3 time's a charm

A few 3-charm necklaces I recently arranged.

1. My girlfriends, Amy & Amanda, found the "K" shell in Miami and brought it home for me—love it! thanks girls! I drilled a hole through it and attached a jump ring so it could be a charm.

2. Ashley just bought me the seahorse charm in the Bahamas and

3. I beaded the green stone in gold wire to remind me of the ocean's glorious color.

Put all 3 on a sterling chain and am just loving it as my new summer adornment.

hearts.

1. A mourning locket from the Antique show at the Piers. I have been on a mad search for a double sided glass heart mourning locket since I was probably about 13—finally found one that wasn't priced out of control! It currently holds a stranger's locks that I plan to replace with my 94-year-old Yiayia's hair. I want her to know that she will always be in my heart, forever.

2. The diamond heart was my Mom's. She doesn't really care about jewelry anymore. She is too consumed with taking care of everyone else. She has basically given most of her jewelry to my sister and I. I wish she cared more about herself.

3. A 14k Helen Ficalora cut out heart disc completes the collection.

1. A Georgian silver coin that came with the

2. Georgian silver monkey that I recently purchased from England on Ebay. I love primates and jewelry from that era. It was a perfect match!

3. A new shield locket, also an ebay purchase. It has a vintage look and was reasonably priced. It is currently picture-less inside. Think it needs a Pico feather.

Story of Mongo

Our trip to the Bahamas started out like any other—woke up early, 4 am early, dressed comfy in my hand drawn parrot tee and left for the airport. I kept busy on the two plane rides and one ferry by reading a new book (about a bird) and before long we arrived on the sunny island of Elbow Cay.

After a day of travel and unwinding into the salty air of a far off enclave, we spent the day at the Hope town beach. The crystal sea foam water and white sand was paradise and life was good, but on the way back to the house, on the very few concrete roads of civilization, a tiny creature struggled in the afternoon blazing sun. It felt like fate that I happen to stumble upon a nestling on the street to the local bakery.

With a nest so high on a telephone pole and no mother in site, I felt obligated to help this hopeless bird. What is the right thing to do I asked myself? I know the island is streaming with wandering cats and on the road well taken, I knew this birdie didn't have a chance.

I knew a little about taking care of a baby bird but I am no expert, so maybe it was selfish to take the fate of this bird into my hands, but I did feel like it was the best option at the time. I brought her home and fed her. I fed it probably 12 times a day. The little guy seemed desperate to live. For something just born, vulnerable and dependent, instinct came natural and I had the joy of watching a small life nestle in a bowl of tissue (a makeshift nest) for a week. It's strength for survival amazed me—just watching her flip herself over was incredible. We named her Mongo.

After a night of caring for Mongo, we returned to the nest and saw the mother sitting on it high up on the pole. It was a ring dove. We asked a local if there was an animal rescue on the island and he suggested we talk to Candy Cay, a local lady who kept parrots and other birds—she would be able to help. After talking to her and her schedule being too busy to mother such a baby, she said we could pass the birdie off to her if it survived the week. I was determined to keep this little guy alive so it could one day meet its mother and siblings it once shared its nest with.

The night before I would pass the bird off to a better trained "bird lady", after feeding and keeping it warm for 6 days, I fed Mongo one last time. We watched a movie and I checked on Mongo and he had passed. With no warning or any signs my novice eye could see, the little birdie died.

I wish I was better prepared. I wish I had known more. I wish I had just put her in a basket in a nearby tree in hopes that her real mother would find her. I have so many regrets and in the end I am not sure I did the right thing. Maybe I missed Pico so much and this little bird was a weak replacement. I don't know. In the end it was a lesson for me and I will always remember little birdie Mongo. ox

and the many other colors of the abacos...

fuchsia flowers.
pinkish sunset.
primary color Ashley.
yellow bug, blue plate, wood plank.
weathered wood, green sea.
navy night sky.blackness, full moon.
adventures!bahamas may 2010.

green & blue holiday

...lost at sea by Elbow Cay. A cool palette for a warm place.
Photos from my vacation last week.

Brimfield Antique Show

Melissa and I took a road trip last weekend, swapping the concrete streets of Manhattan for the grassy fields of Brimfield Mass. America's largest yard sale sprawls the town but features treasures spanning the world. Check out some antiques the vendors were selling:

Amongst a collection of crucifixes was a baby face bar of soap—totally bizarre.

A miniature diorama of an old kitchen with babies in their highchairs, but where's mom?

The gradients of color spindles captured my eye. I wanted every color. Only 3 for $5—not too bad!

A wine cork cork board. Martha made one of these on the show! Fun craft project—better drink up!

Here's Melissa in the corner of one of the most impressive dealer's booth. Every object grouping was displayed in a shadow box. I don't know who would want to break up and purchase from any of these organized collections!

There was a lot of Native American art and collectibles. Some of my favorite art to look at.

Another favorite of mine is pirate art—that's just what I call it—carved whale bone and sailor valentines. This carving was a replica, the real costs thousands.

The most uniquely hand crafted antique Christmas toys and ornaments came out of Germany. Here is a shepherd and his sheep in pristine condition, still in their original box.

Another German traditional icon is the Cuckoo Clock. I remember my grandparents had one.

I wish I bought this print now that I look back at the picture. A woodcut or linoleum block print of a young boy looking at a dead bird. It made me miss Pico.

Some of the more frightening things people (no sure whom) collect. Can you imagine this hanging on some one's wall—I can't!

The final purchase of the day— Melissa bought this "grim reaper" staff that weighs about 50 pounds. We are not sure what the rusty iron weapon was used for—or who could actually lift it to use it—but we think it might have been used to chop off heads in medieval times?! Is it a Bardiche? What do you think?

After a long day of seeking and searching, digging and rummaging through so many different odds and ends, we were pooped. We probably barely scanned a third of the market and all we really wished we found was an empty lounge chair like this guy did, to pass out in!

neglect.

I've been too tired or busy after work to blog. sorry. I don't have a better excuse.

I do have something to share though:

Pico likes to crawl in my shirt when I do blog at night. She has chewed holes in just about every sleep shirt I own. Here she is peeking out.

We did laundry together tonight.

nail biter.

My boyfriend Ashley had a bad habit for the past 29 years—he was a nail biter, a pen cap chewer, a grind his teeth on anything guy. Recently, he has been working on kicking his oral fixation. He's been painting his finger nails with this horrible polish, that he keeps insisting I taste with a lick—no thanks!—I use a nail clipper and don't need a foul flavor in my mouth!


He was so proud of himself after a week of not biting and photographed the tiny bit of whites that grew in... barely noticeable. He used a clipper for the first time in his life the other day. crazy!


On the nail note, I thought I would share a little steam punk art piece I made back in high school when I use to take things apart. Its an old LCD screen from a broken calculator encrusted with finishing nails. It hangs over my desk at work— a reminder of being experimental.

color.

GREEN. pico & pear.

YELLOW. sunset on shelves.

BLUE. brooklyn at night.

photographs from the past week.