kerin rose

my blog is on the move.......

2010-08-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

bonjour mes amis!...my blog has moved to the fabulous wordpress!

please paste my new URL:

www.kerinrose.com/blog

you can also now choose to subscribe DIRECTLY and have my blog updates delivered straight to your email inbox...

just follow this link

and you can use the little subscription box on the right

www.kerinrose.com

your burning questions on caring for silver jewelry.....

2010-08-26T04:05:00.000-07:00

It is getting near the latter part of the summer season ( depending on where you might be in the world) and our jewels might have taken a bit of a beating, from exposure to water, and sunscreens ( which I hope you are all using liberally!) and well, general sportiness!....I get asked all the time about how to take care of and restore silver...so I thought I might take the opportunity to post a bit around its care and feeding since I am supposed to be something of an expert on the subject!

When you purchase a jewel, it is always good practice to ask the maker about any special care instructions for the stones, and whether or not the piece has been tarnish coated. This will determine your 'best practices' in terms of caring for your piece and helping it last for generations to come.

For starters, keep in mind that sterling silver, depending on the thickness, can be a softer metal than some of your karated gold ( in the lower karats) or platinum pieces....so remember to remove it when lifting that heavy kayak into the water, as it really can take a beating, and even bend out of shape....it will certainly scratch more easily than gold and will loose its sheen...

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

Pay attention to how you store your jewelry when it is not being worn. If possible, do not store your jewels loose in a jewelry box. Try not to leave silver lying against bare wood. Some woods contain an acid ( as do paper and cardboard..so avoid keeping the boxes as some of us like to do) that will affect the surface of silver. Best case scenario is to keep your silver in a pouch by itself. ( I prefer fabric, but those tiny ziplocs will do if you don't mind plastic). This keeps other jewelry from rubbing the silver (possibly causing scratches) and it will protect it from the air, which causes quick tarnishing. Tarnish, that icky coating that can build up over time is caused primarily by moisture and sulfide exposure. Perfumes, sunscreens, chlorine in pools and hair products can cause jewels to turn yellowish and then black. Also, simply wearing a piece often will help keep the dreaded stuff at bay...think about what a necklace that you haven't pulled out in a year looks like....so, keep the gals happy and let everyone have a night on the town from time to time!

The absolute best way to keep your silver in ship-shape, is to store them as I have described...and to use a soft flannel cloth that has been specially treated. ( I sell them in my etsy shop). Another thing I recommend is purchasing a fabric called silver cloth. You can buy as little as a yard and line your jewel box, or sew a roll, or make little pouches...works amazingly!....also, try to put on your jewels after you have done hair, makeup, and the like...it will really help!

That being said, here are 3 tried and true methods, both natural and easy peasy:

1) toothpaste ( white, not the gel kind) and a very soft kiddie toothbrush....take a dab and gently rub around the piece with the brush....try to avoid any stones....rinse and dry w/ a soft cloth

2) make a thick paste of warm water and baking soda....do the same as above....again staying away from stones....rinse well, dry w/ a soft cloth

3) a few drops of dish detergent in a cup of warm water and a brush. (Some folks like to add ammonia too, but since household cleaners are one of the leading carcinogens in our lives, I would avoid this)

Many sites recommend chemical dips....these have noxious chemicals in them..and can also strip out patina that has been applied intentionally in the recesses of your jewel

Be cautious of home style ultrasonic cleaners....these also strip out patina, but worse than that will harm many stones.....especially soft ones like turquiose, lapis, opals, and pearls...if your jewel does not have stones or patina, then these should be fine.

I do have a method that works well for stubborn tarnish on chains, using a slightly different technique...will be back with that post very soon...until then, shine on!

ox K

a little hiatus...

2010-08-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

one is amazed

by a waterlily bud

unfolding

with each passing day

taking on a richer color

and new dimensions

one is not annoyed

at first glance

by a poem

which is tight closed

as a tiny bud

yet one is surprised

to see the poem

gradually unfolding

reavealing its rich inner self

as one reads it

again

and over again

Naoshi Koryama

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

to all my online compadres, I wanted to leave you with this sunflower ( which I know is not a lotus bloom, but I love it!) from my garden....

and let you know I am taking a short hiatus from blogland...

I am just needing to take a little time and figure out how to deal with all my life responsibilities and a foot that is not going to be in working order for a longish while...right now I am struggling a bit and feel the need to re-group....

boy,

did I take getting around on my own for granted! :)

be well, stay happy, and I hope you like the poem...

I will be back in the blink of an eye with some news and other things....

please stay in touch!...my email addy is in the right hand corner and I would adore hearing from you!

love and light

namaste

ox k

It was a day of surprises.......

2010-08-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

A package I have been WAITING for for ages finally arrived! I participated in the annual Umber Dove foodie swap....my trading partner being no less than Umber herself!....

........the card inside said "may the beauty of the day lift up your spirits"....
signed in the lovely hand of one Kelly Clark, aka Umber Dove...
"artist, seer, lover of deep woods and deeper water....."

....garlic pickles, red plum jam, and clover honey from the west coast cousins of my sister's bees!..

let me tell you, these goodies taste as good as they appear! The package had come a bit sooner, but I was saving it for a tasting party for a few days...

most importantly, these goodies came wrapped in friendship and love...

which little did I know, I was gonna need.....

as the universe apparently had different plans for my day!...this is what the rest of my summer looks like....I am not a superstitious person by any stretch of the imagination, but it happened on Friday, the 13th!....BROKEN......please, can I get an "awwww"?

I had the COOLEST peacock blue-green nail polish that I was planning to do my toes w/ too...
but
I am just so grateful it wasn't my hand!
and I am STILL letting the beauty of the day lift my spirits..
now I have to let it, like it or not! :)
just in time
merci, merci, Kelly...I hope you enjoyed yours!
oxox

Nasturtium moonshine.....

2010-08-12T05:59:00.000-07:00

It's that time of summer, where if I am not careful, I can start to get a little depressed....the green of the trees an grasses have lost some of their I-just-burst-out-of-the-bud lusciousness, my poppies have finished doing their crazy dramatic thing, and there are no more juicy eggplants to pick (tho' tomatoes....omigod!)...I just start to see signs...the changing of the light...how it slants through the forest....that the season ( my favorite!) is gonna give way, sometime soon, to the beginnings of Fall...

That being said....

The nasturtium flowers keep going strong...so, I give you a GREAT way to save some summer sunshine for those cooler months....and remind yourself in the dead of winter that yes, soon, very soon....Mme. Spring will come to the rescue!

(this recipe makes a pint!)

1 cup any liquor...I have used vodka, maple liqueur, apple ginger liqueur,whiskey, bourbon....but anything you like will do

1/2 cup nasturtium blossoms

1/2 cup fruit , chopped ( this is optional....I put apples in one...pears, dried berries, whatever)

1/2 cup simple syrup

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

simple syrup:

1 cup sugar

1 cup H2O

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

mix everything together in small saucepan...bring to a simmer and turn off! let sit till cool....close up jars nice and tight, put em in a cabinet, and let 'cure' for about 3 months...you can strain out the flowers and fruit before drinking, or leave a few in....Nasturtiums are edible!
sip, if you do something like bourbon, or lovely on vanilla bean ice cream if you have chosen a liqueur
like I said, perfect to open and have a tasting party in the middle of January...

salut!

oxx K

how to be alone.......

2010-08-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Traveling to NM alone, I looked forward to that time of being a.w.o.l... I love the idea of a chunk of time where no one knows where I am, or can get in touch ( sort of totally the opposite of today's hyper-connected world!)....I think in another life I would have loved to be a long-distance trucker or something....I love to drive and THINK!....yet, everywhere I went and sat, someone chatted me up....I enjoy the company much of the time, but there is something about being in transit during travel that makes me want to be alone....in my own head...solving the world's problems ( he he!), figuring out what's next in my own life, reading a gooooood book without interruptions or distractions.....anyhoo, I came across this video on Susannah Conway's blog ( if you don't already know about her, she is just the LOVELIEST!) and I just thought it was great...so in the spirit of sharing, check it out if you have 4 minutes or so....

what is your favorite thing to do by yourself?

namaste

oxK

home is where the heart is.....

2010-08-05T04:30:00.000-07:00

I belong to New Mexico in a way that escapes words....but I also would not throw Vermont out of bed for eating crackers!

(such a funny old expression, non?)

Vermont is sort of like a voluptuous sister!

I feel so fortunate in my life that I have always lived (even in NYC) where there is such an abundance of 'eye candy'....

to be continued...after all, its summer!.....

hoping your day is blindingly sunshiny.....

namaste

ox K

more southwestern musings....

2010-08-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

I find myself pondering how our environments shape us. Subtly, subversively....clandestinely creeping into hearts and souls and minds..

This one feels dry and unforgiving sometimes.....

a stern taskmistress,

and yet, if she is your cup of tequila..

you can find beauty and strength

in the tiny recesses of an upturned stone..less flashy... more hidden

like a gem you have to work hard to find

but

so incredibly worth it in the end.

what is it about where you live that you love?

please share with me!

The Legend of Bronco Bettye.......

2010-07-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

I wanted to introduce you all to my courageous and daring guide, by the name of Bronco Bettye.....

Ask anyone around these parts if they have heard of her....there will be a palpable silence as they gather the fortitiude to respond....Bronco Bettye has been my guide round these parts of the state.. They say she knows the backroads of this land like a rattlesnake knows how to git into a mouse hole..

As legend has it, she once charmed a bear with a soft shoe dance, and then helped it to an untimely death with her bare hands...another story says she is some sorta horse whisperer....they say she could calm any wild bronco by reading it poetry....her favorite being Robert Frost.....

Of course, that was back in the day....nowadays, New Mexico is more of a civilized place and Bettye, well she is an upstanding citizen, for the most part...spending her time as a tour guide, pointin' out the hideouts of Billy the Kid, Ruidoso's most outstandingly famous outlaw....

and guarding the tomatoes and peppers....

you know how much we New Mexicans prize our chiles!

( I love you Tez...and your beautiful sidekick too!)

For the love of a hummingbird cuff.......

2010-07-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

we interrupt this New Mexican sojourn to bring you.....

The ever gorgeous, Nancy McKay, modeling her new hummingbird cuff bracelet, a collaboration between myself and the multitalented, multiplatinum-hearted Allison Sattinger of Sunny Rising...

Companion piece to the turtle cuff, there are two more to come, the sun, and the mountains...

I originally created these medallions as the components of my four elements bracelet, but I think they work fabulously as stand-alone works too, especially like this. Having them set in Allison's incredible hand tooled cuffs feels like such a treat for me....(I hope it is mutual! :) )

The tooling and coloration look good enough to eat...!

This particular one-of-a-kind piece is gone, but there are a few more to come, so stay tuned...

disfrutar de su hermoso dia!

besos,

Kerin

p.s.....for those of you who might not know, hummingbird is the Navajo (Dine) symbol for love....and...they have the LARGEST heart, relative to the size of their bodies of any living creature...
truth!
(now go get that question correct when you are on jeopardy! :)

Nuevo Mexico mi amor.......

