I'm Buying a Kiln #100ittybittyblogposts

Hey everyone, I wanted to share some fun and exciting news. I’m buying a kiln!!

Why you ask? Well over the last few years of working on my jewelry I found that the most frustrating process of my creation was outsourcing parts of the process that I couldn’t do in house. I was working with a caster in downtown Los Angeles to mold and cast some of my jewelry. No matter how much prep work and clear instruction was done on my end there were inevitably issues. I was never happy with the quality, quantity, or communication that came out of our partnership.

So fast forward to happy news - I’m buying a kiln so that I can bring all my production in house! I will be continuing to create using my traditional metal-smithing skills and I will be introducing new work created thru the precious metal clay process.

I worked with precious metal clay (PMC) back in 2012 for a bit, but gave it up for more rapid production thru casting. I’m getting back to my roots of more one of a kind pieces so working in PMC just made so much sense.

This transition also means that I can create some larger elements in bronze and copper for use in my textile works. There is going to be so much newness coming out of my studio this year, I’m overflowing with excitement.

Thanks for being here as part of my journey.

xo Jen

The Dawn Wall. #100ittybittyblogposts

I have a few recommendations from these year of films or series that I think everyone should watch. This film moved me emotionally in a way that not much on the screen has for a while.

The Dawn Wall is the story of Tommy Caldwell and his climbing partner Kevin Jorgeson creating the first ever path up the Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

Tommy’s story is full of overcoming struggle and rising to challenges. Even now a couple weeks after watching it, I’m at a loss for how to describe the excitement of watching their story. The Dawn Wall is available on Netflix or you can check out the film’s site here.

Tonight we are going to watch Free Solo, another climbing film about Alex Honnold’s El Capitan climb without ropes. I’m so excited, and NO I don’t climb, never have, and don’t have any plans to. These stories are for everyone… climber or not.

xo Jen

Stars Lead the Way #100ittybittyblogposts

Tonight I was driven home under the stars of a southern California sky.

The breeze blew and the stars were constant.

The trees swayed and the stars were constant.

I was swept away and the stars were constant.

The moon was happy tonight.

xo Jen

One Strange Rock #100ittybittyblogposts

Recently my husband watched a series that I loved, called One Strange Rock. It’s all about our home planet seen thru science and the eyes of eight American astronauts.

They share their experiences in space in a way I haven’t heard before. I’m a sucker for nature documentaries and getting more deeply interested in space.

I really recommend checking our the 10 part series. It’s available to watch on National Geographic or on Netflix.

Please let me know the parts you loved. The astronauts stories were amazing!

xo Jen