Countdown to Winter Migration

It’s that time of year again!

Rustic Cabin
Cabin Sweet Cabin

Since 2010, when I moved full time to my little rustic cabin in the woods, this time of year has brought both excitement and anxiety.

The biggest cause for anxiousness, as you can imagine, is in the packing up and driving of a 1990 van cross country. I tend toward procrastination, and each year during the summer, I tell myself to start clearing things up, in the cabin as well as the van, during September, when the temperatures are still pleasant. Each year I push the date out, always with some reason it’s too difficult to start the work, until finally there’s no choice, if I want to get on the road by my planned date, and I find myself working in the cold, mentally flogging myself for “doing it again,” and then when it’s over, being surprised that the clean out wasn’t so bad after all.

Transporting all my clothing, books(both for winter reading and those already finished that now need to be rehomed), kitchen gear and food stocks from cabin to the van never gets easy though. It’s just work that has to be done. The main reason it’s painful is that I don’t have a driveway to back the van up to the cabin for loading. I have a footpath; an (estimated) 100 yard long trail filled with rocks and roots to snare the wheels on the moving dolly I use for transit. If I’m not careful in the loading and rolling of that dolly, I can yardsale entire bins of canned goods, kitchen utensils or bedding – multiple times – during the move.

To make the transition efficiently, the placement of items within the van is key, but everything must first come out, and the flooring vacuumed. Then comes the packing. Over the years I actually HAVE pared down what needs be included, so that nowadays I actually do have room for everything.

Well….at least it was like that last year. This year I have added a larger inventory of shipping supplies. You’d be surprised at how much space 3×3 inch gift boxes and bubble envelopes require. I’ve also begun selling copper chain, so that’s another crate that needs an easily accessed storage spot. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that it truly sucks to get an order for a pair of earrings or three feet of chain, and have to excavate the depths of my van to get at them, especially if it’s a rainy, snowy, cold and/or windy day, since anything in the way has to be pulled completely out of the van and placed somewhere that is hopefully not going to have the thing getting wet.

Best is when I can get to anything via the inside of the van, and second best is if it can be reached through the back doors without too much trouble. It does happen. Occasionally.

One thing that has really helped is the addition on an attic in the van. There I store my clothing. This year I think I will see if I can also include a small box with mailers and boxes, which I can restock as needed. After all, I won’t likely need 50 boxes in a day or even a week. So, I can keep a dozen or so boxes and envelopes in the attic for easy access. For a person with a house, the attic is often a place of last resort, where seldom used things like grandpa’s photo albums are stored, but in a van, this space above the sleeping area is about the easiest spot to get at.

This year I will also be bringing with me a massive stock of glass beads that I was gifted. I do use them in my crafts, but the amount is so large that even as I give portions away to others, I still have many, many pounds of beads. Easily 250 pounds….. And so, I’ve decided to cart them with me in the hopes of selling then at the monthly Quartzsite Gem and Mineral Club Tailgate Parties, where members can buy, sell and swap their rock craft-related goods. I’m hoping I can then use the proceeds to buy material to cut cabochons from. I sure hope I wasn’t imagining things last year when I saw a healthy market for beads at a good price in the many members and member’s spouses of the club. I do NOT want to be hauling the lot of it back east next spring! However, as to packing for the trip, these bins will go into the deep, center area beneath the bed platform, since I won’t need to get at them until I reach Quartzsite.

Though I get excited t begin my winter traveling, I love my cabin here in the Shawangunks. It’s been such a gift. When I moved here, I saw it as an extension of my every-weekend camping trips to Camp Slime at the Mohonk Preserve. Yes, it was a big change, going from a quite nice apartment in the Chelsea area of Manhattan to a place without electricity and plumbing. My biggest concern, though, was that I would not be able to tolerate life without my nightly hot soak in a deep, old-style, tub and morning wake-up shower. Turns out that, though I missed it – a lot – I survived, and my skin and hair are much healthier for it.

But over the years, and especially as our concerns for our environment and planet as a whole are becoming more prevalent, it pleases me to know that my footprint is minuscule in comparison to that of the average person in this country. My simplistic cabin lifestyle has had an unintended benefit.

For heating, I use a portable propane heater only on cold nights and mornings, just to take the bite out of the air before getting into and out of bed. A 20-pound cylinder would last me several years, if that was it’s sole purpose, but I also use the tank to power my grill. I use less than 2 cylinders for an entire year this way. I also use propane for my cook stove, and that goes through much more. I would estimate 3+ 20 pound cylinder refills a year. However, that is near daily use from morning coffee to meal preparation to dish water heating.

