Ode to Miss Minnie!!

    Oh, oh, oh this is funny. I just can't wait to share this event with you. I decided to work with a few beads of green turquoise some nights ago. I made myself a fresh cup of coffee, and comfortably sitting on the floor in a my yoga position (which I find to be very relaxing), I let my fingers play with my stones trying to decide the most appropriate design. Next to me our pooch Muffy, busy munching on a homemade carrot treat and lifting her eyebrows in contempt from time to time. Well my creative impulse seemed to be stuck at the moment, inspite my urge to produce something. Frustrated I opened boxes after boxes of supplies looking for that something to compliment my green turquoise. Miss Minnie, our indescribable magnificent feline companion, (she is a mix of norwegian and siberian forest cat with something of unknown origin) was watching me toil with my beads from underneath the dining room table.
 Her golden green eyes sparkled with interest. "Ok!" I said, "why don't you help me here? You choose what beads I should use for this." I reached for my cup of coffee. Miss Minnie stretched and fluffed her bushy tail, moved her "bloomers" as if to tell Muffy "Watch me in action", and gently began inspecting my boxes of beads one after the other. She pushed out a small bag of white beads, next one of black beads, and finally some grassy green ones.  As she finalized her action, she stood silent as a sphinx locking her eyes into mine as if to say, "These are your beads, this is your challenge, take it or leave it."
  Well, I guess I accepted her "challenge" and here it is, my new feline-approved necklace and earring set. Beautiful, feminine, and lets say different. Thank you Minnie!!!


http://www.etsy.com/listing/75879012/green-turquoise-jewelry-set

                 Our Miss Minnie

Turkish Delight

"Wake up it's time!" my father said and gently lifted me up from under my blanket.
"Oh! What?" but he couldn't speak no more because his powerful laugh filled the room, and for good reason--- I was all dressed up, with my boots on ready to go. Where? Well to see the most mysterious place on earth.
   The night before we arrived in Orsova, a small town in Romania where the Danube runs through. My dad promised me that we'll take the first boat early morning to Adakaleh, a small island that was soon to be swallowed by the river as the construction of the Iron Gate Dam will be completed. The Iron Gate is a gorge on the Danube river that forms the boundary between Romania and Serbia. Two power stations have been built here to supply electricity for both countries. This is the point where the river separates the Southern Carpathian Mountains from the foothills of the Balkan Mountains.
  I was nine years old and the rich history as well as the many legends of the Adakaleh mesmerized me. Needless to say that I couldn't sleep that night, and long before the birds woke up, I was up dressed and cuddled under the cover waiting for Dad's call. It was a cool August morning and heavy clouds announced a rainy day. We arrived early on the pier and the boat captain invited us to join him for tea and cookies.... mmm...mmm hazelnut cookies, my favorite. This day announced itself to be a special one, and it was indeed. My dad told me more about this place and it's history, about the Ottoman-Habsburg Wars, how the Austrians built a Vauban-type fort in the island of Adakaleh to defend it from the Turks, and he told me how the locals  survived. The population of roughly 1000 inhabitants lived from fishery, cultivating tobacco, and in modern times tourism.* Adakaleh had a Porto Franco status (free port) and also had a reputation of being a smuggler's nest. Can you imagine pirates on the Danube? Of course, this was long ago...
 The trip was most exciting, the Danube water embraced us with its magic and it transported us to a place where time stands still. Adakale means "Fortress Island" in Turkish. Adakaleh is the Romanian pronounciation. Pictoresque little white houses were sprinkled on the Island hill with 1000 narrow twisting alleys, many with steps of stone. In front of each door, women dressed in black sold what they produced: the most luscious preserves, green walnut, wild berries , and the one that stole my heart was the wild rose petals preserve. Also, everyone offered hot Turkish tea, sweet and aromatic, Turkish coffee made as it should be in the old way in an copper "ibric" simmering slowly in hot sand to make Caimac (foam), and of course a glass of ice cold water. The air was full of an eerie blend of sweet pungent smells of drying tobacco leaves, salty fish, and pink roses. Climbing the serpentine of stairs, holding my dad's powerful hand, trying hard not to skip anything while memorizing this world of 1001 nights to the last detail, I remember how my eyes gazed in awe. All at once I saw the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. She was dressed in a traditional Turkish costume, white with colorful embroidery, and the beads around her neck had made her a princess in my eyes. She smiled and waved her hand inviting us to taste her rose sherbet, cookies, and handmade fruity Turkish delight that was arranged on fine glass plates. In that very moment, the clouds disappeared and the sun made the Danube to glisten in millions of sparkling, trembling waves bordered with the finest white foamy lace. Was she human? Was she a fairy? I will never know for sure...
  Yes, we visited the mosque that was built where a Franciscan monastery once stood. I remember the huge unicorn carpet, the Pascha's house, the Bazaar, and the pool bath in which everyone threw a coin to make a wish.

