Crazy cooking day!

Well here I am again wondering how it could be the 25th of August. I have been busy reorganizing my studio and cleaning it. OMG what a job. I will do a before and after picture when I get done. Nobody will believe how fast it can go from a workable space to chaos in a short time! I get in a frenzy designing and I need everything in front of me. This time I am going to more careful about keeping the right tool in the right place!

It seems I am always cooking for some occasion and this weekend is a big one. Dave's parents haven't been here to visit in a couple years due to health issues. They are due to arrive tomorrow and I have a special dinner planned for them I am making my special corn chowder, which is truly sublime. I am also making Caesar salad, which is to die for. Why both soup and salad? Because I can and I love both. I am making a four cheese spinach stuffed chicken breast wrapped in buttery phylo dough , A sour cream , bacon, and cheddar twiced baked potato and fresh roasted asparagus. Not too gourmet for the folks but just yummy comfort food with a  flair. My mother is a great pie maker and she has offered to make desert! I forgot to mention I have invited my parents to dinner as well.

I set my table with crystal and candles, flowers, china, cloth napkins. The whole nine yards. My biggest decision is always what china and color scheme?  I do so luv to set an elegant table.

I guess I have to get to work if I am going to actually make this all happen! At least I have ironed my napkins!
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
Don't forget to check out my etsy shop. I am having a 1/2 price sale on selected items and will add a few new ones every day.
Have a nice weekend.
Cynthia

Recouperation

Today is Monday and I am sitting in the recovery room with Heather. We are all happy that Heather is fine. She had a small cyst removed and I hope it Helps her pain.

Dave and I had an unusual weekend. we had such a wonderful time Friday and Sat. In Prattsburg. It is located in the middle of nowhere or to put it another way, 45 minutes from any type of serious shopping, to make it worse I believe that only 200 people live there of which half of them made it to the festival.

Dave and I normally camp with our trailer when we do a show. We can take the dogs and it is fun to have our own place to go to after the show. We picked the only camp grounds in the area to stay at. Dave and I were like Lucy and Desie Arnez in the great camping expedition. Dave doesn't always get directions right. The lady told him to keep going to the top of the hill to a spot where not that many people camp. She warned us that it was a little rough going but assured us they camper and truck would make it. Well who knew that we could take our camper 4 wheeling? We are climbing this really steep dirt road when all all of a sudden the camper struck this huge ditch and almost flew off the road tipping over. Dave hits the gas like a lunatic averting all danger. I didn't have a heart attach because I was too busy screaming, where in God's name are you going? Are you nuts?, we're all going to die. How can they expect people to bring trailers up this 4 wheeling path?

Just then we come to a clearing and we are in a junk yard of old scrap trailers!!!! I'm like , ARE YOU NUTS WE Aren't supposed to be here with a trailer! Don't you listen to direction! How are we getting out of here in one piece! I believe I make a good co-pilot because my screaming makes Dave realize the seriousnes of the situation so that he is able to concentrate better. It did seem to work as we made it out there in one piece. I'm not sure what he'd do without my encouragement!

We had quite a day on Saturday. It rained like cats and dogs all day. I had brought tee shirts  for Hannah and Isabella because it has been 100 degrees every day. Hannah wasn't feeling good and was shaking because of course it was very chilly! What do you know, the tent across from me had two alpaca dog sweaters. One was Hannah's size and the other was Isabella's size. Of course I had to get them because they are both shaking.
60.00 for dog sweaters . I don't even have an alpaca sweater!  Hannah and Isabella do!

Hannah still not feeling too well. Dave says it's her nerves. I doubt it. Well it is now Tuesday. I get so busy. I am finishing today!

Saturday  night our friends Mark and Kit come out for dinner  and an overnight and bring some nice steaks and home grown veggies. I made home made Caesar salad. I had all the ingredients. Fresh reggiano Parmesan, romain,anchovies, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin olive oil ? oh no, I forgot the olive oil. I have one tablespoon left in the camper. Have you ever tried white wine in Caesar salad? It worked. The salad was fine. Kit asks , do you put egg in this? Oh, I forgot the egg yolk. So much for making a recipe from memory. It was still good.

