VALENTINES DAY   

True Love !  

February 14^th, St. Valentine’s Day, a day to shower your loved ones with affection and gifts. Valentine’s cards, red roses, wine, heart shaped boxes filled with luscious chocolates (my favorite), romantic dinners, and jewelry of course are just some of the ways we show our love.

We express our affections and celebrate this day of love in many ways, but I wonder how many know the story behind Valentine’s Day. 

Valentine’s Day, according to church history and an accounting by Father Frank O’Gara of Dublin, Ireland, reveals the tragic story of a Roman Priest, named Valentine.

During the reign of Emperor Claudias II, there was an edict that prohibited marriage for young people. The Emperor believed men fought better if they weren't married and didn't have to worry about the fate of their wives and children while they were off at battle.  Father Valentine, firmly believed in marriage, and not only encouraged but secretly married young couples in direct violation of the emperor’s edict.  Valentine was eventually caught, imprisoned, tortured and then beheaded in the year 269 AD.  

Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing Julia, the blind daughter of his jailer Asterius. It is said that the jailer's daughter and his forty-four member household (family members and servants) came to believe in Jesus and were baptized. 

I think Father O’Gara best summed it up when he says, “There comes a time where you have to lay your life upon the line for what you believe. And with the power of the Holy Spirit we can do that – even to the point of death.”

So, as tragic as the story may be of Father Valentine’s demise, he did it out of  LOVE -  love for God and for mankind.  Father Valentine's convictions may of cost him his life, but he gave eternal life to others.  Today Valentine is remembered as the patron saint of lovers.

I can’t think of a better reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day, than true LOVE!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY 

So what have I been doing this winter?

Oh My, I haven’t blogged since last year. Where does the time go?

Right after Christmas I got all the decorations packed away and then had all these grandeous ideas of what I was going to do over the long, cold and snowy, Michigan winter.  I made a list so long that no one in their right mind could accomplish it.  OK, so I’m not in my right mind, we all know that.   I've checked a few things off that list but I’m not even close to where I wanted to be at by this time in February.

So far, I've compiled my list of classes that I’ll be teaching this spring at the Buchanan Art Center, and working on applications for summer art shows. 

I’m also learning how to use a new cutting machine so I can cut metal clay.  I've been taking online lessons and I’m sure once I master this machine it will be so exciting to cut and create new jewelry designs, for now its whipping my butt!  Big technical learning curve for this lady who just turned 63!!!!  Gee, did I really just tell you how old I am? 

I spent one day last week and reclaimed and ground well over 

200 grams of silver metal clay!  Believe  it or not, I do make mistakes, I just don’t show you.  I just throw them all into a container and when I get the time, I grind my mistake down into powder and start all over again. That’s the beauty of metal clay, no waste.

So, what have I made?
Hearts, hearts and more using some great vintage art nouveau faces. I don't make many hearts but these were calling me to use them  for Valentines Day.
I've also been etching copper  and adding
old vintage jewelry to my metal clay designs. I love the combination of these mixed metals and can’t wait to make more.


I was having a good  ole' time creating until I smashed my thumb with a big brass mallet while I was riveting pieces together.  Wowsers, what pain.
Just had to include this picture on the left, cause every now and then someone says, "do you really make all that jewelry".  Now I can say, "why, yes I create all these designs from my heart, along with blood, sweat and tears!"  Anyhow, once it’s healed up I’ll be back in the studio working on new designs for 2015.

For now here are some of my new jewelry designs!