Blue Destiny ...

No words or images have returned, but I finally found it in me to play with some beads.  Started work on some new pieces I am calling "Blue Destiny" ... ethereal, dreamy ... hazy blues seem to be my favorite color to work with these days.  I am trying to learn some new wire bending and molding techniques that have a spiraled cage looking sort of effect. Linking these cages together you can make longer chains and create some really original looking pieces. This new technique tries my patience a bit, but I will persevere.  Think I might need a few new tools to make the task a bit simpler? Making jewelry seems to be a good focus and distraction for me --especially when I am up, unable to sleep, until all hours of the morning-- plus it gives me a small sense of accomplishment and is a healthy outlet for my creativity.

"Blue Destiny" Close-up Detail

@Isabelle Black Smith, 2012. 

Signed "Blue Destiny"

@Isabelle Black Smith, 2012.

These earring just did NOT want to be photographed.

But it was fun to play with light and reflections here. : )

Think that pinkish-orange in the light source is my reflection.

I wonder, do you BELIEVE in destiny?  

To me, Destiny is just another set of lines .. a box to jump out of ... Perhaps Destiny is more of a sort of a set of near infinite possibilities --some more heavily weighted than others-- from which we consciously or subconsciously choose by our thoughts and actions.

One of my favorite artists and paintings.

"Destiny", By John William Waterhouse

(Image Source: ArtMagick.com)

Interesting ... Seems Waterhouse associates Destiny with Blue as well.

Anyone know a good song for Blue and Destiny?  How about this one:  "Desert Rose", By Sting.

In our deserts we dream of rain ... hope and endless possibilities... our thirst drives us to seek out and drink from the cup of destiny as we long for the magic of fulfillment, our own rose of the desert ... and when, and if, we are so fortunate as to find this elusive treasure: is what we find merely a figment of our imagination? Little more than a taunting mirage conjured up by our own personal desert?

Latest Jewelry Creation ....

Keeping in touch with my native roots and earthy elements. This is one of the many sets I've come up with lately. Late night (tired) photography with a point and shoot ...

Jewelry By Me ...

I've also been experimenting with making my own pendents and medallions with resin and paint.  It's a work in progress, but a good outlet for my creative juices.  Who knows, I may just work up the courage and open up a booth at some of the many local fairs this summer?

Working with stones, metals, leather, etc. is very grounding ... good for me : )

There are many other new pieces, but I'm too tired to photograph ... My camera is very heavy these days.  Maybe tomorrow.  No worries though : ) I'm still planning, searching, dreaming ... Been thinking about assembling all of my writings (poems, short stories and the like) in one place.  Just a thought ... May be a waste of time.  Why stop and actually read anything when you can just look at a pretty picture?  Might be a waste of time ... We shall see ...

Government & Politics will just have to wait ...

I know I promised my next post would reveal all about the elusive E.O.s, but insomnia has been unreal lately.  I'm starting to see double I'm so tired ... :  )  I make of the most it and try to write when I can, read after that, and if I'm still up around 2 a.m., I resort to jewelry making.  My latest quest has been to try to use leftover pieces, in an effort to make something useful while eliminating scraps and waste.  Here's what I've been able to conjure up this past week ...

Note:  these pictures were all taken after 2 a.m. ... so you get what you get ...

This turquoise stone set, and matching hair ties, are a tribute my Native American heritage on my mother's side.  My Native American Indian name is 'Moon Willow' (and I had no influence on the outcome ... funny the way things work out and ring so true ...).

This purple bracelet and earrings are a tribute to the birthstone for the month of February: the amethyst.

Someone asked if this was 'face jewelry'? I had to laugh, but it is a valid observation. No, it isn't 'face jewelry' ... even though it happens to be pictured on the face of a statue of Buddha.  I was trying to find a good contrasting background and this book just happened to be on hand.  ; )

This bracelet and earrings set is a tribute of the 'Queen of Hearts', from the story "Alice in Wonderland". 

I love the story of Alice in her wonderland.  This was one of the first 'big' books I ever read.  My godfather gave me a very old copy of this treasured tale ... it was loaded with lot of fabulous prints and illustrations.  I need to find that book ... my copy of "Alice in Wonderland".  It's probably worth something today ... given how old the book was?  And this book ... my "Alice in Wonderland"... also has an enormous sentimental value to me as well.  Would be fun to reread and share with my daughters before the movie comes out.

I've often pondered late at night, and up all alone, what I wouldn't give for the secret to a refreshing, peaceful night's sleep that lasted longer than 3-4 hours ...  If you have any secrets:  PLEASE SHARE!  I'm so tired and yet still wired?!  I've tried just about everything ... won't do sleeping pills unless I'm at my wits end ... I hate drugs of any kind.  I don't drink coffee anymore (gave it up for good this summer) and I haven't had a 5-hour energy in days. 

Song: 'Bye, Bye Blackbird', By Joe Cocker (from Motion Picture Sndtrk. 'Sleepless in Seattle' )

P.S.  Checked in on Abe via WheresGeorge.com

I brought him from Seattle back to Fort Worth, Texas and left him at the DFW airport.  Either he's still there, or whoever has him hasn't bothered to log in and give us a status update.  I'm kinda bummed.  : (  I did my part?  I'll try sending some positive energy his way.  Hopefully, he's having a trip wherever he may happen to be.  Hopefully he didn't meet his final demise in another washing machine load?!  And no, that wasn't my doing ... he was that way when I found him ...

