I'm really super excited to announce a new line of jewelry and housewares made exclusively from vintage silverware! We will launch at the end of February. Be the first to know about it by "liking" us on Facebook here and signing-up for our newsletter here.

My guy! Most mornings go like all my mornings. Coffee, shower, snuggles with the dogs, return a few emails and a quick kiss and hug from my husband goodbye and off to the studio I go. As I pull up to my studio I sometimes catch myself and realize this was all a dream not that long ago. Only a few years ago I was working for someone else, loving the work, but really unhappy with the environment and I needed to get out. And I had a plan! I was going to leave my job and be my own boss. And guess what? I did it! But, and this is a big but (heehee), I would have never been able to do it without the encouragement, support and best of all LOVE! from my husband, Mr. Monkeys Always Look (as we call him around here!). It is that time of year that we all become a little more reflective on what we are thankful for and what and who makes our lives so important and fulfilling. I know we all have those people in our lives. Who are those people for you?

1. You can purchase a reusable ring sizer in my shop here. It ships free and within 24 hours of purchase.

2. If you are impatient like me and can't wait for the sizer to arrive you can use this downloadable sizer. Make sure you save it to your computer before you print it out. Printable ring sizer

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about sizing or need an awesome chocolate chip cookie recipe.

I first heard the term "happy accident" when I was in art school in my late twenties. I know, where was I that I had not heard that term before then? If you don't know what it is, it is when something unexpectedly awesome comes from what would otherwise be considered a mishap (Urban Dictionary). Some of my favorite work has come from these happy accidents. The most memorable to date is the design for my redwood tree ring. I was stamping a piece of copper with a tool that produces little lines and I intended to stamp horizontal lines all the way across the ring. I happy accidentally turned the tool vertically and stamped away. Before I realized what I had done there were about half a dozen vertical impressions in the copper. As I examined my "mistake" I realized that it looked like the texture of a redwood tree bark was forming. And that is how the Redwood Tree Bark Ring was born!

While generally considered outtakes, I feel like these photos take on their own beauty and interest and for me fall into the happy accident category. Photo at top of post is a blurry misplaced ring and below a stack of rings that toppled over while I was trying to photograph them.

Do you have any favorite happy accidents?

It has been a busy few weeks here in the studio making as many things as I possibly can because this weekend Mr. Monkeys Always Look and I are hopping in the car and heading up to the San Francisco Bay area to show at the Sunset Magazine Celebration Weekend. This would definitely be something we would attend even if we weren't vending. Food demonstrations (and eating!), home improvement ideas, an etsy pavilion full of some of my favorite sellers and WINE tasting, our kind of event for sure! I hope to see some of you there and don't be shy and say hi! I'm a bit of a hugger, so watch out if you introduce yourself! Hugs and discounts may ensue!