Vacation Holiday...

Well, after two years of planning Dear Hubby and I are off on vacation holiday.
We will return mid October.
This same time last year we cancelled this trip due to the US dollar being weakened against the Euro. Guess what! It has happened to us again however we are not going to cancel this year. We are going and we are going to enjoy our trip to the fullest. We live only once and this is it.
As we explore and enjoy I am on a mission to also design my newest line of jewelry for "Adorn Me!" which I shall be debuting after our return. I am going to absorb the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and general ambience of each of the places we shall visit.
I shall eat Gelato and savor each tasty tiny spoonful. DH will love all of the food as he is much more adventuresome than I. I will eat paninis and pasta and pizza. I shall try squid with ink however I am not so anxious to do so. I will enjoy every piazza, every fountain, every statue , duomo and every musuem. I shall truly enjoy the people as I love to just watch them no matter where I am. I do not speak the language however I have tried to be familiar with some of the words and sayings.
My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...leaving on a jet plane.
I shall miss checking each of your blogs daily as I have come to do. This trip is a no computer, no "in touch" media time for us to relax and rejuvenate ourselves.
Be safe, be well and be creative.
Ciao

Mystic River...

This is my beautiful necklace from my birthday visit to Gioielli's in the Gold Country. Dear Hubby bought this lampwork bead and the sterling silver findings and the Italian mesh ribbon for me for my birthday. Of course it is much more beautiful in person as my photography is not the best.

The lampwork bead is amazing. Lots of detail that does not show in the photo. I believe the name Mystic River comes from the greenish trail that runs from top to bottom on both sides of the approximate 2" pendant.

As for the Italian mesh ribbon I actually have two colors used here. A beautiful darker blue and a very stunning greenish gold which both are exactly represented color wise in the bead. I have ruffled both colors of mesh ribbon as I like this look. Included in with the mesh ribbon I have added two complimentary colors of mohair yarn just to give the necklace a bit more fiber detail.

This necklace has so much texture with the lampwork bead, ribbons and fibers that it is very soft and feminine. The colors are spectacular and actually are working very well for fall.

I am loving my birthday present and never minded the fortune of being able to help select the components at my favorite bead shop and then be able to actually put it together to fit me perfectly. Thank you Mr. Dear Hubby. I am also thankful you like the finished product. :o)

I look forward to making more very special pieces with these types of materials that I shall offer in my etsy shop in the near future.

Have you worked with Italian mesh ribbon? Please let me know what you have done.

September Gemstone...

This is lapis lazuli. It is a "blue stone" and is commonly used for the September gemstone. Sapphire is also the stone for September however it can be a lot pricier than lapis lazuli.
As my day was winding down and I had completed my domestic dinner duties I settled in for a creative rest and a good look through one of my latest bead magazines..."Bead Style". I am looking at the September 2009 issue which is currently on the book stand. If you would like to check it out go to http://www.beadstylemag.com/ and you can see it for yourself. I enjoyed reading a short article regarding "10 things to know about lapis lazuli".
Let me recap it for you and save you some time possibly.
1. Lapis lazuli is pronounced as one word with the emphasis on "slaz".
2. The most valuable lapis lazuli stones have an even saturated blue color.
3. Lapis is a combination of several minerals; lazurite, sodalite, calcite and pyrite.
4. Most gemstone quality lapis has been dyed or heat treated to minimize fading.
5. There is a "denim" lapis which is pale blue and usually less expensive than the darker blue.
6. Afghanistan mountains have yielded the highest quality deposits for 6,000 years.
7. Ancient Egyptians ground lapis into powder for eye shadow.
8. Lapis is thought to stand for trust and friendship and promote harmony in relationships.
9. Lapis is an alternative birthstone for September or December.
10. Lapis is cut into a myriad of sizes and shapes for beading and jewelry making.
I hope this review helps you with your September gemstone choices. As you can see this is only a small bit of information.
Have you made anything with lapis lazuli even if in a different month of the year?
Blue just happens to be my all time favorite color. I think I might invest in some lapis lazuli for myself...hmmm.

Beautiful fabric roses...

I opened my mail yesterday and these beautiful fabric roses appeared. I had been notified that I won these "Dior" handmade beauties from Lilla in Hawaii. Well, you must go to her blog http://www.justlilla.blogspot.com and see for yourself. She even has a tutorial on there of how to make these roses. What a talented and very nice lady Lilla is. I have been following her blog for some time now and I am constantly inspired by her. Not only did I receive these three Dior roses Lilla also included one of her handmade tags. What a lot of work and very special indeed.

Thank you so very much Lilla. I will continue to be inspired by your talents and generous sharing of the wonderful things you make. I feel so fortunate.

