Raw - Wednesday Wishlist

raw :
a. Being in a natural condition; not processed or refined: raw wool. See Synonyms at crude.
b. Not finished, covered, or coated: raw wood. See Synonyms at rude.
c. Not having been subjected to adjustment, treatment, or analysis
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/raw


Raw Rock Herkimer Diamond Adjustable Silver Ring by YukoDesigns


Leather Clutch - RUSTIC - Triple Leaves over Smoky Black with Raw Edge by TheFigLeaf


Raw cotton gathered pillow cover - Garden life by RedMush


Raw - OOAK Wire Wrapped Apatite Labradorite, Moonstone, Aquamarine and Quartz Sterling Silver Necklace by Theori


Gray Raw Silk Crocheted Sash - OOAK by eninaj


Raw Diamond Hanging Earrings by valkasinskas


Up and At 'Em Sweet Coffee Sugar Scrub by ScarletIvySoaps

Friday Friends - Dusty Divas - Ruby Tombstone

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Happy Friday ! Welcome dear readers to another edition in the Dusty Divas series. It is a beautiful sunny winters day in my part of the world. What a mad week it has been ! Work has been super busy but I took some time out yesterday to have lunch with my dear friend Del from over at DELicious Designz. It was nice to catch up, even if only for a short time.

I wonder, how many of you got to watch the "Go Back To Where You Came From" refugee experimental documentary on SBS this week ? I found it heartwrenching and wondered at times how humanity could have sunk this low. Then speaking to an acquaintance yesterday I was absolutely shocked to hear that her view was that boat people should go back to where they from. Where is the humanity, the compassion, the empathy for others - I wondered if ignorance and fear breeds contempt for people in this situation. Anyway, enough of my rant, and I shall gracefully climb down off my soapbox now.

This week, it is my pleasure to introduce you to a DUSTer from the "dark side" - meet the talented Ruby Tombstone !



One thing I have noticed about Ruby Tombstone is her sense of humour. I am almost convinced to sign up to twitter to follow Ruby Tombstone's tweets, they made me laugh out loud, which doesn't happen too often. They describe things that the everyday craft addict goes through.........these are three of my faves

just listed something on Etsy & in doing so, convinced myself that I really ought to keep it. Saleswoman fail.

Oooookay then. Just squeezed a pimple & glitter came out. It's time to admit I have a crafting problem.

Is it wrong to be drinking an "Up & Go" liquid breakfast shake at 11pm?

Ruby Tombstone makes amazing pieces - thinks Zombies meets Pin Up Girls or Undead meets Burlesque - all in amazing macabre Technicolour ! These quirky creations aren't for the faint of heart. And a warning, this blog post may contain adult themes including horror.

Here's what I am talking about.

I covet this one of a kind BEACH BABE Pin Up Girl Necklace, Red & White Stripe Choker



and a girl can NEVER have too many hair accessories - loving this VAMP Leopard Bat PVC Bow, Reflective Hair Band, in Red and Purple



this ZOMBABY "GRACE" Zombie Baby Cake Topper is certainly not for the faint of heart - it would make a fab Birthday Cake Centrepiece for a die-hard horror fan !



I am impressed by the composition of this SILLY WALKS one of a kind Steampunk Pendant (possibly due to my love of Monty Python)



and looking for something for the goth girl in your life that has everything - how about this one of a kind MOSTLY ARMLESS Zombie Cameo Necklace ?



My dear readers...........if you dare.........read on......and learn more about the wonderful creations and inspirations of Ruby Tombstone ! Have a fantastic weekend all xo

PS you must check out Ruby Tombstones Nail Art kits too - they rock !



Tales from the Ruby Tombstone Crypt

Who is Ruby Tombstone ?



Ruby Tombstone is a zombie girl, eternal roller derby Fresh Meat, purveyor of dark & wonderful objects, horror fanatic, vintage fashion enthusiast & friend of the living dead. In my other life, I am a full-time public servant with a passion for Australian Indigenous cultures, and a degree in Community Development. I work with community-based programs, many of them in remote communities.

