How Perfectly Imperfect!

Is it June yet?

2009-05-26T19:03:00.004-04:00

Well Well Well...here I am again. May has been a month for the record books... and not in a good way. Without getting into any personal details, this month has easily beat out any other month in the history of my memory as far as family/friend epic catastrophes that test me and the people around me (who I love! Hang in there everyone.) Here are some roses that should bring the smiles.

Further investigating into this matter (aka bitching and moaning) has brought me to the conclusion that May 2009 was NOT a good month. So. That makes me feel better somehow. We are not alone. So if you would like to commiserate please leave a comment. If you are having a wonderful month, please don't. JUST KIDDING. Love you all, and I hope this is a good month, year, life, for everyone!

In other news, our garden is cranking out some delicious salads. We have been eating the spinach, arugula, lettuce, and endive regularly. I look forward to the carrots, onions, radishes, beans, and more!

Hope everyone is having a good week! (Seriously :) )

If I told you, you wouldn't believe me...

2009-05-07T14:17:00.000-04:00

So...we'll just skip all the nonsense and I say I was ABSURDLY BUSY for the last week. But I miss my blog friends! I haven't left you all - I am coming back! I'm here! And its VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY! My favorite day of the week! Make sure to swing on by Coloradolady's (Suzanne's) blog and see everyone's wonderful "Vintage Thingies!"

So for my grand return here is just a small bit of what I've been up to. I found this great little bistro set with matching laminate table. I knew it had some potential... but it was quite dirty and a little rusty in spots.

A fresh coat of paint and WOW! So Cute! It also must be said that I spent A LOT of time cleaning those cute little yellow seat cushions. Lets put it this way...they were brown/green when I got my hands on them. What a difference!

The perfect place to sit and waste away the summer days with a nice pitcher of lemonade... or lemonade and vodka if you were me :)

Hoboken Arts and Music Festival

2009-04-29T15:08:00.004-04:00

Can't believe its time for the Hoboken Arts and Music Festival again. For those of you in the area, it will be this Sunday from 11am-6pm on Washington St. between 1st and 7th Street.

They will have over 300 Photographers, Artists, Crafters, & Food...including us! Michelangela's booth will be right in front of our store at 330 Washington St. :)

I have so many new pieces of furniture that I am really excited about ... also we will be making up unique Mother's Day Gift Baskets. You should come by or send friends! I hope the weather hold up! :)

Hope to see you there!!!

April Showers...

2009-04-24T15:03:00.000-04:00

Bring May Flowers... and at last we have some SUNSHINE to enjoy them all! So excited for this weekend, we should have beautiful weather at last :)

Anyway, here are a few shots of our tulips and other flowers kissed with raindrops. I took these earlier in the week. :)

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Vintage Thingie Thursday!

2009-04-23T13:34:00.005-04:00

So here we are ... Vintage Thingie Thursday again. These weeks are really flying by... now only if the weather would get warmer! Make sure to stop by Suzanne's Blog Colorado Lady to see all the wonderful weekly vintage thingies. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!

Last week I showed off my half finished vanity, and since it is finished and now in the window... I though I would do an update...and also show off some Vintage Vanity Accessories this Thursday.

Here is the detail from the top of the vanity... sorry I couldn't get a brighter picture.

This is a great vintage tri-fold mirror. Its perfect to turn a small little desk into a vanity area.
Up close it has all the wonderful age spots of a truly old piece:)

Here you can see the wood back - which might be my favorite part!

This is a great little hand vanity mirror. Very Art Deco I think :)

I love the beveled glass and sweet little detailing on the top!

And here is the back! Also very pretty and ornate!

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday Everyone!

Our new and improved Garden :)

2009-04-22T07:55:00.000-04:00

At least all this rain is good for something! Here is our little garden, growing away thanks to Jordan's hard work.

We have plans to move this summer, so we couldn't wait till Memorial Day to plant the typical Jersey Tomato and Basil garden (mmmmmmm) So what you see here are some cold weather plants that do well in early Spring, and can be harvested before we have to go! We have planted (so far): broccoli rabe, cabbage, arugula, onions, spinach, lettuce, carrots, celery, and peas! Lots of leafy greens coming up for us! We are also starting some flowers and some radishes on the kitchen table :)

My Lavender is already coming back strong from last year!

Broccoli Rabe!

Cabbage

Carrotts

And lastly celery!

Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" Necklace Finished!

2009-04-21T14:19:00.005-04:00

Well here she is! Finished at last. I really put a lot of time into this one, but I adore the outcome. The art bead is strung with freshwater pearls, rose quartz, a glass art bead from Greece, Greek ceramic beads, white coral, pink coral, Czech glass beads, and some glass turquoise seed beads. Make sure to check out the Art Bead Scene to see all the other beautiful pieces entered for this month's challenge.

Here is a detail. Who did the shell better... me or Botticelli? Ha ha, yea, don't answer that :) Even though I can't compare to great Renaissance masters, I'm very happy with the outcome of my copper patina finish!

Vintage Thingie Thursday!

2009-04-15T19:32:00.009-04:00

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday Everyone! Please go over to Coloradoladys Blog to see more fabulous finds by Vintage Thingie Lovers from everywhere in Blogland! :) You'll make new friends - I promise!

Yikes! A whole week has gone by! That is pretty incredible!!! I'm running around like a madwoman trying to get all packed up for the weekend... I'm heading to Baltimore for my college reunion. I must say... I really need a break. So in honor of my girls weekend coming up ... this week's VTT will be some girly stuff!