The batteries to power my radio are a point of contention for me. The one I have used six C size ones, and they last only about a month, though I won’t use it when away from the cabin this winter. The expense is absurd, and the waste factor once the batteries are spend has me thinking I need to look for rechargeable ones next spring.

And that is about it, though obviously it isn’t, since I use electricity at my workspace, libraries and coffee shops. And about it, except for the van…. As a local daily driver it’s a gas hog, and compared to new model vans it’s a pig on the highway too. I put about 8K miles a year on the vehicle, with my cross-country migration and running about. I wonder, though, how many others who are putting 10K and more miles a year worry about their impact. Still, I know we shouldn’t make false comparisons. What others do is not my business. But I’m not sure how to resolve this issue of waste without making a permanent move to the western part of the country. That’s in my long-term plans, but five or more years down the road(haha – punny).

Back to my transition from New York to Arizona…..

One thing about Quartzsite, where I will spend most of December through March, is that it really is no metropolis. There are a few issues which cause friction in my existence. One is the difficulty of obtaining cash in a town which relies heavily on cash transactions. There’s just one bank, and it’s not an affiliate of any of the majors. ATM fees start at $2.25 and are often limited in withdrawal amounts. There is a Dollar General and Family Dollar that has a lower fee, but can be used only with a purchase, and is limited to $40. That is – IF the register has cash available; they don’t keep a stock in anticipation. My go-to is the post office, which is free of fee, but again, they have to have enough to give out, limit the amount, and can only be used along with a postal transaction. That’s fine, since I go to the post office regularly(let’s hope, since my business relies on shipping orders to people), but sometimes the wait in line is 30 minutes or more. If you get there when they first open in the morning, there’s no cash in the till. They close for lunch and there is always a line that starts forming in earnest about 15 minutes before after lunch opening. So, there’s not much of a workaround other than to “bring cash” upon arrival, which is my plan this year. Hopefully I can stash a good chunk safely in hiding and then be thrifty about using it. For me, cash in my pocket is soon in someone else’s…..

Another issue there is poor internet service. As of yet I have found the Pilot Travel Center is the only reliable option, but the ambiance is….gross. There’s a great locally owned coffee shop that opened last year and, if their Instagram is any indication, would be a comfortable, enjoyable, place to use, but unless things have changed, they haven’t added wifi to their menu. The local library is very hit or miss; I’ll just leave it at that. Seating space is limited, and if the spotty service is down for the day, don’t expect it up. Just let it go. Asking the librarian to reboot the router will get you a look like a MAGA’er who knows you voted Blue.

The third issue is food.

There are two small local groceries, and I try to use them over the Dollar General/Family Dollar. However, you cannot get cash back from either of the grocers and I’m sorry but I’ll buy my eggs at Family Dollar if it means they’ll allow me $40 for a $2 fee. If they have eggs that day, that is. You have to know the delivery days and…sigh…so does everybody else. The check out line on those days will have you wondering if you’re not at the post office.

Most people drive 35 miles to Parker, where there’s a Walmart. I would – never – do that. No offense to Walmartians, but I’m not from your galaxy. Last year I did, only once, make the 20 mile drive to Blythe, California, where there’s a bigger grocery store and even a Starbucks to do a comfortable internet session. But the reason I had gone was because I thought there was a branch of my bank, so I could clean out my accounts for ready cash. Google even confirmed it! But when I got there it was not so. The free-standing ATM “branch” had been closed.

So – food…..

The prices are high in Quartzsite. I don’t mind supporting local business, but when they only sell Russet potatoes and I don’t bake, and the meat freshness is…a gamble…, it’s not an enjoyable experience.

I’m coming prepared this year. Though it looks like I’m on track for saving a better nest egg than in past years, I can’t rely on expecting to get to Phoenix(last stop for “metro style” supplies before Quartzsite) and being able to stock up. I can’t imagine looking at my funds and being willing to eat up a substantial portion for – hahaha, another pun….

So, I’ve been buying a few cans of soups and dried grain entrees throughout the last months. And, I just ordered 4 cartons of these canned entrees from St. Dalfour, which I sincerely hope won’t be “changed” due to getting frozen while I go through the midwest to visit family. I guess I’ll find out.