How and when did your handmade journey begin ?



Believe it or not, it started with buttons! I had been selling vintage clothing and nail art kits on eBay for a couple of years and was looking for bulk lots of vintage gear to restock my store. I came across a few bulk lots of vintage buttons in various tins, and flashed back to being a kid and playing with Mum's old button tin.



I bid on all of them, thinking I'd only win one or two, and lo and behold I won them all! Then I went to visit my mother and she gave me the old tin full of buttons I had played with as a kid! So from then on, and I had to find something to make with the buttons, so I started searching for findings, which led me to vintage cabochons.....and I just couldn't stop buying craft supplies. Now I have a house full of plastic crates!

What inspires you ?



Everything - that’s the problem! I see things and think, “Ooooh. I bet I could make something out of that”. Hence the ever growing pile of plastic crates!

What media do you work with - do you have a favourite ?



I really like to do a little bit of everything. Once I’ve tried one medium, I can’t wait to move onto the next. I’ve worked with vintage glass slides, optical lenses, photographic negatives, clay, fabric, metal, plastic, polystyrene, foam, paints, felt, beads, vintage toys - you name it!



I’m self taught, so half the fun for me is figuring out how the different media work, and how far I can push them. That’s also why I make only one-of-a-kind pieces. I want to keep stretching myself in new directions.

What kind of things do you make ?



I describe my pieces as cupcakes & cleavers, blood & burlesque, vintage & venom! I like making rockabilly, kawaii, gothic, victoriana, kitsch and horror themed pieces. My pieces are generally quite feminine, but with an edge. Lately I’ve been playing a lot with vintage toys. Then making things out of them!



My signature pieces are necklaces constructed from ribbon lengths and hoops that open & close. You can move the sections of ribbon around, move the pendants around, make the necklace shorter, longer or just completely different. With more than one necklace, the pieces are interchangeable too. I think in this economy, it's good to have versatile pieces that can be worn different ways.



I'm currently working on accessories for a Halloween wedding in the US. I'm having so much fun with it, I think there will be more kooky bridal creations in my shop very soon!

Do you have a favourite piece that you have made ?

Whatever I happened to have worked on last is usually my favourite. That's the problem with doing one-of-a-kind pieces - it's actually really hard to say goodbye to some of them when they sell! I do love "Poor Gladys",



a zombie memento mori piece I finished recently. I constructed a whole back story for the poor, doomed woman. There's a scrap from her dress, some beads from her jewelry, some smears of blood - which is actually my own. I had to stab myself in the hand 5 times before I could get a single drop of blood. Then afterwards I couldn't stop bleeding. Art is pain, I guess!

What are your future plans/dreams/aspirations ?



I started out on Etsy trying my hand at being an artist. Now that I’m comfortable with that side of things, I’ve started focusing more on the business aspects of the shop. Like most of us I would love to craft full-time at some point, but I love my day job too . As long as I’m learning new things and being challenged, I’ll be happy.


What is your favorite quote (funny, inspirational - anything!)?



"It's an ill wind which blows no minds" (Robert Anton Wilson)

What’s going on in your life right now?



I’m madly listing as many things as I can in both my shops. My cat needs treatment for tumour on her leg, so I’ll be taking her to Brisbane for radiation therapy for 4 weeks.



It’s a long trip, and an expensive one, so I’m taking as many orders as I can to raise the funds we need.For more info on Ruby’s fundraising quest, check out her blog post on Ruby’s Brraaiinn:

http://rubytombstone.blogspot.com/

Shop here :

Ruby Tombstone Etsy:

http://www.rubytombstone.etsy.com

Ruby Tombstone eBay:

http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/RubyTombstone

Connect with Ruby on Facebook :

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ruby-Tombstone/202450008031

or follow Ruby Tombstone on Twitter:

