CAF & Gallery 9

by Nancy of nancyrosetta

Every Monday, I work for my sister at her frame shop/art gallery.

There is so much inspiration all around the building. It's impossible not to notice something beautiful, even if you don't want to or are not looking for it. I took these pictures with my phone.

Summer Memories

by Kerry of K Hawkins Photography

Fall is fast approaching but, it is not quite here yet. These are photos from my wanderings this summer. I had a wonderful time photographing the colors of summer. One of my favorite things is the flowers of the season. What is your favorite thing about summer?

Photo Story: Creating an Engagement Ring

by Cristina Hurley of Cristina Hurley Jewelry Design

:)

New Collaboration - Japanese-inspired tins Meets Folk Art-inspired earrings

By: Jennifer T. of MaJenta Designs

Here at MaJenta Designs we recently had an exciting new opportunity where our decorative gift tins were commissioned by another awesome Etsy seller, Blue Squiggle, as part of her new eye-popping earrings line!

These ultra light-weight and eco-friendly earrings are made from a durable plastic and the designs have been intricately drawn by hand that take over 2 hours to complete! Each item is truly one-of-a-kind!

Blue Squiggle gets her inspiration from pre-columbian and other folk art but bring a vibrant and fresh pop of color to each of her creations!

She is also in the process of making a new line for Halloween inspirations! Be on the look out in her Etsy shop for the new Halloween items!

Splashion!

by Lucie of Lucie Wicker Photography

Image courtesy of DSI's website

In celebration of Boston's upcoming Fashion Week, Digital Silver Imaging will be having an exhibit called "Splashion." A description from their website says-

"Splashion is a visual celebration of fashion editorials spanning the past 60 years that combine water and fashion, featuring images shot by esteemed veteran shooters next to the work of today’s fashion photographers."

Digital Silver Imaging is located at 4 Clarendon St, Boston, MA, 02116. The opening is September 29 from 6 to 8pm.

Monday Mosaic: It's Back to School Time

1. Lexi the Sock Monkey , by Monkeyshine Studios
2. Custom embroidered pillow cover of your child's artwork , by Stray Notions
3. Notebook with chairs , by cricicis designs
4. Felted Pencil Cup in Grey with Flower Design by Cozy Cottage Creations

When Two Arts Collide

by Cristina Hurley of Cristina Hurley Jewelry Design

There are I two things I enjoy doing more than anything else in this world. I want to tell you a little bit about both because in some ways they are different and yet so similar to me.

One of them is making jewelry. I am very lucky to have found my creative calling at such an early age. It has been one of the most rewarding and satisfying aspects of my life. When my mom signed me up for a jewelry class back in 1990, I had no idea it would change my life forever, and put me on such a wonderful path of self discovery. Not only did I find my creative outlet, but I found what I wanted to do for a living, and what made me truly happy. There is nothing I can think of that makes a person more fortunate than finding a career in something they love to do, something they would even want to do for FREE.

The other is Kenpo karate, something I began to do relatively recently, and to my surprise I have grown to really enjoy. Kenpo has begun to give me that same feeling of fulfillment that making jewelry does.

What is so intersting is that I feel as though I did not find kenpo... I am starting to believe that Kenpo found me. I wasn't looking for anything new to learn but I now know that I had become complacent, and that I needed a new outlet for my creativity; I needed to grow and learn something new. My husband took me to a class at the kenpo karate studio he went to, and I figured I would give it a try. It was really hard but I wanted to give it a chance. It was definitely not second nature to me but my teacher, Craig Lowe, and the other students, were helpful and encouraging.

I've found something new and exciting to be passionate about, but I don't have to give up one for the other. Instead, I have found inspiration in one, kenpo, for the other, jewelry. I have been inspired to make pieces using the beautiful images created by the founder of this martial art, Ed Parker. One is the Universal Pattern, shown above in the silver and red pieces. you can see so many different shapes in the pattern. I find it to be so beautiful, and just had to do some pieces using it.

Kenpo also uses animals as symbols, the two most common being the tiger and the dragon. The tiger represents strength, the dragon wisdom. I was inspired by this to make this dragon pendant pictured above, and am working on designs for the tiger pendant as well.

I am so thankful to have these two arts in my life, both stimulate me mentally and physically, but in different and yet complimentary ways. I find so much inspiration in both, enough to probably last a lifetime!

Sarida: A New Indie Retail Shop in Roslindale

By An Li of An Li Liu

Come check out this sweet new shop in the heart of Roslindale Village! Local jewelry designer Tammy Scheutz Cook and her photographer husband Dan Cook just opened up in mid July. The official grand opening will be Friday, September 9, so stop in to say hi to these super nice folks, and peruse the eclectic selection of handmade and eco-friendly wares. Their model is a year-round marketplace that features local and regional artisans (including me!) selling an array of artwork, jewelry, clothing, and other fun gift items.

For more info, check out Sarida's Facebook page and their website.

***Note: Sarida is currently on holiday, and will open up again early September.