splitting hairs.

 november has been the best month i've had all year & makes up for some of the grayness that happened earlier this year and this summer.  i went out to sf for the spirit board show. i turned 30 and celebrated with my incredible philly friends, who surprised and honored me with amazing gifts. i released my first lookbook and launched an official site. my home studio really started coming together. i prepared for bloodmilk's first gallery show (which opens on friday for philly folks) & i've sold more pieces of bloodmilk in this past month than ever, by far. 

because of this, i'm incredibly busy, trying to keep my head above the bloody, milky sea. 

currently, i won't be able to have any overseas orders ready for christmas due to shipping, and most things from my shop i won't be able to have in time for stateside friends. if you are looking to purchase a gift for a friend / love in time for the holidays, please email me before doing so to check if it's possible. some things are tricker than others.

to remedy some of this: west coast people: please contact the folks at loved to death who have a large selection of my line or east coast people: check out catbird's website. they have a nice collection of pieces including a few you can only get on their site. 

i wish you all a happy december and again, thank you so much for supporting me with kind words, purchases and well wishes this past november!

xo

*image l. filimonov

For Melissa's Mom!

A personalized DSK Everything Bracelet made by me for Melissa's Mom this holiday.
Her birthday is in January making garnet red crystals the best choice for this custom bracelet.
This bracelet will be off to the UK very soon! : )

Happy holidays!

Happy Holidays Here & My 10-Year Salute to Braille's Best!

I probably shouldn't blab it on my own web blog, but, I do often tell people I have no business having a business!

Ten years ago, I flew to Shanghai to propel an order for 2000 (that company's minimum) braille hearts. I had no business 'plan,' and no idea if the hearts I designed for mass-produced would actually sell or if we would just end up with an expensive bunch of Christmas ornaments for our tree the following year.They sold!

It was also ten years ago that my husband and I stumbled (before everyone had a home computer) on a braille literacy conference being held in Philadelphia; definitely meaningful to have it in Freedom City - it was certainly where our own braille freedom was born!

Eric and I flew to Philly, leaving our two little boys with a university student the boys knew from the child care lab. Tucked into my purse was a little piece of paper I'd been wagging around for a couple of months; on it, I'd drawn a heart design with the word 'love' in braille amidst some lovely swashes culled from 17th century bookplates from one of Eric's old letter press books. I showed the drawing to a few people that weekend, and they were all encouraging me to continue pursuing the braille jewelry dream, as well as the dream of crossing over the bridge to braille with Ethan, who was four at the time. We couldn't imagine letting him go off into real braille literacy without us, any more than letting him go away to school!

That conference was an incredible turning point in our lives, and I couldn't be more proud to be able to help out the amazing people who pull this conference together every two years on a limited budget, by donating my time making the 'keys to knowledge'.

Over the net few days (and nights) I'll be casting 300 flying book-keys with the phrase "key to knowledge," and will be hanging them from book hooks, key rings and lovely, rich, deep-turquoise satin ribbon for tree ornaments.

Whew! Hopefully, that will leave me enough time to make (with help from my new high school pal/bff, Sally - thank you, dear : ) lots of fun pieces to take with me to exhibit at the Getting In Touch With Literacy conference next week.

I hope you'll be able to take some time to check out GITWL's site. At their conference you'll learn all kinds of things about braille literacy, contracted braille and where that's going with new global braille codes, as well as meeting lots and lots of wonderfully nice, talented, underpaid braille divas! (It's for the fun; they do it for the laugh's, right?!) And my favorite - meeting 'new' parents. <3

I hope you'll have a wonderful, family-and-love-filled holiday, everyone. Remember to call me if you want to place a special order, but keep in mind my little side trip to Louisville for GITWL, Dec. 7-10. Otherwise, I'll see you on the flip side of the calendar!

Cheers and best wishes,
Leslie, Eric, Ethan and Spencer

Paper and Structure Working Together - Jessica Beels Jewelry

Jewelry created by Jessica Beels is

innovative and imaginative.

She is a prolific artist with a distinctive style

that's recognizable by her signature

handmade paper and steel creations.

 On her blog she describes the many stages of her process
from building the armature, to making the flax and
mulberry paper, and finally adding surface treatments.
What is especially enlightening is to understand how
part of the process includes having
the stretched paper distort the form of
the underlying structure as it dries.

I make handmade paper from overbeaten flax and mulberry (kozo and gampi) fiber and place it, still wet, over reed or wire armatures. The paper shrinks radically as it dries, leaving a taut, transparent skin on the pieces. I particularly like the way high-shrinkage paper distorts its armature, lending an element of unpredictability to the process of completing each piece.  Often, I print the wet paper with inks and paints and, when the paper is dry, infuse the surface with wax to seal it and enhance its translucence. I am intrigued with how the opaque and sometimes reflective quality of the inks contrasts with the glow of the paper fibers.

