"ornament" pg. 42 & 43

have you ever had that moment where something crazy exciting & euphoric happens. when you feel like 1. everything in the room stops and 2. someone stole your breath away.  last night i had this exact experience.  chris and i went into book people the most amazing book store here in austin.  i was browsing the magazine section to find a few craft/art/jewelry magazines that i could find "call for entry" information.  i picked up the ornament: the art of personal adornment magazine and was flipping thru to see the images as i made my way to the back of the magazine.  i noticed a few ring images that looked familiar from "the ring show: then and now" and as i flipped one more page there was a picture of my "cake pillow ring".  hot damn, "what the frogs", i think my heart stopped for a moment.  i had know idea.  i couldn't belief my eyes.  my piece was right there in the magazine with my name and everything.  i ran over to chris to share the excitement.  i was so ecstatic i didn't even bother reading the article.........i was too busy having a party in my head.  the article says, "and jaime jo fisher won third place with Cake Pillow Ring, an oxidized silver ring that features graduated stacked pillows of bright pink plastic from a rain poncho with green stitching, capitalizing on her interest in using repurposed materials and her experience as a cake decorator."  pick up ornament: volume 31 no. 5 to read the whole article.  thanks for listening to me toot my own horn.....toot toot!!  happy saturday  :O)

here is the magazine....

i love the allison bone ring in the lower right corner below my ring and i also wish i could try on the ring by yael krakowski (upper left corner).  i was fortunate enough to actually see yael's work in person at a charon kranson trunk show that happens here in austin in november.  her work is off the charts amazing....but they didn't have any of her rings there so i am extra curious about this one.  plus it's absolutely my colors  :O)  i love that it's opposite my ring in the magazine.

new packaging

i love the art of packaging and am quite a nerd about it. i have finally found a sweet and simple way to package my pieces that i am happy with when i drop them in the mail.  i am hoping to find the little clear containers in a large size for necklaces.  i know i can get brown craft boxes as well that would work nicely......i'll be on the hunt.  i always try to use recycled bubble wrap and bubble mailers that i have received when i purchase things online to try and reduce the amount of waste that's floating in our little world.  i have been considering trying to stain our paper shred a color to use in the packaging of certain pieces.  i guess i could use it white...i have done that before,  but it's not as nice if it were, let's say, orange!!!

chocolate truffle ring & recipe

this new ring looks good enough to eat.  it reminds me of a chocolate truffle in all it's fancy chocolate sprinkle or chocolate ganache lace piped glory.  the chocolate truffle is made out of polymer clay.  i am hoping to set aside some time to make one of these for my collection.  i will soon post it as a listing on my etsy page.

here is my favorite truffles ever:

dark chocolate rum truffles:

3 oz. bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream.....i made these before i stopped eating dairy so if i tried to make this recipe now i would use coconut milk or soy creamer in place of the heavy whipping cream and see what happens.

3 T unsalted butter, softened and cut up.......... now i would try margarine or soy butter and see if that works????  if anyone tries this modified vegan version let me know :O)

2 T kahlua or 1 T of instant coffee crystals

1/3 cup nuts (of choice) toasted and finely chopped

3 T unsweetened cocoa

in food processor with knife blade attached, blend chocolate until finely ground.

in saucepan, heat heavy cream to boiling over medium hight heat.  with food processor running, and hot cream, butter and kahlua and blend until smooth.

grease 9 x 5 metal loaf pan; line with plastic wrap.  pour chocolate mixture into pan--spread evenly.  refrigerate until smooth, and cool enough to cut (about 3 hours) or (freeze 1 hour)

remove chocolate mixture from pan, lifting edges of plastic, remove chocolate and discard plastic wrap.

cut into 32 pieces.

roll pieces, one at a time in nuts or cocoa.  store in tightly wrapped container, with waxed paper between layers in fridge.

these are so decadent and delicious.......my dear friend christine made these as our dessert of choice for our after wedding picnic party celebration.  sooooooo good!!!

another

pair of earrings in the lineup for the fall line.  this pair is for an order for gallery 360.  i hope to make a pair for myself before they leave.  they are super lightweight and fun to wear........and go with everything...yippy!! the gallery owner ordered a few pair that were metal only, so that's been a fun little experiment.  i love having subtle requests for things, sometimes i find myself liking those items the best.  it's exciting when it creates another dimension, direction, or line in my work.

etsy front page love....

i just walked in the door from yoga and the post office to mail out all the earrings from the sale and a couple other things and checked etsy like i compulsively do and yippity.....i am on the front page with my little limpet ring.  thanks for showing me some etsy love long winter farm. also, to all you earrings sale participants your earrings have been wisk off and are heading your way.  you should get them in two to three business days....thanks again for your support.  xoxo

"little people in the city"

i have always been crazy obsessed with anything miniature. so i was so excited when chris ordered this book, "little people in the city" for me.  slinkacho is a london based artist who paints little people and leaves them in london in public places to possibly be discovered.  i would so love to walk upon one of his "mini art installations". this book is a collection of all his little people work.  this is sure to make you smile and maybe make you watch where you're walking....

