Angels Are Always There

Encouragement Bracelet - Purchase Here

Recently, I was reminded that angels are always there when you need them.  The reminder arrived in an email request from a lovely woman who wanted to give her close friend something special to let her know that she was loved dearly before her surgery date later this month.  Her friend was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and they were both reeling from the news.

 She wanted to offer her friend a heartfelt gift - something special for encouragement and an offering of hope as her friend begins her journey through cancer treatment or is it really torture?  Well, it is really both.  We have all been touched by cancer in our lives whether personally or through our family and friends.  It is a journey that takes you both through hell and back.  The angels in our lives are never more important to us than at these moments.

We designed this piece together and many expressions were considered, but this is the one that rang true for her.  It is my wish that her friend finds a moment of peace whenever she looks down at her wrist and sees this bracelet as she is receiving her chemotherapy treatments. It's those little moments that become so important when your life is on the line and you need a bit of hope to get through the day.

As a jewelry maker, it is rewarding when you know that your creation is going to make someone feel special.  It is the type of art that can be worn and travels with the wearer, hopefully bringing them little moments of peace and gratitude for their earthly angels that are always there when they need them.

It is finally sprinkling tiny rain drops today and I sense that the trees are as happy as I am to feel the happy wetness washing away the dust of the dry days we have been having of late.  I ventured out for a morning walk and every living soul on the trail looked energized and happy by the cooler temperatures and promise of rain.  It was a great way to start this day.

Blessings to you my friends,

Julie

Shabby French Nude Inspired Belt Buckle

In honor of the upcoming Breast Cancer Awareness Month I chose a vintage image of a French nude as the focal point for this belt buckle.  A tribute to the female form in all her beauty.  One in two women will be diagnosed with cancer in her lifetime in the United States.  This is a terrifying statistic and women are being diagnosed seemingly at younger and younger ages.  The female form is lost due to the ravages of treatment for this disease and only after many painful surgeries can she once again regain her feminine form.  She will be forever changed - scared physically and emotionally.  She will be stronger, hopefully wiser and in tune with her body like never before...but what a price to pay for this wisdom.  It's just too much.

Mother Nature surrounds us with visual clues of what we should be eating to live a healthy and happy life.  Take a moment and look out your window.  What do you see the most of right now?  Green grass, green leaves in the trees, green shrubbery....lots and lots of GREEN.  Why are we surrounded by all this green?  Could it be a cue or is it just there to feed the inhabitants of this wonderful earth?

What do the animals of this lovely planet eat the most of....why it's green things!  So, take your cue from nature and add greens to your daily diet.  Find ways to enjoy green salads, spinach, broccoli, peas, kale, cucumbers, celery, parsley, peppers, onions...then add in deep colors like beets, sweet potatoes, peppers, carrots, beans and some white vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, and onions.  For dessert and snacks - lots of fresh fruits peaches, apples, oranges, bananas, pears, grapes, strawberries...yum.

Eat like your Life depends on it!

Once you feed your body what it needs you will have loads of energy to get sweaty everyday doing something that you love.

AVOID these things...they are detrimental to your health.  

Avoid high fructose corn syrup, anything hydrogenated, avoid eating or drinking from cans (they are coated with cancer causing resin), never microwave food in plastic containers or drink bottled water that has been frozen in the bottle or that has become super hot in your car.  Share this information with every woman and girl you know.

For this buckle, I added loads of vintage rhinestones around the edge for sparkle and a rhinestone broach to the top of the buckle to put it over the top.  Vintage lace was added around the edge held in place with black leather cording to give the buckle a shabby French feel.

A sweet floral broach was added to the front for a golden glow and a coating of resin was added to protect the image and to hold it all in place.  What do you think?

A few more things you can do to protect yourself from cancer...

Drink 3-4 cups of green tea daily.

Take Vitamin D and low dose of aspirin daily.

Limit red meat to once per week.

Avoid fried foods.

Loose 10 pounds.

Limit Sugar

Limit Caffeine

Blessings filled with wishes of health and happiness.  For those of you enduring cancer treatment you will be in a better place this time next year.  For those recovering from cancer treatments put your health first and give yourself time to heal - you are on the road to recovery.  For those women who are fighting for life you are beyond brave and please know that you are loved beyond measure.

Blessings - Julie

Channeling Paris Nudes Jewelry Series

I found vintage images of French nudes from Paris recently and they were my inspiration for a new series of jewelry featuring aspects from those beautiful old photographs.

I hammered copper with a texture hammer creating a wood like surface that I then enhanced with patina.  I then cut an off set peep hole and a french nude was sandwiched between the two layers of copper.

The two pieces of copper are attached using micro bolts and copper spacers creating an anchor for the chain with pearl bobbles.  I like the play of soft pearls against the hard copper and the nuts and bolts.  This ying/yang method appears often in my work - I am drawn to it again and again.  When I am finished with the piece it just feels right to me.

The image has a resin lens that gives the image a nice glow and protects it from wear.

This necklace was created in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.  I am currently making a series of variations of this necklace for my upcoming show at The Liberty Belle in the West Bottoms of Kansas City the first weekend of October.  Stop by, it's a great show and I would love to see you.  You can't miss me I will be the booth under the mannequin hanging from the window above made from twigs and metal wire - another piece I put together for the show.

I will also have vintage hats, a fabulous vintage coat from the 70s, a couple of vintage dresses, and great vintage purses from the 50s-70s.  Hope to see you there.

