Just a Designing Woman

More France Memories

2011-12-20T22:11:00.001-05:00

Year in Review - Remembering the Good Times

2011-10-31T19:17:00.000-04:00

2011-09-21T10:00:00.000-04:00

Gold Sale!

Well, really only one item is truly solid gold, the others are gold vermeil (22K gold over sterling silver). They are for sale in my little Etsy Shop: Cath's Destash Shop

Recently I have been making jewelry in exotic stones and lampwork glass with a little silver but not gold, so I decided that it was time for these lovelies to go find a new home. Selling them at the ridiculously low price of the silver that they contain.

And the gold and Periodot clasp is simply yummy!

Below are the tiny little beads from Turkey that are solid 22K gold - very precious!

Hope someone can enjoy creating with them!

August

2011-08-18T12:49:00.000-04:00

North Hollywood Beach...37th day of 90 degrees or above...record here but the rest of the south especially Texas are definitely suffering more.

Silver Prices Down a Little but Remain High

2011-06-01T09:22:00.001-04:00

Silver prices have retreated a bit from the record $49.50 high of a month ago, settling down to the mid 30s range - $38.50 today. I have decided to open my Etsy supplies shop Cath's Destash Shop with slightly reduced prices on the sterling silver beads. The beads are selling at BELOW silver price and/or below wholesale cost. Just trying to give everyone who still wants to use sterling silver beads a break. Also, I am now shipping to the U.K. and Belgium. Enjoy!

What is Going On with Silver?

2011-03-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

Spot Silver - 1 Year
Update Chart

I follow the stock market, watching it every week day on TV, and checking my IRA portfolio. I own a little gold for hedging security. But I really should have invested in all in SILVER! In one year the price of silver has doubled. What is happening, and why is no one talking about it very much?

The current silver price is $35.20 and it is hurting jewelry artists who work with sterling silver and fine silver wire and sheet. To say nothing of the price increase in my favorite medium - PMC3 - now well over $110 for a mere 50 gram package. I know I cannot afford to buy it now, and to make items in it for sale is prohibitive as the retail price for the items should be at least 50% greater than a year ago. That means that earrings that sold for $25 would now have to sell for $37.50, and necklaces at $90 would be $135. Do customers understand this increase? Silver has always been seen as the cheaper metal - now we have to use bronze, and copper to make reasonably affordable jewelry.

So, I am going through my stash of sterling silver beads and putting them on Etsy in my de-stash shop at the ridiculously low price of their weight in silver scrap! To help other jewelry artists who still want sterling silver, and also maybe to get some cash so I can buy fine silver wire. My Etsy Destash Shop.

I am even going to include a couple of Anne Choi beads in the sale.

One of my favorite quotes "Life is not a question that waits until it's answered. The answer's in the living, the question's in the mind."

Warm Winter Sunshine

2011-02-16T16:24:00.000-05:00

The Angel Trumpet Tree is sounding a happy tune! Several weeks of sunshine and 70s is just what it needed (and us too!)

Dutch Iris in the early morning sunlight - first blooms on these for us.

The hibiscus is glowing, more blooms every day now!

Even the gardenias have started to bloom again - 2 months early!

Oleanders are climbing again, sprouting new leaves and blooms.

And the little white egrets are walking the tops of the ficus looking for prey -

Ah, winter in Florida can be very nice some years!

Winter Joy in Record Cold

2011-01-03T22:40:00.000-05:00

The more than 100 year old record cold recently of 38 degrees in our area (115 years of records) have produced many sad tales of our landscapes - many palm trees have half brown fronds.

However we have just experienced one of the miracles of nature. Our tuberoses have finally produced a most gorgeous blooming! Just one stalk of the twelve that were planted in the spring, and after all the leaves of the plant have given up -

It started to bloom on Christmas, so I cut the stalk and brought in into the house (the next day was the record setting low), and then wonder of wonders, it started to come into full bloom.....

Until day by day the entire stalk was in full bloom, and my husband walked into the house and was inquiring 'aaaah...What is that wonderful smell?' (a first)!!

Just another miracle of winter...

Happy New Year 2011

to everyone!

Remembering a Warm Thanksgiving

2010-12-08T08:08:00.000-05:00

When the temperature dipped to 40 degrees this morning for the second morning in a row, we just had to go back and remember Thanksgiving two weeks ago when it was warm and lovely.

Hope all the beautiful blooms survive this cold spell...it will be back in the 70s by Friday, but new cold wave is threatening us for next week...is this global warming?

August on vacation in Florida

2010-08-26T21:03:00.000-04:00

Yes, we live in Florida - on the east coast - Ft. Lauderdale to be exact. When we vacation in August, we don't want to go too far away, we leave three dogs at home, and it is hurricane season. Our favorite spot to escape to is on the west coast, and just 2.5 hours away by car. Captiva Island - just north of Sanibel Island which is off the coast of Ft. Myers. Another world - just sand and sea and a single lane road runs through it.

The gulf is so gentle and the sand is so white and soft - compared to the Atlantic Ocean and our reclaimed, coral based sand. We love the contrast and feel like we are in another country!

Shells are abundant, the Sanibel stoop is a well known sight. I love the constant search for something unusual or whole and usually find many of them!

The sea oats are reclaiming the coastline, and they are particularly beautiful, as well as being very complex in their structure.

Sunsets are a special event every day - will there be a "green flash" - or just a spectacular show of color? We have seen two green flashes in past visits, and this time we were rewarded with another one on our last night while dining at the lovely Old Captiva House restaurant with a westward view.

Taken just seconds before we saw they green flash - you have to carefully watch for it, but do you see the little bit of green just starting to appear on the left of the setting sun?

