~Hightower Botanicals~

Amy Sedaris, a national treasure

2010-12-11T00:39:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday Amy had a book signing and craft demo at Spacecraft, an adorable store in Brooklyn. We learned how to make her Marshmallow stars that are in her new book, "Simple Times, Crafts for Poor People".
I gave her a Hightower Botanicals Garlic Necklace and she put it on! We love you Amy!!!!!

Tomorrow she's at the Bust Craftacular.

Introducing our newest addition, Siobhan!!!

2010-11-27T10:18:00.004-05:00

Cucumber Carrot Juice

2010-09-02T11:14:00.004-04:00

On a cucumber juice roll!

So this time I used my Jack La'Lanne juicer. Added one cucumber and three carrots. Using a juicer filtered out all the chunks and made a much waterier juice but I still got a lot of juice out of one cucumber. The carrot/ cucumber combo was a little tart. Next time I'll throw in some fruit too.

Guess it depends if your in the mood for juice (use a juicer) or more of a chunky smothie (blender). Either way, keep those cucumbers coming!

Cucumber Pineapple Juice

2010-08-30T12:08:00.016-04:00

Yum! I had this at a restaurant last week. It was so awesome, I had to make it at home.

Cucumber is great for reducing swelling. I'm 36 weeks pregnant now and on hot summer days my hands, feet and legs start to balloon up like sausages. This drink makes me feel really good. But of course this juice is good for anyone.

Its easy! Chop up a couple cucumbers and a pineapple and get some ice. (Fresh Pineapple is best.) Throw it into the blender. To fit more in I blended just the cucumber/ pineapple for a minute and then added ice. But, I think it would have blended easier with ice on the bottom.

Next time, I'll add ice, cucumber and pineapple chunks all mixed up in the blended for an easier blend.

Mmmmmmmm!

Now, if you don't like lots of chunks peel the cucumbers.

Blend away... if you really don't like chunks, you can strain the blended juice now. Otherwise it turns out a little foamy and has some texture (from the cucumbers I'm guessing). I think the restaurant did this.

I don't mind the extra body so I drank mine right away.
Enjoy!

Cracking the Cilantro

2010-06-26T00:26:00.017-04:00

"Uggh." Eyes rolling back into her head.

"Keep that cilantro away from me."

Then. A minute later.

"Well, at least you killed it to make the necklace."

While sitting at my craft fair table I have come to expect this sort of remark. People out there HATE cilantro. I mean really despise it. To the point of shuddering and staring at there friend standing next to them like, "You know how bad it is, don't you???" I just sit at my booth, staring at my cilantro necklaces wondering what is going on here! "Its guacamole season people!"

Growing up, I was fed a standard meat and potatoes diet. It was all American food. Salt and pepper was usually the spice of choice and things like hummus or curry or cilantro were not in my vocabulary. My Mom and Dad liked the crock pot filled with beef, potatoes, carrots, a little onion, maybe one garlic clove and if was getting crazy, throw in some celery too. I was the rebellious daughter who snuck chili powder and garlic into the stew. Of course came dinner time panic shook the kitchen table, "What did you put in here!?" ready to spit on me.

I remember the first time I ate something with cilantro in it. It was a salad of some sort.

My Mom's best friend was a professional cook who did catering. She was always trying out new exotic recipes. I remember going over to her house and feeling like her kitchen held culinary discoveries. I think it was a pasta salad. All I remember is the foreign taste. So different. For the first second it did taste bad. Maybe soapy now that I think of it. But, after that night I fell in love with the mysterious taste. I wanted more. My love for cilantro was born.

So now that I have witnessed so many craft fair goers adversity with cilantro. I finally did some research. How else to explain this craziness? After reading a few articles, turns out Cilantro holds a few olfactory tricks up its leafy sleeve. The Coriander leaf... aka Cilantro... has aldehyde's which are very similar or the same as soap and some bugs such as stink bugs. All right all of you weirdo's. I guess there is a reason for your Cilantro disgust. Here's a great NPR article on this cilantro conundrum.

Like the girl said, at least I killed the leaf to make the necklace! If you are one of those who is sensitive to cilantro's aldehyde's think the Hightower Botanical's cilantro jewelry as an alter to cilantro. The leaf is forever preserved as metal holding its evil smelly powers hostage and even warding off the live plant! Or maybe not if you actually like cilantro like me. Cast cilantro can plays homage to the herb too.

What can I say? I like my spices.

Cilantro in metal on Etsy:
cilantro 5 leaf necklace

large cilantro leaf necklace

small cilantro leaf necklace

hanging cilantro earrings

Renegade Raffle

2010-06-06T00:06:00.003-04:00

Come to the Renegade Craft Fair tomorrow and enter to win in a seriously amazing raffle. One blessed person will win a gift package from Jezebel, a $250 gift certificate to Bittersweets NY and a Hightower Botanicals Helicopter Necklace! We are in booth 246.

Gold "brass knuckles ring"

2010-06-03T21:18:00.000-04:00

"Amazing ring! Love it!! Ordering the groom's band from here too!"

New Garlic Clove necklace!

2010-05-30T18:02:00.006-04:00

Solid bronze garlic!

Click Here to see it on Etsy.

