DreamRiverDesigns, Featured HAF Artisan for April 4 through 11

Debbie Downs the creator and owner of Dream River Designs even though living on a small farm in Minnesota with husband and two children,  still finds time to do something she loves, designing jewelry.  Like many who work with metal, she realizes the beauty it has to offer and she revels in the fascination of working with it.  Doing Chain Maille is her specialty. But she makes earrings and pendants and also heirloom Rosaries.

Being brought up Catholic myself, I am very familiar with Rosaries, and I have to tell you they can be absolutely beautiful,  modes of prayer, and works of art.  I have one that is an heirloom from my great great grandmother which I cherish, and so have a special appreciation for those pieces.

Quality, Individual Design, Love of the Art, Debbie shows them all in her jewelry.  Here are just a few of her works that I found through her blog photos:

You can find more of her jewelry at http://handmadeartistsshop.com/DreamRiverDesigns

Three Brand New Additions

Blue Topaz Fine Silver and a touch of 24 kt. Gold

Fine Silver Mandala The Moon

PawPrint 

Visit http://handmadeartistsshop.com/baublezptoa

New Postings coming soon!!

Chainmaille By MBOI HAFTEAM Featured Artist for March 28 through April 3rd

Now this is perfection probably simple for Kim and Andrew to create but not to be fathomed by me, I can just sit back and enjoy it!

and it can alway get complicated I see.

And then there is Oh My!

Well there is more but you will have to go to http://chainmaillebymboi.com to see them.

As a member of HAF I must take the time to say that my experiences as part of the HAF team have been wonderful.  Every time I got in a jam and needed help sorting out a problem, Kim and Andrew were there to promptly offer help.  I think they both have their heart in this venture, and really care about Handmade, keeping it interesting, alive and available, and I think they are succeeding!

  I personally am proud to be in this group.

Thanks Kim and Andrew

HANDMADE ARTIST FORUM Blogging for LisianBlue Featured Artist for March 28th through April 3rd

I’ve decided that I live on the wrong side of the world!

Kris of Lisianblue says this about herself. How wonderful to admit it! And she makes great use of her lopsided sleep schedule from being on the wrong side of the world by making beautiful handmade Heirloom Collectible Ornaments, Bunnies, and even Valentines.

Obviously with an eye and hand for the delicate and beautiful, It has been a pleasure looking at her work. Those bunnies would even please a grown up baby too!

Couldn’t you just squeeze and squeeze?

Any of her ornaments would be a special addition to your collection.

http://lisianblue.artfire.com

Pause for Paws

Doing a series of pawprints with metal clay and I really wanted to post them.  But first I wanted to ask if anyone has ever had White Sangria?  I live in Saint Augustine Florida, and there is a restaurant here called Columbia House that will make it for you tableside.  They make the standard Red Sangria as well.  But my favorite is the white.  It is made from fresh fruit, lemons, limes, oranges, and the standard cherries, and is blended with a very good Champagne, an orange liquor and some sort of fruit brandy.  That seems to be a secret.  I wish I had a jug right now!

I wish I had some now……..

one of a series of paws

another in a series

baublezptoa

HAF Featured Artist for March 21 through 28 LTDBeads

“There’s still a box out in my garage, labeled “Joan’s Stones”. I collected them as a child − and started beading not long after, making rosaries for the missions”.


This is a quote of a lady after my own heart, beads and jewelry start out as a fascination for a lot of us from early on.  And I think that making jewelry is an expression of your personality in a lot of ways, it certainly is an expression of talent.  Joan has a boat load of talent and from what I hear from other HAF members a pleasant and helpful nature as well.  She has a great knowledge base on beads and gemstone that she shares with us on her website http://www.ltdbeads.com and she has an Artfire Shop at http://LTDBeads.artfire.com and an Etsy shop as well LTDBeads

I am proud to be featuring Joan, even as a Jewelry Artisan myself, I find my self coveting some of her jewelry!

Earrings and Pups

just a sampling

baublezptoa

mandarin garnets in a row




                                           baublezptoa

T.Rusk4U Handcrafted Jewelry for Every Woman

Teresa the creator of T.Rusk4u have a bevy of great things for the gals.  From totes to gift ideas to jewelry.

Teresa has that creative touch and from what I see, knows how to make those girly flattering things we ladies just love!

Like this one:

and

and

Such feminine and lovely things can be found at

http://www.etsy.com/shop/trusk4u

and

trusk4u at Winkelf

Violet has Shoes and Pretty Things that will make you Sing

Every woman loves the shoe in it’s many forms, may you be able to wear high heels for a long, long time.

The Artisan of the Week at Handmade Artists Forum for me is Violet,  or if you must have the whole name, Artshus by Violet.

Just the name Violet and just visiting her blog at http://artshushus.blogspot.com says a lot to me about the wonderful things she does and here are a few dotted about.

now how sweet can it be!!!!

And dear Violet, you can not be married to the best man in the world, because I am married to him!

I just love your blog,

Sincerely Mrs. Trueheart

Speaking Out for the Love of Animals and Best Friends

Pitbulls Can Be Loving in Spite of Humans

This is my title for an article on the Best Friends Sanctuary about a wonderful dog named Mini.  I won’t rephrase this article here,  but I hope you will click through this link and read about her.  http://network.bestfriends.org/campaigns/pitbulls/14503/news.aspx

  Here is Mini’s  picture, what a pretty girl!

She has a magnificent story to tell, and a heart warming one at that.

We all want to help and spread the word and make a change in the perception of humans toward animals.  We in turn benefit ourselves in that we learn how to give and receive love, and the impact of that.

Pitbulls are in particular beloved to me because I know many of them and had one as a close friend for all of her life, her name was June.

We need to understand that the type of creatures that live on this world are made “Bad” by us, and it is our responsibility to change that to “Good”.  It is our responsibility to make our animals safe, or either allow them to live in the environments that they are supposed to live their lives.

Where are our hearts?  I know that they are big enough to spread the love around, and help where it is needed!!

My Sweet June

Strong but not Mean