The next morning we got up early to check out our sea bird friends - the large, reallly large, heron that was there every morning to watch my husband's early morning run on the beach.

and to say a final farewell to the very quiet beach, along with a promise that we would definitely be back next summer (if the season is quiet of course!).

What were they chattering about, anyway??

Garden Blooms: May through July in White

2010-07-08T21:12:00.000-04:00

Been a long time since I wrote anything here, but I can show how busy it has been in the garden - blooms, rain, sun, growth endlessly, and lots of gardening in all of it!

Shown above in order of blooms - the orchids, the roses, and now finally my tuberoses that I have just planted this year! Tuberoses are grown from large bulbs and grow primarily in zones 9 through 11. We are in zone 10b, so I was delighted when a good friend told me about them and urged me to grow them if I could. I sent for 12 bulbs from www.easytogrowbulbs.com and planted them in late April. Then the weather went crazy - HOT, no rain, then lots of rain, then HOT, etc., etc. All 12 bulbs sent up shoots, but only 2 of them have actually produced flower stalks, and then we got 3.5 inches of rain just a couple of days ago when they were about to burst open - just after I took the picture above. Now they are brown around the edges, but I am still hopeful for full blooms. At any rate, the buds smell heavenly!

Back to (simple) Basics!

2010-05-22T17:57:00.002-04:00

Lampwork beads being very simply strung to make bracelets. I just had to capture them in the sunlight this morning!

When I was visiting my daughter (and grandson, who helped me stop and smell the roses), I noticed that she was wearing her pearl "stretchy" bracelets exclusively. And she requested that I make her some more of them with beads she had purchased. A busy mom, entrepreneur, and home remodeler as well as gardener, my daughter opts for the easiest and most comfortable jewelry in the mornings before she dashes out the door at 7:30 a.m.

My grandson Will.

I never considered the stretchy bracelet to be anything but a fad; however, my daughter took me to her favorite Talbot's store and showed me their numerous bracelets made that way, so there must be something to this easy on, easy off style. So, now I have been turning out the simplest of bracelets and having a grand time doing it, too!

For me, the lampwork glass beads by Ellen Dooley (left) and Dawn White (right).

For my daughter - beach glass, silver, and pearls.

And more pearls. Hope she likes them!

Another Garden Visit with my Pals

2010-04-30T20:44:00.001-04:00

A few more blooming moments.... this one is part of the border hedge.

A lovely grass plant, female version....

The male plant, luckily right next to the female, so they are both very happy!

Petunias are continuing to bloom from the January plantings, but their time is short now...

and coming a couple of months late ... February is normal bloom time for the gardenias, but we are always delighted when they appear. We hope the coming hot weather doesn't shorten their two month blooming time to a shorter time for us this year!

The little violet-like plant is continuing to flourish, and has been delighted to be in a large pot with a greatly expanding lavender plant - some shade is necessary for them and hope that the summer won't knock them out.

My constant gardening (pest) helpers - where are all the little lizards anyway? Brandy (in front) and Lucy (the lizard hunter). We love Spring in Florida!!

Spring has Come at Last !

2010-04-19T18:15:00.000-04:00

and with Spring we finally have some warmer (70s, low 80s occasionally) temperatures! The foliage is filling out and becoming lush again after our long, cold winter (the coldest on record in south Florida).

These marigolds popped up in my bougainvillea planter and I was so happy to see them I just let them stay there.

And the Angel Trumpet tree is announcing the return of Spring and beauty to south Florida!

Sub-Tropical Climate? Not so far in 2010!

2010-01-15T15:24:00.001-05:00

We have just experienced record cold (31 degrees) and 10 days of low 40s/upper 30s. The result? Dead fish all along the edges of our ponds, no turtles to be seen, no lizards in our yards. And the iguanas are falling out of the trees and dying. It's back up to 75 today, but looks like mid winter in the north east in our yard. So many plants, shrubs, even trees have been damaged or have died.

But as I write these words, I feel grateful to have food, water, shelter and all my loved ones safe. My husband works with a lovely, gentle man who comes into work every day with tears in his eyes. He is Haitian, and still has no word if his family is safe or even alive in Haiti. So many Haitians have made their way to our part of Florida, the sadness hangs very heavy here. Donations are so simple to make, and will help right away.

Red Cross International Relief Fund

Doctors Without Borders

We have so much to be grateful for.

Happy, healthy, bright and sunny NEW YEAR 2010

2010-01-01T10:18:00.008-05:00

A lovely walk to begin the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!

Looking to the north toward Ft. Lauderdale.

The four stacks of Port Everglades can be seen in the upper right.

Looking to the south, a fine mist makes the beach condos of Hollywood appear ghostly.

The observation tower of West Lake park has a beautiful view.

Healthy, happy 2010 to all!

Christmas Eve 2009

2009-12-24T17:45:00.000-05:00

We always watch the movie "Love Actually" on Christmas eve, which says what I want to express -

May you have a love-filled Happy Holiday !

South winter Beach Story

2009-12-21T16:32:00.003-05:00

It is very cold here today (low 60s with no sun) but about 5 days ago it was still in the low 80s so we decided to take a break from holiday shopping and go to the nearby beach.

There were a couple of brave souls in the water (temp is in the low 70s) - they are probably "snow birds".

So, we watched the local wild life as they searched for food - sea gulls posing

and surf fishing -

Pelicans circling overhead, drifting on the thermal air currents

and then back to watching my husband attempt to do a little water therapy

and took pictures of the whipped cream clouds

when my husband shouted to look north -

at the longest trail of Pelicans I have ever seen

heading straight down south to Miami Beach

for lunch of course, at South Beach!

Getting into Colors for the Holidays!

2009-12-05T12:26:00.000-05:00

The closer we get to the holidays, the more I seem to make colorful jewelry -

combined with a little silver or gold, of course -

but always with lots of color!

