Skulls, Crosses, Peace Signs and Pearls! Oh My!!

I was able to sit and create for a bit this weekend and it was pure BLISS!!

 

Having fun w/photo edits of my productive and 'knotty' weekend bliss!

 

 

Working with the hubby in our business we own and run together on a full time basis has kept me away from creating as much as I'd like this year, but it has given me the chance to step back, slow down and take stock of a few things, jewelry business wise, and that's been really nice.

 

A while back my friend, Kim, requested one of my leather knotted necklaces with some rather large ringed pearls she knew I had in my possession. 

 

I finally finished it and shipped it off to her, but of course I spaced out getting a photo.

 

I know,...seriously. No photo. Not even a snapshot with my phone for goodness sakes!

 

So, being the sweetheart (and wonderful designer, instructor and fellow GIA Alumni!) that she is, she took some shots for me so I'd have one.

 

Pearl Necklace - Michelle Buettner, Button Clasp - Green Girl Studios
Photo Credit - Kim Hatzold

 

Thank you so much my friend! 

 

 

On another note, my hubby has been having a ton of fun in the garage melting and pouring pewter for a new line of crosses, skulls and peace signs.

 

 

Original Wax Mold - Stephen Elliott, Pewter Skull - Mike Buettner

 

 

Here's a couple of pieces that, if I get the chance next weekend, I will be 'Pearlizing'.

 

 

Skulls, Crosses and Pearls! Oh, My!

 

 

Yep, my word.

 

'Pearlizing' - Adding pearls to a design so they can be considered 'pearlized'.

(another one of my words!).  

 

If it's not 'Pearlized'

it's not worth wearin'! 

 

This is my new slogan. Like it?

 

Just kidding,...designs don't have to have pearls in them to be worth wearing (gasp!!), but it does make them (IMHO) more appealing.  (Wink, Wink!)

 

 

Hand Knotted Freshwater Cultured Pearls, Hand Poured Pewter Coptic Cross
and Handcrafted Sterling Silver Hook Clasp (MiShel Designs)

 

 

So now that Spring has sprung, (hopefully it's not still snowing where you are!!) what is it that you're enjoying?

 

 

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Nuggets, Antique Buffalo Nickel Button,
and Hand Poured Pewter Peace Sign. (MiShel Designs)

 

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Pearls, Baby!! 

(And Skulls, Crosses and Peace Signs!)

Cheers,

~Shel~

FOL14 - Expression

It's week 12 for the Focus on Life 2014 Weekly Photography Challenge and Sally over at The Studio Sublime has given us the theme of

"Checking Out" for the month of March.

 

This week's prompt was:

 

Expression

 

"Whether is is someone by themselves, interacting with others or (this is always the best) the way they interact with their animals;  the way a person expresses themselves is always so interesting.  This week we are checking out expression.   There are many definitions of expression and it doesn't have to be a capture of the face."

 

 

So, I captured two snapshots of Mike.

 

One of him working in the garage on some pewter skulls for me.

 

 

 

 

 

And, one of him helping me with

my apple pie crust.

 

 

 

 

A very 'serious' expression in both

pics if you ask me.

 

 

But, then I thought of these two silly kids.

 

 

 

My son and his girlfriend - what a cute and funny couple!

 

Yep. They make me smile!

 

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Expression Fun!

Cheers,

~Shel~

 

An InLinkz Link-up

We're All Ears - March Reveal

The lovely creative gals over at Earrings Everyday are running a monthly earring design challenge focused on a specific piece of artwork each month and for March, this was the wonderful piece that was chosen to inspire us all ~

 

Beatrix Potter - The Tailor of Gloucester

 

Beatrix Potter's, The Tailor of Gloucester

 

Oh indeed!!  I know they mentioned it over on the blog the day they put up the challenge, but yes, as a child I too was drawn into many Beatrix Potter stories by her amazing artwork.

 

I believe she is the reason I am not afraid of mice and think they are beyond cute and believe that all animals in the forest have the coolest of little homes tucked away in a tree somewhere! 

 

Here's  my (late to the party today) post for the

"We're All Ears" March Reveal.

 

The minute I saw the picture, I could think of nothing else but pink ribbon and cord with some wood beads, rose quartz and of course, pearls.

 

 

 

 

I hope you'll take a moment to check out all the other participants from the "We're All Ears" monthly challenge and see their lovely pieces created with the inspiring artwork of  Beatrix Potter's, The Tailor of Gloucester's picture.

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Childhood Memories!

Cheers,

~Shel~

An InLinkz Link-up

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Get Your Green on!! 

 

Have a safe and happy

St. Patrick's Day!

 

Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Goin' Green!

Cheers,

~Shel~

FOL14 - Week 11 - Beauty All Around

It's week 11 for the Focus on Life 2014 Weekly Photography Challenge and Sally over at The Studio Sublime has given us the theme of

"Checking Out" for the month of March.

 

This week's prompt is:

 

 

Beauty All Around

 

You've all seen the sunrises and sunsets I've been posting lately, which would have been super for this week's prompt, but I'll spare you yet another one!

 

I was out walking in the neighborhood keeping a keen eye out for something to photograph that would embrace this prompt.

  

This was some of the
beauty I found all around.



Pretty flowers outside our subdivision

And, even more.

Beautiful Bougainvilleas

 

 

Okay - so I couldn't resist.
 
Here's another sunset.

