Happy Holidays to All!

I got a really special message from Santa. It was arranged by my son. He used http://www.portablenorthpole.tv to send a personal video message all the way from Santa in the North Pole to me. I got a huge kick out of it. If you want to see and hear it checkout my facebook profile . Santa really knows me! This was a wonderful holiday gift.

Gracias

A nice thing about doing custom orders is the fact that people thank you for your work. I was pleasantly surprised the other day when I received a payment for a custom order and a thank you note with it. The note said that she said couldn’t wait to give my children’s necklaces to her nurses at their holiday party. I thought the order was very cool to begin with. This customer is a pediatrician and she purchased 35 of my children’s necklaces for her nurses to wear. She thought their patients would be cheered by seeing them. That I loved was selecting 35 different animals and ocean creatures. I just imagined the delight of the children when they saw my creations. This will be a Christmas present that keeps on giving!

Lilliputian

I won this hand made book from an online giveaway that was sponsored by Wee Bindery which is an online store located at http://www.etsy.com/shop/WeeBindery. This is a little book which fits in the palm of your hand. It is great for notes, quotes and so much more. I intend to use it for ideas for my jewelry creations. I love the merlot wine colored leather with a black button that keeps this book securely closed. The paper is heavy weight, hand torn, archival Italian paper. The pages are hand sewn into the binding using linen thread. You have to see this tiny book which is approximately 2 3/4" x 3 3/4 to believe the craft and care that went into it. It is a book that has been given love and attention.

To win all I had to do is to tell my favorite word for small. Some folks came up with words like minuscule or petite . Being a librarian helped me to win. I came up with the word "lilliputian" from one of my favorite books "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift.

Cats versus Dogs

I just shipped off another order of my children's necklaces and some of my adult crocheted jewelry. It is a good feeling to finally have it off my dining room table. The order included 36 cats and 36 dogs along with some other animals and sea life. I always make a mental note on the cats and dogs. Everyone who knows me, knows that I do love my cats especially Siamese. I happen to be the proud and crazy owner of 5 cats. My first order for these necklaces was an order for more dogs than cats. I was curious about that. I am happy to note that the sales are now even. I am going to include this cute bulldog for the first time in my next order. I am looking forward to seeing how he is greeted by my young customers.

Sewing By the Sea

I had a great weekend of jewelry making at the Grand Hotel in Ocean City, Maryland. I made a crocheted bracelet and necklaces. I attended Sewing by NeedleArts Adventure which is put together by my cousin Sandy. I am always amazed at these artists. Most are fiber artists.

They create amazing quilts, vests, jackets, dolls, books, and creative handy work! There are all different kinds of classes offered. The artists charge a minimal amount just to cover cost of materials. The photo shows a great class on new transfer paper. Using TAP (Transfer Artists Paper) you can make permanent iron-on transfers onto any fabric, with ink jet printer inks, without pre-treating. You can transfer pictures to make unique fabrics. You can also draw or write or stamp on TAP using art supplies like crayons or markers and transfer your work. You can transfer to other surfaces like wood, and metal. This technique is great for quilts, wearables and mixed media art. You can also transfer to paper for books and journals and scrapbooking. There was a short demo and time to work together on a few samples and then experiment on your own. There is a Spring adventure that I plan to attend.

Trio of Birds

This autumn jewelry trends are big on nature.The weather has been so spectacular that everyone should get a breath of fresh air and step outside to enjoy the beautiful things nature has to offer. This time of year there are lots of different kinds of bird migrating and changing our scenery. This seasonal migration is the inspiration for this earthy set. This necklace and matching earrings make a great gift for a bird watcher or nature lover.

This silver necklace with 3 cute hand carved turquoise birds celebrates the joy that nature brings us. Wearing this trio of turquoise birds sitting on a silver branch is a cool way to get in touch with your earthy side. The necklace is long at 23 inches from toggle to clasp and is made up of silver chain and turquoise beads meticulously wire wrapped together. I used the same oval turquoise beads to make the matching earrings.

Cranberry Tea

This weekend really felt like the cool weather is here to stay. My husband just brought in some firewood. A visit home this week, brought to mind a favorite family fall and holiday tea recipe that I will share. The ingredients are simple:

• 3 1/2 quarts water
• 1 (12 ounce) package cranberries
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 oranges, juiced
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 12 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Use a large pot and combine water and cranberries. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Cover, and steep for 1 hour.

