Hazel Designs

Shop temporarily closed

2010-02-25T19:05:00.006-05:00

Due to the imminent arrival of the babe, I am temporarily closing my Etsy shop for the next few months. I've been very lucky to have gotten a steady stream of orders from wonderful customers in the past few months (especially in this tough economy), even though I haven't been able to update the shop with fresh items lately. My brain has been percolating with lots of ideas for new jewelry designs, however, and I hope to work on those at some point. I'm also unsure how much I will be able to update the blog in the next coming months, maybe just sporadically, but please shoot me an email or an Etsy convo if you need to get in touch with me. I am also due to play catch up on visiting all of your blogs. See you guys soon!

iWant

2010-01-27T21:58:00.010-05:00

I've been waiting for this announcement for months, and Apple finally unveiled it today - the iPad. I've been holding out on purchasing a new ebook reader (I'm looking at you, Kindle) to replace my sturdy, but old, Ebookwise until I saw what Apple would come up with. Turns out it's not exactly an e-reader; the ebook feature is an app called iBooks, with an accompanying online bookstore called iBookstore. From what it looks like on the demos the iBook doesn't have e-Ink technology like the Kindle or the Nook do. The screen is backlit, which could strain the eyes but would enable you to read in the dark. It also sounds like the ebook offerings will be more expensive at $14.99, as opposed to Amazon's $9.99. I'm waiting to see actual user reviews of this device before making up my mind, but at first look, it seems so nifty and sleek.

Bittar & Haiti

2010-01-19T22:41:00.008-05:00

Sorry this is a little late, but I received this from Alexis Bittar's company and thought it would be great to pass along:

Starting yesterday until January 22, Alexis Bittar will donate 100% of sales to Haiti relief. How great is that? You guys all know how much I love his work. So here's your chance to score some wonderful Bittar goodies while at the same time helping out those affected by the terrible tragedy in Haiti. You can browse his online store here.

Baby things

2010-01-03T15:54:00.003-05:00

For Hanukkah, my talented sister-in-law, Alissa, gifted us an incredible array of crocheted goodies for the babe, all handmade by her. The ridiculously tiny booties, hat, and coat made me cry, they were just so adorable. My favorite part is the baseball buttons.

She also made a matching baby blanket.

And this cute stuffed animal that looks very intricate to make.

Live model

2010-01-02T21:38:00.004-05:00

My good friend Marnie commissioned a custom order of the Bronwen earrings and matching bracelet in sterling silver for her sister Ilisa's birthday gift. I was very excited to receive pictures of Ilisa modeling the pieces for the blog. Doesn't she look fabulous? Thank you, ladies!

Lovely

2009-12-26T10:50:00.004-05:00

I don't remember where I found these, but this room is so lovely. Nothing cutesy (I am personally not a fan of overtly cutesy things).

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T12:34:00.002-05:00

May all the joys of the season be yours!

Aftermath

2009-12-20T19:59:00.007-05:00

The massive snowstorm has finally petered out, but not until after dumping almost two feet of the white stuff down on us. Today was the Great Dig-Out.

I love this one...our neighbor's Smart Car, not yet cleared...the contrast between the tiny car and the amount of snow it has on top of it is kind of comical.

Our back deck and gate...so much snow!

View from the back deck...

Blizzard

2009-12-19T11:27:00.008-05:00

We are under a blizzard warning all day, with predicted snow totals of 18-24". Yikes! They're saying this is a historic, record-breaking snowstorm, with levels not seen since 1932. A car got stuck in the middle of the road in my neighborhood just now. I guess the poor guy isn't going anywhere for the time being. There are also reports of salt trucks overturning - salt trucks. The snow is falling thick and fast - Mr Hazel had just finished shoveling the deck when 2 more inches of snow promptly covered it right back up.

Hello

2009-12-03T23:38:00.002-05:00

Moxie says hi.

Pregnancy and crafts

2009-12-01T22:38:00.000-05:00

For any pregnant artists and craftspeople out there, I found this interesting article on pregnancy and crafts. I never really thought about it until I got pregnant and realized I should probably stay away from my torch for the time being, but the arts and crafts involve tons of chemicals that could potentially be hazardous: paint, oils, photography materials, dyes, flux, solder. I was really pleased that this has been discussed at least someplace as a reference for us pregnant artists!

New Moon rising

2009-11-19T18:59:00.003-05:00

Finally, it's here. It is approximately t-minus 21 hours until zero New Moon hour for me! My friends and I have been crashing email servers all week, eagerly awaiting tomorrow afternoon. So, in honor of New Moon eve, here is some R-Pattz eye candy!

Just because

2009-11-08T18:03:00.001-05:00

Mr Hazel got me flowers "just because."

Custom

2009-11-07T15:35:00.003-05:00

I finished a custom order for a birthday gift. These are similar to the Bronwen earrings and bracelet, but in sterling silver instead of vermeil.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-10-20T21:01:00.003-04:00

A new New Moon preview! Even though there's no Edward in it (boo), I have to admit this was really, really cool. Bella with the wolves. And it looks great.

Treasury

2009-10-12T10:18:00.005-04:00

The Bronwen earrings (bottom left-hand corner) made it into an Etsy treasury.

Pretty

2009-10-11T17:12:00.003-04:00

Loving home design as I do, I already have lots of ideas percolating in my head, but I absolutely and completely fell in love with this nursery.

A helping hand

2009-09-30T22:19:00.011-04:00

The typhoon that struck Manila, Philippines over the weekend caused unspeakable devastation, damage, and loss of life. The scariest part is that this disaster hit close to home, as "ground zero" of the flooding was in my old hometown of Marikina. I shudder to think what my childhood home looks like in the aftermath. Worse, though, is that I have family that were affected, including a cousin I'm close to who had to evacuate her house (including her two little girls) by boat. The pictures and stories coming from there are horrible and tragic. And even worse, another typhoon is being tracked and is predicted to make landfall on Saturday, potentially worsening the situation into a full-fledged humanitarian crisis.

I'm appealing to all to extend a helping hand to the Filipinos who lost so much during this disaster. Many are without food or clean drinking water. If you are able to help in any way, for any amount, it would go a long way towards alleviating the suffering experienced by the victims of this disaster. Donations can be made either through Catholic Relief Services here or the Philippine National Red Cross here, which has made arrangements to enable overseas donors to donate safely via PayPal. The Philippine Red Cross is part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Much thanks for your generosity on behalf of the victims of Typhoon Ketsana ("Ondoy").

