Veteran's Day

To all veterans, thank you for all that you risk to keep us safe.

Many men in my family served in the military, but today I want to thank Dad, who served at Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 1943-1945. He was injured in training, tearing the arches of his feet landing badly after a jump (YIKES - OUCH), so he never went overseas to fight. Instead, he acted as a morale-booster as a sergeant, performing and arranging entertainment for the camp. He was very disappointed to have not been able to go overseas to entertain the troops, and greatly resented that his commanding officer prevented him when the chance arrived. He wrote for the camp paper, the Observation Post, and also conducted High Holiday Services for other Jewish soldiers. He contributed to the War from training camp, and afterward took advantage of the G.I. Bill to study at the American Theatre Wing.

Dad, you made the lives of the men at Fort Bragg easier via your musical and entertainment skills, and I salute you on this day!

October Sale!

I just love October, and am so relieved that cooler weather is here at last, so I am having a sale to clear out my shops - all of them on Artfire and Etsy.

15% off on everything! The Coupon Code is OCTOBERSALE11, so if you want your discount, enter it at checkout. Don't forget that part!

You can get a head start on your holiday shopping....just look to the left for links to my shops. :)

Thank You, Steve Jobs

I bought my first Apple computer in 1999, a Bondi Blue G3 desktop - what a beauty it was. It had a matching blue keyboard and tower, and I was so proud and happy to have it. It was my first computer, ever, and while there was a learning curve, I enjoyed it and have been a Mac girl ever since. I'm on my third mac now, a 24" iMac, and have a backup laptop, iPod classic, and an iPad for travel. Next year, when my Droid contract is up, I'll have an iPhone as well. My mac is my business partner in every sense, and without Steve, my life would be very different. He changed everything.

56 is way too young to die, and it looked as if he suffered for much of his medical journey. Steve Jobs lived an exciting and some might say, full life, in his 56 years - he created a revolution in technology, married, and was a father, but he deserved, as do all of us, to reach four score and ten. I wish that you could have beaten this terrible disease, Steve Jobs. I will miss you, and Apple and the world will never be the same without you.

I don't know who to credit for the portrait photo, for which I thank the New York City Apple resource, Tekserve, who has bailed me out of a difficulty more than once. Check them out here.

My pictures of the shrine outside the Fifth Avenue Apple Store, 10/6/11 are here.

Happy Autumn!

Sorry I have been AWOL from my blog, but it has been a very busy time with a little too much Real Life lately. The weather around these parts has been a bit cooler, and as tomorrow is *officially* the First Day of Fall for 2011, I am celebrating by posting some pictures of some pieces from my shop that celebrate my favorite season. Subtle, eh?








There are more fall orange lovelies available at my shops on Artfire and Etsy. in my neighborhood, the trees are still quite green - it's awhile before they will turn, but I will share some pictures of how it usually looks here in October and November, taken over the years.

New Scarab Necklaces

I've had these for ages, and took advantage of yesterday's steady rainy weather to stay inside and make some necklaces. I should try some earrings, though they may be too heavy.

Each necklace is usually different, depending on what chain and coordinating beads I have on hand. I love those tiny teal iridescent glass rondelles and hand-wrapped a rosary style chain for that necklace.

The bright blue is a new color variation that one of my suppliers had in stock. It doesn't have the vitrail finish, but its iridescence, hard to capture in pictures, is so mystical! I am also working on a few more - a new ultramarine blue with a different filigree, which isn't quite ready yet.

These blue beauties will all be in the shop very soon, keeping the others company!

Sea and Sky

It's raining heavily today after thunderstorms last evening, so I thought I'd post some new pretties that evoke the elements of summer. I bought these wonderful lampwork beads last year but only recently found the beautiful enameled Vintaj clasps. I have been looking for unusual clasps and these, which I have in yummy colors and will use on future bracelets, are a focal element on their own.

Head over to the shops on Etsy and Artfire to check them out!

Stripes for Summer

New as of tomorrow in the shop - smooth, striped synthetic calsilica and glass bead baubles. Stripes are so cheerful and perfect for summer, and when I saw these last year at a bead show, I had to have them, even though I am a bit late as far as putting them together for the summer. But it's still July, and there is plenty of summer left!

Shown: Necklace, bracelet and 2 pairs of earrings.

Batman Returns!

I have spent the last 2 week going through my supplies, cleaning up the studio and re-organizing, and lo and behold, found some more of the rare vintage Batman DC Comics charms that I scored a couple of years ago. They are very popular and I'm happy to be able to feature them again, on wonderful long oxidized sterling silver ear wires, which complement them so well.

I spent yesterday in air-conditioned comfort, thankfully, and made some new jewelry, at last. Stay tuned and I'll preview them here.

I hope that everyone is being careful in this dangerous hot weather.

Happy Birthday, Dad

Dad would have been 95 years old today - what an amazing thought! He very much wanted to make it to 94 - his father's age when he died, but he came close - he was 93 and a half.

Missing you every day, Dad, and thinking of you today and how we would be celebrating if we were still all together. A lot has changed since you left us, but you are lovingly remembered and cherished, and I hope that you will be listening when I read your card to you in a little while.

The picture was taken in the Bronx Botanical Gardens in the late 1960s.

Honoring Severus Snape!

Just in time for the last film (for now), I finally got down to making some Severus Snape worship lockets. Who doesn't love Alan Rickman, and his peerless portrayal of the beloved/hated Potions Master from Potter-land?



I love this full costume shot from Warner Bros. (above) I'm sure that there are some interesting details in this ensemble (and its variations) that are between the actor and the three costume designers who have dressed him over the years: Judianna Makovsky, Lindy Hemming, and Jany Temime. I would love to know what Snape wears when he's not "working"...wouldn't you? We did see him at home in "The Half-Blood Prince", but sadly, he was in his school attire. That particular set by Stuart Craig was wonderful - I found this still from Fanpop that is a rehearsal shot. I would love to know the titles of some of thos ebooks that are not magic-related, and get a good look at the art he had on his walls and the furniture and linens. A lot of detail was lavished on a set that didn't get much screen time - I hate it when that happens!





Finally made the time to work on the graphics (the most time-consuming aspect of these kinds of pieces) and have begun listing them at Etsy, then will follow at Artfire. I have seven, plus a new "Twilight" locket, and will get them in the shop by tomorrow. It was a busy day here today. The Snape and Lily necklaces are very limited, and one id definitely OOAK.











Not Snape-oriented, but one to commemorate the last book and film.