Petites Choses Douces (Little Sweet Things)....

Some new 'little sweet things' I have been working on this past week. Simple and sweet...perfect for gift giving or layering with your own pieces. Here's a peek at what's coming to my Etsy shop this evening....

 



 

...I also have a few new pairs of earrings coming tonight....

 

Happy Thanksgiving Week everyone. See you back here soon with more holiday adornments.

Dioramas...

 

I've been working really hard lately on lots of custom orders and my newest creations all about the Victorian art of dioramas. Dioramas are little hand made miniature 3-D models encased in glass and depict small scenes. 

 Wikipedia describes a "diorama" as this:

 

The word "diorama" originated in 1823 as a type of camera device, from the French in 1822. The word literally means "through that which is seen", from the Greek di- "through" + orama "that which is seen, a sight". The diorama was invented by Daguerre and Charles Marie Bouton, first exhibited in London September 29, 1823. The meaning "small-scale replica of a scene, etc." is from 1902.

 

 

I had so much fun creating these little locket filled nature scenes and I will be bringing them to my Etsy shop tonight. Here is a sneak peek:

 

 

 

 

Be back soon with more from the bench. Have a great week!

 

Festoons...

 

"Festoons"...Is that not the coolest name for a necklace? Victorians loved their festoons, and so do I!!!  That is why I have started a line of them to debut in my Etsy shop early this evening. I just love their drapey, flowy/showy, dainty appearance and have really been digging into this 1800's style of jewelry design as of late. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines a festoon as follows...

 

"A long chain or strip of something that is hung as a decoration;

a decorative chain or strip hanging between two points;

to cover or decorate with many small objects"

 

 

Here is a little taste of my newest line of Festoons...

 

 

All of these pieces coming tonight...and more to come in the following days. I have so many ideas swirling in my head involving this cool old Victorian style of jewelry. See you soon with more vintage swoon.



Changing Seasons....

 

 

 

Had to run back up to our little mountain spot this past week to take care of a few loose ends and this is what we came home to...

 

 

...breathtaking changing of the seasons...

 

 

...oh the colors...

 

 

...and piles upon piles of leaves everywhere...

 

 

 

 

...which the boys seemed to love too...

 

 

We got a chance to antique a little....

 

 

 

This place was an antique lovers dream come true....70,000 square feet of anything and everything you could imagine located in the Biltmore Village region of Asheville. If it's anywhere near the Biltmore Estate, the antiquing has got to be good! Right???

 

 

This is a gorgeous French 1800's mirror we found for the "Wall-et du Chalet"....

 

 

 

The carvings on the top of it were just beautiful....

 

 

A sweet old porcelain lamp I found...

 

 

 

An old fashioned candy store we visited.....

 

 

I forsee a trip to the dentist in my future! LOL.

 

 

 

 

And a trip up to the mountains would not be complete without a little bluegrass...

 

 

Raymond Fairchild (far left on the banjo) is a true living music legend! He has played alongside all the famous old school bluegrass musicians like Ralph Stanley, Lester Flatts and Earl Scruggs. Just to name a few!

 

 

An old violin they were auctioning off at the concert...

 

 

 

Headed home in a few days....have new goodies coming to both my supply shop and my design shop. I have a new design I want to debut this weekend. Be sure to come back and visit me right here and I will tell you all about it.

 

 

....Until then...take care...and enjoy all of the season's changes!