2010-07-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

This remains a land of contrasts....vibrant color and desert sand.....sweetest yucca flower and prickliest pear....formal worship and pantheistic prayer.....wide open spaces and urban sprawl......the lilt of Tewa and Texan drawl....

it holds my heart

and yet
for reasons even larger than the heart itself,

I needed to

roam.

oxoxo

more news from Ruidoso............

2010-07-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

after lunch at the world famous Owl Cafe.....

(green chile cheesburger AND green chile cheese fries being a MUST on the menu....I really don't usually eat this way, but legend has it that you are not a REAL New Mexican until you have eaten these and it was most necessary to

re charge my New Mexican roots....!)

We checked out some local nut and fruitstands ( jalapeno peanut brittle anyone?...yum!)

and in the back of one, along with the carved statuettes of saints and cowboys, I spied this:

I had to take some home....well, gee, they were ONLY $1.95!

just add water....and you get.....

believe me, I was completely willing to do whatever the big guy ( or gal!) said....

I cannot seem to remember the next few hours, but when I awoke I found that I had been given the official....

space alien pedicure!!!!!!

oxoxoxoxo!

Ruidoso, New Mexico.......

2010-07-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

There are places in this world that hold your heart....no matter where you may roam.......

I am home....

hoping all is peaceful and shining in your world today...

namaste, om shanti

besos

Miss Rumphius....

2010-06-29T03:29:00.000-07:00

and, speaking of lupines, if you have never read this book.....you will love it, even if you do not have children to read it to....

It's about a girl named Alice who grows into an old woman, a retired librarian, named Miss Rumphius. Her life is filled with exciting adventures, but as she grows older, none of it feels like enough. Alice keeps recalling some advice her grandfather gave her when she was a child. He told her that in order to live a good life, she had to "do something to make the world more beautiful." But even as an old woman, she cannot figure out what she should do. Realizing the joy she has always gotten from flowers, in particular, lupines, she decides she shall share that joy with others by scattering lupine seeds everywhere she goes. She completely transforms the rocky landscape around her home, and travels the world planting lupines everywhere she goes. In the end, she recounts her story to her young niece, who is wondering how SHE will make the world a more beautiful place. And the cycle continues.

A lovely book, with an amazing metaphor....I often wonder,at the end of each day....
what seeds did I plant to-day?

namaste

things I love about summer.....

2010-06-28T04:04:00.000-07:00

-bare feet...and painted toenails....cannot do my hands...that lasts about 3 minutes, as you might imagine.. picking .this summer's color...metallic gunmetal grey...

-strawberries,blueberries, raspberries....need I say more?!

-cree-mees....a Vermont guilty pleasure....!

-the loudest bullfrogs on planet earth in my pond...I get up early just to go out and listen to them doing battle with their voices :)

-music.... any kind....al fresco...but mostly jumping up and down in the grass while Michael Franti sings to ME

-farmers market....re connecting with old friends, making some new....

-getting out the door in 3 seconds flat ( no layers of clothes)

-hummingbirds....omigod....be still my heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-looong lazy days....yah, its too HOT to do anything....but be sweaty

-making my own 'air conditiong' by flying down the hill on my bicycle

-going to Arcana and choosing what to plant in veggie garden..this year we are doing only heirloom stuff....atomic red carrots that STAY bright red after you cook 'em....cheddar cauliflower ( yellow-y orange) , red noodle beans....tomaccicio tomatoes that grow on a huge 12ft vine and dry there...like growing your own sun-dried tomatoes....and echinacea that produces green flowers!

please share yours with me!.....what do you love best about summer?....

I am off tomorrow for a couple weeks of travel...so communication in this space will be a bit spottier...I promise I won't disappear completely....I'll share some photos from the road with you!...stay tuned and Happy Independence day!....

besos,

Kerin

synchronicity.....

2010-06-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

My favorite synonym for collaboration is synchronicity..yet synchronicity has a slightly different 'flavor' than two folks just working together on a piece...synchronicity also means:

order, harmony, peace...read on, and you shall learn why this is important....

When I encountered the leather work of Allison Sattinger, owner and creatrix of Sunny Rising Leather and Sunny Rising Metals on Etsy I immediately wanted to work with her... (it took a loooong while to get up the nerve to ask)....on top of such prodigious talents, Allison is a singer/songwriter, budding lapidarist, kitchen goddess (meyer lemon marmalade anyone?)....most importantly, she is one of the most loving souls I have met in a long time...one of those women

(and we all know them) who's inner light shines so brightly, it is hard to take your eyes off them....

you want to hang around, hoping some of it will rub off!

I own one of these...and cannot begin to describe what joy it gives me...and swagger and swig....when I wear mine, I AM a rockstar!

the first of our collaborative pieces is finally HERE!....

a bit about 'turtle energy'....

Through thousands of years and in many cultures, turtles have captured our imaginations. Ancient North American peoples believed that the world as rested on the turtle’s back. In some Far Eastern cultures it was believed that the turtle’s back represented Heaven and its underbelly represented Earth. The turtle symbolized the possibility of uniting Heaven and Earth within one’s own life. Sea turtles were here with the dinosaurs, survived the Ice Age, remain in our seas today and speak to us with their beautiful energy…..

Turtles naturally withdraw and go into their shells when danger is present…they know how to take care of themselves; their instincts tell them when it is time to turn away from the outside world and be self protective. Turtle carries her home on her back, and is at home within herself and her own heart. Turtle energy is innocent, as they have few predators, and is associated with the ideals of longevity, wisdom, strength, perseverance and truth. Symbolizing the element of water, wear turtle to remind your self that whatever path you are choosing, slow steady patience and going with the flow will bring great satisfaction and accomplishment over fast but flighty results.

Hand carved in beeswax and cast in recycled sterling silver on a leather cuff featuring Allison's sexy tooling style..this particular cuff will fit a wrist from 6-6.25 inches..it is at once elegant and rustic and evokes the best of the ocean.....The color was created using a resist and a tremendously rich and caramel-y saddletan....go with the flow, and remember, the good things in life are worth waiting for….

(except for this cuff, as it is one of a kind!)
Prayers for the Gulf are all over this piece: for the birds, fish, plant life and the men and women who make their livelihood in those waters.

We will be donating 15% of its asking price to

Gulf Aid

Please consider making a donation on your own time as well. This is a tragedy of such epic proportions.

you can find it tomorrow morning in Allison's leather shop....

enjoy turtle energy, always!

namaste

what's in a name?......

2010-06-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

I just completed these new earrings.. part of a collection I am working on with a symbol that appears in my work from time to time.

Vines!

Vines grow somewhat opportunistically, as they are able to 'dig in' wherever possible, often gaining a foothold in a small area....they have the capability to 'grow where they are planted' ( or bloom if you are a clematis) often using buildings or trees for support....a beautiful metaphor, of taking the best of any situation we are given, reminding ourselves to stay in a relaxed, flowing, state of mind, and remembering we can take that situation to its highest advantage.....we are all capable of such joyous growth!

These will be in my shop shortly.....but I am needing help with a name! Penny for your thoughts?

namaste....ox Kerin

flying buddha...........

2010-06-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Om Apadamapa Hartaram Dataram Sarva Sampadam

Loka Bhi Ramam Sri Rama Bhuyo Bhuyo Namamyaham

This is a powerful healing mantra. Very rough translation is, 'Om, most compassionate Rama please send your healing energy right here to the earth, to the earth (say it twice for emphasis.)

a flying Buddah... especially for Umber Dove today

and

anyone else in search of healing and compassion

know that our spirits always fly far and wide beyond any obstacles sent our way

the universe is holding you, Umber

namaste

ooxoxo

farmers' market....taking my show on the road.....

2010-06-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year, and I am taking the show on the road, so to speak! The South Burlington Farmer's Market at Healthy Living begins tomorrow, Sunday June 13th at 10 'til 2 pm! I'll be there, with my work, some lovely new t-shirts, if you are in the market for some summer chic, and hopefully some organic hummingbird-shaped sugar cookies ( if I can get it together today!). They have extended the season thru October this year, and doubled the markets, so I will be there every other Sunday beginning this week until then. I know there aren't many of you in my area (Vermont) but if you are, or find yourself passing through on your way to somewhere REALLY exciting, ( like Montreal, for instance!) please stop by and say 'hi'.... I am looking forward to seeing old friends, and making some new ones, and of course getting out there with my work!.....

hoping you have a gorgeous week end ahead of you!

namaste

Kerin

bird of paradise......

2010-06-10T05:35:00.000-07:00

"I saw an angel in the marble and carved until I set him free".....Michaelangelo, artist, and architect of the Renaissance is credited with this quote..I believe it is a bit of a paraphrase....but a friend recently asked to see a work in progress....so here it is....

I have been working on this cuff bracelet that will feature a bird of paradise flower in the centre segment. I don't know why I have been obsessed with these lately, so I did some research on their meaning and lo and behold, in the language of flowers, they stand for 'joy'!

Jewelry artisans generally work in one of two methods...fabrication, which means the work is created by manipulating sheet metal and wire forms with hammers and other tools, and wax carving which is my current preferred method ( though I can fabricate up there with the best of them, and some fabricating of my carved parts will happen later).....I am just in love with my wax....and, it helps me to further my mission....)

My particular artistic process is a slow one....my carvings can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete. In addition, this particular piece is in the very beginning stages, where my carving parameters have been laid out, I have begun the work, but it just doesn't look like much at all....a friend of mine, who is a very well known teacher in the jewelry world, likes to call this particular stage

'amateur hour'....

Every time I think of that, it makes me laugh...'cause its so true.....the work just looks like a big ol' mess, as I am removing all the levels of wax that need to go....so much so, that even I will look at things and think, "what on earth am I doing?"....then, somehow, in what feels like an instant, it will begin to come together...

Sometimes I wish I had a faster process, so I could produce new work to show you more quickly....but if I changed, I suppose that would also change the nature of what I do...so for now, this is who I am...this is my meditation, this is what comes from my hands, to your heart

If you squinch your eyes, you can see the flower in there....in the meantime, it is sitting in my minds eye, as perfectly as I can imagine it, waiting for completion...the journey is what its really all about anyways, right?

namaste

and the winners are.........!

2010-06-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

Here we go!!!!!

random number generator, I hardly know yee, but already you haven't let me down yet~

well, would the fabulous....

une

sunny rising

deux

noisy plume

troix

kimberly meyer

please

e mail me w/ your snail mail addies?

( link in the left sidebar)

treats will be on their way...post haste...uh huh...

and thank you from the bottom of my heart to all....

your companionship on this journey means so much

and please know how much my visits to your respective worlds

makes my days richer

thank you for friendship

thank you for sharing

thank you for showing your shiny souls

namaste

one of those days....

