Welcome to February!

~Happy Groundhog Day~

Happy Groundhog Day! Here in Georgia our famous groundhog, General Lee, made his prediction this morning for an Early Spring! Punxsutawney Phil, the Pennsylvanian groundhog, also predicted an Early Spring this morning!

Personally I always wish for a prediction of 'early' spring. By this time every year I am so ready to once again dig in the dirt, plant and nurture seedlings and watch my garden grow.

Yesterday I saw Daffodil Leaves emerging from the ground, leaves already 3"-5" tall. Also there are little sprouts of bee balm, lemon balm and mint in my container garden! The sight was quite amazing considering the unusual freezing weather and highly unusual inches of snow this winter.




In anticipation of the arrival of Spring, I am working on new Jewelry pieces perfect for Spring; pieces that contain the Colors, the Magic of Springtime.

Spring, my favorite time of year! Song birds return filling the air with music! Leaves and buds sprout making 'spring green' the foremost color of the day. A Magical time of year. I hope that Magic is captured in my New Jewelry. Here are the first new items:

Springtime Bluebird Necklace Handmade


My Lucky Penny Charm Good Luck Necklace Handmade



Blue-Green Victorian Pendant Pearl Choker Necklace Handmade


Butterfly Rebirth of Spring Bracelet Handmade


Bird of Spring Cloisonne Necklace Handmade


Amethyst Jade Fluorite Angel Necklace Handmade



Spring will arrive at the right time. Until then I will be patient, make plans for my garden, create new Jewelry and enjoy the Magic of every day.

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." — Roald Dahl

Happy February! ~Gilannie~

A New Year ~ A Return to Magic ~

Happy New Year!!

Every once in a while I receive a reminder, usually in a dream, that I have become too busy, too serious, that I have forgotten there is *magic* in every day; if I will only slow down, I will certainly find that *magic* again. I love having those dreams, especially when they are strong enough to get the message through to me.

Every day *magic* is in the chirping of birds just outside a window, the love in a grandchild's eyes, the purr of a cat, the sound of children giggling, the colors in a sunrise or sunset, dark chocolate melting on one's tongue, the beauty of a snowflake, and so on. Very simple to find that *magic* every day if only one slows down!

I'm very excited to present new jewelry pieces that, I hope, capture some *magic*! Have you ever been to a large Zoo, Circus or Venue where they have the *magical machines* that press your coin into a large oval with a new design? Have you seen or felt the excitement a child feels watching that coin reemerge as something new & *magical*? I was very fortunate to find a vendor with a large variety of vintage elongated coins for sale, realizing they would be perfect for my jewelry!

How sweet for Valentine's Jewelry: Vintage elongated coins embossed with "I Love You" ~ "True Love Forever" ~ "Good For a Hug & a Kiss Anytime Anywhere"! Where did these coins come from: A young couple madly in love? A older couple still crazy in love after all these years? I hope these vintage coins bring *magic* from those moments into my jewelry!









Do you ever feel there is something *magical* in vintage items? What did this Key open: a room, a steam trunk, a studio, a magic box? I hope the key brings *magic* to this necklace!



With this return to *magic* I will utilize more vintage components in my jewelry, rather than try to create most of my own pendants and charms. This will also be a contribution to 'being green'!

Hope this New Year 2011 will be spectacular and full of *magic* for all of us!

"Oh, 'tis love, 'tis love that makes the world go round."-Lewis Carroll

Love and a good bit of *magic* ~ Gilannie

Peaceful Evening

Last evening, sitting out enjoying the quiet with dog.Zorra, we were visited by several deer. One deer appeared and started grazing. The deer looked over at me, my dog, and must have determined we were harmless.

I set up the camera function in my cell phone to take a picture in the evening light. It is not very clear, the deer is left of the raised gardens.




Within a few more minutes there were three deer grazing, perfectly happy to share the area with us!







And a short while later, three more deer joined the scene - six deer shared the evening! The cell phone camera photos are not great, but I knew if I left to get my Sony camera, the moment would be lost! The brown blurs are the six deer, peacefully grazing.



It was one of those magical evenings, quiet under the setting sun.