Ronnie Unplugged

Don't Hide

2011-10-29T18:50:00.000-07:00

Don't hide. That's the current message to myself. I need to hear it over and over again right now because I tend to feel guilty about who I am. Like I should apologize for being smart, or for being artistic, or for following my dreams. Like as if I'm not allowed to feel joy in what I do if others around me aren't feeling joy in what they do.

What happens when I do that is I start to forget that at the core of me I believe in abundance (not lack). I believe that what is meant to be mine will be mine, and what isn't......won't. I believe that to be true for everyone. If something is not meant to be mine, I don't try to hold onto it, or persue it. I let it go. I wish everyone well. I wish everyone success. I wish eveyone joy, and love. My wish for everyone is that they discover what brings them peace.

Don't hide your talent

Don't hide your intelligence

Don't hide your curiosity
Don't hide your beliefs

Don't hide your joy

Don't hide your love

Don't hide

Shine, and allow your magnificant presence to ignite the imagination in others.

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Photo Credit

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry

What Is Calling You?

2011-10-29T01:43:00.000-07:00

What is calling to you? What is the deepest, most true message that is calling to you? Get very still and hear it. Do everything it takes to really listen, hear it, absorb it. We each have something calling to us that ONLY WE CAN DO.

You have the exact set of skills, you have lived through the exact circumstances, you have met the exact people and lived in the exact places at the exact time to be where you are. To hear exactly what is calling to you at this very moment. So what is it?

Don't let your music go unsung. Don't let your stories go untold. Don't let your mission go undone. Don't let your love go ungiven. Don't hide your talents. Don't ignore the messages that are showing you.

Find what is calling to you and go for it. We need you to do this! You have a purpose in your life that only you can fill. You are phenomenal, beautiful and radiant. Your talents are unique, compelling and needed.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry

Singing My Soul's Song

2011-07-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

The summer markets have started. I have been very busy preparing for them, and now I've been very busy making pieces during the week to replenish my stock for the weekends. Beaded anklets seem to be one of my best sellers this year alongside my number one seller...sterling silver wire wrapped rings. This year I have three new series. Two completed, and one still in the planning stages. The first new item are two part gift sets. They consist of handcrafted cards (and journals) with sentimental sayings, and handstamped jewelry with inspirational words. They are selling very well. Much better than I had hoped considering the price point is much higher than my other items. I've also been getting custom orders for them. The second series consists of bracelets, necklaces, and earrings made of polymer clay with romantic text imprinted in the clay. The third new series is still in the planning stages because I'm waiting for one of the components to arrive. I have registered trademarks for all 3 of the new series. They will be professionally packaged and shipped to several boutiques in Chilliwack, Vancouver, Kelowna and Whistler. After many months of struggling to come to terms with my illnesses I came to the realization that I really am an artist. I process my feelings through creative expression. In light of this revelation I decided to take myself seriously as an artist and do whatever I needed to do to get greater exposure for my products. When everything has been finalized legally I will share photos, and the product names of my new series. Until then I'm hesistant to post anything online. Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry

Drool Worthy...

2011-05-05T03:38:00.000-07:00

Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pens.
The cadillac of markers.
Nuff said.

Pretty papers. When I pulled out my papers to make my Mom a Mother's Day card I noticed I didn't have very many purple papers.
Problem solved.

Vintage buttons. Delicious and just waiting to embellish a canvas or book.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry

A New Path...

2011-05-03T02:40:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my last post my focus has shifted. Somewhat. Not completely away from making jewelry, but in addition to it. I had been waiting for a rather large sum of money to come into my life, and when it did I had planned on using it to buy silver & stones for making metalsmithed pieces. But, with the price of silver rising higher and higher every other day I began to realize it would be very challenging for me to find a local market for the higher priced finished pieces. So, I changed my plans for the money. I decided to buy art supplies. Here's the plan: multi-media artwork.

I purchased some artist quality acrylic and watercolor paints along with some artist quality markers, and watercolor pencils and crayons. Of course my shopping spree included charcoal pencils, pastels, technical pens (micron, rapidograph, pilot), caligraphy pens (nips and holders), artist paper (drawing, acrylic, watercolor), some journals, patterned scrapbook paper, colored cardstock, every type of glue you can imagine, fabric (lots of different types of fabric), ribbons in every color of the rainbow, glitter (yes - glitter!), 2 white correction pens, water brushes, many many paint brushes, stamps, an old ribbon fed typewriter....and on and on.

I re-enforced my wall shelves to hold all the extra weight, and I bought another set of drawers for under my bench to store all my new paper supplies. My studio is packed solid from floor to ceiling. I'm happy about it because now I have plenty of 'stuff' to keep me busy for quite awhile =)

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry

Shift In Focus...

2011-05-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

My desktop computer crashed. Lost eight years worth of work. Now I'm a laptop owner. Struggling to deal with the loss caused a shift in focus. I can see clearly now that I don't deal with change very well. Seriously hated the new laptop for the first few days. The way I handled this whole situation made me realize that I have emotional issues that need to be adressed.

How will I deal with these issues? With art. Deep down inside I've known for awhile now that I needed to start painting, and drawing...again. Like I did when I was a child. So, that's what I'll do.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry

Being Free . . .

2011-04-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

Shiny, sparkly, colorful beads are an elixir. Today I touched and gazed upon a double dose of this powerful potion. I'm giddy with inspiration.

It's time for a short journey into dreamland where I can weave together magical strands of hope, courage, and love.

Music ~ Joe Bonamassa ~ Bird On A Wire

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry

Under the clutter I found me . . .

2011-04-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

My plans for today are to take a brisk walk, and then to create some polymer clay beads. I'm yearning to make something with dark chocolate brown, and deep rich teal blue beads.

It's my 52nd birthday in 15 days so I have been trying to think of what I will give myself. I think I'll give myself a break. A break from beating myself up with doubts, fears, and naysaying. And permission. I'll give myself permission to just accept that I'm having a hard time accepting my illness. And, permission to play and create and believe in my dreams again.

You may have noticed I cleared some of the clutter from my blog and changed the layout. It's a small thing, but it made me feel better when I was finished.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Music Is My Muse

2011-03-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

My Studio - Come On In

2011-02-27T11:53:00.000-08:00

This is where designing, sawing, piercing, stamping and filing takes place. Look at my adorable new swivel vise! The wood boxes store sterling silver sheet and precut ring shanks. My tumbler sit on top of the black metal shelving. The white plastic drawers beneath my bench hold sterling wire, copper sheet, design stamps and letter sets plus a whole bunch of other goodies.

Middle of my bench. Texturing, hammering, and drilling station.

Soldering station. This is where the magic happens folks!

This is my beading table, but when I'm working on metalsmithed pieces this area is where I do all the finishing work such as setting stones, and final hand polishing. This is also where I sketch my designs. I call this table my 'Inspiration Station' because I have pictures on the wall that inspire me. I also have a rock collection in a bowl, and I take out a different rock everyday and set it on the table for me to look at throughout the day. Those two cabinets are filled with cabochons and sterling silver findings. Various cabachons get pet several times a day.

Notice the little 'Dream' carving? I also have a framed picture with the word 'Believe' that my girlfriend Pat gave me for christmas. Those two words are what keep me moving forward. No matter whatever else is going on in my life...deep inside at my core I am always dreaming and believing in my dreams. I hope you're believing in your dreams too.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Creativity Re-Ignited

2011-02-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling much better lately. Thyroid levels are at the high end of 'normal' which means I'm not shakey anymore and my heart rate has stablized. Feeling better allows me to be active and creative again.

I'm taking a second metalsmithing class on Tuesday evenings. The last class is on March 29th. My own studio is now fully equipped and up and running. I've been working on my class projects at home inbetween classes.

As you all can guess I've been buying cabochons to make metalsmithed pieces. Well, I received this gorgeous picasso jasper cab that reminds me of a Monet painting. To me it looks like a field of wild flowers. Notice the pretty mauves, greens, yellows and browns. So, it's being made into a ring with a floral patterned band, and I'm calling it 'Monet' Ignore the surrounding silver. I was just checking to see if the bezel would fit.

The bezel is now soldered together and then soldered onto the back plate, and the back plate has been cut away, and then filed flush to the bezel wire. It's now a perfectly smooth bezel cup ready to have the band soldered on and then it will go in the tumbler, then the stone will be set in the bezel, then I'll oxidize the whole piece in Liver of Sulphur...then the final stages will be lightly buffing off the LOS from the high spots which will leave a dark color in the recesses of the floral patterned ring band to help bring out the details.

