Admittedly at times I have felt burnt out and a little less than excited about all the tiny details and huge responsibilities that come with running a handmade business. I have been VERY fortunate that I have had plenty of work to keep me very busy and I wouldn't trade that for anything. But sometimes I just need a little boost. For me, the act of pushing myself in a new direction gets me excited about my work. A number of months ago I was trying out some new stuff with silverware and wound up at my stepdad's workshop. He is a world class metalsmith who, along with his amazing skills in creating new work, also teaches. What started out as a fun trip to play around with some old silverware with my very patient stepdad ended up taking me down a path I had never really anticipated.... JEWELRY! I sawed a few designs into some spoons and soldered a couple forks together and was hooked! After a few quick lessons using copper and silver I was off! I was in love. I have been having so much fun and feel like I have had the most creative freedom and growth in a long time. I'm slowly adding new designs to my shop and allow myself at least one day a week to just design and create new jewelry... motivation problems over. I LOVE MY JOB.

I keep gravitating towards a modern direction. I just love the clean lines and simplicity to these. In the shop!

A little sneaky peeky of upcoming goodies! Very excited.

I'm have been squired away due to some big orders but what I'm most excited about is a new project I'm collaborating with my mom on (or Momoo as I call her). More details to come. Very excited. Hi MOM!

Mr. Monkeys Always Look and I needed a little time off since we haven't had a proper vacation in over 2 years! We both love our jobs so much that we kind of forget that normal people want to take a break. I know, weirdos! So we have taken off for a few days up to the San Francisco Bay Area and then to a super deluxe hotel in Napa Valley for a few nights. Oh joy! Photos to come soon. White Grapes by findcarlie.

Candles are a tiny part of my shop selection but one that I'm most passionate about. I love coming home and having the house smell of whatever new concoction I'm working on. So I'm very excited that a new super cool "e-tailer" (details to come!) has started carry my candles. I took a lot of inspiration from a number of very cool candles that are on the market.

Modern Alchemy, Seed, Linnea's Lights, and Mrs. Meyer's.

New little hanging glass globe succulent terrarium in the shop!

I have done A LOT of garden markers in my day. I'm thinking I have probably stamped over 10,000 garden markers in the last year. Most of it has been pretty fun because I usually watch bad tv while stamping silverware. You know, The Real Housewives (I admit it and you should too!), or America's Next Top Model, or sometimes I take a higher road and watch Martha Stewart. Though it all I have learned what it is like to live in Orange County or make it in the high stress world of modeling on two pieces of toast a day or fashion a cute little sweater for my dog with only a used sweater and $750 worth of equipment I just happen to have. I have only squashed my thumb once so bad I had to take a day off, but other then that I have been pretty lucky considering I throw around a huge hammer that is capable of busting some skulls, if ya know what I mean. 

So this bring me to the CONTEST! I want to you to comment on the best garden marker you can think of. I have done some pretty good ones like No Snails Allowed, F*uck Off (a warning to all the gophers in the garden), Sadie (a memorial to a lost cat, who actually came back after the customer place the order), and others a little too nasty for general blogging audience (but also my favorite).

So let me know what would be your favorite/funniest/unique/odd/weird garden marker and I will choose from everyone's entry and send my favorite to the winner. PLUS! I will also pick a random winner for all entries and send their choice to them.

I will pick the winners next Friday the 12th.

Any questions? Go!