gratitude & inspiration

In the continuing rearranging & organizing of the studio, I have set up the area directly across from my work desk to inspire and to remind me how lucky I am to do what I love for a living. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supports my business in any way whether it is purchasing something or spreading the word. It is sometimes really difficult to be self employed but when someone thanks me for creating something that they love to wear, all the negative disappears and I know it is all worth it. (tax time again?!) 

I have included some recent gifts also, inspired by the creativity of  friends and my gratitude in finding such kindred spirits thanks to my business. 

Projects in progress to remind me to finish them, 

Etsy jewelry waiting for a home. 

And of course my constant studio assistant, Galatea!

sitting pretty.

Birthday Pilgrimage

Today I took the day off to visit Earth Mother, a painting by Edward Burne-Jones. Had only found out about her existence a month ago and she had been calling to me ever since I saw the painting listed on their website. Every bit worth the drive, even worth the odd looks from the security guard who seemed puzzled by my reverence and length of visit. Likely he was afraid I was going to try and run off with it or get it wet with my misty eyes. :) 

Worcester Art Museum, or WAM !

Happily surprised at how many pieces of Medieval Art was to be found there, paintings and sculptures and even a reconstructed Medieval Chapter House with glorious Stained Glass.

Took notes, was inspired, made sketches, took some pictures. The photos were taken with my Droid Phone and without flash, so none really captured the work very well, but wanted to share them here just for memory's sake and for some fun pairings.

Looking forward to visiting again!

snow, inspiration, dreaming

Back to the grind...

...grinding Stained Glass Hearts that is! >

Where did January go? This year is flying by so fast already. Not fast enough as Spring seems too far away.

Boston is getting more snowstorms this year than ever before, all the better to hide away in my attic studio and get lots of jewelry made for the Cabin Fever show in a few weeks! 

ready for beadwork...today's project!

..excited to show our new gifted PR bags by Arteffex!

trying to get out for a little inspiration between storms...

&

and settling back in for more work...

Happy February Everyone!   

New Year's Eve

Lots of plans and hopes for the new year, looking forward to what 2011 brings...

Thanks to Alica  for putting up my "Friday Spotlight" for the Team BPAL group!

hope everyone has a great start to the year of the rabbit!

William Morris Brother Rabbit

New Books to inspire...

I used to come home from LA with a suitcase full of new clothes & boots. These days, it's books!

Bosch & Van Eyck books came from the incredible TASCHEN store in Beverly Hills. What a temptation that place was. There were a few limited edition David Bowie &  Ellen von Unwerth books that had us wishing for lottery wins, still fun to browse. If you visit, say hi to Nick for us!

Book Soup is where I found the Medieval Jewellery V&A book, what a collection of beauty!

We also purchased books on Punk photography ~ Ask The Angels & Made in the UK for youthful memories :) So much fun.

Little Queen Anne

Little Queen Anne by Walter Crane

Hope all of my Faerieworlds friends have a wonderful weekend! 
Wish I could be there...

Tapestry Cat

Medieval Tapestry ~ "The Noble Lady Spinning Wool" 

Lots of cats on my mind today. Sending healing thoughts to Queen Mab, exited to meet my mother's new foster cat, and finally a visit to Sister Thrift this afternoon to donate and hopefully shop benefitting MetroWest Humane Society.

Mata Hari

Mata Hari 1910

Tudor Rose Embroidery

a little image of inspiration

Working on my first Pearl colored Tudor Rose necklace,

and I am so excited about the results! Found the perfect

Swarovski to match the pale, iridescent/opalescent glass.

Mughal Miniature

detail of a Mughal miniature

from ~ Indian Jewellery by M. L. Nigam

magical dress

Zoe Saldana looking like she stepped out of a fairytale at the Golden Globes

Maria by Pierre et Gilles

Maria by Pierre et Gilles

The Fountain of Life, 1519

The Fountain of Life

Hans Holbein the Elder

note the rabbits! and of course amazing costume and crown details...

into the woods

The woods were made for the hunters of dreams,

The brooks for the fishers of song;

To the hunters who hunt for the gunless game

The streams and the woods belong.

~Sam Walter Foss

____________________________

Kilmeny by Warwick Goble

Fairy Queen

Fairy Queen

Detail from a painting by Edmund Dulac (1882-1953)

a little Beardsley

Oh my, I have neglected this for far too long...

the Holiday season was incredibly busy and everything got swept aside. I hope to get back to posting imagery that I find beautiful and inspiring, here is a little Aubrey Beardsley as an apology for my absence.

Happy 2010!

Baba Studio Collaboration

Recently, I was lucky enough to work with the beautiful creations of Baba Studio. For this photo shoot that took place in Prague, I sent them three necklaces with images from their Bohemian Cats line. Lucky me, as I have been a fan for some time and get so much pleasure from pouring over each card in their Tarot Deck.

more: Baba Studio on Facebook

close ups of the jewels: Parrish Relics

one week from today: FaerieCon!!

Saint Catherine

Saint Catherine of Alexandria ~Workshop of Rogier van der Weyden @1440

Busy getting ready for the Medieval Festival at the Cloisters Museum ~Fort Tryon Park in NYC! Very much looking forward to this as I have been wanting to attend for years but the stars never aligned.

Even better, this year I am vending and will be with my two dear friends Lisa and Lisa !

Counting the days until Sunday October 4th...

Yseult la blonde

Gaston Bussiere - Yseult la blonde

Orlando

Back from a brief vacation, hope to update more often once again~

This film has been on my mind a lot lately, a glorious adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Orlando

Starring the incomparable Tilda Swinton and fabulously cast Quentin Crisp as Queen Elizabeth I~!

loads of costuming & jewelry inspiration spanning several time periods