Sunday flea market - it has been so long...

We decided to check out the big monthly flea market today - as it wasn't snowing or raining and the temps were above freezing. There wasn't a very big turn out of dealers, but that was to be expected. Pickings were slim and prices were high, but I managed to find something that had to come home with me...

I found a dozen of these vintage drawers that once were part of an apothecary's shop - they are not antique and smallish, smaller than a normal sheet of stationary - and the apothecary glued the packaging of the medication to the front of the drawer (where the printing has faded to nothing at all), so it is going to be a challenge to get the stuff off - but they will be helpful in getting things sorted in my studio... and I just can't resist an old wooden box/drawer/cupboard... ehmmm, you get the idea.

But this find made my heart skip a beat - I have been searching for something like this for a long, long time... this is an antique brass stamped filigree band - not just a small piece of filigree stamping, but several meters long... wonderfully detailed. It was rather pricey, but this is a very rare find and I couldn't afford to not get it. The possibilities for using this are endless. Who knows if I will ever come across something like this again?

This is exactly the reason why I am so addicted to flea marketing... it is a treasure hunt... and you don't have to bother with trying to find the X on the map... because there are so many treasures...

Wishing everyone a lovely Sunday!

the s-word and winter inspired earrings

Finally, finally the cold is letting up some. The Eisblumen have disappeared from the window pane. The temps might even reach 0° during the day - sounds pretty good to me. And as predicted - we are getting the s-word - that white stuff everybody thinks looks so pretty... well it is, if viewed on a picture, I guess - like this maybe...

Especially if you are cuddled up like this?

We have had about 4 inches since yesterday, with more to come. So I will be spending lots of time outside in the fresh air, shovelling sn.. I can't say it. the s-word....

But my muse did find inspiration in the cold winter weather and this is what she prompted me to make:

Leaves - just the colour of the leaves still clinging to the hedge; with gems that remind me of frost and icicles...

Hope you are all warm and cozy, where ever you are...

Eisblumen

This is the view through my bedroom window - well not exactly through - I guess, 'of' would be more to the point. Or shall we say - this is what I see when I try to see the view from my bedroom window... It has been this way for two weeks. It's actually quite lovely - if it weren't so cold... we call this 'Eisblumen' = ice flowers. As you may or may not have heard - it has been extremely cold in Europe these last two weeks. They say the icy frost will let up a bit next week. Good news. But they also say, we are going to get a ....load of the s-word. You know, that white stuff. Not so good news. Although, if I had to choose - well, give me some of the white stuff. If it means bearable temps, I'm all for it... just for this once...

The rising sun. Interesting - the sky is apricot pink and the earth is still shrouded in blue tones.

The angel's wing is laid bare of sheltering foliage...

Interesting also how the snow makes the face of this garden sculpture more visible...

Frosty early morning impression...

I have the impression that all this icy winter is going to find its way into my jewelry soon - but for now, I have to go throw some wood on the fire...

Edit: just wanted to say - we don't have it that bad - although the temps have gone down to -20° some nights - but there are many people much worse off in the rest of Europe... there have been many deaths. We do have a roof over our heads and heating - the cats are getting their food warmed, so we are thankful...