New Camera... New Photos

I just got a new camera to replace the very old point and shoot Olympus that I've had for years. My boys had a good chuckle over the age of that camera, and its limited capabilities and megapixels, during the Christmas holiday. So I decided that yes, indeed, it was time to replace it. Now there is a Nikon in the house; though still a point and shoot, it's much more advanced than what I had. And there's much to learn about it. Fortunately I don't need to know about making movies or voice recordings; I only need to photograph my art, and perhaps on occasion some other fun things.

So here are some new photos of jewelry which I took today, in our milder upper 50 temps, for which I am so very grateful.

Botswana Agate Goddess...

Song of the Sea in the Etsy shop...

Spring Romance in the Etsy shop...

Morning Sun... lampwork glass, pearl and crystal pendant on sterling silver chain

Downtown Train... lampwork glass and crystals necklace and earring set

Stay tuned... these and more will be listed in the coming days in my Etsy shop.

Tuesday's Treasures... Five Favorites

Happy Birthday to my Project Embrace friend, Ginny Huber! Since it's her birthday, I've decided to feature her, along with some other great artists, here in my weekly Tuesday's Treasures. I found these gorgeous spring-like greens and reds, all with a round theme, and they seemed to fit my mood today... as I think of birthday balloons and yearn for the warmer and softer days ahead. As always, simply follow the link to see details about the work featured and learn more about the artist.

A lovely dessert plate, perfect for birthday cake, with dragonfly, one of dbabcock's favorite images...

A fun and lively print... I simply LOVE this piece with the bird and the heart in the spokes... by strawberryluna...

A marvelous embroidered piece of art featuring one of my favorite artists, Paul Klee, by VintageChicnSlick...

And of course, this lovely felted brooch entitled It's Always Summer Somewhere (what a wonderful thought!) by ginnyhuber...

And finally, fabulous oxidized copper earrings by dawily, who is having an excellent sale in his shop, but you gotta act quickly...


Until next week... remember to shop Etsy, support artists endeavoring to create very special items, and buy handmade.

Homespun Girl

It appears that I will be a homebound girl this weekend if the weather forecast is on target. Starting this afternoon, we are supposed to see some lovely snow start falling in these parts, with a total of approximately 6 inches, and maybe more, before it's all over tomorrow night. That's enough to keep the wisest folks at home, hunkered down for the duration. We've got the woodstove nice and toasty and plenty of wood to keep it going, lots of food, good books, and hiking boots for a walk around the mountain.

We're all set... unless the power goes out. We can stay warm, for sure, but since we have well water, if the power goes out, so does our ability to have water for bathing, and most important, toilet use!!! And with several inches of snow on the ground, I am not too keen on going out to the woods for that purpose! We're just keeping our fingers crossed that it is indeed snow that we get and not ice, which tends to wreak havoc on all things higher up, like tree branches and power lines. We will be able to have coffee and tea since we keep a camping stove, fuel, and an old camping percolator-type coffee pot for just this reason, and a few extra gallons of clean water.

So it will be interesting to see what the weekend holds for us. One thing that will keep me busy is getting cover art and labels on my CD, which I am soooo happy to say is finally finished! Thanks to a huge effort by my bandmates, Trey and Diana, we were able to complete the mixing on Wednesday night. While it isn't perfect, we all agreed that it sounds pretty darn good and we were pleased with the outcome. And we really weren't aiming for perfection, more for a real sound. As long as the electricity continues to hold out, I will need to burn the CDs, affix the labels, and get the cover in the cases.... just in time for Christmas! That was the plan from the start, and we worked really, really hard to achieve it!

Here's the cover... that's a dress by freeflightclothing on Etsy... and it's so soft and comfortable!

And here's the playlist, 12 original songs...

The three of us learned an awful lot from this process... it was a challenge, for sure. And it was amazing to see how it all came together, to hear what Trey did with leadwork and Diana did with cello arrangments, and to learn about the recording and mixing world. It's a huge, huge job, but we are glad we made the effort. It was definitely worth it, and I am indebted for a long, long time to my friends, Trey and Diana. Thanks, guys!

Five Fabulous Finds... X 2 (almost)

This week's post of my favorites on Etsy features members from the Etsyveg Team... a team committed to a healthy diet and responsible and ethical treatment of animals and the earth. I am proud to be a member of this team and to showcase some of the fantastic work produced by these folks! The theme is green because the team is dedicated to caring for the planet.

If you like what you see, be sure to follow the link to these items in the Etsy shops... all are very reasonably priced and would be perfect for a gift, or for you!

A Long Walk choker by PrettyinPeace

Margarita Soap by krugsecologic

Mother of Pearl and Crystal earrings by naturalartist

Cucumber Oakmoss Massage Candle by chickscratch

Birds on a Wire enamel pendant by AnnabellaDesigns

Okay, I know that's five, but there's more... just because it's my blog and my choices... so enjoy these too!

Chartreuse Pillow by ravissant

The Owl and the Wind linocut by bluecicada

Brown and Green Dangle Earrings by lochristine

A Breath of Fresh Air photograph by aktie9


Until next week, remember to buy handmade and shop Etsy! Happy Holidays, everybody!

Giveaway Winner, Treasuries, and More!

It's another busy week and this will be a full blog post! First I want to announce the winner of my Holiday Giveaway... it's Jill of GlazedOver on Etsy! Congrats, Jill... your Blue Moon jewelry set will be mailed out today! And thanks to everyone who entered!