I'm thinking of keeping this ring in honor of it being my first completely solo project made from start to finish in my own studio.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Illness and Inspiration

2011-02-05T06:13:00.000-08:00

I have Grave's Disease which means I'm occasionally a crumpled, trembling mess who can't lift her arms high enough to scratch her head without crying out in pain. I won't even mention what a blubbering baby I've been while trying to sleep on my aching shoulders. Laying on my back or front is impossible because my goiter is so large and restrictive it feels like I'm wearing a tight turtle neck that I can never take off! Any additional pressure on my throat is out of the question.

I've been back on anti-thyroid meds for 12 days now so I'm just putting in the time waiting for them to bring my hormone levels back down into the 'normal' range.

I haven't been able to make any jewelry because of shakey hands and double vision. I'm also back on the beta-blocker propranolol which has helped calm the racing heart and hand tremors. My vision is getting a little better each day so maybe I'm not going blind like I feared I was a few days ago.

So what have I been doing all this time besides feeling sorry for myself? Surfing. Surfing the net looking at jewelry, and individual beads in particular. I also pulled out and dusted off all my polymer clay books and I've been thinking. Thinking a lot about my goals. I've started playing with my clay again. I've been going away from it then coming back to it over and over for the past 4 years.

It's the only material that I can create with that won't cause injury to my fragile and hurting body right now. No heavy tools, no hammering needed, no torch that I could drop if my hands get shakey. I think I'm going to stay with the clay for awhile this time and see where it takes me.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Metalsmithing 101 - Class Eight (finale)

2010-12-13T04:15:00.000-08:00

For the 8th and final class I made this pretty turquoise pendant for my daughter's 30th birthday. The bead dangles represent my grandchildren's birthday stones. I strung it on a simple sterling silver box chain. I'm happy with how it turned out, but I sure have a long way to go before my pieces look anywhere close to the way I imagine they'll look......eventually. LOL

I got my torch, but it's giving me grief. I've assembled it three different times and all three times it has leaked. Very scary! I'll have to try using teflon tape on the threads next time. I've been sick for the past few days so I haven't bothered to try it again. Dealing with explosive propane is a little unnerving so it's not something one should do when they're feeling foggy brained.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Metalsmithing 101 - Class Seven

2010-12-13T03:57:00.000-08:00

For the 7th class I made my Mom's charoite and amethyst pendant. I was rushed for time so the instructor Barrie was kind enough to solder the bail on for me so that I could give the piece to my Mom on her birthday the following Sunday. So many things are crooked on the pendant, but Mom seemed to love it anyway =)

I made her some matching purple calcite drops, and a sterling silver wire wrapped ring using one of the same little rough amethyst nuggets like the ones shown wire wrapped onto the pendant's chain. She was thrilled!

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Show Your Studio!

2010-11-18T04:37:00.000-08:00

I'm not a member of the Aspiring Metalsmith Group but I enjoy reading their blog and looking through their members' flickr photo albums. They recently decided to do a round of blogs entries where members posted photos of their studios. I love seeing how others set up their studios. If you'd like to show me your studio I'd be happy to visit your blog and say hi. Post your blog links in the comments section of this entry =)

Credit: I stole the tree photo in the black frame on my table from my friend Patricia's facebook photo album (hehe)

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Metalsmithing 101 - Class Six

2010-11-18T04:02:00.000-08:00

My second project was a Spinner Ring. Sparkly isn't it. Spinners should come with a warning! I'm addicted to spinning the inner rings! I actually completed this ring at home during the week before class. For the sixth class I began my Mom's Charoite & Amethyst pendant. I got as far as soldering both the large oval and the small round bezel settings onto the backing sheet for the two stones.

I'm a bit stumped as to how I will proceed. The oval shifted when the flux was heating. The flux is a thick gooey paste that tends go on in globs and then it bubbles up when heating and moves small pieces so this has happened to me twice now (on both projects). When I work solo in my studio I'm going to water down my flux more to try and gain control over this problem.

Anyhow, it is what it is. Now I have an oval bezel that isn't properly aligned with the round bezel sitting above it. I might try to make the piece look more organic by cutting notches and curves along the backing sheet in hopes that the oval might not appear so crooked.

I'll take a photo tomorrow and show you what I mean. I plan on working on it this week and then soldering the bail in class next Tuesday then moving onto my ammolite pendant.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Metalsmithing 101 - Class Four & Five

2010-11-15T02:39:00.000-08:00

Ta Da! My first project is complete! The stone is Biggs Jasper, and considering it's the very first piece of silversmithed jewelry I've ever made I'm pleased with how it turned out.

In class 5 I made a chunky spinner ring with 3 textured spinners on a wide 18g hammer textured band. I'll wait until after I tumble it before posting photos. I'm amazed at how shiny sterling silver gets after tumbling. As pretty as shiny silver is, I plan on doing some oxidized pieces as well. On Tuesday (class 6) I begin my Mom's Charoite & Amethyst pendant. Hopefully that will progress quickly enough for me to be able to complete my more complicated ammolite pendant before the 8th and final class.

Aside from having my nose buried in my sketch book dreaming about all the silversmithed designs I'll be making in the future I've been busy making my usual style pieces for the remaining 6 Christmas Craft shows I'm doing this year. I'm tickled pink about my new necklace puppets. The color and texture of the fabric works perfectly with the black satin ribbons and the black semi-gloss bases. My table display color theme is black and brown with wood and black wrought iron. I'm aiming at having a bit of a rustic yet elegant presentation. I think it's working because I get a lot of compliments on not only my table setup, but also on my website. Here's a photo of the most recent show I did. Sorry for all the background distractions. Everyone was supposed to have skirted tables, but many vendors didn't honor that request.

These little bracelet project kits are going over well =)

Here's my little Christmas tree with snowball drop earrings as decorations. You can also see my gift wrap samples.

I have a few wood picture frames I'm using to display earrings

That's it for now. I'm sorry about the irregular entries. I tend to get wrapped up in what I'm doing offline and I don't realize how much time has passed in between blog posts.

Many Blessings to you and yours . . . Ronnie

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Metalsmithing 101 - Class Three

2010-10-28T05:38:00.000-07:00

During the third class we selected bezel wire for our stone, then soldered the bezel, then soldered the bezel wire onto sterling silver sheet. I'm doing a frame around my stone. Some students chose smaller stones so they're setting their stones right onto the ring shanks. They selected thicker bezel wire that they can file in a half moon shape to go around their ring bands. I've been watching what they're doing so when I make a ring like that I won't be totally unaware of how to do it.

My intent was to leave enough space around the triangular bezel so that I could add some little balls. BUT, when the torch flame hit my pieces it moved the bezel wire up the sheet. You'll notice how little sheet there is at the smallest end of the triangle. Oh well. Maybe I can add another larger triangle underneath and have a 'stepped' effect with enough room to add little balls.

I also paid off some of my tab and bought some extra bezel wire, some sterling silver sheet, and a small oval charoite cab. I was originally going to use the charoite for my Mom's pendant, but I decided it was too small for that so next class I'm buying a bigger oval charoite cab, and a small amethyst round cab to use in the design for my Mom's pendant. The two cabs will be set on a larger soft rectangular sheet backing with two silver balls on either side of the amethyst. I'm doing a wire swirl bail. The bail will have an extra curly tail on the back of the pendant. I think it will be really pretty.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

I Enjoy Thinking

2010-10-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

In fact, I enjoy thinking so much that occasionally I have to remind myself that actualizing thoughts and dreams into reality requires some leg work. As in, it's nice to dream and sketch layouts for my studio, but I am going to have to get off my butt at some point and actually move some boxes and sort through everything before I can make any changes. So yeah, that's what I told myself last night while sitting on the porch last night sipping decaf looking at the sky and dreaming about how my studio is going to look by the end of this month.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Shopping Spree - Tools & Supplies

2010-10-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am a tool junkie. I admit it. I LOVE tools. I love the feeling of a brand new shiny tool in my hands. I recently discovered I have a 'thing' for hammers. I didn't know this about me. Last weekend my roomie and I went shopping at Princess Auto out in Langley, and at the cash register as he was putting all my new hammers up on the counter he dryly commented "I guess you plan on doing A LOT of hammering eh?" I responded with "Just you nevermind what I do with my hammers! Not the household's hammers...not your hammers, but MY hammers buddy!" Yes, I even like roofer's hammers. Weird looking things that they are.

