Spring...

Working flat out these days -- crazy hours. Managed 20 minutes on my minuscule deck yesterday in the hot sun and too cold wind to -- gasp! -- read a book and eat lunch. Then it was back to typing. I'm surrounded here by carpets of snowdrops, bluebells and purple violets.

On other fronts, I became a great-aunt a week ago... here is Etta, age 1 week. She's a cutie.

Off to Toronto again in a few days on another buying trip. Hope to see you at the market in a few hours. Check out my new skulls, chakra pendants, turquoise, lapis, peridot and citrine rings from Montreal, lapis earrings and bracelets, plus rudraksha and sandalwood beads to wear as they are or have custom made into a necklace.

The Woodstock Farmers Market, at the fairgrounds on Nellis Street, 7:00 a.m. to noon every Saturday.

Goddess Necklace & A Long Skull & Crystal Rosary Chain...

I wrote that last Sunday Lynn was over for a jewellery-making session and came up with a goddess necklace using a resin pendant she'd been keeping for some time. She roamed through my bins picking out earthtone bone and horn beads. The thin white and black spacers are African ostrich egg heishi. Yesterday, she brought the necklace to the market where I crimped and added a copper clasp and wire-wrapped the earrings. Here is the final result:

Lynn's goddess necklace

Hi Barbara,

I'm famous again ! . . . thanks to you!!!

I enjoyed wearing my necklace all weekend.

Thanks, Barbara, for your help --

I like coming to your 'Jewellery-making boutique on the Grand'. 

While at the market, I had time to rosary-wire-wrap black skulls and Chinese crystals. I debated about making this into a choker as is, but I decided to add a long adjustable Greek leather cord. This way, the necklace will extend to about 40", or it could be wrapped multiple times around your wrist and still be perfectly adjustable to fit anyone. I used jump rings to join each section, so it's possible to piece in more segments or to add your own dangles.

Tiny dyed black howlite skulls, Chinese rondelle & bicone crystals,
tinned copper wire & black Greek leather, adjustable to 40"
SOLD

Nice drape

I can't believe how chewed up my fingers get wire-wrapping

Because Lynn had brought her own pendant and sterling earwires and did her own designing and stringing, the final bill for everything was about $20 in new beads and wire-wrapping/crimping on my part. This is a very cost-effective and easy way to make your own jewellery that will look exactly the way you want in the colours you like and fit perfectly while spending productive time hanging out, sharing a potluck lunch and laughing a whole lot. You can learn techniques and how to use tools, or just pick beads and I'll do the rest for you. Email me to chat about what you'd like to do and I'll give you a quote for a morning, afternoon or all-day jewellery-making session (except Saturdays). For now I can only accommodate two people maximum.

Yikes, in a week and a half I'll be at The Gem Expo at the Hyatt Regency on King Street in downtown Toronto where I'll have turquoise, matte lapis, jade and carnelian, lots of handmade reproduction Javanese glass beads all in full or partial strings or loose, as well as interesting and unusual pewter and fetish beads and pendants. And skulls. Lots and lots of skulls. I will also have finished necklaces, bracelets and earrings made with my turquoise and lapis ready and waiting. Do all your Christmas shopping in one fabulous 3-day weekend, November 22nd, 23rd & 24th, with me and all the other great vendors at the show.

Thanks for looking -- if you're local, come and see me on Saturday mornings at the Woodstock Farmer's Market or check out my new showcase seven days a week at the One-of-a-Kind Antique Mall, and definitely see you at The Gem Expo!



Mailiing list entry for personal $2 off coupons
http://www.thegemexpo.com/index.php/2coupon

10 pairs of earrings almost complete & many short beaded chains later

I've been spending waaaaay too much time on Pinterest and obsessively, mindlessly, longingly (WHY???), clicking on pictures of pristine studios with beautiful storage and display features. Who can possibly create in these zen oases of calm and emptiness, let alone find anything once it's put away? Not meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...


The worst thing is I'm running out of the things to MAKE stuff with, like earwires and whatnot,
no time to make them and less time to order any.

Along the bottom, kyanite, lapis, Kingman turquoise & quartz chains; white jadeite, melon-cut quartz, hawk's eye, kyanite, black tourmaline, garnet, high cut amethyst, high cut citrine & amethyst earrings,
all with Bali silver spacers and awaiting sterling earwires to finish them off.

Every flat or near flat surface eventually will be piled high with something...

...eventually with Max

Et voila

This must get cleaned up SOON...

Lynn, my organising genius pal, is coming on Monday... But for now, back to work to finish off the earrings and putting some necklaces together with my new beaded chains. Right now -- at 1:56 p.m., eleven days and two Saturday markets before Christmas -- I am about where I wanted to be in September.

Thanks for looking!