Designs by Blanche

Steampunk & Fairy Wands!

2011-04-23T15:06:00.000-04:00

April has been jam packed with lots of goings-on for me! First off, I participated in Blissfull ATC swap with Debbie R - a delightful gal that makes me so happy to have met her! She is a lovely soul - please do visit her blog - full of encouraging words and prayerful meditation!

She created this lovely ATC for me in the theme of Steampunk. We share a love of Victorian things - Don't you just adore the image she used? And look at all those charming watch parts!

This is the lovely card holder she made ....

And the cutest ever note card she made me - so talented!

Thank you Debbie, It was great fun to be your swap partner!

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Next, I participated in Wendy's Bliss Angel Spring Fairy Magic Wand Swap!

Oh What fun that was! My partner was Jennifer, otherwise known in the Fairy world as Bindweed Elfspider! My fairy name, by the way is Meadow Willowglow!

Jennifer has so much talent, I was amazed at viewing her blog - Just Jingle. Please take a look, you will be amazed too!

Her charming card is embellished fabric - How cool!

The text says, "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."

How true!! here's a close-up of the wand she made - I adore those fairies!

The wand handle is wrapped in fabric and pretty bows at the top.

Thank you, Jennifer, that was a great swap and I will treasure my Wand from Spring to Spring! And a big thanks to Wendy for hosting both of these swaps!

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You can see the Steampunk card I made for Debbie and the Spring Fairy Wand I made for Jennifer on my ATC - Collages - Swaps set here. I sent off the goodies I made for my partners a little early, because Hubby and I went to Washington DC for Spring Break / Vacation / Furlough.

You can see some of the photos I took on my Flickr Washington set here. I will no doubt be blogging about the trip soon.

~Blanche

Elegance

2011-04-10T22:03:00.000-04:00

This week my ATC serves double duty for Take a Word and Three Muses -
Umbrella ansd Victorian Elegance

Have a great week!

-Blanche

Blooms and Steampunkerie

2011-04-02T16:17:00.000-04:00

A touch of Spring is in the air around here - I just hope it lasts. The forecast next week is for torrential down-pours. This weekend, however, is gloriously beautiful! And so I have spent time today putting final touches on ATC creations inspired by two blogs I follow - Take A Word and 3 Muses.

The challenge is to get it done within the week they are posted, but par usual, my time clock does not tick with that tock, so I will probably always be late!

However, I managed to be on-time with the current themes and loaded my Flickr account with some of the others I have made. Dear ladies and gentlemen who follow those blogs, please forgive me in my tardiness, but please take a look :)!

Take A Word - Blooms - Bloomin Roses

Materials Used:

Background papers - Tim Holtz Lost and Found Paper Stash

Paper Reflections Vellum Die Cuts Roses

Avery Aigner Strip Tabbing (1989!) - Ranger Distress Ink Vintage Photo

Personal Stash - Pressed Queen Anne's Lace Leaves

Colored staples

Three Muses - Steampunkerie - Passage

Materials Used:

Dover prints: Background paper - Steamship - Couple
Ranger Stickles - Gold
Personal Stash - Pressed Flower, Watch Parts, paper scrap for left sidebar, AC Moore Alpha Stamps, black ink, eyelets
Please be sure to take a look at the other 3 Muse Challenge and Take A Word ATCs on my Flickr!

Raw Silk - March

2011-03-30T18:43:00.000-04:00

At Blissfull ATC Swaps, March's theme was a graphic of a Japanese silk label. Even though it was chosen well before the disasters there, I think it gave us some valuable time to pray and send positive thoughts to all affected while we created.

Becky was my partner and I absolutely love the package she sent me!

The envelope was actually sewn shut and the back had these gorgeous butterflies!

The ATC is sewn from fabric with the image transferred on! How cool is that! Like a little quilt square!

To see the ATCs I made, please check out my Flickr account!

Blissfull ATC Swaps

2011-02-27T15:04:00.000-05:00

Time flies and before you know it spending time at work, with family, and creating has slipped by. I can't tell you where the time has gone since my last blog post, but let's just say I've been working hard, loving my family through illness, and all the while staying creative! Yay!

Wendy at Blissfull ATC swap has helped to keep the creative juices flowing with themed swaps -
January was White/Snow and Peggy sent me this gorgeous ATC with a snowy scene on her card:

I adore the lace and snow on the ATC and I get lost in the snowy scene on the card! Thank you Peggy!

February's theme was LOVE and my partner was Wendy herself!

Just look at the creative handpainted card she made!

ADORABLE! Look at those smooch-able lips!!!

This is the back - love the title, Unlucky at cards, Lucky at Love!

She even sent a beautiful tag and just as cool ATC holder!

Thank you, Wendy, for all you do!

Take A Word #9 - Music

2010-12-31T11:01:00.002-05:00

Take A Word #9 Music

Take A Word is a blog that posts a word each week for artistic interpretation - and anything goes. Since I am in ATC mode, I made this but would love to entertain the same challenge words with jewelry. Something to think about!

I can't carry a tune in a bucket or play a musical instrument, so I truly appreciate anyone who has any musical ablilties, even birds!

Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year!

I used:

7gypsies Orchestra paper

7gypsies Conservatory paper

Sticko Musical Notes stickers

Ranger Stickles Gold

Alphabet stamps from my stash

Ranger Distress Ink Vintage Photo

12 Days of Christmas ATC Swap ~ Hosted by Bliss Angel

2010-12-20T16:28:00.003-05:00

Back oh my Goodness, October? November? I really can't recall, but Wendy at Bliss Angels put out a call for participants in her 12 Days of Christmas swap. I dropped everything and joined right in! It really was a blessing for me, as I have tons of paper scraps and thought it would be an ideal way to use them and muster up creativity in a new direction at the same time!

I was totally amazed at the creativity of this very special group of 11 other women! Each of these are little works of art that I will treasure (no trading these off!). A few months ago I purchased a Crop-A-Dile eyelet pliers and have been eyelet crazy ever since! When I made my cards, I put at least one, sometimes more on each card, as I planned all along to turn my 12 Days of Christmas ATCs into ornaments.

So without further ado..here's my 12 Days of Christmas ATC Swap by Bliss Angels:

On the first day of Christmas, My true love sent to me A partridge in a pear tree

Angela

On the second day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Two turtledoves

Me :)

On the third day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Three French hens

Debbie

On the fourth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Four calling birds

Francie

On the fifth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Five golden rings

Wendy

On the sixth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Six geese a-laying

Terri

On the seventh day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Seven swans a-swimming

Karla

On the eighth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Eight maids a-milking

Marlene

On the ninth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Nine Drummers Drumming

Sandi

On the tenth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Ten Pipers piping

Dana

On the eleventh day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Eleven Ladies Dancing

Electra

On the twelfth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Twelve Lords a Leaping

Robin

My true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming,

Eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtledoves,

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Please check out all the creativity on the blogs of these lovely ladies! And Thank You to Wendy for hosting this event and bringing such joy to all of us!

Merry Christmas!

~Blanche

Colors of Fall and Winter

2010-12-20T13:04:00.001-05:00

My blog among other things has been on the back burner, but now I am off until the New Year! Woo whoooo!

To catch up a bit, Artbeads.com had a wonderful idea for their bloggers - to come up with designs for Fall. The beads I chose seem to cross over a bit into Winter, which is fine by me since it extends the wear of these beautiful jewels!

This is one of my 'Jewelry Wardrobe' creations - Three necklaces that can be worn together or individually, the smallest necklace can be doubled up and worn as a bracelet. The key that ties them together is one of Artbeads.com's fabulous silk ribbons!

The one that looks most like Fall:

I used luscious Two-Tone Baroque Shape Glass Beads, Czech Glass Maple Leaf beads, and the always alluring Lilly Pilly Pendants. All together they are amazing, but that's the beauty of this Wardrobe - you can wear as few or as many as you want!

To round out the design, I added a few of my own Morian Crystals and Silver pearls from my stash of Swarovski Crystallized Elements.

So, Winter or Fall, you are all set with this Jewelry Wardrobe!

Disclosure: I participate in Artbeads.com Blog for Beaders program and have received the beading products featured in this post free of charge from Artbeads.com. I am freely and honestly reviewing the products and have not been paid for my endorsement of the products.

Happy Holidays!

-Blanche

Artbeads.com Jewelry Contest!