Twilight Tuesday

2009-09-29T22:03:00.004-04:00

I'm taking a break from my latest obsession (which would be vampire Eric Northman from the Sookie Stackhouse novels, and specifically Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman - but more on that later), to post these great new stills from New Moon. I must admit I am even salivating over the wolfpack, and I'm as far from Team Jacob as you can get. The Volturi also look very impressive. It's definitely looking more and more like New Moon will be of much higher quality than Twilight, with a less of an indie feel and more of a polished, glossy look. Check them out.

A special project

2009-09-22T21:22:00.007-04:00

Some of you may have been wondering where I've been hiding myself. For the past few months, I've been working on a very, very special project: I've been nurturing a little bun in the oven! With the result that this past summer I've been very nauseous and exhausted, and haven't had much energy for a lot of things (including tending to my Etsy shop or blogging). My couch and I have really bonded these past months. Thank you, couch!

Because of all the different chemicals involved in the process, I've temporarily halted all metalsmithing for the duration of my pregnancy, but I'm hoping to get back to my table very soon to work on new pieces with beads and wire. I probably won't be around as much these days but once I start feeling better you'll see more of me, so check back often!

Meteorological summer

2009-08-31T19:53:00.003-04:00

Today is the last meteorological summer day! My supermarket still had huge crates of peaches, watermelons, and corn on display over the weekend, but I suspect that will soon disappear as fall moves in (and today felt very much like early fall). I've been enjoying a lot of peaches lately, so here they are as you say goodbye to summertime.

Surprise gift

2009-08-23T16:53:00.006-04:00

I came home the other day with a surprise gift from Mr Hazel waiting for me on my desk: season 1 of True Blood. Very excited. When the dvd first came out I waffled about whether I should watch this show because I felt kind of like I was betraying my Cullen vampires if I got hooked on another set of vampires. But everyone - Alissa and my Twi-geek group especially - kept raving about how good this show is, so I decided to go for it. Mr Hazel knew how much I've been wanting to see this, hence the surprise.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-08-18T21:00:00.012-04:00

Finally, the news I've been waiting for all summer: principal photography has started on Eclipse! The cast all arrived back in Vancouver over the weekend where all kinds of hijinks ensued, including this atrocity (still hoping this doesn't mean they're together for real). It is so exciting to see them all back together again though. Eclipse has started! Summitt also released a new trailer for New Moon; it's very Jacob-centric. I'm worried about how much I'll end up puking at the movie theater each time Bella and Jacob stare soulfully into each others' eyes. Especially during that Jacob shirtless kiss scene. Spare me. Team Edward forever!

Sold pieces

2009-08-16T18:50:00.011-04:00

It's been a busy, whirlwind summer with personal projects, birthday parties and all kinds of other things, so I haven't had too many chances of updating the blog of late. But I have been wanting to post an update for a while on my recently sold pieces. Business was pretty brisk the early part of the summer, which was exciting. My metals were particularly popular. I was also very excited when the Uhura bracelet sold! I worked hard on this piece and loved how it turned out, so I was happy to know someone else shared my love for it.

Experimenting

2009-07-30T21:21:00.002-04:00

Post earrings, made of lapis lazuli cabochons in a bezel setting.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-07-28T21:48:00.006-04:00

Here are pictures of the Volturi in full makeup and costume! I must say, I'm impressed. Especially with Dakota Fanning - she looks nothing like Dakota Fanning as Jane. Marcus looks awesome, so vampiric and menacing. Michael Sheen as Tony Blair...er...I mean, as Aro, still looks a bit strange, but Caius doesn't look half bad. Not sure I really had an opinion on Alec one way or the other, but all in all, I'm rather pleased!

There were exciting developments at Comic Con last week, ending in these two new clips from New Moon. The first clip (admittedly of bad quality) is the motorcycle scene between Bella and Jacob, and I gotta admit, it was cringe-inducing at its best and ugh-worthy at its worst. Ugh. Gross. Forced chemistry and awkwardness! The second clip is more like it - my favorite part of the book, the climactic Volterra scenes where Edward takes off his shirt!

Hydrangeas

2009-07-27T19:28:00.001-04:00

My sister gave me this pretty bunch that she picked from her backyard.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-07-21T22:09:00.001-04:00

Your Tuesday squee moment, from a photoshoot outtake.

A tulip

2009-07-19T18:27:00.006-04:00

This pendant happened quite by happy accident. I was making the two pear shapes for earrings, and noticed that if I placed one on top of the other they make a tulip, and would serve as a pretty cool-looking pendant. And so I did, and it did, and Adeline came to be. She's named after one of the characters from the book I just finished, The Thirteenth Tale (highly recommended as a can't-put-down sort of a book).

Rings

2009-07-11T13:28:00.005-04:00

I made these stacking rings as an experiment, and I'm now debating whether to offer them on Etsy because they took me forever to make! They make up a total of eight individual rings in different gauges, and look like a thicker ring when stacked together.

Yellow

2009-07-09T20:54:00.007-04:00

Because it's summer, and because it's such a happy color, here are some pretty yellow finds from Etsy shops.

rosebud earrings by PrettyParis

flower ring by VieModerne

clutch purse by Oktak

watercolor painting by Karen Faulkner

rose hair pins by Made With Clay and Love

I am so in love with this dress by Carol Hannah

Chains

2009-07-08T23:24:00.003-04:00

The new Tameka necklace isn't named after Usher's soon-to-be ex-wife Tameka Foster, but rather after my good friend Tameka, who also happens to be a fellow Twihard. At first I debated how many circles to include, and settled on three as a good number for now. I like this design a lot, so you might see more variations of this in the near future.

Another one

2009-07-06T19:43:00.006-04:00

I had complete fun making this necklace, with all of its contrasting textures, shapes, and neutral shades. I also like how the circles form a mini-link that looks like they are a found vintage necklace from someone's grandmother's trinket box. And then, while thinking up of a good name, I realized I've never named a piece after Princess Leah. How remiss of me! So here is the Leah necklace.

2009-07-05T13:47:00.006-04:00

We celebrated the 4th of July a day early with a pool party and steaks on the grill, so yesterday I was able to devote about five hours at my workbench, a rarity indeed in these busy times. My back and hands were very achy by the time I was finished, but it was worth it. This one is Skye, after a family friend's daughter whose name I really love! I deliberately made the circles not be perfectly formed and with different sizes so as to give them an organic, slightly messy, unplanned look - though the "unplanned" part is certainly a misnomer, as they were all very meticulously planned.

Circles, circles everywhere

2009-07-01T19:22:00.007-04:00

Notice a theme emerging? This is another new piece from the weekend's creativity burst, named Stella. The necklace is similar to Audrey but with an extra circle pendant. For my next project I'm envisioning something similar to these two, but with even more circles bunched together, maybe with a thinner gauge wire, some hammered, some not. We'll see how that works out!

