It's a new year of craft shows and we are ready!

Twigs and Heather will be on the road again in 2014.  We are participating in some new shows as well as many of our old favorites.  Up next- Beverly Artfest.  It will be our second year at this local show (only 10 miles from Nahant).  Last year was a great day filled with amazing art and music.  As we all know June can be hot and wet.  Fingers crossed for 80 degrees and sunny!  We will be showing some cool new pieces including my sterling silver pebble bracelets and Kerry Alice's "all things love" enameled hears and vintage bead pieces.  COLOR!  so nice.  Please come on down and visit us this year while we travel New England spreading the love for art and craft.

Autumn shows are here!

It's September!  That means Twigs and Heather is busy with some of our favorite Autumn shows. We will be at stART on the Street in Worcester this Sunday. It is one of the best craft shows in all of New England!  We have some new designs this year. I am making folk art sculptures. Kerry has some amazing new triple dangle necklaces with hearts, stars, and anchors. Look for us there.   

Who?  You.

Public art projects

As you know I make jewelry. But I also fancy myself as a all around art gal. When I moved back to my hometown, Nahant MA, one of my goals was to bring some public art to town. Over the past couple of years I have done just that.

My most recent project is called "Art Can" . Five local artists including myself and my twin sister Kerry Alice have painted trash barrels and displayed them around town. Mine is pop art inspired and took me around 12 hours to paint. Kerry's is so Kerry! She painted her for over 15 hours.

These barrels were on display this weekend at a Earth Day event I helped plan. Every beach and park was cleaned by volunteers on Saturday. It was amazing.

I am curating more barrels throughout the Spring and Summer. The town DPW has donated 12 more. They are the best! To be able to support the arts and local artists this way is a dream come true.

Here are the barrels. Enjoy!

New organic twig bracelets

This is the year of the bracelet for Twigs and Heather.  I have been casting a few twigs trying to find the perfect organic twig with the more detail the better.  I love the bumps and grooves of each and every twig I collect but there is something so wonderful, so sentimental about the Willow Tree.  There are a few in my town and they grow big and beautiful.  But they are also very fragile and when a big storm comes they often are the trees that suffer the most.  I picked these twigs after a big Autumn storm. 

These organic twig bracelets are cast in sterling silver and a beautiful bronze.  The bronze is a new metal for us.  I'm really liking the color.

Look for them on our website and our Etsy shop.

Handmade in Boston MA.

New ideas and old favorites

This year we will be trying some new metals. Bronze is a beautiful metal to cast with. It really lends well to the natural pieces. Our first castings in bronze are mapleseeds and acorns. Let us know what you think!

Also, this year I will be working on some enameled pieces. It's a completely different way to make jewelry. I am still getting used to the process. I am loving the splash of color though...

Please look for these new pieces on our website, www.twigsandheather.com and on our Etsy page, www.twigsandheather.etsy.com

Trying something new for 2013

Every year we love to make new pieces and try new things. This year I decided that I was going to experiment with color. Thanks to our friend Jonny we have many vintage copper and brass forms to work with. As you know " experimenting" doesn't always work out as you originally planned, so having practice pieces is a very good thing. So with a tiny kiln, some copper shapes, and a brand new basic enameling kit I am beginning my 2013 adventure into color!

Favorite pieces of 2012- Kerry Alice

Ok, if I had to choose, I'd pick a few pieces that are sentimental for a couple of reasons...

  First, lets start with my sweet sweet skullheads...
Twigs and Heather was super happy and honored to be chosen to participate in stART on the street's 10th anniversary Gallery show at Davis Art Gallery in Worcester this past August.
I made Mr. Skullhead with heart, daisies and leaves just for the show. I was also honored to see that the piece was chosen to be on the postcard promoting the show! Awesome.

Mr. Skullhead is cute, but the one skullhead who stole my heart this year is my Jonny Skullhead.
The handsome guy to the right of the picture is a sterling silver portrait of my true love (and I mean it, true love is so hard find and I was blessed to have found mine this year...) Jonathan Bradstreet.
I wear him almost every day, especially when we are apart. Love you, babe! (and by the way, he is an amazing painter and hot rod builder too.) Jonny will be showing some of his work at the Art of Speed show in Middletown CT in February.

