Cicadas Invade Us!!

"Sing. Fly. Mate. Die."

The 13 year cicadas are upon us again. I waited with much anticipation to see a real live cicada as soon as I started hearing their incredibly loud buzz in the woods. They are very fascinating little creatures, and once you get over how ugly and big they are, they really don't seem so bad. Days went by, and all I could find were the empty shells that they crawled out of when they were done molting. I saw some dead ones that were unfortunate enough to meet our cats, but I wanted to see a live one. The buzzing in the woods became louder and louder, as if they were surrounding us and slowly creeping in to our territory. Finally, this little guy flew into the side of my head one night and ended up resting on my laptop cord. After my initial disgust of having such a large bug fly into my face, I went to get a closer look. I knew it was a male because of the distinct noise that only the males make with their body. Females can only make a little noise with their wings, but it is nowhere near as loud as the males. If you find a male cicada, you will definitely know it! He was kind enough to pose for some pictures before I scooped him up in a plastic container to set him free outside. If I had left him where he was, a cat was sure to find him and his chances of surviving the night would be very slim. He got into the plastic container very quietly, but not before leaving me a little "present". The little bugger peed on my laptop! I quickly forgave him and set him free to live out the rest of his short life with his brood. The news forecasters say that they will only be around for a couple more weeks, and then they will be gone for another 13 years. Maybe someday I will be holding this bugs son! Until then, farewell, you ugly, noisy, beady-eyed bug. Your departure coudn't come soon enough...

'Cicadas Invade Us!' by KarmaStudio

Singing the love for the 13 year cicada. If you have them where you live, you are probably tired of them, but why not get a little something to remember them by? ^_^

CICADA ARTWORK printed... RococcoCo $10.00	Vintage cicada insect -... VintageFafa $1.45	FREE USA SHIP for Memor... MadArtjewelry $36.00	13 Year Cicada The Cica... REALBUTTERFLYG... $29.99
cicada creaturecrawle... $28.00	Clockwork Orange NECKLA... Kamelastudio54 $49.00	Cicada Bugs-Soap Set-Go... KcSoapsNmore $5.00	Smoke Wing Cicada Ring-... LuraJewelry $275.00
Teal, Gold and Black Li... GatoRanch $15.00	Steampunk Bracelet - IN... edmdesigns $155.00	mr. cicada says rrreeee... beanforest $1.50	Cicada - selected for t... FleurRendell $350.00
Cicada Life Cycle Patch... phoenixcompost $3.00	Mother of Pearl Cicada ... AlpineGypsy $22.00	Cicada Necklace sissysstash $20.00	Cicada Bracelet jewelrycollect... $210.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Black Grapefruit Vegan Soap with Jojoba Oil

This black grapefruit vegan soap has a wonderful scent that is very clean and uplifting. Thyme and pink grapefruit oils have astringent properties, and make this soap great for oily or combination skin. I have been washing my face with it, and it really does seem to keep oily skin at bay. Jojoba oil is moisturizing, so your skin never feels too dry. Mica powders give the soap its color. No harsh chemicals or dyes were used, only natural ingredients.
I really love this soap! The smell is very intoxicating. It's not one of those ovewhelming type of musks, either. It's rather subtle, but then as you smell it more, it becomes deeper and more complex. The pink grapeftuit oil is my favorite essential oil so far, and I didn't think that I would like it because I don't like to eat grapefruit. It smells nothing like the fruit that it comes from, however. You have to smell it to believe how awesome it is! The scent is a bit sensual, and it would work for both men and women.

Adventures In Soap Making

Relax and unwind with this soothing lavender glycerin soap! Extra virgin olive oil was added for extra moisturizing, and gently crushed lavender flowers provide soothing and gentle exfoliation. This soap works into a creamy lather, and it will leave your skin soft and smooth with just a hint of lavender fragrance. No artificial colors have been used.

Lavender is said to aid in sleep and relaxation, and lavender oil has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that are perfect for soothing skin.

I had so much fun making this soap! I am very excited to make more soaps to add to the shop later this week. I've become very interested in making soaps with all natural ingredients. I am learning how to get beautiful colors just by using things found in nature, and it is really fascinating to see what can be achieved using simple spices and herbs. My mom and I have been using this lavender soap since I made it, and we both can't stop using it! I was surprised at the rich, smooth lather of the soap, and it has made my hands so soft. It doesn't irritate any scratches or cuts, either (because sometimes cats don't know how to play nice!). They smell really great, too! I gently crushed the lavender flowers with a mortar and pestle to release more of their scent. The lavender flowers also provide a gentle exfoliation that leaves your skin feeling smooth. The lavender scent is also very light on your skin.

Be sure to check out my Etsy shop for more soaps to be added very soon!

Siam Red Key Earrings in Gunmetal Black

I LOVE these earrings!

Gunmetal plated skeleton keys are adorned with Swarovski Crystal rhinestones in ruby and Siam red. A matching Siam red Swarovski crystal rivoli stone is set in a gunmetal plated bezel. Ear wires are black niobum, a hypoallergenic metal which is great for people with sensitive ears. Hypoallergenic earring backs are included to keep your earrings in place.