While sipping this tea I gathered my cranberry color pearls and created what I call my "Sparkling Berry Necklace".

Words of Inspiration

"If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments." (Anne Morrow Lindbergh)

"The older I get, the more this quote helps me to enrich my life by appreciate each day and experience. Time seems to pass so quickly and we need to appreciate what we are given and have."

Thanks to Sheryl at Hand Painted Petals, I am able to appreciate this sweet little box that she created and sent to me this week. I won this in her giveaway! I entered the giveaway with Anne Morrow Lindbergh's words of inspiration. What I really like about Sheryl's work is that she can take a message like this one and incorporate it into one of her creations--like a memory box. It is her willingness to customize that really makes her special.

These words of inspiration remind me of what I have learned in my yoga practice. A message of yoga is to completely surrender to the reality of your life exactly as it “IS” with an active presence. Ishvara-Pranidhana teaches, "Embrace the entirety of your life with gratefulness as you surrender willingly to every movement of life that brought you to this moment".

Brian's Facebook post is an Inspiration

A friend of mine posted this Disney photo to Facebook today. The picture brought back great memories of several family vacations there with my children who are now adults.












The photo also inspired me to create this Minnie Mouse necklace. The pink and black polka dot bow looks so cute on this famous mouse.

My Italian Friends

This cute little crab and 19 of her buddies came to my home via Italy this week. I have a wonderful Italian couple who make the crabs that I use in my ocean creature line of children's necklaces for "Postcards from Delaware" at the I95 Travel Center in Newark, Delaware. When I met with the purchaser for "Postcards from Delaware" she loved my children's line of necklaces and specifically asked to have some crabs featured in the ocean creatures line. I am fortunate to have found this Italian couple who are able to make these cuties. I am going to pair up this particular crab with one of the beads that I bought last week in Ocean City, Maryland. I just know that some child will be thrilled to have cute necklace that will be the result of this pairing.

How Motorcycles Inspire Jewelry

Friday evening my friend and I drove from Lewes, Delaware to Ocean City, Maryland, Convention Center to attend the Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show that is held there yearly. It was a beautiful evening and we rode in my convertible with the top down. The wind was flying through our hair and the sound and sight of motorcycles surrounded us. It was Delmarva Bike Week when tens of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts enjoy activities & rides throughout the Delmarva Peninsula .It is held the same time as this jewelry and bead show so we looked forward to the sights and sounds of the motorcycles. This is the first time that we went in the light of the early evening when the atmosphere was clear and the sun light hit the motorcycles in a special way. Bright colors of the motorcycles and drivers seemed to pop everywhere. When I got to the bead and jewelry show, I visited my favorite vendor there and spotted these really vibrant beads. They reminded me of the colors I saw in the lines of motorcycles headed to Ocean City for very different reasons. I was there to look for beads for my children's necklace line and for my crocheted necklaces. I grabbed these beads the moment I saw them. They called to me ! When my clay crabs from Italy arrive this week, I am certain these beads will work well with them. I can't wait to create the necklace with these beads inspired by the motorcyclists!

Holly Jolly Christmas Necklace

The inspiration for this necklace comes from the holiday song "Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas". The song got stuck in my head this morning and I just had to do something about it. I know it is a bit early to be thinking about the holiday season, but it is perfect weather to be out trimming my trees. Now that the blazing heat of summer is over, I can get out with my electric hedge trimmer and have at it. Anyone who knows me, knows there are few things I love more than my power tools that trim the trees and bushes. I will go out and stay at the trimming until my back gives out or I cut the electrical cord by accident. This morning I decided to trim my holly trees. The green and red colors in the trees made me think of Christmas. I red and green colors became the inspiration for this necklace. The song is a favorite of mine. The Milton Middle Band under the direction of Bud Jenkins placed this song yearly in the local Christmas parades. Since I went to the Milton, Lewes, and Rehoboth holiday parades for at least a decade, I always start humming this song at the sight of a holly tree or Christmas Parade.

A little holiday cheer in this 18 inch (45.7 cm) round necklace! The lovely focal bead is holly red and Christmas green. It is whitewashed with a frost of paint to create an abstract snowflake design. The necklace is made with olive and white freshwater pearls. I love to use pearls because they are classic and are from nature, The necklace has a contemporary, triangle shaped silver clasp. There are sterling silver beads added into the necklace to add sparkle.

