Noodle Noggins - Monday's Featured Artist

Okay... is this not the cutest pic ever?!! Wait a second here...

No, this one! Yes, this is the cutest pic ever! Wait... there's more! It was so hard to select photos from Kristy's amazing Noodle Noggins Etsy shop for this blog feature, but it sure was a lot of fun!

I *met* Kristy recently via Link Love on Facebook and must admit that I fell in love with the picture up top - it makes me smile! That led me to Kristy's handmade crochet Etsy shop - which I can't seem to keep out of!

Kristy started out crocheting baby blankets for her girls when she was pregnant and as she states: "the rest is history!"

In her shop you will find a variety of ADORABLE and beautifully handmade hats, scarves, headbands and more. Not just for little ones, but us adults as well.

Don't just take my word for it, you MUST see her shop for yourself. You'll not only enjoy her handmade crochet items, but the beautiful, fun and heartwarming photos will make you smile ear to ear all day long!

Click on the links below to see where can you find Kristy:

Noodle Noggins

Facebook Fan Page

Whats on a Name

Have a smiley Monday!
Rocki

Art By Resolution - Featured Artist

If you have not seen the amazing digital artwork by Debra of Art By Resolution, you are missing out!

I came across Debra's Etsy shop a couple weeks ago when her above art print (Witness the Life) was in a front page Treasury. It took me but a nanosecond to click on it and less than that to fall in love with this heartwarming piece of art.

Supporting The Arts

Debra is a self trained computer graphic artist and "a traditional artist in oil and clay who found CG art by accident in 2006." She enjoys creating surreal and fantasy art - this is obviously reflected in her work - and loves computer graphics as she can "create all that's in my head and then some, far better than on canvas." I must say that her surreal and fantasy art is out of this world!

Not only will you find works of art for yourself, but Debra also creates art prints for kids. The one of many above is Lollie and the Peanut - a very cute print indeed!

Oh and yes, I did purchase the Witness the Life print, but don't worry, there's more! I have to say that when I received the print, I fell deeper in love with it. The depth of feeling that it gives each time I look at it is more than heartwarming.

Don't just take my word for it, head on over to her online galleries to see for yourself! Click on links below to view more of Debra's art:

Etsy shop: Art By Resolutions

Gallery Portfolio

Happy ARTful Monday!

Rocki

The Key to...

The Key to...
my heart
life
happiness
peace
success
my dangle

My dangle? Yes. As in an earring beaded dangle.

True story: While sitting at my bench working the other day I was listening to the sound of silence. Thoughts were dancing in and out of my head - a variety of key thoughts.

Maybe it's just my good old imagination working, but the next thing I knew I had created an interchangeable earring wire that resembled an old key. I examined it as if it was from outer space or something. The more I looked at it, the more I fell in love with my new Key design!

And that's the honest truth.

Happy Valentines Day ♥
♥Rocki

p.s. the Key pair above is Oxidized Copper, but these are also available in Sterling Silver, 14k Gold Filled & Brass

Ply Effects

Yes, I know... it's been eons since I've done a blog feature, but I'm trying to get back on track :)

I would like to introduce you to Jennifer (Jen) of Ply Effects . Jen is a metalsmith and her work clearly speaks for itself. She amazes me with her talent and extensive knowledge, and I can only hope to one day be as half as talented as she is. Oh and the above ring is one of my all time favorites - affectionately called the Garbage Ring. Why, you ask? "All of my sterling silver scrap is recycled back into a custom series named 'garbage'."

Melted Cages

Jen states: "my focus is on both form and function in relations to sections that open, twist, or move to compliment the body. Each piece that I hand craft is invented with modern design."

Puffed Heart Pendant

Jen sells her exceptionally well made work in a variety of venues such as juried art shows and her Etsy shop: http://www.plyeffects.etsy.com/ and is called Ply Effects.

Jen makes the coolest spinner rings, in fact I now own 2 - so far! The first one I bought is the Bamboo Spinning Ring that I wear on my thumb - too cool! - and the newest is above. Well, one is Mark's and the other one is mine. They are custom spinner rings that say "OM MANI PADME HUM" (in short, this is a meaningful Buddhist compassion mantra). We are more than thrilled with them!

Pop on over to her shop to check out the rest of her amazing work. Oh and she also does custom work. If you talk to her, tell her Rocki sent you. She'll know who you're talking about because I know her personally - she is part of the family as she is Jason's girlfriend :)

Have a metalriffic day!
Rocki

Pretty Pink Flowers!

Okay. Yes, I like pink. I used to dislike pink actually, but as you can see that is now not the case.

Mark surprised me with these pretty pink flowers for my birthday! Maybe because they matched the pink in my hair perhaps? I just LOVE them! I mean, they are the prettiest pink flowers I've seen in a long time and I just had to take pictures of them.

Jeremy & Jason will just love me for taking this shot of the flowers - those are one of their high school pictures. I have TONS of pictures, as you could imagine. I also keep cards I receive, especially from my boys - Mark too of course! The ones on my dresser mirror from my boys are quite funny - they are such the comedians :) Oh and yes, that is "Rocky & Bullwinkle" in the background. Their hands are bound together as they are life partners... no, not in a kinky way - sheesh!

I know, this isn't about my pretty pink flowers, but my princess Sasha's tongue is pink! LOL! She likes to be on our bed when I do the laundry, to take naps, and watches me when I take pictures of my work. I don't know why, but whenever I get the camera and she hears the sound it makes when I turn it on, she's RIGHT THERE! This shot cracked me up - a total surprise because she was sitting still and as soon as I took the pic she yawned! Or maybe she's trying to tell me something?

That's it for today. I'm trying to get back into the blog world, but work is keeping me pretty busy. Speaking of, I need to head into the studio now.

Happy day everyone!
Rocki

Happy Birthday to Me

I am now one year closer to my BIG birthday bash and I'm so very excited! Today I am 49 on paper and 20 something in life. Obviously, my BIG birthday bash next year will be the BIG 50.

Age truly is just a number and that's it. I feel that if you THINK you're old, then there you go... you're old. Think young and life will be a blast! You know, I don't even know what 49 feels like because I still feel young and will FOREVER be a kid. In fact, I'll be wearing jeans, tank tops and flip flops until the day I die. I've never given much thought about my age as it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Well, wait... okay so when I was just 16 years old, I had a crush on our Crystal bottle water delivery guy - he didn't know it, so I thought. He was probably around 20 something and I always made sure to be the one to answer the door when he dropped off the jugs of water. Oh and let me just say that I've always looked younger than my years (although they are catching up with me). So one day I guess my face said it all and he made the comment that I was probably only 12 years old. OUCH! That was the end of my crush.

Mark teases me about being older than him, robbing the cradle and all that, but come on hon... by 6 months and 10 days? He knows it doesn't bother me at all, but teases me all the same. You know hon, you're right behind me ;) I just love him to pieces! Oh and thank you hon for the hilarious birthday card - TOO FUNNY!

Well, just a short blog about my BIG upcoming birthday. Yes I know, I have a whole year to go, but why waste time? I'll enjoy every second of life and when the BIG day comes, watch out - I'm letting loose!

Happy day everyone!
Rocki

p.s. the picture was taken at the U2 concert in October. I dressed it up a little :) Oh and I have a 'slightly' different pixie hairstyle now more upbeat, funky and sassy with pink only in the front. It's so me.