2010-06-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

cold rain outside

just wanna lay on the pillows and knit

instead

drove all over town looking for a lotus root

(no lotus root)

roasted cauliflower, brussels. eggplant

made bread n' butter pickles

planned the young jewelry designers summer camp I'm teaching in 3 weeks

( yup, passing it on)

weeded in the garden a bit ( yah, in the rain!)

what did you do today?

( and no, I do not have a couch. or chairs. drives my momma crazy!)

a giveaway celebration!.........

2010-05-31T08:17:00.000-07:00

Cannot believe it myself, but this is my TWO HUNDREDTH post...( perhaps a drop in the ol' bucket for some of my blogging cadre, but for me it's feeling like a little milestone).... I am still finding my footing here, so to speak, but I wanted to have a celebration of sorts......a celebration of the gratitude I feel for all of you who have accompanied me on this little journey!.....that and my excitement for the official arrival of SUMMER uh-huh....has left me in a partying mood....!

So, I've got a couple of goodies up for grabs.....and there are a number of ways you can take them home.....you are welcome to do one, for one chance, or up to seven, for seven chances!

let me introduce you to...

le premier prix

My Om lotus necklace..Egyptian iconography, lotus was the symbol of eternal life, you see them all over ancient frescoes.This piece holds a lot of sentimental value for me, as it is one of the very first things I ever carved. hand cast in recycled eco friendly sterling silver, it swings on a 1 mm thick 18" patinaed wheat chain but you are welcome to it on burnished Greek leather cording, if that's what you favor

le deuxieme prix

A lovely little pair of huggy style post earrings,that I call the 'Galaxy earring' , carved to represent the beautiful and eternal milky way.....you know you shine as brightly as one of the myriad stars there, right?

le troisieme prix

These tees are 100% organic cotton, colored with environmentally friendly dyes ( of course!) a weight heavier than tissue T, so you can wear it solo, but light and long enough to layer in cooler climes. They have a wide scoop neck, so they are super feminine... they have my hummingbird logo at the hip ( Navajo symbol of love) and the words "embellished soul" on the back. (if you don't want to take your chances on this one, there will be a bunch for sale in my etsy shop, too!)

yes, it's a party!....and I hope you will all attend!.....there are a number of ways you can throw your hat into the ring if you would like to take home any of these favors....

1. Easy-do...leave a comment on this post, so I know you were here. Nothing special, you are welcome to simply say 'hey', but if you are feeling chatty, I would love to know what kind of pieces you might like to see me create more of in the future.

(1 chance)

2. Post on your own blog regarding this giveaway. Please make sure you return here with a comment letting me know you did so....and a link so I can go check it out!.

(1 chance)

3. Post on your facebook page regarding this giveaway and leave a comment here

(1 chance)

4. Tweet about this and leave a comment here.

(1 chance)

5. Become a follower of my blog, and leave a comment here.
(if you already follow, just leave a comment sayin' so!)

( 1 chance)

6. Become a facebook fan ( there is a linky-link to your right) and leave a comment here.

(1 chance)

and lucky number 7...

7. subscribe to my email list ( see the pink box to your left!) and leave a comment here
( this one will be the gift that keeps on giving, as you will get all my secret communications!)

(1 chance)

****please leave a separate comment for each entry you are making****
(if you forget the comment, I might forget to count it!)

I will be using the random number generator to pull the winners....you have an entire week here to have some fun....!

entries will close on June 6th at 5 pm EST, and I will announce sometime on Monday June 7th!

BONNE CHANCE to all of you, and thank you so much for coming to the party!

I cannot wait to spread the love and send these jewels on their way!

( oh and I may be throwing some extra goodies into the mix, to make things even sweeter!)

have a beautiful week!

namaste

love and light

kerin

salaam clothing, burlington vermont.........

2010-05-29T04:59:00.000-07:00

I will be here with my work...TODAY....from 11-4:30 ish....if you are in the area, by all means, please come on down and say "hey".....the new shop is just GORGEOUS....like an art gallery in itself..the clothing and salesfolk are so cool....

( and I will have homemade hummingbird shaped sugar cookies to boot!)

Salaam Clothing

64 Church St

Burlington,Vermont 05401

www.salaamclothing.com

oh, and if you join my e-mail list, you can be eligible to win a free pair of earrings!

solace........

2010-05-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

sometimes you have to wander a bit to find your way home......

my creative space......heart with wings ring......

2010-05-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

I am so falling behind on everything this week...work, getting the garden together, finishing the bathroom I began painting last month ( yes, you heard me right there!) The only thing I have been able to pull off in a timely manner is this ring...a first!...this is a custom request, and believe it or not I have never, ever made one of these in this combo of silver and 18K yellow gold....anyhoo, just wanted to share, as I love the way it turned out!

sometimes your friends and customers know better than you do...truly!

well this is what is in my creative space this week....a signature design with a brand new twist....you can see what some of the others who participate in this meme are up to at Kirsty's blog:

www.kootoyoo.blogspot.com

happy surfing....I'll be back real soon!

hoping your week is everything you need it to be

namaste

artist talk about......

2010-05-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

I belong to a few online groups these days, one of them is a group of artisans calling themselves "Handmade Division", spearheaded by the lovely and dynamic Andes Cruz. We are having a 'talk about' this week end, where we all answer a question and link our blogs. I decided to participate this time, so here we go! This weeks' talk about question is:

what item made by another artist would you *like* to have?

Well, I would like to introduce you to Frida Kahlo and her painting titled "Self Portrait with Monkeys". I believe this one is in a museum, ( or probably belongs to Madonna, who idolized her, hoping to play her in the biopic, and owns many of her pieces. Salma Hayek won the rights to produce and star in the film, which I HIGHLY recommend...see a clip HERE)...but if I could have this painting, I would make it mine! Frida (1907-1954) was a self taught surrealist who married in an on again, off again fashion to Diego Rivera, the famous Mexican muralist. I love her vibrant colors, surrealist style, and incorporation of the natural world. Out of her 200 or so known paintings, most of them were self portraits...some are fairly brutal in her 'description' of the aftermath of a horrific accident she was involved in, yet even these have contemplative nature, as to the meaning of life. Frida has been quoted as saying that she "painted myself as I was the subject I know best". She had such an interesting life, albeit troubled in many ways, but her gaze, in all of her work is mesmerizing. She had the ability to make the most powerful and graphic content seem peaceful. I just love her crazy style...if my medium was paint, this is how I wish I could do it!

check out what some of the members of Handmade Division are talking about:

Rickson

SandFibers

have a beautiful week end everyone!
namaste

PS oh, and while you are pondering Frida's art, listen to her doppelganger, Lila Downs to set the mood...another big favorite of mine!

Happy Mother's Day........

2010-05-09T05:01:00.000-07:00

To all of the Mothers in the world....

oh my...the Canon Rebel T1i.....

2010-05-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

This one's for Andrea....yes, it is still in the box ( 4 months)...I know it is weird...I am weird...can't I learn how to use it by osmosis?....maybe if I sleep with the field guide on my head it will sink in....I think I am scared I will break it....or make it run away with my photographic newbieness....I keep using my little sony cybershot...it jumps into my hand, wimpering "me, me, me!"....

Just wanted to let you know, you are not the only one who suffers from this disease!......anyone else have a fear of boxes?....

(pygmachophobia..fear of boxes.....what a word?!)

Green Up Day in Vermont......

2010-05-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

( Photo credit: Joel Banner Baird, Burlington Free Press and Glenn Fay)

In my efforts to extol the uniqueness of the Green Mountain State (aka home), I wanted to share a photo from my friend Glenn's blog....Saturday May 1st marked the 40th yearly "Green up Day". The entire state was blanketed with locals doing, what else, but picking up garbage! Everywhere. By the roadsides, in ditches, near streams, in fields, you name it, anywhere I went on an errand, there were folks carrying bright green bags to fill. Pretty amazing. My sister, who has lived here longer than anywhere else asked "don't they do this in other places?" . I don't think so..certainly not to this scale....if one could have taken a satellite photo, you would have seen what appeared to be green martians having descended on the entire place!...one thing I have to say about the inhabitants of this state is that they take their stewardship of the land VERY seriously...

and it is a good thing....

"According to Green Up Vermont , the nonprofit organization that helps coordinate the state wide activities, 240 town coordinators participated this year, and nearly 15,000 people participated around the state. In addition to the hard work of cleaning up so Vermont can green up thousands gathered on the State House lawn in Montpelier to hear Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboysand Bill Shontz. Food vendors, including the Ben and Jerry’s Scoop Truck. Burlington and other cities had similar celebrations. What could be better than that? Living in a place that was green before it became cool to be green!"

It's almost hard NOT to make jewelry the way I do (recycled precious metals and all that jazz) living here....

confluence........

2010-04-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you all a piece I have been working on....it's something I do very rarely...work on a custom piece....I get asked to all the time...I will be honest, custom isn't so much 'my thing'...I have jewelry making friends who have built pretty large businesses on that premise..and love it...maybe its leftover 'stuff' from my years in the film industry, but I just enjoy 'doing my thing' these days...

every once in a while, a special someone asks...I don't know if it's the idea that catches my fancy, or the inquirers personal juju ( or both) .... but something in my heart will say 'yes!'...and away we go...

this bracelet is a work in progress, and just such a piece....

We are calling it the 'samudra' bracelet

Sanskrit for 'ocean' or 'gathering of waters' and 'confluence'

I love this symbolism on so very many levels

as it not only represents the powerful, strong, flowing spirit of the soul that requested I bring it to fruition,

but the confluence of spirits here in the magical electronic box on which I type these words....

Samudra has brought us here, to this moment of flow

of mind and heart.

still some work to do, stones to seat, patina and final polish....

and of course, the addition of the lovely wrist it will rest on to make it truly complete

I can hear the thrum of the ocean moving across the links...

she is a true and feminine spirit, for sure

confluence

and if I haven't said it enough lately

it is with a deep gratitude that I welcome your visits here

thank you ALL for joining me, in this time and place

namaste

this is what is in my creative space today....to see some others' creative spaces today, you can go to:

www.kootoyoo.blogspot.com

Springtime in Vermont.....

2010-04-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

The last time I looked, it was the last week of April in Vermont....( and everywhere else as far as I know)....yes, it does this here sometimes....pretty surreal...as far as snow on tulips as a design element goes, I say......humbug!

I need some vicarious sunshine today...what's the weather like where you are?

Happy Earth Day 2010! Love your mother.......

2010-04-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

It's no secret how I feel about our Mother Earth....every time I plant a seed, nurture, and watch it grow, with the end result being a vegetable, the beauty and power of being so connected never escapes me. Again and again,I consider the importance of how I live my life and how I create my art to be paramount in treading on her, our Earth Mother, as softly as possible ( and believe me, there is still room for improvement but I keep taking steps closer to my personal targets on this one).... in reading online an article by our own Bill McKibben, scholar in residence at Middlebury College and an article in the NY Times there is still much work to be done, forty years after the first Earth Day celebrated in 1970

But regardless, this planet, this soil, this water gives us life. IS life. If you can, find some small way to celebrate, be it planting a tree, picking up roadside trash ( we have something here in Vermont called 'Green Up Day'...it's a BIG deal...contributing to an environmental group that speaks your language, or even making some small commitment to abandoning practices in your home that create unnecessary waste, if only to lighten your own footprint, if you already haven't...(I promise you, you will feel really good about that one).Every little bit helps.

