MiddleEarths Jewels

Art Bead Scene November Challenge

2011-11-28T18:50:00.001-01:00

The Art bead Scene's challenge this month.. inspired by the painting 'Madonna Pietra degli Scrovigni'. in watercolour, gouache and gum arabic... by Marie Spartali Stillmen. (1844-1927) Born in Middlesex in 1843, daughter of Michael Spartali, import-export merchant and sometime Greek consul in London

The woman in the painting is a character from the Italian poet Dante. She was described as a heartless lady dressed in green. In her hand she holds a crystal bowl reflecting the figures of Love and Dante .

I really wasn't intending to do the challenge this month..so close to Christmas..so much to do. But when I saw the painting chosen by the editors of ABS..my absolute favorite colors..golden greens, chestnut browns,the romance in the setting and all that wonderful fabric! sigh..wish I had started a month ago..but here is my entry.

Another fascinating art bead from wondrous strange..meant to be a bezel for resin or a glass cab..to remember the cystal bowl held by the femme fatale in the paintng. But I found it impossible to use the glass cab, for the beautiful texture of the raku ceramic focal would be lost!

Left it alone and added a vintage velvet remnant that had it all..well almost...those olive greens, the chestnut brown and subtle flowers playing with the warm colors.

Vintage brass beaded chain with tiny shabby yellow enameled brass flowers wraps, together with the velvet, three times around the wrist for a fabric cuff bracelet... 'Madonna Pietra'.

Winter Garden fantasy wool cuff ..to win in Aquariann's giveaway!

2011-11-19T23:00:00.000-01:00

A winter garden dream..an adornment for an ice queen from some snowy realm..

Handwoven, then hand felted with bits of vintage lace and fabulous designer wool yarns., embellished with vintage beads,swarovski crystals and chinese jade...my creation for Aquariann's blog giveaway. Be sure to stop by her fantastic blog to find out how to win this magical cuff!

I had been pondering over the giveaway for months..wanting to do a textile. I am a handweaver from another life.. 20 years of fabulous fibers and dazzling designs..:). I never really lost that love of and feel for scumprious fibers..soft wools, luscious silk..the unique way the light plays with each. And the touch! The loom and weaving is only the beginning. Careful washing and finishing is what makes the fabric come alive. Felting wool is fascinating..the transformation allows for so much creativity.

fresh off the loom

same fabric after washing/felting

This cuff was woven with soft merino wools and a bit of silk and viscose on the edges. The wool shrinks when felted but not the silk and viscose..leaving a wavy, lacy edge. The vintage lace threaded through before felting becomes a real part of the fabric..bumpy, irregular, along with the designer wools which give add to the cuff's organic look.

The fabric is then washed and rubbed with warm water and soap until felted..

Adding the beads an baubles and silk and leather cords..rather like painting on a canvas...

And finally..the jewel in the crown..trimmed with mohair goatskin..for a touch of winter magic.

Azores..Autumn

2011-11-19T14:21:00.001-01:00

Dusting off the cobwebs here..been ages since I've posted..wonder if anybody is out there? I know..blogging has to be regular..

Autumn colors..where I grew up..upstate New York ..summer would leave in blaze of color..warming our hearts for the cold days ahead. A spectacular show of hot oranges, reds and yellow..the woods and mountains seeming to be on fire.
Well..here in the Azores..a temperate climate ..40º's at the coldest..the seasons changing can almost go by unnoticed..almost that is. For the thousands of hydrangas that line the roads and pastures do their thing to mark the season's passing. Discreetly but with the most subtle beauty, almost sad and foreboding..but most of all inspiring.

When I saw these vintage tiny Haskell flower parts on esty..wow..those colors..rusty and faded glory colors.
They just wanted to be Azorica (azorean ) autumn hydrangea gems.

So were born these earrings in copper with lava stone beads and the vintage flowers..sanded, sealed and waxed to preserve and protect the vintage brass and warm fall colors.

ArtBead Scene August Challenge Poster Illustration for American Cresent Cycles, 1899

2011-08-31T00:20:00.000Z

This month's ABS challenge ..an illustration for American Cresent Cycles, 1899 by Frederick Winthrop Ramsdell.

Ramsdell was an American painter who studied in both New York and Paris. While in Paris he became heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau work of Eugene Grasset and Alphonse Mucha, as can be seen in this striking, though derivative, bicycle poster. Ramsdell depicts a woman and her bike with her tresses and her dress blowing in the wind.