Now, to get them all listed in my shops, or maybe

give some as gifts, or even -

keep one for me!

The Egyptians Return !

2009-11-29T16:45:00.002-05:00

Geese, that is. Just a couple who honked their way over our house and landed in the pond. Then, following them, a third goose who kept a little distance but trailed them over to the next pond.

They walked and paddled around for awhile.

Decided to do a little street walking...

But soon went looking for bigger ponds...

a little Thanksgiving weekend visit!

Thanksgiving time again

2009-11-25T16:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Oasis of the Seas - Arrival in Port Everglades

2009-11-13T10:36:00.001-05:00

Oasis of the Seas waiting to enter the port

Royal Caribbean's newest ship has just completed her maiden voyage across the Atlantic and arrived here in Port Everglades - Fort Lauderdale - which will be her home base. The ship is the largest cruise ship in the world, costing $1.5 billion and had to have a new "State of the Art" pier built to accommodate it. With nearly 6,000 passengers and 2700 crew it needs highly efficient processing in port.

So, having worked for Royal Caribbean for a couple of years at the port several years ago - and living only ten minutes away from it, I was thrilled when my neighbor asked me if I wanted to drive over to the state park which is at the entrance to the harbor. By 7:20 a.m. we could already see the Oasis sitting out at sea waiting for its turn to enter at 8 a.m. When it started in, the crowds cheered loudly and all anyone could say was "WOW" - it is so big and beautiful!

In fact, it is so big that I couldn't take a picture of the whole ship, so here's the stern -

Looks like eight decks of cabins with sliding glass doors to balconies - great way to cruise! And it was a great start to the day - blue skies, 65 degrees and a brisk half mile walk from the car to the harbor entrance!

Welcome to your new home, Oasis!

Bouganvillea Season - it's DRY again!

2009-11-03T19:30:00.002-05:00

Fall - late fall - begins our dry season, and it's here already! That means the bouganvillea will be blooming profusely until next May, and brilliantly color our walk out the front door every day!

But somehow, I have other things on my mind......

I think I've been watching too much HGTV !

Dragonfly

2009-10-16T16:00:00.000-04:00

This copper dragonfly just arrived, from Chicago via AD Adornments. It is immense and so beautiful! Thank goodness it is hollow, it must be 2 inches wide at least! It is perfect for Fall, even here in south FL where it is 90 degrees today! Cold front will finally reach us tomorrow and we can open our windows to get some fresh air to breathe indoors. OK, I just measured the bead, and it is only 1.5 inches, everything looks bigger when you're too hot!!

Fall Colors in Zone Ten

2009-09-28T12:21:00.000-04:00

Cooler temperatures are almost here - forecast for this week: a cold front is due to pass through and lower the daytime highs to the 80s instead of the low 90s. But the best part is that the humidity will also be much lower. I decided to be daring and go ahead and plant some fall flowers outside in pots. I chose a lavender/blue/white palette for fall. Maybe influenced by the orchids as they bloom or by what Home Depot had in stock!

Hmmm... I see a little helper snuck into my photo, looking for lizards no doubt!

And the colors snuck into my jewelry attempts also...

Must mean that Fall is finally here!

Orchid Bloom Time

2009-09-21T11:22:00.000-04:00

Fall is orchid blooming time in our area. This white orchid is the first, and has a second stem in buds. We will be getting green orchids, yellow tiger orchids, deep fuschia orchids and some I have forgotten in the days and weeks to come. A beautiful Fall ahead!

Dogs - Growing & Shedding

2009-09-04T13:04:00.002-04:00

This is Lucy, checking for squirrels.

And Brandy, waiting for a treat.

And they have lots of long hair now! Vacuuming is a daily task.

Fall on My Mind

2009-09-04T10:30:00.005-04:00

Recently I spent a week in Greenville, SC next door to this lovely garden. Aren't those great colors in the coleus plantings? But the best part was finding the lush square-foot vegetable garden behind them. It made me yearn for the wonderful vegetable garden we had on our half-acre in Huntington, NY. And for Fall in Huntington, too! September was the month of the big change in weather - drier, cooler air from the north almost always came in by mid month. Oh, I do miss that September a lot, so different from our living in south Florida where we look forward to November.

So, I started to dream fall colors again - my favorites.

I found a great little bead shop in Mauldin, SC (Panda's Crossing) and bought some fall colored strands of Czech glass beads. Then I combined them with pearls, horn beads and carnelian and one of my PMC silver pendants.

And I came up with this little toggle design from some lampwork glass that I got at the ISGB show in July. I use it with a fine silver oval, and like it as much as the fine silver pendant in front. I can wait for November I guess.

The Five Year Bracelet

2009-08-17T16:36:00.005-04:00

Yes, I have been working on this bracelet for more than five years! Well, not as a bracelet exactly, perhaps more as individual little dangles. Ok, I admit it - they are all earrings, either singly or a twosome, that I have pulled out from my selling stash. I usually break them down and use the beads again, but these were some that I was hanging onto for various reasons - maybe hoping I would have reason to put them back up for sale, or that they were too cute or nicely made to chop up. Whatever, these smaller earrings are not much in style now and so I gathered a nice group of teals, rose, pearl, amethyst - you can see for yourself. Each dangle has Bali silver beads, some have Swarovski crystals, and each is definitely unique. The only thing I don't know is how to price it, or if anyone would like to wear so many dangles! But it was fun to make, and now I can move on to making more earrings.

ISGB Lampwork Bead Bazaar

2009-07-27T08:21:00.014-04:00

Heather Trimlett lampwork beads

A most wonderful event took place right here in south Florida : the International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) came to Miami this past weekend for their annual "Gathering" and they held a Bazaar on Saturday!

