A change in scenery would be so nice!

And that is just what we are going to do! We have been talking about heading North to Indiana to stay at the West Baden Resort, so I have packed the bags and we are off! It was hard to choose between the French Lick Resort or the West Baden Springs Resort, the French Lick has its own casino and the West Baden is only a mile away and smaller and more romantic....so romance it is! I am just in need of a little time away and nothing could be better than to spend it with my DH!
I hope you all have a great weekend too!

Have a Little Faith in Me

"...an when your back is up against the wall
just turn around and you will see
I'll be there, I'll be there to catch your fall
So have a little faith in me..."

I wanted to share with you this awesome copper cross that I got from Artbeads.com. When I saw the cross I knew I had to have it. Last night I sat down to my work table and let my hands do the walking and they did not disappoint me. The colors are so cheerful and I love the organic look to this necklace. And yes...how do you like my sweet little bead caps I made?

Artbeads is having a great Valentine's Day Sale and is offering 15% off all Valentine related items, and as always shipping is FREE in the US. and only $1 to Canada.

Have a Little Faith in Me be found in my Etsy shop. I also made a pair of funky matching earrings.



Disclosure: All above mentioned beads from Artbead.com were kindly provided free-of-charge by Artbeads.com, within the frames of Artbeads.com blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post above represents only personal opinion of the blog author.

Break Time

October was really not that long ago when I was swimming in this warm crystal clear water in Providenciales Turks & Caicos. Take a moment and drink in the beauty and simplicity of the turquoise ocean. How nice it would be to feel the soft warm sand , oh such a wonderful luxury...until next time. Ok, break time over back to work!

Hearts Afire

Artbeads.com has declared January as a month of Valentines Day for the blogging community. As part of their blogger program I got to choose some wonderful heart related items to create with. One of the items I wanted to work with was this fabulous copper heart toggle clasp. I was so impressed with the quality, size and color, I think it made a wonderful focal for this bracelet. Artbeads is having a great Valentine's Day Sale and is offering 15% off all Valentine related items, and as always shipping is FREE in the US. and only $1 to Canada.

Hearts Afire can be found in my Flap Your Wings Etsy shop.

Disclosure: All above mentioned beads from Artbead.com were kindly provided free-of-charge by Artbeads.com, within the frames of Artbeads.com blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post above represents only personal opinion of the blog author.

My Personal Chef

Well for one night at least! Here is my friend Sandy making dinner for 10 of us last night at my house. I have never been served at my own dining room table and I tell you it was very nice! Sandy is _______ 's personal chef, one of them anyway. I can not reveal this famous rock stars name or I will be shot. Anyway Sandy "rocks" in the kitchen and it was fun to watch her in action. We had Chicken Marsala, over parmigiana and mushroom orzo and green beans with a fresh herb sauce. A simple warm spice cake was served for dessert, a perfect light ending to a wonderful meal with great friends.

Spread Your Wings and Soar

“No one can prepare you for what heights you will soar until you spread your wings.”

I had fun putting this together. It looks heavy but it is not and is so comfortable to wear. This rustic eclectic piece can be found in my Artfire shop.

It has been fun seeing all the posts about the Bead Soup Party. I love seeing what people have sent each other. I think I will get started on mine today. The weather has been rainy and dreary and the colorful butterfly focal that Emanda my soup partner sent me with be perfect to work with today.

I also created another piece "Hope" for Haiti to sell to help raise fund for the American Red Cross. All proceeds from the sale of this necklace will be donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund. Please visit my Facebood Fan page or Artfire. Thanks for caring.

"Fit For a Queen"

“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.”

This piece is residing in my Artfire shop. You can visit her there.

My Bead Soup has arrived!

I received my Bead Soup Party goodies in the mail yesterday. My bead partner is Emanda Johnson from Artemisia Studio, and a sampling of her wonderful creations can be found in her Etsy shop. I look forward to creating with my goodies....the wheels are turning!! Don't worry Emanda your package should come any day now, I can't wait to see what you think of it!

Check out his great "London" Treasury on Etsy that I am so proud to be in. My London resin pendant fits right it!

Inspiration

Let the sincerity of these simple inspirational messages speak to your soul. Enjoy some of my favorites.

Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
Come to the edge!
And they came,
and he pushed,
and they flew.
-- Christopher Logue

Even if I don't reach all my goals, I've gone higher than I would have if I hadn't set any.
-- Danielle Fotopoulis

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

You were born an original. Don't die a copy.
-- John Mason

You can find this bracelet on my web site.

On another note I wanted to tell you I sold my "Hope" for Haiti necklace this morning, I am so excited! Many thanks to the buyer and I hope the necklace will inspire you as well. I happily popped up the Red Cross address and made my donation. I hope to make another "Hope" for Haiti piece in a few days.

"HOPE" for Haiti

Hope For Haiti

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

by Emily Dickinson

All proceeds from the sale of this necklace will be donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund. Please visit my Facebood Fan page or Artfire. Thanks for caring.

