New Year, New Decade

Here we are, into a new year and new decade of this new century! Where is the time flying? For this coming year, I am praying and hoping for a fabulous year. But while you hope, you don't just sit back and wait for it. You work for it.

I have started the new year and decade with some new designs. Years before I designed jewelry, I was and still am a collector of vintage jewelry. My collection has been neglected since I am making jewelry, and wearing more artisan jewelry than vintage. One thing I do enjoy, is the composition of some of the pieces, and their use of line and color.

So I began to play with the idea of "what if". What if a vintage piece could be incorporated into a headpiece design in such a way that it could be removed to be worn later? The idea of vintage jewelry used in bridal accessories is not new. But from what I have seen, it is usually fixed in place. My goal is to preserve the integrity of the vintage piece itself, so as not to harm its value. So, I began to play with two sets of jewelry that I had in my collection, a Danecraft bow pin and earring set, and a Beau Sterling leaf set.


And this is what I came up with!





After the wedding, the bride can return the headpiece to me, so that I can take it apart, polish the jewelry, and string the Swarovski Crystal used in the headpiece into a bracelet for her to wear! Plus, she also has added a set of vintage jewelry to her collection!

Also in my plans for this year, is playing with color. Not just in jewelry, but with yarn. Some may have seen my Facebook comment about dyeing yarn with Koolaide. For now, it is playtime. But who knows? Who knows?

As well as selling on Etsy, I am now selling on ArtFire. I am advertising on WeddingWire too.
So, I'm getting around these days!

Silver Screen Style Challenge

I can remember seeing My Fair Ladywhen I was about 7 years old. Of course, my favorite scenes were the ones that featured the most elaborate of Cecil Beaton's costumes. The Ascot Races! Who could forget that wonderful huge black and white ensemble with the gorgeous outrageous hat!!!! I gasped when Eliza entered the ball in the lovely Empire gown, with her long, elegant gloves, elaborate hairstyle, and the wonderful tiara.

When our team decided to do a Hollywood themed challenge, I knew right away what I wanted to do for my design piece. I modernized it for today's bride, using Rainbow Moonstone, Stardust silver beads, and Swarovski Crystal. This is the most elaborate headpiece I have made to date.

These challenges are just that, challenges. As a designer, they force me out of my "box", and help me to think in new directions. I am having a lot of design fun, that is for sure. Enjoy!!!

Summer Breezes

This summer is certainly going by very quickly.
I have participated in two more Etsy challenges.
The first, was our June Beach Themed Challenge.

This was my favorite! I was looking forward to
this one from the time we formed our team. And
this headpiece designed itself. With the guidance
of the spirit of my mother, too. I had shells that
Paul collected for me from Assateague Island, VA,
and beach glass from our own Presque Isle State
Park here in Erie, PA.



This is Assateague Island. This picture was taken during
the winter, our favorite time to be on the beach. The
shells seem to be the most plentiful then, and we can
drive in the Jeep all the way down hook at the southern
end of the island.



Paul has been taking a long early morning walk on
the beaches of our local Presque Isle, in Erie.
We are blessed that we have a beautiful beach less
than five minutes from home. Paul has been picking up
a lot of beach glass for me. It is a nice collection
of weathered pebbles, so different than the glass that
he finds on the New York beach that he also visits.
Some days, he comes home with just a few pieces. Other
days, his jeans pockets are bulging with pieces of glass
and mother of pearl shell.



Lake Erie is known for its jewel like sunsets. Erie has
a nickname..."The Gem City". The lake is our jewel.
And we are fighting to keep it this way, and to keep
the lake clean.



June's BridalDreamTeam Challenge was Beach Weddings.
As I mentioned earlier, I was really excited about this
theme, and it was a good re-entry for me back to the
world after my mother's passing. She loved the beach
so much. Assateague was her favorite place.


I named this headpiece "Sea Goddess". "She" is made from
Lake Erie beachglass, Freshwater Pearls, Swarovski Crystal,
and of course, shells from Assateague Island. The shells
are small welks and scallop shells.
It was very special to me that this headpiece won the
the June challenge.




The July Etsy BridalDreamTeam Challenge was
Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. A tale
of the delights of love, the pitfalls of little
jealousies, fools, fairies, pranks, merriment
and fantasy. This was another delightful theme
to work with. I immediately thought of my
dragonflies, and wanted to use them in the design of
the headpiece. I have made dragonfly hairpins before,
but have only made one other dragonfly headpiece.

My vision was of a garden wreath, with dragonflies
hovering in flight over the top. I have a delightful
book in my "library" called Fairie-ality
by David Ellwand. It is a book of whimsical illustrations
of "Fairy" fashion. Fairy fashion is made from flower
petals, leaves, grasses,feathers with seeds and other organic
materials for ornamentation. This book is a delight to
sit and enjoy for a few hours of inspiration.
I wanted the veil to be like dragonfly wings. I used
"sparkle" illusion and light cording, embellishing the
veil with smaller wired dragonflies.