Now be sure to go on over and check it out as you just might be inspired too.

As for my beautiful Dior roses from Lilla...hmmmmmmmmm. Maybe these soft feminine roses will work their way into a lovely bag I shall make. Or maybe an embellishment on a fancy top

or...we shall have to wait and see what results I am inspired to create.

Happy Labor Day...

Happy Labor Day to everyone. I do hope you are taking time to relax and enjoy the

cooler mornings and evenings.

My wonderful hubby took me for a surprise drive the other day. We headed east and took a very beautiful scenic drive to Donner Lake over Donner Summit. The weather was perfect, the sky was blue and the trees were green and full. We drove to Truckee www.truckee.com which is a very old quaint town from the gold rush days. One of our favorite restaurants is there and I enjoyed a yummy tossed curry chicken cobb salad while overlooking the old town, the hillsides and the trains coming and going ( I love the sound of a good train whistle!).

Then dear hubby had a bigger surprise for me. We visited one of my favorite bead stores, Gioelli www.specialtybeads.com which happens to be in Truckee located in a little house on the main street of the old town. Well, upon entering this haven of beads and findings hubby spots my newest favorite...Bead Trends magazine on a table. It is opened to show the necklace pictured above. We talk with the shop hostess and find out Janelle,owner of Gioelli's, is the proud creator of this necklace and has been published in the magazine. This is her second publishing. The store has all of the components to make this beautiful necklace ready for purchase. How clever of them. I am in search of just the right special look for me. A couple of years ago hubby brought me here and I made a beautiful necklace that I happened to be wearing this very day. What inspiration I was surrounded with. How could I select just one focal bead for my special new necklace? Then it happened. Lampwork beads that are each unique and special caught my attention. Some shaped like hearts and some long and rectangular. Oh the colors and the designs and the colors and oh my... How could I pick just one to be my special gift this year? Then I touched the beads and yes one bead was special just for me. It felt good in my hand and when I took it to the window to see it in real light it was beautiful yet serene. Now I paired it with Italian mesh ribbons and that was the right look. Dear hubby bought me the special bead and findings and ribbons and I shall complete the necklace at home in my studio.

We drove along the lake and enjoyed the beauty of the surroundings. If you ever get to the area you will see why people come from all over the world just to experience the hiking, boating, biking and rock climbing and yes in winter the snow skiing.

What a beautiful and special day it was. Thank you hubby and Mother Nature.

When I have completed my necklace I shall share pictures with you.

Bead Trends Magazine...

Wow! Bead Trends magazine www.beadtrendsmag.com is my new favorite tool for my upcoming designer line of jewelry..."Adorn Me". Soon to be debuting in my online shop http://createology.etsy.com
If you love jewelry...making it, wearing it, buying it or giving it you need to see this magazine. No, I do not have any vested interest in this publication. It is simply and beautifully done.
I found Bead Trends at my closest big book store last week. At $17.95 it seemed very pricey for a monthly issue, however I decided to splurge and give it a solid try. Well, upon bringing it home and literally devouring it page by page I am sold on the quality and focus of this magazine. The photography is amazing and interesting. Each piece of jewelry is shown and then lists the materials used. This is an excellent resource for everyone making their own jewelry. Use it as wonderful inspiration but never copy pieces for resale. Be unique in your style. There is an artist feature and display of their jewelry. Excellent how to directions for a piece of jewelry.
This beautiful magazine has very few advertisements and therefore the true focus is on jewelry. I believe I have found my new favorite resource in my pursuit of making "Adorn Me" a successful venture. I look forward to submitting my work to Bead Trends for possible publication. What a gem among the numerous beading magazines on the shelves.
Have you read or seen this Bead Trends magazine? Has it inspired your jewelry making?

Hello September...

Hello September and welcome. August has come and gone in what seemed like record time this year. It was a very busy month and I enjoyed it very much. Even getting older wasn't so bad. I had wonderful times with family and friends celebrating and enjoying food, laughter, shopping and stories. So now we welcome September. The evenings are getting just a little cooler and it is beginning to feel like fall is in the air.
So with the coming of September I am reminded that Christmas is not far away. Therefore I have begun to work on projects that I always set aside. No photos for this post as dear hubby has my camera with him in Bonneville at the Salt Flats. I sewed some comfort dolls to send to Pat Winter. www.comfortdolls.blogspot.com This is a wonderful effort and you should check it out. Nothing feels better than giving to others.
I had some vintage Christmas stocking panels and decided to make those. I already have plans for them this year. I also have more projects to finish however I thought it was amazing I got this much done.
Now I am on to more projects which I will share later.
Have a wonderful week and enjoy the upcoming Labor Day weekend. Stay safe and healthy.