Time Honoured

With Christmas around the corner, I realized that the new year isn't far behind, and this got me to thinking about the passage of time.

'The days go by slowly, but the years fast', as the saying goes.

It does seem like the older I get, the more time speeds up.

And I wanted to honour not only the time each of us has to enjoy the present and live in the moment,

but also to reflect on years gone by,

the people and things that came before us.

It is my hope that in repurposing vintage jewelry and findings, I am doing my small part to honour and preserve this history.

Who wore these old time pieces that kept track of moments and minutes so long ago?

Who was this man and woman, and what did they know about life in the 19th century that we may never understand?

Could they have ever imagined that one day, more than a hundred years after their pictures were taken, someone would be blogging about them? And would they have approved?

'They say I'm old-fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast! - Dr. Seuss

December Palette

I am always looking for creative inspiration, and the holiday season is no exception. As many of you know, I'm generally drawn to soft, cool colours, and yesterday while at the flea market, I thought I would take my cue from some beautiful displays featuring Christmas ornaments and accessories. I thought you might enjoy seeing what influences my current colour palette...

minty greens and sugary whites,

faded gold,

glittering silver,

baby blue,

and, of course, candy pink!

I especially love mixing these pastels with a dose of sepia, to cut the sweetness with a little bit of edge. I was in heaven when I saw this pile of Victorian holiday postcards, each shimmering in its own cellophane envelope.

I then like to translate my colour influences into gemstones and metals. These yummy rocks arrived in my mailbox today from India... moonstone, pink quartz, rubies, labradorite and pink opal. Like an artist with her paints, these will inform my palette as I dream up new designs.

And speaking of designs, here's what I've been up to the past week...

Did you recognize my colour influences put to use?

What are your favourite colours or gems? I'd love to hear from you, and am always happy to take custom orders if you have something special in mind. Have a beautiful week, mes amis! <3