Everyone needs at least a couple ( I have like a dozen ) super girly, beaded vintage evening bags...which I never use. But I must have them. I have more at home...but here are a few I have for sale in the store. The blue one is really adorable...come to think of it... do I have a blue one? :)

And what, I ask you, is more girly than a vanity? This pieces was a mess when I got it in, and now of course is the most talked about piece in the store! I'm really excited about how its looking. I will need to do an update shot for next week.

For now, just try to visualize this vanity mirror floating above the vanity...and of course ignore the paint cans and drop cloth. Gotta love the creative process!

Have a wonderful Thursday! Filled with Vintage Love!

Cherry Blossoms! Is Spring here?

2009-04-15T19:01:00.005-04:00

So I am going to ignore the fact that I'm pretty sure we had a slushy-freezing-rain-type shower this morning and blog about something much more wonderful - CHERRY BLOSSOMS!

Branch Brook Park in delightful Newark, NJ is famous for its Cherry Blossoms...and they are in full bloom! Jordan and I were able to stop by on Sunday before going to my Aunt's House for Easter.
I just love trees with branches like these. They remind me of some of the shots I took in Hawaii!

Enjoy!

Easter Greetings #1

2009-04-12T05:45:00.000-04:00

Hello Friends and Happy Easter!

I write "Easter Greetings #1" because I am lucky enough to celebrate Easter twice. My mother raised her children Roman Catholic, but my father and his side of the family are Greek Orthodox. We will be celebrating Greek Orthodox Easter next Sunday :)

These are not Easter lilies. They are beautiful Irises from my sweet boyfriend Jordan. I thought they were appropriate images for Easter Sunday. I also loved this poem I found, "The Easter Flower," by Claude McKay.

The Easter Flower

by Claude McKay

Far from this foreign Easter damp and chilly
My soul steals to a pear-shaped plot of ground,
Where gleamed the lilac-tinted Easter lily
Soft-scented in the air for yards around;

Alone, without a hint of guardian leaf!
Just like a fragile bell of silver rime,
It burst the tomb for freedom sweet and brief
In the young pregnant year at Eastertime;

And many thought it was a sacred sign,
And some called it the resurrection flower;
And I, a pagan, worshiped at its shrine,

Yielding my heart unto its perfumed power.

I think I like this poem so much beacuse reveals the beauty of Easter to people of all religions, through a simple, lovely flower. I do not consider myself a practicing Catholic anymore, but like the "pagan" author of the poem, I too appreciate the sacred, perfumed wonder of the Easter Lily. It is also easy to recognize the comparisons to Christ in the usage of the words; tomb, worship, and ressurection.

Happy Easter! Especially to my sister in Hawaii - Alexis we will miss you today!

Boticelli Art Bead Finished

2009-04-10T15:11:00.000-04:00

So I soldered the art bead together and I must admit...I really love it! This piece is really special so far. The floating flowers are a perfect match :)

Now 100% lead free solder has posed a problem for me in the past. It doesnt take on copper patina well! And I LOVE the look of the copper patina. So its time to turn lemons into lemonade!!! Since I am such a lover of antiquity I give the soldered seams a look of aged copper!

I use three acylic paints to achieve the effect. A dark green/teal, a light green/teal, and a copper color. The finished product gives the look of aged metal and I like it better this way! I seal the seams with clear nail polish so there is no clothing color transfer :)

Interested in entering a piece? Do it!!!! Click here to visit the Art Bead Scene :)

Vintage Thingie Thursday!

2009-04-09T03:45:00.001-04:00

Yay! Its Vintage Thingie Thursday over at ColoradoLady's Blog. Make sure you skip over there for awhile to check out all the fun neat stuff everyone is posting :)

This week I am showing you my vintage hat pin collection. I can't say I collected too many of these. They were a gift from my Godmother Demetria. They were originally her Mother in laws.

Arn't they all so perfect?

These are my favorite! I love the Greek/Roman coin one (of course!) and the small locket one.

Inside the locket is what looks like a tiny Virgin Mary. So Cute!

I even adore the sweet little pin cushion they are displayed on!

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday Everyone!

New Goddess Intro! Hygeia for Autism

2009-04-07T13:35:00.000-04:00

Thats right, Hygeia is my new Goddess Collection! Hygeia is a lesser known Goddess, but once you see the pieces I have in her collection, you will see why I chose her.

Hygeia is the Goddess of Health and Healing. She was the daughter of Asclepius who was the God of Medicine and Healing. Her mother was Epione, the Goddess of soothing of pain. The painting above you can easily recognize as the work of Gustav Klimt. In both the statue and the painting Hygeia is pictured with a snake. She is often holding a medicine bowl (patera) as well from which the snake is feeding. Serpents are often used as symbols of healing and medicine as with Mercury's double serpent caduceus, which was adopted by the Medical Department of the United States Army and other medical related organizations.

A prescription from Hygeia would be homeopathic in nature. She would most likely prescribe a healthy diet, rest, and cleanliness. She brought about the concept of bathing patients. She believed in being disease free life through preventative measures, rather than waiting for symptoms to show. Her significance placed on the cleansing of the body is where we get the word hygiene from.

I have used Hygeia’s collection as a space for my Autism Awareness Necklace and Earrings. In the future I hope to create more pieces that can benefit causes of this nature, through both charity and awareness.

Autism is a condition that I'm sure has touched everyone's life, or that of someone you know and love. I am fortunate to know so many people who help... and they have inspired me to do the same. Special thanks to Alaina and Samantha who work with Autistic and special needs children on a daily basis and truly make a difference. Love you guys!

