Another view from my yard

I have a busy three weeks coming up with jewellery outings - the Coolah Rugby Club's ladies day this weekend, the Scone Grammar School Fete the day before Mother's Day and then perhaps the Tamworth Peel Street Markets mid-May. All of these events will be outdoors and with the grey days we've had over the last couple of days it makes me wonder if it will be too miserable/cold to go... but maybe not.

Using the power of positive thought, I'll imagine the sun will shine on those particular days and be absolutely gorgeous autumn days! And perhaps someone will take home the lovely long necklace I made last week of linked gemstones and sterling chain (pictured above)!

I found some great one liners for dealing with the ups and downs of life on the Modern Goddess Online blog. I love this one in particular

Accept that some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.

And isn't it the truth!

Something else that helps me deal with all life throws at me is art - perhaps from an escapist point of view. I love looking at talented artist's work and seeing what amazing paths their imagination has led them (and then me!). Mariam of Angelshair has some of the most adorable art pictures that are pure fantasy... or does she just see more than the rest of us? Do check out her store and her blog - they are well worth a visit and perhaps one of her artworks will speak to you! My favourite at the moment is Winter Magic - one of Mariam's sylph like fairies on the back of a polar bear!

A number of people couldn't believe the picture from last week, dotted with cows, was the view from my backyard - well, it was more my front yard actually, but yes, that is one of my views. Not bad eh!? Here is another, this one is more like my backyard - it is the tree with the children's cubbyhouse near the base:



Till next :)

8 Things Meme

Jen from Gotta Love Mom tagged me for this meme. Thanks Jen :D... so off I go...

8 things I look forward to:
1) having the ironing finished - I feel like I've been doing it for DAYS and its still big enough to crush a small child!
2) watching my girls race in their first inter-school cross country race on Friday
3) watching my son race in his first really big race next week
4) getting motivated to exercise - surely the motivation has to start sometimes!?
5) girl's night out this Friday night - video and popcorn yeeha!
6) book club meeting next month
7) upcoming show in Scone
8) cosy nights in front of the wood fire

8 things I did yesterday
1) put away the kids stuff from all over the house
2) relaxed for an hour after the kids finally went back to school
3) ironing
4) watched Australia's Next Top Model (why do I watch it - I can't help myself!?)
5) let my son choose the evening meal
6) had a chat with a friend
7) made a necklace - for me! Very unusual in itself!
8) worked on my website

8 things I wish I could do
1) have a cleaner!
2) have someone do my ironing!
3) have a garndener!
do you see a theme here!? LOL
4) then I could create all day as long as I wanted to without the need to stop for every reason under the sun (well, apart from hubby and kids interrupting of course!)
5) lose 5 pounds... if I keep saying this instead of doing something about it, it will turn into 10 pounds!
6) visit our holiday house more than once a year
7) read another great fantasy series - actually just having the TIME to read it!
8) have an aeroplane that fits the whole family :)

8 shows I watch on TV
1) Project Runway
2) What Not to Wear
3) Grand Designs
4) Man vs Wild
5) Boston Legal
6) Top Gear
7) Antiques Roadshow
8) Next Top Model

And 8 people I tag with this meme!: Hmmm, might pick some new WAHM bloggy friends from downunder...

1)Oh the thinks you can think
2)Maree Jaeger Photography
3)Sarah Klass
4)Your Cheeky Monkey
5)Aquabub
6)Belly Bumps to Baby Hugs
7)Organise your life
8)I Just Love That Fabric

Rules are simple, list 8 things you look forward to, 8 things you did yesterday, 8 things you wish you could do. Then tag 8 people and let them know they've been tagged with the meme.

Keeping to the theme, the pic is of a new ring - and it has *8* things in it - 5 x amethyst gemstones, 2 x 12ct goldfill rondelles and 1 length of 12ct goldfill wire :D

Sparkle Week !

OK, this has made my day... did you know that this week (20-26 April 2009) is "Sparkle Week" in the Big Apple? Yep, this week there will be promotions and festivities at stores throughout New York City's five boroughs. Now, that's a celebration I'd enjoy!! I guess it's perfectly timed to aim at Mother's Day gifts -and why not - not many women would say no to a gift of jewellery.

I was recently reading on the Tall Poppy about the 'recession' and how our mindset could be making it worse. I have to agree - providing you've got a little bit of disposable income, then feel free to share it around by buying something you want!

For instance, in my wanderings around the web I found this superb home furnishings store Home Decorations. We have a breakfast bar and our stools are looking a little worse for wear these days. I could easily snavel up these leather and chrome barstools given the slightest provocation. I'm kind of glad the store isn't situated in Australia as otherwise I would be on there all the time formulating a hefty shopping list!

Not much jewellery has come forth with the school holidays, but it will - I can feel the creative "itch" starting! So I've included a picture of a piece currently onl layby - the sparkliest rock crystal quartz I have ever seen - very suitable for "sparkle week"!

I have managed to take some photos - but not of jewellery for a change! Instead I've been out in the garden and my neighbour's garden snapping away. She has a glorious and abundant garden (unlike mine!) so these are from her garden:





Then I tried some black and white pics in my yard - this is the view from our house (the black dots are cows, by the way!):



and this is our gorgeous moggy, 'Bumbleebee' :)



Love to hear what you think of my snaps!