 Looking among my beads, trying to organize them as if I will ever be able to...(who am I kidding!)  I rediscovered some beautiful Indian lampwork glass beads that I had put aside long ago. Strangely enough, the beautiful Turkish girl had appeared smiling before my eyes with gorgeous beads around her neck---Yes, Yes, Yes I know what I have to do! Feverishly, I began to put together the necklace that you now have before your eyes, Turkish Delight. I must say, the chain symbolizes the Danube River, and the rest is history, as the beauty of the sunken Turkish enclave shall forever be a mythical symbol of peace---Adakaleh.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50650075/turkish-delight

My gift from Rio

  A very dear friend of mine had recently went to Rio de Janeiro to spend a magical vacation for a couple of weeks. She absolutely loves to visit exotic locations all over the world, and Brazil had always been at the top of her list. While she filled her days with adventure, such as  having fun in the sun at the Copacabana, dancing the samba and the Bossa Nova at the clubs, and touring the Sugarloaf and Corcovado mountains, in browsing through one of the local markets she found these exquisite Murano glass beads and gave them to me as a present. In one set are these round-like (yet slightly shaped as a hexagon) beads that are of a rich bright red with subtle horizontal stripes. The other set of murano glass beads are periwinkle blue, striped, and are twisted. Of course I accepted my present wholeheartedly. It was such a  very kind and thoughtful gesture on her part.
    To think of it, these Murano glass beads have had their own adventurous journey around the world themselves! From Murano, Italy they landed in the fabulous Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, and finally, here in New York City!!
  I used some of these exquisite Murano glass beads for a unique pair of earrings that only one woman in the world shall have. They are wired in silver, and for a "dangle" I  also added these opaque moonstone beads as a finish.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50757983/free-shipping-rio
Feel free to let me know what you think!

River Pebble

    Recently at a sale event, watching women come and go as they looked at our pieces, I realized that most of them were not looking in fact for that special OOAK (one of a kind) piece. They were just browsing for a bargain. With today's economy it is understandable. If it were otherwise, it would be different. However I noticed that, although they looked for a great bargain, many didn't really have a clue as to what they were looking at. I pride in myself  of using quality materials such as semi precious stones, silver, and swarovski crystals. But to some of these women, they could have been looking at plastic, cheap metal, and glass for all they knew! It struck me really hard, and I had the compulsive need to shout out and say, "Hello! May I have your attention please! This piece is..."
  Yes you are looking at necklaces, earrings, and so forth, but you are also looking at the manual labor that was put in to make them. Hours of toiling with a few beads, as well as coming up with the concept that would please a woman's eye. What you are looking at is also made of love, imagination, and dedication, for not saying the many years behind learning the trade. They are unique as are women individually. Only one piece of that concept exists for only one woman to have in the world.
  Sometime last fall, somewhere on a river bank, just before sunset I packed up our picnic stuff and called out to my daughter, and pooch Muffy. Funny enough, Muffy came running to me holding a pebble in her mouth! I love collecting stones and as a joke I said, "Thanks Muffy you have great taste!". I spent that night playing with that pebble in my hand, and suddenly a light bulb lit up! And that is how the "Fisherman's Daughter" came to be created! I crocheted silver wire into a delicate mesh that framed Muffy's pebble. Like the pebble, this piece is unique, and only one woman can have it.
   Sure the pebble is just a pebble, but I made the piece in such a way that the pebble is not just a pebble anymore.  It is now a piece of jewelry. One woman thought so and she bought it. Bonne chance my little pebble!!

