Body Positivity And Learning To Love Yourself

What do you know about the body positive movement? Maybe you've seen a Dove ad with women of all shapes and sizes. Maybe you saw the Lane Bryant campaign of I'm No Angel. If you're on Instagram maybe you even follow Effyourbeautystandards. If you don't know about Body Positive, it's about accepting all shapes, sizes, and colors and celebrating them. It's about rejecting what we've been told is beautiful by the world (and mainly advertisers and the fashion industry) and finding the beauty everyone has.

I've been told by a number of people "I love your confidence" or "You're so brave to pose for pictures like that."  When I get told these things it's almost if there is an unasked question of how do I get that confidence? Maybe some even think I've always had it (I haven't). I've been told these things enough that I've decided that I should make the keys to the kingdom into a blog.

For a very long time I derived my self-confidence and self-worth from the knowledge that I'm fairly intelligent. I did well in school. I learn things fast and I'm a great problem solver. I've never been a shy person and I'm quite happy to tell you my opinion. I would actually lose patience quite easily with people who couldn't keep up with intellectual conversation. When it came to beauty however, I didn't think much of myself. I didn't think I was a troll, but I didn't think of myself as pretty either. When my husband and I started dating he would tell me how beautiful I was and I would laugh at him. He was blinded by love! How sweet.

I continued on this path of deriving my self-worth from my intellegence and, after college, from my career. I was a great employee (I have the awards to back it up). So what happens when you get sick, doctor after doctor can't figure out why, and you eventually lose your job? Talk about having a bubble burst. Even though I was no longer working I was still intellegent. Which is just fine and dandy. Who am I going to prove it to? The walls of my house and my pets?

People with chronic conditions can really take a hit to their self-worth, especially if they are house bound. Plus there is the added bonus of weight gain with a lot of the medications. Nothing makes you feel more confident than getting larger and having your clothes no longer fit. Add to that having days where you can't get out of bed and you are living in your pajamas. You can really start to feel like you are nothing.

Three years ago I was fortunate enough to kind of stumble into a community of performance artists in Dallas who celebrate everyone. It wasn't just skinny people or traditionally beautiful people on stage. I saw large women on stage. I saw people who didn't fit the commercialized mold of beautiful. I was intrigued. I also started taking some dance classes. I felt uncoordinated and very unfit at first. I had lost a lot of what little coordination I had due to my fibromyalgia. But my dance teachers encouraged me and little by little it came back! As it came back I felt more confident; I held my head higher.

About this same time I was introduced to a local photographer and make up artist. Having my makeup done by Vivienne Vermuth is a game changer. You look into the mirror and you don't recognize yourself. Then you go in front of Dee Hill; as she shoots each picture she gives you words of encouragement. You hear things like "beautiful, oh wow, stunning!" Somewhere during the shoot your inner light comes on!

Photo by Dee Hill. HAMU by Vivienne Vermuth

I've also done photoshoots with Shoshana Portnoy and her right hand make up artist LaDonna Stein. They are also amazing to work with and their finished product always shines! You can find them at Dallas Pinup.

Photo by Shoshana Portnoy. HAMU by LaDonna Stein

Am I saying you must go do a photoshoot like this to get confidence? I'm not advocating that at all. What I am advocating is to find things that boost your confidence. What makes you feel good about yourself? "Nothing" is not the right answer. There is something amazing about you, I know it! Find that little nugget of amazing and grow it. The trick to confidence is you MUST learn to love yourself.

I can hear the objections already. Stop. Just stop. You are amazing. You are beautiful. You're right, I don't know you. But I do know every human being on this planet is beautiful. You are beautiful because you are unique. You are beautiful because there is only one of you. See where I'm going? That's right, start to love yourself. Find those things that make you YOU and flaunt them!

Find your tribe. Find the people who will encourage you. Get rid of the toxic people in your life. If they don't add to your existence, you don't need them. Surround yourself with people who love you just the way you are. This is your tribe. These are the people that will remind you how special you are in times where you don't see it yourself.

For my spoonies, I know this can be especially difficult, especially if you are housebound. That's okay. You have the internet and you've already found me. You can join my tribe. I have a bunch of friends who I only know through the internet. Nothing is worse than feeling alone. I know. Come join us so you don't have to go through your illness by yourself. There are people just like you all over the internet.

