new website and new film shots

Hi everyone! Just a quick post here today to let you know that you can take a peek at the new Camp + Quarry website which I'll be launching officially in mid-September. This is the place to check up on my travels and see some of the new pieces that I've been working on lately. Let me know if you find anything weird going on over there! It's all still pretty new!

The picture above was taken in Stanley Park on my Fed 5 rangefinder camera a couple of weeks ago. To see more just head over to the new Camp + Quarry journal. Many new things on the horizon, some of which you can read about on the new site, which is still technically a work-in-progress.

Here's a song for you today, too. Kind of a nice summer wind down thing from the new XX album:

i feel better

This is old and I'm behind the times, but here it is. Hoping some of you haven't seen this and if you have, well, maybe it'll just get you excited about the new Hot Chip album.

chain chain chain

Hi friends and readers, I need your help! It's time to update a Camp + Quarry classic and I can't choose between the three chains that are in the running to complete the new edition of the C+Q dipped crystal necklaces. I have my favourite, but which one do you like best?

P.S. I recently made two purchases on Etsy that I'm very excited about! Take a look at these fantastic shops and items here and here. Have a great weekend (long weekend if you're 'merican)!

summer

I am ready for summer.

I am also here today. Thank you Kait and Vitamin Daily for the feature.

monday

I rode my bike the 30km or so return trip to work today. Stopped to take this picture from the Burrard Bridge on the way home. It was finally summer here (at least for today) and tonight I got caught up on online orders. Camp + Quarry packages are headed off to places like Poland, Finland, and New York, New York. I always love tallying up the destinations. Tomorrow I have metalsmithing class and plan to buy a nice ball-peen hammer. That's my life right now: jewelry. What's new with you?

P.S. Jeff invented a union for the dog tonight, it's called C.A.T.S. (Canine Association of Trades and Services) Local 604. Your dogs can join, too. Power in numbers, my friends.

Got Craft? Spring 2012

I unveiled a lot of new pieces at Got Craft? today and sold out of many of my favourites. Dipped crystals, rutilated quartz, and fluorite pieces were among the most popular, but scarves, cave explorers, and more are off to good homes, too. Thanks to all who came out and supported local makers! I had a great day and was happy to meet so many new people and see some familiar faces, too. If you were there, I hope you had fun day, too. Now to watch many episodes of Downton Abbey (so good!!!) and eat ice cream.

Hey, it's after 8PM and it's still light out. Best day ever! Thanks to Laura and Jeff for all their help today. And to Andrea and Rob for another great show!

update

I put together a small shop update last night, with more stuff on the way. For now you'll find new silver dipped amethyst core samples and druzy pendants, with more on the way! As I prepare for Got Craft? I'll make new things available on Etsy, too. I'm excited to share some new pieces and new metalsmithing skills that I've been working on soon!

This little piece of amethyst is from my recent trip to Nova Scotia. This little beauty was picked up by a local collector along the north shore of Nova Scotia. Love the texture.

thank you

Thank you for keeping me busy these days! I am so overwhelmed by all of the encouragement you guys offer and your interest in my work. It really means a lot, thank you! I'm learning new things these days and am excited to show you some sterling silver and stone pieces in progress. Moss agate and chalcedony all the way, people! Prep for Got Craft? on May 6th continues. Check out this fun little feature from Delish Mag about C+Q and other great Got Craft? vendors if you have a chance.

rear window

via Uppercase

postcards

I just finished designing and ordering my swag for the upcoming Got Craft? show that's happening here in Vancouver in early May. A few limited edition postcards may be available in the Camp + Quarry shop soon, too. I designed one that said "GET LOST" but thought it could be read the wrong way. Here's to the upcoming summer of adventure!

home movies

home movies from the 1930s from the Nova Scotia Archives

homecoming

Images from the Nova Scotia Archives.

packaging

thinking out loud

I'm still here

Most evenings and weekends I can be found here, turing this:

 into this (and much, much worse, I promise...):

