Windsong Earrings

Winds were gusting up to 45 MPH the past couple days in Southeast Michigan. All that swirling made me design swirls in earrings. This is my tribute to the wind. Windsong earrings are made from turquoise and copper.

Nicole's Ring

More hammered copper is featured in Nicole's ring. The stone is turquoise and it hangs delicately from a copper link. This is a small ring for a tiny finger like the pinkie.

Amy's Ring

After a busy weekend, I was inspired to create some jewelry. This piece is called Amy. It uses hammered copper and a seed pearl that dangles ever so slightly. Looks like Etruscan pieces seen at the Detroit Institute of Arts. I guess all those tours at the DIA rubbed off on me.

Festival of the Senses

Clinton Township had a "Festival of the Senses" this past weekend featuring local authors, artisans, musicians, actors as well as local cuisine. Due to the economic conditions of southeastern Michigan, there were half the amount of participants compared to past years. The fellow pictured was conducting a drum seminar of sorts - explaining different methods of drumming. Fascinating!

Granny Smith Bracelet

The days are starting to cool and I am buying apples and apple cider and doughnuts. Something about Autumn that makes me hungry for sweet, crisp, juicy apples. This bracelet reminds me of Granny Smith apples. It's tart and sweet and fresh. The clasp is hand-hammered silver in a unique design. This piece can be worn as a necklace with the addition of chains or ribbon. I have even worn it as an ankle bracelet. It's very versatile.

Tuna Fish Sale at Meijer 09/25/09

In addition the Starkist tuna sale at Meijer, the grocery stores also have Bumblebee tuna pouches reduced to 99 cents. August ad circulars had coupons for $1 off any Bumblebee tuna pouch. That's free tuna!!!

Colette Pendant

Here's an over-the-top pendant to add to the pearl and bead necklaces. It's called, "Colette".

Paris Combo

When you think combo, what comes to mind? Music? Food? This is a new kind of combo. A jewelry combo. Add a string of pearls to the Parisian inspired chains for a Chanel-like look.

Recycled Float

This fishy float at the Holt Farmer's Market in Holt, Michigan caught my eye. It's made from detergent bottles. All different colors of plastic containers are strung together to form a fish. The creation represents the Farmer's Market in parades. What a great use for spent plastic. And it's a float that really floats!

GiGi Earrings

These earrings complete my salute to Parisian style with copper wire, glass and brass beads.

Coco Necklace

This is the second is the three part jewelry set. Another long necklace with staggered beads and copper wound in an artsy design. It's called Coco.

Carla Necklace

This piece of jewelry is one of three. I created two necklaces that go together and a set of earrings. They are inspired by Coco Chanel and have a timeless appeal. Very long and elegant using copper wire, glass, brass and pearl beads.

Chain of Fools Bracelet

Ever get tired of the same old links, using the same type of chain over and over? Well, I did. So, I came up with this unique link that you can link and unlink without tools. Almost like a paperclip. I call it my, "Chain of Fools" link. Naturally, this is called my, "Chain of Fools" bracelet. So fun!

Jackie's Necklace

The weather has been unseasonably warm in the Great Lakes region this past week. Still, I am beginning to think about autumn. Soon the leaves will change color, the fall weather plants like cabbage and carrots and beets will mature. And then the pumpkins and winter squash will ripen. So much orange, brown and dark green fills the landscape and I made a necklace to remind myself of the season. I call it the Jackie after a friend that loved this time of year.

Blueberry Peach Jam

One of the newspaper inserts had a recipe for blueberry and peach refrigerator jam. I made several adaptations to the original version. For example, I put pectin in the recipe even though the newspaper article didn't call for it and I didn't mash the peaches down entirely. Too many changes that I didn't feel I wanted to share my jam.

But I did make drop biscuits this weekend. Rather than pour the jam on top of the biscuits, I ladled some of the blueberry peach mixture to the side. I added some slices of white and yellow flesh peaches. Tasted like summer.

My motto is "Don't hesitate to change a recipe. Feel free to create!"

Along Came a Spider

Early this morning, while walking, I spotted many spider webs. Here's a glimpse of their handiwork.

Praying Mantis

The little fella was sitting in a bunch of yellow mums. Just soaking up the sunshine and waiting for "dinner".

Julie Bargmann - "Queen of Slag"

I was reading the 2009 July/August issue of Garden Design magazine and came across an article I had to share. It's about Julie Bargmann. She's a landscape designer that "regenerates" abandoned buildings and sites like manufacturing and mining properties, brownfields, landfills and former railroads.

Bargmann's approach is to gradually and visibly transform sites like the Ford Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Michigan. The Rouge was one of many locations where she used "phytoremediation gardens". These are plants that detox biodegradable contaminants.

This Harvard School of Design graduate strives to combine the sites past with it's "ecological setting". She blends history with native species. While pursuing an undergrad degree at Carnegie Mellon University, she was intrigued by Eva Hesse's fiberglass, latex and rope sculptures. Bargmann was also inspired by environmental artist, Robert Smithson, contemporary earthworks artists of Rome and the Etruscans.

As one of the founders of D.I.R.T. Studio in Charlottesville, Virginia, Bargmann is quick to point out that she is part of a larger team that helps reclaim the land.

Learn more about this groundbreaking landscape artist by visiting the D.I.R.T. web site or reading the Garden Design article by Virginia Small.