Golden Treasury

       In the past I used to collect used books, old volumes of poetry from the early 1900's. You probably know the ones I mean, they are small, fitting nicely in your hand, and have yellowing pages. The one I'm looking at right now was bought at a used book sale, the date on the book is 1927. Sometimes I find interesting things inside the pages, used as bookmarks and lost. In the front of this book, the name of the original owner is written in the spidery handwriting of that time, in ink, with this note written in all capitals underneath:

This is the second book I

have bought. Please return.

     Well, I can't return it. I think I paid the pencilled amount on the second page, 50 cents, to bring this book home from the used book sale. The title is "The Golden Treasury" - selected from the best songs and lyrical poems in the English language and arranged with notes, by Francis T. Palgrave (late professor of poetry in the University of Oxford.)  

     The first little slip of paper marking a place is on page 303 - I open it to see what was the interesting lines marked to be remembered. It's marked with a torn corner from a newspaper, but there's no date. Too bad, I would like to know when it was put in the book, and left there for me to find.

By The Sea
it is a beauteous evening, calm and free;
The holy time is quiet as a Nun
Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
Is sinking down in its tranquility;


The gentleness of heaven is on the Sea;
Listen! the might Being is awake
And doth with his eternal motion make
A sound like thunder - everlastingly.
     I'm far from the sea here, but we have had many thunderstorms lately, and everlasting rain. Keats, Sir Walter Scott, Wordsworth and Byron all have their poems in this book. And Shakespeare, of course. 
     The picture above, in the round bezel with the word "Dream" on her forehead, is Emily Dickinson. Of all the poets, I like her the best.I turn quickly to the Index of Writers, and her name is absent, she's not included in this Golden Treasury. I suppose Professor Palgrave missed out on her, somehow.

Two Bites Are Just Right

On Saturdays I go to the library. It's my weekly treat to myself. And helps keep me from buying lots of books, too.

I got this cupcake cookbook on Saturday, called "Two-Bite Cupcakes" and it's very cute.

I love to make cupcakes. And there are lots of fun new ideas in this book.

It uses the little mini-cupcake pans. And there are savory as well as sweet recipes. 

I've got to try some of these. I have the book for two weeks. How many dozens of tiny cupcakes could I make in that time, I wonder.

If you love cupcakes too, check out this fun book.

Reading From The French

I just finished this book written by Agnes Desarthe titled "Chez Moi." The description from the back of the paperback copy I got from the library sounded interesting, so I picked it up. The author is a literary translator, taking books from english to french. Adriana Hunter translated this book from french to english.

At first I didn't know if I would like it. There are a lot of human themes, a bit of mystery, and a lot of cooking. This book is the sixth novel by this author, who is french, but it's the first that has been translated and published in the United States. Some reviews compare it to the book "Like Water for Chocolate," which I haven't read yet.

The protagonist, Myriam, is beginning a new life in Paris at age 43 by opening a restaurant, although she doesn't know anything about running a business.

I finished it with a smile, enjoying the story and the luxurious thoughts and generosity of the author, giving a glimpse inside someone else's head and history.

It's not a long book, but it is delicious, so if you're looking for a book for in front of the fireplace on a cold evening, give this one some thought. It has philosophy, humanity, romance and cooking!

Old Favorite Reads, Revisited

Most people have heard of Agatha Christie, and many have actually read at least one of her books.

But you may not have heard of the author Ngaio Marsh. She's one of my favorite mystery writers.

Right now I'm in the paperback version of this book, "A Clutch of Constables" - and it's lovely. With an artist, Troy Alleyn, taking a river cruise. And mysterious happenings begin around her. Troy Alleyn is the wife of Roderick Alleyn of Scotland Yard. The first part of the series deals with their courtship. This book is later in the series, and was apparently first published in 1968 in Great Britain by Collins, as part of the Collins Crime Club in hardback. The picture above is the original dust jacket.

