birds and feathers

sneak peak of the backs of some of my new designs...

with gorgeous stones...

I can tell you it's all about wings.

I think I have birds on my brain...

layers

Let's talk about wrinkles today.

Not because it's the most fun thing to talk about.

But because I absolutely don't really want to talk about it.

so I really should. Are you following my logic?

I have always said that growing old is beautiful, 

and your face is like a map of your life...

And still I cringed when I saw photos of myself.

I felt like a hypocrite!

I took a closer look upon myself. Me and my wrinkles.

They are a part of me and deserve just as 

much love and attention as my favorite parts gets.

Crow feet around my eyes.

They are a sure sign I laugh a lot.

I really should say they are a tribute to how wonderful my life is.

I don't think one can laugh too much!

And the wrinkles on my forehead from pondering over heavy topics.

I am so happy I have a functional brain that challenges me everyday.

How dreadfully boring it would be not to have those internal 

conversations with myself everyday...

... and let's not forget about the wrinkles on my hands.

The road map for my adventures with silver and everything else.

I look down at my chipped nail polish and cracked skin 

and I think about everything these two hands have accomplished. 

It's actually a miracle they are still here.

If someone put me through so much everyday, surely 

I would quit and pack my bags and head for the hills. 

Still, there they are. Just hanging out. Never complaining. 

Eagerly awaiting my next move..

When I think about my layers...

My ruffles and roadmap of my life.

I feel good. I have done so much. Seen so much.

Maybe my layers and I can become friends after all.

on a separate note

Between wedding stuff....

(can you believe there is only 23 days left EEEEEK!)

I have been trying to squeeze in some metal and stones.

Maybe there will be a shop update next week? :o)

love ~tess

dirty nails and sunkissed hair

playing with dirt is good for the soul...

love ~tess

It wouldn't have been Easter without some swedish eggs...

you have to keep an eye on the plate or the lurking kittie will try to get a taste...

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Mine was fantastic :o)

minus a minor meltdown over my bridal hair trial..

I think I am over that now. It's just hair, right?

love ~tess

candy blossoms

First I have to start off with saying that your amazing support 

totally blew me away this weekend. I spent Sunday

packaging up orders and writing notes to lovely ladies.

They are all going out in the mail today.

Thank you so much!

Saturday was raining.

A lot.

David and I hopped in the old truck 

 and drove around doing wedding errands.

Got a lot done but we still have a lot on the to do list.

It's starting to feel a little like: 

you take one thing off the list and then add three more :o)

Sunday was absolutely wonderful.

A little chilly but the sky was blue and the sun was warm.

I slowed down. 

I breathed.

I ate good food with good friends.

We went to the arboritum.

We saw trees.

We touched trees.

We laid in an a amazing tree house.

And I smelled the most amazing magnolia.

I think my nose is sore from all the smelling.

But it smelled like candy, love and happiness

all wrapped up in a little blossom.

I didn't want to leave.

When we have a house of our own,

I need to have a magnolia like that.

It was such a great weekend I am 

having a hard time putting words to it.

When I actually take the time to see and truly enjoy 

what is around me, it's amazing. 

I feel so lucky today.

I hope you do too!

love ~tess

wings not thorns

 

 

As I am gazing into the morning sun I realize that 

although I continue to say that I need to slow down and 

enjoy the small moments, I still rush through life...

I want to fly but my wings have yet

to unfold. They are not ready this very moment.

I am still learning to slow down and just breathe.

Something that should be so easy

comes very hard for me.

As I move my head towards the sun I can hear the

tingling sound of the roses dangling from my ears.

Like little bells. 

Gentle reminders to breathe and to accept

that my wings will unfold when they are ready.

When I am a ready.

I cannot learn how to fly before I learn how to breathe.

love ~tess

silver appertif

I did a quick drive-by in the studio this morning to snap a photo for you.

I realize I have left you hanging,
possible wondering what this crazy swede was up to :o) 

I apologize. I have wedding brain at the moment.

I worry that I might walk out of the house with no pants on.

6 pairs of glorious earrings.

I started with 3 pairs but it just didn't seem like enough.

There are too many juicy colors in the world for only 3 pairs.

Not like 6 really is enough either. But it's a good start.

Plus it's my lucky number.

They're long.

Someone said that dangling earrings can't be too long.

I agree and thus made them LONG.

Dangling wonderfulness.

With filigree fluttering leaves...

A little Renaissance wax should do the trick and bring out the contrast..

 

Tomorrow there will be detailed photos of them, in all of their glory!

So I do hope you have patience to come back.

I am sending them straight to the little Etsy shop on Friday at 3pm.

I just realized it's mid week. YAY!

So close to the glorious weekend I can almost taste it.

Lazy mornings... Yummy breakfast meals with my scrumptious man...

Who got a new hair cut the other day and is looking even more handsome than usual!

And studio time galore!

See you tomorrow :o)

love ~tess

Silent roses

Remember the earrings I was working on? 

I spent a good part of Friday night just staring at them. 

Wondering why they didn't speak to me.

Something was off. 

They didn't sing to me.

It didn't feel like they were completely mine.

It's true, sometimes we make things that we don't love...

I realized that the commercial components that I used for the dangling parts,

instead of making sweet music just sort of fell flat.

