Friday, August 22, 2014

Celestial celebration



These lovelies will be trickling into the shop throughout the day!




And a sneak peak at what's coming soon..large, gloriously chunky, pillbox style rings.  Perfect for showcasing this high domed rutilated quartz..it's another constellation ring.  A lightly embossed crescent moon and cobalt blue iolite have been added to this celestial celebration.

Available next week in the shop.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

xo Blue Gnome

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Early morning magic

It's early yet. 

I'm noticing even just in the last few days that the days have been slower to start, the birds a little quieter as the sun sleeps in a little more each day.  The back-to-school ads have been more and more visible in the stores, the local parks and splash pads a little more frantic with children, determined to make the very best of their last remaining days of freedom and summer holidays.

My mornings here have started with the click-click-click of the gas burner as steaming hot cups of tea have slowly started to replace the iced coffees as my morning pick-me-up, the sound of ice cubes against the glass have been replaced by the soft clinking of my spoon as I lazily stir my milk into my tea.  
The bunch of overripe bananas that have been sitting on the counter top for the last few days, staring and silently asking when they're going to be transformed into some wonderful banana bread have finally gotten their wish this morning.  I have the most amazing, simple recipe for this - ripe bananas, raw sugar, an egg, flour, a pinch of salt, a generous dollop of vanilla seeds..all topped with a drizzle of golden melted butter.  
Ah..a few strokes with my grandma's very vintage wooden spoon and into a loaf pan it all goes.  Creamy, buttery banana goodness speckled with vanilla..45 minutes in the oven where all the magic happens and you have the most decadent and moist bread you've ever put into your mouth.  
Interested in this recipe?  
Send me a message and I'd love to share it with you!


As the delicious aroma wafts out of the oven and up the stairs, I can hear the first stirrings of life..soft rustling and creaking floorboards as the wee monster goes to wake up Sachi - the "big snoring bear" before starting his descent down the long staircase, one halting step at a time. 

It won't be long now before this quiet, somewhat magical time for me comes to an end and the hustle and bustle of the day will kick into high gear.

 The day has started..and with my cup of steaming tea in hand, I face this wonderfully rainy day.  

Do you have a favorite time of day?

xo Blue Gnome












Friday, August 15, 2014

Water and Fire

A little while ago I was introduced to an interesting book called Soul Signs by Rosemary Altea.  Some of you might be groaning or rolling your eyes at this point..(smiling..)..I promise this post won't be about finding your ultimate soulmate or a rant about some metaphysical path we should all follow.  

Putting aside any religious views or beliefs, spirituality is something that I've always had a tremendous interest in, something my mother has always had a great deal of respect for and has taught me and my brother to do the same.  And if none of this appeals to you in the least..well, it's a good read anyway and should you find yourself sitting in an airport with a delayed flight, you should definitely pick it up and take a glance.  
I think you'll find yourself quite engrossed.

I've mentioned in the past that my mother is perhaps the most spiritual personal I know..and to this day this still holds very true.  Keep in mind that when I say spiritual, I'm not talking specifically about religion.  Because those two things are completely different in my eyes.  
Now, before I walk straight into a (often) very heated and touchy subject, I'm going to put on the brakes and take a detour.  
Spirituality to me is about the belief in the human spirit and how we connect to the energies around us. Everything living in this world gives off energy - science has proven as much - and it's rather naive and arrogant to think even for a moment that we're not affected by this energy, isn't it?  
So when I make reference to certain qualities a stone possesses in some of my silver creations, I'm essentially talking about the energy that surrounds and flows from the specific rock..sort of like aromatherapy for the soul. Some scents like lavender are well known therapies for promoting relaxation while citrus based aromas are used to invigorate.  Similarly, certain gemstones / minerals have well known qualities that have been utilized for generations to aid in ailments of the soul.  In this book, we are introduced to the organic make up of our spirit and how it relates to the 4 main elements of nature: earth, air, water and fire.  

Whether you take the ideas presented in this book to heart or see it as nothing but an amusing read..the choice is yours to make.  




I've created a ring that aesthetically represents two of the four elements - two powerful and complimentary elements..water and fire.  
Metaphysically, the prehnite represents unconditional love and is said to enhance spiritual growth.  The garnet is a stone of devotion and courage.  

Whether you're drawn to the aesthetic or metaphysical qualities of this ring, you certainly can't go wrong.

May this ring bring you courage in your spiritual growth.

xo Blue Gnome

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Surround yourself in the company of those you love


I've received some amazing emails during my hiatus from the studio..and I can't thank all of you enough for the great feedback and comments about my work.  It's often a difficult choice to make between the more economical mass produced items on the market and the higher cost of something hand created by artisans like me..it is impossible for independent artists to compete with the prices mass producing companies can offer. 

I cannot thank you enough for choosing to pay the slightly higher cost for something handmade..

Your support encourages others to follow their dreams in creating something from their heart and soul. 

Your support allows people like me to continue doing what we love to do, create one-of-a-kind pieces that I hope you will treasure for years to come.

I'm back in the studio and I've hit the ground running!  New items will be filtering into the shop in the next few days and I can't wait to share them with you!

Hope you're all having a fantastic summer..enjoying these lazy, hazy days of warm sunshine in the great company of friends and family.  

Surround yourself in the company of those you love, life's too short to be in the company of anyone less worthy :)  


xo Blue Gnome