Here are some examples of how

diffused light passes through the paper

and shows the hidden structure

underlying the design.

One can see how the paper

shrinks and wraps tightly

around her frameworks.

Continuous structural experimentation
has led this artist to
explore ever more diverse,
unpredictable and intricate designs.

Complex and creative things emerge from

these explorations, and by
using a narrow color range the focus
is directed to the shapes and textures.

It's obvious that her work is
inspired by many biological forms.
It allows for endless exploration of
nuanced shapes and silhouettes.

We found out on the artist's website that
some of her newest pieces are
 currently on exhibit

at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut.
x

The exhibition is called,

"Bijoux: The Origins and Impact of Jewelry"
and explores a broad view of the materials
that have been used in jewelry
over the centuries "from bones and fossils, to diamonds
and . . . explores the ingenuity of artists
to create adornment from a host of materials,
from the common to the sublime."
x

This artist's contribution to the exhibit is
" a three-piece jewelry set of paper-over-steel
work with pearls and gold leaf. The necklace is a spiky
Elizabethan-collar-inspired piece with echoes
of sea urchins and horseshoe crabs;
the bracelet is an open sea urchin form;
the earrings are a two-tiered spiky blossom form."


If you look closely, you can see the pearls
she has hand sewn into the corners.
What she doesn't mention is the fact that
these pieces are made with
 seaweed-infused papers.
It adds to the marine life aesthetic.

There is no doubt her innovative and distinctive
 style stands out in any crowd.
We can almost feel the spirit of the
artist in each piece.

x

"Bijoux: The Origins and Impact of Jewelry"

 runs until March 11, 2012

and more information can be found at the
Bruce Museum's website.
x

You can also find additional images
and information at the artist's website.

The Art Bead Love Tour is on its way.............

Before I announce the winner, I would like to thank you all for helping us to spread the word, and for your desire to participate.

Don't worry, you will have many more chances to be a part of this, perhaps endless chances.  You can always come back to our site at any time, and click the Follow the Love Chain button on the left hand side.  That will always take you to the blog of the person who currently has the chain.  (The Art Bead Love Tour button will always take you to the orignal post, so you can copy and paste instructions for the next giveaway.)   I am really excited to see where this goes, and takes us, and who we may meet along the way.

So, without further ado, the winner, and person who will kick off the Art Bead Love Tour is..............................................

(picked by random.org)

 #11

Lorelei Eurto!  Congratulations Lorelei!  I know this chain will find many new art beads in your hands. 

Please contact me at staci.louise@hotmail.com with your address. 

A big huge thank you to all of you, and a Bon Voyage to our lovely chain.

Bermuda Helix Necklace

Bermuda Helix Necklace
16" (40cm) .925 Sterling Silver Helix Chain Necklace
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystal
$48

I'm trying to get more of the Sterling Silver Helix Necklaces in stock. :)



Scarlet Red
16" (40cm) .925 Sterling Silver Small Helix Chain Necklace
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystal
$38

Scarlet Red
18" (45cm) .925 Sterling Silver Small Helix Chain Necklace
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystal
$40

November's Pendant Set
Swarovski Crystals, Sterling Silver
$40

daily bleed.

these days:

christina has been mounting the prints for friday's show. i can't believe it's only a few days away! if anyone's interested in possibly purchasing a print, they are mounted on wood and won't be available online. please send an email my way: jlschnabel@gmail.com for those of you who've asked about purchasing a printed version of the lookbook, we are looking into options we are all happy with & will have details soon.

the best tree house i've ever seen. conjured from childhood day dreams, it's up outside of philly where my love's family lives. there are nuclear cooling stacks down to the left. very eerie. 

black obsidian tombs. coming soon with rose gold & gloomy silver versions.

venus fly trap birthday gift from amber lynn.

part of my current studio landscape.

lavinia.

i recently went to see 'sleep no more' with my love for pre-birthday celebrations. more on this incredible experience soon.

joan of arc near the philly art museum and close to my home. i pass her everyday & make a wish.

the oracle will be making appearances this holiday season for some of you!

more from my studio. when i get frustrated or stuck on work, i move things around. 

i netted some more three sided quartz pyramids. the first crystal tomb necklace will be available again soon.

The Promise Bracelet and Necklace

"The Promise Bracelet"
7" .925 Italian Sterling Silver Heart Link
Sterling Silver Heart Clasp
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystals
$40

Match the bracelet with the Promise Necklace!

"The Promise Necklace"
16" (40cm) .925 Sterling Silver Heart Link
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystals
$45

"The Promise Necklace"
18" (45cm) .925 Sterling Silver Heart Link
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystals
$50

Happy holiday shopping!

