let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

...oh the weather outside is frightful,

and the fire is so delightful,

and if you've no place to go,

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

here is what I did today :)

hope you had a lovely day, too!

Boxing Day Extravaganza~

Boxing Day Sale

at Wild Woman Jewelry

December 26 & 27

15% Savings Shopwide
All Items Ready to Ship
Prices Already Reduced!

merry christmas!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Ye Olde Candy Shoppe...

Inspired by an Old Fashioned Christmas and a visit to the Sweet Shop for some peppermint delights, Ye Olde Candy Shoppe earrings and necklace are new for the holiday season!

Remember, make your purchase at

Wild Woman Jewelry

between

Black Friday and Cyber Monday ~

SAVE 15% Shopwide!

It's Black Friday!

Drop by Wild Woman Jewelry and check out the savings!

***Black Friday through Cyber Monday***

Save 15% Shopwide -- ALL items ready to ship!
*Prices already Reduced*

deck the halls...

Some of my older

favorites are joined this year by two

new stars in blues and greens

and lots of fun pink--

let's put the carols on and

begin to trim the tree!

Blue Christmas, Handmade Beaded Wire Star

Tickled Pink, Handmade Beaded Wire Star
(10% of the proceeds from this star is donated to The American Cancer Society
through Etsy Project Embrace)

Burst, Multi-Color Handmade Beaded Wire Star

(this star is beaded on both sides!)
... perfect for your hostess for holiday parties, your child's teacher, friends or for YOURSELF!

A Christmas Carol

'I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.'

~ Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

*******

A Christmas Carol, one of my favorite holiday stories, has inspired several new designs for the holiday season. Images of the Victorian Era-- carolers, lamplight, snowfalling, candles on the Christmas tree, songbooks, holly, delectable sweets and ringing bells as well as the more elaborate details of design from the time period have had some influence... Happy Holidays!

Lamplighter

O Tannenbaum

Carolers

Snowberry

*** Top Photo, Christmas Eve

november...

I always enjoy the clean stark palette of November after the riotous color of fall!

Happy Halloween!

boo!

snowflakes, hearts, leaves...and a Saturday afternoon

Sophie, my 9 year old niece, spent last Saturday at our house-- the sun was shining, autumn was in the air and it was a perfect afternoon to spend creating! We spent a couple of hours drawing and designing projects-- hers to be completed in playdough and mine in precious metal clay. We chatted about winter and the approaching holidays (which we are all going to spend at the lake!), stories and words. Here are some of my creations that began on that lovely afternoon...xo

grow, fine silver leaf pendant

joy, fine silver star pendant

listen, fine silver heart pendant

and, wild woman, fine silver pendant

Early Holiday Specials at Wild Woman Jewelry

Shop Early for Holiday Specials this weekend at Wild Woman Jewelry! Save 10% shopwide (and on shipping too) from Saturday, October 9 to midnight on Monday, October 11!!! Don't wait-- drop by today!

misty morning

The sunrise was beautiful this morning~ with wispy mist rising on the lake. The buoy for the sailing club floats peacefully-- it won't be long before someone takes it out for the season. I think the final races were last Saturday.
The opposite shoreline was almost entirely shrouded in the mist-- it looks like a solitary island in the middle of the lake...such a gorgeous morning!

laugh... Etsy Project Embrace Treasury Challenge

After a long dry spell in the treasury making world, I can't seem to stop myself this week! I've had a blast creating collections (two, so far with another in the works) for the current Etsy Project Embrace Team Treasury Challenge --the theme is Laugh.

Drop by and check out these fun and fabulous shops...and then go HERE to see all the entries!

...there was frost on the pumpkin!

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf's a flower.

~ Albert Camus

*****

First Frost by judemcconkey

***

With cooler mornings and shorter days, my thoughts have turned

to autumn...I was browsing on Etsy today and was inspired by these wonderful images...

***

Before the Melt by exposedartandphoto

***
Pumpkins by ebonypaws

...which inspired my first treasury in a long time...

Happy Autumn!

And the WINNER is....

Congratulations to Ribasus (also known as Elizabeth of Foret on Etsy!), winner of the Countdown to 1000 Sales Thank You Give Away~ her ballot was drawn from 84 entries in total! Your new earrings will be on their way this week!

*****

A huge thank you to everyone who played and to all my valued and much appreciated customers and friends!