Also, in case you were looking for the Uhura cuff bracelet, I've temporarily taken it down from Etsy to administer some suggested improvements from a couple of friends who did a test run for me. Uhura will be back up soon!

Twilight Tuesday

2009-06-30T23:01:00.006-04:00

I happily plunked down $10 for the highly-anticipated copy of US Weekly's special feature called The Sexy Stars of Twilight, which came out this week. Mr Hazel can scarcely believe I spent $10 on something like this, but we'll just ignore him. The magazine includes seven big pullout posters, as well as articles and quotes. I skipped over the feature on Kristen Stewart but devoured the rest, and my favorite was R-Pattz's quote along the lines of how he now sometimes feels like he's in a boy band. How cute!

Since New Moon has wrapped up filming and is currently in post-production, there has been a dearth of movie news, but today an exciting one came out: they released the filming schedule for Eclipse. Filming is to start on August 17 until October 31, again in Vancouver, and using the same set and studio as New Moon.

Cuff bracelet

2009-06-29T22:35:00.008-04:00

I made a cuff bracelet for the first time. I've been thinking about the design and construction for a while but didn't have the courage to actually pick up my torch and start creating one lest it ended up in the discard pile, like a lot of my metalwork attempts. But on Sunday I spent the whole afternoon at my workbench, and this is one of the fruits of my labor. My sister has been bugging me to name a piece after Star Trek's Uhura, but I've been waiting until I made something sufficiently funky and sassy and space age-y. I think this one finally looks like an Uhura, doesn't it?

On the ferry

2009-06-28T21:02:00.014-04:00

Yesterday we took a ferry to check out a new harbor being developed into an area for new restaurants, stores, and a resort hotel. Upon docking, we unexpectedly ran into old friends, whom I haven't seen in years. That made me happy. Mr Hazel and I enjoyed some lunch and walked around for a bit before boarding the ferry back. It was a gorgeous day to be out on the river among all the pretty sailboats. The last picture is of a bird's nest built on top of a buoy, a sight you don't come across too often.

Sunflowers

2009-06-24T22:21:00.003-04:00

Hello, summer.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-06-23T22:06:00.009-04:00

A new cover for New Moon. They relegated Edward to a ghostly, hallucinatory image on top of a moon! What were they thinking? You can't even tell it's R-Pattz, much less notice him at first glance. As a member of Team Edward, I say boo on this one. Stupid Jacob with his stupid muscles. And stupid Bella with that come hither pose. Though I do wonder what that 'exclusive poster' is of.

Nature trail

2009-06-17T22:51:00.009-04:00

Last weekend we went to the nearby Nature Center for a walk along the trails, where I pretended to be a National Geographic photographer. There were a million dragonflies by the pond, and we saw a family of what we believe were Canadian geese, as well as pretty flowers and turtles. I'm still amazed that I was able to capture the dragonfly in the last picture, because they were flitting about so quickly.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-06-16T22:18:00.005-04:00

My friend Tameka went to the candy convention in Chicago this spring, and among her loot that totaled 35 pounds, she brought me back a box of the Twilight Sweethearts Conversation Hearts candy. Ha - it says "Forbidden Fruits." The boxes come in three different designs, and mine, of course, has Edward on it.

Sewing machine

2009-06-15T22:15:00.008-04:00

In between Twi-Geek '09 I managed to make a new piece for the shop, the Nancy necklace. I'm introducing one of the pendants that I found a couple of weekends ago, which was really fun to work on. This one is a vintage sewing machine! How charming is that image?

Twi-geek party

2009-06-14T14:10:00.003-04:00

This is the t-shirt I made for last night's Twilight party. Originally I had thoughts of puffy paint and/or a Bedazzler, but both sounded too complicated, so I went with iron-on letters instead. Did I mention that we're not tweens, but rather grown women in our twenties and thirties? You couldn't tell, could you?

On e-readers

2009-06-08T21:49:00.005-04:00

My e-book reader is one of my all-time favorite gadgets. It's especially handy when I travel because, depending on how long the trip and the plane ride, I usually bring four or five paperbacks with me. When we went to the Philippines for two weeks one year I brought something like fifteen paperbacks, half of them intended for the almost-24 hour plane ride. I didn't have room for much else in my carry-on. But with my e-reader, I could put as many books on there as I want and I only have to worry about bringing one device with me.

Before I settled on my e-reader a few years ago I was torn between the Ebookwise and the Sony, finally settling on the Ebookwise because it was a lot cheaper ($124 vs. Sony's $300 price tag). At the time, Sony didn't have an interactive touchscreen while the Ebookwise did, but Ebookwise was clunky and the screen didn't have e-Ink technology. Nevertheless, I've generally been very happy with how it has performed and held up over the years.

Then came the Kindle, and then recently, the much bigger Kindle DX, and I've been seriously considering replacing the Ebookwise with the Kindle at some point in the future. I especially love the wireless download feature of the Kindle, meaning you don't have to plug in the device in order to download the book file like I have to do with my current e-reader. But then...but then! I recently read on Time magazine that Apple is looking into designing and creating what I consider to be the holy grail of all e-readers - a device similar to the iPod. An iPod e-reader?! Sold! So I think I'm going to hang on to my trusty Ebookwise for now, and wait for Apple to come through on this. I hope they don't take too long!

Lucky finds

2009-06-07T21:43:00.012-04:00

Errands, work, movies, chores, books, travel, family, friends, and Twilight have temporarily pushed aside jewelrymaking and attempts to stock the shop, but yesterday I scored a bunch of these amazingly adorable metal and epoxy charms with various vintage-y looking images on them. I snatched up a bunch. They're very whimsical charms such as a pair of French shears, Gibson girls in hats, an old-fashioned sewing machine, and a black-and-white bulldog. So fun, and I can't wait to work on them this week. I debated taking photos because I had a mind to debut them as finished pieces, and also, it's been a very busy weekend!

Twilight Tuesday

2009-06-02T23:21:00.000-04:00

Finally, the first official New Moon trailer! This was debuted during the MTV Movie Awards, and it's great. We see the birthday party scene, we see the breakup scene, we see Jacob transforming into a wolf. And the CGI looks pretty good. Did you guys catch the MTVs? RPattz was looking particularly hot, and his British accent made him a hundred times more charming, if that's even possible. I wish Edward spoke with a British accent.

Also, my cousin Leslie and I talked about going on the Twilight cruise, with a pit stop in Forks, WA!

