Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone joy, peace and love this holiday season and in the New Year!

Ickles Is Back

Ickles is back safe and sound. A kind couple who live not far from here took Ickles in when he showed up on their doorstep last night. He was cold and scared, but otherwise, fine. The sad thing is that on Wednesday night their cat, who looked just like Ickles, was killed by a car. A bittersweet ending.

A very heartfelt thank you to all who kept their fingers crossed.

Ickles Is Missing

Ickles has been missing since yesterday afternoon and I'm so worried about him. He never ventures very far from home and is back within hours. We went out looking for him, but there is no trace at all. We are expecting snow tonight and I'm sick to my stomach just thinking about it. He is so very sweet and the house is unusually quiet. I want him back.....

Today is a good day to stay home and putter and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

More Eggs

Birds nest earrings and pendant made from steel wire and turquoise stones for eggs. The ear wires are made from sterling silver which I hand formed myself. The pendant hangs from a gunmetal chain and can be adjusted to three different lengths. I love these together and and I'm keeping a set for myself.

Imagine my amazement and delight when I discovered that Meggie had layed an egg last night. It's the tiniest egg I have ever seen. I have it in the fridge until I can figure out what to do with it. I was thinking of blowing the insides out and making something cool out of it -- the egg not the insides.

Rebecca

When my kids would help me in the kitchen when they were younger, it almost always turned into a nasty situation with my daughter, Rebecca, being the instigator. Now that she's older she is much easier to get along with and a huge help. This year I'm going to teach her how to make a cherry cake. My grandmother and my mother both made cherry cakes every year at Christmas time for as long as I can remember and I kept up this tradition when I moved out on my own. Now it's time for Rebecca to learn. I remember so many Christmas's when I cut the cherries in half while mom would mix all the other ingredients together as carols played in the background. She had to keep a close eye on me though, because when she wasn't looking I would eat a cherry or two or three.

Meggie

Here's Meggie! She didn't mind having her picture taken at all and was quite gracious about it. I think she and I will get along just fine.

Above images are of earrings that I spent my morning making. By the time I had finished making and tumbling them it was late afternoon and the light was not the best for photos. The earrings have to be packaged up tonight and sent off to their new owners tomorrow morning.

Meggie, the cockatiel, is adjusting very well. I put a mirror in her cage and she spends the day staring at herself. She seems quite content and she doesn't freak out anymore when I stick my finger through the bars of her cage. When I'm working in my studio I like to put a dvd in my laptop and listen to movies while I work. Today I put on The Mists of Avalon and Meggie quietly stared at the screen while it played. In a few days I'll let her out of the cage for a while so she can stretch her wings. She's so cool!

I created these spiral earrings using steel wire that I filed, hammered and tumbled polished to a beautiful shine. They are available for sale in my Etsy shop.

I brought home the latest addition to my pet family today -- Meggie the cockatiel. She is a little stressed out about the move but I think she will adjust just fine as she gets used to me. I'm looking forward to having company in my studio and I love the sounds that she makes. Tomorrow I will post some photos of her...she is really quite cute and I love her already.

Ickles has made himself right at home in the middle of the garland I was about to hang.

Dangling from these little polished steel hoops are light sapphire celsian Czech fire polished drops.

I'm not getting much studio time lately. I'm way too busy with other things in my life. Hopefully, on the weekend, I can get out there for a couple of hours. I have to make some more earrings for Johnny Ruth for next week and I have some custom orders to complete. I long for the quiet of my little studio, though it won't be quiet for long...I'm getting a cockatiel to keep me company while I'm working. Her name is Meggy and she's eight years old and she's moving into my studio on Sunday. I'm so excited!

I'm almost done decorating for Christmas. I put the lights up today and most of the decorations. As soon as the tree lots open I'll get my tree. My shopping isn't done yet but it never is this early.

Ruby/bronze Czech fire polished rosebuds hang from a spiral hoop made from steel wire.

I didn't wear my berry red earrings to the Christmas parade yesterday nor my Santa hat. Thinking that the parade started at 2:oopm, like it usually does, I was happily drinking coffee and watching tv oblivious to everything that was going on around me. I took a lovely hot shower and started to get ready, taking my sweet time of course. Then I got a call from my sister saying that the parade started at 1:00pm this year and not 2:00. It being 1:15 I went into panic mode and barely had time to dry my hair let alone dig through the Christmas decorations for my Santa hat. Sheesh! I did manage to get downtown, find a parking spot and meet my sisters before the parade got to where we were waiting.

Beautiful berry red beads surrounded by steel wire that has been polished to a lovely shine. I love these oh so simple earrings. I will be wearing them to the Christmas parade on Sunday... they match my Santa hat just perfectly.

Soap and Earrings

Some milk and honey soap I made using the hot processed method and a pair of earrings.

The above necklace I made using a gorgeous teardrop shaped crystal from a chandelier that I found in my favorite second hand shop. It had many of these beauties dangling from it as well as some small ones that I use to make earrings. It's hanging from a strand of creamy pearls that I wrapped with steel wire. I wear this piece of jewelry all the time and I'm thinking it will look lovely against something red during Christmas.

Day Dream

Day Dream

Mixed media

Forgotten

"Forgotten"

Mixed media

Before painting this house using ivory black watercolor, I created layers of color and texture using gesso, paint and tape. As well, I used splatters of alcohol and paint and I scratched into the paper with a blade.

I cropped the painting to create a better composition and to cover up the part I didn't like. :)

This painting, and others by six local artists, can be viewed at Coffee Matters on Water Street until the 20th of November.

A sketch of my son, John, when I first started drawing faces in 2001. He's all grown up now.

Old Drawing!

This is an image of a self portrait I did a few years ago. I have no idea what is up with the left ear. It looks like I didn't bother finishing it.

I've been very busy with jewelry and art making. I'm happy to say that my jewelry is selling very well. Also, me and five other artists are having our paintings displayed in a local coffee shop from the 17th to the 21st of November with a reception on the 16th so I created new pieces for that. It's all so exciting! Over the next few days I will post some images of my new work.

This year I'm determined to to finish a painting for our Christmas card. I say I'm going to do this every year but I never do. I have the drawing completed and next I will stretch the watercolor paper. The rest should be easy. I'm going to do a snowy winter scene with one of my favorite houses.

New Art Work

"Long Night"

Mixed media

The Color Of Autumn

New earrings available in my Etsy shop.

New Earrings

New earrings now available in my Etsy shop.

This is Simon, the stray cat that moved in with us last year. He loves living in the house and has formed a very close bond with John.

This is Ickles, the newest addition to our feline family. He followed my daughter home about three months ago. No one has claimed him as theirs so we have decided to keep him. He's the sweetest cat ever and we love him. He loves to climb trees and sometimes gets stuck. I have to talk him down.

Ickles enjoying the sun.

A very cool window that I saw while exploring the Newman Wine Vaults

Ickles asleep on the fridge.

Some more park and earring photos.