Wet...

Well... it had to end...last Saturday was unpleasant to say the least...it started to rain around 9:30am and continued for most of the day. Of course it rained the hardest in the time frame when I was packing up!!! :0) I didn't venture out from under my tent to take photos because we didn't have may customers milling around, the fellows entertaining were troupers, they actually brought a tent and played for the whole morning, gotta give them credit...a little but of fun in an other wise unpleasant day...BUT...we had 4 sunny days in a row so who am I to complain!!!

I've finally managed to take a few photos...

I've had a few requests in the last couple of weeks for lapis...I can only remember one other request for this stone two summers ago, a young girl asked me to make a pair of earrings for her mother as lapis was her favorite stone...other wise not a very popular stone. I've made a few pieces with sodalite, which looks rather similar but darker, more towards navy while lapis is more towards the turquoise...at least in my eyes!
So...made with lapis, resin, glass, and pewter beads with a star to add a bit of fun!

I've used this pendant before, as I rather like it, the large rectangle stones are natural coral, very interesting, glass, and agate, finished the a sterling silver toggle...

The focal is a rather unique resin pendant with shell inlay, hemalyke, and glass beads, finished with a silver plated lobster claw. For those of you who aren't familiar hemalyke is a man made metallic looking bead that very much resembles hematite...the word hemalyke means "look alike" and the bead can be mistaken for hematite.

Next is an Argentium Sterling Silver cuff...I've distressed this one more than usual as I was going for a more rugged look this time...

Here is a fun summer choker, wood, resin, metal, agate and dyed turquoise, finished with an extender so it can be worn a little longer if need be...

Love the dyed purple howlite, but then you knew purple is my favorite color, set off with pale green aventurine rondelles, pewter and sterling silver beads...

Here is another unique resin pendant inlayed with shell, a mixture of large and small smoky quartz round stones, glass rondelles, mykonos spacers and a sterling silver toggle finish the necklace... fyi the mykonos beads are a clay bead fired in a kiln, then coated in copper, fired again, after which they are coated in fine silver... a lovely bead, they come in many shapes and sizes as well as coated with 24K gold or copper.

Cheers

Four times is a charm???

Saturday was a beautiful day, sunny, pleasantly warm and NO WIND!!!!! Such a treat...

The entertainment this week was a a 12 year old boy who played an electrical acoustic guitar...he is very good and has a confidant way about him...you would think he had been playing much longer than 3 years!

We had two guests last Saturday, the second being the North Bay Astronomy Club, they brought three telescopes and promotional information regarding the club...very well received by the Market goers.

Below is the smallest telescope, and the young fellow taking a peek is my grandson...he loved looking through the telescopes and asking a million questions...this one was focused on the sun...very interesting to acutally look directly at the sun.

This is the second telescope...focused on Venus...imagine! Look at the size of the telescope!
I actually don't know what this last telescope was focused on because I was called back to my booth and didn't get a chance to take a look...


Great fun was had by all visiting with the North Bay Astronomy Club...they've agreed to make a second visit in the fall!

I don't have any jewelry pieces today as I've been way to busy this week making pieces to take their photos, but what I do have is a photo I took last evening of a spider crawling along the floor...the board he/she is on is 2 inches wide...this fellow was huge!!! I do not have a fear of spiders, when I see one I leave it alone, but I do have to say this fellow actually made me give a little yell and then I ran for my camera. The color is a bit off on both the floor and the spider, it should be a few shades darker...I have never seen a spider this big in real life before...I almost wonder if it came with my fruit I bought the day before??? Or maybe I've just lived a sheltered life and not seen a spider this size before... :0)

Cheers

Threes' a charm!

This is the third sunny Saturday in a row for the Market...there was one draw back though, in the form of a very strong north wind. It blew things around, knocked over displays... I don't know if that's what kept the Market goers home but something did...I'm assuming it was the wind because all the brave soles who did venture out could talk about was how cold it was! I'm not complaining it could have been raining as well!!!!! Can't win them all!

Above is a couple of fellows jamming away...they didn't have much of an audience this week but these two enjoyed it just the same! Musicians playing for the enjoyment of playing...I do enjoy those hand drums...

Below is a chunky chalk turquoise necklace just longer than choker length made with turquoise, glass, polymer clay, wood, sterling silver and ceramic beads...love turquoise!


Another chunky necklace...gotta love this one, natural yellow turquoise, smokey quartz, yellow jade, hand blown glass and sterling silver beads!

I'm preparing for a ten day show beginning June 26th so I've not had a great deal of time for much else besides making pieces in the last three weeks...I have to take everything to Toronto on June 22nd so I'll have more time after that...who am I kidding!!!!!
Cheers

Another Beautiful Market Day!

We had another beautiful sunny Market day this past Saturday, a little cool for this time of year, but I'm not complaining!

The entertainment this week was Stack of Barley, a huge success with the Market goers! Below they are warming up first thing...