At very least, be you city mouse, or country mouse, take a moment outside today, breathe deep, smell the approach of Spring...breathe in life, exhale gratitude....

namaste, Mom, and thanks for the potato love!

Happy Earth Day to all of you!

ps pleeze pardon my little dirty hands...was printing w/ children yesterday and it takes a while to wear off!:)

'The Joneses' Stars Demi Moore And David Duchovny Talk Consumerism

2010-04-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

I found this great synopsis of The Joneses online....you can check out this link to read more about the film's premise.....just brilliant....I am so excited ( going to see in tonite with some friends after homemade pizza and salad)....I suppose there is some little bit of irony, as I do make pretty things, and I do want people to covet and buy them. After all, its my art form, but its also how I make my living. On the other hand, my hope and dream is that the deciding to purchase a piece of my jewelry is really very conscious and from the heart...filling a need for a personal talisman or amulet....a piece of art to embellish your soul....anyhoo...check this MTV link out...very interesting...I shall report more tomorrow about my experience of the film! Here is a link to the whole article:

'The Joneses' Stars Demi Moore And David Duchovny Talk Consumerism

Just a small sampling of my jewelry that was pulled for use in the film (20 pieces total were sent)....cannot wait to see where some of it will show up! OOOH, we are gonna have us some popcorn too...wish you all could come with me :)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS OKAY, so here's a funny...the film broke ( I am not kidding!) and we could not see the last 5 min.!...if anyone sees it and knows how it ends, could you e mail me and let me know!!!!!!!) :)

what would you be?..........

2010-04-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

If I were a month I’d be July

If I were a day I’d be Sunday

If I were a time of day I’d be sunset

If I were a planet I’d be Saturn ( I like her jewelry)

If I were a sea animal I’d be a seahorse

If I were a direction I’d be southwest

If I were a piece of furniture I’d be a chaise lounge

If I were a liquid I’d be some gorgeous cabernet

If I were a gem stone I’d be labradorite or moonstone

If I were a tree I’d be a weeping willow

If I were a tool I’d be a swiss army knife

If I were a flower I’d be a sunflower

If I were an element of weather I’d be sunshine

If I were a musical instrument I’d be cello

If I were a color I'd be aubergine

If I were an emotion I’d be love

If I were a fruit I’d be a mango

If I were a sound I’d be laughter

If I were an element I'd be silver

If I were a car I’d be a 1960's Chevy Bel Air

If I were a food I’d be a Thai red curry

If I were a place I’d be a high desert

If I were a taste I’d be dark chocolate with cayenne

If I were a scent I’d be musk and patchouli

If I were a body part I’d be an eye

If I were a song I’d be anything by Patti Griffin

If I were a bird I'd be a hummingbird

If I were a city I'd be ( I would not be a city!)

If I were a pair of shoes I’d be cowboy boots
(a pair with fancy applique and stitching)

If I were a poem I would be anything by Rumi,Joy Harjo
or Pablo Neruda

And what would you be?

thank you to kate ( and andrea, always inspiring)

The Joneses.....with Demi Moore opens April 16th.....

2010-04-06T17:22:00.000-07:00

Heya ho...just a little bit of news I have been keeping under my hat that I finally can officially share with you..about a year and a half ago ( yes, it takes that long, sometimes even twice that) my work was chosen by costume designer Renee Kalfus to be in a film called The Joneses starring an absolute fave of mine, Demi Moore and David Duchovny! A fact about me that some of you might not know is that in one of my former lives, I was a costume designer for film and tv...and I have to say,it was just such a BLAST to be on the other end this time! Anyhoo, I have not a clue exactly which pieces were featured on which characters ( I sent them a box with about 15 or 20 things) so, as you can imagine, it will be great fun to see this for the first time!

And to add a little bit to the notion of the circularity of life, the production designer for this film is the fab Kristi Zea...waaaaay back when I assisted her on a few films...Birdy, Fame, Shoot the Moon..

She continued forward in the industry, expanding her professional horizons well beyond costume design...

and here I am again, years later, connected to the industry I left long ago, in a small way!

The Jonese is described as a "dark comedy" about American consumerist culture, I dont want to give away the entire premise, but I promise, it is really cool....

hoping your week is shiny and bright!

ox Kerin

sugar on snow.......a photo expose.......

2010-04-02T03:52:00.000-07:00

THIS is how you know that Spring has truly arrived in Vermont (believe me, sometimes its hard to see!)....maple sugar 'farmers' start tapping the trees for this amber gold.....pour in on snow and eat it as it congeals.....a side of pickles cuts the sweetness just enough to keep you from going into sugar shock!....they have an expression here ...."let's see how it all sugars out".....sort of a Vermont version of "lets wait and see"...sometimes the harvest is just ok....and sometimes it is amazing.....

hope your week end is sweet and amazing too......namaste.....

day trippin' in Montpelier........

2010-03-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

I know I have been a bit quiet here this past week...my apologies....I have been a bit overwhelmed w/ getting things ready for Ms.Taxwoman......I promise I'll be back with photos of a custom bracelet I am working on for a special customer,
(not something I do very often...custom work, that is) and a delicious post that I will leave a surprise...a little field trip I took last week end, started in Montpelier, a city of about 8,000 that has the honor of being the smallest state capitol in the USA!... see, below, for a little bit of Vermont pride!

see you very, very soon....ox K

summons.......

2010-03-28T05:59:00.000-07:00

Keep me from going to sleep too soon.

Or if I go to sleep too soon,

Come wake me up.

 Come any hour

of night.
Come whistling up the road.

Stomp on the porch. Bang on the door.

Make me get out of bed and come

And let you in and light a light.

Tell me the northern lights are on

And make me look. Or tell me clouds

Are doing something to the moon

They never did before, and show me.

See that I see. Talk to me till

I'm half as wide awake as you

And start to dress wondering why

I ever went to bed at all.

Tell me the walking is superb.

Not only tell me but persuade me.

You know I'm not too hard persuaded.

Robert Francis

something I have been pondering.......

2010-03-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about the sheer power of words? That the simple ( or complex ) act of writing them down or giving voice can birth a chain reaction both yin and yang. A chain reaction of inspiration and desperation, connection and destruction, friendship and alienation, love and war, understanding and confusion, beginnings and endings. The simple turn of a phrase, either misunderstood or misinterpreted, can redirect a desired outcome like the flip of a quarter.We can be so impulsive with them, not thinking about the impact of what we are about to say.....We use them with reckless abandonment all day long, every day....sending them out into the universe with barely a forethought, barely venturing to embrace how far the repercussions from a simple statement can travel... journeying through generations..... piercing through someone else's heart....

this week my heart was broken by words...and it did far more damage than a hand could ever have done

sticks and stones might break our bones, but words most definitely can hurt us

teach your children well

namaste

happy spring.....(officially!)

2010-03-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

we went swimming (well, Loli did..I chaperoned)

happy spring...officially

yee haw!

signs of Spring in Vermont.....

2010-03-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

-watching my sister's honeybees wake up and leave the hives for short jaunts
-tapping the maples for that famous Vermont syrup
-eating sugar on snow with a pickle
-opening my windows and playing Van Morrison loud enough to hear in the yard
-breathing deep, the air is so sweet and muddy smelling at the same time
-betting on the ice melt on Joe's Pond
-listening the Canadian Geese on their way home
-saying "hello" to the little rock spiral I built in my yard again
-having these amazing days, where it is warm enough to wear a sweater, but there is still snow on the mountaintops, and when the sun hits them, you are overwhelmed with the beauty of being alive

what does Spring look like in your corner of the world?

the four directions...on my bench, on my mind....

2010-03-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

I know I have spoken of this before, but much of what I am working on at any given time comes to me in that semi-conscious state of mind when we are lingering between awake and slumber....I am sure you all know it....I believe that's when I do some of my best creating!....this image (or rather a facsimile of it, looking like a finished piece of my silverwork) has been haunting me for the last few weeks. I am in the process of answering the call, and am almost done carving in wax. To me, this is strange, as the medicine wheel pictured is from the mighty Sioux Nation. I have aboriginal blood in me for sure, but I can tell you with all certainty not a drop of Sioux. ( I will depend on my friend Michaela Dawn to clarify any errors here, as this is in part her heritage!)...this image has been relentless with me...and I must answer it's siren song!....I just love the symbolism of this wheel and have been doing a bit of research as to the quadrants and their meanings.......

NORTH

white

winter

white horses

white bird’s wing

herbs

death

SOUTH

yellow

summer

buckskin horses

sacred hoop

flowering twigs

maturity

EAST

red

spring

sorrel horses

daybreak stars

the sacred pipe

youth

WEST

black

fall

black horses

a cup of sky

bow

old age

I just love the way it all comes full circle....and am pondering the interconnectedness of it all...this one is going to take a bit for me to wrap my brain around....what do you think all these symbols mean?

Ponder with me, please!

Mitakuye Oyasin

quick postscript.....

2010-03-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

P.S....I received an email from a reader inquiring what this post had to do with my jewelry making?...well, just about EVERYTHING!....stay with me here, gentle readers....I will work on weaving a web of connection for you as we continue this journey!....hope your day was glorious!

( I will be back very soon! )

namaste

Rosemary Gladstar and planting the future.....

2010-03-07T05:54:00.000-08:00

Rosemary Gladstar's talk yesterday around the future of plants was such an incredible eye-opener..I want to share....her talk, and a delicious dinner at Asiana Noodle House, made for a stellar evening! In a nutshell, Rosemary talked about the herbal healing industry...how it has grown from a small tribe of followers in the late sixities/early seventies, when she ran an herb store selling "twigs" as she says, to the 720 billion dollar industry that we know it to be to-day. Of course, plant healing is the first, most ancient healing system of all, but in industrialized Western societies in particular, it kind of went 'underground'....

The incredible thing, is that this resurgence of interest and use, has brought an awareness to the world of the powerful relationship we have with plants...the bad news is that we are over harvesting medicinal plants at such an alarming rate, we are poised to wipe out some of the varieties that many of us now depend on for vibrant health...

For some of us, seeing the words 'wildcrafted' on an herbal supplement label might give us assurance that the herb is grown, free of pesticides and other things...but what that also means is that the plant used to make you supplement has been taken from the wild...perhaps from one of the very last stands exisiting in a given locale...some plants take 40 years to reach the maturity needed for medical efficacy...and new plants are not being re-introduced in their stead...basically, we are over-harvesting our herbs as we have over harvested our oceans...

The US is one of the largest exporters of goldenseal ( pictured) and ginseng to Europe...we ship it there by the ton....in the process we are very quickly depleting our own resources

Rosemary, and her group, United Plant Savers is advocating that you use herbs that are organically farm grown, and that we work to protect native species, or we will loose them and their medicinal properties forever....if a product you use doesn't indicate the source, she asks that you CALL the company and inquire...and if herbs are not farm grown, insist they move towards that for sourcing! Send a message!...the American consumer can be a force to be reckoned with!

