Adorable

Just had to show you this too adorable for words kitten

Who I found on Kath's wonderful blog Hillside House...

It took me a bit to work out how to do this link as I have never posted anything moving....

I have been following Kath for quite a while now and what a treat it is to read about her wonderful life in a house she and her husband have been working on for awhile now in the beautiful town of Glastonbury, England ... A place that upon reading about, seems too magical to be real.

Kath has been one of those blog friends that are on my list of ladies I'd love to meet...
She shares her love of her town...her crafts and cooking...her dogs...It's a storybook read and she never fails to lift my spirits.

Pop by and enjoy the magic and soon, like me, Glastonbury will be on your bucket list of places you want to visit.

Happy Etsy anniversary

It was two years ago that I offically moved into my Etsy store.

I was so new on the computer,  I didn’t know what  to do or how to do it.

I managed to open it but it remained untouched for a full year...

it just scared the bjeezus out of me, so there it sat.

Then finally I got the courage to take a picture of something and post it on the site.

This is the first thing I posted.

Later that night I got an email saying “Notification of Payment Received”

I started screaming to my husband, now what the heck is this!!  I don’t owe anyone any money?

So  I looked at the email and couldn’t believe my eyes, someone had bought that dang shoe clip...

The very first day.   

Well I went full steam ahead then, and started to take pics of everything I had that I was ready to sell.

and I sold, and sold and sold...I got a very good start and that was before I knew anything about activity feeds or convos or anything....I just had the goods....and great prices...I didn’t know how to ship, pack, anything ....I never even bought anything on Etsy.

So I sold my vintage stuff and did well...but then I wanted to make something.

 I thought I’d try and make some jewelry.

I never made much before and certainly never had the guts to try and sell it.

So I took pictures and listed my little earrings....but they didn’t sell and hardly anyone looked them.

But I carried on anyway.  

and in those early days I did get some encouragement...

one person was the dear sweet Lady of the Hills, Naomi...

who bought some of those early earrings and from that gave me

a boost of confidence...

 I just kept at it...

I don’t even know why...I must have gone through about 2000 of those bright

finished brass head pins...

I then I took them apart and then put them back together some other way.

I didn’t know what I was doing, more importantly why...but then finally I realized there doesn’t have to be a why...just do something for the sake of doing it.  The credit here really lies with Mr. Beatnheart as this is the way he has always lived his life...do for the sake of doing...I always felt there had to be some reason ie. make money...but finally it didn’t mean anything, I was doing it because I wanted to, and I wanted to get better at it and I wanted it to be something meaningful to me...

and so here I am now...

and things are going good...

and I’m still at it and still learning and learning something new everyday...

sometimes what I learn is sit back and wait...don’t push things...

let them develop...cleaning my work bench is working too.

I must have made a thousand of these by now...

they are all over the world.

So I celebrate that I made it this far and kept at it and now I know why I did,

because it has changed me in so many ways...I am so much better for it...

and the friends I have made on Etsy have blown my mind because they are the coolest chicks on the planet.

Saturday’s Public Practice...and how it went.

Well...it went fantastic...what a day.

 I was nervous/excited because I didn’t know what to expect.

Of course, the freeway was jammed and I got tense about being late,  but Mr. B said he’d drop me off at the location and then he would go and park.


  I got to the sign-up table just as the Cathedral bell chimed three times...

This was my first location...right in the center of the lawn at newly built Grand Park, with City Hall looming in the background...absolutely brilliant location and a beautiful slightly overcast day.

Some of my friends came along

which sure did add to the fun factor.

 the city skyline.

That’s Mr. B with the camera, and Matt and Tina.

After I practiced for 45 minutes,  I was moved to a another location

on the second tier of the park, in the Flag Garden. This time I was left alone, as my companions walked around to look at the rest of the park and the other musicans.

This chick got a pretty cool location.

My alloted practice time was up at 5pm so I had time to look around...

I didn’t get too far...

I saw this cello player in my old location.

I went up to him and watched, looked at what he was playing and it was an Irish Jig...

Well it looked kinda easy to me, so I said, wanna jam?  I knew now that the rules were pretty lenient,

so I thought why not....and boy oh boy am I glad I did cause it was big fun...

The kid and I just jammed that jig...he was happy cause he said he never played it that fast or all the way through...we kinda fell in love, but don’t tell his ma.

I read a little music but not much.  When playing the uke, I just follow chord diagrams, not notes.

This sheet music had the chords and I knew the song, so it was something I could do.

Well I never even held a cello, so he let me hold it and I tried to play...

man oh man is it hard...He said he’s been playing for five years and

it’s still really hard to play.

 He played the uke too...what a cool kid.

A high point of my life and I am so glad I did it.  I practied just like I was suppose too...I chatted with my friends, but practiced as well, and made mistakes, and swore outloud, just as I do at home when I practice. 

  And I learned that it is not the destination, it’s the journey...that the hours of practice do end up meaning something...as uneventful as it may seem at the time.   That the time you spend gets you to where you want to go but you’ll never really get there cause there is always more to learn and you always can get better and I need and want to be better....and that is just one of the reasons I love music so and why it is so meaningful  too me...

  And I learned the importance of stepping up and moving beyond your comfort zone and putting yourself out there...

On Tuesday night, all the participants are invited to a private party with dinner and a jam session at The Dorothy Chandler Pavillion, right there in the fabulous Music Center....

I hope the kid is there.

sometimes, I Love LA.

A Crazy Birdy Day...the update.

Well another day full of bird activity in the garden...

This sweet little chap crashed into our window with a thud...

He didn’t seem to hit it very hard and I saw him fly away, but then when I went

out there, there he was sitting on our outdoor settee.

