Seal Lullaby

Sterling

Seal Lullaby

Oh! hush thee, my baby, the night is behind us

And black are the waters that sparkle so green.

The moon, o'er the combers, looks downward to find us

At rest in the hollows that rustle between.

Where billow meets billow, there soft be thy pillow;

Ah, weary wee flipperling, curl at thy ease!

The storm shall not wake thee, nor sharks overtake thee,

Asleep in the arms of the slow-swinging seas.

By Rudyard Kipling

Can't See The Forest For The Trees..

Sterling 

Sometimes life gets hectic. 

Beyond hectic. 

We lose sight of the important things in life 
and worry ourselves silly with the itty bitty things that should  
in a perfect world 

remain small and insignificant.

Made entirely of sterling silver. 

Wonderfully textural and with silent presence.

Hope you're taking the time to enjoy your nows 

and not wasting time worrying about your laters.

xo Blue Gnome

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving this year has come and gone.  

It was a lovely weekend of hot apple cider, quiet chats and a roaring fire..everything Thanksgiving is supposed to be.  There was turkey, warm caramel fondue with fresh fall apples and my Grandma Jones's unbeatable butter tarts.  The days following the fall harvest feast were filled with lazy afternoon naps and endless mugs of hot tea, filled to the brim with milk and honey.  So many things to be thankful for this year..every year..but this one in particular. The love of family and friends, our cozy home, the health of my furry sidekick.  The celebration of new beginnings and the healing of old wounds.  I wake up each and every morning with a reminder that I truly am blessed.

The long weekend also allowed me the time to finish some little pieces that've been patiently waiting to be worked on in my shop.  Amber hued carnelians and deep green peridot are such an irresistible pairing especially this time of year.  I also found a gorgeous little nugget of rosewood in my treasure box of odds and ends, perfect for another Giving Tree ring.  All that and more, available in my shop.

 Sterling, carnelian, peridot - Caramel Apple pendant

Sterling, carnelian - Under The Harvest Moon 

Sterling, rosewood - The Giving Tree ring

Sterling, ocean jasper - Remnants of Summer ring

New York, New York

Ocean Jasper, Sterling

New York.  The city that never sleeps.

I was in New York for the very first time a few years ago for work and it didn't disappoint.  

One night it rained and we laughed and ran our way through it to a cozy little restaurant that glowed like a beacon in the storm.  When we left, the downpour had turned into a light drizzle and we walked back to our hotel in the humid, night air with tummies full and our skin dewy from the late spring showers.  

It was a hectic work schedule there and the rest of the trip seemed to go by in a blur but I'll always remember that night when the city seemed to glisten.  The streetlights reflected off of the wet pavement and the headlights of the all-night New York traffic seemed for that one moment, magical.  

I saw this ocean jasper and in the dancing, glowing orbs saw New York as I had that night years ago.  

Like looking at the city through a window in the pouring rain..New York, New York.

This and a few other new additions available in my shop.

xo Blue Gnome

Harvest Moon

(sterling, carnelian)

Under the Harvest Moon

When the soft silver

Drips shimmering

Over the garden nights.

Death, the gray mocker

Comes and whispers to you

As a beautiful friend

Who Remembers.

Under the summer roses

When the fragrant crimson

Lurks in the dusk

Of the wild red leaves,

Love, with little hands

Comes and touches you

With a thousand memories,

And asks you

Beautiful, unanswered questions.

-  Carl Sandburg

Spread Some Sunshine On Your Toast!

Ontario plum and peach jam..

Garden jalapeno hot sauce..

I love autumn.  

The best season by far in my opinion.  I love the colours of fall.  It's when all the vibrant fresh hues of summer are brought to a slower pace and  gently condensed, like some wonderful stew simmering on the stove top.  Everything turns a gorgeous amber, golden hue and you can smell hot apple cider and pumpkin pie wafting through the air at the outdoor fall fair.  It's also the season to harvest summer's sun soaked bounty, when the weather cools enough to have the pots bubbling away with jams and pickling brine.  It's so satisfying to see the rows of preserves lining the pantry shelves, waiting for that wintery day when you need to spread some sunshine on your toast or that dollop of spicy jalapeno sauce on your homemade quesadillas.

I've started to nest.  Cosy afghans have replaced my linen cushion covers on the couch and I can feel a nip in the air when I poke my toes out from under the warm quilt on my bed in the morning.  

This weekend is supposed to be cool, sunny and perfect..hoping you all have a wonderful couple of days!

xo Blue Gnome

Rings Galore

I made some rings!

Botswana Agate, Turquoise, Ocean Jasper, Sterling

With gorgeous stones like these, only a simple setting will do.  Every one of them are a different size, they will be available in my shop later this week.

 This green speckled ring is my personal favorite..so much so that I've decided to keep this for a little while.  It looks like a wonderful painting by mother nature, soft sunlight filtering through a secret garden.  And with fall just around the corner now, I think this beautiful ring will be a summer reminder of the abundant, lush greenery all around me now.  The different shades of vibrant green just takes my breath away..

Vintage Japanese Millefiori Beads, Sterling

And some adorable Japanese lantern earrings!  Made of vintage, Japanese millefiori beads and oxidized sterling, currently available in crimson and pumpkin.

xo Blue Gnome