It wasn't truly made by my two hands.

And I wasn't loving what I was seeing.

It really didn't look like what I had envisioned for them.

I felt like I had failed my roses.

Like they had gotten all dressed up for the party 

and I came to pick them up on an old rusty bike.

So I did what any crazy person would have done.

I took them all apart.

Removed those pesky dangles...

ick! and threw them in the scrap pile!

I cut wire,  balled ends.

Made filigree leafs.

Twist, bend, shape and twirls.

Thousands it felt like.

Hours flew by.

Hammering, sweating in the studio.

Bending, shaping.

Soldering, pickling, tumbling....

Looking at my new dangling leaf vines.

I feel so proud. I think I have done them justice.

They are so me. 

And my beaten up fingers and broken nails are proof of it.

If something doesn't feel right,

it probably isn't right.

And it feels so rewarding to do something about it!

Even if it takes hours to get there.

Photos to come in a day or two.

Right now I am too busy staring at them :o)

And they'll be in my Etsy shop on Friday at 3pm.

love ~tess

friday shop update

Cause all good things comes in three...

I was working on some lovely earrings for you ladies.

Trust me I stayed up way past my bed time trying to get them

done for today.. But I almost fell asleep at the bench...

I so wanted to share them with you.

I think they are turning out fantastic :o)

But that means more goodies for next weeks update!

yes there will be another shop update...

LYCKA rings in the shop at 3pm my time

Happy Friday my friends!

~tess

once upon a time...

there was a girl dreaming of a crown....

I couldn't help myself.

I oxidized it :o)

Don't you think the filigree just jumps off the silver now?

I kept the inside all matte silver so it wouldn't feel too dark.

I do think I love it.

Just hope I won't look silly wearing it....

I was inspired last night.

Swinging dangling roses.

I think these will knock your socks off when they're done.

Or at least I hope so.

 So prepare for cold toes.

They'll be in the shop tomorrow along with these:

Another LYCKA ring

with the color that makes my heart sign

That's it for now!

I'll be back to tomorrow with 

hopefully some more preview pics for the update :o)

And before I dash off to work I wanted to

say thank you again for stopping by and commenting, reading 

and basically making feel like I am not talking to myself or into outer space.

It's a warm and fuzzy feeling!

Thank you lovely ladies!

~tess

soup and cupcakes

oh no crown?...  you say with disappointment in your voice....

But I have a good excuse!

I came home from work with every intention to dive into the studio 

and do some work and then take photos... But life had other plans for me.

In the form of flowers... and a very handsome man...

David walked through the door with the most beautiful purple flowers.

He looked at me and said:

We forgot our anniversary.

Yikes! He was right.

In the midst of all this wedding planning 

we completely and utterly both forgot about our 5 years anniversary.

Granted we always argue as to which date that exactly might be.

I say the night we held hands under the table,

but he thinks a few days later when we kissed for the very first time.

Regardless it was most definitely before April 5th.

Needless to say I dropped my plans of studio and photos

for a romantic evening with my husband to be.

Soup and cupcakes with chocolate filling.

And an intense game of scrabble.

yeah I won ;o)

but  tomorrow there will be photos.

That I promise!

love ~tess

lycka means...

 LYCKA rings 

it means happiness in Swedish

I've grown, learned and experienced from life.

Happiness, joy, sadness and loss.

Slowly I wrapped a protective layer around me.

To keep me safe from a broken heart and shattered dreams.

When you came along.

You saw past the wall and into my world.

With patience, love and dedication you started chipping away.

It started to crumble and an opening began to show.

Peeking out from my hiding place,

squinting in the light of your warm love, I found a new world.

Vulnerable, scared and excited I let you in.

Because of you I not only found myself again.

I found happiness.

These two LYCKA rings will be posted on Fridays shopupdate.  

I have 3 more in the works that I hope to include in the shop update.

I will post previews here so check back the next few days for more pics.

 A little sneak peak.

I didn't have time to take proper photos of my crown 

so hopefully tomorrow I'll be able satisfy your curiosity better!

Also on the wedding front I am happy to say that

I think we nailed down the ceremony and our vows :o)

It feels very honest and not formal or stiff.

Exactly what I had envisioned for us.

Can't believe it's only 46 days left!

I hope you are having a spectacular Tuesday

love ~tess

it's a bugs life

holding hands....

David made a little tool belt for his bug. So cute :o)

 

So they are finally done. Our little bugs.

One more thing to check off the list. YAY!

This weekend was crazy busy with another dress fitting on 

Friday and then more wedding stuff the rest of the weekend...

A whimsical cup cake tree in the same style as our center pieces.

Did I tell you my man is amazing? Yeah I am sure I already did.

But it's worth repeating.. AMAZING!

We're gonna have a small cake on top that we can cut 

and then we'll have a bunch of beautiful cup cakes covering all the leaves.

Oh and I finished my crown :o)

But you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see it!

I couldn't stop myself and I oxidized it...

And one another note.

Shop update!

It's been far too long since I had one.

I haven't finished as many of my new designs

that I have been working on as I would have liked,

But I decided to do a small update this Friday.

Probably some LYCKA rings and hopefully some

more goodies. I'll post preview images this week.

So I am aiming for 3pm this friday. 

So mark your calendars!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

47 days to go!

love ~tess