My Friend Lori the clay artist

 

I want to introduce you to a dear friend of mine from back home in Wilbraham Massachusetts, Lori Mader of Cedar Swap Pottery, she is a clay artist specializing in handmade wood fired stoneware and porcelain. Lori creates one of a kind pieces of handmade art intended for everyday rituals. I am so proud to call her my friend, she has such a lively spirit and brings such joy to life. On my last visit back home she gifted me with a wonderful selection of handmade stoneware and porcelain beads, beads not being the correct word as they are little pieces of art and so nicely detailed

In this necklace I used a stoneware piece glazed in a gorgeous color of gray/green/blue. I paired it with copper, jasper, labradorite and faceted hematite. I hope I did her proud. It has the organic look I love with a little elegance thrown in. 

Check out Lori's  website for pouring vessels, sake sets, bowls and oddities. 

Bird in Flight

A symbolic necklace full of Hope, growth and the rhythm of life.

I created a one of a kind resin pendant for this piece I call "Bird in Flight".

The pendant was made using resin, vintage papers, an old watch face and a bird charm. A thin piece of mica sits under the resin and gives the pendant an iridescent glow.

Handmade sheet music beads, rulitated quartz and mother of pearl beads are wire wrapped in steel and accent the whimsical pendant. You can find this piece on my website.

Spring Moss

Bone beads and handmade copper bead caps compliment the porcelain floral pendant and porcelain beads created by LeAnn of Summers Studio Pottery. Oxidized copper and vintage metal links unite all of these great components.
You can find Spring Moss in my Etsy shop.

Feathered Joy

So luminous with living wings,
So musical with feathered joy . . .

Told y'all I would finish this last night! This little yellow birdie makes me smile...

Little birdies can be found on Etsy at Summer's Studio Pottery.

Bird Sanctuary

Between the cliff-rise and the beach
A slip of emerald I own;
With fig and olive, almond, peach,
cherry and plum-tree overgrown;
Glad-watered by a crystal spring
That carols through the silver night,
And populous with birds who sing
Gay madrigals for my delight.

Some merchants fain would buy my land
To build a stately pleasure dome.
Poor fools! they cannot understand
how pricelessly it is my home!
So luminous with living wings,
So musical with feathered joy . . .
Not for all pleasure fortune brings,
Would I such ecstasy destroy.

A thousand birds are in my grove,
Melodious from morn to night;
My fruit trees are their treasure trove,
Their happiness is my delight.
And through the sweet and shining days
They know their lover and their friend;
So I will shield in peace and praise
My innocents unto the end.

By Robert Service

Look for this piece on my website...but you have to wait until the new site is opened, just a little tease. I will keep you posted!

Thank you Ms. Mail Lady

Two little packages arrived in the mail today...I had been waiting so patiently for them and I could not wait to rip them open. The first one was a FABULOUS pair of earrings from Sharon of Livewire Jewelry. I was the winner of her One World One Heart giveaway. I still can't believe I won out of 290 entrants. I am a big fan of Sharon and am so honored to have one of her creations, I just love these earrings!





The other package was from LeAnn of Summers Studio. I have been dying to get my hands on one of her precious little birdies and today was my day. I just love it and can't stop touching it. The color is exactly what I had hoped. I am going to use the birdie in a long necklace and hope to start that tonight. The other two pieces are gorgeous and generous in size. Inspiration comes in may forms and from many things, today it is LeAnn and her wonderful porcelain creations.

Tuesday's before & after

I want to share with you some more of my before and after photos. I ordered some porcelain pieces from Summers Studio Pottery and I can not tell you how pleased I am with Leeann's work.Her stunning rich glazes and designs speak to me with their antique and vintage styles.


An unexpected combination of colors, shapes and textures are used to create this one of a kind couture necklace...a juxtapose if you will. I used a porcelain handcrafted pendant by Summers Studio Pottery for the focal piece. This pendant was handformed in porcelain using vintage filigree to add an elegant swirling pattern with a tiny shell motif. The pendant is glazed front and back in an ocean blue green,I added a vintage rhinestone for a dangle and some bling. Wire wrapped in sterling are stick pearls, lapis, smoky quartz,rhinestone spacers, pearls and sterling beads. A hand forged clasp is used in the front. All sterling has been oxidized for an aged look and buffed to bring out some shine. Measures 17 1/2". This piece is truly one of a kind!

And lastly is this darling bronze dragonfly charm. I used the 22mm charm for a pendant and wire wrapped it in oxidized brass and added a colorful polymer clay bead. A black greek leather cord with handforged clasp finishes this piece off nicely.