what is she doing with her hands?

All I can do is try to get a few decent photos of me wearing some of my own jewelry. Today? Apparently not my day. Tomorrow? Tomorrow is another day. And I will try again. For your amusement - your viewing pleasure (or not) - I offer up one of the pics from today's shoot... Is it me or do I look totally pissed?

(The Mid-Night Cowgirl Collection - Vintage Glass, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

polka dot aprons and high heels (oh my!)

I have always had a thing for old fashioned pin-ups... and polka dot aprons over dresses with high heels in the kitchen... I think I missed my calling... LOL

("Retro Girl" - Fun Premium Bumpy Handmade Lampwork Glass, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

there are so many things i want to do

yet i fear i may run out of time...

oh how i wish i could suspend time grow wings and fly and do the all the things i want to do and savor each and every moment...

("Free Bird" - Resin, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

my mom loves these!

("Wildflowers" Chokers - Double Stranded - Swarovski Crystal, Pewter, & Sterling Silver!)

i can't wait...

... to introduce you to the newest bracelet in The Elizabethan Collection: Viola! From Shakespeare's Twelfth Night! Also the name of my mother's mother...

("Viola" - Premium Handmade Lampwork Glass Flowers, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

I have been busy busy busy working on my web site. I still have a long way to go. I still have a TON of jewelry to photograph and upload onto the site. Check it out...

http://www.cosmicgeisha.com/

("Tranquility" - RARE Vintage Chinese Handpainted Porcelain, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

Sophie & Pablo: The Update

Sophie's surgery was complicated. She had several bleeders and somehow they missed one so she had to have two surgeries instead of one. When she finally came home, she was so high from the anesthesia she was literally tipping over. Poor thing whined through the night.

The next day I had to take Pablo, my AmStaff, in to have several teeth extracted. Turns out he had three teeth removed. Three BIG teeth! He too came home completely loopy. And whimpering. And bleeding.

I am happy to report that today they both seem fine. They are eating and drinking and playing and sleeping. Sophie's blood still needs to be monitored. Though the growth was benign, her blood calcium level is high which could mean something dire... But today I won't worry about that. I can't. Today I will love her and kiss her and pet her and feed her... Today we are together.

("By The Shore" Pocket Rosary - Mother of Pearl, Swarovski Crystal, Sterling Silver, & Silver!)

Rumi

"The flowers flee from Autumn, but not you -

You are the fearless rose

that grows amidst the freezing wind."

-Rumi

My Miss Sophie

How I met Sophie... I fell. I was in pain. I scheduled an emergency appointment with my chiropractor. When I went in for my appointment, behind the desk and on the floor was a thin frail puppy. I could see every bone in her body. Apparently, she had been found in a hospital parking lot. Starving. Mange. Worms. A respiratory infection. One of the women who worked for my chiropractor had taken her to a vet. According to the vet, the puppy probably only had three days to live. I sat down on the floor next to her. Though extremely weak, she still managed to move herself close to me. She whimpered. I took her home. How could I not? I knew it would be painful to watch her die, but I wanted her to know love.

That was nine years ago. During the first three days, I fed her and held her and massaged her and listened to her breathe while she slept and fell in love with her. On the third day she sprang to life! Suddenly she was wild and crazy and capricious and wonderful! I named her Sophia Camille. Sophia after the goddess of wisdom and Camille after a particularly strong hurricane that tore up the East coast of the United States. The name definitely suited her.

Today I took Sophie to the vet. She is having surgery. Her blood calcium levels are high and she has a growth on her leg. The growth will be removed and the vet will continue to monitor her blood. To say I am not worried would be a lie. I am. I so am. She is my girl. My baby girl. My first rescue dog. And the truth is I may have rescued her, but she has saved my life every day... I love you, Sophie.

Earrings Extravaganza!

I have added a page on my web site called Earrings Extravaganza! A page of nothing but earrings because a gal can never have too many pairs of earrings as far as I'm concerned. I am living proof!

Go to http://www.cosmicgeisha.com/ to see more jewelry!

("Jolie" - Handmade Lampwork Glass, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

A Tiny Piece Of History

There is a woman who used to be a jewelry designer for the Smithsonian Museum of Art. In the 1960s and 1970s, she traveled around the world and purchased beads. Often she came across amazing vintage beads in little out of the way shops...

The beads used to create these earrings are from her private collection. They are RARE vintage Japanese tensha or decoupage beads - carved and painted by hand. They are stunning! They are a tiny piece of history!

("Decoupage" - Rare Vintage Japanese Tensha, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

Sunday Dinner With The Family

My brother was here from Kentucky... we had fun conversation and yummy food!

(White Pocket Rosary - Vintage Glass, Glass, Sterling Silver, & Silver)

Valentine's Day Greetings From Pablo

Pablo (my six year old rescued American Staffy) says, "Happy Valentine's Day everyone!"

Chocolat

No words necessary...

xoxo

("Chocolat" - Pre WWII Czech Glass, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

What I Did On Sunday...

As promised, today I photographed the four paintings I completed yesterday. They are my mini masterpieces! LOL

Sunday Is Fun-day!

Today I went to my first gathering of WACO (Women's Art Co-operative)! We learned how to do alcohol washes... and not the kind you drink! LOL We played and laughed and learned about each other as we created. I, of course, have ink stained fingers now as I mostly created a mess. But it was so worth it! Tomorrow my plan is take photos of my "creations" and post them! I have BIG plans for this technique... but I can't tell you about that yet...

("Butterfly Rosary Necklace" - Swarovski Glass Pearls, Swarovski Crystal, Glass, & Sterling Silver!)

tick tock

It seems like there is always so much to do! Ever feel like that? It seems like I am always crazy busy, but at the end of the day, I have barely finished anything! I write these to-do lists... and sometimes, just to feel a sense of accomplishment, I add things to the list that I have already done!

("Lucious" - Super BIG Earrings! Black Onyx, Metal, & Sterling Silver!)

playin' instead of workin'

Has it really been three days since I posted a blog? Yikes! There goes my blog a day resolution! And as far as making any new jewelry goes... let's just say I have taken a few days off from that as well! What have I been doing? Taking silly photos of my dogs and eating all natural frozen strawberry fruit bars...

Pablo, my third rescue dog, is absolutely exhausted in this photo. Can you tell? I was literally chasing him around my bedroom (please ignore the mess in the background) trying to take a picture of the two of us together. But Pablo just wasn't having it! He figured it was the perfect opportunity to chase me, jump on me, sit on me, roll over, kiss me, and lick the camera! When he finally settled down, I was able to take this photo of him! This is not his happy face by the way; this is his "one picture then I get a treat and then it's go time again" face!

i heart you

If I ran the world, every day would be Valentine's Day. Or something like it anyway. Each day would be devoted to showing others how much you love and appreciate them.

("Kate" - From The Elizabethan Collection - Handmade Lampwork Glass, Vintage Glass, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

wishing

There are moments I wish I could once again dance. Moments of frustration. Anger. Grief. Wouldn't it be lovely to find a way to remain unaffected by the negativity? To dance - just dance - completely oblivious to everything but the music and the dancing and the bliss.

("Ballerina 2" - Cracked Quartz, Swarovski Crystal, & Sterling Silver!)

emerald

("Emerald" Pocket Rosary - Vintage Glass, Swarovski Crystal, Sterling Silver, & Pewter!)