MY INSPIRATION...

...is drawn from many places, but mostly my Mom, celebrating Mother's Day back home in Colorado today.  Always encouraging in the creativity department, as well as everything else I've ever done with my life, this arrived in the mail for me (from her, like I'm her mother or something), this week.  "Make something with it", she said..."I have faith in you", she always says.  The scissors came with the Bakelite rose, and belonged to my great-grandmother on my Dad's side - Grandma Gove.  I come from a long line of seamstresses, on both sides.

In the midst of this old family photo, is not only my Mom's Mom, but her Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother, also.  Raised on a ranch in Freeland, CO, my Grandma (Hazel) Rhyno raised two pretty wonderful daughters of her own, years after this photo was taken.

Once a fashionista, always a fashionista...she can't help it - she was born with style!

Her senior photo - Barbara (Bobbie) Jean - I would kill for a pair of sunglasses made from those specs!  She captured the heart of my Dad soon after, and went on to raise three kids of her own (two of whom turned out pretty awesome...wink, wink); who produced seven grand kids; who, in turn, are now in the throws of child bearing themselves, adding three "greats" to my parent's count.  The old folks, back on the ranch, would be proud!

So, like I said...Mom has always been an inspiration not only in the everyday life type of things, but in the crafty thingamajigs department of life, too.  Handy with scissors...we ALWAYS had the BEST homemade Halloween costumes, growing up - dear sister is still wearing the witch's hat.  Mom could (and CAN) do anything (same goes for Dad...such talent from both of their hands, and minds).  When she sent the rose this week, I had already been in the throes of making bangles...lots and lots of bangles, from a great online tutorial I had recently purchased here.  You, too, can make bangle stacks - the hot accessory for summer, if you don't have cat-eye glasses and have to make do with something far less cool.

I had actually finished the stack of bangles before the rose arrived, and realized that the color fit right into the whole scheme of things.  Struggling for two days to come up with a way to hang it (from hand beaded chain, to threading all the beads onto beading line, and then ripping everything apart, over and over again), I stepped back today, and realized it needed to be simple to go with the rest of the Bohemian feel...hence, the leather cord, with a few beads...amen.

Utilizing my own daughter as a hand model (she wouldn't allow the camera any higher tonight, with threat of bodily harm), the resulting set of fun.  "Make something", I did, Mom...thanks for the huge amounts of love and encouragement throughout my life...you will never know just how much you mean to me...OK, you might.

Coming out of the Barry Manilow show in Vegas last summer, with new "glow stick earrings" from the performance...like I said, always the fashionista, always beautiful, and always fun!  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOM - I love you!

And, speaking of fun and since I'm on a bangle kick around here (yes, the Bakelite bangles still get stacked 5 high on most days), LOOK at what I found this week, on a quick trek through TJ Maxx.  I even left the price tag on so you could see the bargain I got - heavy, real brass beauties from India...not flimsy, these babies are substantial - all 36 of them!!  I'm sharing them with my Mom...not that she isn't worth a lot more!

QUEEN OF THE NILE REVEAL...

I must admit, I AM the Queen of Denial (though my husband would probably argue it's the Queen of the Damned) this past week, in having spent time finishing up this bracelet, while refusing to believe my house needed dusting...but look what I finished!  Look with your special eyes!

This was the finished beadwork piece, before being attached to the brass cuff last evening, since I was showing you the piece as it progressed...

Beadwork alone weighed 1.4 oz.  Beads were all sewn down two at a time, and secured with a back stitch (in some instances, one at a time).  Vanity prohibited me showing the back of the unfinished piece - it was all very neat...just a lot of tiny stitches.  Lots and lots...and lots.

Attached to a 2" wide brass cuff, and backed with Ultrasuede, total weight now is 2.6 oz. - a substantial cuff, for sure.

That's right...no denying...the dust was WELL worth the effort (actually I worked mostly in the evenings, so I probably need another excuse for not dusting). Dust will always be there - the Queen of the Nile waits for no one!

The rest of these vintage pieces of Egyptian Revival brass are on my radar for future projects - the second Cleo will become a bracelet for my favorite Mom, next (the Pharaoh is an old scarf slide).  Horrors! More dust!