2010-11-03T18:55:00.001-04:00

Artbeads.com is hosting a great contest! ‘What Inspires You” contest consists of two categories; Necklaces and the General Category. Each contest will have the following prizes; 1st place winners in each category will receive a $500 Artbeads.com Gift Certificate, 2nd place winners a $250 Artbeads.com Gift Certificate and 3rd place winners a $100 Artbeads.com Gift Certificate. Winners will be decided by a public vote. Voting starts Tuesday, November 23, and ends Wednesday, December 8. Winners will be announced Thursday, December 16, 2010.

For more information on the ‘What Inspires You?’ Design Contest!, click the link!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T22:06:00.000-04:00

In South Carolina we have high humidity and temps this past week in the 80's. Not so good for carved pumpkins, so I carved mine today. I usually use a template from one of my Pumpkin Masters books but I could not find them today (imagine that!) so I went on-line and downloaded a spider template, I think it was from Better Homes and Gardens. Why a spider?

My brother recently posted some phenomenal photographs of spider webs on Facebook, and truly, that's all I could think about! His photography inspired me so!

So I used the template to carve the spider and then using Augy's photo as a guide, I free-handed the web!

Happy Halloween!

In daylight, not too long after carving....

Right in front of St Francis is Pepe's grave marker...he loved Halloween and used to lay on top of one of our cars (mostly the Jeep) to watch all the goings on at Halloween, so we didn't think he would mind the extra tombstones ...

My neighbor Sylvia gave me this skelly candle last year....

Halloween greetings....

Zuni had a bird's eye view from the massive old oak, her favorite place each evening this time of year....

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween! Thanks to my brother for the inspiration for our pumpkin this year!

-Blanche

Spooky Monday er uh, Thursday!

2010-10-21T11:11:00.000-04:00

I got bitten by the ATC bug! I signed up for The 12 Days of Christmas ATC Swap hosted by Wendy at Bliss Angels. Well, I finished them, and got started on making some Halloween ATCs. Tis the season afterall!

I'm gifting a few of these to my neighbor, who adores Halloween more than any other 'holiday'. And the rest I'm going to keep for future swaps!

These were so much fun to make! I basically used Halloween stuff I had on hand - bags I have never used, a party invitation I made into the last 2, bits and pieces of embellishments & stickers.

I shop for all kinds of things after the holiday buying them on sale so this was a great way to finally use up these things!

I am linking with Wendy's Adventures in Wonderland for Spooky Mondays!

Halloween Party - A Spooky Skeleton Event!

2010-10-16T16:15:00.001-04:00

To a Spook-tacular Halloween Wedding Party!

I am sure you are well on your way making rounds from party to party for Vanessa's A Fanciful Twist Halloween Party. Do stay for a spell if you dare...

We are going right up there.....

Please check your look in the mirror, we don't want to scare the other guests!

Ahhhh, I hear footsteps.....

I think the procession is starting ... I hear the organ playing .....

Awww, Look at the lovely Flowergirl!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh! It's starting!

"Good evening! We are gathered here today, not to witness the beginning of what will be, but rather what was! We do not create this marriage, because we cannot. We can and do, however, celebrate with Bride and Groom and their friends and families the wondrous and joyful occurrence that has already taken place in their lives. Who accompanies this Bride to Groom ?" "I do." says the father.

"So what do we mean by love? When we love, we see things other people do not see. We see beneath the surface, to the qualities which make our beloved special and unique. To see with loving eyes, is to know inner beauty. And to be loved is to be seen, and known, as we are known to no other. One who loves us, gives us a unique gift: a piece of ourselves, but a piece that only they could give us.

Marriage is to belong to each other through a unique and diverse collaboration, like two threads crossing in different directions, yet weaving one tapestry together. While love is our natural state of being, these other qualities are not as easy to come by. They are not a destination, but a journey.

The true art of married life is in this an inner spiritual journey. It is a mutual enrichment, a give and take between two personalities, a mingling of two endowments which diminishes neither, but enhances both.

In as much as you have consented together in this ceremony to live in wedlock and have sealed your vows in the presence of this company and by the giving of these rings, it gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are now and in the hereafter husband and wife.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you Mr. and Mrs. Skully Skelton. May they forever rest in peace and in love.

Thank you for visiting my Halloween Wedding Party! Have fun visiting the other revelers that joined with A Fanciful Twist here.

Toady is Spooky Mondays :)

2010-10-11T20:28:00.000-04:00

The Witches Spell by William Shakespeare

From Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1

Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

Harpier cries 'Tis time, 'tis time. Round about the cauldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw. Toad, that under cold stone

Days and nights has thirty-one Swelter'd venom sleeping got,

Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, Witches' mummy, maw and gulf

Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark, Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,

Liver of blaspheming Jew, Gall of goat, and slips of yew

Silver'd in the moon's eclipse, Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,

Finger of birth-strangled babe Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,

Make the gruel thick and slab: Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,

For the ingredients of our cauldron.

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Cool it with a baboon's blood,

Then the charm is firm and good.

Linking in with Wendy's Adventure's in Wonderland Spooky Mondays!

Be sure and stop by the other Spooky Monday posts!

Silver Sunday - 10-10-10 Brooches!

2010-10-10T12:14:00.001-04:00

As some of you may or may not know, I make beaded jewelry. But I love all kinds of jewelry - most of it out of my price range! I do collect pins or brooches that are mostly silver. Linking in with Beth at The Gypsy Fish for Silver Sunday!

My current favorite is that schooner with an inlaid copper anchor. I would love to be able to make stuff like that one day. For now I am practicing on my sawing skills.

The ones in the grouping below are quite special too. In fact, the Venus looking one and gryphon are my latest additions. I got them at La-Dee-Da's Antique store here in Mt Pleasant. If ever you come to Charleston, it is definitely worth the trip across the brideg to come see Nicki at her store. LOTS of wonderful finds there! The bar engraved with 'Victoria' is actually a hair clip, but it's a fav - given to me by my mother-in-law before she passed, so I included it here. Her name was Victoria and that's my middle name!

The set of roses are darling, no? - at one time I had a ponytail holder with a grey leather rose that I used to like to wear together. The Celtic brooch is a St Justin of Cornwall pewter brooch. I think it was an eBay find.

I adore Taxco jewelry - the abalone butterfly is one of those as is the group of people in the following photo. The owl was a birthday present to myself - I have finally learned after many, many birthdays that when people give you money to go get something for yourself, that's exactly what you should do!!

The Angel is a fav to wear around Christmas. I also have a smaller version of it, but that one must be in another box somewhere!

Thanks for stopping by my Silver Sunday for October! You can check out all the spectacular Silver posts here!

Spooky Mondays - Garden of Good & Evil

2010-10-04T10:47:00.002-04:00

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a favorite book/movie.

I have always loved graveyards too. Sometimes they can be a bit spooky to me, but mostly they are places where I feel at ease, reverent, and there is no question I am in hallowed ground.

"To understand the living, you got to commune with the dead."

- Minerva from Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Beaufort, SC...

New York, NY...

Charleston, SC...

Bleinheim, SC...

Thank you, Wendy for the package of goodies you sent!

Linking with Wendy's Adventures in Wonderland Spooky Mondays!

Please be sure and visit all the Spooky Mondays posts!

3 Spooky Music selections for your listening pleasure!

Bad Luck - Michael Trent
Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing - Chris Isaak
Witchcraft - Matt Costa

Practical Magic Giveaway Winner

2010-10-01T20:55:00.000-04:00

Ta-Da! With the help of a Ramdomizer, the winner of my Practical Magic Blog Party Giveaway is...

Patricia at Papillion Blue UK wins my handcrafted "Aunt Jet" brooch!

Please check out her blog! She makes the most wonderful dolls, and there you can follow the Adventures of AliénorE!

Thanks again to Justina and Anna for hosting a splendid party!

Practial Magic Blog Party - Blanche

2010-09-25T09:50:00.003-04:00

So glad you made it! Put your broom in the corner and stay for a spell!

Like so many of you I have seen the movie a ga-zillion timnes, so that's where my Inspiration lies in the gathering of Practial Magic things....

Sally's dream of her shop and then seeing it come to fruition is also a dream of mine...

Another favorite from the movie is the Book of Shadows - I am working on a similar book - a Herbarium, but of course did not finish much in time to show you!

Sally rescuing Gillian from Jimmy de Angelo and in the parking lot notices BLOOD ON THE MOON...

Of course she goes back to the car for her Tiger's Eye Necklace!

A little bit of Bell-A-Donna should do the trick, but not toooo much! Mahhhhhhhhh!

In the Flap Jack scene, in the garden are lovely windchimes made with utensils....