So much of this illustration is wonderful for me..from the style of the lettering to the detail on the flowing gown to the discreet crescent rising in the back ground hills.
I had decided to take a break this month of August , but that crescent..on my mind. I had found a wonderful hand carved crescent at an arts and craft fair here in the Azores 2 years ago. A local carpenter had shown his surprising artistic side, and had a few exotic wood focals and sculptures on the table in his booth..snapped them up right away! And now.. finally.. an inspiration..perfect!

Coupled with a beautiful and mysterious greens,browns,grey raku bead from (once again..:) Dorcus of Wondrous Strange .

A vintage gleaming brown crystal and lots of delicate chain..thinking of the girl in the poster and her brown locks..and finally,dangling vintage glass amber yellow leaves with tiny white flowers..for the flowing gown.

Secret Shops..revealed..III

2011-08-15T12:31:00.002Z

Back again with one of my favs. This shop is a more recent discovery..SilverFound on etsy.
If you have a certain weakness, as I do, for the exotic and genuine, it's worth 'stopping' in here 2 or 3 times a week..you see, the good stuff moves fast. There isn't always that one dazzler 'must have' for me, but when one does show up .. here's a tip..don't 'fav' it..buy...it'll be gone in a day!

Take a look at these.. genuine antique Tibet turquoise.. re-polished..beads.

Douglas, the owner is just so friendly ..really as friendly as his smiling avatar photo..the great service probably counts for half of my 'fav'. Lately, I've been irked by shops that either sell so well don't have the time to give a little attention or just come across like I'm lucky to be a buyer there..so good service has gone up in my ratings.

Titanium Aura quartz..

And one paired with a wonderful 'creation' from Wondrous Strange..a moth. ..the beginnings of a pendant..think I'll call it 'Mother and Child'

TheRing

Here are some creations with some SilverFound finds..

Shard of Orodruin..Mt. Doom

ArtBead Scene July Challenge 'Morning in the Garden at Vaucresson'

2011-07-28T18:30:00.005Z

Morning in the Garden at Vaucresson by Edouard Vuillard 1923 reworked 1938..July's challenge for the Art Bead Scene blog..love these challenges..so much to learn..
" With its riot of flowers in the foreground, Morning in the Garden at Vaucresson hearkens back—as do many of Edouard Vuillard’s post-World War I paintings—to the Impressionist garden scenes of Claude Monet and Pierre Auguste Renoir. It depicts the country home and garden of Jos and Lucie Hessel, an art dealer and his wife with whom Vuillard shared a long friendship."
At first glance, I thought this painting was a tapestry ..with its myriad soft colors and seemingly boundless tiny flora all set in a place where I longed to be..I was once accused of being a hopeless romantic..this challenge I would go for heart and soul.

Once again I opted for a textile cuff..a distressed (by sun and sea) ocre green velvet..ooh perfect ..so like the painting.. and with a distressed geometrical pattern. To my surprise the painting of this captivating jungle of a garden was actually, I discovered, a very orderly composition with distinct geometric lines.. the distressed creased lines in the velvet mimicking them.

And ..once again the main focal art bead from the wonderful stillpointworks..I think it is my all time favorite bead..fantastically organic and strangely beautiful.

I added a hand dyed velvet 'bail' ..it hangs on a vintage pin with vintage glass leaves 'pinned' to the cuff..easily removed to be worn as a pendant if wanted.

I couched and embroidered more velvet and wrinkled viscose fabric strips ..added about a billion beads..from labradorite to faceted pearls and much more..

Such a treat..going wild with all my favorite bead stash..so here it is.. Morning in the Garden.

Tea..and the Azores

2011-07-05T01:54:00.000Z

Where is the only place in Europe where tea is cultivated?
Here in São Miguel..the Azores.

The Portuguese introduced tea to the Dutch, and through trade, the Dutch brought the tea to France, Holland and the Baltic countries. In 1662, Catherine Braganza of Portugal married King Charles II and brought tea to the royal court of England for the first time.
In 1750 the initial trials of tea occurred on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores.

It was in September of 1874 two Chinese tea experts arrived from then Portuguese Macau and introduced the art of commercial tea cultivation to the island with the first tea being produced and sold in 1883 under the family compound of Gorreana.