I love Ngaio Marsh's writing and characters. She's from New Zealand. Doesn't she look interesting in her photo? She was a painter and a theater producer herself. I'm thinking she would have been fun to have as a dinner guest, don't you? Some of her books went out of print, but many are coming back into print now. And many libraries have her books. If you get a chance, and you're looking for interesting reading over the holidays, check out her series. I think you'll enjoy her. 

Novel Ideas

Okay, on Saturday, I sat down and read an entire book.

It didn't take that long, really. It's another of Deanna Raybourne's novels about Lady Julia Gray.

So I think her being in mourning in the first book I read must have inspired this pendant focal I finished last weekend.

And I wonder what will be created based on her description of a beautiful long necklace, bracelet and earrings of gray pearls.

Does anyone else let their reading habits form their creativity, or is it just that I'm suggestible!

Reading Anew and Fried Okra

I finally went last weekend to the local library and got my new library card.

When I was young, I went to the library several times a week during the summer, getting lots of books to read sitting in the shade under a tree.

Since I moved at the end of July, I just hadn't made it to the library to get my card.

The library branch is right down the street from my new house, I can walk or ride my bike. I only have time to go on Saturday morning, so I loaded up my empty tote bag and got some books.

I brought home two cookbooks about local cooking and recipes. I'm enjoying reading them, and there has been a lot more fried okra and cornbread around the house this week. The power of suggestion is strong!

And I got this debut novel by Deanna Raybourn. It's written by an american author, but set in the 1880's in England. It reminds me of the mysteries of Dauphne de Maurier. The author does a great job of describing the setting, the clothing, and especially the jewelry. There's a murder mystery, gypsies and lords and ladies. An eccentric family, a lovely heroine, a mysterious investigator. 

Very atmospheric!

It's the first in a series, I may try to read the others, too.

Check out her blog for fun.... she's a native Texan, too. Woo Hoo!

I know it's going to influence my jewelry designs, just reading it. 

Inspiration flows from many different places.

I haven't finished it yet, so if you have, don't give away the ending!

I also got some books for the grandbaby. You can't start the reading habit too early!

I feel more like a member of this community now, between the okra and the library card. Settling in.

From the Book Shelves - Sherri Haab Book Review

When folks ask me, from time to time, questions about using and creating with resin, I recommend Sherri Haab's book, "The Art of Resin Jewelry" as a resource.

One of the reasons, and there are many, why I do mixed media is that I enjoy working with many different materials, like an artistic collage.

If you are the same way, you will enjoy Sherri Haab's new book. It's titled "Jewelry Inspirations - Techniques and Designs from the Artist's Studio" and I just got a copy of it today in advance of its March 9 release, a generous 160 pages. The title is telling - it is more than just a step-by-step how to book, it provides a window into her creative process and studio.

Many times I see books published that provide instructions on particular projects, but this book gives you the start of the idea so you can begin with your own inspiration and work to something that's creatively new and your own.


There's a little something for everyone in this book, whether you're interested in polymer clay, resin, making molds or wire working, she has a section on them and the photographs are just beautiful.

There's a lot of synchronicity in this book for me, as she has portions of the book that talk about spool knitting with wire and viking knitting, two things I've been doing myself lately. It facinates me how creative people sometimes seem to be listening to the same wavelengths and getting inspired by similar things, yet the things we create with them can be so totally different and unique.

If there's one special take away from this book for me, it's the encouragement to all for it to be the starting point of a personal journey, to work through the projects but make them one's own rather than doing just what Sherri did. If you sometimes take a class just to see how the instructor thinks their way through a solution, you can have that same feeling from this book.

This book would make a creative complement to a workshop as a sort of inspirational textbook, to provide a new series of things to try as a group or on your own, to challenge yourself. I do that sometimes and I'm sure most creative people do, too.


She has Chapters titled "Memories", "Seasons", "Collections" and "Hobbies" - all aimed at starting the creative juices flowing. There's an interview on Crafter News where she talks about the book.