So here's the list of things I've purchased in the past two weeks:

Hammers (10 of them)

- plannishing (square/round head)
- brass mallet
- dead blow
- 2 ball peins
- german style chasing hammer with pistol handle
- double headed texturing hammer
- rubber/acrylic head
- small brass/acrylic head
- leather mallet

(I still want a couple of riveting hammers)

Other items not related to hammers:

- steel ring mandrel
- metal ring sizer
- dapping set
- silquar board (like a fire brick)
- charcoal block
- 2 ceramic tiles
- digital caliper
- swiss file (4 cut)
- swiss file (2 cut)
- titanium diamond file set (5 pieces)
- jeweler's saw frame
- blades for the above
- bees wax (for the above)
- slicone polishing wheels for my dremel
- 3 new pairs of pliers (another thing I have a 'thing' for)
- tweezers (several pairs - copper, metal, AA, locking, insulated)
- third hand
- bib apron with pockets
- safety glasses
- respirator
- 2 auto dollies (excellent substitude for the typical 4" X 4" steel block)
- emery paper (several grades from 80 to 600 grit)
- solder chips (easy, medium, hard)
- containers for solder chips
- sterling silver sheet
- fine silver bezel wire
- butane micro torch
- PH Down (sodium bisulphate - used as pickling agent)
- mini crock pot (for pickling)
- Dandix flux
- ring clamp
- bench vise
- bench pin
- adjustable C clamp
- metal shears (only 7 inches! Fits perfectly in my tiny hand)
- brass brush
- file card (for cleaning files)
- bezel roller
- burnisher
- center punch
- oak leaf stamp (need more design stamps)
- bead baking tray (for polymer clay)
- Word texture plate (for polymer clay)
- Liquid Liver of Sulphur
- Tim McCreight's Complete Metalsmithing - Professional Edition

Purchased items unrelated to tools:

- 30 ft of 22g sterling silver wire (for wire wrapped pearl rings)
- oxidized copper wire
- oxidized brass wire
- green and brown glass leaves
- strand of 8mm dark green jade rounds
- 15 1/2 inch strand of 9mm turquoise rondelles
- serephrinite cabachon
- turitella cabachon
- turquoise cabachon
- light blue pau shell cabachon
- ammolite cabachon
- jasper cabachon
- 9mm brown, green, and gold faceted glass rondelles
- a whole whack of silver plated and brass balled head pins
- several different styles of toggles
- brass chain
- silver plated chain
- solid brass lobster claws (I love these!)
- 1000 business cards
- and a large custom supply order for one of my customers

Next item to be purchased is my Whale Torch! Yay! I'm so excited I can hardly wait!

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Pantone Fall Colors 2010

2010-10-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

I don't usually follow seasonal color trends when I make jewelry. I order most of my supplies from the US and it often takes 3 weeks for shipments to arrive at my doorstep here in Canada. So, following trends isn't practical for my situation. For this Autumn most of my pieces are in shades of brown and golden colors with a few pieces including green as in my 'Enchanted Forest' themed pieces. And, of course, turquoise. My turquoise pieces ALWAYS sell well no matter what time of year I offer them.

My first solo piece I plan to make in my studio when I get my own torch at the end of November will be a turquoise pendant for my daughter. It's her 30th birthday on December 4th. The cab color fits into the Lagoon blue color scheme from Pantone. It will be embellished with 'water' elements which will further fit into the Lagoon theme. =) Here's the turquoise cabs I'll select her's from:

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Stone Talk - Turritella Fossil

2010-10-25T05:47:00.000-07:00

Turritella 'Agate' is a chalcedony rich sedimentary rock from Wyoming which hosts the fossil shells of Elimia tenera was originally incorrectly called Turritella agate. It was named after the sea snail genus Turritella because of the resemblance of the freshwater snail shells to the Turritella fossils that are found in agate in Texas and California. The Wyoming fossil shells, however, are in a freshwater sedimentary deposit and identifiable as the genus Elimia which is an extinct species of freshwater snails. These fossilized and less-silicified Elimia tenera occur in a region which is now southern Wyoming, northern Colorado and northeastern Utah.

The fossil beds are approximately 46 to 51 million years old and occur in the Laney Member of the Green River Formation. Evidence suggests that the Elimia tenera were deposited nearshore in a series of shallow lakes, which geologists have named the Fossil, Uinta and Gosiute Lakes. The climate was subtropical and there were intermittent volcanic eruptions. The best preserved Elimia tenera are from Lake Gosiute which fossils occur in the Fort Laclede Bed of the Laney Member at outcrops in Sweetwater County, in southwestern Wyoming.

I find this stone fascinating. The one in the picture will be made into a pendant. During the past several years of my rock collecting I've realized that I'm very drawn to fossils. I think it's amazing that extinct species are preserved for future generations to study.

[Source: Wikipedia]

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Metalsmithing 101 - Classes One & Two

2010-10-25T03:44:00.000-07:00

For our first class we learned about tools and safety precautions. We also selected stones for our projects, and used our jeweller's saw to practice cutting in copper sheet.

During our second class we hammered and soldered our ring shanks for our first project. I was surprised by how quickly the whole process happened. Heat, quench, pickle, hammer, form, heat, flux, solder, quench, pickle, file and we were done. I was also very surprised by how short the flame was from the torch. Filing takes the longest amount of time, and that's only if you're as meticulous as I am. I think I can do this!

I selected a triangular piece of brown jasper for my first ring. I forget what type of jasper, but I'll ask again on Tuesday. The instructor's husband cut the stone. Here it is:

And here's what my ring band looks like before I add the bezel set stone. I will be adding a larger backing around the bezel with some sterling balls as decoration.

And as promised eariler here's a picture of my pretty ammolite. I will be making this into a pendant with decorative elements representing vines and buds. It's a fairly significant sized cabachon at 31mm X 14mm. I will be posting this picture again in another entry in a series I'm calling Stone Talk. I love stones so there will be a lot of talk about them. =)

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Trying Not To Sweat The Small Stuff

2010-10-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

I had a little rethink about the issues surrounding my previous post and decided to take my own advice. Whenever one of my children is having a challenging time dealing with a "life doesn't always go your way" issue I ask them if there is anything they think they can actually DO about the problem. Sometimes the answer is simply "No." Sometimes we can't really do anything about a problem except change the way we react to it.

That might seem like a passive thing to do, but once you accept the 'do nothing' approach things start to shift inside. To me that's action. It's movement toward a better understanding of what's important. What's important to me is learning, and expressing creativity. The process of creative expression is healing. So, I'm going to continue to learn, and create.

Later this morning when the daylight arrives I'll take a picture of my pretty little piece of ammolite and show you =)

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Metalsmithing 101 - first class

2010-10-14T02:37:00.000-07:00

I decided to edit this post because I'm not pleased with myself for sounding ungrateful or grumpy. My first impression was wrong. The instructor is very sweet, and very passionate about sharing her knowledge.

I'm really happy to finally be taking a silversmithing class taught by someone willing to show us students short-cuts and give us tips to help save us money. Feeling blessed about this opportunity is all that matters.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Blue Soup With Stars - Organic Beginnings

2010-09-30T01:11:00.000-07:00

Although my jewelry is rather demure in size and number of components, I have always admired chunky, clunky, multi-strand, bohemian styles bracelets. I also love organic materials. For some reason I haven't pushed myself out of my 'demure' box and made more eclectic pieces. That's what I intend to do with this delicious pile of goodies.

Blue Soup One - Organic Beginnings

There's a variety of wood saucers, small seeds, wooden buttons, rustic ceramic large holed beads, shells, wood rounds, and a few cute little ceramic fishies. I also have one of my own Soul Song poly-clay pendants that I'm thinking of using as a focal point for a necklace along with some poly-clay beads & gemstones I could throw into the mix for bracelets.

I'm thinking of asymetrical bracelets, with leather cord, and button clasps. I'd like the pieces to make magical noise when you move.

So, this will be my next project. I hope to be able to post a few pictures within the next few days. Maybe early next week. Stay tuned.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Grand Re-Opening Sale at RadianTrace Jewelry

2010-09-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

The transformation at RadianTrace Jewelry is complete. I'm very pleased with the new layout and colors. I added header graphics to the top of several sections which will be fun because I can change them out whenever the mood strikes. A few of them are made from my own photos while others are made from some of my favorite photographer's photos.

