Kale is the new beef

Is it the same where you live?  Do you nowadays see kale everywhere?  It used to be that we only saw kale as a decoration in the meat or fish counter, but now it's being eaten instead of the meat!

I am a kale eater and no longer eat beef, and today, kale was my inspiration for a necklace. How often can you say a vegetable inspired a jewelry creation (although I did once make a "vegetarian bracelet" using the textures of different vegetables!)?

A little reminder necklace to eat your greens! 

And, in case you didn't know, kale is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat:

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 g fiber, calcium, Vitamin B6, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus. 

It's health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration of antioxidant vitamins A, C and K and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. 

So is kale your new beef?

Fresh as a daisy

Are you feeling fresh as a daisy today? I do hope so!

And if you are not, then maybe my new aluminum bangle will cheer up your day!  

And why are daisies considered to be fresh, you may wonder? The English name daisy comes from the old English "daeges-eaye" or "day's eye", referring to the way that many daisies open up their petals during the day, but then close their petals at night.  So I guess, the idea is that closing it's petals suggests it goes to "sleep" at night and so wakens up in the morning all fresh and alert and well rested - and thus "fresh as a daisy".

What a nice thought.  I love the fresh green on this bangle that shows off those fresh daisies too.

Have a good night's sleep tonight!

Leafy Hush

While I was doing my own bangle yesterday, I also made a couple to sell. One was in the same colors as mine - Orchid Hush (soft lavender) and pink, and the other was Orchid Hush and green so I've called that one "Leafy Hush".

The colors do seem so appropriate for "hush". I find them very gentle, quietening, and calming.  Wearing these colors really does make me feel tranquil and at peace.

What do you think? What colors do you wear that are calming?

Grow where you are planted

I had a fun time again yesterday at the farmer's market.  It seemed pink and purple were popular colors so I have done a couple of new bangles using those colors today.

The first I've entitled "Grow where you are planted".  I guess as I moved around a lot growing up and then also before arriving in CA, I've been one to follow this motto.  You have to make the best of wherever you are and find some roots and get growing!

Hope you like it.

Admiration bangle

Purple is the color often associated with royalty.  Purple flowers are therefore considered to symbolise deep respect and admiration.

This bangle would make a lovely gift for someone you admire.

 
The purple and greens are lovely soft colors together. The green is much murkier than I usual use. I first dyed it yellow and then green to give the lettuce color.

Who would you give this to?

Leaf textures

This week I tried out a couple more textures with the aluminum using a rolling mill.  My goal was to create a leaf impression.  I'm pleased with the results.

I dyed the aluminum first and sealed it. Then I ran it through the rolling mill.  All the little veins show up well on the aluminum.  It's such an intricate pattern and all that you see is texture, not different colored dyes.  I then did a little fold forming to bend the leaf,  filed the edges to show the silver color of the aluminum and voila!

The photo above reminds me of soft furry sage leaves - the green really does give them a soft look.

And you can see from the photo below that the veins even show up on the back of the leaf.

I haven't decided how I'm going to use them yet...whether a little creature will sit on them...or some flowers or.....what do you think?

Little Bunny Foo Foo

I remember my sister Mary teaching me the song "little bunny foo foo" quite  few years ago - complete with hand actions.  As I recall, we weren't all that little...and she learnt it when we were on choir camp!!! Obviously the singing of it was superior then!!

Anyhow, when I made another bunny for a bangle today, he looked so small and cute as he hopped through the grass, that little bunny foo foo came to mind!

He looks much too sweet to bop field mice on the head however. What do you think?  And if you don't know what I'm talking about, check out the Youtube video below for a child safe version of the little song.  Yes, some Youtube videos for Little bunny foo foo contain warnings of blood and violence!




Rest assured, my sister and I sang it much better!!! and the actions just make it!!

See what a huge influence my sister has had on my life???

 

Maybe this could be the start of a new series of story/song illustrations as bangles! Any suggestions for a song from your childhood that you'd like to see on a bangle?

There is a garden......

I'm working on a lovely song at the moment entitled "My lady's garden".  The original words are in French and translated into English by Roger Bennett and the music is by Roger Quilter.

Here are the opening lyrics:

There is a garden that all sweets encloses,
Where my love is wont to stray;
There blow the fairest flowers of May
And, lovelier yet, soft damask roses.

There by her side among the flow'rs
Would I might pass the days of June,
Fleeting the careless summer hours,
Whether by night or by noon.

It's such a joy to sing, even if the lyrics are sad at the end......and I can't get it out of my head.  I've been doodling flower gardens, thinking of damask roses......and from all these thoughts, these "there is a garden" earrings appeared!  It's like having a little garden shining brightly from your ears.

The leaves are aluminium and the flowers are silver.

