Can you believe it... ? This Saturday is the first of the holiday bazaars. I've chosen events that are ALL fundraisers for local schools, churches and hospitals. It's a great way to help the places that help up stay independent and thrive! Here's where to find me for the next several weeks:
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Sat - Oct. 25, 9 - 4pm
Tualitan H.S. Holiday Bazaar - 22300 SW Boones Ferry Rd.
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VAEA Holiday Craft Fair Nov 3,4 & 5
Mon Tues 6:30am - 6pm. Wed - 6:30-2:30
Portland Veterans Medical Center
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Agia Sophia Academy Artisan Faire -
32nd & Glisan @Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Portland
Sat - Nov. 8 - 10-5pm
Sun - Nov. 9 - 12-5pm
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Holiday Extravaganza
St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church - 2036 SE Jefferson, Milwaukie
Sat. - Nov. 15 - 9-4pm
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Girls Night Out Marketplace Bazaar
Southridge High School - 9625 SW 125th Ave, Beaverton
Thursday night - Nov. 20 - 4:30 - 7:30.
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Holiday Bazaar
St. Anthony's Catholic Church - 1660 Elm St. - Forest Grove
Sat. - Nov.22 - 10-5:30
Sun. - Nov. 23 - 10 - 4pm
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Band & Auxillary PTO Craft Fair
Tigard High CAFETERIA - 9000 SW Durham Rd - Tigard
Sat. Dec. 6 - 9am-4pm
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Holiday Bazaar
Butler Creek Elementary School - 2789 SW Butler Rd., Gresham
Sat. Dec. 13 - 9 - 3pm
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There will be a Dec. 6 event as well - I'll give you the details when I get them.
I hope to see you this week at Tualitan High.

It's the end of the farmers market season...

... and almost the beginning of the holiday season! Whew.
Orenco Station Farmer's Market has rolled up the sidewalks. I hope all the great people we've met there have a wonderful winter and come back healthy and happy in May.
Robert and I have 2 more Saturdays at the Art Court in Beaverton and then we're off to the next thing.
Starting during the Hallowe'en season Robert will be drawing caricatures at the Jantzen Beach Mall most weekends until Christmas. Look for him there in the center court with his easel. He'll be there when he's not drawing at all the private holiday parties and office parties that keep him moving fast this time of year.
Stay tuned because for a list of places I'll be this season. When my new computer comes back from the hospital I'll be posting some terrific new pieces I've been working on.
Hope to see some of you soon!

Saturday at the Market

This is a picture of my new booth setup - still easy to find as people love those purple tablecloths! I'm adjacent to the Beaverton farmers market on Saturdays. It's such fun, and I love the people.
This market is said to be the largest in the state and it sure seems that way when the market bell rings at 8am. It smells heavenly - I was by the fresh tomatoes and basil this week and it was wonderful.

Booth at the Market

Summer in the Pacific Northwest...

... is just as hot as summer in Los Angeles! (It just doesn't last as long)

We've been busy every weekend meeting people here in our new home. On Saturdays, between 8am - 1:30 you can find Robert and me side by side in our booths at the Art Court in Beaverton. It's run by the wonderful people at the Beaverton United Methodist Church (thanx Carin) & runs adjacent to the fabulous Farmer's Market. Needless to say, we've gotten healthier and happier since we've been set up there. Every week I pull Robert away from drawing caricatures & have him man the jewelry booth for a few minutes as I rush up and down the aisles getting organic produce for the week. The berries, butter lettuce and asparagus are things we never get tired of. I even know how to make a strawberry rhubarb cobbler now!



On Sundays, we have a whole different experience in Milwaukie, in front of the Masonic Lodge. Patrick Sheehan makes it fun to be on Main Street criss-cross from the Milwaukie Farmer's Market. We're there from 10am until 2, except for when I zip over to the Market to get the plants that are all over our balcony. I'm wild for hot pink & purple fuchsias, so I have several of them.(They always put me in mind of black & white Humphrey Bogart movies and arched doorways.) I got a big pot of miniature petunias in purple, white and violet. Last week I got an ornamental oregano, which I'd never before seen. It's foliage has very subtle coloring, lavender, green, cream - but the amazing thing is - if you rub the leaves it releases a heady oregano scent. Otherwise, it gives off a much lighter version all the time. It's heavenly to sit out there at night, smelling the pine trees & spice.



I've been making a lot of new jewelry, I can't wait to see who gets what. It's always such fun when people find 'their' special piece. It happened last week with a lady who stopped in her tracks when she saw a kyanite necklace I had on display. The stones matched her eyes and looked incredible on her. But it wasn't quite the right style for her... she told me what she thought would be perfect... but she wasn't sure she should splurge... Well, her husband was behind her, watching, and when she reluctantly moved on he came up to me and said "Make her the necklace you two talked about... it's her. She looked beautiful in it." I'd like to add a picture here of the lady "in" the necklace, but I think he's going to give it to her in a more personal setting. Meanwhile, I put the first kyanite necklace out again the next day and a woman put it on and never took it off. Don't you love it when that happens?