Latest Images from Refurbished Hubble Telescope ...

As you know:  I'm partial to butterflies and I love all things related to astronomy.  So check this out ...

Just one of the Latest Images from refurbished Hubble Telescope ... 'Star Butterfly'

Wow!!!!  How can you look at something so spectacular and not believe in some higher power or order?!  Just magnificent ...

Here's part of the accompanying newsclip and link, updated Sept. 10, 2:02 a.m. from the 'Daily Mail':

"This celestial object - NGC 6302 - looks like a delicate butterfly but is far from serene: What resemble dainty butterfly wings are actually boiling cauldrons of gas heated to more than 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas is tearing across space at more than 600,000 miles an hour - fast enough to travel from Earth to the moon in 24 minutes. A dying star that was once about five times the mass of the Sun is at the centre of this fury. It has ejected its envelope of gases and is now unleashing ultraviolet radiation that is making the cast-off material glow. This object is an example of a planetary nebula, so-named because many of them have a round appearance resembling that of a planet when viewed through a small telescope. The Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), a new camera aboard NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, snapped this image of the planetary nebula, catalogued as NGC 6302, but more popularly called the Bug Nebula or the Butterfly Nebula. WFC3 was installed by NASA astronauts in May 2009, during the servicing mission to upgrade and repair the 19-year-old Hubble telescope. NGC 6302 lies within our Milky Way galaxy, roughly 3,800 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. The 'butterfly' stretches for more than two light years, which is about half the distance from the Sun to the nearest star, Alpha Centauri."

See the link below for additional images and info ...



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1212272/Hubble-telescope-opens-new-eyes-Universe.html#ixzz0QfnSvfJv


P.S.  Other things that glitter ... My latest jewelry creations ...

Latest Jewelry Creations ...

After a night of soul searching on Wednesday, I needed to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty. I needed to create something to help me reengage in the here and now. So here are the latest jewelry creations. And thanks to the wonders of modern medicine: I did sleep for 6 hours last night. I absolutely hate to use drugs, but once in a while: it's nice to feel human again!







Earth, Wind, Fire, Water ...

















P.S. I did compose a sequel to "The Hunter's Moon", but you'll have to email me for a copy if you want to read it. It's just too personal to post out here for all the world to see ... And sometimes, you have to brave the darkness in order to understand the light.

Northwest Survives record breaking Heat Wave!

Yes, it's been a scorcher up here, in Northwest, these past few days! Made me (almost) miss Texas, where they actually have air conditioning almost everywhere. Businesses up here, without air conditioning, closed altogether or only opened up for a half day. We finally gave in and went to stay at an air-conditioned hotel, with a nice cold pool. We lived in the pool for nearly two whole days. Lauren has always been a fish, but Bethany and Erynn Jeanne can now swim the length of medium sized pool doing the crawl stroke (or what Lauren calls freestyle). They were proud. Bethany is great at the backstroke too, it turns out. It was a nice retreat!

(Alright, I admit it: I do miss Texas, but I love living up here too. It's so breathtakingly beautiful. I feel as if I'm living in my own little piece of heaven here on Earth. Being near water and the mountains is good for the soul.)

We're back down in the low 80's again -- much more the norm for this time of year. We're also back at home. Heard from my folks, in Texas, that they had rain and temps in the low 80's while we were melting up here in our mini-heat wave. Weird?!


I'm proud to say that I've made it over 2.5 weeks without coffee now. I didn't cheat either -- not once, scout's honor. My stomach is thankful for my sacrifice. I've lost a lot of weight (over 15 lbs.), but I am once again able to eat solid food, with some substance and taste. Well worth the effort and sacrifice!

I've also found something to do with my restless energy -- besides exercise like a mad woman. I've started making jewelry. Kids and I bought some kits a while back. That taught me some of the basic techniques and how all of the tiny, tiny pieces, fit together. So far, I've made 6 necklaces, 3 bracelets, 2 anklets, and a whole rack of earrings. Hope all of my acquaintances, and family, like jewelry: cause I've made (am making) way more than I could ever possibly wear. I'll try to post some photos of what I've made. Let me know if you see anything you like, and I'll send it to you. Jewelry making is great for late nights and insomnia too. I do some of my best work then. I found a clip on earring base for the kids, so they can join in on the fun too. They get a kick out of wearing earrings, without having to have pierced ears.

(Photos of jewelry that I've made -- sorry these aren't my best photos, but they're up here for you to see ...)

If you're interested in jewelry making I'd suggest starting with the kits. They give the best breakdown of simple techniques, with step by step diagrams. Best of all the kits do all of the shopping for you, so you have all of the right pieces, connectors, and hole diameters. No guess work involved. Standing in the bead aisle at Michael's, or some other craft store, can be pretty daunting if you don't know what you're looking for. Then, you get home and -- nine times out of ten -- you don't have the connecting pieces you need, or the holes of your beads don't quite match your connecting wire or string. There are lots of books out there, but I haven't a found a good basics book yet. Most of the books I've found have lots of great ideas, but assume that you already know the basics.

I'm going to look into taking a welding class so that I can make my own metal pieces -- medallions and the like. That would be tres cool! I also met someone at a local arts festival that does amazing things with glass and resin -- for jewelry. Maybe he'll take on an apprentice?

Hope you all are having a relaxing summer! I am praying for jobs for everyone: that those who have them keep them; and those that loose them, find new ones quickly. I am also praying for inner peace, for myself and for everyone during these trying times of economic uncertainty.


God Bless!

M