Pink Rhodonite

Pink Rhodonite
In anticipation of the upcoming episode of Massachusetts state symbols, I have been working on more rhodonite pieces.

I was contacted last minute about being involved with the state gemstone segment so I had very little of the stone on hand to show. I maximized as best I could by pairing with other materials.

Black Onyx Rhodonite Bracelet

Black onyx really makes the stone pop!

Black Onyx Rhodonite Necklace

Here it is paired with curly shells which compliment the pink beautifully. The remainder of the strand includes shell, white quartz and glass pearls.

Curly Shell Necklace

It is gorgeous with natural pearls. But then again, what isn't? The bracelet sold within a couple of days of posting.

Pearl and Rhodonite Bracelet

Of course I had to make a necklace too!

Pearl Rhodonite Necklace

These girly earrings have a Swarovski crystal with an AB finish. The bottom bead is pale autumn jasper.

Swarovski Crystal, Autumn Jasper, Rhodonite Earrings

Turquoise is a fun, unexpected pairing with the stone.

Turquoise Rhodonite Earrings

Thank you for stopping by! Wishing you a marvelous day and fulfilling week ahead! ~Val

This Week's Blog Post

Custom Order

I love this one! The request was for pink rhodonite with crystals.

I have never combined crystals with gemstones before and I am amazed at how beautiful this came out. The Swarovski cubes have an AB finish which is a perfect complement to the earthy feel of the rhodonite. This one is a gift so I hope the recipient loves it!

Winner
Congratulations Stacy of Magic Love Crow!  You are the winner of the totally fun Wizard of Oz Monkey Moments magnet! Please send me an e-mail at missvalscreations@yahoo.com  with your mailing address. J

Zorvino Vineyards

ZorvinoVineyard is located in Sandown, NH which was established by a married couple in 2001.

In addition to growing their own New England grapes, they also import from Tuscany, Chile and Northern CA.

It is not just a winery but also a function facility which holds weddings during all 4 seasons. Who in their right mind would want to marry outside in the snow? But people do!

The grounds are beautiful!

 I love the lamp post in the wine barrel!

We may come back with a picnic lunch one of these days and we can choose a bottle of wine to enjoy there!

 We purchased this sangiovese which was just bottled. Even though it was not aged, it was still delicious!

This sign was behind the tasting counter. I did not notice the naughty corkscrew next to it until uploading the photo!!!

 While I do not drink during my full time job hours, I have to admit that there is occasionally a glass of wine by my side when working on my jewelry business at night!

Garden Update

Since my last garden update my white roses started blooming.

Also these strange purple flowers with buds that are all intertwined. I never saw these before but know they are from bulbs my brother gave me a couple of years ago. They must be biennials?!?

My burgundy colored lilies started blooming.

As well as my orange lilies. I have tons of these which will be all over my gardens! Orange is such a happy, uplifting color!

My red roses are starting to do well (except this top bud which is on its way out).

Have a summery week! Thank you for stopping by! ~Val

This Week's Blog Post

Custom Order
My customer requested pink crystal jewelry and here is the result!

Custom orders typically get me out of my box and this was no exception. I am an earthy stones kind of gal but I do get giddy when working with Swarovski crystals. There is something about a woman and sparkly things!!!

Monkey Moments & Giveaway!!!
My Mother’s Day and Father’s Day shopping brought me to Monkey Moments on Etsy! Sock monkeys are put into human poses to create funny pictures.

Here is mom’s (she always prefers a bath over a shower):

Here is dad’s (with the remote watching PBS or History or Science channel):

The story behind these creations is one sister starting these photos to make her sister laugh. It was too fun for them to not pursue a business in this!

There are a variety of occasions in the card selection like this one for a teacher!

Or this card for love!

Now for a Monkey Moments giveaway! The lucky winner will receive this very fun Wizard of Oz magnet (I could not take the picture without a little glare on it)! It is a large 4” x 5.5”!!!  It is sure to bring a lot of laughs! I have one on my fridge which has me smiling each day!

To enter simply leave a comment on this post that you are a Wizard of Oz fan! If you have an Oz memory, share it.

I was always horrified by those flying monkeys, much more so than the wicked witch! The film still amazes me today how far ahead of its time the production was. My friend and I had toured the studio where this was filmed and apparently the Yellow Brick Road is still there under the current flooring. So I guess we sort of walked on the Yellow Brick Road!

The drawing will occur Sunday July 1 by Jim pulling the lucky winner out of a hat. I will announce the winner on that Saturday July 7 post!!!  Good luck!

The Beach

Jim and I took a ride up the coast to the beach (Atlantic Ocean). It was perfect.

We saw everything you expect to see on the beach like seaweed.

Driftwood.

Seagulls.

A piece of blue lobster.

Kites. See the cat one?

I just love how the water glistens from the sun! I can not believe I am showing my feet! Inheritance brought me painful bunions so my feet are a little deformed!

It feels like you can see forever looking out at the ocean!

I hope you all have a wonderful summer week ahead! ~Val

This Week's Blog Post

Magnolia Necklace Set
I purchased this magnolia pendant on Etsy as an option for the magnolia necklace giveaway. The larger, bolder pendant was chosen for that project. This pendant is sweet and little, made on the backside of a Scrabble game piece.

It called for delicate beads so I used rose quartz and white howlite. I love the pretty, summer-like result! Available at Miss Val’s Creations.

Stevens Coolidge Place
Jim and I stopped at Stevens-Coolidge Place which is located in the town I was raised (North Andover, MA).

This is a historical home I remember visiting during a field trip as a little girl. The inside was open and decorated with period furniture and décor.

Currently the inside is closed. However grounds are open year round.

The architecture is late-Federal period farmhouse circa 1800-1820.

Originally a farm, this yard was transformed into an agricultural estate by Helen Steven Coolidge in the early 1900’s using Colonial Revival aesthetics. Upon her passing she donated the estate to The Trustees of Reservation.

This is the great ash tree which is thought to have brought on the name of the farm, Ashdale Farm.

Some apple trees remain and are guesstimated to be dated back to mid-19^th century.

My favorite part of the visit was all the gorgeous blooms.

This is the upper terrace overlooking the gardens. It would be wonderful to spread a blanket here and lay down.

The walled garden has so much charm.

This well is located on a brick terrace which overlooks the gardens.

 

These beauties are in a perennial garden which I am sure changes throughout the seasons.

We will likely go back during the summer months when the roses and other pretties are in bloom! Picnicking is allowed her so it would make a perfect spot for a beautiful summer afternoon!

We also encountered some creepy old trees! This one would be perfect in a horror film.

I hope you enjoyed our trip through this delightful estate! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live amongst such charm? Have a great week! ~Val