You Are My Sunshine!!!

 

 Well, my dear blog, it's been a looooooooong time since I showed you any love but I promise to make it up to you.

There are so many things that happened to me in the last 5 years. I moved from the US back to the Bahamas and then the love of my life passed away 2 years ago in my arms, in the middle of Covid. Needless to say, life in the last few years has been really challenging at times. Forever the optimist though, I look for the bright spot in everything. Today I was browsing and came across these little beauties. They really made me smile. If my husband was here I could see him purchasing one for me and hiding it under my pillow. :) Today is the anniversary of his passing and I miss him terribly but I realize his spirit is still here with me, always showing up in little ways so I know he is here. 

 

Like it? Get it here.

 

CHERIO! 

Art Crush Of The Week

Hello lovelies!  Hope you are enjoying the Easter holidays. :)

Today, I am so excited to share with you an artist that I stumbled upon last week.  This gal is baaaaaaaaaaaad to the bone talented.  Her Art keeps pushing all my happy buttons and I find myself smiling as I drool over her pieces.  And trust me, I am super picky so this is not the "norm" for me.  

Well, without further babbling, let me let you know a little about my new obsession.   

Emilia Elfe a Moscow-based collage artist creating decadent, vintage-inspired graphics. Using old fashion campaign images from the 40s and 50s, Elfe brings back retro glam with jewelry cut-outs that create alternative fashion covers. In her art, she makes references to the masters of fashion photography – from Horst P. Horst to Richard Avedon.


So fab! It was so hard for me to choose from her work.  I loved them all, so, please forgive me for the excessive pics.  All are different and so stunning in their own way!  Enjoy. :)

Cherio!

One Good Deed And Some Vintage Jewelry

vanishingvintage

When I was a little girl I remember getting one of the best gifts I have ever received from a woman who was notorious for being a grouch.  For some reason she gave a starry eyed little girl a box of vintage jewelry.  Some of them were broken but I recall being in awe of the sparkle and shine of the beads...I had died and gone to heaven.  Needless to say I was hooked ever since.

Now that I am grown, I have an even greater appreciation for vintage jewelry. I can fully appreciate the stellar craftsmanship, the fearless color palettes and unrestrained imagination that went into each piece. I just love finding one of a kind pieces that make me gasp...and trust me, I find them pretty often because I collect them. One of the things I do though, is to research and find out about the various designers in the 1930's and beyond.  It has been so very informative and inspiring to me as a designer.

Here are two of my favorite vintage jewelry designers that you may want to buy or collect:

Marcel Boucher - He was born in Paris, France where he designed for Cartier and later for his own company. Marcel Boucher is highly respected as the most imaginative designer of quality costume jewelry. His bold, meticulously executed designs is sought out by collectors from all walks of life including movie stars like Sarah Jessica Parker. Each piece is a "work of art".

sparklz

Trifari - Since the 1920s, Trifari has been one of the most respected and admired producers of costume jewelry in the United States. Trifari was Founded in the1910s by Gustavo Trifari, the Italian-immigrant son of a Napoli goldsmith, the company has designed jewelry that’s been worn by countless high-profile clients, from Mamie Eisenhower to Madonna.

.stargazervintagejewelry

Image Origin unknown

Who would have thought that one kind act from the town's grouch would bring so much joy and passion into my life for these pieces and for design as a whole...  Thanks Miss B, rest in peace.

Cherio!

Just B R E A T H E

Lately life has been coming at me hard and fast...and that is not necessarily a bad thing but it could be overwhelming at times.  I want a lot out of my life so I work hard, sometimes harder than I should perhaps but that's okay with me.  It's funny though how hard work may not seem to be paying off then wham!  Opportunities open up and you are swamped and even a little confused as to what direction to go in.  In times like that I am learning to B R E A T H E, and just take it all in before I make decisions...  

This weekend was really a blur of activity and decision making so I made myself slow down and create something, anything.  For me, creating is therapeutic, I think so much better/clearer when I am crafting...maybe because I am more relaxed and feeling zero pressure, who knows.  Whatever it is though, it works for me. 

 Here are two weekends worth of therapeutic crafting.  I hate to say it but "two birds with one stones comes to mind".  Have a fabulous day!

CHERIO!

Goodwill Hunting - Bargains For All!

When it comes to bargain shopping, I am like a lion on the Serengeti, I can stalk, hunt and negotiate with the best of them...........plus I totally enjoy the whole experience.  It is a great feeling to see your hard earned money go farther and accomplish much more than you expected.  It never gets old.


A few weeks ago, a very dear friend of mine sent me a link to www.shopgoodwill.com and as the saying goes "the rest is history".  I am obsessed with this site.   It is not just "a" goodwill shop, it is ALL of the goodwill shops in the US combined and available online.  Imagine that and I dare you not to get happy. 
From collectibles to Art, Sports memorabilia, vintage jewelry and so much more, you can find it all there on the site.  All you you need is a little patience to sort through the extensive listings.  Trust me, it pays off big time so take your time and have fun!


Once you find what you want, you can go ahead and bid on it. Just sign up/create an account which is a very easy process and you are ready to bargain!  After that, if you are the winning bidder on an item, once it is paid for, your purchase will be shipped to you.  Easy, peasy. This is perfect for anyone with an ebay business since you can buy collectibles for a good price and sell them over.  Check it out, it is so worth it.