I hope this blog has helped you start the first step on loving yourself. If you need more enouragement, just let me know. I'm always happy to send love and encouragement through the internet.

Until Next Time,
Melissa

It's Been Awhile...Let's Catch Up

I stopped blogging over three years ago. I'm not sure why. But in the last few months I've been thinking I need to revive this blog and get back at it. So let's catch up (and three years is a lot of ground to cover, so grab a drink and settle in for a long one).

Through my jewelry and vending at various events I made some new friends and got involved in an amazing performance art community here in the Dallas area. In 2015 I even went to work part time for an amazing company. Overall life got better. I still had bad days but they seemed to be fewer. Life was pretty good for a couple of years.

Then on December 26th, 2015 my world was rocked. If you're friends with me on Facebook you know a little about this date. That's the day an EF4 tornado ripped through my hometown of Rowlett, Texas. This blog is the first time I've REALLY talked about how it affected me. It's been 10 months and I've written this blog in my head a thousand times, but I could never bring myself to really put it out there. Until now.

I like to keep things fairly upbeat. I don't hide the bad things or the not so good things. I've blogged about my fibromyalgia and my autoimmune disorder. I just try to not let them define me or use them to get attention or pity from others. I try to focus on good things or funny things. People don't need to know about my problems or how I really feel. They have their own issues. So why am I writting this blog? Because I feel this topic is too important to hide. So let's talk about the night of the tornado.

It was the day after Christmas. In fact it was a pretty nice day and we had the windows open. It was warm and beautiful. A cold front was expected later that night but thats not unusual. The weather varies in Texas. There was even a possibility of storms. As it became evening the threat of storms became greater, but I wasn't too concerned. I live on what is known as The Peninsula in Rowlett. We are on this strip of land in the middle of Lake Ray Hubbard. Traditionally severe weather has either gone to the north or to the south of us. I've lived here for 15 years and we had never had any severe weather related damage to out house or vehicles. I was so unconcerned I wasn't even watching the weather. It was a Netflix and chill kind of night.

My husband finally was said we should turn on the news and watch the weather. Okay fine. Another thing you need to understand is I grew up in Upstate New York. Winter weather doesn't phase me. Here in Texas, when we get ice and snow the local TV stations make it out to be there is an impending apocalypse. So I've come to ingore the "we're all going to die" hyperbole the local stations spew.

As the line of storms grew closer my husband went outside to watch. He's an Iowa boy and apparently tornadoes are events to be watched there. Not long after Aaron went outside to watch he came running back in saying we needed to take cover. Houses here do not have basements so taking cover means to go to the center of the house to a room with no windows. We attempted to get the dogs to go with us and about this point I could hear the awful sound a tornado makes. Three dogs went with Aaron. I was chasing down a fourth dog when the tornado hit. We lost power and you could hear everything hitting the house. It was terrifying and then it was over.

Flash lights were turned on. Damage was checked. Neighbors were checked on and loose dogs were put in our backyard as our fence was still standing. It was chaos. After things kind of calmed down here Aaron said we should go check on my parents' house. My parents were visiting my brother in North Carolina for Christmas and we were watching the house and feeding the cat. Back in 2014 my parents had purchaed a second house just two blocks from my house. We walked over there (there were shingles and nails sprinkled throughout the streets and my husband didn't want to replace tires on his truck) expecting to need to maybe board up some windows. We grabbed our cat carrier just in case we needed to grab Spike (the family cat). I was not prepared for what we were to find.

Before and after of my parents' home

As you can see there was nothing left. This 3300 square foot house was just gone. Picking through the debris took a number of days and a number of volunteers. My parents got here as fast as they could. My brother came from North Carolina. A friend of my father's from NY came down. The damage was overwhelming.

For the first week after the tornado it was just go go go. Help recover items from the debris while there was light and clean recovered items and wash recovered laundry at night (once power was restored which was three days). At first I didn't sleep at night because there was stuff that needed done. I was also on Facebook a lot trying to keep up with the news. The tornado took a diagonal path across the peninsula.

Aerial shot of the tornado path. The red dot is where my parents house was. I don't know who took the original aerial shot.

My parents had lost everything, including a number of family heirlooms. My neighbors lost a lot. My neighborhood looked like a war zone. There was grief, loss, and devastation everywhere I looked. For about a week I physically was able to hold up; considering my fibromyalgia and autoimmune, this was an outstanding amount of time. After about a week I was forced to bed with a flair.

