Trinket #55 - Hydrangea Blossom Earrings

I had a rather intensive class today in landscape design, so my brain is still in plant mode. Today's trinket is the result of that "stuck" brain, but I think it turned out pretty well considering I had no idea where to begin. I did what I always do when I don't know where to start - stare into the supplies box until something looks interesting.

The acrylic leaves caught my eye first. I had intended to make some little wisteria clusters to go with them, but these leaves are so far off from wisteria that I had to take a different direction. Fortunately, these shimmery blue seed beads gave me an idea for hydrangea.

The finale - dangling earrings made with silver wire, silver chain, acrylic leaves, and glass seed beads.

Trinket #49 - Zen Leaves

I can't be the only one who is beyond thankful that it's Friday, right? If your week was anything like mine, you could use some time to relax. That's exactly what I did while I was making today's trinket. I stepped away from my recent marathon of wire-wrapping and opted instead to string some beads on a bit of tigertail.

There's no real pattern in this bracelet, just a few of these, a few of those, and a sweet little leaf here and there. I had such an enjoyable time putting this one together that I may make another before the day is done.

Oh, and for the curious - I made the pottery urn, too!

Trinket #46 - Pearls and Glass

To redeem myself after yesterday's tacky trinket, I felt I needed to make something with a little more class today. I guess I'm a bit old fashioned, but nothing to me is classier than pearls.

My grandmother gave me a delicate string of 4mm ivory pearls when I turned 16 and it is secretly one of my very favorite necklaces, not that anyone would guess that because I've only ever worn them four or five times. I suppose I keep them reserved for special occasions, and those don't really come up much for a person who wears t-shirts and jeans everyday. Maybe I should make more of an effort to get them out of the jewelry box, even if it is just for the memories of the awesome lady who gave them to me.

So, there you have it. Today's trinket is a simple but stylish pair of earrings made from silver wire, glass seed beads, and freshwater pearls.

Trinket #43 - The Luckenbooth

I spent more time on today's trinket since my very kind mother-in-law gave my husband and me a kid-free day to ourselves. The past few trinkets had to be squeezed in wherever I could manage, so it was nice to work at a slower pace and put a little more effort into this one.


The necklace is made from silver wire, clear glass seed beads, and beautiful tumbled pieces of garnet. As odd as it sounds, I had to stop myself several times while making this to keep from eating the garnets - they look just like pomegranate seeds! At the front and center of this piece is a charm that I've been holding onto for a few years that I wasn't really sure yet what to do with. It's similar to the Irish claddagh, but this, the Scottish version, is called a luckenbooth.


Monica Loreto offers this history of the unusual little talisman:


"During the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries there were two main styles of brooches in Scotland; one was the ring brooch, often with incised decoration, and used to fasten plaids by both men and women. The other brooch was a heart shaped one, often given at weddings and engagements as tokens of love.

From the eighteenth century onwards small plain heart shaped brooches were worn to protect against evil spirits, the evil eye or the attention of the fairies. These are the famous “Luckenbooth Brooches”.

Their names come from “The Luckenbooth or Locking Booths”. These small shops which were in fact very tiny and could be securely locked at night, were a feature of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. These brooches were heart shaped ones surmounted by a crown and usually made of silver.

The first Luckenbooth brooches date from the late XVII century and were very small. This traditional gift was given to a man’s sweetheart on their betrothal but also it was considered a lucky charm, protecting the wearer against evil eyes. Among other powers the Luckenbooth has, was easing the pain at childbirth and ensuring a good flow of breast milk when pinned to a woman’s petticoats near the left thigh. If pinned to the baby’s shawl, it will protect the child from being stolen by fairies.

During the XVIII and XIX centuries the Luckenbooth became larger and more elaborate with inscriptions on the back such as biblical references or the initials of the couple and the date of their betrothal.