All of the pieces shown in this post are items that I am bidding on or won already.  What do you think?

This is a very old oil painting, it is signed by the artist and worth a lot more than I paid for it. Cha ching!

This piece is a vintage necklace, the stones are glass set against a gold tone base.

This is a vintage still life I fell in love with, the colors are exquisite in this piece.

 

    And finally the piece de resistance, a Vintage Xinling Gorge Watercolor Scroll. I adore this piece. 

Cherio!

Imperfectly Perfect

As Paula Dean would say, hey Y'all (in my best Southern drawl impression.....which is pretty bad).  How was Christmas?  Hope you had a blast, hope your family didn't drive you mad.  Okay, I know, too soon.

Well, Christmas for me was quiet and relaxing which gave me the opportunity to do what I love best.  Craft!  I had a ball I must say and I learned a lot. 

 I am a relentless nit-picker perfectionist when it comes to my own work and while that has it's benefits, it also comes with drawbacks as well.  Last weekend I had a mini-melt down.  I was experimenting with new materials and everything seemed to be going well then all of a sudden I realized why I was not quite satisfied with the piece.  I was playing it too safe.  I was afraid I would mess it up. Eureka! Then, my lightening fast mind reflected (5 minutes later) on all the pieces I did that I loved and got rave reviews for, most of them already sold.  They had spunk, style, daring, and in your face swag!  Why? Well, because I had thrown caution to the winds.  And when I did, my work took on a life of their own, they became something better than perfect. They became expressive......people felt something when they saw it. And that is what I want most of all.

So with this being said, it's on like donkey kong!  Expect to see this new attitude manifested in my blog.  This is a life lesson that is not just about my Art, it encompasses everything and I couldn't be happier to see where this takes me.  From now on am holding nothing back.  You may be shocked, inspired, confused, amazed or even motivated to pray for my sanity but I promise you, you won't be bored!

Cherio!

Cuff Love

I saw this picture on freepeople's web store and I was blown away.  So, of course I just had to share this with you.  How incredible are these bracelets! Wow. 

Mark Jacobs - $98.00

I am a huge cuff fan so If there is one piece of jewelry I highly recommend splurging on, it would be the cuff bracelet. They bring major swag and drama to an outfit, like no other piece of jewelry can. Yep.  They know how to "bring it!"  

shopstyle - around $15.00

I like to wear them stacked or really wide, like two or three inches in width.  I also like mixing different textures, like leather and metals which really makes for interesting and high end looking pieces.  

Ann Taylor - $58.00

Cuff bracelets should be tried on for fit though.  Only buy these online if you know which size works for you, otherwise you may end up with a piece that is ill fitting and not so flattering.  Fit is key here. You don't need to be squeezing your wrist into something uncomfortable.  Once you find the right style and the right fit, you will fall in love with cuffs too!  They are that cool. 

Cherio!

Urban Outfitters - $24.00

Kendra Scott - $188.00

Enter The Dragon......fly

If I had to choose a creature that I feel most connected to, it would be the dragonfly. I don't exactly recall how it all started but for as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with them.  As time passed, I started noticing very peculiar behavior and occurrences involving my little friends.  I'll explain.  Generally I am a pretty happy person but occasionally I have bad days just like everyone else. On those days, I kid you not, the dragonflies would show up in abundance.  The strange thing is, they would appear on my door step, fly into my home or quite a few of them would just hang out in my yard.  Never the neighbor's, just me.

flickr

Wild Delaware

There are two incredible incidences involving dragonflies that I will  never forget.  Three years ago I had had a very beloved family member pass away and naturally, I was heart broken and really sad.  The day after the funeral, I went outside to walk my dog and I was in shock at what I saw.  There were huge colorful dragonflies everywhere, my dog was so confused, he couldn't figure out which one to chase.  There were hundreds of them and they were flying all around me.  I am sure this will probably be the first and only time I experience something like this.  The other incidence was eight years ago when I was going through a very hard time financially.  It was so stressful that I had headaches almost daily. I am a praying person so I clung to my faith and belief that God would help me get through it all.  One day I began to hear a insistent buzzing sound coming from my bedroom.  I went to check it out but on further inspection discovered that the noise was coming from inside my jewelry box.  Since the box has a lock on it I was a little perplexed as to what could be in the box making a sound like that.  I figured it had to be a phone or something mechanical?  Well, eventually curiousity overcame fear and I opened the box slowly............ and I literally almost passed out.  Inside the box was a huge blue -green iridescent dragonfly.  Time froze, I  stood there in total shock for quite a while.  Finally when I had collected myself a little, I asked my son to release him back into nature.  To this day I think about that.

Dragonfly Symbolism

Pacific Weddings

On my covet list.

I often joke about my heritage because its so varied and rich.  I am Bahamian (from the Bahamas), Jamaican, African and Native American.  Above all though I am a child of God.  I honestly believe that if God knows how many hairs are on my head surely he knows am crazy about dragonflies.  Perhaps its just his way of doing something that he knows will speak to who I am as a person. Something just for me.  So, every time I see a dragonfly its like a little message from God.  The message is always the same, "You are special and loved!"

Rosenberry Rooms

I love this pillow!

Fashion Conscience

How gorgeous is this bracelet!! Lol, Its on my husband's "honey do" list.

Sew Grown

Luv!!!!