Brooklyn Indie Market!

2010-05-29T21:47:00.003-04:00

Hightower Botanicals with special guest, Gunny Hightower!

May 29th- Brooklyn Indie Market

2010-05-26T06:51:00.005-04:00

Hightower Botanicals hits the craft fairs again!

Come meet us at the Brooklyn Indie Market.

This Saturday, 11-7, Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, NY

Intersection of Smith and Union Street.

Gunny will be there too!

Kings County General Store

2010-05-22T13:31:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow, 12-5.

Park Slope Brooklyn. Meet me and my jewelry!!!

Unveiling new designs!

http://www.kingscountygeneralstore.com/

From a wrinkly seed.

2010-05-19T07:51:00.004-04:00

My nasturtium bloomed!

Congratulations Mary!!!

2010-05-18T21:10:00.005-04:00

Mary ordered a maple seed ring and turns out it was for her wedding band! A "flying helicopter" holds a special place dear to Mary...

"The picture does not begin to do this beautiful ring justice - it is much more delicate, brighter and amazingly intricate.
I am wearing it as a wedding band til death do us! Thank you, Julee, for my "Fly Ring", a one of a kind symbol of our marriage - we fly where God calls us.
Poem - "Fly" - http://goodnewsfor.us/2010/04/28/fly/
The transaction was very smooth. Julee communicates well with buyers and ships quickly.The ring was nicely gift packaged and Julee even included a polishing cloth in a personal card. Buy from Julee with confidence. ~ Mary ~ www.goodnewsfor.us"

Much love, wishing you the best!

tradetastic!

2010-05-14T17:41:00.010-04:00

My Rattlesnake Vertebrae and Moishe came in the mail today. I LOVE them!

roadkill has always been one of my favorite Etsy shops. Back when I first discovered Etsy I was searching for cast jewelry and this awesome antler necklace popped up and I though, "Wow! There is actually some great stuff on this site!"

So I just did a trade with roadkill!!!!! Its an awesome store, go check them out!

I finally asked Elaine Ho, the stores owner, if she would be interested in trading a

nd she was! I love my new necklaces. Moishe is soooo cute and a cha

racter from one of my favorite childhood books, "Where the Wild Things are" by Maurice Sendak. Haven't seen the new movie yet... on my list

of things to do. And the Rattlesnake Vertebrae is special for me too because where I grew up was ripe with rattlesnakes and I remember watching my dad skin a rattlesnake once. We used to find old bones too. I thought they were so cool looking how the vertebrae bones fit together like a puzzle.

Thanks Eliane!!!

and the Rosemary Ring found a good home...

2010-05-05T23:04:00.001-04:00

"A lovely, well-made ring from a very sweet seller! Thanks so much, Julee, for your quick responses to my convos and your faster-than-lightning creation of the ring and shipping. Packaging was pretty, too; a very nice transaction all around!"

Thanks Liz!

Making a Rosemary Ring

2010-04-27T13:32:00.009-04:00

Here's a little tour of my Rosemary Ring making process.

All of my herbal casting start with making a mold off a real plant leaf or seed. I couldn't find any photos of my making the Rosemary mold, but <------here is one half of it finished. Its silicon rubber with the negative imprint of a Rosemary leaf which creates a negative space. Like if the Rosemary leaf disappeared in the rubber.

Making a mold is messy and time consuming work. And now that I'm expecting, I wont be making any molds for quite a while... the chemicals don't mix well with baby making! But luckily, I have lots of molds already made and you can use them over and over again.
After I have my mold (or molds) I melt wax in an old coffee pot double boiler. Then I close the mold and pour hot wax in filling the negative space.

The wax cools and then I have a cute wax replica of my Rosemary leaf. This is cast into silver using another mold making process... more on that later.

For the Rosemary Ring I use two cast Rosemary leaves.

They come out of the "oven" a little rough so some filing is needed.

When I have two perfect leaves I bend them into a rough ring shape keeping in mind the desired ring size.

Then, I clamp the two leaves in the correct position and solder them together one side at a time.

More filing and fine tuning. Lots of polishing.

I have made a beautiful shiny ring!

And YES, It is hard to keep long nails while making jewelry!

Renegade Craft Fair

2010-04-26T08:10:00.005-04:00

Mark your calenders!

June 5th and 6th, 11am-7pm

Hightower Botanicals will be at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, New York!

Look for us at the Bittersweets NY booth, our good friends who feature Hightower Botanicals in their store from time to time.

Stop by and say hi! Try on Hightower Botanicals jewelry in person! Enjoy the summer outdoors! We will offer deep discounts...

And free snacks, entertainment (our lovely personalities), and will be surrounded by amazing handmade crafts with everything between clothing and accessories to pottery and housewares and of course, awesome jewelry!!!

http://www.renegadecraft.com/brooklyn

growing babies

2010-04-18T12:28:00.004-04:00

So. Its been what, a month since I showed you my indoor garden! Wow. Well, lots has happened over here at Hightower Botanicals. The herbs are growing well despite being stuck indoors. Purple basil wins for the fastest growing herb. The wildflowers and Nasturtium are out in front though growing with outright passion! And they are not all that's been growing rapidly around here... I am having a baby!!!!! At first I was sick, tired, and not just tired. I mean exhausted beyond all know reality for me. As a result, my jewelry was pretty much abandoned. I was also nervous about the toxic exposure from soldering and working with metal. At my day job I quit working in the shop immediately after discovering my pregnancy. Luckily, I have other, cleaner work to do there now.