For the Grand Reopening I decided to have a sale. There will be a 15% discount on all items purchased on Friday October 1, 2010 from 12:30am (just after midnight) until 11:30pm in the evening.

So for example: this Olive Oil ring is regularily priced at $15.00 but it will only be $12.75 on Friday. I love the color combination of the antiqued copper wire with the olivine green glass pearl. Very Maid Marianish =)

Also, the first episode of the Blue Soup with Stars series will be posted soon. I'm just waiting for my camera batteries to finish charging so I can show you photos of the cool bead stash pile I accumulated recently. Very rustic and woodsy. I'm so excited about this particular stash that I can hardly wait to show you.

My poor old camera really got a work out today. So did my old back! hehe I need to start sitting down to take pictures. Something about leaning over and forward is really messing with my lower back. Does anyone else have that problem, and if so, how did you resolve it so that you could spend more time taking photos?

I'm craving oatmeal so I'll see you again in a little bit.

Ronnie is the jewelry designer at RadianTrace Jewelry. She's also the graphic artist at Mable's Makings, and the author of Ronnie Unplugged.

Site Updates - One Step at a Time

2010-09-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Website design is not my strongest skill, but by putting one foot in front of the other Whimsy Within is progressing along slow and steady. I'm actually starting to enjoy doing the coding. I think I've finally figured out a way to add an order form that won't be too terribly complicated for buyers. I had to think like an 'artist' to come up with the idea so "nana nana boo boo" to all my 'technically wired' web design friends. Maintaining the order form will require a great deal of vigilance on my part, but that's what I get paid for so no biggie.

Off topic....I went shopping yesterday and scored a tripod for my camera, a new battery charger, and some cool little ear buds so I can drown out my roomie's TV when I'm working online.

And also off topic.....I plan on doing a regular series of posts called 'Blue Soup With Stars' in honor of an old online friend named Magali who had an MSN community named Blue Soup With Stars. Magali is the main reason why I stayed online 10 years ago instead of giving up and unplugging my computer forever. Were it not for her kind words and encouragement I never would have gone on to discover that I'm actually talented at drawing graphics. If there wasn't any graphics, there would never have been any jewelry. In other words...she inspired me, and encouraged me to explore my creativity, and push myself beyond my boundaries.

So the 'Blue Soup With Stars' series will be about taking risks...exploring creativity....trying new things. And I will show my process here on my blog. I don't know whatever happened to Magali, but I've never forgotten the impact she had on me. Thank you kind lady.

(P.S. I think it's serrendipity that 'Soup' will be in the title of my series. Just like how 'Soup' is in Lori Anderson's 'Cup of Bead Soup' series about the same topic.)

Jewelry Making Classes

2010-09-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

I posted a 'Classes' section at RadianTrace Jewelry for anyone local who'd like to take a class. I'm also in the process of redoing my jewelry site. This process will probably take a few weeks to be complete. During this time the color scheme of various pages may not match. Don't worry though...everything will be coordinated when it's finished.

Earth, Wind & Fire Bracelets

2010-09-16T01:29:00.000-07:00

Earth Bracelet

Wind Bracelet

Fire Bracelet

The above 3 bracelets are for sale. Post a comment if you're interested in knowing the prices and I'll get back to you ASAP =)

Jewelry Designer Lisa Barth

2010-09-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

I've been following Lisa Barth's work for a few years, and her imaginative Art Clay designs never cease to amaze and inspire me. She's also an incredibly talented wire work artisan. She teaches Art Clay design & jewelry design classes, and you can find many of her tutorials on both her own website, and on Eni Oken's Jewelry Lessons website.

Here's some of Lisa's recent work. A Fish Tale:

Lisa's design sketch before creating the pendant

The other side

The back of the pendant

A special arrowhead Lisa wire wrapped

A beautiful woven wire bezel setting

You can see more of Lisa's work on these websites:

Lisa Barth (her commercial website)
Jewelry Lesson's (Eni Oken's tutorial site)

Why a Dragonfly?

2010-09-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Why do I use a dragonfly for the logo on my Whimsy Within website? It represents lightness of being and transformation to me. I have always been attracted to dragonflies, but the intensity increased when I became ill. I was told to expect a long 2 year recovery. I used to be a somewhat high energy, scattered type of person. As I age though, I'm becoming more calm and peaceful with a mental clarity that I'm very grateful to possess. I'm just generally very grateful everyday for everything I have in my life. Life is so short, and I'm trying to enjoy every moment to the fullest. I think I owe it all to the connection I have with my lil friend Dragonfly.

Dragonfly: Illusion, the Power of Light

Dragonfly is the power of light. The dragonfly inhabits two realms: air and water and the influence of both these elements will be felt by Dragonfly people. They will be emotional and passionate during their early years (the influence of water) and more balanced with greater mental clarity and control in as they mature (the influence of air).

Dragonfly is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment; and the communication from the elemental world. Dragonfly medicine beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits which need changing. Call on Dragonfly to guide you through the mists of illusion to the pathway of transformation.

The number 2 is important to Dragonfly, so think in terms of two year periods when you begin a change. Dragonfly brings the light and color of transformation into your life.

Dragonfly Totem Description from Lin's Domain

Artist Jennifer MacNeill-Trayler

2010-09-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

Horse lovers beware! I discovered the very talented artist Jennifer MacNeill-Trayler a couple of years ago through the One World One Heart Blog Giveaway. I immediately fell in love with her beautiful equine art. Jen is a very interesting artist in that she has a 'thing' for Halloween and out of that grew her fondness for carving pumpkins. She enters carving competitions and all her entries are displayed on one of her many blogs which you can find links to at her The Mare's Tales blog. (I think Jen also has a 'thing' for making blogs ;p)

When I 'met' her she was handpainting horses on wooden tiles and selling them as pendants. She still does that, but now she's also an official artist at The Trail of Painted Ponies. One of her painted horses will be released as a mass produced figurine.

Here's just one example of the beautiful artwork you'll find at Jen's Ponies.

The Sketchbook Project

2010-09-11T02:35:00.000-07:00

I just read about this really cool project on Julie's blog (Recapturing Creativity) Click on the image below to view the project.

Metalsmith Carole Axium

2010-09-11T00:57:00.000-07:00

As I often do I was just surfing through flickr when I came upon this very talented metalsmith named Carole Axium and my jaw dropped open. Her style is rustic yet elegant.

I love the wire scroll details she adds to some of her work. It looks like vines. Very organic and breath taking. Her 'style' resembles my sketches. I imagine my pieces will be very similar theme wise.

This one is very unique. I've never seen anyone attempt this type of design. By the way it's a pendant. At first I thought it was a ring =)

She's originally a wire work artisan. Crazy talented!

Designs by Carole Axium

Inspiration for the Spirit

2010-09-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Patricia's website. Go take a peek. You'll find it very inspiring. Careful though....it's still under construction.

Inspiration for the Spirit

This is one of the sections I keep returning to time and time again

"Still Waters"

All Site Updates Will Be Added Here

2010-09-09T01:55:00.000-07:00

In the interest of simplicity, and getting myself more organized I will be adding updates for all my websites here at Ronnie Unplugged. If that doesn't work for you and you'd like specific site updates you can sign-up for my Newsletter. In the right hand menu you'll see the sign-up form titled Subscribe to Ronnie's Sites. Just enter your email address, uncheck the boxes for the items that don't interest you, and click submit. It's a double opt-in so you'll need to sign into your email account and confirm your submission.

You can also follow my supply site Whimsy Within on Twitter for quick updates. Twitter.com/WhimsyWithin. My RadianTrace Twitter account is a mixture of site updates and personal nonsense, but feel free to follow it if you don't mind occasional silliness. Twitter.com/RadianTrace

Ronnie Unplugged will also be used for posting articles and commentary about artists, other jewelry designers, books about making jewelry & books about various techniques. I have an amazon Book Nook at Whimsy Within, and as I purchase and read some of the books I have on my list I'll review them here. AND speaking of books...this is a very cool website - Blog2Print.

I'm also taking a metalsmithing course so I will be posting pictures and comments about my progress.

To navigate through this blog click on the various links in the Blog Categories section to the right.

My off topic ramblings, and poetry etc...will now be posted only on my 'Inked Soul Songs' blog located at soulsongs.posterous.com

Eventually, one day at a time, I WILL get myself more organized.