From 1850 onwards, the intertwined hearts resembling the letter M; with thistle fleur de lys were used; these came to be called Mary’s Brooches or even Queen Mary’s Brooches. Mary Queen of Scots's husband, Lord Darnley gave her one.

Most Luckenbooth brooches today are in the form of two hearts topped by a crown and are made of silver, though versions of this traditional Scottish brooch can be found in iron and brass. Victorian ones were generally set with garnets. Garnets were thought to have a lucky influence on affairs of the heart and symbolized a lover’s constancy as well as being an emblem of deep friendship. The Victorian versions of the Luckenbooth brooch were decorated with gems of different colours."

The strangest thing for me was learning after I had already completed the necklace about the companionship between the luckenbooth and the garnet!

Trinket #42 - My Ghostly Valentine

In my ranking of holidays by how much I like them, Halloween takes the first five positions while Valentine's Day is somewhere down in the dust bunnies with Flag Day, Presidents Day, and Arbor Day. I just don't get jazzed up about it like the floral, chocolate, and diamond industries want me to. There's just no fun in it.

How do I cope? I like to add a little bit of the spooky fun of Halloween to every holiday. Come to my house in December and you're likely to find human skulls wearing Santa hats. No kidding.

I decided to give today's trinket, a pair of heart earrings, an ethereal luminescence - think Victorian ghosts. The hearts are made from milky glass with an opal sheen and they are accompanied by tiny aqua seed beads and gunmetal wire.

Trinket #39 - Hodgepodge Earrings

That's right - another Junk Box creation! To say my mind is tired today is an understatement, so thinking hard about jewelry design just wasn't going to happen. This trinket was made with a handful of seed and tube beads, silver wire, and some silver triangle thingies.

These earrings are not really my type, but my daughter was quick to stake her claim to them. I've been informed that they now need a matching bracelet...

Trinket #21 - Unakite and Copper

I'm rushed for time again today, but decided I should at least try and put together something a little larger than my past few creations. This bracelet has one of my favorite stones as it's focus - Unakite. The metaphysical properties of the stone are all warm-and-fuzzy, and include balancing emotions and clearing the mind of clutter. You can find out more about Unakite in the the Gemstone Dictionary.

Maybe it is a favorite because I love this shade of green, or maybe I love it because it looks more like a piece of vegetation than a mineral. Regardless, I think it looks beautiful with this copper wire. Definitely a keeper!

Trinket #20 - Warming Up for Valentine's Day

Whether you think Valentine's Day is a significant cultural celebration of love or just a greedy commercial monster, you've got to admit that it's sort of fun to see all those sappy pink and red hearts for a few weeks each year. Personally, I've never been enamored (terrible pun, I know) with the holiday, but I enjoy seeing my kids get excited about sharing little tokens of love and friendship with their peers.

Today's trinket is a pair of Valentine-inspired earrings for my daughter. She went with me to the bead shop last week and wanted these lovely ruby glass hearts more than anything in the entire store! I traded her a couple of amber leaves for these two from her strand and set them aside for this secret project. They looked a little sad and plain until I introduced them to a couple of strands of silver chain with heart-shaped links. I think they look like they were made for each other - a perfect pair!

Just a quick reminder - tomorrow is Friday and that means another Creative Corner article for your reading pleasure. Be sure to visit and learn my "Five Tips for Endless Artistic Inspiration." Pay it forward and tell a friend!

Trinket #19 - Quick and Easy Aquamarine Earrings

Yep, another day, another million things to do! In case I haven't mentioned it, I'm on deadline for another book and need to focus a tremendous amount of creative energy towards that over the next month or two. That means I'll have to knock out lots of projects in a hurry, so earrings will be on the menu quite a bit in the near future.

These sparkly little aqua beads are from the stash I treated myself to with some much-appreciated Christmas cash. The cracked glass is quickly becoming a favorite for me, so I can see myself splurging a little (eventually) to pick up a few more in different colors! I paired these with silver wire and silver chain, put together in an anything-goes sort of way.