Friday Night's Sunset Over the Big Lake
(sorry I couldn't make it bigger w/out it running off the page!)



And here's a duck landing on the water, too!

  

 

 

 

Please go check out the "Beauty All Around" that everyone else found this week, won't you?

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Beauty All Around!

Cheers,

~Shel~

 

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

FOL14 - Week 10 - The BIG Picture

It's week 10 for the Focus on Life 2014 Weekly Photography Challenge and Sally over at The Studio Sublime has given us the theme of

"Checking Out" for the month of March.

 

 

 

This week's prompt is:

 

The BIG Picture

 

"As for this week, we are expanding what we are 'checking out' and looking at the BIG picture!"

 

I have a hard time with getting these types of pics to turn out the way the I want them to.
 

 





Click to enlarge - you'll be happy you did! :-)

 

 



 

These photos might not have been exactly what Sally meant with her prompt, but I did try a few different things this week, including trying to read the online manual for both my cameras.  (grrr,.....)

 

Well, after not having much success with that whole thing, I grabbed my phone and snapped the beauty around us while we were on a little walk about the neighborhood the other night.

 

 

 

 

 

I also captured this sunrise one morning with the 'panorama' setting on my phone.

 

 

click to enlarge

 

I'm a bit obsessed with sunrises and sunsets - as you can see.

I'm sure you're getting bored with them lately,....especially if you follow me on Facebook or over on Instagram.

But hey, I'm having fun and enjoying each moment I capture!

 

 

 

I looked. I focused.
I held my breath.
I clicked.

I captured what I found beautiful.

 

 

This one I used an edit on and then put a frame on it - but it still looks pretty much
the way the sunrise did. Except for the green glowing houses across the lake. :-)

 

 

I never thought in a million years that I'd say this but,...

I think my phone camera might be a better camera than either of my actual cameras.

 

Well, except for the macro shots I get w/my Lumix.

Those can be pretty awesome. 

 

So, I wonder what 'big' pictures everyone else captured this week?

 

Let's have a look, shall we?

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Getting the Big Picture!

Cheers,

~Shel~

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Chasing Ghosts!

 

So, if you've read the blog recently, you know that last

weekend I was in Jerome with my girlfriends. 

 

 

 

 

(Love these crazy kids!)

 

 

Kyle calling The Ghostbusters upon arriving at the Jerome Grand Hotel.
Janet grabbing Elvis - what a hoot!
Us getting photo-bombed by a local shop owner in front of Passion Cellars Wine Tasting!

 

 

Jerome is one of Arizona's most talked about, historic, unique, colorful, artistic, and haunted, little towns.

 

 

 

 

 

(Lot's of cool stuff to photograph, too!)

 

 

 

The Textures of Jerome remind of the ones in Italy.

 

 

 

You can read the pre-trip post, here, about the 'Ghostly Encounter' I had the last time I stayed over night at the Jerome Grand Hotel (room 43 I think we decided it was)

 

 

 

 

 

Picked up a new book while it town,....should have read this before my last trip! ;-)

 



I've been fascinated with ghosts and ghost/supernatural/spirit stories since I was a little girl, but since I wasn't really looking to hit the 'replay' button on the above mentioned experience again, I was careful to 'ground' myself prior to entering the hotel this time; and, I had a little 'talk' with the spirits who inhabit this super cool, old building (it was once a hospital), letting them know my rules and intentions from the get-go!

 

 

For the people who have asked how our weekend was and told us to post some things, here's a little pictorial for you.

 

 

 

The 'Haunted' Jerome Grand Hotel

 

 

My sister and I were up rather early Sunday morning and got the chance to chat with Carrie, a super nice guest at the hotel who was also up with the sun and sitting outside. After exchanging stories and telling her to go to the Flatiron for the best coffee on the planet once her friends woke up and started moving about, we went our separate ways - saying hello to them at the restaurant later that morning.

 

 

You can read my 'review' of The Flatiron, here!

 

 

Well, Carrie messaged me this week with quite the story telling about how she recorded some 'whispering' in her hotel room during the night with her phone!

 

She said she didn't hear the whispering while it was happening and didn't bother to listen to her recording until returning back to the Valley at the end of the weekend, and that's when she discovered it!  You can read her comments, here, at the bottom of the post.

 

Pretty scary stuff if you ask me!!

 

You'll be happy to know (or possibly disappointed) that I was not visited by, nor did I see any ghostly beings,...although, we did capture something in this photo (an apparition, perhaps?). 

 

 

 

4th Floor landing at the Jerome Grand Hotel
Photo taken 2-22-14 - approximately 7:00p.m.
Taken with my Htc-rezound phone - no editing, except for the photo frame.
The 'yellow' light is a reflection of the lamp light that was next to this bureau.
The white-ish cloudiness that's smeared across the photo?
Well, let's just say it's 'something' interesting.

 

 

The people who were up on the 4th floor with their EMF meter and IR thermometer were picking up quite the activity in this exact location and upon seeing the photo, were certain that our 'something' really was 'SOMETHING'!

 

 

I hope if you're ever in Arizona, that you take the time to visit Jerome.

 

 

The Sights of Jerome

 

 

 

It's a great little place, full of excitement, full of history, fun, adventure, great people and lots of photo ops.

 

 

 

Lovely old, rusty car in the Jerome Grand Hotel Parking Lot

 

 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and

Hanging with Friends in Haunted Places!

Cheers,

~Shel~