Camping Food
Delicious Canned Entrees – Great for Camping, Hiking, and On-the-Go Eating

I “discovered” these last spring in Moab and was like “Where have you BEEN all my camping life, baby?” These canned meals are – good. The quality of the food is high, the flavoring is nice, and could be enhanced easily if desired. And best of all – since I tend to push myself past normal mealtimes and find myself hungry and in need of food immediately, they are a great alternative to what I might otherwise go to, which would be chips or sweets, or something from a fast food place. And in Quartzsite, fast food is….undesirable; let’s leave it there. Well – except for the Little Johns Barbecue(I think that’s the name), but one can only eat a GINORMOUS pulled pork hoagie with a massive serving of home-made potato salad AND cole slaw for lunch and dinner so many times in a season before it just feels wrong.

I’m putting off a purchase of dehydrated refried beans until I get closer to the southwest. They aren’t even available around here, with the exception – possibly – of Walmart, and that’s a low-quality brand. I’ve found some nice choices in health food stores once I get to New Mexico and further though. But I won’t make the mistake I did last year, of buying just one box. I’ll get three, and that will last me the duration. I can probably get 6-8 portions from a box, and one of my favorite easy meals is sauteed tortilla pieces, topped with the beans, cheese, onions, tomato and avocado.

So…..that’s the plan. Now I just need to get my gears shifted and start cleaning the cabin and van. My “on route” date is November 7th – less than a month away!

Why I Love Instagram

I AM a social butterfly, and have gone through several metamorphosis, starting with blogging so long ago that the concept of microblogging(which referred to Twitter in it’s advent) was breaking news. I didn’t know HOW people could possibly convey their thoughts and ideas in 140 characters(or less!). I certainly couldn’t – still can’t!

Instagram Feed for Talisman Too Handmade Jewelry, Travel Adventures

But, I have adapted. I learned to optimize the various social media platforms to perform as best possible, and discovered obstacles along the way. Facebook, for example, and how they seemed to draw everyone on board with Business Pages and once we were there, effectively closed the door and shut off the lights by making it difficult to stay visible to those who had Liked us in the first place.

Twitter WAS good, and still is, for me, despite the short burst of type required, and which I almost ALWAYS found myself editing; cutting words to pare down the character count.

Pinterest, while it seems to be a top traffic generator to my Etsy shop annoys me greatly since, now that I have gotten used to Twitter 240 characters, seems to ask just too much of me with the various machinations to just VIEW the platform.

But Instagram? I like it! Well, except for the fact that I have to use my cel phone to post. Believe me, I tried to hack a way to post from my laptop and couldn’t make it work. Alas, my two finger typing has been reduced to one-finger pointing, which is the level of dexterity I seem to have, when it comes to putting word to….the ethernet. Thankfully I’m not so inept when it comes to crafting my pendants and other creative pieces.

My Instagram page isn’t like the typical Etsy shop or other branded company profile. I mix my daily visual stimulations and posts from my cross-country travels with work-in-progress shots and product photography.

My video clips are almost quaintly horrible, though I AM getting better about remembering to leave space around the focal point while I shoot so as not to cut off the top of the subject in the final clip. I am a One Take videographer, and let the world be damned to view my inability to remember words(I’m getting old) or haven’t taken a single thought about what to say before I begin.

But – people like my page, and slowly but surely my Follower Count is growing, and people are beginning to comment.

It takes work – just like ALL the social pages. But for some reason I have been able to cultivate genuine followers who are interesting, and that I am interested in. Sure, I still get the “SPECTACULAR FEED!!!111 Check me out!” comments. It’s easy to block them, and I take a small delight in doing that. And I’ve realized and accepted that it’s OKAY to not Follow Back everyone who has simply managed to not be offensive right off the bat. I don’t want to scroll through hundreds of images I’m not interested in, and you know what? If someone Unfollows me because I didn’t reciprocate to their follow – they weren’t real followers in the first place. Just like my mother would have told me if she were still alive and I was still twelve years old and doing things because I worried people wouldn’t like me unless I was acquiescent.

I find people who post interesting things so easily on the platform, and can so quickly search for topics I find intriguing. The only thing that seems trite is that, like all social platforms, they decide what should be edited away to make my feed manageable. I’d prefer to have more control over that.

So – Follow me on Instagram if you like this post. Or don’t. It’s all good.

What’s So Great About Quartzsite?

Plenty, and let me tell you about it!

I’ve been to Quartzsite, Arizona for the two years previous to this, and while I know there are bigger, more sophisticated gem shows, towns with better amenities, and gem clubs with a style more dedicated to rocks and stones specifically, not to mention more spectacular regional scenery, I don’t really think there is another place in the United States that offers the special mix that I have found here in Quartzsite.