Trinket #18 - Full Moon Madness

Today started off wacky what with it looking like the Fortress of Solitude outdoors and my daughter's school being delayed two hours because of it. My schedule was thrown for a loop, a million-and-one obstacles came up before noon, and a hand injury was thrown in just for good measure - but I am nothing if not flexible.

I figure it's safe to blame the day's "off" feeling on the nearly-here full moon. Yes, I am superstitious, but centuries of observation have come to the same conclusion: people act strangely at specific points in the lunar cycle. This behavior, however, does not seem to be caused by the moon itself, but rather a person's preconceived notions regarding the link between our nearest celestial neighbor and the psyche. In other words, if you believe you're cranky because of the full moon, you will be cranky during that lunar phase. Self-perpetuating frustration! Aaarrgh!

I decided to make a little full moon talisman to safeguard me from all the craziness today. Remember those FIMO moons from December? One of them is front and center on the pendant of this necklace and is surrounded by silver wire, silver chain, several moonstone chips, and a potpourri of seed beads.

Trinket #17 - Happy Birthday, Mr. Poe

My family's roots in Richmond go back several years before Edgar Allan Poe created a stir here at the Southern Literary Messenger. Maybe that's why I've always felt a resonance in his work, or maybe it's that we have other things in common since he was also a constantly-struggling creator.

Celebrating Poe's life and accomplishments is still a big deal for me, as well as for this city as a whole. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum hosted a party for the author's 202nd birthday (which is actually January 19th) this past weekend - complete with cake! Though unable to attend the festivities, I still felt the need to show my appreciation, so I turned my attention toward today's trinket.

This pendant was quite a test of technique and patience. I used the theme from today's Motif Monday (cookies and milk) as the jumping-off point of the design. The disk is made from FIMO to look like a Keebler Chocolate Cheesecake cookie that I saw at my mother-in-law's house on Saturday. To pay homage to Mr. Poe, I tried a new toner transfer technique on a picture of a raven in the pendant's light-colored center. It failed fabulously. I ended up baking the FIMO and using some PITT artist pens to hand-draw the raven on the finished clay.

The completed fob measures a hefty 2-inches across and is by far the most detailed and labor-intensive trinket I've made so far this year. The chain on which it hangs is made entirely from wrapped copper wire, amber glass beads, and faceted jet beads. The clasp and jump rings are also homemade.

I think instead of donning a "Thinking Cap" while writing a short story for the upcoming Richmond horror anthology, I'll wear this piece instead.

This Week's Creative Prompt (January 17, 2011)

"Cookies and milk."

Remember, to participate in Motif Monday, simply use the above theme as your inspiration or your starting point for today's creative project. When you're finished making something awesome, post a comment below and include a link to your creation. Have fun and good luck!

Trinket #16 - Lost, Found, and the Evil Eye

About ten years ago, Paul and I had a crafty neighbor in our old apartment building who gave us lots of overflow supplies when she moved out. We are still using beads and other miscellaneous jewelry findings from that generous gift to this very day. In fact, our daughter is right now rummaging through the "junk box" for little goodies to use in her own jewelry designs!

One little tidbit stood out above the rest in the lot - this odd hand charm. At first glance, it looks similar to the fist made popular by the Black Panthers, but it is actually an old Italian Figa pendant to ward off Malocchio, or the Evil Eye. Charms and talismans thought to block the Evil Eye are common in most cultures around the world, but the Figa is certainly one of the most interesting.

I tucked this piece away from the rest, but it was misplaced since we moved house back in 2002. In a strange moment of clarity about a week ago, I "knew" exactly where it was and retrieved it. I decided to use it in today's trinket, a piece that I will probably get a lot of wear from, along with more snowflake obsidian to boost its negativity-repelling juju. Also in the mix as part of this necklace are silver wire and silver seed beads - my favorites!

