Happy Birthday…. April!

A little birthstone history, fact, lore and legend.

“He loves me, He loves me not…”

If you were born in April your flower is the daisy. Medieval knights wore daisy chains made for them by their Ladies when they rode into battle or tournaments, as a sign of their affection and defense of their Ladies' honor.

The Diamond is April’s traditional birthstone.

Diamonds symbolize innocence, eternity, courage and health.

At one time, it was even thought that if you took a diamond into bed with you, it would cure your illness!

The diamond, in addition to being a symbol of everlasting love, was once thought to bring courage. In Sanskrit, the diamond is called "vajra," which also means lightning; in Hindu mythology, vajra was the weapon of Indra, the king of gods.

The purest of all the gemstones and the hardest substance known to man, the diamond has an ability to reflect light, which many believe increases personal clarity of the mind and body.

“A kiss on the hand may be quite continental, But Diamonds are a girl's best friend.”

Leo Robin 

The Opal is Aprils mystical birthstone. Since that’s Octobers birthstone, I will save all Opals fun info for then….stay tuned!

“Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs.”

Malcolm Forbes

Stay tuned, next month for Happy Birthday… May!

Friday Finds....and Fun!

I had an early meeting this morning with a client interested in a few commission pieces. She has her grandmothers jewelry and wants a necklace made to welcome her soon to be sister-in-law into the family.

We also decided to make a bracelet and necklace for her. I can't wait to get started! Custom pieces are my favorite to create.. I love the sentimentality people hold to their family heirlooms. I guess that's because I am such a sentimentalist myself! (ok...that's my BIG word for the day!:-))

I will update you on these pieces, after my client receives them.

Since the last few days have been rainy and a bit gloomy here, and I was up and out early, I thought today would be a perfect day to check out the antique shops in my town. And boy did I score some wonderful stuff!

A great brass lucky horseshoe, black glass faceted beads, cut steel buttons....

Silver chain, rhinestone buckles, and those sweet little old brass turtle screw back earrings!

Also these wonderful vintage tins.....which I will be updating you about very soon.

Well that was my "Fun Friday Finds"......Have a great weekend everyone!
And remember...... "Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless."  -Bill Watterson

Spring!...and something new from Nostalgic Summer.

 Tomorrow is the first day of spring, and here in Minnesota it's summer. We are having unusually warm weather (80 degrees in March?).

Since it has been so warm we decided to spend the weekend at our cabin. We don't usually do this until mid April. The ice was still on the lake, just barely! We could hear it cracking and see huge pieces floating away...a very surreal site with 80 degree temperatures!

But it was beautiful!

And the girls loved checking out their favorite tree!

Lily trying to climb up after a chipmunk!

Audrey going inside for a better look.
We all had a great time and are so excited to start "lake season" early.

 ....And a little Nostalgic Summer catch up:
I have been very busy the last few week, and I have a few new surprises coming up. Stay tuned for more information on this.

 But I wanted to show you some new pieces I have been working on. I finally added earrings to Nostalgic Summers line and am so excited. I'm finding I love creating them!

These two are from the "Something Old, Something New" Bridal Line. I have some wonderful vintage pearls and crystals and would love to create some custom bridal pieces for you!

My favorite color combination, Ruby red faceted glass beads, White milk glass beads, and Navy blue glass drop beads. These vintage beads are wonderful!

Vintage brass finding combined with sky blue glass beads and a faceted quartz bead.

These are beautiful vintage crystal navette stones, with green glass stones.
These are all available in my Etsy shop along with several more earrings.


Happy SPRING everyone!


"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."  ~Charles Dickens

Happy Birthday…. March!

A little birthstone history, fact, lore and legend.

If you were born in March your flower is the daffodil, and the weeping willow is your tree.

The word 'March' comes from the Roman 'Martius'. This was originally the first month of the Roman calendar and was named after Mars, the god of war. 

…And I think some of the best sayings are for the month of March:

'When March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb.'

'A dry March and a wet May

Fill barns and bays with corn and hay.'

'As it rains in March so it rains in June.'

'March winds and April showers

Bring forth May flowers.'

The Aquamarine is March’s modern birthstone. This gemstone was believed to protect sailors, as well as to guarantee a safe voyage. It is said that the serene color cools the temper allowing the wearer to remain calm and levelheaded. Wearing aquamarine brings love and affection.

 

The Aquamarine, was thought to cure heart, liver, and stomach diseases—all one had to do was drink the water in which the gem had been soaking.

The Aquamarine depicts courage, creativity, health, perception and hope. It is also associated with awareness and spiritual energy. 

The Bloodstone is March’s traditional birthstone.

The Bloodstone stands for health, passion, courage and strength. A variety of Quartz, the Bloodstone is thought to strengthen the immune system and to contain healing properties.

It is sometimes called the martyr's stone as legend tells that it was created when drops of Christ's blood stained some jasper at the foot of the cross.

Happy Birthday March…Enjoy Spring, and stop to smell the daffodils!

“Every year on your birthday, you get a chance to start new.”

-Sammy Hagar

Stay tuned, next month for Happy Birthday… April!

Blue Rhinestone Earrings....Now available on Etsy.

