Showing posts with label anvil designs. Show all posts

Monday, April 11, 2016

Some Upcycling Posts Are Coming Your Way ~

Earth Day 2016 is coming up on April 22nd!
Seeing as it's spring here, we've been working on some projects around the homestead.
Two projects we worked on this weekend came about due to timing.
Opportunity arose & other projects immediately went to the old back burner!

Two different neighbors were spring cleaning and had some piles that were destined for the landfill. Free for the taking we jumped on it and rather than add to our junk collection we went straight to work incorporating them into the landscape.

The haul: broken concrete the likes of which were delivered in the bucket of a Cat 450e. We have quite a bit left, enough to go around the firepit and possibly a small path next to the house.

We have a Kubota BX23 but let's take a moment to salute our neighbors with BIG TRACTORS! Thanks for the loan of that bad boy :)

We also scored a barrel that was oddly cut in half diagonally and came complete with sweet patina & 2 spouts.

I've cropped these shots tight because I'm not ready to reveal the whole area & my pond is so green it's embarrassing!

I've got tadpoles in there and need to figure out if there's something I can do that won't harm them.

Happy upcycling ~

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Better Late Than Never! 6th Anniversary Promo ~

I've been so busy I just realized we've had our 6th Etsyversary & I hadn't done a promo!

~Without further ado, introducing the sixth Etsy anniversary promo~

~ Check it out here ~

Thank you for 6 years of patronage <3

Friday, March 25, 2016

Etsy Editor's Picks Best of Spring Under $30 ~

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme is an Editor's Pick on Etsy!

EDITORS’ PICKS

Best of spring: Under $30

A breath of fresh air

Fresh For Home Section

It's very exciting!

Click here to see this garden marker in the shop ~

Happy Easter ~

Monday, March 21, 2016

New Logo ~ Melancholy Monday

Have you heard? Etsy is launching a whole new look on April 5th, 2016

The new look applies to all of the shops and is touted as being more mobile friendly for shoppers. At this point they aren't preserving a desktop or laptop version. Which seems odd for a site that size.

The design feels like a blog or stand alone website in that it's vertical, scrolls down without pages (think Pinterest).

The new design gives shop owners more real estate for individual shop branding.

Back to the vertical. My old banner/logo, which was horizontal in nature, wasn't cutting it in the new & larger format. I made some attempts, but quickly decided this was the kick in the butt I needed to create a new logo. My Taxes aren't done, the house is a mess, the pasture & garden need tending and I'm making a new logo!

Thanks Etsy 0_o

So there it is and I'm glad it's done. I like that it looks fabulous in the new format but will also be great on tags & biz cards.

For reference, here's the old one below.

As you can see, I kept the font & anvil. The bees have a very special meaning, but 3 was too busy, so I used one bee to symbolize my bees. I have been an equestrian since my first pony at age 2. The horseshoe fits because of who I am, but also represents the welded items we make using horseshoes. I think it's a meaningful addition.

Feeling a bit melancholy, but moving forward <3

xoxo

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Wedding Season ~

Wedding season is here!

I've been working on two new wedding designs & one of them is ready for the reveal!

I'll be listing these shortly, but if you need any before I get it done just convo me through Etsy

Here's the link to all the stuff going on at Anvil Designs lately

LOVE~

Monday, June 8, 2015

Moonshine Vintage Silverware Assemblage Necklace

Oh how I struggled with this. Originally I made the moonshine silverware knife handle to be a liquor bottle tag or charm.

And like so many things I create, I got so far with the idea and then set the unfinished focal piece aside, waiting for it to reveal what it was really meant to be.

It didn't want to be in some dark bar, it wanted to be seen in the sunshine and under the moon & stars.

Moonshine $115.00

Happy moonshine Monday to you~

Friday, June 5, 2015

A Belated Thank You

April 22nd was Earth Day. I always get inquiries around this time because I'm into it and most of my work is "upcycled".

I like to change my banner out during this time and use this one below.

Can you imagine how thrilled I was when a gal from Amy's Kitchen contacted me for a bulk purchase of rustic garden markers for a week long Earth Day giveaway they were promoting on Facebook?

I buy Amy's Kitchen lasagna in bulk at costco for my lunch!

Pinch me, really :) We quickly hammered out the details.

Off to Amy's Kitchen! 7 sets of three ~

And here they are as part of the "garden bag giveaway" and a BIG THANK YOU from Anvil Designs!

Amy's Kitchen Facebook Link

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Wine, Weddings, Custom Orders and More Wine

Once again I have been challenged by a wonderful new customer!

She wanted a couple of personalized wine tags similar to this one she found in my Etsy shop.

Cabernet

She wanted one personalized with a last name, no problem there.

Here is the finished product.

Then she asks if I can do coordinates on a wine tag?

BUT, she doesn't want a rifle casing like this listing...