Spring Snow...

... Blossoms.
When we went to the library last week we were astonished to be in the midst of what appeared to be a snowstorm - bombarded by a flurry of white blossoms that drifted in the streets.
Oregon... fascinating.

December in Oregon

It's fresh, it's clean, it's misty, it's romantic...I love it! I'm happily awaiting the rains too, I just think that I'm destined to be happy here.
I'm writing this as I put the finishing touches on my displays for The Thirst Wine Bar tomorrow, Dec. 13 - 5-10 pm. It is a cozy, intimate place. I hear their customers are fun and stylish, just my type! Last show of the season.
I'm looking forward to being able to set up my studio again. I really miss my hammers and my torch.
We're going to have a Pacific Northwest holiday this year & we are delighted. Oregon is stimulating our creativity. Hallelujah!

It's the season!

I slipped out today to walk on Cannon Beach with our dog, Foxcie. She's 14, and ran like a puppy for about 3 hours. It was raining and smelled fantastic. The Oregon Coast is the place for me. I love everything about it. I'll have to go back after Christmas and get more crab dip at Cranky Sue's - that was the best.

Now it's back to work - I need to make some dragonfly necklaces - a lot of them flew away this past weekend. I'm having a great time meeting all the talented folks at the different shows I'm attending. One of the best parts of being an artist is - other artists.

What do you think of the new freshwater pearls? I made the pendant out of gold-filled wire, peridot and tiny pearls. I made the clasp too.

This is the most eye-catching shade of green.

"Ever Young"

This necklace is white mother-of-pearl beads.

The gold-filled pendant is graced with Swarovski crystals

and delicate pearls.

"Sun & Sea"

Here's where I'll be showing my jewelry. Come see me if you can!
11/3 Gresham Armory - great folks - fun gals in the cheer club - go Pink & Black! Done
11/10 Clackamas Park Friends Church -Milwaukie - warm, welcoming place. Done
11/17 Countryside Christian Church - Keizer - terrific people - and what a well-run show! Done
11/24 & 25 Winter Fest Bazaar - True Value Hardware - 9-5 - Molalla

11/30 11-2 Salem - private bazaar
12/1 & 2 Carnegie Museum - 606 John Adams St. - Oregon City
12/8 9-5 - St. John's Community Center - 8472 N. Central - St. John's Landing
12/13 Thirst Wine Bar & Bistro - 5-10 pm - 149 A Avenue - Lake Oswego

Robert's going to be drawing caricatures at the Jantzen Beach Mall near the carousel so go say hello! He's available for private parties too!

We're in Oregon...

... and it's even better than we hoped. It's an artist's dream, vivid colors, changing weather, and fun, hospitable, interesting people. For a painter and a writer... what else could we ask?
We got here just in time to do some holiday shows. My first is this weekend, in Gresham at the Armory. I'll add several other events as soon as I get the details for them.
I'm looking for more events at hospitals, churches, schools, & businesses. If anyone knows of any, email me, I'm ready. Everybody loves handmade gifts, I make them, people want them, we just have to find one another.
Robert is making contacts for drawing caricatures at parties. After drawing at Universal Studios, Knotts Berry Farm, and Magic Mountain for 24 years, he had a big list of repeat customers for the holidays. He took a real leap of faith, giving all that up to live our vision of "Artists in Oregon". It will work out because he's so gifted, and easy to work with. Once he gets the first job, they always call him back. One of his best work situations was his time at Film Roman Studios, painting backgrounds for King of the Hill, Bobby's World, The Mask and Mortal Kombat. He is a real cartoon & comic fan. I think teaching animation studies in Community College helped him too. It showed people how patient and pleasant he was. Talent and character, what a combo. Anyway, I'm trying to enjoy him now, because once Oregon discovers him, he'll be all booked up.
I'll write again, as I learn more about this wonderful place. I hope to see some of you in Gresham, at the Armory, this weekend. New friends are the greatest surprize in life.

Spinner Ring - 2 views

This is a reallyfun ring. It's silver, with a patina added to the main ring. The spinner is hand-forged sterling.

"Sea Lover"

Beautiful, soft mauve stick pearls drape perfectly to embrace a sterling heart frame with a web of garnets, silver and rose quartz inside. A sterling 'clasped heart' catch completes the mood.

"Mists of Avalon"

Three strands of different sizes and shades of gray pearls are held together by a hand-crafted heart created of sterling silver treated with a deep gray patina.

"Perfect Storm"

Silvery stick pearls are graced by a free-form sterling framed web of gray pearls.