Nan Dean's Crabapple Jelly

There's a wild crabapple tree growing on the beach at the lake. It's at least 23 years old because that's how long ago it was that I tugged a root out of it's rocky home and transplanted it in our front yard- that tree is over 20 feet tall this year! Both trees are profuse with fragrant blooms in the spring and are home for birds, chipmunks and little brown squirrels that rely on its flowers, fruit and insect population- these inhabitants and their hijinks provide us with hours of hilarious entertainment year round.

I was walking by the tree on the beach last weekend and couldn't help but notice it was covered with large unblemished red apples~ more than I've ever seen before...I actually stopped to have a look at them. My sister-in-law came up behind me and commented on them as well- we both thought it seemed such a shame to let them drop and rot. She had a handwritten recipe for apple jelly from my husband's grandmother and we decided to make a batch on the weekend.

Sunday morning dawned sunny and bright and after shooing the kids to the beach, we set to work. We heated and sterlized the little jam jars ( my favorites are the stubby ones!) My nephews climbed the trees and picked the apples for us the night before--not counting the ones they bowled with or threw at each other, we ended up with two large bags full! We estimated about 6 pounds of apples- wash, cut off the stems and chop- didn't even have to remove the seeds. How easy is that?

Look at the sliced apples-- just like a sand dollar in the center and simply beautiful!

We boiled the apples with some water until they were soft and then strained them with cheesecloth and a strainer. It didn't seem possible we'd get 6 cups of juice from the mixture which seemed rather thick...and, the recipe specifically stated not to squish the apples-- but it would have taken all day for the juice to drip out so we encouraged a bit. We added a couple of ripe strawberries and a teaspoon of cranberry juice for color, the sugar and pectin, and boiled the whole mixture for just a few minutes until it thickened.

Next, we poured it into the little jars and left them to seal. It was a full morning's 'work' for 8 jars of jelly, but totally worth it, don't you think?

YUM!!!

sunset sail...

...we were having a late dinner with family on our deck at the lake as the sun was setting last evening when this beautiful boat sailed by... it was so pretty I ran for my camera!

ahhhhhhh...it's still summer!

Countdown to 1000 Sales 'Thank You' Give Away!

I know it's just a number... but for me, in my Etsy shop, it has more than a bit of magic!

With the 1000th sale approaching, it's time to celebrate and say THANK YOU to all my fabulous customers and online friends! I'm very excited and grateful to all who have purchased pieces, dropped by, sent notes and supported me and my shop!

To show my appreciation and to mark the occasion, I am hosting a give away~ you can WIN a pair of Monet's Garden Earrings!

How to Enter to Win:

(no purchase is necessary...)

1. The new owner of each item purchased from my shop, Wild Woman Jewelry on Etsy from #981 up to and including item #1000 will have their name entered three (3) times.

2. Follow this blog and let me know in the comments below to be entered one time.

3. Comment below and leave your email for contact to be entered one time.

4. Tweet this contest and let me know below to be entered one time.

5. Sign up for Wild Woman Newsletter (here on this blog) and let me know below to be entered one time.

6. Post this giveaway on your blog and link it to this post (don't forget to let me know!) to be entered one time.

Contest will be closed with my 1000th sale. A draw will be made from all entries and the winner will be notified promptly.

Thanks again to everyone and good luck!

xo karon

Joe's Diner

I'm a retro-mod kinda girl (today, anyway). What little amount of time I've devoted to creating designs in the last few weeks has resulted in several new pieces with a definite trend.

On an early July vacation in Maine, I visited the sweetest little vintage shops. The back room in the old house where one of them was located had been entirely 'decorated' with displays of 50's finds~ chome legged tables, vinyl chairs, colorful tableware and a wonderful collection of dial telephones in turquoise, red and other mod colors. I must say, my squeal of delight at the sight of them brought my husband running (I've been known to knock over entire displays poking among the bits and he was coming to my rescue...)

but, I digress... these phones and that time period are the inspiration for this latest 'bunch' of turquoise and reds. Enjoy!

Vespa Necklace


Joe's Diner

What's blooming today?

Early July is my favorite time in the garden~ everything is still fresh, full of fabulous color and simply gorgeous! Enjoy!

*******

~ sweet honeysuckle blooms by Esmerelda's house (she's our garden fairy!)

~pretty pale pink dahlias in the porch window boxes

~ deep pink Asiatic lilies that are at least 15 years old- I transplanted them this spring and thought they may need a year to recover, but, here they are!

~ wild orange daylilies are throughout my garden

~ the snow-on-the-mountain is past blooming, but I love the seed head left behind!

~ old fashioned pale yellow single hollyhocks, the perfect flower for a cottage garden

~ Brown-eyed Susans sew themselves everywhere!