100 talented artists in one place with my absolute favorite art - lampwork glass beads... I had to go -even though the weather was horrendous - driving down I95 for 20 miles took over an hour! But oh, the thrill of meeting and talking with some of the best known artists was well worth it. And they were so nice, they took the time to explain their techniques, help with design questions, even just chat about doing shows and being in Miami. Getting the opportunity to meet the people behind the names that I had admired for years - Kristina Logan, Heather Trimlett, Kerri Fuhr, Larry Brickman and JC Herrell to mention just a few - was so wonderful, no other word for it! Purchasing their beads was even more meaningful - it's easy to understand why people like to buy at shows from the artist more than online or through stores. Wonderful also was discovering new artists, such as Harold Cooney (his work is above and at upper left) and Dolly Ahles (new to me, but well established - see her work below) and they were a pleasure to get to know.

Dolly Ahles large lentil bead.

JC Herrell's lovely work.

I love lampwork beads, and knowing the artists makes it even better, it makes it easy and fun to have an addiction like this!

Beach Necklace

2009-07-22T19:17:00.003-04:00

To me, this is the most delightful summer beach necklace. Maybe because it has a fish (I am a Picses), shells, blues and greens of the oceans, and rough pearls. I like very natural, organic jewelry, but made with silver and gemstones. So, this piece has it all for me -including my PMC (fine silver clay) pendant with the texture from a sand dollar. Isn't the crystal starfish by Swarovski just beautiful? This is a necklace to be worn TO the beach, AFTER the beach, and all summer long with t-shirts, sundresses, and anything else you can come up with. I am going to put it in my Etsy shop, and hope it goes to a good, fun summer-time lover.

Influences

2009-07-19T11:33:00.011-04:00

Do you ever notice how the things you are working with influence your color choices? I was doing some scanning of old photos and saw this dish/plate and tried to scan it also (it didn't work too well). I love this plate - I bartered for it with a pair of earrings when I was doing one of my first shows in Greenville, SC years ago. The pansies have faded over the years and I think the tones that they have become go even better now with the antique gold border.

Next I put an old dried (15 years at least) Cinnamon Fern frond in the scanner that I had taken out of a picture frame. I was marveling at what a greatly detailed picture you get from a scanner... if you look at the the frond closely you can see all the tiny spore pods on the individual leaflets.

And so on to the bracelet, from some lampwork that I purchased many years ago also! I decided to use the champagne colored Swarovski rondells in between the lampwork beads. Only when I went to photograph the bracelet did I realize how all three items, sitting on my studio's chaise lounge, were all the same colors and tones. Maybe I just gravitate toward them anyway!

July in Florida

2009-07-13T11:52:00.006-04:00

Of course July is a very hot month, and very humid too. That is true in a lot of other states as well. What is different is mostly due to the unrelenting heat and humidity that make it difficult to even think of going outside and doing some yard work. Which is why yesterday my husband felt it necessary (?!) to get out the 30 foot extension ladder and go up in the coconut palm tree and get the coconuts down! He felt they were a hurricane hazard, and we all know this is hurricane season. So up he went, and now we have about 100 all over the yard - not in the tree. Anyone want some coconuts?

------------------------------------------------------

In Memory of My Mother - Catherine "Kay" Snowden
11/30/1914 - 7/2/2009

Forever in my heart...

Neutrals - Two Necklaces

2009-06-13T14:39:00.008-04:00

I've had these greyish earth looking stones (a jasper? - I sadly don't remember) for quite a while, but wasn't inspired until this week as to what to do with them. Then, two necklaces just popped out with the same tones, but different characters. The first is dramatic with a large resin "ivory" bead as its focal, large taupe carnelian and carved black onyx beads.

This necklace is more casual and uses a beautiful shade of bronze in the murano glass beads. Its focal is one of the fine silver pendants I made recently and patinaed. I used bronze glass seed beads to carry the color around the neck.

Two New Friends

2009-06-08T15:24:00.004-04:00

have just joined our family - Lucy and Brandy

Garden Helper

2009-06-06T10:40:00.006-04:00

This is a helmeted lizard, and he hangs out in our yard most of the day catching insects. After nearly three weeks of at least one half inch of rain every day, we have an ample supply and lots of variety for him. See his long tail?
He uses it to balance his body when he runs upright on his two back legs across the yard. Wish I could get a picture of that!

Bee Again

2009-06-01T08:16:00.005-04:00

The Bee is back, and has been more closely examined - turns out he is a bumblebee! Or at least that is the majority opinion. He has a more subdued bracelet to hang on to, and a pair of citrine earrings to keep him company. I love this palette, but must move on to some aquas and teals that are calling.

Honey Bee

2009-05-28T17:59:00.005-04:00

I've been playing a bit with colors to find my honeybee charm a good home. Something more delicate may be in order. Might take one apart and wire wrap the stones and beads. Too bad, because I like the feel of a large bead bracelet.

Ducklings Learn Fast!

2009-05-21T08:34:00.011-04:00

We have ten new baby ducklings in our little ponds. Every year we get several of these families and count the ducklings as they grow up to see how many make it. Not that we're crazy about having Muscovy ducks around - the adults are rather ugly and very aggressive, and really litter our sidewalks. But the little guys are cute, and this latest batch seems to have picked up the trait of rushing to any person standing by the pond to see if there is any food for them. I am actually standing there with my dog and still from far across the pond, they see me and come running (or swimming, paddling(?) in this case). I never feed them as I feel it's wrong, they can get their natural food from the ponds.

Do you see them in the upper far left? Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Here they come!

I have to leave as my dog will bark at them, but they keep coming right to me!

Turquoise Revisited

2009-05-19T17:50:00.006-04:00

Upon reviewing the turquoise necklaces with my daughter, we decided to simplify and add a pendant of silver for a more updated or contemporary affect. So, I removed the faceted lime jade beads, and just used a matte semi iridescent turquoise seed bead. It's definitely more wearable (I think). The feather pendant is heavy and reversible to a fern leaf - one of my many PMC (fine silver) creations. Finally, I am parting with them! I may put this in my Etsy shop tonight if I can get back to the computer after dinner.

