Fluff and Ruff on Etsy reopens

Well, well, well, here we are again. It's been a long two years since I last blogged and I hope to renew that habit and write on a regular basis now that I have reopened Fluff and Ruff on Etsy.

I suspect a lot has happened to you in these two years and the same is true for me. Life keeps rolling at us, doesn't it? The biggest news for me is that I have recently retired from teaching high school English. It was impossible to concentrate on my outside artistic endeavors during the teaching years, which is why I closed the shop in 2016. Like most other teachers, I was consumed with lesson planning, monitoring students' progress, assessing and grading, and anticipating the impending teacher evaluations (which happened formally four times per year in my district). It has been a real luxury, then, to concentrate on designing and creating upcycled beach glass jewelry and other cool stuff at Fluff and Ruff on Etsy. You will find pendants, cuffs, earrings, and more. Who doesn't love beach glass?

There's also a new motto at my shop: "Every summer has its own story." After the brutal winter we've endured, I think it's about time that we indulge our daydreams of warm breezes, cold drinks, and laid-back beach vibes. Until I write again, enjoy the warming temperatures and remember that summer is indeed a state of mind (especially in the parts of the country where winter lasts six months). Start your summer story TODAY. Take a minute to visit Fluff and Ruff on Etsy, look around for a while, and if you're so inclined, LIKE and SHARE.

Here's the link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/fluffandruff **All my best** --Gigi

Fluff & Ruff surf bracelets Summer 2013

Catch a wave, even if you are stuck inside the cubicle during the weekdays, with the new surf bracelets at F&R. So much fun and more to come. Stand by . . . additional designs emerging from the studio soon.

Finding inspiration is a process, not a task

        The last two weeks, I've been trying to build some inventory for the fall shopping season and even managed to fit in my first 5K mud run, so it's been a whirlwind. Today will be one of those days where I simply do some "market research" (i.e., scour Pinterest and Google and Artfire, etc.) to see what inspiration I can find. 

There are some amazing artists out there, but I am determined to separate myself from the pack in some way. After a year on Etsy, I'm trying to identify my own signature style and am crossing my fingers that I'm on that track. So far, it's leaning toward lots of wire-wrapped beads and beach glass. I'm hoping for an epiphany, wherein my stuff is miraculously transformed into something immediately identifiable. You know, sort of like Coco Chanel, but with beach glass?  

So far, no epiphany . . .  But no worries. After all, this is a process, not merely a task, and I am enjoying it thoroughly. Be sure to stop by again later. I feel that my Coco Chanel moment is on the horizon.  Fingers crossed and my metaphorical GPS is set . . . See you soon!    ~~Gigi

Torching and hammering well into the night

      And so continues the new endeavor: learning how to enamel copper jewelry. I am also redoubling attention paid to proportion, texture, color, and balance in each piece. This bracelet is not quite done, but I wanted to document the process/progress. What you don't see is the word "peace" stamped on the reverse side of the enameled blank. More similar designs to come, so stand by. ~~G

Enameled copper is trending at F&R

Fluff & Ruff earrings = sparkling simplicity

A productive day!

Well, I've already posted a bit today (hadn't done so since May), but what the heck. Summer break is on and I'm trying to get inspired . . . Here is the postscript to my blog from this morning. Copper bracelet, forged and hammered, plus some beach glass which will become something-or-other (TBD). All my best, ~~Gigi