Of Poetry, Ideas, and Talismans

Poem 2 

He’d finally found his freedom

but he wasn’t really free

He watched her walk away

and said it was meant to be

The years had slowly passed

but his heart, it grew heavy

knowing how he’d wounded

his true love, his one and only.

He’d plunged the dagger in her chest

twisting it so slowly.

He knew the pain he had caused

still, he blamed her for it solely.

~~ Dana  2016

I’m thinking this is turning into an epic rather than sister poems, I feel there’s still a bit more of the story to write. Or maybe an entire collection, who knows. Definitely been a good outlet for me lately though. The inspiration could evolve into a series of dagger jewelry or hearts, oh or both. hmmm may have to play with this idea a bit more. We’ll see how it  evolves.

This weeks Year of Jewelry piece is a talisman for myself A simple stack of gemstones from top to bottom Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Garnet and Labradorite. There are a number of books and websites that list the mystic and or healing qualities of the various gemstones. I used to have several of those book marked but a couple crashes and a couple computers later I’ve lost more bookmarked sites than I can remember. So when Pearl over at the Beading Gem posted this particular website   I thought I’d  take advantage  while I  was thinking of it and chose my stones for my talisman.

talisman |ˈtaləsmənˈtalizmən|

noun (pl. talismans)

an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck.

If you remember my goals and aspirations for the year you already understand my choices. Strengthening those good things in my life. and making a pretty little something for myself at the same time :)

Moonstone- Divine, Harmony And Feminine

Moonstone is an excellent stone to use in meditation to understand oneself. Moonstone supports the heart as it stimulates the mind, soothing worry or anxiety, and bringing out the best in people. Its loving energy promotes the Divine in all situations. It helps to strengthen intuition brings balance and harmony. It soothes stress, anxiety, women's hormones it enhances intuitive sensitivity via feelings and less overwhelmed by personal feelings. Greater flexibility and flow with life It reminds us of our own worth and divinity. It invokes sensuality and gentle passion. It enhances and makes aware the power of the Divine feminine.

Quartz- Amplification, Clearing, Cleansing, Healing, Power, Energy

Clear Quartz stones are one of the most versatile stones in the mineral realm. It easily enhances any intention focused through it. It also amplifies the energetic properties of any stones it is used with. Different formations of quartz have other associated properties: Ancient Japanese believed quartz formed from the breath of a white dragon, and regarded it as representing perfection. Quartz is a power stone. It has been called the "Universal Crystal" because of its many uses. It enhances energy by absorbing, storing, amplifying, balancing, focusing and transmitting. It channels universal energy. Quartz also enhances thoughts, as they are a form of energy. Because it directs and amplifies energy, it is extremely beneficial for manifesting, healing, meditation and protection.. Due to its ability to balance, quartz is excellent for harmonizing and balancing one's environment. Quartz is also good for energizing other crystals. Quartz is also a stone of clarity, which dispels negativity and clears away negative energy. It can be used to purify and clarify on the spiritual, mental, and physical planes. It is powerfully protective because of these properties. Quartz enhances spiritual growth, spirituality and wisdom. Because it clarifies thought processes and emotions, it can increase inspiration and creativity. It can also help particularly with concentration, studying, and retaining what one learns. Quartz is also a stone of harmony because it balances energies, and is even helpful in romantic relationships.

Rose Quartz -Unconditional Love, Friendship and Self- Worth

Rose quartz is a beautiful translucent pink stone that radiates the energy of unconditional love. It is the best crystal for healing anxiety because it replaces worries and fears and brings in feelings of calmness and reassurance. Rose quartz is often called the "Love Stone." Its energetic hallmark is that of unconditional love that opens the heart chakra. This makes rose quartz a stone for every type of love: self-love, family, platonic, romantic, and unconditional. As a variety of quartz, rose quartz has high energy, and this strong energy can enhance love in virtually any situation. Rose quartz is used to raise self-esteem and a strong sense of self-worth. Its loving energies teach us to apply this love to ourselves and thereby find ourselves more worthy. Emotionally, rose quartz is used to balance emotions and bring peace and calm. This calm emotional balance brings stress relief and easing of anxiety.  All these things carry energies of forgiveness, tolerance, and compassion to the fore, enabling us to see the good in both others and ourselves.     

Garnet- “Stone Of Health And Passionate Devotion” - Love, Emotional Harmony, Vitality And Passion

The stone of passionate devotion: to your family, your friends, yourself, and your own purpose in life. Attracts profound love, gives persistence, cures depression. The Garnet is a stone of purity and truth as well as a symbol of love and compassion.

Garnet is a powerful energizing and regenerative stone. It balances, strengthens and protects. Garnet sharpens your perceptions of yourself and other people. It dissolves ingrained behavior patterns that are no longer serving you, and helps you let go of obsolete ideas. Garnet removes inhibitions and taboos, opening up the heart and bestowing self-confidence. It revitalizes feelings and enhances sexuality, bringing warmth, devotion, understanding, trust, sincerity and honesty to a relationship.  Red Garnet controls anger, especially toward the self.