And lastly, I leave you Practical Magic Party Goers with a little bit of Magic I discovered just this morning in my yard. Growing out of the grass from NOWHERE, I saw a spot of RED.

Upon a closer examination, look what sprang up! Magic, I tell you!

To celebrate this Magic, I am giving away my Aunt Jet brooch to a commenter that has a little bit of magic in them! hehe! I added this a bit late, but never fear, anyone that has posted a comment is eligible to win! Winner will drawn on Friday, October 1st!

Thanks to Justina and Anna for hosting this perfectly, practically magical party!

Please be sure and check out all the other wonderful blogs!

Fall Eye Candy - Spooky Mondays

2010-09-13T19:48:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day in a very long time that the temperature felt like Fall could perhaps be around the corner! The humidity was much lower than usual too! So here's some eye candy for you -

First, from my collection of jewelry others have made...

And next, some fall creations I made....

Be sure and visit Wendy's Adventures in Wonderland for more Spooky Adventures!

Have a wonderfully Spooky Monday!

Silver Sunday - Good Tmes!

2010-09-12T15:18:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was birthday - yes, I know - a horrible day to celebrate in this day and time. But I truly had a wonderful day! Good times!

I be sure and count my many, many blessings . I be sure and pray for world peace so that something like what happened nine years ago does not ever happen again, anywhere. This I pray everyday, and I am truly grateful for all the wonderful, loving people in my life!

So today I am sharing my birthday dessert! Even though I am not Italian, I adore Tiramisu! A few weeks ago I found these lovely goblets at the Goodwill Store. They are De Uberti Silverplate. Wonderful pairing, don't you think?

Please be sure and check out all the lovely postings from Silver Sunday, hosted by Beth at Gypsy Fish Journal!

Have a great week!
-Blanche

Skulls and Spiders - Spooky Mondays

2010-09-06T01:49:00.000-04:00

A Trio of Spookiness-

Spider

Clever spider spins a thread

To make a trap we call a web.

Clever spider knows that she

Will have some insects with her tea.

-Author Unknown

Skeleton Parade

The skeletons are out tonight,

They march about the street,

With bony bodies, bony heads,

And bony hands and feet.

Bony bony bony bones

with nothing in between,

Up and down and all around

They march on Hallowe'en.

-Author Unknown

Link up with Wendy's Adventures in Wonderland SPOOKY MONDAYS. Posts can be anything spooky, or halloween, harvest, or autumn. Have fun with it and be sure to visit all the blogs!

-Blanche

PS Listing soon on Etsy. If you are interested, let me know! As always, comments are welcome and appreciated!

Charleston On a Sunday

2010-09-05T13:57:00.005-04:00

Gotta LOVE Darius Rucker! Truth be told I love Rock N Roll, but I am a HUGE Country Music fan.

Filmed in Charleston, around town they are saying the Visitor's Bureau should pay Darius for the "commercial"! I live across the river that's behind him when the video starts, and the top of the building where he is standing looks like the roof of the parking garage where I park my car for work! - not sure about that though, but if not, it's a building close by.

Today I am working on some of my creations for the Practical Magic Blog Party on September 25th, hosted by Justina of La Boheme Magique and Anna of Frosted Petunias. Have a wonderful Sunday!

-Blanche

Spooky Mondays - Ghosts of Halloweens Past

2010-08-30T01:00:00.032-04:00

To start off my first Spooky Monday hosted by Wendy at Wendy's Adventures in Wonderland. SPOOKY MONDAYS can be anything spooky, or halloweenie, or fall. I decided I would visit some past Halloweens - maybe I need to go through the non-didgital photos to find more Halloween things. But first up a photo I took of a photo from my childhood (the good ole sixties!). That's me on the right as Cinderella with my syblings. I can remeber how excited I was to have a store-bought costume!

I love carving pumpkins - around here it is so humid, that it can be touch and go how long a pumpkin will actually last once it's carved. Usually I wait until a day or so before Halloween before carving, but I think the one below I actually carved for my neighbor (she's a vet) a couple of weeks before Halloween.

Finally, my favorite one to carve - I think I have carved this same one almost every year for over a decade- The Headless Horseman!

Please visit Wendy to see all the other participants for Spooky Monday and join in on the fun yourself!

-Blanche

Second Star to the Right Adventure II

2010-08-19T21:20:00.003-04:00

Posting early for the Second Star to the Right Adventure Hosted by FawnDear for a few reasons -

Very, very busy at work this week
Taking the weekend off because of #1
Didn't want to miss out because of #1 and #2!

My post is going to be full of my eye candy creations that fit in with Second Star to the Right Adventure -

So here we go!

I hope you had a wonderful time in my Never-neverland! Please leave a comment and I will visit you real soon!

Thank you, FawnDear, That was a Great Adventure!

-Blanche

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Unique Silver - Silver Sunday

2010-08-15T10:10:00.005-04:00

Lately I have come across some super fun blogs and Gypsy Fish Journal has a great way to spend some time on Sundays with Silver Sunday!

I had thought the 'dish' in the following photo was a candy dish, but after seeing one of the Silver posters, Confessions of a Plate Addict, I think it might be a calling card tray!

In any case, it was not taken care of very well. It looks like something very heavy was laid on top of it, crushing the center part of the bowl around the stem. For a yard sale find the imperfection did not bother me!

The 'silver' in the next photo looks to be a pair of scissors, but after much research, appears to be a grape cutter or grape scissor! I found it in the Florida Keys at a darling gift shop in the Marathon Airport about 15 years ago. It is not sterling, I don't even think it is silver, as it is unmarked and does not seem to tarnish. I do love the intricate detail on it!

Have a Happy Sunday!

-Blanche

Summer in all It's Glory

2010-08-08T11:39:00.000-04:00

Foolin around with more macro settings... Lovin Hibiscus!

A couple of pairs of fairy flower inspired earrings listed in my Etsy shop -

What Happens to the Petals?

2010-07-31T22:50:00.001-04:00

Lovely roses gifted to me by my old friend, Joyce. I have no idea of the name or variety, but they grant us with lovely-ness with each tiny bloom!

But I wonder sometimes.... What actually happens to the petals as the beauty of the roses fade away?

In this case, some fall onto the leaf of a Lucky Bamboo that is her neighbor...

Some get eaten by this little fellow, who seems to have quite the voracious appetite - as many of my plant leaves have holes in them this year....

Like this geranium. If the petal fell just a tad bit over, it would have fallen through the hole in the leaf!!!

Most simply fall to the ground where they compost and add to the richness of the soil - adding nutrients and goodness feeding the next batch of plants that grow there....

But some end up on a very different journey - and get carried away!

I just signed up for FawnDear's 2nd Star to the Right Blog Party on August 21st. Stay tuned til then to see how these petals have inspired some fairy-like designs! Did I mention I am also participating in Justina & Anna's Practical Magic Blog Party? Lots of fun stuff coming in the next months! I'm sooo excited!

-Blanche

Trees by Arthur Joyce Kilmer

2010-07-25T22:32:00.001-04:00

I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimatetly lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Zuni’s Mad Tea Party Adventures

2010-06-26T01:00:00.007-04:00

I didn’t make it to the party! I tried, I really did! I missed a very Important Date!

Fortunately, Zuni was able to give me a glimpse of the goings-on for Mad Tea Party hosted by Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist. Zuni was agreeable to share her adventures here with you as long as she got “something special” (ie. seafood)!

Naturally cats are curious creatures, as evidenced by all the cats in Wonderland and Through the Looking-glass. There was Dinah, Alice’s darling cat and her kittys - the white one and the black one- always playing with balls of yarn and not like getting groomed. And who could forget the Cheshire Cat?

So Zuni was on patrol as folks were setting up for tea parties and even had her entourage with her including a photographer whilst she was yielding to her curiosity.

OK, Truth be told, sometimes, especially in the darkness of night, she very much reminds me of a raccoon. Yes, a raccoon. I could be mistaken for that girl in that commercial letting a raccoon into her house, because I cannot tell you how many times I have gone out at night with a flashlight, spotted her tail and exclaimed, “There’s a Raccoon!”…..only to find out it was our darling Zun-Zun-ikins!

She lead me to some sights underneath the beloved ferns … and frankly I was disbelieving at first…It looked like a Fairy Tale Tea-Party from my childhood dreams…filled with Hansel and Gretel type visions (oops, that’s another story) and lots of honey - could it be?