Weekend trip

2009-06-01T22:53:00.006-04:00

This weekend Mr Hazel and I made a quick jaunt to Cleveland to see family and watch the Indians vs Yankees game at the Jake (never, ever will I call it Progressive Field). We had loads of fun, and except for the midges and the dozens of seagulls that kept landing on the baseball field, the weather was gorgeous.

We played tourist and wandered over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which I still think is one of the coolest architectural structures.

This is the back view of the Rock Hall sitting on the banks of Lake Erie.

View of the North Coast (Lake Erie), which reminds me a lot of Chicago's Navy Pier.

This scene of the Cuyahoga River and the many bridges says Cleveland to me - industrial, steel, gritty.

The sound of a billion screams

2009-05-27T20:33:00.010-04:00

I know it's not Tuesday, but Twihards the world over have gone into a fine frenzy over these newly-released pictures of a shirtless RPattz kissing Bella during their long-awaited reunion. It looks like he's been working out a lot, because his pecs and abs and arms are so much more delicious than they were in Twilight (and less hairy). Do you see that six-pack? Oh, my.

Also, the black dots on his face and body (oh, my) are there so they can CGI the sparkles on him at post-production. Ignoring the fact that Edward isn't supposed to sparkle in these scenes, and the fact that he's supposed to be totally nekkid with a pile of white clothes at his feet...however, I'm too dazed to nitpick.

More deliciousness at PopSugar and LaineyGossip.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-05-26T21:30:00.008-04:00

The Italy shoots are in full swing! Red flags in Monepulciano, people in red robes, and the yellow Porsche! The schedule was laid out over at LaineyGossip:

First two days will focus on Bella trying to make her way through the throngs of festival revelers to reach Edward. She jumps in the fountain, wades through it, towards him. Of course she makes it in time at which point he pulls her into a building.

By the way – if you’re wondering, yes, they’ll be trying to include the “slamming” into his body.

When they reunite, Bella and Edward do kiss followed by the arrival of Jane and the others.

They’ll also film something from Alice’s perspective on these two days. She “sees” Edward sparkling in the sunlight.

Some of the driving sequences will also go ahead on Tuesday and Wednesday, schedule permitting. .

On Thursday they’ll be jumping into a hole in the ground. This will likely be Robert Pattinson’s final day barring any major delays – heads up to you twi-hards who’ve made the journey.

Friday is more driving and Porsche work.

Now wait just a minute...Bella and Edward do not kiss that early! It was delayed gratification at its best! What is Chris Weitz trying to pull?

Treasury

2009-05-20T21:15:00.004-04:00

I made it into another Etsy Treasury! This time, Geillis joins others in a collection of verdigris critters. This Treasury expires on Saturday at 6pm.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-05-19T21:49:00.010-04:00

Fans are abuzz with the release of the first official New Moon poster! I wish Edward's hair was longer, and that Jacob wasn't in it.

I do like this mashup with the wolf pack.

Also, the other major buzz is that RPattz, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner will appear live at the MTV Movie Awards on May 31 to present the first glimpse of the New Moon trailer. I cannot wait. A majority of fans (including me) hopes that they will be showing some part of the Italy scenes.

Lastly, in case there was any doubt, RPattz has confirmed that he will be in Breaking Dawn.

Woods

2009-05-18T22:51:00.006-04:00

The woods fronting my train station. And also the station itself. Don't the trees seem very Fork-ish? Doesn't it look like Edward will come leaping out of those woods to feed at any moment? I thought so.

Seconds

2009-05-17T22:55:00.011-04:00

Saw Star Trek for the second time, this time on an IMAX screen. If possible, it was even more awesome than before. The score was phenomenal. Again, Sylar stole the show, but Chris Pine was equally wonderful. And the scene where we see seven of the starships docked together, and then catch a glimpse of the USS Enterprise for the first time? Gave me the chills all over again.

Dragonfly necklace

2009-05-14T22:03:00.019-04:00

I have an affinity for dragonflies; I just think they are so whimsical. So I named this new necklace Geillis, after the equally whimsical heroine of Mary Stewart's Thornyhold. I recently re-read Thornyhold and was charmed all over again by the beauty of that book (which I'll be reviewing on Paperback Musings soon). Anyway, back to my dragonfly. I oxidized the sterling chain by hand to match the vintagey feel, and the whole thing is about 18" long.

I also forgot to mention that I made my first international sale! The Je t'aime earrings sold to someone all the way in England, and I finally got the chance to see if the international shipping rate I estimated was accurate (it wasn't). I ended up having to adjust the rate, which is now also reflected at the shop. Unfortunately I'm unable to offer delivery confirmation service for international orders at this time, but the rate is pretty comparable to domestic shipping, so that works out.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-05-12T23:06:00.027-04:00

I am peeing my pants from excitement upon learning that RPattz is in talks to play Paul Atreides in the remake of Dune. DUNE! I am a huge Dune fan and at one point was absolutely in love with Kyle McLachlan as Paul Atreides. I used to watch Dune over and over again, and devoured the book by Frank Herbert, which the movie was based on. I am aware that I was a huge nerd as a child, but apparently I was ahead of my time, because RPattz is going to make Dune cool again and all the tween girls are going to start uttering the timeless quotes from the movie pretty soon.

He who controls the spice, controls the universe.

Stilgar, do we have worm sign?
Usul, we have worm sign the likes of which God has never seen.

Wow, I am so looking forward to this. I hope the remake does justice to the original, which is a cult classic to us sci-fi fans.

Second, I absolutely loved this article about how Twilight has brought mothers (and other adult women) closer together. I know just from my own experience that I've bonded with old friends and have also made new friends over Twilight (shout out to all my Twilight girls!). We exchange tons of Twilight emails throughout the day and have already made plans to attend the midnight showing of New Moon. It's a blast. I also especially love this quote from the article, because I think my friends and I can identify:

Hansen was a happily married woman who could not stop thinking about "Twilight" and Meyer's other novels in the series, "New Moon," "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn." Not sure what to do or who to talk to, Hansen posted a note on her MySpace page asking other fans to come forward. "I was looking for 30-something moms and married people who were obsessed like I was," she said.

And, wait - ! Radaronline has the details of the New Moon wrap party in Vancouver. They're done already? I guess it's now Italy time! I can't wait to see the first trailer. The article also mentions David Slade, the guy picked to direct Eclipse and who, in the past, bashed Twilight on Twitter. He's now furiously backpedaling after realizing the thing he made so much fun of is now going to be his next (huge) paycheck. I'm still mad at him and it's making me anxious knowing that Eclipse is going to be directed by a hater.