And, I am back to the neglected Hightower Botanicals shop now! I have passed the first trimester and am now healthy in the second. With safety practices I am making jewelry again for Etsy and for some upcoming craft shows...(stay posted) Life is good. I have discovered a whole new world in pregnancy. My husband and I are so excited and happy to start a family.

Garden Power

2010-03-14T22:23:00.011-04:00

I am sick of being confined to my yard-less apartment. I'm growing an indoor herb garden this year! Just planted seeds in a little sprouter box. This is the first time I've used one and I'm very excited! I'm going all natural with only organic herbs this year. I bought herbs from two lovely etsy stores, The Little Ragmuffin and Homegrown Healthy. I doubt the sprouter kit is organic but its so cool, like miniature burlap sacks filled with soil, and when I transfer the baby plants to pots and boxes I'll use organic soil so good enough for me.

My husband and I are looking forward to fresh herbs this season. We will have so many yummy choices! Sweet and Purple Basil, Chives, Dill, Cilantro and edible flowers... I want to add mint and mini tomatoes and peppers too (but my space is limited so we will see). So many cooking possibilities and for flavor fresh usually far out beats dried.

Botanical Pottery

2010-02-22T21:02:00.007-05:00

Hawthorne Pottery

is an Etsy shop that i came across while searching for Rosemary stuff. Since I am an avid herb lover, sometimes I peruse the Etsy's gigantic library of goods in search of herb-related items. Usually, I gotta say that I'm pretty dissapointed... nonetheless, I was very excited finding Hawthorne Pottery! They have some great stuff.

Oregano Leaf Imprint Hanging Tile

Sage Imprint Tile

And, I just bought this beautiful mulberry leaf imprint soap or serving dish!!! I think I'm going to put it on my bedroom dresser for jewelry. Thanks Hawthorne Pottery!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh don't forget the Meteorites!

2010-02-18T09:54:00.013-05:00

A few weeks ago I visited The American Museum of Natural History in New York. This is my all time favorite New York City museum. Its been a few years since I've made the hike, I only live down in Brooklyn but its a 50 minute subway ordeal to get there. Well, I rarely venture into Manhattan actually! Only if I have to. But, despite the tunnels and lines and transfers, this museum is so worth it!
For every ones inner child. And if you have any kiddies, they will love this place!
The Hall of Meteorites always gets me excited! How cool is it to see a giant rock of stone and iron that fell from space. The Hall of Minerals is awesome too...

Natural gold nuggets-

Beautiful, giant opals-
Stunning quartz crystals-
There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm.

-Theodore Roosevelt

XOXO

2010-02-14T22:44:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Yummy Winter Stew!

2010-02-13T22:28:00.004-05:00

I made some awesome comfort food stew tonite. Perfect for a cold winter's day.

It was so good, I didn't event think to take a photo. (But it is a very pretty dish)

To thicken the sauce, I wanted to stay away from wheat or cornstarch.

I'm going to stray a little bit now... I know that I have problems with wheat and corn. I probably have some wheat allergies. I've have read about the blood type diet theory and that totally explains my wheat/corn issues. I'm a type O positive. All type O's (the oldest blood type) have a very hard time processing wheat and corn according to the blood type diet theory. If your interested in this, I highly recommend reading "Eat Right 4 Your Type" by Dr. Peter D'Adamo. Check it out at your local library. It changes the way I think about food. It also incorporates the proper exorcises for each blood type. For type O's a vigorous workout routine is ideal. I have gone for periods following this diet strictly and it was AMAZING! I felt so healthy, had a ton of energy, my head was clear. I was in optimal health. Its been hard staying off of wheat corn, but at least now I am more aware of how my diet effects me and I can make more enlightened choice.

So onto my great stew!

1-2 Lbs Stew beef cut into small chunks. (All natural is best)

2 Tbs Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Chicken broth

2 Cups Water

1 Tbs Worcester, Bragg, Tamari or Soy Sauce

4-5 Cloves Garlic diced

1-2 Bay Leaves

1-2 Med Onions, chopped

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Molasses

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp ground Allspice

1 tsp Oregano

3-5 med Carrots chopped

3 med Potatoes chopped

1 Egg Yolk

Brown meat with garlic and onions in oil.

Add water, broth, sauce, bay leaves, salt, molasses, paprika, allspice, and oregano. Simmer 1 1/2 hours covered. Mix occasionally.

Add carrots and potatoes. Simmer 30 minutes covered.

Add egg yolk while whisking quickly. Mix thoroughly.

Serve and Enjoy!

300 Admirers!

2010-02-08T17:34:00.004-05:00

That is, 3oo people have chosen Hightower Botanicals as one of there favorite stores!!!

Thanks everyone. XOXOXOXO

I am now a married woman!!!!