Building My Supply Site

2010-09-09T01:45:00.000-07:00

So I decided to sell supplies. I sold them at the last 4 events this summer, and it went well so now I'm busy building my supply site to sell them online. I'll be taking photos and editing them then adding them to the site over the next several days.

It will take me awhile. I haven't done much site design or editing for the past couple of years, but it's coming back to me as I go. Things have changed quite a bit over the years in regards to scripts and web design. I won't be adding anything fancy. Just the basics. Have a peek. I don't mind having an audience as I build.

Whimsy Within

Nose to the Grindstone

2010-08-10T18:00:00.001-07:00

I've had my head down and my nose to the grindstone trying to get several new jewelry pieces made for the end of the summer markets. I will be going on a huge supply shopping trip very soon. I'm almost completely out of silver plated findings.

I've been thinking about investing some money into a significant stash of supplies. I might become a supply seller for the fall and winter months to help suppliment my regular earnings. I haven't decided for sure yet....but I'm seriously thinking about it.

Always dreaming....dreaming.....dreaming.......

Unplugging The Phone

2010-06-30T07:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just have to unplug the phone and be alone with yourself. This past year I have been coming to terms with a serious health issue which hasn't been 100% resolved yet. I'm undergoing treatment, and it will be at least another year and a half before I'm well again.

In the meantime alongside (because of) the physical health issue I've experienced a spiritual awakening. The funny thing is I thought I was already walking in conscious contact with God. I felt at peace with who I was. Little did I know. This illness has been like a test. All the self-growth I'd experienced to date was like the stitches holding my roughly shorn edges together. Illness was the water poured over me to test if my soul could remain dry and intact while travelling the rough seas.

I feel well enough now to poke my head out and be part of the world again.

May 2009 Give Away

2009-05-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

It's capri wearing weather here in Chilliwack, and I love the soft whimsical sound of a tinkling anklet when I walk. So for May's Give Away I decided to offer this Pretty Plum Brass Anklet.

Prize Description: a tanzanite colored glass bell flower, a lavender colored faceted glass rondelle and an antiqued brass puffed hollow heart dangle from a delicate brass oval link chain.

How to Win: reply to this post in the comments section below making sure to leave your email address so that I can contact you for your mailing address in the event that you're the winner. Include your ankle measurement in your comment - measure loosely to leave room for bending your ankle. This is a promotional giveaway so it would be nice if you stopped by RadianTrace Jewelry to take a peek at the other pretties I have available for sale. That's it. That's all you have to do.

The Winner of April's Give Away is . . .

2009-05-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Carey Lynn! You won the sterling silver wire wrapped dragonfly ring. Thank you to everyone who participated. The item for May's Give Away will be posted later today.

Gathering Goodies For You

2009-04-10T05:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I feel like a happy little squirrel running around all over the internet gathering up cool little goodies to bring home to my readers. Today's goody is Block Head Radio. I stumbled upon this online radio station yesterday morning quite by accident.

I'm not even sure how I found them, but I'm glad I did. It's run by Rod and his wife Huckleberry. (I don't know her real name....yet) They promote indie music and handmade artisans. Cool combo eh? They have a live chatroom onsite where you can meet the friendliest folks just chillin and chatting during their morning show called the BrewHaHa. Last night I was fortunate enough to catch host Ruthie's interview with the amazingly talented art doll artist Kamila of Wooded Woods.

Earlier in the afternoon I popped in just to check to see what was up and I fluked into winning a little giveaway hosts Rod and Chain were offering to anyone who could guess Rod's favorite item in a featured artist's Art Fire shop. My prize? One of my items featured on their site some time next week! How much more fun can it get? Launch their music player from their site and sit back and listen to really cool music by indie artists.

If you're looking for some fun, a chance to connect with talented artisans, and a great way to promote your handcrafted products stop by and check out what's going on at Block Head Radio.

UPDATE: Blockhead Radio is no longer online

April 2009 Give Away

2009-04-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: the winner's name has been posted below! I feel in the mood for a little whimsy, and to me there's nothing more whimsical than a playful little dragonfly for your pinky. 'Dragonfly Pinky Ring' made by me.

Prize Description: tiny detailed pewter dragonfly bead meticulously wrapped in 22g sterling silver wire.

How to Win: reply to this post in the comments section below making sure to leave your email address (and ring size) so that I can contact you for your mailing address in the event that you're the winner. This is a promotional giveaway so it would be nice if you stopped by RadianTrace Jewelry. to take a peek at the other pretties I have available for sale. That's it. That's all you have to do.

The winner of April's Give Away is Carey Lynn. Thank you to everyone who participated.

Great Deal For Canadians

2009-03-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

The prices at RadianTrace are in US dollars, but now my fellow Canadians receive an at par exchange rate on your purchases. Meaning a $12.00 US pair of earrings will cost you only $12.00 CAD.

I've adjusted the Order Form to include a check box for you to let me know you're Canadian eh. *This offer is only available at RadianTrace.com.

Also, new items have been added to the following sections at RT.com: Earrings, Bracelets -> Gallery Two, Necklaces, Wire Rings, Word Charms, & Matching Sets.

You Are Worth The Time

2009-03-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

The Winner of the Follow Your Dreams Give Away is Giggles. Congratulations, and thank you for participating.

Soul Song

2009-03-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

¸;•´¸.•¤´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.*´ (¸.*`¤ ~ I envy those who can hear their soul's song ~ ¤

Spring Is In The Air

2009-03-07T07:30:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow we set the clocks forward one hour. Apparently Spring is in the air although I wouldn't know that going by the wind storm we're having here right now. I think my wind chimes blew out into the neighbour's yard along with the other neighbour's business sign.

In any event....because I want (need) to believe Spring is on it's way I'm offering a 50% discount on selected graphics at Mable's Makings. The graphic discount applies to items located in the Web Sets, Collections and Extras sections. You can view these sections by clicking the 'Graphics' link on the main menu at Mable's Makings.

The image displayed in this post is an example of the graphics you'll find in the Shanty Spring web set regularily priced at $10.00 on sale now for only $5.00. Go check it out. This sale will end on Wednesday April 15th, 2009.

Follow Your Dreams Give Away

2009-03-07T06:58:00.001-08:00

UPDATE: The winner's name has been posted below! Following dreams has been the theme of my life for the past several weeks. So, I felt it was important for it to be the theme of my next giveaway. 'Follow Your Dreams' necklace hand assembled by me.

Prize Description: zinc alloy lead and nickel free teardrop shaped two sided charm, white fresh water pearl & glass bead dangle from a 24 inch rhodium finished 1.5mm ball & bar chain. (retail value - $20.00)

How to Win: reply to this post making sure to leave your email address so that I can contact you for your mailing address in the event that you're the winner. This is a promotional giveaway so it would be nice if you stopped by RadianTrace Jewelry to take a peek at the other pretties I have available for sale. That's it. That's all you have to do.

*UPDATED: The Winner is Giggles. Congratulations, and thank you for participating!

And The Winners Are . . .

2009-02-12T23:36:00.000-08:00

Three names were chosen after I printed & numbered the 430 comments left in my One World One Heart entry. My daughter chose 3 numbers then my partner chose 3 numbers. They both chose the exact same number (#213) for their second choice so I chose one of each of their other two choices.

The winners are as follows...

Love Charm Necklace winner is #416 BlueMoon
Rough Road Ring winner is #97 Emily (IndustriousHead)
Heather Hoops winner is #213 Wendy P (Wendy's Little Corner)

I've heard back from all 3 winners. Thank you ladies! Your goodies will be on their way this week.

Thank you to everyone for stopping by and entering my draw. I hope to get a chance to finish visiting everyone on the Gypsy Caravan over the next few weeks.

Dream Dancer

2009-01-25T06:14:00.001-08:00

Rarely do I sleep long enough to go into the REM dream state, but when I do I have very vivid meaningful dreams. I had one last night. I dreamt I was a dream dancer sent into the dream world to help a horse overcome fear. Or so I thought I was a dream dancer. It turns out I was the one who needed help overcoming fears, and not one but two horses were sent into dream land to help me. When the first horse arrived it frightened me because I thought he was a dead horse with his skeleton showing. The image to the left is of a Shadow Horse, and I'm fairly certain this was the intent of the first horse who 'danced' with me.

