Here are a few of my favorite medieval like things:

DON’T FORGET TO VIEW MY NEW DESIGNS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.

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beautiful church chairs and rugs in the studio of california artist JR De Leon

anais nin alcove
my alcove
inspiration board: goth noir
scottish castle

knight in not so shiny armor and scarf

cozy corner at the canterbury ales and eats in the capitol hill neighborhood of seattle

one of my newest designs for my carlotta valdes jewelry line . components include: vermeil, vintage brass, 1930s jet button, and fresh water potato pearls designed my me.

another favorite new design for my carlotta valdes jewelry line . components include:antiqued brass, handmade sterling silver chain, and flower motif sterling silver treasure

i cant forget the goblet.cheers!

Well now that the sun has deserted this wet city, the rain welcomes me home! Literally…
Now “forced ” to stay indoors, I look forward to making more jewelry, to preparing my new website on Amazon, and catching up with my New Yorkers! An additional treat however is the New Official Anais Nin Blog I plan to read religiously!

Here is a peak at what you will find . The following images are of Anais Nin on a bed she designed and blue prints of furniture designed by her in the 1920s. I posted and entry I read in an Anais Nin diary which depicts the very blue prints. Apparently the editor of the Nin blog had found these prints but was not exactly sure if they were her designs. Upon reading my entry , he concluded that indeed the blue prints corresponded to the first Parisian apartment designed by Anais Nin. Who knew they existed. Awww the years I spent imagining the colors and the details. AND here they are out of thin air they appeared to me . OMEN. Inspired I designed a pair of Sterling Silver earrings.

I have been making jewelry since I was 12 years old. My first necklace was a watch on leather cord and feather charms… Girls in school would pay me to make them a “rad” necklace and when the most popular and cutest girl in school complimented my jewelry , it was the “icing on the cake”…

The same feeling comes to me when ladies and gentlemen at the Seattle Square Market compliment me on my “Beautiful” jewelry line under Carlotta Valdes and my funky display…

Every weekend I try something new with my set up, I show case an under-appreciated necklace or earrings.

I make at least one new item for each Saturday show and post it on facebook. This keeps returning customers interested and intrigued.

I try to pair items in one cluster of “likes” i. e. cocktail earrings and fancy necklaces.

I am always on the look out for new showcase displays to add to my set up . I love finding new raisers AKA cake stands and old wooden bottle crates . I love that old shabby chic / eccentric gypsy lady thing.

I even have a mini back office housing my receipt book,scissors, bags , pens, hand wipes, breath mints and extra mirrors.

And if the traffic is slow , I make use of my time by re-tagging my jewelry and taking pictures for my Etsy page ( which is so not updated but it will be soon).

I am not saying that my way is the best way , it just really works for me and I have fun doing it.

I am obsessed with methods, do any of you “crafters” have a method to share?

Today, I was a journal writer…

Aww the lovely Anais Nin

She inspires me in so many ways: Dedication, perseverance, beauty and ridiculousness.

What is ridiculous is owning “Cities of the Interiors” for more than 7 years and not reading it….

Well with all the moving and starting a new job and vending at the Historical Pioneer square ” Seattle Square Market”, who has time for loveliness…

As I start reading “Cities of the Interiors” with its promise that , “this book is that alchemical transformation of the ordinary life into art”,

I am inspired by home bliss and the metaphor of cities for psychic worlds in this book.

I begin to think of my own cities.

And I realize that my new city ,which has embraced me kindly has nooks and nooks of psychic worlds!

And Lovely things :

And wonderful people come to visit my world:

And Magical things happen!

Inspiration everywhere I turn…

Bringing out the best in me …

“The Nesting Necklace” my new line Inspired by my little apartment in Capitol Hill – Seattle, WA

Flipping through the pages of the early diary of Ananis Nin – Volume Four 1927-1931, I came across beautiful pictures of her apartment on 24 Boulevard Suchet in Paris, France.

Much is known about her house and scandalous affairs in Louveciennes thanks to the book and Film Henry and June . I believe little is known about her lavish apartment in Paris . Thanks to Hugh’s success as a banker during the late 1920s , the couple lived in an amazing apartment, where Anais designed her furniture and decorated her place and named it ” A modernization of the Oriental style”.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures along with some contextual diary entries. Please make sure to click on each diary (to enlarge) .Each diary entry describes her inspirations and design process. Also, each entry is beautifully written -wich is why I love Anais..

P.S. One day I will have my uncle ( a carpenter) replicate those bookcases!

After stringing my African beads , I added these ancient silver links acquired as my “going away” present from my friend Leah.
I tried channeling her aesthetic because it is really clean and she is brilliant at layering components to create these luscious pieces (She has a great eye and great sources for wonderful ancient beads and components). Leah is the main designer of fantastical silver and gold components at NINA DESIGNS. I use many of Nina Designs components in all my designs.
After trying on the simple strand I had just finished stringing, I realized it made a great layering piece but it needed “Je ne sais quoi”. I knew I wanted a strong focal centerpiece and my story was incomplete so I wrote the following:

Those who know me well also know that I LOVE bats. I fell in love with them when I traveled throughout Bali, Indonesia. Bats are considered holy in Bali and their “drippings” are medicinal. I love how cute their faces are. Despite their scary appearance they are wonderful creatures that are remarkably human like.

I relate to bats because despite my “Scary” appearance, I am kind and seek to heal those around me. Additionally, I am most alive late at Night!

It became clear that the necklace would be one that could be worn at night; say to a concert or to a party so I decided to add some chain.

AHA! a tassel of chain (very me )! Then it all came to me, perfect time to resurrect my little Bat Netsuke bead presented to me a few years ago by Leah. I added some ancient glass beads and as a little inside joke, I added a little bead cap to the top of the bat’s head.

Making a tassel

Adding a bead cap and Roman Glass

I need a hand please

We love Alice Waters’ recipes because they are simple and down to earth. If you like French or Italian country style – her recipes require only a few ingredients often found in your pantry. In other words, you don’t have to drive to end of the world to find that esoteric spice or vegetable to make a delicious and unique dish.  The big plus is that her dishes are vegetable heavy (I’m a Veggie) and she encourages seasonal cooking. Her book inspires us to shop at the local farmers market down the street which usually carries seasonal produce and gives me the opportunity to cook with a vegetable new to me. For example, I have never cooked fresh artichokes and my new fall pasta dish calls for it so this gives me the opportunity to face a nice challenge.

With an Alice Waters dish, you can never “mess up” trust me, that is why I lover her. Besides, I LOVE her aesthetics just take a look at her website for her Chez Panisse  restaurant and you’ll know what I mean.

In conclusion, I made the artichoke hearts, prosciutto and fettuccine dish and I substituted the mushrooms for the prosciutto and it was light and tasty.

This dish and the adventure in making it got me thinking of how the farmers market reminds me of when I was a child visiting my Granny Margarita in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico. She used to drag me to the market to pick up cheese, sour cream, meat, nuts, and produce. She would buy me corn on the cob with lemon and chili, or a seasonal fruit treat.

As I write this I realize that I have to praise the local farmers and our local chefs even though I have to forgo going to the movies or other costly attractions in order to afford good organic and local foods that will feed me throughout the week! Where you live, do you recommend a local restaurant or do you have a favorite recipe book? Do you know your local Chefs? What do you sacrifice for good food?