Red Sky in Morning, Sailors Take Warning

Inspiration for this necklace comes from the old nautical saying "Red Sky in Morning, Sailors Take Warning". As hurricane Earl approached the East coast of the United States, my eyes turned to the sky which is always interesting before and after a hurricane. Thank you Mother Nature for being very easy on us in Lewes, Delaware ! I am thankful that our little boat was not hauled out of the water and survived the waves so that we can use it a little longer.

The reds in the sky made me think of these beautiful red blister pearls that I had. This necklace is made with red blister pearls and smoky colored crystals which I added to give some additional sparkle and pop. The necklace has a dainty silver heart clasp and is 18 inch (45.7cm) long. It is simply gorgeous!

I love to use pearls because they are classic and are from nature, I choose blister pearls for this necklace. If you aren't familiar with these pearls, you may know them as bouton pearls. They are called blister pearls because they are attached to the inside of the oyster shell in the form of a blister.

The Greens of Nature

Moss, sage, emerald, spinach, and olive are all colors of green found produced by nature. If you have visited my online shop, you will notice that green is a favorite color of mine. I have more green jewelry there than any other color. I think this is because I spend a lot of time out of doors admiring the work of Mother Nature. This weekend, I captured this photo of a heron resting along the Rehoboth Canal in the Cape Henlopen State Park. The greens in this photo show all of the glorious shades of green provided by Mother Nature. Along the edge of the canal bank you can see the dark moss green of the large jasper beads and same pop of emerald green found in the seed beads of this necklace. In looking for colors to wear this necklace with you might select the khaki and browns of the reeds.

Summer Harvest Inspiration

Turquoise chips in greens, yellows, oranges, browns, and camels combine to make this multi-strand bracelet look like the colors of the Farmer's Market in late summer. The harvested fruits and vegetables of the local farmer's market are the inspiration for this bracelet. Who doesn't love a visit to there to admire the fresh produce that is so healthy for us and supports the local community? The farmer's market is also a great place to see friends that perhaps you haven't seen in awhile and catch up with what has been happening to members of your family. I love the local festivals that celebrate the summer bounty. Just this past weekend, Lewes had a tomato festival which showcased heirloom varieties of tomatoes and delicious recipes. One of my favorite ways to use tomatoes is in a grilled cheese sandwich. Just add it to the sandwich and use some peppery cheese and you have something really special.

If you looking for something special to spice up many of the colors that make the staple of your fall wardrobe like camel, brown, black or beige outfit, this is the bracelet. It is perfect for someone who wears a size 7 bracelet.

My First International Sale Takes Me on a Virtual Trip to Newfoundland

My virtual trip to Newfoundland, Canada, began this morning when I checked my email and discovered that I sold my newly listed snowmen earrings to a woman there in the town of Glovertown. Perhaps, it has started snowing there already and she is celebrating the occasion with this purchase. She may also be doing her holiday shopping early. I would like to think that she just couldn't live without these darling earrings. I noticed I only charged $1 for shipping. I was wondering exactly what I thought when I did that. Much to my relief the actual charge was $1.23 and I had to fill out a tariff form. I found that pretty exciting that not only was a purchasing internationally this summer, I was now selling internationally .Glovertown is a town in[Image] northeastern Newfoundland,Newfoundland and Labrador,Canada. Originally, Glovertown was called Bloody Bay. The name dated back to the eighteenth century it is thought to refer to a massacre of a family of 11 by Indians that were living in the area at the time. The town was renamed Alexander Bay in 1894. A few years later the town was renamed to Glovertown, its current name, after Sir John Hawley Glover who served as the Governor of Newfoundland from 1876 to 1881 and from 1883 to 1885. It has a population of 2,100 people as of 2001 Canadian census which means that it is smaller than my hometown of Lewes, Delaware. Like Lewes, it is know for the natural beauty of the area. The official website for the town has a nice collection of photos which show the natural beauty of the area.

My Italian Discoveries

Even though I haven't left Lewes, Delaware, physically this summer, Italy has been an important part of my summer. I love traveling virtually with Google Earth. I was able to use this free download to zoom in on Milan, Italy. My friend Diane went there for two weeks this summer as part of an Italian teacher exchange program. She kept all her friends up to date on her learning adventure through this blog located at http://delawareitalyblog.edublogs.org/ . I really enjoyed reading her description of her opera experience. I was able to follow her adventures and see what Milan looks like by using Google Earth.