Two years ago I drove through on my way to Joshua Tree, for I had heard the place was “dedicated to gems and minerals.” My plan was to buy some cabochons and beads, which I did. However, due to my travel pattern, I arrived early in the season, before any of the shows had formally begun. Nonetheless, I found things to buy – make no mistake. I also knew, though, that I would benefit from visiting during the peak of the season, which would be mid January.

Last year I again came through early, but planned to return during the show weeks. A friend of mine who also works with stones and I came out during the Powow, which is the towns premier show. We both were in awe of the array of vendors selling everything from rough rocks they personally dug from the earth to exquisite cabochons, to factory-mined imports to – well, anything rock-related. I spent my budget easily and wished I had a magic lamp on which to make a wish for more cash. We were exhausted by mid day, and never even visited any of the several other shows in town.

One booth we passed was for the local club, the Quartzsite Roadrunner Gem & Mineral Club. They were hoping to sell us some raffle tickets as part of their fundraising efforts, and my friend probably purchased some, but I was broke and didn’t want to spend my little bit of cash on anything but an iced coffee and the gas to get back home. However, when I found out that one could join the club and learn how to shape stones…. a seed was planted. At my next opportunity I googled the club to see what they were about, and when I found out the annual membership, at $20, was SO reasonable a fee, I decided that for my 2018-19 winter season, I would come to Quartzsite and stay for a few weeks, join the club, and learn how to make cabochons.

Which….I did. I arrived mid December, and I’m still here. My intended few weeks, between 2 and 6, is now “until it’s too hot to safely stay with my little doggy in the van.” I’m hoping to get through February before that becomes a consideration, but I will need to begin traveling back east anyway, come March.

Enough with the text – let me show you what I’ve been doing!

Beginner Lapidary - My first cabochon, Chipboard Rhyolite

Here’s my very first cabochon. The stone is called Chipboard Rhyolite, and though it is not a stone I feel any affinity for, it was the pretties piece of stone in the available pile to choose from. I thought I did a darned fine job and so did the class instructor. Of course, they said the same to everyone else, and even I could see with my untrained eye that was not the case. However, I did believe I did a good job. Today, when I looked at the cab after taking this picture I chuckled. The girdle(the side, flat, band circumference of the cabochon) undulates like a rolling country road in the foothills of a mountain town. But, everyone starts somewhere.

My next cab was cut from a stone the club allows new members to have when they attend the first club meeting and even though I was itching to go buy some beautiful slabs to work with, I knew I should practice a bit more. I tend to have a sophisticated aesthetic, and usually that doesn’t come cheap. I’m not posting a picture of that cab, but again I thought it turned out pretty good – until I looked at it this morning. Now that I’ve been here almost two months, and have made a few dozen cabs, I know that it was only pretty good for someone’s second attempt. Sure, I could put it in a setting and sell it, but….. I think I will use it for a giveaway or to teach someone wire weaving techniques.

Lapidary work selection of cabochons in Picture Jasper, Amethyst, Chrysocolla and Agate
A selection of cabochons I have made during my season in Quartzsite.
Chrysocolla Cabochon and slab
Slab of stone and a cabochon which was cut from the slab

Here is my first piece made from a slab I purchased. This is Chrysocolla with Cuprite and Copper, and was mined locally. I was told this material came from the Red Top Mine in Las Pas County, where Quartzsite is located. But perhaps I misremember, or the seller mispoke, because I do not see it listed when I went to look for information about the mine online.

Chrysocolla Pendant with Copper Wire Setting

Here’s the cabochon in a finished piece. You can see more images in my shop, Talisman Too, if you care to, by clicking here. This was the first cabochon that I made and used in a piece of jewelry. What a great feeling to have shaped the stone in my work. And – I STILL think this cab turned out pretty good!

Willow Creek Jasper Pendant

Another of my cabochons, now in a finished piece of jewelry. This is Willow Creek Jasper.

I have much more to tell about my Quartzsite experience, but need to stop now and attend to other tasks. I hope to do a Part II over the weekend and post early next week. Stay tuned!

Garden & Home: Decorative Arts from Talisman Too

I’ve recently begun to incorporate my wire weaving technique into products for the home, with a small collection of tea light candle holders and terracotta plant containers. Here are a few images from the available pieces. I’d love to have your input – feel free to comment.