School holidays

Eeeech, school holidays - who would consider that three not so little people could get so under foot and so unruly in their first break of the year! Well, I should have remembered the school holidays - although they were in the pool most of summer, and drat it, it's a tad too cool for that now. Oh well. Only another 11 days to go.... *faint*

Needless to say I haven't got an awful lot done in the jewellery department, so this is a picture of a necklace from my creative burst last week. I had a great response to the red bamboo coral recently - and here is some sponge coral and orange freshwater pearls - aren't they bright! Sponge coral has a softer, more matte finish than the bamboo coral but would still look great to brighten up dark winter colours and quite brilliant with white in summer. I had to throw the picture of the matching earrings in too (below) - a little bit of glorious colour!



I've always thought I could so easily get addicted to other crafts... I had a look at Assential Scrapbooking's site and yep, I reckon it wouldn't take much to tip me over the edge and buy all those interesting looking bits and bobs!

I can't believe its almost time for the BAS (quarterly tax) to be done again. This quarter is always the worst, as I feel like I've only just finished the last one - since its due so late, because of the Christmas period. Rather nice of Mr. Taxman to take Christmas holidays into account! Anyway, keeping tax related, I found the best quote on the Always Wired Bead Lady blog...

Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors… and miss. ~Robert Heinlein

*giggle* :D

Till next!

Supporting each other ... and a rose quartz charm bracelet!

Supporting fellow businesses and artisans is really important - apart from a networking perspective, supporting them through times of economic doom and gloom is important.

Heather on her blog Heather's Ramblings recently posted on The Stone Soup Challenge. Using the folktale, Stone Soup, as inspiration this movement is encouraging artists and crafters to spend a little each month and purchase from one another.

In the tale Stone Soup, a stranger comes to a starving village and looks for food. He puts a boiling pot on the water and adds a stone, telling everyone he is making stone soup. Gradually, the villagers come forward with ingredients to add to make the soup. The contributions are items that the villagers are hoarding due to their fear of starvation. Each villager only contributes a small amount, but the end result is a soup that feeds everyone.

It's a wonderful example of co-operation and grassroots economic stimulus and I for one have already joined in! Please visit The Stone Soup blog to learn more and spread the love!

Another way to support each other is to network. Through Melissa at the Business Mums Blog I found out about the Business Mums Conference in June which would be a great networking and learning opportunity for those in Victoria.

I had a wonderful time at the Dunedoo Show last week :) I met lots of wonderful people that only live a stone's throw away ... but in a different direction than I usually go! A big thank you to the Show Committee for having me and for already inviting me back to next year's show.

Of course I'm supposed to be finishing off my winter collection working with rich and darker colours ... but creativity leads you on a journey of its own and this week has been no exception with pinks calling to me *sigh*.

So from this creative burst of pink, is the bracelet pictured above. A handmade chain of soft-pink rose quartz faceted discs and argentinium sterling silver (argentinium is tarnish resistant - brilliant stuff!) with little 'charms' of purple amethyst, grass-green peridot, freshwater pearls in white and bright pink and sterling silver charms of flowers, dragonflies and a butterfly. Very spring-like (in autumn - oh well!).

Catch you on the flip side!

Bright red bamboo coral

I was thrilled to receive some bright red bamboo coral this week in a variety of cuts - chunks like above, slices and tubes. Red is such a hard colour to find in a gemstone - mineral or organic - yet so many people want it! But I can see why - it is a great accent colour - it will add some punch to a plain outfit and is suitable for all seasons. Think of the wow factor of a bright red necklace with a white sundress in summer and a black or chocolate fine knit sweater in winter.

Naturally, when I receive something that grabs my attention I just have to make some of it up immediately! So I now have three red necklaces in stock - all in bamboo coral, but all completely different.

Coral is one of the earliest used jewellery materials - Neolithic amulets have been found in Switzerland dating back to 8000 BC! Almost every cilivization since then, which had access to warm seas or traded with someone who did, has used coral for ornamentation.

What is termed 'coral' are the structures of generations of tiny invertebrates, built out of calcium carbonate and/or protein. Bamboo coral is a branch-like structure interspersed with joint-like areas. As the structure no longer has living coral in it, when it is harvested the colour is creamy white with brown or black markings. The porous nature of the coral means that it takes a dye well - so the result is a lovely bright red colour. Although soft by mineral gemstone standards (a 3-4 on the hardness scale), bamboo coral is reasonably tough and will take a high polish.

As it is an organic gemstone, it is susceptible to damage from chemicals and heat. It is best to wipe over with a soft cloth regularly and you can clean coral in a weak solution of cool water and mild detergent.

:)

I haven't had a lot of time this week for perusing the web, especially as I have been getting ready to exhibit my wares at the Dunedoo Show this Saturday, 4 April at the Dunedoo Showgrounds (I'll be in the ladies pavillion - if you're attending come and say hello!) but I always find time for a little web surfing and came across these lovelies that I wanted to share:

* If you're feeling nostalgic and want a taste of yesteryear, then check out the showroom at EP Designs;

* For a cute, whimsical critter to sit on your desk or shelf and make you smile, check out this little guy from Alexia of ARRRT! on Etsy. Isn't he adorable!? Alexia also makes journals and other fun 'stuff'!

Till next :)