So of course I had to rush into action and save the little bugger...

and  take some photos of him to add to my collection of

ever growing bird rescue pictures.

(please do not take notice of my jewelers hands and dirty fingernails)

This little beauty did not want to leave my hand and just clung

onto to me...I had to practically pull him off of me and

put him in our “safe zone”...high up on one of my husband’s sculptures.

He was in there for awhile...

I thought, oh no, he’s a goner...

but when I went near him, he looked at me and off he went....

and then this happened!!

all in the course of an hour!!!

The brand new baby mockingbird fell outta da nest!

no feathers on his little wings...lookit him!!

 I called Mr. Beatnheart at his shop in LA ....

“come home” I cried!

he said “I can’t...I have too much work”

I said " come home!"

Right now he's on his way...25 miles on the 405 freeway at rush hour...

The parent birds are frantic and chirping and tweetin

away out there...I am watching baby...we will try to put him

back in the nest...but it’s kinda high...

oh dear.

THE UPDATE

MR. B CAME HOME, PULLED OUT THE BIG EXTENSION LADDER,

CLIMBED UP TO THE NEST, CAREFULLY PLACED THE BABY IN

THERE, AND WITHIN A SHORT  TIME THE PARENTS WERE BACK IN

THERE,  FEEDING AND REJOICING...

ALL IS WELL ...

HOPE I CAN GET SOME WORK DONE TODAY...

Public Practice in downtown Los Angeles

I have been selected to particpate in The Music Center Public Practice, as part of the Music Center's Active Arts program.   I will be practicing for two hours at 3pm on Saturday April 13th.  I have not yet received my exact locations.

 I am honored to have been chosen and completely blown away that I was selected out of so many applicants.

  Our city’s downtown area has been revitalized and happening     .. and now, with Metro Rail going to the Westside, even my friends from that area can hop on the train and get to downtown LA with less hassle, no parking fees and see parts of the city on the way that you never get to see from your car on the freeway.  

Here is a link and video to show what to expect...Thank you Music Center and The Active Arts for making another dream of mine come true.

Active Arts Public Practice

Hummingbird please fly away

Our back room has big windows and doors and lots of bird activity.

As I was working this little chap hit the window hard with a thud.

I ran out there to see his little body on the ground...

I had to get pictures of him cause really when do you get opportunities

like this...I  clutched it gently in my hand and ran into the house with him...

so totally dumb as he could of flown off  and well I wouldn’t

be writing this right now I’d still be trying to catch him.

the tiniest feet you’ve ever seen.

little eyelids!

glowing feathers...just glorious.

well of course I was happy while having this little sweetness in my

hand, I knew in my heart he probably wouldn’t make it..

We have birds hit our windows and most don’t...

So I came back in, loaded these pictures and starting writing...

Looked out where I placed him in one of my husband’s sculptures...

Happy DAYS!  Gone!!

I breathe a sigh of relief and feel like celebrating.

Petra’s good things.

There is nothing like some great beads to get the creative juices flowing.

Petra, who sells out of her etsy shop, ScorchedEarth, provided these

fine little leaves that were the starting point for these earrings.

I altered them a bit to add some cohesion and also cause I can never leave anything alone, using a new to me product, Baroque Art gilders paste in Verdigris.   I smeared some of it on with my finger,

and then polished it off with a cloth.  Then I added some of my handy dandy

(well my husbands actually which I pilfered out of his studio)  Rub' n' Buff

European Gold in bits here and there.  I thought that the green on both beads pulled the two together a bit more.   Luckily, she got back to me and said she liked it so I haven’t like ruined her creations.

Here you can see my grimy fingerprints which I kinda like...

adds that personal touch.

In the same little bundle of happiness that I got from her English

countryside studio, were these hot little numbers that I had a wee bit

of input on in the making...a collaboration of  sorts, well at least

that is the way I like to look at it.

Petra had made these first as bigger bars to use for a bracelet link.

I said “ Can you make these smaller for use in earrings”

mostly cause I don’t make those kind of bracelets and I loved the look of these.

And so she did...

I was going to go my usual route but stopped myself after seeing that

this was enough...I liked it.  Why go all crazy when sometimes simple is best..

  Besides, less work means less time means a lower price can be asked

and I like to make my things available for all budgets...

The  first pair is up in the shop and the second pair is in the “photography studio”

waiting to be primped up a bit.

Petra’s cool, whimsical pieces are available for purchase 24/7

in her etsy shop .  She adds to it all the time and

things go fast.  She never seems to run out of ideas and just by

looking through her shop you come up with a load of cool ideas you

can use.

 Here’s the link to her shop...

ScorchedEarth on Etsy.

toodles, bh

Ann's last cigarette

I had the pieces...all I had to do was put them together....

This 1930s Bakelite cigarette holder has been part of my stash for forever...

the skull a recent acquisition...

I wanted to use them in a piece but never thought of putting them together...

but yesterday I went to a funeral of a friend's mother, who, although

it was never said that she died of smoking, all the signs were there...

the cough, the oxygen tank, the raspy speech.

I thought of my mother...and her Camel unfiltered in the 50s,

then the more modern Salems...but my mom wised up and quit

before the damage set it...

still she bought the goods sold by advertising companies

and by the fact that in the 1920s to the 80s smoking was considered cool...

and suddenly I see a resurgence of smoking in films, photography and cool hipster bands.

But now that I think of it, nothing like what we had when I was a teen...The Rolling Stones,

The Beatles, The Animals...all my heroes and cigarettes were a big, no huge, part of their

looks and sex appeal...

So then this came together..

 My homage to Ann Zam...

A fine southern lady, a wonderful cook, conversationalist,

fellow gatherer of antiques, a zesty drinker and

a lover of life...rest in peace Ann.