And then I was able to think, able to absorb everything that had happened. It also allowed me time to let the survivors guilt settle in. From there I spiraled downward. I was unable to sleep at night, even with the help of Ambien. I then tried Ambien and alcohol (which you're not supposed to do). I tried other combinations I won't go into. Night became a time of total terror. I was able to sleep during the day sometimes. I stopped leaving the house. I even hated to walk out my front door to get the mail. Eventually it got to the point where I rarely left the master bedroom.

For reasons I won't get into seeking professional help was not an option. I knew my mental state had gotten very bad. Any type of thunderstorm or threat of a storm triggered me. We had a near miss with our house (pretty minimal damage; houses literally across the street were total losses). Any storm felt like it was going to happen all over again but this time it would take us out. Some TV shows would trigger me. Anything with explosions that caused destruction were hard to watch.

Luckily I have some really amazing friends who I chat with via Facebook Messanger reguarly. One friend (Jane) was my rock. I don't know how I would have gotten through this horrible time without her. Another friend (Kate) gave me the suggestion that put me on my path to recovery. Kate suggested I take up gardening. Around April I started planting vegtables and herbs. Then I started a fairy garden. By the beginning of June I had transformed my backyard into a tranquil space. The work of creating a safe space and helping plants grow really helped to heal my devastation.

Collage of my Fairy Garden

I started to go out with friends more. I'd still sometimes have panic attacks leaving the house. But I had to push through it. I even took a road trip with my mom and visited upstate NY twice (I flew up to help her drive to Texas to take care of some business, then helped her drive back three weeks later and flew home). Going back home and seeing long time friends (20 years+) also really helped to ground and recenter me. I came home from my second trip feeling better than I had in months.

If you've stuck with me this long, you're probably wondering why I wrote this large tome. I have two reasons. One, to bring awareness to things like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. I know a number of people that stuggle with these and I now have a better understanding of them. Obviously my poor mental state was caused by an event. I still get triggered occassionally but I'm working on healing. I know some people have depression and general anxiety and that is something you don't just get over. Those are conditions that need medication to be managed. For some reason there is a stigma attached with metal illness and there shouldn't be. We don't judge people who are diabetic or have heart conditions. I would like to see awareness raised for mental illness and the stigma eradicated.

My second reason for this blog is I want to get back to blogging so I see this post as a jump start. Earlier this year I started a Facebook group for people like me (Spoonies) who have a chronic condition. I started it out of a need to connect with others like myself. Little did I know how rewarding it would be to connect people so they can help and support others like them. It's powerful just to know you're not alone. I'd like to take it a step further and make this blog spoonie-centric. It will still be my random thoughts and it will still be all over the place. However my goal is to try to make it more focused on my spoonie lifestyle. It will still be applicable to everyone, just more suited to those of us with chronic conditions.

So there it is. I think we've caught up. I hope this blog finds you, my dear readers, well and I will catch you again soon.

Until Next Time (and not three years from now),
Melissa

Handmade Wednesday featuring Melbe Creations

Handmade Wednesday

by Melissa Creamer, Crafter of Chrysalis Jewelry

Welcome to Handmade Wednesday. Each Wednesday, I will feature a crafter or artist you should know about! Are you ready to see who I have picked for this week? Let's get started.

This week I am featuring Melissa of Melbe Creations. No worries, I am not going to be interviewing myself. Melissa B just happens to have an awesome first name! Melissa B is a artist/photographer from Minnesota. Let's find out about her wonderful art!

Melbe Creations
Portforlio
Etsy Store
Facebook
Pinterest
Flickr
Blog









  

MC -Tell us a little bit about your handmade business

Melbe - I am a nature photographer that adds a twist to my photographs.  I create kaleidoscope/mandala designs from my photographs.  I isolate the subject of my photo by making a freehand geometric cut.  I then create multiple copies, mirror image and realign them to create a seamless design.  This is done freehand and is not the product of an automatic program.  An automatic program is fun but it distorts the subject of your photograph, creating an effect of literally looking through a kaleidoscope.  My objective is to isolate my subject and kaleidoscope around it.  I then translate my designs into prints, pendants, suncatchers, paperweights, ceramic tiles and more!

My Hearts Desire Metal Pendant

MC - How long have you been in business?

