A few of her favorite things ...

Jadis was blogged today in this fantastic blog:

RainbowStorms

What an amazing collection.

Guess the theme ...

I've been included in the theme today on the blog for Dorset Hill Beads . Take a guess at the theme and you can be entered in her giveaway.

Thanks Eileen!

Ooh. Shiny.

I love love love the way this piece turned out. And it's feather-light too.

There's even a matching necklace too.

This looks Familiar ...

My first try at crafting a ring:

Now on Etsy.

Fallen leaves, fallen leaves, fallen leaves... on the ground

Huge yard + lots of trees = raking

So here's a listing to commemorate the Great Rake-up of 2009.

Leaves!

Oh.

The very first World Vision donation item has been tagged in the shop. It's Jadis and I've reduced the price to help her sell so that we can supply a classroom with books, art materials, pencils, paper, rulers and more.

Night and Day, you are the one ...

New listings are up in the shop, including Night and Day necklaces. Plus I've ordered lots of gorgeous new jewels and supplies so there is more to come.

I'm considering doing some work with gemstones too (topaz, tourmaline, quartz) because eventually I'd like to branch off into PMC so you may find some pieces that are quite a bit different than my usual style in the next few months. I'm not sure if that means opening a second shop or not yet. We'll have to see what I come up with and if anything even sells.

It's been a year ...

I wish I could honestly say that everything is the same old, same old. But it's not. Not that that is a bad thing. Just that it's sometimes shocking how quickly your life can completely change.

Have no fear though. All is well. It's just that I've been remiss in some of my committments: to the EAST team, to this blog, to my Etsy shop.

So here's my promise in writing that now that everything is more or less settled down I have recommitted myself to Charmed. Which means new pieces will be listed tonight (I hope you like them).

And I plan to reconnect with the EAST team. Hopefully they still remember me. I'm sure a lot has changed there too.

I also plan on designing some new pieces and all proceeds from those will be donated to World Vision to provide food and educational opportunities in Third World countries. I'm very lucky to have so much (a home, a good job, a great family) and I believe every person should have the same opportunities.

Oh and I was blogged by the wonderful Brat who bought The Kothriat as well as a matching custom bracelet and earrings. Being blogged always makes me squeeful.

I have been remiss ...

Long time no update. Yes yes, I know.

Life has been a bit complicated since the new year but everything is back to normal now (as normal as my life ever is). Spring has finally come, I've made some new pieces which I'll list tomorrow and I finally feel like my old wild self.

I spent today in my garden clearing away the leaves and debris and discovered that my lilies have start to come up and that it looks like this year I will finally have hollyhocks. My fire tulips didn't come back though (sigh).

Tomorrow I will finish raking away the leaves over my irises.

Keep an eye on this space for garden pictures.

Let there be light!

I must wax poetic about my new light box and photo-editing software. First of all, get ye forth and download XnView. It is dreamy, easy to use and (my favorite) free! And oh my. My pictures look so professional now. (The light adjustment was done automatically and when I saw the difference, I squeed.)

My new peacock jewelled collar, Hera, looks so beautiful. Not as good as in person but still lovely and the pictures are so clear and perfectly lit.

Before and after:

Warm Up for the Holidays.

It's snowing here already. I'm not a fan. But that does mean the holiday season is coming.

With that in mind I've decided to have a sale in my shop. Until November 30th, take 10% off all necklaces (even the beautiful Juliet) and 15% off all bracelets. Just wait for the revised PayPal invoice.

Taking Flight

I live on the side of a hill, across from a small lake. It's a beautiful view and as fall as comes to Northern Ontario I've been watching the birds leave for the winter. Except the chickadees, of course, who spend their days eating the remainders of my sunflowers.

I think that is where my recent obsession with wings is coming from. I don't like winter. I don't enjoy the snow, the cold, the ice. I want to fly away from here. Somewhere warm would be perfect.