25% of the money from any pieces I sell will go directly to Autism Research. Also... did you know that April is Autism Awareness Month? Spread the word! The new category has been added to my website, but if you prefer...you can buy through my Etsy site.

Art Bead Scene - Monthly Challenge

2009-04-06T14:57:00.009-04:00

Well I've decided to add to the suspense of the new Goddess and not "release" her until tomorrow...hehe.

In the meantime the Art Bead Scene's Monthly challenge for April is Botticelli Birth of Venus. I absolutely adore this painting for two reasons. First off - - Its a mythology painting! Venus was said to have been born sprung from the foam of the ocean. Other myths say she was born from a seashell. Either way, Botticelli has done a fine job of representing Venus (Aphrodite to the Greeks). This image is probably one of the most recognized paintings in the history of Art. The other reason I love this painting, is because when I was an art history major in college I was able to see this piece when I was studying in Florence. It is a very large painting (over five feet tall) and you can see all the beautiful detail Botticelli includes in his rendering of fabrics and foliage. This painting truly combines my love of art and mythology. Though I must admit, his Primavera is what really gets me weak in the knees.

Since it brought back so many wonderful memories, I got right on it. I decided to sketch the shell till I came up with a form that I liked. I then set about to make a stained glass pendant. Here are the glass pieces after they were cut and grinded. As you can see two "panels" of the shell are clear glass so that I could collage something inside the glass.

After fooling around with some dried flowers and lavender (too big, too messy) I decided to paint my own pattern. I took some simple collage paper and very lightly and loosely drew pretty little pink flowers, much like the ones that float magically in the painting.

Well that's as far as I got today. I will have to solder tomorrow... I also have some plans for Zephyr (God of the Wind), Aura (Goddess of Breezes), and Horae (Goddess of the Seasons) who are also in the painting. They will play lesser roles in the necklace but are not forgotten :)

Hope its not raining where you are! :(

A Goddess Intro

2009-04-05T14:51:00.006-04:00

If you have been to my jewelry website, then you already know... I am in love with Greek Mythology! I am introducing a new Goddess to my collections this week. I hope to have her up by Monday or Tuesday the latest.

But first I thought it would be nice to introduce you to the Goddesses formally :)

Athena was the goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, and artisans. Athena invented the flute, the trumpet, the chariot, and the ship. She also taught women's arts such as cooking and weaving. Zeus, King of the Gods, was her father. Her mother was one of Zeus’ many affairs that bore offspring.

Roman Name: Minerva

Athena was a very important Goddess to the Greeks. Named after the great city of Athens, Athena was the city’s protector. Her symbols included the olive branch, the owl and sometimes the snake. In making pieces for the Athena collection I have tried to convey both her strength and artistic skill.

Demeter was the Goddess of the Harvest and agriculture. She was the patron of farmers, and the goddess of everything green; trees, grass, gardens, and crops alike. She had given man the gift of wheat and showed them how to sow their fields.

Roman Name: Ceres

Artemis was the Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. Her twin brother Apollo was God of the Sun. Artemis was one of the Virgin Goddesses and she was a patron of unmarried women and childbirth.

Roman Name: Diana

She was athletic, beautiful and deadly with a bow. The Greeks loved her for her protection of wild animals. Her symbols are all wild animals, which is why I incorporate many feathers into her jewelry. Also the moon and the stag represent Artemis.

Aphrodite was the Goddess of Love and beauty. Legend has said that Aphrodite was born sprung from the ocean foam near the Greek island of Cythera. The name Aphrodite means, "foam – risen." She was married to the unsightly Hephaestus, god of the forge. However Aphrodite was rarely faithful to her husband, as she was known to take a great deal of lovers, both immortal and mortal. One of her more famous offspring is the little winged Eros (or Cupid), the archer of love.

Roman Name: Venus

The pieces in the Aphrodite collection incorporate her connection to the sea. I use many seashells, pearls, and corals into the pieces. I have also incorporated lava in her pieces, which have a connection to her husband Hephaestus, God of the forge.

Hera was Queen of the Gods and wife (and sister) of Zeus. She was the goddess of Childbirth and Married Women as well as the Home. She was considered a jealous goddess, which is no surprise given the number of other lovers her husband had.

Roman Name: Juno

Her symbols included the pomegranate, which was a symbol of fertility and also the peacock. I have incorporated evil eye jewelry into her collection as well as real peacock feathers.

Thetis was a very beautiful sea nymph. Thetis was prophesied to have a son that would become more powerful than his father. Once this had spread through Olympus she was no longer desirable, despite her stunning beauty. Zeus had even tried to court her but ceased because of this prediction. At last Thetis married the mortal Peleus and gave birth to the mighty warrior Achilles.

Since Achilles was the son of a mortal, Thetis tried to make him immortal by dipping him into the River Styx. She held him by his heel and thus his heel became the only mortal part of his body. This is where we get the phrase "Achilles' Heel" today. Achilles was only defeated in the Trojan War when he was hit in his heel by a poison tipped arrow.

So now that you have met all my wonderful Goddess inspirations! I will introduce you to our new Goddess tomorrow!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend friends!

Giveaway Friday!

2009-04-03T15:49:00.005-04:00

Well it looks like there are lots of fun giveaways out there right now! I just had to share :)

This adorable nest from Barbara over at "Treasures from the Heart" is making me smile on this dreary, rainy day. I have to keep reminding myself... "April Showers Bring May Flowers!" Make sure to enter and say hi! If you havn't been to Barb's blog before you should look around, its lovely!