Wire Tea Light Votive Candle Holder

Copper Band Wire Wrapped Votive Candle Holder

High End Home Furnishings

Detail on Wire Weave Decorative Banding

 

Medallion Plant Container

Garden Decor Plant Containers

Mission Style Wire Crafted Design Bulb Planter

These items will be made to order, and require a bit of lead time to create, but unless someone is placing an order for multiple pieces, or the collection gets exposure through a popular source and I am inundated with requests, I expect I’d be able to ship within 5-7 days after receipt of order.

These items might make very nice gifts for housewarming presents of hostess gifts, as well as a special decorative element within your own living space.

I’ll be making the Garden & Home collection available through October this year, and then offering a limited supply of candle holders through the winter months.  Come spring, I’ll be back with more garden container designs and a full stock of candle holders in a variety of sizes. The winter hiatus is due to the fact that travel in a small RV during those months, and simply cannot dedicate the space required for storage on the inventory of those items.

 

Tutorial: Celtic Twist – Wire Weaving Pattern & Pi Stone Pendant Design

I’ve created a new tutorial for a wire weaving pattern.  Based on macrame technique, the pattern which I am calling “Celtic Twist” has a delicate series of loops along both sides of a base wire. My tutorial has more than 40 pages of instruction that include photographs, illustrations and text, and  will take you through the steps to replicate the pattern, and use it to make a Pi Stone Pendant.  You can see the listing and learn more here.

Wire Weaving Tutorial Celtic Twist Pattern

Included is a variation using double sets of wire, and the following inspiration image:

Celtic Twist Pi Stone Pendant with Snowflake ObsidianNot everyone has the inclination, time, tools or desire to make their own jewelry, so I will be offering ready-made Pi Stone Pendants in my shop. As well, I’ll be using this pattern in my Garden and Home section, and have some other ideas to work on too! To keep updated, just go to Talisman Too and Favorite my shop.  You’ll see my new listings in your Etsy Feed.

What’s New at Talisman Too?

It’s been a while since I’ve posted about the things I’m working on, and in the last year or so, that’s really changed. My focus these days is mostly on Wire Wrapped Pendants, using beautiful stones that I personally hand select. For some wirecraft artists, the focus is specifically on their mastery with the wirework, but I want my pieces to be more in the Arts and Crafts era ideal, where (decorative)form follows function, and the material takes center stage.

My work is not austere. I often make use of swirls and fancy finishes, but I do try to craft in a way that the details only come into focus with contemplation. I want to imagine that people might be admiring the stone – it’s color make-up or shape, and then their eyes move toward the frame, and they begin to appreciate the work that went into crafting it.

Picture Jasper PendantIn this piece, I chose a smaller-sized cabochon of Succor Creek Jasper, with a scene that looks quite like a desert horizon, with a wonderful blue sky.The frame weave is fairly simple, with a design pattern that radiates outward, reminiscent of that from First Nations Southwest pottery.

Silver Lace Onyx with WireWeave FrameI just could not pass up this stone when I spotted it at Prairie Flower Beads in Portage, WI. The lacy black Dendrite reminded me of a row if trees in a desert.  For those who think that’s impossible, I would suggest you need to make your way to the desert soon. There are definitely trees in the desert! Wherever water can nourish them, the will slowly grow.

Wire Wrapped Lace Agate PendantThis piece, with it’s swirling colors, could handle a more complicated weave frame, an so I chose to develop my own pattern, which I call “Melody Weave” due to the delicate pattern of wire running up and down along the foundation rods, like musical notes on a staff.Ceramic Art Bead Encaged in Woven WireAnd this – This was a pleasant act of serendipity for me! I was practicing a variation of the Snake Weave pattern, a simple weave that uses both ends of the weaving wire simultaneously. I had chosen a small cabochon to work with, and cut the foundation rods to fit, but when I got the length needed, the panel was simply to bulky for the small stone.  Not wanting to have wasted my efforts, I looked through my bin and thought, “Maybe I can work with this bead…” As you can see, the result was quite nice. I’ll be looking for more pretty art beads to cage in the future.

These are just a few of the new pendants I’ve created recently, and I’ve several new earring designs as well. I hope you’ll take a few moments to browse the collection, which you can find here on Etsy. I’d appreciate if you can click a few of the little “Hearts” on anything you find especially intriguing. Doing so helps my work gain ranking in the Etsy search system, and it will also help me to better understand what types of things people find more appealing.