"Shadow Horse - Brings complete transformation, the balancing of unequal energies, endings and beginnings. Unifying darkness and light, Shadow Horse reveals that which has been hidden in the darkness and brings courage to declare what has been unspoken. Shadow Horse has the power to create something from nothing, to reveal the underlying structure of events, to generate radical new possibilities from a space of complete emptiness."

The second horse to arrive looked very similar the brownish red one shown here called Blood Horse. These two horses and I danced together in swirling circles to the sound of mysterious magical music that I've never heard before my dream. The dance was very beautiful and I felt free. The dream reminded me of my long lost love of horses. I've been thinking about them a lot lately. Remembering when I was a teenager living on a ranch. I lead trail rides and helped take care of the horses. Long lazy summer days spent laying on a hillside daydreaming while watching the horses graze.

I awoke from the dream feeling refreshed and inspired with a greater understanding of what I need to do for myself in order to obtain my goals and actualize my own personal dreams. I'm posting this here in my blog as a reminder to myself for the days when I fall off track and forget like I sometimes do.

"Blood Horse - Carries the intention of uniting energy, exchanges of power. Blood Horse carries messages of grounding, the bonding of shared intention, and the merging of forces. Blood Horse represents the power of mutual support and creates a space where bonds between body and spirit are possible. Blood Horse can carry the energy required to be in action, the life force required to complete the task at hand."

Bad Habits & Time Management

2009-01-24T07:17:00.000-08:00

I have a very bad habit of not updating my Sold Items page regularily at RadianTrace.com. I tell myself I'll get to it soon and before you know it I have hundreds of thumbnails waiting to be added. So, I'm sitting here right now with pieces of paper all over my desk trying to sort out what sold and if I added the images to the right folders in the control panel of my website.

I'll get it all sorted out sometime today. I also need to add several pieces to my RT.com site that I originally had available in my Etsy shop. I keep telling myself it would be soooo much easier if I just kept on top of this stuff in the first place, but time and time again I convince myself otherwise. Yikes! I just remembered that I also need to change the copyright dates on my Mable's Makings site. Bad Ronnie.

Love's First Blush

2009-01-21T13:46:00.000-08:00

I think I'm in love. You know how you get all warm and fuzzy inside and your cheeks blush a soft pink when you start to fall in love? Well, that's how I started to feel on January 19th as I began working my way through the list of participants in this year's One World - One Heart blogging event.

I'm in awe of the talent and generosity I've witnessed unfold before my eyes each day ever since. I'm a genuine visitor to my fellow bloggers. I take my time and read as many entries as I can in about a 45 minute visit. I'm awed by you all. There's some really funny and talented, and soulful people online. I feel blessed.

The earrings shown above are titled Love's Blush. They are available for sale at RadianTrace.com along with a matching necklace.

OWOH GIVEAWAY (One World One Heart)

2009-01-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in One World One Heart for the first time. This give away is a chance for us all to read some interesting new blogs and visit some very creative people. Lisa Swifka is the founder and host of this worldwide blogging event. Go check it out. You won't regret it.

UPDATE! I added two more prizes to increase your chances.

FIRST PRIZE is this 18 inch Inspirational Love Charm necklace. It's garnet red faceted Czech glass on an antiqued brass chain with a cute little brass heart and a brass tag with the word 'Love' stamped on it.

SECOND PRIZE is this turquoise and sterling silver wire wrapped ring. It's called the Rough Road. When I contact the winner for this ring s/he will need to provide me with a ring size.

THIRD PRIZE is this pair of sterling silver Heather Hoops. These were made in honor of a very dear friend of mine who has a beautiful loving heart so I figured she's enjoy them being a part of the One World One Heart give away.

This give away is open to EVERYONE! All you have to do to win is leave me a comment on THIS post. Make sure you leave your name and email address so that I can contact you if you win.

The winners have been announced HERE! Congratulations!

Click on the One World One Heart Logo above for more information. Click on the prizes for a closer view.

COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED

Organizing My Life

2009-01-19T05:54:00.001-08:00

I'm stir-crazy and restless. Being ill for a long time has made me feel meloncholy. I used this unplanned down time to do some serious thinking and decided it's time to do a major restructuring of my life. So, I started by giving my blog a little fluff. New backgrounds are from The Cutest Blog on the Block.

Here's my plan; Mondays will be for planning my week, writing up 'to do' lists, and scheduling various appointments & meetings over the phone or by email. But, before I can even start my plan I will need to clear off and sort out my desk which I will do later today. It's too early in the morning to start making decluttering noises. My Ole Goat is still sleeping.

Tuesdays I will be in my studio all day either making jewelry, or sketching design ideas. I might carry on with this task on Wednesdays as well. Thursdays will be for doodling graphics and filling graphic orders. Friday is the day that I'll review my week and decide if I want to make any changes for the next week. It's also the day that I'd like to post a 'Friday Feature' interview with various fellow artists whose work I admire.

I'm going to take one day off on the weekend as a personal day just for me to do whatever I'd like to do for myself. It could be clothes shopping, reading, going for a drive, buying new jewelry supplies or art supplies. Anything I feel like doing on that day. I'll more than likely make jewelry everyday after I've done my assigned tasks for the day.

Oh yes, and before I start my days from now on I'm going to do a 30 minute work-out, have a shower and get dressed in casual street clothes. I have a bad habit of wearing pjs all day because they're so comfortable. I want to keep this routine going because without routine & structure in my life I wander around aimlessly not finishing the projects I start. Wish me luck! *Ü*

Who Is Ronnie?

2009-01-07T13:06:00.001-08:00

I'll be 50 in April and I can't figure out what happened to all the time! I have 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren. The youngest was born on December 13th, 2008. I live in Chilliwack, B.C. Canada. I'm a bush woman. I love the river. My favorite thing to do is hike along river trails.

I doodle graphics and make jewelry. I desparately want to become a metalsmith before my 60th birthday. I also sketch, paint and play with polymer clay. I have a lazy old cat named Tavareesh, and a crazy Pit Bull named Baer. No that's not spelled wrong. He's the second black dog I've had named Baer. The first one's name was spelled Bear. Baer is my forever friend....my animal soul mate. My familiar. I have arthritis and sciatica. I live with chronic pain, but my sense of humour prevents me from becoming depressed about it. I love to laugh. I laugh A LOT. I talk fast and get excited easily. I'm like a crow. I follow shiny things. I'm a sucker for links. I can get lost for days following links.

I'm a control freak. Everything in my kitchen and my studio has to be arranged a certain way or else I get thrown off track. No one is allowed to mess with anything in my studio. I like music. I like Southern rock, blues, loud bassy rock, and folk music. Ya I know...weird. I have very long reddish brown hair. Down past my butt. I keep trying to gather enough courage to cut it, but I always chicken out. I suspect it will be totally gray before I finally cut it.

I like salads. Any kind of salads. Fruit, bean, veggie, broccoli. Just throw a bunch of unrelated food stuff in a bowl and call it a salad and I'll eat it. My youngest son is schizophrenic. He's 23. The past 10 years have been really rough. For both of us. There's a lot more to me than what meets the eye. Like everyone else I'm multifaceted. Everything that shows on the surface is just a fragment of what lies beneath.

Cool Toys

2009-01-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

This museum style photo of my sterling silver Suzie Q hoops was done online at DUMPR. The hoops are available for sale at RadianTrace.com.

I've been elbow deep in KatoClay for the past few days. Lovely material. There won't be any photos of my clay pieces for quite awhile. I like to perfect whatever I'm working on before I offer it for sale. Other than working with polyclay I've been getting ready for a home jewelry party, and organizing my pieces for the upcoming spring season. I have a few craft shows booked and I like to get new designs ready well ahead of time.

Music as Inspiration

2009-01-02T11:35:00.000-08:00

I listen to music when I'm doodling graphics or making jewelry. One of the bands I've been enjoying recently is Kings of Leon. I thought I'd share them with you.

Oh and in case you don't already know I'm also a commercial mousedraw graphic artist. My graphics website is Mable's Makings. The little 'Real Women Donate' to the right is one of the graphic characters I doodle. At some point in the future I plan on making a series of 3D polymer clay figurines based on my Real Women characters.

Inner Reflections

2009-01-02T04:06:00.001-08:00

And so it seems I've managed to clear my head of the mental fog I had been aimlessly wandering around in. All it took was millions of hours spent sitting on my butt watching youtubes of Charlie Rose interviews. Um yeah, I think the cobwebs are gone now. Both my mind and my butt have expanded.