This morning we woke up to another very foggy morning! All the fog we've seen lately has been so beautiful and inspired my newest treasury... click here to see it on Etsy.


Finally, I learned yesterday that I won the Etsyveg team November Challenge! I'd entered my Cinnamon Apple earrings for the theme of Autumn Harvest. So I will have a free ad on the Etsyveg Blog for one month. Here are the earrings I entered, and the ad I created.



And now I'm off to the post office to mail out a couple packages! Please check back tomorrow when I will post my Five Favorites Finds for the week!

Winter's Beauty

Each season brings to us gifts from nature. The gifts of winter, for me, include a chance to simplify, to rest, to meditate, to reflect. And perhaps above all, winter brings the most majestic sunrises... maybe because of the deep darkness of the season, or the lateness of the sunrise, or because the air feels so clean and crystalline pure. The other morning, around 7:00, as I was drinking my coffee, I saw the most beautiful streaks through the sky and I ran for my camera. Here is what I captured... the progression of the rising of the sun and the light across the mountain.







May the winter season, as it approaches, bring into your life wonder, magic, light, color, and beauty. Happy Holidays!

And if you haven't entered my holiday giveaway, there are just three days left to do so! Click here for more details.

Fabulous Holiday Finds

Perhaps Tuesday's Treasures should become Wednesday's Wonders! The holidays and all the activities revolving around them are keeping all of us busy, and that's my excuse this week for not getting my favorite finds posted on time. So much going on, so much to do, so many things bumping up against each other in my brain... it's getting rather hectic!

And speaking of holidays... here are my five favorites for this week, all holiday items, though they would be lovely in your home, or on your ears, at any time of the year! As always, follow the links to check out the fabulous work of these incredible artists and sellers on Etsy.

Words of Wisdom star ornaments by zinniadesignstc

Beautiful holiday Holly Bell earrings by annaCsophia...

A rustic Star Ornament by arianaalysedesigns

A cozy Holiday Birds flannel pillow by allisajacobs...

And a lovely Red Bird glass ornament by katiediditglass...

There's still time to purchase a holiday gift from a seller on Etsy... but you better hurry! Until next week, remember to BUY HANDMADE, SHOP ETSY!

It's Never Too Late for Tuesday's Treasures

Yesterday I was away from the computer for most of the day, heading into the city to help set up for an opening reception for a festive Holiday Showcase at Associated Artists, a wonderful gallery and organization of which I am a member. I have two paintings in the show and will post them later in the week.

So Tuesday's Treasures was postponed, but better late than never, eh? Today I am posting some fabulous work in time for gift-giving. Hope you enjoy these animal-themed pieces and check out the links to some great Etsy shops!

First, by one of my favorite sellers... peaceofpi... three birds new in her shop. These are sold separately, but together they make a great flock, don't they? I just love them!


Sweet snails... the cutest ones I've ever seen... by joojooland...


An earthy strand of animal flags... love it!... by WindsparrowStudio...


A fabulous family of partridges in a lightbox... by GooseberryLightBoxes...


Tree Wolf, an 18 x 24 painting by Toivi49... just gorgeous!


Until next week, remember to BUY HANDMADE for the holidays, and SHOP ETSY!

MERRY HOLIDAY SALE!

I have just begun updating some of my Etsy items for the upcoming weekend shopping frenzy... some are on sale, some have free shipping, some have both!! More will be added as the days progress, and the sales will be good until Christmas. Browse through the photos here, and simply follow the links on the title to go directly to that item in my shop. While there, you can also do a search within my shop for etsyholidaysale and etsyfreeshipping to see more items.

Also, please note in my shop that when you spend $65 or more before shipping, you will be sent a FREE piece of jewelry... to give as a gift or to keep for yourself! It could be a necklace, a pair of earrings, or even a bracelet... whatever it is, it will be a unique piece and a fun surprise!

For now, here are a few of these merry offerings... on sale or with free shipping... priced right!

Midnight Sparkles


My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose...


Silver Bells...


Song of the Rain...


The Good Earth...


Secret Garden...


Paradise...


REMEMBER... EXACTLY 30 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS! Be sure to make your purchase by December 15 to ensure on-time delivery! I make daily trips to the post office to ship items, so as soon as you pay, I will ship within 24 hours!

Bits and Pieces

So my husband makes custom knives, as I've posted before, and he also makes a leather sheath for each one, which means that there are bits and pieces of leather left over from many of his pieces. I have made a few necklaces from these small pieces, incorporating the leather as the focal piece and of course adding the beadwork. They are all very earthy and somewhat organic in style and color.

This is my latest piece which I posted on Etsy this morning... Branches and Berries...

It's beaded with gunmetal grey and deep red glass seed beads on a bib-style piece of soft, black leather.

It hangs from a black leather cord and is strung very simply with ivory bone tube beads, grey cat's eye glass rounds, and carved soapstone rounds.


Here is another style, Woodsong, with a fringed rusty-brown leather pendant, complimented with jasper and a lampwork glass bead, and strung with a variety of beads in gorgeous browns, oranges, and creams...


Lizard Song was listed on Etsy and featured in VickiDiane's Artists Exposed treasury of Etsy Project Embrace members.

It features black leather adorned with a beautiful crystallized agate and two silvery lizards amongst some very dark and earthy beads.


The experiments will continue... so look for more of these kinds of necklaces over the next few months!