She also advocated planting a patch in your garden for native species, and letting it be 'wild' and uncultivated to attract more birds,bees and butterflies who need these native plants that are becoming more and more difficult for them to find for survival....she says this will enable creatures to sort of float and fly from patch to patch, getting more of what they really need...so in turn you are helping them survive too....United plant saver will actually SEND you plants if you join to plant in your little sustainability patch!...I am officially dedicating an area around my home for this this Spring ( not that I am much of a 'cultivator' anyhoo!) She has written a guidebook if you are interested...

Heady stuff, and very important food for thought...I am so glad I went to this talk....it was unbelievable eye-opener...
hoping you are having a beautiful week-end!

20% off sale on.......

2010-03-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

Well, good things have to some times come to an end....I am doing a little spring cleaning to make room in both my mind, and my shop for some new designs! After a lot of thought, I've decided that my Ki collection has reached enough 'mass' that I am no longer going to create it. For those of you who may not know, everything I do is in limited edition, ( like prints!) so beyond a certain point, I destroy the mold, and that is that! Hand carved in beeswax, and hand cast using the method of cire perdue, these recycled sterling silver pretties are finished to a natural shine and engraved with patinaed flowers and spirals, both front and back. Ki or Chi, is our life energy. Spirals, to connect with the eternal, and flowers, symbolic of continual growth and renewal.....viva la Spring!....20% off, all pieces of this collection, in my etsy shop only ( not my regular site)....if you have been eyeing these at all, the time is now!

embellish!

p.s. going to see Rosemary Gladstar speak later to-day! She is the Queen, no, the Goddess, no, like the guardian angel of the herbalist movement...she is going to talk about preserving or rather becoming stewards of healing plants for the future so that we do not lose them and their wisdom....

follow me.......

2010-03-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

Spring

I am moving towards you

whether you are ready for me

or not

my heart

leans in

struggling to pick up

even the faintest whisper

of a bud

navigating its way

on a well worn path

awakening

kerin rose

Mardi Gras in Burlington.....

2010-03-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

So, early Saturday morning, my sister, secret agent 99 and I headed to Church St at 7:30 am to yarnbomb some of the statuary outside city hall and in front of some of the shops...the occasion? Mardi Gras!...and no, Burlington is not really a sister city with New Orleans or anything like that!...the Magic Hat brewing company, who you might have heard of if you drink brew, celebrates Mardi Gras here every year....hours after we bombed the street, it was filled with crazy revelers, homemade floats, bands riding them and all kinds of folks wailing beads and candy, wearing masks and having a rowdy old time!....you can get a feel for what it looks like if you go HERE and click on where it says "media"...so, here is the funny part...we went downtown to measure all of these ladies and gents for their party gear...being the stealthy girls we are, we went early in the am, to avoid attention. Just as my sis was rattling off the measurements of Ms. Deer's legs, a bellow-y voice behind me says " I know what you girls are up to....your gonna knit that deer some leg warmers!".....It was a homeless gentleman, on his way up to the tope of Church St. where Salvation army gives out coffee in the morning. I tell you, it was the Universe telling me something!...perhaps I am waaaay more transparent than I think I am....either that, or it was letting me know I simply do not have a next career in espionage! enjoy!

it was an ordinary Sunday morning......

2010-02-28T05:02:00.000-08:00

Church Street, Burlington, VT

February 28th, 2010

7:30 am

stay tuned.......

just a little bit of love....

2010-02-26T11:25:00.000-08:00

Just a little something, finished this morning.....a little bit of love...and gratitude for companionship on this life-journey....thank you all for taking the time to read and especially comment so thoughtfully and supportively on 'my mission statement'.....

it inspired me to jump into the studio this morning and get these done....they make me think of summer for some reason...( maybe they should have been ankle bracelets, I don't know?)...the sun is out, and my heart feels a little shinier to-day!....

Here is wishing you a week end full to the brim of whatever it is you need....a good movie, a good book, good company...

tomorrow is Mardi Gras celebration downtown....stay tuned....sister and I are planning another yarnbombing! ( actually it is her yarnbomb, I am the lookout this time!)

namaste

Kerin

por favor.......my mission......

2010-02-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

I would love your help....truth be told, I am, for some reason experiencing a bit of 'stuckness' ( I know, not a real word) where my blog is concerned these days...they say, you should treat this space as if it is your living room, and you are hanging out with some friends. I read an article this week on 'passionate blogging' and the first recommendation was to write a mission statement for your blog. The idea was to clarify its purpose, and to keep you 'on track'...so...it was an interesting exercise to answer the prescribed questions.....and then, they ( yes, the big ol' they in the sky) said you should share that mission and ask for feedback. To be honest I am always very open to feedback, but not really very good about asking for help...so.....I am going to publish what I wrote, right here, right now....please feel free to comment ( be kind! I know you will!) here, and...as an extra special treat, I have set up an account HERE....any questions you might have for me that you think might make interesting blog posts, or just questions in general, can be left, and I promise I shall answer to the best of my ability and bravery!...I know this is a loooooong post ( please bear with me!), so I shall say, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to offer feedback, if you have it, and let you know how much I appreciate your stopping by from time to time, even if you choose not to! ( leave some feedback, I mean!)
MY MISSION STATEMENT
"Art, to me, is like breathing. It is my first form of expression. I think in pictures, having to ‘translate’ my thoughts into words. As a young child, this was a difficult thing…I just always found myself feeling ‘cut from a different cloth’. Jewelry making came into my life at a young age somewhat serendipitously….I wanted to take a ceramics class and it was full…so, Mom plunked me in jewelry class instead… I have been making metal in one form or another ever since ….

The current direction of my work is springs from my need to tread lightly as possible upon the earth. After a move to Vermont, I learned about growing food, for the very first time. The magic of putting a seed in the earth, nurturing the seedling to maturity, and producing an entire meal from nothing but home grown vegetables was such a powerful experience….I would never look at the soil, or our earth, the same way again. You may ask what this has to do with jewelry making? It happens that this art form can bring incredible beauty into being, while wreaking havoc with our environment. Mining, refining, plating, chemical use, all play a role in traditional working methods. It created a conflict in my heart, to the point of my entertaining switching to another more earth friendly art medium. I am a spiritual person, and needed to make some conscious choices. This need drives my methods….wax as a carving material, recycled precious metals and a decision to avoid working with gemstones for the most part, with the exception of lab grown natural diamonds.( someone wrote and asked me about this..it is just a personal choice...I have a great appreciation for fellow jewelers who showcase their beauty...its just me..a conflict I struggle with). Mining, in all its forms leaves scars. It is an aspect of jewelry making that I have never been completely comfortable with. Even my studio practices are as green as possible…substituting citric acid for a more toxic one, purchasing carbon offsets to balance the small amount of electricity used…its not perfect, but I make every effort… this stewardship of the earth is what my work needs.

I am deeply intrigued by the talismanic properties of jewelry…that place where the alchemy of metal, thought, spirit, the natural world all intersect with human history. I answer to images that often come to me in dreams. My hope for those who choose to wear my work is that it defines their personal style above and beyond the changing whims of current fashion, becoming instead an embodiment of how they are moving through the world….like a tangible reminder of who and what they are about…I have heard again and again from people who already wear my jewels, that they feel it becomes a part of them, almost “like a tattoo”….. how I love this parallel!.... my wish is that the jewelry evokes the same energy, that it becomes an outward expression of your inner journey….marking personal moments…memories…traces the path of who you are, and who you hope to become….My pieces are substantial and made to last. The jewelry will feel as if it has become a part of you after it has been worn a while. (Some have told me that this happens instantly!). Quality, craftsmanship, organic designs that have been hand carved to fit comfortably is my goal. A resonance with your spirit is my dream. Know that I stand behind all of my creations, and send them out into the world imagining that they will take on and reflect the true spirit of the person who wears them. My desire is huge and yet at the same time very simple and deeply personal….I want to embellish beautiful souls!"

namaste

Kerin

so......

2010-02-24T07:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, gentle readers....I meditated as hard as I could on Shayla's print....and woke up to THIS!

perhaps I used the incorrect mantra?! :)

postscript.......

2010-02-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

and sometimes sunlight flies in the from the angels....

print by shayla maddox

love from afar

paz en tu corazon, gracias, Sherlock Holmes!

hope for spring.......

2010-02-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

sometimes,there are signs....

(out in nature, I do feel small...in a GOOD way...)

bija chakra pendants...........

2010-02-18T03:20:00.000-08:00

So, this week, after many months, they are FINALLY finished.... to be honest, I was dragging my heels on these...sometimes I make something, and well, I am simply 'unsure' of it... it is my habit to just leave unfinished pieces laying around my workbench...somehow this habit is often what will lead me to an 'ah ha' moment...even if it takes a year ( yes, creativity can be a very pokey muse sometimes!)....for whatever reason, these pendants began whispering in my ear from the top of my bench!...maybe somehow, somewhere, they are needed by someone?...

so here we go...

Our prana is the energy system that exists both in and around our bodies. Chakras are points where many energy pathways in the body convene…intense junctures (or nadis), manifesting in funnel-like wheels that are understood to regulate our physical, emotional and spiritual qualities. In yogic philosophy, we are constructed not unlike an onion ( a la Shrek! :) with layer upon layer of life force. The chakra system is governed by the seven major chakras that sit in alignment with our spines, though there are many, many minor ones too. This belief system goes way back to the beginnings of recorded time, but much of what we study about chakra healing originates from the Sanskrit. Each of the major chakras corresponds with a unique color, sound and vibration. Studying our chakras can teach us what we might need to improve the quality of our health, on all levels ( physical, emotional, spiritual). When the chakras are out of balance, our energies feel ‘off’…we feel in our hearts and bodies that we are not our best selves at the moment. Yoga invites healing through mindfulness and a curiosity about yourself, and exploration of ‘self’ relative to the universal truths. Here are the chakras, and their corresponding bija mantras ( in italics), colours, location and overall purpose…..

muladhara = root chakra = grounding = LAM = garnet = red
feeling of security and healthy body awareness

svadhistana = sacral chakra = nourishing = VAM =carnelian = orange
unblocked emotions and good connections to the 5 senses

manipura = solar plexus chakra = intention = RAM= citrine = yellow
strong sense of motivation and personal direction

anahata = heart chakra = harmony = YAM= peridot = green
feelings of love and connection to self and others

visuddha = throat chakra = expressive = HAM= apatite = blue
inner trust and reliance, easy expression of thoughts to others

ajna = third eye chakra = insight = AUM= iolite =indigo
sense of a strong intuition and mental alertness

sahasrara = crown chakra = wisdom = AH= amethyst = violet
general sensation of joy in life and connection to the universe

Working with your chakra energies can bring a sense of balance back to your life and your physical being. There is so much to learn about this kind o energy balancing and healing…my understanding is only the very tip of the iceberg…. for myself, I look at the chakra meanings metaphorically….and will choose to work with the energy of a particular chakra when the aspects that it stands for feel unbalanced. Either way, I love these symbols…there is a grace to them, for sure!