Melbe - I have been creating these designs for over 15 years.  I used to create these designs with an actual print, ruler and Exacto knife!  Very difficult to produce and they left a seam.  I stopped creating them for several years until I was able to design electronically and eliminate the seam.  I launched an Etsy shop in March of 2010.  I followed up by participating in juried art fairs and this year I launched my own website.

Feathered Fauna Suncatcher

MC - Did your business start as a hobby?

Melbe - Yes, the last thought I had was showing my work and selling my designs.  I was absolutely terrified to share my work.  It took me several months to work up the courage to approach a local store about carrying my product.  The owner was very supportive and encouraged me to expand.

Petals Of Poise Trinket Box

MC - Where do you get your design inspiration from?

Melbe - Cliché as it sounds nature is my inspiration. There is a deeper reason than physical beauty. Nature does not care if you are having a bad hair day, if your socks match, or if you are wearing a designer label. Nature unconditionally accepts. My true inspiration flourishes from the inner beauty of their society.

Nymph Nirvana glass paperweight

MC - Tell us about a piece you designed that you are still blown away by

Melbe - I would have to say that “My Heart’s Desire” would have to be the piece I am most proud of.  I am proud of my wildlife photographs because of the time and patients it takes to capture just the right image, but this design is my pride and joy.  It is a photograph of an Asian Lady Slipper flower.  The image itself was not difficult to capture, but creating the design I wanted was.  I wanted to create hearts with the leaves and the center.  It took me several cuts to get just the right angle.  The image itself has wonderful depth so the finished design as a three dimensional effect.

My Hearts Desire

MC - What project are you currently working on?

Melbe - I am always in pursuit of a new design but I have learned to let nature take the lead.  In the past I would set out to capture a certain image and Mother Nature has showed me something unexpected.  The unexpected images are the most rewarding. I have learned to let my designs happen organically.  The whole process is far more rewarding.   I do however have requests to create designs from a sweet pea, peony, horses and more turtles.  I have planted several flowers in my garden as well that I am waiting to bloom to see if inspiration takes over.   I am working on translating my designs into my different products.  Love Struck, my latest design, I am translating into a pendant and suncatcher.

Monarch Melody

MC- What is the one thing you have learned by trial and error that you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you started?

Melbe -Let it happen organically!  Do not force your creative process.  I am a stubborn soul and sometimes I will push to create a design that I want no matter how uninspired I am.  I have learned that my design will come out flat…no emotion, and even I do not care for the design.

 

Auroras Aria

MC - Spread the love. Tell us about another handmade business you adore.

Melbe - Wow there is just so many artists that I adore and admire, It is so hard to choose just one.  I would have to say I am blown away by Janice Winsor from Four Winds Farm Maine!   She creates felted sculptures from photographs that are so incredibly life I am amazed.  She creates many other items that I adore as well.

Four Winds Farm Maine

MC- Free style. Tell me about anything I forgot to ask.

Melbe - About a year ago I began to search for any symbolisms the subjects of my designs have.  I learn everyday something new about nature, history and our desire as humans to add meaning to Mother Nature’s creations.  Many of the symbolisms go back centuries!  It one of my favorite steps in my process!  The hardest part of the process can be giving my design a title.  I think I stress about the title more than any other part of the process.

Bear Essentials

Thanks Melissa for dropping by for Handmade Wednesday and sharing your art with us! Be sure to tune in next week to see who is featured next!
Until Tomorrow
Melissa

Handmade Wednesday featuring Shantastic Shine

Handmade Wednesday

by Melissa Creamer, Crafter of Chrysalis Jewelry

Welcome to Handmade Wednesday. Each Wednesday, I will feature a crafter or artist you should know about! Are you ready to see who I have picked for this week? Let's get started.

This week I am featuring Shantastic Shine. Artist Shannon features just a little of everything in her eclectic collection from art to jewerlry. Lets find out about Shannon!

Website

Facebook

Etsy Shop

MC - Tell us a little bit about your handmade business

 
SS - I sell a little bit of everything handmade at Shantastic Shine. My own work includes my artwork which is mostly done in acrylic paints or professional style paint markers. As far as artwork I do take commissions when I have time to work on them in my studio.

I also do a lot of hemp work and customized jewelry. I macramé over 20 necklaces and create dozens of custom orders a week to provide a customized experience and to get just what my customers are looking for. 

MC - How long have you been in business?