2010-02-05T22:49:00.006-05:00

Last week I was married to my sweet boyfriend! Now we're official. Wow! We opted for a city hall wedding. It was great. Fast and cheap... might not sound like your typical wedding but those are overrated anyways! For us, this was perfect. And, of course we'll have some informal parties later to celebrate.

We made our own rings. Simple fat bands in rose gold.

Yay!

Heres to married life.

Bon Voyage Conan!

2010-01-23T08:39:00.002-05:00

Dear Conan O'Brien,

We love you!!! Good luck with all of your future endeavors.

Small Town Find!

2010-01-17T17:01:00.005-05:00

I found this polished core sample and Cabochons in an old and dusty thrift shop in Republic, WA.

They are a mix of pyrite, hematite, and maybe iron. From a local mine near Republic. I'm going to play around with the cabochons and make some sweet necklaces.

Besides being a thrift store, in the back were old chairs and couches pushed together forming a hangout area for some old dudes. Probably one of them cut the cabochons that I bought! They were sitting with their big cowboy hats talking about the gold nuggets and dust that can still be found up the street in a little creek...."But some one owns the land and that might be a problem", one of the men drawled out. Discussions on the price of sapphires also filled the room. I had the feeling that these guys were in that back corner day in and day out. They probably had grown up together in Republic. Raised kids together. Worked in the mines and logging companies following their fathers footsteps. I had a feeling that the town had dried up.

Not much different than the bodegas in Brooklyn really. The neighborhood I live in is mainly Puerto Rican. Bodegas are the small convenience stores in every street corner. Unenployment is high. Often, a group of guys will be hanging out in the back of the store. For most of the day. And many of my neighbors have lived here for 40+ years. Each succeeding generation taking over their parents apartment. Or moving down the street.

But, most importantly. Everyone loves a hangout.

FOOD, INC. I highly recommend watching this.

2010-01-08T22:35:00.003-05:00

Food, Inc.

A movie about the food industry in America. From seeds to slaughterhouses.
Its really sad. And complicated. And has encouraged me to eat organic and free range all the time if possible. I know that organic is more expensive, and eating like this is more work but your health and the food system is at stake. It is crazy.

http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Three Cosmic Wolves

2010-01-07T22:26:00.004-05:00

Amazing Winthrop, WA local art find from our roadtrip.

This portal into the majestic wolf's power force is brutally cosmic, showing all angles of the all mighty wolf pack. Check out that killer halo. And look at the top center above the alpha. Those big piercing eyes undress my mortal soul.

This was even painted on a real slice of tree, no doubt from Winthrop.

You just never know what something this special will pop up. Its a good thing my boyfriend spotted it!

Hanging in my living room now.

frozen lakes and so much snow

2010-01-02T13:11:00.006-05:00

I flew back to my homestate, Washington State, for Christmas. Visited family and friends.

Drove around North Central Washington with my then boyfriend... now Fiancee!!! He proposed on a frozen lake.

Here are some photos of our 5 day road trip. I had never been on a frozen lake before! Or seen much of NCW as an adult, and rarely during winter. It was great to piece together my fuzzy childhood memories of beautiful forests and cute western towns, and even the home town of my grandpa and where I used to visit my great grandparents.

Happy New Years!

The Brooklyn Indie Market

2009-12-20T17:37:00.004-05:00

A full day in the elements. Below freezing temperatures and a snow storm! I met other awesome venders and some wonderful customers. Unveiled my new Baby Basil Amethyst Ring and my Garlic Clove Necklace. Both soon to be on Etsy. Here's quick photo of me modeling the Garlic Clove Necklace. By the end of the night it had sold!

Good complements and conversations. It is nice to get out of cyberworld once in awhile and see some live faces! Drank hot coco, coffee, green tea, chai, pretty much anything warm was amazing!

Some heat packets stuffed in my socks over my toes saved me. Those outdoor December venders are tough cookies.

By the end of the day, I was worn out. But would I do it all again?

Absolutely.

My first table!

2009-12-14T18:07:00.003-05:00

Craft Show this Saturday!

2009-12-08T19:08:00.006-05:00

Production has been in full force lately. And for good reason. And here are photos of my shop to prove it!

Hightower Botanicals will be at the "Handmade Holiday Craft Fair" this Saturday, December 12th in Brooklyn, NY at the 3rd Ward!!! I have been burning the midnight oil getting ready for my first craft show. I will have my herb and seed necklaces, along with a few new things, and some surprises. (hint hint- cookies on the house!)

If you are in town, stop by. It is more of a shopping party than your typical craft fair. Many many designers, the first 300 people get a free tote bag, live music, free coffee, food and drinks, a V.J....(ha! I laughed at that one), demos, free silkscreening and much much more.

Click HERE for the 3rd Ward, And HERE for a map.

Directions to the 3rd Ward:

VIA SUBWAY:
Take the L line to the Grand Street stop. Head East on Grand Street (the school will be on your right). Take a Right on Morgan Ave. We're #195, between Meadow and Stagg.
We are also easily accessible from the Montrose and Morgan Ave. stops on the L train
VIA BUS:
Take either the Q54 or Q59 bus to Grand St. at Morgan Ave. Walk South on Morgan.
Take the B13 to Stagg St. & Bushwick Ave. Walk East on Stagg until you reach Morgan.
VIA CAR:
From the BQE (I-278), exit on Meeker Avenue and take a left onto Morgan Avenue.
From Manhattan, take the Williamsburg Bridge (stay right) to the 2nd exit (S. 5th St.) and take a left at the 1st light. Take a right at the next light (Borinquen, which becomes Grand St.) Take a right onto Morgan.
Street parking is available check posted signs.