….hand carved in beeswax, and created in recycled sterling, each one is hand engraved with a bija mantra on the back….built in sound exploration to align you with the vibration of the mantra shown on the pendant. They swing and sway from your neck, accompanied by a gemstone bead that corresponds with the chakra colour at the clasp.
perhaps one of them speaks to you?

this is what is in my creative space this week.....to see more, you can follow Kirsty's meme at:

www.kootoyoo.blogspot.com

safe travels! :)

be mine.......

2010-02-13T14:59:00.000-08:00

may your beautiful heart shine a light everywhere you wander....

Happy Valentine's Day !

another post....Ebay ring auction for Haiti......

2010-02-13T04:14:00.000-08:00

Just a little update!...My Ebay auction ring ( proceeds going to Global Giving to aid in Haiti rebuilding is up to 15 bids! Twenty four hours to go!.....the auction ends TOMORROW evening...Valentine's day....anyone out there want to make it your very own?....if you decide to go for it, know that 100% of your purchase will be donated to this very important cause.... you have an opportunity to reach out and help others and garner yourself some Kerin Rose BLING( I don't know why, but I am giggling my head off writing that!) at the same time...

sharing an artist with you....

2010-02-12T12:55:00.000-08:00

I interrupt this blog to bring you news that one of my most favorite 2-D artists on etsy is having a giveaway of one of her paintings this week!....normally, I am not one to engage in too much in the way of giveaways...there is sooo much of it going on on the web, mostly, I think, as a way to attract readership, that, it is becoming IMHO a little overdone...yet some offer an opportunity that cannot be overlooked...

The lovely Kelly Clark aka the Umber Dove

is offering one of her tiny paintings (believe me, she paints BIG too!) up to a lucky winner to be drawn

next Wednesday from a pool of folks, interested in leaving a comment on her blog.

To me, Kelly paints unseen worlds, with an Asian influence (wabi sabi anyone?) and a little O'Keefeian flair for good luck, creating an amalgam of fine brushstrokes that are uniquely her own.

Take a gander at her lovely work...I hope that it speaks to you as much as it does to me....

and be on the lookout for more introductions to other creative types I know...I am planning some artist interviews with some friends here and there that I think you might like to meet...I want to ponder about creativity with them and am hoping you might all enjoy dropping in on the conversations!

ebay auction for Haiti relief....

2010-02-09T03:13:00.000-08:00

Ok, I still have Haiti on the brain....one of my artist friends, Thomasin Durgin, has graciously volunteered to set up an ebay shop, the purpose of which is to auction off rings made by various artists. All of the proceeds from these sales will be going to the Global Giving Relief Fund in support of Haiti relief and rebuilding. I am offering up my Te amo ring in the narrow version for the cause. Like everything I make, I have carved it in beeswax and cast it in recycled sterling silver...you can find my listing HERE, plus a bevy of other interesting rings; many are from the 365 ring a day challenge that I posted about last Monday. All in all, its a win-win situation....another opportunity to help, and to purchase yourself a piece of wearable art. The 'ring a day' challenge was launched by artist Nina Dinoff, and now has gone global! ( if you would like to go directly to my ring listing, you will find it on THIS link) Thank you, Tomi, from the bottom of my heart for taking this on.....spread the beauty, help Haiti heal...how cool is THAT?! Spread the love!

namaste...hope your day is amazing!

a little vacation......

2010-02-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

It is hard for me not to be a trouper sometimes...but I have to admit, the winters here are not truly my cup o' tea...and round about this time of year, I have quite simply HAD it...

on my way to Montpelier ( btw, this town has the honor of being the smallest state capitol in the country!) to swap some inventory for a boutique there that sells my work, I stopped and grabbed me some lunch in one of my favorite places, Gardener's Supply Co.

Not only do they have just about anything under the sun that you could ever want or need to grow your own food, or make an amazing garden, but there is a cafe inside. You can grab yourself one of the many soups they make every day, or just a cup of tea, and you can take it and enjoy smack in the middle of their green houses, where they have seating and a koi pond to boot.

That half hour of sippin' and enjoying a cup of carrot ginger soup was almost (almost!) as good as a mini vacation to some isle in the Carribean!...well, not quite, but I am sure those of you who live in colder climes, know exactly what I am talking about here...

Its the little things! :)

I think if I did not make jewelry for a living, the next thing I might choose, (after being a famous children's book author) is working here and talking to the plants..

isn't that a job?...you know, hanging out, discussing the problems of being root bound, what it's like to have a southern exposure, how much fun it is to flower...

c'mon, you and me...lunch?

bienvenue!

(sigh)

haiku again....

2010-02-03T09:28:00.000-08:00

moonrise light travels

as the shadow side of life

delivers the muse

February 1st blog carnival....

2010-02-01T00:16:00.000-08:00

I belong to a team of diverse metal smiths on Etsy, calling themselves Etsy Metal. Today, I present to you a blog carnival! Basically, how this works is a bunch of folks answer a question, and link together...so viewers can enjoy a bunch of different responses to the same query....Many in this group are participating in a challenge begun by one of the members called "Ring a Day". The premise is to challenge and stretch your creative thinking by making one ring a day for 365!...At this point, many non-etsy metal artists have joined the fun. You can see all of the work, posted on flickr HERE. I myself am not participating in the challenge...my process and pokey mind are just too sloooow for this one...but it has been fascinating to see many of the things folks have come up with.
Today's carnival subject was: "choose your favorite ring from the ring a day challenge", which is now global, by the way.
It was hard, but I have to say, I am in love with this ring by Danielle Miller, entitled "Growth". Much of Danielle's work contains miniature abacus' and has a more geometric feel to me...I just love the lyrical lines on this one.(big surprise) It feels like a poem!
For more blog carnival fun, follow the links below, or simply check out the entire collection on flickr!
Alisa Miller http://alisamiller.blogspot.com
Colleen Baran http://seeseebe.blogspot.com/
Danielle Miller http://daniellemillerjewelry.blogspot.com/
stacey hansen http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com
Chris Parry http://chris-parry.blogspot.com
Sara Westermark http://sarawestermark.blogspot.com/
Victoria Takahashi http://vtakahashi.blogspot.com/
Su Trindle http://quercussilver.blogspot.com/
Nina Dinoff http://ninadinoff.blogspot.com/
Maureen "Cosmo's Moon" BZ http://cosmosmoonjewelry.blogspot.com
Thomasin Durgin http://metalriot.blogspot.com/
Colleen Baran http://seeseebe.blogspot.com/
Beth Cyr http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com/
Caitlyn Davey/discomedusa http://discomedusa.typepad.com
Catherine Chandler http://catherinechandler.blogspot.com/

there are angels walking amongst us....

2010-01-31T13:22:00.000-08:00

Sixty more dollars from the sale ( and my matching funds) of my t-shirts have been donated to Haiti relief....I have been feeling a tad 'sorry' for myself as of late...without getting 'into it', I have to simply say this....this exercise in selflessness by another human 'bean', and kindness visited upon me and paid forward have lifted my heart up ( and my dragging feet ) to no end!...

may you walk in beauty

always

namaste

my creative space......

2010-01-27T14:15:00.000-08:00

Just a little bit has been going on in my creative space this week....as some of you may ( or may not) know, the price of precious metals has been skyrocketing as of late. I specialize in using ONLY recycled metals in my work, but a friend who does some casting suggested trying out a new alloy of bronze that he said looked like "14 Karat"...so I did!...here is my mandala ring, cast in bronze with a sterling shank. What is really interesting to me is how the same carving looks so DIFFERENT in a different color metal! To be honest, I do not think this is something I see myself working with in the future, as it is not recycled ; recreating the alloy myself would be way beyond my capacities, and really, I have to stay true to my heart and my mission of only working with recycled metals and conflict free stones. Nevertheless, this was a fun adventure!...let me know what you think!

You can check out more "creative spaces" participating in this meme at:

www.kootoyoo.blogspot.com

happy trails!

gratitude....

2010-01-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

Today I donated sixty dollars to Hope for Haiti.... and sent a few t-shirts to some new homes in the process too!......thank you, thank you for connecting with me...

namaste

my heart.......

2010-01-23T06:06:00.001-08:00

I am so sorry to any of you that rest here for some respite or connections to me,
and my art, and
my little life here in Vermont...

but my heart is still feeling so very heavy every time I think of the people of Haiti.....I feel
like I

can hardly put one foot in front of the other... this is the best I can do right now......
last night I

watched the telethon that was put together by George Clooney....the photographs
and reporting clips
were heart wrenching to watch...in many ways, I wanted to look away...it was
almost

unbearable..and yet, still shining through it all, was our kind....making music....such beauty...

THIS meshing of voices sounds like the work of angels to me...

When I was younger and studying theater, one of my professors told us that in
American

musicals, characters break into song, when emotions are so strong that mere
words will not

express....

The great Martha Graham once said that dance was an offering to God....I am
paraphrasing

here, but when I hear voices lifted up in song like this...my heart just soars....
look what we
can

DO...

I cannot sing... my singing ranks around the same place as my knitting abilities!.. but again, I find myself

walking in circles in my studio...

repeating... like a mantra..what can I do? what can I do?...

lets do something TOGETHER....

Anyone who would like one of my "embellished soul" t-shirts....purchase for 10
dollars in my

shop...I will match that and send 20 dollars on both of our behalf to
Hope for Haiti, and you get

the shirt!.....how does that sound?....I know its just a little carrot....and you
might be saying, "why

dont I just send them ten dollars?"...but I see it this way.... its a way we can
celebrate our

connection,too..celebrate being alive...from my hands to your heart....

I know this is not entertaining, but it's where I am at....

and

if t-shirts are not your thing, why simply give a listen to this song...the voices are so beautiful...I sing with you in my heart....

namaste

repose....

2010-01-19T04:08:00.000-08:00

January thaw...smells like spring

sigh....

blog challenge for Haiti....help me to help.....

2010-01-16T04:41:00.000-08:00

Good morning all....for the next bit of time I will be participating in something called 'the blog challenge for Haiti'...basically, it is a network of bloggers, challenging each other to raise more desperately needed funds...

I will donate 100% of the profits on your behalf for anyone who purchases a 'Heart on my Sleeve' pendant to:

Doctors Without Borders

If you have been pondering the purchase of one of these lovelies, there is not a better time to do it!

They are in my Etsy Shop, as I write this....perhaps waiting for you?!

Please help...I will offer this until none remain!

I am wearing my heart on my sleeve!

namaste

please pass this on!

Prayers and help for the people of Haiti....

2010-01-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

My heart is profoundly heavy for the people of Haiti. These are fellow humans who have already been living in one of the poorest countries on our globe...at very least, we can all send prayers of healing....and remember, in times like this, even 5 dollars can help....

