Hippie Chick In Love Necklace

This was one of those necklaces that came together from the moment I went into my favorite bead store, Webs in Northampton, MA.

I must confess that when I go into most beads stores, I turn into a kid in a candy shop, but Webs is different. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed, I can browse for hours or pick up a few things quickly if I am on a tight schedule. It's a well-laid out store and has just about anything you would ever need...whether you are a beginner or hobbyist or whether you are a business owner/designer.

So like I said, Hippie Chick In Love came together from the moment I walked into Webs and began seeing all the elements together...the oxidized sterling silver chain, the bright and bold crystal, the red glass hearts, and the little silver peace sign charm. Had all the elements in front of me and said, "Hmmmm....Hippie Chick In Love." The necklace brings me back to a simpler time when love was a lot less complicated...

Hippie Chick In Love can be purchased at my Etsy Shop and comes beautifully wrapped and ready for giving.

Happy Valentines Day!!

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Beaded Impressions Beading Contest is Open to Public Vote!

Vote for your favorite necklace and earring design in the 2009 Beaded Impressions Beading Contest! Public voting ends August 13th. It is a wonderful showcase of the talented jewelry artists out there! You will receive a coupon for 10% off any purchase just for voting!

They did have a bit of trouble with their voting page so there are instructions on how to access the survey and if you still have any trouble you can contact them directly.

In the necklace category, be sure to check out #26--Cosmo's Moon! No matter how it turns out, it was a lot of fun just creating the piece and entering the contest!

Have a great day!

Cosmo's Moon Necklace

So, I entered this necklace into Beaded Impressions Beading Contest!

I love the movie "Moonstruck"! I know some people think it's a little over-the-top but I grew up in an Italian family so for me it's like coming home!

In the movie, Cosmo's brother-in-law tells us about the enormous and magical moon that appeared one night during his sister's courtship. La Bella Luna--the moon brings the woman to the man. Drawn to the window the future brother-in-law found Cosmo in the yard gazing up at his sister's window. For years he believed that Cosmo's great love called up that amazing moon that woke him from his blissful sleep.

The idea that true love growing in the hearts of new lovers could draw down a moon of such splendor is a compelling metaphor and I always felt that this was more than a story of about two people falling in love. Perhaps it was really a tale exploring the intricate facets of love and the magic that love makes possible.

This necklace was inspired by such a moon, bright and shining in the midnight blue sky; an inspiration for love that will last a lifetime. I carried an image in my head of such a moon and with the help and inspiration of some beads from The Purple Door in Jamestown, R.I. and some beautiful crystals I received as a gift from my best friend, I set to work to create that vision.

Other materials used: 3.25mm sterling silver cable chain, a delicate 2.25mm diamond cut chain, mother-of-pearl 6mm beads, sterling silver star beads, czech glass beads in a midnight blue, bali spacers, bali toggle clasp, and a sterling silver heart pendant to symbolize love.

Cosmo's Moon Necklace can be purchased at my Etsy Shop and at USTrendy. Don't forget to check out all the entries in The Beaded Impression Beading Contest. They are all so amazing! I'd like to thank abeadstore.com for hosting this contest. Don't forget to check out their wonderful selection of beads and beading supplies!

P.S. I love the name Cosmo. It reminds me of a sweet man I grew up around who always saw me as a sweet little girl with curly blond hair long after I was no longer even close to being that anymore! Also, the Hermit Designer's middle name is Cosmo; proving I never met a Cosmo I didn't like!

The Celtic Knot Sister Necklace

I've been thinking a lot about my sisters lately...my two sisters Pat and Jude...and the sisters we have lost to cancer Liz and Cathy. Maybe because we spent Memorial Day together...all of us in one state; having the ability to run down the road a bit and be at another whole part of the family. Also my sisters Liz and Cath's children were there...some of them now have children of their own and it was great to celebrate the lives of these two great women simply by being all together.

Additionally, my sister Pat is working on a wonderful project about sister loss and I have been helping her launch her website which will be up and running very soon. The project is awesome and stems from the fact that when she lost our first sister, she began looking for resources to help her work through the feelings of that horrendous loss and found that there were barely any and what was out there for help and guidance was scattered and fragmented. Hence, the SisterLoss Project was born and she has done an incredible job using a integrated approach. I'll let you know when the website is launched...it's going to help a lot of people. I am so proud of Pat.
These were the things I was thinking about when I created this necklace. The Celtic Knot is a symbol of the lifetime bond between sisters; no matter how complex the relationship, it is one of the purest forms of love around. The delicate sterling silver chain holds groupings of beads featuring malachite and swarovski crystals and tiny sterling silver stars.

So this necklace is inspired by Pat and by all my sisters...and dedicated to all sisters everywhere!
The Celtic Knot Sister Necklace can be purchased at my shops on ShopHandmade and UsTrendy and at my Etsy Shop.

By the way, today would have been my sister Liz and her husband's 36th wedding anniversary!