Haikus

2009-05-11T19:04:00.006-04:00

Tracy at Pink Purl is hosting a Haiku Festival today, May 11th. I've been composing 5-7-5 meters all day in my head and counting out the rhythms. You can click on Tracy's haiku to find all the other participants and read their entries, but meanwhile, these are some of my attempts, in differing tones of the mundane, the timely, and the annoying (that would be this weather we're having).

Agate drops for you
Spun in silver chain and wire
Sparkling on your ears

~

Where are my bare toes
Hiding under winter socks
Raining every day

~

Freshly dry-cleaned pants
A nice way to start the week
Makes me feel brand new

New necklace

2009-05-10T21:48:00.006-04:00

I just posted a brand new item at the shop, the Bethany necklace. Turquoise nugget, smoky quartz, and one of my hand-forged sterling silver circles. I think this is a great piece for summer, especially with the earthy color combination. Also, something exciting. My mother-in-law was out and about this weekend wearing her Astrid necklace, and a stranger complimented her on it. My MIL then promptly gave her one of my cards (actually the old version that Alissa happened to have on her). How's that for marketing!

Shoe shopping

2009-05-06T22:44:00.009-04:00

I've been on the lookout for work shoes that I can wear this summer, preferably peep toe pumps or wedge sandals. But I wasn't holding out hope because shoes are so hard to find for my ridiculously tiny feet. I did find a pair of wedges at my favorite shoe shop, Nordstrom, but they were going to charge me not only shipping, but sales tax as well. So instead I tried Shoes.com, and found this perfect pair of Franco Sarto peep toes in my size! How lucky is that? I was even more ecstatic to find out that not only do they offer free shipping and no tax, but I was able to get an additional 20% off using a promotional code. And because I like you guys, I will share the magic code: BFF09. Enter this at checkout and they'll take the discount. Instead of $80, I ended up paying only $65. Not bad for my recessionista find, eh?

Twilight Tuesday

2009-05-05T22:17:00.013-04:00

First off, I read that what is widely believed to be the New Moon script has been leaked online, but then was subsequently taken down. I refuse to actively look for said script because the temptation will be too great not to devour the whole thing, but I'm burning with curiosity nevertheless. I did read enough about it to know how the movie allegedly starts (or not start). At this rate, November 20, 2009 can't come soon enough for me.

Speaking of, the Volturi have arrived in Vancouver (or some of them, anyway). As Alissa said, these are the old man, the fetus, and Dakota Fanning. Why are they even in Vancouver anyway? They never set foot in Forks in the entire second book. We meet them in Italy. Uh, hello Chris Weitz? You better not be messing things up again as I suspect you are.

Third, a bit of a movie spoiler - judging from these pictures and from reports from the set, Bella doesn't merely approach those guys in Port Angeles after seeing the zombie movie with Jessica, she actually gets on the back of a motorcycle with one of them, with Edward's apparition apparently urging her not to. Clever way of keeping Edward on screen (thank you!).

Twilight is also being nominated for seven MTV Movie Awards, including Best Kiss, which it should totally win.

My cousin Leslie commented on yesterday's post that Bella also wears purple boots in the movie, which I had completely forgotten about. And you can get them here. So not only does it feel like Forks around here, but I'm wearing the same footwear as Bella. This can't be coincidence. Should I start checking Mr Hazel for sparkly skin? Speaking of, there is a Twilight Marriage Survey, where they want to know if Twilight has affected peoples' marriages. I am totally laughing out loud.

Lastly, my friend Sarah sent me these fan-made pictures. Check out the muscles on Edward in the second picture (is this a prelude to Breaking Dawn? The feathers and broken headboard scene?). Too bad RPattz is so puny and skinny and little, because if he really had arms like these, Edward would be ten times hotter. Which means they should CGI muscles on him.

Dare I say it?

2009-05-04T23:13:00.005-04:00

Day #5 of non-stop rain, with more of the same coming tomorrow and Wednesday. Dare I say it? Dare I? Okay, I will. Damn, I feel like I'm in Forks! (It had to be said.) My train station fronts the woods and with them being so green and lush today, I felt like Edward was about to come leaping out of the trees to bite my neck. Now I know how Bella felt. And so, my purple rain boots and I, we'll go trudging on together until sunshine returns. I thought it was supposed to be "April showers bring May flowers," not "April showers bring even more May showers."

Sunday

2009-05-03T18:51:00.003-04:00

It's been raining for four days straight. At least my plants love it - the azalea bushes I planted two years ago, both on the brink of death, have come back springing to life as green as you please. I also started several new jewelry designs that went nowhere (really, really frustrating!) until finally I ended up completing a new necklace. I kept the design simple. Photos coming soon, after the sun makes its reappearance.

Dinner table

2009-04-29T21:03:00.008-04:00

We rarely use the formal dining room for meals, but for Passover this year we hosted the second night of seder at our house and so I broke out the tablecloth and the casual china to dress the dining table with. I debated using the formal china that belonged to Mr Hazel's grandmother (which we received when we got engaged), but as heirloom pieces, I'm too afraid they'll break so we have never, to this day, used them. I was nevertheless happy to set the table for a change, and with real cloth napkins to boot. It made me feel like a civilized grown-up.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-04-28T23:39:00.016-04:00

Melissa Rosenberg, the Twilight scriptwriter, wants Channing Tatum to play the part of Riley in Eclipse. I'm already drooling over this, even though Riley was just a bit part. That battle sequence between Victoria, Riley and Edward at the end of Eclipse was awesome, and then you add Channing Tatum to the mix? Can he be shirtless, please? Thanks.

In New Moon production news, I found it somewhat strange that they built an exact replica of Charlie's house to be used for exterior shots, but it's only a shell and not durable. Why did they even bother, seeing as they are using a different Cullen house this time around? And I never did understand why Chris Weitz chose Vancouver instead of the original locations in Washington.

I absolutely love these pictures of RPattz at LAX. He looks in character here, i.e., Edward at the airport! And apparently they are going to be releasing pictures of a shirtless Jacob similar to the shirtless wolf pack picture that caused quite a stir among fans last week. Can't say I'm highly anticipating it all that much, but I am curious, and maybe Jacob will end up surprising me.

For those of you on Team Emmett, how do you like this one?

Lastly, because today is Twilight Tuesday, I wanted to link to my book review of The Vampire Diaries, a story uncannily similar to Twilight.

A find

2009-04-27T22:47:00.007-04:00

I was browsing at a flea market over the weekend and stumbled across a treasure trove of old costume jewelry, including this brooch key. I'm guessing it's made of brass, but who really knows with flea markets? I also saw a wonderful vintage-looking watch pin that I was thinking I could turn into a charm for a necklace, but as I didn't have enough cash on me (and it didn't even enter my mind until it was too late that being at a flea market, I could've haggled), I ended up buying just the key. I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet, but I'm pretty sure it will make its re-emergence soon.

