The Butterfly Ball

Here is a delicate little butterfly all dressed up.  She has on her party dress and is going to "The Butterfly Ball". The dress is a heart shape filled with steam punk gears, cogs, wheels, vintage watch movement pieces, a dial, and more.

When my daughter was young and watched Sesame Street, I always ran to the TV when they aired the song "The Butterfly Ball".

Later I learned that "The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast" is a concept album by Roger Glover and subsequent live rock opera appearing in 1974 and 1975 respectively, based on the children's book of the same title.

If you want to hear this marvelous song go to : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sn1UqbbbqQ

Queen of Steampunk

I just have to show off this piece.  How it came out of my mind, I don't know.  It is far more elaborate and even more steampunk than I usually create; but, I thought it was interesting enough that I sent it off to Stampington's Magazines to see if they wanted to put it in one of their issues.  They did!  It appeared in the Fall issue of Jewelry Affaire on page 13.  I was just tickled pink!  I would love to know what you think of it, too.

Fire and Ice Steampunk Ring

I call this steampunk ring "Fire and Ice".  The absolutely gorgeous Siam Swarovski Crystal with aurora borealis finish is a stunning ruby color that reflects every color of the rainbow.   The  blue refraction of light shows here, but turn it just a bit and the red takes over.  The Ice is the smaller Montana Blue Crystal, also a Swarovski.  

This petite women's watch movement is so clean that it's sparkle rivals the crystals.  I love it that you can see 5 of the 17 ruby jewels on the front.  The filigree ring base is sterling silver plated and adjustable to most sizes.   Steampunk design, filigree setting, sparkling jewels.  What a great combination.  This one will not last long.

Ring in the New

I've always loved rings and my newest fascination is steampunk rings.  I fell completely in love with Steampunk Jewelry the very first time I ran across it on the Internet and had begun to look for old watches, nuts, bolts, and broken clocks before the day was over.  Here I am less than two years later, still completely hooked.  

This is not my original design.  It is so simple it may have originated with several steampunk jewelers.  It's just a watch movement mounted on a ring base and accented with Swarovski Crystals.  So Simple, so Sweet, so Steampunk!

Caged Skull and Dove of Peace

Although I generally create jewelry for the mainstream, I do love to dabble in pieces a bit more macabre.  There is just something I like about the itty bitty skull beads.  When I found this cage, I knew what I wanted to put into it - a skull. 

This silly little creation has lovely colors, lots of texture, and a sense of balance. The skull in caged in a pewter colored box with a yellow brass ox hinged lid. The bottom has a vinyl insert to hold the skull in, but the four sides are open. Above the cage three stylized flowers in shades of purple, and blue/green hang from a link in the chain on the left and a dove of peace and a tiny brass heart hangs from the right. The gunmetal chain is almost 20 inches long, including the unique steel hand hammered clasp.
I leave it to your imagination to create the scenerio surrounding this little piece.  Let me if you come up with a great story.

Wee Glastig from Ach-na-Creige Fairy Necklace

After I finished a series of books about Scotland, I wanted to create something Scottish, different, fantastical, and fun.  I found literature about this wonderful little creature and decided to go from there. 

This wee Glastig is seldom seen except at the bank of a stream, and is oft engaged in washing. She is a shape shifting creature also known as the green maiden. Usually this illusive creature is described as a beautiful woman with dusky or gray skin and long blonde hair. Her lower half is almost always covered by a long, flowing green robe.

I have restored this vintage key somewhat, leaving just enough rust to give it character. Over the base of the key I have wire wrapped a charming silver fairie crescent face with lovely leafy hair. To keep this little maiden feeling at home I have given her a greenish peacock freshwater pearl, a leaf of her favorite watercress and lovely green bubbles of glass. She is held in place by swirly silver wire. The 14 inch silk & cord necklace is complimentary. This little lady would also look lovely on a silver chain of your choosing.

For Sale on my Etsy site.

And the walls were made of jasper

One of my favorite semi-precious gemstones is jasper.  I think because it always brings to mind this verse from the bible -  Revelation 21:18.  'And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass'.  Imagine that city - New Jerusalem.  Don't you know God has reserved the very best for that city; jasper so beautiful our poor earthly eyes could not stand the sight. 

I also love jasper because of all the wonderful variations and the pictures I imagine I can see in it.  Most of all, I love it because it cannot be re-created by man.  Just look at this wonderful piece I found a few weeks ago.  What do you see?

There are several more pictures at my Etsy Shop.  They also have the name I have chose for this wonderful piece of jasper.

There you go. It's what's going on in my world of late.  But enough about me...what's been keeping you busy?