Sunday we start out with great hopes of a profitable and fun day. We aren't there more than a couple hours when Hannah has the worst diarrhea, looked just like a lava explosion. We are getting panicked and decide we better close up shop early and head for home. We were going to stay another night and go out to dinner. Oh well. Dave drives back to close up our camp site. The sky opens up with a deluge and the thunder and lighting started. It took Dave so long for Dave to close up by himself I thought He had gotten struck by lightning. When he got back he told me that lighting had struck so close that the ground shook back at the campground. He was soaked to the bone. Then we had to pack up the show tent. Luckily the rain stopped and the sun came out so we didn't have to pack a wet tent.

Dave and I are the king and queen of fun so as long as we had to stop occasionally for Hannah to go to the bathroom, we made a stop at a winery in Naples. I love Naples and the winery for fun. When we got closer to home we ended up stopping at Real Deals, which is my favorite dollar store. Dave had a terrible leg cramp and couldn't drive. I thought it was darned nice of him to have that right there so I was able to shop. He's the best. So I got a chance to spend the rest of the money we had, Dave got a chance to walk off his leg cramp and Hannah got have an accident in the drivers side of the suv. Thank you Hannah for picking Dave's side. Unfortunately lava seeps into all the crevices and we, I mean Dave must not have gotten all of it because we smelled it all the way home. I looked at Dave and he looked a little green and he says," I don't know if I can make it home driving because the smell is making me sick to my stomach and my leg cramp is still there. I offered to drive but he said that he preferred to live rather than have me drive. Oh well, I offered. Thank God he got it all cleaned out of my truck today! I had to take his truck to school today. 

Today was the last day to glaze our pottery so I finished up my pieces and will pick them up from school Thursday, then I'm done. I sure hope I can get in this fall. All of my pieces didn't make it into the kiln and won't be fired until fall. I really love doing the ceramics and think there is a distinct possibility I may end up a famous potter as well as a famous jeweler so it is important for me to get in. I get to go free because they think I am a Sr. Citizen, how ridiculous is that! Anyway all of us old people fight over few openings in the classes.

Well, Dave and Hannah have been sick and now I feel like I'm getting sick. I sure hope Heather doesn't get it.  I feel like crap and I never get sick. Our vet says that we can't catch dog's illnesses and they can't catch them from us. Bull, the chinese crested dogs are very human like and they catch what we have and we caught Hannah's illness this time.
I was going to make more jewelry now and stop blabbing. My feather earrings are really popular! I love the feel of these on. They feel so soft and light, but I am feeling lousy and I hear the couch calling my name!


The saga will continue.....................
Cynthia.

Packing for Prattsburg

I can't believe how time flies. The Syracuse show was great. Too hot again and all and all another good time meeting lots of new customers.
Dave and I and the three girls are packing to have a booth at the Prattsburg summer festival. It has been held for over 100 years. The area is beautiful. It is between Penn Yan and Bath, NY, so back to the area I loved so much, wine country!
I have been very busy working on my new line of jewelry, feathers and fiber. You should see my house. I have extended the mess past my studio and now the entire dining room table is filled with feathers! What a mess. Time for me to reorganize next week.
I have been so grateful for my interns Maggie and Jennifer who have been helping me this summer. I wouldn't have started a blog or had the time to make new designs. Thank goodness for Syracuse University who provides them to me. Jennifer is now in China visiting her family and I miss her. I don't want to think about losing Maggie soon when she returns to classes. I will need to organize my time better, that's for sure.
Great news of my brother getting married on Monday. I am planning to throw a reception for him and his husband Rich on Oct. 1st. It will be a great celebration and certainly historical as well.
Stay tuned for lots of new pictures. 

Downtown Arts and Craft Show this Weekend

Montgomery St Annual Arts and Craft Festival
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday July29,30,31
Montgomery St

We have been moved down one block so we are right where the parking is. This is going to bigger than ever this year and I have lots of new items. Hope to see you there this weekend.

