From Kayaking to "Monday - Monday"

My oh my, it's Monday again!!! 
Well so far a slightly productive Monday it has been.
Even with sore muscles from going kayaking this weekend. 
What an adventure that was.

We hit the Weeki Wachee River for a quick go 'round.  We got brave and went through a "tunnel", it was super fun, kinda like a flume ride.  Well, on the trip back (we always go with and against the current), the current was too strong to get back through the "tunnel".  There wasn't enough room for the oars to get enough water to paddle through.  We couldn't pull ourselves through and weren't brave enough to walk through. 

(I know, I know, what a bunch of chickens).  Soooooo, here comes someone wanting to go fishing....  Just what we need, an onlooker!  Great!  We get out of the kayaks, climb the bank and proceed with the plan of re-entering on the other side of the "tunnel".  BTW: I left my flip flops at J's Dads house on the seawall, so barefoot I was in the muck!  The man who has come to go fishing with his son, proceeds to tell us that he tried the same thing without being able to make it through.  We did make it down the opposite bank without issues and continued on our way.  I have a funky sunburn now, because I did not use my sunscreen.  I hate when that happens!!!  Now we are coming up with ideas to place some kind of return system so that not only we can get back through, but others can get back too. :)

It's fun being adventurous :)

As for today...even with my sore muscles...
I have gone through my e-mails!!! (FUN) :)
Gone through the mail, scheduled the bills and followed up with some correspondence.

Exciting news.... We just received some new concrete molds, YAY!!!  I can't wait for the hubs to make the items so I can post them for all to see. :)

I have also created an Etsy Treasury today.  This is a must see, especially if you like tigers!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c570cbc8fca6d91a4bbe4c9/eye-of-the-tiger
Back to the to-do list.  Have a great week!!!!

Good to Sea You Again

Wow y'all, it sure has been a long time that I have been MIA from the blogoshere. 

Guess what?  I'm back!!! Yay!

A lot has gone on in my tiny little world.  I have been in a Sea of life consuming "things".  Now that I am straighted out and back among the sane, or semi-sane should I say, here I am to get this party started.

The hubs and I recently celebrated our 13 year wedding anniversary! :)  Ahhh, Love.

I have recently placed some of my jewelry and stemware wrappers in some local shops:

In the Light

South Beach Hair and Diva Boutique

Island Garden Center of Marco, is now carrying some of my hand painted bird houses.

More local places to shop for my items will be soon to come.

My hubs has been hard at work on some concrete benches, birdbaths and statuary.  Very fun to see him get excited about something where he can be creative and artistic once again.  We are, I mean he is having fun with different color stains, I have been working on different finishes for the concrete, I guess you could say it is a collaborative effort in the end.  He has also just started a new JOB and we are very appreciative for that.  This economy has been tough on us as it has many families out there.

I have been working creating new items.  Below is a link to a beautiful necklace I have recently created.

Caribbean Beach Shell Necklace


Check it out!!!







Catch you on the "Flip Side"

Oh so relaxing Easter....

Oh what a great Easter weekend!  Spent Easter with Family and Friends.  Saturday was a relaxing yet productive day (preping food for Easter and dinner Saturday evening) with the Hubs!  Headed off to rehearsal for my play that opens on Wednesday - wow!  Came home to find an old friend had stopped by for a visit - Awesome.  Then relaxed with the Hubs and friend while making our Easter eggs.  We went back in time and decorated our eggs using the big box o' crayons and food coloring.  Super Fun!  Check out our handy work in this pic of our eggs.  I also sold my lavender floral wire wrapped ring that I just blogged about.  Yay!!!  
Easter Sunday was great also.  Made my dish for the Easter dinner, headed out to church to be with our church family and friends.  Then off to dinner with J's family.  Full belly and near napping, we headed home to relax some more.  Then off to Aunt and Uncles house for yet more... dessert!  Pineapple upside down cake with ice cream.  We returned home and soon after looked at each other and deceided ... time to get some winks.  I hope everyone had a blessed Easter.

Creative Spring Rings..........

Well, here are some of the new rings I have created.  I promised you pictures and here they are.  They are getting a great response. 
I created these designs using 20 gauge wire and a two holed slider bead.  I particularly liked this style of bead/slider because of the enamel and Austrian crystals added to them.  I think it adds so much to the overall look.  It is a little more difficult working with multiple wires at one time.  However, the finished look is well worth the effort.  When worn, these rings are what you might call a knuckle to knuckle ring.  Very attention grabbing on your hand.


