TEA TUESDAY

The cough is still lingering from the darn cold that started over a week ago, so that called for pulling out the big guns, this honey I have that I think is so delicious , I eat it right out of the jar...it's okay, no one else uses honey here! Now the funny part of the story, the tea. I love this tea, and I buy it at the dollar store! I really really like it, and it's the one I have been using for almost 2 years, when I decide I want tea instead of coffee!
And the cup....that is a fav also! Bought that in Maine this summer in a a favorite kitcheny type store, and I loved the glaze and the color on the inside so much I had to have it, with matching bowls of ( for ice cream of course!) The best part here for me is that the cup doesn't have a handle, and I looooove wrapping my typically freezing hands around it, and feel the warmth spread through me.
Thanks so much for joining me on Tea Tuesday! Be sure to visit Kimmie, and all the other tea Tuesday bloggers!
Oh, and don't forget to visit Renate's blog today to continue the story of the round robin here!
And if you would like a chance to enter my little giveaway, visit here!

THE FLIGHT OF THE ROUND ROBIN

This is how my journey began. A lowly piece of a necklace started out, very typical of me, clean lines and earth and sky colors, nature, trying to keep that close to me. Simple things mean a lot to me. The large blue raku bead I purchased from Mary Harding a loooong time ago, and I am still mesmerized by it's character. A bit wonky, beautiful color and gorgeous markings, that I think resemble a human as a whole, beautiful and very individual, and of course, not perfect.I am sure by now you have visited Cindy's blog, Sweet Bead Studio, and have heard the story of our wonderful round robin journey, a collaboration of 5 women with so much more than jewelry in common. Besides having a piece of incredible art jewelry to carry with me for the rest of my life, the bigger experience here is that I now carry a bit of the strength, love, and persona of my round robin sisters with me......it is within me always.
We each created a journal to document our journey, this is the cover of mine, and below is a page I added to Vero's journal.
Here is a photo I managed to find of a portion I added to Vero's necklace. I do have to apologize for not having more photos. Either I forgot to take some, or I can't find them. I have a bazillion photos in my computer, but never put anything in files....ugh!
Cindy was gracious enough to send me some beautiful photos of my finished necklace. I wish I had close ups, but seems I was always so excited about sending my package on it's way around the world, that I never thought I would need beautiful photos of our process, or that we would land up in Belle Armoire Jewelry! This has been a dream come true!
I, as always, not being very organized, did not have a pouch for my necklace, and Renate sent me the sweet surprise of the bird stamped pouch she made for me. That gesture reminds me of what these ladies are all about, coming to your aid, whether it was making something or listening over emails of our trials and tribulations. I have never been so touched in my life. I think of this journey as beginning way back to the first few months I started blogging, and I came across a gorgeous blog by the name of L'atelier de Lilibulle. It was soooo gorgeous , sparkles floating through the screen and pictures of the most incredible, colorful little charms made of all sorts of things, I had to go to a translater page and find out what this was all about. I left a comment , I was so mesmerized at the beauty that came from France on the screen, and felt I had to get to know this person. From that first comment, Esther welcomed me beyond words, kindness that I had not experienced, and from there we became friends, and my friends became her friends, and vice versa, and the rr started.
I do know that I am short on photos, and I hope that you can pick up the magazine and share with us our journey. BUT, if anyone knows me, it is really not about the piece of jewelry that I can hold, it is about the heart and soul and the spiritual connection that the necklace created. I have touched the same things that my sisters have touched, and I have felt their love and emotion, and nothing means more than that. Each of these women have been a pivotal part in my growth as an artist, but more importantly as a person. They not only transformed my necklace, they transformed a part of my being, and I am forever grateful.



Like Cindy, I would like to offer these few items as a little giveaway to all of you who always support me, and visit, and come to share in my little world...you ALL mean so much to me.
I have a bezel I filled with a part of my original collage work, and filled with Ice Resin, an etched copper piece I made, you probably would want to oxidize, and the vintage handkerchief they are lying on. I choose a random winner on Thursday also.

Please be sure to visit Renate's blog on Tuesday and Esther's blog on Wednesday for a continuation of the Round Robin story!

To everyone who comes here, thank you as always, from the bottom of my heart!

A BIT OF SUNSHINE

available on etsy here

This is one bracelet I really enjoyed making, using some of my vintage buttons. I am totally in love with this yellow glass button, and it instantly reminded me of sunshine, something we can use more of in northeast Pa right now, as the weather gets increasingly gray and cold. I paired it up with some warm colored jasper, and a great old crackled tan button, a gorgeous laser cut wood bead that shouted "shine"! LeAnn's bronze charm was the perfect touch, looking like the sun.
I have been feeling pretty cruddy the past few days, and it is hard to shake this cold and cough, so I thought some sunshine was in order!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting, I always appreciate that and your kind comments!