And over at Chocolate and Steel there is yet another giveaway! If you havn't been to Christine's Etsy shop you have to check it out! She has these awesome Barack Obama charms! Really unique stuff everywhere you look! I had to pick my favorite piece and I actually chose this one, even though normally I don't go for hearts! ...But isn't it perfect?

Have a Great Weekend!

Vintage Thingie Thursday!

2009-04-02T12:45:00.008-04:00

Well this is my first Thursday participating in

Vintage Thingie Thursday from ColoradoLady!

Please visit her blog for a complete list of participating blogs. I've been peeking for a couple of weeks now and finally decided it was about time I participate! :) Lots of great goodies to look at!

Here is my Vintage Thingie! A beautiful Vintage Suitcase by American Tourister!

I found this just a few weeks ago and knew I had to have it! This inside is PERFECT!

Is it weird that I'm kind of planning on using this for my next weekend getaway?! :)

The fabric is very pretty too! I love everything about it :)

But the best party has to be the key! Yes! It still had the key- and it looks like this :)

Plus it had a "St. Ann Pray for us" little sterling charm keychain that needs to be shined up. I will admit it was worth every dollar, all FIVE of them :) What a steal!

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday!

My new favorite piece!

2009-03-31T15:54:00.002-04:00

Right now in the store we have two really sweet little couches. The upholstery is perfect and original. They look like the plastic coating was taken off yesterday (you know it probably was).

Well now they get to brighten up the store! Aren't they lovely! Would love to take these home with me. Maybe because the beautiful floral reminds me of Spring! I think I'm going to put one in the Easter Window :)

Spring time Ear Wear!

2009-03-30T14:17:00.000-04:00

Like everyone in blogland I just can't stop thinking about SPRING! And summer too I suppose. Anyway here are a few new earrings I made today. I already know these gold coral stick earrings are part of my new "uniform" (the outfit I will wear everyday this summer...i.e. sundress, flip flops, these earrings, and a flower in my hair) Anyway, they are on 14k gold fill chain, and have small sawarovski crystals and seed beads at the top. Hopefully my camera and I will be friends today and I will get up better pictures of these.

Remember these little guys? The lovely shell clusters I picked up in Hawaii? Well here is my first creation. Sweet little spring time earrings. I used hoops made of metallic seed beads to join them together. They look like little flowers! Oh wait - that gives me more ideas! Good thing I bought I bunch of them....back to creating!

Happy Monday! :)

Shabby Chic Color!

2009-03-27T16:31:00.008-04:00

Well here is a new addition to the store. I'm thinking its a great piece to hold all the new beads I am going to carry. Here are a few shots to show you how we came up with the end product.
As you can see... the piece is pretty ugly in the before shots. I never painted any furniture blue...and I was inspired to do so with spring coming up. Blue and white remind me of the ocean and of course - GREECE and the Greek Islands. :)

First coat was a nice deep color of blue...almost navy. Painting cabinets always takes forever since you have to paint the inside and all the shelves... but I finished at last.

The last coat is a white white, and its brushed on as quickly as possible with the driest brush possible. I just finished this up and need to wait a day or so to really give it that great distressed look. So I will have to post those pictures when shes all ready.

Don't you just love these white porcelain rose knobs? I didn't have enough to sell, but they are the perfect finishing touch to this cabinet!!! :)

A Perfectly Imperfect Sunset!

2009-03-27T08:11:00.000-04:00

Who says there can't be beauty in Jersey City. . .

Here the sun sets on another day in Jersey city over the Hackensack River, the City of Newark, the Hess oil refinery, the power lines, and Newark airport (can you see the jet taking off above the tree?)

A sunset is a sunset! Always beautiful :)

Use the Muse Entries and Winners!

2009-03-26T16:18:00.011-04:00

Hello Friends! Sorry I have not been blogging as much as usual. A wonderful friend of mine's father passed away this past week. It was a heartbreaking couple of days. I'm sure all of our prayers are with her during this very difficult time.

On a brighter note, the Use the Muse Contest has been revealed and judged. You can click here to see all the FANTASTIC entries and the winners. My piece did not receive a prize this time around, but its no wonder! These women created some beautiful and stunning pieces. I really enjoyed participating in this contest and would do it again for sure!!!

So this is my piece! I named it Flora and Zephyr :)

When I first received my “Use the Muse” contest kit, I couldn't help but think of romance! In Greek mythology, Zephyr was the God of the winds and Flora was a Goddess of flowers and all things that grow. I wanted the piece to look both windswept and vine-like. The vintage watch face hold a small image of the lovers from an Italian painting by Jacopo Amigoni. The stained glass focal point (which holds the lovely muse) is made of two colors of stained glass and 100% lead free solder which I covered with gold leaf to make it match the muse and the rest of the piece. I must admit that wearing it would make anybody feel swept up in a whirlwind romance!

Have a good one! I'm off to troll though all of your blogs now to see what you've been up to this week! :)

The Mati Anklets have arrived!

2009-03-21T08:30:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago I showed you my plans to make several Mati anklets. They have come out more fun that I thought! I am really excited to wear these in the summer. I hope to get them up to my website in the next few days. :)

This one is more of a classic blue and white Mati combo. I used freshwater pearls, glass seed beads, and swarovski crystal.

This one is definitely more my style! I love black and gold. The glass beads are hand painted with tiny evil eyes and a splash of coral paint. There is also a lot of gold detailing on the bead that you can see if you enlarge it. I also included black onyx, swarovski crystal, and glass seed beads.