 

Hi everyone, I made it through this past weekend in great shape. The party was lots of fun. We had great weather all weekend and we ended up going to Fairhaven beach on Sunday with our granddaughter Heather, Julio and his three daughters. We had a great time. I brought a chain mail bracelet to work on and it worked out great.

This weekend is rapidly approaching and I will be in high gear preparing for it. I am very excited about it, although it is going to be hot and humid again. Typical weather for that show. The next weekend will be in Prattsburg for an arts festival so I am going to be busy designing more jewelry. 

I finished my spring loaded clasp and I am pleased with the results. It is very different and It will look great in a necklace.

I hope everyone can stop at my tent and check out my new jewelry. See you this weekend.

Cynthia

The cook is in

Hi all,

I am on a roll already. I can't believe I am showered and dressed for the birthday party. I have uploaded a new item on Etsy. I have checked my email. Fed the dogs and walked them. I have my potatoes and eggs cooking for the potato salad and it's only 8:45! It's scary how organized I'm getting.
It's another beautiful day here. The 4th day in a row 90-100 degrees. Thank God for air conditioning. I remember laying in the bathtub filled with cold water as a kid praying for winter. We never had air conditioning.
I finished a bracelet yesterday that I don't know if I can part with. I strung hand made blue/green lamp work beads with 10mm swarovsky crystals. I put a very elegant ballerina charm on it with some more crystals. If you think it sound boring it is just because you can't see the beads yet. The colors in the lamp work beads are some of the prettiest I have ever seen. Paired with the sparkle of the crystals  it is really special. One of the things I love about designing is looking for very unique beads. They are one of a kind and that makes them so sought after. Next week, that will be the first thing I do is post a picture of that. I hope I can capture the colors for you.
Well, I am off to do the second thing I love to  best and that is cooking. If I do so, I really love my own cooking as well.

I always ask what each birthday person wants me to cook for them special. Dave picked my homemade potato salad. I am also making him his favorite Lemon Tart. It is to die for and I would be happy to share the recipe for it, of course you must squeeze about 20 fresh lemons for it, so if you want the recipe for it keep that in mind. Of course I have a juicer, if I can find it.
Julio, my future grand-son-in-law asked for pineapple salsa. Since I am not serving swordfish today, (they both wanted hamburgs, how boring, ) I plan on serving corn chips with it.
I must get to work. Have a great weekend.
Cynthia

Busy as a beaver!!

Hello everyone, I can't believe the amount of time that has passed since my last post. The days and hours fly by even though I have been getting up at 4:30 0r 5:00 every morning. I am getting ready for the big downtown show and will have many new items that you are going to love. I had sold most of my major pieces already this summer so everything will be brand new.

I am particularly excited about a new clasp I am working on! Listen to this, you can open it with one hand because it is spring loaded. Of course, it has taken me about 10 hours so far to make this, so we'll see how many I can make. I foresee great interest in this clasp because I am continually trying to find just the right, easy to use and still beautiful clasp.

I am so thrilled with my viking knit pieces. They are a work of art and absolutely a classic family heirloom. The chain mail pieces are also  awesome and I have some of those as well.  For those of you who love the chunky, funky, colorful and fun, there are also some very beautiful statement pieces.

I am still in ceramics as I got into the second class at OCC. I love it as it is very relaxing. Is it illegal to have so much fun everyday?

I spoke with Heather, for those who don't know, my granddaughter. She told me something I had to share with you. She is a nanny for 6 young children, here in Dewitt. Two of the youngest were riding there little cars out on the deck and little Joseph slammed into the rear of Emma's car. He screeched , "I hurt my knee!" Emma turned around and said " Hurt in a car? Call William Mattar! 444-4444.  I thought I'd die laughing.  The kid is very little. It was the highlight of my week, I even woke up during the night laughing about it.

Another party weekend! Yeah. My husband Dave turned 50 Monday. My granddaughter's fiance' turns 26, so we are doing a twofer! The weather has been unbelievable but hotter than Haites . Does everyone know I can't spell? I always knew in my heart when I was in grade school that learning to spell was a total waste of time. Who knew there would be spell check in my future?     I did!

