Paris Catacombs

Halloween is less than 1 week away.  Our whole family always gets  into the "spirit", by decorating our front yard like a graveyard,  and getting creative with the traditional carving of  pumpkins into Jack-o-lanterns. 

As I was going through my photos from our recent trip to England and France, I came across  this one, and thought it may be of interest as a Halloween week post in my blog!

I took this photo in the  tunnels of the Catacombs, in Paris....right before my camera batteries died! This is the one and only photo that I got, after standing in line for a couple of hours to get in.  The remains of approximately 6 million  people are down in these tunnels ...and it is kinda spooky. The maze of underground tunnels were once old quarries, that were selected to hold the bones of Paris' dead, after the city's cemeteries became full in the 1800's. Now it is a tourist attraction. In many areas, the bones are arranged in artistic designs...very bizarre...but interesting!  I was a bit creeped out down there in the dark, damp tunnels with all those skulls looking at me, and was glad when we finally reached the end. However, my husband and son thought it was one of the highlights of their Paris trip. Me...I preferred the Louvre! Pin It

Brittania Collection

Here are some items that went to a boutique in Calgary, over the weekend. These necklaces are part of my Fall Brittania Collection, and feature many fabulous finds from my trip to England this past Summer. Hopefully they will find new homes soon!

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Show Preview

I have been extremely busy preparing for the big art show which takes place next Friday. I have managed to do a trial setup of my booth arrangement, and I am happy with the results. I am currently finishing up a couple of necklaces that I have on the go, and then I will fatten up the stock with a few more pairs of earrings....coz you can NEVER have enough earrings at these shows!  I also have to finish taking photos of everything, as I like to keep a visual record of my work. Early next week, time will be spent tagging and pricing, and finally packing everything up for the trip into the big city.  So here is a little sneak  preview of just a few of the pieces that will be coming with me to the Beyond Marketplace, in Calgary this October.

 

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Across the Sand Dunes

One of my cuff bracelets,  was recently featured in this very creative treasury on Etsy. I don't usually post many treasuries on my blog, however, I felt this one deserved some special recognition, as I felt the theme of this one was very unique!  Enjoy!



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Beyond Artisan Marketplace Fall 2011

This fantastic show is less than 2 weeks away! If you are in the Calgary area, print off this coupon for a discount on admission. I will be there with my latest designs. Hope to see you there! Pin It

This Summer, when we were in London, we spent some time visiting Hyde Park,  one of the great parks within the city. Kensington Palace is located there, and has the most beautiful Sunken Garden. It is quite like something out of a fairy tale.

 However, while we were visiting there in July, there was an interesting interactive art display featured around this garden that I found to be quite cool! 

The project was  created by artist Emma Molony.  Visitors and locals were asked to write down a secret or a wish, and place it into an orange plastic sphere, which featured pretty,  laser cut silhouettes.  They were then hung up and displayed around the garden. There were more than 1,000 displayed balls, some even held the secrets of former inhabitants of the palace! 

 You could actually walk along and read the secrets that others had written down, through the colored  balls. Of course, we all participated, my husband, my son, and I, each wrote down our secrets and desires and placed them into the balls.

 I loved the way that the luminescent, tangerine colored baubles, contrasted with the lush green vines that climbed the trellis. 

 What an eye catching display! Pin It

Dreams.....

 Dreams are renewable. 
No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.
Dale Turner 
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This coming Monday, is Thanksgiving Day, here in the Great White North. That makes it a long weekend! Yes, we shall be feasting on turkey, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce, and of course the traditional and most required pumpkin pie. So to all my Canadian readers I wish you a happy, safe and very enjoyable Thanksgiving weekend! To my readers from other parts of the world, I wish you all a wonderful weekend. ( American readers, don't be jealous....your Thanksgiving will be here soon.)

 Have you thought about buying handmade this Christmas season? I certainly plan to do a lot more shopping from artists at local craft shows and on Etsy, for gifts this year. Support your local artist, and you are supporting your local economy! Plus you will have something unique that those big box stores can't offer. So enjoy your weekend and in the meantime, please check out these very cool Canadian Etsy Shops! These are  very talented artists, that have some amazing shops on Etsy. Great for getting gift ideas, because you know that Christmas is just around the corner, eh?!

                                             SummerBreeze 

Greeting cards and original abstract art

                                        The Spirited Fairy

Eco-Friendly 100% Vegetable based candles

                                         Hand Knit Hugs 

 

Classic Knits for todays children

                                          
                                          The Soap Gallery

Simply delicious body care

                               Mgotovac Original Art and Crafts

Original art and crafts

                                                  
                                                   Raceytay

Photography

                                   
                                    My Hand Bound Books

Hand bound books

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I have been busy preparing for my first big show of the season, the Beyond Artisan Marketplace, held at the end of this month in Calgary. I am introducing a few metal cuffs to my collection this Fall, and they each feature a unique vintage find! This first one showcases a pretty filigree buckle from the 1920's, that I picked up in England this past summer. I added  a vintage green button covered in brass filigree to the center.
 

This cuff below also incorporates a buckle finding from the 20's, layered over top of some brass filigree.

On this one I used an old pendant that is encrusted with tiny purple, lilac and pink crystals, and framed it with some new filigree findings.

I know that cuffs are all the rage right now, and each one of my designs will carry a little piece of history with it to its new owner! Pin It

Jewelry Pouch Giveaway- Dunis Studio

My friend, Duni, has a fabulous giveaway on her blog right now.  She has one of her  gorgeous hand made jewelry rolls up for grabs! What lovely lady would not want this to stash your precious  Hot Rocks Jewels in, while jet setting around around the globe?  All you have to do to enter is to visit Dunis blog, and leave a comment! Easy...no? Good luck! Pin It