feeling this today.

"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”

- Ira Glass

earth + sky : a collaboration with satsuma press

i'm so excited to be able to finally announce the release of this special collaboration that i've been working on with sweet lynn of satsuma press! i've long admired lynn's gorgeous letter pressed goods, so i was thrilled when she approached me about the idea of a collaboration. i've taken her original feather illustration, cut it out of solid sterling silver, and paired it with a delicate clear quartz point. each necklace will arrive beautifully packaged on a card designed and printed by lynn, with a complementary birds of a feather letterpress card. we're both so pleased with how this has all come together, and thrilled to finally be offering it to all of you! just in time for valentines day, or just as a little mid-winter treat for yourself. hop on over to the shop and get yours here.

maker monday (special tuesday edition!): isabel dammermann

and we're back! ok, it's a day late, but hey, getting back into a routine is easier said than done sometimes.
i love the weight and utter simplicity of these pieces by isabel dammermann. they feel sculptural, and able to stand on their own in that regard, but i would also love to wear any one of them. a combination that can get somewhat elusive the farther you delve into contemporary 'art' jewelry. more isabel here.

in news a little closer to home, i had a crazy busy and wonderful holiday season. exhausting, for sure, but so fun to send so many little gifts out into the world. i took almost a full two weeks off for holiday break, which went by in a flash. i somewhat reluctantly rejoined the real world yesterday, and will be spending this week organizing, planning, and re-stocking the sad, depleted little website. i'm also excited about a couple things on the horizon in the coming month or two: i'll be releasing my spring 2011 collection in mid februrary, hopefully in conjunction with a new look for the website. new year! new things! can't wait to share them all with you.

a good show and a huge thank you!

the only two pictures i took at ucu this weekend. meant to take more, but i was just too busy!

monday night and i'm giving myself a tiny break to recover from an amazing weekend in seattle. this was my fist time participating in urban craft uprising, and i'm still reeling from how freaking awesome it was. over the past eight years, i haven't done many shows (retail or wholesale) for varying reasons. and when i have tried to take my work out to shows, it's been less than encouraging. ok, fine: every single show i've ever done before this has pretty much totally sucked. there, i said it. i know that as a business person, i'm always supposed to keep my chin up and put a good face forward when asked how things are going. and i'm generally pretty good at doing just that. but here's a true confession for you: bad shows are haaaaaaard to deal with. like, really hard. maybe i'm extra sensitive, but i feel like when i put my work on display, i'm really putting a little bit of my self out there to be judged, and that makes me pretty vulnerable. and no matter how confident or upbeat we designers may appear, some of us are tender creatures. we just want you to like us. and there are few things more disappointing or discouraging than working your ass off to prepare for a show, and then feeling like your work has been poorly received. it can actually be a little soul crushing.

so on the flip side of that, a successful show/sale is nothing less than exhilarating. it is totally, truly radical. and this weekend was an absolute dreamy dream in that regard. all of my hard work and anticipation was so worth it, both financially and emotionally. i had a genuinely wonderful time at urban craft, and it was a true pleasure to meet each and every person who stopped by my little table. i spend a lot of time on my own in my studio, so getting to spend two full days getting to talk to (and sell to!) customers in person was such a valuable experience for me. it is so validating and encouraging to be able to see people excited about what i do. i feel revived, invigorated, and oh so excited for things to come.

and so, my dears, a huge thank you to all of my sweet customers and supporters. every single one of your orders, kind words and comments mean so much to me. you are what makes my job and the life that i have chosen not only possible, but also gratifying, challenging and amazing every day. thank you, thank you, thank you! i can't tell you how much i appreciate it.

xo, t

mirah: the forest

MIRAH - THE FOREST (Official Music Video) from Lauryn Siegel on Vimeo.

so good.

maker monday? and a tiny preview...

i know, i know, i've totally fallen off the tracks with maker monday posts. the holiday have overwhelmed me and i'm off my game. i super completely absolutely promise (myself) to get back on it as soon as life has calmed down a bit. it really is something i enjoy doing, and a good exercise/ritual for me. just gonna put it on hold for the rest of the year, unless i get inspired before then.
aaaaanyways! the good news about all this busy is that deadlines are insanely motivating for me, and in the midst of dealing with holiday orders and prepping for a couple of shows i'm doing next month, i seem to have somehow cobbled together the beginnings of a new collection. above is a tiny preview of new earrings. i think i posted the black/brass triangles before, but i super love them and this is a better picture so i had to include them again. i'll have a small selection of this work up at urban craft uprising in seattle next weekend, and again at an event i'm doing here in portland on december 17th. (save the date on that one! it's gonna be good!) i'm pretty happy with where this work is going, and excited to make more. as always, yays, nays, critiques gladly accepted.

getaway.

dudes. the holiday madness is killing me already. it's late late saturday night, and i've only managed to cross one thing off the to do list this evening. but i'm beat. and calling it a night. luckily, i managed to sneak away to the coast for a fantastical 24 hours in lincoln city with my dear friend dana and a cadre of other fine friends. drinks were had, games were played, and the above is how i spent my morning. came home this evening to hop right back to the grind, but feeling lucky and loved and refreshed from my mini retreat. bed now. back to it tomorrow in between two birthday parties and hopefully getting to pop over to my pal azsa's art show and book release. ah, i may be tired, but busy times are good times!