If you've wondered about torch firing metal clay, wire wrapping a briolette drop or off-loom weaving a cuff bracelet, you'll find all of those in this book, and she talks about them on her website, too.

If you want details and multiple projects on one specific media or technique this book may not go deeply enough in any one thing for you - but what fun would that be, I ask you?

It will be fun to pick it up from time to time and read something from anywhere in the book for any of the 25 projects, just for inspiration. For someone like me who usually has several, okay numerous, things going at once, this book is just like my style of creating, and maybe it will be yours, too.

If this review has intrigued you - Check it out! And let me know how it inspired you ...

Gifts of Beauty

Mary Jane sent me some photos of a project she's working on, and she's used some of my components on the necklaces.

I just love when I get to see finished work using the pewter or glass, it's second-level creativity time for me.


Mary Jane is participating in Nancy Schindler's Book Club over at Round Rabbit. They're reading "The House At Riverton" and it sounds facinating, from the descriptions of the characters that Mary Jane sent me. She used some of the pewter, along with lots of other lovely things, to create necklaces inspired by the characters in the book. You can see more photos at her Flickr site and read the descriptions, too.

I love that she put a word onto the front of the toggle lock charm, and I told her that I'd been thinking of putting words onto the backs of some of the pewter components.

Must be a synchronicity thing! It's out there, available to inspire.


Don't you love these? I think the colors and ingenuity are wonderful.

And I really appreciate that she shared them with me, and gave me permission to share here, too.

Lovely, lovely.

Novels, Compasses, Charts and Stories of Seas

When I have a few minutes, I'm reading another book translated from spanish by the Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte. This one is titled "The Nautical Chart" and it has aspects of many things that interest me.

And apparently, affect what I create.


The book was published in 2000, with the english translation in 2001. It's a good translation, and the parts that should still be in spanish have been kept that way.


It has suspense and mystery, sailing and navigation. A bit of a mix of "The Maltese Falcon" and "Treasure Island" with a tiny bit of "Moby Dick" mixed in for fun.

I didn't know it had been made into a movie, and may not try to get it to watch. The reviews from the NY Metro and the Observer of the book are good, but some reviews of the movie not as great. That happens sometimes.


So out of that atmosphere I've been inspired to make these items that look like compass designs. And some of the crosses have maps in the background, like a sailor's keepsake.

I haven't finished the book yet, but it deals with auctions, nautical museums, sunken ships, treasure hunting and locating mystery items on maps and charts. Right up my alley. I hope the ending is good. It's so annoying when you're enjoying a read, and the end lets you down, as though it wasn't quite finished but the author stopped writing at the wrong spot.


So far I can recommend it. I can't give away the ending, I haven't gotten there myself yet; if those subjects interest you, check it out.

A Super Week Off and Rambling Thoughts

I took the four days after the Labor Day holiday Monday off from the day job this week.

We had the medical thing scheduled, and I didn't know how the days after that would be, and I wanted to be at the house, just in case. I'm sure you know what I mean. Things went just fine, thanks very much for your good wishes and keeping us in your thoughts. The "patient" is anxious to mow the yard, I see that as a good sign.

So I had four entire days in a row without travel, being in the studio as much as I wanted, no deadlines or distractions.

I made some goals for myself, because I knew those few days would fly by. And here it is Friday morning already.

In some ways I feel like I stole something, like I got away with a sneaky trick. I've tried really hard to make each day count toward something. To show progress, accomplishment of some kind.

I heard on the radio earlier in the week that many parts of the country are starting to rebound from the financial distress in the county. With one big exception that made me laugh out loud. Want to guess? SAINT LOUIS - HA! Of course.

I'm really, truly grateful to have a full-time day job, and try to appreciate each day as I go to it, those who sincerely wish they had somewhere they were supposed to be every day, and a job of work to do when they arrived.

