Oriental touch cont'd....

I found this beautiful bearded iris flowering in the back garden today and it so reminded me of the charm and colours of the washi pendant mentioned in the previous post.

Nature is so fantastic!

An oriental touch....

A little different touch this time.....
Mellow and subtle hues of amethyst,fawn and bronze portrayed in this genuine Japanese washi paper pendant with czech glass amethyst beads and antique plated findings.

I love it.....hope you do too!

Sneak peek.....

I thought I'd let you have a little peek into my secret garden. No one but me apparently seems to ever spend any time there unless the hot water tank is playing up or the drains are blocked and need major unblocking!
It's only a very narrow space yet in it, I have planted 'special' plants.Plants that are rare, plants that have the most striking colour or shape,plants that I've bought because I wanted to give them
a' go' and see what happens.

Enjoy.......


This pelargonium has such a deep crimson colour.Very intriguing with a touch of noir.
Further along,in the opposite garden bed, this bright splash greets you merrily.....


Almost the complete opposite to its darker sister, this pelargonium is a cheery lipstick or candy pink in colour.
I also like to grow plants for their beautiful foliage and over the next few weeks, I will try and snap a few shots of such plants.

Weekend Deals on Etsy

It's happening this coming weekend, Oct.23,24,25.
Everything in my Gojjell store on Etsy will be available for sale with 10% discount.Plus,FREE SHIPPING.

I'll be listing a couple of new creations over the next day or so to add a little spice to the store such as this latest bracelet which I've aptly named, 'Playful Cherubs'. A little gem, even if I say so myself!
Like it? Check out my other range and see if something can tempt you.....

Backyard delights!

Look what I managed to grow in my little vegie patch out the back......my first cauli and not a blemish on it! No snails, slugs, earwigs or other pest, and all grown organically. Please to say I have four more cauliflowers growing nicely too.

On a floral note, just love the cheeriness and blueness of these sweet marguerite daisies growing alongside my pond. Sweet pair of earrings to carry the blue theme through.....

A more complete picture of the choker!

Lady of the night....

I love this pearl necklace/choker.
The softest of grey swarovski glass pearls are strikingly interrupted with the addition of a handful of rich red swarovski crystals giving this necklace the oomph needed to be worn by a lady, a lady venturiong out at night....

Syrian glass find

A little while ago I happened across this gorgeous homewares store in a small country town. As I walked slowly through this haven full of delicious and soothing scents and wondrous homewares,I happened to come across a glass bowl filled with these chunky,clear glass tubes handmade in Syria.

I stood mesmerized! I knew I had to buy them as images of unique chunky beaded necklaces flashed through my mind.

I snapped them up quickly along with a handmade glass bird pendant which I still have to incorporate into a beautiful choker.

The glass tubes were made into this:The necklace feels so good on. It's chunky,comfortable to wear and a beautiful piece of jewellery I think. I wonder who will buy it from my etsy store???

Random images of beauty.....

Whilst on a lovely four day break in peaceful Launceston(Tasmania),particularly the Tamar Valley, I captured these images of Nature in all its glory.....


Cataract Gorge was stunning as per usual.....


My favourite flower,whatever the season, the hydrangea. Glorious!

Getting my hands dirty!

Sometimes,there's just no escaping the call of Nature....Yes it's very cold here but the sun does shine and as long as the rain holds off I'm out of here and into my vegie patch!

I'm very pleased with my winter brassicas so far and my beautiful orange tree. I'm proud to say my broccoli, caulis, cabbage, sprouts,silverbeet,lettuce and potatoes are all thriving. I have taken the plunge and planted out my little carrot seedlings, kale and leeks, but they look so fragile and lost in the good earth! I hope they thrive like their bigger cousins have.....




And of course, just to whet the appetite jewellery wise, look at these little pretties....vintage lampwork beads with jet swarovski crystals.....like jewelled sprouts but the non edible variety!!

Need for warmth and snuggling up time....

My, it's turned bitterly cold now! Whilst my garden chores have slowed down somewhat, my busy fingers have been creative by the heater of a night time!
This latest cowl/neckwarmer is soo incredibly soft and warm.....reminds me of the yummy feeling one gets while eating warm apple pie topped with cream! I've just listed it im second etsy shop, lainenbois.

The second cowl was sold yesterday to a lovely lady who has also ordered a custom made pair of gorgeous wrist warmers which I'll show here as soon as they're completed! Stay tuned...and warm!

A bright light on a cold,cold day....

We've had a few really cold autumn days to break up our otherwise balmy autumn and on this particularly snappy morning, look what I found flowering shyly in my side garden......

This abutilon or 'chinese lantern' was grown by me from a cutting I swapped with a fellow gardener at Garden Club last year. I just love it's purity of colour and its simplicity.

The Chinese Lantern flower was my inspiration for these cloisonne style earrings......floral, golden and oriental.
So sweet!

Purple velvet....

