I won't sing the song myself - perhaps you could sing it for me? Much of what follows is utterly frivolous
so an impersonation of Julie Andrews might put you in the right frame of mind for discovering...
A Few of My Favourite Things
So here they are - just a few of my favourite websites. I'm sure you'll agree that you can tell an awful lot
about a woman from where she browses. I'd certainly be interested to learn what this page tells you
about me!
Let us begin...
A Few of My Favourite Bead Artists
If I were organised, I would do this alphabetically. Sadly I'm not. I admire & relish the work of all who are
gathered here - they are my inspiration - so in no particular order, please meet & greet the following artists
whose beads I have had the personal pleasure of working with...
Judith Johnson |
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There are many other artists whose beautiful work inspires & enthrals me. I could fill a book with their names
but I'll restrict myself to a tiny selection. It's a devilishly hard task to summarise the ardour which sumptuous
beads induce so rather than describe it, let's cut to the quick. Have a look at the work of the following artists:
Are you hooked yet? Can you feel the passion rising? Beads call out to you like a siren's song. Want to
see some more? Look in GlassArtists.org
If you'd like to introduce me to the work of more artists, please do - I'll be eternally grateful. I want to
find beauty so please share your discoveries.
Heroines
If I'm ever feeling stuck or marooned or generally in need of a pick-me-up, I head towards the websites belonging
to Jean Yates, Margot Potter and Kate McKinnon. Make yourself comfortable and pay them a lengthy visit. Their
work will intrigue you; their wit & wisdom enthral you. Contemplate the world in their company - you will not regret it.
You can also catch Jean, Margot and even me on Blogger.
Emma Ralph isn't on Blogger which is a great shame. She & my pal Laura Sparling are too busy making beautiful
beads & propping me up when my brain squelches. Emma makes me laugh till it hurts & Laura is the ultimate Jedi
Master to my son's Padawan. He sits on the PDD spectrum so life can be confusing. Laura's support means so much
to him. She has the unerring ability to make his face shine with happiness!
On a more serious note, another heroine of mine is Elizabeth King Gerlach who is a very special lady with
a beautiful soul. Visit the Four Leaf Press. We need more people like Elizabeth!
There is one other heroine who has inspired me from the very first day I heard about her. I don't know why my infant
brain immediately latched on to Eleanor of Aquitaine, but I've been a devoted subject ever since. She possessed
those dangly things that men have & was nobody's fool. I like to see that in a woman!
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Blogs? Did someone mention blogs?
"the path to belles, babes, baubles & blogs"
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And now for...
SHOPPING!
(not that I do too much of this - how can one do too much of this?)
Quite simply one of the most delectable shops in Winchester. Amongst many other gorgeous things, it stocks
my favourite Diptyque candles & perfumes.
This wonderful shop lives in a beautiful Georgian building which overlooks Winchester Cathedral. If you're in
Winchester, visit the Cathedral (it is a truly special place & the sculpture collection is peerless) and then spend an
hour or so looking at all the scrumptious stock in this fabulous shop. Another emporium to add to your browsing list.
Heavenly skin products - if you don't believe me, try 'Cleanse & Polish.'
If you work your hands hard, smooth on some Neem Nail Oil at night. And do look at the other
things - Dr Hauschka's products work.
Want some organic essential oils? Try these.
Lots of treats & essentials all under one roof. Smooth on some Burt's Bees Coconut Foot
Creme last thing at night and your feet will be floating on air by morn. I'm not being paid for
these plugs - honest!
One of my addictions is perfume & this site has introduced me to some wonderfully exotic fragrances.
As well as beads & perfumes, I'm also addicted to books and this old bibliophile thoroughly recommends
this site. And if you're having trouble tracking down an elusive book, try www.abebooks.co.uk.
So there's this woman walking towards you in a haze of perfume & wearing jewellery featuring the most
beautiful beads you've ever seen in your life. She's carrying a huge pile of books under one arm & on her
other this addict is toting an Orla Kiely bag. How many Orla Kiely bags do I have? I'm not telling.
My husband might be reading this.
If you ever run out of original ideas for gifts or fancy a retro treat, zoom through eBay & pay Jane a visit
- I promise you won't regret it. I hoover up her hand printed purses because they're perfect for storing
my big statement jewellery in, but their uses are infinitesimal. Try one & see.
Here's a hint for all you menfolk out there. Should there be a birthday or Yuletide season on the way, I strongly urge
you to pay a visit to Rosemary Hill's website. Her stunning shawl & scarf pins are what women want - trust me. I know
about these things! What's more, Rosemary's work is eminently collectable so bookmark this site & your present
problems will be a thing of the past!
With a brood of 3 children, their father & me, it makes life so much simpler to be a Boden buddy. Boden
pampers parents - you don't really need to iron the children's things - just dry & smooth, that's all. And
did I mention that they work hard for their living? Why they're virtually Lula-proof!
( Lula is seven and she thinks she's a dog.)
More lovely snuggly clothes.
I'm a mother. I can't do heels any more. It's sad but it's true. So now I Varca. These Spanish shoes mould
to your feet & I've fallen completely under their comfortable spell. I wear them in sun & I wear them in
rain. So unless I've got my funky Birkenstocks on, I'll be wearing my Varcas.
Let's find some places to buy presents & cute things for home:
Green things come from Crocus
For younger bead babes, try Urchin, Great Little Trading Company and Lego.
Am I the only one who's noticed that men like Lego too?
Talking of men, my 12 year old son wants me to mention Forbidden Planet.
And talking of my son, I want to mention
and
Tae Kwon-Do Association of Great Britain
If you want to know how much Tae Kwon-Do has helped my son, let me tell about our latest discovery.
We baked - yes my friends, I was allowed to use the oven & we didn't need the fire extinguisher this time. To
continue; we baked a cake and this time the mixture actually remained in the bowl. In days gone by, most of
it coated the kitchen. We didn't need icing sugar for our cake decorating! I believe those days are gone.
Tom can now crack an egg with delicate precision. Tae Kwon- Do has worked for him.
My penultimate link is to Bushwood Antiques
The man in my life works here.
And finally, I'm delighted to announce that ' the art of curiosity...' is now listed in the UK Crafts Directory.
Search for handmade jewellery, Wearable Art, the art of curiosity or just plain old Jennifer Dangerfield & you'll find me.
Have you heard enough about some of my favourite things? I have some more!
Pay a visit to treats & temptations for updates
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Shall we go home?
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art_of_curiosity@btinternet.com
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Photography by Jennifer Dangerfield. All designs, contents & images are the property of the designer Jennifer Dangerfield and are copyrighted. None of the aforementioned items may be reproduced in any form without the prior permission of Jennifer Dangerfield. Please note that any breech of copyright may result in legal action.