Fisherman's Daughter

I love what I do!

   People are often asking with a dismayed look upon their faces--"and what do you think you are going to achieve?" Or even more often, "Did you sell something today?" Of course these questions are asked in sincerity. Being an artist as well as trying to make a living out of it is really tough. So of course questions like this will be asked over and over again. No matter how tiring it becomes to constantly hear them. 
    Since the first of July Margica was up and running as a shop on Etsy. However what you see on Etsy is really a fraction of what I create. How can I explain that for me, in every moment of my day I see beautiful things around me and I'm constantly creating new combinations from everything ordinary to extraordinary. I am sure you'd say, "Ok, beauty is in the eye of the beholder". This is true, very true indeed. Everyone of us is a gifted person in their own way. The most important thing is to love what you do and to share your joy with the rest of the world around you. I believe that God gave me a gift---he gave me two hands and a curious mind to build my life with.
    Margica is a site where my unconditional love for our planet can be expressed--natural stones and crystals put together in special ways to be adorned by women. Yes, we love beads, we feel empowered and more feminine. One of my special pieces is this crocheted necklace.

Romantic Crocheted Necklace  with Jade and Leopards Skin Jasper.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62888420/romantic-crocheted-necklace-with-new

A simple mercerised cotton ball has been transformed into a delicate ruffle necklace. Jade beads compliment the natural cotton feel with a romantic hue that blends with the earthiness of the leopard jasper; this is a classic piece that is timeless.

Pietersite

  Found in colors ranging from a golden-brown to a gray-blue, Pietersite is a beautiful iridescent stone. Discovered in 1962 in Namibia, this stone has been referred to as the Tempest Stone.* As we know the term tempest refers to a storm. I find it highly interesting that while it is connected to elements that of a storm, Pietersite is said to hold "the keys to the kingdom of heaven"*.
    If one believes in metaphysical properties that of stones, Pietersite has a special energy relating to the spirituality within as well as helping to tune our capabilities to be conscious to what is around us; as well as being conscious to our own desires in life, and to help guide us to the paths that we must each follow. The energies within Pietersite help to clear confusion by relinking ourselves to our own inner guidance; therefore allowing us to recognize truth amidst a cloud of uncertainty.*
    The idea that it is the Tempest Stone and that it holds "the keys to the kingdom of heaven", symbolically represent the philosophical idea that each and every one of us have a path that we must follow. Yet however tempestuous it may be, by being conscious to our own inner truth, our inner guidance, we can each reach our destination despite the difficulty of the road ahead. Pietersite symbolizes the turmoil that we must each experience, but at the same time Pietersite reminds us that the storm shall always pass.
  These earrings display two pietersite stones that are a reddish-gold brown with faint spots of blue-grey. The feldspars help give the stones their iridescent quality.

Pietersite and Gold Swarovski Crystal Earrings
http://www.etsy.com/listing/63644596/free-shipping-pietersite-and-gold
They are wired in silver.


*References from The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall
  

Oh Starry Night!!

  Travel back in time and cherish those moments when love encompass you with freedom wings. Once a year, for a week I pack my red Volvo station wagon with our beach gear (including our fishing poles), my dog Muffy, my cat Miss Minnie, and of course my daughter, and head on for Route 12 South.......HA HA I bet you have no idea where we are heading. Well I'll give you a hint, think about Blackbeard's hideaway, or if you know where the "lost colony" was abandoned by Sir Raleigh.
   Yes we spend our magical week in the barrier islands of North Carolina, the famous Cape Hatteras Island, Outer Banks. This is already for all of us home away from home even if it is only for a week.
    The magical sky of the Outer Banks inspired me to create a necklace called Starry Night. Imagine the clearest night sky, where the Milky Way is so vivid that you can touch it with your fingers; where the stars allow you to see the endless depth of the universe. Spending nights on the beach around the bonfire, trying my luck for a catch, munching on a well burnt marshmallow, and counting the shooting stars for not saying telling pirate stories make our time in the Outer Banks so, so precious!
  This necklace Starry Night is much more than just another piece of jewelry. It is created with those very precious moments in the Outer Banks in mind. The beautiful starry nights, the bonfires, the magical stories of pirate adventures, the mystical aura of the "lost colony", all helped to inspire me as I created this necklace.


