Christmas tree ornaments and Fundraiser!

It's the holiday season again and, once again, Hillary has decorated her tree with festive Happy Hippy ornaments! We also wanted to remind you of our annual fundraiser for Child's Play, a charity who helps out children's hospitals around the world.  Until Dec 30th, 20% of all sales will be donated to Child's Play.  In addition, if you use the coupon code childsplay2012, you will get 25% off your order.

I love decorating my tree and I love super bright, super colorful christmas decorations but, as you can see, I also love small trees.  As a result, I need my ornaments to be light weight and somewhat small but still vibrant, significantly noticeable and beautiful.  This is where my ability to create my own ornaments really comes in handy.


I create each of my beaded ornaments by hand, carefully selecting beads and using creative wire working, just like I would for my pendants.

If you like what you see here, and would like your own, you can purchase one from my shop.  We hope you enjoyed seeing the ornaments.  I would love to see your awesome trees and handmade ornaments as well.  You can email pictures to hippybeads@gmail.com!

 

Interview with D. Antonia Truesdale of The Midnight Orange

Today we are featuring an interview with D. Antonia Truesdale, a talented artist whom Hillary discovered one late night on etsy.  Hillary was immediately touched by the beauty and openness of the art and was even more touched by the stories shared on her page.


First, please tell everyone what you create.
I'm a sculpture artist and through clay I create small figurines that aim to depict life journeys which mold us into who we become as people. My sculptures capture life, love, loss, fragility, and triumph and allow us to define our personal experiences with something tangible and touchable which we can relate to.

 Where did your journey with art start?

As with any artist, I think we see our roots emerging in early childhood. That said, my journey truly began when I was 16 years old. I was emancipated from my parents and living on my own without government assistance. I did work a part time job while finishing high school, but it was not enough money to make ends meet so I began making jewelry and small altered art pieces which I would bring to school and sell at the lunch tables. At that point it really became part of my livelihood and vital to who I was. Once I graduated college and got a full time job, I no longer needed the income I earned from it but at the same time I sensed I *needed* to create artwork, as much as I needed sunlight. Creation helps me thrive and balances me as a person. 

Why clay? Have you tried other mediums/art forms?
I have worked in many mediums and liked them very much, but I never loved a medium like I love clay. There is something very therapeutic in the process and clay has been the easiest and most natural form of expression for me. 

Your sculptures tackle a variety of subjects, some that seem very personal and some that are often considered taboo. Please tell everyone some of the subjects of your art and why you sculpt those things.
My subjects vary and touch all aspects of life, and I aim to face my art with honesty and bravery. This approach at times brings me to the darker areas of life that people have either experienced or been lucky enough not to. Along with my brighter sculptures, I do create some that pose as healing pieces for grief and child loss, physical and sexual abuse, heartache, and depression. While many of these pieces appear to dwell in sadness, I found that having these emblems to relate to is important and necessary. The next question is a good way for me to segue into why I feel that way. 

How did you get to this personal, emotional place with your art? Was it something that happened immediately, or did it develop over time?
In 2008 I struggled in my own darkness and felt no one could relate to me in my rawness. Many people expected me to heal on a timeline and I felt very isolated. At that time I didn't work too much in clay but I had a couple blocks in my studio. I didn't know what would come out of that session but I watched it unfold in my hands and once the creation process was finished I saw that I sculpted a very small figure in a grief position, curled over with head in hands. It was startling and slightly unnerving. I found though that I was able to put it on a shelf and walk away from it, and felt I had taken some of that darkness out of me, acknowledged it and made it tangible, then left it behind. It was a profoundly healing moment. That night I made another and listed it in my shop, vulnerably uncertain if anyone else would connect with it or even like it but since something remarkable had happened in me I was keen to share it. When I awoke the next morning, the piece had already sold and my buyer had written me a note saying that she was a counselor who worked with abused children and planned to use it in her sand tray. She went on to write: "I wanted you to know it will help many young children in their healing process. Please know that each and every time your figurine is chosen, the child and I will thank it when we put it back on the shelf--a nice way to send you some healing energy you helped create."This was more than enough validation for me to see that this line of creation could touch other people's lives as it had my own, and I kept going. 

