something finished and something in the works...

I'm not flea marketing today - I am in the studio - but I promised I would come out more often, so here I am.
Just wanted to show you a finished piece.

A freeform focal featuring a prong set pebble (might be serpentine, but I am not sure) from the beach in Tuscany; combined with large new jade beads and hand made chain links.

This is what I am working on now. Dapped copper with handmade bezel and soldered brass. I still have a long way to go on this piece, but it is already telling me a story... sorry, have to get back to the studio.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday!

Get excited-thank you, Sunday flea market and some African bead love

Do you remember the Get Excited wave that went through the blogosphere a while ago?
I want to thank Debbie of Prairie Emporium for making this wonderful tote for me. I love it, Debbie - thank you so very much. Your writing is fabulous!

I was at a smaller flea market today - more of an antique market. A lot of higher priced articles. But I did manage to spy something, as usual.

A lonely cuff link, of Austrian origin - possibly Wiener Werkstätten. Art Deco era. Gorgeous!

Some lovely (knitted?) rayon ribbon, a spool of silky looking thread (unfortunately, the seller couldn't say which material the thread is) and some vintage lace. Aren't the colours of these ribbons wonderful?

As most of you know, my husband was in South Africa during the Soccer World Cup. He finally came home this week - hurray!!! And brought me some lovelies to play with.

Glass beads and recycled glass beads from Ghana and Nigeria, bone beads, seed pod beads, ostrich egg shell heishi, glass trade beads, sea shells and sea glass.
Can't you tell he knows how to thrill me?

Thank you, Max!!!!

Thank you to Hannia also - the owner of the Ilali Guest House - for taking my husband to those places he would never have found on his own!

Tuscan memory

This is one of my beach pebbles from Tuscany. I polished it and drilled a hole through it and combined it with a copper spiral. I love to hold these stones, they are so smooth! And I just love the colours!! This one is about 3.5 cm in length. I strung it on a piece of leather and have been wearing it the last couple of days...

There is still time to enter my giveaway, if you haven't yet! I will be picking a winner tomorrow. Just comment on my giveaway post here !

Beachcomber

Thank you so much for welcoming me back!
My spirit is still trying to find its way back from Italy. Or maybe it is not so much trying... I'm finding it difficult to get back into normal mode.

I thought I would share some of my beach treasures with you. What do I love most about the beach? Beachcombing, of course!!!! I could spend the rest of my life just walking along the beach picking up interesting stones and things - really. I love beachcombing. Even if August is not really the best month for beachcombing in Italy (most of Italy is on vacation and at the beach in August), I still manage to get an hour or two of beachcombing into our vacation. I infected my husband with this bug early in our relationship, so we do this together.
What did we find? Take a look:

some driftwood

beach treasures

more beach treasures

Maybe I should have gotten the pebbles wet before taking the pictures, the colours are more intense then. I think these pebbles are just as beautiful as any other semi precious stone. I am thinking of how I can use them in my jewellery...

While I was away, the number of my blog followers reached 50! I am humbled; that so many of you think it worth your while to stop by here - thank you for your support!!
I think this calls for a celebration of sorts! Too bad I can't invite you all over for a glass of wine! But maybe a giveaway is in order!? I'm just not sure what to offer - I will give it some thought this week. Suggestions, anybody? Stay tuned, I think we will do this on Friday.

By the way, my kitties seem to have missed me, while I was away. Now they are robbing my sleep, because they keep bringing in mice for me to play with - live mice, loose in the house. OMGoodness!!