Quentin Quail

As I mentioned in a recent blog post, I've made a new style necklace of my good friend Quentin Quail.  I hope you like him.

It is like bas relief in silver.

Quentin wandering in the moonlight....  How romantic.  No wonder I always see him with Queenie!

Quentin Quail is back

We have lots of Quentin and Queenie pairs of quails running around the neighborhood right now, so it was timely that I got a request to make a Quentin necklace as a mother's day present.

Quentin has little running shoes on, as they always do seem to run everywhere very quickly!   I was sat on the porch the other day and Quentin walk slowly past me - not noticing I was there, but then Queenie came up behind him, saw me - and ran so fast, so Quentin ran too!  They are so lovely to watch.

Anyhow - my Quentin customer was a delight. He was buying the necklace for one of his daughters.  I do hope she likes it. I made a different styled Q necklace this week too, but haven't finished it yet. Hopefully early next week I'll show it to you.

Flowering

A few years ago, I made a pair of earrings as a gift for a friend of a friend.  Last week, I got a lovely email from the recipient to say how much she still enjoys the earrings and could I make another pair for a friend of hers.

They are not my usual style of earrings, but I did another pair.  Happy spring flowers to recognize a graduation.

Songbirds

I first made my songbird necklace and earrings early on when I started out with metal clay. This week, I made some more with a slightly different design.

This time, I've made them flat backed, instead of a complete 3D bird.  They have always been a best seller, and there must be lots of these little songbirds all over the world.  

As someone who likes long necklaces, I thought the lariat version might be nice too. There's something to be said for keeping designs simple, don't you think?

Tranquility

Following on from last week's serenity post, this time, we're in search of some tranquility.

Take time to make some tea, and find tranquil-tea!  A necklace or bracelet, to act as a reminder.

Animal tracks bracelet

I've simplified the design of my animal tracks bracelet a little, mainly to use less material so when it is in silver, the price isn't so high.

This time, I tried making it in copper, with a footprint toggle clasp.

Can you identify the tracks?

It's a popular piece - I often get requests to make them with a different combination of tracks. And just once, I made it with different size human footprints, to symbolize different family members!

Serenity

se-ren-i-ty
Noun:  1. The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled: "an oasis of serenity"
       

For many people, tea is a calming and soothing drink. It makes you stop a while. The act of the teapot, the loose tea or tea bag "performance", waiting for the brew, and then slowly sipping can bring a sense of serenity.

And thus, my latest necklace or it can be a bangle - combines the word and tea = "sereni-tea"

Hope you like it.  I have a couple of other t's coming soon too.

Inspiration

A blog that I read each week is PostSecret.  It is so inspiring, moving, funny, creative....

Take a look at this recent TED talk by the founder of PostSecret and see what you think.  Maybe it'll be a source of inspiration for you.

Happy Easter

Hope you are all having a lovely Easter.

Our Jack Rabbits seem happy hopping through the vineyard.  Maybe they are searching for eggs?

This little bunny looks like he's pretty happy too!

Kale is the new beef

Is it the same where you live?  Do you nowadays see kale everywhere?  It used to be that we only saw kale as a decoration in the meat or fish counter, but now it's being eaten instead of the meat!

I am a kale eater and no longer eat beef, and today, kale was my inspiration for a necklace. How often can you say a vegetable inspired a jewelry creation (although I did once make a "vegetarian bracelet" using the textures of different vegetables!)?

A little reminder necklace to eat your greens! 

And, in case you didn't know, kale is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat:

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 g fiber, calcium, Vitamin B6, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. 

It's health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration of antioxidant vitamins A, C and K and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. 

So is kale your new beef?

Fresh as a daisy

Are you feeling fresh as a daisy today? I do hope so!

And if you are not, then maybe my new aluminum bangle will cheer up your day!  

And why are daisies considered to be fresh, you may wonder? The English name daisy comes from the old English "daeges-eaye" or "day's eye", referring to the way that many daisies open up their petals during the day, but then close their petals at night.  So I guess, the idea is that closing it's petals suggests it goes to "sleep" at night and so wakens up in the morning all fresh and alert and well rested - and thus "fresh as a daisy".

What a nice thought.  I love the fresh green on this bangle that shows off those fresh daisies too.

Have a good night's sleep tonight!

I am strong

I first made this necklace design for a wonderful friend of mine who was going through a really tricky time. It's a great reminder that we do all have strength within us, when we need it.  Yes, it's not always easy to find but it's there in all of us.

Since then, I've made it for another couple of customers who have cancer, and I recently had a few enquiries to make some more...so I started another.

Half way through, I got an email from a local friend saying she had seen a necklace on my website that she really wanted to get for her friend and could I make one for her.  It was "I am strong" - so as I was half way through, I finished it, thinking of my friend.  I hope it brings strength to her friend.

Pyschoneuroimmunology studies have proven that the use of positive affirmations is an easy and effective way to overcome mental hurdles, boost the immune system and improve health and happiness.  

Beautiful birds

A friend of mine just emailed me these lovely photos of beautiful birds.  So I thought I'd share them with you.  Thanks Janet.  They definitely add some cheer to a wet Saturday. This first one looks like he has real attitude!

Hmmm. Maybe I need to expand my silver bird creations and create some cool chickens or flame crests with copper top feathers!

Take time to smell the roses

Life frequently seems so busy: so many different things to do, so many calls for our attention, so many distractions..... So we need to remember to take time to smell the roses.    Just think about how it would feel to bend down and stop and smell a rose.  That's quite a powerful image, isn't it: that beautiful perfume; the pretty color of the rose; all those delicate petals. Just thinking about it brings about a sense of calm.

And that's what this bangle is all about. It is a wearable reminder that we need to take time during the day to smell the roses.   Of course, it doesn't have to be roses or smelling anything - just stopping, pausing and breathing deeply and noticing what is around you.

The bangle came about from my first attempt at Adobe Illustrator. Readers of this blog may recall that I've been wanting to try Illustrator for some time, so this little rose was my first attempt. Very basic but I like the soft pinks - and being blonde - I wear quite a bit of pink :-D A dear friend of mine said that blondes should wear pink all the time!

Anyhow I think it would make a nice mother's day gift, or a gift to a busy friend or relative who could do with slowing down a little. What do you think?