fashion show at a great shop called The Time Boutique and then I set up my jewelry display at Mosaic restaurant. I met a lot of people, sold a bunch of jewelry, raised a lot ton of money and had a great time!

Trunk Show and Fundraiser

Travis and I are heading to St. Louis, my hometown, this weekend to participate in Santa's Cause. This is a fundraising event featuring a Santa-guided restaurant/bar hop up down Washington Ave. in the loft district. There will be food and drink specials at every stop. All proceeds of the event will benefit pediatric patients in the St. Louis-area currently working with Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to raise funds to cover transplant and transplant related expenses.
I will have a table set up at one of the restaurant along the route and will be donating 10% of the night's sales to the cause. Come check out some of my jewelry, have some fun, and help some kids all at the same time.

Hummingbird Necklace

I have been working on some new pieces for an upcoming show I have in St. Louis the first weekend in December. In the midst of doing this work I received a request from my brother-in-law to create a necklace for his wife for Christmas. She loves hummingbirds, and I wanted to take take that imagery and create a simple, elegant silhouetted pendant. After I cut my design out of silver I gave it a brushed finish and hung it from a chain with a simple dangle of her wedding colors from earlier in the year. I really love how it turned out and would like to expand upon it for my new collection.

"MMS" necklace

I recently completed a commissioned piece for an alumna of my high school, Cor Jesu Academy. The piece was commissioned for her by the chair of the annual auction because she works for Oprah and got tickets to the show as an auction item. I designed a custom monogram with her initials and then hand cut it into sterling silver sheet, strung it on a sterling chain, and added a labradorite dangle. I think it turned out quite nice.

Ikea!!!

So, when Travis and I were in Chicago last weekend, we had to go to Ikea to get things for the house. We had never been before, and it was an experience! We were there for 5 HOURS!!! It was totally awesome, though, and we got a ton of cool stuff for the house. We spent the past week putting things together and I will post photos of the things we got and new photos of the house soon. I am so glad that parts of the house are definitely starting to come together.

Renegade Craft Fair

The second weekend in September is my favorite of the whole year for a number of reasons. First, it is my birthday. Happy Birthday to Me! Second, and more importantly, it is the weekend of the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. Over 300 vendors from across the country come to sell their superfly handmade goods. Items include screenprinted t-shirts, purses, pillows, soaps & lotions, jewelry, zines, stuffed items of all kind, and so much more. If you are going to be in the Chicago area this weekend - CHECK IT OUT!!!

Owl Necklace

This is a new piece I just completed for a guy I work with. He wanted a special owl necklace for his wife's birthday so I sketched a design and cut it by hand out of sterling silver sheet. I then polished it and stamped a "Two Pies" tag which is their special code for "I Love You." He was thrilled with the end piece, and I cannot wait to see what his wife thinks about it!

Pod Necklace

This is a necklace I made for a guy who works in the same building I do. He wanted to have something special made for his wife for their anniversary. He saw an organic pod design he liked and wanted me to make something similar. I hand cut the pendant from sterling silver and gave it a high polish. Then I put it on a thin sterling silver chain. Finally I made a tag out of sterling silver that I stamped with S+P which are their initials, and hung it from the end of the necklace with a blue topaz. The necklace turned out really well and everyone was happy.

Wally the Dog

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We have a new addition to the family! Travis and I picked up Wally on Sunday from Adopt-A-Lab. He was rescued from a shelter in Missouri that could no longer care for him because of the floods. While he was in foster care he got his leg broken so now he is in a splint, poor guy! He is the sweetest dog I have ever met and loves to give kisses and play in the backyard. He doesn't even seem to notice the splint. Travis and I are looking forward to showering him with love

Paint the House

We are finally getting started decorating our new house to fit our style. I got my sisters to come to Indy from St. Louis to do some manual labor for me. I can't wait to get the rest of the house done!