Each morning at dawn I wait for the bus to take me to the dreaded day job and I can hear the geese on the water. One morning as the sun was rising, I could feel the goddess Eos touching the earth with her rosy fingers. I imagined this necklace and had to create it:

EAST Strikes Again.

Announcing the winners of the Earthpath Artisans Autumn design challenge:

Click me!

Congrats to the winners.

Something Witty This Way Comes

Let's talk something besides design. Let's talk TV, my companion while I sit on my couch at night constructing wearable art.

This year my love belongs to Pushing Daisies. This is by far the best show I've seen in a long time.

Ned the piemaker, who restores life with a single touch, with unfortunate cosmic implications. Chuck, his resurrected childhood sweetheart. Emerson, the caustic knitting PI. Olive, the hopeless devoted waitress. All held together by the unmistakable voice of Jim Dale.

It's unique, funny, slightly macabre. Everything I look for in a companion.

Watch. Become hopelessly devoted.

In the Spotlight

That's right. Today I was the Crafts Spotlight on Talent Database. How exciting is that? My first press, preserved forever with a screenshot.

(runs around gleefully)

I just really had to share that. And now I must go and wrap a pair of earrings for shipping.

Stardust

I recently became a Neil Gaiman fan after reading "American Gods". (I suspect that book may be where the idea for my bracelets came from.) And I loved the movie Stardust so much I needed my own star.

So I bought this bag of assorted charms on eBay. Rather disappointed with what I received to be honest (nothing like the picture in the listing). But in the bag was a singular vintage silver star.

And the Stardust necklace was born:

EAST

I haven't really been on Etsy long, only a few months but I love it. I have to profess my deep admiration and respect for the Etsy community and especially for EAST, the Earthpath Artisans Street Team.

For those who aren't familiar with Etsy, a street team is a group of like-minded members who choose to get together, based on either location, or interest, to network and promote each other.

That really doesn't describe everything we are as a team though. EAST's membership is primarily made up of earth-based religions which means alot of our work is goddess and nature centered.

But even more important is the friendship, support and camaraderie. Every day there is a new thread and about 20 of us get together to post. Together we celebrate every sale with cheers because if one of us is successful then we all are. We have hugs for each other and positive feedback and constructive critism. And tons of ideas.

So check out my EAST sisters: a group of incredibly talented, generous and beautiful artisans.

Silver Swallows

These earrings I made just for me. Pretty tiny silver swallows and aurora borealis crystals on silver plated loops. More on the mythology of swallows here: Swallows.

And this book is probably one of the coolest things ever. OpenLibrary.org has a full scanned copy of this classic work on swallows that is fully accessible on the web.

Water Elemental Earrings

I just loved the way these turned out. Earth, Fire and Air still to come.

And while on the topic of the elements here's a link for you: 50 things you can do to stop global warming. Even my work light has a compact fluorescent light bulb.

Swallows

More things that will never make it to Etsy.

I've always loved the story of the cliff swallows returning to the St Juan Capistrano Mission every spring. That and the story "The Happy Prince" by Oscar Wilde.

The image of the swallow always speaks to me of unfailing loyalty and resiliance. I'm planning a small collection of swallow jewelry in this theme.

The Aurora Capistrano earrings were given to a good friend to wear as a promo. The Pearl Capistrano earrings are a gift for a customer.

PS: Here's a link to a great site of Oscar Wilde's work: http://www.oscarwildecollection.com. You'll find both "The Happy Prince" and "The Selfish Giant" there both of which I remember from childhood. While very Christian in imagery, they are beautiful stories.

And if you need a laugh, "The Canterville Ghost" is there too.

The Morrigan

Sometimes I make things that never make it as far as Etsy. This bracelet is one of those:

Inspired by The Morrigan, the Celtic war goddess, this silver bracelet was contructed in her symbolic colours of purple and black with a unique raven focal bead. Amethyst rondelles, onyx and Czech glass beads, celtic knots and a moon and star toggle all reflect aspects of this awe-inspiring goddess.