In addition to your art being personal, I have noticed that you seem to share a lot through your blogs and other social media outlets. You talk about your personal losses and triumphs seemingly without fear. How did that develop and why aren't you afraid like the rest of us?
The truth of it is that I am scared every time I post personal writings of my journey. Always within them lies the inherent fear that "Maybe this time I've said too much". Again it goes back to my commitment to approach life with honesty and bravery. What is really important to me in the telling is not to dwell in self pity but to bring a message of survival. There is merit to saying "This happened, it felt awful at the time and is only slightly less awful now, but I am not an awful person because of it. I am a STRONG person because of it." The amazing thing that happens when I write publicly is not what I've written, but the messages that people write back to me, sometimes privately. When someone tells me that I've inspired them to be able to move past something while still allowing it to be a part of who they came to be, then it reinforces in me that all my vulnerability was worth it. 

What is your favorite accomplishment, personal, artistic or otherwise?
Without question, my daughters. They make my life more vibrant than anything else in this world. Daily I look at them and am amazed that they came out of my body. I still cannot believe I made them. 

Recently, your artwork was used for the images in a book about child loss. Can you tell us about how that came to be and what that process was like?
I would love to tell you about that! In 2011 I was contacted by award winning author, Dr. Melissa Yuan-Innes regarding a book she wrote on child loss after struggling through her own personal losses. Melissa is an amazing person and incredible writer and I was very moved when I read what she had written. It was soothing and reassuring while recognizing the experience of total loss and heartache. So beautiful. I got right on board with her and we spent months going through images and carefully choosing which sculptures partnered with the imagery of her words, and in the end we were able to present a very profound piece of visual and literary art. "Your Baby Is Safe" was published by Olo Books in November 2011 and is available through Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

What advice do you have for other artists trying to make it?
I am always asked this question and the answer is perseverance. It can take a long time to gain momentum and it is so important not to lose hope while things are slow. In my first year of business I made 67 sales. I've been in business almost five years now, and last year alone I made over two thousand sales. That did not happen overnight and if I threw in the towel early on I never would be where I am today. The first two years it took A LOT of work, hardly any sleep, and believing in my dream but I made it. Don't give up.

Finally, where can we find you and your art?
My artwork is only available for sale in my etsy shop at www.themidnightorange.com. 
I have an active fanpage on Facebook and can be found here: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Midnight-Orange/105314011660
And my blog is at www.themidnightorange.blogspot.com. I somewhat neglect my blog but when I do post there it is on something highly meaningful to me.

Child's Play fundraiser and SALE!

Today is the day! 20% of All sates at http://hippybeads.etsy.com and http://luckandluster.etsy.com will now be donated to Child's Play and go toward helping children in hospitals all over the world!  In addition, if you use the code childsplay2012 in my etsy shops, you will get 25% off!  I even have some new pieces to put up to kick the sale off... if only I can find my camera ;)

Creation Sunday - Lemon Verbena Part 2

Today, Hillary is going to share another excellent and simple recipe that uses lemon verbena: Shortbread.  
For those of you who the word "shortbread" conjures up mouth grimacing memories of stuff obtained in a box or bag, don't worry, real shortbread tastes nothing like the over-processed, over-preserved dry crumbly, cookie-like substances that you get from your local megamart.  Real shortbread is rich, moist, flavorful and decadent.  Best of all, it's extremely easy to make.

If you've never made shortbread before or you've tried and failed, here's a hint: FOLLOW THE RECIPE.  As you well know, In almost every recipe I make, I change stuff up but you can't do that too much with shortbread. All I do is follow this base recipe (which is also quite tasty when made as written), except I don't use any lemon zest and I add 2-4 tablespoons chopped fresh lemon verbena instead of the mint... Really. I don't change anything...