Green

2009-04-26T17:39:00.009-04:00

It's so hot today that it feels like we've skipped spring and gone right into summer. In fact, all the rain we've had lately has made everything around me look like the lush and green of summertime.

Drooling

2009-04-25T19:17:00.007-04:00

I'm usually not one for modern minimalist jewelry, but I am in love with these rings from Conroy & Wilcox. They have an organic, handcrafted quality about them that really draw me in. I especially love their gray diamonds, particularly the rose cuts, which beautifully mixes vintage and modern together (admittedly, I love rose cut diamonds). Usually when you think of gray diamonds, you think of poor quality diamonds with lots of inclusions. But with these rings, the inclusions just make them look extremely unique and super special, and become part of the rings' charm.

Louise ring.

Bedford ring - gray rose cut diamond.

Aquamarine cabochon ring.

Gray diamond ring.

Tumble cut amethyst ring.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-04-21T23:19:00.008-04:00

Team Jasper? Or, more accurately, Team Jackson Rathbone!

The cast has just about wrapped up filming in Vancouver and the actors have started leaving. They finished the cliff diving scene at an indoor pool, and apparently RPattz was in it, which has to mean that we'll get to see him as Bella's hallucination. Next stop: Italy!

ETA: Ohmygod. I just saw this. The first official photo shoot of the wolf pack. Yeowzer! So much eye candy, my head is spinning.

A Monday circus

2009-04-20T22:20:00.015-04:00

Today was definitely a Monday morning, no question about it. First, I woke up to rain and gray skies. While feeding the cats, I forgot to close the pantry door all the way, which meant Nomad and Moxie managed to get into their bag of kibble and go to town on it. When I came back downstairs half an hour later they were both smacking their lips and looking at me guiltily. By then I was running late so I couldn't give them a proper scolding. After many false starts, I managed to get myself out the door and at the train station, where I found out that my train was going to be a whole hour late due to a disabled circus train blocking the tracks down south somewhere. A circus train, you say? That's right - a circus train. Somehow the idea of a circus train on what was turning out to be a circus of a Monday was poetic irony. But it's not over yet. I then slog back to my car in the worsening rain, race over to the other train station (which is on a different line) hoping that I could catch the last train there, risk life and limb by sprinting up and then down the numerous staircases, and managing to get on board that train in the nick of time, hyperventilating all the while. Needless to say, I was exhausted and ready for a nap by the time I finally made it in to work.

Happy Friday

2009-04-17T19:04:00.003-04:00

It's a gorgeous spring evening here. I went out for a run and the whole neighborhood smelled like flowers. I also stopped to pet a few neighborhood dogs, two of which were these adorable chow chows that resembled furry little brown bears. I am in love. I really want one now.

Emeralds

2009-04-16T22:26:00.008-04:00

For my birthday this year, Mr Hazel's parents gave me a pair of Colombian emerald earrings they got while on vacation in Cartegena. I've never worn emeralds before, and this pair is particularly lovely. The green is vivid and startling, a contrast to the daintiness of the earrings.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-04-14T21:39:00.021-04:00

The big news is that Aro has been cast, and sadly, it isn't Prince Caspian. Chris Weitz chose 40-year-old Michael Sheen to play Aro, and SIL Alissa and I aren't happy. First, they cast a guy who looks like he hasn't even gone through puberty yet to play Caius, but Aro is going to look like a 40-year-old? How does that even make sense? I read that Chris Weitz specifically courted Michael Sheen in order to lend "gravitas and credibility" to the production. I've got news for you, Chris Weitz - you're worrying about "credibility" and "gravitas" when Twilight took in $80 million during opening weekend? How much more credibility do you need? Bah! I knew I hated this guy ever since I saw that god-awful Golden Compass travesty. Is it too early to get worried? I mean, look at Aro! He's supposed to be a scary, powerful, menacing vampire, but he looks like Tony Blair!

But then I was excited to read about how Edward's Volvo is going to be changed to the Volvo as it was meant to be: the s60r. The use of the other, sportier 2-door model in the first movie has always bothered me.

And Lainey Gossip has a set shot of Bella holding a camera - could this be her fateful birthday gift from Charlie?

Cullen Boys Anonymous also has set spoilers of Edward and Bella at the Forks High School parking lot, near Bella's truck. I'm dying to know exactly what scenes are being filmed here. Note that Edward's makeup looks much better.

And lastly, we get this piece of news from Lainey Gossip:

Am told that a party scene involving the Cullen Family and Bella is (at press time) scheduled for tomorrow at a private residence

Is it paper cut time?!

Pink snow

2009-04-13T22:51:00.003-04:00

At the movies

2009-04-12T21:30:00.005-04:00

We saw I Love You, Man this weekend. It started out slow, but ended up being very sweet. Paul Rudd is a cutie. But what I was really excited about were the previews - so many awesome movies coming out in the next few months! X-Men Origins on May 1, Star Trek on May 8, Terminator Salvation on May 21, and the sixth Harry Potter on July 17. Star Trek especially gave me the chills, particularly when they showed Spock (hey there, Sylar!)

Twilight Tuesday

2009-04-07T20:54:00.007-04:00

First, I found the Twilight script. I am ecstatic. There were some changes in the actual movie, but a lot of it is the same. Second, there is so much New Moon production news to report this week. Here's Taylor Lautner filming the triple date scenes at a bowling alley (when Bella, Jacob, and Mike Newton went out on their defective date and they all got sick). Jacob's wig is so much better this time around than on Twilight, but he still doesn't scream "leading man" to me. This dude is supposed to tide me over until Edward's reappearance? Yeah, right. But then this! The arrival of the Forks High School posse - Jessica, Eric Yorkie, Mike Newton, and Angela Weber. This had me so excited that I couldn't chillax. Lastly, who needs a Snuggie when you can have this instead?

A cardinal

2009-04-06T19:11:00.003-04:00

Look who paid a visit among the rapidly pinkening blossoms. I've never actually seen a cardinal this close before. There were two of them, chirping as loudly as you please, with Moxie hanging out on the windowsill, riveted, watching and waiting to pounce. I love spring.

Live model

2009-04-05T21:33:00.008-04:00

My friend Victoria gave me permission to post pictures of her at the three New Orleans balls she attended for Mardi Gras this past February. She's wearing the necklace and matching earrings I custom made for her. Doesn't she look fabulous?

Blossoms

2009-04-04T22:38:00.002-04:00

The cherry blossoms reached their peak today. They look like bunches of fluffy white cotton balls perched on top of the tree.