The Best Turkey Ever!

2009-11-27T21:38:00.008-05:00

This year I slooooooow roasted a turkey. The result were tender, moist, flavorful and delicious.

Sunday morning- I bought a 20lb all natural beauty from Trader Joe's.

Defrosted for three days. Partly frozen, it had until Tuesday night.

I then put in a giant ziploc bag with a solution of saltwater, maple syrup, raw sugar, lemon juice, a couple bay leaves, and thyme.

In the brine for about 12 hours.

Wednesday afternoon, out of the brine. Rinsed thoroughly. Outside and in the cavity. No stuffing this time. I wanted to keep it all meat.

Set my oven to 400 degrees and rubbed melted butter all over the bird .

Cooked for about 1 hour, 15 minutes at 400 degrees to burn off the surface bacteria and brown the skin. Then we got down to the business of slow cooking. Now, this was Wednesday afternoon at around 3. A full day before Thanksgiving dinner. I lowered the oven to 200 degrees. The turkey cooked all night and into Thursday. Around 10am I raised the oven to 225. I was a little leery of under cooking since I had not tried this slow cooking method before. So I raised the temperature again to 250 and then to 350. I think next time I'll keep it low. Cooked until 2pm. A full 25 hours. The meat thermometer read 185. Let it sit for 30 minutes. My boyfriend carved the bird. We served it with homemade Cranberry sauce. I had never made cranberry sauce from scratch before. Wow! Not hard and so much better than the canned stuff. All you do is put a cup of orange juice in a pan (I squeezed my own!). A cup of raw sugar and 12 oz of fresh cranberries. Melt the sugar, simmer and stir until the cranberries begin to pop*. Refrigerate and the sauce will thicken.

Thanksgiving dinner was held around 3. Dinner was delicious. All Thanksgiving staples were served. Mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato and apple casserole, garlic bread. All that mouth watering food covered our table and everyone had enough to eat. We sat around the table- my boyfriend, his mom and brother and me. Ate, talked, ate, laughed, ate... A Good time.

You are a natural beauty.

2009-11-24T21:24:00.003-05:00

Holy shit this is so cool!

Its native gold on white quartz from California!

And only $2,250. Ha!

rocks, gems, cabs, trees,

2009-11-22T21:59:00.007-05:00

Pennsylvania day trip. Met a friend at a gem show.

Country radio blaring down the freeway. Trees rolling beyond the horizon. I had the open road away from city grime. Yee ha!!!

My finds: Turqouise, Varicite, Mookite, a raw Emerald and raw Rubies.

Mmmm Mmmm pretty.

New! custom 18 karat pendant

2009-11-13T23:09:00.006-05:00

Oooo, Friday the 13th!

AND my photo importing froze up at the 13th photo!...something haunting my computer perhaps?

A lovely customer wanted the "Helicopter Maple Seed Necklace" as a charm. No chain, just the maple seed. And she wanted it in 18 karat gold.

Great! Sounded like fun to make. And it was! 18 kt gold= luxury to work with!

LASIK!

2009-11-06T10:10:00.005-05:00

Here is me at my day job! I make molds, cast sculptures, fabricate, help set up film and photo shoots among other things.

Notice my big glasses... I won't be wearing those anymore. Yesterday I had LASIK surgery!!! Upon arriving at the doctors office I took a Vicodin and Xanax. I swallowed the pills gratefully and waited for a wave of relaxation to fall over me. It didn't happen. I was so amped up. I kept thinking, when will I relax? Can I make a run for it? The elevator is right in front of me...

The final waiting room was next to the operating room. When we arrived, another patient was waiting for her procedure. She was excited. Happy. A guy walked out of the operating room. Everyone whipped around to take a good look at him. He looked good! Wearing big sunglasses, lead the way out. "Wow" I thought, it cant be that bad. More patients filed into the room. Most accompanied by a partner who was trying to downplay the foreboding situation. Me and my fellow nearsighted patients sat facing one another listening to the sound of the laser cutting. K.K.K.K.K.K.K.K. A grating, high pitched sound. "That's her eyeball being cut!"

One big tough looking guy sat by his girlfriend staring solemnly. He was silent. The woman beside him whispered into his ear and he sat fixed. Trying to transport himself out of that room. "He was so nervous." my boyfriend later told me. That guy was not alone. My heart was pounding, hands fidgeting, trying to breath. We were all anticipating something unspeakable. One by one the patients were released from the room. Everyone looked a little dazed. Reborn. Gone would be waking to fuzzy faces. Gone would be my headaches from glasses pushed against nose and temples. Gone was the insufferable irritation and pain from wearing contacts.

