Stargazer

The first flowers my sweetie ever bought me were Stargazer Lilies.
Huge white petals streaked with pinks you wouldn't think existed in nature.
They were vibrant, and perfumed any room they were in.

They were beautiful.
Not the most exotic,
or even my favorites,
but unbelievably special.They were from him :-)

Stargazer necklace was created around a sliver of Rhodonite stone that boasts multiple shades of pink, and reminded me of the inside of lily petals. I have set it in sterling and fine silver with scallops and petals of sterling wire. The entire piece has been oxidized for depth, and hangs on 17 inches of sterling silver chain.
 
Wear this necklace and breathe deep - you may just smell the stargazer lily scent...

Heading into the shop in the early evening (pst)

Dark and Stormy

This past summer I bore witness to the most incredible thunder and lightening storm in all my years. People stopped on the street and stared into the great big sky and watched incredible forks of lightening horizontally shoot through the sky, minute after minute. 

The sky was a rich, deep blue, and the thunder rumbled below our feet. 

Dark and Stormy was fabricated around one of the most gorgeous Labradorites I've had in my possession, it reminded my so much of the summer storm from last year. Flashing shades of green and yellow sparkle. A stone like this really needed no fan fare, so I simply bezel set it in a fine silver with a half round sterling band. Size 8.
Approx 1 inch tall ( 25mm)

You may not remember all the beautiful sunny days - but a terrific storm will always stay in your mind!

Heading into The Shop Wednesday, unless someone would like to claim her as their own before then! {just shoot me a convo over on etsy}

Weekly Sale Item - Budding Stem Earrings

Budding Stems Earrings are 20% off just for this week only (until Sunday July 3rd)
http://www.etsy.com/listing/65790150/weekly-sale-item-budding-stem-earrings?nc=1

Hellelujah!

Breaking News!

Canada Post has been legislated back to work!

Halle-freaking-lujah!

That it all.


PS- of course that is not all, I can thank my patient customers enough while I have sat here worrying about the packages that were floating around in limbo. I am beyond relieved, and I hope they start making it into well deserved hands asap.

Bleh

Well dear friends,
I have been hit with the dreaded summer cold.
*enter menacing musical score*
Just as we FINALLY got some sunshine { have I mentioned it has been the coldest wettest spring on record in 55 years? }.
I spent the Summer Solstice parked on the couch with the worst sore throat I have had in a decade, horrible head aches and neck aches, and blocked ears.

And a whole lotta these :

Now normally I don't like resorting to drugs, but I seriously *needed* them this time.
By day three I had had all of 3 hours sleep due to sore throat pain.
Enter clinic.
Enter doctor who says its a virus and can't prescribe anything.
Enter desperate Jaime pleading for something to give her some relief.

What can I say? 3 days in with no sleep and no relief and I would have taken just about anything!

Anyways, I am just finally feeling better. Today was the first day I didn't feel too dizzy to stand at the bench, torch in hand.
{ any earlier and I probably would have burned the house down!}
My sore throat is gone ( halle-freaking-lujah) but I still have the congestion and the plugged ears. If you have a remedy for me I am all ears ( ha, no pun intended) Chances are, I have tried it, but at this point I am open to suggestions!

Anywho... I did get some new work going, and I should have an update ready for early next week!
Now if only Canada Post would get back to work and start moving the mail in this country!!

till then,

Happy Daddy Day

To all the Dads out there!

Thank you to mine for :

Being the softy.

The numerous times you fixed my first car ( and it was plenty!)

Never treating me like I couldn't do anything, and always giving me the chance to try.

For showing an interest in my business.

For the time you helped me finish my woodworking project in highschool because the teacher was sexist. I got an A, or should I say you got an A.

For moving me out of a bad situation at a moments notice when I needed you.

For coming to get me at Outdoor School when I was 11, because I was sick and wanted to come home.

Laughing with me until our stomachs hurt while watching the stupidest movies, and giving me my sense of humour.

I love you Dad!

I have been silent...

...not because there is nothing to say,
but because maybe there is so much I don't know where to start,
and how to finish,
and what should be in the middle?

I have a bazillion thoughts swirling in my head,
and each one of them deserves its own moment of reflection.
But perhaps I will be here all day if I do so?
Perhaps.

Some quick thoughts:
I don't know how much longer I will have my part time day job to go to.
I don't know how much more I can handle working it, yet at the same time it terrifies me a slight bit to not have it for steady income.

My parents house is on the market. The house my mother has lived in her entire life.
My HOME.
Has anyone ever had such a strong bond with a place, that t makes you ache a bit at the thought of not having it?
I am struggling with (perhaps overly) sentimental thoughts.