And please, if you give, be careful...sadly, there have already been reports of scam artists taking advantage of those of us who want to help...

I wanted to share these links with you... and feel open to share your thoughts, emotions, prayers and healing over what has happened. Remember, there is great power in our collective consciousness.....

Press release from President Obama.

Earthquake Haiti Facebook, where people are posting photos of missing loved ones.

American Red Cross for donations

Doctors without Borders, they are already operating there without hospitals

Oxfam: make a donation to the emergency response in Haiti.
CNN iReport on Haiti...looking for loved ones.
CNN/Impact (updated & donation info)
Daily Kos: Helping the Victims of the Haiti Earthquake
World Vision: make a donation for Haiti earthquake relief.
The Huffington Post: How You Can Help.
USA Today: Kindness blog ~ h ow you can help.
Donate thru Unicef
You can donate to the Red Cross relief fund in Haiti by texting "HAITI" to "90999."

For updates:
CNN/Haiti tweets

Wyclef Jean for Haiti/tweets
deepest gratitude to Denise Lynette Andrade for collecting many of these resources

please, pass this information on
om shanti, shanti, shanti
peace

wikipedia.....knit graffiti......

2010-01-07T15:26:00.000-08:00

"Graffiti knitting, yarnbombing or yarn bombing is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather than paint or chalk. While yarn installations may last for years, they are considered non permanent, and unlike graffiti, can be easily removed if necessary. The practice is believed to have originated in the U.S. with Texas knitters trying to find a creative way to use their leftover and unfinished knitting projects, but has since spread worldwide.^[1]

While other forms of graffiti may be expressive, decorative, territorial, socio-political commentary, advertising or vandalism, yarn bombing is almost exclusively about reclaiming and personalizing sterile or cold public places.^[1]"

now, not that we think that this sculpture is in any way, shape or form, a "sterile or cold public place"...we LOVE this sculpture by Vermont artist extraordinaire, Jim Sardonis, and thought it would be the perfect place for some prayer flags! this sits on interstate N89 as you come into Burlington...a landmark around here for sure....

A book is being put together by Magda Sayeg I think it is temporarily titled "Knit Graffitti"....there was a callfor entries...my sister came up with the idea...I was in charge of stealth operations...figuring out how to

make it "go"... check out more about this movement on her blog too, www.knittaporfavor.wordpress.com

this was fun...really fun...maybe I am not such a cranky knitter after all! :) BTW, they are taking entries

up until January 15th if anyone of you are interested!

peace...truth..hope...love....faith
always

snow.....

2010-01-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

It was my intention, to-day to find some lovely landscape to share with you......nature being what she is, THIS it what it looks like outside my window....been snowing since Friday night...and it is not supposed to end till early tomorrow morning.....hard to tell by these photos, but I waded out into at least 30 inches to snap these from my yard.....no wanderlust satisfaction for me...I think I am stuck in the homestead for to-day....but I finshed the fingerless gloves I have been knitting ( it went well, not too many 4 letter words!:)

this is just a note to let you know that I hope the angels brought holiday dreams to fruition for you all....

and thank you for dreaming along with me.......

Happy New Year and Welcome 2010!

:EDIT: THIS WAS THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL IN RECORDED HISTORY HERE! 32"!

final post of 2009 and happy new year!......

2009-12-24T03:41:00.000-08:00

I bid you all adieu for a short while....I am taking some time to regroup, straighten out my studio, relax, dream about 2010...and finish carving some new designs.. some company is coming too, and I am really psyched!.... just wanted to take a moment and say that never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that when I reached out into the 'blogosphere' that such companionship on this life path would await me!....thank you from the bottom of my heart...for sharing yours with me....may your days be filled with love and light..may the rainbow always touch your shoulder...

Happy New Year

Happy Solstice

Namaste....

oxox Kerin

thoughts of the season....

2009-12-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

I've been pondering a bit about the season, and wondering how everything around us seems to 'rev up' into a feeling of stress and frenzy...of gift giving, obligatory socializing,

( office party anyone?), and a mindset that is antithetic to what its all supposed to be about....I was thinking about how important it is to STOP and consider 'gifting' in a less concrete sense...

In my work, I have charged myself with the task of creating talismans for others... talismans meant to bring out and amplify the unique gifts that each and every wearer brings to the world....I am wondering...could we all pause for a moment and think, "what is the unique gift that I bring to the universe?"...could it be your creativity? do you bake a mean carrot cake? ( I do!) ...can you take photographs that touch others' hearts?...do you volunteer your precious time?...are you the person in a room that will take a wayward insect outside?...do you sing like an angel?.... do you smile at strangers?

I suppose what I am getting at here is the idea that, yes, this is the season for giving, but more than anything, not necessarily in the material realm. Spend some time making great conversation with friends...listen to them as if they are, at that moment, the most important person in the universe....

Try to forever listen with an open mind, and respond deeply from the heart.

It is the most beautiful gift you could ever give anyone, and it lasts a lifetime.Give the gift of YOU.

namaste

speaking of gifts....

2009-12-21T05:51:00.000-08:00

Speaking of gifts, I was sorting through a bunch of things, and realized ( I really don't know where my head is at lately!) I had missed posting about the amazing gift I received from winning Michaela Dawn's giveaway in September, thanks to her son Eli's 'magic hands'!.....THIS BOUNTY arrived from a most lovely lady bird who resides in our heartland of South Dakota!
The highlight of this beautiful care package was, of course The Lakota Way by James Marshall, but some of the BEST bread and butter pickles I have ever tasted, strawberry jam, homemade for her farmer's market, tea
( for sustenance! :)....and...Michaela's wall linen photo of my beloved sunflowers. ( This now sits in a place of highest importance in my little 'dresser top altar' of 'life things'!)
Michaela is just one of those people, from the moment you encounter them... you can tell... is so full of riches...and I mean of the heart-soul kind. I found her website www.michaeladawn.com via her comments on my friend Ivy's blog...and what I discovered there was so intriguing....she is a gal who walks her talk....Michaela is wife, mother,daughter, organic farmer, architectural drafter, photographer, fiber artist, writer, friend...and now a budding silversmith....this path was pioneered for her by her Dad....I know it is in her bones.. and I want to support her in any way I can.....and for an extra bonus to a lucky winner, this month of December, a pair of her sweet 'Reflection' earrings might be yours!.....to use 'Michaela-speak'...fly on over for a bit, and rest your wings!....say 'hello', and let her know I sent you! Fly here:

www.wherehasthewindtakenyou.blogspot.com

mini sale numero cuatro.......

2009-12-18T04:19:00.000-08:00

For those of you who might not be completely familiar with how I create my work.... my pieces are cast in limited editions, not unlike prints....these three hole hoops....have reached the end of their lovely journey!...hand carved and cast of recycled sterling silver, 3 faceted rhodolite garnet beads swing from the bottom of each...

On sale in my shop, www.kerinrose.com beginning today, continuing until the last pair is GONE, at 10% off their regular price, plus free shipping within the USA.

Garnet is a stone associated with gentleness, affection, kind heartedness, sincerity, constancy and truth.....it makes perfect sense to me that they should look beautiful on everyone....

happy holidays, happy solstice!

And for those of you who might be in the area, I will be at Healthy Living Market, in South Burlington today, from 1:30-7:30 pm selling my work...the amazing Lesser-Goldsmith family is hosting a bunch of artists during a gigantic holiday dessert tasting event they are having tonight....swing on down for a bit, eat, drink and be merry!

love and light....

connections......

2009-12-14T14:21:00.000-08:00

Let me preface this post to say that I was not a child that grew up with 'technology'....I was pulled, kicking and screaming ( well, not quite, but I was quietly unwilling) to the internet. My sister used to drag me to the mall, just to try and see if she could get me 'online'...and I refused. A refusnik. I didnt know how to type, and was not interested in something I thought was for engineering geeks like my friend M. Yet, I am a lifelong reader, an information junkie, a person who loves to write, a completely visual soul....

Fast forward a few years later, I found myself making jewelry again,after something of a hiatus...the world had changed. Dramatically. For artists, the gallery system was/is in a bit of a revolution. No longer was it necessary to knock on doors, requesting entry...I could represent MYSELF...like I said, a revolution. To join though, one needed a website. To promote one's website, one needs ancillary tools. A blog. Flickr. Facebook. Twitter.

There are still frontiers where I cannot go. I draw the line. Things that reduce communication to a quip still cannot easily capture my interest or attention....and yet, this tool, this online world has brought a gallery of riches I could not even begin to envision. Had I known what was waiting out here for me, I never would have delayed...would've jumped right in, right on....

What I have learned is that beneath the surface of anything there is always something more...perhaps it is exactly what you expected to find, only amplified...perhaps it is a complete surprise...

What I have discovered is that there is a distillation that happens here...almost as if by stripping away the indicators....age, geography, income, health, spirtual inclination...the corporeal and concrete 'stuff'

We can, if we are open to it, and honest with ourselves, connect here, and

experience a meeting of the heart and mind,

existing in this space,and perhaps beyond it,

resonating in ways that might not have ever been dreamt up by the universe even 10 years ago...

but then again, perhaps it has...my friend C., who is Laguna Pueblo, said that her people believe that one day we will all be one tribe. They are pretty progressive people...they believe that the internet has created this. And the prophecy was made...hundreds of years ago...

One heart connection has been made with Michelle, of The Pas, Manitoba

Silver artistry, spiritual readings,gemstone lore, philosopher, mother, wife, friend and more..

A beautiful tourmaline, wrapped specially for me!...( and the thumb ring looks famliar too! :)

a gift....in so many more ways than meets the eye......

thank you Michelle,

and thank you all, for sharing yourselves with me

namaste

peace on earth......mini GIVEAWAY numero tres.....

2009-12-11T03:47:00.000-08:00

Good morning friends!...As promised, here is another little celebration of the season and I am truly excited to let you know about it! This summer, while searching the web for information about the Squam art workshops, I happened upon the website and beautiful blog of photographer Denise Lynette Andrade, aka Boho Girl...Denise specializes in photographing other artists, and I contacted her, as I am someone who is beyond camera shy, and when I saw her work I thought, "this is something I could do"...Denise has a singular ability to capture the truest essence of her human subjects...it blew me away..unfortunately, I did not realize at the time, she lives in CA!...Long story short, I was completely taken by Denise's spirit and groove...I ended up becoming a sponsor on her blog. She writes openly about her journey through infertility and adoption, for those that might have a common thread...for me, that has not been an experience, but, she also writes a lot, so beautifully, simply about...

LIFE

I love the depth, spirit, perspective, bravery and love she radiates...

So....here is a gift from both of us to one lucky reader...we are giving away one of my hand carved peace symbol pendants of recycled sterling silver, strung on waxed cotton cording (am happy to switch it out to leather if the winner prefers!). All you have to do is fly on over to Denise's blog and leave a comment (not here!)...it doesn't have to be any big deal...you can just say "hi"and let us know you were there...comments close Sunday, December 13th @ 10pm PST, and Denise and Cedar will randomly choose and announce a winner on Monday, December 14th ...winner will be announced on Denise's blog, and here...