As a long-time seamstress, bead embroidery is one of the things I most love to do with my quiet time - just an extension of my sewing.  I know I have a few who have been after me on just how to get started with something like this (if not a smaller project) - one in Canada that might be interested, and a couple of friends in MO, if I can drag them away from soldering long enough.  If I can create enough of a "spark" I might be persuaded to give up mopping too, and show you, step-by-step in an easy to follow tutorial, how you can do this too?!  Yes, you can!  It's amazing what you can do with some fishing line and a few beads...and I promise the dust isn't that bad!

JUST MY CUP OF TEA and The Evolution of a Favorite...

My friend, Chris, is an incredible friend.  My friend, Chris, is an incredible artist (she also paints, and has a new cookie baking venture).  My friend, Chris, has discovered a love for beads and shiny baubles, and is turning it all into incredible jewelry.  My friend, Chris, is now sharing the love.

When she finished and posted this set recently, it lasted just until I spied it on her facebook post about 20 seconds later, and it now resides on my arm and neck.  It was just my "cup of tea".

The rhinestone pieces are vintage earrings, encased in glass and soldered impeccably (everything she does is impeccable...as well as incredible...Chris is also a painter).  Sari silk ribbons are tied onto both pieces, and those blue glass beads just sparkle and shine, like all get-out. 

She has a new facebook page HERE (just click, like Dorothy in Oz) where most of her work shows up, as it's finished.  You can also find her on her blog at  The Antique Pallet; and The Antique Pallet.Etsy has a few of her pieces that actually made it into the shop before being swooped up.

And now, the evolution of something that I am sure is going to become a favorite piece.  I started this a few months back and, not having time or the creative inclination to finish it at that point, it was put aside until a few evenings this past week.  Definitely a work in progress, with more photos to follow...

An old brass piece (with a bit of a "ginger brass" patina) of a beautiful Egyptian woman, 2-1/4" tall.  I am assuming she is probably Cleopatra, but will be researching her further, based on the headdress.  Malachite (a favorite among the Ancient Egyptians) stones set on either side of her, surrounded by seed beads, glass Czech Fire Polish beads, and glass Eye of Providence/Eye of Horus beads (and they laughed at me when I purchased them at a bead show a few years back, not knowing what I would do with them, but knowing I needed them).

This will be transformed into a 2" cuff bracelet, when all is said and done...a few more evenings of beading to stay awake while watching movies, and I just might have a new favorite.

A BUZZ IN THE AIR - Double Dutch at the Bellagio Conservatory - Spring 2012

A HUGE buzz, as a matter of fact...

Easter weekend brought about a change in the air at the Bellagio Hotel/Casino Conservatory - the new Spring 2012 display.  Spring flowers as far as the eye could see...8,283 flowers, as a matter of fact.  Tulips, Hydrangeas, Poppies, Daffodils, Lilies...add to that a full-sized windmill, OVERsized Dutch wooden shoes, a gorgeous carousel, large "umbrella flowers", and beautiful, gigantic bumblebees - everyone was ABUZZ!

A bed of Poppies that would have made the Wicked Witch of the East proud...

I do think that the upper right photo of ruffled edge Tulips, before blooming, are slightly reminiscent of the carnivorous Audrey from "Little Shop of Horrors"...

A chocolate waterfall, and it could have almost been Wonkaland...

All this splendor will be on display through May 13 - did I mention FREE? It IS, and not to be missed if you're out Vegas way...we're not all sand and slot machines.  Happy Spring!

BELLAGIO YEAR OF THE DRAGON DISPLAY - PART DEUX

As promised, more shots from the Year of the Dragon Botanical Display at the Bellagio, this past month.  These flowers are maintained and changed out on a daily basis (stock coming from the huge on-site greenhouse), as they wither and turn brown. They changed out this entire display just about a week ago, and my daughter and I drove down and took in the new one, yesterday.  Spring at the Bellagio has brought gorgeous tulips, a large windmill, and huge wooden shoes - pictures to follow in a few days.  For now, enjoy the rest of the lovely Chinese New Year display...

Above the 18-foot ceiling of the hotel registration lobby is a coffer filled with the most extraordinary glass sculpture, a chandelier called Fiori di Como by glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.  This stunning piece is comprised of 2,000 hand-blown glass blossoms.  The red lantern and fan displays sat behind the registration desk.

No attention to detail has been overlooked at this fabulous attraction...from the gorgeous hand painted bouquets gracing the ceiling above the chandeliers in the hallway leading from the Conservatory, to the larger than life, equally fabulous poster in the window of the ritzy Omega store on my way out.