Thursday, February 25, 2010

Froggy Love

I have always loved the smiling faces on frogs and listening to them sing around the pond every night. When I moved to the country, we used to say that it was so quiet that it was noisy. Instead of sirens and traffic noises, we heard the frogs, crickets, birds, and other animals calling in the night.

I loved creating this ceramic frog. He is painted with acrylic paints, antiqued with an antiquing gel, and drybrushed to create depth and softness. While I have never hugged or kissed a real frog, this one is very kissable!

I created this little owl in much the same fashion. He is slip cast ceramic and painted with acrylics.
Come visit these two on my Etsy Shop

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Visit HemlockHollow

I had the priviledge of meeting Gloria, owner of Hemlock Hollow in June 2009 while I was traveling to Virginia to see my daughter.  Gloria and her husband welcomed my son and me, along with a friend and her husband who had recently moved to the area, to her home by the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee.

Gloria is an amazing person.  She seems to know almost everything about every plant around her house!  I could feel her love of nature while listening to her speak about the flowers, leaves, and colors of the foliage as she took us on a tour of their property.

Her love of nature is reflected in her work. This Strawberry Leaf Pendant was made with sterling silver clay and she used a real strawberry leaf to imprint the design.


  http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25520660

This maple leaf  pendant was created in the same manner and then "selectively oxidized" to further define the leaf.






Gloria shows her imagination in her description of the jasper she used as a focal in this necklace.
 http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38055021      


http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16144800






The Petunia Pearl Necklace and earrings use handmade focals from another Etsy artist.  I love the amethyst color and the imagination Gloria used in creating these pieces.



One of the things I admire about Gloria is how she loves to learn new things.  She has been working hard on her stained glass creations recently and has a perfect piece in her shop for Valentine's Day.

Stop by and visit Hemlock Hollow, and also Gloria's vintage shop, Frogpond Vintage.