Hazel Village

Yesterday, while doing my blog rounds, I found this very cute Etsy shop, via
A Little Etsy Love. There is a draw going on right now for this extremely adorable little guy, Max Racoon!

  Max, collects bottles, cans, handsome twigs, foodstuffs that the other animals gave him, and pieces of broken dishes that he makes into wind chimes. He also loves your recycle bin!!

  Hazel Village, is a collection of the cutest woodland animals that live around a pond in the forest. The creator, Jane, makes them all from organic fabrics and washable fiberfill, then gives them each a name, and a description regarding their personality and interests. Each one comes with  an article of clothing that can easily be removed. Jane,  sews the fabric on an old industrial sewing machine and then sews all the details on by hand.

So of course I just HAD to enter this giveaway....he is just too cute!  However, I then  went back to this shop,  and bought two of her other very cute creations!

This is Sydney Toad.........

and this is Owen Fox.

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 Apparently, Sydney Toad likes to go berry picking and Owen Fox, likes to practice his dance moves in his tree house!

They are coming with me to England, in my suitcase. I bought these cuddly animals for my young neice and nephew that I will be visiting this summer all the way across the big pond! I have yet to meet my sisters twins, and thought that these cute little animals would be a lovely gift. If you are looking for a fabulous gift for some special little person check out Hazel Village, and all the other woodland animals.
Beautifully handcrafted in the U.S.A.! Pin It

Too many numbers!

Remember the good old days, when the only set of numbers that you had to remember was your telephone number? Then came automated banking, and we had to have a PIN number for our access card. So how many PIN numbers and passwords do you have to keep track of now? Is there an end in sight to this madness? I have profiles and passwords for online shopping, my Etsy shop, Facebook, this blog, email accounts, Amazon, special interest clubs, Itunes, banking, credit cards now have PIN numbers AND passwords. My home alarm system has a PIN number and a password. I am going crazy trying to keep track of them all! Why can't someone invent a foolproof system so that we don't have to have all of these numbers to remember? With an aging population, I think something needs to be done soon....before we all lose our minds!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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The Seasons, according to me!

Who decided Spring should begin on March 21st? Someone down in southern California, or Florida, perhaps? To say that Spring arrives in my part of the world in March, is nothing short of comical! Spring is always the season greeted with the most anticipation, after a long winter. March 21st, the first day of Spring comes and goes, and many of us here in the northern hemisphere start to get a little depressed that there are no green shoots bursting out of the ground, no colorful blossoms to be seen....just a sea of white, everything is still asleep. Here in Canada, most of the country is still receiving snow, except for the west coast, which usually has a much milder climate. We get jealous, of our neighbors to the south who start to speak of warm weather and excitedly post photos of crocus and daffodil blooms, on their blogs. What if Spring technically did not start until say......May 21st! Then, we would be fine, we would accept that,  we would have no expectations, AND no disappointments!
So, I have decided it is time to get REAL, and in doing so,  here are the new dates of the  seasons in my part of the world, according to my calendar:

                                       Spring- May 21-June 20

                         Summer- June 21-Aug 20

                              Fall-Aug.21- Oct 20

                           Winter-Oct.21-May 20

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Woodland Jewels Collection

Come with me through the garden gate.........

Imagine taking a walk in a sun dappled woodland garden! Fresh morning dew glistens on the leaves and petals that surround you. The air is cool and fresh with a promise of new beginnings.

My new Woodlands Jewels Collection,  is inspired by an imaginary walk in that garden and the discovery of pretty Spring and Summer blooms and blossoms. These jewelry pieces are one of a kind and  incorporate vintage rhinestone components and vintage beads, with modern Swarovski pearls, crystals and faceted glass. Lets go for a stroll!

 

Early Spring Primrose

Soft yellows, creams, gray and silver with a vintage center rhinestone clasp.

Continuing our walk, past the pond..........

 

Water Lily
 Twisted chains and faux pearls with a fabulous vintage rhinestone focal.

 

Just a bit further...............................................

  

Apple Blossom

Delicate pinks, nudes and gray with a center rhinestone floral clasp from the 1950's!

 

continuing on....

 Magnolia

Creamy Swarovski pearls, with pale gold faceted glass and soft rose Swarovski crystals, featuring a fabulous deco rhinestone clasp. 

 

Forget-Me-Not

This bracelet features a vintage rhinestone focal, accented with silver tone chain, vintage silver colored beads, and faceted cut glass.

Almost home......

I hope you enjoyed our walk today, and my new collection!

Images taken from: Time Life Practical Guide to Garden Design; A Greener Thumb,;The Cottage Garden; The Country Garden; The Canadian Gardeners Guide to Foliage and Design and from the private collection of Susan Stevens.

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Hot Rocks on YouTube!

As you know, recently on the blog, A Little Etsy Love, there was a draw for a pair of Hot Rocks earrings. This girl was the winner, and she has made this video and posted it on YouTube! How cool is that! Pin It

A Small Fortune!

As readers of my blog, you usually see my little creations after the design process is complete. While I am making a piece of sterling silver jewelry, there is always some waste....clippings, and trimming of wire, and yes, the occasional mistake which also results in waste. After almost 4 years of making  jewelry, I have amassed a large amount of scrap sterling silver wire. So, with silver prices at an all time high... I think that now would be a good time  time to sell it!

I think I may be sitting on a small fortune!

So, all I have to do now is figure out the best place to sell it to.