Sand Opal

2009-05-17T18:15:00.005-04:00

Summer time, beach time, this bracelet is the result of that inspiration. And also, the beautiful new color of Swarovski crystal named "Sand Opal" which is used in this clasp by the Clasp-on Clasp-off company. I added some round Swarovski sand opal crystals, pearls, Bali silver, and my own fine silver shell.

Beautiful Beach Day

2009-05-06T15:29:00.007-04:00

Today was just too beautiful to sit inside in the studio, we had to go check out the beach near us.

It's lovely when there is almost no one else there - spring-breakers gone home, "snowbirds" back north, children in school, and most adults at work. Wednesdays are my husband's day off and it is a great time to take advantage of the serenity.

Our two little beach chairs were quite alone.

The ocean temperature has risen 4 degrees in a week and is almost ready to swim in for the first time this year..maybe next week!

Beaches

2009-05-03T18:07:00.003-04:00

Aren't shells the greatest thing? I found this shell last summer at Sanibel Island. I made a mold of it and then used it with PMC - silver clay - to make this fine silver pendant - or dangle as it turned out to be. It is very heavy, just the thing to weight this bracelet to keep the toggle at the bottom of your wrist. The bracelet itself has very large beads of jade, carnelian and lampwork - and sort of reminds me of the beach also. A sunny day at the beach, we all need those!!

SeaShore Influences

2009-04-15T09:26:00.004-04:00

The ocean is just a mile from my house, and although I don't get there nearly often enough, I love its breathtaking colors and waves, the windswept beaches with the bordering mangroves as well as the shells and coral to be found there. It has deeply influenced me when it comes to designing jewelry. I see almost everything as either in those colors, or of those materials. The bracelet above has the beautiful swirling waters mixed with the shimmering silver of the sand.
The necklace below is made of Italian natural red coral, with a coral imprint on the silver pendant. So colorful, so different from each other, but both from the sea!

A Green Visitor

2009-04-14T12:13:00.005-04:00

This little lizard thinks we can't see him because he is green, but we spotted him (on a palm tree trunk, actually). Most of our lizards are shades of brown and rust, only rarely do we see these green ones.

And the new rose bush bloomed beautiful golden yellow roses!

Blooms

2009-04-06T11:03:00.005-04:00

Just like that, boom! The amaryllis is fully open and stunning! First came the east and west flowers, then a day later the north and south blossoms. Hope they last a few days, but we are supposed to have record setting heat today... tomorrow it will be cool again. Hang in there, beautiful blossoms!

April Diversions on the Path of Sorrow

2009-04-02T09:52:00.008-04:00

We planted a yellow rosebush yesterday in one of Tasha's favorite spots in the yard....
yes, roses do grow in south Florida - they just never stop for a dormant period. Blooms occur all year long, you just need to prune it back occasionally.

Amaryllis is about to bloom...

Milkweed is ready for returning Monarch Butterflies...
But the yard is too quiet, and we are missing our Tasha...
Our hearts are broken...

Tasha

2009-03-28T11:27:00.002-04:00

Tasha Danziger - September 14, 1997 - March 26, 2009

We will always love you, and miss you so deeply.

Egyptian Geese

2009-03-18T07:44:00.000-04:00

A strange looking trio of birds dropped by the other day to visit the two little ponds near where we live. We didn't recognize them, but we realized that they were the size of the Canadian Geese we used to see up north on Long Island NY. So, checking the internet (they weren't in any of our bird books either), we found that they are Egyptian Geese. Not native to the U.S., but now roaming around Florida in pairs or groups, probably having escaped from petting farms. They certainly are not afraid of humans as evidenced by their bold walk out of the water right toward me - looking for food most likely.

Survival - Oranges after the hurricanes

2009-03-17T09:19:00.003-04:00

Three and a half years ago our little orange tree was uprooted by Hurricane Wilma and we thought we had lost it. It was a miracle we still had it even then as most citrus trees in our county (Broward) had been cut down due to canker. But this one bore great fruit and was canker free. It took root again, but all the leaves turned yellow and slowly it started to die. Citrus Greening - an Asian micro insect the size of a pinhead - was evidently blown in by the hurricanes that year. Sadly, we watched it dwindle to almost nothing. No fruit that was edible that year or the next 2 years. Then, a miracle, new healthy growth, buds blooming, and this year we had a nice amount of great juice oranges. Now it is blooming again, with lots of new growth, and look what has returned - a ladybug!

Bouganvillea Loves No Rain

2009-03-16T09:54:00.000-04:00

We don't water this part of our yard as evidenced by the grass growing beside the walkway. But look at the bouganvillea grow, not just bloom, but actually grow as tall as the house. It was pruned back about 3 weeks ago, and desperately needs it again now. Incidently, we haven't had any measurable rainfall for the entire 2009 year.

Trying something new here

2009-03-15T11:06:00.002-04:00

Yes, this is a picture of a gardenia blossom. I took it this morning in my backyard in Dania Beach, Florida. I am going to try to post a photo every day taken somewhere in my neighborhood. And perhaps also to get in some photos of things I make, too!

Playing with Resin

2009-02-15T15:30:00.007-05:00

Something a little different to use with my silver components ... resin in silver bezels! I had read that the new Ice Resin doesn't have toxic fumes and is easy to use, so I decided to see what I could make with it. Using silver bezels, punching a hole in the side and putting a silver head pin through it to make a way to connect them, the only decision is what to put in the bezel. I hunted through old desk calendars (I have many years of them as I tend to hold onto them for the art as well as the history!). I am now hooked on making as many different designs as I can find sources for in maps, dictionaries, travel folders, boating charts, you name it! I even found an old Chinese painting in a scroll with a story in Chinese that I am thinking of using (not the scroll, just the story since I don't read Chinese). Here are a few of the ones I have made so far -

A Sparkling New Year!