Go Green

I have been reading an interesting book lately called Go Green, Live Rich. Mainly it is about calculating your carbon footprint, or the impact your lifestyle has on the environment. There are so many simple things we can do to reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. Here are just a few of the things I do that are easy and cheap:
1.) Always take your own shopping bags with you to the store. Many of them fold up into a tiny carrying case that you can keep in your purse or car.
2.) Ride your bike or walk for all of your quick errands. 40% of all car trips in the US are less than 2 miles. Plus you save money on gas and burn off some extra calories.
3.) Shop local and shop organic. Find a local farmers' market. Not only are you supporting local farmers, but you are reducing your carbon footprint by buying food that has not used much energy getting to you. Also, organic food is healthier for you, healthier for the plant or animal, healthier for the environment. Plus, stores like Whole Foods now offer store brand organic items that cost less than the name-brand non-organic ones. If you can't buy all organic groceries, get at least organic produce that you know doesn't have pesticides in it.
4.) Replace burned out light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). CFLs use 75% less electricity than regular incandescent bulbs, last up to 10 times longer, and will save you $45 per bulb for the life of the bulb.
These are just a few of the many easy and inexpensive things we as human beings can do to show respect to our planet, other earth inhabitants, and ourselves which end up saving us money.

Home, Sweet Home

We got our house! We closed yesterday and got a key and everything. It was very exciting even though we can't technically move in until next Monday. It is kind of scary to see when the loan will actually be paid off and how old we will be and how much we are actually paying in interest. Everyone kept saying not to pay attention to that part. Now we just have to move in and actually buy some furniture. Wahoo!

Natural Decor

I discovered a wonderful resource today for people that like to bring a little bit of the outdoors into their decor. Nettleton Hollow carries a beautiful selection of branches, driftwood, and dried flower and pods. They also maintain a blog that contains shop updates as well as inspiration for using their products in your home.

I Got a Job!!!

I was offered a job today as a graphic designer for a studio in Indianapolis called Silver Square, Inc. I am so excited! The people who work there are fantastic and I cannot wait to get started on some new projects. Wahoo! (p.s. That photo is stock, not me)

Toy Car Art

I saw these pieces at Three Potato Four and fell in love. They are so fun and seem to tell a story. Plus I love unofficially titled "Missouri" because, of course, I am from Missouri. These are 6 x 6 photographs printed on archival paper, mounted on wood blocks, and sealed with UV protecting sealant.

Amish Furniture

Travis and I have been shopping for furniture for our new house. We have decided to get some nice, well-made pieces (finally!) and happened upon this amazing store in Indianapolis called Simply Amish. Not only do you get to customize your style, wood, stain, and hardware, but "Simply Amish furniture is made by authentic Amish craftsmen, working on more than 50 family farms scattered throughout the heartland of America. Most are small family shops with only four or five craftsmen. Each piece of lumber is still cut, shaped, sanded and stained by seasoned hands, using a keen eye to eliminate any imperfections and bring out the natural beauty of rich maple, solid oak and other select hardwoods." In addition to its beautiful designs and unmatched quality, Simply Amish is also earth friendly and a founding member of the Sustainable Furniture Council. Plus, when you go into a store to shop there are fresh Amish baked goods for you to nibble on while you browse. Travis and I are in love with the Shaker panel bed in a coffee bean finish and the Carlisle rectangle farm table and Urbandale chairs in a dark stain as well.

Re-purposed Items

I spotted these images at apartment therapy and had to re-post them. I think they are great ways to use old item you have around the house!

Our House (Almost)

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Travis and I are thisssss close to closing on this super, fabulous, beautiful house in a historic district of Indianapolis. We are supposed to hear something from our agent any minute. I can't wait!!!

Moroccan Tables

I have appreciate Moroccan design for a long time, especially furniture. I spotted these tables at Vivre and thought they were fantastic. They are a perfect blend of Moroccan shapes and contemporary colors. While they are out of my price range they are fun to look at and inspiring.

