Through the Looking Glass - Cindy's Art & Soul

"I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again."
— Lewis Carroll (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass) 

Look closely you'll see water bubbling under the ice... cold, inspiring, sparkling icy water that used to feed the tiny birds that would flock to our yard in the summer months. Now still. 

Inspiring all things shiny and bright...

Wings of Hope.

Fine silver nugget earrings featuring winged hearts. 

 Newly listed at www.artandsouljewelry.com

 

Hope and Love, Looking Forward

Joshua Tree 12/2015

As we approach the end of this year, many of us look back in contemplation and reflect. At the same time, we look forward at what's to come. 

It was a big year, with lots of shifts and changes. Our country was divided and still is on many fronts. With many people and many issues. 

None of us knows what's ahead but we can face it with hope and with love. We can be kind. We can treat one another with consideration and respect each others beliefs. 

Mannaz Rune of Higher Self

So many different human beings on this planet. The only way to survive is to embrace or at the very least, accept our differences and work as one. 

Maybe I am living in a dream.

Whatever may come, I must stay TRUE to myself. I will live in hope and with love and I will be kind. I will soften my face when looking at passers by. I will smile and say thank you to service people. I will look people in the eye and know that I have done my best. I will try to make this world a better place and keep hope that I can somehow inspire others to do the same. 

In troubled times people often (as they should) seek out messages of hope. I received a request for hope and love earrings. My thoughts immediately went to Runes. Beautiful imagery reflecting symbols of greater inspiration and meaning, this ancient alphabet still touches our subconscious on a deeper level, in modern times.

If you are interested in learning more you can check out the PBS Nova website and read more here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/viking-runes-through-time.html

These earrings are a riff on a design I first made in 2009 and again in 2011 with mixed metals.

Ball Babies Sold / Etsy 2011

 This design features two sets of rune charms. One spelling hope and one, love. Adorned with "ball babies" created of pure, fine silver. Wrapped onto solid copper, hand forged hoops. These will be available today at Art & Soul jewelry.

 This is my last post of 2016. Wishing everyone much hope and LOVE now and for the coming year. Look for my next post the 2nd Tuesday in January. 

 

Raw Silver Post Stud Earrings

Feeling grateful for so many things today. For open windows with a cool breeze. Fresh air coming in. Tea this morning with a good friend. Laughs, smiles. My jewelry bench and tools. Being inspired. And also, for this blog. For all the sharing and inspiration.

Today's offering has been rattling in my head for days. I wanted to do some post dangles with small hoops and raw silver nuggets and this is what I came up with...

These earrings are .999 Fine Silver except for the posts and post nuts which are .925 Sterling Silver. 

This set is a nice light weight and I think they'll be great for everyday wear. I am very pleased with how they came out and plan on doing more in this style with gemstone dangles. Stay tuned..

Happy Spring! 

 

 

 

Soul Of The Sea Earrings by Cindy's Art and Soul

This holiday weekend I am at the beach. Looking outside at the clouds and sea mist coming in making the grass and road wet... feeling so grateful to be here. 

Yesterday was fairly dry and I took Miss Molly for a walk down on the beach. She loves to run free and chase the seagulls. I call to her and offer treats to keep her close.

We saw a lot of garbage that has washed up. Maybe from the Japanese tsunami? Reports say it may be washing up for years.

Inspiring is how nature takes things over 

and makes them her own... 

The blue on these sea shells are exactly what I had in mind when I was making these earrings. The lampwork beads are Bubby and McGurk Beads... fantastic colors!  

I really wanted to add some shimmery blue kyanite stones (which matched perfectly!) but I felt like the lampwork was enough. They really stand on their own and do not need anything more!

The starfish charms add a feeling of "at the beach".
Capped in hand forged sterling silver 
wrapped in thick 20 gauge ss wire.

Hoops are hand forged and fused 14 gauge fine silver.
Oxidized for beauty and character.
Hand polished.

Available for purchase at Art and Soul Jewelry.
(update: sold!)

Peace & Blessings~

Stillness in my soul

I had heard and read many times that when we go through some challenging times, it's like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. It's not an easy process to break through the cocoon and spread your wings free, but the result is certainly worth it in the end.

So, today, I want to show you the design that I've created in my own design evolution...

Stillness Earrings by Nathalie Lesage of NatLJ.com

These earrings feature a gorgeous pair of luminous lampwork glass beads (I apologize, I did not note down the artist who made these as I bought them several years ago), a pair of my handmade .999 pure silver (PMC3) leaf charms, sparkling Swarovski Crystals on earth tones hemp cords and hypo-allergenic Niobium ear wires:

I love the explosion of color that occurs when the sunlight hits these earrings... 

just like the wings of a blue butterfly in the sun :)

As a jewelry designer, I've worked with many different types of supplies, and learned many techniques over the years, all with the end goal of "finding my own voice" in terms of design. 

