firefly jewelry: April 2012

Gud by Burt's Bee

Anyone that follows my blog knows that when I love a product I like to share it. I also love just about anything from Burt's Bees. So when I discovered the gud line, I knew I had to try it. I picked up the Orange Petalooza and think I just may be in love. The lotions and body wash are very nice and smell delicious but not too over powering. They are priced under $7 and can be found at grocery stores, Target and online. I love products that are natural and affordable. Now go get yourself some gud and get clean!

Joanna Gollberg Jewelry - Beauty in all Aspects

The colors and textures of beautiful gemstones
seem to come to life when Joanna Gollberg
creates a handcrafted prong setting for them.
With attention to detail and fine craftsmanship
this artist creates eye-catching jewelry.

The work is labor intensive.

The results are beautiful.

Each piece has a personality of its own

with impressions ranging from

delicate to robust, sassy to refined.

There is alot more to see at

Joanna Gollberg's website.

Yumi Ueno Jewelry

There's something about the
one-of-a-kind
sculptural rings created by Yumi Ueno
that is breathtaking.

With imagination and a strong sense of flair
she fabricates unique, finely crafted jewelry
that may take your breath away.

Her work is created with precious and
semiprecious stones set in gold or silver and
each is filled with color, pattern and texture.

This artist creates more than rings - her pendants
and brooches are filled with whimsical imagery.

There is so much more to see at Yumi Ueno's website.

Mother's Day is May 13th...

Mother's Day is May 13th, what are you getting Mom or Grandma? Do you ever purchase your own gift?

Visit Kristen's Custom Creations to view the entire Mommy collection.

La Dolce Vita

Mr. Dudley via Instagram

Dudley has made himself right at home and just had his first Doggy Spa treatment. We are really enjoying him and I think he happens to like us too. We now have three rescues, two dogs and a cat. Rescues make the best pets if you ask me. Have you rescued?

Sweet on You - Natalie Smith Jewelry

Roses are red, violets are blue,

sugar is sweet and so is the jewelry

created by Natalie Smith.

With an equal emphasis on fun

and creativity this mixed-media artist

works with sugar and textiles, wire

and other sundry items

to create jewelry that may not be edible

but is creative and unusual.

There's a lot more to see at
Natalie Smith's blog.

Run Baby Run..

Will ran his first mini marathon, the Martian Marathon. He ran (sprinted) the entire 1.2 miles. He logged 25 miles over about a month and then finished the last 1.2 miles. We are so proud of him!

Maria Cristina Bellucci Jewelry - It's Not Just a Pencil Anymore

Jewelry created by Maria Cristina Bellucci

is made from colored pencils.

By cutting, sanding, and ultimately re-shaping them

into various geometric forms she provides

a vibrant spectrum of colors and forms.

Her meticulous methods

create harmonious compositions

that are intriguing and innovative.

Jewelry that's made

from non-precious materials
allows the artist to reveal the hidden potential
in seemingly ordinary objects.

Contemporary and dramatic.

Each piece is eye catching.

You can see more of this innovative work

at Maria Cristina Bellucci's website.

Upcycling Velcro - Yong Joo Kim Jewelry

Velcro has never looked so good.

Yong Joo Kim takes a rather boring industrial
material and transforms it into jewelry
that would look appropriate in any situation.

For other examples of upcycled materials
transformed into jewelry
see previous posts about
Clementine James and Hila Rawet Karni
and Kathleen Nowak Tucci.

Don't Forget Mother's Day is May 13th

Mother's Day is fast approaching. Do you need something special, below are just a few suggestions. Please enjoy free shipping until Friday April 20th by entering code SHIPFREE at checkout.

The Sterling Silver A lot of Love for Nana is a customer favorite and is available as shown or can be personalized. You can find it HERE.

Hand Stamped, Sterling Silver Grandma Necklace adorned with birthstones, a customer favorite for that special Grandma. Find it HERE.

The Sterling Silver,Teach, Influence, Inspire necklace for that amazing teacher a beautiful piece adorned with a freshwater pearl. You can find it HERE.

The Sterling Silver Together we make a family is a new piece in the shop, a beautiful necklace that is adorned with birthstones. Find it HERE.

The Sterling Silver I love you to the moon and back with customized name disc is a customer favorite, you can view the entire moon collection HERE.

The Sterling Silver A lot of love for Grandma necklace is a simple piece that Grandma can wear proudly. Find it HERE.

You can view the entire Mommy collection HERE.

Abstract Jewelry by Brooke Marks-Swanson

Jewelry created by Brooke Marks-Swanson
is multi-dimensional and abstract.

Her work is an ongoing study of variegated
color combinations and subtle surface textures
especially as they relate to how
environmental conditions can make impressions
and patinas on objects.

She describes herself as

. . . drawn to the beauty of things that are imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. I use fabricating, painting, scratching, removing and adorning to get pieces that provide information . . . .

There is a lot to see in her current collection.
You can view more of Brooke Marks-Swanson's
mixed media work at her website.

Easter Break

Will has been off this week for Easter Break and we have been having a lot of fun with friends and family. Just a few photos taken using the Instagram app on my phone. That app is one of my favorites, I love the slight changes you can make to the photos and I hear Facebook just purchased Instagram.

Exploring Patterns in Metal - Gina Pankowski Jewelry

Jewelry created by Gina Pankowski demonstrates

her love of unconventional structure and pattern

and her use of contrasting metals.

Each design comes to life with movement.

Using silver, gold and various gemstones

the circular orbits of many of her pieces create an intriguing

vision of perpetual motion with ever-changing patterns.

For more information and photos,

see Gina Pankowski's website.

VeggieTales Robin Good and the Not-So-Merry Men

We are huge fans of VeggieTales and were excited to see the new DVD Robin Good and His Not-So-Merry Men.

DVD Synopsis:

"A long time ago, in the faraway town of Bethlingham, roved a band of merry men, led by the fearless Robin Good. Their mission: to help people by fundraising from the rich and giving to the poor! But when a greedy Prince starts stealing the townspeople's hams, donations are down and Robins friends take off and decide to give robbing from the rich a try. Feeling rejected, Robin thinks things can't get any worse until he finds out that the ham-hoarding Prince has also captured his friends. Can Robin overcome his own hurt, rescue his friends and restore the townspeople's hope? Find out in this fun Veggie story where kids learn that there's no hurt too big for God!"

Robin Good and his Not-So-Merry Men is a family-friendly movie packed with so many life lessons. It shows children that even when your friends aren't doing the right thing they should still do the right thing. This story deals with rejection and disappointment and shows children how God's words can help them through their challenges. Robin Good and the Not-So-Merry Men is sure to entertain the entire family.

The DVD also includes a animated short, "Lenny & the Lost Birthday" which also helps teach lessons about handling hurt and forgiveness.

We always find theVeggie Tales stories entertaining and watch them again and again. You can visit the Veggie Tales site to purchase the DVD and see their entire collection. Kids can also play free online games. I hope you enjoy the Veggie Tales stories as much as we do.

Graceful Glass - Joyce Roessler Jewelry

Glass.

Fluid, graceful, versatile.
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The liquidity of the glass seen in jewelry

created by Joyce Roessler can be

mesmerizingly fluid and graceful.

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Whether the surfaces are shiny, matte or frosted

each provides its own interest and uniqueness.

Using centuries-old techniques

this artist brings contemporary

design to her work.
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To see more of her work,

visit Joyce Roessler's website.