Sterling silver  Daisy Skull head and Jonny necklaces

Next up is my sea glass pieces.... 

I'm always telling myself to incorporate more "land and Sea" pieces into our inventory. The lobster claw and green sea glass is mine all mine. It's the first of many more I want to create for 2013. I also want to incorporate more crab claws, twigs and birch bark with sea glass this year. Yes, I have said that before, but I mean it this time. Claws will be the first things we cast this year.

The sea glass piece to the right is my Lobster Buoy piece.

I started making, what I called the "sea glass swinger" piece this year. These are sea glass pieces that I make bezels for and attach them to the top of the sea glass.

I made quite a few, but kept taking them out of inventory because I couldn't bear to part with some of the amazing colors I chose. One got plucked, then a few more, then I looked in my collection and saw that I had plucked at least 10 out of inventory. Instead of trying to wear them all at once, I created this necklace to show many of them together. This one has 6 hanging from it. 

I'm not sure if I'll continue making the "Swingers" this year....We'll see.   

Land and Sea necklace and Buoy "swinger" necklace

Twigs and Heather is really excited for 2013. Happy New Year everyone!

Good times... 2012

New sterling silver twig necklaces

Hi everyone-
It's been a good start to 2012.  We have already started applying to shows for 2012.  So far we have 6 applications sent.  We are going to try a few new shows, including a Renaissance festival and a art in a garden. Fingers crossed we get into them.

I had a very exciting day in the studio this week.  I cast four beautiful new twigs!  The details are amazing.  They are also nice and big.  My dream for these sweet twigs is that they all find nice homes and are cherished.  All of the twigs were handpicked in beautiful Nahant MA, my home sweet home.  But no matter where they are collected I hope they are sentimental reminders of how wonderful something as simple as a twig can be...

Check them out on our twig page at www.twigsandheather.com

This Charming Twig

I have been thinking about this project for a while now and have finally put my mind to it and made it happen...

Welcome "This Charming Twig".  We have created a new line of barrettes and hair pins from molded twigs.  They are so us!  Each twig is "cast" in polymer clay.  Some of them are earthy colors that look like the twig was just plucked from a tree and put into your hair.  Other are wild, bright colors.  My favorites are the pinks and reds.  There is something about these twigs that just make me happy.  All of them have awesome twiggy details that I just adore...thank you Mother Nature.

We opened a new Etsy store just for them. 
You can also get them at our shows or through our website.

Everyone should wear a twig in there hair.

Project Runway Challenge

Kerry and I are part of EtsyMetal.  Our team does many really cool things.  One of my favorite things that we do is the "Project Runway Challenge".  Members watch the show and a challenge is created by the team that mimics the one on the show.  Because we are all metalsmiths they a little different so we can incorporate the materials we all tend to use. 

Week one- Come as you are. 
 Our challenge- Make something new from bench scraps.

This piece was made from an oat that I cast a year or so ago.  It is the back of the arrow.  The middle is a really long sprue.  The arrow head was originally made to be a fish tail.  I really loved this challenge.  This piece is unique for me.  Kerry liked it so much she wore it the day I brought it home. 

Check out the EtsyMetal blog and week to week to see what the other members are making.  They are all super cool. The first challenge is already up there!  Go take a peek. 

Twigs and Heather- Handmade in Boston!

EtsyMeatl blog carnival- Our Roots

Topic: "Our Roots"
Where we came from. How our families have influenced us. Artists in the family. 

Hello- Heather here.
My family has been the biggest influence when it comes to my art.  As everyone knows, Kerry Alice and I are twin sisters.  Our weird and wonderful relationship fuels the fire behind what we do and what we make.  Without the amazing support we give each other we could have never achieved what we have.

My Roots.

When I think back at my childhood I remember my mom making things.  She sewed our clothes and Halloween costumes. She did needlepoint.  I can still see in my mind her pieces throughout our house.  She was also always encouraging us to be creative as well.  Every wreath, drawing, and Christmas ornament was proudly displayed.  Although my mom would never admit this; she is an artist.  The things she created when I was growing up had a huge effect on who I am as an artists today. 

