"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

~Oscar Wilde

Blessings,

More pictures from around Biltmore Estates in Asheville, NC

Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Blessings,







Views from around Linville Caverns in North Carolina
Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Heaven is under our feet, as well as over our heads.

- Henry David Thoreau

Blessings,

Pictures from around Biltmore Estates, Asheville, North Carolina
Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Today in History....

a historical Vesuvianite necklace

Here is an interesting bit of history for you on this date in the year 79 AD, near the Bay of Naples; Mount Vesuvius violently erupted. This eruption and ensuing clouds of ash, stone and pumice decimated the town of Pompeii, entombing many of its inhabitants in the fallout. Meanwhile, to the northwest, a mudslide was destroying the nearby town of Herculaneum. The words penned by Pliny, the younger, describing a very gruesome scene following the eruption:

We also saw the sea sucked away and apparently forced back by the earthquake: at any rate it receded from the shore so that quantities of sea creatures were left stranded on dry sand. On the landward side a fearful black cloud was rent by forked and quivering bursts of flame, and parted to reveal great tongues of fire, like flashes of lightning magnified in size . . .. We had scarcely sat down to rest when darkness fell, not the dark of a moonless or cloudy night, but as if the lamp had been put out in a closed room. You could hear the shrieks of women, the wailing of infants, and the shouting of men; some were calling their parents, others their children or their wives, trying to recognize them by their voices. People bewailed their own fate or that of their relatives, and there were some who prayed for death in their terror of dying.

Since that fateful day, Mount Vesuvius has erupted more than 50 times and it remains an active volcano to this day. Its most recent major eruption was in 1944. Yet in spite of this, there are more than 2 million people living in the shadow of this volcano. They are living in cities and town surrounding the volcano, and farming its very fertile soil, which supports many orchards and vineyards.

There is a lovely stone found in the lava on Mount Vesuvius, many of you may have never heard of before, it is called Vesuvianite or Idocrase. It comes in several colors including: green, brown, yellow, or blue silicate. I found this about its origins on Wikipedia:

Vesuvianite occurs as tetragonal crystals in skarn deposits and limestone that have been subjected to contact metamorphism. It was first discovered within included blocks or adjacent to lavas on Mount Vesuvius, hence its name.

Quite some time ago, I purchased this gorgeous Vesuvianite briolette and decided to make a very simple and classic necklace so as not to detract from the stone. This beautiful olive green stone is wrapped in very fine sterling silver wire; and including the wrapped bale it is ¾ of and inch in length. It hangs gracefully from an 18-inch sterling silver rope chain and you will find it listed in my Etsy shop here.

I hope you have enjoyed this history and geology lesson for today! Thank you for looking and have a blessed day!

Blessings,



Sources:

Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesuvianite
Answers.com - http://www.answers.com/topic/mount-vesuvius
Center for Technologies - http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/volcanoes/vmtvesuvius.html

Happy Accidents...an artists joy!

As artists, often we have *happy accidents* when making something and these sweet copper and Czech glass beads are one of them! Originally, I started out making a simple pair of wire earrings but they did not turn out as they were intended. So, instead of giving up on the original results, I decided to embellish them with my hammer (and maybe take out my frustrations a bit too!) I like the organic look that the copper took on with just a few taps of my chasing hammer! Hence, another *happy accident*!

The Organic Olives earrings are made with natural copper wire, not a coated craft wire. Because there is not a sealer on the metal, their patina will change over time to an even darker, antiqued finish. They are 2 1/4 of an inch in length; the dangles are 1-1/2 inches long, swinging from handmade copper earwires. The olivine Czech glass bead are faceted, and coordinate oh so well with the copper wire!

Thank you for looking!

Blessings,


Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Inna - A lux combination of pink amethyst, pearls, and garnets

This one of a kind necklace was inspired by Inna Zhukova of Belarus who won a silver medal for Rhythmic Gymnastics during the 2008 Summer Olympics!

The Summer Olympics are one of my favorite things to watch and the gymnastics events have always had a special interest for me! I am truly amazed by the rhythmic gymnastics programs; the routines are so elegant and graceful! Inna’s performance at the 2008 summer Olympics was awesome and as I watched this design came to mind!

This necklace starts with a sterling silver circle, like the hoop Inna used in one program, and is wrapped in several feet of very fine sterling silver wire! There are sterling silver wire wrapped loops, which twist and turn and look so much like the ribbons used in rhythmic gymnastics! For a glimmering elegance there are several different semi-precious stones and pearls: a faceted pink amethyst, garnet rounds, pink pearl rondelles, and teardrop shaped almondine garnets. All these sparkling jewels are reminiscent of the lovely outfits that are worn by the gymnasts!