SICK ON TEA TUESDAY

My apologies today for not showing my Tea Tuesday post, but late yesterday I came down with a cold/crud type of sickness. Dragged my body out of bed to get to work, and barely made it here, so hence, no tea photos. Envision if you will me at my computer typing this, coffee in a paper cup to my right, tissues and Riccolla honey herb drops to my left, heavy sweater, heavy eyelids, watching the clock, and trying to visit your blogs to get me thru the day.
Thank you all for being so sweet in welcoming me, and I will be back next Tuesday with tea for sure!

MADONNA AND CHILD

I managed to squeeze in 3 new atc's for a swap, the theme being Madonna and Child. I tried encaustic for the first time with these, and I really love the effect. I am sure they could be better technically, but I was happy with the way they turned out. My good friend Lenna gifted me with some beautiful gold leafed mulberry paper, and I added that to the cards, and a bit of sari silk. I am now officially in the true Christmas spirit.

Thank you again for visiting and kind comments.

SOOTHE

available here on etsy

A new bracelet and I am just loving the colors and materials, simple, yet to me they make such a calming statement. LeAnn's subltly soft rounded cubes in the prettiest of greens with a teeny hint of blue underneath, recycled tumbled glass in a beautiful blue, a time worn looking raku bead that has that "familiar" feeling to me, and silver, silver, silver. The slight weight always feels good on the wrist. These are my feel good colors and materials I always go back to...even in the seasonal color rush of autumn, these colors always come back and soothe.

TEA TUESDAY

Another new treasure found at the flea on Sunday, perfect for my first time joining Tea Tuesday with Kim and the girls. I just fell in love with this cup........I knew everything would taste good in it.

I am a newbie to tea.....mostly a straight up black coffee gal., hence the circumstances called for "AWAKE" today. I dabble here and there with tea, but don't know as much as I would like to, so I found this the perfect opportunity to learn, and experience something new. If you visit Kimmie, you'll find all the links to the other Tea Tuesday enthusiasts, and their inspiring blogs!

I know my tea choice is not too exciting compared to some, but I had to start somewhere!
Thanks for visiting, and join in if you can next week! Thanks to Miss Patti for twisting my arm!!

SCORE!

My day at the flea market.
The best part of the day, finding this adorable crown starting to patina....my heart sang!

Beautiful old hankerchiefs with gorgeous lace

Love that darling bird on the coin, old charm bracelet, not ancient, but old enough.

Beautiful mother of pearl pin, and a bird pin! Unbelievable rosaries with vintage medals....look at the one that has the water of Lourdes.

Cabinet cards a plenty...

And the most gorgeous illustrations in 2 books I bought, one is "The Art of the Pitti Palace, Florence", the other, "The Art of the Netherlands". To die for.

I am a sucker for old japanese santas....he made it home with me too! Hope your week is as good as my day was! Thanks for visiting and all your kindness you leave me with.

BITTEN

available on etsy here

Yes, it has happened! I have been bitten by the holiday bug, and I think I like it! I just added these to my shop. I really enjoyed making these because this is something that I would wear for Christmas, or a holiday party. Just enough for me and not too much. I stayed away from my beloved liver of sulpher, it was reeeaal hard! This time I liked the sparkle. The first pair I would wear anytime, although I do love the look of the icyness! I do love Christmas, and all it stands for, and each year I strive to enjoy the TIME more, and not get caught up in all the STUFF. I am getting better every year.

SOMETHING NEW AND A BIG SALE!

ANCHORED-available here on etsy

A while ago my very good and very talented friend Renate, of Put A Little Magic In Your Life, gifted me with this beautiful bird pendant that she made out of resin, paper, and some secrets I am sure! I knew I needed to do something special with it, and that happened last night. I always wanted to try wire crochet, and I didn't even know how to crochet, but it was in a book I had, so I taught myself in about 5 minutes. I don't know if it is exactly correct, but I really liked how it turned out. The kinkiness of the wire, and the intertwining, connection, building step by step, combined with the bird, and the bits of beads, reminded me of the bird building her comfortable nest! She will rest comfortably on my neck!!

I also just added this new piece to my shop. It is a beautiful faceted carnelian capped with bali, and attached to pearls and vintage rosary chain. If you visit my shop you will see I have marked EVERYTHING AT 25% OFF! I am so sad to hear everyday, around every corner , of so many of us struggling with finances and the economy. I really would rather sell my jewelry than have it sit in my house or shop. So I think I am offering a really good sale for those who want to shop pre black Friday!

Thanks so much for visiting, your support, your kindness, your friendship!