...the weather outside is frightful...

 A few weeks ago, Diane of Rosa & Josie's kindly sent me some beautiful brass filigrees to play with, along with a copy of Artful Blogging that she was in, because she knew I didn't have access to the magazine here - thank you again, Diane - you sweet and thoughtful woman! I am sure most of you know Diane and her beautiful jewelry (if not, hop right over to her blog - she is also a very talented photographer).
Inspired by Diane's style - I decided to create a piece with one of the brass filigrees as a tribute to her. This is what I came up with.

The focal is layered with the brass filigree, silk rod, vintage lace, a vintage image and mica.

The necklace was created using brass chain, Czech glass, rhinestone rondelles, vintage chandelier crystals, more vintage lace and textile forget-me-nots. I created the clasp using a vintage glass cabochon and brass filigree.

I know I haven't been posting very regulary lately.I seem to be caught in an endless loop of waking up to find more fresh snow - which needs to be shoveled away. So that I can get my car onto the slippery road. Driving anywhere requires more time than usual. This is what my world looks like right about now. I will have to go out and shovel some more snow - second time today.

The birds are hungry, because the deep snow has buried everything edible. I even have to clear a space beneath the pear tree in the yard, so that the bird seed I put out does not just disappear.

Even a few thrushes (I think these - the grey ones with the lighter coloured belly - front, center and far right - are juniper thrushes) have joined the multitude that feed in my yard.

Sunday flea market not available due to...

this! Just wanted to show you what it looks like here. Hey, I heard that! I heard you say it was beautiful.

Well, I will get it all loaded on to a few trucks and have it sent over to you. No, no need to thank me. My pleasure...

If only I could get rid of it that easy. It was minus 10°C this morning. And since there was no really interesting flea market scheduled today, I decided to keep my toes warm and stay in the house. I mean, even one of my cats came in from outside this morning and almost wiped out going around the corner, in his hurry to get to the litter box. So it apparently too cold to take care of business outside. Hmmm. It must be colder than I thought.

I am feeding the birds, as I do every winter. This little guy is a robin. Very different from the American robin. This is sort of the original thing. Tiny little bird. But so cute.

It is hard to get a decent picture through the kitchen window. And for some strange reason, they refuse to all come round and peck at the seeds when I am standing outside. I wonder why? I have a multitude of sparrows, chickadees, titmice (is that the plural of titmouse? I wonder), finches, blackbirds, thrushes and other birds that I don't know the English names of .

 Today, I borrowed my husband's camera to try to get some decent pictures of some of the birds. My camera just can't do it. This is a woodpecker in the pear tree. He likes peanuts.
I am still waiting for the partridge to turn up. We had a pheasant two years ago. Does that count?

Several of these large jay-like birds come to the feeders - they are also fond of the peanuts. They are called Eichelhäher - which could be (kinda-sorta) translated to acorn jay. A very shy bird, slightly smaller than a crow, and this is the first photo I have been able to shoot that wasn't just a blur.

They are predicting more s-word this afternoon and tomorrow. Maybe I should hibernate?

Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday, with or without the s word.

Work in progress and a nest

I have been trying something new. Sari fabric in resin. I am loving the glowing colours, which are even more intense in the resin.

Butterfly

I don't really believe I have to introduce the talented lady to you, that made this little bird. But in case somebody new stumbles across my blog, I will anyway. It is, of course, LeAnn of Summers Studio. She is a master of clay, constantly coming up with beautiful designs. Her birds are so sweet.

LeAnn's birdie

I have turned this little bluebird of happiness into a pendant, using sterling silver wire, aquamarine and peridot beads. Now I need to finish the necklace part.



LeAnn also sent me some of her lovely little eggs. I am totally in love with these. Don't they look cute in that nest??

porcelain eggs in a nest

Thank you so much, LeAnn. Your work is so lovely and inspiring and you are a true friend!

For the birds?

I'm not sure about this piece - do I like it or not? Can't decide.

Lots of birds in the pear tree, but no partridge.

A starling.

A robin.

The weather today. It's really for the birds. But they don't want it either.

and the snow falls

This is what my world looked like this morning.

What you can't see in this photo is the fact that it is snowing. It has been snowing since the early hours of yesterday morning. Nonstop. The streets are a mess. Traffic is a mess. Cars sliding around. No fun driving to work and back.

The birds are hungry. Constantly. I have been trying again and again to get a good shot of them. Not a chance. Always a flutter.

Two chickadees and a blackbird. All this snow is making it even more difficult for them. Even if I put out a kilo of bird seed (which I did this morning), it gets covered by the snow so quickly.

We will just have to hope that it will finally stop - but at the moment, it doesn't look that way.

New necklace!

Remember those feathers I acquired last week at the not so wonderful hat show? Well, they inspired me to make a necklace. A piece that is a bit raw amd primitive and colourful; something maybe a shamaness might wear. Made of brass, copper, glass beads, with an etched image and dangles that sport a brass bird, a tiny bird's nest with tiny fresh water pearls, carnelian beads, glass beads and one of my beach pebbles from Tuscany.

Birds of a Feather


click on the image to enlarge

Early morning pictures in the early fall

We have a lot of early morning fog and mist this time of year. When I looked out this morning, I saw the sun shining through the mist in the most lovely way and had to get my camera.






These pictures were all taken within a few short minutes. I love the way the light changes and gets more intense. I took about 50 pictures, but since they are all rather similar (I was trying to get some good shots with the birds in the bushes. I was thinking of you, Sharon!) I just picked out a couple of them to show. I think I need to get the paints out again...

ATC experiments and an important message

I've continued experimenting with the ATC format.
Apparently - this is about the birds.
Gilded cage

Buttons and Bird

These are my toes, peeling tan and all:

Teal toes

If you want to know what this is about, check here