Labradorite-  “Bringer Of Light”, Protective And Positive

Labradorite is the most powerful protector of the mineral kingdom, creating a shielding force throughout the aura and strengthening natural energies from within. According to an Eskimo legend, the Northern Lights were once imprisoned in the rocks along the coast of Labrador. It is told that a wandering Eskimo warrior found them and was able to free most of the lights with a mighty blow of his spear. Some of the lights were still trapped within the stone, and thus we have today the beautiful mineral known as labradorite.  Labradorite is said to provide quick relief from anxiety, hopelessness and depression, replacing them with enthusiasm, self-confidence and inspiration. It is said to dispel negativity and to bring clear understanding by enhancing clarity of thought and improving one's ability to cooperate with others in harmony. Labradorite stimulates intuition, especially the art of “right-timing”. 

What stones would you use if you could choose in a talisman for yourself? Let me know in the comments

Thanks for stopping by!!

Come on Hitch Your Wagon up, I Know I Have

Wow! Posting early for the hop made me think I missed last week! I was scrambling to pull together this post lol I have pretty much loaded my wagon and you know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun!  and boy, Time sure got away from me.

It’s end of year so I have books and reports and paperwork to do for the bread and butter business. It’s beginning of year so I have goals and projections to get mapped out for both bread and butter and Wind Dancer. My component pricing/inventory needs to be keyed in again, I thought I had it backed up but apparently it was on the still need to do it list when the iMac died and I’ve been putting it off and looking up replacement costs instead. I finally got one of my cabinets in my studio and the shelves installed on the wall and the built ins in my closet put in….. no wonder I’ve been so exhausted! I’ve moved two rooms, twice in the last couple weeks and I’m not done! whew! Oh! and I think I have finally found the Dentist I’m going to keep. This wonderful guy fixed in minutes what the last two never could and my mouth no longer hurts. Good thing because it looks like I’ve got a bit more work to be done in the future, sigh.

More good news….

I joined the Artisan Group and have been giving my shop/FB/twitter/etc a facelift in advance of picking up some nicer business cards. The ones I have aren’t bad but if I’m going to put them in the hands of stylists or celebrities, I’d like a heavier card stock and some gloss.

I also joined the Year of Jewelry project. A piece a week for an entire year. It isn’t completely necessary to follow the suggested themes, so if I already have something going or a custom that’ll work just fine as my weekly offering. I think it’s going to be fun. I want to work on my piercing skills and this will allow me to do that while also honing other skills at the same time. Your creativity spikes when you’re working creatively, it just kind of feeds on itself. I’ve always liked that, you’ve probably figured that out if you've been reading my blog for any length of time. It’s also the reason I have so many sketches on envelope corners and backs of receipts! And the reason I have post its and sketchbooks all over the place. Speaking of sketches I still have several (or more) from my 25 sketches series that I know will find their way into light during my YOJ. I know this to be true, as Week number two has already done just that.

…….. and I've joined a triple hop/challenge. As you all know I make mostly one of pieces and do a decent amount of custom work. You’ve heard me soul search my pricing and marketing all while comparing apples to oranges when it comes to production work. I have hoops and crosses that serve as production pieces in my shop but not a comprehensive line. This challenge and the corresponding hops will remedy that. This also goes hand in hand with having joined the Artisan group as a cohesive line is a more professional look than a shop full of one ofs, even if they are all my favorites.

The first B’Sue Build a Line hop date is set for the 23rd so be sure to come back around to see what we’ve got going on! In the mean time here’s week two from Year of Jewelry and the sketch it was born from.

Rose Quartz, Garnet, & Gold Filigree Earrings

These are so pretty in person the combo of Rose Quartz and Garnets is just perfect with gold.

Thanks for stoppin by!
We’ll see you next time, kids are back to college this week house is going to be really quiet.

Garnets and Orchids

I had in mind for this blog post something along the lines of resolutions for the coming year, you know try some new moves, try some new foods, drink more tea, shop more Etsy. But I already told you how I planned to use my sketches so a resolution post seems kind of redundant.

I don’t have anything On the Desk at the moment as I’ve been cleaning up the studio/office while I wait for my cabinets to get painted. Alex promised to paint a pair of cabinets we have sitting in the basement for me as part of my Christmas present! I saw a pin on Pinterest awhile back that had this wonderful work area of cabinetry and shelving and I’m going to put together a similar system using what I have - 2 x 12’s and cinder blocks for shelving plus the cabinets. The hubs doesn’t like my idea, I say he can fine tune later, I need something NOW.

For Christmas, I bought my hubs some tools he had been wanting but for some reason or other wouldn’t buy, which seemed to give him the to ok to buy some more tools he needed but never bought. As a result, I’m finally getting my pantry!! YEA!! I am sooo looking forward to that!

So have I done ANYTHING at all jewelry related? Sure I have. I’ve created a new banner for my FB page and rebel mouse. And I’ve been playing with color in a couple treasuries.