So far I have only checked out Rio Grandes' scrap metal program, but if any of you jewelry designers out there,  know of other places that buy sterling silver wire scrap, please let me know. I will be busy investigating online over the next few days. Pin It

a little etsy love: PeriDot by Duni Giveaway!

a little etsy love: PeriDot by Duni Giveaway!

I have been following Dunis blog for a long time, and she has always made the most pretty purses and cosmetic bags. Recently, she started to design and sell a line of equally cute sleep wear. Duni is giving away one of her lovely cosmetic bags, over on the blog  A Little Etsy Love.

Isn't this adorable?!

Hop on over to A Little Etsy Love right now and enter for your chance to win! Pin It

Hot Rocks.......Lava Rock!

Beads made from molten lava are said to strengthen our connection to Mother Earth. Lava rock is a stone of strength that provides protection and stability during times of change. It helps to dissipate anger and provides the wearer with guidance and understanding.

I like to use lava rock beads in my jewelry, to add an element of texture to the piece. Most lava rock beads come from Indonesia. Lava rock is formed when hot lava from volcanic eruptions, cools and hardens. During this cooling process air bubbles and air pockets are formed creating naturally formed voids or holes that end up making each bead unique.The black beads are tumbled, polished and oiled or waxed to a smooth finish. They are actually very light weight making them perfect for using in jewelry. I like the irregular surface of lava rock beads next to a bead or crystal that is perfectly faceted or totally smooth as it adds a nice contrast .

I also think that lava rocks look stunning when combined with sterling silver!

This is a bracelet that I made awhile ago, incorporating a few lava rock beads, with Swarovski crystal, onyx, Venetian glass, quartz and sterling silver. I kept this one, and because it usually goes with most things in my wardrobe, I tend wear it often.

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Shoesday!

This summer, our family is going on a five week trip overseas to England and Paris. We are spending 4 weeks in jolly old England, and visiting my family there for part of that time. We figured that if we are already all the way over there, we may as well take the short jaunt across the channel and spend a week in Paris!
So being somewhat of a fashionista, my mind turns to what type of clothes and shoes that will be required for this amazing vacation. I could easily pack 6 or 7 pairs of shoes for a 5 week holiday, especially for spending time in two of the fashion capitals of the world, London and Paris. However, common sense and silly baggage weight limitations, indicate that I have to limit myself in the shoe department. Therefore, the hunt for a pair of shoes that could multi task, was on! After spending a lot of time online, hunting for the perfect pair of summertime shoes for Europe, I found these babies!




These Sam Edelman sandals, are flat and comfortable for walking the streets of London and Paris, yet pretty enough to wear with a sundress or cotton skirt, on the sidewalk patio of a French bistro. Also, definitely cute enough to wear with denim capris or khaki shorts, while strolling through the Cotswolds in England.
Neutral enough to go with almost anything in my wardrobe while still being stylish and super cute!



Next dilemma........co ordinating outfits and staying within the ridiculously low baggage allowance!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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Spring Thaw

Today,  the weather warmed up! It was above 0 degrees C!
So guess what?

 

Things started to melt........

 

 

 Not sure how long it is going to last tho! Pin It

The Adjustment Bureau

Every once in a while, I will see a movie that really resonates with me.... for a certain reason it is one that I will really remember for years to come. Whether it is the amazing acting or stunning scenery, the fabulous effects or just a really great story, certain films just stick with me. Some examples of movies that have stayed with me through out the years are, Legends of the Fall, Pride and Prejudice, Walk the Line, Coming Home, and The Notebook.  I just realized that they all have romantic story lines....guess I must be a bit of a romantic! Another movie that I believe is going to be a memorable one for me is
The Adjustment Bureau. My husband, 13 year old son and I, went and saw this on the weekend,  it too has a romantic storyline, but with an interesting element regarding twists of fate. The story is about the future relationship and careers of an up and coming politician, David (Matt Damon), and a rising dancer, Elise (Emily Blunt), who fall in love after a chance meeting. However, the two were not supposed to meet, and their relationship is not in the big plan, so the "adjusters" step in to straighten things out. It was very entertaining and all three of us really enjoyed this movie. We all gave it a big "thumbs up"!
Have you seen any great movies lately? Pin It

Like I promised, here are the photos of the resulting necklace that I designed using those fabulous hammered rocks.

I decided to go with a triple strand necklace, and play on the soft Spring like pastel shades of aquamarine, butter yellow, rose pink and white. I wanted to do something different and go with a contrasting design using rough with smooth, classic with modern, chunky with sophisticated, so I pulled out my collection of vintage pearls. I had some wonderful vintage classic faux pearls in all of those colors, so decided that they would be the contrast to the rough organic stones.

Of course, I had to add some of that fabulous Swarovski sparkle with the tiny clear and rose colored crystals. Some vintage rhinestone triple connectors keep that classic look alive. I also found some real aquamarine gemstones hiding in one of my jars and incorporated them through the necklace to carry that organic feeling throughout the piece.

Sterling silver wire, chain, clasp and beads complete this modern yet fun fashion necklace. Pin It

Wilma Flintstone....eat your heart out!

I could not resist the temptation! A few weeks ago, I  purchased these fantastic hammered rock quartz, crystal and citrine nuggets. I love the soft pastel hues, contrasting with the rough ruggedness and organic texture of the stones. I just know that Wilma Flintstone would have been drooling over these babies!These are the kind of rocks that she would have worn out on a special date with Fred...perhaps to go and see Stony Curtis performing.
Stay tuned for the resulting design!

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