Pull My Daisy
July 11, 2008 | Category: FRESH, HANDMADE, JEWELRY | Leave a Comment
I’ve been enamored with these casual knotted leather jewelry lately. I have to keep reminding myself that not everything has to be a big production.
Make it fun, keep it simple.
And what better way to practice that than to make one of these.
Inspired by my pocket urban garden and all the bees that have been visiting, I made these two pieces from beads that I’ve been hoarding for awhile now.
The black and white bracelet above was made with a variety of favorite beads handcrafted by super talented Lampwork artist, Dawn White. Aren’t they cute? I just love Dawn’s work!
The whimsical necklace above features a flower, leaves and bee beads torched by another favorite Lampwork artist, Janet Crosby. I added black and white polka dot Lampwork beads and artisan made orange Lampwork beads as accents. Very sweet, very colorful. Adore!
The colors remind me of Summer so much that I’ve named this one ‘Summer Bee’. I know, I know, not very imaginative!
Look for it coming soon to my Etsy shop as well as all my other casual knotted leather creations!
Tags: Etsy, Flower, Garden, Handmade Jewelry, Lampwork Bead
Scenes from a Garden
July 10, 2008 | Category: LIFE + STYLE | Leave a Comment
I have what I like to call a “pocket urban garden”, a container garden on a small 4′ x 9′ balcony.
Last year, along with a couple of patio rose trees, I planted several different kinds of Lavender and was delighted with frequent daily visits from a group of Hummingbirds - an unexpected and pleasant surprise.
I never knew Hummingbirds favored Lavender. I suppose they were attracted to it because it closely resembles a well known plant that they love - the Salvia.
This year, I purposely planned a hummingbird, butterfly and bee friendly garden - Nasturtium, Nicotiana, Delphinium, Zinnia, Moonflower and Morning Glory vines - all grown from seed purchased from Renee’s Garden.
Although this is only my second planting season to try Renee’s seeds, I was so impressed with them the first time that I can honestly say that they are of exceptional quality and very easy to grow. Every seed I’ve planted has grown!
That’s saying a lot because I still consider myself a novice when it comes to gardening. Even though I’ve had the pleasure of a garden in many forms on and off since I was in high school - there’s just so many things you learn, so many varieties of plants, conditions, and gardening pests to discover and encounter for the first time.
This year, I also made a conscientious effort to recycle my soil and be 100% organic. If that means not having as many blooms, or having a few more pests than I’d like - as long as they didn’t totally destroy my plants - I was willing to share - better for the environment, better for the Hummingbirds and bees (no butterflies yet), and better for me.
Aside from being economical, the funnest thing about planting from seed is watching them grow. Every day, there is something new that’s interesting, growing or developing. Every day, there is something to appreciate.
I tried as much as I could to plan the garden through sketches from data I collected, however, nature had a mind of its own.
Tags: Bee, Container Garden, Flower, Hummingbird, Organic
Cocker Spaniel Rescue of New England — 2008 Joey Fund Auction
July 7, 2008 | Category: FRESH, HUMANITARIAN, PAWS FOR A GOOD CAUSE | Leave a Comment
Last month, I received an Etsy convo from Jane Morgan, a volunteer at the Cocker Spaniel Rescue of New England (CSRNE), about donating an item or two to their annual Joey Fund Auction.
What is the Joey Fund? The Joey Fund was established in 1997, named after a beloved rescued Cocker Spaniel who was found roaming the streets of Somerville, Massachusetts, in the bitter cold of Winter.
Shortly after a good samaritan took him in and cared for him, it was found that he had an orange-sized malignant tumor growing on his underbelly. It is comforting to know that thanks to his devoted foster mom and generous donations from CSRNE members, brave little Joey lived his last 3 years as active and happy as possible.
The Joey Fund has assisted in the care, treatment and adoption of close to 100 cocker spaniels with serious medical problems.
This year, CSRNE’s 11th Annual Joey Fund Benefit Auction will be held at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday, October 19, from 11 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
This event includes a yummy boxed lunch as well as fun activities and exhibits, such the Cutest Pet Contest, the Arf Gallery, Gourmet Barkery and much, much more. Please go to the CSRNE website for further details.
If you can’t be there personally to share in all the fun, there’s an easy and convenient option to make a donation. WOOF!
I was moved by Joey’s plight and after checking out the organization, decided this was a terrific cause indeed. I hope their auction is an enormous success!
The following are photographs of the pieces I created especially for them.
The piece above, “RUBINO ORO”, features wonderful “natural” toned glass bones handcrafted by favorite Lampwork Artist, Janet Crosby.
I added artisan made pink and gold Lampwork beads. These beads are gorgeous in person and make a lovely accompaniment to Janet’s bones. The rest of the components are made of sterling silver.
The other two pieces are necklaces featuring terrific paw print Lampwork bones that were generously gifted to me by Janet. In addition to Janet’s bone bead, the “CARAMELIZED NECKLACE” on the left, is made of Mother of Pearl, excellent quality Grade A Tundru Sapphire, Swarovski Crystal, Karen Hill Tribe and sterling silver components.
“BASIC BLACK”, the necklace on the right, includes a microfiber suede cord, Swarovski Crystals and sterling silver.
All packed and ready to ship, each piece includes a signed description and is boxed ready for gift-giving.
Leave a Comment | PermalinkTags: Charity Auction, Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Dog, HUMANITARIAN
W O O F !
The next 'Paws For a Good Cause' event on eBay is scheduled for late November - early December 2008.
Sign up for my mailing list to be automatically notified. Just click the yellow sticky note above.
Click here to view all current 'Paws for a Good Cause' inventory in my Etsy shop.