"Primitive"

Mother of Pearl is not just sweet anymore! This one is as hot as the tropics. Just for perfection, it ends with a perfect blue paua shell enhanced pendant.

"Southern Nights"

This necklace is composed of various shades of freshwater pearls. It culminates in a pendant of delicate pink shell, surroundes by large glass leaves.

"Stix & Stones"

Barely peach-colored stick pearls and coin pearls come together to make an elegant necklace.

"Pure Hearts"

This lovely freshwater pearl necklace is everything pure and true.

The "heart within a heart" inside the sterling frame is created using freshwater pearls. The clasp is a sterling 'clasped heart'.

"Woman Paua"

I love this one. Peacock stick pearls with a wonderful paua shell pendant. People are drawn to these intense colors.

Frosted Flakes bracelet

This is a gorgeous double strand of corn-flake pearls.

It's all good...

I've finished the May shows and have started making pieces for the Bridgeport, Ca. 4th of July celebration. I look forward to this one all year. We stay in a little town about a half hour away from the show so there's a wonderful demarcation between the day job and our little vacation. Cool, fresh air, silence, stars and absolutely no mosquitoes.

We're in transition. A few months ago we moved an hour away from the place we lived for 14 years and are house-sitting for friends. When this place sells, we're off to start a new life in Oregon. Robert's looking forward to more time to paint, and I am excited about writing, and making jewelry in our new environment. We've waited a long time to be together and create. Now it's happening.

For now, I've a big studio to work in and no one to complain if I hammer all night long. I'm plugging in the Foredom and making some music!

I've been working hard to get ready for the show season. I've already been to the first two.

The first weekend in May I'm always at Hillside Farm, in Norco, Ca. It's on an old Christmas tree farm, and we use all the buildings and both the front and back lawn. My booth is in the chicken coop(!). They are very careful that everything is hand-made. It's horse country, so anyone that has a "country turn of mind" is going to find everything they want.

Last weekend I was at "Art on the Waterfront" in San Pedro, Ca. It is a one-day event combined with an Installation Art exhibit. It's wonderful. I made new friends from around the world. Making the simple 3 bead rings at my booth is a great conversation starter. My husband was in the booth next to me, creating watercolor caricatures. As always, he had everyone laughing.

Since it was a major harbor, Homeland Security made its presenceknown by not allowing the people to park onsite. Everyone had to park far away and be transported by shuttle. It severely limited the number of people attending. The ones that did enjoyed intersting music, and stimulating art.

I'm completing some "Story Pendants" for the Iris Festival this Friday, Saturday & Sunday in Yucaipa, Ca. It's a beautiful weekend, full of flowers.

Memorial Weekend I'm at the Western Dance Convention in Covina, Ca. It's a lot of fun. All the participants dress in costumes, so it's a natural outlet for my western jewelry. (Most of which I sold at the seashore. Sigh)

I'm posting some of the pearl pieces I created.

I'm finishing the preparations for the San Pedro Arts Show this Saturday. I've been making a lot of things with pearls for the people at the ocean. I hope they like them.

Mahogany Obsidian

I made the matching pendant and clasp. The best thing about this is the long 'bar' on the clasp. It simply slides into the ring, and the length keeps it from sliding out until you want it to. Very easy to get on and off and totally secure. I'll be making more of these clasps.

Copper Cuff

This copper cuff is fold-formed and patinaed.

"Transforming"

I think resin is my new love. There's something magical about taking disparate objects and creating a story. This one is my personal statement: The fern is from our nightly walk, the opal butterfly came from my friend John Connelly in Venice, (thanx John!) and the citrine cabachon sun is one of my favorites.

The idea of changing and growing is one I hold personally dear.

"Frost"

This resin pendant has 2 of my favorite things embedded in it - twisted silver wire and tiny gemstone canachons.

"New Leaf"

This 9 strand citrine, blue topaz and amazonite necklace spills from a hand-forged sterling silver leaf clasp. The leaf has a rich patina with bronzes and blues glimmering like sunshine on the water.

Amazing.

"Sweetheart"

This is an elegant wire-wrap necklace combining faceted garnets, pink pearls and heavy Bali silver.

Garnets put action to your passion - while pearls help a lady 'flow with the tide'.

You can't see the color of this elegant wire wrap necklace. It's all gold filled wire with pink, green and black tourmaline.

This is all brought together in the 'dangle' created of a waterfall of tourmaline spilling out from an amazing watermelon tourmaline.

Large, luscious dusty pink mother of pearls are graced by a side clasp sterling silver leaf.

This gorgeous faceted blue kyanite necklace is electrified by a simple gold-filled chain.

Pearls and... ?

These mauve pearls are enhanced by the hand forged, front clasp. It's two parts interlink, creating a unique closure that adds interest to the simple necklace. A pink CZ adds a little lady-like sparkle.