Gorreana's tea estate is the only remaining of the 14 original tea producing estates and has remained family owned and operated for 5 generations. Black and green teas are still produced using ancient techniques that have been passed down at Gorreana for over a century.

I find it delicate and fruity.. and just delightful iced with a spring of fresh mint..

Art Bead Scene June Challenge.. 'Ophelia'

2011-06-30T00:29:00.004Z

Ophelia by Odilon Redon

c. 1900-05; Pastel on paper mounted on board, 19 7/8 x 26 1/2 in; The Woodner Collection

This month's challenge from the Art Bead Scene blog challenge is 'Ophelia'.."The depiction of Ophelia seems not at all tragic, but rather an idyllic scene of a naked bather in a limpid pool of flowers. The design and colour scheme is masterly and original, being merely suggestive of the tragedy of death after rejection and madness." - Tony Thomas

The genius of this painting..sweet and beautiful, yet disturbing and tragic. I opted for black and touches of luscious color..yellow and orange..swimming in blues.

I love the 'roundness' ..everything seems to come around..the end to the beginning. It is interesting that there is some discussion on how it should be viewed ..as pictured above or turned to its side...for me it seems to work any way.

StillpointWorks once again inspired me. Her wonderful polymer clay bead is the focal and the beginning. The blue tone was perfect, the etched uneasy surface giving just the right feeling ..along with black silk vintage trim, yellow opal crystals, a matte pink vintage lucite bead ..with a very black obsidian chunk, mottled blue czech beads and finally a glassy cobalt blue dangle to capture the deep blue of the pool where Ophelia rests...

Secret Shops..revealed..II

2011-06-20T11:56:00.003Z

Ok ..this shop is probably my biggest secret.

Unassuming at first glance, seemingly an unlikely place to find wonderful forgotten bits of the past..
.Laramie Studios on ebay...and their own great site.
A fav for almost 4 years now..it is the kind of shop that when opening a newly arrived package, I ALWAYS squeal with delight. These vintage finds never fail to be much more than expected. The metal findings are hefty, the details fine, and never 'melt' (like so much of the modern stuff ) when doing the heat patinas..and wow..how they come to life when patina-ed.

It was here I learned to love vintage plastic and lucite..lol I stiill cringe when I type 'plastic'..but these lovelies are wonderful! These white 'matte' leaves actually 'rustle' and 'clink' like fine porcelain..

The owners Laura and Elspeth are friendly and efficient ..and..!!.at the moment..there is a 50% sale going on in their ebay store for the next couple of days. Don't be put off by the dull ebay photos..there is a treasure trove to be found here.

My latest ..probably 50% 'Laramie'..

Azores...

2011-06-18T15:27:00.001Z

My husband walked in the door the other day..so pleased with himself..'..I have something for you!'..ooh..?? I thought..must be goood...lol..had to swallow..my 'EEK!' ..and grin a rather yellow smile..

It was a very fresh (almost squirmy) HUGE squid!

Ha..welcome to the Azores.
I.. who until my 20's, fish and seafood,apart from the odd shrimp or clam, had been basically square and breaded (as in fishsticks).. have learnt to be very brave..cleaning and cooking these lovelies..but well worth it..yum! Grilled with a bit of garlic, lemon and white wine ..yes ..can be easy to adapt.

My Secret Shops..revealed..

2011-06-06T12:07:00.000Z

I want to share ..
.. a few of the wonderful shops I've found (on etsy and no so).
This first post presents..
Alchemy Shop from Latavia..old Europe. A magical place full of unique vintage 'treasures'...

Tho' I visit almost every day..I have actually only bought one precious 'find' from here..but what a prize! I didn't even fav this one, as I usually do..hesitating, debating, wishing..right into the cart on first sight. Friendly and fast service and..delightful packaging!

I am pondering ..an image for the focal? ..or something else..This is a photo I took of a lonely chapel on a lake..here in São
Miguel...I'd love some thoughts, comments or opinions..:)

The Lonely Chapel..Nossa Senhoa das Vitorias,Lagoa das Furnas

..and another image pendant in the making .. distressed photo print on pyrite stone.