I've added the men's jewelry items to RadianTrace.com. You can view them by clicking on the link to the Men's Jewelry section. The brass ring shown in the above photo is called 'Inner Reflections' and it will be available for sale at RT.com soon.

The River's Edge

2008-12-27T14:33:00.001-08:00

I'm precariously close to the edge. I was going to write about the mind as a tool because lately I've been struggling with keeping mine focused. But, then I realized if I don't know how to sharpen my own mind, how can I write about the mind as a tool?

I swear I used to be more focused and organized mentally. I'll have to think about it for a little while longer before I tackle such a complex topic. The bracelet is called River's Edge. It can be found in Matching Sets at RadianTrace.com

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T06:25:00.001-08:00

Men's Jewelry

2008-12-08T01:01:00.001-08:00

So at the last craft show I did the number one comment I heard was "You really need to offer men's jewelry." Even my dad was complaining that I didn't have any ready made men's items. I've made quite a few custom men's gemstone & sterling bracelets, but I've never felt the inclination to fully commit to an actual ready made series of men's pieces. Well, that is until now.

The designs are fairly basic for now, but if my sketch book is any indication of where my imagination might go with the men's series people can expect some interesting pieces in the future. I'll be adding some of the pieces in the photo to RadianTrace.com within the next day or two.

Where's Ronnie?

2008-12-07T05:01:00.000-08:00

After not blogging for so long there's really no way to grab a handle on it and make much sense to anyone but myself. So, I'll just jump back in right here where I am now.

I've been both busy and lacking focus. Busy with making jewelry and fulfilling graphic orders. The lack of focus stems from desparately wanting to advance my skills and yet not having the tools I'll need to help me do this. I'm working on it though....always working on it. Plodding away slowly the way I tend to do.

Born To Be Wild

2008-08-05T00:40:00.000-07:00

This little dude Harley stopped by my table for a visit at a recent yard sale. I've never seen a dog so fixated on his owner. Lil bugger wouldn't take his eyes off his Daddy.

Above picture is of the set up I had for the sale. I met lots of really interesting people with lots of amazing stories to tell. I think I like that part of selling in person almost as much as I like the feedback and the money.

Coffee & Other Buzzes

2008-07-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Coffee anyone? I've indulged far too much lately. I've needed it to keep me 'buzzing' enough to handcut 384 business cards. Yeah, you heard me right. Three.hundred.eighty.four.handcut.cards. Ok, so I didn't do it all in one day. I did 24 a day over several days. I find myself not wanting to give any away. They're like gold to me now.

Speaking of buzzing . . . I've been getting myself ready to sell my jewelry at the HoneyBee Centre on August 16/17. There's going to be live bees there. I'm allergic to bee venom, and for the past few days I've been thinking I must be crazy for agreeing to do this. I'm not only wanting to do it, but I'm starting to feel really excited about it. I've been happily making new packaging and jewelry displays. I found some great photo frames that I gray spackle painted and added black wire to for earrings. I also spackled an old cork board gray and painted the frame black. I think I'll pin anklets and bracelets to it.

This week I'm going to refurbished an old cabinet I have into a display case. It has glass doors so I'm going to take out the glass and replace it with black grid wire. It's dark stained wood with a nice glossy finish. I figure I can stand necklace and bracelet card displays on the shelves and hang chain necklaces on hooks on one door....then hang longer hook earrings from the wire on the other door. Of course it will be displayed with the doors open. I recently went garage saling and picked up a pair of large round black metal candle holders with spiral legs. I'm going to place pretty river rocks in the trays and use the stands to feature a couple of my higher priced bracelets.

I plan on reusing the spackled paint can with the wire circle (shown in my previous post) to display pendant style chain necklaces. The HoneyBee festival might be the last time I use it for shows. It's heavy and it takes a long time to add the necklaces. I have some interesting ideas for future necklace displays involving lazy susans. I think people will like being able to turn the displays. Turning things, and rifling through baskets and bins always enhances my browsing experience at craft shows so I figure there must be other people who also enjoy rifling and spinning.

I'll post photos of my displays as soon as I have them ready.

Home Jewelry Parties

2008-06-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

I did a home jewelry party on Sunday June 22nd. The photo to the left shows one of the displays my daughter and I set up for the party. It was in a very pretty setting. I have 4 more upcoming home parties, and a two day festival booked for August 16/17. I'll post the festival information soon.

Wire Wrapped Rings

2008-05-21T03:03:00.000-07:00

People often ask me about the wire wrapped rings I make for a local nail salon. I don't post many in my Etsy shop, or on my RT.com website because I tend to conserve my ring making energy for the salon.

But, as a special treat to those who have asked, I added several new rings to my shop tonight along with some other pieces. Seventeen pieces to be exact. The ring shown in this entry is called River Ring. Kinda purty eh? If you'd like, you can check out the others in my Etsy shop.

The Mermaids are Sewing

2008-05-17T01:45:00.000-07:00

Imagine mermaids weaving adornments out of gifts from the sea. Shown is one of a few new bracelets I've made recently. I like pearls with warm colored metals such as copper and brass.

If you'd like to purchase a pretty from my Etsy shop, and get yourself a free gift at the same time, my FREE ring coupon has been posted at Etsy Secrets. Go check it out!

On a personal note I went shopping yesterday. For clothes and for bead supplies. Due to illness I've lost quite a bit of weight which means I'm swimming in all my pants, and I look kind of dorky because of it. So Friday being the day I bring new rings to the nail salon that carries some of my wire wrapped rings I figured I'd look in clothing shops while I was there.

After searching for awhile and not finding anything I liked it suddenly dawned on me that I have a plastic bin of 'skinny clothes' from waaaay back when stashed away in my closet. My heart leapt a bit as I remembered there were several pairs of jeans and a few tops in the bin. When I got home I went straight to my closet, and yep, there it was. Some of them actually fit! Are blue denim bootcut Levis still fashionable? Hell, what do I care! I'm just happy to be wearing pants that don't fall down.

What Inspires You?

2008-05-15T00:24:00.000-07:00

Inspiration is an interesting topic to me. I've noticed a few patterns to what inspires me. One of them being my inexplicable attraction to the color blue. This is strange to me because my favorite color is green. Yet, many of you will notice a lot of my jewelry pieces are blue. The color pulls me into the mysterious depths of my imagination.

I think of vast deep blue oceans, and velvety midnight blue skies filled with shimmering silver stars. In the oceans I swim. In the skies I fly. Blue helps me feel free. The feeling of freedom makes me feel calm. That's it! Calm. Blue calms me when I'm troubled. I suppose my attraction is no longer inexplicable. What inspires you?

The pendant is called 'True Blue' as in my true blue friend.

Secret Ring Coupon

2008-05-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

I've joined a new project. It's called Etsy Secrets. It's a blog that lists 'secret' discount coupons for Etsy shops. Keep your eyes on the look out for a special coupon from me on the Blue Swirl Secret Ring shown in this entry. Details about how to get the ring will be included with the post I make at Etsy Secrets *Ü*

Away Far Too Long

2008-05-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been far too long. Serious health issues with our dog Baer, then health issues with me, then long drawn out dental surgery preparations for me have kept me busy with my offline life. Hopefully, everything will be settled down again before the end of May. I'm itching to get back into a regular work routine. Not only that, but I've been thinking a lot about needing to blog on a regular basis.

Baer had severe pancreatitis. He almost didn't make it. He lost 26lbs! He's now on a diet that consists of only Royal Canin Low Fat dry kibble. He doesn't like the changes, but we refuse to waver no matter how many times he gives us those sad puppy dog eyes. I can't say enough wonderful things about the staff at Can West Critical Care Veterinary Clinic in Vancouver, B.C. They not only saved our dog's life they also saved our sanity. Thank you especially to Dr. Oliviera, Dr. Tallon, and Dr. Lang. Their patience, professionalism, and dedication was outstanding.

As for the bouquet of flowers shown above. They were a birthday gift from my dear online friend Heather =) I have the best online friends ever! Thank you! You all KNOW who you are!

Practice Makes Perfect. Right?

2008-02-21T09:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, so maybe not perfect, but I'm trying. I've been studying tips on how to improve my photography skills. There are so many little details to be mindful of when taking pictures, and much to my annoyance I'm not the type of person who can do this very easily. I thought I was edept at noticing life's little details, but it seems that's only true if the details aren't framed within my little view finder. Ack!