Well this one is all ready for Spring! Spring Mati :) I used various freshwater pearls in beautiful greens and peacock colors, swarovski crystal, and two colors of Mati beads (green and pink). I also used a bead cap on the center eye.

Well its still 30 degrees here! I hope all my wishing and hoping pays off soon! Come on Demeter, bring on the Spring!!!

SALE! SALE! SALE!

2009-03-20T16:35:00.009-04:00

I think that about sums it up! Michelangela is having a HUGE Spring Cleaning Furniture Sale!!! Hurry in this weekend to get the best selection! Many pieces are marked down up to 50% off!

Oh yes! And Happy Spring!

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." ~Charles Dickens

Those of you in the area know that it was SNOWING this morning....SNOWING! And now the sun is shining! Crazy March Weather!

Hope to see you this weekend! If I don't see you, I hope you have a wonderful first day of Spring!

"Use the Muse" Contest

2009-03-18T14:22:00.006-04:00

Well I have entered my submission for the "Use the Muse" contest that was being held by The Beader's Muse. This is the first time I have ever entered any pieces for submission. Usually I'm intimidated but Scarlett really made this contest easy to enter. First we bought a kit of beads to use including a specific component dubbed "The Muse." You could use as many or as little of all the beads in the kit, plus you could add your own...but you HAD to use the muse.

The contest was really a lot of fun and I look forward to future contests. Even though they have received all entries they have not yet had "The Big Reveal." This is when every one's pieces and descriptions will be up on the site and everyone will know at once what the muse was. For that reason I cant post any pictures at this time. I would post a teaser...but my main computer is still down so you will have to wait! I can tell you that in addition to the beads I received I added freshwater pearls. I also named the piece Flora and Zephyr. Flora is the goddess of Spring, flowers, and blossoming and Zephyr was the God of the winds. More on that myth when I can show you some images!

*I borrowed these images from Scarlett over at the Beader's Muse - Please visit and check out the contest! I will let you know when its time to check out THE BIG REVEAL!

Wow! She's on a roll!

2009-03-17T13:44:00.002-04:00

Girlfriend over at Chocolate and Steel is having ANOTHER giveaway! Thanks Christine!!!! Maybe I can channel the "Luck o the Irish" on this one :)

Check it Out!

Stained Glass Tulips

2009-03-17T12:41:00.007-04:00

As I was walking out the door to work today I noticed how perfectly the light was hitting the tulips sitting on my kitchen table. The light filled each flower and made it glow like a stained glass window. The pictures were difficult to take with the lens facing the light... but I think they came out pretty good.

I'm definitely ready now for Spring with my bouquet of colored gems! Jordan gave me these :)

On a sad note, my primary (work) computer has crashed. We are working on it. So for now blogs...pictures...jewelry... all may be delayed without access to my computer and digital camera. My boyfriend was nice enough to let me borrow his laptop today. . . but I don't think I will be downloading pictures on to it, etc.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

They're Magnetic!

2009-03-15T08:22:00.001-04:00

...and beautiful too. As you can see I'm still feeling the Hawaiian spirit and sat down and made a few fun magnets today. I had a bunch of pre-cut flowers leftover from Christmas party invitations (as you can see - these werent exactly Christmas colors). I'm still brainstorming on exactly what I will do with them...but I am thinking a message board of sorts.

These were so easy to make and really illustrates why I love my glue gun so much ;) The little round black stones are lava, and make the magnets easy to pick up even though the flowers are paper.

Have a good Sunday!

Hawaiin Goodies!

2009-03-14T14:05:00.006-04:00

Vacation or not I'm always on the hunt for priceless junk. As many of you know, being a pack rat is simply a way of life. Here are some of the goodies I added to my nest of treasures. Above is my favorite find... Vintage Hawaiian Milk Caps. I love these! They even have palm trees on them! I thought this was a great find because I also bought them in Hilo at a great little antique shop. So these are a souvenir as well as something I can play with later.

I also found these stamps at the same shop. A little poking around online tells me that they are also from the Big Island, (which name is Hawaii actually). Apparently the "City of Refuge" at the bottom of the stamp refers to the fact that the city the park was in was originally a sactuary for tabboo-breakers and war refugees. The city is on the Kona side of the island (we didnt make it over there this time) and its called Puuhonua 0 Honaunau. It became a national park in 1961 and the stamps were issued in 1972. I think they'll make great pendant necklaces ... and look~ the shell beads I bought match them too.

Here are more shell beads that I picked up. I liked how the tiny seashells had been made into little loops of shells. Perfect for springtime and summer earrings. I also loved these seasehll pendants. I'll be showing you what I come up with soon :)

This small seashell dish was also in an antique store. I just had to have it. Its adorable and looks great on my dresser. It will always remind me of my trip to The big Island of Hawaii with my Sistah! Alexis also found the "A" pin in a secondhand shop and I can't wait to make a necklace for her out of it :)

Back on Oahu I found another vintage shop that had these great vintage pin and earrings sets. The were from an old jewelry shop that went out of business in the late 60s. The stones are pink coral and peridot and I can't wait to transform them into a necklace and earring set. :)

So there you have it.. a peek at my new found treasures! yay!

Have a great weekend!

Giveaway at Chocolate and Steel!

