Hello!!  So much has happened since I last blogged!  We now know I have Celiac Disease as of 2014 among other health issues that I'm working on.  Hopefully, I will be back on here more now.  :)

The following is a listing of my shows for Late Summer to Autumn 2016, so come get your buying done in person. 

Copper Abstract Heart Necklace

This design came together before my eyes tonight.  The leaf and the copper spiral had been sitting on my desk for quite some time now ~ waiting..........waiting for inspiration to strike as to what I wanted to do with either of them now that I had created them.  I tried numerous ideas and they just didn't move me, so each time they would go back to laying on my workbench like that word that you have right on the tip of your tongue, but for the life of you it won't come to mind. 

Maybe it was the pictures of roses on facebook that I saw in my news feed today or perhaps it was walking past the rosebushes in the yard as we went on our 6 mile hike this evening, but nonetheless, I picked up these two pieces that had only laid a mere inches apart all this time and it struck me, I could see a beautiful antique rose (like the ones in our yard) newly unfurled announcing to all who would notice that spring is in the air and the dewdrop dangle 'on' the petal brought the rose and leaf design to completion.  Perhaps it is that spring has finally arrived that allowed me to finally find the inspiration for this design.  We've held our breaths for so many weeks, waiting, hoping, and finally she has arrived.

This design may be found in my Etsy shop. 

Happy Spring!!

Ciao Bella

Gold Brass Heart Necklace - Place in My Heart

There's a place in my heart that can only be filled by you.  My mind wandered as I was completing this piece.  I thought of the loved ones I have here on earth, the ones who have gone on before me, and the special pets that seemed more angel than animal. 

Who does this piece make you think of?  I can envision it being given to honor an anniversary, warm the heart of someone sad, and even be a part of the proposal to the woman of someone's dreams. You may find this piece in my shop.

Bewitched Artisan Created Hat Necklace

Many of my designs and creations have a story.  Not all, the understated hoop earrings, not so much, but the pieces like this....yes, inspiration, a story, something.

This one started because I saw a link on Facebook about 'feeling witchy' and the photo of legs in striped tights gave you the feeling that the person intended 'feeling witchy' to portray one who was on top of the world.  Well, that day, I wasn't feeling witchy at all.  That was yesterday, in fact ~ getting over a nasty ear ache...  But, the photo was pretty, and I liked the catchy phrase.  Positives - that's me.  I'm all about uplifting and positive.  I mulled over it, started doodling pointed hats in my sketch book, and then I drew one I especially liked, so I had to give it a whirl with the cutting blades and anvil and just see....

I like the aged look, reminds me of a weathered hat.

I had the hat before me, but no pretty faceted Czech glass dangle or a hammered word.  It needed something, so I plundered through my collection ~ what any sane person would deem as too many beads for one person, and found the most perfect faceted black (Czech, of course) glass bead. 

I debated over what to hammer on the hat, texted a friend for her input, but once BEWITCHED had come to mind, nothing else would do for this first one.  It portrayed the feeling I had when I saw the 'Feeling Witchy' photo.  {{{Do you recall the tv show? Oh, I watched it without fail as a child.}}}  Something fun, mysterious ~ something that would make you smile, even when you have an earache. 

This mysterious, fun, smile-invoking piece may be found at Jewelry By Mignon (just click the link)

Ciao Bella 

Make Art

Make Art.  Sweet, simple and to the point. 

That's what I want to do.  Simply create, inspire, and be inspired.  I was inspired to create this piece by Neil Gaiman's (a rather well known author) speech at a graduation. 
He said to make art, specifically, he said, "Make good art".  Thank you Mr. Gaiman for moving me with such an inspiring speech.  

The Make Art necklace may be located at my online Etsy shop at Jewelry By Mignon.

New Year New Me :)

There's a new shop banner
and a new me happening this year. ;) Since August, I'm down 20 pounds, down two sizes, and I'm not nearly done. Bring on 2012, because I am rocking this year!