ArtBead Scene May Challenge 'Hide and Seek'

2011-05-30T23:54:00.002Z

Cache-cache (Hide-and-Seek), 1873

by Berthe Morisot

Oil on Canvas, 18 1/4" x 21 3/4"

Art Bead Scene blog's monthly challenge was truly a challenge..this engaging painting by Berthe Moiret ..at least for me. The wonderful earthy greens ..so familiar.. so easy to work with..but black and white? I had never, up until now, used or appreciated black and white in jewelery. The more I gazed on the this bewitching composition the more I admired such skill for color and composition. I found it very difficult to re-create any thing near this genius. Feeling that black and white could not be left out..the spark or what makes it 'pop'..I did my best resorting once again to a familiar medium..textiles.

Vintage silk crepe plisse and a bit of black velvet ribbon coupled with a vintage black glass saucer bead with vintage black and white enamel flowers.

A totally wonderful and earthy raku art bead from WondrousStrange gave the greens and emeralds life.

A mix of labradorite, jade, faceted pearls, grassy green velvet and taffeta ribbon complete the picture.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/75106145/silk-crepe-bracelet-assemblage-cache

April's challenge..Finches and Bamboo

2011-04-30T18:28:00.008Z

Oh..the delight and anticipation of interpreting 'Finches and Bamboo', painted by the Chinese emperor Huizong, 1082-1135.. almost 1000 years ago!

The Art Bead Scene blog's pick for the April challenge was perfect..

For what had touched me..beside the age of this painting , was not only the painting's sensitivity and delicate beauty, but the subtle texture .. the inks on silk. Fabric..my fav!

The images, and sound(!), and touch(!), of the dry rustling faded silk were dancing in my head..and just what I had been hoarding for years?...a length of parchment colored wild silk fabric.

With a few brush stokes of paint I reddened the edges, added a strip of dupioni silk for the dark browns and a fabric cuff was born ..then..well ..lucky me.. I have a fantastic stash of the most awesome art beads from Shannon of missficklemedia.. Her patina-ed beads and chains were perfect for the 1000year old 'look' ..the soft patina greens complimenting the 'canvas' color as did the bamboo leaves in the painting.

One very ancient looking button from missfickle
was the perfect final touch.

I must leave here a note on how these monthly challenges from the Art Bead Scene are so good for me..to be able to have an excuse to create and dream at will. Not bound by the market.. what is popular, what is cost-effective, what is best for SEO...blah..and yuck.I know, necessary.
But it is almost as if these hours dedicated to attempting, in a very small way, to pass on the beauty created by these master painters in another medium, adding and taking away as I please,whatever moves me ...are actually mini holidays! Thanks ABS.:)

Sacred Spring, Sweet Dreams... ArtBead Scene March Challenge

2011-03-24T17:07:00.001-01:00

The March challenge from the wonderful Art Bead Scene blog..Even though I just recently discovered Art Bead Scene, thanks to Shannon of Missficklemedia, I am so excited about these challenges..only my second but the great folks at Art Bead come up with just the BEST inspiration for these challenges...

Sacred Spring, Sweet Dreams...
Gauguin painted this after he moved to Tahiti in 1891, seeking inspiration from the native "primitive" culture, which he regarded as more real and more sincere. It is characterized by clear outlines, flat forms, and vibrant colors, which reflect the influence of native art on the artist

At first I thought..oh yuck..not my colors..boy, was I wrong! Leave it to the 'masters' to prove just what we can learn from them.

This painting and its wonderful subtle warm colors and primitive style began to grow on me ..each day as I sifted through my stash..each night those colors clinging to me before dropping off to sleep..and what art beads did I have?

Of course! Something very special from Claire Maunsell..of stillpointworks..called..'Lovely Fly Beads'..I remember so well the phrase that made me buy them..an admirer had said.."They are so interesting. They look like they've been jiggling about in some Medieval peddlers pocket for years..."

I do believe I take inspiration too literally.. I added flys (beads) and limes and pineapple leaves for the girls' picnic in the painting..The fantastically detailed limes and leaves are actually for doll house miniature collections.

A very vintage silk embroidered trim from India had just the tones to tie all my other found bits and vintage pieces all together.

..can't wait 'till next month..:)

My Twilight Blue and ... 'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose'

2011-02-21T23:09:00.014-01:00

John Singer Sargent's wonderful painting 'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose 'was chosen as the inspiration for the February challenge of the Art Bead Scene blog.

