Daily Courage

Melanie Doerman has an exquisite gift when working with seed beads. She leaves no detail for granted. If you look closely inside this  bracelet you can seen the pattern reverse on the underside. She specializes in using dimension and detail in her work. We came upon Melanie over a year ago at the Pasadena Bead and Design Show. Since then her work has been featured in Belle Armoire. Melanie has taught at Bead & Button, and always has a full teaching schedule. If you can’t attend one of her classes, her kits are fabulous and available on her site.

We believe she is the perfect author for a wonderful new book on dimensional beading. Don’t you agree?

We have long been fans of author Kaari Meng and her wonderful store and product line – French General. Kaari and her husband Jon are a dynamic team and have a very rare gift for creating and expressing an aesthetic that few can match. Kaari will be at Remnants of the Past on April 25th in the central California coast town of Nipomo. She’ll be signing her wonderful books that also includes her wonderful new sewing book with Chronicle. 

It’s sure to be a fabulous spring day, and is a great opportunity to escape from the worries of world and wander among treasures gathered and offered by some of the most interesting dealers you will ever find. 

Shutting down the national news and getting out into the fresh air in a beautiful setting needs to be part of each of our personal stimulus package. Nourishing the creative spirit is part of survival these days. It’s off a long country road in a darling barn and pasture surrounded be rolling hills. Hope to see you there!

Artist Anna Corba showed her array of work at Remnants of the Past last spring.

A basket full of treasure.

The very talented Amy Hanna’s first book, Rejuvenated Jewels, published by Quarry Books has arrived. If you are a lover of all things vintage and get your highs from seeing the treasures that can be unearthed at Paris Flea markets, you are going to be in heaven. The book is filled earrings, bracelets and necklaces that will make you drool. You’ll enjoy following Amy’s blog .com and visiting her Etsy shop too. We promise you will love everything you see!

Amy’s book was, as all good book’s are, a team process. She is the first to shout out her thanks to Pam Garrison for the illustrations, and to her friend Liz King for her work on the layout and design.

Blessings abounded in working on this one.

Amy Hanna was here yesterday. She is the upcoming author of Rejuvenated Jewels. Her work is fabulous. If you have seen it on Etsy, I don’t need to tell you, you know! Here is a little peek at one of the amazing creations she has fashioned for the book.

Just spend a day flea marketing looking at vintage jewelry and you’ll see how gifted Amy is. She finds amazing treasures (which takes lots of digging and a great eye), and puts them together is a way that just makes me drool. I know you will feel the same way. Here is a peek at some of her treasured stash.

Amy and her dear friend Pam Garrison are headed to Paris soon. Don’t you wish you could tag along with those two?! You can see what kindred spirits they are, especially when you gaze upon the jeweled crown Pam created for Crowns & Tiaras.

It’s a beautiful day here in SoCal. One that makes you just breath deep and be thankful to be alive! These are the green hills just outside my office door. They were aflame in October, and today they are turning a beautiful green.

The mountains off the back lanai. Praise God!

Toodles!