2009-01-25T16:05:00.007-05:00

New year, new president, and now new beads... I am feeling very hopeful! I just received a delightful strand of lampwork beads from Carrie Hamilton of Edmonton, British Columbia. I have been collecting her wonderful beads for years now, and every time I get a new group I am amazed at their beauty and thrilled with the new possibilities they present. I couldn't possibly part with more than one at a time, and so use them as the focal centerpiece.

The one above is delicately veined with silver and has mauve, amethyst, amber tones. I love it combined with Czech fire-polished faceted mauve and raspberry beads. In fact it was so inspiring that I went on to make more double strand bracelets.... soon to be in my Etsy shop!

Update - 2 bracelets are sold - ones on the right - green and mauve - I will be making more soon!

An Amazing Trip to Africa

2008-12-05T16:56:00.012-05:00

Kim Miles is a greatly respected Lampwork Artist who has just returned from a trip to Africa where she was participating in the Hope Bracelet Project. Her tales are amazing and an education.

I love her beads, but more special is what she gives to people of herself. It is very appropriate that she is known for her hearts!

Go read it starting from here : Kim Miles - Home from Africa

Free Shipping in my Etsy Shop - now till Christmas!

2008-12-05T16:44:00.003-05:00

Above are some of the latest items added to my Etsy shop, and there is no charge for shipping!

I will be adding new items every day, especially earrings, and sending out everything in a box with festive ribbons and a gift tag... to make it easier for you to get ready for the holidays!

Take the handmade pledge this year, and support the crafts. The internet makes it easy to do so, and Etsy.com is a great place to search for something unique. Visit www.buyhandmade.org to take the pledge.

Opening a Brand New Store on Etsy!

2008-11-17T18:59:00.005-05:00

Aren't these just the most beautiful, exquisite beads? They are by Corina Tettinger, a remarkably gifted glass artist. I have had this set for a couple of years, and I am about to use them in some jewelry even though I don't want to part with a single one of them.

Now, what does that have to do with my new Etsy store? Well, this is just one example of some of the goodies I will be offering shortly in my new venue. Etsy is just for handmade, and many of the lampwork artists that I have bought beads from in the past have opened stores there. When I checked them out I found that there were also many creative jewelry artists there... WOW! I even bought from some of them. Then the next thing I knew, they started asking me why I wasn't on Etsy. Well, I thought, why not? And so I am now opening my shop, starting out with some of my latest PMC - fine silver with which I hand make all sorts of things, and branching out shortly to more of my gemstone and lampwork jewelry.

The other fun thing is that to get things rolling the first five (5) DAYS of my Etsy shop you will receive 20% off the entire purchase! I hope this entices you to hop on over and check it out. Just click on any of the pictures in the Etsy shop to the right of this post. And I hope you will send me any comments on what you like ( and don't ) and suggestions for future stuff.

Thanks, and Enjoy!

Back to Basics

2008-09-29T20:59:00.005-04:00

This type of simple yet exotic jewelry is the original reason I got into jewelry design. I love the elemental richness of large beads of carnelian, jasper, silver, and carved bone or coral. Their organic, natural colorings are subtle and easy to wear with many of today's clothes, from basic jeans to dressy black evening outfits. Carved beads are from China, jasper and bone probably also - Bali sterling silver, and I made the PMC fine silver beads in the necklace. Beautifully made lampwork in the bracelet is by Joanne Zekowski.

Light Hearted Jewelry

2008-09-16T14:47:00.002-04:00

I know that summer's almost over, but today is still in the low 90s and light jewelry is so appealing. It's fun and easy to make with little dangles made of PMC, some pearls, some beach glass. And blue is a color that can be worn year round. The necklace on the right uses Czech pressed glass in a matte finish along with blue quartz and silver dagger beads. Just the thing to look cool on the last hot days of summer!

Bracelets, bracelets!!

2008-07-22T20:41:00.005-04:00

Slinky, sexy, silvery bracelets - yes, I have been going bracelet crazy in the last couple of days. I love the rich colors of natural gemstones - fluorite, deep red carnelian, blue opals, and natural carnelian which ranges from palest of yellows to dark rust. I love to combine the gems with the little silver daisy spacer beads and use a silver magnetic clasp with a guard chain and a dangle. So delightful to wear, combining them with most other bracelets or colors is easy to do. Try the purple amethyst (not shown but available) and either fluorite or natural carnelian. Or, combine the two different carnelians - gorgeous, slinky fun!

A Purple Heart

2008-07-08T14:18:00.010-04:00

A dear friend of mine loves purple. Her bedroom is painted purple with purple carpeting. Over the years I have made purple earrings, purple necklaces and purple bracelets for her, and even given her a purple linen blouse. Now I have decided she needs a purple heart. Why? Because of her amazing gift of herself to help the orphaned children of Zambia. She has just returned from spending 2 weeks in Zambia with the group Mothers Without Borders. While she was there, she celebrated her 72nd birthday, building housing and working in the fields to make bricks with a pickax! Way to go, Jo! If you are interested in seeing what these wonderful people are doing to help with the one million orphaned children due to AIDS, check out www.motherswithoutborders.org

Organics and Silver

2008-06-04T09:45:00.003-04:00

Combining sterling silver beads with artisan lampwork is very basic, and usually the resulting piece is worth a good price. When working with natural organic materials such as shells it can be trickier to produce a piece that makes an impact and is worth a good price. These beautiful fossilized coral pieces are hand carved and very dramatic - perfect for the focal point. Thai silver shells and lampwork beads set it off. But for big impact, the vintage ostrich eggshell really makes the necklace. Vintage ostrich eggshell such as this is no longer available, the standard ostrich egg shell is very thick and rather mottled looking - but this older version is slinky and elegant and sets off the fossilized coral in a subtle way. Additional Thai silver woven beads and silver chunky beads add to the natural effect. I enjoy combining natural and artisan made objects like this.

