urchin love

A long time ago,

in a galaxy far,
far
away,

I was a child.

Okay, it was only about 30 years ago, but the galaxy was Ireland and you have to admit that Ireland in the 1970s is a whole other world from the outer ring of Washington, D.C., circa 21st century.

But I couldn't imagine a more wonderful place to be a child. As the only child to my parents I was the odd one in the family, but there was no safer place for a loner child to be alone. I spent hours and hours walking the shoreline, climbing the wreck, and collecting urchin shells by the score.

I don't know what it is about the husk of the urchin: the delicate, vulnerable shell, woefully unable to protect anything anymore. Perhaps it's the delicate shades of lavendar and sorrow urchin shells come to shore in, perhaps that's why I love lavendar. Perhaps it's their dichotomy - like a hen's egg they are both incredibly strong and incredibly fragile, their colour is the colour of soft chalk or tinted marshmallows, but their texture is rough and solid like an oyster's shell.

My urchin shells are still in storage from our move - carefully wrapped in tissue paper, packed in a cardboard tube and hiding from the light of day.

I don't feel so bad about that now, though, now that Ploust has entered my world. A few clicks away, at any time, I can find the joy of an urchin shell - I may not have the tactile pleasure of holding one, but I can look and remember. And perhaps one day, I'll unpack mine long enough to pack one off to another shore where it can be turned into a necklace just for me.

Enjoy!

Pretty Things

Dandelion Blu is discontinuing her sweet Graffiti Cocktail rings.

Me, I am not a cocktail ring kind of girl, although when I see things like this, I kind of want to be . . . . maybe if they were in purple . . . . .

Pretty Things

Since I don't have new goods to put up in my shop at the moment, I was going to spend my time looking out for practical, useful things that make life better.

Fortunately for you, I am easily distracted by baubles, so you get to look at some jewellery today.

Welcome, Keys & Memories:

Typewriter key jewellery, like scrabble tile jewellery, has reached new levels of pedantic, so I was delighted to find someone producing charming pieces that you might actually want to wear if you weren't a thirteen year old girl.

It pleases me that her pieces have finished backings and a jump ring large enough to put a proper chain onto. Beyond that, she offers filligree style rings and pendant settings.

If she lived any closer, I would barter warm winter wears for the rods from her typerwriters (they make great antenni!).

Enjoy!

share the love

I don't have anything new to share at the moment, so I'm going to point you in the direction of a fabulous frined - leslie brown. Her recycled wine bottle belt buckles (Who needs Betty Ford?) have been the standout hit of her fall season and her Acceptance Stars are a perennial holiday favourite.



Head on over and just possibly get a head start on stuffing stockings.

CEK Custom Designs - Original Jewellery for Original Beings

Discover more of Erica's work here and here

Beadside Myself - Just lovely

This is one of those occasions when I take the time to share someone whose work I actually posess/adore/get compliments on (pick your positive adjective) - Beadside myself. Of all the things you might see and think 'tarabu would like that' dragonflies and purple things are going to be near the top of that list, and she made me an adorable purple dragonfly beaded pendant, just because that was what I wanted! She also made me a lovely blue and clear floating bead necklace, that I wear whenever I can remember to, which is often enough to surprise me.

Some of her current collection can seen below, each image linking to the item's description:



She ships to Canada and the UK, and is quite flexible for custom work (hence, my dragonfly!)

Found On The Beach - Sea Glass and other treasures

In addition to fine jewellery, I am a fan of fun jewellery, and Found On the Beach definitely fulfills those desires. Chunky and simply, hands and throats, vintage upcycles and new compilations, all the offerings are sweet, fun, and just a tiny bit unisex (at least, my favourite pieces are!)

Okay, so I would not offer the green glass necklace to a male cousin, but those rings would look just as a happy on my right hand or his (although you might want to double-check that they are that adjustable)

The shop is also offering free gift wrapping - if you've just discovered your sig other, or mom or maiden aunt would really like to receive something this year, this is a great way to give a little something that says 'I was thinking, fondly, of you' without going into hock or buying one of forty-thousand of the same thing at malls all over the country!