2009-03-11T13:56:00.002-04:00

This is one you will definitely want to win! A beautiful ring from Chocolate and Steel. I just discovered her blog today. Word has gotten around! You must check it out and her beautiful Etsy shop too :)

Back to the East Cost

2009-03-11T12:25:00.007-04:00

Well Hello Strangers! I'm back at last. I know I said I would blog out there....but there's something about vacation...(or tequila?)...I couldn't seem to get any work done! ... Anyway no need to get into details hehehe. ;)

But it was a great vacation even though it rained everyday! argh! That's ok because we really got a lot done including some great hikes. We also flew to the Big Island and hiked around Volcano National Park. That was definitely the best part of the trip, seeing an erupting volcano is truly an experience of a lifetime!

Here are a few photos I took while I was out there. I also became really inspired for some other projects I'll tell you about soon! Above is a picture of the waves crashing on new land (lava rocks) on the Big Island. This spot was the farthest point east of the Hawaiian Island chain and has "the freshest air in the world" according to scientists!

This is a lava bath in Kiluea Crater where we embarked on a 5 mile hike. We walked around the crater and then down into it and across the lava (which is not hot obviously) It was crazy!

I also hiked up Diamond Head right outside of Waikiki. This is the view from the top.

This is Rainbow Falls in Hilo, the Big Island. If you come in the morning at sunrise, there is supposed to be a rainbow over the falls. We missed the rainbow but the falls were still incredible!

Well I guess its back to reality! Nice to see you all again :)

And I'm on my way!

2009-02-27T07:42:00.000-05:00

Well I have packed everything up and am ready for my vacation. Good Bye East Coast! I apologize in advance for the "Wintery Mix" predicted for this weekend. I will not mind missing this one. Since my flight leaves in just a few short hours (yay!) I leave you all with a few photos I took last time I was in Hawaii. Above is a Banyan Tree. These trees are so vast, peaceful, and beautiful. I think I may try for a Banyan tree stained glass window when I return. (if I return?)

Also to my Hoboken Customers. Michelangela is OPEN for business while I am gone. I am lucky enough to have great friends and family who offered to help me out. Thanks guys! The only day we might be closed is Sunday March 8th. But I can keep you all posted.

This is Diamondhead in Waikiki...Alexis lives very close to its beaches and I think she surfs somewhere off its beautiful shores. :)

Hanuma Bay where we went snorkeling! Snorkeling is my favorite underwater activity :) We even saw sea turtles!!!

ALOHA!

To protect your Achilles Heel!

2009-02-26T08:15:00.001-05:00

I have a bunch of new projects in the works, (as always...why finish something when you can start something new? hehe.) One of them is to create a few beautiful Mati anklets for a family member. The Greeks love their Mati ;) I'm really excited because I got new lamp work beads and hand painted beads in and they are stunning in all the different colors.

The Mati bead is a Greek symbol of protection. It is more commonly known as the "evil eye." It is meant to protect you from evil spirits, usually associated with jealousy. So thats why my blog title is to "Protect your Achilles Heel" since its a mati ( for protection) anklet. hehe. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who enjoys my mythology humor. You can read more about the evil eye on my website here.

Here are some of the ideas I came up with for Annie. I know I will be making one for myself too!

Off to Beautiful Hawaii in just one day! Here is a sunset I took last summer at the North Shore.

Aloha Indeed!

2009-02-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

I'm counting down the days till I visit my sister in Hawaii. I leave Friday and I haven’t packed yet!!! :) We are hoping to have a small jewelry party there with some of her friends. I think these earrings embody the Aloha spirit! I will definitely post blogs while I'm there. I’m sure I will have a lot to share. We have a trip planned to the big island and I just LOVE Lava beads. The Turquoise earrings are made of chalk turquoise and bone beads, and the other ones are mother of pearl, fresh water peacock pearls, and cute little pink seed beads. The mother of pearl ones will be hard to give away (or sell!) They will look so good with a cute summer sundress!

Here is a picture of beautiful flowers from the last time I visited the ALOHA state!

The Armoire is ready for a new home!

2009-02-24T15:46:00.005-05:00

The armoire is finished at last. That last coat is time consuming, and potentially lethal (fumes) but is usually well worth it. Just look at all the wonderful detail it helped bring out in the carvings and the feet. I also couldn't get a great shot of them...but the handles have this wonderful natural aged patina to them.
Here are some new goodies to decorate the top. I LOVE busts so we always have some in the store...I also love the new Mercury Glass Frames from J. Devlin Glass Art. ...But my absolute favorite are those antique fabric stamps are new and they are FABULOUS. I will probably dedicate an entire post to them soon. They are just amazing, and each one is different! I didnt order these from a catalog, I bought them from an importer. They are handmade one-of-a-kind pieces of art...and you can use them! I just adore them and already have several decorating my home and studio! :)

Its the end of an Era

2009-02-22T13:37:00.004-05:00

Well I have a sad post today. Today my trusty glue gun died. It was very sad. I have had this glue gun FOREVER. I mean it... I did some calculating...and its been 15 YEARS that I've had it. She did my middle school and high school projects....and even came to college with me. (where it hemmed a few pairs of pants to be honest with ya!) Its also been the only one I've ever had...and its one of those tiny little dinky ones...but for some reason I never had the desire to upgrade.

Well now I was forced to purchase a new one. I could have replaced my old one for a hot $2.99 but thought maybe now would be the time to upgrade. I decided on this bad boy for $6.99 at Michaels, which becomes a steal when you bring your 40% off coupon. I must admit, the "precision nozzle" is very nice for tight spaces (like the back of pendants and inside curly seashells.) Let's see if this one lasts 15 years.