Can someone PLEASE make Canada Post go back to work!?

I got a belated birthday card yesterday - it was hilariously over the top with pop up cartoon characters and cheesy jokes.
Just what I needed :-)


I think it is high time I sit down with my journal and process everything. It's been a while since I made a date for the book and I.



PS. The crappiest day can be made better with Thai food, friends and a coconut mango boozy concoction.
I have decided this!

PPS - I am so darn proud of this city for coming together after such a horrible show of humanity on weds night. In case you didn't know, there was massive rioting here in Vancouver after the  Stanley Cup finals. A group of anarchists that caused some trouble back when the Olympics were here last year used the Canucks loss to instigate a rumble that quickly turned into horrible rioting, looting and destruction.
What was at one point a happy supportive crowd, went from this:

to this: 

and this:

There have already been over 150 arrests made, with the help of the public. A few turned themselves in, while others were turned in by employers and parents, and people all over the web have been using pictures posted on facebook and twitter to help the Vancouver Police.

As early as 4am that morning there were already 1000 good samaritans in the down town core helping business owners board up windows, cleaning up glass and making the streets safe again. Bless the good hearts I believe most people out there still have.

In the day following there were many a police car in the city found like this :

Riddled with thank you notes, and positive messages of hope for the future, and for justice for those who tarnished a truly amazing city.

Monday Musings

Once again, it is raining.
That is all I will say because it secretly drives me bonkers when all people do is complain about the weather. There is nothing I can do about it. Except use the new umbrella Dan's mom got me for my birthday. It has pink tulips on it :-)

Wicked was amazing, I wish things like that were more affordable so I could treat myself every now and then.

I need to completely overhaul and organize my desk. Perhaps another day.

I have to go to a funeral on Weds. I have never even stepped foot in a cemetery, nor have I been to a funeral. {not for lack of loss, but my family doesn't believe in it}
I do not know the person who passed, but his son is one of our best friends so we are going to support him.

I am officially all out of Birthday Cake  {pavlova - YUM!} I gave the last piece to Dad, my partner in Pavlova eating crime. Is it bad that I consider just keeping some in the fridge at all times?

I am an easy cry. I cry at the sight of a tear on another's face. I really hope I can keep it together on Wednesday.

I have about 8 books in my "to read" pile. Seems like a rainy day might be a good time to start in on that, right?

There is it, my Monday musings in all their random glory.
I think I could write a page { at least} in my journal about each and every one of these. Minus the rain - no use harping on that topic ;)


Ps - I almost forgot to post a new Weekly Sale item!
This week it is my Take Flight Bangle in Sterling Silver

Reduced by 20% this week only!

Thoughts on Birthdays

So, yesterday was my 28th birthday.
Thank you all who wrote me sweet comments on twitter, or left them on my blog here, or on my facebook page, it truly made me smile!
I have come to the realization though that I might be at that point in my life where birthdays have no magic. Perhaps it was the turn back to nastyness in the weather (we just can't catch a break here - the temps haven't passed 22 C and we have only had 3 or 4 days of sun since April) or the fact that all the birthday festivities I had planed had to be cancelled for one reason or another, but I just felt like I was in a bit of a funk. Like it was any other day, and kind of a crummy one at that.
The day did pick up however a bit in the evening, the Canucks won bringing us one step closer to the Stanley Cup ( and my goodness was the city packed like a sardine can!).
There was cake ( pavlova actually, my all time favorite. Thanks mom for that!)
There was wine. And possibly a little more wine.

And there was this :

Two tickets, 9th row, to see Wicked this Sunday night!
I have never actually seen a live show like this, and I loved the book, so I am thrilled!
I would love to know what you thought of the show, if you have seen it?

For now, I am off to spark the torch, pull out the saw, and make something pretty out of metal, because nothing has me quite as happy :)Hope you all are having a glorious weekend, send some sunshine my way, will ya?

Ps - leftover birthday cake is ok for breakfast, right?

Annual One Day Birthday Sale!

Well folks, it is that time of year again, Friday June 10th is my 28th birthday!
To ring my special day, I decided to continue on with my Annual One Day Birthday Sale!
It is the one day a year I offer such a plum discount - so now might be the time to pick up that piece you have been eyeing for a while ;p

So here are the details :

Use Coupon Code : 28BIRTHDAY to get 25% off anything in Either shop!

25%!!

I told you it would be good!

This sale runs from 9pm PST June 9th until 11:59pm PST June 10th, but being my loyal blog readers, you can take advantage of this sale price as soon as this blog posts! 