Zuni cast her glance to me, and then leapt up to meander along the fence as if to say, “But, of course!”. On the other hand, I was still a tad perplexed, but decided I would go along, as she was the one telling the story …

She encountered a chain of temptations as she strolled the fence-line…Butterflies, Honeybees, other Cats (namely Cookie and Web-der), "Something special" - being a coastal kitty that means Fish, and of course Hearts galore - as she is loved, loved, loved! But trudge, trudge along the fence-line she went.

Ok, honestly, I had no idea where this was going! Trying hard not to get too excited, with the look in her eyes, she let me know JUST what was going on..

The makings of a Mad Tea Party!!! The table was set, the flowers were extra pretty- Gardenias! I could actually smell their lovely scent! The tea pot steamed with what? Chamomile, Mint, Lemon Verbena? Mmmmmm.... I could only imagine the scurrying around that Zuni saw getting this all set up ;)

This was her way of letting me know there were goings-on that were extra extraordinary….she was sooooo excited!

Zun- Zunikins! What would Alice say?.... A wink of her eye and a twist of her head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread, She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work (oops, wrong story – Again!)

The other kitty-cats lined up in a row, ears perked, listening intently. There was so much going on, it was hard to keep up with her story, yet curiouser and curiouser I became!

And there it was….the through The Looking Glass vision Zuni showed me of my Ancestors. There they were in a corner of the garden looking over us. She was flipant, of course, as she showed me, but I was quite a bit taken aback. “Yes, they are always here, don’t you know that?"

And so it was, into this madness I accepted all that she showed me. I stepped through the Looking Glass, lost in her adventures as she led the way.

In her impatience, she gave me an inquisitive look as if to say, "Don't you want to see who else was at the Mad Tea Party?

Yet another Fairy Tale tea set awaiting who knows who, maybe you?

Zuni poured her heart into it -

(OK honestly, I did not realize that what I was typing was the layout of the charm brooch! cat=Zuni, poured=teapot, heart=heart), Madness, I tell you!

-Pointing the way to a plethora of A Fanciful Twist inspired Mad Tea Parties across the world!

Zuni said it was time for her nap - Imagine That!

Did I mention that among her entourage there was an Interpreter? Well, there was. Zuni left a little note that read ...

Dearest Vanessa, Mr. Lovee, Baby, Matty, et al,

Boy, ya'll sure caused a ruckus around here! You should have seen Blanche running around like a Mad-Woman! I got my fill of 'something special' for sure! Between all her photo-shoots and boating/fishing adventures I had about all the fish and shrimp I could stand (not really). Please accept my sincere thanks and appreciation for your hospitality and kind spirits.

Much love, light, and good naps,

Zuni

P. S. Special message for Baby -

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

P.S.S. Vanessa has posted an update of a turn of events in her houshold. Our heartfelt best wishes, positive thoughts, and much white light sent your way - To you, Vanessa - and to yours.

The Other Side of a Summer Rain Shower

2010-06-20T12:07:00.004-04:00

After work the other day, Hubby and I got in our boat for a one night get-away to Beaufort. We planned to leave late afternoon and arrive in the evening. As we crossed the Charleston Harbor, we ran into some rain, but figured, "What the heck, it can't last too long." So we put on our rain coats and hunkerd down. Truthfully, was not the way either one of us truly wanted to spend this time! It could have been miserable, but we didn't let it bother us. So for a couple of hours, yes hours, we motored down the Intracoastal Waterway to Beaufort in the pouring down rain!

Eventually the rain eased up and in no time, we were both dry again, and our adventure took a better course. After our literal Rain Shower, we felt renewed and appreciative of the beauty around us. The sun shined.

The dolphins came out to play...

The clouds were amazing....

Rainbows as broad as I've ever seen followed us...

The sun set peacefully through the trees...

What a journey! The rain shower we trudged through was worth it to see all this - the pictures can not portray the depth of the beauty nor can words express how thankful and grateful we were to witness such unspoiled nature.

On the way home the next day, I really didn't feel much like being the camera bug, so I simply enjoyed the ride as we made tracks back home. Along the way we did see one of the largest sea turtles I have ever seen in person - very apprapo as my choice for Artbeads.com “Summertime” Facebook Gallery post includes a Sea Turtle Pendant!

I used TOHO Hex Raku beads to fashion the 'beaded beads', made the bail with TOHO 15/0 round Raku beads, and used Czech Bellflower beads, Tierracast Antique Copper star bead caps, TOHO 8/0 round frosted beads, Matte teal Lentils, Copper Accent beads from my stash and Teal Satin ribbon to tie it with.

An amazing trip I will never forget, inspired me to finish my Summertime piece, Sea Turtle. I will always carry the vision of the Sea Turtle with me! But in the meantime, this creation will serve as a reminder of The Other Side of a Summer Rain Shower!

Artbeads.com & Use The Muse

2010-06-05T18:07:00.004-04:00

I haven't made much jewelry lately, so this a catch up post of the Use The Muse IV contest. It was awesome, as always. The components supplied by Artbeads.com were amazing! I had so much fun with this one! Here is my finished design - called Snowflake!

Snowflake

The little turquoise bits were my own addition along with the bugle beads, most of the rest was supplied. I did take advantage of Artbeads.com addition to this go round of the contest where they had a page of the components listed where one could order more. It made it easy to supplement virtually anything else needed to complete a design idea. Love it!

Congratulations to the winning designers! The works of art are absolutely amazing! Go check it out for yourself at The Beader's Muse!

Use The Muse IV Sneak Peek

2010-04-26T20:51:00.001-04:00

Use the Muse IV was a real challenge for me as well an inspiration. If you are unfamiliar with Scarlett Lanson's Use the Muse contests, please check out the link! This go-round the components provided by Artbeads.com were a challenge for me because I have worked a bit in that color palette already, so to come up with something fresh and new was a strain. I found inspiration in the components themselves - and found a color I could expand into my overall design! What a treat!

So here is a semi-handmade component I made for part of my design:

The adorable walnut laser carved links were included in the kit. Thinking it would be fun to back with them with cloth and sandwich them together, I soldered copper rings, oxidized them, and then built my layers.

Very happy with the result! The contest hasn't been judged yet, so please check back for the Big Reveal!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T21:47:00.002-04:00

Steampunked Skeleton Key

2010-03-14T21:08:00.001-04:00

Steampunked Heart Skeleton Key

Besides working on my Use The Muse IV piece (more on this next post, but check out the link!), my Steampunked Key is the only thing I finished last week! I have been taking a jewelry metal working class and decided to give this idea a go -

The filigree heart on the right and the watch part on the left are both soldered on. The little teensy-tinsy gears and that adorable drop of a ruby are epoxied on. Painstaking work, but not bad for just learning!

I imagine this is one of the few pieces I have made that would appeal to both sexes, as a guy could just tuck it in his pocket or wear it on a chain or strand of leather. It can be equally as flattering on a woman. I have toyed with other Steampunk designs, but this is the first one I have finished, photographed, and posted!

Have a great week!

-Blanche

Welcome, Alice In Wonderland!

2010-03-06T14:59:00.001-05:00

Inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass, and the release of the Disney - Tim Burton movie, here is my latest in this line:

Alice In Wonderland Charm Bracelet

I used wonderful charms based on the Sir John Tenniel illustrations that were cast in the UK. I bought them about five years ago - It took me a while to finally pull this piece together. Carrying over the color palette from my Alice and Queen of Hearts necklaces, I used with CRYSTALLIZED™ Swarovski Elements in Red Magma and Burgandy. Other charms to round out the theme, all in Sterling Sliver are : Clock, Mushroom, Tea Set and Skeleton Key. Mother-of-Pearl in spade, diamond, club, and hearts shapes add just another bit of whimsy to this very fun-to-wear bracelet!

Treasure Chest of Goodies

2010-02-28T13:48:00.001-05:00

My dear friend Avis has been patient with me. I promised her a necklace for her birthday a few months ago - eep! Tomorrow I will gift her with a treasure chest of goodies!

The necklace below (with the lampwork orchid focal) was inspired by the next necklace I purchased in Jamaica. Avis has always wanted to go to Jamaica, I hope she goes someday!

Jamaican necklace made with seeds, bamboo, coffee beans.

Cluster of leaves earrings.

Colorful gemmie necklace.

Tribal beads - my favorite necklace for Avis - I am tempted to keep this one for myself, but thankfully I have more of these awesome beads!

Avis saw me wearing these ceramic & turquoise earrings and loved them, so they go into her treasure chest!

Happy Belated Birthday!

Snow in Charleston!