I hope you'll excuse my absence. It's time for some recalibration on my part. I've noticed I'm not the only one stepping away from the internet (and especially the blogger dashboard) recently. I have some exciting ideas about what this space might look like and be in the near future. I really dislike apology posts and told myself I'd never do one, but I think you deserve an explanation for the lack of posts. Call it busy-ness, but what it really is is a desire to not waste time. I've been focusing on knitting projects and jewelry making and work and spending quality time with Jeff and Lola and my camera has been left at home more often than not. I'm still here, though. Still thinking about how I can make this space engaging and productive. I think spring will bring on some much needed changes. I think it will be exciting times. I think I am finished with winter and want to get on with 2012 Phase II already. How about you? 

dipped crystals

Spring is in the air every once in a while here in Vancouver...the rain is a bit warmer, there are crocuses popping up everywhere. I've even ridden my bike to work a couple of times and I am a wimp when it comes to riding in the cold or on rainy days. With longer days and warmer weather, I've been working on orders that are headed off to Portland, Montreal, and Ottawa, respectively. There will also be some select Camp + Quarry at a certain bookshop in Winnipeg and Saskatoon...details coming soon. Having so many pieces ready to go, I took the opportunity to update some shop photos and wanted to share them here. I still really, really, really wish I had a new camera with better macro abilities, but with a little photoshopping I can usually get my pictures to look passable.

I love these stones. So much variation. My favourite one right now is a gold dipped clear quartz that has a bit of a tangerine inclusion (you can see it in one of the shots below). I'm saving it for my next online order of that listing. These guys are all live in the Camp + Quarry Etsy shop now-ish. Have a wonderful Sunday!

five friday favourites

A few awesome things to share with you today: some new Etsy favourites (and beyond) and an M.I.A. video that my friends Jacqui and Blair introduced me to. It's a good Friday kinda song.

Translucent porcelain cups by stepanka on Etsy seem like the perfect tea cup to me. These blue quartz Astrid earrings from Katie Diamond Jewelry are blowing my mind (I love the studs, too). The new Yokoo-related Etsy store "Mother" is rad. The Travail Apron is perfect, as are many of the other creations. Check Mother out if you haven't already (discovered via For Me, For You). And finally, I've been working on a knitting project using Brooklyn Tweed's Shelter yarn. It's my first lace piece and I'm down to just needing to graft and block...both of which I have little to no experience with and so I've been putting it off. I love checking out the Brooklyn Tweed blog for knitting inspiration. And their made in the USA yarn is beautiful in person.

february photos

my view today  |  a stranger  |  words  |  hands  |  dinner  |  10AM  |  button

My first week of participating in the february photo a day challenge (#febphotoaday). I think this is the first winter that I've really noticed how limited our daylight hours are here in Canada (even in the south of Canada). So many of my pictures suffer from poor lighting right now, though the mornings are much brighter. When I have some daylight this weekend I plan to spend lots of time with my camera. I have organic cotton scarves to photograph, new jewelry to share, and a plant conservatory that I really want to visit for a photoshoot. Always so many plans, so little time. I hope you enjoy these first seven photos from the photo challenge. They were all taken with my iPhone 4S. Mostly on the way to work. Onwards! Friday!

silk scarves

As I mentioned yesterday I had Friday off and was able to catch up on some projects that have been in the back on my mind for many, many weeks. Dyeing these silk scarves was one of those projects. Both are 29" x 29" silk with a rolled hem. I dyed them in a very concentrated dye to achieve this subtle lavender colour. I could see wearing one of these on a spring day as a light extra layer. I also have some new organic cotton scarves to share (I'm psyched!!!) but they're not quite ready yet. These silk dudes will be in the Camp + Quarry shop soon. Have a great Saturday!

a friday favourite

I have this amazing, spring-like Friday off today and am going to use it to drop some jewelry off in Gastown and work on some new organic cotton scarves. Lola and I already went on a nice long walk and found some snowdrops and got some much needed Vitamin D and exercise. Today is the perfect day to have off and the perfect day for this song. Enjoy and happy weekend!