I was in the operating room for about 15 minutes. The doctor and nurses were so nice and comforting. They talked me through everything. I held onto two stress balls under a blanket. I tried to squeeze and my hands wouldn't make a fist. Maybe those drugs were working! First they put lots of numbing drops in my eyes. I was terrified that those drops weren't enough. "You can put more" I laughed. The Vicodin was kicking in. It was hard not to smile. I was getting LASIK!

A big suction cup latched onto my eyeball steadying them for the initial laser cuts. The computer operated laser cut a flap into both eyes over my cornea and the doctor bent the flaps over. The doctor check and rechecked everything. I was temporarily blind with the flaps up. Only a fuzzy grey and a faint blinking light. "Keep looking at the light"

"Oh, there it is" I laughed. "Holy shit" I said to myself. "I can't feel the cutting, just some pressure. Its OK. Everything is going to be OK."

I wore big full face "retirement" sunglasses while my boyfriend drove me home. The rest of the day was spent in bed. I felt like I had an eyelashes in my eyes. Some stinging. But sleep heals. The eye's are amazingly resilient.

Today, I am taking off from my day job. The doctor said that I can go back to work today but for my job, I don't think so. Too much dust and fumes there and I want to play it safe. I will take it easy this weekend. My sight is AMAZING now! I have some halos around bright lights at night. This is normal. My eyes are dry and this is normal. I have three types of eye drops, and they are my best friends right now.

I will have a check up later today, I expect my vision will be near perfect.

This is a life changing event. I am so happy with my decision to get LASIK! I have had surges of emotion throughout this journey. Tears well up when the reality hits me that I can see. I just received a text from my wonderful boyfriend, "How's life with the new eyes?"

It is incredible!

gourds for fall

2009-11-04T23:04:00.004-05:00

Love the textures.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-31T01:06:00.003-04:00

The Best Vampire!

2009-10-30T17:46:00.005-04:00

In the spirit of halloween I want to share my baby vamp necklace from Bittersweets NY which is an awesome jewelry store specializing in the delightfully grotesque.

I have the rose gold version and I love love love it. Bite me, please!

New HB Facebook Fan Page!

2009-10-25T17:44:00.007-04:00

Hightower Botanicals caved! We are now on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/HightowerBotanicals

Getting ready for 2010, we are now part of the mighty interweb giant of profiles and status updates.

It will be The Place for discounts, new designs, my Brick and Mortar consignment shops... good stuff. SO, fan me!!!

And don't worry, I will continue to blog about everything and anything that strikes my fancy here on Blogger.

Delicious Bath and Body Shop

2009-10-22T20:41:00.006-04:00

Succulent aromas fill my bathroom every day and I have to share!

I bought the "Woodland Rose -Creamy Shea and Mango Soap" from "Soft Shell Bath and Body Shop" recently. This soap is made from scratch. It smells outrageously good! A rosy, creamy mango comfort in my nose after every shower. Wow. And fragrance lingers on my skin after the shower so I can savor it. The Woodland Rose blend is not currently available, guess its a summer fragrance. But I have confidence in ALL of Soft Shell's soaps and highly recommend.

I also purchased the "All Natural Facial Oil". A unique blend of high quality oils. Watermelon Oil is one of the main ingredients! Yeah, Watermelon oil! "How weird", I thought when I first read the description. How much oil can you get out of a watermelon? The blend here is really different. Rosehip Seed oil, Jojoba oil, Plum Kernel oil, Orchid extract... Actually the first time I opened up the bottle and dotted my finger I was confused by the smell. A bit earthy, floral, citrus, spicy. I just didn't know what to think. But I tried it and it felt good on my face. I have a mix of dry and oil skin. According the Soft Shell, this facial oil is good for both. So I continued to use it. My face feels great and now and the scent has grown on me. I can appreciate the complexity of exotic (for me!) ingredients. definitely recommend this facial oil for anyone with dry/ problem skin.

Go Soft Shell!

Lancaster county, PA

2009-10-18T14:46:00.004-04:00

I went to Pennsylvania Dutch Country yesterday for a day trip. Rainy, but we decided to go anyways and just go with it.

At an Amish roadside stand. Everything was glowing with color. I picked out three gourds and a pumpkin. Going to make pumpkin soup!

Wilbur Chocolates americana museum and store in Lititz. "Road Apples" can be found here only I believe! Amish country!
And here are some old chocolate molds! Wilbur chocolates is the oldest continuously running chocolate factory!

Gearing up for Halloween

2009-10-15T13:48:00.007-04:00

Edgar Allen Poe and H. P. Lovecraft.

Two of the greatest horror writers, perfect for Halloween! I've been wanting to make a treasury in honor of them for awhile. Finally snagged one! "Lovecraft, Poe, Oz and Ozzy!!!"

Love letters to my new designs!

2009-10-14T21:51:00.033-04:00

Ahhh, Sweet Basil! So green, so succulent... we will meet again next spring dear Basil!

But Sweet Basil, I have you now... everlasting in silver!

Raw Rose Quartz. I love your light pink hues. Iridescent layers. Soothing feel of your stone...

Beware, the Basilisk

2009-10-11T11:38:00.014-04:00

Get out your Basil leaves! For they are considered the best cure for a basilisk bite. That is, If you haven't looked him in the eyes yet. Those eyes hold a great power- instant DEATH! Some say you will drop dead to the ground. Others say you will turn to stone.

