Vivienne Westwood

                                                                          


                                  

Dame Vivienne Westwood is an English fashion designer and businesswoman responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream. She is one of Britain's most celebrated designers. She has had notable clients, Princess Eugenie and Camilla and the Duchess of Cornwall. She has showrooms in Milan, Paris, and LA. Vivienne Westwood, a force to recognize.

Dan Discovers Kunzite at the Yachats Rock Shop

Vacations are fun. We love Rock shops. When I met Dan in Denton, Texas, he was taking a Geology class. He lights up like a little boy in the variety of Spodumene. He fell for a piece of Kunzite. It is a pink to lilac colored gemstone. There are single crystals of Kunzite that measure up to 47 feet. They are located in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Pearl District is Lucky to have Thea's Interiors

Thea's Interiors is the place to shop in the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon. It has one of the best window displays. I usually photograph these with my medium format Hassey, but I only have my memory to serve me for how artistic Thea does her windows. It is worth a trip just to see what she puts together. I purchased some awesome finds. Love the vintage and locally made jewelry. I felt like I was back in Taos and Santa Fe looking at her Southwestern treasured jewels. I was partial to her darling crocheted dangle earrings made by local artists. What finds. Shop Thea's. You will not be sorry or sad.

Louise's Tea Time

Please do not disturb my tea time. After work, I sit and eat a piece of dark chocolate and drink Zhena's Egyptian Mint Tea. I have doing this for years and I am a creature of habit.  I grew up with my Aunt Pauline, in Tamaqua,  heating up water on the stove in a Staub French pot, but I confess I heat up the water in my electric tea kettle. If I am not mistaken, my friend Lisa has on occasion been know to adopt this ritual into her busy day.

Tender Loving Empire

Tender Loving Empire is a wonderful shopping find in Portland. Dan and I ventured into the store and I came out with earrings for one sister and he a CD. The goods are handcrafted in Portland and you can find something for everyone on your special list. Besty and Iya make these wonderful brass and silver dangles and I also bought a silver pair for my sister Deb. Alissa Friedman designs the Liss handmade glass earrings. i could not resist the bright orange and red ones. So much fun to find such great treasures in a one stop shop. The bottom photo is of the work of Lisa Hirsch who designs the Pigeon Heart Design Line. Love, Love, her stuff.

Why I Go to Nye Beach

My husband and I love to go to the coast of Oregon. It is a great place to vacation and the beach towns are so special. Several years ago, we visited Linda Neigebauer's Nye Cottage Bead Store and I found that white Oregon Jasper. My artist friend, Alita Bunkowski designed the necklace on the top of this page with the Oregon Jasper in mind. This year I found two Jasper stones, and special beads at Linda's store and this is what Alita came up with. It is so refreshing to walk into the Nye Cottage Bead Store, and have Linda and Peggy beading and helping me choose some local finds.

Jirivil Wood the Amazing Bead Artist

                                                 

Meet Jirivil Wood. She is a talented bead artist (30 years making bead art) and 10 years making lampwork beads. I bought the lampwork bead with an intricate flower design added to the final treasure. She makes her art with traditional Murano Glass. She does the Yachats Sunday Market that runs from 5/27-10/21 in the Yachats Commons Area. She also participates in the Roseburg Summer Arts Fest, the Oregon County Fair, the Best Bead Show, and the Tucson Gem Show. A lovely lady who has the ability to create a mini vase that can be the loveliest treasure you may ever own. I came home and looked up the history of Lampworking and was fascinated to realize that it has been around since 1 Century B.C. It has been widely practiced in Murano, Italy and France. Lampworkers manipulate glass by using tools, gravity, or by blowing directly into the end of a glass tube. Those little treasures take a lot of skill and passion.

Judith Joy Ross

Judith Joy Ross is an amazing accomplished photographer. I remember I was on a plane flying  back from North Carolina and I read an article about her portraits from my hometown, Hazleton, Pennsylvania. When I got my hands on this book I about fell over. Mr. Shanno, and Mr. Rutski, my High School teachers were in her portrait book. She dedicated this fantastic photography book to her father and mother who "taught her how to see and what to love." She initiated this project in 1992 on her own and received a generous grant from the Charles Pratt Memorial Foundation. She shot these with an 8 x 10 inch view camera mounted on a heavy wooden tripod . Her work is valid and I am proud to say she is from my hometown of Hazleton, Pennsylvania  home of anthracite coal mining, great ethnic stories and unforgettable foods. When you view her work, you relive those moments of growing up that were not so bad after all.

Moonfire Pottery

  

                                 

 

                                                                            

My husband and I recently went to a great farmers market in Yachats, Oregon. On Sunday we came upon farmers market treasures. We met Bill Delffs, one of the potters of Moonfire Pottery. Bill and his wife Claire are the potters of Moonfire. I picked up some pottery treasures from their varied selection and enjoyed chatting with Bill about their inspirational creations. A web page well worth art shopping.

My Love The Longchamp

                            

I love this handbag. My friends and sisters know my love for handbags. My friend Lisa bought me this for my 50th birthday and I use it all the time. It looks great and it holds a shitload of stuff to take around town. This is called the Le Pliage Large Longchamp Tote. I love the beautiful embossed brown leather trim. A keeper. I took this on a trip on a recent trip to the NW and it was so awesome. Thanks Lisa.

Meet My Family

I studied leather work at TWU's Occupational Therapy Program. I learned the double cordovan stitch. I watched my Professor of Crafts hand cut leather to make a wallet. I learned how to tool and dye the leather and I realized that paying the pros was the way to go. Mulberry is an unbelievable company with leather bags that are amazing. I am partial to the Darwin vegetable tanned leathers. I love to watch the leather develop a beautiful patina that only time can make.

Who is Sarah Burton?

This is Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. She designed Kate Middleton's wedding dress. She was appointed head of womenswear in 2010 and worked as McQueen's right hand woman until his death in Feb 2010. She has stayed true to Alexander McQueen's legacy. Sarah combined Kate Middleton's own ideas with her own artistic vision. Way to go Sarah Burton.  A stunning dress for a beautiful Duchess of Cambridge.

Tsumori Chisato Shoes

                                                                                 
Tsumori Chisato is a Japanese fashion designer who has a following all over the world. People in the USA are becoming collectors of her art. She has a fashion history of working in Tokyo and Paris. Check out those New Balance Shoes. Sweet.