Winter Solstice in the Desert

Joshua Tree National Park, CA

I took a trip to the desert last week which happened to be Winter Solstice and a huge, full moon. I can't even begin the describe how beautiful and perfect it was. Both eye opening and jaw dropping gorgeous. 

At a glance the desert appears dry and lifeless but once you soften your view and relax you'll see it's teeming with life and magic. 
 
Just back home yesterday I wanted my next creation to reflect the colors, look and feel of the desert. Prickly plants, enormous rock formations, sandy earth, tall grasses, Joshua trees...

 

Joshua Tree Park, CA

 It's funny because I have always considered myself more of a mountain girl. But I've discovered that I truly love the desert, and I hope I am fortunate enough to go back one day.

Sterling silver earrings feature: disk charms- mill rolled with fabric, Agate stones dangling on ball tipped pins, Handcrafted ceramic beads and green Grossular Garnet gemstones, hand forged ear wires. 

Available at Art and Soul Jewelry. 

may Peace and Love be with you in the new year and always! 

Love for Green

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; 

but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemingway

 The reason I use so much green and brown in my work... Earth. I just came to realize it. I always go back to the green. It doesn't sell well, it's not popular, but it's what I love. 

I stopped in a bead shop in Portland the other day. Not intending to SHOP but I did, shop. Found so many beautiful dirty, matte, rustic strands of really old looking new beads. I don't think these will last long for me- I have ideas for all of them already. 

My first set, a pair of earrings with African glass, Tibet agate and some California beach glass I picked up earlier this year while on vacation. 

I don't know if it's PC to like your own work, but I love how these turned out. Really love the GREEN and *Earthy brown agate together. 

 Just listed these today on my new website at www.ArtandSoulJewelry.COM 

What's your favorite color for jewelry? 

Do you pick out the outfit first or the earrings? 

☮ Cindy

Fire things up!

I've got a thing for rustic earthy colors, and copper is my metal of choice to convey that look and feel.

It is so beautiful, richly colored, luxuriously warm - I just love using it in my designs :)

Today's inspiration came from our weekly challenge over at SRAJD, and the theme was FIRE. 

So, you know that I HAD to go with Copper! :)

And I also HAD to hop over to my latest addiction (Hello Polyvore!) to make an outfit that I thought would go well... If I were several many pounds lighter, I'd definitely dig wearing this rockin' outfit with my earrings :)

Earthy Fire Outfit by nathalie-lesage featuring a sheer red lipstick

These earrings feature beautiful artisan Dichroic glass beads made by Paula Radke Art Glass. 

I love the shimmering burnt orange on the black base of Paula's beads, and the cool contrast between the textured copper and the smooth commercial glass slivers at the bottom.

Paula's beads have a flat back and rounded/domed top where the dichroic color is, so I had to figure out a way to showcase them to display their full beauty:

These one of a kind Copper earrings can be found on my website HERE.

Thanks for stopping by... have a fabulous day!

Nathalie

Metalsmith, Jewelry Artist

NathalieLesageJewelry.com

A Walk In The Woods

I went to the woods

 because I wished to live 

deliberately, 

to front only the essential facts of life, 

and see if I could not learn

 what it had to teach,

 and not, 

when I came to die, 

discover that I had not lived. 

~ Henry David Thoreau

A Walk In The Woods

Inspired by my love for the blue/brown color combination. 
These earrings feature a mix of glass, stone and pure silver 
with a brushed-matte finish. 
Long Czech glass beads have EARTHY variegated colors. 
The pale blue Amazonite stone nuggets swing at the center of
RUSTIC brushed, pure silver hoops with a stamped design.

Available at 
CindysArtandSoul.com
Updates Friday 2/7

Beach Stones

Winter always puts me in the mood for neutrals. These natural beach stone earrings make me think of a winter lakeshore, all pearl gray sky, steel gray water, and tawny dried grasses. Other elements are red creek jasper roundels, copper, sterling silver, and little pale champagne-colored seed beads on the earwires.

I picture them with the perfect winter outfit of soft neutrals:

beach stones by lunebijoux featuring long sleeve shirts

I will be listing an assortment of these beach stone earrings in my Etsy shop this weekend--stop by!