Now my mom is Twigs and Heather's biggest fan and promoter.  My mom has more of our business cards in her wallet than I do.  She proudly shows people our jewelry (she wears a ton).  And she still finds new designs that she wants for herself.  Her private collection rivals mine!  What else can I say?  Without my mom's love and support there wouldn't be a Twigs and Heather.


I love you mama bear.


If you would like to read more about other EtsyMetal members roots check these blogs out-  There good!
 Beth Cyr - http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
 Erin Austin - http://metalmusing.blogspot.com
 Nodeform - http://nodeform.blogspot.com/
 Elizabeth Scott - http://esdesignsjewelry.com/blog
 Inbar Bareket - http://www.inbarbareket.net/
 Cynthia Del Giudice - http://cynthiadelgiudice.blogspot.com 
 2Roses - http://jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
 Evelyn Markasky - http://markasky.blogspot.com/   
 http://www.artigianojewelbox.com/category/blog

July shows and new twig necklaces

July is hot in Boston!  But we brave the heat to do two of our favorite shows.  We will be in Amherst MA. on Saturday July 9th to do the 31st annual Amherst crafts on the common.  Even though we had rain storms and a flooded tent last year it was still one of our favorite summer shows. 

The following weekend on July 16th we will be at ArtBeat Somerville.  If you are local you know how cool this all day fair is.  There is always amazing art and craft, kids events, and yummy food.  Plus our girl Liza of Dasken Designs will be there also.  Check out her amazing stained glass.

If you do have a chance to come on down and say howdy then check out our newest twig necklaces.  Great for the summer!  They can also be seen on our Website www.twigsandheather.com .  They are on the twig page.

Thanks everyone!

Handmade in Boston- Twigs and Heather

A very special gift

I made this piece for my daughter's kindergarten teacher.  It was made from one of her drawings.  Her teacher is the kind of teachers kids remember for their whole lives.  I am so happy that she was part of my girl's life.

New studio space

Kerry and I have a new studio space in Lynn MA at the Lydia Pinkham building.  It is as big as all of our previous studios put together!  It took a while to get used to it.  It needs a little more paint but we are officially up and running.  I miss my little basement space but now I can put my head done and work without the lure of the computer, refrigerator, or vacuum to take me away.  I am hoping to have an open studio this summer.  You are all invited!

Happiness found in a new collection

More new nature relics!  I have found much joy in making these new pieces.  Finding the leaves is half the fun.  Discovering their hidden textures is the other half.  I will have these new pieces at our show this weekend in Worcester.  We will be at stART on the street- Spring Sunday May 22nd. 

Tiny nature relics

As you know nature is my biggest inspiration.  I have always loved the texture, texture, texture found all around us.  Leaves especially interest me.  I can look at their tiny little veins and bumps and grooves endlessly.  I have a new collection that I am very excited about;  my tiny nature relics.  They are like little fashion fossils.  This is my first one.  It's made from fine silver precious metal clay.  Each one of these new pieces will be one of a kind.  This one is in my private collection but there will be more on our website and our Etsy shop soon.  Also come see them in person at our next show May 7th in Andover MA.  We will be at the 36th annual Arts and Crafts in the Park.

Inspired by Grandma Lynne

My mother in law is an amazing artist.  She is a master quilter and we have been so fortunate to be given many of her pieces.  I wanted to make something that was inspired not only by her own craftiness but also inspired by how wonderful a person she is.

I sand cast these two buttons in sterling silver.  One has been molded already.  I will be working on them this week.  Please look for them on my website www.twigsandheather.com and also at my first show- Craftopia in the great city of Pawtucket  Rhode Island.

Twigs and Heather
Handmade in Boston MA!

New pieces- sweet skullheads

I'm not 100% sure about a name for these yet, but these are the first of many more to come! I'm keeping one for myself. I'm leaning towards the cutey on the right with the pumpkin head!
These area all made in sterling silver and are one of a kind, baby!
Look for these and more new designs at our 2011 show season, which starts in Pawtucket RI at CRAFTOPIA, Sunday April 10th.

Kindly,
K Alice
www.twigsandheather.com

Sweet sweet skullheads

Spring has sprung

See that big one?  What a beauty!

I spend two afternoons at the beach with my girls this week.  Seaglass pickin' was good!
Check out some of our newest sea glass creations at www.twigsandheather.com .  This year we will have sea glass rings at all of our shows!