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Intrigued by the painting, I decided to investigate ..here follows an excerpt from the JSS Gallery site ..

"..The seed of the idea was first planted in the fertile garden of the Lavington Rectory in 1884 when Sargent was staying with the Vickers. The white lilies in full bloom around the two children in a garden would be the framework on which he would mount this most ambitious project. The idea (a purely fanciful one to be sure) was to capture, not the most perfect sunset, but the affect of the most perfect sunset has, in terms of color, shadows and light on a scene. But it was more than that. How about the artificial light of Chinese lanterns at the precise moment of twilight when lanterns and sun are at perfect equilibrium! -- Could he paint that magical transient moment that lasts no more than a couple of minutes most -- capture that most perfect color of mauve when the sun is still flush in the sky and the lanterns glowing equally? Not create the scene from his mind or memory of what it would or should look like, but actually capture it -- could he paint the exquisite beauty between those two minutes?

Of course not. No one could paint in two minutes and even come close to a faithful adaptation no matter how prepared he or she was prior. But what if he painted only for those magical minutes every day? If he was faithful, if he kept true to the principles of Impressionism -- painting only what he saw and not what he thought he saw or wanted to see, if he did it every day for two minutes could he capture lightning in a bottle so to speak?..."

And so..a medley of blues is born.. a jumbled array of ribbon and rags with chains and vintage beads of all sorts and species. Hand patina-ed, handpainted..hand distressed in a attempt to obtain the peaceful 'twilight' tone and dusky textures of the painting.

The main stage is taken by a beautiful melancholy blue raku cross focal pendant by a favorite and most talented etsy artist, Dorcus, from Wondrous Strange.
Lush midnight blue and faded grey velvet , dusty blue green vintage calico print fabric and sun-faded lavender silk rag strips make up the ribbons.. inspired by the little girl's dresses.

I thoroughly enjoyed the last few days.,distressing,constructing..dreaming. ..faintly hoping the necklace may evoke perhaps just a small bit of that wonderful and peaceful, melancholy 'twilight' that John Singer Sargent so wonderfully captured on canvas.

Santa Maria

2010-09-23T21:04:00.006Z

Sailed to the neighboring island of Santa Maria..population..6,000.. 'a jewel' in the Atlantic.

It was here that Christopher Columbus sought refuge in 1493 on his return from his voyage to America.

Santana..St..Anne

2010-08-02T10:40:00.003Z

St. Anne's feastday was July 26..

http://www.etsy.com/listing/52600938/necklace-pendant-saint-anne-tile-image

Azorica brown lava pendant..

2010-07-22T23:26:00.000Z

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51941358/azorica-brown-pendant-flowers-and-lava

Fast cars..beautiful scenery.. Sata IRC rally Azores

2010-07-22T23:13:00.000Z

The trees draw you in..

2010-07-09T16:43:00.001Z

Lucky you if you lose a ball in the woods of the Furnas golf course here on São Miguel. I swear you can feel the trees talking...be careful..you may never want to leave...bewitched.
http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/productdetails.asp?id=560

Landing in the Azores..scary!

2010-06-03T14:45:00.005Z

Sata (local airline)pilots are known to be the best in Europe with an average of 8 to 10 landings per day on short runways and high seas weather. The Azores are nine islands (nine airports!) in the Atlantic,1500 miles from the US east coast.

second try...

Raku Cross pendant...The Dead Marshes

2010-05-31T01:35:00.009Z

http:MiddleEarths.etsy.com

"Yes, yes," said Gollum. "All dead, all rotten. Elves and Men and Orcs. The Dead Marshes.."

You know how at times you pick something up and can't put it down..mesmerizing..as you look upon it you are drawn in..your imagination is in gear..must do something..This is how it was when I opened my package from wondrousstrange (http://wondrousstrange.etsy.com) (see earlier post below..) This raku cross pendant was truly a joy to create..one of those experiences that give you a certainty .. it is worthwhile to create, to be an artist ..to be financially struggling to be sure..but a strange happy, fulfilled.feeling.

Mirkwood Forest Clearing locket pendant

2010-05-25T17:23:00.001Z

This was a special order for a special client...who then graciously sent me a photo of how 'precious' the inside of the locket became.. with the wonderful photos of her young daughter and son..

The Postman ..brings Shallow Waters..