Tonight's walk at dusk was beautiful. ;)

New Earring Cards

It's truly not something you shall see until you buy a pair of earrings or some of the daintier necklaces, but I have a new earring/necklace card created just for me by a fellow artisan on Etsy. She actually made them for me a summer or so ago, but I've only now decided to print them. They are absolutely scrumptious and I like them so much more than I do the gray flocked cards that I've been ordering from one of my wholesalers. The designer really created a design that speaks of my love of the ocean and of my personality. They are much more an attention-getter and they remind the shoppers in stores where my jewelry is sold that each piece is handmade by an artisan aka yours truly. :) Come by the online shop and stay a spell. ;) Support Handmade. :)

Mignon ;)

Olive Martini and Tequila Sunrise and More

Lots going on over at the Etsy shop. :)













Have you been by lately? Come on over and see what's new. ;) It's truly fun to just create for just the love of creating and not having a care in the world over whether someone, or anyone, loves, likes, or otherwise a piece I design. We create because something in us says we must create and that is enough in and of itself. Just enjoy the process of whatever you do.

Ciao Bella :)

Raku Cherry Necklace

I just posted a new piece in the shop. Yea me, finally. :) It's a darling necklace with a raku pottery pendant. Perhaps one day I will make pottery pieces, but in the meantime I can satisfy my pottery love by buying gorgeous pendants like this one from pottery artists. ;) The moment I first saw this lovely pendant, I knew just the necklace I wanted to create for this scrumptious cherry pendant. The sterling silver chain and sterling silver findings are oxidized. ;)



Mig

What If.....

..........if the house was clean as I wanted it.

..........if the debt was paid off.

..........if the wee one had already mastered multiplication.

..........if the injury hadn't happened.

..........if I were a self sufficient artisan.

It doesn't matter the what if, these are my what ifs, my what ifs aren't your what ifs, but you have your own, it's what we choose to do with our what ifs that matters, do we live wondering what if, or do we go out and live our life turning the what ifs that are possible into reality. I can't wish my home as clean as I want it nor will it ever be as clean as I want it, but I can make it cleaner. I can't pay off all the debt today, but I can chip away at it until it is obselete. I can't learn the multiplication for him, but I can drill the facts with him until he gets them. Not a thing I can do about having had the injury, but I can choose to live life rather than dwelling on what I cannot change. I can dream about being an artist full time, dreams are good, and there is potential to turn that from a what if dream into reality.

Just thinking today.

What if.......

Optimist :)

Thank You to My Repeat Customers

Just a thank you to and for my repeat customers, on and off Etsy ~ thanks for the encouragement, believing in me, and coming back. :)

Jewelry By Mignon

Mignon :O)

All Painting is Not the Same

Guess where our bed is..........nope, not in the bedroom ~ why on earth would it be there? Seriously, do you think we are normal? Ha, we are painting the bedroom after 12 long years of having a mint green on the walls (newly put there by the last owner 12 years ago). I know, I know, you can do all sorts of pinks and creams and mints with mint, but I've just found it stifling all these years, so I've not bought anything but new pillows and sheets in these 12 years ~ I could find NOTHING I wanted that would remotely match when it comes to bedding.
Considering we've dug up coal on the grounds, its likely that this old fireplace was a coalburner that has long since been closed up - the chimney doesn't even scale the roofline any longer - our metal roof covers it over as does a couple layers of roofing beneath the newest roof. If you go far enough down in layers on the roof, then you actually find a cedar shingle roof - isn't that interesting, put in with square nails no less.
Hubs had to fix the ceiling in one of the closets - there was actual horse hair in the plaster that had fell!! That's old plaster.
Don't even try removing antique wallpaper from antique plaster - trust me, just paint over it, or you shall run the risk of having to plaster and fill in wherever the antique plasterstuff crumbles to dust.
This door, with an old window beside it actually was a window, the rope rollers are still in the windowframe errrr, now a doorframe.

That's 12 feet to get up to that ceiling. Glad it's hubs going up and not me.
Starting to tape off the window panes, even though we have a bit more sanding to do.
;)

There's beautiful wood under all that paint on the window moulding. I shall be tiling the center board that covers the old fireplace opening and I shall be looking for wood trim accents to add to the simplicity of the fireplace mantle. This is a work of love I tell you. This house is 150 years old as best we can tell, it predates the civil war, so there is no simple painting here, not to mention the seller put water-based paint over oil-based paint aka the paint on the window sills has bubbled over the last decade.