Like any big ole sale- a few rules apply :

-No reserves during this time, all purchases will be first come first dibs.

-No custom orders, sorry, this awesome deal is for existing merchandise and made to order items only.

-Sale price applies to purchases made on sale day, not before or after. 

Of course the sale runs in both shops :

www.bellabijoujewellery.etsy.com

www.bellabijoutoo.etsy.com

Hope to "see" you there, and as always your continued support of artistic endeavors warms my heart over and over!

Unfurl

Now that it is on the brink of summer in this part of the world,
I can feel mother nature's fingers embrace me.

They reach their warmth and brush the hair from my eyes,
ease a straighter line into my back,
gently resting on my shoulders,
reminding me that it is ok.

It is ok to just be,
let down my guards,
and let the light into my life.

I can set my soul free knowing the sunshine has my back.
The ground will always be beneath my feet.
No matter what heaviness I may carry in my breath,
I am reminded that I am resilient.
Like a sweet frond that holds tight through the night,
then unfurls in the morning light.

Complete with wrinkles, kinks and curls,
yet completely perfect in the way nature made us both.

I have hand cut and anticlastically formed sterling silver leaves that I imprinted with a real leaf I plucked from the tree in my front yard. They sway from a stunning Plume Agate full of growing dendrites unfurling like gravity meant for them to. I have set this stone with the back cut out to really show of this magnificent stone.
Oxidized for depth then hand brushed to a satin finish.
Comes on 17 inches of oxidized sterling silver chain.

Heading into the shop tuesday morning :-)

And then the sun came, and said "hello"

Happy Monday all!
I hope your weekends were all glorious - I can actually say for the first time, in a long time, mine was. We are in the throws of Stanley Cup madness around here in this city! It has been 17 years  since Vancouver made it all the way to the finals, and could be the first time we bring the cup home! I am a BIG hockey fan ( It really is bred into us Canadians) as is Dan, so we have been glued to the tv since the entered round one!

{photo courtesy of The Province - that is what 70,000 fans on Granville st alone looks like. This was from Saturday night's game 2 - which we won!}

Now normally I would feel bad about this, I am normally one of those people who records her tv and watched it late at night once the daily work is done (not that it ever seems to be). In the Spring and Summer, I hate the idea of sitting inside and watching Tv ( especially because these game are all broadcast at 5pm, since we are playing Boston over in the east). However, Vancouver has experienced the coldest, wettest Spring on record for 55 years. Believe it.
All I have known for months is POURING rain.
Probably a big source of the depressive state I feel like I have been in.
Not to mention the fact that until friday I was still in jeans and hooded sweatshirts.

And then finally, FINALLY! After months and months - we finally have had 3 glorious and warm days of sun in a row. How silly to get excited about such a small fraction of time?
But, we all know the sun is good for the soul, and boy this little soul of mine needs to tender loving care.
And now perhaps my camera can get some action - it has become all to complacent sitting on my desk, only used for jewellery photos. I am getting these legs moving and getting out there and enjoying some good old fashioned vitamin D my friends!
Perhaps now some updates will actually have pictures in them. It has been a bit depressing seeing all my blog friends pictures of their flourishing gardens, sun soaked faces, and cute spring and summer attire.
I feared pictures of myself layered up for extended winter, practically drowning in the rain might scare you all away :-)

In jewellery related news, I have two new pieces waiting for a Liver of Sulfur bath and then should be ready to show you.

Also, it just so happens to be this girls 28th birthday on friday... if you have been supporting over the span of the last few years, you may just know what that means :D
{hint, hint}
But I'll post more on that a little later...

What happens when...

Canada Post goes on strike?

{besides the stomping of feet, cursing under the breath and general comments like " are you freaking kidding me!?"}

In case you haven't heard, as of June 2nd 2011 at midnight Canada Post is on what is called a "rolling" strike. This means cities across Canada will be on strike for 24 hours at a time, rotating across the nation.

Is this a giant pain in the you know what for me?
You bet.

Does it concern me greatly for the well fair of my small business?
You know it.

Am I hoping this strike is cut short by the Federal government forcing the union back to work or better yet, a resolution in the next few days?
HELL YES.

HOWEVER, the upside of this is that this is not a full blown stand still strike. The mail still will be processing through the country and to the border, it will just most likely be delayed.

I am crossing these teeny fingers of mine and hoping and praying that this mess is cleaned up before it can really become a full blown mess. Cross your fingers too for me, ok ?

I will be posting updates as this progresses here and in my shop announcements, but for the mean time please know I am still conducting my business as usual, and shipping packages as promptly as always to insure they do get to all you wonderful people ASAP.

much love to you all,