Trinket #15 - Finding a New Creative Direction

Wow, only two weeks into this year and already I feel like I've shown you enough earrings, bracelets, and necklaces to melt your eyeballs! I thought I'd change things up a bit today and share an off-beat trinket that's both attractive and useful - if you're inclined to believe the ancient lore: a pendulum for dowsing.

I've studied dowsing for several years now and find it completely fascinating. There is much debate about how it works, where exactly the results come from, and whether the process is truly linked to earth energies or is purely psychosomatic. I'm not going to bore you with lengthy explanations or theories, but I will let you know that I have (one several occasions) correctly used dowsing to identify the ages of a room full of people I did not know. No, the practice is not just for finding water! If you're curious about learning more, I encourage you to contact the American or British Society of Dowsers for lots of fantastic resources.

This pendulum is made from a quartz point, silver wire, silver chain, and hematite beads. Maybe I'll use it to help choose a place to go on a Sunday adventure...

Trinket #14 - A Serious Case of Spring Fever

All this talk of gardening lately has made me anxious to get outside and start digging. While a spring thaw is still months away, I've turned my longing for leaves and green things toward my jewelry. I suppose that's the best sort of inspiration - turning frustration into something productive!

Time is sparse for me again today, and earrings are a quick project to knock out. I did at least give a little extra by making these multi-strand dangles instead of something plain and simple, and I happen to like the soft tinkling sound of the metal and glass.

These are made from a pair of brilliant jadeite leaf beads snatched from the bargain basket at the bead shop, freshwater pearls, silver and glass seed beads, and silver wire. The little key charms were added simply because I found them in the bottom of my junk box and thought they would give a nice "Secret Garden" finishing touch.

5 Easy Ways to Stop Talking and Start Doing

I once organized a networking group for writers where folks could get together, learn from one another, and offer support to newcomers to the field. While there were a handful of published authors among the group, the majority of members were not. I found out rather quickly that most of them enjoyed having the dream of being a writer, but never got any closer to that dream.

Excuses were plenty, mind you, but that's all they were - excuses. "I just don't have enough time to write that novel right now" or "I had to work late, so I didn't get that story started this week" or "My kids were loud, so I figured I'd just start this weekend." The only thing these dreamers were doing was procrastinating! They were putting off their dreams for "someday" when there is absolutely no legitimate reason they could not be moving forward today.

Lots of these folks floundered for months, even years, before getting the first words written. You know what they had to say after that? "Why didn't I start last week/month/year/decade?" Because they were too comfortable procrastinating.

Does this sound familiar? If it does, it's time to break the procrastination habit and instead propel yourself toward your creative dream. Here are six simple things you can do now (not tomorrow!) to get you moving:

1. Work first thing in the morning. No matter what your medium, put in your creative effort first thing in the morning. This works because you're not likely to get bogged down with the mental clutter of daily life and burn down your fuse before you put in your YOU time.
2. Work for 10-15 minutes only. Another mental trick! There is far less to lose when you're only dedicating yourself to a small bite of time like this, and you're much more likely to commit if the work is quick and easy.
3. Break down large goals into smaller ones. Want to write a book? Make your goal today to write a paragraph. Yes, start that small and gradually work yourself up to loftier achievements like pages and chapters. You will build up a momentum of success that will make those larger goals easier to reach.
4. Reward yourself for meeting your goals. So you finished that paragraph? Have a chocolate. Finished that page? Go play at the playground. Humans thrive on praise, even when it only comes from yourself!
5. Make yourself accountable to someone else. You may not have a boss or an editor breathing down your neck for a finished product, but fear (or fear of embarrassment) can be a great motivator. It's also great to have a cheerleader on "the outside" to keep you going when you're on the upswing. Have a trusted friend agree to pester you about your progress. For an added bonus, have them hold a $20 bill hostage until you deliver the creative goods you promised.

I've done every single one of these things with my "Make Something Everyday" project and can attest to their performance!

