Monday in Seattle. Picture and Quote for the Week, Happy Valentine's Day

dance as though no one is watching

love as though you have never been hurt before

sing as though no one can hear you

live as though heaven is on earth

Happy Valentines's Day!

New at Bumbershoot Supplies. Vintage Enamel Flowers are Back

Happy Friday!

New at Bumbershoot Supplies this week, we have been able to obtain a few more lots of vintage enameled metal flowers, just in time for your spring designs.  New in stock are the lilac ones above, and back in stock are the following....

We don't have many of these, so if you want 'em, come and get 'em!
Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Wishing you a wonderful, wonderful weekend!

Featured Artist Update: Cathy Sizer of Rings of Desire on Etsy

Are you going to be anywhere near Savannah, GA in late February?

If you are, perhaps you’d like to catch up with Cathy Sizer of Rings of Desire on Etsy.

I last featured Cathy’s work in this blog post. Cathy has designed several new pieces since then, using various supplies from Bumbershoot Supplies, and I’m delighted to be able to share these new designs with you.

But the big news for Cathy is that she was recently juried into the 9th Annual Springtime Made in The South!, an arts and crafts show to be held in Savannah on Feb 25-27, 2011.

This is Cathy’s first in person show, and I’m so excited for her. Being successfully juried into a show, and presenting your work in this type of environment is a big step for any artist.

So if you are in the Savannah area at the right time, perhaps you may be interested in checking out the show. It sounds like a great event. If you do, stop by and say hi to Cathy – you’ll find her and her beautiful Rings of Desire designs in booth 611.



Monday in Seattle. Picture and Quote for the Week, Violets First Bloom

first bloom of our violets just beginning, our garden at Greenlake, Seattle, Feb 7, 2011

I smelt the violets in her hand and asked, half in words,

half in signs, a question which meant

"Is love the sweetness of flowers?"

~Helen Keller

New at Bumbershoot Supplies. Vintage Glass Pearl Bead Drops and French Metal Sequins



It is very late.

There are many new items at Bumbershoot Supplies this week, but this post will be short.

I'm behind because I played hooky for a few hours today
to make some necklaces and earrings.
You know, sometimes you've just got to get away from everything and create.

So for today, I'm going to share 3 splendid items that are newly listed at Bumbershoot Supplies.

These champagne bead drops, beautifully aged teardrops....

These absolutely incredibly rainbow golden ivory drops, out of the original packaging from Japan...

And oh happy day, restocked vintage French metal sequins, shown above also. Haven't had these in stock since April of 2010!

Going to knock off for the day now, wishing you all a great weekend!



Featured Artist. Alona Freeman of lonkoosh on Etsy

These wonderfully romantic vintage inspired jewelry designs are by Alona Freeman and are available at her Etsy shop, lonkoosh.

I’m glad to have an opportunity to feature Alona’s work because I have admired it for some time. I often lurk at lonkoosh, just to see what new vintage treasures she has obtained and how she has put them together into her unique artistic designs.

Alona’s designs are like viewing a mini curated collection of vintage components, beautifully arranged and displayed. She uses vintage cabochons, buttons, rhinestones, earring components, and various metals as focal pieces and components to create wearable collages, each one full of vintage flair.

Many of Alona’s designs are one-of-a-kind or extremely limited editions.

I think one of the reasons Alona’s designs appeal to me is because I often have a hard time deciding which of my vintage trinkets I like the best. With Alona’s designs, I would not have to choose – I could wear the rhinestones and the buttons and the flowers and the cabochons and the filigree all together at the same time!

I know I’m not the only one attracted to Alona’s designs because her work has been featured on the front page of Etsy many times.

I’ve focused on sharing Alona’s vintage collage jewelry here because the pieces are so remarkable, but there are many other lovely jewelry designs available at lonkoosh, such as this necklace…

And this bracelet…

I hope you will enjoy a visit to lonkoosh. You will be transported to a place of vintage romance, soft colors, and many, many flowers.

Vintage Design Inspiration Board #13 with Creativity Quote

At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.
~Plato

Inspiration Board #13 features:

vintage millinery stamens (West Germany)

vintage glass mirror heart button (occupied Germany)

vintage pink flower rhinestone buttons (Austria)

vintage paper tag (Japan)

vintage tea stained cluny lace (USA)

vintage rose flower cabochon (Japan)

vintage pink ribbon (USA)

vintage glass rhinestones (Czech)

vintage mother of pearl leaves

vintage shabby quilt hearts

antique embroidery floss

vintage linen tea towel

mounted on 4x4 inch gallery wrapped canvas base

Monday in Seattle. Picture and Quote for the Week, First Signs of Spring at Discovery Park

very first blossoms appearing at Discovery Park, Seattle, Jan 31, 2011

Spring hangs her infant blossoms on the trees,

Rock'd in the cradle of the western breeze.

~William Cowper

Featured Artist. Janice Swain of Strands on Etsy

These amazing wearable art pieces are by Janice Swain of Strands on Etsy.

Janice left feedback after a purchase at Bumbershoot Supplies and she also attached some photos to her feedback. I was delighted to see what she had done with the vintage cabochons and vintage rhinestones she had purchased, and beyond that, I was amazed.

Janice uses vintage cabochons and rhinestones, as well as gemstones, as focal pieces around which she beads fabulous swirls of color and sparkle, each piece unique, each piece a story.

For example, this bulldog cuff…

And this glacier cuff…

 

And this one inspired by Van Gogh’s sunflower paintings…

If you love beads and sparkly things, you are probably someone who is captivated by light and color and the special magic of how they both come together in glass. I love how Janice has used the characteristics of the vintage glass cabochons and vintage rhinestones so effectively in her designs. I am truly in awe of the vision and skill required to take diverse bits of glass and turns them into gorgeous wearable art. Not to mention the amount of time I imagine must be involved in bringing the vision to tangible form...

It is for these reasons I am delighted to have found Janice and Strands. Plus, she is from Bumbershoot Supplies’ home town of Seattle, and it’s always nice to meet a neighbor.

Janice’s shop is a recent addition to Etsy – Strands opened at the end of 2010. I’m featuring the cuff bracelets here because they are so spectacular, but there are many other lovely jewelry designs available at Strands, so I hope you will head on over for a visit and a dose of inspiration and color, especially if you are in a part of the world that is still awaiting spring :)

New at Bumbershoot Supplies. Oodles of Vintage Glass Pearls

In Seattle, not every day is a good day for photographing items for Bumbershoot Supplies. However, earlier this week, a rare (for January) sunny spell of a few hours coincided with a delivery of vintage glass pearls. Dropping everything and grabbing the camera, here is what resulted and is now available at Bumbershoot Supplies....

I have more. I simply have no self control around vintage glass pearls. 

But the sun went behind the clouds, so I will have to try again another day...

Until next time, wishing you a great weekend!