And now I've written this blog post, you can be sure the song will be in my head for the rest of the day!!! :-D

17/52 Bird a week challenge - Rustling through the leaves

Doesn't "rustling through the leaves" conjure up a lovely picture.... and while it's normally associated with autumn in our minds,  as that is the time of year when we rustle,  for birds, it is a year round occupation as they look for grubs and little tasty bites to eat.

We see them all the time out in the wooded area - towhees, robins, quails, jays etc....kicking their little feet through the leaf litter looking for insects. This is why it is important to not clear all the fallen leaves away around your property. It is an vital habitat for birds (and of course insects!!).

And that is what my bird this week is doing...he's wandering around, in between the leaves on this bangle, looking for some tasty treats!

I wonder what he'll find?

Week 17 of the year long challenge and I can tell you - it's impressive how many of us who started this challenge are keeping up with creating a different bird each week. Even those who had never created birds before! Take a look at what the others who joined my challenged have created this week:

Patience bangle

Readers of my regular "bird signs" Friday blog post will recall that I've been discussing the symbolism of birds for the past few weeks. Today I focus on an insect - the caterpillar. 

The butterfly and caterpillar are considered symbols of metamorphosis and transformation.  However the caterpillar is the infant stage - prior to transformation and thus teaches patience.  The caterpillar inches along slowly, resting..... pausing now and then - symbolising not to rush into anything.  This time is for preparation - a very important stage. 

Yes, a transformation will be exciting, but right now patience is needed. 

This bangle is therefore a cheerful reminder for someone that their time is coming...and they just need to get ready and be patient.

Hope you like my "patience" bangle. The bangle is color anodised aluminum and the caterpillar is made from fine silver.

Are you singing "inch worm, inch worm...measuring the marigolds" yet???

13/52 Bird a week challenge - Quentin Quail strolls in the garden

Yes, Quentin has finally joined the "bird a week challenge"!!  For those who don't know, Quentin is an old friend who lives with us here in Birdland. He is a California Quail who shares his life with his wife Queenie and their numerous babies. During the winter he hangs out in his covey of other quail friends.   If you look under "caption competition" at the top of this post, you'll see Quentin and some of his friends from last year!!!

Well today he is hanging out on one of my leafy aluminium bracelets, entitled "Quentin strolls in the garden":

He likes wandering among the leaves and looking for food...... I think maybe later in the season when he has his family, it would be good to see all the quails together on a bangle. What do you think????

Doesn't he look handsome!

A group of us are all challenging ourselves to make a bird a week for 2011, and here we are, already on week 13 - a quarter of the way through!  I hope you'll take the time to see some of the other birdies created this week by clicking on the links below....more and more links appear as the week goes by as people finish their birds. Hope you enjoy them:

Ladybirds

I do think the British term "ladybirds" is so much nicer than the American "ladybugs". It just conjures up a lovely image - not a buggy one.  So I guess it is one British word that I still prefer to use, over the American.

And so it is a ladybird who has decided to land on my dogwood bangle.

I've been thinking about different ways of combining silver with my color anodised aluminum, like the rose windows I posted about yesterday.... and now attaching silver to the bangles fills me with new ideas! 

Better keep this post short and get back to my studio before my head bursts!!!

I hope you like it. Look out for more :=D

Dogwood bangle follow up

For those of you who don't live in the US and aren't familiar with the Dogwood tree (- genus Cornus -) here are some photos.  Thanks for asking Peebee.

Photo by Lee Coursey

The lovely white/pink/yellow "flowers" are actually not the flowers. Those are bracts and the flower is actually the small center. You can see it in the photo below - the greeny/yellow center.:

Photo by stevendepolo

So now you know! Thanks for asking :=D

Dogwood bangle

Continuing with my aluminium bangles this week, I made a leaf and blossom one in a nice soft green.  The blossoms and leaves reminded me of a dogwood tree. 

We visited Yosemite with my parents one May and were greeted with the most gorgeous flowering dogwoods there.  I think that was the first time I had ever seen so many all in one place.

There is also a wonderful Asian botanical garden here in Glen Ellen, called Quarryhill Botanical Garden. They have a stunning collection of Asian dogwoods there, including gorgeous yellow ones.

It's such a pretty tree isn't it.  Masses of blossoms!

Aluminum cuff - Apple Martini!

Here's another new color anodized aluminum cuff.

 

I'm been trying to think of a name for it - but for some reason, it just makes me think of a cocktail! In fact a martini - but I'm not sure why!!! 

Funny isn't it! I look at it and think " Martini!" - and I'm not a martini drinker - only rarely!!!  Hmmm. I think it must be an Apple Martini.  What do you think?

I love the thickness of the aluminum - it makes from a strong bangle that doesn't lose it's shape but is comfortable to wear.

Anyhow - "cheers"! It's cocktail hour here! Now what should I have???