Starry Night
http://www.etsy.com/listing/67505093/organic-black-crocheted-necklace-oh

Aruba-Ruba: Make Way for the Sun!!!

  Now that May is finally here, summer is only a little more than a month away!
Of course, some of you may have already started your 'summer' vacation by going away to some exotic location in paradise. Or for those of us who aren't traveling anytime soon,  we pamper ourselves by other ways to indulge ourselves with the spirit of summer!  The inspiration to wear tropical fragrances, drink mojitos or frozen daiquiris, wear light summer dresses,  and who can forget the accessories!!
    I made a jewelry set inspired by the fabulous vacation getaway location: Aruba!!
The golden sun, aquamarine skies, and of course the glistening crystal-clear ocean....*sigh*... I am there already!...
 
Aruba-Ruba
http://www.etsy.com/listing/50851712/aruba-ruba
With an aqua aventurine pendant, adorned with czech crystals and glass beads, I wired this necklace with sterling silver with a bali silver clasp. Earrings are definitely an eye-catcher!!




The crystals will sparkle and sparkle; catches the sunlight so beautifully, that you should expect many compliments!
Please tell me what you think!!!

Fiber Chic

       If you haven't noticed lately, my newest intrigue rests with using a special kind of Italian yarn for my latest designs. With today's economic state I believe that creativity is the key ingredient for coming up with an innovative, unique and interesting spin on what is already traditional. Although I continue to use sterling silver for my jewelry pieces, I have been experimenting a lot with fibers. The result is that I have come up with a unique spin on a  'must have' accessory: Long Strand Necklaces.
        With a very special Italian yarn I crocheted long strand necklaces, and paired them up with different accents: fire polished crystals, mother of pearl, and jade. This yarn comes in many colors.

 Silver Blue and Grey Italian Yarn Crocheted Necklace with Jade, Mother of Pearl, and Fire Polished Czech Crystals
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69413571/silver-blue-grey-italian-yarn-necklace


Gold Moss Italian Yarn Crocheted Necklace with Jade, Mother of Pearl, and Fire Polished Crystals
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69467540/gold-moss-italian-yarn-necklace-with


Forest Green Italian Yarn  Crocheted Necklace with Jade and Fire Polished Crystals
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69468058/forest-green-italian-yarn-necklace-with?ref=v1_other_1

Lilac Blossom Italian Yarn Crocheted Necklace with Jade, Mother of Pearl, and Fire Polished Crystals

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/69464128/lilac-blossom-italian-yarn-necklace-with


Blue Lagoon Fine Italian Yarn Necklace with Blue Agates, and Fire Polished Czech Crystals
 Rather than Jade, Blue Agates go oh so well with the gorgeous blue yarn.

 These strands can be left long as one strand, or doubled, tripled, and in some cases quadrupled!!! (Length ranges from 120-210 inches).
 What do you think?

Cleo the Adder Girl

     Finally, the lost Egyptian Cobra has been found and is now sssafe and sssound at the Bronx Zoo.
     What a commotion and story for New Yorkers!!! It seemed that everyone took a part, by either tweeting, blogging, and/or even selling merchandise inspired by the cobra. The New York Post challenged New Yorkers to come up with a name for her! I myself thought that Cleo would be neat, after all she is an Egyptian; and who else other than Cleopatra would it be perfect to be named after?
     With this in mind I decided to name a piece of mine "Cleo the Adder Girl". A slithery necklace, it is crocheted with fine Italian yarn. Turquoise colored howlite, and Czech crystals in teal and peridot (which FYI it is said that peridot was one of Cleopatra's favorite gems) accent the necklace with blue fire agates.  It is finished with a silky Italian blue ribbon cord.
      Only one lucky girl will have a chance to wear Cleo the Adder Girl necklace. Now would that be?....

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70188773/cleo-the-adder-girlitalian-yarn