SS - I started selling things in my highschool years around 2008. I officially opened Shantastic Shine in 2010 after moving home from College in Pittsburgh to my hometown of Cumberland, Maryland. Where I currently am located and travel the surrounding areas for shows and events.

MC - Did your business start as a hobby?

SS - My little business started as a hobby but I knew I wanted to do something art related with my life.  I enjoy sharing my ideas and love of all things arts and crafts with anyone interested in custom work. I knew a normal 9-5 job just wasn’t for me and my heart belonged in an art studio! I started making things for friends and family and before I knew it I had strangers calling for gifts and handmade jewelry, and so it began!

MC - Where do you get your design inspiration from?

SS-Colors, and Music. I try to use a lot of “color theory” in my work. Since art has been taken less seriously in my local schools than I think it should be I have noticed many people I talk to often don’t realize what colors mix to make which anymore.  I often use the idea of colors like red and blue to make purple and use them on multiple canvas’ as well as blend them in my art whether it be painting or jewelry combinations.

I also use music a lot as motivation. A line in a song could inspire an entire painting for me. Or a rhythm behind a catchy chorus could become the idea for a new pattern for a background image.

 MC - Tell us about a piece you designed that you are still blown away by 

SS-One of my bar far favorite pieces is a stone wire wrap I made a few years ago. I loved it so much I still have it and wear it almost daily. It has gotten me so many compliments and I would like to believe sales. It has a Smokey Quartz, amethyst tourmaline and a few other small stones mixed into it.  Since I have made it I have made several similar with custom stone requests for customers. They are time consuming but one of my favorite projects to make for people because they usually have special meanings for the stones they choose.

MC - What is the one thing you have learned by trial and error that you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you started?

SS-Not everyone appreciates things as much as someone else. I often try to make everyone happy or appeal to a wide variety of people. I have taught myself to create things that I think SOMEONE will like and not EVERYONE that way when that someone finds it , it means even more to them and they will truly appreciate it.

MC - Spread the love. Tell us about another handmade business you adore.

SS-I truly admire Shirley over at the Orange Windmill or Tree’s Hide.  She creates some very awesome leather bound books as well as other little leather accessories. I have received an amazing little green leatherbound mini journal that I have been scribbling my ideas in ever since. It’s very nicely made and I can’t wait to get another one soon!

MC - Free style. Tell me about anything I forgot to ask.

SS-I am currently trying to reach 1,200 friends/fans on my facebook. Once I get to 1,200 friends I will be running a contest for either a Necklace, a painting, or a $20 gift card for ShantasticShine OR maybe ALL THREE.
 
ALSO get free shipping in my etsy shop if you use this code : SHANTASTICSHIPFREE  

Thanks Shannon for dropping by for Handmade Wednesday and sharing your art with us! Be sure to tune in next week to see who is featured next!
Until Tomorrow
Melissa

Tektites.....from Outer Spaaaaaaace!

Chris
Chrysalis Jewelry Intern 
Facebook Fan Page
Etsy Shop







Grab your phasers, put on your space helmets, and crank up your creepy theremin music, today's blog is on Tektites.

No, not the spider things from the Legend of Zelda games, although it would make a pretty cool alien, and it would go with creepy theremin music pretty well.

No creepy theremin music here, but it's just as good if you ask me.

But in a nutshell, Tektites are rocks (not all gem quality, of course) formed when space rocks hit the Earth.  These impacts tend to be fairly energetic events (just ask the Dinosaurs), so even though Tektites are formed from ordinary Earth rocks and such, the materials in those rocks are transformed, both from the impact itself, and they are often shaped as they zip though the air and cool down.

For example, here's an Australite, which acquired its aerodynamic shape after it was ejected from a newly formed impact crater, and sailed through the air as a blob of molten glass.  It may not be particularly shiny, but you might be interested to know that Australites helped to inspire the shape of the Apollo Space Capsules.  In other words....

Note the similarity to the middle rock....

Also note the similarity to this fine example of Alien Technology.
There is only one explanation!

Most gem grade Tektites, however, are the illustrious green Moldavites.  Not only are they beautiful, but there are only four Moldavite mines currently operating in the world, and they're all in the Czech Republic.  Once they're gone, they're gone.

These spiky "flower burst" Moldavites are highly sought after by collectors.