Guest post - Jeannette Brossart

Inspiration Unexpected

by Jeannette Brossart

I just returned from a 10 day trip to Italy. I had saved and planned for sometime, mainly going for a mosaic course, but also a couple days in Venice. I am a mosaic artist. I do many types of mosaic work from jewelry to large scale architectural and sculptural work. It’s really the MAKING that I love so much, assembling the pieces in infinite combinations. Each experience and outcome is unique.

I did see a wealth of beautiful mosaics on my journey. There are amazing Byzantine mosaics from the 5^th century in Ravenna (where the course was), and also an incredible International exhibit of contemporary mosaic works . Of course there were some breathtaking mosaics at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice. These works are masterful and iconic, a perfect meld of art and craftsmanship, durable and beautiful with their 24K gold highlights.

You would think that I would come home with my camera’s memory card full of mosaic photos…

What I came home with was photo after photo of windows, doors, porticos, roof lines, cobblestone patterns, architectural details galore. The color and texture combinations were eye catching at every corner. Peeling paint, damp with Venetian fog and sea, juxtaposed with crumbling brick and green algae, wrought iron hardware and hard lines blending with curved glassy panes… this is what drew my attention. Reflections of bubbles, iridescent against the brackish water of the canal, shiny black lacquered gondolas enveloped in the mist. A store selling bath soaps that looked like pastry with crumbly edges and whipped toppings. These are the images that stay with me from my trip. These are the images that are already swirling and working their way into mosaics in my head.

Maybe it was the richness of contrasts that made such an impact on me. Maybe I was taking comfort in the mundane in a place so potentially overwhelming with beauty and art. Whatever it is, I will embrace it, and will challenge myself with the residue of this unexpected inspiration in my work for the new year.

Visit Jeannette at

www.mothernaturemosaics.com

Facebook at Mother Nature Mosaics by Jeannette Brossart

www.jeannettebrossartflow.blogspot.com

first friday

this first friday here in philly at 309 gallery in olde city located at 309 cherry street, photographer christina brown will be showing large scale images from the lookbook, 'the conjurer' along side curated cabinets of my jewels along side personal objects from my collection and objects from paul romano's & jeremy hush's home & studios. this will be the first time i've ever shown my personal collection of my jewelry in a gallery setting, meaning that some of the jewels will show the wear i've placed on them over time while others illuminate the ethereal elegance of the rose gold plating. if you live near philly i would love to see you at the opening this friday from 6-9. the show is open until january 15th of the new year.

xo.

November Art Spark Winner

The winner of the November Art Spark is Deborah Lee Taylor of e5jewelry! The theme this month was gratitude and Deborah created this beautiful silver pendant called Cornucopia of Hope in memory of an act of kindness when she most needed it. This is what Deborah had to say about her creation:

I was sitting in the home depot parking lot about to go in the store, and the way the cold morning air felt , and the sun shining through the autumn leaves brought a memory back so clear to my mind, I was instantly inspired to make this piece for the challenge. Have you ever met someone who's act of kindness and trust leave an imprint on your heart forever? I did, many moons ago...at a time when I had lost all hope. I will forever be grateful for having met this person at that time in my life. We were complete strangers to one another, and through her selfless acts of kindness and trust, she brought hope back to my heart. I will never know her name, but she is in my prayers always. I am grateful for hope in my heart and hope in the world. If we did not have hope, we wouldn't have much of anything.. We hope for health, happiness and love for others and ourselves. We hope the best for our children. We hope to see the sun after the rain, the flowers in spring.. for our families to be together.. We all hope for peace in this world... Hope is the spark in all things to be grateful for.

Many thanks, Deborah for sharing your very touching story.

*Extended!* Cyber Monday Love! Free Shipping!

Cyber Monday Love!
[Light Rose AB Necklace (Small & Medium Hearts Swarovski Crystals)]
16" (40cm) .925 Sterling Silver Necklace
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystals
$40 + Free shipping on this necklace!

Cyber Monday Love!
[Light Rose AB Necklace]
18" (45cm) .925 Sterling Silver Necklace
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystals
$45 + Free shipping on this necklace!

Quantities Limited!

Cyber Monday Moonlight
[Bubbi's Moonlight Necklace (Large Heart Swarovski Crystal)]
16" (40cm) .925 Sterling Silver Heart Link Necklace
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystal
$50 + Free shipping on this necklace!

Cyber Monday Moonlight
[Bubbi's Moonlight Necklace (Large Heart Swarovski Crystal)]
18" (45cm) .925 Sterling Silver Heart Link Necklace
Engraved Silver DSK Jewelry Tag
Swarovski Crystal
$55 + Free shipping on this necklace!

Free shipping worldwide on the Cyber Monday DSK Jewelry necklaces.

Happy holiday shopping season to you!!