...Okay, I lied; I seriously can't make a recipe without changes anymore (it's a problem, I know)...
-First, I typically follow the creaming method because most other shortbread recipes follow it and because this method helps make sure the ingredients are mixed evenly.  I don't use an electric mixer and I don't mix excessively--just until the ingredients are evenly distributed and it starts to look like cookie dough. I add the verbena in very last after all the other ingredients and usually just mix gently with my hands until it looks more or less evenly distributed.
-Second, I also usually add the tiniest drop of vanilla. Seriously, the amount I put in could probably fit on the head of a toothpick.  If you add much more, the poor cookies will be a mess if they even form dough.  Shortbread is a unique cookie because it has a high fat ratio and often no real emulsifiers like eggs so the difference between "yummy cookie" and "lumpy pile of ingredients that refuse to form a dough" is a seriously small amount of liquid. Another reason we don't want to add too much is that vanilla is a strong flavor and we just want it to smooth out the flavors and help them harmonize just a little bit--more than a tiny drop would yield "vanilla shortbread with some herbs that we think would probably be lemony if we could really taste them."

If you're not familiar with the creaming method, the second half of the article might sound a little overwhelming but I promise it's not AND I promise that it is an excellent method to have knowledge of as many recipes use it (or need to).  Even with my added instructions these are the easiest cookies I have ever made and, in fact, this is the best "oh no I have people on their way to my house right now" dessert to make ever as they take 15-30 minutes total to be finished.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and encourages you to try making some tasty shortbread-verbena or otherwise.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned for more recipes, jewelry updates, interviews and other cool features!

New jewelry pieces and a new treasury!

Hi there, Hillary wanted to share with you some of the htings she has been up to recently!  First, she made a "rosie the riveter" themed treasury in honor of labor day.

Next, Hillary made a few new pieces pictured below and has plans for more!  We will take pictures of these in our awesome plastic container photo studio very soon so we can list them on the etsy shop!
The first one is a wire wrapped black Zwarovski Crystal we recently obtained as a part of a large lot of very awesome and very sparkly crystals.  The next one is a bottle cap pendant created from a unique bottlecap obtained as a part of a large donation of bottlecaps from a friend (pictured at the bottom).  So not only do we have some new pieces to put up, we have tons of materials for more new and amazing creations to put in the shop soon!

Wordless Wednesday

Creation Sunday - Lemon Verbena, part 1

This summer I have been busy with all kinds of pursuits including gaming conventions, working on a costume, working at my new job a whole lot and herb gardening.  With all these fun pursuits comes less time to post (sorry) and all kinds of new opportunities for creation and.... HERBS!  Today I'm going to start a three part (at least) series of food I've created with one of my newly discovered favorite herbs - lemon verbena.

The first "recipe" is so simple, you'll probably call me a charlatan for calling it a recipe once you read it, but it is extremely tasty nonetheless.

Lemon Verbena herbed pasta with Chicken

Ingredients:

-1 box of "Garlic and Olive oil vermecelli" Pasta Roni
-Water and butter called for on pasta box
-3 fresh leaves of lemon Verbena (whole)
-5 oz of pre-cooked chicken in medium sized pieces (I bought the "grilled" kind from the refrigerator section and just cut the bigger pieces in half or thirds as necessary)

Instructions:

Put water and margarine called for by box in pot.  Place lemon Verbena leaves in pot also.  Boil according to directions.  Allow to boil on medium for 2-4 minutes. Remove verbena leaves from pot with tongs.  Add seasonings and pasta as directed on the box.  Continue to cook as directed by the box.  About halfway through cooking, put the chicken in.  Continue to cook as directed by the box until food is done.

See, I told you?  Super simple, but you would be surprised how much flavor the verbena adds just by being steeped in the water for a little while.
Two more verbena recipes will be coming your way soon and some updates on new jewelry as well as, hopefully, some more interviews.  Thanks for stopping by! See you soon!