2 weeks to go until the Montgomery St. show downtown. I can't wait. It is always so much fun and I always end up seeing people I haven't seen in years. Please identify yourself when you come to my booth. I am 60 you know and have no memory what so ever! It's just so much more fun now. If I get sad 5 minutes later I can't remember why! How cool is that.

Our weekend starts tonight, Dave has taken off Friday's and Monday's for the summer. I hope everyone enjoys their weekend as much as we are going to.

Cynthia

I forgot to post a picture of my flying pig!

Leisure Time at Letchworth

Dave and I just returned from Letchworth State Park. We brought our camper there so we could attend the Air show in Geneseo on Saturday. Our daughter Lisa was home with our three dogs so we were foot loose and fancy free for the weekend. I always bring a tool box and jewelry projects to work on. I made two viking knit necklaces over the weekend. They are a perfect project, all that is required is a roll of wire and a stick! It is great therapy and I find myself taking it everywhere. I always made fun of old ladies with their knitting when I was a kid, and now look, I'm an old lady with wire!

I was so excited when I got home yesterday and saw my friend Sally Fredrizzi on the cover of Money Wise magazine in the Post-Standard, with a bracelet on in the picture, that I MADE! How cool is that. Sally is a great girl and did a very nice job on the article she wrote. Don't you too want to wear the same designer jewelry the famous Syracuse people wear?

I am off to start my third short class on ceramics at OCC this morning. Last week I picked up my favorite piece. I just have to post a picture of her here. I think I am having just too much fun lately.

The weekend's Over!

I am lucky to say the weekend was a blast. Heather's party was a success and everyone ate too much and had loads of fun. I don't believe I remember a 4th of July weekend so perfect. The weather was gorgeous every day! On Saturday I went to lunch with my friend Monica. It was a scenic ride and we enjoyed ourselves. We had a party on Sunday, and went to our friends Mark and Kit's lake house on the 4th of July. A busy weekend and too much fun. I still managed to finish some jewelry. I am excited about my new pieces and I think you will be too.
This is a very striking piece. There are all kinds of baubles in this. A swarovsky crystal pendant, agates, Jade, a handmade lamp work bead, fabric beads and ribbon. The colors are  luscious enough to make you want to eat it!
Well back to work for me.
Cynthia

Birthday and Holiday weekend

Today is my granddaughter's 26th  birthday. I am having a party for her and it is a perfect day. It is one day I will not be eating, thinking, and breathing jewelry! I can't believe how fast the years have flown by and how can she be 26, when I am only 40. Oh I remember, 60 is the new 40.

I love to cook gourmet foods and luckily my family likes to eat them. I am making an incredible Thai noodle salad, a salt potato caper salad, among other things and the most decadent banana cream pie you have ever eaten!
I made a batch of strawberry pina coladas with home grown strawberries! (I didn't grow them) I think I put too much rum in them. Oh dear.
Must run off to Fins and Tails for shrimp and scallops. Heather loves shrimp cocktail and if you live in Syracuse, you only get shrimp from one place. Dave is grilling scallops wrapped in bacon.
I am in the middle of making the perfect serving dish for my family in ceramics. It's called,  The diets begin,
when pigs fly. My assignment was to create something with humor.  Stay tuned for pictures, if it makes it through the kiln.
I hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend. I plan pretty much on it being a giant party and vacation. I will get back to making jewelry as soon as I find a spare second as I am already missing it. I am an addict. 
Cynthia

Copper Chain mail and Onyx earrings

I absolutely love copper chain mail earrings! These are the shaggy loop pattern with smaller jump rings, which make a tighter weave. I think they are so unique and look great when combined with the rich black onyx . These earrings hang about 3 inches from your ear. The beautiful black onyx with linear patterns give them just enough pizazz to wear with any summery outfit! I hand cut all my jump rings for my chain mail and also make the earring findings.

Sterling Silver Earings with enameled copper

These earrings are completely handmade by myself in European 4 and 1 pattern. I hung tint blue birds on them which are enameled copper. For some reason, I just love the enamelec copper with silver. It really adds such a beautiful color contrast. The earrings are very light and lacy looking and just so unique.