Coordinates Key Ring

She wants the coordinates on a knife handle.

Pssst, here comes the challenge. I was about to tell her one doesn't have the room for that on a knife handle...

Perhaps it was because I was drinking wine but I told her I would make it work somehow. I must confess I had no idea what I was going to do. None.

I looked through about 293 vintage knives and nada, zip, nothing.

I was coming close to a panic. Think! Frankly I needed a glass of wine about this time. After the first glass I was feeling better and it came to me I should look through my butter knife stash.

Vino' viola! I found a Rogers Bros. circa 1904 "Vintage" pattern master butter knife that was perfection.

In Vino Veritas

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Vintage Palomino on Etsy

I used to make "treasuries" on Etsy.

Now I prefer to make "collections" and post them here.

I'm thinking about making it a weekly series...

~ Today I hope you enjoy all the pretty vintage palomino horse goods ~

From the Top
Vintage Cowichan Sweater

Vintage Scarf

Marked Vintage Planter Japan

Midcentury Ceramic Figurine

Vintage Paint by Numbers

Pair Vintage Bridle Rosettes

1951 Book Page Horse Print

Vintage Mohair Mechanical Toy

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

A Darling Love Story ~

~ A Darling Love Story ~

A darling lady contacted me through Etsy to ask if she could send me a bullet shell that was sentimental to her husband.

She wanted me to turn it into a key chain.

She planned to give it to him for Valentine's day.

I had done this before, told her as much and gave her my address. Previously though, the shells I have done were shot in 21 gun salute at funerals. I'm asked to put the deceased's initials, birth and date of passing on them.

She then told me the casing/shell was the first bullet her son ever shot with her husband. I got misty. I come from a shooting family. It's a milestone. A beginning of life milestone.

I had never been contacted to do a "first shot" piece.

After a little back and forth about what she wanted it was revealed the bullet casing was much smaller than the ones in the listing and which I normally use. We were both momentarily disappointed that I was unable to put all the characters she originally wanted as they simply would not fit.

Truth told, I wasn't certain I could even do much with it at all...

Anyone who knows me well could tell you I'm a bit jaded by life but this love story gave me some hope. I told the darling lady I enjoyed a good challenge and to go ahead and send it. Even if I could only stamp it with a heart it would warm a couple of hearts.

The Letter & Brass Arrive

A few days later the letter and casing arrived & I set to work~

The Work Begins

I had told the darling lady who was now a client we could fit more on it if I smashed it completely flat. The process pushes the pin out.

Once it was flattened / smashed I was able to see what would actually fit. The client had wanted me + you with a heart as her first choice. Unfortunately that wasn't going to work.

Her second choice was C + S with a heart.

That would fit but I had another problem to deal with first.

The tip end had literally taken a beating even though I tape it off and concentrate on the pin end. The reason I don't work with this size much is they aren't as malleable. For every success there is failure. A 50/50 chance doesn't work for stocking my shop on a daily basis. At some point the tip end needs to be flattened & it's a lot of stress on the thin brass.

Raw Rivet, Stamping & Pre-Drilling

I decided a copper rivet would add strength and stability so I added that and then began the stamping. I also pre-drill the hole for the key ring. The size depends on which ring a client chooses.

Next Step - Polish, Darken & Drill to Size

The polishing process naturally sets the oxidation into the stamping imprints and a black sharpie evens it out.

Detail

I love how even in the "smashed" state one can still see WIN (Winchester) and 9MM

The Finished Piece

It makes me very happy!

One Last Shot with the Pin

I got a little punny with that title!

Here's to True Love

Friday, January 30, 2015

Throwback Thursday & 5th Anniversary Etsy Promo

We are so excited to be celebrating our 5th anniversary!

We did a gift with purchase on Jan 24th & now, for a limited time we have brought back the first listing we put on Etsy!

A "throwback listing" if you will.

Promo Listing

This was not only our first listing it resulted in our first sale!

We are offering these rustic vintage spoon markers for our original listing price of $5.00 each ~

You "pick" from the following 5 Styles:

BASIL
HERBS
MINT
SAGE
THYME

For fun I included a photograph used in our very first listing

I can't believe I used Papyrus font! LOL

Now I know the title here says "Throwback Thursday" and today is Friday... this post was scheduled to be published yesterday but things happen.

A day late and a dollar short. Have a great weekend ~

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

IKEA 2015 Top 10 Cabin Style Items

Who says Ikea is all Scandinavian Modern?

They have cabins in Scandinavia don't they? LOL

OK, They do have a "look" but if you need a cowhide rug, inexpensive calico bedding or lighting and don't have time to search high and low, scour flea markets and such, you are in luck.

My picks for the top 10 Cabin Style Items from the new catalog~

Some are new and some are old favorites but all of these will add charm to the cabin without breaking the bank and are conveniently under one roof @ your nearest Ikea.

HERMINE