I found this awesome basilisk illustration by Richard Svensson.

Consider yourself warned and keep a lookout! If you do see him, advert your eyes and now you know what to do. Grab a basil leaf... I wonder if a Basil Leaf Necklace works just as well!

See more of Richard's SciFi and Fantasy artwork.

Basil Necklace by Hightower Botanicals.

studying spinning maple seeds

2009-10-08T22:08:00.006-04:00

You know, the "helicopters" that you threw as kids. Looks like playing around with maple seeds has gone to a whole new level. I found this cool photo of a maple seed in an article for the California Institute of Technology.

Here is a quote from the article-

"Maple seeds could represent the most basic and simple design for a miniature helicopter, if the swirling wing could be powered by a micromotor," says Lentink. Single-rotor helicopters have been built and flown successfully with wing spans of roughly a meter, but never at the scale of a maple seed.

Maple Seed Necklace!

And the half necklace!

New stuff!

2009-10-07T22:14:00.013-04:00

baby basil studs

rosemary hoops

and onyx

I'm so happy with how they turned out!

Etsy Labs

2009-10-07T00:15:00.011-04:00

Last night I went to my second Etsy lab craft night! Etsy headquarters are in Dumbo, Brooklyn, under the Brooklyn Bridge.

I have to say that the first time I walked into the space that is Etsy I was nervous! After spending hours and hours in front of my computer in Etsyland It feels like some kind of a friend. So being there in person was actually really weird! Interweb Etsy is real. Dumbo Etsy is am impostor!

I did see some homemade looking soap at the sink...

For me craft night is reverting back to art class in kindergarten. Last night we made exquisite corpse cards with Esther K. Smith. Esther demonstrated how to make our own Halloween cards with magazine cut-outs, including some magazine paper used to clean her press so the paper had a pretty metallic ink wash over it. Made for great craft supplies. Esther was a very good teacher. I pretty much used the colored pencils. Like I said, I was back in kindergarten! I made some new friends, and will be back!

Esther's website for Purgatory Pie Press, a bookmaking and printmaking company.

Cleaning Silver

2009-10-04T15:42:00.026-04:00

I've heard about an easy cleaning method for silver tarnish. Memories of a lazy Sunday afternoon a few years ago. Me watching an infomercial about a book of home remedies. The frantic salesman on TV demonstrating entries in the book. Little sneak peaks. This one really caught my eye. It seemed so cool, cleaning silver in an aluminum pan.

Well, I finally tried it out today and its awesome! Easy and cheap. Most likely you will have everything that you need on hand!

Baking Soda, Salt, Aluminum pan or foil, hot water. And my dog Gunny's helping!

Get a disposable Aluminum pan like I have here or line one of your pans with aluminum foil.

1Tbs Baking Soda and 1Tbs Salt into the pan. Heaping Tbs's are fine!

Boil some hot water and pour a little bit into the pan.

Stir for a second and dissolve most of the mix.

Dunk your tarnished silver in!

Watch it clean magically.

I don't recommend trying this on jewelry with gemstones. Some stones might be fine, but i would do some research first. Also, don't clean your oxidized jewelry this way. It will take the oxidation off too.

Its so cool! Here are my tarnished silver necklaces. Tarnish city! Especially the feather necklace. Its so dirty! I cant see how dunking that into anything will clean it.

Let the silver soak. Depending on how dirty it is, a few seconds might be good enough. Or a few minutes. I scrubbed the feather some with the undissolved solution in the aluminum... it was so dirty.

And here they are a few minutes later!!!

Amazing!

Gold Gold Gold!

2009-10-02T22:09:00.008-04:00

rosemary and half maple

I love the way it feels, looks, solders, hardens, bends, cuts, tastes smells!

Thanks to some recent sales, I recently made two gold necklaces. One rosemary and one half maple. I can't say that I was exposed to very much gold growing up. And I've always assumed that it was "gaudy" and "some gross yellow color". Perhaps a jealous reaction to my deprived jewelry box! Or, perhaps I was just naive.

Since making jewelry, I have slowly broken through the great gold barrier! With humble beginnings of a black onyx heart gold plated ring from my grandmother in grade school. Then onto a snake link necklace found in the middle of the road while bike riding in middle school.Too bad it was butt ugly and I would have only worn it If I had morphed into a wife beater wearing, gelled haired muscle man. I cannot remember much gold in high school... I was more into grunge with flannels and old thrift store strange-pants that would not see a washing machine for over a month (serious).

After college, I merely watched a jeweler friend work with gold. Gradually, my fingers felt a tingle for the precious metal. One day I made the plunge and whalla! The magic of gold came clear!

Patinas and Bezels...

2009-09-13T21:48:00.005-04:00

Oregano and Cat's Eye, and Rosemary and Rhodochrosite.

The Cat's Eye is for me! I experimented more with patinas on this necklace and came up with fabulous results. I used the egg method. Natural, easily attainable, and beautiful. The praise couldn't be higher from me. I used JAX Blackener last time and it was gross. I am so over chemicals, using lovely natural eggs was a dream! And the colors that resulted are really great.

The Rhodochrosite necklace will be available on Etsy. This time I tweaked the rosemary leaves towards the stone a bit to give it a sexier feel. I am really happy wit this design. More to come...