Sterling Silver Chainmaille Earrings

These beautiful earrings combine a substantial European 4 and 1 weave with hand made disks that I made from PMC. I put a pattern on the disks that I carved out of linoleum and pressded into the clay. I put a light patina on it, which has just the slightest color to it. These are one of a kind and you will wear them forever. These earrings make a statement and are all you really need to wear out with an outfit as they provide a very nice focal point, at three inches long.

Sterling Silver Earings

These sterling silver earrings are completely handmade by myself. They are a chain mail weave called shaggy loops. They are so light and airy and yet elegant and chic.. Sometimes it's better to do less and make a subtle impact with a simple earring such as this one.

Spiral chain maile and Viking Knit Charm Bracelet

I just love chain mail and viking knit, so I decided to combine them in a unique design which also mixes metals, which I love to do. I think the copper makes the silver come alive. I am always shopping and keeping my eye open for found items to use in my jewelry. I was in home depot the other day and came across crimp connectors made for electrical wires. I think they are so cool looking, don't you think they look great in the bracelet? I have a thing for charms and dangles. I used a hill tribe silver connector bead along with a Chinese ceramic fish bead, I beautiful cobalt blue AB crystal and a little hand hammered disk. They give the bracelet a great feel as well as a beautiful look. The little frog is hand carved from the Philippines. I go to the same booth at the Gem and Mineral Show that comes to town in a few weeks. I have always loved their carvings and look forward each year to picking up a few. This year I'm so mad! I will be in Genesseo  to take a well earned long weekend, to relax regenerate before the rest of the show season. I am going to have to send my granddaughter to the show and hope she is able to find the crazy stuff I love to get.
I often times go on a tangent, but don't you think this bracelet turned out grea

Viking Knit Chocker

This a hand wove necklace with sterling ornament and swarovski crystal.

It is absolutely an unique design that I end the necklace with conical fine silver which is decorated with carven flower. A sterling sphere ornament that can be half seperated, stunning and eye-catching. Irregular shaped swarovski crystal, fine silver bead and chip with bubbles are all assembled to make this necklace stands out in the crowd. Plus the S shape fine silver clasp, it is attactive, unique, and beautiful to wear.

You will love it

Art in the Park

Hello everyone! I had a great day selling in Marcellus yesterday. It's a beautiful place, didn't even mind the rain, because everyone knows the real shoppers are stopped by nothing. I am off to the college today to play in  the clay, then back to work tomorrow, making new items for the Syracuse show. I have some great ideas, stay tunned.

Red Brass Chain Maile Beaded Bracelet

This chunky bracelet is made of 14 gauge red brass. I made the jump rings by hand and cut them with a jewelry saw. I added 2 very cool brass beads with a mottled green patina. I made a simple hook clasp for this which is easy to use. ,
It has an oriental feel to it and is quite stunning on, as it is eye catching and very distinctive. You will love the way this feels on you. The bracelet is about 8 1/2 Inches long, but can be adjusted to fit you. Because of the large beads, it will fit somebody who wears a 7 1/2 normally.

The necklace with the hand made wormwood beads compliments this very nicely without being too matchy, matchy.

Fabulous Chunky Red and Silver Beaded Necklace

This fabulous necklace is assembled with base metal beads which have beautiful patterns like gifts from Tibet. There are wine red check crystals at ends of each chunky metal; assembled with red silk ribbon, makes this necklace a wonderful summer piece.

Hand Made Spaulted White Ash Beaded necklace

A very unique necklace which has different shapes of Spaulted white ash wooden beads. I found this rare wood when I was firing ceramics with a wood fired kiln.I was taking my turn adding wood to the kiln when I came across the piece of wood. Of course it didn't go into the fire and I went right home and decided to make beads out of it. I cut the beads drilled them sanded and stained them. I rubbed a light poly coating on them. I added sterling silver tubing to finish them off nicely. I added metal beads which have a very cool green finish. These beads hang on an Argentium silver woven chain which does not tarnish. The chain ends with Tibetan silver end caps and a handmade sterling silver clasp. The chain is adjustable in sizes. This necklace is set off with a handmade turquoise fiber as a well as a handmade crystal. This minor detail gives the necklace tremendous style.