A geeky conversation

2009-04-01T21:39:00.015-04:00

Upon hearing the news that Peter Facinelli is going to be at Dragon Con this year, I immediately IM'd Mr Hazel. The ensuing conversation turned out to be so funny that I'm reproducing an edited version below.

me: can we go to Dragon Con? the guy who plays Carlisle in Twilight will be there.
him: ...
me: i want to go to Dragon Con!
him: to see some stupid actor for 30 seconds?
me: well, and other things
him: alright
you're going to be bored out of your mind
but if you want to go
me: why would i be bored?
him: what is there that would interest you at all?
it's a room full of geeks
with nerdy things
most of which you have never heard of
you'd be bored in 10 minutes
me: i like comics!
him: I don't think...you have any idea just how little interest you are going to have in the convention once you actually get there. If we go, I'm going to make you stay for 8 hours.
me: i'll stay for 8 hours
him: maybe I'm wrong
but I'm pretty sure
that after about 10 minutes
you are going to realize that you want to leave
me: i like geeks
and sci fi
and fantasy
him: there's a difference
when you are surrounded by Battlestar Galactica and Dungeons and Dragons stuff I don't want you to yell at me :)

I'm not sure you are terribly excited about the new 4th edition of Dungeons and Dragons and the D20 system of combat.
me: ...
him: but maybe you can find something else there
me: Twilight
him: wrong convention

Twilight Tuesday

2009-03-31T19:14:00.016-04:00

My hate for Kristen Stewart continues. While watching the Comic Con segment included in the special features of the Twilight DVD, I noticed that everyone who was with Kristen Stewart on the panel (RPattz, Taylor Lautner, Stephenie Meyer, Catherine Hardwicke, Rachelle Lefevre and Cam Gigandet) all addressed the obviously excited fans, except for Kristen Stewart, who instead rolled her eyes, fidgeted, and didn't say one word. She looked absolutely disdainful of the whole thing, and was a contrast to RPattz, who was everything that was charming and gracious. As if those weren't enough to escalate my disgust, she was also quoted on US Weekly bragging about how so many girls are in love with her now, and implying that she's too good for college. I hate this girl. I wish they would re-cast Bella. Begone from my beloved Twilight, Kristen Stewart!

Despite my hate, I was nevertheless excited to see these pictures of Bella and Jacob filming some La Push scenes. I wonder what scenes these are! I'm apprehensive, though, about Edward going missing from the whole middle of the movie. I read that they're filming some dream sequences with Edward in them, so I'm crossing my fingers. Defying rational logic, New Moon is actually my favorite book in the series (it was so wonderfully poignant and sweet) but I hate the fact that Edward disappears in the middle.

New at the shop

2009-03-30T19:39:00.003-04:00

I had the hardest time photographing this new pair of Adelaide earrings because the sun would wreak havoc on the glass brios, making them look almost black (or at the least, opaque). But in reality they're about as clear and transparent as you can get. I imagine them either worn by a bride to her spring wedding, or by a wedding guest in a bright yellow dress.

Blooming

2009-03-29T15:57:00.004-04:00

One of the hyacinths has bloomed! I have beads the exact same shade as this hyacinth that I'm going to put to good use.

Looking for birds

2009-03-25T18:27:00.005-04:00

Now that spring is here, little Moxie has been stalking the window for the return of birds and squirrels.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-03-24T21:08:00.017-04:00

I am so glad to finally get my hands on the Twilight DVD (3 million copies sold this past weekend!). I got up extra early on a Saturday morning - an anomaly for me - so I can get the Target edition, which reportedly is the best version of the DVD. It includes not only a third disc with 45 minutes of extra features, but it also has a free iTunes download of the movie and all the extras. My cousin Leslie and I each ordered the Borders online special edition and we both were frantically trying to stop them from shipping the DVDs after we found out about Target, but we were too late. They shipped. So I'll have to return mine to Borders, even though it comes with sparkly Edward postcards.

Anyway, some thoughts on it. One extended scene should've been included: in the diner after Bella's first day of school, Charlie establishes that he eats there everyday, and Bella responds that she could cook instead. I remember having issues with the fact that they didn't show, let alone mention, Bella cooking in the movie when it was such a pivotal part of the book. There were two or three other extended scenes that were really cute and should've been included in the movie (except the one where Jasper is holding a parasol to protect his awful wig - seriously, a Civil War hero and dude needs an umbrella?). I was disappointed to find out that the deleted scene from Midnight Sun was so quick that I almost missed it: of Edward thinking about biting Bella in biology class. No Alaska. No Denalis. Boo.

And let's establish the fact that Kristen Stewart is a pretty bad actress, but I tolerate her because she's Bella. But from now on she should just shut her trap during press conferences. No one wants to hear her bitching and moaning about her lot in life. And what's with the fact that she doesn't close her mouth all the way? Reminds me of Ali Larter - both of their front teeth poke out, making them look like rabbits. Really bothers me.

Lastly, RPattz is at his best during the prom scenes: looks absolutely gorgeous, his makeup is subtle, his hair is great, he is at his most charming, and his smile is just devastating. My favorite scenes, especially the gazebo kiss-in-the-neck. Absolutely awesome.

And now I leave you with two new production pictures from New Moon: the motorcycles! On Bella's truck!

New work

2009-03-23T19:44:00.002-04:00

Here is the Patricia necklace, with peach rice pearls and a sterling silver circle pendant. I didn't make the pendant myself, though I could now that I have the skills to do that (hmm...weekend project, maybe).

At the ballet

2009-03-22T13:14:00.006-04:00

Last night the girls in my family all went to see the Russian National Ballet perform Sleeping Beauty. A-mazing! Princess Aurora was magnificent dancing the Rose Adagio, but perhaps my most favorite was the Lilac Fairy herself, and even though Aurora was amazing, she had nothing on the Lilac Fairy. I'm not sure which dancer was on last night (there are several who dance the part of the Lilac Fairy), but she had the longest neck and arms and legs I've ever seen. They went on and on, maybe for another 50 miles. Talk about swan necks! And her arms were so graceful whirling across the stage; she was magical to watch. This performance was the first professional ballet performance I've seen since taking adult ballet classes (the last one I saw was A Midsummer Night's Dream in high school, which still remains my favorite ballet) and I loved the fact that I recognized many of the steps and knew the names of them - attitude, attitude en pointe into an arabesque, pirouettes en dedans and en dehors. And I could appreciate how difficult the pirouettes and chaines turns were (because I could hardly do them in class!), but the dancers made them look so easy and effortless.