Thankfully the weather is warming up and I've been taking advantage of the natural light that pours down on my back porch in the early morning. I think my pictures are getting better. What do you think?

On another topic....a fellow Estian posted a fun poll asking people questions about necklaces. Preferred style, pendant or beaded....what type of clasp you like etc... The results were very informative. It's important to know these things when you make jewelry. I'll see if I can find the link to the poll and when/if I do I'll post it here.

Starting Over

2008-02-11T02:52:00.000-08:00

Ok so it's been awhile since I maintained this blog. I have opened a new Etsy shop for my jewelry and figured it was about time to get back to talking about the thing that I spend most of my time doing.

Some of the previous pictures I posted don't show up anymore. I must have deleted them from wherever they were being stored. Sorry about that. I'll try to remember not to do that anymore.

Swirled Heart Drops

2007-06-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

A few pieces have been added at RadianTrace Jewelry. Items numbered 105 through 111 are new today. I received permission to offer one of 19 custom designs I made for a client. If you're interested, go take a peek. Remember, all orders over $50.00 include a FREE surprise gift valued at $8.00, and all orders over $100.00 include a FREE surprise gift valued at $20.00! These FREE surprise gifts are high quality handcrafted items such as zipper pulls, keychains, earrings, and bracelets. Buy some pretties for yourself, and give the FREE gifts to family and friends.

If you'd like to leave comments or questions about my jewelry please feel free to do so in the picture section of Radian's myspace, or you can contact me at the email address listed on my RadianTrace Jewelry site.

Have a great weekend filled with many blessings . . . Ronnie

Harmony Necklace

2007-05-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

Several new pieces were added today. Items numbered 90 through 104. I received some really pretty Peruvian Pink Opal stones which I used to make 3 pieces that you can view in this update. Have I ever mentioned how much I love smokey quartz? Well I do! There a few pieces featuring large smokey quartz nuggets. Go take a peek at RadianTrace Jewelry.

Have a great week filled with many blessings . . . Ronnie

Water Themed Designs

2007-05-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

Several new pieces were added today at RadianTrace Jewelry. Many are in a Water Theme featuring the beautiful semi-precious gemstone labradorite with a few moonstones added for a little extra magic. The rainbow iridescent nature of labradorite reminds me of sunlight dancing upon the river. I hope you enjoy the new pieces.

Have a great weekend filled with many blessings . . . Ronnie

Jade Celtic Heart

2007-05-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

Hey there everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know items 72 through 77 were added today. The 10% off pearl items sale has been extended through to the summer time. Also, the Sold Gallery & the Custom Pieces sections have been updated. I've started a Client Gallery which currently resides in the pics section of my mypage profile page. The link can be found in the links column to your right.

If you purchased pieces of RadianTrace Jewelry, and would like to have a picture of you wearing it in the Client Gallery please contact me through my RT website. I love to see pictures of my clients wearing their new pretties!

Have a great weekend everyone . . . Ronnie

Mother's Day SALE

2007-04-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hey there everyone,

Just a quick note to let you know there's a sale going on right now at RadianTrace Jewelry. All pearl items are 10% off the listed price from now until Mother's Day. Stop by and select a special one of a kind piece just for Mom. Or send hubby over to show him that special piece you'd like for Mother's Day.

Just to let everyone know.....20 new pieces have been added since April 21st.

Behind The Scenes

2007-04-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

On the surface it might seem as if nothing is going on, but I'm very busy behind the scenes working on graphic orders, and custom jewelry pieces. I'm still in the planning stages for my separate RadianTrace Jewelry website. I can't get started on it full out yet until I get all pending graphic orders delivered. I did manage to design a really cool business card though so at least I moved one step in a positive direction toward my goal.

I really wish I hadn't fallen behind on graphic orders. The pressure to get caught up is eating away at my creativity. It couldn't be helped though. Family health issues don't coordinate themselves around my wishes. I'm relieved that everyone's okay for the moment. Our family needs a bit of a break from all the recent trauma.

I'm doing my best to keep myself calm and just breathe in and out and feel thankful that family members are on the mend.

Radian's MySpace Update

2007-04-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

I added a music player to RadianTrace's MySpace page. It allows you to add up to 76 songs which is really cool because there's so many great musicians around.....past and present. Visitors might notice some patterns to my taste in music. Bass, bass, bass, and more bass.....I like rumbling pounding music. And of course there's also the vocal genius of Chris Cornell. I love that man's voice!

Also, during my breaks in between working on graphic orders I'm working on a layout for my RadianTrace Jewelry site. I'm slowly transferring files over to the new domain. It will be a long drawn out process due to the fact that my breaks are only about a half hour long, and I have so many other obligations at the moment. I'm writing the html code for the site myself, and I need to resize all the photos to accomodate the new layout.

I'm really looking forward to having everything finally caught up. I have some great new designs I'm eager to create and display. Stay tuned folks.....

RadianTrace's Own Domain

2007-04-04T04:54:00.000-07:00

I did it. I finally took the plunge and purchased a separate domain for RadianTrace Jewelry. My jewelry designs will no longer be sharing space on the same website as my mousedrawn graphics. They can now be viewed at www.radiantrace.com. This is an early birthday present to myself. I figure I deserve something special to help me get through some of the rough stuff I'm going through. I feel a bit better knowing that I'm still moving forward with my dreams even though things are a little hectic right now. Bit by bit I'll get everything done that needs to get done.

Now all I need to do is steal some time from somewhere to set everything up properly. I'm looking into shopping cart scripts, and separating my mailing list into 3 different groups for updates on my 3 websites.

It's amazing how much better I feel having finally done this. I think this will help me get back on track with the work I have waiting to be completed.

Falling Behind Schedule

2007-04-02T06:01:00.000-07:00

I've fallen a bit behind schedule, and it's been a struggle for me to catch up. I may need to postpone taking on any more custom work until I can get myself more organized. I don't even have the full customs list published on my Jewelry site. I shipped out the last 3 custom pieces without taking pictures of them first. Yikes! I had so many other things on my mind when I finished the pieces, and apparently taking pictures wasn't one of them.

Two of the hurdles are that I make prepaid mousedrawn signature tags, and prepaid Posse Jewelry. I got caught up on the pre-paid jewelry orders and then I started working my way through the waiting list for pre-paid signature tags. Then my youngest son became extremely ill and was admitted to the hospital. Although he's out of the hospital now and living back home with me he suffered some irreversible brain damage which has devastated both of us. It's been a non-stop learning, and grieving process for both of us for 6 weeks now.

I've been learning about his limitations by living with him on a daily basis. There's more damage than I first realized. He's very child-like and requires a great deal of guidance and one on one attention. I don't have anywhere near the same amount of time each day to spend on making graphics and jewelry that I used to have before he became sick....and before he moved back home. I haven't really even had time to digest all of what's happened. I'm running on auto-pilot right now. I know there's light at the end of the tunnel, but in the mean time I hope my clients understand I'm doing the best I can to meet their requests.

I thank you all for your encouragement and support while I work my way through this process.

Interesting Order Pattern

2007-03-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that most of my clients who are ordering custom designs are ordering them as birthday gifts for friends and family. I find this very flattering. It pleases me to be able to make one of a kind special pieces for my clients' loved ones.

For me there's something very sacred about the process of translating someone's sentiments into a 3 dimensional wearable piece of jewelry. My greatest desire is to kick this up a few notches into creating one of a kind pendants shaped and molded from metal clay.

Nothing But Jewelry

2007-03-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

With the impending arrival of my RadianTrace Jewelry website I thought it would be nice to create a blog for me to announce new arrivals, and for me to discuss my obsession with jewelry.

Why did I choose the name 'RadianTrace' for my business? It was a username bestowed upon me years ago by an online friend. I wasn't making jewelry at the time. I had only just started making mousedrawn graphics. But later when I began making jewelry I imagined streams of swirling baubles and sparkles trailing behind the name RadianTrace whenever I saw it in print. It somehow fits my personality so it seemed like a done deal.

Although I make jewelry in many different styles and colors my favorites are black and silver. Most of my newer pieces are done in jet, onyx, obsidian, blackstone, and silver. I enjoy the creative challenge of making custom designs.

I'm currently working on improving my skills in creating one of a kind metal clay pendants and creating pieces using the wire wrapping technique. I also create polymer clay faeries so working with metal clay feels like a natural shift for me. I'm very tactile and I've been known to be fascinated by shiny objects. Hence the nickname Crow, or Magpie.