Isn't this flower the most gorgeous, velvety shade of purple to be seen in nature? It actually feels as fabulous as it looks!
Mexican Sage is its name, a member of the salvia family. I have it growing in my front garden now(a result from cuttings taken a few months ago round the backyard where the parent plant was growing but had to make way for a new veggie patch!)
If looks could kill....so could the smell, believe me!!! Not very pleasant to my nose anyway.
I don't stop and smell it, just stand in awe of its beauty.

Of course, once having drunk deeply of this beautiful colour,I created this simple but different pendant/necklace, once again playing with the purple/amethyst theme from the sage.

I like it, do you?

P.S. The colourful tourmaline kiltpin sold the other day and is flying to its new home in Hawaii!!!

Colourful beauty!

Here is the latest addition to my beaded kiltpins/brooches that I have in my etsy shop. The genuine tourmaline briolettes are so delicate yet so full of colour! I'm so glad I captured some of this translucence in this photo with the sun streaming in onto my display.

The little fluorite chips add a textural contrast without challenging the lovely colours of the stones below.

And the butterfly? A little touch of whimsy and because the briolettes remind me of gossamer wings!

Journey through a Kazuri garden....

The cool greeness and freshness of the vegetables shown in my last blog inspired me to create this necklace.....I have always admired and loved the earthiness and beauty gone into the making of Kazuri beads from Kenya, so this creation just came naturally!

I had listed this necklace in my etsy store last week and on Sunday, a lovely lady bought it for her mother!

Great choice!

From the good earth....

Here they are! My first, healthy crop of 'Dragon's Tongue' beans which I planted several weeks ago after losing my original crop to the horrible three days of hell back in Feb!
They are an heirloom variety which means the seeds have been saved through the generations and these will surely be treasured! (Only the last few will be retained because I plan to eat these delicious legumes as soon as!)

They are a lovely cream colour with a striking purple marking. Once cooked, the whole bean reverts to a green colour.....wow!

And of course, just a little diversion, isn't this just exquisite? I've been growing this rose for the last 20 years and its blooms and heavenly perfume never fail to amaze me! This is the lovely 'Peach Nectar'.

A departure from the ordinary...

Look what just dropped by! The gorgeous 'redness' of the Nerine flower in my lasy post inspired me to hunt out other red delectables in my posession.

The result......this jewelled spider choker, complete with venemous red droplets!

A slight diversion from my usual, earthy or elegant pieces but such FUN to make! Now, who wants to wear it and do it some justice???

In awe of Nature (contd)

Over the last two weeks, I have been watching the unfolding of this gorgeous creation, known as a Nerine, and have taken these photos to show this flower in all its beauty.

To think that this one flower can rise up unscathed from the parched earth is truly amazing!

In awe of Nature

As I have mentioned in my profile, gardening is one of my passions.Due to the horrific summer we have just experienced, my poor 'patch of heaven' that is my beloved garden has suffered terribly.With what little watering we were allowed to do then the exceptional dry, burning conditions during February, my garden and its inhabitants have had to cope with much hardship.

Imagine my complete surprise then when I caught a glimpse of this miracle of Nature, rising out of the surrounding, desolate patch of earth!

Today's Picasso

I feel today's image has something uniquely 'Grecian' about it.

Perhaps it's something to do with the vine-like head gear which reminds me of the ancient Greek's attire during the old olympiad?

Just my personal ramblings, that's all...

Picasso today

I really feel today's Picasso's couple would be quite at home at the Races!
All dressed up and ready for a flutter on the gee gees! (Just my thoughts, really.....)

Picasso's gem for today....

I find today's painting very completative. Possibly meditating or in prayer, her look signifies total absorption in her thoughts.
A very relaxing piece, this one....

Picasso for today

Today's simple but powerful image of the peaceful dove is so apt.
This symbol will never date....its message totally relevant today as it was in days gone by.

Pain in the neck!!

Oops, I guess my enthusiastic start to Pilates and strength training (3 weeks ago) was a little to good to be true!
Despite the initial aches and strains from rediscovering muscles I'd forgotten I posessed, I suddenly developed a real 'pain in the neck' this week that has only continued to get worse.

I have now been seeing my friend the physio,aka the 'torturer', who knowingly informs me of my swelling between three joints in my neck to be the cause of my soreness! Her treatment works but of course 'no pain, no gain'!

Sadly, my exercise regime is taking a break as is my beloved tennis, gardening, housework.....did I say housework? No rest for the wicked there unfortunately!
Not one to rest on self pity, my little injury hasn't stopped my creativity......
I made this the afternoon after I first returned from physio....

I plan to have this little gem available in my etsy store over the next few days. Take anyone's fancy???

Pablo Picasso

I can SOOO relate to today's painting!

Have you never been so comfortable in a cosy armchair as to completely lose yourself to reality and drift off to another, dreamy and relaxing haven?

I have.......many times!!