The Golden Floral Ring is done with a nesting wrap design that accentuates the colors in the slider. 

These designs were each individually inspired by the bead/slider itself. 

I personally as an artist like to look at my supplies and let them
"speak to me" before creating.  This allows for each item to be an original and unique.  I enjoy creating this way much more than I do assembly line creating (which I do for some items).  I hope that you enjoy these as much as I did making them.  This technique can be used with all kinds of multi holed beads/slides.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43873288

Tiger Paw Studios ~ What's In A Name...

Happy Tuesday everyone! 
Today is a beautiful day and I was thinking about my business name and how many people have asked me "how did you come up with the name Tiger Paw Studios?"  Well the answer to that is a combined answer.  I have a fondness for Tigers for one.  This developed over time.... I have always loved cats, my Chinese zodiac is the Tiger, Tigers being so endangered that they may disapear from the wild in my lifetime, and the beautiful, gracefullness that embodies these animals.  Everytime I see a Tiger, I am just drawn to them.  Now, for the second reasoning of my name.... I have a cat whom I named Tiger Lily in the first moment I held her.  In that moment, I said to her "You shall be mine, and I shall call you Tiger Lily" She is my favorite cat (don't tell the others).  We have a conection between the two of us, that I can't describe. (I know, I'm a dork, you don't have to tell me)  Another part of the name (Paw) came from Tiger's Paw's.  She will stand on my lap and leave paw prints on me.  It's so cute and if you think about it.... A paw print is like an animals signature.  So there you have it, my business name, spelled out.... "Tiger Paw Studios"  Oh yeah, the studios embodies the art aspect of everything I do.   (Jewelry, painting, drawing, designing, graphics, photography, arts and crafts, etc.)  Thank you all who have shown interest in the meaning of "Tiger Paw Studios"  Because as in most business names, there is meaning.  "Without meaning, life stands still"
http://www.tigerpawstudios.etsy.com/

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today is St. Patrick's Day and in honor of this gloriously "GREEN" day, I am writing on the color "GREEN". 
Here is a link to my Shamrock "GREEN" glass bead memory wire choker.  http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42514748
Don't forget wear "GREEN" or you'll get pinched. (ouch!)

Did you know that "GREEN" is the national color of Ireland and is strongly associated with that country.  Because there is so many shades of "GREEN" in nature, the color "GREEN" is associated with Spring.

"GREEN" is the color of life.  It is abundant in nature and signifies growth, renewal, health and environment.  The color "GREEN" also denotes balance, harmony and stability.  "GREEN" is a color that makes one feel restful and has calming attributes just as blue does.

Saying that something or someone is "GREEN" can have different meanings, positive or negative.  It can mean; environmentaly friendly, new or better, inexperienced or novice, even that someone is jealous or envious.  I find it interesting how one color "GREEN" so simple and innocent can have meanings in different directions.  Used as in nature as a color or on your person and in your home, "GREEN" has both warming and cooling effects.  Again, able to be taken in different directions. 

What a wonderful color "GREEN" is and the endless possibilities is presents us in the creative universe.

"GREEN" is: Nature, Growth, Organic, Outdoorsy, Sporty, Lively and Fresh.

(Pictured right: my Moss Agate and Tiger's Eye Hair Comb)http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33895750

Information & Concentration

As I start to get my name out there in front of people, I am learning the many different ways to do this. I grew up in a whole different world of marketing and advertising. I began as a graphic artist at the young age of 18 in a print shop. There I learned about numerous ways to advertise. All revolving around print media. Direct Mail for one, and at that time, one of the most important ones. I remember the owner's son talking about this new message board and internet thing. I said "whatever that is", it was basic and just text. Well, here I sit, 18 years later.....in a virtual world. I am learning about Internet advertising, there are so many options now, more than just google. The ever present RSS feed on my Etsy shop, which I just learned about today. Blogging which is new to me and how many people out there offer ad space on their blogs for free, a nominal $5 fee, and all the way up into the multiple hundreds per month. With so much information out there to read and so much to learn, it is imperative that one takes this all in, in small doses. I think my 2 hours today has been enough for the day. I want more, however I feel at this point my retention of information is going to dwindle and I do need to focus on creating some new items for your pleasure! :)
I have a new line of rings coming out soon that I am sooooo excited to release. No pictures yet.... I want to have a large number of these rings in stock because I know that they will be a hit.
So back at it I go!

Have a wonderful Thursday and remember this..
Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise.
View life as a continuous learning experience.