Handmade…. For all Generations

This post is about honoring art and craft, a celebration of creative people of all generations.

I think the creative gene is well established in me. My mom is a quilter and seamstress extraordinaire. My dad was a wood worker and a crafter. He was a master with the table saw. I have very artistic brothers, nieces, nephews and cousins…Well the list could go on, but my point is the idea of handmade is well ingrained in me.

  This is a butterfly I embroidered when I was about 13-14. I already had the creative bug then and I embroidered and embellished all my denim jackets and jeans.

 My dad loved wood, and the more exotic the better. He had a vast knowledge and collection of wonderful rare and exotic veneers he used for all his projects. He loved to make toys, tables, knife holders, baby cradles, etc. If you brought him a picture of something you wanted, within a few days he would have five of them lined up in various stages of production!  
Here are some of the pieces he made that we cherish today.

 A cute barn he made for my son when he was little, it includes all the wooden animals but I didn't unpack them. Notice the little gate peeking from inside...it opens and closes!

 A cedar box he made when I was a child.

  I remember my very colorful grandmother collecting driftwood at our lake cabin in the summer, bringing it back to her home in Chicago and creating fantastic pieces of art with her florist friend.  

Unfortunately we don't have any of her wonderful creations, but if my grandmother were alive today she would be creating something with this!

And as you all know my mom is 91 and still going strong.  Her quilts are all beautiful treasures. Everyone in our family can’t wait to receive on of these coveted prizes!

  This is a quilt she made for me.

...And these are two twin size quilts she made for my son when he was little. We drew the design with colored pencils. They are really amazing and I hope someday my son has enough wall space to hang them. They are really pieces of art!

I recently spoke with a woman whose 94 years young mother still crochets for all her friends.

I think that generation knew the value of handmade. And by the looks of Etsy, Artfire and all the online venues for selling crafts and handmade goods there is a new generation who know the value of handmade.

 So I encourage you to know the value of handmade, support an artist, buy handmade, or maybe stretch your creative wings and start a craft of your own!

"Do not worry about your originality. You could not get rid of it even if you wanted to."

- Robert Henri.

 

Valentines Day…A Few Fun Facts

“I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach.” -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

You all know I couldn’t let Valentines Day go by without some Valentine Fun Facts! So here are a few sweet treats for you this Valentines Day:

Saint Valentine’s Day was established in 496 AD by Pope Gelasius to honor  the Christian martyr Saint Valentine.

 

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, when lovers said or sang their Valentines. Written Valentines began to appear after 1400.

 

Symbols associated with Valentine's Day include: love knots; hearts, cupids.

Cupid, that sweet mischievous little guy is the most famous valentine symbol. Who doesn’t love a chubby little winged child with a bow and arrow!

In ancient Greece he was known as Eros, the young son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. To the Roman's he was Cupid, and his mother was Venus.

The symbol of the heart is an ancient one, and difficult for historians to trace.

Perhaps the first known use of the heart shape comes from the 7th

century BC, in Cyrene. In that city, at that time, Silphium was a

plant so highly prized for it's use as birth control that it became

extinct. The seeds of Silphium were shaped like hearts, however,

making historians believe that the heart shape we know today was based

upon this early form of birth control. ….Hummmm

  The Love Knot is a stylized knot regarded as a symbol of the constancy of two lovers. Also called lovers' knot, modern western knotting literature has the name for these related knots deriving from stories or legends in which the knots symbolize the connection between a couple in love.

 

Enjoy Valentines Day….eat some chocolate  and watch out for Cupids Arrow!

Happy Birthday…. February!

A little birthstone history, fact, lore and legend.

February, known in Welsh as “y mis bach” – the little month, is also known by the Anglo Saxons as “Sol-monath”, the cake –month because cakes were offered to the Gods during this month.

Along with Valentines Day, I’d say February is pretty “sweet!”

…..Anyway,

February’s  traditional birthstone is the amethyst.

Amethyst, the gemstone believed by ancient Greeks and Romans to ward off the intoxicating powers of Bacchus, also is said to keep the wearer clear-headed and quick-witted. Very handy if you’re  spending a bit to much time with Bacchus!

  Throughout history, the gemstone has been associated with many myths, legends, religions, and numerous cultures.  English regalia were even decorated with amethysts during the Middle Ages to symbolize royalty.

Amethyst is purple quartz, a beautiful blend of violet and red that can found in every corner of the earth. Historically, the finest amethysts were found in Russia and were featured in much royal European jewelry.

 

And if you remember from January’s Birthday post, most months have more than one birthstone, the modern and traditional, and the mystical. 

February’s modern birthstone is also amethyst. Alternate birthstones are onyx, and moonstone.

The mystical birthstone for the month is bloodstone. Bloodstone is a variety of dark green chalcedony spotted with red is also known as Heliotrope 

Bloodstone was once used as an amulet in the belief that it could stop bleeding. It was also said to be able to turn the sun red and to make thunder and lightning occur. It was supposed to give the wearer clairvoyance while preserving his faculties and health.

Enjoy "y mis bach" , Happy Valentines Day...and Happy Birthday February!

Stay tuned, next month for Happy Birthday… March!

 

“All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.”

- George Harrison