I think the Siam red stones really shine against the matte gunmetal finish of the earrings. I can't even come close to capturing the sparkle of the crystals on film. They glimmer brilliantly in the light, and you really have to see them in person to see how much they sparkle! These look great with any formal or casual attire. They are elegant enough to wear at a wedding, and funky enough to wear to prom!

Angel wings and rivoli settings are gunmetal plated brass. All components are lead and nickel free.

Earrings measure 2 inches (5.1 cm) long.

Handmade with love and good karma. ^_^


Sunday Scenery: Mossy Rocks and Tall Trees

Just finished listing some new hair pins, a new ring, and a cute little pair of earrings today. It couldn't be a more beautiful day, although the wind was kicking up pretty good at times. At one point, it became rather difficult to take item pictures because the trees were swaying so wildly I had to wait until the perfect time that the sunlight shone through to snap the picture. It took a few tries (about 84 pictures for 4 items) but I finally got some pictures that were to my liking.

Some people may wonder where exactly I take my outdoor item pictures (or maybe you have better things to do than wonder what that is in the background, but I'm going to tell you anyway!).

It is actually a lovely little mossy rock that is right in the front yard. It sits below the little gnome garden that my mother has created, and I think it adds a little extra charm to the gnome's tiny village. When I decided that I needed to take better pictures for my Etsy shop, I knew that in order to have pictures that were bright enough to see the jewelry that I was gonna have to go outside. So I stepped outside and looked for a suitable place. Since Spring has only begun, there's still a lot of dead leaves and such around, and not nearly enough greenery for a "pretty" picture. That's when I saw this mossy little rock. The sun was hitting it just right that day, so its fluffy bright green-ness jumped out at me among all of the other boring rocks. I am very interested in botanical illustrations, and I oftentimes find myself studying these tiny little wonders of nature up close. Moss is very dense and kind of soft, so it is the perfect place to take pictures of my jewelry. It's like a miniature little forest if you look at it closely enough. There's lots of these mossy rocks around here since I live in the middle of the forest, and today was so beautiful that I set out on foot to if I could find some more of these neat moss beds. Here are the ones I found today:

This one's just starting out.

This one has become a little brown, but I like the interesting terrain of the rock itself.

This one is my favorite. It looks like it needs a haircut!



This moss bed has overtaken the entire side of a hill!

If you aren't yet amazed by moss, you should really check out this blog post about a unique art exhibit that features moss!

Tulip Tree

It was such a nice day to spend outside. The thing I love the most about living in the woods is being able to walk out of the front door and see nothing but nature. I've been looking for signs of Spring all around, and I finally spotted some blooms on our tulip tree. It is actually three trees, but they share about one foot of trunk at the very bottom. I can only imagine what kind of tragedy struck the tree when it was young that would cause it to split that way, but it gives the tree more character that way. I guess that nature does some designing of her own.
So, if it's a beautiful day wherever you are, I encourage you to get out and enjoy it before it's gone!
Angel kitty would agree:



Desert Flower Beaded Copper Necklace

I chose the colors for this necklace based on colors that are popular in the American West. I was fortunate enough to see the Grand Canyon in Arizona when I was a child, and that trip to the desert has always stuck with me. The beauty of the turquoise that is popular in the area, the red sands of the Painted Desert, the warm topaz color of the sand, and the dark green of desert brush were all color inspirations for this piece.

Desert Flower necklace is hand woven by me. Turquoise, poppy red, and olive green beads form the "flowers" that spiral around the dark copper colored beaded rope. Topaz, turquoise, red and olive Swarovski crystals form beaded beads that add a hint of sparkle. Chain and clasp are both copper plated. Clasp is large, which is great for people who suffer from arthritis or just have a hard time with lobster clasp closure. Vintage copper head pins with beautiful red swirl glass were used to accent the end of the chain.

Necklace measures 17 inches (43.2 cm) long at its longest length. This length is most commonly referred to as opera length. The length can be adjusted by attaching the clasp to any link on the chain.

Silk Ribbon Easter Garden Necklace

This silk ribbon Easter Garden necklace is a great way to welcome Spring and add some sparkle to your wardrobe. Pendant is hand sculpted by me out of polymer clay. Pastel tendrils surround a beautiful Vitrail Light Swarovski crystal. Fuschia and Crystal colored Swarovski crystals are hidden among the leaves. They remind me of fruit or little buds in this fictional flower. The pendant is strung on a hand painted silk ribbon. The ribbon was the main inspiration for the pendant and the colors reminded me of Easter when I was all finished. I had a lot of fun designing this pendant, and as it was done in my free-form style, it will never be exactly duplicated so you are assured to have a unique piece.
The necklace fastens by tying a bow in the ribbon, so the length is adjustable to fit just right.
I coated the pendant in a polymer varnish to protect it and add shine, but I do not advise that you wear it in the shower or while swimming.
It was very difficult to really catch the sparkle of the Swarovski crystal, but it shines brilliantly in the light as you move. This is one of my favorite pieces.

I don't used pastel colors very often, but I think it's very girly and represents Spring very well. Do you break out the pastel colors in your wardrobe at the first sign of Spring? ^_^