Why I bought a Hightower Botanicals necklace...

2009-08-31T23:02:00.005-04:00

"- my son is a tattoo artist (just moved from Brooklyn) and my sister always wanted to have a mapleleaf tattooed on her but she seems to be afraid - she is turning 60 in Sept. and so I thought I would get her the necklace and now she won't have the need to go through the tattoo process!!! Just for your information. Thanks for your help - you have been wonderful. Sally"

Thank You Sally,

What a great story, I have a few tattoos and let me say that Yes. They hurt going on!

Patina experiments...

2009-08-30T16:06:00.005-04:00

Two rosemary leaves with Jade, made for a friend of mine-

I am experimenting with blackening silver, lots of fun. Haven't hit the nail on the head yet, but soon, soon! Similar designs, soon to be in my store.

wild flowers

2009-08-16T22:32:00.008-04:00

I was in Portland, Oregon recently visiting friends. Saw these while on a walk. Snapping flower photos never gets old-

Sales!

2009-08-16T21:37:00.005-04:00

In the last two weeks I've had two sales on Etsy.

My FIRST Etsy sales!!!

My Half Maple Necklace both times...its a hit!

A quote from my first Etsy sale-

"My necklace has arrived - its gorgeous. I love it and put it on right away. Thank you!"

-Jennifer

Thanks Jennifer and Sara

Choker

2009-07-13T21:47:00.010-04:00

Here's my New Necklace!

(front and back)

I'm going to exercise my artistic freedom and call it a choker at 14". I used two Basil leaves and a Opalescent Topaz. Umm Umm. Pretty! It turned out to be allot more girlie than I had envisioned. I used another bezel setting for the topaz! I'm starting to get the hang of it... this particular topaz had been set aside for a prong setting but I did not feel up to conquering that! I'll save it for another day.

And as always, the back is detailed too. One of my pet peeves I guess is when a piece of jewelry has great detail, then you turn it around and the detail turns to mush. Now, I know that most people wont even set eyes on the back of your jewelry, but for my own piece of mind. I like to know that my necklace that I am wearing is detailed all around. Like a real leaf. Or, like a real object. It makes it more real, gives it more weight.

Many more chokers to come...

Lots of new earrings...

2009-07-10T15:21:00.009-04:00

I'm finally getting around to posting some earrings on Etsy-

Basil leaves with a Garnets on top...

Here on Etsy.

and single Oregano, Rosemary, and Ivy leaf posts!

Here on Etsy...

My new "Opal Oregano" ring.

2009-07-06T22:11:00.008-04:00

Here is my new ring!!!

Thats a pretty white opal, my first bezel setting, and two oregano leaves on either side. This one is tiny- a size four for my pinkie finger. I love it!

Wow, Im in the hottest treasury!

2009-06-28T15:25:00.012-04:00

Hot!

At Etsy there are wish lists members put together called treasuries. One very active etsy seller- VikiDianeDesigns had the idea to run a series of 100 "Artist Exposed" treasuries! Each treasury lasts two days and showcases 12 stores.

The best part of this series is all in the name... everyone added a photo of themselves, exposing the faces behind Etsy.

I recently joined the fabulous Etsy group "Metalsmiths In Action". This bunch of talented Metalsmiths share tips of the trade and offer support in all things Jewelry Metalsmithing! Thanks to MSIA, I had the oppurtunity to be in the second to last "Artist's Exposed 99". Of course I jumped on the train asap!

2009-06-05T20:51:00.011-04:00

The Ivy Necklace and Bracelet-
Here is a fun tour of a backyard in New Jersey...

This English Ivy vine was the inspiration for my Ivy charms! I made a mold of an Ivy leaf from this very plant. It was a little baby leaf, as you can see in the first photo. Resting on a mama leaf.
And here's my dog Gunny. He wasn't too interested in the Ivy vine.
The Maple Seed (whole and half) Necklaces-
The veins really transferred over in metal!
I made molds from Maple seeds in this yard, so you could say that these charms capture the tree in time.

2009-06-05T13:07:00.004-04:00

I just finished an order for Thistle and Clover.

It's Hightower Botanicals's largest order yet!

Basil, Ivy, Rosemary and Oregano necklaces in Sterling Silver.

Creating the beautiful photographs of HB.

2009-05-29T22:26:00.003-04:00

Here I am in the middle of a photo shoot. As you can see, I spare no expense in photography equipment and set design.

OK, just kidding! But I do think the end results were nice. Here is a photo of my Rosemary and Maple Seed rings.

My Jewelry Store!

2009-05-25T17:52:00.005-04:00

Here's my basil necklace!

I made a mold from a cinnamon basil leaf last fall, and then had it cast in silver. This was my first leaf charm in a line of jewelry. My store is called Hightower Botanicals and WELCOME! I'm on Etsy, check out the store at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6124496

Or, you can go to Etsy and search for "Hightower Botanicals" under Sellers.

I enjoy working with metal, plants; particularly herbs, and love herbal teas and medicinal uses of herbs. I've been reading about herbal folklore and bring up strange and cool traditions in some of the Etsy descriptions of my jewelry.