New Swarovski Crystal Designs

Erinite (Sea Blue Green) and White Pearls Necklace

Erinite & White Pearls Bracelet

 As I mentioned in my Bliss List, I've been making a few new designs in Swarovski Crystals and silver.  I love to  just sit and ponder over a tray of beautiful beads - how lucky am I to be able to do this regularly?

The Erinite and White Pearls will go with almost anything - it's one of those pieces that will go anywhere, night and day, casual or dressy.   Such and exquisite colour and my absolute favourite in the Swarovski range!

The crystals are so perfect and so full of dancing light and colour that it's hard to resist them - no matter who you are - I think they bring out the magpie in all of us!

Jet Black Drop & Pearl Necklace

Aquamarine Drop& Pearl Necklace

These two necklaces are a little longer and quite fine and dainty in a very flattering shape.

I've (very poetically) put them in a category called "Other Crystal Designs" on my website.

Sadly I've just heard from Swarovski that they are putting their prices up, so I will have to follow suit in the new financial year.  

So that makes this a great time to buy!

Introducing the Toys

Sammy the Snail comes in green, yellow, blue and purple.  2 pieces -  body and shell (roller rattle with bells inside) - $35

I've been pondering what to write about today and have just realised that I have never introduced the toys.  I'm not sure how that happened - perhaps I just assumed that you would know about them!

Are all your (Daffy) Ducks in a row?  She is also two pieces - body and egg, which rotates on her wheels.  Comes in blue, yellow, green, purple & pink - $35

Anyhow, my partner, the Toy Boy makes these gorgeous toys - of course!.  They're all made of wood and many hours are spent in his man-cave cutting out the pieces.  He brings them all into the workroom and paints them there - I often help - I always seem to get to paint the red bits!  

2nd Shelf - Henrietta Hen is two parts - body and egg, which rotates on her back wheels.  She comes in red and yellow $40 and Colin the Caterpillar wibble-wobbles along $55

An awful lot of the work in the toys lies in the painting - they all have four coats of high quality lead-free paint, including an undercoat, and we know they last for years and generations of children.

Foreground - Shape Train comes with an engine and 3 carriages of shapes $120.   Vintage truck $65 and                      Kiwipost Moneybox $70

 The toys are mostly pull alongs with a rainbow coloured cord - they move freely and are kid-sturdy.

Ferdy the Frog hops along $30

The Toy Boy sells through the little shop come workroom (called Traders of the Lost Arts) in Commercial Street, Takaka, on the Nelson Market every Saturday and through my sister on the Wellington Underground Frank Kitts Market - she has the Stitchbird Fabrics stand.  We also go to the Dunkley's Great New Zealand Craft Shows in Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill in September, the Culverden Fete in October and Hunters Garden Marlborough in November.

Tyrone the Turtle's shell goes round and round as he wheels along - he's all one piece and comes in yellow, green, purple and blue $30

This is just some of the toys - there's a grasshopper, a push along penguin, a snake, a hippo....

Please contact me if you would like some more information.  Though the Toy Boy doesn't have a website, he'd be happy to send you a catalogue - look out for Golden Bay Toys.

We think they're pretty cool little critters!

That Purple Patch

Well, I had a week of finishing things off finally, and it feels so good to have 

1. New work in the cabinets, and

2. A clean(er) and tidy(er) workbench

3. A flash of purple around - I'm not sure why, but it was missing.

So...TaDa! Here are the Purple Tiger Beads in a necklace

and a bead... Large Purple Violet Tiger Heart Pendant

The Amethyst Purple Chakra Lotus Flowers necklace turned out like this

the bracelet and earrings like this...

Purple is one of those colours that is different in everyone's opinion - and it's really hard to achieve a real royal purple in glass. In the Tiger Beads I've achieved it by layering glass, finishing off with a gorgeous thick transparent layer. They're really quite vibrant.

The Amethyst colour is one that the makers of glass call purple, but to me it is much more pink that that. This is the colour of amethyst gemstones with lots of shades which give texture to the pieces.

In the Chakra System purple and violet represent the higher, lighter, faster Sixth and Seventh Chakras of the third eye (intuition) and the crown (connection to the Universe).

Perhaps this is why I have been connected to a website which delivers daily inspiration?

www.tut.com/theclub/

I've just begun to receive a morning message...something positive and encouraging to ponder within for a day.

This was my thought for today...

"An end result, imagined clearly and acted upon with expectation, Lesley, will always force the circumstances necessary to bring about its own manifestation, no matter how unpredictable, unlikely, or even impossible those circumstances may have previously seemed.

Like clockwork,
    The Universe"

My Little Bliss List

My Little Bliss List is in my sidebar if you want to check it out.

What makes your bliss?  Have you thought about it today? 

Happy Valentines Day

I know it's a little early, but for the first time I have a little space to decorate with the changing of the seasons.

I have had the very able assistance of my sister - a very arty crafty person who owns Stitchbird Fabrics. She imports a very delicious, colourful and quirky range of natural fabrics and trims which she sells online and at selected markets. She also has her fabrics made into lampshades, cushions and other treats, so do go and take a look at her website. Follow the link or go to the link to her blog on the sidebar if it's easier for you.

She made me the gorgeous heart hanging for the window - they're really so effective but it's hard to capture their full impact in a photograph.

To mark the day I have really enjoyed making up this Valentines Heart Necklace and Bracelet. I've been planning it for ages, but with Valentines Day around the corner and my sister's window hanging I thought it really was time to complete it. Of course there are earrings to match!

I've also made lots of individual hearts in all sizes and shades of red - just let me know if something takes your fancy!

 This is how the window looks from the outside - if you look closely you can see the photographer!

Whatever you do for Valentines Day, whether it's a romantic candle-lit dinner with roses and the whole production or just an extra hug for your lover, or an extra wee treat for yourself if you're single...ENJOY THE DAY!