The way we were

Many years ago in our single life we were the "Farquars" a couple of tourists on vacation. My name was "Dot" and my hubby was "Fred".

...and then a few years later came this little scarecrow...

Happy Halloween Everyone! 

Aluminum Words

 One of my Texas finds was a aluminum printing plate, it is thin and easy to cut and I knew it had endless possibilities. Last night I finished this bracelet. I think it offers a lot visually and is so super lightweight. 

I plan on making some earrings as well and thinking of making some rolled beads from the aluminum, I will let you know how that goes.

Hope everyone is well and stocked up on candy for all of the tricksters! 

Tex

Today I made my new favorite piece I call "Texas". It is created using some treasures found on my recent trip to Texas. It is kind of whimsical, it's fun and very cowboy-ish! Love it...hope you will too.

Six shooter embossed charm, old horseshoe, antique Gold Medal adv. charm, brass horse button and a vintage monopoly game piece. Mixed metal vintage chains. You can find "Texas" in my Etsy shop.

I forgot I still had these pictures in my I-phone..taken where else but Texas. Looking at them again I just can't get  "Dirt road" by Jason Aldean out of my head!

 

 It actually rained like 10 drops when we were there, enough to produce this beautiful rainbow.

Owl in the Night

 "The Bat that flits at close of Eve

Has left the Brain that won't believe.

The Owl that calls upon the night

speaks the unbeliever's fright."

William Blake

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This owl button finds an unconventional life in this necklace. I purchased several domed buttons from a dealer in Texas and knew they would make great pendants. The dome gives off a spooky effect and pairs just perfectly with old black rosary beads.

You can find Owl in the Night in my Etsy shop.

Vintage Beads

I came across these beads today and could not resist purchasing them. However....I am not going to keep them, I am putting them in my Etsy shop. Ok, yes I did keep a few bags for myself but the rest are for whoever wants them. If you love working with antique and vintage and new beads just don't do the job for you well these beads are awesome. Some really cool shapes and nice smooth wear, the pictures do not do them justice. They need some cleaning as you can tell, but who does not like a little natural "patina".

 The greenish beads to the left are actually to halves of a whole almost like a bead cap and they are faceted too! Nice matte discs and check out the cool green shapes!

Yes, those are rose shaped glass, and the really neat rectangle shape is side drilled on the top.

 I am sure most of these are Czech and early 1900's, with some vintage mixed in.

Aren't they just beautiful....yes I am an easy girl to please!

It's a soup day

I woke up this morning and it was 46 degrees, the coldest it has been yet. We had been enjoying the most wonderful weather and last evening it changed drastically from 74 to burrsville! I actually had to turn the heat on because I could not do anything with numb hands! It's a day that called for hot soup so I pulled out one of my favorites "Sweet Potato Chowder"...since I still have some sweet potatoes from my garden this was a perfect thing to make. I'd love to share the recipe with you.

Sweet Potato Chowder

(Blue Moon Cookbook) recipe from my dear friend Laura

2 large sweet potatoes

1 leek chopped 1-1 1/2c

1 tbl. white wine

1 carrot chopped

2 1/2 c Milk or cream

2 tbl. butter

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/4c canned creamed corn (1 can)

Boil peeled cubed potatoes in 2 1/2 cups water until tender, about 15 min. Drain and save broth (set aside)

Melt butter in soup at med. heat, add leek, wine, mustard, salt and pepper and saute for 5 min. Add potatoes, broth, carrot, 1/2 can of corn and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 min. 

In blender add 1/2 of the soup and milk until thick and silky. Return to pot and add remaining corn.

Enjoy!

I alter the recipe a bit and use vegetable broth instead of water and I like a little heat so use a little red pepper flakes as well as a smidgen of thyme.  Milk or cream work just the same as well as onions instead of leeks.

Pay the rent

Wow, where have the days gone? Last week I was getting ready for a show and this week I am doing the same. I had a great show this past Saturday, surprising me by doubling my sales from last year! Yeah, can you believe it, and I thought last years sales were good for a one day show...who knew! I know I have said it before and I shall say it again....Newsletter! I send out a newsletter via Mail Chimp and it sure works because my local customers know where they can find me. It is well worth the effort!

 Do you have an item that "pays the rent"? What I mean by that is a good inexpensive item that covers your booth fee. My "pay the rent" items are my typewriter key pendants on a stainless ball chain, these are reliable sellers and at a good price point of  $20 at shows.

I always tend to sell more necklaces than anything else, especially religious  How about  you? What are your strongest sellers?

One Design Four Ways

I loved making these yesterday...assemblage jewelry is probably my most favorite to make. Anything that involves found treasures just makes creating so much fun and challenging for me. 

The four pieces are all the same design but with different elements. The common factor is rosary beads, filigree settings, antique buttons, etched discs,and a religious focal.

 The unexpected touch is the etched disc behind the filigree flower. It adds a really cool element to the necklace without being too much.

 You can find all of these pieces in my Etsy shop.

Etched metal with a little hoot

 I have been busy etching metal today, mostly copper and a few brass pieces. For the most part all came out pretty good, there are usually a few that bite the dust....which is the norm for me. Here are a few of my favorites.

You can find these and more in my Flapyourwings Etsy shop.

A Change is in the Air

 The weather in middle Tennessee has been glorious...warm sunny days with cool nights. These are my kind of days and you surely appreciate them after 3 months of constant heat and high humidity. It also makes me want to cook...I would rather be making jewelry than cooking, but I like to eat too. I have a  pumpkin bread in the oven and will be making sweet potato salad (using my ginormous sweet potatos from my garden). You make a regular potato salad but add a few sweets to it, yummy!

I have finally realized after 5 years of living in the South that you can not keep flowering annuals for long. I have gone the portulaca route and love them! Constant color and I do not have to worry about watering them. Here we are in October and they are still so beautiful!

Knock-Out Roses are another great plant for the south, they bloom constantly from early spring until frost. I love color and what better way to enjoy it in your landscape.

The field in our backyard is changing, autumn in Tennessee has mild colors compared to what I am use to in Massachusetts, but it still is so pretty. The air is crisp and has that beautiful scent you only get in the fall.

Sam has to come and see what I am doing and he loves gazing out at the field just hoping to see something to run after. I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Sunday!