Trinket #13 - Building a Creative Routine

My day today is full of appointments and driving. Today is also the first day of this project that I've really felt like I had a creative routine that I needed to stick to. This is a good thing - this means that I now have an automatic urge to make something at the same time each day. I've harnessed some powerful energy!

Because I'm on the run, I had to make something quick. I picked up these gorgeous amber leaves at the bead shop yesterday (I know - I should really stay out of there) and paired them with some silver wire, silver beads, and tiny amber-colored glass seed beads for these earrings. Total build time was under ten minutes!

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, I'll make a speedy announcement: Friday posts will now include a segment called Creative Corner, alternating weeks of project instructions and articles on creativity. Be sure to subscribe (did you see that big bead-looking button at the top right?) so you don't miss a post!

Trinket #12 - Not Your Garden Variety Artist

Tomorrow is a big day for me - I go back to school for the first time in fifteen years! The next few months are going to be filled with lots of classroom hours, field work, and who-knows-what, but when I'm done I will have a lovely certificate from Virginia Tech and the brand new title of Master Gardener. Cross your fingers for me, okay?

I guess I've always been a gardener at heart. I remember making little greenhouses with Tupperware tubs and takeout containers as a child. I would swipe a handful of birdseed from my mother's feeders and sow it in my little makeshift terrariums and marvel at what would happen to it over the following days. Sure, I'd end up with more millet and sunflowers than any one kid needed, but the thrill of watching them sprout and grow was fresh every time!

Maybe it's just in my blood. My grandmother had quite the reputation for her beautiful gardens. She had a huge mound of daffodils and tulips that the whole neighborhood would come to see every March. By May, they were knocking on her door to ask if they could take a look at her prize-winning peonies in the back yard. When Paul and I bought our house eight years ago, it was during the worst summer drought Virginia had experienced in twenty years. Imagine our surprise when the yard erupted with bulbs and peonies the following spring! I still wonder if that was a little gift from my grandma...

Okay, enough nostalgia for now. You probably have already guessed the inspiration for the trinket of the day - my thoughts of gardening. Brace yourselves, because I'm sure you'll see much more botanical influence in the weeks to come. These earrings are made from silver chain, silver wire, iridescent glass seed beads, and frosted glass flower and leaf beads.

Trinket #11 - Tying Knots and Singing Shanties

As I mentioned in an earlier entry, I could use some practice when it comes to wire-wrapped jewelry. If you had not already noticed, each piece I've made since that post has incorporated wire wrapping in some fashion. Today's trinket was truly a challenge, but I absolutely love the result.

I decided to spend a little more time on this project because I felt like I had to rush a bit with yesterday's. As a test of both my fingers and my patience, I settled on a square knot design I played with on a pair of earrings about a week ago. They were not exactly complicated to bend, but getting the sections of the knot to interlink smoothly prompted enough expletives to make a pirate blush. If you think you're up for the task, take a look at this cool tutorial. (I made mine by wrapping the wire around a pencil instead of using the jig - saved a lot of headache this time around.)

The knots in this bracelet and the deep olive green glass - my absolute favorite color - made me think of sailors crossing the Atlantic on tall ships. I'll be sure to wear it the next time I plunder and pillage!

This trinket is made from silver wire and crackled glass beads.

Trinket #10 - Look to the Future

Today's trinket was a challenge, not because of technique, but because of limited time and patience. I've been put to the test after only ten days of this "Make Something Everyday" project - by getting sick. (Dun, dun, dunnnn!) But, like I mentioned in my post about lightening up when it comes to creativity, I didn't worry about it being a great piece, I was only concerned with it being done.

And get it done I did. Hey, I even managed to stick with today's theme of "Look to the future." This bracelet is made from more of those awesome paper beads I rolled on Friday (these are a dreamy sort of light turquoise), silver wire, silver seed beads, and some really cool glass spheres that reminded me an awful lot of crystal balls. I don't know about you, but my future is looking crafty!