A-twittering

2009-03-20T18:56:00.007-04:00

I've decided to join the world of tweets, so now you can also find me on Twitter. There are articles on Etsy about ways sellers can use Twitter to promote their products, but right now I'm still feeling my way around it and seeing how well it works for me in general. So far I've found it to be pretty fun. I'm thinking when I actually get myself organized enough to start having special promotions at my shop, Twitter would be a good vehicle to keep people up-to-date on these. So anyway, see you there!

Go Eagles

2009-03-19T19:49:00.004-04:00

Rooting for my alma mater, American University, against Villanova in the NCAA Tournament. It's a very close and exciting game. Point guard Derrick Mercer is only 5'9", but he jumps and runs like a firecracker and has already scored points early. Go Eagles!

Elephants on parade

2009-03-18T21:53:00.008-04:00

The circus is in town, and yesterday they had the annual Pachyderm Parade where the elephants arrived by train and walked the rest of the way into the city. There were five of them, walking a lot faster than I was expecting, with each elephant's trunk clutching the tail of the elephant in front of them. I had mixed feelings about watching the animals because on the one hand I felt sad for them - they should be free to roam where they wish (or at least safe in zoos not performing for an audience). But they were so cute, and so amazing, that it was a privilege to be able to see them up close. I really hope they're happy and well taken care of.

More information on elephants, as well as resources, opportunities for volunteerism, activism, and donations can be found at Defenders of Wildlife.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-03-17T21:44:00.011-04:00

Well, whew. So much going on in the Twilight world. Reports are coming in fast and furiously from the New Moon set in Vancouver. Filming started this past Monday, and so far we have: a glimpse of Jacob Black's wolf pack (thank goodness they replaced the original ugly boys from Twilight), a promise that Edward's sparkle will be better (holding my breath), Bella's cliff diving will be CGI, what is believed to be Jacob's house and shed where he fixes up the motorcycles, a whole slew of set spoilers where we find out that virtually all the cast members smoke (RPattz you break my heart!), and revelation that the Italy scenes will not be filmed in Volterra, but in a town called Montepulciano.

RPattz is also going to be on the cover of April's GQ magazine and the outtakes are hotness personified. I mean, seriously.

Lastly, my friend Sarah works across the street from Summit Entertainment, so I asked her to take a picture of the building for me as a sort of vicarious Twilight experience. I totally love this!

I also ordered my copy (or I should say copies) of the Twilight DVD that's coming out in just three short days: the Borders special edition, and the iTunes version (so I can watch it on the train, over and over...and over).

On chickens

2009-03-16T19:31:00.018-04:00

For dinner tonight I'm roasting a Cornish hen. Cornish hens are tricky because they're so small that cooking just one doesn't seem enough, but two is too much. In the past, I thought Cornish hens were a special breed of tiny chickens grown in Cornwall. But then I read somewhere that they're actually just baby chickens that hadn't had a chance to grow yet. And that made me feel bad. Poor baby chickens! Until I remembered that I love eating balut (a Filipino delicacy) - and then I don't feel as bad (if you don't know what balut is, I don't suggest finding out). But can anyone tell me what I'm supposed to do with the doodads wrapped in plastic that's tucked into the cavity of the chicken? I just throw them away, but I think I'm supposed to save this for something. Tonight I threw in a few cloves of garlic, white wine, and chicken stock on the roasting pan, sprinkled seasoning on the chicken, stuffed some chopped onions into the cavity (a lemon is also good here) and voila - the whole house smells heavenly.

A peek

2009-03-15T18:14:00.010-04:00

At one of several things I'm working on. Happy Ides of March!

A-sproutin'

2009-03-12T18:38:00.007-04:00

My purple hyacinths are finally coming out of the cold, muddy winter ground. They are usually my personal harbingers of spring, so when I see them start to peek out I know winter's almost over. Next come my neighbor's pink tulips, then our cherry blossom tree, and by the time the blossoms turn pink and drop to the ground like snow, the weather has turned balmy for good.

Twilight Tuesday

2009-03-10T21:52:00.010-04:00

And so it begins. Rehearsals for New Moon started this weekend in Vancouver, where the whole gang started assembling, with filming to begin shortly after. Lainey Gossip had all the play-by-play of arrivals and sightings of the actors, including one of RPattz with his hair dyed an "Edward red" (though still a little bit too short). Also there are pictures of Taylor Lautner (boo!) learning to ride a motorbike for what are perhaps some of my favorite scenes from New Moon (my two most favorites being the gut-wrenching breakup scene and Volterra). Eeek! I'm excited!

And now here are two deleted scenes from the Twilight DVD (ten more days!) that were leaked out. My fellow Twihards and I have been in a tizzy all week over them. Consider this one. So hot that I almost fainted. I'm mad that they deleted this scene in the first place.

And then this bit of naughtiness here. I can see why they deleted this scene - they probably didn't want to give the tween fans a collective heart attack.

Commuting cartoons

2009-03-09T19:10:00.009-04:00

Because I've been in raptures over my daily commute to and from the city - enabling me to come home at the end of the day in a great state of mind - I thought I would pay homage to how much the train has improved my quality of life by sharing some funny cartoons that I found. The first one is especially apropos.

This is what 72 degrees looks like

2009-03-08T14:35:00.002-04:00

Nomad is enjoying the lovely weather this weekend.

And Moxie is hard at work being a board game spectator.

Collage

2009-03-07T23:09:00.004-05:00

Some time ago my friend Protege suggested making a collage of my jewelry photographs to turn into a poster, and I really loved the suggestion. So I decided to play today to see what possibilities I can come up with. Here's one idea. I'm thinking this would also make for great postcards.

Rejoicing

2009-03-06T18:49:00.005-05:00

This is more like it! From my newspaper ~

How sweet it is: Daylight savings time arrives at 2 a.m. Sunday. (That means you need to turn your clocks forward one hour before bed Saturday night.) And we're gonna get a heck of an extra hour of daylight Sunday evening with temperatures likely to be in the 60s at sunset (7:08 p.m.) -- after afternoon highs in the mid-70s!

Happy weekend, everyone.
(photo credit)

Tools of the trade

2009-03-05T19:48:00.004-05:00

Chemicals for metalsmithing: paste and liquid flux, pickling solution, and liver of sulfur.

Bittar favorites

2009-03-04T21:34:00.010-05:00

Looking through Alexis Bittar's collection is both fun and depressing. I salivate, yet I despair. He is just so good. Below are some of his pieces that are my favorites, taken from the three different collections. The blue flower bracelet is perhaps my favorite of all - so opulent and lush. The lucite pieces are all painted by hand, and some of his metal jewelry truly look like miniature sculptures. His style is big and bold, nothing timid or dainty about any of these.