Flowers Everywhere!
I love this time of year when everything around me is blooming! Flower buds are everywhere. Color is everywhere. Every plant seems to have new buds popping out. What was sleeping during winter is waking up and saying hello to the sun. Can you tell I am loving spring time in Washington?
The Pacific North West, (my new home for the last 6 months now), has a long beautiful spring season. The enormous & gorgeous fir trees are always green too. Knowing they are there, giving color and oxygen is a good feeling. On the east coast, where I used to live, there is usually a very short Spring and a VERY LONG Winter. So, for me, to have evergreen trees literally ALL around me in the winter, is a breathe of fresh air. Spring on the east coast is unfortunately too short. You blink and then it seems as if you just survived a brutal winter and then comes the blistering summer heat and humidity. I kid you not.
To my surprise, I had no idea flowers started blooming early here, in February and March. We had tulips bursting through back in March. The colors and varieties are exquisite. Being a flower and nature lover (and someone who lived for a long time on the east coast) I am appreciating and soaking up this special time.
I went to the spectacular Skagit Tulip Festival (a month ago) that is very well known in Washington State. It is comprised of dozens of fields and fields of incredible tulips (Many farms are involved).You literally feel like you are in tulip heaven. There are some below and some other pictures I snapped around the island of the flora. If you adore nature or just flowers (I don't think I know any girl who doesn't love flowers) you may find the pictures a petite feast for the eyes.
Being a jewelry artist (& amateur photographer), nature is one of my primary inspirations for my creativeness. I have added some really lovely new jewelry pieces (I've recently made). All of which are inspired by flora and fauna. Or just simply, nature. (Most of the jewelry listed is available for sale in my etsy shop for affordable prices).
Below are some fabulous pendant necklaces that I made. The one on top is a big gorgeous Ruby in Fuchsite natural gemstone. Like this one, many of my pieces are one-of-a-kind. The colors are like red tulips and its soft green petals. Click on photo if you wish to see all the interesting details. The middle one is not listed yet. The blue one is. It looks like a lovely feather to me. It is a natural agate druzy geode slice. I adore this one and I love bringing you luxury for less or better know as lux for less. They truly are statement pieces.
One more of the Feather necklace. It is amazing what natural organic gemstones look like. I added a cobalt blue druzy gemstone to accent the feather shaped gemstone. I believe the copper chain adds a bohemian and artistic feel to it. The warm color of the copper compliments the coffee colors in the pendant nicely. What do you think?
These lovely earrings are very much nature inspired. Both the sea and flora are constant forms of inspiration for my jewelry designs. These natural gemstones are like looking into the sea. Beautiful flower colors too. If you look closely, they are not only blue, but have hints of purple in them too. I added some tiny flower pink tourmaline stones as well. Click the photo for more details if you wish.
I have always included a small handful of fresh dried lavender in organza bags (my packaging when I mail jewelry to my customers). Ironically, the last batch of lavender I had bought from Etsy and brought to Washington IS Washington grown lavender! Hmm, fate telling me something. The lavender on this island grows in abundance. Some varieties of it started blooming several weeks ago. Power walking on this island is like walking through some of the loveliest flower markets in Boston or New York City. It smells like heaven & looks like it too. I already bought some local dried lavender from our island, for future customers. There is a lavender farm on the island.
I think two more pieces of bling are in order before I sign off. I've made this necklace with a one of a kind dreamy slice of lavender amethyst druzy. Modern. Chic. It is truly a statement piece (Lux for less).
I sold these earrings not too long ago and made another pair. You can see below. I call them, "After the Rain Earrings." One of my all time favorite gemstones is labradorite. It's a magical gemstone. It's grey, and when the light hits it, these amazing flashes of iridescent blue come out (a jewelry tip, it has to be very good quality labradorite to have the flashes of blue, green and sometimes even yellow and red). Modern. Simple. Gorgeous. The spectacular intense purple of the herb, lavender, reminds me of this gemstone. If you like simple, modern, yet unique, maybe they're the pair for you.
I am off to my studio to create more pieces of jewelry. But, first, a vibrant power walk through town to get my adrenaline pumping and soak up more floral inspiration.
Smell the flowers. Wear a Colorful Necklace. Enjoy spring. You are beautiful, like a flower.
Oh yes, and above all else, please don't forget,
Be Sparkly~
Marissa T. xo
