Rockin' the Spots & Feathers

 

Our devoted readers know that I love to create jewelry. You would also know that right before Christmas I received a box full of turquoise and sterling silver from Indian reservations and the Navajo Nation, all from the '30s spanning into the '60s and '70s. My stepdaughter and her grandmother had given me the gift of these pieces after all of the jewelry makings had been passed through generations by Mallory's great-grandfather, or her grandmother's dad. He collected stones, silver, jewelry he picked up and also made some of his own. 

Both ladies figured the box was full of garbage, making Mallory rather embarrassed to pass it on to me. My eyes lit up like a beam of light coming from a lighthouse when I saw the box of the fascinating historical items. I hit the research button hard and found out so much about so many silversmiths' residing in the Navajo Nation area of Arizona. Connecting to this jewelry and the timeframe it was crafted was an understatement. I fell into a rabbit hole and fell hard I might add. My new goal in making jewelry and what I would sell in my store, Pearls & Baubles, had grown from that moment on. 

Mallory dropped by about two weeks ago and brought me yet another box. She still felt embarrassed but not quite like when she handed me the first box. She knew I would find one thing at least that I could use in making something. And find things, I did. 

All types of beads were found on premade necklaces and bracelets or were single beads. I have begun to pull a few pieces apart that are already broken in one way or another, to put them together to make modern pieces, using the vintage and antique beads. I have so many design options and ideas already set in my mind. This is going to be fun! Now all I need is the time to set my plans in motion. 

The antique and vintage beads are drawing me in. The necklace on the left is a millefiori bead made in Italy. Millefiori is Italian meaning, "a million flowers." That particular focal bead is blended with brand new green shiny beads and fluorescent pink seed beads from the '40s. The two silver spacer beads on either side of the millefiori bead are from the '40s as well. 

Next to that necklace is a small pile of howlite rounds with three beautiful ceramic rose beads from the '50s. This set of beads were all put together into a gorgeous necklace; however, the necklace was broken, giving me the idea to pull it apart to create another necklace or necklaces. Originally, the necklace in disrepair gave the feeling and appearance of a Victorian piece and that is what I would love to recreate. We'll see what happens. 

I have chosen these beads to be my first project. Something bright, happy, and beautiful. There are several types of beads involved in the mixture, including some modern day acrylic beads in the blue beads. The blue galaxy beads are glass and are of modern creation too. 

The yellow beads were called "amber beads" many years ago. Jewelry craftsmen used these amber beads to make a lot of jewelry in the '40s to the '70s, when this string of jewels hailed. 

The tube-like bead is a millefiori work of art, crafted from a blow torch and glass canes using the art of lampworking. 

Silver oval beads from East Indian beadwork from the same time period as the others, are antiqued or oxidized. I'm going to add those on either side of the millefiori bead to keep the smaller beads in the combination from slipping into the large holes of the millefiori. The name, millefiori means "thousand flowers" in Italian, where the art of the millefiori beads came to life again. 

I do hope the piece will add joy and happiness to someone's life when it's finished. I chose the brighter colors on these beads to bring some sunshine to the next owner. 

Pearls & Baubles will have a subtitle added to the name. "Pearls & Baubles, New and Redefined Jewelry." 

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Thursday, January 15, 2026

Wow. Halfway through January already! Scary how fast time is flying by now. I guess as you get older time must pick up the pace? 

Today it was only about 32 degrees when I first looked at my weather app to see if it was time to go to work. I looked. I saw. I chose to return to my chair in the office. 

Yesterday I went on a delivery and was taken to Myrtle Creek, which is about 23 miles to the south of Roseburg. Give or take a few. I drove about halfway to the little city and began to feel a bit uneasy. Not because of my car nor the traffic or seats or anything of that sort. I saw ice and frost clinging to the side of the cement barriers in the center of the freeway. The frosty areas were against the sides of the road and on the barriers, but still, it left a feeling of "Oh, shit," when it came to driving around a curvy road connected to a mountain on one side and a drop off on the other. The only thing stopping me from going over the side was one of the guard rails which, let's face it, isn't strong enough metal to keep a car from flying on over. No, thanks. 