In June I started to correspond with an online store called Expresso Italiano which is located at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ExpressoItaliano. I had some custom polymer clay beads made by one of the owners of the shop. I sent a photo of a bead that I was interested in his making and I expressed interest in buying some beads that first brought my attention to this shop. He made the beads exactly the way I wanted and I used them in my children's line of jewelry that is for sale in the Postcards from Delaware Shop in the new I95 travel center. Before doing business with him, I had never heard of his town Crotone. It is an ancient city and I was amazed when I looked at it on Google Earth. The houses are adorable and much closer together than I imagined. I learned that it isn't any more expensive to have his beads sent to me from Italy that it is to have beads shipped from the west coast. I also discovered that the Italians have a very prompt postal system.

Sicily entered my life when I was on the Internet looking for a lasagna recipe. I read a recipe in our local newspaper the Cape Gazette that used zucchini in a lasagna recipe. I then went on the Internet to look at recipes and found a wonderful food blog with the perfect recipe. The author of the blog included a photo of her mother who is the author of the recipe. She mentioned that her mother learned this recipe while growing up in Sicily, Italy. I had the opportunity to travel there virtually on Google Earth. I have bookmarked the blog which is located at http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2009/2/11/my-moms-zucchini-lasagna.html. If you like Italian food you will want to follow this cooking blog.

As you can see I had a great tour of some interesting spots in Italy. This also helps explain how I can spend several hours a day on my computer almost every day. It is a wonder I have any time to actually bead.

How to Make Wire Wrapped Loops for Jewelry Making

This is a wonderful video that I found on Magpie Gemstones Blog . There are many great tips for artisan jewelry makers found on this website located at http://www.magpiegemstones.com/jewelrymakersblog.html. Some of these tips cover photography, promoting your online store, etc.

Pirates and Treasure Inspiration

Who needs a treasure chest when you have beauties like these beads in the ocean? Those were my thoughts when I sat down to begin making this necklace. I had just come home from the bay where I live and I had a great time watching the pirate ship that entertains the locals and tourists. I watched with great interest the water fight between the "good" ship and the pirate ship. I thought about how centuries ago ships like these might be fighting over a treasure chest. I have little beauties like these beads on my work table and they remind me of the bounty that is under to ocean for everyone to enjoy and protect. I am happy I can share this treasure with you.

This bronze necklace is 18 inches(45.72 cm) long and contains bronze nautilus shells beads, bronze pearls, peach and cream colored beads, and is crocheted and braided using copper wire. The beads were strung onto copper wire, crocheted, and then 3 strands were handwoven together. It is unique and stunning. Crocheted necklaces are my passion. The different shades of copper, browns, bronze,and the peachy and cream colors compliment each other. The necklace is held together with a copper toggle clasp.

If you like this necklace, please be sure to stop by and visit my online shop for my profile, contact information and policies. BayMoonDesign is located at http://www.baymoondesign.etsy.com

Christmas in July

Here's a crocheted necklace made with red wire and red dyed turoquise and emerald green cats eye beads. Attached to the necklace is a red and green flip flop. The necklace is 21 inches in length and held together by gold clasp. This necklace that reminds me of Christmas in the Caribbean. Since I made this in July, I think Christmas in July is a fitting name for it. This necklace brings back some beautiful family memories! It reminds me of our first trip to the Bahamas several years ago. It was on this trip that we learned about the Junkanoo. It is believed that this festival began there during the 16th and 17th centuries. The slaves were given a special holiday at Christmas time, when they could leave the plantations to be with their family and celebrate the holidays with African dance, music and costumes. After emancipation, they continued this tradition and, today, Junkanoo has evolved from its simple origins to an organized parade with intricate costumes and music. Every Christmas we hang a brass cow bell that was used in a Junkanoo parade on our tree.

This was a wonderful vacation for a number of reasons. Who doesn't love escaping the cold of December and being able to wear flip flops? Wearing flip flops in the winter and feeling the warm sand between your toes is a real treat. This necklace is reminiscent of the warm weather and soft breezes. I have combined summer flip flops with traditional Christmas colors of red and green. This necklace would be a fabulous accessory for a seaside vacation or cruise in December or it would be a great necklace for anyone who loves flip flops.

Happy 4th of July

I love the 4th of July for a lot of reasons. We celebrate our liberty which has been earned through the sacrifices of many. This is a holiday that is in my favorite season--Summer. Just about every year I celebrate the 4th of July on Lewes Beach, Delaware. This small, beach town usually has some great unofficial fireworks that are set off over the water. Even though the fireworks are small in comparison to some of the large fireworks displays, they are very special to me. I love to see their reflection over the water and hear the sounds of them moving through the air and exploding over the water with the sound of the waves in the background.

