kitttie kisses

kitttie kisses
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

When I work in my studio Lisa sits outside and cries until I come out and snuggle with her. I might not have kids yet, but it sure feels like it sometimes...

It's hard to get anything done when she does that. I don't want my little baby to be sad.. so I go and snuggle with her of course.. Notice our matching whiskers. I am after all her kittie mama.

I did manage to get one ring done yesterday! It's the smallest ring I've done so far! But it makes up for it with a rocking stone :o)

It will be in my shop later today.

Oh yeah the HUGE snowflake ring is still in the works, in case you were wondering. I am taking my sweet time with it.

Hope you're all having a great day!
love ~tess

Sunday update...

It's been a productive week but I can also feel it in my body. A little tired and grumpy...
But it's been really fun to spend so much time in the studio working on custom orders and new concepts. I have a snowflake ring in the works and it's going to be HUGE. I might take some progress pictures for you tomorrow.. If you're lucky :o) And I have another ring that is (hopefully) gonna knock your socks off. It's fun and big and not a traditional bezel set stone. I think I might have to do more like that, if it works out the way I want.. Are you curious yet?

Custom orders

And I made these earrings. I LOVE them. They are so me. Green and lush and pretty. Not that I am green nor pretty, ha ha. But they are romantic and have a big heart. I kind of wanna keep them.. But I do have another pair of those gorgeous stones.. ok I will add them to my shop and let you ladies fight over them.

and now I think it's time for dinner. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and thank you for stopping by.
~tess

Fluttering and dream catchers

Fluttering with Prehnite
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

A butterfly is just born.
The warm summer breeze gently embraces her.
Slowly gets her ready... then gives a firm nudge to spread her wings and fly for the first time.

Fluttering wings moving from flower to flower. A sure sign of the beautiful summer to come.


I've added this ring to my shop. It's currently Reserved for a lovely lady but it might be set free if the size doesn't fit her so keep your eyes peeled on my shop...

I've also added my dream catcher series. Lately I've been exploring a more simple straight forward design. The concept is about how the good dreams... the dreams that make you want to be the best person you can be... filters through the center and reaches you. and the bad dreams are trapped in the web where they perish in the light of dawn.

Dream catchers necklace

Dream catchers ring

Dream catchers earrings

I am really enjoying exploring this concept and I already have my head filled with ideas on how to take it further. Please stop by my shop and take a look. I'd love to hear your comments about them here.

Have a wonderful day!
~tess

lingering vines and open hearts

Lingering vine necklace with Purple Jade



Wildflower necklace with Idaho Prudent man

Open heart necklace with Laguna Agate


Lingering vine necklace with ocean jasper


Remembering earrings with ocean jasper


and I do know that I need to take photos modeling these pieces. Sorry about that. Just been feeling a little camera shy lately... Maybe tomorrow...

white soft protective layer

A soft white blanket
covering every branch, street and house.

It reminds me of home.
It's looks just like Sweden...

Except we don't close down our cities when it snows :o)

So today I'm blogging from my snowed in little house. No need to go to work since the roads are not cleared. It's kind of nice.. I just made some coffee and now David and I will eat some porridge (swedish!) and then I think we'll venture outside into all that white fluffy goodness and let the beautiful sun warm our cheeks.

Hope you all are well. Wherever you are!
Love ~tess

The chaos of creativity

Why do I create? It's hard to explain. It's so much more than just a need. It's a part of who I am. I have to work with my very own two hands. I have to feel how things take shape between my fingers. Forge and tease metal to transform into my visions. Creating a bond between my dreams and reality. It's calming the constant chaos of thoughts inside my head with something solid and tangible. I create so that I can breathe. Continue to dream. So that I can continue to grow as a person. Life is one big journey and it's not about who reaches the end destination first. It's about being true to yourself. True to others. To give, to love and to live your life to the fullest. That is why I create.

My jewelry is very much a part of me. Not stagnant, stuck in a museum or a gallery. They are alive. Out there walking the streets, thanks to all of you. Creating new memories as I kiss them goodbye and send them off to live their new lives... I am just thankful I got to be there when they were born...


Imagination
Integrity
Honesty
Creativity
Inspiration


All words. The question is, what do they mean to you?

Love
~tess

a nice awakening...