Stay tuned for the happy color choice that simply fits me and the family to a T. We've since painted the ceiling and hubs has painted the moulding around the ceiling and did a a couple inch buffer with the wall paint way up there so we don't bump the moulding with our rollers. After my injury, hubs is taking no chances with me on a ladder, so he is doing all the high stuff, short of the ceiling which I could paint with an extended roller standing firmly on the floor. ;)

Cheers,

Mig

Heart Earring All Grown Up :)

When I first saw these lampworked glass hearts. I knew I had the perfect design for them. They were such a great color, understated, not too girlie, a great set that a grown gal could wear. The hearts are burnt orange, gold, and pale blue on one side and on the other a gorgeous teal. I hammered and shaped the loops they hang from and gave the loops a brushed polish with a textured finish. How can you sell them some may ask?? Oh, I've got myself all figured out and so when I come across something that's simply eye-catching such as these lampwork glass hearts ~ well I bought two pairs of the hearts, just in case I had that usual happy problem of wanting to keep what I create.

Its been a busy little day - I completed a scarf with the prettiest purple yarn called amethyst (I can't wait to start on the hat - I'm mixing two purples in the hat design and I'm just anxious to see how it turns out) and I worked on a new amethyst earring design. Luckily I have more amethyst because I'm thinking I'll be wanting to create a set of earrings and pendant in the new design for me too. Worthless I tell you (the hubs just shakes his head). :)

New Jewelry Designs

Check your blood pressure, I'm writing two blog posts in one week. Check my temperature, I know. :)

I have an awesome opportunity of being allowed to display some jewelry pieces in a local salon in Clinton, Mississippi ~ Southern Salon. So, should you be local and be driving through on your way to say, my beloved gulf, then do stop by and tell them I sent you. :) If you have a request for a particular piece to be put in the shop, then let me know, as I can do that when I drive through for one reason or another. ;) They have a great little boutique of varying gifts there and you never know what may be on display for sale next. Great gifts to be found, to be sure. ;)

Do tell them I sent you. :)

M.

BTW, if you know any reason why I can't comment on my own post, then do tell, as I wanted to thank Sweet Limes for commenting on the post below and it just wouldn't go through!

Crochet ~ 31 Years in the Making

I shall be adding crocheted pieces to the shop. ;) Crocheting is something I've wanted to learn since I was a little girl when I was given a doll blanket as a gift. I still have that doll blanket put away. Now, I'll have to go plundering in the attic room and see where I've safely stored it. ;) I've actually been crocheting all summer, but once the family realized I was crocheting, well, the requests for birthday and Christmas presents started pouring in. ;) Funny the things that continue to seem to happen because of my 2007 injury ~ I'm very doubtful I shall ever go back to buying much mass-produced items for gifts and whenever feasible, I have a good notion that family and friend gifts shall be handmade, hammered, and/or painted and when not handmade by yours truly, then I happen to know of great web site called Etsy where my dollars go straight to a family rather than a large conglomerate that won't remember me.

Newly Listed Earrings in the Shop

I just hammered these new earrings on the anvil today. :) I uploaded them to the shop a few minutes ago.


Enjoy.

Have a great Monday.

New Moukaite Jasper Designs

I had a request to design some earrings to match this one-of-a-kind necklace I had designed last autumn. Moukaite is a unique stone - very pretty and very unpredictable in color when I order it from my wholesaler, aka I never know what I'm going to get. So, I waited wondering how the small rounds would look and I still wasn't sure until I put them into an earring design and discovered that each pair go grandly with the necklace and its all a matter of whether you want the calmer more lavendar pair (currently on french hooks in the photos) or the brassy bold pair that pulls from the darker brick red to burgundy hues in Moukaite (pair currently on clip-ons).

Btw, Clip-on earrings are a new offering in the online shop. I settled on a silverplated pair that I like and that's the only thing silverplated in the shop, but it simply made the clip-ons more affordable for the masses to go with silverplate at this time. Sterling silver clip-ons are available per custom request.

Alls well that ends well - I have a new earring design that I truly like and I love Moukaite Jasper more than ever - particularly for its unpredictability.

Ciao,
Mignon

Happy Sunny Day in June

Once upon a time on a overly warm day (make that extremely unbearably hot and humid unless you are truly a southerner and then it's simply overly warm) in June, the hubs was off on a Thursday, my son was restless, and I had a friend who had never been to a country girl's swimming hole, but she bravely accepted an invitation for her wee 3 offspring to come have a picnic and play in the murky waters of the Strong River (brave indeed I tell you - good thing she didn't see the five foot Cottonmouth of last summer, hmmm). We seven had a delish picnic on a set of those infamous concrete benches that parks are known for and we roamed all over that river, even sat in the 'jacuzzi' which was genuinely perfectly chilly - exactly what any southerner country gal would want to ward off the overly warm day feeling one gets down here, and we saw no snakes today. ;) I'm thinking the same time next week might just be in order.