@RubyTombstone

Fruit Salad Wednesday Wishlist

Are you getting enough fruit in your diet everyday ? Here are some delightful finds -they may not be very nutritious but they are awesome ! Enjoy some Fruit Salad, with a Wednesday Wishlist freshly picked by Maddabling xo


love fruit by MahtabGrimshaw


Half of an Orange pin cushion. Needle felted by oiolin


Strawberry Coin Purse with red polka dot cotton by michellechan1010



Folded Paper Pineapple by NoiNoiCrafts


Apple ukulele ( applelele )by celentanowoodworks


Dark Chocolate Dipped Orange Slices by CricklewoodChocolate



Pears series. "Pear line up" by melisamu


Cheery Cherry Earrings by MelsHandmadeThings


Once Bitten Apple Brooch - Salvaged Timber Wood by JettasNest


Juicy Fruit Miniature Fruits Vial Fairy Bottle Vial Pendant by strawberryanarchy

Friday Friends - Dusty Divas - Handmade Jewellery by Angelene

Welcome to another Friday dear readers.

How were your collective weeks ? I was laid up with a winter lurgy for the first part of the week, so will be taking it easy this weekend. And what better excuse to take it easy - I received my copies of *bespoke* and Peppermint Magazines in the post, can't wait to read them ! If you haven't checked these publications out, perhaps you should, they are full of creative and vintage things !

This week, I want you to meet an artisan that I have been a fan of for a long time. In fact, one of my most treasured handmade items was made by this lovely DUSTer. I will share that with you in a moment.

Meet Dusty Diva and Friday Friend - Ange

from

Handmade Jewellery by Angelene.


Ange's work is stunning and very intricate. I want to share with you two of my current favourites from Ange's store; the beautifully simple yet elegant Sterling Silver Bow Bracelet,



and these gorgeous Black Spinel Gemstone Briolette Sterling Silver Earrings .

I have in my personal collection the stunning The Full Moon Sterling Silver and Turquoise Necklace which was a birthday gift a couple of years ago from my darling Hubby - isn't it just amazing ?



Dear Readers - I encourage you to see for yourself Ange's wonderful pieces, as you browse through the Angelene Archives and see all the pretty shiny things ....oops got distracted ! Have a wonderful weekend xo



The Angelene Archives

Hi, my name is Ange, and I’m awesome :P

I am a fulltime public servant, part time small business woman (Ange’s Spray Tanning) and sometime hobby jeweller. I’ve been making jewellery (beading) since I was a kid, stringing together seed beads on my dad’s fishing wire then begging someone to tie a nice tight knot for me! I’m sure everyone was sick of that, but I was pretty generous with my creations. I’m sure my mother and sister still have some floating around somewhere.



I’m inspired very randomly – I’ll see a shape or a colour somewhere and immediately my mind starts ticking on a design. Sometimes I sketch my designs, and sometimes I just see where the wire takes me. I’m often inspired by the gems or crystals I work with – their shape and colour often dictates. I do tend towards organic shapes with curves and swirls.



My preferred media include sterling silver, goldfill and genuine gemstones and Swarovski crystals. Gemstones are immediately precious and have a range of healing properties. Swarovskis are just shiny and pretty. It depends on my mood really.



My most treasured work to date is Ophelia in the Water (http://www.etsy.com/listing/45719687/necklace-wearable-art-wire-wrapped). Excuse the pun of the name, but I couldn’t name it anything else. Ophelia is from the Shakespeare play Hamlet and she drowns herself in the story (hence the water and swirling design). Like most Shakespeare plays it’s beautiful and tragic, tending on the macabre. I hope that doesn’t sound too pretentious! I don’t mean to be !



My future plans are to keep finding time for jewellery making in between my other pursuits (work, tanning business, getting married, finishing renovation and doing a year long round the world trip) – I don’t want my jewellery to get too serious – I think it wouldn’t be as fun if it was my fulltime job.



Here's how you can connect with Angelene !

Shop here :

Online store: http://angelene.etsy.com

Follow on Facebook :

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AngeleneEtsy

Check out Ange's Webpage :

Webpage: http://angelene.com.au