2010-02-13T18:07:00.002-05:00

I think the weather reporter said the last time it snowed more than a dusting in this part of SC, it was in 1989, the winter following Hurricane Hugo. It was amazing coming down last night, a sight I have not seen in sometime (15 years since I moved here from the mountains)! Alas, today it is mostly melted away, but it made for some weather excitement watching the Olympic Opening Ceremonies and this Valetine's weekend!

Speaking of Valentines - Artbeads.com has the most gorgeous stoneware heart pendants! In their Blog for Beaders program, I chose this red-cream-gold heart that I have not used yet in a design - I am thinking of combining it with natural Mother-of-pearl and more stoneware beads. I need to go shopping again at Artbeads.com for the stoneware beads.

The pendant I did use in a design is below - and what fun this one is to wear and was to make! First off, one of the things I love about the Artbeads.com website is that with every listing there are pictures and links to items You May Also Like. Listed with this pendant was the green ribbon I used. I strung the ribbon through the holes in the heart - I love the way they look together, so I left them just like that! Pulling color from the pendant, I went to my destash basket of beads that I have not taken photos of, or even begun to list anywhere yet :) and pulled out lovely strands of green and blue India glass beads that seemed to have found their home in design afterall! Upon more scrounging around, I came up with the red saucer beads, black oval beads, gold filled saucers and Swarovski light Amethyst crystals. The necklace is 42 inches long and can be worn long, doubled up, tied in a knot and even twisted with the ribbon woven around it!

Happy Valentine's Day!

FTC Disclosure: I participate in Artbeads.com Blog for Beaders program and have received the Stoneware pendants and silk ribbon free of charge from Artbeads.com. I am honestly reviewing the products and have not been paid for my endorsement of the products.

The History of Jewelry Designs - Egyptian Era

2010-01-22T12:20:00.000-05:00

Egyptian jewelry has always inspired me, so this design seemed appropriate for the Egyptian period in my journey through Jewelry History:

I used Lapis Luzli, Malachite, Carnelian, and gold filled beads, following the Badarian culture - 4000-3500 BC.

"Before the discovery of Tutankhamen's opulent treasures, the tomb of Yuya and Tuyu was one of the most important burials to be found in the Valley of the Kings. Discovered on February 5'th, 1905, by James Quibell and Theodore M. Davis, the tomb (designated KV 46) contained one of the most complete and beautifully made sets of funerary equipment then known. " - The Treasures of Yuya and Tuyu

Read more about Egyptian jewelry at Antique Jewelry University.

Note : This post was created many months ago, but I just realized it was saved as a draft and never posted!

Merry Christmas to All ...

2009-12-26T13:25:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, & Happy New Year!

Thanks for a wonderful year!

-Blanche

Family and Inspirations

2009-12-12T11:45:00.007-05:00

Over the past few weeks, it's been non-stop with a couple of trips to the NC Mountains, home to the piedmont, and work, work, work! Every time I go back to the mountains, it seems like I re-connect with God and get my priorities straight. Inspiration seats itself deep inside me, providing a well from which to draw upon when I do get a chance to sit at my beading table.

When I went to the Piedmont to visit Mom and Dad there, I took pictures of pictures (I brought my scanner/printer, but of course it decided it not want to work and I did not have hours to fix it just then). We had a great time reminiscing, and I have since had a great time playing with the pics in PSP. Some of the photos are really old and of relatives no one can remember the names if they are not written on the back. The vintage photo shown are cousins of cousins. I was so drawn to these three beautiful girls! I adore their braids and dresses and wonder what color they were and what their necklaces and brooches look like close-up.

While I went to the mountains for Thanksgiving, my husband stayed home and cooked for 12 family and friends - oh my! He did a bang-up job according to the reviews I heard :) I came back home from Thanksgiving in the Mountains with my family to deal with leftovers - Mom gave me the hambone from our dinner so split pea soup was in order among other favorites!

On the jewelry front, I have let a few pieces go out the door without taking photos - I simply get too excited sometimes with the wrapping! Lately - I suppose because of the economy, I have been doing lots more repairs and matching pieces for my customers. I actually enjoy doing this - trying to learn as much as I can from the break-downs of department store jewelry so my designs will not suffer the same casualties. In the set shown my customer wanted a necklace to match the earrings... The background slate is from an old Downtown Charleston roof and the photo behind it is actually a calendar photo of vintage photos scenes around Charleston.

Tis the season for donations and giveaways around here - the cutie-patotie winterberry earrings were one of the door prizes I provided for a round table of local teachers last week.

A few months ago, I got one of those jazzed up phones that can surf the internet and has all kinds of fun apps to play with. Here are some of my favorite sites in my most visited file that inspire me and keep me informed:

100 Days in Glacier National Park - Awesome nature photography

A Bead A Day - Beads, Beads, Beads!

CultureLab - Back to the (Steam Powered) Future - steampunk

Dawno's Blog - Wander the Beadosphere with Dawno!

How about Orange - Go Green - make gift bows with magazine pages

New York Institute of Photography - Tips and tricks for cameras and photography

Artbeads.com is celebrating Cubic Zirconias in this go-round for their Blog for Beaders program. I chose several different CZs - but will share only one just now. Loving these earring wires with Clear CZs! So versatile and add just a little twinkle for the holidays or any time of the year. Stay tuned for the finished results and more CZ components from Artbeads.com!

FTC Disclosure: I participate in Artbeads.com Blog for Beaders program and have received the above CZ products free of charge from Artbeads.com. I am freely and honestly reviewing the products and have not been paid for my endorsement of the products.

That's all for now - thanks for stopping by!

-Blanche

October Musings

2009-11-07T14:14:00.006-05:00

Where in the World did October go?

Way back the first weekend of October, I think, The Intergalactic Bead Show came to town. I had the pleasure to visit with (and shop with) The Fire Goddess, Susan Barnes. What a treat!

Although I made several purchases, her Artisan Lampwork bead set and a silver disk bead are incorporated into these "Stones" designs:

Thank you, Fire Goddess, for inspiring beads and charming converstion!
Please visit The Fire Goddess at her site and look for her in the industry magazines - she's a talented artist, designer, and business woman!

Disclaimer - I was not compensated in any way by the Vendor mentioned in this post. I simply love her artisan components and told her AFTER my purchase that I blog, and would no doubt blog about how I used her goddess goodies she made in my own creations!

Happy Halloween - El Día de los Muertos!

2009-10-29T20:41:00.002-04:00

Harvest Moon and Sundry Items

2009-10-03T14:23:00.014-04:00

Fall is finally here and as much as I love summer and spring - Fall is truly my favorite time of year. In a few days will we have a Harvest Moon shining over us - a spectacular sight I am so looking forward to seeing! Spending evenings on our back deck gazing at the moon through the live oak branches...

Last night and today I finally found time for creating - a few weeks ago I bought this gorgeous brass pendant from Artbeads.com and have been playing around with designs in my mind...

I am quite enamored with using ribbons as clasps - these silk ones from Artbeads.com are simply the best! The next necklace is called Halloween Treats - I got these amazing dyed Howlite slabs from The Country Bumpkin (my favorite local bead & arts & crafts store), the Dichroic pendant eons ago from an artisan on Overstock (remember that? The Big O? I had a store there lasted about a minute :) )crackle glass beads from Fire Mountain Gems also bought eons ago, Dichroic beads from Artbeads.com and the rest from The Country Bumpkin or just my stash.

Just for fun, here are some earrings I made last year - Can you tell I get inspired this time of year?
Till Death Do Us Part - Day of The Dead Earrings

Falling Acorns

Spiders and Bats

Happy October! Be sure and take a peak at the moon all next week - you may just see The Man In The Moon!

-Blanche

Queen of Hearts

2009-09-07T16:32:00.005-04:00

The second edition to my Jewelry Wardrobe designs is Queen of Hearts, also inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

This set incorporates gold to accent the 14 karat gold in the middle pendant and earrings. The longest strand is capped off with another Lilly Pilly pendant - that I adore! This one reminds me of Painting the Roses in Alice's Adventures!

The set is created as explained in my Alice in Wonderland post using beads from Artbeads.com CRYSTALLIZED™ Swarovski Elements for their generous blogging program, which I am honored to be a part of!

Check out the trailers for the new Tim Burton movie scheduled for release in March 2010.

Beads

A Fresh Coat of Paint

2009-09-05T09:20:00.008-04:00

Yes...It is a busy time of year for me. Working in HR at our local school district - back to school time is our busiest ever! So not much time for jewelry making, but some things are on the back burner and hopefully I can finish a few Works In Progress on Labor Day and post them for you.

