Dream Traveller Totems

And when the roses are half buds half flowers

And loveliest the king of flies has come

It was a fleeting visit, all too brief

In three short minutes, he had been and gone.

He rested there upon an apple leaf

A gorgeous opal crown set on his head

Although the garden is a lovely place

Was it worthy of so fine a guest.

- By Danny Kirwan & C.G. Adams

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A creature of wind and water, the dragonfly represents change, resilience and strength in many cultures. Due also to their tragically short life span, they serve as a reminder to live our lives to the fullest, adapting to situations and living lightly on our feet. Their images can often be found embossed onto the garments of samurai warriors, symbolizing agility and good fortune. An ambassador between our world and the afterlife, they are said to carry the souls of our ancestors on their backs - a dream traveller.  

To  see one is often a good omen.

This dragonfly totem has been made entirely of sterling, handcrafted from start to finish.  A riveted construction makes this a moveable piece as the second wing can swing outwards, an ever changing  totem.  Tumbled for hours for strength, a dark patina has then been hand applied to add depth and to make the details pop. A beautiful art piece - and a reminder to live lightly on your feet.

Made with love and a touch of late summer magic from my Five Maples.

xo Blue Gnome

**  Both piece are now reserved for two special souls..thank you ladies! xx **

Lightness Of Being

A happiness amulet created just for you.

May this bring you clarity, happiness and lightness of being.

Made entirely of sterling, clear quartz and watermelon tourmaline.

xo Blue Gnome

Winter Berries

The irresistible pairing of a glowing green prehnite and the gorgeous pop of crimson!

Made entirely of sterling, prehnite and some tiny, darling seed beads, available in the shop later this week.

Have a lovely week all you beautiful people!

xo Blue Gnome

Enameled Summer Berries

I've been playing around with incorporating some new finds into my designs, and what a perfect time of year to introduce some lovely enameled, copper beads handcrafted by a fellow Etsy artisan, 

Mary Ann Carroll !

Summer Berries Necklace

I used to make enameled beads myself years ago, but when I came across these beauties I simply couldn't resist.  

The colours are fantastically vibrant 

I'm absolutely in love with these!

Summer Berry Necklace

Although the bulk of the work is still in the design process in the shop, I thought I'd put these simple necklaces out there to test the market for beaded pieces in the shop.  

I've kept the design simple to showcase these enameled lovelies..look for more coming into the shop in the weeks ahead!

xo Blue Gnome

Moon River

Sterling, Moonstone and Lolite

Moon River, wider than a mile, 

                                                                                             I'm crossing you in style some day. 

Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker, 

wherever you're going I'm going your way. 

Two drifters off to see the world. 

There's such a lot of world to see. 

We're after the same rainbow's end

waiting 'round the bend, 

my huckleberry friend, 

Moon River and me.

 ~ Henry Mancini & Johnny Mercer

Love Of All Things Furred And Feathered.

It doesn't seem that long ago that my grandparents lived in a beautiful log house with cathedral ceilings.  Their master bedroom was a huge loft that overlooked the living space below and their bedroom window faced the hilly mountain side that was their backyard

heavily treed with huge evergreens, the ground thick with fallen needles and tall grasses.  

It was the perfect place for quail..enough ground cover to hide and nest in and

sheltered up above by the majestic branches of the ponderosa pines.  

During my grandparents time there, it had become a sort of breeding ground and sanctuary for these adorable birds - every morning my grandma would open the sliding door from the family room and scatter a handful of seeds out on to the grass

within seconds, the tall grass would rustle and sway.  

The adults always came impeccably dressed for breakfast

wearing their jackets of black, fawn and light grey, 

their plume like tiny facinators on their perfect little heads.  

My grandma would always count the number of young and report to my little brother, who for a time when he was little, would be at my grandma's side during her many bird watching walks.  

It was during my time living in the Okanagan that I first became aware of these wee birds.  

In the spring time the mountains are teeming with them, always in a big hurry, the females bustling about up ahead while the males follow behind, herding what seems like a bazillion itty bitty chicks from straying from the group.  

Driving up the mountainous road to my parents house could sometimes be a treacherous affair - quail crossings are not uncommon and they dart out of nowhere, zigzagging hurriedly across the pavement while the unfortunate male would frantically being up the rear, 

their young like a bagful of marbles, 

spilling out onto the hilly roads 

where cars were whizzing by.  

Driving white knuckled, eyes darting back and forth watching carefully for tattletale signs of movement in the tall grass roadside, I'd been told numerous times that swerving for an animal crossing was one of the most common causes of vehicle accidents.  Personally however, I'd rather land in a ditch any day over running over a family of quail...

being singlehandedly responsible for the massacre of an entire family would be something I would never get over.  

My father I'm sure would disagree - especially since I'm usually driving his vehicle.

It's been years since my grandparents lived there..

my brother no longer seems interested in pursuing a life of bird watching

and my grandma passed away a few short years ago.

But in the springtime the hillsides are still abundant with quail and you still have to watch the roads for family crossings.

Sterling

A whimsical little necklace inspired by the beautiful Okanagan and my grandma's love of all things furred and feathered. 

Available in the New Year.

 xo Blue Gnome