"the ring show" at the georgia art museum

here's a couple articles written about the ring show i am in at the georgia museum of art in athens.  click here and here to read about the show.  there is a very sweet story about a man proposing to his girlfriend at the opening of the ring show.......well done fella.

pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes

bring on the fall colored leaves below our feet. is it time yet?? i know i am rushing, but i can't wait til it cools a bit, we plant our fall garden, and we can spend some evenings out side with a long sleeved shirt.  okay, so, it's almost fall.  and i will be celebrating that "almost" when i make these yummy pumpkin cupcakes.  i was one lucky girl when my gal pal trish and a plate full of these came knocking at my door.  these could very well be the best cupcakes i have ever eaten. i can't wait to set aside some time and make these little babes.  i can't stop thinking about them so i hope that time comes soon :)

here is the recipe....it's from the cookbook "vegan cupcakes take over the world"

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with cinnamon icing

ingredients for cupcakes...

1 cup canned pumpkin...trish used pumpkin pie filling, so i guess either would work

1/3 cup oil 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup soy milk or rice milk 1 tsp. vanilla.....trish omitted this and i would have been none the wiser  =)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips

preheat oven to 350F.  line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

in medium bowl stir together pumpkin, oil, sugar, soy milk, and vanilla.  add dry ingredients thru the salt.  stir with fork only....not a beater, it will come out gummy.  once well combined add chocolate chips.

fill liners 2/3 full.  bake for 22-24 minutes.  transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before icing.

cinnamon icing: 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 2 T margarine, melted 1 T soy milk or rice milk 1/2 tsp vanilla

place sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.  add the margarine, soy milk, and vanilla and stir with a fork til smooth. keep at room remperature until ready to use.  the mixture should look opaque and honey brown.  if it's glistening a lot or looks too liquid, add a little extra powdered sugar.

*seems like these would be good without the icing even or with a little powdered sugar dusting

oh my....fuzzie wuzzie

this guy is irresistible.

i love his little pink nose and feet    =)

more new earrings....

sterling silver, fiber glass

sterling silver

sterling silver, low fire ceramic glaze

new earrings

this is the first of my new line of earrings for the fall.  the "stones" are vintage round buttons that i shaped to have a scalloped edge.  the scalloped buttons are my favorite but they are not that easy to come by.......so i shape away.

muwi

the muwi......by designer yuli sung

compost

fertilizer

game balls

eco seat cushion

earring sale....act now!!!

a big huge hug and thank you for all the interest and support for my first ever earring sale.  to those who purchased a pair they will be in the mail to you on thursday, friday at the very latest. thanks so much....hope the rest of your week is swell.

IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE MAILING LIST AND DIDN'T RECEIVE THE EMAIL, READ BELOW FOR DETAILS TO PURCHASE :  first come first serve!!!!

IF YOU DID GET THE EMAIL SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE PICTURES

i'm winding out the summer with my first ever sale.  all my resin earrings are on sale now until the end of the day tuesday, september 9th.  they are on sale for $74 (regularly $130).  i will no longer be making these as part of my regular inventory.  although, a pair may sprout up here or there just not in quantity, like they have before.  i have 14 pairs listed.

all the earrings are numbered and listed with dimensions and materials.

what to do if you would like to purchase:

1.  send an email ( to  info@jaimejofisher.com  or  potter78721@sbcglobal.net)  with the # associated with the earring you would like to purchase.  please include your name, mailing address & paypal email address.  so i can send you a request for payment.  the earrings will be sold on a first come first serve basis.

example:   earring#4 jaime jo fisher 5609 steven creek way austin, tx 78721 info@jaimejofisher.com (this must be your paypal email address)

2.  i will respond to your email and let you know that they are available along with a total bill via paypal. if the earrings you email about have been purchased i will also let you know that as well.

3. all purchased earrings will be shipped out at the end of the sale, once they are all packed up......by friday, september 12th at the latest.

4. throughout the sale i will mark SOLD on the earrings that have been purchased.  i will update this information at least twice a day.  i will remove the picture of the pairs that have sold.

5. to keep my 1st ever sale running smoothly please be prepared to pay promptly once you receive the bill from paypal.

6. all sale items are final.

hurry, look below. it's first come first serve.

below are the remaining pairs.....

alma and clara

i am in love with you alma.  alma is the sculpture above created by margaret meehan.  "clara" is the drawing below. both of these pieces are some of my favorite works i have ever seen, ever.  the fuzzy line between beautifully innocent and curiously unusual is walked steadily upon.  margaret's work provokes a similar question that i feel is consistent in my work.  what is beautiful?

speaking of beautiful, margaret is such an amazing, incredibly generous and talented women.  i am a happy girl for knowing her.