"Midsummer Night's Garden" won first place in the
challenge too! Thank you everyone for your votes
of support. Its been a rough few months since
my mother passed. Working on the challenges has
been great therapy for me, and has given me something
positive to look forward to. Working through, and finding
ones way through grief is a challenge. It is a road that
is different for everyone. We all have a road travel,
and sometimes we get lost for awhile. I am so thankful
for the friends and family that have waited for me
to find my way back.

Its already time to work on the next challenge! The
materials have been gathered, and the research is progressing.
Shhhhh! I can't tell you what it is yet! It is a
secret!!!!

New Work!

I love making headpieces from nature themes. This Etsy BridalDreamTeam
headpiece was from our Bacchanalia Challenge in March. I named this
headpiece Ambrosia, which was the food of the gods.

My inspiration was the acres and acres of lush grapevines that
grow along Lake Erie's shoreline. Just 40 miles from Erie
was the home of Welch's grape juice! Now, a lot of these
vinyards are for small wineries. In the fall, when the
grapes come into season, the smell in the air of grapes is
so intense! It is like smelling the chocolate in the air
in Hershey, PA!






The next theme for the June BridalDreamTeam Challenge
is Beach Weddings! Ah, I have been looking forward to
this one all year!

I love the beach. My husband and I have spent many hours
beachcombing the shores of Assateague Island, Virginia.
The beaches are wild there. One does not have to walk
very far before "the people run out". The tide lines
are rich with limpets, welks of all sizes, wampum,
sand dollars, moonshells, and fragments of shells that
all in their own have great beauty. My mother found
these bits and pieces inspiring for her own jewelry.
My husband is an avid collector of Beach Glass, which
he allows me to use in my jewelry, and now, my first
Bridal Tiara, "Sea Goddess". Mom would have loved
this headpiece.

Life Moves Ahead

Its been 6 weeks now since my mother passed away.
This has been quite a year so far. Paul is still
looking for work, the job market is pretty grim.

Yet, the world is still turning. Time has not
stood still. Its not like one can decide that
you can stop living your own life in difficult times.
Although I have to admit I have been spending a lot
of time in voluntary seclusion.

But that is not working for me, and allowing the
healing to happen. Summer is beginning to arrive
in Erie. Our weather is beginning to warm, and with
the longer days, comes sunshine and warmth. Around
here, we need to take advantage of as much sunlight as
possible! My husband has the right idea. He is on
the beach taking a walk everyday, sometimes twice a day.

The good news is, we have two new additions to our family.
Our dear friend, Maria, needed to find a home for her
Chihuahuas, Blu and Emma. Those little dearies have
already spent a lot of time here, visiting when Maria has
had to be away from her home. So it was a natural move
for them to come and live with us forever. They
are quite happy little girls. Blu is a little cuddle bug,
and competes with Abbie for the best "cuddle up with
Mommy" spots around my neck. Emma and Abbie are
great playmates. They love to chew bones together and
chase after their favorite squeaky toys. Our cat,
Pearl, has been quite forgiving. Of course, their
"Daddy", Paul, is a big part of their lives too.
Everybody wants to be in his lap!

Curveballs

My Etsy design team has been hit with a lot of curveballs lately. Eliat's mother is ill in Israel. Eliat will travel halfway across the world to be with her soon. Marie just lost her father - in- law. Other members have been ill. We carry on, and work together as a team, supporting each other, lending an ear, a message, a cyber arm around the shoulders as we can to let each other know that we are there.

My husband was laid off from his job today. We did not see this coming, even with the economy stinking as bad as what it is. Paul is the only one doing the job that he does for his company/division. But wouldn't you know it, the company that own's Paul's foundry has decided to outsource Paul's to outside shops. Doing so makes that part of the job more expensive, but then they are not paying salary and benefits. This becomes our 4th layoff since November 2001, which occured just two weeks after I had my first brain surgery. At least I don't have any major surgeries that I know of planned for this year (although my back needs to be fused, but I am putting that off).

We thought, that after four years, we were safe. That we could settle. We could breathe. We were finallygetting back on our feet from the last round of layoffs. And here we are again. In utter shock and disbelief.Paul is 56, back on the job market again on Monday.

We are putting our faith in God that he will sustain us during this time, and build up our strength. That He will not let us stumble, and will carry us when we are weak. But I am human. And I worry. This is all too much for me to handle, so I appreciate your thoughts and prayers too.



Thanks a lot, my artisan friends and sisters...

Elizabeth

Love In Bloom

Ah, what female does not love to receive two dozen roses, ANY color, from her beloved on a special occasion? That was my inspiration for the February design challenge for the Etsy BridalDreamTeam "Favorite Things".

I had purchased three different styles of handmade glass roses almost two years ago,
but had not known what to do with them for all of this time, except make two pairs of earrings and a necklace. The little dearies had not spoken to me until a few days before the challenge deadline that this tiara was what they were meant to be.

I love designing with floral motifs. Whether it is making silk roses, like those that I have used on several wedding gown projects or headpieces, or making flowers from gemstones, pearls and Swarovski crystals. This must be an influence from my mother, since our home always had a floral arrangement on the table, for any occasion, not just special ones. Mom does beautiful arrangements, even now in her 80's. But no flowered wallpaper. That is just too much. That is another story.