I went to Myrtle Creek, dropped off the delivery, turned the car toward home, and stepped on it a bit. Oh, I did stop and take some photos along the river and then jumped back in to ensure I made it home before the roads were worse for any reason. 

I love this spot in Myrtle Creek. The sky is not that color because of a filter. It came out that way. Not sure why. I thought it was beautiful though. 

***

Today is Thursday, January 15. The weather has dropped to the lower 30s overnight, leaving the morning weather very cold with a little frost, fog, and even ice in some areas. I chose to hang out at home for a while until the day warmed a bit before heading out. Most of my deliveries are done in the surrounding hills of Roseburg or dealing with the drive to places like Myrtle Creek that had ice patches along the highway yesterday. 

Even though the new car is a four wheel drive, nothing is good on ice. In fact, it is suggested four wheel drive vehicles turn off that feature when driving in ice. It's the way the wheels gain traction and it's not a good idea to have them spinning to catch traction through ice. I have found no way to turn off the feature, but to let the car shut it down instead. I guess, anyway. Either way, I do not feel safe enough on these high climbing hilly roads when they are covered in ice. There is the chance I could damage the new car, or me. There's that. I don't care to be damaged either. 

With that being said, the day temp never got above the 30s, so Terry and I chose to do something else. He asked what I might like to do ... do you know me? Have we met? Of course it will be a trip through Wildlife Safari!

Here is our trip for this weekend ... with very little commentary. 

This was our first visit we could actually see the painted dogs! Most of the time they were lying under their lean-to, and all we could make out is a pile of brown fur. These two were playing, yipping at each other, and having a great time. 

These babies are really interesting. Gorgeous markings on that fur!

We were able to see four lionesses this time. The last visits we saw two. I read they received at least one more female, but this was our first time seeing more than the original two. 

Watusi cattle. 

Baby zebra born this past year.

Naughty boy ostrich has been kept in this run in solitary confinement. I guess he was terrorizing other animals and picking on visitors to the park. 

One of my spirit animals, the guanaco, in the camelid family. 

Red wolf. 

Saw something in the grass and pounced. 

American elk buck. 

Doesn't he look as though he is smiling?

There were several bison babies born this year too. Nice to see new life in the park. 

Once we hit the section for purchasing feed to give to the birds and other deer-like animals, the emu came running. 

This yak was napping and we disturbed it. Thank goodness they are fairly docile creatures. 

This yak is older and was up eating. It knows how to spend the day. 

Young Nilgai. 

Another nilgai antelope. 

A few fallow deer, one of my favorites. Love how tiny they are and how sweet they seem to be. 

The elephant watering hole that we are still waiting to see if an elephant ever plays in that water. Staff members tell us that yes, they do during hot weather, but we have yet to see it in hot or cold weather. 

These are also fallow deer but in darker colors. 

Large antlers on such a small fallow deer!

Blackbuck antelope. 

It was so cold out that even the monkeys were snuggling with each other. 

Baby fallow deer, as if they could get any smaller. We fell in love with the corgi butt look. 

Cuddling and snuggling. 

I made a noise to get her attention. Think she's impressed?

The next run had four cheetahs running around, but this one sleeping. Then it hit me ... this is the mother of the four cubs born in the summer. She looks exhausted and I don't blame her. These are her four babies, and boy, have they grown!

It was reported that all four are boys too. Man, she has had her hands full!

The boys were restless. 

With all the commotion, mom came out to see what trouble the boys were into now. 

The finale of the trip through Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon is to see the tigers. It is difficult to get a good photo of the tigers due to the double fencing, but we did manage to get a couple.

It was getting very close to their dinner time, so the pacing begins. The tiger in the outer run is a cub that was born last spring. He gave up the pacing and decided to get in a back scratching. 

Well, readers, that was today's visit through Wildlife Safari. It was fun. We always see at least one attraction that makes us smile or amazes us in some way. If you get a chance, visit the park. 

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We are ending this post here and will say goodbye for now. Until our next post, take care of yourself. 

Terry & Vicki

Animal soulmates