Sterling Silver Chainmaille Earrings

These earrings are completely handmade by myself. They are made completely of sterling silver. Those circular shapes are called mobius balls and I designed them with silver chainmaille to create some texture with the earring. These are simple-chic and perfect with any outfit! Sometimes it's better to do less and make a subtle impact with a simple earring such as this one.

Fabulous Weekend

Many times, I couldn't think of any idea how my new pieces will look like; When I had no inspiration on my design, I tried to find something that could enlighten me. But it's neven been easy..

I sometimes flip magazines, read through art book, and maybe some local newspaper of personal stories. They some time helps, but not always.

Last week was bad, I hit the roadlock; I tried every way I could think of, but none of them seems helpful.  I was so upset until my Granddaught came and asked me try to forget about making jewelry, but just enjoy yourself and set my mind free. She talks to me, accompany me to different places...The weather was beautiful, I enjoyed the time she and I sitting on the bench watching kids playing around, and I totally release myself from jewelry.

 You can't believe that all of sudden, I have whole bunch of new ideas of my jewelry, and I couldn't even stop it. How surprising is that!!

Well, what I'm trying to say to everyone who encounter the same difficulties as I did is that to looking for the real you, the real life, and the real friends and family. They are actually around us everyday, just hard for us to notice. A lot of times, we forgot who we are in the reality, and we got stressed, disoppointed, or even desprite; that is because we don't notice the care and love from friends and families, which are actually the most beautiful things in the world, which can be your forever support.

Hope you all enjoy your life.

Copper Chainmaille Earrings with Fuschia Aggots

I absolutely love copper chainmaille earrings! I think they are so unique and look great when combined with bright gems. These earrings hang about 3 inches from your ear. The fasseted fuschia aggots give them just enough pizazz to wear with any summery outfit!

Listing Tools Edit Copy Copper Viking Knit with Copper Bird Locket

 


I did the viking knit design because I just love how it looks! This one is 24 gauge copper, and much thicker than the last because it's double wrapped. This allows for a more secure feel and I believe a better look when it comes to wearing a bracelet. That pendant you see that hangs down is actually a locket! I thought that was very unique for a bracelet and it adds a perfect touch to a simple bracelet. The locket is copper and the pink bird is just too cute for words. There are two flower charms that hang around the locket as well. This bracelet is absolutely stunning on and fits perfectly.

Red Brass Chainmaille and Beaded Bracelet

This is a piece I JUST made. The red brass chainmaille was handcrafted by myself and the brass beads with a mottled green patina add so much life to this bracelet. I put triangular and circular charms in between the beads to create an oriental feel and give the piece my personal touch. The different shapes are immediately eye-catching. A bracelet to fall in love with!

A new item I just made, and welcome to my blog.

Hi everyone,

I'm Cynthia Cameron, a new blogger who is passionate about jewelry design. I used to be a Financial Planner for more than 15 years, and afterall I choose to give up what pays me well and turn to be a Jewelry Designer. I love creating jewelry pieces on my own, and I enjoy every step of making them.

I would also love to share all the inspirations in my life and my newly created jewelry with you.

This is a design I just learned to make and I am so excited about it!

I hand-wove this red brass to create a chain-like design that is bendable and comfortable. Because the red brass material is so fine, the piece gives off a shine that is extremely eye-catching. At the end of the bracelet I hand-made the clamp and adjustable links with copper. There are two white and brown beads that have a tribal feel to them. The bead that would hang on your wrist has an amazing shimmer to it that catches the light, so every body will be looking at this gorgeous design.

If you like my jewelry, and like to know more about it, you can:

Add me on Facebook cynthiacamerondesign

Send me email cynthiacameronjewelry@gmail.com

or, shop my jewelry at http://www.etsy.com/shop/cynthiacamerondesign

Have a great day!