Still, I do wish sometimes for days, luxurious undisturbed days, to spend in the studio. I've learned a lot this week, and accomplished a lot of what I wanted to get done.

After all, it's just Friday morning. I have all day today, Saturday and Sunday before I have to put down the tools and pull down the blinds in the studio. And head out to commute to the regular day job, thank goodness it's still there.


This morning I got up especially early and put on some favorite rhythmic music in the studio. I lit the candles in the wrought-iron holder, see them in the background there? I opened the patio door to let in the morning air, and lit some incense. To celebrate the week ending.


I'm working my way through self-designed projects in two books this week. One is "A Charming Exchange" and the other is "Bead on a Wire." Both are reference and inspirational books I turn to often, to prime the pump of creativity. And to take the place of studio time when I have to be elsewhere. Research, you see. Or so I tell myself.

Sometimes I wonder why I spend so much time creating, learning and trying new things. Weeks like this one answer that question - it's fun, it's satisfying and it gives joy.


The seven pieces for the publishing project are finished and photographed and ready to send out. That alone gives a feeling of accomplishment. This is a photo of the shipping area in the studio, where I package things up, make my handfolded boxes and get things ready for the trip to the Post Office. I didn't even make a special effort to clean it up before taking the picture (you can probably tell!) and this is what it usually looks like, or sometimes even worse!

Now- back to work! or is it play .... ??? in the studio, it can be both.

And guess what? Sharilyn Miller, the author of "Bead on a Wire," has a new book coming out. It's titled "Contemporary Copper Jewelry" and it looks great, too! It's scheduled for release this month, I'll have to see if I can find it. That would get me off my book diet!

Spanish Madre in Blue

I'm reading a book translated from the spanish of the author, and set in the city of Seville, Spain. The book is called "The Seville Communion" and the author is Arturo Perez-Reverte. The translation is very good.

I haven't been to Seville, but part of Kansas City, Missouri is designed around the architecture of Seville.

It's really lovely, and ancient looking. I love the earthy colors, the many beautiful fountains and the ceramic tiles in the Kansas City Plaza, which is my image of what Seville must look like.


So my mind must be influenced by the images in the book. The author is very descriptive. I can just picture the church that is the main theme of the story.


So I think that's what caused me to come up with this focal brooch. It can be worn as a pendant or pinned on as a brooch. It needs a lovely cross or something as a dangle from the bottom loop.

Or maybe the key that reminds me of the oversized metal keys to the heavy wooden door to the cathedral.

I just added her to the Etsy shop, she's very special and one of a kind.

Rejuvenation Inspiration Book Review

In 2007 Stampington published an article in Belle Armoire March/April Issue of the Magazine, and at the end of the article they issued a challenge to send in related jewelry pieces.


The article featured the work of Amy Hanna and her Rejuvenated Jewels. Quite a few pages of her work combining vintage jewelry pieces to create updated jewelry.


That article and the issued BAJ challenge is what started this adventure for me. I put together some pieces for the challenge and submitted a proposed article, and instead of it being in Belle Armoire the monthly magazine, the article appeared in the 2008 Spring Quarterly issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry, the special magazine for jewelry inspiration.

That jump-started this adventure for me, issuing myself the challenge to create Invented Vintage and Faux-tique components - to see that I could replicate the actual antique and vintage pieces I loved but hesitated to use. Starting there I challenged myself to learn how to make chain, replicate scrimshaw and ivory, cast pewter medallions and icons, and create the faux fused beveled glass gemstones, in the spirit of the true antique and vintage pieces Amy Hanna often uses.


When I saw Amy Hanna's book at the bookstore, I had to rush right over and take a look. She discusses how to get started, using cameos and tintypes, and the book is chock full of gorgeous photos of her designs using the true antique pieces she collects.


I sure wish I could have chance for her to work with some of my own handcrafted replicas, I can just imagine the beautiful designs she'd create with them. That's my Make-A-Wish for the week, I guess!