Wire Wrap Tutorials from Talisman Tutorials

It’s been several months since I began writing tutorials on some of the patterns I have developed, and only now have I realized I never posted the news on my blog. Shame on me! Especially as I am working on another pattern I will be calling “Melody Wrap.”

My first wrapping lesson was called “Bead and V Wrap,” which incorporates Bicone Metal Beads(or any bead shape) along one wire, with slanted wires accenting on each side.

Bead and V Wrap Wire Wrap TutorialNext, I made a tutorial which could be worked in addition the the first, or as a stand alone pattern, which was how I used it. That one, called “Slash Weave Pattern,” is a bit more complicated, geared toward an intermediate level wirecraft artisan.

Slash Weave Pattern Wire Wrap TutorialMy tutorials are available on my Etsy shop, along with my collection of jewelry, and have received positive feedback from those who have purchased them. I’ve yet to see a piece created from the lessons “in the wild,” as they say, but if you have used one of them, and want to send me images of your finished pieces, I’d love to add them here to showcase your work! Just send me a not through the Contact link on this site.

Money Can’t Buy You Love Valentine’s Day Promotion

Valentines Day Earrings Promotion

I know what it’s like to want to do something special for someone, and be so limited in my funds that it can be difficult, and I know I am far from being the only one who knows that predicament!

That’s why, this year, I want to do something to help people who aren’t in a position to spend much money give a little Valentine’s Day gift to someone they care about. To that end, I am offering a choice of Pink or Blue Glass Bead Earrings for sale at the price of fifty cents each, plus shipping.  The cost covers my Listing Fee of twenty cents, and thirty cents for the padded envelope.  Shipping cost is set by the post office, at $2.62.

This promotion is available for a limited time only, as I have only so many beads to make these pieces with, and of course because Valentine’s Day is coming up soon.  The offer is subject to end without notice!

Here are the Details:

  • Only ONE piece per person, please. If you purchase more than one of these specially priced items, your order will be cancelled, and your money refunded. You CAN, however, include other items from the shop in your order.
  • United States addresses only.
  • Link to the Pink Earrings
  • Link to the Blue Earrings

 

What’s New for the New Year?

I expect to be doing a lot of wire weaving work in the next few months – reason being that it has finally “clicked” for me, and instead of being frustrated by all but the most simple of efforts, I am getting really excited to be making some more elaborate pieces.

Sodalite Semiprecious Gemstone Pendant with Wire Frame

Sodalite Bead Pendant Framed with Copper Woven Wire and Antiqued for a Rich Patina

You can see more images of the work, and purchase if you’d like, through my Etsy shop. This piece was made following a tutorial, but now I feel confident that I can actually branch off on my own and come up with designs without following a step by step process.  In fact, this afternoon I will be working in weaving a frame for a beautiful Fire Agate that I recently purchased.

I’m also making new earrings almost daily, and have been traveling this last month and stopping at bead shops along the way.  Here are a few pieces that have come out of recent bead binges! Click on the images to be directed to the item in my shop.

Swarovski Crystal Pearls with Vintaj Bead Caps

Pearly Beads, from Swarovski, topped with pretty Vintaj bead caps

Another pair of earrings recently made – simple and casual.  A little bit of metal manipulation to halter these pretty Dove Gray Czech Glass beads.

Czech Glass Beaded Drop Earring

Pretty drops of Czech Glass in Dove Gray Sway from Antiqued Brass Rings

Next is another dagger-style drop design, pinched with a delicate bail.  Something a little bit unexpected!

Iridescent Earrings Black Tie Gala Dressing

Iridescent Glass Twists, Suspended from a Delicate Bail

 

Feel free to browse both my Talisman Too and Talisman Studios Shops, to see what else has been done since your last visit, and “Favorite the shops to see new additions when you log on to your own home page at Etsy!

 

A Few of My Favorite Things

I have to admit that, when I organize my inventory, I am often enchanted with my own work. I guess that’s not a bad thing!

Here are some of my recently made items, but you know what?  I have not been able to get time to work with all the newly found beads I have – oh, how I wish the temps would cool down a bit, so I can feel inspired to work with them.

Ruby Red Czech Glass Bead Earrings Copper Accents

Deep Red Czech Glass Beads, accented with Antiqued Copper

Genie Lantern Earrings in Iridescent Blue

Genie Lantern Earrings in soft blue iridescent glass, accented in antiqued brass

Blush Pink Beaded Earrings with Antiqued Copper

Lovely peach pink Czech glass beads, with hand hammered earring pins and wires, antiqued copper

 

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