Photography

I was reading one of my favorite blogs and stumbled upon this amazingly gifted photographer, Irene Suchocki. I am in love with the gorgeous layers of texture in her photos and her beautiful use of color. Check out her shop right here.

Custom Initial Necklaces

I just finished a custom initial necklace for a nice man who had it made for his wife for their anniversary. It seems that these classic, elegant pieces are my bestsellers. People have them made with their initials, their children's initials, a special date, or a word that is important to them. I can make them in a number of styles and designs. These are truly one-of-a-kind custom designed jewelry pieces just for you. I can make them in sterling silver or 18k gold. Email me at kmk222@hotmail.com or visit my shop to design your own.

Snow Day

I was at work yesterday taking breaks every once in awhile to go watch the snow fall out the window. It was beautiful, Christmas morning snow - big, soft flakes. I just wanted to go for a walk out in the snow because it is so quiet and peaceful. As I was surfing the internet I stumbled upon this photo that I thought was perfect for this snowy day. I am sorry I don't know who to give credit to for this photo, but whoever you are, I think it's gorgeous!

Art Show

I got two of my pieces from my thesis show accepted in the 18th Annual Minnetrista Juried Art Show and Sale. The exhibit runs from now until the end of March at the Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, IN.

Bird Houses

One of my favorite things about the spring and summer is having a bird house and watching all the birds that come to feed and live outside my front door. I just open the door and watch them for hours. I especially love when I am lucky enough to have a cardinal visit - they are so beautiful. I was looking around sprout home and saw these sweet ceramic bird houses for $27.50. I will definitely have to get one of these!

New York, New York

So I was getting myself all prepared to move to Indianapolis in May and then Travis gets a call from the big company he really wants to work for. He had a telephone interview today and it went really well. But, the job is in New York City! That is a LOT different from Indianapolis or St. Louis, where I am from. New York would be so exciting but, also, a little scary. There would be a lot of design opportunities for me there, though, which would be nice. I guess I will just have to see how he does with the rest of his interviews.

House We Love

This is the house that Travis and I love! It is in an artsy neighborhood of Indianapolis called Broad Ripple. It is a perfect first home for us, and I am really excited to make a bid on it. We just have to wait for Travis to get a job offer. Wish us luck!

Precious Metal Clay Jewelry

Here are some of my older designs using hand formed precious metal clay. I like how using PMC gives an organic, human feel to something that can be so cold and mechanical.

Life Cycle

Life Cycle #2 (2006)

This is a bangle I made completely by hand. It is constructed out of sterling silver and oxidized copper. The sterling leaves are pierced and polished to represent "life", and the copper leaves are etched,pierced, and oxidized to represent death. The bangle itself is marriage of metal on top, and all sterling on the inside against the wearer's skin. Also on the inside the lyric "My heroes have the heart to lose their lives out on a limb, and all I remember is thinking I want to be like that" by Gnarls Barkley is stamped on the inside as a private reminder to the wearer to live life to the fullest. I like this piece because you can wear it two different ways and it relates in an intimate way to the wearer.

Life Cycle #1

Etched, oxidized copper and etched sterling silver
["Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." -John Lennon, on back]

Life Cycle #3
Anodized aluminum, copper, & sterling silver

My Dream House

My husband, Travis, and I are currently in our last semester of grad school and looking to move out of Muncie, IN. Where we will move we have no idea. I guess wherever we get jobs. I was looking at houses in the Indy metro area and found this old Victorian that I thought was the most beautiful house I had ever seen. I like the idea of mixing a very classic style of house with somewhat modern interiors to give it a nice balanced look. Well designed, yet comfortable.

Paloma's Nest

I was poking around Etsy and stumbled upon a store call Paloma's Nest that sells the most exquisite pottery ($12-$44). I love the pure white color and the simplistic use of text. The shop also sells balsa wood cards. Their tagline, "crafting, one PEACE at a time" is a lovely sentiment reflected in their work.