Friends

You know how you often read about how the internet and the computer isolate us? Well, I guess in some cases it may be true. Those people probably don't have a blog.
Since I started blogging just over a year ago, I have met so many of you wonderful people here. Something I am very thankful for. And I have found friends, that I would never have met any other way.

Such as Pattie, who lives way down in Mexico, where they don't have snow... sigh! Pattie and I decided to trade some of our "stuff" and this is what she sent me:

Sea shells, mermaid's tears, lotteria cards, some Mexican fabric, milagros...

and an intriguing little bundle, so beautifully wrapped.

Which contained this wonderful necklace Pattie made for me, to remind me of the beach. She knows I love the beach.

Isn't it lovely! Thank you sooooo much, Pattie!!! You are such a good friend!

Casanova, dosing in the sun.

Captain, taking a sun bath.
My kitties decided to take advantage of the sun this morning. How right they were!
It is snowing again now...

Surprises and a new necklace

The mailman brought me a surprise! I received an envelope from France, from my sweet friend Esther. Go take a look at what she has been up to lately - you won't be disappointed!
She sent me this lovely tag/card! Red glitter on the lips of the angel! Oh Esther, you really are all about details!

On the card was this lovely pin! She knows that I love copper and green, so it is perfect! Thank you so much, my lovely friend!

Portrait of a Lady Necklace
Seems I am very into grey at the moment. Must be the weather! Another of my mother of pearl and resin focals, this time with a portrait photo of a beauty of yesteryear. Although I think she looks surprisingly modern. Teamed up with copper chain, freshwater pearls, mother of pearl facetted disks and facetted labradorite beads.

Surprise in the mail

On the weekend, I received a surprise in the mail. My friend Esther of Mes illusions baroques sent me a little package filled with goodies and treasures. I'm sure you all know Esther - if not, hurry over to her blog - she is such an extremely talented girl and you will be amazed!!

Well, Esther is a girl after my heart - she just knew I was going to miss going to the flea market and sent me some goodies she found at a flea market in France. Look those beautiful antique (around 1900) glasses!

These wonderful little match boxes from the fifties - one of them is still full of matches!

An art tag, one of her gorgeous beaded rings (with my initial!) and she sent me some of the angels she has altered!!!

Look at this altered tin - amazing!

And this is what is inside!

She sent me a little bundle of lavender from her garden - I wish I could share the delightful perfume with you.

A specialty of Provence - lavender syrup. I can't wait to try this in a glas of sparkling wine...

Thank you, Esther, for your kind and generous spirit!

Sorry about the not so great photos - it is extremely overcast and rainy and I just can't get any decent photos taken.

Such a lovely colour!

A little while ago, I purchased two lovely porcelain connectors from LeAnn at SummersStudio (she also has lovely buttons!) and I just love the colour. It is so close to tourmaline bluegreen; my favorite colour of tourmaline. Then I found these beautiful glass beads - in Sabine's shop BeadBead (my favourite bead shop!) which have that exact colour of tourmaline! I knew right away that I was going to combine these prizes with some tiny seed pearls I have had in my stash for quite some time. But how to tie it all together?
It seems my vintage mother of pearl buttons insisted on being included. I made several components for the necklace - some of which didn't make me happy in this piece, so they were laid aside for other inspirations. This is the outcome:

I really love this necklace! Freshwater pearls, seed pearls, Czech glass beads, mother of pearl buttons all come together with the connector for a very special piece. Now, what am I going to do with the other connector??