I feel like I am having a party this month!.......:)

EDIT:....congrats to Christine of Red Hot Pottery!...please email me and tell me where to send your treat! info(at)kerinrose.com

what do you do in the winter in Vermont?.....

2009-12-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

Make soup!

this Alton Brown lentil soup is super fast and easy as pie...I have doctored it up a teeny bit!

2 cups green lentils, rinsed
2 quarts chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery ( or leeks)
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
8. oz crushed or diced tomato ( fresh or canned)
2 T olive oil
2 t. salt
1/2t/ coriander
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. ground tellicherry peppercorns ( or just plain ground black pepper)

(I also add about 1/4 cup plus a splash of dry white wine while cooking, and serve this with a dollop of nonfat Greek yogurt and some good bread)

in your big soup pot, place olive oil, and onions and saute onion in it till transparent, about 5 minutes
add celery and carrot...saute about 3 more minutes
add lentils, broth, tomato, spices
bring to a boil
turn down to simmer, cover, and cook for 45 min.

zhuzh to desired consistency w/ handi blender or your big blender in batches( I like mine more chunky, so I only do this a tiny bit)

thats it!
enjoyeux!

anyone have any other good ones you want to share?
anyone know a really good 'soup only' cookbook?

(PS...oh how I love these little crabapples that live on the tree outside my window!...they are like my 'season barometer'!...SPRING, lovely little pink fleurs, SUMMER, funny little green nuggets grow, FALL, big fat juicy and red, right after the leaves fall off the tree, WINTER, they get darker and darker and shriveled...and then....I know spring is on its way again when one day...and it really does happen all of a sudden, huge flocks of starlings SWOOP down and devour them in an afternoon...then...nothingness...just empty stems..but I know, as I can see it with my own eyes...that those green leaves are going to burst forth within weeks...its what I know for sure..)

mini sale numero dos.......

2009-12-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

River Spirit Ring Trio

Special for you, my blog readers.....a lovely set of 3 stacking rings, whose curvaceous lines will move around on your finger to remind you of the fluidity of life.....
Hand carved of beeswax, and hand cast into my signature recycled sterling silver , these rings are a classic, yet elegant addition for those who love to adorn their hands
AND THEY ARE 20% OFF JUST FOR YOU, fabulous YOU!

TODAY AND TOMORROW AND MONDAY ONLY
Each ring is approx. 3.5 mm wide, so when you wear them together, you end up with a striking 'band' almost 11 mm high!...or....separate them an use them as accent pieces for other rings you may like to wear.
whole sizes 6, 7, 8, 9

(keep mind, if you are planning to wear all 3 of these together, you might need to size up 1 size, as with wide rings, the squishy part of your finger needs somewhere to go)
you don't have to do anything...the markdown is already done!..but SHHHH! YOUARE THE ONLY ONES I AM TELLING!:)

YOU ARE NOW OFFICIALLY A SECRET AGENT!

this offer is only available on my 'regular' website

WWW.KERINROSE.COM

namaste

my creative space......

2009-12-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

Here is are two little insights...one, the fact, that jewelry making as an art form is strange ( I suppose I shall speak for myself here!)... from a sea of tools, and metal, rises, well, impeccable shining beauty...laboured over with loving hands and a watchful eye...the making of the stuff is so very interesting, but not really 'glamourous' at all...tools, dust, scrap metal, polishing machines .....more about that at another time...

Two, I offer you a little insight into my strange mind, and how it works, for any of you who might, from the impression you get from this blog, might think I am singularly a talisman-making-woo-woo-queen! :) My creative space post this week is a shot of my soldering bench...why?....well, I shuffled to the studio this morning in my pj's ...was getting ready to fire up the torch for some serious constructin'...I looked up before hitting the switch, and all of a sudden got this thought that my set of third hands ( yeah, we jewellers are octopus!) looked to me like a bunch of hungry baby birds, about to get sucked up by the mothership!... or fed by the big air vent in the sky!.....scrunch your eyes....I know you can see it!....I know you can!

I laughed out loud!...
( maybe I have been sitting alone there a wee bit too much these days...I dunno? or maybe I am just tired, but I am glad I can amuse myself!)

for more creative space postings, you can follow the meme links on Kirsty's blog!....thanks for dropping by, and I promise something pretty next time!

namaste~

mini sale numero uno......

2009-11-30T10:22:00.000-08:00

It's cyber monday!....anyone visiting my blog gets an extra 10% off, just for today..all you have to do is type in "ROSE" when you are checking out, (where you can leave a message to seller), complete your check out, and I will send you a paypal refund!...woo hoo! happy holidays! happy solstice!

in love and gratitude......

2009-11-28T09:21:00.000-08:00

Just a note to let you all know, that everything in my shop has free shipping as always, in the event that you might be in the market for a gift! From now until the end of December, I will be including a free jewelry care cloth with every purchase AND just to add even more excitement into the mix, I will be entering everyone who makes a purchase into a drawing to win one of 7 ( yes, lucky number 7!) hand printed "kerin rose" organic cotton tee shirts! They have been hand dyed a lovely dusky mulberry colour, have my hummingbird logo printed on the hip, and the words "embellished soul" on the back!....

It is going to be so much fun to give these away!...

Stay tuned for some 24 hour mini-sales coming up too.....
( some items are in my "regular"website, and if you don't see what you are looking for, it might be in the etsy shop...my offer goes for purchases at both!)
Hoping all of you had a lovely and relaxing holiday...

Namaste

thanksgiving...a simple photo and a complex thought.....

2009-11-25T07:06:00.000-08:00

Rep. Joe Baca had this published yesterday in the Huffington Post. Just some food for thought...I know many feel as if Thanksgiving has become sort of overarching day to be thankful, in general, for what we have in our lives. Yet, the old fashioned story of the Pilgrims and Natives having a happy ending party to their good harvest is still told and studied in a completely anglo centric fashion within our schools, with no nod whatsoever to good critical investigation around how it all turned out from BOTH sides. I think there are many in this country who are unaware that for some of our Native family, this is a day of mourning. My deepest apologies to any of you, gentle readers, if I strike any uncomfortable chord. I struggled as to whether I should even post this. But this is an issue that weighs heavy in my heart....the lack of acknowledgement. But I am a woman who speaks her mind....as I believe in truth lies power and strength....my deepest wish for you, on this day of thanks, may you be embraced by people you love, may you recognize the gifts of our mother earth, may you be warmed by the smile of a stranger, laugh of a child, and most importantly, relish your gifts and never take them for granted. Namaste

"This Friday, November 27, we celebrate the second ever national Native American Heritage Day, to honor the original native residents of this great land of ours.

American families gather together on the fourth Thursday of every November to celebrate Thanksgiving in remembrance of a feast hosted by the Wampanoag Native Americans for the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1621. While we always remember the feast of Thanksgiving, we seldom pay homage to the Wampanoag hosts or recount what happened to them afterward.

By the time the Jamestown colony was founded in Virginia in 1607, the most accurate estimates are there were substantially more than 30 million Native Americans thriving in numerous tribes and cultures from the North American shores of Alaska to the tip of Cape Horn in South America. Unfortunately, the treatment of Native Americans over the next 300 years is one of the darkest chapters in American history.

It wasn't until the 20th century that America began to right many of the wrongs committed against our land's original inhabitants, and the first proposals were made for a day to honor Native Americans. Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfoot tribe, rode horseback from state to state in 1914 to gain support for a day of tribute. In 1915 Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a member of the Seneca tribe, persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to designate a day of recognition for Native Americans.

New York became the first state to observe an American Indian Day in 1916 and many other states have followed along through the years and designated a day to honor Native Americans. Congress granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans in 1924.

As a California State Assemblyman in 1998, I introduced legislation which established the fourth Friday of September as Native American Day in California. Last year, Congress passed legislation I introduced to establish a national Native American Heritage Day for 2008. This year, I again introduced legislation, H. J. Res. 40, to establish a Native American Heritage Day in 2009. I am proud to say that this bill passed both chambers of Congress and was signed into law by President Obama this summer.

The bill encourages all Americans to observe, through appropriate ceremonies and activities, the day after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day. It also encourages public elementary and secondary schools to enhance student understanding of Native Americans by providing classroom instruction focusing on their history and achievements. In conjunction with Native American Heritage Day, President Obama issued a Presidential proclamation marking November 2009 as National Native American Heritage Month, and calling for all Americans to recognize Friday, November 27 as Native American Heritage Day. The President also hosted the first ever Tribal Leaders Summit at the White House earlier this month.

Throughout history Native Americans have made significant contributions to our nation, our society, and our culture. The Constitutional separation of powers of our government was based on the structure of the Iroquois Nation. As an ambassador of peace, Sacajawea guided Lewis and Clark on their exploration across the west to the Pacific coast.

Hopi, Choctaw, Comanche, Kiowa, Winnebago, Seminole, Navajo and Cherokee used their languages as secret codes to protect American forces in several wars. Navajo "codetalkers" created and memorized a code based on the Navajo language which helped the Marines win the Pacific campaign in World War II.

Native Americans continue to live according to their own traditions and cultures and are making greater contributions than ever before. More than 30 tribal colleges across the country are educating future accountants, doctors, lawyers, health care workers, educators, policymakers, and political leaders.

Amid the Thanksgiving dinners, football, and shopping this week, lets take some time to recognize Native American Heritage Day. We must never take for granted the very first inhabitants of this continent - Native Americans, and their many contributions that have greatly enriched the United States."

swap....

2009-11-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post here...speaking of chaos, I was contacted a few months ago to participate in a swap, by the lovely Ladipo Harris, who has a cool fashion blog called "My Structured Chaos"

Blogswaps are a way to network your wares, make new connections and have some fun. Each participant sends items from their shop, and recipients agree to create a posting...sort of like a selective link farm!...
Ladi herself was my swap partner. She creates accessories from upcycled items. (am not exactly sure where and how she sources them), but in some of the coolest packaging I have ever received, ( machine sewn, heavy lace embossed kraft paper) was a fab and fun zipper bag and matching scarf!...Ladi did not send much info about her biz, but she is all about all things positive and green. Her shop is closed at the moment, but her blog which is still active, is really fun!...check her out, if you have a moment....

my creative space......

2009-11-18T14:53:00.000-08:00

This week my creative space, if I have to define it in one word, is 'chaotic'...it's just one of those times ( and don't we all have them?) that I cannot seem to keep my hands on anything...tools are flying, ending up in weird places ( jewelry saw in the laundry anyone?) ....I have been getting ready for a very small open house, and between that and preparing for thanksgiving, and regular holiday orders, it has been a little crazy around here. When I go to shows, I occasionally offer a few of my pendants on leather cording....here is this weeks' selection, newly strung, just waiting around to be packed up for transport....I always feel a bit calmer, as the tray begins to fill up.....

Thanks so much for stopping by!... and dont forget to check out more creative spaces on the meme at www.kootoyoo.blogspot.com