I apologize for absence the past few weeks. Believe it or not work’s been crazy. Well, I guess work is only as crazy as I make  it but my Etsy shop is basically firing on all pistons again with nearly 20 items in the shop and more waiting to be added. Designing tote bags has taken a surprising amount of time, but I’ve been really happy with the results for the most part:

I’ve also started offering a wide array of custom bags. As always there’s also jewelry available. There hasn’t been anything new. I’ve been learning new techniques and getting into an consistent argument with a pair of mini triangle earrings. I love the design but it seems like no matter how careful I am I always manage to mess up in such a way that I don’t actually notice until I tie the last knot. Its been incredibly frustrating, but I will prevail.

I had my first foray into square stitch yesterday. It uses a lot more thread than what I’m used with peyote, but I really like the way the beads sit and the opportunities it opens up once I get the knack of it. Its definitely a lot easier to get the thread paths tangled. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to use my John James needles the next time I attempt it. 

Ultimately its been a busy couple weeks- I also made my first double stranded bracelet. I’ve been looking at a variety of schools in my area and elsewhere, hoping to at least be able to expand my education that way. If you’ve gone to a jewelry design school or even just taken classes someplace awesome I’d love to hear about it (or if you just want to talk design jewelry or tote bag wise).