As hard as the past 5 months (already) have been for me, I feel that this whole experience is helping me hone in to my own 'design' voice. It seems that I've finally found it.

This feels like 'me', 1000000%.

I will be exploring this style further. Exciting times ahead ;)

Many thanks for stopping by to read...  

You can find these earrings listed HERE on my NatLJ.com website.

Nathalie

Jewelry Artist

http://www.NathalieLesageJewelry.com

Stand Still

My iPhone is constantly loaded with pictures that I take whenever my husband and I go on our various road trips. I cannot get enough of nature, and I treasure each instant that I can capture... 

such as this one:

I am in awe at the vastness of it all, the colors, the textures, that raw untouched feel,

like the rest of the world does not exist and time is standing still...

Stand still my child,

Listen to the sounds of nature,

Mother Earth's breath gently caressing your face...

Enjoy the light scent of wild flowers,

And the sun's warm touch on your soul...

Inspired by blue skies, tree branches and leaves, the color of the earth...

as well as by pebbles and rocks, I've designed these earrings:

Stand Still Turquoise Hemp & Fine Silver Earrings

These earrings feature gorgeous natural Sleeping Beauty Turquoise pebbles, a pair of my hand made .999 Fine Silver (PMC3) leaf charms, suspended on variegated hemp cords in earth tones and Sterling Silver accents and a pair of my handmade Sterling Silver Ear Wires.

 

Rustic, light and serene, these earrings take me back to my mountains...

I'm seriously considering keeping these for my private collection, so I'm not listing these just yet. 

I might make others in a similar style... time will tell.

Today is my (late) father's birthday. He would have been 81.

Happy birthday papa... may you have a wonderful birthday with the angels xoxo

Nathalie

http://www.NathalieLesageJewelry.com

Chains and Leather

We're into the swing of the Holidays, and this means lots of parties coming up!

Are you ready for it?

In my humble opinion, just like a woman's wardrobe is not complete unless she owns "That little black dress", the same goes for her jewelry box... You've got to own that perfect pair of earrings for your nights out on the town:

A little bit mysterious with the Black Spinel gemstones and Hematite Beads...

A little bit edgy with the Sterling Silver chains...

Textures that catch the light and dazzle the room...

A touch of Fire Engine Red lipstick and nail polish... your favorite black dress and it is time. to. party.

Black Leather Holiday Style by nathalie-lesage featuring black tights

I looooooove leather, and I couldn't resist creating a couple of Polyvore boards

featuring black leather :)

Of course, the board above features a more 'upscale' style, but these Black Spinel/Hematite Hoop Earrings would work equally well with this more casual leather outfit:

Black Leather Holiday Style 2 by nathalie-lesage featuring lace up ankle boots

Now that is versatility!

You can find my Belinda Black Stones and Chains Hoop Earrings HERE on my website.

Enjoy the Holiday Season!

Nathalie

http://www.NatLJ.com

August Flowers

The month of August is the month of my birthday, and what I love most about this month is the sight of the mature greenery and all the flowers in bloom. I love to stroll and take in all the gorgeous flowers that I see in all the gardens, as well as the wild flowers that bring a touch of colors sometimes in unsuspected places...

I absolutely had to make a pair of earrings to represent August Flowers:

I made a pair of .999 Fine Silver hoops on which I have wire wrapped some stunning Fancy Cut (faceted kite shaped) Tsavorite Garnets, AAA micro-faceted lilac amethyst gemstones and gorgeous berrilicious Pyrope Garnets.

I have also added some sun-catching faceted sterling silver beads near the top, and stamped a small leaf under the wrapped area.

All handmade from scratch, including the .925 sterling silver ear wires... these are my August Flowers earrings.

I wish you all a great remainder of August... enjoy the flowers while we still have them. Winter will be coming too fast.

Nathalie Lesage

Metalsmith, Jewelry Artist

http://www.NathalieLesageJewelry.com

A Walk In The Woods

I went to the woods

 because I wished to live 

deliberately, 

to front only the essential facts of life, 

and see if I could not learn

 what it had to teach,

 and not, 

when I came to die, 

discover that I had not lived. 

~ Henry David Thoreau

A Walk In The Woods

Inspired by my love for the blue/brown color combination. 
These earrings feature a mix of glass, stone and pure silver 
with a brushed-matte finish. 
Long Czech glass beads have EARTHY variegated colors. 
The pale blue Amazonite stone nuggets swing at the center of
RUSTIC brushed, pure silver hoops with a stamped design.

Available at 
CindysArtandSoul.com
Updates Friday 2/7