Atargatis, the Mermaid Goddess

I finally got a piece done after about a month of not creating anything. This piece was inspired by the story of Atargatis. The first known mermaid stories appeared in Assyria, ca. 1000 BC. Atargatis, the mother of Assyrian queen Semiramis, was a goddess who loved a mortal shepherd and in the process killed him. Ashamed, she jumped into a lake to take the form of a fish, but the waters would not conceal her divine beauty. Thereafter, she took the form of a mermaid — human above the waist, fish below.

I love the colors and textures of this one. It features a gorgeous abalone and pearl pendant. I've used white druzy pearls, peacock keishi pearls, whole abalone shells, fine silver hill tribe molten nuggets and sterling silver bali beads.

Spring

Well, its supposed to be spring anyway. You wouldn't know it if you looked outside. Rainy, cold and dreary - good old Portland Oregon. Its unusually cold though, my bulbs are struggling to bloom.  I usually dread spring but am actually happy about it. We've had enough snow to last a lifetime this winter!

I'm still working on my spring pieces and slowly starting my summer line. I made this springy pendant. The flower petals are mystic blue violet quartz with a mystic smoky quartz in the middle. The flower rests on a huge mystic rock crystal focal. 

I will be in Charleston, SC next week for 8 days. I'll be having a sale while I'm gone so check back for details.

Tomorrow, I am participating in Vote Earth. You can vote Earth by switching off your lights for one hour. It takes place on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 PM. I hope that everyone who reads this will participate too. How hard is it to turn off your lights for one hour! I think we should do this every week. You can find more details on their website

http://www.voteearth2009.org/home/

Athens

The last month has been rough. Its been over 4 weeks of the flu, viruses and colds. Apollo's been sick 3 times, I had the flu for over 2 weeks, even hubby got it this time. Apollo is sick once again with a hacking cough, runny nose and temperature. I had the pleasure of cleaning up some lovely vomit earlier. He always seems to vomit when he gets sick :(

I haven't had a lot of time to be creative. I was able to sneak away to create this gorgeous piece called, Athens. It features a beautiful and very rare cavansite druzy pendant. I've

also incorporated rainbow moonstone rounds, faceted chrysocolla briolettes, geode druzy nuggets, bali sterling silver beads and a double sided rainbow moonstone clasp.

Custom Order

This was a custom order from a dear customer and friend. It features a beautiful sugilite pendant. The necklace has my special stash of sugilite along with pink, purple and plum spinel and bali spacers through out. Finished with a bali clasp. I love how it came out! All the various colors of purple look gorgeous together.

Sugilite Pendant                     

Sugilite, spinel & bali

I have been battling a nasty cold for a few days now and finally am starting to feel better. Yesterday, we awoke to about 2 inches of snow. More snow! Winter just started and I have a feeling we will be seeing even more of the white stuff.

Mary Engelbreit Ad

My ad came out! I got it through etsy. Etsy did a fantastic job and the ad looks great. Its in the August/September issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion. I love the magazine. I used to 

subscribe and recently renewed my subscription. I LOVE that the magazine features artists , I like to read how they got they started out and how they got to where they are now. I especially love the halloween and christmas isues. I've gotten lots of ideas on decorating and look forward to those issues every year.

Here's my newest piece, Mystic Garden Earrings. This piece took me so long that its the only one I got done this week. I obsessed and obsessed about the perfect stones to use. I drove my hubby nuts, asking almost constantly if I should use ruby or pink tourmaline? It was tedious but I got through it and I love how it turned out. I have enough materials to make another pair but honestly, I don't think I have the patience to make another. I will be listing these on my etsy shop later today. It has faceted mystic topaz, moss amethyst, iolite, labradorite and pink tourmaline.


Today we are going to my moms to make soap. Hubby wants to go to a cemetery to take pictures. Then, we are going to pick raspberries and snow peas.

Project Night Night

I sold one of my favorites pieces. This gorgeous baltic amber necklace with a amber pendant that has a real butterfly inside. It was hard to let it go. I put so much of myself into my pieces that it feels like a sense of loss when a piece sells. Especially this piece, this piece is special. Its nearly impossible to find amber with large insects inside.

I had the flu most of last week so I didn't get any pieces done. Saturday, we went to a farmers market. Sunday, I worked in the yard.

This week, I'm working on pieces I'm donating to two charities. One of the charities is called Project Night Night. Project Night Night is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless children. Project Night Night donates tote bags with a blanket, book, and a stuffed animal to children in homeless shelters. Project Night Night is helping the emotional and cognitive well-being of each child by providing objects of comfort. They are having a silent auction and I am donating these earrings made with natural pyrite druzies, turkish silver and sterling silver. For more information on Project Night Night, here is their website : http://www.projectnightnight.org/