Wednesday, November 28, 2007

BEADS, BEADS, AND MORE BEADS!!!

Well, we FINALLY had a few beautiful days of weather and I've been able to take photos of some of the new beads that I will be listing in my shop before the end of the week. Here's a sneak peek....



Smoky Quartz Checker Faceted Dime Beads, 15" Strand



AAA Brown Zicron Shaded Microfaceted Rondelles, 16" Strand



Gold and Brown Rutilated Quartz Step Cut Faceted Twist Beads, 16" Strand



Large Natural Rock Crystal Faceted Heart Briolette Strand



Labradorite Faceted Puff Briolettes, Half Strand, 4"



Labradorite Smooth Cross-Drilled Oval Beads, 8" Strand



Chrysocolla Smooth Oval Tablet Beads, 16" Strand



AAA Blue Zircon Faceted Teardrop Briolettes, Half Strand, 8"



AAA Blue Zircon Faceted Oval Nugget Beads, Half Strand, 8"

Keep an eye out for the jewelry that I posted during the last few days...it will be added to my jewelry shop this week too! Also, gift certificates and holiday gift wrap, COMING SOON!

Saturday, November 24, 2007

More New Jewelry

I made these earrings the other night and I've been dying to post them! However, it's been overcast and rainy here so the sunlight has been elusive and I had to use some artificial light to photograph these. Not exactly perfect shots, but they will do :)



Snowdrift Earrings
Rainbow moonstone faceted teardrops, fancy crystal briolettes, sterling silver wire.



Joyful Heart Earrings
Fancy crystal briolettes, microfaceted rondelles in the following stones: carnelian, citrine, sunstone, peridot, vessonite, phrenite, fluorite, iolite, apatite, amethyst. Hand-forged sterling silver earwires and headpins.



Snowflakes Earrings
Rainbow moonstone faceted heishi beads, rainbow moonstone faceted onion briolettes, sterling silver faceted disco ball beads, sterling silver chain and hand-forged earwires.



Mulberry Earrings
Peacock seed pearls, peridot zircon briolettes, hand-forged sterling silver headpins and earwires.

Adventures In Crafting

My mom is an amazing floral designer. I've watched her do it and I've thought, "Well, I could do that!" But, alas, I can not. At least I can't do it the way she does. We spent Black Friday at Hobby Lobby, two of them in fact. I gathered all the ingredients necessary for the perfect Christmas wreath and with the gorgeous autumn wreath that my mom made at my side I thought it would be easy peasy. I figured that I would just duplicate her wreath but with Christmasy stuff. It took FOREVER! I lost count of the hours after three. It is finally done but I realized while scaling down these pictures that the pear in the upper right side kind of looks like a penis. That takes a little bit of the Christmas spirit out of it for me. What do you think?

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Keeping Busy, Making Jewelry

Today was a very busy day. I just finished designing an invitation for the annual fundraising gala for my daughter's school, The Parish School. I had to rework the envelope design and get it to the printer before noon today, ugh, what a rush! I've attached an image of the front of the invite and would love to hear your opinions (see below). The theme for this year is Mardi Gras and I was completely unprepared and uninspired because I've never been to Mardi Gras or New Orleans. I found this incredible carnivale mask image on istockphoto.com and it was just perfect.


After my little one went down for her afternoon nap I took some pictures of some earrings that I made the other day. I am really into garnets right now. I can't seem to get enough rhodolite garnet, their stunning rich raspberry color is just scrumptious! I also made three pairs of earrings with some exceptionally pretty rainbow moonstone. I'll post pics of them when I can get enough sunshine to photograph by.



Perfect Pansies Earrings
Pink amethyst faceted nuggets, rhodolite garnet faceted puff rice briolettes, peridot faceted rounds, apatite step cut twisted rondelles, fancy cut citrine flower briolettes, gold-fill wire.

Blackcurrant Earrings
Rhodolite garnet faceted rounds in small and medium sizes, rhodolite garnet microfaceted rondelles, deep berry garnet faceted onion briolettes, and gold-fill chain, wire, and findings.



Grapes & Honey Earrings
Grossular green garnet beads in faceted chicklet shape, microfaceted rondelles, and faceted onion briolettes. Gold-filled wire, chain, and findings.



Autumnal Bouquet Earrings
Smoky quartz step cut faceted ovals, peridot zircon faceted briolettes, fancy carnelian faceted flower briolettes, and gold-filled wire and handmade ear wires.



Carrot Sticks Earrings
Carnelian microfaceted rondelles and long tapered faceted rice briolettes. Gold-filled wire and hand-forged gold-filled ear wires.

Have a safe, happy, and filling Thanksgiving!!!



Giving Thanks This Thanksgiving...


Well, here we are...I've finally broken down and started a blog. It is a sad state of affairs when my best-friend, who has no web design background, is becoming more web savvy than I am. So, I'm jumping off of the bridge just like all the rest. I guess I hesitated to start a blog because I have absolutely no extra time and I didn't think that I had anything worth talking about. Unfortunately, that all changed about 6 weeks ago when my dad died.

It was a sudden and completely unexpected thing. There is something about death that makes you question everything else in your life and it gives you a new perspective on things, and I've found that perspective can be everything. I have decided to simplify my life! I am going to choose to do things that make me happy and get rid of the things that don't. I am going to try to stop creating problems and start finding new ways to solve the ones I already have. I am going to spend as much time as possible with my family because the illusion that tomorrow is guaranteed is a thing of the past. But, most of all, I am going to say what I think and how I feel. I won't hesitate to tell someone important how much I love them, how grateful I am for all that they have done for me, and how very thankful I am that they were my dad.

One of my favorite authors is Jan Karon. She writes a series of books about an Episcopal priest who lives in mythical Mitford, North Carolina. In the final book of the series, Father Tim, the main character, gives a sermon in which he has only 4 words to share with the congregation, "In EVERYTHING...give thanks." It seems like a simple concept but when you think about what "everything" means, all of a sudden its not so simple. This probably seems like a random thing to write about but I had to share it because Thanksgiving is in 2 days, and since my dad passed away I didn't think I'd have anything to be thankful for. Then I remembered the story from this book and it reminded me of all of the good that I can be thankful for in this terrible tragedy. I can be thankful that he will never, ever suffer again. I can be thankful for all of the time that we had together and for all of the years that he spent sacrificing so that we would be safe and happy and comfortable. I can be thankful that my parents had almost 35 years of marriage and that they were true partners. I can be thankful that he loved me and I can be thankful for the knowledge that that love doesn't end in death, it will live on forever.

So, as the first Thanksgiving without my dad comes around, I say to you, "Be thankful for every single moment in your life no matter how exhausting or disappointing because none of us are guaranteed another one. Be thankful for the time that you have had and the ability to look back on it and learn from it. Be thankful that you are loved and that you have someone to love you in return. But most of all, be thankful for the hard, painful things, the things that make you cry, the things that test your mettle, because those are the things that make us who we truly are."