Current Project,
originally uploaded by maugustawoodland.

New Years resolutions are something I typically avoid. This year, however, I’m going to give making sure I work on my jewelry every day a go. So far I have around 7 hours of work into this single earring. The seed pearls used are a mere 1.5 mm in size. I have no fingernails left.

These will be for sale on my Etsy page (http://maugustawoodland.etsy.com ) within the next few days.

The town I’m currently in had its annual fall festival this weekend.  They always have a flea market, antique show, and craft show all at the fair grounds, and it’s always been a good place to find some pretty nice stuff for a good price. 

I’ve had my eye out for one of these white ceramic fawns.  I really, really wanted one.  Like a lot.  I’m not sure where I even saw the one that sent me on this obsessive tangent, but at some point it happened.  This baby is a little smaller than what I’d originally seen, but that’s ok.  I’m still watching for a TV lamp in the same design.

 Fortunately this compulsive need to own a deer like this ended with me only paying $1 for it.  It could have been a much uglier turn of events.

 So without all of my cash blown, I ventured further in…

This is a small planter with another fawn on it.  It’s sort of an ongoing theme for me.  Anyway, I found her on a table in the middle of honestly overpriced things.  I looked all over for a price tag.  This was the only one I found…

Finding the original price tag on this planter was actually just as good as finding out the current going price was only $2.

Onwards to the craft show!!

Strolling among the craft show booths was pretty disappointing.  There were a lot of people selling jewelry they didn’t make themselves - i.e. Obvious home-show party mass produced stuff.  I felt pretty offended for my fellow jewelry artists that were selling there.

Then I purchased two patchwork centerpieces that I really, really liked.  Normally I’m like “Ew” about quilts.  They’re just not for me, I guess.  However, those that use actual scraps and look like those that my great-grandmother made always suck me in.  It’s all the bright colors and patterns.  I actually plan to start one myself when I have sewing space set up. 

The centerpieces were priced a little low.  Actually by a little I mean a lot.  I’ve spent this evening thinking about the little old man that was selling his wife’s work while she was at the quilt show in a different building.  I feel like I’ve stolen from them even if I paid what they were asking.  The thrifty part of me says “Yayee!  A deal!”  The crafter in me says “Oh no!  People underestimating the worth of their work!!”  So I’m totally torn.  However, I really, really, really love the pieces I bought today.  I’m probably going to end up going back tomorrow to buy a pair of pillows from the woman - Which are a pretty fair asking price.  (By the way, the little man looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if I could pay double what they were asking.)

Finally, the local thrift store is basically an altar to everything I love currently.  I simply couldn’t afford to buy it all.  However, I did find a perfect condition dress in my size (which is a rare, rare treat).

Ok, so admittedly this might not be nearly as exciting to anyone else as it is to me, but I got my first newspaper mention this week.  Brianne Sanchez of Des Moines’ Juice magazine did an article on selling on Etsy.  The paper version involved a picture of my work and me, but this is the link to the article.

Follow this link to my shop: M. Augusta Woodland

Craft Saturday is around the corner again.  This time it’s sponsored by BUST, which is very cool indeed.  If you get a chance on the 25th, you should come out to the 4th St Theatre next to Java Joe’s in Des Moines.  The Farmer’s Market will also be going on downtown, so you can do a little grocery shopping along with checking out some great handmade, local goods at Craft Saturday.

This is my pick for my own jewelry this month:

This is the Pirene Bracelet.  It includes flashy labradorite chips.  The clasp is 100% handmade by me out of silver wire.  It’s a 3-inch sized hook clasp with super sturdy filigree.  Currently I have this bracelet up in my Etsy shop.  However, if you don’t find it there, it is a stock design, so feel free to contact me about it.

In other news, I’ve decided that my life-long interest in hats is probably going to end up swinging into learning millinery finally.  Of course, this is a long way down the road because I have giant pieces of metal equipment and a new digital camera on my list of things to buy.

 I’m also currently working on cloth cuff bracelets.  They’re 100% hand-sewn.  I’m stuck on attaching a few things to them currently, but as soon as they’re ready you’ll get to see them.

I’m also working on scarves and hats for the winter.  I might as well get through the gigantic box of yarn just sitting around.  That way I’m justified in buying more roving.

I’ve been terrible about updating my blog, haven’t I?  I’ll try to get to it tonight.  I’ve suffered recently from a pretty nasty flare-up of my typical health problems, so sitting and typing for longer than I should tends to not be a good idea.

I finally got my webpage sort of up and running.  I have a to-do list involving better forms, portfolio and store front.  However, I wanted to get it up, because I have new business cards with the new pretty web address on them.

I have packaging to match, and I feel like I’m finally settling into a brand or general theme of things.  I plan on posting more about this tomorrow, but I’m kind of too excited to not mention something now.

Craft Saturday was really great last weekend!  I’m finally starting to recover from it.  Thanks to everyone that turned out to see what all the vendors had to offer.  And even more thanks to those that purchased something from my booth.

There is much more to say, but I was promised a burger for lunch.  I’m going to go get the burger.

In getting ready for Craft Saturday, which proves to be the best ever, I’ve been working on new things.  These things being easy to make and less Meganne at the soldering block time.  They’re also more likely to be one-of-a-kind or made in super small runs as I start working on trying to build up a stock group of pieces I make.  I’ve been ripping apart a whole lot of aweful vintage jewelry for parts.  Good parts.  Bad, bad mass-produced designs. (insert shudder)

As promised… 

This is the yarn that Andy made.  I’ve been quite impressed with how quickly he took to spinning - Faster than me, which bugged me at first, of course.  This is a merino superwash.  I’ve been told multiple times that merino isn’t for beginners, and that fat merino is ugly.  It might be a girlfriend’s love, but I personally think this scant bit of yarn is the most beautiful yarn I’ve ever seen.  It’s ridiculously soft.  

 This is my first round of merino -

Since then both of us have been working on making things much smaller - And I managed to ruin a crapload while being overzealous about things.  I’m in love with this currently, though.  It feels really neat to be working on something that’s really so old.  The drop spindle has been around almost as long as humans have.  I’ve always wanted to learn how to spin, and I finally had the chance to.

The drop spindles finally arrived in the mail today, and so Andy (the boyfriend) and I spent the afternoon making sweet, sweet yarn together.  (He is way better than me, but I will not admit that to him.)  Pictures to come.