If you like an inspiration and a challenge too, check out her book. If you're like me and admire the beautiful rhinestone and pearl necklaces and bracelets from ages past, you'll love this book.

And you can use her book as a springboard to begin your own challenge to create in that style! I still sometimes refer to ideas in it when dreaming of new components to create from scratch and my imagination.

Dover Over Inspiration and Ideas

I love Art Nouveau designs, they are beautiful and organic. I have two huge framed posters by Mucha hanging in the house, they're wonderful. So when I saw that Dover Publishing is having their summer sale, and a book of art nouveau designs as a coloring book are included, I was so excited! I thought you might like to see some of them.

I have some of Dover's other art nouveau coloring books too. It's great to take out a set of colored pencils and just fill in the colors as you see them, reminds me of times when I was a small girl with crayons and a coloring book.

Dover publications are copyright-free and in the public domain, so they're great for collage or designs, when you need something unusual or historic. I signed up for their sampler, they occasionally send me a list of new books as they come out.


I can see this design printed onto a transparency sheet and put over a hand colored background. Or printed onto a large sheet of paper and colored in, with lettering or images put over the top.

They have a whole crafts section in their summer sale, with books on quilting or stained glass patterns and all sorts of good things, pop over and check them out. Maybe you can save some money on a great book you've been wanting, or find a gift for someone!

How Do You Know

How do you know when you're tired, weary? I've had a few clues this week that I'm tired.

I intended to drive to the library to return some books, and I ended up somehow at my office, parking the car in the garage instead. Oops! I guess I'll try again after work.


I'm reading books by the mother-son writing team of Charles Todd. The books are set in Britain after WWI, about a soldier returning home to go back to Scotland Yard. Their hero is Inspector Ian Rutledge. There's an interview with the fictional character, very surprising.

I just walked into the library one afternoon and plucked the books off the shelf at random, not knowing anything about the authors or the stories. I like them, the characters are well developed and it's a period of history I don't know much about. Interesting.

Enchanting

Just the title of this one excites me, and when I learn that it's by Cynthia Thornton, I start planning to end my book diet and put my spare change in a jar so I can get a copy.

I've always loved the pewter work of Green Girls Studio, the distinctive and ethereal look of the work. I have some charms I bought quite a while ago that I'm hoarding still, and one little chain maille bracelet with a heart toggle clasp that I wear often. Keep your eyes open for that chance to get a copy! This one looks like a sure-fire winner ...

In One Ear a Tale to Be Told

The book 'The Moonstone' was published by Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) in 1915. It's an english manor style of book, with various narrators. I love the language in it, and the descriptions of life at the time it is set.

Wilkie Collins also wrote 'The Woman in White' which is another of my favorite books. At the time they were written, his novels were serialized, or published in sections, similar to those of Charles Dickens, a contemporary and friend of Collins. They were considered 'sensation novels' and the precursor to the character of Sherlock Holmes invented by Conan Doyle.

It tells the story of a romance, a precious diamond, a family and a history, from the points of view of various people in the story as narrators.

It's been a long time since I read it in book form, and I'm enjoying listening to it as I drive or during lunch breaks. It's very Victorian in its setting and descriptions, with family secrets, mysticism and the class structure in the country manor house firmly in place.

I'm especially amused and inspired by the description of the children's exploration of the natural sciences and the mixing of colors in the italian style for 'the decoration of a door' of one of the main characters with gryphons, cherubs and other ornamental designs. I can just picture it in my mind.


The book is online at Project Gutenberg as a free e-book, if you are so inclined you can become one of their Distributed Proofreaders. Or head to the library, pull a dusty illustrated version off the shelves and dive right into the story, if you like that best. It's funny, mysterious and entertaining, all at once.