Other than working at my day job, we decided to paint the interior of our house with COLOR! No more dull, drab ecru - Needless to say after work I have been putting the house back together each evening cleaning, reorganizing, and tossing things right and left! It feels like Spring cleaning, but better and we will be ready for the holidays :) And it's nice to have some COLOR around the house!

-Blanche

South Carolina Artisans on Etsy

2009-09-02T17:29:00.003-04:00

The Heart Garden - Phillip Simmons

South Carolina is incredibly well represented across many genres of handcrafted goods on Etsy! Everytime I look, I am truly amazed at the talent of these gals from all over the state of South Carolina!

TEAMSC Etsy Street Team is a active group that promotes Handcrafted goods from South Carolina. Right now through the end of September there is a cool pamphlet for sale chauk full of discount coupons, SC lore, photos, recipes, and tutorials from SC Etsy vendors all in pdf form.

I am honored to have the photo I submitted grace the front page of this unique discount publication! The week after I submitted my photo, esteemed Master Craftsman, Philip Simmons died. In the sweep of celebrity deaths, none had a greater impact on me than this one that was so close to home.

His work lives on through his contributions all across Charleston and within the hearts of those who followed..follow his work and appreciate the craftsman ship that is his legacy. Charleston would not be the same without his contributions that set the standard for the Holy City's iron wrought decorations.

To purchase a TEAMSC discount pamphet (downloadable in Adobe Acrobat Reader) TEAMSC Etsy store.

Alice In Wonderland

2009-08-22T12:20:00.024-04:00

Last month Artbeads.com gave their blogging team their choice of CRYSTALLIZED™ Swarovski Elements to blog about. I'm a bit late with this, but I hope it's worth the wait! Artbeads.com made it real easy to design 'In My Mind' just by browsing their offering of jewerly artist supplies.

I came up with an idea and was able to flow through ordering this-n-that components to satisfy my initial design ideas. When I received my order, I laid out the 'bounty' and started lining up patterns, mixing in beads and findings from my own supply. Feeling good about the patterns and colors came quickly. Once Alice came together, I could not have been happier!

Like many others my love for the charismatic Alice in Wonderland / Through the Looking Glass started with the Disney animated classic film. Enamored with Alice's Adventures, when in high school, I choose to read the book/s for an oral book report where I studied the 'backwardness' in Through the Looking Glass. My new line of Jewelry Wardrobes reflect my jeweled interpretation of Alice's Adventures.

In this phase of my Alice in Wonderland line (many more are in various stages of completion and planning) I have used Swarovski Red Magma crystals, Pearls in Bordeaux, Black and White, a Lilly Pilly pendant (I am so in love with these! see Use The Muse posts), and the key to making this Jewelry Wardrobe work - silk ribbon! To round it out I used various beads and findings from my personal stash.

Each necklace is different length and can be adjusted however you like.

The smallest necklace can also be wrapped around your wrist for a stunning bracelet!
Earrings made with Woodland Brass Fleur de Lis are also included in the Wardrobe.

So - luxury designs - worn however you wish! Comment and let me know what you think about Alice & this Jewerly Wardrobe!

-Blanche

Use The Muse II Big Reveal Here at Last!

2009-08-13T17:38:00.010-04:00

"Mermaid's Discovery"

Scarlett Lanson's Use The Muse II Beading Contest Big Reveal is here! "Mermaid's Discovery" was my take on the Muse. I didn't win any prizes but you can see all the Winners and the Participant's designs in Gallery A-M and N-Z.

Amazing designs! It's such great fun to see what everyone created with the Lilly Pilly Muse, beads, and crystals from Artbeads.com and Rainbows of Light.

Apparently I did not provide my links or follow directions - eeps! So I don't have a link back to my blog or my site, but the other half of the fun for me has been to check out the participant's sites and see their other work as well!

You can sign up for Use The Muse III already, so join in on the next go-round of fun! Then check out Dawno's Interview with Steve Groenier, VP of Research Marketing and Customer Service at Artbeads (a sponsor of Use The Muse).

Lately ...

2009-08-08T21:55:00.003-04:00

...the work that pays the bills has consumed me. Yes, I managed a week off and a few long travel weekends here and there, but the truth is, I have been working 4/10s all summer and I for one will be glad when school starts! Not that I have a child in school, oh no! (I am way too old for that :) ) I work at our local school district in Human Resources and it's pretty much a non-stop job. I hit the door running each morning and when I get home at night it's still run time - which means cooking, cleaning, shopping etc that all has to be done no matter what. If I am lucky, I can string some beads. For me Designing In My Head is the way to go...

Granted I have some outlandish designs rolling around up there - not all of them pan out, but for the most part they do. As a teaser I will let ya'll know that I have used every one of my Artbeads.com CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements in a new concept & theme and even went back and ordered more beads! I can't wait to show you the results, but I still need a few more supplies and photo session in order to so.

Keep on beadin,

-Blanche

Winter Rose Designs Contest

2009-08-01T14:09:00.013-04:00

My Beloved
Winter Rose Designs had a short, but sweet contest going for using their Woodland Brass pieces.

My entry was my interpretation of Victorian mourning jewelry - jewelry worn after a loved one has passed and typically is comprised of materials such as jet, gutta-percha, vulcanite, pressed horn, crepe stone, black glass (French Jet), black enamel, hair work, bog oak, pinchbeck, and gold. * I used Crystalized Swarovski Elements as my 'black' beads - Cosmic beads, Rounds and Pearls.
The picture used with permission is from Missing Branches Ltd. .

I won second place and couldn't be more thrilled! Here's the lovely stash of beads Connie sent me - Thank you Winter Rose Designs!

Coneflower and Bouquets of Flower Brooches

2009-08-01T13:01:00.012-04:00

Lisa at A Bead A Day had a post a while back about using the beads from shell bracelets in a design. I love to make flower brooches - kinda of like a bead collage! So that's what I started out doing with this - my coneflower, except the center bead is not much of a cone!

For the coneflower or Echinacea, I wired the long shell beads along with the sguilly(sp) ones in a circle, then wired the flat shell bead on top.

The circle is pretty tight, but I wove Hemp cord from Artbeads.com around in a circle on top of the wiring because I changed my mind and thought this will make a great pendant. I haven't figured out how to attach a bail at this point, but I would love to use some golden horn beads I have as the necklace. Will post a final pic when it's done.

My inspiration came from my mom's free flowing garden and this special patch of purple cone flowers just a hop, skip, and jump from the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Here's some of my brooches- the two with little flowers next to them are the most recent ones I made in the last week or so using mother of pearl shell beads and buttons.

Beaufort, SC

2009-07-24T14:08:00.003-04:00

I had quite a few pictures from Beaufort, such a lovely place! I thought this would be the best way to share our trip photos!

-Blanche

Carolina Stampin - Beaufort, SC

2009-07-23T22:08:00.008-04:00

Carolina Stampin was a sheer delight! Even hubby got swept up in looking for stamps to add to my collection! They have the most stamps I have ever seen in one place in my life! OMG! Every category of theme was covered. This is a place you have to see in person, as they do not have an on-line store, but well worth the trip if you are ever in the area! And I do highly recommend visiting this beautiful Southern town - in fact we are planning another trip there in a couple of weeks (yeah! more stamps, more beads!)!!

The bead space was vast, given it was only a room and a half and I managed to pick out some cool vintage beads, glass beads, silver weave, and of course many stamps and Distressed(tm) paint.

If you are into scrapbooking, or any kind of altered art, they have supplies galore. I will definately go back again and again (like everytime we go to Beaufort!).

The staff was friendly and helpful - they even had a bubble making machine out front that was way cool!

From the Ocean to the Mountains...

2009-07-19T20:18:00.014-04:00

The past few weeks I have either been on vacation or taking a weekend jaunt off to places I love. Not much beading going on, but lots of inspiration for when I do get back to my beadwork! I have just returned form the North Carolina mountains, where I used to live, and was pleasantly surprised to find out I placed second in the Winter Rose Designs Jewelry Contest!

I will wait until they post, but I do love the piece I made and can't wait to see the other entries for the contest.

The week before the 4th of July, my hubby and I took our boat down the Intracoastal waterway to Beaufort, SC. I was writing about this trip last Thursday when the power went out on us...

So picking up the pieces and filling in with photos:

The last few weeks have been busy, busy, busy, and some, not all has been jewelry related.

Hubby and I took a boat trip before the 4th down to beautiful Beaufort, SC by way of the Intracoastal waterway. What fun we had!
Hubby has taken the trip before, so armed with a GPS route, it was quite an enjoyable trip. Beaufort is a - dare I say - a quaint little town, but I mean that in the best way.