2010-05-22T23:13:00.001Z

Best part of the day..when the postman brings a package like this one ! Even the stamps were a treat..

Well rewarded for anxiously waiting for this wonderful creation, 'Beneath the Shallow Waters Sins Are Washed Away...Raku Cross', from the so talented artist who is WonderousStrange..http://wondroustrange.etsy.com
..it just is literally pulling me in to make a pendant..I think lots of ribbons and chain..

Cicero..wisdom from 2060 years ago..human nature dosesn't change..

2010-05-21T09:46:00.000Z

"The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."
Cicero 55 BC (passage from a speech to the Roman Senate)

His Jewels..Santo Cristo

2010-05-18T18:52:00.001Z

"The treasure of the Senhor Santo Cristo is mainly composed of the following jewels: the Aureole, the Crown, the Reliquary, the Sceptre and the Ropes.

Fruit of the mysteries of faith, signs of gratitude because of the miracles that help the mortals continue living, the Ex-Libris of the treasure, the AUREOLE, is the richest piece of the collection of relics. Photographed and documented upon by international art specialists at a meeting in Valladolid, Spain, it was recently considered the most valuable piece of its kind in all of the Iberian Peninsula.

"The AUREOLE, made of platinum gold, weighs 4,850 grams and is inlaid with 6,842 precious gems of all types: topazes, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, etc. In addition to its artistic value, this jewel is full of theology related symbolic elements. The first being the Holy Trinity, represented by a triangle in the center of the piece that bears three letters with the following meaning: "I am what I am" and also "The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit". From this triangle the aureoles beam towards the extremities of the piece. The second element is Christ's Redemption, represented by a lamb upon a cross and by the Book of the Seven Seals of the Apocalypse. The third is the Eucharist, symbolized by a bird, the pelican, by the chalice and by the ciborium. The last symbolic element of the AUREOLE is Christ's Passion portrayed, in detail, by the Crown: going from the tunic to the rooster of the Passion and also the crown imbedded with thorns made up entirely of emeralds."
..taken from.. http://www.virtualazores.com/santocristo/cultoi.html

Tile image pendant..Santo Cristo

2010-05-16T15:55:00.005Z

Much of the inspiration for my vintage 'jewels' comes from my home.. the Azores Islands. It can be the way the moss clings and overcomes the stones, the old tiles and architecture or lush overgrown gardens and forests.

This pendant is a photo image detail I took of the tiled wall mural in the Sanctuary of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, Ponta Delgada.

Portuguese tiles are known worldwide for their beauty and 'storytelling'..http://www.golisbon.com/culture/azulejos.html

Santo Cristo dos Milagres

2010-05-16T15:40:00.007Z

Night View..Sanctuary of Santo Cristo

Our Street ..carpet of flowers

2010-05-16T14:57:00.001Z

The streets of Ponta Delgada are decorated every year at this time in for the passing of Santo Cristo ..his feastday..the 5th sunday after Easter.

Carpet of flowers for Senhor Santo Cristo

2010-05-16T14:48:00.000Z

My son Nic and husband Jorge...and the carpet of flowers, cedar pine needles with eucalyptus leaves for the procession of Santo Cristo...(smells wonderful with the treading of thousands of feet.!)

Santo Cristo dos Milagres ..His day in May.. São Miguel Azores

2010-05-16T13:34:00.003Z

Over 300 years of tradition..the popular religious festival here in Ponta Delgada. The image of Senhor Santo Cristo is mysteriously captivating.
Many comment that regardless of your faith (or lack of it) it is impossible to be indifferent to His face, battered and bruised,...your gaze is caught by His and something stirs in your soul...
..at times battered and bruised internally..a feeling of calm..a soothing sadness.

Flea Market Finds.. pay off..

2010-05-16T01:35:00.001Z

From my previous post ..to the finished product! Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres..last week was His festival here in São Miguel..

Flea Market Finds..Ponta Delgada

2010-05-06T14:04:00.000Z

Flea markets here in the Azores are a very rare thing, indeed, but lately the first Sunday of the month at Relvão is gaining popularity..I was so pleased to find these old hardware bits and pieces..that I got home and in 10 minutes transformed one into a cool frame..and a junky earring into a 'rose'..
Ugly copper chain ..became much needed pendant frames and the chain turned out to be solid copper!

Etsy swap..