I'm listening to 'The Moonstone' on MP3 as a copyright-free download from LibriVox. The book is in the public domain, so the volunteer readers could make the MP3 files without copyright problems, and you can download for free from there also. The imagery of the english country house, the romantic language and the sacred asian jewel in the story are probably influencing my creativity.

Does what you watch, hear and read end up in your creative efforts?

HAPPY MAY DAY!

Glimpses Into The Distance

I've always admired the work of Nick Bantok. He is the author of over twenty books, and I have a calendar of his images, a gorgeous twelve month adventure. He wrote the Griffin & Sabine Trilogy, which is an esoteric mystical mystery based out of reading love letters - which appear in full as the text of the book.


He works in collage, creating fantastical images by combining many things that don't seem to work together.
Using ephemera, his own drawings and paintings, he conjures up magical worlds. If you like color and collage, and you're not familiar with Nick Bantok, you can most likely find his books at the library. And they are working looking over, even if you don't like his images or color choices they are inspirational.


I have his book "Urgent Second Class" - explaining how he uses his materials and ideas for expanding the use of ephemera in collage. He also has a line of fantastical rubber stamps, and creates faux postal items and faux postage.

I also have his book "The Gryphon" that was published in 2001, and "The Forgetting Room" which is also a mystery of a sort and was published earlier than Gryphon.


There's an interview with him, done in 2001, in January Magazine, with more insights into his work, history and background. And an interview at the website for Columbia University, describing one of his books and how it seems to have crossed from literature to reality and back again.

And a wonderful glimpse into his idea of storytelling related to Myth, at the Kennedy Center's ArtsEdge.

Celtic Annum Chant - New Year

Listen and Read - History on Tap

Chants were learned by viva voce, orally learned through example. The notation is a graphic form of signs, called neumes. They are based on a musical gesture, and eventually changed to become the five-line staff we know know for music notation, first used in the 16th century.


Traditionally sung by choirs of men and boys in churches, or women and men of religious orders in their chapels, there are Gregorian and Ambrosian chants, and a Mozarabic chant used in Spain.

Gregorian chant was promoted across Europe by Charlemagne, when he became Holy Roman Emperor, and spread as far as Scandinavia, Iceland and Finland.

There was resistence in displacing the Celtic chant in Brittany, the British Isles and Ireland with Gregorian chant until the 9th century.

Irish monks formed monasteries throughout Europe such as the Abbey of St. Gall in Switzerland.

To hear a chant
sung by
Rick Dechance in German Latin, go to this link.

READING LIST -
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR WINTER NIGHTS

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If you are interested in history, the Dark Ages or Ireland, and looking for a good non-fiction holiday read while you are in front of the yule fire sipping hot toddies, check out 'How the Irish Saved Civilization' by Thomas Cahill.

He tells the tale, all historically true, how Irish monks maintained the records of Western Civilization to prevent their total loss and preserve much of western culture. This is the first book in a seven book series by Cahill on Western history, called the Hinges of History series. (256 pages, published first in Feb. 2996)

~~~~~~~~~~

If you're in the mood for something lighter and more in fiction, try any of the Sister Fidelma Mystery series by Peter Tremayne. I suggest 'The Haunted Abbot: A Mystery of Ancient Ireland' or 'The Subtle Serpent: A Celtic Mystery'.


He tells the story of an irish woman, Sister Fidelma, who is a both a 7th
century nun and a dalaigh (or advocate) authorized to practice law in the courts of Ireland.

There are celtic political intrigues, historical details and a murder mystery to be solved. The historical background includes sites of geographical details in Ireland, castles such as Cashel and hills of renown that still exist today.

Peter Tremayne is a pen name for the Celtic schloar Peter Berresford Ellis, a born storyteller with the historical knowledge to keep it true while making it interesting reading. He is still writing the series about Sister Fidelma, and you may be able to find these books at the public library - if you do, check them all out and settle down for a long, good read.

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Hot toddy optional but highly recommended.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy New Year - Sales going on in both shops - grab some year end specials and start off 2009 with me!