We docked at the Downtown Marina (above)

Beaufort's Waterfront park is amazing!

Shopping, dining, and relaxing along the Waterfront was the quintessential getaway for us...

Nippy's was the first stop we made to re-fuel ourselves, and we found our way back there again because the food was soooo good! It's a shrimp-shack kind of place, no-fuss-no-muss, but the food hit the spot!

Will write more late about this excursion, as it merits much more...
(update 7/23/09)
Tabby walls are composed of shells and mix of limestone- read the except if interested. They are so beautiful! Charletson has very few of these, so it was a delight to see this long wall - it's my current desktop photo!

Fare Thee Well Deep Blue Sea

2009-07-10T15:20:00.008-04:00

My favorite piece of jewelry to create has to be my loaded charm bracelets. Locally, I think that is what is I am best known for, and since I love them so much, I have made many!

A while back when the economy took a turn, the gallery I sell out of had an ample supply, so I decided I would not make anymore until the ones in stock sold.

Last week while I was on vacation, I got a call from Karen's Korner - and Deep Blue Sea has sold!

This one was definitely one of my favorites - with Kyanite gemmies and Indicolite Swarovski crystals as well as the usual abundance of sea life charms and the special touches of Artisan Lampwork beads and Shiana Karen Hill Tribe charms.
Fare Thee Well, Deep Blue Sea - you are one of my favs!

Friday, Food & Fireworks

2009-07-03T11:10:00.013-04:00

For many, the holiday weekend has already started so today I am planning our family's festivities for tomorrow. Instead of grilling out hotdogs and hamburgers, we are going to have a summertime variation of Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey is all-American, so why not?

Yesterday's stop at a vegetable stand yielded lots of fresh fruit and veggies which will play the part of making the turkey dinner a summertime treat.

Menu

Roast turkey breast
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Herbed dressing
Butter beans cooked with smoked meat
Corn on the cob
Fried okra
Cucumber, onion, & vinegar salad
Sliced tomatoes
Peaches & mangos for dessert

After dinner we will mostly likely start hearing the shrill squeals, loud pops, and booms of fireworks going off all over the area. A bike ride down to the old bridge that went from Mt. Pleasant to Sullivan's Island to view the displays will cap off the evening!

Have a fun, happy & safe 4th of July!

Update:

Having turkey for the 4th of July was pure genius, if I do say so myself! We live in a town that allows fireworks and we are inundated with booms, cracks, and bangs till the wee hours of the morning. This was the first year I slept through all of it!!!
:)

Winter Rose Designs Jewelry Contest

2009-06-24T20:29:00.010-04:00

Winter Rose Designs has a contest running for designers to incorporate their Woodland Brass pieces from their Etsy store in a design...

“I am running a contest for designers using our Woodland Brass pieces. Simple rules and a fabulous prize for everyone who participates.

Prizes first cause that's the fun part:

First Prize - Your design and site will be featured with our next Ad in Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine and featured on this blog and Twitter. Plus a fabulous set of supplies.

Second and Third place get a fabulous sample pack of supplies and a feature with photo on our blog.

EVERYONE gets a shout out for their shop here on our blog and on Twitter for participating.”

Check out the particulars at Winter Rose Design.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow! I received my beautiful Woodland pieces today – gorgeous! The quality for stamped elements is superb! Literally, within minutes, my design was laid out. Can’t beat the prizes in this contest, so place your order for Woodland Brass & get to creating!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T17:12:00.007-04:00

Today was a lazy day for us - we started the day by putting the boat in the water at Shem Creek...
The shrimp boats along Shem Creek...
We stopped on a bank along the Cooper River to look for shark's teeth & interesting shells...
On the other side of the river we trolled along the bank - love the rich shade of chartreuse of the marsh grass...
A real treat was coming across this osprey nest on top of a marker in front of the Cooper River Marina. See the baby's profile at the top?

Use The Muse II Beading Contest

2009-06-20T09:57:00.003-04:00

A treasure trove of beads awaits the winner of the Use The Muse II beading contest!

But you better hurry! The last day to order a kit is
June 27th. This contest is put on by Scarlett Lanson and sponsored by Artbeads.com and Rainbows of Light. It is a competition for all types of beaders... stringers, beadweavers, and embroiderers. So get on over to www.thebeadersmuse.com and order your kit!

A Day in The Life

2009-06-07T15:45:00.005-04:00

My husband went fishing the other day and brought home fish for me to clean - yes! I do clean fish! The way I see it, I would rather take care of them properly if I am going to eat them, so the deal is - he catches them, I clean them. I was spreading out newspaper to clean them on, and was using our local FREE paper, The Moultrie News. I saw an article I had missed before - Food and Travel Web site applauds Mt. Pleasant. There I found this You Tube video of the town where I live.

and this one of our neighbor just over the bridge, Charleston

The History of Jewelry Designs - Victorian Era

2009-06-07T14:48:00.003-04:00

Continuing my adventure through the ages of Jewelry, I finally finished a Victorian piece. This was a commission, and just happened to be a request for "something Victorian using garnets". It was the jump start I need for this phase of my journey through Jewelry History!

Necklace and earring set with Swarovski crystals, pearls, & garnet beads with sterling silver accents.

Use The Muse II Beading Design Contest

2009-06-06T09:38:00.016-04:00

Use the Muse II contest was created by Scarlett Lanson, a regular columnist in Beadwork magazine. Scarlett’s goal was to create a competition for all types of beaders; stringers, bead weavers, and embroiderers, that had a shortened timeline and a big payoff. There are some very nice prizes including prizes for first through third place and ten category prizes.

So here's how it works - everyone that buys a kit receives the same kit with the Secret Muse Component! The Muse is not be revealed until all the entries are in and then (ta da!) the Big Reveal! where the designs are posted and the winner is announced. The contest has great prizes, but you better hurry! Deadline to order your kit is June 27th!

Just follow the links to read more about how to enter and the rules for this contest sponsored by Rainbows of Light and Artbeads.com

Gorgeous Lagoon Pendant

2009-06-04T19:05:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I received my pick from Artbeads.com to blog about... I choose one of the Canvas On Wood Pendants, "Gorgeous Lagoon" by artist Charlie Clingman. They are printed on real canvas with pigment paint and are coated with two layers of water-resistant varnish.

I thought pairing the canvas with a Hemp cord chain would be fun - I have not done macrame in a couple of decades, but 'in the day' I made plenty of friendship bracelets and hanging basket holders, so it came back pretty easily!

I layered the necklace with a sterling silver chain in the photo above. The dangles have CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements on the ends. The pendant is very light-weight and just gorgeous! While you are visiting the links, check out Artbeads.com's She Sells Seashells Sale!

June Around the Lowcountry

2009-06-03T22:08:00.005-04:00

The past few weeks I have been organizing my bead space, my computer, my kitchen - you name it, I am trying toi get things in order around here! Nothing is done yet, slowly but surely progress is being made.

Photography is a another favorite pass time and taking my camera with me on ventures around the lowcountry is fun for me. On a walk downtown I came across this glimpse into a courtyard.

One Lovely Blog ...

2009-05-31T10:04:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Nicole of Freshwater Designs for passing on the "One Lovely Blog" award to me! Check out her blog: Freshwater Designs Daring Modern Jewelry

Now it's my turn to pass it on... here are the rules:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

Pass the award to 10 or more other blogs that you love. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

1 - Dawno's Blog
2 - cserpentDesigns
3 - Winterrose Designs
4 - Designs by Dre
5 - Celtic Lady
6 - Lynn Davis - llyynn
7 - tiny beads of joy
8 - Cristi's Creations
9 - beach cottage studio
10 - Lorelei's Blog Inside the Studio

Make sure to check out all these great blogs, and maybe you'll find a few that interest you to add to your 'follow' list!

~Blanche

Taking a breath!

2009-05-30T18:08:00.006-04:00

I haven't posted lately - I have been busy with so many things OTHER than making jewelry! So to catch up, The Blessing of the Fleet went very well considering the economy. I was pleased with sales, but always wish I could have done more!

Here's my set-up. I was the last artisan before the children's section which was not really an ideal place for me since I don't sell anything for children. That part was a bit of a bummer, but it was a beautiful day and like I said I can't really complain about my sales!

