Genius at Work.

My husband made me this box...

Fabricated out of reticulated copper.

Cast pewter birds on a hand-hammered

copper plaque ground.

work by Giuseppe de Piero

Display at his last show at Sherry Frumkin Gallery

in Santa Monica, California

Arts and Crafts Style box.

Pierced sterling silver 

bevel mounted cabochon

For Valentine’s Day

Beaten Bronze.

Latest in the Studio

In the middle of cleaning up my work space and organizing stuff,

which seems to be an ongoing process cause as soon as I do it,

the next pile mysteriously appears again...

I managed to make some new pieces.

The Lady of Shallot.

These came together rather quickly for a nice change.
I love to wrap up these mysterious little bundles and on the
cloth I write little messages...and then tie them up with wire,
wax them and burn them...I can’t wait to get to the burning part...
It’s like my own little secret ritual...sealing its fate,
sending it out into the Universe...whateva.

Sedona Series

Then these...which sold as soon as I listed them by sweet Pam.

 These are made with the beads that I have

just started making out of Polymer clay...I love doing this...

the textures you can come up with not to mention the exciting 

colors to paint them with...especially if you have an artist for a husband

who has a ton of supplies I can borrow...too bad he doesn’t have beads.

The Myth.

These came out of the fact that I HAD to buy these coyote teeth

that I found on Etsy.   I wanted Wolf teeth for obvious reasons but they are really

expensive...so coyote teeth had to do.  I remember in high school

all my brothers friends used to call him “coyote”...even on the phone

“is coyote home?”   so I thought of him while making this

Talisman piece...a real departure for me.  I tend to make up

little stories as I'm working...I invent characters, give them names,

and then make them little talismans or charms to take with them

on their journeys 

or to keep as tokens or remembrances.

on a less cheerier note...

Anywhozits....time to start thinking about doing taxes...oh man how

we enjoy this time of year around our house! With two self-employed

people living under one roof... stay far, far away. 

Already the Spring BULBS are in bloom.

We are having a very early spring this year.

Many of my bulbs (AND MY BLUBS) are already flowering.  I saw

the first of the bright yellow daffodils peaking

their little bonneted heads within the hedge.

The bees, the hummingbirds love this bush...

I don’t know what its called...I think it comes from

Australia.   It’s a massive vine like thing that I have

to hack away at a few times a year or it would cover our house.

I believe it could have been planted when our house was first

built back in the 1920s...It is that gigantic.

My boy cat Ginger just loves to eat grass...He’s

like a little goat.  I let him out to graze...under

my watchful eye of course.

Mallow bush kicking butt in the front garden.

Yeah that’s right...peach tree already in bloom.

Hope winter is treating you kind.  You are probably ready

for some blossoms yourself.  Life in California does 

have its advantages.

Things are going so well for me right now...it’s a little scary almost.

My Llama gave me a poncho.

Oh boy...I sure got lucky.  Some say blessed...I say however you want to say it, I scored.

I was the fortunate recipient of a gift certificate at an online shop called Novica.

I went online and started looking...clothes, jewelry, pottery, rugs, home furnishings, Shawls! Capes! Ponchos!  I am a real die hard shawl person.  I love them and I am  always wrapping myself up in them... I get ready to leave the house and no matter what I am wearing, I grab a shawl or scarf.  And you should see the choices at Novica.

Now this is not some fly by night establishment.  It is in association with the fine folks at National Geographic Magazine.  They searched out some of the finest artisans to supply the shop with some of the best and finest goods in the land.  These are folks that would not be able to sell their goods without
this
shop.  These are people who have been handed down their skills for generations....and without this
shop they might not be making it.  So not only are you buying quality, you are supporting these people...
not greedy money grabbing big corporations but honest to goodness hard working people who have been doing this for generations.  You are keeping them and their art alive...now how cool is that!

  Well I looked for awhile, honed in on the shawl department and saw that they have Alpaca.  Do you
have any idea how long I longed for anything Alpaca?  Have you ever touched Alpaca?  Dream fiber..
soft and warm ...luxurious.  I narrowed it down to several choices,  and finally chose Warm Earth
Poncho.  A blend of colors... browns, beige's,creams...loomed into a little piece of heaven with a hood!

                                                                             


I placed my order online and within a week or so my package arrived.  Not in a big giant
overkill box but a simple bag.  I opened the bag and inside, wrapped in a brown paper Aztec print paper
with a fiber ribbon and a tiny little lama charm was my poncho....Well swoon... words can’t describe.
Soft, glorious, cozy, glamorous...  one of the most  beautiful things I have
ever had the pleasure of putting on. Also there was a little envelope...
inside was a picture of a Llama...My Llama...and a card from the artist who made the poncho, Alfredo Falcon.                                                              

                                                                           

   I don’t gush over something unless I mean it.  I want to turn you on to this place. If you ever need to send someone a present, how about a feel good, win-win gift.  One that makes you feel great about your purchase.  Your money is going where it is sorely needed...and you get a wonderful treasure for yourself.
  Go and choose something for your friend or loved one  and buy an extra one for you.  I already
have my eyes on my next treasure from Alfredo..Here’s the Shop link...Novica

And here are links leading you directly to what you are looking for:

Men’s Wallets 
womens accessories
womens shawls Bali
Mens India accessories
Pearl Dangle Earrings
Sterling Silver Jewelry

Hey Ma I’m a Statue

Mr. Beatnheart had a commison to do an outdoor sculpture.

He needed some models and I thought it would

be fun.   Ha!  what a day that was...

All I can say is that for me it was way too

weird.  

I had to stick straws up my nose,

wrap plastic around my head,

and then my face in plaster...

and then hold still...

for way longer than I wanted to.

CLAUSTROPHOBIA!

PANIC ATTACK!

being a model is not as cool as I thought it would be...

our friend Paul was a super good sport about the whole thing.

He scuba dives so maybe that’s why it didn’t bother him 

as much as it bothered me.  

and he had to have that pipe in his mouth...

Thank goodness I didn’t have to do my whole body.

So if you are ever in Fort Wayne, Indiana at 

The Lincoln Insurance company...

there I is.