Update: Spent yesterday and today putting the stain coat on the Armoire. I'll post more pictures when its dry and I have the hardware back on!!

Happy Sunday!

Mary Harding Jewelry Bead Blog gave me the LOVE BLOG'S AWARD

2009-02-21T11:34:00.009-05:00

I had a nice surprise waiting for me in my mailbox box this morning. Mary from Mary Harding Jewelry Bead Blog gave me the Love Blog's Award. I'm pretty new to blog land and I thought this was very sweet of her. You must check out her page, her creations are so inspiring. Her sweet ceramic heart pendants are adorable.

So thank you Mary! You have made working this weekend a little bit better :)

Now I get to pass the award on - which is very exciting too.

I'm told the award should go
" to people-like anyone of my bloggy

friends out there-who take the time to
leave a comment, or a word of encouragement.
Or the one I love the most, a compliment on
something that I created and shared with my
friends. You all make me feel so special. "

And you guys do make me feel pretty special :) Thank you for all of your thoughtful and encouraging words! You are all so sweet.

There are some rules that go along
with this award:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.

3. Nominate 5 blogs.

4. Put links to their blogs.

5. Leave a message for your nominees.

Here is my list:

Andrea at Everyday Beauty
Tammy's Treasure Chest
Carolina Gonzalez of the Digital Rose and Gypsy Deluxe
Dawn at The Feathered Nest
Marcie at The Rustic Victorian

Yay! It feels wonderful to pass this along and let all these people know I appreciate what they do. Please visit them all, they are all different, all beautiful.

New Transformations

2009-02-20T13:31:00.008-05:00

Everyone loves this armoire. Its a great size and has such a sense of charm. It was in beautiful condition when we got it in, just needed a little tune up. It's currently going through the Michelangela finishing process :) and it already looks great. I just finished a second coat and I cant wait to put on the top coat. Its a stain coat that brings out all the wonderful brushstorkes, highlights, carvings and curves of the piece.

These pieces are great because even though they are old they are so versatile. People walk into my store and ask for "Entertainment Centers" all the time. Obviously there weren't many around before TVs took over the world. The armoire is a great compromise. The furniture has character, adds to the uniqueness of your home, and hides the ugly tv in the bedroom or living room. :)

Happy Friday! I'm going to the Metropolitan Opera tonight. We will be seeing Verdi's Il Travatore :) I'll tell you about it tomorrow!

Seashells and Copper

2009-02-19T18:50:00.006-05:00

Here is a new set I made today. Its very earthtone and the leather cord kind of adds to the natural look of the piece. The shell is from Long Beach Island :) ...though I'm not sure what kind of shell it is. The rest of the beads are jasper and copper coils I made and flattened a bit.

The shape of the pendant reminds me of a bull! Could this be a minotaur piece? ;)

Time-worn Interiors - 100th Post Giveaway!

2009-02-19T13:47:00.003-05:00

Theresa over at Time-worn Interiors is having a giveaway! Its her 100th post and if you have time to poke around you will just adore her blog :) It is a place filled with the perfectly imperfect things we love :) Can you imagine anything more perfect than a small ironstone pitcher with a stain and a crack? Beautiful! Also her December 30th post has some beautiful images of her own home! So many wonderful and special items. Congratulations and Good Luck to Theresa!

Winter, Winter Go Away!

2009-02-18T15:31:00.010-05:00

I don't know about you but I am tired, tired of this Winter nonsense! When I heard it was going to snow today it just put me over the edge. I decided to use all my jewelry making powers to evoke the Godesses of Spring. Demeter, Demeter where are you? When will Persephone return? If you have no idea what I am talking about, here is a quick lesson in Greek Mythology.

Demeter was the Goddess of the Harvest and agriculture. She was the patron of farmers, and the goddess of everything green; trees, grass, gardens, and crops alike. She had given man the gift of wheat and showed them how to sow their fields.

Demeter had a daughter named Persephone who was kidnapped by Hades, the God of the underworld. While Demeter roamed the earth searching for her daughter she became so depressed that she let nothing grow for six months and man was introduced to Winter. When her daughter returned Demeter rejoiced and the earth began to grow again. This is why Demeter is also the Goddess of the Seasons.

Anyway, I found these great glass beads at the craft store today and decided I must have them. They reminded me of seaglass, summer, margaritas,...and everything else wonderful that comes with sunshine! So I began digging through my rather extensive seashell collection and started creating.

I have SO MANY SEASHELLS and I love them all...big, small, and broken. Anytime I am at the beach you can find me pouring over the sand looking for little treasures of the sea. Many of these seashells were collected in Long Beach Island, NJ. I spent all my summers as a kid there and still go back every year.

These pendants came out great...I actually found these shells on Sanibel Island Florida...over 10 years ago! (Just to give you an idea of what kind of packrat I am) But here they are...I knew all along they had a greater purpose in life. Im thinking about just hanging these on sterling silver chains since they showcase the shells so perfectly. I want them to be the star of the show!

I'm visiting my sister in Hawaii in just nine days! I'm planning on bringing lots of jewelry with me so we can have a little cocktail jewelry party. I can just picture Alexis in these while sipping Mai Tais at Duke's Canoe Club!

These were fun to make. The sand dollars were very delicate but by gluing two of them back to back they are pretty substantial. The green glass beads remind me of seaglass too.

Here are a few more pendants I made today. Again, can you tell I'm over Winter? These came out great and I cant wait to play around with the rest of the necklace. These pieces have a little bit of everything. The one with the dried starfish has even been dipped in a little LBI sand!

Think warm thoughts!

