Spring Has Sprung

Spring is certainly in the air not only with the visiting robins and wild canaries that frequent my garden this time of year, but with the arrival of the new Spring 2010 issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine. I wanted to share with you a few of the highlights from yet another great issue with inspiring designs, great photos, wonderful resources and eye candy on every page.

I have been honored once again to have a few pieces of my jewelry featured in this issue. My Pearls of Wisdom choker and cuff are examples of what fun you can have playing with fire, metal, solder and pearls.

I am so very excited to share with you a few pages of Riki Schumacher's, article "The Key to Etching". Riki and I are good friends and team teach mixed media jewelry art classes. I encourage you to visit her blog to see the amazing things this lady is creating. Riki will be teaching at Adorn Me! in Texas next week and has spots left in her two classes. If you have an opportunity to be at Adorn Me! and haven't filled your dance card yet, don't miss taking a class from this extremely talented artist.

And what can I say about this lady Stephanie Lee? She is not only a multi-talented mixed media artist but has the most generous and kindest heart. Her talent runneth over in so many areas. I have taken three classes from Stephanie over the past few years and learned so much. I do have to say that she is one of my mentors hands down.

Carla Reiter's pieces featured in this issue and her absolutely amazing knitting with fine wire techniques just take my breath away. Oh My!!

Be on the lookout for this issue to soon hit the stands. Well, I must return to my packing for Adorn Me! ...will my "to do" lists ever stop???? I am so excited to be traveling with my friend Riki to Houston and meeting up with our friend Diane Cook. What fun is in store meeting new art friends, sharing passions, stories, food and laughter....love it!

Tootles

Diana

Treasure Keepers

~Isabella~

I'd like to introduce you to my new girlie friends......my Treasure Keepers. In preparing for vendor night at Adorn Me!, I decided to play with some antique boxes I picked up at the Alameda Antique Faire last month. For those of you who have not heard of Adorn Me! yet, it is a mixed media jewelry art retreat/extravaganza being held in Houston, TX March 2-7. I will be teaching, taking classes and participating in vendor night on Friday evening.

Jewelry boxes (or Treasure Keepers) seemed to be the perfect thing to display and sell at an all jewelry art retreat...don't you think? So here are my first attempts at creating whimsical, artdoll/jewelry boxes.
The fashionista in me had so much fun in dressing each of these ladies. Each has a different personality, color theme and a collection of antique hardware, jewelry, silk fabrics, ephemera, antique crystals, 1800's porcelain doll heads (and some arms and legs); and found objects.

~Camilla~

~Alyce~

~Phoebe~

Phoebe is adorned with antique bridal veil fabric that I dyed using a little acrylic paint and water. Her neck is an Honest Tea bottle top that I soldered with dots. I also soldered a border around the top of the box.

I hope to see some of you at Adorn Me! If you are attending, I would love to meet you. Please introduce yourself to me....it would be wonderful to put a face to a name.

Tootles

Diana

Positive, Loving Thoughts

I know it has been about three weeks since I have visited with you....how time does get away from me. Thank y0u to those who have contacted me asking if I was okay. How very sweet of you to think of me....I am touched. Yes, I am fine....just moving at the speed of light as of late doing some of the same things I mentioned in my last post....family, teaching, designing.

I did want to stop and take a few minutes to wish you all a very happy Valentine's Day week! My friend, Stephani, gifted me with this adorable papermache heart this last weekend. It will sit on my workbench in my studio throughout the year to remind me of her presence in my life. Thank you, Stephani!

During the last few weeks, my torch has been fired up, my soldering iron heated and solder melted, metal cut, glass ground, Art Clay formed and shaped, holes drilled, fabric woven and embellished and the enticing feeling of found objects embraced and repurposed.

I had the pleasure of spending a weekend with the very talented silver clay artist, Jonna Faulkner, and designed the hinged shadow box featured on the right in the photo above and highlighted in the photo below. I learned so much and had so much fun. My shadow box is in the company of pieces I will be taking to Adorn Me! in Texas to sell Vendor Night....with the exception of the heart box with the art deco rhinestone dress clip on top. That piece and my fine silver clay shadow box are going to take up residence at my house for a while.

During this Valentine's Day celebration, I would like to encourage you all to be loving to yourself. You don't have to have a special someone in your life to feel loved and celebrate life. Be creative and give to yourself this week in some way. Simple acts are very nurturing. Positive thoughts and affirmations can be gifts that keep on giving and don't cost a thing. You have the ability to create what you want in this life. Write a few affirmations on pieces of paper and tuck them into your purse, your pant pocket, on your mirror, inside of your medicine chest, pinned on to your favorite top, the refridgerator, your work bench, your car mirror.....get it. It's amazing how your life can be blessed with changes for the good if you choose to focus on the positive even to the point of changing habitual negative thought patterns or attitudes.

I have used positive affirmations and visualizations for many years now and it is amazing how they can help counterbalance years of old mental habits. It's important that when you phrase your positive affirmation that it be in the present tense, as though it has already manifested itself. Here are a few to give you an idea.....you may want to even tie them up with a beautiful ribbon or a chocolate kiss!

Perfect wisdom is in my heart.

I love and appreciate myself just as I am.

I love to love and be loved.

The more I love myself, the more love I have to give others.

I now give and receive love freely.

I am an open channel of creative energy.

I feel happy just being alive.

Hugs and kisses

Diana