Wirework Bangles

2008-05-31T10:26:00.003-04:00

Recently a friend of many, many years (from my childhood) found my website and started purchasing some jewelry from me. She picked my favorite bangle bracelets - which I had made about 2-3 years ago and was holding in my private collection, so I had to go back to basics and come up with some new ones.
Connie Fox has a wonderful website ( www.conniefox.com ) where she has great tutorials and it is from those that I learned how to do wirework bangles. Connie's bangles are awe inspiring, and she is the best teacher. I was also able to purchase beads for the bangles on her site, namely those of Donna Struther which are in the above bracelet. All the metal is sterling silver, but now I have also incorporated fine silver (PMC) dangles that I made recently. I am definitely going to make more bangles!

Tasha - the Ruler

2008-05-29T10:50:00.005-04:00

Let me start this off by stating that Tasha is only 15 pounds and 11 years old. She rules our household. And she is very curious about anything that moves, including sea grape leaves and palm fronds on the ground. So, after Tasha sounds the wakeup alarm at 6:15 a.m. each morning, we go for a walk. Or to put it correctly she allows me to accompany her as she scouts the neighborhood for life. Yes, I am pulling on the leash in the picture - just a little - she won't move until she is satisfied with viewing whatever it is, and ready to move the next 10 steps.

My favorite spot to relax is at one end of the living room -

but Tasha must be stationed at the other end, checking for movement -

It is good to have a watch dog.

Fine Silver Lentil Pendant

2008-05-28T13:38:00.011-04:00

I am so delighted with a new construction I learned to make from Susan Lewis in a workshop at the Miami Bead Fest last April.

It is a hollow lentil that is dry built - putting the two halves (which have been allowed to dry over a half ball shape) together with PMC paste or slip.

Attach a bale or carve holes at the top and bottom to enable it to hang. Here are two different pieces that I've made. The top piece is patterned in a French wallpaper design, the other is a croc pattern. Both have a cubic zirconia stone embedded in fine silver in the center. I love the slender, elegant feel - romantic or modern!

A Very Special Jade Pendant

2008-05-24T16:26:00.004-04:00

Many months ago my sister-in-law sent me a jade piece that was very old and asked if I could do anything with it. It sat in a special box among all the beads and strands that I want to make into something special. But I had no idea what until recently when I attended the Miami Bead Fest and saw a strand of old jade in exactly the same shades, or at least I hoped so as I didn't have the pendant with me.
I have been using quite a bit of fused silver links with the PMC clasps I make and decided to try making an asymmetrical necklace with them. The result was pretty funky, so much so that my husband who doesn't ordinarily express too strong an opinion told me that Jennifer (his sister) would never wear it. He suggested to make it simpler and symmetrical. So much for my "arty" attempt, I redid it in a compromised style, and I even liked it better!

See if you agree!

Texture in Fine Silver Earrings

2008-03-27T21:21:00.005-04:00

Texturing fine silver clay (PMC3) and then pushing it around to do a little bit more such as these earrings is part of the thrill of using the medium. After cutting out the square shape, simply push on the sides gently until it humps up in the middle. Let it dry in that form, and then fire it in a saucer of vermiculite in the kiln. On this particular pair of earrings, I have patinaed them with liver of sulphur to the dark golden stage. And then put them in the tumbler for an hour or so. Fine silver earwires (made by fusing the ends of fine silver wire and then forming around a mandrel) are perfect complements to the textured silver.

Bead on a Wire - with PMC3 of course!

2008-03-26T17:41:00.003-04:00

Ok, I'm back at it again - making jewelry of course! After 3 weeks of a nasty virus cold, and even more time spent than I'd like working on finishing our house addition, I had to take out my kiln and get some new silver objects going. One of the little things I love to make with PMC and fine silver wire is a headpin with rolled silver clay in an interesting shape. The bottom of these earrings are long "dagger" shapes made that way. Just roll it around on the board, making one end come to a point, stick in a 2.5 inch length of 20 gauge fine silver wire and fire in the kiln. I always try to make at least 2 of the same shape so that if I decide to make earrings I have a pair of headpins to work with. Of course these are especially fun with the wonderful lampwork of Corina (www.corinabeads.com) to top them off. I love these - may have to keep them for myself!

Bead in a Frame

2008-02-17T08:17:00.004-05:00

Here's something a little different to make with PMC3 - a picture frame that holds a bead. All you have to do is to set two fine silver wires into the inside of the frame at the top and bottom. Make sure that they don't quite meet. Do this while the clay is still wet, before you fire it. Then after it is polished insert the bead, bending the wires out a little to insert them into the bead. A lentil bead works best, but you could use almost anything - stones, pearls, crystals. I think it works especially well when you have an interesting bead you want to showcase.

Fun Stretchies from Michael's beads

2008-02-03T08:05:00.000-05:00

Yes, I did it again! Trying something new to me, but old to everyone else crafting bracelets. Just curious about what I could make after a trip to Michael's Craft Store to get stretch cord to repair a customer's bracelet as a favor. Well, I just had to look around, and of course try some of the beads available there - shells, matte glass with copper, black and white ceramic. I used my own stash of Bali sterling spacer beads, and put a silver crimp cover bead on the knot. They are fun to wear, nothing serious, but with the jingle of my little PMC dangles added, they feel very seashore-y!!