Pantone’s color of the year is Radiant Orchid, so I pulled together a few shades of orchid.

and January’s birthstone is Garnet. So I pulled together a treasury filled with Garnet reds.

I really enjoyed the birthstone treasury and am considering making it a regular thing - I could play on that theme a little on FB too. I do need to utilize the page a little differently than I have been. With all the changes being made, I’m down to a handful of views per post. I’m hearing crickets, and if that’s the new norm then the least I can do is try to orchestrate them and turn them into a symphony. Ok no more punnys, I just couldn’t resist {grins}

It’s sleeting again, so I’d better get out there and feed the horse before it gets icy. I’ve only just gotten healed up from the fall I took last ice storm. sigh…..
Since it seems appropriate here, I'll leave you with a couple Garnet pieces from my shop.

Thanks for stoppin’ by! Stay warm out there!!
See ya!

The Creative Process

I had in my head the perfect post to introduce a series of posts on my creative process.
Can I remember word one of what I wanted to write? Noooo The bread and butter business interrupted my writing with end of year paperwork and insurance and banking and life as we all know it! My perfect introductory post .... is toast!

Ah well, I do remember it had to do with these earrings. They've been on my to do list for the lifetime of my blog to date so I thought they would be really fitting to show off since you've been reading about my needing to make them for so long :)

Every now and again I'll start an awesome project and for various reasons it gets put aside - sometimes for much longer than intended - oops These earrings are the perfect example of that lol

A friend of mine really liked these Sterling silver filigree earrings but the drop is a Swiss Blue Topaz and her birthstone is Golden Topaz.


So I hunted down some Golden Topaz and started the frames, set them aside to wait for the Topaz to arrive and in the meantime........I'll just play with these little cuties over here....... Several pieces later I picked those frames up again to work on them when I realized I didn't have enough 2mm silver beads left to make the earrings and I had JUST placed an order, so put them aside again.

Two orders later I got those silver beads and gathered all the components to make the earrings and, well, I just wasn't in the mood. I had all these other ideas demanding attention and other things I HAD to do, so they sat, and sat, and sat. Until a few days ago when I picked them up again and felt really guilty that an entire year had passed......... So here they are One year and Three months in the making :)

Now thankfully not all of my pieces take so long to make, but it can seem that way when description writing faces that same time dilemma LoL or when it takes two days to write one description because the words just aren't coming even after playing the word association game which is really how I should write my tags!

The Update for the To Do List :) is a little shorter this week!

The talisman got a leather cord instead of chain, that chain ended up a tassel hanging from a Danish love knot at the bottom :) the whole thing took on a very oriental feel and I'm very happy with it. Not bad for I think I'm feeling better, lets try to bend some wire! Needs a description and price, maybe one more pic

Replica of my fav necklace is done - needs pics

Egyptian talisman finally has pics, and a description and finally got listed :) Took me two days to write this lol

Peacock is assembled and waiting for a couple more inches of chain :D yay!

Pulled together all the components to start the valentine earrings -- and a simple pendant not matching just got the idea a few minutes ago lol

Color of the week is yellow and grey - don't have much for yellow but I may try some Hessonite Garnet with some oxidized silver and design it for the simply adorned collection.

Still have a couple descriptions to write - everytime I write one I make another - so I think this is more like laundry - it's NEVER ending lol

oooh just realized the desk is getting cleared of UFO's again time to sketch out a design for the Aventurine Donut I won at Christmas from the Jewelry Connection oh and get to those earrings I sketched out for the Flourite I won on the forum! Oooh fun fun! Jewelry Lessons is also doing monthly challenges now maybe I can play at a charm bracelet for that along the way as well. Time to get busy!

Til next time!

It's Better HandMade - Color Me Friday - Red!

With my photos, bio and inspirational blurb turned in for the Beads n Blessings contest, I had time to check in on the color of the week for It's Better Handmade- and Red it is! The first piece I thought of - hasn't been listed yet- oops! Better get busy on those photos and descriptions!! So I submitted one of my other favorite pieces.

Knowing my love of filigree and iron work, my dear friend Mollie of Rough Magic Creations issued a challenge to me.
She showed me this photo by Cat Ludwig Studio of Etsy
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16340338
and challenged me to make a piece of filigree from it. After many hours of design and redesign in the sketchbook, this pendant is the result of that challenge. The wire wrapped filigree pendant measures just one inch in diameter, with four 4mm Garnets in the center. Hanging from my hand crafted chain, with a hand forged clasp, the total length is 17 inches long.

One of the things I have noticed (I may have forgot to submit one of my pieces last week, Diana found one she liked and submitted it) is I really need to crop my photos a little tighter for those thumbnail shots. While the picture looks good as a whole, the jewelry disappears when it gets squished down to the itty bitty size. ack! I think I actually like the cropped photo better too. You can see the original in my listing here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/39278126/copper-and-garnet-filigree-pendant

I think I have some work to do in my studio - and editing of listings! Then while I'm there editing maybe I can actually get around to listing some of my newer pieces.

Til next time! Dana