The Kiss

2009-02-17T17:04:00.003-05:00

Inspired by my new Stained Glass Jewelry beads I decided to take part in my first Art Bead Scene's monthly challenge. This month's challenge is meant to be inspired by Gustav Klimt's The Kiss. I was an Art History major in college so a challenge like this sounds fantastic!

I have two giant, beautiful Klimt painting prints hanging in my home. They are bright beautiful images of garden flowers. So I have a perfect place to sit and get inspired. I will be posting my ideas soon! Wish me luck!

If you would like to enter yourself, go to the Art Bead Scene Blog here.

Stained Glass Jewelry

2009-02-16T17:15:00.000-05:00

I've been playing around with making stained glass jewelry lately... and I must admit that I love it. When I saw this glass I bought it for the purpose of making jewelry...no stained glass window in mind :) I made several pendant shapes and some simple triangles for earrings... nothing too heavy of course.

After soldering the pieces I used a copper patina on them. I think the copper looks great with the colors in the glass. I also soldered on some copper coils to the earrings.

Then I added some red swarovski crystals and some gold filled findings.

Here is a picture of the necklace pendant I did as well. Again with the swarovski crystals... I do admit they a great punch of sparkle and thats why I'm loving them so much right now.

And the set! The necklace back has been finished off with leather to protect clothing/skin from any wire ends and solder bumps. I use 100% lead free solder. . . but still it doesnt feel great next to the skin ;) I will get better pictures and up and get these on my website later tonight. :)

Out with the Old...In with the New

2009-02-15T10:00:00.001-05:00

Just sold this great Secretary we had in the shop.. . on the same day I got this new piece delivered. (Well its not new, but it is to me!) Its a beautiful Chaise Lounge in perfect condition. I just LOVE it. I only wish I had it before Valentine's Day for the window! But I think it will still make a great "Welcome/Where are you? Spring" display. :)

I have it right in the middle of the store. It looks perfect with these old vintage bags and some dried flowers. I think its screaming "Take me Home!"

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T10:40:00.000-05:00

Love is the greatest refreshment in life.
--Pablo Picasso

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you spend the day with someone you love :) I leave you with pictures from my Valentine's Day window. Does anyone recognize that necklace on the "Cupid" Dress Form?

Have a good weekend! I'm off to New Jersey Wine country! (who knew?)

A touch of old, A touch of new

2009-02-13T13:04:00.000-05:00

I picked up these vintage pins several months ago...and I finally feel the urge to create something with them. Maybe something for Valentine's Day? I know its tomorrow and I have made several pieces for it already... but there's always room for more! Plus some lucky guy who waits till the last minute can pick this up on Saturday! ;)

I especially the love the red rose ones...I'm starting with those. I decided that the dark red looked amazing with peacock freshwater pearls... add just a touch of red Swarovski crystals...

As you can see I left the pin off center, almost like a brooch, (which it was).

So there you have it the perfect necklace for you or a sweet special friend on Valentine's Day... or any day of the year! If you're looking for it on my website you can find it here. Its under my Aphrodite Collection - the Goddess of Love of course! I've also included the popular myth of Aphrodite and Adonis. Do you know why Roses are Red on Valentine's Day? If not you better find out before tomorrow :) Note: In person those crystals really sparkle!

Have a great Friday everyone!

Welcome to How Perfectly Imperfect!

2009-02-12T15:42:00.000-05:00

Well hello! I've been putting off writing my first blog post for a few days now. But it is time to introduce myself! My name is Stephanie and I am a small shop owner in Hoboken NJ. Some of you know me and know my store. :) The name of the store is Michelangela. I sell my own hand made jewelry, as well as hand refinished Vintage and Antique furniture. We also sell all sorts of other items; french soaps, candles, bath items, frames, vintage handbags, tins, baskets, baby clothing and accessories, dried flowers, home decor items...a little bit of everything!

I wanted to start a blog that emphasized the things I love. I am a very creative person...and I'm always doing something with my hands. :) Plus you get a behind-the-scenes look at how I make my creations!

I started making jewelry, ...well I've always been making jewelry...but I guess I started regularly making it and selling it almost three years ago. I am a lover of Greek and Roman Mythology and Art and my jewelry is inspired by Greek Myths. You can take a look at my website here : www.ambrosianectarjewelry.com. Ambrosia and Nectar were the food of the Gods. I thought it would be a beautiful name for a jewelry company! Satisfy your hunger for divine jewelry though Ambrosia and Nectar! I still love the name. You can read more about Ambrosia and Nectar here. You will see a lot of my jewelry making on this blog...I love to create new pieces!

My newest hobby is stained glass. It is a very beautiful ancient art that requires precision and patience...I love things like that. I first became interested in stained glass while studying all the beautiful windows in the Gothic Cathedrals I learned about in my art history classes in college. My first major piece was an angel I made for my uncle for Christmas...she was truly beautiful. I'm sure I have a picture of her somewhere!

I have included many pictures of my store in this first post, so you can get an idea of who I am and what I do. I hope you will be back to visit me often! Have a Perfectly Imperfect kind of day!

Vanity in the store with all our lotions on it!

New Chair we just got in and a beautifully carved vintage Lane Chest!

Some of our candles and other items :)

Valentine's Day Gift Baskets filled with lots of goodies!

Vintage Wardrobe... I love this piece. I added the new porcelain knobs.

Ambrosia and Nectar Jewelry!

The most beautiful piano ever. From the 1920s, with a gorgeous beveled glass mirror. We sold it, but I really miss it!