The Muse's Slap!

Soooo.
Just when I thought I would just give up assemblage, the Muse had other plans...
She smacked me silly and was like "I curse you to use all the beads you have amassed over the past 3 yrs! Thou shalt not let them sit and waste away!"
So here I am doing crazy assemblage...not only just vintage, but putting my spin with my new acquire enamels skillz and other blah blahs...that I just don't wanna be talkin' about right now...

The Dreamer

So the links won't work for a while cauze I haven't listed any of this just yet, I just put my shop as a link for now...I just figured you'd want to know what I've been up to and be the first to know....

Do you remember those trims I bought back in August that I mentioned in my last post eons ago? Yep those are the exact ones...I told you I was gonna cut up a pair...so I just did pair them with this salvaged feathers...

Sparrow Tale

And then I also decided to use another pair of feathers in this handsome couple too... I put some of my enamels pins that are transparent rose, but you can't see too well in the pictures because I go crazy with effects and stuff... but o well...also you can't see those charms that I've made either...sort of see them with fine wax, glitter and iridescence and fine resin...I made those copper things yeah... more pics on Etsy, so you can see them better...they're like a silverish white, kinda hard to put in words.

Ok, I got a little tired and I don't know if these are the best pictures I can get out of these...

The next are better cause they're the first ones I actually worked on...

Huntress

and also I've been playing with Photoshop and old props a hekk of a lot more...I know it's not all perfect, but you get the point... B&W...I think I'm diggin' these sepia tones more.... I hope you dig 'em too...

So, those beads you see, they are from GreyBird studio on Etsy...I don't have a whole lot from her shop, because if you haven't noticed, she doesn't make beads that much anymore and her jewelry has skyrocketed in price and so have her occasional beads...like OMG wow! Good for her! I feel like my prices could be a little higher...the making, the photographing, the editing...holy crap! So much effort...and since I wanna paint too, it's hard to find the time to do it all!

Fireflies

Seriously though, I see so many artisans on Etsy with these gorgeous pictures, gorgeous items...it's like perfection!...and they they have like 6 kids! But HOW???  I just feel accomplished if I can produced half of what they make...I feel like I'm either constantly at the bench, the craft table, in front of a canvas or doing P90X3  ( on day 5 - yeah, my ass has gotten too big, so I have to work out this year...resolutions anyone...more like get yo' ass up and do it!)  Anywho...these have citrines and some awesome beads from Naos Glass...they are just spectacular...camera can't quite catch 'em...

Blood of the Ancients

Ok, maybe I do watch some shows...namely iZombie and now Banshee is a new one I watch...still watching Angel and Buffy, cauze for reasons I couldn't watch 'em when they came out...and now they're on Netflix! Friggin' Netflix...I blame you for loosing track of my evenings!

No seriously peeps, I've been winding down though, now that Downton Abbey is gone...there's a new show coming out...Shannara...Fantasy, Druids, elven supermodels...I feel trouble coming...

Oh, where was I?  Blood of the Ancients...all I gotta say, I've been watching too much vampire stuff and reading Anne Rice again...so you get it...those enamel micro cups are mine and yeah, they have mica, Ragged Robyn's and BHClaysmith's masterworks and some bells, cause I want jingles...

All right, I virtually talk too much...will work at keeping these entries shorter...

and if you're reading, thanks, I'm exhausted...gonna go work on that painting...

Hello from another galaxy...

Gosh! It really has been a while, hasn't it?
What has happened in the past two months?  A whole lot...I feel like I live in another galaxy lately O_o
I have some bad news unfortunately and some good ones, so let's get the bad ones out of the way...

My 23 year old cousin died suddenly in a car wreck.  It has been devastating for the whole family, and it has brought us closer together in a way.   It never quite hit me as hard before...I had friends die, I had other family members pass away, but...He was just too young...
I still remember him being 5, that is the picture I have of him in my mind, and his life passed me by, because I didn't see him around much these days.  I suppose it is normal...we grow up, we all go our separate ways and yet this was a warning.
Yes, a warning, to really appreciate what we have on this Earth, from the small flower in front of our house, to our husbands, parents, siblings, daughters, sons, uncles, aunts, cousins , friends, cats, dogs, pythons...  
I don't have any grandparents anymore, they have departed as well and I miss them everyday, with my cousin as well, I still miss even my mom's friend that used to make me smile when I was 4 years old and that passed away over 30 years ago from cancer...yes, that feeling never ever goes away.

Times like these are a curse and a blessing at the same time, for we find closeness in darkness and never ever have I cherished my family as much as now, I don't want this feeling to ever ever go away,  as it also has brought me to the conclusion that the only thing I can really do is live my life at its fullest...for all that have passed, for Blake, who did not get the chance to experience all that I have experienced...This life is a gift, and it is precious and I thank God for giving me a chance to live it.

Now with the good  news - I have some new work!  I'm sure you've seen it if you've visited me on Etsy...well it's bangles, and I think they are awesome, I love making them, especially when I need to give my mind a rest...

Earthen Treaures

 So also you may have noticed the whole month of July, I was well...not there, because I wasn't here, meaning I went to visit my dad and my family in Italy.  It's always so good to see them.  My aunts, uncle and cousins are awesome and my dad is the sweetest being on the planet.

Purple Haze

I've also been picking up pencils and sketching peeps again, as I'm reviewing human anatomy, learning some animal anatomy and taking an oil painting course on line... I just finished the sketch for my first painting which I hope to transfer and so a first layer tomorrow...it all depends....

UnTeal the End

I would like to have a website with some of my Art running by the end of the year, but I'm not sure I can quite get there... I have been listing most of my antiques on Etsy, a TON of them...I actually decided to take a break from it the past couple of days...

So today I went thrifting instead, in search of something interesting...I wanted to find textiles, but all I could find were these doilies and antique beaded trims (I'm gonna keep one and break it apart and list the other two) and this comb with a silvered neato case that I've already opened to cut up...

I've been playing with resin and cold enamels (those are surprises I'm finishing up so no peeking!)...here's a little thing I'm doing...I found this Japanes Shogi screen paper a while back and I've decided to resin coat it and then put some of those glass beach pieces I got for the Fanciful Devices tutorial Starry Shards.  I'm done with some of those too...I'll show a picture later and possible sell some in my Supplies Shop . I think I'm gonna have to foil em or something later cause they are so transparent, I need more dramatic effects... I'll play with them tomorrow as they are still drying - yes it takes forever.

So moral of the story, I got charged to live my life more productively and I decided, I don't care what I do...jewelry, Art...why just not both?  I like both of them, I just switch as I please...why not? It keeps me on my toes.

Ok, it's 2 am...time to wrap up...btw if you wanna see an awesome show, watch "The Returned" on Netflix...it's a slow burn, but it's so....French and awesome! FYI...it's a little creepy, but good!

LOVE EVERYONE YOU CARE FOR DEEPLY!

and well, now some puppies, just cause...  happy puppies, curious puppies, crazy puppies, spinning puppies... O_o I like puppies ok?