Blessing of the Fleet

2009-04-22T19:06:00.005-04:00

I live just over the bridge from Charleston in the small, but growing, Town of Mt. Pleasant. Historically it has been home of the Charleston area's shrimping fleet. On Sunday, April 26, folks gather at Alhambra Hall along the Mt. Pleasant coast/ harbor side and celebrate as the boats are blessed. I love this tradition! This year I will be selling my handcrafted jewelry at the 22nd Annual Town of Mount Pleasant Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival, so if you are in the area, do stop by!

Needless to say, I have been making lots of jewelry the last few weeks - all those designs I had written down and gobs of sealife creations! Just in time to re-stock with beads and findings, the folks at Artbeads.com are having a Dollar Days Sale through Tuesday April 28th with tons of items just a dollar!

NYC Part II

2009-04-14T20:29:00.006-04:00

Here's some more pics of NY - My favorite ones so far ...

New York City Highlights

2009-04-08T23:49:00.018-04:00

Highlights of our trip were visiting once again the American Museum of Natrual History and for me, goggling the Hall of Minerals and Gems. I can never get enough of seeing raw gems that on their own accord and through the handiwork of craftsmen are brilliant wonders of the earth.

Although we didn't go, The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus were at the Madison Square Garden, straight uptown from where we were staying. Their slogan this tour is Zing, Zang, Zoom, which kept us close to our beloved cat, Zuni, left at home & being cared for with much TLC, by our neighbor. She is a crazy cat and the way she races up and down the hallway can be described to a T (or a Z) as Zing, Zang, Zoom - the alliteration was and is a circus load of fun for us!

We didn't make it to Coney Island - the weather was way too cold and I don't think they were even open anyway, but we did find our way down Mulberry Street in Little Italy. Pizza at Lombardi’s was the best I have ever had! While there we happened to meet a couple from LA that were going to the same Broadway show that we were that night as well - Imagine that! Of all the millions of people in NY, figure the odds on that!

The 39 Steps, a comedic interpretation of Alfred Hitchcock's screenplay is based in London and Scotland. The acting was seamless - 4 actors played dozens of characters - it was a real treat played out in the Helen Hayes Theatre.

Sunday was a fine a break in the weather for us - sunshine & warmer temps. Unfortunately my lithium batteries in my camera gave it up - the big outside picture day with a trip to Central Park. Not a battery to be found in the park - thank goodness for Duane Reed Pharmacies. They came through in a pinch with almost any kind of battery for sale one could need.

Dining Highlight hands down was on W 43rd - we strolled around for a few blocks reading menus and the deciding factor with an extensive selection of fresh fish (pesca)was ESCA. Granted, we are somewhat choosy when it comes to dining out for seafood as we not only live in the low country where fresh seafood is abundant, we live it by catching and preparing our own, so good seafood is important to us. ESCA offered impeccable service and expertly presented dining experience. To have happened on it was serendipitous, next trip to NYC however; it will be a definite dining destination.

This little darling was chirping up a storm near an intersection we had to cross several times a day...

Spring Cleaning

2009-03-22T23:17:00.006-04:00

With Spring's arrival, of course we spent the weekend 'Spring Cleaning'. First on the agenda was to deal with the leaves our Live Oak Trees produce. For those of you that are not familiar with the life-cycle of a Live Oak, it sheds it's leaves in March instead of in the fall. We are so blessed to have these trees that this little (cough) inconvenience is worth daily raking, blowing, bagging and carrying to the street that we barely know or do anything else during March! Of course I am a bit facetious, but barely. Daily upkeep is a must or it can so get out-of-hand.

We also went through tons of fishing tackle and honed down our remaining stock - less to have to store. The benefactor of our labors today was our neighbor, an engineer and Volunteer Fire-Fighter, who 'seemed' good-spirited through it all and accepted each instruction on how the lure, jig, line, weight, etc was to be used and what fish it was most certainly to catch and where, when, how, what time of day, tide condition, gps co-ordinates, etc from my husband. After a while, it just seemed like all that was a part of letting it go, and that was fine. Today was a beautiful day.

The History of Jewelry Designs - Art Deco

2009-03-21T15:47:00.006-04:00

Planning a trip to NYC, this design was inspired by the Chrysler Building. Representing a more geometric and linear style, the stampings and Swarovski Crystalized Elements play right in to an Art Deco design.

Read more about the history of Jewelry at Antique Jewelry University

The Guiding Star is Within...

2009-03-07T16:21:00.014-05:00

These days with the price of silver and gold both through the roof, I think a lot of jewelry designers are taking a second look at some of the other metals available to us. Artbeads.com has some awesome bronze pendants that are a great alternative to gold at a fraction of the price.

To go with the pendant, I made a chain using vintage bronzed chain and interspersed it with Swarovski crystals and pearls. I love the way the whole necklace looks and feels! Artbeads.com has quite a collection of unique Quote pendants as well as awesome Alphabet pendants in bronze, so check out the links!

The History of Jewelry Designs - Baroque Era

2009-02-28T13:23:00.003-05:00

When I was in college, I did a summer study in Würzburg, Germany which has many examples of Baroque and Rococo architecture. I was inspired to create this necklace based on my memories of touring baroque churches and other buildings in that style.
A friend gave me a box of old costume jewelry to re-purpose and that's where I got the brooch. I turned it into a pendant and embellished it a little more with Swarovski crystal charms and gold-filled chain link (to make the bail). I think the original stones in the brooch are Swarovski crystals, as they match the beads I used in color perfectly!

From 1620-1700, the name Baroque is derived from a Portugese jewelers term "barrocco", meaning "irregular formed pearl". It was preceded by the renaissance and succeeded by the neoclassicism style. The style was a development of the Renaissance style and is characterized by lively, curved, and exuberant forms, by vigorous movement, and by rich ornament, based on classical sources, and symmetrical designs. Utilizes gemstones and pearls. To read more about this period, check out the Antique Jewelry University.

Swarovski 2008 Be Naturally Inspired Design Contest

2009-01-31T16:20:00.010-05:00

Last year I entered Swarovski's North American Design Contest - The theme was Be Naturally Inspired. Since Nature is my favorite inspiration, particularly anything having to do with sealife, I thought I would give it a shot!

My inspiration came from one of my favorite things to do - snorkling! Off the coast in Florida from the Seven Mile Bridge is a place called Sombrero Tower. There are moors there for boaters to 'park' and go snorkling.

I could and have spent hours there... lost in the world of incredible corals and fish. So it was that I spent hours 'sewing' beads for this necklace! The shape was hard to come up for a while - I considered a free form shape, natural like the coral reef, but decided maybe a wave shape would be better. I studied photos and drawings of waves, but then again decided against it. Finally, I drew a whale tail shape and decided that would be perfect - feminine and flattering!

My design was entirely bead embroidered with Swarovski crystals and pearls. I was a semi-finalist in the contest and hope to enter again in 2009!

Lately...

2008-11-09T17:12:00.006-05:00

I have been busy creating and not blogging. I sometime forget that no one can see what I am up to unless I blog... ;)

I have always loved dirndle dresses - rich in colors, textures and layers. I especially love the buttons which seem to tell a story all their own. I still don't have a dirndle,but I made myself a Dirndle Button Bracelet!

2008-04-20T11:29:00.003-04:00

Lately I have found when I get a creative block, the best way to come out of it is to create a pin or a pendant...

This one came together fop me while I was at a bead store perusing gemstones strands. The rest I pulled from my stash of beads...

This one was from a Bead Hive Gemstone Challenge.. The tiny beads dangling from the bottom are Apatite...

Amazonite

2008-04-19T13:27:00.002-04:00

A fellow Bead Hiver sent me the gorgeous Amazonite rounds as a surprise, so I wanted to make something really speacial with them....

Thanks, Melinda!

2008-04-19T13:21:00.003-04:00

The following jewelry was inspired by the photo- The Bead Hive Bead & Jewelry Group on eBay really keep an artist on her toes with all the activities - challenges & inspirations! In these designs, I used a bit more green instead of the blue in the photo.

Muse At Work

2008-04-19T12:56:00.005-04:00

I haven't posted to my blog in a good while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been creating :)

Denim Jeans and Sodalite Dreams

2007-10-20T14:31:00.002-04:00

For our Family Vacation we went again to the Florida Keys. It never fails to inspire me. We were out fishing in the Florida Bay, and the clouds were simply amazing...A Storm was brewing, the water was incredible... This line is called Storm at Bay and there will definately be more to come in this line! Terrific for wearing with denim jeans - especially on dress-down days at work! These jewels help you still look nicely dressed in a work setting!

October Musings

2007-10-20T14:25:00.001-04:00

Where does the time go?

I have not posted for a while due to an injured finger, so it's catch up time again!

Here are a few things I made earlier this month...