While the smaller loose pieces are cut into gems

So remember, the next time you're looking for a different sort of gemstone for a unique gift, you may just want to look to the stars....
Until Tommorow
Chris the Intern

Discover Ammonites in Jewelry

Discover Ammonites in Jewelry

by Melissa Creamer, Crafter of Chrysalis Jewelry

Today I want to tell you about ammonites in jewelry. What is an ammonite you ask? They are an extinct group of invertibrate animals that appeared in the Devonian Period and died out during the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. They have since become fossilized.

Some of you may be thinking "Okay, I just heard blah blah jewelry blah blah." Here is what you need to know. Ammonites are really old animals and they have become fossils. These really cool fossils look even cooler in jewelry. Time for show and tell.

Pair of ammonites

Opalized Ammonite

See? Aren't these fossils pretty? Wouldn't it be fun if someone put them into jewelry? Good news! In the past I have made them into rings, bracelets, pendants and cuff links. I had the honor of having some of my ammonite jewelry photographed by fine art photographer Jon Herrera.

Would you like some more ammonite jewelry eye candy by other artists? I would too, so for your viewing (and drooling) pleasure I present...

Ammonite Pendant

Ammonite Ring

Ammonite Cuff Bracelet

Ammonite cuff links

Ammonite Ring

Ammonite Bracelet

WOW! I just love the creativity of these pieces. I admire how these artists have combined fossils with jewelry. Not only are these pieces wearable art, they are wearable history!

If you are thinking "I would love to have some ammonite jewelry of my own!", no worries, Chrysalis Fans! Contact me today (melissa@chrysalisjewelry.com) to discuss a custom piece. Don't forget you can always visit my website, my Etsy shop, or my Facebook page to connect with me too.

Until Tomorrow
Melissa

Handmade Wednesday Featuring Rootiebirds

Handmade Wednesday

by Melissa Creamer, Crafter of Chrysalis Jewelry

Welcome to Handmade Wednesday. Each Wednesday, I will feature a crafter or artist you should know about! Are you ready to see who I have picked for this week? Let's get started.

This week I am proud to feature Rootiebirds, a Nebraska based artist who makes the most wonderful gemstone beaded creations. I interviewed her this week and this is what she had to say.

MC - Tell us a little bit about your handmade business

Kate, Owner of Rootiebirds

Rootiebirds -I make jewelry...my passion is working with gemstones, but I love branching out and trying new things….my latest is wire wrapping and soon i want to try leather and metal smithing

MC - How long have you been in business?

Rootiebirds -I've officially been in business for almost a year now

MC - Did your business start as a hobby?

Rootiebirds - Yes, it started quite innocently…a friend needed some help beading and I immediately became addicted. I've never lost the love for it….it has grown…I call it my longest lasting love affair.

Garnet Orbital Resonance

MC - Where do you get your design inspiration from?

Rootiebirds - I get design inspiration from so many places, people, and ideas. I love nature, odd things, art, patterns…there is inspiration everywhere

MC - Tell us about a piece you designed that you are still blown away by.

Rootiebirds - My latest piece is something that blew me out of the water. I call it the Seven Sisters. It is not quite finished yet but it involves some pretty fierce wrapping of copper and gemstones. 

KatyDid Orbital Resonance

MC- What is the one thing you have learned by trial and error that you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you started?

Rootiebirds - I learn everything by trial and error…that's just how I roll…best way to learn. The only thing I would tell myself is to stay true to my vision…not get sidetracked…and to remember that everything is unfolding as it should…be patient.

Amethyst Tapestry

MC - Spread the love. Tell us about another handmade business you adore.

Rootiebirds - My most recent love affair is with Cobalt and Copper. Both her and her work are an inspiration to me.

MC - Free style. Tell me about anything I forgot to ask.

Rootiebirds - One thing I would like to add is that your biggest competition is also your greatest learning source, support and inspiration...always learn to lean on other people and in turn be open to being leaned upon

Sapphire Classic Single Braid

Thank you Kate for stopping in to talk to us about your beautiful creations! If you would like to get to know Rootiebirds better, be sure to become a fan on the Rootiebirds Facebook Page.  You can also send an email to her at RootieBirds@gmail.com.

Specchio Maledetto

Please be sure to tune in next Wednesday when I feature another great crafter or artist. Until next week!

Melissa

PS - Be sure to become a fan of Chrysalis Jewelry!