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Remember? I had worked hard on a lampshade, spent lots of time...and just didn't like it? Well, here it is--reworked and redesigned. I like it much better. I must be happy with a piece in order to put it up for sale. It has multi-colored flowers in various sizes and styles, the colors of which truly compliment each other. The red flowers have Swarovski crystal beads in the centers to add an extra level of sparkle. I would enjoy this "home jewelry" in MY home, and hopefully others will say the same thing! Check out the lampshade's flowers up close on my eCrater site.
I had this great idea in my head for a lampshade. I collected the beads and, although I had wanted to find a brighter pink flower bead, was pleased with how they looked together. I worked hard at stitching the beads on after planning the outlay. After a great deal of it was completed, I looked at the stitched lampshade...and...and...didn't like it! Gerrrrr! Is it a sign that I am a perfectionist, or is it just the way things SHOULD be? If I don't like what I create or it doesn't look like top quality, I am NOT happy with it. It simply must be torn apart and reworked. Well, that's exactly what I've done. You know, I almost felt relieved that I was redoing it. I am now in the process of reworking the pretty flower beads onto a new lampshade, and you know what? I am much happier with how it is turning out. I just wish these little episodes didn't take up so much valuable time and energy, but I MUST be happy with the outcome in order to put something up for sale. Stay tuned, the lampshade will be done soon and a picture will be posted on here within the week.
Whether we want to admit it or not, we must confess that since childhood we have all had that pleasantly surprised and exhilarating feeling upon discovery of a feather on the ground. It is somewhat debatable whether or not we actually should pick up the feather or not (bugs? disease? who knows why this is debated really?), but regardless there is just something special about discovering a feather. A bird is so visually and audibly appealing, so colorful, so sweet...so untouchable! A bird represents beauty, lightheartedness, fragile endurance, teamwork, and glorious freedom. To hold onto a tangible representation of these things can be most invigorating! Above you will see not one but TWO birdbird feathers. Bluebirds abound around there thankfully and are lovely and enjoyable in every way. I found both of these in two separate places--one out back of our house and the other at a park. What treasures! Joys like these money cannot buy. I shall keep them in my antique inkwell and think of the bluebirds fluttering around flowers and trees this winter down south whenever I come back in from shoveling snow. I will encourage myself that the pleasant bluebirds will indeed return next year...and perhaps leave another brilliant blue feather for me to add to my collection!
Some household tasks are more mundane than others, and, well, it's pretty hard to get excited about doing the laundry. Some days it's a chore, and some days it is a down right drudgery. I figure for a place that I must visit several times a week to do something I would rather not have to do, the room itself needs to be cheery and inviting...even pleasant, if possible. I painted our small laundry room a warm, buttery yellow with coordinating sandy-yellow tiles. I like to hang my laundry outside when I can, so I wanted to give an appearance of bringing the outside "in" by displaying a rose garden theme to the room. Besides it makes it much more pleasant on those rainy or snowy days when going outside and hanging up laundry with whiffs of roses in the air is quite impossible. 
I "re-purposed" a country-styled shelf by painting it white and adding crystal knobs. A pretty rose plate from a yard sale and brass planter with a philodendron in it beautifies an otherwise useless wall. My favorite "Scott's Roses" tin wall-hanging was eyed in a Romantic Homes magazine a few years ago, and I found mine on line. 
Rose cabinet knobs, a pretty rose-covered valence, "Garden" sign, flower mister, and teapot all add to the charm without making the room too overwhelmingly decorated. 
The only two things that I'm still working on in this room. One is my ironing board cover. It does show in the room. I saw a rose ironing board cover at some store years ago, and would like to get one sometime. I'm sure I can find one somewhere (Do you have any suggestions as to where?). I just have to look hard enough. The other thing is a potted miniature rose which fell ill this past summer (notice I have subtly left it out of camera view!). I am trying to "love" it back to health instead of merely tossing it and buying a new one. Sometimes this method takes a great deal of time and effort which hopefully will be worth it in the end. I hope you enjoy my warm, rose accented laundry room!
I have had fun lately browsing the latest round of magazines I thoroughly enjoy--like Tea Time Magazine and Victoria Magazine. Victoria has an article on a shop called Tail of the Yak which is a shop full of eclectic curiosities and oddities. I wish I could visit it, but California is unfortunately a little out of our budget at this time. Two pictures, well...actually three, captured my eye. One was of waxed paper teacups and saucers (page 59). These are a must-see! Talk about a paper cup gone to a higher level (perhaps two higher levels). These would be fun for a whimsical outdoor, patio-tiles-under-foot tea. They look lovely and there would be no need to fret about your lovely teacups shattering on the floor. The other picture is on page 61. IF you can get past the LOVELY diamond and gemstone rings in the antique jewelry boxes (that's the third picture!), there is a picture on the top left of the page that has what looks like miniature paintings in tiny gold frames. If only I could get a closer look! You know how I love and enjoy tiny things (one of the reasons I like those small, glass flower beads), and these looked intriguing to say the least. Get yourself a copy of Victoria and check these things out for yourself. Just this article, not to mention the rest of the magazine, is worth it.
I have added three new charms (one may be seen to the right) to my website. Two more charms are "in the works" and may be added tomorrow evening. I am also working on a pendant, a brooch, and another lampshade. The lampshade is almost done as well. Please check them out for yourself...and thank you for doing so!