Judy

Who want's to go Antiquing?

I reorganized one of my booths at the antique shop today and put out all the treasures I purchased yesterday at the Estate sale.
Do you recognize the painting from yesterdays post? I purchased both paintings yesterday at the estate sale as well as the white door. I love old doors, they are so fun for decorating.

Old flags are another one of my favorites....one can never be too patriotic!

This is a rocker I picked up yesterday ~ C1840's New England origination~

This sweet early pine table is also a new addition as well the drug store candy jar (missing lid) but still so wonderful! People love collecting these.

I had found this great folky yellow cupboard a while ago in Nashville. It must of been next to the telephone as phone numbers are written inside one of the doors. Check out the Victorian bamboo chair next to it.

I am a lucky girl to be able to enjoy two passions of mine....Antiques and jewelry design. I especially love it when I can combine the two and create jewelry from something old.
What is your great passion? What would you love to be doing more of right now?

Estate Sale

Only the promise of a really good antique estate sale can get me out of bed early in the morning. This morning I headed into the city for just that and I was not disappointed. I picked up this great sailboat painting, signed oil on board and in a wonderful frame. It was a steal and I couldn't pay for it fast enough...$20 Omg, I would have paid more for sure! I also love old photos and got some of those too, I use the ones of the ladies in my display for my jewelry. They are eye catchers for sure, people always ask if they are my relatives.


The truck is still full of my finds and tomorrow I will bring everything up to my antique booth at Bright's Antique World. I also purchased an early 1840's rocker, it is pine and has a wonderful "shaker" look, an old door, pine table, a painted tin duck decoy and some folkart birds. I will try to remember to take some pictures tomorrow of my booth after I redecorate it. I am getting it ready for all the buyers that the Heart of the Country antique show brings in. Heart of the Country... It's the "grand-daddy" of American antiques shows, where the finest antiques and decorative arts from every region migrate to Nashville -- the crossroads of America --

Mask of a Women

Here is my first experience with using mica sheets. I had never heard of using mica in jewelry design until I read a blog post about it (...and my mind not retaining what it use to can not fine that post, sorry) It is a very cool lightweight material and and takes a stamp very well. Using Stazon ink pads I stamped the mica and attached it to a textured piece of sheet brass.
The gorgeous enamel bead dangling below the pendant is from Barbara Lewis and it adds the burst of color this piece needs. You can find this necklace in my ArtFire shop.

You can find mica at Ornamentea.com

The Key to Harmony

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything." ~ Plato ~

The sun is shinning today and it has warmed up to 40 degrees...could it be the sun that inspired this necklace or the fellow artisans that created a few elements in this piece. The vintage sheet music beads from Tanith's Odds & Ends were the start for this necklace and the awesome robin's egg blue enamel bead from Barbara Lewis helped finish it off. You can find this in my etsy shop.

"Music washes away from the soul
the dust of everyday life."
~ Berthold Auerbach (1812-1882) ~

....And the winner is....

Congratulations to LeAnn of Summers Studio she is the winner of the $25 gift certificate to Artbeads.com. The second winner of the goody bag of beads goes to minishoes1.

Lucky LeAnn your gift certificate will be sent to you via email by the wonderful folks at Artbeads.com . Have fun selecting some great products! Minishoes1, if you could kindly send me your address I can send your goody bag right out to you.

Thanks to all who enter this giveaway and for your wonderful comments on what inspires you. I wish you all a year filled with inspiration and creativity.

The winners of your drawing are...

1st	Summers Studio
2nd	minishoes1

Congratulations on the drawing! It was completed on Monday, 11 January 2010 at 16:14:24 UTC The winners were drawn from a list of 32 entrants using true randomness, which for many purposes is better than the pseudo-random number algorithms typically used in computer programs. You will find the permanent record of the drawing here:

http://www.random.org/draws/details/?draw=1328

Can a girl ask for anything more?

Yesterday I attended a bead show in Nashville. I spent over an hour and way too much money at one booth alone called AD. Adornments Kathy had the best findings in the styles that I adore. I am sure you can pick them out in this picture.
I can't wait to get started with all of this loveliness!! I did not really get too many beads and I tried to get something I have not had before, like the pyrite and Tibetan beads. I fell for the gray pearls and modern dyed shell disks. After I spent ALL my money the DH and I went for an early dinner to Maggiano's. Can a girl ask for anything more?

Don't forget to sign up to win a $25 Artbeads.com gift certificate the drawing takes place tomorrow am!!
ENTER HERE

Simple Necklace

I love playing with my new tools. A simple necklace created with the disk cutter and dappling set. I have so much to figure out...but it is a start, hey I've got all winter! You can find this in my Artfire shop.


Calling all bloggers, facebook fans and twitter folks, here is my first giveaway of the year and what would be better to receive than an Artbeads gift certificate....

Enter Here

A random name will be drawn on Monday Jan.11th for the Artbeads $25 gift certificate and another name will be drawn to win a goodie bag of beads from me. Good luck everyone!