This holiday inspired my latest necklace which I have named my "4th of July Necklace". It is made from shells, buttons, and beads. The shells are from many beaches and Lewes Beach is one of the locations from which I get my shells . I have used the primary colors of red, white, and blue with a pop of yellow . It can be worn around the neck with one, two, or three loops. I prefer three. My daughter likes to wear this casual design as a bracelet sometimes. It is crocheted using monofilament wire so it has lots of flexibility. This is a lively and fun addition to a casual wardrobe.

Postcards from Delaware

This Spring I had an opportunity to show some of my jewelry to buyers for the new Delaware Travel Center on I-95 in Newark Delaware. I met with them and they were excited about my children's line and crocheted line. It has been an interesting several months for me. We corresponded by email several times. I began by sending them my w-9 and a copy of my invoice. Then I actually received an order from them. I filled the order, packed the order very carefully and with love and placed the order in the hands of the U.S. Postal Service. My small, carefully packed box remained "lost" for about a week along with the many packages of goods received by the new center. My order was located and lovingly put on display. Next thing I know, I woke up to a front page article in The News Journal about the opening of the new Delaware Welcome Center. The article mentions that the souvenir shop Postcards from Delaware sells goods from local artisans.I am excited to be one of the local artisans selected. The travel center is big and beautiful. You can see photos and read about the opening here at http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=BL&Date=20100618&Category=PHOTOS01&ArtNo=61
www.delawareonline.com. One week after the opening I happened to be on I-95 in Newark and I couldn't resist visiting the shop. Unfortunately, it was closed at 10:30 p.m. That didn't stop me from peering into it and spotting my two jewelry lines. My children's jewelry line was sitting in front of the cash register with bar codes on each necklace. My crocheted line is in a glass rectangle with a bio of me. This line is there along with other local artisan work and signage about Delaware being home to a large group of local artisans. I am happy to be included with these fine artisans. I am excited about this new endeavour.

An AHa Design

I had an aha moment when I was talking to a friend about a custom order. In the course of the conversation, she told me that she wanted the focal piece of the necklace to be detachable so that the focal could be worn on a slider or a silver chain. I knew I could do this, but had to give it some thought. I found Fire Mountain Gems carried a sterling silver snap bail that would allow me to do this very easily. I had an aha moment when it occurred to me to use this clip bail now and more often in the future. This bail would give my customers more flexibility with their jewelry.

The result is a gorgeous amethyst and mint green Swarovski crystal with sterling accents. This sterling silver center piece has symmetrical spirals at the top of it. I hammered it on my anvil until I got the perfect texture. It is filled with crystals that are of shades of purple, amethyst, and opal violet as well as a mint green. One the the palest purples contains a hint of pink. The hand hammered sterling silver focal piece made by me is detachable and I think you will agree that it is perfect for a silver slider or chain. For dressy occasions, it belongs on the necklace of crystals. The necklace was originally inspired by a pair of earring that resembled the silver and crystal centerpiece. I decided to use the design as a centerpiece for a necklace. I love the mint green colored beads that are added to provide some contrast in color. The colors in the necklace remind me of a field of summer lavender.

Braids Return!

I am excited to see that braids are popular in hair styles this Spring. I have always loved braids and I love to use braids in my jewelry design. This 17 inch (43.2 cm) necklace is made by crocheting beads on non tarnish silver wire. The blue beads were strung onto sterling silver wire, crocheted, and then 3 strands were braided together. It is unique and stunning. Crocheted necklaces are my passion. Braiding is also a love of mine. The different shades of blue and the silver colors compliment each other. The necklace is held together with a beautiful 22 mm by 19 mm sterling plated toggle clasp. The beads include lapis chips, cat's eye beads, and round soladite beads.

I love to use soladite and lapis because blue is one of my favorite colors. Soladite is one of the compoents of Lapis Lazuli. Soladite is considered a semi-precious stone found in all shades of blue. This is due to the white calcite in its content.

It is believed that Soladite can help with boosting your immune system, and change the way you feel about yourself by helping you adopt a simpler life, less hectic. Blue is a calming color.

I also like to use cat's eye beads because they change hue as they capture and reflect light. These beads have a band of light running through the center that resembles a cat's eye. All who know me know that I love cats too so naturally I would be attracted to beads with cat in the name.