What I love absolutely love most about the weekends are that I can work late in my studio (which I do most nights anyways..) but I can sleep in the next morning... And when the kitties wake me up by jumping on me or purring loudly in my ear I can slip into my comfy pj's.. and make coffee.. Coffee that I enjoy in my favorite mug from Sweden. I fell in love with it on my last trip home and had to bring it back. I love how the texture of the pattern feels in my hand.. I love how big it is and how much coffee I can fill it up with... and I love that it wakes me up and gets me ready for a new day...

what's your favorite thing about the weekends?
love
~tess

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

We woke up on Saturday to 18 inches of snow.. David (florida boy) was mighty impressed. I do believe there is a couple of photos on my camera that has his tape measure stuck in the snow so he could send photos home and prove how much snow we got! :o)



I love the weekends cause we get to eat breakfast together. It's a mix of american and swedish.. I drink tea and eat crispbread or dark toast with cottage cheese and tomatoes and cucumber while David eats eggs and bacon and toast.. But he does love the swedish breakfast too and I'll trade him some of my sandwich for some bacon.. And yes Lisa is supervising the breakfast making.



so while we're snowed in I spent yesterday in the studio. ( hours straights!). Got some custom orders started and a bunch of other pieces. Did you hear that I was asked to participate in a local fashion photo shoot. It's for local magazines and pretty small but I am super excited! So that's why I've kicked nova in high gear to get some new pieces finished. Photo shoot is scheduled for this upcoming Thursday so you'll hear more about it then..


and now it's brekkie time! Hope you all have a super wonderful day out playing in the snow or being creative inside.

love ~tess

Just listed :o)

My inner thoughts ring

Spring window ring

Wildflower ring
Open heart necklace

friday fruits from the nova forest

and tasty ones I might add!
I have a couple of yummy treasures fresh from the nova forest. The purple ring is a custom order but the rest is up for grabs..... but you better be fast, the last update didn't make it through the weekend! :o)



Oh I am excited about this one.. Might not be your everyday ring... But it's sure one of a kind. Like one of those amazing ideas that sometimes sprouts in your mind. This one is for ladies with big minds and little fingers. Like 5 3/4..

funny that's my size..

Hmmm NO I shouldn't... so tempting...

Ok fine, I'll share it with you! In my shop tomorrow... well today, but I am up REALLY late and I still haven't gone to bed, so for me it's tomorrow...


Godnatt!
~tess

I'm sorry....

Lisa:
But mammy why did you do that?

Me:
Well I saw what you were doing!

Lisa:
I swear I wasn't going to eat Stella's food.

Me:
Yeah right. You scarfed down your food in 2 seconds and then moved right over to Stella's bowl.
I had to pick you up.

Lisa:
But then I got sick and puked out everything on the floor.

Me:
I know.. I'm sorry about that. I didn't realize that you having your little tongue out meant you're gonna puke. My bad.. I thought you just looked really cute...


Me:
Still friends right?

Lisa:
Don't touch me..




Oh the joys of kittie parenthood... I swear she's acting like a teenager now...

How can you not be amazed...

little wooden boy
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

when you see something like this?
You're probably getting tired of me bragging about David, but I just can't help it. He's so incredible talented!

He made this wooden sculpture back in school. I would guess its like 7-8 years ago. His pants are made of layered plywood. He's crazy cool and he lives with us in our house.

Poor thing got a garbage bag on his head.. luckily the little sprout shows he's mind is still growing... :o)

Hope you all have a very productive and creative day today!

love
~tess

Flexshaft hanger super extraordinary

Flexshaft hanger prototype
Originally uploaded by novadesigns by tess

David made my flexshaft hanger and I love it to bits and pieces. Now he's working on some new designs and this is a new prototype. Isn't it fantastic? I have been trying to convince him to open up an Etsy shop of his own but he's not sure that anyone would be interested. I keep telling him that all of us that make beautiful things also like to surround ourselves with equally pretty objects..

So what do you think? Leave me a comment so I can show him that we LOOORV this hanger :o)

and now I'm off to work!
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.
~tess

Monday blues

The weekend passed by with the speed of light.. as usual... It was a good mix of work and down time though. I even managed to drag myself to the gym Sunday morning... Did something that was called crunches. And today I feel crunched. So I must have done something right.

I wanted to say a special thank you to all of you lovely ladies who made an appearance in my shop this weekend. Your support and kind words make me more inspired than ever. It is a wonderful feeling to create something from your heart and have that piece to connect with another person like that. So thank you!




so I have been working on some new things and I thought I'd give you a sneak peak.. It's very special... so special I can only give you a tiny glimpse :o) This is truly a one of a kind piece.. and right now it lives on my bench... just dying to come and play with all of you.

so that is my mission this week. That plus a couple of other things. A necklace with a gorgeous stone.. oh what a stone.. *sigh* and some other necklaces... and a ring or two... It might be a bit ambitious so we'll see. I will keep you posted.

Have a fabulous Monday!
love ~tess

PS Note to self: make new blog banner.. This one obviously doesn't fit in the template...