Scared Silly

Ghosts and goblins and princesses, Oh My!

An excuse to dress up, Halloween gives you one date. Emandsprout gives you a shop full of excuses. Like these adorable pink monster shoes. Ready to smile up at you and all you meet.

Happy Halloween!

Bewitching

Cupid's Darts, Venus Hair Stone, Fleches d'Amour by any name Rutilated Quartz is intriguing.
When I saw this strand of rutilated quartz I just had to buy it. Stunning! But what to do with it? I considered splitting the strand up; sprinking a bit of it's magic over several pieces. But I truely loved how all these little gems looked together.

And so, that's how the Bewitching Bracelet came to be.

Over 240 cts of top quality rutilated quartz crystal, poised on hand made sterling silver headpins, were carefully linked together to form this one of a kind beauty. Vibrant with the colors of warm russet red, gold, celery, peach and deep chocolate brown, this bracelet flows elegantly over the wrist.

Two stunning step-cut smokey quartz nuggets and a hand-hammered clasp are the finishing touch.

Saturday night sparkle. Bold weekday elegance. Yummy!

Kitty Hat Finished or A Happy Ending to a Sad Tail

This is the third time I've made this pattern; the second time using this yarn combination.
My daughter left the first one in a classroom and when she went back to retrieve it, it was gone.
So it's twin is out there, somewhere.

Want to know all the 'furry' details? Check out this earlier post. It lists the yarn used and where to find the pattern.

Happy Knitting :)

Eenie Meenie

What project should I choose next?
I'm finishing several knitted projects and contemplating my next.

Something small?

The 'Enchanting Fur Hat' in Exquisite Little Knits.




The 'Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf' or 'Dayflower Lace Scarf' I found on Ravelry.




Or, the gorgeous but I-may-pull-my-hair-out-over-it, 'Nantucket Jacket' in the Winter 2006 Interweave Knits.

So much stashed yarn, so many queued patterns. Which one to choose? Maybe I'll just make a run to my LYS (local yarn shop) and buy something new ;)

Spirit of the Season

Send someone you know a real treat. sMacshop makes these fun cards using a variety of techniques. Bold color on the outside and blank on the inside. This card is spook-tacular.

Birthday Gift

One of my 'Simply Charming' necklaces made for a very special birthday gift. This one is made with a sterling silver Hilltribe flower, a Swarovski crystal heart and a Fluorite nugget. I make the charms removable so the happy recipient can wear the necklace with one, two or all three of the charms, changing the look of the necklace as desired.

Hooray for freedom of choice :)

Pumpkin Sunshine

The cool snap of the morning air tempered by the warm fragrance of freshly baked pumpkin muffins. These little gems enticed me out of my warm bed today.
Despite the name, I decided to leave the walnuts and the dates out of this batch of Pumpkin Walnut Muffins. They were yummy just the same.

Rescue Me

A surprise, mystery gift for you.
I'm doing my part to boost the economy and your spirits. $6.00 plus shipping at my etsy shop will buy you a surprise pair of earrings, retail value of at least $20.

The earrings will be sterling silver and will feature either gemstones, artisan lampwork beads, pearls, semi-precious stones or crystals.

I get to choose; that's the mystery. You get the surprise.

Looking Good

Hot off the press and out of the oven, Amy of Amy Esther Ceramics, has just introduced her latest ceramic creations. She thoughtfully test-baked one of her new casserole dishes and the results are,well, picture perfect.

I just checked out her site and these new pieces aren't up yet. Oh, Amy, we're watching and waiting :)

I love the look of this wheel-thrown set of bowls. That guacamole's looking darn good too!

Scarlet, My Dear

Cool, fluid elegance gliding playfully on the wrist. I do love bangles.
I made this one with yards of sterling silver wire; twisted, coiled and hammered to perfection. And the highlight is limited edition artisan lampwork beads strung with silver like stars strung across the sky.

Isn't She Lovely

All eyes on you, effervescing with elegance and charm!
This vintage 50's tea length lace and tulle dress is sooooo gorgeous. I wish I had an occasion to wear it. Hmmm, a stroll down the aisle or maybe just a fun evening out.

Blythehopesvintage shop has a lovely selection of vintage items, so fun to visit and dream of the possibilities or imagine the past.

Workshop Wow

I'm taking a weekend workshop with Connie Fox. Whoo Hoo :)

Fair Maeve

Fairiesnest makes the most amazing dolls. I haven't bought one yet because I just can't decide which one to buy. They are all so gorgeous, with amazing detail. I love to visit her shop and admire and drool and admire and drool - you get the picture.

Last Taste of Summer

'Sausage' and Pepper Heros
I made this wonderful recipe a few weeks ago. The recipe is for a vegetarian version, but meat eaters could easily substitute their favorite sausage. Just be sure to cook the sausage thoroughly according to package directions.

The bread is one of my very favorite breads, Panera's Three Seed Demi loaf. I cut the demi loaf in half and then split it open lengthwise. I think it's a little shallower than regular hero rolls, but so worth the yummy taste.

I was very fortunate to find these gorgeous mini heirloom tomatoes. So I used fresh tomatoes instead of the canned specified in the recipe. I've never seen heirlooms in miniature, but they were lovely to look at and even better to eat.

Relax and Renew

What do I do to relax? I create. When I'm not creating new pieces of jewelry I'm creating something else. The creative process helps me focus on the present moment and when I focus on the here and now the specters of past worries and future plans find no space in my mind (at least for a little while).

Knitting is one of my favorite mediums of creation. Add a cup of tea, and I'm in heaven.

Kkhymn's Corner has a lovely, poetic post about living in the present moment. She writes beautifully and I really enjoy reading her blog - also very relaxing and renewing :)

Mama and Baby

Brightly colored jewelry. Whimsical window decorations.
This month's featured etsyblogger member has two shops.

Baby Friendly Beads and Mamas Magic Studio offer colorful and unique gifts for the new mom.

Her blog, Mama's Magic, offers a delightful view into her life as a mom and a multi-talented artist.

Give-away Winners

Chosen by random drawing, the winners of the October 1st Give-away are:

Kkhymn

Fiber Deviant

Winners please visit my Etsy shop, click on 'Contact Maryeb' and let me know what you would like to use your $25 credit toward. I will make a special reserve listing for you.

Thanks to all of you who visited my blog and left comments.
I really appreciate hearing from you. You've given me a lot of new ideas.