Blessings - Julie

Vintage Etsy Bliss

In preparation for my upcoming birthday next month, I found this fabulous dress on Etsy this week from Alley Kat, isn't it stunning?  Here's the description:

" There is safety in numbers, that's what I believe"...anyone ever heard that song before?  Whether or not you have heard it, the saying certainly rings true.  High numbers are needed and expected with this little black dress.  High numbers of compliments and second glances that is.


This 1950's black and white dress is certainly a rare gem.  Made of taffeta the white and black floral underlay is covered with a sheer black pleated overlay.  Original satin belt is included. Union tag dates the dress to approximately 1955.  All blue with a scalloped edging.

I can't wait to wear it to dinner with my sweet hubby for my birthday celebration.  Usually I dread another birthday, but this year I am really excited about it.  Trust me, it's much better this way.  Now, to find the perfect shoes...  Any recommendations? 

The Liberty Belle show was so much fun, I really enjoyed the crowds and made new friends at the show.  I also did a bit of shopping myself, picking up some great vintage post cards from Paris, a beautiful vintage doll, an ironstone platter, some vintage black and white photographs, a great metal cabinet, and a glass display case.

I am excited about the show next month which will be the first weekend of the month in the West Bottoms.  The theme is relevant to October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I have already put together a sculpture for my glass block window for my space of the female form made from twiggy branches, wire and copper.  I'll try to post a pic for you when I do the installation later this month.

I have been very busy at the bench this week trying to get another collection of jewelry ready for the next showing at the Liberty Belle in October.  I love having a deadline looming, it really keeps me on task and pushing the ceative envelope and I have to tell you that I love.love.love the pieces I have put together.

I will take some of the new pieces with me to the farm this weekend to photograph so I can share them with you.  I can't wait to hear what you think about them.

Blessings - Julie

Prevention vs. a Cure - Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Deviant Art by Do0dz

Breast cancer isn't just for the elderly anymore....think Christina Applegate. Young, seemingly the picture of health - she's a dancer for Pete's sake! Why is breast cancer becoming an epidemic in the United States affecting our young women at a earlier age? I believe it is our lifestyle and the American diet.

With Breast Cancer Awareness month approaching, I wanted to share some thoughts on prevention vs. a cure. Both are valid endeavors, however if you can prevent the disease from happening you can avoid the pain of treatment that lasts for up to year or more and then there's the recovery from the treatments....and side affects of those treatments. If we depend on science to solve the breast cancer epidemic we are putting our health into someone else's hands and the fact is it may not happen in your lifetime. Here are some things you can control immediately. Do them all or select one to start with and then add another...and another...and another... soon you will be leading a happier and healthier life.

Visit the Dr. Susan Love's website to educate yourself regarding breast cancer, treatment and most importantly prevention.

Deviant Art by mintconspiracy

PROVEN CANCER FIGHTERS: Flax Seed Oil and Green Tea.

Flax seed oil is available in a bottle or capsule. Unlike Fish Oil it is mild in taste and no burps later. You can buy it at your local grocery store.

Green Tea is available in pill form or in tea leaves. If you don't like hot tea, brew it for iced tea sweetened with honey.
Deviant Art by Kirill
EXERCISE: This could be your best defense - get on the offensive - get out there and start moving, break a sweat, and work those lungs. This is the important part - you must do this for one hour.....yes, one hour to receive the full benefit of your body fighting any free radicals that are floating around. We all have cancer cells in our bodies and they are usually killed off by your immune system. What benefits the immune system??? EXERCISE. Don't wait, get out there today, join a class, take a brisk walk, move it or loose it. Remember your body is fueled by not only food but oxygen - get those lungs pumping fuel to your bodies.
Deviant Art by Gaara0013
STRESS: We all know it's bad for us, but diet and exercise will definitely help in stressful times of our lives. Meditate, embrace nature, just say NO, and get some much needed rest. Give up your overachiever ways and be selective how you expend your limited resources.

DIET: Avoid hydrogenated anything, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners. Those three things will greatly improve the way you feel. You will have more energy, think more clearly and feel great after you go through withdrawal that is.... don't worry it doesn't last long, just about a week. It's worth it...

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables everyday. Take a healthy snack like nuts, apples, carrots, etc. along for snacking during the day instead of that cookie, candy bar, or bag of chips.

Stop eating fast food....

My favorite story is from a Physical Therapist I know that attended a nutritional seminar and at the end the Physician pulled out a tray with a McDonald's Happy Meal on it and asked the attendees to guess how old the meal was. Attendees guessed several days up to one week. You could have heard a pin drop when they were told that it was two years old. Real food decomposes, the Happy Meal did not because it isn't real food. Haven't you found those french fries in your back seat of your car? Didn't they still look like a french fry? Try this experiment yourself....you'll be amazed and horrified that this is what our kids have been eating.

Eating a primarily plant based diet will decrease your chances by 70%!
Deviant Art by TomBod
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: This is a tough one - don't drink alcohol. It works against you in avoiding cancer - it's what your oncologist will tell you to never do if you want to avoid reoccurance or secondary cancers. Even moderate drinking triples your chances of getting breast cancer.

WATER: Stay hydrated - get a water filtering pitcher and fill it up. Drink 8 glasses of water each day. One every two hours throughout the day will get you there.

CAFFEINE: Limit the amount of caffeine each day. Switch to decaf for iced tea, sodas, and coffee. Cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment...

ONE IN EVERY THREE WOMEN WILL GET BREAST CANCER IN HER LIFETIME. That's a hard statistic to get your head around, but it's a fact. To change this statistic, girls we have to change the way we are living our daily lives so that we can prevent cancer before it happens.

Your health is up to you, every decision you make changes your life.