People gathered around to listen to them most of the morning...they did some Irish tunes that had people clapping...
Below is a pair of earrings that I hammered with the new square hammer, I like the detailing. The gemstone is topaz...I'm a fan of sodalite vs lapis... sodalite is a deeper darker blue, while lapis is rather pale...this lovely necklace is part of my Heart & Stroke collection...as always once sold a donation will be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

Yes this is my hand...modeling my fine silver rings...I've been doing some fusing and rather enjoy it...I can do rings resonably well but I would like to make a bangle and for some reason I can't seem to get it to fuse...will have to practice more I guess!


Cheers!

Bangles, Bangles and more Bangle!

I've been playing...

I recently purchased two new hammers, well three but I'm not thrilled with the third...the two below are very handy little tools...they are two sided, with interesting detail! I've made earrings as well but haven't taken photos of them yet...


The first two bangles were textured with these hammers...


The next two bangles have been textured with stamps...of course the starfish is my favorite!!!

Cheers

Great Day!

We had a wonderful Market day Saturday...sunny and warm enough to be pleasant, which brought out a larger group of people. Not as many Market goers as in the midst of the summer but enough to make for a pleasantly busy day!



Meet Ken our resident "Balloon Man"...he is there most Saturdays making balloon creations for the children...a very popular fellow as you can imagine!!

C - Denny Band We had the C - Denny Band perform for us...they do a mixture of easy listening songs acoustically. They have a new CD just out this past winter and a portion of the sales go to the Cancer Society! This group is always enjoyed...


Of course I couldn't end the post without at least one piece...another long necklace this time in white lead & nickle free metal, with a white shell circle...
Enjoy your day!
Cheers

Rain & high winds!

The first Market day came and went with a down pour... I arrived at the Market at 6:50am, it was overcast and the forecast was 100% chance of rain but it didn't start until I had my tent up at least. Then we had heavy rain until around 11:00am, mixed in every once in a while was high winds, thank goodness the winds weren't continuous, but gusts catch you by surprise...so needless to say very few people where out and about to enjoy the vendors! Even so it was enjoyable catching up with the people I've not seen over the winter...

Here are a few pieces I managed to photograph recently...

I've made a few long necklaces as they seem to be rather popular this year...this one is silver plated over brass and copper...
This is a favorite of mine...striking agate chunks spaced with tiny gold filled beads, with a resin leaf pendant...included are the pair of matching earrings.


Another long necklace...these can be worn long or doubled as the lengths vary ...this particular one is all sparkling sterling silver.

For some reason I'm attracted to smokey quartz...here are a pair of square smokey quartz beads, from which are hanging sterling silver stars, hanging from hand made SS wires.


Last but not least...another long necklace...as the first on silver plated copper and brass but with three gorgeous purple mother of pearl circles mixed in for a little color... purple has always been my favorite color.

There you have it for today...
Cheers

Market Time!

It's that time of year again...the North Bay Downtown Farmers' Market begins this Saturday May 16th, and runs through until October 10th 2009...8:30am to 1:00pm rain or shine! Cross you fingers that it doesn't rain...

I'm looking forward to opening day...at the North Bay Downtown Farmers' Market you will find fresh produce and fruit in season, as well as all manner of handcrafted items including baking, jams, pickles, knit and weaved items, body oils, soaps, wood carvings, pet treats, honey, plants and jewelry just to name a some of the wonderful items available. Last year saw the opening of a Market booth where shoppers may buy coffee, tea, and snacks. I enjoy the interaction with all the people as well as the festive atmosphere of the day!

This year I'm been in charge the Buskers...of finding entertainers/demonstrations, which has kept me busy. I'll post photos of the market in the coming weeks.
I haven't yet heard the number of vendors this year but there will be between 30 and 35...you may be sure there will be something for everyone!

Cheers

Happy Mother's Day!

Cheers

Spring is around the corner!

Spring is trying very hard to emerge...it is slow this year but I see signs it won't be long...time is flying by though. There never seems to be enough time to do everything that needs/I want to do!

Here are a few new pieces...
A choker style necklace made from bone rondelles, and agate barrel beads, finished with sterling silver findings...a pair of earrings hanging from hand made sterling ear wires completes the set...perfect summer colors!

Turquoise is a favorite of mine but then I'm sure everyone is aware of that...five gorgeous chunky nuggets, the center acutally looks like a heart of sorts (chalk turquoise which has been stabilized and dyed)spaced with fire engine red glass rondelles and Bali beads, the smaller turquoise nuggets are Blue Spider Web nuggets and are natural)...finished with a striking sterling silver toggle clasp...of course earrings to go along with the necklace

This is a fun piece...wood beads spaced between plump glass beads...copper and brown again a favorite combo of mine...

Last for today...my first attempt at fusing...a fine silver link chain bracelet, each link and the clasp are hand cut, fused, hammered for strength and tumbled to a sparkling shine...I know my photography skills leave much to be desired but it does sparkle...
Enjoy...
Cheers