It's not a big one...just a little bite! Today I've noticed for the first time a tiny--ever so tiny--bite of autumn in the air. The air was dry, the sky clear, and the temperature was quite comfortable. Winter is pretty; spring is invigorating; and summer is exciting;...but autumn...ah, autumn is warm and mellow and has to be my favorite time of year. The reds, golds, and oranges of the season are gorgeous. It is neither cold nor hot. Sweaters are just right to wear and having a cup of tea during the day somehow seems more refreshing and desirable with a little crispness in the air. Despite the ragweed floating around (sniffle, sniffle), the end of August and month of September, I am convinced, is the best time to be in Wisconsin. Wisconsin shows its true beauty in the fall. Okay, I won't hurry the inevitable arrival of fall just yet. I shall enjoy my rose bushes (now that those Japanese Beetles have finally exited them for the year) and pansies while I can, but rest assured more on autumn will be said in the next few weeks!
Of all the gemstones that exist I enjoy rubies the most. I love the color green and am amazed that emeralds aren't my favorite gem. Emeralds are warm and green and beautiful. However, for some reason rubies are my favorites. Rubies are talked about in the Bible and had great value in Bible times. Job 28: 18 says, "...for the price of wisdom is above rubies." Proverbs 8:11 says, " For wisdom is better than rubies..." Proverbs 20:15 says, "There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel." And the verse that comes to mind most often when I think of rubies is Proverbs 31:10 "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." As much as I enjoy rubies and think they are the prettiest gems...wisdom and knowledge and virtue are all BETTER than rubies and are more important to gain than any ruby in existence!
Perhaps it was my mother's gold and ruby-red class ring that first inspired me. I remember as a child just wishing for a ruby ring. Though March is my birthday month and aquamarine my birthstone, July's rubies were hands down my favorite. My great-grandmother gave me one in a fuzzy box--the only memory I have of her giving me anything. I do not believe it was a "real" ruby, and very sadly the box and the ring have long disappeared. But I remember how enamored I was realizing that I actually had a "ruby" ring! As the years passed, my parents sweetly bought me a "just because" ring--a ring that had a circle of rubies with a diamond center. It looks like a flower. When I graduated from high school, they bought me the matching pendant and earrings. I cherish the set to this day. My husband took up the torch and bought me a ring with a small marquis cut ruby surrounded by two small diamonds for our anniversary one year. He was a full-time college student, and I was working to help put him through. We were broke, but somehow he managed that ring. I was sick when years later I lost the ruby out of it.
Rubies (real ones--no manufactured rubies for this gal!) are warm and rich in color and are offset best with yellow gold. Of course, diamonds set off any gemstone and naturally enhance the gorgeous color of rubies. When I found the small gold-toned crown setting above, I just had to embellish it with "ruby" glass beads and "diamond" glass beads and a few "pearl" glass beads. Some inspiration came from research I did on the "oriental circlet tiara" in Queen Elizabeth's set ( see http://www.royal-magazin.de/queenbrooch.htm). The diamond and ruby jewels are breathtaking! Regardless, the color combination for my latest brooch came naturally to me. We who make handmade things really do put a little of ourselves into them.
Well, I finally did it...I made myself a light box and took all new photos of my handmade jewelry. The new photos are already up on the eCrater site (see site address at the right) if you'd like to take a look. I thought the jewelry lacked "sparkle", and let's face it...jewelry just CANNOT lack sparkle! The jewelry looks better, is clearer, has fewer shadows, and has a more consistent background. What do you think?
Of course, this would be a popular subject with me--handmade things having more charm. My mother made crafts and things ever since I can remember, selling them in shops and in craft shows. I tend to look at handmade items a little closer over something saying "Made in China" on the bottom because I appreciate and respect the time and effort that went into thinking up, planning, then creating something. Those who create things tend to put a little bit of themselves and even some love into what they do. I know I do!
Years ago when my husband and I went on our whirlwind trip to Paris, we ended up in a little tiny shop. I couldn't tell you what the shop's name was or where it was exactly, but the shop was adorable and the lady was very, very kind--one of the nicest people we met in Paris. Her tiny shop had all hand-made things from local artisans/crafts people. Talk about wonderful! I bought a thimble hand-painted locally and the little French shoe seen in the pictures above. It looked so "French", I couldn't resist buying it. The thought of someone locally hand decorating this little shoe captured my admiration. It has since sat on my dresser among all of my "lovelies" as a reminder of that trip and how something hand-made can impress and positively influence the recipient no matter what it's size may be.
There is nothing worse than a boring business card. At the basic level a business card should say who you are, what you do, and how to get a hold of you. Well, for the sake of beauty and class, I decided to write my card so that one may know what I use to create (glass beads), and what the end products must be (mostly floral themed things), and what to do with the products (the products embellish somehow). Also, I hope that people's interests are stirred enough to investigate further. If they do this, they will know how to find me (e-mail address on web site). Also, I have a scalloped circular sticker on the back that has the same decoration which has my blog address. I don't believe this card is boring and hope all who see it like it and are interested enough to look further at my "treasures." What do you think?
As you know, I love stained glass in just about any form or manner. Yes, when my husband and I visited Notre Dame (just to see it!) in France, we were awed by the magnificent stained glass windows there. I look for stained glass windows in houses whenever we pass through neighborhoods unfamiliar to us...then once a window has been spotted, I have to be certain look whenever we go past again. The beauty of stained glass inspired my glass bead business causing me to use no other types of colored beads than specifically glass (or glass crystal) beads. Sunlight shining through colored glass is stunning and brings out the richness of the glass's color. Unlike plastic, glass will not fade in the sun which ensures the longevity of the item's beauty. I found this pretty stained glass "pot sticker" at a hobby store this past summer. Certainly there MUST be a more eloquent name for these than "pot stickers", but I suppose it will have to do for now. This little stained glass hummingbird wrapped in copper adds color, sparkle, and a tiny spot of yet more beauty to my plant pot full of posies. That is one of the things about stained and colored glass that is most pleasing...it adds a little splash of color and sparkle and beauty to wherever it is placed whether on your lapel, your house, or in a pot full of posies!
