Restoration: Claw Foot Tub

I've frequently told Tim how I want an original claw foot tub. I think they have a way of adding the perfect touch of functional nostalgia to any space. I've also dreamed of transforming one into an outdoor herb garden. Sure enough, through all of his connections, he found one for me.

Here it is in its original dwelling, waiting to be rescued:

It has all of its original hardware and each of the feet contain a cast iron B initial. It's certainly needs some TLC, but the all the basics are in top shape. I think this little tub will make the perfect "before and after" project.

Stay tuned.

It's a bee hive locket!

I've always been drawn to incorporating bees into my jewelry line come spring and summer months. This season I found these bee hive lockets that when opened, show off a tiny bee nesting inside. The locket is attached to the chain with a lobster claw clasp, so it can be removed and switched freely from chain to chain for different looks and styles.

I had two of these to start and currently just one left. I'm hoping to pick up a few more if I can find them on my next trip into the city, so snag yours now if you don't want to wait.

Mermaid Pocket Knife

After seeing the popularity of my peanut pocket knife necklace, I went on a hunt for other variations of clever pocket knives. When I spotted this mermaid take on the pocket knife, I knew we were a match made in heaven.

Legends say the siren was portrayed as a seductresses, who lived on an island called Sirenum scopuli. Sailors who sailed near were compelled by the Sirens' enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast.

Much like sirens, mermaids would sometimes sing to people and gods and enchant them, distracting them from their work and causing them to walk off the deck or run their ships aground. Other stories have them squeezing the life out of drowning men while attempting to rescue them. They are also said to take humans down to their underwater kingdoms. In Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid it is said that they forget that humans cannot breathe underwater, while others say they drown men out of spite (found via wikipedia).

She's calling to you with her enchanting song over in the shop...if you find her hard to resist, find more photos and details here.

Etsy Shopping...

Last weekend, I picked up these two tiny stacking rings to wear with the silver one I already have. They are from the Etsy seller, tinahdee, and I found them on sale in the Etsy Weekend Deals article that I write each week.

Here's a heads up on this weekend's edition of deals on Etsy if you've got the shopping bug:

Keep an eye out for next weekend's edition; I've got an extended promotions article especially for Memorial Day Weekend up my sleeves...it won't disappoint.

City Squirrel

You don't see squirrels like these down south...

I saw him while walking home from work, and yes, he let me get this close to him before scurrying away. I guess the nuts and berries are better in NYC trashcans these days?

For the peanut gallery...

One of the latest additions to the shop happens to be this little gem. Yep, it's a fully functional little golden peanut pocket knife that I've made into a necklace. The peanut finding has some nice weight to it and is right around the same size as an actual peanut.

This was such a great find.
The second I spotted this little peanut knife I scooped it up. Just think how perfect a fit this would make for someone who has peanut allergies. I'm starting to hunt for other unique pocket knives that may be in hiding out there just waiting to be made into jewelry. Find more photos and details for this new necklace right here.

Chatter surrounding Contrary...

Each of the kind bloggers below were nice enough to feature pieces of jewelry from Contrary on their blogs and let me know about it. Click on the images below to redirect to the features and possibly find some new blogs to follow!

Now that's what I call hand soap...

I couldn't help but reblog this image when I found it over at Craftzine. Talk about hand soap. It's beyond creepy to the point that it's incredible.

Carry on.

Process Piece: How I make fork bracelets

I just finished making a new batch of fork bracelets which you can find in the shop, here. I always get a lot of comments and questions from shoppers and other artists pertaining to how the forks are made, and what goes into the process. Today, I thought I might give you a little bit of a peek inside my studio when I'm making a new batch.

While earning my bachelor's degree in fine arts from VCU, I took a series of jewelry making classes, which taught me the skills for heating and working with metals, as well as the knowledge I needed for the types of equipment and tools that go into working with metal.

When I'm working with forks, I much prefer antique silver plated versions. They are a little tougher to work with than solid sterling, but I tend to get more of an antiqued quality to the finished bracelet from the base metal showing through in areas of wear and tear, which is something I'm going for.

To prepare the forks before working with them, I heat them through to their cores using a jewelry torch in a process called annealing. Basically, this is a process that changes the chemical makeup of the metal to make it easier to work with and shape. Safety note: Working with a gas torch and hot metal is a pretty dangerous process, so if you are considering trying this at home, please wear protective gear and take some metalsmithing classing in order to make sure you have all safety precautions and proper equipment set in place.

After heating and cooling the metal, I'm able to start working with it in a series of steps that consist of flattening, cleaning, shaping, and hammering out the shapes of the bracelets. This is the part that requires a little muscle, so I like to convince myself that making batches of bracelets counts for exercise.

Once the bracelets have taken shape, I run them through a series of polishing steps to make sure they get that perfect sheen. Making fork bracelets from start to finish is certainly a process, but one that is very meditative and something I have grown to love.

You can always find the newest batches of bracelets I've made right here in my shop.

Derby Day

Part of my job at Etsy entails curating and writing for the Etsy Finds emails and blog articles. Today's email was centered around the Kentucky Derby, and here's my take on it, vintage style. The items above are the ones I found in Etsy's Vintage Category that represented the feeling I get from Derby Day. Just click the image above to read the article and get a closer look at any of the items shown.

Here's raising my glass to you during the most exciting 2 minutes in sports!

Alternatives to the traditional vase

Lately, I've been really into the idea of using household items as flower displays. I've been sprucing up my space here and there with odds and ends as the weather continues to hint at spring. Below I've used a water pitcher from a restaurant I used to work for, and a glass sauce bottle to house recent blooms.









Before you go looking for that same old glass vase in your cupboard, take a look around at what else there might be to add a touch of je ne sais quoi. You just might surprise yourself.