This beautiful pendant 3-1/8 inches in length, 1-1/4 inches wide all on an 18-inch sterling silver rolo chain. The Inna necklace will be sent to you enclosed in a simple but elegant black velvet box, perfect for gift giving and storage! Click here to feast your eyes on more views of the Inna necklace.

Thank you for looking!

Blessings,


Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Encompass Me!

These sultry earrings started out with circles of copper that were wrapped in yards of fine copper wire. Woven into the circles are over lapping loops of wrapped copper coils and copper and sterling silver beads. Stunning 6mm x 9mm smoky quartz briolettes adorn the center and bottom of the earrings! All a feast for the eyes!

The Encompass earrings are a bold 2-3/8 inches in length; the dangle is 1-7/8 inches long, and 1-1/8 of an inch across and swing so gracefully from handmade copper earwires. If you prefer, the copper earwires can be replaced with 14k gold-filled earwires at no additional charge. These earrings are made with natural copper that has a protective coating so they will not tarnish with wear.

Blessings,

Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Crystal Couture - Quartz crystal earrings

Elegance for an evening out on the town or a day at work, these versatile quartz crystal earrings will become a staple in your jewelry wardrobe!

Quartz crystals are a wonderfully neutral stone that will go with many outfits and many styles. Yet, despite the fact that these quartz rondelles are clear, the abundance of facets on these stones make them really sparkle, reflecting rainbows of light and drawing attention to the earrings!

The Crystal Couture earrings are a petite 1-1/4 inches in length from the top of the earwire to the bottom of the dangle; the dangle itself is jut 3/4 of an inch long.

Thank you for looking!

Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved



Blessings,

For June Babies and

the Bride-to-be!


Pearl's Girl...a freshwater pearl necklace that is simple, elegant, and everyday!

A creamy white freshwater pearl is reflected in the textured, domed sterling silver disk. This exquisite pearl is suspended on a handmade headpin, and its ample sized loop is wrapped in very fine sterling silver wire. The domed sterling silver disk has a circular texture, in keeping with the round shape of the pearl. Together, the pearl and disk are just shy of one inch in length, and hang gracefully from a simple 18-inch sterling silver curb chain.

This is enchanting necklace is perfect anyone who loves effortless style, a bride-to-be, or any June baby!

Thank you for looking!

Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

Blessings,

If I have a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the explanation is...I was made for another world. ~ C.S. Lewis

Blessings,

Initially Yours!

The ultimate in recycled jewelry that is uniquely yours! With a torch and some reclaimed sterling silver, I will melt silver scraps into a small bead. Then the bead will be hammer flat and stamped your own initial! This custom made ring can be worn alone for a simple look or can be combined with my stack rings, or any rings your already have!

The Initially Yours ring will be made to order, so please allow about 7 to 10 days for construction of your ring. Please be sure to read my shop policies about custom orders. At check out, include your ring size and the initial (one) you have chosen for your ring in the note to seller!

Thank you for looking!

Blessings,


Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

A Short Stack

Three simple sterling silver rings that stack up together on your finger to look like a larger band. Yet the beauty of these rings is they are all separate! You can wear all three together, one alone or one with another ring, the possibilities are endless!

These sweet little stack rings have a hammered textured on the outside to catch the light, but are silky smooth on the inside for comfort! They will be made to order, so please allow about 7 to 10 days for construction of your rings.

Thank you for looking!

Blessings,


Heart's Desire Beading Company 2010 © - All Rights Reserved

A Great Giveaway!

Are you a crafter, scrapbooker, home decorator, card maker, or into paper crafts? Then check out this awesome giveaway, a FREE Silhouette craft cutter from the Tidy Mom Blog!

The Silhouette Craft Cutter is a wonderful machine connects to your computer and has endless possibilities for all the crafty areas in your world! I can see myself using this machine for scrapbooks, school projects, handmade cards and lots of paper crafts! And best of all, there are no cartridges to buy, saving space in my studio!

You must enter by August 7, 2010, so go HERE for contest rules and more!


Blessings,

A Thought for the day!

When life gets hectic, and you are feeling overwhelmed.....

find yourself a quiet little place away from the hustle and bustle.....


and think of these three little, yet very important words...







Everyday is a gift!



Blessings,

Claire - a Glorious Garnet Necklace!

Sometimes simple is best, and this necklace fits the bill! The pendant is a gorgeous deep, rich red faceted garnet neatly wrapped in a fine sterling silver wire. It measures 3/4 of an inch in length and is suspended from a lovely 18 inch sterling silver rope chain. The Claire necklace is perfect for the January babies in your life!






Blessings,