Disk Beads - African Safari Style

2008-01-31T17:43:00.001-05:00

Lampwork "disk" shaped beads are an intriguingly different and challenging shape, but how to show them off properly in a jewelry piece is something that I am still attempting to work out. These exquisite beads, done in African and animal patterns, need to be seen on all sides for their rich and complex designs. I tried this necklace design using a cord of ultrasuede, knotting it between the beads, and then stringing sterling silver chain between the knots going up the sides. For a closure, I knotted the ultrasuede around a sterling silver "S" hook clasp. I love its lively African safari look.

Design Enhancement

2008-01-30T20:40:00.001-05:00

The necklace from Tuesday was just a little too 'simple' so I decided to make a few changes... a single chain was doubled. But that presented problems as it didn't want to lay nicely and so I went to the torch and fused five ovals of fine silver to be the links at the bottom, and for the second strand I added a heavy link chain. I like it better now... what do you think?

Natural gemstones, too!

2008-01-29T11:14:00.002-05:00

It seems all I have been showing is either PMC - pure silver - or Lampwork, but I really started into this jewelry career by wanting and then loving to work with natural stones - which used to be called semi-precious gemstones. Today I used some large nuggets of natural chrsyoprase which have been faceted as the focal in a necklace with Bali sterling silver and rondelle beads of natural fluorite, two of my favorite gemstones because of their color - a rich blue-green. Peruvian blue opals also have that same color, and below is a necklace with those beads in a slightly elongated round shape. To show off their beauty, I simply put Bali beadcaps around them and made them as a link between delicate sterling chain.

Fine Silver (PMC3) Rings with Lampwork

2008-01-28T11:18:00.001-05:00

I thought I'd show something else today that can be made with Precious Metal Clay - rings! I took a course in PMC last spring with Kate McKinnon where she taught many different things to make, and one that I have found to be very useful was how to make rings. Since I love lampwork beads I used the methods to create the rings shown holding lampwork beads by some of my favorite artists. A fine silver post is imbedded in the band for three of the rings. I epoxied a small cabochon on top of the flattened post to cover the hole of the bead. Silver disks or other beads or stones with large holes could also be used. Below is a different shape lampwork bead that is very comfortable to wear.

Bejeweled Lampwork Bracelet

2008-01-27T15:52:00.000-05:00

While looking through my recent pictures of things I have made, I realized that I hadn't taken a photo of the lovely bracelet of Lampwork "jewels" by Carrie Hamilton of Edmonton, BC, Canada. Carrie's beads are little jewels, and I wanted to try to capture this in the sunlight. I know that shadows in pictures makes it a little confusing, but how else to get those colors and details to show? Well, I decided to try again, and this is what I came up with -

In regular bright light indoors it looks more muted. I love the complexity, the richness of detail and design that Carrie puts into her beads, they each deserve their own photo. In this bracelet I combined them with very finely detailed Bali sterling silver beads, and simple lampwork spacer beads of the plum color. You feel like royalty when you wear this!

Pure Silver Leaf

2008-01-26T09:02:00.000-05:00

Yes, this leaf is really made of fine silver (99.99% pure)... PMC3 of course! I found some kind of leaf in the back yard and pressed it into the Precious Metal Clay, and then cut around the edges in what I thought looked like a leaf shape. Into the kiln for 2 hours, then when cooled, dipped into liver of sulfur to give it a patina - and LOOK at the colors that popped up! I love the natural glowing colors - as if I found it in the fall (and was visiting New England).

For the chain I used sterling silver daisy spacers ( a hundred or more I think!) and some matte carnelian beads. The clasp and bale are fine silver that I fused and hammered. The necklace has a nice weight to it and sets off the leaf with the same tone of fall. But I love its neutral, wear with anything, anywhere look!

Kim Miles Heart

2008-01-25T09:43:00.000-05:00

Kim Miles is a fascinating person - I read her blog 'Greetings from Taos' for the enjoyment of her humor, and the inspiration she shares. She is also a great artist - a lampwork bead artist, or "beadist" as she puts it. Recently I have been lucky to be able to purchase a couple of her beads, and yesterday I received the newest one - a spectacular Heart bead.

I made a simple sterling silver chain - from the Argentium silver jump rings that Urban Maille sells (simply the best quality available! www.UrbanMaille.com ) and linked it with a fine silver wire through the heart bead. Kim's beads need nothing more - the statement they make is sufficient.

Time Speeds On

2008-01-24T11:27:00.000-05:00

Yes, originally I meant to try to do this everyday! Somehow day 2 ran right by me. Most of the time I am in my studio, but yesterday was spent looking for pendant lights, wood stain & filler, and other little things having to do with the room addition we are building on our house.

So, today hopefully will be spent back in the studio. I have just finished a batch of PMC3 objects that I am interested in turning into jewelry pieces. First are a pair of earrings that I made the earwires for them of fine silver in a slightly elongated shape. I love the design in the "leaves" - it is from a rubber stamp of an Egyptian-like painting. I gave them a rich patina of gold tones, but polished the silver a bit on the edges. Oh, how I wish PMC didn't cost so much - I would make things in it every day!!

Welcome!

2008-01-22T17:36:00.001-05:00

I am in my studio for the 10th hour today... as usual... listening for my dog Tasha's barking on her "internal clock" schedule telling me to come out - that it is time for her dinner.

I just talked with my grandson Will in South Carolina... and created this blog slide show for him of the pictures when I visited there just before Christmas!

Did I come up with something new - we won't consider how good it is just now - in design today? Well, yes and no. New for me - the wonder of stainless steel in a memory wire - a bracelet of fluorite nuggets. No, because I am sure there have been hundreds if not thousands of these made by others.

What fun to simply pile on the beads, along with simple Bali silver spacers, and glue on silver end cap beads, and Voila! A bracelet of dazzling fluorite shards glowing in their rainbow of colors!