2010-05-01T22:41:00.000Z

Talented Etsy artist Shannon of Gypsy Moon Art Studio,
http://www.etsy.com/shop/gypsymoonart,

asked me one day if I would like to do a trade. Lucky me! Her work is evokes mystery and magic, beautifully made..I made her up my Shire SoftRock pendant,
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=27706566
to trade for this awesome eye ring..wearing it makes one feel so magical....

Dark...

2010-05-01T22:18:00.001Z

Finally something new..sometimes I feel light, clearings and ancient angels..other times darkly sad and foreboding..as we all do.
This day was definitely an Edgar Allen Poe day.

St, Francis

2009-12-15T14:50:00.002-01:00

http://www.etsy.com/listing/45044059/pendant-necklacest-francis-of-assisi

SoftRocks Shire earrings..

2009-12-15T14:40:00.001-01:00

..a special order ..which I think will find thier way to MiddleEarths shop, too.

Moon Maiden Treasury

2009-12-11T00:24:00.000-01:00

So glad to be have my St. John the Baptist pendant included this wonderfully mysterious collection ...

Love in a Reflected Sky..a treasury

2009-12-05T16:31:00.000-01:00

I was so pleased to have my FadedRose ring included in this fantastic treasury made by etsy's cynmb, a very seasoned curator..

2009-11-30T10:12:00.000-01:00

Rivendell Moss ring

2009-11-30T10:05:00.000-01:00

BlackEarth lava and CrystalBlue..pendant

ViVaLaModa

2009-10-07T11:50:00.000Z

This is the best on line fashion/arts mag I've seen in a long time..super easy to read, inspirational , enticing photography, even has an how to/ideas section..truly complete .....check it out!

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Original tile photos and where I took them..

2009-07-07T21:56:00.000Z

My creamic tile image pendants and their 'in situ' inspiration..

Lava stone doorway..Sâo Miguel

Below you find the 'Convento de Esperança', Convent of Hope, where I took the detail shots of the ceramic tile murals depicting the life of 'Madre Teresa' and Santo Cristo. See this link for more on the beautiful portuguese blue and white tile work. http://www.golisbon.com/culture/azulejos.html

Batalha, São Miguel, Azores...The Guardian Angel

Capelas, São miguel ..the Good Shepard

St. Rita, São Miguel..Our Lady

Pinhal de Paz, São Miguel Azores..road sign

St. Philomena over 'quinta' (farm) door

Rabo de Peixe(literally means 'fishtail') where I found several old tiles and roadsigns..this is my street!

Number 31 , lava stone threshold..São Miguel

EST weekly challenge 'Pastel'

2009-06-21T09:38:00.000Z

I entered this pendant for the EST weekly challenge..

Ceramic tile image pendants

2009-05-27T17:29:00.000Z

'Santa Ana'

portuguese blue and white
handpainted tile..found 'protecting'
an old home..photo taken by me 'in situ'.

'Rua da Inocencia'..

Street of Innocence..
..local street sign form my village ,

Rabo de Peixe..(literally means fishtail).

Balrog Fire wrap..

2009-05-19T19:06:00.000Z

another new listing in my shop MiddleEarths.etsy.com

Knowing Angel pendant necklace

2009-05-19T00:48:00.000Z

A new listing for my shop ..the Knowing Angel image is a detail from a ceramic tile wall mural in the Convento de Esperança, Ponta Delgada, Azores.

Portuguese blue and white ceramic tiles are world famous for their beauty and storytelling. http://www.golisbon.com/culture/azulejos.html

The image of Senhor Santo Cristo is kept in the Convento de Esperança.

http://www.virtualazores.com/santocristo/maini.html

Festas Senhor Santo Cristo

2009-05-18T13:20:00.000Z

Largest religous festival after Fatima in Portugal. Josefa, my daughter, and I followed the procession which takes 4 hours as there are so many 'followers'! http://www.virtualazores.com/santocristo/maini.html

Before the procession with the image of Senhor Santo Cristo passes, the streets are closed and

decorated with carpets of fresh flowers.

This is Josefa and Nicolau with our 'carpet'.

2009-05-04T11:17:00.000Z

Broken Peace

Paz Quebrada

fading road sign , photo taken in São Miguel

2009-05-04T11:13:00.000Z

St. Philmena image pendant. Found on a crumbling wall protecting a 'quinta' here in Rabo de Peixe.